west park news march 2013

Every four years, theworld’s attention turnsto the summerOlympic Games. For afew days, men, andwomen from aroundthe globe gather tocompete against the

best. Amazing records are broken, andnew ones are set at these games. Just afew decades ago, track-and-fieldexperts proudly declared that no runnercould break the four-minute-mile barri-er. It was said that a human being couldnot run that distance that fast. "Experts"conducted all sorts of profound studiesto show it was impossible to beat thefour-minute barrier, and for years, theywere right. Nobody ever ran a mile inless than four minutes but one-day ayoung man came along who did notbelieve the experts’ opinions. He didnot dwell on the impossibilities. Herefused to let all those negative wordsform a stronghold in his mind. Hebegan to train, believing he was goingto break that record. Sure enough, hewent out one-day and broke the four-minute-mile barrier. He did what theexperts said could not be done. Hisname was Roger Bannister, and hemade sports history. Now here is whatis so interesting about the RogerBannister story. Within a month, theAustralian runner John Landy had bro-ken Bannister’s record, but Bannisterhad the satisfaction of beating Landy atthat summer’s British Empire Games inVancouver. In a race billed as "TheMile of the Century," both runners beatthe four-minute time, but Bannistercame in first at 3:58.8 to Landy’s3:59.6. Within 10 years after RogerBannister broke that record, 336 otherrunners had broken the four-minute-mile record as well! Think about that.For hundreds of years, as far back as

statisticians kept track-and-fieldrecords, nobody ran a mile in less thanfour minutes; then, within a decade,more than three hundred people fromvarious geographic locations were ableto do it. What happened? Simple, thebarrier to running a four-minute milewas in the athletes’ minds. For all thoseyears, runners believed what the expertswere saying. They were convinced thatit was impossible to run a mile in lessthan four minutes. ROBER BANNIS-TER IGNORED THE BARRIERS …In life there are statements that canencourage and statements that discour-age, I call them “basement and balconystatements.” Basement statements arethe discouraging reports that cause us toquestion our ability. They may beaccounts from our past, or present, butthe words go with us everywhere we go.They are the negative thoughts thatinfluence in our lives and the words gosomething like this: "You can't do that.""That's a stupid thing to do." "When are

you going to get it right?" "You willnever get it right." "You will neveramount to anything." Basement state-ments divert us from our hopes anddreams. They constantly point out whatis wrong, rather than what is right. Incontrast to them are the "BalconyStatements." They are reports full ofencouragement and cheer us on. Theyencourage us to be courageous anddetermined. They thoughts that settle inthe balcony of our minds like a hometeam cheering section, saying, "You cando it." "We believe in you." "You arespecial to us." Balcony Statements arethe great encouragers in our lives, andwe all need them! As a city we have hadboth. The question we had to answerwas will we be guided by statementsfrom the basement or statements fromthe balcony. Will we be a basement orbalcony guided City? The choice was

www.communitynewspapers.com 305-669-7355MARCH 2013

YOU WIN OR LOSE BASED ON WHAT YOU CHOOSE

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WHO’S WHOIn City Government

MayorEric H. Jones, Jr.

Vice MayorFelicia M.Brunson

CommissionerThomas Dorsett

CommissionerSharon Fyffe

CommissionerRita “Peaches”

Mack

City ManagerW. AjibolaBalogun

––––––––––See WIN OR LOSE, page 3

By Mayor Eric H. Jones Jr.

Broward County Vice Mayor Barbara Sharief presented a $2,000.00Grant Check to the City of West Park for the City’s Holiday Events.

COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM March 2013

ours to make. Years ago I picked up apoem named "The Choice." I do notknow where I got it nor the author, butit illustrates the importance of buildingup. This poem raises the question ofwhether we will "tear down or buildup."

"I watched some men tearing abuilding down, a group of men in

my home town. With a heave and a ho and a

mighty yell, They swung the balland a side wall fell.

And I said to the foreman, "Arethese men skilled, the type you’d

hire if you want to build?"And he smiled, then laughed andsaid, "No indeed, common laborer

is all I need. For we can tear down in a day or

two, what it took a builder years to do."

As I turned, I shook my head, Iknew there was truth in what he

said.

And I thought to myself as Iwalked away, which of these roles

am I going to play?

Am I a builder as I work with care, measuring life by the rule and

square? Am I shaping my deeds to a well-laid plan, carefully doing the best I

can? Or am I a wrecker as I walk the

town, content with the labor of tearing

down?”

