The Good And The Bad Dominicanos

Random news from the motherland...

Horford: Athlete of the Year
The Dominican Sportswriters Association (ACD) has named Atlanta Hawks basketball star Al Horford as this year's basketball athlete of the year. The award comes as no surprise to fans who have watched Dominican-born Horford develop into a great talent on the NBA's hardwood.

Horford, who is the Hawks leading rebounder with nine boards per, was also named to the NBA's all- rookie team for next week's All-Star festivities. Horford was very appreciative of his award and said he hopes to play for the Dominican national team in international competitions.

Other athletes of the year include Placido Polanco, Mendy Lopez and Heriberto Rosario in baseball, Joan Guzman and Argenis Nunez in boxing, Wendys Cruz in cycling, Jhonatan Fana in soccer, Santo Rivera and Yudelkis Contreras in weightlifting and Angelo Mota and Sulmira Brea in wrestling.

Poultry producers on warpath
Dominican poultry producers have announced that they will be holding more dramatic protests to draw attention to their plight as a result of Haiti's import ban on chicken and eggs. The president of the Moca and Licey Poultry Producers Association, Ambiorix Cabrera, announced a march on the Presidential Palace on 13 March unless the government steps in and purchases the resulting surplus of poultry and eggs. The producers rejected the price offered by the government as a "bad joke" and said that if the government does not come up with a better offer, they will march on the Presidential Palace on the 13th. If that does not work, the poultry farmers will try to shut down Moca and Licey on 20 March.

The difference between what the producers want and what the government is offering is not more than one peso per pound. However, the farmers' plight has also brought transport unions into the fray, as well as the Catholic Church. Blas Peralta of the Fenetrado union told reporters from Diario Libre that, "if we have to shut down the ports across the country, we will do it."

US withdraws extradition requests
The United States has withdrawn extradition requests for 19 people who were being sought by the courts for cases involving drug trafficking, robbery and murder, among other crimes. According to a report in El Caribe, the withdrawal comes as a result of changes in the circumstances in the judicial process. The news will be sent to the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court for final disposition, and so that the arrest warrants for these individuals can be withdrawn.

Another Grammy for Juan Luis
Singer and songwriter Juan Luis Guerra has won yet another Grammy, after a haul of five awards at last November's Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. This time he won the Grammy for the Best Tropical album, "La llave de mi corazon" (The Key to My Heart) during the celebration of the 50th Grammy Awards. This is the second Grammy that Guerra has won as leader of his group 4:40; he won a Grammy for his Bachata Rosa album back in 1991.

*smooches...happy and sad and happy again*
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this Haitian chicken ban is getting crazy! when will it end??