Palmetto Bay Nov 16 2010

NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2010

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Miami-Dade MPOconducting eighth

annual PSA contestBY ELIZABETH ROCKWELL

TT he Miami-Dade MetropolitanPlanning Organization (MPO),the agency responsible for trans-

portation planning in Miami-Dade County,is conducting its eighth annual PSA (publicService Announcement) Contest that hasattracted applicants from high schools, col-leges and universities throughout Miami-Dade County.

The focus of this year’s PSA Contest is toinform citizens about the county’s Bike &Ride Program. This program assists cyclistson extended trips as they can take a single-seat, two-wheeler bicycle anytime and justabout anywhere in Miami-Dade County onmany MDT Metrobus routes, the Metrorailand the Metromover.

Interested students will create a 30-sec-ond PSA to educate the community aboutthe benefits of the Bike & Ride Program.

––––––––––––––––––––– See CONTEST, page 4

BY GARY ALAN RUSE

VVillage Clerk MeighanAlexander, who also isthe superintendent ofelections for PalmettoBay, had a different kind

of election to supervise on Wednesday,Nov. 10, and no candidates for the councilwere involved.

Alexander was called upon to superviseand certify the voting process for an elec-tion taking place in the first grade class ofteacher Joann Gibson at Coral ReefElementary. The vote was to select a classpresident and two other posts.

Alexander enjoyed seeing the childrenparticipate — especially compared to adultelections.

“They do take it seriously, but the atmos-phere is so fun that it’s different in thatthere’s not quite the stress involved,”Alexander said. “But they were serious —you should have seen their campaignposters.”

Alexander had an added, personal inter-est in seeing the process play out, becauseher daughter, Bridget Pier, was one of theyoungsters running. It gave her a newappreciation for the rigors of campaigning.

Village clerk supervises different kind of voting

Pictured (l-r, front)) are Owen Katsikas, Bridget Pierand Brooks Hocutt, with teacher Joann Gibson (left)and Village Clerk Meighan Alexander behind them.

(Photo by Bill Kress, Village of Palmetto Bay)

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See VOTING, page 4

Local student chef makes ‘Cupcake Challenge’ finals

BY GARY ALAN RUSE

EE mily Nelson, ayoung PalmettoBay resident whois in the 11th

grade at Robert MorganEducational Center and ismajoring in Culinary Arts, hasbeen selected as a finalist in the“Miami’s Top CupcakeChallenge,” part of the Nov. 18“How Sweet It Is” event at TheShops at Sunset Place.

The daughter of Amy andRandall Nelson is excitedabout the opportunity to dis-play her talent and training ina contest where she’ll be goinghead to head against some ofthe best bakers in the area.

“Her recipe is for ‘ChocolatePiggies,’ a dark chocolate andbacon cupcake,” said her momAmy. “She got her start cookingat Southwood Middle Schoolwith Mrs. Towsley and is nowat Robert Morgan with herteachers, Mr. Galadza and Mr.Diaz. She plans on attendingFIU for hospitality and thengoing to the Culinary Instituteof America for cooking.”

Local residents of all ageswere invited to submit recipesfor their original cupcake con-cepts in October, then a selec-

Emily Nelson is pictured at the Holy Moly Guacamoleevent in 2009.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See CUPCAKES, page 4

A tasting celebration from more than 25 participating restaurants, vendors and caterers: Ana Paz Cakes • Death by Chocolate • Divine Delicacies • Edible Arrangements • Godiva • LA Sweets • Marhaba • Old Lisbon

Restaurant • Outback Steakhouse • Segafredo South Miami • Sugar Heaven • Sweet Delights of Miami • The Melting PotTown Kitchen & Bar and many more!

Live Entertainment: The Living Dolls Dance Factory • Music performance by Sammy Arriaga

Family Friendly Kids Zone: Cookie decorating and trail-mix creation station by Winn-Dixie • Appearance by Billy the Marlin • Face painting and more!

Tickets $20 (Children 10 and under are free) A portion of the event proceeds will bene!t these local charities:

For more information or to purchase tickets, call (305) 663-0482 or visit www.TheShopsAtSunsetPlace.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • 6:30 PM - 9:00 PMTHE SHOPS AT SUNSET PLACE (1st level by Niketown)

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I n d u l g e y o u r s w e e t t o o t h !

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 16 - 22, 2010

BY MICHELLE PALOMINO

The official start of the holiday season willget underway when the 14th annual Miracleon 136th Street Parademarches into The Fallsshopping center on Nov.20 at 4 p.m.

See local marchingbands, bagpipers, stiltwalkers, junkanoo band,Brazilians dancers,Dixieland band, localdignitaries, costumedcharacters, celebritiesand more. The paradewill feature nativeMiamian Josie Loren,star of ABC Family’stelevision drama seriesMake it or Break It asthe celebrity grand marshal.

Culminating with the arrival of Santa, theMiracle on 136th Street Parade promises tobe one of the biggest spectacles of the holi-days. Free and open to the public, the paradebenefits the scholarship fund of the Miami-Dade County Fair.

“Since we first started the parade 14 yearsago, the Miracle on 136th Street Parade hasreally blossomed into a South Florida tradi-

tion that attracts some 20,000 people annual-ly,” said Julie Goldman, general manager atThe Falls. “The Falls is proud to be theorganizers of this fun-filled family event that

brings joy and smiles to the people of ourcommunity.”

Following the parade, the lights of the sea-son will come aglow at The Falls as hundreds

of thousands of lights that showcase giantanimal topiaries and elaborate water ele-ments to include elephants, giraffes, pea-cocks, camels, dolphins and more will illu-minate the shopping center’s gardens andwaterfalls

Santa also will take up residence and beavailable for photos in Center Court at theSanta House, which will remain open untilearly January through Three Kings Day.

There will be three stages of post-paradeentertainment featuring a performance byLauren, The Nutcracker presentation, FrankHubbell’s Jazz Band, 2 Night Stand andmore.

The parade route, which is located on theBoulevard in between the center and theparking lot, will start at the east end of TheFalls in front of Bloomingdale’s and traversethe entire length of the center, west toMacy’s. Spectators are asked to arrive earlyand line both sides of the parade route.

The Miracle on 136th Street Parade issponsored by Presenting Sponsor FloridaBlue.

The Falls, located at 8888 SW 136 St., isone of the largest open-air shopping, diningand entertainment complexes in the U.S.,featuring Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, more than100 stores, restaurants, cafés and RegalCinemas.

Miracle on 136th St. Parade at The Falls returns Nov. 20

The Miracle on 136th Street Parade and the arrival of Santa Claus signals the start of the holiday seasonat The Falls shopping center.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Josie Loren––––––––––––––

November 16 - 22, 2010 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM

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tion committee reviewed the recipe sub-missions and picked a limited few to com-pete in the live judging hosted by KathyMartin, Miami Herald Food Editor;Marybel Rodriguez, CBS4 anchor/reporter; Jewel Figueras, Miami Fashionand Style Examiner blogger, and LettyAlvarez, baker and owner of LA Sweets.

The panel of celebrity judges will sam-ple the cupcakes and base the winningdecision on taste, creativity and presen-tation during a special competition. Onefinalist will win a $100 Simon AmericanExpress Gift Card and have his or herphoto taken and featured as the winner of“Miami’s Top Cupcake Challenge” inSOMI magazine. The winner also willreceive four complimentary tickets toattend “How Sweet It Is,” where they

will be recognized as the winner of thecontest.

Emily’s mother said that besides beingin Southwood’s “Little Chefs” group, herdaughter has been in other special compe-titions involving food.

“She participated in the Holy MolyGuacamole event that was held last year atthe Schnebly Winery where Robert Morganparticipated with other schools in breakingthe Guinness Book of World Records for thelargest serving of guacamole,” Amy said.

Finalists in “Miami’s Top CupcakeChallenge” will have to prepare a dozencupcakes for the event and then, one byone, present them to the five judges. Thejudges will ask questions about the cre-ations and the finalists will have two min-utes to explain their cupcake concept. Thewinning cupcake will be selected basedon taste, creativity of the cupcake conceptand design/look of the actual cupcake.

CUPCAKES, from page 1 ––––––––

“I think it really is a very brave thing todo to stand up in front of a group of peopleand tell everybody why you’re the bestchoice,” Alexander said. “I think it’s hard todo, not only for school children but even foradults. It’s not an easy thing. She surprisedme. I had no idea she was running for officeuntil she brought the blank poster home.”

The week before, the teacher had askedthe students to raise their hands if theywanted to run, and then they had an initialvote to scale it down to three. Those threestudents then made election posters, pre-pared a platform statement and handed outgoodies such as candy, donuts and pencilsto entice votes, not unlike their adultcounterparts.

It proved to be a very tight race for the topthree candidates, but once the final count wastallied, Brooks Hocutt was elected presidentof the class with nine votes; Owen Katsikas,

vice president, with five votes, and BridgetPier was elected secretary, which is essential-ly the same job her mother has as clerk withthe village, although on a smaller scale.

“I think it’s great that she’s following inmy footsteps,” Alexander said. “She wasvery excited. She didn’t seem disappointedat all not to be president. I was excited forher. When she won, I told her, ‘you’ll bedoing exactly what your mommy does.’”

The students elected will keep those posi-tions for the remainder of the school year.As clerk, Alexander has been called upon tocertify a school election before, in two othercities, and she thinks it’s good for schools toteach kids about the election process.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for chil-dren because you would hate for them towatch some of the negative campaigningthat was going on — not necessarilyPalmetto Bay — in the mid-term electionsand think that’s what it’s all about,”Alexander said. “I think it’s nice to get themexcited and feeling positive about possiblyserving in an elective capacity.”

VOTING, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––

Three winners will be selected and eachwill receive a one-month complimentaryEASY Card from Miami-Dade Transit,spend one-day with a Miami-Dade TV pro-ducer and be formally recognized by theMPO Governing Board. Each winning PSAwill be played on local municipal accesschannels and posted on Miami-DadeCounty’s YouTube account.

Applications to enter the contest are dueby Friday, Feb. 4, 2011.

Submit the application either by email to<[email protected]>, fax to 305-375-

4950 or mail to Miami-Dade MPO, Attn:Paul Chance, Stephen P. Clark Center, 111NW First St., Suite 920, Miami, FL 33128.

Professors and teachers are encouraged tocontact Paul Chance, MPO PublicInvolvement Officer, at 305-375-1888 toschedule a visit to their school to receive apresentation and answer any questions stu-dents may have regarding the contest.

For more information, contest applicationand materials, visit online at <www.miami-dade.gov/mpo/m12-resource-residents-psa.htm>.

CONTEST, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


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Lots of things going on in the month ofNovember that command our attention to agreater or lesser degree and cause us to pauseand think (or certainly they should) aboutwhat’s important to us all. The elections arepast or wrapping up, and whatever you maythink about the various campaigns or thoserunning, the important thing to remember issimply that we have free elections in America.Virtually anyone of voting age can vote, eventhough some sadly neglect making use of thatprivilege, and virtually anyone can run foroffice if they’ve a mind to and are willing toput in the effort. We take it for granted, but noteveryone in the world is as lucky. Veterans’Day was last week, and we sometimes takeour veterans and those men and women still inuniform to keep us safe for granted, too,though we clearly shouldn’t.

Thanksgiving is this month as well, rightaround the corner, and if there was ever an

occasion to remember and be grateful for allthe many things and reasons we have to bethankful in our day to day lives, that is it. Sowhile many folks make their New Years reso-lutions in January, it just seems as ifNovember is a better month to reflect, assessand reaffirm the important stuff and how weapproach the year ahead.

