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

GERMAN ORDER: Germany's consul general in Miami, Fritz Von Rottenburg, gave the Cross of the Order of Merit — the highest civilian honor awarded by the president of the Federal Republic of Germany — to Walter Loy and George Volsky, said Holger Ziegeler, deputy consul general. He said the award, which is equal to a knight title, is given to those who show leadership in fostering trade, commerce and art with Germany. Mr. Loy is vice chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and heads the chamber's global affairs commission, which includes assisting Miami's consular community among its tasks. Mr. Volsky is responsible for organizing the Mozart Festival annually at the Coral Gables Omni Colonnade Hotel, Mr. Ziegeler said.

NO USED CARS: The Miami City Commission last week upheld the city zoning board's denial of a special exception permit that would have allowed a used car dealership at 7500 Biscayne Blvd. Commissioners Tom s Regalado and Arthur Teele voted in favor of the used car franchise. The decision came on the heels of a town hall meeting held two days before the city commission voted on the issue. At that meeting residents reviewed the applicant's revised plan but remained opposed to the project. Opponents said in June 1999 the city adopted an Upper Eastside master plan that does not include used car lots.

LIGHTHOUSE OFFICER: Miami Lighthouse for the Blind named D. Alan Nichols president of its board of directors. Mr. Nichols, an audit partner for Deloitte & Touche, has served on the organization's board for the past five years and has more than 30 years of public accounting experience. He has been president of the downtown chapter of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Among his other community service posts, he is a director for the St. Thomas Episcopal School and a trustee for the Palm Trinity School.

COOL HIRING: Manpower's most recent survey of employers in the Miami area suggests a cool job market for the spring. Only 18% of hiring executives surveyed in the Miami area were contemplating staff additions while 9% planned cutbacks. As many as 14% were undecided. Luis Rodriguez, Manpower officer for Miami, said employers here showed far more optimism in the spring a year ago when 30% expected to expand and only 7% anticipated staff reductions. Nationally, Mr Rodriguez said, "the long-anticipated decline in hiring activity appears ahead."

MEETING SCHEDULES: New convention bookings, say Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau officials, have been "significant" with recent deals to meet here struck with organizers for a US Department of Agriculture graduate school meet worth more than 6,000 hotel rooms in August, a conference by the Omega Institute worth more than 1,000 rooms in November, a gynecologists' parley for about 700 room-nights in June 2002 and an October 2006 gathering by the American Association of Blood Banks worth more than 14,000 room-nights.

MORE BUREAU: Among other marketing activities being undertaken by the bureau, representatives are taking part in a gay tourism conference being held through Friday in Washington, DC, and a tourism trade show in Colombia that ends today (3/1). Locally, last minute preparations are under way between bureau officials and staffers for the SeaTrade International trade show being held March 5-8 in the Miami Beach Convention Center. The SeaTrade show is expected to draw 8,000 delegates.

STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY: South Beach's Savoy Hotel has been purchased out of bankruptcy for $18 million by Craig A. Spencer, president and CEO of the Arden Group Inc. Keith Space and Martin Scasserra of S&S Hotel Management Ltd. will operate the 68-room hotel at 455 Ocean Drive. The deal closed Monday.

MOVING ON: More than half of Florida's college undergraduates plan to leave the state once they graduate, according to a study released this week by Leadership Florida and Nova Southeastern University.

HAPPY LANDINGS: Miami International Airport has changed navigation to make it easier for visitors to pilot their way around its website. Hot item — real time flight information about arrivals and departures. Details: miami-airport.com.

TRIPLE PLAY: State Rep. Marco Rubio, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jimmy Morales and Coral Gables Commissioner William Kerdyk Jr. are teaming up on a town hall meeting at 7 tonight (3/1) in the Coral Gables Country Club. County and city department heads will also be there. The meeting at 997 N Greenway Drive targets Gables residents. Details: (305) 375-5680.

BASE MEETING: The Restoration Advisory Board for Homestead Air Reserve Station and the Homestead Air Force Base Conversion Agency will meet at 6:30 p.m. March 14 in the Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension Service Agricultural Center, 18710 SW 288 St. in Homestead. The agenda includes an update on the environmental restoration activities in progress at Homestead Air Reserve Station and the former Homestead Air Force Base. Details: (305) 224-7163.

SHAKE-A-LEG MEET: Shake-a-Leg Miami is holding its mid-winter regatta, "2001 Race Odyssey," from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 2600 S Bayshore Drive. The competition is specially designed for 20-foot fixed keel Freedom Independence sailboats modified for people with disabilities. Details: (305) 858-5550.

JAMCO POST: The health care and housing firm Jamco Medical Inc. named Ed Rolquin vice president of procurement to outfit the company's health care facilities abroad, starting with equipping 10 "smart hospitals" in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Rolquin in the past had his own procurement consultancy, Domestic Export Corp., and has worked with the Chinese government on import-export and technology transfer projects, including arrangements to bring panda bears to Busch Gardens in Tampa.

GABLES FORUM: A forum for candidates for the City of Coral Gables Commission is being held at 7 p.m. March 8 in the auditorium at the Ponce de Leon Middle School, 5801 Augusto Ave. Sponsored by the PTAs of Coral Gables, the session will focus on issues having to do with children and families, say organizers. Details: (305) 669-9090.

LEGAL PROMOTION: The law firm Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton named Adam M. Moskowitz a shareholder. Mr. Moskowitz is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami law school. He specializes in class action and complex commercial litigation.