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Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Are powerful people in both parties involved in an Epstein cover-up?
Two-party scandal? President Trump and MAGA are pointing the finger at former President Biden, asking why he didn't reveal the entire Jeffrey Epstein file while in office. No doubt it's a distraction tactic, but actually, that's a fair question. We know that former President Bill Clinton and other top Democrats flew aboard the 'Lolita Express,' Epstein's 200-seat aircraft. To where and why, I wonder. Are powerful people in both political parties engaged in a cover-up? Mac Melvin, Key Biscayne Disturb this groove As an ordinary citizen not schooled in economics, my understanding is that the Federal Reserve's mandate is to maintain full employment and price stability. It's a delicate dance of adjusting interest rates down during periods of low employment (to stimulate businesses to produce and hire more) and adjusting rates up to keep prices in line. Fiscal policy, on the other hand, is determined by politicians deciding how much to tax and spend. When the Fed and politicians try to 'dance' together, we can expect fiscal responsibility to prevail. (During the Clinton administration, the national debt was eliminated and we had a surplus, so it can be done.) When politicians spend more than they raise in taxes, it puts pressure on the Fed to lower rates due to the cost of the national debt. A harmonious dance preserves the value of the currency. A reckless dance partner — Congress and the administration, unnecessarily cutting taxes for the rich — increases the national debt and upsets the balance. Because the U.S. dollar is not backed by a tangible asset (gold), it is a fiat currency, which can easily be devalued by requiring the Fed to print too many dollars to cover excessive spending and/or requiring the Fed to reduce interest rates, leading to inflation. We need better dance partners and less ego. Richard Masington, Coral Gables Brightline blameless My thanks to the author of the July 22 letter, 'Narrow margins,' who wrote in defense of Brightline. I, too, felt that the Herald's reporting, which seeks to blame Brightline for the deaths that have occurred on its tracks, was off base. If I am driving at a fairly fast speed and someone suddenly jumps or walks directly into the path of my oncoming car and I hit and kill them, I might feel many emotions, but I certainly would not blame myself. Brightline is doing all it can. In any of these cases, what does the Herald expect Brightline to do? Joanne Miles, Hollywood Rail safety I've been reading the Herald's ongoing coverage of Brightline Florida train deaths. Please keep up the good work. I have been trying for years to get more safety features added to this high-speed train, such as 24 hour/7 days a week live video cameras, like those on I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. With such cameras, the train engineer will have more time to stop. Thomas Ladomirak, Fort Pierce Arts attacked I am the artistic director and founder of Karen Peterson and Dancers, a nonprofit that has been working in Miami-Dade County for more than 35 years. We have a national and international reputation for featuring choreography by dancers with and without disabilities. The Miami Herald and ArtBurst have featured my work since our first performance in 1990 at the New World School of the Arts. I am dismayed that 'Loud and Live,' a private for-profit company with a sparse track record, is now managing Tropical Park. The Miami-Dade contract requires Loud and Live to pay through its revenue streams $250,000 annually to the A3 Foundation, formed in 2023 and run by Francisco Petrirena, who is also chief of staff to Art Noriega, Miami's city manager. Meanwhile, my organization, with its 35 years of consistent outreach work in Miami-Dade's dance and disability communities, is facing significant budget cuts. I moved to Miami four decades ago seeking opportunities to create, perform and give back. I am very concerned about arts inequality, sweetheart deals and budget slashes in Miami today. Karen Peterson Corash, Miami Federal grant I'm amazed at the display of chutzpah by U.S. Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez at the groundbreaking of the new cargo facility to serve Miami's airport and seaport. Part of the $33.5 million cost was a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. That grant was provided under then USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This fact was left out of the Herald's July 23 report. I remind readers that Díaz-Balart, Giménez, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and former Sen. Marco Rubio, all voted against the bipartisan Biden Infrastructure Bill 2021-2022, which funded this project. Transparency is a beautiful thing. Dolores Mendoza, Coral Gables Inspect hypocrisy Re: the July 23 story, 'DeSantis announces inspections of local government spending in Broward.' What a hypocrite! DeSantis and his wife's Hope Florida initiative is being investigated by his Republican-led legislature for potential money laundering and fraud. They funneled taxpayer money through Hope Florida to fight ballot initiatives for marijuana and abortion. They also failed to file any