a series focused on sharing a day in the life of Hispanic and Latinx employees at Microsoft From representing nuestras raíces y cultura to tackling tech challenges we’re here to share our Microsoft adventures and let’s dive into a day in the life of a Hispanic and Latinx employee at Microsoft.    Xiomara Malpica is a social marketing manager at Microsoft passionate about both her career in social marketing and her creative endeavors outside of work and prioritizing self-care—all while continuing to make an impact at work and within her community I’m a huge believer in starting the day slowly  I start with a walk around the neighborhood with my dog and then I make myself coffee and breakfast I love having that quiet time to myself—sometimes I’ll journal and other times I just sit and enjoy the calm before the workday rush There’s just something about how the coffee tastes when someone else makes it and it’s a nice little break from my home routine I check Teams and emails to see what’s on the agenda for the day I like to get a clear picture of what’s urgent and what can wait to be tackled by the end of the week and I use OneNote to keep track of my to-do list The beauty of my job is that no two days are alike I don’t have any meetings and can dive into deep-focus work or check out new social platforms to see if they could work for our brands my mornings are packed with back-to-back meetings Whether it’s reviewing concepts or deciding which influencers to work with it’s always a creative and fun part of my role The pace of social media marketing is fast and I love the aspect of staying ahead of trends and tapping into cultural moments lunch is a time for me to connect with my family prepping food together (or she gets ahead and starts cooking something delicious while I finish up a few things) or helping with her hobbies It’s one of my favorite parts of the day—I’m grateful for these quiet I love exploring nearby spots to recharge while bonding with coworkers and chatting about work or life outside the office I typically meet with our creative teams and creator agency to review campaigns and discuss anything from concept ideas to selecting creators for upcoming projects Sometimes I get the opportunity to go on set for our campaigns– it’s one of my favorite parts of the job—seeing everything come together I’ll have stakeholder meetings or cross-team check-ins to update everyone on project status and sharing strategies I schedule connects with my colleagues to gain insight on what they’re up to I also enjoy sitting in on our Hispanic and Latinx employee resource group (HOLA) events where I share my experience as a Latina in marketing like the panel I was part of for Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month I try to log off and take a moment for myself it’s easy for the lines between work and personal time to blur I’ve made it a habit to set an alarm at 5:00 PM to remind me to close my laptop I take a few minutes to do some breathing exercises to help me transition out of work mode I like to balance personal projects and hobbies with self-care I’ve been diving into real estate investing as a side venture I’ll take a fun dance class or focus on my passion of helping other first-generation (the first generation of people who go to live in another country) individuals navigate the world of personal finance and I’ve learned to listen to my body and take it slow when I need to recharge I’m intentional about not overloading myself and keeping this time peaceful or watching novelas with my mom and grandma It’s all about balancing hustle with self-care—ensuring I’m ready for the next day Applications and technical product engineer 4 ways to optimize your coating thickness measurement process Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Metalworking Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Fabricating & Welding Terms of Use Privacy Policy Contact Us Forgot password? Not yet registered? Sign up poses with special guest speaker Seimone Augustus during the Advocate’s 37th Star of Stars High School Sports Awards at the L’Auberge Event Center on Monday Baton Rouge’s volleyball community is mourning the death of longtime coach Maria Malpica Gonzalez a star setter at McKinley and Southeastern Louisiana University was a high school/club coach in the Baton Rouge area for more than 25 years She died Saturday after battling ovarian cancer for more than five years and she touched so many lives,” Baton Rouge High coach Dayna Kohn said “Just over the past few days there was a steady stream of people who came to see her “One of her Broadmoor kids drove down from Virginia to see her It speaks volumes about Maria’s character and who she was in life the recipient of The Advocate’s Star of Stars Courage award in 2023 Michael and then spent 15 years at Broadmoor Her high school coaching career concluded with a stint at Woodlawn that started in 2016 Gonzalez’s father Nelson was a high school volleyball coach at Glen Oaks and Woodlawn before his retirement Michael standout who also has played at Southeastern Louisiana “She was like a daughter to me,” said Brenda Simon Kohn and others coached club teams in the Capital City Volleyball Club that Gonzalez operated for many years West Feliciana coach Arika Butler-Scott played on Gonzalez’s first club team “Maria had the biggest heart … she took care of people,” Butler-Scott said “When I decided to come home after coaching on the college level in Texas she helped me get settled and find the right job Email Robin Fambrough at rfambrough@theadvocate.com  Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:newstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 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 A TEXAS-BASED program for troubled teens has one woman speaking out about her experience there In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun she recounted the psychological and sexual abuse that took place at the so-called recovery center Dulce Malpica is now a professional photographer and comedian — a far cry from where she once was as a teenager "I got in trouble at school with weed and I got sent to a rehab facility," she told The U.S different alternative peer groups come in to try to recruit teenagers to join their programs." are programs that create environments that are free of mind-altering substances such as alcohol Celebrities like Paris Hilton have been vocal about their own experiences in the troubled teen industry. Malpica said she is grateful