From cover to cover, a man's second chance

Once homeless and addicted to alcohol, a Sweetwater man found redemption through his passion for photography -- and recently launched a Spanish-language community magazine featuring his work.


BY RODOLFO ROMAN
Camera Lucas Magazine earlier this month at El Novillo restaurant, 6830 SW 40 St. More than 40 of his family and friends were present to witness the unveiling of his accomplishment. The Spanish-language magazine is named after his father, Juan Lucas Portocarrero.

The free monthly magazine displays 12 pages filled of news relating to immigration, health, social and community issues. But the highlight is Portocarrero's colorful photographs showcasing images such as local wildlife and people celebrating birthdays.

``This is a job that is healthy,'' he said. ``This helps me recuperate from the alcoholic life I once lived.''

More than 5,000 copies were printed for the first edition and will be distributed in several restaurants and grocery stores from Sweetwater to Hialeah. He plans to print 6,000 for his next edition of the magazine, which he funds with his own money as well as sponsors. He said he plans to include articles in English in the future.

Mercedes Jiron, Portocarrero's wife of seven years and mother of his 5-year-old daughter, cried tears of joy after hearing her husband speak.

``It has cost him a lot of long nights, but with the help of friends and family he has a firm step,'' she said at the July 8 event.

Before ever thinking of releasing the magazine, Portocarrero worked with his father at a photographic studio in his native Nicaragua, where he learned the ins-and-outs of the business. He dropped out of high school to pursue his own photography business, but it fizzled amid the Central American country's economic woes.

Portocarrero, who has three other children from a previous relationship, arrived in South Florida with hopes of earning enough money to send back home. He worked in restaurants and attended Miami Dade College to study photography.

But he said homesickness led him to pick up a bottle of alcohol. ``People would deny me jobs because they knew I was an alcoholic,'' he said.

He was homeless for years, wearing the same clothes and drinking any alcoholic beverage he could afford. His brother Cesar Navarrete tried to help him, but he refused.

``I would hide from him,'' Portocarrero said. ``I was afraid.''

In 1994, he was arrested for disorderly intoxication and for driving under the influence after he stole Navarrete's car and drove it onto the Palmetto -- on his way to purchase liquor. He was apprehended after swerving on the road.

``I don't remember anything,'' he said. ``I remember opening my eyes inside a jail cell.''

Portocarrero never quit on his passion for photography. He managed to take pictures of people at restaurants while under the influence, and would sell the photos to patrons.

``With the money I made taking pictures I would buy drinks,'' he said. ``Then I would lose the camera.''

Members of Intergrupal, an Alcoholic Anonymous center located in Sweetwater, approached him and offered to lend a hand. That's when he picked up his camera, began taking pictures of people at restaurants -- but this time saved his money to afford an efficiency apartment instead of spending it on alcohol. Friend Jairo Velasquez Flutsch allowed Portocarrero to use space at his shipping company as a makeshift photo studio, where he would take family portraits.

``I have always supported him,'' said Velasquez Flutsch.

Velasquez introduced his friend to Nicolas Lopez-Maltez, director of La Estrella de Nicaragua newspaper. Portocarrero was offered a freelance job as a photographer.

``He waits for the best moment to catch the expression of the people,'' Lopez-Maltez said.

Since then, Portocarrero also continues to work as a freelance photographer for various Spanish-language news sources.

Portocarrero said he has put his tumultuous years behind him.

``People invite me for a drink, but I tell them nicely, no,'' he said. ``I think of my wife and my kids when alcohol is around.''

Whitman brothers' footage from 1947 explores `True Hawaii'

DECADES AFTER THE WHITMAN BROTHERS CONTRIBUTED TO AN OSCAR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY, A NEW FILM BASED ON MID-CENTURY FILM FOOTAGE CAPTURED BY DUDLEY WHITMAN AND THE LATE BILL WHITMAN EXPLORES LIFE IN HAWAII



BY RODOLFO ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
On his way home from Asia after serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, Dudley Whitman wrote in a small notebook several tasks he wanted to accomplish.

