New Toll System for the FLA Turnpike

Here is a new toll system for Florida Turnpike...

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, part of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), is moving to all-electronic toll collection, with the first implementation on the southern 47 miles of the Turnpike in Miami-Dade County by 2011 and other segments of the Turnpike System to follow. In order to accomplish all-electronic toll collection, the Turnpike is introducing a new electronic toll collection system called Toll-by-Plate. The Toll-by-Plate system works by capturing an image of a vehicle’s license plate and billing the registered owner for the tolls. The Toll-by-Plate program is flexible and allows for customers to either call in and register for a Toll-by-Plate account, or just wait for their bill, which includes an administrative charge, in the mail. Payments can be made with cash, credit, and debit using multiple payment methods including mail, on-line, or through new payment kiosks that will be located at major retailers.

The Turnpike is holding a Toll Rate and Administrative Rule Development Workshop on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. The Workshop is being held as a statewide electronic webinar, a live presentation over the internet which allows interested persons to attend the meeting from their personal computer. For more information on the webinar please visit: http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/publicmeeting.html

For those persons without a computer or internet access, several site access locations are provided at various Florida Department of Transportation offices across the state. Please refer to the locations below to find the location nearest you.

Wow, a big change. It seems like a toll system I think I saw in the Punta Cana.

What Happen to the Yankee Clipper?

As I was driving down A1A the other day, I noticed that the famous Yankee Clipper is totally closed and under renovation. Does any know what it is going to become?




A friend of mine, who had worked there for 15 + years, as the bell captain is out of work. I would see him in the lobby all the time, now I don't know what happen to him. Maybe he went back to Tortola to work there again.

God Bless,
John

Hot Days In South Florida

I was just thinking today how warm it has been in South Florida. It kind of reminds me of my hot vacation I had in Puerto Plata Dominican Republic. I was in the DR in October about 2 years ago I sweating my tail off because the sun was so hot. There was no place to hide except in the AC hotel room.

Today we did the Halloween party at the Croissant Park Center and it was so hot. I felt really bad for the children but they did not seem to mind at all. It was a really fun event.
God Bless,
John

Trying to Figure Out a Caribbean Cruise

Is there anyone out there that is an experience Cruise Ship person? I am looking for a cruise from Fort Lauderdale where it goes to Grand Cayman. I have always wanted to go there because of Sting Ray City, everyone talks about that, and the Swim with Dolphin Grand Cayman.

I know it will go to other islands, but hopefully it will be the Islands that I want to go to.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.
God Bless,
John

The WAVE

Hi Neighbors,

I hope that all of you will try to make the Croissant Park Neighborhood Meeting this Tuesday, June 30th. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) will have a presentation on the WAVE. This is a huge downtown transportation project that will impact everyone whether you use it, or not. Why? It will cost a LOT of money and change the way people get around the area. Is it worth it? Come find out.

As a Realtor, I am very interested in how the City will deal with current and future transportation issues. You should be too. Traffic and parking problems are becoming a major factor in how we move about our community and where people decide to live and play. This effects your property values.

So, is the WAVE a part of the solution? Come to this very convenient meeting to find out and decide for yourself.

If you would like a little more information, you can go t0 www.ddaftl.org/dtc.asp . Then come to the meeting where questions will be answered.

Thanks,
Rhonda Kramer
Remax Consultants I

Dolphin Jewelry Store

Hi All,

I know some of you out there are still looking for a gift for your mother and maybe my dolphin jewelry store might be perfect for you. Since we live in Sunny Florida and many of us love the water and marine life, including our mothers, hopefully my online store might be what you are looking for.

Click on this image, if you are interested to check out the online store.



I hope you all have a great mother's day!!!
God Bless,
John

City of Fort Lauderdale to Host Super Bowl "Trail of Trees" Event on April 23

Fort Lauderdale – The City of Fort Lauderdale will participate in the NFL Super Bowl "Trail of Trees" event on Thursday, April 23 at 2 p.m. at Stranahan Park, located at 100 E. Broward Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This environmental initiative will feature a ceremonial tree planting of a South Florida Slash Pine in commemoration of Earth Week.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event. The ceremony will also feature Miami Dolphins fullback Lousaka Polite, who was recently listed as one of the team’s influential players. Representatives from the State Division of Forestry, the Super Bowl XLIV Host Committee and the NFL will also participate in the event.

The NFL Super Bowl "Trail of Trees" is an environmental project that includes seven ceremonial tree plantings that will take place in selected cities located between Tampa Bay, which hosted Super Bowl XLIII, and South Florida, the host community for Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.

More than 20,000 trees have been planted over the past five years as part of the NFL Environmental Program. The "Trail of Trees" event on April 23 at Stranahan Park will mark the kickoff of several environmental initiatives planned for Super Bowl XLIV.

For more information, please call (954) 828-6719.

Our Fort Lauderdale Community Police Officer

Hi All,

If you have any community/crime issues, concerns or problems in our neighborhood, please contact

Captain Victor London, 954-828-5357 or email him at vlondon@fortlauderdale.gov


Capt Victor London at our Monthly CPCA Meeting

God Bless,
John

FAA Hiring Notice

Hi All,

I just got this email from a friend. I hope it helps someone out there.

God Bless,
John

Please help spread the word.

