Wednesday, November 15, 2006
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CONTENTS:Riders Still Loving Our Coral Gables Trolleys
Get Your Passport Now At City Hall
Parks and Recreation Department Awarded Reaccreditation
Youth Center & Venetian Pool Get Lightning Alarms
City A Strong Supporter of Signature Cultural Life
Veteran’s Day Honors Our Heroes: Present & Past
America’s Heroes Golf Program Helps Veterans
Coral Gables Welcomes Italian Trade Commission
Don’t Miss Tree Lighting Ceremony
Traffic
Events Roundup
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Riders Still Loving Our Coral Gables Trolleys >>> Three years ago this month, the Coral Gables Trolley began offering free rides through Downtown Coral Gables along Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Coral Gables was the first municipality in Miami-Dade County to successfully implement a traffic program that makes use of the half-penny sales tax. The initial plan was to attract at 1,000 riders per day to enjoy this service. Today, the number of riders is four times as much: more than 4,000 people use the Trolleys during the week to commute to and from work, hitting the milestone of serving one million riders. Last week, the City took delivery of three additional Trolleys, expanding the popular fleet to a total of nine vehicles. Residents, workers and visitors of the City Beautiful have enjoyed this free service thanks to the funding from Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Transportation and People’s Transportation Plan Surtax. In September of 2005, the City served more than one million happy riders. The Trolley runs Monday through Thursday, from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Fridays. You can catch the Coral Gables Trolley throughout Ponce de Leon Boulevard from Douglas MetroRail Station to S.W. Eight Street. For more information, call the Coral Gables Trolley at 305-460-5070.
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Get Your Passport Now At City Hall >>> Not having a valid passport can put a damper on your New Year’s travel plans. Beginning in January of 2007, all U.S. Citizens traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport when entering the United States. In case you did not know, a Passport Acceptance Facility is located in the Office of the City Clerk, on the first floor of City Hall where no appointments are necessary. Applicants must fill out an application for a passport, must bring proof of U.S. citizenship and proof of identity. The entire procedure to obtain a passport takes about six weeks. The processing fee for a child under 16 years of age is $82, for ages 16 and over is $97 and applicants must write two separate checks: $67 to the US Department of State and $30 to the City of Coral Gables. For an additional $12 you can have your passport photos taken on site. The Office of the City Clerk is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call the City of Coral Gables Office of the City Clerk at 305-460-5351.
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Parks and Recreation Department Awarded Reaccreditation >>> The City of Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department was awarded Agency Re-Accreditation during the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) hearing held in October in Seattle, Washington. What does this mean? It signifies that after a self-assessment and peer review to gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the department, Coral Gables met the highest national standards in parks and recreational services. Out of 156 national standards, the City of Coral Gables met all but one. There are only 66 parks and recreation agencies that have achieved national accreditation and Coral Gables is one of only 12 accredited agencies in the State of Florida. The City of Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department was initially accredited in 2001 and today continues to meet the standards of excellence for its programs and services.
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Youth Center & Venetian Pool Get Lightning Alarms >>> If you hear an alarm going off at the War Memorial Youth Center or at the Venetian Pool, it is time to get indoors. The City of Coral Gables has installed the number-one lightning prediction system in the world, Thorguard, to these two facilities. A 15-second blast of the horn means “red alert” and a 97 percent chance that there will be a lightning strike within two miles. This new alert gives people an 8-to-20-minute advanced warning to seek shelter. An amber strobe will flash until the storm has passed by. When conditions are safe outside, three 5-second blasts will give an “all clear” signal so that families can resume outdoor activities. Residents around these two recreational facilities received letters announcing that the lightning alert system will only be activated during daily operating hours and not during nighttime or early morning. The City of Coral Gables is planning to install similar alarm systems at other high traffic recreational facilities, including Salvadore Park and Tennis Center, William H. Kerdyk Biltmore Tennis Center and the Granada Golf Course. Residents with questions on the new lightning alarm system are encouraged to contact the City of Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.
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City A Strong Supporter of Signature Cultural Life >>> When it comes to advancing the local arts, the City of Coral Gables walks the talk by awarding $175,000 to 31 organizations that bring remarkable cultural and community programming to the City. A total of $89,500 was awarded to signature festival and special events such as the International Hispanic Theatre Festival, Sundays Afternoon of Music, Coral Gables Congregational Church Community Arts Program, Tropical Baroque Music Festival and the Miami Jewish Film Festival. Cultural grant recipients also received $62,000 this year to support the operations of key local institutions like Actor’s Playhouse, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, GableStage, Lowe Art Museum and New Theatre. Community grants totaling $23,500 will support the 2006 Caroling Competition, Cultural Programming at the Coral Gables Library, St. Patrick’s Day Festival, among others. For a complete list of the 2006-2007 City of Coral Gables cultural grant recipients, click here.
