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TR R II B BU UN NE E T
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ONE OF MIAMI’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
DECEMBER 19, 2011 - JANUARY 2, 2012
2012 State of the Village: It’s all good BY CINDY LERNER
Mayor, Village of Pinecrest This is my fourth State of the Village address, and it is hard to believe that I am entering the last year of my first term as Mayor. I must tell you, I recently participated on a panel on local government at a conference in Orlando with four other Florida mayors and proudly proclaimed to the crowd of almost 2,000 people that I am the luckiest mayor in the entire country. I claim the title! Where else can you find the beauty, tranquility and peace of the natural environment, yet the vibrant highly educated and involved community of business and residents? And with each year I am ever more appreciative that we have so much to be thankful for in Pinecrest. We have a proud tradition of excellence, our schools and our neighborhood were an amazing place to live and raise a family, going back more than three-quarters of a century, in fact to our roots in the 1930s when the Parrott jungle first opened as a tourist attraction, and the beauty of this area attracted our pioneers to settle here. So we have had this tradition of excellence to uphold and to improve upon. My family moved here in 1960 and as a new fourth grader at Palmetto Elementary, I
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Dirk Jacobs is 50!
BY CAROLE WERRY
F
Not many people want to be reminded that they are 50 years old, least of all longtime Pinecrest resident Dirk Jacobs. He passed the half-century mark this month, so we just wanted to remind him that youth is such a fleeting thing and he is now officially an old man! Here’s a recent photograph of Dirk right after he hooked and boated a snook. Happy birthday, Dirk! May you have many more.
Positive PEOPLE
Palmetto High Class of ’61 marks 50th with reunion ifty years ago, the first graduating class of Palmetto Senior High School received diplomas in the school auditorium. These students, who grew up in a much smaller Miami, spent their free time dancing to rock and roll, having beach parties at Matheson Hammock, Crandon Park and Tahiti Beach, and whooping it up as much as they could. They drove their cars to Jimmy’s Hurricane to order burgers from carhops on roller skates and packed their cars full of kids to go to drive-in movies. But they did their share of studying and began the standards of academic excellence which continue at Palmetto High today. This first graduating class also had the privilege of naming the school mascot, choosing the school colors, naming the newspaper and yearbook, picking the school song and starting traditions that are still carried on. Recently the alumni of this first graduating class came together to celebrate a joyful 50th class reunion and they did it with
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These Positive People help add to the quality of life in Pinecrest. Look inside for their stories.
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Read in Canada Pinecrest residents Josephine and John Riviere recently flew to Canada to visit Tofino, British Columbia and fish for Salmon off the west coast of Vancouver Island. It was the Riviere’s second visit to the quaint village of Tofino and they say they caught enough salmon this year to fill their freezer. Of course they remembered to take along a copy of their favorite hometown newspaper and sent us back this shot. Thanks for thinking of us, guys, and enjoy all that chinook!
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Positive PEOPLE in Pinecrest
JAKE RADELL Helping Haiti solve its drinking water crisis is important to Gulliver Prep senior Jake Radell. He is working on a solution to the problem as a member of the Gulliver engineering program. “It’s a purification device that we want to send to Haiti,” he says. “There are a ton of people dying from water-borne diseases.” The purification device is portable and can be powered by mechanical energy such as a hand pump. Gulliver engineering students have already sent a purification system to Haiti that is being used at a hospital “This new one is not intended to replace the first system,” Radell says. “But the thing about that one is that it was really expensive to build and it’s solar powered. It uses a UV light filter and it requires a UV light bulb, which could break. We’re trying to make a better system that is a lot cheaper.” Radell says the first device was so costly that the students could only build one. This time they hope to make multiple systems that function without replaceable light bulbs. They also want the water purification device to be portable with a 15-gallon water tank. The students are working against the clock because they want to see the systems sent to Haiti before their graduation. Radell has also worked on other class projects, including Gulliver’s entry in the
Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) National Design Challenge. That contest requires engineering students to design a device that would be useful for someone with a physical handicap. This year, they designed a brace type of glove that allows a quadriplegic to uses pencils, forks and knives. Outside of school, Radell interned at a lab at St. Louis University. He worked on a project that researched organ donation compatibility. He’s working on a paper on cross match technology for his International Baccalaureate extended essay and he’s co-authoring a paper on new cross match techniques for a medical journal. To relax, Radell plays bass guitar. “I play by myself and I have a band,” he says. When he’s not playing in his band, he plays in shows with the School of Rock, a routine he has enjoyed for five years. “I’ve played a lot of venues,” he says, “including Tobacco Road and Gusman Hall. Most of our shows are concerts.” Radell also writes music. “I’ve written some stuff,” he says. “The guitarist in my band has written a lot that we hope to have ready soon.” As a senior, Radell is sending out college applications to universities that match his diverse interests in engineering, biology and music. He says that by having such diverse interests, deciding on which schools to apply to is challenging. He says his decision on a major may hinge on which school he attends. “I’m considering Washington University,” he says. “They have a triple major program. I could end up majoring in engineering, biology and music.” By Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
JEAN-ALEXANDRE TURBAN Palmetto High School senior JeanAlexandre Turban spent summers teaching children to swim. For three summers he volunteered at a swim camp, Aqua Kids at Westminster Christian School. “I’m a counselor for kids age seven to 12,” he says. “If they don’t know how to swim I teach them; and if they do, I help them perfect their strokes.” For three years Turban swam for the Palmetto varsity swim team. “I like swimming the 50 free,” he says. “I do the 200 relay. I’m decent in all of them but I’m not state champion.” Swimming is not his only sport. “I started playing varsity badminton last year. I went to districts and we almost placed,” he says, adding that he played mixed doubles. “We had a winning record. We went to districts and we made it as far the quarterfinals.” He also played varsity soccer and he used to play club soccer, but gave it up to
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concentrate on swimming. “I do swimming in order to do well in triathlon,” he says. “I’ll go to training in swimming, and I’ll go to practice and do a run afterwards so I can stay in shape for triathlon.” Turban has already participated in several triathlons, including one this fall and a couple last spring. He concentrates on sprint triathlons, which require 500 meters swimming, a 13-mile bike race and 3.1 mile run. “Eventually I hope to do Ironman which is 140 miles total,” he says. While Turban says he likes being in shape, he’s also dedicated to his academics. “I’m president of National Honor Society and I’m a member of French Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.” This year’s goals of the NHS include providing more community service projects to members. He says they’ve brought in guest speakers, including someone from Easter Seals, who detailed opportunities for members to volunteer individually and in teams. His math is so strong Turban competes in Mu Alpha Theta contests. Last year he was part of a team that competed in the statistics category and participated as an individual. “In the team event, we got fourth place,” he says. “This year I’m going to do calculus.” And while people who don’t like math have trouble believing this, he says when friends get together to practice for the competitions, they get to a point where the math is actually fun. His volunteer work used to include tutoring other high school students for free, but now he tutors for pay. “I like tutoring,” he says. “It gives me a chance to explore old topics.” He finds tutoring rewarding, especially when the kid he tutored gets an A in a subject that he had struggled with before tutoring began. In college, Turban says he wants to major in engineering. “I’m looking at a lot of top tier schools. I like to think I have the grades and social skills to get into those colleges,” he says. “I know I want to go into engineering because I like math.” Which area of engineering is something he’ll settle on once he’s taken some classes that introduce him to the specifics. By Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
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Positive PEOPLE in Pinecrest
MELANIE XANTTOPOULOS Palmetto High School senior Melanie Xanttopoulos has about 500 community service hours. She is president of BBYO, a Jewish teen organization sponsored by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. BBYO
is open to all Jewish youth, although it is associated most often with Reform and Reconstructionist Jews. Xanttopoulos has been a member of BBYO since she was in the eighth grade. The meetings are held at the Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, although they can be switched to other venues. As president, she presides over a busy agenda. “It’s a lot about responsibility,” she says. “My term has just started, but I’ve been an officer since I was in the ninth grade.” Being an officer in the organization has taught her about being responsible for her actions. “I feel confident and I’m better able to communicate with people,” she says, “not only teens, but adults as well.” One of her responsibilities is attending the annual international convention. Last year the convention was held in Los Angeles and this year it will be in Atlanta. “They are usually held in the U.S., but be we have delegations from all over the world that attend,” she says. BBYO focuses on fostering Jewish life in Jewish teens. Xanttopoulos says the
organization aims to recruit kids after their bar and bat mitzvah years, which is when they tend to drop out. “We want to give kids a chance to explore more opportunities,” she says. The teens also participate in community service events, including the Jewish Day of Service in April sponsored by the federation. “We perform many different projects,” she says. “Last year we painted murals at the Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach, and we cleaned up Fairchild Tropical Gardens. The year before, we helped refurbish a Jewish section of a cemetery downtown.” As president, Xanttopoulos helps plan the projects the BBYO is involved with and she helps organize the volunteers. She is expecting to have more than 115 teens participating in the Miami region. Being in BBYO has given Xanttopoulos opportunities that most teens don’t have. “Last year I went to a summit in Washington, D.C. and lobbied on Capitol Hill about the school lunch program,” she says. She also served as a Global BBYO Ambassador to Serbia. “I was in contact with the JDC Fellow in
Serbia,” she says. “I was a big part of getting their BBYO program off the ground. I got to meet two of the teens when they went to the international convention. It was amazing to see the impact BBYO had on them.” Xanttopoulos also is vice president of Palmetto’s Thespian troupe, and a member of both the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. In the fall school play, The Laramie Project, she played Officer Reggie Flutie, the Wyoming policeman who responded to the call about the Matthew Shepherd beating and found him tied to a fence. She says the play made her think long and hard about tolerance and caring, and the message it brings out is that hatred is not the way to live. In college, Xanttopoulos hopes to major in English, with a minor in drama or possibly a double major in drama. She has aspirations of becoming a writer – possibly a journalist or a playwright. She has applied to many schools that match her variety of interests and she wants to keep her options open while deciding which course of study to pursue. By Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
