Bal Harbour council seeks applicants to replace councilman

BAL HARBOUR

BY RODOLFO R. ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
Lynne Bloch-Mullen, the former candidate who filed a lawsuit questioning Councilman Joel Jacobi's residency -- leading to his recent resignation -- is throwing her hat into the ring once again.

Jacobi announced his resignation Monday, sending his official notice to the the village clerk days after the start of a civil trial challenging his eligibility to hold office.

His resignation takes effect April 1.

Citing ''personal issues'' in his letter, Jacobi said fending off allegations that he did not live in Bal Harbour had ``exhausted me both financially and emotionally.''

The council, which will appoint someone to serve the rest of Jacobi's term, is now accepting resumes from those interested in replacing him. The successor would serve until the end of the term in 2011.

The council unanimously agreed to begin the appointment process at a special meeting Thursday.

Bloch-Mullen had argued in her civil suit that she should be automatically appointed should Jacobi leave -- or be removed -- from office.

But a judge agreed with the village that the council had the right to appoint Jacobi's successor.

Bloch-Mullen said she's submitting her resume nonetheless.

''I was the only qualified candidate and should have been seated on the council unopposed,'' she said Thursday.

Bloch-Mullen lost to Jacobi in 2007, with a little more than 30 percent of the vote.

Bloch-Mullen and her supporters alleged that Jacobi did not live in Bal Harbour during the time required to qualify for public office, but that he instead lived in a home he owns in North Miami Beach.

Jacobi has insisted that he does live in his Bal Harbour residence, but said he resigned rather than face a lengthy trial and possible appeals process.

The civil trial began March 18.

As the council discussed finding a replacement for Jacobi on Thursday, it also was faced with a new round of questions challenging the residency of a current candidate for the Bal Harbour council.

Patricia Cohen, who is running for the District 3 seat in the April 7 election, defended herself after a resident pointed out she had filed a homestead exemption on a Surfside property -- not on the Bal Harbour condo she lists as her permanent address.

Resident Anamarie Kelly, a former real estate agent, brought her concerns to village officials after she said she ran across the Cohen's homestead exemption while researching properties in Surfside.

''The woman probably doesn't know,'' Kelly said. ''Her ineptness is relevant to the issue of her running as a candidate.'' Miami-Dade property records show Cohen did in fact claim a homestead exemption on her Surfside property in 2008. Cohen said that's an error on her part.

Cohen said she mistakenly filed for the homestead exemption, but insisted her condo in Bal Harbour is her true residence.

She said she had temporarily moved to Surfside while the Harbour House was under renovation -- one of many residents required to leave the building until work was completed.

She returned permanently to Harbour House in October 2007, she told the council.

'' I didn't meet the deadline to change the homestead address. I made a mistake,'' she told the council, noting that her driver's license and voters registration list the Harbour House address.

After reviewing the documents, the council agreed that Cohen was eligible.

But her opponent, Barbara Grossman, questioned Cohen's competency.

''I am upset about this because if she can make a mistake like this what mistake can she do as a council member,'' she said.

``It's not a good representation of the council.''

Grossman, who is also a resident of Harbour House, was also temporarily displaced because of renovations.

Under Bal Harbour's charter, candidates for the village council must reside in the village for at least one year before filing to run for office.

Also running for office in the April 7 elections: Council member Jean Rosenfield, currently serving as assistant mayor, and challenger Abraham G. Gotman, who are competing for the District 1 seat. Joni D. Blachar won the District 5 seat unopposed when she did not draw any challengers by the end of the qualifying period March 7.

A candidate forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Village Hall, 655 96th St.

The village will be accepting resumes from residents interested in filling Jacobi's seat until April 10.

Metallica is coming to South Florida!

It is true. You have read right. Metallica will be here in October and will perform live at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. Robert, James, Lars and Kurt will be making us headbang playing thier new music from their new album, Death Magnetic. When I read the news I was jubilant. It has been more than almost five years, since I saw these guys up in Orlando when they toured with Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne, and Linkin Park. That was an awesome show. I can't forget the first time I saw them in 1999. They toured with Kid Rock, when he was good, Creed, and Sevendust. That was an awesome show because it was around the Y2k scare and it was at the Orange Bowl, where legends played. The mosh pit was insane. I can remember waking up the next day with a couple scars and bruises. The night ended with fireworks, while Metallica made the thousands in attendance headbang. So, shortly, Metallica will be rocking our house. Purchase your tickets and let's enter the pit. Rock ON!

