Our City Pembroke Pines: December 2022

Maria C. Martinez Realtor

“We worried about taking care of her house, taking care of her bills and especially taking care of her needs…all the things every daughter has to face when Mom is a senior living alone. Moving to The Palace solved all of that.”

There are good reasons why The Palace has been voted the #1 senior community in America. But maybe the best one is the peace of mind everyone in the family can enjoy day in, day out.

Every detail and every resident is #1 to us. You’ll never have to worry. And hopefully, you’ll always look this happy.

Scan QR to chat with us.

Luxury Living for Seniors

16025 Emerald Estates Drive, Weston, FL www.ThePalaceAtWeston.com • 954.217.2000

“When Mom moved to The Palace, I had the best peace of mind I ever had.”

Account Executives

John Brodie, Denise Caligiuri, Adrienne Collins, Caleb Furlong, Mariem Garcia, Carlos Medina, Kenny Rodgers, Silvia Silva

Contributing Writers

Terry Jaillet, Jon Duka, Dr. Robert Donoway, Dr. John Goodner, Amelis Lopez, Mayor Frank C. Ortis, Dr. Isabel Suate Advertising Info sales@ourcitymedia.com Visit Us Online ourcitymedia.com 954-306-1007 400 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway Suite 200C • Sunrise, FL 33325

Small acts of kindness can be contagious. A few years ago, when our kids were in Elementary School, Christy dropped them off at school and decided to go to the drive-through at a coffee shop. When she got to the window, with her credit card in hand, the barista told her that the driver of the car in front of her had already paid for her order. Christy looked up, but the other car had already sped off, having accomplished their covert act of goodwill. Christy decided to pay the kindness forward, as did the car behind her. A chain reaction of friendly gestures began as the next car carried on giving the gift of a cup of cof fee as well.

We visited Deerfield Beach this weekend. We saw a mother, who was busy with twin young girls while her older son played in the surf. The tide slowly carried the boy down the beach, as it tends to do. The mother tried to get his attention over the sound of the surf to no avail. Seeing the distress on the mom’s face, a couple offered to watch the girls while she went to retrieve her son. All was well when they returned. We were grateful the kind couple was there to help the mom.

These simple gestures of doing good remind us of President George H. W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural address. He spoke about a thousand points of light. Individuals across the country do “good deeds” for the betterment of all.

Let’s make this holiday season a time when we all look out for each other. Be one of those points of light with an act of kindness.

Sincerely,

December 2022 Calendar

DECEMBER 3

Snowfest & Lighting Ceremony

The City of Pembroke Pines Recreation and Cultural Arts Department invites all Pem broke Pines residents to join them for the annual SNOW FEST event at the Charles F. Dodge City Center. 75 tons of snow, a tree lighting ceremony, games and activities for kids of all ages, and a visit from Santa! Be sure to dress up for the Ugliest Sweater contest! Tickets are required. Get tickets Monday-Friday at the Pembroke Lakes Ten nis Center, 10500 Taft Street. For more info, call 954-392-2116.

DECEMBER 3

Mrs. Claus’

Davie Christmas

Bring the kids to the Old Davie School His torical Museum to meet Mrs. Claus and more. Write a letter to Santa Claus with an old-fash ioned ink pen and read a holiday story with Mrs. Clause! Storytime begins at 10:30 am and Noon. $5 admission. Hosted at the Old Davie Historical Museum, 6650 Griffin Road. For more info, visit www.olddavieschool.org.

DECEMBER 9

Teen Art Club Workshop

The Frank’s new teenager program holds month ly workshops for middle and high school students to explore art mediums and creative expression with artist and educator Melanie Oliva. FREE for children ages 13-18. 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm at The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery, 601 City Center Way. For more info call 954-392-2120.

