February 2009

Lare DOS A JOURNAL OF THE BORDERLANDS

february

2009

Est. 1994

Vol. XV, No. 2

congratulations,

DOUG

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Locally Owned

64 PAGES

INSIDE Profile: Doug Macdonald, 2009 L.I.F.E. Rancher of the Year

By John andrew snyder

p. 13

News: Shop Laredo first: one sure measure to keep employment and local economy healthy

By María Eugenia Guerra

p. 4

Business: La Mexicana: an 85-year romance with flavor By catherine JERLINE archer

Cartoon by Charlie Loving

p. 19

More cheese, please:

It cost $5,650 to settle $15,000 suit

See page 6.

2

| L areDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

3

publisher

María Eugenia Guerra

meg@laredosnews.com Editor

Monica McGettrick

mcgettrick@laredosnews.com Staff Writers

Catherine Archer John Andrew Snyder

editorial@laredosnews.com Sales

María Eugenia Guerra

ads@laredosnews.com

Circulation, Billing & Subscriptions

Jorge Medina

circulation@laredosnews.com Layout/design

JM Design

design@laredosnews.com

M ailbox L

etters to the publisher

Dear Mayor: The tragic and senseless destruction of the architectural heritage of our unique community must stop now!

Neither the City nor the County has adequate control of the destruction of significant old structures in Webb County and, in particular, within the city limits of Laredo, founded in 1755.

What has been happening under the guise of compliance with existing ordinances is a bit like the City of San Antonio or Bexar County allowing the demolition of the Alamo and the Missions because they happened to be owned by private citizens.

There is no bigger advocate of private property rights than I. The City

and/or County should immediately adopt the suggestion of Webb County Heritage Foundation Excecutive Director Margarita Araiza to have a moratorium on demolition in the city until a new ordinance is passed. The City and County should consider zero ad valorem tax for structures built before 1920. Additional tax incentives should be granted for those who restore the facades of their buildings, and the City and County should establish a financing mechanism at below market rates for such owners who restore with approval of the landmark board and or Heritage Foundation.

The City and/or County should purchase the site and rubble of the Lamar Bruni Vergara home as well as

the Northeast corner of Matamoros and San Dario and hire Bill Luft to supervise the reconstruction of both.

Please set an example of safeguarding these jewels of construction remaining so that they are permanently preserved. They can still have business, medical, or residential uses. They can still be sold for handsome profits to current owners, if protected.

I am happy to consult free! Take a leadership position in saving Laredo’s great architectural heritage.

Please stop this nonsense or this city will have no historic structures in a few years and therefore no visual link to the unique culture and heritage of our community.

Gary G. Jacobs

Contributors

Cordelia Barrera

Randy Koch

Sissy Fenstermaker

Alex Mendoza

Neo Gutiérrez

Jennie Reed

Bebe Fenstermaker Niki Frances McDaniel Denise Ferguson

Steve Harmon Henri Kahn

Salo Otero

Steve Treviño

Penelope Warren

News

Businesses shopping Laredo first, one sure measure to keep employment and local economy healthy

By MARíA EUGENIA GUERRA

W Read a pdf version of at www.laredosnews.com

ShuString Productions, Inc.

www.laredosnews.com 1812 Houston Street Laredo Texas 78040 Tel: (956) 791-9950 Fax: (956) 791-4737 Copyright @ 2008 by LareDOS Write a Letter to the Editor: meg@laredosnews.com

4

| L areDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

hat Laredo retailer, auto dealership, or service provider doesn’t pray, especially in this economic downturn, for the success of a business--tobusiness Shop Laredo First initiative?

Juanita Fontaine, a longtime member of the Laredo business community and the owner of Executive Office Supply, a full service office supply company, is asking for clarity for what the Chamber of Commerce is doing to promote hometown shopping and how much of hotel/motel occupancy tax revenues goes to promote many of Laredo’s hotels and motels who do not spend their money with Laredo businesses for office supplies and paper goods.

Following Fontaine’s lead, LareDOS went to the Chamber of Commerce website. The search bar did not route me to any kind of a program that spurs supporting the local economy by shopping locally, but at “Events and Projects,” I came across “Shop Laredo 1st Campaign” and found a click-on page which featured two shopping bags in a circle in a square, overlaid with $hop

Laredo 1st and this text: The Shop Laredo 1st Campaign was created years ago to encourage everyone to shop Laredo stores for all their Christmas needs. Our thinking is that Laredo has almost everything you need.

There is no need to travel anywhere to get your holiday shopping done when you have it all here in Laredo.

Well, this effort has been modified to include year-round shopping. Why only promote Christmas time?

Indeed, but where’s the meat and potatoes of the Chamber’s Shop Laredo First campaign? A phone call to the Chamber yielded the info that ED Miguel Conchas was the point person for Shop Laredo First.

I asked if there was a place on the Chamber web site that I might find more information, but apparently the Chamber’s effort is in Conchas’ head. A call back from the Chamber was not from Conchas but from the first confused, uninformed individual I had spoken to. To be sure I wasn’t selling the Chamber short, I made a subsequent phone call to ask what the Chamber’s Shop Laredo First campaign consisted of, and again, I was told I needed to speak Conchas. Conchas returned the call the next day and said the Chamber

was in the process of formulating a new initiative.

Continuing along the lines of Fontaine’s query, I asked City of Laredo PIO Xochitl Mora García if the City had a Shop Laredo First program in place. The very informative García said the City does not have one and suggested I speak to Blasita Lopez of the City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

Lopez said that while a Shop Laredo First initiative could dovetail with the CVB’s efforts to promote Laredo businesses to visitors, the CVB’s major effort was to pull out of own visitors to the City.

As to Fontaine’s query about whether or not Hotel/Motel funds go to promote Laredo hotels and motels that do not shop Laredo first, Lopez said the CVB, which is funded by hotel/motel tax revenue, spends about $300 in membership to the Laredo Hotel and Lodging Association on behalf of the 44 Laredo hotels and motels and another $22,000 in their membership in the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association that promotes all the Laredo lodging members on four web sites.

Continued on page 21

44

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

News

Dragonfly Days celebrates chasing bugs for 10 years May 21-24 WESLACO -- The birding industry has established universal appeal, but birds and butterflies are not the only winged migrants to attract a crowd.

Dragonflies and damselflies are gaining popularity among wildlife enthusiasts, as showcased by the 10th annual Dragonfly Days festival coming up May 21-24 in South Texas.

Southern Texas is home to over 100 dragonfly species, making it one of the most biologically diverse regions in the nation. The Lower Rio Grande Valley is becoming known for rare sightings, and at last year’s Dragonfly Days visitors made some exciting find, including a Black Pondhawk and a Three-striped Dasher. In the weeks following the festival, the first U.S.A. record Mexican Scarlet-tail, first U.S.A. record Bow-tailed Glider, and a Bluespotted Comet were all found in the festival area.

The Dragonfly Days weekend is a chance to see why dragonflying is becoming as popular as birding in some places. The Estero Llano Grande State Park World Birding Center site and the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco sponsor the event.

For those who want to learn how to tell a skimmer from a glider, and understand how these colorful insects play a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment, Dragonfly Days offers seminars, field trips, so-

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

cial events, and a banquet with a silent auction.

The event’s host hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Weslaco. Visitors are advised to reserve a room soon, and ask for the festival rate using the code: DFD. Seminars will be at the hotel and field trips will also leave from that location.

Shuttles will be provided for guests to get to the social events and banquet that are not located at the hotel.

Festival leaders and speakers are experts with many years of experience with odonates. They will be guiding field trips to area wetlands with the greatest dragonfly diversity, including sites like Estero Llano Grande State Park.

Organizers say visitors should make sure to bring binoculars, sturdy shoes, and protection from the sun.

For local families and children, the Valley Nature Center is also hosting the Dragonfly Family Nature Day the Saturday before the festival, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., filled with fun and educational activities for all ages.

For more details about Dragonfly Days and the Dragonfly Family Nature Day, e-mail info@valleynaturecenter. org or call (956) 969-2475. Pre-registration is required for all seminars, field trips, and the banquet. Register by April 30 to avoid a price increase. More information can also be found on the Valley Nature Center Web site. u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

5

Opinion

More cheese, please -- making sense of $5,650 in legal fees to defend Mayor, City against LareDOS in lawsuit settled for $15,000

By MARíA EUGENIA GUERRA

I

’m trying to make sense of the $5,650 bill from the law firm that defended the city and Mayor Raul Salinas against me when I filed a censorship and First Amendment suit last year, a suit that was settled for $15,000. I obtained via open records the Nov. 21, 2008 billing statement issued by attorney Albert Lopez for his efforts to protect the Mayor and the City from me.

