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 Florentino "Tino" Lares, entered eternal rest on Saturday, April 27, 2013. Tino was born in Austin Texas on April 28, 1931. At the age of 22 he joined the U.S. Army. Upon completion of basic training at Fort Carson, Colorado he was assigned... View Obituary & Service Information Lares created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Mission Park Funeral Chapels & Cemeteries Made with love by funeralOne You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience The Albert Lea Area Girls Wrestling program has seen immense growth over the past few years The program started with about five girls and is now over 40 strong get ready for a match during a practice after the wrap-up of a successful season Since getting involved with Albert Lea Area girls wrestling three years ago Benjamin Lares has seen a lot of growth in both the number of athletes participating and in the skills they develop along the way the program just finished their folkstyle wrestling season with 43 girls Lares said he originally got involved when his daughter began wrestling He said he does his best to provide a positive atmosphere for all the girls who want to try the sport The season wrapped up with the final competition Northland Youth Wrestling Association (NYWA) State Tournament at the beginning of April Albert Lea took 12 girls to the tournament One thing to note about the Albert Lea Area girls wrestling program is that they only had to bring in one person from a different region across all the weight divisions “That’s one thing that Albert Lea has to be proud of here in this community is we have a lot of girls in this community that are coming into this program,” he said there were only about five girls participating One reason he said he thinks the program has seen so much growth recently is the girls have a lot of fun and they encourage their friends to join as well “I think most of the girls probably have more fun going around and cheering each other on and hanging out than actually wrestling,” he said He said it is rewarding to see the camaraderie they have built the Albert Lea Boosters made it possible for the program to have free registration “The Albert Lea Boosters went above and beyond to provide those opportunities for kids in the community,” Lares said “The community has really rallied around these girls.” He added he hopes that free registration is something that can eventually extend to other youth sports as well When it comes to having a successful season they try to focus more on progress and growth rather than wins and losses and the progress and how you’re getting there,” he said “And making sure that every time you get on the mat Lares added he wants the athletes he works with to be mentally strong while learning the discipline and respect that comes from the sport Ignaszewski said it is fun to see girls at the beginning of the season go from barely able to somersault to winning competitions and gaining skills The girls are also proud of their progress Twelve-year-old Kaylee Fierke said she is excited she got 33 pins this year Fourteen-year-old Emilie Troster had similar feelings “I’ve definitely [become] more confident having gotten better technique,” she said Many of the girls who move on to being on a junior high or varsity team still come back to Albert Lea Area girls wrestling to help out the younger girls and be role models for them Lares said he is grateful to the Albert Lea community for their continued support and willingness to donate their time to volunteering and making the program possible Girls do not have to live in Albert Lea to participate Any girls from the area are welcome to join The Minnesota Timberwolves (33-29) are home in Northwest Division play versus the Utah Jazz (15-45) on Sunday which includes the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers Top 25 teams will take the court across two games on Monday’s college basketball schedule The college basketball schedule on Monday should provide some fireworks Our computer model has provided picks against the… Ranked teams are on Monday’s college basketball schedule for two games including the Kansas Jayhawks squaring off against… Peru—about 90 miles (150 kilometers) north of Cusco—live at 12,000–14,500 feet (3,660–4,420 meters) above sea level Men tend the fields while women weave high-quality textiles that they sell intermittently at markets Children attend school until they are also needed to work in the fields or help out with household duties The district of Lares straddles the last eastern high passes of the Andes and descends into the tropical highlands The closest market is at least three hours away by bus on a one-lane dirt road that winds precariously along steep mountain drop-offs The nearest communities are about four hours away by foot accessed via a network of well-trodden trails Although the people living in the Lares region persevere despite limited resources and harsh living conditions these factors—coupled with fragmented government aid and a dearth of infrastructure—render these communities relatively inaccessible to visitors While some travelers do venture out of the city to visit natural hot springs around the Lares district in general they do not utilize the trail networks nor do they make it into these small communities To provide its people with opportunities for economic development the Lares district government is attempting to take advantage of this market by promoting rural tourism The Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development (AASD) which works with Peruvian communities to identify ways to address livelihood challenges is supporting this initiative by employing GIS the AASD is using ArcGIS Online—and adventurous volunteers—to create a map of the trail networks that connect Lares and its surrounding districts The result will be a rural tourism circuit that takes travelers beyond the hot springs and into these communities they are provided with local guides and fitted with Garmin GPS units to collect the track lines of these previously unmapped trails They also use a smartphone survey app to collect area-of-interest points such as guesthouses These locations are collected and stored offline since there are no active cellular zones in the region The volunteers then use a wireless Internet connection each night to synchronize the data with a database and a GIS specialist loads the information into a geodatabase on an as-needed basis so the AASD is currently implementing Collector for ArcGIS 10.3 so that when volunteer hikers enter an area with cellular or wireless Internet coverage their data will automatically sync into AASD’s ArcGIS Online geodatabase the app can be downloaded to Android and iOS devices which will allow the volunteers to use their own smartphones AASD trekkers have already mapped approximately 60 miles (97 kilometers) of trails And they are learning about mapping and GIS while doing it “The AASD mapping project allowed me to get valuable field experience while mapping thousand-year-old trails that have never been mapped before,” said Kenneth Eggering who hiked and collected data for some Lares trails during the summer of 2014 “The beauty