I write facts and opinions; I don't make stuff up
From Living the Law of Attraction: "Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can't do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations. Ignore them. Don't give in. In this crazy world that's trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self. And when they laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the same."
This sort of applies here and I should just ignore it, but I can't.
People send my stories around in emails. I don't like it. I know I should love the exposure, but I don't care for it. I have a good friend that does that. He'll send good news, bad news, whatever, to people. Usually if I write about someone he'll send it. I wrote about Wendy Williams at Books & Books and he sent the article to Books & Books, I'm sure if he know how to reach Wendy, he would have sent it to her. I write about the Glass House RFP and he sends the story to people involved with the RFP and the City, but for some reason, it always ends up with someone complaining about something. So in this instance, people were sending my story on the recent crime in the Grove around in emails. They were sending the story to the authorities and asking them, "Why aren't you doing anything about the crime?" When in all reality, we know the police are doing all they can. It's not a "Murder She Wrote" episode where the crime is solved in an hour, it takes time.
Ron Nelson, Commissioner Sarnoff's Chief of Staff, usually calls me on things, literally on the phone, but here is an email going around that he wrote after people read this story in the Grapevine and in emails shared by the neighbors. I think Ron and I are on the same page and people may be reading other things into what's written but I only state facts that I get from people involved in the incidents. I don't make the stuff up.
For many years I did not report crimes because I just didn't feel it was necessary, but people requested that I do, so I am. If you guys don't want me to, I won't. It's work getting the stories and the facts and speaking with the police, etc. And yes, I only publish the facts as told to me. I don't speculate. I do add color, like calling the Red Haired girl a Creep, but the facts about the case are all facts told to me.
There has been lots of emails going around from neighbor to neighbor in the North Grove, I don't receive any of them from the group emailing back and forth, but I have been mentioned in them. There are dozens of people cc'd in the emails so once in awhile someone will randomly send me one of them. The red below, are my comments to Ron's email regarding one of the emails I was mentioned in, I just want people to understand where I am coming from. I don't like people talking behind my back. I respect Ron, I know he respects me.
From Ron:
There have been so many emails that I think most are now confused. The emails below are particularly troubling to me. The Grapevine is a blog and Tom many times writes thoughts and opinions mixed with goings on. Sometimes the stories are factually correct and sometimes they are not.
(My stories are as correct and factual as I can make them, I get the info from people involved in the stories, if they give me wrong info it is corrected as soon as I am given the correct info, but I never just make things up for the sake of making things up. This has been how I have operated for eight years, if there is an error, someone will tell me and I'll change it without making a big deal about it. No one has corrected me on the subject of the recent burglaries so I am assuming it's all correct).
The police do not and should not report every action they take.
(I agree, but the do like to talk when people ask).
The residents that live near the 27th Ave Metro Rail Station are quite pleased that the police have reacted to issues near the station.
(These are Douglas Park residents, not Coconut Grove residents. Not that it matters, but they are having burglary issues, too, and there is a big meeting at Douglas Park next month with the Mayor, Commissioner and Police, It is June 4, I was invited to attend. I'll post the details tomorrow if you all would care to attend.)
·
There is no evidence that these purported “homeless” people have moved into our neighborhoods and are stealing from North Grove residents.
(It wasn't purported homeless people, I specified that it was the Red Haired Girl and Her Gang, the 3 to 5 of them), I don't even know that they were homeless, they just were known to hang out at the Metrorail according to my police source. They said they were living there. I got these facts from the police. But it stands to reason that if these loiterers were chased from the Metrorail Station, they ended up elsewhere, they didn't just vanish into thin air).
It is not against the law to be homeless.
(I have NEVER said it is against the law to be homeless and I feel for homeless people and always think, "There but for the grace of God go I." I am one of the few who support them any way I can especially when the police and others are hassling them. I know a lot of the homeless people in the Grove by name and they know me. I used to feed the homeless until I was told by authorities not to).
By the way, according to this article in The Miami New Times, the City wants to make it illegal to be homeless.