There are many signs that attest to thefact that we live in a Balcony City. Letus continue moving forward as webuild for the future. As we prepare forSpring, remember that it teaches us oneon many things and that is, “whatappears lifeless on the surface is stillalive beneath and when the conditionsare right the life will reappear on thesurface

GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR CITY AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

March 2013 COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM

WIN OR LOSE, from page 1 –––––––––––

By Vice Mayor Felicia M.Brunson

Visions of Images,Inc. will present OneCommunity, OneCause- Walking forCures taking place at

McTyre Park located 3501 SW 56thAve in West Park on Friday, April 12thbeginning at 7pm thru Saturday, April13th at 7am. Unlike any other event,the 12-hour One Community, OneCause- Walking for Cures event willbring people together in a healthy envi-ronment for a worthy goal- toEmpower, Educate, Advocate andFUNDRAISE for the following:Alzheimer’s, Autism, Cancer,Diabetes, Heart disease, HIV/AIDS,and Sickle Cell Anemia. The One Community, One Cause-

Walking for Cures will be fun for fam-ilies and will build camaraderie amongsurrounding communities. It will pro-vide hope, empowerment and a sense ofcommunity. Participation will showyour commitment to the larger scalemovement to conquer Alzheimer’s,Autism, Cancer, Diabetes, Heart dis-ease, HIV/AIDS, and Sickle CellAnemia. Funds raised will supportresearch that will help those living withthe above ailments to look forward tolonger, healthier lives.In honor of your battle, we invite

those survivors and their caregivers tojoin us in celebration of survivorship bywalking the first lap of the OneCommunity, One Cause- Walking forCures. Your strength and courage are apersonal testimony of the progress weare making in our fight. One person,hand in hand with another, can make adifference. When the sun goes down, hundreds of

L.I.F.E. (Love Is For Everyone) bagswill light the way under the stars, and amoment of silence falls during theCeremony of L.I.F.E. Each bag willrepresent a person with a name and astory to tell. We invite you to partici-pate in this moving ceremony as wegather to remember those lost, supportthose fighting, and rejoice with thosewho have fought the disease and won. Here are the facts.... Diabetes: Each

year more than 15,000 children and15,000 adults - approximately 80 peo-ple per day will be diagnosed with type

1 diabetes. AIDS: In Broward countyalone 1 in 30 are living withHIV/AIDS. One in 216 are white, 1 in50 are black and 1 in 190 are Hispanic.South Broward County has the highestaccounts of HIV/AIDS. Autism: Itaffects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54boys. More children will be diagnosedwith autism this year than AIDS, dia-betes and cancer combined. Heart dis-ease: Someone has a heart attack every34 seconds and every minute someonedies from a heart disease related event.It is the leading cause of deaths forBlacks and Hispanics. Sickle Cell:Nearly 100,000 people live with sicklecell. One out of every 500 AfricanAmerican births and 1 out of every36,000 Hispanic births have sickle cell.Alzheimers: Today, 5.4 millionAmericans are living with Alzheimer’sdisease– 5.2 million aged 65 and over,and 200,000 under the age of 65.Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leadingcause of death in the United States andevery 68 seconds someone developsAlzheimer’s. And we all know thealarming facts about Cancer… Thisyear 564,830 Americans are expectedto die of cancer, that’s more than 1,500people a day. Cancer is the secondmost common cause of death in the US,exceeded only by heart disease. In theUS, cancer accounts for 1 of every 4deaths. Formed in 2005, Visions of Images,

Inc. is a non-profit organization thatcontinues to advance the cause of beinga caring corporation that volunteersinvaluable services, initiatives andopportunities that are directed towardnurturing people from all walks of life.Visions of Images, Inc. is proud to

bring the One Community, One Cause-Walking for Cures event to McTyrePark as its inaugural event. Everyonehas a reason to walk- which one isyours?For sponsorship, L.I.F.E. Bags, sur-

vivor registration, vendor, volunteer orgeneral event info please call (954)963-9687 or log on to www.vision-sofimages.org.Remember to contact me at City Hall

with your ideas, suggestions or con-cerns. I represent you and appreciateyour input into the continued success ofour beloved city. I can be reached at(954) 889-4164 or [email protected].


One Community, One Cause-Walking for Cures!

By Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson

Sergeant Nelson received numerousmedals, two Purple hearts and theArmy Commendation Medal for Valor.He was honorably discharged in 1968.He married Frankie Whiting in 1973and today has four children and tengrandchildren. After thirty one years of working at

the Post office, Sergeant Nelsonretired. He is a current member of theVeterans for Foreign Wars Post 8195.His hobbies are golfing and fishing. In 1942, Corporal JCHardemon

joined the 92nd Buffalo SoldierInfantry Division during World War II.This division was re-activated for dutyless than a year after Pearl Harbor andwas made up almost entirely of Blacksoldiers from the south. Although hisbirth name is JC, the military changedit to James Charles. Corporal Hardemon’s military tour

included Casablanca, Africa, Rome,Italy and Germany. On the day theGermans surrendered, the 92ndDivision had lost almost one-fourth ofits men through causalities. Threehundred and thirty had been killed inaction, 2,215 wounded and 616 weremissing in action. Corporal Hardemonreceived an Honorable Discharge onJanuary 20, 1946. After his discharge, JC purchased 40

acres of farm land southeast of Plains,GA and donated 5 acres to his familyto build a church. In 1949, he met andmarried the now deceased CarriePierce. Wanting a better life for hiswife and children, he moved to

