First up…and we know this is close to the wire, there’s a free business workshop hosted by SCORE Miami-Dade and the Economic Development Council on Tuesday March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber South building, located at 900 Perrine Avenue. It will let you know the programs and services offered by the area SCORE, all-volunteer nonprofit group that provides free business mentoring and low-cost workshops. For more info call 305-378-9470.
Booth or DARE…? Officer Glasko of the Palmetto Bay Village Policing Unit says that they still need vendors for the D.A.R.E. Program Fundraiser at Ludovici Park on April 10. It’s an Arts & Crafts Fair with up to 40 vendors, and there’s a $25 vendor registration fee, which is pretty reasonable, we think, considering the amount of public exposure and the good the program does in the community. D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons taught from Kindergarten through 12th grade that teach students good decision making skills to help them avoid high-risk behavior to ensure they grow up healthy, safe and secure. Fundraiser proceeds go toward workbooks & diplomas. For more info call Officer Glasko at 305-278-4016.
Who ya gonna call…? Like ghost stories? You might like the Deering Estate Spookover on Saturday, March 26th; from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Overnight at the Deering Estate when the lights are out, with the League of Paranormal Investigators taking guests on a Paranormal Investigation of the historic houses and main grounds. “Equipment used to detect spectral presences – such as pendulums, dowsing rods, EMF meters and cameras are welcome!” A light breakfast will be served. Cost is $65 per person. To purchase tickets, please call the Deering Estate Ticket Office at 305-235-1668 ext. 233.
Do you like to eat? Who doesn’t! The 7th Annual Deering Seafood Festival is scheduled for Sunday March 27, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the historic Deering Estate at Cutler, 16701 SW 72 Ave. Lots of Florida’s freshest fish and seafood will be served up by Golden Rule Seafood Market, Whole Foods Market, Black Point Ocean Grill, Iggy’s Street Wok, Imlee Indian Bistro, Miller Alehouse, Paella Party, Rodbender’s Raw Bar & Grill, Shibui Japanese Restaurant and Sports Grill. Celebrity chefs Dean Max (3030 Ocean), Jouvens Jean (SAWA Village of Merrick Park), Sean Bernal (Sushi Samba) and Tricia Ferguson (co-author of Lionfish Cookbook) will offer tips and recipes, and the music of steel drums adds to the fun. Cost: $15 for adults in advance online (www.deeringestate.com/) or $20 at the gate. $5 for children ages 4-14; Children under 4 are free. (Admission includes park entrance and all activities excluding, food, drink, pontoon boat rides and rock climbing.) Deering Estate Foundation Members get free admission. Ride your bike and enjoy the free bike valet service at the Main Gate courtesy of Green Mobility Network! For more info call 305-235-1668.
Don’t forget…the next Regular Council Meeting is on Monday, April 4, in the Village Council Chambers, 9705 E. Hibiscus Street, at 7 p.m. Also, don’t forget that Village Hall will be closed Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.
Want to get involved? We hear that there are three seats open on the Village’s fivemember TreeAdvisory Board. If interested, please contact the Vice Mayor, or Councilmembers of District 1 or 2 regarding these respective appointment opportunities. Or contact Public Works staff for general information. There are also openings on the Art in Public Places Advisory Board, which reviews and suggests art pieces to be acquired by the Village. And we hear that the Historic Preservation Advisory Board is looking for help, too. Contact Planning & Zoning staff at Village Hall, 305-259-1234, for information.
Kendall’s Joe Martinez stays on the job
Following an overwhelming recall vote of Mayor Carlos Alvarez by near 10- to-1 voter margins March 15, Kendall District 11 Commissioner Joe A. Martinez quickly got out a press release to constitutents.
On March 16, a statement declared “The residents of Miami-Dade County have exercised their civic right and we must all now work together to rebuild our community.
“I assure you that the hard working employees of Miami-Dade County will continue to provide the residents the same level of service we have all grown to appreciate,” he continued.
“As Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, I will work diligently with my colleagues and the administration to make certain that the transition is smooth, transparent, and done as quickly as possible. I encourage any resident to contact my office with any concerns,” he concluded.
If you can’t get through directly to the Comish, ring up Lorena Guerra-Macias at 305-375-1155 or 305-219-6740, Being available has always been one of Martinez’s attributes, at least so far as the press is concerned – and although we’ve heard of spotty incidents where other Commissioners and Alvarez himself were not easily reached, we’ve always had a courteous callback or response from Martinez.
After pledging to Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations to remain as Chairman of the Commission, he’ll preside over any legal action of the 12 members charged with replacing Alvarez by temporary appointment or special election, barring an interim appointment to replace Natalie Seijas.
Does that mean Commissioner Joe has a “swing” vote in any close ballot that turns on a simple 6-5 majority? Not really. Joe holds the ace card of being a tie-breaker at 6-6, or being a determining vote at 6-5 which allows him the slight luxury of delaying a cause he might prefer to see held over. Either way, he remains in the “power seat.”
