Tag Archives: Miami Dade County

Thousands of giant snails causing problems for Florida homeowners

South Florida residents are being warned to be on the lookout for one of the world’s most destructive invasive species: the giant African land snail, which can grow as big as a rat.

The huge mollusks were first spotted in Florida in 2011, and their numbers are growing, Reuters reports. More than 1,000 are being caught each week in Miami-Dade County and more will continue to emerge from hibernation in the coming weeks.

The snails can gnaw through stucco and plastic, and attack “over 500 known species of plants … pretty much anything that’s in their path and green,” Denise Feiber, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told Reuters.

In some Caribbean countries, such as Barbados, which are overrun with the creatures, the snails’ shells blow out tires on the highway and turn into hurling projectiles from lawnmower blades, while their slime and excrement coat walls and pavement.

“It becomes a slick mess,” Feiber said

A typical snail can produce about 1,200 eggs a year and the creatures are a particular pest in homes because of their fondness for stucco, devoured for the calcium content they need for their shells.

The snails also carry a parasitic rat lungworm that can cause illness in humans, including a form of meningitis, Feiber said, although no such cases have yet been identified in the United States.

Experts gathered last week in Gainesville, Florida, for a Giant African Land Snail Science Symposium, to seek the best ways to eradicate the mollusks, including use of a stronger bait approved recently by the federal government.

Authorities are also expanding a series of ads across the state on buses, billboards and movie theaters, urging the public to be on the lookout.

“They’re huge, they move around, they look like they’re looking at you … communicating with you, and people enjoy them for that,” Feiber said. “But they don’t realize the devastation they can create if they are released into the environment where they don’t have any natural enemies and they thrive.”

Click for more from Reuters.

From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/national/~3/1Xpd24WoqHI/

4 killed after wrong-way driver crashes into van in Florida

Four people have died in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 95 south of Fort Lauderdale.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash happened early Wednesday. They say police were pursuing a sport utility vehicle when it headed northbound in the interstate’s southbound lanes.

The Miami Herald reports the SUV crashed into a minivan at Hallandale Beach Boulevard, killing all four occupants.

FHP says the driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital with two broken legs.

The Herald reports the SUV was being pursued by police from Opa-locka in Miami-Dade County.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office says all southbound lanes of I-95 were shut down while an investigation continued.

None of the victims’ names have been released.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

4-year-old girl shot dead in car in Miami

A 4-year-old girl was fatally shot while she sat in a car outside her grandfather’s Miami home, and now detectives are trying to determine if another child who was in the vehicle pulled the trigger, police said Sunday.

The children were waiting in a white Mercedes-Benz Saturday evening as an adult stood nearby outside in an impoverished neighborhood with scattered storefront churches and boarded-up businesses on the northern edge of Miami-Dade County.

Rahquel Carr was shot in the upper body with a handgun believed to have been fired from inside the vehicle, Miami-Dade Police Detective Roy Rutland said. The owner of the weapon and the car was not present and has not been charged.

At least two other children were in the vehicle at the time, all believed to have been younger than 10, Rutland said. Investigators were speaking with those children, which Rutland said was a delicate process because of their age.

“We are interviewing those kids and we’re trying to ascertain if one of the other children shot the kid,” he said.

The Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney will review the case to determine if any charges will be filed. An autopsy will also be done to determine how many times the girl was shot, and where.

The adult who was standing nearby was not identified and has also not been charged.

Armando Alvarado, 58, was sitting inside his home three doors down when he heard children screaming. He went outside and saw a woman crying for help on her cell phone.

“She was crying desperately,” he said.

Police arrived within a minute, and a rescuer carried the girl into an ambulance, he said. Her limbs were limp and blood was on her face. The girl died a short time later after being airlifted to a hospital.

Rahquel’s grandfather also was hospitalized because he was overcome with emotion. The two were very close, and he would sometimes watch the girl while she rode her bike outside.

“The grandfather just loved her so much,” said Michael Hardaway, 55, who lives next door. “He couldn’t take it.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Florida police probe whether another child fatally shot four-year-old girl in car

A 4-year-old girl was fatally shot while she sat in a car outside her grandfather’s Miami home, and now detectives are trying to determine if another child who was in the vehicle pulled the trigger, police said Sunday.

