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

DEJA VU: Dina Bianchino, who left her position as a Miami assistant city manager six months ago for the private sector, is returning to public life Sept. 5 — as a Miami assistant city manager. After a stint as vice president of special projects at Related Group of Florida, she says, she opted to return after a discussion with new City Manager Carlos Gimenez. "It seems like the city is moving forward," she says. "I'm very happy to be going back."

LEGALLY HISTORIC: Three recent leases with law firms at Miami Center, 201 S Biscayne Blvd., have pushed the Miami Center above the 90% occupancy mark, the highest occupancy rate in the office tower's 16-year history, said Eric Siegrist with Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., which handles leasing and management of the tower for owner Crescent Real Estate Equities. To reach the mark, he said deals were recently struck with Broad & Cassell, which expanded by close to 6,000 square feet; Chicago-based Arnstein & Lehr for more than 6,800 and Cohen Fox, which took more than 7,000.

DOLPHIN TENANTS: Dolphin Mall, a 1.4 million-acre enclosed mall due to open in March near Miami International Airport, announced 100 leases have been signed to date. More than 40% of tenants are new to Miami-Dade. Two dozen are Florida firsts, including Castaldi's, an Italian restaurant; clothing designer Giorgio's first fashion outlet in the US; Animal Mania, selling animal-theme merchandise; Chispa de la Vida, an Argentinian fashion retailer new to North America; the Southeast's first Bakers Outlet, a shoe store, and Lucky's Athletic, a denim superstore.

HOTEL DEAL: The 198-room Days Inn Central, 600 NW 81st St. — known as the Orange Bowl Hotel for its huge Orange Bowl sign — has been sold to Travelodge Miami, whose principals include Judah and Sam Burstyn, for $1.7 million. Ted Konigsberg of Colliers International represented the seller, Bangkok National Bank.

MANDARIN JOB FAIR: Mandarin Oriental Miami, a five-star hotel slated to open this fall on Brickell Key, will hold a job fair Aug. 25-28 at the Coconut Grove Convention Center, 2700 S Bayshore Drive. The hotel needs to fill 20 management positions and 300 service jobs. Details: (305) 576-3191.

STAFFING ADDITIONS: AccounTec Inc., a national provider of outsourcing and staffing services, acquired Connection Staffing, which has offices in Tampa and Miami. Connection President Margo Hunt will continue to manage the firm.

NEW DEEHL: The law firm Deehl & Carlson relocated from West Flagler Street to suite 1007 in the Douglas Center, Coral Gables. The firm, says principal David L. Deehl — who is joined in the practice by attorney Susan S. Carlson — specializes in commercial, construction, insurance and negligence litigation. Details: (305) 448-9111.

GABLES DIAMONDS: The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce gave Gables Diamond awards to four organizations to recognize "excellence in business performance, commitment to the community and other criteria, such as customer service." Winners are Abood & Associates Inc., Miami Christian School, First National Bank of South Miami and Daphne Gurri. Abood & Associates was designated overall winner. Chamber officials say 115 nominations were received.

EXPANDING FIELDS: The law firm Carlton Fields announced an expansion of its Miami office through the acquisition of 15 attorneys and staffers formerly operating as Cohen Berke Bernstein Brodie & Kondell. "The Cohen Berke group," said Thomas A. Snow, Carlton Fields president and CEO, "maintains a broad-based commercial practice, including highly technical and specialized areas such as computer law and e-commerce law, which we expect will play a significant role" in the law firm's future.

TRADE RESERVATION: The Central America US Chamber of Commerce continues to accept reservations for a trade mission to Nicaragua from Oct. 29-Nov. 1 that continues to El Salvador from Nov. 1-4. Details: (305) 569-6477.

FREE SYMPHONY: The Miami Symphony under the direction of Manuel Ochoa will give a free lunchtime concert of classical music for strings at noon Sept. 8 at the Main Library, 101 W Flagler St. Details: (305) 375-5576.

FIT FOR YOUNGSTERS: The University of Miami Wellness Center is offering recreation and fitness programs for children ages 6-12 on Saturdays starting Sept. 9. Cost is $35; $335 for three months. Details: (305) 284-8510.

VOTING AGENDA: Countywide elections in Miami-Dade are Sept. 5 for the first primary, Oct. 3 for the second primary and Nov. 7 for the general election. Among major questions on the ballot Sept. 5 is the incorporation of Miami Lakes. Details: elections@metro-dade.com.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE: Edward Wasserman, chairman and editor in chief of the Daily Business Review, announced his resignation to the newspaper's staff Tuesday during his own 52nd birthday celebration. The resignation is effective Sept. 29. He said he has not decided on his next career step after 14 years at the Review.

SMALL CONFERENCE: The US Small Business Administration and the US Department of the Treasury are holding a one-day Mentor-ProtÇgÇ Conference today (8/24) in the Hyatt Regency Miami, 400 SE Second St. The session targets small business owners, HubZone qualified firms, minority entrepreneurs and prime contractors. One-on-one counseling sessions with representatives for prime contractors and government agencies are among features. The emphasis is on how to identify and select partners for the federal Mentor-ProtÇgÇ Program, BusinessLINC Initiative and the President's New Markets Initiative. Details: (800) 878-2940, ext. 227.

GOLD KEY: The Loews Miami Beach Hotel was awarded the Gold Key Award from Meetings & Conventions magazine this month. The 23-year-old award was based on the votes of magazine readers in several categories, including attitude of meeting staff, quality of guest rooms, food and beverage service, and proficiency of handling reservations, organizers say. Details: (305) 604-1601.

STREET HONORS: Road work along Southwest Eight Street won a statewide Community Awareness award for best street reconstruction. A selection panel of officials from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration made the choice. An award ceremony at a time and place to be announced will salute the project's engineers in the fall.

HOUSING HONORS: The Miami-Dade Housing Agency won seven "Best Practices" awards from the US Department of Housing & Urban Development in four regional and three local categories. The agency — the sixth largest of its kind in the US — was among 1,400 organizations and projects participating in the honors, which are now in their second year. The awards, says Rene Rodriguez, agency director, confirm "that our agency is an innovator of unique programs and services that will benefit the residences of Miami-Dade County."

FACTORY DEAL: The Codina Group announced that Recreational Factory Warehouse signed to use 18,340 square feet at Airport Business Center, 4101 NW 72nd Ave., for 60 months. Codina's Scott Sime represented landlord A&B Properties in the transaction.

BEACON LEASES: Codina also announced three recent leases at Beacon Centre, with SMT Export using close to 15,000 square feet, MA Vending taking 15,880 and MSI Corp. signing for 14,400. Codina's Jose Juncadella, David Spillers and George Pino represented the landlord in the transactions while Scott Hardie with Miami Industrial represented SMT Export, Ernie Campo with Alliance Commercial represented MA Vending and Ken Farkas with DiGiacomo represented MSI.

C&S SALES: C&S Development announced sale of 19,000 square feet at 12796 107th Place to Prompt Aviation for $1.5 million and a build-to-suit facility in Miami International Business Park to Balogh-Juan Martinez, trustee, for $3.25 million. Codina broker Scott Sime represented C&S in the sale to Prompt Aviation while Stuart T. Gordon and Jose Juncadella represented C&S in the business park deal.