March 21^st - 22^nd, 2015, at SunLife Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – The City of Miami Gardens is proud to announce the addition of Erykah Badu, Run-D.M.C., Sheila E. and Jazz in the Gardens All Stars Ronnie Laws, Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Tom Browne to the 10th Annual Jazz in the Gardens (JITG) music festival at SunLife Stadium. The two-day music festival from March 21-22, 2015, will also feature artists Maxwell, Toni Braxton, R. Kelly, Men of Soul's Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and Freddie Jackson, and Brian Culbertson. Comedians and nationally syndicated radio personalities D.L. Hughley and Rickey Smiley will co-host the festival.

Jazz in the Gardens will feature local artists, over 40 exotic food vendors, a Vendor Marketplace, and the most anticipated lineup for the City's milestone 10th year of its signature event. On Saturday and Sunday, doors to the festival will open at 3 p.m. and the show will start at 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster or http://www.jazzinthegardens.com.

The Women’s Impact Conference and Luncheon (WICL) will kick off the Jazz in the Gardens Weekend on Friday, March 20, at the Miramar Cultural Center with the theme "THERE’S NO ‘S’ ON MY CHEST BUT A HERO LIVES WITHIN." The event will feature keynote speaker reality show personality Omarosa Manigault and a surprise guest promised to "wow" the crowd. That same night at the Center, Rickey Smiley and a few special guests from his morning show will host the Official Jazz in the Gardens Pre-Party featuring a comedy show, live entertainment and dancing.

"Without a doubt, this is our most exciting lineup yet," said City of Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert. "And by the reports on ticket sales, there’s no denying it. There is no sunnier, breezier, or better place to enjoy your favorite exotic food, good friends and amazing live performances than in the Gardens in springtime. We welcome our guests who travel from all over the world to celebrate our milestone 10th year of the fastest growing jazz & R&B festival in America."

Predicted early on to break last year’s record of 68,000 tickets sold, tracking a 15% increase in ticket sales, JITG ‘10 is well on its way to breaking its record for an anticipated 71,000 tickets sold.

Official Site: www.jazzinthegardens.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jazzinthegardens
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jazzgardens
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jitg10
#JITG10

President Clinton campaigns for Gov. Charlie Crist in Miami-Dade County. FILE photo: Florida Politics

This is the weekend after Labor Day, school has started and one would think our schedules allowed us more breathing room but that is not the case. This is a super busy weekend and that can be measured by the number of places Gov. Charlie Crist visits as he continues to unleash his historic re-election campaign. Crist, a Republican turned Independent and now Democrat could become the first person to hold the top elected position in the State of Florida as a Republican and a Democrat. The Crist Campaign has brought out the really big guns in the person of President William Jefferson Clinton so let’s hope that motivates eligible voters to register and registered voters to get out and vote.  

One of the largest high school football games will be played tonight at Traz Powell Stadium as the Booker T. Washington Tornadoes take on the Miami Central Rockets. Traz Powell is far too small a venue for a game with such a large fan base; SunLife Stadium is too large and FIU Stadium is too far in distance. Too bad that wasn’t considered prior to the demolition of the Orange Bowl or perhaps it was and the powers that be didn’t give a hoot about how inner-city black communities would be impacted.

By the way, the football game tickets with Miami misspelled, really should not have been sold. Mistakes can happen but that’s why there should be quality control procedures in place to catch items are made available for the public. I could go on and on about how this mistake results in derogatory comments about black schools but I think you get my point. One little misspelled might not seem like a big deal but it is.   

The Florida A&M University Rattlers play the University of Miami Hurricanes Saturday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. Since FAMU no longer presents the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami, when the team is here to play, the game results in a big celebration by local FAMU alumni and supporters. Several FAMU students from the Miami area will travel back home for the experience.  

There are several activities included on the list of official list of Florida A&M University-sanctioned events for this weekend: 

Friday, September 5

8PM - Set Fridays II - An evening of networking and music with DJ and FAMU alum “Ed the World Famous,” Fate Lounge - Gulfstream Park, 601 Silks Run, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. Admission - $20. Presented by the Miami-Dade Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association. 

