BCT Makes A Statement: Eye-Catching Buses Drive Community Engagement August 1, 2024 Share Broward County Transit (BCT) is revving up ridership and community spirit with a fleet of dynamic buses that transform into rolling billboards for local celebrations. Forget the plain vanilla buses of yesterday – BCT is turning heads with eye-catching wraps that celebrate everything from holidays to hometown sporting heroes. This innovative approach isn't just about aesthetics; it's about forging deeper connections with the people BCT serves. "Broward County Transit (BCT) is deeply committed to celebrating diversity and fostering a sense of community," said Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO/General Manager. "We showcase this commitment by wrapping our buses for major events like Juneteenth, the Panthers' Championship Run, and Pride. These initiatives enhance the rider experience while demonstrating our support for the vibrant communities we serve." Pop-Up Park & Ride: Taking Fans to Victory Lane BCT's innovative Pop-Up Park & Ride service wasn't just about shuttles; it was about creating a seamless fan experience. Specially wrapped buses, emblazoned with Florida Panthers Pride, became an extension of the team spirit. This convenient and affordable option not only reduced traffic congestion around Amerant Bank Arena, but also offered a sustainable way to cheer on the Cats. Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO/General Manager of BCT, summed it up perfectly: "We were thrilled to be part of the Panthers' Historic Run. Our wrapped buses added to the electric atmosphere and, more importantly, provided a hassle-free way for fans to experience these unforgettable moments." Celebrating Champions: A Parade Fit for Royalty BCT didn't stop after the final buzzer. To ensure fans could celebrate the Panthers' Historic NHL Championship win in style, BCT offered special bus services for the Championship Parade. These frequent shuttles allowed the community to come together and showcase their Panther pride without the worry of parking or traffic woes. This commitment to enhancing the fan experience went beyond transportation; it was about creating a hassle-free way for the community to join the celebration. BCT's partnership with the Florida Panthers is a shining example of how a public transit agency can go beyond its core function to become a true community champion. Cheering for Cricket: World Cup Transportation BCT's commitment to supporting local and international sports events was also evident during the Cricket World Cup, which was hosted in Broward County. A specially wrapped bus celebrated the excitement of the Cricket World Cup, providing fans with a vibrant and convenient transportation option to attend the games. This initiative celebrated Cricket within the community and showcased BCT's dedication to creating enjoyable and accessible experiences for all attendees. Beyond the Bus: BCT's Broader Impact BCT's commitment extends far beyond transportation solutions. Events like the Stonewall Wilton Manors Pride Parade, supported by BCT, generate significant social and economic benefits. The Pride Parade, attracting over 50,000 attendees, contributed an estimated $6 Million to the local economy. BCT's colorful and inclusive bus wraps played a vital role in the vibrancy and success of these events. Celebrating Freedom: Juneteenth on Wheels BCT's deep community engagement was evident during the recent Juneteenth Celebration held at the Lauderhill Transit Center (LTC). A unique exhibition transformed a bus into a moving museum adorned with vibrant Juneteenth imagery. This immersive experience educated attendees about the historical significance of Juneteenth, the day marking the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Over a hundred community members, including families and children, participated in the event. The Juneteenth bus served as a backdrop for crafting activities and coloring pages, fostering a deeper understanding of the day's importance. The enthusiastic participation and impressive turnout testified to the event's success. BCT: More Than Just a Ride BCT's wrapped buses serve as vibrant ambassadors, embodying the agency's values of celebrating diversity, supporting local events, and enriching the community experience. By offering practical yet visually engaging transportation solutions, BCT continues to build strong connections with Broward County residents. Looking Forward: Deepening Community Engagement BCT is committed to further strengthening its involvement in community activities, with a focus on major events and parades. This ensures that public transportation remains an integrated and celebrated aspect of Broward County's social fabric. Through participation in these celebrations and each wrapped bus and supported event, BCT reaffirms its dedication to fostering community bonds and providing seamless transportation. < Previous News Next News >

Wars Are the Enemy of Freedom By John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead March 2, 2022 Share It’s time for the U.S. government to stop policing the globe. “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” — James Madison War is the enemy of freedom. As long as America’s politicians continue to involve us in wars that bankrupt the nation, jeopardize our servicemen and women, increase the chances of terrorism and blowback domestically, and push the nation that much closer to eventual collapse, “we the people” will find ourselves in a perpetual state of tyranny. It’s time for the U.S. Government to stop policing the globe. This latest crisis — America’s part in the showdown between Russia and the Ukraine — has conveniently followed on the heels of a long line of other crises, manufactured or otherwise, which have occurred like clockwork in order to keep Americans distracted, deluded, amused, and insulated from the government’s steady encroachments on our freedoms. And so it continues in its Orwellian fashion. Two years after COVID-19 shifted the world into a state of global authoritarianism, just as the people’s tolerance for heavy-handed mandates seems to have finally worn thin, we are being prepped for the next distraction and the next drain on our economy. Yet policing the globe and waging endless wars abroad isn’t making America — or the rest of the world — any safer, it’s certainly not making America great again, and it’s undeniably digging the U.S. deeper into debt. Indeed, even if we were to put an end to all of the government’s military meddling and bring all of the troops home today, it would take decades