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PHOTO: Thousands of people pack the street going from booth-to-booth during the sixth annual "Fiesta Puerto Rico" at the Coral Springs Center for Arts. There was free outdoor entertainment and an indoor concert in the evening.
Staff photo/Jason Arnold

See more photos in the July 3 Coral Springs Forum.
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Coral Springs residents have one extra reason to follow the Beijing Olympics in August: Adler Volmar.

Volmar, a Coral Springs resident, will represent the United States in the heavyweight division for judo (100 kg). It will be his second Olympics, after having represented Haiti at the 1996 games in Atlanta at the age of 19.

Volmar's is a story of courage and heart that refuses to accept defeat. He had a really good chance of being a part of the 2004 Olympics team, but tore two ligaments in his right knee during a training camp in Poland. He recovered in time for the Olympic trials, but couldn't make it any further.

Things were going according to plan for Volmar as he tried to make it to the team for Beijing, but disaster struck in January this year when he suffered an injury to his left knee during a workout with another member of the national team. With two shattered ligaments and a torn cartilage, the dream seemed over.

Volmar said it was his refusal to accept defeat that helped him recover quickly. "I did not recover until a couple of weeks before the trials," he said. "I am not 100 percent even now, but it is getting better. Everything is going well. The aim is to be ready for the big day."

Friends and supporters of the judo champ are organizing an event to raise funds for Volmar as he prepares for Beijing. A "Going for the Gold" party will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight July 12 at 24 Hour Fitness, 9800 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Coral Springs to raise funds for Volmar. The cost of admission is $20.

For more information, call 24 Hour Fitness at 954-755-1550 or e-mail Jane at jeds62@aol.com.

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Four Coral Springs congregations have come together for the ongoing weeklong multicultural "Festival of Caring." The event, which began last Saturday, is designed to reach out to needy people in the community.

The festival, which will conclude Saturday, is organized by First United Methodist Church of Coral Springs (First Church), the First Church Haitian Ministry (offered in the Creole language), the Tabernaculo de Refugio in Margate, and the Brazilian Alliance Church, which worships at First Church.

“Too often, churches are more focused on their members and overlook the local community,” said the Rev. Sara McKinley, pastor of First Church. “We want to turn that model inside out and make sure the needs of those who live nearby are our primary concern.”

These days, church members are busy inviting residents to the free "Festival of Caring" block party, to take place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday at First Church, 8650 W. Sample Road. They have also been performing acts of kindness in the community.

“Everyone is welcome to the party, whether you speak English, Creole, French, Portuguese, Spanish or some other language,” said Pastor McKinley. “You can come and take advantage of health screenings and career advice, or you can bring your family and just have some fun.”

In addition to the free health fair and career workshops, the block party will include live music, multicultural food venues and a children’s playground extravaganza. The party, with all its activities and food, is free of charge. Free parking will be available at the church and several other nearby locations.

To learn more, visit www.festivalofcaring.com.

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Anyone who has been following the University Drive extension issue knows officials in Coral Springs and Parkland do not see eye-to-eye on the topic.

Coral Springs wants the road to be extended to connect Broward and Palm Beach counties, while Parkland is happy to leave the road as it is. Let me share a few technical details about the various options the two cities are supporting.

While every other party involved in the issue, from Broward and Palm Beach counties to cities like Parkland and Coconut Creek are backing five options each, Coral Springs has just four alternatives on the table - 1g, 1a, if, and ib.

Alternative 1g, Coral Springs' preferred alternative, includes a six-lane University Drive connection between Lox Road and Palmetto Park Road and a eight-lane State Road 7 that has six lanes for automatic traffic and two lanes exclusively for transit.

Alternative 1a is similar to 1g, but has no exclusive transit lanes on State Road 7. Under this alternative, State Road 7 will be a six-lane facility between Sawgrass Expressway and County Line and as an eight-lane arterial between County Line Road and Glades Road.

Alternative 1f also has a six-lane University Drive connection between Lox Road and Palmetto Park Road. This alternative includes eight lanes for automatic traffic on State Road 7 between Sawgrass Expressway and Glades Road.

