http://www.hispanictips.com A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos Fri, 16 May 2008 15:43:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/13/for-hispanics-in-us-a-dream-is-going-sour-along-with-the-economic-downturn-dare-i-say-recession/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/13/for-hispanics-in-us-a-dream-is-going-sour-along-with-the-economic-downturn-dare-i-say-recession/#comments Tue, 13 May 2008 14:42:32 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/13/for-hispanics-in-us-a-dream-is-going-sour-along-with-the-economic-downturn-dare-i-say-recession/ "The economic downturn unfolding across the United States is imposing a particularly punishing toll on Hispanics, a group that was among the primary beneficiaries of the expansion in recent years. What had been a story of broad and steady advances has given way to growing joblessness, diminishing paychecks and lost homes.

The boom in American housing generated millions of new jobs for those willing to engage in physically demanding tasks, from factory work churning out floorboards, carpeting and upholstery, to landscaping, roofing and janitorial services. Latinos occupied widening swaths of these trades and filled large numbers of relatively high-paying construction jobs.

As a great influx of Latino immigrants spread beyond the initial entryways of the Southwest into smaller cities and towns across the South and the Midwest, many found employment doing much of the unpleasant work shunned by those with better prospects." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/13/for-hispanics-in-us-a-dream-is-going-sour-along-with-the-economic-downturn-dare-i-say-recession/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/for-some-us-troops-economic-stimulus-check-is-not-in-mail-rebate-bypasses-those-with-foreign-spouses/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/for-some-us-troops-economic-stimulus-check-is-not-in-mail-rebate-bypasses-those-with-foreign-spouses/#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 17:58:45 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/for-some-us-troops-economic-stimulus-check-is-not-in-mail-rebate-bypasses-those-with-foreign-spouses/ "When Congress passed an economic-stimulus package giving hefty rebates to most taxpayers, it tried to make sure that illegal immigrants didn't get any of the cash.

But in doing so lawmakers inadvertently penalized at least a million legal U.S. residents - and tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed overseas - simply because their spouses lack a Social Security number.

"Imagine an American soldier in Iraq whose foreign-born wife is waiting for an immigration petition to be approved and doesn't have a Social Security card. Now the couple can't even get a rebate," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose. "That is really stupid."" HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/for-some-us-troops-economic-stimulus-check-is-not-in-mail-rebate-bypasses-those-with-foreign-spouses/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/puerto-rico-begins-to-send-out-federal-economic-incentive-payments/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/puerto-rico-begins-to-send-out-federal-economic-incentive-payments/#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 17:54:53 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/puerto-rico-begins-to-send-out-federal-economic-incentive-payments/ "Thousands of Puerto Ricans will finally see some kind of financial relief as the Puerto Rico Treasury Department begins to send out federal economic incentive checks to some 72,000 public workers Wednesday.