financial forms with the state. So much for Florida's DOGE. John Meic, Davie Miami election Re: the July 23 Miami Herald online editorial, 'Miami power grab: It took a judge to remind city leaders they can't cancel democracy.' My thanks to Miami-Dade County Circuit Court Judge Valerie Manna Schultz for honoring the law and protecting the rights of our citizens. Readers may recall that it also took another wise judge to remind three previous city commissioners and a mayor that their desire to rezone Mercy Hospital to build luxury condos was also illegal spot-zoning. Unfortunately, citizens seldom receive justice unless they have the will and means to take issues to our courts. We can only hope that the next batch of elected representatives will be more law-abiding and responsible to citizens. Harry E. Gottlieb, Coconut Grove Upside down The Trump administration is accusing former President Barack Obama of treason for attempting to undermine the legitimacy of Donald Trump's 2016 election victory. Yet, Trump pardoned the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrectionists and the case against him for attempting to disrupt President Biden's 2020 election victory was abandoned. The world is truly upside down. Sometimes, it seems we are living in the world of Alice in Wonderland, where things get 'curiouser and curiouser.' Peter M. Brooke, Doral Miami zoning In 2021-2022, the Miami21 Task Force (with members selected by the Miami City Commission) discussed more than 100 suggestions for potential improvements to the city's zoning code. These were organized into a report by my firm, DPZ CoDesign. Not one of the recommendations resembled the proposal for the Transit Station Neighborhood Development. Miami21 already encourages transit-oriented development (TOD) with several incentives. If there is to be further encouragement of TOD, it can be done within the current framework, which maintains protection of neighborhoods while promoting transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly development of underdeveloped commercial corridors. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, partner, DPZ CoDesign, Miami Wrestler's death I am saddened to learn of the passing of Hulk Hogan. His name was synonymous with professional wrestling, transcending the industry to become an American pop culture fixture. My condolences to his fans, friends and family. Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach Nation at risk I attended a Common Cause online seminar recently, along with 2,000 people from across the nation. The frustration and angst over ordinary citizens' lack of power to influence the course of any governmental action in any sphere at any level dominated the discussion. And this is after only six months of a four-year presidential term. The audacious autocracy of this government is beyond what any novelist could conceptualize. One can only conclude that the apocalypse has arrived and America is dystopia. Barry J. White, Kendall
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Lotto wars: Global gambling syndicate blocked from buying Powerball tickets
He said overseas sites 'on-sell lottery tickets from a range of jurisdictions' and offer copycat versions of national lotteries. 'It's generally difficult to detect the acquisition of physical tickets from Lotto NZ for resale internationally because the initial purchases can be made anonymously in store' Hine said. Lotto NZ would not be drawn on how it detected the attempted ticket purchases by the gambling syndicate, or how it then blocked the sales. Lotto fever gripped New Zealand ahead of last year's $50 million Must Be Won draw. Photo / Sylvie Whinray Purchasing tickets here and reselling them on overseas websites, is 'in contravention of our rules' he said. 'They may be sold without responsible gambling controls in place, marketed using dated and inaccurate information, and could cause confusion for purchasers through the misuse of Lotto NZ's brand imagery and intellectual property.' The global online gambling market – including online casino, lottery and sports and racing markets - is estimated at $97 billion, with a study by market research company FNF Research predicting it will grow to $306b by 2030. This comes as Lotto NZ considers a facelift for Powerball, considered its flagship game. TheLotter's version of Powerball sees the same draw details and gameplay as Lotto NZ's game. Photo / Michael Bradley The Herald revealed last month that Lotto NZ bosses are keen to increase the number of balls in the Powerball draw. Lotto NZ chief innovation and product officer Ben Coney told the Herald the five-year strategy to 2029 includes 'changing the odds by adding more balls to the Powerball machine' and evolving the game. The change will require government approval and Lotto NZ is already seeking permission for what has been described as a 'matrix change' for the game. The current odds of winning Lotto Powerball are 1 in 38m. Should Lotto add one extra Powerball number, the odds would decrease to 1 in 42.2m. Lotto NZ says ticket sales are the highest they've ever been - meaning Powerball is being struck more regularly. More regular wins means fewer of the more exciting mega-jackpots - like the $50m draws that attract 'exponential' ticket sales. 'The details of exactly what we will change and what it would mean for subject to regulatory consultation and ministerial approval' Coney said. 'We continue to our government stakeholders about the potential shape of any change.' Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Phalaborwa girl's church performance goes viral
