Local Government

A colorfully wrapped Proterra ZX5 electric transit bus parked at an outdoor event venue.

Local Government

Miami-Dade may scrap $72 million in broken electric buses, pursues legal action

Miami-Dade County is considering scrapping or selling 69 electric buses from a $72 million contract that never worked, while pursuing legal action against the service contractor and seeking federal approval to dispose of the fleet without penalty.

July 30, 2026 · 4 min read

School board members seated at a curved dais in a blue-themed meeting chamber with projection screens.

Local Government

Miami-Dade narrows superintendent search to two finalists; vote set for July 29

The Miami-Dade School Board voted Wednesday, July 22, to advance Rafael Villalobos and Ernie Lozano as superintendent finalists, with public interviews and a final selection vote scheduled for Wednesday, July 29.

July 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Green, yellow, and red trolley bus passing a trolley stop sign on a city street.

Local Government

Coral Gables transportation board can't meet quorum, can't act on trolley or pedestrian plans

Coral Gables' Transportation Advisory Board failed to reach quorum on Tuesday, July 21, leaving it unable to act on a trolley extension, a scramble crossing proposal, or a $60,000 pedestrian plan. The board has held only two official meetings in 2026, prompting the Gables Gazette editorial board to demand the city explain how it will restore the board to working order.

July 27, 2026 · 2 min read

Aerial view of a campus lake with a fountain, surrounded by buildings and palm trees.

Local Government

UM's proposed Coral Gables deal includes hospital, 56-plus parking spaces and no hard enrollment cap

The University of Miami's proposed 30-year development agreement with Coral Gables would permit a 100-bed campus hospital without a separate public vote, replace the city's 6.8 million-square-foot development cap with a floor-area-ratio standard, and transfer control of 56-plus city parking spaces to the university — details that go well beyond the park-and-expansion framework residents heard about in June.

July 24, 2026 · 4 min read

A green and red trolley bus travels along a palm-tree-lined urban street.

Local Government

Coral Gables exploring trolley extension into South Miami through three-way partnership

Coral Gables officials are in early talks with South Miami and the University of Miami to extend trolley service across U.S. 1, but the Transportation Advisory Board's chronic quorum failures are limiting its ability to shape the city's expanding transit agenda.

July 24, 2026 · 3 min read

Wide palm-tree-lined boulevard with a landscaped median and multi-story buildings.

Local Government

Traffic calming work begins on Alhambra Circle's 5000 block

Coral Gables Public Works began traffic calming improvements on the 5000 block of Alhambra Circle on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after crews met with residents that morning; the project is part of a citywide program that has installed more than 145 devices since 2022.

July 22, 2026 · 2 min read

Local Government

Miami-Dade will fine itself when residential permits run late

The Miami-Dade County Commission approved an ordinance on July 21 requiring same-day permitting for eligible residential projects and imposing a 10% fee reduction for each business day the county causes a delay.

July 22, 2026 · 2 min read

Satellite view of a large hurricane with a visible eye off the southeastern U.S. coast.

Local Government

UM study finds Miami-Dade flood plans work in silos, raising questions for Coral Gables

A University of Miami study of 37 Miami-Dade resilience plans found that municipalities share similar flood-protection goals but rarely coordinate, leaving gaps in equity, public health, and long-term strategy that could affect Coral Gables residents.

July 21, 2026 · 2 min read

Tall slash pine trees rising above grassy understory in a Florida pineland ecosystem.

Local Government

Pinecrest council considers contract for pine rockland restoration at Coral Pine Park

The Pinecrest Village Council took up a resolution Tuesday, July 14, that would authorize a contract with the Institute for Regional Conservation for Phase 1 of habitat restoration at Coral Pine Park's 2.9-acre pineland preserve, one of South Florida's few surviving pine rockland fragments.

July 16, 2026 · 1 min read

Laptop on a desk displaying the Coral Gables Self Service portal webpage with a plant and coffee mug nearby.

Local Government

Coral Gables merges business licenses into single online portal

Coral Gables launched a new online portal that merges the Business Tax Receipt and Certificate of Use into one account, giving every local business a single renewal date and invoice ahead of the October 1 tax deadline.

July 16, 2026 · 1 min read

People and dogs along a gravel lakeshore at an off-leash dog area with trees in the background.

Local Government

Coral Gables approves dog park zoning hours after judge denies injunction

The Coral Gables City Commission voted 3-2 on Tuesday, July 7, to approve zoning changes for a proposed dog park at 520 University Drive, hours after a Miami-Dade judge denied an emergency injunction sought by neighbors; the underlying lawsuit remains active with a trial set for December 2026.

July 15, 2026 · 3 min read

Group of people in green hard hats holding golden shovels at a groundbreaking ceremony on a sandy construction site.

Local Government

West Gables Health Care Center breaks ground on 180-bed facility on Sunset Drive

West Gables Health Care Center broke ground June 11 on a 125,000-square-foot, five-story skilled nursing facility at 9025 SW 72nd St. (Sunset Drive), adding approximately 180 beds to the South Miami corridor.

July 15, 2026 · 2 min read