HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011:

Like millions of others across this great country, we will celebrate Thanksgiving, honoring a tradition older than the nation itself. The Continental Congress proclaimed that the "inhabitants of these states" observe a day of Thanksgiving back in 1782.  Ever since then we set this day aside to give thanks for all our blessings, and this year we have many things for which to be thankful.

Please also take the time to remember the less fortunate.  Many families and children are doing with less, Take the time to become involved in a local charity, with time, if not a donation. There are many ongoing charities that are looking for donations and volunteers.

There is much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Alexandra, Katherine, Meredith and I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays.  

Thanksgiving is the busiest traveling season of the year.  Please be aware and be safe. 

Quote:
On Thanksgiving Day all over America, families sit down to dinner at the same moment - halftime.
– (author unknown)

2011 Old Cutler Church Christmas Concert

Old Cutler Presbyterian Church (OCPC) presents its 2011 Old Cutler Church Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 3rd, at 7:30 PM,.

Enjoy an evening filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas during their annual concert performed by an array of musicians and vocalists from their choir, orchestra, worship band and children’s choir.

CLICK HERE for more information.

This is always a very popular event that is not to be missed. Attendees should plan to arrrive early to guarantee a seat.

This is a great Christmas event where you can enjoy outstanding performances with your neighbors, friends and family.

Holiday event time - places to take the family (or just yourself) and take in performances to enhance the Holiday Spirit.

There are some outstanding opportunities to view your local Southwood Middle school students in Holiday performances.

Don’t miss the opportunity to share the Miami Youth Ballet's Nutcracker which will, for the very first time, be performed at our very own South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center on December 2^nd and 3^rd.   The majority of the cast is comprised of youth all from our area.  The Miami Youth Ballet is in conjunction with Palmetto Bay's Mencia-Pikieris School of Dance. 

Madeline's Christmas kicks off at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables on November 29 and runs through special Holiday Performances every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and on December 23 & 24 at 7 p.m.   The cast will also appear at the Coral Gables Holiday Spectacular December 2 at 6:00 p.m. (full event is from 5-10:00 p.m.) at Merrick Park in Coral Gables.  The cast featuring the Southwood students performs December 3rd, 17th and 23rd.

These events make for a lovely family time with your kids: A formal event and get into the Holiday Spirit where you can see the shows and take the family out for ice cream afterwards on decorated Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, or at local businesses in Cutler Bay!

Click "Read more" below for more information.

Sick joke? Neo-Nazi propaganda found in Mangowood

Outrageous.  Palmetto Bay resident/Channel 4 reporter/personality Gary Nelson, reports that residents in the Mangowood neighborhood of Palmetto Bay woke up Wednesday to find flyers in their driveways featuring a swastika, men in Nazi uniforms, and websites promoting a neo-Nazi group.

Click the headline to read/view the entire online CBS Miami story, Neo-Nazi Paraphernalia Litter Palmetto Bay Neighborhood, posted Nov 18, 2011.

This is not what our Palmetto Bay community is about.   

Thanksgiving events in our communities start Friday, November 18

The Village of Pinecrest's Thanksgiving events Flashlight tour and family film Free family concert Fantastic Brunch Click "Read more" below for all the details.  Great family events for all to enjoy.

Help send holiday stockings to members of our military serving overseas.

The Village of Pinecrest seeks your help in making the holidays a little brighter for the members of our military overseas  NOTE: You need to move quickly as the deadline is Sunday, November 20th.

Help Send Holiday Stockings to Servicemen Overseas. CLICK HERE to view the specific list of items sought and full details of the Pinecrest request posted on the official village website.

Sailors and Marines, including a Pinecrest resident, will be at sea over the holidays onboard the U.S.S. Mesa Verde. Families of these servicemen would like to prepare 400 stockings to ship to the crew in time for the holidays. 

Items may be dropped–off at the Pinecrest Community Center, 5855 Southwest 111 Street, Pinecrest, Florida.

Palmetto Bay sees an uptick in property crimes

See Channel four online for Gary Nelson's, (a Palmetto Bay resident), 11/14/2011, report that Palmetto Bay has seen 165 burglaries so far this year, an increase of 40 percent over last year.