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REUNION, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– panache, imagination and enthusiasm. The three-day event drew 120 attendees and was especially successful through the joined efforts of current students and faculty, community leaders and the alumni. The weekend began with a tour of the school campus. The elder Panthers were greeted by the Palmetto Panthers cheerleaders’enthusiastic welcome of cheers performed at the front entrance of the school. Student Council President Eddie Santo led the extensive tour of the campus. Palmetto has grown substantially over the years, and we certainly got our exercise. Jimmie Ruth Songer, one of our phys ed instructors, was striding ahead of many of the Panther alumni. As we were lead through the halls, the additions and changes brought “ohs” and “ahs” from the alumni. We were amazed at the newer, larger gymnasium and the many technological advances. Between the buildings, ecological atriums filled with trees and plants from around the globe graced areas once barren or perhaps having just a patch of grass. The school has added colorful lunch rooms and outdoor eating areas called “PAWtios”, which allows many more students to be served lunch in the allotted time. There were comments from alumni wishing we had been that lucky “back then.” A reception for the alumni was held in the library and hosted by the journalism students and Kurt Panton, head of the journalism department. The journalism students interviewed the alumni, asking questions about our school experiences that brought back memories of school days in the ’50s and ’60s. There were displays of the Panther Prowler newspapers from the school archives, which enthralled the alumni who were even taking pictures of the old newspapers. The Panther alumni were greeted in the library by Dr. Alison Harley, principal, and Patricia Valois, who organized the tour. Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner welcomed the alumni and spoke about the committee working to reorganize the alumni association to now include alumni from all graduating classes, past and future. This reorganization is partially an effort of the Class of 1961
alumni who felt the best gift they could give the students of Palmetto Senior High is an ongoing scholarship fund. They have been joined by interested people who see the great value in funding scholarships for graduates of Palmetto High, which has been consistently rated one of the leading high schools in Florida and the nation. That evening, there was a welcome party and Latin buffet on the seventh floor terrace of the Dadeland Marriott Hotel. The view overlooked the beautiful skyline of Miami. Back in 1961 there were no high-rise buildings in the area. Dadeland Mall was new and Shorty’s BBQ was the oldest landmark around. Alumni and their guests mingled and reconnected in an atmosphere of excitement, and having found people that shared our common memories of teachers, classes, dances, athletics and a few high jinks, took us back to the past. We felt like teens again. Larry Grafton and Shuford Davis remembered how tough Mrs. Mathews was on them in senior English. Having been a proof reader for a major publisher, she returned their papers with more red marks than type. Shuford Davis said, “The truth is, the hardest teachers brought out the best in us.” Coach Larry Coffey, the current football coach for the Palmetto, brought Panther football jerseys, which he presented to the members of the first Palmetto Panthers football team. The cheering from the crowd would have rivaled a yell when the Panthers scored a touchdown. There were about a dozen members of the 1961 football team present, all grinning ear to ear as they sported their official Panther jerseys. The class held a raffle and a silent auction that evening on the terrace. The items donated by the alumni for the raffle were imaginative gifts, like outings on alumni’s boats and RVs, handmade gift baskets and jewelry made by alumni artist Betsye Bystock. A silent auction included a large original photograph of a blue heron by professional photographer and alumni Margaret Fairchilds Shark and a signed print of “Celebration” by alumni artist John Kiraly.
The following morning many alumni took a chartered bus tour through Matheson Hammock, Fairchild Garden, Pinecrest Gardens (known to us as Parrot Jungle), and then drove through Pinecrest, South Miami and Coconut Grove. The tour made multiple stops, allowing the alumni to disembark, and experience places from our past. The energetic morning activities roused hearty appetites among the alumni who were eager to reach the final stop of the bus at Shorty’s BBQ. Shorty’s reserved a large section of the family style tables for the alumni who piled in to devour beef and pork sandwiches and the Shorty’s renowned ribs. The alumni had many remembrances of the original Shorty’s before it burned down and was rebuilt. That night the gala evening dinner dance at the Dadeland Marriott Hotel began with alumni trickling into the lobby bar, greeting one another and sharing stories of their weekend jaunts, which brought forth stories of high school days and parties at Matheson Hammock beach, roaming through Fairchild Gardens and many stories of the Parrot Jungle birds that flew free and were often seen in the trees in our back yards. Returning to these old haunts took us right back to those days when we were all growing up in the Miami sunshine. The buffet dinner and dance was an extraordinary experience. It was wonderful to have football coach Walter Chwalik with us looking robust and tan (is he coaching somewhere?). Guidance counselor Doris Ludder was also in attendance, enjoying the attention and affection of former students. Before the dinner and program began, we had a class photograph taken, including the aforementioned faculty members. It was a logistical feat, but with much squeezing together the picture was taken. An elegant buffet dinner with a variety of steak, seafood and chicken entrees, delicious salads and desserts was prepared by the Marriott Restaurant. After dinner, the evening program began with an introduc-
tion by Paula Brown Saunders of the memorial tribute to our deceased classmates. Class president Terry Broadway and vice president Lynne Leonard Boele read each name as the classmate’s photograph, which had been scanned from the Palm Echo Year Book of 1961, was shown on a screen. There was a palpable heartache in the room for those alumni who are gone, but not forgotten. The 23rd Psalm was read and a reflection of the psalm given by Shuford Davis. A poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, was read by Carole Werry. Robert Frost was a winter resident of South Miami from 1941 until his death. A bell was tolled by Paula Brown Saunders and the memorial portion of the program was concluded with The Irish Blessing. The Class of 1961 had 35 military veterans and many were present at the reunion. They were asked to stand and were recognized with strong applause. Many of these men and one woman, U.S. Navy nurse Karen Prior, served in combat during the Vietnam War. Ben Miller, an Air Force pilot, was killed in a crash of his F-4D Phantom jet just prior to leaving for Vietnam. Tim Cheek, USMC, was a pall bearer at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy. The president of the Class of 1961, Terry Broadway, stunningly attired in a curly blue wig, led the alumni through a “blast from the past” of reflections and memories. Tom Evans spearheaded the open mike session and Andre Boele gave a moving tribute to his friend Art Coulter. Hilarious jokes and stories of high school days were punctuated with other very poignant memories. The entire alumni group was transported back to our high school days at Palmetto in our wonderful carefree sunny Miami of yesteryear. Alumni and guests gradually left the dining room, many trickling into the lobby to continue visiting well into the night, not wanting their 50th high school reunion to end. The memories live on.
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VILLAGE, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– walked and rode my bicycle the three blocks to school and back home. And just as we were 50 years ago, when my family moved here, we remain a vibrant community that attracts young families to move here for our excellent schools, beautiful neighborhoods and wonderful quality of life. Imagine my joy at sitting with a group of fourth grade girl scouts at Palmetto Elementary last week and sharing with them that I too was a girl scout in fourth grade at Palmetto Elementary, and maybe one day one of them would be the mayor of Pinecrest! Did you know that Palmetto Senior High school’s very first graduating class, the class of 1961, recently held its 50th reunion? I had the opportunity to attend this class of ’61’s visit to see the school once again (sadly it looks much the same) and to look at their yearbook; it was hard to believe, the Palmetto expressway was being built as the Palmetto high school opened it’s doors. The swim team swam in a rock pit; they even had a rifle club. Pictures show the old fashioned switchboard with the operation plugging in the connection. And speaking of connections, this class had an opportunity to talk to the current juniors and seniors, the yearbook and newspaper staff interviewed some of them to learn about their history and legacy. Now I am excited to say this inaugural class will be helping us start a Palmetto senior high school alumni association to support the tradition of excellence at the high school. So we feel a responsibility to assure the continuing educational excellence of our schools. Yet, the fact is over the past five years, with a declining economy, the Florida legislature has reduced our own school district’s budget by $2 billion. That is a huge impact on our school, and has affected staffing of counselors and media specialists, course options, class sizes, technology and facilities improvements. We must begin to look at the future needs and work with the district to see how renovations, such as was recently done by Miami Beach Senior High, can be done at our schools. One of the first things I did after taking office was to convene an Educational Advisory Committee, which meets monthly. It includes the five principals of our local public schools, their PTA representatives, our school board member Larry Feldman, MDCPS school district and region representatives and concerned community members. We have speakers from time to time to learn about opportunities and initiatives. Our first goal was to create an Educational Compact with the district, which took about a year. We learned what other cities have done, analyzed our needs and came up with some goals. One of which was to enhance the technology at our five local schools, which are in need of significant enhance-
ments to stay competitive with the brand new schools that have been built in recent years. After all, these schools were built more than fifty years ago, and they look it. Hence was borne the Smart Schools Campaign, a commitment to raise the funds to bring smart boards to every classroom in each of the five schools in Pinecrest. Out of that effort, the SmARTy Dog project was created; we are currently at 26 amazing dogs which are springing up all over Pinecrest, at the schools, in our Parks and gracing many of our sponsoring businesses. The dogs, which are painted by local artists and a few by the schools’ students, will be public art for the next three months, and then will be auctioned off on March 28 in Pinecrest Gardens, with all proceeds going to fund new technology in our schools. The second goal was to provide a means by which our own Pinecrest students would be more inclined to remain in our Palmetto schools, rather than see any attraction to attending outside magnet schools. So, the Green Academy was established to highlight the excellence of their environmental science programs and collaborate with our Sustainability initiative, which I will discuss a bit later. This is our first year as a Green Academy and we look forward to a wonderful new partnership with the newly established CLEO institute, created by Caroline Lewis, the founder of the Fairchild Challenge. The CLEO institute is a comprehensive initiative to inform and engage the community and the broader world in understanding climate change and what our role should be. It is now based at Pinecrest Gardens and will help develop educational programs on climate change and how we must take a role in preventing more adverse impact on our environment. All five of our schools are also instituting wellness policies that will assure healthier eating at our schools, and more physical activity for our students, to combat the rising number of child obesity cases. They are growing organic gardens, and hosting their own farmers market at Palmetto elementary and soon at our other neighboring schools. To all of you who faithfully attend and contribute so much to the Education advisory committee, my heartfelt thanks, it is a very special community collaboration, and shows how much we all care about maintaining excellence in our schools. This year, Pinecrest Community Center has expanded also, with new programming and fitness options, as well as many new programs for our senior citizens. The Fitness center expanded to a second room and added more equipment. We had hoped for additional construction to expand the center, but it is being postponed due to a weak economy and a desire to hold off on capital projects this year.
