Creek Teens Raise Their Voices

Photos by Eduardo Schneider A casual observer of the group of teens who were gathered on a Tuesday night at the Coconut Creek public services building might mistake them for a Harry Potter fan club. But a closer look would reveal the black T-shirts the teens were wearing are only inspired by the aesthetics of

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Blood, Sweat and Fears: Labor Trafficking in South Florida

From the outside, everything at 10812 Buttonwood Lake Drive in the gated Hidden Lakes community in Boca Raton appeared normal. The three-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot, two-story house was well-maintained, the lawn was mowed, the hedges trimmed. The tenants, Alfonso Baldonado Jr., 46, and his wife, Sophia Manuel, 41, were a friendly couple who owned a successful staffing

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Life Lessons from Lori Samuels

Photography by Eduardo Schneider I like living in the uncomfortable. Speaking before 600 people I don’t know? I like that. You grow every time you embrace a new opportunity, and I love that opportunity for personal growth. I also love being a role model for my daughters in that sense [Leah, now 29; Amanda, 27],

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For local veterans, a day to remember

Photos courtesy of Honor Flight South Florida The singing started about 5:30 a.m., just as the chartered Spirit Airlines Flight 1941 taxied down the runway at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. The impromptu rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” began softly, with a few warbled baritone voices rising from the back of the plane. Slowly, more and

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Creek Grows Strong

Pictured above: Creek celebrated 30 years as a Tree City USA in 2018; Vollmer is pictured far left, holding a special award from the foundation With its standing as home to Butterfly World, events like the Butterfly Festival, and a butterfly garden at City Hall, most people can see why Coconut Creek is known as the Butterfly

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Cosmetic dermatologist Shino Bay Aguilera opens up about his past

Looking at it today, with 50 years in his rearview mirror, he’s likely to share that he’s had the winning ticket all along. It certainly fits the narrative, given that he was named after a racehorse that his father, a jockey, once rode to victory. And on the surface, which is where physician Shino Bay

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South Florida local has a heart for animals

Photo by Eileen Saavedra   Chickens. It was thousands of chickens that started Coconut Creek resident Brook Katz on his crusade of rescuing animals. Before moving to South Florida in 2006 to care for his aging parents, Katz lived for 10 years in Maui, Hawaii. There, he noticed huge metal sheds on a site where

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Celebrity Cruises CEO makes changes at sea

Being the first has come with its share of opportunities for Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. But it’s the doors that the president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises continues to open for others that is reimagining the company, captivating the industry—and inspiring women around the world. Since becoming the first female to lead one of Royal Caribbean Cruises

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Q&A with Ron Magill, ambassador and communications director, Zoo Miami

If there’s anyone who can claim that they’re living their best life, it’s Ron Magill, whose job as Zoo Miami’s goodwill ambassador and communications director has taken him around the world. “I’ve put radio collars on lions in the Serengeti. I’ve tracked tigers … in India. I’ve tracked polar bears in the Arctic. I’ve gone

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Advocating for Families

Though youth remain at the heart of the formidable work being done throughout the state by Children’s Home Society of Florida, it’s the family core that’s driving the esteemed nonprofit organization’s bigger intentions. Since its inception more than a century ago in Jacksonville, CHS has been one of Florida’s most prominent and persistent voices when

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Market Watch with Goldman Residential

With more than 50 years of real estate experience between them, it’s no wonder that mother-and-son team Hazel and Evan Goldman, of Goldman Residential Group, totaled $50 million in sales in 2018. The Pinecrest residents set themselves apart from other professionals not only with their experience but also with their ancillary skills. Evan, who lives

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Karen Ota-O’Brien leads the Florida Women’s Hockey League

Photos by John Hartzell On a Monday night in late January, it’s 54 degrees in Pompano Beach. Inside the Glacier Ice & Snow Arena, it’s even colder. About 11 women change into hockey gear in a locker room, laughing and catching up and talking. The group—which includes a chemist, a teacher and a headhunter, among

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