/wlrn-investigations WLRN Investigations en-US WLRN Fri, 30 Aug 2024 15:41:57 GMT /government-politics/2024-08-30/public-sector-unions-florida-workers-decertification WLRN Exclusive: University professors, custodians, municipal employees and school district administrative employees across the state have lost union representation and the ability to collectively bargain since Florida's Senate Bill 256 went into effect last year. A total of 54 public sector unions have been legally terminated, WLRN found. Fri, 30 Aug 2024 15:41:57 GMT /government-politics/2024-08-30/public-sector-unions-florida-workers-decertification Daniel Rivero /wlrn-investigations/2024-08-09/guardianship-miami-dade-audit-review-cava In a memo, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava called for new safeguards over the Guardianship Program of Dade County, as well as a review of its staffing and leadership, after an audit report found program employees violated state law. Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:00:00 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-08-09/guardianship-miami-dade-audit-review-cava Joshua Ceballos /wlrn-investigations/2024-07-31/guardianship-program-inspector-general-sales Miami-Dade's Inspector General found that the Guardianship Program of Dade County — a county-funded nonprofit meant to care for wards deemed “incapacitated” by the courts — had multiple conflicts within its structure relating to property sales. The report comes more than a year after WLRN reported that the agency was repeatedly selling properties to a small network of buyers who would then sell them for big profits. Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:04:34 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-07-31/guardianship-program-inspector-general-sales Joshua Ceballos, Daniel Rivero /wlrn-investigations/2024-07-05/red-light-cameras-miami-florida About half the cities using red light cameras in the state are located in South Florida. WLRN analyzed data for those cities and found one tiny town making $1,45 million per year, while another city pulls in $2,000 per resident. “Cities should not be financing their entire budgets off of these systems," said Republican State Rep. David Borrero. Fri, 05 Jul 2024 10:00:00 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-07-05/red-light-cameras-miami-florida Daniel Rivero /government-politics/2024-06-27/ferris-wheel-miami-taxes-bayside-city The tax issues come months after a city audit found the ferris wheel company owed the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent and ticket surcharges. Thu, 27 Jun 2024 10:00:00 GMT /government-politics/2024-06-27/ferris-wheel-miami-taxes-bayside-city Daniel Rivero /development/2024-06-20/skyrise-miami-eiffel-tower-wasteland What’s left on the waterfront site where SkyRise Miami was supposed to rise is a dumping ground of rubble and construction debris. Some wonder why. “It’s shameful that a part of downtown Miami — a priceless property — looks like that. To me it’s shameful,” said former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado. Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:02:44 GMT /development/2024-06-20/skyrise-miami-eiffel-tower-wasteland Daniel Rivero /wlrn-investigations/2024-05-03/overtown-cooperative-town-park-village-miami-affordable-housing Longtime residents of Town Park Village feel left in the dark while their home crumbles around them. Their property was put up for sale, and a government renovation project has been canceled. Now, they just want help. Fri, 03 May 2024 10:00:00 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-05-03/overtown-cooperative-town-park-village-miami-affordable-housing Joshua Ceballos, Daniel Rivero /wlrn-investigations/2024-03-15/art-noriega-resignation-pradere-furnitre-miami-city-managers For over two months Art Noriega's office has said a full accounting of furniture contracts between the city and his wife's family company would soon be released. Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:51:57 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-03-15/art-noriega-resignation-pradere-furnitre-miami-city-managers Daniel Rivero, Joshua Ceballos /wlrn-investigations/2024-02-15/florida-labor-union-membership-teachers-public-sb-256 A WLRN investigation begins to reveal the scope of SB 256, a sweeping anti-union labor law passed in 2023. What is emerging is an outright crisis for teachers and other public sector workers. “The work conditions of hundreds of thousands of people are going to be up in the air,” said one advocate. Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:00:00 GMT /wlrn-investigations/2024-02-15/florida-labor-union-membership-teachers-public-sb-256 Daniel Rivero /education/2024-01-11/fiu-china-international-student-program For weeks WLRN has inquired into the status of the program and how it could be impacted by laws limiting how FIU interacts with foreign governments. Then, its website was taken down. Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:00:00 GMT /education/2024-01-11/fiu-china-international-student-program Daniel Rivero