'I hate that bill,' governor-elect Byron Donalds told Board of Governors

From having up-front views on a controversial college sports bill to pushing for the economic mobility of students, Florida governor-elect Byron Donalds is making it clear where he stands on issues affecting the state's higher education landscape. He delivered a keynote address at the Florida Board of Governors' Trustee Summit Nov. 12 on Florida International University's campus in Miami, where he focused on what he thinks are the responsibilities of the State University System (SUS). But what he appeared to be most candid about during his remarks were his views on the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) . In a question-and-answer segment of his address, someone asked about his thoughts on how universities should be handling PCSA, which is a federal bill passed by the U.S. Senate that creates a single nationwide rulebook for college athletics. The bill has moved to the House. Speaking frankly, Donalds said, "I hate that bill." "I don't like it, I'm not a fan of it," Donalds said, adding that he believes it puts Florida at a disadvantage. "I think athletes deserve to be compensated for the amount of work that they do." While he said he's made his position on the bill known to

Surfside Ends Sister Cities Membership Over Palestine Roundtable

Surfside is out of Sister Cities International, and the exit was not scheduled for a polite later date. Late Tuesday night the town voted to terminate the membership after a Palestine-U.S. roundtable the mayor called deeply offensive to residents. Mayor Shlomo Danzinger put the decision in a letter to Sheri...

Hundreds of flights delayed, canceled in South Florida after airport ground stop

A telecommunications outage prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a ground stop at airports across the country on Friday, halting flights from taking off and creating hours of delays for travelers. Incoming flights to Miami and Fort Lauderdale weren’t affected, but departures were halted for more than four hours. As of Friday night, nearly 800 flights at South Florida’s two major airports were delayed and more than 275 were canceled. The ground stop may be over, but the delays will continue for a while. “The nationwide FAA ground stop has been lifted, and airlines are working to resume normal schedules. Travelers should still check directly with their airline for the most up-to-date flight status,” said Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Within an hour after the ground stop lifted, activity at MIA picked up. Terminals started filling as travelers bolted down the corridors again with one hand rolling their luggage. Restaurants and bars emptied out. And at the American Airlines ticket area, a single line of over 120 people formed. The ground stop was lifted around 8:15 p.m., but getting flights back in the air and figuring out what happened won’t be immediate, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean

The Secrets to Aging Well

The Underline's bike and walk trail is complete. It's named after a billionaire

Nearly eight years after groundbreaking, The Underline is celebrating a new milestone: the completion of its 10-mile, bike-and-walk path, named after a buzzy billionaire whose moniker seems to be taking over Miami. The Kenneth C. Griffin Urban Trail is the latest installment of the 120-acre urban park, which runs under Metrorail tracks and has been under construction since 2018. The stretch, which runs from Brickell to Dadeland, combines pedestrian and cycling trails with micro-forests, jungle gyms, public art and wellness classes. Some of those amenities remain under construction, according to Underline officials, who say the park will reach its finished form in early 2027. For now, cyclists and runners can enjoy an uninterrupted trek along the corridor sans dust, bright orange traffic cones or safety barricades. It was “some crazy idea that took this underutilized, forgotten space and turned it into something that is truly iconic,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the trail in Coral Gables. She was joined by county parks and transportation leaders, officials from the cities of Miami and Coral Gables, South Florida philanthropists, nonprofit Friends of The Underline and dozens of the park’s team members. “I hope that it

North Miami Shelter at 12221 W. Dixie Hwy Seeks OK to Add 16 Residents Without New Parking

North Miami's Mia Casa shelter at 12221 W. Dixie Hwy seeks permission to add 16 residents (118→134) without adding required parking.

Thanksgiving Dinner Miami, Dine in or Take Out

Wondering where to go for Thanksgiving dinner Miami ? Here are 13 picks for dine in starting at $54 per person along with some take out options. A Truffle-Inspired Friendsgiving Prix Fixe at dōma Wynwood. dōma Wynwood is giving Friendsgiving an Italian twist with a special three-course, truffle-inspired prix-fixe...

JLL Arranges $32.5 Million Sale of Arena Shops in North Miami, Florida

North Miami, Fla. — JLL Capital Markets has arranged the $32.5 million sale of Arena Shops, a 37,135-square-foot retail center located in North Miami. The fully leased property is anchored by Total Wine & More and features a mix of additional tenants such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, T-Mobile and Tatore Miami. Arena Shops is situated adjacent to the $4 billion SoLē Mia mixed-use development.