At a news conference in San Juan, Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vila announced that the first $59 million of some $1.282 billion in federal economic incentive payments will be deposited into the accounts of government workers who receive their regular salaries through “electronic direct deposits.” " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/puerto-rico-begins-to-send-out-federal-economic-incentive-payments/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/remittances-from-mexican-immigrant-communities-in-the-us-how-are-they-perceived-in-mexico/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/remittances-from-mexican-immigrant-communities-in-the-us-how-are-they-perceived-in-mexico/#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 13:50:58 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/remittances-from-mexican-immigrant-communities-in-the-us-how-are-they-perceived-in-mexico/ "A major survey released by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) today gauged Mexican attitudes on the impact of remittances sent by their co- nationals living in the U.S. Remittances are defined as moneys earned and sent back to family or other organizations. The TRPI study revealed how positively these remittances from the U.S. to Mexico are perceived. In this groundbreaking study, a nationally representative sample (N = 1000, error margin +/-3.1%) of Mexican nationals were interviewed to determine the impact of immigrant remittances. Findings: * Remittances are part of the fabric of everyday life for many families in Mexico: 32% of the respondents have received one to two remittances in the past year; 35% have received three to five remittances; and 33% have received six or more. * In the past, Mexican immigrants were sending remittances to family members on a person to person basis. Responses from the study show a trend toward remittance money benefiting beyond familial support. Remittances include support for economic, social and health programs as well as funding for economic development and non- governmental organizations. * Around one-third of respondents are aware of groups and programs working to extend the productive impact of remittances. 34% indicate some awareness of U.S. based immigrant and Mexican hometown associations that send money back to communities. * Concerns surrounding the remittance industry are evolving. 51% of respondents said that the most important factor when receiving money from the U.S. is that it arrives securely. For 17%, the most important factor is that the monies arrive on time while 16% stated that collecting the money easily was a factor. Thirteen percent (13%) cited the cost of the transaction and only 4% mentioned the exchange rate. * 95% said that there are more choices now than five years ago regarding the number of companies available to receive a remittance. "Mexicans in remittance receiving communities recognize the value of monies sent by their co- nationals in the U.S. in improving the qualities of Mexican life," said Rudy de La Garza, Ph.D., Vice-President of research for TRPI. The World Bank estimates that over 24 billion dollars are received by Mexico, accounting for 3% of the country's GDP. "The amount of monies these remittances represent is enormous," said Harry P. Pachon, President of TRPI. "For most countries in Latin America, remittances exceed U.S. foreign aid." If you have questions about the survey and the study's findings, please contact Dr. Rudy de La Garza via phone at (212) 854-2292 or Dr. Harry P. Pachon at (213) 821- 5615. About TRPI Founded in 1985, the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) advances informed policy on key issues affecting Latino communities through objective and timely research contributing to the betterment of the nation. TRPI is an affiliated research unit of the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development and is associated with the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/08/remittances-from-mexican-immigrant-communities-in-the-us-how-are-they-perceived-in-mexico/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/07/successful-retirement-ranks-high-among-financial-goals-for-hispanic-americans/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/07/successful-retirement-ranks-high-among-financial-goals-for-hispanic-americans/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 17:38:26 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/07/successful-retirement-ranks-high-among-financial-goals-for-hispanic-americans/ "Today, Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) released a new survey on the financial attitudes and behaviors of Hispanic Americans. According to the Hispanic Americans on the Road to Retirement research report, retirement is very much on the radar of middle-class Hispanic Americans – a vast majority of whom have taken steps to provide for their futures.

Nearly all of those surveyed (90%) acknowledge that retirement security is an important goal, and two-thirds (64%) have savings earmarked for retirement. Not only are 81% of households with an annual income greater than $50,000 putting aside money for retirement, but 45% of that group have already saved $100,000 or more toward their golden years. The survey also found that most of those polled are willing to defer retirement to gain greater financial security.

“The level of savings that middle-class Hispanics have accumulated suggests that many individuals in this market segment have made a good start toward their future retirement security,” said Bernard Winograd, executive vice president, U.S. Businesses, Prudential Financial.

Hispanics in the U.S. attach high importance to goals such as not outliving their savings and having enough money to maintain their lifestyle. However, the survey showed gaps of 30 and 24 percentage points, respectively, between the importance of these goals and the confidence that they can be achieved. Additionally, retirement planning, savings, and confidence are strongly influenced by relationships with a trusted financial advisor.

In 2007, Prudential commissioned the study of 503 middle-class Hispanic Americans1 to better understand the retirement preparation, practices, and concerns among the 5 million-plus Hispanics age 25 to 65 earning a household income of more than $35,000 annually2 . Hispanics are America’s largest and fastest growing market segment, accounting for more than half of the total growth in the U.S. each year. At an average age of 47, respondents overall have many years remaining to save for retirement. Yet, despite substantial earnings, assets, and time horizon, the retirement interests of Hispanic Americans have received relatively little attention.

Key findings of the study included:

-- Hispanic Americans aspire to a successful and grounded retirement.
-- The majority (90%) acknowledges retirement security as an important goal. Eight in 10 are seeking to be "comfortable" or at least "independent" in retirement; two in 10 hope for a more "upscale" retirement.


-- Two-thirds of Hispanic Americans are saving for retirement.
-- Of those surveyed, 64% have some kind of retirement savings. More than half (54%) are saving through a workplace retirement plan, and over a third of "savers" have reached $100,000 in retirement savings.


