miami beach news 11.17.2011

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BY JASON LOEB Chairman, Miami Beach Chamber As with every organi- zation, it's the people that breathe life into the mission. However, max- imizing its supporting initiatives always requires a little money (well actually, quite a bit of it). Here, at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, we're continuing to come up with ideas to better our businesses and com- munity - and funding is a crucial source in implementing them. Recently, a number of our members have not only dedicated their time and passion to the organization, but also significant monetary investments. One of my initial goals upon becoming Chairman was to establish a special recog- nition level for these individuals. A year later, I'm happy to announce the installment of the Chairman's Circle. The Chairman's Circle aims to give added value back to members/companies that invest $10,000 or more to the Chamber. Our largest financial supporters receive invitations to four quarterly dinners to dis- cuss important and relevant community topics and share key insights. This is also an opportune time to discuss their individual ideas and garner support as they try and grow their respective businesses. My vision for this Chairman's Circle is not only to generate business and growth for Miami Beach, but also enhance the Chamber's position on a national scale. The Chairman's Circle membership also includes Chamber website advertising. These individual donations are substan- tially more than we've ever received before and are critical to helping us carry out our mission to provide the best infrastructure in which to live, work and enjoy. I look for- ward sharing my enthusiasm with this elite group. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Chairman's Circle, please call Ana Cecilia Velasco at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce at (305) 674-1300. NOVEMBER 17, 2011 ––––––––––– www.communitynewspapers.com –––––––––––– Phone: 305-669-7355 Published in cooperation with The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Connecting Local Businesses since 1958 Letter from the Chair City National Bank named Community Bank of the Year Miami Beach Chamber Annual Meeting: A Celebration of Accomplishments and Growth O n November 9th 2011, the Miami Beach Chamber celebrated its Annual meeting at the La Gorce Country Club. Hundreds of members came together to celebrate the Chamber’s accomplishments and welcome new members and leaders. The guests enjoyed an hour of cocktails and hors d’oeuvre prior to being addressed by the Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber, Mr. Jason Loeb, who thanked everyone for their attendance and invited them to watch a 15 minute presentation –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See MEETING, page 4 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See CNB, page 4 C ity National Bank of Florida (CNB) has been named Local/Community Bank of the Year by South Florida Business Journal in the publication’s inaugural Excellence in Banking and Finance Awards. CNB President and Chief Executive Officer Jorge Gonzalez was also named a finalist in the Financial CEO of the Year category. The awards recognize South Florida’s “Best in Banking” as selected by an independent panel of financial professionals and consultants. The award panel stated that no other bank has had more of a positive impact on the business community over the past year than City National Bank. CITY NATIONAL BANK EXTERIOR

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Page 1: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

BY JASON LOEBChairman, Miami Beach Chamber

As with every organi-zation, it's the peoplethat breathe life into themission. However, max-imizing its supportinginitiatives alwaysrequires a little money(well actually, quite a bitof it). Here, at the Miami Beach Chamberof Commerce, we're continuing to come upwith ideas to better our businesses and com-munity - and funding is a crucial source inimplementing them. Recently, a number ofour members have not only dedicated theirtime and passion to the organization, butalso significant monetary investments. Oneof my initial goals upon becomingChairman was to establish a special recog-nition level for these individuals. A yearlater, I'm happy to announce the installmentof the Chairman's Circle.

The Chairman's Circle aims to giveadded value back to members/companiesthat invest $10,000 or more to the Chamber.Our largest financial supporters receiveinvitations to four quarterly dinners to dis-cuss important and relevant communitytopics and share key insights. This is also anopportune time to discuss their individualideas and garner support as they try andgrow their respective businesses. Myvision for this Chairman's Circle is not onlyto generate business and growth for MiamiBeach, but also enhance the Chamber'sposition on a national scale. TheChairman's Circle membership alsoincludes Chamber website advertising.

These individual donations are substan-tially more than we've ever received beforeand are critical to helping us carry out ourmission to provide the best infrastructure inwhich to live, work and enjoy. I look for-ward sharing my enthusiasm with this elitegroup. If you are interested in learningmore about or joining the Chairman'sCircle, please call Ana Cecilia Velasco atthe Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce at(305) 674-1300.

NOVEMBER 17, 2011 ––––––––––– www.communitynewspapers.com –––––––––––– Phone: 305-669-7355

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Miami Beach Chamber Annual Meeting: A Celebration of Accomplishments and Growth

OOn November 9th 2011, the Miami BeachChamber celebrated its Annual meetingat the La Gorce Country Club. Hundredsof members came together to celebratethe Chamber’s accomplishments and

welcome new members and leaders. The guests enjoyed anhour of cocktails and hors d’oeuvre prior to beingaddressed by the Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber, Mr.Jason Loeb, who thanked everyone for their attendanceand invited them to watch a 15 minute presentation

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See MEETING,page 4

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See CNB, page 4

CCity National Bankof Florida (CNB)has been namedLocal/CommunityBank of the Year by

South Florida Business Journal in thepublication’s inaugural Excellence inBanking and Finance Awards.

CNB President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer Jorge Gonzalez was also nameda finalist in the Financial CEO of theYear category.

The awards recognize SouthFlorida’s “Best in Banking” as selectedby an independent panel of financialprofessionals and consultants.

The award panel stated that no otherbank has had more of a positive impacton the business community over thepast year than City National Bank.

CITY NATIONAL BANK EXTERIOR

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November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 3

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CNB, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

reviewing the accomplishments of the2010-2011 year.

The Chamber’s annual meeting providesa unique opportunity for members to sharetheir success and growth of the previousyear and connect with the possibility ofnew business prospects. “The mantra forthis year is One Voice,“ said Jason Loeb,“We are the number 1 chamber of com-merce in the world, the number one desti-nation in the world, and together we cancontinue on this path and perpetuate this 90year tradition of excellence.”

The presentation gave all attendees anoverview of the Chamber’s developmentsof the past year. It opened with the revamp-ing and rebranding of online tools such asw w w . m b c h a m b e r . c o m ,www.mbguest.com, andwww.mbincard.com, as well as, theachievements of the Miami Beach News, acommunity newspaper that after only oneyear has grown to a 20,000 issues circula-tion. It also touched on the current under-takings of the various councils such as the

Advocacy Council, Educational Council,Emerging Leadership Council, GlobalBusiness Council, Real Estate Council,Sustainable Business Council, Tourism andHospitality Council, and the WomenBusiness Council. The audience alsolearned about the increased participationand funds raised from events such as theChampions of Business Awards Luncheon,Miami Beach Golf Classic, and the 89thAnnual Dinner Gala and Silent Auction.

