[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
WE'VE GOT A PACKED HOUSE HERE AT CITY HALL, SO THANK YOU EVERYONE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE HONOREES AND PROCLAMATIONS, AND OF COURSE THE SUPPORT FROM EVERYONE BEING HERE.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AS WE ALWAYS DO, AND I AM GOING TO ASK...
REGLA MARIA DIAZ FROM REBECCA TOWERS.
LOVE THE TURNOUT AND THE ENERGY.
WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP, REGLA, AND WE'LL WAIT FOR YOUR CUE, AND THEN WE'LL ALL SAY IT ALONG WITH YOU.
[REQUEST FOR ADDITIONS, WITHDRAWALS, AND DEFERRALS]
FATHER SID FROM MIAMI BEACH'S ST.PATRICK'S TO OFFER US SOME WORDS OF PRAYER AND INVOCATION.
GOD OF MERCY AND LOVE, YOU TEACH US.
THAT WHAT WE DO TO THE LEAST OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE DO TO YOU.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED HARD TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER, WHO WILL BE HONORED TODAY AND PRESENTED WITH AWARDS.
WE ASK YOU TO INCREASE OUR DESIRE TO SERVE YOU IN THE LEAST, IN THE LOST, IN THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING.
AND NEVER FORGET THAT IF WE CAN LOVE OTHERS, IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOVED US FIRST.
IN YOUR MOST HOLY NAME, WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY OTHER NAME.
THANK YOU, FATHER SID, AND WE'LL BE UP TO YOU SOON AS WELL AS WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU.
BEFORE WE START OFF, AND BY THE WAY, WHEN I GO THROUGH, I TRY TO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
THERE'S NO FIRST AND THERE'S NO LAST, BUT I DO HAVE SOME REQUESTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
ALSO, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME COMMITMENT, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO IT AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANY SLIGHT IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE FIRST ONE'S CALLED.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE PROCLAMATIONS, I'D LIKE TO AND MY COLLEAGUES SHARE WITH ME REALLY A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS FOR OUR CITY IN ANOTHER INCREDIBLE MONTH OF MARCH.
WE CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW DEVASTATING.
THE MONTH OF MARCH WAS TO OUR CITY BEFORE THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WE HAD SEEN SO MANY YEARS OF CHAOS, LAWLESSNESS, VIOLENCE, SHOOTINGS, FATALITIES ON OUR STREETS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I WAS A COMMISSIONER AT THE TIME, I WASN'T MAYOR, BUT IT HURTS WHEN SOMEBODY GETS HURT IN YOUR CITY AND YOU THINK THAT YOU DIDN'T DO ENOUGH.
I KNOW I USED TO THINK, IS THERE SOMETHING MORE I COULD HAVE DONE TO HAVE SAVED A LIFE? AND WE COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMISSION, IT TOOK LEGISLATION, IT TOOK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S TAKEN OTHER POLICE AGENCIES, STATE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT REALLY EVERY DEPARTMENT IN OUR CITY BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON THE POLICE.
BUT THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE INVOLVED, SANITATION, FIRE, CODE.
THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY INCREDIBLE ALL AROUND.
OUR CRIME STATS WERE DOWN CITYWIDE 15% IN MARCH.
25% IN THE DESIGNATED AREA OF SOUTH BEACH, WHICH WE CALL THE SPRING BREAK ZONE.
CODE COMPLIANCE SAW 18% LOWER CALLS FOR SERVICE.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD 60% LOWER CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THAT AREA AND 50% CITYWIDE.
OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, 22 BILLION IMPRESSIONS FROM THE CAMPAIGN.
AND IT REALLY TOOK ALL THE WORK FROM UP HERE ON EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
AND ALONG WITH OUR CITY, SO REALLY COULD NOT THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS ALONE WITHOUT THE BUY-IN AND THE SUPPORT, AND EVERYONE WAS SUPPORTIVE.
[00:05:02]
AND THIS YEAR, OUR COMMISSION TOOK THE LEAD IN SORT OF REDUCING SOME OF THE MEASURES, AND IT WORKED REALLY, REALLY TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, AND THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE? HOW MANY CITY EMPLOYEES ARE ACTUALLY HERE RIGHT NOW? I WOULDN'T MIND, CAN WE DO LIKE A QUICK PICTURE WITH EVERYONE TOGETHER TO SORT OF CELEBRATE THE MOMENT? BECAUSE SPRING BREAK IS NOT JUST A SUCCESS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
THAT CARRIES ON THROUGH THE YEAR.
OUR HOTEL RATES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MONTH OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE WELL BEYOND EVEN THE SECOND-PLACE CITY.
THE SECOND-PLACE CITY IS LIKE 50%, 60% BEHIND US.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S MULTIPLE FACTORS, BUT INCLUDING THAT WE HAVE CLEANED UP THE REPUTATION OF OUR CITY IN A BIG WAY.
SO LET'S CELEBRATE THE MOMENT.
[PA 1 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH TO MARK ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY.]
OKAY.FIRST ITEM I'D LIKE TO CALL PA1.
PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH TO MARK ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ, FOR CO-SPONSORING WITH ME, ALTHOUGH I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE ARE ALL UNITED ON THIS ONE.
BUT FATHER SID, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP.
SO, YOU HAVE THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST CATHOLIC PARISH ON MIAMI BEACH.
THE FIRST MASS WAS CELEBRATED AT MIAMI BEACH GARDENS THEATER ON 41ST STREET IN ALTON ON SUNDAY, MAY 13TH, 1926.
SO WE ARE UPCOMING ON OUR 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
SO I'LL LET YOU, I WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF FACTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
BUT JUST A COUPLE OF, I THOUGHT WERE INTERESTING FACTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, DURING WORLD WAR II, WE HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.
OF SERVICE MEMBERS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH AND CERTAINLY ST.
PATRICK'S SERVED THEM WELL AND HAVING SOME PLACE FOR THEM TO GO PRAY.
WE LOST ART MARTINEAU NOT TOO LONG AGO, A MIAMI BEACH POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS LOVED BY MANY.
HIS WIFE, DEBORAH, IS KNOWN BY MANY.
AND HIS FUNERAL MASS WAS AT ST. PATRICK'S.
MUCH OF MY TEAM ACTUALLY DOES MASS AT ST.
MY CHIEF OF STAFF'S SON WAS BAPTIZED IN YOUR CHURCH, AND I KNOW SHE GOES TO MASS THERE.
MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, BLAKE, VERONICA IS MY CHIEF OF STAFF, BLAKE, AND DAPHNE, WHO IS MY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, ALSO DOES MASS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ON ASH WEDNESDAY THIS YEAR IN THE EVENING MASS, THERE WERE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO YOU'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE FOOD SERVICE AS WELL.
YOU REALLY SERVICE THE ENTIRE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THIS PIVOTAL 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY, AND YOU'RE STILL GOING STRONG.
I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT YOU'RE NEIGHBORS WITH ACTUALLY A VERY IMPORTANT YESHIVA AND SYNAGOGUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE AN OUTSTANDING
[00:10:01]
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, AND I LOVE SEEING THAT.WHEN INTERFAITHS CAN WORK TOGETHER, AND IT'S NOT JUST CAN, ARE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE UNITED, AND I THINK YOU'RE A BIG PART OF THAT, SO THANK YOU.
SO, YEAH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
PATRICK HAS BEEN PART OF THE HISTORY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN 2015...
ON THE EVE OF MARCH 26TH AND MARCH 25TH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL MASS FOR THE CENTENNIAL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ATTENDED BY THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, AND ALSO WITH THE ORCHESTRA OF FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY PLAYING A MASS BY SCHUBERT.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL OCCASION AND CELEBRATED BY THE THEN AUXILIARY BISHOP OF MIAMI.
AND ST. PATRICK HAS SUCH A RICH HISTORY.
AND VERY, VERY MUCH STEEPED IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU MENTIONED SOME IMPORTANT MILESTONES.
OF COURSE, WE ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER, TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THOSE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH BOUTS OF DISEASE OR FIGHTING DISEASE.
WITH THE MIAMI BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO...
WE COOPERATE IN THE VACCINATION DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS AND THEY WILL COME.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THEY VERY EFFECTIVELY AND WITH GREAT CARE AND LOVE DISTRIBUTED THE VACCINE WHEN IT WAS IN ITS EARLY STAGES.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY MILESTONES AND SO MANY WAYS IN WHICH THE HISTORY OF OUR PARISH IS INTERTWINED.
AND INEXPLICABLY LINKED TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH THAT I COULD GO ON FOREVER, BUT I'M GOING TO SPARE YOU THAT.
THANK YOU, AND THANK THE COMMISSION FOR THIS HONOR THAT I WILL RECEIVE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE PARISHIONERS, BECAUSE THE PARISH, OF COURSE, HAS A LONG HISTORY AND RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS LIKE ITS FOUNDING PASTOR, MONSIGNOR WILLIAM BARRY.
AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS GREAT HONOR.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US IN THE EVENTS, IN THE CELEBRATORY EVENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND FATHER SID, SINCE YOU'RE TOO HUMBLE TO MENTION, I'M GOING TO MENTION BESIDES LEADING ST.
PATRICK'S CATHOLIC PARISH, YOU'RE A PORT OF MIAMI CHAPLAIN.
COAST GUARD AUXILIARY CHAPLAIN.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN AT AN EVENT WITH YOU THERE.
AND YOU'RE ALSO A MIAMI BEACH FIRE CHAPLAIN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ALL AROUND.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS PROCLAMATION TO CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF ST.
BECAUSE WHILE WE MAY BE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS, WE'RE UNITED BY THE SAME GOD.
MAKE A COMMUNITY BEAUTIFUL, OUR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXIST AND COEXIST ALONG EACH OTHER, ENVISIONING THE FABRIC AND STRENGTHENING THE BONDS BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS IS THAT LONG BEFORE MIAMI BEACH BECAME WHAT WE KNOW TODAY, BEFORE THE SKYLINE ROSE, BEFORE THIS CITY, BEFORE THE BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE THAT HAS MADE THE CITY FAMOUS BEFORE THE ARTISTS BEFORE ALL ALL THE GLAMOUR AND ALL THE FAME THAT EVENTUALLY SETTLED IN THIS LITTLE TINY BARRIER ISLAND THERE STOOD THE BELL TOWER OF SAINT PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH WELCOMING PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PARADISE AND IT INDEED WELCOMED THE EARLIEST OF FAMILIES WHO THANK YOU.
