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newspaper May 2014

Are 3D Printed

ORGANS Is Your Smartphone A Fake?

The Future of America?

Beware of the dangers of counterfeit electronics

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Contents

Newspaper May 2014

Featured Editorial

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3D Printed

Are 3D Printed Organs The Future Of America?

Organs

A biotech firm is on the cutting edge of creating organ tissue outside the human body. Organovo uses 3D printing technology that could one day build made-to-order human organs. The 3D “bioprinters” are loaded with different types human cells used to print living organ tissue.

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Inside Miami-Dade County’s State Of The Art 911 Call Center

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Big Changes Coming In ATM Upgrades

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It can often be a thankless job but it’s a critical job. Public safety dispatchers and call takers are the people you will rely on, if you have emergency and now Miami-Dade County has a new state-of-the-art 911 call center.

Big changes may be coming to a bank near you. Upgrades being made to ATMs across the country will allows users to do everything from apply for a loan to plan for their retirement.

Young Eyes Growing Old From Digital Eye Strain Neck-aches, back-aches, red-eyes, dry-eyes, headaches, migraines, even blurry or double vision! Are your eyes crying out for help? Probably! According to a recent report put out by the Vision Council nearly 70-percent of U.S. adults are experiencing digital eye strain due to electronic devices.

Top Spots For Mother’s Day Gifts in South Florida Getting prepared to treat mom for Mother’s Day is as simple and fun as getting to some of the most appropriate shops for the occasion in South Florida. These gift shopping options from Fort Lauderdale to Key Biscayne feature great gifts from traditional options to personalized and monogrammed items.

News! There’s An Easier Way To 104| Good Get Rid Of Junk Mail!

It’s one of those daily annoyances: a mailbox filled with a bunch of worthless stuff. Advertisers call it direct mail but most people call it junk. If you hate getting all that junk mail, you’re not alone and now there’s something you can do about it.

Is Your Smartphone a Fake: Beware of The Dangers Of Counterfeit Electronics Did you get a real bargain on your smartphone, laptop, TV or even your dishwasher? Do realize it may be a fake. Counterfeit electronics have flooded the market. While the items might be more affordable, they can also be dangerous and their sales could help fund terrorism and gangs.

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Special Section

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Real Estate

Properties Sold in your area

Sponsored By

PRINTED IN THE USA, COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY MARCO G, INC. All rights reserved. The CBS4 News Magazine, a free publication, is published monthly by MARCO G, Inc. Material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission from Marco G. Inc. or WFOR CBS4. Requests for permission should be directed to: info@cbs4newsmagazine.com. CBS4 and/or Marco G. Inc do not assume any liability for products and/or services claimed in advertisements herein. CBS4 and its logo (s) are protected through trademark registration. The use of logos, content and/or artwork in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. For more information please contact 305.477.1699.

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May 2014

Inside Miami-Dade County’s State Of The Art

911

by Summer Knowles

It

Call Center

can often be a thankless job but it’s a critical job. Public safety dispatchers and call takers are the people you will rely on, if you have emergency.

Miami-Dade County has a new state-of-the-art 911 call center which officials showed off during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, a week aimed at honoring the work of our public safety call takers and dispatchers.

Those who work in the call center say their job is very important but often thankless and misunderstood.

In emergency situations, when every second counts, the professionals on the other side of your 911 calls are there around the clock, whether it is a problem with a python, a plane crash or a shooting.

“My job is to take incoming 911 calls and disseminate the priority of the calls,” said Miami-Dade Police Complaint Officer Ali Riaz.

As a complaint officer, or call taker, Riaz’s main tasks include assessing and prioritizing the situation and keeping the caller calm, which he said can be challenging when he needs vital information.

“I know a lot of times they think we are just asking questions

and it’s a waste of time but that is not the case,” according to Riaz.

Riaz said the majority of times while asking questions, help is already on the way. But when the help isn’t quite there yet, he’s able to walk them through medical procedures for injuries, or pregnancy.

“I’ve [helped] deliver two babies in my 5 years here,” Riaz proudly boasted.

Call takers, like Riaz, are the first line of help.

They sit on one side of the call center and then pass the vital information they’ve collected along to dispatchers who then make sure police officers, fire rescue units and/or animal control units are quickly sent to the right place.

“If there was a delay in me dispatching a call that maybe I didn’t think it was that important, it could be life or death, or if I don’t dispatch enough officers to a call it could be a matter of that officer’s safety,” said Miami-Dade Police Dispatcher Angel Wilson.

The 911 call center both Riaz and Wilson work in is the largest in the state of Florida. Just last year it took in 2.2 million calls, an average of 6,000 per day.

The majority of those calls were in Spanish, but CBS4 News is told thanks to a contract with a private interpreting service, they are able to take calls in 27 different languages.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“Those who work in the call center say their job is very important but often thankless and misunderstood.�

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“You can start to use it for bill pay. You can start to use it for peer-to-peer transfers, and any number of things.�

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Get Ready!

Big Changes Coming In ATM Upgrades Big changes may be coming to a bank near you. Upgrades being made to ATMs across the country will allows users to do everything from apply for a loan to plan for their retirement.

W

hen Bill Dietzler goes to his local ATM, he can do a whole lot more than just make a deposit or withdrawal.

“I found it to be fascinating. You get more done and it’s just, it’s simpler,” Dietzler said.

Dietzler said he has a question he no longer has go inside the bank and speak with a teller. Instead, at his ATM, he can videoconference with a banking expert who can address all sorts of questions about transactions, even after-hours.

“Now that expert, whether that be a loan consultant or a financial planning consultant, that person can be available across a wide, disperse geography,” explained Frank Natoli, chief innovation officer at Diebold, Inc. The feature is just one innovation coming to an ATM near you, DuBois said.

“When you think of an ATM, maybe you think of something from like the 90′s. That sort of experience is something people don’t want anymore, because it seems stale,” said Mary Wisniewski, of American Banker.

Now, banks are branching out and offering a wide variety of tech tools, including ATMs with touch screens that can sync up

with your smartphone, and apps that can get you cash in a snap. “(The idea is) to be able to take your mobile phone and pre-stage a transaction on mobile, then be able to go up to the ATM and very, very quickly finish that transaction,” Natoli explained.

Banks are also installing tools at ATMs that will enable customers to perform a variety of money transfers.

“You can start to use it for bill pay. You can start to use it for peer-to-peer transfers, and any number of things,” Natoli said.

You can also forget the traditional $20 and $50 bills only in the machines. Banks are starting to load ATMs with $1, $5 and $10 bills, another change that might help you avoid standing in line for a teller.

So does all of this new technology mean the end to the traditional teller?

Experts said tellers are not going anywhere anytime soon.

There are some transactions you still need to complete face-toface inside a bank.

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“High levels of lead, high levels of cadmium, high levels of chlorine.”

“if the price is too good to be true, it’s more than likely a fake.”

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Is Your Smartphone a

Beware of The Dangers Of Counterfeit Electronics Did you get a real bargain on your smartphone, laptop, TV or even your dishwasher? Do realize it may be a fake. Counterfeit electronics have flooded the market. While the items might be more affordable, they can also be dangerous and their sales could help fund terrorism and gangs.

The phony items are also hard to spot.

A counterfeit iPhone might have the Apple logo, work like a real iPhone and have the same icons.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“Gang members are now selling fake electronics instead of drugs because the margin is so high. It supports child labor, it supports terrorism”

“C

an you imagine buying an iPhone for $100,” said Stanley Salot, president and CEO of the Center for Counterfeit Avoidance.

But experts warn the devices are so poorly made that some stop working almost immediately and, even worse, may contain toxic parts.

“You’re risking high levels of lead, high levels of cadmium, high levels of chlorine,” said Salot.

Valerie Salembier, president and CEO of The Authentics Foundation, said from fashion to electronics, the counterfeit business is booming.

“It is not just handbags and wallets that can be faked,” said Salembier. “Gang members are now selling fake electronics instead of drugs because the margin is so high. It supports child labor, it supports terrorism.”

According to the United Nations, groups such as al Qaeda are partially funded by such counterfeiters.

Salot said counterfeiters mine dumps throughout the world for discarded electronics and use a little bit from each of them with no safety testing. Many of the devices catch fire, some even explode.

“Houses actually burn down from counterfeit toasters,” said Salot.

U.S. Customs seized more than $20 million in fake electronics last year, but many more end up in the hands of consumers who believe they’re getting the real deal.

Matt Nathanson, who repairs smartphones and laptops, is often the one to break the news to customers that their device is a fake.

“I’m like ‘This is not an iPhone. You got ripped off’,” said Nathanson. “To the person that doesn’t see this every single day, they can really get you.”

It’s not just consumers who are being duped.

Todd Kramer, CEO of Secure Components, makes sure the electronics being bought by the U.S. military and corporate America are the real deal. He said there’s only one way to be safe: only buy from authorized dealers.

“You need to know who you’re buying from,” said Kramer.

When it comes to buying electronics, experts agree that if the price is too good to be true, it’s more than likely a fake.

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Are You Using Your

Personal Phone For Work?

Be Careful!

It Could Cost You! If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like the thought of having to carry two cell phones around in your pocket, your company’s “bring your own device” program may sound like a good idea. But before you sign up to use your personal cell phone at work, you may want to consider what it could cost you in money and memories.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“The number of so-called “bring your own device” programs has skyrocketed in the U.S. More than a third of companies surveyed said they planned to require employees to supply their own phones and tablets within the next two years.”

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ealth care consultants Michael Irvin said he was just going about his day when his phone suddenly reset all by itself. When he turned it back on, he was in for a surprise.

