Back To School And School Safety For 2026 School Year By City of Hollywood Aug 6, 2026 The First Day Of School Is Just Around The Corner, And Broward County Students Will Soon Be Back In Classrooms. As Traffic Increases Around Schools, The City Of Hollywood Encourages Drivers To Slow Down, Stay Focused, And Use Extra Caution Near School Zones, Crosswalks, And Bus Stops. Be Especially Alert For Children Walking Or Riding Bicycles During The Morning Arrival And Afternoon Dismissal Periods. Drivers are also reminded that Florida law requires all vehicles to stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. Failing to stop puts children at risk and can result in significant penalties. School Zone Safety Camera Program To help protect students, the City of Hollywood's School Zone Safety Camera Program remains in effect at designated schools throughout the city. School zones with cameras are clearly identified by speed limit signs, time-specific regulatory signs, and photo enforcement notices. Speed cameras operate on school days beginning 30 minutes before the start of school and ending 30 minutes after dismissal. Vehicles traveling 11 mph or more above the posted school zone speed limit may receive a warning or citation. 2026 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday Through Thursday, August 20th, 2026 Florida's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which began Monday, July 20th, 2026 and continues through Thursday, August 20th, 2026 giving families an opportunity to save on many back-to-school purchases. Eligible tax-free items include: • Clothing, footwear, backpacks, and bags priced at $100 or less per item • School supplies priced at $50 or less per item • Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles priced at $30 or less • Personal computers and accessories priced at $1,500 or less when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use Some items, including briefcases, jewelry, and products exceeding the qualifying price limits, are not eligible. For a complete list of qualifying purchases and exclusions, visit the Florida Department of Revenue’s website at: https://floridarevenue.com/backtoschool/Pages/default.aspx . The City of Hollywood wishes all students, parents, teachers, and school staff a safe and successful school year. Remember to slow down, stay alert, and take advantage of the savings available during Florida's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. Sign Up for Emergency Alerts Be prepared before the next storm or emergency by signing up for Alert Hollywood, the City's free emergency notification system. Receive important updates by phone, text message, or email about severe weather, police activity, and other urgent situations. Register today at: www.hollywoodfl.org/725/Alert-Hollywood . Click the Alert Hollywood logo and select "Sign Up" to create your account. Weather alerts are sent automatically when the National Weather Service issues warnings, but you'll need to opt in to receive weather notifications. Standard text messaging rates may apply. Previous Next

We Must Remain Vigilant Hallandale Beach By Hallandale Beach, Mayor Joy Cooper October 10, 2024 Share Once again, we are under an emergency declaration this past weekend into today. I continued to respond to many residents and kept them up to date over the course of this storm. We were blessed once again not to have been in the eye of the storm, but we still feel Milton’s effects. Helene and Milton both left massive devastation. It continues to worry me that so many people are simply not heeding our warnings and messages to be prepared. Many newer residents have shared with me that they purchased their homes not knowing it was in a Flood Zone. Some knew but did not research the specific areas that are considered repetitive loss. The sellers and or realtors did not explain the history. In some instances, they bought homes that were repaired without Permits. In these cases, it is even harder dealing with rebuilding without having current plans to rebuild. This past year every property was put in the Flood Zone. This means they must have Flood Insurance. Even the Three Islands neighborhood is now in a Flood Zone even though they have never flooded. Commissioner Lazarow inquired about these changes at a recent meeting. She requested we see if Three Islands can be removed. We support the request. It will be interesting if it can be changed but I am thinking due to the Sea Level Rise and the Storm Surge possibilities it may not be removed. The point is we are a Flood Zone. There are only four miles between our western border of I-95 and the ocean. Unless, if you consider the Intracoastal Waterway. Many residents in the City believed that since we put in pumps on 14th and on the Shaffer Canal this will guarantee they will not Flood. Everyone after June realized we are in a new normal. I tell everyone we cannot engineer our City out of every Flood. I cannot stress enough that we will Flood depending on the amount and duration of rain events. This means every homeowner and condominium needs to properly prepare in the event of natural disasters including hurricanes and extreme rain events. June was the beginning of Hurricane Season, and we always promote being prepared. The state provides a Sales Tax Holiday for everyone so they can get a break on purchasing supplies, equipment and other items that will help residents prepare themselves and their homes in the event of a storm. I received multiple text messages and calls about sandbags. While I felt terrible knowing they were in fear of Flooding I thought it was a bit late to be securing a home. Our City has not distributed sandbags for years. I