After the presentation the HonoraryJudge Beth Bloom proceeded to the instal-lation of new leaders and members byswearing in Jason Loeb as the Chair of theMiami Beach Chamber and David Sacks ofPathman Lewis, LLP as Chairman of thePillard Board of Trustees. The eveningended with this month’s Pillar Rising StarWinner being Billy Long Jr. from CBSOutdoor. As part of his award, Mr. Longwill receive a jaguar from Warren HenryVehicles.

Congratulations Chamber! We look for-ward to another year of growth!

MEETING, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“We are both humbled and gratified bythis honor,” Gonzalez said. “Our peopleand our clients make us who we are. Theydeserve much of the credit for helpingCNB grow and continue to have a positiveimpact on the communities we serve. Wethank them for their loyalty.”

Other contributing factors, according tothe Business Journal, were the Bank’s$400 million in loans during the first halfof 2011, the addition of seven new bankingcenters since 2010 and more than $30 mil-lion in earnings through September.

In the past two years, City National hasopened banking centers in Kendall, BirdRoad and Coral Springs and will open alocation on U.S. 1 in South Miami nextyear.

CNB has always had a large presence inMiami Beach. The bank currently has loca-tions in South Beach and on 41st and 71st

streets.The award panel also cited the bank’s

extensive community and charitable out-reach. CNB has been a key contributor toboth the United Way and March of Dimes

through corporate donations and employeefundraising. CNB’s commitment to thebusiness community is demonstratedthrough significant partnerships with thechambers of commerce, including those inGreater Miami, Miami Beach and CoralGables.

“Being a partner in the community issuch an important part of what we do,”Gonzalez said. “We want to be yourneighborhood bank but with all the tech-nology and products you’d expect from abig bank. As we like to say, we’re largeenough to give clients what they wantand small enough to do it the way theywant.”

Founded in 1946 in Miami Beach, CityNational is the sixth-largest Florida-basedbank. The bank is a subsidiary of CajaMadrid, which was founded more than 300years ago and is one of Spain’s largestfinancial institutions. CNB offers a diver-sified portfolio of financial products andservices at 26 banking centers fromMiami-Dade County to the greater Orlandoarea.

Page 4 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 5: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Steve Adkins is presently the President of theMiami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber ofCommerce, the largest not-for-profit corporationin the county for gay and lesbian businesses.Since Mr. Adkins took over the reigns MDGLCCmembership has more than quadrupled.

In 1999, Mr. Adkins moved from his nativeSan Diego, California to South Florida afterholding several positions in the financial world,and immediately became interested in promot-ing Miami as a year-round, gay and gay-friend-ly tourist destination, while owner/operator ofthe Jefferson House, a South Beach BoutiqueBed & Breakfast Hotel.

Prior to his move to the East Coast, Mr.Adkins held several positions in the bankingworld. From 1995 to 1999, he served as theRelationship Manager and InternationalTrade Finance Manager for the Union Bankof California, San Diego, handling suchmajor accounts as Aldila, Inc.; ASIAerospace Group; and Jenny Craig.

From 1995 to 2001, he was the Real EstateManager and Financial Consultant for TheSteven James Group, San Diego, CA, andfrom 1992 to 1995, he served as the ChiefFinancial Officer for eight separate compa-nies for Hydrabath, Inc & Pride Plastics, Inc.,in Santa Ana, CA, manufacturers ofwhirlpool tubs and plastic components.

Steve was able to supplement his love ofsports when he served as the Vice Presidentof Major Accounts for Security PacificNational Bank - Corporate Banking, SanDiego, CA., from 1984-1992, handling port-folios for the San Diego Padres BaseballClub, several golf club manufactures and, theWeekend Exercise Company, among others.

Mr. Adkins began his career at the top of

the ladder when he served as the VicePresident of the Bank of America NT & SA,from 1975 – 1984.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Science, from SanDiego State University and a BusinessAdministration Degree with a strong emphasis onManagement with a Concentration in Finance.

Mr. Adkins received the 2009 EddieMcIntyre Community Service Award fromthe National Gay & Lesbian Task Force andthe 2010 Bacardi Icon Award. He currentlyserves on the Marketing Council for theGMCVB, the Miami Beach Visitor &Convention Authority. Adkins is the Chair ofthe MDGLCC Foundation, Inc. and also thePresident of the Miami-Dade Gay & LesbianChamber of Commerce from 2005-11.

STEVEN NOEL ADKINS

LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHTLEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHTSTEVEN NOEL ADKINS –

President Miami-Dade & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 5

Page 6: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Adam Sendzischew and Cristian LaCapra

Pillar Board of Trustee members Madeleine Romanello and

Sherry Roberts

Michael Grieco, Pillar Board Vice Chair and Judge Beth Bloom

Jason Beukeman, Raquel Bild-Libbin and Alan Lips, Chair Elect

Abraham Gablut, Representative Luis Garcia and Wayne Pathman

Board of Governors members Stuart Weintraub and

Albert Mertz

Stevan Pardo, Daniel Koffsky and Ron Katz

Executive Board Members Aaron Perry, Stephanie Ruiz, Billy Long and Anthony Noboa

Aaron Tandy and Jeff Klein

Miami Beach Chamber Annual Meeting at the La Gorce Country ClubPage 6 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 7: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Miami Beach Chamber Annual Meeting at the La Gorce Country Club

Jerry Libbin, President & CEO of the Miami Beach

Chamber, and Judge Beth Bloom

Nora Perez and Kelly Woodward

Alan Lips, Chair Elect, Jason Loeb, Chairman and Adam Cedrati,

Treasurer

Anthony Noboa, Joy W.V. Malakoff and Aaron Tandy

Judge Beth Bloom and Lyle Stern David Siguaw and Nathan Lieberman

Annual Meeting at La Gorce Country Club

Rona Rose Witek and Candice Ryan-Lederman

DeAnne Connolly Graham, Pillar Board Vice

Chair and Jay Jiggins

Christian Infante, Paola Rengifo, Edwin Melendez and Alfred Karram Jr.

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 7

Page 8: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Page 8 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Co-owners Andre Boudou, GregoryBoudou, Bob Sinclar and Pierre Denain arethrilled to announce the highly anticipatedreopening of world-renowned nightclub,Amnesia Miami. Amnesia Miami willofficially open its doors on Friday, October21, 2011, at the 136 Collins Avenue build-ing - the same spot where Amnesia origi-nally reigned over Miami’s night scenebetween 1993 and 1996.

