Olivares Leon Competes at ANWA4/3/2025 3:28:00 PM | Women's Golf Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Krishna Olivares Iturra was born September 10 Her parents are Rodrigo Olivares and Vanessa Olivares and she has a younger brother Fernando Olivares whom she loved very much growing up any physical activity she wanted to do she would do it and do it better than anyone Krishna was super artistic she could draw and color anything Anything she wanted to try she was just naturally good at it and succeeded While at Weber State she placed 1st in her first ever rock-climbing tournament! she would eat tuna and salmon at least 5 days a week anything seafood she loved “I have so much self-control at the store but not at home when it's in front of me.” Krishna came to the US for school in the fall of 2021 She attended Weber State where she met many friends classmates and found a church she called her own She graduated from Weber State with her bachelor's in nutrition. Krishna will be sorely missed by all of us she touched more lives than I think she even knew her laugh and her trying to say things in English that sometimes weren’t always right will always be remembered. A Celebration of Krishnas life will be held Saturday at 10:30 am at the Redemption Church in Ogden 585 39th Street. 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 Mexico City (EFE).- There are over 127,000 missing persons who remain unaccounted for being searched for by their families in Mexico in the absence of an official response in their relatives’ cases “When the authorities say there are no enforced disappearances they are insulting them,” said the executive director of Amnesty International (AI) Mexico “It is not the members of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) who are being insulted but the families,” Olivares stressed referring to the Mexican government’s accusations against this United Nations committee which described the missing persons crisis as “systematic and widespread.” “The State of the World’s Human Rights,” presented on Tuesday shares this “structural character of human rights violations” on Mexican territory at least one woman searching for her disappeared relative was killed and another disappeared,” the report said The report noted the disappearance of Lorenza Cano in Salamanca in January and Angelita Meraz the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held a public hearing about the protection of women searching for disappeared people The state “does not look for the disappeared” there were 13,588 missing persons in Mexico in 2024 “the Mexican state does not guarantee we will not disappear” and the other problem is that “it does not look for those missing.” “The discovery of Rancho Izaguirre (in Teuchitlán in the western part of the country) shows it is the relatives themselves who find those who disappeared,” she stressed These searches expose the families “to a lot of violence and risks” because “the state does not protect them we have already had more than 29 searchers murdered in April they murdered four (…) We are facing a critical situation,” she noted Olivares highlighted that the reforms announced by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum following the discovery of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel training center in Teuchitlán should guarantee that “the institutions do their job during the search trained and professionalized agents of the state.” the amendments to the General Law of Enforced Disappearance “must guarantee the protection of the search teams (…) and it is essential that the Mexican government abandons its insistence on reclassifying the crime of enforced disappearance.” The AI report (2024-2025) also said that the military strategy of involving the Mexican army in public security operations for 17 years has “failed.” “What is the military selling us in Mexico Because it is not true that Mexico is a safer country This is a much more dangerous country today,” said Olivares The document also revealed a “great concern” about the Mexican government’s collaboration with United States President Donald Trump a neighbor “increasingly close to the anti-rights groups” that incite attacks against migrants The Atacama desert has been luring astronomers for decades Its exceptionally clear skies have revealed profound discoveries including potentially hazardous asteroids drifting close to Earth and evidence that the Universe’s expansion is accelerating light pollution is now affecting the work of astronomers who need to see the stars and light pollution from cities rises closer to the celestial zenith the weakening contrast is making it harder for astronomers to spot distant objects Cities aren’t the only source of light pollution in Atacama The mining industry has also become a visible contributor with some of the larger mines generating as much light pollution as a small city As the extraction of copper and lithium ramps up to meet soaring global demand astronomers working in the area worry that the Chilean desert’s status as the ‘eyes of the world’ could be in jeopardy Historic collaboration connects two Cleveland Clinic locations enables real-time sharing of metrics and surgical progress An older adult patient with grade group 2 intermediate-risk prostate cancer underwent a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) procedure at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to treat a solitary lesion on the left side of his prostate Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy he woke up from the one-and-a-half-hour procedure it was like any other HIFU procedure performed at Cleveland Clinic—except for one significant detail Department Chair of Urology in the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi The historic collaboration connected two Cleveland Clinic locations enabling a real-time sharing of metrics and surgical progress as well as a dedicated group of engineers and IT teams from both centers meticulously planned the case and tested the system over a period of a few months to ensure stable and rapid connection the physicians worked closely with cybersecurity teams and navigated legal and ethical frameworks to ensure a secure and reliable process procedure quality and oncological efficacy were their primary goals Telesurgery has the potential to improve issues related to access and equity offer enhanced training opportunities and build global partnerships HIFU has emerged as an attractive option in the urologist’s armamentarium it can provide an alternative option to a traditional prostate cancer treatment paradigm one of the most experienced HIFU surgeons in the world was recruited from Chile in 2022 to lead the focal therapy program at Cleveland Clinic In 2023, Dr. Olivares visited Abu Dhabi to help formalize the focal therapy program alongside Dr. Hassen and Georges-Pascal Haber, MD, PhD, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi The physicians set out to increase communication and the shared experience between the entities but their work during this visit ultimately set plans for this case into motion “We would discuss whether certain patients were candidates for HIFU,” notes Dr who would offer recommendations based on available MRI imaging and patient history remote treatment became a natural outgrowth of their work together While this case is a world-first for focalized treatment other recent experiences have set a precedent for prostate telesurgery teams out of Beijing and Rome led a successful remote robotic prostate cancer surgery connected two robots in Orlando to those in Dubai and Shanghai surgeons from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York collaborated with colleagues from Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg to remove a patient’s gallbladder making it the first robot-controlled telesurgery made possible with a high-speed fiberoptic connection Nearly 25 years of technological advancements—and two years of dedicated planning between