know many cities do supply sand, some supply bags and sand. This process is labor intensive if you want to do it right. It takes Staff, Volunteers, and Police to perform the distribution properly. We gave out two to four bags to residents with ID. The question becomes, does four bags even help secure your home? It may help but it is not the best form of protection and it pulls our Staff away from their duties preparing the City for the storms. Bags are often one and done. Many would dump the sand rather than saving it for the next storm expecting we do another distribution. It bothered me when we stopped this program, so I decided to do research on other applications to secure properties. Since climate change and extreme weather events are taking place everywhere many products have been developed to dry proof homes. One simple example is water barriers that are reusable and much easier to utilize. There are water dams for doors and garages. There are large waterproof sacks to store everything from clothes to entire rooms of furniture. Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise has exacerbated the intensity of the storms, and we will not always have days to prepare. Recently, we held Hurricane Preparedness Courses. One was geared for businesses and the other for residents. The instructor, Ms. Lynville from Optimum, presented an excellent curriculum. Many residents continue to ask about what the City is doing to address Flooding. We are doing our part and have plans for more Infrastructure. We have a robust preparedness plan and implement improvements. We can and will continue to do our part, but we cannot emphasize enough, property owners also play an integral part in prevention, preparation and recovery. I have requested the next session be held to share what products, programs and services are available through FEMA to help our owners. I was hoping to announce a date but between Helene and Milton it was pushed off. I am in communication with Optimum and believe we can host a meeting at the end of this month. I will have a firmer date after Wednesday. I do hope everyone weathered the storm. The mental scars are the ones that may take more time to be healed. I was impressed watching one of the news channels listening to one of the victims of Helene. She said it was not their first hurricane but was the worst so far. She said we are staying put and rebuilding. That is the price we pay to live in Florida. The goal must be for communities to build back stronger and smarter. After Andrew, the South Florida Building Codes were created. They are now statewide. Currently, homes are being built eighteen inches higher. Seawalls are being built higher. We need to evaluate planning with a goal towards stronger drainage requirements and retrofitting private properties as we face the new normal. As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our City a better place by 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 News Next News >

Hallandale Beach Infrastructure Update Thu Jul 28 2022 04:04:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Witness The Impossible LIVE At The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center October 24, 2024 Share Do you believe that it’s possible to actually die laughing? If so, Dizzy might be the most dangerous man alive. From the celebrated Apollo Theatre in London’s West End to the iconic Sydney Opera House, Darren “Dizzy” Partridge has been delighting audiences around the globe for more than a decade. An accomplished comedy magician and cirque variety performer, Dizzy is a regular headlining act on the luxury liners of both Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Lines. He has also been featured as The Trickster in the largest touring magic show in the world, The Illusionists. Dizzy’s wild combination of magic, physical comedy, and theatrical thievery, delivered with mischievous British charm, leaves his audiences both spellbound and gasping for breath. With three different shows to choose from, you are guaranteed an experience they will not believe and will never forget. As a kid growing up in Coventry, England, he had no idea that one day, he would be performing in cirque shows around the world and making a living with magic. Dizzy told us, "I am sometimes asked if I always wanted to be a magician and to be honest, the short answer is no – but I always followed my interests. I started out in martial arts; I just loved the physicality and athleticism it required. My favorite moves were the ones that involved spinning and kicking and jumping, and those movements would soon morph into a love of breakdancing. I taught myself all the power moves, and even though I didn’t have an ounce of rhythm, I loved doing all of the acrobatic tricks. Believe it or not, those tricks landed me a gig as Sir Francis Drake in a stunt show in Majorca, Spain." During this time Dizzy spent several seasons doing backflips and high falls and sword fights with my fellow swashbucklers. When his tenure as a professional pirate eventually came to an end (actually due to a fight with Blackbeard; that’s a whole other story), he wandered into a cirque audition back in London and blew away the casting directors with everything he had learned. As the other applicants were fussing about which music they wanted, he ran up the wall, did a backflip, and when he landed, he had everyone’s attention. As it turns out, in some careers, bouncing off the walls is a good thing. He was hired and moved to Myrtle Beach to work for Le Grand Cirque and was exposed to a myriad of different performers, including some influential magicians (who would eventually become his teachers), and everything