Latest news with #Meiner
Miami Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Rosen Gonzalez files to run for Miami Beach mayor, seeking to unseat Meiner
Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, a Miami Beach commissioner with a decade of firebrand political activism in the city, is running for mayor. On Wednesday afternoon, Rosen Gonzalez filed paperwork at City Hall to enter the November mayoral race, hoping to unseat Mayor Steven Meiner, who has not yet filed but is expected to seek reelection after his first two-year term. Rosen Gonzalez, 51, is term-limited as a commissioner later this year after eight years on the dais across two non-continuous terms. 'I've always been the people's commissioner, and now it's time for me to be the people's mayor,' Rosen Gonzalez told the Miami Herald in an interview Wednesday morning. 'I've always put the community first, and I feel like I'm prepared to do an excellent job.' One other candidate, political newcomer Victor J. Rosario, has filed to run for mayor. Five candidates — Daniel Ciraldo, Brian Ehrlich, Monroe Mann, Luidgi Mary and Monica Matteo-Salinas — have filed to run for Rosen Gonzalez's current seat, which Rosen Gonzalez will occupy until November. Commissioner Laura Dominguez will seek reelection, though she is not yet facing any opponents. Candidates have until September to qualify for each of the races. In challenging Meiner, Rosen Gonzalez, a tenured faculty member in the English and Communications department at Miami Dade College, will pitch herself as a resident-focused candidate with a track record of fighting for constituents. 'I've been standing up for the community forever,' Rosen Gonzalez said, pointing to battles she has waged over the future of Allison Park, plans to lease city-owned parking lots near Lincoln Road and an effort to preserve the South Shore Community Center. The mayor's seat in Miami Beach is nonpartisan, and Rosen Gonzalez said she hopes to leave partisan politics out of her campaign. But voters often look at political leanings to try to distinguish between local candidates. Meiner, who is registered as non-party affiliated, ran on a tough-on-crime platform and has similarly focused on addressing residents' concerns as he and other Miami Beach officials aim to change the city's reputation as a hard-partying destination for young people. He has won favor with residents by helping to shut down spring break in South Beach. He has also sparked controversy with actions viewed by critics as limiting free speech, such as a crackdown on protests and a recent attempt to terminate the lease of O Cinema for screening a documentary about the West Bank. Rosen Gonzalez, a registered Democrat, has been largely aligned with Meiner, including in defending draconian measures to curb spring break, arrests of the homeless for sleeping outdoors and support for the state of Israel. But Rosen Gonzalez has also sought to highlight their differences. Last month, she opposed Meiner's proposal to evict O Cinema as she cited the importance of free speech. On Wednesday, she said she has a vision to prop up the tourist industry that has made the city flourish, something she said is necessary to ensure the city's financial success and meet its enormous resiliency needs. In addition to law enforcement measures, Rosen Gonzalez said the city should leverage marketing campaigns — as it has during spring break — to move the city forward. At the same time, as state lawmakers look to strip protections for Miami Beach's historic districts, Rosen Gonzalez said the city needs to convey to developers that 'preservation is solid economic policy' and 'has created the value for their properties.' While she opposes 'tall buildings in the center of Miami Beach,' Rosen Gonzalez said she will support certain projects that she feels offer substantial benefits to the city. At last week's commission meeting, Rosen Gonzalez supported a new proposal to rezone the Deauville Hotel site, touting the developers' willingness to provide benefits like public beach access and funding for housing and a park. She had opposed an earlier proposal for the site in 2022. 'I do think that my advocacy work all these years and pushing back on these developers has resulted in better negotiations and development deals for the city of Miami Beach,' she said. Part of Rosen Gonzalez's task will be convincing voters she has the poise and demeanor needed to be mayor. Rosen Gonzalez has been a polarizing figure in Miami Beach politics, sparring with colleagues from the dais and at times making inflammatory remarks about her foes. 