The Village Police want you...to shop! Getready for the Nov. 20 Rummage Sale to bene-fit the local D.A.R.E program, sponsored bythe Palmetto Bay Police Department. Boothsare just $15 each (reserve before Nov. 18).The event is at St. Richard’s Church, locatedat 7500 SW 152 Street, diagonally acrossfrom Coral Reef Park. For more info contactOfficer Glasko of the Village of Palmetto Bay/D.A.R.E. unit at 305-259-1270.

Putting Palmetto Bay on the map...or is itvice versa? We see on the village’s official web-site that anyone who did not get one of the nicenew village maps that were mailed out to resi-dents can get it online by visiting this address:http://www.miamimaps.com/palmetto.php It’spretty neat, with little pop-up information pan-els and everything. And if you access it on asmart phone it will even fit in your pocket!

We missed acknowledging the birthday offormer District 3 Councilman and business-

man John Breder on November 4. Sorry aboutthat, John. We send you best belated birthdaywishes and hope that only good things willcome your way in the year ahead.

Amidst all the post-election news, recallsand what-have-you, here come the MiamiDolphins to Kendall, hoping to warm up folksfor redevelopment of the Sun Life (JoeRobbie) Stadium, even though it will partiallyinvolve some type of public funding, accord-ing to current planning.

Owner Steve Ross is already committed tobuild a new water park on adjoining groundsto create additional use and try to popularizethe notion that great economic benefits willresult eventually, including a chance to hostthe World Cup soccer matches when Miamigets a chance to bid for the sport once again.

We wish the Dolphins all the luck they canmuster in a still-down economic cycle forsuch grandiose planning, including the latestredevelopment to eliminate private clubhousesuites to build a night club for its beautifulpeople-owners to enjoy.

If yyou’re a long-distance two-wheeler, theDolphins’ “Cycling Challenge” tackling can-cer “one mile at a time” over a 170-milecourse in Broward and Palm Beach Countieshopes to attract stout-limbed bikers Saturday

and Sunday, November 20-21. You’ll evenhave a chance to ride with Zach Thomas, all-time linebacker for the Fish. Proceeds benefitthe University of Miami Sylvester CancerCenter with routes mapped out for all agesand skill levels. For details, go towww.RideDCC.com or call 305-943-6799.

Worthwhile cause: sponsors being soughtfor a private screening of “Harry PotterDeathly Hollows, Part 1” Saturday andSunday, November 20- 21 at the new Paragon13 Theater in Coconut Grove. Tickets cansponsor a child’s attendance (including asmall popcorn) at $25 each. All proceeds ben-efit the Children’s Bereavement Center thatprovides education, resources and supportgroups. For details, call 306-668-4902.

Thought of the Day:The handwriting on the wall

may be a forgery. — Ralph Hodgson

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]>.

November is the month to remember the important things

AROUND TOWN

Michael MillerEXECUTIVE EDITOR



Payback is a big thing in politics. Youscratch my back and I will scratch yours.Vote for me and I will look out for you. Allthese thoughts ran through my mind recentlywhen I read the Miami Herald.

The headline read “Marlins give $50,000to fend off recall drive.”

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez wasthe biggest promoter of the taxpayer carryingthe major portion of the funding of theMarlins’ ballpark. He took a lot of heat fromthe press, radio, TV and the average man onthe street. Most everyone, living on areduced income, couldn’t understand whythe taxpayers should be footing the bill tobuild a stadium for a billionaire baseballteam owner.

But, thanks to the mayor’s persistent sup-port and drive, the Marlins gained the taxpay-ers financial support and the county and theCity of Miami came up with $350 million ofpublic funds and the guarantees to see that the

ballpark and parking garage would be built.Now, taxpayers are learning that while the

values of their homes have gone down, theirtax bills have gone up. The county mayorand commissioners didn’t have the backboneto make the appropriate cuts in expendituresthat were needed to keep real estate taxes atlast year’s levels.

The mayor, who fought so hard to become“a strong mayor,” was singled out as the guythat gave pay raises to “insider” officials andother support staff while sending hundreds ofrank and file county employees home withpink slips. Those that remained took acrossthe board pay cuts. Yet, the perks to themayor and the county commissioners contin-ued to be paid and happily accepted.

Miami billionaire Norman Braman could-n’t take it any more. He put together a recallpetition to dethrone the mayor. Why notrecall all the commissioners, who togetherwith the mayor supported the tax increasewith a negligible 1 percent reduction inexpenditures? Simple, the mayor is the sym-bolic leader of our community, so he is theone that Braman selected as the individualthat should be taken down.

Interestingly, many thought the petitiondrive for a recall would fail as it would beimpossible to obtain 62,000 signatures in just

two months. Surprise, they collected 112,894in just three short weeks. Shows how thecommunity feels?

At first the mayor, figuring I suppose, thatthe recall drive would fall on its face, saidthat he was going to ignore it. Then when therecall started to gain momentum he reachedout to those he helped in the past seekingtheir support. The dollars started to roll in.And, look at where the money came from.

You scratch my back and I will scratchyours? Jeffery Loria, the Marlins’ owner andDavid Samson, team president, gave themayor’s political action committee $50,000.

Want another coincidence? The ballpark’sgeneral contractor, Hunter/Moss, gave themayor’s group $5,000, and the company thatprovided the cement, Baker ConcreteConstruction, gave another $5,000. Totalballpark beneficiary contributions, as of thedate of writing: $73,500. Now that is what Icall getting one’s back scratched.

Speaking of back scratching, the secondlargest group of financial support came from

the Miami-Dade police union. A $50,000thank you for the 13 percent salary increasegiven its members earlier in the year, Mr.Mayor? In all, the mayor’s defense fund hascollected over $207,000. Evidently themayor anticipates a fight for his political life.

The community is tired of losing homes toforeclosure, others fighting to find the moneyto pay increased real estate taxes, and othersare on the street, day after day seekingemployment to put food on the table. Theseare the same residents of our county that arebeing asked, no told, to pay increased realestate taxes while they watch a select group ofthe mayor’s friends enjoy pay raises.

Let’s see how the voters react.

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 ––Payback is a big thing in politics; just ask Alvarez

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The latest national unemployment num-bers show that claims for new benefits aredropping for the third week in a row.

In a recent week, 434,000 people filed newunemployment claims and that’s down byabout 21,000 people from the previous week.Long-term unemployment also is down by122,000 people nationwide, although 4.36million former workers still are collectingextended benefits. Locally, there are definitesigns of a slowly improving job market.

So, where are the new jobs coming from?According to state figures from the Agencyfor Workforce Innovation, the top growingfields are education and health with 39,200new jobs, professional services with 15,400positions and trade-related fields with 13,600new jobs.

Full-time hiring is picking up again slowlyin some specialized fields like healthcare andprofessional services, but “Help Wanted”signs for permanent positions are expected toremain scarce through at least the first half ofnext year according to some national laboranalysts.

LOCAL CRUISE BUSINESS BOOMINGThe U.S. economy may be struggling

through an anemic economic recovery, butSouth Florida’s cruise lines are reportingsolid third quarter profits and it’s shaping upto be a record-breaking year for the Port ofMiami.

Deep discounts, solid bookings, stabilizing

fuel prices and reduced operating expensesare paying off with dramatic profits, accord-ing to the latest earning reports out of SouthFlorida’s cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean just announced a 55 per-cent gain in its third quarter earnings, NCL isup over 21 percent and Carnival is reportingprofits improving 22 percent over earlier inthe year. Those profits are being driven by arecord number of passengers who decidethat, despite our lagging recovery, cruisesremain a good deal, providing travel, housingand meals under one roof.

This past fiscal year, the Port of Miamialone saw more than 4.1 million passengerstravel through it. That is up about 35,000from the previous year and a new “WorldCruise Record” according to port officials.

So what’s the downside? As demand risesfor limited space, prices are starting to climbtoo. It’s the simple law of supply anddemand. But that’s precisely why the indus-try is seeing such good earnings, and goodearnings for local cruise lines and cargo oper-ators are good for South Florida because ofthe revenues the industries generate and allthe jobs they support.

Improving business at the Port of Miamialone is forecast possibly to generate another33,000 new jobs in 2014 once the port’s mainchannel is dredged and expanded. It lookslike the local cruise business is headingtowards making 2010 a record breaker, witheven more ships coming here over the nextfew years and forecasts for even more cargoand more passengers.

What makes it even more remarkable isthat this all comes as the U.S. economy stillstruggles to see more gains from an overallstalled recovery.

Watch Al Sunshine’s “CBS Money Watch”reports Monday-Friday beginning at noon.

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Letter to the EditorLetters to the Editor

6796 SW 62 Ave. • South Miami, FL 33143 E-mail: [email protected]

Employee salaries in line with other governmentsTo the Editor:

The ratio of county employees earning $100,000 or more is not out of line with othergovernments or the general population. We are a large and complex organization with pro-fessionals in a number of specialized fields. Although exceptions can always be found inany organization with more than 27,000 employees, Miami-Dade County salaries arecompetitive, but not disproportionate.

While $100,000 is an arbitrary threshold, a recent, comprehensive study by the inde-pendent Economic Policy Institute shows that public employees are not overpaid com-pared with similar private sector workers.

Excluding public safety positions, less than 6 percent of the county workforce meets the$100,000 earnings threshold.

Many of those making more than $100,000 worked hours beyond a full-time scheduleand were paid overtime. In protective services alone, overtime has been reduced by $50million in just the past year.

We are continuing to scale back the workforce, even as demands for services increase.Adjusted for inflation, the cost of government for a resident of Miami-Dade County islower than it has been in 20 years.

Carlos Alvarez, mayorMiami-Dade County


BY NANCY EAGLETON

With the front of its store transformedinto a Christmas wonderland, Ace HomeCenter on Red Road in South Miami offi-cially kicked off the holiday season onNov. 4 with its annual CustomerAppreciation Event.

Customers attending the daylong cele-bration received a 10 percent discount onChristmas shop items and a 20 percentdiscount on all other store items whileenjoying the festive atmosphere, warmgreetings and refreshments offered by theAce Home Center staff.

“This event is a way for us to givethanks to our customers,” said CeciRodriguez-Hitchcock, wife of Ace HomeCenter owner, Dan Hitchcock. “This isour favorite time of the year. Dan’s facelights up when he sees the store transfor-mation and the customers’ joy as they seeall of the new holiday items.”

The staff and designers at Ace HomeCenter will be helping customers createtheir own Christmas wonderland withone-of-a-kind holiday ornaments, tabletop items, stockings, nutcrackers, nativi-ty scenes, wreaths, garland, arches, floralaccents and more. Holiday looks rangefrom traditional to contemporary, tropi-cal, whimsical and everything inbetween.

“We carry exclusive collectibles anditems from popular brands such asDepartment 56, Mark Roberts andFontanini,” Rodriquez-Hitchcock added.“Customers will also find unique giftitems for everyone on their list.”

The Christmas Shop is decked out withChristmas trees decorated in themes suchas aquatic, angels, fairies, wine, 1960s,New Year’s Eve and traditional. Theserealistic trees come fully lighted in sever-al heights and widths.

For a look that is definitely not tradi-tional, there are upside-down wall, floorand full-size Christmas trees. All of thethemed trees are sure to offer inspiration,or can be exactly duplicated in yourhome by the Ace Home Center designers.

“Our design team is led by designerMike Monroe, from Monroe Design, whohas been in the business for 22 years andspecializes in holiday designs and eventsfor homes and hotels,” Rodriguez-Hitchcock said. “He will work withclients to transform their homes insideand out, using their own decorations orlayering new pieces from the Christmasshop.”

