SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 2

SIERRA MEDICAL CENTER HAS BEEN AWARDED THE THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION FROM THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY (ACR)
Accreditation demonstrates highest level of ultrasound image quality and patient safety.
El Paso, TX The Ultrasound Department at Sierra Medical Center has been awarded the threeyear accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR) for seven ultrasound sub-specialties. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality as well as patient safety. The Sierra Medical Center Ultrasound Department accreditation includes: General, Gynecological, Obstetrical, Vascular Abdominal, Vascular Cerebrovascular, Vascular Deep Abdominal, and Vascular Peripheral specialties. The ACR gold seal accreditation is only awarded to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and field expert medical physicists. This important assessment includes image, quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement. The American College of Radiology (ACR) is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive care services.

About Sierra Medical Center:

Sierra Medical Center is part of the Sierra Providence Health Network that includes the hospitals of Sierra Providence East Medical Center, Sierra Medical Center, Providence Memorial Hospital and the Regional Childrens Hospital at Providence. The Network also offers a wide range of outpatient services including Sierra Providence TotalCare, Sierra Providence Urgent Care Centers, Sierra Providence Trawood Center and ER, Sierra Teen and Womens Center, Wound Care Centers and Sierra Providence Sleep Disorders Center. Tenet Healthcare Corporation is a health care services company whose subsidiaries and affiliates own and operate acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and diagnostic imaging centers. Tenets hospitals and related health care facilities are committed to providing high quality care to patients in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.tenethealth.com.

Eliminating Downtown fire hazards:

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 3

A huge monster
The task of inspecting 600 buildings in the Downtown area is very daunting,
not being looked at for every exit sign not operating and fire extinguisher tag being current, but are, instead, being looked at based on several major risk factors. said El Paso Fire Marshal Calvin Shanks. But, we are eating this elephant one bite at a time. With at least 400 structures already inspected, Shanks said that the process should be completed by June 8. Let me make it clear that we are not investigating the downtown businesses, but we are conducting risk assessments to identify the level of risk that is posed to the area. The difference is that we have no formal complaints pending against many of those businesses and are simply asking their permission to enter their business to conduct a risk assessment. Any identified violations of the code are addressed via the appropriate mechanism, which includes official notice to correct hazards to citations to court action, if needed. These buildings are The site visits are being conducted as a way to prevent future fires in the Downtown area, such as the one that consumed an El Paso historic building recently. Built in the 1880s, the old building, whichonce housed the office of then-Sheriff John Wesley Hardin, went down in flames. This latest conflagration at 100 East San Antonio Street prompted the El Paso City Council to order the inspections as a preventative measure. The intent, based on final reports from the Fire Department, is also to determine the possibility of strengthening building codes and enforcement. Some of the findings, thus far, according to Shanks, are that if a violation is uncovered, that the same violation or the same conditions dont exist again. Violations that are found are being addressed appropriately depending on the level of hazard they represent. Minor violations are issued official correction notices and are given a period to comply. Major violations are requiring immediate correction, anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.

By Joe Olvera , 2012

tion, we are meeting our goal. The site visits are being conducted by fire personnel in conjunction with members of building code compliance. This partnership, said Shanks, has existed for years and is based on who has the enforcement authority based on the adopted ordinances. There are no undercover teams conducting the inspections, Shanks said. All personnel involved in the inspection process have to follow established policies regarding maintaining a professional appearance. They are all in Fire Department uniforms. No long hair, unless female, and strict rules regarding facial hair. As for the $100,000 donated by building owner Jerry Rubin to the Fire Department, Shanks said that has no bearing on the outcome of the risk assessment. I have no idea what the interest of Mr. Rubin was in making his donation. If hazards are identified in a building, they are being addressed through the code provisions. This is applicable whether the building is general use or historic, and regardless of the owner or property management group. The goal is to reduce risk and that is the sole focus of these efforts.

buildings in this area, some are in bad shape structurally, others have antiquated electrical systems that are in disrepair, some have excess amounts of storage that create a heavy fireload, and others have locked or blocked exits from basement and other areas.

These result in fines up to $500 per occurrence and will follow the same citation or court action as any violation if correction is not made.
If the building represents a major hazard, the building can be shut down via an emergency action. None have required this action at this time. The items found so far can fall into four separate categories, including structural concerns, building system concerns (such as electrical), fire load concerns, and egress concerns. There are a lot of old

Shanks said that there are presently six teams of firefighters conducting the site visits. Normal duties have to be continued in the rest of town so only six teams were formed. The task was very daunting. 600 parcels of property in one month. However, with the good plan developed by the fire lieutenant in charge of the opera-

SIERRA MEDICAL CENTER FREE SEMINAR ON MAKOPLASTY PARTIAL KNEE RESURFACING

El Paso, TX Sierra Medical Center will offer a free seminar on MAKOPLASTY Partial Knee Resurfacing on Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Sierra Medical Center Doctors Lounge in the Lower Level. MAKOPLASTY PARTIAL KNEE RESURFACING FREE SEMINAR: Date: Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 Time: 6:00pm to 7:30pm Location: Doctors Lounge, Sierra Medical Center, 1625 Medical Center Drive Presenter: Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Alvaro Hernandez, M.D. who specializes in Joint Replacement Surgery. For More Information and to RSVP please call 915.577.7746

About MAKOplasty Partial Knee Resurfacing:

MAKOplasty potentially offers the following benefits as compared to total knee surgery: - Reduced pain. - Minimal hospitalization. Continues on next page

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 4

MAKOPLASTY...
Continued from page 3 -

More rapid recovery. Less implant wear and loosening. Smaller scar. Better motion and a more natural feeling knee.

The Sin Fin Column

by Joe Olvera , 2012

Through its innovative use of technology, MAKOplasty takes partial knee resurfacing to a new level of precision. MAKOplasty partial knee resurfacing is a minimally invasive procedure for knee osteoarthritis that saves as much of your original knee as possible while delivering the potential for more rapid recovery and natural feeling knee. For more information about MAKOplasty knee and hip procedures or to arrange interviews, please contact Marina Monsisvais at Marina@BarracudaElPaso.com.