“I saw just a blank screen, just like I got it originally. It had no emails. It had no text messages, no apps, nothing. It was just completely wiped,” said Irvin.

At first he thought it was just a glitch. Then realized his personal phone, which he had also used for work, had been wiped clean by his former employer.

“There were photos of my mother with my kids, a lot of new phone numbers, contact information that I had gathered,” said Irvin.

The number of so-called “bring your own device” programs has skyrocketed in the U.S. More than a third of companies surveyed said they planned to require employees to supply their own phones and tablets within the next two years.

While the programs can save companies money, and be more convenient for employees, they are not without their drawbacks, according to Lewis Maltby, founder of the National Workrights Institute, especially when the employee leaves the company.

“You can understand why the company would want to wipe the cell phone. You’ve got a lot of communications on there that are business oriented maybe company data. But unfortunately what happens is that the whole cell phone gets wiped, and now you

lose everything,” said Maltby.

Irvin was not alone. Maltby said cell phone wiping has become their number one workplacecomplaint.

Labor attorney Mark Terman agrees it can be a problem. He said companies need to do a better job of disclosing the privacy and access issues surrounding “bring your own device” policies.

“There’s a fair amount of confusion among both employees and employers, and this is a situation where both the company and the employees need to know the ground rules,” said Terman.

Terman suggests companies provide a disclosure of their policy and get written consent from their employees. They should also consider investing in new “sandboxing” tools which allow for a more selective wipe.

“Systems that operate in one sandbox on a device could be accessed and wiped out while not disturbing the sandbox where the personal information of the individual is on,” said Terman.

Meanwhile, Maltby had this message for anyone who uses a personal device for work.

“If you leave your job tomorrow, download anything on your cell phone you don’t want to lose,” said Maltby.

Wiping isn’t only an issue when an employee leaves the company. If they lose their phone or tablet, even temporarily, a company may decide to wipe it immediately to ensure that their data isn’t accessed by anyone else.

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Before you start to worry:

Get A Second Medical Opinion Online

by Brian Andrews

Jo Anne Giordano just wanted some peace of mind. “They thought I had lymphoma,” said Giordano. After seeing what they thought was a tumor the size of tennis ball on her lung, her doctors ordered a PET scan to firm up their diagnosis. “The hospital had told me it could be 5-7 days,” Giordano explained. Because her father died of lung cancer, Giordano was in a full panic. “I was a wreck. My husband was a wreck,” Giordano confessed. Instead of agonizing over a potential deadly diagnosis for a week, Giordano uploaded her PET scan to secondopinions.com.

I

t’s a new website started by South Florida Radiologist Dr. Mike Yuz. “And within 24-hours he called me to give me some peace of mind and tell me that it wasn’t as serious as maybe the doctors had led me to believe.”

Yuz diagnosed a treatable, pneumonia-like infection versus a tumor, and he was right.

“Most of second opinion requests are related to patients having serious diseases such as if they’re diagnosed with cancer or they require surgery,” Dr. Yuz told CBS4.

Second opinions are now more important than previously believed. Last year, Johns Hopkins reported that diagnostic errors were

It’s not about people selfdiagnosing themselves online.

It’s about actually a live physician providing an expert opinion.”

the number one most common, harmful and costly medical mistake, higher than surgical or medication mess ups. But insurance often doesn’t pay for second opinions. Also, the wait to get an appointment and consultation consumes valuable and possible life-saving time.

“The whole point of our service is to have patients affordable access to some of the top expert physicians,” said Dr. Yuz. “It’s not about people self-diagnosing themselves online. It’s about actually a live physician providing an expert opinion.”

Although Florida law doesn’t require a telemedicine doctor to be licensed

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“The whole point of our service is to have patients affordable access to some of the top expert physicians.�

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in the state of Florida, Dr. Yuz has a different opinion for secondopinions.com.

“The doctor who provides consultations must be licensed in the state where patient is located and the doctor himself is located,” insisted Yuz. So a thousand board certified doctors are on board in all 50 states, ready to read a mammogram, MRI, X-ray, CT or PET scan 24/7, all for $29 to $99.

“His services are so reasonable. My co-payments are more than what he charges,” exclaimed Giordano.

If you want to find out your risk of specific health problems or diseases, there’s an APP for that! It’s called “Health Genius” and it’s free on Apple or Android.

“Love it! Now I’m addicted,” declared Giordano.

“As you know, healthcare spending in the U.S. is completely

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

out of control and telemedicine certainly can provide that critical efficiency that we currently need,” said Yuz. “Telemedicine is the future of medicine and the future is already today.”

Although 10-million people regularly use telemedicine today, Florida is one state that hasn’t set guidelines and standards for telemedicine. Several legislative committees are currently considering bills that would do just that, although the House and Senate versions differ on the amount and type of regulation.

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www.neighbors4neighbors.org

Keep Your Children Safe This Summer!

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Summer is just weeks away and Neighbors 4 Neighbors wants you and your family to have a Safe Summer! We’re launching several Safe Summer awareness campaigns which include Summer Camps, Drowning Prevention/Swim Safety and Look Before You Lock.

SUMMER CAMPS

LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK

Spring Break is over and while most children are looking forward to their next big vacation, summer break, parents across South Florida are already doing the “Summer Scramble” and looking for the right Summer Camp for their kids.

As summer approaches, South Florida heats up! Imagine the temperatures reached in a locked-up car. Neighbors 4 Neighbors wants you to make sure you “Look Before You Lock!”

From art camp to drama camp and everything in between, we've compiled a list of useful resources to help parents find the right fit for their kids.

Go to www.neighbors4neighbors.org/pages/2014Summercamps to find a listing of camps in Miami-Dade and Broward County.

DROWNING PREVENTION SWIM SAFETY Drowning is the leading cause of the death for young children in South Florida.

“Literally one minute time and our daughter was taken from us” Cassie McGovern tells us about her tragic loss. Her daughter Edna Mae was just a year and a half old when she wandered outside. “I looked around the house and she wasn’t there and I proceeded to go outside, went past the pool, when I caught the reflection of Em floating in our pool.”

All family members were home, but at the time no door alarms were installed and the pool fence was left open.

“In our situation, it was a matter of life and death” said McGovern.

With pools, lakes and canals all around South Florida, it is essential for parents take precaution. The good news is that drowning can be prevented.

Neighbors 4 Neighbors wants to help keep your family safe through our Drowning Prevention and Swim Safety campaign in partnership with the Children’s Services Council of Broward County.

Kim Burgess of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance advises you to “Identify the risk, minimize the risk for safer waters, safer kids, safer response."

On a sunny day, it only takes 20 minutes for the temperature inside your car to become deadly. Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle.

On a busy morning this is easy to forget. Taking a look in the front and back seats before you lock the car can save a life.

The Neighbors 4 Neighbors Look Before You Lock campaign provides tips and resources to help keep your family safe this summer.

Visit www.neighbors4neighbors.org for all of the information you need.

CONNECT WITH US Neighbors 4 Neighbors provides many ways for you to help our mission to connect those in need with those who can help.

One way is through our volunteer registration site at www. helpingfeelsgood.org. Helping Feels Good uses technology to create human connections across the South Florida community.

The website is also a venue to share stories, inspire action and ultimately create change for our neighbors in need. Our vision is to empower every person in South Florida with the knowledge that they have something of value to share with a neighbor in need.

Another way to help is to go shopping with AmazonSmile!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Neighbors 4 Neighbors every time you shop at no cost to you.

AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Neighbors 4 Neighbors. Get started by going to smile.amazon.com and choosing Neighbors 4 Neighbors as your charity of choice.

It can't get any easier or more rewarding than that!!

Karen King of the US Swim Academy urges parents to put their kids in swim lessons. She says that “by having a child in swimming lessons, it reduces the risk of drowning by 88 percent.”

For more tips and Swim Safety programs visit www.neighbors4neighbors.org

www.neighbors4neighbors.org

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by Vanessa Borge

A study has found 10 percent of adults do nothing to manage their stress, but doctors are now incorporating stress management into their practices to help their patients.

F

or Leah Grossman, living in a new town was stressful before she got help.

“I was feeling like I was being strangled and drowning, “said Grossman.

To get back above water, Grossman went to see a physician who specializes in stress management.

“She did some meditation with me in the office the first visit.

She suggested I attend a Tai Chi class,” said Grossman.

Like Grossman, 42 percent of adults said their stress level has gone up in the past five years, and doctors are taking notice.

“Stress is implicated and can exacerbate a number of medical conditions all the way from a common cold to a heart attack,” said Dr. Aditi Nerurkar of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Dr. Nerurkar, who has a stress management practice, said her goal, when she sees an ailing patient, is to, “take a step back and zoom out and look at the patient as a whole and address their stress as it affects their entire being, rather than a particular body system.”

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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D

r. Adam Perlman also works with people to reduce the pressures they feel in everyday life.

Necia Gooch came in with headaches and back and stomach pain.

“There was a good focus on the details that fill my life and, and what stresses are there,” said Gooch.

Dr. Perlman said the practice of looking at the whole picture is catching on.

“Stress in our current society is really an epidemic if you think about it. So, more doctors do seem to be incorporating stress management into their practices. There is a growing demand also from patients,” said Dr. Perlman.

Why the push to bring stress reduction to primary care?

“It can raise blood pressure. It can certainly raise your heart rate. It can give you stomach problems. The challenge of stress is it impacts everything. It truly is a primary care issue on the front lines for our patient,” said Dr. Reid Blackwelder of the American Academy of Family Physicians President.

Doctors agree there is no one anti-stress solution for all patients and when you see a doctor for stress, they treat your body as well as your mind.