the Cleveland Clinic teams—made this case possible Improved communication networks: “Landline communication offers high-speed What this means for us is that high-quality connectivity between each other and the robots results in seamless remote operations.” Technological synergy: “Modern robot platforms can connect and synchronize across continents.” Global adoption of focal therapy: “Focal therapy has become increasingly popular in Latin America Cleveland Clinic’s global presence means we have patients in different regions where we can potentially offer a new service for patients with the right indications.” Access to minimally invasive therapies like focal therapy varies greatly across states and communities Olivares asserts that telesurgery can improve accessibility to advanced offering access to underserved areas and the expertise of highly trained surgeons many residency and fellowship programs in the U.S have not yet adopted formal focalized treatment training programs Olivares has been instrumental in implementing such programs in 13 academic centers in the U.S particularly as longer-term data about HIFU become available This remote model could open new possibilities for training across regions in the U.S “Surgeons new to focal therapy could receive real-time proctoring for their initial cases fostering confidence and competence,” explains Dr Cleveland Clinic’s urology leadership is hopeful that this case is the first of many particularly as medicine moves into a new era of telesurgery Jihad Kaouk, MD, Department Chair of Urology at Cleveland Clinic “We are witnessing the dawn of telesurgery we anticipate clearer guidance on how to navigate emerging challenges in this field telesurgery presents a unique opportunity to expand access to care enhance training opportunities and reduce health disparities globally." Advertisement AI histologic classifier reliably predicts clinical risk in men post-prostatectomy Patient factors and cancer characteristics are key to deciding between focal therapies and whole gland treatment Novel research to evaluate noninvasive treatments in ED and chronic pelvic pain Correlation found between the biomarker HSD3B1 and resistance to combined hormone therapy and radiotherapy non-invasive option for monitoring intra-fractional prostate motion Optimized models can personalize predictions for patients with prostate FDA-approved therapy offers promise for patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer Clinical trial strategy was developed through research on a gene associated with treatment-resistant prostate cancer 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 Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Expose yourself to a variety of experiences These are among the many tips shared with Abril Olivares Nolasco ’26J at a career trek (a group visit with employers) to New York where she met with Smith alums and their colleagues at The New Yorker and other media firms “I learned that in order to make a successful and meaningful career it is important to be open to experience and to literally just put yourself out there!” says the psychology major In her exploration of a writing career, Abril joined the Arts, Media, and Communications career community and met with Debra Immergut the group advisor who brings to her role years of experience as an editor “Debra made sure to create a wonderful environment for students,” says Abril “She has made us feel validated and emphasized that it’s extremely valuable to pursue a career in a creative field.” Immergut also provided tips on how to make a living in writing how to expand networks within the media world and how to create a high-quality portfolio and more.” She has participated in many Lazarus Center services including mock interview prep with an alum who helped Abril practice and develop skills for real-world interviews “I got feedback on how to highlight my skills and past experience without losing valuable parts of my personality,” says Abril Abril worked in Los Angeles with a Smith alum on an upcoming documentary and learned the fundamentals of documentary projects Smith’s internship funding through the Praxis program helped make this opportunity possible She also worked on an essay which she hopes to get published in The New York Times Modern Love section Contact UsTo make an endowed gift or to learn more about supporting career development at Smith, please contact Betsy Carpenter ’93, associate vice president for development, at 413-585-2052 or ewcarpen@smith.edu Celebrate Smith’s 150th anniversary with us! Learn More About Education Learn More About Administrative Offices 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 and equity in the Department of Psychiatry has accepted a role as interim senior associate dean for equity and inclusion at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Olivares will provide strategic and thought leadership on issues pertaining to diversity and staff of the School of Medicine and Dentistry Olivares will also focus on three important issues at the Medical Center: updating and aligning the Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan (EARAP) with the Boundless Possibility Strategic Plan; reconnecting with Department Chairs as it relates to DEIJ; and reinvigorating the DEI Ambassador Program within the Medical Center Olivares’ clinical background combined with her passion and leadership for improving the lives of the underserved in our community makes her uniquely qualified to fill this interim role,” said David Linehan MD, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry “Her expertise will support our forward momentum toward realizing health equity in Rochester.” Olivares is stepping aside as clinical chief of the Division of Medicine in Psychiatry In addition to serving as interim senior associate dean for equity and inclusion she will retain her role as associate chair of diversity and equity in the Department of Psychiatry and as director of Lazos Fuertes “We are eager for Telva to begin her work aligning and advancing the equity and inclusion efforts at the Medical Center,” said Adrienne Morgan vice president for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer “The Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan was a bold step forward for our institution Given her involvement as head of the Health Equity Steering Committee we will benefit from her leadership in this and many other areas She is the right person at the right time.” Olivares says language equity remains a deeply rooted passion of hers “I want us to become an institution where a person of any national origin can feel welcome “I want us to have in place a culture where clinicians even if they don’t speak the language of the patient still know how to meet their patient’s needs and that the people who come here for care know that they will be listened to and heard.” Olivares says she also wants increased accountability when it comes to health equity work even greater access to data to help drive decisions and to increase trust within the Rochester community I do not want to be a person who sits for a year waiting for someone to be selected I want to make contributions that advance us during whatever time I will be in this position I want to be effective and actionable.” A search for a permanent senior associate dean for equity and inclusion is now underway RN has been selected as the inaugural director of equity and inclusion for affiliate hospitals within the UR Medicine health care network currently the interim director of DEI at the University of Rochester School of Nursing has more than 20 years of experience in DEI and a reputation as a collaborative leader with a keen eye toward strategic innovation she has always shown effective leadership while also advocating for those who are marginalized,” said Adrienne Morgan “We are thrilled to have someone with her skill and passion in this inaugural role.” Nestro will advance the university-wide DEI institutional priorities