Coral Gables candidates will spend more than $1 million

Coral Gables candidates will spend more than $1 million

By the time the Coral Gables mayoral race is over on Tuesday evening, the two candidates will have spent at least a half a million dollars, maybe more. Ladra is not sure but is willing to bet that’s a record. The six candidates in the two commission seat races raised almost exactly the same amount […]

‘Chip’ Withers vs Pat Keon because of the Paseo project

‘Chip’ Withers vs Pat Keon because of the Paseo project

Former Coral Gables Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli isn’t the only one who wants his old job back at City Hall. Former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers, who served for 20 years before leaving office in 2011, qualified last month — for the seat occupied by incumbent Commissioner Pat Keon. He could have run for the open seat. But […]

Segovia flowers will be on the ballot — or a campaign issue

Segovia flowers will be on the ballot — or a campaign issue

Coral Gables Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick is going to ask her colleagues Tuesday to put the future of a controversial sculpture of flowers on Segovia Street in the hands of voters, with a referendum on the April ballot to relocate the $1 million work of art to almost any place else. But it’s an uphill battle. […]

Community meetings in Miami Beach, Coral Gables

Community meetings in Miami Beach, Coral Gables

Your voice apparently matters. There are several community meetings and charrettes going on in different municipalities asking for the public feedback on important issues or projects. Anti-development commissioner hosts forum Coral Gables Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick is hosting a citizens’ forum called “Cranes, codes and collaboration” to discuss the development booming all around the City Beautiful. Slesnick, […]

Coral Gables: Raul Valdes-Fauli plans comeback as mayor

Coral Gables: Raul Valdes-Fauli plans comeback as mayor

After a 15-year hiatus, former Coral Gables Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli is planning a comeback to City Hall — as the handpicked successor to Mayor Jim Cason, who has said he won’t run again (though we’ve heard that before). The rumors have been escalating for weeks as Valdes-Fauli, who was tossed out by voters in 2001 after […]

Jim Cason uses city pic out of context for campaign ad

Jim Cason uses city pic out of context for campaign ad

In what is yet another disingenuous move in what has become one of the most dishonest campaigns Ladra has ever seen, Coral Gables incumbent Mayor Jim Cason seems to have used a city photograph out of context for his re-election campaign. The photo is in one of three full-page campaign ads in the Miami Herald’s […]

Gables interim manager picked for continuity — of what?

Gables interim manager picked for continuity — of what?

Coral Gables Commissioners on Wednesday named Assistant City Manager Carmen Olazabal the interim chief of the city until they can find a permanent replacement for Pat Salerno, who resigned abruptly last week rather than face questions about lies he told the elected body. And they also talked about choosing a recruiting firm to make a […]