News (Noticias) Tagged ‘brownsville’

The steel fence that the U.S. government wants to build along the Mexican border would do more than slice through the University of Texas’ Brownsville campus and cut off the golf course from the rest of the school.

School officials say it would make a mockery of the very mission of the university: promoting close ties between the U.S. and Mexico.”*

A billboard on U.S. Highway 77/83 reads, “Our huevos are bigger.”

The bigger huevos are the subject of a Stripes’ convenient store advertisement for its in-store restaurant, the Laredo Taco Company.

The sign’s clever use of bilingual double entendre has caused quite a stir on this stretch of the Texas-Mexico border, in addition to being a source of amusement for some.”*

Grupo Mexico CEO Germán Larrea made his appearance in a federal courthouse today, arriving shortly before 1 p.m. and taking the witness stand before the proceeding began.

Wearing a dark suit and red tie, he leaned back in his seat and surveyed the packed courtroom that had extra security provided by U.S. Marshals.

U.S. Judge Andrew S. Hanen was to question Larrea before allowing the defense and plaintiff’s attorneys to question him.”*

Sen. Barack Obama has all but secured the Democratic nomination, but victory in November’s general election hinges, in part, on the Illinois Senator’s ability to galvanize the country’s substantial Hispanic population.

Before March’s Texas Primary, Obama campaigned heavily in the Rio Grande Valley, but won less than 40 percent of the vote in Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron and Willacy counties, all of which have significant Hispanic populations.

Will Obama be able to turn Hispanic voters - in South Texas and elsewhere - around before the Nov. 4 general election?”*

Jose Pacheco feels he may face a tough choice if a hurricane heads toward this community in southeast Texas: stay and face the storm’s fury or evacuate and risk losing his wife.

The possibility that U.S. Border Patrol agents may check the immigration status of hurricane evacuees recently sent shockwaves through this colonia, or unincorporated neighborhood, outside Brownsville, Texas, just across the Rio Grande from Mexico.

Residents here and along the Texas coast have become accustomed to hurricane evacuations. As more places increase enforcement of immigration laws, residents such as Pacheco say they would rather risk harm from a storm, than risk deportation from the USA.”*

“Is it possible to construct a wall without undocumented workers?” asked Perry Vaughn, executive director of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. “It’s probably borderline impossible to be honest with you.”

In recent years, the construction industry has seen a dramatic increase in undocumented foreign-born Hispanic workers, according to a Pew Hispanic report published in 2007.

Based on information collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, the report also found that foreign-born workers held one in five construction jobs in 2006.”*

Maybe if the Mets were winning a few more ballgames, there wouldn’t be this much conversation about the demographics of the clubhouse, which you are now supposed to believe are more complicated - and fragmented - than the Democratic Party’s.

Maybe if the Mets were in first place in the National League East the way they have been for a couple of years, up there in the standings instead of closer to last place, you wouldn’t be hearing about this great wide cultural divide that is supposed to exist in the Mets clubhouse, and between the Mets players and their manager.

And maybe you would never even hear this much about race on a team that doesn’t have a Dominican-born general manager and an African-American manager out of Brownsville, Brooklyn. But you sure hear it around here lately. Suddenly, the clubhouse is the reason why the Mets have the record they do instead of the way they have played and especially the way they have pitched, even with Johan Santana on their side.”*

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance) announced today the establishment of the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars Program, a new partnership improving Hispanic student access to higher education and degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The Program is made possible through a $4 million grant from The Merck Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the research-based pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc. This is the largest grant to date that The Merck Company Foundation has made to the field of Hispanic education.

The Alliance will work with the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) to implement the Program. This partnership builds upon the Alliance’s 35-year record of work in the Hispanic community and expertise in supporting youth and improving the science base and the expertise of MISE in improving science education. During the next five years, the Program will provide 50 promising Hispanic high school students from Brownsville, TX; Elizabeth, NJ; and Los Angeles, CA with $42,500 in college scholarships and internship support to pursue STEM degrees. These predominantly Hispanic communities have a history in working with the Alliance and MISE. In addition, 125 Hispanic college students nationwide will receive $2,000 scholarships.

