Local

Miramar weekly rewind: Catch up on the top stories you might have missed

By Edited by Mike Garbett and produced with AI assistance
It was another eventful week of news in Miramar.
It was another eventful week of news in Miramar. Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com

From a proposed crackdown on RVs being used as homes to a family seeking justice after a 22-year-old was shot and killed, Miramar saw another busy news week.

Here’s a roundup of the top stories you might have missed:

  • RV crackdown: Miramar police identified one neighborhood with 80 RVs parked outside homes as commissioners prepare for a May 20 vote on an ordinance targeting RVs being used as housing in residential areas.
  • Family seeks justice: The family of 22-year-old Makayla Mendez is demanding answers after she was shot and killed at a Miramar apartment complex, disputing claims by the man who told police he shot her during a robbery attempt.
  • 911 call released: Miramar police released audio of the 911 call from the man who told dispatchers he shot a woman trying to rob his apartment, with detectives reviewing whether Florida’s Stand Your Ground law applies.
  • Hispanic community events: Vice Mayor Carson “Eddy” Edwards’ Hispanic Community Advocates organization is hosting a financial workshop and a networking mixer in May to strengthen ties between Hispanic residents and the City Commission.
  • Pickleball progress: Miramar has opened bids for the construction of two outdoor pickleball courts at the Sunset Lakes Community Center, with a contractor deadline of May 21.
  • Top JROTC cadet: An Everglades High School senior was named Broward County Public Schools JROTC Cadet of the Year, earning a $2,000 scholarship and promotion to Cadet Colonel.
  • Patty competition: Miramar is seeking restaurant nominations for a Haitian patty competition at the Haitian Flag Day Family Fest on May 16 at Shirley Branca Park.
  • School board delay: The Broward County School Board delayed a vote on cutting 856 positions to save $40 million, pushing the formal decision to May 19 amid declining student enrollment.
  • Canal restoration: The City of Miramar has launched Phase VII of its Canal/Lake Embankment Restoration Program, offering free repairs to Historic Miramar homeowners whose backyards have eroded into canals.
  • Happy hour pioneer closes: TGI Fridays shut down its location at 90 N. University Drive in Pembroke Pines, leaving only the Hollywood and Plantation locations open in Broward following the chain’s late 2024 bankruptcy filing.
  • Rescued pups adopted: Three dogs rescued in February from severe malnutrition and squalid conditions in an animal cruelty case have all found forever families, while their former owner faces 12 misdemeanor charges and an October trial.
  • Million-dollar parlay: A Broward County bettor turned a $30.11 wager into a nearly $2 million payout on a six-leg MLB home run parlay, the longest-odds seven-figure parlay payout in Hard Rock Bet history.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.