'I think when you stand for residents and you take difficult positions, you're always going to have adversity,' she said, adding that residents often tell her: 'I don't always agree with you, but I respect you.' Rosen Gonzalez's first four-year term on the City Commission, starting in 2015, was marred by controversy, including five ethics complaints. Despite being cleared in each case and chalking up the allegations to political gamesmanship, Rosen Gonzalez said she had learned from the experience. After an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress in 2018, she ran for another Miami Beach commission term the following year and dubbed herself 'Kristen 2.0.' But Meiner, a former attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, foiled Rosen Gonzalez's initial bid for a second term. After winning in a recount by just two votes to advance to a runoff, Meiner defeated Rosen Gonzalez in a political upset that some observers saw as a rejection of Rosen Gonzalez's approach. Rosen Gonzalez ultimately returned to the City Commission in 2021, again using the 'Kristen 2.0' moniker to assure voters that she would focus on policy and not political theatrics. She won despite falsely claiming to be Hispanic in an interview on the campaign trail, remarks for which she apologized. In her second term, Rosen Gonzalez positioned herself as a foil to former Mayor Dan Gelber, rallying voters to reject referendums on the Deauville and Lincoln Road projects that Gelber backed. Her over-the-top style remained; she apologized in October 2022 for a social media post comparing Gelber to Russian President Vladimir Putin. On several occasions in 2023, Gelber temporarily recessed commission meetings as Rosen Gonzalez traded barbs with fellow officials. More recently, Rosen Gonzalez has clashed at meetings and on social media with fellow Commissioner David Suarez. The pair appeared to be allies in the early days of Suarez's term, which began in November 2023, as Rosen Gonzalez dubbed a new crop of elected officials the 'kumbaya commission.' But those days are over. In an email to residents last week, Suarez denounced Rosen Gonzalez for holding up an adult toy at a recent commission meeting, where she advocated for the city to green-light a beauty and skincare store on Lincoln Road at which 'feminine wellness products,' including some sex toys, would be sold. Rosen Gonzalez said in her own email to residents that Suarez was spreading misinformation by referring to the store as a 'sex shop.' In community Facebook groups, where Suarez and anonymous accounts have targeted Rosen Gonzalez with a barrage of criticism, Rosen Gonzalez has defended herself in repeated posts calling for 'love and unity.' 'To the anonymous people behind bots who spread hate and division, I love you,' she wrote on Facebook. 'Come to my office. Come and I will welcome you with love.'
Axios
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Miami Beach strengthens Israeli ties but defers O Cinema vote
Miami Beach further strengthened its support for Israel in a series of votes Wednesday but didn't take up a proposal to influence programming at a local theater targeted for showing a documentary about the Gaza conflict. Why it matters: The City Commission's moves show how intent it is to demonstrate its loyalty to Israel after a scrapped proposal to evict O Cinema drew national attention. Driving the news: Commissioners directed the city to maximize investments in Israeli bonds and work on attracting Israeli and Jewish-owned businesses to Miami Beach. The commission deferred a resolution encouraging O Cinema to screen films that show a "fair and balanced" viewpoint of the war in Gaza. Friction point: During a tense meeting Wednesday, more than a dozen residents spoke up against the package of Israeli-related proposals. At one point, Mayor Steven Meiner directed police to escort an audience member out of the commission chambers. Later, he interrupted a speaker during the allotted two-minute comment period and refused to give the resident additional time. What they're saying: Miami Beach resident Alex Mayka said the city has "real problems" to deal with, like flooding and housing scarcity, and shouldn't spend time focusing on supporting an "apartheid nation." "These resolutions don't help people who actually live here." He criticized the city targeting O Cinema, the South Beach theater with a lease on city-owned property. "This city government has absolutely no place in telling artists what kind of stories they can or can't tell." The other side: Meiner, a strong ally of Israel, responded to almost every anti-Israel comment during time reserved for public speakers, labeling some remarks as "hate speech" and antisemitism. "I give the respect to the people who speak, but I'm gonna counter hate speech when it comes this way," Meiner said. Commissioner Joseph Magazine, who sponsored the resolution attracting Israeli businesses, said it was "sickening" that someone could oppose recruiting Jewish business owners. Magazine called Miami Beach a safe haven for the city's "Israeli and Jewish brothers and sisters." "Part of being a safe haven is speaking proudly about an initiative like this." Catch up quick: Meiner previously proposed evicting O Cinema and withdrawing its grant funding after it screened "No Other Land," the Oscar-winning documentary about the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank prior to the war. Meiner called the film a "one-sided propaganda attack" on the Jewish people. O Cinema and the ACLU of Florida argued Meiner's effort amounted to government overreach and violated the theater's First Amendment rights. Meiner later withdrew his eviction proposal after opposition from the Commission and public. A second Meiner proposal, which wasn't heard Wednesday, criticizes "No Other Land" as an "incomplete portrayal" of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and encourages O Cinema to "prioritize films that present the suffering and moral position of the Jewish people and the state of Israel." The intrigue: It's unclear why Meiner never brought the item for a vote.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iconic beach oasis reveals the simple warnings that ended spring break chaos and misery
An iconic spring break destination in Florida has revealed how it drastically curbed chaotic partiers and crime rates after years of anarchy. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner unveiled a 'Reality Check' campaign this year, detailing how new enforcements will keep spring breakers in check. 'I mean, we had [in] prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner told Fox News. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos - jumping on police cars - it was just not tolerable.' But this year, Meiner and local officials knew something had to change. 'And this year, the follow-up was the same measures,' Meiner said. 'Same police presence, same result again for the governor came down for a press conference here, and it was a reality check. This is the reality of what's going to happen here if you don't play by the rules.' The 'Reality Check' video posted on February 4 showed casted spring breakers, who were keen to begin partying, who then came face to face with the strict rules put in place. A police officer in the video approached the group of partiers and explained the rules they had been breaking on the beach. One cast member said that they were confronted by 'rule after rule after rule.' Volume levels of speakers on the beach were restricted, and security and DUI checkpoints were enforced throughout the city. A 6pm curfew was implemented, state troopers and county police patrolled the area, and $100 parking fees loomed, leaving party goers full of disappointment. The video garnered more than 53,000 views since being uploaded, Fox reported, and while the advertisement was fake, 'the rules are very real.' 'I'd come back to Miami Beach, just not for spring break,' another casted spring breaker said at the end of the advertisement. Yet, the reality TV show styled video was incredibly influential on hopeful partiers who didn't turn out in the same numbers as recent years. 'The results have been phenomenal,' Meiner told Fox. 'I mean success at every level you measure it. No killings, no shootings, no major incidents, no stampedes. I can tell from the hoteliers to restaurants to businesses, everyone's appreciative.' 'And literally, almost universally, our businesses are very appreciative of the steps we took, and [it was] a major success for our city.' The influence from the video were results that local residents and businesses had spent years calling on officials for - and they couldn't be more pleased, Meiner said. 'And it's just amazing,' he continued. 'No matter where you go in our city, even people who live, you know, six, seven miles away from where the activity took place, nobody wanted to see their city viewed in a negative light. They're so appreciative.' While the large crowds and rowdy behavior were scarce, some college students still made the most of their vacation. Amber Jackson, a University of Cincinnati sophomore, told the Miami Herald that the nightlife on their first evening was 'dead.' 'But we made it fun,' Jackson added. 'We still enjoyed ourselves.' Cadence Woolfork, 19, from the University of Kentucky said: 'I like the environment. It's super chill. You can just come here and have fun.' Woolfork admitted that since the rule enforcement, it 'didn't seem like spring break.' Others were shocked and angered that the iconic spring break destination had been reduced to the now minimal activity. Diamond Shanae, who had visited the area to celebrate her 25th birthday, told the outlet that the new rule enforcements were 'outrageous.' 'We came from Houston, Texas, to have a good time, so that's what we're here for. It's outrageous,' she said, adding that her visit in 2021 with 'no rules' had not been tainted in the same way. The implemented restrictions have seen a vast improvement in lowering crime rates. Officers in Miami Beach made 352 arrests from late February until late March, which is a 13 percent reduction from last year at the same time, according to police data obtained by the Miami Herald. The restrictions in Miami Beach have seemingly pushed some spring breakers to Fort Lauderdale. 'Miami has been so restrictive, I mean, with good cause. I understand it,' 22-year-old Josiah Garcia told the Miami Herald. 'That's definitely drawn everybody to Fort Lauderdale, and hopefully, the same problems don't persist up here.' While Fort Lauderdale has embraced the notoriously rowdy vacationers, its police have sent a clear message that they should behave. 'Come for the fun, but remember to play by the rules,' Police Chief William Schultz said in a 'Love is blind' parody video. 'Love may be blind, but we'll be watching.'
