WATCHDOG REPORT VOl.05 No.8 June 22, 2025: EST:05.05.2002-A community education resource for free 25 years
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.25 No. 08, June 22, 2025, Celebrating May 5th, 2000: 25 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald featured, news reporter & free: community education resource & news service, without the attitude.>>> Still tuff money since Spotlight story sad; form at bottom: I understand with all the economic uncertainty why, people are hesitant to support local county news sources, but hopeful, thank you from bottom of my heart. >>> Losing car and mobility soon, anyone with extra vehicle please consider helping if you can. Again, another slow month re funding though one smaller supporter came through thank you so much. But with all the national confusion re the economy I was down to $1300. I never took advantage of insider info like others do. I write further on the subject down below.
>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)
ARGUS REPORT: HEARD &SEEN ON THE STREETS
>>> America at war in Iran following Israel bombings of Iran, an ancient Persian culture country of 91 million and the former Persian Empire. Contradicts Trump’s past saying that endless Middle East wars will not occur under his watch.
America has been involved in the area for almost 25 years, are over but Iran having a nuclear bomb was out of the question.
However, America’s record when it comes to ancient cultures Russia can now say what’s the difference between America attacking Iran and Russia attacking Ukraine. America has a poor diplomatic record with ancient cultures and these countries historical world views given our own evolution.
The Great Experiment. The nation is on guard that Iran may have sleeper cells and the nation is also concerned about blowback of Iranians that may have cells in America already after the recent chaos at the border.
>>> What would you do if you were the only one that knew a profitable secret, such as a major event, Super Bowl for example coming to Miami-Dade County. Would you book blocks of hotel rooms in high-end hotels, book high end restaurant reservations or just keep, the info to yourself with no action. That’s legal but I avoided it because I thought wrong and I just wrote about it, instead of using the info now publicly known after I attended a Super Bowl committee meeting at the county’s mayor’s office Alex Penelas, and BCC Chair Gwen Margolis, along with Rodney Barreto.
The irony by not doing that and playing it straight up. With still little income coming in, citizen journalist still at it while older but still functioning. I have had just $1300., recently after paying my rent. And with local news outlets in the same predicative, our local government with 5 new constitutional offices we have a new celebrity group all over social media photos with lobbyist etc., having a good old time.
Miami-Dade County 60% foreign born and 70% Hispanics, and ICE doing roundups at man new locations like Home Depot, and has many immigrants legal now carrying their papers. I had to carry my passport living in both Japan and Australia, and was checked on after having been fingerprinted and checked out in Coral Gables, by Australian authorities before I got my two-ear working Visa. No easy task in Australia and a national ad for my job ran.
National politicians being targeted by threats is a bad new problem and contrary to America’s concept of We the People and self-governance and many times an official’s family may also be a target. I once had someone outside my door calling Watchdog, and you don’t know if friend or foe.
>>> State attorney what are our thinking putting a prison at the old airport sit in the Florida Everglades (Alligator Alcatraz) as billions of state & federal monies being spent to preserve this rich environmental treasure, supported from Jeb Bush and most other governors also Gov. DeSantis tourist revenue in the past state budgets there must be a better place since River of Grass brings in $30 billion in tourist revenue.
I made the decision to not do that, but others, might pass it on so many can benefit from the monetary bonanza, coming South Florida’s way over the decades. I mention this because South Florida is known as the fraud capital in the nation and insider info is not fraud but a legal scheme.
>>> School District beefing up early childhood education, along with county’s Children Trust reading, artistic, arts in first five ears critical brain development period.
The Miami-Dade County Public Schools is beefing its early learning education programs that have given the district a A rating after previous Superintendent Alberto Carvalho after the Great Recession changed over 250 low performing principals’. I bring this up because Carvalho was different than past superintendents and had a much higher energy, that is not seen with Supt. Dr. Jose Dotres
Further the Miami-Dade County Children’s Trust has augmented the schools’ early education efforts, emphasizing reading and the Trust pushed by David Lawrence, Jr., and others has done a great job ensuring children up to 5 have quality child programs during the critical brain development period.