at the University of Rochester Medical Center and regional locations She will also act as a consultant to affiliate DEI directors on the implementation of best practices how to identify and address barriers related to meeting their DEI goals and by spreading awareness across the affiliate hospitals regarding available resources. She will continue in her role as the interim director of equity and inclusion at the University of Rochester School of Nursing where she has worked collaboratively with the School’s Council for Diversity She’s also a member of the Health Equity Steering Committee and has had a longstanding presence on University and Medical Center-wide DEIJ Committees Nestro’s work has been integral to creating a more welcoming and equitable environment for all our students dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing and vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center “Her new role will amplify her positive influence allowing her to continue driving progress at our School of Nursing while simultaneously spearheading DEI initiatives across our wider health care network.” Nestro has spent the past 40 years in psychiatric nursing and says her background will inform how she approaches her work with faculty and staff throughout UR Medicine’s affiliated hospitals “Psychiatric nurses are very attuned to group dynamics I’m also very much a strengths-based clinician so I’m always looking for the strengths that a system has and will work to build upon those,” Nestro said I aim to support our affiliates’ priorities in equity and inclusion help them to address health disparities where they may exist My focus will be on fostering strong collaborative relationships to create lasting positive change across our health care network.” Nestro has a long history working within systems to bring about positive change she took on the role of senior project manager to the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) where she assisted in writing the application and initiating two of the projects across 13 counties in a New York State health care initiative (DSRIP) “I am really excited about the synergies that we may discover as I collaborate with the affiliates,” said Nestro “These synergies will be beneficial to each of those hospitals the Medical Center as well as to our staff learners and the communities we serve.” Topics range from the basics of LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care to more specialized topics for clinicians. To register with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center you will be required to create a username and enter your email and name you will need the Security Keyword (HRC) and our HEI Facility ID (55712) as well as responses to a few questions about your role For questions about this training please email: genderpatientsupport@urmc.rochester.edu Strong Memorial Hospital earned a High Performer score in the 2024 Human Rights Campaign Foundation Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process 462 received the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” designation were scored based on meeting the following criteria: Strong was recognized as a High Performer for scoring 90 out of 100 points for having clearly communicated LGBTQ+ inclusive patient non-discrimination and employment non-discrimination policies Another area of excellence is patient services and support with Strong receiving full credit for meeting best practices in patient identification and data collection which recognizes our commitment to supporting and caring for LGBTQ+ people,” said URMC CEO and SMD Dean David Linehan “It is rewarding to be in the company of other health care organizations that prioritize comprehensive equity for all But we know we have more work to do to assure we are inclusive of all patients and that we are breaking down barriers to guarantee equitable access to quality health care.” As the nation recognizes Pride Month this month, the designation holds even more significance. This year’s HEI comes as LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to be “treated unfairly or with disrespect by a doctor or healthcare provider” in the last three years The impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation combined with a history of discrimination in healthcare settings has the potential to cause even more LGBTQ+ people to delay or avoid seeking healthcare which makes the HEI even more salient for those looking to find LGBTQ+-inclusive care To learn more about URMC and other healthcare facilities that took part in this year’s HEI, click here University of Rochester and University of Rochester Medical Center employees and students can claim up to 4 free tickets to the annual Rochester Red Wings Salute to the Negro Leagues Night at Innovative Field on June 14. The annual game celebrates the Negro Leagues contribution to major league baseball history Students and employees can pick up their tickets at the Office of Equity and Inclusion at the Medical Center Faculty and staff are asked to be aware of this and to make accommodations as needed the University of Rochester participated in the Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct administered by Westat in a nearly identical form to prior climate surveys organized by the Association of American Universities (AAU) Rochester students studying at all levels and across all schools were encouraged to participate in the survey At the conclusion of the survey, Westat compiled and organized the data for our campus. The University’s survey report and appendices prepared by Westat are posted on the University’s Title IX website What do these results mean for University of Rochester students The results of the survey help the University understand the prevalence and nature of students’ experiences with sexual and relationship violence as well as students’ knowledge and opinion of the Title IX resources available to them The survey results are used to inform University leadership and officials of the greatest areas of need to direct resources and prevention efforts. Specifically we will use the information in the survey report to assess the effectiveness of our training and other ongoing education programs to ensure that all community members feel well-informed about how to recognize and prevent sexual harassment in University spaces and places. the survey results will help us understand what communication strategies can be improved so that students and staff know where to find and how to access the relevant policies We are grateful to all undergraduate and graduate students who participated For specific questions about Rochester’s 2023 Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct, please contact titleix@rochester.edu If you are interested in supporting the Title IX Office’s work: Go to the Title IX Office’s CCU webpage to learn about upcoming events Register to take the Medallion course for the BADASS (Being Aware in which students learn skills to be active and empowered bystanders who can take action to interrupt harm to others We are seeking faculty and staff to support UR community members as trained advisors and support persons within the University’s Title IX and Student Sexual Misconduct processes. If you are interested in supporting UR community members in this way, please contact titleix@rochester.edu for more information ©2025 University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester Olivares Leon Invited to Play at Augusta Women’s National Amateur1/15/2025 8:33:00 PM | Women's Golf vsLandfall Tradition Olivares Leon Wins Share of Landfall Tradition Title10/27/2024 6:32:00 PM | Women's Golf Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Overview Our Commitment to Student Success Supporting Student Success Join Our Team Staff Contact HomeMessage from the Executive Director—December 2024Special Edition: Message from Executive Director Dr Associate Vice Provost for Academic Equity and Executive Director of the David T Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity This year I have frequently revisited a poem by Franny Choi and the World Goes On which for me seems both a fitting subtitle to the current time The poem reminds us that while the whole of human history is shot through with unbearable pain and suffering unimaginable choices and thoughtless decisions—even during such violence better things and more fruitful lives can emerge and flourish It's a fitting coda to challenges the staff students and families of the Kearns Center and university are facing We remain steadfast in our mission to support low-income first-generation and minoritized students on their educational paths and to work to remove or address institutional barriers to that success nation and globe have real impacts on our work but I hope you understand the larger point To focus on our own intellectual and educational paths amidst so much change comforted by the resilience our students at all levels have demonstrated Students--the work in which you are all engaged has the capacity to create just that The staff who work in the Kearns Center share that faith and are here to support your academic journeys But please take time to reflect on all that you have accomplished Commit to yourself to continue the necessary work so that you can excel—the future depends on it You are as story fed by generationsYou carry songs of grief triumphLoss and joyFeel their power as they ascendWithin youAs you walk March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 Contact us(585) 275-2121 See maps and directionsRochester, NYSearch Rochester.edu SearchPrivacy Copyright Emergency Information© University of Rochester 1996–2025 You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience A new brick-and-mortar restaurant docked along one of Kansas City’s popular dining corridors is sailing into the blustery Midwest market this winter — with the young entrepreneur behind the counter offering her family’s fresh take on Mexican seafood cuisine Mariscos Mr. Culichi is now open at 910 Southwest Boulevard (Taqueria Mexico long operated in the space “It had old Mexico kind of vibes,” Noelia Olivares said of the longtime eatery’s former aesthetics bringing the sea to the restaurant to uplift the space.” On one wall now: the words “En El Mar La Vida Es Más Sabrosa” (“Life is more flavorful at sea”) while the opposite wall has a seascape and the restaurant’s logo The menu includes several seafood soups with broth made fresh daily Click here to follow Mariscos Mr the former longtime home of Taqueria Mexico followed by La Mexico KC; photo by Joyce Smith Even as a high school student in Roeland Park Olivares knew she wanted to launch a food business; she just had to convince her parents — a tight-knit family originally from coastal Sinaloa Mexico — a region known for its seafood dishes she would often post photos of her stepfather’s home-cooked meals on social media Olivares not only got a lot of likes; her followers wanted to place orders “They were offering insane amounts for our dinner But her parents all already had full-time jobs Graduating in 2020 from Bishop Meige High School — amid the global COVID-19 pandemic — changed things The family banded together to bring Olivares’ vision to life as Mariscos Mr Culichi is not connected to the Mariscos KC Seafood in Olathe and Shawnee.) They set it up on Winner Road in Independence where it operated until late November when the family operation transitioned to the more permanent space on Southwest Boulevard Olivares now is a junior at University of Kansas City-Missouri — a student in the Henry W. Bloch School of Management and an alum of its E-Scholars program which helps young entrepreneurs learn how to launch and scale businesses Murals of seaside vistas grace the walls of Mariscos Mr Culichi is already known for its Torre Señorón — a seafood tower with ceviche “Even at the food truck it was the most-sold dish “But at the food truck we couldn’t do the presentation that we do in the restaurant A post shared by Mariscos Mr. Culichi (@mariscosmr.culichi) Restaurant customers also have made its Caldo Extremo 7 a top-seller and dishes are made-to-order and can be customized One challenge as restaurant owners is finding workers who will keep the same level of quality and customer service that the family did operating their food truck you just automatically know that it is quality,” she explained And their food truck will return for special events in the warmer months “That’s how we really connected with our customers,” Olivares said a deeper relationship than customer and business owner.” IA - Jose Olivares did not allow a run across 4.2 innings in his Kernels debut and Billy Amick drove in all three runs as Cedar Rapids topped Beloit 3-2 in its 2025 home opener After the first ten Kernels went down in order to begin the game Kyle DeBarge worked a walk to reach with one out in the fourth Billy Amick roped a two-out double down the right field line scoring DeBarge from first to put Cedar Rapids on top 1-0 That stayed the score until the sixth inning behind the work of Jose Olivares the right-hander did not give up a run in 4.2 innings of work allowing just one hit while posting six strikeouts Caden Kendle led off the inning with a walk and Kaelen Culpepper followed with a single into right field The Kernels first baseman hit a fly ball into center field that scored both Kendle and Culpepper all the way from second to up the Cedar Rapids edge to 3-0 Brock Vradenburg lined a one-out double into right-center scoring a run to put the Sky Carp on the board and make it 3-1 With runners on second and third and one out Jacob Wosinski entered out of the Kernels bullpen and got Michael Snyder to line out to center field striking out Emaarion Boyd to close out the 3-2 win and collect his first save of the season The win improves the Kernels to 3-1 to begin the year and makes Cedar Rapids 8-3 in its last 11 home openers Game two of the season-opening six-game homestand is set for tomorrow at 6:35 with Ross Dunn on the mound for the Kernels opposite Noble Meyer Moves sparking fears of a crackdown on such children and prompting alarm about ‘backdoor family separation’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officials are seeking out unaccompanied immigrant children in operations nationwide with a view to deporting them or pursuing criminal cases against them or adult sponsors sheltering them legally in the US The moves are sparking fears of a crackdown on such children and prompting alarm about what one critic called “backdoor family separation” In recent months, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Ice have begun engaging in “welfare checks” on children who arrived in the US alone, usually via the US-Mexico border to “ensure that they are safe and not being exploited” Read moreMeanwhile, in Donald Trump’s second term, legal services provided to unaccompanied minors have been slashed and funds are not flowing despite court intervention And the federal agency monitoring unaccompanied immigrant children has begun sharing sensitive data with Ice The Ice document shows “ it’s not just about checking in on kids making sure that they can account for them and that they’re not being exploited” the director of legal resources and training for the National Immigration Project and the goals are criminalization of the kid or criminalization of the sponsor In addition to verifying that the children are not trafficked or exploited the Ice document shows officials are also gathering intelligence to see whether the children are a “flight risk” or a “threat to public safety” or whether they are viable to be deported Immigration experts and attorneys say such “fact finding” operations by Ice to track unaccompanied minors are still in their early stages It’s in the name of saying that they’re pursuing children’s welfare They seem to be actually trying to conduct an enforcement operation,” said Shaina Aber the executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice “It seems very clear that what they are actually doing is gathering intelligence on the family.” “As long as the government has some nebulous allegation they know an immigration judge will likely order the person removed,” Méndez said Earlier this month, Ice officials visited a 16-year-old girl in Washington state for a “welfare check”. During the visit, which was first reported by the Spokesman-Review the frightened girl messaged and called Samuel Smith the director of immigrant legal aid at Manzanita House the organization that is representing the girl in her immigration case “Both the text messages sent and the tone of communication when talking on the phone was of a child who was incredibly scared,” Smith said “She had no idea what was going on and was worried that her life would be flipped upside down.” The Washington Post reported this month that other federal agencies have also been conducting welfare checks and reporting information to Ice “I can appreciate the publicly stated goal but I don’t necessarily believe it,” Smith said According to the Ice document and a federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the operations two offices within Ice are conducting the unaccompanied immigrant children operations: enforcement and removal operations (ERO) and homeland security investigations (HSI) runs Ice’s deportation system while HSI runs mostly international criminal investigations into drug smuggling but they are increasingly working together in this administration officials from ERO and HSI will coordinate “on pursuing UAC” which stands for “unaccompanied alien children” while ERO will verifiy that “immigration enforcement action is taken” “ERO officers should remember they are to enforce final orders of removal and HSI will pursue criminal options for UAC who have committed crimes,” the document says a senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law finds it “difficult to reconcile the alleged well-meaning intention of these visits with the reality of the terror and trauma they have caused for children and families across the country” “Given the intent articulated in this memo families have well-founded fear surrounding these visits,” Wolozin added in an attempt to address the immigration of children in a humane manner Unaccompanied minors then go through lengthy proceedings and in the meantime enroll in school Some children released to ORR sponsors have been found to have been trafficked and exploited “There are instances of trafficking in the United States,” Smith said The vast majority are in placements that are supportive in a good place for them to be able to live.” For years, Trump allies have pushed the narrative that unaccompanied immigrant children have been trafficked, placing blame on the Biden administration. They have pointed to a DHS inspector general report that found that Ice was not able to adequately track unaccompanied minors under their care Experts point to a bureaucratic paperwork backlog by Ice “The previous administration allowed many of these children who came across the border unaccompanied to be placed with sponsors who were actually smugglers and sex traffickers,” the DHS assistant secretary President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem take the responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to reunite children with their families.” Since the Trump administration returned to office, HHS has cut legal services for unaccompanied children. There is currently a legal fight at play, in an attempt to restore legal resources for unaccompanied minors who are attempting to stay in the US. Read moreDuring the first Trump administration, ORR began to share data with Ice regarding immigrant children and their sponsors. Similarly at that time, immigration officials arrested 170 undocumented immigrants who tried to become sponsors for children in government custody Although the Biden administration stopped the data-sharing practice, the new Trump White House has again begun the process of information sharing between agencies. A new Trump-era change now also allows for ORR to share the legal status of children’s sponsors with Ice sparking fears that the information will be used to arrest and deport undocumented sponsors ORR did not respond to a request for comment “I worry about the trauma the kids are going through There is a climate of fear for immigrants in this country right now,” Aber said “The amount of trauma that this administration seems willing to put kids through is really upsetting.” The new acting director of ORR is Angie Salazar, a former Ice agent under HSI. Salazar took over the role in March after the prior acting director of ORR, another Ice official, was ousted from the role MLB Trade Rumors By Mark Polishuk | January 11 The Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball are close to a deal with outfielder Edward Olivares according to multiple reports out of Japan and Venezuela Olivares signed a minor league contract with the Mets last month but it seems as though New York will be releasing (or has already released) Olivares so he can pursue this opportunity with the Osaka-based Buffaloes Olivares’ final MLB appearance with Pittsburgh came on July 7 and the Pirates designated Olivares for assignment and subsequently outrighted him off their 40-man roster in August After making his big league debut with San Diego in 2020, the Padres moved him to the Royals at that season’s trade deadline and Olivares has played 217 of his 285 MLB games in a Kansas City uniform The Royals tenure was highlighted by a .270/.322/.410 slash line (106 wRC+) over 559 plate appearances during the 2022-23 seasons with Olivares making 385 of those trips to the plate in a semi-regular role in 2023 as Kansas City’s left fielder The outfield-needy Pirates were inspired enough by that performance to trade for Olivares in December 2023 but he couldn’t continue that production during his short time in Pittsburgh Olivares has been tearing it up in Venezuelan Winter League which might well have caught the Buffaloes’ attention it isn’t uncommon for MLB teams to simply release players from minor league contracts if the player is relatively low on the depth chart Olivares is also out of minor league options which would have complicated his chances of sticking in New York’s organization anyway even if he had cracked the Mets’ active roster at some point as the Osaka squad looks to rebound from a disappointing 63-77-3 record in 2024 New York Mets Nippon Professional Baseball Transactions Edward Olivares 4 months ago He always struck me as having the potential to be an above-average hitter if given the playing time I’m surprised they didn’t play him more in either Kansas City or Pittsburgh It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a good deal of success in Japan 4 months ago but Pirates gave him every chance to be the regular RF last season He looked awful in the field and regressed at the plate 4 months ago I’m not sure that 174 ABs constitutes giving him “every chance” and it’s not like they benched him for Dave Parker I might have played him over Bryan De La Cruz (.216 in the second half) or Connor Joe (.190) 4 months ago most of them starts (and many of them where he was pulled early) He played for the first few months in a platoon but couldn’t hit enough to ignore his awful defense and he cratered in June It hurt to see because I wanted to see him succeed 4 months ago Relegate the Mariners to the NPB league and bring up the Orix Buffaloes to Seattle 4 months ago and Drew Pomeranz were all signed the offseason by the Mariners!! 