Path To Freedom Route, Unique Coverage In U.S. Television, at America TeVe

January 17, 2016

MIAMI, Jan. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — América TeVé once again makes television history in the United States with its unique coverage of its’ caravan – Path To Freedom Route.

For the first time, a professional news team accompanies step by step and day by day, the first group of Cuban refugees stranded for months in Costa Rica, through its pilgrimage through Central America, Mexico and the United States to Miami, Florida territory.

From a bus, contracted by América TeVé and the Pegasus group, our station team, newscaster, Juan Manuel Cao, Alexis Ardines producer and cameraman Luis Quian, have been reporting from the caravan’s route across 12 states of the Mexican Republic. After crossing the border from the United States, the Cuban refugees will continue heading to Miami, where family and friends will welcome them in América TeVé’s studios.

Juan Manuel Cao, together with his team, traveled to the camps of Costa Rica, where thousands of Cubans await the time of the desired trip to Miami. Their personal stories go beyond the news and become living testimony of another dramatic exodus.

The news of a crossing constantly threatened by smugglers and corrupt officials, who have exhausted their savings and the health of the refugees, ads touching family stories. We see the wrenching testimony of a mother waiting for a child who has not seen in 30 years. We see the story of the famous cartoonist Arístides Pumariega, who lost a son during the exodus of the rafters of 1994, and now waits for her young grandson. Aristides received was punished by the government and was separated from their artistic functions for 8 years in the 1970’s for sharp criticisms of the Cuban political system, and his popular cartoons where character Underdevelopment Perez was vanished from graphic press.

Juan Manuel Cao, reporting from the rough terrain of this caravan through jungles, mountains and deserts, joined a second team of América TeVé in Laredo, Texas led by reporter, Rolando Nápoles and cameraman Alberto Porras, along with additional staff from the network.

The President and CEO of America CV Network, Carlos Vasallo, said with the waiting for the massive arrival of the caravan to Miami, América TeVé reaffirms its commitment to this community, providing the most comprehensive coverage with a historical event full of emotions and expectations.

Once again, America Teve’s coverage is a step ahead of other networks.

www.americateve.com

PATH TO FREEDOM ROUTE, unique coverage in U.S. television, at América TeVé

January 17, 2016

The news of a crossing constantly threatened by smugglers and corrupt officials, who have exhausted their savings and the health of the refugees, ads touching family stories. We see the wrenching testimony of a mother waiting for a child who has not been seen in 30 years. We see the story of the famous cartoonist Arístides Pumariega, who lost a son during the exodus of the rafters of 1994, and now waits for her young grandson. Aristides received was punished by the government and was separated from their artistic functions for 8 years in the 1970’s for sharp criticisms of the Cuban political system, and his popular cartoons where character Underdevelopment Perez was vanished from graphic press.

Once again, América TeVé’s coverage is a step ahead of other networks.

www.americateve.com

GROUP OF CUBANS RIDING RUTA DE LA LIBERTAD BUS

JUAN MANUEL CAO INTERVIEWS ARRIVING CUBANS

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160117/322929
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160117/322927
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160117/322928

Statement from the Belize Police Department

January 16, 2016

BELIZE CITY, Belize, Jan. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — On January 14, the proprietor of Nabitunich Resort in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo reported Ms. Anne Swaney missing to law enforcement. Police engaged in a search for Anne, soliciting the assistance of a K-9 unit. After ending the search due to darkness on the night of January 14, the search continued on Friday, January 15. Police discovered her body at approximately 8:15 a.m. near the Mopan River. Physical examinations at the scene revealed visible bruises around her neck and lacerations on her head. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead. A post mortem autopsy was performed and revealed the cause of death to be asphyxia due to compression of the neck area, throttling and blunt force traumatic injuries to the head and neck. There were no signs of sexual assault as part of this examination.

Police apprehended and are questioning a person of interest who was found fishing near the scene of the crime. Additional information will be made available as the investigation proceeds.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Anne’s family. We are dedicated to bringing swift justice to the person who committed this horrible act.