Am I suppose to believe this?

Suavemente, toca te!

It turns out Merengue star Elvis Crespo allegedly masturbrated on an airplane on the way to the magic city after a woman said she saw him.

Miami-Dade County police say the Grammy winner was touching himself down there in view of other passengers on a flight last week.

According to media reports, the female passenger said that the blanket Crespo was using to cover himself moved, leaving his genitals exposed.


When asked by police about the incident, Crespo said: ``No me acuerdo de eso.''

Seriously, how can you forget about touching yourself in public in such a matter? Give me a break dude.

Above you can see him jump for joy after winning a Grammy.

Joel Jacobi quits disputed Bal Harbour Village Council seat

BAL HARBOUR
Joel Jacobi quits disputed Bal Harbour Village Council seat
A Bal Harbour council member resigned days after a civil suit claiming he did not live in the village went to trial.
By RODOLFO R. ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
Joel Jacobi, the Bal Harbour council member who tried to fight off allegations that he did not live in the village when he ran for reelection two years ago, resigned Monday.

The resignation came five days after the start of a civil trial challenging his election victory in 2007.

In his letter to the village clerk, Jacobi cited ''personal issues'' for his sudden resignation.

''I finally came to the difficult decision that I could no longer fight this matter,'' said Jacobi, who was a Village Council member for seven years. ``It has exhausted me both financially and emotionally.''

His last day in office will be April 1. The Village Council plans to appoint a replacement to serve the rest of Jacobi's term, which ends in 2011.

Jacobi, a family and personal-injury attorney, declined to comment.

His attorney, Joe Geller, said the resignation did not mean his client conceded he was ineligible to hold office.

The prospect of a lengthy and expensive trial and possible appeals was daunting, Geller said.

''You are talking about a job that pays $92 a month,'' said Geller, who would not reveal how much Jacobi has spent on legal fees. ``How much can you expect from the guy to sacrifice for a $92-a-month job?''

Jacobi's former opponent, Lynne Bloch-Mullen, filed the civil lawsuit questioning whether Jacobi was living in the village when he defeated her in April 2007 with almost 70 percent of the vote.

The civil trial began Wednesday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

Jacobi ''elected to resign rather than await the court's final ruling concerning his residency,'' wrote Village Attorney Michael Popok in an e-mail to The Miami Herald.

Bloch-Mullen said Monday she was relieved the ordeal had ended.

The lawsuit argued that Jacobi lived at his North Miami Beach property and not his Bal Harbour co-op during the time period required to run for office -- and pointed to payments made to Jacobi by a woman who was living at the Bal Harbour condominium as proof he was renting it out.

Jacobi had argued that the woman was a friend staying at his place. He said he purchased the North Miami Beach home as an investment property and for use as a weekend getaway.

Jacobi, a one-time judicial candidate, also faced ethics complaints following the 2007 election.

In November, the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust found he provided inaccurate information on his financial disclosure forms by not fully disclosing income he received from the woman staying at the Bal Harbour co-op from 2005 to 2007. In February, the commission fined Jacobi $3,500 plus $1,000 for investigative costs.

PLAY BALL

The Miami Dade County commission has approved the Miami Marlins' new retractable roof stadium. Yes, after a 15 year battle, the fish will get a ballpark in La Pequena Havana...Que bola! Yes, the commission discussed how this will impact us financially, since the county will use money from the general fund and tourist taxes. However, at the same time, we will have jobs. Sure, they will be temporary, but something is better than nothing. Let's face it, when Obama made a push for the stimulus plan he said the money will be for local government, who will decide how to use the money wisely. Meaning, the government may use the money for road construction, which will provide jobs. Again, these jobs will only last for sometime too. Thus, people can't criticize as far as the ballpark jobs. Also, people will go. Think about it, instead of wasting cash on a case of beer, you can take your kid to the ballpark. This will be great for all of us. Our streets will be hop and popping during the summer in La Pequena Havana. And, maybe, we can win another world series to make it 3. Go Fish!!! Good job commissioners.