CROSSED BISCAYNE BAY, WHO SETTLED HERE, WHO MADE HOME HERE, OFFERING THEM A CHURCH, BUT ALSO OFFERING THEM A COMMUNITY, A PLACE TO PRAY, A PLACE TO CONNECT, CONTINUE THEIR CONNECTION WITH GOD.
THEY MAY BE AT A NEW HOME, BUT THIS CONTINUED THEIR CONNECTION WITH GOD.
AND AS YOU WELL MENTIONED, MR. MAYOR, THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF...
PATRICK'S CHURCH, THE SOLDIERS, AS YOU WELL MENTIONED, DURING TIMES OF WAR, BUT ALSO COMMUNITIES
[00:15:01]
OF EXILES.WHO SETTLED IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT FOUND HOPE, THAT FOUND FAITH, THAT FOUND A HELPING HAND AT ST.
PEOPLE WHO ROSE IN FIGURE, WHO BECAME INTERNATIONAL NAMES, BUT ARE PART OF THE HISTORY OF ST.
PATRICK'S THEMSELVES, LIKE DESI ARNAZ, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE UNVEILED OUR HISTORIC PLAQUE.
FOR DESI OVER BY COLLINS PARK.
PART OF THE STORY IS THAT HE ATTENDED SCHOOL AT ST.
PATRICK'S, BUT HE IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY NOTABLE FIGURES.
SHAKIRA HAS ATTENDED SERVICE AT ST.
MONSIGNOR BARRY WAS A MENTOR TO ST.
IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, DESI ARNAZ.
RECOUNTS HOW HE DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH AND MONSIGNOR BARRY, THE PASTOR OF ST.
PATRICK AT THE TIME, ENCOURAGED HIM TO PERSEVERE IN HIS STUDIES AND OPENED THE DOOR AND MADE ACCOMMODATIONS SO HE COULD CONTINUE TO STUDY.
AND HE'S VERY GRATEFUL IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
AND ST. PATRICK'S PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN HIS UPBRINGING AND HIS INSERTION.
AND IT WAS DESI ARNAZ, AND THEN OVER THE YEARS IT'S BEEN SHAKIRA, THEN OVER THE YEARS ANDREA BOCELLI THAT'S BEEN THERE.
IT HAS THIS BEAUTIFUL ENERGY WHERE THIS HISTORY LIVES, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THE HISTORY OF FAMILIES, CHILDREN WHO WERE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR BAPTISM AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FAITH JOURNEY.
COUPLES WHO WANT TO GET MARRIED IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF SETTINGS, A GODLY SETTING THAT THEY FIND AT ST.
PATRICK'S HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, BEFORE I EVER IMAGINED GETTING INVOLVED IN PUBLIC SERVICE, MY DAD BROUGHT ME TO MASS, TO A SATURDAY MORNING 8 A.M.
PATRICK'S, I MEAN, I GUESS AT THIS POINT IT WAS ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO.
I REMEMBER IT WAS IN JUNE, A SATURDAY MORNING IN JUNE, THAT MY DAD TOOK ME TO THE 8 A.M.
AND WE MET ONE OF THE PAROCHIAL VICARS THERE AT THE TIME.
AND FROM THERE FLOURISHED THIS IDEA TO START A CHARITY TO SUPPORT CAMILLA'S HOUSE.
AND FROM THERE STARTED THE FOUNDATION OF MY PUBLIC SERVICE.
PATRICK'S HOLDS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO IT TRULY IS SUCH A WONDERFUL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY TO CELEBRATE THIS PLACE OF FAITH AND OF UNITY FOR EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF OUR RELIGIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, FATHER, TO CELEBRATE THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT.
I LOVE GETTING YOUR NEWSLETTER AND SEEING ALL OF THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS AND EVENTS THAT YOU'RE HAVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND I PLAN ON ATTENDING THE EVENT NEXT MONTH AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AS WELL.
PATRICK IS THE CHURCH THAT I ATTEND SERVICES AT.
MY NIECE AND NEPHEW WERE BOTH BAPTIZED THERE WHEN IT'S THE FEAST OF THE ANIMALS.
WENDY GOES FOR A BLESSING, AND YOU'VE GIVEN IT TO HER EVERY YEAR.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR CELEBRATION, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
THIS IS A RARE MILESTONE IN A COUNTRY AS YOUNG AS OURS.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU A SMALL ANECDOTE.
WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 2003, I MOVED TO THE BAYSHORE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I WOULD TAKE MY BABIES AT THAT POINT, ONE AND THREE.
NOW THEY'RE 24 AND 26, BUT I WOULD TAKE THEM OUT FOR A STROLL ON SUNDAY MORNINGS.
AND IT IS A VERY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF OTHER MOMS, ORTHODOX OR HASIDIC MOMS, WITH THEIR BABIES IN STROLLERS, AND WE'D ALL SAY, HELLO, GOOD MORNING, WE ADMIRE EACH OTHER'S BABIES.
AND IN THE BACKGROUND, I WOULD HEAR THE CHURCH BELLS.
AND IT WAS THIS MAGICAL, LIKE THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT WE ASPIRE TO, TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITIES LIVING IN HARMONY TOGETHER.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT'S SO INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE WHEN I TRAVEL, I LIVE IN MIAMI
[00:20:01]
BEACH, AND THEY SAY, OH, I GREW UP IN MIAMI BEACH.I SAID, GREAT, THAT'S SO COOL.
MY KIDS HAVE GONE TO SCHOOL AT ST.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST THE CHURCH, WHICH IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS FOUNDATIONAL TO MAKING REALLY WONDERFUL HUMAN BEINGS.
AND I COMMEND YOU BECAUSE THAT IS AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AS THE WORK THAT HAPPENS IN THE CHURCH ITSELF.
THE WORK THAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND YOUR COLLEAGUES DO AND YOUR PARISHIONERS DO BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
AND I'D BE OVERMISSED, MR. MAYOR, NOT TO MENTION THAT ALL OF US, THE MIAMI BEACH CITY COMMISSION, VOTED TO SUPPORT THE GALA, THE CENTENNIAL GALA FOR ST.
PATRICK'S AT THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THAT BRINGS US GREAT HONOR.
ON A HISTORICAL PLAQUE, HISTORICAL MARKER THAT I KNOW MY AIDE, CINDY ALONSO, HAS BEEN MEETING WITH YOU, FATHER, ABOUT ADVANCING THIS, AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL INITIATIVE THAT WILL DOCUMENT THE BEAUTIFUL HISTORY OF THIS IMPORTANT TREASURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, COMMISSIONER, AND ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR SUPPORT, FOR YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT.
[PA 14 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO GERARDO CEA.]
PA 14.PA 14 IS PROCLAMATION TO GERARDO SALE.
NOT JUST KIDDING, THE MANAGER OF PRIMA PASTA.
SO SPEAKING OF A SAFE HAVEN FOR COMMUNITY AND TAKING A VILLAGE AND A HAVEN FOR IMMIGRANTS, THIS IS A PERFECT SEGUE TO INTRODUCE YOU.
JERRY, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS AND LOVES YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY IN NORTH BEACH FOR DECADES.
OVER 30 YEARS, PRIMA PASTA HAS BEEN A GATHERING SPOT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR DELICIOUS AFFORDABLE HOME-COOKED ITALIAN FOOD THAT TAKES EVERYBODY BACK TO THEIR GRANDPARENTS OR THE GRANDPARENTS THEY WISH THEY HAD.
IT IS BEFORE I EVEN MOVED TO NORTH BEACH EVERYBODY SAID YOU HAVE TO GO GET FOOD AT PRIMA PASTA AND I KNOW PEOPLE WHO EAT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK AND IT IS SUCH A TESTAMENT TO WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOUR FAMILY IS AND WHO YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE WHO HAVE CREATED THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY OUT THERE.
POST REALLY IT'S A IT'S A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND YOU WALK IN FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T YET BEEN I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO VISIT YOU WALK IN AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GOING INTO A TIME MACHINE THE WALLS ARE LINED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS FUNNY PHOTOGRAPHS PHOTOGRAPHS OF FAMOUS PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHS OF FAMILIES PEOPLE CELEBRATING EVENTS GOING THROUGH 30 PLUS YEARS AND THIS BUSINESS HAS THRIVED IT WAS OPENED ON A WING AND A PRAYER.
I KNOW YOU WENT THROUGH VERY SERIOUS HARDSHIPS TO MAKE THIS WORK.
YOU FOUND A TINY LITTLE SPACE THAT YOU COULD MAKE WORK, AND YOU POURED YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT.
YOUR FAMILY POURED THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT, AND YOUR EMPLOYEES, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN THERE ALMOST AS LONG AS YOU.
THIS IS A REAL TREASURE, AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHEN WE HEAR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO RUN A BUSINESS AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO MAKE IT WORK HERE IN MIAMI OR REALLY IN MIAMI BEACH OR REALLY ANYWHERE.
YOU ARE A TESTAMENT TO WHAT A GOOD BUSINESS IS IN TERMS OF THE OFFERINGS, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE PASSION AND HEART, AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AS A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY, AS A TESTAMENT TO HOW IMPORTANT IMMIGRANTS ARE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH WE ARE ENRICHED BY OUR OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN BORN HERE, BUT WHO CAME HERE AND MADE A LIFE HERE AND MADE A BUSINESS.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, IT'S FLIPPING DELICIOUS.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
BUT SO THROUGH YOUR UNWAVERING EFFORT AND YOUR CULINARY PASSION.
AND YOUR FAMILY UNITY AND YOUR
[00:25:02]
COLLEAGUES UNITY, ALONG WITH EARLY ENCOURAGEMENT AND STEADFAST ENCOURAGEMENT FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS AND NOTABLE VISITORS.AS I MENTIONED, CAFE PRIMA PASTA HAS BEEN A STEADFAST OUTPOST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YOU GREW FROM 28 SEATS WHEN YOU FIRST OPENED TO 140 SEATS.
AND BOY, IF WE COULD GIVE YOU MORE SPACE, YOU WOULD FILL IT.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CELEBRATED FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU OFFER.
AND SO, THEREFORE, TODAY, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 15TH, 2026 AS GERARDO SEAT DAY.
FREE WINE, FREE WINE FOR EVERYBODY.