Tom did make a very important point. If a person on the street is trying to sell you something that is obviously under value or brand new still in the box, DO NOT BUY IT, and report it to the police. (Amen).
The police have repeatedly tried to get the CVS store to take action against the continuous shoplifting. To date the store and the corporate have refuse stating that confrontation is more dangerous and that it is simply a cost of doing business. Perhaps the cost of doing business should be the loss of our business.
Tom writes about a traffic enforcement issue, and I hope that is an over simplified explanation. There is one thing I can tell you. We get many more complaints about the lack of traffic enforcement than we do enforcement.
(Not sure what this means. I agree we need more enforcement, I think I posted a story recently about the crazy drivers around here, the police officer I wrote about was just being nasty that day, when they aren't our usual NRO's they aren't so friendly).
Please remember that the young woman with red hair has not been positively linked to any crime.
(And yet all reports say so, including homeowners who have been burglarized, the police and the report below from Crime Watch).
All of that said please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police and your neighbors. The All Grove Crime Watch meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Stephen’s Church. This group has received national recognition, and if you really want to know what the police are doing and what is going on you should attend.
Best and respectfully
Ron Nelson
Chief of Staff
Commissioner Marc D. Sarnoff
City of Miami District 2
(Or you could read the updates here in the Grapevine since we are all on the same page and reporting the same thing. I just don't understand how my facts are being called wrong but Crime Watch is being called right, when the facts are exactly the same. I actually left some items out because I wasn't sure they were correct so I didn't want to publish them, like the "vigilant neighbor" [see below] spotting the suspects. I wasn't sure they actually saw the "real" suspects, so I didn't report that).
The "vigilant neighbor" ended up being friends of mine who saw the supposed suspects, they called the police and the police actually told them to call Crime Watch if you can believe that. The police dispatcher spent most of the call asking my friend if he had a case number, if he was victimized, if he knew for sure it was them, etc. So you see something, you say something and nothing happens. Maybe it's the lack of police on the force and they try to be diligent about just sending an officer out for every call. After 20 minutes on the call, my friends just gave up and I don't know if an officer ever was sent out to look for the suspicious people.
This is quite strange in that it happened right near Commissioner Sarnoff's house near the dog park, so for all these people claiming he has 24 hour security at his house, etc. apparently that is not the case.
HERE IS THE CRIME WATCH REPORT THAT WAS SENT TO THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ON THEIR EMAIL LIST. NOTICE THEIR DESCRIPTION OF THE GIRL AND ONE OF THE GUYS, QUITE CLEAR IS THE COLOR OF HER HAIR:
FROM CRIME WATCH (The group that has received national recognition):
Please be on the lookout for a female, 18-20, with shoulder-length fire-red hair and a male companion, possibly Hispanic; both who appear 18- 20 years old.
They are apparently involved in recent home burglaries in the Grove, several which have occurred this month in the North Grove between 22nd and 27th Avenue, and also in the Center Grove.
Yesterday afternoon (Friday) around 5 pm, they were spotted by a vigilant neighbor on Shipping Avenue near Mary street in the Center Grove, walking toward the Dog Park, with the female wearing a black top with jeans, and the male wearing a black FSU shirt with white cargo pants.
The police were called by neighbors, but the pair, sensing surveillance by neighbors, fled before police arrived.
If you see these persons, please do the following out of sight of the suspects:
1. Call 911 and request a marked unit to the scene.
2. Then after speaking with 911, immediately call all the following numbers to give detailed description
A) Commander Gentry at 786-521-0599
B) Neighborhood Resource Officer Vasquez at 954-821-4755
C) Neighborhood Resource Officer Vital at 786-529-7524
D) Police Grove BID Officer at 786-343-2765
This sort of applies here and I should just ignore it, but I can't.
