Gardenia Saumell became a Realtor in South Florida in 1975 and founded her own brokerage firm, GES Realty, in 1985. Saumell, 87, said her business, at 2550 W. 84th St. in Hialeah, has served generations of home buyers and sellers. “Most of our clients are repeat customers,” Saumell said. “We see a lot of younger clients as well. “We work with a lot of referrals, and family members that refer us to their other...

The new school year is quickly approaching and for some students, it will mark their first return to campus since the coronavirus struck in March 2020. And while it seemed earlier this summer that COVID-19 was becoming less of a threat, the Delta variant of the disease has sickened mostly unvaccinated people and caused a surge of cases in Florida, just when kids are set to go back to their schoolhouses. Many parents will have to stock...

A $15.5 million sale of municipal bonds to fund more than a dozen drainage projects in Miami Lakes were popular among buyers and raised $18,725,000. The July 22 sale of the bonds that were rated A+ by Fitch and A1 by Moody’s sold at a premium and after paying fees, the town said it netted $18,264,000. “The market was willing to pay more for them,” Town Manager Edward Pidermann said. Bonds are debt and the town will...

The coronavirus pandemic made the 2020-2021 school year a difficult one for students around the world. Miami Lakes officials said it was especially important to recognize students with special needs who graduated from their respective schools. The town issued a proclamation to honor the students. Four graduates also received certificates that recognized their dedication in pursuing their diplomas. “For me, special needs is near...

The Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce welcomed guest speaker Patrick Eloi to its July 21 luncheon. Eloi, chief executive officer of Complete Care IT who has invested in retail businesses, real estate and other ventures, spoke during gathering held at Trattoria Pampered Chef Restaurant. He discussed the power of networking and using it to grow a business. Shown at the meeting, left to right, are Matthew Casamayor of AC Graphics Digital,...