Latest news with #Aguirre
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald while in town in early May for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fourth lead anchor in the last 40 years of 'Nightly News,' and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids, will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the Coral Gables area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump singled him out during a press conference for questioning donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'His brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here — I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald when he was in town earlier this month for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fifth lead anchor in the last almost 60 years of 'Nightly News' weekday history and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' The butterfly effect Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' A true Miamian Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the South Miami area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' His brilliant career Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did you did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump insulted him during a press conference for questioning his donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Full circle moment Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'Literally, his brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here, I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Washington, Idaho students make it to second round of 100th annual National Spelling Bee
This story was originally published on The results are in from the first preliminary round of the 100th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, and two Pacific Northwest contestants remain. Navtaj Singh of Pullman, Washington, sponsored by the Lewiston Tribune, moved on to the second round of preliminary action with a correct spelling of 'nouveau.' Andrew Ford from Sandpoint, Idaho, sponsored by the Idaho Character Foundation, will remain in the contest with a correct spelling of 'svarabhakti' in the first round. Gabriel Aguirre from Spokane Valley, also sponsored by the Idaho Character Foundation, has been eliminated from the first round by a misspelling of 'ape-ape,' with his attempt being: 'apiapi.' Aguirre, an 11-year-old from Spokane Valley, finished as the runner-up in the Inland Northwest Spelling Bee, losing to 14-year-old Ford. Both participants were home-schooled. In the 12th round of the qualifying contest held at North Idaho College, Ford won first place. Ford won the competition with his correct spelling of 'theosophy,' and Aguirre lost for his incorrect spelling of the word 'sobersides' in the final round, according to The Coeur d'Alene Press. Singh, 14, is competing for the fourth consecutive year and aiming to surpass his personal best, having finished 12th in 2023. The list of words and resultsfor the second preliminary round is out now. Ford will receive the word 'trespass' in his second round, and Singh will receive 'vehemence.' The quarterfinals are set to take place on May 28 from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ET, and the semifinals will begin later that day from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. The finals will begin on Thursday, May 29, from 8 to 10 p.m. ET.
Epoch Times
25-05-2025
- Epoch Times
Mexican Border State Seeks to Combat Organized Crime With Artificial Intelligence
The Mexican state Chihuahua, which borders the United States from New Mexico to Big Bend in Texas, is seeking to counter organized crime by using artificial intelligence for criminal investigations. The The goal of the platform is 'to weaken criminal structures and bring them to justice, and to protect the lives, safety, and property of citizens,' according to the Chihuahua government. Chihuahua is Mexico's largest state, with an area of almost 96,000 square miles. A command center is currently under construction in downtown Ciudad Juárez, across from El Paso, Texas. The 20-story building will house all of the State Public Security Secretariat's offices. The state government seeks to deploy more than 3,000 surveillance cameras, 4,800 fixed cameras, and almost 1,800 license plate readers, among other upgrades, to improve security. The platform will operate by receiving a 911 call, then sending an alert of the event to the command center, connecting the State Public Security Secretariat cameras and integrated citizen cameras, and analyzing the situation. An email will then be sent to the camera owner informing them of the task to be performed. Related Stories 5/21/2025 5/15/2025 The command tower will have four floors of operational command centers with a 360-degree video wall, where police will supervise the operations of sub-command centers installed in 13 'strategically chosen' municipalities. Chihuahua Secretary of Public Security Gilberto Loya 'This award is nothing more than recognition of the great progress the state government has made in public safety,' Loya said. Luis Aguirre, the deputy secretary of Public Safety, said at the same press conference that the state has seen a significant reduction in homicides in some municipalities, such as Madera and Ciudad Juárez, compared to the previous administration. 'This is a clear sign that the strategy being used at the state level is working,' Aguirre said. 'These results are thanks to the use and application of artificial intelligence and the technological strengthening of the police to respond more forcefully and efficiently,' he said. 'In other words, emergency services are now coordinated more quickly, deployed more quickly, and the public is better served.' Aguirre said that the new security measures have increased the seizure of long guns by 23 percent compared to the previous administration (2018–2021), and more than 107,000 live rounds of ammunition have been seized. He said more drugs have also been seized, including more than 11 pounds of pure fentanyl, 49 percent more marijuana has been destroyed, more than 2,100 gallons of chemical precursors have been secured, and more than 55 poppy plantations have been destroyed in the state.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
American dream turns into nightmare ordeal for devastated homeowners after horrifying discovery: ‘Everything I touch is breaking'
Their dream home turned into a mite-mare. A couple who thought they'd bought the 'perfect house' in Arizona were flabbergasted after discovering that their home harbored a severe termite infestation — just three days after closing. In a viral video with 2.1 million views, homeowner Hailey Aguirre walks into a room in her new home and zooms in on a wall infested with 'termite tubes' — tunnels the subterranean species uses to connect their underground colonies to food sources on the surface. 'I jokingly was like, I never want to buy a house ever again because of this,' Hailey Aguirre told People of the surprise pestilence. The termite tubes on the wall. TikTok/@haileyyy_annn She and her husband, who had relocated to the Grand Canyon State from Buffalo, New York, initially felt that they had bought the ideal domicile. Aguirre told the outlet that 'everything was going well' and 'the buying process was very smooth.' But as they were driving to close on the house, the realtor called the pair to inform them that termites had been discovered on the property. Fortunately, the seller assured her that the problem had been resolved by exterminators — and the inspection came back clean — so Aguirre and her beau went ahead with the purchase. 'I'm trying to be positive about it and make it (the home) my own,' explained the conflicted homeowner. 'But it has been a little hard to feel like I can actually live in the house, because it seems to be everything I touch is, like, breaking.' TikTok/@haileyyy_annn Then, just 72 hours after moving in, Aguirre and her hubby realized their wood-gobbling squatters were still at large in the same spot they were originally discovered. 'By Thursday night is when I discovered them again, and then realized there were other groups right above where they were,' lamented the distraught Buffalonian. She tried to get the pest control company to handle the encroachment, but to no avail. 'The termite company that came and treated it was picked by the seller,' she lamented. 'So, in order for it to be covered by them, to figure it out, we didn't really have control over the termite company to come and eliminate them.' After missing two appointments, the exterminators finally arrived and evicted the termites, only for another issue to rear its head. A pipe reportedly burst in their home, flooding the couple's floors and adding insult to injury, per a follow-up video. As a result, they had to turn off the water and contact the realtor again. Aguirre claimed that the ordeal has tested her optimism, explaining that she's second-guessing whether she made the 'right decision' by buying the house. 'I'm trying to be positive about it and make it (the home) my own,' explained the conflicted homeowner. 'But it has been a little hard to feel like I can actually live in the house, because it seems to be everything I touch is like breaking.' In light of the trying saga, the woman is urging other potential homebuyers to be proactive and make sure inspections are thorough. She also stressed the importance of having a good realtor who can go to bat for you, noting that if their agent wasn't so trustworthy, they would have been paying for the damages 'out of pocket.' The saga prompted other people to share stories of their own infestations. 'I just backed out of [a] house because of termites, mold and raccoon damage in attic,' said one. Another wrote, 'Same we had to fumigate the whole house and then found a skunk in the foundation now the house smells like skunk but the termites are gone.'
