Phil Latzman

Broward County Mayor Leads Local Response To Sea Level Rise

Phil Latzman — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Even before last year's coastal calamity caused by superstorm Sandy, Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs was trying to get everyone's attention about sea-level rise and it's impact on South Florida.

What FPL's President Thinks About Nukes, Renewables

Phil Latzman — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:27:36 +0000

In a wide-ranging interview back in February, Florida Power & Light President Eric Silagy addressed a number of issues facing the state's largest utility.

The responses prompted a slew of feedback on topics ranging from storm preparedness and climate change to renewable energy sources.

Nuclear Power

North Miami: A City Divided Along Racial Lines

Phil Latzman — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:06:37 +0000

The city of North Miami holds key mayoral elections this month.

But the new mayor will have the difficult job of reuniting a city divided between east and west.

What Tallahassee Lawmakers Failed To Do in 2013

Phil Latzman and Rick Stone — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:25:07 +0000

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out an interactive bill tracker of this year's session from the Miami Herald.

Baller Mike Piazza Mans Up For His Miami Ballet Debut

Phil Latzman — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Inside a studio at the Miami City Ballet, dancers rehearse for a performance of the George Balanchine classic, “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.”

At one side of the room waifish ballerinas warm up while on the other, a burly 12-time major league baseball All-Star waits for his cue.

Mike Piazza makes his ballet debut in a cameo performance for the production on Friday, May 3.

Florida Senate Approves SunLife Stadium Bill

Phil Latzman and Daniel Hicks — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:09:31 +0000

Update 10:07 p.m. EST: The Florida Senate approved the Dolphins bill, 36-4. Now the House will get its turn to pass its own version.

Al Gore: How Six Trends Will Impact Florida, The World

Phil Latzman — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:53:01 +0000

Today is Earth Day.

And here in low-lying, hurricane prone Florida, the day has special meaning.

Sea-level rise is no longer something so incremental that we don't notice.

Wasserman-Schultz: GOP Faces Consequences After Gun Vote

Phil Latzman — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:24:01 +0000

It's been a busy week in Washington, D.C.

As lawmakers react to the Boston Marathon bombings, parts of the Capitol had to be evacuated after suspicious letters addressed to U.S. Senator Roger Wicker and President Barack Obama were intercepted at mail screening facilities.

We Have A Winner In Venezuela, Or Do We?

Phil Latzman and Jim Wyss — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:52:11 +0000

Nicolas Maduro, heir to the late Hugo Chavez, appears to have won Venezuela's presidential election.

But it's by a margin so thin that opposition candidate Henrique Capriles is challenging the legitimacy of the results, demanding a full recount.

Campaign Heats Up Ahead Of Sunday's Vote To Replace Hugo Chavez

Phil Latzman — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:30:47 +0000

This Sunday, Venezuelans return to the polls for yet another presidential election.

This vote is to replace the late Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer last month after winning re-election in October.

Dolphins Stadium Deal Close; Rubio's Role In Immigration Reform Grows

Phil Latzman — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Marathon talks between the Miami Dolphins and Miami Dade County officials appear to have delivered a tentative deal.

Governor Scott: "I Made The Tough Choices, Now We're Making Smart Choices"

Phil Latzman — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

We spoke with the governor about his hopes for this legislative session, his political turn to the left, his support of Medicaid expansion and teacher raises, the issue of illegal internet cafes, guns, jobs, property insurance and a proposed texting-while-driving ban.

HIS POLITICAL SHIFT

Like Father, Like Daughter: School Board Member on Education Priorities

Phil Latzman — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

It's all in the family.

What These Eyes Have Seen: Reporter Reflects On Four Decades at Miami Herald

Phil Latzman — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:26:39 +0000

After nearly 43 years, John Dorschner has left The Miami Herald, and he will be sorely missed around here.

South Florida Reaction to America's First Pope

Phil Latzman and Christine DiMattei and Kaylois Henry — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:48:06 +0000

Pope Francis may not be from the United States, but for many in South Florida, the fact that he's from Argentina is even better.

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski has hailed the selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as a "great thing” for the hemisphere, and called the new Pope an American.

With Venezuela Still In Mourning, Campaign Season Begins Again

Phil Latzman — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

With the country still in mourning over the death of Hugo Chavez, election season has begun again in Venezuela.

Hugo Chávez Returns to Venezuela: Now What?

Phil Latzman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:00:00 +0000

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is back in his home country after more than two months recovering from his latest cancer surgery in Cuba. Celebrations ensued throughout the country on Monday as he made his way back to the capital, Caracas, following his extended absence.