At least until 2012 when he says he’ll run for the Mayor’s job against whoever the Commission may appoint or ask citizens to elect in the days ahead.
Development of Indian Hammocks Park as studied by the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation would allow expansion by sharing or acquiring additional land that now adjoins its 105 acres just north of Kendall Drive between SW 107th and 117th Avenues. Details that have been carefully researched will be reported in a second Gazettestory about Kendall’s third District Park in a forthcoming issue.
Good friend, Michael Howe, “certified cynic and master teller of less-than-primetime jokes” according to Barry White, underwent surgery today for a tongue cancer recently at South Miami Hospital. “He will need all of (your prayers) now as he works toward full recovery” that will require at least six months, we say “Amen!” to that. Priscilla Rivera will act as Vice-Chair for the Kendall Police District’s Citizen Advisory Committee in Howe’s absence.
Hammocks Middle School will host a special Latin Jazz class for both young and older aficionados who fancy their musical talents rate a listen when a special class begins meeting today, March 22 through May 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. form an ensemble under auspices of the Kendall Campus/ Miami Dade College School of Community Education. If interested, call 305-237-0321, 305-237-2976 or visit online at www.mdc.edu/ce/kendall.
If you haven’t had occasion to motor downtown recently, stay off the Palmetto to Dolphin X-way connection, if at all possible. Recent trip on a weekday at 11 a.m. found traffic at 5 mph from Bird Road northbound on SR 826 as far as the new Marlins Stadium, eastbound on SR 834, mostly due to massive SR 826-834 interchange construction extending miles along both expressways. Solution? Believe it or not, next time we’ll use Kendall Drive and US 1!
Cutler Bay residents can let their hair down soon
Fun for the family… The Town of Cutler Bay and the Cutler Ridge Elementary P.T.A. will present Spring Movie Night in the Park on Friday April 8 at 7:30 p.m. That’s at Cutler Ridge Park/Elementary School Field, and the movie starts promptly at 8:00 p.m., so don’t be late. The movie is Disney’s “Tangled,” which is a hip, fun take on the Rapunzel fairy tale of old. “Bring your lawn chairs & blankets,” say organizers. “Admission is FREE. Cutler Ridge Elementary P.T.A. will be selling popcorn, candy, sodas, and waters. All proceeds will benefit the P.T.A.” For more info call the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-238-4166.
Know your history? Local documentation specialist Pat Fulton of Writer on Call is trying to put together a display or small museum of Cutler Ridge/Cutler Bay history, so if you’ve been around town awhile, are a native or long-time resident and know something about this community’s past, have some old photos or can give an oral history, please contact Pat at patful01@msn.com.
Next up…and we know this is close to the wire, there’s a free business workshop hosted by SCORE Miami-Dade and the Economic Development Council on Tuesday March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber South building, located at 900 Perrine Avenue. It will let you know the programs and services offered by the area SCORE, all-volunteer nonprofit group that provides free business mentoring and lowcost workshops. For more info call 305- 378-9470.
Who ya gonna call…? Like ghost stories? You might like the Deering Estate Spookover on Saturday, March 26th; from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Overnight at the Deering Estate when the lights are out, with the League of Paranormal Investigators taking guests on a Paranormal Investigation of the historic houses and main grounds. “Equipment used to detect spectral presences – such as pendulums, dowsing rods, EMF meters and cameras are welcome!” A light breakfast will be served. Cost is $65 per person. To purchase tickets, please call the Deering Estate Ticket Office at 305- 235-1668 ext. 233.
Do you like to eat? Who doesn’t! The 7th Annual Deering Seafood Festival is scheduled for Sunday March 27, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the historic Deering Estate at Cutler, 16701 SW 72 Ave. Lots of Florida’s freshest fish and seafood will be served up by Golden Rule Seafood Market, Whole Foods Market, Black Point Ocean Grill, Iggy’s Street Wok, Imlee Indian Bistro, Miller Alehouse, Paella Party, Rodbender’s Raw Bar & Grill, Shibui Japanese Restaurant and Sports Grill. Celebrity chefs Dean Max (3030 Ocean), Jouvens Jean (SAWAVillage of Merrick Park), Sean Bernal (Sushi Samba) and Tricia Ferguson (co-author of Lionfish Cookbook) will offer tips and recipes, and the music of steel drums adds to the fun. Cost: $15 for adults in advance online (www.deeringestate.com/) or $20 at the gate. $5 for children ages 4-14; Children under 4 are free. (Admission includes park entrance and all activities excluding, food, drink, pontoon boat rides and rock climbing.) Deering Estate Foundation Members get free admission. Ride your bike and enjoy the free bike valet service at the Main Gate courtesy of Green Mobility Network! For more info call 305-235-1668.
Don’t forget… that Town Hall will be closed Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.
Thought for the Day:
A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.
— John Wooden
Gary Alan Ruse contributed to this column.
Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669- 7355, ext. 249, or send emails to michael@communitynewspapers.com.