Alternative 1b includes a four-lane University Drive between Lox Road and Palmetto Park Road. State Road 7 will be six lanes between Sawgrass Expressway and County Line and a eight-lane arterial between County Line Road and Glades Road.

Parkland backs options 1d, 2a, 2b, 2c and 3d. Its preferred option, 3d, has a six-lane State Road 7 from Sawgrass Expressway to Glades Road and two exclusive transit lanes. Importantly, this option takes University Drive extension out of the equation. The common factor in the other four options chosen by the city is the absence of the University Drive extension element.

Parkland believes an east-west roadway is needed to address traffic concerns rather than a north-south roadway, said Commissioner Dave Rosenof, the city's representative in the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization. "Extending University Drive will cause destruction of existing neighborhoods. There are also safety issues due to the number of schools that are located along University Drive.”

It is imperative to extend University Drive to link the two counties, Coral Springs assistant city manager Erdal Donmez said. “It’s not a choice or a convenience," he said. "University Drive has to be open to address future traffic needs of this area. It is the shortest and least costly connection as FDOT owns the right of way. All the data available validates our position. How much more proof do we need?”

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Parkland Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz wants to take the city’s green drive another step forward.

At a recent City Commission meeting, Moskowitz proposed a “nominal” environmental assessment fee of $5 per household to raise capital that can be used for protecting the environment. The idea is to raise about $40,000 a year, he said.

“I’m not aware of any other city in the state that is doing something like this,” Moskowitz said. “The assessment fee will offset the environmental impact we have while conducting business. The money can be used for anything from buying hybrid vehicles to preserving native trees.”

Moskowitz said he expected residents to react positively to the proposal. “They have supported all our environmental initiatives and I expect them to do the same this time, too," he said. "This is something that will help the city in the long run.”

Parkland resident Stuart Krantz said he liked the idea of the city taking measures to save the environment. “Jared is trying to do things, but you need a certain amount of money to run a city well," he said. "I have all along held that the city should adopt a millage rate of 5.1. If they had not lowered the millage rate from 4.1 to 3.4, they would have had the money to do this. I guess they are more comfortable doing it this way.”

The City Commission will discuss the proposal once City Attorney Andrew Maurodis drafts an ordinance. If it passes, the impact fee will be the latest in a long list of conservation efforts the city has taken up in the last few months.

Recently, the commission decided to go paperless and at its last meeting, switched to paperless commission agendas. The move has commissioners taking home backup material in memory sticks and reviewing them on computer screens at the meeting.

It is a step in the right direction, Mayor Michael Udine said. “The backup material this week was close to 1,000 pages, and we made many copies," he said. "Besides going green, the city is also saving money.”

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Holmberg Road improvements, the single biggest project Parkland has taken up in many years, has begun. Residents who normally travel on the road are better off seeking alternate routes when work is in progress.

The city has signed a $2.7 million contract with Weekly Asphalt for the project that begins at State Road 7/U.S. Route 441 and continues to Parkside Drive where the road will be resurfaced and two four-foot bicycle lanes will be added. The city will also install 16 fire hydrants and extend the existing water main from Parkside Drive to Riverside Drive, along Holmberg Road, to service the Pinetree Estates subdivision.

At a City Commission meeting in May, Mayor Michael Udine said the goal was to minimize the inconvenience to residents due to the work. “It is an exciting large capital project, the single largest project Parkland has taken up in years. Much of the work has to be done during summer.”

Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz wanted the city to inform people of the work. “There will be inconveniences but people will be happy once work is over,” he said.

A lot of staff coordination is needed for successful completion of the project, Commissioner Mark Weissman said.

Work on the project will likely be completed in six months.

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The only city in the country to win the Baldridge Award is not treating bicyclists the way it should. At least, that is what Coral Springs resident Mark Gendal, doctor and avid cyclist, says.

