Our City Pembroke Pines - October 2022

During the month of October, Subaru of Pembroke Pines, in partnership with Subaru of America and the Humane Society of Broward County, are proud to celebrate Subaru Loves Pet’s month! All month long, Subaru of Pembroke Pines will donate $100 for every pet adopted from the Humane Society of Broward County up to $3,100.

Join Subaru of Pembroke Pines for the 4th Annual National Make A Dog’s Day on October 2, 2022. Subaru of America established the National Make A Dog’s Day in 2019 to share focus on “Underdogs” or special needs dogs that often get overlooked for adoption. In 2021, of the 36,000 animals that were adopted during the Subaru Loves Pets month, 9% of those pets were “Underdogs” given a second chance at a happy life. We will be collecting pet supplies to benefit the Humane Society of Broward County. Join the initiative this October, and help us get more pets adopted.

“Every Dog Must Have His Day.” – Jonathan Swift, Autor, Gulliver’s Travels

CRAIG ZINN

Helen & Jacob founded The Palace over 40 years ago and they’ve always kept their hands-on style. They visit The Palace communities nearly every day, they know many of the residents & families by name, and they throw one terrific party after another because they truly believe The Palace is one big family.

Everyone here has Helen’s personal cell phone number and email, so anytime a resident or a family member has a question or a concern, all they have to do is reach out and say, “Hi Helen, can you help me?”

954.217.2000

Publishers

Christy & Terry Jaillet publisher@ourcitymedia.com

Managing Editor

Christy Jaillet

Art Director

Tom Rowe

Graphic Designer

Alana Brodie

Advertising Sales Manager

Nancy Koval nancy@ourcitymedia.com

Account Executives

John Brodie, Denise Caligiuri, Adrienne Collins, Caleb Furlong, Mariem Garcia, Carlos Medina, Kenny Rodgers, Silvia Silva

Contributing Writers

Terry Jaillet, Jon Duka, Dr. Robert Donoway, Dr. John Goodner, Amelis Lopez, Mayor Frank C. Ortis, Dr. Isabel Suate

Advertising Info sales@ourcitymedia.com

Visit Us Online ourcitymedia.com 954-306-1007

400 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway Suite 200C • Sunrise, FL 33325

Our City Media of Florida, LLC publishes FREE monthly, local community news magazines throughout South Florida. Our City Media Magazines are mailed monthly to affluent single-family homes, condos and businesses in their respective communities. Monthly mailings are verifiable by USPS postage statements. Additional free copies are available at selected locations throughout the communities served and upon request by contacting the publisher. Opinions expressed by the writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher. Our City Media of Florida, LLC reserves the right to edit and/or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our City Media of Florida, LLC is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers. Entire contents copyrighted 2022 by Our City Media of Florida, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without prior written permission from the publisher.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Each year, we see the color pink in unexpected places. Whether it’s high school football players wearing pink socks to salute a mom’s strug gle or a coworker adorning their shirt with a pink ribbon, the global Breast Cancer Awareness campaign has shone a light on breast cancer and helped raise billions in resea rch funding.

Breast Cancer has impacted the Our City Media family as well. We have had family members struggle with a diagnosis and recover and have seen others succumb to the disease. One thing we saw again and again, however, was the tireless efforts of healthcare workers. These men and women have dedicated their lives to help people live as healthily as possible.

According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, there are almost 1 million Floridians employed in the healthcare sector. There are 83,000 doctors, 190,000 nurses, 66,000 EMTs and Paramedics, and hun dreds of thousands of support staff.

These “front line” workers have been asked to do more in the past three years than at any time in a generation. We decided to recognize a few of these “Healthcare Heroes” in this month’s Our City magazine. Turn to page 23 to learn more about some of the people who are making an impact in the community. It is nice to know they are there for us when we need them.

Thank You to all of the healthcare professionals who are helping us live our best lives from all of us at Our City Media.

