the photographer moved to New York at eleven years old and grew up in Washington Heights and Harlem Adjusting to this new environment didn’t come easy and school was tough,” Garcia tells us when he’d return to the Dominican Republic he felt that same underlying sense of being an outsider: “It felt like I didn’t belong there anymore either.” It was through discovering photography in his twenties that these feelings began to shift as Garcia was able to view these places so vital to his story through a new lens and beauty.” Here we feature Garcia’s photography series documenting the Dominican Republic alongside self-written text describing the meaning behind the work I found a way to tell stories that words couldn’t I’m turning my lens back to the Dominican Republic It’s the place where I spent my earliest years coming back felt like stepping into a new world It’s a mix of what I remember and what’s completely unfamiliar I’ll be traveling to towns across the island and even the changes – both the ones that feel hopeful and the ones that feel bittersweet There’s something striking about seeing how the country is evolving whether it’s through the influx of Haitian communities near my hometown or the way modern development is reshaping places that once felt untouched this project feels like a prequel to Beauty Beauty [Garcia’s book celebrating New York] The same themes are there – finding beauty in people and things – but now I’m exploring them through a different lens in a place that shaped so much of who I am but it’s also pushing me out of my comfort zone the Dominican Republic is full of contrasts – old and new That’s what I want to capture with this work: the beauty in all of it.” Follow Luis on Instagram Three alleged criminals who were wanted on charges of committing multiple crimes were killed and a fourth was arrested after allegedly shooting at police officers during an operation carried out by the Subdirectorate of Criminal Investigations (Dicrim) in two sectors of San José de las Matas The report indicates that in the operation 25; Eury Emmanuel Cruz Castro (Sicario de Moca) 24; and Nelson Antonio Zapata Bernard (El Bale or El Fiuri) the first confrontation occurred in El Guamo when the agents were chasing José Miguel Báez Báez (Chigue) Local November 30 who were driving in a Hyundai Sonata through a vacant lot the agents moved to an aparthotel located in the Botoncillo sector where Cruz Castro and Zapata Bernard opened fire when they noticed the police presence following the staggered protocol of the use of force the law enforcement institution confirmed that Nelson Antonio Zapata Bernard had three records for homicide and robbery Anthony Gabriel Bueno and Eury Emmanuel Cruz Castro had a record of theft Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Economy North Coast Local Sports Health DominicanToday.com - The Dominican Republic News Source in English EU-funded researchers are using AI to help ease the flow in Europe’s cities making urban environments both safer and greener At the Las Matas train station in the town of Las Rozas The sound of a highway can be heard in the background as a train pulls in a churros vendor is selling his wares as pedestrians navigate the busy intersection It all seems like an ordinary scene in suburban Spain smart cameras are quietly observing and analysing pedestrian and traffic flows to understand how the space is being used – and how it could be used better the future of urbanism is being sketched out Las Rozas is one of the testing grounds for the researchers of an EU-funded initiative called AMIGOS that is using new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis to help improve the quality of life in busy cities it is closely aligned with the EU’s Cities Mission which aims to support 112 European cities in becoming climate-neutral and smart by 2030 serving as innovation hubs for sustainable urban transformation The cameras used by the AMIGOS team were designed by the Austrian Institute of Technology and rely on AI This allows them to rapidly process months’ worth of camera footage and build up an accurate picture of how city spaces are being used The information collected can help city planners redesign public spaces with real people in mind “This project is about the really basic questions that every citizen asks themselves Questions like ‘can I let my children go to school safely on their own’,” said Martin Krekeler who works with the Senate Chancellery of the City of Hamburg the researchers are aiming to improve the safety and comfort of city dwellers in the Las Matas neighbourhood where a highway to Madrid converges with a train station “Our city encounters several challenges,” said Nuria Blanco Caballero Three highways cross the town and there is a lot of traffic coming to and from Madrid “There’s a lot of interaction between cars and pedestrians here,” said Blanco Caballero On the agenda is a complete renovation of the area around Las Matas train station that will include safety improvements electrical charging stations and a car-sharing space Information collected by the researchers’ camera was combined with feedback received through local user surveys to inform renovation designs “One of the things we found was that people weren’t always using official crossings Las Rozas is currently busy redesigning the area It’s a good example of how new technologies can help cities make smarter decisions that are aligned with people’s needs AI cameras similar to the one used in Las Rozas are being deployed in other European cities too as part of another EU-funded initiative called ELABORATOR R&D Director of the Institute of Communication Computer Systems at the National Technical University of Athens they are using smart cameras to analyse traffic flows and examine situations where an accident has occurred or has only been narrowly avoided The French district of Issy-les-Moulineaux has installed a system of dynamic traffic signs as part of the initiative The system uses AI to manage this automatically “It’s one of the only ways to process huge amounts of data in real time which is very important for fast-moving environments such as cities.” the aim of the research teams is to set an example for other cities to follow The AMIGOS team is currently working closely with 10 cities: Gabrova (Bulgaria) they are working with five twin cities that will try to replicate the results achieved in the main cities: Laval in France In the case of the ELABORATOR research team there are six cities where work is currently underway to improve the comfort and safety of urban living Trikala (Greece) Milan (Italy) and Zaragoza (Spain) Velenje (Slovenia) and Lund (Sweden) – will learn from the lessons of the first phase AI and data processing are a valuable resource for both research teams who are well aware of the potential risks and pay close attention to privacy concerns and potential issues Local citizens are kept well informed of the actions being taken the goal is to reduce cities’ reliance on the large tech companies that they currently depend on for technology and data “Yet today that data is often owned by private companies which means that cities need to buy it.” At the centre of the work being carried out is a desire to do policy differently in a way that takes people’s voices into account they are being supported by the EU in a push to accelerate green and digital transformations within cities as part of its Cities Mission and the European Green Deal “That’s why it’s so important to use technology to ask them about their city and observe how they use it.” the renovation of the Las Matas area is almost complete they will be scaling up their approach to cover the whole city The objective in this second stage will be to improve movement flows to and from schools “Co-creation is key,” said Blanco Caballero “We need to adapt our projects to the needs of real people Research in this article was funded by the EU’s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don’t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine MD does not stand behind any specific agenda and arguments to the light and see what remains valid and sound Santo Domingo.- The National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) has imposed fines totaling RD$200,000 on two private transportation companies following a recent traffic accident on the Las Matas-Elías Piña highway known as the “Curve of Death.” The collision between two buses resulted in three fatalities and several injuries ASOPROGCHOCO and Transporte Hermanos Paulino were penalized for allowing their drivers to operate without the necessary licenses stated that an investigation revealed violations of Law 63-17 which addresses serious infractions like providing unauthorized services without Intrant and municipal approval A technical survey at the accident site confirmed that the drivers lacked the required operating permits and one driver was found to be operating without the appropriate bus-driving license Local August 26 Morrison emphasized Intrant’s commitment to road safety and its role in enforcing traffic regulations He also urged transportation operators to comply with legal requirements for service provision the drivers involved in the accident will be required to complete driver education courses provided by Intrant before they can obtain an operating license they really need to enforce the laws before such tragedy the busses on the road are just terrible they think they own the roads and make up the rules of the road as they go LOL One day’s salary for the union leader Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application he was the son of Jovino Salcedo and Amelia Dolores Salcedo Bisono He joined the Marines at 19 and became an electrician in the Dominican Republic  “Tomas/Bisono,” worked as a carpenter and in agriculture in San Jose de Las Matas.   “Tomas/Bisono,” enjoyed supporting his grandchildren “Tomas/Bisono,” moved to San Jose de Las Matas and enjoyed playing dominos with his friends and spending time outdoors with his family “Tomas/Bisono,” is survived by his three sons Santos Mieses and Camilo Salcedo; one daughter Lisa Compres and son-in-law Winston Compres and Tiago Mieses as well as beloved siblings A celebration of Juan Tomas’s beautiful life will occur at Stauffer Funeral Homes on Monday and burial services will take place at the All-Souls Cemetery 11401 Brink Road  The family invites you to honor the life of Juan Tomas We’ll be sharing memories and stories of a life well lived  Please join us for a reception at 4004 Belgrave Circle Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Split the season between Pittsburgh and San Diego combining to go 5-6 with a 4.53 ERA (68 ER/135.0 IP) in 26 starts...Began the season with the Pirates going 1-1 with a 2.86 ERA (11 ER/34.2 IP) and 27 strikeouts over six starts in March/April...Earned his first win on 4/4 at Washington allowing two runs over 6.2 IP … posted a ND on 4/9 vs Detroit despite holding the Tigers to one run on six hits over 8.0 IP...Was placed on the 15-day injured list on 5/28 with a left groin strain … made one rehab appearance with Class AAA Iowa on 6/22 at Iowa (1 ER/5.0 IP) and was reinstated on 6/30...Was traded to San Diego on 7/30 in exchange for LHP Ronaldys Jiménez … allowed two runs or less in seven of his 10 starts with the Padres...Made his debut on 8/3 vs allowing one run on six hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in a ND … recorded his first win with San Diego on 8/14 vs the Pirates (1 ER/5.1 IP)...Threw 6.1 scoreless IP in a ND on 9/5 vs Detroit before going on the Paternity List from 9/11-13 … earned his final win on 9/21 vs allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts over 5.1 IP Split the season between the starting rotation and bullpen for the World-Champion Rangers…Ranked in the 71st percentile in groundball percentage according to Baseball Savant inducing opposing hitters into 18 grounded into double plays Philadelphia…Went 6-1 with a 3.97 ERA (68.0ip/30er) in his first 12 starts through 6/5…Allowed a season-high tying seven runs in his outing on 6/11 at Tampa Bay…Shifted to the bullpen for the remainder of the season beginning with his 1.0 inning of scoreless work on 8/6 vs Miami…Recorded a 1.10 ERA (16.1ip/2er) in his final seven appearances of the regular season…Made a total of three appearances in the postseason allowing five runs in 4.2 innings in three relief appearances Selected to the MLB All-Star Game for the first time Pérez produced a career year in his return to the Rangers… ranked among A.L while recording his second-most wins (12) and innings in a season…TEX was 20-12 in his 32 starts as his starts accounted for 29.4% of club’s wins in 2022 (20 of 68)...HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?: His 2.89 ERA was the eighth-lowest qualifying figure in Rangers history (1972-2022) 1984) to only Yu Darvish’s 2.83 ERA in 2013…finished among A.L pitching WAR leaders in measurements by baseball-reference (5th 3.8)…his 12 wins were most by a Ranger since 2019 (16-Lance Lynn 14-Mike Minor) and his 22 quality starts were most for Texas since 2016 (22-Cole Hamels)...GOOD COMPANY: Over eight starts from 4/23-5/31 Pérez went undefeated with 6.0+ in each outing while allowing no HR and one-or-zero ER in each game…according to STATS LLC the only other pitchers to compile those statistics over an 8-start span since stat became an official statistic in 1913 are Hall of Famers Walter Johnson (1913-14) and Bob Gibson (1968)...MY MAY MAN: Was voted American League Pitcher of the Month for May his first career monthly award and first Ranger to receive it since Matt Harrison in June 2012…went 4-0 0.64 ERA (3 ER/42.1 IP) in six starts in May (TEX went 6-0)…it was the second-lowest ERA in club history for any month by a Texas pitcher with 5+ starts (Yovani Gallardo 0.54 in June 2015)… posted his 4th career CG and 3rd career CG SHO on 5/20 at HOU first CG SHO by a Ranger since Kyle Gibson on 9/16/20 at HOU…retired final 16 BF to end outing on 5/31 vs TB after being struck in right leg by a line drive in the 2nd inn...WIN STREAK: Over 15 starts from 5/10-7/29 produced a career-best streak of nine straight winning decisions T4th-longest win streak in Rangers history (12-Cole Hamels and T2nd-longest by a left-hander…from 4/23-8/3 had streak of 19 consecutive starts without taking a loss which is tied for longest run in Washington/Texas franchise history (also Hamels in 2015-16) as Pérez owns longest single-season unbeaten streak ever by a Texas starter…the nine-game win streak was T2nd-longest in the A.L 1.42 (10 ER/63.1 IP) over first 10 G/ GS thru 5/31 with that ERA accounting for his lowest figure all year…career-best nine straight quality starts from 4/23-6/5 tied the longest streak in Rangers history (7th pitcher/9th instance)…had 4.91 ERA (20 ER/36.2 IP) over 6 GS from 6/11-7/9 although he had three quality starts and went 3-0 in that span…beginning 7/9 his season ERA would hover between 2.47 and 2.93 the rest of the way…ended the year with 30 straight starts with at least 5.0 IP (beg longest by a Ranger since Lance Lynn in 2019-20 (41 4/28/19-9/24/20) and longest streak ever by a left-handed TEX starter...NO LONG BALLS: His 0.50 HR/9 is the fifth-lowest qualifying mark in TEX history no HR allowed in final 8 GS/53.1 IP to end the year…HR allowed on 6/5 vs snapped homerless streaks overall (69.1 IP) and to open the season (66.1 IP)…the career-best 69.1-IP run had been the longest active streak in MLB and the 66.1-IP streak to begin 2022 was the third-longest season-opening HR-less streak in Rangers history behind Mike Paul in 1972 (100.2 IP) and Francisco Cordero in 2004 (70.0 IP) NOTES: Tossed a perfect fifth inning in 2022 MLB All-Star Game (McNeil/Acuña Jr./Soto) on 7/17 at Dodger Stadium…retired 18 straight Astros to open game on 4/28 vs 1st Texas pitcher to retire at least first 18 batters faced in a start since Mike Minor on 6/27/18 vs SD (6.1 perfect IP)…had most winless quality starts in MLB in 2022 (13) tying club record in that category (also Nolan Ryan in 1992 and Kevin Brown in 1991)…his 51.6% GB pct was 10th-lowest in a full qualifying season in TEX history…ranked among A.L 0.92)…was given qualifying offer for 2023 season on 11/10 Perez has gone 55-57 with a 4.28 ERA (455 ER/957.2 IP) in 173 games/160 starts ranking among all-time club leaders in starts (7th) and wins (T11th)...among Texas left-handers all-time the 2013 Rangers Rookie of the Year ranks in starts (2nd) and wins (4th)…is also fourth all-time in opponent GIDP’s induced (142) and owns 2 highest single-season marks in club history (36 in 2016 32 in 2017)…originally signed by Texas in July 2007 at 16 years old the Venezuela native made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2012 at the age of 21 and was rated as one of the organization’s top five prospects by Baseball America in five straight seasons from 2009-13...POSTSEASON: Pitched in relief 4 times in BOS’ 2021 6-G ALCS loss against Houston (3.0 IP finishing three of Sox’ four defeats in the series…marks his only postseason action other than a start in 2015 ALDS Game 3 vs 4.74 (60 ER/114.0 IP) over 36 G/22 GS in his 2nd and final season in Boston…the Red Sox’ 5th starter to open the year he pitched his regular turn in the rotation through early August when he was moved to the bullpen…had the best SO/9 (7.7) and SO/BB (2.69) figures of his career…missed 14 games on the COVID-19 Related Injured List from 8/30-9/13…Red Sox declined club option for 2022 on 11/7/21 5.71 (11 ER/17.1 IP) in 4 G/GS through 4/23 1.98 (9 ER/41.0 IP) in next seven starts through 6/3 to drop ERA to season-low 3.09…over his final 11 starts from 6/8-8/5 had a 7.13 ERA (33 ER/41.2 IP) to raise season figure to 4.77…beginning the next night – 8/6 at TOR – would make 14 relief appearances to end the year with a 4.50 ERA (7 ER/14.0 IP) in that span to finish at 4.74 4.77 (53 ER/100.0 IP) in 22 starts and 0-0 4.50 (7 ER/14.0 IP) in 14 relief outings…allowed only 1 HR to his 104 LHB faced (former teammate Rougned Odor on 7/25 vs had a 5.58 ERA (57 ER/92.0 IP) and .871 opp along with 3.64 ERA (34 ER/84.0 IP) and .732 opp OPS in road games… made his 6th Opening Day roster (2014-16-17-19-20-21)…on 6/3 at HOU allowed no runs in a season-high 7.2 IP...was one of only two pitchers to work 7.0+ shutout innings vs HOU in 2021 (also Gerrit Cole on 7/10 at HOU) Made his Red Sox debut and led the club in starts (12) and innings (62.0 IP)...Allowed 10 ER in his first and last starts combined he posted a 3.57 ERA and a .211 opponent AVG (53.0 IP 21 ER)...Made three starts in which he threw at least 6.0 innings and did not earn a win...that was tied for the most such starts in the majors in 2020 (3 others)...In six road starts went 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA and .207 opponent AVG (30.2 IP In his first 8 starts of the season (4/15-5/23) went 6-1 with a 2.17 ERA and a .221 opponent AVG (49.2 IP 44 SO)...Allowed 0 or 1 ER in 5 of those...Allowed only 1 run in a 3-start span from 4/26-5/6 (21.0 IP) which included 8.0 scoreless innings on 5/1 vs HOU (4 H) and 7.0 scoreless innings on 5/6 at TOR (2 H)...In his only start against BOS in 2019 earned the win in a 2-1 Twins victory on 9/5 (6.0 IP Began season on 10-day disabled recovering from right elbow surgery; reinstated April 5...Went 2-3 24 ER) in five April starts...Placed back on disabled list April 30 with right elbow discomfort related to the offseason surgery...Made three starts at three different stops on rehab assignment Moved to the bullpen to finish the season after making 13 starts for the Rangers April 5-August 25 53 ER)....Held left-handed hitters to a .271 batting average and right-handers to a .347 average and innings (185.0)…also established a career high in strikeouts (115) 2nd on club (Darvish-148)…had team highs in losses (12) and hits allowed (221) both the highest figures of his career…opponents batted .301/.359/.453/.812 2nd-highest BA and 5th-highest OBP among A.L starters…his 1.535 WHIP was 7th-highest in A.L. also 9th-highest in club history by a qualifier…ranked among A.L.'s top 10 in following categories: hits allowed (2nd On the 10-day DL 6/23-7/2 with a fracture/laceration at the tip of his right thumb…did not require a rehab assignment…sustained injury when he caught his thumb in the hinge section of a hotel room door on evening of 6/22 in New York.. Opened year by going 2-5 with a 3.77 ERA (24 ER/57.1 IP) after 10 starts through 5/24 with 4 of those 5 losses coming in a span of 4 starts from 4/19-5/6 in which the Texas offense totaled 7 runs…in next 11 starts from 5/29-8/4 went 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA (47 ER/59.2 IP) to raise ERA to a season-high 5.46…gave up 7+ runs in back-to-back starts to end that stretch… over final 11 starts beginning 8/9 went 8-2 with a 3.71 ERA (28 ER/68.0 IP) in 11 G/GS to drop final ERA from 5.46 to 4.82. Won a career-best 7 consecutive starts (zero no decisions) from 8/9-9/8 T2nd-longest streak by a Texas starter in team history and longest since Kenny Rogers in 2005 (club-record 8)…the 7-G win streak (including no-decisions) ranked T4th in the A.L in 2017 and T7th in MLB…became just the 3rd pitcher in Rangers history to win at least 6 straight starts on 2-or-more occasions (also 8/5-9/3/13) joining Rogers (3x) and Fergie Jenkins (2x) 4.39 (97 ER/198.2 IP) over a team-high 33 starts establishing numerous career highs in his 1st full season in the big leagues…his career-high 198.2 innings were the 6thmost by a Texas pitcher age 25-or-younger and the most since Jose Guzman had 206.2 in 1988…set a club record with a MLhigh 36 GIDP Returned from left elbow surgery and went 3-6 4.46 (39 ER/78.2 IP) in 14 starts after the All-Star break…logged eight quality starts from Aug 1 through the end of the season to match Cole Hamels for the club lead Went 4-3 with a 4.38 ERA (25 ER/51.1 IP) over 8 starts with Texas before elbow surgery...ranked 5th on staff in wins and T7th with 8 starts and his 2 shutouts were T2nd-most in the A.L in what would have been his first full season in the majors...selected Rangers April Player of the Month A permanent member of the Texas rotation after his second recall on June 22 Perez went 10-6 with a 3.62 ERA (50 ER/124.1 IP) in 20 games/starts…his 10 wins ranked T2nd among Rangers and his 20 starts were 3rd on club…ranked among A.L .267)…was called on to start club's game no and took the loss in the Wild Card tiebreaker against Tampa Bay…was vying for a spot in Opening Day rotation in March but began the year on the Rangers' 15-day disabled list with a fractured bone in his left forearm and stayed in Arizona when the club broke camp I remember my introduction to Johan Cruyff very well I was an awkward 14-year-old studying abroad One day my great aunt Esperanza stuck me on a commuter train headed into the city What I saw there cemented my love of soccer forever Standing in the lower level of the Bernabeu — there were no seats in those days — I watched Cruyff’s Barcelona dismantle Real Madrid playing with a fluidity and grace that rewired my teenage brain every bit as much as hearing Nirvana’s “Nevermind” for the first time Eusebio — they were all manager Cruyff’s implements sharpened and expertly wielded by the Dutchman from the technical area my classmates at the time also introduced me to his exploits as a Barça player in the ’70s did the Atlético de Madrid teams I watched every week not have a player like this I had yet to learn that there was only ever going to be one Johan Cruyff that Cruyff had played a short spell in the United States I’d spent my summers at A-League games in Nashville a few hundred of us watching players plod about on a high school field I had never even heard of the NASL until I discovered Cruyff.  that I dug into Cruyff’s American journey in earnest part of a larger attempt at cobbling together an oral history of the NASL’s Washington Diplomats an excuse simply to talk about Cruyff with people who had shared the pitch with him Some of those players spoke about Cruyff with affection others in less flattering terms.   it feels as though the color has been restored to the Johan Cruyff who lives in my mind rescued from the washed-out images that survive from the 1970s Every conversation provides another detail to the picture of Johan Cruyff in the District that I have been assembling.  And yet knowing that story is different from believing it Every time I drive by RFK Stadium — now a forlorn mass of steel and crumbling concrete destined for the wrecking ball — I have to shake my head In spite of all the pictures I’ve seen and anecdotes I’ve heard the kind of refusal to bend to reality in which the Dutchman specialized for me to believe that the greatest midfielder in the history of the game once played here the former owner of the Washington Diplomats is always happy to talk about Johan Cruyff his memories of the Dutchman are vivid and full of detail who convinced Johan Cruyff to come to Washington after a year with the Los Angeles Aztecs a warm smile washes over his face as he describes having dinner and drinks with Cruyff at Tiberio the Italian restaurant in D.C.’s K Street corridor where he pitched him on a move to the nation’s capital Cruyff arrived in the United States in May of 1979 He had originally intended to retire after a 14-year career at Ajax and Barcelona but decided to press on after a series of terrible business ventures — most notably the loss of millions on a pig farm — forced him back to work the NASL had become a league of choice for aging megastars like Pele His destination was obvious. The Aztecs were helmed by Cruyff’s mentor, the father of Total Football itself They purchased Cruyff’s rights from the New York Cosmos whom he’d played with in a series of exhibitions in 1978 and having never trained with his new team scored a pair of goals in seven minutes and led the Aztecs to victory Cruyff would be named the league’s MVP in 1979.   