Community Archives - Page 43 of 44 -

October 3, 2016October 17, 2018

A haunting We Will Go

A haunting we will go

by David Volz

Halloween is a popular fall holiday, one that many people look forward to. Children often dress up as ghosts, and go trick or treating. The City of Coral Springs will host a Halloween Party at the Coral Springs Gymnasium on Friday, October 28 from 5 to 7:30pm, and Saturday, October 29 from 2 to 7pm. The cost is $5 per child, and $2 per adult. There will be some activities for children including a haunted house, bounce houses, and inflatable slides. Children are encouraged to dress in Halloween costumes, and they will receive candy. It is a safe and fun environment to enjoy Halloween.

If you want to see a real haunted house there are opportunities to do so in Broward County. There are a number of houses and buildings in the area that are said to be inhabited by spirit beings.

At Broward Health Coral Springs, there is a deceased nurse who haunts the area just outside the main elevators. Visitors often find that the elevator doors open for them just before they are about to hit the request button, and no one is inside.

At the Coral Square Mall, there have been sightings of the ghost of a small boy roaming the premises. There have been strange sounds, and things moved in the mall.

At the Sunset Point Park in Tamarac, there have been sightings of dark figures with red eyes. Orbs have been seen. Some people have said a dark figure with white glowing eyes appears in front of them and vanishes.

Many spirits are said to reside in the Boca Raton Cemetery. Some of the most well-known are the screaming man, and Mary. The screaming man begins by crying, and then builds to screaming, shouting and cursing. People have seen the shadowy figure of a man running, and flailing his arms. The spirit of a teenage girl named Mary who offers condolences to grieving families has also been seen at the cemetery.

The Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum is also haunted. The 1926 museum was once Boca Raton Town Hall. Staff and visitors have said there are strange noises, vanishing objects, and the sound of a telephone ringing when there is no one around.

At Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, a ghostly spirit haunts the Arts and Humanities Building. She has been seen in the amphitheater, and at other times noises were heard in the hallways of someone running and slamming doors.

In Fort Lauderdale, there are two ghosts that have been seen at the Henry E. Kinney underwater tunnel. There is the ghost of a man wearing a brown suit and derby hat, and the ghost of a Native American man running through the tunnel.

The Stranahan House is probably the most famous haunted structure in South Florida. The house is one of the oldest buildings in the area, and served as a trading post on the New River. Staff and visitors to house say they have seen the ghost of Frank Stranahan, the home’s original owner jumping to his death in the New River. He committed suicide after a number of setbacks, including being diagnosed with terminal cancer. His wife Ivy has also been sensed at the House. People have reported other apparitions there as well. Some are friendly, others obnoxious.

The New River Inn, which now houses the Old Fort Lauderdale History Museum, is believed to be haunted. There is the ghost of a man who pace the first floor and front porch, and wears ranching attire. The ghost of the former owner is seen looking down at people from the second floor. There is also the ghost of a young girl who talks to people, and can be seen playing.

October 1, 2016October 17, 2018

PRANK YOU VERY MUCH: ON BEYOND TP-ING

PRANK YOU VERY MUCH: ON BEYOND TP-ING

by Cynthia MacGregor

What does Halloween mean to you? To little kids (and a few bigger ones), anticipating a haul of goodies, the holiday means a chance to dress up in costume, get out and ring doorbells, and see what kind of sweets they can fill up their goody bags with. To teenagers, celebrating Halloween often means binge-watching the scariest movies they can find. And adults, if they’re not staying home handing out candy, might opt for attending a costume party, or hosting one of their own.

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Ah, but then there are the pranksters—primarily kids and teens, although there are some adults like “Amazing Grace” (as she asked to be identified) of West Palm Beach, an inveterate prankster, for whom Halloween is a wonderful opportunity to pull a few good ones on unsuspecting friends.

Amazing Grace seems to be in the minority, however. Two requests for descriptions of Halloween pranks, one in the form of a mass emailing to almost 80 local residents, and the other a notice in a newsletter called HARO (“Help A Reporter Out”), failed to turn up anyone in the Tri-County area who recalled ever pulling a Halloween prank or having one pulled on them—either in their childhood or their adult years.

Fortunately, however, questioning people who hadn’t received the mailings and don’t read HARO resulted in two positive responses—from Amazing Grace and from Grant Houser of Palm Springs.