Sincerely,

October 2022 Calendar

OCTOBER 1

Kid’s Corner Storytime at the Frank

Together with their caretakers, children un der the age of 8 build literacy and engage in art activities. This edition of Storytime Hour celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with the book ‘Diego Rivera: His World and Ours’ written by Duncan Tonatiuh. Follow ing the reading, children will engage their creativity with a guided art activity. Open to kids ages 0-8. Noon - 1:00 pm at the Frack C. Ortis Art Gallery, 601 City Center Way. For info, visit www.ppines.com.

OCTOBER 8

Cardboard Car Creation Workshop

All are welcome to this family-friendly card board creation workshop. Guided by artist Jefreid Lotti, children and families will learn how to build their own cardboard car! After building, children will be able to paint their car. This workshop will be a great handson experience in repurposing cardboard to turn it into an artistic toy! Due to cer tain advanced steps in this workshop, all children must be assisted by their guardian. Advanced registration is required, seating is limited to 25 participants. Hosted at the Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery, 601 City Center Way. To register, scan the QR code.

OCTOBER 23

Savor the Sounds

New Music and Food Series Rolling into Pines, Savor the Sounds is a fusion of music and food trucks - the perfect way to get the family together for a relaxing, feel-good evening of good food and good music! Featuring music by different genres each month. 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Center Way.. Music provided by Stella Fusion Band (Lat in). For info visit www.ppines.com.

OCTOBER 29

Trick or Treat Shop to Shop

Put on your best Halloween costume and heave over to the Countryside Shops for a fun, safe trick-or-treat experience. Make sure to dress your best and bring a big Halloween bag for all that candy. Hosted at the Countryside Shops, 5524 S Flamingo Road from 10:00 am - Noon. For more info call 954-434-4300.

The Frank Contemporaries

This evening features Business for the Arts Broward and artist partners April Saler, Enrique Cirino, Orla Ananda, and Tucker Creations. In addition to pop up shows and talks, artists and visitors will have the chance to co-create a mixed media art piece. BFA Broward is a not-for-profit organization that educates the business community about the importance of Bro ward County’s art and cultural community and engages them in building connections between cultural vitality, creative success, and economic development. From 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery, 601 City Center Way.

OCTOBER 26-30

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Bow Wow Ween

Fur friends and their owners will have a Bark-tacular good time! There will be a costume contest for all sizes and different categories, games, prizes, & pet-related vendors. Categories include Best Family Costume, Funniest Costume, Scariest Cos tume, Cutest Costume and Most Original Costume. Miss Bow Wow Ween 2021 will also be crowned on this special day. 9:00 am - 1:00pm at the K-9 Officer Craig Rupp Dog Park located at 9751 Johnson Street. For info call 954-392-2116.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is the greatest boat show on the seven seas. Located steps from the beach in sunny South Florida, FLIBS spans nearly 90 acres across three million square feet of exhibit space that is con nected by an intricate network of water and ground transportation services. The five-day show attracted over 100,000 at tendees and 1,000 exhibitors representing 52 countries with more than 1,300 boats on display in 2021. Products range from sunglasses to superyachts and everything in between. For tickets & more info visit www.flibs.com.

OCTOBER 31

Happy Halloween

Trick or Treating will likely be a bit different this year than in years past. Kids will still be dressing up, playing games, and maybe even playing a trick or two on a friend or family member. We remind everyone to have fun and stay safe!

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Reveal the Life WITHIN

By Terry Jaillet

Inspire Weight Loss truly lives up to its name; The woman behind the brand is an inspiration. Having weight struggles for over 20 years and at the age of 40, finally gaining control and taking her life back, Martha Savloff now has the power and ability to help others achieve the same results.

Unlike many others, Inspire Weight Loss prides itself on a natural, custom ized, and safe weight loss approach. Clients are taught how to incorporate certain types of foods into their diets (including anti-inflammatory ones) and natural supplements to help curb the appetite, stimulate metabolism, and detoxify the body. Additionally, they provide continuous support from their team of health coaches during each phase of the program.

Martha Savloff, Master Certified Health Coach (MCHC), Founder, and CEO of Inspire Weight Loss, recently took some time to tell us more about her practice.

What sets Inspire Weight Loss apart from the many other weight loss centers?