“I built the first Amnesia Miami 20years ago and now, together with my sonGregory, we have combined our experi-ences from previous ventures around theworld to enhance the Amnesia concept withall new, top of the line technology.” saidAmnesia Founder and co-owner AndreBoudou. “After working closely with theworlds best DJs for over 20 years, Idesigned Amnesia with the purpose of pro-viding the best possible room for artists toshowcase their talent,” adds co-ownerG regory Boudou. Co-owner and worldrenowned DJ and music producer BobSinclar adds, “With the combination ofmy influence and this one-of-a-kind musi-cian’s haven, Amnesia Miami will lenditself to be the playground for the world’smost highly recognized celebrities andartists.”

The all-new Amnesia Miami takes over29,000 square feet of multi-level internalspace. The venue’s all-white interiorexudes an avant-garde dimension of tech-nology never seen before. The club boastsover 150 intelligent lighting fixtures, a cus-tom-built Funktion One sound system, andfive grand format LED screens with pro-grammable moving capabilities, all whichtrigger the ambience for the main stage.The spacious dance floor is surrounded by70 VIP tables, 2 private VIP sections, and a

2nd floor mezzanine, with direct views ofthe club’s guest DJs and performing artists.When the featured talent is not gracingAmnesia’s main stage, they can opt to relaxin the Pre-Show Lounge or record tunes inthe fully functional custom-designedrecording studio. The combination of BobSinclar’s influence and this one of a kindmusician’s haven, Amnesia Miami willlend itself to be the playground for theworld’s most highly recognized celebritiesand music artists.

Since the mid 1980’s, Andre Boudou’sworldwide brand, Amnesia, has markedover 27 consecutive years of global suc-cess. The creation of his first nightclub waspioneered in Cap d’Agde, France in 1984,and rapidly flourished as the leading dancevenue in the country by offering an irre-placeable entertainment platform for theclubbing community. After shaping theventure into a worldwide renowned prod-uct, Mr. Boudou, joined by his sonGregory, decided to expand Amnesia’spresence overseas in 1993, and formed thelegendary icon known as Amnesia Miami,which continuously elevated the art ofclubbing for 5 full years. After almost twodecades away from home, the newly trans-formed Amnesia Miami returns.

Amnesia Miami is located at 136 CollinsAvenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139 and will beopen Friday & Saturday nights from 11 PM –5 AM. For more information and/or reserva-tions, please visit www.AmnesiaMiami.comor call 305.538.2424 or email [email protected]

AMNESIA MIAMI: The Legend Returns

Page 9: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

But only if you assert them

Foreclosure Defense LitigationMortgage Modification Representation

Short Sale AssistanceBuyer & Seller Representation

Independent Closing Agent.

Presentation to your organization, group or associationYou have rights, but you MUST claim your rights or

you will lose your rights.Contact our office for further details

The law office of Dennis R. Haber P.A. has been providing legal services to our community for over 25 years, however thisinformation is of a general nature and is not intended to answer any individual’s legal questions. Do not rely on informationpresented herein to address your individual legal concerns. If you have a legal questions, you should consult an attorneyexperienced in that area of the law. Moreover, the hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be basedsolely upon advertisements. Before you hire an attorney, you should request information about attorney’s qualificationsand experiences.

MIAMI LEGALTITLE & MEDIATION SERVICES

A full services law firm

FREE CONSULTATION

305-256-3002

YOUHAVE

DEFENSESBY WILLIAM D. TALBERT III, CDME

HOW’S BUSINESSThe travel and tourism

industry is actively pro-moting the Visa WaiverProgram (VWP) toinclude Latin Americancountries such as Brazil.The Visa Waiver

Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36participating countries to travel to theUnited States for tourism or business forstays of 90 days or less without obtaininga visa. The burdensome U.S. visa systemcontinues to drive millions of potentialtravelers to other countries at an enor-mous cost to our economy.

Currently, the average wait time inBrazil’s top cities of São Paulo, Rio deJaneiro and Brasilia for a visa interviewappointment in order to visit the USA is97 days. In other words, if you appliedtoday (November 16, 2011), the firstavailable appointment is February 21,2012. Brazil is Miami’s #2 internationalmarket for overnight visitors. In 2010,Brazilian visitors generated an economicimpact of $1.14 billion for GreaterMiami. For more information about theVisa Waiver Program, visit www.smarter-visapolicy.org.

SAMPLING OF RECENT & UPCOMINGMEETINGS…

Meeting:International Trademark AssociationDate:November 8-12, 2011Venue:Fontainebleau Miami BeachAttendance:1,100

Meeeting:America Society for PeriodontologyDate:November 13-15, 2011Venue:Miami Beach Convention CenterAttendance:5,500

Meeting: North AmericanRegional Science CouncilDate: November 9-13, 2011Venue: Hyatt Regency Miami Attendance: 700

WELCOME TO MIAMI!The Greater Miami Convention &

Visitors Bureau extends a warm welcometo the delegates of the America Society forPeeriodontology, which will hold its annualmeeting at the Miami Beach ConventionCenter November 13-15, 2011. This meet-ing brings more than 5,000 delegates toGreater Miami with an estimated economicimpact of $7,887,306 to our community.Please join us in welcoming the delegatesof this prestigious convention to our com-munity. We hope their conference is pro-fessionally successful, personally enjoy-able and that we will have the opportunityto welcome them back again soon.

NASCAR EXCITEMENT ON MIAMI BEACHThe NASCAR Championship Drive

festival is November 17-18th on MiamiBeach. This two-day festival revs up fans forFord Championship Weekend Novemberr18-20, 2011 at Homestead-MiamiSpeedway. NASCAR Championship Drivefeatures live music, multiple driver appear-ances, a race hauler parade, and many otherFREE activities. A colorful parade featuringrace team haulers from the top NASCARSprint Cup Series teams will begin at 3:15p.m. in downtown Miami and travel acrossthe MacArthur Causeway and onto OceanDrive before ending at Lummus Park. Theevening concert features Blake Shelton,CMA “Male Vocalist of the Year”. Fridayevening, the festival area will stay open lateand become a NASCAR lounge where thenightlife patrons of Ocean Drive restaurantsand clubs can enjoy the sights and sounds ofNASCAR under the stars. For a completeschedule of events, visitwww.Nascar.com/ChampionshipDrive.

MIAMI LIVE MUSIC MONTHThe GMCVB’s Miami Live Music

Month, which runs through November 30,2011, celebrates our destination’s dynamiclive music scene. Miami’s live music ven-ues will host performances featuring rock,jazz, R&B, bossa nova, Caribbean andmuch more. During Miami Live MusicMonth, consumers can participate in a text-to-win contest or check-in to music ven-ues/festivals through a FourSquare promo-tion for a chance to win a weekend at theFontainebleau Miami Beach during theBleau Live concert series to see RickyMartin, concert tickets, Bayside RocksFestival tickets or iTunes gift cards. Fordetails and a list of live music events, visitwww.MiamiLiveMusicMonth.com.

