“My name is Martin Sahagun. I’m the CEO of Sahagun Siles Partners I have a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in urban design.” “This city has provided me almost everything I always say if I didn’t move to Chicago This city is a living laboratory for urban planners “Sahagun Siles and our partners have projects all over the city We provide design and construction services we can help our clients work with the city to get the right permits for their projects We have been working with the ADU ordinance since 2021.” basements and attics that can be turned into additional living spaces on the same property That means more affordable housing in the city It helps prevent a housing crisis and avoid skyrocketing prices compared to other big cities in the country.” “There are lots of ways a resident can use an ADU They can rent it out and have extra income – that’s really helpful for them And it also adds affordable housing to the neighborhood and increases the value of the property.” it can be a way for multi-generational families to live together.” “Both of these things create new development while keeping wealth and diversity in the neighborhood I think we have a responsibility to keep a certain character in the city.” “Most of the communities in Chicago need more units They already have many buildings; they’re just not being used in the best way ADUs help to avoid urban sprawl and promote a more sustainable future of the city.” a lot of neighborhoods have big buildings which are single-family homes families are shrinking and density in the city is going up.” “Some of our clients are in the most segregated neighborhoods of the city They come to us because they need help to solve existing building violations We make a point of getting these buildings up to code so they can continue being used for housing.” “Sometimes it seems like the city would prefer to demolish them because that is easier than fixing things we can meet our housing needs with buildings we already have we create a more compact and sustainable city.” actually working with the building department “It’s understandable because you have to make the units safe but sometimes it seems like there’s not a lot of communication between the zoning department and the building department maybe these projects could get done quicker and we could have more of them.” right now there are only five zones in the city that are allowed to build ADUs It should be expanded to anywhere in Chicago We should be taking a look at all the neighborhoods not just the neighborhoods lucky to be chosen by City Hall I believe more ADUs would help create a less-segregated city.” “Many of our clients who live in neighborhoods where the ADU program doesn’t apply get very annoyed and ask us why this program only applies to certain parts of the city 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 Chicago Cultural Center Visual Arts Program Chicago Monuments Project Corporate Partnership Opportunities Chicago Poet Laureate Program DCASE Archived Newsletters DCASE Impact Snapshot 2024 DCASE Press Room Job Opportunities Special Event Permit Application Volunteer Opportunities (click on image to enlarge) Learning Lab and Michigan Avenue Galleries fabric and wire to create totemic ancestor dolls that symbolize the feeling of home and function as a talisman The dolls are designed to stack on each other to form a totem that will be incorporated into the exhibition Luis A Plan Your Visit Take CTA to Chicago Cultural Center Mission Chicago Cultural Center Millennium Park DCASE Calendar of Events 78 E. Washington St. 4th floor Chicago, IL 60602 Get Directions Email DCASE A twenty-something Louis Sahagún had just dropped out of junior college and was looking for work when he came across an opening for a utility worker at the Los Angeles Times Sahagún got the job and swept the lead dust around the printing machines but it was the environment of the buzzing newsroom that widened young Sahagún's eyes incredibly diverse group of folks," he told NPR He recalls meeting an anarchist poet over lunch with fellow utility workers: "I was electrified by the idea that I worked shoulder to shoulder with a person like that." The atmosphere inspired Sahagún to further his education and eventually he worked his way up to becoming a staff writer at the L.A Sahagún established himself as one of the most recognizable bylines in California He made his first appearances in the paper reviewing books and went on to cover everything from politics crime and religion to the environment and culture I've been chasing those diminishing scenes," Sahagún said of the places he grew up in in Southern California "I developed internal marching orders decades ago to write articles that would take our readers to places they have never been." NPR's All Things Considered met Louis Sahagún on the concrete banks of the Los Angeles River a place he says is emblematic of the many development water management and environmental battles the city and its residents have long faced This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity Louis Sahagún: It is a real river that's been straight-jacketed and concretized And that occurred in 1938 after a historic flood And so the city fathers and the people who were moving in said Army Corps of Engineer to come in and cover it in concrete so that it'll rush storm water from here out to the ocean partly because of the safety that this infrastructure provided one of the fastest-growing communities in the United States Ailsa Chang: You grew up in an area now called the Whittier Narrows There were fleets of frogs leaping out of the grass My uncles were shooting waterfowl and we were having them for dinner The smell of mule fat was everywhere in the air — it's a kind of native plant that you find along river areas and streams in Southern California — and it has a peculiar smell I get goosebumps because it takes me all the way back to the ranch [where I grew up] then known as El Rancho del Don Daniel Chang: And growing up on a ranch with your family in that area how do you think that shaped your relationship with nature all of that wildlife and all that natural kind of excitement I've been chasing those diminishing scenes That was the thing that propelled me through it all was looking for patches What their fate might be in the way of more development Chang: Is there a moment or two in your career at the L.A Times that you look back on most proudly or most fondly Sahagún: I had a major contribution to the first Pulitzer won by the Latino journalists My contribution was a profile of the community of Boyle Heights Our mission for that series was to turn the page to tell the real story of Latinos on the east side of this very river (the L.A [for] coverage of the Latino community of L.A We laid the groundwork for a whole new understanding Chang: I feel like every time I see some untold story about some corner of California that I have never heard of I don't even have to look at the byline because I just know it's going to be your name at the top of that story What is it about California that has kept you here for all these decades as a writer Sahagún: In part because I grew up with working-class Chicano parents I felt I was writing dispatches for people like those I grew up with and I was taking them to places that I never got to go within the area Like Owens Valley to remote corners of the Mojave that was great." That was the applause I was looking for Chang: When you look back on your more than four decades writing about this state some female tortoises are laying more eggs than they are physiologically capable of laying without dying It's a genetic Hail Mary pass into the future on behalf of the species that Those female desert tortoises are my heroes Chang: I can tell you still love to tell stories It's going to be a unique take on the eastern Sierra Nevada and the mystics and gurus and hucksters who gravitated there and whose influence lingers still in surprising ways Become an NPR sponsor Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More the Los Angeles River is sustained by a flow of wastewater Now, a battle is brewing between environmentalists and wastewater recycling advocates about where that wastewater should go. In an interview for "LA Times Today," staff writer Louis Sahagun told host Lisa McRee about the water fight and the future of the LA River. Much of the water in the LA River is treated sewer water. Most of it comes from toilet and sinks and is discharged by Glendale, Burbank and city of LA. "The water is purchased or imported from the Colorado River, from the Bay Area," said Sahagun. "It comes down to three water reclamation plants along the river, and it's treated with U.V. lights, and then it goes [to] cities. What the cities don't use flows back and gets dumped into the river. What they don't use is toilet, water sink, water, etc. It goes into the LA River at a rate of more than 35 million gallons per day, and it's flushed to the Pacific Ocean." Some cities along the river are now trying to conserve some of the wastewater that ends up in the ocean. Plans to develop the river north of downtown LA could also impact other areas along the riverbed. "There are billions of dollars' worth of development. And so the stakes could not be higher. This battle is going on right now. It's interesting that many people don't know this fight is going on. And yet the very future in many ways, up the river and the city, are on the table," Sahagun added. Certain municipalities like LA have set environmental goals aiming for 100% recycling of its wastewater by 2035.   