WLRN, the NPR station in Miami, is hiring three senior editors for its news department — Senior Editor for Digital Media, for News and for Enterprise — to help lead one of the nation’s fastest-growing multi-platform public media newsrooms.
This is part of a reorganization of the WLRN news department into a multi-platform news operation. We are experimenting with innovative approaches to cover our community across multiple platforms and in collaboration with our partners at The Miami Herald and NPR. The Canoe Project and the Cuban Sandwich Crisis are two recent examples of those efforts. You can be part of the many more to come.
Applications for these positions should include (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume or CV, (3) work samples and (4) at least three references that have worked closely with you and can speak of your qualifications for the position. Please email the application to WLRNnews@gmail.com. First-round applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and on a rolling basis after that until the positions are filled.
Schedule: 10 a.m – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday or as job demands
Reason for Opening: New
Location: Miami, FL
To apply:
Application should include (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume or CV, (3) work samples and (4) at least three references that have worked closely with you and can speak of your qualifications for the position. Please email application to WLRNnews@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and on a rolling basis after that until the position is filled.
Position Summary:
The Senior Editor for Enterprise is one of three WLRN Senior Editors who with the News Director constitute the News Department’s Leadership Team. The News Director reports directly to WLRN’s General Manager. The WLRN news department has a nine-year editorial partnership with the Miami Herald and is located inside the Miami Herald newsroom. The Senior Editors will manage their assigned areas of responsibility; help craft and manage overall News Department direction and strategy across all of our platforms; apply high ethical, journalism and radio standards consistent with NPR’s new ethics code; supervise content consistent with the News Department’s approach to subject-area verticals (beats), sense of place programming and user interactivity; participate in news events; act as working managers and pitch in on daily production needs; and supervise and evaluate staff assigned to them. As a team, the Senior Editors will meet regularly to review all assignments, set priorities for the coming week and do longer-range planning. In the absence of one of the other Senior Editors or the News Director, the Senior Editor will be called upon to oversee other areas of news across all of our platforms and/or function as acting News Director. The Senior Editors will rotate as the on-duty manager during nights and weekends.
Senior Editor, Enterprise: Directs, reviews and edits work of assigned staff, including anchors, producers and beat reporters. The primary goal and focus of the Senior Editor for Enterprise will be to develop in-depth, investigative and enterprise reporting across all of our platforms and to increase the impact and appeal of our reporting. This individual will oversee the creation of some signature programming and subject-area verticals; manage integration of enterprise and feature production into the daily workflow of the news department; and develop and cross-train the staff in best practices to produce in-depth enterprise content. This individual will also oversee non-news content such as audience callouts, arts contests, fiction, poetry, personal essays, commentaries and audio postcards. Our goal is to create more investigative stories, signature segments and one-of-a-kind programming that capture significant public attention. In the future, staff in this area may include a new senior reporting position of correspondent, specializing in major high-impact projects.
Position Responsibility:
Demonstrates interest in and knowledge of the major issues facing South Florida. Engages in continual self-education and education of the staff.
Oversee creation and production of one daily high-impact short depth or feature story for broadcast at peak drive times.
Act as lead editor of most high-impact features, signature segments, subject-area verticals, and other assigned reporting and production in coordination with the reporting staff and News Director.
Train and critique the work of radio and Miami Herald reporters and producers on a regular basis.
Tap into the full potential of the Miami Herald news partnership to shepherd enterprise stories across multiple platforms.
Establish a story planning and communications process. Attend and participate in Miami Herald enterprise meetings, daily radio standup meetings; establish and run weekly enterprise planning meetings and listening sessions with the reporting staff. Coordinate coverage plan and resource sharing with News Director and other Senior Editors to reflect evolving enterprise assignments and opportunities.
Coach reporters to come up with fresh, forward-looking news approaches that emphasize the news department’s core values of Sense of Place and Audience Interactivity. Engage the audience regularly in coverage of the community using the Public Insight Network.
Assists in recruiting and hiring best candidates for open positions. Keeps current with talent for such purposes.