Dr. Nerurkar gives each patient she sees a stress score. When Grossman first came in, hers was 22. She is now down to 15.

“I feel more grounded, I feel more in charge. I feel like I’m back on the road to being myself,” said Grossman.

Dr. Nerurkar said the five elements of stress reduction she addresses with patients are: sleep, diet, exercise, social support and meditation.

She points out having some stress in your life, at healthy levels, can be a good thing. It can motivate you to be productive and take on challenges.

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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“The prospect of made-to-order organs would help thousands of future patients who find themselves on organ transplant waiting lists.�

Are 3D Printed

ORGANS The Future of America?

cbs4 newspaper

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

CBSMIAMI.COM

A biotech firm is on the cutting edge of creating organ tissue outside the human body.

Organovo uses 3D printing technology that could one day build made-to-order human organs. The 3D “bioprinters” are loaded with different types human cells used to print living organ tissue.

“W

hat the bioprinter does is it actually positions cells and puts them in the right place and we can make an entire structure that turns into a living tissue,” said Organovo CEO Keith Murphy.

Think of it like an ink-jet printer but instead of ink, scientist use cells taken from a patient’s own body and print small tissue clusters.

“One of the more complex things that we’ve built is a blood vessel, an artery structure, that is a multi-layer structure,” said Murphy. “That’s about a little bit larger than a spaghetti noodle, but we can make these up to five centimeters long.”

Right now, the tiny tissues can be kept alive outside the body for about 40 days and can be used to test drugs, according to Murphy.

“So, you might have a biopsy of someone’s tumor and you use that to build a tumor model outside the body to test different drug regimens that might benefit that patient,” Murphy said.

Drug testing is one thing but the most exciting aspect of Organovo’s 3D bioprinting technology is the company’s long-term goal of creating organs for eventual implant.

“Over time, we hope to build something that’s larger and larger. One of the challenges to doing that is going to be able to build blood vessels inside of these larger tissues,” said Murphy.

The prospect of made-to-order organs would help thousands of future patients who find themselves on organ transplant waiting lists.

For example, 3-month-old Nancy Magana had to wait seven weeks at a hospital before she could get a lung transplant.

“Over time, we hope to build something that’s larger and larger. One of the challenges to doing that is going to be able to build blood vessels inside of these larger tissues.”

“It is hard to wait because you can see your baby is getting worse every day and you don’t want them to pass away,” said the child’s mother, Fernanda Magana.

Transplant patients also have to take antirejection drugs for the rest of their lives, but if the organ can be made from the patient’s own cells, rejection would not be a problem.

“It’s very hard to find donors for these organs.

There are waiting lists because there’s not enough sources,” said Murphy. “So being able to make something from one’s own cells opens up the number of patients we can get organs to over time.”

It could be years or even decades before companies like Organovo will be able to create entire organs outside the body.

Initially, the company will focus on drug testing and eventually end up printing small patches of tissue that can repair damaged kidneys or livers.

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Young Eyes

Growing Old From Digital Eye Strain

By Eliott Rodriguez

Neck-aches, back-aches, red-eyes, dry-eyes, headaches, migraines, even blurry or double vision! Are your eyes crying out for help? Probably! According to a recent report put out by the Vision Council… nearly 70-percent of U.S. adults are experiencing digital eye strain due to electronic devices.

“W

e hardly watch TV… everything’s on the computer, everythings on our phones, the social media. It’s killing our eyes,” said Natalie Castellano.

Natalie Castellano should know. Her work has her on the computer almost all day. At 29, she started experiencing dibilitating eye strain two years ago.

“Headaches, the computer would start getting blurry in and out. Really tired at the end of the day, migraines,” explained Castellano.

Fortunately, Castellano happened to work at Gould Vision on Miami Beach, where Dr. Adina Gould diagnosed her with digital eye strain.

“We have six muscles here and six here (pointing to the area around the eyes) and you feel a lot of pain around the eyes, behind the eyes, it can even radiate down the neck from this strain of our muscles turning in,” explained Dr. Gould. “If you

can imagine being on a thigh master all day and pulling in your thigh muscles… you’d be pretty sore in the morining. That’s happening to our eyes.”

Eye problems and diseases are happening at startlingly younger ages.

Said Castellano, “I’m wearing lenses normally patients would start wearing in their 40’s!”

Ed Greene is CEO of the Vision Council. “You know the other thing that we don’t really think about is we aren’t used to looking at little tiny dots all day long. That’s another thing, everything we’re looking at is pixels.”

And there’s more bad news for digital device addicts, it’s called High Energy Visible Light.

“And it’s an area of blue light that has through studies, shown to cause and contribute to such things as age related macular degeneration,” said Michael Vitale, an optician with the Vision Council.

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Bascially, if you are using electronic devices for more than 2 hours a day… you need to be aware of what is now being called “EYEGONOMICS” and use the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20-minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20-feet away. Other tips to reduce digital eye strain… Enlarge your computer and cell phone text Remember to blink every 10 seconds Position desktop screens at arm’s length without any tilt and use anti-glare protectors on screens “We can’t get by without technology. So due to the technology, we really need to start wearing computer glasses,” said Dr. Gould.

Digital eye strain is now the leading cause of work environment complaints. If you begin to experience eye strain symptoms, the first thing you need to do is see an eye doctor so he or she can help you determine the proper eyewear that will help relax your eyes.

“Every 20-minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20-feet away”

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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By Michele Gillen

With the voice of an angel, a 16-year-old girl named Tracey Dominique sings of love and dreams of a world where children feel safe and are cared for—especially the children of Haiti. “I see myself as them,” said Dominique. “They are over there and they have to drink dirty water, got to work and sometimes they have no school, no clothes, no food and that’s sad.”

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orn in Haiti, French is Tracey’s first language but it is her second chance at life, and the opportunity she’s been given in America, that fills her with gratitude, she shared with CBS4’s Chief Investigator Michele Gillen.

The images of what Haitians living in the country postearthquake haunt Tracey, giving her an undeniable urge to help.

Tracey’s former home on the island was destroyed in the earthquake.

“It was devastating,” said Tracey. “Our old neighborhood, everything was broken and our old house went down to the ground. So I lost everything that I had left behind. I thank God that he brought me here in 2005.”

While it was destiny that spared her life, shortly after leaving Haiti she faced the deep loss of losing her father.

“To wake up and not see my dad anymore is a big challenge. It is sad,” Tracey said.

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

pediatrician,” said Tracey. She also shared that she hopes to return to Haiti someday as a doctor to help children.

When Tracey was asked where in that moment she wanted to visit, the answer was quick and paired perfectly with her dreams of becoming a pediatrician.

“Miami Children’s Hospital. I have always wanted to go there and play with the children, pray with them, help make them happy,” said Tracey.

Tracey’s wish was granted and she, along with Gillen, visited the hospital to meet Dr. Mario Reyes, Director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at Miami Children’s. He welcomed Tracey with open arms.

Tracey was amazed to have Dr. Reyes include her in a conference on the needs of children in Haiti, joined by Carline Toussaint, a third-year resident of Haiti University and Educational Hospital.

“Congratulations. It’s an honor to have you join us. You are on the right track. You are welcome here and we look forward

“Tracey’s wish was granted and she, along with Gillen, visited the hospital to meet Dr. Mario Reyes, Director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at Miami Children’s Hospital” Tracey worries about her mother working two jobs a day to support the family but focuses her attention on her studies and on building an extended family of children who are facing hardships in Haiti.

In an effort to help the children of Haiti, Tracey created a foundation to help them attend summer camp where for at least a week they can be free of adult worries and feel like a kid.

So far, Tracey has raised $6,000. Her efforts attracted the attention of the Archdiocese of Miami.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski is a fan to Tracey’s devotion to others that he helped her get a scholarship into the high school of her dreams—Archbishop Curley, where she has excelled and is achieved honor roll status.

Tracey is delighted to share that she loves and finds solace in praying and that Pope Francis is her hero.

“He chose the same name, Francis—as my father. They are both humble men. I love him,” Tracey told Gillen.

Gillen asked Tracey what accomplishments does she believe would make in her make her late-father proud.

“To follow my dreams and be successful and be a

to bringing you on one of our missions to Haiti,” Dr. Reyes said to Tracey.

Tracey was then welcomed into the children’s playroom where she did not arrive empty-handed. She handed each child a teddy bear from the Neighbor4Neighbors Adopt-ABear program.

Joining Tracey during her hospital visit were her loving aunt and uncle, thrilled and moved to see their niece fulfill her dream of visiting the hospital that they said she spoke of so often.

While CBS4 wasn’t able to introduce Tracey to her number one hero, Pope Francis, Gillen shared with her a rosary that came from St. Peters Cathedral bearing a photo of the Pope.

Gillen gifted the rosary to Tracey so that she could take it with her for her travels and dreams along with the children of Haiti she carries in her heart.

When Gillen asked Tracey if she had a prayer, she responded, “I would thank you, God, for letting me have that moment to share what I have done for these kids and I hope I can keep doing it. I would like to make a difference in the world.”

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Cynthia Demos

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Tricia Bradley has two talented kids, but because of the high-cost of college, she wanted them to think long and hard about what they want to study. “I know so many lawyers who wish they weren’t lawyers,” explained Tricia Bradley. Ann Hutchinson has the same concern about her son Spencer, who is a high school junior in Miami. “He’s expressed some interest in the medical field,” said Hutchinson. To find out if their kids were on the right track, both moms had them take a new online assessment tool called Latitude. It’s designed for teens and young adults.

“W

e help them understand themselves in the context of work by assessing them on the 14 aptitudes or natural abilities that are most important to career choice,” said Brad Miller of Latitude.