Carlos Vasallo, New President and CEO at America CV Network

January 15, 2016

MIAMI, Jan. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Board of Directors of Caribevision, composed of its three owner partners, Alejandro Burillo Azcárraga/Grupo Pegaso, Mediaset/Telecinco Spain and vassal TV Group, has appointed Mr. Carlos Vasallo as President and CEO of America CV Network.

“America CV Network comprises two channels in the South of Florida, which are: America TeVé and TeVeo, the latter focused more on news programming, four full power stations in Puerto Rico and a channel in New York making the media conglomerate the largest group of independent television stations in the Spanish market of the United States,” stated Carlos Vasallo, “producing 14 hours per day, six of them in news and informational programs for analysis, debate and opinion.”

“This amount of hours of quality programming makes us the outlet with more political clout in Miami Dade, Broward and Monroe counties,” said Vasallo, entrepreneur and executive with long and proven experience in the area of communications in the United States, Latin America and Europe.

America TeVé has 10 thousand square meters of facilities in Hialeah Gardens, a workforce of 300 employees and three fully equipped studios, as well as space for another three studios.

“Our ability to produce live programming along with the number of hours produced each day is not exceeded by any other large network in the United States or Spain. Hopefully, luck will guide and accompany me to properly direct and focus growth in the right direction with the hope and the desire to be the first independent network in a free Cuba,” stated Vasallo, who recalled, “three of the talents in America TeVé’s were and are the stars of television in Cuba, since through the internet and media we are the station which is most seen on the island.”

www.americateve.com

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160115/322877

FPL begins process of setting base rates for 2017-2020

January 15, 2016

JUNO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today notified the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) that it expects to file a formal request in the coming months for new base rates to take effect once the company’s current approved rate agreement expires at the end of 2016. FPL intends to propose a four-year rate plan that would begin in January 2017 and is expected to keep typical customer bills lower than they were in 2006 through at least 2020.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/FL62738LOGO

FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is lower than 10 years ago and among the lowest in the nation. FPL’s rate plan is being designed to keep costs down for customers over the long term while supporting continued investments to further enhance its infrastructure and improve the efficiency of its system.

“Over the past decade, we have focused on advancing affordable, clean energy and enhancing service reliability for our customers,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “We are committed to delivering our customers exceptional value for their money and will continue to make smart investments that will further improve service for customers and help keep costs down.”

The plan will include three base rate adjustments phased in during the four-year period that would total about $13 a month or about 43 cents a day on the base portion of a typical residential customer bill. Combined with current projections for fuel and other costs, FPL estimates that its total typical customer bill will grow at about 2.8 percent per year, roughly the expected rate of inflation, from now through 2020. Even with the change, FPL expects that its typical bill in 2020 will still be lower than it was in 2006.

“While the prices of many things have continued to climb, the price of electricity from FPL has come down during the past decade. We have worked hard and made smart, long-term investments to reduce costs and improve our efficiency, and will continue to do so to keep bills low and reliability high. In the coming months, we look forward to demonstrating how our 2017-2020 rate proposal will help us continue to deliver outstanding value for our customers in the years ahead,” said Silagy.

The adjustment is needed to help pay for nearly $16 billion FPL is investing during the period 2014 through 2017 to benefit customers, including improvements to electric service reliability, reducing emissions and improving generation fuel efficiency, strengthening its electric system to make it more resilient in severe weather and preparing for customer growth. In addition, FPL will continue to make significant investments throughout the base rate proposal timeframe to further improve service for its customers.

Overview of Request
FPL is finalizing a base rate adjustment proposal that would cover the next four years (2017-2020), providing longer-term cost certainty for customers. FPL expects the proposal to include:

In 2017, an adjustment to base annual revenue requirements of approximately $860 million, which would translate into about $8.50 a month or 28 cents a day on the base portion of a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill.
In 2018, a subsequent year adjustment to base annual revenue requirements of approximately $265 million, which would translate into about $2.50 a month or 8 cents a day on the base portion of a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill.
When the FPL Okeechobee Clean Energy Center comes online in 2019, an adjustment to base annual revenue requirements of approximately $200 million, which would translate into about $2 a month or about 7 cents a day on the base portion of a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill.
No adjustments to the base portion of a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill in 2020.

