Local Black leaders feel ‘disrespected’ after Miami commission removes every member of Virginia Key Beach Park Trust
With questions rising about the future of historic Virginia Key after Miami Mayor Francis Suarez refused to veto the city’s takeover of the board of trustees, many Black local leaders are now angered by the decision.
Miami-Dade mayor demands more oversight of Miami Seaquarium after fallout of USDA inspection report
A July 6 report that the U.S. Department of Agriculture made public on Friday details how inspectors said the Miami Seaquarium drastically cut the diets of nine dolphins to get them to perform better — but instead this resulted in angry dolphins fighting back.
Dolphins at Miami Seaquarium became more aggressive after ‘abrupt’ diet cuts, federal inspectors find
A July 6 report that the U.S. Department of Agriculture made public on Friday details how inspectors said the Miami Seaquarium drastically cut the diets of nine dolphins to get them to perform better — but instead this resulted in angry dolphins fighting back.
After surviving shark attack in Miami Beach, boy gets to play with dolphins
VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. – Nine-year-old Jay Weiskopf has about 120 stitches after surviving a shark attack on Sunday in South Beach. The dental battery of the shark also left trails of cuts on his right arm and side. Right after arriving from Minnesota, Jay and his parents walked to the beach, east of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Ocean Beach Park’s playground, and north of the South Pointe Park Pier. “All I was focused on was getting him help.”A 9-year-old boy from Minnesota was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital after a shark attack on Sunday in South Beach. Ad“A shark tried to eat me at the ocean,” Jay said after his release.
Virginia Key has boat ramp funds, but plan may sink
The new boat ramp project was discussed at the latest meeting of the Virginia Key Advisory Board. The concept has changed; now it’s a full-fledged boat ramp. It’s something that should be looked at in anticipation of (budgeting) for the boat ramp (project),” she said. We need it … I’m all for the boat ramp and I encourage the city to follow through with it,” he said. The Virginia Key Alliance, a coalition of citizens dedicated to preserving Virginia Key and its environment for active outdoor recreation, has voiced concerns about the proposed boat launch and trailer parking.
miamitodaynews.comLucky dog: Owner grateful after saving rescue pup from shark attack off Virginia Key
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – A typical day playing on the beach took a turn for the worst for a South Florida pet owner and her rescue dog. Miami Veterinary Services told Local 10 News the dog’s owner was playing with her at Darwin Beach on Virginia Key, a recurring activity at a regular spot for the two. The dog’s owner ran to the beach and was able to pull Boobie out of the sharks mouth. Boobie the rescue dog is recovering after being attacked by a shark off Key Biscayne. (WPLG)Boobie was rushed to a veterinarians office on Key Biscayne, where doctors were able to stitch up the dogs wound.
Miami International Boat Show sails off with chunk of city budget
Miami International Boat Show sails off with chunk of city budgetWritten by John Charles Robbins on February 2, 2021AdvertisementThe Miami International Boat Show is leaving Virginia Key, along with the $1.2 million annual payment to the city, calculated and counted on as future revenue to help support a restored Miami Marine Stadium. The City of Miami owns most of the barrier island, along with the iconic and historic marine stadium, closed since Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992. The boat show leaving the island was discussed at the January meeting of the city’s Virginia Key Advisory Board. Board member Peter Ehrlich said the boat show’s departure will have a financial impact on the city, with the loss of more than $1 million a year for the license fee. Several years ago, the city hired Civitas Inc. to provide professional urban design, landscape architecture and engineering services, on a phased basis, for the flex park space.
miamitodaynews.comSchool officials plead for students, families to be more responsible after COVID-19 outbreak at MAST Academy
The newspaper reported that McKoy called families who had students in the school telling them that MAST was the No. 1 Miami-Dade County School in the central region for the most COVID-19 positive cases, and blamed the cases on students having parties, get-togethers and sleepovers without masks. According to the school’s dashboard, MAST Academy has a total of 46 cases, which is the tenth most of schools in Miami-Dade County. Email from MAST Academy Principal Derick McKoy:This is Dr. McKoy, principal of MAST Academy calling with a very important message. MAST Academy is the number one school in Central Region with the most number of COVID positive cases.