What a bunch of jokers, those out of town abogados, but why am I not laughing? I don’t have a law degree, but the airport surveillance video and the You Tube segment of the Mayor ordering City CVB employee Nora Bertani to “disappear” LareDOS from the airport seemed to me to make the Mayor’s position indefensible.

There is something about redactions on public information documents that takes cheeseball to a new level. Clearly Mr. Lopez worships at the altar of the Holy Redactor. Or am I just over-redacting?

MORE CHEESE, PLEASE! I had to admire Albert Lopez’s style in an Oct. 22 phone call to attorney Armando X. Lopez, a friend who has represented LareDOS in other matters. Our suit clearly identified the attorney of record as Jim Harrington of the Texas Civil Rights Project. Albert Lopez proffered a possible settlement figure to Mando Lopez, perhaps fishing for one.

That he would bill for a presumably off the record conversation with Mando Lopez goes to Limburger.

As well it sould be noted that redact redact redact and could also be construed as redact redact redact. The very redact redact is an a poor attempt at redact redact. If only for a moment, redact redact. Well it would behoove redact to redact redact redact.

That call to Mando, a “meeting with client,” and “receipt and review of City’s answer to the complaint” ran up a charge of $507.50 With an expenditure of 38.70 hours spread over 23 days at a rate of $145 per hour the lawsuit crossed the desks of Albert Lopez and Deboarah L. Leach between October 2, 2008 and Nov. 21, 2008 when it was settled.

6

| L areDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

The most expensive item on the bill was a $1,232 reconnaissance trip Albert Lopez made to Laredo on Oct. 16.

My favorite entry, and probably the most telling about the entire case, is Deborah Leach’s 2.8 hour ($406) inves-

tigation into “LareDos Magazines in which Mayor Salinas, his wife, and his dog are mentioned.”

So there it is in a nutshell, so much xxxxxxxx, so little xxxxxxxxxx. If only the Mayor had redact redact re-

dact and not redact redact. It has always been my redact redact to redact redact.

Just ask redact redact my dog Chico.

I will forever wonder what a jury of 12 dogs redact redact redact.

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Santa María Journal

Just a little rain would make for an explosive spring

By MARÍA EUGENIA GUERRA

I

’m pacing myself on this particular Sunday. I know I have to write, and I want I to work in the tool room and also to spend some time out on the ranch on this glorious cool day.

I’m pleasantly surprised that I have DSL because I was cautioned that if I disconnected my Linksys receiver there’d be the devil to pay -- a myth, I now know.

I’ve always loved writing in this house, this tiny house that has a front room with eight windows that look out to the ranch. This house was once a dairy barn built of dense concrete blocks in 1938. With the addition of a kitchen and a bathroom, it served as a cabin for the hunters who leased the ranch.

The house long ago stopped looking like

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

a hunting camp. The room I’m writing from had been a screened porch until a friend and I reconfigured it in 1985 with the windows and red cedar trim. Onto that room I built a brick floored porch for reading, coffee, naps, and contemplation. Invariably friends note that there is no finer cup of ranch coffee than the one sipped on that porch.

I get my writing done and head out into the brush at mid-afternoon. The cattle look really good. Despite dry pasture conditions, they

don’t seem to have missed a meal. The water tanks I’ve come up to are topped off, which means the float valves are working and there is plenty of water pressure at the storage tank on a hill next to the well a couple of miles away. No spills, no leaks. All is well.

I find I’ve lost some of my intrepidness on the road to La Presa Escondida which is accessible again but the road ends abruptly and not gently. I’m not driving the bruiser today -- I’m in the civilized, low carbon footprint, half-sized SUV. I opt to back up the way I came rather than take a jostle, and I marvel that I have obeyed my common sense and have probably saved the front end of the vehicle or its oil pan.

Continued on page 374 4

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

7

8

| L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

I Choose Doctors Hospital

Bariatric Surgery

Doctors Hospital Weight Loss and Wellness Center 10700 McPherson Rd. Laredo, TX 78045 956-523-2290 www.IchooseDoctorsHospital.com

Ana Luisa Robinson

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Doctors Hospital of Laredo. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

L areDOS | FEbru ary 2009 |

9

10

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

News

Zapata County Fair promises best ever trail ride, stock show, and headliners

T

he Zapata County Fair (ZCF), one of the biggest little small-town fairs in Texas, begins February 22 and continues through March 14, 2009.

Spanning three fun-filled weekends, the fair features the annual trail ride, the Miss Zapata County Fair Pageant, and the ever-competitive stock show contest.

The Zapata County Fair boasts several Blue Ribbon record-holders in the various farm animal categories.

Participants and fair goers of all ages will find a venue for fun at the fair. Youngsters with a penchant for adventure can sign up for the ever popular mutton-bustin’ competition, always a crowd favorite.

There is also a pint-sized pageant for the ZCF Little Cowboy and Little Miss ZCF and the Jr. Miss ZCF, The fair also draws some of the brightest and biggest stars in the Tejano world, among them Los Palominos, Jaime de Anda y Los Chamacos, Siggno, and El Poder del Norte. Zapata home-towners Sonny Sauceda and the Stampede kick off the fair with a foot-stomping performance on Saturday, February 28 at 9 p.m.

The Zapata County Fair features all manner of county fair fare, including traditional favorites like turkey legs, fajitas, corn on the cob, and funnel cakes. Baking contests will have participants show off their culinary skills to see who will be crowned the best baker of the fair.

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

The last day of the fair features the Zapata County Parade in which the entire community participates in the annual celebration. Congressman Henry Cuellar and State Rep. Ryan Guillen are tentatively scheduled to make an appearance, joining Zapata County Judge Rosalva V. Guerra and other elected officials. A day at the fair will culminate with the Grito Contest, the Jalapeño Eating Contest, and a street dance featuring El Poder del Norte.

“Our county fair is always a lot of fun,” said Anna Holcomb, ZCF President, “But this year it’s even more of a special treat because Zapata County is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding.”

Zapata County proudly announces its sesquicentennial in its new slogan, “Zapata County 150 years...a million memories.” Graphitiks Advertising Design of Laredo is developing the advertising campaign.

The Zapata County Fair Media Reception/ Parade Marshall’s Reception will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2009, at the Zapata County Courthouse Rotunda at 6:00 p.m. The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce will host the reception.

For more information, contact Anna Holcomb at the Zapata County Fair Association or Jose Garcia at graphitiks@ graphitiks.com The ZCF website is www.

ZapataCountyFairOnline.com. u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

11

Opinion

Those old buildings had bearing on our lives; they embodied the history of this place

By MARIA EUGENIA GUERRA

P

erhaps it was my father’s love of history and his ties to Los Ojuelos or the time we spent on the ranch or in beautiful old San Ygnacio. Maybe it was all of those things that heightened my awareness that old buildings had bearing on our lives, that they could embody the history of a place. You could not have grown up in Laredo in the 50s and 60s and not have known the value of old places -- a church, a school, the home of a relative, or a place where commerce was conducted.

Along the greater expanse of time, I may not have known back then the historical significance of those places, but I can write with clarity today that the walls of some of those old buildings told stories for how the first settlers here built shelter from the elements, what they valued, and what they believed a home or a place of business should function, look, and feel like. I had no better history lesson than my grand-

12

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

mother María’s home in San Ygnacio with its construction of quarried, un-mortared 18” thick sandstone blocks, cypress, and mesquite.

A good bolster to that lesson and the stories told in my grandmother’s house was the frequent drive with my father José María from our house on Price Street, through the Barrio Azteca to our family’s hardware store on Lincoln Street. Market Street was our route and our conveyance was the company truck. Market turned into Iturbide, and before the construction of Bridge II, Iturbide went into the heart of downtown.

It was the narrowing of Iturbide after the Zacate Creek bridge that back then allowed an up-close view of the homes and businesses of the Azteca, many of those structures of fine brick work and ornate cornices along some of the flat rooflines.

There was an intimacy, a closeness to the neighborhood, palpable to a child as I made an after-work delivery with my father or

on the occasion that I accompanied my grandfather Armengol, a traveling salesman for the Corpus Christi Hardware Company, into one of the old stores in the neighborhood. Some of the homes were so close to another and the streets so narrow that you could hear conversations from behind the screen doors that had a cloth stretched across the lower half of their inside frames for privacy. Sometimes you could smell suppers being cooked, tortillas on a comal.

Our family’s store at 1301 Lincoln (and Salinas) was for me a vast, high ceilinged antiquity -- pressed metal ceilings, wooden floors that were cleaned with oiled sawdust, and a low-ceilinged sandstone block structure that had been incorporated into the office space at the rear. That small building and the land on which the store was built had been acquired by my grandfather in a trade for 10 sacks of Los Ojuelos wool, an inordinately tiny value when you look at that property on the tax rolls today. But back then, wool was gold.