“Building on a distinguished history of Hispanic pioneers in science, a new generation of discovery begins today with this landmark investment of $4 million in Hispanic students,” said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the Alliance today in announcing establishment of the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program. “It gives us great pride to be working with Merck in opening this new phase of the Alliance’s innovative Ciencia initiative to support Hispanic students and improve the nation’s science base.”

“We are pleased to partner with the Alliance on a program that gives these bright and highly qualified students with a passion for the sciences the opportunity to contribute and make a real difference in advancing these fields,” said Adam H. Schechter, President, Global Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Inc. “Merck is a company committed to scientific innovation and helping to develop and mentor scientific talent has been a long-standing, important focus for the Company.”

“I know what a positive impact such support can have in your life,” said Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos, former U.S. Secretary of Education and a member of the Alliance Board of Directors. “I have no doubt that Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars may be the next generation of Nobel prize winners, lab directors, professors, university presidents, and mentors leading scientific discovery that improves our health and well-being.”

Today’s announcement of a $4 million investment in Hispanic students pursuing STEM studies comes just weeks after an experts meeting of the National Academies, which reported that the U.S. is continuing to fall behind in math and science education and that new resources are needed to “rise above the gathering storm.”

According to Dr. Carlo Parravano, Executive Director of the Merck Institute for Science Education, “Investment in scholarships to reduce the financial burden of college, coupled with mentorship and lab experiences, can have a significant impact on students pursuing degrees in a STEM field. Today’s announcement is critically important to encourage students to continue their studies and to pursue careers focused on innovation and scientific discovery.”

The first of five years of awards under the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program announced today will be made in May of 2009. Two types of awards will be made:

– Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars. Hispanic high school seniors who
reside in Brownsville, TX; Elizabeth, NJ; or Los Angeles, CA and who
will pursue a college degree in a STEM field are eligible for a $42,500
award ($20,000 in scholarship funding, and up to $22,500 in internship
support). Scholars also will receive a mentorship with an Alliance
Ciencia liaison and participate in an annual Ciencia Scholars symposium
where the Scholars will present the results of their research, engage
in lectures by professional scientists, and participate in workshops
designed specifically for the Scholars in a variety of subject areas.

– Ciencia National Scholarships. Hispanic college students nationwide
with a declared STEM major will be eligible to apply for a $2,000
scholarship. Recipients also will receive Ciencia online support via a
website, which will provide information on research news and
opportunities and encourage peer communication and networking.

Students and families interested in the Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars Program are invited to call toll-free 1-866-783-2645, visit the Alliance’s website at www.hispanichealth.org, or text “CIENCIA” to 30644 to sign up for online applications which will be first available on September 16, 2008. The application deadline will be January 16, 2009 and the first class of Alliance/Merck Ciencia Scholars and Ciencia National Scholarship recipients will be notified in May 2009.”

The word was out that the Border Patrol would be checking citizenship at evacuation centers, screening out illegal immigrants before evacuees boarded buses. Who cares if it’s a hurricane — it would still be “business as usual” for the Border Patrol, the agency’s local spokesman said.

Wow. That’s hard-core. Even in a country that is becoming inured to the relentless pursuit and harassment of undocumented immigrants, it is mind-boggling to consider what the spokesman, Dan Doty, was suggesting:

Winds may be howling, floodwaters rising and rescuers in McAllen and Brownsville scrambling to get 100,000 to 150,000 sick, elderly, poor and disabled people to safety as quickly as possible — but if Grandma doesn’t have her papers, she isn’t getting on the bus.”*

Last night, the Univision Television Network celebrated the grand finale of the second hit season of “Nuestra Belleza Latina” (Our Latin Beauty), a show that combines the glamour of a beauty competition with the excitement of reality television. Hosted by popular Univision personality Giselle Blondet, the finale was a nailbitting elimination for the six finalists who awaited their fate in front of a live studio audience. Captivated viewers from across the country voted for their favorite contestant and crowned Melissa Marty from Puerto Rico, “Nuestra Belleza Latina” 2008.