just clicked into place. One of those influential magicians was Janna Roukhmanova – she is a world-renowned, multi-discipline cirque performer originally from Moscow, Russia. She also happens to be his wife! Together they are committed to bringing world-class entertainment to as many people as they can. The Aventura Show Magic & Mayhem Live is an extravaganza of magic and laughter that promises to leave audiences mesmerized and roaring with laughter. This one-of-a-kind show brings mind-bending illusions to death-defying acrobatics, the show is a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Darren “Dizzy” Partridge, with his mischievous British charm, is the heart and soul of the production. His seamless fusion of magic and physical comedy has earned him a reputation as one of the most entertaining magicians in the business. Watching Dizzy perform is like witnessing a whirlwind of laughter and amazement. He has the uncanny ability to make the impossible seem possible and the possible seem hilariously absurd. Magic & Mayhem Live is not just a magic show; it's a theatrical experience that takes the audience on a journey through the realms of fantasy and wonder. One of the highlights of the show is the mischievous duo of Dizzy and Janna Roukhmanova, whose chemistry and onstage camaraderie are simply electric. Janna's background in cirque performance adds an extra layer of excitement to the magic acts, as she gracefully weaves through the air with her aerial acrobatics, leaving the audience in awe. As the lights dim and the curtain rises, the audience is transported into a world of magic, mayhem, and mystery. The grand stage comes alive with dazzling lights, intricate sets, and heart-pounding music that sets the tone for the jaw-dropping performances to come. But it's not just the individual acts that make this show so special; it's the seamless integration of each act into a cohesive and immersive experience. The transitions between performances are smooth, with each act building upon the excitement of the last. The show's pacing is expertly crafted, ensuring that there's never a dull moment. One of the most thrilling segments of the show is when the audience becomes a part of the magic. Volunteers are invited on stage to participate in mind-reading acts and daring escapology tricks. The audience's reactions range from nervous laughter to stunned silence as they witness the seemingly impossible happen right before their eyes. Magic & Mayhem Live is not just for magic enthusiasts; it's for anyone who appreciates the art of entertainment. The show appeals to audiences of all ages, making it the perfect outing for families, friends, or even a captivating date night. So, if you find yourself yearning for a night of wonder, laughter, and unforgettable memories, don't miss the opportunity to experience Magic & Mayhem Live. This is not just a magic show; it's a celebration of the human spirit, the joy of imagination, and the thrill of being alive. Magic and Mayhem is a family friendly show perfect for the whole family, presented By CIRQUE JOURNEY ENT. will be performing at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center Saturday, January 18th, 2025 - 2:00 p.m & Saturday, January 18th, 2025 - 7:00 p.m., seats start at $29.00. Book your tickets now for a night of enchantment that will leave you spellbound and gasping for breath! Tickets Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. You can purchase tickets online at: www.aventuracenter.org - By phone at: (877) 311-7469. Or: (954) 462-0222. Or in person at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center box office Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. Noon to 5:00 p.m. and 90 minutes prior to each performance. For Group Sales, please call: (954) 660-6307. Parking FREE parking is available in the lots adjacent to the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in front of the Aventura Community Recreation Center and the Aventura City of Excellence School. Valet service is available for most performances at $20 per vehicle. Valet parking is located at the main entrance of the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in the circular drive. There is a convenient drop-off area in front of the building. The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center is located at 3385 Northeast 188th Street, Aventura, Florida 33180. Join the conversation, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @aventuracenter or #aventuracenter. For more information, visit: www.aventuracenter.org < Previous News Next News >

Just In Time For Valentine’s Day! - TikTok Star Jodie Langel Directs: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Wed Jan 22 2025 16:45:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Rain Rain And More Rain: Part II: As We Witnessed Last Week, Water Does Not Discriminate Thu Apr 27 2023 16:04:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Old Town Untapped Returns With A New Season Of Music, Art And Community South Florida Sun Times Oct 1, 2026 The City Of Pompano Beach’s Popular Old Town Untapped Cultural Arts & Music Block Party Returns For A New Season On Friday, October 2nd, 2026, From 6:00 p.m. To 10:00 p.m., Bringing An Evening Of Live Music, Contemporary Art, Local Creativity, Food And Community To The Heart Of Downtown Pompano Beach. “Untapped is where Pompano Beach takes off its calendar and puts on its personality. On one night, you can follow the sound of a bass line into a gallery, stumble upon an artist whose work stops you in your tracks, and end up sharing the evening with someone you’ve never met. That kind of beautiful collision is what makes Untapped special—unique.”
