Talk of the Town: Fight Against Banned Books, Dog ATM, and More

The Fight Against Banned Books

The restriction of books has become a hot-button political topic in Florida, with over 4,500 titles removed from schools during the 2023–24 academic year. This is the largest number of book bans in the United States, giving Florida a special – if somewhat unfortunate – status. Since 1982, “Banned Books Week” has worked to combat the push to forbid certain titles, and this year’s Banned Books Week ended emphatically with a performance art piece at local independent bookstore Books & Books.

On Oct. 11, Coral Gables high school students gathered at Books & Books, where a large wall of banned books had been in- stalled inside the store by artists Antonia Wright and Ruben Millares. The students then read through the titles of the books. The temporary monument was built as a way of inviting the Gables community to join the ongoing battle against book banning by the state government (the banned books are removed from school libraries). After the event, attendees were invited to take a banned book home with them.

Per the organization’s website, Banned Books Week focuses “on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books” and bring “national attention to the harms of censorship.” The 10 most challenged books of 2024 were “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins, “Looking for Alaska” by John Green, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews, “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins, “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, and “Flamer” by Mike Curato. – Luke Chaney

ATM: Automatic Treat Machine for Dogs

Dogs are a lot like us: they enjoy lounging around, going for walks, and scarfing down food like it’s their last-ever meal. In Coral Gables, they can also go to the bank and use the ATM. The only difference is that this ATM doesn’t issue cash – it issues dog treats. 

At the TD Bank on Miracle Mile, there is a miniature treat dispensing-installation that looks and operates like a classic ATM. The Dog ATM (Automated Treat Machine) features a paw mat with a motion detector that recognizes when a pooch approaches. Then, it promptly dispenses biscuits.

To celebrate the Dog ATM rollout, TD hosted a party on Oct. 10 at its Gables location that included a DJ, a dog watercolor artist, an adopt-a-dog station from the Humane Society of Greater Miami, custom dog cookies from Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming (in Merrick Park), TD-branded dog and human giveaways, and desserts by Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop. TD opened up its first Dog ATM in Philadelphia in April 2024. Following its success, TD decided to build an additional 14 Dog ATMs from Maine to Florida – Luke Chaney

A New Neighbor on the Bay

We’ve had our fair share of celebrities making their way to Coral Gables, dubbed by the national press as “the new Beverly Hills.” This time, it’s a well-known Canadian singer and Grammy Award winner moving into a 19,000-square-foot home complete with a mega yacht dock. Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd (“Blinding Lights,” “The Hills,” “Save Your Tears”), recently purchased the $50 million estate featuring eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and a total of 1.2-acres. The home includes a private gym, panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, a grand staircase, and a 62-foot infinity pool with mosaic floors. When he’s not touring or performing, this may be where the next hit song begins. – Amanda Martell

Life After Merrick: A New Book on the Gables

Every good citizen of the Gables knows – or should know, in this centennial year – how the city was founded by George Merrick and laid out with his vision of the City Beautiful movement. And most citizens know how Merrick was ruined when hit by the double whammy in 1926 of a brutal hurricane and the collapse of the Florida Real Estate Boom (the Great Depression three years later didn’t exactly help, either).

What few people know is what happened after the collapse of the city, and how modern-day Coral Gables – now the most affluent community in America and a model of beauty and historic preservation – came to pass.

That question is answered in the new book “Coral Gables – “From Bankruptcy to Beauty” by Les Standiford, a New York Times best-selling author who wrote the book at the behest of two longtime city commissioners – businessmen and Gables “lifers” who were in office when some of the more recent efforts to save historic Coral Gables took place. They are Wayne E. “Chip” Withers and William “Bill” Kerdyk Jr.; Withers served in the City Commission from 1995 to 2013, while Kerdyk served from 1995 to 2015.

Three years ago, Withers and Kerdyk talked about writing a book that would chronicle post-Merrick Coral Gables, with an eye toward what continues to make the city unique. “No one had written about what happened to the city after it went bankrupt, and how it’s been a success,” says Withers. “We said, ‘We need to do this,’ but neither of us were writers. So, we went to Mitch Kaplan (owner of Books & Books) and Dave Lawrence (former Miami Herald publisher).”

They both advised them to approach Les Standiford, who had just written “Last Train to Paradise,” the story of how Henry Flagler extended his railroad into Florida. “I had just read that book,” says Withers. “It’s one of my top 10.”

The result is the highly readable book by Standiford, with its fascinating probe into the sometimes rough and tumble struggle to preserve what Withers calls “the soul of the city” – a struggle which continues today. – J.P. Faber

Frost: Powerhouse Honors and a New York City Trip

The University of Miami’s Frost School of Music hit a few high notes this past month, first with honors for some of its graduates and then with a road trip for the Frost Symphony Orchestra. In early October, Billboard Magazine published its annual Latin Power Players list, recognizing four Frost School of Music alumni and supporters as some of today’s most influential names in music. From hit-making artists to powerhouse executives, all traced their roots back to the Frost School, reflecting its role as a driving force behind Latin music.

