Kendall Gazette 2.8.2011

BY LAURA PHILLIPS

You may have a dream to start orexpand your own business —maybe youare a personal trainer who has wanted tohave his own fitness boot camp or adrama teacher who has imagined herselfas the director of her own theater com-pany. Well, carpe diem — seize the day.

The Miami-Dade Park and RecreationDepartment (MDPR) invites you to fol-low your heart’s desire and embrace yourentrepreneurial spirit, while it helps yousave cash and grow your business withattractive and affordable potential loca-tions to run your business from at its 263parks countywide.

“Our parks provide affordable spaceswhere entrepreneurs can have access tobasic service and administrative sup-port,” said Jack Kardys, MDPR director.“While integrated networking opportu-nities help you connect with the clientsyou need to reach.

“We want people to know that even inthese tough economic times, it’s moreimportant to think outside our boxes andlook to the countless resources that areavailable to you within the Miami-DadePark and Recreation Department sys-tem.”

The sky is the limit on program offer-ings being sought, from music lessonsor cooking classes to teaching digitalmusic production or providing videogaming. It starts with MDPR’sInvitation-to-Bid (ITB), a special invita-

EEENDALL GAZETTENDALL GAZETTKKOne of Miami’s Community Newspapers Phone: 305-669-7355

www.communitynewspapers.com FEBRUARY 8 - 14, 2011

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See PARKS, page 4

Miami-Dade Parks has ideas for

budding entrepreneurs

–––––––––––––––––––––– See POLICE, page 4

BY RICHARD YAGER

AA rrest of a probation violatorthat later turned up stolenfirearms and an out-of-statedirt bike won Officer

Michael Garcia co-honors with Det. RonaldGooden in a separate case as “Officers ofthe Month” for Miami-Dade Police KendallDistrict. The presentation was made duringa Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC)meeting on Jan. 28.

Citations recognizing their investigativework were presented by CAC chair BarryWhite following nominations by Maj. JosephJ. O’Donnell, Kenall District commander.

On routine patrol in the RichmondHeights community on Dec. 17, Garcia sawNykolas Anderson run a stop sign while rid-ing a red and white dirt bike, attempting toflee after noticing the marked police car andflashing lights. In compliance with depart-mental policy Garcia deactivated the lights

Good police work results in arrests of 2 suspects

Officer Michael Garcia receives a citation from Maj. Joseph O’Donnell (left) and Miami-DadePolice Kendall District CAC chair Barry White.

BY RICHARD YAGER

BB ook lovers should markFeb. 15 on their calen-dar. That is when a newKendall Book Exchange

opens at 12011 SW 131 Ave., rightaround the corner from Wendy’s onSW 120th Street.

It’s also the home of Tea ’n Sanity,an online venture that became a full-time business three years ago, “smallbut steady” in the words of Manueland Eunice Rodriguez.

Now, the cozy tea parlor and herbaldisplay showroom will offer a selec-tion of used and new books in anadjoining 1,500-square-foot space, a

book-loving browser’s paradise,packed with volumes of all descrip-tions, fiction and non-fiction.

The creative venture began after theRodriguezes retired from 25 years ofoperating a printing and graphicsbusiness, known as “MiamiProduction and Design,” formerlylocated just a stone’s throw away fromthe new Kendall Book Exchange.

Adding books to a thriving tea andherbal salon occurred when Eunicehappened to be “doing my laundry” atthe 127th Avenue Shopping Centerlast year and saw stacks of books

Kendall Book Exchange store opening, Feb. 15

Eunice Rodriguez readies debut of Kendall Book Exchange.––––––––––– See EXCHANGE, page 4

Page 2 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM February 8 - 14 , 2011

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West Kendall Baptist Hospital topic of EDC meeting, Feb. 15BY ROBERT HAMILTON

The Development Impact Study ofWest Kendall Baptist Hospital on Miami-Dade County will be the topic of conver-sation for the community outreach meet-ing scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 15, at theEconomic Development Council. Thecouncil welcomes West Kendall BaptistHospital CEO Javier Hernandez-Lichtl.

Hernandez-Lichtl has been withBaptist Health South Florida for morethan 20 years, and most recently wasCEO of South Miami Hospital. He previ-ously served as executive vice presidentand chief administrative officer ofBaptist Health, and CEO of Baptist atBaptist Health Enterprises Inc. andBaptist Outpatient Services.

As the recently appointed CEO for thenew West Kendall Baptist Hospital,Hernandez-Lichtl also will serve as chiefacademic affiliation officer for Baptist

Health and associate dean for academicaffairs of the FIU College of Medicine.

Community Outreach meetings arefrom 8 to 9 a.m. at the EconomicDevelopment Council (EDC), 900Perrine Ave. in Palmetto Bay. The EDC’scommunity outreach meetings are a freepublic service and open to the communi-ty. For more information call 305-378-9470.

Founded in 1992, the EDC is apublic/private not-for-profit organization.The council’s overall objective is toimplement an economic developmentprogram that will foster a positive imagefor the community, attract new business-es that create quality jobs for residents,while diversifying and strengthening theeconomic base consistent for the futureof South Miami-Dade.

For more information, call 305-378-9470 or go online to <www.edcsouth-dade.com>.

JUMPS FORKENDALLGAZETTE

POLICE, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Det. RonaldGooden receives acitation from Maj.Joseph O’Donnell(left) and Miami-

Dade PoliceKendall District

CAC chair Barry White.

and siren to check Anderson’s records,revealing lack of a driver’s license, multi-ple suspensions of a Florida ID card, exten-sive prior felonies, while serving probationfor fleeing and eluding police.

Arranging a Dec. 21 meeting with pro-bation officer Karen Silvera, Garcia tookAnderson into custody, charged with viola-tion of probation. At that same time,Anderson “spontaneously and voluntarily”provided information regarding the loca-tion of three firearms inside his residenceas well as a stolen dirt bike.

Responding with additional officers tothe 15020 Jackson St. address, a search ofthe premises produced a .40-caliber Berrettaunder a mattress. The weapon had beentaken in a South District vehicle burglary.

There also was a .308 caliber Saiga rifleused in a Cutler Bay residential burglary,an AK 47 magazine, 61 rounds of ammuni-tion, and the dirt bike, later proven to havebeen stolen in California.

Anderson was charged with threecounts of possession of a firearm by aconvicted felon, 44 counts of possessionof ammunition, one count of grand theft

auto and two counts of grand theft.Additional federal firearm charges arepending further investigation.

DET. GOODEN HELPS NABS. FLORIDA CAREER THIEF

Det. Ronald Gooden was commendedfor working with multiple agencies over aperiod of weeks since early September toapprehend a career thief wanted through-out South Florida.

Assigned to grand theft cases involvingseveral AT&T stores throughout theKendall District, Det. Gooden compiled adossier of similar cases in BrowardCounty, interchanging information andcasework detail.

