Guns N’ Roses Return For Historic North American Summer Stadium Tour

April 1, 2016

LOS ANGELES, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Following months of intense rumor, speculation and feverish excitement from rock music fans around the world, Guns N’ Roses confirmed today they will embark on a massive North American summer stadium tour as founder Axl Rose and former members, Slash and Duff McKagan regroup for what will be one of the century’s most anticipated musical events. The news follows their previously announced headlining dates at this year’s Coachella Music & Arts Festival. The Not In This Lifetime Tour, produced and promoted exclusively by Live Nation, will see the iconic band headline stadium dates throughout the U.S. and Canada starting in Detroit at Ford Field on Thursday, June 23 and will include shows in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Washington DC, Philadelphia and more. A full list of tour dates is below. In a special preview, Axl, Slash and Duff will return to the stage tonight at The Troubadour in Los Angeles where the band launched their ground-breaking career.

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Nightrain official GN’R fan club members will be notified via email with an early presale opportunity.

A Citi® cardmember pre-sale begins Monday, April 4 at 10:00 a.m. local time through Thursday, April 7 at 10:00 p.m. local time through Citi Private Pass®. For complete pre-sale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday, April 8 at www.livenation.com.

Following the group’s 1985 formation, Guns N’ Roses injected unbridled, unrivaled, and unstoppable attitude into the burgeoning Los Angeles rock scene. The spirit went on to captivate the entire world with the release of their 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction –the best-selling U.S. debut ever, moving 30 million copies globally. In 1991, the seven-time platinum Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II occupied the top two spots of the Billboard Top 200 upon release. Over the course of the past decade, Guns N’ Roses have performed sold out shows and headlined festivals worldwide following the critically acclaimed release of 2008’s RIAA platinum-certified Chinese Democracy. Six studio albums later, Guns N’ Roses are one of the most important and influential acts in music history and continue to set the benchmark for live performances connecting with millions of fans across the globe.

www.gunsnroses.com
#GnFnR

GUNS N’ ROSES NORTH AMERICAN SUMMER STADIUM TOUR
All dates, cities and venues below subject to change.

Thursday, June 23, 2016	Detroit, MI	Ford Field
Sunday, June 26, 2016	Washington, DC	FEDEXFIELD
Wednesday, June 29, 2016	Kansas City, MO	Arrowhead Stadium
Friday, July 1, 2016	Chicago, IL	Soldier Field
Wednesday, July 6, 2016	Cincinnati, OH	Paul Brown Stadium
Saturday, July 9, 2016	Nashville, TN	Nissan Stadium
Tuesday, July 12, 2016	Pittsburgh, PA	Heinz Field
Thursday, July 14, 2016	Philadelphia, PA	Lincoln Financial Field
Saturday, July 16, 2016	Toronto, ON	Rogers Centre
Tuesday, July 19, 2016	Foxboro, MA	Gillette Stadium
Saturday, July 23, 2016	East Rutherford, NJ	MetLife Stadium
Wednesday, July 27, 2016	Atlanta, GA	Georgia Dome
Friday, July 29, 2016	Orlando, FL	Orlando Citrus Bowl
Sunday, July 31, 2016	New Orleans, LA	Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Wednesday, August 3, 2016	Arlington, TX	AT&T Stadium
Friday, August 5, 2016	Houston, TX	NRG Stadium
Tuesday, August 9, 2016	San Francisco, CA	AT&T Park
Friday, August 12, 2016	Seattle, WA	CenturyLink Field
Monday, August 15, 2016	Glendale, AZ	University of Phoenix Stadium
Monday, August 22, 2016	San Diego, CA	Qualcomm Stadium

About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

American Honda Reports March Auto Sales Increase: Trucks Set New March Record While Sedans Post Major Gains

April 1, 2016

TORRANCE, California, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported March sales of 138,221 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 9.4 percent for the month. AHM trucks set a new March benchmark, gaining 5.7 percent on sales of 64,453 units. Honda Division sales were up 10.5 percent with 123,369 units sold in March; Honda car sales reached 68,314, up 13.7 percent, while truck sales totaled 55,055, a 6.9 percent gain for the month. Acura sales totaled 14,852 in March, gaining 1.2 percent. Acura sedans were up 4.8 percent on sales of 5,454 while Acura trucks reached 9,398 sales for the month.

Honda

Continuing to buck U.S. sales trends with its core sedans—Civic and Accord—Honda sales easily moved past the previous March total with a record setting performance from Civic, backed by strong performances from Accord and HR-V. Core truck models CR-V, Pilot and Odyssey, maintained strong demand.

With sales records set in each of the past three months, the Civic Sedan is dominating the compact car segment with essentially one body style as production of the newly on-sale Civic Coupe ramps up. Civic sales jumped 21.8 percent to a new March record of 32,855.
Accord continued to demonstrate incredible market strength with an increase of 17.3 percent in March, with 30,523 units sold—focused on sales to individual customers.
With production at the Celaya plant in Mexico focused primarily on HR-V, sales of the Honda gateway truck model topped 6,300 units in March.

