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Miami airport workers allege wage theft, ask for pay protections

Airport workers rallied Monday for pay protections.

Transit

Cargo workers at Miami International Airport on Monday announced wage-theft complaints against their employer while joining fellow airport workers to demand living wages.The big picture: MIA is one of Florida&#x27;s largest economic engines, generating <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$212 billion" data-vars-click-url="https://news.miami-airport.com/mias-economic-impact-reaches-new-record-of-212-billion/" data-vars-content-id="66738e12-76f9-466a-bef5-3707280240dc" data-vars-headline="Miami airport workers allege wage theft, ask for pay protections" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.miami-airport.com/mias-economic-impact-reaches-new-record-of-212-billion/" target="_blank">$212 billion</a> in statewide business revenue. It&#x27;s also the busiest cargo airport in the U.S.

Where Miami-Dade officials stand on Florida's property tax referendum

Politics

Miami&#x27;s local elected officials are split on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Amendment 3" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/08/14/inside-the-florida-property-tax-amendments-court-ordered-rewrite" data-vars-content-id="45f87014-b9fc-496c-847f-890b0ed52bc3" data-vars-headline="Where Miami-Dade officials stand on Florida&#x27;s property tax referendum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/08/14/inside-the-florida-property-tax-amendments-court-ordered-rewrite" target="_self">Amendment 3</a>, the ballot measure that would increase the homestead exemption and drastically reduce property taxes across the state.Why it matters: If approved by voters, the measure would bring relief to homeowners&#x27; tax bills — but would <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cost local governments billions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.floridapolicy.org/posts/voter-guide-what-floridians-should-know-about-amendment-3" data-vars-content-id="45f87014-b9fc-496c-847f-890b0ed52bc3" data-vars-headline="Where Miami-Dade officials stand on Florida&#x27;s property tax referendum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.floridapolicy.org/posts/voter-guide-what-floridians-should-know-about-amendment-3" target="_blank">cost local governments billions</a>.<ul><li>Supporters argue the measure would force local governments to tighten spending, while opponents say it will leave them scrambling to maintain necessary services.</li></ul>

Miami Heat embrace Grand Theft Auto with "Vice City" jerseys

The Heat are hosting a Grand Theft Auto-themed night during their Nov. 18 game.

Sports

The Miami Heat are going all out for the release of &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Grand Theft Auto VI" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/09/17/grand-theft-auto-miami-vice-controversy-debate" data-vars-content-id="b6a1faa0-651f-42c3-ad98-6e48f62b7e40" data-vars-headline="Miami Heat embrace Grand Theft Auto with &quot;Vice City&quot; jerseys" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/09/17/grand-theft-auto-miami-vice-controversy-debate" target="_self">Grand Theft Auto VI</a>&quot; with a special-edition uniform and GTA-themed night at the Kaseya Center.Why it matters: The highly anticipated video game is set in a fictionalized version of Miami called Vice City — and the Heat are capitalizing on the global attention that will bring.

Report: Florida ranks second for school library book removals

Students across the state continue to report some of the country's lowest reading scores.

Education

Florida school districts banned more than 3,000 book titles during the 2025-26 school year, according to PEN America&#x27;s annual &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Index of School Book Bans" data-vars-click-url="https://pen.org/report/book-bans-spotlight-2026/" data-vars-content-id="6f448631-0a35-48fd-8c22-dd8bbac0e387" data-vars-headline="Report: Florida ranks second for school library book removals" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pen.org/report/book-bans-spotlight-2026/" target="_blank">Index of School Book Bans</a>.&quot;Why it matters: Florida in recent years has gained national attention for its continued effort to limit classroom discussions and for the number of book challenges across the state&#x27;s school districts.

Miami's pho options are limited. Phở Nam is the answer.

Things to Do

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Phở" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/phonam.mia/" data-vars-content-id="1de3ea60-59e1-4df4-be25-b6e89acbbf66" data-vars-headline="Miami&#x27;s pho options are limited. Phở Nam is the answer." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/phonam.mia/" target="_blank">Phở</a><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" Nam" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/phonam.mia/" data-vars-content-id="1de3ea60-59e1-4df4-be25-b6e89acbbf66" data-vars-headline="Miami&#x27;s pho options are limited. Phở Nam is the answer." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/phonam.mia/" target="_blank"> Nam</a> may be Miami&#x27;s best new restaurant.<ul><li>A bold statement, I know. I&#x27;m prepared to back it up.</li></ul>Why it matters: Miami&#x27;s pho options are notoriously limited. Phở Nam fills that gap.