Besides holding the family history of good fortune made and luck lost, that old building also told the story of this city’s commerce and its indelible ties to Mexico via culture, via trade, via language. Like cousins and siblings near my age, I was witness to that history and to events like the 1954 flood that sent water coming through some off downtown and along Zacate Creek.

From the storefront windows of 1301 Lincoln, your eyes found the ornate beauty of the Beaux Arts facade of the Milmo Bank (built in 1890 with a 1905 revamp) building or the classic, straightforward lines of the building that housed the G&S Office Supply that was contra esquina to the hardware.

An errand to retrieve the mail from the post office in the Federal Building (Classical Revival, 1900) would move you along beautiful old sidewalks -- some of them burnished and scored concrete, some of them with glass blocks in the design) past the Windrow Rexall, across Jarvis Plaza, and into the chilled air of the Federal Building. The walk back might put you face to face with the elegance of the Hamilton Hotel’s Mission Spanish Revival architecture (1906 and 1924), the Sames Moore Building (1925), Statler’s News Stand from whose doors came a belch of paper and cigar smoke, and Frontier

Western Wear which exhaled the scent of good leather.

Pre-mall, pre-expressway, in every direction downtown there was robust commerce in those old buildings. The storekeepers knew you. From the moment you’d been Boomer born in Mercy Hospital across from Jarvis Plaza, your life moved to a multi-cultural rhythm on an immense backdrop of historical architecture and all the accompanying stories told in two languages, stories you’d more likely have learned from your parents or grandparents than in a history class.

None of what I’ve written here is to say I eschew new construction. It has value, too, but much of it fails to engage, to entreat, or to tell a story I’d like to hear. Less do I appreciate it if a building of historical value was demolished to make way for it.

So much of downtown is intact, and the same can be said for the St. Peter’s Historical District. The Azteca neighborhood needs the protection of historical district status and so does the area from the St. Peter’s District to the river.

How will this happen in a city government that holds historical preservation on a par with the environment, which is to say it has little regard or value for either quality of life factor? The Mayor and Council Members and City Manager live here, too, and you would think all they should be preservationists and conservationists, and take pride in being a part of cultural, historical, and environmental preservation.

This is particularly expected of Council member Cindy Liendo-Espinoza who long ago could have shown leadership for the neighborhoods she represents. (Has she read the good government manual -photo ops are different from running with the pack and actually taking a position or providing leadership.)

What about historical preservation makes City government and management and the Landmark Board so timid?

What in their thinking makes them so obtuse to the longterm economic benefits of preservation and the need to have ordinances that bite?

Does not Laredo’s designation and grant recipient status as a Main Street City have something to do with preservation? Let’s be sure to visit that.

I don’t hanker for the past, but well I know its value. u WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Profile

Douglas Macdonald named 2009 L.I.F.E. Rancher of the Year:

Quiet strength, self-reliance, and hard work

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

L

aredo cattleman and banker Douglas Macdonald is L.I.F.E. Rancher of the Year for 2009. Macdonald is president and CEO of Texas Community Bank and has been running cattle on family land for 37 years. He started in the cattle business when he was 25 years-old, working as an extra hand on friends’ ranches. “I had the opportunity to go help out Rob Jennings and Edgar Mims at their ranches, and I loved it from the very beginning.

I guess it got into my blood. I truly enjoy cattle ranching.”

Macdonald said.

Today the Macdonald Cattle Company handles a herd of registered polled Herefords.

The 62-year-old Rancher of the Year was born on August 6, 1946 in New Orleans. “My parents, George and Anita Macdonald, had gotten married in Laredo after the war and then moved to New Orleans where Edward, George, and Douglas Macdonald Dad studied at Tulane University for his undergraduate and graduThe impressive fortress-like build- office and center of operations was a ate degrees,” Macdonald said, add- ing at 6721 McPherson Road that modular building at 6600 McPherson ing, “After this, we came to Laredo serves as the Texas Community Bank Road. The design idea for the new where I went to school and graduated Main Branch is itself an accurate re- Main Branch building began with from Martin High School in 1964. I at- flection of Macdonald’s personality a brainstorming session between tended Texas A&I University and re- and way of doing business -- it speaks Macdonald and architect Guillermo ceived my B.A. degree in 1969.” Upon of quiet strength and dependability; “Willie” Cavazos of Cavazos and Asgraduation from college, Macdonald no frills, just straightforwardness sociates. became a banker and simultaneously and solidity. Fanciness and flashiMacdonald told Cavazos that he served his country in the Army Re- ness are not terms that describe wanted a building that conveyed staserve for five-and-one-half years.

Douglas Macdonald. “My objective bility with a warm, comfortable inteMacdonald has a penchant for was to build a bank that displayed a rior that was inviting, where people both banking and cattle ranching, solid environment in which people felt like they were in their own den and he tackles both occupations with feel comfortable, a place where they at home. “He delivered it,” Macdonequal determination. He has never like to come because they are treated ald said, adding, “Willie and his wife wavered about his career choices, fairly by a staff that is responsive Chacha did the interior decorating. and his competent decision-making to their concerns,” Macdonald said. The fireplace that is the centerpiece is probably the hallmark of his abil- That is an example of how the under- of the main lobby, the bronze statue, ity to build on his success in both stated elegance of the Main Branch the color scheme, the paintings -fields. By focusing on his goals and building complements Macdonald’s they did it all.” The bid was awarded staying personally involved in the pragmatic business persona. to Leyendecker Construction Comday-to-day aspects of business, MacBut the looming Main Branch pany. The 60,000 square foot building donald is positive, self-reliant, and building has only been a landmark has four stories, including 45,000 sf client-oriented. on McPherson Road since March 31, of lobby and offices and 15,000 sf of He leads with quiet strength, self- 2009. Between December 2003 and storage and training area. “I’m very reliance, and hard work. the end of March 2009 Macdonald’s pleased with everybody’s work,” WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

Macdonald said.

Macdonald described TCB’s meteoric rise to prominence in the past five years. “In October 2003 I purchased the Somerset National Bank for $18 million. We changed the name to Texas Community Bank and began to open branch offices. In fact, there are six branches of Texas Community Bank today, two in Laredo (the second branch is at 6302 Sinatra Parkway), one in San Antonio, one in Somerset, one in McAllen, and one in Brownsville. A second San Antonio branch is set to open in March 2009.

After four years we had $484 million in assets. Today our total assets are at almost $700 million,” he said.

“The key is who you surround yourself with -you need to put together a team of backers with a wealth of experience and training and a tremendous number of relationships that they have built up,” Macdonald said, adding, “ It also helps to be enthusiastic about your city. Laredo is the town I grew up in -- I’m a 1964 graduate of Martin High School: Laredo is a great place to raise children -- It’s my home,” he continued.

Macdonald said, “People bank with us because we deliver a product and provide good service. We’re a place where the people know you, and you know the people. Our employees are from Laredo, and our clientele are from all walks of life, and we are here to take care of each and every person that walks in the door regardless of their balance sheet. We are here to serve the Laredo community.”

Macdonald and Diane, his wife of 40 years, have three children -Scotch, Kendra, and Reagan, and three grandchildren -- Ian, Maddy, and Douglas. u L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

13

Belly dance to health?

Feature

By DENISE FERGUSON

T

he opening session of the KLRN Laredo Women’s Health Conference gave attendees an early morning jolt. Instead of a speaker reeling off a list of health dos and don’ts, a group of young women outfitted in exotic costumes approached the platform and presented several exotic dances, along with appropriate music. Bel’s Dance Studio group then requested that the women in the audience stand and follow along. Only in Laredo would one experience a ball at a health conference. ¡Qué divertido!

At the first breakout session Hilda Treviño of The Yoga Place provided demonstrations and the opportunity to try various yoga poses. The individuals who took part in the session were enthusiastic about the opportunity to sample the art of yoga.

“It hurts to look good.”

I chose to check out the breakout session “Common Foot Disorders Among Women” presented by Pablo Treviño, DPM, and one of the principles I came away with was to avoid high, tight shoes. Although young ladies don’t want to hear that, Dr. Treviño repeated this admonition in connection with several foot disorders, including hammertoes and bunions.

Interestingly, bunions may be attributed to heredity in 56 to 88% of occurrences, so ladies who incur this disorder can blame their genes instead of their improperly decorative shoes. “It hurts to look good,” said Dr. Treviño.

In the case of the foot disorder plantar fasciitis Dr. Treviño mentioned that a possible cause might be shoes with little or no arch support. “Use a shoe with rigid arch support, like a tennis shoe,” said Dr. Treviño.

And those of us who have heard that age causes the feet to grow have heard wrong. “As we get older, the foot spreads out,” says Dr. Treviño. So that’s why some people need a larger size shoe later in life.

“If it doesn’t have a mother, it doesn’t have cholesterol.”