Put an emphasis on coverage of ethnic and racial diversity and full regional geographic coverage, in particular stories in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Oversee the workflow of enterprise features from local freelancers as well as correspondents and contributors in Tallahassee, Broward County, Palm Beach County and Washington DC.
Work with the News Director and other Senior Editors to ensure 100 percent participation of the news staff in the creation of digital content.
Fill-in for other Senior Editors, News Director, or other staff as needed.
Create and work under an approved annual work plan, with goals, objectives and measureable metrics.
Performs all administrative duties as assigned, including time sheet monitoring and approval, vacation scheduling and payment of freelancers.
Performs technical liaison as needed for the staff, with Miami Herald IT and WLRN engineering.
Help organize, attend and participate in public events and community outreach as a representative of the station. Maintain an active social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, as well as other platforms yet to be identified.
Rotates with other senior editors as on-duty manager for the news department during nights and weekends.
Other tasks as assigned.
Expectations:
The Enterprise Editor is a coaching/training/mentoring role. He or she is expected to be a leader in the newsroom for creative, in-depth, enterprise storytelling that evokes a “Sense of Place” and engages the audience and taps into the community’s insight.
The Enterprise Editor is encouraged to produce his or her own news and enterprise coverage, but not at the expense of duties outlined above.
Required Skills and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Minimum 4 years directly related experience, 3 years reporting experience
Excellent knowledge of and broad experience in broadcast journalism, including reporting, researching, writing, interviewing, and editing.
Excellent ability to create story ideas, report, edit and produce program elements.
Extensive experience in public radio audio production and sound mixing.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and partners to find win-win situations.
Ability to successfully meet deadlines, handle multiple responsibilities under pressure and often independently outside of regular business hours.
Good multi-tasking abilities.
Strong critical judgment skills and the ability to make decisions regarding credibility, personality and value of material to program.
Strong storytelling skills and familiarity with public radio news and values.
Ability to edit material of remote producers over the phone.
Strong research skills.
Ability to work with little or no supervision.
Superior communication skills.
Ability to work quickly and effectively with reporters and freelancers.
Ability and willingness to train/mentor/coach on a daily basis staff, freelancers and Miami Herald contributors in best enterprise coverage practices across all of our platforms.
Avid consumer of WLRN news content across all of our platforms.
Ability to operate remote and on-site recording equipment, edit audio and prepare all elements of program in ready-for-broadcast form.
Ability to operate digital computer equipment and software for digital presentation.
Consistent and reliable attendance is an essential component of the job.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Strong background in enterprise journalism and high-impact feature storytelling.
Familiarity with digital design and presentation desired.
Reporting To This Position:
Reporters, Producers, Anchors as assigned.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Schedule: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday or as job demands
Reason for Opening: New
Location: Miami, FL
To apply:
Application should include (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume or CV, (3) work samples and (4) at least three references that have worked closely with you and can speak of your qualifications for the position. Please email application to WLRNnews@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and on a rolling basis after that until the position is filled.
Position Summary:
The Senior Editor for News is one of three WLRN Senior Editors who with the News Director constitute the News Department’s Leadership Team. The News Director reports directly to WLRN’s General Manager. The WLRN news department has a nine-year editorial partnership with the Miami Herald and is located inside the Miami Herald newsroom. The Senior Editors will manage their assigned areas of responsibility; help craft and manage overall News Department direction and strategy across all of our platforms; apply high ethical, journalism and radio standards consistent with NPR’s new ethics code; supervise content consistent with the News Department’s approach to subject-area verticals (beats), sense of place programming and user interactivity; participate in news events; act as working managers and pitch in on daily production needs; and supervise and evaluate staff assigned to them. As a team, the Senior Editors will meet regularly to review all assignments, set priorities for the coming week and do longer-range planning. In the absence of one of the other Senior Editors or the News Director, the Senior Editor will be called upon to oversee other areas of news across all of our platforms and/or function as acting News Director. The Senior Editors will rotate as the on-duty manager during nights and weekends.