for A-listers spreading awareness but keeps her own exposure to it to a minimum. "I haven't listened to [celebrity testimonies] too much because I don't want to relive anything," she said. "There was kids assaulting other kids like 'guys and girls nights.' There was inappropriate touching "Everyone was always massaging each other there was a counselor that got caught sleeping with one of the teenagers "They got caught in one of our wilderness trips which we were forced to go on every summer "They were really hard workouts and really hard physically I don't think I slept more than six hours for You do a newcomer meeting and the first sentence of it is literally 'We are not a cult,' because they've been accused of it so much "I would always cry because I was so sleep-deprived I think it's designed that way." Malpica recounted times where she became aware of violations against members of the program Malpica said that the odd behavior among adults running the program began almost immediately although it didn't hit her right away you do a newcomer meeting and the first sentence of it is literally 'We are not a cult,' because they've been accused of it so much," she said "Then they walk you through everything and you're supposed to hang out there all week." She added that the meeting takes place to get teenagers to return "I thought that was kind of strange just to have certain people watching over me," she said "They say they love you right when you get there "Everyone says they're an alcoholic even if they haven't had a drink before She added that the teens were required to join Alcoholics Anonymous in addition to their program Malpica pointed out several telltale signs of an abusive environment that she witnessed whenever a member of the program deviated from their rules she would be put on a 'no dress up' commitment for 30 or 90 days where she could only wear sweatpants [and no] makeup," she said if you were really into something they would break down your individuality As Malpica got a bit older and spent more time in the program she realized the behavior was seriously off You couldn't have outside friends because they weren't 'winners.' "At first I guess I was into it," she said "I didn't really notice there was something really wrong until like two or three years in That's when I really realized I have to get out of [there] Malpica said it came down to formulating an exit plan that went down peacefully "They would make your life really hard if you left on bad terms," she said leaving on bad terms included exiting the program and ceasing contact with members Malpica said that friendships were heavily monitored and favored individuals were classified as "winners." "You couldn't have outside friends because they weren't 'winners,'" she said I just needed more people to talk but everyone was too scared to speak up the second step was to hang out with the 'winners' in order to grow "There were these things called 'winners' lists,' where you could only hang out with those people or you were doing something wrong." Ending up a "winner" entailed maintaining close relations with the main counselor of the group "There were no 'loser lists' officially but you would be seen that way," she said that's who the 'winners' were." After being approached by a detective regarding the abuse she faced Malpica found herself at a loss due to legal loopholes used by one of the leaders of the program "I just needed more people to talk but everyone was too scared to speak up," she said "So all [the detective] did was get them to change some stuff on the website and the wording of like how things operate They switch up so they can be legal and find loopholes." they would tell everyone everything about you Malpica recounted the aftermath of losing friends whose lives were cut short "I think a lot of the kids struggle when they first leave 20 people that were in [the program] that are dead now And a lot of them didn't have these struggles beforehand "I think they were magnified and traumatized by them and weaponized." she added that her own road to recovery wasn't an easy one "It was a lot of trial and error to get here I definitely struggled with using drugs or other things to kind of cope," she said "It was really hard to go to therapy because I don't trust therapists now because there would be no privacy there I think knowing that so many people died from it kind of gives me And I think that's how I got here." Sun reached out to the program for comment and first person of color to assume this role Felix Malpica '09 has been elected bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Malpica is the youngest bishop and the first person of color to assume this role "I can honestly say this has been a work of the Holy Spirit," said Malpica my call to bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod seems like a perfectly natural next progression in my life and ministry although I would not have been able to predict it a year ago." Malpica will lead 74 congregations spanning western Wisconsin for the next six years Malpica says he will bring strategic thinking bridge building and creativity to the table new challenges and having an ability to confidently acquire new knowledge is something that a liberal arts education prepared me for," said Malpica He said he also graduated with an understanding of how best to learn and of small town Norwegian culture "Learning Norwegian culture was something that became important to my ministry because I can honestly say that I had no idea Norweigian culture was a thing until I went to Luther it allowed for me to be a better missionary from Puerto Rico serving in Nordic-Lutheran contexts." Malpica moved to Chicago with his family in first grade where his father Malpica served as pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Janesville he served as associate pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Austin His installation as bishop will take place on Sept Luther College is home to more than 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact Luther College is celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month in October with a guest speaker a film showing and participation in Decorah Pride Week events Luther College is proud to announce the 2024-25 Center Stage Series which annually presents outstanding performances to uplift Season tickets are available now for six exciting performances by international artists It is the policy of Luther College to provide equal educational