In addition to the title, Melissa has won the opportunity of a lifetime with a contract as Univision’s newest on-air personality as well as $200,000 in cash and prizes. This season’s sponsors, which include AT&T, JCPenney, Garnier Fructis, Maybelline New York, Sony and State Farm, are also providing the winner of “Nuestra Belleza Latina” with an array of cash and prizes.

Melissa Marty is a versatile kickboxing, aerobics and ballet instructor and a former “Miss Caguas.” A college graduate with a degree in communications, she was a host for a local television show where she developed her presentation skills and broadened her knowledge of the broadcast industry.

“We would like to congratulate Melissa Marty on this great achievement and acknowledge all the contestants for their hard work and perseverance throughout the competition,” said Alina Falcón, executive vice president and operating manager for the Univision Network. “We are thrilled to have an incredibly successful second season of ‘Nuestra Belleza Latina’ which is due in no small part to the viewer participation in this competition. We would also like to give a special thanks to our sponsors who were an integral part of making this show such a success.”

Of the many women who auditioned throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, only 12 finalists representing the most charismatic, intelligent and captivating Hispanic women were selected to compete. Each week, they faced-off in a fierce competition that tested their character and determination. After a series of eliminations 6 finalists made it to the grand finale: Melissa Marty – the winner, Emeraude Toubia, Mexican/Lebanese from Brownsville, TX – first-runner up; Dayamí Padrón, Cuban from Miami, FL – second runner-up; Zoila Ceballos, Dominican from New York, NY – third place; Leticia Castro, Mexican from Las Vegas, NV – fourth place; and Manuela Arbeláez, Colombian from West New York, NJ in fifth place.

“Nuestra Belleza Latina” will be back next season with more excitement than ever, expanding to two full hours on Sunday nights to bring viewers even more thrills and glamour, with more content than ever before and increased viewer participation.

Univision Móvil delivered complete mobile integration for AT&T subscribers, including post-show highlights and behind the scenes video. Mobile coverage of the show also featured a dedicated WAP site, downloadable content from finalists, SMS alerts and the opportunity to vote for their favorite contestants via text message. Univision.com also provided online voting and an insider’s look at the lives of the contestants, with exclusive interviews, videos, and an interactive game.”*

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, one of the architects of the border wall project between Mexico and Texas, drew boos from residents in Brownsville, Texas, at a public meeting on the subject this week.

“If you don’t like the fence … between the city and Mexico, I suggest that you build the fence around the northern part of the city,” fired off Tancredo when opponents to the fence made their displeasure heard at the meeting.

Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada called the Congressman a bigot, and said that the border wall project was a “racist thing.”"*

Appealing to the growing and established Hispanic markets in Houston and South Texas, the Houston Astros and television partner FSN Houston today announced that they have joined forces to produce and televise 15 Astros games in Spanish in 2008.

The Spanish-language broadcasts will be original productions separate from FSN Houston’s telecasts and will be carried on secondary FSN Plus channels on cable systems in Houston and South Texas markets. They also will be made available to DirecTV and Dish Network. Veteran announcer Rene Cardenas, who pioneered Astros Spanish-language radio broadcasts when the team debuted in 1962 and is considered the dean of Major League Baseball Spanish announcers, will team with Raul Saenz to call the games. Spanish graphics will supplement the broadcasts.

The first Astros Spanish-language telecasts are scheduled for May 7 and May 8 against the Washington Nationals. Spanish-language Astros games will be shown throughout the season with six in May, four in June, two in July, two in August and one in September.

In Houston, the games will be carried on Comcast Cable channel 76, which is available to digital cable customers (see schedule below for other markets).

