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DO YOU HATE CLOCK SWITCHING? Twice a year the clocks are changed, and twice a year, there are gripes. But 'Natural Time' activist Jay Pea says momentum is building to move to standard time -- despite a move by Florida to go in the wrong direction. Hey, it's not political -- but it's a surprisingly divided issue. Send us a text Support the show Subs…
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IN A DISTRICT that has historically elected Democrats, State Rep. Vicki Lopez is running as a moderate Republican to keep her spot. House District 113, which covers Key Biscayne and coastal Miami. Know for her work on condo issues, she is fending off a challenge from Jackie Gross Kellogg, the leader of Key Biscayne Democrats who says she will resto…
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CRITICS are seeking to pause the Big Dig sea level rise protection project in Key Biscayne. It's the biggest public works program in Village history. Critics challenge the science, costs, and the administration by Village Manager Steve Williamson, asking for new studies about whether the antiquated stormwater drainage system can last a few years lo…
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DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL, a former Democratic congresswoman from Miami, is trying to upset Republican Rick Scott for U.S. Senate. Recent polls show the race tightening to within the margin of error. As Hurricane Milton's damage is still being assessed, we talk to her about the government's role in disaster response, environmental policy, and much mor…
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TWO ACCOMPLISHED leaders are vying for the same spot in Miami's County government - District 7 - which includes the islands of Key Biscayne and Virginia Key, as well as Coral Gables, Pinecrest, and South Miami. CINDY LERNER, the former mayor of Pinecrest, lost to RAQUEL REGALADO by a narrow margin in 2020 -- now the two are in a rematch. We ask the…
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OUR FINAL TWO CANDIDATES for Key Biscayne's Village Council are on the show -- Michael Bracken and Nicholas Lopez-Jenkins. Neither is completely new to public service, with both serving on important committees. Bracken served as a member of the island's Undergrounding task force, while Jenkins served on the Virginia Key advisory board. We ask them …
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WE CONTINUE our series interviewing the six candidates for Key Biscayne's Village Council. Our guest is CHARLES COLLINS, who supports pausing the "Big Dig" projects. We ask about that -- and why he switched running for mayor to council ALSO, we bring on our reporter Billy Jean Louis to talk about reaction in Little Haiti to Donald Trump's false cla…
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NANCY STONER is one of six vying for three seats on the Key Biscayne Village Council. We get right into it with her views on the $300 million "Big Dig" project that some argue should be paused. Stoner is a construction and real estate attorney and mediator -- listen and find out more about her. Important Election Dates Mail ballots go out - Sept 26…
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WE START OUR 2024 SERIES of candidates for the Key Biscayne Village Council with two well known men on the island. Six people are vying for three seats in November. We ask about a $350 million stormwater project -- the "Big Dig" -- and other top issues -- and the answers may surprise you. --MARK FRIED, an attorney and service club leader, says he w…
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KAMALA HARRIS and new running mate Tim Walz have upended the presidential election, now leading Donald Trump and drawing large crowds in the days after President Joe Biden stepped out. Is the momentum sustainable? And just as important, what does it mean for state and local races in Florida and Miami? Our guest is top-tier Democratic strategist and…
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It's less than 100 days to the U.S. presidential election, and if history is any guide, people will vote their pocketbooks. So...how IS the economy doing in the four years since the pandemic? We talk to Mark Hamrick, the Washington bureau chief of Bankrate and one of the nation's sharpest financial journalists, who says that when it comes to readin…
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JACKIE GROSS KELLOGG is a longtime Key Biscayne Democratic Party leader, and her first trip to the national convention is coming with the historic change in presidential nominees from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris. She'll be voting in an online roll call August 1st. What is like to be one of 2,000 people making this decision? And what challenges face …
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MIAMI's 27th DISTRICT is one of the nation's most evenly divided congressional districts, and this year's election is taking place in a time of intense political turmoil and in the wake of an assassination attempt. MIKE DAVEY, a former Republican, is seeking to reclaim the seat for Democrats. He's best known for two terms as Key Biscayne mayor, whe…
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Every week it's a different headline in Miami. A verdict against a commissioner. Allegations against the City attorney. Unconstitutional voting districts. And then there is the "cold war" with Miami's neighboring city, Key Biscayne over Virginia Key and ongoing traffic issues. Our guest is Damian Pardo, who won an upset victory and has been part of…
