Latest news with #VickiLopez
Newsweek
15 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Florida Unveils Inter-City Rail Changes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Florida's state legislature has passed a new bill that creates new liability and insurance rules for one of the state's largest railroads. The Coastal Link Commuter Rail Service Act, which affects how consumers interact with Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railway, will come into effect on July 1. Newsweek contacted the bill's sponsor, Representative Vicki Lopez, for more information on the legislation via email. The Context Brightline is the rail service that connects Miami to Orlando in Florida. In 2024, its Miami-Orlando services covered a total of 5.4 million miles with 2.6 million rides taken, making it one of the most frequently-traveled routes in the country. Any legislation that affects how passengers interact with the route has big ramifications for commuters. What To Know The new law, which was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday, allows public agencies in Florida to assume certain indemnification obligations and purchase insurance related to the operation of commuter rail services on the corridor. The legislation also authorizes state agencies that enter into agreements with Brightline to take on risks related to accidents involving their passengers. Part of the bill explicitly defines Brightline and FECR as explicitly "not officers, agents, employees, or subdivisions of the state," meaning that the companies and their employees do not receive the sovereign immunity protections that the state would. The new Brightline train is headed to Fort Lauderdale, in Miami, Florida, October 23, 2024. The new Brightline train is headed to Fort Lauderdale, in Miami, Florida, October 23, 2024. Getty Images Agencies will be able to indemnify Brightline and the FECR for costs and expenses due to accidents involving the agency's own passengers and invitees, "regardless of whether the loss... is caused in whole or in part, and to whatever nature or degree, by the fault... of such freight rail operator." For consumers and insurers, this means that public entities will only continue to bear the risk of accidents related to private operators within very strictly defined boundaries. What People Are Saying Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in relation to Brightline's plans for expansion in 2024: "It's privately funded. I mean, we are not going to be on the hook as the state with taxpayers for doing trains. "If they proceed, there is a corridor to be able to do that. But it's not going to be Florida taxpayers constructing a train. I can be clear on that." What Happens Next The Coastal Link Commuter Rail Service Act will come into effect on July 1 after being approved by Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday. Brightline has plans to build a station in Cocoa, a city near the Atlantic Ocean east of Orlando, as part of its broader efforts to expand throughout Florida.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker calls for probe into FWC after 4 officers had video footage deleted in Pino crash
A state lawmaker is calling for an independent probe into the state agency that investigated a boat crash in Biscayne Bay that killed a 17-year-old Miami girl after the Miami Herald reported four officers had their body camera footage deleted amid the investigation. Rep. Vicki Lopez, a Miami-Dade Republican state House member, called on her colleagues in the Legislature 'to learn what exactly happened and why so this never happens again.' The call for the investigation comes after the Herald reported that body camera footage from four officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — who were on the scene of the crash and were either in direct contact with or were near the boat operator, Doral real estate broker George Pino — has been deleted. Miami-Dade cop suggested FWC should do alcohol test at Pino boat crash scene, testimony shows 'I might understand if one of the officers had made a mistake but from what we now know it is impossible to assume that four highly trained officers could all have made such an egregious error,' Lopez said in a statement she posted on the Miami Herald's Instagram account. The Herald also interviewed Lopez. READ MORE: Two more FWC officers' body cam footage from Pino boat crash deleted, agency says The FWC says the footage was deleted after the officers classified it as 'incidental,' not criminal, when they uploaded it into the FWC's computer system. 'Incidental' footage is automatically deleted after 90 days; footage from a criminal investigation has to be retained five years for misdemeanor charges and 13 years for a felony charge, according to the FWC's policy. Lopez said that it ultimately should not have mattered how the officers labeled their footage since it was the responsibility of the investigators to retain all of the evidence. 'And, assume for a moment that they all made a mistake they still had plenty of time to correct their error since body camera footage is not deleted for 90 days,' Lopez said in her Instagram post. 'It is obvious that a full investigation is warranted into what actually happened on that harrowing day.' The FWC declined to comment Friday on Lopez's statement. In her post, Lopez asked Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Hillsborough County Republican and chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee, to lead the investigation into the FWC's handling of the crash. Alvarez's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Herald. Lopez co-sponsored a House bill calling for tougher penalties for boat operators in crashes with serious injury. The law will go into effect July 1. Pino, 54, crashed his 29-foot Robalo boat into a fixed channel marker in Biscayne Bay on Sept. 4, 2022, during a celebration for his daughter's 18th birthday. Pino, his wife, their daughter and her 11 teenage friends were thrown into the water after impact, and the boat capsized. All were injured, although Luciana 'Lucy' Fernandez, Katerina Puig and Isabella Rodriguez were seriously injured. Lucy, who was not breathing when she was pulled from the water, died in the hospital the next day. She was 17 and a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. While Isabella Rodriguez, then 17, has recovered, Katerina Puig —a standout Lourdes soccer player with Division 1 college prospects — suffered