The children were waiting in a white Mercedes-Benz Saturday evening as an adult stood nearby outside in an impoverished neighborhood with scattered storefront churches and boarded-up businesses on the northern edge of Miami-Dade County.

Rahquel Carr was shot in the upper body with a handgun believed to have been fired from inside the vehicle, Miami-Dade Police Detective Roy Rutland said. The owner of the weapon and the car was not present and has not been charged.

At least two other children were in the vehicle at the time, all believed to have been younger than 10, Rutland said. Investigators were speaking with those children, which Rutland said was a delicate process because of their age.

“We are interviewing those kids and we’re trying to ascertain if one of the other children shot the kid,” he said.

The Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney will review the case to determine if any charges will be filed. An autopsy will also be done to determine how many times the girl was shot, and where.

The adult who was standing nearby was not identified and has also not been charged.

Armando Alvarado, 58, was sitting inside his home three doors down when he heard children screaming. He went outside and saw a woman crying for help on her cell phone.

“She was crying desperately,” he said.

Police arrived within a minute, and a rescuer carried the girl into an ambulance, he said. Her limbs were limp and blood was on her face. The girl died a short time later after being airlifted to a hospital.

Rahquel’s grandfather also was hospitalized because he was overcome with emotion. The two were very close, and he would sometimes watch the girl while she rode her bike outside.

“The grandfather just loved her so much,” said Michael Hardaway, 55, who lives next door. “He couldn’t take it.”

On Sunday, the family gathered with a minister at the home but declined to comment. Police tape had been removed, with only a large, orange, spray-painted “X” remaining in front of the driveway.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Remarks by the President on Rebuilding America Partnership in Miami, Florida

By The White House

PortMiami
Miami, Florida
1:40 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Miami! (Applause.) It is good to be back. You know, I've been waiting for spring. I realize I just had to come down to Miami. (Laughter.) It is wonderful to be here.
We've got some outstanding representatives in Congress from this area — Joe Garcia is in the house. (Applause.) Frederica Wilson is in the house. (Applause.) And we've got Debbie Wasserman Schultz here. (Applause.) I want to thank the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Carlos Gimenez. (Applause.) And of course, it’s good to see all of you. And I want to thank the gentlemen who just gave me a amazing tour of the PortMiami Tunnel.
LITTLE GIRL: Yea!
THE PRESIDENT: What are you yelling about? Hey, sweetie. (Applause.)
WOMAN: She came just to see you!
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, well, hello. (Laughter.) She’s going to be a politician because I could hear her without a mic from far away. (Laughter.)
Now, before we get started, I've got to get into a sticky subject right off the bat. I know you guys aren’t happy with my Chicago Bulls.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE PRESIDENT: But I just want you to know the Heat are going to be just fine. They’re going to be okay. (Applause.) They are playing basketball the right way. The Hurricanes — they had a great season — no, no, they deserve a big round of applause. (Applause.) Tonight you’ve got Florida and Florida Gulf Coast going at it. (Applause.) One of them will go to the Elite Eight. So, let’s face it, Florida is the center of basketball right now. (Applause.)
But I’m not here to talk about hoops. I’m here to talk about one of the plans that I put forward in my State of the Union address — a plan to put people to work rebuilding America.
I’ve come to PortMiami today because there are few more important things we can do to create jobs right now and strengthen our economy over the long haul than rebuilding the infrastructure that powers our businesses and our economy — our roads, our bridges, our schools, and our ports just like this one.
As President, my top priority is to make sure we are doing everything we can to reignite the true engine of our economic growth — and that is a rising, thriving middle class. A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – that’s got to be our true North. That's what has to guide our efforts every single day. And to do that, we should be asking ourselves three questions every single day: Number one, how do we make America a magnet for …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

Miami Dolphins Offer To Repay Portion Of Public Costs To Renovate Stadium

By The Huffington Post News Editors

The Miami Dolphins have offered to repay Miami-Dade County for a portion of the public costs of renovating Sun Life Stadium, and to pay millions of dollars in penalties should the team fail to bring major events to South Florida, including four Super Bowls over the next three decades, The Miami Herald has learned.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Dolphins’ Super Bowl Deal: Won’t Use Public Funds If Stadium Not Awarded Super Bowl (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

By The Huffington Post News Editors

MIAMI GARDENS — The Dolphins made a deal with Miami-Dade County voters Thursday: if South Florida doesn’t get Super Bowl 2016 or 2017, the team won’t use tax money for Sun Life Stadium renovations.

