NEWS Phone: 305-669-7355 One of Miami’s Community Newspapers Cutler Bay SERVING SOUTH DADE ALL TYPES OF COVERAGE FROM OVER 100 TRUSTED, COMPETITIVE,INSURERS 305.238.1000 Savings & Service Since 1950 SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 BY GARY ALAN RUSE Cutler Bay’s newest recreational facility, the Lakes by the Bay Park, has been a long time coming and has taken a lot of work by town officials just to make it possible, but now construction is ready to begin and Phase One should be ready for residents to enjoy in a year and a half. Alan Ricke, Parks and Recreation direc- tor for the Town of Cutler Bay, is grateful that things are ready to move forward. “This is a park that the town acquired from the county after years of effort,” Ricke said. “It’s about 50 acres in size and Miami-Dade County has turned it over to the town, along with some funding they acquired to build the park.” The initial construction costs will come from those county funds, assembled from a number of sources, according to Ricke. “The county had impact fee money Work on town’s newest park to begin in October Architect’s rendering of the Lakes by the Bay Park restroom/concession building. The inset is what the park will look like after the first phase of construction. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––– See PARK, page 4 Knots of Hope gala to benefit Transplant Foundation BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD I n seventh grade Priscilla Suzal- Wright started making friendship bracelets as a hobby. Around the same time, she and her mother were vol- unteering with the Transplant Foundation. Her mother had gotten involved with the foundation when she and a friend partici- pated in a holiday angel program and the child was involved with the Transplant Foundation. The little boy had a bone mar- row transplant and they gave presents to him and his brothers and sisters. “We wanted to really bring Christmas to them,” Suzal-Wright said. “It was life changing. We fell in love with it. We start- ed going to the walk-a-thon. Now we know plenty of people with transplants.” Suzal-Wright brought volunteering and fundraising together by selling the bracelets to raise money for the founda- tion. She sold the bracelets to most of the people she knew, friends, family and her mom’s co-workers. “Anyone I could get a hold of. Slowly but surely it got bigger,” she said. It wasn’t long before she gathered her friends together to form a fundraising group called Knots of Hope. “I brought in my four closest friends last summer. We brought in their sisters and their friends. And now there are other girls who want to join as well,” she said. Today there are 23 girls involved. The Priscilla Suzal- Wright is founder of Knots of Hope. ––––––––––––––––––––––––– See KNOTS, page 4 House of Horror Amusement Park returns to wreak havoc on Oct. 7 BY MICHELLE AREAN H ouse of Horror Amusement Park (HOH) returns to wreak havoc on South Florida coming back to life at Miami International Mall on Thursday, Oct. 7, and continuing through Sunday, Oct. 31. The area’s premiere Halloween Amusement Park returns with a vengeance promising to be the largest haunted house in South Florida, including acres of shriek inducing rides, circus acts, the hottest musical acts, and fun for guests of all ages. Be prepared as night falls in October, the House of Horror will bring the dead and unimaginable to life. HOH offers 25-plus bone-chilling scenes inside its fully state- of-the-art haunted house, complete with more than 20 gruesome characters that lurk in the dark. After surviving the terrifying house, park –––––––––––––––––––––– See HORROR, page 4
Cutler Bay Newspaper September28 2010, Community Newspapers, Events and stories around South Florids.
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NNEEWWSSPhone: 305-669-7355One of Miami’s Community Newspapers
Cutler Bay SERVING SOUTH DADE
ALL TYPES OF COVERAGE
FROM OVER 100 TRUSTED,COMPETITIVE, INSURERS
305.238.1000Savings & Service Since 1950
SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
BY GARY ALAN RUSE
Cutler Bay’s newest recreational facility,the Lakes by the Bay Park, has been a longtime coming and has taken a lot of work bytown officials just to make it possible, butnow construction is ready to begin andPhase One should be ready for residents toenjoy in a year and a half.
Alan Ricke, Parks and Recreation direc-tor for the Town of Cutler Bay, is gratefulthat things are ready to move forward.
“This is a park that the town acquiredfrom the county after years of effort,”Ricke said. “It’s about 50 acres in size andMiami-Dade County has turned it over tothe town, along with some funding theyacquired to build the park.”
The initial construction costs will comefrom those county funds, assembled from anumber of sources, according to Ricke.
“The county had impact fee money
Work on town’s newest park to begin in October
Architect’s rendering of the Lakes by the Bay Park restroom/concession building. The inset iswhat the park will look like after the first phase of construction.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––– See PARK, page 4
Knots of Hope gala to benefit Transplant FoundationBY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD
II n seventh grade Priscilla Suzal-Wright started making friendshipbracelets as a hobby. Around the
same time, she and her mother were vol-unteering with the Transplant Foundation.
Her mother had gotten involved with thefoundation when she and a friend partici-pated in a holiday angel program and thechild was involved with the TransplantFoundation. The little boy had a bone mar-row transplant and they gave presents tohim and his brothers and sisters.
“We wanted to really bring Christmasto them,” Suzal-Wright said. “It was lifechanging. We fell in love with it. We start-ed going to the walk-a-thon. Now weknow plenty of people with transplants.”
Suzal-Wright brought volunteering andfundraising together by selling thebracelets to raise money for the founda-tion. She sold the bracelets to most of thepeople she knew, friends, family and hermom’s co-workers.
“Anyone I could get a hold of. Slowlybut surely it got bigger,” she said.
It wasn’t long before she gathered herfriends together to form a fundraisinggroup called Knots of Hope.
“I brought in my four closest friendslast summer. We brought in their sistersand their friends. And now there are othergirls who want to join as well,” she said.
Today there are 23 girls involved. The
PriscillaSuzal-
Wright isfounderof Knotsof Hope.
––––––––––––––––––––––––– See KNOTS, page 4
House of HorrorAmusement Park returnsto wreak havoc on Oct. 7
BY MICHELLE AREAN
HH ouse of HorrorAmusement Park (HOH)returns to wreak havoc onSouth Florida coming back
to life at Miami International Mall onThursday, Oct. 7, and continuing throughSunday, Oct. 31.
The area’s premiere Halloween AmusementPark returns with a vengeance promising to bethe largest haunted house in South Florida,including acres of shriek inducing rides, circusacts, the hottest musical acts, and fun for guestsof all ages.
Be prepared as night falls in October, theHouse of Horror will bring the dead andunimaginable to life. HOH offers 25-plusbone-chilling scenes inside its fully state-of-the-art haunted house, complete withmore than 20 gruesome characters that lurkin the dark.
After surviving the terrifying house, park
–––––––––––––––––––––– See HORROR, page 4
Mary Ann Mixon running for town council seatBY GARY ALAN RUSE
Tim Meerbott is running for mayor of Cutler Bay BY GARY ALAN RUSE
Tim Meerbott, who currently is the Seat1 Cutler Bay Village Council member, isrunning for the open seat of mayor in theNov. 2 election.
A lifelong resident, Meerbott is a gradu-ate of Southridge Senior High and went onto the University of Florida and FloridaInternational University where he earned adegree in economics. After college, hechose to stay in Cutler Bay to raise a fami-ly. Married to his wife, Cosette, for 23years, they have two sons, Lance and Kyle.
Meerbott is running for mayor becausehe believes Cutler Bay deserves better.
“We deserve to get great service for ourproperty taxes and fees,” he said. “Wedeserve great schools in our community,especially a public high school, and wedeserve great parks with great programs. Iam proud to be a lifelong ‘Ridge Rat’ hav-ing attended the local public schools andchurches and as the first elected official inthe town’s history, I have learned whatmakes good policy and what brings resultsto our community.
“Each year at budget time, I have madeand passed cost-saving measures to ourbudget, because I watch the bottom linelike a hawk. I have worked with my peersfrom neighboring communities and withour local school board member to bringabout cutting edge policy decisions for theregion,” Meerbott added. “Working wellwith neighbors and elected peers gives usresults like a well-trained team so that’swhy Mayor Paul Vrooman endorsed me inthis race.”
Meerbott believes that his backgroundand skills will help him in the job of mayor.
“Experience counts and as the council’sbusiness liaison and ambassador I workwith relocating businesses to streamlinethe process for them. New businesses haverelocated here and contributed to our com-
munity fabric and to our tax base,”he said. “This is crucial to the suc-cess of our young town.
“My demeanor as a team playerand positive person make me thebest suited to serve as Cutler Bay’snext mayor. The Hispanic PoliceOfficers Association has endorsedme and the PBA has co-endorsedme. I am proud to be the onlyhome-grown candidate in this.Public service is in my blood and Iam dedicated to bringing that to thetable.”
Meerbott outlined his goals forthe town if he is elected.
“My top priority is ensuring thatwe keep taxes as low as possible,”he said. “These are tough econom-ic times. We are all tightening ourbelts at home and governmentneeds to do the same. This year Iput forth and passed over $300,000in budget cuts in our town. Ourbudget must be lean and we musttreat each taxpayer dollar as theprecious commodity it is.
“My second priority is improv-ing the quality of schools in thecommunity for our kids and for our busi-nesses’ benefits. I am working with boardmember Dr. Larry Feldman because ourkids and families deserve better qualityschools to allow us to compete in this glob-al economy and in the local job market.”
He stated that he also is concerned aboutparks and public safety. He wants to leadthe charge to acquire additional parklandsboth for play and for nature.
“We will work together to make miniparks in individual communities whilemaintaining public safety and policepatrols everywhere,” Meerbott said.“Cutler Bay’s primary needs are keepingtaxes low while providing quality services,increasing and maintaining green park
space and improving elderly services forour most precious residents, ourretirees.”
Professionally, Meerbott is a seniordivision manager with Allstate DealerServices. There, extensive businesstraining helped him earn him six SigmaBlack Belts with the company.
“I know Cutler Bay deserves a leaderthat understands the unique character ofour community and a leader that willwork to preserve and improve it,” hesaid. “I am raising my children herebecause I love this community which myfamily has called home for over 60 years.I love what I do as your councilman andI will be honored to serve as this commu-nity’s next mayor if the voters decide toelect me.
