Archive for August 2025

WATCHDOG REPORT Vol.25 No.17 August 31, 2025: EST:05.05.00: A free community education resource for 25-years without the attitude

WATCHDOG REPORT

Miami-Dade, Fla.

Vol. 25 No. 17, August, 31, 2025, Celebrating May 5^th, 2000: 25 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Daniel A. Ricker: Editor-in Chief: Former Miami Herald featured, news reporter & free: 25-years weekly community education resource & news service, without the attitude.

>>> RFK, Jr. as Secretory of health &Human services, is a bridge to far. He may have a point re color additives but, he is not a scientist, engineer, or physician, and America better not have another outbreak like Covid, and his lack of knowledge, could hamper generations in the future. A man who had a brain worm removed has benefited from medical advances. >>> I emphasize this because such a tragedy, Americas medical advancements from stents to pacemakers, cutting edge.

The attorney changing western medicine will go down in history as the destroyer of public health through acronyms. His role at the CDC with many scientists leaving after his odd wake-up call and shake-up. The man from a famous family has decided he’s a physician and God help the nation. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/covid-vaccine-costs-just-spiked-for-millions-thanks-to-rfk-jr/ar-AA1Lv007?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=0ddd9c0047a14bdd8dd4527847e5d628&ei=12

Further, having worked in the cardiac pacing world so advanced now knowing one of the driving forces Dr. Michel Mirowski, of the implantable defibrillator team driving force, and a Holocaust survivor.

When I started in 1975, in Miami with Cordis Corp, with 3,800 employees many Cuban workers pacemakers were the size of a hockey puck, but kept patients’ hearts beating and pacemakers, were considered one of, the great medical inventions of the 20th Century, versus physicians telling patients “It’s your ticker, get your affairs in order,” and the patients would die in their sleep.

I should be dead if it were not for the surgical skill of Dr. Jorge Rabaza and technology, at South Miami hospital to heal me after becoming septic having waited since no health insurance.

Kennedy’s role at the CDC is almost a Dark Ages, philosophy from the past heroine addict that claims faith God has filled the tragic family’s history void he felt when using the narcotic now in charge of the nation’s health.

However, medical advances like the COVID vaccination Warp Speed, saved thousands of lives. Politics is one thing but science and medicine is based on validated research not wild rumors. And the CDC role globally cannot be underestimated. I am a Constitutionalist but this CDC issue is a disaster waiting to happen.

>>> Further, financial help from my readers has come in. I know times are tough for all of us but if you can Thank you, I had to forgo a number of meals recently. Thankfully, I was able to transfer from my PayPal act. Another miracle keeps me going thank you readers Dan.

>>> Further Baptist Health is having a major fundraising event and the health system is part of the healthcare constellation available to Miami residents and Baptist saved my life so I have a special interest in helping Baptist and JHS: for more go to https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-foundation

>>> 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.)

http://paypal.me/watchdogreport

>> To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker, for some reason I can now transfer the PayPal money so a check would be better, please got corrected re PayPal.

Thank you. Dan ALERT NEW POST OFFICE ADDRESS SINCE OLD ONE HAD TO MOVE:

Please make check out to me.

Daniel A. Ricker

3692 Grand Ave.#125

Miami, Fla.33133

ARGUS REPORT HEARD & SEEN ON THE STREEET

>>> At Mondays Charter Review Committee, it became clear that the new five constitutional offices fall under the “county’s ethics code,” that was recently weakened by the state legislature not able to initiate investigations, and friends & family hiring in P.A., office has begun, after WDR asked about son of prominent land use attorney, handy to have such a source.

I bring this up after trying to find out the job title at the county’s property appraiser’s office, which did supply it (his title is public relations & media specialists), whose mother is a prominent land use attorney. The lady on the phone demanded a written question and she could not tell me what his job was in, the property appraiser’s office of Tomas Regalado (net worth in 2013 of $50,700)., and the employees of these new countywide offices need ethics training certificates.