-- Eight in 10 believe a successful retirement depends on careful planning, yet two-thirds lack a formal financial plan, or the help of a financial advisor.
-- While only one in three reported having a financial advisor, those with a professional advisor relationship are nearly four times as likely to have a formal financial plan. Those working with an advisor also have higher tendencies to contribute toward some kind of retirement savings account (85% vs. 54%).

“Financial services companies have a unique opportunity to address the growth trends and emerging affluence of the Hispanic market. By providing the right products, tools, and professional financial guidance, we can help all Americans maximize their retirement savings as well as generate a paycheck for life,” said Winograd.

The full Hispanic Americans on the Road to Retirement research report is available online at the Prudential Online Newsroom. Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $631 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2008, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping more than 50 million individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The company’s well-known Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time. Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. For more information, please visit www.prudential.com.

1 Participants represented the top 50% of Hispanics in Americans in America by socio-economic status.

2 According to the U.S. Census, an annual household income of $35,000 is considered middle class." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/07/successful-retirement-ranks-high-among-financial-goals-for-hispanic-americans/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/06/bay-area-welcomes-hispanic-youth-symposium-in-june-to-inspire-and-guide-100-hispanic-high-school-students-into-college-and-careers/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/06/bay-area-welcomes-hispanic-youth-symposium-in-june-to-inspire-and-guide-100-hispanic-high-school-students-into-college-and-careers/#comments Tue, 06 May 2008 15:21:31 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/06/bay-area-welcomes-hispanic-youth-symposium-in-june-to-inspire-and-guide-100-hispanic-high-school-students-into-college-and-careers/ "Contact: Lisa Sandoval, Director of Communications, (202) 296-5400 Second annual symposium born of results-driven national program, offering students educational workshops, leadership opportunities, and mentorship support throughout the year San Francisco, CA - An inspiring and expanding program to help develop and grow the next generation of Hispanic professionals is returning to the Bay Area in June to guide at least 100 promising high school students on a path to achieving college degrees and careers. The second annual Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium will be launched at St. Mary's College of California in Moraga on June 25-28, 2008, by the Hispanic College Fund, a nationally renowned nonprofit that provides scholarships and programs to Hispanic students eager to achieve a college education and professional careers. The symposium will serve promising students from Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Solano, and San Mateo counties, encouraging them to enter the fields of business, science, technology, engineering, and math. "The Hispanic Youth Symposium is just an incredible experience to be involved in, and it's turning out results," said Elena Stonebraker, civil rights and equal opportunity manager of the Social Security Administration, San Francisco Region, in Richmond, Calif. As a lead partner for the program in the Bay Area, the Social Security Administration will mobilize 60 to 70 of its volunteer employees to assist with logistics and lead several workshops. It also has committed a full-time employee, as well as volunteers for Phoenix and Fresno symposia. "In this region - one of the largest and most diverse in the country - programs like this are critical to helping young Hispanics to plan and be proud of their contributions," Stonebraker said. Boasting an impressive track record in several major U.S. cities - including the Bay Area and Fresno - the Hispanic Youth Symposium has grown into a four-day event and one-year follow-up program designed to increase Latino knowledge of the milestones and prerequisites needed to prepare for and attend college. This year in the Bay Area, it will inspire more students to nurture their dreams and take pride in Hispanic culture with educational workshops, leadership opportunities, mentorship, and an emphasis on academic achievement. "The number of students who applied to participate in this year's symposium demonstrates genuine buy-in from the community. Contrary to popular belief, Latino students are hungry for the type of in-depth college and career exposure that we provide at the symposium," said Andrew Gonzalez, the Hispanic College Fund's Development Manager, Western States. "Our goal is to continue to mobilize the entire community to provide these services to as many students as possible. It is incredibly vital, especially in the Bay Area, where so many careers are increasingly focused on areas we are addressing." "Research has shown that one of the most significant barriers to Latinos attending college is a lack of knowledge about the college preparation process, but Latino families consider education to be very important," according to Kathryn Grady, the Hispanic College Fund's Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Western States. "The Hispanic Youth Symposium helps bridge this gap between a lack of information and the desire to pursue an education," she said. "Building this knowledge to increase college attendance is crucial to the future health care workforce," according to Melissa Aboytes, coordinator of youth workforce programs for Kaiser Permanente, a lead partner of the Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium. Kaiser Permanente is organizing volunteers and will conduct workshops on health careers at the symposium, with a focus on growing opportunities in the medical field that are not as recognizable but in need of attention. "Kaiser Permanente has a very strong commitment to diversity within the organization and, in terms of workforce planning, we are very dedicated to conducting outreach in order to help develop and train future health care workers for the benefit of a skilled work force in northern California," Aboytes said. Thanks to last year's California programs in the Bay Area and Fresno combined, more than 200 high school sophomores and juniors continue to be assisted and guided in the college preparation process. Follow-up research by the Hispanic College Fund has shown that participants in the symposia significantly increased their knowledge of the college application process and interest in internships and community volunteering, as well as having gained a positive role model/mentor. "It is these connections to mentors and others who are more advanced on their career paths that aspiring young Hispanics will come to appreciate in their professional lives," said Richard Ventura, CEO and President of the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is the lead business community partner of the Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium. "This symposium starts at the high school and college levels with introductions to Latino executives, and it creates that connectivity in relationships," Ventura said. "A job isn't simply a job; it's who sees you in the job. It's not really who you know, it's who knows you. Forming these relationships gives students that competitive advantage. Without this experience, many of them would not have access to a network, or the confidence in knowing how to go about building one." St. Mary's College of California in Moraga is serving again this year as university partner in the Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium, providing facilities and administration. Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium sponsors include the Federal Executive Board, the Hard Rock Café San Francisco, PG&E, Pier 39, Safeway, Union Bank of California, and Wells Fargo. Community partners include Kaiser Permanente, Lambda Theta Phi, Latin Fraternity, Inc., League of Latin American Citizens Youth Program (LULAC), San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Forest Service Central California Consortium, and Univision Radio. "The Hispanic College Fund depends on its community partners to help reach students and mobilize support from local donations to volunteers," said Fernando Barrueta, CEO of the Hispanic College Fund. "We bring national sponsorships and visibility to the communities that we serve - and national opportunities for students - but we rely on the local support to make the program as successful and personal as it is. It truly will help shape the next workforce of scientific and technical graduates in these communities," Barrueta said. Local support in the Bay Area includes the League of United Latin American Citizens Youth Program (LULAC), where youth coordinator Silvia Andrade said she has found observable value in the symposium's reach and impact in the Bay Area. "This symposium focuses directly on the Hispanic students, and that's a wonderful thing also for the parents, where cultural understanding is so important," Andrade said. "It's an excellent tool for our community to excel in higher education, especially when the high school isn't focusing on certain students or even giving them a chance to dream about going to university. These young people can come to the symposium and say, 'Wait a minute, I think I can do this.'" More than one-third of California's population is Hispanic, but as recently as 2006, only 12.5% of Hispanics in the U.S. had a college degree - the lowest rate of any group in the United States. This is especially problematic for Northern California, where the majority of high-paying jobs are heavily concentrated in areas on business, science, technology, engineering, and math. Andrade encourages young professionals across the Bay Area community step up and offer what they have to give. "We just cannot just sit back and enjoy our title or professional status. All of you young professionals - we need you - we need you to be out there inspiring our young people," she said. "We have a lot of work to do. Get out there and let them see that you're successful and involved, and you'll be changing someone's life." The symposium reaches out to student participants who meet the following criteria: * Have a minimum 2.5 GPA * Are Hispanic * Have completed the application to participate * Are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in high school * Are residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Solano, or San Mateo counties * Pay a $10 participation fee (which can be waived upon request) In addition, from 100 to 150 community volunteers will be engaged to assist with everything from logistics coordination to talent show judging. Approximately 20 college student resident advisors also are being recruited to help with the symposium management. In order to track the results of each symposium, the Hispanic College Fund will conduct pre- and post-event surveys to determine whether students show a marked improvement in their understanding of the college application process, the financial aid process, and the role that community involvement and high school academic achievement play in the college preparation process. Also, the Hispanic College Fund will conduct a longitudinal study of its student participants to track how their college preparation improves, whether they go to college, the caliber of the college they attend, and the kind of career they pursue upon graduation. Kaiser Permanente continues to support the Hispanic Youth Symposium because it has shown positive results in terms of student development and follow-up, Aboytes said. "The Hispanic College Fund really takes a strong commitment to students and the follow-up is significant," she said. "We are looking for that longer-term vision, for an understanding of where the students are coming from and where they are going." In early May, the website of the Bay Area Hispanic Youth Symposium will be released. For more information on the national Hispanic Youth Symposium, go to www.hispanicyouth.org. About the Hispanic College Fund Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals. For 15 years, the Hispanic College Fund has provided educational, scholarship, and mentoring programs to students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, establishing a career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics who are trained in the fields of business, science, technology, engineering, and math. The Hispanic College Fund has an annual budget of $6 million with 20 full-time employees. In 2006, the Hispanic College Fund received the Brillante award for "Nonprofit of the Year" from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and in 2007 was recognized by USA Today as one of the nation's top 25 charities. Website: www.hispanicfund.org " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/06/bay-area-welcomes-hispanic-youth-symposium-in-june-to-inspire-and-guide-100-hispanic-high-school-students-into-college-and-careers/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/money-train-runs-from-here-to-mexico-remittances-from-madison-wisconsin/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/money-train-runs-from-here-to-mexico-remittances-from-madison-wisconsin/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 15:31:33 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/money-train-runs-from-here-to-mexico-remittances-from-madison-wisconsin/ "For an immigrant community that isn't always comfortable with traditional banks, these transactions — known as remittances — are more likely to be done in places like La Concha, or in tiny grocery stores, travel agencies, video shops and beauty salons tucked away in strip malls, with signs on the windows that advertise "Envios de dinero," or money transfers.