Watch "LA Times Today" at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app. Show Search Search Query Submit Search Don't Miss Print CALIFORNIA CITY Calif. — Behind the fences surrounding this 40-square-mile outback of cactus and wiry creosote the largest remaining population of Mojave desert tortoises was soaking up the morning sun and grazing on a mix of wild greens and flowers But that didn’t mean the armored beasts were easy to find in a tiny spit of sand that Congress voted to protect in 1980 and designated with a name only herpetologists could love: Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area After a few hours of searching in late September naturalist Lisa LaVelle tramped down a narrow path — past thorny brush that hid rattlesnakes and scorpions — and fixed her eyes on a tortoise the size of a shoebox She scanned its carapace for a GPS tracker or an identification tag Naturalist Lisa LaVelle checks out a desert tortoise found in Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in California City (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) LaVelle who is part of a team charged with monitoring the overall health of the area’s tortoises “We have one more tortoise than we thought we had,” she said “That’s great news for us and a species that needs all the help it can get.” California’s state reptile is hurtling toward extinction illegal marijuana grows and development of massive solar farms are all pushing the species to the brink the vast Mojave Desert was home to hundreds of tortoises per square mile with the reptiles inhabiting nearly all areas of the desert below an altitude of 3,000 feet most tortoise populations in California and outside designated recovery areas have fallen to 2 to 3 adults per square mile — too few for male and female tortoises to find each other and mate (()=>{const e=document.getElementById("yt-img-5A3HbPhPwq0");e&&e.addEventListener("load",(t=>{t.target.naturalWidth<=120&&(e.parentNode.children[0].srcset=e.parentNode.children[1].srcset=e.src)}),{once:!0})})() Eight decades ago the Mojave Desert was home to hundreds of tortoises per square mile most tortoise populations in the wild have fallen to 2 to 3 adults per square mile loss of habitat and an increase in the raven population Can California’s Endangered Species Act save the tortoises from extinction It’s the type of precipitous decline that spurred state lawmakers to adopt the California Endangered Species Act in 1970 The landmark legislation — which grants broad protections to plant and animal species that are deemed endangered or threatened by the state Fish and Game Commission — predated the U.S the California Endangered Species Act evolved parallel to and in a symbiotic relationship with the federal government’s,” said Brendan Cummings conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity “They influenced each other in changes in substance and implementation of endangered species protections.” Though both laws have been credited with helping to rescue such charismatic avian species as the California condor global warming and human encroachment are outpacing the laws’ ability to safeguard certain plants and animals Although Gopherus agassizii was listed as threatened under the California law in 1989 and the federal law the following year, those protections have done little to improve the dire prognosis for the benign herbivores with weary eyes Hoping to reverse the very real likelihood that the species will become extinct, the Defenders of Wildlife, the Desert Tortoise Council and the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee have filed a petition urging the California Fish and Game Commission to elevate its status from threatened to endangered. A final decision is expected later this year. “With new climate change threats not foreseen when CESA was enacted, we have to do better,” said Laura Cunningham, California director at Western Watersheds Project, a nonprofit conservation group dedicated to protecting native species and restoring habitats they depend on. “Elevating the species’ status to endangered wouldn’t bring development in the desert to a halt,” said Jun Lee, director of the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee. “But it would help raise funds for recovery efforts and make a big difference in getting developers to provide compensation for the habitat they disturb.” California typically requires developers to provide two to three acres of suitable tortoise habitat for every acre taken. Solar developers may pay to close off-road vehicle routes, rehabilitate degraded habitat, fund public education programs, translocate tortoises, and erect miles of special fencing to keep the tortoises off highways and out of solar energy facilities. No state has had a bigger impact on the direction of the United States than California a prolific incubator and exporter of outside-the-box policies and ideas This occasional series examines what that has meant for the state and the country and how far Washington is willing to go to spread California’s agenda as the state’s own struggles threaten its standing as the nation’s think tank But efforts to meet California’s ambitious energy goals have heightened conflicts between the tortoise and large-scale solar energy facilities and electrical transmission corridors There are more than a dozen solar energy facilities operating in the Mojave Desert and an estimated 15 more have been approved for development the cost of developing a comprehensive wildlife-protection plan falls most heavily on the developer who had to undertake expensive mitigation often with the help of biological consultants who are paid up to $1,000 per day to assist in capturing and relocating local tortoises to land set aside for them elsewhere state and federal wildlife and land management agencies often fail to devote enough money and staff to ensure that all goes as planned hastening the disappearance of a species that has been roaming Southern California’s desert for thousands of years A desert tortoise looks out of its burrow in the Ivanpah Valley in the eastern Mojave Desert. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) At the $2.2-billion BrightSource Energy solar farm in Ivanpah Valley construction was halted for three months in 2012 due to an unforeseen calamity: Excavation work found far more tortoises than biologists expected Although BrightSource had already spent $56 million to protect and relocate 166 adult and juvenile tortoises while ants attacked hatchlings in a makeshift nursery and an eagle carried off a juvenile tortoise as a microchip embedded in its shell pinged ever more faintly on its journey to the raptor’s nest federal wildlife biologists relocated 139 Mojave desert tortoises from a solar farm that was under construction near Pahrump 30 of those tortoises were believed to have been killed by badgers according to emails that conservationists obtained through a public records request the tortoise was not well adapted to harsh It evolved millions of years ago when the region was cooler wetter and dominated by lakes and marshes edged with Joshua trees and junipers tortoises evolved to became “ecosystem engineers,” developing tools and behavioral skill sets that enabled them to forage for wild greens and flowers fight for territory and beat the heat in a drying climate by hibernating in deep burrows fringed with creosote they spew pungent bladder contents around their burrows When they detect signs of an impending desert storm tortoises will clamber to areas where they have gouged catchment basins in the sand Biologist Paul Delaney searches for desert tortoises at CMC Tortoise Preserve at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) For a species that can potentially live up to 80 years tortoises were still so abundant that some gas stations in desert lands hung up signs that beckoned desert recreationists began roaming the desert in dune buggies and motorcycles sometimes squashing the animals and their burrows and kicking up dust that exacerbated the species’ propensity for upper respiratory infections As Southern California sprawl marched eastward The detritus nourished waves of invading ravens Half-dollar-size juvenile tortoises are voracious grow fast and start digging burrows almost immediately But such impressive survival skills are no match for the social and highly intelligent ravens But their numbers exploded due to