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Key Biscayne Independent
@kbindependent.org
Nonprofit news for Key Biscayne and vicinity, focused on quality hyperlocal journalism. Member INN and Associated Press. Founded 2020.
https://kbindependent.org
A publication of Miami Fourth Estate, Inc.
"Facts are stubborn things" - John Adams
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December 30, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Trump says the US ‘hit’ a facility along shore where he says alleged drug boats ‘load up’ 

President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details. Trump initially seemed to confirm a…
Trump says the US ‘hit’ a facility along shore where he says alleged drug boats ‘load up’ 
President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details. Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S.
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December 30, 2025 at 11:52 AM
During Netanyahu visit, Trump warns Iran of further US strikes if it reconstitutes nuclear program 

 President Donald Trump warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with…
During Netanyahu visit, Trump warns Iran of further US strikes if it reconstitutes nuclear program 
 President Donald Trump warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his home in Florida. Trump had previously insisted that Tehran's nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” by U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites in June.
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December 30, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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December 30, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Florida congresswoman accused of stealing COVID funds maintains innocence

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick reiterated her innocence Monday outside a Miami federal courthouse, where she faces charges of conspiring to steal $5 million in federal COVID-19 disaster funds. Cherfilus-McCormick was…
Florida congresswoman accused of stealing COVID funds maintains innocence
U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick reiterated her innocence Monday outside a Miami federal courthouse, where she faces charges of conspiring to steal $5 million in federal COVID-19 disaster funds. Cherfilus-McCormick was scheduled to be arraigned, but her attorney requested the proceeding be rescheduled to Jan. 20 so that she could finalize her legal team. Prosecutors didn't object, and Judge Lisette Reid agreed to the new date.
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December 29, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Officials suspect bird flu after 12 swans die at Orlando’s Lake Eola

ORLANDO — A dozen of the iconic swans that live in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida, have died in recent days of an unknown cause, leading officials to suspect that bird flu is to blame. The deaths of the swans at Lake Eola…
Officials suspect bird flu after 12 swans die at Orlando’s Lake Eola
ORLANDO — A dozen of the iconic swans that live in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida, have died in recent days of an unknown cause, leading officials to suspect that bird flu is to blame. The deaths of the swans at Lake Eola don't appear to be suspicious, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said Monday on social media. About five dozen swans lived at the park before the recent deaths.
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December 29, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Key Biscayners raise thousands for FreeBee driver after fire destroys home

Richard Burgher, a Key Biscayne FreeBee driver, had just settled in for a quiet Friday evening when disaster struck at his home in the Sans Souci section of North Miami. Burgher has cruised the streets of Key Biscayne for…
Key Biscayners raise thousands for FreeBee driver after fire destroys home
Richard Burgher, a Key Biscayne FreeBee driver, had just settled in for a quiet Friday evening when disaster struck at his home in the Sans Souci section of North Miami. Burgher has cruised the streets of Key Biscayne for nearly five years, taking riders to and fro. Now, those riders and friends are helping with expenses after a devastating fire Dec.
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December 29, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Key Biscayne Film Festival announces ‘unprecedented’ number directors for 2026

Ever want to get up close and personal with a film director about what goes into a movie? The Key Biscayne film festival will give film buffs a very special opportunity to know more. The third installment of the…
Key Biscayne Film Festival announces ‘unprecedented’ number directors for 2026
Ever want to get up close and personal with a film director about what goes into a movie? The Key Biscayne film festival will give film buffs a very special opportunity to know more. The third installment of the festival, starting Jan. 29, will offer more live conversations with industry heavyweights. “Hosting an unprecedented number of visiting directors for live conversations, we’re providing our audience with the best festival experience yet,” said Isabel Custer, a  Miami filmmaker and the festival’s co-founder. 
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December 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Miami-Dade tax collector cracks down on companies operating in Cuba. Is it a stunt?

As part of an effort to crack down on business relationships with Cuba and strike at the heart of the communist government, the Tax Collector’s Office of Miami-Dade has revoked key licenses of more than two dozen…
Miami-Dade tax collector cracks down on companies operating in Cuba. Is it a stunt?
As part of an effort to crack down on business relationships with Cuba and strike at the heart of the communist government, the Tax Collector’s Office of Miami-Dade has revoked key licenses of more than two dozen companies that allegedly do business in Cuba, according to enforcement letters seen by WLRN. The letters — sent in October and November and obtained through a public records request — show that various travel, shipping and remittance companies have been shut down.
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December 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan

KYIV, Ukraine— The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American…
US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan
KYIV, Ukraine— The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts to seize its neighbor's land by force. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago club on Sunday and insisted that Ukraine and Russia are "closer than ever before" to a peace settlement.
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December 29, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Ewers throws 2 TDs as Dolphins beat Bucs 20-17

The Dolphins have been out of the playoff race for two weeks, but Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans felt Miami looked more like a team playing for a postseason berth than the Buccaneers did on Sunday. Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 172 yards and…
Ewers throws 2 TDs as Dolphins beat Bucs 20-17
The Dolphins have been out of the playoff race for two weeks, but Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans felt Miami looked more like a team playing for a postseason berth than the Buccaneers did on Sunday. Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard toss for his first career score, and the Dolphins beat the slumping Buccaneers 20-17.
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December 29, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Trump says US struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria after group targeted Christians 

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. launched a “powerful and deadly" strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing…
Trump says US struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria after group targeted Christians 
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. launched a “powerful and deadly" strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians. In a Christmas evening post on his social media site, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.
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December 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Powerball winner takes $1.8B in Arkansas

A Powerball player in Arkansas won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday's Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game's three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19.…
Powerball winner takes $1.8B in Arkansas
A Powerball player in Arkansas won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday's Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game's three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous expected, making it the second-largest in U.S. history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according to www.powerball.com.
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December 25, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura declared winner in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras ) — Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras' presidential election, electoral authorities said Wednesday afternoon, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central…
Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura declared winner in Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras ) — Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras' presidential election, electoral authorities said Wednesday afternoon, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central American nation's fragile electoral system. The election is continuing Latin America's swing to the right, coming just a week after Chile chose the far-right politician José Antonio Kast as its next president.
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December 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
After Gaza war, Christmas services return to Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem's Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations…
After Gaza war, Christmas services return to Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem's Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations because of the war in Gaza. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.
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December 25, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Raptors beat Heat 112-91. It’s Miami’s 9th loss in an 11-game span

Scottie Barnes scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the reeling Miami Heat 112-91 on Tuesday night in the final pre-Christmas game for both teams. Immanuel Quickley scored 18 for the Raptors —…
Raptors beat Heat 112-91. It’s Miami’s 9th loss in an 11-game span
Scottie Barnes scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the reeling Miami Heat 112-91 on Tuesday night in the final pre-Christmas game for both teams. Immanuel Quickley scored 18 for the Raptors — who got their 18th win in their 31st game of the season. They needed 57 games last season to get to the 18-win mark and are over .500 at Christmas for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
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December 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM
In reponse to Trump, Venezuela seeks to criminalize oil tanker seizures

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's parliament on Tuesday approved a measure that criminalizes a broad range of activities that can hinder navigation and commerce in the South American country, such as the seizure of oil tankers.…
In reponse to Trump, Venezuela seeks to criminalize oil tanker seizures
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's parliament on Tuesday approved a measure that criminalizes a broad range of activities that can hinder navigation and commerce in the South American country, such as the seizure of oil tankers. The bill — introduced, debated and approved within two days in the National Assembly — follows this month's seizures by U.S. forces of two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil in international waters.
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December 24, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Why Mark Fletcher Jr. is staying at Miami after his best game yet

Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is coming back to Miami next season, saying Tuesday that he plans to postpone his NFL plans for one more year. Fletcher made the news official just a few days after the best game of his college career…
Why Mark Fletcher Jr. is staying at Miami after his best game yet
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is coming back to Miami next season, saying Tuesday that he plans to postpone his NFL plans for one more year. Fletcher made the news official just a few days after the best game of his college career — a 172-yard rushing effort that helped No. 10 Miami top No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
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December 24, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Heat’s Rozier asks judge to throw out betting charges