Interviews with several witnesses andhours of surveillance videotape reviewingled Gooden to identify an accomplice whowas the subject’s vehicle driver.

Through Media Relations Bureau infor-mation dissemination, Det. Gooden locat-ed the suspect, made his arrest and, afterinterviews at Kendall Station, charged theindividual with 25 counts of grand theft.Stolen property also was recovered.

ready to be carted away from a formerbook exchange store.

“I kept thinking, what was going tohappen to all those books,” Eunicemused. “The West Kendall BookExchange had closed and had piles of left-over books, ready to be carted away.Nobody seemed to want them, not eventheir owners,” she added.

Those 6,000-plus volumes are now partof a growing inventory of Kendall’snewest bookstore, purchased by theRodriguezes from the now-defunct WestKendall Book Exchange that closed doorslast year after 15 years in business

“I just thought it would be a good idea,mixing tea shopping and books so peoplecould drop in, find a book they might like,and then sit down to look it over whilehaving a cup of tea,” explained Eunice.

“Now, we’re probably the only bookexchange store in the Kendall area,” shesaid pausing from a pre-opening shelf-stacking chore.

Tea ’n Sanity also offers educationalclasses in both tea therapy and yoga exer-cises, part of Eunice’s mission to appriseothers of the values of herbal therapies.Fresh organic herbs and fragrant spices

line the shelves of the retail outlet thatoffers a half-dozen tables and chairs forsampling exotic teas.

“I went through an experience of hav-ing a medical doctor write a prescriptionfor my daughter’s allergy — without dis-covering that she was allergic to applejuice even while she was drinking a glassof apple juice every day,” Euniceexplained.

Reading up on herbal values andresearching the subject led her to discov-er “the best way to infuse your body withfresh herbs, flowers, seeds and spices as away of keeping healthy and fit.”

Meanwhile, daily book sales begin on aMonday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6p.m., schedule, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. onSaturdays with a basic system that gives abuyer credit for any book turned intoward the purchase of one from stock.

“We expect we’ll have Sunday hours inMarch but we wanted to get acclimated tothe business during February,” Euniceadvised.

For details, call 786-250-8722 (Tea ’nSanity) or 786-462-4341 (BookExchange), or visit <www.tea-n-sanity.com>.

EXCHANGE, from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

tion to individuals who are looking tostart or expand a business in Miami-Dade County. Providers of family-friendly, health, fitness and art-orientedprograms or services are encouraged tosubmit an ITB application today.

For more information, contact MDPRcontract manager Jon Seaman at 305-755-7974, by email at<[email protected]>, or Miami-DadeCounty Procurement Agent Herman Ramseyvia email at <[email protected]>.

For information about Miami-DadePark and Recreation, the public cancall 3-1-1, or visit online at<www.miamidade.gov/parks>.

PARKS, from page 1 –––––––––––––

Page 4 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM February 8 - 14, 2011

Wish we had

Commissioner Javier Souto

Good-natured palaver

Lago Mar Park

Not for publication:

Thought for the Day:

Kendall Gazette6769 S.W. 62 Avenue, South Miami, FL 33143 • Phone (305) 669-7355, Fax (305) 662-6980

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We will not return solicited or unsolicited editorial material including stories, columns and or photographs. Please make sure that you have duplicate copies of the material.

Remember the Ides of March, “Ides”describing a Roman festival, said to refer tothe demise of Julius Caesar? Well, folks, our“demise” date may be on its way.

As January ended, we had three formally-announced candidates to replace Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez: Hialeah’sMayor Julio Robaina, ex-State Rep. MarceloLlorente and District 7 Comish CarlosGimenez.

Gimenez finally confirmed his intentionsafter public statements that he was strongly“considering” the move during recent weeks.Then last week, Doral Mayor Juan CarlosBermudez joined the potential slate but notuntil the next regular election Mayor’s racein 2012.

By the way, Bermudez is probably bestknown in our neck of the woods for joiningtwo Southwest Dade mayors to battle andsuccessfully overturn the “mitigation” fees

imposed by the county during the pastdecade on newly-incorporated cities.

Meanwhile, after an appearance at theKendall Federation of HomeownersAssociation February 7, Mayor Alvarez con-tinues to steadfastly defend himself at localcommunity audiences. He’ll address theCutler Bay Business Association at PalmettoBay Village Center February 10 and give hisannual “State of the County” address onWednesday, February 16 to CountyCommissioners.

Uncertainty dogs the path of those wouldnext become the administrative head of ourcounty since we won’t know until the 2011“Ides” of March 15 whether or not Alvarez isrecalled in the first place. (Most give him lit-tle chance of surviving the public anger overraising administrative salaries while impos-ing a tax hike).

If the Mayor is recalled, the Commissionhas the option of appointing an interimMayor until the November 2012 election, orcalling a special election to fill the vacancyfor what would amount to about 18 months.

Thus unless Alvarez survives, the nextthree-ring circus will occur in theCommission Chambers after the Ides ofMarch in 2011, when our pols begin making

official moves to see who gets the best shotat his vacated seat.

If you know these songs and sing them orplay them on an instrument, please call BarryWhite at 305-505-9011: “A Bird in a GildedCage,” “Cubanola Glide,” “Wait ‘Til TheSun Shines Nellie,” “Old King Tut,” “AllAlone,” “Mariutch,” “I Love My Wife, ButOh You Kid!,” “They Always Pick On Me,”“I Want A Girl Just Like The Girl WhoMarried Dear Old Dad,” among others.Barry is president of the Folk Club of SouthFlorida, Inc., that holds monthly “SongSwaps” in our area and may need those lyricsfor its upcoming session February 13, atHolly White’s home in Continental Park. Fordetails, ring up Barry.

Turnpike users! To dismantle cash tollbooths, the eastbound SW 8th Street Exitramp for southbound traffic on the ‘PikeExtension’ was closed February 4 and willnot re-open until Thursday, February 10.May effect driving plans for those usingthat exit for FIU-located events althoughKendall folks who are northbound canapparently still use that exit to theUniversity grounds.

Distressed to hear that the State of Floridano longer considers the preserved Barnacle

Home in Coconut Grove an essential “statepark” for continued support under our newGovernor’s regime. That’s just what we need:ridding ourselves of historic showplaces tobuild more townhome conclaves. Who isresponsible for this idiocy, Governor Scott?

Which leads uss to remind folks of the St.Stephen’s Art Show in the Grove that willintroduce a unique art exhibit February 19-21. St. Stephen’s as a 100-year Grove ‘resi-dent’ annually holds the non-profit eventwhich is ranked tops in the country bySunshine Artist Magazine. This year’s showfeatures an idea of Ava Salavar, age 10, tohelp Miami’s homeless by auctioning a spe-cial group of paintings on sail cloths by localartists, made especially for the show.

Thought for the Day:Whenever you have an efficient

government you have a dictatorship. — Harry S Truman

Richard Yager contributed to this col-umn.

Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669-7355, ext. 249, or send emails to<[email protected]>.

AROUND TOWN

Michael MillerEXECUTIVE EDITOR

Recall issue awaits ‘Ides of March’February 8 - 14, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 5

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Our duly elected governor has found a back-door way to amend the state’s constitution.

For years, the only two approaches to anamendment were for the Florida Legislatureto place a proposed amendment on the ballotfor the public’s approval or disapproval. Thesecond procedure is a citizen’s campaign togather sufficient petition signatures to placea proposed amendment on the ballot for thevoter’s “yes” or “no” vote.

Last year, thousands of registered voterstook to the streets of Florida, obtaining suf-ficient petition signatures to place two pro-posed amendments on the ballot that would,simply stated, make the gerrymandering ofthe state’s legislative and congressional dis-tricts illegal.

Gerrymandering, as we have discussedseveral times before, is the redesigning of adistrict’s boundaries to favor whatever polit-ical party is in power, guaranteeing that thevotes within the district would reelect the

controlling political party’s members. Itmade so much sense that the amendmentwas approved overwhelmingly by more than3.1 million Florida voters.

The recently concluded U.S. Census givesFlorida two additional U.S. House seats. It isup to the legislature to create the new dis-tricts that at this time seem to be destined forthe Orlando area where most of the popula-tion increases have taken place.

Not only must the state legislature createtwo additional districts but the legislaturemust redraw the existing districts to conformto the new Florida ConstitutionAmendments 5 and 6 passed by Florida vot-ers, which removed any political party inpower from maneuvering to retain control ofthe house and senate seats in Tallahassee andour representation in Washington.

Federal law requires that any state law, orconstitutional amendment, affecting the elec-tion of members of the U.S. House or Senatemust go before the U.S. Justice Department inWashington, DC, for review and approval.Gov. Charlie Crist, following federal law, sentthe new constitutional amendments to theU.S. Justice Department for review.

Enter our new governor, Rick Scott. He, Imust assume, doesn’t like the new amend-ments as their implementation may favor the

election of Democrats over Republicans infuture balloting. Three days after Gov. Scottwas sworn into office, he had the FloridaDepartment of State pull the amendmentsback from the Justice Department. His goalis, I speculate, to give more time to the law-suit filed by the state to kill the two amend-ments on the grounds that they allegedly willaffect the voting rights for racial and ethnicminorities in Florida.

The governor’s blatant disregard for thewishes of the voters of Florida is abhorrent.Floridians spent precious tens of thousands ofhours and thousands of dollars obtaining peti-tion signatures to make sure that the two pro-posed constitutional amendments made it ontothe ballot. Then they spent time and moneyexplaining the concept to the registered votersof our state. The concept was to stop whateverpolitical party was in power from maneuveringto retain control rather than letting future elec-tions be decided by a vote of the people.

To pull a political maneuver attempting tokill what 63 percent of the voters approved isalmost too hard to believe. What the governor

has said, in affect, is, “I don’t care what thevoters of Florida want, except of course formy [the governor’s] election. I will do what Iwant to protect my political party.”

I remember hearing this same type of con-versation back in the 1960s when theRepublican party first started to grow in athen Democrat-controlled Florida.

Surely the governor realizes that we elect-ed individuals to public office to protect ourinterests in the state, to spend our tax dollarswisely and make our state a better place tolive. We should not protect a particular polit-ical party and grant them secure salaries,elitist privileges and higher than private sec-tor pensions.

We appreciate your opinions on this col-umn whether in agreement or disagreement.Please send your comments to (fax number)305-662-6980 or email to <[email protected]>. The opinionsexpressed in this column are not necessari-ly those of this newspaper, its editors orpublisher.

KENNETH’S COMMENTARY

R. Kenneth Bluh VIEWPOINTGov. Scott finds new way to amend state constitution


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You can save money simply by conserv-ing the products you have. For example,the cost of wasted food in America totals$155 billion a year. That equates to 500pounds of food per family that’s thrownout in the trash.

Consider the fact that consumers throwout 2 billion gallons of milk every yearonce it goes bad. In fact, the best place tokeep milk is in the back of the refrigerator.Why? Because properly stored milk canlast up to a week past its sell-by date.

When it comes to eggs, you also shouldkeep those in the coldest part of yourfridge. Americans throw out more than 2billion pounds of eggs every year. Youalways should keep eggs in the carton theycame in.

Did you know that some veggies don’tmix? Apples give off gas. And broccolispoils faster near apples. So it’s best tokeep them apart.

Americans also throw away 280 milliontires every year. Studies show that con-sumers neglect the rubber that hits theroad. What’s more, 55 percent of our carshave at least one tire that is underinflated.The solution is to check tire pressuremonthly.

Want to be a lean mean jeans-wearingmachine? It turns out that keeping jeansclean is not the answer. Levis — the com-pany that’s been making jeans for morethan 150 years — says you shouldn’t wash

your new jeans for at least six months.After that, only wash them every twoweeks and let them dry naturally, upsidedown to preserve their length, shape andcolor. Levis also recommends spot-clean-ing your jeans if you have to, and using anodor-eliminating spray like Febreze ifyou’re worried that they may be a littlesmelly.

One last hint: Your razors will lastlonger if you dry them off after you usethem and avoid storing them in theshower.

THE FORECAST FOR FORECLOSUREForeclosure activity increased last year

in 149 of the nation’s 206 metropolitanareas with a population of 200,000 ormore, which suggests that the foreclosureproblem has yet to peak.

The year-end report from RealtyTrac, aforeclosure marketing firm, also showedthe 10 metro areas with the highest foreclo-sure rates all posted decreasing foreclosureactivity since 2009. Six of the top 10 alsoposted decreasing foreclosure activity from2008. Analysts say that suggests stabilitymay be returning to the hardest-hit markets.

“Foreclosure floodwaters receded some-what in 2010 in the nation’s hardest-hithousing markets,” said James J. Saccacio,CEO of RealtyTrac. “Even so, foreclosurelevels remained five to 10 times higherthan historic norms in most of those hard-hit markets, where deep fault lines of riskremain and could potentially trigger morewaves of foreclosure activity in 2011 andbeyond.

Watch Al Sunshine’s “CBS MoneyWatch” reports Monday-Friday beginningat noon.

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BY ANA POVEDA

Westminster Christian School (WCS) inPalmetto Bay has begun construction of anew science facility that will house twophysics labs, three science labs, and oneclassroom, providing a total of six learningspaces for its middle school and high schoolscience programs.

“We are so excited that Westminster hasdemonstrated its commitment to science edu-cation by bringing us the best possible facil-ities and classroom technology to equip ourstudents to be leaders and innovators,” saidDr. Lynell Martinez, WCS High SchoolScience Department head. “More classroomlab space means that more students will haveaccess to hands-on lab activities.

