Latest news with #Benavides
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fake negative online reviews damages small Austin business
The Brief A small Austin business owner said fake online reviews are hurting his business and reputation An expert spoke out about how to address the fake reviews online 7 On Your Side reached out to Google on the matter AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin small business owner says he has taken a major financial hit thanks to fake online reviews that he says have damaged his reputation. It's a problem that experts say is on the rise. Fake reviews damage Austin small business Local perspective Kobi Elisha has been in the locksmith business for more than 10 years. "I do all the business correctly. I give very good customer service to people," said Elisha. That good service, he says, would translate to positive online reviews, until about a year and a half ago. "Five stars on Google and I started to go down, and down, and down," said Elisha. Elisha, who is from Israel, says he noticed an uptick in negative reviews after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. "One day I woke up in the morning and I got one after one, one after one," said Elisha. One-star reviews came in by the dozens on his Google Guaranteed page, a platform which features only verified businesses. And they haven't stopped. Some in just the past few weeks include: "First and last time for me at this professional. Run away quick quick quick." "Company not very serious and which cares little about the result. "Incompetent. Avoid at all cost." "I would not recommend this company to my worst enemy." Expert weighs in Local perspective "I'm scrolling down and scrolling down and it's all within two weeks and that's just not realistic that a business had this many bad reviews in two weeks," said Devin Benavides of the Better Business Bureau Serving the Heart of Texas. Benavides says these reviews are clearly fake. "Definitely this is a scammer or even worse, maybe the competition is just trying to make them look bad," said Benavides. She recommends business owners being targeted by fake reviews address them online, but do it calmly. "Maybe don't go through every single one and say 'this is fake, this is a fake'. Maybe just make a blanket statement on there and say, 'we're aware of these fake reviews'," said Benavides. It's also a good idea to frequently check reviews, use the platform's official reporting tools to report fake ones, and document evidence of them. What's next Elisha says he's reached out to Google several times to try to get the fake reviews taken down, but he's gotten the runaround. "Anytime I call Google, they tell me to send an email. I send them an email, and [they say] you need to wait like two weeks. I wait two weeks," said Elisha. In the meantime, she says the phony bad reviews, now in the hundreds, have hurt his business, and his reputation. "My real customers see all the negative reviews," said Elisha. The BBB says that's why customers should learn how to spot fake reviews, by looking for red flags, like vague language, many reviews within a short amount of time, and profiles with no picture or generic-sounding names. "I would just say, yes, look at the reviews, but don't make that your gospel," said Benavides. "You know, do some additional research." You can find reviews of accredited businesses on the Better Business Bureau's website. For more on how to spot a fake review, click here. 7 On Your Side reached out to Google about Kobi Elisha's situation, but has not heard back. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Great man, great person': Former Cardinals, Reds GM Walt Jocketty dies at 74
'Great man, great person': Former Cardinals, Reds GM Walt Jocketty dies at 74 DENVER — Cincinnati Reds bench coach Freddie Benavides was a minor-league coordinator when Walt Jocketty left the St. Louis Cardinals to join a Reds front office in 2008 for an organization that hadn't seen the playoffs in more than a decade. Benavides knew what was next. 'He comes in from winning a World Series with the Cardinals (in 2006), stepping in with instant credibility,' Benavides said. 'He started putting those teams together. Signing guys. And wasn't afraid to trade.' Two years later, the Reds won their first division title since 1995 — the first of three playoff teams in four years. 'Great man. Great person,' said Benavides, who first worked with Jocketty when Benavides was a player with the Rockies in the 1990s and stayed in touch over the years. 'It was tough to hear the news today.' Jocketty, one of the most respected front office figures in baseball for decades, died Friday night after a long illness. He was 74. The Colorado Rockies, who brought Jocketty as an assistant general manager in 1993, planned a moment of silence before Saturday's game against the Reds. 'He came in here and we won. We were in a drought and he brought us the playoffs,' longtime clubhouse manager Rick Stowe said. 'He was a great boss. He'd take us out to dinner, wanted to get to know us better, knew everybody's families. 'He could really read people. He knew people. He was great.' Jocketty served as the Reds' president of baseball operations from 2008-2016 and has been an executive advisor to the owner since. One of his first moves with the Reds was hiring future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker. A year later he traded for future Hall of Fame third baseman Scott Rolen. He signed homegrown slugger Jay Bruce to a six-year extension as he reached arbitration. And made Joey Votto the highest-paid player in franchise history with a 10-year deal, all but assuring Votto would spend his entire career as a Red. 'When I got here Walt was still pretty involved,' said pitching coach Derek Johnson, who joined the staff from Milwaukee after the 2018 season. 'Just a guy that everyone had a ton of respect for. 'As I got to know him, it was pretty clear the guy had seen a lot, done a lot, and really meant a lot to the Reds. He's definitely going to be missed.' Jocketty, who was born in Minneapolis and went to the University of Minnesota, began his professional baseball career in 1980 as owner Charlie Finley's director of minor league operations and scouting for the Oakland A's. He's credited with overhauling the farm system that produced much of the talent on Tony La Russa's Bash Brothers playoff teams later in the decade. After joining the Cardinals as general manager during the 1994-95 labor shutdown, he brought La Russa to St. Louis and built teams that won seven division titles, two NL pennants and a World Series during a 13-year run in St. Louis – assuring his place in baseball history. 