Scholarship Gala featuring FAMU President Dr. Elmira Mangum, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 Southeast Second Avenue, Miami, FL 33131, Admission - $85. Presented by the Gold Coast Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association.

Saturday, September 6

9AM - Scholarship & Recruitment Workshop, Featuring Florida A&M University President Dr. Elmira Mangum, the famous performing troup, FAMU Connection, and FAMU student leaders. Scholarships will be awarded on the spot! The Historic Lyric Theater, 819 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, Admission - FREE. Presented by Florida A&M University in partnership with the Miami-Dade Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association. 

Noon - Rattlers Strike in the Gardens - Join the Rattlers before the FAMU/UM football game for an afternoon of music, food and fun featuring health and wellness presentations and local vendors. Betty T. Ferguson Recreational complex, 3000 NW 199th Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056, Admission - FREE or VIP $30. Presented by the City of Miami Gardens and the Miami-Dade Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association.  

7PM - Football Game - Florida A&M Rattlers vs. University of Miami Hurricanes, featuring the halftime performance of the Marching 100. Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL and ESP3. 

Except for the football game, profits from these events will fund scholarships for deserving students at Florida A&M so please support events that support FAMU.  

Journalist, commentator, motivational speaker and author Jeff Johnson and several hundred youth will invade Florida Memorial University on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6, for a South Florida #HacktotheFuture Youth Summit YouthTown Hall Meeting and tech workshops. This is an excellent event for your teen.

Have an awesome and safe weekend! 

Raw. Explicit language. Real. Powerful. Covers a lot of subjects. The Field: Miami. The Miami people don't see. 

Related Link: 

You’ll Never Look At Miami The Same After Worldstar’s New ‘Field’ Documentary

It had been quiet in Miami Gardens as far as public complaints against Miami Gardens Police but that is likely about to change. Investigative reporting on Fusion portrays an environment of terror for many residents of the City of Miami Gardens. As much media coverage as New York City received for its racist stop and frisk policy, Miami Gardens is referred to as New York City on steroids.

Leaders of the City of Miami Gardens must address the allegations of falsified police reports and orders from police brass to stop black males between the ages of 15-30. How does one explain stopping a five year-old and a 99 year-old because they looked suspicious? How does one explain a police report indicating a person was stopped and questioned on the street when that person was in fact incarcerated at the time? Really, Miami Gardens PD? Really?

There can be no more feel good town hall meetings and activities to squash this issue. If the Department of Justice doesn't hurry and swoop down on the City of Miami Gardens and deal with this situation, that will be another travesty against folks who have essentially lived and/or grown up in terror. A team of psychologists needs to be assigned to the people of Miami Gardens to help them overcome the damage done to their psyche. One must already have surrendered to a mental state of fear and/or helplessness and hopelessness to allow this situation to exist in the first place in these United States of America. 

Please read the entire article: Welcome to Suspect City.

 @vbyers 

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Presented by the Opa-locka Development Corporation

On Tuesday, May 6^th, the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC) hosted their first COOKING MATTERS Grocery Story Food Tour. The OLCDC invited residents to participate in a guided grocery story tour to help families get educated on how to buy healthy, affordable foods.

The guided food tour, presented by Flipany was held at Winn Dixie Super Market in Miami Gardens. Flipany’s mission is to empower youth and their families through physical activity and nutrition education programs while raising awareness and creating policies for a healthier community.

Through the COOKING MATTERS tour attendees were able to learn what foods were healthy to purchase, how to read food labels, how to identify whole grains and how to be strategic about doing their groceries all while sticking to a budget. After the tour they each received a free workbook full of tasty recipes and simple tips on buying healthy, low-cost foods, a free reusable grocery bag and free calculator to keep handy when doing their shopping.

The COOKING MATTERS tour is part of the OLCDC’s ongoing efforts to revive the city of Opa-locka and educate their residents and make sure no child goes hungry. The OLCDC plans to host another food tour in the fall.