It seems like more than likely the fish will finally get the home they have been patiently waiting for. The city of Miami commission voted 3 to 2 in favor of buidling a brand new 37,000 seat retractable roof stadium at the old Orange Bowl location. Above, you can see a mock image of what the place is supposed to look like when it is done. Who is going to pay for this massive $525 million construction project?
Well, we the people: $347 million from Miami-Dade County, and $23 million from the city of Miami. Persoanlly, I am not upset the city moved forward in voting to build the project because I love the game. Also, the Marlins have won 2 world series in their short existence. How many super bowls have the Dolphins won in their history? Two. So, if you do the math, the Marlins a force to be recken with on the diamond and they bring out the best in baseball fans. I remember going to a game in their first season and boy was I excited because for once we had baseball under this beautiful weather. Plus, I don't know about you, but I would rather have a stadium than another thousand foot condo complex with hundreds of units, which no one will buy. However, the most important reason why the city would benefit from building this stadium is the job opportunity it will bring to South Florida. I am sure the Marlins organizations will be hiring everything from cashiers to marketing directors. This is a win win situation. I can't wait till 2012 when the new Miami Marlins park is expected to open. Go Marlins! Play ball!

World Baseball Classic in Miami.

The crowd was hyped. All I heard were drums, maracas, and singing. I felt like I was in Puerto Rico or Calle Ocho. Rum was being passed around like free food. And, all I heard was, "Yo soy Boricua, papi, pa que lo sepa". However, personally, I felt like crap because U.S.A. team got embarrassed by the Puerto Rican team yesterday, here, in Miami, Florida. They got knocked out 11-1. In fact, they had to stop the game early because of the rules, so I didn't get my full 9 nine innings of baseball. I walked with my girlfriend with my head down. Pissed. Jeter and Peavy, who won the Cy Young award, just weren't enough for the Puerto Rican team. They slaughtered us. Not only did we get clobbered, but we were just a hand full out of the more tan 30,000 people who attended the game. It was in one word, pathetic. So, tomorrow, P.R. vs Venezuela. Let's see who wins and, hopefully, the U.S.A. could rebound from that horrible defeat. Today they beat the Netherlands, so I still believe. Yet, the experience was great. Just watching the Puerto Ricans partying, was enough for me. I'll post some pictures from the game.

Another tragic loss for the sport of wreslting.

As a kid, I grew up watching professional wrestling idolizing these monsters of the ring. My grandfather introduced me to the sport. He and I would watch wrestling events religiously and to this day I credit him and thank him for introducing me to this wonderful sport. Since then, I have continued to watch wrestling. I just can't get enough of these guys. To me, they are real life comic book here. Basically, to me, its fantasy meets reality. Nonetheless, I have seen all of the greats live and in color. I have attended numerous wrestling events and till this day I plan to go to as much as I can. I have seen all the greats including Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and The Rock just to name a few. At the same time, I have witnessed all of the tragedies including Owen Heart’s death and even last year's Chris Benoit's. That last sentence I just wrote is sad because it is disappointing these guys our taking their lives. I write this blog today because former champion Test was found dead in Tampa. As of right now, there are no motives, but more than likely some speculate it could be drug related. I know these guys haven't hard. They basically live on the road traveling for hundreds of mile just to entertain the crowd for a couple of minutes. But, why take their lives away. Many children idolize them just like I idolize The Rock or Stone Cold when I grew up. Believe it or not, I credit the sport for introducing me to health and fitness. I always wanted to be in shape just Triple H. Wrestling was the motivation for me to get me in the gym. Just like they inspired me, I am sure other children look up to wrestlers. Thus, these talented athletes need to be aware of the consequences and be smart about the sport. They can't allow the stress get to them because it might lead to a disaster. My heart goes to Test's family. It is a tragic loss because he was only in his early 30's and I know he had a lot more to offer. May God bless him and his family. As for the current wrestlers, as fans we don't expect a lot but to entertain us. Surely, you don't have to put your bodies on the line because you do enough just walking inside that squared circle.