For another breakout session, I chose the topic, “A Healthier You,” presented by Cynthia Wood, MS, RD, and LD. “Good health,” according to Wood, “involves optimal amounts of all essential nutrients for all age groups. It does not provide excessive amounts that may cause nutrient toxicities or incur the risk of diseases like heart disease, cancer, or hypertension.”

Wood instructed the group to follow the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of calorie intake, which is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “It is a science based plan. A poor diet and sedentary life style

14

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

KLRN Women’s Health Conference -- a well attended success may result in diabetes, heart problems, osteoporosis, some cancers, or hypertension.

“Eat foods that are nutrient dense within the food groups,” continued Wood. “Avoid saturated fat, added sugar, salt, and alcohol. One teaspoon of salt fulfills the RDA maximum. Dietary supplements are useful but cannot replace a healthy diet.”

She continued, “Adults on a diet need to decrease their intake of food and beverages and increase their physical activity to maintain a slow and steady weight loss. The average sedentary woman should eat about 1,600 calories per day. If one eats 100 extra calories per day, that equates to 10 pounds gained per year. Stop eating when you are slightly full. Our calorie needs depend on age, gender, and level activity. Most of us don’t need 2,000 calories.

“Adults need to sustain 60 to 90 minutes of moderate/ vigorous activity at least five days of the week in excess of routine activity such as mopping or sweeping,” said Wood. In addition, “Move around, take the stairs, park further away, eat small portions, and eat only when hungry -- when the stomach growls, drink water, chew each bite 20 times, and stop eating when slightly full.

Wood said that 20 years ago the average cheeseburger contained 333 calories. Today it contains 590 calories. You would need to lift weights for one hour and 30 minutes to burn off the extra 257 calories. Is it worth it?.

One member of the group said yes-- and got some laughs.

Wood admonished the audience not to stop for a donut after working out. “Excess of recommended calorie limits will neutralize the efforts of exercise. If it doesn’t have a mother, it doesn’t have cholesterol. Choose veggies,” added Wood. “Include two and a half cups of veggies and two cups of fruit each day. Focus on fresh food with skins.

Don’t add cream. Choose dark green, orange fruits, and veggies and starchy legumes, beans, and acorn squashes.

Use whole grain products for carbohydrate sources. They decrease the risk of diabetes, heart trouble and cancers.

Don’t forget to eat whole grain products, including about 25 grams of fiber per day,” she concluded.

According to the information we received, women should drink only one alcoholic beverage per day. Men are allowed two cups.

If children have a weight problem, it is usually recommended that parents monitor a medically supervised weight maintenance plan that allows the child to grow into the starting weight. For detailed information, Wood

recommends the online, free, personalized diet information source MyPyramid.gov.

The conference included a total of 14 breakout sessions covering a variety of subject ranging from “Basic Life Saving Techniques” to “Sound Concepts for Women Investors.”

“Take care of yourselves in order to keep taking care of others.”

The conference keynote speaker was Gloria G. Rodriguez, PhD. Dr. Rodriguez founded Avance in her backyard in San Antonio in 1973. It became an effective solution to the education and social problems facing Latinos in America. Her mother, Lucy Salazar, was born in Laredo and faced similar problems.

Dr. Rodriquez has helped disadvantaged women achieve success by treating them with dignity and respect.

She advises all women that success breeds success. And she applied Ambassador Hilary Clinton’s saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” in order to help the women help themselves and each other. Avance provided the women with information and assistance to find services available from the Government, business, relatives and neighbors so that they wouldn’t have to struggle alone. That assistance helped them to gain confidence and move on.

The advice that Dr. Rodriguez offered to women who received help from Avance resulted in their developing meaningful and successful lives and providing inspiration for their families. Dr. Rodriguez offered similar advice to those who attended the conference: “Find balance in the world; grow and develop; volunteer; leave the world a better place; take care of yourselves in order to keep taking care of others; take aerobics; tai chi; eat better; get a massage; have friends; take vacations; plan a scheduled date with husband; keep developing your mind; and give back to your parents.”

In order to avoid burnout Dr. Rodriguez advised participants to pray constantly; sleep well; eat healthy; drink water; breathe deeply and well from the diaphragm; find a quiet place to meditate; think positively; be grateful; be thankful; do things together and alone; visit waterfalls, quiet places; mountains; stay in touch with your Creator; believe in prayer; and be grateful.

The conference also honored Susan Walker, PhD, RN who became the director of a new baccalaureate program in nursing at TAMIU in 1994. Under her leadership, the school has gained a reputation for providing quality education and producing excellent nurses. u WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Photo by Catherine Archer

2009 Boys and Girls Club Wine Tasting Kevin Lopez, Alfredo Ortiz, and Pablo Martinez of the Boys and Girls Club of Laredo were in attendance at the 11th annual wine tasting, a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club. The event featured a sommelier-guided wine tasting, buffet dinner, live and silent auctions, and the musical styling of the Caliente Band.

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

15

Photo by Monica McGettrick

Photo by Monica McGettrick

Enjoying the flavor of Laredo

Taste of Laredo Eloisa Rodriguez, Adriana Villalobos, Nora and Sergio Flores, and Joe and Catalina Zaragoza took a moment from enjoying the delicious tamales from Hillcrest Tortillas and Tamales of Hebbronville at the annual Taste of Laredo on Feb. 12. Vendors as varied as Embassy Suites and Rudy’s Bar-B-Q, participating for the first time, sampled their wares to hungry and enthusiastic customers. The lines were long, the food delicious, the music great, and the people patient.

16

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

South Texas Environmental Education and Research (STEER) students recently savored the local flavor at La India CafĂŠ. Fourth year medical students Lisa Nguyen of Drexel University College of Medicine, Mychal Anderson Thomas of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, David Lessens of the University of Michigan Medical School, Mark Tenforde of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, and Lisa Meister of the University of Maryland School of Medicine are part of a four week course that teaches about environmental and public health concerns that affect people in South Texas and the Texas/Mexico border. STEER Environmental Medicine Training Coordinator Roger Perales joined them at La India.

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

17

Business

Replacing old windows and doors with vinyl framed, E-glass windows spells energy efficiency, comfort, smaller carbon footprint, and a tax credit

E

nvironmentally sound window and door replacements and their proper installation are a major step to reducing heating and cooling fuel bills, according to Alan Holmgreen, a Laredo realtor whose company, Velocity Windows and Doors, installs only energy efficient windows and doors.

Holmgreen said vinyl windows outperform aluminum in strength and efficiency, saving homeowners up to 18% in energy costs, while being virtually maintenance-free. Holmgreen uses windows manufactured in Nuevo Laredo, a plus for ready availability of inventory and for customizing or replicating window openings that may not conform to standard sizing. He noted that single-hung vinyl windows are the most popular choices for replacing old wood or aluminum windows.

“They fit right into the rough opening. The multiple chambers in the extruded vinyl window frames create dead air space that slows heat transfer,”

18

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

he said, adding that vinyl windows are available in horizontal sliding, casement, awning, and picture window models. “We also replace sliding patio doors with beautiful wood, vinyl, or fiberglass framed doors.”

According to Holmgreen, “Vinyl window frames control heat entering a home far better than aluminum because vinyl reduces heat conduction.

Glass panes filled with noble gases like krypton or argon yield less conduction of heat in summer. In winter, they prevent convection cycles that cool down a heated room quickly. Those two considerations for window replacement -- vinyl and low energy glass that conducts less heat -- in addition to all the measures we take to weatherize around windows, spell reductions in energy use and increased comfort in the home.” He added, “There is also the comfort of knowing you are doing your part to reduce energy use and your carbon footprint on the planet, while

simultaneously generating a savings for your pocketbook.”

Holmgreen cited another value for the Low-E non-conductive glass -- its selective spectrum inhibits infrared and ultraviolet rays and therefore keeps furniture, artwork, and carpeting from fading. “It reflects the long wave of heat radiation but allows the shorter wave of light to enter a window,” he said.

“Undertaking a window and door replacement project on a home or business is not as daunting as it sounds, “ Holmgreen continued. “I work with a small crew, and n. : speedy installatio we are in and out as Velocity quickly and unobtrusively as possible. We work surgi- are better re-users and recyclers.” He cally to remove the leaky old windows is excited about the new frontiers as and then carefully install beautiful and petroleum-based energy sources get efficient new ones. The replacement more costly. Holmgreen is busy lookwindows and doors add great value to ing at other ‘green-technologies’ to retthe home,” he said, noting that window rofit to existing construction like solar replacement is one of the four home im- attic fans, daylighting systems, tankless provements that give homeowners one point-of-use water heaters, and in-home of the greatest returns. The other three natural gas refueling stations for autoare insulation and a major kitchen or mobiles. bath remodeling.