Most FPL customers power their homes for just a few dollars a day. FPL’s residential customer monthly usage median is 950 kWh, which means that the majority of FPL customer households consume less than the standard, 1,000-kWh typical bill benchmark, which is currently about $93.

Until FPL files its formal request, which is expected to occur in March, all rate, bill and revenue figures are estimates. Customers can visit www.FPL.com/answers to learn more about the request. Once the formal request has been filed, the website will enable residential customers to calculate the estimated impact to their bills in 2017 based on their current electricity usage.

FPL Bill – 2006, 2016 & 2020
*Approximate Typical 1,000-kWh Residential Monthly Bill By Year*
2006	→	Today	→	2020
$108		$93		$107
The 2020 figure reflects the current estimate for FPL’s typical customer bill in 2020, which includes projected base rate adjustments as well as current projections for fuel and other clauses. All bill totals include the state’s standard gross receipts tax but do not include any local taxes or fees that vary by community. All rates are subject to change.

Delivering Service Efficiently
FPL ranks best-in-class among major U.S. utilities based on its operating and maintenance (O&M) costs per kilowatt-hour of retail sales. Compared with the average utility’s O&M costs, FPL’s innovative practices and processes save customers nearly $2 billion a year – that equates to savings of about $17 a month on a typical customer’s bill.

The company is committed to operating efficiently in order to deliver reliable service while keeping increases to a minimum, even while the costs of other essential products and services have risen dramatically. Compared with prices in 2006, food and housing costs today are at least 20 percent higher while healthcare costs are about 40 percent higher. Meanwhile, FPL’s typical customer bill is lower today than it was in 2006.

While FPL’s focus on efficiency and productivity has lessened the impact, the costs of many materials and products that the company must purchase in order to provide affordable, reliable power have increased. These increased expenses, combined with the projected addition of nearly 220,000 new customers during the period 2014 through the end of 2017, are driving higher operating costs.

Investing in Florida
In addition, the rate adjustment will support FPL’s investments in long-term infrastructure and advanced technology that will help keep customer bills low and reliability high. For the period 2014 through the end of 2017, FPL is planning to invest a total of nearly $16 billion to benefit customers, with additional significant investments expected in 2018 and beyond to meet the growing needs of Florida’s economy and continue delivering outstanding value for customers. This includes $6.7 billion to strengthen or “harden” its infrastructure to better withstand bad weather, including inspecting and replacing poles, placing some equipment underground and clearing lines of vegetation.

Additional investments in building a stronger, smarter electric system are crucial as FPL continues to further improve the reliability of its service for customers, including fewer outages and restoring service faster. Also, FPL continues to invest in smart grid technology that enables the company to continually monitor and assess the health of its system, predict potential issues before they disrupt service to customers and restore power faster following outages.

The proposal will also include FPL’s continued investments in cleaner, more efficient power generation. FPL’s high-efficiency fleet of power plants has one of the cleanest emission profiles among comparable utilities nationwide, and the company continues to make smart investments such as the modernization of aging peaking units, upgrades of combustion turbines and the addition of three more large, grid-scale solar energy centers. Although these investments are supported by base rates, they are expected to generate substantial savings for customers over the long term by reducing fuel and other costs, resulting in net customer savings over the lives of the investments. In addition, the proposal encompasses the FPL Okeechobee Clean Energy Center, which is expected to begin serving customers in mid-2019. The new plant will use high-efficiency, combined-cycle natural gas technology to meet customers’ growing energy needs.

FPL’s track record of making smart generation improvements is strong. For example, since 2001, FPL’s investments in high-efficiency natural gas energy have saved customers more than $8 billion on fuel and prevented 95 million tons of carbon emissions.

FPL’s annual capital investments far exceed its annual earnings, making the company’s financial strength, particularly its allowed return on equity (ROE), critical to financing these important improvements on behalf of customers. As part of its base rate request, FPL expects to propose that its allowed ROE midpoint be set at 11.50 percent, which includes a 50 basis point adder in recognition of FPL’s exemplary performance. Without a rate adjustment that incorporates a fair return, the company’s earnings would drop significantly, making it more difficult and more expensive to attract investors needed to support the necessary continued investments for FPL customers. Compared with peer utilities in the southeastern U.S., FPL has the cleanest carbon emission rate, the most cost-efficient operations, the highest reliability and the lowest typical customer bills. However, FPL’s current allowed ROE midpoint is average compared to those peers. FPL’s proposed ROE midpoint will better reflect customer value that’s among the best in the nation and encourage continued strong performance.