lifelong injuries and is relearning to walk. Katerina was also 17. The FWC's initial investigation resulted in prosecutors with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office charging Pino with three counts of misdemeanor careless boating in August 2023. Pino pleaded not guilty. If convicted, the maximum penalty would have been 60 days in county jail. The agency's lead investigator quickly ruled out alcohol despite Pino telling him that night he drank two beers and officers finding more than 60 empty bottles and cans of booze on his boat the next day when they pulled it from the water. Pino also maintains another boat coming his way in the channel threw a wake and caused him to hit the channel marker. The FWC, in its final report, stated no witnesses — including the people on his boat or boaters in the channel that day — saw that vessel. Photographic evidence also does not support his claim. Following a series of Miami Herald articles detailing flaws in the investigation, including FWC officers never following up with eyewitnesses, a Miami-Dade firefighter at the scene that day spoke to the State Attorney's Office and said Pino displayed signs of intoxication that day. Prosecutors reopened their investigation and charged Pino with felony vessel homicide on Oct. 31. Pino pleaded not guilty and is tentatively scheduled to stand trial in September. He now faces 15 years in prison if convicted. 'If we don't get justice, it will be because of the way the FWC investigated this,' Lopez said in an interview Friday with the Miami Herald. Lopez said the probe should be independent of the FWC and look into whether there are fundamental problems with the way the state agency trains its officers. 'You don't expect law enforcement to make these types of egregious errors,' Lopez told the Herald. 'We are past being shocked, and we are now demanding answers.'
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
50-story buildings on South Beach? Affordable housing bill needs carve out for this city
Editorials 50-story buildings on South Beach? Affordable housing bill needs carve out for this city | Opinion South Beach's historic Art Deco District. Miami The new version of Florida's controversial Live Local Act — meant to get local regulations out of the way for the construction of affordable housing — risks opening the flood gates to rampant development in Miami Beach if lawmakers don't keep exceptions for the city. Think of South Beach lined with buildings as tall as 50 stories. That's how Commissioner Alex Fernandez described the impact of legislation the Florida Senate passed with a 36-0 vote this month. So far, the Senate and House differ on their versions of legislation to fine tune the 2023 Act. The law gave developers the ability to bypass local height and density regulations in certain cases if they are building rental projects where 40% of units meet certain affordability requirements. Local not-in-my-backyard policies have historically stymied efforts to build more multi-family projects that are affordable for working and middle-class residents. But the jury is still out on whether the law will actually help address South Florida's lack of housing options for those who aren't wealthy, or if it will be better for developers trying to circumvent community wishes for controlled development. In 2023, for example, the owners of the iconic Clevelander Hotel and Bar on Ocean Drive announced they were planning to use the Live Local Act to redevelop the property into a multi-story tower. Now, Miami Beach is again at the center of what will happen with the new version of Live Local. The House has moved a bill sponsored by Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, that creates an important exemption for the city. The Senate so far has not done the same. The legislation does many things to make it easier for developers to build projects that contain affordable housing. For example, the bill requires local governments to reduce parking requirements for those projects and to allow the construction of accessory dwelling units, also known as efficiencies, in single-family neighborhoods. Here's the part that matters the most to Miami Beach — and is especially alarming to Miami Beach officials: The legislation expands what state law defines as properties zoned for 'commercial' uses to include those where building a hotel, restaurant or retail would be allowed, which covers a good portion of Miami Beach, including neighborhoods with older apartment buildings, according to Fernandez. Those two-to-three-story buildings are the last vestiges of affordability in the city. That's important for two reasons: First, the Live Local Act already allows commercial land to be used for for mixed-use or residential multi-family rental projects that surpass height and density limits as long as affordability standards are met. Second, unless there's an exemption for the city, the Live Local Act would allow developers to demolish — without city approval — historic buildings in the famous Art Deco Historic District, 'replacing iconic, low-scale, two- and three-story historic buildings with modern high-rise towers and forever erasing the architecture that defines the city's identity and drives its economy,' the city wrote in a news release. Also affected would be historic neighborhoods such as Flamingo Park and North Shore. Those historic buildings could be knocked down and replaced with towers as tall as what's allowed within a one-mile radius of a construction site on the Beach — in the most extreme cases, more than 500 feet, or 50 stories, according to the city. 'It would turn South Beach into Manhattan,' Fernandez told the Herald Editorial Board. The House version (House Bill 943) would protect buildings within a historic district that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places before Jan. 1, 2000. That would include hundreds of buildings in South Beach's Art Deco District, Fernandez said. The bill would also require city approval for the demolition of structures that have been classified, as of July 2023, as 'contributing' in a local government's historic properties database. There's a caveat: The demolition of the rear part of a building abutting or facing an alley would not require a public hearing. That still means that 2,600 historic properties, according to the city, would have some type of protection on the Beach compared to the Senate version. The House is scheduled to hear its version on Tuesday. With the legislative session expected to end this week, a compromise needs to happen soon on behalf of a city whose historic architecture is a major economic and tourism driver. Click here to send the letter. BEHIND THE STORY MORE What's an editorial? Editorials are opinion pieces that reflect the views of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists that operates separately from the Miami Herald newsroom. Miami Herald Editorial Board members are: opinion editor Amy Driscoll and editorial writers Luisa Yanez and Isadora Rangel. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right. What's the difference between an op-ed and a column? Op-Eds, short for 'opposite the editorial page,' are opinion pieces written by contributors who are not affiliated with our Editorial Board. Columns are recurring opinion pieces that represent the views of staff columnists that regularly appear on the op-ed page. How does the Miami Herald Editorial Board decide what to write about? The Editorial Board, made up of experienced opinion journalists, primarily addresses local and state issues that affect South Florida residents. Each board member has an area of focus, such as education, COVID or local government policy. Board members meet daily and bring up an array of topics for discussion. Once a topic is fully discussed, board members will further report the issue, interviewing stakeholders and others involved and affected, so that the board can present the most informed opinion possible. We strive to provide our community with thought leadership that advocates for policies and priorities that strengthen our communities. Our editorials promote social justice, fairness in economic, educational and social opportunities and an end to systemic racism and inequality. The Editorial Board is separate from the reporters and editors of the Miami Herald newsroom. How can I contribute to the Miami Herald Opinion section? The Editorial Board accepts op-ed submissions of 650-700 words from community members who want to argue a specific viewpoint or idea that is relevant to our area. You can email an op-ed submission to oped@ We also accept 150-word letters to the editor from readers who want to offer their points of view on current issues. For more information on how to submit a letter, go here.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Miami Beach leaders caution affordable housing bill threatens Art Deco heritage
MIAMI BEACH – The Miami Beach City Commission is vehemently opposing a bill in the Florida Legislature that would expand the Live Local Act, allowing developers to build affordable housing. They argue that this would put the city's historic architecture at risk. Senate Bill 1730 passed with only three lawmakers voting against it. The bill promises to bring more affordable housing around the state. Affordable housing crisis continues CBS News Miami Miami Beach city leaders say the Art Deco history is now in danger of being left in the past. "I think we all know in our communities we have an affordable housing crisis. It continues," state Rep. Vicki Lopez said. Lopez, who primarily represents Miami, spoke to the state Senate ahead of the vote on Senate Bill 1730. The bill requires counties to authorize housing in areas zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed use. Historic architecture at risk? Miami Beach city leaders say that puts a target on 100 years of Art Deco history. "It's about the heart and the soul of Miami Beach. It's about preserving the neighborhoods, the character, the stories of our residents that have made Miami Beach a global icon," said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez. The bill would effectively open up areas previously restricted for housing development. Counties may not restrict the density of proposed developments. They also will not be allowed to create restrictions on the height of buildings. Gentrification concerns raised Miami Beach city leaders warn that the bill endangers approximately 2,600 historic buildings across the city. "This is a bulldozing gentrification bill that would give developers the power to tear down two- and three-story apartment buildings, Art Deco and MiMo buildings," Fernandez said. Tourism and infrastructure worries expressed Mitch Novak, a hotel owner in the Art Deco District, expressed concerns about the impact on the city's infrastructure and tourism. "My clients for decades have come here for the beauty of the architecture, the sky, the ocean, the trees, and they don't come here to be in 50-story towers," said Novak. Lopez called this one of the most important pieces of legislation this session. CBS News Miami reached out to Lopez, Miami Beach's representative Fabian Basabe, and state Sen. Alexis Calatayud for comment but has yet to hear back.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers to explore eliminating property taxes
Video above: Gov. DeSantis proposes to reduce property taxes TALLHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Lawmakers in the Florida House of Representatives announced a new Select Committee on Property Taxes on Tuesday. The committee will explore potential reforms, including eliminating property taxes, according to a news release. Investigation continues into deadly Clearwater Ferry crash The committee will consider policies requiring every city, county and special district in the state to hold a referendum where voters can weigh in on eliminating property taxes for homestead properties. Other potential reforms include creating a new $500,000 homestead exemption and a $1 million exemption for homes owned by Floridians age 65 and older or who have owned a home for 30 years. 'Floridians should have the chance to decide on real, lasting property tax reforms,' committee co-chair Rep. Vicki Lopez said in a statement. 'Our committee will bring forward ideas that protect homeowners and reflect the realities and needs facing homeowners today.' Members will also explore authorizing the legislature to make changes to homestead exemption law. They will consider eliminating the ability to foreclose on a homestead property with a property tax lien. 'This is about giving Floridians more freedom and security in their homes. We're committed to listening, thinking boldly, and delivering real solutions that make a difference,' committee co-chair Rep. Tony Overdorf said in a statement. The new select committee is expected to convene for the first time on May 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