DECEMBER 2-3

Aviation Expo

Come experience Aviation Up Close and Personal during the 5th Annual Miramar Aviation Expo. “School Day” will be on Friday from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, with a “Community Day” from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Free Admission, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties are international hubs for aviation and one of the goals of this year’s Aviation Expo is to introduce and expose as many children, youth, and residents to the vast opportunities in aviation. Hands-on interac tive areas will be showcased and displayed --- Drones and Drone Sims, Aircraft Flight SIMs and NASA Smarts Skies SIMs, Static Displays, Helicopter, and KID Zone. Hosted at The Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park. 16801 Miramar Parkway. For more info visit www.mirarmarfl.gov.

DECEMBER 3&4

Audacy Beach Festival

It’s good vibes and better music! Come rock out on Fort Lauderdale Beach to music by Machine Gun Kelly, Muse, The 1975, Jack White, Jimmy Eat World, The Used, Phoenix, Dashboard Confessional, YUNGBLUD, The Struts, and more. Tickets are available for Saturday, Sunday or both days. For a full list of artists or to purchase tickets visit www.audacybeachfestival.com

DECEMBER 10

Winterfest Boat Parade

The 51st annual Winterfest Boat Parade will kick off in downtown Fort Lauderdale at 6:30 pm. The Parade starts at Stranahan House, traveling East along the New River in Fort Lauderdale to the Intracoastal Waterway as it continues North to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. It’s 12 Miles from the “Best Show on H20.” The Parade takes approxi mately 2 and 1/2 hours to view from one loca tion (starting locations stagger as you travel north). For more info, visit www.winterfestparade.com.

December 2022 Calendar

DECEMBER 16-18

The Nutcracker

Christmas music embodies the spirit of the season. Treat your ears to classical Yuletide tunes and buy your tickets to see The Nut cracker, presented by the International Bal let Company. More than 130 cast members pirouette across a wintry stage to recreate the classic, fantastical children’s ballet tale that has drawn sold-out crowds for the last 12 years to the Coral Springs Arts Center. Matinee and evening shows are available. For tickets, visit www.thecentercs.com

DECEMBER 18

Savor the Sounds

The music and food series is rolling into Pines. Savor the Sounds is a fusion of music and food trucks - the perfect way to get the family together for a relaxing, feel-good evening of good food and good music. This month will feature the TJ Cronin Holiday Band and Alli Miranda. 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Cen ter Way. For more info visit www.ppines. com/325/Special-Events.

DECEMBER 24

Santa Visits South Florida

Listen for the sirens and wait curbside for Santa and his elves arrival. They will be trav eling around South Florida on Christmas Eve delivering presents to all the boys and girls. For more information visit emailsanta.com.

DECEMBER 16-23

Flamingo Gardens’ Garden of Lights

Thousands of lights and holiday decor fill the Arboretum and Wray Lawn at Flamingo Gardens! Flamingo Gardens’ annual holi day event features an after-hours, self-guid ed walk through the botanical gardens adorned with thousands of lights and dec orations. Enjoy visits with Santa and some of his friends along with nightly musical performances. Stop by the Flamingo Pond Snack Bar for holiday treats and beverages available for purchase. Scan the QR code for more info or tickets.

DECEMBER 25

Christmas Day

The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the holiday as well as good will, miracles, and time spent together with family and friends.

DECEMBER 30

Orange Bowl Fan Fest

Don’t miss the Capital One Orange Bowl Fan Fest! Admission to the event is FREE for all fans with a ticket to the Capital One Orange Bowl. In addition, to live perfor mances, there will be tons of activities and vendors for the whole family to enjoy! Come out to the Capital One Orange Bowl Fan Fest and enjoy plenty of food and beverages, a zip line, free fall, bungee trampoline, rock climbing wall, face painters, caricaturists, interactive games and more!

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Hard Rock Stadium. For info visit www.orangebowl.org.

DECEMBER 31

New Year’s Eve

Wishing all our readers a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year from all of us at Our City Media!