People send my stories around in emails. I don't like it. I know I should love the exposure, but I don't care for it. I have a good friend that does that. He'll send good news, bad news, whatever, to people. Usually if I write about someone he'll send it. I wrote about Wendy Williams at Books & Books and he sent the article to Books & Books, I'm sure if he know how to reach Wendy, he would have sent it to her. I write about the Glass House RFP and he sends the story to people involved with the RFP and the City, but for some reason, it always ends up with someone complaining about something. So in this instance, people were sending my story on the recent crime in the Grove around in emails. They were sending the story to the authorities and asking them, "Why aren't you doing anything about the crime?" When in all reality, we know the police are doing all they can. It's not a "Murder She Wrote" episode where the crime is solved in an hour, it takes time.
Ron Nelson, Commissioner Sarnoff's Chief of Staff, usually calls me on things, literally on the phone, but here is an email going around that he wrote after people read this story in the Grapevine and in emails shared by the neighbors. I think Ron and I are on the same page and people may be reading other things into what's written but I only state facts that I get from people involved in the incidents. I don't make the stuff up.
For many years I did not report crimes because I just didn't feel it was necessary, but people requested that I do, so I am. If you guys don't want me to, I won't. It's work getting the stories and the facts and speaking with the police, etc. And yes, I only publish the facts as told to me. I don't speculate. I do add color, like calling the Red Haired girl a Creep, but the facts about the case are all facts told to me.
There has been lots of emails going around from neighbor to neighbor in the North Grove, I don't receive any of them from the group emailing back and forth, but I have been mentioned in them. There are dozens of people cc'd in the emails so once in awhile someone will randomly send me one of them. The red below, are my comments to Ron's email regarding one of the emails I was mentioned in, I just want people to understand where I am coming from. I don't like people talking behind my back. I respect Ron, I know he respects me.
From Ron:
There have been so many emails that I think most are now confused. The emails below are particularly troubling to me. The Grapevine is a blog and Tom many times writes thoughts and opinions mixed with goings on. Sometimes the stories are factually correct and sometimes they are not.
(My stories are as correct and factual as I can make them, I get the info from people involved in the stories, if they give me wrong info it is corrected as soon as I am given the correct info, but I never just make things up for the sake of making things up. This has been how I have operated for eight years, if there is an error, someone will tell me and I'll change it without making a big deal about it. No one has corrected me on the subject of the recent burglaries so I am assuming it's all correct).
The police do not and should not report every action they take.
(I agree, but the do like to talk when people ask).
The residents that live near the 27th Ave Metro Rail Station are quite pleased that the police have reacted to issues near the station.
(These are Douglas Park residents, not Coconut Grove residents. Not that it matters, but they are having burglary issues, too, and there is a big meeting at Douglas Park next month with the Mayor, Commissioner and Police, It is June 4, I was invited to attend. I'll post the details tomorrow if you all would care to attend.)
·
There is no evidence that these purported “homeless” people have moved into our neighborhoods and are stealing from North Grove residents.
(It wasn't purported homeless people, I specified that it was the Red Haired Girl and Her Gang, the 3 to 5 of them), I don't even know that they were homeless, they just were known to hang out at the Metrorail according to my police source. They said they were living there. I got these facts from the police. But it stands to reason that if these loiterers were chased from the Metrorail Station, they ended up elsewhere, they didn't just vanish into thin air).
It is not against the law to be homeless.
(I have NEVER said it is against the law to be homeless and I feel for homeless people and always think, "There but for the grace of God go I." I am one of the few who support them any way I can especially when the police and others are hassling them. I know a lot of the homeless people in the Grove by name and they know me. I used to feed the homeless until I was told by authorities not to).
By the way, according to this article in The Miami New Times, the City wants to make it illegal to be homeless.
Tom did make a very important point. If a person on the street is trying to sell you something that is obviously under value or brand new still in the box, DO NOT BUY IT, and report it to the police. (Amen).
The police have repeatedly tried to get the CVS store to take action against the continuous shoplifting. To date the store and the corporate have refuse stating that confrontation is more dangerous and that it is simply a cost of doing business. Perhaps the cost of doing business should be the loss of our business.
Tom writes about a traffic enforcement issue, and I hope that is an over simplified explanation. There is one thing I can tell you. We get many more complaints about the lack of traffic enforcement than we do enforcement.