Amazing Grace says she has a 6’ 2” butler statue that she calls “Uncle Fester.” The eyeballs shift and move, and the chest goes in and out, but only when activated by a clap of her hands. She brings “Uncle Fester” out of storage every Halloween and, when people come over, they are surprised to see the “butler” standing there. They are even more surprised when, at the clap of her hand, “Uncle Fester” starts breathing (chest moving), his eyeballs roll…and he talks. “Huh – huh –huh – hello,” he says. “How may I serve you?” And then, “The master will serve you now.”

Also clap-activated is a “spiritual ball” that, when Amazing Grace claps, lights up, displaying a face inside. This bit of trickery also has a voice. It says, “Good evening. How are you? Are you looking for guidance? Ho ho ho. Go to the nearest store and find it.”

Finally, this inveterate trickster has a fake phone that she can cause to ring on command. She’ll ask the person who’s about to be her prank victim, “Can you please answer that?” and, when they do, a spooky voice emanates from the receiver, saying, “Come with me to the grave. I know what you’re doing.”

Grant’s two pranks, both memories from his childhood, were far tamer by comparison. One was the evergreen prank known variously as “ring and run,” or “ding-dong ditch,” in which the prankster rings someone’s doorbell, then quickly runs out of sight. When the home’s occupants come to the door with a bowlful of candy, expecting to dole some out to costumed trick-or-treaters, there is no one there.

His other remembered prank, though, required a little more ingenuity—and the aid of his stepfather. Grant’s stepdad would take all the thread off a thread spool, then notch the spool all over with a workshop tool. They would approach a home and stealthily go to the window. They would run the notched spool down the windowpane, which made a “terrible, awful, raucous noise” that brought the home’s occupants rushing to the window to see what the cause of that horrible sound was. The residents usually arrived with so much haste that Grant and his stepdad would not have time to make a clean getaway, as Grant did with ring and run, and they wound up face to face with the prank’s victims. But as no harm had been done, there were fortunately no repercussions.

September 30, 2016July 3, 2019

A HISTORY OF CELEBRATIONS

A HISTORY OF CELEBRATIONS

by Rabbi Melissa Stollman, Congregation Kol Tikvah

This year, at sundown on Sunday, October 2^nd, marks the beginning of the first Jewish High Holy Day, Rosh Hashanah. Jews around the world mark the day by entering a synagogue to hear the shofar blast, as in the days of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem during biblical times. However, during ancient times this holy day did not mark the Jewish New Year, or literally “Head of the Year”, as it fell on the first day of the seventh month. Later this day became the beginning of the calendar year in Jewish tradition.

Shofar - a horn used in jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. — Shofar – a horn used in jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

Jews around the world make it a priority to observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Worship services, grandiose in style, include a special musical motif, and the ritual of blowing of the shofar, or ram’s horn. The mitzvah, or commandment by God, is to hear the shofar blast on Rosh Hashanah. The shofar symbolizes the ram used during the sacrifice of Isaac listed in the Book of Genesis, and is said to be curved or bent to demonstrate Jews’ humility before God.

In addition to being known as Yom Teruah, The Day of the Blasts, Rosh Hashanah is known as Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgment, when all people appear before God. Many congregations during this time change their Torah scroll covers to white, and their clergy wear white robes. This comes from Isaiah 1:18: “Be your sins like crimson, they can turn white as snow.” Rosh Hashanah marks the first day of the 10 Days of Repentance culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These holy days, and the intermittent ten days known as the “Days of Awe”, are the opportunity for Jews to apologize to one another for their misgivings, to forgive others for hurting them intentionally or unintentionally, and to ask forgiveness from God. While Jews can ask forgiveness at any time, this is the time to focus on this task in order to be inscribed for the coming year in the Book of Life. Jews reflect behavior from the past year, and this reflection focuses involves teshuvah, known as repentance, but literally means to return. However, repentance is not enough, one must seek reconciliation with those whom have been wronged during the past year. It is mitzvah, or good deed/commandment, to forgive those who have wronged us, and those who have asked for our forgiveness.

For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before God. (Lev 16:30)

The complicated rituals and sacrifices led by the high priest, which took place on Yom Kippur in ancient times, have changed since the Temple’s destruction in Jerusalem. Now atonement is a more personal act of emotional purification through fasting, removing from our lives the wrongdoings we have made. The Torah commands Jews to practice self-denial on this day. The fast begins at sundown on the evening of, or Erev, Yom Kippur with the kindling of the Yom Kippur lights. While fasting, Jews focus their thoughts on the day and remove other distractions.