The national recreation consultant we hired several years ago, Ken Ballard, to conduct an operational audit, assured us in his recommendations to expand the center that for each dollar invested, we would see expanded revenue, and he was correct. Expansion of the center is also important in order to address all of the needs of a significant senior population, as we have 640 residents aged 80 or older. I hope you all saw the wonderful article in Neighbors on our Pinecrest Pioneers, who, I am sure, have found a Fountain of Youth in those old water wells! In addition to the twice-a-year luncheon we host for our Pioneers, our enhanced attention to our seniors based on requests for programs and services, necessitated bringing on a part time senior activities coordinator this past year, Janice Drewing, who brings significant experience in senior programming and has created many new enrichment programs, fitness classes and cultural activities for our seniors, which will ensure their quality of life remains high and they stay active. The community center advisory committee has been re instituted and is welcome to hear your ideas and feedback on making it the best venue for all of our community.
PINECREST GARDENS Our botanic garden continues to grow under the tender loving care of our horticulturalist, Craig Morrell, and our operations manager, Wayne Myers, and their staff. The long-time commitment to enhance the gardens by the Pinecrest Garden Club and the Community Garden Charitable Fund has truly made this a source of great community pride. The Pinecrest Gardens Advisory Committee helps guide the council by reviewing and updating the master plan and the hard work of redesigning the plant book, the map and the signs. These are all now installed and in use, so please take advantage of this gorgeous garden, come spend a day and really get to know it, take the new maps and explore, or take a guided tour. This past year has been incredibly productive due to the incalculable hours donated by the members of the Advisory committee, the Club and the Fund. I can’t thank you all enough for the dedication you have shown to maintain our Gardens, and to create ever more opportunities to enhance cultural enrichment for all of us. We can now also boast a New Volunteer program, for all aspects of the gardens, botanic and cultural, which has recruited new energy, with orientations training and support for our much appreciated volunteers. The Gardens have flourished in the cultural arena as well, with the vision and energy of Director Alana Perez, and the technical and programming expertise of Jerry Kinsey, is
now a constant source of cultural events, music, dance art and of course children’s music and dance. We have the best weekly farmers market, in town and our second season of jazz series is a great success. This year new programs include once a month Sunday brunch , monthly chick flicks, family movie night, this weekend is the Latin Spice, and of course the long time favorites, the Art Festival, Taste of Pinecrest, Eggstravaganza, Earth Day Festival and so much more! A new Pinecrest Gardens Membership drive has begun and will provide opportunities to come to the gardens as often as you like for a nominal rate, as well as contribute at higher levels if you choose. We have also finally received the long sought designation to be listed on the National Registry of Historic places. We have been capturing oral histories of our Pinecrest Pioneers and provide them on our web sites. Our respect for and responsibility to carry on their legacy reaches into all aspects of community life. This year, we had the opportunity to honor the accomplishments of one of our respected residents and national Baseball Hall of Famers, Andre Dawson, a long time Pinecrest resident, who grew up in South Miami, and who shared with us that one of the first baseball fields he played on as a child was at Suniland Park. So in naming one of Suniland ball fields Andre Dawson Field, we honor his legacy.
SAFETY AND SECURITY Safety and security are always uppermost in our minds for our family, our homes and businesses, and I am so proud of the Pinecrest police department and our community-oriented policing. Recently, the department’s Crime Prevention Officer, Detective Alex Martinez, was recertified as a Crime Prevention Practitioner. This designation qualifies her to perform sophisticated residential and commercial property security surveys to help make them more crime resistant. If you haven’t availed yourself of this free service, I highly recommend you consider doing so. On the crime front, the news is not good. Perhaps as a consequence of our moribund economy, when compared to the same period last year, Part One crimes are up approximately 25 percent, with considerable increases in the frequency of car and home burglaries. While the department has made some arrests in these cases, these trends continue and in our car burglaries the vast majority of cars entered were left unlocked with valuables inside. Please do your part by removing all valuables, secure all doors and be sure to call our police if you see anything
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VILLAGE, from page 7 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– or anyone acting suspicious. Our reputation as tough traffic enforcers keeps our streets safe, and our patrols constantly alert our residents to potential opportunities they may be providing a wandering criminal. We are constantly looking to expand public awareness and engagement, and you will see our school resource officers every day at the schools assisting is so many ways.
REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT One of our priority goals in our Strategic Plan created two years ago is to assure leadership in sustainability. Just what is sustainability? It is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future generations. How does a city become sustainable? According to Henry Iler, one of South Florida’s foremost planners, it is by implementing a comprehensive green action plan, long-range adaptation plan and a climate change plan. Living green has been a major focus this past year, so the council has also worked to assure the village becomes a more walkable, livable community, adding sidewalks to connect our parks, community center, the gardens and schools to the community in a way that will encourage residents to get out of their cars and walk or ride bicycles more often, thus reducing carbon footprint and enhancing healthy living patterns. We have finally completed the 60th Avenue sidewalk project and it is now enjoyed by all. No longer do people have to walk their dogs in the middle of the street, and they have a safe path to the community center, library and gardens. We created a new Transportation Advisory Committee this year to review resident concerns and requests for traffic calming, bikeways and any proposed project being discussed by the Florida Department of Transportation or the county transportation projects. We also received a grant to design safer routes to school to encourage parents to walk their children to our three elementary schools. Soon you will see the Pinecrest People Mover driving around the village, kicking off a pilot transit program with the ambitious goal of alleviating some of the terrible traffic congestion during rush hour at the middle school and high school. We first spent the past year doing due diligence, hired a traffic consultant and sent out surveys to parents and students to tell us what they needed in the way of a transit system to make sure it met their needs. We worked closely with the administration at the two schools and with the PTAs to identify where the needs were and how the community wanted the service to be delivered. Now we ask for your participation to help us make it the success it can be. If the route needs to be tweaked to include more stops so your child can hop on, by all
means let us know. It will be a welcome resource for parents who have had to leave work early to pick their child up from school and get them back home. If you want them delivered to the library or community center, we can do that also; just let us know and we will add that to the route. If it takes off, we may look at expanding the routes. The next step will be to create other routes for seniors to be able to get to the Gardens community center, library, parks and shopping. This is a significant step in reducing our carbon footprint, and only a first step! You should know that village government is but a drop in the bucket in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, compared to what is produced by our residents and businesses. Our efforts must serve as a model of good behavior, to encourage residents and business owners to replicate what we practice. Our Green Action plan Phase one is now complete; in which we implemented a recycling program with recycle bins throughout the village parks and municipal buildings, provided staff training in LEED practices and policies, and changed our procurement policies. After that, we began to look at analyzing all aspects of village operations across every department, and began to implement energy and cost savings. We are about to receive the Florida Green Building Council’s Green Local Government designation as a Florida Green Building Council, Silver level Green city. This year we have also implemented changes in our Building code, which will encourage builders of both homes and commercial buildings to implement energy efficient standards and practices, and are now looking at doing the same thing for our land use policies to assure we are protecting our environment for future generations. We will also sponsor for Arbor Day a “put the Pine back in Pinecrest Day”, offering Pine trees for our residents to plant throughout the village, restoring the original pre-Hurricane Andrew look of the village. We have made much progress on our Going Green journey, green action plan, recycling in all public buildings and parks, certified green city, green building ordinance, Green Academy at our public schools, and now the Green Corridor which is what we have named our Property Assessed Clean Energy initiative, which just two months ago we voted to enter into an inter-local agreement with Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, South Miami and soon with Coral Gables and Miami likely to join. This is a bold and visionary step we take as South Miami Dade county, one which will not only save our commercial and residential property owners money by installing energy efficiency improvements, but will create a
new green economy, with many new jobs. Property Assessed Clean Energy provides property owners with a financing option, in addition to your ability to go to the bank for a loan to make improvements, this completely voluntary program provides one with another financing option, have your home or business assessed to determine what would help save money on electricity, such as new windows, solar water heater or panels, and the amount borrowed becomes a property tax lien, and is paid off yearly as a special tax assessment, obviating the need to have additional credit obligations, instead it is a property lien. This month I attended the National League of Cities conference in Phoenix, Arizona and focused on sustainability workshops where I heard a presentation on financing energy efficiency practices and improvements, and one of the speakers from California, where this kind of program has been operating for the past five years, mentioned Pinecrest, Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay and South Miami, our Green Corridor, as being at the forefront in Florida, leaders in the green economy. As one who has been so frustrated with the lack of a renewable energy profile or goals by the state of Florida, it was a proud moment to know that despite our state’s failure to develop a comprehensive renewable energy policy, local government is forging ahead and we look forward to more cities in Florida following our lead. In the next few months we will begin to look at our commercial corridor along US1 and, together with our residents and businesses, go through a planning process to develop a community vision for what we want our commercial corridor to look like in 10-20 years. This segment of US 1 is an eight-mile-long strip shopping center corridor, built in the 1950s and 1960s for the most part, and as the property owners decide to take advantage of their highly sought after location to develop, it is critical that we serve notice of what our vision is, what we want and how our needs can best be met.