Y E A R S O F E X P E R I E N C E

M A R I A C O R I N A M A R T I N E Z

With a background in Business Administration, Maria is proud to be one of the first original agents that joined Keller Williams Legacy Weston. MC GROUP within KWL was founded in 2005. Maria is happy to be celebrating her 25th Anniversary in the Real Estate business, where she continues to be the Team Leader of the Top Sales Group in KWL Weston This can only be achieved with a high level of service, passion, a genuine interest in serving her client’s needs and always striving to help them have the best experience possible along the way When you work with Maria, you can trust she will not only represent your best interests, but also boldly negotiate on your behalf. You can count on her experience and her well respected reputation in the industry with fellow Realtors along with her team of carefully selected real estate professionals Each of the team members adds value and diversity to the group, helping to offer the highest level of representation and service to all clients Over 75 percent of their business is repeat customers and referrals

N T E G R I T Y , C O M M I T M E N T & P R O V E N A P P R O A C H

Snowfest & Tree Lighting TICKETS AVAILABLE

Between trips to the shopping malls, holiday parties, and baking cookies and treats, it’s a festive, yet hectic time of the year. But we must remember that there a quite a few holiday happenings all around town that should not be missed.

SnowFest

The City of Pembroke Pines Recreation and Cultural Arts Department invites Pembroke Pines residents to the Annual Snowfest Event on Saturday, December 3, 2022 from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Charles F. Dodge City Center located at 601 City Center Way. For Pines residents only, free tickets are required and are available beginning November 7, 2022.

Santa and his friends will be there along with tons of snow to play in. And, the air will be filled with the sounds of the holidays with over 300 singers and dancers on the holiday stage. And, Santa and City officials will need everyone’s help to light up the 35ft tree on the plaza.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at 6:30 pm. There will also be an Ugly Sweater Contest, with roaming judges who will award prizes between 5 pm and 6 pm for the BEST or in this case “The Ugliest Holiday Sweater.” There will also be free parking, rides and free holiday activities with Santa from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Concessions and food trucks will be available

for food and drink purchases. This event is open to Pembroke Pines Residents Only. Tickets, which are free, are required for Snowfest. Tickets are limited, on a first come, first served basis.

Please follow these easy steps to create your account and start enjoying the city’s new software to get tickets: Log on using the QR Code; Click Log In/Create Account in the upper left corner; select account preferences build, customize, and add all family members to your account.

Once the account has been established locate the Ticket Tab, select the tickets needed and print. Please note that there is a maximum of six (6) tickets per household.

Should a resident not have access to online registering, city staff will walk residents through the process at Price Park, 901 NW 208th Ave., 954-437-1140, 1 pm to 9 pm Mon-Fri and 9 am to 6 pm Sat/Sun; Towngate, 901 NW 155 Ave., 954-450-6895, 9 am to 9 pm Mon-Sat, 9 am to 6 pm Sunday; or Pembroke Lakes Tennis, 10500 Taft St., 954-431-4146, 8:00am-8:00pm Mon-Fri, 8:00am-5:00pm Sat/Sun.

If you have trouble accessing your account or have questions regarding registration, please contact the Recreation office for assistance: recreation@ppines.com or call the Special Events Office at 954-392-2116. For more information, please visit www.ppines.com/specialevents.

Holiday Open House

Next is the Holiday Open House which will be held at the Carl Schecter Southwest Focal Point Community Center on December 13th, 14th and 16th. The free annual event which is open to the public is 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm each night. The center will be transformed into a holiday wonderland where a multitude of festive holiday exhibits, over 30 themed Christmas trees, live entertainment, hot chocolate, and cookies, and most importantly, a visit from Santa will be featured.

Savor The Sounds

Finally, as December’s signature holiday approaches, Savor the Sounds is a perfect way to wind down and relax during the season. Grab a blanket or bring some chairs and listen to soothing tunes from TJ Cronin Holiday Band and Alli Miranda on the Plaza at the Charles F. Dodge City Center on Sunday, December 18th from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

Check out some of Our City Pembroke Pines readers’ favorite businesses! We will be featuring some of “The Best” throughout the year.

Best Window Treatments

A Shade Above Fashions

5967 S. University Drive, Davie www.ashadeaboveflorida.com 954-434-8701

For the past 35 years, A Shade Above Window Fashions has been the place to go when selecting window coverings for your home. It offers the finest products on the market by some of the best names in the business. In fact, in 2000, A Shade Above was selected as the nation’s first Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Gallery.