to pay down the price of these wars and get the government’s creditors off our backs. War has become a huge money - making venture, and the U.S. government, with its vast military empire, is one of its best buyers and sellers. What most Americans — brainwashed into believing that patriotism means supporting the war machine — fail to recognize is that these ongoing wars have little to do with keeping the country safe and everything to do with propping up a military industrial complex that continues to dominate, dictate and shape almost every aspect of our lives. Consider: We are a military culture engaged in continuous warfare. We have been a nation at war for most of our existence. We are a nation that makes a living from killing through defense contracts, weapons manufacturing and endless wars. We are also being fed a steady diet of violence through our entertainment, news and politics. All of the military equipment featured in blockbuster movies is provided — at taxpayer expense — in exchange for carefully placed promotional spots. Even reality TV shows have gotten in on the gig, with the Pentagon’s entertainment office helping to sell war to the American public. It’s estimated that U.S. military intelligence agencies (including the NSA) have influenced over 1,800 movies and TV shows. And then there are the growing number of video games, a number of which are engineered by or created for the military, which have accustomed players to interactive war play through military simulations and first-person shooter scenarios. This is how you acclimate a population to war. This is how you cultivate loyalty to a war machine. This is how, to borrow from the subtitle to the 1964 film Dr. Strangelove, you teach a nation to “stop worrying and love the bomb.” The media, eager to score higher ratings, has been equally complicit in making (real) war more palatable to the public by packaging it as TV friendly. This is how you sell war to a populace that may have grown weary of endless wars: sanitize the war coverage of anything graphic or discomfiting (present a clean war), gloss over the actual numbers of soldiers and civilians killed (human cost), cast the business of killing humans in a more abstract, palatable fashion (such as a hunt), demonize one’s opponents, and make the weapons of war a source of wonder and delight. Not satisfied with peddling its war propaganda through Hollywood, reality TV shows and embedded journalists whose reports came across as glorified promotional ads for the military, the Pentagon has also turned to sports to further advance its agenda, “tying the symbols of sports with the symbols of war.” The military has been firmly entrenched in the nation’s sports spectacles ever since, having co-opted football, basketball, even NASCAR. This is how you sustain the nation’s appetite for war. No wonder the United States is the number one consumer, exporter and perpetrator of violence and violent weapons in the world. Seriously, America spends more money on war than the combined military budgets of China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Saudi Arabia, India, Germany, Italy and Brazil. America polices the globe, with 800 military bases and troops stationed in 160 countries. Moreover, the war hawks have turned the American homeland into a quasi-battlefield with military gear, weapons and tactics. In turn, domestic police forces have become roving extensions of the military—a standing army. We are dealing with a sophisticated, far-reaching war machine that has woven itself into the very fabric of this nation. Clearly, our national priorities are in desperate need of an overhaul. Eventually, all military empires fall and fail by spreading themselves too thin and spending themselves to death. It happened in Rome: at the height of its power, even the mighty Roman Empire could not stare down a collapsing economy and a burgeoning military. Prolonged periods of war and false economic prosperity largely led to its demise. It’s happening again. The American Empire — with its endless wars waged by U.S. military service people who have been reduced to little more than guns for hire: outsourced, stretched too thin, and deployed to far-flung places to police the globe—is approaching a breaking point. The government is destabilizing the economy, destroying the national infrastructure through neglect and a lack of resources, and turning taxpayer dollars into blood money with its endless wars, drone strikes and mounting death tolls. This is exactly the scenario President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against when he cautioned the citizenry not to let the profit-driven war machine endanger our liberties or democratic processes. What we have is a confluence of factors and influences that go beyond mere comparisons to Rome. It is a union of Orwell’s 1984 with its shadowy, totalitarian government—i.e., fascism, the union of government and corporate powers—and a total surveillance state with a military empire extended throughout the world. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, this is how tyranny rises and freedom falls. Editor’s Note: John Whitehead is an attorney and author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law, human rights and popular culture. John Whitehead's commentary are his views and he is open for discussion, he can be contacted at: johnw@rutherford.org . Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at: www.rutherford.org . < Previous News Next News >

Get Up & Get Dancing: The City of Aventura Offers An Opportunity For Better Health March 18, 2022 Share The City will be offering complimentary Zumba classes to Aventura residents of all ages starting in March and running every Thursday. The new Zumba program will include a certified Zumba instructor teaching this fun fitness class involving aerobic movement and Latin dance. Participants should be ready to bring a positive mood, have fun and bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated. Cost: FREE When: Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Where: Founders Park 3105 NE 190 St. Benefits of Zumba Designed as a combination of salsa and aerobics, there’s no right or wrong way to do Zumba. As long as you move to the beat of the music, you’re participating in the exercise. And since Zumba involves movement of the entire body — from your arms to your shoulders and to your feet — you’ll get a full-body workout that doesn’t feel like work. A small study found that a standard, 39-minute Zumba class burned an average of 9.5 calories per minute. This adds up to 369 calories in total