In November 2007, Hollywood established a Charter Review Committee to make changes to the city charter, which governs and controls the city. The committee is holding a meeting to gather public opinion.

The meeting is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center, 1301 S. Ocean Drive.

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A community forum will be held in Hallandale Beach to discuss the future of the city's parks.

The Park Evaluation Committee and Advisory Board is looking for input from residents on facilities, amenities, recreation and future events.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at O.B. Johnson Park, 900 NW Eighth Ave.

For more information, call 954-457-1300.

Photo Credit: Kym McLeod

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For three days, Friday, Jan. 2 to Sunday, Jan. 4, Hollywood Beach will be the site of a free balloon festival with six to 10 tethered hot air balloons decorating a mile-long midway of fun.

Tethered balloon rides on the beach will benefit local charities. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

For a complete list of live performances, click here, or for more information, call 954-926-3377.

Photo credit: Nicolas Raymond

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The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood is presenting a free family day at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe St.

Enjoy an adventure story about Curious George, a monkey too curious for his own good. The show follows George’s escapades as he travels from Africa to his new home in America. George finds himself running from “monkey-eating alligators,” riding his new bike, going to his first day of school, visiting the doctor, and even taking a ride to outer space.

Call 954-921-3274 for more information.

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For the first time, the Arts Academy of Hollywood is offering three days of free dance classes for adults from Monday, Jan. 5 through Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 1955 Harrison St.

Group classes in art and music will also be offered. The center offers visual, performing and linguistic arts education.

For more information, call 954-923-1950 or click here.

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New York City-based Abakua Afro-Latin Dance Company will perform for two nights during the 10th annual Ocean Dance in Hollywood.

The free event is taking place on Hollywood Beach at Johnson Street at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31.

A laser light show will follow intermissions for both performances and on Dec. 31, there will be a special countdown to the New Year.

VIP seating is available for purchase. For additional details or to order online, click here.

You can view a preview of the dance company below.

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Hollywood’s African American Advisory Council in cooperation with its Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department will present a two-night Kwanzaa celebration for 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29 at Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center, 2400 Charleston St., and Tuesday, Dec. 30 at the Washington Park Community Center, 5199 Pembroke Road.

The events are free and refreshments will be served.

For event information, call Vincent Moss at 954-924-2939.

A video explaining the seven principals and holiday symbols can be found below.

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Workforce One is holding several free interview skills workshops at their Hollywood Center at 7550 Davie Road Extension.

Workshops are planned for 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22 and 29, and 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24 and 31.

Advice on interviews will include:
* How to present a positive image
* Interviews dos and don'ts
* Learn what managers look for
* Answering tough questions

Registration is required. Call 954-967-1010, ext. 161.

Photo Credit: Steve Woods

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This morning, students at Emerald Hills School in Hollywood were surprised with a visit from Santa and his helpers.

Candy canes were handed out and gifts were exchanged during the Winter Wonderland celebration at the school, which was hosted by founders Robin and Marvin Levin.

Here’s a picture of Santa, a student at the school and Santa’s elves Vivian and her son Wayne.

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Bring your teddy bear and bag a lunch for a picnic and playground fun from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 20 at Ingalls Park, 735 SW First St. in Hallandale Beach.

Children and their parents are invited to this free event so they can reach out to their neighbors and make new friends.

For more information, call 954-457-1452.

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The Arts Academy of Hollywood is hosting a free international holiday show at the ArtsPark at Young Circle at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21.

The show will feature excerpts from the Nutcracker Ballet, African dancing and drumming, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and Latin numbers.

The Arts Academy repertory groups, Enerzsi Jr., Enerzsi, STAR Performers, Rhythmatists and more will be performing.

For more information, call 954-923-1950.

Photo Credit: Steve Woods

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The Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Coffee Connection from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 19 at 330 N. Federal Highway.

This free event is a chance to learn the benefits of becoming a chamber member. There is limited space so RSVP is required. A continental breakfast will be served.

For more information, call 954-923-4000 or e-mail information@hollywoodchamber.org.

Photo Credit: Steve Woods

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The Chabad of South Broward presents the 29th Annual South Florida Chanukah Festival. This event is taking place at 7 p.m. Dec. 29 at Gulfstream Park Concert Theater, 901 S. Federal Highway in Hallandale Beach.

Child prodigy Ethan Bortnick, a pianist and a composer, along with popular musical entertainer Avraham Fried will perform live at this free event. VIP seats and dinner are available for purchase.

A free raffle for a three-day, two-night suite at Disney World will be held. Rabbi Levi Tennenhaus, Chabad's program director, said you can also win an entire session of summer camp at Camp Gan Israel.

