ITEM ONE:

BUSH HELPS NFL CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

JAVIER LOYA, limited partner of the Houston Texans, and LUIS PEREZ, vice president and chief financial officer of the Baltimore Ravens, will join PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH at the White House next week at a reception to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.  The reception will be held on Thursday, October 2 in the East Room of the White House.  “I’m thankful to the President and his administration for recognizing successful Hispanics,” says Perez.  “I have found that Hispanics have a unique level of resilience and determination when going after their goals.  I am humbled and honored to be included in this group.”

ITEM TWO:

RAIDERS SALUTE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

The OAKLAND RAIDERS, in conjunction with the HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF ALAMEDA, will pay tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month this Sunday at their game against the San Diego Chargers.  The Mariachi Cardenal de Stanford will serenade Raider’s fans entering the stadium.  A pregame ceremony will be conducted honoring community leaders for their contribution to the Hispanic community.  This year’s three honorees are TERRY ALDERETE, chief of operations for the Unity Council; LEANDRO H. DURAN, founder of the Duran Foundation which provides scholarships to Latino students; and FELIX ELIZALDE, founder and president of Raza Media Educational Fund of the San Francisco Foundation.  Fourteen-year-old international recording artist MANUEL ROMERO will sing “America the Beautiful.”  The halftime entertainment will include the Latin sounds of Funky World, which specializes in the blending of Latin and Brazilian sounds.  This band has brought to life the eclectic rhythms of Bahia and the samba batucada drumming sounds of Rio de Janeiro.

ITEM THREE:

TEXANS HOST HISPANIC HERITAGE DAY AT GAME

The HOUSTON TEXANS will also celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this Sunday when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars.  A Latin band will perform pregame outside the stadium and mariachis will be present throughout the stadium.   Before kickoff, RAY ROMERO, one of the first Hispanic players in the NFL, will be introduced.  Romero played guard for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1951 until he reported for duty in the Army.  In 1993, Romero was an honoree at the annual awards dinner of the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Conference.  He was honored for his success as an educator and for being one of the first Mexicans to play in the NFL.  Singer and songwriter FRANKIE J will perform the National Anthem and Mango Punch, one of the most in-demand bands in Houston, will perform at halftime.