Nostalgic in the barrio

Summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumping and he cotton is highwell, I guess I could sing the whole song, but, I wont because I sound like a bull-frog when I sing. The point is that Im in a very nostalgic mood, especially when winter is gone and summer is nigh. It reminds me of when I was a kid and school was over. My autograph book had been signed by all my schoolmates, some of them with not only their names, but, with poetic (or at least we thought they were) thoughts, such as: When you get married and live by the rocks, Ill know youre there by the smell of your socks. You know, real gems, like Roses are red, violets are blue, monkeys like you belong in the zoo. Or, how about U R 2 Good 2 B 4 Got 10. Really, we would dedicate such corny thoughts to each other. Summer time meant lots of fun, but, not necessarily for me, at least not all the time. There was no getting up late just because of summer vacation. It was business as usual, because I had a newspaper route. Actually, I had two routes because I would deliver the El Paso Times and the El Paso Herald-Post. For the Times route, I would get up around 5 a.m. My mother would rouse me because I couldnt keep my customers waiting. I would zoom in my bike to the house on Grama Street where my boss had left me a bundle or two of newspapers. Taking out my pocketknife, I would cut the string that held them together. I would fold the paper in such a way that I could throw it far and it wouldnt become unraveled. Finally, with my bag full in front and back, I would steer my way down Rivera Avenue to Copia, turn left on Copia and left again on Pera Avenue. My route for both papers extended all the way from Copia to Texas Street and points in-between. My route took me past the home turf of the X-14s on Olive Street. They were a very tough gang, but, mostly left me alone because I would bribe them with a free copy of the newspaper. Believe it or not, they would read the news of the day. Thus, I was safe as I rode by on my bike to deliver some papers on Piedras and Cypress Streets. Once done with my morning route, I was free until about 4:30 p.m., when I would drop whatever I was doing and rush to deliver the Herald-Post. Who wouldve thought that someday I would work for both papers as a reporter/columnist. One of my favorite things to do when I was free was to roam the barrio, collecting soda pop bottles so that I could turn them in for the nickel deposit. With about 50 cents in my pocket, I would either go swimming at the Washington Park pool or at Memorial Park. Or, I could go to the Mission Theater on Alameda where I would enjoy such actors as Tin Tan, Resortes, Cantinflas, Maria Felix, Sarita Garcia and, of course, the Mission was a bilingual theater, so that I could view such movies as King Kong, Frankenstein, White Christmas, and many others that kept us entertained for hours on end. If my bike needed fixing, I could use my hardearned dollars oh, maybe about $20 a week for having two paper routes and take care of my transportation needs. I always tried to give my mom half of my earnings and kept my half for such needs as entertainment, shoes, clothes and whatever attracted my mind. I learned from my dad at an early age that it was good to work so that I could buy the things I needed, instead of relying on him for everything. And, you know what? It worked. Whenever I needed something a little extra, I would ask him for a donation. Initially, he would say no. Then, I would start to sing his favorite song of the day, Oh, my papa, to me he was so wonderful, oh my papa, to me he was so good. Invariably, that would soften him up and he would call me to hand me my asked for donation. He was good to me in that way, although it didnt always work. Another favorite thing for me to do in the summer was to exchange comic books. I had a load of them and would go to my friends houses to ask, cambias comics? This meant that I wanted to exchange my comics for theirs. I loved to read Archie, Little Lulu, Superman, Batman. I loved Archie comics because their neighborhoods were so clean and neat, unlike mine. I even read classic comics, such as stories from the Bible, Cleopatra, and whatever else I could get my hands on. Thus ending my rounds, I would go home to begin my reading adventures. With a tortilla smothered with mayonnaise, I would clamber up on my bunk bed and spend hours by myself, in meditation with my newly-found treasures. Or I could ride my bike to the Memorial Park Library, my favorite spot for picking up books about my favorite athlete, some guy named Chip who excelled at all sports. In my mind, I would become Chip and would save the day by making the big play to win the big game. Believe it or not, one of my favorite books was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Can you imagine a tough, young Chicano liking a book about a young girl who used to sit on a fire escape, dreaming? Yep, that was me. I had dreams, you know. I remember often abandoning the hustle and bustle of playing with my friends to nestle in some cozy spot atop the roof of my apartment and spending hours just thinking of what life could be like if only I worked hard enough. Yes, that was me in my very memorable childhood. No message, just feeling nostalgic. Orale! Sin Fin

New Texas Tech Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Offers Masters of Science Degree
A new graduate program in biomedical sciences under Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) in El Paso will offer students a masters of science degree. Every student enrolled in the GSBS program will complete their coursework in El Paso. Biomedical research students will also have the benefit of studying alongside experts in four areas of significant need along the U.S./Mexico border. They are the Centers of Excellence in Infectious Disease, Diabetes and Obesity, Cancer, and Neurosciences. Typically, graduates with bachelors degrees lack the advanced knowledge and technical expertise necessary for conducting laboratory research, so the primary goal of the biomedical sciences track is to provide students with the skills and technical knowledge required for success in a laboratory work environments. According to the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to advance the development of the MCA campus and advance the Paso del Norte regions biomedical innovation pipeline, careers in the biomedical industry in the broader El Paso metropolitan area can help accelerate and expand El Paso Countys economy. It can also help generate jobs. The two-year program will offer students core curriculum courses in biochemistry, cell biology, genes and functions, with seminars in biomedical sciences, biochemical methods, responsible conduct of research and introduction to biomedical research. For the first year, courses will not be offered in the summer. Here at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, programs are dedicated to improving health through the discovery of basic mechanisms of disease, development of new treatments, and translation of research finding to innovative medical practice, said Charles Miller, Ph.D., associate dean for research, TTUHSC El Paso, and associate dean, TTUHSC Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, El Paso. What we learn today in El Paso, will apply to the rest of Texas in a decade and to the rest of the nation over the next 20 years, he said. For more information on Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences requirements and to apply, visit http://ttuhsc.edu/gsbs/elpaso/, or call (915) 783-5247.

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 5

By: Doppler Dave Speelman

I received an email from a viewer about swamp coolers. Armando wants to know when it becomes too humid for the units to operate properly. Well, Armando, I was first introduced to swamp coolers when I worked for a television station in Amarillo. I was amazed how they worked. I always enjoyed the humidity it brought to a dry home in a dry climate. In El Paso, swamp coolers become inefficient when it becomes too humid. This begins to occur during the month of July when our monsoon kicks in. That's when our humidity begins to shoot up along with our temperatures. As most of you know, our evaporative coolers first cool the outside air and then blow it through our homes. The higher the outside air temperature the lower the humidity needs to be in order to drop our inside temperature the most. For example, if the outside temperature is 90 degrees or more (typical for the month of July and August here in town) and the relative humidity is 50 percent, then the swamp cooler can only cool our home to just about 80 degrees (about a 10 degree drop). If there is only about 10 percent humidity, the house will cool even more - to about 70 degrees (20-25 degree drop). So, as you can see, humidity makes a big difference. You'll notice this yourself on a hot and humid day. The process of evaporation cools your body when you perspire. The more humidity there is, the less your body can cool itself. Evaporative coolers operate great in the months of April, May and June. But once July, August and September arrive, those swamp coolers work about as good as a fan. Below is a chart you can use to determine how much cooling you will get out of your evaporative cooler. It all depends on air temperature and humidity.

