Miami Lakes area residents who receive curbside waste collection service from Miami-Dade County can recycle their Christmas trees by taking them to one of the county’s Trash and Recycling Centers, or the West Miami-Dade Home Chemical Collection Center. All trees brought in for recycling must be free of tree stands, lights, ornaments, tinsel and other decorations. The trees will be converted into mulch, available free to service...

  Miami Lakes Youth Activities Task Force announced the resumption of its annual Movies at the Park series. The free movie watching event takes place at Miami Lakes Picnic Park West, 15151 Montrose Road (N.W. 82 Avenue). The series kick-off is on Friday, January 10, at 7:30 p.m., and will continue every other week through February for a total of four films. Families are encouraged to bring chairs and picnic blankets. Pizza, popcorn and...

  At a time when racial tension among students at American High School boiled over, Jimmie Parrot stepped into the fray and eased the dissension by employing disciplinary actions and encouraging students to get along with their counterparts. He bridged the gap between hostility and understanding so much that white, black and Latino students called him Papa Smurf, referring to the 1980s cartoon featuring a small elf-like character...

  Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School’s varsity girls basketball team finished their season undefeated and captured the All Catholic Conference North Division championship. With a record of 8-0, the team, under the direction of coach Eddy Fleitas, had a tremendous turnaround from being 0-8 last season. “The team really came together, played hard, and most importantly, did not quit,” said OLL athletic director German...

  This past season, Barbara Goleman High School’s girls’ bowling team won the District Championship against Ronald Reagan Senior High for the second year running and finished 30th among the 192 teams that competed in the FHSAA State Championship Tournament. The tournament was held in Orlando on November 9 and 10.  Individually, Barbara Goleman’s Catherine Gutierrez finished in first place in the District with a...