of these trails is that they are used every day by indigenous communities.” tourists will use an interactive map application—which was originally created in ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced and will be published to the AASD’s ArcGIS Online account—to design their own hiking trips by selecting a trail or a series of trails around the Lares district to trek After the trekkers define an area of interest on the map and select an appropriate scale they will be able to either download it to their portable devices or print it out to take with them (ideally both Beyond providing tourists with the opportunity to explore Peru’s isolated areas and trails these detailed maps will bring the market to the locals Rather than having to regularly travel long distances and deal with middlemen to sell their goods members of these expansive rural communities will be able to welcome tourists and sell their goods within their own environs The AASD obtained its ArcGIS software through the Esri Nonprofit Organization Program. For more information on this project, contact Aaron Ebner or Jim Valenza, or visit the AASD website Subscribe Fill out this form to subscribe to ArcNews a quarterly print magazine for GIS users of all levels to find out about new ways to employ GIS and what’s new with ArcGIS technology It is mailed to subscribers within the United States Please try logging in again or email customer care at customercare.usta.com for assistance In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month taking place Sept 15 USTA Oklahoma is featuring Antonio Lares a tennis coach who shares his love for the sport at First Serve OKC has a passion for tennis that began unexpectedly during his high school years in Oklahoma City Raised by his grandparents with Spanish his first language and the values instilled in him by his grandparents have guided his path in life Lares’s introduction to tennis came through a high school requirement to earn an athletic credit This choice sparked a love for the sport that has endured for more than a decade While he started as a player, his passion has evolved into a fulfilling career in coaching. Lares currently balances his time between teaching pickleball at Chicken N Pickle and serving with AmeriCorps at First Serve OKC Lares works with a diverse range of students He plays a big role in the organization’s programs particularly in Oklahoma City public schools where he helps create after-school tennis opportunities for young students “My favorite thing about tennis is the learning and teachings you get from the sport,” Lares said “The kids I have gotten to coach have taught me just as much as I have them Playing and teaching tennis for so long has shown me that you never stop learning which makes the game that more enjoyable.” Lares’s ability to connect with families and students through his bilingual skills has been instrumental in bridging cultural gaps and fostering a love for tennis among the Hispanic community Lares’s passion for coaching has earned him a new role as the tennis coach at Classen SAS High School for the 2025 season tennis is more than just a game; it's a lifelong learning experience He believes the sport teaches valuable lessons and he is grateful for the opportunity to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of players Interested in coaching tennis? Click here for USTA coaching resources. To read additional National Hispanic Heritage Month articles from around the USTA Missouri Valley, click here Be sure you catch Tejano Nation updates with Romeo weekdays at 10:40 on KLUB Tejano 106.9!  Shelly Lares has been trending since her big announcement of her one night return also featuring Roberto Pulido she is celebrating a very impressive milestone She has just surpassed 2 million digital streams for her breakout album in 1994 "Quiero Ser Tu Amante."  The album was released digitally and has surpassed 2 million streams In case you are forgetting this album brought us three of Shelly's biggest hits "No Quiero Saber," "Soy Tu Amor,' and " Es Que Estoy Enamorada." She is now connecting and making fans with the next generation Along with the digital success of the album, Shelly Lares has also listened to the requests of her fans and brought back some highly sought-after merchandise. The new items include two t-shirts—one featuring the covers of her extensive discography and another showcasing a stack of her cassette albums, complete with her signature logo at the bottom. Both are available for pre-order here Shelly Lares Celebrates Milestone for Digital Release of 1994 Album\nRead More Shelly Lares has been trending since her big announcement of her one night return also featuring Roberto Pulido Along with the digital success of the album, Shelly Lares has also listened to the requests of her fans and brought back some highly sought-after merchandise. The new items include two t-shirts—one featuring the covers of her extensive discography and another showcasing a stack of her cassette albums, complete with her signature logo at the bottom. Both are available for pre-order here and one day in jail for the January 2023 crash that killed 30-year-old Mario Lares expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence "It just bubbled all the anger and the hurt all bubbled up How can this be fair?" Rodriguez said on Muller Road and South Vineland Drive in southeast Bakersfield when Robles ran a stop sign and collided with Lares' Honda who did not have a stop sign at the intersection suffered severe injuries and has not fully recovered "She still has ongoing pain because she has hardware She's got a screw in her lower back area and that's had to cause to have further treatment "She has a huge bump that will never go away on her leg right here and it's caused from the crash and from the injuries Hernandez's attorney also noted that Hernandez relives the crash constantly and is haunted by the day her friend Mario lost his life "She also has a lot of guilt inside because she just doesn't understand 'how he could die when he was such a good person and I'm alive,'" Trujillo said statements were read on behalf of Mario's parents highlighting the irrevocable pain caused by the crash Despite feeling that Robles's punishment is unfair Mario's family expressed a desire to focus on honoring his memory "Little Miss Dynamite" wrapped an absolutely incredible career or touring She has since moved on to the next phase of her life.  She is currently mentoring the next generation of Tejano artist with Shell Shock Records 3.  Here label actually represents multiple genres Celebrate 3 years of KLUB Tejano with Ricardo Castillon Y La Diferenzia and David DeAnda Y Xelencia on Friday, April 25th. Get ticket information.  Shelly is also part of music support for Harmony Hospice care She also is an instructor at the UTSA school of music as an artist in residence She is indeed living her best life after music right now she has just announced that she is returning to the stage Shelly made the announcement via social media.. Nick Guerra was instrumental in making this show possible alongside Texas Rodeo in Katy At this time Texas Rodeo might be the hottest Tejano spot in the state of Texas David Lee Garza and Jay Perez performed for sold out crowd of around 1800 fans How about a lookback at short from Shelly's final performance in Victoria/Goliad at Schroeder Hall Shelly Lares Returns to The Stage for an Epic One Night Performance\nRead More Celebrate 3 years of KLUB Tejano with Ricardo Castillon Y La Diferenzia and David DeAnda Y Xelencia on Friday, April 25th. Get ticket information.  