“The power of Honda’s well-balanced portfolio was on full display in March,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “Importantly, we will continue to strengthen both our car and truck lineups throughout the year, with new core and niche products to further extend the brand’s appeal.”

Acura

Acura enjoyed a balanced sales month, with the refreshed RDX SUV posting a remarkable 34 percent gain so set a new March record to lead the brand’s sales gains, while Acura performance sedans maintained strong sales despite a luxury sedan market where competitors are relying heavily upon fleet sales and incentives.

RDX showed renewed sales strength in March, leading Acura truck sales with a 34 percent gain on sales of 5,310 units.
TLX continued to hold a strong sales position near the top of the mid-luxury sedan segment with 3,768 units sold in March, rising 9.9 percent despite aggressive competitor sales tactics.

“Acura posted a solid month even as we gained fresh momentum from the New York Auto Show debuts of the 2017 MDX and NSX GT3 racecar,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of the Acura division. “Our entire Acura team is excited by the market reaction to our new design direction and the preparation for delivery of the first all-new NSX.”

	American Honda Vehicle Sales for March 2016
			Month-to-Date				Year-to-Date
			March 2016	March 2015	DSR** % Change	MoM % Change	March 2016		March 2015	DSR** % Change	YoY % Change
	American Honda Total		138,221	126,293	1.3%	9.4%	357,703		333,943	7.1%	7.1%
	Total Car Sales		73,768	65,310	4.6%	13.0%	190,100		168,594	12.8%	12.8%
	Total Truck Sales		64,453	60,983	-2.1%	5.7%	167,603		165,349	1.4%	1.4%
		Honda Total Car Sales	68,314	60,107	5.2%	13.7%	176,393		154,730	14.0%	14.0%
		Honda Total Truck Sales	55,055	51,516	-1.0%	6.9%	143,435		139,569	2.8%	2.8%
		Acura Total Car Sales	5,454	5,203	-2.9%	4.8%	13,707		13,864	-1.1%	-1.1%
		Acura Total Truck Sales	9,398	9,467	-8.1%	-0.7%	24,168		25,780	-6.3%	-6.3%
	Total Domestic Car Sales		69,038	64,609	-1.1%	6.9%	178,977		166,673	7.4%	7.4%
		Honda Division	63,716	59,609	-1.0%	6.9%	165,603		153,371	8.0%	8.0%
		Acura Division	5,322	5,000	-1.4%	6.4%	13,374		13,302	0.5%	0.5%
	Total Domestic Truck Sales		64,453	60,978	-2.1%	5.7%	167,603		165,344	1.4%	1.4%
		Honda Division	55,055	51,511	-1.0%	6.9%	143,435		139,564	2.8%	2.8%
		Acura Division	9,398	9,467	-8.1%	-0.7%	24,168		25,780	-6.3%	-6.3%
	Total Import Car Sales		4,730	701	524.8%	574.8%	11,123		1,921	479.0%	479.0%
		Honda Division	4,598	498	754.9%	823.3%	10,790		1,359	694.0%	694.0%
		Acura Division	132	203	-39.8%	-35.0%	333		562	-40.7%	-40.7%
	Total Import Truck Sales		0	5	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		5	-100.0%	-100.0%
		Honda Division	0	5	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		5	-100.0%	-100.0%
		Acura Division	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0		0	0.0%	0.0%
MODEL BREAKOUT BY DIVISION
	Honda Division Total		123,369	111,623	2.3%	10.5%	319,828		294,299	8.7%	8.7%
		* ACCORD	30,523	26,018	8.6%	17.3%	77,073		68,645	12.3%	12.3%
		* CIVIC	32,855	26,985	12.7%	21.8%	87,303		66,722	30.8%	30.8%
		CR-Z	163	255	-40.8%	-36.1%	483		626	-22.8%	-22.8%
		* FIT	4,771	6,640	-33.5%	-28.1%	11,513		18,094	-36.4%	-36.4%
		INSIGHT	2	209	-99.1%	-99.0%	21		643	-96.7%	-96.7%

		CROSSTOUR	110	742	-86.3%	-85.2%	566		2,046	-72.3%	-72.3%
		* CR-V	26,730	27,618	-10.4%	-3.2%	71,188		73,127	-2.7%	-2.7%
		HR-V	6,398	0	0.0%	0.0%	15,515		0	0.0%	0.0%
		ODYSSEY	11,224	11,142	-6.7%	0.7%	27,439		27,088	1.3%	1.3%
		PILOT	10,593	11,937	-17.8%	-11.3%	28,726		36,881	-22.1%	-22.1%
		RIDGELINE	0	77	-100.0%	-100.0%	1		427	-99.8%	-99.8%

