HONOLULU - Hawaiis governor on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have permitted same-sex civil unions, ending months of speculation on how she would weigh in on the contentious, emotional debate. Authentic Kevin Bieksa Jersey . Republican Gov. Linda Lingles action came on the final day she had to either sign or veto the bill, which the Hawaii Legislature approved in late April. Related readings: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in DC Same-sex marriage gets official license in Argentina Opponents of same-sex marriage lead Maine vote Washington, D.C., votes to allow same-sex marriage There has not been a bill I have contemplated more or an issue I have thought more deeply about during my eight years as governor than House Bill 444 and the institution of marriage, Lingle said at a news conference. I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-sex marriage, and find that House Bill 444 is essentially same sex marriage by another name. Had Lingle not vetoed it, the measure would have granted gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits that the state provides to married couples. It also would have made Hawaii one of six states that essentially grant the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five other states and the capital city of Washington permit same-sex marriage. Lingles decision is expected to be the last say on the proposal this year, because state House of Representatives leaders have said they wont override any of Lingles vetoes. She said voters should decide the fate of civil unions, not politicians. It would be a mistake to allow a decision of this magnitude be made by one individual or a small group of elected officials, Lingle said. For weeks, Lingle heard emotional statements from both supporters and opponents of the bill. On Tuesday, she invited leaders from both sides to her standing-room only news conference. Opponents of the measure, including many religious groups, erupted in cheers and hugs when the announcement was made. Supporters then shouted, Well keep fighting! and Lets go! The group of about 100 joined in singing We Shall Overcome. Earlier in the day, dozens of supporters had gathered for a daylong vigil in the state Capitols ground-floor rotunda. Others waved flags and held signs along a busy street, to the honks of passing vehicles. A group of about 20 civil unions opponents raised their hands, closed their eyes and said blessings in front of the office doors of key lawmakers. They wore white shirts in a show of unity and buttons declaring iVote, a promise of consequences come November if civil unions become law. About 60 percent of the more than 34,000 letters, telephone calls, e-mails and other communications from the public to the governor asked her to veto the measure, the governors aides said late last week. Aaron Rodgers Jersey . 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Evergrande comes to rescue of troubled soccer club with $14.6m GUANGZHOU, Guangdong province - The atmosphere around Guangzhous soccer team has been changing rapidly. Related readings: Three top soccer officials arrested on fixing charge We will show no mercy: Soccer chief New soccer chief: I will resign if I fail Three soccer officials held in graft crackdown Within a week of the side being demoted to the second division due to match fixing, the club has received handsome support from local investors. The Evergrande Real Estate Group, which founded a womens volleyball club in China last year, announced on Monday it had become the new owner of the Guangzhou soccer club. The investment is worth 100 million yuan ($14.6 million), including 20 million yuan to cover debts and back pay to players. In addition, the club also revealed a new title sponsor for the coming season, Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group, which has pledged 25 million yuan ($3.6 million) to the organization. It is the hardest time in the history of the Guangzhou soccer team and the club needs support from everywhere to recover, Xu Jiayin, the president of Evergrande, said. We believe the citizens are still fond of the sport and we have great confidence in the sports future in China, thats why we were determined to take over the club. Last Tuesday, the then Guangzhou Pharmaceutical FC and the Chengdu Blades FC received the most severe punishment ever handed down by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) for having been involved in match manipulation in the second division in 2006. As punishment, they lost the chance to compete in the Chinese Super League, the nations top-class soccer competition, which is to start on March 27. The finnancial support will surely help the players regain confidence in the club and give them more reason to fight on. Super Bowl Anthony Gonzalez Jersey. . It will also draw attention from the media and the fans, which is essential to the development of the club, He Wenyi, the director of the Chinese Sports Industry Research Center, told China Daily. On the other hand, the investment is also cost-efficient as the club and the league are at low points, so the investors can expect a return in the long term. Since the nation started a large-scale crackdown on match manipulation and corruption last August, dozens of players, managers and officials have been arrested, including the sports former chief Nan Yong who, according to a statement from the Ministry of Public Security on Monday, had taken bribes and manipulated league matches. Apart from giving a much-needed and timely boost to the morale of the Guangzhou club, the move will also help revitalize the domestic soccer market, said He. It sends out a very positive signal and will encourage other potential investors to re-evaluate the value of the soccer industry. After the nationwide clampdown on match fixing, the league should pick up in the near future, he said. However, not everybody believes there will be a massive chain reaction to this investment. Unlike the truly professional leagues in Europe, the league is still in the charge of the CFA, which is de facto government body. That could easily lead to mismanagement and corruption ... like in the case of Nan Yong, Yi Jiandong, professor at the Beijing Sport University and an expert on the sports industry, said. I doubt (the sponsorship) is much more than Xu Jiayins personal choice to help brand his company, rather than the start of a successful investment in the field. Wholesale Jerseys.C. United battled to a scoreless draw in Major League Soccer action at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. ' ' '