Wednesday, May 4, 2005
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CONTENTS:Maria Anderson is City’s New Vice Mayor
Dona Lubin is New Assistant City Manager
Court Upholds City Commission Decision in JCI Dispute
Hopkins Scholarship Applications Due June 1
Public Hearings Scheduled for Future Growth of North Ponce
CGPD K-9 Excels in Competition
Don’t Miss Museum Garage Opening Ceremony
Enjoy an Evening at the Biltmore and Help Miami-Dade
Dinner Theatre to Benefit People with Disabilities
Visit the Youth Center for “All Things Quilt”
City Weight Watchers Meetings Open to Gables Residents
Don't Miss 2nd Annual Wine & Food Festival
Weekend at the Biltmore Focuses on Preserving Our Past
Cultural Events Roundup
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Maria Anderson is City’s New Vice Mayor >>> During the April 26 City Commission meeting, Mayor Don Slesnick named Commissioner Maria Anderson the City's new Vice Mayor. Ms. Anderson was voted into office in 2001 following a grassroots campaign that focused on open government, preserving the Gables quality of life, and improving senior services. She is now serving her second term in office, after being re-elected on April 12. Vice Mayor Anderson continues to be a strong proponent of transparency in government, preserving the charm of residential neighborhoods, and creating more programs and activities for seniors. She would like to expand these activities to strategically-placed locations in the City, beyond those currently offered at the Coral Gables Youth Center.
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Dona Lubin is New Assistant City Manager >>> Former Historical Resources Director Dona Lubin has been named the new City Assistant Manager. Ms. Lubin joins Asst. City Manager Maria Alberro Jimenez in support of City Manager David L. Brown in the day-to-day business of running the City of Coral Gables. Through the years, Ms. Lubin has made great contributions to the ongoing efforts of the City to preserve its history. Most recently, she supervised the restoration of the Merrick House and the mural inside the Cupola at City Hall, and she played an important role in the designation Coral Gables recently received from First Lady Laura Bush as a "Preserve America" City. Congratulations to Ms. Lubin on her new post.
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Court Upholds City Commission Decision in JCI Dispute >>> The Third District Court of Appeals has ruled that the City of Coral Gables acted properly in 2003 when it approved a zoning change to allow businesses to lease space at the Junior Chamber International building. Residents filed an appeal to prevent the zoning change arguing that commercial activity in this building would bring more traffic and noise to the mostly residential area. The five-story building at LeJeune Road and University Drive was built in 1968 for the non-profit Junior Chamber, or Jaycees, who were allowed to have commercial functions there. A three-judge panel sided with the City of Coral Gables and denied the petition.
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Donald R. Hopkins Scholarship Applications Accepted Until June 1 >>> The Donald R. Hopkins Scholarship Program, which awards up to $5,000 per year to help young black residents in Coral Gables to attend college, is accepting applications until noon, Wednesday, June 1. The scholarship is based on financial need, academic performance, career goals, and residency. The scholarship is available on a competitive basis with awards generally ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 annually. The recipient must be a resident of the City of Coral Gables and have a 2.5 GPA. Priority consideration will be given to residents from the Golden Gate/McFarlane Homestead subdivision, generally bounded by US1/South Dixie Highway to the north, LeJeune Road to the west, Grant Drive to the South, and the City's eastern boundary to the east. Completed applications must be returned by noon, Wednesday, June 1, as follows: Coral Gables High School students that meet the eligibility requirements should return the completed applications to the CAP office at Coral Gables Senior High School. Coral Gables residents that meet the base requirements but attend a high school other than Coral Gables Senior High School should return the completed applications to the Coral Gables City Manager's Office, located on the first floor of the Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way. A postmark does not satisfy the deadline requirement. Applications must be received in the designated office by the deadline. For more information, contact Candy Suris at 305-569-1817.