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MIAMI will have a new, powerful elected sheriff in a few months, and this summer. voters will pick the Democratic and Republican candidates for the job. It's a post with a big budget and responsibilities ranging from traffic to homicide. We talked to six of the of 13 Republican candidates and one of four Democrats. BONUS ***** Here are the full int…
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LAST YEAR, ocean temperatures set records. And this year, it's looking even more extreme. What will that mean for the Atlantic Hurricane Season, just two months away? We welcome back meteorologist Brian McNoldy from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel Schoo, who has been blogging about extraordinary ocean temperature changes. Plus, our regular new…
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His name is RETRO BILL and he goes around the country with a sometimes zany message for kids - and he's passionate about stopping bullying. Retro Bill just wrapped up a series of shows in Key Biscayne -- and he has a message for parents and kids. After you've listened to his show -- check him out here Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to th…
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CONDO SALES ARE PLUMMETING in Sough Florida, but is it a crisis? Our guest is KEN JOHNSON from Florida Atlantic University, a real estate economist, who talks about the effect of the Surfside condo collapse on the market. "Condos are the canary in the coal mine." We also discuss the Olea sex abuse case, where a police detective's recorded comments …
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TWO MAJOR SEX CRIME cases are now top of mind for many Key Biscayne residents, with defendants facing potential life sentences. Our guest is a former state and federal prosecutor who now is one of Miami's top defense lawyers -- David S, Weinstein. We ask hin how these cases are likely to play out and how they will proceed in court, We also discuss …
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SEX ABUSE ALLEGATIONS and a fatal crash involving an e-bike collision. Idyllic Key Biscayne has been dealing with a series of serious problems that would challenge any town. Our guest is former Anti-Social host THOM MOZLOOM, an expert in crisis communications and marketing. How can a government better communicate with its citizens? We also discuss …
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A series of sexual misconduct cases have roiled the "Island Paradise" of Key Biscayne. Our guests are two reporters from the Miami Herald -- Clara-Sophia Daly and Ana Claudia Chacin whose stories about accusations against gymnastic coach Oscar Olea have led police to consider reopening an investigation. Some of the accusations are more than a decad…
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WALT DISNEY WORLD is Florida's largest private employer, but few know that it's also a heavily unionized workforce. Contracts at Disney influence the entire state. Our guest is Mike Schneider, an AP correspondent and author of the book "MICKEY AND THE TEAMSTERS: A fight for fair unions at Disney" which looks at a years-long battle involving the "ca…
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WITH CONDO COMPLAINTS rising all over Florida, State Rep. Vicky Lopez has filed sweeping legislation that would add new criminal penalties for wayward condo boards. She talks about why the legislation is needed -- and the support she expects to get when the Florida Legislature convenes January 9th. We also discuss the arrest of a Key Biscayne attor…
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WE CLOSE 2023 with something every Key Biscayne motorist sees every day -- the big new electronic sign welcoming people to the Island Paradise. But a local group wants to add some cheery messages to the sign to boost spirits and promote the sense of community. Our guest Oscar Sardiñas, a member of the Village Council, talks about this idea to promo…
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$300 Million, $200 Million, $100 Million? Next month, the Key Biscayne Village Council is expected to revise just how much flood water it needs to pump as sea level rise threatens the barrier island. Our guest is Council Member Oscar Sardiñas, who is serving his first term and will be one of seven making this monumental decision And we have a BIG A…
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It's not Sundance yet, but Key Biscayne is getting its own film festival. Our guests Isabel Custer and Maite Garrado Thornton talk about the first event in January and how the festival uniquely connects with the Island Paradise. You can learn more about the festival here Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent toda…
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE is the leading cause of injury to women in the U.S. Every year, more than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes. Our Guest is Miami's top prosecutor, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, who has worked for years to improve the criminal justice system's response to these family-destroying problems. The hotline for dome…
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IT WILL COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS -- making Key Biscayne hardened against sea level rise, increasing rains, and hurricanes. But protecting one of Miami's most scenic barrier islands is facing a big vote in the coming weeks -- a final decision on just how dry the streets should be, and whether there is the political will to borrow, spend,…
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Once a year, Miami-Dade County comes together to support hundreds of nonprofits working to strengthen our community and is people. It's called Give Miami Day and Our guest is Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, the leader of the Miami Foundation to talk about how the entire community can benefit when it works to support worthy causes We also talk about how Key…