“It’s not like a standardized test,” explained Spencer Hutchinson. “I think it’s really good for people who are either certain about what they want to do, or are completely lost.”

When Spencer’s results came back, medical was definitely a good choice for him.

“Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Orthodonist, dietitian/ nutritionist,” Spencer said as he listed the medical fields for which he tested well.

But there was also a surprise career Spencer had never considered.

“Climate change analyst! Like where did that come from?” asked Spencer. “But it said I had a great fit for it.”

Carter Bradley, who is mostly interested in music and sports thought the test was spot on when it suggested he pursue musical composing. But he was stunned when Latitude suggested he look at a career as a fireman, art director and medical engineer.

“I had never thought of going into medicine but when I looked at the description it intrigued me a little bit,” said Carter.

Carter’s sister Lilly is already in college studying to be a biomedical engineer.

“My mom said take this test. I want to make sure this is really what you should be doing,” Lilly explained.

Sure enough… the test came back as a great match for

Lilly’s bio-medical major.

“I’d like her to be able to consider other possibilities before it’s too late… before we put like $250,000 into an education,” said Lilly’s mother Tricia.

After taking the Latitude test, Spencer knows what not to waste his tuition money on. The test not only told him what his strengths were but his weaknesses too. He scored lowest in the conventional category.

“People with a high conventional preference can be found in professions like accounting, administration, banking, business, database administration, economics, engineering, finance, investment, payroll, pharmacy, purchasing, statistics,” said Spencer.

At the University of Miami’s Career Center, where they do their own testing for free, Christian Garcia, the Executive Director, said it’s OK for kids to enter college with an undeclared major.

“Students change their majors all the time sometimes 3 to 7 times in their college career. You have to trust the process and trust that students will eventually find something that they’re interested in,” said Garcia.

Even Spencer’s mom took the Latitude test! After being a stay at home mom for 10-years… she’s contemplating getting back into the workforce.

“Fortunately it did reaffirm what I spent my career doing, which was nice to know,” said Ann Hutchinson. “I was in consumer packaged good marketing.”

Clearly this is just another tool in the toolbox to help parents and students contemplating a career or a career change. The cost is $399.

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May 2014

Miami Dade & Broward Events Calendar Mother’s Day Tea at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden May 11, 2014 - 3 p.m.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road Celebrate Mother’s Day amidst a beautiful tropical setting at the Mother’s Day Tea at Fairchild. Afternoon tea is held on the veranda and in the ballroom of the Visitor Center overlooking the tropical garden. Sweet and savory snacks will be served on fine china with an assortment of delicious and unique tea. Live music by local guitarist Rob Friedman will create an ambiance of relaxation. Please RSVP with Marnie Valent at 305-663-8059. The cost per person is $27 for members, $37 for non-members, and $17 for children 12 and under.

Scott and Hem at Actors’ Playhouse May 14 – June 8, 2014 - Actors’ Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway wrestle with the sparks of art and the perils of creativity. This combative new play is set in 1937 Hollywood, at the infamous Garden of Allah celebrity filled apartment complex. Fueled by friendship and rivalry, these two literary heavyweights reunite for one final night in this smart and powerful new drama exploring the cost of love, friendship and the personal and professional price of being a writer. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 305-444-9293.

Lecture: Butterflies, Bugs, and Plants: Up Close and Personal May 15, 2014 - 7 – 9 p.m., Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road Hank Poor, microscopy and imaging lab volunteer at Fairchild, will lecture on the capability of macrophotography to produce images of butterflies, bugs and plants that are almost invisible to the naked eye. Admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, $12 for children 6-17, and free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under.

Gables Bike Tours May 18- 11 a.m., Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue Start with a guided tour of the Museum’s newest exhibit “Marking the Millennium: 21st Century Miami Architecture,” which highlights the most fascinating Miami buildings post 2000. Then, embark on a city bike tour of the newest additions to our cityscape and witness the latest architectural trends in Coral Gables. Most bike tours are recommended for riders over 10 and those who can maintain a speed of 10 mph. Please see that your bicycle is in good operating condition and bring plenty of fluids. Bike rentals and helmets (required for children 16 and under) are available at No Boundaries (305.444.3206), conveniently located across the street from the Museum. Gables Bike Tours are presented by Coral Gables Museum and Bike Walk Coral Gables and powered by Voss Water. $10; $5 for Museum members and children under 12 (not all tours are suitable for children under 10). Space is limited. Please RSVP to 305-603-8067.

Learning Made Fun Botanical Arts and Crafts: The Circle of Life Krafts-4-Kids final classes are all about the “Circle of Life”. Learn about Butterfly Gardens and attracting these spectacular creatures. Your child will delve into the mysteries of their life-cycle, learn about the types of butterflies living in Pinecrest and what you can plant to attract them to your yard. Every child will take home a cutting of a plant that will draw these beautiful winged species to your garden. Classes are May 11th or May 18th and the fee is $5. Reservations at 305-669-6990 and classes are limited to 20 children.

Gardening with Craig Orchid Repotting Gardens Gallery, Hibiscus Room So, you’re ready to stop killing your orchids. And you’re looking for the magic recipe? Take the Orchid Care Oath. Repeat After Me: I Will Not Kill My Orchids and then learn the tricks of the trade and tips from the Gardens’ Horticulturist, Craig Morell, on the secret to repotting orchids. It’s easier than you think! Guests will repot orchids during the class and receive an orchid to take home. The workshop is May 14th at 10:00 a.m. in the Hibiscus Room/Gardens Gallery. $10 fee includes all materials and snacks.

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journey to the south pacific: an imax 3d experience ®

January 17, 2014 - December 31, 2014 Every Day - museum of discovery & science & autonation imax - 401 SW 2 St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 954-713-0930 - Admission: $9 for adults; $7 for children (2-12) Filmed in the heart of the Coral Triangle, amid the pristine coral reefs of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Journey to the South Pacific transports audiences to an underwater Eden where exotic marine life flourishes.

Sea turtles, whale sharks, manta rays and other unusual creatures thrive here in this special place, the most bio-diverse marine ecosystem in the world. In this feel-good ocean adventure, audiences join a 12-year-old boy on a voyage through the islands as he dives with the world’s largest fish, witnesses’ sea turtles laying their eggs after a 6,500-mile journey across the Pacific, and encounters exotic critters like the coconut octopus. Here, Raja Ampat’s islanders use ancient wisdom and modern science to protect their local reefs, showing what it means to live in balance with the ocean. A tale of celebration and discovery, Journey to the South Pacific brings to life the extraordinary undersea beauty and inspiring human stories from this unique part of the world, revealing that we are all islanders on this ocean planet we call home. Journey to the South Pacific 3D is produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films in association with IMAX Entertainment, presented by One World One Ocean, and narrated by Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett. Website: http://www.imax. com/journeytothesouthpacific/

sailing the air: aeronautics in fort lauderdale January 10, 2014 - May 18, 2014 new river inn 231 SW 2nd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-463-4431 x 20 add to itinerary visit website Share on email print Email Sailing the Air: Aeronautics in Fort Lauderdale Exhibit Opens January 10, 2014 and Closes May 18, 2014 Special Member only Champagne Reception: January 9, 2014 (Invite Only) Most would agree that flying is still an amazing experience. The ability to be lifted off the ground and transported to your destination in a fraction of the time in comparison to driving, is undeniably one of the most innovative advancements in our history.

And while aviation has excelled and provided new opportunities all across the world, aviation has deep-rooted seeds right here in Fort Lauderdale.

On January 10, 2014, the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society will unveil a new exhibit entitled, Sailing the Air: Aeronautics in Fort Lauderdale. Displaying more than 20 photographs from the Historical Society’s collection, Sailing the Air chronicles Fort Lauderdale’s aviation culture from the early 1900s through the Jet Age. This exhibit will be on display at the New River Inn (231 SW 2nd Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) and is funded by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Broward County Cultural Division.

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Real Estate Sponsored By

Listings in this section are based on properties sold in previous months and retrieved from zillow.com. Not all properties sold are listed.

Not responsible for typographical errors and/or omissions. Photographs are for illustration purposes only.

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Content provided by www.Zillow.com

How to Fight

High Property Taxes Death and taxes. Benjamin Franklin espoused their certainty, but it’s doubtful even he knew how difficult it would be to avoid the latter – especially property taxes.

N

o matter where you live in the United States, if you own real estate, you must pay property taxes. According to a recent study by Zillow, a U.S. property owner pays an average of around $2,800, or approximately 1.4 percent of their home’s value each year in property taxes. Of course, that “average” figure indicates some homeowners pay more while others pay less.

The counties with the highest averages are Westchester County, NY ($14,829 per year); Essex County, NY ($12,051 per year) and Bergen County, NJ ($11,172 per year).

Tax BillDo you know how much you pay in property taxes? Look up your home on Zillow – the information is there on your home details page.

Deciphering how property tax rates are set is not easy. There is no single formula used by states and counties to calculate property taxes.

In fact, more than 13,500 local governments have the authority to assess property taxes; all states allow local governments to set their own tax rates even though many states place limits on

their rates.

Still, understanding the process is your first step toward knowing whether or not you’re paying too much in property taxes. Start by visiting your local assessor’s office to find out how they assess properties. Ask how you might go about appealing your assessment.

Most municipalities require property owners to lodge their appeal within 60 days of when annual assessments are mailed; check with local authorities for details regarding your city or county and get copies of the forms you’ll need to complete. Homeowners cannot contest their property tax rates, but they may be able to lower the assessed value of their home by filing an appeal.