Gendal spoke at the City Commission meeting Tuesday night about the "deplorable conditions" in the city for those who use bicycles. "I'm aware of what other cities do for their cyclists," he said. "They do much more. Here, we do not have bike lanes. None of the shopping centers in the city have bike racks."

There is a Florida law that states cars must give at least three feet of clearance when passing bicyclists, Gendal said. "Here, even police officers are not obeying this law. Not many people are aware of the law. People scream in your face and blow their horn," he said.

"You are going to see a lot of people on bicycles with the way the prices of gas is," Gendal said. "I hope the city will take note of the situation."

Mayor Scott Brook said he wanted the city to be more bike-friendly. "I would like to see what options we have. I want to see some measure of success in the coming days."

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There was just one case related to the confiscation of illegal fireworks in Coral Springs last year. Is that because people stayed away from fireworks or because police officers did not do their job?

The committee formed by the Coral Springs customer involved government committee to study the issue of illegal fireworks said they felt police did not do enough. City staff said they had different feelings.

"Most of the study circle members felt the city's enforcement of current laws is lax," said study circle president Gordon Boast at a city workshop. "We don't do any confiscation. We should replace threats of action with actual action. We should more aggressively enforce what is enforceable."

Police Chief Duncan Foster said he felt the statistics on confiscation did not do justice to the efforts his staff had put in. "Once we confiscate something from a resident, we need to give a property receipt," he said. "We don't give property receipts when we confiscate illegal fireworks as they have no value. We do confiscate illegal fireworks and destroy them."

The city needs to measure confiscation better, Mayor Scott Brook said. "There is a lot of confiscation happening that is not measured," he said. "The perception is that we can do a better job."

City Manager Mike Levinson defended the police strategy of warning residents who use illegal fireworks first and confiscating if the warning is not heeded. "Measuring confiscation does not tell us the measure of compliance. Confiscation may be less because compliance may be greater due to police warning," he said.

At the workshop, the commission rejected the proposal put forward by the study circle to confiscate illegal fireworks without giving a warning. There will no longer be a study circle on the issue.

Some of the members of the study circle who were pushing for immediate confiscation went home disappointed. Resident Jerry Modell said the city would have trouble getting any member of the study circle in future projects. "I thought Ted and Scott really tried," he said. "Claudette wanted something done as well. I am very disappointed in Vince and Gold. I don't think what the city has planned to do is going to work."

Read a longer version of the article in the June 26 issue of the Coral Springs Forum.

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If you are a fan of the most popular game on earth and live in Coral Springs, here is something for you. The national soccer team is in your city and training hard for its next game as they attempt to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

The team made a perfect start to its campaign last Sunday in Carson, Calif., demolishing Barbados 8-0. Before the victory, the team had failed to score in 287 minutes of play, since a 3-0 win over Poland in March this year.

It will now take on the same team at the Kensington Oval in Barbados Sunday, in the second leg of the contest. The World Cup will be in South Africa in 2010.

The team landed in Coral Springs Monday night and has plans to have a couple of practice sessions at a soccer ground in the heart of the city. Yes, I know the place where you can catch a glimpse of the players, but I am not telling you. The team members, as you will understand, are not really looking forward to signing autographs when they have an important game to play in three days.

Commissioner Ted Mena was among those who welcomed the team members Monday night.

"They initally had plans to go to Miami but then decided to come here. I think it is great for the city. They want to get used to the heat here as they will experience similar conditions in Barbados," he said.

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Parkland is going greener.

The city, which already has an incentives program in place for environmentally conscious purchases, will soon introduce a law that makes solar powered lighting mandatory in all shopping centers. The City Commission discussed the proposed law at its meeting last week.

All outdoor lighting installed on commercially zoned property after Jan. 1 next year has to be solar powered. Existing businesses will get ten years, from the date of adoption of the ordinance, to comply. However, all replacement lighting after Jan. 1 has to be totally solar powered.

Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz, whose idea it was to provide incentives for residents who go green, said the commission was not singling out shopping centers. “We are looking at this in city structures, too," he said. "Lighting at the new fire station and some of the lighting at Pine Trails Park will be solar powered. The signboard at the new fire station will be solar powered as well.”

