Our City Coral Springs: December 2022

*Other providers are available in the network. Provider may also contract with other Plans/Part D sponsors. Broward County. CarePlus is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in CarePlus depends on contract renewal. 1From a preferred cost-sharing retail pharmacy. Important: At CarePlus, it is important you are treated fairly. CarePlus Health Plans, Inc. complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, religion, or language in their programs and activities, including in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, their programs and activities. The following department has been designated to handle inquiries regarding CarePlus’ non-discrimination policies: Member Services, PO Box 277810, Miramar, FL 33027, 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711). Auxiliary aids and services, free of charge, are available to you. 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711). CarePlus provides free auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified sign language interpreters, video remote interpretation, and written information in other formats to people with disabilities when such auxiliary aids and services are necessary to ensure an equal opportunity to participate. This information is available for free in other languages. Please call our Member Services number at 1-800-794-5907. Hours of operation: October 1 - March 31, 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 1 - September 30, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You may leave a voicemail after hours, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays and we will return your call within one business day. Español (Spanish): Esta información está disponible de forma gratuita en otros idiomas. Favor de llamar a Servicios para Afiliados al número que aparece anteriormente. Kreyòl Ayisyen (French Creole): Enfòmasyon sa a disponib gratis nan lòt lang. Tanpri rele nimewo Sèvis pou Manm nou yo ki nan lis anwo an.

Small acts of kindness can be contagious. A few years ago, when our kids were in Elementary School, Christy dropped them off at school and decided to go to the drive-through at a coffee shop. When she got to the window, with her credit card in hand, the barista told her that the driver of the car in front of her had already paid for her order. Christy looked up, but the other car had already sped off, having accomplished their covert act of goodwill. Christy decided to pay the kindness forward, as did the car behind her. A chain reaction of friendly gestures began as the next car carried on giving the gift of a cup of cof fee as well.

We visited Deerfield Beach this weekend. We saw a mother, who was busy with twin young girls while her older son played in the surf. The tide slowly carried the boy down the beach, as it tends to do. The mother tried to get his attention over the sound of the surf to no avail. Seeing the distress on the mom’s face, a couple offered to watch the girls while she went to retrieve her son. All was well when they returned. We were grateful the kind couple was there to help the mom.

These simple gestures of doing good remind us of President George H. W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural address. He spoke about a thousand points of light. Individuals across the country do “good deeds” for the betterment of all.

Let’s make this holiday season a time when we all look out for each other. Be one of those points of light with an act of kindness.

Sincerely,

DECEMBER 1

Car Menorah Procession

Help bring the light of Chanukah to Cor al Springs! The Chabad of Coral Springs invites everyone to participate in this year’s annual Car Menorah Procession. The event will feature a parade of cars with menorahs on top. You must register and have an auto menorah to participate in the procession. All are welcome to the grande menorah lighting and BBQ at Coral Springs Chabad following the procession. Hosted at Coral Springs Chabad, 3925 N University Drive. Procession starts at 6:15 pm, and menorah lighting at 7:00 pm. Scan the QR code or email CoralSpringsMenorahParade@gmail com to register your car. For more info, visit www.coralsprings.org.

DECEMBER 4

Parkland Farmers Market

Fresh produce, organically grown vegeta bles, fresh fruit, herb’s, tasty fresh breads, chocolate croissants, raw honey from local farmers, gourmet jams, fried doughnuts, pick les, cookies, coffee’s, homemade hummus, gourmet cheese, guacamole dips, bounce house for kids, plants and orchids, there’s something here for everyone. This event will also include a craft fair, so be sure to get those last-minute presents! 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at the Equestrian Center, 8350 Ranch Road, Parkland. For info call 954-757-4107

DECEMBER 9-10

Pine and Palm Holiday Market & Exhibition

Visit the 2nd Annual Pine and Palm Holiday Mar ket! The 2-day shopping event will be filled with original art and wares from local artists and mak ers. This is a great opportunity to “Sip, Shop and Celebrate!” the holidays with your friends and family. This year we have expanded our event to include a juried exhibition. 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm, Fri day, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm, Saturday. Hosted at the Coral Springs Museum of Art. For more info, visit www.coralspringsmuseum.org.

