Saving the Grove

In a era when examples of courage and decency in our political leaders are so rare, the recent actions taken by Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell to protect the beauty and character of the South Grove stands out starkly against the morass of incompetence and sleaze so widespread in local government.

He has unraveled the mystery of how developers were given permits to destroy the Grove’s charming homes, rip out beautiful old trees and fill previously forested lots with huge concrete boxes in contradiction of established zoning codes. Money and cronyism. The usual.

Thanks to his accusations Thursday at the hearing for the plotting of Battersea Woods, the cat is out of the bag and residents of this unique Miami neighborhood may see an end to the demolition of its heritage and character. Bravo, Ken!

This story was originally published September 10, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Saving the Grove."