Those recognized were Jorge Mejia, Latin GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer and president and CEO of Sony Music Publishing’s Latin and U.S. Latin divisions; Emilio Estefan, GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer and songwriter, and member of the Frost School Dean’s Advisory Committee; Pablo Ahogado, vice president of A&R at Concord Music Publishing; and Richard Bull, general manager of Double P Records. Also recognized were UM alumni Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud and Live; and Ignacio Meyer, president of U.S. Networks at TelevisaUnivision. The Latin Power Players were honored at a campus event where the Frost School unveiled its “Power Players Wall of Fame,” spotlighting alumni and supporters who have shaped the world of Latin music.

Then, at the end of the month, the entire Frost Symphony Orchestra headed to New York City to perform “San Juan Hill” at Lincoln Center, a composition which the Center commissioned jazz trumpeter and Frost Associate Professor Etienne Charles to compose (see story pg. 44). It is a musical story about the multi-lingual, multi-cultural community displaced to build the Center, fusing jazz, classical, and a plethora of popular styles. 

The 10-movement piece starts with “Riot 1905” and ends with “House Rent Party,” its musical climax. “What I imagined for ‘House Rent Party’ was all of the different peoples of San Juan,” says Charles. “It was a neighborhood that housed people from all over the Caribbean – English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking, and Dutch-speaking – as well as Blacks from the south, and even Irish and Italian descendants.” Reflecting the mix, the movement evolves from a Venezuelan waltz to swing, mambo, calypso, disco, and funk. The performance in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was sold out. – J.P. Faber

New Trolley Services Link Red Road

Gableites can now take advantage of the new Southern Loop trolley route, open as of Nov. 3 and aiming to make getting to work, school, and doctor’s appointments a whole lot easier. The  new line creates a convenient circuit that links the Douglas Road Metrorail Station, (see map above), where the north-south Ponce de Leon trolly route now ends, with neighborhoods stretching all the way to Red Road (aka Southwest 57th Avenue). Along the way, the trolley serves stops at the UM Metrorail Station, Medical Offices, the Underline, West Lab, Lennar, and San Amaro Drive. Instead of dealing with traffic or searching for parking, riders can hop on at various points along this east-west section of Ponce de Leon Boulevard. 

What makes this route particularly useful is how it links the University of Miami with the downtown core, with key stops along the way. Students heading to UM classes won’t need to worry about campus parking. Residents with medical appointments at the numerous healthcare facilities in the area can skip the hassle of driving. Parents taking kids to school will have another option besides sitting in traffic.

City officials are treating the new route as a year-long trial to see how many people use the service and which stops get the most traffic. Depending on how things go, the route could stick around for good or be adjusted. Anyone who wants to track when the next trolley arrives can download the ETA Spot app or check coralgables.com/department/parking-department/trolley – Amanda Martel

Fernandez Takes Up the Pen

Embattled Coral Gables City Commissioner Ariel Fernandez has launched a self-help book series called “Better You Minute.” The three-book series will explore topics like improving your self-esteem, resetting your focus, and building stronger relationships.

Fernandez has recently been at the center of a political and legal controversy, having been accused of conducting illegal surveillance of his constituents, tampering with the public record, and lying on the record to a resident (see full story in Coral Gables Magazine’s October issue, pg. 22). In July, following Fernandez’s absence from four straight meetings, the City Commission voted to have an outside investigative body look into the matter.

Fernandez’s book series is supposedly inspired by a visit he made to the Vatican, during which he joined a line of well-wishers who got to meet the Pope. “This series is geared towards advancing my commitment to Pope Leo XIV… to help build a Civilization of Love,” he said in a statement. Each of the three books offers up 30 one-minute reflections “designed to help readers grow in confidence, build meaningful relationships, and regain clarity in today’s fast- paced world,” according to Fernandez’s press release. – Kylie Wang

New Art Programming for Nicklaus

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is partnering with two nonprofits – the Ryan Seacrest Foundation and Comic Kids – for a new art-centric experience for children undergoing healthcare. Known for its programming geared toward sick children, Nicklaus will now be hosting a studio space built by the Seacrest Foundation to film celebrities, teachers, and others who come to the hospital to entertain the children.

That’s where Comic Kids comes in. The nonprofit, founded by Miami-based couple Kat Barrow-Horth and Reed Horth, teaches children how to draw cartoon characters, through in-person classes as well as in videos. The new partnership with the Seacrest Foundation will help children at Nicklaus learn to draw from both Spanish and English videos filmed at Seacrest’s studio.

“It’s powerful to have our programming specifically for the Latino community throughout the U.S…. and these are the first Spanish art videos from Seacrest,” says Kat, whose 11-year-old bilingual son will star in the series as teacher and illustrator. “Those same videos will also be done in English, and we’ll put them on our YouTube channel and our website so all kids can access them.”

Comic Kids is also working with the University of Miami School of Communication to create a free weekly art curriculum and video series, filmed and produced by college students, as well as book drives through its School of Business. – Kylie Wang