“New and better lab computers mean thatstudents will be able to analyze their data,rather than just learn from a textbook,: headded. “These improved facilities will helpour highly trained faculty address the needsof every student to foster in them a love andexcitement for science and to achieve theirfullest potential.”

Expected to open in the fall, the newbuilding will provide updated science facili-ties for the physics, biology, chemistry andenvironmental science courses offered as

part of the middle school and high schoolscience curriculum. Located just east of thecurrent high school building, the two build-ings will be adjoined via exterior hallways.

The current Lewis A. Fraser Science

Building, which has served the science cur-riculum well for the past 30 years, will beconverted into art classrooms/studios, nearlydoubling the Art Department’s classroomand storage space. These remodeled spaces

will open up new possibilities in the art cur-riculum and ensure that Westminster’snationally renowned fine arts program hasthe facilities it needs to foster the creativityand talents of its students.

WCS begins construction on new science building

Members of the Westminster Christian School board of directors and faculty participate in the groundbreaking for the school’s new science building.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


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BY ADRIANE K. SEYMOUR

Riverside Military Academy(RMA) has announced that CadetMajor Fernando O. Weiner, a seniorat RMA, has been accepted to theUnited States Military Academy(West Point) in New York.

West Point’s student body totalsapproximately 4,400 cadets, and theadmissions process is extremely com-petitive. Cadet Weiner is one of 1,200applicants selected for an appoint-ment from over 16,000 student appli-cations. Applicants are evaluated onacademic, physical and leadershippotential. West Point graduatesinclude two U.S. Presidents, as wellas several ambassadors, state gover-nors, judges, cabinet members, astro-nauts, and engineers.

Cadet Weiner is the company com-mander of Band Company at RMA.He is president of the National HonorSociety at Riverside and a member ofthe RMA Honor Council. He also is amember of the Horton Society, one ofRiverside Military Academy’s oldestand most prestigious organizations,named in honor of Colonel O. R.Horton. He participates on both theRMA varsity football team and thewrestling team.

Cadet Fernando Weiner, fromPinecrest, is the son of Mr. and Mrs.Jeffrey S. Weiner Esq. Jeffrey Weiner,who has law offices in the Dadeland area,is a member of the graduating class of1966 at Riverside Military Academy.Fernando’s older brother, Diego, graduat-ed from Riverside in 2009, and hisyounger brothers, Max and Jake, bothcurrently attend RMA and are continuingthe family tradition.

Riverside Military Academy, found-ed in 1907, is one of the premier col-lege preparatory academies for youngmen in grades 7-12. The academy islocated in Gainesville, GA, one hournorth of Atlanta. Visit <www.riverside-military.com> for more information.

Cadet Fernando Weineraccepted to West Point

Cadet Major Fernando O. Weiner–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


BY JOSE BOZA

The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS)Society recently recognized Phillis Oeters,vice president of government and communi-ty relations for Baptist Health South Florida,with the 2011 Hope Award during its annualMS Gala and Fashion Show at the BrowardCounty Convention Center in FortLauderdale.

The MS Hope Award, the most prestigiousdesignation given by the National MultipleSclerosis Society, is presented annually to anindividual who has played a significant rolein improving the quality of life for those liv-ing with multiple sclerosis and bringinghope and help to those facing physical andemotional challenges.

“I am truly honored to receive the presti-gious Hope Award, as it exemplifies the orga-nization’s mission of helping people with MSand their families battle this crippling dis-

ease,” Oeters said. “MS continues to makesignificant advances in research and treat-ment, and this wonderful annual event contin-ues to bring awareness to the excellent workthey are accomplishing on a daily basis.”

In her role as vice president of govern-ment and community relations for BaptistHealth, she is responsible for the interfacewith local government as it relates to permit-ting, zoning and general expansion plans forBaptist Health. She is highly active in thecommunity and serves on many boards,which include the Greater Miami Chamberof Commerce, Beacon Council, United Way,Nat Moore Foundation, Actors’ Playhouseand Orange Bowl. She was 2009-10 chair ofthe Orange Bowl Committee.

Oeters also was board chair, from 2003 to2008, of the Neurologically InjuredCompensation Fund for the State of Florida,a billion dollar fund responsible for caringfor children injured at birth.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society’sannual event honors Phillis Oeters

Pictured (l-r) areKaren Dresbach,president of theNational MS Society,South FloridaChapter; PhillisOeters, vice presi-dent of governmentand communityrelations for BaptistHealth SouthFlorida, andDeborah DelPrete,MS Gala andFashion Show chair.

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BY RICHARD YAGER

The Old Cutler RepublicanWoman’s Club is marking its31st year with a priority pro-gram that includes an Aprilcelebration of its longevityand a new slate of officersheaded by Wendy Dean, aformer Congressional aide.

Former director of theclub’s MembershipCommittee, Dean was man-ager for State Rep. MichaelBileca’s campaign in District117 and a former GOPExecutive Committee vicechair for finance.

Serving with her during thecoming year are: CarlaAscenscio-Savola, vice presi-dent, District 34Committeewoman who served seven yearson the Kendall Community Council;Lorraine Dunlap, treasurer, a GOP ExecutiveCommitteewoman for District 19; KimberlyCruiser, recording secretary, member of theboard of trustees of the Florida House, andMaria Wadsworth, corresponding secretary,District 29 Executive Committeewomanhonored as 2010 GOP “Volunteer of theYear.”

Former Miami-Dade GOP chair RobertRosasco, past president of a Habitat forHumanity program, conducted the swearing-in ceremony and reviewed results of candi-date interviews for upcoming Florida Senateraces.

Joe Celestin, former North Miami Mayor,discussed his upcoming race for the District33 State Senate seat vacated by Congressmember Frederica Wilson. The special elec-tion to fulfill the vacancy will be held Mar. 1.

Among its key programs during 2011, theOld Cutler Club will award a scholarship toa deserving teenager that will include an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC tospend a day with U.S. Rep. David Rivera.

To celebrate the club’s 31st year, ananniversary celebration will take place inApril, followed by a Fourth of July barbe-cue and a Woman’s Suffrage Award eventin August. The club will meet next on Mar.15 to hear Miami-Dade District 7Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, a possiblemayoral candidate.

Originally chartered on Apr. 14, 1980, theOld Cutler GOP Woman’s Club coversextensive GOP Districts throughout south-west Miami-Dade County that include por-tions of Coral Gables, West Miami, SouthMiami, Tamiami, Westchester, East Kendall,Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Dadeland, andRichmond Heights.

New officers celebrate GOP club’s 31st year

Incoming president Wendy Dean (left) receives gavel from Joanne Connolly.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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BY LEE STEPHENS

Kendall Regional Medical Center, 11750SW 40 St., will be hosting a Family HeartHealth Fair for the community on Saturday,Feb. 12, 9 a.m.-noon. The free fair willinclude health screenings, seminars andhealthy sweet treats for the public andactivities for the kids.

