Wednesday, October 18, 2006
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CONTENTS:A Special Message From City Manager David L. Brown
City of Coral Gables Finalist for 2006 Florida Cities of Excellence Awards
Coral Gables Museum Hosts First Fundraiser
Annual Report Coming To You
Executive Assistant Is Best Worker In Coral Gables
A Brontosaurus Is Now Protecting Coral Gables
Enter Emergency Contacts On Your Florida Driver's License
Join Cyclists First Sunday Of The Month
Learn How To Save Lives
Listen To GABLES Radio 1620 AM
Traffic Watch
Events Roundup
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A Special Message From City Manager David L. Brown >>> "Five months ago, this Office requested an investigation of alleged improprieties in the Building and Zoning Department. This has resulted in the arrest of one employee and the placement on Administrative Leave of the department director pending the outcome of the investigation. The Coral Gables Police Department's Internal Affairs Section is working with the Public Corruption Unit of the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office as well as the Miami Dade County's Commission on Ethics and Public Trust to uncover the facts and to provide a resolution where the honesty and transparency of your local government is uncompromised. All City Departments and employees have been asked to cooperate fully with the authorities conducting the investigation with no fears of repercussion. During this period, the Building Division will be supervised by Assistant City Manager Maria A. Jimenez and the Zoning Division will be administered by Assistant City Manager Dona Lubin. As the City of Coral Gables goes through this experience, I ask for your patience and understanding to not make any judgments or erroneous conclusions until all the facts are uncovered by the Police Department's Internal Affairs Section and the entire investigation is finalized. This Office has zero tolerance for unlawful activities and will take every step necessary to correct any wrongdoings. The Administration is committed to serving the citizens of Coral Gables with the integrity you expect and deserve." If you have information about any issues that you feel pertain to this investigation, you are urged to contact Lieutenant Edward Hudak in the Internal Affairs Section of the Coral Gables Police Department at 305-460-5447.
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City of Coral Gables Finalist for 2006 Florida Cities of Excellence Awards >>> Coral Gables is pleased to announced that it has been selected by the Florida League of Cities as a finalist on its third annual "Florida Cities of Excellence" Award. The award recognizes overall excellence in a municipal government and our City is one of five finalists competing for this recognition. Winners will be announced at an Awards Banquet on November 17 in Orlando. Last year, City Manager David L. Brown and City Attorney Elizabeth M. Hernandez were both winners in the City Manager of the Year and City Attorney of the Year categories, competing with peers from municipalities throughout the state. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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Coral Gables Museum Hosts First Fundraiser >>> Friends of the City of Coral Gables who have donated to become founders of the Coral Gables Museum were honored last week at a reception held at the Biltmore Hotel. This was the first of many future fundraisers that the Museum Board of Directors is holding to gather momentum and excitement about the future museum which is scheduled to open in 2008 at the historic Police and Fire Station in downtown Coral Gables located at 285 Aragon Avenue. The Coral Gables Museum is the first and only center that will house the City's archives and historic photographs. The Museum is to become the hub of many art exhibits and cultural events celebrating the past, present, and future of the City. Only 500 friends of Coral Gables can become Founders of the Museum for a $1,000 donation or Cornerstone Founders for a $5,000 donation. For more information, contact the Mary Agnes Beach at 305-460-5095.