“We all need to tighten up our homes Holmgreen said that he has replaced and adopt simple habits for conserving windows and doors in neighborhoods water and energy -- low-flow toilets, across the city, finding that shoddy in- efficient shower and sink nozzles, xeristallation or the age of the windows con- scaping, and drip irrigation. We might tribute to extreme heat losses in winter eventually incorporate alternative fuels and heat gains in summer. “You can like solar and wind. We need to become qualify for a tax credit for energy effi- aware of new technologies like Low-E cient windows and address a 40 to 50% glass and vinyl windows and look for heat loss in your home,” he said.

Energy Star ratings on products we want An energy conscious environmental- to buy,” he said. ist, Holmgreen said the time has come Holmgreen, who is also a ceramics infor a paradigm shift among American structor at Texas A&M International Uniconsumers “to take on the energy in- versity, can be reached at 956-237-5905 or efficiencies of our lifestyles so that we at velocityreplacement@yahoo.com u WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Business

Hernandez and Silvia Whitlock

La Mexicana in Torreón, Coahuila, México

La Mexicana: an 85-year romance with flavor

BY CATHERINE JERLINE ARCHER

L

a Mexicana Restaurant at 1902 Santa Ursula Avenue is a Laredo Landmark famous for its flautas, chiles rellenos, and mole, personal relationships with their loyal patrons, and impeccable cleanliness. In an 85-year mix of blessings and vicissitudes, La Mexicana has flourished.

Founded by Magdaleno Lialson in 1924 in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, the original La Mexicana quickly gained renown, and as its popularity grew, the establishment was able to hire more employees. In 1928 Lialson hired the young Bertha Hernandez to work as a cashier. The two quickly fell in love and married in 1929 and were blessed with the birth of their only child, Socorro, the next year.

With union strife sweeping across the country, Magdaleno Li- Bertha Hernandez alson was faced with unfulfillable demands. Determined to keep his restau- ed with another opportunity to overcome rant alive, he and his wife moved to Nuevo hardship. All the restaurant equipment, as Laredo in 1936 and started La Mexicana well as the building, suffered water damonce more from scratch. Bertha Lialson age, and all was lost, save for the morale recalls the move and reopening and said, and gumption of Magdaleno and Bertha “Estabamos cerrados 60 días, pero gracias a Lialson. La Mexicana’s next destination Dios nos fue muy bien en Nuevo Laredo.” was Laredo, Texas where the business has La Mexicana reopened one block from continued to thrive for over 50 years.

Bridge I, and was open 24-hours a day. The After the passing of her husband in public responded with overwhelming ap- 1965, Bertha Lialson assumed full ownproval of La Mexicana’s introduction of ership and management of La Mexicana. flautas.

She attributes the restaurant’s success to When the Rio Grande left its bank and her family. Her daughter Socorro grew up flooded major parts of Laredo and Nuevo with La Mexicana as part of her life. In the Laredo in 1954 the Lialsons were present- way that most children have household WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

duties, she had restaurant duties. She married Francisco Valdez with whom she had five children. Her son and four daughters likewise grew up with La Mexicana, but Silvia Whitlock especially took to the family business, and gradually assumed the responsibilities of managing the restaurant alongside Bertha. Today Socorro Valdez continues to work as the South Texas Director for Girling Healthcare. Of working with family Whitlock said, “It has its advantages and disadvantages. When you’re working with family, you’re obviously closer and more united in the good and bad times. The product is better when

there is a personal pride and sense of achievement we can all share at the end of the day. I’m honored to work with my grandmother. We’re all very strong, independent, hard working women, so sometimes we’re too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Our consistency has allowed us to last as long as we have,” Whitlock continued.

Although not all the employees at La Mexicana are related by blood, you would never know considering their convivial interactions with each other. Mage Godinez joined the team after her mother cooked at the restaurant for over 25 years. The most recent employee has been there for five years. “We’re all family here, and we take care of each other as such,” Whitlock said.

Likewise, the clientele also goes back for generations. It is not an unusual occurrence for a young couple to walk in to say hello to Bertha Lialson and her daughter Socorro at table three to reminisce about coming into the restaurant with their parents. The women of La Mexicana acknowledge and enjoy seeing their family and the restaurant growing alongside the community.

At 94, Bertha Lialson continues to stay on top of her business, and if you’re a lucky favorite, she’ll personally make you the best meal you’ve ever had. “Siempre han correspondido los clientes, y por eso les agradezco a ellos y las generaciones que todavía vienen.

Gracias a Dios que todo mi personal son honrados y decentes, y que hemos tenido muchos años juntos.” u L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

19

Feature

An unusual and extraordinary affair

By Genny Monteith

T

he 110 attendees at Sam Johnson’s annual Feast of the Three Kings ranged in age from 20 to nearly 100. Johnson combined this important celebration together with a gathering for his music and theatre friends.

It was indeed a marvel to see ladies and gentlemen in their 70s, 80s, and 90s congregating for good food, good music, and great conversation. Laughter filled the rooms of the Johnson home as the guests promenaded from a garland-trimmed room to a poinsettia-lined room. Guests had to move from room to room or risk missing someone special.

The ladies in their 90s sat in front of their walkers and were eagerly engaged in conversation with almost everyone who arrived. They partook of the excellent food offered. Louis Webber, in his young 80s, played the piano with much style and gusto and later, Russell Simpson played old favorites and show tunes while his wife Maca sat close by admiringly.

E.H. Corrigan listened so intently

it seemed as if he were going back to a special time and place.

Suzy Mayo regaled partygoers with countless theatre stories. It is an inspiration that the indomitable Suzy, who is reportedly over 50 years of age, is still performing on stage. Her last admirable performance was in The Best Man. Â She awaits her next challenging role.

Many of the guests were still dressed in their Christmas reds and greens. Sheila Glassford sported an amazing shawl that appeared to have every color in the rainbow. Jennie Reed and Janice Webber were everywhere with their cameras, capturing memories of all the color, happiness, and camaraderie.

As the party wound down, the theatre people lingered to discuss plays or dramas they might embark upon in 2009.

Some of the youngsters in attendance were children and grandchildren of loved ones who have passed on. This added poignancy to the warmth and intimacy of this community gathered together under one roof. Surely, that little godchild born so many years ago would be so pleased today to witness all the love, caring, and respect that this

Courtesy Photos

20

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Continued from page 4

44

According to Fontaine, very few Laredo hotels and motels buy locally, though she singled out La Posada and Embassy Suites as model local buyers. “Ninety percent of the hotels and 90% of the banks shop outside Laredo,” she continued. She said Texas Community Bank and Falcon National Bank are the only two banks that adhere to buying their office supplies and paper goods locally. She recalled that a local bank used to buy 250 amortization calendars from her every year, but then stopped when the bank took its business out of town, paying $25 for the same calendar that Fontaine continues to offer for $17. “Laredo businesses need to support each other by buying locally,” she said.

“As far as I am concerned, the City is on a pedestal, and so is Webb County,” she said, “for me and the other local office goods supplier. Me or them, it doesn’t matter, just so the money is spent locally, which keeps people employed locally,” she said, adding, “I very much appreciate that the City and County do all they can to keep the money here and to be an example for buying from local stores. They go to a lot of trouble with their bidding process.”

Another institution on Fontaine’s A list is Laredo Community College. “They buy locally, and we appreciate their business,”

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

she said, adding that Texas A&M International University buys its office goods out of Laredo. “That out of town supplier is just a truck. It’s not a building whose owner pays local taxes. It’s not an employer of Laredoans. It’s just a truck,” she said, “coming in with goods and leaving with money.”

She said both school districts buy locally, as do the agencias aduanales. “The big trucking lines do not buy locally,” she said.

“I am very grateful that Dr. Ike’s buys locally. They understand what it’s like to compete with out of town giants like Lowe’s, which does not buy locally,” she said, adding that Neel Title and Leyendecker Construction, both locally owned, were proponents of local purchasing policies.

“I work up the bids myself. We are always lowest, especially on items like toner cartridges, and we offer very quick service in the store and out for delivery. More than ever it has become very important to do business with the individuals and companies that do business with us. I consider this whether I am buying a new delivery vehicle or equipment or choosing a bank.

Buying from each other is the most important way we can support each other and keep Laredoans working,” Fontaine said, adding that any business owner interested in a buy-Laredo-first initiative can reach her at 722-6791. u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

21

News

Matías De Llano Respite Home opens at Border Region MHMR Short-term and periodic relief for caregivers now available

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

Courtesy Photo

T

First in Showmanship at the Menudo Bowl The Miller Lite Ranchito team took first place in the Showmanship Division at the annual Menudo Bowl competition at L.I.F.E. The very detailed cookhouse ad_laredos-perf arts-BreakReality-quarter page.qxp 2/17/2009 2:00 PM Page setting was a delight to see.

