Public Safety · Miami Beach, FL
A Miami Beach Police Department Internal Affairs investigation reviewed over 13,000 messages across five WhatsApp group chats and identified six posts containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) sent between 2015 and 2023. Officer Eric Schultz sent CSAM on Dec. 14, 2018, while assigned to a security detail at Lehrman Community Day School in North Miami Beach; Officers Pedro Socarras and Hector Fernandez also sent or reposted such material. Neither federal nor state prosecutors pursued criminal charges, and the matter was resolved through a Feb. 15, 2024, settlement agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police under which the officers received written reprimands. Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez publicly criticized the department's handling of the scandal in mid-August.
Public Safety · Miami-Dade County
The National Weather Service issued Coastal Flood Advisories for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties through Thursday at 11 p.m., warning of moderate coastal flooding during high tide cycles. Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to begin Saturday, Oct. 24, with potential totals of 5 to 7 inches in some areas. A new king tide cycle spanning Oct. 24 to Oct. 30 will peak on Tuesday, Oct. 27, increasing the risk of combined coastal and urban flooding.
Crime · Miami-Dade County
A Miami-Dade County jury recommended the death penalty for Alberto Sierra, who admitted to suffocating his estranged wife and her two young daughters in November 2012. The verdict followed five hours of deliberation, with jurors voting 11-1 for the mother's murder and unanimously for one daughter's killing. Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez scheduled a hearing for November 2 to set formal sentencing proceedings. Sierra's defense cited extensive brain damage from a childhood accident as mitigation.
Education · Miami, FL
Carnegie Mellon University announced Tuesday that computer science department head Jignesh Patel will serve as founding dean and vice president of its planned $2 billion campus in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. The campus, funded by a $3 billion gift from hedge fund owner Ken Griffin, is expected to span 35 acres and support more than 3,500 students, 300 faculty, and 600 staff. Construction is set to begin next year, with graduate students arriving in 2028 and undergraduates in 2032. Patel, who joined CMU's faculty in 2023 after serving at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, helped shape the campus' academic mission centered on "grand societal challenges" including health, national security, climate, and manufacturing.
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Crime · Miami-Dade County
A Miami-Dade County jury recommended the death penalty Tuesday for Alberto Sierra, 42, who admitted to suffocating his estranged wife Gladys Machado, 29, and her daughters Julia, 6, and Daniela, 3, with a plastic bag on Nov. 10, 2012, at their Flagami home. Jurors voted 11-1 for death in Machado's murder, unanimously for Julia's killing, and 8-4 for Daniela's. Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez set a hearing for Nov. 2 to schedule formal sentencing proceedings; she retains final authority on whether to impose a death sentence.
Crime · Miami, FL
A Miami-Dade jury voted Tuesday to recommend the death penalty for Alberto Sierra, 42, who admitted to suffocating his estranged wife Gladys Machado, 29, and her daughters Julia, 6, and Daniela, 3, with a plastic bag at their Flagami home on Nov. 10, 2012. Jurors voted 11-1 for death in Machado's murder, unanimously for Julia's killing, and 8-4 for Daniela's. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez set a hearing for Nov. 2 to schedule formal sentencing proceedings, where she retains final authority over whether to impose a death sentence.
Local Politics · Miami Beach, FL
Miami Beach commissioners voted on Oct. 14 to approve a new agreement keeping Art Basel Miami Beach at the city's convention center through 2031, with a reduced base license fee of $500,000 for 2026. The deal bars competing art fairs at the Convention Center and nearby sites for 30 days before and after the event, while granting Miami Beach residents a seven-day half-price ticket presale capped at 2,500 tickets. Art Basel will contribute $100,000 annually to transportation and mobility and $50,000 to the city's STEAM+ initiative, while reimbursing city police, fire, and EMS costs above $300,000 per year. The city estimates the 2025 fair drew 80,000 visitors and generated $570 million in economic activity across Miami-Dade County.
Education · Miami, FL
Carnegie Mellon University announced Tuesday that computer science department head Jignesh Patel will serve as founding dean and vice president of its planned $2 billion campus in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. The 35-acre campus, funded by a $3 billion gift from hedge fund owner Ken Griffin, is expected to support more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, 300 faculty and 600 staff. Construction is set to begin next year, with graduate students arriving in 2028 and undergraduates in 2032. Academic programming will center on "grand societal challenges" including health, national security, climate and manufacturing.
Local Politics · Miami-Dade County
The Miami-Dade County Transportation Committee approved legislation allowing the Village of Pinecrest to install entrance features at two roundabouts in Southwest 136th Street intersections. The committee also recommended increasing the South Dade Transitway construction contract by $2.45 million to upgrade safety standards at the Southwest 168th Street Station garage. Additionally, a proposal was approved to make West Miami's Freebee on-demand service eligible for countywide transportation surtax funding. Separately, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that driver license data was accessed by a malicious actor in September.
Transportation · Miami Beach, FL
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner announced plans to expand the city's free water taxi service, which has carried over 155,000 passengers since its January launch. The city secured a Florida Department of Transportation grant for fiscal year 2027 and is seeking additional state, federal, and private funding to support growth. A detailed feasibility study regarding dock infrastructure is underway, with potential expansion routes identified in South of Fifth, North Beach, and across Biscayne Bay. Current operations connect Maurice Gibb Memorial Park to the Venetian Marina, but high demand has resulted in approximately 8% of passengers being unable to board.
Public Safety · Cutler Bay, FL
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office is seeking public assistance in locating Luis Gustavo Zambrano, an 89-year-old man reported missing from Cutler Bay. Zambrano was last seen on Tuesday around noon near the 19000 block of Gulfstream Road, driving a gray 2016 Honda Odyssey with Florida tag HTNA78. Authorities state he has not contacted family and may be in need of services. Residents with information are urged to contact MDSO Deputy F. Owens or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
Community News · Miami, FL
City of Miami officials unveiled plans for Plaza Azúcar, a new park honoring the late singer Celia Cruz, on what would have been her 101st birthday. The proposed public space at 650 Beacom Boulevard in the Calle Ocho section will feature a large-scale sculpture of Cruz. Commissioner Ralph Rosado presented the first rendering during a Wednesday event that included music and commemorative coins. Once completed, it will be the first park honoring the Queen of Salsa in Miami and the third in the United States.
Community brief · North Bay Village, FL
Chef Olivia Ostrow operates Maison Ostrow in North Bay Village, a restaurant dedicated to serving classic French dishes while adhering to strict kosher dietary laws. The establishment, which opened last year, features items like Beef Bourguignon and Chicken Cordon Bleu prepared without dairy or non-kosher ingredients such as pork and shellfish. Ostrow utilizes specialized techniques, including the use of duck fat and non-dairy butters, to…
Community brief · Miami Beach, FL
The City of Miami Beach, in partnership with the MBVCA and GMCVB, has announced the seventh edition of No Vacancy, Miami Beach. The juried art competition will feature site-specific installations by 12 selected artists at 12 different hotels throughout the city. Works will be on public display from November 12 through December 19, 2026. Each participating artist receives a $10,000 honorarium, and two prizes totaling $35,000 will be awarded.
Community brief · Miami Beach, FL
The Betsy Hotel at 1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, unveiled its fall and winter live music season, continuing a programming series running since 2010. The schedule includes the Overtown Jazz Legacy Series with performances by Carole Ann Taylor, LeNard Rutledge, Nicole Yarling, and others through Dec. 26. A monthly Sofar Sounds residency curated by JChris (Chris Urquiaga) launched Friday, Oct. 23, with additional dates in 2027. Piano Masters/New…