Customers also will receive expert

service from Ace Home Center sales spe-cialists Sharon Levy and Betty Phillips,who is also the Christmas Shop buyer.

Sylvia Hitchcock Carson, DanHitchcock’s sister who, grew up inMiami and as many locals know, wascrowned Miss Universe in 1967, will beassisting customers in the store duringthe holidays.

“This business is really a familyaffair,” Rodriguez-Hitchcock said of thebusiness that’s been in the Hitchcockfamily since 1959.

The Ace Home Center kitchen andbath, paint, and hardware experts alsowill assist customers with high impact,low-cost home improvement projects thatreally can spruce up a home for the enter-taining season.

Ace Home Center is located at 7325Red Rd. in South Miami. The store isopen 7:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Mondaythrough Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. onSunday. Call 305-667-1195 to schedulean appointment with a holiday salesspecialist or designer. For more infor-mation, go online to <www.acehome-centers.com>.

Decorate your home with help of Ace Home Center

Ace Home Center’s sales specialists, Betty Phillips (left) and Sharon Levy, will help you transform your home forthe holidays.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


BY YANEISY BLANCO

The Children’s Trust will host its sixthannual Champions for Children awards cer-emony to honor individuals and programsthat have achieved greatness in their serviceto children and families. The event will beon Friday, Nov. 19, noon-2 p.m., at theJungle Island Treetop Ballroom.

In addition, this year the Children’s TrustChampions for Children awards ceremonywill celebrate the resiliency of the Haitianpeople and its culture nearly one year afterthe devastating earthquake this past January.

World renowned Haitian violinist RomelJoseph, a Julliard graduate and founder ofthe New Victorian School in Port-au-Prince, will perform at the ceremony. TheNew Victorian School was destroyed dur-ing the earthquake. Joseph was severelyinjured and lost both his wife and unbornchild. Other musical performances are partof this year’s Haitian-themed event.

This annual signature event is one of themost coveted within the community ofchild advocates and in all of Miami-DadeCounty, and serves as an inspiration to oth-ers to follow in the path of award recipients.

Tickets to the event may be purchasedonline at <www.thechildrenstrust.org>.

The award categories and recipients areas follows:

David Lawrence Jr. Champion forChildren Award — Jean Caceres-Gonzalez,founder and executive director of HisHouse Children’s Home, a nonprofit crisisresidential shelter for abused, neglected anddrug exposed children.

David Lawrence Jr. Champion forChildren Award — Sister Lucia Ceccotti,

founder and executive director of MarionCenter School and Services, a 50-acre cam-pus dedicated to caring for children withdisabilities since 1963.

Excellence in Public Policy — State Sen.Rudy Garcia, member of the FloridaLegislature since 1984.

Excellence in Direct Service for Childrenand Families — Daryl Miller, Leisure LakePark manager for Miami-Dade CountyParks and Recreation Department.

Excellence in School ReadinessProgramming — University of MiamiLinda Ray Intervention Center, Project“Hand ‘n’ Hand,” a program that pro-vides interactive education session withan emphasis on language development,emotional regulations and child develop-ment milestones to parents of infants andtoddlers.

Excellence in Youth Programming forSchool and Life Success — ThomasArmour Youth Ballet, a program that pro-vides ballet training to more than 1,000 stu-dents annually with more than 500 attend-ing through scholarships at locations inSouth Miami, Morningside, Homestead, theRedland and Coconut Grove.

Excellence in Health Family orCommunity Services — The Children ofInmates Service Partnership, a program thatreunites children with their incarceratedparents.

In addition to these honorees, theChildren’s Trust will recognize its employ-ee of the year at the Champions forChildren 2010 Award Ceremony.

To learn more about the Children’s Trust,call 2-1-1 or visit online at <www.thechil-drenstrust.org>.

The Children’s Trust to presentChampions for Children awards

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BY ROXANA FERNANDEZ

Sir Pizza of West Kendall hosted popularlocal band “TILT” on Friday, Nov. 5. Theband entertained the packed crowd, whichincluded fans of all ages, with an eclecticmix of ’90s grunge, alternative rock, andLatin beats on covers of favorite classicand current tunes.

Ernie Fernandez, lead vocalist, also isone of the franchise owners of Sir Pizza ofWest Kendall. He was joined by bandmates: Javi on lead guitar, Eddie on bassand Wolf on drums.

Guests also enjoyed “good to the veryedge” food, including pizza, subs, chickenwings, burgers and more.

The original Sir Pizza restaurant opened

on Key Biscayne, and the concept expand-ed, with locations now in Coral Gables,Pinecrest, Sunset, West Kendall, West Dadeand Coral Springs. Sir Pizza is known forits signature “square” cut pieces toppedwith high-quality, fresh ingredients includ-ing proprietary sauce, proprietary specially-blended cheese, and unique toppings suchas crumbled bits of proprietary pepperonias well as salads, sandwiches, blankets,chicken wings, hamburgers and lasagna.Beer and wine is served at every location.Takeout and delivery are also offered.

Sir Pizza is acquiring franchisees wholove the pizza industry and are passionateabout building the brand. Anyone interest-ed should visit the website at <www.sirpiz-zarestaurants.com>.

Sir Pizza of West Kendall hostsperformance by local band ‘TILT’

“TILT” lead guitarist Javi riffs on a classic rock tune. The band offers an eclectic mix of ’90s grunge, alter-native rock and Latin beats.

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Make a difference by visiting any localSouth Florida McDonalds from now untilNov. 20 and purchase a “Give a Hand” paperhand for $1. By purchasing a $1 paper hand,customers will make a donation to RonaldMcDonald House Charities (RMHC) ofSouth Florida.

The hands will be displayed in participat-ing McDonald’s restaurants throughoutNovember reminding South Florida resi-dents to lend a hand to support those in need.

But that’s not the only way you canhelp. Now, with every purchase of aMcDonald’s Happy Meal or Mighty Kid’sMeal, a donation is made towards RMHCof South Florida, too. All proceeds direct-ly help families with seriously ill childrenstaying at the South Florida RonaldMcDonald Houses.

The mission of Ronald McDonald HouseCharities is to create, find and support pro-grams that directly improve the health andwell being of children in South Florida.

For more information, visit<www.mcdonalds.com> or <www.rmhc-southflorida.org>.

A RECORD BREAKING 809DOGS, CATS FIND HOMES

October was an incredible month for the

shelter pets.Thanks to the hard work and dedication

of the Miami-Dade Animal Services staff,volunteers and rescue groups, a recordbreaking 809 dogs and cats found new lov-ing families to welcome them into theirhomes. That’s more pets saved in a monththan ever before in the history of thedepartment.

In addition to the 809 adoptions, anoth-er 410 pets went home with one of 62 res-cue partners and 143 pets were reunitedwith their rightful owners.

Each year, the shelter impounds morethan 37,000 pets. The goal at AnimalServices is to reunite lost pets with theirfamilies or find lifelong homes for as manyanimals as possible.

For more information, visit online at<www.miamidade.gov/animals>.

MIAMI ART MUSEUM LAUNCHESINAUGURAL ONLINE SILENT AUCTION

In anticipation of its annual fundraisinggala, Miami Art Museum will launch itsfirst-ever silent auction online at<www.biddingforgood.com/miamiartmu-seum>. The auction will run until midnighton Sunday, Nov. 28.

Some of the items that are featured on

the online auction include a Verdura cuffwith 18k yellow gold, turquoise, pearls,diamonds, and a luxury cruise in theMediterranean aboard Seabourn cruiseline. Other items include tickets to sportingand entertainments events, fine dining andrare wines.

For information, visit online at<www.biddingforgood.com/miamiartmu-seum>.

‘THE WIZARD OF OZ’ COMESTO WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN

Head on down the yellow brick road asthe Westminster Christian High Schoolmusical theater class presents The Wizard ofOz on Nov. 18 and 20, at 7:30 p.m., in theGuarch Family Auditorium, located at 6855SW 152 St.

This production is the RoyalShakespeare Company version that wasmost recently on Broadway. The familiarsongs of Over the Rainbow, We’re Off to

See the Wizard, If I Only Had a Brain andall of the others that have brought joy tomillions over the years will be performed.Tickets are $10.

For more information, call the school’sFine Arts Office at 305-233-2030.

MIAMI HEART GALLERY EXHIBITIONCOMES TO ACTORS’ PLAYHOUSE

The Children’s Trust Miami HeartGallery, a photo exhibit promoting theadoption of foster children in Miami-DadeCounty, is on display in the lobby ofActors’ Playhouse at The Miracle Theatre,located at 280 Miracle Mile, now throughJan. 7.

The exhibit is timed to the main stageproduction of Oliver!, a timeless musicalbased on Oliver Twist, the literary classicby Charles Dickens.

With a nearly 50 percent adoption rate,

––––––– Continued on next page

‘Give a Hand’ for Ronald McDonald House CharitiesCOMMUNITY NEWS BRIEFS


the exhibit is comprised of 44 portraitstaken by some of the world’s top photog-raphers. The Children’s Trust Miami HeartGallery is a partnership between TheChildren’s Trust and OurKids, the privateagency responsible for foster care andadoption in Miami-Dade County and theFlorida Keys.

For more information, visit online at<www.miamiheartgallery.org>.

FARMERS MARKET TO CELEBRATEFARM CITY WEEK IN MIAMI-DADE

Miami-Dade County agricultural manag-er Charles LaPradd will host a FarmersMarket to celebrate Farm City Week onNov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the lobbyof the Stephen P. Clark Center located at111 NW First St.

Farm City Week is dedicated to enhancinglinks between farm families and urban resi-dents. Miami-Dade County’s agriculturalindustry ranks among the top three industriesfor the county and second in the State ofFlorida, and is one of the most diverse in thecountry.

A great way to experience locally grownproducts is to visit a fresh farmer’s mar-ket. The Farm City Week Farmers Marketwill have local growers on hand withhoney, plants, fruits and vegetables, aswell as educational displays.

For information, call 305-971-5091.

MASTER CHORALE, MIAMI SYMPHONYTO PERFORM HAYDN’S ‘THE CREATION’

South Florida will have an opportunity tohear The Creation, Franz Joseph Haydn’sglorious oratorio, in three performances bythe Master Chorale of South Florida, accom-panied by the Miami Symphony Orchestraunder the direction of Joshua Habermann, onNov. 19, 8 p.m., at Trinity EpiscopalCathedral, 464 NE 16 St. in Miami.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at thedoor, and can be purchased by phone at 1-954-418-6232.

Franz Joseph Haydn’s The Creation isconsidered by many to be the composer’smasterpiece. The three soloists representangels — Gabriel (soprano), Uriel(tenor), and Raphael (bass) — who nar-rate and comment on the successive sixdays of creation.

For more information, call Nancy Gates-Lee at 1-954-770-2805.

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC LIBRARY MARKS35 YEARS OF SERVING THE HOMEBOUND

The Miami-Dade Public Library System’sConnections: Library Service has been meet-ing the needs of homebound patrons for thepast 35 years. The public is invited to join ina celebration to commemorate this milestoneon Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m., at the Main Library,located at 101 W. Flagler St.

Participants can learn about currentresources and trends to promote healthylifestyles. Hear the smooth sounds of TheSinging Miamians and enjoy some fun andinformational exhibits.

For additional information, call 305-474-7251 or visit online at <www.mdpls.org>.

THE EMERALD SOCIETY TO PRESENT‘CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND’ ON DEC. 10

The South Florida Emerald Society cele-brates its annual holiday event, “Christmasin Ireland,” on Dec. 10, 7 p.m., in the WestinColonnade, 180 Aragon Ave, in CoralGables. The event is open to all and ticketsare $75 each.