		*** Memo: Accord FHEV	51	948	-95.0%	-94.6%	190		2,585	-92.6%	-92.6%
		Memo: Accord PHEV	0	5	-100.0%	-100.0%		0	45	-100.0%	-100.0%
		Memo: Civic Hybrid	166	351	-56.2%	-52.7%	470		1,029	-54.3%	-54.3%
		Memo: Fit EV	0	1	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		1	-100.0%	-100.0%
	Acura Division Total		14,852	14,670	-6.3%	1.2%	37,875		39,644	-4.5%	-4.5%
		ILX	1,554	1,554	-7.4%	0.0%	4,287		3,505	22.3%	22.3%
		RLX / RL	130	194	-38.0%	-33.0%	331		543	-39.0%	-39.0%
		TL	0	16	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		56	-100.0%	-100.0%
		TLX	3,768	3,430	1.7%	9.9%	9,087		9,741	-6.7%	-6.7%
		TSX	2	9	-79.4%	-77.8%	2		19	-89.5%	-89.5%

		MDX	4,088	5,503	-31.2%	-25.7%	11,956		14,437	-17.2%	-17.2%
		RDX	5,310	3,963	24.1%	34.0%	12,212		11,342	7.7%	7.7%
		ZDX	0	1	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		1	-100.0%	-100.0%

		*** Memo: ILX Hybrid	0	4	-100.0%	-100.0%	0		12	-100.0%	-100.0%
		Memo: RLX Hybrid	19	18	-2.3%	5.6%	49		53	-7.5%	-7.5%
		Memo: TSX Wagon	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0		1	-100.0%	-100.0%
	Selling Days		27	25			75		75
	**** Hybrid		401	1,790	-79.3%	-77.6%	1,213		4,993	-75.7%	-75.7%

	* Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic & global sourced parts
	** Daily Selling Rate
	*** Memo line items are included in the respective model total
	**** Hybrid includes FHEV, PHEV, CR-Z, Civic Hybrid, Insight, ILX Hybrid, RLX Hybrid and RLX Sport Hybrid

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(Español) Gobierno Cubano toma represalia contra reportera de América Tevé

April 1, 2016

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Renowned Design Institutions Domus Academy and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano (NABA) Team Up with Tsinghua University to present Noosphere XX1: A Model for the Production of Knowledge, at the XXI Triennale International Exhibition in Milan

April 1, 2016

Students from world renowned design institutions Domus Academy and NABA (Milan) and Tsinghua University (Beijing) team up for the unveiling of the joint exhibition, Noosphere XX1: A Model for the Production of Knowledge, at the XXI Triennale International Exhibition 2016 in Milan. Open to the public beginning on April 2, the Pavilion in the Triennale Garden explores new scenarios between Past, Present and Future, inspiring new educational forms in the world of design.

MILAN, March 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — World renowned design institutions Domus Academy and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano (NABA), along with the elite Tsinghua University, the first Academy and most important Chinese research institute for art and design, are proud to announce the opening of the Noosphere XX1: A Model for the Production of Knowledge Pavilion. The exhibit is part of the XXII Triennale International Exhibition 2016 and is open to the public beginning on Saturday, April 2, running through April 17, 2016.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160331/350189
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The Pavilion will be located in the Triennale garden for all six months of the exhibition, is composed of three main parts:

A building shaped like a parallelepiped, which houses a space/workshop for events and activities, consisting of wooden structural elements and characterised by a tapestry placed on the main façade;
Transport crates containing installations on the themes “The Big Waste” and “Biological Science”; and
A structure made up of bamboo trees about 12 metres tall.

The concept that inspired the installation is that of the Noosphere, developed in the 1920s by French philosopher Edouard Le Roy, palaeontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Russian geochemist Vladimir Venadsky. At the core of the main definition of Noosphere, there is a dual perception: life on Earth is a unit that makes up a whole system known as the Biosphere; the mind or consciousness of life – the thinking layer of the Earth – makes up a discontinuous unit. It is represented by the next inevitable stage of the Earth’s evolution, which will encompass and transform the Biosphere.

Noosphere XX1 provides a model for the production of knowledge, focusing on students as a meeting point between Past, Present and Future, and inspiring new educational forms in the world of design.

The three time dimensions will be represented through different events and installations, which will vary over the course of the six months of the XXl Triennale. The opening exhibition features the following content:

The Past – represented by images of the city of Palmyra, chosen from the collections of Paolo Mussat Sartor;
The Present – represented by Nature, by the animals from the Palazzo dei Musei in Reggio Emilia, through to the Crystal Stool designed by Studio Nucleo; and
The Future – shown in an installation that involves the YuMi robot by ABB and 3D printed materials.

Noosphere XX1 is a project curated by Su Dan, from the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, Italo Rota, Scientific Director of NABA and Domus Academy and Gianluigi Ricuperati, Creative Director of Domus Academy.

The Noosphere is also a metaphor for school and for the production of knowledge in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, where students will take centre stage. The Pavilion will therefore also present itself as opportunities for reflection on the contemporary school system, through a combination of different forms of education with contributions from professionals, institutions and companies.

Innovation in teaching methods and partnerships with companies and industry professionals are a fundamental and distinctive element of what NABA and Domus Academy have to offer, their aim being to enable students to take on actual projects and acquire specific skills, which will then allow them to build solid careers.

