Nominations sought for achievement honors

FORT LAUDERDALE — JM Family Enterprises is accepting nominations for the 23rd annual African-American Achievers awards, which recognizes leaders for their exceptional contributions toward building stronger communities in South Florida.

Nominations are due by Friday, Dec. 5. The awards presentation and ceremony will be held on April 15 at the Broward County Convention Center.

Nomination applications are available online at www.africanamericanachievers.com, on the African-American Achievers’ Facebook page or by calling 866-516-2497 for a hard-copy nomination form.

Gables museum honors, Gibson, Smith, others

MIAMI —The Coral Gables Museum is hosting ‘An Evening on the Plaza,’ its annual fundraising event at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15. The festivities will take place on the museum’s open air Giralda Plaza, 285 Aragon Ave. The event will feature cocktails, dinner, live music and the Community Achievement Awards honoring four outstanding leaders. The honorees are David Evensky, Thelma Gibson, H.T. Smith and Judith Weissel.

Individual tickets cost $250. Sponsorships are offered at three levels: Platinum Sponsor ($20,000), Gold Sponsor ($10,000) and Silver Sponsor ($5,000). Proceeds will support the Museum’s educational programs, events and exhibits. For information about tickets, advertising, sponsorship and underwriting opportunities, please contact Christine Rupp at (305) 603-8067 or e-mail info@coralgablesmuseum.org.  ​

 Immigrants hit streets to encourage voters

MIAMI (AP) — Some door knockers may not be eligible to vote themselves, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying to persuade thousands of others to head to the polls.

Immigrant groups in Miami-Dade and Polk counties said this week they have visited more than 25,000 homes to encourage minority residents to vote next month.

Many of the canvassers were immigrants themselves, some recent arrivals, others in the country illegally and thus unable to vote. The Florida Immigrant Coalition coordinated the nonpartisan campaign to boost turnout in immigrant and low-income communities.

In 2012, black and Latino voters turned out at the same rate as non-Latino white voters. But participation dropped in 2010. About 41 percent of eligible Latinos and Black voters participated in that election, compared to 46 percent of non-Latino Whites.

Wet season done, water district says

WEST PALM BEACH (AP) — South Florida’s water managers say the region’s wet season has ended with slightly above-average rainfall.

Meteorologists with the South Florida Water Management District say that the region’s daily sea-breeze cycle wet-season rains ended Oct. 4. Officials say the seasonal rainfall left water levels in good condition in many areas, which will give water managers more flexibility with the water supply during the dry season.

The dry season typically runs from mid-October through mid-May with about 18 inches of rain on average.

South Florida remains under the district’s year-round landscape irrigation rules that limit residential and commercial landscape watering to two or three days per week. Details about watering days and times in specific areas can be found on the district’s website, www.sfwmd.gov/2days.