WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2011

Meet The New Coral Gables Police Chief

An experienced law enforce­ment professional was sworn in on March 16th as the City’s new Police Chief. Dennis L. Weiner took the oath of office from Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in front of City officials, family and friends. “Chief Weiner is the right person for the job,” said City Manager Pat Salerno, who selected the City’s top cop in February.  Weiner was Police Chief for the Town of Juno Beach and has more than 25 years of experience in municipal law enforcement. He has 15 years of experience as a Police Chief and spent more than 10 years of his career with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “I am privileged and honored to be provided with the opportunity to become a member of the City’s leadership team,” said Weiner. “It’s my intention to be a highly visible, accessible and community-oriented Chief of Police. I pledge to build upon the many successes of prior Chiefs and the Coral Gables Police Department.” The new Chief is also a Naval Reserve Officer in charge of the Maritime Civil Affairs Detachment in Miami. He 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 number one in Tax Law. Chief Weiner also has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Coral Gables General Biennial Election
To Be Held On April 12

A General Biennial Election will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. in the City of Coral Gables. Qualified electors can vote for the election of candidates for a Mayor (Group One) and two City Commissioners (Groups Four and Five). Absentee ballots can be dropped off from now until noon, Monday, April 11 at the Office of the City Clerk, Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, Suite 101.  Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. For additional information about elections, contact 305-460-5208. For a list of precinct locations, click here.

New Elegant Trees To Line Up
Ponce De Leon Median & Segovia Street Update

If you drive or walk by Ponce de Leon Boulevard from Almeria to Salamanca Avenues, you’ll notice the improvements being made to the land­scaping. Large palms, which have a distinctive trunk and beautiful foliage that provides a tropical formality to the roadway, are being planted in the center of the median along Ponce de Leon Boulevard. As Ponce de Leon Boulevard traverses through the heart of Downtown Coral Gables, this new landscaping scheme will complement the existing corridor and provides an appropriate link to Miracle Mile. The planting of more than 60 palm trees on the Ponce de Leon Median, north and south of Miracle Mile, is scheduled to be completed in the next few weeks. They are part of the Ponce de Leon Boulevard Median installation and roadway improvements project. The oak trees that were previously planted on the median have been replanted on the public rights-of-way within the City. The spectacular palms will be lit at night, making an eye-catching statement of natural beauty throughout the corridor.

Construction on the Segovia Streetscape Improvement Project is expected to begin in mid-April. As part of the improvements, 82 large oak trees measuring 24-26 ft. in height with a 14-16 ft. canopy spread will be planted in the Segovia Street median. In addition, 202 oak trees (18-20 ft. tall with a 12-14 ft. canopy spread) will be installed in the Segovia Street swales. The streetscape improvements will be constructed between Biltmore Way and Bird Road.

Don’t Miss Another Wednesday Jazz In The Gables

The New World School of the Arts High School Jazz Combo is waiting to entertain you today at Wednesday Jazz in the Gables. The free event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Plaza of the Coral Gables Museum on the corner of Salzedo Street and Aragon Avenue. The jazz ensemble is made up of six notable students who have toured in Detroit, Michigan with guest artist Bobby Watson. The weekly series, which lasts until April 27th, presents jazz musicians performing at lunchtime. Box lunches from your favorite Coral Gables restaurants (Fit2Go Meals today and Taberna Giralda on April 6th) will be available for purchase. Coming up next week on Wednesday, April 6th is the Araya-Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, one of the most promising jazz groups on the musical horizon today. They hold an impressive list of touring and recording credits, as well as multiple Grammy winning awards and nominations. They’ve worked with names such as Julio Iglesias, Engelbert Humperdinck, Gloria Estefan, Chayanne, Alejandra Guzman, Nestor Torres, Arturo Sandoval, Ruben Blades, among others. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Economic Sustainability Department, at 305-460-5313 or click here.

Fire Department Gets New Fire Rescue Vehicle

Having the right transportation vehicle is a crucial element when a person’s life is on the line. Recently, the City of Coral Gables purchased a new Fire Rescue vehicle that will better serve patients in their critical time of need. The custom-designed, state-of-the-art unit joins the Class 1 Fire Department’s fleet of six emergency rescue vehicles and will be put in service next week. At a cost of $207,000, the new Fire Rescue vehicle comes fully equipped with a computerized integrated control module, an Electronic Patient Care Reporting (ePCR) system, and paramedic capabilities for the STEMI Network to improve the treatment of heart attack patients, among other cutting-edge technologies. It is also equipped with a new hydraulic stretcher. The vehicle also has LED warning lights which are more noticeable compared to older units with traditional light bars.

Residents Are Invited To Free Lectures
Presented By UM Faculty

Coral Gables residents are invited to attend two free special lectures featuring members of the University of Miami faculty. Today at 6:30 p.m., School of Education Dean Isaac Prilleltensky will give a talk on “Promoting Your Personal, Family, and Community Well-Being: From Science to Action.” The lecture will be held at the Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive. Refreshments will be served at 6 p.m. For more information, click here. On Tuesday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m., Miller School of Medicine Dean Pascal Goldschmidt discusses “What’s New at UHealth: South Florida’s Most Advanced Medical Care” at the Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Drive. Refreshments will be served after the event. Dean Goldschmidt will launch the UM Doctors Lecture Series which focuses on medical services, cutting-edge procedures and research available at UHealth and the Miller School of Medicine. The free lectures are part of the recently-approved 20-year Development Agreement between the City of Coral Gables and the University of Miami and are designed to enrich the community with intellectual discourse and stimulating presentations by faculty experts in various disciplines. For more information, click here.