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RESOLUTION CODESIGNATING THAT PORTION OF NW 41ST STREET FROM NW 93RD COURT TO NW 97TH AVENUE AS �GUILLERMO BENITES WAY�; URGING THE CITY OF DORAL TO JOIN IN SUCH CODESIGNATION

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WHEREAS, veteran television news anchor Guillermo Benites, the star of Univisi�n Canal 23 for nearly four decades and one of the pioneers of Spanish-language television in the United States, died on December 17, 2016 in Miami at the age of 75; and
WHEREAS, Benites was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 21, 1941, the son of Adolfo and Elvira Benites; and
WHEREAS, after studying journalism and broadcasting at the Instituto Superior de Ense�anza Radiof�nica, Benites married his first wife Gloria Nosti and moved to Venezuela at the age of 21; and
WHEREAS, in 1968, Benites came to Miami, where, at a time when Hispanic media jobs were few, he started out as an announcer in the WFAB La Fabulosa radio station and later rose to become director of programming; and
WHEREAS, Benites then moved on to Univisi�n Canal 23, where he started as a weatherman but soon afterward became the station�s primary news anchor; and
WHEREAS, Benites was one of the key players in the evolution of Spanish-language television in South Florida, from its small industry beginnings to becoming a modern communications system and eventually drawing audiences larger than those of regional English-language television; and
WHEREAS, meticulous, creative, courteous and engaging, Benites connected with his audiences through his simple language and surprisingly neutral accent and reported passionately, tirelessly and professionally on the life of the city and its varied communities; and
WHEREAS, Benites is survived by his wife Maria, son Guillermo Jr., daughter-in-law Alina and two grandchildren, Karina and Alejandro; and
WHEREAS, this Board would like to honor the memory of Guillermo Benites and his contributions to the community by codesignating that portion of NW 41st Street from NW 93rd Court to NW 97th Avenue as �Guillermo Benites Way�; and
WHEREAS, the television studios for Univisi�n 23 Miami, where Benites worked for many years, are located at 9405 NW 41st Street in Doral; and
WHEREAS, that portion of NW 41st Street from NW 93rd Court to NW 97th Avenue is a County-maintained road located in the City of Doral; and
WHEREAS, this proposed codesignation is located in County Commission District 12,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Having considered this matter at a public hearing, codesignates that portion of NW 41st Street from NW 93rd Court to NW 97th Avenue as �Guillermo Benites Way�.
Section 2. Urges the City of Doral to join in this codesignation.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Mayor and Council Members of the City of Doral, the United States Postal Service, the Traffic Signals and Signs Division of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, the Development Services Division of the Regulatory and Economic Resources Department, the City of Doral Police Department, and the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department.