OPPOSING FPL PLAN I would like to take a moment to share with you one very important aspect of what your Village Council has been doing to fight to protect and preserve the health, welfare, the aesthetics and the economic viability and future of the US 1 corridor; that is our now three-year-long battle against the FPL proposal to put the monstrosity 100-foot-high transmission lines along our entire western boundary along US 1; in fact, it would go from 136 street north all the way to I 95. I invite you, the next time you drive along US 1, to pay attention to the electric poles. You will first notice that there are a few power lines, the smaller ones that you never even notice. Those are, in fact, not transmission lines; those are the lesser voltage distribution lines that cover all neighborhoods. The major transmission lines are the huge
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
trestles, the ones you see on the back side of The Falls that go diagonally across Kendall, Westchester and the City of Miami into downtown Miami, and were placed there in the ’60s when they built Turkey Point. They connect and carry the power to downtown Miami. You may also have seen the 100-foot poles out in the Everglades and along industrial corridors, and are now even along a major corridor in North Miami, making it look far more industrial an area than before. The Pinecrest Village Council was thrust into this battle in 2009 when we were first notified of FPL’s plans and we have been united in our passion to prevent these lines from ever being built where FPL proposes. That is, unless they were installed under ground. But FPL tells us that if we want the lines underground, then we must pay for it, to the tune of somewhere in the neighborhood of $13-18 million per mile for 8 miles of lines. And they won’t substantiate where they get that figure since they are not in the habit of building infrastructure underground, where it belongs. This, when they propose spending $20 billion (and growing) on new infrastructure to build two new nuclear power plants? And they refuse to include the main transmission lines as part of their infrastructure, so that instead they will be able to declare higher dividends for their stockholders. Well, no siree, not on our watch! So our council has taken the lead and we are litigating the matter in an administrative proceeding before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Also joining our fight are the cities of South Miami and Coral Gables. And we thank them for joining forces with us in this battle against a goliath “power”. We are proposing an alternate corridor, which is actually the original corridor built by FPL when they built Turkey Point. We do not want to impose new infrastructure in new neighborhoods; instead, we want to force the utility to make significant improvements on the Infrastructure they have not tended to for 40 years. We are proposing it be either undergrounded or upgraded, as many places along that corridor haven’t seen any upgrades in 40 years. We have now become quite expert in the policies and politics of fossil fuels vs. renewable energy, and the truths we must all become more aware of with nuclear energy, especially since Fukishima disaster in Japan. We learned how the Florida utilities are financing their investor-owned businesses when we learned about the early cost-recovery law passed by the Florida Legislature in 2006. Pinecrest was the first council to pass a resolution to urge the legislature to repeal the law written by utilities in 2006, known as Early Cost Recovery (ECR) , followed by South Miami and now many other cities as well. ECR permits FPL and Progress Energy to charge all of their rate payers additional
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– See VILLAGE, page 9
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VILLAGE, from page 8 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– charges for the costs of siting, designing and obtaining the licenses and permits for the new nuclear plants without having to commit to ever building the plants. So far they have raised over $300 million, and counting. They received a certificate of need back in 2007, before the real estate bubble burst and the economy tanked, and growth slowed significantly. They have not yet received a license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which may never happen. The truth is, and the hope is, that these new plants never get built and that instead we move into the world of distributed renewable energy. Our resolution to repeal Early Cost Recovery has been adopted by the Miami Dade League of Cities and other cites all over the state, so we are again leading the way. Finally, we passed a resolution this year to declare that when the franchise agreement entered into by Miami Dade County, before we ever incorporated, expires in 2020, that the Village of Pinecrest will have weaned itself away from reliance on franchise fees (which are in fact only a pass through for cities, allowing their residents to pay an extra fee on their electric bill, which is then passed through to the cities) sort of a back door tax arrangement the utilities came up with as an
exchange for cities to promise not to compete with them for creating energy. That might have worked 30 years ago, but has no place in today’s municipal structure when it will be renewable energy that drives our new economy. So, from the proposal three years ago to run new lines down US 1, the Pinecrest Council has stood firm and united, we have informed ourselves, coalesced with neighboring municipalities and invested our village resources to make sure we preserve and protect, far more than the corridor, but our health, security and future. I thank the council for fighting on with me.
WHAT’S AHEAD? Looking to the future, I am so proud of our Youth Advisory Council. These 15 middle and high school students, appointed by the council, are learning about the operations of our village and about leadership. Each month, a department director provides them with a detailed overview of how their department operates. They heard from our police chief this past week, had a discussion about safety at school and in the neighborhood, and each one of them put the police department’s number in their phones to have if they ever
saw or heard of something not quite right. Our Youth Media Project then engaged them in creating a message and recording it on our radio station, 1590 AM. Check it out on your car radio. Although the sound quality is not what it should be — the critically important upgrade was the victim of this year’s budget cuts — I am hopeful that it will be included as a priority for communication in emergencies, and even for daily updates on happenings in the village for next year’s budget. They also are participating this year in the Junior Orange Bowl Parade with a float. The theme is, of course, Pinecrest is Living Green, and we will have with us the Palmetto Senior High School marching band. Come out to cheer them on Jan. 2 in downtown Coral Gables.
NEW VILLAGE MANAGER One final highlight for this past year has been the hiring of our new village manager Yocie Galiano Gomez, who has done a remarkable job of transitioning the village staff to her new leadership. She has created a real team, bringing all staff together for weekly meetings; she is out in the
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community and, most important to me and our council, she is extremely responsive to our residents and makes it a priority for staff as well. The first real test was balancing our budget and this year for the first time we hosted a Town Hall meeting to share with the residents a real analysis of the challenges we faced and how to approach them as cautious stewards of your tax dollars. She brings so many strengths to the village; most notable is her love of our community and I see it in all of our staff, it is part of the fabric of our local government, a true respect for, and appreciation of its legacy and a desire to work hard to promote it. This coming year will see many more new and exciting opportunities to get involved in the village, and if you have some time and desire to be more involved in your community, we would love to have you join us. If you don’t receive the Village E news the first of each month, you won’t know all the wonderful things that go on in your own back yard, so be sure to go online and subscribe. In summary, in Pinecrest, it’s all good!
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Evenings Delight is Your Gift Giving Headquarters Evenings Delight is a family owned and operated business located at 9621 S. Dixie Highway, serving the Pinecrest/ Palmetto Bay community for over 40 years. Tired of giving your loved one the same old gift for the holidays? Enough with the ties and socks! Evenings Delight is the perfect place to buy your loved one or yourself a fantastic gift; a grill, a fireplace or a hot tub. A gift that you and your spouse will enjoy for many years to come. Evenings Delight specializes in the best American Made Products available today. Dave Zisman, President of Evenings Delight says, “Weber grills are one of the most popular grills in our store to give as a gift. We constantly hear testimonials… our friends, neighbor or relative bought a weber grill at Evenings Delight and told us to come in and buy one too.”
popularity, electric. And Zisman says, “adding a fireplace to your home is very inexpensive and adds warmth and value to your house. For those that have a fireplace, we sell all the accessories to make your fireplace complete.”
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Cauley Square staying open for Christmas, New Year’s
Frances Varela bought Cauley Square a decade ago and has worked hard to keep the historic village a happening place. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– craft made by local artists; and a women’s BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD
Evenings Delight also carries the full line of Jacuzzi brand hot tubs. Jacuzzi is the original and still the best hot tub available. A hot tub is considered the ultimate luxury to own, but there are also many health benefits also, including; relief of stress and muscle aches and pains of all kinds. So, consider Evenings Delight when the parking lot at the malls are full. A unique gift from Evenings Delight will be a cherished gift for years to come. As a thank you to the Pinecrest/Palmetto Bay Community, with the coupon below, everything in the store is 15% off…We appreciate your business. Thank you for shopping at Evenings Delight and Happy Holiday.
If you already have a grill, Evenings Delight has all the accessories and bbq toys to make a great stocking stuffer for your grill fanatic. Seeing that’s it’s the beginning of winter, Evenings Delight can install a fireplace anywhere in your house. Choices include wood burning, gas or gaining in
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Evenings Delight 9621 S. Dixie Hwy. Miami, Fl 33156 305-666-3312 www.eveningsdelight.com
To celebrate 10 years as owner of Cauley Square Historic Railroad Village, located at 22400 Old Dixie Hwy., Frances Varela is keeping it open on Christmas and New Year’s. “This year is going to be special,” she said. Normally, Cauley Square would be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s so employees can celebrate with their families. However, many of Cauley Square’s regular customers urged Varela to keep the historic enclave open for the holidays. “Because it’s Saturdays and Sundays,” she said. “And Cauley Square is 10 years with me. For 10 years I’ve spent a lot of time improving this place. This is something my customers asked me. We’re going to have two bands and a deejay.” Tables will be set up outdoors as well as in the Tea Room and Village Chalet. There also will be a special menu for New Year’s Eve. Regular customers are familiar with the featured bands. In fact, the Viva Classic Rock and Roll Band plays every Friday night while Kim Bankston performs jazz every Saturday night. When Varela bought Cauley Square a decade ago, it was still struggling to come back from the devastation left behind by Hurricane Andrew, which walloped South Miami-Dade County in 1992. Today the 27 historic cottages are well kept and the grounds are lush. The cottages house lovely shops — including three antique stores, a toy shop, an aquarium store and a florist. There also is the Aviary, a store dedicated to exotic birds; O Sew Crafty, which sells handmade
dress shop. Varela added paved garden paths to the landscape, creating courtyards and open space for outdoor events. She created special menus for the Village Chalet restaurant and the famous Cauley Square Tea Room. The original cottages were built in 1903 by employees of Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad. It is one of the few remaining railroad villages in the U.S. and the only one left in Florida. Before purchasing the historic railroad village, Varela had been in the construction industry, building homes. She looked to diversify because of the housing bubble. “I saw the place and I liked it,” she said. “I never thought I’d work so hard. I really enjoy it.” Initially the work included a lot of painting and cleaning. She then added the fountains, walkways and courtyards to the grounds. After revitalizing the grounds, Varela has worked to make the village a destination point. Cauley Square hosts numerous events on site, including special events for Christmas and an Easter Egg Hunt, Corvette Car shows, and several arts and crafts festivals. They also cater bridal showers, weddings and baby showers. Organizations such as the Red Hat Society have High Tea in the Tea Room. The Tea Room is well known for its cuisine and its delicious spice tea. Cauley Square is located off S. Dixie Highway (US1) at SW 224th Street in Goulds. For more information, call 305-8781410 or 305-258-8900, or visit online at <www.cauleysquare.com>.
