Latest news with #Armenta
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Jackson State woman kicker turns pro, stays at HBCU
Leilani Armenta, the trailblazing kicker for Jackson State University, is taking her talents to the professional ranks while continuing to pursue her degree at the HBCU that helped shape her journey. Armenta announced via social media on Saturday that she will join the Mississippi Panthers of the Women's National Football Conference (WNFC), marking a new chapter in her already groundbreaking career. The Jackson State standout became a familiar name in college football as one of the few women to compete in college football at the NCAA level. Despite entering the transfer portal after her playing future at Jackson State was thrown into uncertainty, Armenta chose to stay anchored at the HBCU, citing the institution's academic excellence and the opportunity to complete her degree. "While I never anticipated not playing at Jackson State, the decision was ultimately out of my hands," Armenta wrote. "My education has always been my primary focus, and Jackson State has provided me with a top-tier academic experience that I am proud of." Instead of transferring to another school, Armenta took an unexpected turn - going pro. By joining the WNFC, she not only remains in Mississippi but also continues to advocate for women in football, a cause she has long championed. "As someone who has always been and will always be an advocate for women in sports - especially in football - I am honored to represent both my university and the WNFC," she added. Armenta's move signals a growing recognition of women's contributions to football, both on and off the field. Her decision to turn professional without leaving her HBCU behind highlights the unique opportunities that institutions like Jackson State can provide to student-athletes. "This journey is about more than just me," Armenta concluded. "It's about pushing the boundaries for women in sports, seizing opportunity, and staying true to both purpose and passion." The post Jackson State woman kicker turns pro, stays at HBCU appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Los Angeles Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Original Pantry workers are cooking its breakfasts at an East L.A. taqueria
Good morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day. I'm Gustavo Arellano, Metro columnist, writing from Orange County and snacking on leftovers from ... Hundreds of Angelenos alternately mourned and feasted when the Original Pantry Cafe closed in March after 101 years. One of those sad eaters was Erika Armenta. After a final meal, the owner of East Los Tacos in East L.A. thought not just about the loss of the institution but also about the 20-some workers — many of whom had worked at the Pantry for decades. 'What can we do for them? What can we do for these people who are losing their jobs in a matter of few days?' Armenta told KNBC-TV in mid-April a few weeks after announcing that she had hired four Original Pantry workers to replicate some of the diner's greatest breakfast hits at her restaurant. Nearly a month later, her experiment in culinary nostalgia and empathetic ownership continues in what Armenta has christened East Los Pantry. She wasn't in when I visited last week for breakfast. But hustling in the kitchen were Fausto Perez and Vitalino Pablo. Perez, a native of the Mexican state of Puebla, poured perfect circles of pancake batter on the grill and flipped sunny-side eggs in a pan with the ease of a 24-year Pantry line cook veteran. Pablo, a Guatemalan immigrant who worked alongside Perez for 12 years, carefully plated dishes and called out orders to be made. 'Thank God I found a job here because I needed it,' Perez, 58, said in Spanish. The 47-year-old Pablo nodded. 'My motive every day is to echarle ganas' — put in that work. They apologized for not having much else to say — the breakfast rush was on. Sitting at a table on his break was another former Pantry worker, Felix Agustin, the sixth hired so far by Armenta. It was his first week. 'This past weekend was really busy, which is good,' the 56-year-old Oaxaca native said. Orders kept getting shouted behind us. The register line kept getting longer. 'But not all of our compañeros are working, so I'm also sad.' The Original Pantry's owner, the Richard J. Riordan Administrative Trust, shuttered the place after a contract dispute with Unite Here Local 11, the union that represented the restaurant's workers. The former said the latter's demand for a contract that guaranteed that any potential new owner would honor it made any sale of the building and restaurant virtually impossible. The move shocked workers. Many remembered the trust's namesake, the former L.A. mayor who bought the Original Pantry in 1981 'with union representation,' noted Unite Here Local 11 spokesperson Maria Hernández. She met me for breakfast and ordered French toast, perfectly lined up on a plate and dusted in powdered sugar like mini-San Gabriels after a snowstorm. Although the union technically no longer represents former Pantry workers, union leaders and members frequent East Los Pantry to support Perez, Pablo, Agustin and the others. They've also shown up to actions including a May Day pancake fundraiser for unemployed workers and a small protest on a recent weekend outside the Brentwood home of Riordan's widow, Elizabeth, during a party. United Here Local 11 continues to negotiate with the Riordan trust over severance pay for the Pantry's laid-off staff and is urging them to sell the place to someone who'll reopen it and hire everyone back. 