“I am honest, accessible and fair andthat’s going to stay the same when I amCutler Bay’s mayor. I am up for the chal-lenge and I hope the voters agree that Iam the best-qualified candidate in therace because of my experience and skills.Thanks for having allowed me to serveall this time, Cutler Bay.”
For more information visit Meerbott’swebsite at <http://timmeerbott.com/>.
Tim Meerbott ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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from developments in the area, some oldpark money, Safe Neighborhood Parksbond money, and money from theBuilding Better Communities generalobligation bond,” Ricke said. “All ofthose combined generated about $8.5million. Part of that goes toward closingoff the landfill, being able to build 24acres of ball fields with lights and every-thing that goes along with that.”
Phase One will include the constructionof three lighted baseball/softball fields,two lighted football/soccer fields, a fieldcenter building with restrooms and con-cession stand, an exercise trail, landscap-ing and parking. There will be permanentbleacher seating on the baseball fields andportable bleachers for the soccer fieldsthat can be moved around.
“We need to have flexibility on how welay out the soccer fields,” Ricke explained.“We have different ages of kids and theyneed different size soccer fields.”
The county land overall is actually a lit-tle more than 80 acres. The portion thathas been turned over to the town, 49.3acres, had been used previously as a land-fill, but that has been cleaned up now.Phase One is expected to be completedsometime in 2012.
“We’re hoping in about 18 months,”Ricke said. “It could happen sooner thanthat, but we have to allow for unforeseenissues like weather and that kind of thing.There’s also permitting work still beingdone with DERM and the South FloridaWater Management District, since it’s soclose to wetlands areas. We’ve had thecontractor on board for almost a year now.It’s a design-build project and the localcontractor doing most of the work isDownrite Engineering.”
A groundbreaking ceremony for Lakesby the Bay Park will take place onSaturday, Oct. 9, 10 a.m., at 8551 SW 216St., which is behind Dr. Edward L.Whigham Elementary School. Residentsare invited to attend.
For more information call the Parks andRecreation Department at 305-238-4166.
group includes Lauren Martin, Nikki Baralt,Gaby Baralt, Rachel Jara, Nati Aguirre,Nicole Aguirre, Taylor Perry, TatyanaBidopia, Isabella Leventhal, Natalie Abad,Patricia Trujillo, Marlin Gonzalez, ScarlettArtola and Carolina Flores.
They are selling more bracelets thanever. They also donate bracelets to childrenat Miami Children’s Hospital, where theyalso volunteer.
“It’s grown a lot since seventh grade,”Suzal-Wright said.
Melissa Chediak-Wetzel, the TransplantFoundation’s director of development, saidthey have taken something that is fun andgirly and made it into a truly benevolent act.
“They visit the kids at the hospital and theyvisit our Transplant House once a month,”she said. “It’s an uplifting experience for thepatients and for the parents as well.”
If Chediak-Wetzel has her way, theKnots of Hope girls will get permission togo to the transplant floor at the Holtz
Children’s Hospital so they visit the chil-dren there.
Most of the girls are in high school atCoral Reef, Ferguson, MAST, TERRA,Southwest and Killian high schools. Someof the girls attend Arvida Middle School.
“We do garage sales. We’re hoping to doa car wash,” Suzal-Wright said. “We dowalk-a-thons. We have volunteered at vari-ous events for the transplant foundation.”
On Oct. 2, the group is putting on its firstgala. Chediak-Wetzel said the gala willmark the Knots of Hope’s first anniversary.
“We have a goal of raising about$10,000,” Suzal-Wright said. “We want toget funds so we can continue to grow andto give funds to the TransplantFoundation.”
Event attendance is limited to 200-250because it’s being held in a private home.Next year, they hope to be in a more openvenue and invite the public.
To order a friendship bracelet, sendemail to <[email protected]>. Formore information, go to Fans of Knots ofHope page on Facebook or call theTransplant Foundation at 1-954-395-6024.
PARK, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––
HORROR, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
KNOTS, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––
Pictured are members of Knots of Hope.(Photos by Monica Gras, Nostalgia Portraits)
guests can enjoy lots of rip-roaring rides and feaston carnival favorites. House of Horror is chal-lenging its guests to brave the Pig Butcher, sur-vive the Vampire’s Lair, escape the walking deadin the graveyard, and hold on to their stomachs asthey whip around its creaking roller coaster.
“House of Horror 2010 promises moreexhilarating attractions than ever before,”said Nelson Albareda, HOH’s executive pro-ducer. “The thrills are bigger and better asHOH brings entertainment to South Floridaduring the Halloween season.
“House of Horror provides families valueby providing amusement at an affordableprice and a safe environment to celebrate theHalloween festivities and get into the holi-day’s festive spirit,” he added.
House of Horror Amusement Park’s hoursof operation are: Monday-Friday, 6 p.m. tomidnight; Saturdays and Sundays from 5 p.m.to midnight. The Haunted House will open atsundown. Park admission is $22 for adults and$15 for children (ages 9 and under) andincludes unlimited rides. Parking is free and isavailable near HOH on the east side of MiamiInternational Mall. Miami International Mallis located off SR 836 and NW 107th Avenue.
House of Horror Amusement Park is amember of the International Association ofHaunted Attractions and the InternationalAssociation of Amusement Parks andAttractions. For more information call 305-639-6000 or visit online at <www.houseofhor-rorpark.com>.
Cutler Bay News6769 S.W. 62 Avenue, South Miami, FL 33143 • Phone (305) 669-7355, Fax (305) 662-6980
www.communitynewspapers.comPUBLISHER ..................................................................................................................................Grant Miller
EXECUTIVE EDITOR .....................................................................................................................Michael Miller
EDITOR.................................................................................................................................. David Berkowitz
WRITERS, COLUMNISTS..............................................................Ron Beasley, Kenneth Bluh, Robert Hamilton,
Linda Rodriguez-Bernfeld, Gary Alan Ruse, Lee Stephens, Al Sunshine, Richard Yager
Roberta Bergman, Ana Caceres, Celia Canabate, Diane Chasin, Henry Chau,
Sharon Christian, Cecile Fanfani, Diane Maddox, Denzel Miles, Ann Robbins-Udel,
Fara Sax, Lori Schwadron, Diane Sedona Schiller, Walter WhiteLEGAL ADVERTISING ..................................................................................................................... Georgia TaitBOOKKEEPING ............................................................................................................................ Jesus ToledoPROOF DEPARTMENT....................................................................................................................Isabel Vavrek
Aventura News, Biscayne Tribune, Coral Gables News-Tribune, Doral Tribune, Kendall Gazette, Cutler Bay News, Palmetto Bay News,Pinecrest Tribune, South Miami News, Sunny Isles Beach
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Relayy for Life, the annual special eventof the American Cancer Society, is gearingup for its combined Palmetto Bay/CutlerBay gathering early next year by hosting aKick-Off Party on October 17 from 3 to 6p.m. at the Palmetto Bay Village Center,Building “C.” That’s located at 18001 OldCutler Road, with the entrance on 184thStreet, right between the two cities. It’s apotluck event, so bring your favorite dishor beverage. For more info call Jean Tong-Noon at 305-742-3333 or email her [email protected], or send an email toSaddys Garcia at [email protected]. You can also log ontowww.relayforlife.org/palmettobayfl forupdates or to register a team. It’s a goodcause. Check it out.
Inn anticipation of the coming electionsin November, Community Newspaperssent out invitations to all the candidatesrunning for office in Cutler Bay andPalmetto Bay, and contacted them withinterview questions for profiles on each toallow everyone the opportunity to get theirmessage out to our readers. We are pleasedto say that all but one of the candidates inPalmetto Bay and one in Cutler Bayresponded and we have been running theirprofiles in our papers over the past weeks,hopefully giving residents an extra chanceto get to know the folks who want to repre-sent them. Even Peggy Bell of Cutler Bayresponded, and she was running unop-posed! After this issue there will likely be
no additional candidate profiles, since wewanted to get those all wrapped up wellbefore early voting and absentee ballotingbegins. We would like to thank all thosewho participated and we hope that the pro-gram has been helpful to voters.
How’ss thatt again...?? Bill Kress,Palmetto Bay’s Public Information Officer,jokingly commented that after the lastcouncil meeting, during which a bunch ofroadway projects, drainage projects andother improvement plans were passed withwork on many beginning soon, the city’snickname of “The Village of Parks” mayhave to be changed to “The Village ofPublic Works.” We know what he means,and it is kind of a catchy phrase, but pleasedon’t change the banners on South DixieHighway just yet.
Alexandraa Flinn,, a successful YoungAdult novelist whose husband reportedlydabbles in politics, tells us that theirdaughter Meredith will be modeling in anAmerican Girl fashion show to benefitFamily Central on October 16-17. She’sin the October 16 show, and there aretickets available for the 10:00 a.m.brunch. It’s a two-hour show, sponsoredby American Girl, and it sounds like it’sin the vein of the meal and entertainmentthey provide at the stores. There’s alsoshopping. Tickets are said to be goingfast. It’s billed as “a fun-filled event forgirls and their families, friends andfavorite dolls!” There are refreshmentsand door prizes. Log onto www.family-central.org for more info.
Major Leaguee Health Fair has a base-ball theme and is what the Salvation Armyis calling its special event on Saturday,October 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at TheSalvation Army Miami Citadel Corps - 911West Flagler Street, Miami. It’s co-spon-
sored by the Miami-Dade HealthDepartment, the City of Miami FireRescue, the Florida Marlins, Costco andPollo Tropical as well as others. It’s free,and there’ll be entertainment and games,rescue drills, and most importantly, healthservices such as cholesterol screening, HIVscreening, blood pressure, glucose screen-ing, vision screening breast cancer infor-mation and more. Also food sampling fromPollo Tropical, information about commu-nity programs by The Salvation Army andmore. “Many families in our communitydo not have access to medical insurance,”says their spokesperson. “This may be theironly chance to discard, detect and treat ill-nesses in a safe, trustworthy environment.”
