As Miami-Dade County moves forward with its $12.6 billion plan to fix the aging water and sewer collection system, Federal Chief Judge Frederico Moreno yesterday awarded a significant victory to the Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper, an environmental group that claims the county proposal does not address sea-level rises and catastrophic storm surge during a major hurricane. Moreno ruled the Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper will be a plaintiff in a lawsuit brought against Miami-Dade by the state and federal environmental protection agencies, as well as the Department of Justice.

The state and federal entities sued Miami-Dade late last year, alleging the county is in violation of the federal Clean Water Act by failing to repair and replace water and sewer plants and thousands of miles of pipes for decades; in some cases as much as half-a-century.

See also:
- Environmentalists Sue to Block $1.5 Billion Plan to Fix Miami's Sewers

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Remember when you got popped with that red light camera ticket last month and then ranted to anyone who'd listen about how it was all a giant conspiracy? "The yellow is too short!" you shrieked, waving your ticket in the air as everyone laughed. "They did it on purpose!"

Well, you don't look so crazy this morning. A Tampa TV station has found that FDOT subtly reworded state law two years ago to give cities wiggle room to shorten their yellow lights -- all so they could catch more drivers in red light camera traps.

See also:
- Non-Lawyer Bob Sherin Fights Red-Light Camera Tickets

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When the House spiked a bill two weeks ago to let the Miami Dolphins raise bed taxes to fund a stadium renovation, team owner Stephen Ross went ballastic, lashing out at Speaker Will Weatherford for taking away Miami voters' chance to have a say on the project.

He shouldn't have bothered. Results released from early voting before the referendum was canceled in Tallahassee show Dade voters roundly defeating the renovation deal.

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On May 2, Sonny Hoffer was walking his miniature dachshund Lulubelle along Collins Avenue when he spotted a giant, growling German shepherd on the sidewalk. Oh look, he thought to himself. This dog thinks Lulubelle is his dinner. Hoffer was right. An instant later, the 100-pound shepherd had the wiener dog in a death grip. "He was shaking her back and forth in his mouth like Cujo," Hoffer says.

Lulubelle barely survived, but Hoffer's ordeal was just beginning. He shelled out $2,000 to save his dog, but he says Florida's antiquated animal rights laws have prevented him from suing the German shepherd's owner. "In Florida, household pets are treated like chattel," he says. "Our animal rights laws are medieval."

(Graphic images after the jump.)

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Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is no stranger to fashion provocation, but gauging by the reaction from his stroll into Chicago's United Center last night in a tailored Gucci suit that featured ankle-flashing capri pants, you would have assumed he'd shown up in a rainbow Speedo and glittery suspenders. From Shaq's on-air a cappella version of "Karma Chameleon" to online commenters lamenting the "feminization" of NBA player, the online reaction was swift and heaping with complaints about boring things like the state of masculinity.

Personally, I'm not so much a fan of the man capri look, but, to paraphrase Evelyn Beatrice Hall, I may not agree with your look, but I defend to the death your right to wear it.

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Today's photo of the day is from Jjjonathon's Flickr. If you'd like to see your photo here join our Flickr group here.

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Generally, honeymoons should be sex-filled jaunts, but the general rule is that the sex should be with your new spouse, and not, say, an Orlando-area prostitute you met online. Especially when your new spouse doesn't know about it.

A 21-year-old man named Mohammed Ahmed was charged with solicitation of prostitution after he snuck away from his wife to try and commit such an act.

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How badly are Republican's efforts to win over Hispanic voters in Florida going? Well, the man once in charge of the effort announced that he's quit the party and is now a registered Democrat.

Pablo Pantoja, the former State Director of Florida Hispanic Outreach for the Republican National Committee, announced in a letter published on Florida Nation that he decided to make the switch after the Heritage Foundation (a powerful conservative think tank run, incidentally, by Marco Rubio's political mentor Jim DeMint) published a controversial report last week on immigration reform.

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Photo by Francisco Alvarado

Eugene "Jobie" Steppe, right, and his business associate Manny Garcia

A white '80s Dodge Ram work van idles near the public boat ramp at Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove. The ride has no windows, giving it a Silence of the Lambs vibe. Strapped to the roof is a crude homemade sign that owner Eugene "Jobie" Steppe stenciled with a striking advertisement: "FULL BODY BURIAL AT SEA... $500."

If you live in Miami and are well connected on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, chances are you've seen a photo of Steppe's ride, which went viral last month under the hashtag #thatssomiami. After all, where else in the United States would you get such a bargain to send your dead loved one off Dexter-style? Hundreds of commenters wondered the same thing as Miami attorney Luis Gazitua, who tweeted, "I can only imagine how many health codes, Florida statutes, and maritime laws this guy is violating."

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First, the Miami Marlins duped their way to a deal that will eventually cost taxpayers $1 billion for a new ballpark. That's panned out about as well as early stock investments in Hindenberg, Inc. Then the Dolphins tried their hand with a campaign to get more than $200 million for Sun Life Stadium renovations. Those plans exploded up in Tally like a hydrogen-filled zeppelin.