increases in food and water at landfills Biologist Kristen Lalumiere scanning for signals emitted from a transmitter attached to a desert tortoise in Joshua Tree National Park in May 2017 (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A 1994 recovery plan sought to stem the decline of desert tortoises and was revised in 2011 to correct problems that state and federal wildlife and land management agencies were having in implementing recovery strategies A 2018 study estimated that there were 124,050 fewer adult tortoises within their historic range in 2014 than the 336,393 tortoises present in 2004 many of the recovery plan’s recommendations have still not been implemented,” said Kristin Berry Although the plan called for prohibiting “habitat-destructive military maneuvers,” substantial critical habitat was absorbed in 2008 by expanded combat exercises at the Army’s National Training Center at Ft A subsequent $8.7-million tortoise relocation effort was hit hard by coyote attacks Other unfulfilled recommendations include erecting fences along stretches of desert roadways including Interstate 40 and U.S installing culverts that enable tortoises to crawl under roads Currently, ravens pose the greatest predatory threat to desert tortoises in the desert some biologists are waging controversial campaigns to eradicate or harass the winged intruders On a recent morning, the desert calm was shattered by the broken calls of ravens wheeling above a sewage treatment facility on the outskirts of Victorville As the birds plunged earthward to gulp water and feast on fatty globs bobbing in treatment ponds a shadowy figure emerged from the corner of a building holding what looked to be a submachine gun Hoping to zap the invaders with a coherent beam of green light that deeply annoys the birds raven lookouts on nearby railings twitched with alarm signaling the others to fly elsewhere for breakfast Biologist Tim Shields explains the use of a replica known as a “techno-tortoise” to study tortoise predators (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) “I like ravens; they’re so incredibly smart that they recognize my truck when I arrive in the morning,” said Shields a “raven cop” enlisted by the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority “But I also love tortoises too much to throw in the towel.” Shields has deployed “techno-tortoises” — highly realistic replicas of baby tortoises that emit irritants derived from grape juice concentrate He’s also flown a quadcopter that squirts streams of silicone oil into an unoccupied raven’s nest preventing oxygen from permeating the shells of eggs Although wildlife authorities say Shields’ efforts are starting to pay off in the form of reduced raven visits they have yet to make a noticeable dent in the declining tortoise population Biologist Tim Shields scans the sky looking for raven activity Shields uses a nonlethal laser gun to scare off tortoise-killing ravens from the area near Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority in Victorville (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Back at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area LaVelle and other researchers are advocating the installation of fences around other patches of untrammeled habitat — including areas of higher where the animals stand a better chance of surviving drought and rising temperatures due to global warming But that won’t be easy in a region where fences have been controversial since ranchers drove livestock over boundless terrain Fences can inhibit natural migration of wildlife prevent access to critical resources during drought But they can also protect fragile relic populations of endangered species by excluding livestock the benefits of fencing off critical tortoise habitat surrounded by desert boomtowns freeways and solar energy facilities were obvious as she ticked off the vital statistics of the young tortoise she discovered “We try not to be anthropomorphic around here,” she said “But I’ve already given him a nickname: Little Miracle.” Jackeline Luna is a former senior producer for video series. Before joining the Los Angeles Times, she interned for Politico, ABC7 and the Mercury News. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a master’s in journalism in May 2018. Maggie Beidelman is a former senior video director for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining The Times in 2019, Beidelman helped launch AJ+, the digital media channel of Al Jazeera Media Network, where she produced the award-winning series “Untold America.” Beidelman has her master’s in documentary film from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Climate & Environment California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map We’ll gather around a street stall and order soft tacos with fresh and listen with moist eyes to sentimental songs from street musicians what an extraordinary place this is.” – Anthony Bourdain  strangers salsa dance together in public parks; local vendors dollop generous portions of barbacoa into fresh tortillas; the sound of mariachi music reverberates from street corners People are determined to help one another and a can-do attitude permeates every aspect of society the production world has come to realise the many benefits of this innately proactive mindset and the country is fast becoming the ultimate destination for producing feature films ALTERED.LA, a content and commercial production company made up bicultural, bilingual creatives from across the US and LatAm, know all about the indescribable value and vibrancy of Mexico. In 2019, the company expanded into LatAm establishing an on-the-ground team in Mexico City to cater to the growing uptick in Mexico-based jobs.  Leading ALTERED.LA’s Mexico City team as head of production is Marisol Sahagún Marisol is the personification of Mexico's determined Having worked within the LatAm production world for a decade she has observed how the proliferation of film productions across the country has nurtured a pool of skilled professionals in every corner fostering a dynamic and versatile industry “Mexico has always been a production destination and several factors have influenced this," she tells LBB much has to do with the wide range of landscapes - from stunning beaches to lush jungles and vibrant cities - which allow for versatile filming locations without the need for extensive travel and complicated time zones.” another notable benefit to shooting in Mexico is the low cost and competitive labour costs which has become more pronounced as of late clients continue to flock to the country to access skilled labour without straining their budget favourable exchange rates between the US dollar and the Mexican peso is another big draw for those in the U.S enabling productions to allocate resources more efficiently.  besides our on-the-ground expertise in México is our ability to tailor it to the US market needs,” Marisol explains “We have an abundance of talent in all production departments and maintain the high quality standards required in the USA but at a significantly more competitive cost typically within 15 business days upon project completion This commitment has boosted morale within top crews and made us their preferred employer!” Proud of ALTERED.LA’s efforts to fight the good fight on behalf of crew members Marisol explains how the company is committed to ensuring diversity within teams “We consistently strive to have departments that include women and people from various ethnic backgrounds It is essential for us to recognize our roots as a Hispanic company and embrace diversity as we value the enriching experiences and perspectives brought by a wide array of individuals.” productions are spoilt for choice when it comes to scouting locations in Mexico “Pinpointing the absolute best location to film in Mexico depends on what our clients are seeking and the project's specific requirements,” Marisol says.  Mexico City is a clear frontrunner in Marisol's mind: “Without a doubt CDMX is the number one production location – it's surrounded by enchanting places The city’s greatest asset is its experience and size With over 100 years of experience in the film industry there’s an infrastructure both in equipment and personnel that allows you to resolve just about any issue that may pop up.” from bustling urban streets to stunning historical landmarks the government in Mexico City is aligned on production necessities and requirements understanding how the industry works and actively assisting companies like ALTERED.LA in achieving their goals.  