FYI Miami is a weekly feature of Miami Today, keeping readers ahead of the news. Here are highlights from the most current edition.

PORT RESOURCES: Spectators visiting the Port of Miami during OpSail 2000 June 7-9 can meet with officials who oversee daily operations at the port from noon-5 p.m. in Terminal 10, port media officer Trenae Floyd said. Also on hand will be officials representing fire & rescue, police, Team Metro and the aviation department, Ms. Floyd said. "I think," she said, "adults, teens and children will find the inner workings of the port interesting." Details: (305) 371-7678.

TASH MEET: Baltimore-based TASH, a global disability advocacy group, announced it will hold its 25th anniversary conference Dec. 7-9 in the Fontainebleau Hilton in Miami Beach. More than 2,200 delegates are expected to attend. Details: (410) 828-8274.

GRANT LUNCH: The Dade Community Foundation is holding a by-invitation-only grants luncheon at noon Friday in the 55th floor Miami City Club, 200 S Biscayne Blvd., to announce it is giving $315,000 in HIV/AIDS prevention education grants to 10 organizations in Miami-Dade County. Details: (305) 371-2711.

INTERNET IMPACT: The first Impact Award, presented by the South Florida Telecom Forum, was given to the Internet Coast Network Access Point initiative at the Computer at Technology Tradeshow in the Broward County Convention Center. The award was to be presented to Internet Coast Alliance members who included Frank Nero, president & CEO of the Beacon Council, and Fred Jackson, vice chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's One Community One Goal Info-technology initiative and business development executive for IBM Corp.

INVENTION CONTRACT: Steven Gray, telecommunications inventor and president of Encompass USA here, said Unaserve — a New York-based investment company — signed a contract last week to take over his most recent telecommunications invention. A former research assistant to Thomas Edison, 93-year-old Mr. Gray says the company bought the rights to his invention for $700,000. It will let people pay delinquent invoices via their telephone bills. Details: (305) 461-0019.

LATIN STREET: Publicists announced the launch of calle22.com, billed as "the first virtual street for independent-minded Latin Americans who wish to form their own communities." They said the project, based in Colombia with an initial investment of $4.5 million — with executives now searching for an office in Miami — will "re-create the atmosphere of Latin American streets" over the web.
    Content designed "to spur discussions is written daily," says Carlos Valencia, creator and executive director. "We take our name from one of the most traditional and popular streets in Bogot ." Details: Mr. Valencia, 011-(571) 610-7685 or 7678.

E-SHOWCASE: The World Trade Center Fort Lauderdale is holding an "Internet & e-business Technology Show" from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 16 in Signature Grand Conference Center, 6900 State Road 84, Davie. Organizers say it will showcase Internet and business technology and cover such hot topics as establishing a global website, electronic purchasing and using trade boards. Costs start at $10. Details: (954) 761-9797.

ON-LINE LINE AID: A Fort Lauderdale startup, TelecomSmart, expects to have on-line within the week a marketplace where small businesses can get telecom services from leading vendors, including AT&T, MCI, Sprint, EarthLink, QWest and UUNet, at telecomsmart.com. Founder Mark Mansour said his is the only company that provides small businesses with easy access to a full range of telecom services.

OFFICE & PACT: New Jersey-based LogonHealth, which recently opened a regional office in Miami, announced a deal with California-based Sybase Inc. that targets medical doctors. LogonHealth offers a wireless software that allows physicians to prescribe medication and do research on the Internet. Sybase has what it calls the SQL Anywhere Studio that will let physicians use a hand-held device to get on-line.

e-EXPANSION: iBasis, an advanced Internet-based communications firm, expanded to 10,500 square feet in New World Tower, 100 N Biscayne Blvd., nearly doubling in size. The Massachusetts-based firm defines itself as a "carrier hotel and co-location facility" for the telecom industry, which New World targets as tenants. Brokers for the deal were Gina Klatman of Abood & Associates and John Peters of Telecom Real Estate Services.

ON-LINE HEART: New York's SocialPlus.com announced the launching of corazones.com and billed it as a way "to meet and develop meaningful relationships" in Spanish. Details: (212) 244-7779.

SPORTING COMMENTS: Miami's SportsYA announced it has signed some Olympic gold-medal winners to exclusive Spanish- and Portuguese-language editorial contracts as e-columnists for sportsya.com. They include Nadia Comaneci, gymnast; Mark Spitz, swimming; Clyde Drexler, basketball, and Jane Evens, swimming.