I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, THANK THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE EVERY TIME THAT I NEED YOU, I, YOU KNOW, YOU RESPOND.
FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS, I REMEMBER WHEN WE ARRIVED TO 71ST STREET, THERE WAS NO LIGHTS.
AND I CAME TO THE CITY, AND YOU GUYS RESPOND RIGHT AWAY.
AND EVEN TODAY, WHEN I NEED SOMETHING, THANK YOU, TANYA, THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU.
YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE IN MIAMI BEACH, THE BUSINESS.
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT REALLY HELPS.
[PA 4 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR JASON DUBOIS' PARTICIPATION IN THE 2026 FUJISAWA SHONAN CITY HALF MARATHON.]
[PA 5 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR MARIA TRIANA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE 2026 FUJISAWA SHONAN CITY HALF MARATHON.]
PA-4 AND PA-5.PA-4 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
JASON DUBOIS REPRESENTING MIAMI BEACH IN 2026 SHOHAN-FUJIZAWA CITY MARATHON.
AND PA5 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, MARIA TRIANA, FOR THE MIAMI BEACH 26TH CITY HALL MARATHON.
THESE TWO PROCLAMATIONS ARE ONES THAT I'M BRINGING FORWARD, AND IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO WITNESS IT AS WELL.
SO BOTH OF YOU REPRESENTED THE UNITED STATES AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IN THE FUJISAWA SHONEN HALF MARATHON THIS YEAR.
FUJISAWA IS OUR LONGEST SERVING SISTER CITY WITH 68 YEARS AND COUNTING AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND I'M GOING TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH OF YOU AND PRESENT YOU WITH A SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR BEING SUCH OUTSTANDING CITIZENS WHEN YOU WERE OUT THERE.
SO MARIA TRIANA, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR OUTSTANDING PARTICIPATION IN THE SHONAN-FUJISAWA CITY HALF MARATHON IN JANUARY 2026, PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, YOUR DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING MADE YOU AN EXCEPTIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR OUR CITY.
AS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AT MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER, YOU DISCOVERED RUNNING DURING THE PANDEMIC AND EMBRACED IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY AFTER COMPLETING YOUR FIRST VIRTUAL 5K.
SINCE THEN, YOU'VE BECOME AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CLANDESTINO RUNNERS, COMPLETED YOUR FIRST HALF MARATHON AT DISNEY WORLD, AND HAVE GONE ON TO FINISH SEVEN HALF MARATHONS.
YOUR JOURNEY HAS BEEN MARKED BY EXTRAORDINARY RESILIENCE, INCLUDING OVERCOMING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS WHILE TRAINING FOR THE NEW YORK MARATHON, CHOOSING TO POSTPONE SURGERY UNTIL AFTER YOU SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED THE BORDER.
YOUR STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND DETERMINATION CONTINUE TO INSPIRE YOUR COLLEAGUES, YOUR RUNNING COMMUNITY, AND ALL WHO KNOW YOUR STORY.
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE HALF MARATHON AND FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE I READ JASON.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
[00:30:01]
IT WAS A TRIP OF A LIFETIME.THE JAPANESE CULTURE IS AMAZING.
THE VICE COMMISSIONER WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY.
JASON DUBOIS, THANK YOU ALSO FOR PARTICIPATING AND I'LL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU.
SO THIS IS IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE SHONIN-FUJISAWA CITY HALF MARATHON AND COMPLETING YOUR PERSONAL BEST.
WHICH WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AS WELL.
A DEDICATED FITNESS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL AND PROUD GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, GO CANES.
YOU HAVE LONG MADE MIAMI BEACH, ESPECIALLY THE SUNRISE BOARDWALK, YOUR TRAINING GROUND, AND YOUR PASSION FOR RUNNING HAS TAKEN YOU AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING COMPLETING THE BOSTON MARATHON.
YET IT WAS A PARTICULAR PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU REPRESENT MIAMI BEACH AT FUJISAWA.
COUNTRY WHOSE CULTURE AND DISCIPLINE HAVE INSPIRED YOU BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, FOR HELPING STRENGTHEN THE BONDS BETWEEN FUJISAWA AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AS WELL.
YEAH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME REPRESENT YOU.
AND ANY CHANCE I DO GET TO REPRESENT THE CITY THAT I LIVE IN AND LOVE SO MUCH, I'M VERY HONORED TO DO SO.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM IT WAS THAT.
THE WAY THAT THEY TREATED US WHEN WE WERE THERE, IT KIND OF REMINDS ME THAT ANYTIME SOMEBODY COMES AND VISITS OUR CITY, I WANT THEM TO HAVE THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE.
BECAUSE I REALLY WANT THEM TO LEAVE AND UNDERSTAND WHY I LOVE THIS CITY SO MUCH.
SO IT MADE ME JUST WANT TO THINK ABOUT ANYTIME SOMEBODY COMES TO VISIT, I WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE.
SO IT WAS AN HONOR AND IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT EXPERIENCE OUT THERE.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR PARTICIPATING.
AND BEFORE I GO DOWN TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU.
VERY SOON, THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE AND HEATHER SHAW FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BE SENDING OUT APPLICATIONS FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE TWENTY TWENTY SEVEN SHOWN IN HALF MARATHON IN FUJISAWA.
AND THERE'S THERE WILL BE A LIST OF CRITERIA.
SO SOMETIME IN JUNE, APPLICATIONS WILL BE OUT AND THOSE INTERESTED IN BEING CONSIDERED, PLEASE APPLY.
WE LOVE TO HAVE A REPRESENTATION AGAIN FROM MIAMI BEACH AS WE DO EACH YEAR.
[PA 13 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO MANUEL SANCHEZ.]
PA 13 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.MANUEL, YOU WIN THE PRIZE FOR BRINGING THE LARGEST CONTINGENCY WITH YOU TODAY.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS VERY INDICATIVE, AND I KNOW I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, OF OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY, THAT YOU COME OUT, YOU SUPPORT.
AND THE FACT THAT EVERYONE'S HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
BUT THE REASON WHY, AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WORTHY OF GETTING A RECOGNITION, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO OTHERS IN FUTURE MEETINGS.
BUT THE REASON WHY I PICKED YOU IS EVERY TIME I COME TO A SENIOR EVENT, YOU'RE NOT ONLY ACTIVE AND ENGAGING, YOU'RE TAKING PICTURES, YOU'RE FILMING, YOU'RE PUTTING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AMBASSADOR FOR OUR CITY, BUT ALSO FOR OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY.
AND BECAUSE THOSE MOMENTS AREN'T CAPTURED.
OUTSIDE OF THE WALLS WHERE WE ARE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT ITSELF, PEOPLE AREN'T SEEING IT.
[00:35:01]
MOMENTS, AND I REALLY COULD NOT THANK YOU ENOUGH, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHY OF RECOGNIZING WHO YOU ARE, BEING SORT OF THAT LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO REPRESENTING OUR SENIORS AS WELL AS YOU DO.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I FEEL HONORED FOR THIS DAY AND THE DECISION THAT YOU CREATED FOR ME.
I NEVER EXPECTED BUT I TAKE IT AND I WILL NEVER FORGET.
[PA 15 PROCLAMATION DECLARING EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY.]
PA 15.PA 15 IS A PROCLAMATION EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY.
I'LL LEAD IT OFF BUT THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ALL OF YOU.
I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO GIVE YOU CREDIT, RABBI ZALMAN RUDD, WHO'S HERE, AND I'LL GIVE, YOU HAD MENTIONED TO ME SEVERAL YEARS AGO ABOUT DOING A PROCLAMATION FOR THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, WHO PASSED AWAY 40 YEARS AGO, BUT HIS GREATNESS AND WHAT HIS LEGACY, LITERALLY, YOU SEE IT EVERY DAY, FOR WHAT HE BUILT, NOT ONLY...
FOR THE LUBAVITCHER JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT REALLY FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY,
[00:40:03]
BUT LITERALLY WORLDWIDE.BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATNESS ABOUT THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE AND TALKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS HE DID.
BUT THIS IS EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY, THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
HE WORKED WITH EVERYONE, JEWISH, NON-JEWISH.
THERE WAS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN NEW YORK WHO DID NOT COME.
ANY, NOT JUST ELECTED OFFICIAL, ANYONE WHO WAS THINKING OF RUNNING WENT TO GO SEE THE REBBE FOR HIS GUIDANCE, HIS SUPPORT, A WORD OF WISDOM.
AND THIS FIRST AWARD OF EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY WAS GIVEN BY PRESIDENT CARTER, I BELIEVE, RIGHT? SO HE WAS A WORLD LEADER THAT WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND EVERY YEAR TO THIS DAY, THAT AWARD IS GIVEN.
SO CERTAINLY HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE REBBE AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS.
I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
WHY DON'T YOU ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AS WELL? AND BLAKE, OF COURSE.
AND HE ALWAYS MAKES SURE TO GET THIS DONE FOR US, AND WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I HAVE WITH ME REBBE MENDY LEVY.
HE'S A CHAPLAIN AT THE MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL.
KAZANOVSKI, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH, AND HE WORKS AT THE CHABAD DOWN HERE IN SOUTH BEACH.
AND THEN MY SON, MENDY, WHO'S HERE WITH US, BUT I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK HIM TO SAY A FEW WORDS BECAUSE ALONG WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THERE IS GLOBAL OUTREACH, NOT JUST LOCALLY HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, NEW YORK, AMERICA, BUT EXTENDS AS FAR OUT EVEN ALL THE WAY TO NEW ZEALAND WHERE MY SON SPENDS A LOT OF HIS TIME HELPING WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
MAYBE WE'LL ASK HIM TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO BE PREPARED.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE PROCLAMATION.
AS MY FATHER MENTIONED, I WAS ABLE TO GO TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, TO JAPAN, ACTUALLY, CLOSE BY TO THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT, WHERE THEY RAN THE MARATHON.
THERE'S MANY CHABAD RABBIS ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
THANKS TO THE RABBI'S LEADERSHIP, HE CAME TO AMERICA FROM WAR-TORN EUROPE.
AND HE FOCUSED VERY STRONGLY ON EDUCATION.
IT'S CALLED EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE EDUCATE, BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SHARE, TO SPREAD THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF MORALITY AND SHARING GOODNESS AND KINDNESS TO EVERYONE AROUND, TO BE A BEACON OF LIGHT TO THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING HE STRESSED VERY, VERY IMPORTANTLY TO MIAMI BEACH, TO FLORIDA, AND TO AROUND THE WORLD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS AWARD, THIS PROCLAMATION.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION, IF I MAY, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THE EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY, AS WELL AS FATHER SID, WHO IS STILL HERE.
