Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez says there has been a targeted campaign of harassment and threats against him and two other city commissioners almost since he and Commissioner Melissa Castro were elected against two candidates that were endorsed and supported by Mayor Vince Lago. He called it “thuggery” and “mafia tactics.” Slashed tires, public confrontations, […]
Incident is the latest in pattern of political harassment Coral Gables Police have confirmed that Commissioner Ariel Fernandez was being followed Tuesday, while taking his son to school, by a private investigator who was a city police officer until 2014. A statement from the chief said that police don’t know why the PI was following the commissioner […]
In what turned out to be yet another show of political division in the city of Coral Gables, Deputy City Manager Alberto Parjus was named city manager to replace Amos Rojas, who resigned earlier this month. The appointment will be effective at the next commission meeting Jan. 28, at which the salary and benefits package […]
‘Sept. 11 is not a national holiday,’ mayor says That fancy clock for Miracle Mile that Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago said last year would not cost the city a cent, is now a “donation” from his family, Lago says, because he paid the $32,000 installation and hook-up fees himself. This has apparently made him […]
Mayor Vince Lago takes another loss at City Hall The Coral Gables Commission on Tuesday ended the city’s annexation efforts for the Little Gables neighborhood, choosing to respect the wishes of the majority of voters who rejected the annexation in a non-binding straw ballot question last week. Well, everyone but Mayor Vince Lago, who voted […]
In what can arguably be seen as a referendum on Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, voters in the City Beautiful clearly and soundly rejected the proposed annexation of Little Gables in a non-binding question on Tuesday’s ballot that is meant to take the citizens’ pulse on the issue. And the citizens’ pulse indicates that the […]
The city of Coral Gables commission is playing chicken with the budget. At stake: Millions of taxpayer dollars. A standoff became clear during the second budget workshop Wednesday and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end well — with a potential $10 million cut in services (and taxes) if commissioners can’t make up their […]
The Coral Gables commission on Tuesday will consider putting a question on the ballot to establish an Inspector General in the city. The resolution on the meeting agenda is sponsored by Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and co-sponsored by Mayor Vince Lago. But wasn’t this already decided? Yes. Last month, the mayor and vice mayor — […]
The political war in Coral Gables has just gone nuclear. Mayor Vince Lago, who has been spiraling, having public meltdowns and is now under investigation for allegedly assaulting the city manager during a meeting earlier this week, sent his usual email newsletter Thursday — and used it to refute any wrongdoing and lash out at […]
A political action committee collecting signatures to get three referendums on the ballot in Coral Gables submitted the first batch of petitions Friday for two of the measures. Gables City Clerk Billy Urquia said he received 2,078 signed petitions for a charter amendment to require a voter referendum approval before elected officials can raise their […]