La Concha owner Tomas Ballesta, whose money-wiring business is one of the largest in the state, said he processes about 150 of these transactions on an average day; on a busy day, there might be 250. He collects a fee per transaction, typically between $8 and $10 for transfers under $1,500. Part of that is his commission; the rest covers fees charged by the wire transfer company.

Customers also pay a currency exchange fee to the wiring company, typically about 2 percent. Those picking up the money on the other end are generally not charged any fees." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/money-train-runs-from-here-to-mexico-remittances-from-madison-wisconsin/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/mexican-bus-lines-watched-after-accidents-indictments/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/mexican-bus-lines-watched-after-accidents-indictments/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 14:19:55 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/mexican-bus-lines-watched-after-accidents-indictments/ "Juan Martinez has seen drivers doze off from fatigue while he's taking a bus from Houston to his hometown in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

"This is very dangerous," Martinez said, waiting with suitcase in hand in front of Autobuses Lucano, one of the many smaller bus companies that offer service from the United States to Mexico.

But Martinez and the thousands of riders, mostly Mexican immigrants, looking for a cheap way to get home aren't deterred by recent crashes and the recent drug smuggling indictments involving several of these bus companies." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/05/05/mexican-bus-lines-watched-after-accidents-indictments/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/fewer-latino-immigrants-sending-money-home-only-50-percent-of-some-189-million-latino-immigrants-in-this-country-now-send-money-regularly-to-relatives-in-their-home-countries-compared-with-73-perc/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/fewer-latino-immigrants-sending-money-home-only-50-percent-of-some-189-million-latino-immigrants-in-this-country-now-send-money-regularly-to-relatives-in-their-home-countries-compared-with-73-perc/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:25:16 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/fewer-latino-immigrants-sending-money-home-only-50-percent-of-some-189-million-latino-immigrants-in-this-country-now-send-money-regularly-to-relatives-in-their-home-countries-compared-with-73-perc/ "More than three million Latin American immigrants in the United States, responding to the economic downturn and new uncertainties about their future, have stopped sending money home to their families in the last two years, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/fewer-latino-immigrants-sending-money-home-only-50-percent-of-some-189-million-latino-immigrants-in-this-country-now-send-money-regularly-to-relatives-in-their-home-countries-compared-with-73-perc/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/bill-to-allow-immigrants-to-apply-for-financial-aid-california/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/bill-to-allow-immigrants-to-apply-for-financial-aid-california/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:19:57 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/bill-to-allow-immigrants-to-apply-for-financial-aid-california/ "A California state senator reintroduced a bill that would allow children of undocumented immigrants who have attended three or more years of high school in California to receive certain types of financial aid to attend colleges and universities.

