Puerto Rico’s Nonprofit Health Centers, Community Organizations Receive $12.3 Million Philanthropic Boost

August 3, 2018

Solar panels are installed at Clínica Iella in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 5, 2018. The system, funded by Direct Relief, will help the clinic maintain operations in the event of a power interruption. (Photo by Erika P. Rodriguez for Direct Relief)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Direct Relief today announced a series of new financial commitments totaling $12.3 million to help Puerto Rico healthcare organizations address ongoing health needs following Hurricane Maria and to bolster their ability to weather future storms.

The announcement was made at a Direct Relief-convened meeting of Puerto Rico health and community leaders about strategies to restore and strengthen Puerto Rico’s healthcare system.

The meeting was kicked off by Puerto Rico’s Secretary of Health, Dr. Rafael Rodriguez Mercado, and included more than 100 leaders of Puerto Rico’s nonprofit community health centers and hospitals as well as other community leaders who advised on how philanthropy can best restore and strengthen health services throughout the territory:

Dr. Satchit Balsari, Harvard Professor and co-author of the widely reported study, “Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria”
Jay Fonseca, journalist, political analyst, and founder and board member of Por Los Nuestros
Dr. Antonia Novello, former U.S. Surgeon General
Dr. Byron Scott, Medical Director, IBM Watson Health and Direct Relief board member
Malvise Scott, Senior Vice President, National Association of Community Health Centers
Thomas Tighe, president and CEO, Direct Relief
Yulun Wang, founder of telehealth company InTouch Health

The $12.3 million in Direct Relief’s new financial commitments will support solar power and battery storage installations, mobile health units, medical equipment, emergency communications technology, and emergency preparedness and response training.

Direct Relief today also reported its activities to date for its Puerto Rican response. Since Hurricane Maria made landfall, Direct Relief has supported 67 local community health centers and clinics, hospitals, and other health providers with 403 emergency shipments of requested medication and supplies. The shipments contained more than 358 tons (761,067 lbs) of medical essentials totaling more than $67.8 million (wholesale) and 9.1 million defined daily doses. In addition to providing medical material assistance to community-based groups in Puerto Rico, Direct Relief has made financial grants to invest in a range of initiatives to bolster health services and local infrastructure.

Funding has been provided to projects including an island-wide vaccination campaign, the installation of 791 kilowatts of solar energy and nearly 2 megawatts of battery backup at 14 health centers and non-PRASA communities, a telemedicine initiative to extend health services to rural areas, and equipping Puerto Rico’s medical reserve corps, among others.

About Direct Relief

Established in 1948 with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, Direct Relief delivers lifesaving medical resources throughout the world—without regard to politics, religion, ethnic identities, or ability to pay. With operations spanning more than 80 countries and all 50 states in the U.S., Direct Relief is the only charitable nonprofit to obtain Verified Accredited Wholesale Distributor (VAWD) accreditation by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Among other distinctions, Direct Relief earns a perfect score of 100 from independent evaluator Charity Navigator, was listed among the world’s most innovative nonprofits by Fast Company, and has received the CECP Directors’ Award, the Drucker Prize for Nonprofit Innovation, and the President’s Award from Esri for excellence in GIS mapping. For more information, please visit https://www.DirectRelief.org.

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SOURCE Direct Relief

Labor Commissioner’s Office Cites Southern California Drywall Contractor Nearly $2 Million for Overtime and Rest Period Wage Theft

August 3, 2018

LONG BEACH, California, July 24, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Labor Commissioner’s Office has issued wage theft citations of $1.9 million to Fullerton Pacific Interiors Inc. for failing to properly compensate 472 workers on 26 construction projects throughout Southern California. An investigation determined that none of the workers were provided rest periods as required by law, 289 workers were not paid for overtime and 28 workers were paid less than minimum wage.