throughout the class. The American Council on Exercise recommends that individuals burn 300 calories per workout in order to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy bodyweight. Zumba fits their criteria perfectly. Evidence also shows that a 12-week Zumba program can provide significant improvements in aerobic fitness. Also, since music played during a Zumba class is relatively fast-paced, moving to the beat can help build your endurance after just a few workouts. You may not realize this but while doing Zumba, your mind and body work quite hard to make sure your movements follow the fast beats of the music and that your steps are aligned with others who are also dancing around you. Regular practice of Zumba boosts your mind-body coordination. Zumba is fast, intense, and rigorous. And Zumba is fun also. This is one of the main reasons why people who practice Zumba keep going back to it. They look forward to attending the class so they can dance away to the music along with their friends and family. Zumba also presents you with opportunities to socialize and make new friends. Registration Aventura residents of all ages welcome, registration is open and spots are limited. All participants must be registered prior to attending. Registration can be completed exclusively online only with a valid and existing account at cityofaventura.com/ors. For more information, visit cityofaventura.com or contact Founders Park at 305-466-0183 or parksrec@cityofaventura.com . Online registration must be completed prior to attending at https://secure.rec1.com/FL/aventura-fl/catalog < Previous News Next News >

Tug-Of-War: Bodily Autonomy Vs Economic Livelihood Thu Nov 25 2021 05:05:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

It's Budget Time: What's The Process & What To Expect By Hallandale Beach Mayor, Joy Cooper August 24, 2023 Share This week’s news: It is budget time. Our budget cycle kicks off around February and culminates with two Public Hearings where the Final Budget and any Amendments are adopted. We also adopted the two Safe Neighborhood Districts’ Budgets and the Fire Fee. The good news is the Millage Rate Fire Fee remained the same. This does not mean individuals will not see an increase in their Taxes. The State Requirements show an increase in Market and Fair Market Taxable Values. When Values go up, taxes go up. Homestead Property Percentage Tax Increases are capped at 3 percent and Non-Homestead Properties are Taxed at Value. This system has been in place for years and is not changing anytime soon. It is called Save Our Homes For A Reason. It protects Homeowners that live here full time from Tax Increases as a result of extreme jumps in Values due to speculation and spikes due to Market Conditions. It is not at all a perfect system and obviously, we are seeing the impact now on the Rental Market. On the other hand, Values are so high it is doing its job to keep residents in their homes. Over the course of the past five years, we have been implementing a Budget Stabilization Process. If you've followed my articles, I covered this topic extensively in my State Of The City Address and the South Florida Sun Times ran multiple articles covering it. We have made tough decisions and stopped kicking the can down the road. Recently I had an opportunity to speak with someone in regard to municipal services and the disconnect individuals have about what we actually provide as a City to our residents, the costs and more importantly the value. While the trim notice is not a welcoming piece of mail, since it is a statement of Taxes. I will tell you that we are utilizing every bit of those Tax Dollars to ensure we stabilize, maintain and in some cases increase services. It needs to be noted that when you get a Tax Bill it includes every Taxing District and Special District for Broward County. Ours is a portion of your Tax Bill. Municipal Taxes and Fees provide the necessary life sustaining and Quality Of Life Services that are Required by Law for us to provide. We watch every dollar and individuals would be surprised to just see what you get for each dollar. I like to say you get round the clock Security and Fire Protection, round the clock Emergency Healthcare, Safe Drinking Water. The ability to flush your toilets, Trash Removal, Roads, Parks to recreate and other daily items that are often taken for granted. I like to break them down to a dollar. The Ad Valorem Taxes go to the General Fund: $0.30 of these Funds go to Day-To-Day Operations, Administrative Charges from the various Departments, Non-Departmental Costs and many items that you would expect are needed to run a business. In addition, this portion includes transfers to the CRA, Community Redevelopment Agency. The next largest use of the Fund includes: Public Safety: $0.45. $0.26 of each dollar goes towards Police Services and $0.20 goes towards Fire and Rescue. While we do have a Fire Fee that is $265, this Fee can only be used for specific items relative to Fire and Apparatuses. The General Fund Supplements the other costs to run Fire and Emergency Medical Services. $0.12 goes to Staffing Costs of the City Manager, Procurement, Budget Monitoring, the City Attorney, City Clerk Information Technology, Human Resources and the City Commission. The City also provides Building Services which include: Code Permitting and other Business Operations. $0.03 cents of each dollar accounts for those services. $0.05 goes towards our Parks and Recreation and Open Spaces. Human Services accounts for $0.02 of each dollar and Public Works accounts for one cent of every dollar. So, you can see every dollar is accounted for and goes to services people depend on. The General Fund is only part of the City Budget. Quite often you hear complaints about budgets getting larger. Our budget includes all Capital Works Projects and this year we are embarking on a huge Citywide Rehab and Replacement of our Underground Infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be spent on Water Systems, Sewer Pipes and Pumping Stations. These projects do not just take brick and mortar but involve Staff from multiple Departments. Capital Projects also include: Replacement and Maintenance of our Parks System. This year we are Upgrading Equipment that cleans our Beaches. As we stabilized the Budget, we are also introducing some more programs at our Parks. As a note, we are always looking for partnerships at our Park Facilities. If you have a Special Program that you would like to offer please reach out to our Director. We also continue to Upgrade and maintain our Technology Division to ensure we