PHALABORWA – Ten-year-old Asigcine Gxoyiya from Phalaborwa recently left the congregation at House of Worship International Church in awe with her powerful performance of 'Holy Forever' by CeCe Winans. Her confident stage presence and heartfelt voice moved many to tears, and even prompted some to give her money during her performance. The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on TikTok, racking up over a million views and earning the young singer widespread praise. Originally from East London, Asigcine moved to Phalaborwa with her family in 2021. She told the Herald that the crowd's reaction gave her the confidence she needed, especially as she had struggled with stage fright. 'I asked my sister to sit where I could see her. Looking at someone I love gives me the courage to sing,' she explained. Asigcine's passion for music was inspired by her mother, Bongi Mpenyana, a professional singer who has performed with artists across the country. Her uncle, Andries Mola, also plays a key role in supporting her musical journey. A Gr 4 learner at Reinette van den Berg Home School, Asigcine dreams of growing her talent and becoming an international star. She hopes to one day walk the red carpet alongside icons like Rihanna and Ariana Grande. Outside of music, she enjoys playing piano and swimming, another passion she developed back in East London, where she would often go to the beach with her family and collect seafood. Her mother, Bongi, said she is proud of her daughter's accomplishments. 'It's incredible to see her dedication and love for music shining through. She could sing a full song by the time she was 12 months old. Watching her excel is a dream come true,' she said.
Miami Herald
9 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
‘The invoice has no detail': County accountants flagged foundation's check request
On a recent morning this month, Miami-Dade accounting manager Gloria Hortado flagged a bare-bones request to issue a $200,000 check to a charity called the A3 Foundation for expenses related to an annual springtime rodeo at Tropical Park. The A3 invoice submitted by the county's budget office had no financial details, only the phrase 'Payment for CountryFest2025.' 'We need more detail/description of what they are billing us for,' Hortado wrote in a July 3 email to staff members of the Office of Management and Budget, the agency that handles grant funding. 'Please provide a copy of the contract to be able to verify total costs of the event.' But a contract was never produced, according to the emails, and neither were any receipts behind the A3 invoice for exactly $200,000. The pushback by Hortado revealed in emails released Thursday offers the first public glimpse at someone in government questioning the county's payments to A3 — expenditures that are now causing turmoil for two of the most powerful officeholders in Miami-Dade: Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez, who hosts CountryFest. Recent reporting by the Miami Herald questioned the roughly $2 million in state and county funds that have gone to A3. The charity formed two years ago and is still headquartered in a West Miami townhouse, with no public record of charitable work — but a top city of Miami official as its paid director. Francisco Petrirena, chief of staff to Miami City Manager Art Noriega, is A3's president, and he told the Herald last week he was earning an $80,000 salary for his work with the nonprofit. He has declined interview requests since, and the A3 Foundation has not responded to Herald requests for the charity's tax returns, which must be open to public inspection under federal law. A3's financial arrangement with CountryFest — serving as the clearinghouse for money that ultimately went to the events vendor Loud and Live, which puts on the rodeo — has generated more than $1 million in county checks for A3 already, according to a log released Thursday. The log and emails came from the Office of the Court Clerk and Comptroller, which took over the county's finance arm in January as a newly independent agency. Some of the checks have not been cashed, bringing the amount paid out to A3 to just under $1 million. A steady stream of payments to A3 Foundation from Miami-Dade County Following the Herald stories, Levine Cava announced Wednesday that she would block a new $5 million funding stream for A3, which county commissioners approved just last week. The funding stream — a $250,000 yearly payment to A3 over 20 years — was a requirement for Loud and Live to secure a long-term contract to run ticketed events at Tropical Park's equestrian center, including the yearly holiday festival that replaced the venerable Santa's Enchanted Forest carnival. Levine Cava said she would not sign the version of the contract with the requirement for payments to A3, a nonprofit that separately was allocated $125,000 in the revised budget proposal the mayor sent to commissioners last fall. While Levine Cava's administration negotiated