W ednesday, Oct. 19, 2005
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CONTENTS:City Manager and City Attorney Are Among Elite Officials
Fire Department Earns CFAI Accreditation
New PODS Law to Take Effect November 1st
City Accepts $250,000 Donation for Senior Center
Spend a Safe and Fun Halloween in Coral Gables
Learn Safety Tips, Save Money with Mature Driving Course
Gables High Principal Ranked #2 in the State
Classic Cars, New Wheels Head to Miracle Mile on Oct. 30
Fight Drug Use During Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23-31
Local Eatery to Celebrate Anniversary with Free Food
Bi-Monthly Publication is Free for Senior Citizens
Traffic Watch
Cultural Events Roundup
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City Manager and City Attorney Are Among Elite Officials >>> The Florida League of Cities is recognizing two Coral Gables appointed officials for their exemplary efforts during the past year. Coral Gables City Manager David L. Brown is one of eight finalists for the Florida City of Excellence Award’s City Manager of the Year. Similarly, City Attorney Elizabeth “Liz” Hernandez is one of five finalists for the City Attorney of the Year Award. The awards recognize the best Florida officials for their excellent, innovative programs that provide citizens with great public service. Under Brown’s stewardship, the City of Coral Gables has initiated very ambitious projects such as the automation of governmental processes with future on-line permitting and on-line registration for recreational classes, the rewrite of the Zoning Code and the rewrite of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The City has also completed the update of the Municipal Code and City Charter. City Attorney Liz Hernandez has served the City of Coral Gables since 1985 and as City Attorney for more than a decade. For the last two years, she has been named by her peers among Florida’s Legal Elite, a listing of top legal eagles published by Florida Trend magazine. Most recently, she was named president-elect of the Florida Municipal Attorney’s Association. Winners will be announced at an Awards Banquet on Friday, November 18 during the Florida League of Cities’ Legislative Conference. For more information, contact the City’s Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.
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Fire Department Earns CFAI Accreditation >>> The Commission on Fire Accreditation International, or CFAI, has once again granted an accredited status to the Coral Gables Fire Department. The CFAI is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote excellence among the fire and emergency services agencies through continuous quality improvement. During site visits leading up to a decision on accreditation, CFAI members look for best practices in various areas, including equipment, training, and operations procedures. The Coral Gables Fire Department also holds an ISO Class 1 rating from the Insurance Services Office, which means that the City’s firefighters provide “exemplary fire protection.” The Department is part of a privileged group of only seven fire departments nationwide that hold both an ISO Class One and a CFAI accredited status. For more information, call Division Chief Hope Gibbs at 305-441-5751.
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New PODS Law to Take Effect November 1st >>> Aiming to establish guidelines for the safe placement and maintenance of portable storage units, commonly known as “PODS,” City Commissioners recently enacted new regulations that will soon take effect. Starting Nov. 1, no more than one POD per property will be permitted, and it should be no larger than 130 square feet in total area. In residential areas, the POD should not be visible from the street, and in other areas it may only be placed on the side or rear of the property. Before a POD can be installed, the property owner must obtain a site permit from the Building & Zoning Department. The permit will be valid for seven consecutive days, after which the owner can request additional extensions for two more weeks, for a total of 21 days. If more time is needed, the City Manager may extend the permit for a maximum of 60 days per any 12-month period. The new law also calls for PODS to be maintained in good condition, free of advertising, and free of any hazardous materials. If the National Hurricane Center issues a Hurricane Watch, the POD must be removed immediately. Fines are $250 for the first violation and $500 for subsequent offenses. For more information, call the Coral Gables Building & Zoning Department at 305-460-5235.
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City Accepts $250,000 Donation for Senior Center >>> Philanthropist and Coral Gables resident R. Kirk Landon has pledged to donate $250,000 to assist the City of Coral Gables in establishing a new senior center in the City. During the Oct. 12 City Commission meeting, City leaders formally accepted the generous gift, which is intended to help fund the first year of operations of the new facility. With Mr. Landon’s donation, the City will move forward with an ambitious plan that calls for a number of senior activities such as a lunch program, a computer club, arts and crafts classes, senior aerobics, performing arts, movie days, tours and special events.
