WAGE THEFT IS WIDESPREAD IN FLORIDA

Thursday, January 26 – The Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at Florida International University will release a groundbreaking analysis of reported wage theft cases throughout the state of Florida. The report entitled: “Wage Theft: An Economic Drain to Florida. How Millions of Dollars are Stolen from Florida’s Workforce”, estimates that nearly 60-90 million dollars are stolen from Florida’s workforce, impacting communities, law abiding employers and local and state economies.

The report finds that many of Florida’s workforce fall outside of federal labor laws; thus, other enforcement mechanisms such as Miami Dade’s Wage Theft Ordinance are needed to ensure that employees, communities, and local governments will not miss out on millions of stolen wages that are owed to them, and that unscrupulous employers will be penalized for breaking labor laws.

International Buyers Help Miami Break All-time Sales Record in 2011, Condo Prices Spike 31% in December

by Michael Gerrity/World Property Channel

(MIAMI, FL) -- The Miami real estate market was on fire in 2011.

Miami was the fastest rebounding residential property market in US in 2011 as they enjoyed a new record-setting year in sales velocity, beating out prior 2005 sales record set during the height of the South Florida condo boom era.

According to the Miami Association of Realtors and the Southeast Florida Multiple Listing Service (SEFMLS), total 2011 sales, including both condominiums and single-family homes, in Miami-Dade County were 24,929, up four percent from the 24,025 in 2005 and 46 percent from 17,068 in 2010.  Year-end closed sales of condominiums surged 54 percent, from 9,760 in 2010 to 15,009 in 2011.  Total single-family home sales increased 36 percent from 7,308 in 2010 to 9,920 in 2011.

A Call To Action!

Flanked by Councilman Jimmie Williams III on her left, Councilwoman Patricia Fairclough issued a “Call To Action” from political leaders, church pastors, educators, and local residents, as she looked out over the audience of more than 300 people.  She voiced, “It’s time to move from just remembering the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and move towards action and doing the revolutionary work to strengthen our communities, while empowering our residents to join the cause. It’s time for the leaders in this community to stand up and lead our community to the next level!

By Nimmond Lockhart-SDM                       
Nimmond@southdademonitor

This past Friday, January 13, 2012, commemorated several decades since Homestead’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast began.  The original founder was Mr. Willie Brown, a bold and focused leader, and one of the most prominent local residents of Homestead’s southwest region.  Mr. Brown died several years ago, but before he died, he told The Monitor that his single goal really wasn’t any different than that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). In a nutshell, it was simply to improve the quality of life for Black people in the SW region of Homestead. Like MLK, Brown had to face many challenges. Most of them were centered on racial discrimination and equal opportunity disparities. Still, there was an even bigger challenge facing Mr. Brown and African Americans.  It’s called stagnation, brought on by the inability of Black people to move forward due to their own self destruction.  Black on Black bickering, demagoguery, plus the unwillingness of those who call themselves leaders to execute positive development on a large scale, especially after they have been placed in a position to lead, greatly contributes to the lack of growth.

This includes elected political officials, educators, church pastors, and powerful and wealthy businessmen feeding off of the underprivileged.

Homestead Senior High School Faces Difficult Challenges Ahead

By Dr. Sadiq Abdullahi-SDM Education Correspondent

For the past nine years, Homestead Senior High School (HSHS) has attempted to improve its image, school grade and overall climate. So when in the first week of January 2012, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) released the letter grades for high schools, the school saw its grade improve from a “D” to a “C.” This achievement is unprecedented considering the administrative, organizational and cultural problems the school has faced.

Several reasons account for the improvement in the school grade, and the expectation is that the change will inspire an attitudinal movement in the school and in the larger Homestead and Florida City communities.

The first reason is faculty and staff readiness for change. For the first time in nine years, there appears to be a realization that in order for the school to improve the teachers, cafeteria, custodial, security, and support staff must be engaged in the process of improvement. Until a few years ago, the school improvement efforts were one-sided. Past administrations have come in without a definitive action plan, only to rely solely on the School Improvement Plan (SIP) document from the FLDOE which disregards the qualitative and normative aspects of school improvement. For example, there is a general agreement that the last principal, Dr. Lisa Robertson, may have been responsible for the change in the school grade.

Under the Magnifying Glass

Finding Love

Jasmine Rivas/SDM Staff Writer
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It was bright and cold.  There were familiar voices speaking words of joy, but it was all drowned out by the loud cry.  It is true what they say, people can cry tears of joy or sadness.  In this case, the crying was meant to clear the newly expanding lungs that would enable a first human breath.
Despite those in the room welcoming the arrival, the first experience as a human was one of solitude; coming into this world alone is an experience shared by every human being.  This is a simple fact which holds great meaning.  From the moment of your first breath, it is you fending for yourself.

Who is more worthy of your love than yourself?

At one point, we have all experienced the genuine desire to love another person, whether it is a parent, child or lover.  But how many times have we allowed ourselves to feel the same urge to love ourselves?

Hundreds of residents attend Commissioner Bell’s State of the District Address

(Miami-Dade County, FL) - County Commissioner Lynda Bell delivered her first “State of the District Address” joined by over 4oo residents, elected officials, business leaders, and community activists, at the magnificent South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, January 12, 2012

“I was honored to have had the opportunity to address the residents of my district in outlining where we have been as a county, where we are today, and where we are going as we strive toward a better, more prosperous tomorrow for all our residents.” – said Commissioner Bell.

In her remarks, Commissioner Bell outlined her first-year accomplishments to streamline local government - making it more efficient, transparent, accountable and more responsive to the needs of the residents it represents. Furthermore, Mrs. Bell announced new, groundbreaking ethics legislation directed at county lobbyists, county employees, and former county elected officials after they leave office. Commissioner Bell is also taking aim at the continued high unemployment rate by introducing new initiatives and strategies intended to reduce the unnecessary bureaucratic “red tape,” and the time it takes for small and large businesses to open its doors in Miami-Dade. These measures would provide the necessary jobs our residents need to support their families and grow us out of the worst economic climate in decades.

The event was moderated by CBS4 News Anchor Eliott Rodriguez and entertainment was provided by the talented young students at the Greater Miami Youth Symphony Chamber Ensemble and the Devon Aire K-8 Center Chorus.