DECEMBER 3

Downtown in December

Coral Springs will usher in the holiday season with the Downtown in December free event celebration on the City Hall lawn. Residents are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Activities include a holiday dance party, Tree Lighting Ceremony (7 p.m.), train rides, holiday cook ies, ice skating, snow, and much more. Food trucks will include: Mr. Meatball, Rocked & Loaded, Moop Pops, The Greek, Jerk It, Tropical Oasis Express, and Crunly Churros! 5:00-9:00 on the Green at City Hall, 9500 West Sample Road, Coral Springs. For more info, visit www.coralsprings.org.

DECEMBER 9

Light Up the Park Parkland will hold its annual holiday light festival from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The evening will feature live music, food trucks, trivia contests and a DJ! Attendees are en couraged to wear their favorite ugly sweat ers to the outdoor event. Bring lawn chairs and blankets! The free event will be hosted at the Parkland Amphitheater at Pine Trails Park, 10561 Trails End Rod. For more info call 954-757-4105.

DECEMBER 10

Winterfest Boat Parade

The 51st annual Winterfest Boat Parade will kick off in downtown Fort Lauderdale at 6:30 pm. The Parade starts at Stranahan House, traveling East along the New River in Fort Lauderdale to the Intracoastal Waterway as it continues North to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. It’s 12 Miles from the “Best Show on H20.” The Parade takes approxi mately 2 and 1/2 hours to view from one loca tion (starting locations stagger as you travel north). For more info, visit www.winterfestparade.com.

December 2022 Calendar

DECEMBER 16-18

The Nutcracker Christmas music embodies the spirit of the season. Treat your ears to classical Yuletide tunes and buy your tickets to see The Nut cracker, presented by the International Bal let Company. More than 130 cast members pirouette across a wintry stage to recreate the classic, fantastical children’s ballet tale that has drawn sold-out crowds for the last 12 years to the Coral Springs Arts Center. Matinee and evening shows are available. For tickets, visit www.thecentercs.com

DECEMBER 14

Coral Springs Holiday Parade

Broward County Schools are closed for Cor al Springs will host its annual Holiday Pa rade along Sample Road, starting at Coral Springs Drive and ending at City Hall. With more than 60 entries to enjoy, this year’s theme is “Lights, Cameras, Selfies!” Be sure to get into the holiday spirit! 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm at 9500 West Sample Road. For more info, visit www.coralsprings.org.

DECEMBER 15

Parkland Snowfest

A little bit of the North Pole is coming to Parkland! Tons of freshly made snow will be spread out at Pine Trails Park. Food trucks, snow slides, crafts, and live music will get even the sourest grinch in the holiday spirit. 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Pine Trails Park, 10555 Trails End Road, Parkland. For more info, call 954-757-4105

NOV 23 - JAN 1

Holiday Fantasy of Lights

Load the whole family up in the car to expe rience South Florida’s most fantastic holiday light show. Drive through one of Broward County’s largest parks to fully get into the spirit of the holiday season. 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Tradewinds Park and Stables, 3600 W Sample Road. Scan the QR code to learn more.

DECEMBER 24

Santa Visits South Florida

Listen for the sirens and wait curbside for Santa and his elves arrival. They will be trav eling around South Florida on Christmas Eve delivering presents to all the boys and girls. For more information visit emailsanta.com

DECEMBER 25

Christmas Day

The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the holiday as well as good will, miracles, and time spent together with family and friends.

DECEMBER 31

New Year’s Eve

Wishing all our readers a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year from all of us at Our City Media.

THE DONOWAY CENTER

Pancreatic NanoKnife Tumor Ablation for Advanced and Oligo-Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

If you are being treated for advanced or oligometastatic pancreatic cancer you may want to contact Dr. Robert Donoway at ATLAS ONCOLOGY in Hollywood, Florida.

Dr Donoway is using multi-modality therapy combining Pancreatic NanoKnife Tumor Ablation with chemo-immunoradio therapy to treat advanced stage cancer patients from around the world after they have stopped responding to standard of care therapy and have been left with few options for further treatment.

With over 32 years of experience performing pancreatic surgery in south Florida, Dr Donoway recognized that because of late diagnosis, up to 85% of patients treated for pancreatic cancer already had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. This fact limited the benefit many patients might receive from pancreatic surgery, which is problematic as surgery has been long held to be the only reproduceable therapy for cure; whereas in reality surgery is currently more likely Palliative in almost 80% of the cases.