FAA Hiring Notice
If you have or know kids between the ages of 18-31 with a high school diploma, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking applications for air traffic controller school. We all have kids and know kids in the right age group (under 31) and with some effort they could reach a salary of over $100,000 with benefits in about 3 years! You need only a high
school diploma to apply and credit is given for college on the exam.
They need to go to

< Click Here to Find Out More >

for details and to fill out the application immediately - even if they don't
know if they'd want to attend immediately - it's the federal government
and it may take them months to call.

The key is to apply NOW.
There will be a lot of retirements coming up rather quickly and they need to line up training to accommodate these openings. It's my understanding that the FAA rarely has an open application such as this and that the jobs are coveted. This is a great opportunity and it should be noted that choosing a site like Anchorage or Indianapolis to train is a likely acceptance into the
training program - after-which you can transfer anywhere in the country that has a tower. I hope you pass this information on to family, friends,
etc.


Unita M. Gustave
Administrative Aide District 9
Office of the Honorable Chairman Dennis C. Moss
10710 S.W. 211 Street, Suite 206
Miami, FL. 33189
☎ Tel: (305) 234-4938
( Fax: (305) 232-2892
Email: unita@miamidade.gov
"Delivering Excellence Every Day"
Miami-Dade County is a public entity subject to Chapter 119 of the Florida
Statues concerning public records. E-mail messages are covered under such
laws and thus subject to disclosure. All E-mail sent and received is
captured by our servers and kept as a public record.

Looking for Dudey the Cat in Croissant Park

Hi All,

There was a fire on 834 16th Street, March 4. The owner, Anita, lost everything in the fire, including her cat, Dudey.

She not is not losing hope in finding Dudey.

Here is stock photo of a cat that looks similar to Dudey coloring.

We are praying that Anita finds her cat and she is able to start her life over again.
Please email her if you find Dudey.( Click Here )
God Bless,
John

An Up Hill Battle - Inspiration for Croissant Park Residence

Hi All,

I saw this story on CBS news today and it was so inspirational to me.

You have to see it....

Click on this image to see the Video story from CBS new

Once you get to page, you will see the video to click on. It shows the whole story I saw on the news.

What did you think? Was it inspirational to you? Can we do more for ourselves and our community?
God Bless,
John

Bryant Peney Park in Croissant Park

Hi All,

Since I posted about the new street named after Bryant Peney, I thought I would post of few photos of the jewel of park in our neighborhood. It is a nice size park, 1 acre in size, near SW 21st and 4th avenue.

Here are some photos I took of the park.



Do you use this Park? What do you like or dislike about the park? What do you think about adding more green space in our community?
God Bless,
John

Bryant Peney Street Dedication

Hi All,

As many of you know, we have a wonderful park in our community named after Bryant Peney. A young police officer who was shot in the line of Duty. Well, now the city is naming a street after him.

It is March 24th at 11am, on the corner of SE 15th Street and Miami Road.


If you plan to go, please RSVP at 954.828.4750
Please note that parking is limited so if possible, please carpool with friends and neighbors.
For more information, please contact Petula Burks at 954.828.4742

God Bless,
John

New Side Walk in Croissant Park

Hi All,

Did you see the new sidewalk on SW 4th Ave, from 20th Street to St Rd 84? It is a beautiful and wide sidewalk. I did not see this sidewalk go in and I don't know who authorized it be put there, there the city or the county. But whoever, it was a welcomed site.

View from the Cemetery looking South

View from the Corner of St Rd 84 and Looking North

Does anyone out there know how this sidewalk got installed? Are there any streets that need sidewalks in our community? Which ones?
God Bless,
John

Happy St Patty's Day from Ft Lauderdale

Hi All,

I went out to have a Corn Beef and Cabbage and to celebrate the Irish I have in me, which is only 25%. As we know, this day, everyone is 100% Irish. My wife and I went to South Port Raw Bar and the place was packed and so were all the places on 17th Street Causeway.

Here a few photos for the blog. I even ran into a few familiar faces at South Port.




Where is your favorite Fort Lauderdale St. Patty's place to celebrate? Why?
God Bless,
John
PS. Say a prayer for Ireland that violence does not happen again in Northern Ireland. As you may or may not know a few British soldiers where killed there recently.

From the Desk of Commissioner Romney Rogers

Hi All,

Here is message from our new commissioner.

And So We Begin

It is with heartfelt thanks that I write this first article as your new District IV Commissioner. I am both humbled and honored to be representing the district I grew up in and the city I love. You have honored me with your vote of confidence and as always, your attendance at the polls was twice the city average.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to our out-going commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, and we wish her the best. She served our district and city well during the last 9 years and worked very hard to address all of our concerns and quality-of-life issues.

The new commission is set to continue the work of addressing our budget, public safety, neighborhoods and economic development issues, all with decreases in our available revenues. We also need to develop plans for our city’s future and we need input from all of you to do that effectively. We will need to find ways to deliver services at lower cost and help jumpstart our economy by streamlining the permitting process.

I am excited about working with this commission who will have many talents and a depth of historical knowledge about our city with everyone having graduated high school locally (2 from Stranahan and 2 from Gibbons) with a combined presence in the city of 207 years. It always helps to know where you have been in order to have a clear view of where you want to go. We will look forward to taking great strides in the city’s progress. As pledged by each during our campaigns, this accomplishment will take a spirit of cooperation. Again, I pledge this to you and am looking forward to this spirit of cooperation permeating the entire city.