RAIN DELAY: Although state legislators one month ago approved the Community Improvement Authority Act, the bill that creates a trust to oversee construction of a Marlins baseball stadium in Miami was still in legislative limbo Tuesday. Officials said the bill had not been forwarded to Gov. Jeb Bush. After receiving it, the governor will have 15 days to sign or veto it.

BRICKELL PARK OK: The courts have approved a settlement between Miami and the Brickell family on the future of Brickell Park. Miami City Attorney Alex Vilarello said the accord will mean the family will handle sale of the property, which is just south of the Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel, 495 Brickell Ave. Mr. Vilarello said the family and the city will split the proceeds.

PARK AWAITS AT&T CASH: Although the Bayfront Park Management Trust signed a two-year sponsorship agreement for the park amphitheater with AT&T in March, officials were still waiting Tuesday for the first payment on the $400,000 deal. Trust board members selected a $2,950 bid from A1A Signs & Service to paint AT&T's name on amphitheater signage but said they won't go up until the first check arrives. Under the deal, AT&T is to pay $15,000 for sponsor signs and related costs.

NO CHARITY CRUISES: The Bayfront Park Management Trust has failed to take advantage of a perk written into its contract with Bayfront Ventures, operators for the Casino Princesa gambling ship docked at Bayside. The cruise operator is required to annually provide three cruises benefitting charity groups the trust designates. Three years later, officials said, trust board members have yet to take up the company's offer.

DOUBLE SIGNATURES: The Bayfront Park Management Trust board, stung by recent bad publicity about trust finances, has agreed to require two signatures on every check. New Executive Director Jay Costantz and either Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who chairs the board, or the city's finance director must sign off on every purchase. "We are in the process now of doing things that will win trust back in this commission," Mr. Sanchez said.

BUTTONWOOD BID: A 150-year-old black buttonwood tree at Bayfront Park that was felled by Hurricane Irene last year attracted a bid from Swire Properties, which wanted to use the trunk in an art piece on Brickell Key. Bayfront Park Management Trust board members agreed with the park's landscape expert, who recommended leaving the fallen tree on site and planting buttonwood trees around it.
 
PORT ASSISTANT: Director Charles A. Towsley named Girolamo "Gerry" Cafiero Jr. assistant port director in charge of operations. Mr. Cafiero, a 15-year maritime industry veteran, had been chief of facilities maintenance and cruise operations for the port. His experience, Mr. Towsley said, made him a prime candidate for the post. Between 1988-98 Mr. Cafiero, a past chairman for the Miami section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, was a facility engineer for the county's solid waste department and project manager for the port's $111 million Resources Recovery Capital Expansion & Retrofit Project.

TOWERING INFERNO: The skeleton of The Ocean Club's Ocean Tower One, severely damaged by an accidental fire April 6, comes down at 9:30 a.m. June 2. Reliance National Indemnity last week removed an emergency motion to stop demolition after the county's Unsafe Structures Board voted against an appeal of a demolition order issued by the Village of Key Biscayne. "Now we can proceed as planned to quickly and safely demolish the shell," said developer John Hinson. Controlled Demolition of Maryland, which recently brought down the old Esp°rito Santo building on Brickell, will handle the implosion.

TALL SHIPS: Organizers say a June 10 groundbreaking ceremony for the Murano at Portofino, a luxury condo developed by The Related Group at 1000 South Pointe Ave., will include a viewing of OpSail Miami 2000's tall ships heading out to sea.

GROWTH PAINS: Florida Atlantic University's Institute of Government holds its 13th annual Growth Management Conference from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 7 in the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hilton, 1870 Griffin Rd. The Urban Land Institute and the FAU-FIU Joint Center for Environmental & Urban Problems are co-sponsors. Cost is $95. Details: (954) 920-3300.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: The New Industrial Revolution, a seminar organized by the Urban Land Institute, will be held from 7:30-9:30 a.m. June 15 in Don Shula's Hotel, 6842 Main St., Miami Lakes. Cost is $25-$50. Details: (800) 321-5011.

HISPANIC MARKET: Advertising in Spanish to Hispanics is more effective and persuasive than advertising to them in English, even among Hispanics who are bilingual, according to a study conducted by Roslow Advertising. Also, the study says, Hispanics are more likely to be brand loyal than the average US adult.