Besides our highly effective weight loss program (with REAL food) and step-by-step coaching, I believe what sets us apart is the relationship, support, and guidance we give our clients. We offer authentic and compassionate care that makes our clients comfortable. They can relate to us because we all share our personal stories - the journeys, the struggles and tribulations, but most importantly, the results. We genuinely have a desire and interest in each client’s dream. In fact, we are their biggest cheerleader.

How did Inspire Weight Loss come about?

Five years ago, I was at a cross roads not only professionally but physically. I wasn’t feeling great inside or outside. I knew I needed to make a change before it was too late. I had been struggling with my weight for over 20 years, and I knew I had to take action to change my life. I finally committed to putting myself first. With a new mindset, I lost a good amount of weight in a short time, and I felt amazing. Having been in healthcare my whole career, I wanted to do something that would inspire not only myself but others, too. I bravely went

back to school and earned my Master Certification for Health Coaching and opened Inspire Weight Loss three months later.

How does Inspire Weight Loss work?

We’ve created an “all-in-one” business model that offers our clients safe weight loss programming under the guidance of certified health coaches and industry-leading non-in vasive body contouring and 3D body composition analysis technology. Our goal is to provide support rooted in compassion and understanding that will lead to smarter lifestyle choices for each client’s continued success long after they’ve completed their time with Inspire.

What is the average weight loss?

The average is half a pound to a pound a day.

Can you tell us more about body contouring?

Martha Savloff, Founder & CEO

At Inspire Weight Loss, we offer body contouring for two reasons. First, we include body contouring with all our weight loss programs to help slim out diet and exercise-resistant fat, start the skin tightening process, reduce cellulite, and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while the client is on their weight loss journey. Secondly, we have some clients who do not necessarily require a weight loss program but are dieting and exercising on their own and have certain stubborn areas of fat that they cannot lose. We can target those specific areas and slim those out as well. Our body contouring is non-invasive; We do not freeze or massage the areas, and there is no pain. It also serves as an anti-inflammatory.

What else would you like to share with our readers?

We love our five stars reviews! Our clients are part of our family,

and they have a whole team that is there every step of the way. Weight loss does not have to be painful; it can be a beautiful journey with the right program and support system.

Are you running any specials right now?

It’s time to get ready for the Holidays; let’s get started now!

Anyone who mentions Our City Media will receive 15% off any weight loss or body contouring package (Promo Code: OURCITY ).

What are your current hours of operation?

Our hours vary, but we are open until 7:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please call 954- 837-8811 to schedule an appointment. We are a multi-lingual office. Our staff speaks English, Spanish, and Hebrew.

YOUR FIRST CALL TO GET HELP

Did you know there is a resource to help every person living in Broward County find the resources they need? Just dial 211 on your phone to become connected to 211 Broward. They can help you find food, housing, health care, elder care services, child care, legal aid, mental health support, and much more.

211 Broward is the only 24/7 comprehensive agency in the county that provides individuals and families with all of the critical connections to health and human service services they need in just one call, chat, email, or text. This 24-hour helpline is available to every individual and family in Broward County!

211 is a free, anonymous, 24-hour helpline offering listening support, information, referral, and crisis services. Their professional, degreed staff connects people in need with nearly 3,800 programs and services that are available to help

them. Bilingual staff and telephone interpreter services ensure that callers can talk with us in the language of their choice.

211 offers people access to a variety of resources including:

• Crisis and Suicide Care

• Mental Health Services

• Substance Abuse Treatment

• Military and Veteran Services

• Health and Wellness Referrals

• Sexual Health Services

• COVID-19 Assistance

• Confidential Help for Teens

• New Parent Help

• Older Adult and Adult Caregiver Services

• Much more…

211 is available to help people in almost any circumstances. 211 Broward was established

as a 501(c)(3) in 1995. Every hour of every day, someone in Broward searches for help or services. Knowing where to go is the first step to getting your needed help.

▸ If you need help for any reason, dial 211 on your mobile phone today.

s there an artist in your family. Do you have kids that love to paint, or sculpt or draw? Enter their work in Pembroke Pines’ 5th annual Student Art Competition.

