SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 2019 FACEBOOK.COM/MIAMIHERALD 25A MIAMIHERALD.COM TWITTER.COM/MIAMIHERALD Local & State MIAMI COMMISSION New Miami commissioner sworn in during busy DAVID SANTIAGO el Nuevo Herald A trolley on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. New routes have been launched in recent years through Little time for city Haiti and Liberty City. annual music festival that elected commissioners at the differences in income BY JOEY FLECHAS wants to make the the soonest opportunity to we have,” he said. [email protected] downtown waterfront its ensure smooth transitions After taking the oath of home, over neighbors’ in district offices. A larger office Wednesday, Diaz de In Miami, one vote on objections. ceremony for Diaz de la la Portilla told the Miami the City Commission can Five commissioners Portilla will be held in early Herald that he’d met with CARL JUSTE [email protected] make a difference in your representing different December to mark the multiple commissioners, Yesenia Alvarenga holds son Jayden Esparza, whose daily life. districts make decisions on occasion. His first commis- Mayor Francis Suarez and eye cancer has spread to his bones and brain. One vote can affect the these matters, and one of sion meeting is Dec. 12. City Manager Emilio Gon- Alvarenga is suing Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. price you pay to park in them is a City Hall newbie Outgoing commissioner zalez to discuss the state of front of a restaurant in with more than a decade of Wifredo “Willy” Gort, the city. He said one of his Allapattah, a gallery in the political experience in attended his last meeting priorities is to lobby for CANCER Design District, or a bode- Tallahassee. Former state Nov. 21. state dollars to flow to City ga in Little Haiti. One vote senator Alex Diaz de la Gort said he planned to Hall — an objective he said can change your property Portilla was recently meet with Diaz de la Portil- he’ll personally pursue Eye specialist tax bill, decide the size of elected to represent la after Thanksgiving to during a planned trip to the new building going up District 1, which includes discuss handing off district Tallahassee during the on your street, and Allapattah, Grapeland projects that started under Legislature’s final week of sued again over determine the hours your Heights, Flagami and the Gort’s watch. After hitting committee meetings in local public pool is open — Health District around the gavel to end the final December. Citing a friend- and whether that pool is Jackson Memorial Hospi- commission meeting of his ship with Senate President treatment for open at all. tal. He could hold a pow- political career, he compli- Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, One vote can also shape erful deciding vote on a mented the other commis- Diaz de la Portilla said he’s the future of large-scale, bevy of high-profile issues. sioners while emphasizing in a good position to vouch retinoblastoma controversial issues, from a Diaz de la Portilla was that Miami’s biggest chal- for Miami. proposed massive officially sworn in Wednes- lenge is addressing the “Between the city and redevelopment of the city’s day in a brief gathering of wide disparity between the the state, we need to Ziad Khatib, alleging only golf course into a family and friends at City city’s haves and have-nots. bridge that gap,” he said. BY BEN CONARCK malpractice in the treat- commercial and soccer Hall. The city clerk’s office “I think this city has a [email protected] ment of her son, Jayden, stadium complex to an usually swears in newly long way to go because of SEE MIAMI, 26A 6, whose treatment for It was spring 2016 metastasized cancer when Yesenia Alvarenga continues as he strug- said she first met anoth- gles to complete the first er mother whose child grade. had an eye cancer called It was the third such retinoblastoma and was suit filed by parents in also a patient of Dr. similar cases. The pre- Timothy Murray at vious lawsuits were filed Nicklaus Children’s last year and have not Hospital in Miami. yet been resolved. All of At the hospital that the families share the day, the other mother same attorney. told Alvarenga some- Alvarenga, like the thing startling about others, said she was their sons’ doctor. “He advised by Murray not messed up,” Alvarenga to remove her child’s recalled the woman cancerous eye and to telling her. “You need a opt for chemotherapy new ophthalmologist.” and localized laser treat- A few months later, ments instead. In all that woman’s child, three cases, the cancers Damian Creed, was then spread. dead, along with “We put our trust in another child treated by these doctors and they Murray. Their