Spotlight 112-250613

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

Reported Crimes Down YTD in Coconut Grove
A Disturbing Assault in West Grove
Celebrated Local Athlete Gerald Tinker
The 125^th Anniversary of a Segregated School

Crime Rates Down 33% From Last Year

Crime in Coconut Grove is down significantly from this time last year, but one-off crimes, including a disturbing assault, and burglaries still pose a challenge.

By Jenny Jacoby

Crime is down 33% in Coconut Grove from this time last year, making it the community with the lowest crime rate in the city at this time, according to former Miami Police Commander Daniel Kerr.

As of the end of May, 180 crimes had been reported in the Grove, compared to 269 crimes for the same period last year.

The majority of crimes so far this year – 115 in total – involved routine thefts, including 57 general thefts (larceny), 29 retail thefts and 29 thefts involving motor vehicles (but not stolen vehicles, which are a separate category). Last year those same three categories accounted for 187 of all reported crimes

“It’s strange how little crime there is. People forget what it was like in the Grove in the ‘80s when there were 200 crimes a month. Today people are more aware,” Kerr said.

Woman Assaulted in her Bedroom

A woman was assaulted in her West Grove home last month by an intruder who fled with her cell phone. Police apprehended a male suspect a short time later, and the man confessed to the crime.

By Jenny Jacoby

Miami Police have arrested a 35-year-old man on a felony charge of burglary with assault or battery after a disturbing incident on William Avenue in Coconut Grove.

A woman was asleep at home last month when an intruder entered her bedroom and assaulted her while touching himself, police said.

The man later fled with the woman’s cell phone and a pillowcase. She called police and the suspect was apprehended a short time later a few blocks from the woman’s home.

The assault happened in the early morning hours of May 16 in the 3400 block of William Avenue, two blocks south of Grand Avenue.

Police identified the suspect as Jordan Tyler Pinkney, 35, and listed his home address as 2950 NW 7Street in West Flagler.

Hometown Hero: Olympic Gold Medalist Gerald Tinker

The celebrated sprinter and NFL wide receiver is being honored by family and friends in advance of a Miami City Commission meeting where the city is expected to recognize his athletic accomplishments.

By Amanda Clegg

Long before becoming an Olympic gold medalist and an NFL wide receiver, Gerald Tinker called Coconut Grove his playground. That’s where he grew up, and that’s where he played – on Charles Terrace in the West Grove.

“That’s the street that all the kids played on, especially him growing up,” said Charlie Coney, historian and board member of the Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame and a childhood friend of Tinker’s.

What better way then to honor a man who went on to win glory at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich than by designating Charles Terrace from Douglas Road to Jefferson Street as “Gerald Tinker Way.”

That’s what the Miami City Commission is poised to do next week, with a formal resolution that recognizes Tinker’s athletic achievements.

A Coconut Grove School – Once Segregated – Celebrates 125 years

George Washington Carver Elementary and Middle Schools have a long legacy of serving the Black community in Coconut Grove.

By Natalie La Roche Pietri

Coconut Grove is home for Thelma Gibson. Though it’s vastly different today than when she was growing up. Born and raised in the Grove during segregation, Gibson had to overcome hurdles stemming from racism in her childhood and young adult life.

“It’s so different when I think in terms of what I came up with and how I came up,” Gibson said. “Having to go outside to the toilet and having to pump water and having no electricity and having to wash my feet in the basin. You can’t believe that this was possible, that you can live through this, and still survive, and be able to come up and be successful in life.”

Gibson, 98, went on to have a trailblazing career in healthcare and has given back in countless ways to the community that raised her. She founded the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative, dedicated to improving lives in low-income neighborhoods.

Letters

Readers React: A reader responds this week to a recent PZAB decision granting a developer the right to build three houses on a large South Grove property, despite the neighborhood’s strong objections.

Continue to Letters…

Where We’ll Be

Grill-Seekers: Where to Take Pop Before His Nap

Smoke Signals. The Sierra Club screens Old Smokey: A Community History, a deep dive into Miami’s incineration past and what a zero-waste future could look like. Bonus: stick around for a convo on environmental justice. Miami Dade College, Gibson Center, 3629 Grand Avenue. Friday 6/13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free.