Broward County in 1955. In 1957, JC became a Deacon at

Gethsemane Missionary BaptistChurch in West Park. Today he is stilla Deacon there and attends the WestPark Senior Citizen program every daywhere he was crowned “King” at theirannual Prom. At 91 years old, he stilltakes brief walks and loves to dance. Sergeant Marvin Price was born in a

little town in South Georgia known asMarlow. In June of 1968 he joined theUnited States Air Force. He has servedin Japan, Korea and Alabama as aCrew Chief (Jet Engine Mechanic) onF-4 Fighter Jet plans that flew Sortiesinto Vietnam. He was honorably dis-charged in October 1974.In January 1972, he moved to West

Park where he has been President ofthe Carver Ranches HomeownersAssociation for the past 14 years. He isalso a member of the Veterans ofForeign Wars Post 8195 and has heldnumerous positions. Sergeant Pricemarried Betty Young and has beenblessed with two children and onegrandchild. Today he enjoys his retirement by

volunteering with the senior citizens inWest Park, golfing, fishing and travel-ling. Congratulations to our three unsung

military heroes of West Park!Remember to contact me at City Hall

with your ideas, suggestions or con-cerns. I represent you and appreciateyour input into the continued successof our beloved city. I can be reached at(954) 889-4164 or [email protected].

Honoring our own unsungmilitary heroes

On Saturday, February 9th, the Charmettes Incorporated of Broward Countyheld their Third Annual Cancer Research and Scholarship Fundraiser- A SupperClub Gala. The theme was “Honoring our Unsung Military Heroes.” Three of

West Park’s own were honored: Sergeant Vernon Nelson, Corporal JCHardemon and Sergeant Marvin Price.

Left to Right (Sergeant Vernon Nelson, Corporal JC Hardemo, and Sergeant Marvin Price)


Hello Neighbors, I am sitting in my office listening to therain pouring down outside. Hooray,Yippee, finally we are getting a muchneeded downpour. Soon the days willheat up, we will close the windows andturn on the AC. At this time of season,FPL does their FREE Ceiling InsulationProgram. FPL will come to your houseand insulate your attic to keep your ceil-ings cool and save energy and money. Ifyou wish to participate in this FPL pro-gram, call Mr. Hamilton Hernandez at305-206-8958 or email him [email protected].

Last night the City of West Park’sGreen City Advisory Committee met fortheir February meeting. I would like tointroduce you to three members of theCity’s Green City Advisory Committee,Chair, Mr. Bill Moritz from the MiamiGardens area, Ms. Karen Goldstein fromthe Lake Forest area, and Ms. CristinaEveillard also from the Miami Gardensarea. Not Pictured in the photo below isCommittee member Ms. Marie Davisfrom the Lake Forest area. (PicturedBelow)

These residents are working to bring toour City various programs that can helpconserve water, save energy, promoterecycling, and much more. You are wel-come and encouraged to participate &attend one of the Green AdvisoryCommittee meetings.

They meet every second Thursday ofevery month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. On March 23, 2013 at 8:30 p.m. theCommittee will celebrate “Earth Hour”,which is an annual global event wherehundreds of millions of households, along

with businesses and municipalities fromall over the world will participate by turn-ing off their lights for one hour, from 8:30to 9:00 p.m. Please join us in celebratingEarth Hour this year. Then on April 22, 2013 the Committeewill celebrate Earth Day. “Ever wonder how Earth Day started?The observance arose in 1970 from aninterest in gathering national support forenvironmental issues. San Franciscoactivist John McConnell and WisconsinSenator Gaylord Nelson separately askedAmericans to join in a grassroots demon-stration. McConnell chose the springequinox (March 21st) and GaylordNelson chose March 22nd. Millions ofpeople participated and today Earth Daycontinues to be widely celebrated withevents on both dates. The most commonpractice of celebration is to plant newtrees.”The City of West Park each year sched-ules an event to celebrate Earth Day. Thisyear it will be a Fair on the front lawn ofCity Hall. Come one, come all. There willbe booths and give-a-ways by many ofthe businesses in our city. Waste Pro Manwill be there. Event date & time will beannounced in our CommunityNewspaper.

NOTICE: If you are planning on plant-ing a vegetable garden this season, ourlocal businesses just received their dis-plays of garden seeds. It’s a good time tograb what you need before they are gone.We are looking for residents to partici-pate on the Committee for the 2014 MLKEvent. The MLK Committee meets onSaturday morning at 9:00 a.m. for onehour. We need help to plan the parade,the ceremony, the services and the youthnight.