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Palmer Trinity’s Paulina Prieto is a volleyball powerhouse BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD
Palmer Trinity senior Paulina Prieto is graduating this month so she can attend Penn State University in January and join their five-time national championship volleyball team. She was heavily recruited by just about every top volleyball school in the country and signed a letter of intent to go to Penn State on Nov. 9. “Supposedly, the Penn State coach (Russ Rose) learned about me on the internet,” Prieto says. “Two Puerto Ricans guys are on the volleyball team and he asked them about me, then started going to my games when I was a VB Rags player (a club team in Puerto Rico).” Prieto says she was ready to commit to the University of Texas at Austin when Penn State came into the picture. “I really loved the school,” she says. “It was really tough because I literally had all
the colleges I wanted wanting me.” Prieto says it came down to the University of Washington at Seattle, the University of Florida, Texas and Penn State. Once she narrowed her choices to two, the decision was even harder because she says she loved both schools. “It all came down to little things,” she says, “because the big things are amazing.” Prieto says she has already purchased winter clothes and the books she will need for her stay and education in Happy Valley, PA. She adds that she is looking forward to being in a totally new environment, one that is hugely different from her high school. “I wanted to have a new experience, to go to a big school,” she says. However, one of the things she loves about Palmer is the lush landscaping on the campus. She says that she realized she wanted that touch of nature to continue at the college she decided to attend. Palmer Trinity senior Paulina Prieto signs letter of intent to attend Penn State University. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Pictured (l-r) are Palmer Trinity volleyball coach William Gonzalez, Paulina Prieto, Paulina’s mother Mari Cerame, and Head of School Sean Murphy. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
“At Penn State, that is one of the main things I liked about it, it has trees and mountains,” she says. This is not the first time Prieto has a made a major move. She moved to Miami from Puerto Rico in time to start the seventh grade at Palmer Trinity. At that time, she was already almost six feet tall, and then she had a growth spurt that took her to six-foot-two inches tall. “If you are an offensive volleyball player, you have to be tall,” she says. Prieto has played on the Palmer Trinity varsity team since her seventh grade year, helping win the district title five years in a row. In her ninth grade year, Palmer went all the way to the state championship volleyball finals. “No team in Miami had gone to state finals since 1995,” she says. “It was very rewarding.” This year, Palmer beat its big rival Westminster to take the district title, but
lost to Westminster in the regional semifinals, knocking them out of the playoffs. As with most serious athletes, Prieto also plays on a club team and when she was in the 10th grade, she played for a Puerto Rican club team. “I would fly there on the weekends,” she says. “It was a very hard year in academics. That’s why I decided to play for the Boomers in 11th grade.” This summer Prieto played on the USA Youth National Team. The team spent time in Arizona for the High Performance Championships and then trained in New York for three weeks before going to Turkey for a championship series. Prieto says her main goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team. “I would be the first Puerto Rican to play on the USA team,” she says. “When I was in Turkey, I thought about Puerto Rico every game and felt that I represented both countries.”
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Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe redesigned for 2012 Ron Beasley AUTOMOTIVE EDITOR
LET’S TALK CARS The Mercedes CLS coupe is my favorite in the German manufacturer’s lengthy lineup of luxury vehicles; it’s just a special automobile, even if I continue to disagree with their classification of a four-door automobile as a coupe. But, the 2012 CLS represents the first major redesign of this beautiful car since it came on the market in 2004, and Mercedes literature claims that it “established an entirely new market segment — the four-door coupe, which combines the emotional appeal and dynamic design of a coupe with the comfort and functionality of a sedan.” I guess I’ll have to accept that, even though just about any dictionary defines a coupe as a two-door vehicle. For 2012, the CLS line consists of three models — all powered by new biturbo directinjection V-8 engines and, for the first time, offer 4MATIC all-wheel-drive. Pricing starts at $71,300 for the CLS550, $73,800 for the CLS550 4MATIC and $94,900 for the high
performance CLS63 AMG. Add another $875 for delivery charges. The distinctive body lines of the CLS have been accentuated by its new design. Overall, the new CLS is about 1.2 inches longer and wider, and it fits right between the S-Classbased CL and the E-Class two-door, forming a family of Mercedes “coupes” that makes efficient use of existing chassis and powertrain layouts, while preserving their individual identities. With its new 4.6-liter direct-injection twinturbo V-8, the new CLS550 gets 26 percent better fuel mileage (17/26 mpg), while still producing 402 hp and 443 pounds-feet of torque. The CLS550 is equipped with new electrically assisted power steering, AIRMATIC air suspension and a revised sevenspeed automatic transmission. The 5.5-liter version of the new directinjection V-8 engine in the 2012 CLS63 AMG is rated at 518 hp and 516 pounds-feet of torque. An optional AMG Performance Package hikes the output to 550 hp and 590 pounds-feet of torque. Even with its highperformance, the CLS63 AMG is 26 percent more fuel efficient (16/hwy), thanks in part to an innovative ECO stop-start system. Whenever the AMG model stops in “D” or “N” with the brake pedal depressed in “Controlled Efficiency” transmission mode, the engine is automatically turned off to save
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe is about 1.2 inches longer and wider, and new design accentuates distinctive body lines. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
fuel. As soon as the driver releases the brake, the engine computer decides which piston is in the best position for first ignition, and the direct fuel injection and multi-spark systems work with a starter motor to re-start the engine almost instantly. The CLS63 AMG features a seven-speed MCT (multi-clutch technology) sport transmission with an innovative startup clutch that replaces the conventional torque converter.
Providing the direct feedback of a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic, the MCT transmission offers impressive versatility and faster shift times.
Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to <LetsTalkCars@aol.com>.
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OF
CHABAD CENTER KENDALL / PINECREST
Chanukah – new and improved BY RABBI YOSSI HARLIG Director, Chabad Center of Kendall/Pinecrest
Chanukah is one of the most joyous times of the year. To commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, we light the menorah for eight consecutive days, Dec. 20-27. Each evening when we kindle the menorah’s flames, we add a new light. This constant upward climb culminating on the eighth night symbolizes the climb in our daily lives. Each day, we should strive to be “new and improved.” (Yes, just like our favorite supermarket products.) Although we may be quite satisfied with our efforts and body of work, Chanukah’s lights insist that tomorrow’s accomplishments must be better than today’s. So as we proudly light one candle and “raise the roof” on our Chanukah observance, on the second night yesterday’s “top of the line” just won’t do. And as good as last night was, tonight must be “new and improved!” During Chanukah and every day, I encourage you to make yesterday’s peak tomorrow’s jumping off point. To live each day with purpose, keep in mind the distinct lessons of each of the menorah’s lights: • Darkness is drastically changed by even a very small flame. Any effort, change or illumination we create between us and God and us and our fellow humans goes a long way. We should never think that our contribution is too small to make a difference. • The wick of the oil lamp or candle corresponds to our body, the flame represents the Godly spark we all carry within and the oil or wax represents the mitzvot of the Torah that feeds our flame. We must allow the body to burn with the soul’s light in a way that illu-
minates those around us, but does not consume us. • Each night of Chanukah we add a light. This reminds us that if we are given another day, it is to accomplish something positive we have not yet achieved (new and improved!). • We kindle the Chanukah lights by a door or a window – the exits to our home. It is not enough to light up our own lives; we must share what we know with others. • The laws of Chanukah state that each flame should use only one wick. Likewise, when we are engaged in a mitzvah or other holy task, we must stay focused on that moment to achieve true accomplishment. • We kindle the Chanukah lights only when it becomes dark. If there is darkness in our lives or communities, there is where we must focus our light. • The lights of Chanukah remind us never to allow the apathy or opinions of others to sway us. We shall be guided by God, as articulated in the Torah. • The lights of Chanukah reflect a miracle that happened with the menorah in our Holy Temple in Jerusalem. They are the continuation of those lights from the past and a promise for the future that God will not be absent from home forever. Join us at Chabad of Kendall/Pinecrest as we celebrate Chanukah in the Snow, Sunday, Dec. 25, at 12:30 p.m. Witness a grand menorah lighting, wear your sweater and mittens and play in the snow, participate in a basketball tournament and feast on hotdogs, latkes, doughnuts and hot cocoa. Children will enjoy arts and crafts and a moon bounce for $10 per person or $36 per family. For more information, go to <www.chabadofkendall.org>, visit us at 8700 SW 112 St. or call 305-234-5654.
