While I've been speaking to you, the people of Doral, indirectly for months, this is the first chance I've had to speak to many of you directly and frankly I'm a little nervous.

You see, all of the staff here at the Doral Tribune happen to take our "little" newspaper very seriously. We began this paper in September of last year with a myriad of expectations of what the Tribune might become but with one specific, unwavering goal: to make every issue better than the last.

Those of you that have been with us since the beginning would have trouble contending that we have fallen short of the mark in that regard. We have increased the quality and diversity of the copy within the paper every issue, we have consistently expanded our coverage and improved the Tribune's circulation, and we have honed the layout and presentation of the paper each and every month.

I challenge anyone to find a community paper anywhere that does its job better than us (while I might concede that there may be some as good as us, I don't believe there are any that do their job better).

This month's issue is no exception. In response to the requests of community leaders and residents, we've added a Spanish-language section to the Doral Tribune. There will be two regular contributors to this section: Doral resident Maria Guba, the WDFHA's membership committee chair, and Dr. Lori Espinoza, a Doral resident and businesswoman (she owns and operates the Doral Eye Center).

Maria will be doing essentially a Spanish-language version of WDFHA President Morgan Levy's outstanding "Doral Hi-lights", while putting special emphasis on getting Doral's new residents up to speed and involved in the community. "¡Yo Quiero Doral!", as it will be called, is important because it re-enforces a fundamental part of the community concept: inclusiveness.

Dr. Lori will be doing a column in English and Spanish, which we hope will become the source to find out what's going on in Doral. Whether you want to share a wedding anniversary with your neighbors, report a lost dog, or even let people in on a great recipe for paella--whatever--"Tell Dr. Lori" can be, or do, whatever you, the residents of Doral, want it to.

Finally, we are thrilled to publish our first "¿Que Pasa Doral?" column, a column graciously submitted by Doral Community Councilman Odel Torres. Odel took full advantage of the opportunity and helped us bring Doral's Spanish-speaking residents up to speed on the local political goings-on--an unenviable task and one we're grateful he was willing to take on.

For March, we will have an English version of "¿Que Pasa Doral?" as well which will be called "What's Happening Doral?!". Each column, the English and Spanish, will be written by different community leaders--usually community council members--and each will keep Doral's residents abreast of current events.

And folks believe me--this is just the tip of the iceberg.

But all of this, what we've managed to accomplish, would have never been possible without your support. From our dedicated legion of columnists, to the residents that snap up copies of the paper, to the community leaders that have spread the word, and even to those who would criticize our shortcomings--all of you have played a role in making us stronger in your own way.

We must never lose sight of the fact that in the long run, whether we agree or disagree along the way, we are all aiming for the same finish line: a safer, better, closer Doral.

We here at the Doral Tribune are proud to play our role, whatever it may be, in helping us get there.

Sincerely.
MACADAM GLINN