I trust I can count on all of you to share your concerns with me. Contact my office any time during normal business hours at (954) 828-5004. If you would like to meet with me in person please call my aide, Sharon Brooks at (954) 828-5028, to set up an appointment.

Now, lets get to work!

Saving Marriages in Broward County

Hi All,

I saw this ABC news video about saving marriages in Oregon. It really hit home to me because I came from a divorce family and I really hate divorce.

Watch this video:



What do you think about this? Do you think it could work in Broward County Florida?
God Bless,
John

Good Bye Party for Cindi Hutchinson

Hi All,

Last night was a nice farewell party for Cindi Hutchinson, the Fort Lauderdale commissioner for our district. She served 9 years as our commissioner and worked hard as our commissioner. Here is a little bio I found on her.

Cindi Hutchinson was elected to the Fort Lauderdale City Commission District IV seat on March 14, 2000. She served as vice mayor from 2002 - 2003 and from 2006 - 2007.

Hutchinson is a native of Fort Lauderdale and has resided in the Edgewood neighborhood for 49 years. She has been self-employed for most of her adult life and has been actively involved in civic affairs, serving as president and board member of the Edgewood Civic Association for 11 years. During her term, she helped research, develop and implement Edgewood's Neighborhood Master Plan and she served as neighborhood liaison to the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.

Cindi with Croissant Park Neighbors

Cindi Mother

Farewell Speech

Fort Lauderdale City Manager and the Crowd

Cindi Gets Puppy as a Gift

Neighbors from Croissant Park wishing Cindi the best!!

Throughout her career in public service, Commissioner Hutchinson has been an active participant and advocate for City and neighborhood programs. Hutchinson is a graduate of the Fort Lauderdale Citizen's Police Academy, the Fire Rescue Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Neighborhood Leadership College ("Inside Your Local Government"). Hutchinson has been a proponent of local initiatives related to homelessness and airport relations; and has been instrumental in coordinating numerous public education and fundraising events. She was the initiator of the State Road 84 Design Charrette and coordinated the efforts of four adjoining neighborhoods (River Oaks, Edgewood, Croissant Park and Poinciana Park) to bring this plan into play. She also helped to secure a $500,000 enhancement grant from the State for State Road 84.

Commissioner Hutchinson is a member of Neighborhood USA (NUSA). She has been a workshop presenter at NUSA on topics such as "Neighborhood Revitalization" and "How to Groom Good Leaders." She has also been an attendee and workshop presenter at the Florida Neighborhood Conferences for the last 4 years. She was co-chair for the Florida Neighborhood Conference held in Fort Lauderdale October 6-7, 2000.

Commissioner Hutchinson is an active member of St. Jerome's Catholic Church and volunteers on a regular basis.

Pretty impressive resume if you ask me. Any comments from you all out there about Cindi and her job with the city?
God Bless,
John

Romney Rogers Wins District 4 Elections

Hi All,

As you may or may not know, Romney Rogers won the Fort Lauderdale District 4 Elections last night over Coleman Prewitt. Rogers had 55.25% of the votes to Prewitt 44.75% votes. It was hard fought election and a nail bitter till the end. I went to Romney's Election Results gathering last night and it was exciting to be part of.

Here are a few photos from the night.

If you want to see the election results by each precinct, < Click Here > .

I got to see first hand, how hard and how much effort Romney took to win this election, finding volunteers, gathering money, and especially his time. I am sure Coleman did the same for his side too. If you look at the election results and see how few votes the candidates are fighting for, it is amazing. I do not think I would do it.

What did you think about the election? What do you think about the election turn out? How do you think we can get more people be involve and vote in the future?
God Bless,
John

Best Clam Chowder in Fort Lauderdale

Hi All,

I have not been to Southport Raw Bar in a long time, but tonight I took a friend there for some Clam Chowder and Oysters. I love their New England style clam chowder and I must say South Port has the best in town that I know of.

There are few things that I love about South Port, really friendly staff, the food is always good and fresh, the service is quick and fast, and the price is right.

The servers are always smiling and moving at Southport. They are always checking to see if you need something else and get the food to your table fast and Hot / or Cold.

My pastor says, people in Florida don't like change. That is way they move to Florida because the weather is always the same. I must say I am one of them, because I always order the same thing at Southport, but what I order is soooo good. The prices are really good here too. Two people could easily eat under $40, which is really unheard in this day and age.


Buddy - One of the Owners of Southport

To find out more on SouthPort Rawbar .... Click Here
10% off Coupon .... Click Here

To get back to the main topic, I put it out there that Southport Raw Bar has the best Clam Chowder in Fort Lauderdale. How do you feel about it? Do you agree or disagree?
God Bless,
John

Lights out all over the Earth

This is pretty cool - lets all try and mark the date!

Another E-mail from Commissioner John Rodstrom's office.


It's Lights Out for "Earth Hour" in Broward County on March 28

Residents Asked to Participate in Worldwide Event


Broward County residents are being asked to turn all "non-essential" lights out for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 in recognition of "Earth Hour." Earth Hour was first celebrated two years ago in Sydney, Australia when 2..2 million people and thousands of businesses turned off their lights to send a message about climate change. Now, Earth Hour is celebrated in more than 400 cities by an estimated 50 million people worldwide. In the United States, 36 million Americans reported participating. On Tuesday, March 3, Broward County Commissioners passed a resolution asking all residents and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for the hour between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on March 28 to conserve energy and raise awareness about climate change.