Kendall Regional Medical Center wantsto show the community how to live longerand be happier by taking care of your heart.

As an added benefit for families withchildren, the Injury Free Coalition for Kidsof Miami will be present to give homesafety tours aboard its mobile unit.Activities will include aerobic dancedemonstrations and sampling healthytreats.

Throughout the morning, free healthscreenings and educational advice will beprovided to attendees. Free tests will begiven for blood pressure, osteoporosis,breast health, cardiac risk assessment, cho-lesterol, blood sugar, pulmonary functionscreenings (first 30 people only) and EKG

(first 30 people only). Appointments arenot necessary for any screening.

To participate in the cholesterol andblood sugar tests, four hours of fasting isrequired prior to the tests. To RSVP or formore information, call 305-222-2200.

The seminar topics are:• “Know Your Numbers” by Lester

Carrodeguas, MD, Family Practice;• “Heart Facts for a Healthy Life” by

Madeline Castro, MD, Family Practice,and Rekha Kini, MD, Family Practice;

• “How To Survive a Heart Attack” byRajesh Dhairyawan, MD, InterventionalCardiology, and Abid Chaudhry, MD,Emergency Medicine;

• “Keeping your Child’s HeartHealthy” by Kim Bango, MD, FamilyMedicine, and Jamie Montes, DO, FamilyMedicine, and

• “Heart Failure A-Z: Risks, Signs,Symptoms and Treatment” by JuliusGasso, MD, Interventional Cardiology;Beethoven Brown, MD, CardiothoracicSurgery, and Jose Martel, MD,Electrophysiology.

Family Heart Health Fair scheduledat Kendall Regional Medical Center


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Breakthrough Miami, a local not-for-profiteducation advancement program, is seekingapplications from fourth and fifth grade stu-dents in underserved and under-resourcedneighborhoods in Miami-Dade County toenroll in its tuition-free Summer InstituteProgram.

In conjunction with this applicationprocess, Breakthrough Miami is hosting aFamily Information Session on Feb. 9, 6-8 p.m., at Ransom Everglades UpperSchool, 3575 Main Hwy. in CoconutGrove.

Applicants are selected by an admissionscommittee made up of Breakthrough Miamialumni and staff. Admissions decisions arebased primarily on motivation, potential,commitment and need.

For information, call 305-460-8869.

MIAMI CITY BALLET TO HOST‘BALLET FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’

Miami City Ballet’s internationally andcritically acclaimed company of 50 dancerswill be joined by Miami City Ballet Schoolstudents to present the second “Ballet forYoung People” program on Feb., 2-3 p.m., atthe Adrienne Arsht Center Ziff Ballet OperaHouse, 1300 Biscayne Blvd.

The school’s students open the programwith Harlequin and Columbine, based on

George Balanchine’s Harlequinade, followedby the company dancers in Balanchine’sScotch Symphony.

Complimentary tickets are available inperson Monday-Friday at Arsht Center boxoffice.

VALENTINE’S DAY CONCERT BRINGSJAZZ TO FAIRCHILD GARDEN, FEB. 14

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901Old Cutler Rd., will host its annualValentine’s Day concert on Feb. 14, thisyear featuring the smooth sounds of jazzsinger Kevin Mahogany and the Universityof Miami’s Frost Concert Jazz Band. Gatesopen at 5:30 p.m. and the concert begins at7 p.m.

Bring a picnic basket (gourmet picnic bas-kets are available from Creative Tastes) and ablanket, and let the dreamy music and thebeauty of Fairchild make this Valentine’s Daya night to remember.

Ticket prices are as followes: Fairchildmembers, $60; non-members, $75; VIP tick-ets, members, $150, and non-members, $175.VIP admission includes reserved seating at atable, buffet dinner and wine. Students withID are $20.

Purchase your tickets online, at The Shopat Fairchild or contact Special Events at 305-667-1651, ext. 3377.

CONCERT TO FEATURE ROMANTICMUSIC MOSTLY FROM SCHUBERT

Keeping with the core romantic nature oftwo-piano music on Feb. 16, the DranoffInternational Two Piano Foundation willpresent an evening of classical music’s mostromantic composer in “Mostly Schubert —All Romance,” 7:30 p.m., at the University ofMiami’s Gusman Hall, 1314 Miller Dr.

In addition to the performance ofSchubert’s great works by this amazingensemble of international pianists, DuoD’Accord will premier a brand new two-piano work. Written for this concert, TheDevil’s Workshop is by Brian DuFord, a con-temporary classical composer from YaleMusic School. His new two-piano piece iscolored by Latin jazz and blues and exempli-fies the dark deals artists must make tobecome virtuoso successes.

Tickets are $35 for general admission, $75for VIP with Artist Reception; students arefree.

For more information, call 305-572-9900or visit online at <www.dranoff2piano.org>.

INTERCONTINENTAL AT DORAL MIAMIEARNS FIVE DISTINCTIONS IN 2010

The InterContinental at Doral Miami, 2505NW 87 Ave., wrapped up 2010 with fiveprestigious awards that recognize the man-agement and staff’s diligent work and dedica-tion in making this a top-notch property.

Awards the InterContinental at DoralMiami received include the FloridaDepartment of Environmental Protection(DEP) Green Lodging designation, ExpediaInsiders’ Select, Gold Club Award, AAA FourDiamond Award, and the International HotelGroup (IHG) Turning Point Award.

For more information, call 305-468-1400.

SAVE DATE FOR CONGREGATION’SFIRST ANNUAL MUSICAL JOURNEY

Temple Beth Tov-Ahavat Shalom. 6438SW Eighth St. in West Miami, welcomes allto the delightful first annual Musical Journeyon Sunday, Feb. 20, 2-4 p.m.

Breakthrough Miami seeks students for 2011-12 school yearCOMMUNITY NEWS BRIEFS

––––––– Continued on next page

Featured will be different styles ofmusic: Ladino, Yiddish, Opera, ClassicalLiturgical, Broadway, Israeli, Instrumentaland Spanish.

Cost is $10 per adult; no charge for chil-dren. For reservations, call Ruth at 305-382-0240 or Babe at 305-274-2450. Mail checksto PO Box 44026, Miami, FL 33144.

LIBRARY TO PRESENT ‘PEDESTRIANS:DOWNTOWN FLAGLER STREET’

The Miami-Dade Public Library System ispresenting “Pedestrians: Downtown FlaglerStreet” by David Spitzer, an exhibition ofphotographs running now through Mar. 9 inthe auditorium of the Main Library, 101 W.Flagler St.

The photographs were taken during thelast half of 1984 and well into 1985 (the yearthe Main Library opened). The project focus-es narrowly on downtown Flagler Streetfrom Biscayne Boulevard west to the oldDade County Courthouse — the historic cen-ter of Downtown Miami.

For more information, call 305-375-5048.