Miamii Dadee Heartt Walk, to be held atFIU’s Kendall campus on October 30 isstill recruiting teams and participants.More than 8,000 participants are expectedto join the fun and games at 8 a.m. thatmorning with proceeds to benefit the greatwork of the American Heart Association.
For more information on an exciting daythat promises refreshments, games, cos-tume contests and more, go online to www.miamidadeheartwalk.org.
AMPS (the Aero Modelers of Perrine)would like you to circle Saturday, October30, on your calendar when their giant-scaled radio-control model airplane showtakes place on the AMPS Silver Field,20100 SW 168th Street, about 2.4 mileswest of Krome Avenue on SW 168th. Kids’candy drop reminiscent of World War II’sAllied Forces pilots will be re-createdamidst other festivities. For details, contactNick Capone at [email protected].
Thoughtt for thee Day:I am certain there is
too much certainty in the world.— Michael Crichton, State of Fear
Gary Alan Ruse and Richard Yager con-tributed to this column.
Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669-7355, ext. 249, or send emails to<[email protected]>.
Cutler Bay/Palmetto Bay ‘Relay for Life’ event Oct. 17
Florida’s Constitution can be amended intwo different ways. The Florida Legislaturecan create a proposed amendment and isguaranteed that it will be on the ballot forFlorida voters’ approval or rejection. Theonly way it can be removed from the ballot isif a challenge is filed in the courts and thecourt rules in favor of the plaintiff.
Florida’s Constitution also can be amend-ed through the petition process whereby agroup of voters creates a statewide petitiondrive and obtains a sufficient number of vot-ers’ signatures to place the amendment onthe ballot. The Florida Supreme Court thendetermines if the wording of the proposedamendment, as it will appear on the ballot, isdescriptive of the content of the amendment.
The logic behind this court review is thatthe court wants to make sure that the word-ing is not deceptive thereby giving the votersthe wrong impression of the true meaning ofthe amendment.
The Florida Supreme Court has removedthree proposed amendments leaving six ofthe original nine for Florida voters toapprove or reject. All three proposed consti-tutional amendments removed from the bal-lot were proposed by the legislature.
Let’s review the six that will be on the bal-lot for our consideration:
Amendment 1: Proposed by the legisla-ture. Repeal of Public FinancingRequirement. For 20 years Florida taxpay-ers have been subsidizing statewide politicalcampaigns. Republicans believe that spend-ing millions of taxpayer dollars was a wastewhen obviously anyone running forstatewide office must have substantial finan-cial backing. Democrats feel that the voterscreated the funding process offering a greateropportunity for more candidates to offertheir services to the community.
My opinion: The concept is logical; how-ever this year two candidates, for U.S.Senate and governor, proved that they couldout-spend any campaign funded by taxpay-ers — a sign of the future?
Amendment 2: Proposed by the legisla-ture. Tax Break for Deployed MilitaryPersonnel. If passed, which should happen,the legislature would create a homesteadprovision for every Floridian serving in the
military outside the United States. Theamount of the tax break would be deter-mined by the number of days the memberserves overseas in that taxable year.
Amendment 4: Proposed by voter petition.Florida Hometown Democracy. Theamendment would require voter approval ofany change to a city or county comprehen-sive development plan.
My opinion: Its implementation would bedifficult, expensive and the only voters thatwould understand the proposed comprehen-sive development plan would be its support-ers and the few voters that would be directlyaffected. The correct approach is to electleaders who understand the needs of thecommunity and vote accordingly and not justto vote for the moneyed individuals that fundthe proposed development plans.
Amendments 5 and 6: Proposed by voterpetition. Changes in Redistricting ToThwart Partisan Advantages. The amend-ment would establish fairness standards foruse in creating legislative (5) and congres-sional (6) districts. The standards would pro-
hibit drawing district lines to favor or disfa-vor any incumbent or political party. I am intotal agreement with the long-neededamendments.
Amendment 8: Proposed by legislature.Relaxation of Class Size Requirements.The amendment would ease the state consti-tution’s existing class size amendment creat-ed by a previous successful citizens’ petitiondrive. The basic change in 8: Replace thewords “x students per class” with “averagenumber of students in the school.” The legis-lature says the change would save millions.
My opinion: It might save money but wewould be back with oversized, difficult to teachclasses in a state that is already at the bottom ofthe list of dollars spent for education.
We appreciate your opinions on this col-umn whether in agreement or disagreement.Please send your comments to (fax number)305-662-6980 or email to <[email protected]>. The opinions expressedin this column are not necessarily those of thisnewspaper, its editors or publisher.
KENNETH’S COMMENTARY
R. Kenneth Bluh –– VIEWPOINT ––Voters will see 6 amendments to Florida’s Constitution
Turn “swords toploughshares” as in theBook of Isaiah?
No, I have not becomea biblical scholar. I hardlyever turn to the Bible, butonce in a while if I ambehind Love-40 and serv-
ing my last tennis ball, I do look to theheavens. It doesn’t usually help but at leastI try. I also try to make friends out ofpotential enemies, hence the saying.
Example: Some time back after return-ing from a series of trips out of MiamiInternational Airport, I just got completelydisgusted with having to walk back andforth from some gate at the end of nowherein the American Airlines terminal. I dohave a titanium hip replacement and some-times a walk like that is tough.
I decided to send out a bunch of nastyemails complaining about this and hopethat someone would listen. I describedhow nice airports all over the world werecompared to ours and how embarrassing itwas when I had to pick people up at MIAafter they walked miles to get from theirplane to a pickup area. I compared howgreat the shops and restaurants were atother airports such as Atlanta or LasVegas.
I finally got an email response from theMiami Airport director, José Abreu, whichread, “For Christ sake have a little empa-thy.”
I replied, “Have some empathy for mehaving to walk that mile and a half withmy fake hip every time I leave Miami.”
We continued back and forth with this
until my household counselor told me tostop pestering this guy who was only try-ing his best on an impossible job.
José finally told me that the Skytrainwould be operating this fall and I would nolonger have to walk.
I said, “Yeah sure…the cars have beenrusting away somewhere in Japan for sev-eral years and I don’t think we will eversee them in Miami.”
He offered to make a wager on this.Being the inveterate gambler that I am Iaccepted the bet. We each checked ourresources to determine the amount of thewager. He checked his budget from Miami-Dade County, and I checked my latest taxbill and we arrived at 25 cents as the mostwe could afford to risk. The bet was on!
Several weeks ago I received an invita-tion to be one of the first to ride on the newSkytrain at the airport. There goes myquarter. I had to present it to Mr. Abreu infront of several hundred people, and I wasglad to do it.
José then took me on a personal tour ofMIA and showed me all the new featuresbeing added like…get this…a Shula’sSteak House. Wow. The views from theSkytrain were specacular. Miami neverlooked so good.
I have never seen such enthusiasm froma county executive or any executive, aboutsomething that he has been struggling withfor several years. It was good to see.
Guess what? José and I have becomegood friends from what started out as anadversarial relationship. That is the waythings are supposed to work. By the way, Igot for my quarter a nice lunch plus a beau-tiful model of the Skytrain. Can’t beat that.
See, everything in Miami-Dade is not sobad.
Sometimes you can turn‘swords into ploughshares’
Councilman Ernie Sochin (left) pays off his bet to Miami International Airport director José Abreu.
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It is almost impossiblefor teenagers to put thethings that happen tothem in school in properperspective. On the ath-letic field, in the schoolparking lot, in the class-
room, it’s all the same; it’s always big,really big, as big as the BP oil spill orflooding in Pakistan.
So, when a high school coach casually dis-misses a young athlete who tried out for ateam and didn’t make it, it’s big. In fact, itcan be devastating if it is not handled proper-ly. Young athletes train for years to make ateam and if they succeed in their freshmanyear they must continue to work hard tomaintain their position. However, often evenhard work is not enough for a marginal play-er to beat out a younger, more talented athlete.
Nevertheless, not making a team is partof growing up. Making the team one yearand being cut the next is tough, but this,too, is a part of maturing. These disap-pointments can be growing experiencesfor student athletes when they are handledproperly by the adults in their lives.
In some circumstances, there may beplayers who have competed well and madethe team for three years in a row, only tofind that they did not make the cut theirsenior year. Coaches certainly have theright to pick the athletes that they believe
have the best athletic ability and the bestchemistry with teammates. Seniors some-times are not the best players, but to cut asenior after years of team loyalty is usual-ly wrong. A great coach would advise asenior, “You have the opportunity to makethe team, not as a starter, but as a backup;and more importantly as a mentor to youryounger teammates.”
Many coaches hide behind their officedoor after posting the new team roster onthe wall for all to see. Certainly, thosenames are listed by identification number,so there is no direct embarrassment to theyoung athletes that were cut. But, still, thisis an immature and hurtful way for a coachto handle the situation.
The proper way to do it is for the coach tocall in each player who tried out for theteam and discuss the reasons why theyoungster did not make the team. They areentitled to know the reason for the cut, andget some constructive criticism, too. Thestudent athlete deserves to have a discussionwith the coach about the way forward. Afterall, these young athletes are in high schoolto learn and this is the part of a coach’s jobthat has the greatest long-term value.
There are those who would say, “Butwhat about winning?” And winning is pre-cisely what I am talking about. This con-cept is all about winning, for I will alwaysput my money on a team with heart, agood work ethic and strong team spiritover a team with a ruthless, disrespectfulwin-at-all-cost mentality.
High school athletes deserve toknow why they didn’t make the cut
Residents of the Community HabilitationCenter (CHC) rocked the runway at therecent third annual “Rockin’ the Islands”fashion show benefit.
More than 500 guests attended thefashion fundraiser that generated morethan $100,000, proceeds that will beused in funding the CommunityHabilitation Center Inc., an adult daytraining facility for individuals withdevelopmental disabilities.
“Residents of CHC put on a spectacularfashion show for all the guests,” saidRoymi Membiela, co-chair for theCommunity Habilitation Center gala andassistant vice president of marketing andpublic relations for Baptist Health SouthFlorida. “The turnout and support from thecommunity was overwhelming. This hasbeen the most successful fashion show ben-efit to date.”