Commissioner Kristin Jacobs, who is Chair of the Broward County Climate Change Task Force, brought the resolution to the Commission for approval. "Earth Hour isn't only about saving energy, it's to promote the idea that each of us as individuals can make a big difference when we combine our efforts toward a common cause," said Commissioner Jacobs. "It's a visual symbol to the world's leaders that we are counting on them to work together to find solutions."It is estimated that if every American participated in Earth Hour, 16,610 tons of carbon dioxide would not released."We're calling this the power of one campaign," said Commissioner Jacobs. "This is something that one person can do, and if we do it collectively, it gives you an idea of the impact we have when we band together."

Some of the world's most iconic landmarks have participated in Earth Hour.. Lights have gone out at the Sydney Opera House, Bangkok's Watt Arun Buddhist temple, the Coliseum in Rome, the Empire State Building in New York, the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in recognition of Earth Hour.For more information on Broward County's environmental programs and services, visit www.broward.org/gogreen. The Web site also provides information and tips on what residents and businesses can do to "go green." Visit www.EarthHourUS.org for more information on Earth Hour.

Low Cost Rabies Vaccinations- and $10 spaying or neutering

This is certainly timely in light of John's recent post about pet legislation- for all you people out there feeding the ferral cats- just an idea..............


Broward County Animal Care to Offer Low-Cost Rabies Vaccinations to Broward County Dogs and Cats, Saturday, March 14


This was an E-Mail from County Commissioner Rodstrom’s office

Broward County Animal Care and Regulation will hold a Rabies Clinic on Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Roosevelt Park, 2841 N.W. 11th St., Fort Lauderdale. At the clinic, pet owners will be able to get their pet vaccinated against rabies. In addition, they will receive a Broward County pet license. Cost for the vaccination and license is $15 per pet -- cash only. "Rabies is one of the deadliest of diseases, but also is easy to prevent," said Dr. Tim Johnston, veterinarian of Animal Care and Regulation. "A simple yearly vaccination is all it takes to ensure the health and safety of our pets and our residents."

In addition, attendees will be able to register their pet to be spayed or neutered -- fixed -- for $10 through the County's S.P.O.T. (Stop Pet Overpopulation Together) Program. To qualify to attend the rabies clinic, a pet owner must prove they are a Broward County resident by producing a valid Florida driver's license or a current utility bill. In addition, the pet owner must bring proof that they meet low-income guidelines based on income and family size by producing a current pay check stub, or prove that they are receiving: • Public assistance or food stamps • Worker's compensation or unemployment • Social Security or Disability No appointment is necessary and customers are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. All dogs must be on leashes and all cats must be in carriers. For more information, call 954-359-1010.

Dangerous Dog Legislation

Hi All,

I have not had this problem personally but my wife who has a co-worker who was riding his bike in our neighborhood and got attacked by a dog and bitten pretty badly. This guy did not sue the owner and nothing happened to the dog.

Anyway, here is an email I got from Victoria Park:

Hello Fort Lauderdale, South Florida Friends and Residents.
A new bill before the Florida Legislature, House Bill 189/Senate Bill 922, would allow any Florida community or city to adopt regulations that target or ban specific dog breeds.

I just filled this out and sent it on so we can start some legislation in reference to dangerous dogs. In Victoria Park we have had way too many attacks on our residents and pets. Please read this over and if you are in agreement send it on and pass it to others you know.

Thanks

Pat Mayers

Victoria Park Crime Committee

President of Citizens Crime Alert of Fort Lauderdale Inc.

Do you think Croissant Park should get involved in this by supporting or not supporting the bill? Does anyone know about this bill and can explain more about it?
God Bless,
John

S.O.S. - SAVE OUR SAND!

Hi All,

I got this email from Council of Civic Association:

I am not totally familiar with this situation but I thought you need to read this to make up your mind if you need to get involved with this. Read on to see if you need to get involved. God Bless. John

Our shoreline is eroding at an alarming rate! Fort Lauderdale was next in line to undergo a critical beach renourishment program, but now Broward County is considering delaying the program.

The Fort Lauderdale City Commissioners need your help to make sure that Fort Lauderdale is not pushed to the back of the line. Let Broward County know that you oppose the proposed Port Everglades Sand Bypass Project and that you want them to implement the Segment II Beach Renourishment Project as promised.

The Sand Bypass Project will benefit Hollywood at the expense of Fort Lauderdale residents, visitors, and businesses. There are unresolved concerns that the project could jeopardize public safety and have significant repercussions for our local tourism, boating, and fishing industries.

What Can You Do?

Call or e-mail your County Commissioner today and urge them to do the right thing and protect our beaches here in Fort Lauderdale! Let them know that you don’t want to wait any longer and that you won’t stand by as they put your community and its most vital industries in harm's way.

We have prepared the following letter that you can copy and paste into your e-mail message:

Dear Broward County Commission:

I support the Fort Lauderdale City Commission’s position strongly opposing the Port Everglades Entrance Sand Bypass Project.

I urge the Broward County Commission to immediately suspend all work and activities related to this project. I further urge the County Commission to fulfill its commitment to the City of Fort Lauderdale by completing the Segment II Beach Renourishment project.

Broward County promised that when Hollywood Beach was finished, the renourishment of Fort Lauderdale Beach would begin. The County would be breaking its promise if it moves forward with the Sand Bypass Project.