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PINECRESTTRIBUNE.COM
Happy 70th wedding anniversary Congratulations to Pinecrest residents Robert and Edna Tyre who will celebrate 70 years of marriage on Dec. 20. Robert Tyre is a native Miamian and was born in Perrine. He and Edna met in 1941 and married soon after. Tyre owned Lamson & Tyre Electric and was on the National Electrical Contractors Association board. They are members of the Christ Fellowship Church â&#x20AC;&#x201C; formerly the First Baptist Church of Perrine. Congratulations, guys, and our best wishes for a very happy 70th anniversary.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Premier Girls Grey Team wins West Pines tourney
The Pinecrest Premier Girls U11 Grey Team won the prestigious West Pines Soccer Tournament in Pembroke Pines, tying Davie United in the opening game, then beating Team Boca and the Plantation Eagles, before defeating the PSNAA Patriots 1-0 in a hard-fought championship game. The Grey teammates are (front row lr) Samy Martinez, Sammy Hasner, Audrey Paz, Celeste Baro, Isabel Rodriguez, AnaSofia Guerrero Amayo, Allie Hoyt, Coach Renatto Soriano; (back row l-r) Coach George Bermudez, Caitlin Teasdale, Alexa Feijoo, Mia Bermudez, Coach Antonio Paz, Alex Perez, Alexa Huertas and Mia Leaman.
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Casino night benefit raises $50K for ‘Friends Forever’ shelter BY CHERYL TAYLOR
Williamson Automotive emptied its beautiful, glass-enclosed showroom earlier this month to host a benefit casino night for the Friends Forever Humane Society. Friends Forever is a no-kill organization that believes every animal deserves a forever, loving home. It is a non-profit organization funded solely by generous contributions and events such as this. All personnel are strictly volunteers. A casino and holiday marketplace was created on the Williamson Cadillac showroom floor and hundreds of guests in their finest attire turned out to play poker and Black Jack, and roll the dice at the gaming tables, all provided by Casino Party Nights Florida. The “gaming” was all in fun and the “winners” walked off with generously donated prizes. If you weren’t the gaming type, there was a festive holiday marketplace, with local vendors providing great gifts such
as hand-made pins, handbags, sunglasses and ladies’ wear. And, of course, there was fine jewelry available from Maurice’s Jewelers of Pinecrest. Many local restaurants were on hand, including Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Wagons West, Kris’s Restaurant and Grill, Captain’s Tavern and Roasters ’n Toasters. Food catering was provided by Francine Powers of We’re Having a Party and delicious desserts came from You Oughta Taste My Mamma’s Cakes. The evening was beautiful and the Williamson Cadillac venue, at 7815 SW 104 St., was a perfect location for the mock casino, as almost $50,000 was raised for the Friends Forever organization. Founder Dee Chess said she was delighted with the success of the evening and thankful for the community support. “We are truly thankful for Ed, Carol and Trae Williamsons’ generosity and for making this event a huge success,” she said. “Please think of them when it’s time for your next vehicle purchase.”
Williamson Cadillac showroom was converted into a casino for an evening. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Williamson Automotive hosts Casino Night benefiting ‘Friends Forever’ Humane Society
Paul Cowan, Judge John Gale and wife, John Holloway Guests enjoying Black Jack Diane Schiller and Allen Schiller
Paul & Kathy Cowan
Dr. Irving Lerner and Mayor Cindy Lerner Dr. Alan and Barbara Kaplan
Helen and Betty Fritz
Rick & Barbara Wallace
Initially Speaking
Amado Vasallo, Jade Alexander, Helen held by Dee Chess, Yleana Escobar, Rita Schwartz
Scherly Bush, Heather Ann, Carol Williamson, Phillip Morgan Continued on next page
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
PINECRESTTRIBUNE.COM
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Casino Night benefiting ‘Friends Forever’ Humane Society
Steve Moorman, Bridget Morley, Bruce Arthur, Debi Hunt Kada Nodine and Ralph Focaracci
Toni and Skip Lilliston
From left to right Kathy Cowan, Cheryl Taylor, Barbara Wallace Rita Schwartz
lisa and Lee Zimmerman Marian and David Walsh
Robyn and Mark Soldevilla
Jose McEntee and Jessica Wilcox
Maria and Benny Ledesma
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Casino Night benefiting ‘Friends Forever’ Humane Society
Committee members, Kathy Cowan, Barbara Wallace, Debi Strochak, Dee Chess, Rita Schwartz
Gaming in Williamson Automotive showroom Chef from Town
Maurice’s Jewelers
Romano with Casino Party Nights Florida, Inc. Auctioneer Mike Guyer
Dorine and Steve Poulos flank Dee Chess.
Ed Williamson with friends.
Continued on next page
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Casino Night benefiting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Friends Foreverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Humane Society
Suzanne and Avin Balkissoon
Wagons West
Mark and Jennifer Naszradi
Guests enjoying the shopping.
Ken and Debi Strochak and Marilyn and Neal Ramo
Volunteers from Friends Forever Humane Society
Cheryl Taylor and Valerie Blattner
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Pictured are the new owners of Lots of Lox (l-r) Steve, Jimmy and Nick Poulos.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
PINECRESTTRIBUNE.COM
Top 10 tips for holiday sanity BY PAT MORGAN
The holidays are in fullswing! Why do we attempt superhuman acts during this time of year as we struggle to jam a year’s worth of celebration, shopping, cooking and gift-giving into just a few short weeks at holiday time? What if there was a way to relax into the holidays with less stress and more happiness? Here are 10 powerful ideas to help you do that: • Reconnect with the reason for the season — Our society is more and more focused on the commercialism of the holidays. We are bombarded with ads and reminders about how we should celebrate the holidays. Rediscover the meaning of the holiday for you personally and decide to celebrate in a way that works for you rather than how others say you should do. • Manage expectations — Set realistic expectations. Give yourself permission to let go of trying to be superhuman in order to create a perfect holiday. Be patient with yourself and do the best you can, trusting that the holiday will be perfect however it turns out. • Simplify — Less is more. Cut back on everything, including decorations, food, gifts and activities. Think creatively about alternatives to expensive gift giving; consider giving a hand-made gift or giving the gift of your time. • Give without expecting anything in return — Give from a heart space of generosity with no regard for what you get back. Rather than begrudge another for not reciprocating with an expected gift, keep the focus on giving. • Avoid the chaos — The mall is a zoo, traffic is horrendous, lines are long and people are cranky. Consider alternatives to traditional shopping. Buy online, send baskets, order ready-made dishes for entertaining and avoid the madness. • Ask for help — Get the support you need to be your best during the holidays. Other peo-
ple are usually happy to help when needed. Look for ways to outsource, delegate and automate so that you have the help you need. • Start a new tradition — Traditions are comforting. They provide a sense of stability in an ever-changing world. Consider starting a new tradition, maybe caroling, watching holiday movies, giving to a charity, or just spending a quite family evening at home. • Say yes to yourself — If you’re a person who always says yes to everyone else, try saying no for a change. Say yes to yourself; do something that makes you feel great. Schedule time just for you – to relax, exercise, meditate – whatever makes you feel renewed and refreshed. • Express gratitude — Look at the blessings in your life and actively feel thankful. Appreciation has a multiplier effect and creates even more blessing. It lightens your spirit and helps you focus on the good that is happening. • Don’t forget to enjoy the holidays and have some fun — The added stress of the holidays can detract from the enjoyment if you are constantly chasing a schedule, stretching your budget to the max with gift giving and extra purchases, feeling exhausted, impatient or frustrated. Let go and have some fun! Give yourself the gift of coaching this holiday season and get started making changes to empower yourself for success.
