Fernandez won't seek reelection in November

Commissioners spent their June 3 Capital Improvements Plan workshop shaping a recommended $55.1 million, five-year spending framework even as looming state property-tax changes cloud the outlook. Property values rose 6.5 percent for the coming fiscal year, letting staff fund projects that were off the list just days earlier, including continued money toward the roughly $31 million City Hall complex renovation. Deputy Finance Director Paula Rodriguez said the plan deliberately steers rising values into capital, bracing for a proposed constitutional amendment that — if voters approve it in November — would cut ad valorem revenue starting in fiscal 2028. (Coral Gables Gazette)

With the FIFA World Cup coming to South Florida, the city says it will host a summer of World Cup activations, including a slate of World Cup-inspired art events and a 'FANS' exhibition unveiled in partnership with the Uruguay Consulate. The programming threads the world's most popular sport through the city's cultural calendar across the season, with events building toward the tournament. (City of Coral Gables)

Five Iron Golf, the indoor golf-and-entertainment concept that pairs hitting simulators with food, drinks, and lounge space, is headed to Coral Gables, according to a local openings report. No opening date or exact address has been announced. (What Now Miami)

Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza, the Miami-born spot known for its star-shaped, Neapolitan-style pies, is opening a Coral Gables location, a local openings report says. No firm opening date or street address has been announced yet. (What Now Miami)

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Mango Festival opens Wednesday, June 10, with tastings, vendors, and programming spread across the garden. Organizers bill it as a legendary celebration of the fruit, and tickets are required for entry. (Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden events)

The Coral Gables Museum opens 'Explore Diplomacy and the Beautiful Game' on Friday, June 12, a special exhibition presented during the FIFA World Cup that examines how football has connected nations across five centuries through cultural exchange, diplomacy, and peacebuilding. (Coral Gables Museum events)

The South Florida Symphony Summer Music Series returns July 23, with Coral Gables residents eligible for a discount on the popular orchestral program. (City of Coral Gables events calendar)

The Coral Gables Museum's Core Architectural Principles summer camp opens July 25, introducing participants to architectural fundamentals through sketching, drawing, and digital design. (Coral Gables Museum events)

Mayor Vince Lago declined a resident's request to recuse himself and voted June 2 to approve a variance at 722 Aledo Avenue, the home of political consultant and fundraiser Brian Goldmeier, which was under contract at a $3.85 million listing. The 3-2 vote let pool equipment remain inside required setbacks — as close as one foot nine inches from a side line where code requires five — and stripped a covenant the Board of Adjustment had imposed requiring future owners to maintain an acoustical cover. City staff had recommended denial. (Coral Gables Gazette)

The commission deferred a proposed pedestrian-safety study at Ponce de León Boulevard and Miracle Mile on June 2, asking city engineers to meet with the Transportation Advisory Board's chair before authorizing funding. The discussion widened beyond a single scramble crosswalk — a diagonal crossing that halts all traffic at once — to failing pavers, ADA signals, and signage, coming weeks after reporting tied 11 active lawsuits to dangerous conditions on city sidewalks and crosswalks. Commissioner Melissa Castro withdrew her motion and the item slid to August. (Coral Gables Gazette)