This initiative will not help Fort Lauderdale Beach and will only succeed in putting even more sand on the recently renourished Hollywood Beach at the expense of Fort Lauderdale residents, visitors and businesses. The project itself could change the structural integrity of surrounding buildings. In addition, blasting and the disruptive and noisy construction will have significant repercussions for our local tourism, boating and fishing industries.

Although the Hollywood Beach project was completed three years ago, the renourishment of Fort Lauderdale Beach has still not begun. In the meantime, Fort Lauderdale Beach continues to lose sand at an alarming rate.

Each day the City waits, a portion of our beach loses close to 2,000 cubic feet of sand, or enough sand to fill five dump trucks each day. Please don’t make us wait any longer. Don’t put our community or its most vital industries at risk. Please do what you promised and renourish our beach now.

Sincerely,

Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip:

Phone:

E-mail:

Contact information for the County Commissioners is below. If you need to, you can find your county commission district at http://www.broward.org/countygov.htm.

District I

Ilene Lieberman

(954) 357-7001

ilieberman@broward.org

District II

Kristin Jacobs

(954) 357-7002

kjacobs@broward.org

District III

Stacy Ritter

(954) 357-7003

sritter@broward.org

District IV

Ken Keechl

(954) 357-7004

kkeechl@broward.org

District V

Lois Wexler

(954) 357-7005

lwexler@broward.org

District VI

Sue Gunzburger

(954) 357-7006

sgunzburger@broward.org

District VII

John E. Rodstrom, Jr.

(954) 357-7007

jrodstrom@broward.org

District VIII

Diana Wasserman-Rubin

(954) 357-7008

dwassermanrubin@broward.org

District IX

Josephus Eggelletion, Jr.

(954) 357-7009

jeggelletion@broward.org

Going to a Miami Heat Game

Hi All,

I received this email and wondering is there any interest in going to a Miami Heat Game as a community?

Here is the letter I received:

Good Afternoon,

My name is Chad Goldman and I set up group outings for the Miami HEAT. I am reaching out to you today because you are listed as a leader of a civic organization. I wanted to introduce myself and extend an opportunity to bring the members of your organization to a night out with the Miami HEAT! I’m excited about having your organization feel the HEAT EXPERIENCE!

Here are some of the main points of an event with the HEAT:

· Group discount pricing starting as low as $10 (reg. price $35)
· Half-time recognition of your organization
· The members of your organization taking part in a personalized Fan Experience

Allow me the opportunity to work with you to coordinate an UNFORGETTABLE event for your organization. For more information, give me a call directly at (786) 777-4881.

Attached is our schedule for your review.

Thank you,
Chad Goldman
786.777.4881

MARCH
2 Mon. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM
4 Wed. PHOENIX 7:30 PM
6 Fri. @ Toronto 7:00 PM
7 Sat. @ Cleveland 7:30 PM
9 Mon. CHICAGO 7:30 PM
11 Wed. BOSTON 7:30 PM
14 Sat. UTAH 1:00 PM
15 Sun. @ Philadelphia 1:00 PM
18 Wed. @ Boston 7:00 PM ESPN
20 Fri. @ New Jersey 7:30 PM
22 Sun. @ Detroit 1:00 PM ABC
23 Mon. MEMPHIS 7:30 PM
25 Wed. @ Indiana 7:00 PM
26 Thurs. @ Chicago 8:00 PM TNT
28 Sat. MILWAUKEE 7:30 PM
30 Mon. ORLANDO 7:30 PM

APRIL
1 Wed. @ Dallas 8:30 PM
3 Fri. @ Charlotte 7:00 PM
4 Sat. @ Washington 7:00 PM
7 Tues. NEW ORLEANS 7:30 PM
10 Fri. @ Boston 7:30 PM
12 Sun. NEW YORK 6:00 PM
14 Tues. @ Atlanta 7:00 PM
15 Wed. DETROIT 8:00 PM

I am on the fence about it. I have a van and can fit up to 11 people. I would go if there is any interest. Reply to this blog to see if there interest.
God Bless,
John

Saying GoodBye to Cindi Hutchinson

Hi All,

There is an open invitation to say good bye to Cindi. The details are the following:

When: March 11, 2009
Where: Riverhouse Restaurants - 301 SW 3rd Ave, Ft. Lauderdale
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm

It is open to anyone but they do need a RSVP. Call Sharon Hynds, 954-562-6127, hynds57@bellsouth.net.

RSVP by March 4th - There is a charge. $15 prepay for Hors d'oeurvers, Cash Bar.

God Bless,
John

WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN??

Would everyone please calm down???

Wow, I’ve had an interesting morning wading through blog posts and E-mails about the upcoming local election. People are really fired up, and I can certainly understand both sides of the issue.

On the one hand, I agree that the Croissant Park Blog, whether or not owned by the Association (which it is not) is not the appropriate forum to endorse a particular candidate or belief, even if it is made clear by the poster that it is his personal opinion. Because it is the blog referenced in our newsletter, whether it is technically the property of the CPCA or not – it does appear that it is and appearances are important. I don’t think that any of the Board members should be publicly endorsing a candidate for office on a blog that is supposed to discuss issues of interest to the community as a whole. One only needs to go through the neighborhood and look at the lawn signs for both Commission District 4 candidates to realize that there are differing opinions, and as a blog that supposedly represents all of the citizens of Croissant Park – we should make every effort to stay neutral so as not to offend any of our members. But I also think everyone may be overreacting a little.