Coast Guard ends search for man who vanished after boat crash off Key Biscayne
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday evening that the search for a 33-year-old man who vanished after a Jan. 4 boat crash off Key Biscayne has ended. Florida Fish and Wildlife reported divers found human remains belonging to the man identified as Spencer Sheridan, according to the Coast Guard. It was near the Bear Cut Bridge, which connects Virginia Key with Key Biscayne. Man, 33, vanishes at sea after boats crash off Key BiscayneFour were injured and Sheridan vanished at sea prompting a massive search involving three police departments, a state agency, and a federal agency. FWC investigators found Sheridan and the other six people were in an unlicensed charter boat.
Search for man continues in Mashta Flats area after boaters crash off Key Biscayne
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – The search for a 33-year-old man continued on Tuesday in Biscayne Bay. He vanished after two Open Fisherman, a 19-foot boat and a 21-foot boat, collided on Monday evening off Key Biscayne. The man who vanished was in the Open Fisherman that was carrying seven people when it capsized after the collision near the Bear Cut Bridge, which connects Virginia Key with Key Biscayne. Two Open Fisherman boats collided on Monday evening off Key Biscayne. This is a photo of the man who was involved in a Monday night boat collision off Key Biscayne.
Protesters gather in front of Seaquarium in continued quest to free whale
VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. – A protest is underway at Miami Seaquarium in the latest call to free Lolita, the 20-foot-long, 7,000-pound orca who has lived at the Miami tourist attraction for 50 years. Activists say the tank in which the whale lives is not fit for her size. “She needs us to speak for her,” said Patty Leon, a protester with the group the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest said that under their inherent rights, the whale belongs to them. In October 2018, a federal appeals court rejected a petition to reopen a lawsuit over the Seaquarium’s treatment of the killer whale.
Several positive COVID-19 cases confirmed in Broward County as second wave of students begin in-person learning
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – As Broward County continues to move forward with beginning in-person learning for district students, Local 10 has confirmed several positive COVID-19 cases in both public and charter schools. “They must wear a face covering including the weight room and physical education classes,” said Broward School Board General Counsel Barbara J. Myrick. The school district made the decision to temporarily shut down the campus after two students tested positive for COVID-19. MAST is one of several Miami-Dade County public schools to have new COVID-19 cases after reopening in early October. The superintendent said as of Monday afternoon, 10 students and one employee in the school district tested positive for the virus since physical schooling resumed.
Officer to boaters: ’Do the right thing to ensure you can get home safely’
MIAMI – Authorities are asking boaters and people with personal watercraft to take safety precautions such as wearing life jackets and staying sober while having fun in the water during this Labor Day weekend. Officer Ronald Washington, a spokesman for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation, said doing so is a matter of life or death. “Do the right thing to ensure you can get home safely,” Washington said. Miami Fire Rescue personnel took Ndiokwelu to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center where a doctor pronounced him dead. For more information about boating safety, call the FWC’s Boating Safety Section at 850-488-5600.
Southeast Fisheries Science Center to be on the move
Southeast Fisheries Science Center to be on the moveWritten by Marilyn Bowden on January 21, 2020AdvertisementAfter considering various options, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, popularly known as NOAA, has determined that its existing Southeast Fisheries Science Center on Virginia Key will eventually be replaced by a new facility. NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center, located in Miami, Florida, is an aging facility, he said. However, Mr. Ewald said that NOAA Fisheries is not yet thinking about location. Last month, NOAA Southeast launched a new effort called Mission: Iconic Reefs to restore seven ecologically and culturally significant sites in the Florida Keys. Regardless of where the facility is ultimately located, Mr. Ewald said, NOAA Fisheries will continue working to provide the best science possible for our Southeast US and international natural resources that fall under its purview, including maintaining our strong partnerships with the University of Miami.