The evening will include an elegant sit-down-and-be-served dinner and entertain-ment by Fire in the Kitchen and the BreffniDancers. Fire in the Kitchen is a duo com-prising Irish-born Bobby O’Donovan andBob Noble. The group is known throughoutthe world and has recorded many albums ofIrish music. Breffni Dancers are a group ofIrish step-dancers, instructed by the leg-endary Michael O’Hara.

For tickets and reservations, call MaryAnn Kerr at 305-302-2301.

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BY ASHLEY SUGARMAN

If sweet treats are the way to anyone’sheart, then the Shops at Sunset Place’s“How Sweet It Is” on Thursday, Nov. 18,6:30-9 p.m., is sure to please.

The Shops at Sunset Place, one of SouthMiami’s leading retail and entertainmentdestinations, will welcome the area’s finestchefs and caterers to take part in a delicioustasting celebration that will benefit localcharities: Academy of InformationTechnology; A Safe Haven for Newborns;Simon Youth Foundation; Transition Inc.,and Vent Love Inc.

The Shops at Sunset Place’s “How SweetIt Is” attendees will enjoy a delicious dis-play of all-you-can-eat desserts and sweettreats, as well as live entertainment by theLiving Dolls Dance Factory and manymore. The evening also will include a kidzone with family-friendly activities such ascookie decorating, a trail-mix creation sta-tion, face painting and more.

“The Shops at Sunset Place is excited tointroduce this community event that willmake a significant contribution to localorganizations, while providing a deliciousnight out for local families,” said ClaudiaMarquez, director of marketing and busi-ness development at the Shops at SunsetPlace. “‘How Sweet It Is’ is perfect forthose who want to indulge their sweettooth, all while supporting a good cause.”

Participating South Florida restaurants,vendors and caterers for the Shops atSunset Place’s “How Sweet It Is” include:

Ana Paz Cakes, Death by Chocolate,Divine Delicacies, Godiva, LA Sweets,Marhaba, Old Lisbon Restaurant, OutbackSteakhouse, Segafredo South Miami,Sugar Heaven, Sweet Delights of Miami,The Melting Pot and many more.

Tickets are $20 and children 10 andunder can enjoy the event for free.Parking tickets will be validated with thepurchase of an event ticket. For moreinformation on “How Sweet It Is” or topurchase tickets, contact ClaudiaMarquez at 305-663-0482 or via email at<[email protected]>.

The Shops at Sunset Place is a popularopen-air shopping, dining and entertain-ment destination. The mall is located at theintersection of S. Dixie Highway (US1)and Red Road (SW 57th Avenue) in SouthMiami and is managed by Simon PropertyGroup Inc.

The Shops at Sunset Place offers a sensa-tional lineup of dining and entertainmentvenues, including AMC 24 Sunset Placewith IMAX, Color Me Mine, Cool-de-SacPlay Café, Casas & Ideas (Coming Soon),Dan Marino’s, Gameworks, and SplitsvilleLuxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge. In addi-tion, the Shops at Sunset Place is home toleading retailers such as American EagleOutfitters, Armani Exchange, BananaRepublic, Barnes & Noble Superstore,Forever 21, Hollister Co., Gap/Gap Kids,Niketown, Pottery Barn, Victoria’s Secret,Urban Outfitters, and Z-Gallerie.

Additional information is available at<www.simon.com>.

Indulge your sweet toothand support good causes

Letty Alvarez, owner of LA Sweets, shows some of her cupcakes that will be available at “How Sweet It Is.”––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

November 16 - 22, 2010 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 17


BY LEE STEPHENS

Tracy Ellyn, founder of Miami Art andDesign, has spent a lot of time nurturingher art and design students’ awards andexhibitions, but on First Friday GalleryNight in November, it was her turn toexhibit her own works from her mostrecent series, “Judeo-Japanese: Arts andLetters.”

The series, inspired by Ellyn’s worldtravels and life experiences, contains layerupon layer of small handwriting, staining,texture and beading, which come togetherin a symphony of eclectic wisdom from theancient Jewish prophets to the Zen mastersto the arts and minds of brilliant modernphilosophers.

Netzach Tiferet: Victory and Beauty ofthe Lotus, is one of the key pieces in hercollection. With Hebrew, Japanese andEnglish elements, it contains the image ofthe lotus flower, the ancient Japanese sym-bol of victory and dignity, as it grows fromthe mud yet is not defiled. Its beauty even-tually becomes a throne, according to leg-end and history.

“For me, the lotus’ victory (netzach) andbeauty (tiferet) serve both as a personal

metaphor and a metaphor for the Jewish peo-ple, and indeed for all people,” Ellyn said.

Revealing insights and enlighteningmetaphors are her universal theme. Thepieces are not meant to be religious innature, and not specifically Japanese orJewish per se. Rather, all fellow humanbeings would find each piece in the collec-tion uplifting and life-affirming.

“Did you know that you must water thebamboo every day for four years before itbreaks ground, but once it does it grows 60feet in 90 days?” Ellyn said. “That’s why Iuse the bamboo as a metaphor for faith(emunah in Hebrew).” Indeed, if you lookclosely at the tiny details of Emunah: SageBamboo, Faith, you will find the word faithin Hebrew and Japanese, along with sumi-

e style bamboo brush painting elements,and tiny, hand-written, encouraging wordsabout the four-year journey of the bamboo.

“In the end, after four years of faith, thebamboo becomes the most beautiful, self-sus-tainable, and strong of all trees and plants,”the artist said. “In fact, in Asia, it is used asscaffolding for skyscrapers rather than steel.So, you can see the universal theme and thelife-affirming metaphor of the piece.”

Other major pieces in the series include,Sim Shalom: Orange Plum Blossom,Echad: The Great White Light of One, andChachma: Wisdom of the Plum Blossom.

The smaller sumi-e pieces in the collec-tion continue the penchant for uplifting andinspiring. Each one brings the message ofshalom to all people, within the context andbeauty of Japanese simplicity and harmony,and features the classic “four gentlemen”of ancient sumi-e painting, as well as avariety of new age messages, such as“Balance of the Spirit,” “Peace andHarmony,” “Strong and Beautiful,” and“Never Give Up.”

The opening for “Judeo-Japanese: Artsand Letters” took place on First FridayGallery Night in Coral Gables, Nov. 5, atThe Angel’s Ring Gallery, 86 MiracleMile.

A portion of the proceeds from the saleof Tracy Ellyn’s artwork went to her ZenTov Project for Healing Through the Arts,which contributes a variety of effortsincluding art supplies for Haitian orphan-ages, scholarships for magnet art studentswho cannot afford their class art trips, andfunds for special needs children as part ofartist Ana Moreno’s Special Kids Fund, adivision of Art Atelier.

For more information on Tracy Ellyn FineArts, a division of Miami Art and DesignInc., contact agent Lissette Abella by emailat <[email protected]>, or you maycontact the artist directly online at<www.miamiartanddesign.net> or by emailat <[email protected]>.

Artist Tracy Ellyn opens solo exhibition/fundraiser

Temple Beth Am members (l-r) include the artist Tracy Ellyn, Susan Stiphany, Mindi Notrika and Ed Schwartz sur-rounding Tracy’s piece titled, Sim Shalom: Orange Plum Blossom, inspired by Cantor Lisa Segal of Temple BethAm, whose exquisite voice seems to emanate from the artwork itself.

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From the team that brought you TownKitchen & Bar in South Miami and Smoke’tSouthern Kitchen & Tap in Coral Gables, theirnew venture, Around Town Catering, willdeliver tasty dishes from their restaurants toyour corporate and private events.

Around Town Catering’s menu includes avariety of taste sensations from the two popu-lar restaurants, Town and Smoke’t. New menuoptions will be added when owners BrandonLurie, John Janette and Michael Altman opentheir two new restaurant concepts — SakeBlue Asian Kitchen & Bar and Town’wichFood & Bev.

According to Lurie, the company’s opera-tions manager, the Asian-infused Sake Bluewill be opening in December near MerrickPark in Coral Gables and Town’wich, theirnew sandwich, salad and pastry joint, will beopening in Coconut Grove in early 2011.

“Around Town Catering is a natural pro-gression since large take-out orders arealready popular at both Smoke’t and Town,”Lurie said. “We’ll now be able to offer ourcustomers expanded catering service options,such as event set-up, servers and clean-up.”

Around Town Catering’s director, Stella

Lurie, said that whether you’re planning abusiness meeting or conference, weddingreception or baby shower, holiday party ordinner party, Around Town Catering can cre-ate a customized menu that incorporates your

taste and budget and is sure to be a successwith your guests.

“We work with our clients to design a menuto satisfy all appetites and group sizes,” Stellasaid. “We offer individual orders such as boxlunches, as well as gourmet party platters, lav-ish hors d’oeuvres, buffets and full-servicedinner options. There’s really something foreveryone and every occasion.”

From the Town menu, choose such items asthe Town Box Lunch, salads, sandwich plat-ters, thin crust pizza and hot pasta and chick-en entrées.

From the Smoke’t menu, enjoy tasty temp-tations such as Smoke’t buffalo and barbecuewings, chicken sliders, baby back ribs, slowsmoked pulled pork, barbecue half chicken,jalapeño corn bread and down-home sides anddesserts.

The Asian-infused choices from Sake Blueand the salads, sandwiches and fresh pies andpastries from Town’wich will be added to theAround Town Catering menu when these

restaurants open. “We can help customers select menu items

from each of our restaurants so they can createthemed serving stations at their event,” Stellaadded. “Our talented chefs can even accom-modate special menu requests.”

Working with Stella to provide customerswith a delicious array of food selections willbe Chef Michael Altman and Chef RichardPlasencia.

Around Town Catering customers canchoose the catering service option that bestsuits their needs. “Do-it-yourselfers” maypick-up their catering order at one of the affil-iated restaurants or have their food and bever-ages delivered to their event.

Those seeking a little help will enjoy hav-ing the full-service staff, including profession-al servers and bartenders, assist them at theiraffair.

For a totally stress-free event, Stella and herteam can plan and provide everything “fromsoup to nuts,” or more specifically, tables,linens, decorations, flowers and more. Thisfull-service party option can be held at yourplace or in the comfortable lounge areas atTown and Smoke’t.

“Our professional staff is dedicated to pro-viding the finest in food presentation and serv-ice,” Stella said. “Our impeccable attention todetail will make your event run smoothly, soyou can relax and enjoy it.”

Thanksgiving is just around the corner andAround Town Catering will be providingcatered holiday meals, including traditionalturkey with all the trimmings and other cre-ative dishes created by Chef Altman.

As a member of the Around Town CateringRewards Program, customers will be reward-ed with a $25 Town Kitchen & Bar gift cardfor every $500 spent on catering.

Around Town Catering orders can beplaced Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to5 p.m. and must be made 24 hours in advance.

For information, call 305-740-3233, sendemail to <[email protected]> orgo online to <www.aroundtowncatering.com>.

Around Town Catering: Good food at your place

The Around Town Catering team are (l-r) Chef Richard Plasencia, Stella Lurie and Chef Michael Altman.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Page 22 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 16 - 22, 2010

Shula’s 347 Grill now open for S. Miami- Gables dinersBY NANCY EAGLETON

Shula’s 347 Grill now is open nightly fordinner and brings a hip and energeticatmosphere to the South Miami and Gablesrestaurant scene.

With its large, high impact bar, flatscreen televisions, warm atmosphere andsignature menu, Shula’s 347 Grill quicklyhas become a socializing hot spot and theperfect dinner destination.