I too got the E-mail from Cal Deal that John found so offensive. I had a different reaction – it was a political cartoon and, like many such cartoons was probably funny to those who do not have strong feelings about either candidates- or who do not support the candidate depicted. If you are interested in checking it out and deciding for yourselves, the link is http://www.fortlauderdaleobserver.com . I also got the “prayer circle” E-mail – which you can check out at Tim@Timsmith.com if you want to read it in its entirety.

I think Romney Rogers had the correct response to the political cartoon
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2009/02/is-god-taking-sides-in-a-fort-lauderdale-race.html saying that he wished his body looked as good as Deal depicted it. That should really have ended the matter. If people want to pray for a candidate- that is certainly their right, and their business. They also have the right to poke fun at a candidate if they wish. I think John’s response was a bit of an overreaction to an E-mail that you sort of have to be a political junkie to have received in the first place, and which was laughed off by the subject himself. I suppose there are people out there who didn’t find Tina Fey’s “I can see Alaska from my house” parody funny either-but again – that is what makes this country great. We can all believe what we want, and express those opinions without fear of retaliation.

But everyone needs to lighten up a little bit. I don’t think that the Croissant Park Blog should be used to endorse a candidate or religious or social belief or agenda. Having said that- neither do I think that we need draw and quarter John, or publicly strip him of his Croissant Park buttons and break his sword or whatever one does to disgrace an officer (my experience in these matters runs to watching re-runs of F-Troop) for expressing his personal religious and political views despite the questionable choice of forum. Next time John, please use one of the political blogs and let’s keep Croissant Park a neutral corner. Both candidates seem more than capable of holding their own in the ring. Lets just calm down – sit back, have an adult beverage (or not) and root for the candidate we support, and see who is standing when the bell rings.

Pat Rathburn

Attack on a Candidate Running for City Commissioner District IV

Hi All,

Last night I received an email from a Cal Deal, not sure how he got my email, but he sent me a slanderous email about Romney Rogers and making fun of him for having people and his church praying for him. That is why he is supporting Romney’s opponent. I saw another article about this from our blog stating the same thing about Religion and Politics.

So I needed to investigate this a little more and give you some of my opinions for what they are worth. First, I am writing this post as John McNamara and not as a member of the Croissant Park board and not representing the croissant park board, so any heat need to come to me, not the board.

I would like to bring up few points, one about God, second about Romeny vs Prewitt.

About God, right now in this age of so-called tolerance, we are supposed to be tolerant of anything, anyone’s lifestyle, his or her beliefs, and so forth. But I get the sense from all these blog notices that no one is really tolerant at all, especially in referencing God or Jesus. We can’t even say Merry Christmas anymore, even though the reason for the season for Christmas is the birth of Christ, “Christ Mas”. So this controversial memo goes around to Church members to pray for Romney, (a church he has been associated with for many years), and becomes blasphemy and made a mockery by the press. Is this really news worthy? I could see if Romney was having an affair, or was a liar, tax cheater, or did something really dishonest. Come on give me something really news worthy!!! Are you really tolerant? Yes, that is a question you have to ask yourself.

Second about Romney vs. Prewitt, from the email that was sent to me, Cal Deal gave me links to show me why he is supporting Prewitt. Here are a few of the links he gave….

Comparing the two candidates resume from the Sun Sentinel.com

Go to:
Sun Sentinel Article 1 Click Here to Read More
When doing your due diligence here are some questions to consider before making your decision: Who has served the Fort Lauderdale Community the longest? Who has a stronger a fiscal resume? Who has dealt with business in Fort Lauderdale? Who has a relationship already with the Fire and Police? Whose Law Firm is located in Fort Lauderdale and Who is Not?

Here is another article from the Sun Sentinel:
Sun Sentinel Article 2 Click Here to Read More

What do they say the Key issue for District 4 is? Which candidate says they want dramatic change? (what does dramatic change mean?) Which candidate is a lifelong resident? (Is that important to you?)

If you went to the debates held in November, we got to meet the candidates and hear them speak. After the debates, no candidate was the clear winner, each candidate did really well. So I had to investigate them some more, after doing my research and reading each candidates websites, I came up with my own conclusion on who the right candidate is for me.

Now, remember to go out and vote for the right candidate for YOU on March 10^th. What’s your opinion?

God Bless,

John

VOTE MARCH 10, 2009

Don't forget to VOTE on March 10th.

If you need an absentee ballot:

log on to

www.browardsoe.org

or call

Supervisor of Elections (954- 357-7055

Missing Child Alert From Ft Lauderdale Police Dept

This Flyer Property of Fort Lauderdale Police Department


NAME: Erneshia Fleming
Age /DOB: 17 yoa 10/08/1991
Race/Sex: B/F
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 180
Hair/Style: Short ponytail
Eye Color: Brown
Build: Large
Tattoos: Chest/Stomach/Legs/Feet
LKA: 1036 NE 3rd Ave/ACTS


B.O.L.O. Ref: (X) MISSING JUVENILE
Information: The above pictured subject was last seen on 02/07/09, at 1036 NE 3rd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL. If anyone has seen Erneshia Fleming, knows her whereabouts, or has any information on this case, please contact the Fort Lauderdale Police Department at 954-828-5700. She should ONLY be released to Child Net or ACTS at 1036 NE 3rd Ave.
Contact: Investigator Pati Dube’ Phone: 954-828-5547
Unit: Special Victims/K-102 FLPD# 09-14479

Mayor Jim Naugle's State of the City Address Set for March 4, 2009

Hi All,
I just got this email from the city, so if you want hear what the future holds, then you should be there. I hope to be there.