NOOSPHERE XX1: A MOBILE AND EVOLVING SCHOOL

XXI Triennale International Exhibition 2016, Milan
2 April – 12 September
Viale Alemagna, 6

Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University – NABA Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano – Domus Academy

Curated by: Su Dan (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University), Italo Rota (Scientific Director of NABA and the Domus Academy), Gianluigi Ricuperati (Creative Director of the Domus Academy).

Credits
NABA and Domus Academy
Building Design: Italo Rota
Institutional projects leadership: Francesca Zocchi with Anna Durante, Ginevra Stuto
Academic contents: Alberto Bonisoli (leadership), Domus Academy and NABA faculty
Communication: Matteo Blandi, Sabrina Di Pietrantonio with Angela Ambrogio,
Federica Arrighi, Patrizia Sciglitano, Antonio Anaclerio and NABA BA in Graphic Design and Art Direction students Nicolò Frontini, Riccardo Suardi, Vincenzo Tortora

Tsinghua University

Assistant Curator: YANG Yunzhao
Building design assistant: CUI Jiahua, LANG Yujie, WANG Hongwu, ZHENG Jing, QIAN Hanxuan
Media Plan and Design: SHI Danqing, ZHAO Huasen, DAI Dai
Furniture research: YU Lizhan
Experimental Art Research:LI Tianyuan, REN Ri
Material research: WANG Yue
Parametric design research: XU Weiguo

Design & 3D modeling: Emilio Antinori, Vincenzo Franchino, Alessandro Zomparelli
Prototypes: Matteo Abbiati
For Robot Yumi: Oscar Ferrato, Emanuele Lomello

Boxes Installations: NABA Students Giorgia Amabili, Catarina Isabel Dos Santos Marques, Chen Ruy, Arianna Summo. Studio Italo Rota, Carlo Ferrari, Marco Fabris.
Bamboo Installation: Studio Cardenas with NABA and Domus Academy Students Diana Butuc
Vasinee Hongyantarachai, Shin Wai Lam, Alice Lamperti, Kang Hua Lan, Alessia Pastori, Mikel Peruch, Vashish Soobah, Xinxin Sun, Veronica Volpe, Renny Fitriaristi Wulandini, Xinyi Zhao

Production partner UNIClass
Construction partner ForMALIGNO

Thanks to ABB, Arch. Emilio Battisti, BONOTTOEDITIONS, Gondrand by Fercam Spa, Marzorati Ronchetti, Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia, Paolo Mussat Sartor, Sharebot, Studio Nucleo

About NABA
NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano, is an art and design academy: it is the largest private Italian academy and was the first to obtain official recognition from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), in 1980. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of design, fashion design, graphics and communication, multimedia arts, set design and visual arts, awarding academic diplomas equivalent to university degrees. It came about as a result of a private initiative in 1980 in Milan from Ausonio Zappa, Guido Ballo and Gianni Colombo, and its goal has always been to challenge the inflexible nature of academic tradition and to introduce visions and languages closer to contemporary artistic practices and the system of art and the creative professions. In 2009, NABA became one of the Laureate International Universities, an international network of more than 80 accredited institutions in 28 countries offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses to more than one million students worldwide. NABA was included in Domus Magazine’s guide to Europe’s top 100 schools of architecture and design and in Frame’s guide to the world’s 30 leading graduate schools of design and fashion. www.naba.it

Domus Academy
Domus Academy was set up in Milan in 1982 as the first postgraduate design school in Italy and as an open project revolving around the experience of Italian design and fashion. Over the years, it has established itself as a school in the full sense of the term: a place for postgraduate training and a research laboratory on the themes of innovation and design. The 1994 winner of the Compasso d’Oro for the quality of its academic and research approach, in 2009, for the third consecutive year, the Domus Academy was included in Business Week’s guide to the world’s top 60 design schools. In 2012 and 2013, it was included in Domus Magazine’s guide to Europe’s top 100 schools of architecture and design and in Frame’s guide to the world’s 30 leading graduate schools of design, architecture and fashion. In December 2009, the Domus Academy became one of the Laureate International Universities, an international network of more than 80 accredited institutions in 28 countries offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses to more than a million students worldwide. The courses on offer at the academy include the following Master’s programs, attended by students from around the world: Business Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design & Living, Urban Vision & Architectural Design, Fashion Management, Fashion Styling & Visual Merchandising, Visual Brand Design, Luxury Brand Management. www.domusacademy.com

Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Founded in 1956 as the first Academy of art and design in the new China, it has trained a large number of professionals. Many Academy graduates now occupy important positions in the country’s colleges and universities, research institutes and major companies.
The Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University is the leading Chinese research institute for art and design. It has been included twice in US magazine Business Week’s guide to the world’s top 60 design schools. www.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/ad

National Alliance for Hispanic Health Renews Partnership with CDC to Prevent Smoking through Educational Campaign

April 1, 2016

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — “Cigarette smoking is the single largest cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Just imagine if those who smoked quit or never started in the first place and no more families had to see a loved one suffer or die from smoking related disease and illness,” said Jane L. Delgado, Ph.D., M.S., President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance), the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group.

