Early life

McCreery was born in 1993 to Judy (née Cooke) and Michael McCreery in Garner, North Carolina.^[1][2] His mother works as a realtor.^[3] His father was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to a Puerto Rican mother from San Juan and an American father.^[4] He used to impersonate Elvis as a child, and started learning guitar at age ten.^[5] He attended West Lake Middle School and sang at his graduation. He also attended Garner Magnet High School^[6] where he joined a vocal ensemble, Die Meistersingers, that performs across the United States.^[7] He started out singing tenor but switched to bass when his voice turned lower in his sophomore year.^[7] He won a singing contest called "Clayton Idol" at the Clayton Harvest Festival in Clayton, North Carolina^[8] and was one of 36 finalists in a "Rip the Hallways" contest featuring teenage vocalists in North Carolina.^[5] He has performed at various local events.^[9]

American Idol

Overview

McCreery auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The judges were struck by his deep bass voice unusual for his age. Steven Tyler commented on his uncanny likeness to Alfred E. Neuman, the mascot of Mad Magazine, to which he replied, "What, me worry?" In the Hollywood group round, he joined the "Guaps" and became embroiled in the drama when fellow group member Clint Jun Gamboa expelled Jacee Badeaux from the group. He later expressed regret for not standing up for Jacee. He was one of the five male vote getters in the semi-final round to advance to the Top 13. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, 

McCreery won the tenth season of American Idol on May 25, 2011. At 17, he is the second youngest Idol winner behind season 6 winner Jordin Sparks.

 In December 2009, the government of Puerto Rico enacted a new law (Law 191 of 2009) aimed at strengthening the issuance and usage of birth certificates to combat fraud and protect the identity and credit of all people born in Puerto Rico. The new law was based on collaboration with the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to address the fraudulent use of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates to unlawfully obtain U.S. passports, Social Security benefits, and other federal services.

In the past, many common official and unofficial transactions in Puerto Rico unnecessarily required the submission, retention, and storage of birth certificates. As a result, hundreds of thousands of original birth certificates were stored without adequate protection, making them easy targets for theft. Subsequently, many birth certificates have been stolen from schools and other institutions, sold on the black market for prices up to $10,000 each, and used to illegally obtain passports, licenses, and other government and private sector documentation and benefits. The common Hispanic names of most individuals born in Puerto Rico made the birth certificates highly desirable on the black market.

As a result of this growing problem, approximately 40 percent of the passport fraud cases investigated by the DOS Diplomatic Security Services in recent years involved birth certificates of people born in Puerto Rico. This left Puerto Rico-born citizens vulnerable to identity theft, ruined credit, stolen Social Security benefits, and increased “random” security checks at airports, among others.

Understanding the enormous risks to all individuals as well as the very significant homeland and national security concerns, the government of Puerto Rico took action to improve the security of all birth certificates and to better protect the public from fraud and identity theft.

Law 191, which went into effect on January 1, 2010, implements the following changes:

1) On July 1, 2010, the law will invalidate all birth certificates issued before that date by the Puerto Rico Health Department, through its Vital Statistics Record Office. Until that date, all birth certificates will remain valid.

2) On July 1, 2010, the Vital Statistics Record Office will begin issuing new birth certificates incorporating technology to limit the possibility of document forgery. The law provides that the date of validity for the current birth certificates may be extended by the Puerto Rico Health Department if the new birth certificates are not ready to be issued on July 1, 2010. Public notice of such an extension will be provided.

3) The law creates a 15-day extended validity transition period for those birth certificates issued after June 15, 2010, and before July 1, 2010. For example, if a birth certificate is issued on June 29, 2010, it will be valid for all purposes until July 14, 2010, providing a grace period for those who need the documentation but are, for instance, traveling during the July 1, 2010 change over date.

4) As of January 1, 2010, the law also establishes that no public or private entity within the jurisdiction of Puerto Rico may retain an original copy of a Puerto Rico issued birth certificate. Local agencies in Puerto Rico, as well as private employers, may request to inspect birth certificates and even copy them, but cannot retain the original under any circumstance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why invalidate all birth certificates from Puerto Rico?

A: All birth certificates of people born in Puerto Rico issued before the date of July 1, 2010, needed to be made more secure because of the proven risks of identity fraud that existed with the old birth certificate forms and procedures. This extraordinary measure had to be taken to protect the integrity of the identity, credit and citizenship of all individuals born in Puerto Rico. In addition, this measure was necessary to protect the security of all passports and to protect the nation against criminals who might try to appropriate the identity of a citizen by using a stolen birth certificate from Puerto Rico.

Q: On July 1, 2010, will everyone need to run out and get a copy of the new birth certificate right away?