Nick Guerra was instrumental in making this show possible alongside Texas Rodeo in Katy [Written by Patrick Bean] Lawyer and imaging technologist Tricia Lares-Warner recently added a new title to her already extensive resume with the release of her first book  ‘Just Bee-tween Us Girls’ to provide vital legal knowledge that relates to adolescent girls in areas of domestic violence and stalking The interactive book is filled with figurative as well as many depictions of girls with flowery clothes and other bright pictures April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month thus the release of the book earlier this month was timed to coincide with heightened awareness of the scourge that is abuse “The purpose of the book is to provide education prevent crime and preserve the next generation,” explained Lares-Warner “To change the trajectory of the youth by education and changing their thought processes “This book is important as the aim is to allow young teenage girls to gain important legal knowledge that relates to teenage girls such as domestic violence and stalking “The book is full of girls with flowery clothes and bright images At the end of every chapter is a worksheet that encourages thinking processes “The book can impact readers by changing thought processes making them aware and empowering them to think on a higher level there are valuable websites that they can further explore such as UN Women and hotlines for domestic violence in Bermuda and the Caribbean As the book has as it target market the formative demographic containing females aged 10-18 Lares-Warner insists that youth voices are crucial to any fight against the scourge of abuse With a nudge from a fellow church member Lares-Warner was inspired to write on the subject of abuse by her personal experiences in both the legal and medical fields as having placed her in a unique position to observe cause and effect from legal which such having provided impetus for her to share her knowledge “Being involved in both legal and medical the opportunity to see young women experience for example domestic violence when they attend the hospital for facial bone x-ray due to physical abuse and then protecting the same demographic in the courts petitioning for protection orders to protect them,” said the author I thought if I could only get them the education earlier then the statistics of this demographic group could be lowered “I recently volunteered for a group at Transformational Living Center which is now under ‘Home’s’ guidance and the experiences of the young women further pushed me to create some type of preventative measures “[Additionally,] the persons who have inspired me are my mother Chinapoo [my primary school teacher in Trinidad] Elaine Butterfield [first manager at imaging Department BHB and former TLC director Arthur Hodgson [provided the opportunity for pupillage] Elizabeth Christopher and Justice Nicole Stoneham “The book has been in the making for months A Christian mentor –Suzette at Glory Temple Church — encouraged me to pursue the book and other youth works “Just Bee-Tween Us Girls’ serves to answer the call offering great benefits for women of all ages even in its adolescent design.” When not writing books or recording images at KEMH Justicia Law Chambers — ‘Justicia’ is the Spanish word for Justice — specialising in family She also works part-time for the government in Mental Health Court Her education is a mixture of medical and legal as she possesses a dual bachelor’s in Medical Imaging and Law with a Master of Law designation from BPP University Advanced Commercial Litigation and Corporate Finance Her initial profession was as a teacher in the primary schools of Trinidad before moving to positions at hospitals in Trinidad ‘Just Bee-tween Us Girls’ is a result of the blend of professions Lares-Warner also has a boys’ legal book in the making which should be published in May Category: All, Entertainment Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed I purchased one couple days ago for my friend granddaughter XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> Today, conservative leaders across Florida are launching the Florida First Energy Alliance Forward momentum within the conservative movement demands that Republicans lead on energy security and there’s no better place to start than in the GOP’s most significant stronghold where Republican leaders are already accustomed to taking on complex environmental challenges Florida’s greatness is built on our beautiful natural environment and so will its future many younger voters are being taught that when it comes to the environment This is despite a legacy of environmental leadership in the Republican Party including and especially here in the Sunshine State These are the reasons we are joining together to form the Florida First Energy Coalition Conservative leadership is essential to the future of our state and country and if we leave energy development and environmental stewardship to the Democrats our approach will differ from that of the Left Many of the Left’s environmental bills have hidden costs that make life harder for the working class in exchange for minuscule environmental wins and giveaways for corporate interests We prefer approaches that work with the private sector to harness innovation and are centered around foresight and good planning We want to give companies incentives to produce low-carbon energy which will make America cleaner and richer We also want America to be not just energy-independent but energy-dominant working with industries to make energy more sustainable When we say we’re “Florida First,” we mean it We don’t chase after toothless international treaties that leave our workers behind and drive manufacturing overseas We acknowledge that China is the world’s largest polluter and rather than regulate our own industries to extinction we seek to hold Chinese manufacturers accountable to the same standards as U.S ultimately making it competitive to bring those jobs home once again in building this vision within the conservative movement the Florida First Energy Alliance aims to spotlight environmental solutions that make – and keep – our state and country great We will help conservatives lead on the environment promote conservative environmental principles and demonstrate to the nation that environmental stewardship and conservative values go hand in hand Florida conservatives have shown we can lead the state in the correct direction It is high time that we do a better job educating the public on how we can and will continue to step up to the plate for a cleaner Ian Lares-Chacin is the statewide Chair of the Florida Federation of College Republicans did you sport a slight sneer or snicker mentioning the Republican Party and the park system in the same sentence the Republican Party of Fl