Whitman, a surfer, took notice that in the late 1940s underwater filming was in its infancy.

So, Whitman, who was 24 years old when he left the service, and brother Bill created an underwater camera case and ventured to Hawaii to film the island's surfing culture. They also ended up capturing other aspects of the island way of life on film.

The end result: True Hawaii: Land of Surf and Sunshine, an adventure documentary.

The men are also the brothers of Miami Shores resident Stanley Whitman, the developer who built the Bal Harbour Shops. Bill and Dudley Whitman are in the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame and shot footage for The Sea Around Us, which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1952.

``It's not a just a travelogue,'' said Dudley Whitman, who was 27 when he filmed True Hawaii.

``It takes you to history that even the people who live on the island didn't know about.''

The educational film has not been released, but Dudley Whitman, 90, who served as an executive producer and associate editor, said he hopes to land a deal that would put the masterpiece on television.

Whitman, a Bal Harbour resident, dedicated the film to his brother Bill, who died in 2007.

The more than 11,000 feet of vintage film shot on a 16mm camera was conserved and stored at several places, including the Bal Harbour Shops' Whitman Family Museum. The movie was stored in ammunition boxes with silica gel to keep out the moisture.

``The movie is a Rip Van Winkle story,'' Dudley Whitman said.

The footage was not released back then because at the time 16mm film didn't translate to the new large-format, wide theater screens, he said.

The 52-minute True Hawaii features the history of the islands' culture and, of course, surfing.

Surfer Steven Manning, who lives in Hawaii, attended a sneak preview last month at the Whitman museum. He said the movie brought him memories of his home.

``I get chills to this day, I still surf the places they showed on the film,'' said Manning, who is visiting South Florida and has lived in Hawaii for 15 years. ``This shows how beautiful and friendly the people are.''

Before putting the film together, the old footage was transferred digitally into a high-definition format. PineRidge Film and Television, a Florida-based production company, sent out a crew to shoot Hawaii's current condition, so the Whitman footage can be used to compare the island of yesterday and today.

Producer and associate editor Robert Kahn said the movie took about eight months to put together, with some of the editing taking place at the Whitman museum.

``The film is so wonderful,'' he said. ``We wanted to see it stretch out and feature more of the vintage film.''

The brothers shot the film in the summer of 1947, highlighting famous surfing spots like Waikiki and the sports gods like Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic medalist.

The movie was inspiring for local surfer Michael Laas.

``The footage they have is the golden age of surfing,'' he said. ``That time came and the guys that surfed in that era are giants. They were true watermen.''

The brothers designed a tower made of wood, rubber and wire about 20 feet high and placed it way out in the ocean near the reef in the midst of surfers and canoes. The tower had enough space for a tripod, camera and an operator to take steady shots of surfers.

Dudley Whitman said he hopes the film enlightens viewers.

``My thing in life is to entertain people not to bore them,'' he said.

Yogurt shop serves up perfect study break for FIU students

A frozen yogurt shop offers tasty treats -- and karaoke night -- across the street from Florida International University.


BY RODOLFO ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
Florida International University student Raquel Marciao took time off from her studies to reward herself with a sweet, tasty treat.

``We come to indulge but not really because yogurt is healthy for you,'' said Marciao, a biology major who was one of many customers who stood in line to fill up their white cups with flavored yogurt at Chic Berry Frozen Yogurt, 1689 SW 107th Ave.

The shop, which openned last year, is across from FIU's main campus and has proved popular with students.

The yogurt joint offers 12 flavors and six mixed-flavor option, and lets customers customize the snack they desire. The treats are sold at 49 cents an ounce.

The yogurt joint, located in the University Shopping Center, will be celebrating its one year anniversary in August. Carmen Rojas Roa and her husband, Romain Roa Sanchez, run the spot. The couple used to own a company that sold satellite dishes. The store has six employees who Rojas Roa said are part of the store's success.

