Latest news with #Valdez
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Luis Valdez to appear at El Paso's Plaza Classic Film Festival with 2 film screenings
Legendary writer and director Luis Valdez is the first guest announced for the 2025 Plaza Classic Film Festival. This will be the 18th year for the El Paso Community Foundation's film series, which will run from July 17-27 in and around the Plaza Theatre. Valdez will appear for on-stage interviews before two of his classic movies — 1987's "La Bamba", about Mexican American rocker Ritchie Valens, at 7 p.m. Friday, July 18, and "Zoot Suit" (1981), considered the first major Chicano feature film, at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Both events will take place at the Plaza Theatre. Tickets for each program will be $10 and will go on sale with the rest of the Plaza Classic Film Festival schedule, starting Tuesday, June 10, at the Plaza Theatre box office (no service fees) and (with service fees). Valdez is one of the most important American playwrights and filmmakers living today. He has been successful in theater, television and film. He wrote "Zoot Suit," which explored Los Angeles' racially motivated Sleepy Lagoon murder trial of 1942 and 'Zoot Suit Riots' of 1943, debuted in Los Angeles in 1978 and became the first Chicano play on Broadway a year later. La Bamba was written for the screen and starred Lou Diamond Phillips. Both films are preserved in the National Film Registry. Valdez founded the Obie Award-winning theater company El Teatro Campesino in 1965 in California's Central Valley, joining César Chávez in his United Farm Workers' rights movement. It is the longest-running Chicano theater in the United States, according to a news release. The prolific 84-year-old debuted his latest play, "Adiós Mamá Carlota," on May 10 at El Teatro Campesino Playhouse. Valdez's honors include the Presidential Medal of Arts, Mexico's Aguila Azteca Award, and the Peabody Award for his 1987 PBS documentary, Corridos: Tales of Passion and Revolution. The 18th Annual Plaza Classic Film Festival will take place from July 17 to 27. This year's Plaza Classic Film Festival will feature 100 movies over 11 days, including "Cabaret," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "The Godfather Part II", "Notting Hill", "Saving Private Ryan", "Toy Story", "Schindler's List", "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back", and many more. Festival passes are on sale for $200 now and include access to almost all ticketed festival movies, reservations for Philanthropy Theatre movies, special events, and discounts at nearby eateries. Festival tickets go on sale June 10 at the Plaza Theatre box office and Ticketmaster. More: Free summer concert series in El Paso: Your guide to outdoor music María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@ @ on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 'La Bamba' director Luis Valdez joins Plaza Classic Film fest lineup
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
MLB insider Jeff Passan names Framber Valdez top trade target for contenders
Image Source: Getty MLB insider Jeff Passan identified Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez as a trade target at the top of his list as the 2025 deadline looms over other franchises. A two-time All-Star and a very important part of the Astros' starting rotation, Valdez is in the final year of his contract ($18 million this season). As free agency approaches and the budget tightens on Houston, the organization faces a crossroads: hold onto their rotation leader for a playoff push or flip him to help recoup value ahead of what could be his eventual departure. Houston is currently in playoff position at 32-27, but a drop-off in play could push the Astros towards the selling side of the ledger. Houston Astros' stance on Framber Valdez trade Though the Astros have not put Valdez up for trade, that option is undoubtedly on the table. As Astros General Manager Dana Brown said, ' There are people that have called and are judging, not aggressively trying to move him, but we'll listen. I just view him as a cornerstone, and you try and preserve a rotation '. That frankness mirrors the realization that with a number of cornerstone players on the brink of free agency, the Astros are in a tight financial spot. Framber Valdez would be a notable departure from a franchise that has found itself in the ALCS in seven straight seasons, two of which have resulted in a World Series title since 2017. But it may also, add, need to ensure its sustainability over the long term. The Astros' farm system has been depleted in recent years, so a Valdez deal could help restock it. However, any such move will probably be contingent on where the team sits in the standings as the deadline approaches. Framber Valdez's performance and trade market appeal Valdez remained at the top of his game. He has a 3.12 ERA in 78 innings throughout 12 starts in 2025, and recently threw a complete game on 83 pitches. Consistent with the ground-ball inducing, he scores almost 4.0 bWAR a season and has racked up 2.1 bWAR already this year. Which would make him one of the most appealing arms made available on the trade market. When ESPN's Jeff Passan examined potential names of note on the trade deadline list, he similarly wrote of the value of Valdez, saying that in the case of the Astors' falling out of contention, " Valdez immediately becomes the best pitcher—and maybe the best player, period—available at this deadline ." Also Read: Official: Houston Astros announces RHP Ronel Blanco will undergo right elbow surgery next week With the season winding down yet, spiral-out contenders needing some rotation help are almost bound to put a circle around Valdez on their wish lists. That is not just about wins, as what Houston decides here will be contingent upon how they envision long-term, being competitive in the post-dynasty landscape.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Española man in possession of dynamite, firearms is sentenced to federal prison
