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JULY 6 - 12, 2010
New street lighting may precede LED projects BY RICHARD YAGER
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ew street lighting in Kendall continues to improve night vision on main roadways and adjacent sidewalks as Miami-Dade County explores potential dollar savings through LED installations, according to a recent statement by county manager George M. Burgess. Commissioner Javier D. Souto lists seven street light replacement projects underway in District 10 including shared funding with District 11 Commissioner Joe A. Martinez. “Since Commissioner Martinez and I represent unincorporated communities of Westchester and West Kendall, we often work together on these types of infrastructure projects to stretch limited resources for the public,” Souto said. Five District 10 lighting projects underway include:
Detective honored for finding marijuana and stolen firearm
BY EDITH TORRES
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LIGHTING, page 4
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Miami-Dade Police Kendall District Officer Alain Gomez (center) is honored by Acting Maj. Hernan Organzidez (left) and CAC chair Barry White.
BY RICHARD YAGER
Cobra-styled fixture and new standard replaces concrete pole as upgrade on SW 104th Street adjacent to Miami-Dade College’s Kendall Campus.
Park It! at Miami-Dade parks during Park and Rec Month
et. Alain Gomez was honored June 30 as MiamiDade Police Kendall District “Officer of the Month” following a series of traffic stops that resulted in multiple arrests for marijuana possession in Horse Country. The stops also uncovered a hidden firearm used in a Hialeah robbery. The first stop occurred Mar. 25 at SW 56th Street and 120th Avenue, winding up with a search of the vehicle that disclosed eight plastic bags holding four-and-onehalf pounds of marijuana, street-valued at $13,500, according to police who charged both the driver and a passenger. On the same day, while patrolling near SW 122nd Avenue and 56th Street, Det. Gomez discovered a small amount of marijuana in a stopped car’s ashtray. Further
investigation uncovered bundles of rubber and paper-banded bills totaling $45,250. The driver and passenger denied the money was theirs. Det. Gomez and Narcotics Officer Allen Duenas then issued a forfeiture notice for the cash, pending further investigation. On Apr. 7, a third traffic stop by Det. Gomez near SW 117th Avenue and 104th Street resulted in a search of a vehicle that uncovered a “small amount of marijuana” and gold jewelry in the automobile’s console. Further search uncovered a backpack containing more jewelry and a laptop computer that later proved to have been stolen during a residential burglary in Hialeah, just hours before the stop in Kendall. Hialeah police detectives have charged
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DETECTIVE, page 4
he Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department is inviting residents to Park It! at its many parks and attractions throughout the month of July in celebration of National Park and Recreation Month. With 263 parks and 12,848 acres of land, each of Miami-Dade’s parks is an oasis in the bustling county, offering residents a wide variety of recreational escapes to destress, get fit, and reconnect with nature. Escapes such as Eco-Adventures Tours into South Florida’s sub-tropical wilderness areas with naturalist guides offering kayaking, snorkeling, and other activities; pristine beaches; skate courts; picnic shelters; camping; fitness boot camps; tennis; golf; dog parks; mountain bike trails; a farm village; the Deering Estate at Cutler; the renowned newly renamed “Zoo Miami,” as well as many other amenities and attractions, are available to enjoy this summer and all year long. In honor of National Park and Recreation Month, Miami-Dade Parks will celebrate by offering several events and special offers in July: July 12-16 — Country Club of Miami Golf Course, two-for-one offer after 5 p.m., bring a friend to the lighted driving range and get a free large bucket of golf balls. July 13 — For registered summer camp participants, UM Health will conduct a mini health and wellness clinic at West Perrine Park for children enrolled in the
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PARKS, page 4