Who made the most news in Key Biscayne this year? 

It’s time to vote in KBI’s annual Newsmaker of the Year. Both the editors and readers will make their choice.

We have looked at some of the biggest stories and issues in and around Key Biscayne to compile this list of finalists. Like TIME Magazine, a person need not be a single individual — nor need it be a human being. 

Our list of nominees includes figures who have been at the center of the news, both positive and negative. Editors will be looking at the impact of individuals on the island.

We will publish both the editor’s choice — and the reader’s choice on Dec. 30th.

We are using TIME’s criteria — “The person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year.” But of course, you’re free to use your own standard. And, please leave a comment in support of your choice if you like.

In previous years, we called this “Person” of the year, but we are making a change going forward to “Newsmaker” instead. This is more reflective of the intent of the selection. We will take reader votes until the end of Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Here are the nominees for 2025:

Melissa White: The executive director of the Key Biscayne Community Foundation is a force of nature – even when hobbled by a foot injury this year due to a pickleball. When it comes to what makes Key Biscayne a special place to live, White is often either at the forefront or the background of making events happen. She seems to be everywhere all at once – when not working as an unpaid Uber driver for her children. Enjoy the Lighthouse Run or the Haunted Trail? Thank Melissa.

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Ed London: On the Council of “yes” that often accedes to whatever Village Manager Steve Williamson wants, London is often the lone “no” vote. His pushback to the Big Dig infrastructure project and its soaring costs has put him in the position of leading the opposition. At times both charming and caustic, London has been a bulldog this year when it comes to dogging Williamson and the manager’s expensive engineers. His opposition led Mayor Joe Rasco to appoint a committee that included two other council members to look at how to cut costs or even abandon the current Big Dig plan. On the softer side, he’s a huge supporter of the Key Biscayne Film Festival and helped create a theater in the Council chambers for the event this January. And, readers may not know that his penny-pinching on behalf of taxpayers is accompanied by his private philanthropy. 

Steve Williamson: Our 2023 choice, Williamson remains a major newsmaker. His grip as Village manager on the purse strings and his focus on the Big Dig dominate all aspects of government. He has also clamped down on transparency, litigating a media gag order policy (with the Independent) and recently unilaterally declared a new policy charging for public documents. There are few managers of municipalities of any size who have such unchecked power.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava: Whether holding firm on renovating the Rickenbacker Causeway, evicting the company operating Seaquarium (successful), or evicting the nonprofit that runs Key Biscayne’s nature center (unsuccessful), Levine Cava is a towering political figure in Miami-Dade County. Facing a $402 million deficit, Levine Cava made the cuts necessary to deliver a balanced budget – albeit with a lot of pain for numerous organizations. She is the face of the county – the abuela who shows up at every ribbon cutting and cultural event – and her next step (governor, senator?) will be watched closely.

Theodora Long: As the executive director of the non-profit that runs the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Key Biscayne Nature Center, Long was the counterpart to Levine Cava in the high-stakes legal and public relations battle over the management of the cherished environmental center. Long did not stay silent when the center received the unexpected eviction notice from the county. In the end, Long argued that the facility was built with millions of dollars in private and state funds raised by the non-profit. She said the takeover would jeopardize the center’s ability to offer free programs to low-income children. Long was able to stave off eviction as the county pivoted to seek other ways to monetize the center. 

David Martin: The CEO of Terra Group was a constant newsmaker throughout 2025. It was Martin’s front money that conceptualized the viaduct Shoreline proposal to redevelop the Rickenbacker Causeway. His company proposed to take over the Seaquarum property and invest $100 million to create a new waterfront destination with an aquarium, marina, restaurant and retail space. On Key Biscayne, he is building a 56-unit ultra-luxury oceanfront condominium where the Silver Sands motel used to be. And finally, Martin revised a development proposal for the key’s entry block at 12-22 Crandon Blvd., replacing a larger mixed-use complex with a more modest, low-scale structure featuring indoor padel courts, a growing sport he championed, along with a small office/café space. 

Raquel Regalado: District 7 is a big place, but the Miami-Dade commissioner sure has a sweet spot for Key Biscayne. Regalado spearheaded the Shoreline proposal for the Rickenbacker Causeway after Martin designed it. She was able to secure $950,000 from the Key Biscayne Council for a study on its feasibility with no promise that the County will ante up.. She was a driving force in shutting down Seaquarium. And she’s said she wants to succeed Levine Cava as mayor.  She is an energizer bunny – regularly posting on Instagram videos on issues relating to the Key. 

Marcelo Radice: When parents complained about a coach emotionally abusing his players – Radice came charging to the forefront to defend the Key Biscayne Soccer Club. As president of the enterprise that runs youth soccer on the island, Radice spoke twice in front of the Council, defending the program. Other parents defended the coach and the club in front of the Athletic Advisory Board. Many expressed a desire for hard-charging coaches who could elevate their children to the academy level. And in 2025, Key Biscayne soccer enjoyed great success – even on the national stage.

Eduardo Albor: Albor is our black hat candidate, the former corporate leader of The Dolphin Co. that ran the now-shuttered Seaquarium. The iconic marine park closed down as Miami-Dade County tried to evict Albor. He did not go down without a fight, filing for bankruptcy in Mexico and then leveraging that against debtors who tried to take control of his companies in the U.S. He was accused of diverting money in bankruptcy filings. In the meantime, animals continued to die in the park. 

Rickenbacker Causeway: The aorta that runs into Key Biscayne was the center of numerous news stories. At the forefront, of course, was the battle over the renovation of the artery – whether it be the County’s design or an innovative one employing viaducts proposed by developer Martin, Regalado and Key Biscayne resident Eugene Stearns. The vital Project Development and Environmental study to replace the Bear Cut Bridge – the deteriorating and aging span into the island – also moved ahead. And there were also suicide attempts, a dirt bike fatality and the new Hobie Island Beach Park. Every weekend, residents check the pulse of the Rickenbacker to note if it will affect their comings and goings.