Yom Kippur is often seen as a somber day, but forgiving others and asking others to be forgiven is an important process. The day is long and tiring, but as the “Gates of Repentance” close at sunset Jews around the world celebrate this important moment with a Havdalah ritual to separate this holy and sacred time from one’s regular everyday life. The fast is broken with the final sounding of the shofar, and a joyous meal commences.

As Jews around the world approach the High Holy Days this year I want to wish you all a Shanah Tovah, a happy new year, and a G’mar Chatimah Tovah, may you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for good.

September 6, 2016October 17, 2018

Making Strides in the Literary World

Teen Poet Wins National Award

by Candice Russell

karinabenitez Karina Benitez, 13, of Coral Springs, is a gold medal winner of a National Scholastic Art and Writing Award. Competing with others in the 7th to 12th grade category, she didn’t feel she was experienced enough as a poet to even enter the contest. But her teacher at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School and her mother, Yvette Benitez, strongly encouraged her to enter the contest.

The title of her wining poem is “What a Tragedy,” about how people can perceive problems. “The inspiration was from my own experience,” Karina said. “There are some truly serious problems in the world, like the real struggles of other people which would be hunger literally, or people who are oppressed and not given opportunities, or were backstabbed.”

Only two other seventh graders won in the same category, a high honor for Karina. She travelled to New York City for the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall. “It was a huge event,” she said. “Alec Baldwin and Tim Gunn were singing my praises with 2,000 winners on hand. I felt the comments were very personal and said with such sincerity. It was amazing.”

At an adjunct event at the Pratt Institute, Karina got to exchange ideas with other winners and even met Billy Collins, one of her favorite poets. She also enjoys the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost.

Karina is the only writer in the family. “My parents are very academic, and emphasize good grades,” she said.

Though her career ambitions are taking her in another direction to become a medical lawyer, she said she would always pursue poetry as a hobby. “I never plan to give it up because it is a comfortable place for me,” she said. “It was always be there and it’s reliable because I like doing it.”

Karina’s circle of friends has been supportive. She also enjoys painting and drawing as another hobby.

Karina Benitez is an example of the hope of a new generation, whose thoughts and ideas about the world have universal application.

September 6, 2016July 3, 2019

Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum

by David Volz

As you walk into the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum you’ll hear music playing from the early to mid-twentieth century. As you look around you’ll see a replica of a service station, one from a time when an attendant pumped your gas and serviced your car. But the main attraction of this unique museum is the showroom of expertly restored Packards.

The museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Packard Motor Car Company. There are 39 Packard cars on display, the oldest a 1909 model and the latest, a 1958 model. Most of the cars can still be driven. One can learn about each car on display and its unique features. You can see advertisements for the cars, and gain a sense of how the automobile industry developed.

When Packards were being produced, they were considered high-end luxury cars that were known for high quality workmanship. The cars were expensive and owned by wealthy and famous people. There is a gallery dedicated to the late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The late President Calvin Coolidge owned one of the Packards. The museum display includes Roadsters with compartments for golf clubs, a doctor’s coupe with a compartment for a medical bag, and a 1929 645 Dual Cowl Phaeton that can self-lubricate its chassis as it drives. The oldest car on display was built in 1909 at a time when headlights were considered an innovation. The museum also includes a large red truck and a police vehicle, along with thousands of automobile memorabilia items. There are hundreds of dashboard clocks that are hand wound, hood ornaments from all makes of cars, rare carburetors, side lamps, custom gear shift knobs, and many other items.

The Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum is the work of the late Arthur and Shirley Stone. They had a love for Packard cars and a passion for collecting them. They actually began collecting Packards in the mid-1940s at a time when these cars were considered the top luxury car in production in the U.S.

Arthur Stone, 90, died in 2010, and Shirley, 97, passed in 2016.

In a quote left by Arthur Stone he said, “It’s the great American love story! Americans have had an incredible love affair with their cars. This museum is a place for everyone to revisit that.”

As you spend time learning automotive history, you may begin to feel part of a bygone era, a time when cars were new and people were excited by the latest innovations. It was a time when going for a drive was an important family activity, and getting a new car was a big event.

The Packard was a luxury car built by Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. The first Packard cars were produced in 1899 and the last in 1958. One of the last concept cars was built in 1956, the Packard Predictor. The brothers James Ward Packard and William Packard and their partner George Lewis Weiss founded Packard in Warren, Ohio. They produced 400 cars there from 1899 to 1903. Investors were brought in and the operation was moved to Detroit where it was named the Packard Motor Car Company in 1902.

The Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum is located at 1527 SW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 3pm. Saturday and Sunday, call for hours. For information, call 954-779-7300.

The Museum is available for corporate functions, private parties, weddings, special events, group tours, and school field trips. There is even an antique style bar for events.

September 4, 2016July 3, 2019

Ft. Lauderdale’s Role in World War II Found in Naval Museum

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by Aaron Krause

The site where former President George H.W. Bush trained as a torpedo bomber pilot is a short drive away.

For free, folks are welcome to visit the sight — the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum.

The attraction, located near the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, features World War II artifacts such as helmets, model aircraft, model ships and a radio calibrator.

You’ll also find the signatures of Bush and Sen. John McCain, who is also a veteran, on a mural depicting military aircraft on their final approach into Naval Air Station Ft. Lauderdale.

Museum director John Bloom said the mural is the museum’s most priceless item.

“It’s irreplaceable,” he said.

“In addition to the mural, visitors can browse nearly 500 models of airplanes and ships and thousands of artifacts and “tens of thousands” of pictures,” Bloom said. Medals are also on display.

In 1942, Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale was constructed on the site of Merle Fogg Field as part of the national defense program. It served as one of 257 air stations during World War II. The naval base is now what might be a familiar destination for you – Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport.

Bloom said Miami International Airport was also a training base for torpedo bombers.

“Florida had tons of training bases,” he said.

The only remaining structure on the former Ft. Lauderdale base is the Link Trainer Building, which housed 6 to 8 Link Trainer flight simulators.

Bloom said visitors to the museum mostly hear about the place by searching Flight 19 on the Internet. That aircraft departed NAS Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 5, 1945. It disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle and was never accounted for.

Every year, on that date, the museum has a ceremony in memory of the 14 airmen who perished. Bloom said a couple hundred people attend each year. The ceremony includes the clinging of a bell located within the museum’s 6,000 square feet.

Bloom said in addition to the mural signed by Bush and McCain, another valuable object is a radio calibrator from World War II. On a recent day, a man entered the museum and gifted it to the facility.

“He just walked in and wanted to give it to us,” Bloom said. “It’s nice because now other people will see it. He didn’t want anything for it, he didn’t want any acknowledgement.”

Visitors will also find a British Enfield rifle, which someone discovered under the sand of a Normandy beach during the 1980s.

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A serviceman used the weapon during D-Day. That day occurred on June 6, 1944, when more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of French coastline to fight Nazi Germany.

While many are familiar with D-Day, many visitors previously hadn’t heard about the museum, Bloom said.

“Wow, we never knew this was here,” Bloom said, echoing what people often say when they visit.

The museum, run solely by volunteers, has attracted people from as far away as Hong Kong, Brazil, Puerto Rico and England.

One of its more prominent visitors has been the former first President Bush. In 1992, the former commander-in-chief stopped by, signed the mural, and identified the room in which he lived for about three months during his training, in the summer of 1943.

Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum

Hours: 11:30am to 3:30pm. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The last tour is at 2:30pm

Where: 4000 W. Perimeter Road, Ft. Lauderdale

Cost: Free

For more information or to request a tour on days when volunteers aren’t present, call 954-359-4400. The museum’s website is nasflmuseum.com.

August 19, 2016July 3, 2019

Make a Wish

By Martin Lenkowsky

When 14-year-old Coral Springs resident Gilon Kravatsky traveled to New York in May to

see the world-renowned New York Philharmonic Orchestra perform Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite, The Planets, at Lincoln Center, he not only had a backstage pass; he got to take out his French horn and rehearse with them as well.

Plus, there’s a lot more to this story. Gilon – along with his family – were invited guests of the orchestra, courtesy of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida. Gilon, who will be entering Douglas High School in the fall, suffers from Chrohn’s disease, a severe inflammatory disease affecting the bowels.

“His wish was to hear and play with the New York Philharmonic,” said his dad, Steven Kravatsky. “He came up with it on his own. What they actually arranged was for him to play with them.”

His father was surprised when Make-A-Wish liaisons told them they’d sponsor a trip for Gilon. He says he – like many people – had been under the mistaken impression that Make-A-Wish only grants wishes to terminally ill children. “It also includes chronic diseases,” Steven said. Not only did the organization send Gilon to New York, they also sent his dad, his mom, Michelle, along with his three siblings, Ari, 22, Rachel, 20, and Yaacov, 6.