Once you have a basic understanding of the assessment process, you’ll want to do your due diligence to determine whether you’re being overtaxed:

Fact check Get your property card from your local assessor’s office; in some municipalities, these

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“Most cities and counties assess homes on a one to three-year cycle. It’s natural, then, that a home’s assessed value will fail to keep up with changes in local real estate prices” documents can be accessed online. Your property card – also known as a property’s “working papers” or “worksheet” – includes factors used to determine your home’s assessed value: square footage, lot size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc.

If, for example, the assessor’s office believes your home includes a three-car garage but no such feature exists, it’s likely your assessment is incorrect.

Know your neighborhood Most cities and counties assess homes on a one- to three-year cycle. It’s natural, then, that a home’s assessed value will fail to keep up with changes in local real estate prices. A local decline in home prices could leave you paying more than your fair share of property taxes.

When determining whether your home has been properly assessed, you’ll need to know the assessment of comparable homes – same size, same location, same amenities. Using information

Content provided by www.Zillow.com

available from your assessor or on Zillow, search for at least five comparable homes that have sold in your neighborhood within the past year.

If you discover that your home is valued at least 5 percent to 10 percent higher than comparable properties, you may be able to file a successful appeal.

Present your case The National Taxpayers Union estimates that up to 60 percent of U.S. properties are overassessed. If you believe yours has been, gather documents that support your case and ask for an informal meeting with a representative from your local assessor’s office. If the assessor won’t agree to a meeting, or if your assessment isn’t adjusted as a result of the meeting, you may want to file a formal appeal.

The appeals process varies greatly, but most municipalities require appeals to be submitted in writing along with evidence that supports the request for a reassessment. Once a formal appeal has been filed, a decision generally is handed down within two to four weeks. If you aren’t successful, you may be able to take your appeal to a state review board. If you’re still not getting the answer you want, you may be able to take your case to court – at which time you need to consider whether court fees outweigh any potential reduction in property taxes.

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Real Estate

Sold Properties Miami Dade County

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11351 SW 156th St, Miami, FL 33157 4 Beds / 2 Bath | 2,065 sq. ft. | 0.36 acre Lot | Built in: 1980 Sold: 4/8/2014 | $180,000

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8420 SW 162nd Ter, Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 4 Beds / 2 Bath | 2,532 sq. ft. | 0.34 acre Lot | Built in: 1990 Sold: 4/3/2014 | $452,500

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7845 SW 48th Ct, Miami, FL 33143 2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,963 sq. ft. | 10,752 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1955 Sold: 4/1/2014 | $775,000

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10946 SW 134th Ave, Miami, FL 33186 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 2,020 sq. ft. | 4,643 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1978 Sold: 4/7/2014 | $295,000

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7722 SW 188th Ter, Cutler Bay, FL 33157 5 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 3,994 sq. ft. | 0.35 acre Lot | Built in: 2005 Sold: 4/1/2014 | $500,200

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1351 98th St, Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154 4 Beds / 3 Bath | 2,744 sq. ft. | 10,000 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1954 Sold: 4/2/2014 | $855,000

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920 NE 85th St, Miami, FL 33138 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,501 sq. ft. | 8,940 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1954 Sold: 4/4/2014 | $395,000

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4060 Poinciana Ave, Miami, FL 33133 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,761 sq. ft. | 6,000 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1976 Sold: 4/11/2014 | $673,000

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1311 100th St, Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154 4 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 2,482 sq. ft. | 10,000 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1949 Sold: 4/7/2014 | $950,000

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Sold Properties Broward County

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3747 NW 107th Ter, Sunrise, FL 33351 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,628 sq. ft. | 1,989 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1989 Sold: 4/2/2014 | $195,200

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2340 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 3 Beds / 3 Bath | 3,123 sq. ft. | 10,597 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1979 Sold: 4/7/2014 | $480,000

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2703 Edgewater Ct, Weston, FL 33332 6 Beds / 3 Bath | 3,340 sq. ft. | 0.3 acre Lot | Built in: 1994 Sold: 4/3/2014 | $742,000

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171 SW 62nd Ter, Plantation, FL 33317 4 Beds / 2 Bath | 2,550 sq. ft. | 0.32 acre Lot | Built in: 1970 Sold: 4/11/2014 | $287,000

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13304 Lakeside Ter, Cooper City, FL 33330 4 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 2,891 sq. ft. | 10,200 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1998 Sold: 4/3/2014 | $524,900

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3550 N 32nd Ter, Hollywood, FL 33021 6 Beds / 5.5 Bath | 3,642 sq. ft. | 0.26 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1977 Sold: 4/11/2014 | $830,000

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1851 NE 59th Ct, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,575 sq. ft. | 7,497 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1967 Sold: 4/4/2014 | $395,000

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514 N Victoria Park Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,462 sq. ft. | 7,700 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1950 Sold: 4/1/2014 | $675,000

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1137 S Southlake Dr, Hollywood, FL 33019 4 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 3,499 sq. ft. | 0.47 acre Lot | Built in: 1974 Sold: 4/9/2014 | $950,000

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Real Estate

Lu x u ry P ropert i e s

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4750 N Bay Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33140 6 Beds / 7 Bath | 6,837 sq. ft. | n/a Lot | Built in: 1932 Sold: 4/2/2014 | $10,500,000

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9705 Collins Ave, Unit 1901N, Bal Harbour, FL 33154 3 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 3,524 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 2012 Sold: 3/27/2014 | $6,500,000

Miami Dade County

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50 S Pointe Dr, Apt 2601, Miami Beach, FL 33139 3 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 3,017 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 2008 Sold: 3/31/2014 | $8,500,000

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803 E Dilido Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139 3 Beds / 3 Bath | 3,346 sq. ft. | 10,500 sq ft Lot | Built in: 1938 Sold: 3/26/2014 | $4,615,500

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100 S Pointe Dr, Apt 3307, Miami, FL 33139 3 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 2,954 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 2003 Sold: 3/25/2014 | $8,400,000

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4305 Lake Rd, Miami, FL 33137 6 Beds / 7.5 Bath | 6,635 sq. ft. | 0.56 acre Lot | Built in: 1948 Sold: 3/31/2014 | $4,600,000

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

All Listings provided by www.Zillow.com

Lu x u ry P ropert i e s

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2002 Bay Dr, Pompano Beach, FL 33062 5 Beds / 7 Bath | 7,852 sq. ft. | 0.36 acre Lot | Built in: 2002 Sold: 4/7/2014 | $5,350,000

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13231 Luray Rd, Southwest Ranches, FL 33330 5 Beds / 6 Bath | 6,973 sq. ft. | 4.92 acre Lot | Built in: 2009 Sold: 4/10/2014 | $2,700,000

Broward County

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17 Nurmi Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 6 Beds / 7 Bath | 6,877 sq. ft. | 0.28 acre Lot | Built in: 2013 Sold: 4/2/2014 | $4,582,500

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16875 Berkshire Ct, Southwest Ranches, FL 33331 7 Beds / 8 Bath | 10,373 sq. ft. | 2.35 acre Lot | Built in: 2004 Sold: 4/7/2014 | $2,130,000

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2885 Lake Ridge Ln, Weston, FL 33332 6 Beds / 7 Bath | 9,447 sq. ft. | 1 acre Lot | Built in: 2007 Sold: 4/8/2014 | $3,000,000

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2875 NE 36th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 6 Beds / 6 Bath | 6,771 sq. ft. | 0.33 acre Lot | Built in: 1975 Sold: 4/14/2014 | $1,925,000

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Best Times to Buy, Sell or List a Home A common question from a buyer or seller is: what is the best time to buy or sell a home? In the clothing world, it makes sense to get the best “deal” on winter clothes at the end of winter and that you will likely will pay top dollar for a swimsuit in April. Does the same trend hold true for real estate purchases and sales? Not really. But there are some considerations a buyer or seller should make as they enter the market that could have an impact on the transaction.

on New Year’s Eve and even had a serious buyer make an offer using DocuSign from a beach in Hawaii. Sellers believe that it’s more conventional to list for the spring “selling” season and then again after the summer. If you go the conventional route, you will see more competition. If you can sell “off season” you might fare better because there are still serious buyers, but less homes for sale.

Best time of day to list a home Spring and fall are better times for buyers Let’s be clear. You can’t ever time a home purchase. Buying a home isn’t like buying a car or an iPad. The home buying process is a journey, one that happens on your own time and only after you’ve done enough research, seen enough homes and have your financial house in order.

At any one time there is a brand-new buyer entering the market and then another who has done enough research and becomes a very serious buyer. Nobody can control the evolution. But something for a buyer to consider is that real estate inventory tends to fluctuate by season. Each spring and fall we tend to see an increase in home inventory due to the seasons. More inventory means more options for buyers.

Holidays and winter are best times for sellers It’s not conventional for a seller to list their home before the holidays or in the dead of winter for obvious reasons. But serious, eager buyers don’t care about the season or timing.

At any one point of the year, there will be a very motivated, experienced buyer ready to make an offer, no matter the season. I’ve written contracts on Thanksgiving, closed escrow

The Sunday open house, particularly the first Sunday, is the holy grail of real estate. For decades, agents and sellers worked hard on a listing with a deadline being the first open house.

The “for sale” sign, which made the listing official a generation ago, would go in front of the house the days leading up the first open house. In the digital age, the listing goes “live” online.

Sellers and agents work hard to clean, paint or prep the home in time for the photo shoot. Agents and sellers tend to rush to the finish and you will see many listings hit the market late Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, with Sunday being the first showing. Instead, try listing on Monday or Tuesday and don’t do any showings until the open house on Sunday. You can build momentum and have a very strong first open house.