One of the reasons A Shade Above is continually voted Best Window Treatments is its unique shopping experience. When visiting its recently expanded showroom, you will receive a tour of the newest shades and blinds available today. Recognizing that it can be difficult to decide based on a small sample, A Shade Above offers more than 100 full-size displays to visualize how the product will appear in their home and have the chance to operate the window treatments. In addi tion, A Shade Above’s attentive staff boasts decades of experi ence in the window coverings industry and are always avail able to answer questions to help you make the best decision for your needs.

Best Fish & Chips

The Pub - Pembroke Pines

237 SW 145th Terrace www.experiencethepub.com 954-430-4230

If you are looking for a festive place with a great British vibe, there is no better spot in South Florida than The Pub Pembroke Pines. Located at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens, The Pub is a comfortable place to enjoy a pint with your “mates.” The ambiance is decidedly relaxed and the bartend ers really do treat you like a neighbor.

What makes The Pub high on any foodie’s to-do list is their incredible Fish and Chips. They provide ample helpings of hand-cut haddock fillets that are covered with homemade beer batter. Their bespoke tartar sauce is to die for and we loved the thick-cut “chips” that come along with it. Our read ers can’t wait to have those perfectly fried pieces melt in their mouths. It is no wonder the Pub Pembroke Pines was voted Best Fish

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PEMBROKE PINES: 954•431•8484 Must Present this Ad by 12/31/23

BEST SMILE COSMETIC DENTISTRY MIRAMAR: 954•248•2601

PEMBROKE PINES: 954•431•8484 Must Present this Ad by 12/31 /23

Kid Hero 5K - Be Someone’s Superhero

Dress up as a superhero, put on your running shoes, and hit the road! The 19th Annual KID Hero 5K is set for January 28th at Vista View Park in Davie. The family-friendly run/ walk will raise funds for Kids In Distress (KID) and is much more than your average road race. Participants are encouraged to release their inner superhero by dressing up in their best costume solo or as a team! The day will also include a “Smallville” Kids Fun Run and Fun Zone, Gotham tent, a Power-Up Breakfast and family-friendly entertainment.

All funds raised from the race will benefit Kids in Distress. KID has been carrying out our mission to prevent child abuse, preserve the family, and treat children who have been abused and/or neglected for more than 42 years. They manage a five-acre multiple program campus in Fort Lauderdale and a four-acre campus in Southwest Ranches, that includes two family foster group homes.

KID’s services include individual, family, and group therapy and counseling; preschool, after care and summer camp programs; recruitment, training, and support of foster/adoptive homes; and prevention, reunification, family preservation and maternal and child health services.

ArtFest Celebrates South Florida Artists

The City of Pembroke Pines, families, friends, guests, and artists came together for the 24th Annual ArtFest in the Pines at the Charles F. Dodge City Center.

The two-day event was as good as it gets for art enthusiasts. ArtFest offered attendees the best musical entertainment South Florida had to offer, refreshments and delightful snacks from the gourmet truck expo, hands-on demonstrations, pop-up art on the plaza, a kids’ art and game zone, a student art competition and shopping. As well as, both adult and children workshops at The Frank Art Gallery on the plaza.

ArtFest in the Pines highlighted an extensive amount of fine arts in catego ries such as Painting, Digital Art, Fine Handcrafts, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Photography, Wood, Three Dimensional Sculpture, Drawing, and Crafts. Best in show awards were given for a number of disciplines.