Further, the office’s logo states the name of Regalado, versus a generic lower cost office seal. That when he leaves will cost taxpayers. The former Miami mayor has a history of hiring friends and family like Harry Gottlieb as the city’s film czar, and had him eating lunch casually at the old Scotty’s landing in the cushy no show job but Regalado friend. The hiring of friends in these elected offices is rampant and a great way to touch-up one’s retirement future and is seen at Miami and county, but these five independent offices could make it an open season for friends of family hiring, a downside to these new offices.

>>> Veteran Miami Herald reporter Chuck Rabin, a man who covered Elian Gonzalez and got tear gassed to prove it is retiring and his community history will be missed in complex Miami-Dade. The man has seen so much Miami History and will be missed plus a friend of mine. The WDR gives Chuck a “Tip of the hat,” for a job well done and whose reporting will be missed.

Chuck, enjoy retirement and a good cigar you earned it. Joe Carollo will be happy to see “Chucky,” gone.

County Mayor appoints former county attorney Abigal Price- Williams, to the PHT board, expected to be approved by count commission.

>>> State Rep. Fabian Basabe, R-Miami (net worth $4.33 million in 2022/$2.39 million in 2024. Man had little impact on saving historic Coconut Grove Playhouse now being demolished not preserved as desired by community county ignores state’s attempts, to preserve as county commissioners play locals objections as nuisances, even the county mayor.

>>> MasTec Corp. tearing up neighborhoods, block roads, workers have political coverage for any shoddy work after company decades ago under “County watch,” for a variety of contract transgressions. But now in favor after Freedom Park project.

>>> Former federal Southern district Attorney Alex Acosta, (said “Miami exports fraud, and [is the] graduate school for fraud.” His silence continues to dog Trump, after the sweetheart Epstein deal believing man intelligence, he thought. Acasta, later chaired politically connected Century Bank board in Doral, started by deceased founder Sergio Pino. I met Pino when on the PHT nominating council in 1997, told me he would never “disgrace father’s name,” and he was “a good guy,” he said at the time.

Alex Acosta a one-time rising star in the GOP, continues being in the media after a sweetheart deal for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein a former friend of President Trump. Acosta once was chair of Century Bank, created by deceased Pino and loaned money to a variety of local politicians, from Xavier Suarez now a Miami mayoral candidate, to others. He chaired the bank’s board in 2013. The attorney a Gulliver Schools, Harvard undergraduate, juris graduate, was also dean of FIU’s Law School, and many fine attorney graduates are in South Florida.

Miami- Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, a republican unveiled her presumed mayoral candidacy on Wednesday at the county’s Commission of Whole all-day body meeting, covering all aspects of the county’s $12.9 billion budget and potential savings, with many areas being criticized, by her of Levine Cava a Democratic party lawmaker.

A fellow commissioner noted that county staff knowingly giving false information is a “misdemeanor,” said Anthony J. Gonzalez, her peer. Not speaking near the mic allows sloppy record/answer.

>>> ACTION: Not giving clear accurate answers and the county record has been terrible with mics and county staff answers not being picked up, lack of details in discussions. County employees just try to keep their heads down till they retire excluding cops, firefighters, nurses at Jackson etc. You see this in the lobby of government center a social club, what the worry?

The county commissioner cited where savings were not achieved by corrections in a $13.6 million and $2.5 million was to be saved, “on trays,” but wasn’t, said Regalado, as one example chairing most of meeting.

Further the sheriff is staggering the “rebranding of vehicles to 745 cars a year at a cost of $8 million. The count commission kicked $1million in savings said BCC chair Anthony Gonzalez, Wednesday. The public budget hearings are first Sept. 5 and final on the 18^th in the BCC chambers and televised and for more click here: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/management/budget/2025-26/proposed/home.page

Police and Fire are both under the fiscal gun and the county’s advertising budget continues to grow Regalado said and a member of the media and in disclosures, she got income from her brother Tomas Campaign as Miami commissioner in 2024, state her disclosure forms.

Regalado, a former schoolboard member, and attorney who ran for her two autistic children and services, has helped run her property appraiser’s father Tomas Regalado’s PA, campaign. She has gotten a government salary in some form since first elected from elected office. Her net worth in 2014 was $12,270 and in 2024 net was $501,700, state financial disclosure forms.

>>> Miami-Dade Count County State Attorney Kathern Fernandez Rundle (KFR) keeps facing controversial deals and prosecutors, mixed performance over years since first appointed in 1993, when Janet Reno went to DC as attorney general.

