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Spotlight EP News weekly edition newspaper serving the El Paso, TX and surrounding areas. Spotlighting entertainment, nightlife, events, news and lifestyles. As always Spotlight EP News is FREE!
Spotlight EP News weekly edition newspaper serving the El Paso, TX and surrounding areas. Spotlighting entertainment, nightlife, events, news and lifestyles. As always Spotlight EP News is FREE!
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Spotlight EP News weekly edition newspaper serving the El Paso, TX and surrounding areas. Spotlighting entertainment, nightlife, events, news and lifestyles. As always Spotlight EP News is FREE!
Droits d'auteur :
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Formats disponibles
Téléchargez comme PDF, TXT ou lisez en ligne sur Scribd
Environmentalists Target Battery Maker Rayovac for Bad Record on Recycling Texas group leads the effort to press number 3 battery maker to catch up to competitors Texas Campaign for the EnvironmentTCE, a nonprofit, grassroots group known for its work on electronic waste recyclinghas announced a campaign to press Rayovac, a major battery manufacturer, to step up their efforts on recycling and waste reduction. The group asked Rayovac in May to begin taking back their batteries for recycling. Rayovac has refused to join other battery makers such as Duracell, Energizer and Panasonic in new efforts to recy- cle batteries, and in fact encourages consumers to simply throw their batteries in the trash. Now TCE has been joined by 26 other organizations from across the country calling on Rayovac , to provide recycling for their batter- ies in Texas, as they do in Europe. Rayovac is way behind their competitors when it comes to offering solutions for battery recycling, and its past time for them to join these efforts toward sustainability, Robin Schneider, Executive Director of Texas Campaign for the Environment said. We want them to take back their batteries for recycling, to set meaningful goals for these collections and to support legislation which would create a level playing field for battery recycling. These solutions have worked for electronics in Texas and a vari- ety of other products nationwide, and now we want Ray- ovac to help make it a reality for batteries. Rayovac is one of the four largest manufacturers of sin- gle-use batteries. Duracell, Energizer and Panasonic have all taken steps towards establishing battery takeback recy- cling for consumers. These companies formed the Corpo- ration for Battery Recycling, but Rayovac pulled out of the group and instead instructs its customers to dispose of their batteries in the household trash. Single-use batteries are banned from disposal in California and Europe, and are considered universal waste by the EPAa category of widely produced, potentially hazardous products which should be kept out of normal disposal streams whenever possible. Rayovac also produces rechargeable batteries which are toxic and even more widely banned from dis- posal. Texas Campaign for the Environment privately called upon Rayovac, as well as lighting manufacturers Philips, GE and Sylvania to change their policies in May, and Rayovac, Philips and Sylvania responded with a refusal in June. Most modern lighting is also toxic, and manufac- turers have also declined to offer their consumers respon- sible solutions for disposal or recycling. TCE was joined in their public response by organizations from 11 states, including: Recycle Worlds Consulting, based in Madison, Wisconsin Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wis- consin Northeast Wisconsin Zero Waste Coalition ReThink Wisconsin, a University of Wisconsin- Madison student group Nothing Left to Waste, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota Eureka Recycling, based in Minneapolis, Min- nesota Michigan Clean Water Action the New Jersey Environmental Federation Rhode Island Clean Water Action Massachusetts Clean Water Action California Clean Water Action The Product Policy Institute, a national organ- ization headquartered in Rockland, Maine Safe Minds, a national organization headquar- tered in Huntington Beach, California Citizens Campaign for the Environment, based in Farmingdale, New York and Hamden, Connecticut Clean and Healthy New York, based in Al- bandy, New York Vermont Public Interest Research Group, based in Montpelier, Vermont Zero Waste Detroit CRADLE2, based in Augusta, Maine Sustainable Energy and Economic Develop- ment (SEED) Coalition, based in Austin, Texas Basel Action Network, an international organi- zation based in Seattle, Washington Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an international organization based in Berkeley, California Electronics Takeback Coalition, based in San Francisco, California International Campaign for Responsible Tech- nology, based in San Jose, California Eco-Cycle, based in Boulder, Colorado TCE hopes to bring groups from around the country to- gether in a widespread, creative campaign to change the companies policies. The group was previously successful in pressuring computer-maker Dell, Inc. into offering takeback recycling, and went on to successful campaigns against a number of major computer and TV makers. These campaigns culminated in state legislation in 2007 and 2011 providing for guaranteed manufacturer takeback for computers and televisions in the state of Texas. We are not afraid to take on big companies that are doing too little for the planet, Schneider said. We are also excited when we get to move from opposition to co- operation, and we expect that Rayovac and the lighting companies will make changes sooner rather than later. Until then, we intend to organize support to hold these ir- responsible companies accountable. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 3 New Media King? Up until a few years ago no one knew whom Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com was, today he is well known not only because of Amazon and the countless other products and serv- ices he has developed such as the popular Kindle e- reader or the streaming movie service or the huge cloud hosting products and services offered by Ama- zon. Now Bezos will be the sole owner of The Washington Post and other affiliated publications after the $250 million sale announcement on Monday. The sale is expected to of- ficially close later this year. The purchase was made solely by Bezos and does not involve Amazon. I, along with Katharine Weymouth and our board of directors, decided to sell only after years of fa- miliar newspaper-industry challenges made us won- der if there might be an- other owner who would be better for the Post (after a transaction that would be in the best interest of our shareholders), said Post Chairman and CEO Don- ald Graham in a press re- lease. (The Graham family has owned a controlling stake in the Post since the 1930s.) Jeff Bezos proven technology and business genius, his long- term approach and his per- sonal decency make him a uniquely good new owner for the Post. The deal includes the Washington Post, as well as the Express newspaper, the Gazette Newspapers, Southern Maryland News- papers, Fairfax County Times, El Tiempo Latino and Greater Washington Publishing. The Washington Post Co. will keep Slate magazine, TheRoot.com and Foreign Policy, as well as its Ka- plan for-profit education division and its broadcast and cable operations. In a letter to the Post staff, Bezos wrote: There will of course be change at The Post over the coming years. Thats essential and would have happened with or without new ownership. The Inter- net is transforming almost every element of the news business: shortening news cycles, eroding long-reli- able revenue sources, and enabling new kinds of competition, some of which bear little or no news-gathering costs. There is no map, and charting a path ahead will not be easy. We will need to invent, which means we will need to experiment. Our touchstone will be readers, understanding what they care about government, local leaders, restaurant openings, scout troops, businesses, chari- ties, governors, sports and working backwards from there. Im excited and optimistic about the opportunity for invention. Only time will tell how this purchase will pan out, but if any indication shows the new Washington Post will certainly be a big portion of the digital news world. If all fails then whats $250 million to a billionaire anyway? P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 4 El Paso Parks and Recreation Department Presents Melodies at the Park Summer 2013 August 18th Armijo Park 710 E. Seventh Street (79901) April Ticket Duo August 25th Salvador Rivas Park 12480 Pebble Hills (79938) Sobredosis del Sabor FREE ADMISSION All Concerts 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Information (915) 544-0753 or (915) 252-9031 What We Dont Know about Foreclosure Practices May Still Hurt Us By Amy Bennett, and Angela Canterbury We already know that federal regulators have under- mined accountability for the systemic and widespread abuses by mortgage servicing companies. In another disturbing development, the Federal Re- serve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are refusing to turn over information to Members of Con- gress that could help them pre- vent such abuses from happening again. A recent study of the Independent Foreclosure Review (IFR) process by the Government Ac- countability Office (GAO) cited significant flaws, including a lack of transparency, in the design and implementation of the process. The IFR process was created in 2011 because several mortgage servicing companies and their af- filiates were found to have regu- larly engaged in questionable, unsafe, and even illegal practices. People who lost their homes or were in danger of losing their homes through foreclosure in 2009 and 2010 could use the process to ask for an independent review of the action, and could be compensated if the review found they had suffered financial injury due to an error or other problem. Before any payouts were made, though an agreement between federal bank regulators and 13 mortgage service providers ended the IFR review process for all but a handful of these companies. A few of the serious concerns raised by the GAO are the quality of work done by some of the in- dependent reviewers and the fact payouts are not correlated with the actual amount of financial harm. In addition to raising these issues, the GAO concluded that a lack of transparency about the process undermined confidence in its findings. Despite the GAOs conclusions, however, the Fed and the OCC have decided to double down on the secrecy sur- rounding the process: refusing re- quests by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representa- tive Elijah Cummings (D-MD) for information about the IFR process, and about specific viola- tions of lawincluding wrongful foreclosures, excessive fees, and fraudulent affidavits filed in court. During the IFR process, about 800,000 files were identified for review. This is a dry and techni- cal way to say that there was rea- son to suspect that about 800,000 people and their families were hurt by the mortgage servicing industrys practices. And, as we all know too well, the damage caused by these questionable and illegal actions extends well be- yond just the people who lose their home. Foreclosures pull apart communities and can lower property values for the entire neighborhood. Why would the Federal Reserve and the help the mortgage servic- ing industry keep secret informa- tion about the systemic and widespread practices that con- tributed to the near meltdown of the financial industry in 2008? And why would they refuse to help Members of Congress who are interested in preventing the same kind of abuses from hap- pening again? The reasons cited by the Fed and the OCC for not turning over the requested information are spe- cious. According to an April 10 letter sent by Senator Warren and Representative Cummings to Den Bernanke and Thomas Curry, re- spectively the heads of the Fed and OCC, their staff cited their obligation to prevent disclosure of confidential supervisory bank examination information. Staff for the Fed and the OCC also re- ferred to documents about illegal practices by a mortgage serving company as a trade secret. As the letter concisely states, how- ever, Breaking the law is not a corporate trade secret. The Fed and the OCCs decision to deny a Congressional request for information suggest that they are acting less as regulators of the financial sector than as pro- tectors of industry. Considering that in the wake of the financial crisis, critics often pointed to the seemingly cozy relationship be- tween government regulators and the sector they were supposed to be overseeing, it is time for the Fed and the OCC to rethink their stance. Complying with the re- quest for information is the best way to make sure those mortgage servicing companies that irre- sponsibly damaged lives and communities by engaging in ille- gal acts are held accountable, and to make sure similar practices do not happen again. ------------------------ Bennett is the Assistant Director of OpenTheGovernment.org and Canterbury is the Director of Public Policy of Project On Gov- ernment Oversight POGO -------------------------- SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 5 El Paso Museum of History Presents The Missions of Spain in the Borderlands Lecture Series I m a g e s :
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C a n d e l a r i a The El Paso Museum of His- tory, located at 510 North Santa Fe Street, is pleased to present The Missions of Spain in the Borderlands Lecture Se- ries which will complement the current Fourth Wall of Gi- ants on display. On Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. join Dr. Lorenzo Candelaria as he gives an illustrated talk on Mission Music in the Francis- can Southwest. This program is being made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and is free and open to all. Today, music is an integral part of any church service. But what was done for music in the early missions? This fasci- nating illustrated lecture will present an overview of how the Franciscan Order used music and dance to overcome cultural barriers in the Catholic education of native communities in what is now the American Southwest. The presentation begins by looking at music and dance in the mis- sions of Mexicos central val- ley and extends northward through El Paso, Texas and to- ward Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Lorenzo Candelaria is pro- fessor of music at the Univer- sity of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on Catholic music in sixteenth-century Spain and its subsequent im- pact on devotional cultures in Latin America and the south- western United States. Dr. Candelaria is an accomplished violinist, an active lecturer, and author. His recent books include American Music: A Panorama and The Rosary Cantoral: Ritual and Social Design in a Chantbook from Early Renaissance Toledo. He is currently writing a book ti- tled Music in Early Mexican Catholicism. For more information and to reserve a seat, contact Sue Taylor at 915.351.3588 or tay- lorsl@elpasotexas.gov. Arts and Crafts Fair at Veterans Recreation Center Who: El Paso Parks and Recreation Department What: Arts and Crafts Fair When: Saturday Au- gust 17, 2013 (9:30 a. m. 1:30 p.m.) Where: Veterans Recreation Center, 5301 Salem St. The event is free to the public and vendor space is available for $5. Information Tracy Flores - (915) 821-8909 El Paso, Texas - The City of El Paso Parks and Recre- ation Department will host an Outdoor Adventure Camp starting at 4:00 p.m. on August 9, 2013 through Sat- urday, August 10th conclud- ing at 10:00 a.m. at Galatzan Park, 650 Wallenberg Dr. The Family Camp Out will have games, swimming, (next door at Leo Cancellare Memorial Aquatic Center) and much more. The regis- tration fee is $5 per child (17 years of age and younger) and $10 per adult (18 years of age and older). Registration will remain open until all spots are filled. All families must provide their own tents, food, drinks, (no alcohol) and supplies. Camp spaces in the park will be on a first come first served basis Registration is available on- line at www.elpasotexas.gov/parks or at any Recreation Center. There is no minimum age, however all children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Information (915) 544-0753 August Outdoor Adventure Camp Out Family Camp Out at Galatzan Park on August 9, 2013 On Friday August 16, 2013 From 6:00 pm-9:00 pm At: El Papalote ICDC (1101 E. Schuster Ave.) Children with Special Needs are FREE. Scholarships available for Sib- lings. Must call to reserve your slot at (915) 544-8484 and ask for Norma Perez or Gilda Lopez. Please bring $2 (cash exact change please) per child for pizza, or bring their own dinner. This is made possible by the Texas Department of State Health Serv- ices- Children with Special Health Care Needs GENETICS & Visual Impairments Presentation By Juan Angel Jasso, MD Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Medical Genetics On Wednesday August 28, 2013 10:00 am- 12:00 pm at Paso del Norte Childrens Development Center 1101 E. Schuster Ave. Please call 915-544-8484 or email to norma.perez@pdnchildrens.org to confirm your participation. This presentation is FREE! SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 6
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Enjoy the Citys heated indoor year-round pools! AQUATIC CENTER SCHEDULES June 8, 2013 August 18, 2013 Schedules are subject to change based on utilization, availability of certified lifeguards, or unexpected maintenance. Swimming: Its a Life Preserver STAY FIT ALL YEAR LONG! For information call: 915-544-3556 www.elpasotexas.gov/parks/aquatics.asp The Calavera Coalition is looking for artists to submit original artwork for the 2013 Dia de los Muertos on the Mesilla Plaza official t-shirt and poster design. Artists of all ages and regions are eligible. All work submitted for consideration must reflect the spirit and celebration of El Dia del los Muertos. Artwork must be in a BLACK AND WHITE format and in pen and ink line art with the understanding that their work must be EASILY CONVERTED for screen printing. The winner will receive one free booth space for Mesillas Dia de los Muertos on the Plaza 2013, valued at $175. Entries should be submitted on a CD or through e-mail as JPEG or PDF files. Files must be accompa- nied by a list detailing artwork title, size, a brief description and artists name, e-mail address, mailing ad- dress and phone number. Deadline to receive submissions is August 27, 2013. Digital files can be e- mailed to calaveracoalition@q.com. CDs can be mailed to P.O. Box 1308, Mesilla, NM 88046. The Calavera Coalition is a not-for-profit organi- zation and all proceeds from t-shirt sales will be donated to charity. call for artists 2013 Dia de los muertos Recycling Update: Recycle Your Phone Books El Paso, Texas The City of El Paso Environmental Services Department reminds the public to recycle their obsolete phone books. On average, we receive two phone books per year due to the variety of companies publishing telephone directories. To keep phone books from ending up in the landfill, unwanted phone books should be recycled at the curb in your blue bin or at a Citizen Collection Station (CCS), also known as drop-off sites. The drop-off sites are located at: 4501 Hondo Pass 2492 Harrison 121 Atlantic 4200 Delta 1034 Pendale Phone books that are recycled are commonly turned into new telephone directories, roofing surfaces, insulation mate- rials, grocery bags and other paper products. The Citys Curbside Recycling Program also accepts these paper products: paperback and hardback books; empty card- board egg cartons; magazines; catalogs; frozen food boxes; junk mail; newspaper; cereal boxes; envelopes; flattened cardboard boxes; office paper; and mixed colored paper. You can also recycle metals and plastics. Learn more visit: www.RecycleElPaso.org SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 7 STARS SCHOLARSHIP FUND EXPANDS TO EL PASO AND WILL WELCOME GENERAL COLIN POWELL IN OCTOBER Stars Scholarship Fund is proud to announce that the first annual El Paso Extravaganza will feature 65th Sec- retary of State, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. General Powell is a member of the board of directors of the Council on For- eign Relations. He is on the Executive Leadership Cabi- net of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and is the Honorary Chairman of the education center for the Viet- nam Veterans Memorial. He also serves on the board of the Smithsonian Institutes African American Museum of History and Culture. His autobiography, My American Journey, was a best seller and has been published in more than a dozen dif- ferent languages. His second book, It Worked For Me, reveals the lessons that shaped his life and career and was an instant best-seller when it was published in May 2012. The 2013 Stars Extravaganza is a private event. We in- vite local businesses to support our initiatives by be- coming sponsors of the 2013 El Paso Extravaganza. Our sponsors will enjoy the benefits of attending the Extrav- aganza, which includes a private event prior to the pres- entation by General Powell on Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust & Values and year round media exposure. Stars expenses are underwritten by L&F Distributors and An- heuser-Busch, enabling Stars Scholarship Fund to direct 100 percent of every dollar contributed by sponsors to- wards student scholarships. This years event will be the 1st Extravaganza held in El Paso. The Stars Extravaganzas have historically been held in Laredo, the Rio Grande Valley and in Corpus Christi. Previous presenters for our events have in- cluded Seth Meyers, Karl Rove and Steve Forbes. Stars Scholarship Fund is proud of the partnerships that have been formed with hundreds of businesses, organi- zations, colleges and universities since inception in 2002. Together our joint efforts have helped raise nearly $19 million and assisted 9,199 students from our com- munity receive a higher education through scholarships. Stars Scholarship Fund is proud to expand in to El Paso this year and to serve the students of west Texas. The 2012 Stars Extravaganzas held in the three markets proved to be extremely successful. The funds that were raised will translate to $2.3 million in scholarships to assist 1,100 students for the 2013/2014 academic year. The number of scholarships Stars Scholarship Fund can award is directly related to the success of our Extrava- ganzas, therefore we strive to ensure each Extravaganza is better than the last. With the addition of the El Paso Extravaganza, Stars Scholarship Fund will be able to as- sist more students for the 2014/2015 academic year from both south and west Texas. To become a sponsor of the 2013 Stars Extravaganza in El Paso or for more information on the Stars Scholar- ship Fund, please visit our website at www.StarsScholarship.org. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 8 Department, Partners Release Community Health Assessment Initiative works to assess and improve health in El Paso El Paso, Texas The City of El Paso Department of Health, in collaboration with several com- munity partners has released the final Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan 2013. The Community Health Assessment (CHA) is a systematic method to identify a communitys unmet health needs. The improvement plan addresses those needs through collaborative initiatives. Some of the key findings and initiatives to address those find- ings include the following: Overweight, Obesity, and lack of Physical Activity El Paso ranks 50% higher in the number of physically inac- tive adults (28%) compared to the State of Texas (19%). El Paso County has a higher percentage of overweight adults (38.7%) than Texas (36.5%) and the U.S. (36.3%). In 2010, El Paso County had a rate of 5.8% recreation and fit- ness facilities per 1,000 people, lower than Texas 7.2% and U.S. 9.7% rates. Effects of lack of physical ac- tivity The centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that as weight increases to the levels of obesity, the risk for health conditions also in- creases. These include: coro- nary heart disease, cancer (endometrial, breast, colon), high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, and osteoarthritis. Initiatives include establishing and promoting Move! El Paso trails throughout the City, host- ing an annual city-wide walk, partnering with local restau- rants to develop healthy menus, and establishing community vegetable gardens. Heavy Alcohol Consumption including Binge Drinking 16% percent of El Paso County residents report heavy alcohol consumption; this is above the Texas average of 13.1% and similar to the U.S. average. One of the main local treat- ment facilities reported, in a 5 month period, 48% of males identified alcohol as their sub- stance of choice. Driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrests increased sharply between 2005 and 2012. The 2005 DWI arrests totaled 178 and increased to 411 in 2012, a 130% increase. Between 2009 and 2012 the El Paso Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriffs Department report that the City and County of El Paso had 145 alcohol-related fatal car acci- dents, and over 13,000 reported DWIs. Some of the health effects of heavy drinking are- chronic disease such as liver cirrhosis (damage to liver cells) pancre- atitis (inflammation of the pan- creas), cancer including liver, mouth, high blood pressure, psychological disorders, unin- tentional injuries (car crashes, falls, burns, drowning), inten- tional injuries (firearm injuries, sexual assault, and domestic vi- olence), increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productiv- ity. Initiatives include commu- nity-wide awareness cam- paigns in partnership with law enforcement, drug treatment agencies, advocacy groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), conferences, and education for area stu- dents. Cancer El Paso Countys 2005 2009 prostate cancer incidence rates were higher than found in both Texas and the U.S. El Paso Countys prostate cancer incidence rate was 172.8/100,000 compared to 141.8/100,000 in Texas and 151.4/100,000 in the U.S. El Paso Countys 2005 2009 cervical cancer incidence rates was above the State and Na- tional rates and Healthy People 2020 target. El Paso Countys cervical cancer incidence rate was 10.1/100,000, compared to 9.5/100,000 for the State and 8/100,000 for the U.S. Initiatives include: commu- nity-awareness campaigns, pro- moting prostate cancer early screenings, and HPV vaccine campaigns. Diabetes The 2010 El Paso County per- centage of residents reporting diabetes was 12.2%, compared to 9.7% in the Texas, and 8.7% in the U.S. Some of the health effects of diabetes are: kidney disease, nerve damage, eye and dental disease. Initiatives include education, healthy diet initiatives such as Eat Well! El Paso and the Move! El Paso walking trails. Medically Uninsured Between 2008 and 2010, the percentage of those uninsured in El Paso was double that found in the U.S., with 30% of El Paso County residents unin- sured compared to 15% of U.S. residents. Texas also has a lower per- centage of uninsured residents in comparison to El Paso County. Initiatives include promoting and facilitating linkages to health insurance exchanges, and promoting access to health- care facilities for the uninsured. The assessment and improve- ment plan is made possible through the effort, and partici- pation of a cross section of health service organizations, community leaders, and stake- holders committed to improve the health and well-being of the community. The Commu- nity health assessment and Im- provement Plan 2013 is available online on the City of El Paso Department of Public Healths web at: www.EPHealth.com For more information on the programs and services offered by the Department of Public Health, call 2-1-1. Texas Sales Tax Holiday This Weekend Aug. 9 to 11 (AUSTIN) Texas Comptroller Susan Combs reminds shoppers the annual sales tax holiday weekend is scheduled for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-11. Families can save money by not paying sales tax on most clothing, footwear and school supplies priced under $100. Lists of tax-free items can be found at www.TexasTaxHoliday.org. The sales tax holiday weekend in Texas has been an annual event since 1999. Shoppers are expected to save an estimated $78.9 million in state and local sales taxes during the sales tax holiday. WEDNESDAY AUG 14 THURSDAY AUG 8 High: 93 Low: 74 High: 96 Low: 73 High: 95 Low: 71 High: 93 Low: 71 High: 94 Low: 73 TUESDAY AUG 13 FRIDAY AUG 9 SUNDAY AUG 11 MONDAY AUG 12 High:97 Low: 74 SATURDAY AUG 10 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 9 By: Doppler Dave Speelman A n s w e r : C - 2 o n a v e r a g e How much rain does El Paso normally receive for the month of August? (our wettest month of the year) In a Drought, but Getting Better A. 1 B. 1.5 C. 2 D. 2.3 E. 3.4 Weather Trivia: Partly Cloudy 20% Rain Partly Sunny 30% Storms Partly Sunny 20% Rain, Breezy Mostly Sunny 20% Rain Weather 101 Partly Sunny 20% Storm Spotlight E.P.Weather Doppler" Dave Speelman is the chief meteorologist at KVIA-TV in El Paso. You can watch his forecasts at 4, 5, 6 and 10 pm on ABC-7 (channel 6 cable). If you would like Doppler Dave to address (explain) any weather issues you can email him at Dopplerdave@kvia.com. High: 93 Low: 72 The last few weeks have been good for the El Paso area. The recent rains have greened up the city, put smiles on many of our faces and provided a lot of free water to area farmers being hurt by the drought. July is normally our second wettest month of the year followed by August. We have already re- ceived just over three inches of rain at the El Paso International airport for July. I only pray we can continue this latest wet trend for this month. Early indications, from the latest computer models, point towards the positive side of rainfall. One ABC-7 viewer has asked how our drought situation is looking. The U.S. Drought Monitor puts the El Paso area in the Abnormally Dry slot, upgraded from being in the Moderate Drought. Most of southern New Mexico continues to be in the Severe or Extreme category. Although we have picked up a great supply of rain recently, we are still considered in a drought. The El Paso area has been below normal for precipitation the last four years and it will take some time to make up that deficit. Here is how the drought situation looks all across the country. Graphic and data courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Partly Cloudy 20% Rain Partly Sunny 30% Rain SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 10 El Paso, TX Sierra Provi- dence Health Network is of- fering free seminars on various topics including: Caregiving, Childbirth, Baby care, Weight Loss Surgery and Maternity Tours. To register, please call 577-SPHN (7746). Maternity Tours: Our free tours are held Monday through Friday 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m. on a walk-in basis at Sierra Medical Center Labor and Delivery located on the 5th floor and at Providence Me- morial Hospital, Labor and Delivery on the 2nd floor. Tour Dates: Monday-Friday Time: 8:30a.m. To 4:30p.m. Places: Sierra Medical Center, Labor & Delivery on the 5th floor at 1625 Med- ical Center or Providence Memorial Hospital, Labor& Delivery 2nd floor at 2001 N. Oregon. Healthy Eating Seminar: Join us for a seminar on healthy eating where well offer nutritional information and healthy meal tips. Class Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 Time: 6p.m. Place: Sierra Medical Center, 1625 Medical Center Drive Caregiver Series: Join us for an ongoing com- munity education series on all aspects of being a care- giver. This months topic is: Making living arrangements for your loved one; Caring for your loved one Class Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Time: 6:00p.m. Place: Total Care Imaging West, 601 Sunland Park Dr. Sibling Class: This class prepares young chil- dren 3-8 years of age for a new brother or sister in the family. Class Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013 Time: 6:30p.m. Place: Providence Memo- rial Hospital - 2001 N. Ore- gon Auditoriums B & C. Prepared Child- birth - Lamaze Class: This 4 week class is preparation for birth with an emphasis on Lamaze relaxation and breathing techniques, And the role of the coach/father during labor and birth. Class Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013 Time: 9:00a.m. Place: Sierra Medical, Dr's Dining Cafe - Lower Level, 1625 Medical Center Drive Class Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Time: 7:00p.m. Place: Providence Memo- rial Hospital - 2001 N. Ore- gon Auditoriums B & C. Please call 577-SPHN (7746) to register for classes. All classes are FREE. GENERAL LISTINGS: SIERRA PROVIDENCE HEALTH NETWORK FREE SEMINARS AUGUST 19-26, 2013 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 11 Celebrate National Farmers Market Week at the Downtown Artist and Farmers Market! Since the launch of the Downtown Art & Farmers Market in June, close to 8,000 El Pasoans have visited to buy local produce, art and take advantage of the fun, family atmosphere. In observance of National Farmers Market Week, the Downtown Artist and Farmers Market will be holding a celebration on August 10, 2013. Join us from 9 am -1 pm for Local Arts and Crafts Regionally Grown produce Cooking Demo from The Green Ingredient at 10 am Live Music from Kiko Rodriguez (Frontera Bugalu) and Amalia Castro (Oussa Bossa) at 11 am in Union Plaza Park Free Kids Activity Food Truck Vendors on San Francisco Street include: El Pasos Wurst, Food Gallery, Moshi Box, Little Luna Pizza, and many more! The celebration is in recognition of the positive benefits of farm- ers markets on communities that include: Preservation of Americas Rural Livelihoods and Farmland Stimulation of Local Economies Increase Access to Fresh, Nutritious Food Support Healthy Communities The Downtown Art & Farmers Market is located in the Union Plaza District on Anthony Street (Off of San Antonio), The Downtown Artist and Farmers Market is open from 9 am 1 pm, every Saturday. August 10, 2013 Farmers Market Celebration Cutbacks interfere with Family Planning in Texas By Anne Dunkelberg and Stacey Pogue Amid the divisive de- bate over Texas controversial abortion bill that Gov. Rick Perry signed into law in July, proponents and opponents have one goal in commonreducing the number of abortions. The bill, which spent weeks in the headlines and drew thousands of Texans to the Capitol, bans the procedure after 20 weeks and will force most of Texas li- censed abortion clinics in rural areas to close, disproportion- ately affecting low-income women and those who live hundreds of miles from major metro areas. Unfortunately, the abortion bill missed an oppor- tunity to address prevention. According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 40 percent of unintended pregnancies end in abortions. Clearly, reducing the number of abortions de- pends on reducing unplanned pregnancies in the first place, and that requires access to fam- ily planning services. Preven- tion is key to reducing the number of unplanned pregnan- cies, and the Texas Legislature needs to adequately invest in family planning services for low-income women and ensure there are enough doctors throughout the state to treat these women. Unfortunately, Texas state family planning programs are still dealing with the devastat- ing impact of the 2011 budget cutstwo-thirds of funding for family planning at the Depart- ment of State Health Services was slashed, causing more than 140,000 low-income Texas women to lose access to contra- ception and at least 56 clinics to close entirely. The good news is that in the 2013 ses- sion, legislators committed to re-investing in family planning programs that will provide ac- cess to approximately the same number of women that were getting services before the 2011 cuts. Regaining that ground is important, especially consider- ing that Texas family planning programsbefore the 2011 cuts and now after restored fundingonly cover about one third of the more than one mil- lion low-income women who need access to care. Of even greater concern, even after the restoration of funds, are the challenges in repairing the tattered safety net and en- suring there are enough clinics and doctors to treat women across the entire state. Just be- cause money will become available again doesnt mean all 56 closed clinics will re- open. Clinics that may do so cant just flip a switch and sud- denly begin seeing patients againthey will need time to perhaps find new office space, hire or rehire staff, train new staff, and, most importantly, raise awareness among local women that the clinic is, in fact, able to treat them again. The challenge of ensuring there are enough doctors throughout the state who can treat Texas women also remains a concern. With recent state rule changes, Planned Parenthood histori- cally the largest family plan- ning provider in Texascannot participate in the Texas Womens Health Program and is virtually cut off from receiv- ing state funds through DSHS. Without the services of such a large provider, on top of several dozen other family planning providers having shut their doors, serious questions remain as to whether the remaining Texas clinics that were able to stay open after budget cuts can handle more patients. Simply put, fewer providers make it harder for women to access health care. As we move forward, the Texas Legislature must continue in- vesting in more robust family planning programs and work- ing to make sure there are truly enough doctors to treat women. At a hearing during the second special session, Sen. Jane Nel- son made a commitment to fo- cusing on family planning program funding during the in- terim, Lt. Governor Dewhurst indicated support for her ef- forts, and other Senators have formally requested interim studies on family planning services Still, the ultimate solu- tion to providing low-income women with quality and afford- able health care is to expand Medicaid to Texas adults under the Affordable Care Act, which will simultaneously provide women with the family plan- ning and other essential health care they need and bring fed- eral dollars to Texas. Research shows that when births are too close together, the health of both baby and mother can be compromised. Health insur- ance and family planning care for low-income Texas women will not only ensure they are healthy but will help them plan the timing of births to achieve financial stability so they can raise their families, escape poverty, and join the middle class. --------------------------- Anne Dunkelberg is the associ- ate director and senior health policy analyst at the Center for Public Policy Priorities and Stacey Pogue is CPPP senior health policy analyst. The Texas Lone Star Forum 8/2013 --------------------------- SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 12 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ALISA VALDES TO VISIT ELPASO SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH Best known for her blockbuster hit novel The Dirty Girls Social Club The Journalist & Film Producer will keynote Mujeres and Amigas El Paso, Texas-August 1, 2013 Alisa Valdes will address the women of El Paso at the Sec- ond Annual Wise Latina Inter- national Mujeres and Amigas: An Afternoon of Sis- terhood on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at the International Museum of Art, 1211 Montana Ave. The event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. and Ms. Valdes will speak immediately after the luncheon at 1:00 p.m. Hailed as the The Latina Terry McMillan by the Chicago Tribune and others, Alisa is the first U.S. born Latina author to write com- mercial mainstream womens fiction about successful women who just happened to be Latinas. I did this she says, Because I couldnt find the kind of book I wanted to read, and instead of being annoyed by this, I wrote them. Alisa was named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Time magazine; one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic Business magazine while Latina Magazine named her Woman of the Year. Enter- tainment Weekly hailed her as a Breakout Literary Star and CNN named her among its 20 Most Influential U.S. Hispan- ics. As a New York Times and USA best-selling author, Ms Valdes has published more than a dozen commercial womens fiction, young adult novels, and memoirs. The Dirty Girls Social Club sold close to 700,000 copies in the United States alone, as well as being published in 11 different languages around the world in- cluding Icelandic, Dutch, Ger- man, Portuguese, Chinese, French, Polish, and Korean. Legendary American author Tom Wolfe has said Alisa is one of the most important so- cial critics of our time. Currently, The Dirty Girls Social Club: The Movie is in development through Valdes Entertainment Enterprises LLC, a production company she founded and serves as managing partner. In partner- ship with Oscar-winning screenwriter Ron Bass the company is developing Alisas novels for the big and small screen. Ms. Valdes has a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University, is a Pulitzer-nomi- nated, award-winning former staff writer for the Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times and was a former Emmy-win- ning TV reporter for WHDH TV. She has written and sold pilot scripts to Nickelodeon, NBC, and Lifetime Television. Her latest novel recently released is The Temp- tation of Demetrio Vigil. Wise Latina Interna- tional, a non-profit or- ganization dedicated to empowering and educating women of all ages and walks of life, hosts Mujeres and Amigas. WLI uses entertainment, cultural and per- forming arts and related activities to enlighten and raise awareness, to de- velop leaders and mentors, to support and en- courage women to overcome racial, cultural and economic barriers. WLI promotes self- respect, self-determination, and self-sufficiency. Tickets for Mujeres and Ami- gas are $20 and include Caf y Pan Dulce being sponsored by The Cake Boutique and lunch being catered by The Green Ingredient. Attendees will be treated to museum tours, writing workshops, local artists vendor booths, mas- sages, health screenings, free health and beauty treatments, and performing artists. Dr. Gina Nunez, professor of An- thropology and Sociology at UTEP will be giving the Kick- Off address. To reserve tickets call (915) 204-1164 or (915) 820-1987. CALL TO ARTISTS REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS City of El Paso Sun Metro Administration, Operations and Maintenance Facility Deadline August 23, 2013 In partnership with the City of El Pasos Mass Transit Department identified as Sun Metro, the City of El Pasos Public Art Pro- gram seeks to commission a professional artist or artist team to design, fabricate and install an exterior site-specific, original pub- lic artwork for the Sun Metro Administration, Operations and Maintenance Facility. To ac- cess application, go to www.callforentry.org and look for City of El Paso Sun Metro Ad- ministration, Operations and Maintenance Facility About the Project Sun Metro is in the construction phase of the transit administration, operations and maintenance facility to be completed in Jan- uary 2014. The transit operations facility is going to be approximately 145,017 sq. ft. in total area. Expressed area of interest is, but is not lim- ited to: exterior public art work integrated within the landscape that can be viewed by commuters traveling along Montana Avenue which is a major state highway that runs through a large portion of the City of El Paso. Application All interested artists are encouraged to apply and review further details of the RFQ at www.callforentry.org and submit applica- tion by August 23rd by 5:00pm MST. For more information please visit www.elpa- soartsandculture.org and click on the Pub- lic Art tab. Sharon Mosley When a new fashion season arrives, it's time for cel- ebration, especially when it comes to fall. Let's face it as the summer winds down, we're ready to chill out and warm up to cozy sweaters and boots. Here are 10 of fall's favorite must-haves to put on your shopping list: A knee-length coat. I know it may be a bit early to think about buying a new coat, but the toppers this fall are breaking bad. The newest silhouettes are roomy, menswear-inspired, knee-length designs that will wrap you up in style. And if you really want to get in on the latest coat trend, go pastel and think blush pink. The chunky sweater. Another fall warm-up, the knits this season are bigger and bolder per- fect to wear with skinny jeans or leggings. Think thick fish- erman cables or Fair Isle pat- terns in pullovers and even vests. The fuller skirt. Time to twirl. While the classic pencil skirt is always a style basic, the flirty "tulip" skirts are flipping out this fall. They're the swingy counterpoint to the belted '40s- style suit jackets and coats that plays off the Dior fit-and-flare silhouette. The moto jacket. It's leather weather, and the motorcycle jacket outfit- ted with a military vibe and lots of hardware is one of fall's most revved up looks. Pair it with distressed jeans for a casual look or a tweed skirt for a creative work style. The plaid prints. Think plaids have to be for the preppy kids only? Think again. The popular tartans have way outgrown their Ivy League past and now have more of a tough-girl edge showing up in designer collections in everything from short cropped jackets to babydoll dresses to skinny jeans. Pair your plaids with leather or black and you've really got the new pep in prep. The wide leg pant. Move over skinny jeans, here comes the swagger. Wider leg pants are sailing into fall with great style riding the wave of the pajama party. Easy and breezy, these pants are best teamed with the cropped jackets and fitted sweaters. The fluffy fur. Get ready to go wild and wooly with the plush new furs. Whether you like the real thing or prefer to do faux, you'll find plenty of the fluff stuff from boleros to vests. Even shoes and sunglasses get the furry treatment this fall. A colorful tweed suit. Suits are back in classic nubby tweed. And these tweeds have come out of the mothballs. Miss Marple? Not! The newest tweeds will brighten up any wardrobe with vivid youthful colors like cobalt blue or emerald green or hot pink. The pointy toe pump or boot. It's an instant update. Change your shoes; change your fashion life. And this fall, it's time to get to the point. Pointed toes are the newest way to go whether it's a pump with a metallic toe or a lace-up granny bootie. Tip: Don't get cramped with these new styles. Experiment with one size larger and use gel inserts for cushioning. The foldover clutch. This one is a no-brainer. These en- velope-style handbags can hold it all from iPads to iPhones, files and more. They can go from day to evening and back again and easily slip inside a bigger tote. The lat- est updates include lots of embossed snakeskin details, metal studs and zip- pers. A little punky purse can go a long way on style this fall. Sharon Mosley is a for- mer fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Re- porters Association. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM The enve- lope clutch is one of fall's favorite fash- ion trends. Shown: The foldover leather clutch from RK New York's latest collection. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 14 the Savage truth on Money by terry Savage SuStainable living by Shawn Dell Joyce Green Your Vacation Did your travel plans get curtailed this summer like many other Americans? Rising gas prices and a slow economic recovery have many peo- ple rethinking vacations. Driving is the easiest travel option, but it is get- ting more expensive and is one of the leading causes of climate change, generating almost 20 pounds of carbon emissions for every gallon of gas used. Air travel seems like it would be more efficient since more people travel in less time. However, a single transatlantic flight for a family of four creates more carbon emissions than that family will generate domestically for an entire year. Consumer Reports points out that a flight from New York to Los Angeles can generate from 1,924 to 6,732 pounds of carbon depending on the carbon calculator you use (and variables in fuel efficiency, passenger load and air traffic). Although air travel is seen as the most conven- ient method of travel, it is also the most envi- ronmentally devastating, leading many conscientious passengers to resort to carbon off- sets. According to TerraPass, Inc., offsetting that flight would cost around $10. Your ten bucks is invested in clean energy and efficiency projects such as wind farms, which results in verified re- ductions in greenhouse gas emissions. If you're traveling great distances, the most fuel-efficient way to travel is by train, accord- ing to the U.S. Department of Energy. In a re- cent report, the DOE states that Amtrak on an energy-consumed-per-passenger-per-mile basis is 18 percent more energy efficient than commercial airlines. Nearly 1 billion tourists crisscross the globe every year, now more than ever it's so important that we tread lightly wherever we go. Here are a few ways to save fuel costs and emissions this summer: Take a local vacation. Stay closer to home, and explore the places you haven't been in your own community. Set aside a week of local family fun, and schedule a different local museum, farm or small town for each day. Plan your stops according to the route of a train or bus to maximize your efficiency. Explore the rail trails in your area by bicycle. Most communities have rail trail projects connecting larger cities by walking and biking paths. Explore your area by riding in five miles sections each day. Use rail- stotrails.org to find local places. Stay in a green hotel when possi- ble. If you strive to be green at home, why not on vacation as well? Check out the websites from greenhotels.com and environmental- lyfriendlyhotels.com for ideas. Travel with friends, and share the costs and carbon of each car trip. If you car- pool, then share a vacation rental including meals, you form tighter friendship bonds, use less gas, and eat out less. Stay with friends or camp. Hotels are very resource intensive, from air condition- ing and cleaning to disposables. When you stay with friends, you lighten the environmental and economic costs. Use gocamping.com and other websites to pick a perfect spot for your family. Consider a working vacation and volunteer to work on an organic farm located in a place you wish to visit. Many countries also have programs for whole families to spend a vacation working as part of a relief effort. Globeaware.org and globalvolunteers.org are helpful resources. Indulge in roadside attractions by visiting the places near you that you secretly always wanted to see but never went to. You know, the ones advertised on giant billboards on the major highway. Usually they are caverns, zoos or other unique oddities that you really should see at least once. Shawn Dell Joyce is an award-winning colum- nist and founder of the Wallkill River School in Orange County, N.Y. You can contact her at Shawndelljoyce@gmail.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y Detroits Warning for Chicago Detroit's bank- ruptcy filing has a message for the rest of the county: Your city or state might be next if you don't fix your finances! Un- like the federal government, cities and states can't "print" the money to pay for their prom- ises. And the most egregious promises have been made to public workers, many of whom are now retired and living on their pensions. I'm especially aware of that as a lifelong resident of the city of Chicago, which has just suf- fered a triple credit rating downgrade because of its huge unfunded city pension obliga- tions. Since Chicago's pension funding depends on state sup- port, and Springfield is in a pen- sion stalemate, the problem is directly in the hands of the mayor and in the pockets of city residents. It's a political and fi- nancial nightmare. The bottom line is that Illinois is in a financial mess nearly as devastating as Detroit, despite raising personal and corporate tax rates. In cutting Illinois' bond rating last month, Fitch ratings service noted, "Illinois' annual pension funding require- ments have been increasing sig- nificantly, and the growing pension payments are crowding out other expenditure growth and absorbing revenue growth." Which brings us back to Chicago, which is left mostly on its own to fill the gap. Teacher layoffs and school clos- ings, along with delayed snow removal and pothole repair, are just the start. Police and fire safety consume a large part of the budget. (Notably, the parental protests about school closings revolve around the issue of longer, dangerous walks to school through rival gang territory thus exposing another literally fatal flaw of the city's financial situation, the lack of police resources.) But what stands out most in Chicago's budget is the huge dollar amount of contributions that must be made to fund pen- sions of civil servants who worked their lives on a promise of retirement benefits. In previ- ous city bankruptcies, notably Stockton, Calif., retiree pen- sions were left untouched (though health care benefits were diminished), and bond- holders took a hit. In Detroit, it appears that the issue will be the constitutional- ity of cutting actual pension benefits. Already the challenge is in the courts: Can bankruptcy law, which requires creditors to share in the losses, supersede a state constitution? Watch De- troit carefully because it will likely set a precedent in dealing with the sanctity of municipal pension benefits. Chicago is literally walking down the path of Detroit and Mayor Rahm Emanuel is well aware of the crisis. There are only two choices for cities: raise taxes or cut spending, including wages and retiree benefits. Ei- ther way, you devastate the re- maining middle class tax base, setting the stage for further de- cline. When I made this very point in a series of columns four years ago, I was greeted with jeers of disbelief. Now, there's a sense that Detroit is a "special case," perhaps a city too dependent on one industry. But Detroit is no different than many other cities and states, which have tolerated political financial shenanigans that diverted taxpayer resources and bought votes. The federal government gets away with it or has, so far because it has unlimited bor- rowing power, effectively the power to create the money. States and cities can't print. De- troit is at the end of the road, and Chicago is the next stop on that highway. It's not politics anymore it's really all about the money. And that's the Sav- age Truth! Terry Savage is a registered in- vestment adviser and is on the board of the Chicago Mercan- tile Exchange. She appears weekly on WMAQ-Channel 5's 4:30 p.m. newscast, and can be reached at www.terrysavage.com. She is the author of the new book, "The New Savage Number: How Much Money Do You Re- ally Need to Retire?" COPYRIGHT 2013 TERRYSAVAGE PRODUCTIONS P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 15 Dear Doug by Doug Mayberry energy expreSS by Marilynn preSton Resolving Disputes Q: Like many of my neighbors, I get ex- tremely frustrated when I make a purchase and find it does not meet my expectations. Re- cently, I purchased a yellow dress that was on sale for my 3-year-old granddaughter at a major department store. However, after I got home, I found two buttons missing. Naturally I was disappointed, and although the price was right, I attempted to return it for ei- ther cash or a gift card. The clerk was ex- tremely unfriendly and flatly refused to accept the return. She pointed at a sign on the register that indicated sale items were not returnable. In my rush to make the purchase, I did not even see the sign. Is there anything I can do? A: Even though the dress was a sale item, the attitude of the clerk was not in the best in- terest of the store in keeping you as a customer. Even a courtesy response and apology could have helped minimizing your anger. Do not readily accept the clerk's response, and return to the store and ask to speak to a super- visor. If he/she does not resolve your request, your next step is to call or write the company's president and express your complaint. Man- agers do not like these types of correspondents and expect their employees to resolve these kinds of issues before they reach upper man- agement. Employees are usually given stringent guide- lines about returns, but they should also be given some leeway in order to immediately sat- isfy unhappy customers. There are several chain stores that will accept returns without questioning reasons for doing so. These stores are always gaining new customers because of the flexible policy. In the tough economy that we are now experi- encing, wise store managers should consider revising their return policies to maintain exist- ing customers and to attain new ones! Continues on page 19 everyDay cheapSkate by Mary hunt How I Dry-Cleaned My Windows I have this thing for clean windows. I love them, which means I have an equal but opposite disdain for dirty windows. And when I say clean, I mean the kind of clean that makes windows sparkle like diamonds in the morning sun. If I could, I'd have a professional win- dow-washing service come to my home every week to clean every sin- gle window inside and out. But I have a two-story house, so right there you can understand why I can't and I don't. On a lark, and only because I wanted my flower garden to look better through my kitchen window, I grabbed a very cute microfiber mitt that I purchased at Home Depot in an attempt to control all the dust being generated by yet another home re- modeling project now underway. This mitt, manu- factured by Unger Industries, is kind of nubby on the blue side and floppy fun on the green side. It feels just slightly "prickly," and that made me wonder if it really would act like a dust magnet, as advertised. I went over the outside of the entire 8- by-4-foot window (it's big) with the low-pile blue side first, to see if I could remove any of the dirt, dust and water marks obscuring my view. Amazingly, that loosened all of the dust and scrubbed away most of the water marks, too. Then I went over a second time with the fluffy green side, like I was polishing the window. I ac- tually heard a "squeak"! Continues on page 19 The Drama of Obamacare: When Politics and Pedicures Collide I was treating myself to a pedicure the day after watching President Obama's moving speech in Gales- burg, Ill., and the woman care- fully pruning my feet started telling me she was feeling very confused and afraid. "I just don't know what to think about this Obamacare," she said as she massaged a mix of olive oil and raw sugar into my beach-worn barefoot soles. I wanted to lean over and lick them. I'm fascinated by people's reac- tion to Obamacare. A recent poll reported that 49 percent of Ameri- cans don't approve of it, which tells me when it comes to thinking about our health care, most of us are on summer vacation. "I saw the president's speech. He makes Obamacare sound like a good thing," she said. "Me and my husband don't have health insur- ance, so maybe it will help us. I don't know. I'm so confused. I just hear so many bad things about it." Of course she does. The Opposi- tion Party has been out to de- stroy the Affordable Care Act since before it was born. They dubbed it Obamacare and meant it as a slur. Even after the ACA be- came the law of the land three years ago, even after the Supreme Court agreed that the insurance mandate was constitutional, the Republicans continue to show the worst kind of sportsmanship since the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Continues on page 19 I have no problem with folks saying 'Obama cares.' I do care. If the other side wants to be the folks that don't care, that's fine with me. President Obama SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 16 Dcor Score by roSe bennett gilbert Q: I have questions about ar- ranging my dining room. Sometimes there are two differ- ent chairs at the ends of the table. Should the others all be alike? And how to hang the chandelier: Does it always go in the middle of the table, or could it be off to one side? A: The so-called "Lord" and "Lady" chairs traditionally go at either end of a rectangular table, with family/guests arranged along the sides be- tween them. It's a non-issue if you have a round table, of course: all the chairs can then match. Or, less formal and more fun, all the chairs can be different styles and/or colors. My clever friend Sue once up- holstered eight Parsons chairs in a rainbow of vibrant pastels, always a conversation-starter among her dinner guests. On the other hand, there's a lot to be said for symmetry. Most of us respond positively to for- mal balance; it's calming and orderly and makes us feel that we're in control of our world, even if it's only under our own roofs. The dining room we show here is mirror-image perfect, a soothing setting for quiet con- versation and good food. Speaking of which, would it surprise you to learn that the furniture designer is also a renowned cook? This is the new River House Collection designed by Paula Deen for Universal Furniture (universal- furniture.com). And never mind the dust-up that has been swirling around Paula of late: In her furniture designs, many inspired by her own home, she taps into a deep Southern tradition of calm and comfortable hospitality, espe- cially around the dinner table. Life, like one's menu, should be well balanced. Which brings us back to your question about chandeliers. If you are hanging one, it usually goes over the center of the table so everyone can see what's on their plate. Two or more hang- ing lights can be spaced down the length of the table, as they are in this dining room. How high should they be hung? De- pends on the size of the light fixture. Between 30 and 36 inches above the tabletop is the uni- versally accepted measurement. Just be sure the fixture is high enough so no one bumps his head sitting down or getting up and low enough to shed light on what you're eating. Q: I know we're having a heat wave, but I have to think about fireplaces now! We are remodeling, adding a Great Room downstairs and a new mas- ter bedroom up. The Great Room will have a real wood- burning fireplace, but I don't want to deal with ashes and soot in our bedroom. A: Easy answer: Think gas. Point-and-shoot technology makes a gas-fueled fireplace a dream, pun intended, in a bed- room. And some of the new versions are so real-looking that you can almost hear them crackle. There's even newer technology that includes the crackle: vent-less fire- places that burn an alcohol gel fuel car- tridge. No smoke, no odor, no soot, and the fire crackles and dances for about two hours per car- tridge, promises one man- ufacturer (Hearth Cabinet, HearthCabinet.com, which claims to make the only vent- less fireplaces approved for use in code-crazy New York City). Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of "Manhattan Style," and six other books on interior design. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM Decorating for a Well-Balanced Meal Setting for an ever-so genteel meal features a formally balanced furniture arrangement. Photo: Courtesy Universal Furniture. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 17 Venus is taking care of personal business in Virgo through Thurs- day, and then Friday she heads to her vacation home in Libra. (The two signs Venus rules are Taurus and Libra.) In Libra, Venus pumps up the intensely romantic ideas and helps us connect in ways that seem artfully de- signed enough to have popped off a movie screen. The sun's and moon's positions at the end of the week ignite the spirit of adventure. ARIES (March 21-April 19). You'll be in an exciting new social environment. Be careful about how you proceed. Take too low a position and you run the risk that they'll mistake you for a doormat. Take too high a posture and they could mistake you for a target to take shots at. The middle ground is best until you get the social lay of the land. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Advice may be given, but it's usually not re- ally a gift. It's a desire that the speaker is having a desire to guide or to ap- pear smart or to see things go in a dif- ferent direction. Let the full spirit of context inform you as you filter all of the advice you get this week, includ- ing this piece. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Diversity is necessary for success. Luckily, you'll be surrounded by people very differ- ent from you. This ensures that you can all move forward in interesting and effective directions. If you sur- rounded yourself with clones, you would have too much of the same strength and be blighted by your col- lective weakness. CANCER (June 22-July 22). You're thinking differently than you were thinking 10 years ago or even last year, for that matter. And those who are thinking along different lines than you are will develop, too. So don't spend too much time or attention wor- rying about where everyone is right now. By just sharing, you'll make a dif- ference. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There are many questions that employers ask during job interviews that are, in fact, illegal, but that doesn't prevent them from asking. You'll be asked inappro- priate questions this week. Whether during an interview or in your every- day life, use tact while refusing firmly and politely to answer them. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Shake- speare might think a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but you're increasingly irritated with some- one who calls you everything but your proper name. Don't be afraid to de- mand that you be recognized for who you are. What you put out into the world this week warrants credit. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). At the end of a long day, as sleep is coming on, you sometimes fall prey to regrets. Regret is simply a part of the beauty of having a choice and making deci- sions. Don't give it more power than it deserves in the scheme of your life. Like the Sinatra song, allow yourself a few but too few to mention. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You like to do your thing and allow others to do the same. This week, however, it may feel as though a loved one's hobby is approaching a state of obsession. Blaming the hobby won't help, but make clear that there are other diver- sions, including shared ones, and communicate your enthusiasm for them. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You'll be doling out compliments. These should be about one experi- ence and/or person, so avoid inadver- tently using contrasts to do the job. Comparative statements only weaken the focus and cheapen the message. These kinds of conversational nu- ances will make a difference in your interactions this week. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The word "comfort" combines two Latin words "com," which means "to- gether," and "fortis," which means "strengthen." By joining someone, you strengthen that person. You provide comfort by simply being there. If you worry about what to say or do, you may do the wrong thing and say too much. Just be there. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Be- cause you are so strong, the tender, shy, sensitive and fragile will be drawn to you. Giving others your psychologi- cal presence will be of utmost impor- tance. Don't worry too much about the exact dialogue or other minutia of your interactions. If your heart and mind are with the other person, that's what's felt. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Accept yourself. Not because it's the best thing you can do for your personal life, your career, your finances, your spiri- tuality, your image, your popularity, your style, your intellect, your health or another part of your life that mat- ters. Accept yourself because you're acceptable. You're doing your best. And through self-acceptance, you'll do even better. THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Your friends will challenge, cheer and lift you up this year, so make plans and time to be with them. You'll meet strangers this month, and because you do the rare thing being yourself instead of pretending you're someone you're not you'll connect and be in- stant friends. November brings a prime investment opportunity. January is your chance to switch modes and experiment. You could brave a new job, relationship change or move. March and June bring financial bonuses. ACROSS 1 Lozenge 7 Merganser 11 Half ems 14 Take a deep breath 15 Hawaiian seaport 16 Destiny 17 Commonplace 19 Via 20 Supporter: suffix 21 Exude 22 Tardy 23 Pretend 25 Driver Leudenwyck 26 Georgia's continent 27 Harvest 29 NASDAQ special 32 Actress Chase 33 Cribbage need 34 Mined find 35 Abate 37 Coronets 40 North, for one 41 Plant pouch 42 Pain 44 Extra corner, in football 48 Producer of an aircraft brand 49 Arthur, of the court 50 Greek love god 51 Deli loaf 52 Donkey sound 53 Tux-renting event 54 Reserve 56 Granola tidbit 57 Hint to finishing this puzzle 61 Trifecta, e.g. 62 Early video game 63 Get lost 64 Wily 65 Assocs. 66 Fred and Gracie DOWN 1 Actress Zadora 2 Too 3 Japanese mushroom 4 Highland hats 5 ___ a Song Go 6 Meadow 7 Moving out? 8 Mast part 9 Robert ___ 10 Triumphed 11 Texas border city 12 Of the intellect 13 Skein 18 One of Disney's Mouseke- teers 22 From the side 23 Jackie's second 24 Pokey unit 25 Plea 28 Hotel manager's opener 30 Zounds 31 Malaga Mrs. 36 Witness 37 Puget Sound city 38 Irritate 39 One-horse carriage 41 Island wear 43 Sooner than, in poetry 44 " nattering ___ of nega- tivism" 45 Bibi's nation 46 Gassy 47 Navigator Vitus 53 Destitute 54 Writer Silverstein 55 Russian river 57 Mil. rank 58 Cops' gp. 59 Avarice, e.g. 60 French conjunctions By Holiday Mathis Venus Vacay week 8/08 - 8/14 DEAR ABBY: I am a teacher, and at the end of the year I receive many gifts and notes of appreciation from the parents of my students. This year, one of my parents, a beau- tician, presented me with a gift certificate for a facial. Last week I made the appointment and was given a fantastic facial by this mom. I didn't tip her afterward because I wasn't sure how to handle a gift like this. Was I right in not tip- ping her? Since this was a gift from her, I'm hoping I didn't in- sult her by not offering one. If I was wrong, I'd like to go back and give her the tip she would have earned. -- WONDERING TEACHER IN CALIFORNIA DEAR TEACHER: Because the gift certificate came from the person who delivered the service to you, you did not in- sult her by not offering a gratu- ity. (In fact, had you offered one for her gift, it might have been taken the wrong way.) If the facialist who performed the service had been someone other than the mother, a tip would have been in order, but not in a case like this. The proper way to convey your gratitude for her fantastic facial would be to write a short note telling her what a treat it was and how much you enjoyed her gift. ** DEAR ABBY: My 14-year- old granddaughter, "Grace," has confided to me that she's smok- ing pot and drinking. When I asked her why, she said she does it to make herself feel bet- ter. I told her she has a serious problem, and something has to be done. Grace doesn't want to tell her parents and, frankly, I think they would just yell and scream and not understand what's really going on. At this point, I don't know what to do. The person who's supplying my granddaughter is someone who is always around. I refuse to have that other girl in my home, but I can't tell Grace's parents why. What should I do? -- IN A FIX IN CALIFORNIA DEAR IN A FIX: You're cor- rect that this is serious, and something does have to be done. Alcohol and weed are not the solutions to your grand- daughter's problem. Self-med- icating won't fix what's wrong and could make her problems worse. Grace needs to be evaluated and diagnosed by a physician. The way to ensure that it happens is to talk to her parents about the fact that you're worried about her. If you make clear that Grace is getting stoned to "feel better" and not partying, they may be less in- clined to react with anger. ** DEAR ABBY: My 25-year- old grandson has a problem, and we don't know where to turn. Through student loans he has managed to get de- grees in chemical engineering and biology with good grades. The problem is, he can't inter- view. He freezes up and is afraid to face the interviewer. This means he is unemployable. He has no assets or income and lives with his par- ents. His father is disabled and hasn't worked in years. Can you recommend any organizations, doctors or medications that can help him? -- HOPEFUL IN MICHIGAN DEAR HOPEFUL: Your grandson needs to discuss his problem with a psychotherapist who can help him overcome his disabling insecurity and per- haps prescribe a medication for his anxiety. There is a cure for his problem, and this is the quickest way to find it. ** Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. ** COPYRIGHT 2013 UNIVERSAL UCLICK DEAR ABBY by Abigail Van Buren TEACHER LOOKS FOR LESSON IN THE ETIQUETTE OF TIPPING Time for Change SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 18 T h r o u g h t h e L o o k i n g G l a s s i n S t e p h e n K i n g C o u n t r y travel anD aDventure By Jerry Farlow Dave, a visitor from Cincinnati, was peering down an innocent- looking storm drain in Bangor, Maine, where the evil-grinning clown Pennywise from Stephen King's novel "It" hung out, waiting to lure little kiddies into a chaos only King could imagine. "Be careful," teased his wife, Bev, who admitted that she has never dangled her feet over the bed at night since reading King's "Night Shift." Then suddenly, although Dave didn't have his arm pulled off by Pennywise, his sunglasses fell down into the drain. "Not to worry," the retired Ford Motor Co. employee, assured us as he yanked off the grate, jumped into the manhole and retrieved the lost item. We can only hope that Dave lives a long and healthy life. My wife and I recently passed through the looking glass of King's Bangor, which is known as the town of Derry in his books. King friend, expert and lifetime Bangor resident Stu Tinker guides people on a three-hour tour of King's Ban- gor in his six-passenger King Mobile (my name), all the while relating an endless stream of King and Bangor sto- ries and anecdotes, intermit- tently stopping at spots that have direct connections to King's novels. Was Bangor, the former Queen City of lumber barons, the fountainhead for King's demons and monsters? we wondered as the tour began. "The 'Barrens' from King's 'It' is a favorite haunt for King buffs," Tinker said as he led us to a heavily wooded stretch along the Kenduskeag stream, where we viewed the remnants of an innocent-looking old mill and where King envisioned a dark variation of reality that terrified readers the world over. "Now we're going to 'Pet Se- matary,' or at least King's inspi- ration for it," he said as we headed off in the King Mobile." Then he asked if we knew that Presi- dent Lin- coln's vice president during the Civil War was from the Bangor area and then took us by his grave. I suspect former Vice President Hannibal Hamlin rolled over in his grave when Hollywood made the movie version almost on top of him. "Remember that army of rats in 'Night Shift'?" Tinker asked as we left the cemetery. "Over there is where it was filmed." He pointed to the old water- works plant by the Penobscot River. "I was in about five seconds of the movie 'The Langoliers' that was filmed at the Ban- gor Airport," Tinker said. I thought it best not to ask his character's fate in the movie. Tinker told us he's taken people all over the world for the King tour. One family from New Zealand who were visiting Los Angeles decided on a whim to make a side trip to Bangor, just to experience King's fictional Derry. No matter where in the world they're from, you say "Bangor," and they say "Stephen King." Tinker told us that the Kings have given millions of dollars to local projects, everything from a world-class Little League baseball field to li- braries to helping people in need with winter heating. "I wonder if he's read 'Pet Se- matary,'" a King fan said later, referring to a black cat sitting at the front gate at the spooky- looking King house. The house has become of a mecca of sorts for the writer's fans around the world with its bat-adorned wrought-iron gate. Continues on next page A black cat sits at the front gate at the home of writer Stephen King in Bangor, Maine. Photo courtesy of Jerry Farlow. Stu Tinker assists a visitor from Cincinnati, Dave, as he emerges from the "evil storm drain" of Stephen King's fiction in Bangor, Maine. Photo courtesy of Jerry Farlow. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 19 Continued from page 18 The Kings used to give candy to kids on Halloween, Tinker told us, "but after local schools started arriving by the busload, the tradition ended. "One year there were 21 buses in front of the house," he said. Our next stop was the Hamp- den Academy. "This is the gymnasium where in King's mind Carrie got her just deserts and her bul- lying classmates got theirs," Tinker said, referring to the final senior prom scene from King's novel titled "Carrie." King wrote the book while teaching at the school. As we finally emerged from the imaginary evil twin, Derry, to the real world of Bangor, we thought just maybe we had gained a tiny appreciation of the origins of King's demons and monsters. Dave, who had his brush with the evil storm drain, went so far to say the tour was one of the highlights of their East Coast trip. We topped off the tour by stop- ping at Nicky's Crusin' Diner on Union Street, which some have said is the inspiration for King's 1960s time portal from his novel "11/22/63." Even if it wasn't, they have some great fried clams. WHEN YOU GO Stu Tinker's three-hour tour costs $39.95 per person for a party of two, each additional person $25: www.sk- tours.com. The Greater Bangor Conven- tion and Visitors Bureau offers both Bangor and Stephen King tours throughout the year: www.visitbangormaine.com/to urs. Jerry Farlow is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writ- ers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM Stu Tinker poses with the King Mobile in front of the Stephen King house in Bangor, Maine. Photo courtesy of Jerry Farlow. Stephen King Country... Continued from page 15 If "sparkling like a diamond" is 100 per- cent fabulous, then my dry-cleaning technique got that window to 90 percent. And it took less than 5 minutes no water, wet wads of paper towel or news- paper, no buckets or squeegees. And I cannot see even a hint of scratching, which one might assume could happen. Of course, we are warned to never dry- rub fine auto paint because that can act as a light sanding and all. But back to my windows ... Another five minutes, and I'd given my multi-paned French doors a good dry- cleaning, as well. Now, if this is old news and something you do routinely and thought everyone else did, too, don't tell me. I want to be- lieve I made it up. By the way, I did experiment with other "dusting" devices, like a cotton towels, feather dusters, dry paper towels and even my Dyson handheld vac (which I use every day of my life and cannot image life without) on yet another dirty window all with pathetic results. All that did was push the dust and dirt around. And none of these options even fazed the water marks. There's something about this Unger In- dustries Microfiber Dust and Wash Mitt that really does dry-clean windows. And at about $6, this mitt was so affordable, I've decided that I need one in the car, at the office and a spare at home, too. Now, are you thinking what I'm think- ing? Unger ... could that be Felix Unger? Makes sense to me. And with that, I have just dated myself and made at least half of my staff go "Huh?!" Mary Hunt is the founder of www.Debt- ProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website. You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2099, Cypress, CA 90630. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM Dry-Cleaned My Windows... Continued from page 15.. They don't want to help fix the rough spots, they only want to bring it down. They rant for its repeal at least 37 times and count- ing, with a defunding proposal on the way and they continue to brand Obamacare as horrible law, despicable policy, the end of health care as we know it. Yes! That's just the point, guys. Our old health care system was badly broken. It was not No. 1 in the world. That was a deception. It was actually delivering mediocre medical care at skyrocketing prices, the most expen- sive health care system in the world. Consider this: Americans now live shorter lives than men and women in most of the developed world. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the Ameri- can Medical Association, not exactly Rolling Stone, back in 1990, the U.S. ranked 20th on life expectancy among 34 industrial nations. Sickening, huh? Now we rank 27th. How's that for broken? The reasons for our shorter lives are compli- cated, and certainly have to do with gun vio- lence, poor eating habits, lack of exercise and way too much stress. But there's another factor that may surprise you. The more inequality in a society, the more unhealthy the overall population. This is exactly what Obama is crusading against, this startling and growing gap in the U.S. be- tween rich and poor. The Affordable Care Act is the change that had to happen, a turn toward a more hu- mane, fair and efficient system. Is it perfect? No. Is it a smart and necessary leap in the right direction? Absolutely. I started talking bullet points as she moved on to the calluses and cuticles: You'll have good insurance you can afford, with subsi- dies available. You can't be denied insurance for a "pre-existing condition," and if you've got one, you pay the same premium as everyone else. Women will no longer pay higher premiums than men. Consumers who've been screwed by their insurance companies and who hasn't? are getting rebates. The rise in the cost of U .S. health care is coming down, as promised, while awareness of its deep and greedy flaws is going up. The $75 dollar box of hospital tis- sues says it all. "No more lifetime caps on insurance cover- age!" I found myself practically shouting. "We're finally talking about rewarding doc- tors for keeping us well, instead of giving them financial incentives to order more tests, more procedures, more addictive drugs." The Affordable Care Act is a good thing, I assured her, admiring my candy apple red toes. What's bad, what is truly astonishing, is what the Opposition Party is doing to bring it down. Obama nailed it in Galesburg when he called it a "politically motivated misinformation campaign." I did my part. I told her how she stood to benefit. By the time my feet were safely back in my Birkenstocks, she had a big smile on her face. ENERGY EXPRESS-O! STAND BY THE BRAND Marilynn Preston fitness expert, well-being coach and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, http://marilynnpreston.com and wel- comes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 ENERGYEXPRESS, LTD. The Drama of Obamacare... Continued from page 15 Q: As the new grandparent of a baby who is just learning to walk, I recently fell when I stumbled over a plastic toy. Fortu- nately, I was not injured, and all is well. However, are their security precautions I should be more aware of? A: Toys are dangerous and are known to have caused major injuries. Other con- cerns that require being alert in grandchil- dren's homes are loose rugs, children playing aggressively, slippery wet floors and children running around. It is helpful when parents caution the chil- dren that their grandparents are not able to move around as easily as them. If grand- parents are using canes and other support devices, parents should tell the kids that those items are not toys and that they need them to walk and move. Move slowly when at the kids' house, es- pecially standing up, and let the kids know you are moving and getting up. In most cases, grandchildren are the joy of our lives. But be careful! Doug Mayberry makes the most of life in a Southern California retirement community. Contact him at deardoug@msn.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 20 a greener view by Jeff rugg Tree Sprouts and Goldfish Flashing Question: You have been writing about weeds lately, and our weeds are coming from an old tree. We have taken down a very large tree that was planted in the front yard. We had the trunk ground down. We did nothing for a couple of months and then put some dirt at the same location and planted a Japanese fern tree. It is doing well. The problem is that the old roots from the tree are shooting up massive amounts of sprouts through the grass. I applied Roundup on the roots I could reach but the only thing that did was kill the grass. With all the rain these roots are getting really aggressive and are sending up more and more sprouts. I need a recommendation that will correct this problem short of digging up those huge roots and disturbing the Japanese fern. How do we get rid of these sprouts? Answer: You were on the right track spraying, but let's make a couple of small changes. Don't use a total plant killer like Roundup; rather, use a broad-leafed plant killer that only affects plants that are not grasses. Then, don't apply it to the roots. Apply it to the new growth that is sprouting up. To keep the weed killer from drifting on to other broad leafed plants that you don't want to kill, it may be better to paint it on and not spray it on. Because of the size of the roots system from the old tree, there may be a lot of stored nutrients available to send up sprouts for quite some time. If you stop for sev- eral weeks, the new sprouts may be able to replenish any nutrients they con- sumed in their growth and it will look like the tree is winning. Just keep treating them, and you will win. Question: The koi and goldfish in my pond are scratching on the rocks and flowerpots. They swim over, hover next to it for a second as they line up the itching spot, rub on the spot and then they zoom away. What is causing this behavior and how can I help them? Answer: This scratching action is called flashing. Often times you will see the white underneath side of the fish as it flashes. They will do this for several reasons. If the water is of poor quality or is changed rapidly from one temperature and pH level to a new one, the fish may react by flashing. Water changes should remain at about ten percent at a time rather than large 50 or 60 percent changes. Chemicals such as chlorine, copper, or nitrite can cause irritation of the skin or gills, causing the fish to flash. Parasites in the gills or on the skin will definitely cause the fish to try to rub the parasite off their body. Fish have slime, scales and skin trying to keep their body regulated with the proper levels of salt and water, while also keep- ing out bacteria. Scratching on rocks or pots can open up an area to a bacter- ial infection. Before treating your fish with medications for parasites or infections, you should first determine if they are flashing from water quality problems. Test the water for chlorine, nitrites and ammonia. If they are all zero, then move on to the parasite treatments. Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@greenerview.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 21 P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y "Knowledge is power, if you know it about the right person," wrote Ethel Watts. Or, as Ivern Ball quipped, "A small town is a place where there is little to see or do, but what you hear makes up for it." In small towns or large cities, gossip wreaks havoc wherever it spreads. And it does spread, says Scott, 11: "A rumor is in all likelihood an expanded lie, which becomes larger as it goes along. A lot of rumors spread from jealous people who aren't at peace with themselves and have a big mouth the size of a western African Safari Ele- phant." Thanks, Scott for being spe- cific. Africans are quick to point out that their elephants are bigger than those in India. Like a charging elephant, a tongue out of control can de- stroy, says Maddie, 11: "You can never take back the words you say. Once I was called a bad name in the 4th grade. It hurt me very bad, but I decided to go up and face the world." Way to go, Maddie. It takes courage to ignore gossip. The Lord takes care of those who entrust themselves to him. The Book of Proverbs is full of say- ings about how those who lay a trap for a righteous person will be caught in it themselves. The Bible says this about Jesus: "He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly" (I Peter 2:23 NLT). If you gossip, you might find yourself living in fear, says Kaci, 10: "My sister was hurt by some mean gossip at school. But the boy is too afraid to tell more gossip about her now be- cause her boyfriend is 6'4"." This is called the Terminator Method for controlling gossip. It's very effective until the gos- sip gets a friend who's 6'8". For permanent results, Karlyn, 11, recommends the Golden Rule. "God said do unto others as you would have done to you. We don't like it when people are rude and start rumors about us. So we shouldn't do that to oth- ers." Continues on page 23 kiDS talk about goD by carey kinSolving Why Is Gossip Wrong? The El Paso Museum of Art announces Workshops for Preschoolers Introducing Museum Looks and Picture Books free art ses- sions for children ages 3-5 and a care- giver. Join El Paso Museum of Art staff for a one hour session where you will: closely look at a work of art, read a related story, and participate in an activity to promote visual literacy. Upcoming sessions: August 22, 10-11 AM Free, and supplies are included. Space is limited please call to pre-register at (915) 532-1707, ext. 65. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 22 viDeo gaMe reviewS by Jeb haught 'Shadowrun Returns' to its Roots DEVELOPER: Harebrained Schemes LLC PUBLISHER: Harebrained Holdings SYSTEM: Windows PC PRICE: $19.99 ESRB RATING: Teen REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5) The "Shadowrun" RPG series has gained a loyal following of PC gamers ever since 1989, but the attempt to turn it into a console FPS was a big disappointment! Now "Shadowrun" returns in it's original glory in the latest re- lease titled ... well ... "Shad- owrun Returns," and fans can once again delve into satisfy- ing tactical RPG game play! Set in a fantasy cyberpunk fu- ture where elves and dwarfs fight side-by-side with hu- mans, "Shadowrun Returns" weaves a tale around the hunt for a serial killer. However, the story becomes much deeper than a simple Shad- owrunner on a mission, and an intricate tale of and decep- tion and corruption emerges. Simply put, the dark story is one of the game's highlights. While this game pays homage to it's past with an isometric view and old-school sound ef- fects, the open-world feel is mostly an illusion. Most of the missions lead directly into the next mission, and there's little exploration. Sure there are a few side missions as well as multiple ways to solve certain scenarios, but the game still has a linear feel. Thankfully, the in- depth skill tree offers a plethora of options that can seem a bit overwhelming at first. Like traditional RPGs, players earn points to enhance and customize their characters abilities as they progress. Ad- ditional customization is of- fered at the be- ginning of the game when play- ers choose their character's race, attributes, and arche- type. I find the turn-based strategic combat to be very enjoyable because it forces me to think out every attack and gives me time to do so. In addition, simple things like keeping track each character's ammu- nition, what type they use, and where each enemy is lo- cated has a profound effect on the out come of each fight. I also enjoy the way using cover and benefit me and also benefits enemies because it adds another layer of com- plexity. "Shadowrun Returns" may seem like a short adventure, but the deep level editor en- sures additional user- created content for years to come. 'Dynasty Warriors 8' DEVELOPER: Omega Force PUBLISHER: Tecmo Koei SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360) PRICE: $59.99 ESRB RATING: Teen REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5) "Dynasty Warriors 2" was a fun game on the original PlayStation, but I lost interest when very little changed over the course of several sequels. It took nearly fifteen years for the developers to finally offer a game with enough enhance- ments to resemble a traditional sequel, but now I can honestly recommend "Dynasty Warriors 8." Set in the well-known Chinese Three Kingdoms dynasty, the story has undergone very few changes. Players pick a char- acter and enter massive battles with thousands of friendly and enemy troops and engage in hand-to-hand combat until their fingers get sore. Only now, over 70 characters are available, and each one sports more than cosmetic differ- ences. Instead of repeating the same attack animations with a dif- ferent-looking weapon, each character has a distinctive set of moves. While some charac- ters wield traditional single- sided swords, others initiate long sweeping attacks... Continues on next page R E V IE W S C O R IN G S Y S T E M 5 s ta rs = M u s t-H a v e 4 s ta rs = V e ry G o o d 3 s ta rs = A b o v e A v e ra g e 2 s ta rs = B a rg a in B in 1 s ta r = D o n 't B o th e r SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 23 viDeo gaMe reviewS... Continued from page 22... with a rake or float across the battlefield swinging a pair of stylish wingblades. Distinc- tive move sets give each char- acter added personality and offer an incentive to experi- ment with every one. Also new is a wider variety of attacks, like switch counters, that let players parry and at- tack and storm rush, which roots enemy officers in place while players attack. My fa- vorite is rage awakening, which powers up my charac- ter's attacks and lets me un- leash the super-powerful Musou attack! In addition, a new affinity system based on Heaven, Earth, and Man makes some weapons more powerful against certain oppo- nents. Thankfully, there's an addi- tional mode to story mode and free mode that adds much- needed replay value to this title. Ambition mode starts players off with a weapon shop and encourages them to not only upgrade it, but also recruit officers defeated in battle. Eventually, players can build a large base that is vis- ited by the Emperor if the players have achieved enough fame. "Dynasty Warriors 8" is still repetitive, but now it's actu- ally fun! COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM. Continued from page 21 Your tongue needs the Golden Rule because "it's the most powerful thing you have," says Holly, 10. The Bible compares the destructive potential of the tongue to a spark that starts a forest fire. Both are small, but the effects are devastating. The Bible calls anyone who can bring the tongue under control "perfect" or "mature" (James 3:2). If you're a woman looking for the perfect man or a man looking for Miss Right, ask yourself if God is in control of his or her words? "Gossip is wrong because the Bible tells us not to let any un- wholesome talk come out of our mouths, and we should build up people with our words, not tear them down," says Jonathan, 12. The Apostle Paul wrote that our words should "impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). The Bible is clear that eternal salvation comes to us by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this kind of faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It's humbling to realize that God allows us to impart grace to others through the words we speak. Think about this: Grace builds up, and gossip tears down. Memorize this truth: "If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bri- dle the whole body" (James 3:2). Ask this question: Do your words build up or tear down? Listen to a talking book, down- load the "Kids Color Me Bible" for free, watch Kid TV Inter- views and travel around the world by viewing the "Mission Explorers Streaming Video" at www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. Bible quotations are from the New King James Version. COPYRIGHT 2013 CAREYKINSOLVING SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 24 Free Public Museum Tour Saturday, August 31, 2013, 2:00 to 3:00 pm Free Admission On this Labor Day weekend we invite everyone to get to know their community better by exploring the prehistory of our region. Small groups and individu- als are invited to tour the El Paso Museum of Ar- chaeology galleries with our Curator of Education, Marilyn Guida. Large groups can schedule their own free tour on another day by calling 915-755- 4332. Visitors learn about the prehistoric people of El Paso, Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona. Theyll take a journey through 14,000 years of Indian her- itage including the Paleoindians, Archaic hunter- gatherers, Pit Dweller-Horticulturalists, Pueblo, Manso, Piro, Suma, Tigua and Mescalero Apache. The museums galleries also include Mimbres and Casas Grandes cultures, the ancient city of Paquime in Chihuahua, and the major regions of ancient Mexico West, Central, North and Maya. Reservations are not necessary but contact the museum with the number of people in your group if you plan to attend at 915-755-4332 or guidamr@elpasotexas.gov. Museum Location: El Paso Museum of Archaeol- ogy, 4301 Transmountain Road, El Paso, Texas 79924 in Northeast El Paso Information: 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpaso- texas.gov www.elpasotexas.gov/arch_museum/ Group viewing rock art mural in Diorama Gallery SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 25 Q&A Grooming can help keep pets healthy Q: Im a professional groomer, and I get physically sick to my stomach at how bad some dogs are when they come in. Can you tell people to pick up a brush and comb now and then? via Facebook A: Beauty is more than skin-deep when it comes to your dog. Keeping a pet well-groomed not only produces a clean- smelling companion, but it also helps to keep pets more com- fortable and helps owners to spot health problems before they become serious, even life-threatening. Im happy to spread the word. Consider a simple mat, so easy to overlook. Have you ever had your hair in a ponytail that was just a little too tight? A mat can feel the same way to your dog a constant pull on the skin. Try to imagine those all over your body, and you have a good idea how uncomfortable an ungroomed coat can be. Your dog need never know what a mat feels like if you keep him brushed and combed but thats just the start of the health benefits. Regular grooming allows you to look for lumps, bumps and injuries while clearing such things as mats and ticks from his coat. Follow up with your veterinar- ian on any questionable masses you find, and you may detect cancer early enough to save your pets life. Its also good for pet owners, since clean pets trigger fewer allergies. Clean, soft fur also makes pets more ... well, pet-able. And if you want a cleaner house, regular grooming will help with that, too. In my home, two of our dogs are furry hand-grenades, truly heavy shedders. We keep their long hair clipped short by our groomer, and that drops the shed rate remarkably. While every dog needs brushing and combing you brush your hair between salon visits, dont you? regularly scheduled grooming appointments will help you keep on top of hair care, and will help with the nail trims so many owners hate even more than most dogs do. Dr. Marty Becker Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMarty- Becker. Dog Day Swimming Event at Nations Tobin Aquatic Center, 8831 Railroad Drive September7th and 8th (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) Who: City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department, Animal Rescue League, El Paso Humane Society, and other Dog Adoption Agencies What: Dog Day Swim- ming Event When: September 7th and 8th (Saturday and Sunday) Where: Nations Tobin Aquatic Center, 8831 Railroad Drive, El Paso, Texas The Animal Rescue League will have dogs available for adoption along with other adop- tion agencies. The Drowning Prevention Coalition of El Paso will be on hand to give tips on water safety. The Humane Society will also be offering micro-chipping for dogs at $15 per dog while sup- plies last and dogs will be available for adop- tion. Information Stacy Wright (915) 544- 3556 29 33 34 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 27 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 28 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 29 Mini-Kitchen? Make It Grow Q: We bought our apartment last year while prices and inter- est rates were low, so we told ourselves it didn't matter that the kitchen was crowded and dark. It does matter! Can you give us some guide- lines on how to open it up some without spending a fortune in remodeling? A: I asked an expert. Kitchen designing calls for a specialist, a designer who also under- stands ingredients such as elec- trical and plumbing and load-bearing walls. My expert of choice is John Buscarello, a New York de- signer who discovered his niche in kitchens because he loves to cook and eat. It's a niche he fills often many New Yorkers have kitchens they can barely squeeze into. John also practices what he preaches: The warm galley kitchen we show here is his own. What started out as a scant 12-foot long and 7-foot wide gained some 3 extra feet of space when John knocked out the wall that sepa- rated it from the hallway (where the poster hangs). He also triaged the hall coat closet and pulled that space into the kitchen. Wherever you find it, every square foot is precious, John believes. "A small closed-in kitchen feels claustrophobic. I often end up opening kitchens to adjoining rooms." What if you can't actually reno- vate the space? "If you can't make it bigger, make it a jewel," the designer advises. Among his suggestions: Forget white. "People think you have to paint small spaces white or light colors. That just equals bland! Add spice with color real color on the backsplash, on the ceiling. ... Say, a light blue or green. Or pink! I've put a fleshy pink tone of the ceiling of a kitchen that had pink cabinets. Make the ceiling color inten- sive enough to read." Consider glass tiles for the backsplash. "Glass adds dimension. And it's easy to clean." (John's come from Artistic Tile, artistictile.com). Use cabinets with glass-fronted doors. "To show off decorative dishes. Not such a good idea if you're stor- ing cereal boxes." (John's maple cabinets are by Wood- Mode). Light it lovely. Under- cabinet lighting strips (and out- let strips) are attractive and effective over work counters. Continues on page 33 By Rose Bennett Gilbert Small is beautiful when you use space-enhancing ingredients, such as glass tile, glass-fronted cabinets and strategic lighting. Photo: Ariel Camilo SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 30 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 31 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 32 Continued from page 29 Floor show. In tight spaces, John favors large-format (12 x 24 inch) porce- lain tiles. "Big tiles make the floor itself look bigger," he reports. Q: Feeling in the pink? A: You're right on trend, according to a crew of professional forecasting compa- nies who came from around the globe to look into the future of design at last month's SURTEX in New York. It's the leading trade show for the sale and li- censing of original art, so the forecasters drew rapt attention from the artists, man- ufacturers and retailers who were there seeking the next big thing for 2014/2015. Whatever that turns out to be, it'll proba- bly be pink. "Pink is coming of age. ... Pink is big-time," declared Emmanuelle Linard of Edelkoort. For men, too, concurred Kim Palmeter of Pantone, who added that the pink-to- come will not be your cliche baby shade. Think of a pink that's "less sugary and more faded," she explained. It's also fashionable to be tickled pink, according to Cassandra Tsaknis of Style- sight. Among the future trends she cited is "Rapture," because "life is better when you are laughing." There's even an app for it, she said. It's called the "Serendip- iter." Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of "Manhattan Style" and six other books on interior design. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM Mini-Kitchen?... Rose Bennett Gilbert Q: Our heirloom couch is long and low. It dates back to the l960s, when people must have liked their seating closer to the floor. Anyway, the couch used to look fine in our old house where we had it under a big window. In our new house, there's no window wall, and it doesn't work. It just looks lost against the bare wall. What to do? A: You've got to accentuate the nega- tive. Put something important on that bare wall so it forms a unit with your low couch. Give it stature, if you will. A couple of easy suggestions: Stand a tall, attractive screen behind the couch (you can make one yourself from wood shelving boards hinged together and then wallpapered). Continues on next page Closing ranks above a tufted sofa, a dozen framed woodcuts turn a wall into the focal point of this red-white-and-blue sitting room. Photo: Courtesy Pearson Furniture SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 33 Continued from page 33 A variation on that theme: Hang a large tapestry, quilt or other interesting fabric on that wall. Even more dramatic, take a leaf from gifted de- signer Jennifer McConnell of Pearson Furniture, who turned a ho-hum wall into a focal point, cre- ating visual architecture with a dozen reproduc- tion woodcut portraits of ancient Roman rulers. The portraits are actually quite small, but Jen- nifer aggrandized them with oversized picture mats and frames, hung close together so they form a unit over the sofa. Who could resist coming in for a close-up look at the art (from Chelsea House, Inc., chelseahouse.com) and then lingering on the ele- gant tufted sofa below it? This study in red, white and blue also features classic tufted chairs, benches that prance on little bronze hooves, and a centerpiece of a red ottoman, a surprise stand- in for the usual cocktail table, all new from Pear- son Furniture (www.pearsonfurniture.com). COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM The Low-Down on Low Furniture... Big Ideas for Tiny Baths Rose Bennett Gilbert Q: How come you never talk about redecorating a bath? We have one so tiny my husband can touch both sidewalls with his elbows! We're thinking of remodeling, keeping the same floor space (5 x 7 feet) and changing fixtures and maybe the tile, which goes a half-wall up over the tub. We need inspiration and information. A: A dose of experience wouldn't hurt either. Who would have rehabbed more tiny baths than a designer working in New York City, where every square inch of space is precious? So I've picked the talented brain of designer John Buscarello (buscarello.com), who specializes in making more of less. The bath we show here is as space-deprived as yours, a weenie 5 x 7-ft. But John has waved his magic shoehorn and made it feel both larger and quite elegant in the process. Among of his pro- fessional suggestions: Get rid of your tired old tub. Ditto whatever "dreary" shower curtain goes with it. That space is better spent on an updated standing shower be- hind a stationary glass panel (a 30-inch opening lets you not splashes out on one side). Think tile allover. Tiling right up to and often, over the ceiling, European-style, will put your old-fashioned bath in a sleek, contempo- rary mood. Here, John has used subway (rectan- gular) tile but stacked, instead of staggering, it "to create a more modern feel." Work magic with mirrors. Not only are mir- rors de rigueur in any bath, they double the space you see. John also doubled their usefulness, in- stalling a pair of matching mirrored wall cabinets over the pedestal sink. Aggrandize the floor. Never mind that it's small. Laying oversized tile John used 12 x 24-inch porcelain tile will make the space look much larger. Other tips from the pro: "Don't be afraid of color in the bath," John counsels. The owner of this apartment was looking for tranquility in her new bath, he reports. Hence his choice of cool, calming aqua tile. An- other colorful idea: Create a feature wall with tile. Or opt for a paint color that speaks to you. "Just be sure to choose a paint that has a sheen finish" for both practical and esthetic reasons, he advises. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM A once-ordinary small bath makes quite a splash with aqua tile, glass shower wall and a double- helping of mirrored cabinets. Photo Courtesy of John A. Buscarello, Inc. Interior Design. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 34 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 35 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 38 Now Showing The Smurfs 2 Now Showing Rated: PG Genre: Fantasy, Comedy Evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) has plagued the happy, peaceful Smurfs for a very long time. Finally, he succeeds in chasing the little blue people from their village and through a magic portal -- which transports them to Manhattan and into the life of ad executive Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris). Only three apples high and lost in the Big Apple, the Smurfs (Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Katy Perry) must find a way back to their world before Gargamel tracks them down. Starring: Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sof a Vergara, Tim Gunn, Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, Kenan Thompson, Jeff Foxworthy, John Olive Runtime 104 min MPAA Rating R for Graphic Dialogue, Drug and Alcohol Use, All Involving Teens, Language, Strong Crude & Sex- ual Content. Starring Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Sarah Steele, Scott Porter, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz- Plasse, Andy Sam- berg, Donald Glover, Adam Pally, Clark Gregg, Connie Brit- ton, Bryce Clyde Jenkins, Nolan Gould Genre Comedy Synopsis It's 1993, and high-school valedictorian Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza) decides she needs to shed her uptight image before college. She puts together a list of all the activi- ties -- including sex -- she missed in high school. When she soon realizes she is out of her depth, Brandy enlists the aid of her friends, older sister, and boss. Summer marches on, and members of the group realize that they will need plenty of imagination and open mindedness to complete her project be- fore September. 2 GUNS Open Nationwide 08/02/13 Runtime 109 min MPAA Rating R for Vio- lence Throughout, Lan- guage, Brief Nudity. Starring Denzel Washing- ton, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, James Marsden, Fred Ward, Ed- ward James Olmos, Robert John Burke, Greg Sproles, Patrick Fischler, Derek Solorsano, Edgar Arreola, Kyle Russell Clements, Matthew Cook, Timothy Bell, Tait G. Fletcher, Jesus Payan Jr. Genre Action, Thriller Synopsis For the past year, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Denzel Washington) and U.S. Navy intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) have been working under cover as members of a narcotics syndicate. The twist: Neither man knows that the other is an undercover agent. When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, the men are dis- avowed by their superiors. Trench and Stigman must go on the run lest they wind up in jail or in a grave. THE TO DO LIST PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS Open Nationwide 08/07/13 Runtime 106 min MPAA Rating PG for Mild Language, Fantasy Action Violence, Some Scary Images. Starring Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Douglas Smith, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Head, Nathan Fillion Genre Adventure, Fantasy Synopsis To find the magic Golden Fleece and save Camp Half-Blood, demigod Percy (Logan Lerman) and his friends undertake a dangerous odyssey into the area known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle. WE'RE THE MILLERS Open Nationwide 08/07/13 Runtime 110 min MPAA Rating R for Crude Sexual Content, Brief Graphic Nudity, Drug Material, Pervasive Lan- guage. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Will Poulter, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms, Nick Offer- man, Kathryn Hahn, Molly Quinn, Tomer Sisley, Matthew Willig, Luis Guzmn, Thomas Lennon, Mark L. Young, Ken Marino Genre Comedy, Action Synopsis Small-time pot dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished; trying to help some teens, he is jumped by thugs and loses his cash and stash. Now, David's in big debt to his supplier and -- to wipe the slate clean -- he must go to Mexico to pick up the guy's latest shipment. To accom- plish his mission, Dave devises a foolproof plan: He packs a fake family into a huge RV and heads south of the border for a wild weekend that is sure to end with a bang. Open Nationwide 08/09/13 Runtime 92 min MPAA Rating PG for Some Mild Action, Rude Humor. Starring Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Priyanka Chopra, John Cleese, Cedric the Entertainer, Carlos Alazraqui, Roger Craig Smith, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Sinbad, Gabriel Iglesias, Brent Musburger, Colin Cowherd, Oliver Kalkofe, John Ratzen- berger Genre Comedy, Adventure, Animated Synopsis Dusty is a small-town plane who dreams of one day competing as a high-flying air racer. However, poor Dusty has two strikes against him: He's not built for racing, and he's terribly afraid of heights. To achieve his dream, Dusty turns to naval avi- ator Skipper. Skipper helps Dusty qualify to take on Ripslinger, the race circuit's defending champion. Dusty's courage faces the ultimate test, as he takes aim at heights he never dreamed were possible. PLANES SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 39 *FILL THE VOID (PG)10:45 am | 12:55 pm | 3:00 pm | 5:15 pm 7:35 pm | 9:50 pm *KEVINHART: LETMEEXPLAIN(R) | 10:40 pm 2D LOS PITUFOS 2 (DOBLADA EN ES- PANOL) (PG) 12:15 pm | 5:10 pm | 10:00 pm 3DLOSPITUFOS2 (DOBLADAENESPANOL) (PG) 2:45 pm | 7:35 pm 2D MAN OF STEEL (PG-13)1:00 pm | 4:15 pm | 7:30 pm | 10:45 pm NOW YOU SEE ME (PG-13) 9:45 am | 12:15 pm | 2:45 pm 5:25 pm | 7:55 pm | 10:25 pm *2D R.I.P.D. (PG-13)| 11:00 am | 1:30 pm | 4:00 pm | 7:45 pm | 10:05 pm *THE CONJURING (R) | 10:00 am 11:00am | 12:35pm | 1:35pm 3:15pm|4:15 pm 5:50 pm 7:30 pm | 8:30 pm | 10:10 pm | 11:05 pm *THE LONE RANGER (PG-13)12:40 pm | 4:00 pm | 7:10 pm 10:20 pm *D-BOX THE LONE RANGER (PG) 12:40 pm | 4:00 pm | 7:10 pm | 10:20 pm 2D THE SMURFS 2 (PG) | 9:45 am 10:35 am | 11:45 am | 12:30 pm 2:15 pm | 4:50pm | 5:35pm | 7:15pm 9:45pm |10:35 pm 3D THE SMURFS 2 (PG)10:15 am | 3:00 pm | 8:00 pm THE TO DO LIST (R)10:10 am | 12:30 pm | 2:50 pm 5:20 pm | 7:40 pm | 10:00 pm *2D THE WOLVERINE (PG-13)9:45 am | 10:15am |12:35pm 1:05pm | 3:25pm |4:15 pm | 7:00 pm | 9:50 pm *3D THE WOLVERINE (PG-13)11:00 am | 2:10pm | 5:00pm 7:30pm | 7:50pm | 10:25 pm *WHITE HOUSE DOWN (PG-13) | 10:10 am | 1:15 pm | 4:20 pm | 7:20 pm | 10:35 pm * -- denotes Pass Restricted features EAST POINTE MOVIES 12 I-10 & Lee Trevino Schedule good for Friday August 9th PREMIERE MONTWOOD 7 Schedule good for 8/9 - 8/15 AFTER EARTH (PG-13)11:20am | 2:00pm | 4:25 pm | 7:35 pm | 10:00 pm 2D EPIC (PG)11:25 am | 4:35 pm | 9:45 pm 3D EPIC (PG) 2:05 pm | 7:10 pm FAST & FURIOUS 6 (PG-13)11:45 am | 3:45 pm | 6:45 pm 9:35 pm 2D MAN OF STEEL (PG-13) 11:15 am | 6:15 pm 3D MAN OF STEEL (PG-13) 2:30 pm | 9:20 pm 2D STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (PG-13) | 11:35 am | 6:35 pm 2D THE CROODS (PG)11:30am | 2:05 pm | 4:45 pm | 7:10 pm | 9:50 pm THE INTERNSHIP (PG-13) 2:45 pm | 9:30 pm THE PURGE (R)12:00 pm | 2:15 pm | 4:30 pm | 7:05 pm | 9:15 pm 2200 N. Yarbrough Premiere Cinemas 6101 Gateway West S.15 AFTER EARTH (PG-13) | 11:50a | 2:10p | 5:10p | 7:30p | 9:55p 2D EPIC (PG) 11:05a | 4:00p | 8:55p 3D EPIC (PG) 1:30p | 6:30p FAST AND FURIOUS 6 (PG-13) | 11:25a | 12:30p | 2:40p | 3:20p | 5:30p | 6:45p | 8:30p | 9:45p KEVIN HART LET ME EXPLAIN (R) | 11:15a | 1:35p | 4:10p | 7:00p | 9:15p 2D MAN OF STEEL (PG-13) | 12:05p | 3:10p | 6:35p | 9:40p 3D MAN OF STEEL (PG-13) | 11:20a | 2:25p | 6:00p | 9:00p PAIN AND GAIN (R) 3:30p | 9:25p 2D STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (PG-13) | 12:10p | 6:25p 3D STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (PG-13) | 3:05p | 9:30p 2D THE CROODS (PG) 11:00a | 3:40p | 8:45p 3D THE CROODS (PG) 1:20p | 6:15p 2D THE GREAT GATSBY (PG-13) | 12:20p | 6:20p THE INTERNSHIP (PG-13) | 11:00a | 1:45p | 4:35p | 7:15p | 10:00p THE PURGE (R) | 11:10a | 1:40p | 4:45p | 7:10p | 9:20p Schedule good for 8/9 - 8/15 CINEMARK CIELO VISTA Gateway West Blvd/Cielo Vista Mall CINEMARK 14 - EL PASO West side of El Paso at Mesa & I-10 Las Palmas i-10 @ Zaragosa Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters PG106 Mins 12:50pm | 3:45pm 6:30pm | 9:20pm Digital Cinema 11:30am | 2:20pm | 5:10pm | 7:55pm | 10:50pm We're the Millers R110 Mins Digital Cin- ema 11:00am | 12:00pm | 1:55pm | 2:55pm | 4:50pm | 5:50pm | 7:45pm | 8:45p 10:40p 11:40pm 2 Guns R109 Mins Digital Cinema 11:40am | 1:05pm | 2:30pm | 3:55pm | 5:20pm | 6:40pm | 8:05pm | 9:25pm | 10:55pm The WolverinePG-13 126 Mins 11:20am | 2:15pm | 5:10pm | 8:05pm Digital Cin- ema 1:00pm | 3:55pm | 6:50p 9:45p 11:20pm The Smurfs 2 PG102 Mins12:40pm | 3:20pm | 6:10pm Digital Cinema 11:15am | 2:00pm | 4:45p 7:35p 10:30pm Elysium R109 Mins 10:30am | 1:10pm | 4:00pm | 7:05pm | 10:00pmDigital Cin- ema 11:25am | 12:20pm | 2:10pm | 3:05pm | 5:00pm | 6:00pm | 8:10p 9:05p 11:10pm Planes PG92 Mins 12:10pm | 2:45pm | 5:35pm | 8:15pm Digital Cinema 10:45am | 1:20pm | 4:10p 7:00p 9:30pm The Conjuring R111 Mins Digital Cin- ema 10:55am | 1:45pm | 4:35pm | 7:25p 10:20p 11:45pm Red 2 PG-13116 Mins Digital Cinema10:05pm Turbo PG96 Mins 2:15pm | 7:30pm Digital Cinema 11:45am | 4:55pm Grown Ups 2 PG-13 100 Mins Digital Cin- ema 11:35am | 2:25pm | 5:05pm | 7:40pm | 10:25pm Pacific Rim PG-13131 Mins 9:00pm Despicable Me 2 PG98 Mins1:40pm | 9:55pmDigital Cinema 11:05am | 4:40pm | 7:15pm The HeatR116 Mins Digital Cinema 10:35am | 1:30pm | 4:25pm | 7:20pm | 10:15pm World War ZPG- 13115 Mins 10:45pm Schedule good for Friday Aug 9th TINSELTOWN Percy Jackson: Sea of MonstersPG106 Mins9:20am | 3:50pm 10:15pmDigital Cinema 12:40pm | 7:20pm We're the Millers R110 MinsDigital Cinema 9:30am | 10:15am | 12:50pm | 1:35pm | 4:00pm | 7:30pm | 8:15pm 10:35p 11:10pm 2 GunsR109 Mins Digital Cinema 10:30am | 1:25pm | 4:40pm | 7:45pm | 10:50pm The WolverinePG-13126 Mins9:00am | 3:45pm | 10:30pmDigital Cinema 12:15pm | 7:10pm The Smurfs 2 PG 102 Mins9:25am | 3:25pm 9:25pmDigital Cinema 12:25pm | 6:25pm ElysiumR109 Mins 9:00am | 12:10pm | 3:30pm | 7:00pm | 10:05pmDigital Cinema 10:35am | 1:45pm | 4:55p 8:05pm | 11:05pm Planes PG92 Mins 9:05am | 3:15pm | 9:35pmDigital Cinema 12:05pm | 6:45pm The Conjuring R111 MinsDigital Cinema 10:25am | 1:40pm | 4:50p 7:55pm | 11:00pm Red 2PG-13116 Mins Digital Cinema 9:10am | 12:20pm | 3:35pm | 6:55pm | 10:00pm TurboPG96 Mins 12:30pm | 6:15pm Digital Cinema 9:50am | 3:40pm Grown Ups 2 PG-13100 Mins Digital Cinema 10:10am | 1:30pm | 4:35p 7:35pm | 10:20pm Pacific RimPG-13131 MinsDigital Cinema 4:45pm Despicable Me 2 PG98 Mins9:15am | 3:20pm | 9:10pm Digital Cinema 12:45pm | 6:35pm The HeatR116 Mins Digital Cinema 9:45pm Schedule good for Friday Aug 9th Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters PG106 Mins9:15pmDigital Cin- ema 10:15am | 1:15pm | 4:15pm | 7:15pm | 10:15pm We're the Millers R110 MinsDigital Cin- ema 10:30am | 11:30am | 1:30pm | 2:30pm | 4:30pm | 5:30pm | 7:30pm | 8:30pm | 10:30pm 2 GunsR109 Mins Digital Cinema10:25am | 1:25pm | 2:25pm | 4:25pm | 5:25pm | 7:25pm | 8:25pm | 10:25pm ElysiumR109 Mins Digital Cinema10:20am | 11:20am | 1:20pm | 2:20pm | 4:20pm | 5:20pm | 7:20pm | 8:20pm | 10:20pm Planes PG92 Mins 11:00am | 2:00pm | 5:00pmDigital Cinema 10:00am | 1:00pm | 4:00pm | 7:00pm | 10:00pm TurboPG96 Mins 11:10am | 5:10pm Digital Cinema 1:10pm | 7:10pm Grown Ups 2 PG-13100 Mins Digital Cinema10:35am | 1:35pm | 4:35pm | 7:35pm | 10:35pm Pacific RimPG-13131 Mins 9:00pm The Way, Way Back PG-13103 Mins Digital Cinema 1:05pm | 7:05pm Despicable Me 2 PG98 Mins2:10pm | 8:10pmDigital Cinema 10:10am | 4:10pm | 10:10pm The HeatR116 Mins Digital Cinema 10:05am | 4:05pm | 10:05pm Monsters University G102 MinsDigital Cin- ema 11:45am World War ZPG-13115 Mins11:15am | 2:15pm | 5:15pm Schedule good for Friday Aug 9th Schedule good for 8/9 2 GUNS (R)11:00 | 1:35 | 4:10 | 7:15 | 9:50 | 12:00am CONJURING, THE (R) 11:00 | 1:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 | 12:00am DESPICABLE ME 2, 2D (PG) 11:00 | 1:30 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:30 ELYSIUM (R)10:00 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 2:10 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:15 | 9:30 | 11:00 | 12:00am GROWN UPS 2 (PG13)12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 PACIFIC RIM 2D (PG13)11:00 | 2:00 | 5:00 | 8:00 | 11:15 PERCY JACKSON:SEA O/MONSTERS2D (PG) 11:30 | 4:50 | 10:10 PERCY JACKSON:SEA O/ MONSTERS3D (PG)2:10 | 7:30 PLANES 2D (PG)10:00 | 12:25 | 1:25 | 2:50 | 4:15 | 5:15 | 6:40 | 7:40 | 9:05 | 10:05 | 11:30 PLANES 3D (PG)11:00 SMURFS 2, 2D (PG) 11:00 | 1:35 | 4:10 | 7:05 | 10:00 SMURFS 2, 2D SP DUBBED (PG)12:00 | 10:15 SMURFS 2, 3D (PG)2:35 | 5:10 | 7:45 TURBO 2D (PG) 12:30 | 3:00 | 5:30 | 8:00 WERE THE MILLERS (R) 11:15 | 1:55 | 4:35 | 7:15 | 9:55 | 12:00am WOLVERINE 2D, THE (PG13) 11:15 | 5:15 | 8:15 | 11:15 WOLVERINE 3D,THE (PG13) 2:15 Now Showing
ELYSIUM(R) 11:35 2:10 4:45 7:20 9:55 (12:30) PLANES (PG) 2:30 4:40 7:10 9:25 (11:30) PLANES IN 3D (PG) Fri.-Wed. 12:15 PM PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS (PG) 2:20 4:50 7:30 10:05 (12:30) PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS IN 3D (PG) Fri.-Wed. 11:45 AM WERE THE MILLERS (R) 11:50 2:30 5:05 7:40 10:20 (12:35) 2 GUNS (R) Fri.-Wed. 12:20 2:55 5:25 7:55 10:25 THE SMURFS 2 IN 3D (PG) Fri.-Tue. 12:30 PM THE SMURFS 2 (PG) 11:30 2:00 4:30 7:00 9:35 (12:05) THE WOLVERINE IN 3D (PG13) Fri.-Tue. 12:25 PM THE WOLVERINE (PG13) 3:25 6:40 9:40 (12:30) THE CONJURING (R) 11:40 2:25 5:00 7:45 10:15 (12:35) R.I.P.D. (PG13) 9:30 (12:15) RED 2 (PG13) Fri.-Tue. 6:30 PM TURBO (PG) Fri.-Tue. 12:05 2:35 4:55 GROWN UPS 2 (PG13) 7:15 9:45 (12:10) DESPICABLE ME 2 (PG) Fri.-Tue. 3:30 PM TIMES FOR AUGUST 9 - AUGUST 15 ELYSIUM Open Nationwide 08/09/13 Runtime 109 min MPAA Rating R for Strong Bloody Violence, Lan- guage Throughout. Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Cop- ley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner, Brandon Auret, Josh Blacker, Emma Tremblay, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Maxwell Perry Cotton, Faran Tahir, Adrian Holmes, Jared Keeso Genre Science fiction, Drama, Action Synopsis In the year 2159, humanity is sharply divided between two classes of people: The ultrarich live aboard a luxurious space station called Elysium, and the rest live a hardscrabble existence in Earth's ruins. His life hanging in the balance, a man named Max (Matt Damon) agrees to undertake a dangerous mission that could bring equal- ity to the population, but Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Fos- ter) vows to preserve the pampered lifestyle of Elysium's citizens, no matter what the cost. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 40 If you want your upcoming event listed in SPOTLIGHTS Out & About section, please send all your relevant data by e-mail to: editorial@spotlightepnews.com Out & About Calendar of upcoming events for El Paso/ Southern New Mexico are from August 8th - 14th, 2013 P H O T O S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y P H O T O S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y P H O T O S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y NORTHEAST/ CENTRAL El Paso Diablos Baseball - The American Association minor league teams 2013 season runs through Aug. 25 at Cohen Sta- dium in Northeast El Paso. Tickets: $8 box seats; $7 gen- eral admission; free for ages 4 and younger. Information: 755- 2000 or diablos.com. Aug. 8-10: Amarillo Sox. Garfield special appearance Aug. 10. The Border Run El Paso County Sheriffs Office MWR committee hosts the 5K 21-obstacle course race Satur- day, Aug. 10, at Ascarate Park, 6900 Delta. First wave begins at 8 a.m. with waves every half hour through 2 p.m.; 200 per- sons per wave. Technical t-shirt and finisher medals for first 2,500 participants. Free mini- course offered for kids. Cost: $45. Online registration at raceadventuresunlimited.com. Freeway column mural unveiling The unveiling event for Gabriel S. Gaytns new Freeway Col- umn Mural at Chicano Park Dos, #13 Matlac-iuan-yei, is 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, at Lin- coln Park, 4001 Durazno, with special guest Danza Omecoatl Danza Azteca. The mural de- picts the 13 lunar cycles, and represents the importance of the number 13 in many indige- nous cultures. Presented with support of the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and Texas Com- mission on the Arts. Informa- tion: elpasotexas.gov/mcad. Mercado Mayapan Farmers Market La Mujer Obrera and Centro Mayapan host the market 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays at Caf Mayapn, 2000 Texas. Local and naturally grown pro- duce, and Mexican fair-trade artisanry for sale. Breakfast and lunch available. Information: 217-1126 or mujerobrera.org. EASTSIDE El Paso Psychic Fair The fair is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11, at the Hawthorn Inn, 1700 Airway (at Boeing). Admission: $5 for both days (private readings not included with admission). Free admis- sion with active duty military I.D. Information: 345-6245 or elpasopsychicfair.com. MISSION VALLEY Fiesta de San Lorenzo The annual celebration at San Lorenzo Catholic Church in Clint is Sat- urday, Aug. 10. Procession be- gins at 3 a.m. around the San Elizario Parish to San Lorenzo with recitation of Rosary, hymns and matachines. Mass begins at 5 a.m. in honor of San Lorenzo with a bilingual mari- achi mass at 10 a.m. followed by a procession around the fi- esta grounds. Admission is free to all events. Information: 851- 2255. El Paso Dodge Ram Dealers Southwestern In- ternational PRCA Rodeo The 84th annual rodeo is Aug. 8-11 at El Paso County Coliseum, 4100 E. Paisano. Cowboys and cowgirls from all over the world are scheduled to participate in El Pasos only professional rodeo featuring nightly performances and live entertainment. Per- formances are 7:30 p.m. Thurs- day through Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $10-$20 (Ticketmaster). DOWNTOWN Cool Canyon Nights The summer se- ries of free outdoor summer concerts are 6:15 p.m. Thurs- days at McKelligon Canyon, Amphitheatre. Information: 544-9550 or coolcanyon- nights.com. Aug. 8: Brown Betty Alfresco! Fridays The 11th season of free out- door concerts are 6 p.m. Fri- days at Arts Festival Plaza (between El Paso Museum of Art and Plaza Theatre). Pre- sented by the El Paso Conven- tion and Performing Arts Centers and the El Paso Con- vention and Visitors Bureau. No outside food or beverages, or pets allowed. Information: 534-0665 or alfrescofridays.com. Aug. 9: Windy City (Chicago Tribute Band). Tea Dance USA Desert Dancers host a tea dance to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, at Shundo Dance Studio, 2719 Stanton, with Latin, country, rhythm, swing and ballroom dancing. No partner needed. Admission: $10 ($7 members; $5 age 7 and younger); includes dance lessons. Information: Diana, 487-9396, Nellie (please text), (575) 405-7961 or desert- danceusa.com. Desert Dancers is a nonprofit organization organized and op- erates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Farmers Market at Ardovinos Desert Crossing The 12th annual market runs 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays. This producers only market runs through mid-October and features quality farmers, back- yard gardeners and artisans. In- formation: (575) 589-0653, ext. 3. From El Paso, take Race Track Drive across the Rio Grande and across McNutt Road (NM 273), continue past the post office and turn left on Ardovino. Downtown Artist and Farmers Mar- ket The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Departments market for area artists are Saturdays in the Union Plaza District along An- thony Street. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Continues on page 43 P H O T O S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y P H O T O S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y Farmers Market at Ardovinos Desert Crossing SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 41 The El Paso Museum of Art announces Moving Pictures: Production Art from the Academy Library July 28 September 8, 2013 Peter and Margaret de Wetter Gallery Moving Pictures: Produc- tion Art from the Academy Library open to the public Sunday, July 28, 2013 in the Peter and Margaret de Wetter Gallery at the El Paso Mu- seum of Art. Entrance to the Museum and this exhibition are free to the public. Featuring a rare collection of original production design artwork from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Moving Pic- tures: Production Art from the Academy Library in- cludes storyboards, concept sketches, paintings and draw- ings by major art directors and illustrators. The collec- tion illuminates the creative process behind some of the cinemas most iconic mo- ments. This exhibition is pre- sented in partnership with the Plaza Classic Film Festival. Plaza Classic Film Fes- tival Film Screenings at EPMA Local Flavor: Among The Dust of Thieves With the short films The Morning After, Chimera, and For Future Reference. Saturday, August 10, 2013 1:00 pm Free Digital, Approx. 100 minutes Directed by Sean Pilcher and Matt Wilson, Bob Diven, Marcela Salmon and Keagan Karnes respectively. 2011 - 2013 New Mexico filmmakers Sean Pilcher and Matt Wil- son bring the true story of the disappearance of Col. Foun- tain to the screen for the first time. Set in 1896, Doa Ana County Sheriff Pat Garrett and District Attorney Col. Albert Fountain pursue a course of action designed to bring an end to the maraud- ing cattle rustling that plagued many of the family ranchers throughout parts of Southern New Mexico. Also screening with this film are the short films The Morning After by Bob Diven, Chimera by Aron Hethcox, and For Future Reference by Keagan Karnes. Local Flavor: Ghostlight 48 Hour Film Slam Sunday, August 11, 2013 2:00 pm Free Digital, Approx. 100 minutes Local marketing firm Ghost- light Creative hosted its sec- ond-ever film slam in July where local filmmakers were challenged with writing, shooting and editing an 8minute short film in just 48 hours. Enjoy all of the com- pleted entries from the 2013 Ghostlight 48 Hour Film Slam, including the winning films: X by Appleseed Films, Merrrder Town by Poop the Dick Productions, and You're it by Buntastic Productions. Local Flavor: Shorts II Saturday, August 10, 2013 3pm Free Digital, Approx. 100 minutes The borderland is home to a thriving independent film- making community and the Plaza Classic loves celebrat- ing the work of our home- grown talent. Join us for a full program of recent short films by some of the regions up and coming film artists. The program will include Krisstian de Laras Limbo, Edmundo Lozanos Eye on the Prize, Jose Cortez Dis- tortion, Farshi Farrokhnia Da Twee Wittle Piggies, Ellie Ann Fentons Lucha, An- thony Salgados 3 Faces of Juan Talamantes, Jorge Salas Downtown EP 13, Michael Huantes Another Mans Life, Sean Sidas The Past and Keagan Karnes For Fu- ture Reference. Parking is available at the Convention Center, Camino Real Hotel, and Mills Plaza Parking Garage for a small fee. Limited metered parking is available on Main Street. Free metered parking on Sat- urdays and Sundays. The El Paso Playhouse presents Neil Simons The Odd Couple El Paso, Texas The El Paso Play- house entered its 50th Season on July 5, 2013 and will run through May 31, 2014. Throughout the season we will feature familiar and not-so familiar plays, talented local actors, artists, tech- nicians and theater lovers who have made the Playhouse the longest, per- forming community theater in the El Paso area. The El Paso Playhouse is proud to pres- ent the second show of its Golden An- niversary on August 16th and play through September 7th with Neil Simons hilarious comedy with a twist, The Odd Couple (The Female Version), directed by Darci Georges. Instead of the poker party that begins the original ver- sion, Olive Madison and Florence Unger have invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Con- stanzuela brothers. But the hilarity re- mains the same as the roommates argue to find a compromise. Located at 2501 Montana Avenue - Opening night offers a reception with free finger foods and desserts to our pa- trons with the purchase of a ticket. Ticket prices are as follows: $10 for general ad- mission, $8, seniors (62+), $7, students and military, and groups of ten or more, $7 each. Showtimes are Fridays and Sat- urdays at 8 PM and Sunday matinees at 2 PM. "Very funny indeed." - New York Post The El Paso Playhouse: The El Paso Playhouse is a community theatre that provides entertainment and educational experiences to a diverse multicultural population through the high quality production of plays and the- atrical events. The Playhouse provides a venue for artists, technicians, patrons and community members to participate in the arts through regularly scheduled season productions, childrens perform- ances and holiday performances. We have lived off of the participation of our volunteers, patrons and on-going sup- port from the community over the past half a century. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 42 August 2013 Award Winning Foreign Movies Saturday, August 17 A Sons Room(La Stanza del Figlio) Nanni Moretti, Laura Morante, Jasmine Trinca, Giuseppe Sanfelice Miramax Films; Directed by Nanni Moretti Rated R; 99 minutes; 2002 In Italian with English subtitles This tale of the trials of a modern family living in Italy follows the familys complicated path of grief and struggle to make sense of the accidental death of their son. Their lives are shaken up when their sons girlfriend enters the scene and takes the family on a much- needed transi- tional journey. Saturday, August 24 - Rosetta Emilie De- quenne, Fab- rizio Rongione USA Films; Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne Rated R; 94 minutes; 2000 In French with English subtitles A despondent Belgian girl searches for employ- ment after her recent layoff to avoid becoming, like her mother, an alcoholic trailer-park prosti- tute. The seemingly simple task turns into a des- perate struggle forcing her to make unbelievable moral decisions that will affect not only her life, but the life of a young man attracted to her. Saturday, August 31 Tsotsi Presley Chweneyagae, Mothusi Magano, Is- rael Makoe, Percy Matsemela Miramax Films; Directed by Gavin Hood Rated R; 94 minutes; 2006 In African dialect with English subtitles The film traces six days in the lonely, violent life of Tsotsi (meaning thug), a ruthless, young gang leader in South Africa. Tsotsi rarely thinks beyond his next crime, but when a carjacking re- sults in the accidental kidnapping of a baby, he comes to care for the child and begins to gradu- ally rediscover his humanity, dignity, and capac- ity to love. THE GONDOLIERS The Gilbert & Sullivan Company of El Paso performs this Classic Operatic Comedy for its 44th season EL PASO, TX Celebrating its 44th anniversary, the Gilbert & Sullivan Company of El Paso proudly presents The Gondoliers or The King of Barataria for its summer 2013 season. The Gondoliers was written by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as a comic satire on class dis- tinctions. The plot follows two handsome gon- doliers in Venice as they attempt to run the government after they learn that one of them is the King of Barataria. The operetta also tells the story of Casilda, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, as she deals with the re- cent news that she was married to the missing King of Barataria as an infant, making her the queen of Barataria. This light-hearted produc- tion has beautiful music, a happy theme and a surprise ending! The production cast, com- posed of local volunteer talent, is aptly led by Stephanie J. Conwell, Artistic Director, Marsha Watley, Vocal Director and Ballard Coldwell, Accompanist. Performance schedule is as follows: Chamizal National Memorial Theater (El Paso, Texas) 800 S. San Marcial. El Paso, TX Friday, August 16 at 7:00 pm Saturday, August 17 at 7:00 pm Sunday, August 18 at 2:30 pm TICKETS: Advance purchase: $10 adults / $8 students, seniors and military At the door: $12 adults/$10 students, seniors and military. Group rates are available. Visit GandSelpaso.org or phone (915) 591-6210 or email at gandsel- paso@sbcglobal.net You can also find us on Facebook The Gilbert & Sullivan Company of El Paso was founded in 1969 by Joan Quarm (dec.). The company is funded and supported in part by the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. P IC T U R E F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y The El Paso Museum of Art Algur H. Meadow Library announces World Cinema Series August 2013 El Paso Energy Auditorium Saturdays @ 2:00 PM SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 43 F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y Continued from page 40 Downtown Artist and Farmers Mar- ket.... Space for about 53 artists avail- able each month. Information: 541-4942. The market now includes a Farmers Market with region- ally grown agricultural prod- ucts. Godspell Youth Opera of El Paso presents Stephen Schwartzs (Wicked) 2012 revised edition of the mu- sical at 7 p.m. Friday and Satur- day, Aug. 9-10, at Chamizal National Memorial, 800 S. San Marcial. This Broadway fa- vorite is based on the Book of Matthew, with its rock n roll, high energy vibe newly scored for the 2011 revival featuring Hunter Parrish. Tickets: $10. Information: 449-4069 or 309- 5247 (en Espaol). Petes Eats tail- gate party El Paso Mu- seum of History hosts a tailgate party celebrating UTEP and its centennial 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at Cleveland Square Park, with tailgate food pro- vided by El Paso restaurants. Proceeds benefit the museums 2014 Giants Gallery. Admis- sion: $25. Information: Jim, 351-3588. SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO Lincoln County Fair The 60th annual fair is Aug. 5-10, at the County Fairgrounds at 5th and Hwy 48 in Capitan, N.M. (north of Rui- doso). Admission is free. Infor- mation: (575) 648-2311. Miss A&O and Miss Outstanding Teen Pageants 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9-10, at the Flickinger Center for Per- forming Arts, 1110 New York Ave. Alamogordo. Information: (575) 437-2202 or flickinger- center.com. The Ultimate Elvis Concert Elvis tribute artist Justin Shandor performs at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, Continues on page 45 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 44 DJ SPOTLIGHT | CYRIL HAHN The best music is made by those who expose our very guilty pleasures with unde- niable, stimulating cre- ations. This can be said of the mere samples we have received this year from rising producer CYRIL HAHN. The Bern, Switzerland na- tive experimented early on with music production dur- ing high school and aban- doned it after leaving his hometown to pursue post- secondary in Vancouver, Canada. After a 3 year hiatus from music, feeling a need to return to his for- mer love, he sat down and did what is considered by some to be taboo: stripped down two iconic R&B songs and gave them his unique atmospheric twist: Mariah Careys TOUCH MY BODY and Destinys Child SAY MY NAME. Cyrils remixes instantly hit a nerve with internet fans & other artists after uploading to his Soundcloud, espe- cially the Destinys Child anthem. This summer, SAY MY NAME hit #1 on HYPEM in under 2 weeks, selected as the final track by Diplo for his BBC Radio 1 mix show, and posted as a fa- vorite on the fan page of global trendsetting group the xx. This fall Annie Mac also fell in love with the song, playing it on her radio show, at many of her shows, and mentioning it in her interviews as one of her addictive tracks of the year. SAY MY NAME now has over half a million plays on Soundcloud, countless tribute videos with over 2 million YouTube views, and con- sidered by many to be a favorite of 2012. Toward the end of the year, Cyril released addi- tional remixes that have become crowd favorites: a hauntingly melodious remix of UK Electropop duo Alpines single CHANCES, the atmos- pheric remix of Solanges LOSING YOU, an up- tempo, high-energy remix for US sister trio HAIMs DONT SAVE ME, the addic- tive, sultry, remix of Jessie Wares SWEET TALK, and the larger than life remix of the young songstress Gabrielle Aplins PLEASE DONT SAY YOU LOVE ME. Cyril will continue to feed your guilty pleasures with memorable shows & music for years to come. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 45 P IC T U R E S F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y Nightlife calendar Music Releases August 13th Luke Bryan- Crash my party Pineapple Thief - One Three Seven Brittany Spears - Ooh La La Tricia - Radiate Blackfoot - Strikes Paul Oakenfold - We are Planet Perfecto 3 Mad Men Original Soundtrack Denita Gibbs - Without You Samo - inevtiable August 9th Bicep @ Lowbrow Palace August 16th Troy Pierce at The Network August 22nd Simian Mobile Disco @Lowbrow Palace September 1st Sun City Music Festival @Ascarate Park Continued from page 43.. The Ultimate Elvis Concert... at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino, Mescalero, N.M. Tickets: $50 (deadline to purchase is Aug 6). Infor- mation: 1-877-277-5677 or in- nofthemountaingods.com. Chubby Checker The singer behind The Twist phenomenon performs with his band the Wildcats at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at Spencer Theater for Perform- ing Art, Airport Hwy 220 in Alto, N.M. (about 12 miles north of downtown Ruidoso). The Twist been ranked as Billboards biggest chart hit of all time, and Checker is also the only recording artist to place five albums in the Top 12 all at once. Other hits in- clude Lets Twist Again, Pony Time and Limbo Rock. Tickets: $76 and $79. Information: (575) 336-4800, (888) 818-7872 or spencerthe- ater.com. Silver City Gun Show The 33rd annual show is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satur- day and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun- day, Aug. 10-11, at the National Guard Armory, 11990 US 180, Bayard, N.M. Buy- sell-trade displays for guns, knives, ammo, turquoise jew- elry, coins, reloading equip- ment, western and military memorabilia and more. Ad- mission: $4 (children 12 and younger free with adult). Sponsored by Gila Fish and Gun Club. Information: (575) 388-2360. Dames at Sea Las Cruces Community The- atre opens its season with the musical by George Haimsohn, Robin Miller and Jime Wise Aug. 2-18. Directed by Janet Mazdra. Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Satur- days and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $10 ($9 seniors, stu- dents, military; $8 per person for groups of 10 or more; $7 children under six). Informa- tion: (575) 523-1200 or lc- ctnm.org. A long-running hit off-Broad- way brought stardom to Bernadette Peters in this campy show based on the nos- talgia of Hollywood musicals of the 30s. Music in the Park The Las Cruces summer concert series is 6 p.m. Sun- days in August at Young Park, 1905 E. Nevada. No pets al- lowed. Admission is free. In- formation: (575) 541-22550 or las-cruces.org. Aug. 11 Remember Then...a Class Act (oldies). WEST TEXAS Big Bend Ranch Rodeo The annual WCRA rodeo is Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9-10, at the Sul Ross State University S.A.L.E. arena, Hwy 90 E, in Alpine. Area cowboys com- pete for cash and prizes in var- ious events. Performances begin at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. both days. Admission: $8 (free for children under 12). Informa- tion: (432) 364-2696 or big- bendranchrodeo.com. F O R IL L U S T R A T IO N P U R P O S E S O N L Y Dames at Sea PICTURE FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 46 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 ITS GOOD FOR YOUR GAME By T.J. TOMASI GOLF INSIDER TEEING OFF Kids tee it up As a parent, one of the best things you can do for a junior golfer is to enroll him or her in a good junior program. Here are some of the things to look for: A good program helps youngsters develop their skills by breaking down the game into six dis- tinct categories: putting, chipping, pitching, fair- way irons, driving and sand play. It also uses a lot of demonstration because kids learn quickly by modeling, or copying a sound swing. The groups should be kept small a 4-to-1 teacher-student ratio to ensure maximum in- dividual instruction. And clubs should be made available in all sizes so each student is fit prop- erly. Testing in the six vital skill areas should be on- going, to objectively determine the strengths and weaknesses of each junior, so more time can be spent providing assistance where the junior is weakest. And using material from the PGA Foundation, a good juniors teacher will stress the rules of golf and sportsmanship. In my experience, golfers who are the product of junior golf programs not only play the game bet- ter, but they also are more developed as caretak- ers of the game. They are more likely to fix their divots, repair ball marks on the greens and rake sand bunkers. And they also play more honestly, with a heightened respect for their fellow com- petitors. Junior golf programs develop these qualities in kids, and all of us who play the game are better off for it. If you want to find a suitable junior program in your area, call the PGA Section office nearest you (there are 41 nationwide). Many clubs across the nation realize that junior players are the future of golf, and they provide excellent programs at reasonable prices. ABOUT THE WRITER Dr. T.J. Tomasi is a teaching profes- sional in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Visit hiswebsite at tomasigolf.com. The groups are kept small in a good junior program a 4-to-1 teacher-student ratio to ensure maximum individual instruction. PGA professional John Bierken shows the kids how its done. John is the former na- tional director of the Golf Channels Drive, Chip and Putt program. QUOTE OF THE WEEK We didnt have a lot to say. The most memo- rable exchange was no exchange. Padraig Harrington, on battling Sergio Garcia in a playoff to win the 2007 British Open. It cost more than a million dollars and took several years to complete, but research by Alastair Cochran and John Sto- bbs produced a scientific answer to the question, Is there a perfect swing? Their answer was no. And they summed up their research by writing in their book: They (golfers) know that there is no easy way. Golfers were not meant to live happily ever after. In the early 1990s, Gary Wiren wrote the teaching manual for the PGA of America, the largest sports organization in the world. In it he outlined the laws, principles and prefer- ences the game is based on a learning model where most swing characteristics are described as personal prefer- ences. In our 1998 book The LAWs of the Golf Swing, my co- authors and I made the point that golfers differ emotion- ally, physically and intellectually, so to maximize any given players performance, you must make the student the centerpiece of the instructional experience. Since everyone is different, there is not a perfect swing template; the swing type should be matched to the players body type. Subsequent to these books came a paper in 2005 titled, The Perfect Golf Swing: Dispelling the Myth by Paul Glazier and Keith Davids. It is an interesting approach to learning and teaching the game, especially for those golfers who dont want to go through the agony of a major swing change. Glazier and Davids start with the contention that all current golf instruction is based on a perfect swing methodology. Still, there is a good deal to note in their work if you are thinking about changing your swing. Their basic points, in their own words: Owing to the variability in technique within and be- tween golfers, the perfect golf swing does not exist. Instead of employing the one size fits all approach, golf instructors should accept and even embrace a certain bandwidth of movement variability. Far from being dysfunctional, this variability may be a reflection of the golfer attempting to satisfy the unique confluence of constraints impinging on performance in the best possible way. Golf instructors need to establish which constraints are the most influential constraints in shaping the golf swing, together with the long- and short-term aims of that golfer, before deciding on whether to encourage or coach out un- conventional movement solutions or idiosyncrasies. So the next time you come over the top and arrive at im- pact with an angle of attack that is too steep and an open face that causes a huge, gone with the wind slice, simply say to those helping you search the bushes: Far from being dysfunctional, this variability may be a reflection of my attempt to satisfy the unique confluence of constraints impinging on my performance in the best possible way. Train for speed as well as strength THE GOLF DOCTOR There is no question that, all things being equal, the strongest machine wins. But in this day of precision everything, workouts for golf should no longer be limited to general fit- ness. Your workouts should be golf- specific. This means that you want to train using the same neural firing pat- terns that take place during the golf swing. Prolonged training for golf will pro- gram your golf muscles to fire in a coordinated pattern that will repro- duce itself on command. Once the fir- ing patterns are automatic, they can be adjusted to meet every shot you face, from the 60-yard pitch to the full-blown driver. Not only is the amount and coordina- tion of the neural firings a key to your golf swing, but also the quick- ness of their journey as they hurdle down your electrical wires to your muscles. Fatigue will slow the speed of excitation, especially in your fast- twitch muscle fibers, the bursting muscles responsible for power and fast movement. Thus, to consistently play your best, your golf exercises should be per- formed only as long as quickness is possible. In other words, dont hit balls when youre tired, especially drivers. And every non-golf exercise, e.g. weight-lifting, should be fol- lowed by swinging a golf club at full speed. Do one set of bench presses, then get up and make 10 driver swings. Insider Takeaway: General workouts are not enough. In golf, you need speed, so you must train in bursts. Training for speed conditions the fir- ing patterns of fast-twitch muscle fibers. SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 48 Flat backswing needs matching downswing ASK THE PRO Q: Im a right-handed player who has a naturally flat back- swing, and I have trouble getting the clubhead back out in front of me on the downswing. Ive seen video of it and have been told that I get the clubhead coming from too far inside, like what sometimes happens to Tiger Woods. My shots are usually hit solidly, but pushed to the right with a little slice. However, when I do get the club back out in front, I usually hit behind the ball. Do you have any ideas that may help? C.B. A: Well, if you did it just like Tiger, youd be a rich man, but I know what you mean. The key here is that you have a mis- taken idea of what you should be doing. You shouldnt be trying to get the clubhead back out in front of you on the downswing from a naturally flat backswing. These two dont match. Swings come in many flavors. Some are relatively flat (like yours), which means that they are shaped more like a merry-go- round than a Ferris wheel. This is fine if the swing is flat all the way backswing, downswing and follow-through. But when you attempt to get the clubhead back out in front of you, you must put pressure on the shaft, and that steepens your shaft, cre- ating the flat-backswing-steep-downswing mismatch. That is why you either hit behind the ball (steep downswing causes a fat hit) or you push slice it you cant quite square the face. You could make your whole swing more upright (more like a Ferris wheel), but that will require many swing changes and much heartache. Instead, since you say you make solid contact with your naturally flat backswing and your shallow angle of approach, I suggest you work on your angle of ascent during the follow-through. This is easy because youll have only one change to make. Work on getting your hands to move left more around you and lower after impact. Forget about getting the club out in front of you, and swing it more around you from start to finish. One more thing: Whichever swing shape you choose, make sure that your posture at address matches the intended shape. In your case, a more vertical spine angle matches with a flat swing. To find out more about matching, read my book The LAWS of the Golf Swing. (To Ask the Pro a question about golf, email him at: pblion@aol.com.) GOLF SPOKEN HERE A mishit where you contact the ball above its equator, sending it low and out of control. Skulling SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 49 DONT MISS IT GOLF BY THE NUMBERS BIRDIES AND BOGEYS Having it all Hunter Mahan was set to be in the final group on Saturday after shooting 67- 64 and leading the Cana- dian Open, a major national championship. But he left the tournament to fly home to Dallas to be with his wife as she gave birth to their first child. He didnt use the cop-out Im staying because my wife wants it that way, and as far as I know, this is a first in the history of golf, when the leader of a tournament withdrew to be with his wife. Happy wife, happy life. C a r y n
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P G A T O U R Scots take a bonnie tax bite As the California taxman reaches far down into Phil Mickelsons pocket, Phil is thinking about moving. One place he wont be moving is Scotland, which has a tax hell of its own. Ac- cording to Forbes.com, he will pay $954,000, or 44.02 percent, on his win- nings at the British Open and the Scot- tish Open the week before, plus a portion of his endorsement income for the two weeks he was there. Hell also get hosed for any bonuses he received for winning and for a portion of the ranking bonuses hell get at the end of the year. But it gets worse. Rick Manning of Americans for Lim- ited Government points out: Mickel- son made a dream come true by winning the British Open and the $1.4 million that goes with it, but perhaps no one was more excited than Califor- nia Gov. Jerry Brown. With a state in- come tax of 13.3 percent for every dol- lar earned above $2 million, Mickelsons win amounted to a $186,000 windfall for the formerly Golden State. Phils rival Tiger Woods, along with many other high-profile golfers, such as Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, have moved to Florida, where the golf is great, the winds are good to practice in and there is no state income tax. How long will it be before Mickelson, like so many others, gets tired of paying his unfair share and demonstrates his opposition with his feet? It just so happens that theres a delight- ful four-bedroom ranch at the end of my street only a short walk to our nine- hole executive course. Putt with more control The Secret Grip for Putters is an over- sized grip with 17-gram Tungsten back weight added that raises the balance point of the club. It helps im- prove consistency, control and distance. The Secret Grip costs $25 at boccierigolf.com. Mahan SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 50 NEXT UP... SPRINT CUP CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS NATIONWIDE SERIES Race: Cheez-It 355 at The Glen Where: Watkins Glen International When: Sunday, 1 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN 2012 Winner: Marcos Ambrose (right) Race: Zippo 200 Where: Watkins Glen International When: Saturday, 2 p.m. (ET) TV: ABC 2012 Winner: Carl Edwards Race: Michigan National Guard 200 Where: Michigan International Speedway When: August 17, 12:30 p.m. (ET) TV: SPEED 2012 Winner: Nelson Piquet Jr. With the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup just six weeks away, several likely contenders appear to be hitting their strides while others seem stuck in a rut of mediocre finishes. At Pocono Raceway on Sunday, Jim- mie Johnson once again appeared to have the car to beat, but he blew a right-front tire while lead- ing and smacked the wall. But in a show of strength that could be a deciding factor in the 10- race Chase, his team patched up the car and he drove it to a 13th-place finish, which allowed him to increase his points lead over second-place Clint Bowyer from 75 to 77 points. And while Johnson was overcoming his setback, his Hendrick Motorsports teammates surged to the front, with Kasey Kahne outdueling Jeff Gordon to get the win, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fifth. Brickyard 400 winner Ryan Newman, who runs Hendrick cars and engines, overcame slow pit work by his Stewart-Haas Racing team to finish fourth and move up one spot in the standings to 15th. Kurt Busch, whose single-car Furniture Row Racing team has been plagued by inconsis- tency for much of the season, had a strong Pocono run, finishing third and moving up one spot in the standings to 13th, just 11 points out of 10th place, which is the final spot guaranteed a Chase berth after the regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 7. Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick held on to their points positions, Edwards third and Harvick fourth, but neither were factors at Pocono. Edwards finished 11th despite a penalty for speeding on pit road, and Harvick was 17th. For Kahne, the race was his to lose once Johnson crashed. He wound up leading a race-high 66 laps en route to his second win of the season, but he almost lost the win to Gordon, who passed him on the next-to-last restart. The races final caution flag gave Kahne one more chance, and he drove to the out- side of Gordon into Turn One and held on for the final two circuits. I had some help from Kurt Busch, pushed me down the frontstretch, and I just drove into [Turn] One as far as I felt I could, and I got some speed and momentum down the back and beat Jeff to Turn Two, Kahne said. That was kind of the race at that point. Once I cleared him getting into Two, from there it was just dont make a mistake and try to run the quick lap on that last one. Gordon said he thought he made the right move by driving to the inside on the last restart, but Kahne was too strong on the outside. I thought I did everything I needed to do, and I looked in my mirror and I really thought that the inside lane got a good run on Kasey, so I thought all I needed to do was get in here and get the bottom and Id be good, Gor- don said. But, man, he got a killer run and blasted on the outside of me. Caught me by sur- prise. In that case, and in that scenario, it just kills your momentum, so I feel fortunate to finish second. Gordon has five top-10 finishes in the past six races and hes headed to Watkins Glen, where he has four career victories, but he said his Pocono finish is the best sign in a while that his team is Chase material. I feel like weve pulled together some decent finishes, but it hasnt been pretty, Gordon said. [Pocono] was an impressive run for us in- ternally. Just well-executed ... good [pit] stops. Everything just kind of went our way. I felt like we finally actually went out and earned that one. And hes upbeat about his prospects for this weeks race on the road course at Watkins Glen, especially after a second-place finish on the Cup circuits other road course at Sonoma, Calif. Continues on page 55 Jeff Gordon (left) congratulates Kasey Kahne on his GoBowling.com 400 win. Kasey Kahne outduels Jeff Gordon after final restart to take the trophy at Pocono Raceway A la n
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C h e v r o le t SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 51 By Christopher A. Randazzo NOTEBOOK Lexus double-header! The all-new 2014 IS350 and 2013 IS350 C A few weeks ago I found myself in an un- usual setting I was on a Grand Prix Race Course, going fast, braking hard, cornering quick in a Lexus. Now typically racing and Lexus dont fall in the same sentence together, but in this special case it was fit- ting. I was at the Driveway Austin Motor- sports track in Austin, Texas test driving the all-new 2014 Lexus IS family of vehi- cles. The IS is the sport-sedan in the lux- ury-makers line-up, so Lexus thought a road course would be the perfect environ- ment where some of us journalists can ex- perience what the new IS is capable of . About this latest Lexus - the new sheet- metal that the all-new third-generation IS wears is exciting. Those who like the cur- rent IS will have no problem embracing the new one. Lexus calls the new design ag- gressive elegance, which fits it well. The drivetrain is basically a carryover from the previous models the IS250 sporting a 2.5 liter V6 making 204 hp while the IS350 uses a 3.5 liter V6 and makes 306 hp. Rear wheel drive models get an eight-speed au- tomatic while all-wheel drive models make do with a six-speed automatic. Unfortu- nately the manual transmission in the IS250 has been dropped. Fitted with the F- Sport package, the IS gets even more ag- gressive styling and a sport tunes suspension. I was amazed at how at-home, and fun the IS350 F-Sport felt on the track. With the aid of a professional driver in the passenger seat, I was able to drive the IS like a race car and the four-door Lexus happily obliged. Hit the straight-away and the V6s throaty growl is music to the ears. Slow down for a turn and the big,... Continues on next page One of the most popular racing shows on TV signs off for the final time on Sunday. Wind Tunnel, hosted by veteran broadcaster Dave Despain, will end its 11-year run on the SPEED channel, which is changing over to Fox Sports 1 and an emphasis on all sports instead of focusing on motorsports. Wind Tunnel has been the most relevant and popu- lar show on auto racing for 11 years, and Dave [Despain] has been the conscience, Robin Miller, a veteran motor sports journalist and regular contributor to the show, said in a release from SPEED. If you mattered, you were on Wind Tunnel. It embraced all forms of motorsports and leaves a void that wont be filled. Wind Tunnel ends 11-year run with demise of SPEED F O R
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O N L Y SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 52 Continued from page 51 ..... beefy brakes bring the IS down to speed where it glides through the corners. Sure other cars can do this, but as I did it, I felt comfortable and confident. And just to be sure, Lexus had us go through the same course in a BMW 335i and a Mer- cedes-Benz C350. The C350 felt like it didnt want to be there, while the 335i performed well but still didnt wow me like the Lexus did After the track session, I was able to spend a couple of hours driving a new IS250 through parts of the hill-country. Its here where the IS really shines. That quality Lexus ride really makes itself apparent and com- bine that with excellent han- dling characteristics and steering feedback and you have a car that compromises nothing. Really, with the new IS you get the best of both worlds excel- lent performance and refined luxury. As you read this, the all-new 2014 Lexus IS should be trick- ling their way into dealer show- rooms. That is, except for the IS250 C / IS350 C the con- vertible IS. The new IS will not be available in convertible form yet. So if you prefer going topless, you have to make do with the current IS - which is still a pleasure as I found out a few weeks prior to my Austin adventure. IS250 C and IS350 C use a re- tractable hardtop and has two fewer doors, thus transforming it into a convertible coupe. With the roof up, the IS C makes for a nice, conservative coupe. The roof seams are bit more noticeable than I would like, but the IS C remains eye- catching and attractive. The IS C is really about going topless. The 3-piece top uses an impressive 15 motors and 37 sensors to do its thing, which takes just 20 seconds and a push of a button. With the top tucked away, trunk space re- mains reasonable, able to carry a couple of duffle bags just enough for a cozy weekend get- away. The drivetrain of the IS C re- mains unchanged from the sedan models and uses the same basic interior as the out- going 2013 model. In typical Lexus fashion, high quality ma- terials are used throughout the cabin and there are plenty of standard features. Options are aplenty including heated and vented seats and an impressive Mark Levinson 12-speaker audio system which automati- cally adjusts to the change in conditions when the top is up or down. The backseat, although usable, is tight for adults. Driving my IS350 C with the top both up and down proved to be extremely entertaining. The ride is a little stiffer than most Lexus vehicles, but nothing too harsh. With the top down, cowl shake the vibration felt through the steering wheel caused by the flexing of the body due to a lack of a roof was nonexistent in the IS350 C, proving Lexus had done their homework with this convert- ible. Top up, you will never know you are in a convertible. New or old? After spending a day at the track and in the hill country with the new 2014 Lexus IS, I found it to be one of the most thrilling Lexus vehi- cles I have ever driven. But how do you look past the IS convertible? Ok, so its not using the new IS body, but it still looks great and is very re- fined. Either way, there is no wrong IS. By The Numbers: 2014 Lexus IS350 / 2013 Lexus IS350 C Base Price: $46,790.00 (2013 IS350 C) Price as Tested: $55,149.00 (2013 IS350 C) Layout: front-engine / rear-wheel drive Engine: 3.5 liter V6 Transmission: 6-speed automatic Horsepower: 306 hp Torque: 277 ft/lb EPA Fuel Economy: 19 city / 27 highway mpg [Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at autocran@gmail.com] Lexus double-header!... Sprint Cup victories at Watkins Glen by Tony Stew- art, tops among all drivers. Laps led in the past eight Cup races at Watkins Glen by Kyle Busch, tops among all drivers. Drivers in the top 10 in Sprint Cup points who have led just one lap at Watkins Glen in their careers: Clint Bowyer, Carl Ed- wards and Matt Kenseth. Driver in the top 10 in Cup points with no laps led at Watkins Glen: Kasey Kahne. 5 159 3 1 1. Jimmie Johnson, 772 2. Clint Bowyer, 695 3. Carl Edwards, 688 4. Kevin Harvick, 675 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 656 6. Kyle Busch, 646 7. Matt Kenseth, 638 8. Kasey Kahne, 612 9. Jeff Gordon, 602 10. Greg Biffle, 599 SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 53 Tony Stewart downplays World of Outlaws sprint car flip at Ohsweken Speedway Tony Stewart, who spends as much of his spare time as possible racing sprint cars, flipped his sprinter five times last week while racing in a World of Out- laws event at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada. While his flip wasnt espe- cially nasty or all that uncommon for sprint car racers, it did get lots of at- tention because of Stewarts primary job as a Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner. At Pocono Raceway on Fri- day, Stewart explained to the assem- bled media, some of whom have called on him to curtail his extracurricular racing and concentrate on Cup, that the flip really was no big deal. You mortals have got to learn, you guys need to watch more sprint car videos and stuff, he said. It was not a big deal. Its starting to get annoying this week about that. That was just an average sprint car wreck. When they wreck, they get upside down like that. That was not a big deal. I guarantee you there were 15 to 20 guys across the country that flipped just like that this weekend and were just fine just like we were. Stewart bounced back and finished fifth in the main event. Ironically, it was at Ohsweken two years ago that Stewart won a World of Outlaws feature that started a win streak that saw him race his way into the Chase, win five of the 10 Chase races and the 2011 Cup championship. Maybe it sparked some- thing then, Stewart said back in 2011 of his Ohsweken win. He went on to say that while those around him feared for his safety racing sprinters, he feels it was well worth the risks. It energized me, he said. It was like hitting a reset button. But those worried about Stewarts safety have reason to be con- cerned. In May, Josh Burton was killed in a crash in Indiana. In June, one of Stewarts fellow NASCAR drivers, Jason Leffler, died in a sprint car crash. And on Sunday, sprint car leg- end Kramer Williamson died from in- juries suffered the night before when he flipped numerous times at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa. Williamson, who started rac- ing in 1968, had been inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2008 and the United Racing Co. Hall of Fame in 2010. Tony Stewart finished ninth at Pocono. C I A
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I n c . SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 54 Keselowski overcomes engine problems and penalties to win Nationwide Series race at Iowa Even before the green flag fell to start Sundays Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway, de- fending Cup champion Brad Keselowski had a great week- end. He traveled to Iowa Speedway to run the No. 22 Ford for Penske Racing in Sat- urdays Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway and over- came a pit penalty and an over- heating engine to score his third straight victory behind the wheel of that car, the other two coming at Richmond and Ken- tucky earlier this year. And while he was en route from Pocono to Iowa, he got a win at Pocono as a team owner, as Ryan Blaney drove Keselowskis No. 29 Ford to victory in the Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Pocono. Keselowski, who fin- ished sixth in the Cup race at Pocono and moved to 12th in the standings, just seven points out of the top 10, said overcom- ing setbacks at Iowa was satis- fying and a momentum-builder. As a driver, those are probably some of the most difficult moments, knowing you have a fast race car and cir- cumstances are playing against you, Keselowski told reporters at Iowa. There are two ways you can react to that. You can let the moment define you, or you can define the moment. For the 19-year-old Blaney, his second career Truck Series victory saw him prevail on a green-white-checkered- flag restart after losing out on an earlier try. On the second at- tempt at a green-white-check- ered-flag finish, Blaney started on the outside, but surged past rookie German Quiroga Jr. to take a lead he would not relin- quish. Miguel Paludo finished second, with Quiroga third. On the previous restart, Quiroga, with a push from Paludo, took the lead from Blaney, but a caution set up another restart. Its hard to keep the lead on a restart if youre the leader, Blaney told reporters at Pocono. But we were fortu- nate enough to be on the front row on that last restart and cap- italized on it. Veteran Todd Bodine, driving in a one-race effort for Turner Motorsports, was poised to take a storybook win when he held the lead on a restart with four of the scheduled 50 laps to go. But like other leaders after him, he wound up getting shuffled back on the restart and spun. He came back to finish 11th. With his eighth-place finish, Matt Crafton extended his Truck Series points lead to 52 over 12th-finishing Jeb Bur- ton. Blaneys win boosted him five spots in the standings to third, 62 behind Crafton. I am confident that this is going to give our team the momentum needed to make a run at this years champi- onship, with plenty of more wins in between, Blaney said. S e a n
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N A S C A R Brad Keselowski takes the checkered flag in the Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway. NOTEBOOK The FOX television network and NASCAR made it official last week, announcing that Fox would pick up broadcast rights to three more Cup races and the first 14 Nationwide Series races of the season, beginning in 2015. NBC has obtained the broadcast rights to the remain- ing Cup and Nationwide races, and Fox has se- cured the entire Camping World Truck Series schedule. Both new arrangements begin in 2015 and continue through the 2024 season. FOX-TV picks up TV rights to more Cup, Nationwide races SPOTLIGHTEPNEWS.COM AUGUST 08, 2013 PAGE 55 R u s t y
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C h e v r o le t Continued from page 50 I felt like we learned a lot at the end of the second half of the race at Watkins Glen last year, he said. We kind of did a test more for Watkins Glen than we did for Sonoma prior to Sonoma, so Im hoping that pays off. For Kahne, a Chase berth seems much more se- cure. Hes eighth in the standings, 18 points ahead of 11th- place Tony Stewart, but his two victories put him in good position to take a wild card berth should he drop out of the top 10. He said his dominant Pocono victory gives my- self confidence and gives the whole team confidence. It closes the gap. And he said that making the Chase is very impor- tant. The Chase is what its all about in NASCAR, he said. You need to make it for the sponsors, for the teams. Weve been right there on the edge with the way our summer went. So it was nice to get two wins. It gives us much more hope going in. Well just start a lot closer. Kahnes crew chief, Kenny Francis, said the sec- ond victory makes his job easier for the next few weeks. It gives you a little more flexibility to be able to take more risks in the upcoming races, he said. Youve al- ready got your two wins. There is a good chance youre going to make the Chase either way, so now you can maybe take a little more risk. Kahne celebrates his win at Pocono Raceway on Sunday. Kasey Kahne...