The bill, known as the DREAM Act, was brought back to the California Legislature by Gilbert Cedillo, D-Los Angeles. The bill would permit students to receive State University grants, University of California grants, scholarships and certain types of loans. It would not allow them to compete for Cal Grants or apply for federal aid. The bill is currently being reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/bill-to-allow-immigrants-to-apply-for-financial-aid-california/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/cnn-writer-and-20-year-pc-vet-tries-apple%e2%80%99s-macbook-air-i%e2%80%99m-switching-to-mac-elizabeth-mateo/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/cnn-writer-and-20-year-pc-vet-tries-apple%e2%80%99s-macbook-air-i%e2%80%99m-switching-to-mac-elizabeth-mateo/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:03:25 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/cnn-writer-and-20-year-pc-vet-tries-apple%e2%80%99s-macbook-air-i%e2%80%99m-switching-to-mac-elizabeth-mateo/ "Elizabeth Mateo, founder of Casa Naranja, a newsletter and blog based in New York City that targets a style-conscious Hispanic market, often attends cocktail parties and other events where it's hard to look chic while toting a laptop.

So, Mateo jumped at the chance to spend a few weeks with three sleek new computers designed to be extra portable: the Apple MacBook Air, the Everex Cloudbook, and the Sony VAIO Tz 298N." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/cnn-writer-and-20-year-pc-vet-tries-apple%e2%80%99s-macbook-air-i%e2%80%99m-switching-to-mac-elizabeth-mateo/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/group-offers-latino-students-scholarships-harrisonburg-virginia/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/group-offers-latino-students-scholarships-harrisonburg-virginia/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:42:09 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/group-offers-latino-students-scholarships-harrisonburg-virginia/ "A newly formed organization that encourages local teens to further their education is now offering scholarships to Latino students.

The Promise Group is a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides academic support to young adults and their families in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/30/group-offers-latino-students-scholarships-harrisonburg-virginia/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/27/st-louis-hispanic-scholarship-applications-accepted/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/27/st-louis-hispanic-scholarship-applications-accepted/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:16:47 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/27/st-louis-hispanic-scholarship-applications-accepted/ "St. Louis-area Hispanic students are invited to apply for scholarships from the Hispanic Educational, Cultural and Scholarship Fund to pursue higher education. Each year, the nonprofit Hispanic ECS Fund awards at least three $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors who have been accepted to an institution of higher learning or to students already enrolled in such an institution. All applicants must be of Hispanic origin, legal U.S. residents and residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area The deadline for submitting an application for a scholarship is June 30. Applications are available at www.HispanicECSFund.org The Hispanic ECS Fund has awarded more than $10,000 in scholarships in the last few years The mission of the Hispanic Educational, Cultural & Scholarship Fund is better economic and social conditions for the Hispanic community in metropolitan St. Louis through local and regional educational, cultural and scholarship programs. It is a Missouri nonprofit corporation and a public benefit entity organized for charitable and educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Hispanic ECS Fund was created by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis in 1998. Additional information is available at www.HispanicECSFund.org. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/27/st-louis-hispanic-scholarship-applications-accepted/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/shortchanging-phone-cards-probed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/shortchanging-phone-cards-probed/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:26:47 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/shortchanging-phone-cards-probed/ "State and federal officials are cracking down on prepaid calling cards that promise more minutes than they deliver to immigrants, soldiers in Iraq and other frustrated phone-card users.

Recent investigations, lawsuits and legislation focus on what officials say are deceptive advertising and unfair business practices by some calling-card companies. They accuse the companies of cheating card buyers of minutes purchased or charging poorly disclosed fees — such as 99 cents to use a pay phone — that reduce the balance on the card." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/shortchanging-phone-cards-probed/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/hispanic-students-vie-for-scholarships-boise-idaho/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/hispanic-students-vie-for-scholarships-boise-idaho/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:07:49 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/hispanic-students-vie-for-scholarships-boise-idaho/ "This weekend, hundreds of Hispanic teenagers from across the state will be working to pursue a goal in higher education.

Hispanics are known to have high drop out rate and this conference is an opportunity to allow local Hispanic students to seek brighter futures.

