🌱 Ball & Chain Sues Comm. Joe Carollo Again​ + Miami Firebombing

Good morning, Miami! Here's everything you need to know to get this Thursday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny with a shower. High: 82 Low: 74.

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Here are the top five stories in Miami today:

1. A Miami businessman has pleaded guilty to receiving payments from Venezuela's government and servicing the country's fleet of Russian fighter jets in violation of U.S. sanctions. Jorge Nobrega admitted in federal court Tuesday that as part of the conspiracy to violate the U.S. sanctions he was paid the equivalent of around $3.5 million by state-run oil giant PDVSA into an account he opened at a bank in Portugal. (NBC Miami)

2. The owner of the iconic Ball and Chain and several Little Havana properties has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to stop Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo from voting Friday or participating in the vote on the city's new redistricting map. They allege Carollo is gerrymandering his district so he can move back into his house and protect himself from another lawsuit from the group. (Political Cortadito)

3. A rally of tenants and care workers at risk of losing their homes due to rising rent brought their demands straight to Miami-Dade County lawmakers. Rent in Miami-Dade has risen as much as 65%, and since March 2020 when the pandemic began, over 20,000 evictions were filed in the county. Tenants want increased protections, notice periods of rent hikes, capped rental application fees, and an extension of anti-discrimination protections to domestic workers. (NBC Miami)

4. A Miami man is facing serious charges after police said he firebombed his ex-girlfriend’s apartment. 33-year-old Alex Coto was arrested Tuesday and is facing several felony charges. Police say Coto drove up to the victim's home, got out of his car, lit a firebomb and threw it into the kitchen of the apartment. (WPLG Local 10)

5. A South Florida man accused of beating a mother and son in Miami Beach in February, appeared in court on Monday. Miami Beach Police said he committed aggravated battery, while prosecutors say he is an ex-con who served a five-year prison sentence before getting out. (WSVN)

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Today in Miami:

• Second Cup of Coffee With The Captain at Maritime & Science Technology Academy. (9:00 AM)
• Switch It Up! Thursday Gaming Day at Shenandoah Branch Library (4:00 PM)
• Superfine Miami Beach. (6:00 PM)
• MCAD Presents: Can Art Help Save the Planet? at AIA Miami.(6:30 PM)
• American Heritage Schools' Summer Programs Open House On March 10th. (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• About 3/4 of all rooms under construction in the county are in the Central Business District, including eight of the 11 hotels, said Daryl Cronk, director of STR's CoStar Group hospitality market analytics. (Miami Today)
• The Trick Daddy and Friends concert is coming on Saturday, April 16 at the James L. Knight Center in Downtown Miami. It will include Pitbull, Trina, Uncle Luke, Flo-Rida and CeeLo Green. (WSVN)
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools is thanking all of the community members who came together to support education at the Miami Supervisor 5K. (Facebook)
• Join Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce today at 12 p.m. for its Health & Wellness Council Meeting. This month it has a special collaboration with the Miami Film Festival 🎥. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.