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 9

Page 10: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

It is not a head rest...The head restraint in a vehicle does not help you rest your head, as a matter of

fact it helps you not to break your neck in case of a collision. It is always attached tothe top of the car seat. They are only good and effective when properly positioned.

Where should they be?It is the head restraint that will reduce neck injuries in case of a collision, and so

it is important to have your head aligned with the headrest, but not the neck alone, asthis would be extremely dangerous in case of collision.

Most cars have manually-adjustable head restraints, but they all have to be 27.5inches above the seat reference point by law.

How do you adjust them?But how should these restraints be adjusted? According to the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, to be effective, the top of the restraint should liesomewhere between the top of your ears and the top of your head. If the restraintarticulates for horizontal adjustment, it should be placed so that it’s as close to yourhead as possible, without pushing your head forward or causing the height of therestraint to drop. The position of your seatback is also important - less is better whenit comes to reclining. A more upright seatback means that the head restraint will like-ly be in a safer position - one that’s closer to your head.

Head Restraints or Head Rests?

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

“Serving Our Community For More Than 20 Years”305-662-6178

6950 N. Kendall Drive Miami, Florida 33156Telefax: (305) 662-9472 • 1-800-PANTERLAW

www.panterlaw.com

“Let our Family Help you and your Family.”

BY SUPERINTENDENT ALBERTO CARVALHO

Faced with nearly two billion dollars instate funding shortfalls since 2007, we atMiami-Dade County Public Schools havecarved huge savings from our budget, thusprotecting the classroom and largely avoid-ing layoffs while boosting efficiency and,miraculously, student performance at thesame time.

Now, at the start of a new school year,we’ve been forced by another state fundingshortfall to cut even deeper. Our 2011-12budget takes us all the way to the bone,largely sparing flesh by further streamlin-ing operations and dedicating these sav-ings to the classroom while even loweringtaxes and boosting reserves.

Through fine fiscal surgery by staff andcourageous leadership from the SchoolBoard, we have managed to hold the class-room harmless once again. These cutscome at a particularly inopportune time,with our students continuing to scoreimpressive gains on state, national, andinternational assessments. Some havedubbed our success “the Miami-Dade mir-acle,” but our short-term miracle could dis-appear in the long term if state fundingcontinues to vanish.

Still, our schools are positioned foranother strong academic year. The follow-ing are highlights of the budget, includinga cost-savings reorganization approved bythe Board in July.

CLASSROOM INVESTMENTSThe bulk of cuts comes from restructuring

and further downsizing administration, includ-ing the consolidation of the regions from fiveto four and alternative education centers fromsix to two. All told, we have shrunk centraladministration by 58 percent since 2008.

SMALLER, SMARTER OPERATIONSIn approving our largest reorganization

ever, the School Board has eliminated oper-ational redundancies and institutionalizedoperational improvements to the tune of$13.7 million in annually recurring savings.With our new Enterprise Resource Planning

(ERP) system in place on time and underbudget, and our food services departmentturning years of deficits into a projected$10.3 million annual profit, our operationsare more efficient and more effective.

FISCAL STABILITYThough forced to make huge budget

cuts, we have managed to build ourreserves from $4 million in 2008 to $83million today. At a time when the U.S.government, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Machave been hit with Wall Street downgrades,Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ bondrating is up, reflecting investors’ confi-dence in our school district.

NO TEACHER LAYOFFSWith school districts across the state and

country laying off employees, includingteachers, we at Miami-Dade County PublicSchools have kept layoffs to a minimum,with most coming from our shrinking cap-ital construction program. In keeping withour pledge to hold our classrooms and stu-dents harmless, no full-time teacher hasbeen laid off for economic reasons.

LOWER TAXESTo ease the burden on county residents,

we have accomplished all of this withoutraising taxes. In fact, the School Board hascut the tax rate from $8.2 to $8 for every$1,000 of assessed property value, for anaverage $50 savings on the school tax billfor the typical homeowner.

SAVING OURSELVESMiami-Dade County Public Schools has

clearly done its part in shielding our stu-dents from the pain of Tallahassee’s slash-ing. Now it’s your turn. The hurt won’tstop until you—our business communityand taxpayers—demand that Tallahasseeput a stop to it. Learn more about theimpact of school funding cuts, and tell oth-ers what you know. Then call your legisla-tors and hold them accountable—and do itnow. We can’t afford to wait until the nextlegislative session. Our students are bank-ing on you.

• CARVALHO’S CORNER •We’ve cut the fat

Find us on

Page 10 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 11: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

BY ISADORE HAVENICK

The ResortGaming Billseems to havetaken over as the“Hot” item fac-ing the FloridaLegislature in2012.

The Debate ison in full force and not just in SouthFlorida. Tiny Gadsden County inNorth Florida recently approved areferendum for slots at a quarter-horse track to be placed on the ballotin January. Palm Beach County isapparently considering placing asimilar measure on the November2012 ballot. The handwriting isclearly on the wall that additional

gaming in Florida is not a questionof if but rather when.

Here in Miami Beach we mustwrestle with how to prepare forexpanded gaming locations, how tosynergize the beach with gaming onthe mainland, or perhaps to evenconsider some form of gaming on theBeach. The concern of Beach politi-cos is focused on the ConventionCenter. Is it a dying facility that willgo the way of the Miami Arena? Is itdestined to be a second rate home togun shows and flea markets? Can itbe rebranded- remodeled- reinvigo-rated? Please remember that all takesreinvestment. The time is now todeal head on with this issue. Thetrain is rolling down the tracks and itis only a matter of time until it pullsinto a station near you.

The $outh Florida Gaming ReporThe $outh Florida Gaming Repor tt

Much Ado About Something

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 11

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Page 12 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 13: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

BY MARTIN [email protected]

Considered the mostfamily centered holidayin the United States,Thanksgiving has itsroots on the many har-vest festivals held forcenturies throughout theworld. In early autumn,after gathering the boun-

ty, villagers would congregate to feast andthank God for the plentiful growing season.Over the years, most festivals have had reli-gious origins, and many were celebrated dur-ing seasonal changes to either thank orinvoke the betterment of the food supply.

The reason as to why Thanksgiving is con-sidered the most family centered holiday inthe United States, is because members ofmost religions participate and Christmas hasbecome extremely commercialized.Regretfully, too many Americansare forgetting the true meaning ofChristmas and are making itmore about shopping, exchang-ing gifts and partying withfriends. There is a lot to be saidabout gathering with the family,thanking God for our blessingsand enjoying a festive meal.

