Stories written by Raquel Garcia

We did a lot of driving around and I decided to go around the patch and found him under a rock…when we got to Government Cut the water was murky, about two feet…I put it next to the other one and then caught a second, and a third… so went the tall fish tales at [...]
Aug 23 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

At 9pm on the evening of Wednesday, August 15, Palmetto Bay resident and Village Council candidate John Dubois was driving by SW 168 St and Old Cutler when he noticed a bronze GMC Silverado pick-up truck parked on the side of the road. As an area where political campaign signs are often staked, he found [...]
Aug 17 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

When Cathie Noe first arrived in South Miami 32 years ago from Greensboro, North Carolina, close friend Cheryl Wiggins introduced her to the budding jazzercise movement. Ever since then, the super fit 63 year old personal trainer has been dancing and stretching her way to optimum health and taking her many students along for the [...]
Aug 15 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »
Former Vice Mayor Armando Oliveros returned from an eight year prison sentence for money laundering to the city he built a life in. After the prodigal son humbly and contritely came back, the former lawyer decided to boldly throw his hat in the ring and campaign for commissioner this past February. Although he lost the [...]
Aug 15 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

Business partners Jaime Vega, Ernie Mendoza, and Frankie Ruiz are perfect examples of how running brings people together. Ruiz, as co-founder of the ING Marathon and cross-country head coach for Belen Jesuit Academy, knew Vega and Mendoza from his visits to running retail establishments in town. The three discovered they also shared a goal of [...]
Aug 9 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

When recent Flagler College graduate Mae Marino got her first 9 to 5 job after graduation she felt like she needed something more. So the AmeriCorps volunteer joined Branches South Miami, an after school enrichment program from South Florida Urban Ministries not for profit association. She now enjoys the kind of job satisfaction she knew [...]
Aug 8 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

The Miami Disc Golf Association (MDGA) recently installed an 18-hole championship disc golf course at the Palmetto Bay Village Center in hopes the fast growing sport will continue to catch on in the community. Similar to golf, the game involves throwing a Frisbee-like flying disc into a basket from approximately 230 feet away on an [...]
Aug 1 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

While a student at the University of Florida majoring in nutrition and food science, Asha Hadley was flipping through fitness magazines one day and became inspired to take her work out program to the next level. Now at age 32, the Jackson South Community Hospital dietician just won second place at the 2012 National Physique [...]
Aug 1 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

Art education teacher Gail Alexander’s bold flamboyant style captivated the hearts and minds of her students for decades. Although recently retired, there is no slowing down her creative spirit as she embarks upon new challenges as a local glass artist and private tutor for gifted students. A four time teacher of the year recipient for [...]
Jul 30 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

In the heart of Coconut Grove, on Main Highway just west of the downtown hustle and bustle, is a quiet unobtrusive building painted in bright reds and greens — Zen Village. To local area devotees, the Tibetan Buddhist Temple Center is a sacred space for community gatherings and meditation. Founder and director of the not-forprofit [...]
Jul 30 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

Neither Undaunted by lots of nearby burger competition nor the high turnover rate of shuttered eating establishments who tried to stay open on the same site, Danny Meyer’s Union Hospitality Group out of New York City recently opened its 16th Shake Shack location at 1450 South Dixie Highway. “Shake Shack is going to be a [...]
Jul 27 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

When Anyapreeda was growing up in the seaside town of Songkhla in Southern Thailand, she told her mom that one day she wanted to see the world. “Preeda” as she is known to her western friends, made good on that dream. For over a decade now the lithe and friendly artist with a captivating smile [...]
Jul 27 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

In the heart of Coconut Grove, on Main Highway just west of the downtown hustle and bustle, is a quiet unobtrusive building painted in bright reds and greens — Zen Village. To local area devotees, the Tibetan Buddhist Temple Center is a sacred space for community gatherings and meditation. Founder and director of the not-for-profit [...]
Jul 25 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »

When recently elected Vice Mayor Josh Liebman arrived at his home on the Friday before his first city commission meeting, he had a special delivery from city hall awaiting him. The multi-inch thick binder he assumed was the city charter and perhaps development codes library turned out to be the back-up packet agenda for the [...]
Jul 24 2012 | Posted by
Raquel Garcia |
Read More »