Conexion Miami / If you’re an immigrant, Marco Rubio feels he’s better than you are
Marco Rubio sees himself as better than many of the undocumented immigrants trying to gain entry into the U.S. Let us explain. Rubio was born to undocumented parents in 1971. His mother and father became U.S. citizens in 1975 after arriving in the U.S. as economic migrants. But Marco seems to believe that his circumstance was acceptable – and we agree with him. He was born here so he IS a U.S. citizen. But now that he is making a run for the presidency, and quickly losing ground to blowhard candidate Donald Trump and his incendiary ideas on immigration, Rubio has stated that he is open to the idea of ending the right of citizenship for children born here whose parents are NOT U.S. citizens… In other words, in Marco’s case, what was once good for the goose, is no longer OK for the gander.
Florida oranges down
After seeing annual orange harvest declines in the past three citrus seasons from 8 percent to 22 percent, Florida growers understandably welcomed a projected 3.3 percent downturn in next season’s crop. Florida orange growers will harvest 93.5 million boxes of oranges in the 2015-16 season beginning in October, Kissimmee-based citrus consultant Elizabeth Steger told The Ledger. That’s a decline from the 2014-15 orange harvest of 96.7 million boxes.
Trump bubble not bursting – just yet
Florida’s leading newspaper, Tampa Bay Times, asked political experts and insiders their feeling on Donald Trump, who has become more than a passing fancy in the 2016 presidential race. “The Trump bubble is certainly not going to burst as early as many of us expected — he is here for a while,” lamented one Republican. But the insiders questioned also felt that although Trump will still be in contention when the Florida primary rolls around in the spring of next year, Jeb Bush should win in Florida, leaving both Marco Rubio and Trump in the rear view mirror.
Hillary’s people react to Biden for prez
Last week’ Conexion Miami mentioned political operative Steve Schale and his idea to draft Joe Biden for president in 2016… Two of Hillary’s people in Florida reacted this way: DRAFT JOE BIDEN FOR VP FOR 8 MORE YEARS. That’s the name of the Facebook page established by Brian Franklin and Ben Pollara.
There goes another piece of Miami history
Miami continues to change, and not always for the better. Just this week we learned that Scotty’s Landing (photo above) may soon be a nostalgic place we only remember. Right next door to Miami City Hall and situated on Biscayne Bay, Scotty’s is the kind of place you bring your dog, show up in shorts and t-shirt, eat good seafood or a burger and fries on paper plates, and drink ice-cold beer while watching the sailboats, and the occasional bird trying to steal your food. You’d even see a cat roll around every once in a while. Well Scotty’s has been evicted from their location and planned in its place – a new and much larger bay front, mall-type project called ‘The Harbour,’ full of restaurants, retail, and marina uses.
‘Most pathetic year in history of Florida politics’
Florida politicians continue to make us want to move elsewhere. Here are the words of Tampa Bay columnist John Romano regarding our legislators in Tallahassee: “In the face of judicial demands, public ridicule and private heartburn, legislators still managed to end a special session on redistricting Friday in complete disarray. More importantly, they kept alive the distinct possibility that we may soon be able to proclaim 2015 as the most pathetic year in the history of Florida politics.” Things must really be bad when you consider (also in Romano’s words) these facts: “This is a state that single-handedly held up a presidential election in 2000. It bungled the 1876 presidential election, too. For crying out loud, this is a state that elected Rick Scott as governor. Twice!”
Coke and heroin at MIA
Since January 2014 alone, the Associated Press reports that more than 80 pounds of cocaine and heroin have been found in flower shipments at Miami International Airport. Most come from either Colombia or Ecuador. Officials say the cocaine and heroin is hidden in the flowers themselves and in the boxes containing them. Miami is one of the nation’s busiest locations for shipments of flowers into the U.S.
Ashley Madison has many with panties in a bunch
Ashley Madison is a website designed for married people who want to cheat on their wives or husbands. You sign up and look for dates with other wannabe cheaters. Turns out hackers dumped more than 40 million records for all to see recently. Now you have millions around the country with their panties or underwear in a bunch and running for the hills. Thousands of clients using the website listed email addresses registered to the White House, top federal agencies and military branches, reported The Hill. Imagine that. Miami New Times reported that records include at least two registrations of email accounts from Miami Beach, two from Miami-Dade County, and five from the City of Fort Lauderdale. (None appear to belong to elected officials or prominent public servants… yet.)
The ‘Python Challenge’
The Associated Press reported last week that authorities are expanding Florida’s next public hunt for invasive Burmese pythons into Everglades National Park. The “Python Challenge” will run from Jan. 16 through Feb. 14. The national park was excluded from the 2013 contest that drew 1,600 participants but netted only 68 pythons. Scientists say thousands of pythons are to blame for the decline of native wildlife across Florida’s Everglades.
What’s with Sweetwater and corruption?
Sweetwater is a very small city in the midwest sector of Miami-Dade County. Their claim to fame seems to be corruption. In August 2013, reported the Miami Herald, then mayor Manny Maroño (in photo above) was arrested by federal agents, accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in a sham government grant scheme. Three months later, he accepted a prison sentence of three years. Shortly thereafter, in October 2013, Police Chief Roberto Fulgueira stepped down amid state and federal investigations into public corruption and civil rights violations. And now, the Herald reported last week, 7,877 items that should have been safely tucked away in the small rectangular room down the hall from the chief’s office are missing, an audit by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found. Things missing include weapons, cash and plenty of drugs.
[Photo at top of Marco Rubio surrounded by family members including his father to his left (our right) and mother in the background.]
