Stories written by Lee Stephens

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 [...]
Mar 14 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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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 [...]
Mar 13 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Spark Creativity — a new neighborhood shop with hard-to-find arts and crafts materials, handmade gift items and classes with nationally known instructors — is now open in the Suniland Plaza. “The Spark Creativity slogan is ‘make stuff, be happy’,” said owner Jennifer Klein. “Our goal is to offer artists and crafters an inspiring work space [...]
Mar 12 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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When the South Miami Police Explorers needed help for one of their own, they knew just where to turn – the community they had been serving for more than 25 years. Last December, Cristopher Zambrana, 18, made a selfless decision that could have cost him the law enforcement career he so desperately wanted: He gave [...]
Mar 9 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Marlins Ayudan — Spanish for help — is the Major League baseball team’s front-office volunteer program. The purpose is to provide volunteers who will help bring about positive change in the Greater Miami community. The goal of Marlins Ayudan is to engage the team’s front office in volunteer work, act as a conduit to help [...]
Mar 8 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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The walls of South Miami’s distinguished Wirtz Gallery, which is inside the First National Bank of South Miami, will come alive in March with the award winning images of South Florida photographer Tom Smith, the founder of Wine News and a former University of Miami and Miami Dolphins running back. The winner of Grove House [...]
Mar 7 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade has received a $5,000 community development grant from State Farm. The grant will be used to preserve affordable housing in Miami-Dade and is designated to fund materials for the rehabilitation of the homes of low-income, elderly or disabled residents The objective of Rebuilding Together Miami is to provide a safe, dry and [...]
Mar 4 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Dadeland Mall will open a new two-story addition this year and add at least 18 new stores and restaurants to its tenant roster. The mall’s latest expansion represents 102,000 square feet of additional space for the iconic shopping center and is part of a significant redevelopment for the property, owned by the Simon Property Group, [...]
Feb 28 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Along with the many sports that local parks have to offer, Palmetto Bay Park now is offering affordable dance lessons. Classes — including jazz, contemporary and ballet — are taught by professional dancer Vilma Borbolla who was trained by the renowned Ballet Concerto School of Miami. After many years performing with Ballet Concerto, she has [...]
Feb 28 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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A romantic moonlit Valentine’s concert kicks off the Deering Estate Festival of the Arts, a 10-day celebration of literary, visual and performing art. A curated exhibition, Speak Now, places artistic interjections throughout the grounds, one-night only art events, classical and chamber ensemble concerts, a curator’s tour and a spectacular closing Red Carpet Wrap-Up are just [...]
Feb 26 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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A Classic Country Evening and Benefit for Horse Country will take place on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the German American Club, 11919 SW 56 St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. The event will feature great food and drinks and entertainers from the National Traditional Country Music Association [...]
Feb 21 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Internationally collected artist David Schor, who has his studio in Palmetto Bay, has completed the first of a series of paintings commissioned by Ariel Rodriguez, owner of Pasta Del Giorno Restaurant, located at 8739 SW 136 St., across from The Falls Shopping Center. The series, titled “Everybody Eats at Pasta Del Giorno!” will consist of [...]
Feb 11 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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Coral Gables High School student Joseph Paz has been selected as the 2013 Florida Police Athletic League (PAL) “Boy of the Year” for his outstanding contribution to the community. The selection was announced at the recent Florida PAL Youth Directors Conference. Paz has been an active member of the Coral Gables Police Athletic League program [...]
Feb 8 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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According to the statistics from the American Cancer Society, one in every two men and one in every three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. In 2013, about 100,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Florida. The number is overwhelming. However, for those actually diagnosed with the disease, the time [...]
Feb 6 2013 | Posted by
Lee Stephens |
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