Speaking on the subject of the country's can-do attitude Marisol reveals that she has rarely encountered a “no” over the course of her career in the Mexican film industry “The can-do spirit here is truly exceptional!” she attests we embarked on a fascinating collaboration with our friends at FELA for Starbucks and Doordash The challenge was to set up a massive crane on the Monument of the Revolution with a rigging system extending from the plaza to a window on a nearby building While it presented a colossal logistical challenge involving street closures and intricate production coordination we found a way for the camera to traverse the cable via the rigging Despite the undeniable complexity of this shoot the end result was nothing short of extraordinary exemplifying the 'can-do' attitude that encapsulates the Mexican filmmaking experience where innovation and resourcefulness lead to outstanding outcomes a firm second choice for production locations is Guadalajara and another place where the industry has flourished “Our close ties to the Jalisco Film Commision and the pool of talent which differs from that in Mexico City make for a fantastic experience,” explains Marisol.  “Guadalajara’s biggest advantage is the fact that it’s not Mexico City: some clients have filmed in Mexico City so many times they know it better than my mom does Guadalajara is a breath of fresh air with untapped locations and on-camera talent which have yet to be made the most of.” and adopt sustainable approaches in every aspect of the work.  In November, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers Awards Show Tour will visit Mexico City for the first time This exciting development is a promising nod to the future of the Mexican film industry and Marcos Cline founder and executive producer of ALTERED.LA is excited about how the event will elevate the status of the Mexican production workforce to a level it deserves “The AICP show coming to CDMX feels like recognition of the country as an integral part of the U.S particularly as it pertains to local crew members Hispanics as a whole are often treated as “other” yet the amount of productions that take place in Mexico would lead one to think that it is an important part of the industry.” Marcos is hopeful that the showcase will serve as motivation to producers and crew members alike to strive for the quality of work reflected on the screen “I trust that it will instil a sense of pride and a greater commitment to continue to achieve the already fantastic results we are accustomed to accomplishing." IOWA CITY — On senior day in Carver-Hawkeye Arena Iowa women's wrestling went 2-0 with wins over Augustana College and No The Hawkeyes got their day started with a dominant 44-1 win over Augustana College six were by technical fall and another by forfeit as Iowa dominated Augustana with Naomi Simon at 180 and Alivia White at 207 winning by fall in under a minute with the Lakers bringing a talented crew to Iowa City with six top-10 wrestlers in their lineup the Hawkeyes remained undefeated on the season with a 35-7 win over the Lakers of West Michigan with Sahagun's four-point throw being the difference maker in a 6-4 win Iowa's Emilie Gonzalez won by forfeit to take a 6-3 lead over GVSU Following an 11-0 technical fall for Brianna Gonzalez at 117 pounds for Iowa to lead 10-3 a 2-2 win by criteria with the final takedown of the match Emmily Patneaud put Iowa further ahead with a win by fall in the first period After a loss from Iowa's Nanea Estrella (No Iowa rattled off four consecutive wins from Macey Kilty (145) Kylie Welker (180) and Alivia White (207) to end the dual Here are three key takeaways from Iowa's final home duals of the season: Kilty has quickly become one of Iowa's best wrestlers given her accomplishments on the World Championship stage multiple times in her career "She's really brought the team to new heights and to new levels with her experience her knowledge and her willingness to share," Iowa wrestling coach Clarissa Chun said Her impact stretches far beyond what her record shows with her skill bringing an "iron sharpens iron" mentality to those who wrestle with her in practice It's evident in wrestlers Estrella and Welker While Kilty said her lone collegiate season at Iowa meant "everything" to her she was quick to say that she plans to continue her time in Iowa City "I want to help these girls for years to come," Kilty said that's a big asset for Iowa as she continues to pursue her Olympic and World title aspirations Kilty was among four seniors honored on senior day Allie Baudhuin will also graduate this year but was honored at last season's senior day before being granted an additional season of eligibility Leng has soaked up about every opportunity and more at 124 up to 28-11 on the season as Iowa still looks for its starter She's proven to be a great option for the Hawkeyes after what looked to potentially be freshman Karlee Brooks' spot on paper to start the year she's every bit of the making of an NCWWC All-American That alone is something Iowa didn't have last year at the weight and would go a long way to extending the gap between them and North Central "I've learned that I'm more gritty and resilient than I sometimes give myself credit for," Leng said of her opportunity "I've learned that I have a lot more capabilities than sometimes allow myself to believe." Kennedy Blades worth the price of admission every timeBy the time Blades ends her collegiate career with Iowa and that could still be another two years from now she took her opponents feet-to-back four times for four points She took Augustana's Maryam Mdiaye airborne for a five-point grand amplitude throw to cap off a win Even with all the incredible wrestlers that have stepped onto Iowa's campus it's not far-fetched to think Blades could end with some of the best highlights of any Hawkeye wrestler by the time she is done oh my gosh she's a showstopper," Chun said Final box scores for Iowa women's wrestling vs Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23. This old rail car sat on a spur near Madison and Hill on Saturday afternoon. There was a battered old rail car sitting on a spur in Albany Saturday. When I got off the bike to take a look, I learned something I hadn’t known before. The spur is at the end of a dead-end block of Madison Street just north of 12th Avenue, a block west of Hill Street. It’s the remnant of a rail line that was abandoned many decades ago, but it’s still connected to the Union Pacific (former Southern Pacific) Albany yard. Now and then the railroad stores some rolling stock on that rusty track. On the side of the last car in line Saturday, there was a plaque. From the looks of  the car , it was made a long time ago. And what it said on the plaque was interesting to me. It showed that the car was made in Mexico, in the town of Ciudad Sahagun. The internet makes it easy now, and I looked up the words on that plaque. It turns out that Sahagun, 95 kilometers north of Mexico City in the state of Hidalgo, was founded and settled in the early 1950s by the order of Mexican President Miguel Aleman Valdes. It was founded as an industrial city, complete with factories and more than 1,300 houses and dozens of apartments for workers, plus shops, athletic fields, clinics and schools. One of the first factories was the one that built this rail car, Constructura Nacional de Carros Ferrocarril SA, which was started in 1952. The factory kept making rail equipment, including passenger carriages and locomotives, until 1991. Eventually it was sold. At one time Gunderson, the Portland rail car manufacturer, had operations there. None of this may be all that riveting. But looking at that plaque and looking up what it said told me one little thing about Mexican history, namely the government’s drive in the 1950s to spur industrial growth. You never know what you don’t know — until you look it up. (hh) This is the manufacturer’s plaque that caught my attention. Wonder where they make the “lone burger” and why it was memorialized here. I really enjoyed this tidbit of information and history! Thanks for sharing. Fascinating! It is a small world. Thank you for finding & sharing it… Thanks for the history lesson Hasso. It’s often that we see things and wonder, what, where, why and never look further. Good lesson you present – it’s probably on the internet – look it up. Thank you for that interesting history post. It’s not abandoned. Those cars all have stuff loaded in them. It’s amazing how some of your stories just soothe people. Others seem to ignite a fire. Personally, I love the stories either way. Keep up the great work! This rail car may be one of the only ‘first made’ cars from this town in Mexico in existence – is it a relic? That car has put on the miles! Maybe the town would like to know. thanks for the interesting quick read. Never thought of looking for plaques. SAHAGÚN –  Shacman Trucks, a subsidiary of the Chinese company Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group, will start the assembly of heavy vehicles, with natural gas and diesel engines, by Giant Motors at the Sahagún City plant, in Hidalgo at the end of the year, informed Carlos Pardo, general director of the firm in the country. Without disclosing the amount of investment that the Chinese company will make in Mexico, he said that the objective will be to serve not only the local market, but also export to the American Continent. Shacman