The Giving Gators non-profit group held two drives for supplies to help survivors of Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida. During two weeks in October the organization collected clothing; shoes; nonperishable food items, water and medicine, among other necessities for those in the hard-hit area. Daylin Garcia, chair of Giving Gators, said local businesses, school clubs and town residents all donated goods that were brought...

Mariela Martinez, Physician, Miami Lakes      “No I am against it, because of the way it was explained to me and how the taxes will [impact] residents,” Mariela Martinez said in Spanish. “It’s going to cost the residents of Miami Lakes more.  [Taxes based on property values] won’t be [evenly distributed] and if it was going to be evenly distributed, I’d be for it,...

The Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative of Miami Lakes held its 11th Annual B-Fore-Pink golf tournament on Oct. 7 at Miami Lakes Golf Club. The goal of the tournament is to raise money for the organization, which provides women in South Florida with education, screening and health care resources to defeat breast cancer and heart disease. Sponsors included the Lowell S. Dunn & Betty L. Dunn Family Foundation; Assurant; Ivory...

      What began 50 years ago as an American dream has grown to a family-run business built on pastelitos and croquetas, among other classic Cuban baked goods.       Vicky Bakery opened in southeast Hialeah in 1972, at 860 SE 8th St.      Since then, the business has expanded and, with franchises too, grown throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.       This...

     During Florida City Government Week, the Town of Miami Lakes asked students in local schools to write creative stories about a bull named Cornwall who escapes his barn.       Three second graders from Miami Lakes K-8 Center won the contest.       Teacher Lizet Colet and her students Lily Martinez, at left, Maximiliano Medina, at center and Riley Lavery, at right, all...