The Fullerton-based contractor provided drywall work at hotel, recreation center and casino projects in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties from August 2014 to June 2016. Workers performing taping and drywall installation were paid a daily rate that did not properly compensate them for overtime hours. Workers were allowed a 30-minute meal period but did not receive rest breaks.

“In construction, unscrupulous contractors attempt to obscure their wage theft by paying workers a flat rate rather than for all hours worked,” said Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su. “But a daily or other flat rate system does not take the place of minimum wage and overtime obligations.”

The $1,964,679 citation penalty amount includes $1,892,279 payable to the workers and $72,400 in civil penalties. Of the total due to workers, $798,664 is for rest period violations, $386,685 for unpaid overtime and $692,500 for wage statement violations. The 28 workers shorted on minimum wage pay are owed a total of $14,431 for unpaid wages, liquidated damages and waiting time penalties. Fullerton Pacific Interiors, Inc. did not provide accurate itemized wage statements as required by law.

The Labor Commissioner’s Office launched an investigation of Fullerton Pacific Interiors after workers complained about pay violations to Carpenters Contractors Cooperation Committee, a non-profit labor-management organization.

Enforcement investigations typically include a payroll audit of the previous three years to determine minimum wage, overtime and other labor law violations, and calculate payments owed and penalties due. Civil penalties collected are transferred to the State’s General Fund as required by law.

When workers are paid less than minimum wage, they are entitled to liquidated damages that equal the amount of underpaid wages plus interest. Waiting time penalties are imposed when the employer intentionally fails to pay all wages due to the employee at the time of separation. This penalty is calculated by taking the employee’s daily rate of pay and multiplying it by the number of days the employee was not paid, up to a maximum of 30 days.

Most workers in California must receive a paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked. If workers do not receive rest breaks as required by Industrial Welfare Commission orders for their occupation, the employer must pay one hour of pay at the worker’s regular pay rate for each workday that the break is not provided, and civil penalties of $50 per worker per pay period for the initial violation, which increases to $100 each for subsequent violations.

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or the Labor Commissioner’s Office, is the division within the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) with wide-ranging enforcement responsibilities including adjudicating wage claims, inspecting workplaces for wage and hour violations, investigating retaliation complaints and educating the public on labor laws.

In 2014, Labor Commissioner Su launched the Wage Theft is a Crime multilingual public awareness campaign. The campaign defines wage theft and informs workers of their rights and the resources available to them to recover unpaid wages or report other labor law violations.

Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR’s Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).

Members of the press may contact Peter Melton or Frank Polizzi at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR’s press releases or other departmental updates.

The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR’s Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.

https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR
https://twitter.com/CA_DIR
http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR
http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1

SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations; California Labor Commissioner’s Office

(Español) Alerta sobre la mosca linterna con manchas: Spotted Lanternfly: un insecto invasor que podría dañar Pennsylvania

August 3, 2018

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Eating Fish May Help Women Reduce Risk Of Having A Preemie

August 3, 2018

WHITE PLAINS, New York, Aug. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — New research funded in part by March of Dimes has found that pregnant women in their first and second trimester with the lowest blood levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids – the kind found in fish oil — were at 10 times greater risk of early preterm birth compared with women who had higher levels. The findings suggest that eating fish that are good sources of the fatty acids EPA and DHA may help reduce the risk of preterm birth.

The study will be published online today in EBioMedicine by a team led by Sjurdur F. Olsen, M.D., from Centre for Fetal Programming at Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is a former March of Dimes grantee and undertook the study with colleagues at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“March of Dimes is committed to finding solutions to preterm birth and to giving all babies the best possible start in life,” says Kelle H. Moley, M.D., senior vice president and chief scientific officer at March of Dimes. “It will be important to replicate these findings in other populations outside of Denmark, but we are very impressed by the power of these results and the weight of evidence. March of Dimes recommends that women who are pregnant or thinking of having a baby eat fish that are low in mercury and good sources of EPA and DHA, like herring, salmon, trout, and anchovies, as well as orange juice, milk and eggs that have EPA and DHA added to them. Pregnant women should get 200 mg (micrograms) of DHA each day from food or supplements.”