Recent evidence shows that when even advanced disease is treated aggressively in an integrated approach, incorporating NanoKnife surgery with chemotherapy and now supplemented with immunotherapy, long-term survivorship can be achieved, especially when compared to chemotherapy alone.

Dr Donoway has been a pioneer in the use of pancreatic NanoKnife, especially for complex cases. During the past decade, patients from around the world have traveled to benefit from

Dr Donoway feels that “we are long overdue to revise our approach to treating Pancreatic Ca. The treatment history been largely unchanged for over 80 years and has just broken the 10% five year survivorship barrier. Only thru thinking outside the box will we accomplish the positive. Otherwise, all we’re doing is confirming Einstein‘s definition of insanity.”

Dr Donoway is involved in ongoing research in identifying the best chemo-immuno therapy and sequencing to be used along with Pancreatic nanoKnife/IRE . Dr Donoway states, “the results so far have been very encouraging and we have begun using it for other select cancers. Among his longest survivors are now patients over nine years without evidence of cancer recurrence. In the past, without IRE they would have lived a little over a year, and so this technique opens a whole new avenue for treating those eligible patients in a more targeted fashion.”

Dr Donoway has presented his results of pancreatic ablation at the recent annual meeting of the American Pancreatic Association. For more information about Dr Donoway and the pancreatic IRE/NanoKnife program call 954-986-6366 or visit www.atlasoncology.com

this groundbreaking treatment by Dr Donoway, which is FDA approved. Dr Donoway also treats other advanced cancers, such as liver, Breast, and sarcomas, using NanoKnife Surgery based on its FDA approved guidelines. Patients experience a brief recovery, which means the patient can start chemotherapy and radiation that much sooner.

Robert B. Donoway, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.S.S.O. Surgical Oncology & Pancreatic Surgical Oncology

Dr. Robert Donoway is a Board Certified Sloan Kettering trained Pancreatic surgical oncologist, who received his MD and surgical training at the University of Pennsylvania. At Sloan Kettering he was the General Motors Pancreatic Cancer Research Fellow. Dr Donoway is a former Director of the Memorial Regional Cancer Center (now the Memorial Cancer Institute) and Chairman of the Cancer committee for the Memorial Healthcare System as well as a former Chief of Surgery and Surgical Oncology at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, South Florida.

Dr Donoway served on the Board of the American Cancer Society and Gildas club. He has also served as past president of the American Cancer Society Broward chapter and serves on the board of trustees of the Ancient Spanish Monastery.

Dr Donoway is active in the The American and International Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Associations, The Pancreas Club, Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Pancreatic Association. His accomplishments include being the first surgeon in Florida to perform radio frequency ablation as well as laparoscopic major liver resection. He is the former recipient of the South Florida Health Award for use of micro-endoscopy for the detection of early stage breast cancer.

Dr Donoway has been repeatedly named to Top Doctor‘s in America by Castle Connolly. Dr Donoway is one of only a few international surgeons performing advanced multi-modal pancreatic and liver ablation therapy for non-resectable tumors.

Robert B. Donoway, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.S.S.O.

Medical Director, ATLAS ONCOLOGY: Institute for Pancreatic Ca IRE NanoKnife Ablation

Former Medical Director Memorial Cancer Center (Now- Memorial Cancer Institute) Board Certified

Coral Springs Police Toy Drive Open for Donations

Coral Springs police want to bring holiday cheer to children who would otherwise not have toys this Christmas.

The Coral Springs Police Department is collecting unwrapped, new toys for children less fortunate in our community. The toy drive will be held from November 14 through December 20.

The City’s police officers are encouraging the community to donate a toy this holiday season. Suggested toys include sportthemed items, action figures, Legos, baby dolls, Play-Doh, toy cars, and board games. Please, no stuffed animals or used toys. They are accepting items for newborns all the way up to 18 years of age.

Drop off locations are

• Police Department Lobby - 2801 Coral Springs Drive

• City Hall - 9500 West Sample Road

• Gyroville - 1750 North University Drive; Suite 110

• Wing Plus Sample Road - 9880 West Sample Road

• Let’s Chill Homemade Ice Cream - 9739 W Sample Rd

The City of Coral Springs has been participating in the Toy Drive for 8 years since 2014. The toys will be distributed to children that have been identified as having a need. They are identified by their School Resource Officers, road patrol officers that come in contact with families, and Detectives from the SVU. The toys will be distrib uted from December 20th through December 24th. The officers will take the toys and deliver them to their homes.