— Ty Tabing, Cultural Affairs Director, City of Pompano Beach

The FREE, family-friendly monthly event takes place every first Friday of the month in the area of NE 1st Street and N. Flagler Avenue, near the Bailey Contemporary Arts Center (BaCA), 41 Northeast 1st Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060. Guests are invited to explore gallery exhibitions, meet and discover the work of local artists, enjoy food trucks and experience live performances throughout the evening. Attendees are welcome to bring chairs and blankets. Free parking is available. Opening the new Untapped season on Friday, October 2nd, 2026 is Mama Fuma, the collaborative groove project of bassist Ariel DLP and vocalist Nikki Guerra. Formerly known as Guerra Grooves, Mama Fuma draws on their diverse musical influences to create high-energy original grooves and feel-good mashups infused with twice the funk and all the soul. You can REGISTER for Untapped at: https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/untapped Adding to the evening’s creative energy, “Into Neverland” opens Friday, October 2nd, 2026 at the Bailey Contemporary Arts Center. The exhibition continues through Thursday, December 17th, 2026 and presents a constellation of memories expressed through dreaming bodies, found objects and colorful motifs. Inspired by personal moments and familiar places—including raking pecans at a grandfather’s house, watching clouds at sunset, tossing rocks along railroad tracks, a grandmother’s quilt, the tumbling of clothes in a laundromat dryer and late-night cafes—the exhibition explores connections with cherished objects, inhabited places and encounters with strangers. Through paintings, books and floating installations, these memories come together to create an evocative realm somewhere between recollection and imagination. The Friday, October 2nd, 2026 opening reception for “Into Neverland” begins at 6:00 p.m., giving Untapped visitors an opportunity to experience the exhibition as part of the evening’s broader celebration of art and culture. The evening will also feature docent-led art tours from 8:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about the exhibitions and the artists. Registration is available through the Untapped event listing. You can register for "Into Neverland" at: https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/into-neverland-2 A Second Exhibition Opens Friday, October 9th, 2026 The following Friday, October 9th, 2026 the arts calendar continues with the opening of “Experiments & Accidents” at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. The exhibition runs through Wednesday, January 6th, 2026 with an opening reception at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9th, 2026. In Experiments & Accidents, artist Mark Viau explores the creative tension between intention and unpredictability. The collection begins with deliberate experimentation, control and purpose before embracing unexpected shifts, spontaneous marks and unplanned discoveries that redirect the work and make it more alive. The exhibition draws a parallel between artistic process and life itself: although we make plans with intention, some of the most meaningful growth and discovery can emerge from the unexpected detours, disruptions and happy accidents along the way. Experiments & Accidents celebrates the freedom to surrender to the unplanned and discover what can emerge from it.