provide a Safe and Reliable Platform for users to access Services and Information. While in today’s world, everything is moving to Online and to Cloud Based Solutions and these Services cost money. We currently have a great Budget Portal where residents can go Online and see our Budget in an interactive way. Permitting, Business Licenses and Financial Services have all moved Online. We still have In-Person Services for all our residents and businesses Mondays through Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. This past Wednesday, we held our Final Budget Workshop. All of them are Online and you can also watch all of our Meetings on our website at: www.Cohb.org Visit the site and click on Agendas. If you have not seen our site, I encourage all of our readers to visit it. Sign up for Notifications. The First Budget Hearing is scheduled on September 13th at 5:05 p.m. and the Final Budget Hearing is scheduled on September 26th at 5:05 p.m. Both meetings are at City Hall located at 400 South Federal Highway. Every resident is encouraged to come out to participate or watch the meeting live. As always please feel free to contact me anytime with your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our City a better place! I am available at: jcooper@cohb.org . Or: joycooper@aol.com . On my Office number at: (954) 457-1318. Or on my Cell/Text at: (954) 632-5700. You can always visit my Facebook and follow me at: Mayor Joy Cooper. < Previous News Next News >

DOGE - Impacts On The City Of Hallandale Beach By Hallandale Beach Mayor, Joy Cooper Aug 6, 2025 Over The Past Months Our Governor Has Been Focused On DOGE. While We Can Agree That There Are Instances Of Spending By All Levels Of Government, Including The State, That Are Questionable. What About The State? Actually, The New “Statewide Taxpayer Funded Campaign” By The Governor Is An Example Of Questionable Spending. These Announcements Could Have Very Easily Been Done From Tallahassee. Cities and counties in our state must submit a balanced annual budget and are subject to annual audits and submit a Comprehensive Annual Report CAFR. Hallandale Beach, for example, just received an audit with zero findings. Our entire budget is online and accessible for everyone including the state for review. The state has access; they should use it and not require our staff to do their work. So, what are they asking for? In short, they are asking our staff to create documents in an effort to cover their own DOGE failure attempt. Mayors and Managers at every level of government received a DOGE basic request back in March and responded. After there was radio silence. The recent DOGE campaign was announced through a staged statewide campaign. The recent DOGE correspondence was sent July 11th, with a response deadline of July 21st. When I first received the email, I was extremely perplexed and annoyed for our professional staff. I sent an email to Dr. Earle to share my thoughts. “While I know we will comply with their request it is perplexing as all this information is available in our audit and our Comprehensive Annual Report CAFR.” At the end of the email the state offered government agencies to contact them if they could not make the deadline. This was a full page of questions asking our staff to comply in their own excel spread sheet form. The report asked once again about population, revenues, and the entire budget with expenses of every single department. This was not just for one year but all the way back to 20-21. Our staff, including the Finance, Budget Committee and Information Technology, got to work instantly and worked over the weekend in hopes of not having to ask for an extension. Many cities and counties asked for extensions, some 30 days. On Monday July 21st in an email to Dr. Earle our Finance Director on behalf of the team explained our complex ledger structure does not simply tie into an excel sheet. IT worked on a solution, and they have completed all the tabs but the final one. Rather than rushing and losing value data the team asked for an extension until August 8th. I am sure this same issue is being addressed by every agency. I cannot imagine what large cities and counties are going through. Many residents may not realize all Florida governments are currently going through their 2024-2025 budgets that must be approved before October 1st. This DOGE mission is taking all our staff away from critical daily duties. As a note, we have a fully accessible state-of-the-art IT system. The main issue is they are asking staff to create a work sheet to fit their needs. Typically, auditors will come in and request access to documentation and our systems, but the auditors do the work. Our staff has requested an extension simply because the time was not possible. The unrealistic request of all the government agencies to comply within 11 days shows a true lack of understanding of the complex financial system or was a deliberate attempt to create a lack of faith in our government. This contrived narrative that all governments have waste and are abusing taxpayer dollars is strictly feeding a political base. The goal is not to cut taxes. They are looking for a “smoking gun” in an attempt to suggest that our property taxes are too high. If you had a chance to read my State of the City. The State of Florida, you already know that our state is the fourth lowest taxed burden state in the nation. Our state does not have income tax and has an incredibly low sales tax rate of 6%. Our cities depend on property taxes to pay for services that directly impact safety and quality of life of each resident. Our state did nothing to cut insurance costs. They cut many local requests to fund much needed infrastructure. Our Northeast Flood Control request was cut. Now, being faced with costs to cover education, schools, and health insurance, they are teeing up a bait and switching. Cut property taxes but increase sales tax. Great for the state as they collect sales tax and do not rely on property taxes. We as a city rely on property taxes to pay for vital services; Police, Fire, EMS, Water and Wastewater Services, Flood Control, Sanitation Services, Municipal Road Maintenance, Park, and Beach Services. Every citizen needs to understand what services each level of government provides. As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our City a better place on my Phone/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or you can email me at: jcooper@cohb.org . Please visit me on my Facebook page at: Mayor Joy Cooper. Like! Follow! And share! Previous Next