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Veteran’s Day Honors Our Heroes: Present & Past >>> Last Friday, November 10th, this nation celebrated Veteran’s Day to honor those who have served in the military during wartime or peacetime. Many are local Coral Gables men and women who today continue to serve and protect this country. It is the ultimate personal sacrifice to have a member of your own family fighting abroad for basic human rights. Nobody knows this more than Mr. Huber Parson and wife Phyllis, Coral Gables residents, whose three sons are currently in Iraq serving in the U.S. Army. Captain Bill Parson, 28, along with his twin brother Captain Huber Parson III and younger brother Second Lieutenant Charlie Parson, 23, are all Coral Gables High School and West Point graduates who are deployed in the 3-2 Striker Brigade Combat Team. “It’s been a difficult year,” says their father, “but they are doing this because they want to serve their country.” This is the sixth deployment for Bill and the second for Huber III and both are expected to remain in Iraq for a year. Charlie has been in Iraq since he graduated from West Point in 2005. The City of Coral Gables sends this heroic family many best wishes for a safe return back home. Click here to view a picture of the Parson brothers. Do you know of another hometown hero? Share your story, by sending an e-mail to e-news@coralgables.com.
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America’s Heroes Golf Program Helps Veterans >>> The City of Coral Gables, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs/Miami VA Healthcare System and the Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course, has begun a program that honors Coral Gables war veterans who have returned home from serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Veterans who live in the City of Coral Gables or employees of the City can participate in the America’s Heroes Golf Program to receive free green fees for a year at the Biltmore Golf Course Monday through Thursday, one free golf lesson per week at the John Pallot Golf Academy on Thursday at 4:45 p.m. or on Saturday at noon, free use of rental golf clubs, golf bags and range balls, and free use of the short-game practice facility. The program is not only an expression of gratitude for war heroes but an innovative rehabilitation program for injured combat veterans in need of physical, mental and emotional therapy. To participate in the America’s Heroes Golf program, please contact Karen Conde at the Miami VA Healthcare System at 305-575-7000, ext. 6252.
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Coral Gables Welcomes Italian Trade Commission >>> “Benvenuto” to the Italian Trade Commission (ICE), a governmental agency promoting commercial opportunities between Italian and foreign companies, for their new offices recently located in Coral Gables. This Trade Office has competence over the states of Florida, Mississippi, Alabama as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. This organization will assist U.S. companies seeking Italian business partners and opportunities in shipbuilding, cruising, recreational boating, sporting and fitness equipment, contracting for hotels and cruise lines, and for playgrounds and amusement park equipments. For more information, contact the Italian Trade Commission at 305-461-3896.
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Don’t Miss Tree Lighting Ceremony >>> Help the Coral Gables Community kick off the 2006 Holiday Season with the City’s traditional Tree Lighting Ceremony scheduled for Friday, December 1. While the lighting of the holiday tree is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Merrick Park, festivities get started at 5 p.m. with carnival games and rides, a performance put on by the Actors’ Playhouse, caroling and of course, the highly anticipated arrival of Santa Claus. Merrick Park is located in front of Coral Gables City Hall at 405 Biltmore Way. For more information, call 305-460-5600.
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Traffic >>> Le Jeune Road from S.W. Eighth Street to Alhambra Circle: The Florida Department of Transportation has shifted all traffic to the southbound side of Le Jeune Road between S.W. Eighth Street and Alhambra Circle to begin work along the northbound side of Le Jeune Road. Traffic flow will remain in this configuration for approximately five months while construction work is completed in this area. There will be one lane open in each direction at all times during this phase of construction and access to residences and businesses will be maintained at all times. Contractors will be performing drainage, lighting, sidewalk, curb and gutter work, and resurfacing the road during this phase of construction. You may experience some delays if traveling through the area.
> The outside southbound lane of Le Jeune Road from Andalusia Avenue to Bird Road will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You may encounter traffic delays in the area as crews pour concrete, update sidewalks, lighting and draining systems and resurface the road. All access to side streets for residents and businesses will remain open.
> Construction of a building will affect traffic on the outer northbound lane of Le Jeune Road between Palermo and Sevilla Avenues. The outer lane will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. as private contractors work on sidewalk and curb reconstruction.
For more information on any of these projects, call Public Information Specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation Carlos Sarmiento at 305-499-2410.
Traffic during special events:
>
Sunday, November 19: The Olympic Day Run taking place in Coral
Gables will create periodic lane closures. Police will close off traffic as
participating runners arrive at busy intersections and will reopen them once
the runners cross the street. Be advised of possible delays in the area of
Segovia Street, North and South Greenway Drive, Granada Boulevard, Andalusia
Avenue and Anderson Road. Westbound Biltmore Way in front of City Hall will be
shut down from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
>
Friday, December 1: There will be a few road closures as a
result of the City’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Starting at 10 a.m.,
Biltmore Way and Andalusia Avenue will be closed from Le Jeune Road until
Hernando Street. The road will reopen at midnight.
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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 Coral Gables, click here.