The Tips from Former Smokers (Tips) campaign ads feature real people like Beatrice who was inspired to quit smoking for her son; Mariano who quit smoking after having open heart surgery due to his two pack-a-day habit; Felicita who quit after losing her teeth from 33 years of smoking; and, Rose who recently lost her battle with lung cancer after a lifetime of smoking. “Each real story from the Tips campaign represents the 16 million Americans suffering from similar illnesses caused by smoking and motivates smokers to quit and others to not start,” emphasized Dr. Delgado.

The 2016 Spanish and English language Tips ads are airing nationwide on TV and radio through mid-June to bring attention to the risks of smoking and offer advice on how to quit. The ads feature former smokers who describe the health consequences they have suffered from smoking, motivate others to quit, and promote free cessation support through 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-855-DÉJELO-YA).

“More than 30 courageous people have shared their stories through the Tips campaign since 2012,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “These real-life stories show, in a way that statistics can’t, the suffering and disability smoking causes. Most people who still smoke want to quit – this campaign will help them try and help them succeed.”

The Alliance is promoting Tips messages through its Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) Network, which is spearheaded by 11 regional partners around the country, as part of its goal to reduce tobacco use and cancer incidence in Hispanic communities. Efforts to support the campaign include one-on-one cessation support as well as bilingual social media, mobile messaging, and local media outreach.

According to Dr. Delgado, “With tobacco companies set to spend $8.3 billion in 2016 to hook new customers on their deadly products, the Tips campaign is a critical tool to make sure our communities know the real costs of this dangerous habit.” For more information visit cdc.gov/tips or call the Alliance’s Su Familia Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 for information on quitting smoking, talking to a loved one, or connection to services in your community.

About the Nuestras Voces Network. Nuestras Voces is a national network of over 100 organizations working for a tobacco-free world and to eliminate disparities in cancer prevention and treatment services. You can be part of this effort being led by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health! Join us at www.nuestrasvoces.org/join.

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. The Alliance is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health outcomes for all. For more information visit us www.hispanichealth.org.

Energy-efficient, functional remodeling projects proved most profitable for Texas homeowners in 2015

April 1, 2016

AUSTIN, Texas, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The most popular Texas home remodeling projects in 2015 were those that increased a home’s sustainability, according to the Texas Remodel Valuation Report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors. The report analyzes the project recoup costs in 2015 for 30 different remodeling projects nationwide, in the West South Central U.S., and in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, McAllen and San Antonio.

Leslie Rouda Smith, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors, commented, “A growing number of Texas homebuyers are opting to purchase lower-priced homes that can be remodeled to suit their exact needs or make the home more energy efficient. More and more Texas homesellers, too, are seeing the value in investing in a few, strategically chosen projects before listing to sell their home faster and potentially at a higher price.”

The top home remodeling projects in 2015 were those that increased the functionality and sustainability homes, by improving a home’s curb appeal or energy efficiency. Fiberglass attic insulation ranked among the top five projects in most Texas markets, recouping up to 163.4 percent of project costs. Manufactured stone veneer projects were also popular across Texas, recouping up to 157.9 percent of project costs.

Overall, remodeling projects continued to be profitable, with a few projects in all markets recouping 100 percent or more of project costs. Home remodeling projects in Houston, McAllen and El Paso showed the highest year-over-year growth in profitability in 2015, while a majority of remodeling projects in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas declined slightly in profitability from 2014 to 2015.

Unlike in previous reports, remodeling projects that maximized a home’s existing square footage were among the least profitable projects in 2015. Bathroom, deck and master suite additions consistently ranked among the least markets nationally and in Texas, recouping as little as 25.5 percent of project costs. In general, upscale or luxury projects continue to be less profitable than smaller or mid-level projects.

Smith concluded, “There are many factors that go into whether a remodeling project is a good fit for a home in addition to impact on resale value, such as the homeowner’s expected tenure in the house and, for energy-efficient upgrades, how long it will take the project to pay for itself in cost savings. Texas Realtors can help homeowners, buyers and sellers determine which remodeling projects are the best fits for the short term as well as further down the road.”

About the Texas Remodel Valuation Report
The Texas Remodel Valuation Report is based on survey data from the 2016 Cost vs. Value Report by the National Association of Realtors and Remodeling magazine. The Texas Association of REALTORS® distributes insights about the Texas housing market each month, including quarterly market statistics, trends among homebuyers and sellers, luxury home sales, international trends and more. To view the Texas Remodel Valuation Report in its entirety, visit www.TexasRealEstate.com.

About the Texas Association of REALTORS®
With more than 100,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policies that benefit homeowners. Visit TexasRealEstate.com to learn more.

CONTACT: Danielle Urban
Pierpont Communications
512-448-4950
[email protected]

Four Texas Metro Areas Collectively Add More Than 400,000 People in the Last Year, Census Bureau Reports

April 1, 2016

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Four Texas metro areas together added more people last year than any state in the country except for Texas as a whole, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released today. The population in these four metro areas increased by more than 400,000 people from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2015.

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The Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land and Dallas-Fort Worth–Arlington metro areas added about 159,000 and 145,000 residents, respectively — the largest gains of any metro areas in the nation. Two additional Texas metro areas adjacent to each other ─ Austin-Round Rock and San Antonio–New Braunfels ─ were each also among the 16 nationwide to gain 50,000 or more people over the period.

These four Texas metro areas collectively added about 412,000 people. Texas as a whole gained about 490,000.

The statistics released today provide population estimates for our nation’s 381 metropolitan statistical areas, 536 micropolitan statistical areas and 3,142 counties.

Eight counties drove Texas’ metro area growth and were among the 20 counties nationwide that gained the most population between 2014 and 2015. Altogether, they added 306,736 people:

The Dallas metro area contained four of these counties: Tarrant, Dallas, Collin and Denton.
The Houston metro area contained two: Harris, which led the nation by gaining more than 90,000 people, and Fort Bend.
Bexar, in the San Antonio metro area.
Travis, in the Austin metro area.

Florida, Texas and Coastal Carolinas Dominate List of Fastest-Growing Metro Areas

The Villages, Fla., a metro area west of the Orlando metro area, was the nation’s fastest-growing metro area for the third year in a row, as its population increased 4.3 percent between 2014 and 2015. It was joined in the top 20 by five others in the Sunshine State: Cape Coral–Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton, Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford and Naples–Immokalee–Marco Island.

Five Texas metros ─ Midland, Odessa, Austin, College Station–Bryan and Houston ─ were also among the 20 fastest growing between 2014 and 2015.

In addition to growth in several metro areas in Florida and Texas, three metro areas partially or completely within South Carolina were among the 20 fastest growing between 2014 and 2015:

Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C.-N.C. (which ranked second nationally), Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort and Charleston-North Charleston.

Houston, Austin and Orlando were the only three metro areas nationwide to be among both the 20 with the largest numeric gains and the 20 fastest growing (percentage gain) between 2014 and 2015.

North Dakota was home to each of the four fastest-growing counties (among those with populations of 10,000 or more in 2015) between 2014 and 2015. McKenzie (16.7 percent population growth) led, followed by Williams, Mountrail and Stark. McKenzie passed the

10,000 person threshold in 2014 for the first time. However, eight of the 20 fastest-growing counties were in Texas, with three more in Florida and two in Utah.

Two Metros Power North Carolina’s Climb to 10 Million Milestone

State population estimates released in December revealed that North Carolina added more than 100,000 people during the last year to become the ninth state with 10 million or more people. The growth to reach this milestone was, in large part, propelled by two metro areas partially or completely within the state: Raleigh, N.C., the 16th fastest-growing metro area in the U.S., and Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, N.C.-S.C., the 17th largest numeric-gaining metro area in the U.S. Together, these two metro areas grew by about 78,000 people.

Other findings:

Counties

Los Angeles, Calif., is still the nation’s most populous county with 10.2 million people on July 1, 2015.
The nation’s second-most populous county ─ Cook, Ill. ─ experienced its first population decline since 2007: 10,488 between 2014 and 2015 to 5.2 million.
Two counties passed the 1 million population milestone between 2014 and 2015: Fulton, Ga., which is home to Atlanta (1,010,562), and Wake, N.C. (1,024,198). Wake, which includes Raleigh, was also the nation’s 19th largest numerical gainer among counties, adding nearly 25,000 people.
Another two counties passed the 100,000 population mark: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska (101,095) and Gallatin, Mont. (100,739).
Next to Texas, California (five) and Florida (three) contained the highest number of counties on the list of the top 20 by numeric growth between 2014 and 2015.
Maricopa, Ariz. (Phoenix) led the nation’s counties in net domestic migration increase (38,000), followed by Clark, Nev. (Las Vegas) at 25,000. Los Angeles led in net international migration (57,000), followed by Miami-Dade, Fla. (44,000).
Among the largest counties (those with populations of 250,000 or more in 2015), Fort Bend, Texas, was the fastest growing, as its population climbed 4.3 percent between 2014 and 2015, to 716,087.
Among very small counties, Loving, Texas, was the fastest growing of those with a population of fewer than 5,000 people in 2015 (28.7 percent growth). Among those in the 5,000-9,999 population range, Bailey, Texas, led in rate of growth (3.6 percent).
Cook, Ill., had the largest numeric decline among counties at 10,488 people. The next largest decline belonged to Wayne, Mich., at 6,673.

Metro areas

The nation’s metro areas contained 275.3 million people in 2015, an increase of about
2.5 million from 2014.
Most (285 of the 381) metro areas nationwide gained population between 2014 and 2015.
Four of the 20 fastest-growing metro areas between 2014 and 2015 were in the Mountain states: Greeley and Fort Collins in Colorado and St. George and Provo–Orem in Utah.
Between 2014 and 2015, Fargo, N.D.-Minn., was the fastest-growing metro area outside of the South or West, ranking 23rd.
The Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, Fla., metro area added about 75,000 people between 2014 and 2015 to surpass 6 million in population. Two more Florida metros ─ Orlando and Tampa–St. Petersburg-Clearwater ─ also gained more than 50,000 people.
Three California metro areas gained more than 50,000 people between 2014 and 2015: Los Angeles-Long Beach–Anaheim, San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward and Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario.
Between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va., surpassed Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md., to become the sixth most populous metro area. New York–Newark–Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa., remained the most populous, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., Dallas and Houston.