KOHL’S CARES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMNOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

The Kohl’s Department Stores Kohl’s

Cares Scholarship Program will award morethan $415,000 in scholarships and prizes,ranging from $50 Kohl’s gift cards to$10,000 scholarships, honoring young vol-unteers who have made a positive impact ontheir communities.

Nominations for kids ages 6 to 18 willbe accepted now until Mar. 15 atkohlskids.com. Kohl’s enters the 11th yearof its scholarship program during a timewhen 55 percent of bachelor’s degreerecipients at public colleges borrow moneyand are finding education increasingly dif-ficult to afford.

To nominate someone for a Kohl’s Caresscholarship, visit www.kohlskids.com.Nominators must be 21 years or older. Twonominees from each of Kohl’s 1,089 storesnationwide will win a $50 Kohl’s gift card,and more than 200 will win regional scholar-ships worth $1,000 toward post-secondaryeducation. Ten national winners will beawarded a total of $10,000 in scholarshipsfor post-secondary education and Kohl’s willdonate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization oneach national winner’s behalf.

For more information or a list of pastKohl’s Cares Scholarship Program winners,visit online at <www.kohlskids.com>.

NEWS, from previous page –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


BY BILL HURST

The Perrine Baseball and SoftballAssociation celebrated its 53rd annualOpening Day Parade and Ceremony at FranjoPark on Saturday, Jan. 29.

With the help of John Ruiz and Mike Tosar,the opening day ceremonies were televised byLa Ley Sports. The tradition of parading allthe league teams through the Town of CutlerBay to Franjo Park has been taking place onthe last weekend of each January since theleague started playing at Franjo Park in 1972.

More than 500 players (52 baseball teamsand three divisions of softball), along withtheir coaches, parents and friends made thetrek this year. The parade was led by a CutlerBay Police car and the Southridge HighSchool Color Guard.

The ceremonies began with the singing ofthe National Anthem by Erika Glass. Thiswas followed by a blessing given by PastorAmber Massengil.

The newly elected Town of Cutler BayMayor Ed MacDougal was introduced andspoke about the new Lakes by the Bay Parkwhich will be operational by January 2012.Mayor MacDougal mentioned how this newpark will help the PBSA expand and doublethe amount of fields available for the league.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner LyndaBell spoke next, and gave PBSA aProclamation of Appreciation for all mem-bers presented to PBSA president Bill Hurst.John Ruiz from La Ley Sports, who gracious-ly provided the television crew, thenaddressed the crowd, and made mention ofseveral exciting projects La Ley Sports isworking on within the South FloridaCommunity.

Also in attendance were several SouthFlorida baseball personalities including:Florida Marlins player Gaby Sanchez,Marlins sales director Mario Signorello, for-mer PBSA player and current OaklandAthletics pitcher Vinnie Chulk, former PBSAplayer and 14-year Major League Baseballplayer Orlando Palmeiro, legendary Miami

Dade College Coach Charlie Greene, severalUniversity of Miami and Barry Universitycoaches and players, Coach Dave Biscegliafrom Coral Reef High School along withsome of his players.

Also participating were several PalmettoHigh School baseball players, as well as formerPBSA president and current Southridge HighSchool freshman coach David “Hooter” Houtz.

Also in attendance, was Southridge Softballcoach Michelle Cerda, who along with herplayers helped judge the team banner contest,which was won by the Tee-ball Pirates and11U Astros. The winning teams received tick-ets for their players and coaches to PBSA Dayat the Florida Marlins game on Apr. 22.

Each year the PBSA awards certain players“Sportsmanship Awards.” These players

earned the awards by demonstrating thatsportsmanship means more to them than hit-ting a home run or striking out a batter. Itmeans playing with a smile through good andbad, encouraging a teammate that just had abad game and always enjoying the experienceof playing youth baseball.

Sportsmanship Awards, presented bySoftball Commissioner Kevin Bender andBaseball Commissioner Sean McCreary,were presented to: Victoria Bouch, AmarisVictoria, Juliana Gambill, Adriana Fiorilo,Taylor Reyno and Hanna Barczak.

Baseball Sportsmanship Award winnerswere: Korbin Cotayo, Ryan Adams,Jonathan Brutti, Richie Benavides, JordanHopwood, Darian Rivera, Rodrigo Alea,Andres Agudelo, Maclyn Black and NickValencia.

Finally, PBSA announced severalawards to current and former volunteermembers, who are the lifeline of this com-munity park. The Lifetime AchievementAwards were given to Janet Cintra, the lateBill McCreary (received by his wife Carol,son Sean, and grandchildren Jake andMegan), and to former PBSA presidentDavid “Hooter” Houtz.

Visit <www.leaguelineup.com/pbsa> formore information.

PBSA celebrates its 53rd annual Opening Day Parade, Ceremony

A $1,000 check for funds raised for Austin Haworth, son of slain Police Officer Amanda Haworth, is presented tothe Cutler Bay Police Unit. Pictured (l-r) are Priya Nembhard, Jean Ton Noon, PBSA treasurer Kevin Kaufman, Maj.Julie Miller, PBSA president Bill Hurst, Mercy Hernandez, Bill Meiklejohn, Capt. Laura Wood, Officer JohnMcLaughlin, Officer Debbie Fuentes, and Delores Triane.

(Photo by Bill Meiklejohn.)

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



BY LYNN WILLE FICHMAN

The ‘Soiree in the Garden’ is fastbecoming Pinecrest’s party of the year, agreatly anticipated annual event and thisyear’s fete will take place on Friday, Feb.25, in Pinecrest Gardens.

Beside the fine food, wine, and toptier concert featuring Julian Marley, thatwill be offered, more than anything elseit is the setting that makes this a trulyoutstanding fundraiser hosted by anorganization whose sole purpose is tobeautify the gardens.

Before it was known as PinecrestGardens it was a major South Florida des-tination, one of the most frequented stopson the tourist circuit. Many people whovisited Miami between the 1940s and thelate ’90s can recall either sitting in theBanyan Bowl as trained exotic birdswhizzed past their heads, or posing forphotos with their outstretched arms serv-ing as parrot stands.

The birds no longer reside there and thealligators who once sunned themselves inits small lagoons have long since beenrelocated to Watson Island to be a part ofthe larger more tourist accessible JungleIsland. What has been left behind is by farone of the most unique natural environ-ments to be found anywhere.

Now that the property is owned by theVillage of Pinecrest it is beginning to earnthe title of a world class treasure. It hadbeen a victim of neglect and the wrath ofMother Nature by the time the purchaseof the property was completed in 2000,but since that time it has been goingthrough a sweeping transformation.

The Garden Fund, a 501(c)(3) organi-zation that was formed in 2007, has beenworking to assist the village’s governmentwith that task, and members have beendoing just that with money raised fromprivate citizens, family foundations,memberships, sponsors, and through theirannual Soiree in the Garden.

