Spotlight 143-250930

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

Coconut Grove’s Hare Krishna Community
A Rash of Car Thefts in the Grove
The Fate of the Miami Seaquarium

Still Chanting After All These Years

For decades a fixture in Coconut Grove’s parks and village streets, the colorful, melodic devotees of Hinduism’s Hare Krishna tradition have faded from view. But a new temple leader hopes to revive the sound and spirit that once defined the Grove’s bohemian counterculture vibe.

By Mike Clary

Once they were as visible on the streets of Coconut Grove as traffic, tourists and peacocks are now. In flowing saffron robes, devotees danced to the rhythmic sound of drums and chiming hand cymbals, chanted “Hare Krishna” and handed out religious literature while inviting the curious to discover yoga and meditation.

Worshippers pulled a colorful “chariot of gods” down Main Highway each year in the King Mango Strut, and on Saturday nights showed up regularly at CocoWalk and Peacock Park, where they provided free vegetarian food and sold copies of the Bhagavad Gita, a holy book of Hindu scripture.

Lock Your Car: Auto Thefts Surge in the Grove

Car thieves are striking the Grove at a pace not seen all year — nearly a third of 2025’s thefts have come in the past 30 days.

By Jenny Jacoby

Vehicle thefts have surged in Coconut Grove, with nine reported in the past five weeks — more than double the neighborhood’s typical pace of about four per month.

The recent surge, which began Aug. 24, accounts for nearly 30% of this year’s reported cases, according to Miami police. Four additional thefts occurred just outside the Grove’s boundaries.

Police say 33 vehicles have been reported stolen in the Grove so far in 2025. The latest rash represents the busiest stretch in at least six months, after the neighborhood had gone six weeks without a single theft.

“A Major Step Forward.” County Officials Hail Seaquarium Redevelopment Plan

Coconut Grove-based development firm Terra Group will take control of the Seaquarium lease under the proposed plan, with a goal of modernizing the Virginia Key property for public use, according to Miami-Dade County officials.

By Sergio Bustos

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado say a proposed agreement to resolve a long-running battle over the Miami Seaquarium represents a “major step forward” for the community.

The agreement, which aims to renovate and modernize the Virginia Key property, follows a year-long eviction process initiated by the county against The Dolphin Company, the embattled Seaquarium’s current owner, over concerns about animal welfare. The land is owned by the county and leased to the Dolphin Company.