Alexander Gonzalez

Floridians pay a price for living on the coast.

Hurricane Michael, which made landfall just shy of a Category 5 storm, ravaged the Panhandle and Big Bend area. The storm destroyed neighborhoods and washed out roads – changing lives forever.

Developers and investors looking for the next Miami real estate diamond in the rough are venturing into Allapattah, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods bordering trendy Wynwood.

That proximity to the city’s booming urban core, along with Metrorail access and riverfront views, have prompted discussion over the future of development in Allapattah, which some say is at a crossroads.

After almost a year along the beaches on the Gulf Coast, toxic algae has made its way to South Florida.

South Floridians complain a lot about traffic. Jammed expressways, reckless drivers and unreliable public transportation contribute to a perennial dissatisfaction about the state of the region’s roadways – which sometimes not even the best Waze-like app can mitigate.

The city of Miami could be hiking the price to park for nonresidents.

City commissioners are considering increasing the hourly rate to $3.25 an hour in some neighborhoods. Rates would increase for public parking lots, garages and curbside spots.

A year ago, South Florida was bracing for Hurricane Irma.

The Category 4 storm made landfall in the Lower Keys. Irma ripped through islands, damaging thousands of homes and businesses. 

A race for a seat on Broward County’s school board lasted a few days beyond the primary election.

Over the weekend, there was a recount for the race pitting incumbent Donna Korn against Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina was killed in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Politicians and property taxes weren’t the only questions on some ballots this primary season. Voters in the cities of Miami and South Miami approved opening the way for the redevelopment of two high-profile properties.

Mobile showers for the homeless in Fort Lauderdale have been shut down for violating city code.

According to the Sun Sentinel, the charity Hope South Florida received a notice from the city at the beginning of this month, saying the use of a portable shower outside of a structure is not permitted.

Nine years before director Barry Jenkins became know for his Oscar-winning film “Moonlight” - shot and set in Miami-, he produced his first feature film “Medicine for Melancholy” with an estimated budget of $13,000.

Miami nightlife runs on music and DJs are the maestros of that scene. It’s an industry heavily represented by men. But a group of women in a DJ class wants to drop just as many beats.

Two undocumented immigrants who were arrested for driving without a license and face deportation are suing Miami-Dade County over its immigration detention policy. The lawsuit was filed in federal court this week, claiming the county’s policy is unconstitutional.

The cost of recycling programs has doubled in some Broward County cities.

This month, the price increased when previous contracts with Sun Bergeron expired. Part of that company is now owned by Waste Management, which cities are blaming for the price hike.

For years, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office had a backlog of rape kits, which contain DNA evidence that could link a suspect to a victim. Some of those kits dated back to the 1980s. In recent years, the agency spent $1 million to test nearly 1,000 kits.

Hurricane Irma was a game-changer for South Florida. Cities are preparing for hurricane season differently now. And the region’s largest utility, Florida Power & Light, is pushing for a method that could turn the lights back on faster after a storm.

It’s called undergrounding. A lot of people think of it as the solution for keeping the power on. But that’s not necessarily how it works.