The lighting is in place, the refurbishedBanyan Bowl is ready, and the manydetails of putting on this importantfundraiser are coming together with the

precision of a finely tuned orchestra.The Soiree will begin at 6:30 p.m., and

guests will be greeted with a glass of wineand Deborah Fleisher’s hypnotic harp asthey stroll through the giant banyan treestoward the magnificent terrace area thatoverlooks Swan Lake. Here the pianomusic of Jimmy B will serenade whileeveryone peruses the silent auction tablesand enjoys appetizers and drinks. Biddingis generally fierce and cordially competi-tive for many coveted bargains that willbe offered for sale.

Later, the call to dinner will be soundedand a quick walk to the meadow will leadguests to glowing tables and a deliciousbuffet extravaganza presented by PhillipGillan of Island Noodles, a catering com-pany that specializes in fresh and whole-some fare that is prepared on site.

The legendary desserts will be abun-dant and decadent, lovingly prepared anddelivered by Garden Fund volunteers.They are always a tremendous hit.

The concert that is to follow all of thiswill no doubt be the crescendo of theevening. This year the Fund presentsJulian Marley, “Acoustic and Unplugged”in the Banyan Bowl. This intimate concertby one of the most notable members of aroyal rock family promises to be a soldout affair.

All proceeds from the evening willdirectly benefit horticulture at the Garden,and the Fund’s board of directors is grate-ful for the generous support of its spon-sors, who include the Village of Pinecrest,Whole Foods Market of Pinecrest, NCLand the Corradino Group.

Participation in this rare nighttime eventin the Garden can be had for a fraction ofwhat is often paid for similar amenities infar less exotic settings. Tickets for theentire evening are $100 each, and tables of10 can be purchased for $900. A limitednumber of “concert only” seats are avail-able for $40 in advance, and $45 at thedoor beginning at 9 p.m. Tickets for thefifth annual Soiree in the Garden can beobtained online by visiting <www.garden-fund.org>, or by calling the Fund’s officeat 305-669-1028.

Julian Marley to perform at ‘Soiree in the Garden’

www.communitynewspapers.com


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SPEAKING UP FOR PUBLIC EDUCATIONFROM A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE.

United Teachers of DadePresident Karen Aronowitz willpresent, from a teacher’s perspec-tive, the state of public educationin Florida. President Aronowitz, ateacher and advocate for teachersand school support personnel, willcover the topics of public educa-tion funding in Florida, how small-er classes benefit student learningand what research shows on theeffectiveness of the alternatives totraditional public schools.

Where: THE BEACON COUNCIL80 SW 8th Street, Suite 2400,Miami, FlWhen: Thursday, February 24, 2011at 8:30 a.m.RSVP by February 20, 2011 viathe web atwww.beaconcouncil.com/eventsPrice: $25.00 per person

All ACCESS SERIES eventswill also be accessible via webinarwith live internet question andanswer opportunities.

BY MICHELLE PALOMINO

Are you wondering how to make thisValentine’s Day truly memorable? MiamiSeaquarium has a unique answer for coupleswith its “Dine with the Dolphins” offering atthe park’s new Dolphin Harbor facility.

On Monday, Feb. 14, from 8 to 10 p.m.,couples will enjoy a delicious candlelightdinner under the stars overlooking the dol-phins at Dolphin Harbor. In addition, theValentine’s Day package includes twoDolphin Odyssey experience certificates,and two annual passes to the park.

The “Dine with the Dolphins” packagemay be purchased for $398 plus tax percouple. Availability is limited and advancereservations are required. For more infor-mation or to purchase your “Dine with theDolphins,” call 305-365-2501 or visit

online at <www.miamiseaquarium.com>.Dolphin Odyssey is a one-and-a-half-

hour experience, which includes feeding,touching and learning about these magnifi-cent animals plus the opportunity for adeep-water interaction with a dolphin. Thedinner and swim will take place at DolphinHarbor, the newest attraction at MiamiSeaquarium and home to 12 AtlanticBottlenose Dolphins.

Miami Seaquarium, South Florida’smost popular tourist attraction, is a family-oriented marine-life park open to the pub-lic 365 days a year. The park provides vis-itors with a greater understanding andappreciation for marine life through shows,presentations and exhibits.

More information on Miami Seaquariumis available online at <www.miamiseaquar-ium.com>.

Unique Miami Seaquarium promotionoffers sweethearts dinner, dolphins

Valentine’sDay packagealso includesDolphinOdysseyexperiencefor two.

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Spend romantic Valentine’s Dayat Cauley Square Historic Village BY SHERRY MILLER

Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14,will be especially romantic with themusic of popular performer KimBankston singing nostalgic songs for amemorable evening at the Village ChaletRestaurant in the heart of the CauleySquare Historic Railroad Village from 7to 10 p.m.

Special Valentine’s Day menus will beserved in the Village Chalet Restaurantfrom 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and in The TeaRoom Restaurant from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Valentine’s Day dining reservationsmay be made by calling direct to theVillage Chalet at 305-258-8900 or to theTea Room at 305-258-0044.

Valentine’s menus in both the VillageChalet and in the Tea Room will includea variety of starters and entrees and arepriced at $34.95 per person (plus tax andtip) and include a complimentary glass

of champagne.While you dine, Bankston will per-

form such favorites as Put Your HeadOn My Shoulder, The Way You LookTonight, Canadian Sunset, Earth Angel,Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and I OnlyHave Eyes For You.

Bankston’s new Forever GoldCollection CD is available at<www.kimbankston.net> and at theVillage Chalet every Saturday for fans toenjoy his classic Jobim Jazz instrumen-tals and new acoustic guitar as well assolo vocals of oldies but goodies songsof the late Nat King Cole, the Plattersand many other favorites.

Cauley Square Historic RailroadVillage is located at 22400 Old DixieHwy. in Goulds (US1 at SW 224thStreet).

For information, call direct to 305-258-3543 or go online to<www.cauleysquare.com>.


Rick Tonkinson and Associates hasbeen recognized as a Top 100 SmallBusiness in South Florida in 2010 byBusiness Leader magazine.

Rick Tonkinson and Associates isonly one of the two financial planningfirms to be selected and the search isbased on all small business south of FortPierce.

Rick Tonkinson and Associates is afamily business specializing in helpingworking-class people and their familiesattain their financial goals. Their “hands-on” money management with daily mon-itoring of performance, exclusively for themiddle class, provides a level of servicethat is normally reserved for the rich andfamous.

Recognized by several prestigiouspublications including Forbes, EmployeeBenefit News, Financial Adviser and Pa-cific View magazine, Rick and his familyhave been major donors to such organi-zations as the University of Miami, MiamiLighthouse for the Blind, Diabetes Re-search Institute, Rotary and the Cleve-land Orchestra.

For more information, contact RickTonkinson &Associate at (305)447-6617,100Almeria Ave, Ste. 310, Coral Gables,FL 33134.

