26 June 26 – July 2, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES B E S T º F M I A M I ® 2 0 2 5 when it’s time to unplug. The Cuban Heritage Collection and Kislak Center offer rare gems for research and reflection, while the Data and Visualization Services make even the messiest stats look good. Need help writing that term paper, decoding research methods, or troubleshooting tech? The Writing Center, Student Tech Help Desk, and Academic Enhancement crew are right there with you, all under one roof. Richter isn’t just a library, it’s a launchpad and a legacy. BEST BOOK BY A LOCAL AUTHOR Comanche P.I. By Pedro Medina Leon, translated by Abel Folgar jitneybooks.com/books/comanche-p-i Inspired by great Miami noir scribes like John D. MacDonald and Charles Willeford, Pedro Medina Leon’s novel, Comanche P.I., is a Latino look at the genre. It shows parts of the city those gringo forbearers could never step foot. This is actually the fourth volume of the Co- manche character’s adventures, but it’s the first one translated into English — by Miami New Times contributor Abel Folgar. The prose pops as Peruvian-born author Leon descends both Comanche and readers into all sorts of Miami underbellies, seeking out truth and justice in a city not necessarily known for either. The plot around a dead body found on the Venetian Causeway allows Medina Leon to explore mo- tive, character, and a geography of a South Flor- ida that’s underrepresented in popular culture. BEST LITERARY PERIODICAL SWWIM Every Day swwim.org Local poet and longtime New Times food writer Jen Karetnick and fellow Miami poet and writer Catherine Esposito Prescott co- founded SWWIM — or, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing, Supporting Women Writers in Miami — to bring the poems of “women-identifying writers and all gender- expansive definitions of that term” based in South Florida into the sunshine. With online poetry journal SWWIM Every Day, they do what the title promises. Each day, editors publish a poem that celebrates the words of women. You can swim through their archives and find a poem for any day all the way back to October 2017. If you manage to get through them all, don’t be sad, there’ll be a new poem waiting for you tomorrow. And if you want to see what SWWIM can do live, head to its reg- ular reading series at the Betsy Hotel. BEST HERALD REPORTER Aaron Leibowitz x.com/aaron_leib If something’s going down in Miami Beach — and let’s be real, there’s never a dull moment — chances are Aaron Leibowitz is already on it. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School’s Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Leibowitz has been covering Mi- ami Beach for the Miami Herald since 2019, earning a reputation over the years as a dogged watchdog of local government she- nanigans. He’s covered everything from Mi- ami Beach’s long history of Spring Break crackdowns to the contested redevelopment of the Surfside collapse site to the recent con- troversy surrounding O Cinema’s screening of No Other Land. In 2022, he was part of the team of reporters who won a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Surfside condo collapse. Amid the bleak state of journalism [gestures widely], Leibowitz continues to show why quality local journalism matters –– by hold- ing local officials accountable and keeping a watchful eye on city hall, even on the slow news days. BEST HERALD PHOTOGRAPHER Pedro Portal pedroportal.com Pedro Portal isn’t just a photographer — he’s Miami’s visual storyteller-in-chief. As a staff photojournalist for the Miami Herald, Pedro’s lens captures everything from the raw heart- break of homelessness near Jackson Memo- rial to the high drama of political showdowns, Chinese migrants arriving in search of a new life, and even neighborly feuds with a touch of telenovela flair. His secret sauce? A sharp eye for storytelling, a rock-solid news sense, and the rare ability to make people feel seen, not just photographed. Whether he’s racing to meet a deadline or quietly documenting a delicate moment, Pedro always brings empa- thy, integrity, and a dash of laid-back charm. Just ask anyone he’s covered, he’s as respect- ful as he is talented. BEST TV NEWS REPORTER Hannah Yechivi Local 10 News instagram.com/hannahyechivitv If you haven’t been keeping up with Local 10 News, then there are a lot of new changes you should know about (and no, we don’t just mean its bombshell departure from ABC). We mean rising talent Hannah Yechivi — a new reporter who joined the Pembroke Park station almost one year ago. Despite being a new addition to WPLG, she’s already making waves by covering some of the biggest stories in a crazy news cycle, from the January midair crash in Washington, D.C. to breaking a tragic triple murder in Tamarac. Yechivi, who worked at NBC News Center in Maine prior to joining Local 10, is always extremely prepared, concise in her reporting, and even downright creative on more fun assignments like this year’s Miami Marathon. She also brings some serious clout along with her, notably becoming a two-time Edward R. Murrow Award winner and four-time Emmy-nominated news