Micro areas

The nation’s micro areas contained about 27.3 million people in 2015, an increase of around 27,000 from 2014.
Nearly half the U.S. micro areas (261 of the 536) gained population between 2014 and 2015.
North Dakota contained the nation’s two fastest-growing micro areas between 2014 and 2015: Williston and Dickinson, whose populations rose by 9.9 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.
Two micro areas, Bozeman, Mont., and Williston, N.D., each gained more than 3,000 people between 2014 and 2015, increasing by about 3,500, and around 3,200, respectively.

Puerto Rico

San Juan continued to be the most populous of the municipios (which are similar to counties), with 355,000 residents on July 1, 2015, followed by Bayamón and Carolina.
Most municipios experienced a population decline between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015. The fastest losing were Lares and Ponce (both at -2.6 percent), followed by Las Marias and Mayagüez (both at -2.5 percent). San Juan experienced the largest numerical population decline, losing about 8,800 residents over the period, followed by Bayamón (more than 4,200) and Ponce (more than 3,900).
Gurabo is the only municipio that grew over the period, gaining 176 residents (an increase of 0.4 percent).
Each of Puerto Rico’s seven metro areas and five micro areas declined in population between 2014 and 2015. San Juan-Carolina-Caguas was the most populous metro area, with about 2.2 million people.

In the coming months, the Census Bureau will release 2015 population estimates of cities and towns, as well as national, state and county population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin.

The Census Bureau develops county, metro area, and micro area population estimates by measuring population change since the most recent census. The Census Bureau uses births, deaths, administrative records and survey data to develop estimates of population. For more detail regarding the methodology, see <https://www.census.gov/popest/methodology/>.

The Office of Management and Budget’s statistical area delineations (for metro and micro areas) are those issued by that agency in February 2013. Metro areas contain at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population and micro areas contain at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population. Both metro and micro areas consist of one or more whole counties or county equivalents. Some metro and micro area titles are abbreviated in the text of the news release. Full titles are shown in the tables.

Public Information Office	Federal State Cooperative for Population Estimates
email: [email protected]	Detailed tables
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eMerge Americas Announces Major Investment From Orkila Capital, Manuel D. Medina And Other Strategic Investors

April 1, 2016

MIAMI, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — eMerge Americas, a B2B technology and innovation conference connecting companies with business and government leaders from North America, Latin America and Europe, today announced it has secured a major investment round led by Orkila Capital, a leading media growth equity firm based in New York, and the event’s founder, Manuel D. Medina. The highly anticipated third edition of eMerge Americas will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center April 18 and 19.

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Orkila Capital, a growth equity investment firm with deep investment experience in the media, entertainment and live event sectors, and eMerge Americas’ founder and chairman Manuel D. Medina are joined in the strategic investment round by an impressive group of notable Florida leading figures, including Armando Christian Perez, Alex Rodriguez, Mike Fernandez, Brian Ballard, and Bob Dickinson. Additionally, Frank Anton, Vice Chairman and ex-CEO of trade show industry leader Hanley-Wood, has joined the Board of eMerge Americas.

“eMerge Americas has experienced amazing growth over its first three years, based on the compelling value the event provides for attendees, sponsors, media partners and its community stakeholders,” said Jesse Du Bey, Managing Partner of Orkila Capital. “We are big believers in the value of iconic events and are confident that eMerge Americas will continue to strengthen its position as the must-attend technology event that links the Latin American, North American and European technology markets. We look forward to working together with Manny, Frank and the eMerge leadership team to grow the event in the years to come.”

eMerge Americas will use this investment round to continue building the event’s size, content scope and brand as it continues to grow. In April, the event will once again feature its Startup Showcase, Women Innovation & Technology Summit and eGov – Government Innovation Summit, with additional programming tracks planned for future years.

“When I founded the Technology Foundation of the Americas, it began with the idea of advancing the technology ecosystem in Miami and eMerge Americas was the first initiative in that effort,” said Manny Medina. “The event has surpassed our expectations in all aspects, and by securing this investment and transitioning it to a private entity we’re able to optimize its long-term success, invest in the future of Technology Foundation of the Americas and allow both organizations to focus on their key goals. By combining our powerful partnerships with organizations like NBCUniversal, the Knight Foundation and Miami-Dade County with the expertise and experience of a firm like Orkila, we will be able to take eMerge Americas to all new heights.”

“eMerge Americas is a pillar of the innovation ecosystem that we, along with many others, are working so hard to build in Miami,” said Matt Haggman, Miami program director at Knight Foundation. “We are proud to have been a founding partner, and even prouder that it has become independently successful in such a short time. eMerge Americas is now poised for enormous growth for years to come, and that will deliver benefits across Miami’s rapidly growing technology and startup community.”

For more information visit www.emergeamericas.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About eMerge Americas

eMerge Americas serves as the preeminent B2B technology event of the Americas. The event serves to connect industry and government leaders across Latin America, North America and Europe. eMerge’s founding partners include: Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County, Medina Capital, Greenberg Traurig and Miami Herald. For more information, please visit: www.emergeamericas.org.