From the Desk ofCommissioner Fyffe


The City of West Park will receive sealed proposals until 3:00P.M. local time, Monday, March 18, 2013 at the City Clerk'soffice, City of West Park City Hall, 1965 South State Road 7,West Park, Florida 33023, for the following project:McTyre Park Parking Lot Drainage Improvements3501 SW 56th AvenueWest Park, Florida 33023

Notice Of Bid InvitationCity Of West ParkBid No.: 13-0318

The project consists of removal andreconstruction of existing parking lotfor drainage improvements. The newpavements will include parking lot,emergency access entrance; relocationof entrance, two roundabouts, land-scape, electrical and other incidentalitems. The project will impact the west-ern 1.1 acres (approximately) ofMcTyre Park and is located east of SW56th Avenue.This is a federally funded project for

the 37th year Community DevelopmentBlock Grant (CDBG) funding by theDepartment of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD). All HUD Federalrules and regulations pertaining to thisproject are applicable. Federal Davis-Bacon Wage Rates for work classifica-tions are specified and must be com-plied with. Fringe benefits must beadded to the prevailing hourly rateswhere applicable.Bidders must comply with Section 3

of the Housing and Urban DevelopmentAct of 1968 which requires that eco-nomic opportunities to the greatestextent feasible be given to low and verylow income persons and to businessesthat provide economic opportunities forthese persons. The City encourageslocal general contractors and irrigationcompanies who reside and/or do busi-ness within the City of West Park toparticipate in the bidding process.Bids will be opened publicly at or

shortly after 3:05 P.M. on Monday,March 18, 2013 at the City of West ParkCity Hall, City Commission Chambers,

located at 1965 South State Road 7,West Park, Florida 33023.Bid documents (plans and project

manual) may be obtained fromwww.demandstar.com or from thecity’s website www.cityofwestpark.orgor from City Hall on or after Tuesday,February 26, 2013. The City of WestPark’s City Hall is located at 1965South State Road 7, West Park, FL33023. A non-refundable deposit of$100.00 per set of plans and specifica-tions is required for bid documentspicked up at City Hall.The bid will be awarded to the lowest

responsible responsive bidder. If, how-ever, the City Manager deems it to be inthe best interest of the City of WestPark, the City Manager reserves theright to reject any and all bids, to waiveany informalities or minor defects inany bids, and to increase or decrease thequantities shown in the Bid Form. Bids,which contain irregularities of any kind,may be rejected as informal.A mandatory pre-bid conference will

be held at City of West Park City Hall,City Commission Chamber, 1965 SouthState Road 7, West Park, Florida 33023,at 11:00 AM, local time on Tuesday,March 12, 2013. All interested contrac-tors are invited to attend.The City of West Park is an Equal

Opportunity Employer and encouragesthe participation of certified CountyBusiness Enterprise (CBE) contractors.

Sarai LobainaCity Clerk

Storm Drain CleaningAs part of the City of West Park’s ongoing commitment to manage the

stormwater by improving the quality of our surface water while controllingflooding, the City has secured the services of Envirowaste Services Group toprovide storm drainage system cleaning services. With over 15 years of expe-rience throughout the state of Florida, Envirowaste is now servicing the Citywith the latest and most advance storm drain cleaning equipment and methodsavailable. They will continue servicing our stormwater system throughout theMiami Gardens, Carver Ranches and Lake Forrest communities. If you have any questions about our storm drain cleaning program or if you

think the drainage structure on your street needs cleaning, please call Mr. DanMillien, Superintendent of Public Works at 954-964-0284.

Storm DrainCleaning


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WEST PARK CITY EVENTS


WEST PARK CITY EVENTSThe City’s recent “Extreme Mailbox Makeover” program was agreat success. Congratulations to the recipients of the second setof new mailboxes awarded from the “Extreme MailboxMakeover” contest. During the City Commission Meeting inWednesday, February 20, 2013, the Commission awarded the last

set of mailboxes from the “Extreme Mailbox Makeover program.The installation of the mailboxes at the homes of the awardedrecipients commenced on Thursday, February 28, 2013. The pro-gram was funded from a Home Depot Foundation grant that wasawarded to the City for a community beautification initiative.


The City continues to make greatstrides in ways to improve facilities andservices for its residents. In our latestefforts and with the generous grantaward from the Health Foundation ofSouth Florida, we have added fitnesszones to McTyre and Mary SaundersParks. The project has also allowed forthe addition of an ADA compliantwater fountain and walking/exercisetrail to Mary Saunders Park. With more than $90 million grant

making dollars provided in Miami-Dade, Broward, & Monroe Countiessince its inception in 1993, The HealthFoundation of South Florida workedwith the City to help prevent diseaseand improve health by providing fund-ing for fitness equipment at the City’sparks. The project provides needed enhance-

ments to both parks and is intended toincrease the participation of childrenand adults alike. The project entailed

the excavation of a trail that surroundsthe playing fields within the perimeterboundaries of the park offering partici-pants of all ages (children, adults, &seniors) the opportunity to enjoy thetrail with full connectivity within thepark itself. The fitness zones offer thestrength and conditioning necessary tobuild strong bones and healthy jointsfor all those who utilize the equipment.The ADA compliant water fountainallows for the necessary accommoda-tions to all park patrons to alleviate therisk of dehydration. A City Commission ribbon-cutting

event has been scheduled to take placeat Mary Saunders Park (4750 SW 21Street, West Park, FL 33023) onSaturday, March 23, 2013 beginning at10:00am with all members of the com-munity welcome to attend. During theevent, certified trainers of FIT CAMPwho will review the proper technique ofhow to use each piece of equipment.