FPL plans to formally file its petition and testimony with the PSC in March to enable a thorough review and a decision to be reached before the end of 2016.

Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.8 million customer accounts across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2014, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the fifth year in a row. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2015 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, including being ranked in the top 10 worldwide for innovativeness and community responsibility as part of Fortune’s 2015 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NextEra Energy) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s control. Forward looking statements in this new release include, among others, statements concerning FPL’s plans for requesting new base rates. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “will,” “may result,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “aim,” “potential,” “projection,” “forecast,” “predict,” “goals,” “target,” “outlook,” “should,” “would” or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NextEra Energy and FPL and their business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause their actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, or may require them to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: effects of extensive regulation of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s business operations; inability of NextEra Energy and FPL to recover in a timely manner any significant amount of costs, a return on certain assets or a reasonable return on invested capital through base rates, cost recovery clauses, other regulatory mechanisms or otherwise; impact of political, regulatory and economic factors on regulatory decisions important to NextEra Energy and FPL; disallowance of cost recovery by FPL based on a finding of imprudent use of derivative instruments; effect of any reductions to or elimination of governmental incentives that support utility scale renewable energy projects of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and its affiliated entities (NextEra Energy Resources) or the imposition of additional taxes or assessments on renewable energy; impact of new or revised laws, regulations or interpretations or other regulatory initiatives on NextEra Energy and FPL; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of potential regulatory action to broaden the scope of regulation of over-the-counter (OTC) financial derivatives and to apply such regulation to NextEra Energy and FPL; capital expenditures, increased operating costs and various liabilities attributable to environmental laws, regulations and other standards applicable to NextEra Energy and FPL; effects on NextEra Energy and FPL of federal or state laws or regulations mandating new or additional limits on the production of greenhouse gas emissions; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to significant and increasing compliance costs and substantial monetary penalties and other sanctions as a result of extensive federal regulation of their operations; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of changes in tax laws and in judgments and estimates used to determine tax-related asset and liability amounts; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of adverse results of litigation; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of failure to proceed with projects under development or inability to complete the construction of (or capital improvements to) electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities or other facilities on schedule or within budget; impact on development and operating activities of NextEra Energy and FPL resulting from risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; risks involved in the operation and maintenance of electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities and other facilities; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of a lack of growth or slower growth in the number of customers or in customer usage; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of severe weather and other weather conditions; threats of terrorism and catastrophic events that could result from terrorism, cyber attacks or other attempts to disrupt NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s business or the businesses of third parties; inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage for protection of NextEra Energy and FPL against significant losses and risk that insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; a prolonged period of low gas and oil prices could impact NextEra Energy Resources’ gas infrastructure business and cause NextEra Energy Resources to delay or cancel certain gas infrastructure projects and for certain existing projects to be impaired; risk to NextEra Energy Resources of increased operating costs resulting from unfavorable supply costs necessary to provide NextEra Energy Resources’ full energy and capacity requirement services; inability or failure by NextEra Energy Resources to manage properly or hedge effectively the commodity risk within its portfolio; potential volatility of NextEra Energy’s results of operations caused by sales of power on the spot market or on a short-term contractual basis; effect of reductions in the liquidity of energy markets on NextEra Energy’s ability to manage operational risks; effectiveness of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s risk management tools associated with their hedging and trading procedures to protect against significant losses, including the effect of unforeseen price variances from historical behavior; impact of unavailability or disruption of power transmission or commodity transportation facilities on sale and delivery of power or natural gas by FPL and NextEra Energy Resources; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to credit and performance risk from customers, hedging counterparties and vendors; failure of NextEra Energy or FPL counterparties to perform under derivative contracts or of requirement for NextEra Energy or FPL to post margin cash collateral under derivative contracts; failure or breach of NextEra Energy’s or FPL’s information technology systems; risks to NextEra Energy and FPL’s retail businesses from compromise of sensitive customer data; losses from volatility in the market values of derivative instruments and limited liquidity in OTC markets; impact of negative publicity; inability of NextEra Energy and FPL to maintain, negotiate or renegotiate acceptable franchise agreements with municipalities and counties in Florida; increasing costs of health care plans; lack of a qualified workforce or the loss or retirement of key employees; occurrence of work strikes or stoppages and increasing personnel costs; NextEra Energy’s ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, including the effect of increased competition for acquisitions; NextEra Energy Partners, LP’s (NEP’s) acquisitions may not be completed and, even if completed, NextEra Energy may not realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions; environmental, health and financial risks associated with NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s ownership and operation of nuclear generation facilities; liability of NextEra Energy and FPL for significant retrospective assessments and/or retrospective insurance premiums in the event of an incident at certain nuclear generation facilities; increased operating and capital expenditures at nuclear generation facilities of NextEra Energy or FPL resulting from orders or new regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; inability to operate any of NextEra Energy Resources’ or FPL’s owned nuclear generation units through the end of their respective operating licenses; liability of NextEra Energy and FPL for increased nuclear licensing or compliance costs resulting from hazards, and increased public attention to hazards, posed to their owned nuclear generation facilities; risks associated with outages of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s owned nuclear units; effect of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets on NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s ability to fund their liquidity and capital needs and meet their growth objectives; inability of NextEra Energy, FPL and NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc. to maintain their current credit ratings; impairment of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s liquidity from inability of creditors to fund their credit commitments or to maintain their current credit ratings; poor market performance and other economic factors that could affect NextEra Energy’s defined benefit pension plan’s funded status; poor market performance and other risks to the asset values of NextEra Energy’s and FPL’s nuclear decommissioning funds; changes in market value and other risks to certain of NextEra Energy’s investments; effect of inability of NextEra Energy subsidiaries to pay upstream dividends or repay funds to NextEra Energy or of NextEra Energy’s performance under guarantees of subsidiary obligations on NextEra Energy’s ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock; and effect of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets of the market price of NextEra Energy’s common stock. NextEra Energy and FPL discuss these and other risks and uncertainties in their annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and other SEC filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings made through the date of this news release. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NextEra Energy and FPL undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Are You Ready to Ride? Check the Motorcycle Safe Weight Calculator