Premature birth affects 15 million babies each year worldwide and is on the rise in the United States. Recently released provisional data for 2017 from the National Center for Health Statistics show that the preterm birth rate in the U.S. has reached 9.93 percent, up from 9.85 in 2016, the third consecutive annual increase after steady declines over the previous seven years.

Dr. Olsen has been studying for many years the hypothesis that low levels of the long-chain fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA) may be a major risk factor for preterm birth. For this new study, the team examined data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, a nationwide study following 96,000 children in Denmark through questionnaires and registry linkages. They analyzed blood samples from 376 women who gave birth very prematurely (prior to 34 weeks of gestation) between 1996 and 2003 and 348 women who did not, all during their first and second trimesters of pregnancy.

Analysis of the blood samples showed that women who with the lowest serum levels of EPA and DHA — 1.6 percent or less — had a 10 times higher risk of early preterm birth when compared with women in the highest levels.

“Plasma Concentrations of Long Chain N-3 Fatty Acids in Early and Mid-Pregnancy and Risk of Early Preterm Birth,” Olsen S.F., Halldorsson T.I., Thorne-Lyman A.L., Strøm M., Gørtz S., Granstrøm C., Nielsen P.H., Wohlfahrt J., Lykke J.A., Langhoff-Roos J., Cohen A.S., Furtado J.D., Giovannucci E.L., Zhou W., appeared online July 31, 2018, EBioMedicine, doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.07.009

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we stand up for every mom and every baby. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/513643/March_of_Dimes_Foundation_Logo.jpg

SOURCE March of Dimes

HITN & Hispanic Federation Deliver Solar Lamps To Families In Puerto Rico

August 2, 2018

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today 18,000 solar panel lamps were distributed to families in fourteen municipalities in Puerto Rico still struggling with power outages. The municipalities in attendance were: Barranquitas, Bayamón, Comerio, Dorado, Las Marias, Loíza, Morovis, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Ponce, Utuado, Villalba, Vega Alta, Vega Baja. HITN, the leading Spanish-language network that offers educational and entertainment content to more than 44 million households across the nation, coordinated this distribution of solar lamps, which were provided by Hispanic Federation, the nation’s premier Latino nonprofit membership organization, with a focus to support Hispanic families and strengthen non-profits through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement and economic empowerment.

Last year’s devastating hurricane season left Puerto Rico in complete darkness due to sweeping power outages that lasted months before authorities restored electricity on the island. This year’s hurricane season is again proving to be a challenge. During the early weeks of April, a blackout swept the island after a single tree fell on a power line in the southeastern town of Cayey and knocked out power for 840,000 people across Puerto Rico. And a week later, an excavator hit a transmission line, which again severed power – this time for 1.4 million people. Although authorities are working hard to prevent any further power outages, people living in Puerto Rico are expressing concerns over the possibility of additional blackouts.

“Since Hurricane Maria struck last year, Puerto Rico has struggled with blackouts. And if the start of this year’s hurricane season is any indication of what to expect, the people on the island are going to need a backup plan if there is an emergency such as more power outages. Addressing this issue is one of the critical steps in Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts and using solar-powered lamps as an alternative source of light is a smart and simple solution,” explained Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN who has also engaged in a variety of other hurricane relief efforts such as purchasing and installing water filters in schools, daycare centers, and cancer treatment centers located in Vieques.

Hispanic Federation President José Calderón, stated, “Hispanic Federation has invested $27 million dollars through more than 70 community organizations across the island that have stepped up to lead the charge and build a more resilient and sustainable Puerto Rico. Together with our local partners, we have been distributing solar lamps to vulnerable communities and we are grateful to be working with HITN to reach thousands of more families today.”

WIPR President, Rafael Batista Cruz, expressed, “We really appreciate HITN and Hispanic Federation initiative. WIPR is an educational tool for Puerto Rico in any circumstances. For that reason, we are pleased that WIPR serves as distribution center for these solar lamps. We are convinced that they will be very useful for the people in our communities and will be part of their emergency kits.”