Trucks will start with the production of the X3000 and L3000 models for the domestic market and the goal is to sell more than 5,000 units in Mexico in the next five years. To date, the first 100 units have been placed in the country, of which the total number of units has been natural gas. Diesel vehicles will have Cummins engines and will feature liquefied or compressed gas engines. "Our great differentiator is sustainability, we have the largest sustainable transportation offer in the country, practically in all models, class 6 to 8 and we are practically betting on being a player that helps to renew the vehicle fleet in Mexico," said Pardo. In a first stage, production will be through assembly kits, known as CKDs (Completely Knock Down) and as time goes by it will be invested in an already more uniform line, with national suppliers. It is expected to generate 30 jobs in this first phase, which will increase progressively. Carlos Pardo pointed out that they are building the network of distributors, with a very clear focus on service, they seek to have 20 points in the next 14 months and a network of service workshops of 80 points in the country. He added that they will have assistance on the road 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. We’re in the business of providing relevant information through print and electronic media, organizing events to bring industrial value chain actors together and services to create new business relationships. Our goal is to improve our clients’ competitiveness. “I asked my mom what they were,” Ramirez recalled of that day 14 years ago. “She said, ‘Mija, they are just like the parrots from Mexico we’ve seen in zoos, except for one thing: They are free flying and breed in the trees along our city streets.” Aggressive and impactful reporting on climate change Ramirez was entranced by this fleeting glimpse of adaptation by tropical species in one of the world’s greatest asphalt jungles she leads a team of investigators at the Free Flying Los Angeles Parrot Project based in Occidental College’s Moore Laboratory of Zoology which aims to resolve a biological puzzle: How did red-crowned and lilac-crowned parrots establish local urban breeding populations via the pet trade from Mexico where both species are on the brink of extinction Their findings add to a growing body of evidence that some introduced species including these feral parrots can experience rapid niche shifts beyond what appears to be possible in the forested regions of northern Mexico they evolved in. For example, the driest month in Southern California is significantly drier than any portion of their native habitats in the western and eastern coastal regions of Mexico, the study says. The timing of the precipitation here is also different, with a winter rainfall regime rather than summer rains. Lifestyle There are a couple of reasons you might be finding it harder than ever to tune out the squawks, whistles and trills of Los Angeles’ wild parrots. “Artificial irrigation may close the gap between native and introduced climates,” the study suggests, “allowing more year-round vegetation in Southern California cities than expected given its natural precipitation levels.” That “urban oasis effect” created by sprinkler watering systems “could partly explain why introduced parrots do not seem to be spreading beyond urban centers,” it says. “Their intelligence and behavioral plasticity might further allow them to adapt to urban life.” For reasons that are not fully understood, several hundred parrots seek evening accommodations each night in the limbs of fig and London plane trees lining a bustling stretch of Rosemead Boulevard in Temple City. The odd locale is believed to be one of the most populous roosting sites for parrots in the Los Angeles area. rides his bike with them and takes them out to eat “It’s just cultural memory: They spend all day feeding on the seeds and flowers of the surrounding tropical treescape,” said John McCormack director and curator of the Moore Lab of Zoology they come together here to rest and sleep.” and residents are on constant alert for poachers A video of nets in the trees and an unidentified man slamming captured parrots against a concrete wall between Rosemead Boulevard and East Las Tunas Drive on Oct 26 fueled angry calls and letters to the local Los Angeles County sheriff’s station Birders photograph parrots in Temple City during an Audubon Society gathering in January 2023. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) It remains unclear whether the man shown in the video was killing some of the parrots he trapped and taking others with him to sell on the illegal wildlife market. Those birds and other introduced species of parrots and parakeets that have found niches in the clatter and commotion of Southern California city life are believed to be descendants of released pets, especially during the 1970s and ’80s, when the illegal importation of such wild birds reached its peak, according to the study. How did a dirt parking lot in the San Gabriel Mountains become a major flyway for migrating birds? Scientists can only guess. Red-crowned parrots, whose home range is restricted to the lowlands of northeast Mexico, were first recorded in the Los Angeles area in 1963. Since then, the population has swelled to more than 3,000 birds, the study says. The number of lilac-crowned parrots, which are endemic to tropical lowlands in west Mexico and became established locally in the 1980s, is about 800 birds. Given that both species are considered endangered in their home ranges in Mexico due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade, local established flocks have become prized for their conservation potential. However, both species have been seen together in the same flocks, underlining the importance of monitoring the birds for signs of hybridization that could undermine proposals to reintroduce urban parrots from Southern California to their native habitats in Mexico. In the meantime, the Moore Lab Project aspires to become a hub for urban parrot ecology. For her mother’s birthday on Nov. 12, Ramirez took her to Rosemead Boulevard to witness the unusual sundown spectacle of squawking parrots plunging into the trees. “As the sun was setting, we could hear them flying in from all directions,” she recalled. “I turned to my mother and said, ‘This is as good as it gets.’” Print PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB Calif. — Led by a sense of smell 100 times keener than that of humans the predators have crashed through windows ripped tiles off roofs and torn solid wood doors off their hinges to get at leftover pizza in a refrigerator furniture and floors as a “calling card,” officials say In a region of Southern California that wildlife authorities call a human-black bear conflict zone the impending arrival of spring in this small mountain village is met with dread and fear as the hungry giants emerge from their winter torpor to search for food “Bears are a major problem here — and it’s getting worse,” said Patrice Stimpson patrol chief of Pine Mountain Club — a community of some 2,800 residents in the San Emigdio Mountains “They’ve caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage,” Stimpson said a house caught fire after a bear climbed onto the gas stove and turned on the burners A few cars were nearly totaled by bears rummaging for crushed cookies between the seats.” An electric fence hangs in front of Pine Mountain Pizza Co. to deter bears from breaking in. Wildlife authorities across the nation have been reporting an increase in human-black bear interactions for decades where urban growth — as well as increasingly severe wildfires and drought — has caused a growing number of bears to seek food in areas dominated by humans where annual black bear invasions began in earnest about a decade ago home and vehicle break-ins are a recurring source of stress While some residents urge peaceful coexistence with the bears A particular point of contention in the conflict has been the deliberate feeding of bears Tempers have flared in community gatherings on the pages of newspapers and on social media sites with some local activists demanding that people who feed bears be prosecuted (It is illegal to deliberately feed a black bear in California and penalties may include a fine or jail time.) The number of calls to Stimpson’s office seeking wildlife assistance has reached a record high of 563 for the fiscal year beginning July 1 “Ninety-nine percent of those calls involved bears,” she said A bear rummages through a dumpster in Pine Mountain Club (Cody Murray) The number of entries into homes and sheds has also increased a community activist whose Los Padres Bear Aware group tries to keep track of them The group also recorded 179 vehicle break-ins last year “We have too many habituated bears and people who keep feeding them,” Kraft said who has made feeding wildlife around his home including two bears he calls Cinnamon and Blackie Pine Mountain Club resident