used our kids like guinea retinoblastoma, a rare pigs,” Alvarenga said. and aggressive eye can- “It’s not fair to our cer that usually occurs kids.” in kids younger than 5, Murray has been had metastasized. treating the disease Last week, Alvarenga since 1991. It was filed suit against Mur- around that time, he JONATHAN MARTELL City of Miami ray, Nicklaus Children’s Alex Diaz la Portilla, right, signs the oath of office after being sworn in as Miami’s newest city commissioner on and neuro-oncologist SEE EYE, 28A Wednesday. He will represent District 1 on the commission. COCONUT GROVE Opponents line up against proposed Carrollton boys school there, but he could have. BY LINDA ROBERTSON The romance of the place [email protected] has made it a popular ven- ue for weddings and par- Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart Another conflict over ties. Rendering shows the facade of Carrollton School’s proposed new two-story elementary school for boys on the site now new construction is in- The all-girls Carrollton occupied by Villa Woodbine in Coconut Grove. The estate’s original house would be restored and used for staff offices tensifying in Coconut School of the Sacred Heart and records storage. Grove, which may be sup- has a contract to buy the planting downtown as the 3.7-acre property, valued at crane capital of Miami. $8-10 million, and is seek- situated around three sides mi’s vintage treasures. wife, oldest daughter and bayfront sister school for Residents who have ing city approval to place of the villa, which would “This idea reminds me sisters-in-law are proud pre-K to 12th grade stu- watched the old Grove’s an elementary school for contain staff offices. of the attempt to build a Carrollton alumni. dents at 3745 and 3747 tree canopy and charm 336 boys on the site, which Opponents say a school condo around the Freedom “Carrollton has great Main Highway. Carrollton disappear have mounted a is located across from Ken- simply does not belong Tower. If the city allows intent and great stew- hired architect Richard campaign to stop the Car- nedy Park between South there. They have launched this precedent, then 20 ardship. I totally support — Heisenbottle, known for rollton School’s plan to Bayshore Drive and Tiger- a petition drive, created a years from now, Carrollton and I’m Jewish — all of his work on historic preser- build an all-boys school at tail Avenue. website and blanketed the will add a boys high school Carrollton’s goals except vation projects, to design Villa Woodbine, the histor- The campus would in- neighborhood with yellow at Vizcaya,” said Isaac for one thing — location,” the boys school and reno- ic Walter DeGarmo-de- clude a two-story, 47,129- “Stop Grove Gridlock” Kodsi, who owns a 110- Kodsi said. “Why here? vate the villa, currently the signed mansion that offers square foot school, 9,498- signs urging Carrollton to year-old house built by Wake up, Miami. How base of operations for Bill gorgeous views of Biscayne square-foot auditorium, expand elsewhere and Grove pioneer John Pea- much more change can we Hansen’s catering compa- Bay from its oak-shaded covered walkways, swim- warning of the detrimental cock next to Villa Wood- take before we destroy ny. Carrollton has been front lawn atop Silver ming pool, faculty resi- effects on traffic flow, bine. He also has a daugh- what makes this Miami?” praised for its careful resto- Bluff. dence, maintenance shop, nearby homes, the envi- ter and nieces who are Carrollton chose the site Jay Gatsby never lived parking area and gatehouse ronment and one of Mia- Carrollton students. His to be in proximity to its SEE GROVE, 26A 26A SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 2019 Local & State MIAMIHERALD.COM FROM PAGE 25A Miami’s elected Lauderdale, but the owners missioners approved Ul- FROM PAGE 25A Bayshore Drive. Also, tree commissioners should be of the Major League Soccer tra’s return, the commis- removal plans will elim- eligible to receive pensions franchise are pursuing sion or Ultra would have inate the benefits of an MIAMI funded by the city’s tax- construction of Miami the right to back out of the GROVE urban green space. Green payers and ratepayers has Freedom Park, a complex arrangement after the spaces have been recog- Galvano is expected to lingered since the summer, that includes a 25,000- conclusion of each year’s ration of El Jardin and nized for enhancing the travel to Miami for Diaz de when Commissioner Keon seat stadium that would festival. A group of down- other old buildings on its health and well-being of la Portilla’s ceremonial Hardemon sponsored an host home games, retail town neighbors have ratch- main campus. people living in cities by swearing-in at 1 p.m.