Miami-Dade resident Merline Barton wins prestigious award

Letters to GrandAveNews.com

An Evening of Beauty in Fashion and Songs

Labor Day. Baseball season turning into football season. First day of school. All of these events are reasons to wave goodbye to summer and welcome autumn with its cooler temperatures. On , August 22, 2010, Back-to-School Eve, at 4:00 pm, the Usher Ministry of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Miami, Inc., (the oldest African-American church in Miami Dade County) located at 3515 Douglas Road, Coconut Grove, Florida presented its 4^th Annual Fashion show, “A Fashion Show for Everyone and All Occasions”.

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Announcement

Barnacle, Books, Birds, & Boats

The Barnacle is hosting its 4th annual Barnacle, Books, Birds, & Boats on September 12, 2010 from 11AM-3PM in celebration of International Literacy Day, National Library Card Sign Up Month, and Florida Adult and Family Literacy Month.
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Letters to GrandAveNews.com

Local teens dedicated to help the community

Inspiration was sparked in college freshmen and Coconut Grove natives, Zena Stephens, graduated of Ransom Everglades Upper School and student of Oglethorpe University, and Paige Humphrey, graduate of Coral Gables High School and student of University of Central Florida on May 9^th, 2010. This spark grew into a fire overnight forming Team G.O, Generation Outreach. Both young women were desperate to help their community, and in a few months this non-profit has blossomed into a changing force.  Their mission is to provide life altering opportunities in the Coconut Grove community, built on the principles of Civic Engagement. Dedicated to enhancing the lives of underprivileged individuals through continuous fundraising and community service. Team G.O uses the resources of the community to better the community. This organization wishes to assemble a tight-knit bond within the area, and ensure a long term improvement of addressed issues by educating the community at each event.

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Announcement

Native Groveite Jaylon Ballard attends World Youth Congress in Istabul, Turkiye

UPDATE: THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO LAND IN MIAMI AT 5:50 p.m., BRITISH AIRWAYS, FLIGHT BA 209, CENTRAL TERMINAL E WHICH IS ON LEVEL 1 .

Our son Jaylon Ballard, a native Groveite and a former student of the Gibson School, now an upcoming Junior at the New World School of the Arts, Downtown, Miami is a member of the touring company Voices United.  At the present time he along with approximately 13 other students from Miami-Dade County are in Istabul, Turkiye attending the World Youth Congress as well as providing entertainment to thousands of children from around the world.  This fine group is led by a fantastic young lady by the name of Katie Christie, Director and Founder of Voices United.
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Health

Miami-Dade resident Merline Barton wins prestigious award

When Merline Barton walks down Grand Avenue in West Coconut Grove she recalls a once vibrant urban neighborhood in which people would spend evenings in their suits and Sunday best, enjoying the local ambiance. She thinks of the time when the first African-Americans, Jamaicans, and people from all over the world made Coconut Grove the quirky, historic town it is today.

The Grove Barton remembers was incorporated 91 years ago. And, while some areas in the West Grove have experienced a decline, she is hopeful that the area will become vibrant once again.
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Environment

Coconut Grove youth groups help clean up our islands

Island E, located just off of the Sailing Club, used to be nicknamed “Dead Dog Island,” like some castaway’s nightmare or a pirate’s dream.  Needless to say, it used to be the type of island you couldn’t walk barefoot on, and you had to make sure your sleeves were thick enough for branch webs and mosquito colonies.  Now, you can easily beach your boat just in front of the wooden picnic table.  The table is one of many on the Island, one of sweet lunch spots near a coconut palm tree with a view of the glorious bay.  You can manage a walk through the native foliage, without the pesky exotic intruders clawing at your legs.  Now, you can admire the foliage that loyally belongs to Biscayne Bay and learn about them from the signs posted along the sandy trails.  This on-going transformation is being made possible by Ransom Everglades School, The Coconut Grove Sailing Club and the many volunteer groups and organizations that visit Island E.
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Arts

‘Cirque du Grove’ offers free fun for the Fourth

Will Soto takes a deep breath and perfects his footing trying not to look down at the dozens of people who watch him as he balances a slack rope and the 7 feet of air below his feet.

The energetic wire walker from Key West has been mesmerizing crowds from the Caribbean to Europe with his ability to walk the tight rope, the tight wire and what he calls “the hardest of them all” – the slack rope. And over the Fourth of July weekend, Soto brought his stunts to Grand Avenue and Virginia Street for Coconut Grove’s first-ever “Cirque du Grove: A Busker’s Carnival.”

“We wanted to create an all-weekend celebration for the Fourth of July,” said Richard Issa, special events coordinator for the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, the producers of the free event that heralds Great Britain’s 1860s when “buskers” – performers and musicians – entertained audiences for tips or just to socialize.

“With new stores, restaurants and the new movie theater opened, we wanted to take this opportunity to invite people back into the Grove and show them all the great things we have to offer,” Issa added.
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Announcement

American Flags in Village West

As we celebrate this 4th of July 2010, we would like to thank the Coconut Grove Negro Women’s Club and the Ministerial Alliance for their generous sponsorship, which purchased and installed the 10 flags lining our Community. The American Flags, on 2 piece white spinning poles with a gold eagle, flying brightly between Jefferson Street and Grand Avenue to Margaret Street exemplify: strength, hardiness, valor; purity, innocence; vigilance, perseverance and justice.  These surely are the characteristics of The Grove (“Village West”). The same spirit was exemplified by our United States Armed Forces when it came time to protect and defend OUR right to pursue happiness through freedom of expression obtained by hard work and determination.
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Politics

June Village Council Rundown

The June Coconut Grove Village Council meeting focused on new developments, improvements, and changes in the Grove.

The most surprising change announced at the meeting was the resignation of CGVC Chairman Patrick Sessions who shocked the council with a prepared statement that cited unforeseen occurrences in his personal and business life as his reason for stepping down. However, Sessions also acknowledged conflicts between himself and city officials, which he felt had resulted in the unfair treatment of the CGVC and Grove residents, as another factor in his resignation.

“I am hopeful that whoever follows me will be able to mend some fences,” Sessions said. “I think the best thing I can do for the council and the constituents is to step down.”

Improvements at Ransom Everglades School and developments in the Village West were also brought before the council.
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