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DECEMBER 20, 2010
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TRIBUNE
Biscayne Bay Miami Art Museum breaks ground for new building BY ALLIE SCHWARTZ
Senior Citizen Exemption now can be renewed online
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ollowing years of planning and anticipation, Miami Art Museum (MAM) has broken ground for its new Herzog & de Meuron-designed facility in Downtown Miami’s Museum Park and next to the future home of the Miami Science Museum. The groundbreaking ceremony took place the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 30, at the museum’s new site overlooking Biscayne Bay. The new Miami Art Museum is scheduled to open to the public in 2013. “Miami Art Museum’s groundbreaking at Museum Park is a giant step forward in Miami’s emergence as one of the world’s great cultural cities,” said Aaron Podhurst, chairman of Miami Art Museum’s board of trustees. “The launch of this construction process signals that the public and private sectors are committed to enhancing Miami’s profile as a global arts destination and we are proud that Miami Art Museum factors prominently into that reputation.
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MUSEUM, page 4
BY PATRICK SMIKLE
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Pictured (l-r) are Miami Art Museum (MAM) director Thom Collins; Miami-Dade County Commission vice chairelect Audrey M. Edmonson, MAM Board of Trustees chair Aaron Podhurst, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally A. Heyman, Miami-Dade County manager George M. Burgess, and Herzog & de Meuron senior partner Christine Binswanger. (Photo by Juan Cabrera)
48th Arts Festival returns to Coconut Grove, Feb. 19-21 BY MELISSA NOBLES
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Even the young can appreciate the Coconut Grove Arts Festival.
he 48th annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival will showcase the works of 360 nationally recognized artists along the scenic streets of Coconut Grove, Feb.19-21. The festival recently announced the list of artists selected to participate during Presidents’ Day Weekend. Artists from more than 35 U.S. states and Canada were among the 1,232 applicants who submitted samples in mixed media, painting, photography, digital art, printmaking and drawing, watercolor, claywork, glass, fiber, jewelry and metalwork, sculpture and wood. Applicants included 19 local artists from the Miami area and more than 100 from Florida. “Our arts festival brings the most talented
and creative artists from all over the world to Coconut Grove,” said Monty Trainer, president of the Arts Festival. “South Floridians have a great appreciation of the arts, and every year we are proud to welcome artists who exhibit for the first time.” Complementing the visual arts on display is the popular Culinary Pavilion, which invites world-renowned chefs to prepare their famous dishes and explain their specialties. This year’s chefs will represent successful restaurants and hotels from South Florida, including some nationally recognized authors. Earlier this year, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival was named one of the top three fine arts festivals in the nation by Sunshine Artist
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FESTIVAL, page 4
roperty Appraiser Pedro J. Garcia has announced that Miami-Dade County homeowners, who currently benefit from the additional homestead exemption known as the Senior Citizen Exemption, now can apply online to renew the exemption. Florida’s Senior Citizen Exemption provides a reduction in taxable value up to $50,000 for homeowners over 65 years old, who have a homestead exemption and meet the state defined Adjusted Gross Income limit as determined annually by the Florida Department of Revenue. The Adjusted Gross Income Limit for 2011 will be available in late January. The 2010 limit was $25,780. Garcia has written to some 45,000 homeowners who benefited from the exemption this year, announcing the –––––––––––––––– See
SENIORS, page 4
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