Her office described as one of the toughest jobs in Miami, with 250,000 cases a year and is the largest state attorney office in Florida.

What about KFR finances?

The top cop in Miami, lives in Coconut Grove had a net worth of $2.7million in 2014, and the sum grew through real estate to a net of $7.01million in 2024.

The woman is involved in community outreach but viewed as weak when it came to public corruption of elected officials since she needs their support in her countywide races for office, it is suggested, and while public corruption cases are tough to prosecute. The office sometimes damages its own cases.

>>> A former county commissioner is getting older Jose “Pepe” Cancio, Sr., who was appointed to the county commission seat for Doral area by then Gov. Jeb Bush, after the past commissioner Miriam Alonso was arrested, for a secret campaign slush fund, and why I respect the man is he left after saying he was only temporary. A rare sight in Miami. Politicians no longer see important following through on words, like Cancio did, rare in Miami. I remember this because Bush had asked me what I thought and emailed. back “safe,” since he would now be a governor’s appointment, and would lead story if something bad happened, to the man.

>>> “Anywhere,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (net worth $9.5 million, in 2024, up from$4.6 in 2014), when the WDR asked her, regarding looking for funding from the county’s other sources like the, The “Children’s Trust, and Jackson Health System.” One source Homeless Trust safe different state legislation, Haitian community, leader calls budget “a soulless budget,” usually a mayoral supporter, Public Safety has challenges, with helicopters $30 million costs, backed into their budget, or will reserves be tapped, lower bond rating from AAA needs 10% reserves, only 6 democratic commissioners, can vote for mayoral budget

The mayor facing a daunting $400.2 million shortfall, in the $12.9 billion budget is being criticized for some of her budget choices, cutting arts, and other positive goodies She is trying to close this gap while five new constitutional officers are added financially to the mix. She benefitted from an August 2024 primary election, raising millions for her campaign, versus an obscure municipal mayor Manny Cid, now a county employee versus the general election that Trump carried. For the budget go: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/management/budget/2025-26/proposed/home.page

Further, there is a recall petition for Cava in the Cuban community, since a democrat, and her “daughter works in D.C.,” not Miami county hall as rumored, texted the mayor Saturday to the WDR.

>>> County contractor Bell continues demolition of historic C.G., playhouse; state Reps Fabian Basabe, R-Miami-Beach, help didn’t work as county goes with its development planned demolition, I suspect playhouse could be listed as excessive property by Florida per past contract stipulations, $20 million in county funding could be shifted to another capital project with commission approval, I believe?

The plan a Michael Spring product was a standard issue county plan, boring not historically correct like it was supposed to be, after “state historic designation,” but now is more of a development project that happens to have a historic theater.

Spring years ago, gave me the run around regarding the Frost Science Museum, over run that later was over $100 million the county and the Omni CRA had to inject funds along with Dr. Frost to finish the impressive science museum, but he was “firm all was OK”, right up to the end disaster later.

The County plans for historic playhouse has protesters demanding preservation not demolition, after a wall falls to sidewalk, county contractor probable lowest bidder, FIU grad John Bell, got contract theater destruction by neglect, not first time Old Orange Bowl was treated same way by city, a good crowd attended the event with Miami mayoral candidate Ken Russell taking questions and other community leaders like Sue McConnell. The county has $20 million from the 2002 countywide GOB, for the theater in the bank, but I believe could possibly move it to other arts capital projects.

The ownership of the theater is between the county and state, but no progress has happened since 2006, when it suddenly closed in debt. For more go to: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/05/22/partial-collapse-of-playhouse-halts-demo-work/

Today at 1:30 A determined group of Coconut Grove residents recently protested the lack of restoration and reopening of the iconic Coconut Grove Playhouse allowed by the county and city to deteriorate after a side of the building fell on street. John Bell LLC, got the county contract that made the load bearing wall mistake and there are no windows anymore letting in the elements. The protesters are demanding the historic structure be saved and was an integral part of the Grove and brought much needed revenue to the restaurants.