some $1.7 million in today’s market — was a near unheard of sum in American soccer during the late ’70s Only Pele and Beckenbauer’s wages were comparable The Dutchman’s fate was sealed when the Aztecs were sold to Mexican broadcasting corporation Televisa.   “They weren’t the slightest bit interested in paying a Dutch player $2 million,” remembers Danzansky “They wanted Mexican players to help develop their brand in southern California They were eager to do a transfer to us.”  the Washington Diplomats had meddled on the periphery of D.C.’s sporting landscape for years with the club averaging about 13,000 fans in 1979 There were days when Danzansky felt as though the full weight of soccer’s potential success in the District of Columbia rested squarely on his shoulders looking up at about 300 people in the stands and wondering why he was even doing this.  the Dips were poised to emerge from the shadows The club had just been purchased by Gulf and Western which seemed ready to make a sizable investment For years the Dips had lusted after the success of the Cosmos and a handful of other franchises They flew west to meet Cruyff and his representatives Cruyff boarded a Gulf and Western private jet bound for the capital.   the Aztecs had bounced the Dips from the playoffs with Cruyff scoring the game-winner with a jaw-dropping run through the final third that left four Dips defenders on their backs then-club president Sonny Werblin lamented D.C.’s lack of interest in soccer.   “This city doesn’t deserve a superstar,” he said after Cruyff’s visit drew a meager 15,000 fans to RFK “When you have apples you like apples,” he told the Washington Post “When you don’t have them you don’t like them and you tend to say you don’t need them he was interrupted by the restaurant’s busboys waiters and cooks approaching the table to ask for an autograph or a photo “People say he came here because of the pig farm,” says Danzansky nowadays He understood that having soccer emerge in the U.S The Dips paid a $1 million transfer fee — $3.6 million in today’s dollars — to the Aztecs They brought on fellow Dutch midfielder Wim Jansen “I can still remember meeting him so well,” says former Dips defender Don Droege you can feel him smiling as he recalls his introduction to Cruyff We are going to win the whole thing.’”  Though the Dips were struggling to connect with fans they were coming off the best season in the club’s six-year history Scottish and Irish players who had earned a reputation for bone-crushing play on the field and can-crushing exploits off of it Joining them on the roster were a collection of young as well as South African forward and fan favorite Kenny Mokgojoa While the Dips had been successful in 1979 they had not been an elegant team to watch Their kick-and-run approach came from head coach Gordon Bradley an Englishman who had played for and coached the Cosmos It took only a few games of the 1980 season for it to become clear that Bradley’s no-nonsense style not only made him incompatible with the team’s new star but was in fact an affront to Cruyff’s beliefs about how the game should be played “British soccer at the time was just absolutely brutal,” recalls Danzansky He sort of had this Germanic rigidity and discipline Cruyff’s playing style was based on the adaptability and interchangeability of players undergirded by their personal responsibility for switching positions and tracking opponents Bradley’s game was an entirely different animal All of this is driven home to great effect in a pamphlet I came across years ago entitled “Soccer Tips with the Dips,” in which a few Diplomats prattle on about their roles on the field His answer reads as if it was generated by a Johan Cruyff bot:  Cruyff had sat deep in the midfield and directed traffic they played an uncommonly attractive style of soccer Cruyff did his best to usher his teammates about ‘Somebody do something!’ At some point I think he called us a Sunday school team.” they should’ve bought a few bales of cotton too,” Dips forward Bobby Stokes said at the time Danzansky understood Cruyff’s predicament.   “He was brilliant,” remembers the former owner He was like an orchestra conductor with perfect pitch: When a violin goes off-key I’ve only run across two or three people like Johan who are just driven insane when something is off it drove him crazy because it’s like something in that movement is out of key Cruyff did not limit his expressions of displeasure to the playing field The Dutchman formed a unique bond with the Washington Post’s John Feinstein who became his microphone of choice.   if they lost,” recalled Feinstein when I spoke with him in 2016 The players don’t know what they’re doing and they don’t fucking listen to me This is impossible.’ That was what he’d always say: ‘This is impossible.’”  Bradley or a team staffer would chide Cruyff who would then needle Feinstein for reporting his complaints ‘Why did you put this in the paper?’ and I’d say I had my notebook out!’ And then when practice was over ‘So where are we going to dinner?’ All was forgotten.”   Cruyff had yet to score a goal in a Diplomats uniform and the press at home and abroad had labeled Cruyff a has-been Cruyff eventually grew tired of Bradley’s reliance on the longball and defensive brutality The coach’s insistence on holding two-hour-long training sessions under the D.C as Cruyff had been dealing with nagging injuries all year So Johan Cruyff put Bradley under his thumb as he’d done with so many other adversaries during his career Before an early-summer game against the New York Cosmos Cruyff grew so frustrated with Bradley’s tactics that he stormed up to his coach’s chalkboard during a pre-game meeting and erased his directions — right there in front of him — and proceeded to draw up his own gameplan “I still remember talking to Gordon before (that) ABC game of the week,” remembers Droege He was looking underneath all the stalls to see if Cruyff was in any of them while he was talking to me balls-to-the-wall winger with a tendency to try shit — far from the composed easily-manipulated chess piece Cruyff would have preferred Ahead of a game against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Cruyff instructed Bradley to pull Askew from the starting XI.  was a comment I made in Fort Lauderdale,” says Askew probably the thing that I regret most was me raising my hand and saying ‘I’d like to know who picked this fucking team’ to coach Bradley largely benefitting from Cruyff’s masterful service “There were a few guys who just didn’t listen,” Crescetelli says “There were a few that just did not care about him at all Listen — you don’t become the best player in the world without talent Insecurity is a thing you create for yourself he gave up a bit on Total Football for the rest of the year though he did have trust in a few teammates — Fellow Dutchmen Thomas Rongen “I thought my job was to organize the team when I came here,” Cruyff told Feinstein in June of 1980 I’m not worried about that in the slightest Forget about organization — I’m going to play spectacularly now I’m going to play football for the spectator If you want to win trophies you have to play organized.”  He went from a non-factor in the first half of the season to an absolute dynamo in its latter stages by a gutsy performance on June 1 — a shootout loss to the Cosmos that perfectly encapsulated the very best and very worst of their Dutch captain.   Cruyff opened the match by hammering home a header from 16 yards but the referee called it back after determining that Dips forward Alan Green had obstructed the goalkeeper who had terrorized just as many officials as opponents in his career After 45 minutes, a nagging hamstring injury sidelined Cruyff for the remainder of the game. He emerged from the locker room for the second half wearing a full Puma tracksuit — the Dips were sponsored by Adidas, but this was of little significance to Cruyff who sometimes masked the Adidas logo on his Dips kit with a patch bearing his own initials — and offered some very pointed thoughts to ABC’s Verne Lundquist in a sideline interview He then proceeded to supplant Bradley on the touchline barking orders at his teammates from the technical area for the rest of the half.  He earned a red card midway through the second half for racing around the perimeter of the field to argue with a linesman.  “He got thrown out of the match for being nasty to the refs,” remembers Danzansky when I asked him why he went after them so bad I am teaching him about the game of soccer.’”  soccer had potentially made it in the nation’s capital A crowd of 53,351 fans — the largest ever to watch a soccer game in D.C Weeks later, against the Seattle Sounders, Cruyff scored what is widely considered the second-greatest goal in NASL history (behind George Best’s dizzying run through the box a year later) galloping through midfield and leaving a series of defenders in his wake before calmly slotting the ball to the far post “I remember the goal vividly,” says Rongen and he starts dropping like six or seven guys I was also on the field for George Best’s goal — which he said was the best goal he ever scored — but Johan came from even deeper in his own half and just split two guys.”   “His sense of acceleration and fluidity with the ball was simply incredible,” Rongen adds “He was one of the guys who was faster with the ball than without it Not too many players in the world can do that But neither of them have Cruyff’s kind of beautiful The idea that Cruyff was washed up when he came to America is simply preposterous He was still among the best midfielders in the world and arguably could have still topped that list he’d go on to return to the Netherlands and win three consecutive league titles with Ajax and Feyenoord.   “I hung out basically with Bob Iarusci and Carmine Marcantonio “We’d start out and take corner kicks where nobody is in goal kick it on the volley from behind the goal come on!’ He made what we were doing look like child’s play.”   They won the first game of a home-and-away series against Michels’ L.A The referee waved off what would’ve been Washington’s winning goal as the clock expired ruling that the ball hadn’t crossed the goal line before the clock hit zero The team had chartered a red-eye home from Los Angeles Players and coaches were spread out across the plane Cruyff and Rongen sat together with a few other teammates Cruyff drank his customary glass of red wine — just one glass — and smoked like a freight train.   “We got on a people mover (when we got back),” recalled Feinstein you could see there were a couple hundred fans there Johan and I are in the back of the people mover and he looks and sees a band — they’re playing and the fans are cheering for the team as they get off.”  if there had been any fans waiting for you you’d be calling the police for protection He couldn’t grasp that they’d cheer for the team if they’d lost.”  free from the constant pressure associated with a mega-club like Ajax or Barcelona Danzansky remembers house-hunting with Cruyff and his wife Danny winding through the streets of Georgetown and Chevy Chase before finding a place not far from where the Obamas and Jeff Bezos live today Cruyff and his family had survived a kidnapping attempt and eventually purchased a pair of massive Dobermanns for protection they quickly realized they didn’t need them.  The pair would return home together immediately after games Danny eventually asked Rongen why he wasn’t going out on the town staying out until the wee hours with his teammates and staggering home drunk He swung the door open to the Cruyffs’ place where he was greeted by the two Dobermanns “So I ended up going around the house and I fell asleep in their backyard,” Rongen says ‘Are you all right?’ I told him I had a bit of a headache let’s go have a cup of coffee.’ So I walk in the house “Those are the Kennedys.’ That was Ted fucking Kennedy.”   