Dear residents,

The summer is almost over and it’s time to start preparing our children to go back to school. We need to purchase the right school supplies to ensure their school year will be a successful one!

So please take advantage of the 2014 Back to School sales tax holiday which starts Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 3, 2014. The sales tax holiday applies to clothing, footwear, certain school supplies, computers and certain computer-related accessories.

If you have questions or need more information on what items are included in the sales tax, please visit the Florida Department of Revenue website for more detailed information.

Sincerely,

Commissioner Jose 'Pepe' Diaz
District 12

Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz sponsored a resolution to help the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department Shelter achieve its No-Kill goal by providing more spay and neuter services for cats.

On July 16, Commissioner Diaz, who has been an advocate for the cycling community joined Governor Rick Scott at the ceremonial signing of “The Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act” at Crandon Park Marina in Key Biscayne. The Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act imposes a minimum mandatory sentence of four years for drivers who flee the scene of a fatal accident – the same as for DUI manslaughter. It also increases the penalties for drivers who harm bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. Last year, he sponsored a resolution urging the Florida Legislature to pass the Aaron Cohen bill.

Commissioner Diaz, who serves as the Miami-Dade Military Affairs Chairman spoke at the Doral Chamber of Commerce’s 7^th Business Expo and first Veteran’s Resource Fair on July 23 at the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC). The event focused on small business resources for Veterans as well as workshops, job search and how to apply for federal government jobs. The commissioner also presented a proclamation to the Doral Chambers of Commerce for their dedication to the community, businesses and Veterans and military families. The event was free and opened to the public. For more information, visit http://www.doralchamber.org/

Commissioner Diaz attended the 50^th Anniversary of the Greater Miami Hispanic Pastors Association on July 8 at the Iglesias Emmanuel. He presented a proclamation to the association for serving the community, especially during natural disasters since 1964. The Greater Miami Hispanics Pastors Association has over 500 members. For more information, please visit http://www.asociaciondeministros.com/

Commissioner Diaz, who is an animal lover as well as a pet owner, teamed up with Miami-Dade Animal Services to unveil the first mobile pet adoption and transport unit on July 9^th at the Plaza on Beacon Shopping Center in Doral. The event also gave residents an opportunity to adopt a loveable animal. The HOPE Express is 28 feet by 8 feet, air-conditioned and features 24 animal compartments with removable dividers that comfortably expand to 56 compartments.  Awnings on both sides allow easy viewing of pets through a plexiglass wall. The colorful trailer, made possible, in part, by a grant from the ASPCA^®, will travel throughout Miami-Dade County to hold pet adoption events. Additionally, it will serve to transport pets to out-of-state partner organizations. Community pet adoptions events and pet relocation and transport programs are an integral part of Animal Services’ efforts make Miami-Dade County a No Kill community. For more information, visit animals.miamidade.gov or call 3-1-1.

Pérez Art Museum Miami announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2014.

Miami-Dade Public Works and Waste Management Department will be having community meetings regarding two roadway improvement projects in District 12.

• NW 74^th Street from NW 114^th Avenue to NW 107^th Avenue – Meeting will take place on Thursday, August 28, 2014 from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Training Facility Headquarters Auditorium, located at 9300 NW 41 Street in Doral. The project will consist of widening the existing NW 74^th Street roadway from a five-lane to a six-lane divided roadway from NW 114^th Avenue to NW 107^th Avenue, including sidewalk, curb & gutter, storm drainage system, pavement markings and signing, traffic signalization, roadway lighting, landscaping and irrigation. The project also includes the construction of a noise wall on both sides of NW 74^th Street.
• NW 74^th Street from NW 87^th Avenue to SR-826 - Meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Training Facility Headquarters Auditorium, located at 9300 NW 41 Street in Doral. The project will consist of widening and reconstruction of the existing road from five-lane undivided to a six-lane divided roadway with turn lanes, bike lanes, raised median, sidewalks, curb & gutter, continuous storm drainage system, pavement markings and signing, traffic signalization, roadway lighting, landscaping and irrigation.

Homeowners who reside in single-family residents may qualify for a unique program that will allow them to have the exterior of their home painted and/or accordion hurricane shutters installed.  The Paint and Shutter Program, funded through Surtax dollars, is available through Miami-Dade County Community Action and Human Services Department (CAHSD).  Homeowners will be required to participate in a forgivable mortgage program which requires them to remain in the home for up to 10 years after the upgrades have been completed. Participation in the program is subject to the availability of funds.  Applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis. For more information about the Paint and Shutter Program and other services available to assist low-to-moderate income homeowners, please call (786) 469-4730 or visit us on the web at www.miamidade.gov/socialservices.  It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act.  For sign language interpreters, assistive living devices or materials in an accessible format, please contact the department at (786) 469-4682.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce the deadline schedule for the fiscal year 2014-2015, which includes summer and fall cycles of arts and cultural grants programs available to Miami-Dade County based non-profit cultural groups. Guidelines containing information regarding eligibility requirements, funding requests and other detailed program criteria can be downloaded at http://www.miamidadearts.org/ by clicking Grants / Online Grants / Organizations. Grant guidelines can also be requested in-person by calling the Department of Cultural Affairs at (305) 375-4634, or by email at [email protected].

The start of the summer rainy season in Miami-Dade County brings with it an unwanted problem: mosquitoes.  The Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department’s (PWWM) Mosquito Control Unit reminds you that mosquitoes carry a number of potentially serious diseases, including dengue, West Nile virus and, of recent concern in the Caribbean area, chikungunya.  To request a mosquito inspection or to report a mosquito nuisance, please call 3-1-1.  For more information on mosquito control in Miami-Dade County, visit http://www.miamidade.gov/publicworks/.  For more information regarding the mosquito-borne diseases mentioned above you may visit the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County website at http://www.dadehealth.org/ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel.

On November 30, 2009, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six in partnership with the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) began a reconstruction project of the State Road (S.R.) 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and S.R. 836 (Dolphin Expressway) Interchange. Now that construction has begun, there will be many upcoming lane and ramp closures on the Dolphin Expressway. For more information about construction-related activities, please contact Oscar Gonzalez at 786-280-0983 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General information can be found at 826-836 website. Motorists are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log on to the Florida Statewide 511 website for real-time traffic and lane closure information.

To help Miami-Dade County residents, the Miami-Dade Public Library System is offering a wide assortment of vital information and valuable assistance for job seekers!  From computer classes and access to the Internet, to help with resume writing, job interviewing skills and test preparation, the Library wants to help patrons prepare for and search for jobs. Free classes are held throughout all 47 branch locations and are available in both English and Spanish.  The Library’s website, www.mdpls.org, has created a “Job Search” section for individuals to access from any location 24/7. For more information, contact 305-375-BOOK (2665) or visit http://www.mdpls.org/. 

August 20, 2014 from 10:00a.m to 1:00p.m.  – Commissioner Diaz, along with the Mayor of Hialeah Carlos Hernandez, Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. , Senator Rene Garcia and the Miami-Dade Transit invites Miami-Dade County seniors 65 and older  to register for the Golden Passport EASY Card.  You will need to bring your social security card and current valid Florida ID or Driver’s License. Event will take place at Victor Wilde Community Center, 5405 W. 18^th Avenue in Hialeah. For more information, please call 786-469-5028

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