After Hurricane Maria, Hispanic Federation was among the first organizations to provide emergency assistance including the distribution of over 7 million pounds of food, water, and other critical supplies in all 78 municipalities. Thus far, Hispanic Federation has committed $27 million dollars to over 70 local groups leading initiatives in agriculture, renewable energy, housing, environment, small business and workforce development, health, education and the arts. Hispanic Federation has distributed over 50 thousand solar lamps and intends to distribute 60 thousand more.

HITN managed the distribution efforts of these 18 thousand lamps by coordinating with representatives from each of fourteen municipalities to collect their allotment of 1500 lamps at the studios of WIPR, Puerto Rico’s public broadcasting corporation. The light and sleek design of the solar lamps boost a lithium polymer battery for 8-12 hours of performance. And with its innovative open and close twist action, this solar lamp is compact enough for easy storage, while also serving as a handy tool in case of emergency such as a blackout.

ABOUT HITN

HITN-TV is a leading Spanish-language media company that offers educational and cultural programming for the whole family. It reaches more than 44 million viewers in the US and Puerto Rico via DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-verse TV, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast, Charter Spectrum, Frontier Mediacom, CenturyLink Prism and Cablevision. For more information, please visit www.hitn.tv.

ABOUT HISPANIC FEDERATION

The mission of the Hispanic Federation is to empower and advance the Hispanic community. The Hispanic Federation provides grants and services to a broad network of Latino non-profit agencies serving the most vulnerable members of the Hispanic community and advocates nationally with respect to the vital issues of education, health, immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement and the environment. For more information, please visit www.hispanicfederation.org.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/613816/HITN_Logo.jpg

SOURCE HITN

Chicago’s Spanish Broadcasting System Station WLEY (FM) La Ley 107.9FM Improves PPM and Audience Reach in Key Neighborhoods with MaxxCasting™ System

August 2, 2018

CHICAGO, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Adoption of the patented MaxxCasting technology created and owned by GeoBroadcast Solutions (GBS) continues to accelerate, with Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc., (SBS) (OTCQB: SBSAA) station WLEY (FM) La Ley 107.9FM the most recent MaxxCasting licensee to go live with the system and immediately reap its benefits. The WLEY (FM) La Ley 107.9FM, implementation of MaxxCasting has enabled the Aurora, Illinois-licensed station to increase its coverage-to-contour ratio by overcoming signal strength issues that impeded its ability to fully reach its adult Hispanic target audience in key Chicago neighborhoods with its regional Mexican format.

While WLEY’s La Ley 107.9FM broadcast signal spans the majority of its legally-designated broadcast area, or service contour, the density of buildings in its urban environments creates multipath interference in population centers such as Pilsen that are crucial to the station. Such interference degrades the audio signal for listeners while limiting WLEY’s ability to reach Nielsen Portable People Meters (PPM), important tools in measuring audience exposure and listener metrics that radio stations use to attract new advertisers and set their rates.

“While WLEY’s contour covers the market pretty well, the areas that they had signal difficulties within happen to be the some of the most important demographic areas for their business,” said Bill Hieatt, CTO, GeoBroadcast Solutions. “I would estimate that 70% of the PPMs for Hispanic radio in the region are located in the Pilsen neighborhood, which is also a good indicator of the WLEY audience’s geographic concentration. With MaxxCasting, WLEY’s signal can be decoded into these meters considerably more proficiently than that of the station’s direct competitors, increasing WLEY’s revenue potential, while providing an improved audio experience to keep the station’s listeners engaged in their cars, homes and commercial buildings.”

The WLEY MaxxCasting deployment features three synchronized nodes in a single-frequency network (SFN) to overcome the multipath issues caused by urbanization. The low-height, low-power nodes are strategically targeted to fill in specific key geographic listening areas, with the MaxxCasting SFN architecture providing seamless transitions without audible disruption as drivers listening to the station move between transmitters.