BUT I'M THE CHAPLAIN AND RABBI AT MOUNT SINAI, AND WE WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH FATHER SID.
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, WE'VE DONE MANY EVENTS AND THINGS TOGETHER.
SO PART OF THE RABBI'S DREAM WAS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
OF ALL FAITHS, OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, AND TO SHARE AND TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A BIG HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS IN THE CITY.
SINCE IT'S THE REB IS EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY, I'M NOT GOING TO HIGHLIGHT EACH ONE OF YOU, BUT I KNOW THAT EACH ONE OF YOU HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON MIAMI BEACH IN EACH OF YOUR OWN ROLES.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH.
SO THE OFFICIAL DAY WAS MARCH 29TH.
WE ACTUALLY HAD SOMETHING IN MY, A VERY SMALL CEREMONY IN MY OFFICE THAT DAY, BUT WE WANTED TO CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT THIS TODAY.
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROUDLY JOINS CITIES AND STATES NATIONWIDE IN RECOGNIZING EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY 2026, HONORING THE REBBE'S TEACHINGS AND THE LASTING INSPIRATION THEY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TO PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 29, 2026, AS EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BESHARED BECAUSE MARCH 29TH IS ACTUALLY MY BIRTHDAY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SO TELLING, AND IT'S SO, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT BECAUSE TOO OFTEN.
THROUGH MILLENNIA RELIGION HAS BEEN A DIVISIVE POINT WHERE PEOPLE LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY HURL STONES AT EACH OTHER AND WORSE.
AND WHAT THIS DAY COMMEMORATES
[00:45:01]
AND WHAT THE TEACHINGS COMMEMORATE IS AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIONS WHEN DONE PROPERLY, WHICH IS HOW TO BE A BETTER PERSON, HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW TO EXTEND A HELPING HAND TO SOMEBODY IN NEED, AND HOW TO BE A MENSCH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, HOW TO BE A DECENT HUMAN BEING.AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
IT IS SUCH A VALUABLE REMINDER AND IT'S SUCH A, I FEEL SO PRIVILEGED TO NOT ONLY LIVE IN BUT SERVE THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND ITS RESIDENTS AND ITS COMMUNITY PILLARS IN ALL OF THEIR FORMS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE STRIVE FOR, WE VALUE, AND WE PRIORITIZE.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY TELLING THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WHO FEEL AT HOME HERE AND CHOOSE TO MAKE MIAMI BEACH THEIR HOME AND HAVE FOR DECADES.
AND WE KEEP ATTRACTING NEW PEOPLE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON AND KEEPING THE FAITH, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, AND FOR SHARING THE GOOD WORD AND REACHING OUT WHEREVER YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE WERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PRE-PASSOVER MEETING THE SAME WEEK THAT IT HAPPENED TO BE THE REBBE'S BIRTHDAY.
AND COMMISSIONER BOTT AND I, WE HAD ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING INTERACTION AT THAT MEETING.
WHEN WE HAD AN INTERACTION ABOUT THAT, IT WAS A FUNNY STORY ACTUALLY FOR ANOTHER DAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE LESSONS THAT I'VE LEARNED FROM THIS VERY INSPIRATIONAL JUDAIC TRADITIONS THAT TRULY BRING GREAT BLESSINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THAT IN SOCIETY, IN THE WORLD, IN OUR OWN LIVES.
THERE'S ALWAYS THE BALANCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.
AND THAT THE RABBI'S TEACHING WAS, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS WAS MITZVAHS.
AND THAT EACH ONE OF US, WHETHER, IN THIS CASE, WHETHER YOU'RE JEWISH OR NOT, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO GOOD DEEDS.
AND YOU SHOW THE WORLD AND YOU TEACH THE WORLD THROUGH THE DEEDS THAT YOU PERFORM.
AND HOW ONE SIMPLE DEED CAN GO AHEAD AND TIP THE SCALES.
AND THAT, I THINK, IS THE LASTING, AN INCREDIBLE LASTING LEGACY THAT AS I LEARN ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL JEWISH TRADITIONS THAT HAS INFLUENCED ME SIGNIFICANTLY AND THE IMPORTANCE TO SHARE THESE TEACHINGS, THAT WE HAVE TO BE KIND OF LIKE THE LEFT, THE BRIDGE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, GOD AND THOSE HERE AMONGST US, SO THAT WE KEEP ON SPREADING GOODNESS.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS LEGACY OF THE RABBI AND YOU, MR. MAYOR, DECLARING TODAY EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY BRINGS INSPIRATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND NOT JUST THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT TO ALL OF US.
THAT WHETHER WE'RE RELIGIOUS OR NOT, WHETHER WE'RE JEWISH OR NOT, WHATEVER OUR FAITH OR THOSE OF NO FAITH, THAT WE CAN DRAW INSPIRATION FROM EACH OTHER JUST TO BE A BETTER COMMUNITY, JUST TO HAVE GOODNESS OUTWEIGH THE CONSTANT EVIL.
THAT'S ALWAYS PRESENT IN OUR SOCIETY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS VERY POSITIVE DAY THAT HOPEFULLY BRINGS GREAT INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S WATCHING.
[PA 3 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING GARY HENNES' PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MIAMI BEACH REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY.]
[00:50:14]
PA3'S PROCLAMATION GARY HAINES CONTRIBUTION TO MIAMI BEACH REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND I WANT TO INVITE GARY TO COME FORWARD AND I ACTUALLY I WANT TO INVITE VALERIE NAVARRETE AND SHE'S HERE TO COME FORWARD AS WELL VALERIE REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND SHE REMINDED US THAT THERE ARE GENERATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN QUIETLY WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SHAPE THE MIAMI BEACH THAT WE ARE TODAY.EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AN INSTITUTION LIKE ST.
PATRICK'S THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR...
FOR 100 YEARS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YEARS, BUT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE MODERN HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
HELPING SHAPE NOT JUST THE REAL ESTATE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE CHARACTER AND THE SPIRIT AND HELPING INDIVIDUALS FIND THEIR HOMES AND MAKE OF MIAMI BEACH THEIR FOREVER PARADISE.
WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THEIR FAMILIES.
AND GARY HAS BEEN A STEWARD OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY FOR OVER THREE DECADES.
THAT IS TRUE LEGACY RIGHT THERE.
AND WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE STORY OF THOSE WHO KNOW GARY, AND BY THE WAY, OVER THREE DECADES, HE HAS BUILT QUITE A PORTFOLIO OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HE HAS HELPED SET THEIR ROOTS.
PLANT THEIR ROOTS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
WHAT YOU HEAR IS THAT HE'S APPROACHED HIS WORK WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR THE HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR THE UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE OF MIAMI BEACH AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT STRENGTHENS THE FABRIC OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND WHO HAVE DECIDED TO EMBRACE THE BEAUTY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'VE SEEN OUR COMMUNITY REIMAGINED.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE OPEN THEIR DOORS, FULFILL THEIR DREAMS, THEIR AMERICAN DREAM OF SETTING ROOTS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE'S A GOOD SOUL.
SOMEONE THAT HAS COUNTLESS REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
AND FOR THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE HAD ON THOSE PROFESSIONALS, GARY, AND FOR THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE HAD FOR EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT WHOSE DOORS HAVE OPENED, YOU'VE OPENED TO THIS CITY, WE CONGRATULATE YOU, WE THANK YOU, AND WE DECLARE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION AS GARY HEANEY'S DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
HEY GARY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND YOUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, AND THE MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED MAYOR.
I'M THE MOST RELUCTANT PERSON TO BE RECOGNIZED, SO IT'S QUITE AN HONOR.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I FEEL VERY HONORED TO BE PART OF MIAMI BEACH, TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
BACKGROUNDS THAT PEOPLE COME IN, I THINK SELLING REAL ESTATE BEFORE THE INTERNET AND BEFORE IT WAS THE MOST POPULAR OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE THAT SOMEONE COULD MAKE WAS INTERESTING.
IN THOSE DAYS, NOBODY REALLY WANTED ANY OF THE REAL ESTATE THAT WAS HERE.
IT WAS REALLY AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF SOMETHING HAPPENING.
AND IT WAS A PROUD MOMENT FOR ME TO RECOGNIZE SOME PARTS OF THE HISTORIC IDEA OF KAPPENMAN.
AND THEN THE NEW HOPE THAT THE AREA BROUGHT, BUT MOSTLY BASED ON THE HISTORY.
MY GRANDMOTHER, DOROTHY JACOBS, LIVED AT THE SHERRY FRONTENAC HOTEL.
MIKE, UNCLE JOE, AND RITA SINGER LIVED ON BISCAYNE POINT.
I HAD MY RITA ROSE AND ABE SINGER LIVED AT 14TH AND
[00:55:02]
MERIDIAN.AND MY NANA WAS QUITE AN UNBELIEVABLE WOMAN.
SHE WAS HERE IN THE 1950S AND 40S AND 60S AND 70S.
AND TO BE ON LINCOLN ROAD WITH HER AND TO SEE IT THROUGH HER EYES REALLY MEANT SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THAT'S HARDER TODAY WHERE PEOPLE ENVISION OUR BARRIER ISLAND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
WANT TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT ONE WAY, AND I LOOK AT IT AS ONE BIG GREAT PLACE TO BE.
NOT JUST SOUTH OF FIFTH OR LINCOLN ROAD AREA OR MUSEUM OR NORTH BAY ROAD.
IT'S ONE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE ALL STRIVING TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
TO FIND THE MENSCH WITHIN AND TO TRY TO BE A BETTER PERSON AND NOT LOOK AT EVERYTHING QUITE THE WAY THAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE DO.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S SUCH AN HONOR AND SUCH A REAL HONOR TO MEET ALL OF YOU AND TO BE HERE AND TO HAVE VALERIE SUGGEST ME FOR THIS AND TO BE HERE WITH MY FRIENDS.
YOUR FRIENDS ARE WITH ME TODAY.
AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
IT'S DEEPLY MEANINGFUL AND REALLY GOING TO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
BEFORE WE GO DOWN FOR THE PICTURE, YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE TRULY DESERVES A RECOGNITION LIKE THIS WHEN YOU CONTACT THEM AND YOU TELL THEM TO HONOR YOU WITH SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING THAT NOT EVERYONE GETS BUT THAT YOU DESERVE.