Students residing in the City of Pembroke Pines and/or attending a Pembroke Pines school or a city art class in grades K-12 are eligible to enter the 5th Annual Student Art Competition. Students have an opportunity to win $25-$100 gift cards.

Students will be judged by their artistic expression and creativity in four grade-level groups:

• Kindergarten through second grade

• Third grade through fifth grade

• Sixth-grade through eighth grade

• Ninth grade through twelfth grade.

Submissions may include collages, drawings, paintings, photographs, sculp tures or a combination of mediums and materials.

Applications are being accepted now through Monday, October 24, 3033 at the Studio 18 Art Complex, located at 1101 Poinciana Drive. Winners will be announced on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 12:30 pm at the Charles F. Dodge City Center, located at 601 City Center Way. Participants will receive a free frozen yogurt treat from Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt.

▸ To get an application, please visit www. ppines.com/studentartcompetition. For more information, please contact Amelia Mohamed at 954-961-6067 or amohamed@ppines.com.

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Heroes Live Amongst Us!

They live in our community. They are our next-door neighbors, moms at the PTA meeting, dads who coach football, and young professionals who volunteer at the harvest drive. They do all the everyday things we all do. They go to the grocery store, plan vacations, exercise at the gym, and dine at their favorite restaurants.

They also save lives. Our community is filled with HEALTHCARE HEROES They all help us to live healthier lives. Whether it’s the EMT who responds to 911 calls, a nurse at the hospital, the oncologist treating cancer, your family dentist, or your local eye doctor. These heroes treat what ails us and help us live better quality lives. We’ve included a selection of some of the heroes from our community who are making an impact, enjoy!

Andrea Bretal, MD

OWNER & MEDICAL DIRECTOR Weston Medical Health & Wellness

Dr. Andrea Bretal opened Weston Medical Health & Wellness with one goal in mind: to help people live health ier and more fulfilling lives. It only made sense to locate the holistic clinic, which focuses on obesity medicine in Weston.

Dr. Bretal’s practice combines nutritional counseling with integrative medicine to help men and women of all ages achieve success with lasting weight loss. She understands the role hormones play in weight loss and specializes in balancing hormones, from thyroid and adrenal to estrogen and testosterone, to set your body up for weight loss.

Patients with chronic health conditions like diabetes can find management techniques and even achieve disease regression at Weston Medical Health & Wellness. By helping you lose weight and keep it off, Dr. Bretal believes you’ll live a healthier, happier life.

While the practice is known for weight loss, they offer much more. “Our services include Mental Wellness through Epigenetic and Nutritional imbalances, Hormone therapy for Men and Women,” said Dr. Bretal, “I am dedi cated to educating and enhancing the lives of my patients.”

■ Dr. Andrea Bretal practices at Weston Medical Health & Wellness 1605 Town Center Blvd • Suite D • Weston, FL 33326. To make an appointment please call 954-389-1800 or visit www.WestonDiet.com for more info.

Nancy Erickson,

CERTIFIED

PAIN MANAGEMENT PHYSICIAN

Interventional Pain Physicians of South Florida

Dr. Nancy Erickson of Interventional Pain Physicians of South Florida helps patients with acute and chronic pain find relief. She has been helping people manage pain for over twenty years.

Whether your pain is new, old, acute or chronic, Dr. Erickson cares about you and eliminating your pain. She understands that this can severely impact every aspect of your life. Dr. Erickson and her staff perform a physical examination, evaluation, and all aspects of your treatment to make sure you are given a solution that will work. Her goal is to help you improve your quality of life.

There may be specific exercises she recom mends as well as vitamin supplements to help your body heal. Depending on your underlying pathology there may be specific interventional procedures to heal, not mask your pain, this will decrease your pain, help your body to heal, improve your sleep, increase your activity of daily living and improve your quality of life.

Dr. Erickson uses advanced diagnostics, years of focused expertise and comprehensive treatments to treat pain of all types. Dr. Erickson’s patients rave about her empathy and profes sionalism. Giving relief to people suffering from severe pain is, in a way, giving them their lives back.

Dr. Erickson’s practice is on N. Flamingo Road in Pembroke Pines.