The LCC Performing Arts Department presents

he Laredo Chamber of Commerce recently conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Matías De Llano Respite Home on the campus of the Border Region MHMR at 1500 Pappas St. The Matías De Llano Charitable Trust administered by the International Bank of Commerce donated $89,000 for the purchase of a residential modular home to provide respite services to individuals diagnosed with mild to profound mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorders, or autism.

The Respite Home and the Sensory Stimulation Day Habilitation Pro1gram, housed in two modular homes, will provide service to individuals who are living in their family home on a planned or emergency short-term basis when the person who is normally responsible for providing care is unable to do so. Consumers in the respite home will receive 24-hour care

from Border Region’s trained staff during their stay.

Representing the Matías De Llano Charitable Trust and making the formal presentation of the grant were Eliza Gonzalez and Anna Mercado of International Bank of Commerce. Receiving the grant on behalf of the BRMHMR were Dr. José G. García, who gave the invocation, and Daniel Castillon, executive director.

Castillon explained the effort that culminated in the setting up of the new facilities: “The Respite Home has been in the planning stages for three years, when the money was approved. However, we ran into red tape and roadblocks in getting clearance to move the two modular homes on the site here at the center. Making the project a reality was a truly cooperative effort between the city, the state, the BRMHMR board, and a lot of people at the center. The new buildings provide us as an agency with a special permanent location for respite care.” u

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC WITH A UNIVERSAL SOUND Tuesday, March 10, 2009 Admission - $10

Tickets available at the Martinez Fine Arts Office-721-5334 All proceeds go to the Performing Arts Scholarships & Educational Resources

Laredo Community College West End Washington Street • 5500 South Zapata Hwy. • Laredo, TX

22

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

www.laredo.edu

Courtesy Photo

Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center Theater 7:30 p.m.

Respite Home Pictured right-to-left at Respite Home dedication are Dr. José G. García,, Daniel Castillon, BRMHMR executive director, Ruby Garza, recreation director, and Magda Pedraza, intellectual and developmental disability program director. Respite Home is on the far left, and Sensory Stimulation Center is on the far right.

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

23

Laredo International Fair & Exposition 2009 L.I.F.E. Fair - February 25th - 28th don’t miss this 46TH annual fun-filled event! chili cook -off

fun shows

Mark McK

inney

Kyle park

Friday, february 27 8:00 pm- 12midnight

saturday, february 28 8:00 pm- 12midnight

, GOODSING D E K A W B E NG & S CANNIMPETITION CO

Proud Sponsors

HEB PETTING ZOO

SIC

U LIVE M

BUNGE JUMPI E NG

LIVESTOCK SHOW & AUCTION FOOD, FUN & GAMES CHEER & DANCE COMPETITION

MUTTO BUSTI N N’

RODEO EVENTS

United Rentals Webb Co. Dist. Attorney UETA Vaquillas Cattle Co. Palenque Grill Rosaura “Wawi” Tijerina PETTING ZOO SPONSORED BY:

solido

CHILI COOK-OFF SPONSORED BY:

GENERAL ADMISSION $5.00 - CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER FREE HIGHWAY 59 EAST LAREDO, TEXAS FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.LAREDOFAIR.COM 24

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

RODEO EVENTS SPONSORED BY:

Southern Distributing

VOLUNTEER AREA SPONSORED BY:

Polo’s Garage Doors

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Laredo International Fair & Exposition 2009 L.I.F.E. Fair - February 25th - 28th don’t miss this 46TH annual fun-filled event!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009 6:30pm

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009 7:00am

ENT

Webb County Trail Ride (Off Del Mar)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:00am 10:00am-1:00pm

10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm

Proud Sponsors

F ENTERAMILY TAINM

L.I.F.E. Kick-Off Party (Lago Del Rio)

ALL LIVESTOCK TO BE MOVED IN BY 10:00AM WEIGHING AND SIFTING OF ALL PROJECTS

Mobile Dairy Classroom Kids Show Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Sift and Weigh Rabbits Sift and Weigh Goats TX Dot, Border Patrol, Sheriff’s Dept., Laredo Police Dept.

Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Sift and Weigh Lambs Sift and Weigh Steers Sift and Weigh Poultry

4:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY

Sift and Weigh Hogs Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Removal of all sifted animals deadline Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Sound System—Main Stage Mobile Dairy Classroom on display HEB Petting Zoo Old Frontier Western Cooking Jerry Hendricks -Chainsaw Wood

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY

L.I.F.E. Fine Arts Show Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Judge Steers Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Mobile Dairy Classroom on display HEB Petting Zoo Old Frontier Western Cooking Jerry Hendricks -Chainsaw Wood Carving Douglas Wayne Whitaker

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009 8:00-9:00am Registration for Canning and Sewing Competition 9:00am Judging Sewing and Canning 9:00am Mobile Dairy Classroom Kids Show 9:30am Rain Forest Wild Animal Show 9:30am Judge Market Hogs 10:00am-1:00pm TX Dot, Border Patrol, Sheriff’s

Dept., Laredo Police Dept.

10:30am Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation 11:00am Rain Forest Wild Animal Show 12:30pm Judge Lamb 5:30pm Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 8:00-9:00am 9:00am 9:00am 9:30am 9:30am 10:00am-1:00pm

10:30am 11:00am 11:00am 2:00pm 5:30pm

Baked Goods Registration (Exhibit Barn) Judge Poultry (New Show Barn) Mobile Dairy Classroom Kids Show Judge Rabbits (Old Auction Barn) Rain Forest Wild Animal Show TX Dot, Border Patrol, Sheriff’s Dept., Laredo Police Dept.

Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Judge Goats (New Show Barn) Sale of Baked Goods (Exhibit Barn) Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation

6:00pm 6:30pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm-12:00am

ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY ALL DAY

Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Arena) Exhibition “Lil Partners” (Old Show Barn) Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Country Music Concert with Kyle Park and Mark McKinney (Main Stage) Mobile Dairy Classroom on display HEB Petting Zoo Old Frontier Western Cooking Jerry Hendricks—Chainsaw Wood Carving Douglas Wayne Whitaker

United Rentals Webb Co. Dist. Attorney UETA Vaquillas Cattle Co. Palenque Grill Rosaura “Wawi” Tijerina PETTING ZOO SPONSORED BY:

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009 8:30am

9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 11:30am 3:00pm

Cheer and Dance Competition (Casa Blanca Ballroom) Mobile Dairy Classroom Kids Show Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Chili Cook-Off (Open Pavilion) Greased Pig Contest Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation Rain Forest Wild Animal Show Steak-A-Rama (Closed Pavilion) Tug-O-War/Sack Races (Between Chapters) Livestock Auction (Sale Barn)

5:30pm Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation 6:00pm Rain Forest Wild Animal Show 6:30pm Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Arena) 6:30pm Mobile Dairy Classroom Presentation 7:30pm Rain Forest Wild Animal Show 8:00pm-12:00am Tejano Music Concert with SOLIDO (Main Stage) ALL DAY Mobile Dairy Classroom on display ALL DAY HEB Petting Zoo ALL DAY Old Frontier Western Cooking ALL DAY Jerry Hendricks—Chainsaw Wood Carving ALL DAY Douglas Wayne Whitaker

CHILI COOK-OFF SPONSORED BY:

ALL TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

GENERAL ADMISSION $5.00 - CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER FREE HIGHWAY 59 EAST LAREDO, TEXAS FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.LAREDOFAIR.COM WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

RODEO EVENTS SPONSORED BY:

Southern Distributing

VOLUNTEER AREA SPONSORED BY:

Polo’s Garage Doors

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

25

26

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

27

28

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Profile

Ed Gonzalez: member of “Batos Del Barrio” in the Veterans’ Hall of Fame; two years on the USS Kitty Hawk in Vietnam waters

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

F

ormer Martin High football player Eduardo Gonzalez still wishes he had played against the Martin Tigers his junior and senior years when he played for the McCollum Cowboys. “But Martin didn’t play any San Antonio teams during my years at McCollum -- not until the year after I graduated.” Gonzalez said. A Vietnam veteran, Gonzalez is the owner of Ed’s Trophies and also the current Laredo Rotary Club president.

After graduating from McCollum in 1970, Gonzalez joined the Naval Reserve almost immediately, spending five months in Great Lakes Michigan -- three months at Basic Training and two months training to be a class-A machinist’s mate. Upon graduation, Gonzalez was assigned to the carrier USS Kitty Hawk, which was headed for maneuvers in Vietnam. “I chose to do my two years of active duty at the beginning of my six-year hitch, so I stayed overseas on the Kitty Hawk for two straight years.