NEW YORK — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier ’s lawyers are asking a judge to throw out sports gambling charges that have kept him off the court this season, arguing that the government overreached by turning a private dispute over bettors’ use of…
Heat’s Rozier asks judge to throw out betting charges
NEW YORK — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier ’s lawyers are asking a judge to throw out sports gambling charges that have kept him off the court this season, arguing that the government overreached by turning a private dispute over bettors’ use of non-public information into a federal case. In a motion to dismiss made public on Tuesday, Rozier’s lawyers argued that the government’s theory of the case — that he prevented sportsbooks from making informed decisions about accepting certain bets — runs afoul of a recent U.S.
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December 24, 2025 at 12:52 AM
County does deal with tennis group to revive programs at Crandon Tennis Center  

Miami-Dade County says it will turn over operation of the Crandon Tennis Center to USTA Florida to restore operational hours and court availability. The USTA is a section of the United States Tennis Association, the…
County does deal with tennis group to revive programs at Crandon Tennis Center  
Miami-Dade County says it will turn over operation of the Crandon Tennis Center to USTA Florida to restore operational hours and court availability. The USTA is a section of the United States Tennis Association, the governing body for tennis in the state.  In a statement, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says the switch from the Parks Department will allow better access for players and preserve an “iconic public space.” Under a one-year interim agreement, the nonprofit USTA will transition programs starting Jan.
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December 24, 2025 at 12:35 AM
White House rebuffs Miami bishop’s request for Christmas immigration pause

Florida's Catholic bishops appealed to President Donald Trump on Monday to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays. The White House, in response, said it would be business as usual. The appeal…
White House rebuffs Miami bishop’s request for Christmas immigration pause
Florida's Catholic bishops appealed to President Donald Trump on Monday to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays. The White House, in response, said it would be business as usual. The appeal was issued by Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, and signed by seven other members of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. "The border has been secured. The initial work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree," Wenski wrote.
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December 23, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Federal judge lets ‘gag policy’ lawsuit move forward against Key Biscayne

A federal judge on Monday brushed aside as premature an effort to end a lawsuit challenging the Village of Key Biscayne’s news media ‘gag policy.’ The policy could have led to discipline for any Village employee who spoke to…
Federal judge lets ‘gag policy’ lawsuit move forward against Key Biscayne
A federal judge on Monday brushed aside as premature an effort to end a lawsuit challenging the Village of Key Biscayne’s news media ‘gag policy.’ The policy could have led to discipline for any Village employee who spoke to the news media without authorization.  The ruling by the U.S. District Court Judge Ed Artau means that discovery in the First Amendment case will proceed, potentially including depositions of Village officials and the staff of the…
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December 22, 2025 at 9:18 PM
KB Council picks name for new cinema

With the Key Biscayne Film Festival about a month away, the Council wasted no time at its Tuesday meeting in christening the island’s new theater inside Town Hall chambers. The name – drumroll please – is Paradise Cinema. It beat out Island Reel House and…
KB Council picks name for new cinema
With the Key Biscayne Film Festival about a month away, the Council wasted no time at its Tuesday meeting in christening the island’s new theater inside Town Hall chambers. The name – drumroll please – is Paradise Cinema. It beat out Island Reel House and Cinema Paradiso. The Village put a call out in November to name the movie house.
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December 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Doctor’s orders? ‘Belly laugh at least two to five days a week’

Melanin Bee curves her spine like a stretching cat as she lets out a maniacal, forced laugh. The quick-fire pattern of manufactured giggles —"oh, hoo hoo hoo, eeh, ha ha ha"— soon ripples into genuine laughter, and she giddily kicks…
Doctor’s orders? ‘Belly laugh at least two to five days a week’
Melanin Bee curves her spine like a stretching cat as she lets out a maniacal, forced laugh. The quick-fire pattern of manufactured giggles —"oh, hoo hoo hoo, eeh, ha ha ha"— soon ripples into genuine laughter, and she giddily kicks her feet. She's practicing what she calls Laughasté, a hilarious yoga routine she created that is a descendant of "laughter clubs" that emerged in India in the 1990s.
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December 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
McDaniel mum about job after another embarrassing Dophins loss

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel declined to address his future with the team after Miami was routed 45–21 by the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the latest in a series of embarrassing losses. Miami has already been eliminated from the…
McDaniel mum about job after another embarrassing Dophins loss
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel declined to address his future with the team after Miami was routed 45–21 by the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the latest in a series of embarrassing losses. Miami has already been eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight season. And for the second consecutive game, the Dolphins unraveled in the third quarter, undone by the costly mistakes that have plagued them all year.
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December 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM