kimblr.com

CORAL GABLES, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The University of Miami has been selected to host the 2009 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Boys and Girls Games, it was announced today in Milwaukee, site of the 2008 Games. UM was represented by Kirby Hocutt, who will become Athletic Director on June 1.
The Games, scheduled to be played at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus, will be played April 1, 2009, and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
“We are very excited to host the 2009 All American Basketball Games,” said Alex C. Rodriguez, local McDonald’s owner/operator and chairman of the Miami game. “Seeing the up-and-coming basketball stars and all their fans here next year will be very exciting for South Florida.”
Throughout its history, the McDonald’s All American Games’ primary purpose as a fundraiser for RMHC has been fulfilled alongside its ability to showcase the nation’s top high school basketball players. A portion of the proceeds from the 2009 Game will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. Since the Game was first played in 1978, more than $5 million has been raised for RMHC and other children’s charities.
“Hosting the Game here in South Florida provides us with an excellent opportunity to not only raise money for our charity, but to increase awareness about all that we do to help local children live happier, healthier and more productive lives,” said Soraya Rivera-Moya, executive director of RMHC of South Florida. “All of our programs directly improve the health and well being of children right here in South Florida.”
The 2009 McDonald’s All American Game will be played April 1 at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. The McDonald’s All American Boys Game will be broadcast live on ESPN and the McDonald’s All American Girls Game will be broadcast on ESPNU. Visit www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com and www.mcdonalds.com for more information on the McDonald’s All American Game.

businesswire.com

And if it wasn’t for her father’s prodding, the diminutive Filipino-American singer with the big voice probably wouldn’t have auditioned a second time for “American Idol” — which means she wouldn’t be standing among the final 12 contestants on the top-rated Fox TV show. She was rejected in the initial stage last year and balked at going back.
“I think she was lacking a bit of that confidence and didn’t want the people close to her expect too much from her,” neighbor Isidra Yokose said Tuesday night at the lobby of Hilton Garden Inn in Miramar, where family and friends have been meeting every week to watch the show, cheer for Malubay — and furiously text in votes on their cell phones, of course.
“She is so incredibly special to us and to the rest of the Filipino community,” added family friend Geny Panaligan-Ke, who organizes the “Watch ‘N Vote 4 Ramiele” gatherings.
“I don’t know where she gets it, but she definitely has the talent, the potential and the confidence to make it,” Yokose said. “We are so proud of her, and we have all the faith in the world that she will make it big.”
Before her good looks, tiny stature — she’s 4-foot-11 — and big voice made her a fan favorite, Malubay worked part-time as a waitress at a sushi restaurant in suburban Fort Lauderdale, where she grew up with her younger sister and her Filipino parents. The family moved to the United States from Saudi Arabia when she was 5.

read_more

(February 26, 2008) - - At the stroke of midnight, hundreds of American Axle workers at two Buffalo area plants went on strike, as did thousands more at other facilities across the nation.
American Axle's contract with United Auto Workers expired at midnight. As hundreds of workers arrived at the Tonawanda and Cheektowaga plants, they did not report to their posts, but instead went to the picket line.
Some workers believe up to fifty percent of their salary and benefits could be at stake. There are about 500 American Axle workers left who will be affected.
Former American Axle employee Tony Overfield said, “It's a long fall from $28 an hour to $15. And what they're proposing, the contract that's going to come out. They want to have the wages of the people that are working here if Tonawanda stayed open, which would be equal to them firing half the people here.”
Former American Axle employee Victor Ciapa said, “I would like to see them have it not so easy for them to close huge industrial plants, and affect so many lives.”
Union leaders say tough negotiations are a sign of tough times for workers in the auto industry. They're hoping they'll reach a deal with American Axle before the Midnight deadline.
Kevin Donovan said, “They want to be in a competitive position. We want to put them in a competitive position, and we're going to work real hard to try to get there. But at the same time, you've got to try to keep the livelihoods of our members, and the standard of living for our members in shape.”
Over the past five years, 2100 American Axle workers have lost their jobs in western New York.

wivb.com

MIAMI: A US airliner with more than 130 people on board was circling the airport in Miami in preparation for an emergency landing due to a technical fault, a fire service spokesman said on Friday.
A television channel reported that the plane was to land due to an apparent problem with its front landing gear.
American Airlines flight 862 took off from West Palm Beach bound for Chicago but was diverted and circling to land in Miami, the spokesman at the airport said.
American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin said the MD80 plane had 133 passengers and five crew members on board.
“There is apparently a problem with the nose gear on flight 862,” she said. “As soon as they land, we’ll have more information.”
“The flight attendants have told everybody to put their trays up, put their seat backs up, and the pilots are also at the same time … talking to maintenance to try to resolve some issues.”
The plane was burning off fuel to make it a safe weight to land, Pantin said.
Emergency services were rolling onto the tarmac at Miami airport, television pictures showed.
Copyright © 2008 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher; Firefox 2.0 or higher at a minimum screen resolution of 1024×768

timesofindia.indiatimes.com