'If you've been around baseball at all for the last 30 or 40 years, you know Walt's had a pretty big impact on the game,' Johnson said. With the Reds, he earned The Sporting News' Major League Baseball Executive of the Year award in 2010, his third time earning that honor (also 2000, 2004). 'He was a good solid guy and a good baseball guy,' said Reds bench coach Brad Mills, who had known Jocketty since managing in the Rockies minor-league system, and who stayed in touch over the years, including recent phone conversations. 'He loved the game,' Mills said. 'He loved watching guys improve. He loved signing guys and getting them in to play. 'I really thought the world of Walt.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Del Valle HS assistant principal chosen as DoD STEM Ambassador
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Del Valle High School Assistant Principal is the first El Pasoan to be named a Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Ambassador, according to the news release by Ysleta Independent School District. According to Ysleta ISD, Ramon Benavides was named a DoD STEM Ambassador and is among only 30 ambassadors nationwide. 'As an administrator, this role gives me the unique opportunity to represent Del Valle HighSchool and Ysleta ISD on a national level. Most importantly, it enables me to continue bringing new and transformative opportunities to our students, helping them access pathways to success in STEM fields and beyond,' Benavides said. According to YISD, the DoD STEM Ambassador program is a collaborative partnership between academia, industry, nonprofit groups and government that aims to broaden STEM literacy and develop a diverse and agile workforce. The selection was a 'rigorous, highly competitive selection process that emphasized a nominee's ability to inspire, lead and advocate for STEM opportunities,' according to the school district. According to the school district, Benavides' duties as a DoD STEM Ambassador include: Help develop and execute a project to address STEM challenges and provide meaningful STEM experiences to military-connected and/or underrepresented students Author guest blog posts Support national presentations to share best practices in STEM and DoD STEM resources, among others 'I am deeply grateful for the support and encouragement from our campus and districtleadership, as they have been instrumental in this achievement,' Benavides said. Prior to being an administrator, Benavides was a science teacher at Del Valle High School and was named 2022 Texas Teacher of the Year, according to Ysleta ISD. In addition, YISD said Benavides also worked on programs and initiatives at the high school and district-wide to 'elevate science and STEM.' According to the school district, Benavides is the son of migrant farmworkers who dropped out of school at a young age. Benavides holds a bachelor's degree from both the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas at Brownsville, a master's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and a doctorate from Texas Tech University. 'Benavides has been published in various publications and participated in several state/national professional organizations, as well as research internships with Rice University and UTEP. He serves as a national STEM advocate for The Society for Science and the Public, advocating for changes in the classroom that ensure underrepresented students attain a fair chance at success in STEM professions,' YISD said in the news release. For more information about the STEM Ambassador program, you can visit the Department of Defense STEM website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
Parents charged in 16-year-old's overdose death in Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The parents of a 16-year-old Rockford teen have been charged with his overdose death. According to the Rockford Police Department, Chad Chavez, 45, and Ana Benavides, 44, face charges of Endangering the Life of a Child Resulting in Death. On December 14th, 2024, police officers were called to a home in the 1400 block of 4th Avenue for reports that a 16-year-old boy had overdosed on drugs. He was taken to a local hospital where he died, police said. After an investigation into the circumstances of the teen's death, the Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office authorized charges against Chavez and Benavides, who were arrested on Friday, March 21st, 2025. Benavides was released from custody in accordance with the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act and will return to court in May. Chavez is still in custody on an out-of-county hold. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ARN News Center
19-02-2025
- ARN News Center
At least 30 killed after Bolivia bus plunges into ravine
A passenger bus plunged into an 800-meter-deep abyss in southern Bolivia on Monday, killing at least 30 people and injuring 15, police and local media said. The bodies of "at least 30" people have been recovered and transported to morgues after the accident near the town of Yocalla, police colonel Victor Benavides told AFP. The accident happened on a narrow two-way road between the cities of Potosi and Oruro, with the route running along a ravine nearly half a mile deep. Local news outlet Unitel reported at least 15 people injured in the crash -- including three children -- had been transferred to hospital. Several were in a serious condition. It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the bus. Authorities said their initial theory was that the crash was caused by speeding, with the driver "unable" to control the bus, according to Benavides. This is the most serious road accident reported in the South American country so far this year. Nineteen people were killed when another bus careened off a road, also near Potosi, last month. Bolivia's winding mountain roads are notoriously deadly.