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Annual Report Coming To You >>> The City of Coral Gables Annual Report, a glossy recount of what your local government has accomplished this year, should be arriving to Coral Gables homes in the very near future. The information provided in the report is only a snapshot of the many programs and services that your local government provides on a regular basis. The 2005 Annual Report documents the City's progress in fulfilling the City Commission goals of delivering exceptional services, managing citywide development, maintaining a strong residential focus, improving the overall landscape of the City, preserving historic landmarks, building a vibrant downtown business district, enhancing the hometown quality of life and improving the automation of services. If your organization would like to receive copies of this report, call the City of Coral Gables Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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Executive Assistant Is Best Worker In Coral Gables >>> A single mother of two lovely twin daughters who has worked for the same demanding executive for the past 11 years has won the coveted title of being the Best Worker In the City of Coral Gables. Liz Ricard, Executive Assistant to CEO Michael B. Fernandez of MBF Healthcare Partners with offices on the 11the floor of 121 Alhambra Plaza received 39 nominations from friends and co-workers for being the "Most Efficient, Loyal, And Personable Secretary In Coral Gables." Ricard had the support of many of her co-workers who rallied to submit nominations on her behalf. According to Atlantic Dental IT Operations Manager Raquel Hernandez, "Liz Ricard loves her work, takes pride in it and is great at it!" The City of Coral Gables received a total of 84 nominations in a number of categories selecting the best worker in the City. The public had the opportunity to select the most inspiring educator, the best waiter/waitress, secretary, hairstylist, business person, bank teller, lawyer, jeweler, valet person, chef, doctor, store clerk, baker and gardener. The contest was launched on Labor Day weekend to celebrate the significance and importance of all workers in this community. Ricard wins two round-trip tickets from Miami/Fort Lauderdale to Jamaica, courtesy of Air Jamaica, Jamaica's official airline and an all inclusive five-day, four-night stay at the AAA Four Diamond Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, courtesy of SuperClubs, the world's only Super-Inclusive resort group, and the Jamaica Tourist Board. Congratulations, Liz! For additional information contact the City of Coral Gables Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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A Brontosaurus Is Now Protecting Coral Gables >>> Brontosauruses lived about 140 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, but the giant dinosaur is still roaming the City Beautiful in the form of a large ladder truck acquired by the Coral Gables Fire Department. The fire truck named the Bronto -but affectionately called the Brontosaurus by the City's Firefighters- is much larger than its creature counterpart. While the animal had a length of about 70 feet, the vehicle is over twice that size, reaching 174 feet when the ladder is fully extended. With the recent addition of mixed use and high office buildings being constructed, the City of Coral Gables needs the Bronto ladder truck to reach top floors on high rises. Firefighters have been undergoing a series of training sessions with the truck for more than three months and finally put the truck in service last week. The only other 174-feet tall Bronto in Florida is at the Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral which is currently on standby near the shuttle launch sight.
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Enter Emergency Contacts On Your Florida Driver's License >>>
After the unfortunate experience of one mother not knowing what
had happened to her teenage daughter who was killed in an automobile
accident and had to wait more than five hours to be contacted by police,
the Florida Department of Highway has instituted an on-line program for
entering emergency contacts on your Florida Driver's License. You can now
enter up to two emergency contacts through the Internet which can only be
retrieved by a police officer in the event of an emergency. This
information may save crucial time if ever it becomes necessary to contact
family members or other loved ones. To enter this information, please click here.
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Join Cyclists First Sunday Of The
Month >>> Beginning
on November 5, the City of Coral Gables will open its roads to cyclist of
all levels, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in a police-escorted ride for the Coral
Gables Cycling Celebration. Family and friends can participate in this
healthy exercise and fun ride the first Sunday of each month starting at
Ponce de Leon Middle School and continuing through Alhambra Circle,
Miracle Mile, Coral Way, University of Miami and ending back at Ponce de
Leon Middle School. The ride is free for anyone but you must bring your
own bike and wear helmets for safety. Meet your friendly riders at the
starting point by 10:30 a.m. This event is organized by the Rotary Club of
Coral Gables, South Miami, Key Biscayne and Aventura. For more
information, contact Calvin from Bikes To Go at 305-666-7184 or click
here.
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Learn How To Save Lives >>> For the past few months, the
City of Coral Gables Fire Department has offered the community training
sessions on the proper way to administer CPR and how to use portable AED's
or Automated External Defibrillators. Saturday, October 28 is your last
chance to take part in the free but valuable class. The three-hour course
will go through the steps to perform CPR on adults, children and infants
and the proper way to use a defibrillator. The class will be held at the
Community Meeting Room in the basement of 2801 Salzedo Street, from 9 a.m.
until noon. There are a limited number of seats available. For more
information or to sign up, call Coral Gables Fire Support Services
Assistant Nancy Morris at 305-460-5588.
