Several local women took part in a Citizens’ Crime Watch R.A.D self-defense course recently held at the Mary Collins Community Center.      The 12-hour, free, three-day course helps women learn basic self-defense techniques taught by instructors.      R.A.D. stands for Rape Aggression Defense.      Miami Lakers Rebecca and Julianna Correa took the course in May. Rebecca Correa said...

Though the costumed 501st Everglades Squad is made up of the bad guys of “Star Wars,” the men and women behind the masks and cloaks are anything but.      From visiting ill children in hospitals to marching in parades, the volunteers are regular participants at community events.      Gary Cardenas Jr., 56, does public relations and other tasks for the 501st Everglades Squad. They are part of an...

    Meet Louie from Lake Katharine.      Louie is a four-year-old Labradoodle who is an avid lizard chaser, though owner Beth Martincic says he has not caught one yet.      “He is high energy, but he is very sweet,” Martincic said of the family pet she shares with her hus-band Ollie Martincic and their daughters, ages five and 9, in their Miami Lakes home.      Louie...

     The Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Miami Lakes AutoMall are accepting donations during the chamber’s July 8 luncheon at Miami Lakes Hotel on Main. Members and guests are encouraged to contribute any of the following: Canned goods Diapers Work gloves Industrial-size trash bags Masking tape Flashlights AA, AAA and D Batteries First aid kits Hygiene products Canned proteins Bottled...

Elsa Reus of Hialeah Gardens, who is vice chair of the Miami Lakes Cultural Affairs Committee, has traveled through much of Europe since she retired in 2024. Most recently Reus, 75, journeyed to Italy in May with a group tour to the southern area known as the “heel” of that country. Stops included Osuni; the domed Trulli limestone houses of Alberobello in Puglia, a UNESCO World Heritage Center, and Matera, ranked as the...