AND IN FACT, WE HAD IT SCHEDULED AND WE HAD TO CANCEL IT, AND IT TOOK VALERIE AND IT TOOK PEOPLE CALLING YOU TO CONVINCE YOU THAT NO, WE HAVE GENERATIONS THAT CAME BEFORE YOU.
AND THE COMMUNITY YOU'VE HELPED SHAPE, AND THE BALANCE YOU'VE HELPED BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU WERE SO HUMBLE, THAT YOU WERE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THIS, THAT IN ITSELF SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE GOODNESS TO WHICH YOU ARE.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE PICTURE.
PA 10 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, PARTICIPATING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ADL EDUCATION.
[PA 10 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO PARTICIPATING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ADL EDUCATION FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ADL NO PLACE FOR HATE PROGRAM.]
[01:00:15]
GOOD EVENING.SO FRIDAY, I ACTUALLY WAS AT AN EVENT BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
MIAMI BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HONOR A NUMBER OF AWARDEES.
SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING THAT I SAID THERE, THAT WHEN I THINK BACK, AND I THINK THIS IS TRUE OF EVERYONE, WHEN YOU THINK BACK ON YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND YOUR HIGH SCHOOL, I COULD LITERALLY NAME MOST OF MY TEACHERS GOING THROUGH.
BUT STARTING AT COLLEGE, MAYBE ONE, LAW SCHOOL, MAYBE ONE, IT'S THE IMPACT THAT OUR EDUCATORS, OUR TEACHERS HAVE ON US AT THAT YOUNG AGE.
IS OBVIOUSLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU REMEMBER.
AND THIS IS ABOUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION THAT, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
AND REALLY, OUR MIAMI BEACH SCHOOLS ARE EXCELLENT AND THEY'RE GETTING BETTER, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO ALL OF YOU BEING HERE.
SPECIFICALLY, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER IN A MINUTE, BUT I WANTED TO TEE THIS UP, THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, ADL, NO PLACE FOR HATE, TO COMBAT BULLYING, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS A MAJOR...
MAJOR ISSUE AND TO HEAR SOME OF THE STORIES.
THANK GOD I DON'T THINK I NEVER BULLIED ANYONE AND I DON'T THINK I WAS EVER BULLIED.
I WAS VERY LUCKY I GUESS GROWING UP BUT YOU HEAR THE STORIES THAT ARE THAT ARE FRIGHTENING AND THEY OBVIOUSLY THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON A YOUNG STUDENT SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND WE HAD AN EXCELLENT EVENT AT THE MIAMI BEACH BAND SHOW ON MARCH 3RD TO HIGHLIGHT THIS AND I WANT EACH OF YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, BUT I WANT TO MENTION EACH OF THE SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATED THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
BISCAYNE BEACH ELEMENTARY, MIAMI BEACH FEINBERG FISHER K-8, MIAMI BEACH NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, MIAMI BEACH SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY.
NORTH BEACH ELEMENTARY, BRUCE BROAD, BAY HARBOR K-8 CENTER, TREASURER ISLAND ELEMENTARY.
PLEASE TELL ME I GOT THEM ALL, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR.
LESLIE ROSENFELD, OUR CHIEF EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE OFFICER, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH ALL OUR SCHOOLS.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERS OFFICIALLY SINCE WE EXECUTED EDUCATION COMPACT IN 2008.
AND THIS PARTNERSHIP FOR EACH OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO EARN THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE'S NO PLACE FOR HATE DESIGNATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR WELL OVER A DECADE.
AND WE'RE JUST SO PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND OF OUR SCHOOL SITE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH US IN THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SPACE.
WE HAVE WITH US AMANDA DAWES FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR MINOR AND VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ AND COMMISSIONERS AND ESTEEMED GUESTS.
AND A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO YOU, LESLIE, FOR OVER A DECADE, AS YOU MENTIONED.
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO BRINGING NO PLACE FOR HATE TO MIAMI BEACH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND TO NAZARETH DUARTE FOR YOUR HELP IN MAKING TODAY POSSIBLE.
AS LESLIE MENTIONED, I'M AMANDA DAWES, PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT THE ADL, AND FOR OVER A CENTURY WE HAVE COMMITTED TO STOPPING THE DEFAMATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND SECURING JUSTICE AND FAIR TREATMENT TO ALL.
WE BELIEVE EVERY CHILD DESERVES A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FREE FROM BULLYING AND FULL OF ACCEPTANCE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH MIAMI BEACH TO BRING ANTI-BULLYING EDUCATION TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE EIGHT SCHOOLS THAT YOU MENTIONED FOR EARNING THIS PRESTIGIOUS NO PLACE FOR HATE DESIGNATION.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CHECKING A BOX, BUT RATHER IT'S ABOUT ACTION.
AND TO THE PRINCIPALS, SYSTEM PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS, CLUB LEADERS, COACHES, TEACHERS, WE THANK YOU.
YOU ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THIS MOVEMENT, ENSURING THAT SCHOOLS ARE PLACES WHERE EVERY STUDENT CAN FEEL SAFE AND VALUED AND EMPOWERED.
AND TO THE STUDENTS, THEY ARE THE TRUE REASON WE ARE HERE.
THEY'RE THE LEADERS OF THIS MOVEMENT.
THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS, THEY SHOW THAT RESPECT AND EMPATHY CAN RESHAPE OUR WORLD.
[01:05:01]
BUT OUR WORK DOESN'T STOP HERE.THERE'S GOING TO ALWAYS BE NEW CHALLENGES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
THAT TOGETHER WE'RE GOING TO RISE TO MEET THEM.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NO PLACE FOR HATE SCHOOLS.
THIS ACHIEVEMENT BELONGS TO YOU.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR EARNING THE COMMUNITY OF RESPECT DESIGNATION AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU REALLY TRULY I KNOW MANY OF YOU I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR YEARS YOU'VE TAUGHT MY CHILDREN YOU'VE LED THE SCHOOLS MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IN AND YOU REALLY TAKE YOUR JOB SO SERIOUSLY AND WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKS VOLUMES SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL BEING HERE TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH US IN THIS IMPORTANT THANK YOU.
WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I WAS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER FOR A FIFTH GRADE CLASS AND IT IS NOT AN EASY JOB.
NOEL CASTILLO, EXCELLENT HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR AND SAVING A MAN'S LIFE.
[PA 8 PROCLAMATION FOR DR. NOEL CASTILLO FOR BEING AN EXCELLENT HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR AND SAVING A MAN'S LIFE.]
DR.SO ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS 2018.
OR MAYBE 2017, I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT YOU TAUGHT THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY, OF WHICH I'M A GRADUATE, AND I REMEMBER BEING SO IMPRESSED BY YOU.
AND LET ME SAY THAT MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY, HANDS DOWN.
AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US IN THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY.
AND THEN FAST FORWARD ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I SAW YOU.
I WAS WALKING MY DOG, AND I SAW YOU IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ARRIVE IN THE SWAT TRUCK AT A HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE HAD AN INCIDENT HERE ON SOUTH BEACH OF A MAN WHO WAS SUICIDAL AND WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, HE WAS GOING TO JUMP OFF THE BUILDING.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHOW, IF WE COULD, THE NEWS CLIP.
THAT I HAVE IF WE COULD SHOW THAT REAL QUICK TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU DID.
WE CAN GET YOU WHATEVER HELP YOU NEED.
THAT CAN BE SUMMED UP IN TWO WORDS, DON'T JUMP.
COME OVER HERE TO US, AT LEAST ON THIS SIDE OF THE WALL.
HOUR, A MAN THREATENS TO END IT ALL.
LITERALLY, TALKED A MAN OFF OF THE LEDGE OF A BUILDING.
1200 LINCOLN ROAD IS WHERE THAT MAN THREATENED TO JUMP
[01:10:01]
FROM THE BUILDING'S ROOF.YOU'RE GOOD BUD, YOU'RE NOT IN TROUBLE.
THEY SAY HE WAS SEEN PACING ON THE LEDGE OF THE HOTEL.
THEY TRIED GETTING CLOSER TO HIM, TO TALK HIM DOWN.
CASTILLO, HOW ARE YA? THEN, THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAD HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR ARRIVES.
NOEL CASTILLO EARNS HIS TRUST.
CASTILLO EVENTUALLY IS ALLOWED CLOSE ENOUGH TO HELP HIM DOWN.
THE KIND WHERE COPS HAVE TO SAVE SOMEBODY FROM THEMSELVES.
COPS SHOWED US THIS 2024 CLOSE CALL ON A SOUTH OF 5TH BALCONY.
AFTER OFFICERS STORMED THE CONDO IN THE NICK OF TIME.
TO STOP A SUICIDAL WOULD-BE JUMPER.
GET THE GUY BACK UP THEY SAVED A LIFE THEN.
YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU? AND ON MONDAY MORNING.
NOEL CASTILLO SAT DOWN, TOOK HIS TIME, EMPATHIZED AND LISTENED TO THIS MALE WHO WAS IN CRISIS, WHICH LED TO ESTABLISHING THAT RAPPORT AND SAVING THIS GUY'S LIFE.
CASTILLO, THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE IS SO GREAT AND I'M HONORED, WE'RE HONORED TO PRESENT.
THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU TODAY.
IF I CAN MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS, I PROMISE TO KEEP MY COMMENTS LIKE MY STATURE SHORT.
FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT ON THERE.
KUDOS TO THE PATROL TEAM, THE PATROL OFFICERS WHO CONTAINED THE SCENE, SECURED THE SCENE, ALLOWED US TO WORK, SECURED ALTON ROAD TO MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE WAS AT RISK.
KUDOS TO THE STAFF OF THE HOTEL.
WHO SAW SOMETHING, SAID SOMETHING, AND GOT US OVER THERE.
THE FIRST NEGOTIATORS ON SCENE WERE ABLE TO GATHER INFORMATION, ESTABLISH A LEVEL OF RAPPORT, AND GET MORE INFORMATION FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL.
AND THEN IT CAME ALL TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK OF DE-ESCALATION LIKE A VERB.
LIKE SOMETHING YOU DO TO SOMEBODY, LIKE HYPNOTISM OR SOME SORT OF JEDI MIND TRICK.