The Vietnam War was still in full fury in the early 1970s, and the Kitty Hawk played an active role. “We were one of three carriers, including the USS Constellation and the USS Enterprise, performing two maneuvers a day, coordinating our strike-ready positions in an alternating sequence,” Gonzalez said. He described the process like this: “One carrier at a time would come in closer to the mainland for its planes to conduct air strikes, while the other two remained a little further out in the South China Sea. “When we came in close to shore, about 40 of our planes would take off and head for the mainland while we waited for them to return to the ship. Meanwhile, the Constellation and the ‘Big E’ would circle around the South China Sea, waiting their turn.

When our planes had returned to the ship after flying their sorties, we’d refuel, reload, and re-bomb them, knowing that they’d be flying more sorties before too long, that day or the next. Each carrier had its own fourdestroyer escort, as well as its supply ships and refueling ships. Once in a while one or two of our planes didn’t return from their mission, and one year we lost four men overboard. All refueling and resupplying was done under the cover of darkness. Personnel transfers, including evacuation of the injured. were also conducted at night, or ‘unwrap,’ as it was called.”

He continued, “I worked in the ‘belly’ of the ship -- I didn’t see the sun for months; sometimes I would lose track of time. Our WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

job in the engine room was to propel the ship, and to make sure that the boilers were running properly, that the ship was adequately stocked with water, and that the air conditioning system was functioning properly. We also took alternate watches on the propeller. I’m telling you, it was hot work. The pipes were so hot you could light a cigarette on them.

The only way to cool off temporarily was to pull the chord of one of the ‘showers’ in front of the boilers. If you wore glasses, they were fogged up all the time.”

“The ship was like a city. It was five stories high, and there were six to seven thousand men on board. Our quarters and ‘racks’ were on the second and third levels.

You wouldn’t believe how cramped we were in there -- like sardines, Ed Gonzalez in stacks of three to four men. The pilots’ quarters were topside by the tower, but everybody who wasn’t an officer stayed below -- machinists, boiler technicians, computer personnel, mechanics, and boatswain’s mate. We all had six hour shifts, six hours on and six hours off. Every 45 to 60 days we would get ‘spares,’ which is what we called our two-day port calls in the Philippines for R&R.” “After being honorably discharged from the armed forces in 1973, Gonzalez spent four years in Corpus Christi working as a firefighter. After returning to Laredo, Gonzalez worked with the Postal Service for five years before he and his wife Veronica opened their own business. “For three years I worked both jobs,” Gonzalez said, adding, “We worked out of our house, catering to after-hours customers from 5 p.m. to midnight, approximately. Five years later, Gonzalez retired from the Postal Service to dedicate all his time to his business. “When I made this move, business went up right away,” Gonzalez said.

Just as there was no simple approach to the complex duty schedule of a class-A machinist’s mate aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during wartime, it is necessary that Gonzalez take a multi-task approach to running his own trophy shop. “My three workers and I create all the designs and bring all the ideas to life on trophies, plaques, shirts,

signs, and sandblasted crystal.

Ed’s Trophies is one of the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority’s biggest sponsors for the annual Golden Apple Award banquet.

“Since I first went into business, I have provided all the pins, cartridges, plaques, decorations, and the exclusive Golden Apple trophy free of charge,” Gonzalez said.

Today Gonzalez is the primary vendor for UISD, LISD, the City of Laredo, the Laredo Police Department, the District Attorney, and other agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration.

Gonzalez is also proud of the three plaques he made for Border Patrol chief Garza who needed them prepared overnight for a presentation honoring three patrol dogs at the White House in a ceremony hosted by President Reagan.

Gonzalez’s personality was a natural fit for Rotary International’s altruistic approach to public service. He explained, “I joined the Laredo Rotary Club in 2004.

Mike Kazen told me, ‘You’re already doing what we’re doing.’ I became really involved in Rotary right away; I was extremely active my first year and my second year,” he said.

“In June, 2008, I was elected Laredo Rotary Club president -- I’ve enjoyed every min-

ute,” Gonzalez added.

With his one-year term of office in its waning stages, Gonzalez humbly acknowledges the guidance, mentoring, and support he has received from his fellow Rotarians like Manuel “Guero” Benavides, Dr. Cecilia Garza, Dave Leyendecker, Fernando Cuellar, Arturo Barrera, and Manuel Bravo.

“They have helped me with their wisdom; they’re always there, and they’re always supportive,” Gonzalez said.

A proactive approach to life and a willingness to serve have stood Gonzalez in good stead down through the years -- he proudly helped the American cause during the difficult Vietnam era, and he is still supporting praiseworthy causes as a proud Rotarian.

Gonzalez is one of six brothers whose military service is commemorated in the Veterans’ Hall of Fame and Military Museum on a plaque that reads: “Los Batos Del Barrio: Javier Gonzalez, Navy, Tomás Gonzalez, Navy, René Gonzalez, Navy, Daniel Gonzalez, Navy, Eduardo Gonzalez, Navy, Humberto Gonzalez, Navy, Gerardo Gonzalez, National Guard. --To Honor and Serve.”

“I think we were all inspired by our tío, Chief Petty Officer José Rodríguez, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japanese attack,” Gonzalez said.

Life on a big ship like the Kitty Hawk is an incredible experience,” Gonzalez said, adding, “You learn how to make your own decisions, and I recommend the armed forces for those who think they can make it.

I had an exciting two years.” u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

29

30

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

31

Preservation

Needs rehab!

Built in the early 1900s, this brick vernacular structure at 1806-1808 Hidalgo is noted in the City’s 1981-commissioned historical architecture survey as having architectural significance. The single story edifice, rectangular in design, has a streetside outer skin of stucco. Its flat roof is “terraced” toward the rear.

The building features a corbelled, dentilled cornice. The good news about this building is that alterations made to the original building have been minor. The bad news is that in its abandonment cracks have begun to evidence themselves in the brick walls. Webb CAD did not list an owner of record, but it is possible that the building is owned by the owner of 1804 Hidalgo, Adelfa S.

The old church has seen better days The old First United Methodist Church building at 1613 Hidalgo, which was built in 1913, has never looked as good as it did when operated by the church. Under the ownership of LULAC #12, the building has lost much of its architectural integrity to historically incorrect alterations to its facade, boarded up windows, a steel door that is an affront to antiquity, rotten fascia exposing rotten beams in the eaves, and some kind of four-inch PVC dilemma sprouting from the rotten eaves. The tattered, faded American flag speaks volumes to LULAC’s sense of pride about the appearance of their building -- an eyesore!

Landmark

lotería 220 Matamoros at San Enrique An architectural treasure -- rescue me!

Photos by Monica McGettrick

This venerable vernacular sandstone beauty at the corner of Matamoros and San Enrique was built in the early 1900s. The structure features tall, wooden slatted doors on two sides that were once accessible by steps.

The placement of the doors suggests that the building may have been a store. A former resident of the neighborhood told LareDOS that there were stables behind the structure.

A cursory look revealed a carriage entrance, what may have been stables, a beautiful configuration of old wood and some small outer buildings in the backyard that have fallen from their piers. The building is owned

by Jorge J. Rodriguez. It is our opinion, that of the royal we, that the structure should be bought, saved, and restored as a showcase of vernacular architecture. It is listed in the City’s 1981 survey as a contributing structure to the Barrio Azteca National Register Designation.

32

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

A little shabby, but still formidable at 1601 Hidalgo The two-story Bonugli Building, built in 1909, holds an enduring presence at the corner of Hidalgo and Davis.

The original double doors and tall 4/4, arched windows still grace the building, though some are in need of repair. Very noteworthy about this building that still functions as apartments are its decorative cornice of brick dentils and corbelling and its stone segmentally-arched window hoods with keystones that connect by beltcourse on the northern face.

A balcony of wrought iron of a very delicate pattern abuts the middle window on the east and west sides of the building.

It is surmised that the building once had a canopy over its ground floor doors that open to the north. The first story is built of stone and the second story of brick with stone quoins. Porches on both stories open onto a garden separated from Davis Street by a brick, concrete, and wrought iron fence. The wrought iron reportedly came from salvage at Fort McIntosh. Webb CAD lists the owner as Landrum Ries.

Broken windows are an eyesore, more so on a historical building The broken windows on the old St. Augustine High School building adjacent to San Agustín Cathedral evidences the lack of care for the landmark brown brick structure. Back to back with the beautifully restored rectory and adjacent to Cathedral, the school in its present condition reveals its decline over years. A window restoration effort begun several years ago was abruptly stopped and the project faltered. Downtown rats, pigeons, and other varmints find easy access to a building that many have cherished.

t

EXEMPLARY STEWARDSHIP

t

Historical stewardship

Photo by Monica McGettrick

This 112 year-old brick structure at 505 Lincoln radiates pride of ownership. Spared by the fateful path that destroyed a good part of the Azteca neighborhood for the construction of the second international bridge, the well-maintained home is located half a block east of the bridge. Carlos Raymundo Martinez, retired from the U.S. Postal Service, owns the property which was once owned by his grandparents, Manuel and María Rotgé Villarreal. Martinez owns the lot to the west and the storefronts to the east of the house.