Cruyff was unquestionably happy in America Free from the glare of the international media and an adoring legion of fans the Cruyffs ate out nearly every night in D.C “That would’ve just been impossible elsewhere.” And it was in D.C that Cruyff first felt the inspiration that would lead to his foundation laying the groundwork for decades of philanthropy Cruyff led post-game clinics for children in D.C. Adults benefitted from his knowledge of the game he would drive up Wisconsin Avenue to film a segment for a local television station in which he’d do his best to educate the populous on the game of soccer “I encountered a world of extremes in the NASL,” Cruyff wrote in his memoir My Turn. “On one hand I had to perform at the top level within a professionally run organization; on the other hand I fronted a television program in which I first had to explain to viewers how big the pitch was that the pitch was green and what the lines were for.”  Cruyff formed an uncommon bond with Andy Dolich a man who would go on to win the World Series as an executive with the Oakland A’s Cruyff learned the business side of soccer a skill he’d use to great effect later in his career “Thanks to my experiences with people like Dolich,” wrote Cruyff “I know the football sector from soup to nuts I know what the sponsors think and I know all the pros and cons of those three elements coming together.”  instructive seasons with the Aztecs and Diplomats,” Cruyff continues “during which I was able to take stock of my life It was an enormously rewarding time.”  Cruyff and his Diplomats embarked on a tour of Asia They played before sellout crowds in Japan “which was a former colony of the Netherlands,” says Rongen “and played in front of 80,000 people.”  who had just completed the first year of a three-year deal and felt at home in the District That changed the moment they landed back in D.C and there’s somebody from the front office that tells us Sonny Werblin and (Gulf and Western) pulled out Cruyff had succeeded in making the Dips relevant in D.C.; the team averaged nearly 20,000 fans per game in 1980 beating the league average by nearly 5,000 fans per game and setting the high mark in the club’s six-year history he had drawn the club within seconds of making its deepest-ever playoff run Cruyff had suitors — among them English club Leicester City — but he eventually retreated to Spain where he played a forgettable and injury-plagued spell at second-division side Levante he summoned Feinstein for one final meeting “I was doing kind of a wrap-up story on his year Cruyff produced a box from beneath the table “Inside it was one of his jerseys,” said Feinstein the tradition in soccer is that you give your jersey to your opponent at the end of the game You were a worthy adversary.’ I never thought of myself as an adversary brought in midseason after recovering from yet another injury Cruyff notched a pair of goals for the forgettable Dips.   Yet even Cruyff’s American denouement produced lasting memories for his new teammates English midfielder David Bradford had made the move from Detroit and now found himself rooming with Cruyff on the road.   “(Head coach Ken) Furphy put me in a room with him; I think he was trying to get me a bit more professional or whatever,” remembers Bradford he’d have one glass of wine after the game I’ll see you later.’ And then I’d walk in the room later and it would be full — I mean full — of smoke Bradford grows somber when recalling the memory; Cruyff would die of lung cancer in 2016 when he offers his final recollection of his ex-teammate.  At halftime of a game against the Toronto Blizzard “He turned to a group of us,” says Bradford “and told us that (Toronto’s) keeper had been playing off his line the entire game He told us he was going to punish him for that.” Early in the second half galloped toward goal and sent a chip sailing over the keeper’s head and into the goal you can see Bradford on the edge of the frame “I knew exactly what he was going to do.”  “It’s my fondest memory of him,” says Bradford nearly all of them would ask me to give Johan their best if I ever spoke with him but my email exchanges with his assistant dried up in February of 2016 Cruyff’s passing affected me in a way that few deaths have perhaps even more than the deaths of some people I actually knew.  including a game-worn Dips jersey from the 1980 season until I looked at it sometime in 2018 and realized there was a better place for it I packed up the jersey and sent it to the National Soccer Hall of Fame gifted to me by his teammates over the years My favorite piece of Cruyff’s gear came to me through Steve Danzansky he placed in my hands a beautiful Adidas travel bag emblazoned with the Diplomats logo.   I found the number “14” scrawled in faded Sharpie next to the logo and the stale smell of cigarettes wafted out but I’m fairly sure I know who it belonged to 2022It's well-known that MLB veteran Nelson Cruz is great both on and off the field He's that rare combination of powerhouse athletic ability and a boundlessly compassionate heart In his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz in the Dominican Republic Cruz demonstrates his largesse through meaningful contributions that enhance and improve the lives of residents donated a fire truck and two ambulances to his community “I’m proud that I impact a lot of people [with] the fire truck and the ambulance that I brought to my community.” This initiative began when Cruz recognized that these resources were in dire need after a childhood friend lost his home to a fire 'How can I buy a fire truck?'" Cruz then met with Las Matas de Santa Cruz Fire Chief Luis Esmurdoc The Arlington Fire Department assisted in the logistics and sourcing for what is “Nelson expressed a passionate concern for his hometown community His desire to help others resonated with the Arlington Fire Department team in such a way that the department immediately came together with other public safety partners to help Nelson meet his goal of improving fire and EMS response capabilities in his hometown community,” commented Arlington Fire Department Chief Don Crowson Cruz has also participated in efforts aimed at dismantling the cycle of poverty plaguing the Dominican Republic he fed more than 700 families and provided direct financial support to those affected by pandemic-related hardships and general practitioners to his town's clinic to provide free checkups Cruz's charitable efforts have extended far beyond his hometown. As the founder of the BoomStick23 Foundation he works to better the lives of children through sports and education Cruz is the recipient of the 2020 ESPY's Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award and the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award it is an honor to be able to give back to his community more satisfied than when you can save somebody’s life © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Sign up Sign in Listen Nelson Cruz is well known for his generosity in his home town (Las Matas de Santa Cruz) and the surrounding areas in the Dominican Republic. Mariners chairman John Stanton delivered over 1,000 pounds of baseball gear, including gloves, bats and helmets, to Nelson Cruz’s home town of Las Matas de Santa Cruz in the Dominican Republic.He has donated fire equipment (including an engine and an ambulance) and has rebuilt the local ballpark so kids have a safe place to play. In the 2016 off-season, Manager Scott Servais visited Nelson at home, and this week Mariners Chairman John Stanton paid Cruz a visit. John brought with him a plane load of donated baseball gear (over 1,000 pounds in all), including gloves, bats and helmets, and other Mariners goodies for the children and youth leagues that Cruz helps support. The donation, led by Stanton, was coordinated by Mariners Care and included some of the great local partners we work with in Seattle. Those partners included Baden Sports (Jake Licht), Bellevue Baseball Club, Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club (Hakeem Finch, Curtis Wells), Northeast Seattle Little League (Eric Knutson), Magnolia Little League (Keith Overa), Savers-Value Village (Jon Evans), Northlake Little League (Cody Painter, Rich Fried, Tim Albanese, Douglas Balmos, Rich Schimmelbusch and Nelson Foote). The Mariners also donated Nelson Cruz t-shirts, Mariners hats and extra baseballs from the clubhouse. In addition to spending time with Nelson, John got a tour of Cruz’s home town and the ballpark and fire station Nelson has supported, and had a chance to see kids take the field in new Cruz Mariners jerseys. The official account of the Seattle Mariners Baseball Communications Department. Providing the media and fans with daily updates and statistical data. Help greedy flames licked and licked at a house until they swallowed it because there was no firetruck in the town of Las Matas de Santa Cruz because they didn't have what they needed to do the saving in this far-flung corner of the country A man named Jaimito had lived in that house, and Jaimito's friend Nelson Cruz -- an up-and-coming major league baseball player at the time barely removed from his breakout 2009 season -- couldn't make sense of how a fire could rage so unchallenged didn't know how to make peace with a man losing everything because a town had nothing so the line where neighbor ended and family began had long been fuzzy Cruz had "aunts" and "uncles" and "grandmas" and "cousins" all over Las Matas taught geography and history to high schoolers and had taught Jaimito he left Las Matas for the capital -- for Santo Domingo -- and returned years later to his hometown a different person made sure Jaimito had clean clothes to wear he flew back from the States and the Arizona Fall League Cruz would sit in a chair in his parents' house his busted ankle doing the slow work of healing If Spanish is the official language for Dominicans and when he arrived at spring training the next season he got it in his head that he'd like to see a firetruck in Las Matas More than half the salary he'd earned in the previous but Cruz hadn't yet become Nelson Cruz and the game still hadn't made him exorbitantly wealthy which connected him to the Arlington Fire Department and the trio formed a tag team to secure a first responder vehicle Las Matas de Santa Cruz finally had a firetruck He also helped collect used gear from the Seattle Fire Department and distributed it to multiple towns in the Dominican Republic. Courtesy Boomstick 23 FoundationNELSON CRUZ HASN'T left Las Matas de Santa Cruz He turns 40 in a couple weeks but still does things like hit 41 home runs in a single year and garner MVP votes so his baseball seasons are still spent in the States -- and most recently in Minnesota But he returns every winter to the Dominican Republic and for the first time in nearly two decades with the coronavirus pandemic paralyzing countries (and baseball) who still live in the house where he spent his teenage years That house has a concrete roof now instead of metal Cruz installed solar panels for good measure so his parents wouldn't have to worry about the electricity going out anymore Cruz has become a habitual All-Star (2013-15 the MLB leader in home runs in one season (2014) the American League leader in RBIs in another (2017) and a millionaire with a couple of zeros to spare (at least $14 million in each of the past five seasons) He spent those 10 years amassing the social and literal capital to make paradigm-shifting changes to his home Cruz and Las Matas are far from where they started The first house Cruz ever lived in was a wood shanty that had one bedroom a space his mom cordoned off with a curtain a bed for Cruz and a second for his older and younger sisters to share His mother paid someone to go to the river to collect water for the tank in their house Cruz sold plantains from his grandfather's farm or worked in his uncle's mechanic shop to earn extra money and two teachers' salaries added up to not enough The Cruzes talk about those hardships in a way that's almost romantic now the way struggle is so often made to feel once it's in the past "It was a really simple house," says his older sister and he's spent much of his adult life trying to make things easier for his family and neighbors in Las Matas de Santa Cruz. Courtesy Boomstick 23 FoundationBut the truth too so Cruz has spent the better part of a decade trying to unspool that tangle of hardness So he adds solar panels to the roof of his own home and his parents' home And he upgraded parts of his grandmother's home in the land directly behind his own house because the town didn't have one of those either there was a sprint to find a person with a car Then there was a scramble to see whether anyone could pay for gas Then there was the race to Santiago and the hospital there But there was no ambulance -- until Cruz intervened his neighbors will stop him on the street to say their loved ones' names out loud They're offering an accounting -- of the lives his