Senior Editor, News: Directs, reviews and edits work of assigned staff, including the anchors, producers and beat reporters. The primary goal and focus of the Senior Editor for News is to increase the value and impact of WLRN’s news coverage by focusing our reporting resources on the coverage of fewer subjects in greater depth. This individual will oversee WLRN’s news coverage across all of our platforms, including 16 daily newscasts and signature segments, mobilizing staff resources and working in collaboration with the Miami Herald newsroom to maximize the timely delivery of key information to our digital and broadcast audiences around defined subject-area verticals. This position has primary responsibility for monitoring the breaking- and hard-news flow to ensure timely coverage. This editor will manage WLRN’s relationship with the Florida News Exchange, collaborate with newsrooms across the state and oversee daily coverage from correspondents in Washington, D.C., Tallahassee, Palm Beach County and Broward County.
Position Responsibility:
General duties:
Demonstrates interest in and knowledge of the major issues facing South Florida. Engages in continual self-education and education of the staff.
Drive daily coverage plan for 16 daily newscasts, and suggest continual ways to refine and improve our core broadcast news product.
Ensure a daily flow of fresh breaking and hard-news content across all of our platforms.
Oversees coverage of breaking news of importance to our listeners in close collaboration with the Miami Herald’s breaking news team.
Liaison with the Miami Herald’s Continuous News Desk.
Train Miami Herald reporters in audio recording, writing and production to produce daily spot stories.
Tap into the full potential of the Miami Herald news partnership to shepherd news stories across multiple platforms.
Coach reporters to come up with fresh, forward-looking news approaches that emphasize the news department’s core values of Sense of Place and Audience Interactivity. Engage the audience regularly in coverage of the community using the Public Insight Network.
Assists in recruiting and hiring best candidates for open positions. Keeps current with talent for such purposes.
Establish a story planning and communications process. Attend and participate in Miami Herald news meetings, weekly enterprise planning meetings; run daily radio standup meetings; establish and run weekly news planning meetings and listening sessions with the reporting staff. Coordinate coverage plan and resource sharing with News Director and other Senior Editors to reflect evolving news assignments and opportunities.
Put an emphasis on coverage of ethnic and racial diversity and full regional geographic coverage, in particular stories in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Oversee the workflow from local freelancers as well as correspondents and contributors in Tallahassee, Broward County, Palm Beach County and Washington DC.
Engage the audience regularly using the Public Insight Network, though daily queries and questions of the day.
Work with the News Director and other Senior Editors to ensure 100 percent participation of the news staff in the creation of digital content.
Work with the WLRN communications, programming and membership staff to ensure proper promoting of high-impact coverage.
Fill-in for other Senior Editors, News Director, or other staff as needed.
Create and work under an approved annual work plan, with goals, objectives and measureable metrics.
Performs all administrative duties as assigned, including time sheet monitoring and approval, vacation scheduling and payment of freelancers.
Performs technical liaison as needed for the news staff with Miami Herald IT and WLRN engineering.
Help organize, attend and participate in public events and community outreach as a representative of the station. Maintain an active social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, as well as other platforms yet to be identified.
Rotates with other senior editors as on-duty manager for the news department during nights and weekends.
Other tasks as assigned.
Expectations:
The News Editor will often be called on in the early morning and weekends to coordinate breaking news coverage, and in the evenings and weekends to edit spot stories.
As a regular part of his or her duties, the Newscast Editor will be expected to produce spot news coverage of breaking stories across all of our platforms. Producing these stories will relieve pressure on the staff due to periodic staffing shortages. This is an opportunity to lead by example.
Required Skills and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Minimum 4 years directly related experience, 3 years reporting experience.
Excellent knowledge of and broad experience in broadcast journalism, including reporting, researching, writing, interviewing, and editing.
Excellent ability to create story ideas, report, edit and produce program elements.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and partners to find win-win situations.
Ability to successfully meet deadlines, handle multiple responsibilities under pressure and often independently outside of regular business hours.
Good multi-tasking abilities.
Strong critical judgment skills and the ability to make decisions regarding credibility, personality and value of material to program.
Strong news judgment and familiarity with public radio news and values.
Ability to edit material of remote producers over the phone.
Strong research skills.
