MAR. 22 - APR. 4, 2011
Lauryn Williams plans dash for Gold in 2012 BY LINDA RODRIGUEZ BERNFELD
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lympic Silver Medalist in the 100meter dash Lauryn Williams is running in the Hurricane Alumni Invitational scheduled for Apr. 17. She likes to run in track meets in Miami so her friends can see her race, because most of the time they only can watch her on television. Williams became a household name in 2004, when she was a senior at the University of Miami and she was determined to win the national championship. She trained hard, won races and along the way people took notice. “I ran the second fastest time in the world and people started talking about me for the Olympics,” she said. She made it to the Olympics, running fast enough to win the Silver. In 2005, she went to the World Championships in Helsinki and won the
Gables Downtown Ambassador program set to begin in April
Distinctive vehicles will make Coral Gables Ambassadors easy to spot.
BROOKE SHAFER
BY MARIA ROSA HIGGINS FALLON
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Olympic Medalist Lauryn Williams practices at the University of Miami six days a week.
–––––––––––– See
WILLIAMS, page 4
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
eed help navigating through the city’s downtown area? Want to find an Italian restaurant? Just ask the Coral Gables
Ambassadors. Beginning in April, these friendly and easy-to-spot Ambassadors will be providing the public street-side, concierge-like services in Downtown Coral Gables. Noticing the growing trend among urban commercial districts, city manager Pat Salerno asked staff to develop an “ambassador” program designed specifically for Coral Gables. Parking Enforcement Officers, who are on the streets daily serving as the eyes and ears of the community, also will perform as “ambassadors” as they see and talk to residents every day. These individuals will provide hospitality services, answer questions about the city and its history, give directions, hand out literature such as maps and brochures, and provide
information on local hotels, restaurants and current happenings, in addition to their regular duties of enforcing parking regulations. Four Parking Enforcement Officers will provide this service in the Downtown area after receiving training by Miami-Dade College Center for Service Excellence and being certified in first aid and CPR. Bright, easy-to-identify uniforms with logos and distinctive vehicles will make the Coral Gables Ambassadors easy to spot. They will be well equipped to answer a variety of questions regarding where to park for extended stays, where to live in or near Downtown, where to have a romantic dinner and what local entertainment and events are taking place. Whether it’s enforcing parking regulations or directing customers to a local business, the goal of the program is to make Coral Gables a better place to do business and provide everyone who visits, works, lives and shops in the Downtown area a friendlier and more enjoyable experience.
LARISSA WEINSTEIN
TERESA VITERI This is another in a series of profiles of outstanding students attending schools in Coral Gables. These students excel both inside and outside the classroom. See profiles beginning on page 7.