1st Priority Restoration.....................9A Classified........................................10A Elite Auctioneers..............................3A Hallandale Beach.............................5A
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M A R C H 4 , 2 0 2 1 • 1 0 PA G E S • V O L U M E 1 8 • I S S U E 2 4
AVENTURA • BAL HARBOUR • DANIA BEACH • HALLANDALE BEACH • HOLLYWOOD • NORTH MIAMI BEACH • PEMBROKE PINES • PEMBROKE PARK • SURFSIDE • SUNNY ISLES BEACH
Holding Scammers Accountable
$1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Package
Attorney General Ashley Moody Is Protecting Floridians
Criticized by Black Activists for “Fiscal Irresponsibility”
Attorney General Ashley Moody launched the No Scam app as another avenue for consumers to quickly and effectively report price gouging. Since 2019, Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division has secured more than $260 million in restitution and other relief for Floridians. Efforts to protect consumers quickly evolved early last year as COVID19 began to spread and Florida fell under a state of emergency. Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “As COVID-19 spread, so did scams exploiting the pandemic. Inevitably, as millions of Floridians started working from home to slow the spread of the virus, new schemes emerged capitalizing on fear of the virus and using the government’s response as a basis for creating new scams. These schemes relied heavily on technology - using emails, texts and robocalls as tools to reach targets in order to steal consumers’ money and personal information. “I am proud of the response by my Consumer Protection attorneys and investigators quickly adapting to this new environment to protect Floridians from fraud and deception. Because of their hard work, we have recovered millions of dollars for consumers and helped prevent countless Floridians from falling victim to emerging scams by issuing Consumer Alerts as we learn of Accountable, Page 4A
Lights Off, Lasers On! Gulfstream Park to Host a “Drive-In Laser Light Show” Drive-in and rock on! Starting on Thursday, March 4 – Sunday, March 7, Gulfstream Park, South Florida’s premier outdoor entertainment destination, will host a “Drive-In Laser Light Show,” an immersive laser light show experience for the whole family to enjoy. The socially distanced event will include action-packed laser lights and exciting graphic effects, all set to current pop, classic rock, a tribute to Van Halen, and other popular artists. There will be two shows per night, each show length is approximately 40 minutes. Gates open at 5 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show. Gates open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. Guests are encouraged to bring water and food/snacks and arrive at least one hour before show time. There will be clean and sanitized bathrooms on-site. This event is not recommended for those with epilepsy or extreme sensitivity to light. Gulfstream Park has implemented a number of important policies and procedures to safeguard the health and well-being of its valued guests and employees. The open-air entertainment
destination is adhering to the best practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local health care officials, to make Gulfstream Park a place where guests feel comfortable venturing back into public and reconnecting with friends and family. A social distance of six feet between visitors and face coverings are required. When: Thursday, March 4, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, March 5, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, March 6, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, March 7, at 7 p.m. Where: Gulfstream Park 901 S. Federal Hwy. Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 Cost: Drive-in Laser Light Show tickets and prices vary from one car $29 to $55 for VIP, and $99 for VIP Exclusive Front Row. Tickets must be purchased in advance at https://www.freshtix. com/events/laser-hollandale. For more information visit: https://cabinfeverlasershow.com/
About Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is South Florida’s premier entertainment, dining and restaurant destination, located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, anchored by the legendary Gulfstream Park racetrack. Gulfstream Park not only offers world-class Thoroughbred horse racing, but is also home to a casino and family-friendly venues including over 15 restaurants, outdoor cafes, art galleries, fashion retailers, state-of-the-art bowling alley, and a renowned selection of signature home stores. Gulfstream Park, voted a 2020 Top Travelers’ Choice Winner by TripAdvisor, is located at 901 South Federal Highway in Hallandale Beach, Florida, just two miles east of I-95, and a short drive from Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Valet service (may or may not be available due to COVID-19) and complimentary self-parking are available. Gulfstream Park is open seven days a week. For hours, schedules, upcoming events and additional information, visit their website www.gulfstreampark.com or call 954-454-7000.
The House of Representatives voted early Saturday morning to approve President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package. Members of the Project 21 black leadership network criticized the $1.9 trillion spending package currently under consideration on Capitol Hill, noting that large portions of the plan are irrelevant to its stated goal of COVID-19 relief and are thus an irresponsible waste of taxpayer resources. “Rather than a package to address the challenges our nation’s economy faces, this nearly $2 trillion proposal is far more likely to make Americans worse off, not better,” said Project 21 Co-Chairman Horace Cooper. A Wall Street Journal analysis determined that $825 billion in the package could be defined as “COVID-related provisions” while over a trillion dollars “is a combination of bailouts for [liberal] constituencies, expansions of progressive programs, pork and unrelated policy changes.” President Joe Biden defended the spending bill, arguing during a recent CNN interview, “Now is the time we should be spending. Now is the time to go big.” Project 21 members specifically challenged the $350 billion in bailouts for every state and the District of Columbia, claiming that they paper over pre-pandemic wasteful spending as well as revenue shortfalls caused by Relief Package, Page 7A
Tips For 2021 Graduates: A Fiercely Competitive Job Market Awaits If you’re in college right now or recently graduated, you’re facing the toughest job market in our lifetime Colleges may return to normalcy in a few months as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines continues. Meanwhile, in sharp contrast to that positive news, millions of college students will graduate this spring facing bleak employment prospects. The COVID-19 pandemic caused unemployment to soar in 2020 and is expected to affect the job market for graduates again this year. Some labor analysts see the pandemic perhaps having this ripple effect on graduates for years to come. These sobering
trends are why students should expand their preparation for the job market and know what action steps they need to take, says Vince Thompson (www.melt atl.com), founder and CEO of the marketing agency MELT and author of Building Brand You: How To Use Your College Ex-perience To Find And Win Your First Job. “Thanks to COVID-19, if you’re in college right now or recently graduated, you’re facing the toughest job market in our lifetime,” Thompson says. “With so many people unemployed and
Entertainment Under The Stars At The Broward Center, 7A
displaced, people will be willing to take a lesser job for a lesser salary just to get back in the market. “To use a fishing analogy, it’s going to take a lot of casts to get a few bites for interviews and ultimately land the job. But don’t let that discourage you.
Change: Embrace It As Your New Best Friend, 8A
Instead, let it inspire you to grow and learn what you need to know to set yourself apart from other candidates. It’s all about positioning yourself by building your resume, brand, and your network. And being enthusiastic about the process.” Thompson suggests the following tips for soon-to-be graduates as they prepare for a fiercely competitive job market: Build your brand. The job market is so competitive that companies are looking for far more than candidates with a high GPA. “Hiring managers often
seek well-rounded young people who can communicate, collaborate and create,” Thompson says. “They’re looking for people who have been active outside the classroom as well – in clubs, the community, volunteer work, etc. All of these aspects are part of your brand. Also, the new litmus test in the job market will be, ‘What did you do to improve yourself and others during COVID? Or did you do nothing and feel sorry for yourself?’ Employers are going to be looking for those intangibles.” Organize your marketing playbook. “Utilizing a complete marketing playbook means leveragMarket Awaits, Page 8A
Kodner Galleries Antiques and Much More, 2A