4 months ago Jacob Nottingham has a better chance being casted in “Robin Hood Men in Tights” than making a MLB team 4 months ago If Seattle even had $40m in new money available Subtracting here to add there doesn’t feel like getting better overall You have to win your challenge trades by a large margin to get considerably better 4 months ago Relegation would be interesting in the MLB 4 months ago 4 months ago Also looked like some bad luck on actual results last year with a .250 BABIP (.295 previously over his career) Also a very good .331 xwOBA against an actual .276 wOBA That seems like way too big a gap to be some fatal flaw and not include some really poor luck given he’s never been one to have huge gaps previously in his career I’d have guessed he’d find his way onto a roster as a weak side of the platoon guy Glad he’ll make some guaranteed money after not finding it with a major league team this offseason 4 months ago 4 months ago He’ll join Jordan Diaz and Luis Perdomo as two of the non-Japanese members of the Buffaloes’ roster 4 months ago 4 months ago 4 months ago Mets better sign Alonso now that they’ve lost this guy Register MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball Register The Mets bring in a couple of minor league talents While the world waits for news on if the Mets pulled off the win in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, the Mets were keeping busy, doing more than just signing Clay Holmes. Today, the team signed outfielder Edward Olivares to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The Mets also traded 2024 international bonus pool money to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitching prospect Sean Harney has played parts of five seasons in the big leagues with his best season coming in 2023 for the Royals where he hit .263./317./452 with 12 home runs and 23 doubles After being traded to the Pirates last offseason, Connor Williams of Bucs Dugout wrote a really thoughtful piece about Olivares which took a look at his underlying numbers and expressed some hope for what he could mean for Pittsburgh last season Olivares’s good bat-to-ball skills have generated solid contact rates and low strikeouts he was 64th percentile in terms of whiff rate and his 16.6 percent strikeout rate was in the 83rd percentile He also hits breaking pitches exceptionally well hitting .300 off of them in 2022 and .297 this past season to go along with slugging .584 off those pitches His above average raw power however hasn’t always shown up in games Olivares was tied for the fourth longest average homerun distance in MLB (minimum 10 homeruns) with an average distance of 416ft The right-hander improved his slugging percentage from .410 to .452 off the back of a launch angle improvement of 5.6 degrees to an average of 12.2 Olivares took a step back in almost every offensive category in 2024 making almost half the MLB plate appearances that he made the year prior there hasn’t been a ton of digital ink spilled about Sean Harney who was drafted by the club in 2022 and who ended the year playing for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits Interestingly, much like his new org mate Clay Holmes hope to achieve this season, Harney made the transition from relief pitcher to starter late in his college career at the University of Kentucky. Harney has worked as both a starter and a reliever in the Rays organization. According to Daniel Russel of DRays Bay, Harney’s main pitch is a ‘plus slider.’ While neither of these moves jump off the page too dramatically the Olivares move has the potential to do what Williams thought the Pirates could do which is unlike the best version of Olivares by helping him be more selective at the plate And while Harney is essentially a flyer on a relatively unheralded player it is nice to see the organization trying to find diamonds in the rough to help fill out its rosters The Faith Hedgepeth murder case is one step closer to trial It’s been more than three years since Miguel Salguero-Olivares was arrested and charged with murder His arrest came nearly 10 years after Hedgepeth a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was found beaten to death in her apartment On Thursday at Durham’s quarterly homicide status hearing attorneys for both sides said they’re ready to schedule a trial the assistant district attorney assigned to the case told the judge the two sides are in the process of finalizing discovery there is a large amount of evidence to go through the two sides plan to get in front of a judge to schedule a trial that would last at least a week Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry asked to remove the case from homicide status which essentially moves the case past the administration stage and into trial preparation Hedgepeth’s family was in the courtroom for Thursday's update Garcia-Lamarca said they’ve been present for every hearing WRAL News recently reported Salguero-Olivares is now facing new charges: first-degree burglary first-degree rape and first-degree sexual offense WRAL obtained court records back in 2023, which explain why it’s taken so long for Salguero-Olivares to go to trial One reason is there’s so much evidence – more than 39,000 pages Those court records also revealed that the state has 30 expert witnesses they expect to call to trial Hedgepeth was just 19 years old and a sophomore at UNC when she was found dead in September 2012. WRAL News has a timeline of the events following her death or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading Please purchase a subscription to continue reading click through to verify your information to receive free access We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription Your current subscription does not provide access to this content Please use the button below to manage your account or sign up for a new account tocontinue reading We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Wilkes Medical Center in Wilkes County to Socorro Olivares and Mary Ann Davis Martha Olivares of Taylorsville and Jennifer Barnes of Harmony; three brothers Roman O’Sullivan of Wilkes and Fernando Olivares of Taylorsville He was loved by everyone for his fun-loving personality and sense of humor Martin loved making people laugh and he would do anything for a joke Some of Martin’s favorite hobbies included cooking Martin spent the majority of his time taking care of his family and fur-babies He also worked with the disc golf club to improve the course The family will be honoring Martin with a Celebration of Life with close family and friends at a later date In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to https://inaheartbeat.org/ (HCM Research Program) Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com Stay Informed: Sign up for our newsletter so you can receive news updates every publication day Sign up today to have our e-edition delivered to your inbox there are no recent results for popular videos there are no recent results for popular commented articles House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug 26 and end no later than the Friday clo… Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: the University of Texas at Dallas removed most newspaper stands that once held its official student publication: The Mercury The student-produced newspaper hadn’t published a physical edition since last fall after students went on strike over the firing of its editor who defended the organization’s coverage of pro-Palestinian protests on campus Olivares Gutierrez and his colleagues launched an alternative news organization The Retrograde The students published the first hardcopy edition Jan one day after the newsstands were removed from campus Olivares Gutierrez and his fellow student journalists passed out by hand more than a thousand copies He watched as more and more people flipped open the eight-page edition. Inside with the banner headline: “Public records revealed.” The article contained what Olivares Gutierrez had learned from examining a thousand emails administrators had sent and received following pro-Palestine protests at UT-Dallas He reported that the university tried to downplay an update to its free speech guidelines to prohibit tents and barricades in the days after a contentious pro-Palestine protest on campus “I don’t want to be the sole knower of this,” Olivares Gutierrez said Olivares Gutierrez