The City and the HealthFoundation of South Florida

Installed Fitness Zones at MarySaunders Park & McTyre Park


By Kenneth Kronheim, Licensed Psychotherapist

Further Reading:• Excessive Anger Can Be Bad for Your Heart

• Anger Danger in Stroke Patients • Death by Angry Outburst • Why Am I So Angry? Tips to Control Your Anger Problem

• Being Angry All the Time Hurts Heart • Always Angry? Lungs May Age Faster • Simmer Down Anger to Avoid Injury • See All Anger Management Topics It may seem that there’s nothing you

can do about your stress level. The billsaren’t going to stop coming, there willnever be more hours in the day for allyour errands, and your career or familyresponsibilities will always be demand-ing. But you have a lot more control thanyou might think. In fact, the simple real-ization that you’re in control of your lifeis the foundation of stress management.Managing stress is all about taking

charge: taking charge of your thoughts,your emotions, your schedule, yourenvironment, and the way you deal withproblems. The ultimate goal is a bal-anced life, with time for work, relation-ships, relaxation, and fun – plus theresilience to hold up under pressure andmeet challenges head on.Identify the sources of stress in your life Learn about hidden sources of stressStress management starts with identi-

fying the sources of stress in your life.This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your truesources of stress aren’t always obvious,and it’s all too easy to overlook yourown stress-inducing thoughts, feelings,and behaviors. Sure, you may know thatyou’re constantly worried about workdeadlines. But maybe it’s your procrasti-nation, rather than the actual jobdemands, that leads to deadline stress.To identify your true sources of stress,

look closely at your habits, attitude, andexcuses:• Do you explain away stress as tempo-rary (“I just have a million things goingon right now”) even though you can’tremember the last time you took abreather?• Do you define stress as an integral partof your work or home life (“Things arealways crazy around here”) or as a partof your personality (“I have a lot of nerv-ous energy, that’s all”).

• Do you blame your stress on other peo-ple or outside events, or view it as entire-ly normal and unexceptional?Until you accept responsibility for the

role you play in creating or maintainingit, your stress level will remain outsideyour control.Look at How You Currently Cope

with StressThink about the ways you currently

manage and cope with stress in your life.Your stress journal can help you identifythem. Are your coping strategies healthyor unhealthy, helpful or unproductive?Unfortunately, many people cope withstress in ways that compound the prob-lem. Unhealthy Ways of Coping with StressThese coping strategies may temporar-

ily reduce stress, but they cause moredamage in the long run:• Smoking • Drinking too much • Overeating or Under eating • Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or computer

• Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities

• Using pills or drugs to relax • Sleeping too much • Procrastinating • Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems

• Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence) Learning Healthier Ways to Manage

StressIf your methods of coping with stress

aren’t contributing to your greater emo-tional and physical health, it’s time tofind healthier ones. There are manyhealthy ways to manage and cope withstress, but they all require change. Youcan either change the situation or changeyour reaction. When deciding whichoption to choose, it’s helpful to think ofthe four as: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.Since everyone has a unique response

to stress, there is no “one size fits all”solution to managing it. No singlemethod works for everyone or in everysituation, so experiment with differenttechniques and strategies. Focus on whatmakes you feel calm and in control.Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s

not healthy to avoid a situation thatneeds to be addressed. You may be sur-prised, however, by the number of stres-sors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know yourlimits and stick to them. Whether in yourpersonal or professional life, refuse toaccept added responsibilities whenyou’re close to reaching them. Taking onmore than you can handle is a surefirerecipe for stress. • Avoid people who stress you out – Ifsomeone consistently causes stress inyour life and you can’t turn the relation-ship around, limit the amount of timeyou spend with that person or end therelationship entirely. • Take control of your environment – Ifthe evening news makes you anxious,turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense,take a longer but less-traveled route. Ifgoing to the market is an unpleasantchore, do your grocery shopping online. • Avoid hot-button topics – If you getupset over religion or politics, crossthem off your conversation list. If yourepeatedly argue about the same subjectwith the same people, stop bringing it upor excuse yourself when it’s the topic ofdiscussion. • Pare down your to-do list – Analyzeyour schedule, responsibilities, and dailytasks. If you’ve got too much on yourplate, distinguish between the “shoulds”and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’ttruly necessary to the bottom of the listor eliminate them entirely. If you can’t avoid a stressful situation,