As much as buyers and sellers try to strategize the timing of a real estate purchase or sale, its never that easy.

Unlike Macy’s or Target, who control inventory and monitory competitive activity, there isn’t one seller in real estate. Sellers are unrelated and disconnected and the types of homes are different making it nearly impossible to “time” a purchase or sale.

Content provided by www.Zillow.com

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Sex

&

Intimacy At Every Age

by Cynthia Demos

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“How you can actually improve sex during pregnancy?” asked a Miami woman.

“You know sometimes you want, sometimes you don’t,” said her friend. “How would I find someone to have sex with?” another Miami woman demanded to know. “Sex is happening!” Iris Krasnow should know. After interviewing over 150 women of all ages, doctors and sex therapists, this journalist has written a book titled “Sex After…”

“T

his book is called Sex After. But the sub-head is really the most important part of the book, how intimacy changes as life changes,” explained Krasnow.

“And I just think it’s perfect. It’s great. Because sex is what moves us,” Miami resident Edwin Cano said.

“I think that the women over 70 who have told me… and the majority of them are from Florida, I gotta tell ya, that they’re having the best sex of their lives,” Krasnow declared.

Krasnow is busting myths.

Myth #1: Teens and twenty-somethings are part of today’s “hook up” generation having what Krasnow said many adults fear is random, loveless sex. But she discovered something else.

“Yes they want sexual pleasure but you know what? They want emotional commitment and love,” Myth #2: Motherhood is blissful.

“You’ve got a squalling baby,” Krasnow pointed out. “I’m not sleeping. I don’t want to have sex. I’m 50-pounds overweight and I have postpartum depression.”

But the doctor has said you can resume sex after six weeks and your man is counting the days!

“I’ve had women tell me they wish they’d said six-years! I’m so tired,” she explained.

Myth #3: In the 50s and 60s, after women have had the babies and raised the kids, they close the shop to sex.

Krasnow is adamant. ”OMG! The shop is so not closed! Yes I’ve

talked to people over the age of 50 who have very low libido and who aren’t interested in sex any more. It’s not that women wither up and dry up after menopause. Sometimes guys don’t want it either.”

“Another myth is that people want… and I don’t know how else to put this… but rock hard, whammo sex! I’d like to release everyone from feeling like someone else is having better sex, more sex or more perfect sex,” said Krasnow.

In fact, Krasnow has a whole chapter devoted to Adventures in Outercourse.

“And outercourse is everything but! Even if it’s just holding hands or a kiss or a nuzzle it’s so life affirming,” Krasnow pointed out.

“You know one of my women, septuagenarian women,” Krasnow relayed.

“You know there’s a sweetness to sex after 70, and really connecting soul to soul not organs to organs.”

In fact, like everything the Baby Boomers have transformed, Krasnow insisted that boomer women are re-inventing sex after 60.

“We’re the generation who is watching Mick Jagger writhing on stage in his 70s and he looks pretty good,” Krasnow maintained. “So we’re not going to grow old knitting in our rockers. We’re going to be rocking grannies!”

Krasnow said her biggest surprise was that women over the age of 60 were more confident, fulfilled and relaxed about their bodies, their self-esteem, sex and sexuality, than women in their 20s and 30s. They were also more open to experimentation and adventure.

“You know there’s a sweetness to sex after 70, and really connecting soul to soul not organs to organs”

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Welcome To

Soya e Pomodoro

by Lisa Petrillo

There’s an Italian eatery in downtown Miami with a huge fan base of local customers because of its simple, delicious food.

Soya e Pomodoro is downtown Miami’s hidden gem just off First street It’s Old World Italian at its best.

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his is the best eggplant I’ve ever had,” exclaimed CBS4’s Lisa Petrillo as she bit into one of the many delicious dishes served at the eatery.

Ten years ago, friends Armando Alfano and Chef Christina Doria were looking for a space that was off the crowded beach.

They found a very old former bank building reminiscent of the ancient ruins from their homeland.

“The building is from 1925, when I first came and saw the building I fell in love,” said owner Alfando. “I’m from Pompeii. For me, this was as close as it gets to Italy.”

Business started off slow at first, but it’s not slow anymore.

“Thank God,” said Alfano laughing.

The sign on the front door says it all: “Simple food made with love.”

“Just simple Italian food, the logo says, ‘Simple food made with love’

that is what Mama always says,” explained Alfano.

“Now life is so complicated and people can make it more complicated, So we try to go backwards and find simplicity,” said Chef Christian.

“Nothing complicated.”

The dish that knocked Petrillo out was the Eggplant Parmigiana with baked layers of eggplant, fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese and chef’s secret homemade tomato sauce.

“It just dissolves in your math, so delicious,” said Petrillo while enjoying her meal.

She also tasted, happily, a Papardelle pasta with shrimp and pistachio pesto. “No cream, no dairy, you don’t need it,” said Petrillo.

Soya e Pomodoro is located at 120 NE 1st Street.

For more info: www.soyaepomodoro.com.

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Top Spots For

Gifts

In South Florida

Getting prepared to treat mom for Mother’s Day is as simple and fun as getting to some of the most appropriate shops for the occasion in South Florida. These gift shopping options from Fort Lauderdale to Key Biscayne feature great gifts from traditional options to personalized and monogrammed items. These shops offer perfect presents for mothers of various age groups to ensure a truly special Mother’s Day 2014. Personal shopping options are available as well as delivery for some of the featured locales.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

18545 W. Dixie Highway Aventura, FL 33180 (305) 931-5291 www.gbsbeauty.com

1621 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 538-0671 www.9thchakra.com

GBS Beauty is a local beauty store wonder with fabulous products and attentive service. The store’s offerings include fabulous beauty products from hard-to-find brands, exclusive products and an extensive and wellcurated selection of standard beauty store fare. Gift sets are also great picks from GBS Beauty with the options ranging from scented diffuser sets to spa treatment machines for home. There are six locations – all of which are in South Florida.

9th Chakra is a successful, well-respected shop specializing in carrying spiritual items.

The store has been in business in South Beach for over two decades and shoppers stay impressed by the quality products and services as well as regular shipments of goods from around the world. Incense is the specialty of the store and there is even a special incense line from 9th Chakra. This is a great shop for mothers interested in spirituality as well as for any mother who adores jewelry. The jewelry and mala beads in store are made of different materials for different effects such as amazonite for truth and trust and citrine for clarity and intelligence.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

1 N.E. 40th St., Suite 100 Miami, FL 33127 (305) 733-7863 www.petitechicgifts.com

650 Crandon Blvd.

Key Biscayne, FL 33149 (305) 361-7474 www.bohemeboutiques.com

Located in the happening area of the Miami Design District is a great shop for gift options – Petite Chic Gifts. It offers appointment-based personal shopping for consultations and insights for the most appropriate gifts possible. Gift items are on hand including such products as greeting cards and leather goods which may be personalized with such features as monograms for the most personal touches. Made-to-order gifts are also available to be ordered on site.

Bohéme is a boutique offering inspiring items for the mother who revels in the luxury cruise, beach and resort-wear style. Shoes, bags, swimwear, caftans and more make it easy to source an absolutely incredible resort-wear wardrobe from one store. This lifestyle store even goes beyond clothing and accessories for shoppers to be able to continue their bohemian chic style influence to outfitting home as well. The home décor products include such items as timeless pewter serving items (pitchers, platters, et al.), exotic throw pillows and inspiring coffee table books highlighting luxury design ideas around the globe. Bohéme in Key Biscayne is joined by a second location in South Beach.

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1418 S. Andrews Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 761-1757 www.enchanted-flowers.com Flowers and floral arrangements are always appropriate, timeless gifts for Mother’s Day. The professional expertise and meticulous work of Enchantment Florist makes it a top pick for sourcing flowers. Along with flowers, such gifts as candles, gift baskets and greeting cards are offered. Local delivery is available for time-strapped shoppers.

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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The invention of the computer has changed society profoundly. Ironically, there are still folks who prefer to send smoke signals, communicate by drum beat or talk through soup cans tied to string. Okay that may be a bit of a stretch. But if you are looking to learn or hone your computer skills in south Florida, there are a variety of schools and organizations that truly offer something for everyone, regardless of your skill level.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

2101 N.W. 117 Ave. Miami, FL 33172 (305) 596-2226 www.keiseruniversity.edu

Community Network of eParks Offered by the City of Miami (305) 416-1555 www.elevatemiami.com

Formerly known as Keiser College and with a series of campuses across the state and throughout south Florida, this university provides a diverse array of computer courses that can be taken online or on campus, depending on your needs. Associate degrees are offered in Computer-Aided Drafting, Computer Programming, Crime Scene Technology, Design and Multimedia, Information Technology, Video Game Design and Web Design Development, as well as Bachelor’s programs in Management Information Systems and Network Systems and Data Communications.

Administered by the City of Miami and run chiefly on donated funds, computer equipment and broadband services, Elevate Miami specializes in helping lift up residents who might not otherwise have an opportunity to learn computer skills because of limited resources or difficult access.

Free courses are offered in English, Spanish or Creole at a variety of community locations and are geared toward youth, seniors, adults or business folks. Many of the locations are able to obtain computers with recent programming and broadband access via community donations and support.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Campus locations from West Palm Beach to Hialeah, FL (888) 852-7272 www.careercollege.edu For 30 years, FCC has taken pride in preparing students and workers of today’s society to be marketable and successful after proper career training. Since computers touch virtually every aspect of society, the “college that cares” offers degree and non-degree programs in Management Information Systems, Network Administration, Computer Security and Engineering, as well as certification curriculum in Cisco Certified Network Associate, Microsoft Certified Professional and a variety of other specialties.