■ To make an appointment with Dr. Erickson call 888-352-7694 or visit www.flpainrelief.com

Brisas De Oriente is a fam ily-owned and operated restaurant. They offer authen tic Cuban cuisine at a reasonable price. We sat down with General Manager, Carlos Olivares to learn what makes the restaurant so great.

Brisas De Oriente is truly a family affair, isn’t it?

That’s right. When we tell you we are family-owned, we mean it. I might direct you to your table; my sister Christy might be your server bringing you our bone slurping Rabo Encendido; my dad, Mundo, might make your Sangria, and at the end of the night, you might have my mom Juana’s Arroz con Leche.

We always want to bring the best authentic freshest flavors to your table. Our priority is to make our customers feel like home. We believe that the secret to an unforgettable dining experience is excellent food

and a high level of service.

Few things in life bring greater joy than sitting at a table surrounded by family and friends eating and sharing a nice home-cooked meal.

At Brisas De Oriewnte, we provide that joy every time you come in by greeting you with the freshest ingredients, the friendliest staff, and the sights, aromas, and taste of our dishes.

It’s nice to go to a restaurant where both the service and taste are excellent. What are your favorite dishes?

Our Lamb Shank (Jarrete de Cordero) and our Oxtail Stew (Rabo Encendido) are bone-slurping good ness. Everyone loves our homemade desserts such as Arroz Con Leche and Natilla.

That sounds delicious, when is the restaurant open? Do you offer daily specials as well?

Yes. Every day we have a different soup and main dish special. All of our specials are available for dine-in, pick-up, or delivery. We are open daily for lunch and dinner and offer breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. We can’t wait to eat! How can our readers place an order?

Nothing beats a personal visit, but you can call 954-835-4558 or order online at www.brisasdeoriente.com.

Let us make true the old adage of “Barriga Llena, Corazon Contento” (full stomach happy heart) by stopping by and joining the family!! We have saved you a seat, and if need be, we will add some more!

▸ Brisas De Oriente is located in the Publix Plaza off of Pines Boulevard and 184th Street in Pembroke Pines. They are open from 11:30 am - 9:00 pm Monday through Thursday, 11:30 am10:00 pm Friday, 8:00 am - 10:00 pm, on Saturday and 8:00 am9:00 pm on Sundays.

EXERTIONAL COMPARTMENT SYNDROME IN THE ATHLETE

A Commonly Missed Diagnosis

By Dr. Michael M. Cohen, DPM, FACFAS

When shin splints are not s hin splints.

There many causes of leg pain in athletes. All too often, they are lumped together under the term shin splints which most sports medicine physicians do not consider a true diagnosis. Stress fractures, tendinitis, medial tibial stress syndrome are all examples of maladies referred to as shin splints. However, one commonly missed diagnosis often confused with shin splints is exertional compartment syndrome (ECS). Exertional compartment syndrome (ECS), also known as exertional induced compartment syndrome or chronic compartment syndrome is a unique condition where an athlete experi ences muscle pain in the legs with weakness of the ankle as a result of increased muscle pressure in one or all four compartments of the leg. Patients with this condition will typically note the onset of symptoms at a fixed point ranging from 5-30 minutes into an activity, at a specific level of intensity, with symptoms usually occurring in both legs. The most characteristic feature of (ECS) is that it is exercise induced and never present at rest. The vast majority of patients with ECS are runners who range from the occasional jogger to the elite Olympic level runner. It is not unusual to see unconditioned athletes develop these symptoms after beginning an exercise program. Occasionally the prob lem is recognized in high-level cyclists as well.

Why does this happen?