the Loud and Live contract for Tropical Park, with the required donation to a charity to be named by commissioners, legislation assigning the charitable payment to A3 came from Rodriguez, whose district includes Tropical Park. Levine Cava's announcement was her administration's first known effort to block county funding for A3. Levine Cava's office said Thursday the $125,000 for A3 that was added to the 2025 budget was a request from Rodriguez but that a grant agreement was never executed to release the money. A3 was a regular recipient of county grants on the commission dais. County records also show Rodriguez and multiple commissioners used charity dollars in their offices to give A3 about $265,000 over the last two years as part of their support of CountryFest. CountryFest hosted and organized by Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez Rodriguez is the host of CountyFest each year — his name greeted visitors at the event's main gate in April — and he's the one who set up A3 as the clearinghouse for the county funds allocated for the festival. But the organization that actually puts on CountryFest is Loud and Live. Emails released by Rodriguez's office Thursday afternoon show extensive communications between the chairman's staff and Loud and Live executives finalizing details of the cowhand-themed event. 'Please let us know what rides you would like to move forward with,' Fidel Urbina, director of event operations for Loud and Live, wrote in a Feb. 27 email to Rodriguez staffers, with a pricing list that ran from a cow-milking game for $2,100 to a 'mega' inflatable attraction for $29,000, which carried the extra expense of having to purchase custom socks for attendees. Rodriguez staffers held weekly calls with Loud and Live to pore over a punch list of tasks to get the festival ready to open on April 25, including chasing down county permits, finalizing the design of a bull mascot and efforts to cut costs. 'I had a chat with the Chairman and I think we need to have a face-to-face and review the budget top to bottom,' Tony Albelo, president and Loud of Live, wrote to Rodriguez staffers on Feb. 6. The emails also show the A3 Foundation having close ties to Rodriguez's staff when it came to the money flowing into the charity. An April 14 invoice from Loud and Live for $200,000 was billed to the A3 Foundation but listed the charity's contact as Rodriguez's legislative director, Aldo Gonzalez. State records do not list Gonzalez as a board member for A3. 'Morning Aldo,' Urbina wrote in an email to Gonzalez with the A3 invoice. 'Let us know when we should be receiving funds so we can start securing vendors.' Gonzalez and Rodriguez did not respond to requests for comment Thursday afternoon. Weeks after Loud and Live sent the $200,000 invoice to A3 and Gonzalez, Gonzalez on May 14 sent a $200,000 bill from A3 to the county's budget office for payment. That was the $200,000 invoice that eventually landed in Hortado's inbox just a few weeks ago. Emails show she and other finance staffers were concerned the $200,000 request was an error because their office had already approved the Parks Department's request for a $300,000 CountryFest payment to A3 in April. Erica Olson, a division director in finance, wrote in an email to colleagues that the previous $300,000 invoice from Parks had some general references to CountryFest expenses, including rides, restrooms and tents, unlike the latest one she was reviewing. 'The invoice has no detail as to what is being billed like the Parks one did,' she wrote of the $200,000 bill that only listed 'Payment for CountryFest.' The finance staffers asked for backup material, like a contract, to show how much money the foundation was authorized to receive. Instead of a contract, the county's budget director, David Clodfelter, intervened, writing to say that the $200,000 was a legitimate A3 payment requested by Rodriguez's office. 'Hi. Happy Holidays. Please help with the payment of this,' Clodfelter wrote the morning of July 4. 'If additional information is really needed, I will reach out to the Chairman's Office.' On Thursday, Clodfelter told the Herald that lack of backup material for the A3 invoices was authorized under legislation that commissioners passed in 2024 waiving county purchasing rules for CountryFest. Rodriguez had sponsored that legislation. 'The Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution waiving all procurement and bidding rules, including market research, related to CountryFest. This waiver allowed payments to be made without the traditional competitive and research processes,' wrote Clodfelter, who works for Levine Cava. The emails show Clodfelter's staff asking him for help getting past the pushback by finance staffers, who work under Juan Fernandez-Barquin, the county's elected clerk and comptroller. 'Finance is having an issue with approving the CountryFest invoice because [of a] lack of description on the invoice,' budget staffer Connie Hernandez wrote a colleague, John Sarduy, the morning of the county's Fourth of July holiday, which fell on a Friday this year. She suggested a note from Clodfelter or Rodriguez's office might be enough to resolve the issue. Sarduy forwarded the email to Clodfelter, with a note: 'We need your help with this repayment request.'
