FYI Miami: February 22, 2024

Below are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

COLLEGE FREEDOM INSTITUTE: A Florida Senate bill approved in committee on Tuesday would require creating an “Institute for Freedom in the Americas” at Miami Dade College. The proposed institute would have to be in the Freedom Tower on Biscayne Boulevard at the college’s Wolfson Campus. The Institute for Freedom in the Americas would be required to partner with Florida International University’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom to hold public events. The bill also would require teaching about the history of communism in Florida’s public schools, with senators agreeing with a House position that such lessons should be taught in grades as early as kindergarten starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The Senate Education Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the bill. Public school students currently learn about communism in a seventh grade civics and government class and in high school social studies courses. 

INTERIM HR HEAD: Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava last week appointed Melanie McLean interim director of the county’s Human Resources Department for up to six months while the county searches for a permanent director. Ms. McLean fills the position held from October 2013 to January by Arleene Cuellar, who is now the senior advisor to the county’s chief administrative officer. Ms. McLean has served as interim director of the department since Aug. 30, 2023. Before that she was the deputy director. She holds an MBA from Florida International University and a bachelor of science in chemistry from the University of Florida.

FOUR JUDGES NAMED: Gov. Ron DeSantis this week made four judicial appointments of Miami-Dade residents. He elevated County Court Judge Carlos Gamez of Coral Gables to serve as judge on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, and named Cristine Hernandez of Miami, who has been an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of Florida since 2018, to also serve as a judge on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court. He also named Jennifer Hochstadt of Aventura, an assistant county attorney in the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office since 2015, and Jason Reding Quiñones of Coral Gables, an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of Florida since 2018, to both serve as judges on the Miami-Dade County Court.    

GAS BUBBLES UP: Average gas prices in Miami rose 12.5 cents per gallon in the past week to $3.33, which is 23.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago but 6.3 cents lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy. The national average price rose 8.7 cents last week to $3.26.