opportunities and equal access to facilities for all qualified persons The college does not discriminate in employment or any other basis protected by federal or state law at his installation service with his father ELCA executive director of Service and Justice On Sept. 26, the day of his installation as bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod Felix Malpica experienced a surprising encounter whose energy could be felt even before she was close came at me speaking Spanish a mile a minute,” he said “It was a welcoming and comforting sound to hear my mother tongue on such a momentous day … She was the only Puerto Rican woman around she knew of and was determined to be present for [the service].” Given the installation’s limited guest list she’d volunteered herself and her husband to staff it even though I know that my boys aren’t supposed to be here I made sure that they came and sat in worship They need to see that a young Puerto Rican man can be bishop!’” Malpica recalled Her words moved Malpica, 34, to tears. He is the first person of color and youngest person to be elected as bishop of the La Crosse Synod and only the second youngest synod bishop to be elected in the ELCA’s history Malpica says he aims to listen deeply to his synod cultivate the gifts of each of its 73 congregations and inspire innovation while “remaining rooted in the gospel and care for the leaders through the transformative power of word and sacrament.” “I am so grateful to be a beacon of hope for those who have felt marginalized,” he added who holds the title as the youngest synod bishop elected to the ELCA in 1981 “[My father’s] impact on the church has been felt around the globe he has only grown in his fervor for the gospel and accompaniment of those on the margins,” he said now ELCA executive director of Service and Justice delivered the sermon at his son’s installation and presented him with a special gift “[My father] gave me the ring commissioned for him as bishop,” Malpica noted “His ring gives me the courage to live into our calling to be children of God in the world We are a church that values and encourages diverse voices and lively dialogue in our faith and life Living Lutheran is an opportunity for church members to express individual perspectives and does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 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 Hendrix Magazine Content on this site may require a PDF reader. 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Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience The Vicksburg Police Department announced Monday the arrests of two individuals for drug possession officers with the department’s narcotics and criminal investigation division conducted an operation at The Smoke Break was arrested on one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after 21 grams of cocaine digital scales and $276 in cash were found in his possession He appeared before Judge Penny Lawson in Vicksburg Municipal Court Friday while making a stop for a violation of the curfew During the search of his vehicle by a K-9 officer Malpica was found to be in possession of methamphetamine He appeared before Judge Angela Carpenter in Vicksburg Municipal Court Monday where he was arraigned on one count of possession of methamphetamine His bond was set at $60,000 and his case was bound over to the Warren County grand jury Malpica also had an outstanding warrant from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for aggravated assault officers responding to an alarm on Dabney Drive discovered Ronald Smith Smith was charged with one count of burglary of a residence He appeared in Vicksburg Municipal Court on Friday and was bound over to the Warren County Grand Jury on a $10,000 bond who all attend school in the Vicksburg Warren School District The family are members of First Baptist Church Vicksburg Tim is involved in a number of civic and volunteer organizations including the United Way of West Central Mississippi and serves on the City of Vicksburg's Riverfront Redevelopment Committee Two games on the Monday college basketball schedule feature a ranked team including the matchup between the Wake… The Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers is one of many solid options on today’s NHL slate.… The Southern Jaguars versus the Florida A&M Rattlers is one of many compelling options on Monday in SWAC… Ranked squads will be on Monday’s college basketball schedule in two games including the Kansas Jayhawks taking on… Austin Lumberjacks square off in one of many compelling matchups on the… View Results helped develop with companions the ELCA’s missiology of accompaniment Here he visits companions while on a 2013 Global Mission trip to connect with members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea ministries and resources in the ELCA often go under-supported There are many Hispanic ministries and leaders throughout this church that I admire and could lift up a pastor and the executive director of ELCA Global Mission whom the Lutheran Church in Nicaragua dubbed el obispo caminante (the bishop who walks among us) He became bishop of the Caribbean Synod at the ELCA’s inception in 1987 he was the youngest ELCA bishop and the first ELCA bishop of color—two facts that aren’t commonly acknowledged My father helped found and shape ELCA congregations in Puerto Rico empowered leaders that serve the church in every expression and is still considered the father of that synod In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month I’d like to highlight three moments in which a Boriqua (Puerto Rican) has given life to this church My first memory comes from an early period of my father’s ministry I tiptoed down and saw my father crying on my mother’s shoulder but I stayed quiet and returned to my room Years later, I asked Dad what had happened. At first, he couldn’t believe that I remembered, then he told me about a trip he took to El Salvador with Herbert W. Chilstrom, then presiding bishop of the ELCA. They were assisting Medardo Gómez, bishop of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church with ministry matters and helping civilians obtain medical aid when they were stopped by the military and held at gunpoint Standing between his colleagues and the gun barrels We are here for peace.” Dad told me that his life flashed before his eyes in that moment but afterward the travelers were finally set free he broke down in my mother’s arms as I watched from the shadows