>>> Mike Fernandez, being threatened after speaking out against President Trump’ immigration policy, is something in the beginning of the WDR. I experienced back then and worrying about someone doing you harm because of your views is unacceptable and all of us should be respected for speaking their mind, not intimidated or threatened, remembering the bombing of Emilio Millian and his bombing in 1976, for his words on Cuban radio. Not suggesting that but just Miami history. For more go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Mili%C3%A1n His son Alberto is a county judge and a veteran.

>>> The Coconut Grove Spotlight was awarded the Alberto Ibargüen, Excellence in Journalism Award. Recently and the $15,000 unrestricted grant is funded by the MacArthur Foundation, and administered by the Miami Foundation.

>>> Alberto Ibargüen was a major factor in my doing the Watchdog Report while he was publisher of the Miami Herald along with executive editor Tom Fiedler, a U.S. service academy graduate, rarely known. and the paper on the bay’s headquarters were key experiences, becoming friends with some of the reporters as well as over 120 shows on WLRN with host Joe Cooper, and Bonnie Berman, and that platform was a beginning to 25-years later, today.

Alberto Ibargüen, a past Peace Corps veteran in Columbia etc. understood the need for local high-definition news on the local front. Hence his past support of the free Watchdog Report and the Knight Foundation thank you so much once a year, major contribution. For The Spotlight go to: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/

>>> I was financially saved by a long-time supporter and friend. I still need help still need 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 if a few can, thank you from bottom of my heart.

>>> This is an unusual edition focused on AG Pam Bondi and the Epstein documents failed roll-out, & eruption of MAGA World over lack of names, by Bondi. THE WDR report interviewed Bondi, and her dress was striking at the time, and she once showed up on a plane to the Caymans, dressed as an attendant a photo taken by a democratic senator I believe Nan Rich in Broward, since the photo has been scrubbed from the internet.

Editor’s note: With the death of Roy Black who helped negotiate the Epstein plea deal along with former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida Alex Acosta, now a board member on Newsmax board. Acosta wasn’t on the list of past office attorneys on a Cuban American Bar Association panel from past U.S. Attorneys from Roberto Martinez, and all the others all known to the Watchdog report, with Acosta saying south Florida is the “graduate school of fraud and [we] export it around the nation, “at a press conference years ago. The former labor secretary also said ‘he was told Epstein ‘Was intelligence,’ and drop the case, he claimed but modified the statement later, in media reports. Another such federal attorney Guy Lewis Also, was part of the lesser state crime plea. The man in office after his predecessor Kendall Coffee, was embroiled in a scandal at an adult club, after a jury was deadlocked in the nation’s largest jury bribery scheme where the foreman was bought a house by the drug king pin defendant, and was a huge blow to Coffee, whose wife Joni is a past Broward Attorney, and very straight attorney after her years at the county as the board’s zoning attorney.

>>> The Miami Dade County investigation of the charity A3, and an aide of Anthony Rodriguez (net worth$2.7million in Dec 2021, on the board for the $1million organization funding request with no backup, but is an aide to Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez, and aide on the board, now a $200,000. Check left at county hall but not cashed is being reported from the firm in question.

Further the I.G. still has no contract and Rodriguez has the ability to hold up the item for months now and hopefully the chair will put this issue to bed and approve a negotiate a new contract.

Rodriguez a former GOP state rep from Miami won the district 10 seat in 2022. He has been vice chair before. His becoming Chair last year in 2024. The family man has Tropical Park in his district and is getting press for a fragile not-for-profit called A3, where a staffer works for the organization and has gotten grants from $75,000 to $125,000 from the state and county for the production of the cattle show created by former county commissioner Javier Souto, that had the media calling the now successful event a crazy idea.

About Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez Rodriguez

What about Rodriguez’s net worth in years since then, in 2022 his net was $3.39 million, in 2023 it jumped to $3.58 million. And $4.3 million in 2024 state finance disclosures for the years. THE WDR is running the financials to have a baseline over the years, remembering the Francis Suarez financial bump and new large boat. He is not a target but wanted benchmark.

https://www.miamidade.gov/global/government/commission/district10/about-commissioner-rodriguez.page

>>> Florida Gov. Ron De Santis, R-Fla, is getting a lot of press for the prison in the Everglades so I looked at his generally benign financial disclosures since in office. The man in 2020 had a net of $348,000 and in 2024 it rose to $2.08 million. The man is termed out but his past clashes with Trump limit some of his current options, pundits say.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> The WDR is the one of the few people alive since 2000, when my first county charter review council met, along with now deceased Merrett Stierheim and a lot has changed including more pressure by communities to incorporate and manage their own affairs. It was this reason community councils were created to take pressure off incorporation

>>> The Miami Dade County Charter Review Task Force met recently at the Dr. Arva Moore Parks Auditorium, and while televised there was no one monitoring the signal not picking up or recognizing who is speaking, poor mic performance and someone at the podium did not identify who they were and having attended many charter reviews oddly this has an unusual number of land use attorneys, and not the good government types, like former commissioner Katie Sorensen, or younger members.

The task force has to create charter language for the five constitutional new charter offices and “incorporation,” are the two major items the task force is working on. Former commissioner Dennis Moss, recommended nothing “controversial,” and “just three items because voters turn off after that,” he suggested.

>>> Further Property Appraiser Tomas Regalado, said he gets blamed for “deciding taxes,” and his office is trying to explain to residents that’s not true. They can appeal at The Value Adjustment Board.

Regalado older after 21years in public service and past mayor of Miami had to go to a “four-day conference in Orlando to learn the official duties of the office since a past journalist, who has used that radio, television, platform to win office over the years, and this is his swan song apparently.

>>> Miami-Dade County Friday had its third Miami-Dade County Charter Review Task Force, chaired by Akerman land use attorney Dennis Kerbel, appointed to the task force by county commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, (net worth $2.7 million, June 25) The vice-chair is Rep Mike Redondo, R-Miami, along with GT attorney Iris Escarra, Sen Alex Calatayud, R-Miami, (Also a PHT Board trustee) and former county commissioner Dennis Moss, Rebecca Wakefield. The groups charge is to create legislation that includes the five new constitutional offices created in 2018 by a statewide vote, declined in Miami-Dade voters but supported statewide, and we are living the financial results with over $400 million projected needed for these new office’s needing definition and legislation in the county charter. Moss asked for info on other new situations of new officers, into a county. The termed-out commissioner Moss, suggested “nothing be controversial.”

>>> ALERT: AS a recovering audiophile since I built my first Dynaco amp as a teen. The prices for vintage audio, has taken off and people with McIntosh, Krell, Mark Levinson or Marantz, LINN units from the past are getting top dollar, as I found when I sold my system, that traveled the world with me and college where I sold high-end audio in Washington D.C. In a part time job while studying Chinese studies at the Sino-soviet institute at GWU. IF any of my readers want an audio advice just contact me for free especially vintage gear. Further I know someone who fairly buys vintage gear.

>>> Context: I want to thank The Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25^th 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/

>>>Local art show museum open https://www.margulieswarehouse.com/

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> July 1, 2025 brings new financial disclosures for are elected leaders in Miami and termed out mayor Francis Suarez is doing well net worth of $5.38 million (up from $1.33 million on 12/2021), through July 2025, for the mayor.

The commissioners net worth was $4.83 for Miguel Gabela, a neg $63 million for Carollo. Pardo has $3,545,083. Chair King had $1.199million and Ralph Rosado hasn’t filed net worth yet given his short time on the body. But the young Suarez’s father deciding to run for mayor keeps the continuation of the current dysfunctional system.

>>>> Here is a list of all the Miami Commissioners removed or suspended from office since 1997.They are Miller Dawkins, Humberto Hernandez(twice), Art Teele, Angel Gonzalez, Johnny Winton, Michelle Spence Jones (later reinstated), Alex Diaz de la Portilla, most recently. The public is wondering if others will be charged as well since Miami has the so called “friends and family plan” often referred to at city boards where people get a break at the boards on their fines or punishment. Forced out police chief Art Acevedo mentioned the interference and use of government against political enemies by commissioners and interfering with police operations like code enforcement. Campaign:

>>>> University of Miami has raised $2.5-2.65 billon in the schools Ever Brighter Campaign: Next Century. A university dean once said to me the Miami “was a health system that happened to have a university, he said.

FLORIDA/USA

>>> Will A.G. Bondi get the heave-ho, over Epstein nothing burger release, has MAGA World wanting her head, net worth in 2018 only $1.86 million. Her only income was her salary income $128,971, Some suggest she might try running for president: but MAGA Feels betrayed Trump has become the establishment, after all the past hype and promises to release all the Epstein files, further clouded by suicide, or murder, former A.G. Bill Barr’s father was headmaster of Dalton school that hired the pedophile with more coming out.

With Bondi, getting so much negative scrutiny by the president’s base, it had the WDR realizing I did not close out her time in office.

Bondi in 2018 had a net worth of $1.86 million On 1/8/19 it was $1.86 million. Bondi an attorney who defeated former Miami Beach mayor Dan Gelber in the statewide race in 2010 and got some fundraising support from members of Scientology. The race, was an easy victory, with north/central Florida for her against the beach attorney, and later mayor. Bondi is being skewered by her apparent lie, “that the client list is sitting on my desk.” Later videos not being released because “child porn,” after saying the videos can’t be released. She also had said that there were “250, victims,” in media clips, plus a two-minute gap is rocket fuel to the emerging new conspiracy of Washington Elites, and Bondi is one of them, saying she was “bamboozled,” herself after the close out memo saying little just how Epstein died by suicide and no list, and described by a pod host, “A nothing sandwich,” is how host described the report that had people believing there was a giant pedophile ring by the elites and other powerful people, besides Epstein and people wanted names in MAGA World. I want to thank Julie K. Brown for the award-winning investigation and sweetheart deal from a past FIU Law school dean Alex Acosta, who has suggested he might have been asked to go easy on Epstein when he was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. For more and other takes see below:

>>> Bondi’s home in 2018 was worth $1.159, and there was only $4,185.00 in the local bank, and a third interest in a condo is worth $375,000.

What about any unusual debts?

She owes Sun Coast Federal Credit Union $208,098. and another is for $54,000.00 in loans, state her disclosures for the year.

However, the nation’s Attorney General Bondi is being hammered by Trump’s base, for “saying the Jeffrey Epstein [Client list of elites and powerful are now baseless and a hoax] and the list was on her desk,” and later not producing the list and has critics calling for her to be fired, as FBI Director Kash Patel, and his number two Dan Bongino.

After leaving office in Florida. She was a registered agent for Qatar, working on human trafficking she claimed. She even asked the governor to delay a state execution while at a fund raiser. She also hosted a FOX show for a number of days, claiming she got ethics clearance but was never confirmed by the commission.

>>> What about insider trading of events? See below

I write further on the subject down below. I don’t know if it was the spotlights headline making my health worse than it is, while still publishing and covering all the major public institutions.

And South Florida in the early 2000s saw this impact with Jackson Health System giving some $500 million in 2004 in charity care that impacted our local not-for-profit health systems as well.

>>> Alert WLRN is losing $460,000 in state funding vetoed by Gov. Ron De Santis. The stations CEO John Le Bonia, sent out an email on the lost funding. I was fortunate to do over 100 Topical Currents shows over a 13-year period. However, I apparently made a mistake on air and Peter Maerz, banned me from show since 2013, and to help the station in these tough times go to. https://www.givemiamiday.org/organization/wlrn >>> Further the federal government is trying to claw back two-years of past funding said a message on WLRN Sunday. Further PBS is being cut $1billion and a claw back may be attempted.

>>> Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, (net worth 04 $2.111million, with many rentals) spent July Fourth in Panama celebrating Americas 249^th anniversary of Independence, with the local new ambassador to Panama Keven Cabrera’s celebration (his net worth $820,497 April 25,), along with county commissioner Keon Hardeman, (who hasn’t filed a financial disclosure yet,) along with county tax collector Dariel Fernandez, (net worth $660,715.00), and Garcia. I celebrated July Fourth in Shanghai. China at the old Consulate, and it is a great celebration I was honored to attend.

Garcia told the WDR on the phone Wednesday, “that she paid for her own trip,” but didn’t know about the others she said.” She said it is appearing the trip, is of media interest and is a “witch hunt,” and that Panama has, “a large amount of Miami residents, state department numbers state 20,000 to 30,000 U.S. citizens [reside there unknown how many from Miami]” and how many county residents there was one of the reasons, she went Garcia said on the phone.

