Spotlight 130-250815

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

Old Smokey Sparks Another Lawsuit
How the City of Miami Skirts Public Scrutiny
A Safe Route to School Blocked by Construction
A Public Workshop for Civic Activists

Kingsway Apartments Sue City over Chemical Contamination

The West Grove property owner says the City of Miami should be held accountable for years of neighborhood contamination spread by the city’s former Old Smokey trash incinerator and its Fire Training Rescue Center.

By Jenny Jacoby

The owners of Kingsway Apartments in the West Grove have returned to court to sue the City of Miami over what they claim is decades of exposure to harmful chemicals from the city’s former Old Smokey trash incinerator and its Fire Rescue Training Center.

The owners first sued the city in federal court last September, alleging a violation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), but the case was dismissed May 15 due to an unclear presentation of alleged damages.

The West Grove property owners – Community Developers Ltd. – are now trying their luck in the state court system, refiling their complaint on Aug. 5.
“Our goal is to ensure transparency, justice, and a meaningful cleanup.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and we look forward to bringing these claims fully into the light,” Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes, the Miami law firm representing Community Developers, said in a statement to the Spotlight.

Miami Defends Last-Minute Changes to Proposed City Laws

The City of Miami’s practice of quietly modifying proposed legislation prior to a commission vote is permitted under law, officials insist, so long as the changes do not stray from what was “originally contemplated.”

By David Villano

The City of Miami’s widespread but little-noticed practice of modifying local ordinances prior to a commission vote – without notifying the public – is rooted in a 2007 Florida legal ruling that state-mandated disclosure requirements apply only when changes to a proposed law alter its “general purpose.”

But neither state law nor subsequent court rulings have defined how to apply the “general purpose” standard, giving local officials wide discretion to make last-minute, far-reaching changes to pending laws without public disclosure or review.

The City of Miami, for its part, has no written rules or policies for applying the “general purpose” standard when ordinances voted upon by commissioners deviate from the versions shared with the public, city officials have acknowledged to the Spotlight.

Detour Ahead: A Popular Pathway is Closed, Frustrating Parents

The slender lane connecting two parts of Coconut Grove is closed to pedestrians and bike riders this week, frustrating parents who rely on the shortcut to safely shuttle their kids to school.

By Don Finefrock

Like parents everywhere in Miami this week, Ian Wogan was thinking ahead to the start of a new school year and the route he would take to shuttle his kids safely to where they needed to be when public school classes began on Thursday.

“We have three kids. We bike them to school and we look for the safest route,” Wogan told the Spotlight. He and his family live in the North Grove.

With one child at Coconut Grove Elementary and another at Plymouth Preschool on Devon Road, Wogan was planning to use a slender shortcut to reach the South Grove without risking the fast traffic that monopolizes Douglas Road and Main Highway.

Pardo to Host Workshop to Help Residents Work With City

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo will host a free civic engagement workshop on Wednesday Aug. 20 aimed at helping residents partner more effectively with City of Miami officials in shaping public policy. The event will cover how to navigate city departments, understand ordinances and zoning, advocate constructively, and build coalitions for community projects. Workshop topics will include:

How to navigate City of Miami departments and services
Constructive advocacy and effective communication
Understanding ordinances, zoning, and the legislative process
Building coalitions and mobilizing community support
Examples of successful city–community collaboration

City officials and subject matter experts from departments including Planning and Zoning, Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste, Public Works, Code Compliance, Police, Fire, the City Manager’s Office, the City Attorney’s Office, and the City Clerk’s Office will be available to answer questions and share resources.

Letters to the Editor

Readers React: Our story last week on Shake-A-Leg prompted one reader to complain about the organization’s negative impact on Coconut Grove’s public waterfront.

Where We’ll Be

Celebrate Culture & Community (and Maybe Even a Ballgame).

Backpacks and Brain Freeze. School supply shopping? Brutal. Free gelato? Beautiful. After teaming up with the Grove’s BID (Thanks, BID!), Bianco Gelato is handing out free scoops to make your back-to-school grind a little sweeter — and a whole lot healthier. Their creamy, dreamy treats are vegan, dairy-free, white sugar-free, and kosher. Bianco Gelato, 3137 Commodore Plaza. Friday 8/15 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Free.

MUVE Volunteer Workday—Beach Edition. Roll up your sleeves for a morning of coastal love with Frost Science’s MUVE volunteer event. Meet at Virginia Key North Point Park for dune restoration — sea-oat planting, beach cleanup, and real community science vibes. All tools provided; just bring sun and bug protection, closed-toe shoes, and a water bottle. Saturday 8/16, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Free. Register now

One Afternoon Only: Loving Mathew. Area Stage hosts a special staged reading of Loving Mathew, the newest play by actress and playwright Wendy Bryan Michaels (I Love You Phillip Morris, Rabbit Hole, My Sister Is So Gay). This one-time-only performance explores love, resilience, and the ties that hold us together — brought to life by a gifted ensemble cast. Area Stage’s Black Box Theatre, 5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 286, South Miami. Saturday 8/16 at 2:00 p.m. Free with RSVP. Reserve your seat

