Wednesday, August 24, 2005
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CONTENTS:City Celebrates its 80th Birthday
Commissioners Approve Stricter Dog Law
City Attorney Elected to Prestigious Post
Observe Patriot Day on Sept. 11
Who Wants to Be the Millionth Rider?
Experience the Fastest-Growing Youth Sport in America
Get Healthy with Weight Watchers
Call the Cat Network for Help with Stray Cats
Did You Know?
Traffic Watch
Cultural Events Roundup
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City Celebrates its 80th Birthday >>> Over the next eight months, the City will celebrate its rich history with the public relations campaign, "1925-2005: Eight Decades of Greatness." Since it was incorporated on April 29, 1925, the City of Coral Gables has accumulated a vast collection of stories, photographs and historic documents that will one day be on display at the Coral Gables Museum. Similarly, the City has protected its landmarks and historic homes by enacting strict preservation laws. In each coming month, the 80th birthday celebration will focus on a different aspect of the City's history. In August, Coral Gables honors its long-standing businesses by highlighting their history, the services they provide, and the reason they have chosen to continue doing business in the City Beautiful year after year. The City will also playfully recount some of the most famous ghost stories and unexplained mysteries in Coral Gables, and will ask residents for help in compiling the greatest love stories that have taken place in the City Beautiful. If you would like to submit a story on any of these themes, send an e-mail message to e-news@coralgables.com or call the Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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Commissioners Approve Stricter Dog Law >>> On Tuesday, City Commissioners approved on first reading a proposal for a stricter dog law that establishes clear definitions of "vicious" and "dangerous" dogs, prohibits owners from letting dogs run at large, and establishes hefty fines for violators. The law won't be adopted until City officials study it once more at the next Commission meeting. Under the proposed law, "vicious dogs" are those that have bitten a human being or domestic pet outside of the owner's property, as well as those that make a habit of escaping from the owners' property to attack or bark at passersby. "Dangerous dogs" are those that make members of the public feel threatened, or have been designated as dangerous by the Miami-Dade Animal Control Department. For more information, call the Coral Gables Police Department at 305-460-5401.
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City Attorney Elected to Prestigious Post >>> Coral Gables' top legal eagle, City Attorney Elizabeth "Liz" Hernandez, has been named President-Elect of the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association, or FMAA - an organization of more than 600 attorneys who specialize in the legal representation of municipalities. Formed in 1981, the Tallahassee-based Association works closely with the League of Cities, and its members include city attorneys as well as private lawyers who render specialized legal representation to municipalities. Ms. Hernandez has served the City of Coral Gables since 1985 and became its Chief Legal Officer in 1995. The City Attorney is widely recognized as one of Florida's top government lawyers. Her new post at the helm of the FMAA is only the latest in a long string of accomplishments and recognitions for Ms. Hernandez. In 2004 and 2005, she was named among Florida's Legal Elite in Florida Trend magazine. For more information, call the Public Affairs Office at 305-460-5205.
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Observe Patriot Day on Sept. 11 >>> Four years ago, the world changed when terrorists hijacked and crashed two civilian aircraft into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and another into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. In December of that year, Congress passed a resolution declaring Sept. 11 of each year as "Patriot Day," in honor of all the individuals who died that day. At 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, the City of Coral Gables will observe Patriot Day with a Liberty Tree dedication at Ingraham Park, 4751 W. Ingraham Terr., near the Cocoplum Circle. The tribute is organized by the Miami Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Tequesta Society of the Children of the American Revolution, and the South Florida Regents Council of the Daughters of the America Revolution. A Continental Army uniformed color guard and fife-and-drum corps will perform. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call the Coral Gables Public Affairs Office at 305-460-5205.
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Who Wants to Be the Millionth Rider? >>> City officials expect that by Sept. 16th, the one millionth passenger will board one of the popular Coral Gables Trolleys. This lucky millionth rider will receive prizes and a photo opportunity with City officials to celebrate the success of the fun, free, and friendly trolleys. The festivities will take place at the corner of Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard, in front of the Ligne Roset contemporary furniture store. Among the prizes for the millionth passenger: a gift certificate for a brunch for four at the Biltmore Hotel valued at $250, gifts from Tarpon Bend and Cold Stone Creamery, and shopping sprees in downtown Coral Gables and at the Village of Merrick Park. At lunchtime that day, Tarpon Bend will offer free tastings in front of the restaurant, and Cold Stone Creamery will offer free ice cream at Miracle Mile and Ponce De Leon Boulevard. Other trolley fans that day will get gifts from South Florida Commuter Services, Smart Route Systems (511), The Gilded Hand, and Books & Books. The Coral Gables Trolley transports about 3,000 passengers a day and is a free service made possible with funding from Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the People's Transportation Tax. For more information, call the Coral Gables Public Affairs Office at 305-460-5205.