 You can register For "Experiments & Accidents at: https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/experiments-accidents Together, the October events launch a vibrant fall arts season in Pompano Beach, connecting live music, contemporary art, local artists and community through two consecutive Friday evenings. Old Town Untapped — Friday, October 2nd, 2026 Mama Fuma is scheduled for Friday, October 2nd, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Northeast 1st Street & North Flagler Avenue in Downtown Pompano Beach, near the Bailey Contemporary Arts Center
41 Northeast 1st Street, Pompano Beach, FL 33060. The event is FREE and family-friendly.
 Take time to register for the event for a chance to be entered into a monthly giveaway for an event of your choice. Docent-led Art Tours will be held from 8:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Into Neverland Bailey Contemporary Arts Center
 • Friday, October 2nd, 2026 – Thursday, December 17th, 2026
• Opening Reception: Friday, October 2nd, 2026 │ 6:00 p.m.
 The address is: 41 Northeast 1st Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060. Experiments & Accidents Pompano Beach Cultural Center
 • Friday, October 9th, 2026 – Wednesday, January 6th, 2027
• Opening Reception: Friday, October 9th, 2026 │ 6:00 p.m.
 The address is: 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 For more information about Old Town Untapped and upcoming arts and cultural programming, visit the Pompano Beach Arts website at: https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/ About Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department The mission of the Cultural Affairs Department, operating as Pompano Beach Arts, is to provide cultural programming that includes visual arts, digital media, music, film, theater, dance, and public art for the enjoyment and enrichment of residents and visitors to Pompano Beach, Broward County, and the greater South Florida area. The department programs and manages the City’s premiere cultural arts venues, including the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Ali Cultural Arts Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, and the Blanche Ely House Museum. The department also oversees the City’s Public Art Program and the Artists in Residence (AiR) initiative. Previous Next

“South Florida’s Kids Got Talent” Competition: Free Family Fun At Tri-Rail's Herzog "Rail Fun Day" With Talented Young Singers From The Region Thu Feb 13 2025 18:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Attorney General James Uthmeier Files First-In-The-Nation State-Led Lawsuit Against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman For Deceptive Practices And Harms To Floridians South Florida Sun Times Jun 11, 2026 Attorney General James Uthmeier Announced Legal Action Against OpenAI And Its Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman, Alleging That The Company Knowingly Released And Aggressively Marketed ChatGPT To The Public—Including To Children—While Concealing Serious Risks, Suppressing Internal Safety Warnings, And Deceiving Floridians About The True Nature And Dangers Of The Product. “Today, we announced the first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians.” “Today’s AI companies have largely assisted with the evolution of the digital playground. Protecting our children means teaching them to navigate not just the real people behind the screens, but the artificial minds engineered to mimic them,” said FDLE Special Agent in Charge Mike Duffey. “Parental vigilance must shift from simply monitoring who our children talk to, to ensuring they understand what they are talking to—because a machine programmed to please can never replace the safety of human boundaries.” The civil complaint alleges that OpenAI and Altman prioritized speed to market and commercial gain over user safety, disregarded repeated warnings from experts both inside and outside the company, and deployed a product that facilitates and encourages harm—including self-harm and violence—while falsely assuring users it was safe. The complaint also alleges that ChatGPT collects data from minors without meaningful parental oversight, causes behavioral addiction and cognitive harm, and is prone to dangerous errors that the company has actively downplayed. Florida Law prohibits unfair and defective trade practices. The complaint alleges that OpenAI’s conduct causes ongoing harm to Floridians and demands accountability. The State seeks damages on behalf of the people of Florida and an end to the deceptive and dangerous practices outlined in the complaint. Last month, the Office of Statewide Prosecution launched a criminal investigation after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and Phoenix Ikner, the gunman who opened fire at Florida State University on April 17, 2025, claiming two lives and injuring several others. The criminal investigation is ongoing. To read the full complaint as filed in the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, visit: https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/openai-filed-stamped-complaint.pdf Previous Next

Geofence Surveillance: First, They Spied on Protesters. Then Churches. You’re Next Thu Mar 23 2023 16:01:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Get Ready For The Solar Eclipse: Visit The Library For A FREE Pair Of Glasses For This Rare Celestial Event Thu Sep 14 2023 16:12:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Your Passport To The Arts: The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center Transports You Around the World Thu Mar 16 2023 16:11:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)