Ability to work with little or no supervision.
Superior communication skills.
Ability to work quickly and effectively with reporters and freelancers.
Ability and willingness to train/mentor/coach on a daily basis staff, freelancers and Miami Herald contributors in best news coverage practices across all of our platforms.
Avid consumer of WLRN news content across all of our platforms.
Ability to operate remote and on-site recording equipment, edit audio and prepare all elements of program in ready-for-broadcast form.
Ability to operate digital computer equipment and software for digital presentation.
Consistent and reliable attendance is an essential component of the job.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Strong background in daily journalism and breaking-news coverage.
Familiarity with digital design and presentation desired.
Reporting To This Position:
Reporters, Producers, Anchors as assigned.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Company: South Florida Public Media/Friends of WLRN
Job Title: Senior Editor, Digital Media, WLRN-Miami Herald News
FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt
Reports to: News Director
Schedule: 10 a.m – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday or as job demands
Reason for Opening: New
Location: Miami, FL
To apply:
Application should include (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume or CV, (3) work samples and (4) at least three references that have worked closely with you and can speak of your qualifications for the position. Please email application to WLRNnews@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and on a rolling basis after that until the position is filled.
Position Summary:
The Senior Editor for Digital Media is one of three WLRN Senior Editors who with the News Director constitute the News Department’s Leadership Team. The News Director reports directly to WLRN’s General Manager. The WLRN news department has a nine-year editorial partnership with the Miami Herald and is located inside the Miami Herald newsroom. The Senior Editors will manage their assigned areas of responsibility; help craft and manage overall News Department direction and strategy across all of our platforms; apply high ethical, journalism and radio standards consistent with NPR’s new ethics code; supervise content consistent with the News Department’s approach to subject-area verticals (beats), sense of place programming and user interactivity; participate in news events; act as working managers and pitch in on daily production needs; and supervise and evaluate staff assigned to them. As a team, the Senior Editors will meet regularly to review all assignments, set priorities for the coming week and do longer-range planning. In the absence of one of the other Senior Editors or the News Director, the Senior Editor will be called upon to oversee other areas of news across all of our platforms and/or function as acting News Director. The Senior Editors will rotate as the on-duty manager during nights and weekends.
The Senior Editor, Digital Media: Directs, reviews and edits work of assigned staff, including WLRN’s social media editor and Public Insight Network analyst. The primary goal and focus of the Senior Editor for Digital Media will be to lead the news team in exponentially growing WLRN’s digital audience. In the first phase of the job, this individual will launch and oversee a series of new WLRN digital properties, including launching a news website and subject-area blogs, a refined social media architecture and new mobile products, powered by NPR Digital Services technology and in editorial collaboration with the Miami Herald. In the second phase of the job, this individual will be at the center of a dynamic, digital-first newsroom, working closely with the WLRN News staff and the Miami Herald newsroom to create content across all of our platforms around breaking news, feature stories and audience callouts. In order to fulfill its mission to grow the digital audience, it is projected that this unit will grow in the future, and the Senior Editor for Digital Media would oversee and direct that growth.
Position Responsibility:
Demonstrates interest in and knowledge of the major issues facing South Florida. Engages in continual self-education and education of the staff.
Responsible for crafting, leading and implementing WLRN-Miami Herald News’s digital initiatives, including the development of new sources of original content across all platforms (i.e. will “own” the news department’s digital assets).
Will work with the digital staff of the Miami Herald and NPR Digital Services to maximize those partnerships in the digital space.
Will act as a liaison with the communications department at WLRN and membership department of the Friends of WLRN to coordinate outreach and promotion of news products on their websites, newsletters and events.
Build WLRN’s digital and social media audience to broaden station’s engagement with users and generate content.
Work with News Director to lead WLRN’s multi-platform strategy and guide station digital decision-making.
Train and coach WLRN-Miami Herald News staff and key freelancers in new digital tools and digital best practices.
Assists in recruiting and hiring best candidates for open positions. Keeps current with talent for such purposes.
Develop awareness in reporters and producers of the importance of and opportunity for digital display of their stories, to ensure high-profile treatment of WLRN content on all digital platforms.