>>> National guard, being sent to L.A. to assist immigration officers in the public discourse and demonstrations, has the nation stunned and implications on states’ rights. A past Republican bedrock philosophy and the agents covered face in civilian clothes, is not a good look for federal agents, who probable don’t like this, supposed to be violent immigrants only first, but changing to all illegals waiting court’s rulings. EDITOR’s NOTE: This out of my lane but preempting Gov. Newsom yes, done before, but opens new Constitutional fronts, with the president.
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> The City’s Bayfront Park Trust is having an emergency meeting Tuesday and one item on the agenda is to “abolish,” the Trust state’s the agenda item.
>>> Alez Diaz de la Portilla, sent out a campaign piece wishing President Trump a happy birthday. The controversial commissioner is hinting he will run for mayor in the future, with past Miami commissioner Ken Russell, and county commissioner Eileen Higgins. Russell recently got the endorsement of Dr. Marvin Dunn, a respected professor of black affairs at FIU.
>>> Ralph Rosado, in all the public documents he filed with the Miami Clerk the last few years has n/a, on most of the boxes asking about income and July1 we will see his first financial disclosure as a commissioner.
Rosado defeated Jose Regalado a marine photographer, later in the Miami building apartment and late in the race got former commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla’s support but that may have hurt more than help, given past controversies, that seem to follow him. For more go to: https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2025-06-04/ralph-rosado-winner-miami-district-4-election
>>> Rosado will soon get to know things the public doesn’t, and it remains to be seen. If he will take financial advantage of this information that so many do book hotel rooms in advance like Super Bowl and now World Cup, and sell on web.
This is one of the many legal ways the special ones do a side hustle not noticed in documents.
>>> Miami HEP Chair Gersten, owner of tony Gramps, with city contract, on Virginia key, maybe Wynwood
Miami Planning advisory board, property lot splitting on dangerous Poinciana Av., has board chair Adam Gersten, thinking okay after pleas otherwise as groves lush canape, decimated one cut a time avenue has no sidewalk, peacocks and baby carriages, cut through avenue.
At the Miami Planning and zoning board meeting Wednesday lot splitting was the conversation of the day along treelined Poinciana Ave., in south Coconut Grove. The appeal was the city’s denial of three lots in a small property and neighbors turned up in mass to object the already cut through traffic avenue. Adam Gersten, a District 5 appointee and chair felt the denial could be lifted which was what the board did at the end. The board has two vacancies, one from Dist. 1 and the other Dist. 2, state agenda documents.
The Grove’s lush canopy is being destroyed and residents want some protections. The loose regulations re trees are 3 trees per lot. These dense homes are further causing more local flooding as natural surface area is being reduced. Also, Francisco Garcia, the former Miami building director was in audience with appealing attorney and the circle closes, on past employees, becoming lobbyist.
>>> Further a Braham Special Area Plan (SAP) was presented by the city planning board. Mr. Norman Braham is a community icon for some after funding the recall of former Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. Braman also funded the Institute of Comtempary Art /Miami https://icamiami.org/art-programs/
The philanthropist, arts supporter’s project still has to go in front of commission in the future
>>> What about the Coconut Grove Playhouse community meeting with county commissioner Raquel Regalado, that has been widely panned for lack of answers from the county, after the third-floor collapse, after questionable demolitions permits and is a classic example of destruction through neglect by the county.
Her brother Jose was beaten by Ralph Rosado for a Miami city district seat empty after Manolo Reyes passed. Her brother on Instagram got support from controversial removed commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, later found innocent, but checkered past. Since I attended his state elections fines trial with county Judge Ed Newman. And I watched how two sharp defense attorneys just clubbed an obscure county state attorneys facing such a group could do.
>>> Here’s the county’s press release on the meeting almost a joke some residents feel like Melissa Mayer on Facebook?
>>> Unedited press release: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado reaffirmed her commitment to restoring the beloved Coconut Grove Playhouse following a demolition accident involving the nearly century-old structure.
“I remain steadfast in my commitment to preserving the history and beauty of Coconut Grove’s beloved playhouse,” said Commissioner Regalado. “We are grateful for the safety of everyone involved and for the preservation of the playhouse’s historical elements. Every effort is being made to stabilize the structure, safeguard its historic elements, and continue moving forward with restoring and reopening the Coconut Grove Playhouse for its centennial celebration in the Spring of 2027.”