Now the Florida Panthers want in on the public handout game. They're asking for $4.2 million to buy a new high-def scoreboard.

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John Raimondo following his 1996 arrest for his role in the Sun Gym Gang caper.

John Raimondo is a bit player in the 1999 epic three-part Miami New Times series "Pain & Gain," which blockbuster Hollywood director Michael Bay turned into a passion project that hit theaters over two weeks ago. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the film recounts the absurd dark tale of the Sun Gym Gang, a group of sadistic bodybuilders who kidnapped and tortured wealthy victims to steal their assets during a crime spree between 1994 and 1995. Two of the victims, Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton, ended up dead, their bodies hacked to pieces and dumped in the Everglades. In the story, Raimondo is identified as an accomplice who initially agreed to help Sun Gym Gang members Daniel Lugo and Adrian Doorbal dispose of Griga and Furton.

Following the film's debut, Raimondo contacted New Times to tell his side, becoming the first person implicated in the Sun Gym caper to talk about the gang's grisly crimes.

See also:
- Pain & Gain: Where the Real-Life Sun Gym Gang Characters Are Now
- Pain & Gain: From New Times Story to Michael Bay Film

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You make the Miami Heat angry, you deal with the repercussions. The Miami Heat came to Chicago looking to take back home court advantage, and now they're leaving with a sweep of the two games and a chance to finish the series back in Miami on Wednesday. Miami easily handled Chicago in Game 4 88-65 Monday, smothering the Bulls with relentless defense all game long.

LeBron James led the way with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Chris Bosh continued his hot shooting, going 7-10 from the floor to finish with 14 points. The pair's solid performances made up for what again looked like a banged up Dwyane Wade, who finished with just six points on three of ten shooting.

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Anna Pierre has apparently picked up the biggest political endorsement ever in her quest to become mayor of North Miami. She claims that she has the backing of none other than Jesus Christ himself, and is trumpeting the endorsement in campaign material.

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Florida's new law aimed at cracking down on maquinitas and other forms of computerized pseudo-gambling found at so-called "Internet cafes" is so far-reaching it actually outlawed several games found at places like Chuck E. Cheese and Dave & Buster's. However local authorities aren't so keen on enforcing the law at those chain restaurants.

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The Miami Marlins can't seem to win much of anything lately. Not even an omelet-eating contest.

While the team was in San Diego last week, reliever A.J. Ramos walked into the Broken Yoke Café and decided to try the restaurant's "Iron Man Challenge." Contestants are tasked with eating a meal featuring a giant omelet and all the trimmings in one hour. Winners get the meal for free and their picture on the wall.

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A 12-year-old boy in Miami Beach might have been the happiest person ever to spot Jehovah's Witnesses. They found him tied to a pole after his dad decided to try out some unorthodox parenting techniques and left him there while he went shopping.

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via Dino Ghilotti's Facebook page

On Friday, Dino Ghilotti's friends and family gathered in Coral Gables to watch him walk the stage at the University of Miami's graduation. Today, they'll gather again at a Coral Gables church to mourn at his funeral ceremony.

Ghilotti was killed early Sunday morning in a two-car accident a few blocks from campus.

Update: Police have identified the driver of Ghilotti's car as Allison Meyer and the other driver as Rosalia Prado.

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via @Eve420oz 's Twitter

Sure, the Florida legislature may have taken a step back on pot laws in the Sunshine State by tightening rules for selling bongs and voting down a medical marijuana initiative. But in Orlando, at least, a road sign yesterday advised drivers to behave more like residents in progressive locales like Colorado and Washington.

Specifically, drivers were asked to "Smoke Weed Erryday."

See also:
-- Was the "No Latinos. No Tacos." Sign Not Really Racist at All?

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Via twitter.com/sneakerheaderic

SpaceGhostPurrp is detained after a fight at the Fillmore last November

Eric Rowe had a bad feeling. It was the night of November 8, and the bulky bodyguard had been hired to protect A$AP Rocky during his concert at the Fillmore Miami Beach. All day, the rapper had been receiving threatening tweets from supporters of his local rival, SpaceGhostPurpp. During the concert, Purpp's crew began shouting at the stage. Rowe, an Army veteran, advised off-duty Miami Beach police officers to clear a path to Rocky's tour bus.

But when Rowe and his crew tried taking Rocky out the back door, Purpp's crew jumped the gate. Fists flew. Then came the gunshots -- crack, crack, crack. By the time cops secured the scene, the shooter was gone. The crowd had fled. So whom did officers arrest?

"The cops were on the ground, hiding, while my guys stood over them, protecting them," Rowe claims. "We're supposed to be on the same side. Instead, we got thrown into jail."

See also:
- SpaceGhostPurrp Arrested After Beefing With A$AP Rocky and the Mob on Miami Beach

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