When Swamp Coolers Stop Working

What is the most humid city in the United States?

A. B. C. D. New Orleans, LA Port Arthur, TX Forks, Washington Apalachicola, FL
Answer: C Forks, Washington. Average relative humidity of 83%

Weather Trivia:

Courtesy of: Ed Phillips and the Arizona Almanac.

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.

THURSDAY

MAY 31

JUNE 1

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JUNE 2

JUNE 3

SUNDAY

JUNE 4

MONDAY

TUESDAY

JUNE 5

WEDNESDAY

JUNE 6

Mostly Sunny Windy

High: 96 Low: 68

Mostly Sunny & Breezy

High: 95 Low: 67

Mostly Sunny Breezy

High: 97 Low: 69

Mostly Sunny Breezy

High: 95 Low: 68

Mostly Sunny
High: 96 Low: 69

Mostly Sunny
High: 95 Low: 71

Partly Sunny Breezy

High: 97 Low: 68

By Rose Bennett Gilbert

Q: We found some great old family portraits when we were cleaning out my great aunt's attic and garage. I don't know who they are and don't care but would love to hang them in our living room. This would have to happen over my wife's protests because everything else is pretty contemporary. Any thoughts? A: I think you should already be reaching for the hammer and picture hangers: nothing adds more personality to a room than personal artworks, especially family portraits. The trick is to blend them in with the overall decor of a room. "Nothing should be noticed," to quote Bunny Mellon (she, with her husband Paul Mellon, enriched all our lives with extraordinary bequests to art museums around the country). Mellon meant that everything should work together in a room. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts in decorating, too. The room we show here offers a good example. It's in the Chicago home of architect/designer Suzanne Lovell (we borrowed the photo from her handsome new book, "Artistic Interiors"). In keeping with the carefully balanced furniture arrangement in her living room, Lovell has hung two l9th-century portraits of family members so they flank a large piece of contemporary art. The portraits' gold frames complement the golden glow of the larger piece (a tar! painting by the contemporary artist Greg Stone), and echo the gold in the leopard print used in combination with longhaired cowhide on the art deco-style armchairs. The portraits balance the room arrangement, just as the sofa's chaise is balanced by the large, low coffee table. Note how the dark backgrounds of the painting are offset by the dark upholstery and end tables. Achieving such balance is a dance best done by eyeballing, at which Lovell is a seasoned pro. But don't let that keep your newfound family members out of your home. There's nothing wrong with trial-and-error decorating. Helpful hint: Put a square of masking tape on the wall before you drive in the picture hanger. It keeps the plaster from shattering, so you can rearrange things without too much collateral damage.
Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of "Manhattan style" and six other books on interior design.
COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM.

Out of the attic and into family living space: Ancestor portraits personalize a contemporary living room. Photo: Tony Soluri

EnErgy ExprEss by Marilynn prEston

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 7

The Crops Are Coming: Are You Riding With the Dirty Dozen?
I've never wanted a tattoo of the Dirty Dozen before, but I do now. Because this is when so many spring and summer fruits and vegetables are coming to town, and it's nothing but fun to wander around my local farmer's market, picking and schmoozing. I'm not talking about the classic Lee Marvin shoot-'em-up. I'm talking about the Dirty Dozen list of which fruits and vegetables you should buy organic, because the conventional versions have been determined to have many more bad-actor, body-wrecking pesticides. The Dirty Dozen list, and its OK-to-Buy Conventional cousin, the Clean 15, are researched and reported by the Environmental Working Group, a worthy nonprofit with a valuable website (www.ewg.org) that also spreads the word about best and worst sunscreens, cell phone radiation and poisonous ingredients in cosmetics. I've got it bookmarked. Do avocados have to be organic (and a dollar more each!)? What about strawberries, potatoes, my beloved spinach? It's a jungle out there, and the more informed your decision about buying organic or conventional, the healthier and happier you'll be. And the more wisely you'll spend your grocery money. Take blueberries. I am addicted and eat them every day for breakfast. I used to struggle, as many of us do: Is it worth the money to buy organic? Should I spend the extra $2 dollars for a tiny box of the organic kind or just trust that the cheaper, more plentiful conventional blueberry from somewhere far, far away, beyond Costa Rica, will be OK? For me, the struggle has ended. I've done my research. I track on poisons-in-our-environment issues like a hunting dog on a bloody sock. "Marilynn!" I now say, but not so loudly that anyone can hear. "Think about your body. Do you want to feed it ever-so-tiny bits of poisons, or do you want to feed it clean, real food?" Call me crazy, but clean, real food, wins every time. Yes, you can try to wash away contaminants with green soaps and various cleansing methods, but when the Environmental Working Group reports that non-organic spinach is grown using more than 50 different pesticides admittedly not all at the same time and is considered the dirtiest leafy green you can find, I buy organic. And I thank the farmer who grows it, if she's standing nearby. But not all organics are worth the higher price. Some conventional produce is suitably clean and reasonable to eat, the food scientists at EWG say. But how do you know which is which? That's the problem. Problem solved. I'm going to give you the EWG list of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 in just a minute, but first, here's what you need to digest: The fewer manmade chemicals and toxic pesticides you absorb in your lifetime, the better. If that isn't your baseline belief at this point in your life, than not only are we on different pages, we live on different planets. This planet, and the people on it, suffer from dirty food. Over time, bit by bit, bite by bite, pesticides and chemicals contaminate our bodies, compromise our health and move us down the slippery path to more disease, cancers and other ailments that it's so much better to avoid. So that's my pitch, and here are the two most-recent EWG lists:

THE DIRTY DOZEN are

foods that carry the highest levels of chemicals and pesticides ranked in order. So save your money elsewhere, and buy these organic: Continues on next page