try to alter it. Figure out what you can doto change things so the problem doesn’tpresent itself in the future. Often, thisinvolves changing the way you commu-nicate and operate in your daily life.• Express your feelings instead of bot-tling them up. If something or someoneis bothering you, communicate yourconcerns in an open and respectful way.If you don’t voice your feelings, resent-ment will build and the situation willlikely remain the same. • Be willing to compromise. When youask someone to change their behavior,be willing to do the same. If you both arewilling to bend at least a little, you’llhave a good chance of finding a happymiddle ground. • Be more assertive. Don’t take a back-seat in your own life. Deal with prob-lems head on, doing your best to antici-pate and prevent them. If you’ve got anexam to study for and your chatty room-mate just got home, say up front that youonly have five minutes to talk. • Manage your time better. Poor time

management can cause a lot of stress.When you’re stretched too thin and run-ning behind, it’s hard to stay calm andfocused. But if you plan ahead and makesure you don’t overextend yourself, youcan alter the amount of stress you’reunder. If you can’t change the stressor,

change yourself. You can adapt to stress-ful situations and regain your sense ofcontrol by changing your expectationsand attitude.• Reframe problems. Try to view stress-ful situations from a more positive per-spective. Rather than fuming about atraffic jam, look at it as an opportunity topause and regroup, listen to your favoriteradio station, or enjoy some alone time. • Look at the big picture. Take perspec-tive of the stressful situation. Ask your-self how important it will be in the longrun. Will it matter in a month? A year? Isit really worth getting upset over? If theanswer is no, focus your time and ener-gy elsewhere. • Adjust your standards. Perfectionism isa major source of avoidable stress. Stopsetting yourself up for failure bydemanding perfection. Set reasonablestandards for yourself and others, andlearn to be okay with “good enough.” • Focus on the positive. When stress isgetting you down, take a moment toreflect on all the things you appreciate inyour life, including your own positivequalities and gifts. This simple strategycan help you keep things in perspective. Some sources of stress are unavoid-

able. You can’t prevent or change stres-sors such as the death of a loved one, aserious illness, or a national recession. Insuch cases, the best way to cope withstress is to accept things as they are.Acceptance may be difficult, but in thelong run, it’s easier than railing against asituation you can’t change.• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.Many things in life are beyond our con-trol— particularly the behavior of otherpeople. Rather than stressing out overthem, focus on the things you can con-trol such as the way you choose to reactto problems. • Look for the upside. As the sayinggoes, “What doesn’t kill us makes usstronger.” When facing major chal-lenges, try to look at them as opportuni-ties for personal growth. If your own

REDUCING & MANAGING STRESS

––––––––––See REDUCING page 19


What is a Local Business Tax? The Business Tax is a tax for the

privilege of engaging in or managingany business, profession or occupationwithin the city limits. In order to oper-ate a business based in the City of WestPark, you will need to pay the BusinessTax. Whether your business is operatedfrom a commercial location or is home-based, the Business Tax is required pur-suant to both local and state laws.Why is it required to have a Business

Tax Receipt?Licenses are required for three main

purposes:• To identify your business and make

sure you are accountable for youractions • To protect the public health and

safety • To keep track of your finances for

tax purposes What are the benefits for having a

Business Tax Receipt?

The City showcases Businesses withcurrent Business Tax Receipt in WestPark Newspaper and the City’s website.By having records of the types of busi-nesses in the City, the City is able toseek for and make available incentivefor our local businesses. Incentivessuch as Enterprise zone opportunities.Businesses within the Enterprise zoneare able to take advantage of:• EZ Job Tax Credit;• EZ Property Tax Credit;• Building Material Sales Tax

Refund; and• Building Equipment Sales Tax

Refund.What about Zoning requirements? The City is divided into a variety of

commercial and residential zones,which groups similar types of usestogether. It is important to check to seeif the location you choose allows forthe type of business you want to do.You may contact the City Building

Department for courtesy zoning reviewfor your proposed business.How much does a Business Tax

Receipt cost? Business Tax Receipt fees vary from

one classification to another and manyfees are based on variables like "Typeof Business" or "cost of inventory."New business tax receipts are proratedif the business starts on or after April 1.The cost is reduced by 50% of the regu-lar fee. Do I need just one business tax

receipt for my business? Many businesses operate under more

than one of the nearly 200 business taxreceipt classifications and are requiredto have a business tax receipt for eachclassification. Additionally, each loca-tion of a business is considered a sepa-rate business and requires separate busi-ness tax receipts. When will my business tax receipt

expire?