7435 N.W. 4th St. Plantation, FL 33317 (954) 791-2333 www.imacs.org Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, IMACS is an independent teaching and educational research institute that offers mathematics and computer classes after school for bright and talented elementary and secondary education students. Classes are available after school and on weekends, and others are hosted by various independent teaching facilities. Accepted and aspiring students can study computer programming and virtual robotics based on a specially designed program geared toward children that mimics courses offered at MIT. Older students can participate in university-level computer science courses that are recognized nationally as the gold standard computer science program being offered to secondary education students.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Kendall Campus 11011 S.W. 104th St. Miami, FL 33176 (305) 237-2222 www.mdc.edu/kendall Formerly known as Miami-Dade Community College, this local university is one of the largest city colleges in the US. For computer geeks, nerds in training or professionals who want to hone and update their skills, MDC offers a variety of computer classes. State-of-the-art computer labs and expert instructors guide students young and old through such disciplines as Microsoft Specialist Certification, Web Page Development, Digital Imaging & Graphic Design, Quickbook and even a “Boomers Club” for seniors over 55.

“In south Florida, there are a variety of schools and organizations that truly offer something for everyone, regardless of your skill level.”

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Don’t Just Work Out,

EAT RIGHT!

BY Vanessa Borge

They say health is 30-percent gym and 70-percent kitchen. You can work out for hours a day but you need to make sure you are eating well to see results. But many of us don’t have the time to cook three healthy meals a day so that’s where Catered Fit comes in.

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atered Fit lives up to its name. It’s a catering company that works to keeps its clients fit.

“The only way it could be fresher is if you cooked it yourself but unfortunately in the world we live in today, especially in America every one works, Mom and Dad work, everyone is working more hours,” explained Adam Friden, the creator of Catered Fit. His team takes on the task of cooking for you.

Here’s how it works: Choose a menu, decide which best suits your goals.

Call them up and order from weekly or even monthly meal plans and then open your door to fresh meals delivered daily.

“Our country as a whole, in the past 10 to 15 years, has taken a wrong turn fast,” said Friden.

During the past two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States.

One in three Americans is obese. An adult who has a body mass index of 30 or higher is considered obese. That means for a person who is 5-feet 9 inches tall and 203 pounds or more, is considering obese.

Catered Fit offers five different plans: Vegetarian, Paleo, Pescatarian, Athlete, and the Smart Plan, which is great for families.

“If you don’t have the time to work 40 or 50 hours, take care of a family and cook, then you would go with say the smart plan,” explained Friden.

When CBS4’s Vanessa Borge visited the Catered Fit kitchen, the Smart Plan consisted of cranberry and nut chicken salad, served with a scallion Tabbouleh salad and cherry tomatoes, hearts of palm and green olives.

Freshness is key for this company.

Each day a truck comes in and the meat and produce is cleaned, prepped, cut, packaged and is out.

Catered Fit take on the work load to give you time for what matters most, your health and your family.

“Our lives turn into work, work, work, no time for each other we are changing that as well,” said Friden.

There are a number of other catering services that offer the same service.

Fresh Meal Plans and Deliver Lean also provide convenient healthy meals to South Floridians.

The meals range from 7 to 8 dollars a meal depending on the meal plan.

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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Top Spots To

Read Your Book With Coffee The South Florida scene is varied, and with the advent of online shopping, the days of the mega bookstores are over and the local bookstore has returned. This leaves the community with more niche businesses to choose from.

Some harken back to the glamour and mystic of the roaring 20s while others add a modern spin on the coffee house latte, but all are spots that must be visited at least once whether you are a resident or a visitor. Once you have, you’ll be surprised at the amount of diverse culture the South Florida landscape truly has to offer.

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May 2014

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

927 Lincoln Road Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 532-3222 www.booksandbooks.com Books and Books is South Florida’s most celebrated bookstore with locations in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Bal Harbor, the Miami International Airport and the newly opened locale in the Museum of Art (MOA) in Fort Lauderdale. Its Coral Gables location is its most renown location with regular book signings by literary stars like Neil Gaiman and Nicholas Sparks. Guests and family members can sit at the cafe, enjoy a cup of joe and listen to literary giants read an excerpt of their latest masterpiece.

Alternatively, book enthusiasts can venture to the beach to The Café at Books and Books and sit on the Lincoln Road Mall under a shaded umbrella while enjoying a pastry, a Cuban coffee and a new book. No matter which location you choose, you can’t go wrong.

3390 Mary St. Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 443-2855 www.thebookstoreinthegrove.com

1130 Washington Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 673-4567 www.mbcinema.com

Vast and lined from floor to ceiling with books, this bookstore is anything but quaint. The Bookstore In the Grove has a lot to compete with being that it’s only a few miles away from Books and Books in Coral Gables, caters to the same crowd and yet somehow seems to have carved out a niche for itself. Here, you can meet homegrown authors at book signings while sampling South Florida’s own version of the croissant and oreo cookie hybrid, the crookie. If coffee and pastries don’t take the cake for you, there’s always craft beer and freshly made empanadas to soothe your craving for pub-style fare.

And as for the books, you can rent, buy or do both online, making this one bookstore that is keeping pace with the internet age while keeping its customers completely satisfied.

Upon first glance, the last place you would expect a bookstore and cafe is inside an indie movie theater, but just as the Miami Beach Cinematheque is an intersection of a 1920s speakeasy with an art deco movie theater, so is its crowd a mixture of old souls and bohemian hipsters.

Flanked on either side of the theater is a row of books ripe for the plucking, while the cafe stands center. The avid book lover can catch a flick and then conclude the night with a nice glass of wine and a seat outdoors to catch up on the latest read. The result is a night fit for a lover of art in all of its forms.

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Undergrounds Coffeehaus 3020 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 (954) 630-1900 www.facebook.com/Undergrounds-Coffeehaus Undergrounds Coffeehaus is a bohemian’s dream. This kitschy, dimly lit and eclectically decorated small space has a great selection of the most obscure books that you never could find but always wanted to read and a sprinkling of new novels. However, its main attraction is the cafe and its creative coffee concoctions. Order a banana split coffee or sample the lattes, steamers (flavored syrup and milk), hot chocolate and teas and you won’t need an excuse to read here. Pair it with curry- or bacon-flavored tater tots and a friendly game of Rock Band and you’ve got a uniquely delicious place to read a book.

Bible Emporium 564 N.E. 125 St. N. Miami, FL 33161 (305) 895-4321 www.bibleemporium.com Right in the heart of North Miami sits the Bible Emporium, a cafe, religious bookstore and so much more. It’s large and expansive, much like the now defunct Books-AMillion chain, and has plenty of taste-specific sections to accommodate all who enter. There’s a custom burn bar that allows patrons make their own playlist for the cost of a CD and the cafe not only serves pastries and coffee, it’s also the perfect place to pass the time while your Bible, written in either Spanish, English or Creole, is being engraved.

Members of the cloth can find church apparel, church supplies and even Holy Land items, all adding up to an experience that is positively divine.

May 2014

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Wanted: Volunteers & Foster Parents For Abandoned Kittens Miami-Dade County Animal Services is looking for animal lovers who can volunteer their time or foster very young kittens which have been abandoned at the shelter.

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o be kept alive, the kittens need to be hand fed in order to supplement what they can eat on their own.

The shelter needs people to volunteer to hand feed the kittens or foster the kittens in their own homes. Volunteers and foster parents will receive training and supplies.

“Spring is kitten season for community cats and we are currently experiencing a large intake of very young kittens at the shelter that need hand feeding with a syringe to be kept alive. There is a critical need for volunteers to come to the shelter or foster parents to help us save their lives,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Miami-Dade County Animal Services.

To volunteer to feed kittens at the shelter, emaileafdez@miamidade.gov and write “Syringe feeding ASD kittens” in the subject line.

To become a foster parent for the shelter, email JDYKSTR@miamidade.gov and write “Foster parent for ASD kittens” in the subject line.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A LITTER OF KITTENS During the warmer months, it is not unusual to come across a littler of seemingly unattended kittens or even a lone kitten. ASD advises residents who may find a litter of kittens in their community to consider the following recommendations: Resist the urge to immediately touch them or move them. Instead, observe the kittens for 12 to 24 hours as the mother may simply be out looking for food or a better place to move them to. Very young kittens cannot fully feed themselves and need their mother’s milk to survive until they are fully able to eat on their own or weaned off the mother.

If you sense the kittens are in immediate danger or a dangerous area, such as underneath a car, in an area that is flooding due to rain, etc., look for the nearest safe area to which you can move them that will still allow the mother to find them.

Place them in a sheltered area, away from direct sun, rain or traffic and continue to watch for the mother.

If after you have observed the kittens for 12 to 24 hours and are SURE the mother is not likely to return, or if the kittens are in obviously poor health or injured, then by all means pick them up and care for them.

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How To Keep Your

Allergies

Keep Doors and Windows Closed Sure, the spring breeze feels wonderful, especially after you’ve been trapped inside all winter long. However, that breeze is also carrying a lot of pollen and dander right into your home. Keep windows and doors closed to prevent those allergens from getting inside. You’ll miss out on some of those spring breezes, but when you prevent the sniffles, the sneezes and the watery eyes, you’ll realize that it’s a decent trade off.

Protect Yourself You certainly don’t want to be a prisoner in your own home, and you should feel free to go outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. However, it is just as important to protect yourself when you do venture outdoors. If you are planning on doing some yard work, make sure to wear a protective face mask.

If you have extremely severe allergies, then try picking up a respirator mask with a HEPA filter.