“The Houston Astros are thrilled at the opportunity to provide Spanish-language broadcasts to markets all across Texas,” said Houston Astros Senior Vice President Communications Jay Lucas. “We will provide an excellent product to our Spanish-speaking fans by combining an outstanding broadcast team in Rene Cardenas and Raul Saenz with FSN Houston’s high-caliber production quality. We’re happy to be able to offer this product to fans that have been among the most passionate and devoted to our team throughout the history of our franchise.”

“The Houston Astros are one of the most aggressive teams in Major League Baseball to reach out and market to their Spanish-speaking fans and we’re excited to help them target their fan base,” said FSN Houston Senior Vice President/General Manager Steve Tello. “The Astros recognize the importance of the Hispanic community and have developed a plan that appeals to their growing Spanish audience.”

According to the most current U.S. Census figures, Houston is the fourth largest Hispanic market in the country with a population of 730,865. Hispanics make up 37.4 percent of the Houston market, while 1.1 million Hispanics live in surrounding Harris County. In the Astros’ extended fan base outside of Houston, Hispanics are the majority of the population in six markets, led by Laredo (94.1%), Brownsville (91.3%), McAllen (80.3%), El Paso (76.6%) San Antonio (58.7%) and Corpus Christi (54.3%). With a Hispanic population of 671,394, San Antonio ranks as the nation’s fifth largest Hispanic market.

Fans in those markets will be treated to one of the most prolific Spanish announcers in baseball as Cardenas returns to the Houston broadcast booth. The native of Nicaragua began his Major League Baseball career in 1958 when the Los Angeles Dodgers named him their first Spanish-radio announcer after the team moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Recognizing the success Cardenas achieved connecting with Spanish-speaking fans in Los Angeles, the Astros hired him in 1962 to direct their Spanish broadcasts when Houston was awarded a major league franchise. He spent 15 years with the Astros and eventually moved to Arlington in 1981 to become the Texas Rangers’ first Spanish broadcaster before returning to Los Angeles in 1982 to call Dodgers game in Spanish until 1998. In 2000 Cardenas was inducted into the Nicaraguan Baseball Hall of Fame. He currently writes a popular sports column for La Prensa and the Astros Spanish-language website and Astros magazine.

Cardenas will work with Saenz, a well-known Texas broadcaster who also serves as analyst on University of Texas football Spanish-radio broadcasts and the Dallas Mavericks Spanish radio network. Since 2004 he’s anchored sportscasts for Dallas-Fort Worth Univision affiliate KUVN where he won a Lone Star Emmy award for Best Sports Story in 2005. Saenz started the first Spanish play-by-play radio broadcasts for the San Antonio Missions Double A minor league baseball team in 2002, and has been sports director at Telemundo affiliates in Houston and San Antonio.

2008 FSN Houston Astros Spanish Language Television Schedule (All times listed are Central)
Day		Date		Opponent		Time
Wed.		May 7		Washington Nationals		7:00 p.m.
Thu.		May 8		Washington Nationals		7:00 p.m.
Tue.		May 20		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Wed.		May 21		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Thu.		May 22		Philadelphia Phillies		7:00 p.m.
Fri.		May 23		Philadelphia Phillies		7:00 p.m.
Fri.		June 13		New York Yankees		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		June 14		New York Yankees		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		June 27		Boston Red Sox		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		June 28		Boston Red Sox		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		July 18		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		July 19		Chicago Cubs		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		Aug. 1		New York Mets		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		Aug. 2		New York Mets		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		Sept. 12		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.