“It was a family-oriented experience,” Steven said, adding Make-A-Wish also paid for the family’s side trips to New York’s Museum of Natural History, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. “All the things Gilon wanted to see,” said Steven.

When the Kravatskys traveled to Lincoln Center they were escorted by chaperones and transported by limousine. The orchestra treated them well, Steven said. “They were a very laid back bunch,” he said. “They made it a special experience for him.”

Gilon had the honor of having lunch with orchestra members. “He met with the conductor and the trombone player, who’s one of the foremost in the world,” said his dad. “They were so nice to him.”

Before they departed South Florida for New York, Gilon received an email from the principal French horn player, containing the sheet music for one of the pieces for The Planets. To prepare, Gilon practiced it with his older brother, Ari, who plays the bassoon. The day prior to the orchestra’s performance, Gilon rehearsed the piece with the band.

And how does Gilon describe his experience? “It was amazing,” he said, “just getting to talk to the players, sit next to them and have lunch with them. Some of the pieces they played were so insane. The way the played them was amazing.”

Gilon switched to the French horn from trumpet in the fifth grade. “If you want to get a music scholarship, there’s a lot less French horn than trumpet or clarinet players,” he said.

As expected, Gilon loved the Big Apple. “There’s a big difference from South Florida,” he said.

One of the people instrumental in getting Gilon his wish was Fran Garfunkel, a volunteer “wish granter” with Make-A-Wish. “I do have a ‘wish partner,’ Martha Carmen, who worked for Gilon’s doctor and recommended him to be a wish child. He met all the qualifications,” Garfunkel said.

She confirmed a wish child no longer has to carry a terminal diagnosis. “That was eons ago,” Garfunkel said. “Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. We’re not just granting wishes to terminally ill children. A majority do survive and go into remission.”

Gilon’s first choice was actually the Chicago Philharmonic, but that didn’t work out. Garfunkel said she suggested the New York Philharmonic. “I had a gut instinct they were going to do it,” she said, “and the New York Philharmonic said, ‘bring him on.’”

According to Steven Kravatsky, Gilon’s condition appears to be stable with the infusion treatments he gets for three hours every six weeks. “That’s how his meds are administered,” his dad said. “You’d never know it looking at him. You wouldn’t know he’s sick.”

In fact, Gilon and brother Ari are driving up to Maine in the middle of July for a camping trip. While there, they plan to go rock climbing and white water rafting.

July 1, 2016July 1, 2016

CRIME STOPPERS: Busting bad guys with your help

Watch local television news and you’ll see crime stoppers and crime reports followed by a plea to call Crime Stoppers with a tip that might solve the crime. You’re also told you can remain anonymous and collect a reward if your tip leads to an arrest.

Like me, you may have wondered how this really works, who the Crime Stoppers are, and if tipsters really collect rewards.

Well, tipsters do indeed collect rewards – $2.7 million since 1981. Their tips led police to solve 266 murders, make more than 13,000 arrests, recover more than $38 million in property, and clear nearly 22,000 cases.

Who are the Crime Stoppers?

The Crime Stoppers work at the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, a clearinghouse to direct tips to law enforcement agencies. Executive Director Ralph Page explains that Crime Stoppers are specially trained civilian employees of the sheriff’s department and have a law enforcement background. “This is the sheriff’s commitment to the program,” Page says. At times, trained employees at an answering service may take calls.

Crime Stoppers itself is a non-profit organization launched in New Mexico back in 1976, and established here in Broward County in 1981.

Where does Crime Stoppers get the money to pay rewards?

Executive Director Page explains that no taxpayer money is used for rewards. The board of directors, all volunteer civilians, raises money. In addition, money comes from a Crime Stoppers Trust Fund that, as Page puts it, charges criminals to help capture other criminals. A criminal who is convicted in Broward County pays $20 into the trust fund.

Can tipsters really be anonymous?

The Crime Stoppers don’t want to know who you are. When you call, there is no caller identification, and there’s no way to trace or track calls. Tipsters can also provide information by texting or sending a tip on the Internet. Encrypted software is used so no one can trace the tipster.

You might wonder how Crime Stoppers knows how to pay an anonymous tipster.
The tipster is given a case number. Six months later, the tipster calls again to check the status of that case. If an arrest had been made because of the tip, the tipster receives a new code number to collect the reward at a bank. No identification is needed and no questions asked. To further protect anonymity, a third party could take the code to the bank. Every crime advertised by Crime Stoppers has a reward. The board of directors determines the amount.

