South Miami News 10.30.2012

BY DONNA SHELLEY

Now is that magical timeof the year when theHome Division of AceHardware Home Center

in South Miami transitions from oneholiday to the next. Halloweenwitches and skeletons are beginningto drift from center stage.Thanksgiving turkeys and amber-colored autumn accessories co-existwith the store’s ever-spectacularChristmas wonderland; a joyoussight that is a riot of color and opu-

lence. As in the past, this year’s hol-iday season will officially kick-offwith a merry celebration at AceHardware on Thursday, November1st, from 5:30P to 8:30P.

The store is bustling with activityand a veritable shower of glitter asBetty Phillips veteran Buyer for theHome Division removes sparklingglass decorations from boxes andgives helpful advice to the decorat-ing team. Using her skills and expe-rience from the retail trade to select

ALL TYPES OF COVERAGE

FROM OVER 100 TRUSTED,COMPETITIVE, INSURERS

305.238.1000Savings & Service Since 1950

BY MICHAEL MILLERExecutive Editor

Ran into two veryhappy ladies the otherday at Deli Lane…these two SouthMiami Hospitalstaffers, CristiStiltner-Angulo andAleida Hernandez,were singing the praises of working atTHE #1 hospital in South Florida andof Lincoln Mendez, the hospital’sCEO. It’s quite the honor for the hos-pital’s staff and patients, as well as ourentire community, that South MiamiHospital received this honor from U.S.News & World Report.

By the way, among other things,Cristi is on the Santa’s Parade of Elvescommittee and we are counting on herto make this year’s parade the best oneyet. This much-loved communityevent will be held Sunday, Dec. 2, at 2p.m., in the heart of South Miami.

SENIOR CENTER BLUESIs it really possible that the residents

of the senior center are about to bemoved to some mysterious unknown

Around Town South Miami Hospital

team rocks

––––– See AROUND TOWN, page 8

OCT. 30 - NOV. 12, 2012

–––––––––––––––––––––– See ACE, page 9

Ace Home Center is the place for holiday decorations

Ace girls Sharon Levy and Betty Phillips (right)

––––––––––––––––––– See FESTIVAL, page 9

BY DONNA SHELLEY

In the realm of community-building events, SouthMiamians can take particu-lar pride in the ChamberSouth Art Festival.

Designed to showcase the city’s charm-ing downtown, promote art in the com-munity, local artists, and artists fromaround the country, the popular showmarks its 41st year this November 3rdand 4th.

“Chamber South continues to believethat exposure to the arts is good for com-munity,” said Chamber President MaryScott Russell.

The show, which is held on the firstweekend in November every year, is freeof charge to event-goers. Attracting over50,000 people during two days, attendees

Chamber South Art Festival celebrates Art and Community

Thousands will enjoy the Art Festival which is being held this weekend on Sunset Drive

NOVEMBER 3 - 4

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Oct. 30 - Nov. 12, 2012

Oct. 30 - Nov. 12, 2012 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM


Breast Cancer Awareness Ceremonyat the Gibson Bethel Center

BY RAQUEL GARCIA

The First Annual Breast CancerAwareness Ceremony took place recently atthe Gibson Bethel Community Centergrounds near the basketball courts on a cooland cloudless Thursday evening. Over 60area youth and family members attended thecandle lighting ceremony to raise awarenessin the community.

Deacon Butler offered an invocation, settingthe mood for a contemplative moment ofreflection. He mentioned a neighborhood fam-ily coping with the illness and had the childrenrepeat after him in prayer to thank God for“life, health, and strength.”

Parks and Recreation Director LorenzoWoodley had help from Gibson CenterCommissioner Johnny and assistant directorfor parks and recreation Carl Williams as they

all lit the candles provided for the kids.Afterwards they blew them out together in asolemn moment to show solidarity with thosethat have had to live with the disease.

“We want to be a catalyst,” said Williamsabout the evening, “by educating not only ouryouth but our community as a whole so we cantake a proactive approach in the fight againstbreast cancer.”

The idea for the event came from GibsonBethel football and cheerleading coaches andcommissioners. For the Saturday October 13football game on Murray Field players andcoaches all work pink and the football fieldwas marked with the pink ribbon breast cancerawareness emblem.

According to the Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention’s most recent statisticsfrom 2008, 40,589 died from the disease thatyear and 210,203 women were diagnosed.

A moment of prayer

(From l-r) Commissioner “Johnny”Zeigler, Cornelius Harrington, YvetteValdes and Lorenzo Woodley presenting the Breast CancerAwareness Grey Ghosts uniform jersey.

Lightingcandlesfor thekids.

Holiday décor is already popping uparound town and we are just weeks away forthe real start of the season. In that vein, theBoys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade contin-ue to be one of the best places to purchaseChristmas trees and wreaths. This 35 yearold tradition raise charitable funds with onehundred percent of proceeds from the treesand wreaths sales benefitting the positiveprograms of the Boys & Girls Clubs ofMiami-Dade, an organization that serves10,000 boys and girls in Miami-DadeCounty. To kick off the 2012 selling season,Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade willhold a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremo-ny at the tree lot on Monday, Nov. 19. Lookfor Santa Claus himself at the event that willalso include local dignitaries and Boys &Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade representatives.

Service organizations are gearing up for

the holiday season collecting food forThanksgiving baskets as well as clothes,food and toys for those in need. SouthFlorida is one of the most generous locationsanywhere and holidays certainly make thatmore evident than ever. The GFWC CoralGables Woman’s Club will begin the seasonpreparing complete Thanksgiving basketsfor the families of the children served by theclub’s May Van Sickle Children’s DentalClinic. More on those activities in the nextissue.

In other happenings, renowned photogra-pher Alberto Romeu’s work on displaythough Nov. 7th at Belen Jesuit PreparatorySchool, 500 SW 127th Ave., in TheSaladrigas Gallery. Entitled the FACES ofCuban Culture, the exhibit ion is dedicated toand features many writers, painters, sculp-tors, musicians, actors, editors, photogra-phers and curators. On Oct. 18, hundreds

gathered at Belen for the opening of theexhibit that also featured live entertainmentby Los Armonicos Quitet. Gallery hours areopen by appointment. For information, call

786-621-4624. Among the many enjoyingthe evening were Alberto’s son Ruben

Romeu and Ruben’s wife Terry, who isrenown for her new Pika Sauce available forsale online. Aside from the many artistswhose portraits were on display, the crowdalso included board members of the manynon profits for which Romeu lends his talent.Among the scene were former Coral GablesMayor Don and Jeannett Slesnick; Luis

Miguel, of Mercantil Commercebank; andBrooke Noble, of Actors Playhouse.

Somerset Gables Academy, a communityschool located in the heart of Coral Gables,is hosting the 1st Annual Somerset GablesGolf Tournament to benefit the constructionof a new playground. The event will be heldat The Biltmore Hotel on Friday, November2, 2012. The tournament features a scram-ble format and shotgun start at 12:30 pm,registration begins at 10:30 am. For moreinformation contact co-chairs Rachel

Salazar at [email protected] orLora Lastra at [email protected]. TheSGPA is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization.

The GFWC Cocoplum Woman’s Clubwill hold a Fashion Show featuring Olian inCoral Gables will benefit Big Brothers andBig Sisters on Wed., Nov. 7, at 11 a.m. , attheir clubhouse 1375 Suset Drive. Ticketsare $30 per person. For reservation callPam Ciravolo at 305. 858. 8548 or AnnRobson, [email protected] no laterthan Nov. 2.

Finally, join the fun at the 41st AnnualSouth Miami Art Festival produced byChamber South and sponsored by FirstNational Bank of South Miami on the week-end of November 3 & 4th, 2012, in beauti-ful downtown South Miami. As always, itpromises great outdoor family fun.

Until next time, keep making each daycount.

If you would like to submit information forthis column, please send your news via e-mail to [email protected].

Holidays preparations, golf, art and fashion show take stage

Gloria BurnsGLORIA’S GAB

SSoouutthh MMiiaammiinews

Miller Publishing • Community Newspapers

6796 SW 62 Avenue • South Miami, FL 33143

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Jeannett and Don Slesnick seen here at opening night of FACES of Cuban Culture Photographic Exhibition with

Alberto Romeu (center).

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

Luis Miguel, of Mercantil Commercebank; Alberto Romeu;, Silvia Garcia Sierra;and Ruben Romeu are seen here

at FACES of Cuban Culture Photographic Exhibition featuring Alberto Romeu’s photographs.


BY RAQUEL GARCIA

A few weeks have passed since localbusinessman Michael Rosenberg waspicked up as a stray and taken into theimpound truck for the ride to the Miami-Dade County Animal Services Shelter andthe cage he would call home for three daysand two nights.

Rosenberg was the first biped in the his-tory of the county facility for homeless andabandoned dogs and cats to spend a week-end in a cage and draw attention to theeuthanizing of more than 20,000 dogs andcats each year at the Medley location.

Since “The Pets’ Trust” straw ballot pub-licity campaign began, supporters likeGloria Estefan and Dog Whisperer CesarMillan have rallied for the cause.

“This is a historic moment for animalrights in Dade County,” Rosenberg said. “Ifwe don’t vote, we keep killing animals likewe’ve been doing for decades and if westop we can be the model for the wholecountry.”

What began as an invitation fromRosenberg to Animal Services directorAlex Munoz to speak at the KendallFederation of Homeowner Associations(where Rosenberg is president) led to the

formation of The Pets’ Trust.The citizen initiative’s goals are to

“improve animal welfare, increase adop-tions and decrease overpopulation by pro-viding free and low-cost spay/neuter, low-cost veterinary care and educational pro-grams.”

The grassroots group succeeded in get-ting a non-binding referendum on the Nov.6 ballot (#240) to ask the community tosupport the initiatives. If the straw ballotpasses, it is then up to the Miami-DadeCounty Commission to approve and beginallocating resources to get things inmotion.

County Commissioner Sally Heyman issponsoring the legislation.

“As long as we have an excessive popu-lation of domestic pets we are never goingto get in front of the mass euthanizing,”Heyman said. “When I became a commis-sioner 10 years ago there was no dedicatedfunding source for animal services; it wasfines and rabies tag money. We’ve come along way in 10 years.”

According to Heyman, if the voters andcommission vote yes, it will then takeapproximately two years and $20 million inrevenue to turn the numbers around. Theaverage homeowner’s cost would be about

$10. Funding protocol and managementissues would be dealt with next. She saidgoals would move step by step.

“Changes will happen over a course oftime. As a commission we would need anagenda so we can come up with mechani-cal things with The Trust and auditing andcollecting money. We will not be jumpingahead but strategically planning the nextsteps.”

“It will take a while to build,” Rosenbergsaid. “Unfortunately we don’t have a natu-ral constituency that can support us. Dogsand cats don’t have money so it’s tough. Ifyou vote ‘yes’ that’s when the key turns butdon’t expect a miracle the same day.”

Miracles seem to be happening alreadyas Rosenberg said he has been amazed andimpressed at the generosity and kindnessMiami has to offer.

“I can’t look at Miami the same wayagain,” Rosenberg said. “We hear suchnegative things about our hometown but

the generosity and kindness and supportthis has created has blown me away. Itdoesn’t matter if you’re black, white,Hispanic, Buddhist, I’ve been getting callsfrom everybody asking ‘how can wehelp.’”

Rosenberg said part of the challenge hasbeen to educate people on the 120 or soanimals brought into the facility daily andthe ensuing 50 to 60 that are euthanizeddaily to make room for the latest arrivals.