Creepy Crawly Cinema. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden hosts a grown-up garden party with a bite — literally. The Bug-N-Grub Night Crawl & Movie Night invites you to explore after dark with bug-inspired cocktails, bold picnic flavors, and a cult-favorite flick under the stars. First up: Bug (Rated R). 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables. Saturday 8/16 from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. Ages 21+ only. $30 solo or $50 for two; members save $5. Details and tickets

Pedals & Palms. Cruise through Coral Gables under the shady splendor of century-old trees on this month’s Cool Canopies bike tour. Guided by City Urban Forester Charles ‘Rick’ Carr, the ride highlights George Merrick’s original vision and the lush legacy he left behind. Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue. Sunday 8/17 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bring your own bike (and helmet for kids under 16). Register here

Paws and Applause. With about 7 billion internet videos to choose from (That’s a fact-checked number.), Art Cinema presents a selection of purrrrely cat-chy chaos at CatVideoFest 2025 — a purrfectly curated collection of feline hijinks from across the web. Whether you’re bringing your favorite cat person or flying solo, it’s 70+ minutes of meow-hem you won’t soon forget. Sourced from classic internet archives, hilarious home videos, and jaw-dropping cat stunts, this film is the catnip of cinema. Bonus: proceeds benefit local cat rescues. Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Avenue. One screening only on Sunday 8/17 at 11:15 a.m. Fur real, you don’t want to miss it. The purr-ice is paw-sitively purr-fect. More info and tickets. It will sell out.

Partnering for Progress? Fingers Crossed. Miami City Hall is hosting a free workshop aimed at helping residents become more effective partners in shaping city policies and navigating local government. Skeptical? Understood. But with reps from Planning & Zoning, Public Works, Police, Fire, and even the City Attorney’s Office in the room, this could be way more than just another glossy handout. Learn how to decode departments, understand zoning, build coalitions, and — maybe — get something done. Only one way to find out. Hosted by Commissioner Damian Pardo. Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive. Wednesday 8/20 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free. RSVP encouraged: (305) 250-5333 or [email protected].

Network and Nosh. Join the Grove Chamber for a relaxed evening of networking where Argentinian steakhouse tradition meets big flavor. Just a short walk from wherever you’re already hanging out in the Grove. La Cabrera Casa de Carne, 2895 McFarlane Road. Wednesday 8/20 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets here.

Bingo & Bites for Our Elders. National Senior Citizens Day gets the Grove treatment with an afternoon of bingo, light bites, music, and new connections — including a sneak peek at the neighborhood’s new eco-friendly Circuit shuttle. MDC Gibson Education Center, 3629 Grand Avenue. Thursday 8/21 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Free.

Dominican Republic Heritage at the Ballpark. The Marlins are bringing serious hometown pride to loan Depot Park — and not just in the stands. With seven Dominican players on the roster (that’s more than a quarter of the team), this celebration swings for the bleachers. On Saturday 8/23 at 4:10 p.m., the ballpark transforms into a high-energy tribute to Dominican culture, with music, food, and baseball that feels more like a block party than a ballgame. Ticket packages include a commemorative jersey, post-game entertainment, and music, music, music. More info

Plot Twist: New Hours, Happy Hours. Books & Books in the Grove just gave us more reasons to linger. They’re now open Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Friday to Saturday until 9:00 p.m. Happy hour runs daily from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., with local beers and wines that go down easy while you flip pages or swap gossip. 3409 Main Highway.

Save Me a Seat

Snails in Glass and Stone. The Haas Brothers’s S. Car, Go! exhibition is on view at the Lowe Art Museum through January 3, 2026. In the Project Room, the duo plays with scale and medium through whimsical site-specific works in glass and sculpted stone—where snails become absurdly charming art heroes. Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables. Free museum admission due to the generosity of Beaux Arts. Tickets here.

Pay-What-You-Wish New World Symphony Concerts. World-class orchestral music for as little as $0? Technically, yes — but come on, this is your chance to step into your patron-of-the-arts era. Don a blazer, channel your inner Medici, and toss a little extra generosity into the till. It’s high culture with a low barrier — and a golden opportunity to act like the big spender we both know you are. Get your tickets here. New World Center, 500 17th St, Miami Beach. September concerts include:

Strings: Clyne, Mozart & Beethoven — Saturday 9/13 at 7:30 p.m.
Woodwinds + Brass: Dvořák, Shostakovich & Holst — Sunday 9/14 at 2:00 p.m.
Tianyi Lu Conducts Bartók & Brahms — Saturday 9/20 at 7:30 p.m.

Frost Music Live. A new season of powerhouse performances begins September 19 at U-Miami’s Frost School of Music — and don’t let the word “school” fool you. These are world-class performances by top-ranked musicians, graduate students, and future doctoral-level professionals. Surprisingly affordable, and seriously impressive. Even better: it’s an easy ride from Coconut Grove. Just hop on the Metrorail at Douglas Road or Vizcaya Station and exit at University Station. Tickets typically range from free to $35. Check the full schedule here.

Harvest Hope & Heart in The Spitfire Grill. Actors’ Playhouse kicks off its new season — a soulful, folk-infused musical based on the beloved 1996 film. It follows Percy, a freshly released parolee, as she lands a second chance at life in a small Wisconsin town. Runs October 8 to November 2 at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables. Tickets are already on sale.