Thanksgiving is a very impor-tant holiday for our family. It hasalways been my mother’s favoritesince she is able to gather every-one under one roof in a spiritualbliss and show off her cookingskills. It also gives her the oppor-tunity to invite people she likesand wants the rest of us to meet asshe did with our new next doorneighbor who later became mywife some 35 years ago.

Thanksgiving was also the subject of thefirst article I ever wrote at Miami JacksonHigh, winning a $50 savings bond from theKiwanis Club that was presented at theLighthouse Restaurant “on the ocean, on thenorth side of the Haulover Bridge in MiamiBeach”. The Thanksgiving holidays them-selves have given us many reasons to be joy-ful and thankful.

That first article was about how Cubans,relatively new to this country, celebrated theholidays with the traditional turkey, mashedpotatoes and gravy (so as not to offend ourhost country), but made sure there was riceand black beans. “Tasajo” a shredded drybeef dish similar to “ropa vieja” was alwaysmy favorite. To this day, proud to be a partof and not just be hosted, we still have the“tasajo” with the turkey, mashed potatoes,rice and black beans.

As we started our research, we found thatevery ethnic group basically does the samething. Not the rice and black beans ofcourse, but for example, Italians who have

quite a hard time finding turkeys in Italy willadd an antipasti and pasta course to theturkey and mashed. Japanese-Americanswill have rice (sometimes deliciously madewith chestnuts) and tsukemono, literallytranslated as “pickled things”; a combinationof vegetables like cucumbers, cabbage,radishes and carrots.

Brazilians will not hesitate to stuff theirturkey with “farofa” (a flour made fromyucca or cassava also used to make tapioca)when made with raisins, nuts and fruits likeapples and bananas or as an accompanimentin its own right just like rice. We are toldthat Russian-Americans have adapted verywell to the turkey, mashed potatoes andpumpkin pie. The old country part of aRussian Thanksgiving supposedly comesfrom the many vodka toasts required toexpress their gratitude. As told by a friend“We toast to America and express our grati-tude. Given the time, vodka and number oftoasts, we could easily become Pilgrims”.

Besides the United States, there are seven

other countries that celebrate an officialThanksgiving Day: Argentina, BrazilCanada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, andSwitzerland. They all have different menusand are held on different dates.

While we all have pictures of our kids orrelatives dressed up in Pilgrim’s hats andIndian attires giving credit to the Pilgrimsand the Wampanoag People for our firstThanksgiving in 1621, retired University ofFlorida historian, Michael V. Gannon some-times dubbed “The Grinch who stoleThanksgiving” and Florida teacher, RobynGioia disagree. According to Gannon andGioia, the very first Thanksgiving was held56 years earlier than the famous meal inPlymouth, Mass. Gannon and Gioia claimthat on September 8th, 1565 Spanish explor-er Pedro Menendez de Avila met with theTimucua Indians in St. Augustine, Floridaand after a Catholic mass feasted with beansoup in the spirit of thanks.

Many reasons are given as to whySeptember 8th is not recognized as the officialday for Thanksgiving in the United States. Aninteresting version is the one about de Avilabeing Spanish and holding the feast in hisnative language, which therefore was calledsomething other than Thanksgiving. Therehad to be other reasons, for the opportunity tochoose another time and place was readilyavailable. There is evidence that theCommonwealth of Virginia was havingthanksgiving celebrations as early as 1607,yet they were not chosen either.

Some jest that since President Lincoln, anative Kentuckian was the one to issue thepresidential proclamation establishing thedate when Thanksgiving would be held andtherefore ratifying the history behind it, hepicked the Pilgrims and Plymouth, Mass.because he preferred turkey over beans. Wecould find no records as to what was servedat the Virginia celebrations, but it had to bebetter than turkey.

Since the Thanksgiving Holidays havebeen so good to us, from now on, we intendto also give thanks and celebrate onSeptember 8th with Fabada Asturiana. Wehope it is the bean soup Pedro Menendez deAvila had with the Timucua Indians in St.Augustine since it is too good a story to spoilwith just any other bean soup. HappyThanksgiving.

Thanksgiving on September 8th

Pedro Menendez de Avila––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 13

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AKJ Design Concepts is proud to be asupporter of the “New World Symphony”

New World Symphony’s mission is to pre-pare highly-gifted graduates of distinguishedmusic programs for leadership roles inorchestras and ensembles around the world.

On February 5th 2011, AKJ DesignConcepts sponsored NWS’s OpeningPerformance at the New World Center.

The New World Center is the new campusof the New World Symphony, America’sOrchestral Academy and a cultural icon inthe center of Miami Beach. The Center is aninimitable foundation for a unique experi-ence, designed by Pritzker prize-winningarchitect Frank Gehry.

Additionally on October 20th 2011, thearchitectural interior design firm also spon-sored the Maestro’s Circle dinner held at the

W Hotel in Miami Beach.Both events were a success

and gathered New World’sSymphony’s most generoussupporters.

AKJ Design Concepts is anarchitectural interior design firm renowned inthe industry for creating one of a kind archi-tectural interiors that they produce for onlymulti-million dollar private residences. Thefirm offers a true turn-key service from archi-tectural design, to general contracting, to thecomplete furnishing of the space. In AlfredKarram Jr’s 25+ year career, he has neverreplicated any of his design concepts – no tworesidences ever bear similar resemblance -they are all one of a kind custom expressionsof the firm’s trademark modern style.

AKJ DESIGN C0NCEPTS LLC305 831 9091 T 305 716 9194 FWWW.AKARRAMJR.C0M

The firm specializes in developing archi-tectural interiors for only the high end mar-ket, especially estate homes and penthousesof only the highest end condominiumsthroughout South Florida. For example inBoca Raton, they have produced award win-ning residences in approximately 40% of theunits in each of the following high end build-ings located on the prime beachfront: TheExcelsior, Presidential Place, Aragon, theAddison on the Ocean, along with MiznerGrand over on Lake Boca. All of these pri-vate residences range from 5,000 to 18,000square feet, and have sold between $6.5 mil-lion and $16 million.

Most of these projects can be viewedbrowsing through the firm’s website atwww.akarramjr.com to get a full and com-prehensive look at all of their truly uniqueaccomplishments, as well as the history andbackground of the firm.

AKJ Design Concepts, an Architectural Interior Design firmsupporting our cultural Miami Beach community

Katy Stoka, Alfred Karram Jr. and Vanessa Dadaglio.

Sandra Hernandez, David Restainer, Marcelo Paladini and Paola Rengifo. Below: New World Symphony Fellows

MASTER BEDROOM KITCHEN

Page 16 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

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Page 18: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

BY VERONIKA POZMENTIER

It takes little effort to get involved in thecommunity and the rewards always far out-weigh the effort or time spent to learn howto be knowledgeable and efficient withinyour neighborhood and become a leader inyour city.