“The amount of animals brought toAnimal Services is really a drop in thebucket. I won’t take the newborn kittensborn recently on my doorstep to AnimalServices because they will probably bekilled and many others like me would dothe same, but it doesn’t solve the prob-lem. It’s one of those things you don’tlike to think about, like your own funer-al. But unlike your own funeral this issomething we can solve, and we aregoing to solve it.”

Activist’s confinement spotlights plight of homeless dogs and cats

Michael Rosenberg is pictured during the second day of his voluntary confinement with homeless dogs and catsat Miami-Dade County Animal Services Shelter.

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


BY RAQUEL GARCIA

Perhaps it was that he found the love ofhis life at Sunset Tavern and Deli Lane ormaybe it was his brother’s introduction tothe place while managing Daiquiri Dayshere years ago that set the stage forRockaway, New Jersey native Brian Kellyto find his calling at the classic SouthMiami establishment.

“I came down here when I was 21 to visitmy brother and I have been here eversince,” said Kelly. A mild tempered ami-able bartender with slicked back hair and asecretive smile, Brian or “Brain” as hisdescriptive name tag suggests, is known fordelivering friendly service along with theclassic adult beverages and good foodSunset Tavern is famous for.

“It’s a great vibe here and everyone has agood time,” said Kelly. During the day Ihave more time to spend with customersand become like a part time therapist. Atnight it gets very busy and the crowdchanges into more of a college scene.”

An unpretentious local hang out thatattracts down-to-earth professionals fromBrickell as well as area lawyers, account-ants, business folks, UM students andSouth Miami stalwarts who can reminisceabout community history; Sunset Tavernhas become an institution.

Open over ten years now in the same spotwhere the famous bar “My Father’s Mustache”used to be, owners Mike Maler and JanKirchoff. mix it up with seasonal events likeOktoberfest, Stand up to Cancer GolfTournament hosted by manager PattyKarpinski, Spiny Lobster Tournament, and hol-iday theme parties.

“The owners here are open to lots of ourideas and they take them seriously,” saidKelly. “We like to change it up and do funstuff. Going out to the golf tournament andhelping Patty out makes me feel good. Last

year it was great out there helping peoplewith donations and donating prizes for a goodcause. I love this place and consider it myhome going on ten years now.”

The love seems to be reciprocated judgingby the popularity of the FIU agriculture grad-uate’s own entrepreneurial adventures. Kellymakes some super tasty homemade picklesthat are a fan favorite around the bar. Idealfor a pickled martini or to jazz up a vegetari-an meal, the sweet and spicy pickle businessseems a natural for Kelly who enjoys sharinghis bite size delights with patrons. Kellyhopes to eventually take his pickles on theroad and do the farmer’s market circuit.

“I would love to get a booth at thefarmer’s market but waking up early is hardfor me. We are looking for a house now inSouth Miami. Coming here and meetingmy wife here is the best thing that ever hap-pened to me. It’s amazing, if I never camedown with my brother I would have nevermet her or gotten this job.”

Bartender Brian Kelly shares the

love at Sunset Tavern and Deli Lane

Bartender Brian Kelly gets the Tavern ready for Halloween–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

SOUTH MIAMI

SIGHTINGS41st Annual Chamber South Art Festival

Poster unveiling at Chamber South Trustee Reception hosted by First National Bank of South Miami

Pictured (L-R): Jeffrey Flanagan, Chamber South Past Chrm.; Chamber President Mary Scott Russell;

Chamber Chairman Zac Hall; Poster artist Annie Maxwell; Veronica B. Flores, FNBSM, Festival Presenting

Sponsor; Ricardo Forbes, Chamber South Past Chrm. (Photo courtesy of SOMI MAG)

Chamber South President Mary

Scott Russell (front row, left) and

First National Bank of South

Miami Executive Vice President

Veronica Flores (second row,

third from left) and FNBSM VIP’s

Guests Nicki Spitzer

and Karen Nercess


temporary location in two months and theystill have no idea where they are going? Aswe reported last issue, the county recentlysold the center to a private developer.

Although it seems the new owners,Related Urban, have been trying to do theright thing by meeting with them regularly toallay their many concerns, the seniors stillhave no idea where they will be while the sixfloors of the residence building and activities

center gets a much needed make over. The center is managed by the city and

although candidates and commissioners raidthe place right before election season, theonly gentleman with the grace to attend themeetings in concern for our elderly popula-tion has been former Mayor Horace Feliu.Thanks Horace for showing you care, andlet’s hope you start a trend at city hall to helpthe seniors get some answers pronto.

CHIEF GETS CROWNED Local organizations “promoting family

values” and offering leadership opportunitiesfor Hispanic young women: MissHispanidad USA and Unity InternationalFoundation, recently honored Chief OrlandoMartinez de Castro with a special presenta-tion in commission chambers.

Michelle Setty and Nicole Pelaez of MissHispanidad USA thanked the chief for hiscontributions to the Hispanic community ofSouth Florida. This is just the recent in aseries of accolades the chief has receivedfrom a vast South Florida community thatsure seems to appreciate his service.

Now if only the loud minority of naysay-ers at city hall who are attempting to discred-it the chief’s performance would allow himand his department to do their jobs in peace,we would all be better off.

TRUTH OR FICTIONCan it be true? While enjoying my

favorite breakfast at a local eatery I heardan area health care company might just beinterested in purchasing the shopping centerat SW 62 Ave and US 1. Imagine that…aprofessional office center with lots of park-ing spaces right across the street from SouthMiami Hospital.

It could easily house a major medical/urgentcare center and lots of doctor’s offices. Theycould even build a bridge across the highwayto make it easier for professionals and clientsto commute back and forth! I am still trying toget a pulse on which health care giant might beexamining the possibilities but it sure is aninteresting scenario isn’t it.

MAYOR’S POND/POOL HAUNTS CITY HALLJust when they thought they got away with

it, I mean, even though the mayor’s concreteladen “pond” was declared permissible with-out permits in a county hearing shortly afterlast year’s election, it seems Channel 7 wantsto know more. Former Mayor Julio RobainaJr. made a huge fuss over his gigantic “pond”(which is deep enough to dive into) in amajor campaign broo haha. At the time CityManager Hector Mirabile chose to hand offthe issue to the county to settle although bycity definition it appeared to clearly be inviolation of city pond standards. Let’s hopethe naked truth reveals itself soon.

HAPPY HANS

I spoke with Footworks co-owner HansHuseby (sorry we spelled your name wrongin the Halloween story last issue, my friend)the other day and he was tickled pink regard-ing his latest experience in trying to get apermit at city hall. It seems city staff actual-ly took the time to help him out…wow.

Rather than repeating history and doing thingsthe old way (which according to many disgrun-tled souls would be to simply reject the permit ifnot filled out properly) they actually took thetime to assist him in completing some informa-tion that was missing so he could get it done rightand before deadline. I think we can thankHector’s leadership for this one, Go Manager!

COMMITTEE TRIAL FOR CHIEFRhonda Sibilia of the Miami-Dade County

Ethics Commission sent notice recently thatthe complaint against Chief Martinez for pos-

sible ethics violationsis moving forward.Attorney for the ChiefSimon Steckel said:“A probable causefinding in this scenariois merely an invitationfor both sides to con-duct a full trial beforethe committee andpresent all the evi-dence. We feel thatsince every witness who has been inter-viewed has taken a position favorable toChief Orlando Martinez de Castro, we areconfident that he shall be exonerated.”

PHOTO CREDIT APOLOGIESThank you John Edward Smith of SOMI

Mag for sharing last issue’s front pageHalloween Safe Streets photo and we apolo-gize for the oversight in omitting the appro-priate attribution. Sorry to Karen and EdNercess of All Star Photography for missingthe photo credit on the online story forChamber South’s 41st Annual South MiamiArts Festival. Thank you to Arelis Ferro ofChamber South for letting us know. Weappreciate the spirit of collaboration we canshare with South Miami’s finest media.

SEEN IN THE SCENERan into Fitness Together proprietor

Scott Baumann at Casa Lario’s recently andhe sure was chomping down on someyummy looking chicken loaded with veg-gies and capped off with an Espresso. Notthat I was watching him or anything but heis sort of hard to miss with the huge pair ofguns the guy is sporting nowadays. I am justhappy to consider him a buddy and not aboxing opponent.

HOLIDAY SEASON STARTS Well folks, another year is nearly behind

us, and as we prepare to show the specialpeople in our lives how much we love andcare about them, please consider shoppinglocal to find that one of a kind Decemberpresent. I guarantee if you take a stroll downSunset Drive downtown to window shop youwill see a range of possibilities for the ath-lete, professional, fashionista, pet lover, orfoodie in your circle of dear ones. So keepthose dollars circulating in our communityand spend in SoMi. And by the way, whileyou’re at it, take a moment to reflect on howlucky you are to have so many people in yourlife who love you no matter what.

Thought for the Day:Our family is a circle of love and

strength. With every birth and every union,the circle grows. Every joy shared adds

more love. Every crisis faced togethermakes the circle stronger.

— Unknown

Raquel Garcia contributed to this column.

Got Tips? Call 305-669-7030 or email<[email protected]>.

AROUND TOWN, from page 1

CHIEFMARTINEZ DE CASTRO

Outgoing Red Sunset Merchants Association President HappyHans Huseby with Vice President of American Chariots AutoBrokers and RSMA Secretary Karla Cooper at Shula’s.

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

President of the Senior Center Resident Council Nestor Salingand Resident Council Correspondent Secretary ClememsiaHernandez.

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ucts, she begins buying in January foritems that make their appearance in theshop from October to December.

“This is the little store with big ideas,”says Betty, speaking to the store’s longhistory of successfully blending theirselections of every day necessities andtop-quality home decorating accessories.

During the holiday season, the storefeatures eight to eleven trees that are dec-orated with themes to delight childrenand adults for just about every room inthe house. Customers can purchase one ofthese thematic trees complete with every-thing or they can purchase individualitems. Professional designer MikeMonroe from Monroe Design brings hisvast experience with hotels and privatehomes to the fore, leading the store’sdesign team in the creation of specialtytrees and making himself available toconsult with customers.

Customers and staff work together tocreate highly personalized trees, just theright lighting, and lush garlands andwreaths in an array of styles to match thecustomers’ home décor, inside and out.

Trees of every size and variety are avail-

able, from modern metallic and crystal, tomore traditional fir-like trees. There iseven an upside-down tree. This year it isreplete with whimsical sea creatures andfish appropriate for celebrating the holi-days in coastal South Florida. And lest youthink hanging trees bottom up is some-thing new, the practice purportedly wasflourishing in Central European homes bythe twelfth century when the fir tree wasrevered as a symbol of Christianity.

Among the traditional holiday favoritesoffered at Ace Hardware are collectibleitems such as Department 56 Villages,Byers’ Choice Ltd. Carolers and MarkRoberts Fairies. The store always carrieswhat is new in these popular lines. Thecharming lighted villages, homey carolersand spritely fairies keep customers comingback every season.

“We look forward to arranging the MarkRoberts Fairies flying through the air. Welike to make our customers happy,” saidBetty Phillips.

The Ace Hardware Home Center locat-ed at 7325 Red Road in South Miami isone of four stores owned by DanHitchcock. The South Miami location hasbeen in the Hitchcock family since 1959.Call 305-667-1195 to schedule an appoint-ment with a holiday sales specialist ordesigner.

ACE, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––

Program Specialist/Victim Advocate for MADD-Dade County, Helen Witty, gets a round of applause atroll call from the multi-agency police officers before the team heads out for the DUI Checkpoint onFriday evening, October 19 on US 1 and SW 63 Avenue. The SMPD operation yielded 133 citationsand seven arrests. Major Rene Landa said 900 vehicles received pamphlets on the dangers of drink-ing and driving. “We may never know what impact we had,” said Landa, “but if someone took to heartwhat we talked about and we were able to save one life, then it’s all worth it.”