Diana Diaz, news anchor for WSVN Fox
Channel 7, and Ivan Taylor, news anchorfrom WSCV Telemundo Channel 51, werethe show’s special guest emcees.
More than 100 individuals, who callCHC a second home, strutted their stuff onthe catwalk wearing fashion provided byDillards. Among the top sponsors for theevent were Baptist Health South Florida,Zuni Transportation, Marriott, Dillard’s,Goodtimes Group Home, Miami Twice andNorwegian Cruise Line.
Baptist Health, the region’s largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organiza-tion, has more than 13,000 employees andis the area’s largest private employer.Baptist Health includes Baptist, BaptistChildren’s, Doctors, Homestead, Marinersand South Miami hospitals as well asBaptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute,Baptist Outpatient Services and BaptistHealth Enterprises. Baptist HealthFoundation, the organization’s fundraisingarm, supports services at all hospitals andfacilities affiliated with Baptist Health.
CHC annual fashion showraises more than $100K
CommunityHabilitation Centerresident AriLippman (left) andvolunteer FlorSantana rock therunway at thethird annual“Rockin’ theIslands” fashionshow.
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Arts for Learning, a nonprofit organiza-tion in Miami-Dade dedicated to advanc-ing teaching and learning through the arts,will recognize outstanding communitymembers who have advanced the organiza-tion’s mission.
The 2010 Sun Awards will take place atBooks & Books in Coral Gables on Friday,Nov. 19, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The event isby invitation only. Call 305-576-1212 formore information.
Awards will be given in the followingcategories: Outstanding Artist,Outstanding Teacher, OutstandingAdministrator (Principal), OutstandingSite, and Outstanding Partner.
“All Arts for Learning programs teachlife and communication skills, support lit-
eracy and problem solving skills, fosterself-discovery, and build self-esteem. Theorganization’s approach hinges on the con-viction that all children can be brilliant andthe programs give students of all ages thetools they need to become creative thinkersand 21st Century learners,” said SheilaWomble, executive director.
Arts for Learning, the Miami affiliate ofYoung Audiences, is a nonprofit organiza-tion dedicated to advancing teaching andlearning through the arts and communitycultural resources with the support of theMiami-Dade County Department ofCultural Affairs and the Cultural AffairsCouncil, Miami-Dade County Mayor andBoard of County Commissioners.
For more information about Arts forLearning, go online to<www.A4Lmiami.org>.
Arts for Learning to hostSun Awards on Nov. 19
It’s never too early to learn through the arts.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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Fitness, exercise program to beginat Tropical Park Community CenterBY ROBERT HAMILTON
Miss and Mr. Fitness America Inc. willbe operating a facility at Tropical ParkCommunity Center, located near Bird Roadand the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826), toprovide fitness and exercise programs forall age groups. The programs will start onOct. 1, with classes conducted on Mondays,Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. untilnoon.
Several health organizations have addedto their benefit plans for senior citizensaccess to the program at no additional costto their members. Please check to confirmtheir participation.
Jack Landauer, president of Miss and Mr.Fitness America Inc., is a respected andsuccessful fitness and exercise instructor ofmany years in the Miami area, who alongwith trainer Beth Yannucci will be person-ally conducting and supervising all pro-grams at the center.
For additional information, call 305-987-0879. Jack Landauer (left) and Beth Yannucci.
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Pet Partners Rescue Home is seekingcommunity assistance to host a pet fooddrive in hopes of helping their rescuedhomeless animals.
The organization currently is acceptingdonations of dog and cat food (dry andcanned) through the end of October. Thesecan be dropped off at 9555 SW 42 St. PetPartners also will pick up donations by call-ing 305-772-1295.
This Miami-based nonprofit will make useof the donations to assist with its fosterefforts. Pet Partners Rescue Home currentlyassists with the care of more than a dozenanimals. The organization’s mission is tosave homeless pets from destruction by pro-viding them with a foster home until they canbe adopted.
For more information about donating petfood or adopting one of the foster animals,call 305-772-1295, send email to<[email protected]> or visit online at<www.mypetspartner.com>.
F.I.U. COLLEGE OF LAW SETTO OPEN NO-COST CLINIC
Florida International University College ofLaw has received a $250,000 grant from theFinancial Industry Regulatory Authority(FINRA) Investor Education Foundation torun an Investor Advocacy Clinic. Through
this clinic, FIU College of Law students willprovide no-cost representation to individualswho have lost their investments as a result ofmisconduct or mistreatment by a broker.
FIU was among four law schools in thenation selected by the FINRA InvestorEducation Foundation to open such a clinic.Visiting Professor Robert Savage, who hasalmost two decades of experience withinvestor issues, has agreed to head this effort.The clinic will give preference to clients whoare elderly and live in South Florida, and itwill be able to work with potential clientswhose first language is not English.
Established in 2003, the FINRAFoundation supports innovative research andeducational projects aimed at segments of theinvesting public that could benefit from addi-tional resources.
For more information about the InvestorAdvocacy Clinic, call 305-348-7541
MEET IZOD INDYCAR SERIESDRIVERS AT MACY’S, SEPT. 30
Come meet and receive autographs from IzodIndyCar Series drivers including: DanicaPatrick, Helio Castrovenes, Dario Franchitti,Will Power, Tony Kanaan, Milka Duno andmany more on Sept 30 at Macy’s DadelandMall. This special event starts at 4 p.m. on theMain Level in the Men’s Department of Macy’s.
The first 50 customers to spend $20 ormore on any Izod purchase will receive a ridein a street legal Indy two-seater car as timepermits. Come experience the thrill of IzodIndyCar Racing with iRacing interactive rac-ing simulators and Mattel Racecar simulators.
There also will be a live Izod IndyCar PitStop Demonstration. Be front and center asIzod IndyCar Series Pit Crew members showhow to change four tires and simulate a racerefueling.
For more information, contact ElizabethMargo at 305-577-6791.
GARDENS GALLERY EXHIBITIONCONTINUES THROUGH OCTOBER
Pinecrest Gardens has announced its inau-gural Gardens Gallery Exhibition featuringJosepo, Metal Artist and Sculptor. Openreception night will be on Friday, Oct. 1 , at6 p.m., by invitation only. The exhibit will beopen to the public starting Oct. 4. It will takeplace at the Pinecrest Gardens HibiscusRoom located at 11000 Red Road inPinecrest.
Pinecrest Gardens provides village resi-dents and visitors with year-round enter-tainment, by producing and promoting fes-tivals and holiday celebrations. Comeenjoy a day of fun while viewing the beau-tiful art of Josepo, a self taught artist andwelder.
For more information about Josepo visitonline at <www.josepometalsculpture.com>.For more information about the PinecrestGarden, call 305-669-6990.
ANNUAL MEMBERS DAY PLANT SALESCHEDULED AT FAIRCHILD ON OCT. 2
This year’s Members Day Plant Sale is onOct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the FairchildTropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old CutlerRd., Coral Gables.
Ever since its first Members PlantDistribution Sale, this day has been an oppor-tunity for its member to purchase plants thatare selected carefully and chosen for their
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Pet Partners Rescue seeking help for homeless animals
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color, rarity, beauty and interest byFairchild’s horticulture staff.
Not a Fairchild member yet? Fairchildmembership associates will be on hand toassist guests to become members both at theentrance to Fairchild’s Visitors Center andon-site at the entrance to the plant sale area sothat they may immediately enjoy theMember’s Day Plant Sale. Plant valets will beavailable to assist guests with their purchases.
For more information, visit online at<www.fairchildgarden.org>.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOLOF LAW HOSTS RACE JUDICATA
Now in its 11th year, the UM Law Societyof Bar and Gavel is conducting another 5Krace that will benefit a great cause on Oct. 3.Registration for the run will be at 7 a.m., andthe run will begin at 8 a.m. The run will takeplace at the UM School of Law located at1311 Miller Dr. in Coral Gables.
One hundred percent of the proceeds fromthis 5K Walk/Run will go to the Kidside Charity.
KidSide Inc. has been developed to raiseand secure funds to provide the best possibleservices and facilities to the children ofMiami-Dade County who have sufferedthrough the conflict of their parents’ divorceor other litigation in the Family and
Domestic Violence Courts.KidSide Inc. receives donations from per-
sons, firms and corporations dedicated tosupport the needs of children immersed infamily court conflicts. Proceeds will benefitFamily Court Services by enhancing servicesand facilities, funding additional staffing andproviding additional hours of operation whenpossible.
For more information, go online to<www.beonthekidside.org/web/>.
SECOND ANNUAL BIRD DAY ATFAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN
Birding is the No. 1 sport in America sodon’t miss Fairchild Tropical BotanicGarden’s Second Annual Bird Day onSunday, Oct. 3. The garden is located at10901 Old Cutler Rd. in Coral Gables.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder, juststarting out or simply want to know moreabout birds, this fun and educational day issomething the whole family will enjoy.
If you love art, learn how to create beauti-ful bird images in a Bird Art class. Take abird walk with an expert birder or buy bird-attracting plants for your garden. Children ofall ages can learn about the fascinating won-ders of birds through fun bird-related activi-ties just for them.
This event is made possible with the gen-erous support of the James A. Kushian BirdConservation Program.
Enjoy all this and much more atFairchild’s Second Annual Bird Day. Formore information, visit <www.fairchildgar-den.org/BirdDay>.
FREE RETIREMENT PLANNINGAVAILABLE DURING OCTOBER
Join Jullie & Associates PA for a freeretirement planning workshop for all SouthFloridians on Oct. 5-7 and Oct. 19-21.
The workshop focuses on teaching atten-dees how to manage their retirement plansand help to provide a healthy retirementpackage. All guests will receive their choiceof two free gifts simply for attending.
Jullie & Associates PA has more than 130combined years of experience managingfinancial planning portfolios of individualsand corporate clients. Their FloridaRetirement System Specialists will be on-hand to guide attendees through the often-confusing tax code.