A: No. The government of Puerto Rico recommends that only people who have a specific need for their birth certificate related to the usage of this document for official purposes (such as passport application, etc.) request a new birth certificate. Those people who want to obtain a copy of the new birth certificates for their records are encouraged to do so at a later date to prevent an unnecessary rush of applications and to ensure that those individuals who have a specific need for the birth certificates are able to obtain them in a timely fashion.

Q: How much will the new birth certificates cost?

A: All new birth certificates will cost $5. If multiple copies are requested with one application, all additional copies after the first will cost $4. The fees will be waived for all veterans and people over the age of 60. Most people will actually save money with this change because the new birth certificates issued after July 1, 2010, will have no expiration and citizens will no longer be required to submit multiple, original copies of their birth certificates for common transactions in Puerto Rico.

Q: How do I obtain a copy of the new, more secure birth certificate if I live outside of Puerto Rico?

A: Citizens born in Puerto Rico but residing elsewhere may obtain a copy of the new birth certificate by filling out a Birth Certificate Application form from the Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Record office on or after July 1, 2010. Application forms can be obtained at:

http://www.salud.gov.pr/Programas/RegistroDemografico/Pages/RequisitosparasolicituddeNacimiento.aspx

Once an applicant completes and signs the form, they should follow these steps:

1) Applicants residing outside of Puerto Rico may mail the completed application to the following address:

Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Record Office

(Registro Demográfico)

P.O. Box 11854

San Juan, PR 00910

2) Include a photocopy of a valid government issued photo identification document. A passport or drivers license may be used; all other forms of government issued photo I.D. will be subject to approval.

3) Include a $5.00 Money Order payable to the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico.

4) Include a self-addressed envelope with paid postage.

To send applications through premium mail services (such as: FedEx, Express Mail, Registered Mail, UPS, etc.), correspondence should be directed to the following street address:

Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Record Office

(Registro Demográfico)

171 Quisqueya Street

Hato Rey, PR 00917

For additional information, please call (787) 767-9120. The Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Record Office’s hours of operation for Monday through Thursday are from 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Puerto Rico Time); Fridays from 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Puerto Rico Time); and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Puerto Rico Time).

Q: Who can obtain a birth certificate?

A: An individual may obtain their own birth certificate as long they are 18 years or older and were born in Puerto Rico. Interested parties may also obtain copies of an individual’s birth certificate if they are the individual’s parents, legal guardians, heirs or a person duly authorized by the courts.

Q: What happens if someone asks me for an original birth certificate and tells me that they will need to keep it to process a transaction?

A: The law clearly establishes that in Puerto Rico, for any purpose for which a birth certificate is needed as proof of identity, it will be sufficient for an individual to present (not give) the original copy of the birth certificate issued by the Vital Statistics Record Office. The law allows for the submission, retention and filling of photocopies, in either digital or paper format, of the birth certificate, but expressly prohibits any public or private entity from retaining an original birth certificate under any circumstance. Under the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any entity that violates this prohibition will be subject to a criminal misdemeanor, and could be held liable in civil court for the totality of any damages that may be incurred by any interested party affected by the violation of this law.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 1, 2010 at 10:09 am and is filed under Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration

1100 17th Street NW

Washington, DC 20036-4635

cvega@prfaa.com

202-778-0713

When you register your MVP Food Lion Card, not only will you receive discounts on your purchases, but you will also assist us in our fund raising efforts.  Each time you shop at Food Lion and use your MVP card, a portion of your total grocery purchase will be donated to your non-profit organization.

To register your card, please click on Food Lion's logo:

The Senate vote was 68-31 to confirm Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court nominee.

The 55-year-old daughter of Puerto Rican parents was raised in a South Bronx housing project and educated in the Ivy League before rising to the highest legal echelons, spending the past 17 years as a federal judge.

A majority of Republicans lined up against her, arguing she'd bring personal bias and a liberal agenda to the bench. But Democrats praised Sotomayor as an extraordinarily qualified mainstream moderate and touted her elevation to the court as a milestone in the nation's journey toward greater equality and a reaffirmation of the American dream.

Obama, the nation's first black president, praised the Senate's vote as "breaking another barrier and moving us yet another step closer to a more perfect union."

Minutes before the vote, Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the Senate's lone Hispanic Democrat, said, "History awaits, and so does an anxious Hispanic community in this country."

"When she places her hand on the Bible and takes the oath of office, the new portrait of the justices of the Supreme Court will clearly reflect who we are as a nation, what we stand for as a fair, just and hopeful people."