Shula’s 347 Grill, named in honor ofNFL Hall of Fame coach Don Shula’s 347career victories, is the newest conceptamong the four brands of Shula’s SteakHouses. The new Coral Gables location,situated on the corner of Red Road and SanIgnacio, is the 11th Shula’s 347 Grillamong the chain’s 31 total restaurants.

“We knew that this particular Shula’sconcept would be a wonderful addition tothis area,” said Francesco Balli, managingpartner. “Whether you’re stopping by thebar for appetizers and cocktails or plan-ning a nice meal out, there’s something onthe menu to fit everyone’s mood and budg-et. We’ve had a great response from thecommunity.”

Bringing the popular franchise to theneighborhood is an all-star team of localsthat Balli describes as a “winning group ofsuccessful business men and communityleaders.” They include five partners,Charlie Martinez, Eddie Garcia, PepeGarcia, Tom Cabrerizo and Ignacio Garcia-Menocal.

Rounding out the winning team is gener-al manager John Kulhanjian, also known as“JK,” and executive chef Bret Hessler.Kulhanjian is the former owner of theRoasted Pepper in Broward and later spentthree years as “head coach” of Shula’sSteak House in Miami Lakes. Balli saidthat JK “is a born leader and veteran in therestaurant business.”

“Hessler is a superb chef who, comingfrom Smith & Wollensky, brings his fine

dining experience and standards of thehighest caliber to the table,” Balli contin-ued. “Customer service excellence is a toppriority for our team.”

The menu at Shula’s 347 Grill featuresgourmet salads, fresh fish, burgers, sand-wiches and the best beef money can buy —the Shula Cut steaks.

“If you’ve eaten at Shula’s before, youalready know that you’ll enjoy a high qual-ity meal,” Balli said. “Combine thoseShula’s standards with great pricing andyou can’t miss.”

Menu options at Shula’s 347 Grillinclude an eight-ounce filet and two sidesfor $34 or a Premium Black Angus Beefcheeseburger and a side for $11. Jumbostone crabs also will be offered on themenu during season.

Signature appetizers, such as BarbecueShrimp, Crispy Ravioli and BlackenedTenderloin Tips, start at $9 and are servedquickly. Great salad choices, with or with-out a protein, are perfect for a light dinneror can be ordered as a half salad to accom-pany an entrée.

Shula’s 347 Grill offers some 60-70choices of wine by the bottle and more than20 exceptional wines by the glass, includ-ing the popular Jordan CabernetSauvignon. Whether having a glass of wineor a signature martini, the bar area is theperfect gathering spot for business types,groups or individuals looking for a warmatmosphere to “see and be seen.”

“The bar seats 35 and is the largest bar inthe area,” Balli added.

The atmosphere at Shula’s 347 Grill iscasual and full of energy. After an exten-sive renovation, the 6,500-square-footspace features warm woods, earth tones,black granite, leather seating and black andwhite “old Miami” photos adorning thewalls. Sliding glass doors will be openedduring the coming months to give thelounge area an indoor/outdoor feeling. Therestaurant also offers a private dining area

with a private entrance that is perfect forparties of 10 to 50.

“People who knew Jake’s will be amazedat the level of changes in the space,” Ballisaid.

Shula’s 347 Grill is open Monday

through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Friday, 4p.m. to midnight; Saturday, 3 p.m. to mid-night, and Sunday, 3 to 10 p.m. It is locat-ed across from Sunset Place at 6901 RedRd. in Coral Gables and the phone numberis 1-888-97-SHULAS or 305-665-9661.

Restaurant veteranJohn Kulhanjian is

the head coach(general manger)

at Shula’s 347Grill in Coral

Gables.


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BY NATALIE CAMPANERIA

Forty one friends, fellow Scouts andfamily members joined Eagle ScoutCandidate Gabriel Seiglie in helping himcomplete his Eagle Scout project to expandthe student garden at St. John NeumannCatholic School in Kendall.

Science teacher Maria Calvo installed asmall student garden in the 2009-10 schoolyear. Due to a successful first year andgrowing interest from other grade levels,Calvo began speaking of her vision toexpand the garden.

Seiglie, one of her middle school stu-dents, saw the opportunity and developed aplan to enlarge the garden as part of hisrequirements to become an Eagle Scout.Through donations from family andfriends, as well as discounts from local

businesses such as Shell Lumber, he wasable to acquire the materials for his projectthat took 306 hours to complete.

The garden now is large enough for allgrade levels to use. It has four additionalplanter boxes, six ladder trellises, fourhanging planters, a meditation area, severalplant and herb pots, a rain collection barrel,and a wooden arbor to the garden. The stu-dent garden will be used by all grade levels.

Calvo was overjoyed that her jointvision shared with Seiglie has become areality. The students now are planningwhich plants are going to be planted,including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and avariety of flowering plants as part of thescience curriculum.

Boy Scout Troop 616 is chartered to St.John Neumann Catholic Church at 12125SW 107 Ave in Kendall.

Eagle Scout project enhanceslocal school’s student garden

Gabriel Seiglie places finishing touches on his Eagle Scout project.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––



BY VIVIAN CEPERO

Kendall Regional Medical Center recentlyannounced that it received a Five-Star ratingfor the quality of its Orthopedic Care, StrokeCare, Pulmonary Care, OverallGastrointestinal Care and Critical Care fromHealthGrades, the leading independenthealthcare ratings organization.

The recognition is based on the 13th annu-al HealthGrades Hospital Quality in Americastudy released on Oct. 20, which analyzespatient outcomes at virtually all of thenation’s hospitals. A Five-Star quality ratingindicates that Kendall Regional MedicalCenter’s clinical performance exceedsexpectations.

“The significance of this HealthGradesrecognition demonstrates Kendall RegionalMedical Center’s continued dedication toproviding the next generation of qualitycare,” said Mauricio Sirvent, hospital CEO.“Being ranked in the top five in Florida ineach clinical category is a testament to thehard work and dedication of our staff andwell-being of our patients,” Sirvent added.

Patients are demanding increased public

reporting of quality measures, and recentgovernment reform efforts are backing themup. According to the Kaiser FamilyFoundation, more than 40 percent of adultsreport that they believe there are major dif-ferences in hospital quality in their immedi-ate geography, and since 1996 the number ofconsumers that indicated they would choosea hospital based on a high quality rating overfamiliarity has increased to 72 percent from59 percent.

Kendall Regional Medical Center is a 412-bed, full-service hospital providing the resi-dents of southwest Miami-Dade County with24-hour comprehensive medical, surgical anddiagnostic services, along with a wide rangeof patient and community services. In additionto having one of the county’s busiest emer-gency rooms, the hospital offers the followingspecialty care: Heart & Vascular Institute,Orthopedic & Spine Institute, MaternitySuites, “Kidsville” Pediatric Inpatient unit,complementing the successful “Kidsville”emergency department and the newly openedLevel II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

For more information, call 305-222-2200or visit online at <www.kendallmed.com>.

Kendall Regional MC receivesHealthGrades’ 5-Star ratings


Photo by Ella Woodson

Ask the DoctorDr. Bustillo,

Over the years myearlobe has bothsagged and thepiercing hole hasenlarged. I can nolonger wear my dia-mond studs be-cause I am afraid ofloosing them. Thisleaves me my“naked” earlobesthat hang exces-sively and look un-attractive. Can bothof these be fixed to-gether?

Susan

Dear Susan,

What you describe iscommon. One of thethings is a stretched piercing. The other is ahanging earlobe. The stretched piercing oc-curs from wearing heavy earrings. If youcontinue to wear your earrings with thestretched piercing, two things can happen.Either the earlobe can tear and cause a splitearlobe or you can loose your earring.The hanging earlobe can occur with time as

the skin of the earlobeages. The lobe can thesag appear longer thanit should be. This canmake some people feelunattractive. Correctingthis is actually fairlycommon in olderwomen.The good news is thatboth of these can becorrected. The enlargedpiercing should be cor-rected before the ear-lobe splits, and thehanging earlobe canalso be corrected at thesame time. The hangingearlobe is shortenedand tucked, giving it amore youthful appear-ance. The procedure isdone under local anes-

thesia in about half an hour. You can returnto work the following day and can have theear re-pierced about six weeks after.

Andres Bustillo, MD is a facial plastic sur-geon here in Miami. Please submit youquestions via email [email protected]

Andres Bustillo MD.

About Facial Plastic Surgery

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Miami Christian SchoolMiami Christian SchoolMiami Christian School“Training Minds, Touching Hearts”

Founded in 1954, Miami Christian School is the oldestChristian School in Miami -Dade County and is

accredited by-SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools)-ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International)

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BY EDITH TORRES

Miami-Dade Parks is the recipient ofover $10,000 in grant funding from USTA(United States Tennis Association) Floridato provide QuickStart Tennis at its Fit-to-Play Out-of-School programs.

QuickStart Tennis is a new way of learn-ing the basics of tennis and how to play. Itis designed for children ages 10 and under,and features smaller court sizes, racquetsizes, foam and low-bounce balls, a simplescoring system, and net heights adjusted toease kids into the sport of tennis.

Similar mini-tennis formats have beenpopular for a long time in Europe wherecurrent stars such as Roger Federer, JustineHenin and Kim Clijsters first learned thegame with age-adjusted racquets, balls andcourt sizes. To see a video of QuickStartTennis in action, visit online at<http://10andundertennis.usta.com>.

USTA Florida and its Share the Lovegrant provided Miami-Dade Parks with$8,001 for QuickStart Tennis equipmentwhich includes the mini net systems, rack-ets, balls and other equipment used forQuickStart Tennis. This equipment, part ofthe first phase of USTA Florida’s commit-ment to making QuickStart Tennis availableat all Miami-Dade Park Out-of-School sites,will be available at 23 courts at nine parksites which include Arcola Lakes, ColonialDrive, Goulds, Modello, North Glade, Sgt.Delancy, and West Perrine Park.

An additional grant for $1,875 fromUSTA (National), USTA Florida, andFriends of Miami Tennis, a 501(c)(3) cor-poration, will help fund the addition ofblended lines at the already-existing, full-size public courts. Blended lines, usually ashade lighter or darker than the color of the

full-size court, help permanently mark theboundaries for the smaller QuickStartcourts directly on the regular courts. Theselines are so subtle that they are barelynoticeable to persons playing a regulargame of tennis and do not interfere withtheir game.

“We are committed to bringing tennis tothe children in Miami-Dade County andwe are happy to be partnering with Miami-Dade Park’s and their Fit-to-Play Out-of-School program,” said Cathy Nordlund,tennis program coordinator, USTA Florida.

“This is just the start of our commitmentand partnership with Miami-Dade Parksand we applaud their efforts in taking thelead to bring QuickStart Tennis to schoolchildren throughout Miami,” she added.

“Receiving the Share the Love grant willaid us in providing well-rounded, struc-tured and affordable tennis programs to theyouth in our Out-of-School programs,”said Carolyn T. Gibson, North Regionmanager for Miami-Dade Park andRecreation Department.

“Tennis is a sport where kids can devel-op their skills to become competitive andeven go on to help fund their pursuit forhigher education through scholarships. Weare grateful to be partnering with USTAFlorida and we look forward to growingtennis within our Parks system.”

Parks get $10K in grants to teach basics of tennis

“We are committed to bringing tennis to the children in Miami-DadeCounty and we are happy to be partnering with Miami-Dade Park’s andtheir Fit-to-Play Out-of-School program.”