Establish a story planning and communications process. Attend and participate in Miami Herald digital meetings, daily radio standup meetings; help lead weekly editorial meetings and critique sessions with the news staff. Coordinate coverage plan and resource sharing with News Director and other Senior Editors to reflect evolving digital assignments and opportunities.
Responsible for the development and growth of revenue associated with WLRN’s digital assets by coordinating underwriting, development and marketing initiatives.
Oversee the technical development and launch of new digital news platforms, including a new news website, blogs, and mobile products, as well as content displayed on Miami Herald sites.
Oversee WLRN’s social media architecture, strategy and staff.
Work with the News Director and other Senior Editors to ensure 100 percent participation of the news staff in the creation of digital content.
Represent WLRN as lead in all NPR digital initiatives.
Initiate and manage all digital partnerships and relationships that strengthen WLRN’s digital presence.
Identify and secure funding that strengthens WLRN’s digital efforts.
Create and work under an approved annual work plan, with goals, objectives and measureable metrics.
Assists in recruiting and hiring best candidates for open positions. Keeps current with talent for such purposes.
Put an emphasis on coverage of ethnic and racial diversity and full regional geographic coverage, in particular stories in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Fill-in for other Senior Editors, News Director, or other staff as needed.
Performs all administrative duties as assigned, including time sheet monitoring and approval. Vacation scheduling and payment of freelancers.
Performs technical liaison as needed for the staff, with Miami Herald IT and WLRN engineering.
Help organize, attend and participate in public events and community outreach as a representative of the station. Maintain an active social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, as well as other platforms yet to be identified.
Rotates with other senior editors as on-duty manager for the news department during nights and weekends.
All other duties as assigned.
Expectations:
The Senior Editor for Digital Media combines a coaching/training/mentoring role with a visionary approach to digital reporting and storytelling. He or she is expected to be a leader in the newsroom for creative, in-depth, digital storytelling that evokes a “Sense of Place” and engages the audience and taps into the community’s insight.
As a regular part of his or her duties, the Senior Editor for Digital Media will be expected to produce news coverage across all of our digital platforms. This will relieve pressure on the staff due to periodic staffing shortages. This is an opportunity to lead by example.
Required Skills and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Minimum 4 years directly related digital journalism experience.
Knowledge of and experience in digital journalism, including reporting, researching, writing, interviewing, and editing.
Large social media networks and a fluency in emerging digital technologies and platforms.
Passionate advocate for the digital transformation of public media and in the potential for rapid growth in public radio’s digital audience.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and partners to find win-win situations.
Established track record as a digital innovator and entrepreneur.
Ability to successfully meet deadlines, handle multiple responsibilities under pressure, independently and outside of regular business hours.
Good multi-tasking abilities.
Strong critical judgment skills and the ability to make decisions regarding credibility, personality and value of material to program.
Strong understanding of audience engagement and social media and familiarity with public radio news and values.
Strong research skills.
Ability to work with little or no supervision.
Superior communication skills.
Ability to work quickly and effectively with reporters and freelancers.
Ability and willingness to train/mentor/coach on a daily basis staff, freelancers and Miami Herald contributors in best digital practices.
Avid consumer of WLRN news content across all of our platforms.
Ability to operate remote and on-site recording equipment, edit audio and prepare all elements of program in ready-for-broadcast form.
Ability to operate digital computer equipment and software for digital presentation.
Consistent and reliable attendance is an essential component of the job.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Strong background in digital design and presentation.
Ability to create story ideas, report, edit and produce program elements.
Reporting To This Position:
Social Media editor, Public Insight Network analyst, Reporters, Producers, Anchors as assigned.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
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Jonathan Oleinick is the co-founder of Evolution Ventures, a software development company in Miami Beach, with Eyal Weinstein. It used to be a real estate company.
Oleinick, an MIT graduate with an extensive technology background was frustrated.
“If you think about it, the real estate agency is pretty far behind the movie industry, the gaming industry, the fashion industry, as far as our usage of technology, but with products like this, we’re beginning to get a foothold,” Oleinick said.
