WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011

Crime Is On The Decrease In Coral Gables

In spite of an economic downturn that many experts believe will push crime rates higher, overall crime declined in Coral Gables last year. According to recent police data, the total offenses, total non-violent crimes and total violent crimes in Coral Gables each declined by 7 percent in calendar year 2010 compared to calendar year 2009. A category that increased in 2010 was thefts from buildings (office space with public access) which was 28% higher than 2009. The data shows that in 2010 compared to 2009 there were:

• 20% fewer burglaries
• 15% fewer attempted burglaries
• 31% fewer thefts of motor vehicles
• 13% fewer aggravated assaults
• 5% fewer robberies
• 50% fewer purse snatchings.

Coral Gables Selects New Police Chief

A Police Chief has been selected by City Manager Pat Salerno. Dennis Weiner was chosen to lead the Coral Gables Police Department. Mr. Weiner is an accomplished law enforcement professional and is well qualified to serve in this role. He is currently the Police Chief for the Town of Juno Beach, home to the headquarters of Florida Power & Light. Mr. Weiner has more than 25 years of experience in municipal law enforcement. He has 15 years of experience as a Police Chief and spent over 10 years of his career with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) — starting as a Police Officer and moving to the rank of Sergeant. He is also a Naval Reserve Officer in charge of the Maritime Civil Affairs Detachment in Miami. Mr. Weiner has a Bachelor of Science degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, a Law degree from St. John’s University in New York, and a Master of Law (LLM - Taxation) degree from New York University (NYU) School of Law which is considered to be among the top 10 most selective and prestigious law schools in the country and ranked #1 in Tax Law. Mr. Weiner also has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. It is anticipated Mr. Weiner will commence his employment with the City on or about March 7th.

Free UM Men’s Baseball Game Tickets
Available For Coral Gables Residents

Photo credit: J.C. Ridley/HurricaneSports.com

It’s time to take you out to the ball game and root for the home team. Free tickets for the University of Miami Men’s Baseball games are being made available to Coral Gables residents, courtesy of a 20-year Development Agreement between the City and UM. Residents of Coral Gables can receive up to four free tickets per household (a $40 value) for the following Men’s Baseball games:

• Game 1: Sunday, March 13 at 1:00 pm.  University of Miami vs. Virginia Tech.  Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, February 22 at 8 a.m.
• Game 2: Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 pm.  University of Miami vs. Georgia Tech.  Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, March 8 at 8 a.m.
• Game 3: Sunday, April 10 at 1:00 pm.  University of Miami vs. North Carolina State. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, March 22 at 8 a.m.
• Game 4: Saturday, May 21 at 1:00 pm.  University of Miami vs. Duke. Only 250 tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, April 12 at 8 a.m.

All baseball games will be played at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field 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 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.

Wednesday Jazz In The Gables Starts Today

The fun starts today at the inaugural performance of Wednesday Jazz In The Gables, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Plaza of the Coral Gables Museum on the corner of Salzedo Street and Aragon Avenue. The weekly series, which lasts until April 27, presents weekly jazz musicians performing for free. Box lunches from various Coral Gables restaurants will be available for purchase. The event is presented in partnership with the Downtown Coral Gables BID, Miami Jazz Cooperative, and the Coral Gables Museum. Performing today is saxophonist extraordinaire and entertainer Jesse Jones Jr., who combines the hard-bop influence of jazz legendary Cannonball Adderley, the funk of Hank Crawford, and the sweetness of Paul Desmond. Coming up also at the Coral Gables Museum Plaza on February 23 is the jazz group Mad Romance who will perform original arrangements of classic jazz, mambo, lush  ballads, cha-cha-cha, bebop, madcap swing,  and a few off-the-beaten path songs from the 1960s and 70s. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Economic Sustainability Department, at 305-460-5313 or click here.

Mad Romance performs on February 23

City Services Rated By Community Newspapers Readers

The City of Coral Gables is well known for being a great place to live. Finding a City where the living is grand depends on many factors — a flourishing cultural scene, top rated municipal services, a vast network of green spaces and public parks, amazing infrastructure and neighborhood beauty, and many more perks. Residents of Coral Gables recently had the opportunity to rate various City services in a survey published by Community Newspapers. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, a total of 478 survey responses rated the following departments or services as follows: City Hall: “8”; Police and Fire: “9”; Parks and Recreation: “8”; Building and Zoning: “7”; Parking: “7”; Street Maintenance: “7”; Trolley Service: “8”; and Garbage, Trash and Recycling: “9. When asked about the overall quality of life, survey participants gave an outstanding “9” to the City Beautiful.

Miami-Dade County Is Looking
To Recruit Poll Workers In Coral Gables

The Miami-Dade County Elections Department is calling upon the Coral Gables community to consider being a poll worker during upcoming elections. There is a poll worker shortage and a great need to recruit people who reside in Coral Gables who would like to make a difference by working at local voting centers throughout Coral Gables. Two Poll Worker Recruitment meetings are scheduled at the Coral Gables Library, 3443 Segovia Street, for March 7 and March 11 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Several positions are available which offer the potential to earn up to $278 per election. To apply, you must be a registered voter, be computer savvy, be fluent (read, speak and write) in English and attend a paid training class. If you’re interested, please contact Miami-Dade County Elections Department’s Poll Worker Section at 305-499-8448 or click here.