and his peers launched the Retrograde without university funding or oversight after clashing with the administration over their coverage of those protests while working for the Mercury administrators replaced their adviser with one who wanted to attend editorial meetings and read stories before they printed UT-Dallas officials have denied their decisions had anything to do with the Mercury’s content after making some changes to how student media is governed The Mercury staff published multiple stories that questioned whether UT-Dallas should have brought state troopers in to dismantle an encampment and arrest 21 people on May 1. The Mercury reported the university did not respond to numerous requests for comment, so they included some of what Benson wrote about the incident in an op-ed for the Dallas Morning News Benson said UT-Dallas “staunchly protects the rights of free speech and free assembly,” but had to call law enforcement after it became clear the protesters would not comply with a request to move or disassemble the encampment “It is important to note that no one was arrested for being a protester,” he said One of the Mercury’s top stories was an interview with an art history professor who was arrested most of them critical of the university and Benson an administrator called him and then-Mercury managing editor Maria Shaikh into a meeting That administrator told them they had committed “journalism malpractice,” but wouldn’t explain how who wanted to attend editorial meetings and read stories before they were published Tensions boiled over in September when Olivares Gutierrez was removed as editor-in-chief at a last-minute meeting of the board that governs the Mercury He said the university then didn’t follow its own procedures to consider his appeal UT-Dallas officials declined to comment on disciplinary proceedings or on personnel matters other than to say the Mercury’s prior adviser was serving on an interim basis and is currently assistant director of student media They also said they are working with the student government faculty and staff to create a new advisory committee that could revise student media bylaws also known as the director of student media “is responsible for general oversight of the material business affairs and operating procedures of all UTD student media” and “shall attend all staff meetings and training sessions conducted by UTD student media in an advisory capacity.” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the Student Press Law Center have insisted the bylaws be amended to give student editors the ability to make decisions about the newspaper’s leadership “The SMOB’s oversight authority over The Mercury and other UTD student media directly invites the kind of impermissible content control prohibited by the First Amendment,” the groups wrote in a letter to UT-Dallas that has gone unanswered Courts have repeatedly ruled that the First Amendment forbids college administrators from censoring or taking adverse action against student publications unless they can show a story would lead to a violent disruption in the educational environment or is obscene enacting laws to protect college student journalists from censorship and advisers from retaliation for refusing to censor them and this is a time when student journalists are under pressure the likes of which have not been seen since the Vietnam War Some who have covered protests to the Israel-Hamas war have been expelled and arrested in the past year a staff attorney at the Student Press Law Center he believes student media can have both university support and editorial independence this movement of protests has called that into question a bit but there are still plenty of effective models,” Gaston Falk said The Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment at the University of Florida studied some of these models in 2024 It found that a majority of student news outlets get some of their funding from their associated university and have university-paid faculty or staff advise them To combat the threats associated with this it recommended making the university agree in writing when an adviser will intervene and how It found one attempt to do this via student media operating boards and their bylaws Other UT system student newspapers have also been critical of their universities’ response to protests last year and appear to not have faced any repercussions but that may be because they are set up differently than the Mercury The Mercury is supported by student fees and advertisements. It is housed under the university’s Student Affairs Office and is allocated $65,000 annually. It is overseen by the Student Media Operating Board which consists of five students and two faculty members The student government president can recommend nominees to the board but the university’s vice president of Student Affairs has the final say on who serves The Daily Texan is partially funded by UT-Austin and also has a university employee advising it. It, too, is overseen by a board where students hold the majority students are elected by the student body to the board The Daily Texan’s editor-in-chief is also chosen that way The Retrograde is pursuing a 501c3 nonprofit status, which few student media outlets around the country have. The Brechner Center counted 52 in 2024, including UT-San Antonio’s Paisano. It operates under the Paisano Educational Trust UT-Dallas does not offer a degree in journalism but its students are no less committed to the field They designed the Retrograde’s website in two weeks while waiting for Olivares Gutierrez’s appeal of his firing to play out They refused to give the university the password for the Mercury’s Instagram They argued the account had been created and maintained by students They renamed it and directed the Mercury’s followers to the Retrograde’s website when Olivares Gutierrez’s appeal was denied readers found coverage of the university similar to that of the Mercury’s — a feature on an alumni-owned restaurant an update on the latest actions of student government They planned to continue publishing online biweekly until they raised enough money to print The $900 advertisement FIRE took out in January allowed them to do that the university called the police on students for being in the now-empty Mercury office It picked up Mercury kiosks from campus so they couldn’t be used to distribute the Retrograde UT-Dallas’ associate vice president of media relations said police were called after one student was repeatedly asked to leave the office and refused She said it was after hours and the office was not a public space but students and others in the community may distribute literature in the university’s common areas Oliveres Gutierrez said despite these hiccups the students put out 1,900 copies of the Retrograde in the past two weeks and only 33 remained as of Monday This has only caused the students to focus more on the Retrograde rather than returning to the Mercury building the Retrograde was scary and stressful at times earning $150 a month as a copy editor to $750 a month as managing editor She was scared they would not be able to attract students to work for no pay This has so far not ended up being the case “I remember ending up in tears a couple of times because there was so much we were unsure about,” she said who now serves as the Retrograde’s managing editor is majoring in biochemistry; Olivares Gutierrez in political science and philosophy Both said working at the Mercury helped them grow in ways their classes couldn't “It has really helped me break out of my shell and talk to people who I never would have even thought to talk to before,” Shaikh said “That has done so much for me and my confidence and my self growth that I really want for that option to exist in the future.” They also think an independent press must exist to keep UT-Dallas accountable. The main story of the Retrograde’s inaugural print edition was the product of a public records request the students spent nearly $3,000 