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 8

Your Horoscope
On the heels of an astrologically quiet week, a celestial restlessness sets in, changing the themes and moods straight away. Monday brings a full moon in wild Sagittarius and the added drama of a partial lunar eclipse. Also, Neptune goes retrograde, spinning our beliefs and dreams in such a way that we may entertain the opposite beliefs and dreams for the sake of contrast or to test our convictions. ARIES (March 21-April 19). There are certain survival skills everyone should know how to do like build a fire or perform CPR. You may never need these skills in your lifetime, but knowing how to execute tasks such as these gives you an inner confidence that translates into other areas of your life. Self-reliance is such an attractive quality. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Truth is not always factual, especially in the realm of art. Artistic truth has to do with consistency and resonance. In other words, there's an authenticity to it, and it adheres to its own rules. You'll be moved by the truth this week, but you should note that the facts might not be 100 percent accurate. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You make a promise this week. You might not say "I promise," but something about what you say or how you say it suggests that you will deliver entertainment, safety or special treatment to another person. Once you set up this expectation, you'll spend the better part of your week delivering on it. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Anyone who takes vitamins, flosses or makes the bed in the morning inherently realizes the difference that a few minutes a day can make in the long term of a life. This is a prime week to adopt a daily habit that takes less than

By Holiday Mathis

week 05/31- 06/6

your true friends this week, and you'll love where these relationships take you. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Just as you can't step in the same river twice, no two interactions are alike. Each encounter is an opportunity. You may feel as though you are bound by a routine, but this is an illusion. Recognize the currents of newness and excitement flowing through your life this week, and take advantage of them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your internal GPS system is not entirely updated with the maps for this new frontier you're exploring. You'll fill in the blanks by turning down mysterious roads to see where they lead. It doesn't matter which road you choose, as long as you continue the momentum, wind in your hair. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Because you're so multifaceted, you sometimes forget who you are. This week the forgetfulness will benefit you, as you won't worry so much about whether what you're doing is "really you." Instead, you'll do what you're drawn toward, what feels like fun and what makes your heart sing. THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Your cosmic birthday gift is a sense of how amazing you really are and a feeling of being capable of doing great things. You'll be exposed to a highly stimulating environment this month that sparks your creative vision. Professional bonds are built through July's projects. You'll travel and participate in a learning process along the way in August. In September, your intent to make a difference in the world will be met with support and funding. The most romantic months will be February and May.

DEAR ABBY by Abigail Van Buren

30 minutes but adds health, well-being, happiness and possibly years to your life. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). When you were small, you outgrew toys in a matter of months or years. Now it takes longer to move through a phase, as you make more substantial commitments. Still, you recognize that there's a cycle for everything. What you once found tempting is no longer interesting to you. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You'll draw a benefit from the freshness of positive situations. It's not, as they say, "all good," though. When you encounter negativity, especially on Wednesday, one way to neutralize this influence is to embrace it. Accepting a negative element within and around you is the first step to overcoming it. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You may feel stuck this week, but you can be sure that on some level you are wiggling free of limitations. Remember that your physical form is only part of who you are. Your feelings, perceptions, ideas and consciousness form a larger identity. All of the elements of you are constantly changing. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The route to your destination won't be a direct flight. You could blame timing or economic and logistical factors, but more than likely the winding path is a function of destiny's intent for you to learn more than you wanted to know and connect with people with whom you wouldn't have otherwise connected. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Love is acceptance. Real friends don't ask you to change who you are in order to suit their needs and purposes. They may make requests of you, but those requests don't include "be someone else." You'll appreciate

MARRIAGE ISN'T IN THE CARDS FOR WIDOWER AND GIRLFRIEND

DEAR ABBY: I am a 70-year-old widower with three grown children. My girlfriend is 53. We dated for several months before she moved in with me. I thought maybe with her living here I might fall in love with her. It has not, and will not, happen. I hate to break her heart, but I know now that I will never ask her to marry me. I intend to remain single for the rest of my life. How do I bring closure to this relationship? What are the words? I'm lost because this is a first for me. I was married for 40 years, and I just do not wish to be married again. How do I tell this nice lady? -- IN A BIND IN TEXAS DEAR IN A BIND: Having the woman move in with you "hoping" you would fall in love with her was a huge mistake, and one you should not repeat. When you say what you need to say, have plenty of tissue handy and expect her to be tearful and angry. Start by saying, "We need to talk." Tell her she has done nothing wrong, and it is not a failure on her part, but you realize that you do not wish to remarry. Explain that feeling as you do, it would be best if she moved. Offer to help her find a place if she has nowhere to go. You will be doing both of you a favor by being upfront NOW. ** DEAR ABBY: I am a young, recently married woman. My husband and I are at the point where we're thinking about having kids. My brother married a close friend of mine not long after my wedding. My sisterin-law has a medical condition that may prevent her from having children. I am very close to my brother and his wife, and I can see the writing on the wall. She brought up surrogacy once in passing, as a possible alternative if she can't have kids. If I'm asked to be the surrogate, what advice do you have? I would be more than willing to consider it, but only after my husband and I have had our own children. Would it be selfish of me to also expect some compensation for my time and the toll it will take on my body? I want to be ready if and when I'm asked. What would be the best way to explain my reasoning to her? -- BACKUP MOM IN THE NORTHWEST DEAR BACKUP MOM: You are an intelligent woman and you are asking good questions. You should explain your thinking to your sister-in-law as you have addressed them in your letter. It would be wise to consult an attorney who specializes in adoption/surrogacy to learn about the laws and procedures that apply in your state. ** DEAR ABBY: I am an adult male with a longtime problem. Whether it's a sad or happy occasion, I start crying, sometimes sobbing. I try to avoid any situation that may cause this. I am at a new point in my life where I can no longer avoid these situations. People think it's not normal. Please don't suggest I live with it. Is there a magic pill to control this? -BIG CRYBABY IN BROOKLYN, N.Y. DEAR CRYBABY: There is no pill that can help you control those emotions that I know of. And because it is causing you problems, I do not recommend you "live with it." I do think, however, that if you discuss with a therapist what it is about sad and happy occasions that causes such an extreme reaction that you could get quickly to the bottom of it and learn to better control those emotions. ** 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. ** To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.
COPYRIGHT 2012 UNIVERSAL UCLICK

Dirty Dozen...
Continued from page 7

1 Apples 2 Celery 3 Strawberries 4 Peaches 5 Spinach 6 Nectarines 7 Grapes (This covers 8 Sweet bell peppers 9 Potatoes 10 Blueberries
raisins and wine, too.)

11 Lettuce 12 Kale/ Collard

Greens

organic label. It's an expense they don't need. So take advantage of your next farmer's market. Meet the growers, and ask questions about how they manage their crops. Just don't make a pesticide of yourself. ENERGY EXPRESS-O! PLANTING SEEDS "Kids are a lot more likely to eat their vegetables if they help pick them out." Gabrielle Langholtz
Marilynn Preston fitness expert, wellness 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 welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com.
COPYRIGHT 2012 ENERGY EXPRESS, LTD.