For its residents the City of MiamiBeach through the Office of the CityManager has implemented two interestingprograms: the Miami Beach LeadershipAcademy and the Community EmergencyResponse Team training (known as MBLAand CERT) both offered at no cost twice ayear.

The MBLA founded in 2002 is a civicand public information program and astoday can count more than 550 graduates.

Residents enrolled in the 3 month longtraining program have an opportunity tomeet the staff responsible for providingCity services, gain insight into how theCity works and get to learn the role of eachdepartment by understanding the processesinvolved.

With the visit of a different city depart-ment each week participants can betterunderstand the City policies and ways ofdoing business; it is a great opportunity tolearn more about the city government andthe services it offers in interesting, fun andinteractive ways.

MBLA also serves as a training groundfor tomorrow’s community leaders andsome MBLA graduates have even run forpublic office in the City.

CERT is a positive and realistic approachto emergency and unexpected disaster situ-ations such as storms, earthquake, hurri-cane.

The training is a 6 weeks program taught

by the City of Miami Beach FireDepartment at the Emergency OperationsCenter where residents involved in the pro-gram receive special training that enhancestheir ability to recognize, respond to andrecover from a major emergency or disas-ter situation, that includes disaster pre-paredness, disaster fire suppression, basicdisaster medical operations, and lightsearch and rescue operations.

Developed in 1985 by the Los AngelesCity Fire Department CERT training arenow conducted within communities in 28States since it was made available national-ly by the governmental agency FEMA in1993.

CERT is all about readiness, peoplehelping people, rescuer safety, and doingthe greatest good for the greatest number ofpeople.

In 2011 US President Obama proclaimedSeptember as National PreparednessMonth saying “we remember that pre-paredness is essential. Although we can-not always know when and where a disas-ter will hit, we can ensure we are ready torespond”.

Get involved in your community, be pre-pared, be a leader!

Veronika Pozmentier is a free-lancejournalist. She is a Miami Beach SisterCities International Goodwill Ambassadorand serves on The Wolfsonian-FIUVisionaries Executive Committee andMiami Design Preservation LeagueEducation and Programs Committee.

More Information: Programs supervisedby Community Resource CoordinatorCaroline Defreeze / www.miamibeachfl.govwww.miamibeachfl.gov

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITYWITH TWO PROGRAMS OFFERED BY

THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

Page 18 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 19: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

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Mount Sinai Medical Center has appoint-ed Jason T. Jacobson, M.D., director of elec-trophysiology for the Columbia UniversityDivision of Cardiology atMount Sinai Heart Institute.He is also an assistant pro-fessor at the ColumbiaUniversity Division ofCardiology.

Dr. Jacobson is an expertin the diagnosis and treat-ment of heart rhythm disor-ders, such as atrial fibrilla-tion, ventricular tachycardiain structural heart disease,supraventricular tachycar-dia, and other forms ofarrhythmia. He also isskilled at cardiac catheterablation, a minimally inva-sive technique used toaccess the inner (endocar-dial) or outer (epicardial) surface of the heartand ablate, or destroy, diseased tissue in thetreatment of arrhythmias. He also has expert-ise in the implantation of cardiac rhythm

management devices such as pacemakers,implantable cardiac defibrillators and car-diac resynchronization devices.

Dr. Jacobson is a graduateof the NorthwesternUniversity School ofMedicine. He completed hismedical internship and resi-dency at Weill MedicalCollege-New YorkPresbyterian Hospital. Healso completed fellowshipsin cardiology, electrophysi-ology research and clinicalcardiac electrophysiology atthe Hospital of theUniversity of Pennsylvania.

Board certified in clinicalcardiac electrophysiologyand cardiology, Dr. Jacobsonmost recently was director ofthe Ventricular Arrhythmia

Ablation Program at NorthwesternUniversity’s Feinberg School of Medicine inChicago, where he also was an assistant pro-fessor.

Mount Sinai Medical Centerwelcomes Jason Jacobson, M.D.

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 19

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Page 23: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Pillar Reception at Wine Depot

Jerry Libbin, President & CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber

and Laure McKay, Marketing Director of Wine Depot

Troy Fabien and Wendy Unger

David Sacks, PillarBoard Chairman

See more photos next page

Wine

Depot

Miami

Beach

Christian Infante and Michael S. Goldberg

Jean- Luc Oizan-Chapon, Wine Depot

Dawn Debus, Melissa Mezzalira, Carl Padilla

Herederos Del Marques de Riscal Rioja Wine

Hors d’Oeuvres from Bistro 555

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 23

Page 24: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

St. Emilion Wine at Wine DepotRobert Manrique, Warren Henry Auto, presenting the Jaguar to Rising StarMichael Mandich

ABOVE: Edwin Melendez, MichaelGrieco, Brooke Brown and AdamSendzischew

Pillar Reception at Wine Depot

Alex Rodriguez and Julia Motchalova

Beth Sobol, Mark Silverstone, Immediate Past Chair Aaron Perry, Michael S. Goldberg

Miami Beach Chamber guests at Wine Depot

Ceci Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber, Paul Chevalier, wine maker and Blanca Parets

Page 24 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

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November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 25

SAME DAYDELIVERY AVAILABLEWe’ll help you find the perfect

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Page 26: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Page 26 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Page 27: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

BY JEFF LEHMAN Vice Chair, Miami Beach Visitor and

Convention Authority (MBVCA)

When I arrived in Miami Beach almost20 years ago, the beach was on the cusp ofrecreating itself. Art Deco, film, fashion,and tremendous real estate opportunitieswere the order of the day. Yet the city wassurrounded by less impressive neighbors:Bal Harbour was only beginning some seri-ous new construction; downtown Miamiwas a scary place after dark (this was preAmerican Airlines Arena and ArshtCenter), Brickell was closed at 5:00 P.M.On the beach, there were no branded hotelsexcept the Fontainebleau Hilton. Not asingle Marriott in sight. No Kimptons,Loews, Ritz Carlton. I began workingwith an independent hotel (then called theMiami Beach Ocean Resort at 30th andCollins). Soon after (in 1996) I movedinto the heart of South Beach, to theNational at 17th and Collins. Delano hadrecently opened next door to great acclaim.The National opened in 1997, and only 3hotels - Delano, National and the Tides –competed for all of the higher end businessthat was starting to come to the beach.

