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Best Road to Avoid

Hallandale Beach Boulevard

It's Broward traffic's version of the perfect effing storm: An I-95 exit that runs straight to the county's biggest condo canyon on A1A, along the way passing a Wal-Mart, Gulfstream Race Track, a Publix plaza, two Winn-Dixies, and more Walgreenses than you can shake an empty prescription bottle at. One exit to the south is Ives Dairy Road, an artery so overburdened, its off-ramp jams the freeway even on weekends and affects Hallandale Beach Boulevard as well. The stoplights here are mistimed, leaving huge swaths of the westbound lanes empty while SUVs honk at one another to advance into the intersections at congested green lights. Things were really bad for the past seven months of 2005, when the Florida Department of Transportation set about carving up the road, forcing lane closures. After a brief tourist-season hiatus, the orange cones will be back through late fall, with high temperatures drawing the good people of Miramar and Pembroke Pines to the beaches. Oh, and the construction? FDOT is merely improving the appearance of the road and medians, not increasing the road's capacity, unless you count the bike lanes planned for the truly suicidal among us.

Best Local Boy Made Good

Mike Mularkey

Fort Lauderdale native Mike Mularkey could be exactly what the long-struggling Miami Dolphins need: a guy who knows how to score touchdowns and has absolutely zero reverence for convention. The 'Fins' new offensive coordinator, Mularkey is a University of Florida graduate who played a short stint in the NFL as a tight end before becoming the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator in 2001. It was in the steel city that Mularkey earned the nickname that sticks with him to this day: Inspector Gadget. In Pittsburgh, Mularkey designed a book of trick plays using Hines Ward and Antwan Randle-El. His dynamic offense earned him a top job with the Buffalo Bills in 2004, where Mularkey struggled for two years, finishing 9-7 in 2004 and 5-11 in 2005. In January, Mularkey resigned as the Bills' head coach, citing disagreements with team management, and signed up to become Nick Saban's offensive coordinator. If anyone has the ability to jumpstart Miami's sluggish offense, it's the 44-year-old Inspector Gadget. Besides, Mularkey has a good incentive: He's finally coaching his hometown team.

Best Local Girl Made Good

Amy "Lita" Dumas

For those who watch professional wrestling -- even those who won't admit it -- Fort Lauderdale native Amy Dumas is a badass. Better-known by her ring name "Lita," the 31-year-old Dumas is a high-flying, take-it-to-the-mat warrior for World Wrestling Entertainment's RAW. Intrigued by the story lines in professional wrestling, Dumas worked her way up the wrestling ladder from minor-league rings in Mexico to Extreme Championship Wrestling to the wrestling big time, WWE. She established a loose alliance with one of South Florida's other well-known wrestlers -- former University of Miami footballer the Rock -- and quickly ascended to become one of WWE's premier acrobatic talents. In 2000, Dumas won the WWE Women's Championship and rivaled Chyna (you know, the one who went porn) as wrestling's top vixen. But in April 2002, her wrestling career was put on hold. While performing a stunt for the TV show Dark Angel, Dumas suffered an injury, breaking three vertebrae in her neck and requiring surgery. Sidelined from wrestling for 15 months as a result, Dumas could have traveled the world and taken it easy on the beach. She didn't. Instead, she started volunteering at an animal hospital near her home in Sanford, North Carolina, and formed a charity, ADORE (Amy Dumas Operation Rescue & Education), which provides adoption and education services for pets and pet owners. Dumas uses her notoriety to educate the public and gain access to government leaders. ADORE provides educational materials to a variety of agencies and has established a spay/neuter program for pet owners who cannot afford veterinary bills. But don't let Dumas' charity work fool you into thinking she's done with wrestling. In January, Lita returned to the ring -- pinning her opponent to the mat and proving that she's still a badass.

Best Of Broward-Palm Beach®

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