An award-winning journalist, Jim DeFede works for CBS New Miami. Founded in 1987 and published weekly, the paper focuses on cultural and news stories local to Miami and has been cited as a paper that spotlights under-the-radar stories. In addition, DeFede hosts the Sunday morning news show Facing South Florida. The show tackles contentious issues of the day. Each episode features one-on-one interviews with politicians and citizens who implement or are affected by policy decisions and head-to-head debates with supporters on both sides of contested issues.

The Day the World Came to Town is DeFede’s first book, initially released on the one-year anniversary of 9/11 and rereleased for the 20th anniversary in 2021. In October, he released an anthology of his Miami News Times stories called Chronicles of Willy and Sal: Miami’s Cocaine Cowboys. The Knight Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides grants for news media, financed this book, and all proceeds from it benefit local journalism at Miami New Times.

DeFede’s commitment to report stories that are important to and impact his local community and to provide a space for civil, public debate between opposing sides is evident in his approach to the story of Gander. His

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