Experience Serenity And Thrills: A Day At The Newport Fishing Pier Wed May 15 2024 16:18:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Hallandale Beach Parking Fees: Answers To Questions You May Have About The Program www.hallandalebeachfl.gov August 26, 2021 Share Based on conservative estimates, the expansion of the City Of Hallandale Beach's Parking Program, would result in approximately $1.4 Million, in new revenue As the City of Hallandale Beach charts a course for a financially responsible future, it must explore options to find new revenue, to pay for the increasing costs, of Public Services. For years, Hallandale Beach has been missing out on, significant revenues by not charging fair market rates, for in-demand parking spaces. Based on conservative estimates, the expansion of the City Of Hallandale Beach’s Parking Program would result in approximately $1.4 Million in new revenue. This revenue, can be used to replace our aging fleet of Police Vehicles, allow the City to keep parks open longer, expedite permitting processes and to increase the efforts of Code Compliance. Further, Parking Enforcement, has a public safety component, as it provides an authoritative presence, a marked vehicle with lights, uniformed parking specialists, discouraging criminal activity, removes dumped and illegally parked vehicles, from our neighborhoods. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions: Why Do I Have To Pay For On-Street Parking? Parking takes up some of the most valuable land in the City Of Hallandale Beach and is the single biggest land use, in our City. Free parking in the City has only been free to the person parking in the space, not to the City. That free space you are used to using, costs money. Parking Industry Experts, rely on the International Parking Institute for research and that research, indicates that each space costs at least $400 annually, to maintain them. The cost of one person’s free parking, which includes the cost of the land, pavement, street cleaning and other related services, is actually subsidized, by the rest of the City's taxpayers. How Will The Program Be Implemented? Upon approval of the ordinance changes by the City of Hallandale Beach's Commission, the City would begin a Public Education Campaign, to inform residents and visitors of the new rates and zones. Meters and the Pay-By-Phone App, would be updated, to reflect the new rates and information. As the City adjusts to this new parking policy and fees, there is expected to be a grace period, where warnings will be issued, instead of violations. When the grace period expires, the City’s Parking Enforcement Team, will implement full enforcement of the City’s Updated Parking Plan, as approved, by the City Commission. Does The Monthly Parking Pass Cover Overnight Parking & Will The Beach Parking Lots Allow 24 Hour Parking? Yes, The Monthly Pass, covers parking within the Designated 24 Hours A Day/7 Days A Week Zone. Under The New Parking Program, due to low usage and limited parking, The Beach Parking Pass Program, will be eliminated. The Current Beach Parking Passes will be honored, until they expire. Registered Residents, will enjoy the Discounted Premium Parking Resident Rates, at the beach, for $2.50 an hour and Non-Residents, will pay the Premium Rate of $4 an hour. Currently, overnight parking at the beach, is not part of The New Proposed Parking Program. What Is Non-Resident Parking? The Proposed Parking Program recommends that Registered Residents, receive a Discounted Resident Rate on Parking Fees on the Pay-By-Phone App. Non-residents will pay the Regular, Non-Discounted Rates. Below, are the Rates: • Standard Parking Rates For Residents: $1.00 per hour. • Standard Parking Rates For Non-Residents & Visitors: $2.00 per hour. • Premium Parking Rates For Residents: $2.50 per hour. • Premium Parking Rates For Non-Residents & Visitors: $4.00 per hour. Will There Be Parking Meters? No, The Proposed Parking Program, does not include Physical Parking Meters. Metered Parking, refers to paid parking, which, will be conducted on the PayByPhone System. Currently, the parking lots at North City Beach, South City Beach Parks and the On-Street parking at Joseph Scavo Park, utilize the Pay-By-Phone App and have Physical Meters, that will continue to operate, under The Proposed Parking Program. What If I Get A Ticket, Is There A Traffic Court To Dispute Tickets? All disputes are processed through the Broward County Clerk Of The Courts. Parking citations, outline the instructions for contesting, parking citations. When Will This Program Be Implemented? Upon approval of the ordinance, changes by the City Of Hallandale Beach's Commission, the City will begin a Public Education Campaign, to inform residents and visitors of the new rates and zones. Meters and the Pay-By-Phone App, will be updated to reflect the new rates and information. As the City adjusts to this new parking policy and the fees, there is expected to be a grace period, where warnings will be issued, instead of violations. When the grace period expires, the City's Parking Enforcement Team, will implement, full enforcement of the City's updated parking plan, as approved, by the City Commission. Where Is The Money You Are Collecting For Parking, Going? This revenue, will be placed into the general fund, which can be used to replace our aging fleet of Police Vehicles, allow the City to keep parks open longer, expedite permitting processes and increase, Code Compliance efforts. The City Commission will ultimately decide, how the funds are allocated. What About Handicapped Folks & Veterans? Vehicles with a Handicap or have Military Veteran License Plates, are exempt from paying for parking, regardless of where they are parked, provided, they park legally, in a Designated Parking Space. Do Residents With Assigned On-site Parking Have To Buy A Parking Pass? The Resident Parking Pass, is only for Vehicles, parking in Designated Parking Spaces, in the public's, right of way. Residents with adequate On-Site Parking, are not required, to purchase a Parking Pass. What’s The Budget & Estimated Income From Parking? Based on conservative estimates, the expansion of the City of Hallandale Beach's Parking Program, would result in approximately $1.4 Million, in new revenue. The Annual cost for Parking Specialist Salaries, the cost for maintaining Parking Vehicles, Equipment, etc., is anticipated to be $320,000, Annually. Will This Program Create New Spaces? The Parking Program anticipates more available parking spaces, not the creation of new spaces. By charging for parking, parking spaces are anticipated, to have higher