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Listen To GABLES Radio 1620 AM >>> Set your car radio to 1620 AM
to listen to GABLES Radio, the new voice of Coral Gables. This week you
can hear all about the City's history, the events coming up for Halloween
and even a few scary ghost stories. For more information, contact the City
of Coral Gables Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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Traffic Watch >>> The southbound corridor will
be closed on Le Jeune Road from SW 8th Street to Alhambra
Circle. A barrier wall will be placed on the west side of
the median on Le Jeune Road for a lane shift of southbound traffic to the
northbound side with one lane in each direction. Workers will be
performing concrete, lighting, drainage and resurfacing work. All
access to side streets, residences and businesses will be open and
maintained to local traffic only.
> All
lanes on Altara Avenue between Le Jeune Road and Laguna
Street will be closed for the rest of the month of October. The
Florida Department of Transportation has construction workers on sight
installing a watermain and completing lateral connections. These
operations are part of the drainage improvement section of the on-going Le
Jeune Road Roadway Project. Motorists traveling northbound on Le Jeune
Road wishing to enter Altara Avenue can continue north on Le Jeune Road,
making a right turn at Bird Road and then another right turn at Laguna
Street. Motorists traveling southbound on Le Jeune Road wishing to enter
Altara Avenue can make a left turn at Bird Road and then a right turn at
Laguna Street. Access to area businesses will be maintained at all
times. For more information, contact Carlos Sarmiento of the Florida
Department of Transportation at 305-499-2410.
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Events Roundup >>> Here is a partial list of
upcoming cultural events in Coral Gables. Please call ahead to confirm, as
dates and times may change. For a complete list of events in Coral Gables,
click here.
Ongoing: The historic Merrick House, the family home of Coral Gables founder George Merrick, is open to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays for tours at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. The tour of this charming home built of coral rock, still home to the artwork and early possessions of the Merrick family, lasts about 45 minutes. Tickets are $5 for adults; $3 for senior citizens (ages 65+) and students with ID; $1 for children ages 6-12, and free for children ages 5 and under. The Merrick House, a remarkable example of South Florida architecture, is located at 907 Coral Way. For more information, call 305-460-5095.
First Friday of The Month: Art lovers flock to Coral Gables the first Friday of every month for Gallery Night. Boasting dozens of galleries, Coral Gables is the premier destination for art and cultural events. The City offers free trolley service to most of the galleries locations from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Some galleries will feature musicians for your entertainment. For a list of art galleries in Cora Gables, click here.
October 14 - November 19: GableStage starts the 2006-2007 Season with the Southeastern Premiere of Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury adapted his own novel for this futuristic tale about a civilization where all written words are forbidden and firefighters are paid to burn books. Performances are held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 for Thursday and Sunday nights, $40 for Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. GableStage is located at the Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Avenue. For more information or to buy tickets, call 305-445-1119 or click here.
October 16 through 28: Experience Taiwan's natural beauty in our own City Hall during the special photo exhibit Enchanting Taiwan. The hallways at Coral Gables City Hall will be covered with pictures of majestic mountains, serene water scenes, beautiful flowers in bloom and more from Taiwan. The collection of still photographs taken by numerous Taiwanese artists will instantly transport you to the island nation and offer a glimpse of the ancient country's history, culture and natural beauty. The exhibit is open and free to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Coral Gables at 305-461-3420.
October 19: The Friends of the University of Miami Libraries present author Deborah Blum from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Otto G. Richter Library, 1300 Memorial Drive, 8th Floor. Hear the true story of one of the greatest ghost hunts ever undertaken when Pulitzer-prize winning science writer Deborah Blum delves into her latest book, "Ghost Hunters: William James and the Scientific Search for Life After Death." For more information, call 305-284-4026.