NFL owners vote on the locations of those Super Bowls on May 22 in Boston. There’s still no date set for a public referendum for Miami-Dade County voters to approve that tax money.

The Dolphins also announced downtown Miami will be hosting the core of the Super Bowl activities. When the Super Bowl was held in South Florida in 2010, Broward and Dade counties shared hosting duties.

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More on Dolphins Stadium

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Terreno Realty Corporation Acquires Building in Medley, FL for $5.1 Million

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Terreno Realty Corporation Acquires Building in Medley, FL for $5.1 Million

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Terreno Realty Corporation (NYS: TRNO) , an acquirer, owner and operator of industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets, acquired an industrial property located in Medley, Florida on March 6, 2013 for a purchase price of approximately $5.1 million.

The property consists of one industrial distribution building containing approximately 49,000 square feet on 5.4 acres. The property provides dock-high truck loading on two sides and land for trailer storage or building expansion. The property is at 12600 NW 107th Avenue in Medley, is 100% leased to one tenant and is Terreno Realty Corporation‘s tenth building in Miami-Dade County. The estimated stabilized cap rate of the property is 6.3%.

Estimated stabilized cap rates are calculated as annualized cash basis net operating income stabilized to market occupancy (generally 95%) divided by total acquisition cost. Total acquisition cost includes the initial purchase price, the effects of marking assumed debt to market, buyer’s due diligence and closing costs, estimated near-term capital expenditures and leasing costs necessary to achieve stabilization.

Terreno Realty Corporation is an acquirer, owner and operator of industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets: Los Angeles; Northern New Jersey/New York City; San Francisco Bay Area; Seattle; Miami; and Washington, D.C./Baltimore.

Additional information about Terreno Realty Corporation is available on the company’s web site at www.terreno.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. We caution investors that forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and on assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “might”, “plan”, “project”, “result”, “should”, “will”, and similar expressions which do not relate solely to historical matters are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance, which may be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties, and factors that are beyond our control, including risks related to our ability to meet our estimated forecasts related to stabilized cap rates and those risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and our other public filings. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, or projected. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to update our …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Aporreado De Tasajo, A Delicious And Classic Cuban Stew Dish Made With Horse Meat

By The Huffington Post News Editors

When you look for recipes for that classic Cuban dish, Aporreado de Tasajo, a beef stew that is famous and unique for its salty chewy meat, it will tell you to use dry salted beef, and the usual ingredients for sofrito: onion, green pepper, garlic, cumin and olive oil. What most recipes for Tasajo won’t tell you is that to make real Cuban Tasajo, you need to use horse meat instead of beef.

Tasajo, like Brazilian Feijoada, is a dish slaves were forced to devise using whatever ingredients were available to them, usually discards or cheap cuts of meat and vegetables. Tasajo is made with a type of beef jerky, beef that has been dried and salted as a preservative. It’s a throwback to the days before refrigeration, just like for years salted cod was a staple of many kitchens in the Western world.

Horse meat has a sweeter taste than beef, and for those who have the palate for real Cuban Tasajo, horse meat is a must ingredient. In 2009, South Florida officials saw a dramatic rise in sales of illegal horse meat. According to a 2009 article in USA Today, over a dozen and a half horse carcasses were found in Miami-Dade County that year.

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More on Hispanic Heritage

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

100 Mile Police Chase Ends With Arrest Of Samal Hammond, Miami Man

By The Huffington Post News Editors

A police chase on Interstate-95 that spanned four counties, including Broward and Palm Beach, reportedly began with an altercation between a man and a woman and shots being fired at a sergeant, and ended with the suspect driver singing as he was arrested, authorities said Saturday.

The 85-mile police pursuit began between the Ives Dairy Road and Miami Gardens Drive exits of I-95 in Miami-Dade County, and ended just south of Kanner Highway in Martin County.

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, who was called to the scene at 12:33 a.m. Saturday, said Samal Hammond, 36, was stopped using spike sticks that deflated his van’s tires.

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More on Miami Crime

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post