Pat Morgan is a professional coach and works with busy professionals to become more profitable and productive by capitalizing on their strengths and taking focused action to create powerful change. For more information, or send email to PatMorgan@SmoothSailingSuccess.com, call 305-458-2849 or go to <www.SmoothSailingSuccess.com>.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
PINECRESTTRIBUNE.COM
Preemo excels in computer support and repair
Pictured (l-r) are the Team Preemo members Christian Gomez, junior technician; Elias Guanchez, chief technology officer; Ivan Mladenovic, President/CEO; Anthony Lopez, support technician; and Jovary Hill, lead Technician. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD
When Ivan Mladenovic moved back to Miami, he started a technology solutions company and called it Preemo. It only took six months for Preemo to grow from a homebased company to one that needed to move into an office space. “We’re five times bigger than last year,” he says. “I think we’ll be a million-dollar business sometime in June of next year. I think what we bring to the table is our quality of people.” He attributes his company’s rapid growth to relationship building and networking. “I’m on the board of the Red Sunset Merchant Association,” he says. “I’m also on the executive board and on the ambassador team for the Pinecrest Business Association.” Mladenovic opened his shop in South Miami across from Sunset Place and has taken on several technicians to help him with his expanding business. “Our primary service is IT support for small to medium-sized businesses,” he says. “We have about 200 clients. Our second service is a computer repair shop. We do a lot of Mac repair.” They also help people with hard drive problems. “It’s a fixed priced service,” he says. “Our third service, we also do website development and search engine optimization for a few clients. We have 20-25 clients that we have done online work for.” But the core of Preemo’s service is Virtual IT. “Instead of a paying for IT on a reactive basis, we set up a monthly cost. They shift their IT services to us. We serve as a help desk for any technology questions. They rely on us,” Mladenovic says. “We can do that for a company of up to 100 users.” He says Preemo will do remote support as well as onsite support. Technicians will also track and monitor everything for their clients. If
a client gets an error message on their system, Preemo can help them deal with that problem. “We do a lot of service maintenance,” he says. “We do host email for clients as well as an online back-up solutions.” Plus, the Preemo techs follow approved repair procedures. “If you have an Apple product, we do it the Apple way,” he says. “We’re in the process of becoming an apple certified consultant. They get technical training through the manufacturers.” In addition to Mladenvoic, Preemo has a chief technology officer and three techs, “We coach them to be a technician as well as an account manager,” he says. “The business owner knows which tech they are communicating with.” They also document everything for those times when the tech isn’t available and someone else has to step in. “There is always someone at our offices, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and then we offer after hours and emergency support,” he says. “That’s for our business clients. We do have a few non-business clients.” The company’s client base includes 300 individual realtors. They set up wireless networks for their clients and they have done complex network connections in large homes. “We have the in-store services where some of our clients will come to us,” he says. Sometimes clients will get a new phone and come to the store so a tech can help them figure out the features. “We take this very personally. I think each one of us is a nerd at heart,” he says. “If we can’t figure out a problem or something is repetitive, we team up (to figure it out).” That’s one of the reasons that in just two and a half years, Preemo has become the highest rated computer repair service in Miami on Google and Yelp.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Columbus High School students learn to become ‘culturally adroit’ Christopher Columbus High School student scholars were given the opportunity recently to enhance their cultural experience to become young men trained in the art of etiquette, social interaction, and multi-cultural competency at The Protocol Centre’s Business and Dining Etiquette Seminar at The Biltmore Hotel. The Freshman Class of the Mas Scholar’s Family Program at Columbus is
an accelerated program designed to enable highly motivated students to excel in academics. Students in the program not only participate in a rigorous curriculum of studies but also enjoy enrichment opportunities like the Business and Dining Etiquette Seminar and extracurricular activities. The Protocol Centre has provided training in Business Etiquette, Dining Protocols and International Protocol since
2004. After training over 8000 clients, their nationally recognized Best Protocol Practices is considered the most up-to-date and relevant business etiquette training series offered for today’s professional. Columbus Graduates of the Mas Family brothers Jorge, Juan, and Jose, sons of the late Jorge MasCanosa, collaborated with the school to offer the program to promising youth. It is designed to prepare
students to be among the top candidates for admission into major colleges and universities. Participants graduate with a minimum of 30 Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment college credits. To find out more about the Mas Scholar’s Family Program at Christopher Columbus High School contact Dr. E. Carter Burrus at 305-223-5650, ext 2243 or cburrus@columbushs.com.
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Columbus High School students learn to become ‘culturally adroit’
Continued on next page
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Columbus High School students learn to become ‘culturally adroit’
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Employers need to know about employee classification BY JEFF CUTLER
Attorney at Law In my law practice, a repeated topic of conversation with my clients is whether a particular employee is an independent contractor or employee. This question arises for many reasons, such as the employer’s attempt to avoid being responsible for employment income taxes, worker compensation premiums and liability to third parties for negligence or other causes of action. It also seems our poor economy and perhaps the rising cost of health insurance has been an incentive for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors to save on insurance premiums and employment benefits, like overtime pay. Even during good economic times, I have observed that intense competition in a particular industry has led to the classification of employees as independent contractors to reduce operating costs. With this job market and especially in nonunion employment situations, workers eager to have a job and make a living are
CUTLER’S LEGAL CORNER not in a position to dictate their proper employment classification. It is now being reported that the Internal Revenue Service is cracking down on employers who misclassify their workers. As we all know, especially in these tough economic times, our local, state, and federal governments are all looking for more revenue (money). According to a 2009 study by the Treasury Department’s inspector general, misclassification of employees costs the U.S. government approximately $70 billion in taxes. The state also loses significant payroll tax revenue. For employers, the failure to properly classify workers can lead to a state investigation and an IRS audit, with potential enormous financial liability for unpaid taxes, workers compensation and unemployment tax premiums, employment benefits and fines. Additionally, if the
employer finds itself on the wrong end of a USA/State of Florida vs. Employer lawsuit for misclassification of employees, the legal fees and costs to defend such a case will likely be huge. The IRS recently announced that employers that misclassified workers as independent contractors can participate in a “Voluntary Classification Settlement Program.” Employers qualify if they are not under audit and have filed all the required 1099s for their independent contractors for the past three years. Under the program, the employer will pay 10 percent of the employment tax liability due on compensation paid for the latest tax year. The employer will not be liable for any interest and penalties, and will not be subject to an employment tax audit on the classification of workers being reclassified under the program for previous years. The IRS says it will not share information with the state or its agencies, and no admission of liability or wrongdoing is necessary. So, employers, what should you do? Employers should seriously evaluate their specific circumstances to determine whether workers are properly classified as an independent contractor or employee. Control over the worker by the employer
is central to answering this important question and all facts and factors impacting control must be taken into account. I have advised my clients many times, “Simply having an independent contractor agreement with the worker is not enough by itself to classify the worker as an independent contractor.” I recommend that employers seek the help of a legal or tax professional wellversed on this issue to comprehensively review the employer’s circumstances and assist in deciding what course of action is best for the employer. The “Voluntary Classification Settlement Program” presently offered by the IRS gives the employer a new, viable option for consideration.
Jeff Cutler is in his second four-year term as a Village councilmember and a practicing attorney with more than 29 years of experience. His areas of specialization include civil, corporate and commercial law, including business and construction law, transactions and finance, personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, and insurance. He may be contacted at 305446-0100 or by sending email to <JCutler@delacruzcutler.com>.
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
PINECRESTTRIBUNE.COM
A MESSAGE FROM CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH
‘Wonder of Christmas’ at Christ the King Church
Christ The King Lutheran Church, 11295 SW 57th Ave., will be aglow the week before Christmas, Dec. 16-23, with a light display and free community events nightly. The grounds will be lit from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and a different activity is featured each night. The schedule for The Wonder of Christmas week is on the church website at <www.ctkmiami.org>. A sampling of activities includes caroling at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16; canoe/kayak parade at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17; The Greatest Story Ever Told at 7 p.m. on Dec. 18; adaptation of A Christmas Carol at 7 p.m. on Dec. 21; petting zoo on Dec. 22; and holiday concert by duo SpriTed at 7 p.m. on Dec. 23. On Christmas Eve, worship services are at 5, 7, 9, and 11 p.m., with staffed nursery at 5 and 7 p.m. and Christmas day at 10 a.m. All activities and events are free. For more information, call 305-665-5063.
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Ramras earns Black Lion honor RESTAURANT
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95 Palmer Trinity senior Sean Ramras received the coveted Black Lion Award during the school’s 2011 Fall Sports Awards program last month. Ramras (left) is pictured with Head Coach Darryl Maple, Gen. James Shelton, commander of the U.S. Army 28th Infantry; Vietnam veteran Steve Goodman; and athletic director Jake von Scherrer. Ramras is a four-year letter winner for Palmer Trinity and led the Falcons to their best season ever. He also has lettered in wrestling and track and is an outstanding student with plans for a career in medicine. The Black Lion Award is given annually to high school football players across the country in memory of Don Holleder, a West Point cadet who unselfishly moved from end – where he was an All American — to quarterback to help his team. He received no All America honors that year, but his leadership helped Army beat nationally ranked Navy. Holleder was later killed in Vietnam while trying to help move wounded soldiers to safety.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Launch Completed – Saving Lives Begins
BY ANN LINO Since 1973, Kendall Regional Medical Center (KRMC) has provided the community with emergency services growing with the community in numbers of patients treated and in quality of service. In fact, Kendall Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room was the first hospital in Miami to be recognized by HealthGrades for emergency services in 2010 and then again in 2011 and it was the only hospital recognized two years in a row for such services. The statistics which are staggering explain why this ER stands out in this recognition. In 2010, KRMC’s Emergency Room treated nearly 70,000 patients. Of that total, almost 15,000 were children. For past decade, KRMC has had a pediatric emergency room known as Kidsville. This is a dedicated portion of the ER specifically designed to be kid friendly. In addition, KRMC also has a nationally certified stroke program in its ER, as well as a chest pain center for heart attack patients. The KRMC Emergency Room is one of the busiest in Miami Dade County for Metro Dade Rescue. The average wait time may actually be found by simply going online to Kendallmed.com or texting the letters ER to 23000. With the Provisional Level II Trauma Center at Kendall Regional launched on Nov. 19, 2011, the community benefits from a great new resource to save life and limb as the KRMC emergency team expands its services. Thus far, this new Trauma Center is receiving an average of 3 trauma cases a day, cases that may have had different outcomes had this center not been in place. Trauma Center Medical Director, Dr. Mark McKenney predicts more than additional 150 lives will be saved in the next ten years because this geographically well situated trauma center shaves critical minutes off treatment time. “After the long process involved in gaining approval to open this Level II Trauma Center at Kendall Regional Medical Center, you can be sure our team is among the best anywhere,” states Dr. McKenney, a super star world renowned trauma surgeon who was recruited from Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center to take on the task on building and leading this Center. While the Trauma Center’s helipad allows Miami Dade Fire Rescue to brings trauma patients by air, it is often easier to bring patients by ground with this new location in West Dade. Of course, having a fully staffed trauma team physically on site 24/ 7, means patients are treated immediately upon arrival with no wait time for physicians to be called in. That is the key to saving lives. Residents and businesses in the area take pride in the Center and, as one area resident remarked, “When I hear the helicopters, I know that lives are being saved. That said, instead of being bothered by the noise, I feel good knowing we have this at our disposal.” For all of West Kendall and South Florida, the impact of KRMC's emergency room services has been one that is reflected in lives saved. For their dedicated staff, it has only just begun as they look to the future and address the needs of an ever expanding population.