love and justice was never just talk in my family but action During my first call, I served a congregation that had a strong connection with the Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala (ILAG) leadership of the ILAG was passing from the founding president and pastor to his daughter As I prepared to develop this relationship I discovered that my father was actually considered the “grandfather” of this young church body He provided the ILAG with guidance and counsel and even installed its first president in 1991 Castillo and I connected as the next generation of pastoral leaders after our fathers and I experienced firsthand a small piece of my dad’s global ministry as we traveled to the Mayan villages around the country delivering the gospel through accompaniment During my first visit to Guatemala in 2016 I saw pictures of my father on the wall of ILAG’s church center I better understood the fullness of his influence He’s been a counselor at the inception of Lutheran churches in Nicaragua My father’s most important work may have been his development of the missiology of accompaniment something that started with his ministry in Nicaragua The missiology of accompaniment is the why and how of the ELCA’s mission work In collaboration with global companions and other ELCA staff my father has worked to reform centuries of colonial mission work driven by conquest and the myth that European experience was divine We can always tell this on the days he is quiet shaking his head and breathing purposefully frustrated as the church he loves so much seems to betray him he perseveres in his struggle to change the way the ELCA engages the “other” as church defined as “walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality,” is driven by the core values of mutuality Accompaniment has become central to how we do church today globally and locally This framework continues to draw the church into the difficult questions of how to be church for tomorrow There’s much more I could share about my father’s ministry. He preached in Martin Luther’s Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and has changed the face of Lutheranism around the world but he’s proudest to be called “Lolo” (grandfather) I hope the ELCA will lift up more stories of people on the margins so that we see ourselves reflected in the church and feel inspired to share our God-given gifts with the world and glorify God in heaven Buj & Paredes has recruited longstanding White & Case SC partner Ismael Reyes Retana Tello to its senior rank expert analysis and essential resources from the Latin Lawyer experts Copyright © Law Business ResearchCompany Number: 03281866 VAT: GB 160 7529 10 This firm has professional notice in the Latin Lawyer 250 Get more from LLSign up to our daily email alert Unlock unlimited access to all Latin Lawyer content Texas — Police say two men have been arrested for pickpocketing cell phones at weekend one of the Austin City Limits Music Festival is charged with two third degree felonies for theft from a person and tampering with evidence is charged with a class A misdemeanor for unlawful use of a criminal instrument The Austin Police Department said they are working with ACL Fest and with other law enforcement agencies to recover and reunite the stolen items with their owners APD said in most of these cases the phones were quickly powered down or placed into airplane mode to prevent any tracking They strongly encourage people going to weekend two to record their device serial numbers and keep it somewhere else in case they need to reference it ALSO | 33 DWI arrests made during APD's No Refusal Initiative during ACL Weekend One People who attended weekend one of ACL Fest and lost a phone are encouraged to report the loss at aclfestival.com/lostfound. Anyone with information about these cases please call 3-1-1 and reference case number 2021-5032087. © Xoan PiñónThe operation includes stone walls and piers The creation of new space and uses includes a contemporary element and building method precast concrete: component-space and surface-line You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email One person was injured after a shooting outside of Fredericksburg Saturday morning The Gillespie County Sheriff's Office is actively searching for Juan Solis Malpica Malpica allegedly shot another man at a residence on Grasshopper Lane and then fled in a vehicle He crashed a short distance away and then continued on foot The sheriff's office said the victim was flown to a nearby medical center for treatment Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gillespie County Sheriff's Office at 830-997-7585 Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Gillespie County Crime Stoppers at 830-997-7585 Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information 2022 at 4:19 PM EDTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.The US removed a former Venezuelan official from the list of sanctioned individuals a move Biden officials pledged after a March meeting with President Nicolas Maduro aimed at coaxing him back to negotiations with political opponents was sanctioned in July of 2017 along with 12 other Venezuelans This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing In Spanish World Book News by Adam CritchleySeptember 1 Author Antonio Malpica Maury (b.1967) has become the first Mexican to win the SM Ibero-American Children’s and YA Literature Award which carries a $30,000 purse and will be awarded at the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) on December 1 Founded in Spain in 1977 and funded by Spanish publisher Ediciones SM, the SM Foundation (www.fundacion-sm.org) promotes educational and cultural initiatives for impoverished children and young adults in Spain The prize will be awarded for Maplica’s “sensibility to broach complex social problems throwing light on the dark areas of our world” and his “wide range of themes atmospheres and styles handled in his extensive work and the wide spectrum of readership at which it is aimed,” according to a statement from the prize jury Malpica is one of the most outstanding Mexican children’s and young persons’ authors and who builds endearing characters in his works with whom it is easy to identify taking his readers to other eras but without polluting the narrative with a didactic focus Malpica has written stories and plays for children and young adults as well as crime novels and science fiction for adults El lápiz de labios del señor presidente (2010) and Había una vez un niño llamado Perico (2006) In 2007 he won Mexico’s national crime fiction award for his novel Nadie escribe como Herbert Quain The prize was created in 2005 by the SM Foundation in conjunction with UNESCO the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY); the Organization of American States for Education the Regional Center for Book Promotion in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC) and the FIL This year’s jury featured OEI representative Felipe Garrido UNESCO Mexico’s Carlos Tejada and Juan de Isasa The jury highlighted Malpica’s “ability to weave reality and fantasy” and “his way of inserting himself into the literary tradition to recreate characters and atmospheres of authors of world literature.” Previous recipients of the award have included Spain’s Juan Farias Brazil’s Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós and Argentina’s María Teresa Andruetto Last year’s winner was Ivar Da Coll of Colombia The prize will be awarded at the Guadalajara Book Fair (November 28-December 6 Adam Critchley is a Mexico-based freelance writer and translator His articles have been published in Latin American Literature Today and his short stories have appeared in The Brooklyn Review His translations include a series of children's books based on indigenous Mexican folk tales He can be contacted at adamcritchley@hotmail.com This conversation was led by Michael Worobey Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona What is known about the earliest COVID-19 cases Worobey and Malpica Serrano will discuss their work integrating epidemiological and genomic data to determine the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic Their findings demonstrate that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 occurred through the wildlife trade with the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan Phylodynamic analyses reveal at least two zoonotic transmission events and narrow the timeline of spillover Maximum effort must now be applied to understanding the upstream events that brought SARS-CoV-2 to the Huanan market and to limiting opportunities for future virus spillover Categories:Uncategorized Four firms in Mexico have chosen to add partners in non-transactional practice areas These firms have professional notices in the Latin Lawyer 250 Guy Malpica was born in Chicago but moved with his family at the age of 5 to sunny Puerto Rico he grew to embrace the strong culture of family Uncles and friends owned VW buses and Guy routinely would jump in with five or six other relatives moved back to Illinois in 1984 and for years sought to bring a tangible piece of those memories back with him he located the perfect icon to fulfill that wish: a classic VW bus "I wanted a vehicle to enjoy with my whole family and one that would represent me as a retired surfer," Guy says He found a groovy red and white 1967 example in San Francisco and knew it was the right one Guy wasted no time doing all his desired custom work researching and tracing its roots back several owners Guy is the bus' fourth owner but he located and talked to its second owner "He told me the bus had been bought new in Indiana," Guy says "It was (originally) used at a senior citizens center to move their guests around." Mike bought the bus from the center in the late 1980s and completed its first overhaul Mike then sold it to a third owner out on the West Coast where the VW eventually landed in Guy's hands Guy has added such items as Wilwood disc brakes and a wooden roof rack up top which is just perfect for hauling Guy's short boards He also painted the bumpers to match the body color The bus features Porsche wheels and Guy plans to add a Porsche engine this winter to give his bus more "oomph." the cabin has been fully redone and features loads of room for Guy's most regular passengers: his two daughters the family will motor all over the suburbs my girls will always ask to take the 'red bus,' " Guy says Whether the family is cruising to Lake Geneva or through downtown Chicago Guy reports the reactions are all the same • Share your car's story with Matt at auto@dailyherald.com Almost two years after completing his prison sentence a Goodyear man is back serving time for the deaths of two brothers Maricopa County Superior Court judge Michael Kemp handed Leo Rufus Rodriguez two 18-year sentences for the second-degree murders of Henry Guadalupe Saldana and Jesus Saldana The sentences are to be served concurrently This is Rodriguez's ninth and 10th known adult felony convictions His criminal record dates back to 1990 and includes convictions for assault aggravated assault and misconduct involving weapons The following account comes from court records courtroom testimony and police interviews described in them were members of the Mexican Mafia street gang At the time there were competing factions within the gang the "Trigger faction" and the "Indio faction." The two groups were disputing territory Rodriguez was associated with the "Trigger" faction while Henry Saldana was associated with the "Indio" faction Rodriguez's money came from a percentage of all drug sales in the city of Avondale The dispute at the time between the rival groups was whether selling drugs in the Las Ligas area in southern Avondale was allowed — and who was entitled to collect and pay "taxes." Rodriguez and Henry Saldana met to discuss that matter at an Avondale home which the gang used for selling drugs near Lower Buckeye and El Mirage roads Rodriguez was going to the meeting with a plan in mind: recruit Henry Saldana to the "Trigger" faction or kill him friend and former fellow gang member of Rodriguez's former gangs who was with him the night of the incident according to a 2016 interview he had with police Rodriguez was also accompanied by his girlfriend Suzanne Richardson and another friend known as "Chunky." They all traveled together in Richardson's white SUV according to Malpica's statements to police Henry Saldana was accompanied by his younger brother Rodriguez and Munoz went inside the house to meet the two brothers while Richardson and Malpica waited outside hopped into the car with Malpica and Richardson called 911 and told the dispatcher that Henry Saldana and Jesus Saldana were killed in the home Avondale Police found the two unresponsive and sitting on a couch inside Henry Saldana was pronounced dead at the scene with nine shots to his head Jesus Saldana was pronounced dead at the hospital with shots to his head and left arm