All tips are valuable.

Investigators stress that no tip is too small to provide; you should not worry about having too little information. Some small thing could help complete the picture.

Some other groups offer rewards for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of a criminal. Crime Stoppers doesn’t require a conviction, only an arrest. To be eligible for the reward, you must contact Crime Stoppers before contacting any police agency.

The Crime Stoppers web site tells us that “countless fugitive criminals have been brought to justice each year as a direct result of anonymous tips,” and the statistics bear that out.

Rewards offered for many open cases.

The web site posts a number of open cases for which rewards are offered, including a 15-year-old Parkland murder case. There are other cases as well, such as child abductions, missing persons, and animal cruelty.

No matter how old a case may be, someone somewhere may know something that has never been revealed. Someone may stumble on a fresh clue or hear something for the first time. Someone’s memory may be jarred for some reason. And what seems like a small clue could break an old case.

You can see the open cases and associated rewards at the Crime Stoppers web site: www.crimestoppers.org.

To provide a tip, call 954-493-8477 (954-493-TIPS) or text “BCS” and your message to CRIMES (274637). To report online, go to the web site, select “Report a Crime” and you’ll see “Submit a tip online.”

Receiving such tips over the years proves that community involvement can get criminals off the street. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel puts it this way: “Our job would be that much harder without assistance from the Crime Stoppers program. They’re helping us keep our communities safe.”

June 29, 2016January 21, 2019

Fourth of July Fun

Fourth of July fun

By David Volz

The Fourth of July is a time when people get together to honor the nation, spend time with family and friends and to watch fireworks.

Parkland Mayor Michael Udine said he enjoys the Fourth of July. “It is a great celebration of American Independence and a nice holiday.”

Coral Springs Commissioner Larry Vignola said, “We celebrate our independence in on the Fourth of July. Coral Springs will have the best and safest fireworks show. We want people to come to Mullins Park and have a good time and be safe,” he said.

Coral Springs will be offering a large family event at Mullins Park from 6to 9pm. During the early evening, people will be able to enjoy some family time at the park. There will be food trucks and an interactive disc jockey. There will be inflatable slides and a bounce house. Civic organizations will offer hamburgers, funnel cakes and other treats. At 9pm there will be a big fireworks display.

“This is an event that families truly enjoy. We get a big crowd. People should bring blankets and chairs. We are hoping for good weather,” said Joan Dowling, superintendent of the Coral Springs recreation department.

Pompano Beach will celebrate the Fourth of July with live music, featuring Chain Reaction, a Journey Tribute Band. The party starts at 6pm followed by a live DJ and fireworks at 9pm. It will take place at the Pompano Beach Fishing Pier and Public Beach.

Tamarac will host a Fourth July All American Celebration at the Tamarac Sports Complex at 9901 Northwest 77^th Street. There will live music by the Free Radicals. There will be food trucks on site and a kid’s area with face painting, inflatable rides, interactive games and arts and crafts. The fun starts at 6 pm with fireworks at 9pm.

Boca Raton will hold a Fabulous Fourth Celebration at 1000 Northwest Spanish River Boulevard at the Spanish River Athletic Facility at Countess deHoernle Park. It will start at 6:30pm with family activities, a live band at 7pm and fireworks at 9 pm.

The City of Parkland does not have a fireworks display or family event on the Fourth of July. Udine encourages residents to attend one of the nearby city’s fireworks displays.

The Fourth of July celebrates the legal separation of the original 13 colonies of the United States from Great Britain during the American Revolution. The actual separation took place on July 2, 1776 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence explained this decision and Thomas Jefferson was the main author. This document was approved on July 4 after Congress debated it and made some revisions. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin wrote that they signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, however most historians believe the Declaration of Independence was actually signed on August 2, 1776, according to Wikipedia.

The Fourth of July also known as Independence Day is a federal holiday. It is also a major summer holiday when many people have family barbecues and enjoy evening fireworks displays. Most of the events take place outdoors. Community leaders will often appear at Fourth of July events and praise the United States and its citizens.