The Clean 15 list, conventional produce lowest in pesticides, include: onions, sweet corn, pineapple, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, mango, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapefruit and mushrooms. One last point, just before you go for your own Dirty Dozen tattoo. Local farmers who grow pure, pesticidefree fruits and vegetables can't always afford to get the certified

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 9

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

KEEP KIDS OCCUPIED DURING SUMMER BREAK

Q: As much as I love having my kids home for the summer, I also dread it. I feel like I'm constantly trying to juggle work and what the kids need. It's chaos most of the time. How can I actually enjoy having them home? Juli: As a working mom with three boys, I understand your dilemma. I love having the kids home from school, but I also face the constant challenge of how to channel their tremendous energy in constructive ways. Here are a few tips I've learned over the years: -- Everyone does better with a schedule. Part of the fun of the summer is not having schedules dictate life, but a free-for-all leads to chaos. Implement a loose schedule to keep the summer manageable. This should include the times
that everyone wakes up and goes to bed, time to get chores done and even "quiet time" for everyone to rest. -- Keep your kids busy doing productive things. Every child, even at 3 years old, should have chores. Be ready to reply to the complaint "I'm bored" with a list of jobs to complete, crafts to do, books to read or other options that your children can tackle on their own. And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with them being bored once in a while. -- Make sure you have time just to focus on your kids this summer. Compartmentalize your work to certain hours or days of the week, so you can have free time to do fun things like play with squirt guns, go to the zoo and camp in the backyard.

wITH JIM DALY AND Dr. JULI SLATTErY

-- Put off things that can wait until the kids go back to school. Having lunch with a friend, volunteering at church and painting your bedroom can all wait. The summer flies by, and it is a critical time to connect with your kids. You will never regret making that your first priority. ** (Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family, host of the Focus on the Family radio program, and a husband and father of two. Dr. Juli Slattery is a licensed psychologist, co-host of Focus on the Family, author of several books, and a wife and mother of three.)

(Submit your questions to: ask@FocusOnTheFamily.com)

COPYRIGHT 2012 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80995 INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT SECURED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 10

Children that register for Summer Reading Club will receive a coupon for a free Kids meal from Chick-fil-A
Children that register for the El Paso Public Librarys Summer Reading Club will receive a coupon redeemable for a free 4piece nugget kids meal courtesy of Chick-fil-A while supplies last. The vouchers are redeemable at either the Sunland Park or Cielo Vista mall Chick-fil-A locations. Registration for Summer Reading Club starts June 2 and runs through July 7 at all public library facilities and bookmobile. Children are asked to read 8 books of 8 hours. Registration is free and open to all children up to 12 years of age. For more information visit www.elpasolibrary.org of call 543-5470.

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 12

Now Showing
Snow White And The Huntsman
06/01/2012 Rated: PG-13 Genre: Action/Adventure

Premiere Cinemas
6101 Gateway West S.15 Schedule good for June 1st

CINEMARK CIELO VISTA

Gateway West Blvd/Cielo Vista Mall

In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Snow White is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman dispatched to kill her. Starring: Kristen Stewart,Chris Hemsworth,Charlize Theron,Toby Jones,Ian McShane,Nick Frost,Ray Winstone,Sam Claflin,Dave Legeno,Lily Cole

EAST POINTE MOVIES 12 Schedule good for 06/01 - 06/07 I-10 & Lee Trevino
21 JUMP STREET (R) 11:25a 2:05p 4:40p 7:10p 9:40p ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKSCHIP-WRECKED (G) 11:10a 1:45p 6:55p AMERICAN REUNION (R) 11:20a 1:55p 4:30p 7:15p 9:50p CASA DE MI PADRE (R) 4:45p 9:20p JOHN CARTER 2-D (PG-13) 3:00p 9:30p JOHN CARTER 3-D (PG-13) 12:00p 6:35p JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND 3-D (PG) 11:50a 2:35p 5:15p 7:30p 9:45p MIRROR MIRROR (PG) 11:30a 2:10p 4:35p 7:00p 9:35p PROJECT X (R) 7:05p 9:25p SAFE (R) 11:15a 1:30p 3:55p 6:25p 8:55p SAFE HOUSE (R) 11:35a 2:15p 4:50p 7:25p 10:00p THE THREE STOOGES (PG) 11:45a 2:00p 4:25p 6:40p 9:00p TITANIC 3-D (PG-13) 11:05a 3:05p WRATH OF THE TITIANS 2-D (PG-13) 11:40a 2:30p 5:00p 7:20p 9:55p WRATH OF THE TITANS 3-D (PG-13) 11:00a 1:35p 4:10p 6:30p 9:05p

*21 JUMP STREET (R) 10:40a 1:30p 4:15p 7:10p 10:05p *BATTLESHIP (PG-13) 10:30a 11:45a 12:30p 1:45p 3:00p 3:45p 5:00p 6:15p 7:00p 8:15p 9:30p 10:15p * BATTLESHIP DBOX (PG-13) 11:45a 3:00p 6:15p 9:30p *CHERNOBYLE DIARIES (R) 11:05a 11:55a 1:35p 2:25p 4:05p 4:55p 6:35p 7:25p 9:05p 9:55p JUAN OF THE DEAD (R) 10:55a 1:40p 4:25p 7:10p 9:55p MIRROR MIRROR (PG) 10:30a 11:15a 1:20p 2:10p 4:25p 5:05p 7:15p 8:00p 10:00p THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (R) 11:00a 1:40p 4:20p 7:00p 9:40p THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT (R) 10:50a 1:05p 2:00p 4:15p 5:15p 7:20p 8:25p 10:30p THE LORAX 2D (PG) 10:50a 1:35p *THE LORAX 3D (PG) 4:20p 7:05p 9:30p *THINK LIKE A MAN (PG-13) 12:50p 4:00p 7:05p 10:15p *WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN EXPECTING (PG-13) 10:35a 10:55a 1:25p 1:50p 4:20p 4:45p 7:15p 7:40p 10:10p 10:35p WRATH OF THE TITANS 2-D (PG-13) 10:45a 1:30p 4:15p 7:05p 9:40p ZOMBIE DAWN (R) 10:30a 1:15p 4:00p 6:45p 9:30p * -- denotes Pass Restricted features