reporter. Regardless of whether you’re checking out local TV news these days, she’s one to watch. BEST TV NEWS ANCHOR Calvin Hughes Local 10 News instagram.com/calvinwplg There’s something so reassuring about seeing a face you can trust on the regular old TV. Ohio native and eight-time Emmy Award-winner Calvin Hughes has been a Miami newsroom anchor on Local 10 for more than fifteen years. So by now, his is a trusted face and a trusted talent. A globetrotting reporter, he’s not going to Anytown, USA, to cover a pageant. No, Hughes covers the hard beats from Cuban politics and reporting live from Haiti, where he once interviewed Martine Moïse, the widow of the assassinated Haitian president Jovenel Moïse. But Hughes can also grace the camera with a chuckle and smile, making this local father a comforting figure on the small screen. BEST METEOROLOGIST John Morales NBC 6 instagram.com/johnmoralestv Meteorologist John Morales has gone viral more than once, for bravely speaking up about climate change and the recent devas- tating federal cuts to the National Weather Service. After 40 years of broadcasting, the meteorologist has been semi-retired since 2022, returning each June through Novem- ber as NBC 6’s Hurricane Specialist. He first went viral last October when the typi- cally cool-headed weatherman became emotional during an on-air report about Hurricane Milton’s explosive intensifi- cation in the Gulf of Mexico. “The seas are just so incredibly, in- credibly hot,” he said, chok- ing back tears. “You know what’s driving that. I don’t need to tell you: global warming, climate change.” The stark warning, from a figure who’s been known as the antithesis of alarmist since his days on Univision, struck a nerve. In a recent viral stand, he blasted DOGE cuts that decimated climate agencies sharing that he wouldn’t be able to accurately predict this hurricane season. He’s the best because he continues to use his platform to drive home the very real consequences of political ac- tion — and inaction. BEST PODCAST Terror on the Air soundcloud.com/terrorontheair There’s certainly a plethora of true crime podcasts, but for fans of fictional crimes, it’s slim pickings in the world of podcasts. Until you get a listen of Terror on the Air. The brainchild of Travis Roig, Terror on The Air is inspired by the old-time murder mystery ra- dio shows of yesteryear. Roig casts South Florida thespians and voice actors to play the parts he lovingly scripts and records in his North Bay Village studio. Each episode is thoughtfully plotted out and comes complete with chilling sound effects that would make Orson Welles and his early-20th-century ra- dio play contemporaries proud. There are nine episodes currently available on Sound- Cloud, Spotify, and YouTube with a season two coming down the pipeline. BEST RADIO STATION WRGP The Roar FIU 95.3 FM, 96.9 FM, 88.1 FM panthernow.com/theroar Keeping with the college tradition of im- proving local radio, FIU’s official radio sta- tion, the Roar broadcasts a creative aural variety of tunes 24-7. WRGP has been stu- dent run and operated since 1988, but it has reached wider audiences thanks to the inter- net. You can always hear the livestream crys- tal clear on the website, but the reception isn’t always the greatest if you’re driving around. The station changes near each cam- pus from 95.3 in Miami to 96.9 in North Mi- ami to 88.1 in the Kendall and Homestead area. But it’s worth the fuzzy moments to en- joy a real range of tunes and genres from neo-soul to bedroom pop to electronic beats to old school blues. So put your paws up and use them to tune into The Roar. BEST MUSIC RADIO PERSONALITY Stichiz 103.5 The Beat instagram.com/stichiz Known as the “Mid Day Bae” on 103.5 The Beat, multilingual, multi-hyphenate radio host Stichiz brings her infectious energy and signature “Stichzophrenic” style to the midday segment, a technique rooted in her early days as a hip-hop artist. The definition of when “prepara- tion meets opportunity,” she rose from a promotions co- ordinator at Y100 to become a trailblazer across multiple iHeartRadio stations coun- trywide. She also made history as the first woman to be the offi- cial imaging voice for Rogers SportsNet in Canada, which is fitting since she was born in the country to Haitian par- ents. Stichiz weaves her heritage into every- thing she does, from her community-oriented Haitian Greatness series to uplifting Creole- English songs. A passionate youth advocate, she leads initiatives like the MLK Teen Sum- mit and “Express Yourself” Teen Open Mic, a free open mic where teenagers can perform and learn from industry professionals. She also portrays the beauty of diversity in her Amazon best-selling children’s book series, Tu Es Belle: You Are Beautiful: Abby’s Great Day. With unmatched talent and purpose, she pushes culture forward all while keeping South Florida informed and entertained. host Stichiz brings her infectious energy and signature “Stichzophrenic” style to the midday segment, a technique rooted in her early days as a hip-hop artist. The definition of when “prepara- tion meets opportunity,” she ordinator at Y100 to become