January 14, 2016

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Motorcycle Safe Weight Calculator, an exclusive creation of EdwardsMotorcycleLaw.com, has been updated with 2016 models, attorney Billy Edwards has announced. The calculator tells touring motorcycle owners how much gear they can safely load on their motorcycles and stay within safe weight limits established for their bike.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160114/322302

“It doesn’t take much to overload a cruiser after you factor in the weights of both riders in full gear, fuel, oil and drinking water,” Edwards said. “Riders wanting to keep the motorcycle within the manufacturer’s designated weight limit will want to run a check using the calculator.”

“Riding a long distance on an overloaded bike can lead to tire failure if the tires are defective. Be safe, use the calculator and stay within the bike’s weight rating,” Edwards urged.

How the Safe Weight Calculator Works

For each motorcycle’s year make and model, the Safe Weight Calculator factors in (as shown in owners’ manuals or published specifications):

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
Dry weight
Wet weight. (If wet weight is not available, the calculator adds typical fuel and oil weight for the model)

To use the Safe Weight Calculator, simply find your touring bike’s year and model and enter the driver and passenger weights when dressed in full riding gear. The database will calculate how much additional gear can be packed on the bike without exceeding the motorcycle’s GVWR.

Using the 2016 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra as an example, if the pilot weighs 270 pounds and the passenger weighs 160 pounds (including helmet, boots and clothing), 14 pounds of gear can be added before reaching the bike’s designated weight limit.

Overloaded, Defective Tires carry Failure Risk

The database contains 2016 information for Harley-Davidson, BMW, Victory and Can-Am touring bikes. Updates will be added as manufacturers release details on other 2016 models, Edwards said. The database contains weight information on most touring motorcycles, beginning with 2010 models.

