Spotlight 240723 BID profile, Gang murders, D7

In the Spotlight,

Grove BID Reaches a Milestone
Gang-related Murders
District 7 Rematch Candidates

A deep dive into the Grove’s Business Improvement District, three unsolved murders, and an election rematch lead this week’s Spotlight. You can find Spotlight reporting anytime on our website and use its search tool to find topics that might have slipped by.

The Grove BID at 15: New Leadership, Lingering Concerns

In a milestone year, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District is moving beyond a critical audit report — and continued questions over how it should spend its millions in public money.

by Francisco Alvarado

Shops on Main Highway (Don Finefrock for the Spotlight)

As former District 2 City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff recalls it, downtown Coconut Grove in 2009 was desperate for a makeover: empty storefronts, dirty streets and sidewalks, vandalism and petty crime. And with municipal budgets growing tighter, City of Miami service providers couldn’t keep up.

While others may remember the time differently, there’s little dispute that Coconut Grove’s urban core today, with its swanky new restaurants, Class A office space, and luxury condo towers has come a long way.

Gang Violence Suspected in
Grove-Related Murders

Police say at least three men are dead – two with ties to Coconut Grove – in a bloody turf war. No arrests have been made.

by Mike Clary

Demonte Poitier was shot and killed in February in the West Grove. (Photo from GoFundMe.com)

Sabrina Rolle last saw her son in the rearview mirror as she drove south from her Fort Lauderdale home. On that Tuesday afternoon, Demonte was behind her, at the wheel of a silver 2003 Toyota Camry with a bad tire.

“I told him not to drive on that tire,” Rolle said.

Election 2024: The District 7 County Commission Race Features a Rematch of
the 2020 Contest

Three candidates are competing to represent Coconut Grove and surrounding communities on the Miami-Dade County Commission. The election is August 20.

The 2024 election contest for the Miami-Dade County District 7 commission seat – the district that includes Coconut Grove – features a rematch between incumbent commissioner Raquel Regalado and former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner.