🏠 News From Your Neighborhood
Miami, FL
Palmetto Bay Council faces backlash over car allowance payments
Controversy is brewing in the Village of Palmetto Bay, where some residents and councilmembers say a new $400 monthly car allowance offered to elected officials violates the village charter and amounts to an unauthorized pay raise.
The allowance, proposed by the village manager in January, could cost the village up to $24,000 annually if all council members opt in.
Critics argue it constitutes additional compensation that should require a charter amendment and public input.
Residents say they were left out of the decision
“They’re not listening,” said Palmetto Bay resident Haydee Sanchez.
Sanchez and her longtime neighbor Carol Vega said they were blindsided by the move and believe it’s unfair to taxpayers.
“Basically they’re just giving themselves money,” Vega said. “There’s no need. We’re very disappointed.”
“We don’t approve of that,” Sanchez added. “They didn’t run it by us. We didn’t get a chance to vote on it and it’s our money.”
Split among council members over legality and ethics
The village charter provides a $1,000 monthly stipend for council members and the vice mayor and $2,000 for the mayor. Any increase or decrease in compensation must be made through a charter amendment.
While Councilmembers Patrick Fiore and Steve Cody defended the car allowance during an April meeting, others pushed back.
“It’s an item that will attract people to run for office,” Fiore said during the meeting.
Cody added, “(The) City of Miami, their city commissioners make something on the order of $70,000 or $80,000 plus an unaudited expense account. We’re not looking for that.”
Cody also explained his personal need for transportation assistance: “I have to Uber most places because I don’t have a right foot. I can’t operate a gas pedal.”
But not everyone on the dais agreed. District 3 Councilmember Marsha Matson declined the allowance.
“I thought about it and I said no because that’s compensation,” Matson said. “I don’t think that it’s justified.”
Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer also strongly opposed the decision.
“I sent (the village manager) an immediate email afterwards saying how unacceptable it is that administration, without any consultation of the public, without any consultation of the council, was able to put forward essentially a 40% pay increase for council members,” Merwitzer said.
Village attorney responds, residents remain frustrated
Councilmember Fiore responded to CBS News Miami via email, referring all questions to the village manager or attorney. The mayor, Councilmember Cody, and the village manager did not respond to inquiries.
Village Attorney John Dellagloria said in a phone interview that the payments are reimbursement-based and allowed, but he plans to introduce an ordinance to address the concerns.
“Well that’s rich,” said Merwitzer, who has called for the allowances to be revoked.
Residents like Vega and Sanchez remain skeptical.
“The point is that we were not consulted,” Sanchez said.
“(Council and the mayor) were hired for a certain amount of money and I don’t think you just pay yourself more and more.”
Miami, FL
Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami
Wives of several men being held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami are alleging their husbands are facing inhumane conditions following a transfer from the Krome Detention Center, where detainees were evacuated due to recent wildfires.
The women gathered outside the downtown Miami facility on Wednesday to call for basic humane treatment for their husbands.
The Federal Detention Center is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, not U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While ICE transferred the detainees to the federal facility, the Bureau of Prisons is responsible for conditions inside.
Among those speaking out was Judith Castellanos, whose husband, 51-year-old Marlon Cervelo, has been in immigration detention since 2023.
“He is my husband, my brother, my confidant, my everything,” Castellanos said, adding that she fears for his life.
According to Castellanos, Cervelo was detained following his annual immigration appointment in 2023. Since then, he has been held at multiple facilities, including Alligator Alcatraz, Krome Detention Center and now the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.
Castellanos said the detainees are requesting basic necessities.
“They want something similar to what they had in Krome,” Castellanos said, noting the need for clean clothing and reliable access to drinking water.
Arianne Betancourt, an activist with the social justice organization The Workers Circle, echoed the families’ concerns.
“Nobody should be denied access to water,” Betancourt said during a news conference.
While CBS News Miami was covering the event, Castellanos received a call from her husband inside the facility. Speaking in Spanish, Cervelo claimed conditions remain difficult.
“We still have no air conditioning in the rooms and no medicines,” Cervelo said.
Another spouse says deportation isn’t an option
Another spouse, Annette Uset, said her husband, Daikel Dumont, is being held in solitary confinement.
“He told me the conditions that he was in, and I went ahead and contacted the news,” Uset said.
Anisley Cortez said she is concerned for her husband, 41-year-old Noslen Sendra, who suffers from diabetes and acute pancreatitis. She alleged he is not receiving the necessary medication.
The three women said their husbands share similar immigration histories. Each was detained by immigration authorities after serving prison sentences for past criminal convictions. Because Cuba has not accepted their deportation, they have remained in federal custody.
CBS News Miami requested a response from the Federal Bureau of Prisons regarding the allegations.
In a statement, the agency acknowledged the facility experienced water pressure problems on July 1, but said inmates were provided additional bottled water while repairs were underway. Officials said the issue was resolved the following day.
The Bureau of Prisons also confirmed that one of the facility’s air-conditioning chillers malfunctioned on July 6, but stated the problem has been repaired and both chillers are operating normally.
Despite those assurances, the families said they will continue to speak out until they see meaningful improvements in the treatment of their loved ones.
When asked if she would follow her husband to Cuba if deportation were an option, Castellanos replied, “I would follow him.”
According to the families, however, immigration officials have encouraged their husbands to self-deport to a third country, an option all three men have declined.
Miami, FL
Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun
If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.
RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami
The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.
What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.
Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.
Miami, FL
Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.
“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.
Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.
They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.
According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.
Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.
“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”
Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.
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