“The goal of this event is to give back to those less fortunate in the community that the police officers serve. We appre ciate the support of our residents and business owners this holiday season,” said Monica Vargas, Community Involvement Liaison for the Coral Springs Police Department.

The Police Department coordinated an Angel Tree toy delivery for under-served families for more than 20 years. The items for Angel Tree were purchased by City employees and reached about 50 families each year. To increase the number of families they could assist in the community, the Coral Springs Police Department turned to the community to organize an annual Toy Drive in 2014. As a result, they have had tremendous success in making the holidays brighter for hundreds of families in Coral Springs.

The toy drive brings together local youth and the City’s police officers.

“Oftentimes the youth have this image that the officers are there only during bad or difficult times, this gives an opportunity for youth to see that there are positive interactions with the youth as well and that we really do care,” said Vargas. ⊲ For more details on the toy drive, call 954-346-1311, email mvargas@coralsprings.gov or visit www.coralsprings.org.

GET READY TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The City of Coral Springs is getting into the holiday mood! There are so many things happening this holiday season. Gather up the family and get ready to celebrate!

Downtown in December

Families of all ages will enjoy Coral Springs’ Downtown in December. The holiday season kick-off will take place on December 3rd from 5 pm to 9 pm at Coral Springs City Hall. This exciting event is for all ages. Activities will include Coral Springs’ formal tree lighting, a visit from Santa Claus, and so much more. Children will have an opportunity to take a free train ride around City Hall, and back again this year will be the free “ice” skating rink experience.

City event planners have received an advanced weather warning, which indicates Coral Springs will experience snowfall that evening. That expected snowfall is just what South Florida needs to make Santa feel welcome. Children will also have an opportunity to “make and take” holiday-themed crafts, as well as

free milk and cookies.

Families should plan on coming hungry, as food and beverages will be available for purchase from more than a dozen of our top-rated food truck vendors. Be sure to wear your dancing shoes because the City will have music and a dance party area too.

Annual Holiday Parade

Another holiday event not to miss is the City of Coral Springs Annual Holiday Parade, which will be on Wednesday, December 14th at 7 p.m. The parade will feature marching bands, decorated floats and other entries along Sample Road from Coral Springs Drive to City Hall. The theme is “March of the Toys!”

Before the holiday parade, individuals and families will participate in the Coral Springs Holiday Mile along Sample Road near Coral Springs Drive at 5 pm. This will be a timed onemile event, with awards for the top three male and female participants in each age category.

“The goal of hosting these events is to bring

together the community to celebrate the holiday season. For example, the holiday parade has been held for more than 20 years, and features 70 plus entries, thousands of participants, and 15,000 plus spectators. Downtown in December has grown each year since 2014, now hosting more than 3,000 people at City Hall,” said Christine Parkinson Jahrsdoerfer, Creative Services Manager for the City of Coral Springs.

Parkland Welcomes

Captain Michele McCardle

Michele McCardle was promoted to Captain and became Parkland’s top law enforcement office in September. She brought with her 20 years of experience and a calm professional disposition following the ouster of former District Chief Craig Calavetta. Prior to leading the Parkland District, she was the Executive Officer at the Weston BSO District.

McCardle will tap her diverse experience to help lead Parkland’s local law enforcement organization. She began her career with the BSO in 2001 as a Child Protective Investigator. During that time she investigated allegations of child abuse, neglect or abandonment. After fulfilling that role for two years, she went on to the Broward Police Academy and, upon graduating, served as a road deputy in Tamarac.

Detective McCardle

Captain McCardle was quickly promoted to Detective. During this time she investigated a number of crimes including economic crimes to defraud, identity theft, burglaries and auto thefts. After serving in this role for several years, Michele was transferred to the Sex Crimes/Missing Persons Unit, where she worked tirelessly on behalf of some of the most vulnerable people in our community. She also served in the Violent Crimes Unit as well as the Special Victims Unit.