“San Francisco gives incentives to business to go solar, but we are a much smaller city and can’t do that,” Moskowitz said. “This technology is not cheap. That is why we are allowing a very large window. This will give shopping centers the time to invest in the technology. All outdoor lighting in Parkland should be solar powered by 2018. ”

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Joyce Sweeney still remembers the 8-year-old girl who looked out of a window at the Museum of Natural History in Ohio spellbound.

“I saw birds, wildlife and nature. Sitting down right there, I began writing. I don’t remember much, but that is the first poem I wrote,” said the Coral Springs resident.

Much has happened in her life since, including success as a fiction writer for young adults, but Sweeney has now let her first love reclaim her. “Impermanence,” her first collection of poems, was released recently.

Sweeney felt poems “coming to her,” when her mother developed Alzheimer’s Disease in 2005. “That put me in a much more serious frame of mind," she said. "I had much more serious emotions. I couldn’t write fiction. It did not come to me, but poems did.”

Kathy Macdonald, who is a member of the writing group that Sweeney teaches Thursday nights in Fort Lauderdale, praised her mentor. “The poems are beautiful," she said. "She has a strong narrative voice completed with a lyrical sensitivity. Of the poems in the collection, 'Mother’s Day,' and 'Lost Horizon' are my favorites.”

Read the complete article in the June 19 issue of the Coral Springs Forum.

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It’s not every day that someone kisses a pig and still retains a smile, but Maplewood Elementary School principal Sherry Bees managed to do just that.

Dressed in pajamas and with the entire school watching her in action, Bees kissed Lola the pig twice on its head and once on its snout.

“It was fun. She was very cute and well trained," Bees said. "The kids enjoyed it. I don’t know if the pig liked it though."

Bees was keeping her promise to students after their collective success in the school’s Accelerated Reader program. The students went past the 20,000-point mark that had been set and ended the year with 21,500 points.

“The kids enjoy reading, but we wanted to motivate them as there are so many distractions like movies and video games,” Bees said. “From August to December, they got only about 4,000 points. From January to March, they added another 6,000 points. After that, they started reading like crazy to make sure I kissed the pig.”

It was the students who decided what the principal would do if they reached the target, said Judy Slade, reading resource specialist. “We wanted to ensure they would reach the mark," she said. "All the students were part of the program, but kindergarten students did not start until January. The deadline was May 16. We allowed students to wear pajamas to school the day Lola came.” POSTED IN: Coral Springs (142),Schools (9)

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Last year, Coral Springs city staff had fliers all over the city advising people not to use illegal fireworks during the July Fourth celebrations. Whether that deterred residents from using illegal fireworks is a matter of debate.

Carl Prescott, a Coral Springs resident who has been in the forefront of the fight against illegal fireworks in the city, is waiting to see what it will do this time. “They need to educate residents on legal and illegal fireworks. Last year, they had fliers and also messages on signboards. I hope they do something similar this year,” he said.

Prescott cannot understand why police have to first warn residents using illegal fireworks before confiscating them.

“There is nothing in the law that says you need to give a warning,” Prescott said. “I think there is a possibility of people taking advantage of that. I have a feeling we are going to see a lot more illegal fireworks this year than in previous years.”

The issue came up for discussion at a recent City Commission meeting. Mayor Scott Brook, who heads the customer involved government committee studying the issue, said it was a real problem.

Brook wanted police to look into confiscation of illegal fireworks. He also appealed to the people to inform the city if they came across people setting off illegal fireworks. “Let us make our celebrations safe,” he said.

Local governments have no legal right to regulate fireworks, City Manager Mike Levinson said. “The legislature set up a task force in 2007 to study the issue," he said. "Local bodies will have to wait until the task force submits its report. We don’t allow sale of illegal fireworks in the city.”