“As a motorcycle rider, safety advocate and motorcycle crash attorney, I have seen firsthand the devastation caused when a defective tire catastrophically deflates, sending the bike out of control. Motorcycle owners can lessen the chance of this happening by making sure they do not overload their tires by overloading their bikes,” Edwards said.

Edwards Law Firm Noted for Successful Motorcycle Injury Lawsuits

Billy Edwards is a seasoned rider and has been investigating and litigating serious motorcycle crashes for more than 20 years. Edwards has the rare distinction of being board certified in two legal specialties. He is Board Certified® in Personal Injury Trial Law and in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation held by fewer than three percent of all Texas attorneys. The Edwards Law Firm has won substantial verdicts and settlements for victims of defective products, 18-wheeler crashes, motorcycle crashes, auto crashes and workplace injuries. The firm is recognized nationally for its expertise in defective consumer products, defective vehicles and defective tires.

Contact:
Teresa Kelly
1-512-328-4276
[email protected]

All-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan Adds IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ Collision Safety Rating to its List of Benchmark-Setting Features and Capabilities

January 14, 2016

All-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan Adds IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ Collision Safety Rating to its List of Benchmark-Setting Features and Capabilities

– 2016 Civic Sedan joins 2016 Accord, CR-V and Pilot in achieving top IIHS safety ratings

– 2016 Civic Sedan sets new bar in mainstream compact class with Honda Sensing™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assist technologies available on all models

– 10th-Generation Civic also features next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure

TORRANCE, California, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The dynamic, new-from-the-ground-up 2016 Honda Civic Sedan, 2016’s North American Car of the Year, (www.automobiles.honda.com/civic-sedan/) has received the highest available rating of TOP SAFETY PICK+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including a SUPERIOR rating for frontal crash prevention when equipped with the Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver-assist technologies, available on all 2016 Civic Sedan models.

The 2016 Civic Sedan has earned a top rating of GOOD in five IIHS crash test modes, including the rigorous small overlap frontal crash test. The 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation is reserved for vehicles that also have an available front crash prevention system that earns an ADVANCED or SUPERIOR rating from the Institute.

“As these new safety ratings demonstrate, the 2016 Civic Sedan not only brings new value to the compact segment with its hefty upgrades to fun-to-drive performance, fuel efficiency, refinement and technology, it also delivers advanced collision safety performance,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “With its available Honda Sensing technologies, including our first application of Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, the new Civic Sedan offers customers a suite of technologies unlike anything else in the class.”

The 10^th-generation Civic Sedan offers a wide range of advanced active and passive safety and driver-assist features and technologies, including Honda Sensing™, which is available on all trims. Honda Sensing™ technologies include:

Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™)[1]
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) – integrated with CMBS[2]
Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS)[3]
Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)[4]
Lane Departure Warning – integrated with RDM[5]
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow[6]

Honda Sensing™ is available as a standalone option on LX, EX, EX-T and EX-L trims and is offered as standard equipment on the Touring trim.

The greater use of high-strength steel and advanced crash engineering features, including its next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, new crash stroke front frame structure and tailor-tempered B-pillars and rear frame structures, help better protect occupants in a collision while minimizing vehicle weight for superior fuel efficiency. In addition, standard passive safety features on the 2016 Civic Sedan include a new front passenger’s safety vent airbag, SmartVent® front side curtain airbags and side curtain airbags with rollover sensor.

All Civic Sedan models also come standard with Vehicle Stability Assist® with Traction Control, 4-channel Anti-Lock Braking System with Brake Assist; a highly responsive, fully independent suspension; Motion-Adaptive Electric Power Steering; a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera; Expanded View Driver’s Mirror; indirect tire pressure monitoring system; and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) child seat mounting system.

The 2016 Civic Sedan is the first in a series of new 10th-generation Civic variants that will include a sedan, coupe, sports-minded Si models, a five-door hatchback and the first-ever Civic Type-R model for the U.S. market, comprising the most diverse and innovative lineup in Civic’s 43-year history. The new Civic Sedan’s design and development was led by Honda R&D Americas, and is manufactured by Honda of Canada Manufacturing in Alliston, Ontario and by Honda Manufacturing of Indiana in Greensburg, Indiana, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

About Honda Safety Leadership

Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced technologies designed to enhance the safety of all road users, including automobile occupants, motorcycle riders and pedestrians. The company operates two of the world’s most sophisticated crash test facilities, in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, airbag technology, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.