turnovers, resulting, in more availability. Will Condo Owners Receive A Discounted Rate For On-Street Parking? The Resident Parking Pass Program, will allow residents to purchase A Monthly Resident Zone Pass for $30. The passes will be restricted, to be within the Designated Zone, where the resident's can prove, residency. The passes will eliminate the need to pay the parking fee hourly, in that zone and allow residents, to receive The Resident Discounted Hourly Rate, throughout the City. Acquisition Of The Residential Pass, does not guarantee or reserve a space. Why Can’t Northeast 3rd Street & The Parking Around Arts Square, Be A Standard Zone? The Northeast 3rd Street and Arts Square District, were not identified, as Residential Zones, as housing in the neighborhood, already has, adequate Off-Street Parking. The area is mixed with both business and residential use and has, On-Street Parking, used primarily by visitors. Why Is Metered Parking Needed To Tow Abandoned Vehicles? Metered Parking is not required to enforce Abandoned Vehicles. Metered Parking is being implemented, to collect revenues, to pay for public services, attributed to the public's, right of way, as well as address the availability of parking, by increasing turnover and addressing, Abandoned Vehicles. Free On-Street Parking in the City, has only been free to the person, parking in the space, not to the City. That free space costs money. Parking Industry Experts, rely on the International Parking Institute for research, that research, indicates that each space, costs at least $400 annually, to maintain. The cost of one person's free parking, includes: the cost of the land, pavement, street cleaning and other related services, which are subsidized, by the rest of the City’s taxpayers. Is The City Staffing Up On Meter Enforcers To Catch Offenders For Not parking? Yes, the City has hired four (4) parking enforcement specialists, assigned to the Police Department. Will The Monthly Passes Only Be Available Via The App? Yes, the residents will be able to purchase The Residential Pass on the Pay-By-Phone App. Residents without a Smart Phone, can purchase The Monthly Pass, over the Phone. Do Residents With A Zone Pass, Still Need To Pay The Hourly Parking Fee? The Residential Parking Program, will allow residents to purchase A Monthly Resident Zone Pass for $30. The passes will be restricted to, the Designated Zone, where the resident can prove residency. The passes will eliminate the need to pay for, the Parking Fee hourly, in that zone, allow residents to receive, the Resident Discounted Hourly Rate throughout the City. Acquisition of the Residential Pass, does not guarantee or reserve a space. How Will The Monthly Pass, Be Distributed To The Residents? The Parking Program will generate a higher turnover, of parking spaces. This will increase the availability of parking spaces for residents, more than what is currently available, today. How Many Monthly Passes Can A Resident Purchase? Residents will be able to purchase a maximum of three (3) Parking Passes, per Residence. How Do We Get The Benefit, Of Increased Turnover, Of Spots? The increase in turnover, will be realized from the constant movement of dumped, abandoned or Visiting Vehicles, which often occupy, the right of way, for extended periods of time. The City may choose to modify the Parking Program in the future, so the phases, meet the needs, of Residential Parking Zones. Can We Pay For The Monthly Parking Pass, At The City Hall, In Cash? Parking can only be paid through our Pay-By-Phone Service. Residents can pay via the Pay-By-Phone App or by Phone. How Will Commercial Vehicle On-Street Parking Be Handled? Current, the City Code prohibits the parking of Commercial Vehicles, on the streets, in residential areas. The Proposed Parking Program, included the addition of four Parking Enforcement Specialists, who will enforce all ordinance and statutory violations, related to parking. Commercial vehicles, are prohibited from purchasing, A Monthly Parking Pass. What Is The Total Cost For The Monthly Parking Pass, Including Service Fees? The current Pay-By-Phone Transaction Fee is .27¢ per month. The total cost is anticipated, to be $30.27 per month. Why Is Diana Drive, Considered A Premium Zone? Diana Drive, is a designated, premium parking area, due to the abundance of hotel patrons, utilizing the On-Street Parking, to avoid paying for parking, at the Beachwalk Hotel. The premium rate to park overnight, was required to disincentivize the Hotel patrons, from using the On-Street Parking. The increased rate, will provide residents more available On-Street parking, as hotel patrons, will more likely, park in the hotel's parking lot. The Resident Parking Pass Fee, remains at $30 per month, for residents living in the Diana Drive Zone. What Evidence Is There, That There Is Shopper or Transient Parking, On Golden Isles Drive? There is no evidence of shopper or transient parking, on Golden Isles Drive. The quote, was referring to, commercial areas, in the City. Why Does The City Allow Buildings, To Be Built, Without Adequate On-Site Parking? The parking space requirements, have varied over the years. Currently, parking requirements for new construction, necessitate, more parking spaces. How Will The Parking Lot At Bluesten Park Be Enforcing, Parking Regulations? Parking around the perimeter of Bluesten Park, will be enforced at the Standard Rate or through, the Residential Parking Pass. Parking in the Peter Bluesten Parking Lot for Park and YMCA users, will continue to be free, when the park is open. By current ordinances, parking in the park's parking lots, is limited to Park/YMCA users, only. Can A Resident, Purchase A Monthly Pass To Be Used By Their Guests? Only residents that reside in the Residential Parking Zones, can purchase A Parking Pass for their registered Vehicles. Any other Vehicles, must pay, the hourly rates. There are no free/temporary guest parking spaces available, through this program. Residents in a Parking Zone, could purchase A Monthly Zone Pass, for their Vehicle and allow their guest to use their On-Site Parking Spots, (please confirm this, with your specific condominium rules) and the owner, could the owner, park on the street, to save the guest, from paying, the hourly, overnight rate. Is There A Senior Discount? There is a Resident Parking Discount for all registered residents, as well as a monthly, Resident Parking Pass, available to residents, including seniors. What Does The Monthly Parking Pass Include? The monthly resident pass, will allow the resident to park in the Designated Residential Zone, without paying, the hourly rate. The Resident Pass, also registers the Vehicle for the Resident Discount, which will be available, Citywide. Residents do not need to purchase A Resident Pass, to obtain the Resident Discount, on hourly parking. All residents are encouraged, to register free of charge, to obtain, The Resident Discount. Could The Parking Program Be Expanded, To Other Locations? The City may choose to expand The Parking Program and add Zones in future phases, of the Parking Program. Will A Monthly Parking Pass Guarantee/Reserve A Spot? Acquisition of The Residential Pass, does not guarantee or reserve, a space. < Previous News Next News >