Schedule good for Friday June 1st

For Greater Glory R143 Mins Digital Cinema 10:05am | 1:15pm | 4:25pm | 7:35pm | 10:45pm Snow White and the Huntsman PG13127 Mins Digital Cinema10:30am | 12:00pm | 1:30pm | 3:00pm | 4:30pm | 6:00pm | 7:30pm | 9:00pm | 10:30pm Men in Black 3 PG-13106 Mins RealD 3D 10:00am | 11:30am | 1:00pm | 2:30pm | 4:00pm | 5:30pm | 7:00pm | 8:30pm | 10:00pm Digital Cinema 10:45am | 12:15pm | 1:45pm | 3:15pm | 4:45pm | 6:15pm | 7:45pm | 9:15pm | 10:45pm Crooked Arrows NR99 Mins Digital Cinema 10:20am | 1:20pm | 4:20pm | 7:20pm | 10:20pm The Dictator R83 Mins Digital Cinema 10:40am | 1:40pm | 4:40pm | 7:40pm | 10:40pm Dark Shadows PG-13113 Mins Digital Cinema 10:25am | 1:25pm | 4:25pm | 7:25pm | 10:25pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel PG-13118 Mins Digital Cinema 10:35am | 1:35pm | 4:35pm | 7:35pm | 10:35pm Marvel's The Avengers PG-13140 Mins RealD 3D 10:00am | 1:30pm | 5:00pm 8:45pmDigital Cinema 11:15am | 2:45pm | 6:30pm | 10:15pm Bernie PG-1395 Mins Digital Cinema 10:20am | 4:20pm | 10:20pm The Hunger Games PG-13142 Mins Digital Cinema 1:00pm | 7:00pm

CINEMARK 14 - EL PASO
West side of El Paso at Mesa & I-10

Schedule good for Friday June 1st

Snow White and the Huntsman PG13127 Mins Cinemark XD 9:00am | 12:25pm | 3:55pm | 7:30pm | 10:40pm Digital Cinema 9:30am 12:50pm | 4:10pm | 8:00pm | 11:15pm Chernobyl Diaries R90 Mins Digital Cinema 11:40am | 2:25pm | 5:10pm | 8:00pm | 11:10pm Men in Black 3 PG-13106 Mins RealD 3D 10:15am | 12:00pm | 1:30pm | 3:15pm | 4:35pm | 6:35pm | 7:40pm | 9:40pm | 10:35pm Digital Cinema 9:15am | 10:40am | 12:35pm | 2:05pm | 3:45pm | 5:05pm | 7:15pm | 8:05pm | 11:00pm Battleship PG-13131 MinsDigital Cinema 10:35am | 2:35pm | 6:15pm 9:35pm What to Expect When You're Expecting PG-13110 MinsDigital Cinema 10:50am | 1:55pm | 5:00pm | 7:50pm | 10:45pm The Dictator R83 MinsDigital Cinema 10:30am | 12:55pm | 3:20pm | 5:45pm | 8:10pm | 10:55pm Dark Shadows PG-13113 Mins Digital Cinema 9:20am | 12:15pm | 3:10pm | 6:05pm | 9:00pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel PG13118 Mins Digital Cinema 9:05am | 12:20pm 3:35pm | 6:45pm | 10:05pm Marvel's The Avengers PG-13140 Mins RealD 3D 11:30am | 3:25pm | 7:05pm 10:30pm Digital Cinema 11:05am | 2:45pm | 6:25pm | 9:55pm

TINSELTOWN
Las Palmas i-10 @ Zaragosa

Schedule good for Friday June 1st

Battlefield America PG-13106 Mins Digital Cinema 10:05am | 1:15pm | 4:05pm | 6:55pm | 10:00pm For Greater Glory R143 Mins Digital Cinema 12:00pm | 3:45pm | 7:10pm | 10:35pm Snow White and the Huntsman PG-13127 Mins Digital Cinema 10:10am | 11:20am | 12:20pm | 1:20pm | 2:30pm | 3:30pm | 4:30pm | 5:40pm | 6:40pm | 7:40pm | 8:50pm | 9:50pm | 10:50pm Midnight Showtimes (Late Friday Night) 12:01am Chernobyl Diaries R90 Mins Digital Cinema 10:15am | 12:40pm | 3:10pm | 6:05pm | 8:30pm | 11:00pm Men in Black 3 PG-13106 Mins Cinemark XD-RealD 3D 10:30am | 1:25pm | 4:20pm | 7:15pm | 10:10pm RealD 3D 11:00am | 12:25pm | 1:55pm | 2:55pm | 3:20pm | 4:50pm | 6:00pm | 6:15pm | 7:45pm | 10:40pm Midnight Showtimes (Late Friday Night)12:10am Digital Cinema 10:00am | 11:30am | 12:55pm | 2:25pm | 3:50pm | 5:20pm | 6:45pm | 8:15pm | 9:40pm | 11:10pm Battleship PG-13131 Mins Digital Cinema 10:00am | 1:05pm | 4:10pm | 7:30pm | 10:45pm Crooked Arrows NR99 Mins Digital Cinema 10:40am | 1:35pm | 4:40pm | 7:25pm | 10:15pm What to Expect When You're Expecting PG-13110 Mins Digital Cinema 10:55am | 1:45pm | 4:45pm | 7:35pm | 10:30pm The Dictator R83 Mins Digital Cinema 10:50am | 1:30pm | 3:55pm | 6:30pm | 9:00pm | 11:30pm Dark Shadows PG-13113 Mins Digital Cinema11:15am | 2:10pm | 5:05pm | 8:00pm | 10:55pm Marvel's The AvengersPG-13140 Mins RealD 3D 11:10am | 1:00pm | 4:25pm | 7:50pm | 9:30pm | 11:15pm Digital Cinema 10:20am | 12:10pm | 1:50pm | 3:35pm | 5:15pm | 7:00pm | 8:40pm | 10:25pm Midnight Showtimes (Late Friday Night) 12:05am Think Like a Man PG-13122 Mins Digital Cinema 9:10pm

Schedule good for 6/01

SUPER STIMULUS TUESDAY: $1.50 DRINK, $1.50 POPCORN

ALL SEATS ALL SHOWS $5.00 EVERY TUESDAY!!