The Coconut Grove Playhouse, an iconic landmark with deep cultural significance in Miami-Dade County, is undergoing long awaited renovations.
To provide an update on the restoration efforts, Commissioner Regalado and City of Miami Commissioner Pardo will host a virtual community meeting to discuss timelines and progress of the long-awaited renovation project. Also attending will be representatives from the Miami Parking Authority who will discuss parking options during the restoration and an update on their parking structure and construction timeline.
>>> President Donald Trump pardoning some Medicare felons, in Miami- Dade County “the graduate school for fraud,” said former U.S. Atty, Alex Acosta of the Southern District of Florida, is a travesty since we also “export fraud,” said Acosta at a press conference. Further U.S. District Judge Patracia Seitz, noted “when paying all your taxes, and stopping at a sign was an aspirational act,” when sentencing Medicare fraudsters, the De Cepeda’s brothers to nine-years.
>>> Further, with the Coconut Grove Playhouse side crashing to the street by contractor John Bell Construction a local county firm doing the work. Bell a FIU grad was featured in the schools Panther Newspaper. The County picked the firm probable on price, under Michael Spring who I have mixed feelings about after he wasn’t truthful on construction of The Frost Science Museum, that later ran over.
>> JHS Foundation oversight, and brought inside and does not tolerate embezzlement and JHS worked closely with law enforcement, said a COO David Zambrana, to trustees Wednesday. Further treasurer Carmen M. Sabater, “stated trust is 4 percent above budget and a pretty good cash position,” she said. Here is the Foundations criminal accusations FOR more:https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/jackson-health-foundation-executive-charged-pocketing-over-1-million-kickbacks
Context: I want to thank The Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25th anniversary of the Watchdog Report, done by Mike Clary, someone I met long ago in 2000 at county hall during the Gore Bush 2000 election, when he was with the L.A. Times.: To read the story click here: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/04/14/still-barking-a-watchdog-at-25/
>>> I seem to have a curse in my life If I get profiled, over the years my life only gets harder as four weeks now with no support money has come in.
Further, I do not use a walker, yes, a cane, for long distances and my health is semi-OK (no colon or lung cancer after tests), and I’m not that feeble, and will be going to Miami lower-level meetings like the never scheduled Finance Committee, on public no meeting notices, for months now. Also, after multiple requests asking how much spent on attorney’s fees for Carollo to both manager A
Art Noriega, and CFO Larry Spring have not responded not asking for launch codes here and the public has a right to know. >>> Now we know “it’s $10 million,” but I bet more depending on reason classification in expenditure, Commissioner Gabela told me outside city hall Thursday and an EXTRA was sent out.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Will loss of elections Supt. Christine White, after 300 municipal elections, new Supt. Garcia Rolls dice, re accurate elections in the county, after years of efficient elections, Garcia no experience in detail, logistics 850 polls opening on time, she must bring her A game to job, less a social butterfly, to keep voters trust and is a Biden election denier? Local municipal elections first test of Garcia’s performance, before big tests general elections?
Miami- Dade County elections Supervisor Alina Garcia, is rolling the dice after a philosophy difference says the media. For prior supervisor of elections Christina White, a 19-year, county employee goes to the county’s Park & Recreation Department. I have known White for years and watched her operation for years, calm, efficient a detail person with 850 polls opening on time, no easy task given the county’s past election performance over the ears. Garcia a former state representative is a Trump fan versus White a Democrat. ON social media Garcia is a social butterfly being photographed with a host of lawmakers and joined the count commissioners DC, fly in recently, but elections are also a detail job very different from being a state rep., and the loss of white while turning over a very well-organized elections dept it is not a static job and Garcia better bring her A game to the job, or voters could be in the national spotlight again when it comes elections. I could not see get disclosure info filed at state.
>>> City of Miami has “spent $10 million in legal fees defending commissioner Joe Carollo, in court cases,” said Miami Commissioner Miguel A. Gabela, to the WDR Thursday afternoon outside city hall after an explosive commission meeting out of control. With Fridays commission meeting being only the same chaotic meeting ending in a shouting match, about numerous boats at a home he owns, a code violation, Carollo contends, so stay tuned.