James Weinstock supports feeding the bears in the Kern County community “I love bears; they’re just big puppy dogs,” he said “Getting along with these critters is the right thing to do Subscribers get exclusive access to this story We’re offering L.A. Times subscribers special access to our best journalism. Thank you for your support.Explore more Subscriber Exclusive content. But no friendship is completely free of conflict. Take the time in 2021 that Weinstock said he left his backdoor open, allowing the briny aroma of a fish sandwich sitting on a washing machine to beckon a hungry bear into his home. “That bear was already eating my lunch when I hit him in the head with a baseball bat,” he recalled. “The bear got up and took a swing at me.” “It took a lot of skin off my arm,” he added, rolling up a shirt sleeve that hid several crimson scars on his right arm. In conversations with anyone who will listen, Todd Greisen, general manager of the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Assn., continues to argue that “it is extremely important to report damage to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The more people report, the more state resources our area will be assigned. We need help.” Some people here, however, question that recommendation. That’s partly because reports of vacationers in Airbnb and other short-term rentals luring black bears with raspberries and strips of bacon tossed off the decks of mountain chalets could hamper lucrative income streams. “Only a small number of incidents are reported to us,” said Chris De Tar, a human-wildlife conflict specialist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “There are a few reasons for that, including a misconception that if you report a conflict our department will euthanize the bear.” Distressing face-to-face encounters are not the only effect the bears have on daily life. Killing a bear, which is legally classified as a game mammal, without a depredation permit, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment or a fine of up to $10,000, or both. In addition, discharging of firearms and shooting a bow and arrow within the Pine Mountain Club development is strictly prohibited. But several bears have been shot and killed in Pine Mountain Club without depredation permits over the last decade. Many more have been killed in vehicle collisions. A city building window suffers damage after a bear tried to gain entry in Pine Mountain Club. In 2014, when at least three bears were shot and killed here, state and federal wildlife authorities investigated reports of illegal bear traps set along neighborhood streets and in surrounding Los Padres National Forest land. In 2022, a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for shooting a bear with a bow and arrow. That animal was found lying in a neighborhood street with an arrow sticking out of its back, patrol officials said. Tensions between communities and wild predators have become more common across the West in recent decades as wildlife conservationists and government agencies have advocated coexistence with the animals, rather than extermination. In places such as Pine Mountain Club, it is hard to find a balance that is sustainable. Los Padres Bear Aware warns that living with bears here requires special precautions: Keep vehicles locked with no scented items inside, including air freshener. Remove child car seats and wash the car seat frequently. Never store food or scented items in crawl spaces, sheds and garages. Do not leave the doors of homes and cars unlocked because habituated bears can open them. Efforts to prevent scary bear entries run the gamut. Some residents say hazing techniques — such as banging pots and pans together, waving arms and shouting “Shoo, bear! Shoo!” — can effectively keep bears away from homes, garages and sheds. Others recommend placing “bear unwelcome mats” bristling with half-inch-long nails sticking out of the fabric in front of doors and windows, and around property boundaries. Plywood covers a building entry after a bear attempted to gain entry. Then there’s Ian Sawry, a retired police officer and member of Pine Mountain Club’s volunteer emergency response team, who plans this month to market a homemade security system designed to zap intruding bears with an uncomfortable jolt of electricity via wires strung up across doors and windows. “The effect is similar to the shock you’d get from a 9-volt battery, only a little sharper,” said Sawry, who is not an electrician. “To prove its safety to potential customers, I’m using my own house as a demo.” The rise in break-ins has brought growing concern for public safety, so Stimpson’s patrol team occasionally uses paintball guns as a deterrent. “We shoot the bears in the rear,” she said, “and it sends them running.” Although it’s commonly assumed that black bears sleep while in hibernation, this is not the case. Instead, they survive the wind and cold of winter by retreating to dens and shelters in a state of torpor, a temporary sluggish condition that saves energy when traditional food sources such as berries, acorns and fawns are scarce. But as development spreads to Southern California wildlands, black bears can remain active throughout the year because of the abundance of accessible human food in garbage cans, gardens, homes and vehicles. This type of habituation is a particular problem, state wildlife authorities say, and officials are still grappling with how to approach the issue. “We’re seeing hundreds of bear entries each year in our little community,” Sawry said. “Can you imagine the uproar if they were home burglaries instead of bear break-ins?” James Weinstock prepares to feed blue jays from his front porch. For residents of Pine Mountain Club, there are already plenty of signs that they are entering what is likely to be a very active bear season. Recently, patrol officer Jeff Fredericks wheeled his pickup truck over a carpet of freshly fallen snow and into the Pine Mountain Club’s maintenance yard, where he scanned for bears. No predatory eyes returned his stare, but unnerving evidence of their recent presence was impossible to miss: a door torn off its hinges, splintered windowsills, twisted metal siding and muddy paw prints on the windows of a shed containing a ravaged refrigerator, which had been used to store employees’ sack lunches. “The bears started hitting this place a lot last summer,” he said. “Now, they’re back, and there’s only so much we can do.” Brian van der Brug was a staff photojournalist at the Los Angeles Times from 1997 to 2025. Newcity Art by | March 2 “Estoy Bien,” 2020/Photo: RCH Photography 1 Estoy Bien (Monique Meloche) Local powerhouse Candida Alvarez’s first Chicago solo exhibition offers vibrant abstract paintings inspired by the beauty and resilience of Puerto Rico 2 Dance, Dance, Dance (Circle Contemporary) This expansive group exhibition represents more than two dozen artists who use music as their muse from musician Sadie Laska to superfan Bill Lilly 3 The discovery of what it means to be Brazilian (Mariane Ibrahim) Five contemporary black Brazilian artists reflect on the country’s colonial history breaking down cultural stereotypes and defining their own futures 4 The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China (Wrightwood 659) Concurrent exhibitions at the Smart Museum and Wrightwood 659 explore works by contemporary Chinese artists who focus on the materiality of art making 5 Luis A. Sahagun: Both Eagle and Serpent (Chicago Cultural Center) Luis Sahagun displays his signature sculptural assemblages which aim to create new narratives of resilience for Latinx immigrants — A children's film set to premiere this month in Douglas "El Burrito Cowboy Saves Douglas, AZ," written and directed by local filmmaker and KGUN 9 photojournalist Alfonso Sahagun Casaus, is a 45-minute movie based off the show of the same name to highlight the town of Douglas El Paquita Vaquita and Amiga Sue -- hope to save the town from a spooky phantom that has taken over the historic Gadsden Hotel and a man named "Tor the Terrible" who is trying to take over all the buildings on G Avenue “I have a lot of fond memories of Douglas,” he said in a news release “When I walk down G Avenue I see my mother The film was shot almost entirely in Douglas with a few scenes shot at Trail Dust Town in Tucson Tickets are available at the door on a first-come with room for about 80 people at the screening Report a typo Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article Print A toxic waste dump near the San Joaquin Valley farming community of Kettleman City has agreed to pay $311,000 in fines for failing to report 72 hazardous materials spills over the last four years the California Department of Toxic Substances Control announced Wednesday the department’s deputy director of enforcement described the fines as “a substantial and aggressive penalty.” The penalties were part of a settlement that capped an investigation into the Chemical Waste Management facility the only