The primary goal of the police on July Fourth would be to ensure that people use legal fireworks safely, said Police Chief Duncan Foster. “If we find people in possession of illegal fireworks, they will be confiscated," he said. "We will warn them once and confiscate the fireworks the second time. We did that last year, too.” POSTED IN: Coral Springs (142)

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The increasing number of car burglaries in Parkland, most of them involving vehicles left unlocked by owners, came up for discussion at a City Commission workshop Wednesday.

Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz wanted police and city staff to come up with some educational program to make residents aware of the need to prevent such soft crimes.

"Crime has increased in Parkland over the last couple of years," he said. "We will be able to bring the number of incidents down if people are more careful about keeping their vehicles locked and garage doors closed."

Broward Sheriff's Office Chief Paul O'Connell said the police would continue educating residents. "We will put up message boards in various parts of the city," he said. "The good news is that Parkland had the second smallest rate of crime among cities in Broward last year."

Mayor Michael Udine said he was not as concerned about crimes that happened due to carelessness of individuals as he was about other crimes. "Adding more police officers is not going to stop such crimes," Udine said. "We need individuals to take responsibility."

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Great schools are one reason young families flock to Coral Springs and Parkland. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and J.P. Taravella High School have been named two of the best high schools in the country.

The two high schools are on a list of eight Broward County Public Schools that were recognized by Newsweek magazine as the top high schools in the nation. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland was ranked 25th in Florida and 136th in the nation, while J. P. Taravella High was ranked 80th in the state and 656th in the country.

The achievement was recognized by the Coral Springs City Commission at a recent meeting.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Principal Ann Andersen-Kowalski thanked the community and the parents for the award. “We’re very fortunate to have such a supportive community and parents who actually enable us to have the kind of programs, rigor and relevance that we do,” she said.

Schools in Coral Springs feel the support of the City Commission throughout the year, said Shawn Cerra, principal at J.P. Taravella High. "We are blessed to have outstanding students and a great faculty. The award is about their hard work and effort,” he said.

For details, visit www.browardschools.com.

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Parkland is giving its residents a few extra days to take advantage of its energy incentive reward program. The program, and Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz who came up with the idea, had attracted national attention when it was introduced.

Last week, the City Commission unanimously passed a resolution extending the application cycle for incentives to July 31. As part of the program, the city gives financial incentives to individuals and businesses for environmentally conscious purchases. Only purchases after Jan. 12, when the ordinance came into effect, will qualify.

The plan incorporates the following 12 program models: 1) Hybrid cars; 2) Incandescent light bulb replacement; 3) Solar power landscape lighting; 4) Ultra low flow toilets and shower heads; 5) FPL Sunshine Energy Program; 6) Energy Star Program; 7) Exotic invasive tree replacement; 8) high efficiency air conditioner replacement; 9) Isolé IDP-3050 Plug Load Control; 10) A/C duct system test & repair; 11) Solar panels for the home; 12) city of Parkland solar water/pool heater program.

Applications for the programs are available at www.cityofparkland.org or at City Hall, 6600 University Drive.

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John Sommerer, former Coral Springs mayor, was given a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to charges of molesting a 5-year-old girl.

Sommerer, 60, must also serve 30 years of sexual-offender probation after his release. State law requires registered sex offenders to live at least 1,000 feet from schools, parks, bus stops and places where children congregate.

Sommerer, who faced a maximum life sentence if convicted at trial, pleaded no contest to nine counts, ranging from lewd and lascivious molestation to exhibition. The incidents happened from April 1, 2006, to Oct. 31, 2007.

Sommerer served as mayor of the city for 10 years. Term limits forced him from office in 2004. He did not succeed when he tried to make a political comeback in 2006.

Read the detailed story here.

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Mayor Scott Brook believes the Coral Springs City Commission ought to do more in its role as Coral Springs Charter School board.

Commissioner Claudette Bruck is one of the members of the school advisory council, which includes parents, teachers and the school principal. Brook said he was looking for something more.

"Meeting for 30 minutes two times a year is not enough," Brook said at Tuesday's commission meeting. "We have to blossom as a board. There is input that we have missed giving."