(Not sure what this means. I agree we need more enforcement, I think I posted a story recently about the crazy drivers around here, the police officer I wrote about was just being nasty that day, when they aren't our usual NRO's they aren't so friendly).
Please remember that the young woman with red hair has not been positively linked to any crime.
(And yet all reports say so, including homeowners who have been burglarized, the police and the report below from Crime Watch).
All of that said please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police and your neighbors. The All Grove Crime Watch meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Stephen’s Church. This group has received national recognition, and if you really want to know what the police are doing and what is going on you should attend.
Best and respectfully
Ron Nelson
Chief of Staff
Commissioner Marc D. Sarnoff
City of Miami District 2
(Or you could read the updates here in the Grapevine since we are all on the same page and reporting the same thing. I just don't understand how my facts are being called wrong but Crime Watch is being called right, when the facts are exactly the same. I actually left some items out because I wasn't sure they were correct so I didn't want to publish them, like the "vigilant neighbor" [see below] spotting the suspects. I wasn't sure they actually saw the "real" suspects, so I didn't report that).
The "vigilant neighbor" ended up being friends of mine who saw the supposed suspects, they called the police and the police actually told them to call Crime Watch if you can believe that. The police dispatcher spent most of the call asking my friend if he had a case number, if he was victimized, if he knew for sure it was them, etc. So you see something, you say something and nothing happens. Maybe it's the lack of police on the force and they try to be diligent about just sending an officer out for every call. After 20 minutes on the call, my friends just gave up and I don't know if an officer ever was sent out to look for the suspicious people.
This is quite strange in that it happened right near Commissioner Sarnoff's house near the dog park, so for all these people claiming he has 24 hour security at his house, etc. apparently that is not the case.
HERE IS THE CRIME WATCH REPORT THAT WAS SENT TO THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ON THEIR EMAIL LIST. NOTICE THEIR DESCRIPTION OF THE GIRL AND ONE OF THE GUYS, QUITE CLEAR IS THE COLOR OF HER HAIR:
FROM CRIME WATCH (The group that has received national recognition):
Please be on the lookout for a female, 18-20, with shoulder-length fire-red hair and a male companion, possibly Hispanic; both who appear 18- 20 years old.
They are apparently involved in recent home burglaries in the Grove, several which have occurred this month in the North Grove between 22nd and 27th Avenue, and also in the Center Grove.
Yesterday afternoon (Friday) around 5 pm, they were spotted by a vigilant neighbor on Shipping Avenue near Mary street in the Center Grove, walking toward the Dog Park, with the female wearing a black top with jeans, and the male wearing a black FSU shirt with white cargo pants.
The police were called by neighbors, but the pair, sensing surveillance by neighbors, fled before police arrived.
If you see these persons, please do the following out of sight of the suspects:
1. Call 911 and request a marked unit to the scene.
2. Then after speaking with 911, immediately call all the following numbers to give detailed description
A) Commander Gentry at 786-521-0599
B) Neighborhood Resource Officer Vasquez at 954-821-4755
C) Neighborhood Resource Officer Vital at 786-529-7524
D) Police Grove BID Officer at 786-343-2765
posted by Tom Falco at 6:00 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
14 Comments:
"It's not a "Murder She Wrote" episode where the crime is solved in an hour, it takes time."
That was pretty funny.
BTW Happy Birthday Grape!
Tom, first of all I have to thank you for all the work you do for us here in Coconut Grove. I happen to be on that email chain yesterday and I was also taken back by the response. It seems that all they can do is fight back with emails to try to confuse the events at hand. I have been a victim of crime here in the Grove and I refuse to leave. Every time I have spoken to our local law enforcement they tell me that there are not enough officers in our area. Having 4 to 5 officers to patrol such a big area has never seemed like enough. I did read some emails going around stating that one of the houses that were burglarized the other day had a high fence and no alarm. What does that matter? Why must they always rub salt in the wounds of the injured? Instead the cops should have come to the scene of the crime faster and not stayed for five minutes till a public service aide arrived.