claims environmental conservative values This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN 2023 — The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has selected award-winning Tejano singer-songwriter Shelly Lares as its 2023-2024 artist-in-residence in the UTSA School of Music Lares’ role builds on UTSA’s 50-plus year history of excellence in music education and research and is a key step in accelerating the School of Music’s vision to develop a world-class education research and training center that celebrates contemporary music With a career spanning more than four decades and 25 albums Lares is one of the most enduring artists on the Tejano music scene The San Antonio native is internationally recognized for her powerfully resonant voice and charismatic stage presence Lares will lecture in music technology classes to help students master innovative recording and editing techniques including the university’s mariachi ensemble she will help UTSA conceptualize programming to develop world-class musicians in contemporary Latin styles "I am extremely honored to be the artist-in-residence for such a prestigious university,” shared Lares “I am excited to be part of the growth of the music program especially to share my 40 years of experience with aspiring musicians songwriters and music producers and to be able to teach from the true hardknocks of the music industry It is important to me to make sure my culture of Tejano music continues to grow and thrive for the next generation." “UTSA is a Hispanic Serving Institution that is committed to advancing the arts for our students and our community,” said Glenn Martinez dean of the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts “There is no better place than here in San Antonio to train and uplift the next generation of Latin artists We are thrilled to welcome Shelly to the faculty and look forward to collaborating with her in developing a dynamic and innovative environment that attracts Tejano musicians from across the nation and preserves Tejano music.” Nicknamed Little Miss Dynamite for her diverse talents Lares began recording music professionally at age 10 with Orquestra (The Hot Tamales band) a game-changing experience that introduced her to Tejano music Lares met then up-and-coming Tejano vocalist Selena Quintanilla-Perez and the pair became best of friends Lares stayed with Orquestra for four years recording 45 records before embarking on her own musical career and signing with Manny Guerra She recorded with Manny Music from 1989 to 1995 Quiero Ser Tu Amante (1994) became a breakthrough and landed on the Latin Album Top 40 was the most frequently played Latin song of 1994 Lares’ self-titled 1996 album peaked at 35 on the Top Latin Albums chart Lares released two more albums during the 1990s: Aqui Me Encuentro (1997) and Donde Hay Fuego (1998) while touring and writing songs for other artists Lares created “Mil Besos,” her final album for Sony which enabled her to record in Nashville alongside country super star Vince Gill Her 2002 album “3 Veces” was her debut for Tejas Records The album garnered significant regional airplay and sales enabled her to re-record her earliest hits using digital technology Lares is the producer for her personal label she is scouting and signing new talent for her label “Shelly Lares is an inspired artist with a brilliant career entertained thousands of fans and reached impressive music sales,” said José Rosario former vice president of Sony Music Regional Mexican and Tejano Divisions (Los Angeles) and current President/CEO of Latin Grove News “Her entrance into the UTSA School of Music program as artist-in-residence is exciting rich insights into the world of music and the music business through the treasure of Shelly Lares' artistry inspiration and real-life experience as a music superstar.” To prepare students for successful commercial music careers Lares will share the lessons she has learned throughout her career “Shelly is an icon in the Tejano music scene and is an exemplar of the type of faculty artists students learn from and train alongside of when they attend UTSA,” said Tracy Cowden Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music and director of the UTSA School of Music “Shelly is so well-versed in all aspects of the music industry that she will have an impact in our music marketing which is exactly the kind of bold impact an artist-in-residence of this caliber can have on our students.” Lares is the recipient of several Tejano Music Awards Lares has received three Grammy nominations for her work She received the Premios Tejano Mundial award presented by the Tejano Music Recording Academy to recognize lifetime achievements Lares is also the recipient of the Legacy Award by the Human Rights Campaign in 2023 The UTSA School of Music was established in 2022 with a drive to become one of the top music schools in the nation The school offers academic programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels as well as master’s certificates in instrumental performance and music pedagogy Graduates of the school are teaching in public schools and universities producing television programs and winning prestigious performance competitions UTSA Associate Professor Sonya Aleman offered “Selena: A Mexican American Identity and Experience,” a first-of-its-kind course exploring various topics relating to Selena’s career the Spanish language and Mexican American identity UTSA is a Hispanic Serving Institution where 59% of students identify as Hispanic and nearly 45% will be the first in their families to earn a college degree Through a wide range of interdisciplinary programs music and cultural hub for academic coursework and research examining the Latino population Join the doctoral candidates for the Doctoral Conferreal Ceremony and celebrate their accomplishments Celebrate the graduates from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business College of Education and Human Development Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and University College Celebrate the graduates from the College for Health College of Liberal and Fine Arts and College of Sciences Submit an Event The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery As an institution of access and excellence UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas To be a premier public research university providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery The Magazine of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Field Sun of Blood and Ruin, Mariely Lares (Harper Voyager 978-0-06325-431-2, $30.00, 384pp, hc) February 2024 Pitched as a reimagining of Zorro against the backdrop of Mexican anticolonial resis­tance Sun of Blood and Ruin – the debut novel by Mariely Lares – manages to be a fun com­fort read with a distinctively folkloric bent Like its gender-flipped Zorro protagonist who constantly switches between two identities (Lady Leonora the shape-shifting vigilante fighting to end the subjugation of the indigenous peoples) the book swiftly shifts across genres – from court intrigue to heroic adventure to slow-burn romance to an epic tale of gods with their own agendas – which results in a breezily written and somewhat