— Cathy Nordlund,USTA Florida

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BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD

Imagine having to make the decision toamputate the lower part of your leg.Westminster teacher Anne Heetderks madethat heartbreaking decision in Septemberafter her ankle was shattered in a fall inJanuary 2009.

“I was on a ladder and I was takingdown Christmas decorations we had hungin the palm trees,” she said. “I was reach-ing and the ladder spun around. It was rest-ing on the palm tree and it twisted aroundand I fell.”

The compound fracture was complicatedby the soil and mulch that found its wayinto the wound.

“After nine surgeries they were stillfinding pieces of the front yard in myankle,” Heetderks said.

She battled infections and the trials ofhaving an open wound. With all this goingon she went back to teaching even whiletethered by tubes to a wound vacuum, amachine which helps remove excess fluidsfrom an open wound.

“My students, they’re amazing,” shesaid. “If you just tell them what’s going on;if you are just honest with them, they’realright and then they think it’s the coolestthing.”

Her 10th surgery was the amputation,which took place at Jackson MemorialHospital on Sept. 29. She had considered adifferent surgery to save her foot, but aftertalking to other amputees, decided a pros-thetic leg would give her greater mobility.

The first major appointment after ampu-tation went well.

“It’s just so nice to see an x-ray go upand it doesn’t look like a mess,” Heetderkssaid. “And now to be working with some-thing that isn’t infected and isn’t compro-mised in so many ways…”

Things aren’t perfect. She’s dealing withphantom pain and itching in the part of theleg that’s missing. She has called amputeesand researched solutions in hopes of deal-ing with it without medication.

Now Heetderks is working on gettingstronger so she can go to work. Her moth-er, author Ruth Vander Zee, is substitutingfor her. Along with her family,Westminster faculty, staff and students arekeeping Heetderks spirit’s up by sendingcards, letters and food.

“For this surgery, like in past, theParents’ Guild organized meals, studentsmade cards, provided family gift baskets,and sent innumerable emails and texts to

let them know that we were all praying forher and for the medical teams that caredfor her,” said Ana Proveda, Westminsterspokesperson.

“Classes have gotten together to provideflowers on a weekly basis to her home,movie baskets for her family, books she canread, etc. Bottom line, as her needs change,the Westminster community is at the readyto join in and help as best we can.”

Because of all the volunteers, Heetderkssaid her family might not have to cookthrough Christmas.

“It’s phenomenal,” she said. “There’s anassumption that everyone has a supportsystem, but no, they don’t. My support sys-tem — my husband (Doug) and my twodaughters (Annika and Elise), my momand dad living here, our church and theschool — has been amazing.”

As far as the future, in about threemonths she should be able to get her firstprosthetic. She says an amputee can usethe starter leg up to six months.

“And then you get your real leg, with allthe bells and whistles with a high function-ing foot,” she said.

Westminster teacher finds support in family, school

Teacher Anne Heetderks hopes to be back to work byThanksgiving.

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BY ROBERT HAMILTON

Visitors to Florida’s most popular beach-es now can get dining and entertainmentinformation right on their mobile phone,anytime, anywhere by going toFloridaonyourphone.com.

Florida on Your Phone.com is a guidedesigned specifically for today’s mobileworld. It offers quick navigation so thatusers have the information they need in amatter of seconds. It can be accessed on anyweb-enabled phone like Blackberry,iPhone, Android and hundreds more. Andbecause it is a mobile website, there is noth-ing to download on your phone.

Looking for dining and entertainment inDaytona Beach? With just a click you cansee all restaurants with address, phonenumber, waterfront (if applicable), andtype of food, meals served and even happyhour.

You also can find fun things to do likeWaverunner rentals, parasailing, dolphintours and more. Other features include driv-

ing directions, specials, local tips andmoney savers. A mobile coupon programwill be rolled out soon.

To ensure the guide has the most com-plete information available, all restaurantsand activities are listed at no charge.

“Tourists and locals alike are finding it’sa great way to get dining and entertainmentinformation on our beautiful beaches” saidLarry Lockhart, marketing director. “It’sright in their pocket, all the time”

Businesses who wish to build their ownmobile websites can do so in less than 30minutes by using MakeMyMobilesite.com.These sites are linked for free on Florida onYour Phone.com. Packages start at $10 amonth and include secure hosting.

Florida on Your Phone was developed byNextVision Media. NextVision Media pro-duces the country’s premier mobile Weband applications events, the Mobile Weband Apps World Forum and iPad andTablets Publishing and Entertainment.More information can be found at<www.nextvisionmedia.com>.

New website brings bestof Florida to your phone

Roots belongu n d e r g r o u n d ,right? Most ofthe time, yes.And most of thetime, if a plant’s

roots are exposed to light, they’ll growaway from it and go back into the groundor mulch to protect themselves from thatlight. So why do some treeroots grow at or above thesoil surface where they cantrip people, mess up equip-ment, buckle sidewalks anddriveways, look out-of-placeand unattractive, and gener-ally drive homeowners andgrounds managers to cover,smother or chop them?

The thing is, roots areopportunistic – growingwherever they find soilwith adequate space, oxy-gen, water and nutrients. Ifthey hit something theycan’t penetrate, like the “coral” rock bed ofSouth Florida they will be deflected andgrow in the first 6 to 12 inches of availabletop soil. That’s how roots of many trees herein Miami end up growing on the surface.

So what to do about above-groundroots? The first thing to remember is thatthe root system of the tree is its source of

nutrition and provides support for thetree. Simply hacking away at the offendingabove-ground roots can kill the tree orcause the tree to actually fall over causingmajor damage.

A quick fix is to add a layer of top soiland then mulch the area to level it out. Or,instead of fighting the tree’s above-groundgrowth, utilize the roots as an interesting

landscape feature by plant-ing flowering shrubsamong the roots.

If the tree roots arecausing problems andneed to be removed, youshould contact a certifiedarborist. This professionalcan selectively removeoffending roots. Anarborist will be sure tomaintain the trees nutri-tion needs and anchoringroot system for safety of thetree’s growth.

Ron von Paulus is an InternationalSociety of Arboriculture certified arborist (ID#Fl-5770A). He has more than 20 years expe-rience working with trees in South Florida. Heoffers free consultations to homeowners andbusinesses. Please contact him at Big Ron’sTree Service 305-588-3091 or by email [email protected]

THEARBORISTRight Tree – Right Place

What can be done about those pesky treeroots that grow above ground?


BY SONYA M. PEREZ

If you have a debt, chances are that youhave been contacted by a debt collector. Whilesome may act professionally, others may becommunicating with you inappropriately.

If you are tired of receiving calls from debtcollectors at odd hours and at the office, donot despair. You are entitled to certain rights.Debt collectors must follow rules governedby the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act(FDCPA) when contacting you regardingmoney you might owe. Just because youhave a debt, doesn’t mean they have freereign to harass you.

The FDCPA prohibits debt collectors fromusing abusive, unfair, or deceptive practicesto collect from you. Under the FDCPA, adebt collector is someone who regularly col-lects debts owed to others. This includes col-lection agencies, lawyers who collect debtson a regular basis, and companies that buydelinquent debts and then try to collect them.

The Miami-Dade Consumer ServicesDepartment shares these general rules ofthumb when dealing with debt collectors:

COMMON RIPOFFS• A debt collector may not contact you at

inconvenient times or places, such as before8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree to it.Collectors may not contact you at work ifthey’re told (orally or in writing) that you’renot allowed to get calls there.

• Refusal to provide written notice. Everycollector must send you a written “validationnotice” telling you how much money youowe within five days after they first contactyou. This notice also must include the nameof the creditor to whom you owe the moneyand how to proceed if you don’t think youowe the money.

• Harassment. Debt collectors may notharass, oppress, or abuse you or any thirdparties they contact. This includes usingobscene or profane language or repeatedlyphoning to annoy someone.

• False statements. Debt collectors maynot lie when they are trying to collect a debt.They can’t use a false company name whencontacting you, threaten that you will bearrested, or give false credit informationabout you to anyone.

• Unfair practices. Debt collectors may notengage in unfair practices, such as trying tocollect any interest, fee, or other charge ontop of the amount you owe unless the con-tract that created your debt — or your statelaw — allows the charge.

• A collector may contact other people but

only to find out your address, your homephone number, and where you work.Collectors usually are prohibited from con-tacting third parties more than once. Otherthan to obtain this location information aboutyou, a debt collector generally is not permit-ted to discuss your debt with anyone otherthan you, your spouse, or your attorney.•• Stopping a debt collector from contact-

ing you. If a collector contacts you about adebt, you may want to talk to them at leastonce to see if you can resolve the matter —even if you don’t think you owe the debt,can’t repay it immediately, or think that thecollector is contacting you by mistake. If youdecide after contacting the debt collector thatyou don’t want the collector to contact youagain, tell the collector — in writing — tostop contacting you.

Here’s how to do that: Make a copy of yourletter. Send the original by certified mail andpay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able todocument what the collector received. Oncethe collector receives your letter, they may notcontact you again, with two exceptions: A col-lector can contact you to tell you there will beno further contact or to let you know that theyor the creditor intend to take a specific action,like filing a lawsuit.

Sending such a letter to a debt collectoryou owe money to does not get rid of thedebt, but it should stop the contact. The cred-itor or the debt collector still can sue you tocollect the debt.

• Report any problems you have with a debtcollector to the Florida Office of FinancialRegulation at 1-800-848-3792, the stateAttorney General’s office (http://myfloridale-gal.com) and the Federal Trade Commission(www.ftc.gov). Many states have their owndebt collection laws that are different from thefederal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.Your Attorney General’s office can help youdetermine your rights under your state’s law.

To learn more about debt collection andother credit-related issues, visit<www.ftc.gov/credit> and MyMoney.gov,the U.S. government’s portal to financialeducation.

For additional consumer tips, or to checkthe complaint history of a company, file acomplaint or ask consumer-related ques-tions, visit the Miami-Dade ConsumerServices Department website at<www.miamidade.gov/csd>, call 305-375-3677 or send email to <[email protected]>.

Sonya M. Perez is with the Miami-DadeConsumer Services Department.

Debt collectors don’t havefree reign to harass you


The RX luxury crossover vehicle has beena huge success for Lexus. Introduced in 1998,the RX is now in its third-generation and sell-ing at a strong pace.

The RX 350 was reintroduced as an all-newmodel for the 2010 model year and 2011brings only a few changes, including the newSmart Stop Technology and a several colorchanges.

• Smart Stop Technology — a braking sys-tem enhancement that automatically reducesengine power when the brake pedal and accel-erator pedal are applied simultaneously undercertain driving conditions.

• Color Changes — New exterior colors areSatin Cashmere Mica (replaces GoldenAlmond Metallic) and Stargazer Black;Truffle Mica and Black Sapphire Pearl havebeen discontinued.

The Lexus RX is a good looking vehicle,with a sleek profile accentuated by pro-nounced front fenders that flow into the doors

and rear fender flares that sweep around to pullthe corners together. A rear spoiler helps aero-dynamically and conceals the rear wiper andhouses the AM/FM radio antenna and high-mount stoplight. Up front, the grille is situatedlower than the headlights (standard halogen oroptional HID) and the lower edges of the grilleform a unique arrowhead design.

Under the hood, the Lexus RX 350 is pow-ered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a six-speed Multi-Mode Automatic Transmissionand makes 275 hp at 6,200 rpm. Intake andexhaust manifolds have been tuned for betterperformance and fuel economy. Lexus alsomaximized the torque output to better meet theneeds of luxury crossover drivers, with 90 per-cent or more of the peak torque available from2,300 to 6,100 rpm, where torque is most uti-lized. Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelli-gence (VVT-i) is used to control both intakeand exhaust camshafts independently, optimiz-ing engine performance at all speeds and loads.