Both were shot at close range by a large and small caliber gun Police later found .22 and .45 caliber shell casings in the home Mitchell initially told police that people came to the house with a prostitute named "Rosie." Mitchell said she was in the back room with a friend when they heard the gunshots Mitchell told police that story was a lie and that she and the friend were not at the house when the shooting happened — they were just called to check the house Mitchell said they found the dead men and called the police Mitchell told police that she confronted Rodriguez about the shooting and he admitted to her that he killed Henry Saldana because of the gang business Police believe Jesus Saldana was killed because he was a witness nicknamed "Bozo," was immediately a suspect because those close to Henry Saldana were aware that the two were meeting that night Rodriguez's home in Goodyear was searched for an unrelated crime when police found a .22 caliber rifle with his fingerprints on it Ballistics testing identified the rifle as being one of the murder weapons He told them that the gang had "green-lit" him He denied knowing anything about the murders Malpica was interviewed by police and revealed that he overheard Rodriguez and Munoz talking about recruiting or killing Henry He also said he heard two gunshots from two different guns the night of the murder but she denied knowing anything about the murders Rodriguez was interviewed again in 2016 and told detectives he did not know anything about the murder But he told investigators that he would sign any deal if it meant that he would not have to go back to the Fourth Avenue jail detectives also noticed Aztec "patches," a kind of tattoo A member of the Mexican Mafia can receive a "patch" if they spill blood or kill someone and each "patch" signifies a single victim Investigators noticed Rodriguez had two patches and though he smiled and nodded when he was asked about them Rodriguez denied being involved with the Mexican Mafia It was not until June 2017 that Rodriguez was arrested for the shooting because of an active warrant He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder participating and assisting a criminal street gang he was serving a 10-year sentence for weapon misconduct at the Lewis prison complex in Buckeye Rodriguez signed a plea agreement for the reduced charges of two second-degree murders no statements were made on behalf of the victim and defendant's family Rodriguez also chose not to make a statement was potentially going to attend the sentencing and make a statement but stated in Rodriguez's presentence report that she was afraid for her safety She added that she believed Rodriguez should be sentenced to life in prison because the loss has been difficult on the family and that her "nieces and nephews do not know their fathers and are really struggling." Rodriguez tried to justify his actions by stating that he was on the Mexican Mafia hit list and was ordered to be a kill on sight He stated in the report that the victims were not innocent He also stated that he wishes there was a self-defense plea because the Mexican Mafia is still looking for him everywhere and that "it will never end." Rodriguez stated in the report that he is not heartless and apologizes to the family adding that he knows what it's like to lose a child but he has no remorse for saving himself and doing what he had to do Carlos Erik Malpica Flores is one of the most powerful civilians in Venezuela because of his resources and positions held He is the current treasurer of the Republic and administrator of PDVSA finances He has had an astronomical career as a public official since he joined the government with the help of his aunt Cilia Flores and uncle Nicolás Maduro he has managed to stay in the dark and carefully watch over the details of his management after two young relatives of the First Lady were arrested for alleged drug trafficking in New York as well as a series of businesses in Panama associated with his relatives Impidamos que el país se convierta en un desierto informativo Adrián Perdomo Mata has just entered the list of sanctioned entities of the US Department of the Treasury His arrival in office coincided with the boom in exports of Venezuelan gold to new destinations Behind these secretive operations is the shadow of Alex Saab and Álvaro Pulido the main beneficiaries of the sales of food for the Local Supply and Production Committee (Clap) Perdomo worked with them before Nicolás Maduro placed him in charge of the Venezuelan gold born in Colombia and naturalized Panamanian frequently posts messages supporting the Cuban and Bolivarian revolutions on his social media accounts But that leaning is not the main sign to doubt his impartiality as an observer of the elections in Venezuela a role he played in the contested elections whereby Nicolás Maduro ratified himself as president an entrepreneur and politician who has carried out controversial searches for submarine wrecks in Caribbean waters found his true treasure in the main social aid and control program of Chavismo While the key role of Colombian entrepreneurs Alex Saab Morán and Álvaro Pulido Vargas in the import scheme of Nicolás Maduro’s Government program has come to light almost nothing has been said about the participation of the traders who act as suppliers from Mexico a new physical-chemical analysis requested by Armando.Info to UCV researchers shows that the milk powder currently distributed through the Venezuelan Government's food aid program still has poor nutritional performance that jeopardizes the health of those who consume it a mysterious supplier manages to monopolize the increasing imports and sales from Mexico to Venezuela the Porsche Design Tower quickly became a symbol of luxury and ostentation in South Florida Magnates from all over the world retreat behind the discretion of its tinted glass windows and virtually anonymous legal entities two police investigations into illegal financial flows from abroad placed the building under an inconvenient spotlight The justice just seized an apartment of over five million dollars from a Venezuelan agent When Vice President Delcy Rodríguez turned to a group of Mexican friends and partners to lessen the new electricity emergency in Venezuela she laid the foundation stone of a shortcut through which Chavismo and its commercial allies have dodged the sanctions imposed by Washington on PDVSA’s exports of crude oil Joaquín Leal and Alessandro Bazzoni as key figures