For details, call 305-667-1990, ext. 300.
ALMA DE TANGO CELEBRATESITS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Alma de Tango celebrates its first anniver-sary at on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m., at theBiltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in CoralGables. Admission is $25, which includesthe class and milonga.
During the past year, more than 1,000
students have visited the hotel’sDanielson Gallery Tuesday nights to learntango from World Tango ChampionMonica Llobet. Group classes for begin-ners are from 9 to 10 p.m. and advancedstudents from 8 to 9 p.m.
Following classes, Llobet will recap thefirst year of Alma de Tango at the Biltmore.Guests will enjoy a special performance byprofessional tango dancers. No dance partneris necessary as guests are encouraged tochange partners during the class.
Nightly drawings include SundayChampagne Brunch for two at the Biltmoreand a private tango lesion with Monica Llobet.
For more information, call the BiltmoreHotel at 305-445-1926 or visit online at<www.biltmorehotel.com>.
FREE KAYAK FISHING CLINICSLATED THURSDAY, OCT. 7
Join Miami-Dade Parks EcoAdventuresand Adventure Sports Miami on Thursday,Oct. 7, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., for a free KayakFishing Clinic at Adventure Sports Miami,2750 SW 26 Ave., in Coconut Grove. Spaceis limited, so RSVP by calling 305-591-3559.
All fishing lovers will have the opportuni-ty to learn the latest tips and tricks from localexperts on South Florida’s hottest way tocatch fish. Prizes provided by Crook &Crook will be given out to guests who show
NEWS, from previous page –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
exceptional casting techniques.Attendees will enjoy the company of sev-
eral special guests including: expert fly fish-erman Cordell “The Bonefish Whisperer”Baum, author and naturalist Roger Hammer,and kayak fishing guide David Gauzens fromMiami-Dade Parks EcoAdventures.
Nature lovers and sports enthusiasts, youhaven’t been left out. Miami-Dade ParksEcoAdventures will showcase its excitinglineup of fall excursions and programs whichinclude some kayak fishing events in thefuture.
To RSVP for this limited space event, callAdventure Sports Miami at 305-591-3559 orsend email to<[email protected]>.
SIMON KIDGITS CLUB’S TO HOSTAN ‘AROUND THE WORLD’ EVENT
Dadeland Mall, 7535 N. Kendall Dr.,invites children of all ages to travel aroundthe world and explore a variety of diversitiesand cultures as part of the Simon KidgitsClub’s “Around the World” event on Oct. 8at 6:30 p.m. This event is free and will show-case activities that are found in differentparts of the world.
Dadeland Mall will provide children witha passport and allow them to backpack
through many countries while participatingin fun activities. All Simon Kidgits Clubmembers will receive sombrero hats, deco-rated chopsticks, fortune cookies, floral leis,jungle safari animal sticker and bambooflutes.
For more information, contact DadelandMall at 305-665-6227 or visit online at<www.simon.com>.
15TH ANNUAL SUSAN G. KOMENRACE FOR THE CURE ON OCT. 16
With over 20,000 participants and 1,000breast cancer survivors expecting to attend,the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure willhosts its 15th annual race on Saturday, Oct.16, at 6 a.m. It will take place at BayfrontPark, located at 301 N. Biscayne Blvd. indowntown Miami.
Race participants may register online at<www.komenmiaftl.org> and are encour-aged to take the One-Fifty Challenge. Ifevery individual collects $150 in donations,Komen would raise $3 million in pledgesalone.
What started as a promise between two sis-ters is now the largest source of nonprofitfunds dedicated to the fight against breast can-cer in the world. Susan G. Komen for the CureMiami/Fort Lauderdale is part of the thisnational network dedicated to saving lives andending breast cancer forever by empoweringpeople, ensuring quality of care for all, andenergizing science to find the cures.
Since its inception in 1996, the
Miami/Fort Lauderdale Affiliate has raisedmore than $10 million to help fund breastcancer screening, education, and treatmentinitiatives throughout Miami-Dade, Browardand Monroe counties.
For more information about this event,visit online at <ww.komenmiaftl.org>.
FOURTH ANNUAL WATERFORD5K RACE SLATED ON NOV.12
The fourth annual Waterford 5K, a 3.1-
mile run walk, will once again rise to the
challenge to benefit Autism Speaks. It will
take place on Friday, Nov. 12, 6 p.m., at the
Blue Lagoon Office Park, 6100 Blue Lagoon
Dr. in Miami.
For the fourth year in a row, all the pro-
ceeds from the race will benefit the Miami-
Dade Chapter of Autism Speaks, North
America’s largest autism research and advo-
cacy organization.
There will be a special competition that
will honor the overall male and overall
female winners. The top overall male and
female runner will receive an incredible
prize package that includes a seven-night,
all-inclusive trip for two to Club Med’s
Sandpiper Bay, provided by Club Med.
It has been estimated that one in every 110
children is diagnosed with an autism spec-
trum disorder. In an effort to raise awareness
and provide funding for this vital research,
over the past three consecutive years, the
Waterford 5K race has raised more than
$50,000 for autism research.
For registration information or to
receive a registration packet, contact
FootWorks at 305-666-RACE or visit
<www.waterford5k.com>.
TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION TO HOST5TH ANNUAL MIRACLE WALK/RUN
Join and celebrate the miracles that happen
everyday, On Nov. 14, from 7 a.m. to noon,
the Miracle Walk/Run will have its fifth
annual fundraiser at Zoo Miami, 12400 SW
152 St.
All proceeds benefit the Transplant
Foundation Inc., with pre-registration tick-
ets at $35 for adults and $20 for children
under 13.
With more than 100,000 people waiting to
receive a transplant, one donor can help save
lives of up to 50 different people. What bet-
ter way to spend a Sunday morning then
helping change lives? The Miracle Walk/Run
is a 5K event geared to promote organ dona-
tion in the community. In addition to the 5K,
enjoy breakfast, ice cream, lunch, as well as
a health fair and music entertainment to cel-
ebrate completion of the walk/run. Your registration includes an official
Miracle Walk/Run T-shirt and the entrancefee to the zoo, so you can stay and enjoy theday with your family and friends!
To register, visit online at <www.mira-clewalkrun.kintera.org> or call 305-817-5645.
University of Miami president Donna E.Shalala received the 2010 Nelson MandelaAward for Health and Human Rights dur-ing a recent ceremony and dinner at BlairHouse, hosted by U.S. Secretary for Healthand Human Services Kathleen Sebelius andthe Kaiser Family Foundation.
The dinner honored Shalala’s retirementfrom the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.Shalala, a former U.S. Secretary for Healthand Human Services, was recognized fordedication to advancing access to health-care in the U.S., helping disadvantagedpeople around the world, and her specialcommitment to ending apartheid and devel-oping democracy in South Africa.
“Whether it’s providing better healthcareto soldiers returning from two wars, orshaping the future of nursing here at home,or providing relief efforts in Haiti, or pro-viding leadership on health reform, DonnaShalala has always been there when thepeople of our country and the world haveneeded her,” said Drew Altman, KaiserFamily Foundation president and CEO.
Established in 1992 by the Kaiser FamilyFoundation at the behest of NelsonMandela shortly after his release from 27years of incarceration, the Mandela Awardhonors individuals for outstanding dedica-
tion to improving the health and lifechances of disadvantaged populations inSouth Africa and internationally.Recipients are selected in conjunction withthe Nelson Mandela Foundation and withthe approval of Mr. Mandela.
Secretary Shalala received the awardfrom two former recipients of the MandelaAward — South African Ambassador to theU.S. Ebrahim Rasool, the 1998 award win-ner, and Surgeon General ReginaBenjamin, the 1997 award winner.
Ambassador Rasool spoke of Dr.Shalala’s efforts in assisting South Africanexiles in the U.S. when she was serving aspresident of Hunter College and then theUniversity of Wisconsin, and her associa-tion with the Kaiser Family Foundation’swork in South Africa as a trustee over thepast nine years. The award was presentedby Surgeon General Benjamin. Shalala is a2008 recipient of the Presidential Medal ofFreedom.
Recipients of the Nelson Mandela Awardfor Health and Human Rights are given astatuette bearing a likeness of Mandela.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is anon-profit private operating foundation,based in Menlo Park, CA, dedicated toproducing and communicating the bestpossible analysis and information onhealth issues.
UM’s Donna Shalala honoredwith Nelson Mandela Award
Pictured (l-r) are Dick Schlosberg, chair of the Kaiser Family Foundation Board of Trustees; South AfricanAmbassador to the U.S. Ebrahim Rasool (1998 Mandela Award recipient); Univerity of Miami presidentDonna E. Shalala; U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Drew Altman, KaiserFamily Foundation president and CEO.
TD Charitable Foundation $3,500grant to assist Girl Scout Council
BY YANEISY BLANCO
Girl Scout Council of Tropical Floridais being recognized with a $3,500 grantfrom the TD Charitable Foundation, thecharitable giving arm of TD Bank, for thecouncil’s Leadership Experience-StartingToday project, which engages girls indiscovering self, connecting with othersand taking action to make the world abetter place.
“We are honored to be recognized bythe TD Charitable Foundation for ourcontinuous efforts of encouraging girlsand providing skills to become leaders,”said Maria Tejera, CEO of Girl ScoutCouncil of Tropical Florida.
The program focuses on the followingthree keys to leadership:
DDiissccoovveerr:: Girls understand themselvesand their values and use their knowledgeand skills to explore the world.
CCoonnnneecctt:: Girls care about, inspire, andteam with others locally and globally.
TTaakkee AAccttiioonn:: Girls act to make theworld a better place.
TD Bank, through the TD CharitableFoundation, carries a legacy of support-
ing not-for-profit institutions and theirimportant work throughout the region.Since its inception in 2002, the founda-tion has contributed more than $63 mil-lion in grant funding to not-for-profitorganizations in the communities wherethey work, live and do business.
