WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009

The Palace Senior Housing
Secures Regulatory Approvals

Coral Gables’ first public/private senior housing facility designed to provide 243 upscale living units in downtown Coral Gables has received the regulatory approvals necessary. Last week, the City Commission gave the final approval for a change of land use and site plan for The Palace at Coral Gables to construct a nine-story facility on the north side of Andalusia Avenue, and a new eight-story parking garage with 565 parking spaces on the south side, one block away from Miracle Mile. The Commission also agreed to modify the lease agreement with The Palace postponing the date of construction by approximately one year. The amendment also provides the City’s use of the parking lot adjacent to Melody Inn and the City Parking facility for public parking until construction begins. The City also requested The Palace to provide streetscape improvements along the zero block of Andalusia Avenue and Galiano Street. When finished, The Palace will represent the pinnacle of senior living in Coral Gables by offering independent and assisted living with an extraordinary quality of services and amenities.

Be Prepared For This Year’s Hurricane Season

With predictions of an average number of storms for this year, preparedness is still the best defense against any act of Mother Nature. According to forecasters, there is a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named storms, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to two major hurricanes of Category 3, 4 or 5. We all know that it only takes one major storm to create havoc in the community. It is important to remember that you, your family and business must be prepared to be on your own for the first 72 hours. That means three days without electricity, telephone, cable, water, gas, ice, or any modern conveniences. During the first 72 hours after a storm, the City of Coral Gables will be working to clear roads, assess damages, and remove debris. In order to be prepared you must have a family/business plan, have a disaster supply kit ready, have a place to go or evacuate if you need to, secure your home or business, and don’t forget to make arrangements for your pet. 

Dial 9-1-1 On Your Cellphone To Contact Police

If you’re in an emergency situation and need to contact the Coral Gables Police from your cellular phone, dial 9-1-1. Do not call Star 77 on your cellular phone, as it is not a valid number in Florida to contact public safety personnel. For non-emergency situations, dial 305-442-1600 to contact the Coral Gables Police Department. Dialing Star FHP (*347) will connect motorists to the Florida Highway Patrol to report drunk drivers, traffic crashes, stranded or disabled motorists, or any suspicious incidents occurring on Florida roadways. It is also recommended that you program an ICE (In Case of Emergency) phone number into the address book of cellular phones so it can be retrieved by emergency workers. In an emergency situation, police officers, paramedics or hospital staff can quickly find out the phone number of the person who should be called if the owner of the phone cannot communicate. 

Help Prevent Mosquitoes From Breeding

With the rainy season upon us, depressions and other low-lying areas will fill with water and allow optimum breeding conditions for mosquitoes. The Mosquito Control Division of Miami-Dade County is in charge of conducting inspections and spraying breeding areas. Mosquito control services are available free of cost to all residents of Miami-Dade County. During 2008, the Division received over 6,000 requests for service.  Roughly 400,000 acres in Miami Dade County were sprayed by air and ground. To help prevent mosquitoes from breeding, Coral Gables homeowners are advised to inspect their yards and destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Residents should also flush bromeliads weekly, repair leaky pipes and maintain roof gutters, as these are all potential mosquito breeding locations. Residents experiencing mosquito nuisance should call 3-1-1 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. 

Seat Belts Save Lives

In 2007, close to 2,000 people in Florida were killed in vehicles equipped with safety belts. More than 1,200 of those killed were not wearing safety belts, 134 were children under the age of 17. A study from the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 1,652 lives could be saved and 22,372 serious injuries avoided each year on America’s roadways if seat belt use rates rose to 90 percent in every state. By failing to wear a seat belt, passengers not only risk serious injury or death, they also risk getting a ticket. Law enforcement agencies across Florida are joining the “Click It or Ticket” safety belt enforcement campaign. Drivers and passengers will be ticketed if they are not buckled up. If children under 18 are not properly protected, the driver will get the ticket. 

Coral Gables Girls Soccer Team Wins Fiesta Cup

The Coral Gables Storm Girls Under-12 soccer team won the prestigious 16th Annual Inca Kola Fiesta Cup played at Amelia Earhart Park, May 17. The Fiesta Cup is South Florida’s most popular small sided tournament. The Storm girls, who train at the War Memorial Youth Center, won the prestigious Florida United Girls Soccer Association (FLUGSA) Division 1 Championship earlier in the year. They are the first girls’ team from Coral Gables to win this 5v5 Fiesta Cup tournament. For more information, please call Tim Plummer at 305-804-9901. 

Coral Gables Museum Receives
Dade Heritage Trust Award

The Coral Gables Museum was awarded the Dade Heritage Trust’s prestigious Organizational Achievement Award. The recognition was given for the museum’s effort to educate the public about the community’s architectural and environmental heritage. During the past year, the Museum has presented the Architecture and Design Lecture Series, the Oral History Project, and the Celebrate Exhibit and Building a Dream Project. The Museum is scheduled to be completed in 2010. 

Call Pollution Hotline To Report Environmental Crimes

If you have a complaint regarding illegal dumping on City’s streets or waterways, call the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) AT 305-372-6955. DERM responds to environmental emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is important to report liquid waste discharges or spills into drains, waterways or onto the open ground. You can also report tanker trucks dumping waste or any spills of dangerous chemicals into manholes, drainage, waterways or on the ground. Be an active citizen and protect the environment by reporting spills of pesticides, sewage overflows from any source, smoke or dust emissions from any facility, any severe odor or vapor that affects the eyes and breathing, and any turbid water in the waterways, canal or Biscayne Bay. Environmental crimes may be reported to the Miami-Dade Police Department Environmental Crimes Unit at 305-477-1616.