BusinessWeek magazine named Sunrise one of the “Best Places to Raise Your Kids.” Sunrise was among Florida’s top three cities for families.

BusinessWeek focused on towns with at least 50,000 residents and a median family income of $40,000 to $100,000. It then narrowed the field according to school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters and other amenities.

Affordability was one of the most important considerations in creating the list.

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For the second year, Paul Mesaros is celebrating the holidays by turning on the switch of the 20,000 colored lights he has lovingly arranged outside his Sunrise home.

Every night now through Jan. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m., they will blink to the rhythms of 18 Christmas carols. Mesaros will transmit the music through a home radio transmitter, so those driving by can enjoy the light show by tuning their car radios to 106.9 FM.

The home is located at 10660 NW 32nd St. in Sunrise.

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CiCi’s Pizza restaurants in Broward and Palm Beach counties are doing Toys for Tots holiday season toy drives. Six Cici’s Pizza locations are offering a $1 off the price of the buffet for each person in the party or $1 off each to-go pizza to guests who take an unwrapped toy to the store between Nov. 25 and Dec. 15.

Last year, Toys for Tots ensured that 90,000 children in Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties received a gift.

Cici’s Pizza Sunrise is at 8253 Sunset Strip, and it’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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In the midst of the celebrations, family reunions and all that holiday food, anyone can forget how many drinks they've had.

The AAA Auto Club South and Budweiser will be protecting drivers on the road this Thanksgiving weekend through a program called Tow to Go, which provides a confidential ride home and tow, free of charge, to anyone who may have had too much to drink simply by calling 1-800-AAA-HELP.

‘Tow to Go’ services will be offered throughout the state of Florida and will be available from Nov. 27 to Jan. 1.

Rather than allowing anyone whose sobriety is in question drive, call 1-800-AAA-HELP this weekend.

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Newly elected State Sen. Chris Smith (District 29) will visit Piper High School in Sunrise today as part of the school’s informative and motivational monthly series titled Law & Politics Speaker Series.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Smith spent his youth as a leader of local student organizations. He will tell the students how he progressed from a community leader to an elected official. Smith will also speak about community involvement, service and a number of ways in which the students can change their community.

The speaker series is directed toward 10th, 11th and 12th graders and is not open to the public. Past speakers include Broward County Mayor Stacy Ritter and Assistant State Attorney Sue-Ann Robinson.

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PHOTO: Rita Paez, 4, front, Annagabriella Segura, 4, on knees, from Encore Dance Theatre of Ft. Lauderdale perform and enterain an audience of people at the Shoppes of Sawgrass in Sunrise for a fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Staff photo/Jeff Graves
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The Sunrise Civic Center and Art Gallery presents an exhibit of work by acclaimed nature photographer Ansel Adams.

The exhibit runs from Dec. 5 through Jan. 31. The gallery is open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. Admission is free.

The public is welcome to an opening reception on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are not required. The civic center is located at 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise. Call 954-747-4641 for information.

A sample of some of Adams' work can be seen here.

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Elise Jones, of Sunrise, turned 105 years on Nov. 19. The VISTAS Innovative Hospice Care team celebrated the birthday with a cake, balloons and presents, and a birthday blessing from VISTAS chaplain Alford Alphonse.

According to Carroll Bostic, one of Jones’ four children, Jones has lived so long and so well because she grew up poor in Barbados, in the British West Indies, eating homegrown food, and working physically hard as a domestic house cleaner.

Jones created the Elise M. Jones Scholarship Fund 16 years ago to help students in need and is known for her artistic talents in sewing, crocheting, cooking and gardening. She currently lives with Bostic.

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Broward County Water Resources Task Force was formed to find real solutions to what could become a crisis if steps are not taken to find water sources for South Florida.

Representatives on the task force include mayors from municipalities throughout Broward County, as well as technical personnel and county officials. Among the municipal representatives are Assistant Deputy Vice Mayor of Sunrise Donald Rosen, who said he accepted the appointment to the task force because it is not just for political purposes. It seeks real solutions.

“Anything to help my community, I am willing to do,” Rosen said. “The members selected have working relationships with the utilities directors of their cities. We are working to truly find solutions.”

The task force, which includes Tamarac Mayor Beth Flansbaum Talabisco and Lauderhill Mayor Richard Kaplan, was formed in September after several months of deliberation on what the group’s goals would be. The mission of the task force is to identify water supply strategies and solutions to meet future water needs and conservation goals.

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Daniel Canter Senior Center has a couples group and a singles group. The couples group meets from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Daniel Cantor Senior Center, 5000 Nob Hill Road. The singles group meets at the center from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

For more information on these programs or others offered at the center, call 954-742-2299.

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In November and December, Advanced Therapy Concepts is pairing with Cooperative Feeding Program, a nonprofit food bank, to fight hunger in Broward County.

Advanced Therapy Concepts is looking for donations of non-perishable food items like canned meats, pasta, rice and powered milk. Items can be dropped off at the business, 2035 N. University Drive in Sunrise.

For more information, call 954-616-1670.

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A new exercise program has started in Sunrise.

Fit Power Hour takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturdays at the Sunrise Civic Center gym, 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Each class costs $12.

For more information, call Alana at 954-850-1650.

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The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Broward County's 29th annual Board/Advisory Council Installation dinner will take place on Jan. 15, but it is not too early to reserve your spot.

The event will take place at Diamante's Banquet Center, 6501 W. Commercial Blvd. Dinner reservations are $60 per person or $600 for a table of 10.

Anyone interested in attending, advertising at the event, or becoming a sponsor, can call 954-745-9567, ext. 216.

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Learning Express, a new specialty toy store in Sunrise, will have a charity event on Nov. 13 to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The store at 12536 W. Sunrise Blvd. will donate 10 percent of money from sales, from 6 to 9 p.m., to the foundation, which helps children with life-threatening medical conditions.

For more information, call the store at 954-846-TOYS.

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The city of Sunrise will be using "free" chlorine in its drinking water treatment system through Dec. 2.

The chlorine is being added to provide additional protection against bacteria. As a result, the taste, odor and color may have a noticeable difference. This will affect Utilities Department customers, in Weston, Southwest Ranches and parts of Davie as well.

For more information regarding the city of Sunrise’s treatment system, call 954-888-6000.

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The seventh annual Jamaican Jerk Festival is coming to Sunrise on Nov. 9.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Markham Park, 16001 West State Road 84. It will include Jamaican music, popular disc jockeys, and children's activities, including a bounce house, rides, slides and rock climbing. There will also be a domino competition and Jerk Cook-Off.

Tickets are available for $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event. For more information, call 305-405-1059.

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The Panthers Figure Skating Club will have its annual Holiday Ice Show at BankAtlantic Center on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.

The event, themed "Dance, Dance, Dance," will feature club members, and regional and national skating competitors, including Kimmie Meissner, aWorld Champion; Todd Eldredge, a world, national and Olympic medalist; and Lesley Doherty, a Canadian Bronze medalist.

Tickets are $20. New, unwrapped toys will be collected to benefit Toys for Tots.

For information on the event, or becoming a sponsor, call 954-341-9956.

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PHOTO: Women at the Springtree Assisted Living Facility make dolls for their organization, Dolls for World Peace. They put energy they didn't know they had into touching others around the world with their dolls. Some make patterns, some sew them together, some stuff the dolls with cotton, while others, like Betty Sutton, cut the patterns.
Staff photo/Janeris Paredes
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