“For us, corporate responsibility ismore than just a phrase, it’s an integralpart of our commitment to service, acommitment that extends well beyondthe doors of our stores and offices,” saidTom te Riele, TD Bank market presidentfor South Florida.
“We believe the opportunity to enrichour communities is both a privilege and aresponsibility and we are proud to supportthe Girl Scout Council of Tropical Floridain helping to provide opportunities for girlsto become leaders,” he added.
For details on volunteering, contactMaria Santos at 305-253-4841, ext. 250,or send email to<[email protected]>. For moreinformation on the Girl Scout Council ofTropical Florida, call 305-253-4841. Tolearn more about the organization visitonline at <www.girlscoutsfl.org>.
Pictured (l-r, back) are Hermes Alvarez; Alvaro A. Niebles; Irela Bague; Maria Tejera; (front) Girl Scout NicoleBlanco, Troop 279, and Girl Scout Nataly Cruz, Troop 3190.
‘Winter Wonderful’ benefit eventto fund music scholarships at UM
BY ELIZABETH AMORE
The University of Miami Frost Schoolof Music will present its holiday gala din-ner, “Winter Wonderful,” on Sunday, Dec.5, at the Hyatt Regency in Miami.
The goal of Winter Wonderful is to raise$100,000 for Frost School of Music under-graduate scholarships and the Frost “MusicReach” program. Music Reach is a partner-ship with the Greater Miami YouthSymphony, Arts for Learning,Communities in Schools, and the HarmonyProject.
Currently in this program 29 Frostundergraduate students serve as mentors,each “adopting” two at-risk seventhgraders and providing weekly sessions inmusic instruction, homework help, andteam-building activities. The relations arecontinued for the entire four years of theFrost mentors’ undergraduate careers, withthe goal of using music as a bridge to helpat-risk students towards college.
Highlights of the evening will include asumptuous three-course dinner and joyousholiday performances featuring a 200-member Frost Choral Union and a specialFrost Holiday Orchestra. The repertoirewill include holiday carols from traditionsfrom around the globe.
Broadway alum Marcus Lovett, whoseson, Dylan, is a Vocal Jazz freshman at theFrost School of Music, will be honored atthe gala with the Frost AchievementAward and will perform selected holidayfavorites. The Hon. Charles E. Cobb Jr.and Hon. Sue M. Cobb will be decoratedfor their philanthropy to the University ofMiami and the South Florida community
with the Frost Legacy Award.“The Frost School of Music’s Winter
Wonderful Holiday Dinner is simply theperfect start to the holiday season,” saidDean Shelton G. “Shelly” Berg. “It is a mag-ical holiday gala filled with uplifting musicperformed by outstanding Frost musicians.It brings good cheer to new and long-timefriends of the University of Miami andpatrons of the arts in our community.
“Best of all, the gala proceeds go direct-ly to support undergraduate music scholar-ships at the Frost School of Music, includ-ing our new Frost Music-Reach mentoringprogram that uplifts and encourages teensall year long to succeed in school and inlife.”
The Frost Choral Union, 200 membersstrong, will perform as a unified choir andalso as members of smaller ensemblesincluding the Frost Chorale, SymphonicChoir, Chamber Singers, CantilenaWomen’s Choir and Maelstrom Men’sChoir. Joshua Habermann will serve asmusic director for the entire evening, withassistance from Donald Oglesby andchoral conducting graduate teaching assis-tants Rich Skirpan and Jeff Stern.
Marcus Lovett is an American per-former whose Broadway stints haveincluded The Phantom of the Opera, LesMisérables and Carousel.
The Hyatt Regency is located at 400 SESecond Ave. in downtown Miami. WinterWonderful is a Black Tie event and festiv-ities begin at 6:30 p.m. For more informa-tion or to order tickets, visit online at<www.winter-wonderful.com>, call 305-284-2875 or send email to <[email protected]>.
Holy Rosary Fall CraftsFestival set for Oct. 16BY CHRISTIANA CARROLL-BECERRA
The 34th annual Our Lady of the HolyRosary’s popular Fall Crafts Festival takesplace at the church, 9500 SW 184 St. inCutler Bay, on Oct. 16 featuring a wideselection of unique handmade crafts andone-of-a-kind creations.
Visitors will find everything from theunusual to the unique sure to fit every tasteand budget. Shoppers will find dazzlinghandbags, beautiful handmade jewelry,gorgeous floral designs, lovely memoryboxes, pottery and birdhouses, and enjoythe work of artists from across the country.
There will be hand-crafted jewelry andluscious photography, hand-blown glassand whimsical ceramic work, and basketmakers and bell makers will be on hand, aswill woodworkers, leather artists and more.
“This is always a perfect time to beginthinking of holiday gift giving,” said CharlieDavis, committee chairman. “And it is sucha family friendly event, with the activities forchildren and fun for everyone all day long.”
There will be activities such as the CVSPumpkin Photo Patch and face painting forthe little ones as well as hayrides.
But this is not an event just to fill theartistic soul. Delicious food will be avail-able to nourish the body, served up by localrestaurateurs, as well as music by localbands and school groups. And for all thoseclassic car enthusiasts, there will be a dis-play of classic cars competing for prizes.
Sponsorships, food vendor slots andartist booths still are available. Admissionis free. For more information, go online to<www.holyrosaryhs.org> or send email to<[email protected]>.
Visitors will find everything from the unusual to the unique sure to fit every taste and budget.
Buon AppetitoThe culinary staff and the service personnel ofRomanza Trattoria are dedicated to makingyour dining a classic, unique experience. Thehighest quality of foods are perfectly blendedwith the meticulous care of the kitchen staff.For your meal to reach its ultimate richness oftaste, it must be done in a manner that cannotbe rushed. We pride ourselves on excellence.
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Rev. Jeremy Upton joinsBaptist Church in PerrineBY BEVERLY C. RODRIGUES
Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Churchin Perrine officially will install Rev.Jeremy H. Upton as its new senior pastor inspecial installation ceremonies on Sunday,Oct. 3.
Installation ceremonies on Oct. 3 willtake place during threeservices beginning at7:30 a.m. with Dr. CraigMelvin Smith, seniorpastor of FreedomBaptist Church inChicago, IL, serving asthe guest speaker. At 11a.m., Pastor Denny D.Davis of St. JohnChurch in GrandPrairie, TX, will deliverthe sermon.
The celebration willculminate at 6:30 p.m.with Bishop EddieLong, senior pastor ofNew Birth MissionaryBaptist Church inDecatur, GA, officiatingthe installation ceremo-ny. All activities will take place at SweetHome, 10701 SW 184 St. in Perrine. Formore information on the installation, call305-251-5753.
Rev. Upton is a magna cum laude grad-uate of Morehouse College and a cumlaude graduate of Dallas TheologicalSeminary, earning a master’s degree in the-ology, with a concentration in pastoralleadership.
In addition, he studied at Carver BibleCollege (Atlanta, GA) and New OrleansBaptist Seminary (New Orleans, LA). Inthe summer of 2007, he completed post-
graduate study in preaching at OxfordUniversity in England.
Rev. Upton was licensed to the ministryin 1998 by Bishop Eddie L. Long, seniorpastor of New Birth Missionary BaptistChurch in Decatur, GA. Rev. Upton servedat New Birth for four years in various full-time in capacities including administrator
of Bishop Eddie L. LongMinistries, special assis-tant to Bishop Long andmiddle school/assistantyouth pastor.
Rev. Upton moved onto St. John Church inGrand Prairie and SouthLake Texas, where he wasordained under St. John’ssenior pastor, Dr. DennyD. Davis. Upton servedat St. John for eight yearsas executive pastor andpreaching assistant.
In 2008, Rev. Uptonreturned to New Birthwhere he served as chiefministry officer untilApril of this year when heaccepted the call to
become Sweet Home’s fourth senior pas-tor, following the retirement of Dr. WalterT. Richardson, who served the church for26 years.
Under the vision of “Building the House,Advancing the Kingdom,” Rev. Uptoncontinues to serve God in his generationand to make a positive impact for theKingdom of God in the community.
Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Churchwas founded in 1952. Sweet Home holdsworship services every Sunday at 7:30 a.m.and 11 a.m. and bible study everyWednesday at 7 p.m.
Reverend Jeremy H. Upton–––––––––––––––––––––––
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American Red Cross now acceptingnominations for Spectrum AwardsBY CHRYSTIAN TEJEDOR
Do you know an extraordinary womanwho has made a difference in SouthFlorida? If so, the American Red Crosswants to hear from you.
The Red Cross is calling for nomina-tions for the 18th Annual Sara HopkinsWoodruff Spectrum Awards for Women.Women shape the fabric of South Florida.As business leaders, teachers, physicians,entrepreneurs, philanthropists, nurses,mentors, and mothers, women every dayare making a difference in their own livesand in the lives of others around them.
The annual Spectrum Awards salute thewomen, past and present, who have madesignificant contributions in all walks oflife.
To nominate an outstanding woman,visit online at <www.southfloridared-cross.org>. The deadline for nominationsis Friday, Oct. 1.
Recipients of the Sara HopkinsWoodruff Spectrum Awards for Womenwill be honored at a luncheon on Feb. 3,2011 at the new JW Marriott Marquis, 345Avenue of the Americas in Miami.
The Spectrum Awards honor women inthe following categories: Ambassador,Cultural, Education, Entrepreneurial,Healthcare, Hospitality, Philanthropy, RedCross Service, Volunteerism and Youth.
Award recipients are selected by a com-mittee comprised of local business andcommunity leaders prominent in the fieldof each category.
In 2010, more than 400 communityleaders attended the prestigious luncheonand raised $170,000 for the vital, life-sav-ing programs of the American Red Cross.
For more information on the SaraHopkins Woodruff Spectrum Awards forWomen, contact Kenia Tedesco at 305-728-2512 or by email at<[email protected]>.