(Photo credit/Raquel Garcia)

Roll call at SMPD before DUI Checkpoint will have the opportunity to enjoy and pur-

chase works of fine art offered by over 130artists. The family-oriented show alsoincludes activities for children and perform-ances by local youth organizations. Towncenter along Sunset Drive, east of US1 willbe closed to vehicular traffic and convertedinto a promenade where you can take in theart work, savor some delicious food fromstreet vendors or in local restaurants, andenjoy live music from groups such as VanGogh Listens and the Miami Children’sChorus. The Chamber highly encourages thepublic to take public transportation, bike orwalk to Sunset Drive; for those who drive,on-street metered parking will be available,as well as spaces in local garages.

Sunshine Artist magazine rates the ArtFestival among the 100 Top Fine Art andDesign shows in the country. The magazineis the “go to” guide for artists and crafterswho are looking for show schedules andother related information concerning thebusiness of art and crafts. The Top 100 dis-tinction is determined by the participatingartists for whom there is just one criterion,the number of sales realized by the artist.

“I have had artists tell me that our eventputs food on their table for the entire year,”said Mary Scott Russell.

Arelis Ferro, Director of the Art Festivaland Events Manager for the Chamberspends six months coordinating all facets ofthe event: combining artists, sponsors, ven-dors, entertainers and advertisers into aseamless, well-managed festival. A popularshow, Ms. Ferro had to turn away at least 20artists away this year because there was notenough space for them. She reports that par-ticipating artists build a following from theshow — a following that keeps buyersreturning to South Miami every year.

The Art Festival is funded by theChamber and relies on sponsorship from avariety of generous donors and grantors. Inaddition to their major sponsor, the FirstNational Bank of South Miami, are Miami-Dade County Department of CulturalAffairs, Baptist Health of South Florida,the City of South Miami and others.

Chamber South serves businesses inSouth Miami, Kendall, Cutler Bay,Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Greater SouthDade. The mission of the Chamber is tomaintain a leadership role through programs,services and events that will enhance thequality of life and economic well-being ofthe member communities by working toimprove business conditions that strengthenthe economic health of the community.

FESTIVAL, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


BY RAQUEL GARCIA

For over forty years South Miami’sYMCA enjoyed being a thriving center forcommunity where children and adults fromdifferent cultures and socio-economic back-grounds came together to play sports likesoccer, roller hockey, or learn how to swim.However by December 2005 times hadchanged so the apparently struggling recre-ation center aligned with the City of SouthMiami to save the ten acres of land behindDavid Fairchild Elementary between SW 57Ave and Palencia Drive. The land was donat-ed by Frank Kerdyk in the late 1950’s.

What began as a promising partnershipbetween the YMCA and the city to save thecenter has devolved such that the city antici-pates filing a law suit by month’s end forbreach of lease and non-payment of rent. Thedeal they made in 2005 was that the citywould purchase the land funded in part by aninnovative “Building Better CommunitiesGeneral Obligation Bond.”

Mary Scott Russell was mayor when thecollaboration with the city and YMCA wasset up. “I don’t know what happenedbetween now and then,” said Russell. “Thiswas a partnership with municipalities and

county government when collaboration wasthe word of the day. We worked together forthe greatest good for the greatest number ofpeople.”

Executive Director of Special Olympicsfor Miami-Dade County Mark Thompsonwas YMCA’s director from 1993 to 2003.During his tenure, 3 to 4,000 kids playedtogether at the Y over the course of a givenyear. On Saturdays as many as 1000 kids inabout 15 different age divisions played com-petitive games on the Frank Kerdyk Fields.

“No child would be turned away due toinability to pay,” said Thompson. “We weresupported by fundraising activities and thosewho could pay a surplus to provide for thosewho could not, did, and that is a true non-profit venture. Families appreciated that kidsgot to play with others who didn’t have thesame means. It created better understandingand removed stereotypes.”

Former Mayor Julio Robaina Jr. said he isa product of South Miami’s YMCA. “I grewup going to the YMCA,” said Robaina, “Ilooked forward to it every day. The firstCampus Life Haunted House started thereback in the woods. We took field trips, hadsummer camp and kids came from all over.We learned organized sports discipline and

it was a positive time with positive rolemodels.”

Robaina eventually served on the Y boardand along with Mary Scott Russell and oth-ers was instrumental in securing the bondmonies that helped purchase the land. Hewas the district’s state representative inTallahassee at the time.

“We had a very well connected group ofboard members,” said Robaina, “and wewere able to raise a million dollars in a fewmonths. We just needed a green light. Theykept claiming they were doing demographicstudies on feasibility (for the new communi-ty center) but we felt they had other plans forthe property.”

President and C.E.O. of YMCA GreaterMiami Alfred Sanchez declined comment forthis article through spokeswoman CharlotteDonn. The Young Men’s ChristianAssociation (YMCA) was born in London in1844 by George Williams as a place forindustry working men to go for spiritualreflection. According to ymcamiami.org,67.7 million households in the U.S. livewithin three miles of a YMCA and 2,663YMCA’s serve more than 20.2 million peo-ple each year. The South Dade YMCA at9355 SW 134 Street is in the midst of a36,000 feet expansion begun May of 2011.

Mayor Philip Stoddard said he would havepreferred to work on a long term plan with theY before going to court. They owe the city$60,000 for three years of unpaid rent. “If youare going to keep a relationship you don’t startwith suing them,” said Stoddard. “The com-mission as a whole now feels that theybreached their side of the agreement and thatthat needs to get resolved before a renewedrelationship. My sense is that the Y is genuine-ly interested in getting the project going againbut how it will be paid for I don’t know.”

The mayor’s understanding, although he

acknowledges it may not be totally accurate,is that the secured bonds were contingent onstudies commissioned to determine ifenough membership revenue could be gener-ated to cover expenses and pay back thebond.

It remains unclear how the $100,000check to get the 2005 partnership startedderailed. “Our county commissioner (at thetime) Carlos Gimenez came out for the rib-bon cutting,” said Russell, “for this multi-billion dollar bond issue and presented acheck for $100,000 to little South Miami.”Russell was also President of the DadeLeague of Cities at the time. “We were on aroll. Timing was right, conditions were good,and we had county support for the acquisi-tion. Nine years later we have a lawsuit andthe lawyers get rich.”

Horace Feliu followed Mary Scott Russellas mayor and preceded Phil Stoddard. Whilehe was in office the dilapidated building onthe site was razed in preparation for the newbuilding. “We had meetings with neighbors,”said Fileu. “They wanted to make sure wecontrolled traffic in the area. We workedhard to bring the plans together and theyseem to have disappeared.”

City Attorney Thomas Pepe said there was aplan in the file. He agreed to email it to SouthMiami News however it was not received priorto deadline. Mayor Stoddard said the bond issuewas declined when Ajibola Balogun was citymanager. Calls to Balogun were not returnedprior to press time.

Vice Mayor of Coral Gables, WilliamKerdyk Jr. commented on how his uncle whowas also a commissioner in the Gables andworked in real estate might feel about thecurrent state of things with the YMCA andthe city. “My uncle would say, ‘it is a sad daywhen the community loses a place for thechildren to play.”

The Frank Kerdyk Fields of the former YMCA are now without permanent bathroom facilities, shelter from light-

ning, nor do they have a dedicated water supply yet area kids still playing organized sports on the ground

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

City to file lawsuit against YMCA COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Oct. 30 - Nov. 12, 2012


BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD

In two years the World Cup will take placein Rio de Janeiro and two years later theOlympic Summer Games. Before then,Cassia Martins wants people to know her cityso she wrote a novel called Born in Rio.

“I really wanted to show the world whatmakes Rio such a special place,” Martinssaid.

She said the novel is a story of personalgrowth that develops in Rio.

“I think a lot of it has a lot to do that I livedmost of my adult life out of Rio,” she said. “Iwanted to write an engaging story and takepeople through this journey of my main char-acter, Rita.”

Rita is a banker in New York who leads ahectic lifestyle. She’s lived in the Big Applefor 15 years when suddenly something hap-pens to her mother.

“She had an estranged relationship (withher mom),” Martins said. “She was drawn tocome back to Florida.”

Unfortunately the events don’t turn out well.When Rita finds a box of letters about hermother, what she learns takes her back to Rio.

In writing Born in Rio., Martins wanted totake people to Brazil and through its customs.Although she has lived most of her adult lifein the U.S., she loves her native Brazil andwants her readers to love it as well.

“I really worked very hard in showing thesoul of Brazil,” Martins said. “This was oneof the main reasons why I wrote the story. Iwanted people to see Brazil. The main char-acter was born there but left. She sees Brazilthrough foreign eyes.”

Martins returned to Rio to write the book.She graduated from Boston University and

has an MBA in marketing. When she wasworking on her application for WhartonSchool of Economics at Penn, she said itmade her think about where she was andwhat she wanted out of life.

“That’s when I first started thinking aboutthe story,” Martins said. “When I graduated,I had the story shaped. Then it was a matterof taking the time to write it and I wrote it innine months.”

Her process was to write 700 words a day.“I was very structured. Sometimes the

words were not good, but still I did it. Ilearned to respect myself in terms of how farI can go and how I can respect myself.”

It wasn’t always easy. The days she hadwriter’s block were tough but she tried torelax and focus on something else.

“But when I least expected it, the wordswould come to me,” she said.

Once Born in Rio was completed, shebegan the process of self-publishing. Shechose to use Amazon’s service Create Spacebecause it allowed her to have control overher book.

“I really like the process,” Martins said. “Itwas able to be out to the public pretty fastafter I created the book.”

Martins lives in south Miami-Dade. Shecame to the U.S. as a teen and her family stayedin the Miami area while she went off to get herdegrees. She came back to South Florida forher family. These days, she works in financeand spends her spare time promoting her book.

In fact, a signing was scheduled for lateSeptember at Books and Books and she will beat the Miami Book Fair International on Nov. 18.

For more information, go to her website at<www.borninrio.com>.

Local novelist wants readers to learn about Rio de Janeiro

Cassia Martins is pictured in front of the famous land-mark statue in Rio de Janeiro.


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Homestead High Feeder PatternCurriculum Expo set for Nov. 5BY RAUL CALZADILLA JR.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’South Region Office and Dr. AlexisMartinez, region superintendent, will behosting a Curriculum Expo featuring allschools within the Homestead High SchoolFeeder Pattern on Thursday, Nov. 15, 6:30p.m., at the Homestead Community Center,1601 N. Krome Ave. in Homestead.

All current students, prospective stu-dents, their parents and community mem-bers are invited to come and learn about theinnovative curriculum programs, acade-mies, magnet programs, enrichment activi-

ties, iMAP initiatives, clubs and extracur-ricular activities the schools have to offer.Administrators, teachers and students willbe on hand to answer questions. Studentperformances will be featured.

Participating schools include: RobertMorgan High, Campbell Drive K-8 Center,Coconut Palm K-8, Gateway EnvironmentalK-8 Center, Leisure City K-8 Center,Peskoe, I & B K-8 Center, Neva KingCooper Educational Center, Title I MigrantServices, and Air Base Elementary.

If you want more information about thistopic, contact Air Base Elementary Schoolat 305-258-3676.

BY THOMAS ENNIS

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’South Region Office and Dr. AlexisMartinez, region superintendent, will behosting a Curriculum Expo featuring allschools within the Miami Killian HighSchool Feeder Pattern on Tuesday, Nov.13, 6:30 p.m., at the Miami Killian HighSchool Gymnasium, 10655 SW 97 Ave.

All current students, prospective stu-dents, their parents and community mem-bers are invited to come and learn aboutthe innovative curriculum programs,academies, magnet programs, enrichmentactivities, iMAP initiatives, clubs and

extracurricular activities the schools haveto offer.

