Broward Urban League hosts Red Gala fundraiser

FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida Sens. Chris Smith and Andy Gardiner and business executive Gale Butler will receive awards during the annual Red Gala dinner sponsored by the Urban League of Broward County.

The gala is the organizations signature fundraiser. It will be held 7 p.m. Saturday at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd.

Smith and Gardiner will receive the Diversity Champion Award, given to individuals who demonstrate leadership in the area of social justice, race relations and compassion through community service.

Butler will receive the Margaret Roach Humanitarian Award. She served as Vice President of Corporate Affairs for AutoNation.

Commissioner Jordan hosts workshop for businesses

MIAMI-DADE — Business owners who want to sort through the complexities of competing for contracts with some of the most ambitious improvement projects have an opportunity to get information at an upcoming symposium.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan will host a Small Business Certification Workshop at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Florida Memorial University, in the Smith Conference Center, 15800 NW 42nd Avenue in Miami Gardens.

In the coming months, Miami-Dade County will let several multi-million dollar contracts to address the county’s ailing water and sewer system. The Miami Dolphins organization is also preparing for its upcoming modernization project. Jordan invites small business owners to attend and get information on how to become certified to work on these projects.

To RSVP, send an email message to sbdmail@miamidade.gov. For more information, call Commissioner Jordan’s Office at (305) 474-3011.

Charges against 2 dropped in disabled girl’s death

FORT LAUDERDALE — Charges have been dropped against two psychologists indicted for failing to report the neglect of a severely disabled South Florida girl.

Prosecution of the psychologists ended shortly after it began on Sept. 10 in Fort Lauderdale when the state attorney’s office abandoned the charges, citing a series of prosecution-related mishaps.

The emaciated body of 12-year-old Tamiyah Audain was found in her caregiver’s home last September. Latoya Patterson, the cousin who was given custody after the child’s mother died, faces life in prison after being charged with felony murder. Jabeth Moye, a former caseworker for a private company contracted by the Department of Children and Families, is charged with child neglect.