While she was a detective, Lieutenant McCardle was known for her compassion, analytical detail and broad knowledge. These are traits that she would never lose as she continued to move up the ranks.

Transfer to Weston

Lieutenant McCardle first served in the Weston District in November, 2019, as a Sergeant, over the Weston Crime Prevention Unit where she supervised 15 and coordinated a wide range of events including the Winter Safety Expo, BSO Senior Seminar, Weston University Law Enforcement Day, BSO Shred-A-Thon, Birthday Brigades and Helping Hand Campaign, while formalizing a training program for the newly hired community service aides.

McCardle is married with two active children. She enjoys spend ing time with her family, coaching her kids’ sporting teams and living an active lifestyle.

School Choice Applications Accepted Through February 3, 2023

School-aged children living in Broward County are assigned to a school based on their home address and grade level. Parents can, however, apply for their child to attend a school other than the one their child is assigned school. The period where parents can apply for their child to attend a different school, or the school choice application window, opens on December 1 and will be closed on February 3.

School Choice

By state law, students may apply to attend any public school that has not reached capacity, regardless of their home address. To determine which schools are accepting applications, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) reviews enrollment data and projected students.

Parents may request a school that is accepting applications by complet ing a School Choice Application during the application window.

School Choice Applications are awarded using a computerized random selection process. If more seats at a school become available during the School Choice process, additional selections from the application pool will be made. There is no guarantee that a child’s application will be granted.

How to Apply

There are three alternative options avail

able for families. These options include Magnet Programs, Nova Schools, or a reassignment School. Parents can submit one application for each option per child. Applications must be submitted on BCPS’ website prior to February 3.

Parents will be notified if their child was selected on February 10 for NOVA, March 3 for Magnet schools and March 17-24 for reassignment.

BRAM CO Painting

Putting Integrity Back in The Painting Industry

The professionals at Bram Co Painting transform South Florida homes. They are experts in exterior and interior painting as well as the application of epoxy floor covering. We sat down with Managing Partner Vincent DeParsqual to learn more about Bram Co.

Tell us about Bram Co.

We are a full-service painting company. We can serve all a home-owners needs, includ ing interior and exterior with all top-quality equipment and paints. We are endorsed by Sherwin-Williams with a proven track record of only 5-star reviews on different platforms. We only use top-quality products for your painting projects. We do not put your money in our bank account, we put it on the walls where it is supposed to go!

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes! We are licensed and insured contractors. We make sure our customers have nothing to worry about when we work on a project.

Tell us about Epoxy flooring.

Epoxy floors are a great way to finish a concrete slab. They are incredibly durable and look fantastic. An epoxy floor can add a decorative appeal that is durable and waterproof. We are certified in Epoxy flooring applications including flake style, quartz style, and marbleize metallic finish. The transformation we can create is truly amazing.

BRAM Co is an interesting name. How did you come up with it?

BRAM CO = the Brazilian American Company. We are proud of our heritage and put that work ethic into every project.

I am our operating manager, customer service manager, and a native Floridian. My business partner, Caina, is a Brazilian American and master painter. Our other partner, Nedia, is a color scheme designer and candlemaker. Together we utilize our individual talents to execute a proper and trustworthy production.

Do you guarantee your work?

Yes! Our workmanship is guaranteed for 12 months.

Do you offer any specials for our readers?

New customers receive a 15% discount! We also off a courtesy discount to all military and veteran families.

Sounds great. How can people contact you?

Call us at 954-864-4209 to schedule a free estimate.

Overcrowding at MSD Drives Changes to School’s Boundaries

Community members are passionately engaged in a process to reduce overcrowding at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD). The school has had persistent overcrowding since the 2014/15 school year, with current enrollment more than 10% above the school’s target maximum capacity.

Broward County Public School (BCPS) Board engaged families, community members, and other stakeholders in an effort to reduce enrollment at MSD by modifying the school’s enrollment boundaries. It is considering a number of new boundary plans that would move one or more Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ) out of MSD’s boundary area and into either Coral Glades High School or Coral Springs High School. New boundary implementation will be phased in so that current MSD students will not be affected.

The School Board hosted community meetings on October 3rd and November 3rd to solicit input. In addition, community members were invited to submit boundary proposals for consideration. 16 proposals were submitted prior to the school board’s October 31, 2022 deadline.