Please join us for the annual State of the City Address and Advisory Board Reception.

Who/What
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle will deliver the State of the City Address on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lauderdale Marine Center, located at 2001 S.W. 20th Street. There will be a reception immediately following the address.

When
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
6:00 p.m.

Where
Lauderdale Marine Center
2001 S.W. 20th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

Parking
Complimentary parking will be available on site.

God Bless,
John

No General February Meeting

Hi All,

From my understanding, there will be no General Meeting this month.

So look for your newsletter for the next meeting and topic that will be discussed in the Future.

Patrica Rathburn, your new President, and the rest of the members have some great ideas for the up coming year. So keep your eyes out for the next meeting !!!
God Bless,
John

Look for an Auto Mechanic?

Hi All,

My auto mechanic, Sunshine Auto in Pompano, sold his business and its time for me to look for a new mechanic.


I was going to my old mechanic for 10 years and loved his attention to detail and honesty.

So does anyone have a recommendation? It would be nice if it was closer to home than my last mechanic but I willing to travel for great workmanship and honesty.

You can email me but a blog reply would be nice for others to see.

God Bless,
John

Puppies Need a Home. Can You Help?

Hi All,

Here is a note about puppies that need a home.



The note reads:
There are 5 black lab puppies that are looking for homes (pictured below), and they are FREE! They were found on the side of the road, and they only have a few more days until they have to be given to a shelter. PLEASE forward this email on. Even if you don't know anyone who can take one right now, someone else might!

Contact: Kathleen Allen KathleenRAllen@gmail.com

God Bless,
John

TERM LIMITS, CHURCH & STATE

A reminder to all that muncipal elections didn't end in February - the runoff for our District Commissioner is March 10th. This has been a very exciting few months for elections - starting of course with the election of our new President and continuing on a local level. I particularly note that it is the first time in many years on the local level that we haven't seen the same faces running for office, whether re-election to their current office or, faced with term limits, running for a new office. It seems to me that term limits can either be a good or bad thing- good in that name recognition and a big war chest will only keep you in office for so long, and bad, in that, particularly in national office, you need people who have been in office for awhile to get the top chairmanships of committees and understand how laws are made. Locally, it has alway seemed that it doesn't work that well - when someone is term limited out of his or her posisition - they tend to simply move to another (usually higher) position.That is why this election is interesting in that we have two novices running for the position. Both seem to have fresh ideas and new enthusiasm which hopefully will translate into good governance.

Talking about politcs can always be a devisive thing - which is why it is important for us all to remember that no matter what our personal views or party affiliations, that the opinions we express on this Blog are just that- opinions and not endorsements of any candidate on behalf of the Civic Association. We have been very careful in the Newsletter to include a disclaimer that any ads we have accepted for candidates for Mayor or Commissioner are paid advertisements and not endorsements of any candidate, and I wanted to make that clear again - for the Newsletter and for any Blog postings.

I reiterate the importance of separating church and state in light of a recent E-mail that I got endorsing a particular candidate stating that "God had lifted his hand" with respect to the votes that candidate received. I have been very careful in my role as President of the Civic Association not to publicly take sides in this election, no matter what views I may express in a more private setting. I think neutrality is important - whomever wins this Commission race will be someone that we need to work closely with, and I do not want to jeopardize that future relationship by taking sides. Having said that, and freely admitting that I am one of those Easter and Christmas church goer types and therefor might not be totally up to date on the subject, I was sort of surprised to discover, according to the E-mail, that God apparently favors one candidate over another. I have a little bit of a hard time with that concept, but again - that's what makes America great- you are entitled to believe anything you want and if what you want to believe is that God picks sides in municipal elections - that is your right. My personal belief is that God has enough other stuff to worry about and should stay out of elections - it has not worked out too well in the Middle East and other places where separate factions each believe that their candidates have gotten the heavenly endorsement. Is it possible that all sides are right? Maybe so - but way beyond my pay grade to say with any certainty. Vote for whomever you choose based on whatever criteria for leadership you find important. Just vote.

Pet Health Warning

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

Additional information can be found at www.Snopes.com

Volunteers Needed for 32nd Annual Waterway Cleanup

The City of Fort Lauderdale is proud to be a Site Sponsor for the 32nd Annual Waterway Cleanup, set for 9am-1pm on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 35 locations throughout Broward County. The annual event, spearheaded by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), promotes environmental responsibility. Volunteers help clean up Broward County’s canals and waterways.

People of all ages are invited to participate by boat or on foot to remove debris from the waterways and shorelines.

Becoming a Waterway Cleanup volunteer is simple. Locate a cleanup site near your home or business, arrive at the site, and sign in with a site coordinator. For a list of cleanup sites, visit www.waterwaycleanup.org or call MIASF at 954-524-2733.

Following the clean up, volunteers are invited to attend the Trash Bash volunteer appreciation party for food, drinks, and DJ entertainment. The Trash Bash will be held from 2pm-5pm at John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, 6503 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach.