the circuit has spread to some thirty countries to trade other Venezuelan commodities This is part of the revelations of this joint investigative series between the newspaper El País and Armando.info developed from a leak of thousands of documents The business structure that Alex Saab had registered in Turkey—revealed in 2018 in an article by Armando.info—was merely a false start for his plans to export Venezuelan coal the Colombian merchant made contact with his Mexican counterpart to plot a network that would not only market crude oil from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA as part of a maneuver to bypass the sanctions imposed by Washington but would also take charge of a scheme to export coal from the mines of Zulia The dirty play allowed that thousands of tons ended up in ports in Mexico and Central America As part of their business network based in Mexico the two traders devised a way to replace the operation of the large international credit card franchises if they were to abandon the Venezuelan market because of Washington’s sanctions “Paquete Alcance,” aimed to get hundreds of millions of dollars in remittances sent by expatriates and use them to finance purchases at CLAP stores Scions of different lineages of tycoons in Venezuela Francisco D’Agostino and Eduardo Cisneros are non-blood relatives They were also partners for a short time in Elemento Oil & Gas Ltd over which the young Cisneros eventually took full ownership Elemento was a protagonist in the secret network of Venezuelan crude oil marketing that Joaquín Leal activated from Mexico Washington penalized D’Agostino only… Why Through a company registered in Mexico – Consorcio Panamericano de Exportación – with no known trajectory or experience Joaquín Leal made a daring proposal to the Venezuelan Guyana Corporation to “reactivate” the aluminum industry The business proposed to pay the power supply of state-owned companies in exchange for payment-in-kind with the metal Here’s why derms can’t stop talking about the newest neurotoxin Daxxify is the new kid on the neurotoxin block, joining Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau. This means that it works by freezing the muscles responsible for producing wrinkles the skin scrunches and it forms the vertical lines between the eyebrows and the neuromodulators help to either temper or stop that contraction from happening,” says Malpica “That's how the wrinkles soften and eventually fade away.” “So most neurotoxins are mixed with human albumin an ingredient that helps stabilize the active ingredient and delivers it into the muscle,” explains Malpica What makes Daxxify stand out amongst the rest is that instead of using albumin like everyone else “It doesn’t contain any human or animal products,” adds Malpica (Dysport contains a cow’s milk derivative.) “I feel like the onset of the action is faster; you might notice [the effects] within hours,” says Dr “You’ll notice there’s more of a smoothness to the skin that I don’t really see as much with the other neuromodulators.” is thought to be one of the reasons why Daxxify can last up to six months which is about two to three months longer than other neurotoxins on the market “It's not a hundred percent verified that's why it does last longer but that's their prevailing theory in how it's been formulated that the peptide increases the binding of the neurotoxin to the neuromuscular juncture [which is] where the nerve tells the muscle to contract,” says Malpica Just an FYI: When they did the initial studies on Daxxify they only looked at the glabella (the area of the forehead above and between the eyebrows) “Other areas like the crow’s feet may not last as long.” anyone who’s 18 years old or older and has mild to moderate lines between their eyebrows is a good candidate for Daxxify But if you’re someone with a preexisting neurodegenerative condition you should avoid Daxxify (and any other neurotoxins) the nerves that contract the muscles,” explains Malpica “So if you have some of these conditions that are degenerative that could potentially make your symptoms much more dramatic and exaggerated It could affect how you swallow or your ability to blink your eyes.” “While it’s amazing and innovative that the product lasts up to six months that also can carry with it the potential for any adverse side effects to be longer lasting as well,” says Malpica instead of getting injected by that random person your cousin recommended who runs a medspa out of their living room make sure to do your research and choose a well-trained and highly-skilled provider “These providers need to be very well-versed to make sure that they're targeting very precisely and specifically the muscles that we're intending to target because this product is so long-lasting and much more concentrated,” adds Malpica Daxxify’s side effects are similar to the side effects you see with other neurotoxins. The most commonly reported side effects are headaches and eyelid ptosis “That is obviously extremely undesirable and an unfortunate side effect that can occur if the product is perhaps injected improperly or if proper post-care instructions aren't followed,” she explains most of those symptoms or side effects usually fade away fairly quickly.” How an Injectable Neurotoxin Changed the Face of AgingWait, You Aren’t Using Niacinamide Yet?What's Filler Fatigue? .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.comUPDATE: WATCH: King statue theft leads to crimefighting call in Allentown An Allentown man is in jail in connection with the theft of a replica of the bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King that sits on the civil rights leader's namesake road in the city and Coretta Scott King was unveiled during a Jan 2-feet-tall replica of the statue was stolen from a home on South 15th Street "It is not the life-size statue at the intersection of the Martin Luther King Jr "The artist made a replica of the statue Wiedemann did not know if the replica statue was stored in the home or in a garden who is the property owner and a candidate for Allentown mayor Bennett said burglars used a crowbar to break through bilco-style basement doors police sent out an alert to area scrapyards employees at the scrapyard at 13th and Green streets in the city alerted police that Raul Malpica-Adorno was trying to sell the statue for scrap was arraigned on a charge of receiving stolen property Wednesday night He was ordered to Lehigh County Prison after failing to post $30,000 bail Police