'The workers still have hope that they can work together again,' Hernandez said. 'They're like a family.' As an Orange County guy, I had no particular feelings over the closing of the Original Pantry other than it was a shame the workers lost their jobs. But my East Los Pantry breakfast — a massive pancake, a hill of garlic potatoes, chorizo and garlic toast — was what a breakfast should be. The flapjack was fluffy, the taters were crunchy and buttery, the chorizo had a spicy kick, and the pungent sourdough bread crunched. Perez, Pablo and Agustin are doing right by their old job. East Los Pantry is open from 7 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon (East Los Tacos continues for the rest of the day into the night). Between them, La Azteca Tortilleria and La Carreta, the corner of Avenida Cesar E. Chavez and Ford Boulevard is as great a stretch of breakfast in L.A. as you'll find right now. Let your panzas grow! Unbearable heat State Farm is under pressure over wildfire claims A sewer in Malibu? Network news is in flux The great big elephant controversy What else is going on Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. How a Mojave Desert footrace became a showcase for L.A. County Sheriff's Department turmoil. The Baker to Vegas relay is a law enforcement tradition. This year it was a showcase for turmoil in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Other must reads How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's great photo is from photographer Andre Herrero, taken for Image Magazine's photo essay: Dental offices don't need to be sterile holding pens. This Beverly Hills project is plush, pink and magical. Have a great day, from the Essential California team Gustavo Arellano, California columnistKarim Doumar, head of newsletters Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Jackson State woman kicker hits transfer portal
Leilani Armenta, the Jackson State kicker who made HBCU football history in 2023, has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to WJTV. Armenta became the first woman to score a point in a Division I HBCU football game when she kicked three extra points in Jackson State's 40-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on October California native initially joined the Jackson State football team as a backup kicker, stepping in when injuries left the Tigers short at the position. She also played for the women's soccer team, where she started as a freshman before an injury limited her contributions to Jackson State were significant not just because of her performance, but because of what it represented. Her appearance and scoring effort marked a milestone in HBCU sports history, making her the first woman to ever score in an FCS HBCU football game. She scored three extra points during the 2023 season and one during the 2024 season. Now in the transfer portal, Armenta will explore other opportunities for the next step in her college career. Whether she sticks with football, soccer, or both, her legacy at Jackson State is already cemented. She helped break down barriers at a high-profile HBCU program and showed that women can compete on the football field at the Division I more details and future updates, visit The post Jackson State woman kicker hits transfer portal appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Yahoo
Passenger ejected and killed; Driver flees, later arrested in Pecos County
PECOS COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An early morning fatal crash on Friday has led to the arrest of a New Mexico man, following an hours-long manhunt in rural Pecos County. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Friday on North Stone Road. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2023 green Toyota Tacoma bearing New Mexico was involved in a rollover crash. The vehicle had only two occupants at the time of the incident. The passenger, identified as 35-year-old Manuel Driver Garcia of Ft. Stockton, TX, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials confirmed Garcia was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nick Ronnie Armenta, a 32-year-old male from Farmington, New Mexico. Armenta reportedly called 911 after the crash but fled the scene on foot before law enforcement arrived. At the time, authorities believed he may have been attempting to return to the Farmington area. An investigation was immediately launched, and two warrants were issued for Armenta's arrest: Fail to Stop and Render Aid Resulting in Death – a Second-Degree Felony Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon – a Class A Misdemeanor Following a coordinated search effort, Texas DPS Troopers located Armenta near a man camp on Stone Road, not far from the site of the crash. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Pecos County Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the crash. Upon his release from the hospital, Armenta will be booked into the Pecos County Detention Center on the outstanding charges. The Texas Department of Public Safety is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including whether alcohol, drugs, or speed were factors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