“We are experiencing an uptick in burglaries, as are most communities,” said Village spokesman Bill Kress.  “While we have had more than 160 so far this year, when you compare it to some comparably-sized towns, they may have that many in a month.

CLICK HERE to view the online report - Palmetto Bay Sees An Uptick In Residential Burglaries

As reported: The burglars typically ring the doorbell, knock on the front door, and if no one answers go around back and break in.

Palmetto Bay is increasing neighborhood patrols and conducting community awareness programs, urging residents to stay alert to what’s going on their block. 

Started under the original village council, the Village Policing unit remains committed to neighborhood policing programs and I continue to ask that you and your neighbors participate in a neighborhood crime watch. 

CLICK HERE to view the relevant police page with information on how to join a neighborhood Crime Watch group -- or to start one -- in your neighborhood.  You can e-mail Officer Pete Judge with the Village of Palmetto Bay Policing Unit or by calling 305-259-1270 (M-F, 9-5). You may also contact the Crime Watch organization directly.

Highlight on upcoming business new to Palmetto Bay

Fuddruckers to open in Palmetto Bay next year, 2012 

What is happening at the old Sweden House/gym location, vacant for many years? The sign has been posted on the site for months. It was temporarily being reconstructed for a new Navarro's Pharmacy, but as the new sign says and now the press releases confirms, it will be one of the newest locations for a Fuddruckers. 

A new Fuddruckers restaurant will open in 2012 on South Dixie Highway and SW 148th Street in Palmetto Bay.  Read the article in West Kendall Today online: New Fuddruckers restaurants coming to West Kendall and Palmetto Bay

Friday, November 11 - VETERANS DAY

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank all US Military veterans for their service to our country. This Friday, everyone should take a moment to honor those who have preserved our freedom and protected all of our rights, including the right to vote. Veterans Day is a holiday honoring living military veterans.  It is a Federal and State holiday observed by all states.

President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed Armistice Day on November 11, 1919.  Other countries today also still recognize November 11th as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in honor of the Armistice treaty which ended WWI. The U.S Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, making this holiday Veterans Day as we know it today. 

Military dot com list ways that you can celebrate and educate your children about Veterans Day:
http://www.military.com/veterans-day/celebrate-veterans-day.htm

History dot com offers a wealth of information about Veteran’s Day:
http://www.history.com/minisites/veteransday/

Thank you to every man and women who has served our county as a member of our armed forces

Old Cutler Presbyterian Church Arts & Crafts Festival, this Saturday, Nov. 12

Old Cutler Presbyterian Church will be hosting the“First Annual Arts & Crafts Festival” on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 14401 Old Cutler Rd. in Palmetto Bay.

This Arts & Crafts Festival will include more than 40 artists and crafters who will be exhibiting and selling their art treasures.  CLICK HERE to view the Community Newspapers article or for additional information on the show, either call Andrea Rogers at 305-332-8834, or send email her at andrearogers@ocpc.org

What are your plans for 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT) on Nov. 8?

A really big space rock, a/k/a asteroid will pass between the moon and our Earth on November 8th.

The Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth at 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT) on Nov. 8.  Personally, I am still trying to figure out if we will be able to see this object streak across the sky on this date.  Can any of our friends at our local Miami/Palmetto Bay Southern Cross Astronomical Society assist me in finding out?

Comments posted on NASA’s Near Earth Object Program website:

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass within 0.85 lunar distances from the Earth on November 8, 2011. The upcoming close approach by this relatively large 400 meter-sized, C-type asteroid presents an excellent opportunity for synergistic ground-based observations including optical, near infrared and radar data. The attached animated illustration shows the Earth and moon flyby geometry for November 8th and 9th when the object will reach a visual brightness of 11th magnitude and should be easily visible to observers in the northern and southern hemispheres. The closest approach to Earth and the Moon will be respectively 0.00217 AU and 0.00160 AU on 2011 November 8 at 23:28 and November 9 at 07:13 UT.