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Public Hearings Scheduled for Future Growth of North Ponce >>> The City will be conducting public input meetings in May to discuss the future growth of the northern section of the City known as the North Ponce de Leon area. The area to be discussed is described as follows: Flagler Street/Campina Court (north); Navarre Avenue (south); Douglas Road (east); and Salzedo Street/LeJeune Road (west). The City is soliciting input to create a detailed future Master Plan for the area. The input received will be utilized in the creation of various rules and regulations that will provide a framework for future development with reference to the type of allowable uses, building design, streetscape improvements, pedestrian circulation, traffic, parks/recreation, historic preservation, and other public improvements. Click here for a meeting schedule. For additional information click here or feel free to provide written comments via email to northponce@coralgables.com or call the City's Planning Department at 305-460-5211.
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CGPD K-9 Excels in Competition >>> Congratulations to Officer Alan Davis and his K-9 partner, Troll, who recently obtained Detector Dog Certification from the United States Police Canine Association – one of the most difficult certifications to obtain. Most dogs that test for this certification have been training and working for more than a year. Troll had been in intense training for only six weeks before he attended the field trials in Pensacola last month. Troll not only obtained his certification, but placed third overall in bomb detection, beating out dogs that have been doing the same work for nearly four years. Among his award-winning feats: Troll was asked to find two explosives hidden in three rooms in 18 minutes. He did so in six minutes. Officer Davis says Troll's sharp skills come from the excellent training he received from Lazaro Cabrera of Police Service Dogs, Inc. Cabrera is also a West Miami Police Officer, and his dog Mischka won six awards in his first time competing. Officer Davis and his new K-9 partner will be available around the clock for any type of explosives-related incident.
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Don’t Miss Museum Garage Opening Ceremony >>> If you haven't yet visited the new Museum Garage, the City's 606-space, secured parking facility just blocks away from the Gables' popular shops and restaurants, come on down on May 19 and help celebrate the opening of the garage. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. at 250 Aragon Ave., in the courtyard next to the Colombian Consulate. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call the City's Public Affairs Office at 305-460-5205.
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Enjoy an Evening at the Biltmore and Help Miami-Dade >>> Come to the Biltmore Hotel at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, for the Beacon Council's "Miami Lifestyle" auction — an evening of cocktails, delicious food, and a music and fashion show presented by the Village of Merrick Park. The event will feature a silent and live auction of exciting items such as vacation packages and merchandise from some of Miami's trendiest stores. Funds raised during the auction will benefit "Make it Miami" — a marketing campaign that promotes Miami-Dade as a premier business location throughout the world. Tickets are $50 person. The Biltmore Hotel is at 1200 Anastasia Ave. For more information call the Beacon Council at 305-579-1300 or visit www.beaconcouncil.com on the Web.
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Dinner Theatre to Benefit People with Disabilities >>> Join your fellow Gables businesses and residents as they support people with communication disabilities at the Fourth Annual Dinner Theatre of the Hearing and Speech Center of Florida. The theme for this year's fundraiser is "Sounds of Love," with songs by award-winning students from the New World School of the Arts. The event will feature a silent auction and a Grand Raffle. One of the silent auction gifts will be breakfast or lunch with Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick and a tour of City Hall. Among the event's many sponsors are: Esslinger Wooten Maxwell Realtors, Bill Ussery Motors, The Biltmore Hotel and Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes in Coral Gables. The event is at 6:30 p.m. at Parrot Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail. For more information, call Nancy Gordon at 305-271-7343, Ext. 33.
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Visit the Youth Center for “All Things Quilt” >>> The Ocean Waves Chapter of the National Quilting Association will hold its 18th annual exhibition at the Coral Gables Youth Center on Saturday and Sunday, May 6-7. QuiltFest 2005 will feature the largest display of quilts and related items in South Florida. Among them: Depression-Era quilts and antique sewing baskets. A quilt auction will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, and certified judges will be evaluating more than 100 competition quilts. A boutique and vendors' alley with "all things quilting" will be available. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days. Tickets are $6 per person or $5 each for a group of six or more people. The Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center is at 405 University Dr. For more information, call Cerita Lane at 305-801-7106 or e-mail her at ceritabob@aol.com.