FSN Plus Astros Spanish Language TV Affiliates:
Market		Cable System		Channel
Aransas Pass		Cable One		20
Austin		Time Warner		77
Beaumont-Port Arthur		Time Warner		15
Brownsville		Time Warner		78
Bryan-College Station		Suddenlink		22
Columbus		Time Warner		79
Corpus Christi		Grande Communications		38
Corpus Christi		Time Warner		6
El Paso		Time Warner		24
Georgetown		Suddenlink		95
Gonzales		Time Warner		75
Harlingen		Time Warner		78
Houston		Comcast Cable		76 (digital basic)
Hilltop Lakes		DMS Cable		39
Kerrville		Time Warner		63
Lampassas		Suddenlink		2
Laredo		Time Warner		16
Lufkin		Suddenlink		15
McAllen		Time Warner		78
Nacogdoches		Suddenlink		14
Port Lavaca		Cable One		20
San Antonio		Time Warner		50
San Marcos		Grande Communications		80

“*

Texas will have more than two dozen new federal prosecutors in border districts to help fight drug, human and weapons smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border, a Justice Department official said Friday.

Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip announced the 64 new assistant U.S. attorney posts in four border states during a visit to Brownsville that included a stop at the port of entry. He made a twin announcement in Tucson on Thursday.”*

The Univision Television Network announced today the 12 finalists who will compete in “Nuestra Belleza Latina” (Our Latin Beauty), the innovative program that combines the glamour of a beauty competition with the excitement of reality television. Hosted once again by popular Univision personality Giselle Blondet, “Nuestra Belleza Latina” airs weekly on Fridays from 10:00–11:00 p.m. ET/PT (9:00–10:00 p.m. Central) on the Univision Network.

Representing the most captivating and dynamic Hispanic women from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the 12 finalists are: from New York, NY - Manuela Arbeláez (Colombian), Leana Astorga (Nicaraguan), and Zoila Ceballos (Dominican); from Chicago, IL – Jannett Manzanares (Mexican); from Miami, FL – Dayamí Padrón (Cuban); from Orlando, FL - Génesis Seguias (Venezuelan); from Brownsville, TX – Emeraude Toubia (Mexican/Lebanese); from Sacramento, CA - Dayanira Varela (Mexican); from Las Vegas, NV – Leticia Castro (Mexican); and from Puerto Rico – Melissa Marty, Aidelíz Hidalgo, and Natalia Rivera.

These 12 lucky finalists will share a beautiful Miami mansion as they prepare for this fierce competition. Viewers, who have made “Nuestra Belleza Latina” the # 1 show in its time slot among all Adults 18-34 since its premiere, will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look as the contestants face a series of weekly challenges that will test their talent and character. These beauties will work to perfect their voice and diction, runway walk, consult with stylists and make-up artists, sharpen their dance, singing and acting skills, and undergo a rigorous fitness routine.

Viewer participation will be a key factor in helping the panel of celebrity judges, which includes the beautiful and former Miss Universe, Lupita Jones, film and television, heartthrob Julian Gil, and, Latin America’s most renowned and ever controversial beauty coach, Osmel Sousa, decide who should be crowned the next Latin beauty. In the grand finale, the contestant with the most votes will win the coveted title of “Nuestra Belleza Latina 2008” and receive $200,000 in cash and prizes including a contract as Univision’s newest on-air personality.

“The second season of Univision’s ‘Nuestra Belleza Latina’ is already off to a great start, and is once again an audience favorite,” said Alina Falcón, executive vice president and operating manager, Univision Network. “But what makes it even more attractive is how successfully we have been able to work with our key marketing partners to develop exiting new ways to integrate their powerful brands.”

This season’s sponsors, which include AT&T, JCPenney, Garnier Fructis, Maybelline New York, and State Farm, are providing the winner of “Nuestra Belleza Latina” with an array of cash and prizes. Additionally, Univision is working closely with sponsors to co-create individualized programming content that seamlessly integrates each of their brands into the show via sponsored challenges, which the contestants will face on a weekly basis.

Alejandra Espinoza, winner of the first season of “Nuestra Belleza Latina,” will play an active role in this year’s program. She has become a welcome new personality on Univision since winning the competition, making regular guest host appearances on popular Univision programs such as “El Gordo y La Flaca” (The Scoop and the Skinny), working as a special correspondent for a variety of other shows, and presenting on the youth award show “Premios Juventud”. In addition, she has graced the pages of numerous magazines including People en Español and Ocean Drive en Español, among others.

