Brian Morrison (age 13), brother Jay Morrison (age 11) and Jared Heller (age 14) run the annual CCDH poker tournament.

The 2+ hour mock Texas Hold ‘Em Tourney, held at Bet Shira Congregation on Sunday February 5, 2012, started with ten tables and progressively whittled down to one table with the best players.  The winner, Palmetto Senior High School 9^th grader, Tony Cai, took home the donated grand prize of a 32” flat-screen HDTV.  During the event, there were raffles for dozens of prizes and a silent auction.  Pizza, snacks and beverages were served, as were smiles and a good time.

The event drew people age 7-75.  Jared Heller used Facebook, email and text messaging to promote the poker tournament.  He was delighted to say that, “friends and family sent in donations even if they were unable to attend.”  He was “excited and happy that it turned out so well.”  Brian Morrison was pleased with the great turnout and amazing community support.  Jay Morrison took great pride in setting up for the event and being part of announcing the raffle winners.

All three boys worked hard to get donations for the event.  As usual, local businesses were glad to participate. Wagons West, Original Lots of Lox, Ruben’s Cuban, House of Bagels, Alf's Golf Shop, Tutti Frutti, Subway, Anacapri, Oye Cuban Grill, Kings Bay Athletics, M Cycle Gym, Wayside Market and SoMi Fitness all chipped in.

Each year, the poker tournament sends its proceeds to the Community Committee for Developmental Handicaps (CCDH), who in turn use the money to fix wheelchairs for those who can’t afford it.  This year’s event attracted more than 100 people and raised nearly $5000.

Palmetto Bay resident Leanne Frazee Tellam with daughter Marissa (age 9), son Harrison (age 6) and their new Weeping Bottlebrush tree.

Palmetto Bay resident Leanne Frazee Tellam says she found out about the event by being on the Village email blast list.  “I love the fact that we keep finding ways to focus on ways to be green in the Village.”  Her new Weeping Bottlebrush tree will join another 50 year old one in the front.  The Mangowood resident says her backyard is filled with (what else?) mango trees.

The Village had 325 trees to give away thanks to sponsorships (yes, MiamiHal was one of them).  All residents needed was a driver's license with a Palmetto Bay address.  With species ranging from Bursera simaruba to Tabebuia chrysantha, it was a fun to watch all the trees get picked up and headed to their new homes.

The main speaker, Carmen Caldwell (Executive Director of Citizens' Crime Watch of Miami-Dade), talked about how blocks and communities can significantly improve the effectiveness of their police department(s) by being their eyes and ears.  Police Commander Greg Truitt concurred, “Having 26,000 residents’ eyes watching are far better than my 40 police officers.”

Standing: Carmen Caldwell (Executive Director of Citizens' Crime Watch of Miami-Dade), Peter England (Chairman, Palmetto Bay Village Voice), Shelley Stanczyk (Mayor, Village of Palmetto Bay)

Besides the host Village of Palmetto Bay, residents came from many South Dade communities, including Kendall’s Fernanda Katz-Junkins.  Fernanda runs a Citizens’ Crime Watch group with nearly 90 homes involved.  She astutely addressed the audience in saying, “Your best security is an alert neighbor.”

Here are some great tips and facts YOU can use to protect yourself:

• Most home burglaries occur weekdays between 8am – 1pm because this is when most people are not at home.
• If you are a dog owner, keep your dogs inside when you are away.  This way an intruder can’t entice them with a nice steak to keep them busy.
• An audible home alarm instantly alerts neighbors.  One that calls the police through a monitoring service takes about 9 MINUTES before anyone is alerted. Enough time for the criminal to be long gone.
• Lighting and easy to see street address numbers at night are great crime deterrents.
• Signs (like dog on premises, alarm system or Citizens’ Crime Watch block) are very helpful in crime prevention.
• Never let someone selling magazines or collecting money for any cause into your home for any reason.  They are likely casing the home for robbery.
• Do not update your Facebook status telling people you are away on vacation.  Wait until you get home to show where you have been.