Administrators, teachers and studentswill be on hand to answer questions.Student performances will be featured.

Participating schools include: ArvidaMiddle, Devon Aire K-8 Center, GloriaFloyd Elementary, Glades Middle, KendaleElementary, Kenwood K-8 Center,Leewood K-8 Center, William LehmanElementary, Miami Killian High, SnapperCreek Elementary and Sunset ParkElementary.

If you want more information about thistopic, contact Miami Killian High Schoolat 305-271-3311.

Killian High School Feeder PatternCurriculum Expo set for Nov. 13


BY ALICIA WHITLEY

The Falls Shopping Center, 8888 SW136 St., will ring in this holiday season onSaturday, Nov. 17, with the 16th annual“Miracle on 136th Street” Holiday Paradethat promises to be bigger and better thanever.

Local celebrities and their families willride in one of the many vintage convertiblecars during the parade, led by ParadeGrand Marshal Coco Jones, star of DisneyChannel’s Let it Shine movie. This year,the Holiday Parade benefits the SouthDade YMCA Family Center.

“The Miracle on 136th Street” HolidayParade is attended annually by more than20,000 residents. The parade features

marching bands, stilt walkers, clowns, vin-tage cars, community groups and interna-tionally recognized costumed characters,along with the season’s first officialappearance of Santa on his very own float.

Spectators are encouraged to arrive earlyand line both sides of the parade routebefore the 4 p.m. start. The parade route,which is located on the Boulevard inbetween the center and the parking lot, willstart at the east end of The Falls, in front ofBloomingdale’s and traverse the entirelength of the center, west to Macy’s.Activities take place from 4 to 10 p.m.

For more information about The Falls,located at US 1 and SW 136th Street, call305-255-4570 or visit online at<www.simon.com>.

Some 20,000 spectators are expected to attend the annual Holiday Parade at The Falls.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

‘Miracle on 136th Street’ Paradewelcomes start of holiday season


BY PATRICIA ROJAS

The American Red Cross recently intro-duced 11 outstanding women leaders whowill be receiving the Sara Hopkins WoodruffSpectrum Awards for Women during aluncheon on Mar. 5, 2013 at theInterContinental Miami Hotel.

The honorees serve as exceptional exam-ples of the humanitarian principles of theAmerican Red Cross: Humanity, Impartiality,Independence, Unity, Neutrality, Universalityand Voluntary Service.

“Spectrum” refers to the impact thesewomen have on a broad scope of communi-ty life and also reflects the spectrum of cul-tures represented in our community.

The 2013 Sara Hopkins WoodruffSpectrum Award for Women honorees are:

BlueCross BlueShield of FloridaPhilanthropy Award, Irene Korge;

Rosalind Ludwig Chairmen’s Award,Jeanett Slesnick;

Cervera Real Estate Ambassador Award,

Penny Shaffer;Bank of America Cultural Award, Kathryn

Q. Mikesell;J. N. McArthur Foundation Education

Award, Mary Young;Mercantil Commercebank Entrepreneurial

Award, Olga M. Ramudo;Baptist Health South Florida Healthcare

Award, Sabrina Cohen;Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel

Association Hospitality Award, JulieGrimes;

The Ethel and W. George Kennedy FamilyFoundation Volunteerism Award, PatriciaRobbins;

Barbara Nelson Red Cross Service Award,Janelle Patty, and

Swanee and Paul DiMare Youth Award,Marina Bryant.

To purchase tickets for the Mar. 5 lunch-eon, or for more information on theSpectrum Awards, contact Kenia Tedesco at305-728-2512 or send email to<[email protected]>.

American Red Cross announcesrecipients of Spectrum awards

Honorees pictured are (l-r) Marina Bryant, Julie Grimes, Kathryn Q. Mikesell, Janelle Patty, Patricia Robbins, PennyShaffer, Olga M. Ramudo, Jeanett Slesnick, Sabrina Cohen and Mary Young. Not pictured: BlueCross BlueShieldof Florida Philantrhopy Award, Irene Korge.

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


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BY PAULA FERNÁNDEZ DE LOS MUROS

“Chapungu: Custom and Legend, a Culturein Stone,” soon will grace the lowlands ofFairchild Tropical Botanic Garden with 82unique, hand-carved sculptures by Africanartists from Zimbabwe.

The seven-month exhibition from Nov. 1through May 31, 2013, will depict beautifulstone carvings of animals, families, customs,social issues and creatures of legend. Carvedfrom opal stone, cobalt and springstone, thesealluring works of art will be grouped by themein Fairchild’s lowlands: Custom and Legend,Family, Nature and Environment, Role ofElders, Role of Women, Social Comment, TheSpirit World, and Village Life. These amazingsculptures range in height from three to 10feet and weigh between 600 and 6,000pounds.

“Each of these sculptures is a unique, one ofa kind creation that the artists have producedbased on their own ideas and passions,” saidRoy Guthrie, Chapungu curator.

Many of the 35 artists represented are fromZimbabwe’s native tribe, the Shona people.The Shona tribe believes that the “ChapunguBird” is a good omen, bringing them protec-tion and good fortune. Chapungu is a metaphorfor the Bateleur Eagle, Terathopius ecaudatus,a powerful bird of prey that can fly up to 300miles a day at 30 to 50 miles an hour and livesin the savannahs, open forests and semi-desertsof central and southern Africa.

In addition to enjoying the exhibition, visi-tors and the community can create their ownoriginal sculpture with the help of a Chapunguartist in residence during one of several five-day workshops conducted Tuesday throughSaturday in a pavilion near the lowland’s palmcollection. No experience is required. The $500fee includes a sculpting stone from Zimbabwe,a set of tools to keep and instruction by promi-nent Zimbabwean artists.

For reservations and details, call 305-667-1651, ext 3322.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is dedi-cated to exploring, explaining and conservingthe world of tropical plants. Considered thegreatest tropical botanic garden in the world,Fairchild exhibits some of the tropical world’srarest and most beautiful plants within the tap-estry of an iconic landscape design. Fairchildis a one of the world’s best science, conserva-tion and education-based gardens and a recog-nized international leader in both Florida andinternational conservation. It has conservationprograms in over 20 countries throughout thetropical world including the Indonesia, SouthAmerica, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia.Fairchild’s palm and cycad collections areconsidered the best collections in the worldand are nationally recognized by the American

Public Gardens Association. It is also home tothe American Orchid Society.

The Fairchild Challenge is the largest sci-ence-based education program in the U.S.reaching more than 150,000 schoolchildren.Fairchild hosts popular events like theChocolate, Mango, Orchid, Food and Garden,Ramble and Edible Garden Festivals, as wellas an internationally acclaimed Art Program,GardenMusic Festival, concerts, plant showsand sales, and evening events and is the cul-tural and community hub in South Florida.Fairchild is a not-for-profit organization with45,000 members and over 1,200 volunteers.

Fairchild is located at 10901 Old Cutler Rd.in Coral Gables. Admission is $25 for adults,$18 for seniors, $12 for children 6-17 and freeto children 5 and under and Fairchild mem-bers. Information is available at<www.fairchildgarden.org>.

Stone sculptures from Zimbabweto be displayed at Fairchild Garden

Aunt Admonishing Child by Rachel Ndandarika––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––



BY DURÉE ROSS

For more than 35 years, Boys and GirlsClubs of Miami-Dade has been sellingChristmas trees and wreaths to help bringholiday cheer into many South Floridahouseholds, and it continues this tradition.

To kick off the 2012 selling season, Boysand Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade will hold agrand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony atthe tree lot on Monday, Nov. 19, 4:30 p.m.,at the Hank Kline Club, 2805 SW 32 Ave.

Attending will be Santa Claus, local dig-nitaries and Boys and Girls Clubs ofMiami-Dade representatives.

The trees, beautiful Fraser firs fromNorth Carolina, stand five to 14 feet talland sell for $55 and up. Plain and hand-decorated wreaths also will be for sale,starting at $35.

One hundred percent of proceeds fromthe trees and wreaths sales will benefitBoys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade,which serves 10,000 boys and girls inMiami-DadeCounty with positive pro-

grams year-round.The tree lot is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. seven

days a week from Nov. 19 to Dec. 15 (oruntil trees are sold out).

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

Boys and Girls Clubs to beginChristmas tree sales, Nov. 19


Crafts • Gifts • Food Trucks and more

Arts & Craft FestivalSaturday, November 10th • 8am-3pm

Central Presbyterian Church 12455 SW 104 St.

Free admission & free parking.10x10 Vendor spaces $35.00, call 305-274-4007

‘Digging Miami:’ Free lectureat Deering Estate at CutlerBY JENNIFER TISTHAMMER

The Deering Estate at Cutler, in partner-ship with the Archaeological Society ofSouthern Florida, presents a free lecture onthe second Thursday of each month. Thenext lecture is scheduled for Nov. 8, 7 p.m.,in the Visitor Center Auditorium at theDeering Estate at Cutler, 16701 SW 72 Ave.Topic is “Digging Miami” and the presenteris Robert Carr.

The pace of change of Miami since itsincorporation in 1896 is staggering. Miami’sdevelopment continually erases monumentsand traces of indigenous people and historicpioneers while ironically leading to archaeo-logical treasures that have lain undiscoveredfor centuries.

In “Digging Miami,” Carr traces the rich11,000-year human heritage of the Miamiarea from its first inhabitants through thearrival of European settlers and up to the early20th century. Carr was Dade County’s firstarchaeologist, later historic preservationdirector, and held the position at a time whenredevelopment efforts unearthed dozens of

impressive archaeological sites, including theCutler site, discovered in 1985, and the con-troversial Miami Circle, found in 1998.“Digging Miami” presents a unique anatomyof this fascinating city, dispelling the myththat its history is merely a century old.

Currently the executive director of theArchaeological and Historical ConservancyInc., Carr’s career spans over 30 years. AsDade County’s first archaeologist, he wasinstrumental in the implementation of theHistorical Sites Preservation Ordinance. Carris a prolific writer, from trade periodicals totechnical reports to books.

The Deering Estate at Cutler, a Miami-Dade County Park, is located at 16701 SW72 Ave. This 444-acre natural and archeolog-ical preserve and historic site is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places andserves as a center for education, culture andrecreation. Historic house tours are offereddaily at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. with admis-sion to the estate.

For more information on the DeeringEstate’s educational and cultural programs,visit <www.deeringestate.org>.


BY DUREE ROSS

Reptile lovers and those who want to

learn more about the intriguing creatures

are invited to attend Miami Science

Museum’s Reptile Day on Saturday,

Nov. 3.

Reptile Day will include entertaining

and interactive activities about many dif-

ferent reptile species including:

• Meet and greet with Animal Planet’s

Gator Boys celebrities Chris and Ashley;

• Python Control in the Everglades pres-

entation by Shawn Heflick, host of

National Geographic’s Python Hunters;

• Live venomous snake handling show

by Venom One;

• Eyes and Ears (invasive reptile detec-

tion and reporting training) presentation by

Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species

Management Area (ECISMA);

• Alligator aquaculture presentation by

Gatorama;

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission airboat display;

• Live invasive reptile display by ECIS-

MA;

• Reptile artifacts from MSM Collection

Vault;

• Live python animal presentation by

MSM herpetologist;

• Turtle race;

• Eat Like a Reptile by Chef Kat Duran;

• Outdoor tables featuring Venom One,

FWC, ECISMA, Shawn Heflick of

National Geographic’s Python Hunters,

Gatorama, Animal Planet’s Gator Boys

celebrities Chris and Ashley and Gator

Boys merchandise sale, Zoo Med prizes,

Eat Like a Lizard;

• Pet reptile contests: Attendees can enter

their pet reptiles in several contests for

prizes. Each pet entry will receive two free

admission tickets (limit one pet entry per

family).