It’s the first of its kind and uses 3D technology so that clients can touch their way through a property and even see what the surrounding area looks like in the day time versus the night time with videos and pictures.
Eyal Weinstein (left) and Jonathan Oleinick (right)
At the Marquis, Miami’s tallest luxury condo tower, sales agent Kathy Smuts showed off all of the paperwork and thick brochures she used to carry around a year ago. Then she compared this to the iPad she now carries using the Sage App.
“When clients and brokers come in, they expect you to look professional with an iPad,” Smuts said. “They don’t expect you to be walking around with you know papers falling out of a brochure or a messy sales grid, and I just think it adds to the sophistication of the sales process”
She says the app has also helped her sell units to clients who are overseas. Most recently she sold a unit to a client in Argentina.
Right now, Oleinick says, the South Florida region after a rough patch, once again has the hottest condo market in the nation. And that’s thanks, in no small part, to international buyers.
“The ability to communicate, especially to foreigners, is going to have to be done in a technically sophisticated way that can quickly summarize why one of these many new developments is different than the next,” Oleinick said.
He says his company will continue to develop and improve the application in the future.
Fleet Week is now underway at Broward County’s Port Everglades. A Navy submarine is one of the ships on display. WLRN Miami Herald’s Marva Hinton got to see the USS Dallas up close during an overnight stay.
USS Dallas photo: Wikimedia Commons
The nuclear powered fast attack submarine travelled from Port Canaveral to Port Everglades going to a depth of 600 feet.
The submarine carries a crew of 130. Two people can’t walk down a hallway without one of them turning sideways. Toes get stepped on all the time and excuse me is a phrase heard frequently. Petty Officer Second Class Travis Nantz is from Ft. Myers.
“Probably one of the most cramped spaces and it’s unfortunate cause it’s the only space that’s really our space is our racks. Our racks is about two-thirds of a twin-size mattress, and when you lay on your shoulder your other shoulder almost touches the top of the racks, so it’s very confined.”
But the 23 year old says that’s not what he misses the most.
“No sunlight. It takes a long time getting used to not seeing the sunlight and living under the florescent lights, but you kind of become accustomed to it, I suppose.”
Reporter Marva Hinton
Nantz has grown used to it in the four years he’s been on the Dallas working as a nuclear mechanic. The 23 year old joined the Navy right out of high school and has been serving for 5 and a half years. This fall he will start classes at the University of South Florida on a full scholarship and says there’s a good chance he’ll return to the Navy.
The ship’s Commanding Officer, Jack Houdeshell ( howdy-shell) started out as an enlisted man twenty years ago but took advantage of a program that allowed him to become an officer. He took command of the Dallas in February. He says you get used to the cramped quarters and the unnatural light but not being away from your family for months at the time.
“My oldest daughter is in track. I’m not going to get to see a single one of her track meets. My second oldest is playing soccer. I’m not going to see her soccer games. So it’s the time you miss with your family which is probably the hardest part to deal with.”
But the sailors on board now they have an important job to do. The Dallas does everything from surveillance to helping other ships learn how to spot submarines and even assisting with drug interdiction. To make sure the ship is ready for whatever is next, the men on board do several things to prepare. One of the tests performed routinely is called angles and dangles.
During this test, the ship dives deep and then comes back up at a steep angle to make sure that everything on board is secure. James Wendler is the ship’s weapons officer.
“It’s kind of like being on a rollercoaster blindfolded.”
During Tuesday’s test, a large three-ring hole punch starting sliding a little too close to the scopes for the officers’ comfort. When they pointed it out, one of the sailors rushed to grab it.
“We call it stowage for sea making sure that everything is tied down. So whether the ship takes a roll side-to-side due to heavy waves or we have to take a down angle because we’re trying to evade a incoming weapon or avoid a surface ship or some king of extreme situation where we’ve gotta move and we’ve gotta move quickly.”
Wendler tells us things falling down can be noisy and could alert an enemy to the ship’s position. Throughout the Dallas, there are signs reminding sailors not to slam doors or even the toilet seats when they put them down. The Navy submarines are actually called The Silent Service. And most of the time the Dallas is pretty quiet. But when the ship rises, sailors call out from the command center.