Tom keep doing a great job and keeping our community informed with facts. Again thank you for all you do.
"Haters Gonna Hate" just ignore them Tom, you're doing a great job and a great service for this community. You bring so many of the residents here together and so many awesome events are brought to the public's attention because of your blog. Of course this City stooge would reply with these words, the community listens to you, respects you and in many ways you probably do more to reach out to the community and inform them than Mr. Nelson personally does (I for one have never heard of him).
Gotta love that grapevine drama
Wow. Why is Ron trying to downplay your blog? Could it be because you serve the community better than Sarnoff?
Thank you for the crime reports and for getting the word out on the suspects. Many of us aren't on these e-mail lists and rely on your blog for area info.
I am very surprised every store in the grove and the streets of the grove dont have cctv with how bad the crime is over here.also it would be so cool if the grapevine would have webcam.they are so popular now.here are some examples...
http://portmiamiwebcam.com/
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/florida/miami/
Thanks for all you report on -- I read your blog often -- makes Grove life much more complete!
I was with some friends recently who spoke of places like Palmetto Bay who had some issues with the homeless population. Apparently it is against the law in Palmetto Bay to live on the streets. What has happened is that the homeless know that Coconut Grove is a great place to hang out -- they take over the Glass House tables to hang out, they inhabit the library, they sleep near the sidewalks in the parks, etc. I know the City of Miami will not pass a law which would send the homeless out of the Grove and into shelters, but it's a pity that other areas of Miami are able to manage the homeless, thereby "sending" them to areas that have no means to manage them. I know there are harmless homeless, but how do we really know? How can you fix this? Just look the other way until there's an incident, and no one seems to know who they are?
Anyone from Sarnoff's office will try to cover up ANY crime happening in the Grove. I have seen it first hand. They care more about the reputation of Coconut Grove in the MEDIA than actually doing the right thing to keep people save. I live in the Grove, I love the Grove. My car has been broken into - I have been to my dumpster to throw away trash only to find homeless people using it as a bathroom. It is gross. There is crime - reporting it keeps us safe. We know what to look out for so thank you for doing that. I will tell you why he is concerned b.c when a tourist Google Coconut Grove, they find your site b.c of its ranking. When that happens the city believe after reading a story about the crime, homeless or "red headed criminals" it will stop the potential tourists from coming. Is he right probably - It is right - probably not.
I know they think that tourists reads the Grapevine and run, but it's just the opposite. I am emailed daily by tourists asking me about Coconut Grove, where to stay, what to do, where is Burn Notice, etc. I think it's the Streisand Effect (look it up).
Reminds me of when Miami Vice as going to be the end of Miami when in reality, they were the beginning of what South Beach became. Same with Burn Notice, all that shooting and murders and mayhem put the Grove on the map.
If they think the Grapevine is the reason for the Grove's decline, they need to buy some mirrors.
There is a reputable restauranteur trying to open a business in the Grove who has been stopped from completing the remodeling by the City of Miami, instead of wasting time writing emails making weird statements Ron should try to help people jump start businesses in the area which will create jobs and enhance the neighborhood.
Very true the big name restaurants and clubs need to come back to the grove.they should make it easier for them and A.S.A.P time is ticking for the grove.theres a grove like project in the works for west kendall.similar to cocowalk and brikell its going to be awesome already all the big names are interested.
"People send my stories around in emails. I don't like it. I know I should love the exposure, but I don't care for it. "
Then...
"feel free to share this story on your social networks."
Laugh out loud.
Tom, don't let them get you down, the Grapevine is a Valuable Asset to Coconut Grove.
I was very disappointed when you threatened to pull the plug on the Grapevine.
And thoroughly delighted when you fired it up again.
Keep up the Good Work!
There are two different Metrorail staions adjacent to the Grove. One is Coconut Grove Station at SW 27th Ave, & the other one is Douglas Road Station at SW 37th Ave. These are two seperate neighborhoods. I doubt that the Douglas Park residents have a clue as to whas been occuring recently in the vicinity of the Coconut Grove station.
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