There are generally 4 compartments in the leg, each is surrounded by tight tissue resembling a thick saran wrap which holds the compartment in place and separates it from the adjacent compartments. Patients with ECS will complain of cramping, burning, tightness and weakness of the ankle with exercise. Some will also develop numbness in the foot and describe a foot slap due to ankle weakness during running. This may cause the runner to trip as a result of the foot not being able to clear the ground just before landing. Pain will force the athlete to stop at which time symptoms completely resolve after resting a few minutes. The symptoms are reproducible with exertion and should be recreated in the office setting with an exercise challenge such as running on a treadmill or stair climbing. Specific muscle

and sensory testing after exertion will aid in confirming the diagnosis and specifying the compartment affected. During strenuous activity blood flow increases to the leg causing the volume and weight of the muscle to increase by about 20%. As a result, the muscle fibers attempt to swell but are restricted by the tight surrounding fascia. Immediately after activity the leg may feel tense or tender with deep message or passive stretch. Runners may find that a bubble or several bubbles are visible in front of the leg which we refer to as fascial hernias. These are areas where the fascia may have become weak allowing the muscle to herniate through due to the excessive internal leg pressure. The physical exam during rest is otherwise generally unremarkable. X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, vascular studies and other imaging exams are used to rule out other diagnosis but are not helpful, as they are always normal in ECS. To confirm the diagnosis the sports physician will need to measure the pressure in each com partment of the leg with a special instrument much like a tire gauge. In normal patients, the pressure difference between rest and activity is small, while those with ECS will have a dramatic increase in pressure readings after activity.

ECS is not an emergency

Exercised-induced compartment syndrome is not to be confused with acute compartment syndrome which is considered a surgical emer gency. Typically, acute compartment syndrome is a result of a traumatic injury causing a similar increase in compartment pressures due to hemorrhaging. In this situation, the pressure cannot be controlled easily and the delay in treatment may cause permanent muscle and nerve damage. In contrast, people with exer cise-induced compartment syndrome will find that the pressure is relieved completely with rest. ECS is generally not considered an emergency. What is the treatment?

A period of rest and avoiding high-intensity activities can be tried. Often more experienced athletes will recognize the level of intensity provoking symptoms and attempt to exercise just below that threshold. Muscle retraining by running more efficiently may also improve symptoms.

However, if the diagnosis of ECS is clear

and the symptoms persist despite exhausting conservative treatment, surgery may be required if the athlete intends to continue the sport. The surgery involves releasing or cutting the tight fascia using a technique called fasciotomy. This allows the muscle to expand during exercise. Complication rates are rare when done by an experienced surgeon and may include bleed ing, wound breakdown, and numbness. Also, symptoms can redevelop several years after a fasciotomy in a small percentage of patients as a result of the fascia reforming. The results of the procedure however are generally very gratifying and has allowed many athletes to remain active in their sport.

▸ Dr. Michael Cohen has a marathon PR of 2:37 at age 21; 2:50 at age 39 and at 50 was a top 3 age group finisher in both the ING Miami and Disney Half Marathons. In 1997 he placed third overall in the Florida Gatorade Duathlon series. Michael M Cohen, DPM, is a Board-Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon and Diplomate of the Amer ican Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Board Certified and Diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. He practices with the Foot, Ankle, and Leg Special ists of South Florida specializing in lower leg in juries and reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle. The South Florida Institute of Sports Med icine in Weston is located at 1600 Town Center Blvd, Suite C, (954) 389-5900 and in Pembroke Pines at 17842 NW 2nd St, (954) 430-9901. www. SouthFloridaSportsMedicine.org

Pembroke Pines UPDATE

By Frank C. Ortis

Dear Readers, Every year the Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue Department, along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, joins forces with the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) to observe Fire Prevention Week held in October. This year is the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. The theme is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.” According to the NFPA, today’s homes burn faster than ever and you may have as little as two minutes or less to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. There are simple, but important, actions that everyone can take to keep safe from home fires. To learn more, please visit the Pembroke Pines Fire Department safety information located on the city’s website at www.ppines.com.

As the weather begins to cool, at least a bit for Florida, more and more outside activities are being held. The 10th Annual Bow Wow Ween is a great way to get into the Fall mood and include your dog. A fun and free event for all ages, it will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Craig Rupp Dog Park, located at 9751 Johnson Street (just east of Palm Ave.). There will be a dog costume contest, games, prizes, and pet-related vendors. Check the city’s website for more info.

