WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011

Diana M. Gomez has been selected by City Manager Pat Salerno to be the City’s Finance Director. She began her employment with the City on October 17. Ms. Gomez has 15 years of experience in financial management. She was Director of Finance for the City of Miami, a position she held for more than five years. She was promoted to head the Finance Department after serving as Assistant Finance Director for five years. Prior to that, Ms. Gomez was a Supervising Senior auditor for the accounting firm KPMG. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a MBA from the University of Baltimore. Ms. Gomez is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Government Finance Officer.

Art Sale To Benefit The Alhambra Water Tower Project

The Save the Alhambra Water Tower campaign and Eye Candy Global cordially invite you to a mosaic exhibition featur­ing artist Jacki Gran, on Friday, November 4, 7-10 p.m. at 231 Aragon Avenue. The event will also have art of the historic Alhambra Water Tower for sale. All proceeds will benefit the rehabilitation efforts of the historic water tower. Last year, a group of Coral Gables residents who support historic preservation united forces to raise funds toward the rehabilitation of the Alhambra Water Tower which was built in the 1920s. The Alhambra Water Tower was originally designed to resemble a lighthouse and was part of the City’s domestic water supply that served until 1931.

Halloween Nightmares & Other Fun Awaits You

Ghouls and goblins get ready as JohnMartin’s, 253 Miracle Mile, hosts a Halloween Party on Saturday, October 29, beginning at 9 p.m. Join the scariest and trendiest costume clad crowd for a night featuring live music, costume contest with cash prizes, drink and food specials, and much more. Halloween is not only for humans, which is why you can bring your pooch to Howl-O-Ween at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, on Sunday, October 30, beginning at noon. Enjoy special activities just for pups as they parade through the garden’s lush surroundings all the while showing off their Halloween costumes. Guests and their dogs can attend informative lectures, demonstrations and enter the fashion show and costume contest to win special prizes. Scary things are also happening in Coral Gables on Monday, October 31: from 4-7 p.m. the 14th Annual Halloween on the Mile is back to give parents and their kids a safe tick-or-treating experience. Presented by Flagler, Halloween on the Mile promises to entertain children with spooky storytelling, free treats from merchants, live performances, kiddie and doggie costume contests and a Halloween photo booth. Then from 6:30-10 p.m., prepare to be scared out of your wits at the Nightmare at 405 Haunted House, at the War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive. This event is not suitable for children under the age of 4. Tickets are $4 per person. This event is presented by the Coral Gables Parks and Recreation Division.

It’s A Burgerliscious Event!

It’s going to be hamburger heaven at Burgerliscious, scheduled for Thursday, November 3, 6-10 p.m., at Fred B. Harnett/Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. You can add extra pickles and hold the lettuce on tuna burgers, salmon burgers, desert burgers and much more especially prepared by participating restaurants such as 1862 Room at the Westin Colonnade, Anacapri on Ponce, Angelique Euro Café, Costazuel, Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, JohnMartin’s Irish Pub, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Por Fin Restaurant & Lounge, Route 9, Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill, The Bar, The Biltmore Hotel, The Local Craft Food & Drink, Two Sisters Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency, Sports Grille, South Miami and Seasons 52. The event is presented by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the City of Coral Gables, the Village of Merrick Park, Samuel Adams, and Brown-Forman. Tickets purchased in advance of the event are $25 and $35 at the door. For more information, click here.

Drop Off Your Expired Prescription Drugs This Saturday

The City of Coral Gables is participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is coordinating this national campaign with local law enforcement agencies to provide a venue for persons who want to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs. Coral Gables residents can drop off their expired and unused medications from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the collection box located in the lobby of the Police Building, 2801 Salzedo Street. Each day, approximately 2,500 teens get high from prescription drugs, mostly obtained from the home medicine cabinets of family and friends. Last year, more than 309 tons of prescription pills were collected and destroyed last year thanks to Drug Take Back Days held throughout the nation.

Residents Can Save 28% Off Prescription Drugs

Since the implementation of the National League of Cities (NLC) Prescription Discount Card program in 2009, Coral Gables residents have saved an average of 28% off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs. A total of 870 participants in Coral Gables have used this discount cards to save approximately $55,000 in the cost of prescription drugs. The discount cards are available to all residents of Coral Gables at no charge and have no restrictions based on age, income level, or existing health coverage. The card can be used when purchasing prescription drugs at numerous pharmacies around Coral Gables, as well as at more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies across the country. Residents can pick up a discount drug card at Coral Gables City Hall (405 Biltmore Way), War Memorial Youth Center (405 University Drive), Adult Activity Center (624 Anastasia Avenue) and Coral Gables Fire Station 1 (2815 Salzedo St.), Fire Station 2 (525 S. Dixie Highway), and Fire Station 3 (11011 Old Cutler Road). Users can also print a card by going to the following website: www.caremark.com/nlc and selecting the City of Coral Gables from the list of participating cities. Residents only have to show the discount card when purchasing medications at one of the many participating pharmacies. There is no enrollment form required to get a card, no membership fee of any kind and City residents and their family members can use the card any time their prescription is not covered by insurance. Please note that this free prescription discount card is not insurance and it cannot be used in conjunction with other insurance. For a complete list of participating pharmacies in Coral Gables, for program information, or to look up a drug price or access health resources, call toll-free 1-888-620-1749 or visit www.caremark.com/nlc.

How Much Should You Pay For A Taxicab?

The Miami-Dade Consumer Services Department licenses and regulates taxicabs that service the City of Coral Gables. Passengers taking a taxi should always make sure the driver is registered and the vehicle is licensed. There must be a decal and/or license number on the exterior of the vehicle, and the driver's picture and registration number must be displayed on the vehicle dashboard. When taking a taxicab to and from Miami International Airport, there are two Coral Gables Flat Rate Zones: Zone D and Zone E. Zone D is bordered by SW 8th Street (north), SW 24 Street (south), SW 32nd Avenue (east) and SW 57th Avenue (west). The taxicab flat rate for Zone D is $16 plus a $1 fuel surcharge. Zone E is bordered by SW 24th Street (north), SW 40th Street (south), SW 32 Avenue (east) and SW 57th Avenue (west). The taxicab flat rate for Zone E is $19 plus a $1 fuel surcharge. Fares beyond these two zones are determined by the taximeters calculated at $2.50 for first 1/6 of a mile; $0.40 for each additional 1/6 mile; and $0.40 per minute ($24 per hour) wait charge. Tipping is optional but customary and road tolls are in addition to the metered fare. To view the Coral Gables Flat Rate Zones, click here. For a list of licensed taxicab companies, click here. For a list of taxicab stand locations, click here.

For The Love Of Architecture

The American Institute of Architects will present Celebrate Architecture + Design, an annual month-long series of lectures, tours, exhibits, parties, receptions, competitions and related activities. Most of the nearly 25 events scheduled in November are free and all are open to the public. Highlights include a lecture by FIU professor John Stuart on “Bringing Beauty Into Our Lives: Art and Architecture in Coral Gables During the New Deal” (November 4, 7 p.m., Coral Gables Museum); a competition among UM architecture students building creative constructions using cans of food (November 18, 12 p.m., UM Campus); and a bicycle tour of Coral Gables rock houses ending with a picnic at the Merrick House (November 19, 11 a.m., starting at Coral Gables Museum). For a complete list of events and more information, call 305-448- 7488 or click here.