• Arts & crafts activities: Activities will

include a sea turtle craft, spiral snake craft,

and chameleon camouflage challenge

(Learn how camouflage is used as a sur-

vival technique as you color the chameleon

to make it disappear into the background.);

Fun-filled floor demos at Reptile Day

will be:

Alligator vs. Crocodile — Think you

know the difference between the two?

Complete venn diagram to identify the

characteristics of each, then visit them in

our Wildlife Center.

Sea Turtle Bingo — Grab a “turtle egg”

and follow the life stages of a sea turtle as

you play this game of survival.

Reptile Scavenger Hunt — Complete the

scavenger hunt to learn more in-depth info

about our reptile residents.

Feeding Frenzy — Match the prey item

to its reptile predator.

Guess the Number of Eggs — Clutch

size (the number of eggs laid in a nest)

differs greatly among lizard species. Can

you guess how many eggs each species

lays?

Lizard Personality Quiz — Lizards have

interesting personalities, just like we do!

Take this personality quiz to find out which

lizard you fit in best with.

Reptile Day is sponsored in part by

Venom One, ECISMA, Gatorama, MSM

Collection, Zoo Med, GEICO, Tom

Crutchfield, and United Pet Group Inc. For

more information about sponsorship

opportunities, contact Donald Uricchio at

<[email protected]>.

Miami Science Museum’s ReptileDay scheduled Saturday, Nov. 3


BY XIOMARA MORDCOVICH

Miami Improv, 3390 Mary St. inCoconut Grove, presents “Puppies andKittens!” on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m.,offering a special night of standup comedythat is great fun for a good cause. All pro-ceeds from the ticket sales will be donatedto Miami-Dade County Animal ServicesDepartment.

The show features local comediansForrest Shaw, Lisa Corrao, John Wynn andNery Saenz, all of whom are proud ownersof adopted pets. Tickets are only $15 andcan be purchased online at <www.laugh-stub.com/buyTicket.cfm?showTimingID=177735&buy>.

“How often can you say that your funnight out on the town is actually doingsomething good for society?” said LisaCorrao, comedian and organizer of event.“Tickets get people an evening at the bestcomedy club in Miami with some of thetop stand-up comics in Florida, all whilehelping to save puppies and kittens. It’s awin-win situation.”

Each year, Animal Services receivesover 30,000 pets. The goal of this event, aswith any event in which the departmentparticipates, is to increase pet adoptionsand community awareness and involve-ment with the shelter.

For more information, visit<www.miamidade.gov/animals> or call3-1-1.

Animal Services to benefitfrom Miami Improv show

“Tickets get people anevening at the best comedyclub in Miami with some ofthe top stand-up comics inFlorida, all while helping tosave puppies and kittens. It’s a win-win situation.”

—— LLiissaa CCoorrrraaoo ccoommeeddiiaann aanndd oorrggaanniizzeerr ooff


Marco Drugs & Compounding is locatedat 6627 South Dixie Highway,

Tel: 305-665-4411 • Fax: 305-663-3258Email:[email protected]

<www.marcodrugs.com>This article is intended to provide information on health-related matters. The ideas expressed cannot be usedto diagnose or treat individual health problems andshould not be taken as medical advice or instruction.

Sonia Martinez, RPH - Marco Drugs

Photo byElla Woodson

Hormones — for KEEPS!

Marco Drugs and Compounding will provideyou with compounded medications preparedwith the highest standards and with highquality bulk materials, traditional prescrip-tions and high grade nutraceuticals, supple-ments and multivitamins. We provide to youhealth information in a clean, comfortable,fun and safe environment. Make us yourdoorway to total health.

BY SONIA MARTINEZ, RPHThe results of the Kronos Early

Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS)were released at the 23rd annualmeeting of the North AmericanMenopause Society in October 2012.The conclusion: Bio-identical hor-mones (estradiol and micronizedprogesterone) - started soon afterthe start of menopause - improveddepression, anxiety, and cognitivefunction in healthy women. But,perhaps most importantly, bio-iden-tical hormones did this without pos-ing any cardiovascular disease risk,and were shown to be superior tosynthetic conjugated equine estro-gens (CEE). CEE are the form of hor-mones that were used in the Women’sHealth Initiative (WHI), a large govern-ment-sponsored study which found anincreased risk of breast cancer associ-ated with CEE, leading many womenand health care professionals to seekinformation on options such as bio-identical hormones.

Luncheon event to benefittherapeutic riding centerBY ROBERT HAMILTON

Whispering Manes Therapeutic RidingCenter, a non-profit organization dedicatedto providing therapeutic horseback ridinglessons to people with disabilities, will hostthe First Annual Shoe Fairies Luncheon onSunday, Nov. 4, noon-3 p.m., at 8500 SW182 St. in Palmetto Bay. Participants canregister online at <www.shoefairies.event-bright.com>.

The Shoe Fairies Luncheon, co-chaired byLinda Peterson and Helen Picard, will reachout to more than 100 women in an effort toraise funds to support equine assisted thera-py programs for hundreds of affected chil-dren and adults as well as local veteransreturning from war with PSTD and socialdisabilities.

Attendees will have the opportunity to bidon select items offered through a silent auc-tion as well as participate in an early holidayshopping event with local vendors. Theafternoon also will feature a fashion showcourtesy of Cocoa Couture and a luncheonby Relish Miami.

“In its first year of operation, Whispering

Manes has positively impacted the lives ofdozens of Miami-Dade children with mus-cular and cognitive disorders,” Picard said.“We are confident that with the enthusiasticparticipation of women from our communi-ty, we will be able to extend the programsto many more affected children and localveterans.”

The Whispering Manes TherapeuticRiding Center is located in the heart ofHorse Country in Kendall. Its mission is tobenefit children and adults with specialneeds or disabilities by offering them theopportunity to interact with dedicated horsesin a manner that promotes physical, mental,and emotional wellbeing. Through programsat Whispering Manes people can developtherapeutic relationships with horses, cross-ing boundaries of speech and physical dis-abilities in a way that encourages healingand improved self-esteem.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at thedoor.

For more information about the FirstAnnual Shoe Fairies Luncheon or to registeror donate online, visit online at <www.whis-peringmanes.org>.


By Laura TraegerHaving a conversation to think through long term care needs helps you

evaluate how a loved one’s long term care needs may impact their or your fi-nancial security. Almost 40% of people believe they will need long termcare, yet most people don’t take action until something happens. This putsyou at a disadvantage due to a pre-existing condition and may cause familymembers to make spur of the moment, emotional and uninformed decisions.Having honest conversations can reduce stress and allow everyone to makedecisions more comfortable later.What would you do if you received a call today regarding a family member

who required immediate long term care assistance? 73% of people cannotanswer that question. If you as an adult child have these concerns on yourmind, chances are your parents do too. Most people are five times more con-cerned about being a burden to their family than they are of dying. Seniorswant to be able to afford quality care in a setting they chose as well as protecttheir spouse and loved one’s quality of life. One survey found the nationalmedian for a year of nursing home care to be $77,000 and the cost for an in-home licensed home health care aide to be $19.00 per hour.Part of retirement strategy should include planning for long term care.

What are your options?

Public ProgramsMany people feel the government will pay for long term care expenses.

Medicare generally covers a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay of atleast 3 days, for a limited amount of time. Medicaid contributes towards carebut requires the savings you’ve worked hard for to be spent down.

Private/Family SupportYou may look to family and friends to provide care. This decision may

require moving closer to where these individuals live. Consideration mustbe given to whether they have the time, ability and physical and financial re-sources to provide care.

Self-FundingYou may also assume the primary financial risk for your long term care

costs. Review the cost of care in your area and consider inflation. This willhelp you determine the amount of savings that should be set aside for longterm care.

Long Term Care InsuranceLong term care insurance is designed to help reimburse the cost of skilled

or custodial nursing care in your home or in a facility. It provides a pool ofmoney if you are unable to perform two of your daily living activities suchas eating, dressing, getting in and out of bed, bathing or if you suffer from acognitive impairment. Sometimes this coverage is available through youremployer. If not speak to a professional who can help guide you through theprocess of selecting the right policy to fit your needs.

For more information on how to get this conversation started,email: [email protected].

You can also find more information at www.longtermcare.gov

Having a conversationabout Long Term Care Needs

BY SANJAY RAZDAN, MD, MCH

According to theAmerican CancerSociety, more than241,000 men will bediagnosed withprostate cancer in theUnited States thisyear, and more than28,000 men will die ofthe disease.

With these startling statistics, it is impor-tant for men and their families to be awareof the disease, understand who is most atrisk and what they can do today to lowertheir chances of battling prostate cancer.

What is prostate cancer?Prostate cancer refers to abnormal cells

in the prostate gland, which is part of themale reproductive system. The prostate issituated just below the bladder and in frontof the rectum. A normal prostate is aboutthe size of a walnut.

Who is at risk for p rostate cancer?Prostate cancer can affect men of any age

but it is most common in men over the ageof 50. Eight out of 10 men who suffer fromprostate cancer are over the age of 65.African-American men are at higher risk aswell as men with a family history of thedisease. Men who eat a high-fat diet or whoare obese also may have increased chancesof getting prostate cancer.

What can be done to lower the risk ofgetting the disease?

While researchers continue to study theeffect of diet and other lifestyle factors on aman’s risk of developing prostate cancer,there are some changes that may be associ-ated with a decreased risk of the disease.Men are encouraged to eat a diet low in fat,especially animal fat, and include morefruits and vegetables. According to theNational Cancer Institute, studies show thata diet high in dairy products and calciumalso may be linked to an increased risk ofprostate cancer, although the increase maybe small.

What are the symptoms of prostatecancer?

In most cases, early stage prostate cancerdoes not produce any symptoms, but theymay begin to appear as the cancer grows.Symptoms include:

Difficulty starting to urinate;

Less force to the stream of urine;Frequent urination, especially during the

night;Pain while urinating; Blood or pus in the urine;Pain in hip, lower back or lower part of

the pelvis, andUnintended weight loss and/or loss of

appetite.

What types of options are available tot reat prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer can be treated success-fully if it is caught early, before it spreadsto other parts of the body. One treatmentoption for patients at Jackson SouthCommunity Hospital is the daVinci SRobotic Surgical System, which allows thesurgeon to perform minimally invasiveprocedures, such as removal of theprostate, in hard-to-reach areas with moreprecision. Because this technology is lessinvasive than other surgical options,patients experience minimal pain, lessblood loss and a smaller risk of infection.

Patients undergoing this procedure canexpect an excellent chance of being curedwith a return to normal activities withindays. In some cases, the surgery may be anoutpatient procedure. In the majority ofcases, patients are not troubled with incon-tinence or impotence.

How can men learn more aboutp rostate cancer and the various treat-ment options?

The Urology Center of Excellence atJackson South Hospital is a resource forstate-of-the-art diagnostic testing andtreatment for prostate and other urologicproblems. We’re always innovating andon the leading edge of developing the lat-est techniques for beating cancer, improv-ing urinary function and restoring sexualfunction.

For more information or to schedule anappointment call the Urology Center ofExcellence at Jackson South at 305-547-2364 or visit the Jackson Health Systemwebsite at <www.jhsmiami.org>.

Sanjay Razdan, MD, MCh, is the direc-tor of Jackson South Hospital’s UrologyCenter of Excellence. Dr. Razdan, who iswell known for his expertise in advancedsurgical procedures in endourology andurologic cancer, was one of the first urolo-gists in Miami-Dade County to performradical prostatectomy procedures with thedaVinci S robotic Surgical System.