ambulance has prolonged That ledger grew to include Cruz's own grandmother and the ambulance her grandchild had brought to Las Matas de Santa Cruz rushed her to the hospital in Santiago She didn't survive the trauma -- she died two days later in the hospital -- but she was at least afforded the chance to survive permission to take in the full sweep of all his other neighbors and you just think you're doing the right thing I'm going to save people doing this,'" he says Cruz helped set up a clinic to provide dental care. Courtesy Boomstick 23 FoundationIF YOU DUST Las Matas de Santa Cruz for fingerprints Nelson Cruz's handiwork emerges in this nook and that cranny anywhere and everywhere -- a forensic science gold mine in this northwest corner of the Dominican Republic Since the day he set foot in the States to play minor league ball he has returned to the Dominican after the season with batting gloves and baseballs bringing them back to Las Matas for the young ballplayers back home Cruz and his friends made homemade baseballs from old socks They'd fill one sock with another until it resembled the shape and his friends would holler at him when Cruz hit another home run losing yet one more homemade baseball concoction in the distance as his public clout grew in scope and weight -- beelining for the 400 career home runs club comes with a handy megaphone -- corralled more He made his way from the Rangers to the Orioles to the Mariners he marshaled so much donated gear from the local fire station (Helmets Galore!) that he gave some to his hometown firefighters and then offered the surplus to cities as far away as Santo Domingo He spearheaded the building of a new police station -- acquiring the property helping to fund the construction costs -- to replace the old plywood shack who serves on the board of Cruz's foundation from mammograms to optometry consultations with an emphasis on dental care -- 69 dentures fitted 19 root canals and 563 fillings -- in a geyser of goodwill It's enough to make people turn into blubbering gushfests which might be embarrassing if not for the sheer sincerity "He's one of the best people I've ever met in my life, this guy," says Jean Segura also have offered their baseball services at Cruz's mini-clinic.) Cruz next hopes to build an education and training center I see him like a king," Phillies shortstop Jean Segura says. Courtesy Boomstick 23 FoundationBaseball is holy territory in the Dominican Republic when women old enough to be grandmothers approach him with intel on which pitch he should've laid off of in his latest winter league game Segura grew up steeped in so much poverty that he regarded making the professional ranks as his best The dream of baseball and the dreams baseball can help unlock make the sport less game When Cruz gathers local kids to spend a day training them in baseball he doesn't do it just because he likes those kids and loves this game looking ahead to what his love for this game could help him do by way of explanation for why Cruz's reserve of charity is a well that still seems pretty far from tapped He dug that well with his father's guidance Their dad would consider their neighbors in Las Matas and he'd offer them the assistance he could When their mother would remind him that their family also had little The still giving is at least part of the reason Cruz feels called to play baseball now, even as he creeps ever closer to 40. In a poetic bookend, Juan Soto all ebullience and youthful verve and half Cruz's age looks primed to be one of the next Dominican megastars to carry their small island's mantle in the big leagues The Twins became the first team to reach 300 home runs in a season last year was the long-ball parade's grand marshal.) Of course Cruz was asked for a curtain call during the March game at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal. Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty ImagesIN NEWS THAT will surprise no one Cruz is regarded as something of a rock star in his hometown There's a pair of monuments at the entrance to Las Matas de Santa Cruz You can't love a game as much as most Dominicans love baseball then play it as well as Cruz has played it and not wind up perched high on a pedestal He served a 50-game suspension seven years ago for violating MLB's substance abuse policy thanks to his connection to the performance-enhancing drug scandal centered on Biogenesis He doesn't want to move on to bigger and better places; he just wants to make this place better His latest grand plan is the construction of an education center in Las Matas After Cruz signed with the Mets in 11th grade wouldn't agree to Cruz playing and training at the Dominican baseball academy unless he also finished his high school education Now Cruz would like to break ground on a hub for teaching and training technical skills -- would have broken ground already if not for the coronavirus he says -- for people who didn't or couldn't finish their own schooling just days before the pandemic shut down cities and countries and took baseball down with it Cruz traveled to Santo Domingo with his Twins teammates 2½ months before George Floyd was killed 4 miles from the Twins' home field in Minneapolis sparking a worldwide cry for justice -- "We understand what they're fighting for .. unfortunately something like that had to happen for people to wake up," Cruz says -- the Twins and the Tigers brought major league baseball to the Dominican Republic for the first time in 20 years Cruz's onetime winter league teammate and current head of the Dominican players' union arrived at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal early As 11 o'clock drew near and Cruz and his teammates emerged for batting practice the local baseball fanatics descended in droves to bear witness Almonte guesses there were about 4,000 people watching lasering in on Cruz -- legions of fans who tend to stroll in for baseball games fashionably late around the second or third inning -- and they were positively losing their minds hours before the first pitch made rapturous by every ball the Dominican star mashed skyward Proof of what this game could help a person be; proof of what it could help a person do was to receive the award before World Series Game 2 on Wednesday night The 17-year MLB veteran and seven-time All-Star provided financial support to 1,200 families in his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz After a fire destroyed the home of a childhood friend 80 firefighter uniforms and an ambulance for transport of people to the nearest hospital His Boomstick23 Foundation began construction of an education and technical center last year and he will stock the center with computers to assist athletes in their education also organizes dentists and optometrists to go the town's clinic for checkups and 500 patients received dental services last year Major League Baseball Players Association and the union's Players Trust to donate $400,000 to the Dominican Republic for medical equipment and food aid during the pandemic Cruz was nominated by the Minnesota Twins, who traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays in July ASSOCIATED PRESS The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Nelson Cruz has long given back to various communities across America and his hometown in the Dominican Republic the former Baltimore Oriole has an award to show for it Cruz was announced as the winner of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award as part of the ESPY Awards June 21 for his work in his home country He was pleasantly surprised to receive the award “To be able to win … I’m humbled and happy,” Cruz said on Glenn Clark Radio June 25 “You do [this work] because you think it’s the right thing to do You don’t expect to be recognized or get any awards.” Now the designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins Cruz was born and raised in Las Mata de Santa Cruz a small town in the northwestern Dominican Republic But Cruz grew out of those hardships and made it to the majors debuting in 2005 with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cruz in turn began to give back to his home He began acquiring fire trucks and firefighting equipment in 2011 and eventually accumulated enough to start an emergency rescue force a hospital and a variety of other medical clinics Cruz has helped transform the town in just a few short years But he is quick to not take complete credit for the town’s growth it’s for the whole town and for the whole island,” Cruz said Cruz’s next goal is to build an education and technology center in Las Matas to help prospective big leaguers finish their schooling Dominican players are scouted early by MLB teams and many sign contracts at 16 years old before they complete high school Cruz’s education center would assist these players in filling that gap and would prepare them for a life after baseball “The thought was for those baseball players who played three or four years in the minors and for whatever reason couldn’t play anymore they can go to the computer center and get it done,” Cruz said “They can leave there with a degree and start working and be productive in the community.” Cruz was planning to break ground on the education center this year but the coronavirus pandemic has halted construction for now waiting to report to Minnesota for training camp Players are expected to report to their home ballparks July 1 and a shortened 60-game season is slated to begin July 23 or 24 the truncated season leaves little room for error Minnesota enters as World Series contenders and looks to take advantage of its explosive offense — the team hit a league-record 307 home runs last season and added former AL MVP Josh Donaldson in the offseason — to come out on top in a deep American League will be entering his 16th season and will celebrate his 40th birthday July 1 He has not shown significant signs of slowing down though hitting .311/.392/.639 while mashing 41 home runs and 108 RBIs in 2019 Those were better numbers than he had in his lone hit a league-high 40 home runs and finished seventh in MVP voting some aspects of the shortened season could help power hitters like Cruz maintain a high level of production There will be a universal designated hitter so Cruz should see constant action even in National League parks Players will also be able to push themselves for the whole 60 games and not have to worry about durability concerns across a normal 162-game season early-season cold weather will not be an issue meaning baseballs will be flying out of the ballpark at higher rates than is typical at Target Field While fans won’t be able to attend games in person the sport’s impending return will signal a welcome reprieve from the world’s problems For those in the United States and abroad — including Cruz’s home in the Dominican Republic — any baseball is a sign of progress and excuses shouldn’t be there,” Cruz said “We’re going to do what we love Click here to sign up for PressBox’s free weekly email newsletter DR.- The Sierra Plan has launched the Reforestation and Forest Restructuring Program which aims to enhance water storage capacity and survival potential by planting a variety of endemic and native species This initiative was warmly received by agricultural entrepreneur Pablo Eulogio Cruz located in the Yerba Buena community of Los Corrales The farm spans 1,680 tareas along the Inoa River Cruz’s farm will become a model for environmental services benefiting the Inoa River’s downstream users including the San José De las Matas aqueduct These services are expected to be quantified for compensation under Law 44-18 on Payments for Environmental Services Local August 1 previously known as Hacienda Don José Cruz preserves 28 percent of the riverside forests along the Inoa River and its tributaries The project launch was attended by notable figures including San José De las Matas Mayor Alfredo Reyes Estévez El Rubio Municipal District leader Ibanova Ramos and other local ranchers and Sierra Plan officials Pablo Eulogio Cruz expressed his pride in contributing to the recovery of La Sierra’s natural resources emphasizing the importance of reforestation for water storage He pledged to protect the forested areas on his farm ensuring that older trees are only replaced when they can no longer effectively capture carbon Cruz also encouraged neighboring landowners and fellow ranchers to participate in the initiative healthy mountain range for future generations DR.