Sign up today to help clean up Broward County’s reefs, waterways and beaches. It’s a great way to meet new people and share in the reward of protecting your environment.

For more information about volunteer and sponsorship opportunities:
Visit www.waterwaycleanup.org
Call 954-524-2733, or
Email waterwaycleanup@miasf.org.

Citizens Crime Alert of Fort Lauderdale

Citizens Crime Alert of Fort Lauderdale Inc.

Meeting
March 2, 2009
7:00 PM
City Hall 8th Floor Cafeteria

Code Department, Mike Maloney, and he has agreed to attend the March 2nd meeting or have his assistant attend.

The topic will be an overview of what the city, and probably more specifically, what Code is doing regarding Foreclosures throughout the city. I think, given the current economic climate, this will be a very interesting and informative presentation.

These properties are all over the City and unfortunately undesirable’s a going in and taking up business. This is making the property values and the safety of the neighborhoods plummet.

Everyone from every neighborhood is welcome. Take valuable information back to your neighborhoods.

YOU REALLY DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS AND BRING QUESTIONS RELATING TO PROBLEMS YOU SEE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING ADDRESSES.

March 10th District 4 Commissioner Election

Hi All,

Romney Rogers was close to winning the commissioner seat but he needed 50% of the votes for our district. Unfortunately he only got 47% of the votes and we have a run off between to the two highest vote getters, which is Romney Rogers and Coleman Prewitt.

Since that is the case, there will be a final election on March 10th, less than 30 days from now. So don't put away your lawn signs and the campaign continues.


Romney Rogers




Coleman Prewitt

For those who voted for the other 2 candidates, now is the time to make up your mind for Romney Rogers or Coleman Prewitt.

God Bless,
John

Ft Lauderdale Free Tree Brochure

Hi All,

We got a call this week asking for the city forester's phone number. I returned the call but thought, why not put the information on the blog.

Here it is

Gene Dempsey, Urban Forester
Parks and Recreation Department
City of Fort Lauderdale
1350 W. Broward Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312

Tel. 954-828-5785
E-mail: GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

The website for the FREE Trees <<<<>

There is a brochure on the website which tells you all about the free trees and a form to fill out to request your free tree.

I have a free tree that I put on my swale in 1994 and it is a big Oak tree now. I love it. Unfortunately the trees we tried as a community in 2004 to plant on 14th by my duplex section did not make it. Out of 14 trees we planted only 5 trees have survived. 2 hurricanes came and destroyed.

Maybe I will have the energy and try again this year. I would love to see a tree canopy on my section of the street.

Any other nice free tree stories you can share?
God Bless,
John

Sewer Hook Up Contractor Feed Back

Hi All,

I will be joining the ranks of you all that have been dealing with the sewer hook up recently in Croissant Park.

I will be looking for a contractor and need some feed back on the plumbing contractors you are using or have used.

To help me and others, can you put some of the following information if you comment.
1. How many bids did you get?
2. Which Contractor did you pick?
3. Can you say the price range you paid?
4. How difficult was your Hook Up?
5. How was your contractor? Would you recommend?
6. How was the whole process of the hook up? Painful or pleasant?



Your information will help me and your neighbors. Thank you for your help.
God Bless,
John

Thanking Romney Rogers for his Membership Support

Hi All,

I had a chance to thank Romney Rogers last night for his support in the Croissant Park Membership drive we had in our January 2009 newsletter.

Hopefully you saw it, the membership drive piece, membership application and envelope, was stapled on the Croissant Park newsletter that was delivered to your home. Romney help offset the cost of the drive with his financial support.















We are hoping you took the application off the newsletter, filled it out, wrote your check of $20, and mailed in the application in the return envelope. We made it simple for you. If you did not see the membership piece, you can still write your check and mail to CPCA, PO Box 13117, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316.

Remember this month, membership dues are due and the Croissant Park Civic Association needs your support.
God Bless,
John

Photos of Demo of Gore Nursery

Hi All,

Gore Nursery is soon to be leveled. It started today and a park is on it way.

Here are few photos of today.

God Bless,
John

Upcoming Candidates Forum - City Elections 2009

The Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations will host two forums in support of the upcoming City elections.

On Thursday, January 29, 2009 prior to the primary, the Council will interview candidates running for office.

On Thursday, February 26, 2009 the Council will again interview the remaining candidates prior to the general election.

Both sessions will be at City Hall in the Commission Chamber on the 1st floor each beginning promptly at 7:00 PM. Christopher Pollock will be the moderator. If you would like to propose questions for consideration, they should be forwarded to ellisjazz@bellsouth.net by December 1, 2008 to be provided to the committee.

The public is encouraged to attend and participate.

For further information contact Betty Shelley 954 938-9230 or Genia Ellis 954 205-9648.

PLEASE VOTE!

Demolition of Gore Nursery

Hi Everyone,

Please join us for an informal community gathering to mark the demolition of Gore Nursery to welcome the beginning of our new park.

Event:

Demolition of Gore Nursery

Date/Time:

Monday, February 2, 2009

9 a.m.

Location:

Former Gore Nursery

1611 S.W. 9th Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

If you have any questions or would like to confirm your attendance, please contact me. Thank you.

Angela Sabina DiPietro - City of Fort Lauderdale

(954) 828-4777 or 828-6719

I hope to see anyone that can make it.
God Bless,
John