one in California licensed to accept polychlorinated biphenyls A review of company documents and monitoring records revealed “no sign of health risks to the local community” from the spills of lead contaminated soil Most of the spills were about a pint in volume The landfill’s operating permit requires the company to notify the state so that spill cleanup is documented The violations will be taken into account when the department rules later this year on the proposed expansion of the facility The company also wants to renew its 10-year operating permit the facility will continue to operate under the old permit conditions until a final decision is made,” Johnson said Chemical Waste Management spokeswoman Jennifer Andrews said the spills were “not reported to the state because they were small spills we believed we were operating within our permit conditions.” The action came four years after activists petitioned state and federal health agencies to investigate whether the 31-year-old landfill might be linked to severe birth defects in residents of Kettleman City A survey by state health investigators ruled out the dump as the reason 11 babies were born with cleft palates and other physical deformities in Kettleman City between September 2007 and March 2010 The activist groups People for Clean Air and Water and Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice criticized the fines as weak and renewed their call on state regulators to deny the facility’s permit applications “It’s absurd for the state to claim with a straight face that 72 spills of hazardous substances do not pose a health threat,” Greenaction spokesman Bradley Angel said “It didn’t even know the spills had gone on for four years until it stumbled upon the problem in a company log.” The landfill has a long history of violations the Environmental Protection Agency fined the company $2.1 million for violations that included operating additional landfills and waste ponds without authorization the company was fined $10,000 for violating federal PCB monitoring requirements It was cited again in 2007 for failing to properly analyze incoming wastes the EPA levied a $302,100 fine for failing to manage PCBs properly the facility agreed to pay $400,000 in fines and spend $600,000 on laboratory upgrades needed to manage hazardous materials louis.sahagun@latimes.com Fireworks shoot out from the limbs of a four-person-tall spinning wheel and explode Seven different uniform-clad bands belt out music within 50 feet of each other The Santo Santiago festival held in July attracts Seattle area attendees who own restaurant chains such as Azteca Of the roughly 5,000 guests cycling in and out over the 10 days more than half drove or flew down from the states there were no lavish SUVs with Evergreen-state license plates lining the cobblestone roads of Cuautla a municipality within the state of Jalisco about 100 miles east of Puerto Vallarta the Cuautlan schoolteacher Luz “Lucy Lopez” Lara moved to Seattle and opened the Mexican restaurant Guadalajara in downtown Seattle pioneering Cuautla’s path from sowing corn seeds to raking in U.S Some eventually opened their own restaurants the town of agriculture workers and adobe “casitas” turned into entrepreneurs and multimillion-dollar Cuautlans can’t say for sure why Lucy Lopez chose to move from San Francisco to Seattle with her Spanish husband When it’s not festival time, locals say less than 2,000 people reside in the town, compared to its 3,640 census-estimated inhabitants in 1970 “There’s nothing here,” said Laura Rodriguez who co-owns Ricardo’s in Factoria with her husband Ricardo She sits at a shiny mahogany dining table while contractors buzz around residents continue to invest money into their Cuautlan houses because the Mexican pueblo will always be home Cuautla’s connection with Washington led in 2001 to its status as a sister city with Renton Renton residents like Ted Rodriguez helped pave the way to the measure through extensive community involvement Jalisco was dubbed Washington’s sister state Anabel “Cuca” Sahagun de Garcia who opened and formerly owned four Seattle-area Burrito Loco locations alongside her husband says the transformation of Cuautlans from small townspeople to cooks and managers is a natural one “People here have always been hardworking and honest,” she said sitting at the tiny cafe she now operates in Cuautla While restaurants sold Americanized favorites she wanted a place that tasted like home: with pork tacos Salvador Sahagun arrived in 1992 and opened the first Tacos Guaymas in West Seattle counter-style taco joints became a success with nine now operating in the Seattle area the restaurant owners’ impact seems to be burgeoning just as quickly is completely different than the Cuautla that used to be,” town president Luis Alberto Robles Peña said while eating at a family-style table among dozens of festival attendees there was no school for children after age 14 or 15 there’s a 1980s-constructed high school and a program that offers university scholarships The Mexican government has taken note of the town’s affluence For every dollar the Cuautlans invest in a project the state and federal government contributes three times the amount in a program called “Three to one,” Sahagun Garcia said While members of the community praise the entrepreneurs for bringing money to their formerly rural life Medical visits are twice as expensive as in nearby Morelia has spawned between the thousands who migrated and those who stayed “We’ve lost a little of the relation,” he admitted “They’ve brought a different ideology; they’ve brought different traditions With American-born children taking over their parents’ restaurants many say they don’t anticipate the family businesses to slow down any time soon “That’s the question on everyone’s minds,” Sahagun said about double the number of the American residents showed up to the festival They were born and grew up with two cultures Sahagun de Garcia and her husband have sold their four Seattle-area Burrito Loco locations with plans of spending most of their time in Cuautla She says her little American-born granddaughters are learning Spanish ‘I want to live my whole life here,’” she said and you teach them and they experience life here — they love it.” This story has been published in partnership with The Seattle Times View the print version of this story on the front page of the Times’ Sunday Business section published on Aug Your article does a wonderful job of asking questions and telling a story The Seattle Globalist ceased to operate on September 30 Our mission is to elevate diverse voices through media The Seattle Globalist is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization The Seattle Globalist ceased operations on September 30 Web design and development by Fran López Mexican LCV and truck manufacturer Giant Motors Latinoamérica intends to start building electric-powered taxis for Mexico City by the end of the year   Prototypes are going through last minute adjustments and should be ready by November The company is currently resolving issues associated with the consumption of electricity Production of the taxis are tentatively set to begin in December Giant Motors Latinoamérica currently builds LCVs and commercial trucks,  as well as vehicles for Chinese automobile manufacturer JAC.  The electric taxis are being developed in partnership with the Monterrey Institute of Technology and light-duty electric truck manufacturer Moldex a subsidiary of Mexican bread producing giant Bimbo Giant Motors Latinoamérica is owned by telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu.  Voulez-vous attirer l'attention des gestinnaires internationaux de flotte et de mobilité Contactez-nous et devenez notre partenaire! WIKIFLEET est une encyclopédie collaborative gratuite sur la gestion de parc automobile Il fournit tout ce que vous devez savoir sur les marchés de la flotte dans le monde Le Global Fleet DIRECTORY est LE répertoire pour trouver les fournisseurs de gestion de flotte et de mobilité partout dans le monde Directory répertoires et magazines dans notre e-shop e-shop Contactez-nous Seattle-area residents return to Mexican hometown to celebrate cultural roots Mexico — Fireworks shoot out from the limbs of a four-person-tall spinning wheel and explode The Santo Santiago festival held in July attracts Seattle-area attendees who own restaurant chains such as Azteca Of the roughly 5,000 guests cycling in and out over 10 days facing “multidimensional poverty” (defined as those with incomes less than the “line of well-being” (living wage) that also suffer from at least one “social deprivation”: access to health services Education levels: 35 percent of adult population defined as having little education beyond eighth grade Standard of living: 48 percent live in poverty; 37 percent of households receive remittances; 11 percent of households with emigrants in the U.S Public services: Potable water: 86 percent of households; electricity: 90 percent of