As each new project came along – theLoews, the Ritz Carlton, the Marriott SouthBeach, The Royal Palm – many felt andexpressed that the changes would “ruin thebeach”. Each time a major player came in,though, the destination marketing and pos-itive PR and excitement about the growthof our little island helped fuel a worldwideinterest in the destination, which in turnbrought even more growth – and moretourism. Growth was not managed per-fectly by our government – but consideringthat the City had been somewhat ignoredfor so many years, they did the best theycould. People who cared spoke up, gotinvolved, and tried our best to guide theadministration(s) as well as the privateinvestors who were recreating the destina-tion. Mega projects, like the rehabilitationof Lincoln Road or the Collins AvenueReconstruction project were major hurdles,but we held steady with a vision for uniqueworld class destination. Not even theevents of 9/11 could deter us for long, andwithin of year of that horrific event, thehospitality industry was back on track.

Today, in 2011, we are again facing somewatershed moments, from the opening ofthe new Marlin Stadium to a revitalized

downtown and Wynwood, to the gamblingissue that is again (not for the 1st time!)coming up. The difference today is thatwe have recent history to rely on, and aninfrastructure that is certainly a more solidfooting to build on. All of the partnersinvolved in our industry from the GMCVBto the MBVCA and most independent andlarge scale operations, have moved into theage of technology successfully, and arebasing business decisions not on yester-day’s or today’s successes, but the promiseof what tomorrow will bring for all of us.The MBVCA has recently expanded itsown horizons, originally established in the60’s, to bring technology, outreach and vis-itor awareness into the 21st century in away that competes with cities like NewYork City and San Francisco. It is a veryexciting time, and holds much promise forour children’s Miami Beach. As I writethis, the GMCVB is celebrating 25 years ofservice to the community – and to theircredit, one would have to travel to the mostremote corners of the world to find igno-rance about South Beach, where we allhave the pleasure to live and work.

As we all offer our insight and support tothe evolution of Miami Beach, let’sremember that we are indeed fortunate tolive and work in such a vibrant, dynamicand ever-evolving community. As long aswe keep the best interests of Miami Beachas our primary concern, the next chapter inour history is bound to be one of successand unparalleled excitement!

How fortunate weare in Miami Beach

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 27

Page 28: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

Couposh.com, South Florida is the latestcity launch from the wildly successfuldaily deal site based in Westport, CT.Couposh.com is bringing deep discountson the best goods and services from localfavorite haunts and new hot spots to savvyand sophisticated area residents.

Couposh is positioning itself differentlythan other more large-scale daily deal sitesas the founders Jara Negrin and AmyNebens draw on their lifestyle expertise—the two are also founders of the websiteposhmom.com, authors, and TV talk showguests—and their immersion into the nichesophisticated consumer market. WhileCouposh.com will introduce merchants toan immense amount of new clientele, theirgoal is to target the consumers who wantparticular good and services and not just adeal—so numbers will be more meaning-

ful and less overwhelming.“We have experience in this arena not

only as businesswomen but also as women.We are in the trenches and are tuned in towhat people want. We are setting out todeliver the best stuff to our subscribers aswell as loyal customers to the merchantswe feature,” say Negrin and Nebens.

Merchants can call 203.216.5920 torequest inclusion in the Couposh programor visit www.couposh.com/base/contact.

Daily deal site Couposh.comto launch in South Florida

For savvy, sophisticated South Florida consumers,luxe for less South Florida

Page 28 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

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Beautiful beaches, warm tropicalbreezes, and a wedding couple strollingthrough the sand just after their nuptials.These are what inspired Chef Juan to cre-ate Sugar Beach Catering.

“I want a newly married couple to walkinto their reception knowing that their spe-cial day is going to be spent with familyand friends enjoying beautiful food, madefrom the finest ingredients using from-scratch techniques”.

There are so many elements that have tocome together when creating the perfectevent, but the food is the most important -it must be flawless and memorable. That iswhy Chef Juan collaborates personallywith every client: To ensure that theyreceive the best menu for their tastes, eventand budget. From handmade, butler-servedappetizers to chef-carved meats, Chef Juanhas a hand in the creation of every item.“It’s not enough to watch a dish prepared.I pick the ingredients, make the recipes,taste everything and make sure the food isexactly as it is supposed to be”.

Chef Juan has catered hundreds ofevents over his 20-plus years in the foodbusiness, from small family-style dinnersto weddings to grand balls for theAmerican Cancer Society. Every event isspecial and so are the guests.

After spending 22 years in thePanhandle of Florida, with a 3-yearsojourn to Japan and one year in Prague,Chef Juan decided South Florida is theplace, not only for his catering company,but to spend the rest of his career andbeyond. “South Florida offers a chef so

many challenges and opportunities. Withso many great chefs in the area, I have toput all my effort, desire, knowledge andpassion into what I do, if I want to thrive insuch a dynamic and visionary bastion ofculinary greatness”.

Chef Juan utilizes a variety of culturesand cuisines for his style of cooking.Spending time in Japan and Europe, as wellas several parts of the U.S., Chef Juan hasobtained valuable knowledge of a varietyof cooking techniques and styles. “TheGulf Coast gave me fresh seafood; Japan, avariety of styles from the Tokyo to Osaka toHokkaido; in Prague, I learned ContinentalEuropean. I employ all these flavors andstyles into my cooking, always learning andrefining to create the best that I can”.

The most important aspect of ChefJuan’s coking is the movement towardsusing local, sustainable, and organic foodswhenever possible. “One big reason Icame to his area is the access to a widevariety of local farmers and sources forvegetables, meats, and seafood. While notalways available during certain times ofthe year, it gives me the opportunity to sup-port a return to the farming practices thatdo not rely on petroleum based fertilizers,pesticides, and genetically modified tech-niques and to provide my clients with thebest ingredients possible”.

For your next event in South Florida,including the Florida Keys, you have a newchoice: Sugar Beach Catering. For moreinformation, please contact Chef JuanPalerm by email at [email protected] or directly at 786-332-7865.

Chef Juan Palerm brings SugarBeach Catering to Miami Beach

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Never Pay Another Expensive Repair Again

Ly Espinol

It’s nice to see that Ford has finally comearound and is offering American consumerssomething more than gas-guzzling SUVsand monster pickup trucks.

I refer specifically to the all-new FordFocus, a small car with a wonderfully freshdesign, high levels of craftsmanship andoccupant safety, an exceptional array ofsmart new technologies, and an EPA-rated40 mpg on the highway. On top of all that,Focus delivers solid handling and an over-all excellent driving experience.

Focus is powered by a new 2.0-liter DOHCfour-cylinder engine that combines high-pres-sure gasoline direct injection and twin inde-pendent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT)for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency.How about 20 horsepower more than the pre-vious Focus engine and a fuel economyimprovement of more than 10 percent?

The new engine is mated to the latest six-speed Ford PowerShift automatic transmis-

sion with a high-efficiency dual dry-clutchdesign. The advanced transmission also isoffered with SelectShift Automatic thatallows you to shift gears manually. A five-speed manual transmission is available.