Another Halloween favorite is Boo-Ville being held on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, from 6 pm to 9 pm. This is also a free event but for Pembroke Pines residents ONLY that will feature a costume contest, music, games, and of course lots of treats. The first 1,000 children will be treated to pre-made goody bags. Be sure to check the city’s website for ticket information and more details.

If music is more to your taste, everyone is welcome to Savor the Sounds, a new music and food series that will be held at the Charles F. Dodge City Center located at 601 City Center Way. The first concert in the series will be held on Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 4 pm to 7 pm and will feature the Latin sounds of the Stella Fusion Band. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event. Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on. This will be a collaboration of music and food trucks that will also feature local artists and interactive art elements, and games for kids like corn hole, Connect 4, and giant chess.

And, don’t forget to come visit me and learn more about how government works at Coffee with the Mayor on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, from 8 am to 9:30 am. It’s all part of Florida City Government Week and will be held in the Charles F. Dodge City Center Lobby. I look forward to spending time with you over a nice cup of coffee. Be sure to also mark your calendar for the 24th Annual Artfest in the Pines, Saturday and Sunday, November 5 and 6, 2022 from 10 am to 5 pm each day at the Charles F. Dodge City Center.

I hope to see you all at these fun events. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 954-450-1020, or by email at fortis@ppines.com

From your Mayor, Mayor Frank C. Ortis

Bow Wow Ween Is Here Again

It’s that time of year again for dogs to show off their best scary, spooky and creative Halloween costumes for the City of Pembroke Pines 10th annual Bow Wow Ween on Saturday October 8, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Pembroke Pines K-9 Officer Craig Rupp Dog Park located at 9751 Johnson Street (just east of Palm Avenue). The event is pet friendly and free of charge to attend.

Bow Wow Ween is the ultimate Halloween party for dogs and their owners. Participants can show how cute, mysterious, spine-chilling or frightening their dogs can be to win different prizes. Bow Wow Ween includes an assortment of dog costume contests for all sizes by specific category: best family costume, scariest, cutest and funniest costumes, and most original costume, with an awards ceremony to follow. There will also be dog games, prizes, promotional items from pet related vendors, activities for families and raffles. For the costume contest, walkins are welcome or applications can be completed in advance to participate.

The Contest times are as follows: Funniest Costume Contest is promptly at 10:30 a.m. with awards at 11 a.m.; Scariest Costume at 11 a.m. with awards at 11:30 a.m.; Cutest Costume at 11:30 a.m. with awards at noon; Most Original Costume at Noon and awards at 12:30 p.m. and Best Family Costume at 12:30 p.m. with awards at 12:45 p.m.

Additionally, there’s also a 2022 Miss Bow Wow Ween contest with the winner of Miss Bow Wow Ween 2022 receiving a crown and sash, accompanied by a prize basket valued at over $100. The Miss Bow Wow Ween contest takes place at 10:00 a.m. with awards for that competition being given out at 10:30 a.m. Pre-registration by mail or up to 30 minutes before each category is required to participate. There will be a form avail able online at www.ppines.com and at the event on the day of.

Greetings From Your Chamber President!

By Patty Archer

The Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce has been serving this area for over 50 years, promoting local businesses, encouraging economic development, offering training resources, fostering the relation ships business leaders need to grow, and being the voice of the business community.

The idea of Shop Local is integral to ensuring a strong local economy to sustain our area in the long-term. A greater portion of each dollar spent locally tends to stay in the local economy when you spend it with a local business. Stronger local businesses are then able to hire more local employ ees, spend their money sourcing materials locally as well, and also support local charities more. A flourishing local busi ness environment also increases competition and diversity of choice for consumers, which in turn promotes innovation and keeps prices competitive.

In a few months, the Chamber will debut its 2023 Community & Business Resource Guide, which will be a great resource for new residents and those looking to learn more about the cities we call home. You will be able to find this guide in retail areas, healthcare settings, realtor offices, and more locations around south Broward. You’re always welcome to visit the Chamber to pick up your copy as well.

Now and in the future, the Chamber is dedicated to being a Convener of leaders, a Catalyst for positive change, and a Champion for a strong business community. For more informa tion and our event calendar, visit miramarpembrokepines.org.

Yours in Service, Patty Archer Chamber President