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In Today's Homestead Local Scoop Issue…
📅 Homestead Area Events
🚌 Homestead Seeks an Operator for Its Trolley System
💰 Five new police positions and $32 million for city projects
🐾 A Homestead graduate’s plan to help veterinary students
🥐 Pan dulce and a local sweet stop at La Patrona
🎨 Homestead-born artist Amari Tyjae
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Thursday, November 12
Farm Share Food Distribution - Chambers High School, 698 N. Homestead Blvd., Homestead. Free drive-thru distribution; first come, first served. - 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Somerset Oaks Elementary Tour - Somerset Oaks Leadership & Innovation, 1000 Old Dixie Hwy., Homestead. Explore the school and ask enrollment questions; register ahead. - 9:00 a.m.
The Berry Farm Harvest Festival - 13720 SW 216th St., Redland. Corn maze, farm attractions and seasonal food; paid admission. - 10:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
Lil’ Learners Storytime - Homestead Cybrarium. Stories, songs, rhymes and activities for ages 3–4. - 10:30–11:00 a.m.
South Dade Countryside Food & Wine Adventure - Guided countryside outing with tastings and transportation. Departs from Miami Marriott Dadeland, 9090 S. Dadeland Blvd.; reservations required. - 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Ranger’s Choice at Biscayne National Park - 9700 SW 328th St., Homestead. Free rotating ranger activities; families and drop-ins welcome; call 786-335-3620 - 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The STEMology Club - Naranja Branch Library, 14850 SW 280th St. Science, AI, coding, game design and engineering for ages 4–10. - 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Sunset Eats Night Market - Palmetto Bay Park, 17535 SW 95th Ave. Food vendors and live music; free admission, purchases extra. - 5:30–9:30 p.m.
Network @ Night - South Dade Kia, 17120 S. Dixie Hwy. ChamberSOUTH business networking; $25 for members and nonmembers. Register ahead. - 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Nicolás Pellón Solo Piano Recital - Trinity Chapel, Palmer Trinity School, 8001 SW 184th St., Palmetto Bay. Classical program; $29.58 online or $30 exact cash at the door. - 7:30–9:00 p.m.
Check each organizer's page before heading out. Schedules may change.
Meme of The Day
Supporting local bakeries. One very full bag at a time. 🥐
Homestead Seeks an Operator for Its Trolley System
Homestead trolley. Archival photo: City of Homestead, via the National Park Service.
Homestead is looking for a company to operate and maintain its circulator transit system. A request for proposals posted November 6 asks qualified providers to manage the city’s fixed-route trolley service.
For residents who rely on the trolley, the contract covers the work behind those everyday rides: operating vehicles, maintaining the system and meeting the City’s service requirements.
Proposals are due December 15 at 2 p.m. A meeting for interested providers is scheduled for November 17 at 10 a.m. Vendors should check the City’s procurement portal for documents and any changes.
This is a search for an operator. The posting does not announce a contract award or an immediate change to riders’ routes or schedules. We’ll watch for the selection and what it means for local service.
What Homestead’s New City Budget Includes
Homestead City Hall.
Homestead’s approved 2026–2027 budget includes funding for five additional police officer positions, upgrades to public safety radio communications, and $32 million for capital improvement projects.
It also supports city events, sponsorships and community programs. Those dollars help pay for services, public spaces and activities that residents use throughout the year.
Want to see where the money goes? The City’s budget page has the adopted spending documents and contact information for its Finance & Budget Department.
A Homestead Graduate Wants to Open Doors for Veterinary Students
Alexandre Contreras, pictured in the South Dade News Leader.
Getting hands-on experience can be a challenge for students who want to work with animals. Homestead Senior High graduate Alexandre Contreras is working on a way to help.
In a September 25 South Dade News Leader story, Contreras described VetTrackEDU, a platform being developed to connect veterinary-assisting students with local clinics. The planned system would help students log hours, clinics verify skills, and teachers follow their progress.
At the time of that report, he was working toward a four-student pilot at his former high school. His goal was to build a network of participating clinics in Homestead. The project’s current pilot status still needs an update.
La Patrona Bakery Has Plans for a Bigger Next Chapter
Looking for something sweet to go with your morning coffee? La Patrona Bakery on Mowry Drive offers pan dulce, including the sugar-topped conchas pictured here. It’s a local stop to keep in mind when you want to bring a few treats home or share something with family.
The bakery’s website also features cakes and catering. Planning a celebration or a larger order? Call the shop to ask about choices, pricing and how much notice they need.
The City’s redevelopment project page also highlights a 5,000-square-foot expansion for La Patrona, intended to increase production and create jobs. It’s another chapter in the bakery’s local story.
📍 Address: 110 W. Mowry Drive, Homestead
⏰ Listed hours: Daily, 5 a.m.–10 p.m.
📞 Phone: 305-242-4044
Amari Tyjae Brings Black Femininity Into Her Art
Amari Tyjae. Portrait displayed on her Homestead Center for the Arts profile.
Homestead-born artist and professional tattooist Amari Tyjae explores the strength and beauty of Black femininity through her drawings and paintings.
Her love of art began in childhood and grew through four years of visual arts training at Arthur and Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts, where she graduated with honors. Today, her creative work spans fine art and tattooing, bringing personal expression into different forms.
The Homestead Center for the Arts describes her work as expressive, personal and rich in bold detail. Through her art, she celebrates strength, softness and identity while carrying her hometown roots into her creative journey. Her artist profile is a great starting point for readers who want to discover local talent.
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