Erik Peterson, Vice President of Engineering for Spanish Broadcasting System, became familiar with the contour-to-coverage benefits of MaxxCasting when he joined a listening test for WXRV in Boston.

“As we drove around the neighborhoods of Boston listening to the smooth transition between MaxxCasting nodes, we quickly realized that this technology could solve the coverage problems we experienced in the Pilsen neighborhood without introducing new interference,” said Peterson. “Upon deployment, it was clear that our expectations have been exceeded. Our improved coverage will help us better serve the large Spanish-language communities in Chicago, while making WLEY a far more attractive advertising outlet for local businesses. MaxxCasting is giving broadcasters who have turned away from FM radio advertising a viable reason to return.”

Leveraging the MaxxCasting platform’s flexible scalability, the WLEY MaxxCasting installation was designed to enable at least four different broadcast stations to share the same site in the future, thus bringing down the costs for each. Rather than requiring separate sites, from an infrastructure perspective, new stations essentially need only add their transmitter, a combiner, and their audio feed. One additional station has already committed to becoming a MaxxCasting licensee and joining the WLEY SFN infrastructure, with deployment anticipated in the coming weeks.

Each node in the WLEY (FM) La Ley 107.9FM, MaxxCasting system features a GatesAir Flexiva FAX transmitter operating at 99 Watts and uses GatesAir Intraplex IP networking solutions to simulcast and synchronize live program content, enabling the aforementioned seamless node-to-node transitions.

With the WLEY (FM) La Ley 107.9FM deployment, Spanish Broadcasting System joins other top-tier media organizations using the MaxxCasting system to maximize their radio broadcast coverage and revenue opportunities in markets including Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle and West Virginia.

In addition to vastly improving coverage-to-contour ratio and market penetration, the patented MaxxCasting solution eliminates the self-interference and signal degradation problems that commonly plague legacy booster systems. GBS uses highly accurate modeling software, drive testing and proprietary formulas to measure a variety of environmental factors that affect coverage. Calculations related to height above average terrain, distance and power ratio between nodes, and antenna patterns versus interference areas, are among those used to predict coverage improvements and outperform traditional approaches.

About Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. owns and operates 17 radio stations located in the top U.S. Hispanic markets of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Puerto Rico, airing the Spanish Tropical, Regional Mexican, Spanish Adult Contemporary, Top 40 and Latin Rhythmic format genres. SBS also operates AIRE Radio Networks, a national radio platform which creates, distributes and markets leading Spanish-language radio programming to over 250 affiliated stations reaching 94% of the U.S. Hispanic audience. SBS also owns MegaTV, a television operation with over-the-air, cable and satellite distribution and affiliates throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. SBS also produces live concerts and events and owns multiple bilingual websites, including LA Musica, a mobile app providing content related to Latin music, entertainment, news and culture. For more information, visit us online at www.spanishbroadcasting.com.

About GeoBroadcast Solutions

Founded in 2011, GeoBroadcast Solutions, LLC (GBS) offers innovative technologies and solutions that help radio broadcasters maximize their signals and grow their revenues. The patented, successfully-deployed MaxxCasting™ system expands the coverage area of an FM signal and allows geographic targeting and fencing of text advertising and messaging. ZoneCasting™, currently in the FCC approval process, allows the additional Geo-Targeting and Geo-Fencing of audio and graphical advertisements. These emerging technologies give broadcasters the tools to compete in the face of evolving internet and cellular message distribution. GBS partners with GatesAir for transmission and IP distribution equipment.