One of the biggest points made by Caldwell was that you should call the police for even the slightest concern.  “Let the police determine a course of action.  But they can’t act if they don’t know.”  For crimes in progress, call 9-1-1.  For concerns or observations, call 305-4-POLICE (305-476-5423).

After showing a 7-minutes video underscoring how people usually are unaware or ignore crimes occurring right in front of them, Caldwell urged the audience to form a Citizens’ Crime Watch group for their area.  The idea is that once people are thinking about protecting their neighbor, they tend to keep their eyes open.  I should know, I run a Citizens’ Crime Watch group and it really works.

Peter England (Chairman, Palmetto Bay Village Voice), Carmen Caldwell (Executive Director of Citizens' Crime Watch of Miami-Dade), Gregory Truitt (Commander, Palmetto Bay Police), Hal Feldman (that's me!), Fernanda Katz-Junkins (Block Captain, Kendall Citizens’ Crime Watch) and Howard Tendrich (Councilman, Palmetto Bay District 2).

Peter England reports that 15 people signed up that night to start their own group. To get involved, call Citizens’ Crime Watch at 305-470-1670 or go to http://www.citizenscrimewatch.com/

What caught my eye was Coral Reef Park Senior High’s Art Academy display.  Inside the old Pinecrest Gardens entrance, nearly 120 students’ works consisting of photographs, paintings, drawing and jewelry graced the walls and shelves.  Patrons poured over the works with delight.

Senior year student, Isabella Rodriguez, stands between Sick Daddy and Self Portrait

Isabella Rodriguez had two of the larger pieces in their show.  When I arrived, she had just sold her acrylic Self Portrait.  “I was at home and one of the parents called to tell me a couple had purchased it.  My Mom was screaming she was so happy,” Isabella said.  It’s not the first sale for her either… an amazing accomplishment for such a young artist.

Her other featured piece is of her Dad.  She came home to find him sick and lying on the kitchen counter.  She told him to freeze, put the thermometer in his mouth and started working on the painting.  It is her first oil-based work.  By the reaction she got at the show, there is no doubt she has a future in oil painting too.  She was very adamant that Sick Daddy was not for sale.

Renee Espinosa, a Booster Mom, was glad to report, “Things went really, really well.  Tons of people, lots of sales, and even when the pieces were only there for exhibit, we had people asking how to get in touch with the student to convince them to sell!”

Pinecrest Gardens’ Director, Alana Perez, said, “The 63-artist juried show exceeded all expectation.  We are thrilled with the participation and look forward to an even larger one next year.”

While you can get your Girl Scout cookies at nearly any grocery market or outdoor event these days, I encourage you to seek out Troop 57’s Lauren Teller (pictured below, left...with mom Fanny) and Rebecca Bogert (with her Mom Aileen) and buy your Thin Mints or Savannah Smiles from them.  Not only are they Girl Scouts, they also volunteer at Miami Children’s Hospital singing to patients as their Gold Award project.

For the past 6 months, the musical theater students leave school each Tuesday and head right to the hospital for 3 hours of singing.  Dressed as Disney princesses and handing out homemade stickers, their group, Pigeons for Patients, puts a smile on so many faces.  When Lauren and Rebecca graduate they want the program to continue, so they are organizing a group at the New World School of the Arts to ensure others take their place.

I found these two community-minded Pinecrest residents outside Wagons West a few Sundays ago.  Business was good.  They were proud to be helping Miami Children’s Hospital with sales proceeds and appreciative of the ability to learn through their efforts.  The sale runs through February 12^th.  This year also marks the 100^th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.  I predict New Year's resolutions will crumble, much like the cookies on sale.

John Quinn - keyboards, Magoo - bass, Dave Webster - drums, Louis Cheramie - vocals, Johnny O - vocals, sax, etc., Tommy Hall - guitar

Just two weeks prior, Mr. Nice Guy played at Palmetto Bay’s New Year’s Eve event Starry Night.  Many at the event say that they even upstaged the headliner, American Idol’s Ruben Studdard.  With selections from Cream, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker and more, this band shows off their talent and range every show.