- The Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID) has initiated the construction of the Yerba Buena-Los Corrales highway in San José de las Matas This project is part of an extensive development plan aimed at enhancing the quality of life in the communities within the sphere of influence of the Tavera-Bao and López-Angustura hydroelectric complex The estimated investment for this endeavor is RD$ 521,404,559.84 covering a 16.70-kilometer road with associated infrastructure all of which entail substantial earthmoving efforts The construction is being carried out by the company CONSTRUCTORA TEDDY SRL Local February 26 marked the commencement of the highway construction EGEHID’s corporate social responsibility program aims to bring about community-beneficial projects in the provinces where hydroelectric complexes are situated as a way of reciprocating the contribution of hydrographic basins to the country’s development through water production for human consumption The Los Corrales Yerba Buena highway has been a decades-long demand according to residents and local representatives aligning with EGEHID’s extensive asphalt program in the mountain municipalities San José de las Matas Mayor Alfredo Reyes expressed gratitude to President Luis Abinader for addressing the community’s needs and praised EGEHID’s swift execution Administrator Salazar emphasized the area’s value in environmental protection and water conservation underscoring the community’s deserving of enhanced well-being To ensure the project’s quality execution a commission of observers was sworn in by the official responsible for overseeing the work’s correct implementation to meet community needs Various dignitaries participated in the groundbreaking ceremony Deputies Braulio Espinal and Francisco Díaz Mayors Ramón Alfredo Reyes of San José de las Matas elected mayor of the municipal district of Juncalito The former President of the Chamber of Deputies and other regional and local leaders were also present Santiago de los Caballeros.- The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed two new cases of rabies in the municipal districts of Las Placetas (San José de las Matas) and La Canela (Santiago) The affected individuals are under medical supervision and are not in life-threatening condition One of the incidents occurred in Las Placetas where a ferret attacked a person sitting in an amusement park The animal was later captured in a dining area and tested positive for rabies in Santo Domingo Authorities warn that rabid ferrets can spread the virus to humans and animals A separate case involving a dog bite is currently under investigation Public Health has activated control and monitoring measures in the affected areas and is working with local authorities […] Health February 26 Public Health has activated control and monitoring measures in the affected areas and is working with local authorities to inform residents and prevent further spread The population is urged to remain vigilant and report any unusual animal behavior Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Popular Bank recently hosted its third reforestation event of the year in the El Batey del Cebú community located in the municipality of San José de las Matas in Santiago province aims to continue contributing to the expansion and restoration of forested areas and the enhancement of the Dominican Republic’s carbon dioxide capture capacity This event is a part of the Bank’s Sierra Plan and featured the active participation of 80 employees from Popular Volunteers they successfully planted 2,500 trees across 67 designated areas Following the planting efforts by Banco Popular volunteers the Plan Sierra team of technicians assumes the responsibility of ensuring that the newly planted saplings take root and mature into […] Local October 30 the Plan Sierra team of technicians assumes the responsibility of ensuring that the newly planted saplings take root and mature into fully grown trees they will significantly boost the forest coverage in the La Sierra region they are projected to capture a remarkable 800 tons of carbon dioxide annually contribute to retaining 300,000 kilograms of soil and store an impressive 7.5 million liters of water each year the manager of the Projects Division and the leader of Popular Volunteers highlighted the substantial contribution made by thousands of Popular volunteer collaborators over the past two decades Their efforts have surpassed a significant milestone as they have successfully planted over one million trees in various regions across the country Grullón emphasized the critical role that La Sierra plays as a vital green lung for the sustainability of the territory It serves as a crucial water source for both human consumption and industrial use benefiting nearly 20% of the country’s population and meeting 60% of the national energy demand has acquired 13,793,000 units of green bananas from members of the Dominican Association of Banana Producers (ADOBANANO) representing an investment exceeding 40 million pesos This procurement was made possible by a signed agreement between Inespre’s director under the directive of the Presidency of the Republic The bananas were purchased at a rate of 2.90 pesos per unit and are now being sold for RD$1.00 pesos each at 23 Inespre producers’ markets operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays across various regions of the country with details available on the social media handle @inesprerd stated that this agreement benefits 1,890 member producers of ADOBANANO Local May 2 with the institution selling over 2 million units of bananas weekly This initiative aims to support the Dominican countryside and national productive sectors Hernández Guzmán also mentioned another initiative: the disbursement of RD$10 million pesos to members of the Cibao Breeders’ Cooperative (COOPCIBAO) for the procurement of eggs following the border closure This transaction was facilitated by Inespre’s Marketing director and handed over to José Pichardo and Laura Inoa Points of sale for bananas by weight include farmers’ markets held on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Herrera Inespre urges the population to take advantage of this opportunity This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Dominican Republic.- One of the country’s best kept secrets awaits adrenaline junkies with sports linked to the environment zip lines and trampolines “If for this 2018 you are looking for a place that combines adrenaline and fun La Sierra is your ideal destination,” reports outlet elcaribe.com in the area you can find other thrilling sports adjacent to José Armando Bermúdez National Park and also […] Tourism January 2 “If for this 2018 you are looking for a place that combines adrenaline and fun adjacent to José Armando Bermúdez National Park and also borders Juncalito The ecotourism website www.lasierra.com.do features some of the options to enjoy and can choose your interests and schedule for a visit The website forms part of the multimedia and advertising campaign “La Sierra” sponsored by Fundación Popular The report’s illustrations are from the photographers Herminio Alberti Santo Domingo.- In a recent operation at Las Americas International Airport the Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) seized 162 ceramic pieces resembling lemons filled with a total of 10 kilograms of cocaine This innovative smuggling attempt was detected by DNCD agents with support from the Specialized Security Corps (CESAC) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office during routine inspections in the airport’s cargo area Suspicious images were initially identified through an X-ray scan prompting a canine unit to further inspect the shipment The ceramic “lemons” were confirmed by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) to contain cocaine Authorities traced the shipment to a company based in Las Matas de Santa Cruz Local November 11 The DNCD and Public Prosecutor’s Office have launched an investigation into this elaborate trafficking method emphasizing both the heightened vigilance of law enforcement and the evolving tactics of international drug networks Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader was received this Saturday amidst applause and hundreds of happy faces by the municipalities of Las Matas de Santa Cruz and Carbonera and cattle-producing lands in the province of Montecristi the president handed over their property titles benefiting more than 300 families in Barrio el Bolsillo your property will be worth much more than when you entered you will be able to leave it to your descendants and live with peace of mind,” he said The cost assumed by the government for these families to enjoy a roof of their own was RD$ 35,600,000.00 Local August 6 To continue to bring peace of mind to families throughout the country director of the Technical Executing Unit of Land Titling of the State said that the titling processes have already begun in El Valle Hato Mayor province and in the urban area of Pedernales These data were offered by the President when he gave the first groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of two polytechnics in Las Matas de Santa Cruz with emphasis on the industrial and logistics part Corrective maintenance is also being carried out in 68 educational centers with an investment of RD$ 204 million the governor inaugurated INFOTEP workshops in Las Matas de Santa Cruz and Palo Verde with 44 training actions by the needs of the area responding positively to 18 companies this year alone adding to the 11,482 graduates since 2020 in Montecristi alone various field and administrative work for banana production Its facilities include versatile meeting rooms It also seeks to contribute to the extension of all port activities so that more ships can arrive which due to the natural conditions and its strategic location can make the port of Manzanillo the main port terminal in the northwest of the country He also presided over the delivery of 42 certificates to companies under the Border Development Law 12-21 Santos Echeverría thanked the businessmen and investors for placing their trust in the economic development of Montecristi Both projects will benefit from the fiscal facilities granted by Law 158-01 (CONFOTUR) which will further boost their economic impact and sustainable development in the region President Abinader was accompanied by the Ministers of the Presidency Víctor Bisonó; Governor Nelsy Cruz and Senators Ramón Pimentel of Montecristi and of Valverde Martín Nolasco; Congressman Rosendy Polanco; the Director of Cabinet of the MINERD Clara Joa; the Superintendent of Electricity Andrés Astacio; the president and secretary of the Border Development Council Ramón Pérez Tejada and Erodis Díaz; the president of the Board of Directors of Energía 2000 Jaime Andrés Santana Bonetti; the businessman Guillermo Estrella; Héctor Rodríguez Pimentel and the baseball player Nelson Cruz DR.- President Luis Abinader and Housing Minister Carlos Bonilla inaugurated 300 new apartments on Sunday as part of the My Housing Hato del Yaque Plan in the Santiago province This marks the fourth stage of the initiative by MIVED with a total of 890 homes delivered in less than a year leaving only 26% of the planned 1,200 apartments to be distributed in the area My Housing Hato del Yaque aims to improve living conditions for over 4,000 people who previously resided in vulnerable conditions along the banks of Arroyo Gurabo’s ravines and rivers Minister Bonilla highlighted the significance of this housing development emphasizing its transformative impact on the lives of families who once faced precarious living conditions Local March 11 comprises 150 buildings with a total of 1,200 apartments featuring three bedrooms culminating in the recent handover of 300 new homes in March 2024 the complex encompasses 19,848 square meters of green areas over 2,200 square meters of institutional space The development has significantly contributed to the local economy generating more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs in Hato del Yaque championed by President Luis Abinader and Minister Carlos Bonilla facilitates home acquisition for families across various socioeconomic strata The plan offers state support through subsidies enabling access to well-located housing projects equipped with green spaces and essential services for human development MIVED has successfully completed several projects under the My Housing Plan The ongoing delivery of homes in Hato del Yaque and San Luis brings the total number of apartments built in four years to nearly 8,000 The event was attended by various officials Rosa Santos; Senator Eduardo Estrella; elected Mayor Ulises Rodríguez; Administrative Minister Igor Rodríguez; and other dignitaries who joined in the celebration of this housing milestone delivered seven new units to the Santiago Tourist Destination Cluster to reinforce the tourist security of