The Dallas will be docked in Port Everglades as part of Fleet Week through May 1.
In 1896, a reverend named Jeremiah H. Butler and a dozen other members of St. Agnes Episcopal Church in Northwest Miami withdrew their membership because of “cultural differences”.
“African-American people have a tendency to get excited and loud. And the group members at St. Agnes was quiet,” Reverend Clayton Hodge said.
The A.M.E. denomination was founded in a blacksmith shop in the late eighteenth century after white parishioners in Philadelphia told black members they couldn’t worship alongside whites.
The Greater St. Paul Church, which serves the African-American community in Coconut Grove, is the largest AME church in the region.
Becky Matkov is with the historic preservation agency, Dade Heritage Trust. She says churches like the AME are important symbols.
“Not only that church but so many of our black churches play such a vital role in maintaining the heritage of their community,” Matkov said.
Sixty-eight-year-old Jimmie Ingraham is a fourth generation member.
When he was growing up, youth programs were a big part of how he learned about his church’s long history.
“Not only did it foster and encourage growth in education and biblically, it was just an extension of life”
Ingraham is now a board member. He has seen the church evolve over the years.
It used to serve only the spiritual needs of its members. Now, the church helps feed and house the needy. Greater St. Paul owns 44 low-income housing units. Across the street from the church, they run a shower ministry where the homeless can take showers. Meanwhile, they can drop off their dirty clothes, have them washed and get a clean set to change into.
Juanita Hudson Smith has been attending Greater St. Paul for over 40 years. She’s a volunteer treasurer and a soloist with the choir.
She says besides growing spiritually, she also learned how to handle money through the church. And she, in turn, has trained many other members and watched them grow and transform too.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards ( 4/23-26) brought great music from artists, managers, and labels. For Miami’s independent bands, talk focused on what it means nowadays being unsigned to a label. WLRN-Miami Herald reporter Patricia Sagastume tells us more.
((SFX of Music from Pitbull under )
Sagastume 1
The Latin Billboard awards celebrations featured
big names such as Engrique Iglesias and Pit Bull
( SFX of music from Pit Bull up))
Miami, use to be A cross-over capitol of LATIN music.
BUT NOW THERE’S A FUSION OF SOUNDS
HERE.
And its everywhere partly because of the digital
revolution.
Distribution of songs can simply be done by
launching a Youtube video or twitter post.
There are also subscription services like Spotify and
says social media has leveled the playing field for
independents.
ACT- Dosoretz- “” for themselves””((:15))
The indpendendent artist in Miami now, with all the changes in the technology now have an opportunity, have an equal opportunity as a band in ny , a band in los angels to make a name for themselves.
(( SFX of Suenalo music fade under ))
Sagastume 2
Isabella Acker is the manager of the Miami band Suenalo,
She says it’s easy and cheap to launch an album
on a social media site.
What’s harder is getting noticed and making Money.
ACT-ACKER “ demand it” (( :22))
so its great to have your music everywhere but your one band out of thousands on the internet already so its really finding your market and tapping into something that people will find a way to demand it.
((SFX of Suenalo music under end of ACT and fade out after outro))
Tonight (Friday, April 27) is the Go Dutch! Orange Bike-in Festival.
It’s a Dutch-themed event celebrating Miami’s growing bike scene. Bicycling is the most popular form of transportation in the Netherlands.
Simone Filippini is the Dutch Consul General in Miami and was part of organizing the event. She sees bicycling as the Netherlands’ biggest “cultural” export and Miami as a ripe market…
“Miami is an international, progressive, open-minded city with a lot of traffic. It’s flat country so it’s ideal for bicycles even for people who are not fit.”
Filippini says the Dutch has been actively supporting biking policy in Miami and a few other major US cities.
The 12 mile, Go Dutch cycle starts at 6-PM at Government Center and ends at the new Grand Central Park on the old Miami Arena site.
The event coincides with the Miami Critical Mass bike ride and the Dutch national holiday, Queen’s Day.