continue to investigate the actual theft of the figure and who is responsible Wiedemann could not say how much the replica statue is worth Police are waiting for an estimate from the homeowner's insurance company "It was solid bronze and 86 pounds," Wiedemann said The life-size statute of both Kings is the only one like it in the country Roberts plaza along Martin Luther King Drive The memorial was unveiled in Allentown on Jan Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Janice Graham and Joyce Graham; several nieces and nephews Private family services were held on Saturday with interment in New Home Baptist Church Cemetery Arrangements are by the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home & Crematory "I think those are when the cakes are for the children," she said one recent workday, walking into the freezer. "The children can't always read the cursive." Like typewriters or cassette tapes, cursive still exists but its use has diminished in the digital era. Now, Florida education officials are poised to decide whether cursive handwriting should still be taught in elementary schools. The Common Core State Standards, which Florida schools have been gradually adopting, omit cursive. Pasco no longer requires schools to teach cursive, while Hillsborough and Pinellas educators say there's much less emphasis on the looping script than in the past. But last month, seeking to quell fears of federal overreach and make the standards unique to Florida's needs, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart recommended nearly 100 tweaks to the Common Core — including the revival of cursive handwriting. The State Board of Education will take up the issue at its Feb. 18 meeting. Mary Jane Tappen, vice chancellor of standards and instruction for the Florida Department of Education, said parents and educators asked at public forums and through email that cursive still be taught. The state received 19,000 comments on the Common Core, many dominated by a desire for cursive, Tappen said. "There are historical documents written in cursive, signage is in cursive," Tappen said. "It's important students be able to read and recognize documents written in cursive writing." The advent of the computer and its nifty little keyboard has created two worlds of writing: that of the school, where writing by hand remains sovereign, and that of the rest of the world, where typing has relegated handwriting to the realm of cake decorators and grocery lists. "Primarily the reason for that is schools and teachers, with the exception of some places, just don't have that many computers in the classroom," said Steve Graham, an education professor at Arizona State University and a nationally-recognized expert on cursive handwriting. Keyboard typing has trumped handwriting because it's quicker and guarantees legibility, freeing up cognitive space for the content of the message, Graham said. Cursive in particular has been hit because it's viewed as "formal." Now, important documents are typed. The organizations that created the Common Core standards did not return phone calls seeking comment on the omission of cursive. The federal standards place heightened emphasis on writing and keyboard skills. Florida schools finished their transition to the Common Core this year. Pam Moore, associate superintendent of teaching and learning for Pinellas County Schools, said cursive is informally taught in the third grade, but it does not have a reserved time of day, does not receive its own grade, and the district no longer orders workbooks on cursive handwriting. Temetia Creed, Hillsborough's supervisor of elementary language arts, said the district's current reading program does not include cursive. She said students can write in either cursive or print, and teachers help students struggling with cursive. Pasco schools encourage students to practice cursive on their own, district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said. "Some even have cursive clubs." Researchers have said cursive appears to improve reading and other learning skills. The literature is mixed on whether writing in cursive is significantly faster than printing. In a 2013 online poll by Harris Interactive, 79 percent of adults and 68 percent of children said cursive should still be taught. The inability to read cursive has even proved fodder for headlines. When 19-year-old Rachel Jeantel testified that she'd been on the phone with Trayvon Martin just before George Zimmerman shot and killed him, the takeaway wasn't so much her testimony — but that she couldn't read a lawyer's document written in cursive. Pinellas superintendent Mike Grego is pushing for two new elementary schools that would function as technology magnets, issuing an electronic device to all students. But Grego said the district won't altogether eliminate cursive no matter what the state rules. "Even though with technology there might be less of an emphasis, it's still important to have a grasp on it." State board member John Colon of Manatee County said he would support cursive at this month's vote. "Sooner or later people do run out of batteries, you know." Most arguments for keeping cursive in classrooms are grounded in romantic notions of long letters and prim invitations, said Graham, the handwriting expert. "This is an issue about older people being afraid of losing something from their world." As director of the National League of Junior Cotillions' Tampa chapter, Elizabeth Ayers, 56, spends her days teaching teenagers ladylike and gentlemanly ways. She tells them to write thank-you notes by hand. "But it's interesting," said Ayers, "My students are in middle schools, and they don't write very much. I say, 'Does anybody do anything in script anymore?' And they all look at me, and they don't know what script means." Recently, she put a big piece of paper on an easel and wrote out cursive letters. "Everyone go home and practice cursive," she told her students. "It looks too juvenile when you print." Over at Wright's Gourmet House, Malpica said cursive adds a special air to the occasions her customers are celebrating. Back in the kitchen, she wishes a happy birthday to Joy in cursive on a 9-inch round cake. Then she wishes a happy anniversary to Mom and Dad, also in cursive, high peaks on the "A"s, exaggerated curls on the "y"s. To Mark — who, she thinks, must be a child — she wishes a happy birthday in print, as requested. Contact Lisa Gartner at lgartner@tampabay.com. Lisa GartnerFormer Times Reporter