World Baseball Classic

Unless you have been living under a rock, the World Baseball Classic has been up and running. Our national past time is now a popular sport in the globe. Unfortunately, the series hasn't received a lot of attention. Instead, the sport has received negative press because of baseball players and their use of steroids. The sport has been tarnished thanks to the illegal use of the substance in which players thought would enhance their performance and bring more fans to the games. Fans no longer think the game is legitimate all thanks to players like Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. Sadly, the attention and admiration for the sport has declined.For example, why aren't the World Baseball Classic games on regular television networks? Instead, the games are televised on the Major League Network, which I didn't even know existed. Personally, this series should be just as important as the World Cup; although, here in the United States we don't pay too much attention because American fans aren't to fond of soccer. Nonetheless, Baseball is our history. It is a sport that has done wonders for many countries and has put them on the sports map. For instance, take a look at Cuba and their national team. Baseball in the Caribbean island is in their blood. It's what brings people together in Havana. The sport itself isn't physical or aggressive, yet many sports experts say baseball is one of the most intelligent games because both the batter and the pitcher need to calculate before pitching or taking a swing. However, the game is very exciting, believe it or not, just take last night's game between Dominican Republic and the Netherlands, which came down to the wire: The Netherlands defeated D.R. in extra innings. Remember, D.R. is a powerhouse. They have all-star players like Pedro Martinez, Hanley Ramirez, Moises Alou just to name a few. So, to have a no-name team defeat a monster is something huge. In fact, it's a story that should be showcased in the front page of the sports sections all over the world. Remember, baseball is what keeps us entertained for six months since football season starts in August. Baseball has the team with the most championships ever won in a sport; I am talking about the New York Yankees. So, yes, football is awesome. Basketball and Hockey have their exciting moment, but Baseball brings the world together throughout the year. Plus, you can play anywhere under the hot summer sun in the sandlot. The game should be acclaimed and these games should be given a lot more press because Baseball for many is life. And, go U.S.A.

Smile

I am very tired; however, I find it in me to make others smile. We all have rough times in our lives and days, but you need to find it inside of you to bring out the best of your inner self. By this I mean: smile, laugh, be jubilant despite the fact that things suck at the time. Every moment, every minute, every hour, and every second is a moment you should cherish. Just the fact that I am writing to you right now at this instance makes me bless. There are thousands of people who at this point in time have seen a computer, but have never been able to type or touch a computer. Yes, times are bad and things just couldn't get any worse for some, yet we are breathing and capable smiling. With a smile, you can get others sick of your happiness. Eventually, the positive sickness will be passed like a plauge. A plauge that will all put all smile on our faces. Like this, we can prevent others holding things inside. You see, when you speak or write about your problems it is an escape; it's a catharis. And, you don't leave loved ones wondering what the hell is wrong with the depressed individual. So, life sucks at this time, but don't quit because things will get better. All you need to do is .

Recession. What recession?

It surprises me how we human beings just don't learn from the past. Greed is all over america and you can smell it in the air. Politicians try to brighten our spirits by promoting fantasies. In a recent Miami Herald article, I read that the government will use the federal stimulus money to build some new highway projects. According to officials, the projects will help traffic congestion and provide jobs. Ok, let's be adament about this, the jobs will be temporary. The project will only lasts for a couple of years, at the most. So, we'll be like little kids who get five bucks from their parents after they take out the trash. They feel happy because for that day, they got some income and are free to use it on what ever they want. But, the five bucks isn't continuous. Who are these people fooling? It seems that this money will just be enjoyed momentarily. Once we run out of our borrowed money, what happens next? Another recession or depression that my generation will have to suffer. I am pretty sure that next recession will become a depression, simply because we as a country, our in debt with the world. And, just like our current bank's attitudes, other countries will not let us borrow from them anymore, until we pay them back. Ladies and gentlemen, we are screwed. We have to just hope and pray this boat sinks to the bottom of the floor only to get rescued, quickly. We need help, financially. It's not rocket scientist. All we need to do, as citizens, is play it safe. Don't go crazy buying unnecessary objects. Which brings me to my other topic, why is that people are going to bars and liquor stores more than ever? Is alcohol on special? I have never seen so money people drinking their lives away and spending their money before. You walk into a restaurant or bar that serves alcohol and you will see everyone pounding. To make matters worse, they by like 50 rounds to supply their friends of alcohol. Only to realize that they don't have the monthly rent. Yes, you can drink to forget your problems, but it won't resolve anything. Remember, you will return to reality once you sober up. To make matters worse, after 50 shots of tequila, they get in their car and drive. Come on people, think smart. Let's not be like the government and blow our money on useless materials, especially if it damages your health. I am not saying to stop drinking forever, but don't spend a lucrative amount of cash on alcohol, if you don't have the cash to spend. For example, don't go to club Space and spend $600 on a Vodka bottle only to impress someone. Remember, that same bottle costs $40 at a nearby liquor store. That's just be plain stupid. I know times our rough, but there are other solutions to get around your troubles. You can practice yoga or workout to forget your issues. Think about it. DOn't put yourself in a deep hole just like our government has. Sorry, I just needed to speak and get this off my chest. The government should put that money into creating jobs to stimulate consumers pockets continuously instead of stimulating their check books.