Celebrate The Caribbean: A Weekend Filled With Food, Art, Music And Entertainment May 24, 2023 Share In celebration of National Caribbean American Month in June, there will be a weekend of festivities, from Friday, June 2nd, 2023 - Sunday, June 4th, 2023. Since 2006, June has been designated as Caribbean American Heritage Month by Presidential Proclamation. The month-long observance promotes the rich culture and heritage of the Caribbean-American people and their contribution to the United States of America. Building off The LOOP’s four pillars of engagement, “F.A.M.E.” and its mission to provide “Infinite Experience for Everyone Under the Sun,” the inaugural Caribbean American Heritage Month Cultural Celebration Weekend at Las Olas Oceanside Park will showcase food, art, music and entertainment which are a rich and thriving part of the Caribbean culture in South Florida. The FREE Event is open for the entire family to enjoy. As music and dance are an essential part of Caribbean Culture, the tropical beats of the islands will keep the party going all weekend long with sounds including Calypso, Reggae, and Soca to Salsa, Merengue, and Dancehall. Friday Night’s kick-off concert featuring Jamaican Hall of Fame Inductees, “The Bad Boys of Reggae,” Inner Circle, will be hosted by Lifetime Achievement Award Winner of the International Reggae and World Music Awards, Tanto Irie. A limited number of VIP Tables are available ($60 - $120); in addition to an exclusive Meet and Greet After-Party with Inner Circle on the Pool Deck of the Courtyard by Marriott, Fort Lauderdale Beach available for $25. On Saturday and Sunday, guests will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of authentic Caribbean food and drinks, and watch cooking demonstrations sponsored by Grace Foods featuring “Taste The Islands” Chef Irie. The LOOP will also feature a special marketplace showcasing makers and artists of Caribbean descent. On Sunday, Julien Believe, the “Music Ambassador of The Bahamas,” will host the daylong entertainment lineup and sounds in recognition of the 50th anniversary of The Bahamas’ independence. Each day will feature a musical tribute to the Caribbean county. The full musical performance lineup includes: Friday, June 2nd, 2023 • 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – Spotlight Jamaica • 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Hot 105 DJ Charles • 8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Inner Circle – “The Bad Boys of Reggae;” Jamaican Music Hall of Fame Inductees; Two-time Grammy Nominee • 10:30 p.m.: VIP Meet and Greet with Inner Circle; Courtyard Pool Deck – limited to 100 people. Saturday, June 3rd, 2023 • 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Spotlight Cuba • 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. - Oriente, Afro-Cuban Jazz Trio • 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Tomasito Cruz Quartet; Four-Time Grammy Winner • 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. - Diva All Stars Cuban Quintet Sunday, June 4th, 2023 • 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Spotlight Bahamas, Trinidad/Tobago • 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. - DJ Gangalee • 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. - Pan Paradise Steel Pan Band • 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. - DJ, Julien Believe • Junkanoo Band – during breaks Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach will offer visitors a special room rate that must be purchased through The LOOP’s website at: https://theloopflb.com/events/caribbean-american-heritage-month-celebration-2023-06-02/ The Caribbean American Heritage Month Weekend Celebration is presented by the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Beach Business Improvement District (BID) and sponsored by Grace Foods and Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach. Where: Las Olas Oceanside Park: 3000 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 The most convenient place to park is the Las Olas Beach Parking Garage, where the PayByPhone payment option can be used, and parking can be extended from anywhere using the Mobile PayByPhone App. The LOOP’s events are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/cahmcelebration The LOOP A cornerstone of activity, The LOOP (Las Olas Oceanside Park) is the central hub of the $65 Million, four-park system at the heart of Fort Lauderdale Beach. The public greenspaces, including the Intracoastal Promenade, Las Olas Beach Garage Sunset Terrace, and DC Alexander Park, aim to provide infinite experiences for everyone under the sun and year-round activity in Fort Lauderdale’s oceanfront backyard. The LOOP also includes an Interactive Water Feature/Splash Pad for children and adults. For more information, visit: www.theloopflb.com - Or contact them by email at: info@theloopflb.com . Follow The LOOP on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/theloopflb - Follow The LOOP on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/theloopflb/ < Previous News Next News >