Prostate Cancer: The secondleading cause of death in men

BY JEANMARIE C. FERRARA

The Miami Foundation is on a quest tohelp the residents of metropolitan Miamiachieve a more rewarding quality of lifeand love for their city — and needs theirhelp to achieve it.

“We asked: ‘What can we do to make ourplace, our city, more attractive to anincreasingly mobile and global society?’”said Javier Alberto Soto, president of TheMiami Foundation. “Our answer: We willmarshal our foundation’s $160 million infinancial resources to help target initiativesthat will measurably improve Miami-Dade’s quality of life.”

The foundation has mapped out a strate-gy in “Our Miami: Soul of the City,” a newinitiative that is the result of research thatcompares how Miamians feel about theircommunity with statistics reflecting howthe community actually performs.

The foundation will use the informationto advance public policy and support com-munity projects, including programs thatpromote college degree attainment, attractthe best and brightest young talent to Miamiand create a stronger sense of community.

“We believe intuitively — and ourresearch confirms — that younger

Miamians hold the key to our future suc-cess,” Soto said.

“The leaders of tomorrow are today’srecent graduates, young professionals andemerging creative class. But we mustensure that these leaders of tomorrow maketheir homes and their livelihoods heretoday. Our Miami is the starting point tomake that happen,” he added.

“This body of research has helped us iden-tify the community’s needs,” said NancyJones, vice president for development andcommunications at The Miami Foundation.“Our financial resources however are onlyone piece of the solution. We need participa-

tion and input from the community to beeffective in addressing these issues.

“Our board of directors and staff havebeen steadfast in their commitment to mak-ing this a game-changing project. Nobodyneeds a report that will sit on a shelf,” sheadded.

Jones said a good place to start is with theinteractive website at ourmiami.org. Thewebsite’s colorful graphics illustrateresearch findings about how Miamians feeland how we perform in the economy, edu-cation, leadership, safety, social life, open-ness, aesthetics, and basic services.

“You can also find a interactive quiz anddiscover what attaches you to Miami,”Jones said.

The website also will serve as the hub forpeople to submit ideas on how to maketheir Miami neighborhood better. The foun-dation will use the ideas for making grantsto individuals and organizations to carryout neighborhood projects.

“There is one caveat to these grants. Youcan’t do it alone. You have to mobilize agroup of people to work together,” Soto said.

Our Miami stems from a three-year study,called Soul of the Community, which wasfunded by the John S. and James L. KnightFoundation. Soul of the Community sur-veyed residents of metropolitan Miami and25 other cities nationwide to explore whatthey like most about where they live and

which factors play the biggest roles in con-necting people to their place. Perhaps moreimportantly, the study looked at how thosefactors contribute to the local economy.

The Knight Foundation study found thatbeautiful natural surroundings, great weath-er, social openness, a thriving arts scene,night-life, good educational systems andjob opportunities, among others, are theattributes that make people love Miamimost. In turn, when people love where theylive they develop strong pride in their com-munity, a positive outlook on its future andthe community thrives economically.

The Miami Foundation reached into itsown back yard by commissioning FloridaInternational University researchers, whoevaluated the areas of community attach-ment in greater depth. The research foundseveral areas of discrepancy, such as theperception that public schools provide poorquality education. Instead, research provesMiami-Dade County high schools outpacepeers in Florida for their programs aimed atincreasing AP courses, especially amongtraditionally underserved students.

“If more people like living in Miami,then they are more likely to put down rootsand become civically engaged. This createscommunity stability and economic success.Therefore, it makes sense for us to invest inand strengthen those things that attachMiamians to the community,” Soto said.

Foundation seeks residents’ help in making Miami better

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BY ROBERT HAMILTON

Former Coconut Grove resident and nov-elist Ann Lee Miller has incorporated hereye-rolling adolescent years living aboard asailboat at Dinner Key Marina into her sec-ond novel, The Art of My Life, whichlaunched Sept. 25.

As an 11-year-old, Miller’s movingaboard the Annie Lee warranted little morethan a yawn.

“My dad, a dead ringer for Willie Nelson,had already packed the family into a VWvan for a year to pan for gold out West andin Mexico, pitched us a tent on a St. Johnbeach in the Virgin Islands, and built adinghy in our 27th Avenue and 11th Streetrental house he had to dismantle to get outthe door,” Miller said.

Her father, Dick Fetterman’s, secondboat — a 36-foot yawl — he built in theyard out of plywood and fiberglass.Miller watched the boat take shape fromskeleton to upside down ark to floatableRV during her elementary years at the oldShenandoah Elementary School.Familiarity made hauling the yawl bycrane to the Miami River and movingaboard seem like no big deal.

Miller slept in the aft cabin beside a pileof lumber, terrorizedby a spider the sizeof her hand and aspare palmetto bugor two. Every morn-ing she tore down thedock on her bike,“rattling the teeth outof my head,” to SaintHugh’s CatholicSchool. It was 1969-71, and passed-outhippies litteredBayfront Park’sbenches. Hair playedin the Coconut GrovePlayhouse where theactors performed naked. The cool, quietlower level of the Coconut Grove Library,shrouded in swaying greenery, becameMiller’s sanctuary, the place she escapedinto fiction.

In the afternoons she shimmied into herbathing suit, cannon-balled off the end ofPier 1, looked both ways, and dodged boattraffic to the nearby island.

“I thought my life was unremarkablebecause every other kid at the marina livedit, too,” Miller said.

She calls the 36-foot sailboat an aquacul-ture for mold and dysfunction that launchedher — in lieu of therapy — into writing. Butmore telling is the fact that sailboats appearin all four of her completed novels — twomore books will debut within the next six

months. Perhaps, just maybe, herfamily drama wasn’t the boat’sfault. But, according to Miller, theboat did become the crucible thatbroke her parents’ marriage.

Still, she recalls positives fromthe ages 11, 12 and 13 at the mari-na. Her family rescued an injuredturtle the size of a car tire andnursed it back to health in the cock-pit of the Annie Lee. Her fathertaught her and all the other “dockrats” life skills like how to open a

coconut with a hammer and screw driverwithout spilling the milk, filet a fish bysticking your fingers into the eye socketsfor a good grip, and rub a blow fish’s stom-ach till it puffed up, then throw it back intothe bay to deflate and swim away.

On weekends Miller’s family putted intoBiscayne Bay with a 10-horse Johnson out-board, then raised sail on mismatchedmasts, one aluminum, one wood.

Of sailing, Miller said, “I was bored sillyand snacked on powdered eggs and grilledpeanut butter sandwiches while Mom and Iread Gone With The Wind aloud — sheskipping the racy parts; I ferreting them outlater.”

Buoys made her folks crazy. Miller’sfather knew “red right returning,” but he

was colorblind. Her mother recognized col-ors, but not what they meant. So, Miller gothandy with the depth sounder — a longmop handle with notches carved at footintervals. Once, the pole stuck in seaweedand mud with Miller attached. Shescreamed bloody murder as the Annie Leesailed off.

Since her father had captained theUniversity of Miami’s swim team in col-lege, “I darn sure knew how to swim. Butboy howdy was he PO-ed when he had tofetch me from the shallows.”

Miller’s younger brother, Richard James“R.J.” Fetterman Jr., a surfer who settled onMaui, hadn’t completed his swimmingindoctrination when the family movedaboard and still ran around the dock with aStyrofoam football on a belt circling hiswaist. Every month or so, their fatherhacked off another slice of the thing till herbrother could swim on his own.

R.J., who still says these were the bestyears of his life, rode his tricycle full-tilt offthe end of the dock. A fully clothed strangerjumped in to fish him out. Their dad had todive for the trike. The next time R.J. cycledoff the end of the pier, their father wentafter him, and the tricycle stayed at the bot-tom of the bay.

Even at her snottiest, Miller said, shecouldn’t help being grateful for pram sail-ing lessons she took adjacent to BayfrontPark where she picked up the much appre-ciated life skill of capsizing — one she hasindulged many times. The actual going overdidn’t thrill her. What she loved was stand-ing on the dagger board, flipping the mastupright, and watching water sluice off thesail. Her sailing companions have failed toshare her fascination.

Staying up late, armed with nets andspotlights when the shrimp were running,did have its appeal. But the 11-, 12-, and 13-year-old Miller whined about picking fishbones out of her spaghetti, wearing zincoxide as a second skin, and never-ending

boat chores.“If I’d known I was living the swan song

of my parents’ marriage, making lifelongfriends, packing memories like a thousandsea sponges into a dock box — maybe Iwould have rolled my eyes less and said‘thank you’ more,” Miller concluded.

Today she’s saying thank you by penningnovels that capture life aboard ship. Miller’snew book, The Art of My Life, chronicles aguy trying to get his charter sailing businessoff the ground. The novel is available in e-for-mats at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com,and Smashwords.com. Paperback versionscan be purchased at Amazon.com andBarnesAndNoble.com.

About the novel: Cal walked out of jailand into a second chance at winning Alywith his grandma’s beater sailboat and areclaimed dream of sailing charters.

Aly has the business smarts, strings toa startup loan, and heart he never shouldhave broken. He has got squat. Unlessyou count enough original art to stock amonster rummage sale and an affectionfor weed.

But he had only ever loved Aly. That hadto count for something. Aly needed a guywho owned yard tools, tires worth rotating,and a voter’s registration card. He’d be thatguy or die trying.

For anyone who has ever struggled tomeasure up — and failed.

About the author: Ann Lee Miller earneda BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH)University and writes full-time in Phoenix,but left her heart in New Smyrna Beach,where she grew up. She loves speaking toyoung adults and guest lectures on writingat several Arizona colleges.

When she isn’t writing or muddlingthrough some crisis — real or imagined —you’ll find her hiking in the SuperstitionMountains with her husband or meddling inher kids’ lives.

For more information visit online atAnnLeeMiller.com.

Author bases her latest novel on life aboard dad’s sailboat

F O O T N O T E S

Ann Lee Miller––––––––––––––––––––



Libba Bray, whose new book TheDiviners recently hit the shelves, will be afeatured author during the 2012 MiamiBook Fair International Literary Encountersprogram on Friday, Nov. 16.

Bray won the Printz Award, the awardfor best YA (Young Adult) for her book,Going Bovine, about a boy with Mad Cowdisease.

Bray’s books all have hit the New YorkTimes and USA Today bestseller lists. Shewill be teaching five writing seminars for500 teens.

“I’m going to give them life lesson, likemake sure you always have toilet paper ortissues in your purse,” she joked.

She said that when she teaches teensabout writing, she has a favorite exercisethat includes improv.

“We get up and build a story together. Itinvolves audience participation. It’s a moreinvolved, fun thing. If we have time, thenwe get to go through it twice.”

After that, Bray takes questions from thestudents.

“I always tell them they can ask me any-thing they want to talk about, whether its

writing, publishing or life. I like the stu-dents to be driving the bus as much as pos-sible.”

The book fair begins Nov. 11 and thestreet fair is Nov. 16-18.

While the book fair features a huge vari-ety of books, it has expanded its program-ming for children. The children’s programhas been renamed “Generation Genius.”The idea is that children should not onlyhave fun when going to the book fair, butthey should learn.

The Literary Encounters are expected todraw 1,122 students on Thursday from 25different schools and 4,069 on Friday from80 different schools. Some authors also willbe sent to 45 schools on Thursday andFriday.

“We expanded the number of days that wehave programs for students,” said LissetteMendez, creator of the Generation Geniusprograms. “When we first started out, it wasonly on Friday that we had students comeand there were only three authors. We’veexpanded the number of days. We have eightauthors on Thursday making presentations.On Friday we have 15.”

The kids are bused in for the sessions. Insome instances, the schools pay for thebuses, and in other cases the book fair pays.