For more information, call 954-458-1877.

To see highlights from last year's festival, click here. You can also watch this hilarious clip of Ethan Bortnick on Jay Leno's show below.

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Free live performances and interactive workshops for children and families will be held at the ArtsPark at Young Circle from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14.

Fushu Daiko, a taiko drumming troupe, will feature powerful Japanese rhythms. Origami artist and storyteller Kuniko Yamamoto will use masks, puppets and paper flower arrangements while telling heartfelt stories from ancient Japan. Festival-goers will be treated to firsthand experiences in Japanese body art, landscape drawing, and learning the unique “fish-rub” printmaking technique in which fish scales become an art supply. Children will be encouraged to create sidewalk art in select areas.

For more information, call 954-921-3274.

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A memorial dinner in honor of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. Holzberg and his wife were victims of the recent attacks in Mumbai.

The dinner is part of a national day of mourning where every Chabad synagogue is hosting a special Sabbath.

The event will take place at the Broward Chai Center, 1295 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd. For more information, e-mail LTChabad@gmail.com, call 954-458-1877 or click here.

The event is free, though donations are suggested.

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Job seekers are encouraged to come out for the next Good Morning America Job Fair, set for Thursday, Dec. 11.

GMA workplace contributor Tory Johnson and co-anchor Robin Roberts will be reporting live from The Westin Diplomat Convention Center for the job fair on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Johnson has been traveling the country - Atlanta, Chicago and now Florida - to help viewers around the country find work. “We’re seeing a lot of success stories,” said Brigette Maney, a GMA spokeswoman.

The job fair is free and open to the public. Participants should arrive by 6 a.m. Thursday.

The Westin Diplomat Convention Center is at 3555 S. Ocean Drive in Hollywood.

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

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Professional ballet dancers and apprentice students will perform excerpts from the holiday classic The Nutcracker ballet during a free event set for 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 on the main stage of Hollywood's ArtsPark.

The park is at One Young Circle, at Hollywood Boulevard and Federal Highway (U.S. Route 1).

For more information, call 954-929-4601.

Photo Credit: Keith Syvinski

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The Hallandale Beach Parks Department is hosting a Winterfest Dance and Party on Friday, Dec. 12.

The free event will be at O.B. Johnson Park, 900 NW Eighth Ave. The dance will be from 5 to 7 p.m. for children, and 7 to 10 p.m. for teens. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 954-457-1452.

Photo Credit: Patrick Wormsley

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If you love chocolate, then you're in luck.

On Dec. 5, the classic fantasy film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will be shown at 7:30 p.m. as part of Hollywood’s FUNtastic Fridays. A real chocolate fountain with dipping treats will also be presented by Amazing Chocolates.

FUNtastic Fridays are held from 5 to 9 p.m. the first and third Friday of the month at Anniversary Park, 1945 Hollywood Blvd. This free family social event features Mama Clown and Friends, an outdoor movie, bounce house, face painters, magic and more.

The Hollywood Community Harvest Food Drive will also be collecting food donations of peanut butter and/or jelly.

For more information, call 954-921-3016.

Worried about parking? You can park for 75 cents an hour at Van Buren Street Municipal Parking Garage at 51 S. 20th Ave. with no time limit.

You can watch a trailer from the movie’s DVD below.

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Recently, I covered the annual Salute to the Military at John Williams Park in Hollywood.

I met a lot of honorable men, many of them World War II veterans, who served in the military. They are deeply proud of their country and want us to remember the sacrifices of the men and women still in the military and those who have passed.

There was a large showing from the Military Vehicle Preservation Association there.
The members and other vets were able to give you information about WWII at the drop of a hat.

Charles Urig, for instance, told me about the Red Ball Express.

“The Red Ball Express was almost exclusively black drivers,” Urig said. “[They were] made to keep the supplies going to the front, and they had the right of way on all the roads. Every intersection where the military police was directing traffic, all traffic stopped for the Red Ball Express.”

Here’s a picture of me sitting in a 1942 GPW jeep. Next to me is Bob Neely, the owner of the vehicle. (He was kind enough to let me have a brief ride.) The jeep, which he named “Olive Oyl,” was one of just 250,000 that Ford released.

“The life expectancy when they built it was to last 90 days,” said Artie Metzler, a coordinator of the event. “They figured that it would be blown up and destroyed, so to have one in this condition all of these years later is a miracle.

"You can brag now that you rode in a real World War II vehicle."

For more on the Salute to the Military, make sure to pick up Sunday's (Dec. 14) edition of Community News inside the Sun Sentinel.

Photo Credit: Lance Jeffrey

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