The six-speed automatic transmission has aquick-shifting response with help from minia-ture high-flow linear solenoids that controltransmission-fluid line-pressure. The torqueconverter uses a low-speed lockup damper toenable lock-up from second to sixth gear andimprove fuel economy.

When applying the accelerator pedal rapidly

during kick-down, the direct-downshift controlallows the transmission to directly shift fromsixth to third or fifth to second, skipping theintermediate gears to get the quickest response.With the Multi-Mode Automatic Transmission,the driver can shift manually by moving thegated shift lever to the “S” slot, then pushing itforward to up shift and backward to downshift.

Lexus offers the RX 350 with a choicebetween front-wheel drive (FWD) and an

electronically controlled Active TorqueControl all-wheel drive (AWD) system.

Pricing on the 2011 Lexus RX 350 starts at$37,975.

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]>.

2011 Lexus RX 350 a nice blend of luxury and utility

LET’S TALK CARS

Ron BeasleyAUTOMOTIVE EDITOR

Lexus RX 350 luxury crossover has pronounced front fenders that flow into the doors and rear fender flares thatsweep around the corners.

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The Value of AllBY KAREN ARONOWITZ,President, United Teachers of Dade

A friend of mine was admonished byher principal for giving a student an F onhis report card. “Why did you give Jorgean F?” he demanded.

“Oh,” she answered, “I think if youreview his record, you’d agree.”

Jorge was a seventeen-year-old ninthgrader who had shown up to class onlyseven times during the entire markingperiod. In spite of calls to a land line (dis-connected), a cell phone number (Jorgewho?) and a letter home (paper, enve-lope and stamp provided by teacher), myfriend was still accused of not making therequired effort to inform the parents of thedire straits of their son.

Of course, the parents themselvescould have been in dire straits becauseno one could reach them.

This sad tale is used to illustrate thevery real fact that teachers are too oftenviewed as the sole accountable agent ina student’s “lack of progress.” Correctionto a student’s lack of progress involves atleast three parties, at minimum: the stu-dent, the teacher, and the parent orguardian. Take any one of the partiesaway, and a student’s failure is a monu-mental problem; involve all three and astudent’s failure becomes a way toengage a team with a plan to overcomean obstacle.

Sometimes, “lack of progress” is sim-ply an acknowledgement of limitations.One of the most cooperative, diligent stu-dents I had was Jenny. Jenny showed upwith all her supplies, a smile as big as theMississippi, and a willingness to tackleany assignment given. Jenny failed my

tenth grade English class.In middle school, Jenny had been in a

car accident and her head went throughthe windshield. Jenny suffered traumaticbrain injury. Her slow journey back wascheered by her family and friends. Butthe new Jenny was not the old Jenny.

When she wrote, she could expressher thoughts for a short paragraph or twobefore they scattered. Her handwritingwould start out normally, within the lines,but soon grew larger and larger untilscribbles appeared on the page.Homework assignments submittedwould reflect the efforts of family becauseshe couldn’t perform the same tasks byherself in class.

It was with sadness that I assigned thegrade Jenny had earned: F-1-A. Sowhen Jenny was assigned to my tenthgrade English class the following year, Iimplored the special education specialistat my school to intervene. Jenny’s par-ents met with me, our specialist, ourschool psychologist, and our principal todiscuss what was best for Jenny. Jenny’sparents were finally able to accept that adifferent placement for Jenny would bestmeet her needs. They were able to facein the second year of Jenny’s recoverywhat they couldn’t face in the first.

Our public schools are constantlyevolving, but even so, many of the prob-lems with which children arrive at schoolcannot be fixed by changing the presen-tation of the curriculum. With the electionof a ‘veto proof’ legislature, teachers arerightly concerned that legislators will tryagain to impose unworkable mandateson our teachers and students. No matterwhat issues a student may bring to aclassroom, a teacher should not be heldsolely accountable for that student's fail-ure, as if the student and parents have norole or responsibility for achievement.

After the defeat last year of Senate Bill6, teachers and parents will watch to seeif our newly elected governor and our leg-islators, both new and returning, will workfor the good of children in public schoolsor not.They have the chance to help cre-ate a system that fairly addressesresponsibility for student progress andprovides support for all parties. Let’shope they’re big enough for their task.

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.

Financial Planning During the Holidays?AArree yyoouu aa ssppeennddeerr

oorr aa ssaavveerr dduurriinngg tthheehhoolliiddaayyss??

To a lesser orgreater degree, we areeither savers orspenders. The com-mercialization of theHoliday season is cer-

tainly there to constantly remind us tospend as much as we can.

May I suggest that you keep yourbearings with your financial condi-tion during these frenzied shoppingdays. What you have minus what youowe equals what is left over. If theleft over is a positive number thenyou are still on track toward finan-cial stability.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu aapppprrooaacchh hhoolliiddaayy ggiiffttggiivviinngg??

In terms of gifts, does the personyou are buying for really needanother sweater in Miami? Perhaps

a gift of letting them know how spe-cial they are to you and how theymake the world a better place wouldstay in their heart long after thesweater is worn out.

As for saving, I suggest that youcan be kind to yourself by improvingyour financial condition by openingor adding to your IRA as a Holidaypresent to yourself.

There’s more excitement in pay-ing down on those credit cardsrather than adding to their bal-ances. There’s no one there to saythank you for doing it, but yourpeace of mind should not need thecompliments of others. The road tofinancial independence is unfortu-nately the road that is less traveled,especially in the “spending season”.

HHooww wwiillll yyoouurr ggiifftt ggiivviinngg ggiivvee ““mmeeaann--iinngg ttoo tthhee sseeaassoonn””??

May I respectfully suggest thatyou look beyond your needs and

desires to think of a person less for-tunate than you. You do not have tothink a lot to realize that your lifewould be happier if you stoppedyour routine to provide someonesome kindness. Then you will have areal gift that no store or online serv-ice can provide.

Rick Tonkinson is a Certified

Financial Planner (CFP™). Thefamily business office is located at100 Almeria Ave, Suite 310, CoralGables, FL 33132. Tel #305-447-6617.

Securities offered through SecuritiesAmerica Inc member of FINRA/SIPC. RickTonkinson Registered Representative. AdvisoryServices offered through Securities AmericaAdvisors, Inc. Rick Tonkinson Investment AdvisorRepresentative. Rick Tonkinson and Associates, Inc.& Securities America companies are not affiliated.


Marco Drugs & Compounding islocated at 6627 South Dixie Highway,Tel: 305-665-4411 • Fax: 305-663-3258Email :marcodrugs@bel lsouth.net<www.marcodrugs.com>

This article is intended to provide information onhealth-related matters. The ideas expressed cannot beused to diagnose or treat individual health problems andshould not be taken as medical advice or instruction.

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Vitamin D Update

Marco Drugs and Compounding will provide youwith compounded medications prepared with thehighest standards and with high quality bulk mate-rials, traditional prescriptions and high gradenutraceuticals, supplements and multiviatimins. Weprovide to you health information in a clean, com-fortable, fun and safe environment. Make us yourdoorway to total health.

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In days gone by, it was a popular cus-tom to take cod liver oil “to keep youhealthy”, and today, we know the wisdomof that tradition. Cod liver oil is an excel-lent source of vitamin D3, also known ascholecalciferol. Experts now consider theFood and Nutrition Board’s previouslydefined Upper Limit (UL) for safe intakeof 2,000 IU/day as far too low. The phys-iologic requirement for adults may be ashigh as 5,000 IU/day, which is less thanhalf of the greater 10,000 IU that can beproduced by the body with full-body sunexposure. Vitamin D receptors are foundnot only in the bone and gut, but also inthe brain, breast, prostate, and lympho-cytes. Vitamin D3 is available in a varietyof forms that we can take to maintain andimprove our health, and provide protec-tion from diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis,osteoarthritis, hypertension, heart attackand stroke, depression, autoimmune dis-eases, and cancers of the breast,prostate, and colon. Ask our pharmacistto help you select a quality vitamin D3product.


Miami, FL. November 02, 2010 – Perfectpairings are the result of two entities thatshare the same values, attributes and pas-sion. In the case of Soluna MD and itspartnership this year with the Miami HEAT,the pairing couldn't be more apropos."The Miami HEAT organization has a his-

tory of striving for excellence both on andoff the court. We saw that this year withthe addition of free agents Chris Bosh andLeBron James, as well as with the resign-ing of Dwyane Wade,” said Soluna MDChief Executive Officer Alan Khoriaty. AtSoluna MD, we, too, share a dedicated vi-sion with our clients to help them achievea lifetime of lasting goals of looking andfeeling their best.”

Soluna MD is proud to be a partner ofthe Miami HEAT, a team that has createdexcitement around the globe and hashelped to further shine the spotlight on theMagic City. With its own dream team, ledby world!renowned cosmetic and generalsurgeon John W. Chang, MD, Miami's Sol-una MD has gained a global reputation asone of Florida's most reputable, minimallyinvasive cosmetic surgery facilities, and isthe cosmetic center of choice not only forSouth Florida residents, but for peoplefrom all over the world.

As the new!look Miami HEAT createdunprecedented moment in the history ofMiami sports, Soluna MD has its ownmilestones to celebrate as a Coral Gablesmainstay. With its facilities housed at theeasily accessible Village of Merrick Park,Soluna MD has become a go!to destina-tion for body contouring, vascular treat-ments, beauty enhancement and skinrejuvenation for the last five years.

Satisfied customers return again andagain to receive the latest treatments, andmuch of Soluna MD's business is directlyrelated to customer satisfaction, which re-sults in recommendations to prospectiveclients. "In the same way Miami HEATplayers are dedicated to their fans andtheir community, our clients too are ournumber one priority and gaining their loy-alty and trust is paramount," said Dr.Chang.

Soluna MD is a dedicated stand!out incosmetic surgery during this revolutionarytime in the field of beauty and wellness.

Always the innovator, the Miami medicalteam is continually evaluating its products,often times updating and adding the latestbreakthroughs, yet keeping the focus onsafe, effective procedures. Soluna MDalso continues to set records. In the pastthree years, Dr. Chang has successfullycompleted more than 2,500 SmartlipoUltra Laser Liposuction Body Sculptingprocedures.Known as SolunaSculpt, this Laser Lipo

procedure is significantly safer than tradi-tional liposuction. Dueto Soluna MD’s high standards and ex-ceptional after!care, it has become one ofthe leading national and international des-tinations for people seeking this break-through Laser Lipo Body Sculptingprocedure. Additionally, Soluna MD offersthe state!of!the!art EVLT for the treatmentof painful Varicose Veins. EVLT is the in-dustry alternative to invasive surgery andis generally covered by insurance carriers.Soluna MD is authorized to accept Cigna,Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare.The partnership with the Miami HEAT is

very much in line with Soluna MD's mis-sion: to continually make a contribution tothe city of Miami by not only improving thequality of life for its citizens andvisitors, but by being a vibrant part of itseconomic growth by attracting interna-tional clients to its state!of!the!art facility.As a proud partner of the Miami HEAT,Soluna MD shares in the excitement andenergy that the team is bringing to the city."By contributing to the success of thisworld!class team, we're all winners," saidKhoriaty.

Soluna MD is located at 4251 SalzedoSt. at the Village of Merrick Park. To learnmore about Soluna MD's services or tomake an appointment, please call305.446.0440, or go towww.solunamd.com.