Gabela & the WDR had been asking how much the city had spent on legal fees, but this is the first conformation by Gabela and he will show me the spread
>>> We will “no more [use] sticky notes,” said the county’s IT director Margaret Brisbane, MBA, and she had grim news when it came to the age of the existing systems at the county, noting, there are 2,500 dashboards in the IT system 38 years old,
County facing a $400 million shortfall county has $22 billion in debt. However, a Crisis in years developing, after years and $6.14 billion in federal funding and now going away with HUD cutting $26 billion in federal funding, key to the county’s Homeless Trust, as well as affordable housing stated county staff last week.
How could it be worse?
The county has $2billion in receivables debt from Jackson Health Systems to Animal Services and $24 million in growth for the public hospital system, explained staff, last week.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT David Zambrana, President and Chief Operating Officer of Jackson Health System (JHS), delivered the Chief Executive Officer report in the absence of Mr. Carlos A. Migoya, Chief Executive Officer. The report began with an update on the recent arrest of the former Chief Operating Officer of Jackson Health Foundation, who has been charged by federal authorities with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering related to an embezzlement scheme against Jackson. These allegations represent a serious breach of trust and have had a significant impact on the organization, its team, and the community. Jackson Health System has fully cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation and extends gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI for their diligent work. The organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy for unethical or illegal behavior at all levels. In response, additional safeguards have been implemented, including enhanced financial controls and administrative oversight of the Foundation to prevent future incidents. Prior to October 2023, Jackson Health Foundation operated as a separate entity. The decision to bring the Foundation in-house was driven by several goals: · Strengthening oversight and accountability by applying consistent compliance, risk management, and financial controls across the system. · Streamlining operations to reduce the Foundation’s administrative costs. · Aligning the Foundation more closely with the health system’s mission, employees, and corporate strategy to ensure philanthropic efforts reflect Jackson’s values. 5 Page 2 of 4 PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST BOARD OF TRUSTEES TELEVISED MEETING MINUTES – May 28, 2025
>>>Yearly 2025-2026 AOA between UM Medical school &JHS approved, $84.9 million in 2025: 2026 $85.6 million trust documents, state.
The yearly Annual Operating agreement between Jackson Health System and the University of Miami Miller Medical School was approved on Wednesday. The mutual agreement between the Miller Medical School has been going on since 1952 and allows the medical school intern slots at Jackson facilities. This year’s agreements were $84.9 million and next year is projected at $85.6 million. This funding is further enhanced by intergovernmental transfer of government funds. The trust hired a company Chartis, to create mythology to track to fully account for UM services, texted Esther Caravia-Abolila, CEO Migoya’s chief of staff.
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2025-2026 ANNUAL OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI; AND AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO EXECUTE THE 2025-2026 ANNUAL OPERATING AGREEMENT; AND AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO EXERCISE ANY AMENDMENT, REVISION, MODIFICATION, EXTENSION, TERMINATION OR CANCELLATION CLAUSES PROVIDED WITHIN THE 2025-2026 ANNUAL OPERATING AGREEMENT – Sponsored by David Zambrana, President & Chief Operating Officer, Jackson Health System
SPONSERS:
Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)
CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS
Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)
MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED
Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport
Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
>>>And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.
>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.
Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible: Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors
Sponsors
***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000
Mr. ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S, Allowed a $1,000. Dry cleaning bill, go slow payment plan
HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr (The first contributor to the WDR)
FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .
THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2007)
ARTHUR HERTZ, deceased one of the first supporters
WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)
ALFRED NOVAK
LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)
JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION www.knightfoundation.org
THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year
MARTIN MARGULIES margulieswarehouse.com
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
RONALD Hall
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com
JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST
BERCOW RADELL FERNANDEZ & LARKIN & Tapanes www.brzoninglaw.com
RON BOOK, Esq. https://rlbookpa.com/team/
BENEDICT P. KUEHNE, Esq. http://www.kuehnelaw.com/
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
Rbb www.rbbcommmunications.com
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com
WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/
MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave.#125
Miami, Fla.33133
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