Securities offered through Securities America Incmember of FINRA/SIPC.RickTonkinson Registered Rep-resentative. Advisory Services offered through SecuritiesAmerica Advisors, Inc.RickTonkinson Investment AdvisorRepresentative. Rick Tonkinson and Associates, Inc. &Securities America companies are not affiliated.

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BY ROBERT HAMILTON

The DuMond Conservancy will host afestival to celebrate Golden Lion Tamarinson Saturday, Feb. 12, in a unique lush out-door environment at Monkey Jungle,14805 SW 216 St.

Golden Lion Tamarins are beautiful,highly endangered monkeys from thecoastal forests of Brazil whose existence isthreatened by habitat destruction. MonkeyJungle was one of the first places in theworld to successfully breed these monkeys.The Golden Lion Tamarin was on the brinkof extinction but thanks to the remarkableenergy and tenacity of one women scientist,Dr. Devra Kleiman, who established breed-ing programs (with Monkey Jungle as aparticipant) and a reintroduction program,the numbers of Golden Lion Tamarins areslowly increasing in the forests of Brazil.

Dr. Kleiman died in 2010 but sheremains an inspiration to young womenaspiring to be scientists. Speakers willinspire the audience with the uplifting storyof Dr. Kleiman’s life, and the current con-servation efforts in Brazil to guarantee thesurvival of this wonderful species. CarolineLewis, founder of the Fairchild Challenge,will discuss the importance of empoweringyoung people as solution-oriented stewardsof the environment.

Interspersed in the program will be exhil-arating performances by Brazilian dancers

and drummers which will invite audienceparticipation, Capoeria (Afro-Brazilian rit-ualized fighting) and a drama written anddirected by Southwood Middle Schooldrama student, Kaithleen Conecopan,Trouble in the Family, based on the occa-sional traumas faced by the usually peace-ful living Golden Lion Tamarin families.Family activities will include storytellingand face painting.

Photographs of Tamarins by local pho-tographers will be on display along with aninternational exhibition of children’s art-work. Scientific displays will include dra-matic photographs of Brazilian biodiversi-ty and an exhibit on the visualization ofscience.

The DuMond Conservancy for Primatesand Tropical Forests Inc. was founded in1990 and is a not-for profit scientific organ-ization located on the grounds of MonkeyJungle in South Miami-Dade County. Thescientific mission of the DuMondConservancy is concerned with the welfareof nonhuman primates and tropical forestecosystems.

The festival will run between the hoursof 2 and 5 p.m. Admission to the festival is$10 for adults, $5 for children (5-18) andstudents, and free for children under 5 yearsof age. Family tickets (two adults and up tothree children) are $25. Tickets can be pur-chased at the door or via email at<[email protected]>.

DuMond Conservancy celebratesGolden Lion Tamarins, Feb. 12


Free sports injury preventionworkshops for kids, teensBY TARNELL CARROLL

With the frequency and severity of youthsports injuries climbing dramatically inrecent years, Miami Dade College (MDC)School of Community Education andMiami Children’s Hospital have partneredto offer the community free workshops tohelp prevent sports injuries among youngchildren and teenagers.

The first sports injury prevention work-shop is recommended for middle schoolathletes and their parents, and will takeplace on Thursday, Feb. 10, 6:30-9 p.m., atMiami Children’s Hospital West KendallCenter, 13400 SW 120 St., Suites 100 and200.

Organizers from both MDC and the hos-pital believe that with sufficient informa-tion, sports injuries among children may bepreventable. Two other workshopsdesigned for high school athletes andcoaches and trainers will be held in March

and April. All three workshops will betaught by Miami Children’s Hospital phys-ical therapists that specialize in adolescentand youth sports injuries. Parents areencouraged to bring their young athletes tothe workshops.

The workshops are free and open to thepublic but prompt registration is requiredas seating is limited. For registration andinformation, call 305-237-2612 or sendemail to <[email protected]>.

Additional workshops scheduledinclude: Preventing Sports Injuries forHigh School Athletes, Thursday, Mar. 10,6:30 to 9 p.m., and Young Athlete SportsInjury Prevention for Coaches and Trainers(recommended for high school coaches,sport-specific and competitive sportscoaches as well as athletic trainers),Thursday, Apr. 14, 6:30 to 9 p.m. All work-shops will take place at Miami Children’sHospital West Kendall Center, 13400 SW120 St., Suites 100 and 200.


The Nissan LEAF is the future for auto-mobiles, and the future is now.

I recently finished three days behind thewheel of the amazing little four-door hatch-back and I am even more impressed withthis car now than when I first drove it at thepress preview in Tennessee last fall. It sim-ply is astounding how good the technologyis in Nissan’s initial effort at building anall-electric powered automobile.

The LEAF is an amazing car to drive.Push a button on the dash and the motorstarts without a sound. Only the dash lightsflashing on tells you that the car is opera-tional. An oversize toggle switch shifter onthe center console allows you to put the carin drive or reverse. Once on the road, thecar moves in soundless wonder. There’s noengine noise or exhaust rumble and nowhine from the transmission because theLEAF doesn’t have an engine or transmis-

sion. The silence is almost eerie.At a starting price of $33,630, the LEAF

is the least expensive battery-electric pro-duction car on the market today. With its 24kilowatt-hour battery, it qualifies for a$7,500 federal tax credit, bringing the pricedown to $26,130. However, the initial 2011model production run of 20,000 vehiclesalready has been sold (though delivery isstill pending on most of them). Nissanpromises a larger production in 2012.

The LEAF essentially is a commutervehicle. It will take you to work and backand allow you to run all of your errands, allon a single battery charge. With a fullycharged battery, it has a range of 100 miles(we got 117 miles in a recent test). You canplug the LEAF into a standard 110-volthousehold circuit to recharge the batteries,though you have to use the charger andheavy-duty cable that comes with the car,neatly stashed in zippered canvas bag in thetrunk and it’ll take about eight hours for afull recharge.

Meantime, Nissan is leading the way indeveloping a public charging infrastructurein cities around the country and at rest stopsalong the interstate highway system, thelack of places to re-charge being the biggestproblem for electric car owners. Obviously,

if trips are within 100 miles or if you canre-charge at your destination, then theabsence of public charging stations is not aproblem. Nissan says a network of fast-charging stations will be in place within thenext year.

LEAF owners can buy a Quick ChargePort for $700, which will enable the use ofa direct current fast-charger to bring theLEAF batteries back to 80 percent of

capacity within 30 minutes. Nissan alsooffers a 220-volt home charging unit($2,200 installed) that recharges the batter-ies in four hours.

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]>.

Nissan LEAF: The future is now for automobiles

LET’S TALK CARS

Ron BeasleyAUTOMOTIVE EDITOR

Nissan LEAF is an all-electric four-door hatchback commuter vehicle.

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Documents

Kendall Gazette 2.8.2011