AVENGERS THE: 2D (PG13) 10:30 | 11:45 | 1:00 | 3:00 | 4:15 | 6:15 | 7:30 | 9:30 | 10:45 AVENGERS THE: 3D (PG13) 10:45 | 12:45 | 1:55 | 4:00 | 5:05 | 7:05 | 8:15 | 10:15 | 11:45 BATTLESHIP (PG13) 1:00 | 4:05 | 7:10 | 10:15 CHERNOBYL DIARIES (R) 12:00 | 2:20 | 4:40 | 7:10 | 9:30 | 11:50 DARK SHADOWS (PG13) 11:00 | 1:45 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 10:00 DICTATOR, THE (R) 10:30 | 12:45 | 3:00 | 5:15 | 7:30 | 9:45 | 12:00am FOR GREATER GLORY (NR) 10:30 | 1:40 | 4:50 | 8:00 | 11:10 MEN IN BLACK 3:2D (PG13) 11:00 | 12:00 | 1:40 | 2:40 | 4:20 | 5:20 | 7:00 | 8:00 | 9:40 | 10:40 MEN IN BLACK 3:3D (PG13) 10:30 | 11:30 | 1:10 | 2:10 | 3:50 | 4:50 | 6:30 | 7:30 | 9:10 | 10:10 | 11:50 SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN (PG13) 11:00 | 1:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:15am WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOURE EXPE (PG13) 11:00 | 1:40 | 4:20 | 7:00 | 9:40

PREMIERE MONTWOOD 7 2200 N. Yarbrough

Schedule good for 6/1 - 6/7 21 JUMP STREET (R) 5:00p 7:15p 9:30p JOHN CARTER (PG-13) 5:40p 8:20p JOURNEY 2 (PG) 5:40p 7:40p 9:40p MIRROR MIRROR (PG) 5:10p 7:20p 9:35p SAFE (R) 5:15p 7:15p 9:15p WRATH OF THE TITANS (PG-13) 5:30p 7:40p 9:45p

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 13

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 14

NEW MUSIC ~ June 5th

Beach Boys - That's Why God Stevie Jackson - (I Can't Get No) Stevie Jackson Japandroids - Celebration Rock Lenny Kravitz - Mama Said (Deluxe Edition) Kreator - Phantom Antichrist L.A. Guns - Hollywood Forever Ladyhawke - Anxiety They dont care about genres. They dont care about smartness. They dont care about the things you care about. Dada Life just wants to make you jump up and down. Then make you crash into a wall with a smile on your face. The formula has been a winner since the start. Dada Life consists of swedish duo Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom. In summer 2006 Dada Life released Big Time and DJ:s all over got their first take on the duo. In 2010 Dada Life was voted #89 in the Top 100 list by Dj Magazine, through the course of a year their popularity increased and so did the ranking coming in at #38 in 2011. Since then there has been a steady stream of records: The Great Fashionista Swindle, Vote Yes and Fun Fun Fun as well as the full length album Just Do the Dada. 2011 saw the biggest hits yet "Happy Violence" and "Kick Out the Epic Motherf**ker" and 2012 is seeing the current hit "Rolling Stones T-Shirt". Dada Life have also remixed artists such as Laidback Luke, Alex Gopher and Dan Black/Kid Cudi. The tunes are played by everyone from Crookers, Eric Prydz and Benny Benassi to David Guetta, as well as featured on tons of compilations. Tisto quickly understood how to Do the Dada and the duo played before him on his massive USA-tour 2009. Frequently playing to massive crowds at some of the largest EDM festivals like Ultra Music Festival and Electric Daisy Carnival their high energy and love by everyone makes then one of the top headliners. As DJ:s Dada Life always have a little extra in their record bag. They constantly produce their own remixes/edits (Guerilla Farts!!!) of good tunes in order to have something unique to play. (And when they get bored with the tunes, the mp3:s end up somewhere on the net) Just give them a few bottles of cheap champagne and a box of bananas and they keep going. And remember: destroy dance music and have fun. Dont look back in the past. Always go forward. Dont think too much. Always follow the money. Just Do the Dada.

Made the Radio Eric Benet - One Beyonce - 4 (Deluxe Edition)

Big K.R.I.T. - Live From the Underground David Bowie - Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust (Deluxe) Brandi Carlile - Bear Creek Shawn Colvin - All Fall Down Curren$y - The Stoned Immaculate Far East movement - Dirty Bass Fear Factory - Industrialist Friends - Friends Germs - (GI) Reissue Heart - Strange Euphoria Hives - Lex Hives Kelly Hogan - I Like to Keep Myself in Pain

Langhorne slim - Way We Move Liars - WIXIW Marduk - Serpent Sermon Melvins - Freak Puke Phobia - Remnants of Filth Pond - Pond Chris Robinson Brotherhood Big Moon Ritual Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events Silent Film - Sand & Snow Paul Simon - Graceland (25th Anniversary Edition) Patti Smith - Banga Soundtrack - Prometheus Soundtrack - Rock of Ages Soundtrack - Snow White & the Huntsman Temper Trap - Temper Trap Toothaches - O! Be Joyful Joe Walsh - Analog Man Neil Young & Crazy Horse Americana

Photo by: Martin Adolfsson

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 15

Nightlife calendar
June 9th

CHUCKIE | Sat. June 9th,

Tricky Falls, El Paso TX hosted by J&K DJ Chuckie for the 1st time

ductions PRESENT... FRIDAY JUNE 22nd at NOVA LUNA El Paso, TX SASHA www.djsasha.com//invol2ver 2270 Joe Battle Blvd, Suite J, El Paso, TX 79938 915.329.4511 July 7th

Sat.July.7th in El Paso at Buchanan's Event Center

STEVE AOKI | In Concert

Sat.July.7th Presented by SMG EVENTS and Disco in El Paso! Tickets Available at the following: www.JandKPresent.com or TrickyFalls.com June 16th SUPERNITE W/ MIAMI HORROR (DJ SET)

SUN CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL Sept. 1st & 2nd SCMF LABOR DAY WEEKEND MG Events & Disco Donnie present 2nd Annual SCMF // SUN CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL

LNSC & THE LOWBROW ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT TO EL PASO FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER A SPECIAL SUPERNITE WITH... Miami Horror Lowbrow Palace June 22nd SASHA | Fri. Jun.22nd ELP Presented by SMG Events &

SMG EVENTS and Disco Productions PROUDLY PRESENT... STEVE AOKI | In Concert

3 stages // 1 weekend // Massive Music Festival

Disco Productions SMG EVENTS & Disco Pro-

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 16

NEXT UP...

