Officer Juan Rodriguez, 58, is the community service officer for the Miami-Dade Police Department’s district in the Town of Miami Lakes. In 2016, he was named Municipal Police Officer of the Year during the 41st Annual Citizens Crime Watch of Miami-Dade award ceremony. Rodriguez lives in Hialeah with his wife Danay Rodriguez, 53. They have three children: David A. Rodriguez, 35; Juan F. Rodriguez, 29 and Victoria Rodriguez,...

Miami Dade College will kick off its new Rising Black Scholars Program on June 21, during the second six-week summer session. Available to black students who graduate high school in 2021, it will provide free tuition for up to two years or 30 credits, fees, a book stipend, laptop computer and scholarship opportunities. The goal of the program is to close the graduation gap and create opportunities for black students, the college...

Spring break is March 29th – April 2nd for Miami-Dade County schools, and the YMCA is offering activities for children that week at Miami Lakes Royal Oaks Park. Activities will include arts and crafts, group games and more for children who are in kindergarten through fifth grades. Campers should bring lunch, a snack and a bottle of water, as well as a change of clothes. They should wear sneakers. Hours are 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.,...

Meet Alex and Elly! They are 1-year-old Labrador Retrievers: Alex is a chocolate boy, Elly is a yellow girl. They live with the Borras-Garcia family – Yessica Garcia, Yassel Borras and their twin sons, Adam and Liam Borras-Garcia -- in the Eagle Nest neighborhood in Miami Lakes. “They are like a real couple, they kiss and they cuddle,” Garcia said. The family hopes the pair will eventually produce a litter of...

Layla Alo Caballero, a resident of Miami Lakes for more than 25 years, is a dedicated reader of her hometown paper. “The Miami Laker keeps me connected to the community and our amazing local businesses,” said Caballero, who works in media marketing. “The newspaper covers any town-related issues or improvements needed,” she said. Caballero also turns to the newspaper “to learn about what is going on at...