A developer promised Miami a new fire station and park. What went wrong? | Opinion

It was sold as a great deal for Miami: A developer would build a Mercedes-Benz-branded skyscraper partially on taxpayer-owned land that housed a fire station in Brickell. In exchange, the city would get public benefits, including an improved park and cash payments. The primary benefit: a new, $8 million fire station. A 2020 agreement between the city and the developer — a subsidiary of JDS Development Group — stated the mixed-use project would create “state of the art... transit-oriented urban development” with “much needed retail uses and amenities.” The development is planned to go next to Southside Park, across from the Brickell Metrorail and Metromover stations and the Underline. That vision may still come true. But, for now, construction of the 800-unit Mercedes-Benz Places has mostly stalled as the developer faces financing complications. The fire station on Southwest Second Avenue has been demolished and moved to four, on-site trailers provided by the developer in one of Miami’s busiest and most flood-prone neighborhoods. The promised station at the base of the project has not yet been constructed. Miami has yet to see the payoff from this deal, and current city leaders are angry they inherited it from a previous administration. Mayor

Thanksgiving turkey giveaway events begin in South Florida. Here is a list:

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Instead of issuing a traffic ticket, police officers were giving drivers who committed minor infractions a warning and a free turkey on Wednesday in Miami Gardens. Chief Delma Noel-Pratt has turned the event into an annual tradition that shocked some drivers. Last year, police officers...

‘Wait Until They Realize They Make 40% Less Than NYC’: Florida Newcomer Faces Backlash After Saying an Apartment in the State Is Cheaper Than in New York

There are many things that may set off the alarms of some people living in a specific city, yet one that really makes people turn their heads, raise their eyebrows, and even gasp is when someone says something that isn’t entirely true. To give you a quick example, one person on social media claimed that living in Miami, Florida, might be cheaper and more comfortable than in New York. What that person was not expecting was a wave of backlash, as those who live in the city think that it is much worse.

El Niño to alter 'normal' South Florida winter, bring higher risk of severe weather

A "very strong" El Niño will alter the "normal" weather during winter and dry season across South Florida , according to the National Weather Service Office Miami-South Florida . A "wetter and stormier than normal" dry season is expected this year in South Florida, according to a Nov. 3 seasonal outlook posted by the NWS Miami-South Florida. El Niño conditions are expected to persist through "most of the dry season, with a high likelihood of a strong to very strong El Niño through March 2027." In South Florida, a higher risk of severe wind and tornado events is expected, especially from January through April, along with a higher risk of "strong to violent tornadoes." Above-normal precipitation is also likely following a dry summer, as well as an "above normal" number of flood events. Drought conditions should improve, "with removal likely by January." South Florida saw 'unusually' hot, dry summer South Florida saw an "unusually" hot summer with below-average precipitation , according to the NWS. Several areas experienced some of their driest summers on record. "Relatively low rainfall values placed many sites among the top 10 driest summer seasons on record, and came at the heels of a dry spring," read

Six New Tenants Join Atlantic Village in Hallandale Beach, Florida

Hallandale Beach, Fla. — Six new tenants have signed leases to join Atlantic Village, a 308,000-square-foot mixed-use development located in Hallandale Beach, a town in South Florida’s Broward County. Totaling 16,983 square feet of retail space, the newest tenants include Pharos Greek Frozen Yogurt (681 square feet); NAWA (1,622 square feet); The Atelier Blanc (8,100 square feet); Fitjump (3,021 square feet); The Tox (1,360 square feet); and Degree Wellness (2,199 square feet).

Fisher Island Penthouse Sells After $12.2 Million Price Cut—Becoming the Private Island’s Second-Priciest Sale Ever

After a $12.2M price cut, the Palazzo Della Luna penthouse on Fisher Island sells for $37.8M—the private island’s second-highest sale.

Coast Guard: Illegal charter voyage terminated near Florida beach town

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday that it terminated an illegal charter voyage near a Florida beach town over the weekend.

Patients with 3 health insurance plans lose access to Miami health network

The University of Miami Health System announced it will no longer accept three Medicare Advantage plans next year, requiring patients to find new insurance coverage or doctors to get in-network care. As thousands of people in South Florida review their health insurance plans during open enrollment, UHealth says Aetna, Preferred Care Network and Solis Health Plans are going away. The coverage allowing patients to be treated in-network by UHealth doctors and at the system’s facilities will end after Dec. 31, UHealth said in a statement to the Miami Herald. UHealth patients who are affected either need to sign up with new plans accepted by the system or find new doctors and hospitals. UHealth has added two Medicare Advantage plans — HealthSun and Simply Healthcare Plans — that will join the network Jan. 1, 2027. Both plans will include access to UHealth primary care doctors. “We have notified all of our impacted patients about this change, giving them the opportunity during open enrollment to select an insurance plan that includes UHealth,” the system said in a statement to the Miami Herald, which added that the insurance companies dropped the health system. READ MORE: Should you get original Medicare or an Advantage

Miami-Dade Suspends Entire Metromover Over Power Difficulties

Miami-Dade Transit stopped every Metromover train Thursday after power-related technical difficulties took the automated system out of service across the network. Technicians were already working to bring the cars back, the agency said, and it apologized for the inconvenience. The alert did not name the fault or give riders a restart time.