Based in part on advancements to Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, Honda is a leader in third-party crash test ratings within the industry. The company also is broadly applying advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies to its product lineup. All 2015 and newer Honda vehicles also come equipped with a rearview camera as standard equipment.

[1] CMBS cannot detect all objects ahead and may not detect a given object; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and other factors. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. System designed to mitigate crash forces. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[2] FCW cannot detect all objects ahead and may not detect a given object; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and other factors. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. FCW does not include a braking function. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[3] LKAS only assists the driver in maintaining proper lane position when lane markings are identified without a turn signal in use and can only apply mild steering torque to assist. LKAS may not detect all lane markings or lane departures; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and road condition. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[4] Road Departure Mitigation only alerts drivers when lane drift is detected without a turn signal in use and can apply mild steering torque to assist driver in maintaining proper lane position and/or brake pressure to slow the vehicle’s departure from a detected lane. Road Departure Mitigation may not detect all lane markings or lane departures; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and road condition. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[5] LDW only alerts drivers when lane drift is detected without a turn signal in use. LDW may not detect all lane markings or lane departures; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and road condition. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[6] Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with low-speed follow cannot detect all objects ahead and may not detect a given object; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and other factors. ACC should not be used in heavy traffic, poor weather or on winding roads. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160113/322063

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160113/322064

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140415/73520LOGO

Placido Domingo in Miami January 28, 2016 American Airlines Arena

January 14, 2016

MIAMI, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Internationally acclaimed opera star Plácido Domingo will return to Miami for the first time in a decade for a concert at the American Airlines Arena at 8pm on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

The concert will feature a selection of famous operatic highlights, Broadway hits and audience favorites such as “Granada” and “Bésame Mucho.”

Domingo is recognized as one of the finest and most influential singing actors in the history of opera. In a career spanning over five decades, he has made more than 3,600 appearances on world stages. He has sung a total of 144 different operatic roles and recorded over 100 albums for which he has won 12 Grammy Awards. He is also a distinguished conductor who has led more than 500 performances with many of the world’s greatest opera companies and symphony orchestras.

Tickets to Plácido Domingo on sale in Ticketmaster. This show is produced by Emporio Group.

Emporio Group
[email protected]

National Campaign Guides Latinos in Navigating Tax System

January 14, 2016

Program helps Latinos prepare for and strengthen their financial future

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Latinos, the nation’s fastest growing demographic, have a resource as they look to build long-term financial success for themselves and their families. The Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), in partnership with H&R Block – the world’s largest consumer tax services provider – is educating and assisting thousands of Spanish-speaking taxpayers across the country.

“The Latino community is a powerful, growing force in our country and its emphasis on our tax responsibility will strengthen our families and nation as a whole,” said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “Through education and access to bilingual, professional tax experts, we’re equipping our community with the tools it needs to prepare for the future.”

The campaign “Prepárate Para Un Futuro Mejor” (Prepare Yourself for a Better Future), during the 2016 tax season will provide free tax education workshops in 10 markets. These workshops emphasize the importance of building an accurate tax history and provide insight on how to protect against fraud and misinformation in the tax preparation process. The Q&A session helps address a variety of issues from claiming dependents, past tax returns, obtaining an ITIN, and small business.

“Taxes have an impact on many areas of life including citizenship, healthcare, college loans and even home ownership – it’s a building block to the future,” said Arce. “By ensuring that this large segment of the population is building that foundation, not only will we change the perception of the Latino community, but we’ll also solidify their role as contributors to the American economy.”

The latest projections from the U.S. Census Bureau expect the Latino population to reach 28.6 percent by 2060. The financial contributions of the Latino community have grown in pace with its population growth – buying power reached $1.5 trillion in 2015, according to Nielsen. Additionally, the U.S. Census estimates that Hispanic business-owners contribute more than $70 billion to the nation’s economy.