households there were no lavish SUVs with Washington-state license plates lining the cobblestone roads in Cuautla the Cuautlan schoolteacher Luz “Lucy Lopez” Lara moved to Seattle and opened the Mexican restaurant Guadalajara in downtown Seattle the town of agricultural workers and adobe casitas turned into entrepreneurs and multimillion-dollar Cuautlans can’t say for sure why Lucy Lopez chose to move from San Francisco to Seattle with her Spanish husband says Torero’s Mexican Restaurant owner Ted Rodriguez a fraction of its 3,460 census-estimated residents in 1970 who co-owns Ricardo’s Restaurant in Factoria with her husband She is sitting at a shiny mahogany dining table in their Cuautla home while contractors buzz around residents continue to invest money in their Cuautlan houses because it will always be home Cuautla’s connection with Washington led in 2001 to its status as a sister city with Renton Renton residents like Cuautlan Ted Rodriguez helped pave the way to the measure through extensive community involvement who opened and formerly owned four Seattle-area Burrito Loco locations alongside her husband says the transformation of small-town residents into cooks and managers is a natural one she craved traditional food that tasted like home counter-style taco joints became a success with nine locations in the Seattle area “The Cuautla you know today is completely different from the Cuautla that used to be,” town president Luis Alberto Robles Peña said while eating at a family-style table among dozens of festival attendees Now there’s a 1980s-constructed high school and a program that offers university scholarships the state and federal government contribute three times the amount in a program called “Three to One,” Sahagun García said has developed between the thousands who migrated and those who stayed many say they don’t anticipate the family businesses will slow down anytime soon fewer former residents return to visit as families in the states grow about double the number of American residents showed up at the festival Sahagun de García and her husband sold their four Seattle-area Burrito Loco locations with plans to spend most of their time in Cuautla Sahagun de García says her little American-born granddaughters are learning Spanish ‘I want to live my whole life here,’ ” she said Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Mexico Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism Philippines – The incessant tolling of the bells of the San Guillermo de Aquitana parish church in Dalaguete at noon on June 1 told residents of the quiet town something was wrong Navarrete was helping prepare for a youth camp at the Dalaguete Central School when he heard the bells told them that the Sacred Heart of Jesus was already without his head Navarrete said he joined scores of parishioners who rushed to church when the bells were tolled for more than three hours The Sacred Heart of Jesus wasn’t an antique nor was it made of anything valuable a fact that made police suspect the burglars were clueless locals But the discovery of the burglary exposed a bigger loss – the earlier theft of centuries-old life-sized images of Santo Tomas de Villanueva and San Juan de Sahagun from its retablo mayor.  the church also lost an image of San Vicente Ferrer and the head and hands of San Antonio de Padua Navarette said in a video interview from Cornwall in the UK where he now works that what angered parishioners was the fact that the church was burglarized twice Five thefts were reported in four parishes in Cebu in May 2002 The Santa Monica Parish in Pinamungajan lost its Virgin Mary; the San Roque parish in Balamban lost its namesake saint described as having a body made of ivory and reported to have been brought to Cebu from Barcelona by Augustinian friars; Asturias lost several images; and Dalaguete The spate of thefts prompted then-Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal to issue a call for priests to bring their valuable church items to the Archbishop’s Palace for safekeeping.  Vidal threatened those who wouldn’t comply with punishment he said in a SunStar Cebu report that he was only joking Dalaguete parishioners assert that the Santo Tomas de Villanueva and San Juan de Sahagun auctioned at the Leon Gallery in 2017 and 2018 are the images stolen from their parish Dalaguete reported that these were the religious statues stolen from their church 22 years ago this month started gathering old photos of the statues to compare with the Leon Gallery catalog images The Santo Tomas de Villanueva was listed for P360,000 during The Asian Cultural Council Auction 2018 on March 3 according to the Leon Gallery auction site Tomas de Villanueva must certainly have been one of those that stood in a retablo of a Cebu church It shows him as an Archbishop with a miter and a crozier with an accompanying statue of a beggar at his foot pleading for alms,” according to the catalog information Leon Gallery listed a “Statue of an Augustinian Saint” for P400,000 during its The Magnificent September Auction 2017 on September 29 The catalog said the image “must have originally been part of the retablo of the main altar of a church in Ilocos the provinces administered by the Augustinians during the Spanish Colonial Period.” It said the image came from the collection of “a distinguished lady.” shared a photo of her wedding that captured the retablo mayor with blurry images of the two saints in their niches.  a box of images fell on her and she had to be brought to the nearby Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital where she was still confined as of posting time contained one of the clearest photos of the two images in the retablo parishioners asked lay volunteers active in the church during the burglaries to write what they remember of the incidents The narrations will then be notarized into affidavits that will support their claim on the images.  They also interviewed retired policeman Lope Belciña who had a rank of SPO4 and was the chief investigator of Dalaguete during the burglaries The crime was listed in the police blotter but the record was destroyed by Typhoon Odette The Dalaguete Parish Pastoral Council will meet on Sunday and officers will go over the narrations for the affidavits.  PPC President Evelyn Pimentel Belandres told Rappler in a phone interview that they will work to recover the two images Leon Gallery Director Jaime Ponce de Leon said in an earlier interview with Rappler that he would help the church and local governments in Cebu locate the items that there has to be proof of the theft because priests selling church items was common in the past and continues to this day suspicions were raised on then parish priest Maximino Villamor Police and the PPC cleared him of any link Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, when asked about the Boljoon panels and the images from Dalaguete, said the archdiocese will go after them “because it is our duty to do that.” It is unfortunate that either because of neglect or whatever intentions We have the law on our side,” Palma said in an interview chairperson of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church said the statement about the panels applies to other church items from Cebu He said these are considered stolen because their removal was not authorized Volunteers in the Dalaguete parish told Rappler the resurfacing of the two images is timely because they were going over the papers of church properties because of a land dispute Outstanding Men and Women of the Year in the Philippines Philippine Empowered Men and Women of the year and Philippines Outstanding Brand of the Year come the Philippine Faces of Success 2021 an award-giving body that recognizes successful Filipinos all over the country and around the world Many successful people have come from humble beginnings They struggled through uncertain times before reaching massive success They all remained focused and stay grounded The Faces of Success stories proved that anyone can be successful if they make smart and wise decisions in life and work hard The awardees of Faces of Success will show you and inspire you that anybody can achieve their dreams The Faces of Success 2021 awardees come from different walks of life - business of Maharlika Party List; Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Quezon City Councilor Hero Bautista (4th district) From the entertainment industry include Boy Abunda Other honorees are composer Vehnee Saturno media correspondents and editors Fernan De Guzman Armida Polistico Krauss (Youtuber/influencer) Ray Christopher Camus Adalem (school administrator) Frankendal Fabroa and Andrei Javs (events management) Marieta Clenista-Nacional (advocate queen) Rey Salinel (infectious disease specialist) and more The global pandemic will not stop the Philippine Faces of Success from spreading love The inspiring success stories of the awardees of The Philippine Faces of Success 2021 will be honored at the Teatrino Greenhills in San Juan City soon!