Fernando quintero orlando sentinel

He needed to talk, he said. It was urgent and it was personal. What does that have to do with anything? He was 57 years old. Fernando Quintero loved life. He fought, hard — for all of the things he believed in throughout his life, and finally, against the scourge of illness.

He loved with abandon. Everywhere he went, he brought joy, an acerbic wit, and the best moves on the dance floor. They both worked in the features department, and even lived in the same apartment complex — his apartment right above hers. He was kind and loving and generous and so damn funny.

When Carmella last saw Fernando in December, he said that was one of the best nights of his life, but not being able to find some way to buy that piece of art was also one of his greatest regrets. Perfect taste. So many memories of laughing until I practically peed. The bumble bee Speedo. The terrifying entrance to his Mission apartment. I wish he was still here to read terrible Suzanne Somers poetry aloud and do The Hustle in the office and talk about everything from his unending love of Donna Summer to growing up as a child of farmworkers in the 60s and 70s to immigration reform and municipal corruption.

Michelle ran into the room, sort of shaken, and told Fernando what she had just seen. He bolted out of the room toward the pool — not to defend her honor, mind you, but to get a look at the naked man! One of the main things that struck me about Fernando was his ability to make lasting connections and friendships with strangers no matter where he was dropped into.

His energy was infectious. But that would be a travesty, since his work, over more than two decades touched so many people. His stories made the world a better place in many tangible ways, and shed light on the many social justice issues that Fernando was committed to, and that would become the spine of his work after journalism. Fernando helped expose that Haggard had been paying for sex with a gay male escort for years.

The escort, Mike Jones, came forward after hearing Haggard campaign against gay marriage. And the devil to others. I've also been called a hero by a lot of people. One guy even said I should run for Congress. Fernando has a special way about him, an ability to get people to tell him things they wouldn't tell anyone else.

He made an immediate impact on his arrival at the Rocky, and his continued to do excellent work. I remember the interview he got with one of the girls victimized by the Bailey school killer. It was fascinating and dramatic - and only Fernando could have talked her into it, I'm convinced.

In Fernando, I see an abiding love of journalism and daily newspapers, and that's a good lesson for all of us. Fernando, as was his way, made quick friendships in the newsroom, and the reporters who sat in close proximity to him got the added bonus of his wry wit.

Linda Shrieves got to know Fernando the way many folks in newsrooms get to know one another - through proximity. When a gunman walked into an Orlando office building in and opened fire, killing one man before escaping, police released his name as their manhunt was under way. It was an exclusive that no other media outlets were able to duplicate.

Bianca Prieto worked with Fernando at the Rocky Mountain News in , where he was asked to be her mentor in the newsroom. He invited me to parties at his home, made me feel part of his circle. He loved his family and friends, he loved travel and food and tending to his orchids and dancing.

And he loved adventure — in all of its forms. Also, when you stop smoking, the risk of cancer goes down immediately and continues to decrease. It's not just good for you to quit smoking, but also for those around you, Brown said.

There are 3, to 10, cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year in the U. But don't look for the latest fad diet, health experts say. Research has shown that losing weight by dieting alone is not effective without adding some sort of exercise activity.

Speaking of diet, experts recommend following nutritional guidelines to ensure you're getting the right amount of vitamins, protein, fiber and other nutrients. Diets high in red meat can contribute to higher risk of colon cancer. Conversely, high fiber can be beneficial to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Studies show that women who slept less than seven hours a day have a higher incidence of breast and colon cancer.

Sleep is also important for boosting immunity and improving concentration. When you've had early exposure to the sun, the damage is done," said Brown. Some sun exposure — with a sunscreen of at least 15 SPF, 45 or higher if you're fair-skinned — is important because sunlight provides vitamin D, which is an important nutrient that can also help prevent cancer. She has been working in the non-profit sector for over a decade with a focus on organizational and financial management. She has a B.

Katherine Schaff joined BMSG to help build the organizational and communications capacity of local health departments, government agencies and community-based organizations working to advance racial and health equity. Prior to joining the BMSG team, she spent 11 years at the Alameda County Public Health Department, where she helped foster racial, social and health equity through policy change, community partnerships, and building institutional and staff capacity within the health department and the county.

She received her B. Her doctoral research focused on how local health departments addressed and communicated about the foreclosure crisis as a driver of health inequities. She holds a B. Pamela Mejia leads qualitative and quantitative analyses of how the media portray public health and social justice issues, and the implications of those portrayals for communicating strategically.

Many of the projects she works on center on narratives about preventing and addressing violence, including domestic and sexual violence, police violence, child abuse, and gun violence.

Kim has 10 years of experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods, primarily in the field of public health with a focus on race, class, gender, and youth development. Outside of research, Kim works on data visualization, graphic design, and writing.

With roots in the Philippines and Canada, Kim brings an internationalist lens to her social justice work. Kim holds a B. She will be assisting BMSG with various content analysis projects related to soda taxes, housing, immunizations, and police violence. Shaddai Martinez Cuestas leads trainings at BMSG, where she supports advocates in enhancing their media and communication strategies to advance their policy goals. Berkeley, with an emphasis on health and social behavior.