Honored in 2004 as Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Mr. Landon is the founder of the Older Adult Opportunity Center at Barry University, and the District 6990 Rotary Elder Program. He is president of the Kirk Foundation and the Kirk A. and Dorothy P. Landon Foundation. His charitable gifts have benefited the University of Miami’s School of Nursing and Lowe Art Museum, the Coral Gables Rotary Club and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
Mr. Landon served as CEO of American Bankers Insurance Group until 1995 and Chairman of its Board of Directors until his retirement in 1999. For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5620.
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Spend a Safe and Fun Halloween in Coral Gables >>> The Coral Gables Youth Center and the merchants on Miracle Mile have created a witches’ brew of fun, slightly scary, and above all safe, Halloween activities for Trick-or-Treaters of all ages. From 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, trick-or-treat at the stores along Miracle Mile, then participate in a scavenger hunt and costume contest. There will also be a Haunted House on the Mile for those who dare enter. The fun, free festivities are presented for the 8th year in a row by the Business Improvement District, a coalition of downtown merchants, in collaboration with Baptist Medical Plaza at Coral Gables.
On October 31, from 6-10 p.m., visit the Youth Center for a goose bump-filled walk through the “Nightmare at 405” Haunted House. A bounce house, carnival games and a contest are also part of the festivities at the Halloween Carnival. Tickets are $.50 cents.
For more information on Halloween on Miracle Mile, call 305-569-0311 or visit www.shopcoralgables.com. To learn more about the Halloween Carnival at the Youth Center, call 305-460-5600.
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Learn Safety Tips, Save Money with Mature Driving Course >>> The AARP, the non-profit advocacy group formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, is holding a “55 Alive” mature driving course from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 5 and 12 at the Coral Gables Youth Center, 405 University Drive. “55 Alive” is a classroom refresher course for drivers age 50 and over and covers safe driving principles to help participants reduce the chances of being involved in a car accident. There are no tests, only a minimal fee to attend. The program helps save money, too. Most states offer auto insurance discounts to people who have taken the “55 Alive” course. For those who can’t attend this session, the course will be repeated on Dec. 3 and 10. Call Fred Collard at 305-663-1792 for more details.
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Gables High Principal Ranked #2 in the State >>> Dr. Alexis L. Martinez, Principal of Coral Gables Senior High School, was named finalist for the 2005 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership, granted by the Florida Department of Education each year to one Elementary, Middle and High School Principal from a list of finalists chosen statewide. The winner in the High School category this year was Principal Cherry Fitch of Gulf Breeze High School in Santa Rosa County. The winners and finalists were announced on Sept. 29 at the Commissioner’s Summit for Principals in Ponte Vedra, Florida, sponsored by the Florida Education Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that promotes excellence in Florida’s K-12 schools. About coming in at #2 statewide, Dr. Martinez had this to say: “Number 2 out of 432 public high schools in the State of Florida isn’t too shabby.” The City of Coral Gables agrees, and congratulates Dr. Martinez for this well-deserved recognition.
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Classic Cars, New Wheels Head to Miracle Mile on Oct. 30 >>> The Classic Thunderbird Club of South Florida, an organization of antique car enthusiasts, is holding a 300-mile precision rally on Oct. 29-30 with a purse of about $3,000. The rally is open to any pre-1975 original car and culminates with a Grand Finale appearance on Miracle Mile at about 3 p.m. Oct. 30th. The vintage wheels will meet their 2006 counterparts at the New Car Preview Show, also on Miracle Mile from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day. The show is the first of its kind in South Florida and is brought to downtown Coral Gables by the Club. For more information about the New Car Preview or the rally, call Founder and Race Chairman Felipe Cos at 786-554-5200.
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Fight Drug Use During Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23-31 >>> Put on a red ribbon and join millions of people across the nation as they take a visible stand against illegal drugs during Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31. The annual Red Ribbon Campaign, organized by the National Family Partnership, is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation. This year’s theme remembers the man for whom the campaign was started: Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a DEA agent who was murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico City in 1985. Upon his death, friends and neighbors began to wear red satin badges, giving birth to the national campaign. Informed Families and The Florida Family Partnership are the Florida sponsors for National Red Ribbon Week. For more information, contact Ileana Reyes by phone at 305-856-4886 or by e-mail at ireyes@informedfamilies.org, or visit www.nfp.org/redribbon on the Web.