October 20: No school for students in public schools throughout Miami-Dade County as staff takes a planning day. While children couldn't be happier, parents are left wondering what to do with their kids. The Coral Gables Youth Center, 405 University Drive, has the solution with an all day camp for children ages 5 through 12 years old. Just pack them lunch and send them off for a trip to the Museum of Discovery and Science. The camp is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fee is $19 for Youth Center members, $25 for Coral Gables residents, and $32 for non-residents. For more information or to register your child, call 305-460-5600.
October 21: Listen to American pianist Christopher Schmitt on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Chee-Yun and Wendy Chen at 8 p.m. at the Gusman Concert Hall located on the University of Miami Campus, 1314 Miller Drive. The performances are part of Festival Miami 2006 and it offers a sneak peak at what you can expect at the Chopin Festival. Christopher Schmitt's performance is free. Chee-Yun and Wendy Chen's performance costs $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. For more information on these events or any of the other performances planned for the Chopin Festival, call 305-868-0624 or 305-284-4940 or click here.
October 21: Sample over 100 of the finest wines under the lush tropical setting that is Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. On Saturday, Fairchild will host its third annual Fine Wines at Fairchild with a special wine tasting from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the main wine tasting from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the grounds of Fairchild, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Prices for the event vary. For more information or to purchase tickets call Mari Novo at 305-663-8057 or click here.
October 23 - November 4: The Coral Gables Police Department is sponsoring a nationally recognized self defense program for women called R.A.D. or Rape, Aggression, Defense. The program will teach awareness, how to reduce risks and basic personal defense all taught by a certified police instructor. The fee for the program is $65 and the class days are as follows: Mondays and Wednesdays October 23rd to November 1st from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a Saturday class on November 4th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. You must attend all Monday and Wednesday classes. The Coral Gables Police Department is located at 2801 Salzedo Street. Parking is available on the 200-300 blocks of Sevilla and Palermo Avenues where parking meters will not be enforced. For more information or to register, call the Coral Gables Police Department's Community Affairs Unit at 305-460-5401.
October 27: As part of Festival Miami, visiting artist Bruce Hornsby will give a master class to the public from 1:25 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive. These unique learning opportunities are free and open to the public. For more information call 305-284-4940 or click here.
October 31: On Halloween night, the Coral Gables Youth Center mysteriously transforms into a Haunted House with surprises around every corner. Come enjoy the thrill of the scare from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Youth Center, 405 University Drive, with a $3 admission. If you want to take a break from the screaming and enjoy a more pleasant Halloween for your young witches and goblins, visit the Halloween Carnival, also on the Youth Center grounds, complete with a bounce house, carnival games and costume contest. The events start at 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. with tickets costing 50 cents. For more information call the Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.
October 31: Many of the stores along Miracle Mile will stay open later on Tuesday to celebrate Halloween with the Coral Gables community in the 9th Annual Halloween on the Mile. Bring the children Trick or Treat'n to the specialty shops on the Mile. There will also be a scavenger hunt, costume contest, a haunted house and more. All of the activities take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and are free. After Halloween on the Mile, head over to John Martins, City Cellars and Tarpon Bend for a Hayride. Drop off and pick up locations will be posted on the Mile. This event will take place from 9 p.m. to midnight. For more information call 305-569-0311.
October 31: Kids are not the only ones who like to dress up for Halloween. Come show off your pets in their best costumes and win a prize in the Paws at the Park "Boo"tacular. The pet costume contest will take place on Tuesday at Riviera Park, 6611 Yumuri Street, at 1 p.m. Please bring proof of vaccinations and keep all pets on leashes. For more information call the Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.
Through November 5: New Theatre
presents Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, the story of
Lance Corporal Elliot Ortiz, a young war hero. As he comes to terms with
his memories of war, he uncovers the military experiences of both his
father and grandfather. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
at 8 p.m., Sundays at 1 p.m. with additional 5 p.m. on Sunday October 22
& 29. Thursday and Sunday evening tickets are $35, Friday and Saturday
evenings and Sunday matinee are $40. New Theatre is located at 4120 Laguna
Street. For ticket information, call 305-443-5909.
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