>>> MIA $9 billion investment is not county money (a past MIA dir., said to commissioners, its “its free money,” said, water & sewer Dir. Jose Garcia told commissioners last week at appropriations committee, because of federal grant funding, but attitude problem, in past MIA Dir. Gary De Lappa, used to say “It’s not county money,” (was high landing fee money) when it came to billions in overruns at MIA back in 2021.

>>> The County Commission Chambers are being redone, but done last year, chambers need better mikes a lot is getting lost chamber in past red chamber, now grey seats etc. I bring this up because of the budget crisis.

>>> I’ve been wanting to write about philanthropist, healthcare magnate Michael “Mike” Fernandez, a former GOP finance chair turned independent in 2016. He has spoken up about the erosion of immigrant’s rights and authoritarian regimes outside America and here, and he has written a profound love for America that has given him so much and his family and the man quite a GOP campaign after a DeSantis campaign worker made disparaging remarks against Hispanics and immigrants.

The man a community leader has the guts to speak up for these unfortunate Cubans and community Hispanics in general. The WDR gives the man a Tip of the Hat for speaking up when others are not during this troubling time in America, where a detention center is becoming a tourist attraction in the Everglades. That says it all, and new sign made in bureaucratic record time.

>>>> The ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ with its long runway able to land a Space Shuttle in distress if needed, created under the county’s aviation director back then Richard Judy. The lawsuits are flying when it comes to the new detention center for ICE, under a year-old Emergency. Disasters generally for hurricanes remains to be seen. It’s now a national news story as the terrible hype and new merchandise, hits the market and environmentalist have filed a suit.

OPINION

>>> The Great Experiment: is under a stress test and the nation is waiting for the legislative branches to not capitulate and do their job. The recent Supreme Court Rulings are a double edge sword since if a Democrate is in power the same exceptions will apply to the office. Also, the denial of science and vaccines is profoundly dangerous and RFK, Jr., as secretary of HUD is a tragedy… and unknown how devastating in the future.

Further with President Trump firing the Statistical Bureau commissioner for what Trump calls incorrect employment numbers, and too low. Openly Trump is “killing the messenger,” and it remains to be seen if a consequence for the whim firing.

>>> 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, an extra$400 million in cost. 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-year working Visa. No easy task in Australia and a national ad for my job ran. I have been fingerprinted many times over years for background checks.

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.

>>> Florida: 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.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> BayFront Park Trust $5 million in reserves, had 2000 scandal, city used to send $450,000 in subsidy to trust, (under 29-year Miami commissioner J.L. Plummer,) Carollo’s long term chair leadership in question, commission votes to abolish trust, mixed bag with residents.

>>> 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.

>>> 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.

Context: I want to thank The Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25^th 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/

>>> 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 $2 Billion in receivables debt from Jackson Health Systems to Animal Services and $24 million in growth for the public hospital system, explained staff, last week.

>>>> Here is a list of all the Miami Commission removed or suspended from office since 1997.They are Miller Dawkins, Humberto Hernandez(twice), Art Teele, Angel Gonzalez, Johnny Winton, Michelle Spence Jones (later reinstated), Alex Diaz de la Portilla, most recently. The public is wondering if others will be charged as well since Miami has the so called “friends and family plan” often referred to at city boards where people get a break at the boards on their fines or punishment. Forced out police chief Art Acevedo mentioned the interference and use of government against political enemies by commissioners and interfering with police operations like code enforcement.

The authorities from the Broward state attorney’s office to Miami-Dade County state attorney working together have delved deep into the city and some wonder if years of corruption will finally be weeded out in this minority majority community. All the candidates running against DLP say they will fight the corruption at City Hall, where cozy relations with lobbyist is the rule of the day, with many sayings what’s the problem everyone is doing it, which is so true and blatant.

SPONSERS/ Supporters, news articles:

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 3692 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

Watchdog Report

Archive for August 2025

WATCHDOG REPORT Vol.25 No.17 August 31, 2025: EST:05.05.00: A free community education resource for 25-years without the attitude

Search

Pages

Archive

Categories

Meta