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Experience the Fastest-Growing Youth Sport in America >>> Come out and play the "fastest game on two feet." Lacrosse, a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey that emphasizes speed and agility over brawn, has been hailed by Sports Illustrated as the fastest-growing youth sport in America. Children ages 6 to 11 are invited to participate in a new 10-week lacrosse program that just started at the Youth Center this week. Players will be divided into two groups, one for ages 6-8, and another for ages 9-11. Practice is from 5-6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and games are from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturdays at Phillips Park, 90 Menores Ave. Uniforms consisting of a reversible jersey and shorts will be provided, but players are responsible for providing their own sticks, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads and helmets. Cost for the program is $150 for Youth Center members; $200 for Coral Gables residents, and $250 for non-residents. For more information, call Andrew Kolchins at 305-804-9244 or e-mail him at miamiyouthlacrosse@hotmail.com.
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Get Healthy with Weight Watchers >>> Getting fit and learning healthy eating habits is easy with the Coral Gables Weight Watchers "At Work" program. Held at the War Memorial Youth Center from Noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday, the program helps people develop a healthy lifestyle by covering nutrition, eating management skills, safe weight loss, how to fit exercise into a busy schedule, and the effects of time pressure and stress on eating habits. The program also helps participants stick to their goals by offering tips on how to stay motivated. Weight Watchers "At Work" is a 12-week program that starts Sept. 7 and is open to all members of the public, whether Coral Gables residents or not. A free informational meeting will be held on Aug. 31. Fees are $137 for new members and $121 for current program members or lifetime members over goal. Seating is limited, so please reserve a spot with Dee Paris, 305-460-5461, by Monday, Aug. 29th.
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Call the Cat Network for Help with Stray Cats >>> Stray cats often act erratically because they may be hungry or frightened. Residents who find these cats are urged to call the Cat Network, a volunteer organization that will humanely trap the cats, have them sterilized, and place them with good homes. There are as many as 300,000 free-roaming cats in Miami-Dade County, the organization says, mainly because many people do not understand the issue of pet overpopulation and allow pets to reproduce without having plans to keep and care for the offspring. Many of these kittens are abandoned and end up as strays, where they continue to reproduce, creating generations of "feral" cats (cats that are the offspring of formerly domesticated animals but who have had no human contact or socialization). The Cat Network is a Florida non-profit corporation dedicated to humanely reducing cat overpopulation by educating the public about the need to sterilize pets and by providing access to low-cost spay and neutering services for stray, homeless and abandoned cats. For more information, call 305-255-3482 or visit their website by clicking here.
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Did You Know? >>> The City of Coral Gables could have been named "Guavonia." When founder George Merrick's parents, Solomon and Althea Merrick, purchased a 160-acre homestead in 1899 in what was known as "the back country west of Coconut Grove," the couple named it Guavonia for the guava trees that grew there. For almost 10 years, the family lived in a small, wood-frame homesteader's cabin on the property until the Merricks' newly-planted grapefruit groves matured and began to bear fruit. At that time, the family built a large home of native limestone "coral" rock that was quarried from the area that later became the Venetian Pool. The Merricks named this new home, "Coral Gables." George Merrick chose to name his dream City after the family's coral rock home, which is now owned by the City of Coral Gables and is open to the public as a museum.
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Traffic Watch >>> Construction on the Ponce de Leon Median Improvement Project continues, so stay tuned for regular updates on possible traffic disruptions in every edition of e-News. The following measures are being implemented along Ponce due to construction:
> Sidewalk construction continues on the intersections along the west side of Ponce, from Alcazar Avenue heading south.
> The four traffic lanes on Ponce de Leon Boulevard continue to be shifted to the east.
> Police are ticketing people who illegally park inside the construction areas.
> Left turns are allowed only at the Miracle Mile and Alhambra Circle intersections of Ponce de Leon Boulevard.
> Left turns at the remaining intersections continue to be restricted, and police continue to enforce the "No Left Turn" signs.
> The Trolley stops along Ponce de Leon Boulevard at Valencia Avenue, Miracle Mile, Alhambra Circle and Minorca Avenue have been temporarily suspended.
> The valet service adjacent to Houston's, at the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Miracle Mile, has been moved to Miracle Mile.
> Alleys perpendicular to Ponce de Leon and within the boundaries of the construction will be monitored to make sure vehicles are not blocking the alleyways.
Here is another project that may impact traffic:
> A sewer line is being installed on Ponce de Leon,
between Merrick Circle and Riviera Drive, for a new development at Riviera
Drive and Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Most of the work is being completed at
night, but there will be partial lane closures during the day.
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Cultural Events Roundup >>> Here are some cultural events
that were announced recently. Dates and time may change, so please call
ahead of time. For a complete list of current and upcoming events in Coral
Gables, click here.
> Aug. 6-Sept. 4: Sculpture exhibition by
UM faculty member Billie Lynn, at the Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Dr.,
University of Miami. For information, call 305-284-3535 or visit www.miami.edu/lowe on the
Web.
> Aug. 6-Sept. 4: Misery,
adaptation of the Stephen King classic, at GableStage at the Biltmore
Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave. Fridays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.
and 7 p.m. Tickets are $35. For information, call 305-446-1116 or visit www.gablestage.com on the
Web.
> Sept. 9-Oct. 9:
Madagascar, regional premiere, at the New Theatre, 4120 Laguna
St. For information, call 305-443-5909 or visit www.new-theatre.org on the Web.
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