Dad Walk. It’s like a run club — but much slower. With strollers. And snacks. Celebrate fatherhood with a short family-friendly morning walk through the downtown Grove. Peacock Park, 2820 McFarlane Road. Saturday 6/14 starting at 9:30 a.m. Free with RSVP. Bring donations of clothing, books, or supplies for local families. Route ends at Coconut Grove Library with …

Dad’s Donut Hour. Skip the necktie and craft a one-of-a-kind keepsake for Dad — while munching on donuts, of course. Coconut Grove Branch Library, 2875 McFarlane Road. Saturday 6/14 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For ages 6–12. Free with registration; materials provided.

Family Fest 2025. Face paint, fire trucks, train rides — and sharks?! Celebrate Miami Kids Magazine’s 8th anniversary with a day of giveaways, games, and glittering smiles. Regatta Park, 3500 Pan American Drive. Saturday 6/14 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free tickets here.

Zen and the Art of Dad Maintenance. Start the weekend with some soul-soothing yoga beneath Miami’s oldest Royal Poinciana — yes, the same one David Fairchild himself planted. The Kampong, 4013 S Douglas Road, Coconut Grove. Saturday 6/14 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Tickets required. BYO mat, water, and contemplative dad jokes. When a lone dad snores in the forest, does he make a sound?

Dad of the Year – A Western Celebration. Saddle up for burgers, barbershops, country music, and full-on dad appreciation and plenty of swag and a kids’ zone. Nashville country recording artist Gabriel Key headlines the stage. Fuller Street. Saturday 6/14 from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Free. Bike Coconut Grove offers free bike valet parking during the event.

Opera and Over-the-Top Vocals. Surprise Dad with some serious culture. The Alhambra Orchestra and Manny Perez Vocal Studio bring a full-throttle opera experience with orchestra and rising stars. Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. Sunday 6/15 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets still available as the Spotlight went to press.

Bike Like a Founding Father. Saddle up for a Father’s Day ride through Coral Gables in honor of its founding dad, George Merrick. Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue. Sunday 6/15 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Register online.

Grill Not Included. Celebrate Father’s Day at Fairchild with lawn games, DIY stations (bug hotels! birdhouses!), and a shot at a $5,000 hole-in-one. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Sunday 6/15 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. General admission includes most activities; some require additional purchase. Dads encouraged to bring their own swagger.

Trees for Pops. Hop aboard the Royal Poinciana Trolley Tour and cruise past the showiest blooms of the season, narrated by two poinciana experts. Coral Gables Library, 3443 Segovia Street. Sunday 6/15 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Tickets. Free parking nearby. Botanists onboard, dad jokes optional.

Fat Ham’s Ghost Dad. Last chance to catch Fat Ham, a modern remix of Hamlet where a young Black man faces off with his father’s ghost — and maybe destiny itself. GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. Sunday 6/15. Full schedule and tickets online.

Rookie to Rockstar. Author Daniela Jean honors Juneteenth with her book From Rookie to Rockstar, celebrating service, leadership, and grit. Great inspiration for dads — and anyone else raising the bar. Books & Books, 3409 Main Highway, Coconut Grove. Thursday 6/19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free, advanced tickets here.

Jerusalem Walk. Put some rhythm in your stride — NBCI’s Jerusalem Walk blends faith, fitness, and full-throated praise. Bring Dad and join the joyful procession. Starts at St. James Baptist Church, 3500 Charles Street. Saturday 6/21 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to all.

Local favorite Alice Goldhagen showcases her latest photographic series — including shots that celebrate Coral Gables’ architectural roots. Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, 2101 Tigertail Avenue. Opening Saturday 6/21 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Gallery hours M/W/F 10:00 to 3:30 or by appointment. Centennial gallery online here.

Save Me a Seat

2nd Annual Juneteenth and Florida Emancipation Day Celebration features performances by local talent from Historic Coconut Grove churches, schools, civic groups, social service organizations. Sanctuary of the Arts, 136 Frow Avenue. Sunday, 6/29, 2:00 p.m. Free.

Mango Madness. Give Dad what he really wants — mango everything. Fairchild’s annual Mango Festival brings the flavor with tastings, demos, and tropical flair. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Saturday and Sunday 7/12–7/13. Tickets available now.