SBS MEDIA CONTACT:
Vladimir Gomez
[email protected]
(786) 470-1644

Contact:
Brian Galante
President
Dimension PR
207-494-8428
[email protected]

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/726526/Ley_Banner.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/726527/laleylogo.jpg

SOURCE Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS)

HITEC Names Omar Duque as President to Lead Next Phase of Growth

August 2, 2018

REDMOND, Washington, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC) Board of Directors announced today at the Seattle Leadership Summit hosted by Microsoft Corp. at their Redmond headquarters, that Omar Duque will serve as the organization’s next President. For the past 11 years Duque has served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“Omar is an experienced, inspiring and transformational leader with a proven track record of success scaling non-profit organizations,” said J. Alberto Yépez, HITEC’s board chairman. “He is passionate about the role technology plays in building a better future for our community. Above all, Omar gets the core mission of HITEC, of building the pipeline of the next generation technology leaders that happen to be Hispanic by engaging all of our constituents.”

During his time at IHCC Duque helped shape the organization into an innovative and nationally recognized organization working to cultivate knowledge, connections and collaboration to effect transformational social change and achieve sustainable economic impact through entrepreneurship.

“I am excited to join HITEC and look forward to working with the board and the team to advance the organization’s mission of creating career development pathway for Hispanic technology executives and develop the next generation of leaders,” Duque said. “I look forward to meeting one-on-one with the organization’s members and supporters as we work together to drive the organization’s next phase of growth.”

HITEC is the premier global executive leadership organization of senior business and technology executives who have built outstanding careers in information technology. HITEC’s premiere network spans the Americas and is focused on building stronger technology and executive leaders, leadership teams, corporations, and role models in a rapidly changing, flatter, and information technology-centric world.

The HITEC board started the Presidential selection process late in 2017. A Presidential Search Committee was established in early 2018 and numerous highly qualified candidates were considered for the role. Duque was selected because of his experience and passion for HITEC’s mission and his commitment to service.

Duque is a Chicago native whose parents immigrated to the United States from Guatemala. He received his Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He worked as a reporter for the Albuquerque Tribune, one of the last afternoon daily newspapers in the country. Duque is a board member for Loyola University Health System and Delta Dental of Illinois. He is the co-founder of the Latinx Founders Collective, an initiative to build a community of more than 100 venture -funded Latinx startups by 2020. Duque and his wife Clarisol live in Chicago’s South Side with their two young children. He is an avid runner and loves to cook.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/726204/HITEC_logo_color_01_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Hispanic IT Executive Council

Top Miami Tax Preparer Sues Business Rival for Defamation

August 2, 2018

Fighting Words: Miami tax preparation executive Michael Salazar files defamation claim against business rival, Alexis Diaz

MIAMI, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Michael Salazar filed claims for defamation against Alexis Diaz and his company, A&B Consulting Specialists Services, Inc. in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court arising out of a letter that Mr. Diaz allegedly sent out to thousands of people. The letter is alleged to have included written statements concerning Mr. Salazar that are untrue, malicious and calculated to damage Mr. Salazar and his business. The lawsuit was brought by Miami business attorney, Santiago A. Cueto of the Cueto Law Group law firm.

For More Information: http://www.cuetolawgroup.com

“Mr. Diaz has caused substantial damage to my reputation and my business. That’s why I filed the lawsuit— to seek an award from the court for his misguided attempt to destroy my company. Nobody should have to endure false and outrageous statements being made about them,” said Mr. Salazar.

According to the Complaint, Mr. Diaz wrote and sent thousands of false and malicious statements through the Unites States Postal Service telling clients that Mr. Salazar was under criminal investigation by the Miami Police Department. The Complaint further alleges that Mr. Salazar had already lost several clients as a result of the alleged smear campaign waged by Mr. Diaz. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $250,000.00.

“In my opinion, the allegations are a textbook example of spreading ‘fake news’ to smear the reputation of an extremely successful business competitor. I’m confident that the reputational ambush that Mr. Salazar is alleged to have suffered will be justly redressed in a court of law,” Mr. Cueto stated.

The Case is Michael Salazar v. Alexis A. Diaz and A&B Consulting Specialists Services Inc., Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, Case No. 2018-025744-CA-01

About:

Michael Salazar is top Miami tax preparer at Max Your Tax, Inc.