The following artists were recognized for the outstanding work that they exhib ited during the exhibition:

• Best Painting - Judy Nunno

• Best Photography - Steve Wewerka

• Best Jewelry - David Barber

• Best Mix Media - Harmony Jones

• Best Crafts - Norman Snyder

• Best Glass - Mike Pizzelanti

• Best Wood - Manny Moreno

• Best Fine Handcrafts - Christina Green

• Best Drawing - Cynthia Tejada

• Best Sculpture - Yoenis Delgado

• Best in Show - Paul Henry Devoti

▸ The City of Pembroke Pines Parks, Recre ation and Cultural Arts Department hosts a variety of Special Events. For the most up to date special event information or interested in becoming a sponsor, please call 954-392-2116 or visit www.ppines.com/ specialevents

School Choice Applications Accepted Through February 3, 2023

chool-aged children living in Broward County are assigned to a school based on their home address and grade level. Parents can, however, apply for their child to attend a school other than the one their child is assigned school. The period where parents can apply for their child to attend a different school, or the school choice application window, opens on December 1 and will be closed on February 3.

School Choice

By state law, students may apply to attend any public school that has not reached capacity, regardless of their home address. To determine which schools are accepting applications, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) reviews enrollment data and projected students.

Parents may request a school that is accepting applications by complet ing a School Choice Application during the application window.

School Choice Applications are awarded using a computerized random selection process. If more seats at a school become available during the School Choice process, additional selections from the application pool will be made. There is no guarantee that a child’s application will be granted.

How to Apply

There are three alternative options avail

able for families. These options include Magnet Programs, Nova Schools, or a reassignment School. Parents can submit one application for each option per child. Applications must be submitted on BCPS’ website prior to February 3.

Parents will be notified if their child was selected on February 10 for NOVA, March 3 for Magnet schools and March 17-24 for reassignment.

The Elusive Stress Fracture in the Runner

By Dr. Michael M. Cohen, DPM, FACFAS

othing is more frustrating to a runner than an injury which occurs just when the training sched ule calls for ramping up mileage or intensity in time for competition. During my 35 years as a foot and ankle spe cialist treating runners in our community, I have personally witnessed not just the physical, but the emotional toll these injuries can inflict, and can truly empathize with them as I myself have fallen victim to these same unfortunate circumstances, and on multiple occasions. As runners we forget that our sport is not a passive but violent one, as each foot strike results in an impact equivalent to 3 or 4 times our body weight. To put it bluntly, training is a form of self-inflicted injury with the hopes that the ongoing cycle of injury and healing will ultimately lead to stronger muscles, tendons and bones after recovery. This is a positive and most desirable outcome which we refer to as “conditioning”. Unfortunately training exuberance tips the balance in favor of injury, sometimes with the best intentions of the coach, family or athlete and leads to the body’s inability to perform. This is when breakdown (injury) occurs resulting in a concept I call “reverse conditioning” secondary to overtraining.

One such common overuse running injury is referred to as a stress reaction which in later stages develops into a stress fracture. Most athletes with a stress reaction present with an insidious onset of pain in a focal area sometimes confused with muscle soreness or tendinitis. Stress reactions and stress fractures represent fatigue failure injuries and are secondary to overuse. A stress reaction precedes a stress fracture in the bone fatigue continuum and is hallmarked by microscopic failure without an actual visible break in the bone. X-rays are typically negative in this stage of injury and better imaged with bone scans or MRI. The MRI is a very sensitive imaging technique which depicts swelling in bone at this early stage. As the fracture continues to develop, heat, swelling and pain are noticed during everyday activities. In severe cases the pain eventually precludes comfortable weight bearing and physical exercise causing the athlete to limp.

Stress on bone creates constant remodeling affecting a balance between the cells which eliminate injured bone (like tiny vacuum cleaners) and cells which replace injured bone with newer healthier bone. Overtraining, either by adding mileage, speed or inclines will tilt the balance in favor of the cells evacuating injured bone. This ultimately results in a negative balance of healthy bone cells progressing to stress injury.

NAdding insult to injury, weak muscles in the thigh and leg supporting the bone structure by absorbing shock may further stress the physiologic capacity of bone to maintain its integrity causing it to fatigue. This is not unlike bending a paper clip back and forth until heat develops causing the metal wire to fatigue until it snaps into two segments. Stress fractures are very similar as the continued stress of training results in fatigue failure of bone, leading to microscopic cracks and subsequent true fracture if allowed to continue. It is during these late stages of the process that X-rays become a more reliable tool.