But as tens of thousands of Venezuelan expatriates monitor in South Florida, his return may raise more questions than it answers.

For example:

Local Legislative Leaders Talk Priorities For Florida's Session 2013

Phil Latzman — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:40:33 +0000

What's on state lawmakers agenda for the upcoming session? Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) and Sen. Maria Sachs (D-Boca Raton) discuss what's on their list with WLRN's Phil Latzman.

For Republican Anitere Flores, there's little hesitation when she's asked what she'll be working on first when the session begins.

"The most important issue that I'll be tackling this year," she says, "is Citizens Property Insurance."

Will A New Secretary Of State Put A New Focus On Latin America And The Caribbean?

Phil Latzman — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:23:57 +0000

Wednesdays on WLRN, we discuss issues related to Latin American and the Caribbean. Today: how a transition at the top of the U. S. State Dept. might be felt in the hemisphere.

Some have said the Obama Administration has ignored that part of the world as it tried to put out other fires in the President's first term.

Marlins Open With Loss; But Only On Field

Phil Latzman and Phil — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:13:03 +0000

Marlins open with loss; but only on field.

The Marlins lost the first regular season opener in their Miami new ballpark last night, falling to the World Series champion St Louis stadium last night by a score of 4 to 1.

Marlins Open With Loss; But Only On Field

Phil Latzman — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:30:46 +0000

The Marlins lost the first regular season opener in their Miami new ballpark last night, falling to the World Series champion St Louis stadium last night by a score of 4 to 1.

WLRN-Miami Herald reporter Phil Latzman was there, as were many of the major players OFF the field that made the new stadium a reality.

Miami Heat Wins NBA Title

Phil Latzman — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:12:22 +0000

The Miami Heat are this year’s NBA champions after finishing off the Oklahoma City Thunder in game 5 of the finals last night in Miami 121 to 106.

On special assignment this week from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, WLRN's Phil Latzman has the sounds of celebration.

FPL President Says Controversial Nuclear Fee Has Been Good For Jobs And The Economy

Phil Latzman — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:22:42 +0000

Florida Power and Light is the state's largest utility serving roughly 4.6 million customers.

Since 2006, FPL customers have been paying what's called a "Nuclear Cost Recovery Fee," which enables the utility to charge in advance for future costs of building and improving nuclear power plants.

Since then, about $320 million has been raised to add 525 megawatts of new power to Turkey Point in South Miami-Dade.

Rubio's Path Through Immigration Politics May Be Tough As Illegals' Path To Citizenship

Phil Latzman — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:26:15 +0000

Now that a group of key senators and the president have proposed their plans for immigration reform, what would some of the proposed changes mean to South Florida's unique immigrant communities? We hear from University of Miami immigration law specialist David Abraham.

Cuba's New Travel Rules May Cause An Influx

Phil Latzman — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Wednesdays on WLRN, we take time out for discussions and stories concerning our hemispheric neighbors in Latin American and the Caribbean.

Dolphins Say NFL May Help Rebuild Sun Life Stadium But Public Funds Must Come First

Phil Latzman — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:35:27 +0000

As Miami-Dade commissioners sit down to talk about the public's role for the first time today, the National Football League is offering its support to help Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pay for improvements to Sun Life Stadium.

The Dolphins have been reluctant to talk about the idea but are hinting that the NFL's contribution is contingent upon public help first. The Miami Herald reports today the amount is unclear, but could be in the tens of millions of dollars.

Why Is Gun Control Anathema In Tallahassee?

Phil Latzman — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:16:59 +0000

As New York and other states strengthen their gun control laws in response to the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., the chances of that happening in Florida appear dim.

"Remember, this a Republican-controlled Legislature, and they are very much about trying to honor yhe Constitution and the Second Amendment," says our Tallahassee reporter, Gina Jordan.

The Rise Of The Cuban-American Democrat

Phil Latzman — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The Cuban-American Democrat. It is an unusual breed in Florida.

Frank Suarez Says He'll Run For Miami Mayor

Phil Latzman — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:30:00 +0000

It's election year in the region's largest city and the race for Miami mayor has just become a little more interesting. City Commissioner Francis "Frank" Suarez, 35, will officially announce a challenge to incumbent Mayor Tomas Regalado today.

Taking The Pulse Of Venezuelan-American Sentiment After Chavez' Delayed Swearing In

Phil Latzman — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:05:36 +0000

With an ailing Hugo Chavez still in Cuba, and perhaps on his deathbed, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans now living in South Florida are anxiously awaiting word of what happens next.

El Arepazo 2 on N.W. 79th Avenue in Doral is their unofficial headquarters.