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – An Española man was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for drugs, explosives and firearms charges. Mario James Valdez, 35, pleaded guilty to possession to intent to distribute cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and being a felon in possession of explosive material. APS teacher arrested after accusations of sexual relationships with students According to court records, on August 1, 2023, Valdez was pulled over by the Pojoaque Police Department for driving with an expired registration. Officers located two ghost guns, ammunition, fentanyl, 377 blue pills marked M30 and 42 grams of crack cocaine. On September 15, 2023, Valdez was arrested again for shoplifting, and for an outstanding warrant. During this arrest, Valdez was found with fentanyl, Xanax, crack cocaine and ammunition on his person. While in jail on recorded calls, Valdez discussed having other firearms and sticks of dynamite stored at a house in Española, according to court documents. On October 20, 2023, a search warrant was executed at the residence and officers discovered multiple firearms and six sticks of deteriorating dynamite. Law enforcement destroyed the dynamite due to its hazardous condition. As a previously convicted felon, Valdez was prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers, police make big difference at Spring Fest
May 29—MOSES LAKE — This year's Moses Lake Spring Fest came off better than usual, in large part because of lots of community involvement, organizers said. "We welcome everyone in our community to come and volunteer," Spring Fest Board Member Lori Valdez said. "But this year, we had a lot of people step up and volunteer that we've never had before, and that was very nice." Nearly 200 people came out to help with the various activities at the festival, according to Board President Sean Sallis. The Fun Run alone had 60 volunteers, he said. There were 30 volunteers helping with the beer garden, 45 for the 3-on-3 basketball tournament and 11 for the parade. "One little boy was helping us put tape on the basketball court," Sallis said. "He was like 4 years old, and he wanted to help lay tape. It's just a picture of our community." The 20 Moses Lake High School JROTC students were especially helpful, Valdez said. They helped set up before the festival and stuck around for teardown and cleanup, which is usually an ordeal in itself, she said. "By the time we get to Monday, to tear down, we are completely exhausted, 100% medically and physically," she said. "When you get out of bed, you can't even walk ... They helped clean the tables, they picked up garbage, they came back (Monday), until we were 100% all cleaned up at the park. They stayed until like five o'clock and helped us tear down." The JROTC students also carried the giant flag in the parade, Valdez said. Not all the assistance the festival organizers received was measurable in hours. Pro Rentals donated 18 big lights to illuminate the park and the carnival, Sallis said. "We had those all throughout the park and the carnival, (in) any spots that were dark," he said. "Every night, we were inspecting different spots that could have better lighting, and so we were working in concert with the police department and the sheriff's (office) to ... support them." The Moses Lake Police Department increased its presence at the festival as well, according to Capt. Jeff Sursely, contracting with the Grant County Sheriff's Office to provide some deputies as well. "We plussed up our manpower," Sursely said. "We averaged, between us and the Grant County Sheriff's Office, between 26 and 30 officers a day, (which included) two jail staff and a jail transport vehicle." In past years, the MLPD has only had six to eight officers a day at the festival, he added. Officers made 12 arrests. "Mostly juvenile issues, trespassing, nothing big," he said. "Mostly misdemeanor crime." The MLPD announced a zero-tolerance policy on crime during the festival, Sursely said, and the Grant County Commissioners authorized law enforcement to book juvenile offenders, which hadn't been allowed before. The additional lighting was a major factor as well, he said. The Spring Fest is Moses Lake's biggest community celebration of the year, and it takes a lot of coordination between departments and organizations. Because most of the event takes place at McCosh Park, the Parks & Recreation and Cultural Services Department bears much of the brunt of the work involved, Director Doug Coutts said, but the rest of the municipal government has a part to play as well. "Our fire department is here with paramedic services, roaming around and doing checks on people with heat-related issues," he said. "Our streets department has to close the street for the parade, move the street closures around as the event progresses. So, it is a full-on city team effort." Having so much volunteer help says a lot about Moses Lake, Valdez said. "We had people showing up at the park saying, 'What can I do to help?' she said. "It just tells you what type of community we live in, that 100% we have an amazing community."
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Domestic dispute leads to murder, suicide: WilCo Sheriff
Content Warning: This article discusses domestic violence and suicide. Please return to the homepage if you are not comfortable with the topic. If you are in distress and need someone to talk to, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text 'Start' to 88788. AUSTIN (KXAN) — Early details in an investigation of two deaths on Memorial Day suggest a 'murder-suicide,' according to a Tuesday press release from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. WCSO said its deputies went to a residence in the 7200 block of E State Highway 29 around 3 a.m. That location is just outside of Georgetown, WCSO said. Deputies found two bodies in the residence. WCSO identified the deceased as Azucena Porcayo, 46, and Alejandro Arzate Valdez, 54. According to WCSO, Valdez and Porcayo were exes. Investigators' early findings showed that the shooting began as 'a domestic dispute' that escalated into Valdez shooting Porcayo, then himself, WCSO said. 'This is a senseless and heartbreaking tragedy,' said WCSO Criminal Investigations Division Commander John Foster. 'We urge anyone experiencing domestic violence to seek help. There are resources available in our community that can provide support and assist with safely exiting an abusive relationship.' The investigation remains active and ongoing, according to the press release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