Not All Stress Fractures Are The Same

Stress fractures are generally classified into two types: low risk fractures- those that heal well and usually without long term sequelae and high-risk fractures - those which do not heal well and often require surgery. The designation of these two classification systems are essentially based on the location of these fractures. Bone stress injury treatment and return to play decision making is based on the site of injury, potential for healing and risk of significant complication. Proper treatment of the fracture is essential to avoid under -or over treating the condition. Clearly over treating the fracture may result in an unnecessary disruption of training and subsequent loss of physical conditioning referred to as “deconditioning”. Stress fractures deemed as high risk pose a significant risk for recurrence due to inadequate healing and at times may result in potentially devastating complications leading to career ending injuries. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is fundamental in allowing proper healing thereby minimizing the impact of the injury.

Treatment

Treatment for stress fractures should not focus on boney healing but should include an investigation of what we refer to as the intrin sic and extrinsic causes which resulted in the injury in the first place. Intrinsic factors include 1. Biomechanical- body type, foot type, inherent weakness and flexibility, and a factor many gloss over- running technique, 2. Nutritional specifically insufficient intake of protein, calcium and vitamin D 3. Hormonal factors- the most notable of which is estrogen. Female athletes with low bone mass have a higher predilection for certain stress fractures. This is especially noted in women at risk. This includes those with low body mass, or have stopped menstruating and/or have a history or family history of osteoporosis. This group will require a proper medical workup consisting of blood tests and a bone density scan often requiring a team approach with various specialists.

Extrinsic factors on the other hand consist of training errors and improper equipment. This includes but is not limited to the influences of

terrain, running form and improper running shoes. To be effective, an individualized developmental plan for an effective return to play schedule should take these factors into consideration. The strategy, particularly when dealing with low risk fractures, may require decreasing training volume and intensity, using proper equipment, changing running technique, and cross training. Using this tactic assures that the athlete does not suffer a substantial loss of conditioning while recovering from injury. Sports medicine physicians realize all too well that extended time off training may adversely affect the recovery. Recouping the body’s strength, flexibility and ability to balance is significantly hindered with overprotective measures and results in an extended loss of training time. So why create a problem in order to solve one? With a proper rehabilitation plan, the athlete is given the best chance for a faster recovery while resulting in a protective effect from future injury.

Alternatively, high risk stress fractures as previously mentioned have more frequent com plications such as poor healing, non-healing, and at times re-fracturing after healing is thought to have been completed. These are very frustrating scenarios which unfortunately often leads the athlete to abandon the sport. The treatment for high risk stress fractures should be based on the immediate goal of preventing any progression of the fracture and avoiding long-term complica tions. Because of the significant complications associated with this injury, it is suggested that athletes with evidence of a high-risk stress fracture immediately discontinue their activity. Unfortunately, with these fractures, prolonged immobilization with weight bearing restrictions or operative management are often the treatments of choice.

So, remember to listen to those nagging injuries and avoid reverse conditioning. Make sure that you heed the signs of injury before the injury heeds you.

▸

Dr. Michael Cohen has a marathon PR of 2:37 at age 21; 2:50 at age 39 and at 50 was a top 3 age group finisher in both the ING Miami and Disney Half Marathons. In 1997 he placed third overall in the Florida Gatorade Duathlon series. Michael M Cohen, DPM, is a Board-Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon and Diplomate of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Sur geons and Board Certified and Diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. He prac tices with the Foot, Ankle, and Leg Specialists of South Florida specializing in lower leg injuries and reconstructive surgery of the foot and an kle. The South Florida Institute of Sports Medi cine in Weston is located at 1600 Town Center Blvd, Suite C, (954) 389-5900 and in Pembroke Pines at 17842 NW 2nd St, (954) 430-9901.

www.SouthFloridaSportsMedicine.org

Happy Holidays from Your Chamber President

It’s Small Business Season! By now you’ve likely seen the statistics that shopping locally keeps roughly $70 out of every $100 in our community, whereas shopping at a national chain means about $40 remains here. What does it mean to you and your family? A lot more than you may think.