NZ Herald
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
King of island reggae George ‘Fiji' Veikoso remembered as a Pacific reggae trailblazer
Pome'e is the lead singer for South Auckland reggae band Three Houses Down. He shared memories with the Herald about growing up with his brothers listening to international reggae icons Bob Marley and UB40 - before a new voice entered their home when Fiji released his Born & Raised album in 1996. 'In my mind, I just thought that no one does reggae unless you're from Jamaica. But when I saw that album cover... I was thinking: 'No way. This guy's from Fiji'. 'Listening to the songs - instantly, it was like: 'Holy heck. Our Polynesian people can do this'. He gave us hope from a young age - this is doable.' Pome'e talked of the uniquely Pacific sound Fiji brought to the world of reggae in the 1990s. 'It was something fresh. Being a Polynesian, he knew of the sound as Polynesians - the Pacific sound,' he said. A special power with the crowd 'As soon as that drum roll starts, you gravitate towards it because that's our sound. I just couldn't believe there was a Pacific Islander doing reggae.' Fijian music legend George 'Fiji' Veikoso had died at the age of 55. Photo / @FijiTheArtist As the frontman of his own band, Pome'e said he studied Fiji's stage presence and how he interacted with the crowd. One memorable moment was at the One Love Festival in Tauranga, in 2017, when Fiji took to the stage and spontaneously called on the crowd to join him in singing Māori waiata: E Papa Waiari. Video footage showed the masses singing: 'E papa waiari, taku nei mahi, taku nei mahi, he tuku roimata. 'E aue, e aue. Ka mate au. E hine, hoki mai ra.' The spontaneous show of harmony brought people in the crowd to tears. Fiji's spontaneous sing-along with the crowd at the One Love Festival in 2017 was a highlight that year. Photo / George Novak Pome'e said it was that special quality that Fiji had - and which many others could not duplicate. The voice of the Pacific 'One thing I learned from him... he was unpredictable. He had this special power where he read the crowd. 'It's not just about playing the songs. It's reading the crowd, being with the crowd, playing what the crowd wants and interacting. 'You can stop the band whenever you want or point someone out who's not dancing.' As well as writing and composing his own songs, Fiji also covered songs in Pacific languages - turning them into his own. Among those is his hugely popular rendition of the Samoan ballad Sosefina, written by Fafo Aulalo, of one of Samoa's most loved old school bands: Tiama'a. 'He was the voice of the Pacific - literally. He would take time to learn Tongan and Samoan songs,' Pome'e said. Speaking on the way Fiji operated in the recording studio, Pome'e said it was Fiji that showed him the need to truly connect with the words behind a song. 'Even to a point where do you ever wonder what the composer was going through at this time? 'He would really take you into that space. He wanted you to sing it and imagine what the composer was going through - how crushed his heart was when this happened. 'So when he educated you in the studio and you come back and listen to all his music, it hits different.' Pome'e, who is also a presenter for radio station Flava, shared a heartfelt on-air tribute to the legend he got to create and perform music with, and know as a mentor and family friend. 'Fij, thank you for the songs that got me through the hard days and made the good ones even better,' he said, his voice breaking. 'I'm so grateful for the way your music made me feel. You gave me more than music. You gave us hope, truth and something real to hold on to. 'Thank you for leading the way and lighting the way for all Poly artists like me. Your gift to the world became a gift to my life - and I'll never forget that.' Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald's Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.