IT'S MORE LIKE A NOUN, RIGHT? IT'S A PROCESS.
A LOT OF TALKING TO THE PERSON.
WELL, MORE LISTENING THAN TALKING.
AND THEN THAT EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO PROVIDING OPTIONS.
SO ABOUT THREE HOURS OVER THERE, EVERYBODY WORKED TOGETHER.
KUDOS TO MY FIRE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I SAW THEM HERE EARLIER, PUTTING THE HARNESS ON MY PARTNER, OFFICER EZEKIEL.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET CLOSE, AND THEN WHEN HE WANTED TO COME BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE, I'M 5'4", 150 POUNDS, I'M NOT LIFTING ANYBODY OVER ANYWHERE, AND MY PARTNER, OFFICER EZEKIEL, WAS ABLE TO BRING HIM OVER.
SO TOTAL TEAM EFFORT, AND THERE'S A SAYING, AN OLD ADAGE, YOU DON'T RISE TO THE OCCASION, YOU SINK TO THE LEVEL OF TRAINING WHEN REAL THINGS HAPPEN.
TO BE TRAINED BY THE BEST, CHIEF MORGALLO ACCEPTED ME INTO THE NEGOTIATOR UNIT ABOUT 16 YEARS AGO.
I GOT TO SEE HIM IN ACTION A LOT.
THE DEPARTMENT'S INVESTED IN TRAINING FROM NEGOTIATORS FROM NYPD, NEGOTIATORS THAT RESPOND TO THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN GREAT TRAINING.
I'VE STOOD ON THE SHOULDER OF GIANTS AND JUST CONTINUED THAT ON OVER HERE.
AND THAT DAY, A LOT OF YOUNG OFFICERS WERE THERE, SO THEY GOT TO OBSERVE SOME OF THAT.
AS MY GENERATION RETIRES AND THEY TAKE THE TORCH, PICK IT UP AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND TOTAL TEAM EFFORT ON THAT.
I ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE THAT DAY.
CASTILLO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME HAVE HEARD THE STORY, BUT THIS IS DEEPLY PERSONAL.
MY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING MY FAMILY OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THAT I TALK ABOUT, I'M NOT USING IT OPPORTUNISTICALLY, BUT MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER, 11 YEARS AGO, TRIED TO TAKE HER LIFE, AND WERE IT NOT FOR THE MIAMI
[01:15:01]
BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT, SHE WOULD HAVE SUCCEEDED.HER HEART STOPPED THREE TIMES BEFORE SHE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S STILL IN THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THAT MIAMI BEACH, WELL, POLICE OFFICERS CAUSE A RUCKUS.
AND THAT'S OFTEN WHAT GETS PUT INTO THE NEWS OR, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN WITH A SLOT TEAM AND DO SOMETHING BIG AND HEROIC.
WHAT OFTEN DOESN'T GET DISCUSSED ENOUGH IS THE KIND OF WORK THAT YOU EXEMPLIFIED.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS, DE-ESCALATION IS A PROCESS, IT'S NOT A RAPID RESPONSE VERB.
AND IN THE JEWISH FAITH WE HAVE AN EXPRESSION, A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE YOU SAVE THE WORLD.
AND MY DAUGHTER, GOD, THANK GOD, AND THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK SHE'S PUT INTO THE PROCESS, IS THRIVING, SHE'LL ALWAYS HAVE.
ISSUES AND I'VE WATCHED THAT PROCESS OF WORK THAT HAPPENS AND IT IS THROUGH PROFESSIONALS LIKE YOU WHO MEET THE PERSON WHERE HE OR SHE IS AND MAKES HIM OR HERSELF AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS BECAUSE YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DRINK SO EVERY TIME YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL YOU GIVE THAT PERSON A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THEIR WAY NOT BACK, BUT FORWARD INTO A DIFFERENT FUTURE, A DIFFERENT PATH.
AND THAT ENTIRE BUTTERFLY EFFECT OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM OR HER, IT'S SO POWERFUL WHAT YOU DO.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR INVESTING, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE INVESTING IN THIS AS WELL, TO TRAIN STAFF AND COLLEAGUES TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE MENTORSHIP TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK.
AND I CANNOT COMMEND YOU ENOUGH FOR IT.
IT IS SO POWERFUL AND IT'S IT'S REALLY YOU KNOW WE SIT UP HERE AND WE ARGUE ABOUT WATER RATES AND ZONING REGULATIONS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES DURING TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS WHO ARE COMMUNITY AND WE REACH OUT FOR EACH OTHER TO CATCH EACH OTHER WHEN THEY STUMBLE AND FALL AS BEST WE CAN AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER WAY OF DOING THAT.
THE TALMUD TELLS US IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE YOU SAVE THE ENTIRE WORLD.
SO YOU LITERALLY SAVE THE WORLD BY YOUR HEROIC EFFORTS.
CASTILLO, THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 15TH, 2026 AS DR.
NOEL CASTILLO DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, ASSISTANT CHIEF DANIEL MORGAN ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M GOING TO EMBARRASS DR.
CASTILLO A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE HE'S EXTREMELY HUMBLE.
AND HE STOOD UP HERE AND HE GAVE EVERYBODY ELSE CREDIT FOR THAT AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND IT DOES TAKE A TEAM, BUT IN EVERY GOOD TEAM, THERE ARE KEY INSTRUMENTAL PEOPLE THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH H&T GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2009 AND 2010, AND NOEL CAME ON THE TEAM WHEN I WAS THERE AS A SERGEANT.
AND WE CAME THROUGH THAT PROCESS TOGETHER, AND WHERE HE AND HIS TEAM NOW HAVE TAKEN THINGS IS A COMPLETELY ANOTHER LEVEL.
THE REFERENCE THAT YOU MADE TO IF YOU SAVE A LIFE, YOU SAVE THE WORLD, I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST A HALF DOZEN LIVES THAT NOEL HAS SAVED IN THE TIME THAT HE'S BEEN PART OF HNT.
AND THE THINGS THAT THEY OVERCAME AS A TEAM DEALING WITH THAT NIGHT, THERE WAS ISSUES WITH RAIN AND WEATHER AND CONCERNS THAT THE PERSON WAS GOING TO SLIP.
SO THERE WAS THE TIME CONSTRAINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THIS DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO HELP THAT PERSON.
SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T INADVERTENTLY FALL WHILE THEY WERE TRYING TO SAVE THIS PERSON'S LIFE.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, A LOT OF COMPLICATING FACTORS THAT HE DIDN'T GO INTO DETAIL IN.
BUT WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND PROUD OF EVERYBODY ON H&T, ESPECIALLY NOEL AND THE JOB THAT HE HAS DONE FOR 15-PLUS YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THAT TEAM.
AND THEY ARE AS COMPETENT AND CAPABLE AS THEY ARE.
IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE WORK THAT NOEL AND EVERYBODY ON THAT TEAM PUTS TOGETHER.
SO THANK YOU, NOEL, ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I GOT EMOTIONAL WATCHING THAT VIDEO, I THINK FOR A NUMBER
[01:20:01]
OF REASONS, BUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES SO MUCH GOOD TO HELP PEOPLE DAY IN AND DAY OUT THAT REALLY JUST DOESN'T GET THE RECOGNITION THAT IT DESERVES.THE SAFETY ASPECT ALSO, BUT LITERALLY DEALING WITH PEOPLE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE, AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS THERE AND DOES GREAT WORK PROFESSIONALLY.
I PROBABLY GOT EMOTIONAL BECAUSE ONE YOU'RE SEEING A LIFE THAT WAS SAVED THAT DAY BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES THANK YOU PA2.
PA2 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, ANDRES ACION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.
[PA 2 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO ANDRES ASION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.]
ANDRES, I WANTED TO CALL YOU UP AFTER THE DR.CASTILLO ITEM SO YOU CAN SEE THE POLICE BECAUSE YOU DO SO MUCH FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I THOUGHT OF DOING THIS MORE RECENTLY, BUT I REALIZED SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY IN MIAMI BEACH, AND YOU ARE SEEN TO BE LIKE IN THE HEART OF A LOT OF IT.
I'LL JUST MENTION A FEW THROUGH YOUR ANDRES ASION FOUNDATION.
YOU RECENTLY DONATED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION E-BIKES.
SO WE HAVE OUR FIRST EVER ELECTRIC BIKE FLEET AS PART OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I GOT TO SEE THEM OUT DURING SPRING BREAK.
THEY GO ABOUT 28 MILES AN HOUR.
THEY'RE HIGHLY VISIBLE, THE POLICE OFFICERS.
THEY ALSO CAN GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE PRETTY QUICKLY WITHOUT ALSO EXPENDING TOO MUCH OF PHYSICAL ENERGY, SO THEY'RE FRESH WHEN THEY GET TO WHEREVER THEY'RE GOING QUICKLY.
SO THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE DONATION FOR YOU THAT YOU DID.
ALSO, IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT YOU DONATED THE CULINARY KITCHEN AT SENIOR HIGH.
WHICH WAS A TREMENDOUS ADDITION TO SENIOR HIGH.
AND YOU WERE, I REMEMBER YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT.
I REMEMBER YOU TALKING ABOUT IT FOR SOME TIME.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST PRESENTED THE PLANS TO ME WHEN IT WAS SORT OF A PICTURESQUE IDEAL, BUT YOU MADE IT HAPPEN.
AND ALSO WENT OUT TO OVERTOWN, THE OVERTOWN YOUTH CENTER.
I MET WITH YOU THERE, A COMMUNITY CENTER FOUNDED BY NBA STAR ALONZO MOURNING, AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING A CONCEPT HERE TO MIAMI BEACH.
I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT TO ME ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
SO OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, BUT I THINK IT BEHOOVED US TO, AND THERE'S OTHERS.
I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT SPRING BREAK AND SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT YOU HAD THAT I WAS TRYING TO BRING TO FRUITION AS WELL, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS AGO, THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE STILL HAVING OUR ISSUES.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SO ENGAGED.
BUT NOT JUST ENGAGED IN A SENSE OF IDEAS, WHICH IT IS, BUT ALSO MONETARY HELP, WHICH YOU'RE PROVIDING THROUGH YOUR FOUNDATION.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT RECOGNITION.
AND HONESTLY, TODAY IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY BECAUSE I LOVE BEING AROUND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO, NUMBER ONE, LOVE OUR CITY, AND NUMBER TWO, LOVE TO SERVE IN OUR CITY.
AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN HERE TODAY, HAS BEEN DOING EXACTLY THAT.
THEY LOVE OUR CITY AND THEY LOVE TO SERVE
[01:25:02]
IN MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SCHOOLS OR THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THROUGH RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OR JUST SOMEBODY WHO STOPS AND JUST WANTS TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE THAT SEES SOMETHING AND WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.AND I'M LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE MY MOTHER PLANTED HER FLAG IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IN 1962, WORKING AS A BEAUTICIAN HERE IN THE CITY MIAMI BEACH.
HE'S BEEN WORKING AS A BEAUTICIAN EVER SINCE THEN, AND MY FATHER AS WELL.
SO I GOT TO ENJOY GOING TO ST.
PATRICK'S AS A CHILD AND GOT TO ENJOY, AND ALSO SAME THING WITH MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, WHO ALSO WENT TO ST.
PATRICK'S GROWING UP HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW'S PARENTS WERE THE BUS SCHOOL DRIVERS IN ST.
PATRICK'S BACK IN THE DAY, 50 YEARS AGO.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS IN SPANISH.
[SPANISH] THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION.
SO, I HAD HEARD OF YOU, ANDRES, BUT I HAD NOT INTERACTED WITH YOU REALLY BEFORE 2023, AND I GOT TO KNOW YOU OVER THAT YEAR.
AND I, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS MOST IMPRESSIVE ABOUT YOU.
BESIDES YOUR PARENTS, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A SECOND, BUT IS THE FACT THAT YOU ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN MAKING THE CITY BETTER IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN.
IN WHATEVER OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF AND YOU ALWAYS PUT YOUR HAND UP AND SAY, I HAVE AN IDEA OR HOW CAN I HELP? AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY SETS THIS COMMUNITY APART AND YOU'RE A GREAT AMBASSADOR ABOUT THAT, TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW IT MEANS A LOT TO YOU AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT.
AND TO YOUR PARENTS, [SPANISH] DID I GET THAT RIGHT? YES, YOU DID.
JUST IN CASE, NONE OF US POP ONTO THE SCENE FULLY FORMED, AND SO I WANTED TO THANK MR. AND MRS. ACION FOR HAVING DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR SON BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE IS A REFLECTION OF HIS PARENTS, AND THEY DID A HECK OF A GOOD JOB.
ANDRES, YOU LOVE THIS CITY AND IT SHOWS AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED HOW YOU RAISE YOUR HAND TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP THE CITY BUT YOU FIND FUNDS FROM YOUR FOUNDATION TO MAKE SURE THE POLICE HAS WHAT THEY NEED BUT IT GOES EVEN BEYOND THAT.
YOU GIVE TURKEYS TO THE SENIORS AND HAVE ALSO DONATED OTHER THINGS AND THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL.
IT SHOWS ON WHO YOU ARE AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL SAY IT TO YOUR PARENTS IN SPANISH.
[01:30:01]
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND I WANT AS A CUBAN-AMERICAN AND AS A YOUNG MEMBER OF WELL I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF I'M YOUNG ANYMORE NOT AFTER ALL THESE GREATS HAVE GROWN OVER HERE BUT AS A CUBAN-AMERICAN I'LL JUST KEEP IT AS AT THAT HAS A FELLOW CUBAN-AMERICAN AND THERE'S I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU BRING SUCH GREAT HONOR TO TO US.OUR PARENTS WERE EMBRACED BY THIS COUNTRY, AND YOU FOUND EVERY AVENUE THROUGH WHICH YOU CAN.
NUMBER ONE, TO ALWAYS SERVE GOD.
TO SERVE OTHERS, BUT ALSO TO BRING HONOR TO OUR HERITAGE AND TO LIVE TRUE TO THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE INHERITED FROM THEM.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GREATLY VALUABLE AND THAT WE NEED TO CELEBRATE, AND THAT HOPEFULLY THOSE WHO COME AFTER US KEEP ON UPHOLDING THOSE VALUES BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NEW GENERATION THAT'S COMING FORWARD.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO PASS ALONG THOSE SAME VALUES TO THAT BEAUTIFUL NEW GENERATION THAT WILL FOLLOW.
[SPANISH] CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHO HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT IN HELPING SO MANY CAUSES, ESPECIALLY THE CULINARY PROGRAM.
AND I KNOW THAT ROBIN AND ALFREDO ARE HERE AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEM TO BEING HERE AND SUPPORTING.
TA6, TA6, PROCLAMATION, PUERTO SAGUARO RESTAURANT, 63 YEARS OF EXCELLENT DELECTABLE
[01:35:01]
SERVICE.[PA 6 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING PUERTO SAGUA RESTAURANT FOR 63 YEARS OF EXCELLENT AND DELECTABLE SERVICE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.]
FROM PUERTO SAGUARO.OKAY, THE NEXT RECOGNITION WILL BE FOR PUERTO SAGUA.
WELL I AM VERY HAPPY TO GIVE THIS PROCLAMATION.
IN PUERTO SALGUAS DO YOU GUYS SPEAK ENGLISH? SI? OKAY.
SO I'VE SPENT YEARS GOING TO PUERTO SAGUARO RESTAURANT AND IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVEN WITH MARK WE HAD ONE OF OUR EARLY DATES THERE SO I SAY I [SPANISH] PUERTO SAGUARO RESTAURANT HAS BEEN A BELOVED MIAMI BEACH INSTITUTION SINCE 1962, SERVING GENERATIONS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH AUTHENTIC CUBAN CUISINE OR WARM HOSPITALITY AND A SPIRIT THAT REFLECTS THE CULTURAL RICHNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR MORE THAN SIX DECADES, PUERTO SAGUA HAS STOOD AS A LANDMARK ON COLLINS AVENUE, OFFERING NOT ONLY EXCEPTIONAL FOOD, BUT ALSO A GATHERING PLACE WHERE FAMILIES, ARTISTS, WORKERS, AND TRAVELERS COME TOGETHER TO SHARE STORIES, TRADITIONS, AND UNMISTAKABLE FLAVOR IN MIAMI BEACH.
THE RESTAURANT'S ENDURING PRESENCE HAS...
CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE CULTURAL AND CULINARY IDENTITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
PUERTO SAGUA HAS DEMONSTRATED A REMARKABLE RESILIENCE THROUGH YEARS OF REMAINING A PILLAR OF STABILITY.
SO TODAY, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, WHO HAIL FROM MATANZAS, CUBA, AND HAVE OWNED AN OPTION.
[SPANISH] PROUD OF WHAT MY FAMILY HAS ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE ARE PART OF THE INNER FIBER OF MIAMI BEACH.
I GREW UP RUNNING IN THE ALLEYS, YOU KNOW, SLEEPING UNDER THE TABLES LATE AT NIGHT.
CUSTOMERS WHO RECOGNIZED ME WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY RUNNING BEHIND THE COUNTER.
THE RESTAURANT HAS BECOME A FAMILY.
CUSTOMERS THAT YOU SEE FOR 20 YEARS IS NO LONGER A CUSTOMER.
I THANK YOU BECAUSE THE RECOGNITION THAT NOT I, BUT MY FAMILY IS ACCEPTING ON BEHALF OF MIAMI BEACH.
YOU GUYS AS A FAMILY THAT OWNS PUERTO SAGUA, FOR THE TRADITION THAT YOU GUYS KEEP ALIVE IN THE HEART OF OUR DECO DISTRICT, PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD, WHEN THEY COME HERE AND THEY ASK, WELL, SHOULD WE GO TO VERSAILLES FOR CUBAN FOOD? IT'S LIKE, NOPE, YOU GO TO PUERTO SAGUA.
THEY HAVE THE BEST CHULETAS, DON'T THEY? THEY'RE AT PUERTO SAGUA.
WHEN MY MOM ARRIVED TO THE UNITED STATES FROM CUBA, ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT MY UNCLE AT THE TIME TOOK HER TO WAS PUERTO SAGUA.
SO FOR MY FAMILY IT HAS IT HAS DEEP MEANING AND NOW WHENEVER
[01:40:01]
ROBERT AND I TRAVEL AND WE GET BACK TO THE UNITED STATES OUR FIRST STOP IS TO GET OUR CROQUETA PREPARADA AND OUR SOPA DE POLLO AT PUERTO SAGUA.SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S BEEN LITERALLY A TEAM EFFORT.
AND WE'RE A FAMILY THAT STICK TOGETHER.
EVERYTHING, MY FATHER, MY GRANDFATHER, MY UNCLE, MY KIDS, MY WIFE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL, WE JUST COMMITTED TO THE LITTLE CORNER THAT HAS BECOME A WORLD.
PA-12, PROCLAMATION MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENT ENZO AVELLINO AND SAMUEL LADONA.
SO TODAY WE'VE HAD, WE'VE SEEN, I'M SORRY.
[PA 12 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENZO AVELINO AND SAMUEL LODONO.]
SEE, THERE'S SO MUCH EXCITEMENT WITH YOU UP HERE.SO WE'VE SEEN TODAY, WE'VE HONORED OUR SENIORS, WE'VE HONORED OUR TEACHERS.
THE HEROISM THAT YOU BOTH SHOWED.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE HARDWORKING.
I ACTUALLY, I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TEE IT UP BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SAY WHAT, AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS YOU WANT TO SAY, BUT I JUST WANT TO TEE IT UP.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE RESIDENTS OF NORTH BEACH HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND YOU HAVE A VERY HARD WORK ETHIC.
YOU WORK, RIGHT, IN LANDSCAPING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, ONE NIGHT DURING THE...
LAST MONTH THERE WAS A TRAGIC BOATING ACCIDENT.
THERE WAS A SURVIVOR, BUT YOU, MANY PEOPLE COULD HAVE REACTED VERY DIFFERENTLY, COULD HAVE LEFT, WALKED AWAY, BEEN IN FEAR.
AND THERE WERE EYEWITNESSES WHO SAW THE HEROISM THAT YOU SHOWED IN CONTACTING EMERGING PERSONNEL, TALKING THEM THROUGH IT.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO RONNIE ISSENBERG, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT.
OF THE HOA AT BISCAYNE POINT FOR ALERTING ME TO THE WORK THAT YOU DID THAT NIGHT.
AND I SAY IT'S WORK BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOB THAT YOU DID.
