Hialeah candidate Marcos Miralles scores at council meeting

Hialeah candidate Marcos Miralles scores at council meeting

Ladra is going to have to start going to the Hialeah Council meetings again. They always get good right before an election. Last week’s meeting proved no different, when dozens of parents showed up — reportedly at the behest of Mayor Carlos “Castro” Hernandez — for a special presentation to renew a contract for a […]

Fight! Ex Hialeah Mayor & Carlos Hernandez’s goon face off

Fight! Ex Hialeah Mayor & Carlos Hernandez’s goon face off

Former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez was having breakfast at Maruch with a reporter Thursday when the current mayor’s “enforcer,” Glenn “The Goon” Rice, burst in on them with a cellphone video camera and began his usual insane berating and assault. Martinez being who he is, not used to being pushed around, got up to confront […]

Subpoenas land in federal case vs. Hialeah’s Julio Robaina

Subpoenas land in federal case vs. Hialeah’s Julio Robaina

Despite all the fresh meat in the political corruption grinder, the long-suffered federal tax evasion and fraud case against former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina is still churning. Several sources told Ladra that subpoenas were served on several people involved in the case, including City Clerk Marbelys Fatjo and other city employees as well as Councilwoman […]

Wannabes line up to replace arrested Mayor Michael Pizzi

Wannabes line up to replace arrested Mayor Michael Pizzi

What some people might see como una desgracia, otros los ven como una oportunidad. The handcuff marks on his wrists were probably still itching him when wannabes started talking about running to replace Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi, who was arrested Tuesday on federal bribery and extortion charges. One obvious hopeful is Vice Mayor […]

In Hialeah, campaign reports are almost secret

In Hialeah, campaign reports are almost secret

If you want to know who’s giving to the campaign coffers for Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez‘s million-dollar mayoral bid, all you have to do is look online: The city posts candidates’ financial campaign reports on its website. Ditto for the races in Homestead and Miami Beach. But if you want to see who is funding […]

Hialeah incumbents lead early in election money race

Hialeah incumbents lead early in election money race

Former Hialeah Mayor Julio Martinez, who jumped into the race for his old job on qualifying day, has a lot of catching up to do. Hialeah Mayor Carlos “Castro” Hernandez has already amassed more than $170,000 for his re-election campaign so far. And that is not counting any possible PAC money. Much of his funding is […]

Hialeah hero Ricky Garcia will be missed, remembered

Hialeah hero Ricky Garcia will be missed, remembered

It’s been driving me crazy all week, but I can’t remember the exact time or place that Ladra met Ricky Garcia, the veteran Hialeah Police officer who played a large role in exposing the wrongdoing by the administration and who decided to run for city council seat after he retired last year. I do remember, […]

Young Hialeah lookalike candidates likely to slate together

Young Hialeah lookalike candidates likely to slate together

No, you did not see the same guy qualify twice for two different seats in the city of Hialeah elections. It just so happens that two of the challengers look quite alike. Activist Julio Rodriguez, who is running against Council Vice President Luis Gonzalez, and Marcos Miralles, who is running against Paul “Pablitiquito” Hernandez are two young men with short, […]

Hialeah election candidates: Something old, something new

Hialeah election candidates: Something old, something new

Qualifying for the city of Hialeah elections — which was moved up two months — is over today. And we have two new candidates in the mayoral and council elections. Mayor Carlos “Castro” Hernandez is going to go up against two other opponents: Activist Juan Santana, who doesn’t stand a chance, and former Mayor Julio […]

Julio “The Other” Martinez to run for Hialeah mayor

Julio “The Other” Martinez to run for Hialeah mayor

A former Hialeah mayor is running for his old seat again, challenging Mayor Carlos Hernandez in this November’s coming election. But it’s the other Martinez. Julio Martinez, who ran for council in 2011 and lost to Councilman Jose Caragol, told Ladra he was driving to City Hall late Monday morning to qualify for the race. […]