Modifying existing school boundaries has become a lightning rod for parents and homeowners who may be impacted. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School currently maintains an ‘A’ rating from the Florida Department of Education, while the other two schools do not.

Parents voiced concerns on social media sites and at the two public meetings. Some parents complained that their children would be sent to what they perceived as a “worse” school. Others were concerned with the potential impact a change would have on their home values. Others were concerned about the demographic impacts of carving out particular neighborhoods.

There are few alternatives to shrinking the school’s boundaries. Florida state law forbids BCPS from building a new school because there is a surplus of space for high school students countywide.

The following criteria will be considered when determining the new boundaries:

Class Size - Any new plan must comply with the Florida class size statute

School Concurrency Level of Service

Enrollment Impact

Diversity Impact - Will the proposed change impact any demographic population at a school by more than 5%

Feeder Pattern Impact - Will the change split or further divide the number of students feeding a school from another school

School Proximity Impact - Will students travel farther to attend school

Neighborhood Integrity Impact - Will students in one neighborhood be assigned to different schools

Natural Barrier Impact - Will the requested change require students to cross natural barriers like major roads or water ways

A final recommendation from the Superintendent is expected in mid-January with public hearings to follow before a final decision. There will be additional opportunities for community input prior to a final decision.

With over

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Happy Holidays! Time has flown by this year, and it’s hard to believe that the holidays are already here. This has always been my favorite time of the year, as it is an opportunity to reflect on what is truly important in life and an occasion to celebrate with family and friends. It is important to make these memories special since they will stay with us and our children over the years.

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When our kids were young, we started many family traditions, including visiting Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park (holidaylightsdrivethru.com). Now that they are older and away at college and work, I especially treasure this time of year because everyone comes home to celebrate the holidays with us. Although our boys are older now, they thankfully still humor my husband and I and go with us to check out the amazing display lights.

This year for the holidays, my office will once again be hosting an open house on Saturday, December 10 from 11am-1pm at our office at Coconut Creek City Hall 4800 W. Copans Rd. Please stop by to say hello and have some refreshments. My team and I would love to see you and talk with you. We will also share more about how we can be of service to you and your family as well the work we do in the community and in Tallahassee.

Speaking of Tallahassee, we have seven committee weeks during December, January, and February and the 2023 Legislative Session is March 7, 2023 through May 5, 2023. Before I head up to represent you, I would love it if you would fill out this survey and let me know what your priorities are for the upcoming session. Here is a link to my pre-session survey https://tinyurl. com/PreSessionSurvey2023

As 2022 comes to a close, we all have much to reflect on.  Each year brings its challenges, and how we navigate through them and who we have around us can make all the difference. While it is an often used phrase, it is one that I regularly look to “Be the change you wish to see in this world”. As the world around us appears to become more divided and cruel, we each have an opportunity to make it better by practicing understanding, gra ciousness, and compassion. While no one of us can change the world, each of us has a part in making a positive difference in our homes, our communities, our workplaces, and our world.

Whether you celebrate Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, another holiday, or no holiday at all, my family and I wish you and your family a happy and healthy December and all the best for the New Year ahead. May we all be blessed with family and friends and surrounded by love and care. ▸ Please reach out to me and my team at HDist095@myfloridahouse. gov or 954-956-5600 if we can ever be of assistance. It is an honor to be able to serve District 95 and the Coconut Creek, Parkland, Margate and Coral Springs communities. Thank you!

CORAL SPRINGS COMMISSION DECEMBER MESSAGE

There’s no place like home for the holidays. For those who want to be “happy in a million ways” this December, the city will offer signature events, contests, and opportunities to give back to the community.

Residents can usher in the holiday season with a festive dance party, train rides, and ceremonial lighting of the Downtown Christmas tree at Downtown in December on Saturday, December 3 at the City Hall Lawn. The event is free and starts at 5 p.m.

’Tis the season to decorate! The city is now accepting submissions for the Deck the Halls contest. This annual program showcases Coral Springs homeowners who go all-out with holiday decorations. Interested residents are invited to submit a photo or video of their home to participate. All entries must be received by 12 p.m. on Monday, December 5. To apply visit coralsprings.gov/holidaycontest

The annual Holiday Parade will take place on Wednesday. December 14 at 7 p.m. along Sample Road, starting at Coral Springs Drive and ending at City Hall. This year’s theme is “March of the Toys.” Those interested in attending can visit coralsprings.gov/ holidayparade for more details.