to receive They expect to receive more records in the coming months and plan to review and report on them when they do The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage Disclosure: University of Texas - Dallas and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here Choose an amount or learn more about membership « Back vsCougar Classic Olivares Lead Pack at Cougar Classic9/10/2024 3:49:00 PM | Women's Golf The Pack will play at the Cavalier Regional Preview THERE was a photo shared by Ateneo Football Team alumni of the retirement celebration this past week for longtime high school and college head coach Arnulfo “Ompong” Merida he was with his peers and colleagues—Bob Salvacion and Hans Peter Smit coached Ateneo from the late 90s while Salvacion carved out a name for himself with the University of the Philippines All three men are no longer with their alma maters having given way to younger coaches—former players. All three men are no longer the sturdy and well-chiseled selves who were bronzed by the sun (save for Smit who is fair-skinned despite his best efforts to get a tan) All three are legends and have guided their schools to multiple championships Merida had a “three-peat” of his own from 2004-06. it was Salvacion and Smit who were toasting Merida I was invited to share anecdotes about Merida as I covered him for over a decade The next best thing is to do what I have done from the start—write about him the first will be the finals of the 2005 Unievrsity Athletic Association of the Philippines championship game where Ateneo played University of Santo Tomas (UST) The game went into a penalty shootout after both teams were level at 1-1 after extra time Merida selected the five Ateneans to take the spot kicks then to the surprise of everyone retreated to the bench and lay down “Whoever cheered last would be the champion.” Even the penalty shoot-out went into extra spot kicks UST hoped to score then stop Ateneo’s 10th penalty attempt Merida admitted he was nervous and couldn’t bear to watch Merida would patrol the sideline like a panther looking to pounce he would race down to where he was allowed and scream “1v1 support.” Then throw his cap on the ground with a choice expletive I would always chuckle when this happened. He would look at me after either with his eyes smiling or roll them in dismay Jesus Oscariz and Chris Monfort as legends who led the blue and white to football glory. Thanks for your service and those championships I will have these anecdotes and more to make me chuckle and feel proud Input your search keywords and press Enter We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Gloria Garza Olivares created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Mission Park Funeral Chapels & Cemeteries Made with love by funeralOne By Anthony Franco | December 6 Olivares is the lone new acquisition of that trio The righty-hitting outfielder has played for the Padres Royals and Pirates over an MLB career spanning parts of five seasons Almost half of his playing time came in 2023 when he appeared in 107 games for Kansas City The Venezuelan outfielder hit .263/.317/.452 with 12 homers and 11 stolen bases over 385 plate appearances but he also underperformed and was non-tendered last month Olivares has intermittently flashed intriguing physical tools He has slightly above-average contact skills and owns a .254/.306/.407 batting line in nearly 1000 plate appearances Olivares is a solid runner with plus arm strength he grades as a below-average defender in the corners He’ll vie for a rotational role in Carlos Mendoza’s outfield New York Mets Transactions Edward Olivares 5 months ago May end up a decent bench pickup now that he has left Pittsburgh 5 months ago 5 months ago 5 months ago “Organizational depth”…someone has to play the outfield in Syracuse now that DJ Stewart is gone 5 months ago The Albuquerque Police Department is seeking any information that may assist in the ongoing investigation of a homicide On October 1, 2024, an unknown assailant stabbed Rafael Olivares (pictured) near the intersection of Menaul Blvd NE and Eubank Blvd NE. After being stabbed, Rafael walked a short distance before dying near the KFC, located at 2201 Eubank Blvd. You can read our story on the homicide below If you have any information regarding Rafael’s death, please contact Crime Stoppers immediately. Crime Stoppers asks anyone with information to contact them at (505) 843-STOP (7867), through p3tips.com/531 or by texting ‘ABQCS’ to 738477 You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers or using their tip link *ABQRAW is not liable for rewards or the terms and conditions governing reward payouts Please Request Permission Before Disseminating on Other Social Media Platforms We also need your support in keeping local journalism alive Go to https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=ZRPKF56W3ATGS You must be logged in to post a comment Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive “I was a Democrat because I was told I was,” said Olivares, a square-jawed 54-year-old in a cowboy hat and boots. “I didn’t want to be different than my parents and my brothers and my sister.” But he said he was so turned off by what he saw as President Barack Obama’s failure to support law enforcement that he switched parties. “I had to deal with the feeling of divorcing my family,” he told me over a Coca-Cola in Rio Grande City, the seat of Starr County. This year, he became the first person, as far as he knows, to run for local office as a Republican here since the 1880s. During his campaign for county sheriff he was careful not to mention Donald Trump, fearing an association with the former president could hurt him in this traditionally Democratic area. But, he said, voters kept bringing up Trump themselves, telling Olivares how much they liked the billionaire from Queens. I saw this myself more than once when I heard drivers honk their horns in town at trucks waving flags for Trump. A tectonic transformation is underway in the Rio Grande Valley, which is a reflection of what’s happening nationally. “The GOP is what the Democrats used to be,” Olivares said. Texas.Starr County is almost 100 percent Latino that should have made it a lock for Democrats That’s their catchphrase,” said Olivares of the local party’s mantra which roughly translates to Democrats will represent the poor there simply was no Republican Party in the area when Olivares’s wife wanted to vote in a Republican primary poll workers had to make phone calls and send her to numerous polling stations just to track down a GOP ballot But last week, the county flipped to the Republican Party for the first time in over 130 years The last time Starr County voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 1892 STARR COUNTY, Texas \u2014 Alberto Olivares is a fourth-generation Tejano who worked for Customs and Border Patrol for 26 years. He\u2019s also been a Democrat most of his life. \u201CI was a Democrat because I was told I was,\u201D said Olivares, a square-jawed 54-year-old in a cowboy hat and boots. \u201CI didn\u2019t want to be different than my parents and my brothers and my sister.\u201D But he said he was so turned off by what he saw as President Barack Obama\u2019s failure to support law enforcement that he switched parties. \u201CI had to deal with the feeling of divorcing my family,\u201D he told me over a Coca-Cola in Rio Grande City, the seat of Starr County. This year, he became the first person, as far as he knows, to run for local office as a Republican here since the 1880s. A tectonic transformation is underway in the Rio Grande Valley, which is a reflection of what\u2019s happening nationally. \u201CThe GOP is what the Democrats used to be,\u201D Olivares said. That\u2019s their catchphrase,\u201D said Olivares of the local party\u2019s mantra when Olivares\u2019s wife wanted to vote in a Republican primary But last week, the county flipped to the Republican Party for the first time in over 130 years