Through November 20: Young budding artists are encouraged to participate in the annual Make a Bookmark Contest. The event is part of the National Children’s Book Week which runs the third week of November. Children ages 6-12 should submit a drawing of their favorite character or scene from a book. The winner will have bookmarks reproduced for use by the Library System during 2007. All Coral Gables entrants will also be invited to participate in a party held at the branch library. The deadline for submissions is November 20th. For more information call 305-375-BOOK or click here.
November 15 -19: The Ninth Annual Bluesfest starts today as some of the top blues musicians take the stage in front of Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, 80 Merrick Way. Guests will enjoy performances by Joey Gilmore, national recording artists John Mooney, Tinsley Ellis, Eric Culberson, Blues legend Eddie Kirkland and Miami’s own Big City Blues Band, IKO IKO & Piano Bob’s 88’s are among the artists participating in the event. Admission to the Bluesfest is $10 per day or $35 dollars for a five-day pass. For more information, call 305-774-1883.
November 17: This Friday, relax with a night of live jazz music courtesy of the University of Miami Concert Jazz Band with conductor Dante Luciani and special guest saxophonist, Ed Calle. The music starts at 8 p.m. at the UM Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Road. A donation of $10 is appreciated and will benefit 88.9 FM WDNA Public Radio. For more information, call 305-284-5813.
November 18: National Children’s Book Week is celebrated the third week of November. The Miami-Dade Public Library System wants you to celebrate the wonderful world of reading by taking your children to a special event at the Coral Gables branch library, 3443 Segovia Street. Author and Coral Gables native Nicole Rubel will present her latest book, It’s Hot and Cold in Miami at the Coral Gables Library at 11 a.m. For more information, call 305-442-8706.
November 19: The World Olympians Association and the Country Club of Coral Gables invite you to join “The Olympic Day 5K Run.” The event starts at Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, and ends at the Country Club of Coral Gables. It will be a day to enjoy with fellow athletes and guests. Additionally, all participants and guests will have the opportunity to meet with the Olympic Athletes who will be among the competitors and also signing autographs throughout the day's activities. Late registration starts at 6 a.m., races begin at 7:30 a.m. For more information, contact Monica de la Torre at 305-460-0990 or click here.
November 20: Movie Mondays continue for seniors at the Coral Gables Youth Center with the showing of Auntie Mame. The 1958 classic film is about a flamboyant socialite named Mame Dennis who is suddenly appointed as guardian of her orphaned young nephew. The movie will be showing at the Coral Gables Youth Center Theater, 405 University Drive, at 1 p.m. The event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call Helen Barnfather at 305-460-5609.
November 21: Meet author Paul Levin as he explains his latest thriller Kill All the Lawyers at Books & Books on Tuesday at 8 p.m. The book is about an odd couple: a beach bum lawyer and a Coral Gables native with royal lineage. After numerous death threats, the lawyer finally discovered who’s trying to kill him. Books & Books is located at 265 Aragon Avenue. For more information, call 305-442-4408.
November 28: Pulitzer Prize winning writer and humorist Dave Barry brings out the magic of the holidays through his new book The Shepherd, The Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog. The story is set in the year 1960 as a community prepares for a Christmas pageant complete with the story of Jesus’ birth. But a series of events may cancel the highly anticipated production. Meet Dave Barry at Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 De Soto Boulevard, at 7 p.m. as he unveils the book. Tickets are free but required for this event. Pick up tickets at Books & Books at 265 Aragon Avenue. For more information, call 305-442-4408.
November 29-December 5: The Junior Orange Bowl Caroling Competition fills the starry nights of Coral Gables with the sweet sound of holiday music. Join these talented young musicians as they sing from 7-10 p.m. until December 2 and from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, December 3 on the steps of 550 Building on Biltmore Way. Winners return to sing for their prize money on Tuesday, December 5 at 7 p.m. For more information, call the Junior Orange Bowl Committee at 305-662-1210.
November 29 – December 3: The University of Miami Department of Theater Arts presents a comedic musical that touches on the only certainty in life: death. Composer William Finn was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor just days after winning a Tony Award for his musical Falsettos. Finn immediately got to work on his latest autobiographical creation A New Brain, where the composer puts into music his worries about dying before leaving anything of value behind. This production which is for mature audiences will be held at the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1312 Miller Drive on the University of Miami Campus. Performance times are November 29th through December 1st at 8 p.m., December 2nd at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and December 3rd at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $16 for weeknights and matinees and $18 for Friday and Saturday night performances. For more information, call 305-284-3355.
November 30 – December 2: Sesame Street comes alive at the BankUnited Center with a full-blown Broadway-quality show. Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Coloring Book will take children through a magical journey as Elmo and friends travel to distant countries through the colorful drawings they create. Performances are scheduled for Thursday, November 30th at 7 p.m., Friday, December 1st at 10:30 a.m. with a Spanish performance at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 2nd at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The BankUnited Center is located at 1245 Dauer Drive. Ticket prices vary from $12 to $30. For more information, call 305-284-8686.BACK TO TOP
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For e-News en español, click here.
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