Santiago and the northern zone as part of the destination’s strengthening strategies The new surveillance and assistance units that were delivered are three pick-up trucks and four-wheel cars which will be strategically distributed in the tourist destinations of San José de las Matas Matsunaga reiterated the commitment of the Politur’s central management to guarantee the safety of local and foreign tourists visiting all the country’s destinations as requested by the President of the Dominican Republic The President of the Clúster Santiago Destino Turístico Tourism March 31 President of the Santiago Hotel Association thanked the endowment that will serve to reinforce security in the tourist-cultural zone expressed his gratitude for delivering the new vehicles which will strengthen the work of the Central Cibao Regional Directorate of Politur The gov’t should confiscate impounded vehicles not claimed by owners after 90 days It could use them to assist public safety needs Seems like the resources would better utilized in an area that actually has tourist arrived in the Dominican Republic 18 years ago via the country’s northern border and settled in the Gurabo community in the Santiago province two of whom were born in the country; she lives with her husband Lulune stated that while she was already in the country she was able to regularize her immigration status and obtain her card which allowed her to be legally present temporarily; however she misplaced it while selling fruit on the streets Malanee explained that one day she went out into the streets as usual with her punch bowl on top of her head full of bananas Local January 23 but was surprised by a patrol from the General Directorate of Migration (DGM) on her way down Calle del Sol She claims she was taken to the reception center for illegal immigrants She said that she was transferred to the province of Dajabón two days after her arrest along with dozens of her compatriots who were also scheduled to be deported to her country of origin She was registered for deportation while there and was later taken to cross the border arriving in the country she had fled 18 years before She stated that she arrived in her country of origin on a Thursday but that same day she crossed the border again where she took a motorcycle to the Las Matas de Santa Cruz municipality The woman found a person who is dedicated to trafficking illegal Haitians and is well known in the area for the type of work he does the next day He explained that he was able to agree on the trip for 8,000 Dominican pesos which would cover the transfer from Las Matas de Santa Cruz to Santiago a journey that he completed without incident even though there are about five check-ups along the way Lulune Malanee was finally dropped off by the driver of the motorcycle on Las Carreras avenue in Santiago where she was able to reunite with her relatives The woman is still selling her fruits in the heart of Santiago She stated that she is in the process of renewing her immigration card which will allow her to travel freely and without having to hide from immigration authorities if they all cross over our side we are going to lose our country The Dominican Defense Ministry has deployed of all its operational military units to guarantee “citizen security” amid a strike called by social organizations in 14 provinces of the Cibao region The strike began at 6:00 and will last until Tuesday at the same time  Its participants request a reduction in the prices of fuels   They also demand the government improve education services and ban the construction of not-environmentally-friendly hydroelectric dams in the  villages of Las Placetas San Jose de las Matas and Santiago Rodriguez and passenger transport were not functioning in the Santiago where there was a strong military and Police deployment Several popular organizations also denounced that the Police arrested many of their leaders a spokesperson for the coalition of popular organizations in San Francisco de Macoris province described these measures as a provocation by the authorities “There is no need for the government to respond to a call for a peaceful strike which the population has right to organize with a military contingent and incarcerations that frighten the population and makes the country look like it is at war,” citizen Raquel Rivera stressed “The only explanation for this deployment is the government’s limited capacity to respond to the great problems and needs of the population  If they had addressed these problems we would not have even had to call a strike,” she said.  43,000+ global companies doing business in the region. 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects Analysis, reports, news and interviews about your industry in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Sign up Sign in Listen Nelson Cruz meets with Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins at the end of the 2015 season.Last September Nelson Cruz had an idea about helping the fire department back home in the Dominican Republic Back in 2012, while he was with the Texas Rangers, Nelson bought a fire truck and donated it to the Las Matas de Santa Cruz Fire Department which provides service to tens of thousands of people in the surrounding area and the firefighters didn’t have the equipment they needed to safely and properly do their jobs Nelson wondered if there was any surplus equipment that the Seattle Fire Department no longer needed he took a meeting with Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins this is just the kind of thing Scoggins used to encourage when he was Chief of the Glendale as equipment aged out of its useful life for SFD purposes Chief Scoggins says a U-Haul-sized truck of “bunking gear” had been collected — boots gloves — all equipment that is necessary to safely fight fires Nelson Tweeted out a photo of himself and members of the Las Matas de Santa Cruz Fire Department wearing the boots Last September, Cruz told 710 ESPN’s Shannon Drayer why this project is so close to his heart and so important to his community. “It made me realize how bad we needed a fire truck when one of my good friends lost his house because we didn’t have any vehicle to provide water to extinguish the fire. Since that day I was committed to find a fire truck and buy it and make sure we have what we need,” said Nelson. Chief Scoggins has offered to host firefighters from Cruz’s hometown in Seattle so they can train and learn from Seattle firefighters. “We did this with our sister cities in Mexico while I was in California. It’s a great cross-cultural experience for us and for them. Maybe we’re building to that here,” said Chief Scoggins. Help Santo Domingo—Repeating a phrase that has become popular in the meetings he holds with various people asked “please” producers of San José de las Matas in Santiago to vote for the candidates of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) “Please pay me and vote for the PLD candidates; you are going to vote for yourselves,” said Medina while indicating that the Dominican Republic “needs” that party to return to power “so that we continue the work of redemption of the marginalized of the Dominican Republic.” He expressed that the country’s producers are returning to poverty but that situation can be stopped by voting for Abel Martinez for the presidency He indicated that he is not returning and does […] Local January 21 Former President Danilo Medina in San José de las Matas in an activity in support of the PLDPLD candidates “Please pay me and vote for the PLD candidates; you are going to vote for yourselves,” said Medina while indicating that the Dominican Republic “needs” that party to return to power “so that we continue the work of redemption of the marginalized of the Dominican Republic.” He expressed that the country’s producers are returning to poverty He indicated that he is not returning and does not want to be a candidate again for the presidency of the Republic Danilo Medina completed the two terms established by the Constitution of the Republic as a presidential candidate so he cannot aspire to that position again “I am speaking here and I finished my career in public service I do not return nor do I want to be a candidate in public service but I know what the people are going through and I would like to have the honor of when I leave my wishes have been fulfilled,” he said he consolidated the middle class that he had promised while saying that they should compare the situation when he was president and now in the government of the Partido Revolucionario Moderno He called on the producers of “Sajoma” to take care of the bakery and milk facilities that have survived the current government because the projects will be resumed as soon as Abel Martinez comes to the government Former Presidente Medina from his very comfortable position may know what the people are going through he is not in the situation to have to ache as them recently harvested a colossal yucca plant weighing nearly two hundred pounds This extraordinary accomplishment not only showcases Jorge’s agricultural prowess but also prompts questions about the conditions and techniques that contributed to such an impressive yield Local residents were taken aback by the sheer size of the giant yucca The photos quickly spread across social networks as such an enormous cassava plant had never been witnessed in the region before Many attribute this success to the favorable conditions of the planting soil there are suggestions for the farmer to continue cultivating and experiment with other types of […] Local February 12 there are suggestions for the farmer to continue cultivating and experiment with other types of vegetables to observe the outcome of future harvests Santo Domingo – Units of the forest fire department of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) have fought around 55 forest fires registered during Holy Week in various parts of the national geography mostly caused by the practice of “conuquismo.” The Ministry of the Environment reminded the population so precautions should be taken to avoid the occurrence of fires which have such a negative impact on the forests and the biodiversity of the country director of the National Fire Management Program cited among the places where forest fires have occurred the Sierra de Bahoruco in the area between Santiago Rodríguez and San José de las Matas Local March 31 mostly caused by the practice of “conuquismo.” The Ministry of the Environment reminded the population in most cases those responsible for starting the fires have been identified “In the Sierra de Bahoruco today we are liquidating a fire that started in Haitian territory and affected some 1,800 tareas of pine forest on the Dominican Republic side,” explained Abreu in the provinces of Independencia and Bahoruco there have been six fires during Holy Week part of them covered by young plantations carried out by the Agroforestry Development projects the fires originated and fought this week have been eight where we have fought about seven forest fires that affected approximately 4,000 tareas On the southern slopes of the Central Mountain Range the areas of greatest activity were in the provinces of Azua and San Juan most of which were covered with pasture and scrub in some cases with natural forest and plantations there have been many burnings of land dedicated to agriculture but which have also affected natural forests On the northern slope of the Central Cordillera natural forest and plantations an average of 4,500 tareas” he said He said that in the area between Santiago Rodríguez and San José de las Matas the forest firefighters attended four (4) fires that affected about 1,300 tareas covered with natural forest and pasture in that area the main cause is the slash and burn for livestock while in the southern part it is for agriculture affecting 110 tareas of plantations and natural forest those responsible for starting the fires have been identified the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources stated that it has been actively pursuing those responsible for the recent fires affecting various regions of the country through the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) reported that teams of agents have been deployed to capture those intentionally starting the fires in different parts of the country responsible for the Environmental Fire Management and Management Program stated that firefighting efforts are ongoing in several areas including San José de las Matas He also reported that the fire in La Reforma which affected part of a private company’s plantation Abreu mentioned that the fire in […] Local March 28 Abreu mentioned that the fire in the Ébano Verde