Category Archives: Alejandro Granda

High court takes wedding cake case

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

The U.S. Supreme Court said it will take on the case of a Denver baker, Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who refused to sell a wedding to cake to gay couple David Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012 and decide whether or not he unlawfully discriminated against them.

Lower courts believe that Phillips had violated the Colorado’s public accommodations law that prohibits refusing service to customers based on race, sex, marital status and sexual orientation.

He said he refused to sell them a wedding cake because his religious beliefs would not allow him to have anything to do with same-sex marriage, apparently including making a cake for them.

The couple then filed a complaint and the Colorado Civil Rights Commission determined in 2014 that Phillips did violate state law. Now, it is in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether Phillips did in fact do that.

The Washington Post does a great job reporting this news, providing support with many other cases where a business refused service to same-sex couples and finding little success in courts, ruling that public businesses must comply with state anti-discrimination laws, which will probably and hopefully be the outcome in this case as well.

Bullet aimed at pit bull kills teen

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

A teen, 17-year-old Armando Garcia-Muro, was fatally shot Friday morning when two deputies opened fire at a pit bull and one of the bullets bounced on the concrete, hitting him in the chest in Palmdale, Calif.

The pit bull survived the shooting, but was later euthanized.

Roberta Alcantar, the teen’s mother, said he was “a very loving person” who loved dogs and planned to go into construction after finishing high school this upcoming year.

The deputies had first been called to the Palmdale complex at about 3:45 a.m., responding to noise complains of a loud party.

Garcia-Muro helped restrain the dog in the back of his apartment complex after it first charged the group of deputies and bit one of them. But then the dog broke loose and charged again, which was when deputies shot and wounded the pit bull about 10 feet away and then chased it as it tried to run to the back of the building.

That was when they saw the boy about 30 to 40 feet away, who was hit in the chest by a bullet ricocheted off the concrete, calling it a “skip round.”

He died an hour later in the hospital

NBCNews did a great job reporting the horrible tragedy that occurred that morning, but should have mentioned when the dog had attacked.

Three restaurants shut down, 19 cited

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Three Miami restaurants had enough roaches to be shut down for the day while eight were cited for live roaches and 11 others cited for dead ones.

Latin American Restaurant at 1590 Coral Way was closed for the day for having “seven plus live roaches found inside oven in cookline area,” “extreme amount of flies all around the kitchen area” and “slicer blade guard soiled with old food debris.” Customers also insisted on bottled water because there was an “accumulation of black/green mold-like substance” around the soda dispensing nozzles and the ice machine.

Wong’s on 12420 Biscayne Blvd., in North Miami, had two high priority violations, but one was the excess amount of roaches: “six live roaches on preparation (table) behind soy sauce box, six live roaches under preparation table, five in the reach in cooler gasket, two by hand washing sink, three on the oven door.”

Yumm Yumm 2000 Cafe Del Mar in Miami Beach, at 710 Washington Ave., #1, was the third and final location to be shut down for roaches, which could be spotted upon entering the front door: “Two live roaches observed, one by door frame at entrance of establishment, the other under soda fountain. Another live roach observed by chest freezer in back of restaurant. Another roach observed by telephone behind kitchen and one more in storage in the back of the restaurant. Another roach was observed under coffee machine.” Other violations include the handwash sink not accessible for employee use because of items stored in the sink, soiled/stained can opener blade and cutting boards, and an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance around the ice machine.

The Miami Herald does a great job reporting these nasty violations, showing readers to think twice before going to these restaurants and take caution if they decide to eat in them.

Student returned from North Korea dies

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

After returning from North Korea in a comatose stte, 22-year-old Otto Warmbier died Monday.

“Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20 p.m.,” said his parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier.

Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said he had extensive brain damage that has lasted longer than year and that he was in a state unresponsive wakefulness and wasn’t aware of his surroundings.

The family did not mention the cause of death.

Warmbier was arrested in Pyongyang in January 2016 while on a tourist trip to North Korea and was charged with committing a hostile act against the government. He had tried to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel hallway wall. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years hard labor.

It is ludicrous that North Korea arrests, then tortures someone so harshly just for stealing a poster.

NBC News has done a great job reporting what has happened along with background information to support their report.

Robbers dressed as cops invade home

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Two robbers impersonating police officers handcuffed a South Miami-Dade couple and stole cash from their safe at 3 a.m. on Tuesday.

No one was injured and all three of the couple’s children stayed asleep during the robbery.

Miami-Dade police Detective Argemis Colome said police don’t know how much was taken from the home just west of Palmetto Bay and robbers wore long-sleeved shirts with “Police” on a side along with police insignia, law enforcement-like vests and fake badges.

I believe The Miami Herald could have included safety tips and instructions when answering the door to someone who is believed to be of authority, especially so late at night, to prevent themselves from being in a situation that could possibly be more dangerous.

Fox News co-host calls rising temps ‘BS’

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Greg Gutfield, a co-host from Fox News, says that people talking about the hottest year ever or high temperatures are spreading “BS” and he claims they are not telling the full story.