Online and mobile integration brings “Nuestra Belleza Latina” fans all of the excitement and glamour of this beauty competition 24/7. Univision.com (Uniclave: Nuestra Belleza) features contestant coverage, including must-see moments from the auditions, interviews and video highlights. For those fans on-the-go, Univision Móvil offers extensive content, including a dedicated mobile site and video clips exclusively available to AT&T subscribers. Mobile fans will also be able to vote for their favorite contestants via text message, receive SMS alerts and download voice tones and wallpapers of the finalists.”*

*From: http://www.businesswire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

So did you know this? If you didn’t, perhaps you could send it to someone you know to help spread the knowledge and please tell them about HispanicTips.

View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

From: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Low-opportunity neighborhoods tend to have fewer grocery stores with fresh produce, poorer schools, fewer parks and playgrounds and higher crime rates than high-opportunity neighborhoods, said lead researcher Dolores Acevedo-Garcia. Those factors contribute to children’s overall health as they grow up, she said.

“Neighborhood conditions are really the foundation of healthy development,” said Acevedo-Garcia, associate professor at Harvard. “There’s research that says living in poor neighborhoods can affect a number of health outcomes.”

The researchers used data from the 2000 Census in the study, comparing the distribution of children of different ethnicities to certain neighborhood quality indicators such as poverty rates, rentership and unemployment.”*

*From: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Monday, three of the festival’s Latin American born filmmakers joined moderator Charles Ramirez Berg, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss “New Trends in Latino Cinema.” About 30 seconds into the talk, however, they realized they might not have much to say on the given subject.

“I think there is a change in that Latino filmmakers are getting away from being so easily identified or grouped together and I think that’s good,” said Berg, who initially organized the event as a conversation between himself and producer Elizabeth Avellan.

Avellan, who worked with her husband Robert Rodriguez on films like “El Mariachi,” “Desperado,” and “Sin City,” recommended that Peruvian director Ricardo de Montreuil, who brought his film “Mancora” to the festival, join the conversation. Then, when they discovered that Mexican director Jonas Cuaron, the 26-year-old son of “Y Tu Mama Tambien” director Alfonso Cuaron, was bringing his first film “Ano Una” to the festival, they invited him to join in.”*

*From: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Protesters against the Texas-Mexico border fence will launch a nine-day march at the Rio Grande today, starting at Roma, Texas, and ending in Brownsville.

The 115-mile march is organized in part by schoolteachers at U.S. border schools who say they don’t want to see a fence cleave through entwined communities.

“The wall represents the militarization of the border, and the border is my home,” said John Moore, an 8th-grade English teacher in Brownsville. “The border is a region, rather than a line and, culturally, there are more similarities between Brownsville and Matamoros, than Brownsville and Dallas.”"*

*From: http://www.dallasnews.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

BROWNSVILLE - The Taylor family has lived in their Brownsville home for more 60 years, but now the proposed border wall could mean big changes.

Pamela Taylor and her family tell us their home will actually end up South of the proposed border wall, meaning they could end up on the Mexican side of the border.”*

*From: http://www.newschannel5.tv
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

The Mexican military is in the process of rearming municipal police forces along the Tamaulipas border, Reynosa Police Chief Juan Jose Muñiz said on Monday.

Last month, federal soldiers confiscated weapons from police in Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Alemán, Rio Bravo, Miguel Alemán, Matamoros and Valle Hermosa as part of an effort to root out police corruption, specifically collusion with drug cartels.”*

*From: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Texas Gov. Rick Perry told members of an influential Hispanic organization Monday that building a fence between El Paso and Brownsville, Texas is “absolutely not the answer” to the immigration problem, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.