Pictures and words don’t tell the story here.  Music does.  Here is a video sampling of their 10th Anniversary Show...

Remember to support your local live musicians.  You can catch a Mr. Nice Guy show by checking out their online calendar.

At present, Miami's Community Newspapers print 14 papers bi-monthly.  Weekly circulation is over 50,000.  And, you can pick up a community paper for free at a large number of restaurants, groceries, doctors' offices and high-traffic businesses throughout greater Miami.  The goal is to connect the community to local news and local businesses that, in turn, creates strong local commerce.

Grant Miller took me around for a tour.  Community Newspaper is located in South Miami, north of Larkin Hospital, in a sprawling building where everything, including the printing is done in-house.  47 employees generate the newspapers for each community about twice a month.  Large spools of paper come in...

...and all the local news is printed and sped off for distribution.  It is really a special sight to see the printing press in action.

I asked Grant what was his favorite story throughout the years. Miller could only narrow it to two.  The first was when his paper uncovered that the Pinecrest Village Manager a few years ago was paid for a full-year of disability when his contract only called for 90 days.  Grant felt that his paper served the Pinecrest residents well.  The second is the ongoing Palmer Trinity School issue in Palmetto Bay, which Miller said has been, and will continue to be, a focus for the paper until it comes to resolution.

And, as the title of this blog suggests, Community Newspapers is about to get a new section.  Beginning in a few weeks, yours truly will be a feature columnist.  I'll start in the Pinecrest Tribune, but hope to expand into other papers as well.  The topics of each column will be "what's going on in your area" and is likely to be called "Hal's Happenings".  Stay tuned!  I am excited for the oppportunity to serve the community...

BANK OWNED.  2-STORY GORGEOUS 3/2.5 HOME IN GATED COMMUNITY OF MARBELLA PARK. INTERIOR FEATURES COMPLETELY NEW KITCHEN (WOOD CABINETS, GRANITE-TOPS, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES), NEW BATHROOMS (MARBLE TOPS, VANITIES, DUAL SINKS), NEW PORCELAIN TILES, NEWER AIR CONDITIONER, ACCORDION HURRICANE SHUTTERS. GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, CENTRALLY LOCATED NEAR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, SHOPPING AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS.

Mon, Jan 9, 2012 @ 10:18 AM :: This is under contract in one day!  So fast, I barely had time to put it on my website.

See all the photos here.

Marabella Park West
19679 NW 85th Avenue
Miami, FL 33015
Offered at $154,922

Each year, fun-loving Miamians pick there favorite wacky events of the year and turn it into a tongue-in-cheek parade.

A lot of the humopr was based on politics, as usual.  And there was Octo-Mom and Steve Jobs tributes as well.

There's something for everyone in this end of year send-off.  The crowd not only watches, but often participates.

As always, it's all about HOPE for the new year.  I hope your 2012 is a great one.  Now, here is the video where you get to see the entire parade in less than 8 minutes.

Here is your intrepid Realtor with his trusty HD camera capturing all the action!

I look forward to bringing all the great South Florida events to you via the web.  When you're ready to move to paradise, give me a call!

Unit #507 is a split plan two bedroom condo with over 1200 square feet of sun soaked comforts.  The renovated kitchen features granite counters, pood cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

It opens up to a spacious dining and family living area, making hosting parties and meals a breeze.

Speaking of breezes, step onto the oversized balcony to see stunning city, bay, tennis and pool views.

Two bathrooms, monster-sized master bedroom with a walk-in closet, tile floor throughout and friendly community make this a great place to live, vacation or rent out.

This secure building has a large pool and whirlpool, indoor and outdoor bars, convenience store, valet, party room, ultra gym w/steam/sauna & spa, 4 tennis courts w/pro, deep water marina. DirecTV included in maintenance. Close to everything.

See all the photos here.

Palm Bay Yacht Club
780 NE 69th Street #507
Miami, FL 33138
Offered at $118,900