Ho-ho-hold the dirty candy wrapper! Residents are encouraged to pay close attention to the contents placed in blue bins to ensure recycling is not contaminated this holiday season.

AS A REMINDER:

▸ Christmas trees, large cardboard, and excess boxes stacked together may be placed for collection with your bulk waste.

▸ Always discard plastic film, bubble wrap and Styrofoam from boxes into the green cart.

▸ Wrapping paper with foil is not recyclable.

▸ Electronics may be recycled at the Waste Transfer Station.

▸ Since Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, Waste Pro services will continue as scheduled.

For more info about recycling visit coralsprings.gov/recycling. Finally, watching the community come together and support one another is one of the most heartwarming highlights of the holidays. The Coral Springs City Commission is proud to support initiatives such Angel Tree Deliveries, Shop with a Cop, and numerous toy drives to make sure that everyone in the community can have a happy holiday.

This month’s Commission Meetings will take place on Wednesday, December 7, and Wednesday, December 21 at 6:30 p.m. As always, the public is invited to attend or view Commission meetings. The meetings are aired on CityTV, Blue Stream Channels 25, 25.7, 725 and on AT&T U-Verse channel 99. Meetings are also live-streamed at CoralSprings.gov/CityTV.

To schedule an appointment with any of the City Officials, please call 954-344-5911. Make sure to follow Coral Springs on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Mayor Scott Brook @CSCommissioner1, Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons @CSCommissioner4, Commissioner Shawn Cerra @CSCommissioner2, Commissioner Nancy Metayer @ CSCommissioner3, and Commissioner Joy Carter @CSCommissioner5.

PARKLAND UPDATE

By Mayor Rich Walker

olitical campaign season serves to highlight our dif ferences. Maybe that is why we seem so relieved when an election has passed. Regardless of the outcome, at least we have a reprieve from seeing, hearing, and even receiving on our phones a flood of messages that focus on how much we disagree about.

But now, with campaign season and the election behind us, it feels more important than ever that we come together. As a Country, yes, but perhaps even more importantly—we need to come together on the community level. We live our day-to-day lives not on a national scale, but on a local level. Our hometown community is where we shop, where to take our kids to school, where we go to church, and where we socialize with our friends and neighbors. So this is where we need to come together and support one another.

At our core, we share many of the same goals and values. We want our families to be safe. We want a fair opportunity to earn a living that provides for our families. We value education.

PAnd we do not want to be vilified for what we believe. But somehow we seem to have lost our way on the road to civility. In a country so richly nourished by a diversity of races, religions, and cultures, our melting pot seems to be boiling over with un-American levels of divisiveness.

The ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this requires more space and time than we have here and I do not presume to have all the answers anyway, but I now count as one of my values, the patience to permit others to have views different from my own without the need for me to disown others. My wife and I do not agree on everything, but we also do not file for divorce every time we disagree. It is possible, even helpful, to interact with people who hold different views. But when that deteriorates from honest conversation and healthy debate to personal attacks and harmful rhetoric, it makes it almost impossible to be cordial.

My instinct is to simply say, “it needs to stop.” But how does it stop? How can we contribute to making it stop? What can we do in our community on a day-to-day basis to be more supportive and inclusive? I would like to propose patience, understanding, acceptance,

and a humanitarian spirit.

Can we be more patient in listening to others? Not just hear the first sentence they utter and then stop listening as we formulate our own response. But exercise patience to hear them out so we fully understand their view. If we can understand their view, it will likely be easier to accept that view even if we disagree with it. And if we engage the humanitarian spirit in all of us to realize that a person’s view on a particular topic does not represent the totality of who they are—perhaps then we pave the way to supporting others even if we disagree with them.

If you would like to share your thoughts about unity, community, or if you have questions or comments you would like to share with me, I would love to hear from you. I can be reached via e-mail at rwalker@cityofparkland.org or via cell phone at (973) 390-1453. Of course, I am frequently available monthly at Parkland businesses and love to talk with residents there. I encourage you to visit the City’s website cityofparkland.org and click on the social media icon that you prefer, to ensure that you stay informed on events and helpful information.