Vote NO on 8to Get It RightBY KAREN ARONOWITZ,President, United Teachers of Dade
Hello, my fellow voting Americans.I’m sure you feel the same puzzle-ment as I do when the candidate orissue I voted for comes up on the los-ing end. I shake my head in amaze-ment, saying to myself, “The majorityof my fellow citizens feel that way?Really?” Even so, that is where itends. The people have spoken andthey have the final word.Unfortunately, some FloridaLegislators have a different thoughtprocess saying, “Vote until you get itright.”
The voters made it clear to FloridaLegislators in 2002. Citizens ofFlorida voted to have smaller classsizes. They knew it would cost money,but it would be money well spent pro-viding quality education for our chil-dren. The original Class SizeAmendment was to be phased in overtime and the Florida Legislature wasrequired to fund it. But ever since theday this vote passed, some legislatorshave been working to have the ClassSize Amendment either voted out orwatered down. If that happens, itwould mean millions more in cuts toeducation funding. Again, I findmyself thinking, “Really?” Ask anyteacher you know if putting more stu-dents back into classrooms is a goodidea.
Legislators have placedAmendment 8 on the November ballotso we have another chance to “Voteuntil we get it right.” But there is noth-ing “right” about Amendment 8. The
majority of Florida voters decided thatthe class size Amendment should belaw, and now we must let the legisla-tors hear the voice of Florida’s major-ity one more time.
Legislators don’t like the Class SizeAmendment -- never have and neverwill -- because the money must bespent in our schools! Yes, imaginethat! The money must come to theschools themselves to make this hap-pen! It doesn’t go to a vendor! Itdoesn’t go to a consultant! It doesn’tgo to the Florida Department ofEducation to recalibrate test scores!
Of course, the private schools towhich these same legislators sendtheir own children put out lovely colorbrochures explaining the individual-ized instruction and attention their stu-dents receive because of small classsizes! I am glad these legislatorswant to provide the best for their ownchildren. But they are elected to takecare of the children in our publicschool system and enforce the law.We, through our own free will andrights as citizens, have voted to pro-vide just that through the Class SizeAmendment! We knew what we weredoing the first time.
Voting NO on Amendment 8 will notraise your taxes. It will allocate a larg-er portion of the taxes you already payto education. Voting NO onAmendment 8 keeps our classessmall and prevents further gutting ofeducation funding. Voting NO onAmendment 8 protects the onlyrequired funding for education wehave. Vote NO on Amendment 8.See you at the polls!
Voting NO on Amendment 8 will notraise your taxes. It will allocate a larg-er portion of the taxes you already payto education. Voting NO onAmendment 8 keeps our classessmall and prevents further gutting ofeducation funding. Voting NO onAmendment 8 protects the onlyrequired funding for education wehave. Vote NO on Amendment 8.See you at the polls!
The United Teachers of Dade repre-sents 38,000 teachers and schoolsupport personnel in MDCPS. Theunion is committed to being a leaderin creating public school reform, fos-tering a quality public education for allstudents and elevating the profes-sional status of teachers, paraprofes-sionals, office employees, and allschool support personnel.
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After 18 years of being a money man-ager, I have consistently heard howmany people do not feel comfortablewith their investment decisions.
Have you ever second-guessed theinvestment decisions you have made?Do words like foolish, dumb, wrong,confused, guess, uncertain, frustrated,and overwhelmed describe your feel-ings? You are not alone in feelinguncomfortable about decisions youhave made.
Would you like to feel better aboutyour investment decisions? If theanswer is yes, then here are some basicsteps to consider:
Determine if You are a Saver or anInvestor
If you need guaranteed stability, thenyou are a saver. When the stock marketis positive, many people say that theywant to invest and that they are an“investor.” They say that they can toler-ate the volatility of the stock market andthat their investment time horizon islong term (greater than 10 years).
Then 2008 comes along and the stockmarket (S&P 500) drops 34% and the“investors” now are running for safety as“savers”. Their long-term time horizonhas decreased from 10 years to 10 min-utes and the risk tolerance hasdecreased from moderate to minimal.
You need to be honest with yourselfas to what degree you are a saver or aninvestor. This is a personal decision thatin a perfect world should not be influ-enced by your family, friends or cowork-ers.
There are investments for savers andinvestments for investors. Before youselect from the thousand of choices,decide what will make you sleep at
night. Don’t rely on a sales rep to tellyou what your investment profile isbecause the sales rep may adjust yourprofile to fit the suitability of the invest-ment they are trying to sell you.
Focus on the Purpose of YourInvestment
Do you need to put money away for arainy day? Make a “To Do List” of itemsthat you want the money to attain suchas vacation, education or wedding. Giveeach item a specific cost such as$5,000 for a vacation. Determine whichitem motivates you to attain it.Motivation that is ratcheted up is calledpassion. If you find a passion for anitem, that will be your top priority. Howquickly you want to attain the item willhelp determine what investment to con-sider. Again decide on the specific pur-pose of the money and then consideryour options.
Be Realistic with what You have toInvestAs an “investor,” you need to accept thatyou are prepared to lose part or all ofyour investment. If this risk is not com-fortable for you, then you are a saver.There are times when people have bor-rowed on the equity of their home andinvest in the stock market because thepotential gains offset the risk of losingtheir home. People make reckless deci-sions so that they can attain the itemthey want quicker than what is realistic.Plan so that if it takes a year to attain anitem, you give yourself two years toattain it. If you attain the item in oneyear, that’s good but don’t beat yourselfup if you don’t make your deadline. Theimportant thing is to keep workingtoward what you want.
His firm, Rick Tonkinson & Associates,Inc. is a South Florida based companywith offices at 100 Almeria Avenue,Suite 310, Coral Gables, Florida 33134,offers financial planning services tomany in the community with a specialtyin assisting the middle class. For moreinformation, or to schedule an initialmeeting at your business or home, call866-323-8326 or (305)447-6617. Alsovisit the website at HYPERLINK"h t t p : / /www . r i c k t onk i n son . com"www.ricktonkinson.com. Securitiesoffered through Securities America, Inc.,member FINRA/SIPC, Rick Tonkinson,Registered Representatives. Advisoryservices offered through SecuritiesAmerica Advisors, Inc., Rick Tonkinson,Investment Advisor Representatives.Rick Tonkinson & Associates, Inc. andthe Securities America companies arenot affiliated.
How To Feel Comfortable AboutYour Investment Decisions
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Redbox DVD rental kiosks open at Walgreens stores
BY SAMANTHA FLYNN
Redbox, the popular bright red fully auto-mated DVD rental kiosk, announces theopening of five new locations at Walgreensin Miami and Miami Beach.
Redbox delivers convenient, affordableaccess to new release DVDs and catalog titles.With a rent and return anywhere policy, con-sumers now can rent DVDs from the Redboxkiosks at Walgreens in Miami and MiamiBeach and return them to any of the more than21,000 Redbox locations nationwide.
New Walgreens Redbox locations are:14190 SW 26 St., 15701 SW 56 St., 655 NW57 Ave. and 9701 SW 24 St. in Miami, and7340 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach.
“By placing our Redbox kiosks whereconsumers already shop, Redbox makes iteasy for movie lovers and people on the goto rent the latest new release DVDs at anaffordable price,” said Gary Cohen, seniorvice president for marketing and customerexperience at Redbox.
Redbox rents movies for a low nightlycost, and new users are invited to registertheir email address at <www.redbox.com> to
receive a free one-night rental code. Also, aspart of the Free Movie Monday promotion,every Redbox consumer can register his orher mobile phone at <www.redbox.com> toreceive a free one-night rental the firstMonday of every month.
Each Redbox kiosk holds 630 DVDs, rep-resenting up to 200 of the newest moviereleases. Consumers simply use a touchscreen to select their favorite movies, swipea valid credit or debit card and go. Redboxusers have the flexibility to keep the DVDfor as long as they like and are charged a lowfee for each night they keep the movie. Foradded convenience, consumers also can visit<www.redbox.com> to reserve their DVDonline or via the iPhone app from Redboxand pick it up immediately at the Redboxlocation of their choice.
Redbox has rented more than 750 millionDVDs and is available at approximately21,600 locations nationwide, includingselect McDonald’s restaurants, leading gro-cery and convenience stores, and Walmartand Walgreens locations in select markets.
For more information, visit online<www.redbox.com>.
Award winning playwright returns to launch NWSA theater seasonBY MARIA M. FLORES
Tarell Alvin McCraney (NWSA high
school 1999), award-winning interna-
tional playwright, will be offering a spe-
cial gift to New World School of the
Arts (NWSA) to celebrate his 30th
birthday and launch NWSA’s 2010-11
theater season.
The prolific playwright has planned a
special VIP reception and staged reading
performance at New World School of the
Arts on Friday, Oct. 15, to raise much
needed funds for the school. Along with
actor Glenn Davis and fellow
Steppenwolf Ensemble member Jon
Michael Hill, McCraney will perform
selected scenes from his acclaimed
Trilogy including The Brothers Size, In
The Red and Brown Water, and Marcus
— or the Secret of Sweet. His
Brother/Sister trilogy is set in the
Louisiana Projects and explores Yoruba
mythology.
The staged reading performance is
McCraney’s fundraising initiative and gift
for NWSA.
“When so much is at stake for our stu-
dents, it’s up to us to give generously not
just of our pockets but of our hearts and
talents,” McCraney said.
The funds from this initiative will be
used to assist graduating high school stu-
dents in attending auditions for colleges
or acting programs.
The presentation is comprised of two
events — a VIP reception with McCraney,
where he will give away 20 signed copies
of his book The Brother/Sister Plays, fol-
lowed by the book reading performance.
The VIP reception with Tarell
McCraney is scheduled for Oct. 15, 6
p.m., at the NWSA Louise O. Gerrits
Theater, 25 NE Second St. in downtown
Miami, Eighth Floor.
Ticket for private reception is $100. It
includes a signed copy of The
Brother/Sister Plays, which includes all
three plays, plus the Q&A with Tarell
McCraney, reading performance, and
complimentary parking. VIP reception is
limited to 20 guests.
A Staged Reading Performance follow-
ing the VIP reception, at 7:30 p.m., will
take place in the NWSA Dance Studio,
NWSA’s Eighth floor. Ticket for perform-
ance is $30 and includes performance
only.