``Our employees make sure our customers feel they are special,'' she said.

On a recent Sunday evening, the yogurt shop was packed with customers waiting in line, while families and students sat on couches and at a counter enjoying their treats.

Music played and a big-screen television showed a movie.

The shop also offers karaoke on Thursdays, along with a disc jockey and local singers. Free Wi-Fi is also available. As an added bonus, all FIU and Miami Dade College students get a 10 percent discount.

A native of Venezuela and a paralegal, Rojas Roa has been a fan of yogurt all her life because of its health benefits, such as being a good source of calcium, she said.

During a one-year stay in Las Vegas, she was inspired to venture into the yogurt business after visiting a frozen yogurt shop.

She said she was met by doubters.

``People had told me the concept wouldn't work because Miami wasn't ready for it,'' said Roa, who lives in Doral.

In early 2009, she returned home to South Florida with the urge to open a store. While looking for a location, she took notice of how the recession was affecting up-and coming-businesses. But it didn't deter her, and she said the struggling economy actually worked in her favor.

``I wouldn't have been able to rent this place next to the university if the economy wasn't difficult,'' she said.

Some of the flavors: Nonfat Original Tart, Green Tea, Mango Tart Peanut Butter and New York Cheesecake.

``We are a cultural community with lots of mixture, so I picked the flavors based on our community,'' Rojas Roa said.

There are more than 40 toppings and syrups, including granola, Nestle Crunch, caramel and condensed milk. Fresh fruits like blueberry, strawberry, pineapple and kiwi are also available.

``Everyone leaves happy because we have a flavor for everyone,'' she said.

Roa said another store is in the works.

Chic Berry Frozen Yogurt is open from noon to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For information, call 305-227-6792.

Tougher fines for running Bal Harbour red-light cameras

Bal Harbour is bringing its red-light camera program in step with state laws, meaning tougher fines for motorists zooming through intersections.


BY RODOLFO ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
Red-light runners zooming through intersections will face steeper fines now that Bal Harbour has brought its fees in line with a new state law.

The village council unanimously approved an ordinance on second reading June 30 to amend its red-light program following a state law passed this legislative session.

Cameras have been installed on Harbour Way and Collins Avenue and 96th Street and Harding Avenue, and will soon be installed in front of the Bal Harbour Shops at 97th Street andCollins Avenue, said Bal Harbour Police Capt. Mike Daddario.

Many municipalities such as Bal Harbour had enacted their own red-light policies.

The new Florida law sets statewide standards for monitoring devices and mandates that cities must give thestate a cut of the fees collected.

Violations have increased from $125 for first-time offenders to $158. The new fee took effect July 1.

Under the new law, the camera company that operates the devices -- in this case Advanced Traffic Solutions -- will get a flat fee each month.

The village gets $75 per citation, with the remaining amount going to the state.

Bal Harbour has issued 4,563 violations since a three month grace period ended in January, Daddario said.

So far, the violations have brought in $332,000, with 60 percent of that money retained by the village.

Daddario said the camera system, which captures a picture of the vehicles' license tag and then passes that information to the police department, will continue to be lucrative for the village.

``Revenue could be in the vicinity of $500,000 to one million per year. A very rough guess,'' he said.

For information on the

red-light cameras, go to www.balharbourpolice.org.

Colombian food, music at Fair & Expo Center's bicentennial celebration

LOCAL COLOMBIANS WILL CELEBRATE 200 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE FOR THEIR COUNTRY WITH A HUGE FIESTA AT THE FAIR & EXPO CENTER


BY RODOLFO ROMAN
Special to The Miami Herald
Colombians in South Florida won't have to travel to their native land to celebrate their country's bicentennial.

Sounds of traditional cumbia music and the smell of arepas will fill the air at the 22nd annual Colombian Independence Day Festival at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo Center, 10901 SW 24th St., from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.

The festival marks the South American country's bicentennial independence celebration.

General admission is $25. Children under 10 years of age enter free. Parking is also free. There will be bounce houses, clowns and face-painting for children.

Hernando Miranda, production manager for Congo de Oro, the company producing the event, said the festive affair is a way for Colombians and an international crowd to unite.

``We are partygoers,'' he said in a phone interview. ``We enjoy food, music and drinks.''

Colombia claimed independence from Spain on July 20, 1810.

The musical talent includes headliner Daddy Yankee, a Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar. Other performers hitting the stage include salsa group Grupo Niche of Colombia. Jorge Celedon, also of Colombia, will play traditional vallenato folk tunes from his homeland.

The festival was founded in 1988 by Milton Miranda, Hernando's brother.

``At the time, the Colombian community was growing,'' Hernando said. ``And Colombia has been known to host the best festivals, so we decided to celebrate it in Miami.''

A portion of the event proceeds will help several nonprofit organizations like Read2Succeed. There will be more than 30 local and Colombian vendors selling traditional items such as sombreros vueltiaos and jewelry from the South American country. Alcoholic beverages like Aguardiente Antioqueño will also be available.

While food from across Latin America -- such as Nicaragua and Argentina -- will be for sale, Colombian food will take center stage with offerings such as corn cake arepas and bandeja paisa, which includes rice, red beans, steak, sweat fried plantains, pork rinds and fried eggs.

``One of the highlights of the festival is the variety of food,'' said Hernando, who is from Barranquilla, Colombia.

Orlando Mosquera, owner of Raspaos eatery, which has two locations in Kendall and Miami Lakes, has been a vendor at the festival for seven years. It is a chance to promote his product of snow cones filled with natural fruits and condensed milk, he said.

``We get to set an image for our product and for our business,'' said Mosquera, who also sells tamales. ``It's the most lucrative part for us.''

Attending the event is also a way to reconnect with his fellow Colombians.

``I get together with my people,'' he said. ``It is a chance to bring back memories.''

For more information, visit www.cdoproductions.net.

Bal Harbour donates bus to Barry University

Bal Harbour's former express service bus has been donated to Barry University's Broadcast Journalism School.

The village tried selling the bus on eBay with an opening bid of $8,500, but decided to donate it after no one bid on the vehicle, according to village manager Alfred Treppeda in a letter addressed to the council.

The university will use the vehicle to hold field equipment and as a control room for remote production.

``They have no budgeted funds for this endeavor, so our donation of the bus would greatly enhance the learning environment of this program,'' wrote Treppeda, referring to the Catholic university in Miami Shores.

The 2004 model bus had over 250,000 miles and had a history of breaking down.

``This will give our students the experience in multi-camera shooting and switching live coverage of different events,'' Barry University Associate Vice President Thomas P. Severino wrote in a letter addressed to the village.

The village recently purchased a new bus for about $70,000.

-- RODOLFO ROMAN

Home business idea in Bal Harbour fizzles

By RODOLFO ROMAN, rroman@miamiherald.com
Miami Herald

A proposed rule that would have required home-based businesses in Bal Harbour to pay a fee and register with the village have been shut down.


The village council decided not to vote on the proposed ordinance at a recent meeting.


"I was looking over it and it is too much government regulation,'' said Assistant Mayor Joni D. Blachar.


If the proposal had been approved, businesses with a residential Bal Harbour address outside the commercial area would have had to pay for a business tax receipt. The law would have had prohibited business owners from meeting with clients in the home, ban exterior signage, and forbid large-scale business operations.


Bal Harbour's rules do not expressly address the issue of home-based businesses. The issue was presented by Village Manager Alfred Treppeda in response to several residents inquiring about the legality of home-based businesses.


At the meeting, resident Doug Rudolph said the rule was unnecessary. "We have never had a problem with this,'' he said.