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City Weight Watchers Meetings Open to Gables Residents >>> The Coral Gables Weight Watchers "At Work" program is now open to City residents. The program focuses on nutrition, eating management skills, safe weight loss, fitting exercise into a busy schedule, maintaining motivation, and the effects of time pressure and stress on eating habits. New and current program members are encouraged to take part in this beneficial program. Fees are $137 for new members and $121 for current program members or lifetime members. The meetings are from Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Coral Gables Youth Center, 405 University Dr. The 12-week program starts on May 25, and a free informational meeting will be held May 18. Seating is limited, so please reserve a space with Dee Paris, 305-460-5461, by Monday, May 15.
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Don’t Miss 2nd Annual Wine & Food Festival >>> Come to downtown Coral Gables on May 19 for a special evening of celebration and philanthropy. The festival is presented by The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida to benefit the American Lung Association, as well as pulmonary research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. For a $100 donation, guests can visit a VIP reception tent from 6 to 7 p.m., where wines from around the world will be available for sampling. Accompanying hors d'oeuvres are graciously donated by the festival's honorary chairman, Marc Buoniconti. The street festival takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. along Giralda Avenue, which will be closed off for foot traffic only during the event. Festival-goers can also visit more than 25 tables offering signature dishes from South Florida's best restaurants. Tickets are $40 per person. For more information, call the American Lung Association at 800-524-8010 or 954-524-4657, or visit www.sflung.org on the Web. Giralda Avenue will be closed between Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Galiano Street in connection with the event.
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Weekend at the Biltmore Focuses on Preserving Our Past >>> The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation will hold its Annual Statewide Conference at the Biltmore Hotel May 19–21. The Conference highlights a different historic Florida community or county each year. This year, it focuses on the unique history of Miami-Dade County and Coral Gables, recently named a "Preserve America" City by First Lady Laura Bush. The Conference will offer professional development workshops on current preservation issues and challenges in South Florida, as well as general workshops on preservation grants, guides for preservation organizations, and other "how-to" topics. Participants will also get the chance to visit historic places in South Florida such as Vizcaya, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Venetian Pool, and historic theatres throughout Miami. Other special events include an opening reception and final gala. Those who wish to attend the conference must register by May 9. For more information, call the Trust at 850-224-8159 or visit www.floridatrust.org on the Web.
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Cultural Events Roundup >>> The following is a list of upcoming events put on by recipients of the Coral Gables Cultural Grant. Event schedules are subject to change, so please call the organization directly in advance of the show.
> May 5: Friends of Chamber Music of Miami, "The Jerusalem Quartet," 8 p.m. at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall at the University of Miami, 1314 Miller Dr. For information, call 305-372-2975 or visit www.miamichambermusic.org on the Web.
> May 7: Murray Dranoff Foundation holds two-piano jazz concert at the Joseph Caleb Auditorium, 5400 NW 22 Ave. For information, call 305-572-9900 or visit www.dranoff2piano.org on the Web.
> May 8: Alhambra Orchestra, Europe Day Concert, 7:30 p.m. at Coral Gables First United Methodist Church, 536 Coral Way. For information, call 305-668-9260 or visit www.alhambramusic.org on the Web.
> May 14: Miami Momentum Dance Company, "Mark Twain's Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," 11 a.m. Children's Library Dance Series at the Coral Gables Branch Library, 3443 Segovia St. For information, call 305-442-8706 or visit www.momentumdance.com on the Web.
> May 15 & 22: Sunday Afternoons of Music for Children (May 15, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.), and Sunday Afternoons of Music (May 22, 4 p.m.), both at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall at the University of Miami, 1314 Miller Dr. For information, call 305-271-7150 or visit www.sundaymusicals.org on the Web.
> May 21: Miami Civic Music Association, David Lessner, piano, concert at Maurice Gusman Concert Hall at the University of Miami, 8 p.m., 1314 Miller Dr. For information, call 305-667-9905.
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