The Senate chamber was heavy with history as senators took the rare step of assembling at their desks on for the vote, rising from their seats to call out "aye" or "nay." The longest-serving senator, 91-year-old Robert Byrd of West Virginia who has been in frail health following a long hospitalization, was brought in in a wheelchair to vote in Sotomayor's favor. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., suffering from brain cancer, was the only senator absent.

Sotomayor replaces retiring Justice David Souter, a liberal named by a Republican president, and she is not expected to alter the court's ideological split.

Still, Republicans and Democrats were deeply at odds over confirming Sotomayor, and the battle over her nomination highlighted profound philosophical disagreements that will shape future fights over the court's makeup as Obama looks to another likely vacancy — perhaps more than one_ while he's in the White House.

 For more infor go to www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32312026/ns/politics-white_house//

Fotogalería: Imágenes del despegue

Informacion obtenida de www.elnuevodia.com 

	National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058
Biographical Data

JOSEPH M. ACABA
NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA:  Born in 1967 in Inglewood, California and raised in Anaheim, California where his parents Ralph and Elsie still reside.  Enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and scuba diving.  Also enjoys reading, especially science fiction.

EDUCATION: Esperanza High School, Anaheim, California, 1985
                    B.S., Geology, University of California-Santa Barbara, 1990
                    M.S., Geology, University of Arizona, 1992

ORGANIZATIONS:  International Technology Education Association and Florida Association of Science Teachers.

EXPERIENCE:  United States Marine Corps, Reserves.  Worked as a hydro-geologist in Los Angeles, California.  Primarily worked on Superfund sites and was involved the assessment and remediation of groundwater contaminants.  Spent 2 years in the United States Peace Corps as an Environmental Education Awareness Promoter in the Dominican Republic.  Served as the Island Manager of the Caribbean Marine Research Center at Lee Stocking Island in the Exumas, Bahamas.  Shoreline Revegetation Coordinator in Vero Beach, Florida, planning, designing, and implementing a mangrove revegetation project.  One year of high school experience at Melbourne High School, Florida and four years of middle school experience as a math and science teacher at Dunnellon Middle School, Florida.

NASA EXPERIENCE:  Selected as a Mission Specialist by NASA in May 2004.  In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training.  Upon completion of his training, Acaba was assigned to the Hardware Integration Team in the Space Station Branch working technical issues with European Space Agency (ESA) hardware.  Currently he is assigned as a mission specialist on the STS-119 mission, targeted for launch in February 2009.  The flight will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and truss element to the International Space Station.

Joseph Acaba: Boricua en la Luna

By Marcelo Ballvé  Updated Thursday, February 19th 2009, 1:17 PM

An old Puerto Rican tune, "Boricua en la Luna," seems almost tailor-made to describe the cosmic destiny of Joseph Acaba.

The 41-year-old schoolteacher is readying to become the first astronaut of Puerto Rican heritage.

By all accounts, the California-born Acaba, who lives in Houston, will feel Boricua even floating above planet Earth, swaddled in an orange spacesuit.

"He’s very proud of his heritage," said Shane Kimbrough, an astronaut and spaceflight veteran who trained with Acaba.

Barring delays, Acaba will launch Sunday as part of a seven-member crew on the space shuttle Discovery.

The mission: Fly to the International Space Station and deliver power-generating components.

Among relatives attending the launch will be Acaba’s 90-year-old paternal grandmother, Jovita.

"We all feel very close, very happy, and support him in everything," she said in a phone interview from Gardena, Calif.

Asked if there was anything in her grandson’s youth that hinted at his future in space travel, she thought for a moment and said, "He always liked those action movies."

In a NASA preflight interview, Acaba was asked what he thought it would be like to float out the shuttle hatch for his spacewalks.

"I hear the views ... are incredible, so I’m looking forward to that and trying to fit a little bit of work in there," he said.

Acaba taught math and science to middle- and high-schoolers in Marion County, Fla. He was also a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic.

He was among three teachers NASA selected for astronaut training in 2004.Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, a science teacher in Washington state, was also selected. She said Acaba’s steadiness, organization and selflessness make him an ideal crew member.

When the Houston area was evacuated during last year’s hurricanes, Acaba made sure everyone else was out before making his own plans, she said.

Despite stressful training, which included jet piloting and survival tests in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, Acaba always kept a level head.

That’s an important quality, noted Kimbrough, because in space, "when things start going wrong, things can get bad pretty quick."

Metcalf-Lindenburger, who is scheduled to go to space next year and shared an office with Acaba, said she was struck by his habit of making 3x5 cards to learn technical terms or Russian vocabulary.

“Sometimes we’d borrow his flash cards and review too,” she said.

Resource: www.nydailynews.com/latino/2009/02/18/2009-02-18_joseph_acaba_boricua_en_la_luna.html