Looks like the cops patrolling the Lee Park Condo complex on SW 62 Ave and 68 St have disappeared as of late. I wonder if that has something to do with the recent city election.
For a few months right before the February election, South Miami’s finest were patrolling the area and by virtue of that, the residents were feeling pretty good and confident about the future. But now, according to several Lee Park homeowners, that was short lived, as the crowds are back in action with lots of nefarious activities going on.
One of the residents reminded his neighbors, that the cops usually have some undercover cops buying drugs and getting information about the bigger drug dealers, so that the police can make some significant arrests and put the bad guys away for a while.
In the meanwhile, as they wait for the cops to take some action, a 70 plus year old resident says that they don’t even want their grand children sitting on their own front porch because of the gambling and drug dealing that is going on right outside their front door. And so life goes on in the city of pleasant living.
By the way, can’t help but wondering how the lawsuit(s) are going between the now former Police Chief Orlando de Castro Martinez and Phil Stoddard, the mayor of South Miami? And from what I recall, there is another lawsuit against the mayor by another cop, who is still, at least for the time being, on the police force.
Some buds and I wandered over to Scullys on Sunset Drive and 98 Ave and had a great time. The diet of the day: Chicken wings along with some Corned Beef and Cabbage, a beer and lots of camaraderie. Oh what’s 1,500 calories on a Saturday afternoon? And yes it was worth it. BTW on Friday and Saturday starting at 10pm till… there are lots of live music and on Wednesday night, you can entertain yourself and your tone-deaf buddies to a few rounds of Karaoke. So, lighten up a bit, take a break and sit a spell over at my newest hangout.
After 40 years on air, Joseph Cooper still on the airwaves at WLRN 91.3 FM, hosting Topical Currents along with Bonnie Berman
Joseph Cooper the long serving host of Topical Currents, that now includes co-host Bonnie Berman, is celebrating 40 years with the station and the Watchdog Report wants to give him a Tip of the Hat, for all his work on the airwaves since he joined www.WLRN.Org decades ago. Cooper’s show has a broad range of people and topics discussed over the years and I have been honored to be a frequent contributor to the show since March 2000 when I was just about to start the Watchdog Report which started May 5, 2000. And being on the show over a hundred times has been one of the fun things I have been able to do over the last 15 years and sometimes includes elections analysis. And back in 2000 on the General Election night, I was own the show Cooper hosted with a former Presidential Candidate John Anderson, Tony Doris and Robert Steinbach and when Florida was announced to have gone to Democratic Candidate Al Gore. I was the only one on the show that disagreed with that assessment and said at the time it was to close a race to call. Since I had interviewed some 100 people and it was two big white guys, who went to Ivy League Colleges and you did not have much voter intensity for either candidate at the time with voters at the polls and parents were bringing their children to the polling sites in a civics education. I found in many cases. However, the other members thought I was wrong, but that thinking would later change and later in the evening they said “good call,” when Florida went to the undecided column at the time. So for me, Joe’s show has been an opportunity to have another media sounding board and I wish him many more years at the microphone for the broadcaster and former drummer.
County trying to put together “pieces of puzzle,” to get Playhouse to reopen.
The Coconut Grove Playhouse was the topic of discussion at the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council meeting Wednesday, and the storied Playhouse closed in 2006, but is coming back to life in the future now that an agreement has been achieved between the state of Florida, Florida International University and Miami-Dade County. The county has $20 million set aside to renovate the historic building, and to create a sustainable theater facility that will host plays produced by Gables Stage, and that agreement is being worked on said county cultural maven Michael Spring. He said the Miami Parking authority has taken over the parking lot and improvements in lighting and security are in the works. He also said his “team” working on the issues with the City of Miami did a “complete walk around,” recently and while the building has been made more secure. There has been a history of “break-ins or people living in the structure over the years, and why the building needs to be “more secure,” he said.
In the future he said a competitive process will take place to find architects that could help chart “the future of the Playhouse,” in the late “summer or fall,” after extensive public input he said. In addition, the plan is to have “Gables Stage grow into the role of a regional theater,” and all these elements are “pieces of the puzzle,” and he believes with “the great team [in place they will be able] to come up with solutions,” to the many challenges in getting the theater back open.
(The two previous items were supplied by Watchdog Report.)
Just how important is Digital Media
According to The Huffington Post, 93% of marketers use social media for business and that’s pretty darn important. Continuing on with some big numbers: There are currently over 1.3 Billion Facebook users every month…yes, that’s billions with a B and there are about 645 million active registered Twitter users. Wow, the next thing is how does a local business participate not only with social media, but with other digital products. Well, there are lots of ways, including calling your local chamber of commerce which frequently offer classes or can direct you to a member that that can help you and of course, you can go online and search to your hearts content.Then of course, you can call our Digital Media Department at 305-669-7355 ext 253 and speak to Jose who will happily answer any of your questions. He can also be reach at Jose@communitynewspapers.com. PS. Should you be in the mood, feel free to LIKE us on Facebook us and or take a tour of communitynewspapers. Com
Jose C. Bowles contributed to this column.
Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669- 7355, ext. 249, or send emails to <Michael@communitynewspapers.com.