City Manager Mike Levinson's comment that staff would come up with an exciting plan for the commission to review at a workshop later this month did not meet with approval from Brook. "I won't accept strategic planning coming to the board from staff. It should be the other way around," he said.

Commissioner Roy Gold thought workshopping the issue was a good start. "I know the mayor will not forget to bring this issue up again," he said.

Bruck said she is open to Brook's idea. "I hope the mayor accepts the invitation to attend the advisory council meeting," she said. "It's a very, very active group."

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Coral Springs Commissioner Ted Mena was an angry man as he came out of a joint meeting of the Broward and Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization last Friday. The meeting discussed the proposed extension of University Drive.

Much of his anger was directed at Florida Department of Transport District 4 Secretary James Wolfe. "We were given seven proposals to consider," he said after a city commission meeting Tuesday night. "Wolfe then told the meeting that he did not think that the extension of University Drive is politically viable. He should have kept his opinion to himself and let us take the decision."

Mena believes the extension of the road is the only solution to the longstanding problem. "They are now talking about a 10 or 12 lane State Road 7/U.S. 441," he said. "Where is the land going to come from? They will have to take parking lots of businesses. Tell me, is that viable?"

Mena said he did, however, enjoy what Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs said at the meeting.

"She literally told Palm Beach County officials that they can keep the wedge," Mena said. "Palm Beach is trying to get rid of the land. I'm sure what Kristin said has them worried."

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Parents of autistic children should be thankful to State Rep. Ari Porth

Porth, who represents Coral Springs, Tamarac, Lauderhill, Sunrise and North Lauderdale, was the House sponsor of the “Window of Opportunity Act,” which mandates insurance companies to provide coverage for children with autism. Studies show one in every 150 children develops an autism spectrum disorder, with the number jumping to one in every 94 for boys.

“Dealing with autism can be extremely costly," he said at a recent town hall meeting. "Some families go bankrupt. There is a very high divorce rate among those who have autistic children. This bill will help so many families. It will provide an annual coverage of $36,000 and lifetime coverage up to $200,000."

Porth also talked about the Jack Davis Lending a Helping Hand Act, legislation he helped introduce that allows food establishments to donate leftover food to shelters without liability.

“You can get bill ideas from anywhere," he said. "I got the idea for this bill from Jack Davis, who is 11."

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From foster child to someone working for foster children, life has come full circle for Tammy Workman, much to the delight of a Coral Springs resident who has been her guide for much of the journey.

Commissioner Claudette Bruck walked into Workman’s life as her Guardian Ad Litem when she was a teenager struggling to come to terms with life as a foster child. The Pompano Beach resident, who now works with Florida's Children First, a nonprofit organization based in Coral Springs, credits Bruck for much of her success.

“My two little brothers, my sister and I used to fight a lot," Workman said. "Claudette taught us how to be a good family. My mom, grandmother, aunt -- I don’t know what to call her. She was there anytime we wanted her. She is really about the best interests of the child."

Bruck, who has served as a Guardian Ad Litem for more than 20 years, currently represents seven children. “It’s something I enjoy doing," she said. "When you are passionate about something, you find time for it.”

Read the detailed story in the June 5 issue of the Coral Springs Forum.

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Parkland officials are toying with the idea of giving residents an option to pay more to get extra services.

It was Mayor Michael Udine who suggested, at a recent strategic planning session, that the city do so. “I have had people say to me that they are willing to pay more for more services. I know there are people who will pay more for convenience. Let’s allow them to do that,” he said.

Commissioner Dave Rosenof thought the idea had merit. “There are cities that charge more for providing extra services. We should think of raising more money by offering VIP-level service. This option should only apply to add-on services, not core services,” he said.

Besides discussing the “pay more fund,” city officials also talked about successes of the current year and mulled over challenges before the city in the coming year.

The coming year will see budget cuts in every department, Udine said. “It will be a difficult budget year," he said. "Anyone who does not understand this is no longer living in reality. Some things may need to be put off. Governments right now are easy targets. There is a tremendous amount of resentment among citizens, and not just in Parkland.”

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