WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

City Welcomes Newly Elected Commission Members

An emotional ceremony took place on April 15 as outgoing Coral Gables Commission members were honored and newly elected ones were welcomed. In front of a packed audience at Commission Chambers and accompanied by family and friends, Commissioner Bill Kerdyk Jr., Commissioner Frank C. Quesada, and Mayor Jim Cason were sworn into office by the Honorable Frank A. Shepherd of the Third District Court of Appeal. Reelected to a fifth term, Commissioner Bill Kerdyk Jr. said in his speech that “quality of life remains my top priority. I enter this term with the same enthusiasm and excitement as when I was first elected.”  In a lighthearted moment, newly elected Commissioner Frank C. Quesada apologized to his wife Anna for causing her to break so many shoes as they visited 8,000 homes during his campaign. “I am thankful for the opportunity of working with a great Commission,” said Commissioner Quesada. At his inaugural speech, Mayor Jim Cason said, “As I embark on my service as your new Mayor, I do so with humility and the recognition that there is a lot of hard work ahead.” After joining others in thanking outgoing Mayor Don Slesnick and retired Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers for their devoted years of public service to Coral Gables, he added: “I am honored by your trust. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.” 

Coral Gables Museum Receives
Florida Trust Preservation Award

Each year, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation recognizes significant contributions to the preservation of Florida’s historic resources through its Annual Statewide Preservation Awards Program. This year, the City of Coral Gables has been chosen to receive recognition for outstanding achievement in the field of restoration/rehabilitation for the Coral Gables Museum project. The Coral Gables Museum has been the dream of many Coral Gables leaders for over a decade.  In 2005, the Coral Gables City Commission and the newly formed Coral Gables Museum Corp. began a public/private partnership to renovate the “Old Police and Fire Station” in order to house a state-of-the-art museum in the heart of the City’s downtown district. The Coral Gables Museum is a project that combines historic landmark restoration and the creation of beautiful new gallery spaces, community meeting rooms, and an outdoor courtyard and plaza to create an important cultural center in The City Beautiful. The Preservation Award will be presented in May during the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference to take place in Winter Park, Florida.

Don’t Miss Last Show Of Wednesday Jazz In The Gables

After 10 weeks of lively and entertaining jazz performances, Wednesday Jazz in the Gables concludes today with the performance of Joe Donato, widely recognized in the region not only as a saxophonist but as a band leader, composer, lyricist, and one of the most active and innovative jazz musicians. He performs as a saxophone soloist with the Jerry Fischer Jazz Orchestra, has toured throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and has served as an adjunct faculty member and lecturer at the University of Miami, Miami-Dade College, and Florida International University. 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 series has been possible thanks to a partnership between the City of Coral Gables, the Coral Gables Museum, the BID of Downtown Coral Gables and Miami Jazz Cooperative. Box lunches from Pardo’s Chicken will be available for purchase. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Economic Sustainability Department, at 305-460-5313 or click here.

Gallery Night Trolley To Provide Transportation
Between Art Shows During Gallery Nights

Beginning on Friday, May 6th, be on the lookout for the orange paintbrush on the side of the Trolley and on special Trolley stop signs to find the newly dedicated Gallery Night Trolley that will loop between Coral Gables galleries and arts venues participating on Gallery Night. The Gallery Night Trolley runs from 6-10 p.m. during Gallery Nights, which are held the first Friday of the month, making it easier for patrons to visit the various art exhibits or to find their favorite restaurant to top off the evening. Coral Gables is home to the original Gallery Night, which was started more than 20 years ago and showcases the various works from European and Latin American art masters to outstanding contemporary artists. Hop on the Gallery Night Trolley on Gallery Night to discover what's happening in the world of art in the City of Coral Gables. The Gallery Night Trolley will stop at the following venues:

Ca' d'Oro Art Gallery
135 S. Lorenzo Ave, Suite 130
 
Cernuda Arte
3155 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
 
RDZ Fine Art
37 Merrick Way
 
ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries
169 Madeira Ave.
 
H. Benitez Fine Art Gallery
305 Alcazar Avenue, Suite #4
 
Books & Books
265 Aragon Ave.
 
Coral Gables Museum
285 Aragon Ave.
 
Tresart
550 Biltmore Way, Suite 111
 
Alhambra Antiques
2850 Salzedo St.
 
The Guayabera Lady
485 Biltmore Way
 
Nube Coffee Bar
475 Biltmore Way
 
DeLeon Fine Art
219 Miracle Mile
 
Victoria's Gallery
293 Miracle Mile
 
The Americas Collection
214 Andalusia Ave.
 
Sacassas Fine Arts
2910 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
 
Klara Chavarria Contemporary Art
2912 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
 
Jorge M. Sori Fine Arts
2970 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
 
Artrageous Gallery
Village of Merrick Park
330 San Lorenzo Ave., Suite 2305

Online Customer Service Request
System Offers Access To City 24/7

The City of Coral Gables has launched a new and improved online Customer Service Request system that provides access to City departments 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This online service is just one of the many ways that citizens can notify the City of a problem or service concern such as trash pickup, street light repairs, code enforcement issues, or parking information, to name a few. The request automatically gets routed to the appropriate department for action. Accessible through the City’s website, www.coralgables.com through the “City Service Request” link, this new system replaces the discontinued Betterplace web service and provides customers with additional user-friendly features. Citizens can now track a service request after it has been submitted, view all their existing requests, or keep track of all pending requests for service. Residents that already use the current online system for permits and inspections can link their accounts to the new Customer Request Service to track their other requests. The online service provides details such as scheduled start dates, completion dates, dates and results of actions taken, and comments. To make an online Customer Service Request, click here. For more information, contact the Information Technology Department at 305-569-2448.

City To Honor Fallen Heroes
At Police Memorial Next Week

The City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Police Department will pay tribute to its fallen officers at a Police Memorial Ceremony, scheduled for Thursday, May 5 at 4 p.m. The event takes place at Merrick Park, across from City Hall, at 405 Biltmore Way. The event is free and open to the public. To date, more than 19,000 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in the United States. In 1991, the City of Coral Gables initiated a special ceremony to honor the memory of those officers who have made the supreme sacrifice by giving their own lives while on duty and while serving this community. The City of Coral Gables will be honoring the following fallen heroes: Sergeant Francis Cyril Guest, Sergeant Homer Barton, Constable Luther T. Hardison, Officer Billy Stephens, Officer Walter Stathers, Officer Robert DeKorte, Officer Luis Pena, Sergeant Alfred Terrinoni and Officer Robert Bonnet. For additional information, contact the Police Department’s Community Affairs Unit at 305-460-5402.