March 11, 2016July 3, 2019

Country Music Starlet Liddy Clark

Like other 17-year-olds, Liddy Clark enjoys going to the movies or hanging out with friends at the beach. Unlike other teens, though, Liddy goes to a recording studio after school for two or three hours a day and takes frequent trips to Nashville, where she collaborates with other songwriters.
“I don’t have much time to do homework,” says the Parkland resident and North Broward Preparatory School senior. Liddy is becoming a familiar voice to South Florida audiences, having recently represented the country music genre at Duende 2015, the grand finale of Broward County’s centennial celebration.
Her soon-to-be-released but not-yet-titled album features many original songs, put together at West End Recording Studios in Pompano Beach. Her co-producer Pete Masitti, who has worked with artists including Toni Braxton, Shakira, and Kelly Rowland, says Liddy is “gifted with great natural instincts as a vocalist.”
Liddy’s Nashville colleagues also praise her talents. Co-producer, songwriter, and collaborator Stokes Nielsen says, “Liddy connects with her generation because she speaks the truth in her songs. What impresses me most in her songwriting is her honesty and ability to capture emotions that are uncanny for someone her age.”
Many of Liddy’s songs relate to the challenges — especially emotional insecurity — faced by so many teens. Her music may help people her age to accept that their feelings aren’t unique and that negativity can be defeated.
“A lot of my songs have to do with the frustrations of being a teenager,” Liddy says.
“Some days you feel like the whole world is against you. You just have to look to the next day and say, ‘I have to give a little bit of faith to this day because it might turn out OK,’” she says, referring to one of the album’s songs, “A Little Faith.”
The first single from the album, “Painted by Numbers,” also conveys an affirming message. “The song is about not being labeled by numbers that try to define society. I want to send the message that you are who you are. You have to forget everyone else and all of the negativity. That’s how you can overcome insecurity.”
Country music is in Liddy’s genes. Her cousin Drew Womack, former Sons of the Desert frontman, collaborated with Liddy on her album. Her ever-supportive family includes mom Shana, who travels with Liddy back and forth to Nashville and is her biggest fan.
Ever since she was a young child, Liddy has demonstrated talent and passion for music, taking lessons with a vocal coach since age 7. While going through the process of discovering her musical style, she experimented with musical theater and pop until country music captured her imagination. The realness of country music speaks to her. “It isn’t made up, like everything else,” she says, citing Kacey Musgraves’ witty songwriting as an inspiration.
Liddy’s youthful songs of self-acceptance and empowerment will undoubtedly expand country music. Plans for the next year include going on tour to promote the new album. Her enthusiasm to share her music is contagious and naturally involves family.
“I want to go on a major tour with a major act and play all over the United States. I want to meet people from different countries, different continents, and play to different fans. I want to sell a lot of CDs and make my music known to everybody. “And I’m going to take my mom with me!”

Check out a preview of Liddy’s Youtube channel here:

February 15, 2016October 17, 2018

Black History Month – African-Americans Reflect on their Contributions

February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the African-American community. Many African-Americans have made substantial contributions to the local community. Tameka King earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and is an assistant principal at Coral Springs High School. She believes it is important to celebrate the many cultures that are represented at her school.

“At Coral Springs High we make it a priority to celebrate all cultures throughout the year, highlighting certain ethnicities during designated times of the year such as Black History Month in February. During February we highlight people of color who have made significant contributions to our world during our daily video announcements,” said King.

The bulletin boards surrounding the Media Center at the high school are decorated to showcase the outstanding contributions. The school holds a Multi-Cultural Show that attracts over 700 visitors annually. In the Multi- Cultural Show students illustrate their cultural ethnicities through dance.

Celebrating Culture

“It is important to allow students to celebrate their cultures not just in the sense of trying to understand what cultures they bring with them, but also the hidden values that make their worlds feel so rich regardless of their situations or circumstances. While trying to understand the culture of people of color, we also take time to understand the historical context of the expression for people of color,” said King.King loves helping students succeed. “All of our children bring with them such a rich culture, regardless of their financial or cultural backgrounds, so we try to showcase that in various ways,” she said.

A graduate of Coral Springs High herself, King earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Florida State University and her Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic University. She believes coming from a strong family that valued education and work helped her succeed.

There are many stories of success in the local African-American community. Years ago, agriculture was the primary industry in Broward County. Pompano, which later became Pompano Beach, was a farming community when it was founded in 1908. Hazel Armbrister, a member of the Pompano Beach Historical Society and the president of the Rock Road Restoration Group Inc., has studied the history of the area and seen it develop.

“Years ago, people came from north Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, and the Bahamas to work on the farms. The land was fertile and word got out people could get work here. Whole families would come and work on the farms,” said Armbrister.