For more information about Soluna MD’sspecialized vein treatments, as well asavailable insurance options, please visitwww.miamiveininstitute.com.MEDIA INQUIRIES: DKT Communications,Inc. [email protected]

Soluna MD Lipo and VeinCosmetic Institute AnnouncesPartnership with Miami HEAT

Soluna MD, Miami's leading center for Smartlipo Ultra LaserLiposuction Body Sculpting and other minimally invasivecosmetic surgery procedures, becomes a proud partner of theMiami HEAT, a perfect pairing of two teams that share the samevision of dedication, perseverance and a desire to be the best.

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BY LEE STEPHENS

Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables“goes green,” as its breathtaking 50-foot treeis lit with 55,000 LED light on Thursday, Nov.18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The night’s festivities will include a musi-cal performance by the Coral Gables HighSchool Choir and greetings from holidaycharacters including a first glimpse of SantaClaus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.The Master of Ceremonies for the magicalevening will be Belkys Nerey, award-winningco-anchor of WSVN Channel 7 News.

Throughout The Garden live entertain-ment including stilt walkers and jugglerswill take place. Other children’s activitiesinclude a sugar cookie decoration stationprovided by Whole Foods Market CoralGables and an arts and crafts station provid-ed by Gymboree Play & Music. The artsand crafts station will allow children to dec-orate their own holiday ornament; suggest-ed donations will benefit the JuvenileDiabetes Research Foundation.

Gather your family around the breath-tak-ing tree for your first memorable photographof the season. The tree will be lit at approxi-mately 7:45 p.m. Bring an unwrapped toy to

donate to the Voices for ChildrenFoundation’s toy drive, an organization dedi-cated to raising funds for abused and neglect-ed children in Miami-Dade County. The treewill be up through Jan. 6, 2011.

Other holiday activities include:Thanksgiving Weekend Shopping

Events — Friday, Nov. 26, and Saturday,Nov. 27, 2-6 p.m. Enjoy live music, in-storespecial offers and live entertainment includingholiday stilt walker and juggler.

Deck the Halls Shopping Event Series —Saturdays, Dec 4, 11 and 18, 2-6 p.m. Enjoylive music, in-store special offers and liveentertainment including our holiday stiltwalker and juggler.

Live Music Series — Saturdays andSundays, 2-6 p.m., through May 2011. Villageof Merrick Park hosts a mix of jazz, bossano-va, world music, flamenco, classics, popmelodies, contemporary and Latin grooves.Guests can listen to the light musical stylingswhile enjoying all the shopping center has tooffer including world-class boutiques and anassortment of desirable dining options.

Village of Merrick Park is located at 358San Lorenzo Ave. in Coral Gables. The centeris open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., andSunday, noon-6 p.m. With 100 retailers

including eight restaurants, the center isanchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom andEquinox Fitness Club and Spa.

For more information or to book a groupvisit, call 305-529-0200 or visit online at<www.VillageOfMerrickPark.com>.

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Annual holiday tree lighting is among many merry festivities at Village of Merrick Park.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD

As usual, the Miami Book FairInternational continuing through Nov. 21 isjam packed with of authors ranging frommystery writers, to former presidents andeven a former gymnast.

The popular Street Fair in downtownMiami runs Friday, Nov.19, through Sunday,Nov. 21, with more than 200 exhibitors fromaround the country selling books in a festiveatmosphere.

The list this year includes a number ofchildren’s writers and illustrators includingRosemary Wells, author of My Havana:Memories of a Cuban Boyhood, a biographyof Secundino Fernandez, a Cuban immigrantwho settled in New York.

“I think it’s time we had a really goodbook of a Cuban boy, of being a fine exam-ple of manhood,” she said. “Dino is a modelcitizen, a wonderful architect and had a won-derful middle class childhood. He was partof the elite class in Cuba. People need to beaware of that. A lot of Americans are quick tojump to conclusions about Hispanic people.”

She discovered him when listening to aninterview on NPR. It took her four years totrack him down. One of the things that fasci-nated her was how Fernandez dealt withhomesickness.

“He built the city of Havana on the floor ofhis bedroom in cardboard to stave off thehomesickness,” she said. “It was an age ofmuch more toughness on the part of children.No one had ever heard the word self-esteem.He picked up his socks and got on with it.”

In his life before immigrating to the U.S.,Fernandez lived under three dictators,

Franco in Spain, Batista and Castro in Cuba.“Our American kids need to know the

hardships other kids have gone through,”Wells said.

She has written or illustrated more than120 books. She is known for creating thebeloved Max and Ruby stories for youngerchildren and she is author of several non-fic-tion books, including Lincoln and His Boys.

Wells will be appearing with Judith Viorstwho will read from Lulu and the Brontsaurs onSunday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m. in the Auditorium.

Also speaking on Sunday, but at 4 p.m., isKim Hamilton Anthony, the first African-American gymnast at UCLA. Anthony livesin Broward with her husband Corwin.

“I used to do it [gymnastics] on the bricksidewalk in front of grandma’s house,” shesaid. “My mom though I was going to hurtmyself so she got me into a class at theRichmond Olympiad.”

Anthony was almost 10 when she officiallystarted gymnastics. She eventually received ascholarship to UCLA and became the firstUCLA woman to win an individual gymnas-tics title. While Anthony did not make theOlympic first team, she did make the second

team and represented the U.S. in South Africa.Anthony wrote the book, Unfavorable

Odds, at the urging of people who had heardher speak.

“It really is a story of overcoming obsta-cles and being told you couldn’t do some-thing and overcoming disappointing circum-stances,” she said. “I was never going tobecome the first African American anything.It just happened.”

Florida mystery writer Tim Dorsey alsowill appear at the book fair, on a panel withJames O. Born and James Grippando.

Dorsey, who writes mysteries with verydark humor, is promoting his new book,Gator-A-Go-Go, featuring Serge Storms.Dorsey is a former newspaperman who quithis day job on the day his first book cameout. His 13th book, Electric Barracudacomes out in January.

He’s excited about coming to Miami to bein the book fair once again.

“I love them. Everyone’s always so nice,especially the Miami book fair,” he said. “It’san annual thing I mark my life by.”

For more information about the Miami BookFair, go to <www.MiamiBookFair.com>.

Book lovers can delight in variety at Miami Book Fair InternationalPage 48 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 16 - 22, 2010

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The UM Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2011 was introduced during the Miami-Maryland game on Nov. 6.Pictured (l-r) are Hall of Fame president Tod Roy, diver Daphne Jongejans-Bousquet, football player DanMorgan, diver Tyce Routson and current Washington Redskins football player Santana Moss. Unable toattend were baseball player Bobby Hill, former women’s tennis coach Ian Duvenhage, NCAA track champi-on Yolanda McCray and current Indianapolis Colts football star Reggie Wayne. The 43rd annual UM SportsHall of Fame Induction Banquet will take place in the spring. Visit online at<http://umsportshalloffame.com> for details.

UM Sports Hall of Fame introduces new inductees

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OOuurr SSppeecciiaallttiieess iinncclluuddee bbuutt aarree nnoott lliimmiitteedd ttoo::1. SAT/ACT/GRE & H.S. Entrance Exam Preparation.

Both Group and Individual classes available.2. Advanced Secondary School and University

Coursework Instruction3. College Essays Review and Counseling

AAtt oouurr ooffffiiccee oorr iinn yyoouurr hhoommeeMMUUSSTT TTuuttoorriinngg SSeerrvviicceess

Professional English and Mathematics Educators

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www.smalldogexpert.com

• Insured • Certified Pet Care Tech

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Miami / Direct LineCell: 305.310.3312

Fax 954.447.9070 • [email protected]

REVERSE

1 SW 129 Ave., Suite 304, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027

SPECIALISTMORTGAGE

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!"#$%#&$&%!%'()(*+,*-(./.*0+12)(32.45+,64(-)3(6-

,7,+"""""%+89+:0;)43*+,64<(-=3(.64+,6->? !!@!A#

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305 896 4846FREE ESTIMATES LIC.CCC1326276

RE-ROOF ROOF REPAIR

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METAL • TILE • SHINGLES • FLAT ROOFS

• Wood Replacement/Repair

• Roof Inspection and Consultation

• Insurance Carrier Dispute Resolution

• Insurance Mitigation Inspection

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“Free Estimates and Consultation”

Residential & Commercial

Steve Nagy Enterprises

305-216-4717Para asistencia en Español llamar

786-399-9284EXPERT REPAIRS & COMPLETE ROOFING BYFully Insured Florida State Certified Roofing & General Contractor

ROOFING

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WE FIXWATER305.235.3508

Water Wells • Pumps • TanksFilters • Softeners • Reverse Osmosis

THE WATER WIZARD, CO.

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MIAMI (MIA) FT. LAUDERDALE (FLL) WEST PALM BEACH(PBI)MIAMI (MIA) FT. LAUDERDALE (FLL) WEST PALM BEACH(PBI)MIAMI (MIA) FT. LAUDERDALE (FLL) WEST PALM BEACH(PBI)MIAMI (MIA) FT. LAUDERDALE (FLL) WEST PALM BEACH(PBI)

Providing Clients with the most Reliable andSecure Delivery on Demand with Consistent

On-Time Performance since 1981

We’ll be there for your business.All Day. Every day. Rain or Shine

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

Baron Messenger Service, Inc.386 N.E. 191 Street, Miami, FL 33179

800.227.6648

www.barondelivers.com

DELIVERY ON DEMANDDELIVERY ON DEMANDDELIVERY ON DEMAND

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“Call Us”We’d like to get to “MOW” you!T R E E • L A N D S C A P I N G

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FULL TREE SERVICE• Selective Pruning •

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Licensed & Insured • Residential & Commercial SpecialistMembers of the International

Society of ArboricultureFREE ESTIMATES

Prompt & Courteous Since 1982305-253-7374

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Cleaners & Shirt LaundryExpert Alterations and

Tailoring, All Work Performedon Premises, Professional Dry

Cleaners & Shirts Laundry

The Falls8751 SW 131th Street

305.232.0399Coral Gables

1704 SW 57th Avenue305.262.9224

FREE DRY CLEANINGBring in 4 items &get the 5th FREEEqual or lesser value

99¢ SHIRTEvery 2nd Shirt

with coupon only cannot becombined with other offer.

Business Shirts Only.

$8 OFFwith the purchase of

$40 or more

Same Day Service Available(The Falls Store Only)

Mon - Fri 7:30AM to 6:30PMSat 8AM to 5PM

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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

the “Rosetta Stone” of psychology.

305.279.2569http://JeffreyBrock.com

Email:[email protected]

Website covers frequently asked questions about consultations and what to expect

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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• Bankruptcy • Loan Modification •

• Foreclosure Defense • Real Estate Closings •

• Debt Relief Agency •

Se Habla Español305-285-0340

633 N. Krome Avenue • Homestead, FL 33030

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BLU-RAY PLAYER

$99

APPLIANCES & ELECTRONICS AT WHOLESALE PRICES!NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

VISIT OUR OUTLET SECTION!HUNDREDS OF OPEN BOXLCD’S, LED’S & PLASMAS!

19” CLASS WIDESCREENLCD HDTV/MONITOR

$12950" CLASS HDTV

$599ONLY

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GET AN EXTRA10% OFF!ON ALL OPEN BOX ITEMSBELOW ALREADY LOW PRICES!

Cannot be combined with any other offers/discounts.Not Valid on Prior Purchases, Must present coupon to

receive discount. Limit 1 item per coupon, per customer.Coupon expires November 30th, 2010.

30%50%Below Retail!

50”

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Store Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10am - 7pm • Sunday: 11am - 6pm

ONLY


Palmetto Bay Nov 16 2010

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