“When it comes to tax education, H&R Block is out in the community and understands the unique set of circumstances that face Latinos today,” said Trisha Ranes, multicultural marketing manager for H&R Block. “Through bilingual tax professionals, information in their language, and years of experience, we guide members of the Latino community for long-term financial success.”

Since 2010, HAF and H&R Block have held over 1,100 workshops in more than 900 churches and community spaces nationwide. A complete list of upcoming workshop dates and locations is available at www.pormifuturo.org.

About Hispanic Access Foundation
Hispanic Access Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that improves the lives of Hispanics in the United States and promotes civic engagement by educating, motivating, and helping them to access trustworthy support systems. For more information visit www.hispanicaccess.org.

About H&R Block
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is the world’s largest consumer tax services provider. More than 680 million tax returns have been prepared worldwide by and through H&R Block since 1955. In fiscal 2015, H&R Block had annual revenues of nearly $3.1 billion with 24.2 million tax returns prepared worldwide. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block Tax software products. H&R Block also offers adjacent Tax Plus products and services. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom at http://newsroom.hrblock.com/.

Contact: Robert Fanger
P: 317-410-7668
E: [email protected]

Iconic Beauty Company’s Independent Sales Force Growing Younger And More Diverse

January 14, 2016

Las caras de las empresarias Mary Kay se ven mas jovenes, no solo por los productos de cuidado de la piel y maquillaje de la emblematica compania de belleza, sino tambien por la creciente cantidad de jovenes Consultoras de Belleza Independientes Mary Kay. Cuarenta y siete por ciento de las mas de 325,000 personas que empezaron su negocio Mary Kay en Estados Unidos durante el 2015 tienen una edad de entre 18 a 34 anos.

DALLAS, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The faces of Mary Kay entrepreneurs are looking younger, not only because of the iconic company’s skincare and color cosmetics but also due to a growing number of young Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants. Forty-seven percent of the more than 325,000 people who started a Mary Kay business in the United States in 2015 are between ages 18-34. It marks the 15^th consecutive year more than 300,000 women started a Mary Kay business.

The faces of Mary Kay entrepreneurs are looking younger, not only because of the iconic company's skincare and color cosmetics but also due to a growing number of young Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants. Forty-seven percent of the more than 325,000 people who started a Mary Kay business in the United States in 2015 are between ages 18-34.

“Our unparalleled business opportunity appeals to a wide range of ages and backgrounds, and Millennials bring a unique set of talents and expectations,” said Sara Friedman, Vice President of U.S. Marketing for Mary Kay Inc. “These young women are tech-savvy and digitally connected. They’re looking for flexibility and not a 9 to 5, one-size-fits-all position. A Mary Kay business can be customized to each person’s individual goals and our company’s established social media presence and leading edge digital technology have also proven to be attractive business-building tools.”

As Mary Kay’s independent sales force grows younger, it’s also more diverse.

Fifty-one percent of women who started a Mary Kay business in 2015 are Latina, Asian or African American and comprise 33 percent of Mary Kay’s overall independent sales force.
Latinas make up 35 percent of new Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and comprise 22 percent of the company’s total independent sales force.

“The fundamental principles of the Mary Kay opportunity are appealing to women of every demographic,” said Darrell Overcash, President of Mary Kay Inc.’s North America Region. “Our independent sales force is more diverse with more and more Millennial women starting Mary Kay businesses. The long-standing appeal of our irresistible beauty products combined with the flexibility of the Mary Kay business opportunity continues to appeal to women across the board.”

The city of Los Angeles will see the changing face of Mary Kay first-hand as it welcomes more than 9,000 leading Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants for the company’s annual Leadership Conference held Jan. 13-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Leadership Conference is expected to bring $15 million in direct economic impact to the city of Los Angeles through local spending. This is the second Mary Kay Leadership Conference held in Los Angeles with the first in 2013.

About Mary Kay

Irresistible products. Positive community impact. Rewarding opportunity. For more than 50 years, Mary Kay has offered it all. With 3.5 million Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and $4 billion in global annual sales, Mary Kay is a top beauty brand and direct seller in more than 35 markets around the world. Discover what there is to love about Mary Kay by connecting with a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant at marykay.com.

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
marykay.com/newsroom
972.687.5332 or [email protected]

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160114/322280

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