For more than two decades, a petite grandmother of five has challenged Miami Lakes councilmembers about their decisions, adherence to the town charter or on plans that she feels are headed in the wrong direction.      Mirtha Mendez, 76, while often lugging a hefty binder filled with notes, is a regular presence at the podium during the public comment phase of town meetings.      ...

     The Town of Miami Lakes and its Cultural Affairs Committee is holding a contest to celebrate residents’ best love stories.      Send 250 words or less about your romance to https://bit.ly/3IKJfG7 by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 25.      Winners will be eligible for gift cards to use at local restaurants. Couples will also be featured on the town’s social media pages...

     The Miami HEAT Charitable Fund and BankUnited in Miami Lakes are awarding $5,000 scholarships to five high school seniors who will enroll in four-year, accredited college programs.      Students with financial need from Monroe, Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties may apply; the deadline is Jan. 28.       Winners must demonstrate academic excellence and an outstanding record of...

     Sixteen residents have registered their golf carts with the town since a law went into effect last fall.      But Councilwoman Marilyn Ruano said some golf cart operators are not abiding by the rules.      “It’s been brought to my attention by several Miami Lakes residents that there is golf cart nuisance in the community,” Ruano said during the Jan. 10 council...

     Miami Lakers mourned the passing of Dorothy Cook, who was 89 when she died Dec. 27 at a memory care facility in Sarasota.      Many longtime Miami Lakes residents knew Cook, who spent her adult life contributing to the culture and civic affairs of the town.       Cook was born in Bayonne, NJ. She moved with her husband Leo B. Cook, a stockbroker, to Miami Beach in the early...