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Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
Advice for getting through a divorce BY DEBBIE MARTINEZ Divorce Coach
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I’m moving out. Is it best to get a place close to the kids and my ex? Close proximity is always best for convenience sake. If the kids forget something at one of the houses (and they will) and for pick ups and drop offs. How close is up to you. Factors to take into account: Your drive to work, do you have an ex that will drive by your house to see who’s there, budget constraints. If there is a house around the corner, but you’re going to be aggravated by your ex driving by, it’s not worth it. Or if you have to drive 30 minutes for pick-ups, you’ll be stressed. Weigh everything carefully. My ex never returns the clothes, etc. that I send with my son. I feel like I am stocking up his apartment. This is always a big source of frustration. You might want to send him an email nicely asking him to gather up all your son’s things and send them back and to please make sure he returns with what he went over with. If that doesn’t work and your son is older, ask him to bring his things back. Explain to him that the clothes you buy need to stay here. Nothing is worse than getting ready to go out, only to find out your son’s dress pants are at his dad’s. If he leaves his favorite xBox game over there and has to go days without playing it, maybe next time he’ll remember to bring it back. I had a client who would only send her son over with certain clothes and shoes. The one tip I can offer is to not become a ping-pong ball. Running over to the ex’s every time the kids forget something. Trust me, you do that and they will continue to “forget”.
I’m overwhelmed with all the paperwork and emails from my attorney, accountant, etc. So now I just ignore them. Divorce by nature is overwhelming, but ignoring all the phone calls, emails and paperwork will only sink you deeper in the hole and get your attorney upset with you. Get yourself a folder that has several dividers. Use one section for attorney correspondence, one for your attorney’s bill, one for the accountant. Organizing your paperwork will help you feel a sense of orderliness at a time when you feel your life is chaotic. When you get any kind of mail, don’t stockpile it. Open it up and file it right away. Most of the time, the attorney is sending you copies of things that went out. Emails are different. They usually want something from you. Take a deep breath and tell yourself this is just one more step closer to all this being over. You don’t have to stop and do it right then, but having that email read and not hanging over your head, dreading the thought of opening it, does make you feel better. Pace yourself and depending on your schedule, give yourself permission to have a couple of days a week where you don’t do any divorce related things. Debbie Martinez is a Certified Divorce Life Coach. She has given workshops on divorce and women’s issues and has offices in South Miami. For more information, go to <www.thepowerofdivorcecoach.com>.
Dec. 19, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012
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Zinc Lozenges in Adequate Doses May Shorten Duration of the Common Cold BY SONIA MARTINEZ, RPH
Zinc stimulates the immune system and zinc deficiency increases the risk of infections. An analysis of 13 placebo-controlled studies showed strong evidence that adequate doses of zinc may reduce the duration and intensity of the common cold. Contradictory results in various studies can largely be explained by the formulation of the lozenges or the variation in the total daily dose of zinc that the person obtained from the lozenges. Many trials with daily zinc doses of over 75 mg have found significant reductions in the duration of colds. Zinc lozenges have caused side effects such as bad taste and constipation that stopped when lozenge use was discontinued, but there is no evidence that short-term occasional use would cause longterm harm. Ask our compounding pharmacist about the most appropriate preparations for your family.
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Marco Drugs and Compounding will provide you with compounded medications prepared with the highest standards and with high quality bulk materials, traditional prescriptions and high grade nutraceuticals, supplements and multivitamins. We provide to you health information in a clean, comfortable, fun and safe environment. Make us your doorway to total health. Marco Drugs & Compounding is located at 6627 South Dixie Highway, Tel: 305-665-4411 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: 305-663-3258 Email:marcodrugs@bellsouth.net <www.marcodrugs.com> This article is intended to provide information on healthrelated matters. The ideas expressed cannot be used to diagnose or treat individual health problems and should not be taken as medical advice or instruction.
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“LET ME BRING YOU HOME!” FOR SALE
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Page 45
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World was abuzz over Miami mega event – Art Basel BY CARL RACHELSON
It’s a pilgrimage of sorts for many around the world interested in attending Art Basel; for us in Miami, it’s a drive, shuttle, Metrorail, or bike ride away. Perhaps you are late to this art game – at the movies, watching the debates, (pre) occupied by Wall Street, or busy playing with your Smartphone. If so, you’ve been missing out on something raging like Everglades wildfires in early May, a bona-fide explosion of creativity throughout much of Miami. While the hashtags tweeted from Miami’s tankless water coolers last month may have centered on topics like the end of the NBA lockout, the new Miami Marlins’ logo, and Herman Cain’s visit to Versailles, the rest of the world was abuzz over the city’s grandest mega event, Art Basel. Cyberspace was full of addresses touting this exhibit, that installation, this opening, that gallery, this or that. Never before had the world seen so much furniture, paintings, industrial décor, sculpture, performance, film, music, graffiti, and edgy, cutting-edge edginess collide as the beach, the bay, and we suburbanites took a back seat. Oh, and did I mention the traffic? Aside from the granddaddy – Art Basel itself on the beach in the Convention Center – dozens of peripheral events orbited around the Beach, the Design District, and Wynwood. Amid the opulent lobbies of our finest hotels, massive pavilions symbolically erected in seven days or less, and once abandoned but newly redesigned warehouses, dealers from Tokyo to Tierra del Fuego unpacked crates of craftwork to crowds of creatures clamoring for creativity. Throughout the week, bloggers were all
about sightings of Adrien Brody, P Diddy, A-Rod, Owen Wilson, and countless Kardashian lookalikes, the soundtrack blasting NAS, Shaggy and Theophilus London or on Spotify. By Sunday, everyone was down a few dozen Advil. This whirlwind Miami experience invigorates visitors, along with all our DASH and New World graduates, unlike any other weekend of the year – bigger than, dare I say, ULTRA, or even the Super Bowl. Every venue in the city piles on. There are happenings at the SoHo Beach House, the Mondrian and the W, where the security is rougher than the TSA. There are gatherings at the Delano, the Ricochet Lounge and the Dutch. There are showings at The Bakehouse, SEVEN and Primary Projects. Jennifer Rubell hosted her art show/breakfast for the umpteenth consecutive year. If you remain unfamiliar with these spots, you have been hoisting too many at Miller’s Ale House or the Sports Grill. There – it’s out there! Miami’s sub-communities are loaded with all kinds of folks other than Heat, Dolphin and Cane haters. In our schools, driveways and monthly art walks, there exist the ingredients to stimulate ongoing fountains of ingenuity. Finding the Art World’s next Iron Chef is a major undertaking – a crapshoot of sorts. Remember, this is not a ride to your neighborhood Starbucks, but a quest to find a pop-up Nespresso opportunity in a botanical garden. Everyone can find Sushi Maki, but Sakaya Kitchen is another thing. Around the corner may be a Mickey Ds, but there is only one Phuc Yea and only for a moment. In any case, few know what the future may deliver, Picasso or The Situation, but in the end – well, art speaks for itself. Here is some of what it said: Art Miami runs a splendid affair. It is amazing to see how age, wealth and plastic surgery do little to impede one’s ability to
grab seats in the VIP Lounge. This crowd pays homage to an era populated by the Rat Pack, as suave gray foxes admire all the fair has to offer; the street in front of the Art Miami tent has more pick-ups and drop-offs than Terminal E at MIA. That said, peripheral as it may be, the art was superb. Across the street, Red Dot gave me a headache. More Advil. The last time everybody saw that much red was after receiving the stub noting an annual increase in health insurance, at a bullfight, or at Target. There was some red I admired, particularly Frank Hyder’s fish swirling on canvas. His Projects Gallery shares Philadelphia and Wynwood locations. At Art Asia, Lee-Nam Lee’s scroll drew attention with a ten-minute rendition of a Korean transformation of a traditional scroll; from the placid majesty of mountains and waterfalls, development begins, recasts the landscape, with its cranes adding urban grit. Before long, the sky changes and aircraft darken the sky. War breaks out, and what was once beautiful becomes a battle royal, ultimately shooting down the Chinese characters that graced the top of the scroll in the beginning. This take on the four seasons is exhilarating and frightening. Art Asia shares a space with another exquisite perennial favorite – Scope, this go round featuring 80 galleries from around the world. Scope has been curating shows in Miami for the past 11 years. At Scope, one could enjoy the Mona Lisa With Spray Can by Blek le Rat who used a spray can. Photography by Ursela Sprecher and Andi Cortellini won the Grand Prize. Corporate sponsorships always reflect burgeoning mass-market appeal, and the presence of Bombay Sapphire granting Harlem artist Lerone Wilson the award insures more of a mainstream presence for Scope in the city.
ART in MIAMI Pulse, at the edge of the long shadows of the Arsht Center, in Miami’s wood-beamed, white Ice Palace, is the coolest of the spaces. The long-running aesthetic includes swinging red hammocks, landscaped gardens, waterfalls, lounges, and a café or two. It’s the venue where you might spend a great day without looking at anything at all, just chillin’ in the chaise by a Buddha with your single speed chained to the fence outside. The exhibitors, however, are first class. Berlin’s FTC. Showed one of Alain Delorme’s outstanding photos from his Totem series, a photo-shopped Shanghai street scene displaying a pile of tubes, hoses, and pipes upon a wobbly bicycle rickshaw of sorts. In Wynwood, everybody who had ever tagged a building or dreamt of occupying an art gallery was on the corner hanging out – from NW 29th Street and Miami Avenue to NW 2nd Avenue and 20th Street, it was wall to wall with tourists, artists, food trucks, bikes, and spray paint – everyone looking for something or somebody. Whether at the upscale magnet, the Wynwood Walls, or the reasonable hangout, Panther Coffee, the center held from Wednesday to Sunday, and Miami got its party on unlike any other week of the year. Carl Rachelson has a Masters Degree in the Humanities and is an English teacher at Palmer Trinity School. He may be contacted by email at <crachelson@palmertrinity.org>.
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