Yesterday, Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco called out Mayor Philip Levine's hypocrisy

They held a Miami Beach City Commission meeting yesterday, ostensibly to discuss Mayor Philip Levine's knuckle-headed and ill-advised proposal to open a Cuban consulate on Miami Beach.

Via the Miami Herald:

Two weeks after Miami Beach’s mayor and commissioner told Cuban government officials that they would be open to hosting a Cuban consulate, a majority of the full commission voted to formally oppose the idea unless the island nation’s government makes human-rights reforms.

The vote came after an emotionally charged discussion over how some exiles in Miami-Dade County would see a consulate as an insult and others would see it as a convenience.

As I watched a live stream of the meeting, I felt as though I was traveling back in time....




There was lots of anger in the room.

And there was also this sub-plot:

Via the Miami Herald: Days after returning and holding a press conference to share his support for a Cuban consulate in Miami Beach, [Levine] bristled at criticism from exiles in Miami-Dade and said he hadn’t received any complaints. When Commissioner Michael Grieco placed an item on Wednesday’s commission agenda reaffirming the city’s long-standing opposition to having any kind of a relationship with Cuba, Levine called Grieco an opportunist who wants to tee up a run for mayor.

“The only reason this has happened is because you have a commissioner who is trying to use this as a political ploy because he would like to run for mayor, prematurely,” he said. “And he believes he can get the Cuban vote by appealing to their deepest level of fear and insecurity. Which is cruel. Especially when he’s not Cuban.”

Imagine that....Philip Levine calling someone an opportunist. The same Philip Levine who filmed himself throwing a hissy fit over a double-parked Fed Ex truck and who then unashamedly posted the video on YouTube. 

The same man who has a YouTube channel devoted to showing clips of his appearances on cable news shows. 

Philip Levine, the man who will exploit any issue for political gain.

Yes, Philip Levine actually criticized a colleague for not having Cuban parents.

This Philip Levine....a man who never passes up an opportunity to pander.

But Commissioner Michael Grieco was having none of Mayor Levine's hypocrisy.

He responded to Levine's mealy-mouthed criticism, calling his logic "offensive."

Rorrry, the dashboard cat, definitely knows how to relax

Marjory Stoneman Douglas, defender of the Everglades and Coconut Grove resident used to say "If you want to know how to relax - just watch a cat - they know just how to do it."

Keep that in mind as you watch this video of Rorrry, the dashboard cat.

Jaden Hayes is on a mission

Via CBS News, August, 2015: Jaden Hayes lost both of his parents at a young age. But he is determined to live life with joy. As Steve Hartman shows us, the six-year-old is embarking on a mission to turn frowns into smiles.

Grisly homicide being investigated by Miami Beach police [UPDATED x5]

UPDATED 5x at 10:00 p.m., April 8: Jonathan Alonso has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of Louis Piper. (Arrest form is embedded at the bottom of this post.)

Jonathan Alonso. (Miami-Dade Corrections)

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UPDATED 4x at 2:00 p.m., April 8 with new photos of Jonathan Alonso and Louis Piper below.

I've also learned that Louis Piper's employers called the manager of his condo on Wednesday after becoming concerned that Piper hadn't been showing up for work. The manager and a security guard gained entry to the apartment and saw Alonso standing on a balcony. When Alonso saw the pair, he angrily ordered them to leave. Minutes later, Alonso was caught on surveillance video leaving the apartment and getting on an elevator. A source tells me that Alonso may have lived in the apartment with Piper's decomposing body for several days, or more.

Alonso was detained by Miami Police officers this afternoon and has been transferred to Miami Beach Police headquarters where he will be interviewed by homicide detectives.

Jonathan Alonso and Louis Piper. (Source: Facebook)
(Click images to enlarge)

Jonathan Alonso. (Source: Facebook)

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UPDATED 3x at 10:30 a.m., April 8: Miami Beach Police have tweeted the flyer below in connection with the homicide. The flyer says Alonso is a "potential suspect or witness." Sources who knew both Alonso and the victim tell me that the two were in some sort of relationship.

Jonathan Alonso. (Source: Facebook)

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UPDATED 2x at 10 a.m., April 8: A resident of the building where the homicide occurred says Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine was seen across the street in Panther Coffee Thursday morning. Levine, who has been a regular customer at the coffee shop, but who hadn't been seen recently, was asked about the murder. "What murder, I don't know anything about a murder," the mayor replied.

Additionally a source with knowledge of the investigation tells me that the victim's body - which had been decomposing for a week - "exploded" when it was dropped while being removed from the crime scene....which might account for the odor of a dead body that residents reported smelling. 

Miami Beach Police have scheduled a press briefing for 10:30 a.m. today (Friday) when a police spokesman says he might release "potential witness or person of interest information."

UPDATED x1 at 3:07 p.m.: A source tells me that Miami Beach police responded to the scene yesterday after being notified by colleagues at work who were not able to reach the victim for several days. The victim's body may have been lying undiscovered in his apartment for as many as five days. Source also says that Miami Beach police Chief Dan Oates responded to the condo and remained in the lobby of the building for several hours a period of time. One source who lives in the building says that upon leaving his apartment this morning, the odor of a dead body was apparent.

A homicide that was reported Wednesday at a luxury waterfront condominium at 1800 Sunset Harbour Drive is being investigated by Miami Beach Police.

Here's a statement that was just released by a police spokesperson:

Miami Beach PD is investigating a homicide; the incident was first reported to us around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and occurred at the condominium at 1800 Sunset Harbor Drive. The victim is a male in his 60’s. Family has not yet been notified, so we are not releasing his name. We have made significant progress on the investigation, although the suspect is not yet in custody. At this point, we will not be releasing the suspect information as to not hinder the investigation.

A source tells Random Pixels that the murder was particularly grisly in nature. I'm withholding that information until I can confirm it.

Miami Beach Police Jonathan Alonso arrest form by Random Pixels blog

So Florida Governor Rick Scott walked into a Starbucks in Gainesville today....

UPDATED below with video of Cara Jennings explaining why she called out Gov. Scott and what transpired before she launched her tirade.


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....where Cara Jennings was having coffee. 

And then this happened....

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Scott left so quickly, he didn't have time to take his coffee.... 

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Cara Jennings explains why she decided to forcefully call out Florida Gov. Rick Scott at a Starbucks.Watch more: http://on.msnbc.com/1YfrRZi
Posted by MSNBC on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

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