SPRINT CUP
Race: FedEx 400 Where: Dover International Speedway When: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX 2011 Winner: Matt Kenseth (right)

NATIONWIDE SERIES
Race: 5-hour Energy 200 Where: Dover International Speedway When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN 2011 Winner: Carl Edwards

CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Race: Lucas Oil 200 Where: Dover International Speedway When: Friday, 4:30 p.m. (ET) TV: SPEED 2011 Winner: Kyle Busch

By RICK MINTER / Universal Uclick

Scion of NASCARs first family wants to be just another driver

ost up-and-coming young race drivers want people to know all about them, thinking the knowledge will further their career. But Ben Kennedy just wants to be one of the faces in the lineup. But Kennedys situation is unique, and he cant be blamed for wanting to be looked at as just another racer. His mother is Lesa Kennedy, the chairwoman of International Speedway Corp. and the vice chair and executive vice president of NASCAR. Bens late great-grandfather is NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. Most of the time when Kennedy, a 20-year-old University of Florida student, is driving his Late Model or competing on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, the only time its apparent that hes a part of

NASCARs first family is when his mother or grandmother show up to watch him race, which is pretty often these days. That puts Lesa Kennedy in a far different position at the track than the one in which she usually finds herself. When Bens racing, shes more Mom and less NASCAR executive. I think it initially scared her a little bit, Ben Kennedy said with a chuckle. But shes warming up to it a little bit. Shes starting to become a fan and enjoys coming to the races and stuff. Kennedy said hes relieved that his connections to the people who control NASCAR havent drawn a lot of attention. Im glad they dont really shine any light on that, he said. My goal is to blend in with everybody out there and not stand out

Ben Kennedy practices for the NASCAR K&N Series Widow Wax 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 16. (NASCAR photo)
too much. So far theres been little evidence of Kennedy receiving any special favors. In fact, the opposite might be true. In a recent race at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., Kennedy was leading late in the feature event when he was black-flagged for jumping the restart. He was sent to the rear of the pack but bounced back for a top-five finish.

It was very frustrating and unfortunate the way it happened, he said. But it was a part of racing. I definitely respect their call and everything that went with it. I still ended up with a top five, so it wasnt a horrible night. Kennedys had many other rewarding nights since he decided at a relatively late age to give race driving a try. He was encouraged by NASCAR team owner Eddie Wood, who told him how much fun he and his own son Jon had racing together. Veteran crew chief and team manager Robbie Loomis set up his first drive in a competitive gokart, and NASCAR driver Mark Martin helped steer his career in his early days of competing on the short tracks of Florida, where he won a championship in the Pro-Truck class at Orlando

Speedworld and New Smyrna Speedway as well as a Super Late Model championship at Orlando. He was the 2010 Rookie of the Year in the Bright House Challenge Series and was named the SRP Pistons Sportsman of the Year. Kennedy said his career has taken giant strides in the past two years as hes ventured away from his home base in Florida and raced at tracks across the nation. His best finish in the K&N Series came in the circuits first visit to historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., where he finished third. This year hes racing a car prepared by Bill Elliotts race team in Dawsonville, Ga., and is getting career guidance from Elliott.Continues on page 18

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 17

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 18

NOTEBOOK

Sweet victory at Coca-Cola 600

Kasey Kahne got his first win of the season, and his first since joining Hendrick Motorsports, when he drove away from the field at the end of Sundays Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. For Kahne, it was a long-anticipated victory and an especially sweet one given his struggles at the start of the season. Looking back, Kahnes turnaround actually began after he left Martinsville Speedway, where he started on the pole but blew an engine and finished 38th, leaving him 31st in points. Since then hes finished no worse than eighth, and now with his third career win in the Coca-Cola 600, hes up to 15th in the standings. It felt really good to put the entire race together and have speed all night long, Kahne said. It feels good to get a win for Hendrick Motorsports. Its something Ive been looking forward to, for a year and a half, to drive for Hendrick Motorsports, to be teammates with Jimmie [Johnson], Dale [Earnhardt Jr.] and Jeff [Gordon]. To put it all together and get the win, it feels good.

Ben Kennedy...
Continued from page 16 His crew chief is Mike Fritz, who recently worked with Ricky Carmichael in NASCARs Camping World Truck Series. Bills been a great help, Kennedy said. Hes a very nice person, and he has a ton of experience. Hes been around the sport forever. He has a great crew and a great facility in Dawsonville. Hes a great all-around resource for us. Racing at different tracks is making a difference as well. Ive probably learned more in the last year than I have in the rest of my racing career, just from traveling, Kennedy said. At the beginning of last year, Id only been to four tracks. At the end of last year Id been to 20 something. That traveling experience will pay off. Like most of his peers, Kennedy would like to see his career take him to the top levels of NASCAR. My long-term goal is to get to the Sprint Cup Series one day, he said. But Im going to take it one step at a time and see where it goes each year, whether its trucks or Nationwide [Series] or wherever it goes from here. Hopefully Ill reach my ultimate goal. But if driving doesnt work out, theres still the possibility of a key position in the family company. Ive thought about it, he said. If it comes, itll come. If not, Ill stick to this end of it. Ive definitely considered it many times. Ive been around the business side all of my life, but now Im really enjoying the competitive side.

Infiniti QX56 is big, bold and beautiful.

By Christopher A. Randazzo
Last year, Infiniti redesigned their flagship SUV, the QX56 and it couldnt have come at a better time. The previous model was looking dated and the fact that it didnt stand too far apart from its corporate cousin, the Nissan Armada, was always an issue. No longer based on the Armadas platform, the QX56 now rides on its own unique platform that improves handling, performance and overall refinement. As youll soon learn, the QX56 is a much improved vehicle. The QX56 is one big handsome machine. Its tall and narrow with swells around the fenders and a slight upkick at the rear. The front end appears tall and the fender vents - well, you either love em or hate em. At least they are functional by allowing cooler air into the en-

SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MAY 31, 2012 PAGE 19

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING
1,591 29
Laps led by Jimmie Johnson in the past 14 Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway, more than double that of any other driver Sprint Cup races run since the polesitter was victorious (Ryan Newman at New Hampshire last year) Sprint Cup drivers who won their 300th start (Kasey Kahne, Ned Jarrett and Rusty Wallace)

Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the past 14 Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway

gine bay. Inside that bay sits a 5.6 liter V8 engine. Now before you go on muttering, oh, that same V8 that Nissan has been using in the Titan and Armada, hold your breath. This V8 is new and boasts 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque versus 320 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of torque for the old one. Even better, it is more fuel efficient, managing to get 14 mpg in

town and 20 mpg on the highway out achieving the old motors 12 mpg in town and 27 mpg highway rating. A sevenspeed transmission is the only transmission offered and the QX56 continues to be rearwheel driven with four-wheel drive (with low-range gearing) available as an option.To read the complete article please go to www.spotlightepnews.com