Why Is My Water Not Working? City Of Hallandale Beach Infrastructure Is In The Spotlight Wed Jan 31 2024 17:03:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Time To Play Is Here - PLAY Sporting Lounge Is Miami’s Premier New Destination For Food, Drink & Fun Aventura Digest Apr 23, 2026 The Countdown Is Over For The Arrival Of 2026’s Most Impressive Food, Drink, Social And Cutting-Edge Entertainment Experience: PLAY Sporting Lounge. Encompassing More Than 12,000-Square-Feet Plus An Expansive Covered Patio, PLAY Is Unlike Anything In The Market, Offering An Elevated, Chef-Driven Menu That Is Anything But Sports Bar Fare (Think Killer Burgers And Raw Bar Towers!), A Top-Notch Beverage Program, Two Expansive Indoor/Outdoor Bars, Live Sports Simulator Suites, Digital Dart Lanes, 60 Televisions And A Stage For Live Entertainment. Officially Opened To The Public On Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 At CityPlace Doral, PLAY Sporting Lounge Is The Ultimate Destination For A Fun Night Out Or An Unforgettable Group Experience With A 300+ Seating Capacity Between Indoor, Outdoor, And Private Dining. “We’re so excited to finally cross the finish line to what has been years of development,” says Founder/CEO, Terry Lee. “The Doral location is our flagship location and sets the tone for future development of our unique sports and entertainment brand.” The expansive location offers more than 12,000-square-feet of dining and entertaining including a designed-to-dazzle indoor/outdoor bar that spills out onto the large patio, which is equipped with “backyard” games such as corn hole, bocce as examples. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. The suites offer the perfect setup for any gathering, from date night to corporate functions, and can even be used for activities outside of the sport simulators, including streaming live games or movies. In addition to a remarkable design and setting, the culinary program is unparalleled. Led by Corporate Chef Justin Fields, the menu is far from the usual sports fare. The “Play Eat Sea” towers are picture-worthy with Jumbo Shrimp, Colossal Lump Crab, Tuna Poke, Chimichurri Oysters, and Bay Scallop & Shrimp Ceviche. Indulgence continues with dishes such as Truffled Lobster Pearl Pasta Mac with tender Maine lobster, pearl pasta, truffled cheese sauce, and buttered gremolata breadcrumbs. Meat lovers will be overjoyed with selections including the Brisket Street Taco Platter with 12-Hour Tender Brisket, shaved cabbage, cilantro, avocado, pickled onion, and served with warm corn flour blend tortillas. Of course, traditional favorites include the PLAY Double Smash’d Burger, Crispy House Smoked Wings, Warm Buttered Pretzel Bites, and Fried Mozzarella Balls are all on the menu. The full selection includes shareables, salads, flatbreads, handhelds, plates/bowls, desserts, and kids' menu. The beverage program is just as substantial, with craft cocktails, draft beer, wine, and alcohol-free offerings. Creative concoctions unique to the Doral restaurant include the Guajira Desert Flower (400 Conejos mezcal, hibiscus, guava-soft smoke, bright fruit); Midnight In Caracas (Santa Teresa 1786 run, spiced Demerara, cacao, orange lift) and Sol De Havana (Brugal 1888, panela syrup, mint, and sparkling wine). Even better, selections such as the PLAY IT FORWARD Paloma (Codigo 1530 Rosa Tequila, grapefruit juice, fresh lime, club soda, and a Tajin salt rim) come complete with a charity beneficiary (more on that in a bit). The Doral opening signals the culmination of years of hard work by Founders Terry Lee and Adam Flierl, who first partnered up in 2020 and began the process of developing what would become PLAY Sporting Lounge. In fact, though the CityPlace Doral opening is considered the flagship location, it is, in actuality, the second location. In 2019, as he was seeking what would become the Doral space, Lee and his business partner, Adam Flierl, a restaurant industry veteran, would be offered a prime, albeit smaller, space at none other than Hollywood, Florida’s iconic Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Here, they would launch a retro-fitted version of PLAY Sporting Lounge, simply called PLA Sports Bar, which would go on to become their wildly successful first location. “The opportunity at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was an unexpected blessing,” says Flierl, who has held executive roles at concepts such as Topgolf and Roy's Restaurants and is uniquely skilled at balancing high volume sales with top notch food & drink and entertainment. “It was too good an opportunity to pass up and, although our opening and COVID-19 were ill-timed, it ended up being an amazing opportunity for us to develop much of what went into PLAY and helped us double-down on our commitment to community engagement.” Fun fact: the Doral location is more than three times the size of its Hollywood sibling. In fact, even before PLAY (or PLA for that matter) was a reality, Lee and Flierl knew that the concept they were imagining would be borne from the philosophy of PLAY, LOVE, ACT. “Our goal was to create a place that would allow us and the team to have fun (PLAY), be respected and give respect (LOVE) and be of service to the community (ACT). Everything came from that.” So much so they launched the PLA IT FORWARD Foundation, a non-profit/community engagement arm of the F&B concept dedicated to helping underprivileged youth through sports. For more information on the Foundation. please visit: https://plaitforward.org/ . PLAY Sporting Lounge is open Monday through Thursday, 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.; Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, brunch is served 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; closing times are 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. PLAY Sporting Lounge is located at 3450 Northwest 83rd Avenue, Suite 145, Doral, Florida 33122. For more information or to make a reservation, visit: www.playsportinglounge.com . About CityPlace Doral CityPlace Doral is an attractive leisure destination offering a collection of memorable dining, shopping, wellness and entertainment experiences. Featuring 250,000 square feet of retail space, CityPlace Doral is a master-planned, mixed-use development nestled in the dynamic employment center of Doral in the heart of Miami-Dade County. CityPlace Doral combines the vision of world-renowned architects, designers and artists creating the next crown jewel of prosperous dining, entertainment and upscale shopping in one of South Florida’s growing cities. CityPlace Doral includes more than 40 dining, shopping and entertainment destinations for all walks of life, and the property’s entertainment retail component is anchored by a roster of first-class tenants from all over the country. For more information, visit: www.cityplacedoral.com . Or call: (786) 693-1849. Join the conversation and follow CityPlace Doral on Instagram, Facebook and X at @CityPlaceDoral. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. Seven (7) Live Sports Simulator Suites and three (3) Digital Dart Lanes are customizable private spaces where guests can participate in over a dozen virtual sporting events, including golf, soccer, football, basketball, zombie dodgeball, virtual gun range and more. Previous Next

Veteran's Day Barbeque At Hollywood's TY Park Thu Nov 17 2022 17:04:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)