Spotlight 137-250909

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

Coconut Grove Elementary’s New Principal
Miami Marine Stadium’s Latest Setback
Miami Election Reform: Another Misfire

At Coconut Grove Elementary, a New Leader for Miami’s Oldest School

Raised and educated in the Miami-Dade County school system, Dania Garcia finds herself at the helm of one of the Grove’s most venerable institutions.

By Jenny Jacoby

Each weekday at 7:45 a.m. as the gates swing open – just as they have for more than 100 years – Dania Garcia takes her place at the entrance to Center Grove’s Coconut Grove Elementary School.

Outside, a stream of kids and parents arrive through all manner of transport – scooter, skateboard, golf cart, bicycle, automobile, and on foot. Garcia, the school’s newest principal, greets them with a smile.

“I feel very, very fortunate and very lucky to have been selected to be here,” Garcia said.

As the students shuffle in, some, including fourth-grader Talia, share a hug with Garcia.

Revival Hopes for Miami Marine Stadium Are Dashed – Again

The City of Miami missed a chance last week to move forward with a plan to restore the iconic stadium on Virginia Key. It’s unclear where the plan goes from here.

By Daniel Rivero

Two City of Miami ballot amendments will not appear on November ballots, a major setback for plans to move forward with voting reforms and efforts to restore Miami Marine Stadium, which has been abandoned by the city for 33 years.

A special city meeting to put the items on November ballots was cancelled on Friday because not enough city commissioners showed up to City Hall. Only Commissioners Ralph Rosado and Damian Pardo were in attendance.

The main reason for the setback was a major indictment that the city had no idea existed.

The CEO of Oak View Group, the parent company of Global Spectrum LP — the company that won the bid to manage Miami Marine Stadium that voters would have been asked to approve — was indicted two months ago in an alleged bid rigging scheme in Texas.

Miami Election Reform: Back to Square One

The latest attempt to change Miami’s election calendar collapsed last week, but proponents of election reform say the effort isn’t dead.

By Don Finefrock

The City of Miami’s election mess got messier last week when three of the city’s five commissioners failed to show up on Friday for a special meeting, tanking an effort to resolve the controversy – and confusion – over the city’s election calendar.

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo had sought the meeting so he and his fellow commissioners could ask voters to shift Miami elections to even-numbered years, when more voters go to the polls.

Friday was the last chance the city had to put the question to voters in November, but it was not to be. The special meeting was cancelled when only two commissioners – Pardo and District 4 Commissioner Ralph Rosado – showed up.