About Orkila Capital

Orkila Capital is a growth equity firm focused on the media and consumer sectors and based in New York. Orkila was founded in 2013 by Jesse Du Bey, a former Managing Director at Providence Equity Partners, and has deep experience in the media, live event, entertainment and consumer sectors. Recent investments led by Orkila (or its affiliates) include Recognition Media (owner of The Webby Awards, the internet’s highest honor), Crash Line Productions (owner of leading music festivals including Boston Calling and Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival) and Bellator MMA (sold to Viacom).

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Releases ‘Be Light’ for Dark Political, Cultural Times

March 31, 2016

National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference logo.

SACRAMENTO, California, March 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In “Be Light: Shining God’s Beauty, Truth, and Hope into a Darkened World” (WaterBrook, ISBN: 987-1-60142-816-5), Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, lead pastor of New Season and President/CEO of one of the world’s largest evangelical organizations, acknowledges that today’s world is troubled and in many ways dark. Yet, in these times when religious liberties are being attacked and there is great pressure for political correctness instead of biblical truths, the Church needs to rise up in all of life’s arenas and become “the bright city on a hill.”

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“We cannot deny we live in dark times…sin, immorality, moral relativism, infanticide, racism, false prophets, watered-down preaching, religious extremism, terror, violence intolerance and disbelief,” said Rodriguez. “But, when light stands next to darkness, light always wins.”

In “Be Light,” readers will be inspired and given the blueprint to confront and overcome spiritual, emotional, relational, family and financial darkness and live as light. The book can be read as a 30-day journey, with each chapter portraying a spiritual analogy to light with real-life examples and testimonies, scripture and a reflection to lead the reader to action. The foreword to the book was written by Roma Downey, producer, celebrated actress and president and chief content officer at LightWorkers Media (a division of MGM Studios).

“Be Light” is a biblical mandate. The word “light” is mentioned more than 200 times in the Bible. Light is an important part of the Christian narrative beginning in Genesis, when God said, “Let there be light.” In this new book, Rodriguez offers clarity to this important Christian metaphor and how it relates to individuals of faith living in current times.

Rodriguez uses the laws of light – including reflection, refraction and the bending of light; destructive light and lightening; and celestial light – to challenge followers of Jesus to take up its responsibility to stand up and be something inherently different from society.

“Like a prism when light passes through it, we reveal the full color spectrum,” writes Rodriguez. “We are called to be the light of the world, but that does not mean that we, people of faith, are uniform, monochromatic or one dimensional. The light of God may appear to be single beam of white light, but when it passes through the prisms of His people, its full complexity and beauty are revealed.”

“Be Light” will release May 3, 2016 from WaterBrook, an imprint of Crown at Penguin Random House, LLC. The book has been endorsed by a number of leaders including: Dr. Ronnie Floyd, president, Southern Baptist Convention and senior pastor of Cross Church, Robert Morrison, founding senior pastor at Gateway Church, and James Robison, founder and president of LIFE Outreach International.

“Sammy Rodriguez is a dynamic leader,” said Dr. Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA, “His influence impacts other leaders, both spiritually and politically. Yet his compassion touches the hurting, the marginalized, and the underrepresented. His message is compelling. He does not just articulate problems; he also gives solutions. His book, ‘Be Light,’ is a must-read if you are tired of the darkness. Share it with your friends and help turn on the light.”

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization, which serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. He has been named by CNN and Fox News as “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and Newsmax included him in the “Top 100 Christian Leaders in America.” For more information, visit http://pastorsam.com/.

April is National Car Care Month: Time to Make Auto Care a Top Priority

March 31, 2016

BETHESDA, Maryland, March 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Analytics are big these days in business, sports and politics. When it comes to auto care, the numbers tell a very revealing story as 80 percent of vehicles need service, a new part and/or repair, according to the non-profit Car Care Council.

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“With so many vehicles in need of service, National Car Care Month in April serves as an important reminder to take action today so you can depend on your vehicle down the road,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It’s easy to postpone vehicle maintenance when things get busy, but don’t put it off. Addressing minor service needs before they become major will help you avoid unexpected car trouble and unplanned costly repairs.”

The Car Care Council reports that vehicles inspected at community car care events held throughout the country in 2015 failed one or more aspects of the inspection process. Some areas posting the highest failure rates include: low fluid levels (washer fluid 26 percent, engine oil 23 percent and coolant 19 percent); clogged or dirty air filters 19 percent; illuminated check engine light 13 percent; worn belts 13 percent; and needed battery service and wiper blade replacement 13 and 12 percent, respectively.

“Many maintenance needs are quick and inexpensive to resolve, so it’s easy to make auto care a priority during National Car Care Month,” continued White. “To help you ‘be car care aware,’ the Car Care Council has many free tools available at www.carcare.org, including the popular Car Care Guide and a customized service schedule with email remainders that makes it simple to follow a routine maintenance program.”

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For more information, visit www.carcare.org.

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