With a sleek and sporty design, Focus isavailable in hatchback and sedan models —S, SE, SEL and Titanium trim levels. Thefour-door sedan and five-door hatchbackmodels mark the next step of Ford’s kinet-ic design form, and more than 10 millionunits have been sold worldwide sinceFocus was launched in 1998.

Focus has a striking front end dominatedby a wide-mouth grille and slanted insetheadlights. A sleek profile and a dramaticrising beltline emphasize the athletic stance.The stylish exterior is matched by a modern,cockpit-style interior with a stylish centerconsole. Bold graphics, a sculptured soft-touch instrument panel and quality trimmaterials give the interior a premium look.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH)levels have been reduced and drivingdynamics improved by the increased stiff-ness of the body structure, one with 30 per-cent greater rigidity than the previousFocus. Also, there’s a new windshield witha special acoustic layer that significantlyreduces wind and road noise. The wind-

shield is complemented by increased sideand rear glass thickness for extra quietness.

Focus also offers SYNC with MyFordTouch, which replaces many of the usualbuttons, knobs and gauges with LCDscreens and five-way buttons.

The screens can be personalized to dis-play information relevant to each driverusing a simple button click, voice com-mand or touch screen tap.

MyFord Touch is powered by a new gen-eration of the company’s popular SYNCsystem, which includes a sophisticatedvoice control system for vehicle functions,connected Bluetooth devices, a Wi-Fi

hotspot, MP3 players and a variety ofexternal media.

Focus offers a wide range of smart tech-nologies, including active park assist, HDRadio with iTunes Tagging, rear-view cam-era, Intelligent Access with push-buttonstart and Wi-Fi access.

Starting price on the 2012 Ford Focus is$17,295.

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]>.

All-new Ford Focus has sleek design, delivers 40 mpg

LET’S TALK CARS

Ron Beasley

Focus has a sporty profile with a dramatic rising beltline and an athletic stance.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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Page 34: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

“YOUR AD HERE — BIGYELLOW SCHOOL BUS”

BY KAREN ARONOWITZ,President, United Teachers of Dade

Imagine the yellow school busso covered with ads that wesmack right into the back of one,our attention diverted by 3D,strobe-lit, hologram movie ads,flashing, pulsing lights for caf-feine-laden power drinks, logo-encrusted sportswear, and othertrinkets and trash we sell to moveour economy. It’s the Americanway! All supposedly G-rated,although what passes for G in ouroverly sexualized consumerismmakes the letter blush like a scar-let A.Still, our schools are so cash-

strapped from the decrease infunding to public education thatschool boards are putting out thefor-sale sign themselves. Nospace need be uncovered. Willstudents pay any attention to thework teachers place on whiteboards, smart boards, or, in a fewimpoverished public schools,chalk boards, when bells andwhistles from advertisers competefor their attention?It is not philanthropy that drives

companies into our schools. It’s

the thrill of a captive audience, anaudience that will have noParental Control button to screenwhat’s seen in a school, an audi-ence that is just learning to thinkabout the the credibility of asource, an audience that, by ageand maturity, will believe what isplaced before them. One does notchallenge authority until enoughlearning has taken place. We willabandon four-year olds and four-teen-year-olds to the hands ofadvertisers.

I suppose the next step is tomake each teacher responsible forselling enough advertising to“endow” their position. A sort ofcommission sales requirement toadd to the idea of “pay-for-per-formance.”It’s not surprising that the hal-

lowed halls of our schools will beturned into the inside of a casino,where the lights are low, there areno windows or clocks so that noone knows whether it’s night orday, and flashing, strobing lights,bells and whistles convince eventhe losers they’ve won.Lock up your children, folks.

Throw them an iPad, a Twinkie,and a bottle of water and call ithome schooling. You might notbe there, but it could be a saferspace than school.

The United Teachers of Dade rep-resents 35,000 teachers and schoolsupport personnel in MDCPS. Theunion is committed to being aleader in creating public schoolreform, fostering a quality publiceducation for all students and ele-vating the professional status ofteachers, paraprofessionals, officeemployees, and all school supportpersonnel.

Page 34 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

Monday - Fridayfrom 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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Page 35: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

November 17 - 30, 2011 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM Page 35

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Honesty • Integrity • Values • Respect • Knowledge • Ethics

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accounting approach.

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Page 36 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011

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Page 40: Miami Beach News 11.17.2011

hanksgivingHAPPYT

16701 COLLINS AVE, SUNNY ISLES BEACH

305.949.1300

Thanksgiving Day Dinner Buffet

Cold BuffetSeasonal Greens Accompanied with Roast Forest Mushrooms,

Heirloom Tomatoes, European Cucumbers, Greek Olives, Balsamic Grilled Vegetables, Feta Cheese, Bacon Bits,

Polynesian Hearts of Palm, and Seasoned Croutons

Sicilian Olive Salad, Artichoke Hearts inLemon Yogurt Dressing,

Cucumbers in Dilled Sour Cream, Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Farfalle Pasta Primavera

With Sundried Tomato Pesto Vinaigrette

Imported, Artisanal, and Domestic Cheeses to IncludeStilton Marinated in Port Wine

Smoked and Cured MeatsWith Grainy Mustard, Fig Paste, Seasonal Berries

Traditional Dilled Icelandic Gravlax withChampagne Mustard Sauce

Old World Olive Bar, Marinated Bucconcini,Pickled Artichokes

Assorted Bread Display

SoupCream of Vegetables

CarveryFresh Oven Roasted Tom Turkey with Gilbert Gravy

Cranberry and Tangerine CompoteClove Studded Smithfield Ham with Brown Sugar-Maple Glaze

Roast Prime Rib of Beef with Horseradish Mouselline

Salmon with Tomato and Dilled Doria SauceGarnished with Salmon Caviar

AccompanimentsSeven Grain Wild Rice Blend with Forest Mushrooms

Freshly Whipped Idaho Potatoes with TurnipsGreen and Wax Beans with Caramelized Pearl Onions,

Apple Cured Bacon and WalnutsSpicy Andouille and Oyster Corn Bread Stuffing

Herbed Sage and Chestnut StuffingToffee Candied Yams with Pecan Glaze

Maple Glazed Root Vegetables

Thanksgiving DessertOld Fashioned Pumpkin Pie, Wild Cherry Strudel

Apple Cobbler and Pear Cobbler with Whiskey Sauce, Black Forest Cake, Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie,

Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate Mousse,Fresh Fruit Display Garnished with Fresh Berries

Thursday November 24th$30.00 Buffet from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Page 40 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM November 17 - 30, 2011