BUT PLEASE, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND WHAT YOU SHARE WITH US, LIKE WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD AND WHAT BRINGS OUT.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY, BUT...
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT? I DO.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS A TRAGIC THING THAT HAPPENED.
I FEEL LIKE IT WAS A CASE OF RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE REALLY DID THAT MUCH, BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY GOT THERE IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES.
SO WE WERE THERE WORKING LATE.
AND THEN WE STARTED HEARING...
WHAT TIME WAS IT? IT WAS 7.30 TO 8.
AND WE STARTED HEARING SOMEONE YELLING IN THE WATER.
AND WE THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS SOMEONE JOKING AROUND, LIKE PLAYING A PRANK.
WE STARTED HEARING THEM LIKE THE YELLS GOT MORE SERIOUS AND MORE SERIOUS AND HE WAS SCREAMING FOR HELP.
SO WE CALLED THE COPS AND I WAS YELLING AT HIM TO FLOAT IN THE WATER.
[01:45:01]
AND WENT OUT IN THE WATER TO THEM.SO YOU WERE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH HIM? AND HE WAS LIKE 14, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
[SPANISH] YOU KNOW, YOU OFTEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET TO MY AGE AND ABOVE, YOU SOMETIMES HEAR PEOPLE SAY, IS THE NEXT GENERATION OR NEXT GENERATION AFTER THAT? AND I HAVE AN 18-YEAR-OLD SON AND A 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
AND YOU SAY, IS THE NEXT GENERATION READY TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE? CAN THEY DO THE THINGS THAT THE PRIOR GENERATIONS DID? AND I THINK SO, AND I'LL TELL YOU, THE TWO OF YOU ARE PERFECT EXAMPLES OF ABSOLUTELY YES.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION HOLDS.
SO NOW I GET TO READ THE BEST PART OF IT.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 15TH, 2026 AS ENZO AVELLINO AND SAMUEL LONDONO DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
[01:51:02]
PA9.CRISTINA UGALDEZ, CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY.
UGALDE, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR BEING A FINALIST IN THE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AWARDS WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I KNOW TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE CEREMONY.
WE'LL FIND OUT WHO THE WINNER IS.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ONE OF THE FINALISTS OF, I THINK IT'S 350 PRINCIPALS, AND YOU'RE ONE
[PA 9 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO DR. CRISTINA ULGADE IN RECOGNITION OF HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, INCLUSION, AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.]
OF FIVE FINALISTS.SO THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE.
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS HERE AND OUR CHILDREN AND ALSO THE ADULTS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU HEAD UP THE ADULT PROGRAM AT FEINBERG FISHER.
SO REALLY QUICKLY, I'D LIKE TO READ THAT YOU'RE THE PRINCIPAL OF THE MIAMI BEACH ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER, AND YOU'VE BEEN NAMED PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALIST, WHICH, AGAIN, WE'LL FIND OUT TOMORROW.
AND YOU HAVE BROADENED THE LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNIDAD.
OF MIAMI BEACH, ELEVATING AND CELEBRATING SENIOR LEARNERS, INCLUDING SHOWCASING THEIR ARTWORK DURING ART BASEL.
AND LEADERS LIKE YOU STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY BY FOSTERING CONNECTION, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY, AND CHAMPIONING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION WITH YOUR EXEMPLARY SERVICE CONTINUES TO UPLIFT RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES ACROSS THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
I'LL BE THERE TOMORROW, AND I WILL BE THERE CELEBRATING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR ITS RESIDENTS, ITS ADULTS, ITS CHILDREN.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 15, 2026, AS DR.
CRISTINA UGALDEZE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOME WORDS? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO WORK IN PARADISE.
THEY SAY THAT WHEN YOU FIND THE RIGHT PLACE, YOU DON'T WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I FIND IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
MY STUDENTS AGE BETWEEN 16 TO 100.
AND I CURRENTLY EVEN HAVE A STUDENT RIGHT NOW THAT'S 85 LEARNING ENGLISH VERY PROUDLY, SO SHE CAN HELP HER GRANDCHILD WITH HOMEWORK.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR ADULTS WITH UNIQUE ABILITIES WHERE WE PROVIDE PRE-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS AND THAT PROGRAM IS IN ITS INFANCY ONLY TWO YEARS OLD YET IT HAS A WAIT LIST OF WELL OVER 20 STUDENTS AND WE WERE BY PARENT TO PARENT RECOGNIZED THIS YEAR WITH THE IMPACT AWARD.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. CARMEN PARDINAS BECAUSE SHE IS OUR COORDINATOR AND SHE IS A RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH SO SHE TAKES THIS JOB VERY VERY TO HEART WITH THE PROGRAM AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED.
WE DO HAVE OUR SENIOR LEARNERS PROGRAM AT UNIDAD AND THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL.
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE WE LOVE TO SEE OUR SENIOR LEARNERS COME OUT.
THEY DO FLAMENCO, THEY DO ARTWORK, AS WELL AS SINCE WE ARE AT FEINBERG, OUR ENGLISH CLASSES, WE HAVE CLASSES FROM 9.30 IN THE MORNING ALL THE WAY TO 9 P.M.
BECAUSE THE PARENTS GO, THEY DROP OFF THEIR CHILDREN, THEY COME TO OUR SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO IT'S A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THEIR HOTELS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE ADULTS THAT COME HERE NEED A GED TO BE ABLE TO PROGRESS IN EMPLOYMENT.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST THEM WITH THAT AND MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NOW GET MANAGEMENT POSITIONS INSTEAD OF JUST OTHER POSITIONS.
SO WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CITY YOU GUYS HAVE PROVIDED THE LAST FIVE YEARS WELL OVER $60,000 IN SCHOLARSHIP FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR STUDENTS WHICH HAS REMOVED THE BARRIER.
SO THAT THEY CAN GET EDUCATION
[01:55:01]
AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR LIFE.THIS HONOR FOR ME IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT HONESTLY, EVERY GREAT LEADER KNOWS YOU CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT A VILLAGE.
AND MY VICE PRINCIPAL, MS. HERRERA, IS HERE.
MY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MS. MENDEZ, IS HERE.
AND MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, CARLA, IS HERE.
SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE HONORING, BUT HONESTLY, THIS GOES TO EVERYBODY.
PA7 PROCLAMATION, LA SANGUE TV, LOCAL STAPLE FOR YEARS OF SERVICE.
REMEMBER WHAT I SAID STARTING OFF, LAST BUT DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY NOT LEAST.
WELL, I'M VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I WILL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LA SANDWICHERIE AND YOUR HISTORY.
I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD PARTIES WHERE THEY WERE CATERED BY LA SANDWICHERIE.
[PA 7 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING LA SANDWICHERIE FOR 38 YEARS OF EXCELLENT AND DELECTABLE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.]
I'VE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.AND SOMETIMES HERE IN THE CITY WE ORDER FROM LA SANDWICHERIE, AND IT'S JUST A NICE STAPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FIRST OPENED ITS SIGNATURE WALK-UP COUNTER ON MIAMI BEACH IN 1988 BY IMMIGRANTS FRANZ AND ELISE LE FORESTIER FROM PARIS, FRANCE AS THEIR PASSION PROJECT, INTRODUCING A UNIQUE BLEND OF FRENCH FLAIR, FRESH INGREDIENTS, AND UNMISTAKABLE MIAMI ENERGY THAT HAS SINCE BECOME THE DEFINING PART OF THE CITY'S CULINARY LANDSCAPE.
FOR DECADES, LA SANDWICHERIE HAS SERVED AS A BELOVED NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHOR.
WELCOMING EARLY MORNING COMMUTERS, BEACHGOERS, HOSPITALITY WORKERS, AND LATE-NIGHT ADVENTURES WITH THE SAME FRIENDLY SPIRIT AND CONSISTENTLY DELICIOUS FLAIR.
THE RESTAURANT'S COMMITMENT TO FRESHNESS, CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND ITS NOW LEGENDARY VINAIGRETTE HAS EARNED IT A DEVOTED FOLLOWING, TRANSFORMING SIMPLE SANDWICHES INTO A CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE RECOGNIZED FAR BEYOND THE BORDERS OF MIAMI BEACH IN NORTH BEACH, SUNNY ISLES, WYNWOOD, AND BRICKELL.
LA SOMMATERIE HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE CHARACTER OF SOUTH BEACH, OFFERING A CASUAL, OPEN-AIR EXPERIENCE. THE ESTABLISHMENT'S LONGEVITY AND CONTINUED SUCCESS, DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO THE LABOR OF LOVE OF THE LA FORESTIER FAMILY, STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO ITS DEDICATION TO QUALITY, ITS HARD-WORKING STAFF, AND ITS ABILITY TO EVOLVE WHILE PRESERVING THE AUTHENTICITY.
THAT GENERATIONS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS HAVE COME TO CHERISH. SO WE'RE RECOGNIZING A CELEBRATED LOCAL FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS HERE.
AND TODAY, NOW DO WE, THEREFORE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, PROCLAIM APRIL 15, 2026 AS LHASA MWIT'CHIRI DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. I
[02:00:04]
BRING MY SON TO IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S REALLY AN HONOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR MENNER. THANK YOU. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SPEECH WITH THE MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORDS FOR THAT. I'M VERY IMPRESSED.IT'S A PLEASURE AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND I'LL GO DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. I KNOW COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ WAS SAYING, LA SOMMATUREE IS MAKING ME HUNGRY. EACH TIME I PREPARE FOOD FOR YOU, I PUT YOUR BEAUTIFUL NAME ON THE PAPER EACH TIME.
LAURA, STEVEN, JOSETTE, ALL THE NAMES ON THE WRAP. YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNEW YOU COULD BE THE LAST ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE OPEN TO 5 A.M. YOU'RE OPEN LATE. WE DON'T HAVE THE KEY OF THE DOOR BECAUSE WE OPEN 24 HOURS. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR FRENCH COMMUNITY IS GROWING HERE, RESIDENCE-WISE AND BUSINESS-WISE, AND YOU'VE BEEN A STAPLE, SO THANK YOU. KEEP IT UP. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO THAT'S ALL OUR ITEMS FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR STICKING IT OUT ALL NIGHT.
TO DAVID MARTINEZ, WE DIDN'T TEST YOU TONIGHT, BUT WE'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME.
GEE, YOU HAVE SO MANY RESTAURANTS TO GO TO. THAT'S RIGHT. A LOT OF CHOICES.
MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.