WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011

Coral Gables Receives 2010
America’s Crown Community Award

The City of Coral Gables was selected by American City & County magazine as one of six 2010 America’s Crown Community recipients. This prestigious award is presented annually to cities and counties across the nation in recognition of excellence in local government. Other winners included Downers Grove, Illinois; Pinellas County, Florida; Round Lake Beach, Illinois; Hollywood, Florida and Sandy Springs, Georgia. Recipients of the annual awards are selected by the editors of American City & County based on nominations submitted by the magazine’s audience, city and county leaders, and associations. Any local government initiative substantially completed within the last year can qualify for the awards, including those that repair infrastructure, introduce new technology, improve quality of life for residents, or beautify public places. Entries are judged on uniqueness, short- and long-term value to the community, and effective/innovative financing. As one of the winners, the City of Coral Gables was recognized for the Coral Gables Museum, a public/private partnership. The City of Coral Gables, along with the Coral Gables Museum Corp., began a partnership to renovate the old Police and Fire Station in order to house the City’s first museum. The Coral Gables Museum project is profiled in American City & County’s December 2010 issue and is available online by clicking here.

Free UM Women’s Basketball Game
Tickets For Residents Only

Free tickets, this time for upcoming Canes Women’s Basketball games, are being made available to Coral Gables residents, courtesy of a recently approved 20-year Development Agreement between the City and UM. Residents of Coral Gables can receive up to four free tickets per household for the following Women’s Basketball games:

• Game 1: Sunday, January 30 at 3 p.m. University of Miami vs. Georgia Tech. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Tuesday, January 18 at 8 a.m.
• Game 2: Thursday, February 10 at 7 p.m. University of Miami vs. Maryland. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Tuesday, February 1 at 8 a.m.
• Game 3: Monday, February 21 at 7 p.m. University of Miami vs. Wake Forest. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Tuesday, February 8 at 8 a.m.
• Game 4: Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m. University of Miami vs. Florida State University. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Tuesday, February 15 at 8 a.m.

The games will be played at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami campus. Tickets will be distributed in person at the War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive, no earlier than the designated distribution date. Residents must show proof of residential address. Tickets are limited to four per household. The Development Agreement between UM and the City of Coral Gables will also offer free admission tickets for upcoming men’s baseball games and cultural events. More information on upcoming offers will be made available as arrangements are finalized. For additional information, contact the City of Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.

Santa Brings Candy Canes
& Smiles To Local Children

Giving Rudolph a much deserved break, Santa was seen riding a Coral Gables fire truck through the streets of Coral Gables for three days during this holiday season. With the help of the Coral Gables Fire Department, Santa handed out candy canes to more than 1,760 children who were anxiously awaiting his arrival through their neighborhoods. Starting a new tradition in the City of Coral Gables, Santa and his elves brought holiday cheers to wide-eyed children and their parents who were grateful for the opportunity to get a glimpse of the most popular man of the season.

Coral Gables Farmers Market Starts Saturday, January 15

Your hometown Farmers Market is ready to bring fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, decorative flowers and plants, plus lots of fun activities for the entire family, all outdoors at the corner of LeJeune Road and Miracle Mile. The Coral Gables Farmers Market begins on January 15 and runs every Saturday morning until March 26 in front of City Hall. Beginning at 8 a.m., participants can enjoy a free and relaxing Tai Chi class, followed by gardening workshops at 9 a.m., cooking demonstrations by your favorite Coral Gables restaurants at 10 a.m. and culminating with children’s activities at 11 a.m. Downtown Coral Gables becomes the gathering place on Saturday mornings, bringing new customers to the market and attracting attention to the surrounding shops and restaurants of Miracle Mile. All the workshops and activities are free to the public. For a complete event schedule, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.

Parks Leisure Guide Can Help In New Year’s Resolution

It’s time to make a New Year’s resolution and what better way to see what’s out there to improve yourself than by reading the Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Leisure Services Guide. Now available online, the latest January-April 2011 issue offers residents and non-residents an array of programs for fitness, dance, gymnastics, senior activities and everything else held at a Coral Gables park. If your resolution for 2011 is to shed a few pounds, check out The Fitness Center available at the Youth Center. If tennis is your game, the William H. Kerdyk/Biltmore Tennis Center offers beginner, intermediate and advanced tennis clinics. If you’re a senior 55 years of age and older, the Adult Activity Center at the University Baptist Church offers many social events, classes, and lecture series that keeps seniors active and involved in the community. To read the Leisure Services Guide, click here.

New Whitefly Insect May Be Affecting Your Plants

Please be on the lookout for a new pesky insect that may be affecting the plants in your backyard. A new species of whitefly is affecting plants such as gumbo limbo, black olive, Brazilian pepper, live oak and mangos. This insect is a different whitefly than the one currently causing defoliation and branch dieback of ficus in South Florida. The actual effect of an infestation on the health of a plant is unknown; however, whiteflies in general can cause plant decline, defoliation and branch dieback. The most noticeable symptoms of an infestation of this whitefly is the abundance of the  white, waxy material covering the leaves and also  excessive  sooty  mold. Please monitor  your plants for early  signs  of  an  infestation  because  it  will  be  easier  to  manage the  pest  before  it  causes  major  damage.   If  you  have  an  infestation on  a  tree,  be  sure  to  search  nearby  trees  as  well  because  this whitefly  feeds  on  many  types  of  trees.  Washing  plants  off  with  water can  be  an  effective  tool  to  help  manage  whiteflies  for  small infestations  or  small  plants. To read more about this new infestation of whitefly and what to do to protect your plants, click here.