Two local educators say the meeting offers them options to stay in school." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/25/hispanic-students-vie-for-scholarships-boise-idaho/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-08-raises-hard-questions-for-us-latinos-using-corn-as-fuel-forces-hardship-on-low-wage-group/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-08-raises-hard-questions-for-us-latinos-using-corn-as-fuel-forces-hardship-on-low-wage-group/#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:04:32 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-08-raises-hard-questions-for-us-latinos-using-corn-as-fuel-forces-hardship-on-low-wage-group/ "In fact, the future of our environment is especially important to the Hispanic community because 50 percent of U.S. Latinos are under the age of 26 and 35 percent are younger than 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

One way to help achieve a halt in environmental deterioration is to stop the headlong, senseless embrace of biofuels as a linchpin of alternative energy policy. As we're learning more each day, diverting our food crops into the development of ethanol is bad for the economy, bad for our health and bad for the environment.

Increased use of corn ethanol had seemed like a good idea when Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 as a way to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. That law immediately accelerated corn ethanol production by paying refiners a 51-cent tax rebate per gallon and mandating the production of 9 billion gallons of renewable food-based biofuel use in 2008 and 15 billion gallons by 2015. Additional federal mandates for biofuels raise the total mandate to 36 billion gallons in 2022." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-08-raises-hard-questions-for-us-latinos-using-corn-as-fuel-forces-hardship-on-low-wage-group/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/16/foreclosure-scam-targets-mostly-hispanic-families-california/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/16/foreclosure-scam-targets-mostly-hispanic-families-california/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:48:18 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/16/foreclosure-scam-targets-mostly-hispanic-families-california/ "A Solano County woman and her daughter are among a growing number of people who have lost their homes and thousands of dollars to scams targeting property owners facing foreclosure, a county official said Tuesday.

"This woman lost her house, and so did her daughter, and they gave the perpetrators $12,000, and their homes are still on the block," said Solano County District Attorney's Office investigator Sonny Ash.

It's part of a rash of kick-'em-when-they're-down schemes aimed at defrauding people desperate to save their homes, he said." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/16/foreclosure-scam-targets-mostly-hispanic-families-california/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/did-you-know-the-colorado-civil-rights-division-says-boulder-county-is-the-second-hardest-place-in-the-country-for-hispanics-to-get-a-fair-home-loan-cambridge-mass-was-1/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/did-you-know-the-colorado-civil-rights-division-says-boulder-county-is-the-second-hardest-place-in-the-country-for-hispanics-to-get-a-fair-home-loan-cambridge-mass-was-1/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:17:56 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/did-you-know-the-colorado-civil-rights-division-says-boulder-county-is-the-second-hardest-place-in-the-country-for-hispanics-to-get-a-fair-home-loan-cambridge-mass-was-1/ "The Colorado Civil Rights Division says Boulder County is the second-hardest place in the country for Hispanics to get a fair home loan." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/did-you-know-the-colorado-civil-rights-division-says-boulder-county-is-the-second-hardest-place-in-the-country-for-hispanics-to-get-a-fair-home-loan-cambridge-mass-was-1/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/illegal-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/illegal-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:40:46 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/illegal-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes/ "Illegal immigrants are paying taxes to Uncle Sam, experts agree. Just how much they pay is hard to determine because the federal government doesn't fully tally it.

But the latest figures available indicate it will amount to billions of dollars in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes this year. One rough estimate puts the amount of Social Security taxes alone at around $9 billion per year.

Paycheck withholding collects much of the federal tax from illegal workers, just as it does for legal workers." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/15/illegal-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/14/florida-investigates-complaints-about-prepaid-phone-cards/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/14/florida-investigates-complaints-about-prepaid-phone-cards/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:58:50 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/14/florida-investigates-complaints-about-prepaid-phone-cards/ "Every week, millions of consumers buy prepaid calling cards, primarily to make international calls to family and friends. But many low-cost calling cards don't deliver what they promise, law enforcement officials say.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has launched an investigation into the marketing and business practices of 10 companies — four of them based in South Florida — prompted by more than 200 consumer complaints filed about calling cards last year. Many consumers, including a large proportion of Hispanic immigrants, alleged the companies did not disclose hidden fees and misrepresented the number of calling minutes they received." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/04/14/florida-investigates-complaints-about-prepaid-phone-cards/feed/