The business tax receipt year isOctober 1st - September 30th. All busi-ness tax receipts expire September30th. How do I renew my business tax

receipt?Renewal courtesy notices are mailed

August 1 and are due no later thanSeptember 30th of the year, to avoidpenalties of up to 25%. Failure to receive a notice is not an

excuse for nonpayment. Once your payment is received, your

tax receipt will be mailed to you. When you receive your tax receipt it

must be posted in a conspicuous place,visible for public inspection. We except Check, Credit Card and

Money Order for business tax receiptpayments.

For further information, please con-tact the Permit and Account Analyst at954-989-2688.

Business Tax Receipts Frequently Asked Questions

poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn fromyour mistakes. • Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with atherapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even ifthere’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation. • Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and thatpeople make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself fromnegative energy by forgiving and moving on. Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress

in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relax-ation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitablycome.

REDUCING, from page 18 –––––––––––

Healthy Ways to Relax and Recharge• Go for a walk. • Spend time in nature. • Call a good friend. • Sweat out tension with a good workout. • Write in your journal. • Take a long bath. • Light scented candles. • Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea. • Play with a pet. • Work in your garden. • Get a massage. • Curl up with a good book.• Listen to music. • Watch a comedy.

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take careof your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.Why do I need to register or sign in for WebMD to save?We will provide you with a dropdown of all your saved articles when you areregistered and signed in.


By District Fire Chief Kenneth Kronheim

Further Reading:• Excessive Anger Can Be Bad for Your Heart

• Anger Danger in Stroke Patients • Death by Angry Outburst • Why Am I So Angry? Tips to Control Your Anger Problem

• Being Angry All the Time Hurts Heart

• Always Angry? Lungs May Age Faster

• Simmer Down Anger to Avoid Injury

• See All Anger Management Topics It's a fact: a fire could destroy yourhome at any time, particularly by misuseof space heaters in the winter, or by anatural fire in the summer. Most fami-lies have evacuation plans that includetheir pets. If you haven’t created a plan,consider making one today.To start, check the batteries in yoursmoke alarms to be sure they’re work-ing. Then designate one human familymember who would be responsible foreach pet. Other steps to keep your petssafe in case of fire include:Alert Firefighters to Indoor PetsPlace a Pet Rescue Fire Safety Stickerin your window. These stickers, whichare available free from most pet storesand non-profit humane organizations,stick to your front window and tell fire-fighters to “Please rescue my pets!”They let fire crews know that you havepets inside the house, how many, andwhat kind.Since owners are often not home whenfires occur, these stickers have savedmany pet lives. You can search onlinenon-profit humane organizations torequest a free pet emergency sticker.Keep Outdoor Pets Away FromDangerKeep pet houses or pens away frombrushy areas. Fire departments will warnyou to clear dry brush away from yourhome, but that also applies to your pets.If you have a doghouse or a pen for arabbit, pot-bellied pig or other outdoorpet, make sure it’s at least 20 feet awayfrom any brush that could possibly

become fuel in a fire. That way, you’llhave time to go out and rescue your petif such a fire does threaten your proper-ty.Always evacuate your pets on a leashor in a pet carrier. Pets will panic at thesmell of smoke, and may bolt when out-side, making them impossible to find.Locate Your Pet's HideawayKnow their hiding places. Remember,during a fire, your pets will be terrified,and they’ll most likely run to in theplaces they feel most safe. If you don’tknow their common hiding places, youcould run out of time to save your friend.Find all the best cubbyholes and nich-es, map them out on a piece of paper,and include the map in your fire escapeplan.Have an Emergency Kit On HandPrepare an emergency kit for each pet.The kit should contain some of yourpet’s food, his veterinary paperwork,prescription medications, if any, andphoto/description of your pet. You mayhave to board your pet at a kennel orother facility until you get settled after afire, and they will require proof that yourpet has current vaccinations.Secure Your Pet during DangerAlways evacuate your pets on a leashor in a pet carrier. Just as with fireworks,pets will panic at the smell of smoke,and they may bolt when outside, makingthem impossible to find. Put your dog ona leash; you can carry a cat in a carrier.Create an Open AccessLeave an outside door open. If youmust evacuate and can’t find your pet inthe house, leave a door open that leads tothe outside, and then call the pet’s nameonce you get out. With luck, he’ll hearyou and head for your voice, althoughthis works better for dogs than cats. Beprepared; he’ll be panicked. Be sure tohave a designated meeting place nearyour home for everyone to meet soeveryone will be accounted for awayfrom the fire.With a little planning, you can ensurethat everyone on two and four legs willbe safe in case there is a fire in yourhome. For more information about petfire safety, visit the Humane Society.

