Mike Diamond
Mike Diamond tracks how Palm Beach County government decisions filter down into daily life, connecting commission votes, zoning cases, infrastructure plans and market shifts to changes in where people live, travel and eat. His coverage sits at the intersection of public policy and the built environment, using individual projects such as new restaurants, apartment complexes and transportation plans to show broader patterns in growth and governance. Even when the subject is food, his reporting situates it within land use, economic development and the way county rules shape local options for dining and commerce.
He brings three decades of experience in statehouse, editorial and investigative reporting to his current county beat, after spending 33 years at a regional newspaper covering a legislature, editing opinion and working on long-running investigative projects. He freelanced for the Palm Beach Post before joining as a staff writer in early 2022, and now covers county government, transportation issues and recurring disputes involving homeowner associations. That background gives his stories a strong focus on how public bodies exercise power, how rules are enforced and how residents experience the consequences of those decisions.
County development, land use and new projects
Diamond’s piece on Del Taco’s first Palm Beach County location treats a fast-food opening as a case study in land use and local governance, detailing how county commissioners approved the restaurant, where it will sit within Coco Plum Plaza and how the project fits into surrounding suburban development.
He notes specifics such as the size of the restaurant, seating capacity and its placement relative to major roads, tying the arrival of a national chain to the evolution of a local commercial corridor. In his coverage of an affordable apartment complex coming to Wellington, he traces how Florida’s Live Local Act and county-assisted housing programs translate into 212 dedicated units and income limits based on area median earnings, framing the project as both a legal and physical reshaping of the community. His reporting on the Palm Greens condominium bankruptcy in Delray Beach follows a long-running saga through trustee actions and a judge’s sharply worded ruling, showing how financial distress and legal decisions reverberate through a large residential complex.
Across these stories, he emphasizes the mechanics of approvals, legal outcomes and policy tools that govern new development rather than treating projects as isolated business announcements.
Transportation, congestion and everyday mobility
Transportation is a core strand of Diamond’s county beat, where he reports on plans to tame worsening traffic as the region’s population grows and the funding mechanisms proposed to pay for those improvements. In his coverage of a traffic master plan that backs a new tax for transit projects, he explains how officials are considering long-term revenue sources such as a sales tax to finance road and transit upgrades, linking tax design directly to congestion relief. His piece on TSA wait times at major South Florida airports, including Palm Beach International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, brings a traveler’s experience into a broader picture of airport operations, capacity and regional connectivity.
Together with his stated focus on transportation issues, these stories show a reporter who treats mobility as a public-policy problem affecting commute times, airport queues and the reliability of regional infrastructure.
Budgets, taxation and public safety oversight
Diamond covers Palm Beach County’s budget and tax debates with close attention to law enforcement funding and special taxing districts.
In his reporting on a proposed special taxing district for the sheriff’s office, he explains how commissioners approved the mechanism but also how dissent on the board could still block its implementation, highlighting the tension between public safety priorities and tax burdens. His story on the county cutting the sheriff’s budget by a record $32 million while holding the property tax rate steady walks through the numbers, the commission vote and the impact on a more than $1 billion spending plan. He also reports on county politics around the clerk’s post, following efforts by a political figure to retain control of that office and placing the maneuver within the structure of county government. Oversight themes extend into his coverage of a building inspector accused of giving a Nazi salute, where he chronicles the employee’s suspension and subsequent firing as county leaders respond to allegations of antisemitism in their workforce.
Across these pieces, his work focuses on how officials wield budgetary, disciplinary and electoral tools, and what those choices mean for residents’ trust in their institutions.
Housing markets, tourism and local commerce
Housing and market shifts feature prominently in Diamond’s coverage of Palm Beach County government and its economic environment.
His reporting on Canadians backing away from the local housing market looks at the cost of that exit, tying changes in foreign homebuying and tourism to broader consequences for the county’s economy. Within that story, he includes concrete detail on places like Tequesta Market, describing its vendors of fresh produce, seafood, local eggs, dairy, prepared foods and baked goods, using the market to illustrate how local commerce and food culture intersect with visitor activity.
When he writes about new affordable housing developments and the design of county-assisted units, he connects construction plans and income thresholds to questions of who can stay in or move into the area.
Even in public safety coverage, such as the account of a man found dead on a bench, he frames the incident through the response of law enforcement and the functioning of public spaces, keeping the focus on governance and communal life rather than individual biography. These threads combine into a beat that treats housing, tourism, retail and dining as parts of a single system shaped by county decisions and market forces.
4 more food journalists.
Adam Maidment
Adam Maidment is a senior What's On and LGBTQ+ reporter whose food and leisure coverage is built around immersive, first-person reporting and concrete detail. He works at the Manchester Evening News, focusing on new restaurant and bar openings, regular food reviews, gig and event coverage, and issues affecting LGBTQ+ people. He treats restaurants, pubs, bars and experiences as stories about place, people and community, explaining what makes a venue different and how it fits into the local dining scene. His pieces cover pricing, service, atmosphere, crowds and concept, and he is willing to be critical when gimmicks undermine the experience. He writes character-led pub profiles, works shifts, joins treasure hunts and attends major cultural events, inviting readers to follow what he does and use his straightforward assessments to decide where to eat, drink and spend time.
Alice Lorenzato-Lloyd
Alice Lorenzato-Lloyd is editor at Secret Manchester, where she treats food as part of how people live in the city, not as an isolated subject. She covers restaurants, bars, street food and casual dining, linking new openings and food trends to neighbourhood change, local businesses and everyday routines. Her pieces focus on accessible spots, comfort dishes like pizza and tacos, and clear details of menus, presentation, atmosphere and practical information such as opening hours and booking. She often combines food, drink and live events, producing guides to venues for major sports tournaments and themed pop-ups as part of wider things to do. Alice also reports on hospitality business pressures, city-centre public spaces, charity initiatives, transport and infrastructure, always showing how food and drink fit into community and lifestyle stories. She previously wrote for other regional “Secret” sites as a staff writer and describes herself as a writer and food fanatic.
Aly Walansky
Aly Walansky specializes in service-driven food coverage that treats cocktails and dining as tools for celebration, focusing on how logistics, ordering options, and menu choices turn everyday meals and major holidays into shared experiences. She is a longtime food and travel journalist now writing for Forbes, where her beat centers on cocktails and occasion-driven dining. Her work includes practical, expert-driven roundups such as guides to many variations on the classic martini, shipped-meals gift lists for Mother’s Day, and accessible formats for Thanksgiving and other holidays. She reports through structured lists, restaurant features, and menu-focused profiles that highlight signature dishes and dining trends. Across outlets, she extends this approach to home cooking, grocery shopping, and recipes, and runs a newsletter that shares her current assignments and industry commentary.
Amy Clarke
Amy Clarke stands out for turning food trends, sustainability and rising costs into practical guidance. She writes about changing tastes, new ingredients, formats and dining habits, as well as budget-friendly sustainable eating, nutrition, food shopping and the pressures extreme weather places on small food businesses. Her work includes forward-looking trend round-ups, advice on eating sustainably on a budget, cheaper alternatives to expensive superfoods and a report on how ice cream vans manage heat, logistics and profitability. She works as a multimedia reporter for News Shopper Series, with past work published in Sutton & Croydon Guardian, Yahoo News UK and The Conversation. Clarke combines reported features with clear explainers, expert voices and step-by-step advice. She uses plain language, specific examples and practical tips to show what food changes mean for readers and businesses.