U.S. Army Cpl. Frank V. Benak is finally at rest.      Decades after being killed in action during World War II, he was interred April 12 at Vista Memorial Gardens in Miami Lakes.      Benak, from Scottville, Mich., enlisted to fight the Japanese during World War II. He was killed in action on Dec. 5, 1942, outside of a village in Papua, New Guinea.      The 24-year-old...

    About 60 children attended the Cultural Affairs Committee’s Paint a Picture for Mom annual event held at the Miami Lakes Farmer’s Market on May 11, said Elsa Reus, the Committee’s chair for the project.       The young artists sat beneath a marquee to work on their canvases. Shown in the first photo are students from Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School’s National Honor...

     After spending time with her young niece and nephew, Yenisey Cabrera came up with the premise of her first children’s book, “Snooky’s First Day in a New School.”       The softcover book follows a little brown, black and tan dog named Snooky as he begins classes at a new school.      Snooky must cope with experiences that many kids -- or in this story,...

    The Graham Companies, the Town of Miami Lakes and its Education Advisory Board celebrated exceptional students during the third annual Awards of Excellence.       Officials honored 12 students from area schools for their achievements on May 9 at the Roberto Alonso Community Center.       Outstanding Educator of the Year was Alejandro Fuenmayor of Bob Graham Education Center, an award...

    Miami-Dade County awarded the Town of Miami Lakes a $50,363 grant for the town’s reforestation program.      Money for the project came from a Growing Roots for Environmentally Equitable Neighborhoods (or GREEN) matching grant.       The county’s GREEN goals are to encourage investment in public lands, combat extreme heat and achieve an up to 30 percent tree canopy, according...