Stories written by Lee Stephens

Party in the Redland benefits Friends Forever Pet Rescue

Party in the Redland benefits Friends Forever Pet Rescue

The Redland resonated with the sound of salsa and the smell of paella was in the air one night in late February as a group of 200 of Kathy and Paul Cowan’s closest friends gathered in their home and danced the night away at the third annual benefit party for Friends Forever Pet Rescue. The [...]

HistoryMiami names leadership team to guide new phase of expansion

HistoryMiami recently announced that its board of trustees has named a team of executives to lead it in a critical new phase of development. “Hiring a leadership ‘team’ of senior executives is a bold move and a clear reflection of our board’s resolve to move HistoryMiami to prominence in the city’s cultural community,” said Faith [...]

Foundation creates scholarship fund for Culinary Arts Program at CGHS

Foundation creates scholarship fund for Culinary Arts Program at CGHS

The Coral Gables Community Foundation has established a $10,000 college scholarship fund for students in the Culinary Arts Program (CAP) at Coral Gables High School who wish to pursue a career in the culinary field. The CAP Scholarship will be awarded to the student(s) showing the greatest promise and interest in the culinary arts. The [...]

School board member Curbelo visits Dr. Gilbert Porter Elementary School

School board member Curbelo visits Dr. Gilbert Porter Elementary School

Eileen Caldera’s fourth grade at Dr. Gilbert L. Porter Elementary School class got the answer to “What does the school board do and why is important to my future?” during a Mar. 20 visit by M-DCPS School Board member Carlos Curbelo. Curbelo’s visit to the school at 15851 SW 112 St. was a highlight of [...]

Artist Ronald Shelley headed in new direction

Artist Ronald Shelley headed in new direction

Ronald Shelley sits at the drawing board in his homebased studio in South Miami talking about a life of creative pursuits and a future with something new. For over 60 years Shelley has made his living as an illustrator and concept artist, actor and rodeo cowboy. s an illustrator, his drawings graced book covers, magazine [...]

Palmetto Senior High donors honored at Gardens breakfast

Palmetto Senior High donors honored at Gardens breakfast

More than two dozen major donors to Palmetto Senior High School programs were treated to French toast, orange juice and coffee at the school’s first annual Donor Breakfast on Feb. 19 in the Hibiscus Room at Pinecrest Gardens. The event served to recognize the invitees’ support for Palmetto’s academic and extracurricular programs, which includes the [...]

CALEA police accreditation team invites public comment

CALEA police accreditation team invites public comment

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), will be in Pinecrest on April 14 to examine all aspects of the Pinecrest Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services. Village Police Chief Samuel Ceballos, Jr. said the assessors will be in Pinecrest as part of a [...]

KRMC Trauma Center Wins Workshop Support

Support for Kendall Regional Medical Center’s Trauma Center was voiced during the first of four state workshops to support access for the emergency medical facilities in Doral Feb. 20. After a legal challenge, the Department is now working on a new rule to establish where and how many trauma centers are needed. Dr. John Armstrong, [...]

Arvida MS students among top finishers in SWAW PSA contest

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), in conjunction with National Severe Weather Preparedness Week (SWAW), has announced the 2013 Severe Weather Awareness Week Video Public Service Announcement (PSA) Middle and High School Contest winners. Among top finishers in the middle school category were two students from Arvida Middle School in Kendall. In second place [...]

Ballet at the Park performs at annual Celebration Picnic

Ballet at the Park performs at annual Celebration Picnic

The Village of Palmetto Bay hosted its annual picnic on Mar. 2 to commemorate its incorporation in 2002 as an independent municipality. There was plenty of food and entertainment for the more than 1,500 guests who came to Coral Reef Park. This year, along with the many musical performances, there was a special dance performance [...]

Giardinos Gourmet Salads and UM partner up to raise money for a good cause

Giardinos Gourmet Salads was proud to partner up with the University of Miami to help promote Greek Week as well as lending they’re hand to help raise Money For Cerebral Palsy. “We love working with schools and universities on outreach programs because students are such a big part of our clientele. What’s better than eating [...]

Organization seeking hosts for international exchange students

Global Student Housing is looking for hosts for international exchange students. The students are from all over the world, high school age, and will be attending one of the following high schools: Coral Gables, Dr. Michael M. Krop, Felix Varela, G. Holmes Braddock, John A. Ferguson, Miami Killian, Miami Palmetto, Miami Sunset. Ronald Reagan and [...]

Ocaquatics Swim School celebrates 19 years of teaching water safety

Ocaquatics Swim School celebrates 19 years of teaching water safety

Ocaquatics is celebrating its 19th anniversary of teaching swimming lessons and water safety to the South Florida community. Founded in February of 1994 in Miami, Ocaquatics has since grown from doing private lessons in its clients’ homes to a year-round, state-of-the-art indoor facility at 13408 SW 131 St. in West Kendall. A second indoor facility [...]

King Pins Challenge Kick-Off Celebration Prepares Teams for the Main Event on May 5

King Pins Challenge V Team Captains Hans Huseby, TeamFootWorks; Mercy Prieto, First National Bank of South Miami; Carmen Layne-Powers, Team Chamber South; Carmen Baker, City of South Miami; Chris Doscher (rear), South Miami Senior High;  Ayleen Perez, South Miami Police Explorers; and Carlos Tinoco, South Miami Hospital’s Addiction Treatment Center gather to kick off “The Challenge Season” leading up to the main event on May 5.

While the Miami Heat racked up its 17th straight win on a recent Sunday, nearly 50 athletes of a different sort gathered at SPLITSVILLE Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge to kick off their “season” – The Challenge Season. These competitors are preparing for battle in The King Pins Challenge V, benefitting a hometown cause: the [...]