Axios Social Club brings mystery dinners to Miami

Meet fellow locals over dinner at a restaurant we hand-picked.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios Social Club" data-vars-click-url="https://axiossocialclub.dnnr.io/" data-vars-content-id="8b0682d4-cee1-47ec-a208-1ddead9345c7" data-vars-headline="Axios Social Club brings mystery dinners to Miami" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://axiossocialclub.dnnr.io/" target="_blank">Axios Social Club</a> is bringing readers together for dinner in Miami&#x27;s Little River neighborhood on Tuesday, Oct. 6.Why it matters: Your city is full of interesting people you haven&#x27;t met yet. We&#x27;re making it easier to change that.

Storia will be your new go-to Italian restaurant 

Food and Drink

The first thing you&#x27;ll notice when walking into Storia, the new Italian restaurant in Upper Buena Vista, is the stained glass ceiling.<ul><li>The colorful panels beautifully contrast the industrial train station-like feel.</li></ul>Why it matters: The restaurant is from Andrea Fraquelli, who in 2024 opened Cotoletta and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="put the single-item menu" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/11/03/cotolleta-restaurant-is-opening-in-south-beach" data-vars-content-id="904428a6-1e5d-4842-9eb0-27807710ac68" data-vars-headline="Storia will be your new go-to Italian restaurant " data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/11/03/cotolleta-restaurant-is-opening-in-south-beach" target="_self">put the single-item menu</a> on the map, and his new hospitality group.

D.C. bagel shop Call Your Mother to open in Miami

The shop is set to open in early December.

Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana have long hoped to bring their Washington, D.C., bagel shop to Miami.<ul><li>Now, Call Your Mother, a &quot;Jew-ish&quot; bagel shop, is set to open its first Florida location in early December on Miracle Mile.</li></ul>Why it matters: Miami may be quietly having a bagel renaissance: Out-of-town names like <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="H&amp;H Bagels" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/04/21/hh-bagels-opens-in-miami-pinecrest" data-vars-content-id="45e252b6-04c6-431b-bc98-61a37510f024" data-vars-headline="D.C. bagel shop Call Your Mother to open in Miami" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/04/21/hh-bagels-opens-in-miami-pinecrest" target="_self">H&amp;H Bagels</a> have landed here, while smaller, local brands, like <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Neighborhood Bagels" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/neighborhoodbagels/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="45e252b6-04c6-431b-bc98-61a37510f024" data-vars-headline="D.C. bagel shop Call Your Mother to open in Miami" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/neighborhoodbagels/?hl=en" target="_blank">Neighborhood Bagels</a>, a weekly pop-up, have launched.

Mangrove Coffee & Matcha hopes to represent the real Miami

The coffee cart is at the Freehand Hotel.

When Bianca Drevensek set out to open her coffee concept, she wanted it to serve specialty grade coffee while also representing the real Miami — something that could only come to fruition here in the 305.Why it matters: The conversation about who gets to live and participate in this city has come into sharp focus in recent years, especially in the hospitality industry, as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="local restaurants close en masse" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/05/28/miami-restaurants-summer-slowdown-closures" data-vars-content-id="389eba3a-e87b-484f-9d7d-e0101dd6c550" data-vars-headline="Mangrove Coffee &amp; Matcha hopes to represent the real Miami" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/05/28/miami-restaurants-summer-slowdown-closures" target="_self">local restaurants close en masse</a> because of high rent.

The Alley is the perfect first stop for a cozy night out

The Alley skips the gimmicks of Ocean Drive.

Amid the chaos and flash that is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ocean Drive" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/02/07/ocean-drive-south-beach-reopen" data-vars-content-id="26fe21a4-5e1d-4813-9cd4-8933251f2337" data-vars-headline="The Alley is the perfect first stop for a cozy night out" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/02/07/ocean-drive-south-beach-reopen" target="_self">Ocean Drive</a>, The Betsy Hotel is a gimmick-free destination — and a perfect anchor for date night.The big picture: There&#x27;s The Alley, the aptly named trattoria-style pizzeria on the hotel&#x27;s backside, plus the Piano Bar, the city&#x27;s longest-running live music series in Miami Beach.

Restaurateurs are buying property to offset rising rents

Many closures are because of skyrocketing rent.