“We have five sessions in each grade

group,” Mendez said. “There are five differ-ent high school authors. They pick one thatday to be the official author. She [Bray] isdoing that presentation for 500 students.”

The book fair provides programming forstudents of all ages. The author encountersis one of the oldest programs provided bythe book fair, as is the Children’s Alley. Butthe focus of the programs is changing.

“In the past, what we’ve done is dedicat-ed a venue to a book or a concept,” Mendezsaid. “Instead of saying this is going to theWizard of Oz, for example, this is going tobe dedicated to science. It’s one of the sub-ject areas that kids learn.”

Other featured areas will be music, art,history and culture, and anthropology.

The book fair also has the GenerationGenius Reads program, which distributes3,500 books to children. This year theKindergarten First Grade titles are HowRocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills andOtto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson.

Last year, the Center for Literary Artsdistributed 17,536 books to children.

“That’s part of what we’re doing; we’regetting books in the hands of the student,”Mendez said.

Bestselling author to teach writing to tweens and teens

Libba Bray(Photo credit: Vania Stoyanova)

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




It isn’t often that students in Miami-DadeCounty get the chance to meet a bestsellingauthor. But many will be able to do so Nov.7 and 8 when Cinda Williams Chima, theauthor of The Crimson Crown, comes toMiami.

On Nov. 8, at 4 p.m., she will be at Booksand Books in Coral Gables for an informalmeet-and-greet while she signs books.

“I really wanted to have a public opportu-nity to meet readers,” Chima said.

She said she expects to do two or threeschools in a day.

“When I work with a publisher to visitschools, it’s usually one presentation in aschool,” she said. “People can come to thestore that afternoon or pre-order the bookand have it signed while I’m there.”

Chima’s latest book, The CrimsonCrown, was released Oct. 23. It is the fourthbook in The Seven Realms series.

“There are some people who still thinkit’s a trilogy,” Chima said. “I still seereviews on Goodreads, why did it end likethat? If the end of Gray Wolf Throne leftyou hanging, there is one more book!”

Chima laughed and said some peoplewho don’t like to read series until they aredone started the series and weren’t happyabout having towait for the fourthbook to come out.The books havebeen spaced abouta year apart.

“The story isabout Hans andRaisa. There willbe some surprises,”she said. “My 20-something son whois a very smartreader, he calledme and said,‘Mom, I did not seethis coming.’”

She adapted thesetting of The Seven Realms series from anadult series she wrote that didn’t sell.

“When I focused on YA, I realized Ialready created a world and characters Iloved,” she said. “I took some of the charac-ters I know from the adult series and tookthem back to what they would have been at16 and 17.”

The setting works so well, readers oftentell her they cannot believe how detailedand real the world is.

“I spent a lot of time on it. I’ve writtenhundreds of words in my adult novels andnow hundreds and thousands of words in

YA,” Chima said. “I know the worldreally well and I hope it comes acrosson the page.”

Chima also is known for her HeirChronicles series, starting with TheWarrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, andThe Dragon Heir. It continues to be sopopular that she’s now writing sequels.

“I’m under contract to write twomore books in the Heir series,” shesaid. “They asked if I would be willingto write two more. I’m finally havingfun with it. It was hard to go back andget my head into it.”

Chima writes every day but she also hastimes when she sprints through to reach herdeadline. She has a daily word goal, usually1,000 words a day — which is about fourpages. Keeping to that goal will get her to30,000 words a month. This spring, however,she wrote 95,000 words in three months.

“Another writer once said, ‘I can fix any-thing but a blank page,’” Chima said. “Onceyou have it down you can make it pretty.”

Chima will be at Books and Books, 265Aragon Ave., on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 4p.m. For information, call 302-442-4408 orgo online to <www.booksandbooks.com>.

School visits top agenda forbestselling fantasy author

FOOTNOTES

Cinda Williams Chima––––––––––––––––


Residents of our county are fortunateto have access to one of the latest andmost accurate laser treatments forcataract, corneal and refractive surgeriesin the world. In the skilled hands of oph-thalmologist Dr. Richard S. Kalski,patients can receive the treatment theyneed from the LenSX laser by Alcon at astate of the art facility, the South FloridaSurgery Center, located on SW 70 St inSouth Miami.

Dr. Kalski, a native of Cleveland, Ohiois a physician who believes in arming hispatients with information, providing acomplete packet about his services, what toexpect during and after surgery, and even avideo on his website in which his patientsdescribe their experiences with eye sur-gery. His treatment includes pre- and post-operative personal phone calls to eachpatient.

Cataracts, something that may be on theincrease as Baby Boomers age, are gener-ally the consequence of surviving a cer-tain number ofbirthdays. Witness thefamous Impressionist artist Claude Monet(1840 – 1926), whose vision was severely

impacted by cataracts, after the age of 72;some believe they interfered with his abil-ity to accurately see color from 1915 on.Today, modern techniques in cataract sur-gery and intraocular lens replacementwould have made Monet’s eye troubleseasy to remedy.

Dr. Kalski says that cataracts are a mat-ter of “when,” not “if.” The issue aboutthem is that surgery is only necessarywhen the condition greatly hampers one’sability to see clearly, a la Monet. Theapproval by the FDA of foldable artificiallenses (intraocular lens or IOL) in the1990s moved the treatment of cataractsinto a realm that was much better for thepatient with healing time being greatlyreduced.

With the invention and approval of theAlcon LenSX in the United States, cataractand other surgeries are safer, smaller inci-sions are required and can self-heal with-out suturing, healing time for the patient isreduced and there is much less swelling asa result of the procedure. Because theequipment relies on discrete patient infor-mation entered by the doctor, the solutions

are custom tailored for each patient.Results are extremely accurate and certainroutine maneuvers are easily replicated,thanks to this state of the art equipment andthe skilled hands of an ophthalmologistlike Dr. Kalski.

Another major improvement in artificiallenses is their ability to solve certain visionchallenges such as astigmatism and otherissues that may require glasses or contacts.These premium lenses are available anddecisions about choosing one over theother should be made in consultation withthe doctor.

Dr. Richard Kalski is a board certified

ophthalmologist who is a graduate ofCase Western Reserve University Schoolof Medicine and performed his residencyat CWR’s Ophthalmology program. Also,he is the recipient of the “Physician’sRecognition Award in ContinuingEducation” from the American MedicalAssociation and has published and pre-sented his work worldwide. He may bereached at 305-665-2023 and his medicaloffice, Vision Correction Specialist, islocated in Kendall at 7000 SW 97Avenue, Suite 114.

For additional information, feel free togo to: www.kalskivision.com

Richard S. Kalski, M.D. is the vision correction specialist... where patients can receive the treatment they need

Dr. Kalski believes in aiming patients with information.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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BY AMY HOFFMAN

Dolphins wide receiver Davone Bessand BankUnited, one of the largest banksheadquartered in Florida, are teaming up topromote financial literacy among SouthFlorida’s youth with the second annual “4Downs for Finance,” which kicked off inSeptember.

Through Monday, Dec. 3, students ages13-18 in Florida can register online at<www.4downsforfinance.com> to accessage-appropriate money tips and submit anessay telling why they think saving isimportant.

During each gameday radio broadcastthroughout the regular football season, onewinner will be announced live on the radioand will win a football autographed byBess. At the conclusion of the season onelucky grand prize winner will be chosenfrom the weekly winners to receive a$1,000 cash prize and an opportunity tomeet Bess.

“BankUnited is happy to team up withDavone Bess again this year to help teachFlorida’s youth about the importance of

saving money,” said John Kanas, chair,president and CEO of BankUnited.“Positive messages about earning, spend-ing and saving money, when instilled at ayoung age, can help form healthy finan-cial habits later in life, setting our com-munity’s young people on a path of finan-cial success.”

As part of “4 Downs for Finance,”BankUnited and Bess share money tipswith youth such as:

• Earn money by getting a part-time jobor helping mom and dad around the house.

• Save part of what you earn, at least 10percent.

• Save a portion of monetary gifts youreceive for holidays and birthday gifts, atleast 10 percent.

• Open a savings account for the moneyyou save and deposit it as soon as possibleto avoid spending it.

• Set a savings goal. Be ambitiousenough that you have to work for it butrealistic enough that the goal is achievable.

For more money tips or to register for“4 Downs for Finance” visitwww.4downsforfinance.com.

‘4 Downs for Finance’ essay contestfeatures wide receiver Davone Bess


BY MARITZA ARCEO-LOPEZ

Miami Seaquarium welcomes marine

adventures for the whole family with the

new “ZZZ’s by the Sea” family campout

on Saturday, Nov. 10, through Sunday,

Nov. 11. Families are welcome to camp

under the stars to watch the night sky light

up while participating in an exciting ocean-

ic journey throughout the day.

Featured activities include a behind-

the-scenes look at the park, exploring all

there is about marine life, and lessons on

conservation. The two-day event offers

science presentations, marine mammal

shows, breakfast, lunch, snacks and much

more.

Families also will have the opportunity

to explore a variety of marine creatures by

booking one of the many interaction ses-

sions with manatees, sea turtles, dolphins,

sea lions and more. All participating fami-

lies will need to bring a family tent and

camping equipment.

The cost is $50 per participant. A mini-

mum of two people is required to reserve a

camping area. A non-refundable $100

deposit is required before Oct. 19.For more information call 305-361-

5705, ext 520.

Miami Seaquarium, South Florida’s

most popular tourist attraction, is a family-

oriented marine-life park open to the pub-

lic 365 days a year. General admission to

Miami Seaquarium is $39.95 and $29.95

for children (ages 3-9).

More information on Miami Seaquarium is

available at <www.miamiseaquarium.com>.

Catch some ‘ZZZ’s by the Sea’at Miami Seaquarium campout

BY MELISSA NOBLES

Big changes are in store this year for fansof the South Florida International AutoShow. Most notably, the show will official-ly change its name to the MiamiInternational Auto Show (MIAS), payinghomage to the alluring destination it hascalled home for the last 42 years.

The show also will be sporting a wholenew look, complete with new exhibits andinteractive elements, when it opens on Nov.9 for its annual 10-day run at the MiamiBeach Convention Center.

“We are so excited to unveil the new fea-tures of the Miami International AutoShow, and feel the name now truly reflectsthe culture and history of this time-honoredSouth Beach event,” said Mario Murgado,chair of the Miami International AutoShow.

Among the new exhibits planned for thisyear’s show is Eco Experience, which willeducate environmentally conscious con-sumers with cutting-edge displays focusedon renewable energy and alternative fuelvehicles. Show-goers also will be able toexperience select electric cars inside on themain show floor, during a first-time-ever

inside track event.The redesigned show debuts its first ever

“Topless in Miami” exhibit, presented inpartnership with the Southern AutomotiveMedia Association (SAMA). This uniqueshowcase will allow guests to fully experi-ence a convertible car in a picturesqueMiami environment, while never leavingthe showroom floor.

Recognizing the impact of social media,the 2012 show will offer the hundreds ofthousands of show attendees an opportuni-

ty to connect and interact with each other inreal time via Twitter. Prominent screenswill be displayed at high traffic pointsacross the show floor, encouraging visitorsto engage in a conversation about theirexperience at the Miami Show.

In addition to the new exhibits, show-goers can expect to see returning favoritessuch as Memory Lane, which will featureAmerican muscle vehicles and a specialexhibit showcasing classic automobilesfrom Havana. In Million Dollar Alley, vis-

itors can fantasize about their ultimate joytoy, a six-figure motorcar. Camp Jeep andan outside test drive program will put vis-itors behind the wheel of popular newmodels.