divert­ing page-turner though its central focus felt a bit muddied to me Sun of Blood and Ruin follows a trend of recent fantasy novels where the female protagonist is forced to lead a double life – usually a member of the privileged class who is also unusually skilled as a con artist allowing them to move between royalty and common folk with relative ease she has ties to the Spanish royalty and spends the early chapters navigating court politics which are narrated with charm and hilarity she has also spent ten secret years training in sorcery and combat with Master Toto seems to have not accomplished much (except for a personal vendetta against a racist general) and is seemingly out of touch with the plans of the actual resistance groups She also appears to be quite flummoxed in her interactions with Andres a secretive figure from the Nahua group who accompanies her as she visits various tribes and learns about their factionalism through the latter half of the novel even as prophecies about an impending apocalypse and her fate to die young loom ominously in the air Though the novel gets progressively more me­andering and crowded with minor characters Lares’s prose is lucid and straightforward with the chapters cautiously short and structured so that the reader will keep wondering what happens next I also enjoyed the descriptions of the Mesoamerican world as well as the stories about the various deities that pepper the pages – though some readers might find the execution a bit on the infodumpy side The presence of gods and their agents also reminded me of a similar book The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz which also explores anticolonial themes and the pressure to figure out one’s own path though the Spanish are an ever-looming threat their presence in the narra­tive retreats somewhat in the latter half which is more concerned with our main character coming to terms with her history and cultural heritage Another small detail I liked was how Lares is careful to depict Indigenous people as not one monolithic community presenting a unified front to the Spanish conquistadors but as a diverse yet distinct sets of tribes and factions with interweav­ing histories and traditions – something that the colonial enterprise often strives to erase the dialogue exchanges between Leonora and the other characters were often humorous the central slow-blooming romance between Leonora and Andres did not work for me There seemed to be precious little to their relationship beyond a physical attraction and mutual passive-aggressive behavior They didn’t seem to have any chemistry nor commonalties (apart from a vested interest in keeping secrets) and thus their scenes of sexual tension as well as the later revelations about the characters’ godly heritage were never compelling to my tastes – a rather uninteresting love story I would have liked to see the side characters more developed another lady of the court with her own agendas they seemed to function as props to propel the narrative which could have benefitted from more twists and complications Sun of Blood and Ruin is a fun and occasionally funny book steeped in Mesoameri­can folklore that may appeal to readers keen on a quick entertaining read with a culturally rich slant with a fondness for dark and fantastical things She completed her B.A (2018) and M.A (2020) in English Literature from Jadavpur University and a Diploma in Multimedia and Animation from St When she isn’t writing speculative fiction or drawing fanart This review and more like it in the May 2024 issue of Locus. While you are here please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going and would like to keep the site paywall free but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" “The only print publication I subscribe to is Locus Magazine It’s indispensable for keeping up with SF Plus mind-expanding criticism/interviews!” Locus Magazine and Website cover science fiction and allows us to continue to share our content without a paywall Even a small contribution goes a long way toward keeping Locus going and keeping you up to date with new exciting books and in the know about the SFF world Tejano legend Shelly Lares has recorded a song about presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to encourage Latino voters to turn out to support her Lares is a winner of several Tejano Music Awards including last year's Lifetime Achievement Award And while she says she usually keeps music and politics separate a lot of good things to come," she told TPR who is off the road these days and provides music therapy to hospice patients hopes the song is used as part of the soundtrack at this week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago we're getting a lot of response because now it's on all streaming platforms so her supporters can definitely post their own videos and use the audio for it," she said The idea for such a song originated with UTSA's Professor Emerita Dr Ellen Riojas Clark and record executive José Rosario Bexar County Democratic Chair Monica Alcantara said she has been a fan of Lares since her teenage years and has helped promote the song though social media "We're all trying to pull out the Latino vote in Bexar County and throughout the country," Alcantara said "And she wanted to provide a song for Kamala and to get everybody just kind of singing along and engaged and getting out the vote." An event based around the song called "La Gran Kamalada Tamalada," to show support for Harris Tamaladas are traditional gatherings in Latino households to make tamales around Christmas time Sign In Subscribe Now Nicole has healed well beyond their imagination and their two children are fully grown adults.  Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Sign up for GdM emails & get a free magazine! Click Here Mariely Lares is a Mexican-American debut autor who has swept us away with her novel Sun of Blood and Ruin A historical fantasy set in a post-conquest Mexico mythology and a good dose of swordfighting and complex relationships this is one of 2023’s books to watch out for We had the chance to catch up with her in advance of publication on everything from research and writing to mythology and cultural background for Sun of Blood and Ruin [GDM] Can you pitch Sun of Blood and Ruin in a sentence or two for our readers [ML] The morally upstanding Lady Leonora doubles as the masked vigilante Pantera in 16th century Spain-occupied Mexico [GDM] This is a story that’s clearly drawing on the Zorro narrative What’s your relationship with the tale like and what inspired you to craft your own story around it there weren’t any heroes or role models on TV or books I could relate to on a cultural level My choice was a mouse—Speedy Gonzalez with his exaggerated Mexican accent I was nine when I watched Antonio Banderas as Zorro He made such an impression on me; first of all and this was not a cartoon but a real person What kid doesn’t want to be able to fly and have super strength Throw on a mask and it’s so easy to imagine yourself as that character This book is a love letter to my 9-year-old self retellings are more than just a reframing of a familiar tale They are an opportunity to reclaim a narrative for a society as well as through the setting of the retelling Sun of Blood and Ruin managed to really hone in on that Can you share a bit more about your thinking behind this particular setting for the story When I first started thinking about this story I wanted to learn more about my Mexican heritage and create a female hero navigating two different worlds I also wanted to explore what it means to be bicultural to feel like you don’t fully belong to one culture Zorro felt very modern to me in terms of the setting because Mexico gained independence from Spain in the 19th century we don’t know what happened from 1500-1800 I wanted to go way back and set the story thirty years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico we could get an understanding of the early changes that took place and we could also see the resistance and conflict of the time Another thing is that Zorro was born in the New World and was of pure Spanish descent but we never see him think about who he is or if he considers himself a true Spaniard Leonora makes it clear that while others perceive her as heroic she sees herself as deeply selfish – saving powerful people because the alternative would be worse not because it’s the right thing to do or because she agrees with what they stand for Grimdark Magazine’s lifeblood are morally dubious characters so we loved seeing her be a complex character who is aware of her own flaws How much of this was intentional and planned and how much just evolved as you were writing and editing TV shows like The Boys prove that deeply imperfect heroes are far more interesting Even the greatest heroes in the superhero genre aren’t flawless Iron Man has to contend with his actions of the past Even Peter Parker is haunted by the death of his uncle Leonora is a character whose core belief is based on confronting the duality inside her to find balance Even her different-colored eyes allude to this dichotomy She doesn’t see the world in terms of good and evil but chaos and order and the Nahuas viewed the earth as slippery therefore they walked carefully so as not to fall This is connected to the concept of “nepantla” living life in the middle or a centered way I don’t think Leonora has proven just how flawed she can be [GDM] Allow me a self-indulgent question – over the course of Leonora and Tezca’s travels they encounter what I can only describe as a dark take on a ‘mermaid’ – a creature half sea-snake I’m really curious to hear more on whether this is something you came across in your research or made up for the purposes of the story Mexico has its legends of water-dwelling females One of the best-known Indigenous myths that predates the Aztecs is the Tlanchala The Tlanchala was worshiped as a water goddess who could be called upon at any body of freshwater or a snake tail to entice men into the water Fishermen and hunters would leave gifts for the Tlanchala in exchange for a smooth voyage or a fair catch but the post-conquest Tlanchana was turned into a European-looking mermaid and was seen more as a demonic creature There is a sculpture of the Tlanchana in Metepec [GDM] Can you tell our readers a little bit more about tonalli I found it fascinating how it is so connected to being aware of yourself and who you are [ML] This is a loaded question that has a simple answer I was fascinated by how ki works in Dragon Ball and how Goku was able to level up through training and acquiring a large amount of ki we see that Leonora’s tonalli is linked to her animal double and her socerery Living a life of integrity is associated with one’s vitality Having integrity doesn’t just mean doing the right thing Leonora realizes her tonalli is poisoned because she’s living a double life and these two opposing aspects of herself aren’t working together in wholeness She does one thing but wants something else entirely Leonora eventually comes to this understanding She is who she was and who she is now as well as who she will be she doesn’t know how out of balance she is We already know tonalli loss leads to death Leonora can manipulate tonalli in book one but she has a ways to go in terms of tonalli control and its possibilities [GDM] You wrote some great fights in Sun of Blood and Ruin and do you have any advice for budding writers trying their hand at them If I can see the scene in my head like a movie I try to picture a great battle like the Battle of the Bastards or Avenger’s Endgame If I’m reading a battle sequence and all the narrative is doing is describing every punch and parry I need to be dropped into the scene like Pegman in Street View on Google Maps to be emotionally invested there’s a congregation of heroes and one bad guy I won’t just write a sequence for superfluous sake It has to set up a plot point or deliver some emotional punch [GDM] What were some of the obstacles you faced when researching for Sun of Blood and Ruin I imagine there were a lot of foreign accounts Multiple contradicting and inconsistent accounts Even the word “Aztec” is a predicament; technically we are referring to either the Mexica tribe who suffered at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors it was difficult looking at history through an Indigenous lens because narratives from the latter are what’s more widely available Do you plan meticulously or let the story drive [ML]: When I started writing the book in 2017 and the story mostly took shape on its own following my research I don’t have a clue what’s going to happen I have to at least be able to tell my publisher the gist of a sequel because that’s what’s expected of me but I do need to be more intentional about writing because I have two full time jobs and I’m a very slow writer I can be very obsessive about finishing a book though [GDM] Sun of Blood and Ruin is your debut – and I’m really excited for everyone to read it and fall for it What are some of your hopes and dreams for the book in the next year or so as it makes its way in the world [ML] I hope readers find enjoyment and escapism and Indigenous readers feel seen and celebrated I would love to sell Spanish rights to Mexico and other Latin American territories (yes I adore this world and would welcome returning to it in any way shape or form past the duology what books or other media have been inspiring you recently [ML] I have to give a shout-out to Blue Beetle just because I watched it recently and became an instant favorite The fact that the hero is Mexican American is just icing on the cake Read on Amazon Get the inside scoop on everything dark fantasy Join our mailing list to turn your inbox into a grimbox © Grimdark Magazine 2025   |   Built with ♥ by Acid Media 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 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 87 of Beckley went home to be with the Lord October 24 2022.  He accepted Christ as a teenager and was called to be a pastor He graduated from Alderson-Braoddus College and Eastern Baptist Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) John served as Assistant Pastor at First Baptist Church Parkersburg and pastored at Madison Baptist Church First Baptist Church of Weston and Crab Orchard Baptist Church After retiring he had interims at Old Greenbrier Baptist Church Ansted Baptist Church and Big Clear Creek Baptist Church Christina (Teenie) Chervenak and Wanda Gravely Lori Symes (Paul) and Mary Delaplane (Chris); daughter-in-law Evan Delaplane and Jenna Delaplane; great grandchildren 2022 at Crab Orchard Baptist Church with Rev David Bush officiating.  Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park Friends may visit with the family from 11 a.m until service time on Friday at the church In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Crab Orchard Baptist Church for Missions 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 Susan Lares-Nakaoka is no stranger to UCLA or UCLA Luskin Lares-Nakaoka was hired to fill the key program position formerly held by Gerry Laviña who recently retired after a long tenure as director of field education Lares-Nakaoka’s most recent teaching post was at Cal State Long Beach as an assistant professor She is excited about her return to the Westwood campus “It has been such a big part of my life,” she said Three other new Social Welfare faculty additions are Tatiana Londoño who came aboard as an associate professor in January Nakamura and Wilson have previous ties to UCLA Nakamura is a 2012 graduate of Luskin’s MSW program and Wilson had been working at UCLA’s Williams Institute Londoño comes to UCLA Luskin from the University of Texas at Austin where she recently completed her PhD in social work These faculty additions “bring a wealth of knowledge and experience and will certainly be an asset to our department and a great resource for our students,” said Laura Abrams professor and chair of UCLA Luskin Social Welfare who also held acaemic posts at the University of Hawaii Cal State Sacramento and Cal State Dominguez Hills focuses her research and writing on the intersection of race and community development and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities “Critical Race Theory in Social Work,” as well as editor of an upcoming special issue on race and social justice in the Journal of Community Practice She is also co-founder and co-director of the Critical Race Scholars in Social Work (CRSSW) collective She said her experience as director of field education at Cal State Dominguez Hills which was a pioneer in teaching social work from a critical race theory perspective was foundational to her approach to social work pedagogy “My area of interest is in racial justice issues so I’m interested in seeing ways in which we can make a bigger impact in the L.A area in terms of what can social work look like that has this lens of racial justice and anti-racism.” Lares-Nakaoka believes that UCLA is poised to be a leader in this area it’s so appropriate with our diversity and history “It’s just such an opportunity for me to be at UCLA where the nation’s experts on critical race theory reside.” is working as a field liaison in a position partly funded through a grant from the California Department of Health Care Access (HCAI) to expand social welfare education at UCLA I will be working to increase access to culturally and linguistically relevant behavioral health services for children and families in un- and underserved communities,” she said Nakamura said she also will work to promote a diverse and competent workforce through MSW student recruitment development of behavioral health internship sites and coursework that emphasizes cultural humility and competence as well as accessible mentorship and support to students as they work toward clinical licensure “I’ll be also working in the community with the different behavioral health agencies that we’re going to be partnering with so kind of the perfect integration of this micro and macro social work practice that I love,” Nakamura said She has previous experience as a field instructor and in teaching roles at universities Nakamura is teaching behavioral health courses and also maintains a private practice Nakamura described her return to campus as an amazing experience “I look forward to taking on this new role because the people who I sought out as field faculty when I was a student — they shaped my entire career and my life,” she said “It feels very full circle to be working alongside those same individuals.” who is originally from Colombia and was raised in Miami focuses on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of Latine/x immigrant youth and their families Londoño is currently involved in several studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) A research emphasis on migration includes looking at how immigrant youth and families navigate and adapt to the psychosocial consequences of migration and resettlement She is particularly interested in how immigration enforcement and practices in the U.S “Something that’s really central to my work is being community-based,” said Londoño who has conducted needs assessment and evaluation research related to study participants I will definitely be reaching out to organizations here working with immigrant and Latinx communities and slowly building those relationships.” Lares-Nakaoka and Londoño in January is Wilson who holds master’s and PhD degrees — with a minor in statistics methods and measurement — in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago Her research focuses on system-involved LGBTQ+ youth LGBTQ+ poverty and sexual health among queer women “I’m looking forward to continuing in an interdisciplinary department but now with a broad range of research topics,” she said “This can create opportunities for collaboration but also for learning about the many areas of work I don’t focus on.” In addition to being the Rabbi Zacky Senior Scholar of Public Policy at UCLA’s Williams Institute as well as a researcher and senior scholar of public policy since 2011 Wilson has been a faculty affiliate at the UCLA California Center for Population Research since 2014 Wilson will focus on Social Welfare’s concentration in health and mental health across the life span Wilson said she also is excited to be working with students again “I look forward to working with them on their graduate work as well as students at all levels in the classrooms,” she said The new faculty hires in Social Welfare are enhancing both education and the School’s research portfolio in interesting areas of study and practice “All of those topics are really speaking to what our students are interested in and what the community is asking for a focus on ethnic-based community development corporations dates from her time as a doctoral student at UCLA Luskin also has this very rich history of ethnic-based organizations,” she said noting her ongoing involvement with organizations like the Little Tokyo Service Center that started with an MSW internship “There’s these amazing organizations with a rich social justice history from the 1970s and ’80s I feel if we can work together to cultivate a type of social work that learns from them we can ensure racial justice is a central part of social work practice.” Lares-Nakaoka spent more than a dozen years working in social services and program development benefiting low-income residents She attended public schools in her hometown of Montebello then pursued an undergraduate education at UCLA in history and sociology Lares-Nakaoka is looking forward to the opportunity to mentor current students It’s amazing some of the things they’ve already done,” she said “They can articulate the plans they have for the future You know they are going to go on and make a difference.” 3250 Public Affairs Building - Box 951656Los Angeles The statements on this page represent the views of people affiliated with the Luskin School of Public Affairs and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of California Posts and comments by individuals at UCLA on social media channels may not reflect the opinions or policies of UCLA the University of California or the Luskin School The main payload on Vega’s inaugural flight is the Italian space agency ASI’s LARES laser relativity satellite Building on the previous Italian-American geodetic missions Lageos-1 and Lageos-2 LARES will improve their measurements of the Lense–Thirring effect by a factor of 10 The Lense–Thirring effect is the part of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity that describes the distortion of space-time caused by the rotation of a body with mass LARES (LAser Relativity Satellite) is a low-cost all-Italian mission with a short development time that will enable achieving important scientific goals in gravitational physics fundamental physics and Earth sciences fields The completely passive satellite is a tungsten sphere that has retroreflectors that allow the satellite's motion to be followed via laser from the Earth LARES went into orbit in 2012 from Europe's Spaceport with Vega's first launch and was inserted into orbit at about 1400 km at perigee with an inclination between 60° to 86° and reduced eccentricity Data was acquired through the "International Laser Ranging Service" (ILRS) a network of various laser ranging stations in the world which offers services for free on the basis of precise international agreements and makes all data immediately available Data analysis was performed in a specially created centre The small solid tungsten sphere is a passive satellite weighs nearly 390 kg and features 92 retroreflectors Ground stations send laser pulses to measure the precise time it takes the beams to travel between the ground and the satellite as it passes overhead The target injection orbit has a perigee altitude of 1450 km and an inclination of about 70º Timelapse of the assembly of the first Vega rocket on the launch pad in preparation for its qualification flight Lares Wines is named in honor of ancient Roman deities that protected home describes them as “deeply personal family gods” instead of the big names like Jupiter or Apollo From the colorful wine labels that draw heavily from Dungeons & Dragons heavy metal music and scary dream themes to Wylde’s innovative techniques there’s not another winery in Oregon like Lares Wines Lares Wines is best known for: blends and what Wylde described as unconventional blends they don’t mean things like blending apples and grapes to make a sparkling wine – which they absolutely do “What I mean is I don’t go into harvest with a plan,” Wylde said Wylde makes every wine and apple beverage separately then and only then do they decide what to blend Wylde is also well-known for making refreshing wines in the 10-11% ABV range “I make crushable table wines to enjoy now HERE IS OREGON: HereisOregon.com | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok Innovation: Calling it a “cheeky affront,” Wylde refuses to distinguish between red or white wine barrels “I make my wines with used barrels and don’t bother marking them and the next year it might hold pinot blanc When I tell other winemakers about this practice “Must try” current release: 2022 Lares Wines “Chimera” ($24.50) This effervescent wine made with forced carbonation is a unique mixture of organically farmed Willamette Valley apples and three varieties of grapes – pinot blanc The Chimera smells like Golden Delicious apples The wine’s crisp acidity and persistent bubbles tickled parts of my mouth and tongue that I didn’t know existed History: Wylde was working in television production in Los Angeles when the housing market collapse of 2008 forced them to take a job at the Venice Beach Whole Foods Since drinking wine was one of Wylde’s hobbies they found themselves working in the wine department Wylde eventually became more interested in how the wines they were selling were made Their boss hooked them up with harvest internships in New Zealand and the Willamette Valley which spelled the end of their grocery career After stints at wineries in New Zealand, Australia and Germany, Wylde settled back in Oregon. At Chehalem Winery, Wylde met Meredith Bell who shared their interests in minimalist winemaking and sustainable farming practices In 2014 Wylde and Bell launched Statera Cellars to make a series of single vineyard chardonnays In 2018 Wylde branched out to make an aligoté and a sparkling riesling under their own label Their initial 50-case production has grown to approximately 1,500 cases annually Wylde has a skilled hand when it comes to making aligoté I highly recommend their extended skin contact “orange” version ($24.50) that they call “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” or “a rough road leads to the stars.” What we don’t know: “Despite being a masculine I’m very much a non-binary person that lives in this queer It very much influences what I make and the community I keep,” Wylde said Wylde said that given our current political climate “it is a deeply important thing” to talk about the following -- “I believe more people with a privilege like I have in terms of being a white person and mostly masc it’s kind of our job to speak up for the community we’re trying to protect.” Biggest success or failure so far: Wylde’s philosophy is that you fail your way to success Wylde said they “view all failures as eventual successes.” Key insight: Wylde believes that wineries can lose sight of the welfare of the people who work in their cellars We sometimes care more about the plants thriving than we do about people thriving If we are going to certify organic and biodynamic farming I wish there was a way winery and vineyard owners could be certified as humane,” Wylde said I wish I had known when I started that: “I was going to be OK,” Wylde said “I wish I had known that my ideas were going to work out.” Last book read: “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck which Wylde described as “one of the best books ever written.” Where to buy: Lares wines may be purchased directly from the winery website. Wylde also conducts tastings by appointment at Portland Wine Storage Portland area bottle shops selling Lares wines include Division Wines, Mattino’s and Dame Bottle Shop By appointment, 306 S.E. Ash St., Portland, lareswines.com -- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine Oregonian Media Group The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of the Oregonian Media Group Advertising Terms & Conditions: Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/2021) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 5/1/2021) Advertising Terms & Conditions: Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/2021) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 5/1/2021)