About:

Cueto Law Group, P.L. is a business law firm headed by Miami business lawyer Santiago A. Cueto. Cueto Law Group: “Representing Business Clients from Boardroom to Courtroom.” You can learn more about Cueto Law Group by visiting the firm’s websites at www.CuetoLawGroup.com and www.InternationalBusinessLawAdvisor.com

Contact: Santiago A. Cueto, 305-777-0377

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/725951/Cueto_Law_Group.jpg

SOURCE Cueto Law Group, P.L.

No on Prop 6: New Regional Data Shows Local Impacts of Transportation Projects Threatened by Prop 6 – the Attack on Bridge and Road Safety

August 2, 2018

SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In case you missed it, new regional reports released by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) quantify the monumental regional economic impact of crucial local transportation projects endangered by Proposition 6.

Proposition 6 eliminates more than $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and jeopardizes funding supporting more than 6,500 bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway throughout California.

ARTBA is a national non-partisan federation whose primary goal is to grow and protect transportation infrastructure to meet the public and business demand for safe and efficient travel. The regional analyses, conducted by ARTBA Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black, highlight the economic impact of transportation projects on six major California regions: the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, the San Joaquin Valley, the Inland Empire, and San Diego and Imperial counties.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, Prop 6 threatens:

$34.5 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $9.8 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses and $19.3 billion in economic output.

Nearly 12,300 jobs per year, totaling 122,932 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $5.4 billion.

In Los Angeles County, Prop 6 threatens:

$29.2 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $6.8 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses, and $18.0 billion in economic output.

Over 9,000 jobs per year, totaling 90,161 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $4.3 billion.

In the San Joaquin Valley, Prop 6 threatens:

$20.1 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $4.9 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses, and $11.9 billion in economic output.

Over 6,600 jobs per year, or 66,398 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $3.2 billion.

In the Inland Empire, Prop 6 threatens:

$15.6 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $3.3 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses, and $9.9 billion in economic output.

Over 4,900 jobs per year, or 49,598 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $2.5 billion.

In San Diego and Imperial counties, Prop 6 threatens:

$13.8 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $3.4 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses, and $8.1 billion in economic output.

Nearly 5,000 jobs per year, totaling 49,455 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $2.3 billion.

In Orange County, Prop 6 threatens:

$9.7 billion in economic activity and user benefits over 10 years.

Including jeopardizing $2.3 billion in savings for drivers, transit riders and businesses, and $6 billion in economic output.

Over 2,700 jobs per year, totaling 27,537 job-years over 10 years, in which these workers will earn $1.4 billion.

These regional reports build upon a statewide analysis of the impacts of statewide transportation funding, released by ARTBA in February.

Across California, Prop 6 threatens:

Nearly $183 billion in economic activity and user benefits throughout all sectors of the state’s economy over 10 years.
Over 68,200 jobs per year, adding up to over 682,000 job-years over the next decade.

To read the full reports, visit https://www.artba.org/economics/custom-reports/.

About No on Prop 6 – the Attack on Bridge and Road Safety:

The California Professional Firefighters, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, American Society of Civil Engineers, business, local government, labor, environmentalists and first responders urge NO on Prop 6 because it will stop critical transportation projects and jeopardize the safety of our bridges and roads.

Prop 6 eliminates more than $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and stops funding for more than 6,500 bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway throughout California.