Pet Fire Safety Reminderfrom BSO Fire Rescue

Often times people view me only asthe sheriff of Broward County. Theyseem to forget that I am a father andhusband first. My primary responsi-bility is to protect my family.However, as your sheriff, it is also myresponsibility to ensure the very samesafety for the citizens of BrowardCounty. I can assure you that the safe-ty of our community is not somethingI take lightly.Working in law enforcement forover 30 years, I have seen some hor-rific things. Most recently, I wasextremely disturbed by the senselesskillings in Newtown, Connecticut andAurora, Colorado. These despicabletragedies claimed the lives of manyinnocent people. These incidents areproof that no community is immunefrom tragedy. Through education,enforcement and safety initiatives, wecan try to deter them from happeningin our neighborhoods.In an effort to address the problemof rising gun violence in our nationand in our community, the BrowardSheriff’s Office is developing a multi-faceted public safety campaign thatwill focus on reasonable gun controlmeasures, enhanced school safety pre-cautions and responsible gun owner-ship. I firmly believe that preventioncannot exist without education. Aspart of this initiative, we will developan educational program for parents,students and all gun owners to teachsafe firearm practices and awareness.Another component of getting gunsout of our neighborhoods is the GunStoppers program. Often, there arefamily members or friends who knowof someone illegally possessing afirearm, but they don’t know what todo about it. I want you to know that

you can do something and report itanytime – day or night. The GunStoppers program is administered byBroward County Crime Stoppers. Thetip line number is 954-493-TIPS(8477).Our enforcement efforts on weaponsviolations will be fierce. We will tar-get not only possession of illegalweapons but also the criminals with ahistory of violent use of weapons.These people give responsible gunowners a bad name.I fully support legislation to rein-state the federal assault weapons ban.Enforcing a uniform national back-ground check before the sale or trans-fer of firearms and prohibiting largecapacity magazines and armor-pierc-ing bullets are also essential steps inbetter protecting our communities.The passage of these reasonablerestrictions also allows for the protec-tion of our Second Amendment rightsfor all law-abiding gun owners.As we have all seen, a more aggres-sive approach to combating gun vio-lence is imperative. I firmly believethat with the implementation of thiscomprehensive public safety cam-paign and the development of anational database to track weaponsused in the commission of a crime,gun violence and illegal gun owner-ship in our community is a problemthat can be more effectively reduced.Remember, Broward County is yourhome as well as mine. I encourageeach resident to be alert and obser-vant. Always report a crime or infor-mation about illegally-owned guns bycalling Broward County CrimeStoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477). Weall play a part in keeping our commu-nity safe.

Gun Safetyand Responsibility

Take Safe Measures Before Your Home Is Threatened “In an effort to address the problem of rising gunviolence in our nation and in our community, the Broward Sheriff’s Office is developing a

multifaceted public safety campaign that will focus on reasonable gun control measures, enhanced schoolsafety precautions and responsible gun ownership”.


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1st Annual Mitzvah Chapter Slot Machine Tournament: Join us for dinner and slot machine tournament to

raise funds for Hadassah, a 501(c)(3) organization,which raises funds for Israel,medical research and women's health

and social issues. Buffet dinner and slots.

5pm. Sunday, April 14, Mardi Gras Casino

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For information and reservation, call Marianne, 305-931-0609

The City continues to make great strides in ways to improvefacilities and services for its residents. In our latest efforts andwith the generous grant award from the Health Foundation ofSouth Florida, we have added fitness zones to McTyre and MarySaunders Parks. The project has also allowed for the addition ofan ADA compliant water fountain and walking/exercise trail toMary Saunders Park.

With more than $90 million grant making dollars provided inMiami-Dade, Broward, & Monroe Counties since its inception in1993, The Health Foundation of South Florida worked with theCity to help prevent disease and improve health by providingfunding for fitness equipment at the City’s parks.

The City and The Health Foundation ofSouth Florida Installed Fitness Zones at

Mary Saunders Park & McTyre Park

––––––––––See FITNESS ZONE, page 23


Fitness Zones atMary Saunders Park

& McTyre Park

The project provides needed enhance-ments to both parks and is intended toincrease the participation of children andadults alike. The project entailed theexcavation of a trail that surrounds theplaying fields within the perimeterboundaries of the park offering partici-pants of all ages (children, adults, & sen-iors) the opportunity to enjoy the trailwith full connectivity within the parkitself. The fitness zones offer the strengthand conditioning necessary to buildstrong bones and healthy joints for allthose who utilize the equipment. TheADA compliant water fountain allows forthe necessary accommodations to all parkpatrons to alleviate the risk of dehydra-tion. A City Commission ribbon-cutting

event has been scheduled to take place atMary Saunders Park (4750 SW 21 Street,West Park, FL 33023) on Saturday,March 23, 2013 beginning at 10:00amwith all members of the community wel-come to attend. During the event, certi-fied trainers of FIT CAMP who willreview the proper technique of how to useeach piece of equipment.

FITNESS ZONE, from page 22 –––––––––––


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west park news march 2013

Documents

minutemile record

minutemile barrier

basement statements

minute time

minute milewas

mile inless

thefourminute barrier

hundreds of years