For those of us who are not scientists, the explanation is that the asteroid will come within 202,000 miles of Earth, which is closer than the moon.  The average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km). This November 8 event will mark the closest visit by a space rock this size in more than three decades.  Reports are that  asteroid 2005 YU55  poses no change of hitting Earth, at least for this century. It comes closest, within about 167,000 miles, in 2094

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 is carbon-colored and dark, the asteroid measures some 1,300 feet wide. An object this size could really ruin our day if it ever hits the earth.

POLICE HALLOWEEN PATROL – THE EVER-PRESENT “PUMPKIN PATROL”

HALLOWEEN NIGHT – MONDAY – OCTOBER 31:
PALMETTO BAY PUMPKIN PATROL:

There will be a return of the annual "Pumpkin Patrol" for Halloween night 2011.  Police will have extra units out and officers will have candy and safety glow sticks for our young trick or treaters as well as keeping a watchful eye out for safety this special evening

Be safe and have fun this Halloween evening.

I do want to thank our Village Police Commander, Gregory Truitt, Miami-Dade Police Department and the entire policing unit for their continued hard work to keep our children safe

South Dade Matters discusses the Palmetto Bay Council and its committment to "New Urbanism"

The recent blog "South Dade Matters" has been blogging the Palmetto Bay Council action.  The current post is entitled:

Palmetto Bay and the Battle for “New Urbanism”

Calling all blood donors. Are you available to donate at the end of this month? Southwood Middle School is calling.

Blood Drive
October 28 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Southwood is sponsoring a Blood Drive to benefit the Community Blood Centers of South Florida.  The trailer will be in the teacher parking lot from 11 am to 4 pm on the Teacher Workday, October 28th. This blood drive is open to the public so if you have family or friends in the neighborhood, please feel free to invite them to donate that day.  National Junior Honor Society will have goodie bags for everyone who donates.

Thanks!

Dining for a cause. A flavorful way to assist the Tropical Audubon Society. How about a night out with friends and/or family this Tuesday, November 1st?

See the full details in the South Miami edition of the Community Newspapers (CN) - Dine Out with Tropical Audubon Society: Tropical Audubon Society hatches Dining Partnership with Trio of popular South Miami Restaurants (Click on the headline).

To help Tropical Audubon Society (TAS) feather its proverbial nest (don't blame this blogger, comment supplied by the CN), Whisk Gourmet and George’s are dedicating ten percent of dinner checks on designated dates to the local nonprofit conservation organization (consecutive first Tuesdays of the month).

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 – Dine Out with Tropical Audubon Society at Whisk Gourmet and help protect South Florida’s natural environment, resources and architectural treasures such as the historic landmark Doc Thomas House, which serves as TAS headquarters.

Ten percent of Tuesday, November 1st dinner checks (exclusive of sales tax) will be donated to Tropical Audubon Society, helping amplify the nonprofit Voice of Conservation in South Florida.

Please join us for another outstanding Miami event - Miami Greek Festival 2011, Nov 11 through 13.

Miami Greek Festival 2011

Mark your calendar and be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday

November 11^th, 12^th and 13^th

11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church

7901 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33156

305 595-1343

www.themiamigreekfestival.com

www.facebook.com/miamigreekfestival

Please "Read more" below to view the official event flier and information on parking and shuttle bus provided in the official Miami Greek Festival ’11 poster.  

Please join us for another outstanding Miami event.

Downtown Bay Forum presents: Impact of school budget cuts: Luncheon meeting Wednesday October 26

School budget cuts:  we read about the numbers, but what do they really mean for our schools?  We will hear from three individuals who know.

Downtown Bay Forum

www.downtownbayforum.org

Luncheon Meeting

Wednesday October 26, 2011 at 11:30 am

The Impact of Spending Cuts on Our Public Schools

Speakers

Karen Aronowitz

President, United Teachers of Dade (UTD)

Raquel Regalado

School Board Member

Maria-Elda Castaneda

Concerned Parent

Moderator

Dr. Sean Foreman

Department of Government- Barry University

Wolfson Auditorium at Temple Israel, 137 NE 19th Street, Miami.  Free self-parking available.  To reserve, call Annette Eisenberg, (305)757-3633 or fax (305)754-2015.  Member with reservation, $22.  Non-member or member without reservation, $26.  Membership $30.