When the business spends locally on what they need to do business (like inventory, utilities, and payroll), that has a direct impact on the local economy. While chains are typically limited by corporate on where they can source their goods, a small business owner can choose to keep some of those purchases local. An indirect impact is also felt when that owner and their employees spend their profits locally as well.

But more than that, when your child has a school expense like a club trip or sporting event, it's your local small business owner that is usually asked to chip in. They get their name listed as a sponsor and your child is one step closer to their goal. Local nonprofits are also helped at a higher rate by local businesses versus large corporations.

The more locally owned businesses per capita that a community has, the better off that place is on many of the other indicators of community health. The larger the share of transactions in our economy—buying, producing, investing—that involves a locally owned business, the more thriving, equitable, and resilient our economy and community can be.

This holiday season, you should know that where you spend your money is an investment in the growth and prosperity of our area. You’re either investing for maximized returns on your holiday dollars by spending locally or you’re not. We hope it’s the former

Yours in Service, Patty Archer Chamber President

Pet of the Month “Happy”

Hi my name is Happy I’m a 2 years beagle who love my pack (my family). My mom says that I’m the warmest and clever dog in the world. My dad says that I’m loyal and perspective dog that he ever known. I’m just be happy to be with my pack, be around kids and enjoy my walks.

By Frank C. Ortis

Dear Readers, Looking back at 2022, we were thrilled to have many of our events come back in full swing and introduce new programs for our residents to enjoy. From Taste of Pines and Pines Day, when we celebrated turning 62, to the various holiday events, programs, camps, sports, senior classes, art exhibitions and more throughout the year, we have given it our all and hope that we have met the needs of our residents in every way.

We took the opportunity to enhance our very popular free Jazz in the Pines concert series by replacing it with a new free music and food series called “Savor the Sounds.” It is a fusion of music and food trucks, and lawn games for families to enjoy, held on Sundays from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Charles F. Dodge City Center, located at 601 City Center Way. Residents and visitors can check the concert schedule on the city’s website at www.ppines.com/specialevents but several dates include December 18, January 22, etc. And, we are so pleased that the City of Pembroke Pines Art and Cultural Division once again is featuring Live Painting Artists at the event to complement the featured musician. There is plenty of room to set up lawn chairs or spread a blanket to enjoy the outdoor concerts which are held weather permitting. Just a reminder, that no pets are allowed. I hope to see everyone at Savor the Sounds.

The Frank Art Gallery also saw some change this year with a new curator joining us. From special art exhibitions to workshops and art talks, The Frank has truly become a destination for all ages to enjoy, learn from and experience art in a very special way. A new mural was also painted on the side of the building entitled “The Spirit of Us” which captures the beauty of Florida’s animals and nature. I encourage everyone to stop by to see this beautiful work of art, take pictures and just enjoy.

Our Carl Shechter Southwest Focal Point Community Center continues to offer a large array of classes, programs and special events throughout the year. In keeping up with resident needs, new programs are constantly being added that are informational or fun. Following the restrictions brought on by the pandemic, the Center is once again bustling with energy.

As we look back through 2022, we also can’t help but consider and plan for the future. The results from a Transportation Master Plan Survey and a Parks and Recreation Master Plan Survey, introduced this year, helped us garner important feedback from our residents and visitors for the future so that we can address key mobility needs and improve the City’s transportation system, as well as determine the best use of City Parks, recreation amenities and facilities. Such surveys are great tools in reaching many, but we also want our residents to know that our doors are always open to listening to ideas and concerns to better serve our communities.

Please keep in touch with all that is happening in the City of Pembroke Pines through our website, which will be newly revamped in 2023, at www.ppines.com, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Next Door), our newspaper City Connect, YouTube (Pembroke Pines Media) and Pines Media TV on Comcast channel 78 or ATT U-verse channel 99.

Wishing you all a safe and joyous holiday season, with a happy and prosperous New Year! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 954-450-1020 or by e-mail at fortis@ppines.com.