For VIP Reception, call Rafael
Maldonado at New World School of the
Arts, 305-237-3753. VIP Reception is
limited to 20 guests, first-come first-
served.
Staged Reading Performance-only tick-
ets may be purchased online by visiting
the New World School of the Arts website
at <nwsa.mdc.edu>.
“I am very grateful that the school is so
supportive of this event,” McCraney said.
“Moreover, I hope that this fundraising
initiative will spark more efforts from
alumni and supporters alike to support our
young artists and their endeavors during
these economically unstable times.”
McCraney attended the New World
School of the Arts High School, receiving
the Exemplary Artist Award and the
Dean’s Award in Theater, and graduated
from DePaul University’s baccalaureate
program where he received his BFA in
acting.
In May 2007 McCraney graduated from
Yale School of Drama’s playwriting pro-
gram where he received the Cole Porter
Playwriting Award upon graduation.
For more information about the theater
program at NWSA, call 305-237-3541 or
visit <www.nwsa.mdc.edu>.
Tarell Alvin McCraney(Photo by George Osodi courtesy of Aleim Magazine)
“There’s nothing amusing about gettinglaid off — except when it’s a story told by thebrilliant Terry Shine, one of the funniest writ-ers I know.”
—Dave Barry
BY SARAH BREIVOGE
Nothing Happens Until It Happens To You(Crown, 304 pages, $23 hardcover), is T.M.Shine’s all-too-real debut novel about a manforced to leave behind the security and pre-dictability of his past to face his dysfunction-al family and a world disinclined to do himany favors.
Jeffrey Reiner has been fired — but he isnot crying about it. Though a self-designedsocial misfit, he accepts the advice that tomake it in these tough economic times he hasno choice but to throw himself at any oppor-tunities that come his way, no matter howhumbling or embarrassing.
Egged on by a slacker neighbor, an unorthodoxstate facilitator, and a 1-800 mental health coun-selor, Reiner stumbles into a highly comic andentirely outrageous journey of self-discovery.
Reiner realizes his job loss may havebecome the catalyst for his own family’sunraveling: His teenage daughter has dis-missed him; his only son may have the genet-ic wiring of a serial killer (a reality he fears hemay have never picked up on if he hadn’t losthis job), and he’s certain his wife is having anaffair but is too frightened by the truth (thathaving an affair includes sex) to confront her.
Trying to stretch his meager severance, hetakes on sporadic day work trying everythingfrom dressing as the Statue of Liberty to breed-ing suckerfish to cleaning pools at foreclosedhomes. (Shine has plenty of inspiration todraw from, having worked his own odd jobs,including: pizza deliveryman, lab courier,shellfish harvester, gas attendant, sweepstakesmail sorter, school bus driver, demolition man,drugstore manager, and box maker.)
Despite receiving a strict daily itineraryfrom his estranged wife to keep him on track,Reiner inadvertently finds himself veering offcourse. Suddenly he is trying to balance thesearch for a job with the hunt for a man he nolonger knows.
Inspired by a cover story Shine wrote for
the Washington Post Magazine (after losinghis job of nearly 18 years) called“Terminated: Desperately Seeking Plan B,”Nothing Happens Until It Happens To Youshowcases Shine’s mordant wit and perfectcomic timing.
T. M. Shine is an award-winning journalistand author based in South Florida who haswritten on topics ranging from spending amonth in fourth grade at the age of 32 to hunt-ing down an elusive Lizard Man in the back-woods of South Carolina.
A frequent contributor to the WashingtonPost Magazine, he has written for numerouspublications and been featured on NationalPublic Radio’s This American Life. He is theauthor of two memoirs: Fathers Aren’tSupposed to Die and Timeline: A Month inthe Life of a Guy Who Refuses. He is also theinventor of “whimsical mowing” and the“chew kiss.”
Shine will be speaking andsigning his new book atBooks and Books, 265Aragon Ave. in Coral Gableson Thursday, Oct 7, at 8 p.m.He also will be appearing atthe Miami InternationalBook Fair in November.
–––––––––––––––––––
Humorous first novel allabout life after pink slip
I had to drive up to North Carolina recent-ly and — as luck would have it — I was test-ing the 2010 Dodge Challenger for the week,the perfect car for the trip.
After crossing the Georgia state line, virtu-ally everywhere we stopped someone cameup to me with a question about the car, whichmade my job of digging up information agreat deal easier.
And the Challenger turned out to be anexceptionally nice road car — powerful andresponsive, easy to handle and really quitecomfortable. By the time we returned, Ifound myself with a grudging respect for thebig American muscle car.
And the Challenger does have a lot goingfor it — an unmistakable design, a provenrear-wheel-drive platform, powerful enginesand technology — to the delight of drivingenthusiasts around the country.
The Challenger is a five-passenger, two-door coupe, but rides on the same rear-drive
platform that complements the four-doorChrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. It’s avail-able in three models — SE, R/T and SRT8 —and you have a choice between two legendaryHEMI V-8 engines or a fuel-saving V-6.
Challenger SE — lists at $21,320 andcomes with a 250-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and four-speed automatic. It has cloth upholstery(leather is optional), air conditioning, powerwindows/locks/mirrors, 60/40 split-foldingrear bench, tilt/telescoping steering column,cruise control, remote keyless entry,AM/FM/CD/MP3 four-speaker stereo, visorvanity mirrors, and 17-inch aluminum wheels.
Other options include an eight-way powerdriver’s seat, moonroof, disc changer andnavigation with real-time traffic, a 276-wattBoston Acoustics audio system, 18-inch alu-minum wheels, ABS and electronic stabilitycontrol and traction control.
Challenger R/T — goes for $29,320 and ispowered by a 370-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 matedto a five-speed automatic. It comes with a body-colored rear spoiler and mirrors, metal fuelfiller door, leather-wrapped steering wheel andshifter, illuminated visor mirrors, dual chromedrectangular exhaust pipes and fog lights.
Upgrades include 18-inch aluminumwheels with wider tires, stability control, big-ger antilock brakes and a firmer suspension.Options include leather upholstery, naviga-
tion system, a 368-watt Boston Acousticssound system, bi-xenon headlamps, 20-inchchromed aluminum wheels, functional hoodscoops, keyless go, remote start, a trip com-puter with performance pages and steering-wheel audio/data controls.
Challenger SRT8 — lists for $39,320 has a425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, Brembo brakes, aspecial suspension and a limited-slip differen-tial. Many of the options on the R/T are stan-dard, including an upgraded sound system, bi-xenon headlamps, trip/data computer, leather,keyless go, and Sirius satellite radio. The
SRT8 rear spoiler is flat black, the hoodscoops are functional and the fuel filler is pol-ished aluminum. There are 20-inch forged alu-minum wheels and sport seats are standard.
There are more than 25 safety and securityfeatures and modern amenities, includingUconnect Navigation with voice commands.
Ron Beasley is the automotive editor forMiami’s Community Newspapers. He may becontacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261,or by addressing email correspondence to<[email protected]>.
Dodge Challenger delivers nostalgia and excitement
LET’S TALK CARS
Ron BeasleyAUTOMOTIVE EDITOR
Dodge Challenger is a five-passenger, two-door coupe with an unmistakable retro design.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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First time buyers — excited to find agood deal, afraid of overextending them-selves, confused by all the conflictingreports about real estate.
Well, that might describe any or all buy-ers right now, but those making their veryfirst purchase may feel elevated levels of allthese emotions. It helps to have someoneoffer you some guidance.
Don’t be afraid to make your move now,regardless of what you’ve been hearingabout the market. With affordability sohigh, you’ll find a flurry of activity outthere, so you’re not alone in making theright decision to begin your home search.
Just try not to exercise excessive cautionor you may suffer what has been termed“paralysis by analysis.” Your real estaterepresentative will present you with all thefacts and figures you need, and help you tointerpret the data so that you can make asound choice.
Now is not the time to vacillate aboutwhether prices or interest rates will stilldrop. There is nowhere to go now but up. Ifrates rise to 7.5 percent (still historicallylow), the homes price would have to bereduced nearly 20 percent to offset the dif-ference in monthly payments.
Set aside your uncertainties. Chat with anagent who can help you determine yourfinancial footing and show you an invento-ry of well-suited homes matched to yourparticular goals.
Mike and Lynda Morgan may be contact-ed at the Coldwell Banker Residential RealEstate Offices at 12155 S. Dixie Hwy., 305-253-2800 or by email at<[email protected]>.
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Prompt & Courteous Since 1982305-253-7374
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Sept 28 - Oct 4, 2010
H E A L T H & B E A U T Y D I R E C T O R Y • C A L L ( 3 0 5 ) 6 6 1 - 9 2 0 0
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We are currently conducting a year long trial to determine how investigational, FDA-approvedbirth control pills (oral contraception) affect bone mineral density in teenage girls.
Participants need to be:• 12 to 18 years old, generally in good health • Having regular menstrual cycles
• Prefer adolescents not currently taking birth control pills • 3 Bone Density tests performed (a minor x-ray test)
• Screening visit and 4 additional visits over period of a year • Compensation for time & travel of each participant up to $400
• Participants are given a choice between taking a birth control
pill or being part of the control group taking no birth control
Janet Gersten, M.D. • New Age Medical Research Corp.8900 SW 117th Avenue • Suite 207-B • Miami, FL 33186
Please call 305-596-9901 for further information
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AAssttrroollooggyy CCoonnssuullttaattiioonnssJeffrey Brock, well-known South Florida
astrologer, is available for astrology consultations- discover the incredible sychronicity between
the time and place of your birth and your personality. Astrology is being recognized as
Jeffrey Brock is the Director ofThe Astrological & MetaphysicalResearch Center and has beenteaching astrology since 1978.Mr. Brock also has extensiveexperience with personal &
corporate leadership developmentand is a Clinical Hypnotherapistand a Licensed Avatar® Master.
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ANTIQUE MALL Y’ALLThe Largest Antique Mall in Miami-Dade County