Is Bird Watching the new hit? No need to travel far for Miami -Dade County Residents

David Yarnold of the National Audubon Society penned the article How Hollywood will make birding cool (click the headline to review the complete article). The article is discussion piece of how the movie/story "The Big Year."  As stated by Mr. Yarnold, "The Big Year" is about three guys competing to see the most bird species in one year. To be sure, they're to birding what ultra-marathoners are to jogging. But from start to finish, the movie is about birds and the people who love to look at them.

Read the article.  Again, as Mr. Yarnold points out, “Even if you're not a birder, you're probably a lot more into birds than you know.

So how many of you are there are birdwatchers?  There are many varieties of enthusiasts.  Mr. Yarnold appears to be a top flight birdwatcher, the type who travels the glob to see all there is to see in nature.  For those more local, The Miami Herald followed up this article on October 20, 2011, with the feature entitled The Florida Big Week, In a state that’s a major stop on birds’ fallmigration route, here’s a guide for spotting some of the 485 species thatFlorida claims, by Chelle Koster Walton, Special to The Miami Herald.

Ms. Walton’s article is your state vacation guide and planner for anyone more local in bird watching. As the article points out, Florida holds some of the nation’s top birding refuges and parks. Florida claims 485 species of birds, many of them rare in the United States, because of our range of climates and the state’s positioning. Birders the world over have flocked to the state since the days of John James Audubon (1785-1851) and before.

Care to view some more local resources?  Check out Miami-Dade County’s own Tropical Audubon Society (TAS).  CLICK HERE to go directly to the TAS Bird Page.  There is a wealth of information on a listing of birding opportunities in Miami-Dade County, specifically where you are most likely to locate the specific birds listed on the site locations (CLICK HERE to view).

Some of us have never considered traveling specific to bird watching.  I will follow up this post in the near future with photos and information regarding the local birds that venture into our family’s suburban neighborhood.  Feel free to share what you have seen in your areas as well.

Pinecrest action that affects you. Want to comment on your power bill charges? PSC to Consider Approval of Early Cost Recovery Fees for Construction of Nuclear Facilities

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HEARING ON FPL FEES

PSC to Consider Approval of Early Cost Recovery Fees for Construction of Nuclear Facilities

____________________________________________

$1,079,000,000! ONE BILLION AND SEVENTY-NINE MILLION DOLLARS. That is how much the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) may allow Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida to spend toward nuclear power plants, power lines in the Everglades and transmission lines on US 1 in Pinecrest under a process known as Early Cost Recovery. The hearing is scheduled for October 24, 2011.

FPL is collecting monies now from you for a project they have not yet had approved nor have guaranteed to build.

The Pinecrest Village Council recently passed a resolution urging the PSC to deny this request. An effort is also being coordinated by Citizens Allied for Safe Energy, Inc. (CASE) - please visit their web site at www.case-fl.org for more information.

You can send a letter to the PSC expressing your opinion. Click here for information on how to send a message to the PSC prior to the October 24th meeting.

Miami Herald Article

Florida Today Article

Now is the time to comment if you have any concerns about how much you pay on your power bill.  Don't live in Pinecrest?  This action affects you as well.  What is your local government doing to protect what you pay on your power bill?

Chick Flick! It's a Girls Night Out! Friday, October 20, Pinecrest Gardens

Chick Flick Nights - at the GARDENS CINEMA

Get together for an evening of lounge music, movies and refreshments. Garden Cinema will present "Chocolate".
 
Since the weather is going to be super, be sure to take a stroll through the Gardens or enjoy the Gallery prior to the movie or just enjoy a glass of wine.

Hint to the men: What woman doesn't love a man who will go to a Chick Flick with her? This event is not an all chick event, it is an opportunity for the guys to do something special for their honey!

If you go:    Pinecrest Gardens
                 11000 Red Road
                 Pinecrest, Florida 33156
                 305 669-6990

 Time:       6:30 p.m. Piano Lounge
                8:00 p.m. Movie

Cost:        $5.00 General Admission

CLICK HERE to view the official Pinecrest Gardens Cinema web page