Perry’s comments before the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce came less than two weeks after he told reporters in Austin that “there is some strategic fencing that we support. … that you can use strategic fencing to help control the flow of illegal activities,” the paper said.”*

*From: http://www.statesman.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Hoy Fin de Semana in Chicago and Los Angeles, Eastern Group Publications in Los Angeles (10 publications), La Voz de Phoenix, El Extra de Brownsville and McAllen and Impacto USA (Long Beach, Los Angeles), all have something in common. All these publications are predominantly home delivered. “*

*From: http://www.portada-online.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

When the federal government last fall asked for permission to conduct property surveys and environmental studies at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College as part of its plan to erect a border fence, Juliet García refused.

García’s stance has prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to declare its intention to sue to gain access to the property.”*

*From: http://www.statesman.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

U.S. Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz has secured federal funding to support further expansion of a successful major initiative at The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus. This initiative targets diabetes and other deadly, disabling and costly health conditions in the Mexican-American population.

The $390,000 federal appropriation will support the university’s Hispanic Health Research Center and its Cameron County Hispanic Health Cohort of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

“These vital funds will allow us to continue this important program dedicated to obtaining accurate information on the health status of people in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, particularly with regard to obesity, diabetes and mental health. It allows us to measure the impact accurately and to gain support for development and implementation of effective community-wide interventions,” said Joseph B. McCormick, M.D., regional dean and James H. Steele Professor at the UT School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus.

Ortiz, D-Texas, said, “Texas border communities—particularly among the Mexican-American populations— must work harder to educate themselves on healthy living. Diseases such as obesity and diabetes are reaching crisis levels along the border. The UT School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus is doing extraordinary research on many of these matters and providing insight and solutions to some of these challenges.”

Five years ago, McCormick established the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort with previous federal appropriations, as well as funding from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. It is the only cohort in the United States studying health disparities in a purely Mexican-American population.

Almost 2,000 individuals have been enrolled in the cohort. The results are now helping McCormick and other researchers to uncover the high levels of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, mental health conditions and other diseases that greatly affect this Hispanic population. This work has also developed and evaluated effective interventions for children and adults.

“It is difficult to overstate the urgency of addressing effective measures to prevent diabetes in our minority population. This is in the interests of improving health in the community,” McCormick said. “We have calculated that the combination of diabetes and obesity in the Lower Rio Grande Valley costs about $1.2 billion each year. It is in the best economic and social interest that a vigorous and evidence-based program of intervention be instituted as soon as possible.”

The cohort has benefited from previous support from federal funding with the help of Congressman Ortiz, and has provided key information helping to obtain funding from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Data collected thus far from the cohort has revealed alarming results, McCormick said. More than half of the individuals older than age 18 are classified as obese, with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of more than 30. Another 32 percent are overweight. Twenty percent of the residents have diabetes, which is associated with abnormally high levels of sugar in blood and can lead to such complications as eye, kidney, nerve and heart damage. The chronic condition may also impact mental health. At least half of the cohort participants who have diabetes are not on adequate treatment. Another 23 percent of participants in the cohort have pre-diabetes, a risk factor that is marked by a higher-than-normal blood glucose range that has not yet been classified as diabetes.

“Slowing the rate of increase in type 2 diabetes nationally is one of the most urgent health problems we face, and among the worst affected populations are the Mexican Americans along the U.S./Mexico border,” McCormick added. “Through the use of the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, and with the support of Congressman Ortiz and others, we will be able to continue our studies especially those aimed at intense intervention, all backed by solid science.””*

*From: http://www.webwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Residents in the Texas Rio Grande Valley have been fighting two wars: the war in Iraq that has taken many of their young people from the region and the war against the Department of Homeland Security which is wanting their private property to build a border fence between the U.S. and Mexico.

Unlike some other portions of the U.S.-Mexico border, residents along the Texas border aren’t willing to hand over their property so easily to the government. They want more time to try to convince the government that alternative ideas can be just as effective, if not more so, in creating a secure but less disruptive barrier between the two countries.”*

*From: http://www.latinalista.net
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish