Tagged: Miami

You may notice a growing buzz of activity--especially in Midtown, the Design District and Miami Beach--that signals that a week (or more) of art appreciation, parties and sensory overload is almost here. The height of activity is next Wednesday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 9, but gallery openings and other events are already starting.

Below are are seven signs that Art Basel is upon us.

A look into the City of Miami's finances this year shows the city failed to meet its own financial rules and benchmarks.

According to The Miami Herald, "Miami failed to comply with eight of its 13 financial standards in the 2010-11 budget year, according to an internal audit published late last month."

Among the shortcomings:

A small group of fans recently gathered at the Marlins' new half-billion dollar stadium in Miami's Little Havana to protest in both in Spanish and in English. They want new owners after the team's latest purge: the trade of All-Stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson to the Blue Jays in return for seven mostly unknown players.

The move, which came after the team finished in last place, will save the Marlins more than $160 million in future payroll obligations. It comes within a year of the Marlins' move into their new, mostly taxpayer-funded stadium.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport will be a very busy airport this Thanksgiving holiday.

In fact, it's going to be the 10th busiest in the country, according to booking data from the travel company Orbitz.

Every year Orbitz releases lists of the busiest and least busy airports for Thanksgiving.

 "This is a work of fiction," cautions the introduction to poet C.M. Clark's latest book, "Charles Deering Forecasts the Weather & Other Poems."

Whatever would Charles Deering say?
 If there's one person who can at least guess, it's Clark.   She was the very first Literary Artist-in-Residence for the Deering Estate, which stands alongside the Biltmore Hotel and Vizcaya as one of Miami-Dade's historical gems.   The estate was built in 1916 by Deering, a wealthy industrialist, and once housed one of the most extensive art collections in our region. 

Marvin Francis crouched over and dug into a yellow and forest green La Salle High School miniature duffel bag. "'NObama'; 'You Lie,'" he read from a pile of oversized red, white and blue buttons. A small crowd peaked over his shoulders, holding five and ten dollar bills at their sides.

"I think that's all the selection I have left. And 'Obama Sucks,'" he added. "That's the only other one that I have that I didn't want to put out 'cause there's too many young kids."

Today was an important day for former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, his first day back from the Hurricane Sandy campaign hiatus.

Romney spent the day in a state uniquely associated with hurricanes (Florida) and made his second stop at a university nicknamed "The Hurricanes" (the University of Miami).

 The Miami Heat have begun defense of their NBA title in style as South Florida airports continue to deal with the aftermath of Sandy. 

More than 51,000 people in Miami-Dade County waited in long lines Saturday and Sunday to vote early. About 54,000 people in Broward County cast their ballots and about 21,000 in Palm Beach County. 

Meanwhile, many others in South Florida are still wondering where their absentee ballots are. 

Legal expert Lee Rowland with the Brennan Center for Justice tells us where Floridians can track their absentee ballots online.