New York Post
24-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Spring break crime plummets in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral
The mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row, leaving residents grateful for the effort. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked. Advertisement After working with city, county, and state authorities to curb chaos during spring break in 2024, the city's comprehensive 'Reality Check' campaign came to life in 2025. 'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner told Fox News Digital. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.' 'And this year, the follow-up was the same measures,' Meiner said. 'Same police presence, same result again for the governor came down for a press conference here, and it was a reality check. This is the reality of what's going to happen here if you don't play by the rules.' 6 Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city. Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed. Those rules ranged from enforcing volume levels of speakers on the beach to implementing security and DUI checkpoints citywide. Throughout spring break, there was a citywide 6 p.m. curfew and $100 parking fees, which made it cost-prohibitive for some partiers to access hot spots. The city enlisted state troopers and county police to help local police enforce the strict rules. 6 Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked. AP Advertisement 'I'd come back to Miami Beach, just not for spring break,' a cast member says at the end of the video. Meiner couldn't be happier with the results. 'The results have been phenomenal,' Meiner said. 'I mean, success at every level you measure it. No killings, no shootings, no major incidents, no stampedes. I can tell you … literally from the hoteliers to restaurants to businesses, everyone's appreciative. And literally, almost universally, our businesses are very appreciative of the steps we took, and [it was] a major success for our city.' 6 The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city. City of Miami Beach TV Advertisement 6 Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed in the video. City of Miami Beach TV Residents are thrilled with the outcome, too, according to Meiner. 'And it's just amazing,' he said. 'No matter where you go in our city, even people who live, you know, six, seven miles away from where the activity took place, nobody wanted to see their city viewed in a negative light. They're so appreciative.' Miami Beach is not the only city looking to cast off its chaotic spring break reputation. 6 City of Miami Beach police officers respond to an incident during spring break, March 15, 2024. AP 6 'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner said.. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.' AP Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Fox News Digital that his city has upped its spring break crime deterrence efforts. Advertisement 'Panama City Beach has taken aggressive steps to maintain order during the Spring Break period, including targeted evening beach closures, enhanced enforcement zones, mutual aid partnerships, and public-private screening efforts at Pier Park,' Tettermer said. 'PCB is committed to law and order, acting swiftly with law enforcement to keep the community safe and family-friendly, and working with responsible businesses to ensure the unruly spring break legacy stays in the past.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spring break crime plummeted in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral
The mayor of Miami Beach, Florida said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row, leaving residents grateful for the effort. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked. After working with city, county and state authorities to curb chaos during spring break in 2024, the city's comprehensive "Reality Check" campaign came to life in 2025. "I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street," Meiner told Fox News Digital. "We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable." Florida Spring Break Destination Town Done With College Crowds: 'That Time Is Over' "And this year, the follow-up was the same measures," Meiner said. "Same police presence, same result again for the governor came down for a press conference here, and it was a reality check. This is the reality of what's going to happen here if you don't play by the rules." Read On The Fox News App The "Reality Check" video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city. Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed. Miami Beach Spring Break Crackdown Sends Partiers Packing To Other Beach Towns Those rules ranged from enforcing volume levels of speakers on the beach to implementing security and DUI checkpoints citywide. Throughout spring break, there was a citywide 6 p.m. curfew and $100 parking fees, which made it cost prohibitive for some partiers to access hot spots. The city enlisted state troopers and county police to help local police enforce the strict rules. "I'd come back to Miami Beach, just not for spring break," a cast member says at the end of the video. Florida Spring Break: Fort Lauderdale Welcomes Partiers As State Sends More Police To Vacation Hotspots Meiner couldn't be happier with the results. "The results have been phenomenal," Meiner said. "I mean success at every level you measure it. No killings, no shootings, no major incidents, no stampedes. I can tell you … literally from the hoteliers to restaurants to businesses, everyone's appreciative. And literally, almost universally, our businesses are very appreciative of the steps we took, and [it was] a major success for our city." Residents are thrilled with the outcome too, according to Meiner. "And it's just amazing," he said. "No matter where you go in our city, even people who live, you know, six, seven miles away from where the activity took place, nobody wanted to see their city viewed in a negative light. They're so appreciative." Miami Beach is not the only city looking to cast off its chaotic spring break reputation. Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Fox News Digital that his city has upped its spring break crime deterrence efforts. "Panama City Beach has taken aggressive steps to maintain order during the Spring Break period, including targeted evening beach closures, enhanced enforcement zones, mutual aid partnerships, and public-private screening efforts at Pier Park," Tettermer said. "PCB is committed to law and order, acting swiftly with law enforcement to keep the community safe and family-friendly, and working with responsible businesses to ensure the unruly spring break legacy stays in the past."Original article source: Spring break crime plummeted in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral
