and elegant corsages held the hands of their fathers while twirling in smiles and laughter during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho The yearly event was organized by the City of Rio Rancho Park Recreation and Community Services Department Fathers danced the night away with their special little girls a mother and son dance was hosted the day before at the recreation center Steven Gillis dances with his five-year-old daughter during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance Gilbert Rodriguez holds his three daughters during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho on Saturday and her father Elias Baldonado attend the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho Brian Roth swings around his six-year-old daughter while they dance together during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho laughs while waiting in line with her father Gregory Butler for the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho as they dance together during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho looks up at her father Robert Marquez while they wait for the doors to open for the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho Gilbert Rodriguez twirls around his five-year-old daughter during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho Elias Baldonado dances with his daughter Adriel Baldonado Girls dance with their fathers during the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho during their arrival at the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho wait in line together for the Father and Daughter Sweetheart Dance at Sabana Grande Recreation Center in Rio Rancho Eric Zimak ties a corsage on his daughter's wrist Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Cincinnati Reds phenom Elly De La Cruz didn't just make a guest appearance at a Dominican Winter League game He did so wearing his 2024 National League All-Star Game uniform who turns 23 in January and was born in Sabana Grande de Boya The Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer wrote last week that De La Cruz could become MLB's first $1 billion player Police divert traffic along NM 528 and Sabana Grande around 6:15 a.m Dec.16 after a standoff with an active shooter shut the highway down RIO RANCHO — Eric Brusstar of Rio Rancho faces a number of charges after being arrested early Wednesday morning during a shootout with police Officers responding to reports of shots being fired around 11 p.m Tuesday could hear "a significant amount of gunfire from different weapons being shot perceivably in their direction," the Rio Rancho Police Department said in their most recent press release on the incident near NM 528 and Sabana Grande Avenue and New Mexico State Police and Albuquerque Police air support assisted RRPD in locating the suspect who then began shooting at the APD helicopter Several hundred rounds of ammunition were discharged by the suspect from his residence and along NM 528 Eric Brusstar of Rio Rancho was taken into custody peacefully and is facing a number of charges," RRPD said in the release Confirmation of an arrest had come in around 5 a.m Roadways are now open after being closed during the incident and for collection of evidence Sandoval County Sheriff's Office and Bernalillo Police Department also assisted in the apprehension of the suspect RIO RANCHO — A suspect is in custody after shooting several hundred rounds of ammunition in a standoff with police in the Corrales Heights neighborhood near NM 528 and Sabana Grande Tuesday “could hear a barrage of fire” when they arrived Jacquelynn Reedy of the Rio Rancho Police Department said but the standoff continued for several hours overnight as several SWAT teams and crisis negotiators responded police confirmed the suspect was in custody after firing several hundred rounds The standoff shut down traffic along a section NM 528 for several hours Northbound traffic will be able to resume once police equipment is cleared from the scene adding that evidence was strewn along that stretch of highway and detectives are working to clear it Sabana Grande remains closed to Rincon de Romos Drive as of 5 a.m This story will be updated as more information becomes available SWAT and crisis negotiators are in the area of Corrales Heights in response to an armed subject The situation has closed NM 528 from Sabana Grande to Leon Grande The Rio Rancho Police Department confirmed they are working the scene in the area of NM 528 and Sabana Grande and more information will be released when it becomes available Case against accused UNM dentist dismissed (Jan BERNALILLO — A judge has granted a one-year extension to the extreme risk firearm protection order against Eric Brusstar Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email DR.- At least five people were injured in a head-on collision early Tuesday morning on the Nordeste Highway near the entrance to Gonzalo The crash involved a Ford SUV and a Hyundai car with the SUV driver trapped for nearly three hours before being rescued by passersby forcing its injured occupants to escape quickly reportedly from Nagua and en route to work were transported by 911 ambulances to hospitals in Sabana Grande de Boyá and Monte Plata while Digesett agents managed traffic congestion in the area Authorities continue investigating the accident’s causes and have yet to release the identities of the injured Local February 11 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" North Coast Economy Local Bavaro & Punta Cana DominicanToday.com - The Dominican Republic News Source in English Miami International Airport is closing out Hispanic Heritage Month by going back 100 years to celebrate one of the earliest Latino pioneers in aviation – World War I fighter pilot Felix Rigau Carrera the first Hispanic fighter pilot in the U.S Army in 1914 after graduating from what is now the University of Puerto Rico He was assigned to the Army’s Aviation Section he became the first Puerto Rican parachutist After receiving additional aviation training he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the First Marine Air Squadron which deployed to France as the newly renamed 1st Marine Aviation Force in July 1918 Rigau Carrera and his unit provided bomber and fighter support making him the first Puerto Rican to pilot a fixed-wing aircraft and the first Hispanic fighter pilot in the Marines.  Rigau Carrera made his way back to Puerto Rico and bought his own airplane after flying from the airfield at the military installation Camp Las Casas in Santurce he became the first Puerto Rican to pilot a plane over the island.  Rigau Carrera subsequently used the airfield at Camp Las Casas on a frequent basis as a departure point for transporting passengers on sightseeing tours and for staging exhibition flights He became a celebrity throughout Puerto Rico in the 1920s earning the nickname “Ėl Aguila de Sabana Grande” (The Eagle from Sabana Grande) He also became the first pilot to have a regular air-mail route in Puerto Rico.  Rigau Carrera died at the age of 60 and was buried with full military honors at Abingdon Episcopal Church Cemetery in Gloucester the street Calle Félix Rigau Carrera and the American Legion Post 36 were named in his honor.  Christmas Song Aims to Inspire Peace in the Holy Land Pope’s Message of Hope Launched into Space to Orbit Earth Here is Pope Francis’ Schedule for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon Marian Apparitions Must Always Point to Jesus By Wallice de la Vega • Catholic News Service • Posted May 10 Puerto Rico — Although followers of a popular devotion centered on Our Lady of the Rosary were cheerfully celebrating being allowed to attend a public Mass the bishop planning to celebrate the liturgy warned that their practices continue to be unrecognized by the church calling itself Our Lady of the Rosary of the Spring Devotee Association announced May 2 that Mayaguez Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio was “inviting all devotees of the Virgin of the Spring to a Mass that will make history in Puerto Rico.” The group’s press release suggested the bishop was celebrating Mass May 22 specifically as a prelude to the devotees’ anniversary pilgrimage to the Marian shrine in the Rincon area of this southwestern municipality The name “Virgin of the Spring” is a popular identifier adopted by devotees after Mary’s supposed apparitions at a spring-puddle in Sabana Grande in 1953 The group maintains that several students from a nearby grade school reported seeing “a beautiful young lady” floating on a cloud above a spring that provided water to the school The diocese has said that it has not found the apparent visions as supernatural in nature and has advised the faithful to avoid affiliating with the association Local newspapers published the press release May 4 under headlines suggesting that the Mass was specifically for the devotees and that Bishop Corrada was ending his distance from the group The headlines spurred a social media outbreak speculating about a policy change on the church’s part “We wrote Bishop Corrada requesting to be allowed at the 10 o’clock Mass and it was the bishop’s initiative not only to allow us there but also to say the Mass and preach himself.” The Mayaguez Diocese quickly clarified the church’s position regarding the association in an advance copy of a letter from Bishop Corrada to CNS that was read at all Masses the weekend of May 7-8 and published May 9 by El Visitante Bishop Corrada acknowledged the devotees’ request and his wish to celebrate Mass “to continue the dialogue I proposed to them in my clarifying letter of September 2014 which I reaffirm.” But he also wrote: “I am going to Sabana Grande as this diocese’s bishop responding to my pastoral duty to look after a group of Catholic faithful who request the holy Mass; not to celebrate their anniversary.” He clarified that he will be in Sabana Grande to celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity The letter reminded the faithful that there has been no change in the church’s stance regarding the association and its mission and that the 1987 decree dissolving the association remains in force The bishop also encouraged diocesan and religious order priests not to participate in activities related to the spring and that any priests who celebrates Mass there would be automatically suspended from ministry The supposed Marian apparitions at the Sabana Grande Spring lasted from April 23 to May 25 Hundreds of thousands of faithful from across Puerto Rico packed a sugar cane field near the spring Several people reported miraculous recoveries from serious illnesses and physical handicaps After two ecclesial investigations — one by the Diocese of Ponce to which the Sabana Grande parish belonged in 1953 and the other by the Diocese of Mayaguez in 1986 — the results were “uniformly negative” and that reports of the apparitions lacked credibility The Marian devotion at the spring continued low-key until 1978 one of the children who claimed to see Mary announced that she had given him a series of messages for the world he offered the first message; the most recent including high profile figures from the arts The resulting association legally incorporated in 1985 as Our Lady of the Spring Mission based in San Juan the mission was approved as a private association by the Puerto Rican bishops’ conference but specifically without juridic personality when the bishops’ conference determined that “from the beginning the association did not feel bound to the terms and interpretation of the (approval) decree.” Catholic canon law provides that properly recognized private associations of faithful can receive juridic personality “through a formal decree of the competent ecclesiastical authority” and “are subject to the vigilance of ecclesiastical authority.” Ramos told CNS his association has “international juridic personality,” being recognized by several bishops in other countries Church documents available as public records reveal that the association never received juridic personality from its home diocese One important problem between the diocese and the devotee association has been the group’s use of several names including “Association Pro Devotion to the Virgin of the Rosary of the Spring,” an identification they had requested and was denied by the diocese in 1987 The relationship between the church and the association worsened when the group entered into a mega-project to build a resort-type center atop a mountain near the spring “That’s what brought them down,” Father Edgardo Acosta Ocasio “With time all this was distorted; outside people taking over new interests created … local humble people the real devotees — in numbers and quality — saw all this turning into a business and into a corrupted religious element.” said the distortion was part of a “more serious situation both on the doctrinal and moral aspect.” Eventually the church determined no sacrament could be celebrated there and the association could not be recognized as a Catholic organization The association’s image took another turn down in 2005 when claims of divergent practices — among these physical psychological and sexual abuse — originally surfaced from former “disciples” of Collado Father Acosta said the church never opposed the individual private devotion to the Virgin of the Rosary of the Spring “especially praying rosary in the manner the church practices it.” He referred to a 1987 CEP letter to local bishops stating “every private apparition has a subjective character hence it cannot be expected to be a teaching for the whole people of God.” Father Acosta described as “a complex thing” the tension between the diocese and the devotee association “Bishop was trying — once again because he did it before — to cool down tensions of the past,” he said about the association’s recent press release “As a ‘sabeneno’ (Sabana Grande native) if Our Lady had appeared there … but in this case the information has been manipulated.” CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source Muslim leaders say religion can ‘humanize’ society NEXT: Evacuated Fort McMurray Catholics gather for Mass in Edmonton Tell Grandpa that I BELIEVE everything that he said it happened that I’m also reading the book of Our Lady and I get boose bumps that I order the 1st edition because I recently went to Puerto Rico and I went and visit EL POZO even though I live in the Isla since I was a newborn this was the 1st time I went at age 41 my parents or grandparents that I can remember never said anything to me about it but I went now and I believe in Our Lady and her miracles Take care grandpa and if you don’t mind tell him que me heche la bendicion I just want to offer a better translation for this devotion: it’s “Virgin of the Well” (“La Virgen del Pozo”) not the “Virgin of the Spring” which in Spanish would be “La Virgen de la Fuente”- which is not how this disapproved apparition is known in Puerto Rico and elsewhere To those who defend the “international standing” of the apparition’s “recognition” they would do better if they had their facts straight there were real cures and healing… it will survive I was 8 years old when the apparitions were reported in the newspapers the sun came out and turning towards the people Many miracles happened with the water that came out of the spring from the earth like the Virgin promised All this has been reported in the “el Imparcial and el Mundo” newspapers of that time I understand that men have spoiled what heaven so mercifully gave us USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking  The switch-hitting José Vidro made three All-Star teams and batted over.300 for five straight seasons He remains the best second baseman in the truncated history of the Montreal Expos Born on August 27, 1974, in Mayaguez, on Puerto Rico’s west coast, Vidro grew up about 15 miles away in Sabana Grande, where he played “baseball with tennis balls on makeshift diamonds”1 and attended high school. According to Sports Illustrated, “His father, José Sr., (was) a foreman at a Frito-Lay factory, and his mother, Daysi, was an office worker for Sunkist Foods.”2 Drafted by Montreal in the sixth round of the 1992 amateur draft including two full seasons and part of a third with single-A teams He did attain two major personal milestones during his years in the minors The Expos called Vidro up from Triple-A Ottawa on June 6, 1997, after Vladimir Guerrero was sidelined with a pulled hamstring.3 In his major-league debut, on June 8, he smacked a pinch-hit double off Steve Trachsel of the Chicago Cubs and scored on a single by Mark Grudzielanek Vidro would return to Montreal and would hit below .200 for every month of the 1998 season save for June He finished 1998 with a career-low OPS of .596 a figure that compared poorly with Wilton Guerrero’s .723 mark “My second year in the majors was my worst year in my professional career,” Vidro said. “I was trying to do too much and putting too much pressure on myself. … I couldn’t sleep, thinking about what I had to do. Physically I felt perfect, but my mind wasn’t.”6 With his future in Montreal uncertain, Vidro returned home for the offseason. After the 1998 campaign, Vidro “played winter ball … to gain confidence at the plate[; he] did just that by batting .417 in Puerto Rico.”7 Enough hits got through in 1999 when “Vidro was without a doubt the Expos’ most pleasant surprise … after winning the second base job by mid-May … making significant strides with both his defensive and offensive game.”10 Closing the campaign with an 0-for-27 slump Vidro finished the season with a still impressive.304 batting average Vidro proved Beattie quickly correct by slugging a career-high 24 homers in 2000 to go along with other career highs that year in hits (200), doubles (51), RBIs (97), batting average (.330), and slugging average (.540). He homered for his 200th hit. Ballpark security retrieved the ball and gave it to Vidro, who in turn passed it on to his grandfather, who had attended the game.13 Vidro complemented his offensive production with defensive prowess: “I heard before he got here that José didn’t have the range,” said fielding coach Perry Hill, “but I’ve seen him make plays from shallow right field to behind the bag.”14 Vidro led the NL in assists as a second baseman in 2000 with 442 and made his first All-Star team Asked to explain the turnaround after signing Vidro to a four-year, $19 million contract, Beattie said, “It just seems as if he became more serious. This is a guy who, when he first came up, was in a concern group in the three areas we test for: conditioning, strength, and body fat. … He’s worked hard, put himself in better shape and it’s started to pay off.”15 the second-to-last such hit in Montreal history to lead the Expos to a 13-9 comeback win that put the Expos just 1½ games out of first place and Vlad singled in Vidro with the go-ahead and ultimately winning run as Montreal triumphed Over parts of two important games given the proximity of the Expos to first place Vidro in his last seven plate appearances had a walk followed by six straight hits Vidro delivered again in the third game of the eventual four-game sweep of the Mets. Facing Mike Stanton in the bottom of the 10th, Vidro hit a walk-off homer. Rounding the bases, he “punched his fist in the air as chants of ‘Vidro!’ and horns blared”19 in what must have felt like another intensely proud emotional moment for the Puerto Rican native On August 28 a four-game sweep of the Phillies left the Expos to widespread amazement given the constraints under which the team operated But playing home games in two different cities took a physical toll on Vidro and the Expos. “I talk to guys on other teams and they know what we’ve been through,” Vidro said. “They tell me, ‘You guys should really be proud of what you’ve accomplished this season, what you’ve overcome. That makes me feel good. … But for me, it hasn’t been that much fun. … Maybe after it’s over I’ll appreciate it more.”20 The terrible travel wore down Vidro and the Expos a problem exacerbated by the team’s failure to call up minor-league reinforcements to save a few dollars for the overlords in the commissioner’s office Vidro’s month-by-month statistics in 2003 show that clear signs of fatigue kicked in after the end of the dog days in August:                         OBP    SLG     OPS March/April    .412     .583     .996     May                .413     .438     .850     June                 .414     .458     .872     July                 .386     .488     .874     August            .404     .438     .841 In September Vidro struggled to a subpar slash line of .318/.379/.697. When asked years later what he would do if he were commissioner, he replied that he would “shorten the season to 150 games.”21 Still Vidro had put together another fine year overall in 2003 setting career highs in walks (69) and OBP (.397) In 2004 spring training, Vidro expressed cautious optimism going into his contract year, exclaiming, “I just love to be here now and be part of this organization. This is my last year here. We’ll see what happens. … I’m going to be faithful to the team.”22 That positive attitude did not last the summer, as Vidro tired of the travel and tired of the questions about the toll the travel took on the team: “We’ve been trying to deal with it in a way that it doesn’t look too bad, but any way you look at it, it’s really bad. I don’t know what to say anymore. Hopefully, this is the last year of this and we can go on with our business the way the rest of the league does.”23 Montreal and Vidro both regressed in 2004. The Expos stumbled to a 67-95 mark, and Vidro’s batting average dropped below .300 to .294. Like the duration of the Expos in Montreal, Vidro’s 2004 season ended prematurely after he went on the disabled list on August 26 and had “season-ending surgery September 8 to repair recurring patellar tendinitis in his right knee.”24 Vidro showed more faith toward his team than the Expos did to Montreal, which would move to Washington in 2005. Before the move, the Expos broke with precedent and inked Vidro to a contract worth $30 million over four years. Vidro explained, “I didn’t see myself in another uniform. By signing me, it’s a sign we’re going to have a home next year. We don’t have a permanent home, but I feel like in this team I’m in my home.”25 Whether in response to his ballpark or the diminishment of his skills due to repeated injuries, Vidro confessed that he had given up on trying to hit for power: “I have to make some adjustments on hitting just because of the way we play … [a]nd I don’t try to change it when we go [on the road] because it’s not going to work.”30 While healthier than the preceding year, Vidro still missed a month due to a lingering injury that affected his play even after he returned. An observer noted, “His skills appear to have diminished precipitously since his hamstring strain; he has far less range on defense, and he can’t hit for much power.”31 His relatively improved health over 2005 resulted in Vidro posting better numbers nearly across the board in 2006 except in triples His new approach at the plate combined with his leg woes could explain his inability to increase those three numbers Manager Mike Hargrove looked forward to having Vidro in the Seattle lineup: “José has been a good hitter for a number of years, and cream rises to the top.”34 Playing in just 11 games at first and 10 at second in 2007 which preserved his health — his 147 games and 625 plate appearances represented his highest totals since 2002 and were the third highest figures in each of these categories in his career but his six homers and 59 RBIs represented unacceptably low figures for a DH Vidro also hit into a career-worst 21 double plays By 2008, Vidro lost his ability to hit singles, the last outstanding aspect of his once stellar offensive game and, perhaps as a corollary, he lost his patience at the plate — he had the lowest walk rate of his career in this, his final season. “I think I’ve swung at a lot of bad pitches,” said Vidro in May 2008.35 Having played second base for the final time in 2007 Vidro became even more of a full-time DH in 2008 and speed led to Vidro’s release on August 13 José Vidro played his final big-league game on August 4, 2008. His last plate appearance typified his career. Batting against Boof Bonser Vidro swung lefty and delivered an opposite-field line-drive single to left but he did so for obscure teams that typically finished far out of playoff contention This biography is included in “Puerto Rico and Baseball: 60 Biographies” (SABR 1 Barry Svrluga “Nats’ Vidro Is at Home in the Game,” Washington Post 2 Phil Taylor 3 Expos 4 Tom Gatto, “Best Switch Hitters,” The Sporting News, May 26, 2003. Frank Robinson characterized an opposite-field double as “vintage Vidro.” Eli Saslow “Vidro Credits Robinson’s Magic Touch,” Washington Post 5 Stephanie Myles “Vidro Basks in Selection,” The Gazette (Montreal) 6 Sean Farrell “Vidro Becomes New Best-Kept Secret,” Baseball America 7 Stephanie Myles “Barrett Handling Duties at Catcher and Third,” The Sporting News Vidro led the league in both batting average and hits with 60 Diamonds Around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball (Westport 8 Stephanie Myles “The Book on … Jose Vidro,” The Sporting News The subhead of the article listed Vidro as weighing 190 pounds a figure that seems low given that various media guides of the Montreal Expos list him at three higher weights (185 9 Buster Olney “Cone Remains Perfect Mystery to the Young Expos; Montreal Sensed a Historic Day in the Making,” New York Times 10 Expos 11 youtube.com/watch?time_continue=488&v=dNst9_cH2To (accessed November 11 12 Murray Chass 13 Expos 14 “Good Hit “Vidro’s defense has improved every year under the tutelage of first base coach Perry Hill to the point where he can now be considered excellent.” Stephanie Myles “Cabrera Continues to Thrive at the Plate and in the Field,” The Sporting News 15 Jeff Blair 16 Gordon Edes “Boss Just Doing His Job; Dolan’s Sharp Criticism of Steinbrenner Not Warranted,” Boston Globe 17 Jonah Keri 18 Steve Fainaru “Expos Triumph in Puerto Rico,” Washington Post 19 Rafael Hermoso “Benitez Shows Way to Another Defeat,” New York Times 20 Charlie Nobles 21 “The Questions With Jose Vidro,” Sports Illustrated 22 Murray Chass “Simple Twist of Fate Changed Torborg’s Life and It Helped Save the Life of a Little Boy,” New York Times 23 Jack Curry “A 28-Day Trip Is Ending for Montreal’s Vagabonds,” New York Times 24 “Rangers Get Park Back to Help for Stretch Run,” Boston Globe 25 Hal Bodley “Expos’ New Home Plans Will Feature All-Star Vidro,” USA Today 26 Barry Svrluga “Comeback Kid: Vidro Returns,” Washington Post 27 Barry Svrluga “Injuries Leave Vidro Waiting for the End,” Washington Post 28 Barry Svrluga Is Looking to Keep His Place,” Washington Post 29 Barry Svrluga Tavares Argue About Dimensions at RFK Stadium,” Washington Post 30 Barry Svrluga Doubles Give Way to Singles,” Washington Post 31 Barry Svrluga “Vidro Gets the Green Light,” Washington Post 32 “Seattle has agreed to pay $12 million of the remaining $16 million on Vidro’s contract for 2007 and 2008 According to a source outside the Washington organization with knowledge of the deal the Nationals will pay $1.5 million in 2007 and $2.5 million in 2008.” Barry Svrluga “Nats Agree to Trade Vidro to the Mariners,” Washington Post 33 Geoff Baker “M’s Deal for Nationals’ Vidro,” Seattle Times 34 Geoff Baker “Newcomer Vidro in for Tough Adjustment,” Seattle Times 35 Geoff Baker “Mariners’ Jose Vidro Unruffled by Potential for Less Playing Time,” Seattle Times 36 Thanks to SABR member Edwin Fernandez for the information in the first two sentences of this paragraph which comes from an email he sent the author on November 17 37 Carlos Rosa Rosa “Jose Vidro Returns to Baseball to Teach,” El Nuevo Dia Thanks to SABR member Angel Colon for sending this article from a Puerto Rican newspaper I used Google Translator to render the article in English If you can help us improve this player’s biography, contact us 2000s All-Stars · Puerto Rico · Puerto Rico and Baseball Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Sharon was known for her huge heart and willingness to help anyone and everyone and spending as much time as possible with her family Sharon was preceded in death by both of her parents family members and friends that she loved dearly A memorial service will be held on Saturday 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 his Dominican Republic citizenship — his only possession of any real value — was snatched from him by a court ruling targeting people with foreign-born parents Andres is still undocumented in the country where he was born low-paying job in the sugarcane fields with little hope of bettering himself with which the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola and a long history of migratory conflict My nationality is Dominican,” said the young man who has a birth certificate but no ID card — a prerequisite for any administrative procedure whose surname is being concealed to protect him is one of about 250,000 Dominicans born to foreign parents — mainly Haitians — who had their birthright citizenship stripped by a Dominican Constitutional Court ruling in 2013 The court decided that only people born in the country to Dominican parents or legal residents can be citizens The ruling was applied retroactively to all residents born to foreigners from 1929 to 2010 — creating what the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called “a situation of statelessness of a magnitude never before seen in the Americas.” Thousands of newly undocumented people have since been expelled from the country of 10.5 million inhabitants — many to Haiti Many undocumented cane workers like Andres live in bateyes — precarious settlements of rickety wooden houses with outside toilets Immigration raids are rare in such settlements but the cane workers regularly get rounded up when they travel to cities and towns in search of higher-paying jobs or medical care Even pregnant women have been expelled after going for checkups children play on dirt streets while workers play dominoes and make jokes in Creole — a language derived from French that is common in Haiti Most batey residents are from Haiti or descendants of Haitians — a throwback from the time of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo who headed the Dominican military from 1932 to 1961 and served as president from 1942 to 1952 Trujillo’s administration had policies in place to entice laborers from Haiti Most who came to the Dominican Republic were illiterate and were never provided with proper migration papers even though they stayed on as life in neighboring Haiti — the poorest country in the Americas — became increasingly complicated There was no visa and no official residence — a situation interpreted by the Constitutional Court as meaning those first generations of workers were merely in transit those born on Dominican soil — except those born to migrants in transit — were automatically citizens some have taken to paying Dominicans to adopt their children The Dominican government in 2014 announced the creation of a special register to formalize the residency status of undocumented laborers non-governmental organization Participation Ciudadana said only about 27,000 people had gone through the process “They are neither from here nor from there,” said 34-year-old Elena Lorac a rights advocate who is personally affected by the court ruling “All these policies of denationalization have left us with enormous vulnerability.” The Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic maintains a bitter relationship with Haiti dating back to 22 years of Haitian occupation until in 1844 The illegal immigration of Haitians in the past few years added to the tension and xenophobia Many Dominicans talk of an “invasion,” frequently claiming there are as many as 3 million Haitian immigrants and descendants in the country although officially the number is about 750,000 “They immediately point me out: ‘This one is Haitian,’ because of my skin color and because I have frizzy hair,” 53-year-old Maria Paul said – The City of Vision has a lot on their ballot this upcoming election. On March 5 and 6 will pick new city councilors to serve a four-year term it is the most important because it is the one you have the most direct access to You can actually get a hold of the people and if you don’t start at the local level how can you affect any policy state or national if we don’t start locally by getting the policy and procedures passed,” said Dennis Phillips Even if you don’t have a city council seat up for election there are still three general obligation questions on the ballot.  One of those questions asks voters if they want to put $10 million towards road repairs “Rio Rancho is not the only city in the country that is having infrastructure needs It is something I have been focused on from day one since I took office in 2014 how we were going to solve this problem,” said Rio Rancho Mayor Greg Hull.  The next question has to do with public safety more than $4 million will go toward the fire department for a new ladder and engine truck The rest would go to the Rio Rancho Police Department to replace 17 police vehicles and a Police Crisis Negotiation Team Unit The last question is all about Parks and Rec facilities and putting $1.2 million towards replacing old playground equipment and updating older facilities in Rio Rancho “All of these things are integral pieces to the quality-of-life equation all of the recreation facilities gives our kids places to go and something to do,” said Hull.  The city will have several polling locations open on Election Day from 7 a.m the Rio Rancho MVD off Sabana Grande Avenue It is our right we get and if one day we might not have it 2024) can cast their ballot at any of the voting convenience centers: Same-day voter registration will be available at all Election Day voting locations for individuals to register or update their current voter registration an individual must be a Rio Rancho registered voter and present one current identification card containing their name and photograph Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online formor call 505-243-4411 2022 Little League Softball® World Series – August 9-15 Guayama (Puerto Rico) Softball Little League was crowned the 2022 Latin America Region Champion defeating Gino Vega Little League (Sabana Grande to earn a spot at the Little League Softball® World Series this August A team from Puerto Rico last represented the Latin America Region at the Little League Softball World Series in 2017 when Softball Femenino de Coamo Little League held the honor Chartered with Little League International in 2018 this will be the first appearance for Guayama Softball Little League at the Little League Softball® World Series With first-round matchups for the 2022 LLSWS set, Guayama Softball Little League will square off in the Orange Bracket against the winner of Northwest vs In addition to the Host (North Carolina) team and four international regions (Asia-Pacific and West Regions and are rounded out with the existing Central A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago and beyond right in the heart of the day Fresh Air is a weekday “talk show” that hardly fits the mold Fresh Air Weekend collects the week’s best cultural segments and crafts them together for great weekend listening The show is produced by WHYY and hosted by Terry Gross and features from Chicago and around the world Hosted by WBEZ’s Melba Lara and NPR’s Ailsa Chang A daily take on business and economics news for the rest of us hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by The New York Times’ journalism 7pm Hour -- A focus on what’s changed here in the U.S since President Trump was inaugurated -- looking at everything from the culture to the shape of the federal government From tariffs to the downsizing of the Department of Education how has Trump made good on his campaign promises From shifting alliances to trade agreements to changes at the U.S we’ll ask how President Trump has altered international relations since January 20 Covering everything about science and technology — from the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies — Science Friday is your source for entertaining and educational stories and activities From their humble beginnings on Chicago’s radio airwaves to their evolution through television and today’s streaming platforms "Stories Without End" unpacks how soap operas have shaped popular culture and told intergenerational stories that continue to resonate a new theme and a variety of stories on that theme Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot In-depth interviews with brilliant creators A mix of live performances and interviews from WXPN Philadelphia’s daily program featuring important established and emerging artists Weekly film podcast and radio show from Chicago featuring in-depth reviews The first 50 years of modern advertising was based on hard-sell The next 50 years was persuasion through creativity and media tonnage But as advertising squeezed into the 21 century it was forced to shed its elbowing ways and become a delicate dialogue The goal is no longer to triumph by weight CBC's Under the Influence is hosted by Terry O'Reilly A wrap up of the week's news and a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up It's Been a Minute features people in the culture who deserve your attention Plus weekly wraps of the news with journalists in the know Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers A radio journal of news and culture produced from a Latino perspective and offbeat features from Chicago and around the world with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior shape our choices and direct our relationships Your guide to examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez participates in a political rally in Sabana Grande Hernandez is running for re-election in the upcoming Nov Honduras’ Election Commission declared incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez the winner of last month’s presidential election was en route to Washington to meet with government officials to help counter the country’s corrupt election practices Nasralla has since called for more protests and the Organization of American States recommended the election be staged all over again Hernandez was said to have won by a slim margin and many have criticized his presidential rule as authoritarian To discuss the election in Honduras and the prospect of a re-vote senior associate for Citizen Security at the Washington Office on Latin America and many have criticized his presidential rule as authoritarian.  Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker (CBS12) — Puerto Rico has produced some of the best talents in boxing history Now as the island itself fights for its life one local boxer is trying to help give it a puncher's chance Martin County resident John Ruiz boxed professionally from 1992 to 2010 He was the WBA heavyweight champion from 2001 to 2005 Ruiz is the first latino boxer to win a world heavyweight title he takes on a new fight - his mother and extended family live in Sabana Grande located in the southwestern part of Puerto Rico And he's leading the charge to get supplies to the island Many of Ruiz's fellow boxers have reached out to help, and you can too. He's started a "Latino Boxers for Puerto Rico" hurricane relief crowdfunding page. You can find a link here. By Molly Bilker / Cronkite Borderlands Project Nicaragua — As the sky fades from indigo to black electric lights blink on in Bertha Maria López’s small gray adobe house off of Highway 15 in rural northern Nicaragua sliding them into a pan on the wood-burning stove When her granddaughter gets sick at 11:30 that night López turns on a light to find medicine and nurse the 2-year-old back to sleep now a clinical laboratory student at the University of Health Sciences and Renewable Energy in the city of Estelí A middle-of-the-night crisis might have called for flashlights or gas lamps — or nothing at all A single solar panel on López’s home today powers four light bulbs at night She can now play music or charge a cellphone — though not at the same time I would have to be saving money to be able to pay,” López said Nicaragua is forging a path as a leader in renewable energy; half the electricity from the country’s energy grid comes from renewable resources about one-fifth of Nicaragua’s 6.1 million residents don’t live in homes connected to the grid they gradually are turning to solar panels to illuminate their lives The increasing emphasis on renewable energy in Nicaragua has been a mainstay of President Daniel Ortega’s domestic policy since he and his Sandinista government returned to power in 2007 Daily black-outs were the norm in a country highly dependent on foreign oil to fuel its energy grid Solar’s presence in the country has been growing for years as billboards along the Pan-American Highway in Estelí attest advertising privately-owned solar companies Tecnosol a community half an hour from the Honduras border it has been the work of a nonprofit organization that has made the difference in the lives of people like López Started in 1996 with a group of students from Alternative Energy Source Program at the National University of Engineering in Managua Grupo Fenix has been developing solar projects in Sabana Grande since 1999 Grupo Fénix got its start when Kinne and the organization’s solar technician were offered funding by the Falls Brook Centre in Canada to work with land-mine survivors who were affected by the war a group of students from an intensive solar energy course Kinne and Komp were teaching asked for help creating a solar energy fair in northern Nicaragua and invited Kinne to join them That’s how Kinne and Komp got involved with the Sabana Grande community which had members who had lost limbs to land mines and needed sustainable work to support their families almost all the homes in Sabana Grande have electricity Its success is rooted in a program that invites students from universities throughout the world to stay in the community and learn how to build and install solar panels The cost of the course pays for a solar panel which students install on a home at the course’s end Most of the solar community lives on one side of the highway down a dirt path that climbs into the mountainous foothills of Sabana Grande Dogs lounge near the stout adobe houses along the path as women hang laundry and men go about their daily chores which consists of 2,019 people in 705 families was a battle site during Nicaragua’s Contra War in the 1980s or “tree of gold,” sits in the center of Sabana Grande and acts as a point of reference for the community where the people play sports or hold dances Grupo Fénix worked in 23 communities throughout Madríz Kinne said the community of Sabana Grande was the most involved and willing to push for change decide not to try to go everywhere and do patchwork work but to stick with the proactive community with very little external income earning from our services provided and creating a change in the paradigm of thinking and empowerment that people were actually asking us for,” Kinne said Grupo Fénix does more than install solar panels tranquil plot of land alongside Highway 15 exemplifies a range of renewable energy possibilities The back of the Solar Center hosts a solar system that distills water for the batteries used in the solar panels Two outdoor showers use water heated by the sun in wide and at the center of the plot sits a squat constructed entirely from the area’s natural materials “Mostly government does things at large levels Those kinds of actions need to be complemented with things that are being done at the low level “Its impact hasn’t been in numbers of panels put up but in creating a working example of low-income people who have been marginalized — land-mine victims young people — having a say in doing innovations that are taken up by others.” Perhaps the most popular attraction of the Solar Center is La Casita Solar a restaurant with slick round wooden tables and chairs set under a wide awning The restaurant uses a variety of methods to prepare food: different types of solar cookers an improved firewood oven that produces less smoke and keeps kitchen air fresh and biomass cookers that burn waste from the area’s sugar cane fields Behind the restaurant are solar ovens: bright blue four-legged wooden contraptions with a pane of glass over a compartment for food and a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the lid to reflect light and intensify the heat A path leads from the solar cookers to the bathrooms where pipes are routed to an underground biogas stove powered by waste The solar restaurant is where López works once a week helping the cooks by cleaning or making juice and salad although cooks also can prepare vegetarian fare They use the solar cookers to roast coffee beans which they say better keeps the aroma and flavor in the bean than fire roasting does While the restaurant is an example of sustainable cooking and the first of its kind in Latin America the Grupo Fénix international relations coordinator said it’s also an example of work in the solar community that may not be tailored to the knowledge of the people living there have little to no experience starting or maintaining a business “The women went with it because it was [Susan’s] dream,” Chapman said “I know it’s the biggest struggle the cooperative has had … how to make that a sustainable and working business.” teach others how to build the ovens and plan other projects such as constructing adobe buildings with natural resources López is the spokesperson for the leadership of the Mujeres Solares and if the president is absent from a biweekly Monday meeting The Mujeres Solares are a central part of the solar community And what they represent goes beyond their solar work One aim of Grupo Fénix is what Kinne calls “deep empowerment,” helping the community build its own foundation to better the standard of living from the ground up “The Solar Center began from the hands of the women,” said Glenda Mairena That kind of empowerment is key for the Nicaraguan organization Renovables which is an association of more than 40 companies and organizations that works to educate communities and create dialogue about renewable energy The Mujeres Solares are an example of the aims of Renovables which focuses in part on the relationship between gender and energy said Renovables Executive Director Lizeth Zúniga how does the life of the woman change when she doesn’t have to go pick up lumber anymore when she doesn’t have to be getting on the bus and smelling the fumes?” Zúniga said “We try to raise awareness for that because women are generators of energy; they are generators of the economy in urban and rural areas.” Although the Mujeres Solares are examples of gender empowerment they nonetheless earn a very modest living — López earns $20 to $40 per month — and most cannot afford to buy solar panels While Grupo Fénix’s courses pay for solar panel materials and installation the women have a credit system they use to earn their systems The women record the hours they work toward empowering the community and spend those hours as credits to buy and maintain a solar power system The larger community also has a credit system for the same purpose Credits they earn through work are called soles There are plenty of ways someone can earn credits from teaching students who visit to helping with gardening and reforestation or other activities This process allows community members to help develop the solar work of the community while earning benefits for their work ‘you’re getting things because you’re poor,’” Kinne said Work like this is known as capacity building — long-term training that helps the community learn to build Capacity building is key to continuing the production and use of solar panels and other technologies once the organization that brought them has gone It’s also one of the greatest difficulties Nicaragua faces in bringing solar energy to rural communities a nongovernmental organization that coordinates a variety of renewable energy projects install solar energy projects and leave without properly training people to maintain or repair their systems About five percent of homes without electricity from the energy grid have solar power in the area where Zelaya grew up Zelaya estimates that the national proportion of solar power in rural areas is similar — but likely half of those systems don’t work because of technical difficulties projects that begin through capacity building are becoming more popular in Nicaragua a postgraduate student at the University of Leeds who has been researching small-scale sustainability projects in Central American countries the standard of capacity building is pretty high and there is a strong interest also because many of these organizations want to see the uptake of the technology to spread across the area,” Kruckenberg said “If you do a demonstration project and it fails within a year or so the neighbors are not going to buy the same thing despite their high standards of capacity building also follow a model that may not be feasible for every rural community as Grupo Fénix's success is grounded in eco-tourism and university visits from other countries the organization’s work does spread to other rural areas where members of the solar community go to teach their technologies are made with materials that can be found locally While solar energy has predominantly been a rural issue there is a push to bring single-panel projects into cities Nicaragua offers an energy subsidy for those who use less than 150 kilowatt-hours per month A solar panel that produces 30 kilowatt-hours per month can make the difference between an $11 to $13 monthly rate and $56 to $60 a month Alongside Fundación CHICA in the drive for urban solar energy is Tecnosol The company is in its second year targeting urban communities but it has been difficult bringing solar energy into cities said Tecnosol marketing manager Alfonso Barquero The company expects it will take three to four years for interest to build “This issue is how you approach that market and how you explain to people that it’s worth making an investment,” Barquero said because everyone knows here that we are paying a high cost of electricity — higher than other countries on the continent.” While solar panels should last 25 years or more given that they have no mechanical parts to break down issues can still arise from lead acid batteries not getting enough water Gel-based batteries are less likely to fail That’s where capacity building comes in — if owners can maintain their systems A panel must operate for four years to create the amount of energy it takes to build which means it takes that long for the energy it produces to be considered clean said Central American University professor Claudio Wheelock That’s why maintenance is central to successful solar systems families can pay for battery repairs with their work credits after she bought her solar panel with credits the battery malfunctioned and the panel ran out of stored energy quickly López went to the Solar Center and asked for help and the problem was fixed within three days Athough rural solar projects in Nicaragua face setbacks due to equipment failures organizations that promote capacity building like Grupo Fénix are making strides solar energy is playing a key role in renewing life in this village once ravaged by civil war “I can’t say ‘I’m going to put in conventional (energy),’ because I don’t have money The Sandinista government in Nicaragua says it plans to partner with a Chinese company to build a new cross-continental canal. To some Nicaraguans, President Daniel Ortega remains a revolutionary liberator, but to others he is just another ruler. Some farmers in the rural areas of Nicaragua do not trust the government’s claim that they will be better off with the canal in place. If the interoceanic canal project happens, a large community of Nicaraguans will lose their homes in the process. Expats from the United States and Canada have found Nicaragua to be a cheap and safe place to reside outside of their home countries. The canal could cause more deforestation to a region that is recently being replenished amid a changing ecosystem. While Nicaragua’s relationship with the White House remains tense, China and Russia have stepped up to help with the canal project. FUNDEMUR President Octavio Ortega continues protests against the canal despite recent violence that left him with a fractured arm. The indigenous territories that surround the proposed canal project in Nicaragua could see huge impact, but have largely been ignored. Investors are eager to profit off a sustainability boom, but is the country really prepared to double its energy production capacity? Communities in rural Nicaragua empower themselves with solar energy while cities also look to utlize solar energy. Lake Nicaragua is a key link in the canal project that could change global trade, but its potential effects on the environment are unknown. There is no consensus on what Nicaraguans expect the canal to do for tourism, though many agree it must be environmentally conscious. Nicaragua has made progress fighting human trafficking through education, but how victims are viewed makes prevention difficult. Due to their homeland’s low income rate, some Nicaraguans are finding a better life and better work in their neighboring country of Costa Rica. 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 The Juan Cheo Lopez Stadium in Camuy will host on Sunday, 18 February, the opening game of the 85th Double-A League, the top baseball competition organized by the Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico (FBPR). The defending champions The rest of the teams will debut on 23 February A total of 45 teams will participate across eight divisions (North Each team will play a 20-game regular season The postseason will begin with best-of-seven division semifinals and finals The eight winners will compete in a round-robin named Carnival of Champions (Carnaval de Campeones) The top four will advance to the semifinals The semifinals and finals will be the best-of-seven series Miguel Ausúa (Petateros Sabana Grande) and utility Oscar Santos (Montañeses Utuado) look like the players to watch The Puerto Rico Tourism Company will support the 2024 edition of the league FBPR also announced the launch of a mobile application to help fans access results "We are thrilled to introduce a series of changes that hopefully will improve competition and will help the fans enjoy the league more," said FBPR President José Daniel Quiles Rosas during a press conference Albonito Polluelos defeated 10-6 Dorado Guardianes in the final to win the 10th pre-season Champions Cup (Copa de Campeones) Sitemap Media Data Protection Contacts Avenue Général-Guisan, 45 CH-1009 Pully | Switzerland The WBSC is recognised as the sole competent authority in Baseball and Softball by the International Olympic Committee – “Town squares are historic places and landmarks of the Puerto Rican culture Being part of the repair of these spaces is what drives us to continue with our recovery efforts.” These words by the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator for Puerto Rico and the U.S describe FEMA’s funding obligation of about $579,000 for repairs to public town squares in 13 municipalities throughout the island Town squares represent the distinctive history of each municipality and are a vital part of their urban centers They are considered important areas of the municipal economy where residents visit to shop meet up with others and take care of everyday errands each square is a unique representation of its town; hence the importance to repair them Two of the plazas that were approved to undergo repairs are the Placita de la Recordación (Memorial Square) and Plaza Pública José A Busigó Public Square) in Sabana Grande with an obligation of nearly $103,000 the public square is the main meeting place and entertainment venue where cultural and religious activities are held The Memorial Square is located next to the public square where the bust of The Unknown Soldier is erected among other representations of Sabana Grande’s illustrious people The funds will be used for the replacement of light fixtures and to paint the pavilions “We hope that once the improvement and reconstruction projects are completed providing recreation and a place for our families and friends to meet We hope that our residents will feel that it is the ideal environment to enjoy and that they will be able to use the squares again because it is a beautiful place our squares are the perfect place to continue promoting our traditions,” said the mayor of Sabana Grande the iconic Plaza de Recreo Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán in Cabo Rojo which used to receive approximately 400 visitors a day before the ongoing social distancing measures will be renovated with a grant of about $65,000 The square was built when the town was founded in 1759 and is surrounded by structures that tell part of its history such as the San Miguel Arcángel Church which was designated as a historical landmark in 2004 “The Plaza de Recreo Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán is of utmost importance to our municipality not only because it is named after one of the most distinguished Puerto Rican patriots but also because it is part of the historic heritage that surrounds it The people of Cabo Rojo feel a very particular pride towards the square Its renovation will provide greater security and will enhance its architectural beauty as well as the other structures that comprise our Cultural and Historic District,” said Roberto Ramirez Zeno Town Square in the municipality of Cidra benches and electrical panels as well as a fresh coat of paint to its fountain “Our town square is the preferred social gathering place for citizens of all ages The vast majority of social and cultural activities take place there Many important commercial activities for the economic development of the city are carried out around the square since it is a social meeting place that attracts many visitors that make use of our local commerce,” said the mayor of Cidra For more information on Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane María visit fema.gov/disaster/4339 and recovery.pr and five other bishops have concluded that alleged apparitions of Our Lady of America — said to have taken place more than six decades ago — were not of supernatural origin While private devotion inspired by reports of the apparitions could continue without harm to the faith it would not be appropriate for any sort of public devotion “I must come to the conclusion that the visions and revelations themselves cannot be said to be of supernatural origin in the sense of objective occurrences,” Bishop Rhoades said in a final document known as a singular decree adding that he “cannot approve or support public devotion or cult.” The investigation concerned numerous apparitions reported by Sister Mary Ephrem Neuzil a Sister of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus of Dayton it was reported that Mary had appeared to Sister Neuzil and had identified herself as Our Lady of America This image of Mary shown in this 2009 photo is located at St Francis of Assisi/Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Chicago A recent bishops’ commission says supposed Marian apparitions of Our Lady of America said to have taken place more than six decades ago are not recognized by the Catholic Church and are not appropriate for public devotion Both before and after the reported apparitions she said she had other communications or locutions from Mary that took place in several dioceses Concurring with the conclusion reached by Bishop Rhoades were five other bishops from the dioceses where Sister Neuzil had stayed during this period: Archbishops Dennis M Vigneron of Detroit along with Bishops Thomas J In an interview with Catholic News Service Bishop Rhoades said he had agreed to a request by the other five bishops to form a commission of six theologians and canonists to investigate the apparitions He was chosen as the lead bishop of the commission because the alleged apparitions began in Rome City He described the commission as “a very balanced group that was open to the possibility that the apparitions were authentic.” But after what he said was a year of study of the vast documentation of the case all members of the commission concluded that the apparitions were not supernatural in origin In an explanatory document called “Statement Regarding the Devotion to Our Lady of America” and signed by all six bishops they said that Sister Neuzil appeared to have been “honest devoted to religious life and without guile.” They also said there were spiritual fruits that came from the devotion although none warranted certification as miraculous The bishops said there was not any doctrinal error in the revelations though the report added that a claim regarding St Joseph as a “co-redeemer” with Christ “must be seen as an error.” Regarding the experiences of Sister Neuzil the bishops said their study concluded that they should be described as “subjective inner religious experiences rather than objective external visions and revelations.” While saying such experiences were “authentically graced moments,” the document added that they were “subjective ones in which her own imagination and intellect were constitutively engaged,” not “objective visions and revelations of the type seen at Guadalupe The report also noted that Sister Neuzil’s spiritual director was a priest who later became archbishop of Cincinnati He had supported Sister Neuzil in various ways over many years in a letter written two years before his death,” the document noted that the archbishop said “he was unable to make a judgment on the supernatural nature of the visions or apparitions.” While he said he attested to the sister’s holiness he wrote: “I have never taken any action to promote her devotion publicly.” The bishops concluded that since many of the prayers and religious articles such as medals have been given approval by “competent ecclesiastical authority,” the use of such materials could continue “as a matter of private devotion.” In explaining the origins of the commission Bishop Rhoades said that after receiving requests from bishops for some sort of assessment regarding the purported apparitions asked the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith if this was the appropriate competence of the conference The doctrinal congregation said it was more appropriately the responsibility of the local bishop where the apparitions and locutions were said to have occurred This case was unusual in that several dioceses were involved and all the bishops were asked to review and approve the final report was born in 1916 and became a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus in 1933 she said she started to experience mystical events Bishop Rhoades expressed appreciation for leaders of the devotion who provided the commission with literally thousands of pages of correspondence and other materials for review  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press Puerto Rico -- Ramonita Belen can still smell the roses at the well where she caused a sensation by insisting she saw the Virgin Mary ''Other people also could smell the scent of roses that filled the air when she appeared,'' said Belen whose 33 days of visions drew tens of thousands of people to the farming town of Sabana Grande Puerto Rico's Catholic church never recognized Belen's visions Soon a shrine was built for what came to be known as Our Lady of the Rosary believers have upset church leaders by planning a tourism complex 305-foot statue of the Virgin -- about the height of the Statue of Liberty It is expected to cost $40 million -- one-quarter of which has already been raised Bishops object to what they see as the Virgin's commercialization who retired as San Juan's archbishop May 8 urged Puerto Ricans not to contribute to a fund for the statue The church's problems with the believers' movement largely began in the late 1970s when one of the child visionaries started delivering ''messages'' from the Virgin Collado warned about a future ''spiritual and moral deterioration'' in the church and its pastors who eventually banned the celebration of Mass at the Sabana Grande shrine and in 1997 ordered a devotees' association to disband -- to no avail The group claims to have thousands of supporters throughout Latin America Aponte Martinez called the devotees' association a ''cult'' whose leaders advocated unnecessary acts of penance such as habitual fasting and kneeling on pieces of waffled metal during prayer The group threatened to sue the cardinal for defamation has called for a truce while he studies the dispute one of his first tests as leader of the island's estimated 2.8 million Catholics Critics say that Puerto Rico's church has spent too much time battling the believers' group and too little time on crime family violence and other challenges to Puerto Rican society ''Does it matter whether there was an apparition or not?'' asked the Rev director of the Caribbean Center for Dominican Studies at Bayamon's Central University There is no reason to say they can't worship the Virgin Mary.'' Mystical City could hurt the believers' cause organizers have raised more than $10 million through commemorative brick sales sponsorships of statue sections and fund-raisers in Mexico They also hope to issue bonds to pay for construction Mystical City president Carlos Humberto Mercader said nearly all permits -- including one from the Federal Aviation Administration because of the statue's height -- are in place ''It will be a lighthouse of hope,'' Mercader said frequently returns to the simple shrine built atop the former field of sugar cane where ''the mountain was full of thousands and thousands of people ''What they saw were (sugar cane stalks) bowing to her Nature was happy that she was there,'' Belen said ''She would create little whirlwinds from dry sugar cane stalks that whirled before her as she walked,'' and the pilgrims ''would make way for her.'' The General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) reported this Wednesday that representatives of the organization visited Wilkin Garca Peguero and his partner Nelson Samuel Castillo Acevedo who were summoned to the organization’s headquarters to listen in their capacity as citizens and taxpayers as well as the pertinent declarations and explanations regarding the business they conduct The institution said in a statement that these actions were taken as part of a “intelligence project” that is being developed to normalize and prevent distortions in the sector for luring investment in mobile and immovable property and their analogs According to the information provided by the DGII the actions were completed in coordination with the Public Ministry’s Tax Crimes Investigation Unit the Specialized Attorney for Financial Crimes Local October 6 the National Directorate of Investigations The deadline for presenting Mantequilla is not stated in the notice Due to its “success,” the proprietors of the company 3.14 Inversiones World Wide SRL have said they plan to expand offices elsewhere The company is now located in the town of Sabana Grande de Boyá The right of Mantequilla and his companion to attend the invitation in person accompanied and helped by a legal expert or by any other professional branch of their choosing and hundreds come to him in order to “double” their money deposits despite the authorities’ warnings that the operation of what he calls the “Dominican Albert Einstein” is a pyramid scheme Mantequilla has even been seen delivering a speech on financial literacy at the Sabana Grande de Boyá school a move that has drawn criticism on social media also known as “Mantequilla,” the owner of the company 3.14 Inversiones who put money into his company with the expectation of getting back twice as much as they put in He admitted that he is not able to pay the entire amount back in a radical way and Scotiabank banks returned the money he had saved and closed his accounts “Because this is an investment company,” he explained “we are working with that little capital and that is why we do not have the ability to directly return all the money to that group of investors.” He assured that he works with money Local November 8 and that is why we do not have the ability to directly return all the money to that group of investors.” the alleged “magic formula” that he claims to have to multiply currencies cannot work “What investors do is bring money,” he said when speaking of the so-called formula which is open and run by a woman he identified as Diana Guaba and who he said is in charge of “the payment process by stage,” which entails returning the capital to the investors in accordance with the investment date and amounts Garcia Peguero reiterated his plea for patience in 30 days we will not owe a penny in Sabana Grande de Boyá.” Garcia Peguero claimed he was the target of a malicious campaign that “stopped” investments in his 3.14 company causing them to “fall into a semi-pyramid.” DGII and the Attorney General begin looking into the Mantequilla company Why hasn’t he been arrested for fleecing the fools who gave him their money