Eventually a vibrant African-American community developed in eastern Broward County. Businesses, churches, civic organizations, and schools were established. Segregation existed and there were fewer educational opportunities available for African-Americans as many had to spend part of the school year harvesting crops. But eventually this changed. Blanche Ely High School was named after a respected educator in the area.

Some prominent African-American leaders include E. Pat Larkins, who served for many years as Pompano Beach mayor and commissioner. Shortly after he died, a community center was named after him.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is honored in Coral Springs with a new monument, the first of its kind in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. The monument, located in front of the Northwest Regional Library, was produced by an artist known as Dari. She shares her feelings on civil rights through sculpture and painting. The Lac Du Bonnet Pillar, coral colored granite, stands for equality, freedom of speech, unity, and democracy. The base is made of Mesabi Black Granite. The Raven Black monument stands for the Rainbow Coalition and King’s dignity, teaching, and strength.

Dr. Mark Gendal, chair of the Coral Springs Martin Luther King Monument Committee, is pleased. He believes the statue, which was dedicated in January, represents a commitment by the City to tolerance.

“This monument is a dedication by our entire community that we, according to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream, will make every effort to see each other not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our characters.”

February 12, 2016January 21, 2019

Chinese New Year is Bad News for Monkeys

Suddenly, there it is – a flash of glimmering red scales as the magnificent dragon emerges from the back of the theater. Perfectly in sync with the pounding rhythm of the drums that fills the room, the dragon marches the length of the auditorium before claiming the stage as its kingdom. Then the real delight begins. The creature bounds from one side of the stage to the other, rolling its head from side to side with each step. As the auditorium lights illuminate the dragon’s body, which moves in graceful waves as it follows a ball that taunts it, a collective gasp of joy arises from the audience.

The dragon dance, a cultural tradition designed to bring good fortune and prosperity, flawlessly captures the essence of Chinese New Year. Celebrated on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar, which happens to fall on February 8 this year, the Chinese New Year focuses most predominantly on the union of friends and family and the generation of good luck for the following year. The holiday, known as the Spring Festival in China, is the most important Chinese celebration of the year and brings together family from all over the country as well as the globe.

The dragon dance represents just one of the countless traditions that adorn the holiday, but it bears the common theme that runs through all of the Chinese New Year traditions: good luck. The red color that appears in the dragon’s body is a color that saturates this holiday. From the red lanterns strung from every conceivable surface to the red couplets stuck on the doors and the walls, the color of happiness and good fortune dominates Chinese New Year. The color red also appears in the festival’s most common gift of red envelopes, which contain “lucky money” to pave the way for future prosperity. Wearing red underwear represents yet another important tradition of the Chinese, as such an intimate object in the color of luck is believed to minimize any forthcoming bad luck.The superstitions, however, do not stop at wearing bright underwear. Chinese New Year is a holiday that does not shy away from food. Lucky foods like noodles, whose length symbolizes longevity, and spring rolls, whose gold bar-like shape symbolizes wealth, become especially important on this holiday. Additionally, during the Spring Festival, the Chinese prohibit all cleaning, forbidding everything from straightening up the house to maintaining personal hygiene. I can’t remember how many times my mother stopped me from taking a shower on Chinese New Year, for fear that I would wash away the good luck. On the other hand, good luck is reinforced by fireworks. Used to drive away the evil of the coming year, fireworks light up the sky every Spring Festival.

The Spring Festival also marks the transition of the animals of the Chinese zodiac, which bears a total of 12 animals, with each animal representing one year in a cycle of 12 years. The Chinese New Year of 2016 will bid farewell to the year of the goat and introduce the year of the monkey. Contrary to popular belief, the year of one’s animal sign on the Chinese zodiac is perceived as the least lucky year of the 12-year cycle. Thus, on February 8 this year, individuals with the goat sign can breathe a sigh of relief, while those with the monkey sign should take a large inhale and be extra careful of any impending danger.

With China’s budding influence on the western world and the increasing outward migration of Asians, the Chinese New Year will undoubtedly continue to grow in popularity outside the Asian continent. In our own community, celebrations are held every year by multiple organizations, including the Coral Springs Chinese Cultural Association and the Chinese Association of Science, Education and Culture of South Florida. These celebrations are open to the general public and are often held at local schools. So, as February 8 approaches, put on your best red clothing, stuff some luck into those red pockets, and get ready to watch a Chinese dragon dance of a lifetime.