miamitodaynews.comTen Artists Worth Checking Out at Rakastella 2019
But for these DJs, the December 7 destination is the same: Virginia Key, where Rakastella has once again assembled one of the most tasteful dance music lineups found anywhere around the globe. They broke artists such as Joy Orbison and Blawan, and released the first EP by James Blake (he wasn't always a singer). The international electro master, Omnidisc label head, and certified 305-till-he-dies lifer will be back in town for Rakastella, and his sets are always a must-attend. This mentality carries over to his DJ sets, which include sporadic Italo, acid, and classics cuts alongside newer dance floorready bangers. Rakastella.
miaminewtimes.comHalf-dozen Virginia Key city projects in flood zone
Half-dozen Virginia Key city projects in flood zoneWritten by John Charles Robbins on November 12, 2019AdvertisementVirginia Key is almost entirely in the flood zone, and the City of Miami ought to consider these low elevations as it undertakes more than a half-dozen projects on the island. So we know that this is not just an issue associated within Miami nor just Virginia Key or Florida, she said. Creaton of a Climate Resilience Committee (formerly the Sea Level Rise Committee). Passage of Miami Forever Bond with nearly $200 million set aside for flood and sea level rise projects. The centers work is to advance knowledge, decision making and actions toward mitigating the causes and adapting to the effects of sea level rise.
miamitodaynews.comRakastella 2019 Announces Full Lineup: Motor City Drum Ensemble, Danny Daze, Eclair Fifi
Thanks to Rakastella, Virginia Key remains the best place to be during Miami Art Week. Miami mainstay Danny Daze also joins up, along with LuckyMe affiliate Eclair Fifi. These artists and more will assemble in historic Virginia Key Beach Park on Saturday, December 7. Check out the full Rakastella 2019 lineup below:me (Live)Aurora HalalBen UFODanny DazeDixonDJ MinxEclair FifiJayda GJohn TalabotKink (Live)Marie DavidsonMor ElianMotor City Drum Ensembleona DahlPalms TraxSoul ClapTara BrooksWill RenuartRakastella. 3 p.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday, December 7, at Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami; 305-960-4600; rakastella.net.
miaminewtimes.comUltra harmed UMs Rosenstiel School, dean says
Ultra harmed UMs Rosenstiel School, dean saysWritten by John Charles Robbins on July 31, 2019AdvertisementThe University of Miami has long had a presence on Virginia Key, and school officials say they were adversely impacted when the Ultra music festival was staged nearby in March. Ultra is not coming back to the barrier island, and thats just fine with Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The Rosenstiel school has grown into one of the leading academic oceanographic and atmospheric research institutions in the world. A study from researchers at the Rosenstiel school found that the Ultra Music Festival was stressful to toadfish. The school just celebrated its 75th anniversary, and he noted the school began establishing the island campus in the early 1960s.
miamitodaynews.comUltra Touts Sustainability Initiatives Amid Search for Permanent Venue
Now, as potential suitors court festival organizers (and some Miami commissioners try to woo them back), Ultra is touting the successes of the sustainability initiatives it implemented last year. The festival says it will continue its sustainability efforts during its next iteration. Ultra Music FestivalBut environmentalists continued to voice concerns after Ultra announced its sustainability campaign. Despite its impact on wildlife, Ultra's sustainability efforts earned an "A" rating on an environmental report card compiled by VolunteerCleanup.org, Surfrider Miami, and Debris Free Oceans. The festival partnered with the local organizations to develop its sustainability and environmental protection initiatives, which were then measured for effectiveness after the festival ended.
miaminewtimes.comMiami's First Vegandale Festival Was Hot in More Ways Than One
This past Saturday, Vegandale Food & Drink Festival rolled into Virginia Key. See more photos from Vegandale at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park here. See more photos from Vegandale at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park here. Laine DossTwo South Florida eateries served vegan Cuban food, and it was a hit. Vegan Cuban Cuisine was cleaned out of its plant-based croquetas, and a vegan cubano proved to be a flavorful alternative to its ham-based cousin.
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