You’ve likely never heard of the Montgomery Botanical Center.
It’s less than 2 miles from the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and it’s almost 50% bigger than Fairchild.
Montgomery doesn’t exactly advertise their 120-acre oasis.
It is open to the public, by appointment only…and ideally on a weekday.
That’s when you’ve got the best chance of catching up with the park’s executive director, Pat Griffith.
“ACT GRIFFITH – this one ((0:10))
“PG: Uh, this one right here – uh…coccothrinax barbadensis. The Barbados Silver Palm.
KM: So this is it, this is the biggest one in Florida.
PG: It’s the biggest one in Florida and actually, we’re fairly certain it’s the largest one in the United States.”
MALONE2
This Barbados Silver Palm, it’s a palm tree’s palm tree.
ACT GRIFFITH – description ((0:19))
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s very tall and thin…”
MALONE3
Shoots straight up into the air, the height of five basketball hoops.
ACT GRIFFITH – description contd.
“It’s got a beautiful crown of leaves that are dark green and silver underneath them.”
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The tree was planted exactly 80 years ago.
It’s part of the original landscaping at the estate of Nell and Colonel Robert Montgomery.
It grew through the great Labor Hurricane of 1935 and seven decades later was still growing when Wilma hit.
It even contributed to science by not falling over.
The tree was part of a study about hurricane-resistant landscaping.
And despite what Pat Griffith said earlier…
ACT GRIFFITH – biggest ((0:03))
“It’s the biggest one in Florida and we’re failry certain it’s the largest one in the United States.”
…this Barbados Silver Palm is not eligible for national championship status because it’s a native of the Caribbean.
ACT GRIFFITH – rules ((0:09))
“It’s just because of the way that the rules are. My understanding is the National Champion Tree Program is really designed to promote our native trees that we have in the United States.”
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Griffith estimates that the Montgomery Center has two dozen trees that are like the Silver Palm:
The biggest in the country, but not eligible to be champions because of their backgrounds.
To be eligible for national champion, a tree must be “native” or “naturalized.”
To naturalize, a tree has to assimilate to the U.S.
But if it does that too well and starts killing off native species, it might cross into invasive species territory.
ACT MARCUS – accurate ((0:02))
“I’d say that’s an accurate way of putting it.”
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Charles Marcus is with the Florida Department of Agriculture.
He certifies any Florida contenders for national champion status.
Even without trees like the Barbados Silver Palm in the running, Florida has more national champion trees than any other state – 111.
Marcus says that’s because of the spectrum of climate that spans from Key West to Tallahassee.
He also says the horticultural immigration issue isn’t just in Florida.
ACT MARCUS – perhaps ((0:12))
“I would say Texas, Hawaii, California…any states where you’ve got perhaps some semi-tropical to tropical habitats you are going to have that problem.”
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Sheri Shannon is with American Forests, the organization that founded the national Big Tree Program in 1940.
She says right now, all the rules for what counts as “naturalized” come from a book printed in the 70s.
It’s outdated, she agrees.
In fact, American Forests is meeting this fall to reassess what to count as “naturalized.”
But Shannon points out that even with new rules, a lot of South Florida’s unique species might not be fair to include.
ACT SHANNON – naturalization issue ((0:14))
“Should they be eligible for a national program when they can’t be found anywhere else outside that region? And that’s also part of why Florida is successful. So that’s how we’re tackling the naturalization issue at the moment.”
ACT SHANNON – immigration ((0:37))
“KM: I can’t help but think a little bit, that this is a little allegorical for sort of the immigration debate. (pause)
SS: It’s possible, but that’s a touchy subject that I don’t want to get in to. (laughs) Like no political…
KM: This is about trees.
SS: Yes, we should definitely make it about trees.”
Maybe this isn’t even about awards.
Pat Griffith, from the Montgomery Botanical Center, says for a long time they didn’t even know the silver palm was so big.
It grows out of a giant sinkhole and looks shorter than it really is.
They still showed it off.
Anything that’s managed to keep roots in South Florida for 80 years deserves some credit.