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With the horror of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas and the subsequent air strikes on the Gaza Strip, we asked Middle East expert Eric Lob to break down the complex issues that led to the massacre and the perils of the conflict for the United States. Lob is an associate professor at Florida International University…
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Thom Mozloom returns to host this episode. Miami-Dade Raquel Regalado talks about plans to refurbish Crandon Park golf course, those "bad trees" cut down on the side of the Rickenbacker Causeway and an issue close to her heart: employing the neurodivergent. She also addresses rumors whether she would toss her hat in the ring to become Miami-Dade Co…
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RON MAGILL says known to a worldwide audience for his passion about animals, his wildlife photography, and his job as spokesman for Zoo Miami. But he's speaking out forcefully about a plan to put a water park at the Zoo, a move he says will endanger wildlife. He says he's ready to put his job on the line. In Segment 2, we talk about opposition to t…
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KEY BISCAYNE families with special needs people recently succeeded in getting funding to enhance services on the island, but they're not done yet. Our guest is Dominique Breard, a member of the group "It Takes a Village KB." We ask her about how local families organized, their challenges, and the future of special needs help for both kids and adult…
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The sudden death of Lolita, the "killer whale" at the Miami Seaquarium, saddened animal lovers everywhere. But trainers had long warned of problems. Our guest is Mark Simmons, a former trainer and author of the book Killing Keiko talks about the orca's death and the what he thinks must be done in the future for marine parks Send us a text Support t…
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An arrest in a months-long investigation of fraud rattled residents at a posh Key Biscayne condominium this week. We start our show with the latest news in the scandal and audio of police interviews. Our guest is nationally respected journalist Sergio Bustos , who leads the newsroom at WLRN. Sergio tells us about the state of local journalism and h…
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SOUTH FLORIDA is in the grips of an affordable housing crisis, with a combination of high rents, high values, and high interest rates making it difficult for many to make ends meet -- even though some values have leveled off in Key Biscayne Our guest is Ron Shuffield, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, a market veteran…
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THIS WEEK, we turn the microphone over to our summer intern at the Key Biscayne Independent about her real-world journalism experience covering big stories. But ANASTASIA IVANOVA has a story of her own - her family, refugees from Ukraine, is dealing daily with the ongoing invasion of their country. Her powerful first-person column is about what it'…
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JOE RASCO IS 233 DAYS into his term as mayor of Key Biscayne, and is fresh off some big wins. This week, after months of delay, the Village Council restarted a stalled $250 million project to protect the island from sea level rise. And the Village Council achieved a rare 7-0 vote on a potential tax increase for the 2024 budget -- but some 'wish lis…
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THIS JULY, record temperatures around the world are setting records in the oceans and in cities. Miami has had days of excessive, unprecedented heat. And scientists say the record surface temperatures could endanger corals and make hurricane forecasting unpredictable. Our guest is BRIAN McNOLDY, a meteorologist at the University of Miami's Rosensti…
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RACISM ALLEGATIONS are in the news almost nonstop. Accusations of racial slurs at MAST Academy, a prestigious Miami magnet school. A Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action. And other court rulings involving racial unfairness in the election system. Our guest is Harold Ford, the head of the South Dade Chapter of the NAACP. An educator…
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IN FLORIDA and across the nation, legislatures have passed restrictive laws that many in the LGTBQ+ community feel are targeting their right to exist. In Florida, the "Don't Say Gay" law was expanded, and some teachers feel a chilling effect. Our guest is Orlando Gonzalez, executive director of SAVE/LGBTQ. We ask him about the challenges the commun…
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SOME KEY BISCAYNE residents are up in arms over a proposal to mandate flood barriers on private property in Key Biscayne. And some members of council have delayed the next big step in advancing the island's $250 million dollar plan to fight sea level rise and increase resiliency. Village Manager Steve Williamson, a former Army Corps of Engineers Co…
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THE TRAGIC COLLAPSE OF THE CHAMPLAIN TOWERS SOUTH in Surfside two years ago this month had huge impacts on condominiums where millions of Floridians live. New inspections and new costs are coming at a time when insurance rates are skyrocketing and buildings are confronting deferred maintenance. In Key Biscayne, the largest complex is the news, with…
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