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

RIBBON CUTTING: PAL Laboratories will hold a ribbon- cutting ceremony for a new manufacturing facility at 11 a.m. Aug. 18 at 10655 NW 29th Terr. Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas is expected to attend. Details: (305) 463-2289.


OFFICE PURCHASE: The Home Equity Corp., through its subsidiary Palmetto Frontage Road, purchased a Miami Lakes office building at 14100 NW Palmetto Frontage Road. The building, which has 45,000 square feet, sold for $3.25 million.


KINGLY LOOKS: Burger King opened its first "new look" restaurant in Miami-Dade County this week at 16730 SW 88th St., Kendall. The unveiling is part of the fast-food chain's plans to transform the look of the restaurants worldwide. The new design includes exteriors, interiors, the chain's logo and establishing a virtual fun center for kids.

NORTHERN LUNCH: The Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce is holding a membership luncheon at noon Aug. 23 in the Miami Shores Country Club, 10000 Biscayne Blvd. Chris Mazzella, inspector general for Miami-Dade County, is to speak. Cost is $14. Details: (305) 891-7811.

BRICKELL FORUM: The Brickell Homeowners Association is holding a candidate forum at 7 p.m. Aug. 24 in the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1770 Brickell Ave. Details: Tory Jacobs, (305) 858-9699.

SOUTHERN FORUM: Chamber South has scheduled a candidate forum at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 23 in the Miami Dadeland Marriott, 9090 S Dadeland Blvd. Candidates for county mayor are expected to speak. It's free. Details: (305) 661-1621.

DORAL NETWORKER: Commercial Real Estate Women Miami is holding its third quarter networker from 5:30-7 p.m. Aug. 22 in the Club at Doral, 4400 NW 87th Ave. Cost is $25; $20 for members. RSVP. Details: (305) 789-6608.

GABLES OFFICE SALE: Ken Rosen, president of Kendar Realty, and attorney Jim Pollack, partners in 1501 Verona, bought the 25,908-square-foot Park Place II office building, 1501 Verona Ave., for $2.95 million. Paul Ahmed of Terranova represented the seller, an out-of-state corporation, in the transaction.

BEACON LEASES: Microtel International leased 23,500 square feet at Beacon Centre office park. Jose Juncadella, David Spillers and George Pino, Codina brokers, represented the landlord, Dukes-Weeks Realty. Vivian Barbeto with Era Castle Realty represented the tenant in the transaction.

LAND SALE: DS Realty bought 36,000 square feet of land at Northwest 31st Avenue from Shaa Joint Venture for $74,000. Codina broker Leon Banks represented the seller in the purchase.

SPA SALE: Casuso Enterprises bought a 5,951-square-foot building at 4012 Laguna St. from Foundation Spa, Salon & Studio for $450,000. Laura Kessel of Grubb & Ellis represented the buyer.

BONITA LAKES: Caribe Homes bought 20 acres from Lennar Homes at Bonita Lakes, Southwest 124th Avenue and 139th Street. President Charlie Martinez says Caribe will build 20 homes ranging from $125,000-$156,000 on the site. Details: (305) 238-0098.

MURANO FINANCING: The Related Group of Florida closed on a $74 million construction loan from First Union National Bank for the Murano, a 37-story residential condo at 1000 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach. The project broke ground in June. Details: (305) 604-2088.

COLDWELL UPGRADE: Coldwell Banker launched Coldwell Banker Previews International, a program to market luxury properties globally, says Judith A. Green, president & CEO of South Florida operations.

HYATT SALES: Class Residence by Hyatt in Aventura, a resort-style luxury retirement community to break ground at year's end at 19333 W Country Club Drive, is 50% sold, says Sarah Brown, director of sales & marketing. Details: (305) 692-4501.

NORTH MIAMI OPENING: Little Haiti Housing Association celebrated the grand opening of the 33-unit Forest Green Townhomes, 14100 NE Third Ct. The development targets low-income families.

MORTGAGE PARTNERSHIP: CitiMortgage Inc., a member of CitiGroup, and national mortgage lender Fannie Mae announced a partnership to provide $1 billion in affordable mortgage lending for low- to moderate-income South Florida households over the next five years. Details: (800) 848-1180.

ARVIDA ALLIANCE: Arvida Realty Services, a business unit of St. Joe Co., formed a real estate alliance with Goldschmidt & Howland, a UK firm established in 1888, to further residential and commercial business interests between Florida and the UK, says Arvida CEO Richard W. Cope.

MODEL COMMUNITY: Luxcom announced the opening of five models at The Gates at Doral Isles, 6000 NW 114th Ave. Sales Director Luis Esquivel says the community is 65% sold. Details: (305) 597-9798.

FILM BONANZA: Film offices in the county issued 2,860 permits with an economic impact estimated at more than $106 million, The Miami-Dade Mayor's Office of Film & Entertainment's year-to-date statistics through June show. Still photography accounts for the lion's share at $68.9 million, compared to $5.5 million for film, $6.6 million for TV and $25.68 million for commercials.

FILM PARTICULARS: Among high-profile permits, Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group has started filming of a feature comedy based on a novel by Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry under the working title "Big Trouble." It is to star Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Jeneane Garafolo and Miami's Sofia Vergara.

FILM MISSION: The Florida Film Commissioner has scheduled a fall sales mission to the New York Independent Film Festival & Market Sept. 19 to provide prospects with information about making movies in the Sunshine State. Details: (877) FLA-FILM.

TRAVEL ACQUISITIONS: Coral Gables-based TraveLeaders acquired five more Florida travel service companies, bringing to 14 the number it has acquired since January. Newly acquired are Vision Travel in the Gables, Coast to Coast Travel and Express Travel in Miami, Travel Planners in Miami Lakes and Preferred Travel in Orlando. The acquisitions, says TraveLeaders Chairman & CEO Keith St. Clair, "brings us closer to reaching our goals of offering customers the best and most comprehensive travel services, all under one roof."

BI-NATIONAL POST: The Association of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce in South Florida Inc. elected Lita Haeger president. The first women to lead the group, Ms. Haeger is president of the Chile-US Chamber of Commerce. The post she assumes was left vacant by the death of Lars Hummerhielm. Other new Bi-National officers and their chamber group include Gabriel Pascual, Central America-USA chamber, executive vice president; Ty Javellana, Korean-American chamber, treasurer, and Maria Masvidal-Visser, Norwegian-American chamber, secretary. The Bi-National chamber is an umbrella for about 40 bi-national chambers in Florida representing more than 8,000 members.