Scientific Reserve in La Vega is also under control but they are giving it special attention due to the sensitivity of the ecosystem and the Emergency Operations Center (COE) has dispatched a helicopter to contain another accident at the landfill in the same town the Ministry of Environment and the Armed Forces created a working group in collaboration with other state entities to execute an action plan against these accidents The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to environmental preservation prevent this ASAP …vegetation and threes retain water …we gonna be suffering serious water shortages …it will devastate use …someone is paying these pawns to do this … Adonis Quezada and Norberto Torres proudly teach a group of visitors how macadamia trees grow in their plots located on the hills of Los Montones The three joined the program “A future for La Sierra” of the Dominican Environmental Consortium (CAD) confirming with the results achieved to date that youth are interested in farming inclusion and sustainable development of their communities one of the purposes of the program is to “restore the ecosystems of La Sierra through the planting of perennial and profitable crops such as macadamia deciduous trees with deep roots that retain water capture CO2 and generate income that helps […] Economy November 7 capture CO2 and generate income that helps maintain a decent life for producers,” César Rodríguez The program is subsidized by German Cooperation -GIZ- and supported by Macadamia La Loma By 2019-04-03T08:15:00+01:00 Having supplied almost 500 trains for use in 28 countries Talgo is continuing to expand its maintenance and servicing activities this provide a steady level of business compared to the fluctuation of new build orders He added that maintenance also generated valuable feedback on the performance of trains in service which could be fed back into design and manufacturing improvements where four trainsets were assembled for Amtrak and Washington state is being reactivated to undertake the mid-life refurbishment of Los Angeles metro cars UK: Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Talgo has appointed its UK & Ireland representative Jon Veitch as Managing Director of Talgo UK and has signed a framework agreement with Scottish Enterprise and Transport Scotland for the establishment of a manufacturing plant at Longannet in Fife should it win .. Site powered by Webvision Cloud 54 years ago were executed Manolo Tavárez Justo and 28 freedom fighters had taken up arms in the mountain villages Las Manaclas and Las Delicias enemies of progress: if you make the peaceful struggle of the people impossible on June 14 you know very well where we will go to the rugged mountains of Quisqueya and in them we will keep the torch of freedom because we will have no alternative but freedom or death.” Tavarez’s rebellion had its cause; […] Local December 21 because we will have no alternative but freedom or death.” Tavarez’s rebellion had its cause; protest the September 25 1963 coup that toppled the elected president Juan Bosch Antonio (Manchao) Filión and José Daniel Fernández Santos Among the few who survived figure the current deputy Fidelio Despradel Dominican Republic.- Representatives of various entities on Wed asked the Government to declare La Sierra region (central) in a state of environmental emergency around San José de las Matas They said that thousands of different types of trees of have been cut down by the entities which deal with the pine beetle and forest fires the pressure on available forest resources poor planning and the lack of environmental impact studies have contributed significantly to this destruction process,” warned the local priest Carlos Goris Local March 20 Santiago.-  The forest fires in the central mountains (Cordillera Central) now threaten several communities near San José de las Matas while the area farmers’ concern over the long drought heightens Arsonists recently set fires in farms and properties while with the wood-chopper beetle ravages vast areas of pine forests who operates an ecotourism project near ​​Las Manaclas said firefighters are losing control of the blazes by the day He told El Caribe that among the most affected by the fires since Monday afternoon figures an area near José Armando Bermúdez National Park “This is one of the fires are already out of control and the Environment Ministry cannot deal with so many problems The help of the National Army is required.” Local March 13 A previous fire near San Jose de las Matas Dominican Republic.- The Environment Ministry put into action an inter-agency Technical Team that will work to prevent and control forest pests in San José de las Matas The decision announced Friday stipulates that the team will include Plan Sierra the regional Environment directors in Santiago Rodríguez and San José de Las Matas the mayor of the latter and the National Forest Management Directorates They will also enact the Environment Ministry’s management and control protocol p and implement environmental remediation plans that reduce the damage caused to the impacted habitats applying the protocols of the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture Local January 25 Metcalfiella vicina Fairmaire (Membracidae) 6 tour operators among other institutions and novelties will be part of the vacations and travel offers of the 12th annual Expoturismo Santiago 2017 the fair organizers said the sponsors include the Ministry of Tourism Hodelpa Hotels & Resorts and Santiago’s Tourism Destination Cluster which involves other companies that are part of the important sector of the national economy “The Cibao region’s most important tourism effort will open its doors on Friday June 2 at 5pm in the Hodelpa Gran Almirante Convention Center; continue on Saturday 3 from 10am to 8am and Sunday 4 from 10am to 5pm,” the organizers told the press “This time Expoturismo will have a special dedication to tourism […] Tourism May 18 “This time Expoturismo will have a special dedication to tourism minister Francisco Javier García in response to the deepest thanks and admiration felt throughout the country’s tourism sector for the extraordinary management that has performed for more than nine years at the head of the State agency that has created the most resources wealth and jobs for the Dominican Republic in the last decade.” Expoturismo’s expectations have been exceeded tour operators and cruise lines will be offering holidays and trips with special rates during the three days of the fair “We’ve had to make the decision to expand the fair hours over what we had planned due to the great demand that we are receiving from the public that every year flock to the exhibition halls so now its doors will open to visitors until 5:30pm,” said Gomez Among the participants are the prestigious chain Xeliter Cap Cana Hotel Los Jardines and the Santiago and San José de las Matas city councils as well as the main tour operators and travel agents Santo Domingo.- A Dominican Republic Army Capt.was killed and another officer injured when they were attacked by Haitians during a routine patrol near a village in Montecristi province (northwest) The other soldier was identified as Sergeant major Jeremías Mateo Espinal Local media report that the officer was takento a clinic in Copey township in Manzanillo with stab wounds on his back anddied shortly after The two soldiers wereambushed by a group of Haitians who were hiding in the brush looking to crossthe border Belliard’s body was taken to the clinic’s morgueprior to be handed over to his relatives Los Rieles is among the main routes Haitians useto wade across the Masacre River into […] Local November 4 Los Rieles is among the main routes Haitians useto wade across the Masacre River into Manzanillo and from there reach the townsof of Palo Verde and Las Matas de Santa Cruz The authorities say they investigate the deadlyincident They said the assailants made off with a with a M-16 rifle assigned to Belliard Dominican authorities had placed the BorderGuard and the Army on heightened alert along the border since last week afterat least 172 inmates escaped from a jail just north of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Princeon Oct just north of the Spanish capital of Madrid The sound of a motorway can be heard in the background as a train pulls in smart cameras are quietly observing and analysing pedestrian and traffic flows to understand how the space is being used – and how it could be used better Las Rozas is one of the testing grounds for the researchers of an EU-funded initiative called AMIGOS that is using new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis to help improve the quality of life in busy cities.  it is closely aligned with the EU’s Cities Mission which aims to support 112 European cities in becoming climate-neutral and smart by 2030 This allows them to rapidly process months’ worth of camera footage and build up an accurate picture of how city spaces are being used “This project is about the really basic questions that every citizen asks themselves Questions like ‘can I let my children go to school safely on their own’,” says Martin Krekeler the researchers are aiming to improve the safety and comfort of city dwellers in the Las Matas neighbourhood where a motorway to Madrid converges with a train station “Our city encounters several challenges,” says Nuria Blanco Caballero “There’s a lot of interaction between cars and pedestrians here,” says Blanco Caballero Information collected by the researchers’ camera was combined with feedback received through local user surveys to inform renovation designs “One of the things we found was that people weren’t always using official crossings for instance,” says Blanco Caballero Las Rozas is busy redesigning the area It is a good example of how new technologies can help cities make smarter decisions that are aligned with people’s needs R&D director of the Institute of Communication Computer Systems at the National Technical University of Athens “AI is necessary,” says Dr Amditis “It’s one of the only ways to process huge amounts of data in real time which is very important for fast-moving environments such as cities.” The AMIGOS team is working closely with 10 cities: Gabrova (Bulgaria) there are six cities where work is under way to improve the comfort and safety of urban living A further six cities – Split (Croatia) Velenje (Slovenia) and Lund (Sweden) – will learn from the lessons of the first phase the goal is to reduce cities’ reliance on the large tech companies that they depend on for technology and data “Cities need data,” says Krekeler “Yet today that data is often owned by private companies which means that cities need to buy it.” in a way that takes people’s voices into account they are being supported by the EU in a push to accelerate green and digital transformations within cities as part of its Cities Mission and the European Green Deal.  people are frustrated,” says Krekeler “That’s why it’s so important to use technology to ask them about their city and observe how they use it.” “Co-creation is key,” says Blanco Caballero “We need to adapt our projects to the needs of real people Technology can help us with that.”  Author: Tom Cassauwers. This article first appeared in Horizon magazine    Powered by Inventise KEITH FENDER PROFILES THE SPANISH TRAIN MANUFACTURER LOOKING TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN BRITAIN The announcement by HS2 Ltd in early November of the shortlisted bidders for the HS2 train manufacture and maintenance contract would not have come as much of a surprise to regular Modern Railways readers (p8 Bombardier and Hitachi are all well known as high-speed train builders in Europe and beyond would perhaps have been more of a surprise as outside its home market it has historically not been known as a high-speed manufacturer as the company is currently building the largest high-speed export order anywhere in Europe if not the world – the 350km/h Haramain trains for the new Mecca to Medina high-speed line in Saudi Arabia Talgo has been evaluating its options for manufacture and maintenance in the UK and recently appointed UK rail veteran Jon Veitch as Key Account Manager for the UK and Ireland Mr Veitch and his Spanish colleagues have embarked on a series of introductory meetings with local government and development agencies in several parts of the UK This is a premium article and requires an active subscription You will need your print Customer ID ready to set up an account you'll find this on your welcome email and cover sheet delivered with each print magazine Register now Key Publishing Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with Company Number 2713662