"Ira Leesfield"

Published on: August 19, 2025

Surviving Fort Lauderdale Personal Watercraft Victim in Stable Condition, officials say.

One of two sisters involved in an Aug. 12 fatal personal watercraft crash in Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal Waterway is reportedly in stable condition, according to reporting from local news outlets.

Aviva Bracha Nisanov, 16, of New York, was rushed to Broward Medical Center in critical condition following the crash that killed her sister, 13-year-old Rachel Aliza Nisanov. The two with their parents, Rebbitzin Ora Nisanov and Rabbi Shlomo Nisanov, while the family was vacationing from their home in New York.

The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. near the 2800 block of Northeast 24th Court when the two crashed into a concrete dock.

Published on: August 18, 2025

Here’s How a Boat Scheduled to be Sunk Got Stuck Under a Florida Bridge. What to know about safety on the water.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 24-year-old diving boat scheduled to be purposefully sunk for use as a coral reef held on a bit longer after it got stuck under a bridge in the Florida Panhandle.

The 75-foot vessel, a diving boat named the Nekton Rorqual, was being towed by a tugboat beneath the William T. Marler Bridge, a four-lane bridge in Destin, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. Photos shared online of the vessel made it appear as though it were a perfect fit between the bridge pylons and commenters online drew comparisons to parallel parking. Officials said that as the boat was being towed, it got caught in the current, causing it to get stuck.

Officials reported no evidence of damage caused by the boat following the ordeal. It took about 15 minutes to maneuver the boat out from under the bridge. Authorities temporarily blocked traffic during this time while tugboat operators below attempted to free the vessel.

Published on: August 18, 2025

Fire at North Miami Beach High-Rise Apartment Over the Weekend. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Firefighters put out a blaze at a high-rise in North Miami Beach that caught fire overnight Saturday, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Emergency responders were called out to the area just before 7 p.m. Friday after getting reports that a 10-story apartment building near the 3700 block of Northeast 166th Street had caught fire. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from an apartment on the sixth floor and evacuated everyone inside. The fire did not spread to nearby units.

At least three people were treated at the scene by paramedics but did not require transport to a nearby hospital. One resident told reporters that she noticed debris falling onto her balcony. She ran from her apartment and knocked on the doors of her neighbors to alert them before fleeing the building.

Published on: August 18, 2025

Minor Facing Charges After Deadly Dirt-Bike Crash on Rickenbacker Causeway.

By Leesfield & Partners

A minor is facing criminal charges after a 54-year-old bicyclist was killed in a crash on Friday night, according to Miami police.

The crash happened on the Rickenbacker Causeway, the bridge connecting the island of Key Biscayne to the mainland, around 8:20 p.m. The bicyclist who was killed was identified in reporting from The Miami Herald as Fabian Moses.

Both Moses and the minor were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment. Moses later died from his injuries, and the minor was treated for facial injuries.

Published on: August 13, 2025

Child in Critical Condition Following Near-Drowning in Pembroke Pines, officials say

By Leesfield & Partners

A child remains in critical condition after being pulled from a pool Monday in Pembroke Pines, officials say.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. at a home near Southwest 69th Avenue and 12th Street. When emergency responders arrived, they found a 3-year-old had been pulled from the pool in cardiac arrest, according to local media reporting.

The child remains in critical condition and no names have been released.

Published on: August 13, 2025

Cops Bust ‘E-bike Street Takeover’ in Port St. Lucie. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Officers from the Port St. Lucie Police Department say that approximately 50 people came to town for a planned “street takeover” in the area, with some even traveling from Palm Beach and Tampa.

When the “lawless” brigade arrived, however, officers were ready to greet them.

The incident happened over the weekend after police discovered chatter online about a planned meetup near SW Village Parkway and SW Crosstown Parkway. Those who showed up included both minors and adults.

Published on: August 8, 2025

Iconic Miami Beach Landmark to Open Water Park. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, which has largely been credited with altering the landscape of luxury hospitality in the area and was once the playground for elites including Elvis Presley, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra, has recently announced plans to build a water park on the iconic property.

The home of LIV, one of the top nightclubs in the country that has been the stage for some of the most-famous performers in the industry, is seemingly using the planned construction of a water park to beckon to new clientele: families with children. The park will include 11 slides to the hotel’s pool area, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

In a statement to the newspaper, hotel officials said the move will transform the property into ” … a destination for all-ages, with all-new pools and water features, family attractions and slides, food and beverage offerings, and elevated poolside entertainment.”

Published on: August 7, 2025

This University in South Miami is Banning E-Bikes. Here’s Why.

By Leesfield & Partners

Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has been an outspoken advocate for regulating the use of E-bikes and E-scooters throughout communities and now, years later, officials are heeding his warning.

The University of Miami recently announced a plan to tighten restrictions on personal mobility devices on campus. E-bikes and E-scooters will be banned from sidewalks, breezeways, the Foote Green and other pedestrian areas starting Tuesday, Aug. 19. Undergraduate classes for the fall 2025 semester are scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18, according to the university’s online calendar.

The move at the University of Miami was made to tighten these restrictions are a part of a safety campaign started by the school’s Parking and Transportation Department after a “growing number” of pedestrian collisions, blocked emergency routes and battery fires, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The issues with student drivers flagged in the article — riders distracted by cellphones, blaring music and zooming through pedestrian areas — are all concerns raised by Mr. Leesfield when he first warned against their use in 2019.

Published on: August 7, 2025

Miami Pilot Dies in Indiana Crash Last Week, officials say. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A renowned pilot from Miami who was the 10^th woman to fly solo around the world in 2024 died in a crash in Indiana on July 30 while trying to repeat the journey, CBS News reported Wednesday.

Anh-Thu Nguyen, 44, died in Greenwood, Indiana, while attempting to circumnavigate the world in her Lancair IB-P named “Amelia.” In 2024, she secured the title as the 10^th woman to circumnavigate the world, making 25 stops all over the globe. Before her death, she had logged over 4,000 flight hours, served as a commercial pilot, and flew for companies such as Amazon, Boeing, Bombardier and Gulfstream.

The crash happened just before 11 a.m. when her plane began making several “strange aerial maneuvers,” according to media reporting. Later, the plane nose-dived into a grassy area about a mile southeast of the Indy South Greenwood Airport. The plane went down just a few feet behind a gas station. She was the only person on the plane at the time of the crash.

Published on: August 5, 2025

Leesfield & Partners Representing Family of Girl, 7, Injured in Miami Beach Deadly Sailboat Crash.

By Leesfield & Partners

Leesfield & Partners is representing 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber and her family following the devastating sailboat crash that killed three other minors in Miami Beach.

“My heart goes out to the families of those involved in this most tragic incident,” said Partner Justin B. Shapiro. “Very few details have been shared with the public, and it is too early to cast blame on any particular individual or entity. Regardless, it is absolutely clear this is an incident that cannot happen in the absence of negligence, incompetence, or both.”

Calena’s parents, Karina Gruber Moreno and Enrique Areyan Viqueira, issued a statement Monday to local media asking for privacy following her release from the hospital.