“As always at this auto show, car enthu-siasts and the general public alike can seeand experience hundreds of new cars upclose and personal, all under one roof,”Murgado said. “It’s a once-a-year chance toget a glimpse of the newest models and tosee what the future of the industry willhold.”

Each year, approximately 40 major automanufacturers fill the hall with several hun-dred new cars, trucks, crossovers andSUVs, making this event one of America’stop five in attendance.

The South Florida Automobile DealersAssociation, which today comprises morethan 190 dealerships in Miami-Dade,Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe coun-ties, has been the official sponsor of theSouth Florida International Auto Showsince its inception in 1971.

For more information on this year’sevent, contact show coordinator Cliff Rayat 305-981-1448 or visit the auto show’swebsite at <www.sfliautoshow.com>.

Miami International Auto Show promises a whole new ride

This 1956 Chrysler Windsor Newport is one of the cars featured in the Havana Classics section of Memory Lane.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––



BY CHERYL FENSKE

Baseball fans will have the opportunityof a lifetime to cruise with baseball legendsrepresenting leading teams on select 2012-13 Caribbean sailings of MSC Poesia.

Guests can interact with former MajorLeague Baseball stars as they sail to incred-ible Caribbean destinations onboard MSCPoesia on several “Baseball Greats” themecruises.

This is the ninth year MSC Cruises hashosted these popular cruises with a chang-ing lineup of players.

Host and emcee for all of the onboardactivities on each cruise is former NewYork Yankees star pitcher Stan Bahnsen.“Baseball Greats” cruises offer freeguest/player activities including a player-hosted trivia game, a question-and-answersession, a guest pitching contest and a live-ly storytelling session.

Baseball players host hitting, fielding,base running, and defense strategy clinics.A free autograph session is one of the mostpopular aspects of the “Baseball Greats”experience.

These Caribbean cruises sail roundtripfrom Fort Lauderdale and feature the fol-lowing itineraries and baseball greats (thelineup of participating players is subject tochange):

• 10-night “Southern Caribbean Dream,”calling at San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. John’s,Antigua; Fort-de-France, Martinique;Roseau, Dominica; Philipsburg, St.Maarten, and Freepost, Bahamas, with threedays at sea. Players are Jesse Barfield, GlennBeckert, Bill Russell, Dave Campbell andStan Bahnsen. Sails Dec. 11, 2012.

• 7-night “Eastern CaribbeanEnchantment,” calling in Philipsburg, St.Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico, andNassau, Bahamas, with three days at sea.

Feb. 9, 2013 sailing — Ken Griffey Sr., JimFregosi, Stan Bahnsen, Ed Herrmann andLarry Parrish; Feb. 23 sailing — TommyDavis, Cookie Rojas, Stan Bahnsen,Clarence Jones and Juan Marichal; Mar. 9sailig — Gorman Thomas, Gary Peters,Stan Bahnsen, Wallace Johnson and RicoPetrocelli.

• 7-night “Colors of the Caribbean,” call-ing at St. John’s, Antigua; San Juan, PuertoRico, and Freeport, Bahamas, with threedays at sea. Apr. 6, 2013, sailing — RandyHundley, Stan Bahnsen, Jack Billinghamand Ellis Valentine.

For more information about MSCCruises and its “Baseball Greats” themecruises, visit online at <www.msccruis-esusa.com>, call 1-877-665-4655, or con-tact your local travel professional.

Meet and mingle with baseballgreats on 2012-13 MSC cruises

Juan Marichal, pictured in his playing days, is one ofthe baseball greats scheduled.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

BY NANCY EAGLETON

Car buying isn’t like it used to be — andthat’s a good thing. The motto at Doral BuickGMC is “where car buying is made simple.”

Gone are the days of spending hours ondealership lots searching for the best car atthe best price. At Doral Buick GMC, the VIPexperience starts on the Internet.

“More than 70 percent of our customersresearch the vehicle and price online,” saidAric Gasper, Doral Buick GMC’s managingpartner. “Customers shop from the comfort oftheir home or office and chat with our onlinesales specialists. When they come in, they’reready for a test drive and visit to the financeoffice. The process of buying a vehicle cantake as little as 45 minutes.”

Once at the dealership, customers will find arecently renovated, state-of-the-art facility.After a two-year, $2.5 million renovation, DoralBuick GMC now touts a sleek and modernshowroom, service drive and Certified ServiceDepartment. The new customer lounge, Internetcafé and kids’ playroom provide customers andtheir families with enhanced comforts when vis-iting the dealership.

More exciting things are happening in2013. Gasper confirmed that most GMC andBuick vehicles will be launched with signifi-cant updates or full redesigns.

“This includes GMC’s full-size trucks andSUVs, as well as the popular Sierra andSierra HD pickups,” he added.

Vehicle incentives and hassle-free financ-ing also make car buying simple. Gasperreports that finance rates have never beenbetter. In addition, Doral Buick GMC hasspecial financing services for those cus-tomers with troubled credit.

Whether purchasing a new vehicle or certifiedpre-owned vehicle from Doral Buick GMC, cus-

tomers can expect the same top-notch level ofconvenience and customer service when theyvisit the Certified Service Department.

“Technology drives our ServiceDepartment,” Gasper said. “Mobile appsalert the customer when it’s time to scheduleservice and alert us when a customer’s vehi-cle service light is activated, allowing us toeasily diagnose the issue.”

The Service Department, which servicesall makes and models, is open extended hourssix days a week for customer convenience.Customers receive a free first oil change anda complimentary car wash with each servicevisit. Loaner cars also are available.

Doral Buick GMC, conveniently located20 minutes from “everywhere,” just off StateRoad 836, east of NW 87th Avenue on 12thStreet, is the brand’s largest facility inFlorida, and a volume leader in the state andSoutheast region. Since purchasing the busi-ness in 2007, Gasper has applied his 20 yearsin the automotive industry to put his stamp onthe dealership and grow his team from 36 to64 employees.

“We strive to offer our customers a pre-mier facility, product and experience whenthey shop with us,” Gasper said.

Doral Buick GMC also partners with thecommunity to support worthy causes. To raisemoney for Breast Cancer Awareness inOctober, the dealership sold pink wiper bladecovers and donated $1 for every Facebook“Like.”

“Nearly 90 percent of our employees havebeen affected or have a family member orfriend who has been affected by breast can-cer,” Gasper said.

Doral Buick GMC is located at 8447 NW12 St. For more information, call 786-245-8310, or visit <www.DoralAutomotive.com>or connect on Facebook or Twitter.

Doral Buick GMC makes buying an auto simple

Doral Buick GMC recently completed an extensive renovation to better serve its customers.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


The 2013 Scion FR-S is a hot new sportscar that made me think of my college yearswhen I was zipping around the campus in asnappy little MGA roadster. Oh, it’s notquite the same, but pretty darn close.

The FR-S — which stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport — isToyota Scion’s definition of an authenticrear-wheel-drive sports car. And it is a verywell-balanced automobile, with excellentpower and handling characteristics, quitenice styling, flexible utility and pretty darngood fuel economy (34 mpg on the high-way with the six-speed automatic and 30mpg with the stick). It is the fifth model tojoin the growing Scion family, followingthe xA, xB, tC and iQ.

The FR-S is sleekly styled, with a lowhood and roofline, giving it an aerodynam-ic shape that channels air cleanly over tothe top. The front-end has a menacing face

made up of sharp lines, a wide lower intakeand angular projector-beam halogen head-lights. The rear fascia sits low and wide,with aerodynamic lower treatments thatsurround the sporty dual exhaust system,while LEDs illuminate the edgy taillights;center-mounted backup lights finish themuscular design.

The FR-S interior has 2+2 seating withthe front seats mounted very low, almost toolow, while the rear seat folds down flat formore flexible space. A large center-mountedtachometer is the focus of the three-gaugecluster and features a programmable shift-indicator with a small but intense indicatorthat lights up when redline is reached. Thedriver can set the warning to go off in 100-rpm increments, starting at 2,000 rpm. Achime can be programmed to sound whenredline is approached. Speed is monitoredby both digital and analog gauges.

The FR-S is powered by a new 2.0-liter D-4S naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxerengine jointly developed by Toyota andSubaru. The partnership began by combin-ing Subaru’s newly developed, horizontallyopposed engine and Toyota’s cutting-edgeD-4S injection system, which incorporatesboth direct and port injection for each cylin-

der — one injecting fuel directly into thecombustion chamber, the other a port injec-tor located above the intake valves. Adoptedfrom the Lexus IS F, D-4S injection is a newtechnology for the Scion family.

The D-4S system uses the direct injectorsat all engine speeds. The FR-S heads utilizedual variable valve timing, making adjust-ments to the intake- and exhaust-cam tim-ing to help optimize power, torque and fuelmileage. The D-4S system, partnered with ahigh 12.5:1 compression ratio, results in an

impressive 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. The flat-four mates witheither a six-speed manual or a six-speedautomatic transmission.

Pricing on the 2013 Scion FR-S starts at$24,200.

Ron Beasley is the automotive editor forMiami’s Community Newspapers. He maybe contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext.261, or by addressing email correspon-dence to <[email protected]>.

2013 Scion FR-S means return of pure sports car

LLEETT’’SS TTAALLKK CCAARRSS

Ron BeasleyAUTOMOTIVE EDITOR

New Scion FR-S is sleekly styled, with a low hood and roofline, and an aerodynamic shape.


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107400 SWW 1211 StLovely 3 bdrm/ 2 bath family home in the

Pine Shores community. Bright and spaciouskitchen with lots of storage and room for a

large eat-in area or den.Formal living & dining rooms. Privatefenced backyard with covered patio and

pool. 2 car garage.$385,000

73600 SWW 1088 TerSpacious 5 bdrm, 3 bath home boasts over4,200 square feet, with large screened inpool and outdoor bar. Updated kitchen.

Front bedroom combines two bedrooms tomake one large room. Spacious formal

living and dining rooms. Perfect forentertaining. 2 car garage.

$845,000

19000 Pizarroo StMediterranean style home in Coral Gables! 4

bdrm/ 3 bath, built in 1989. Renovatedkitchen with custom cabinetry, granite

counter tops and stainless appliances. Onebdrm & full bath downstairs. Great for enter-

taining w/ courtyard off dining room andpavered patio in backyard. 1.5 car garage.$724,900/For rent $4,500 per month

238011 Overseass Highwayy (MileMarker 23.8) Rare opportunity to find 9.46acres on the Bay in Summerland Key.Commercial property, previously a shrimplarva farm. Seller represents 7.71Acres areupland (335,848 sq ft) 990 feet of frontageon Overseas Highway, West side is onKemp Channel, and the east side is on alagoon. $1,495,000228000 SWW 1555 AveCustom built 3 bdrm/ 2 bath home in TheRedland. Tucked away on half an acre sur-rounded by lush landscaping includingfruit trees. Master bedroom has woodburning fireplace & balcony. Two bdrmson the first floor. Quiet neighborhood, sit-uated on a corner lot on a dead-end street.$299,0003644 SWW 199 RdBeautifully renovated Old Spanish homein The Roads. 3 bdrm/2 bath with 2,374 sqft of living area, on a 6,750 sq ft lot.Kitchen has stainless steel appliances, gasrange, granite countertops, and woodcabinetry. Indoor laundry. French doorslead to patio overlooking landscapedbackyard and work shed.$495,000

170700 SWW 744 Pl

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Great opportunity for young professionalsor investors. 2 bdrm/ 2 bath condoin secure & gated, Grove Haus building.Updated kitchen. Laminate flooringthroughout. 1 assigned parking space.1 block from Biscayne Bay. Walkingdistance to the shops and restaurants ofCoconut Grove. $235,000


South Miami News 10.30.2012

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Transcript of South Miami News 10.30.2012