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Local Eatery to Celebrate Anniversary with Free Food >>> Giardino Gourmet Salads, a healthy food eatery at 30 Giralda Avenue, will celebrate its one-year anniversary on Oct. 19 with free food and drinks for the public. The event runs from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. For more information, call 305-460-6010.
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Bi-Monthly Publication is Free for Senior Citizens >>> The City of Coral Gables urges its senior citizens to subscribe to Elder Update, a free, bimonthly news publication mailed directly to the homes of Florida seniors every other month. The tabloid-style newspaper offers news stories and informative articles on subjects of interest to senior citizens. Elder Update is published by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, and can be viewed online by clicking here. To have it mailed to your home, call 850-414-2000 or write to Bonnie Etherton, Database Manager, The Florida Department of Elder Affairs, P.O. Box 6750, Tallahassee, FL, 32314-6750. The Department’s website, at http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us, is also a great resource, offering disaster preparedness tips, consumer resource guides, and guidelines for caring for an elderly relative.
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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 project is expected to be completed in May, 2006. In the meantime, the following measures continue to be implemented along Ponce:
> 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 Boulevard and within the boundaries of the construction area will be monitored to make sure vehicles are not blocking the alleyways.
Here are Florida Department of Transportation projects and events that
may impact traffic in or near Coral Gables:
> A water main and median are being installed along
Le Jeune Road, from Southwest 3rd Street to Northwest 3rd Street,
requiring 24-hour inside lane closures both northbound and
southbound.
> Water main laterals, milling
and resurfacing on Le Jeune Road, from Southwest 8th Street to Northwest
11th Street, require night-time lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5:30
a.m.
> One northbound lane at 2695 Le
Jeune Road continues to be closed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
through Nov. 21 due to construction.
> The
northbound lane on Red Road at Albenga Avenue continues to be closed
weeknights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. while Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer
crews perform utility work. Flagging crews are onsite to direct
traffic.
For more information on any of the projects listed above, call Carlos Sarmiento of the FDOT at 305-499-2410.
> On Sunday, Oct. 30, the 300 block of
Miracle Mile will be closed most of the day in connection with the Classic
Thunderbird Club of South Florida car show and rally.
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Cultural Events Roundup >>> The following cultural events
were announced recently. Dates and times may change, so please call ahead
of time. For a complete list of current and upcoming events in Coral
Gables, click here.
> Oct. 25-Nov. 18: The 14th Florida Printmakers
Exhibition, an international print and drawing competition hosted by the
C.A.S. Gallery and the Department of Art and Art History, 1210 Stanford
Dr., at the University of Miami. The exhibition is open to the public from
Noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and on the second Saturdays of each month.
For information, call 305-284-2792 or click here to
visit the exhibition website.
> Oct.
29: Phantom of the Opera, silent film
accompanied by David Briggs at the organ, 7:30 p.m. at St. Thomas
Episcopal Parish, 5690 N. Kendall Dr., 305-661-3435. The film with musical
performance is part of the Eisenhart Concert Series. Audience is invited
to attend in costume. For information, visit www.stthomasep.org on the
Web.
> Oct. 29 & 31: Author and
University of Miami alum Lili Bita discusses her new book, Sister of
Darkness, the story of a Greek woman’s journey of self-discovery and
personal liberation. The Oct. 29 event is at 8 p.m. at
Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., 305-442-4408. The Oct.
31 event includes a Q&A session and is from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
at the Pearson Residential College Master’s Suite, 5185 Ponce De Leon
Blvd., at the University of Miami. For information on the UM event, e-mail
Maureen Seaton, Director of Creative Writing, at mseaton@miami.edu.
> Oct. 30: Camerata Köln, famous German
ensemble returns to Miami to perform works from the German Baroque
repertoire – the kick-off event for the Miami Bach Society’s 2005-06
Concert Season. The concert is at 3 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church,
5690 N. Kendall Drive. For a complete list of events for the 2005-06
concert season, click here.
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