A growing number of restaurateurs are turning to property ownership to combat rising costs, the Real Deal reported.Why it matters: Countless Miami restaurants have <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="closed in recent months and years" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/05/28/miami-restaurants-summer-slowdown-closures" data-vars-content-id="640bac38-943c-4ab3-8101-54fcf4f017b4" data-vars-headline="Restaurateurs are buying property to offset rising rents" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/05/28/miami-restaurants-summer-slowdown-closures" target="_self">closed in recent months and years</a> — with many restaurant owners citing rising rent prices as a top factor.

Iconic South Beach bar Mac's Club Deuce turns 100

The bar is a local haven amid the flashy tourist traps and ultra-luxury hotels.

The smell of smoke envelops you the moment you step out of the bright, midday sunshine and into the all-black, neon-lit dive bar. <ul><li>It&#x27;s 11am, and about a dozen patrons fill the room. Some play billiards; others sit around the B-shaped bar, where the bartender pours a cafecito into the small cups meant for sharing.</li></ul>Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mac&#x27;s Club Deuce" data-vars-click-url="https://www.macsclubdeuce.com/" data-vars-content-id="b9af22b4-7ccd-4a99-8b19-5bbbe7e51891" data-vars-headline="Iconic South Beach bar Mac&#x27;s Club Deuce turns 100" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.macsclubdeuce.com/" target="_blank">Mac&#x27;s Club Deuce</a> is turning 100, and the city is coming together this weekend to celebrate the iconic South Beach bar.

How local restaurant owners redirect surplus food across South Florida

Miami-area Chick-fil-A restaurants have helped turn surplus food into more than 414,000 meals.

Partners

<div data-sponsor-disclosure="&quot;{&quot;logoUrl&quot;:&quot;https://images.axios.com/pkoc8lLxutAlN1saNssDe59N1Iw=/2026/08/28/1787939431284.jpg&quot;,&quot;headline&quot;:&quot;A message from: Chick-fil-A&quot;}&quot;"></div><div style="display:none"></div>Nearly 1 in 4 Miami-Dade County households rely on SNAP to help afford groceries, underscoring how widely food assistance supports families across the region.Local food organizations also face sustained demand, making the network of nonprofits and community partners that help residents access food especially important.The story: Hunger is a year-round challenge that requires ongoing support — but local businesses can play a practical role in strengthening that network.

A top-50 U.S. pizza spot in Miami? Our Francesco Martucci taste test

This recently opened restaurant already has a major accolade.

If you were to ask me what I want for dinner, nine times out of 10, I&#x27;ll tell you pizza.<ul><li>It&#x27;s nostalgic; there&#x27;s usually a great story; it&#x27;s a dish that&#x27;s meant to be shared.</li><li>Also, the trifecta: Warm bread, rich sauce and gooey cheese.</li></ul>Why it matters: I was recently invited to dine at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Francesco Martucci Miami" data-vars-click-url="https://www.martuccimiami.com/" data-vars-content-id="7299c800-3117-4ec3-9435-4d497acb4d85" data-vars-headline="A top-50 U.S. pizza spot in Miami? Our Francesco Martucci taste test" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.martuccimiami.com/" target="_blank">Francesco Martucci Miami</a>, which, just months after opening, was named the No. 5 pizza spot in the country for 2026 by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="50 Top Pizza rankings" data-vars-click-url="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.50toppizza.it/50-top-pizza-usa-2026/__;!!Al82Z4c!01YI3Tme_kkCoLJMRI8WgoN0N5ilrHB6NviLT12HX8531VxmdMf4QVQLgEDl2N2LsW4ZktLy_Vii-Gq3VfJH$" data-vars-content-id="7299c800-3117-4ec3-9435-4d497acb4d85" data-vars-headline="A top-50 U.S. pizza spot in Miami? Our Francesco Martucci taste test" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.50toppizza.it/50-top-pizza-usa-2026/__;!!Al82Z4c!01YI3Tme_kkCoLJMRI8WgoN0N5ilrHB6NviLT12HX8531VxmdMf4QVQLgEDl2N2LsW4ZktLy_Vii-Gq3VfJH$" target="_blank">50 Top Pizza rankings</a>, a respected guide.

Food and Drink 🍽

Miami's pho options are limited. Phở Nam is the answer.

Axios Social Club brings mystery dinners to Miami

Storia will be your new go-to Italian restaurant

D.C. bagel shop Call Your Mother to open in Miami

Mangrove Coffee & Matcha hopes to represent the real Miami