“If you asked them what the increase was, they wouldn’t be able to tell you that every single year that there’s an increase, it is within the margin of error, meaning it isn’t increasing,” Gutfield said.

“So, those are called real truths. The poetic truth is the chaos and the hysteria, because that plays to the media. And it makes you feel so important. And you get to punish America for being so successful by doing these stupid deals. But if you read the facts about the high temperatures, about the reality of our past, it is all BS,” he added.

The Miami Herald did a great job arguing against that statement, interviewing many scientists who reveal that Gutfield is actually wrong, saying that long-term trends clearly show the temperature has been rising for decades as opposed to “single year increases.”

The Herald‘s coverage against Gutfield’s statement is that some years are within the margin of error, some are definitely not, and that Gutfield is not only wrong with the details but also on the big picture and they rate his statement with “pants on fire.”

Republicans uneasy with Trump

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

After the London Bridge attacks, President Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, claiming that Khan told citizens not to be alarmed about terrorism and the U.S. Justice Department is pushing a politically correct version of his policy of the travel ban.

Top officials from the White House have suggested to the president that he should not be arguing but to no avail as he continues to brush them off and do what he wants.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House principle deputy press secretary, was asked if the president’s tweets were being vetted by lawyers or aides.

“Not that I’m aware of,” she said at the daily press briefing on Monday.

As Trump continues to engage the news with the anticipated public testimony of former FBI directer James B. Comey before the Senate Intelligence Committee coming up Thursday, many Republicans are neither surprised nor easy and are already nervous about the questions that wait for them after the hearing and expect criticism from Democrats.

Some even fear that Trump will make things worse.

“It’s a distraction, and he needs to focus. Every day and moment he spends on anything other than a rising economy is a waste that disrupts everything,” said former Trump campaign adviser Barry Bennett.

I honestly don’t blame them for being so afraid and nervous. He’s back to the old Trump from his presidential campaign, throwing tantrums worse than my neighbor’s almost two-year-old child because people are disagreeing with him and he’s not getting what he wants. He has to understand that the world does not always revolve around him, even as president of the United States.

Trump withdraws U.S. from Paris deal

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Of course, it is “America first, Earth second” with President Donald Trump as he withdraws the U.S. from the Paris climate deal because he thinks it would harm American citizens and businesses.

“Compliance with the terms of the Paris accord … could cost America as much as 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025,” Trump said. “As someone who cares deeply about the environment, which I do, I cannot in good conscience support a deal that punishes the U.S.”

And of course, there is no one happier than Fox News, who claim that the deal is a “terrible idea.” They are also claiming that Trump is doing something “right” and “brave” because he is “leading” with his decision to withdraw.

I sure do hope that part of his plan to “Make America Great Again” is to find ways to reduce fossil fuel emissions because if we don’t combat climate change, there won’t be an America to make great again and certainly no American citizens and businesses to protect.

Cop suspected in aiding murder working

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Miami Police officer Adrian Rodriguez is working again after refusing to cooperate with homicide detectives in his involvement in a murder and getting fired.

He is suspected of helping set up a robbery at a Miami cell phone store that ended with the death of store manager Yosbel Millares back in 2007.

This is outrageous news, especially for the victim’s family, who is still grieving today. “We’re in shock,” said Magnolia Millares, the victim’s sister. “We can’t believe he was able to get his job back. We’re all very sad and disappointed.”

The reporters of The Miami Herald tried to sound neutral and hopeful about the whole thing by saying he “gets his job back” but “won’t return to patrolling the streets because he remains a suspect in the 2007 killing of Millares. He will most likely be relegated to desk duty – while drawing a paycheck” and “won’t be getting back pay, under the arbiter’s ruling.”

But I believe they should have been more aggressive. Instead, they sound like they’re somewhat in favor of the ruling.

“He exercised his U.S. constitutional right to assert the Fifth Amendment. He was thoroughly interviewed the day of the shooting. It was our position that he shouldn’t have been terminated,” said Eugene Gibbons, Rodriguez’s union-appointed attorney.

But they seem to remain hopeful as they include Miami Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes saying: “I’m disappointed with the outcome and will be meeting with our city attorney to look at our options.”

Shooting may end Urban Weekend

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By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Over the weekend, there was a dispute that started over a parking spot where 30-year-old Ladarian Tyrell Phillips died, one of the victims of the police shooting.

Shots were fired around 10:35 p.m. in the 200 block along Ocean Drive and two men were injured from all the gunfire, Phillips being one of them.

In the wake of the incident, a Miami Beach commissioner has expressed thoughts on getting rid of Urban Beach Weekend altogether.

In a way, this may be a good idea because fewer people will be injured and killed. But the commissioner must take caution with that decision as Miami and Miami Beach generate revenue through tourism, especially Miami Beach.

In order to go along with this decision, I believe there should be events replacing Urban Beach Weekend. I believe that doing so would save the city from losing money while addressing the safety of others.

If tourists are too scared to come down to Miami, the city will not be able to make as much money as that’s where it makes majority of its money. Replacing the event will not only eliminate the risk of safety but also the risk of losing money that the city makes every year.