Prop 6 is opposed by a broad coalition of more than 200 public safety organizations, engineers, local transportation agencies, cities, counties, environmental groups, business and labor organizations throughout California.

www.noprop6.com
@noprop6

Paid for by No on Prop 6: Stop the Attack on Bridge & Road Safety, sponsored by
business, labor, local governments and transportation advocates

Committee Major Funding from

California Alliance for Jobs

Southern California Partnership for Jobs

State Building and Construction Trades Council of California

Funding details at www.fppc.ca.gov

SOURCE No on Prop 6

Minority Chamber’s 2nd edition Puerto Rico Business Tours Reconstruction Summit to focusing on bettering infrastructure, Contracting and disaster preparedness

August 2, 2018

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The U.S Minority Chamber of Commerce announces open registration for its national conference, the 2nd Puerto Rico Reconstruction Summit 2018, “Planning Today for Rebuilding Tomorrow.” The timely conference, providing a comprehensive update on the reconstruction and contracting effort on the island, takes place August 30 to September 2, 2018. This edition the event is sponsored by Data Stream Mobile Technologies, Inc, and the Hotel Marriott Resort in Condado, Puerto Rico.

This signature event features a range of experts from the private sector representing in technology, construction, energy and emergency preparedness, as well as federal government leaders addressing immediate needs as related to response, repair, remediation, and restoration of Puerto Rico. The theme of the conferences is, “Be Ready for the Big One!”

According to Doug Mayorga, CEO of MCC, this 2nd edition MCC summit will present new and exciting business opportunities to attendees interested in Puerto Rico’s rapidly advancing reconstruction, through innovative ideas and products from the tech world.

“Puerto Rico is facing enormous challenges,” says Mayorga. “Every time a business or homeowner experiences a loss of electrical power, communication or other major issues related to hurricane impact, a lucrative new business opportunity is created for entrepreneurs willing and able to step up to help address these problems.”

Mr. Sean Lee, CEO of Data Stream Mobile Technology, said: “We are investment in Puerto Rico and U.S Virgin Island, no matter how long it takes to rebuild the island stronger than it was before – we will be participating as a component in the reconstruction inside communication. Hurricane Maria caused massive destruction and the needs are enormous, but so is the opportunity to reconstruct a better, more resilient Puerto Rico – one that is more cohesive, and where everyone has an equal opportunity to shape their own destiny for their citizens. We are supporting USMCC because its credibility and success, going directly to our interest in Puerto Rico and U.S Virgin Island”.

Myriad work opportunities exist regarding construction, housing energy development, building services, insurance, environmental hygiene, and hazardous materials mitigation. Data-center emergency solutions consultants are also among those who will certainly benefit through valuable work opportunities in disaster response.

Topics Areas Covered: “The Energy Challenge in Puerto Rico” ; “Update on Economic Overview of Puerto Rico” ; “New Legislation in favor of Reconstruction”; “Securing Government Contracts & Doing Business with FEMA” ; “The Municipality of Puerto Rico: Challenges and Opportunities” ; “Interpreting GSA Contracting for Puerto Rico” ; “The Disaster Experience” and ; “U.S. and Puerto Rico Private Sector Speak out: Experiences & Challenges in Puerto Rico Reconstruction.”

Benefits of Conference Attendance:

Thursday August 30, 2018 delegation will have a welcome reception at the MCC’s Offices
Friday August 31, 2018 delegations will have a corporate reception with private sector
Access to MCC’s database of 25,000 minority-company emails, profiles, trades, and proprietors – to expand their marketing efforts.
Free virtual service for 30 days at MCC centers in Miami, New York, Washington, and Puerto Rico with VIP services.
30 days of public relations services for any Puerto Rican company wishing to gain access to lucrative markets of Miami, Washington, and Honduras.
Saturday September 1– Delegation will have Back to 80 Parties -Public Recognitions
Sunday September 2 – Delegations will visit different cities in Puerto Rico

About the Chamber: MCC is excited to announce a smart new approach to jump starting small-business involvement in the economic development and modernization via its Puerto Rico Hub Center in San Juan. Utilizing a trained support staff of bilingual professionals, MCC stands ready to help businesses succeed in their pursuit of opportunities in the reconstruction process by offering: on-island knowledge and relations, relocation services, and comprehensive small-business development services.

For More Information: Contact by calling 202-250-0260 our Washington Headquarters or sending an email to: [email protected].

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/726085/Rebuild_PR_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Minority Chamber of Commerce

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