WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011

Coral Gables Is Finalist for
Most Beautiful Town in America Contest

The City of Coral Gables has been named a finalist for the Most Beautiful Town in America in Rand McNally/USA Today's Best of the Road contest. Coral Gables is one of six finalists for cities with a population under 150,000. Last month, an online contest was held asking readers to vote for their favorite places in the United States. Coral Gables received the second most votes in the Most Beautiful category. In the spirit of the great American road trip, a two-person judging team will depart from New York tomorrow in search of the Most Beautiful town in America among the finalist locations and will finish their journey in Los Angeles on July 15. As part of their cross-country adventure they are expected to visit Coral Gables within the next few days. During their visit, the judging team will see some of the best and most beautiful aspects Coral Gables has to offer. After their visits, judges will announce the winning town in the Most Beautiful category in New Orleans on July 22.

Foreign Students From 113 Nations
Come To Study In Coral Gables

The City of Coral Gables is proud to be the home base for a significant number of consulates and foreign offices. Many multinationals are also headquartered in Coral Gables to service Latin, Central American and other foreign markets. But did you know that Coral Gables also attracts many international students from all over the world? According to a spring 2011 Benchmark Report, approximately 1,700 international students attend the University of Miami for their advanced education. These students represent 113 nations and come to our City from faraway places like Kenya, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Iceland, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Congo.  They all attend the University of Miami, ranked among the nation’s top institutions, according to U.S. News & World Report rating of “America’s Best Colleges.” The top 10 nations where these international students come from are: China (536 students), Venezuela (102 students), India (67 students), Brazil (60 students), Canada (55 students), Saudi Arabia (54 students), United Kingdom (53 students), Colombia (43 students), Italy (42 students) and Mexico (39 students). To see a detailed list of international students and their countries of origin, click here.

Coral Gables Trees Trimmed Thanks To US Forest Grant

The City of Coral Gables is known for its charming tree canopy, and now thanks to a US Forest Health Improvement Initiative Grant Program, 1,006 young City trees have been trimmed for safety and structural integrity. The City of Coral Gables received a $17,542 grant from the US Forest Service which was made possible by funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Florida Division of Forestry administered the grant. The trimming of the trees, which are planted on public rights-of-way, was performed in order to make them safer as they grow to maturity and to reduce future costs for corrective pruning. The urban forest of the City of Coral Gables, a Tree City USA for the past 26 consecutive years, has a street population of 38,000 trees. The additional grant dollars were used to trim approximately 25 percent of immature trees planted in the City since 2006.

Learn To Swim & Prevent Drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4 in Miami-Dade County. The most common site for a childhood drowning death is a residential swimming pool. Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water and always take the time to teach them how to swim to safety. The Venetian Aquatic Club, established in 1959, is offering swimming lessons and teaching water safety skills to children as well as adults. Four-session classes for children are being offered this summer at the Venetian Pool, 2701 DeSoto Boulevard, at 8:30 a.m., 9:10 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., Monday through Friday, until August 5. Children must be at least 5 years of age. Three-session classes for adults are offered from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays, until August 4. The members of the Venetian Aquatic Club are all American Red Cross volunteers. The fee per session for children and adult classes is $48. For more information, contact the Venetian Pool at 305-460-5306.

Hurricane Ready?
Prepare Your Business For Natural Disasters

Did you know that 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster? If you own a business, you don’t have to be part of this statistic. Every business in Coral Gables should have an emergency plan during hurricane season. It can save lives, company assets and your entire business. This plan depends on the size and scope of your business, but putting a plan in motion will improve the likelihood that your company will survive and recover. Consider identifying operations critical to survival and recovery, having emergency payroll, having expedited financial decision-making and accounting systems ready to track and document costs in case of a disaster. Decide who should participate in putting together your emergency plan and establish procedures for succession of management. Keeping two-way communications with all employees is key before, during and after a natural disaster. If a storm strikes the area, remember that your business must be prepared to be on its own for at least 72 hours. That is three full days without electricity, telephone, cable or any other modern conveniences. City crews will be working nonstop to clear roads, assess damages and remove debris. However, it may take several days before vital services are restored. If you need assistance in formulating an emergency plan for your business, click here.