Door prizes … music … and fun for the whole family! All of this and more will be offered at theJessie Trice Community Health Center’s (JTCHC) Grand Opening Celebration for its new Miami Gardens facility. Join JTCHC on Saturday, May 17, 2014 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Miami Gardens location – 4692 NW 183rd Street – for a fun-filled day. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is a family fun event for which you can bring the whole family,” said Annie R. Neasman, RN, MS, President and CEO of the Jessie Trice Community Health Center. “Not only will you meet members of the medical team and staff, but you will also learn how to live a healthy lifestyle in a fun way.”

Highlights of the event will include learning about (and signing up for) the available insurance plans, participating in health screenings, enjoying healthy snacks and treats, games and activities for the kids, and much more!

The Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Inc. is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center, which has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. Its mission is to provide comprehensive primary health care services by increasing access and improving the quality of life of our diverse South Florida community. A community mainstay, JTCHC owns and operates sixteen (16) facilities, including eight (8) Comprehensive Primary Care centers, twenty-five (25) school-based/university centers, and other medical facilities. JTCHC’s multicultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary staff services a diverse population of 30,000 patients who make more than 130,000 visits annually. For more information on the Jessie Trice Community Health Center, visit www.jtchc.org.

A community briefing on relations between residents and police in Miami Gardens is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7, 2014, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., at the North Dade Regional Library, 2455 NW 183 Street, Miami Gardens, 33056. The meeting is being convened by the Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board (CRB) in collaboration with Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert in cooperation with the Miami Gardens Police Department. According to the meeting announcement, "the meeting will address issues related to violent crimes and murders and allegations of police misconduct in the city."

A panel of police and law enforcement leaders is slated to release “non-sensitive information on the progress of investigative activities conducted to date and tasks that are pending.” Elected officials and other community leaders are scheduled to share insights on what can be done to improve relations between citizens and police. The public will be given an opportunity to ask questions and make comments.

For more information on the meeting, contact the Community Relations Board at (305) 375-5730 or www.miamidade.gov/advocacy.

Cameron D. Benson, City Manager for the City of Miami Gardens, has released the following statement regarding the current issues that confront the Police Department:

Benson

“The City of Miami Gardens is committed to the safety and welfare of all residents, businesses and patrons that visit our City. Throughout our 10-year history, we have maintained a safe, healthy and thriving community. We applaud the efforts of our 520 employees for their steadfast dedication and commitment to making the City of Miami Gardens one of the best places to live, work and play.

Recently, allegations of misconduct involving a few members of the City’s Police Department have been made. Along with these allegations, video surveillance tapes have been produced. We are deeply bothered by these allegations and are taking immediate actions to further investigate and address these claims. These are the immediate steps the City is taking:

1. We have initiated an in-depth internal investigation into these allegations.

2. We have requested that the State Attorney’s Office review all findings to ensure that all violations of

   administrative procedures or misconduct are swiftly and comprehensively addressed.

3. We will be working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to ensure that the City’s Police

   department is in compliance with all approved procedures.

Additional steps are being discussed and will be announced at a later time.

As the City Manager for the City of Miami Gardens, it is my duty to ensure the safety and welfare of our residents, visitors and employees. My office will serve as the point of contact for all matters pertaining to this issue.

Rest assured - I along with the entire leadership of the City of Miami Gardens, will continue to work diligently to ensure the quality and value of our service to all. Our zero-tolerance crime policy remains in effect as we continue to move forward to ensure greatness for our community. Thank you.” 

Walmart workers are asking for community support as they bring local attention to their plight with one of the nation's largest retailers. A protest is scheduled for Monday, Novermber 25, 2013 at 4 PM, at the Walmart store in Miami Gardens near Sun Life Stadium. The address is 19501 NW 27 Avenue.

Walmart and other corporate giants such as McDonald's have been in the news for the low wages paid to their workers. Walmart workers and communities throughout America have their owns plans leading up to Black Friday. Thousands of protests are planned around the country to demand that Walmart does right by its workers and customers. 

In what is set to be one of the largest mobilizations of working families in American history, workers are calling for an end to illegal retaliation, improved labor standards, more full time work and better wages. As the country’s largest retailer and employer, Walmart makes more than $17 billion in profits, with the wealth of the Walton family totaling over $144.7 billion – equal to that of 42% of Americans. 

Listen to Walmart workers in Hialeah who, last month, led an amazing walk out in protest.