Take a Shower You spend all day out playing in the sun, only to return home and get in bed. However, you may not realize that you’re covered in allergens. Those are the same allergens that you then proceed to track all over your house and bed, making you congested and miserable in the morning. Take a few minutes to hop in the shower once you return home to wash all those spores and pollens off, making sure to wash your clothes in the process. That way you won’t have those yucky things clinging to you or your fabrics.

Minimize Pet Allergies Pet allergies can be some of the most common triggers for many people, and it just gets worse in the spring and summer, when pets start to shed their winter coats. Make sure to wash your hands immediately after you’ve pet your dog. You’ll also want to get that dog washed frequently with a hypoallergenic or oatmeal-based dog shampoo. Make sure to wash the dog bedding and toys weekly as well, as those are often hidden places where dander lies. Of course, keep your pooch off your bed and furniture at all times, and try using a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter to remove dander in the air.

Watch the News There are several apps and news outlets that report on allergy information every day, so keep an eye on those reports. Many apps will let you know just how high the pollen count is, or when it is expected to be windy outside.

Those are the best times to remain indoors. You can also use these apps to plan when you’ll do yard work and when you will feel more comfortable playing outdoors with your family.

May 2014

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

Feeling Cranky?

Lack Of Sleep May Be To Blame Brian Andrews Ground-breaking research at Nova Southeastern University is focusing on the link between your sleep habits and your level of emotion volatility.

The data generated by the school’s researchers has major ramifications for busy professionals, like emergency room doctors and first responders, who need to make fast judgment calls.

Dr. Jamie Tartar said it’s not how long you sleep, but how well you sleep.

“As you get older, your sleep quality goes down, so it’s more difficult to get a good night’s rest,” she said.

Dr. Tartar’s team of researchers said their data shows this makes all the difference in your ability to control your emotions.

NSU researcher Isaac Chayo said fatigue is an important contributor to emotional processing.

“If you’re not getting good quality sleep, you’re going to be emotionally hyper responsive,” he said.

This particular type of research has been happening at Nova Southeastern under Dr. Tartar’s direction for the past four years.

“We know very little as scientists about what happens to you emotionally in terms of the consequences of not getting enough sleep,” said Dr. Tartar.

“What is clear to us is that the brain doesn’t always process emotions the same throughout the day,” said Chayo.

Their studies involve groups of 18 to 22 year old college students at different levels of sleep deprivation. They are shown photos that trigger a positive, negative or neutral responses. Their brain waves are then measured by computer.

NSU Researcher Christina Goben said the results show sleep deprived people had a greater negative bias.

“They were just more sensitive to the negative stimuli in general,” said Goben. “These individuals with poor sleep quality also had more depressive symptoms.”

For example, the NSU research found that while you may feel fine near the end of your business day, there’s a strong chance your brain is exhausted.

“Your brain is showing much more emotional responses than it is at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. It’s starting to show responses to pictures it shouldn’t show responses to,” said Dr. Tartar. “The brain was a lot more sensitive to emotional information as the day went on.”

The best advice based on the study’s results: Don’t make rash, emotional decisions, especially later on in the day.

“As your brain is getting more and more sleepy, you don’t know you are fatigued or feel you’re sleepy,” said Chayo. “Sleep deprived people think they are doing great when they are not.”

Dr. Tartar said the bottom line is that while many people may not think a good night’s sleep is important, her research finds it truly is. NSU’s research on how the quality of your sleep impacts your emotional rationality has been submitted for publication in several national medical and science journals.

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Shigellosis On The Rise Hey kids – wash your hands.

State health workers in Miami-Dade are urging parents, schools and day care centers to take precautionary measures after they noted an increase in the number of Shigellosis cases recently.

“Parents of children with symptoms of Shigellosis should contact their doctor for a diagnosis. Sometimes Shigellosis goes away on its own; in other cases antibiotics can shorten the course of the illness.”

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

“The Shigella bacteria can infect the digestive tract and cause a wide range of symptoms from cramping and nausea to vomiting and diarrhea”

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ince January 1, 2014, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has investigated over 100 confirmed cases of shigellosis surpassing the last three year average of 100 cases. The majority of the reported cases are in children aged 1 through 9.

The Shigella bacteria can infect the digestive tract and cause a wide range of symptoms from cramping and nausea to vomiting and diarrhea (which may be bloody or watery). It’s highly contagious and spreads through person to person contact.

Symptoms may last from 48 to 72 hours. Schoolaged children and children in daycare should be taken out of school until symptoms have ceased and laboratory cultures test negative.

Shigellosis has a cyclic pattern with large community outbreaks, frequently associated with child care settings. In the last decade, Miami-Dade County has experienced increased activity in 2003 and 2005.

Parents of children with symptoms of Shigellosis should contact their doctor for a diagnosis.

Sometimes Shigellosis goes away on its own; in other cases antibiotics can shorten the course of the illness.

Careful attention to hand washing is the single most important measure to stop the spread of the Shigella bacteria.

Hand washing among children should be frequent and supervised by an adult, especially in child care centers and homes with children who have not been fully toilet-trained. Everyone who changes a child’s diaper should immediately wash the hands of both the changer and the child carefully with soap and warm water Proper hand washing consists of lathering hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Be sure to rinse the palms, backs of hands, between fingers, under fingernails and around wrists.

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GOOD NEWS! There’s An Easier Way To Get Rid Of

Junk Mail

by Summer Knowles

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

It’s one of those daily annoyances: a mailbox filled with a bunch of worthless stuff. Advertisers call it direct mail but most people call it junk. If you hate getting all that junk mail, you’re not alone and now there’s something you can do about it.

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my Blythe-Whipkey and her husband said they received a ridiculous amount of junk mail at their new house, including unwanted catalogs, credit card offer and other solicitations. “It is frustrating because you can’t keep up with it,” said her husband, David Whipkey.

More than 250 million pieces of direct mail are delivered by the US Postal Service every day. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, half of all that advertising mail gets tossed right in the trash without being read.

That’s frustrating, according to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

“Certainly marketers and fundraisers don’t want to send a marketing offer or a fundraising offer to a consumer who doesn’t want to receive that,” said Xenia (Senny) Boone, DMA’s Senior Vice President for Corporate & Social Responsibility.

The DMA advises consumers who want to opt out of junk mail to go to www.dmachoice.org to register.

They receive between 10,000-15,000 requests a month.

“What we have cited in the past is an 80 percent reduction in marketing mailed offers,” said Boone.

Initially, Blythe-Whipkey opted for a shredder to tackle her stack of unwanted mail.

“Then, it was like I’ve had enough. I need to figure out a way to deal with this massive amount of mail,” said BytheWhipkey.

Now she is using a free app called ‘PaperKarma’. A user takes a picture of the mail with the name and address showing.

The app then contacts the company with the information to stop the mailings.

Blythe-Whipkey has seen a reduction in the amount of unwanted mail since using PaperKarma. Direct mail is big business for the US Postal Service, which made about $16 billion of it last year.

“Then, it was like I’ve had enough.

I need to figure out a way to deal with this massive amount of mail.”

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Sam Snead ~ Gene Sarazen ~ Byron Nelson ~ Walter Hagan

walk in the footsteps of legends Since 1923

Miami Springs Golf Club

650 Curtiss Parkway ~ Miami Springs, Fl 33166 305.805.5180 ~ www.MiamiSpringsGolfClub.com Minutes from Brickell & the Beaches

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New Device Offers a

Better Chance for a

Baby Rhiannon Ally

Seeing their first baby is a miracle for Toni and Ryan Carlson. The road to get to this point had been tough. The couple had been trying to get pregnant since their wedding three years ago.

“It’s a combination of amazement and relief,” Ryan Carlson told CBS4’s Rhiannon Ally. “I’m gonna cry! It’s not real yet,” said Toni Carlson. And this is the machine that helped. This new incubator is called an embryoscope. It’s a device that doctors say dramatically increases the success of fertility treatment.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

ll of us have seen an increase in pregnancy rate,” explained Dr. David I. Hoffman.

A traditional embryoscope still works for many women. But scientists have to remove the embryo to monitor it, which can compromise it. With the embryoscope, they can monitor it inside this machine the entire time.

“To observe them we have to put them on a microscope, which is not a controlled environment. Conditions in the room might stress the embryo,” Dr. Hoffman said.

Instead, timelapse cameras inside the embryoscope allows the embryologists such as Kathleen Miller at IVF Florida, to monitor every single step. This way only the strongest embryos will be implanted.

This is the Carlson’s baby. The first cell from the moment of fertilization. The embryo is photographed as it multiplies for five days before it’s transferred.

“Now I can look at every moment of an embryos development,” said Miller.

This “mom to be” Olga Salgadl is her second round of I-V-F. The first, using a traditional incubator, was unsuccessful.

“It’s very emotional. You get your hopes up. You keep praying and hoping,” said Salgadl.

This second round, her embryos were monitored through the embryoscope. She’s now expecting her baby in the Spring.

“I’m very happy that I was finally able to conceive a baby,” Salgadl told Rhiannon.

Dr. Hoffman said Salgadl is one of 26 successful pregnancies at IVF Florida since last March. He said the embryoscope has the potential to be a game-changer. He says the ability to choose better embryos also helps cut down on the risks of having multiples.

“Anything we can do to make IVF more efficient and make healthy babies and really the desired result is one kid at a time,” said Dr. Hoffman. We’re in the business of creating families with one child at a time optimally, not a litter.”

And for the Carlson’s, it offers new hope for the future of fertility it offers new hope for the future of fertility treatment and the future of their family.

“I just hope he’s healthy…and we’re good parents,” said the Carlson’s.

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