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

33

Profile

Mark Webber, journalism instructor woven into the mission of the VMT Magnet School

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

L

et’s hear it for a teacher who makes a difference. Mark Webber’s contribution to education in Laredo goes back 28 years in the Laredo area and 16 years at the Vidal M. Treviño Magnet School of Communications and Fine Arts, where he is part of the original faculty.

Webber’s influence on many of Laredo’s outstanding young people down through the years can in part be judged when one looks at the broad spectrum of related courses that he teaches: journalism, photojournalism, newspaper production I, II, and III, analysis of visual media, communications applications, media literacy, and technical writing.

Another way of evaluating Webber’s importance to the school is to consider the preparation and expertise that an individual must have in order to successfully train students in such a breadth of communications disciplines. Webber has the background and the hands-on experience that make him an expert in his field. A native San Antonian and graduate of Roosevelt High School, Webber was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1974 and a master’s degree in 1976.

Webber’s résumé is impressive. He taught at Memorial Middle School from 1989 to 1993, when he moved over to the Magnet School. Webber taught in the Webb Consolidated School District 1976 to 77 and has been with Laredo ISD since 1989.

Between 1977 and 1989, he held positions with SER Jobs for Progress, United ISD, The Laredo News, and The Laredo Times. At the present time, Webber moonlights as reserve

34

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

news editor at the Laredo Morning Times and teaches journalism writing as an adjunct instructor at TAMIU, where he is also faculty adviser for The Bridge newspaper. In addition to his teaching chores at VMT, Webber directs and oversees the publication of The Magnet Tribune newspaper.

Inasmuch as the art of teaching is an independent skill in itself, which manifests itself to a greater or a lesser degree depending on the individual teacher, Webber belongs at the head of the class -- teaching. He carries himself like a professional inside and outside the classroom, commanding the respect of colleagues and pupils alike.

If you see him conducting a lecture or tutoring students in smaller groups or oneon-one, you can’t help but be impressed -far from being an overbearing, stuffed-shirt know-it-all type, Webber comes off as an easygoing 6’2’’ Tom Sawyer look-alike who knows what he’s talking about and is only too willing to share with the eager learner.

He readily responds to students’ curiosity and encourages student participation, and it is easy to see that his students appreciate his wisdom and value his open, non-intimidating approach to the lesson cycle.

In a word, students feel comfortable in Webber’s classroom, where the excellent learning atmosphere is constantly created and maintained by the reassuring stewardship of the teacher and the corresponding appreciativeness of highly motivated students trying to fulfill high expectations.

This is what is known as a teaching success story.

“My job is to give students a well-rounded education in different aspects of journalism -- writing, editing, revising, page

design, software applications, interviewing skills, application of First Amendment rights, photography, black-and-white film darkroom, and digital processing,” Webber said.

Asked why journalism is important, Webber responded, “Students get to interview people, write, read, speak, learn technology, and stand up for themselves, adding, “They acquire valuable real-life application skills like writing news stories for a broad audience, being honest with people, and learning to be careful with their work because the world gets to see what they write in print newspapers and on the website.”

Looking at education in general, Webber said, “One thing that might be wrong with education today is that the emphasis on high-stakes testing takes the joy out of both teaching and getting educated. Too much class time is devoted to passing tests and not preparing for life.” When asked about the strengths of contemporary education, Webber said, “You see diverse people from different backgrounds learning from each other.” He added, “School is still important because you need some way to continue society, to keep it together, move it forward.”

Webber said that schools are not in decline. “Not by any means,” he said, “Schools are for everybody these days; everybody’s special needs must be addressed; students now feel they’re a part of a bigger picture.”

What can the government do to make education more effective? “The government should mandate smaller class sizes; that’s what gets results for private schools and home schools,” Webber said. “Smaller schools instead of warehouses, and smaller

Mark Webber class sizes will help students feel more a part of something. Intramural sports, in addition to regular school athletic programs, will increase participation, boost school spirit, and cut the dropout level.”

Webber is a staunch believer in the magnet school concept. “It has allowed highly motivated kids with average and above average intelligence to pursue something in depth that will carry over into adult life.”

Not for a minute has Webber ever regretted going into teaching. “I’ve always found joy in teaching. It’s satisfying to know that you may have been a positive influence in the lives of your students,” Webber said.

Webber’s wife Anna is a program manager for Medicaid for the elderly, and his daughter Marie is a junior at Texas State University. u

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Rotary Club Notes

“Hurricane” Ferreyro makes landfall at Laredo Rotary Club Rotary Club Notes

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

R

eigning Latino Heavyweight Champion Hector “Hurricane” Ferreyro visited the Laredo Rotary Club to promote his upcoming world heavyweight title bout, a first for Laredo, set to take place on April 17, 2009 at West Martin Field. The 6’3’’ native Laredoan tips the scales at 220 pounds and is a three-time local “Tough Man” champion who turned professional when the Tough Man barred him from further competition in that contest.

His own promoters bill Ferreyro as “a ‘small’ heavyweight with a lot of

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

heart, will, and determination.” Ferreyro’s determination and tremendous punching ability have helped him capture the Texas Heavyweight title and the USBO Heavyweight title. But perhaps his greatest victory was a win in 2007 against ranked heavyweight Leo “Paco” Nolan who had a 28-0 record before facing Ferreyro. His promoters say, “Ferreyro is a tireless puncher who loves to rumble. He is dedicated to break his opponent’s body with a relentless attack to the midsection and ribcage.”

Ferreyro said he started boxing as a hobby, adding that his training regimen is very strenuous and physically taxing. “I don’t start to relax until 10:30 at night; I have been blessed with the support of my sponsors, my trainers, and friends; it’s been a very hard journey. Come out and support me, I think I will succeed,” Ferreyro said.

Ferreyro’s upcoming title fight at West Martin Field is being promoted by Panix Promotions, which promoted Lennox Lewis in his glory years up until 2001. u

36

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Santa MarĂ­a Journal Continued from page 74 4

The chaparro negro, the blackbrush, is in full fragrant bloom in shocking contrast with the rest of the monte that waits out the end of the cooler but hardly cold weather we call winter. A couple of frosts have toasted most of the grasses. Here and there a mesquite is leafed out in lime green lace, but for the most part the brush land is holding back. Just a little rain would make for an explosive spring.

It will drop to a nippy low this evening, but the temperature this afternoon is delicious and the monte exhales a clean, fragrant essence. The terrain changes as I make my rounds across red loam, caliche, and sand. I notice a stand of Datura, jimson, that grows in only one spot on the ranch. I’ve also come across some white poppy in bloom, and here and there a few bunches of red and yellow Indian blanket.

I traverse the low spot where a pasture fence would in the past wash out periodically in a heavy rain, cedar posts and all, until we set hefty 10 and 12-inch diameter fence posts cut from 40-foot

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

light poles to make up that sweep of the fence into the ravine.

Heading back to the corrales and the bodega, I miss my favorite rancherita, my best cowgirl, my granddaughter Emily who provides such an endearing narrative on our drives around the ranch.

Alas, she has gone with her parents and sister to the stock show and rodeo in San Antonio, and I am left to a weekend that is both quiet and productive. The silence is profoundly soothing, and I do not hear another human voice until late Sunday evening when I make a call to my son.

Back at the pie del rancho, I work at restoring order in the tool room, enroscando extension cords and the compressor hose, hanging tools back on their pegboard hooks. There is something extremely satisfying about being so thorough and putting like hand tools in their groups. I find a good stopping point, pleased that two hours made a difference in the look of the room.

In the blessed quiet the sun begins its descent in the west, and I begin my walk home to my house of such pleasing proportions and colors. u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

37

Book Review

The first novel: The Golden Ass is a real “rocking” horse

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

W

hen was the last time you read an African novel? If you have never read one, then maybe you’re about 1,700 years behind the times. We usually associate the genesis of the novel with Spain (Lazarillo de Tormes) or England (Pamela), but believe it or not, a North African fellow named Lucius Apuleius wrote the first novel of all time -- a really entertaining firstperson narrative called The Golden Ass. It’s episodic, funny, and quite bawdy. It offers a rare common-man perspective of life in late classical times. It is also an intimate, sometimes brutally frank, account of the “miseries and wretched snares of misfortune” that were out there on ground level.

I will try to show you why this horse really rocks, and, at the same time, why you shouldn’t say “neigh” to this book. That’s enhoof puns for now.

So why, if this is a good book, isn’t it better known among the general reading public?

Hold your horses, I’ll tell you in a bit.

Okay, here’s why: The Golden Ass was written in the second century A.D., approximately two centuries before the fall of the Roman Empire.

And? And the book was written in Latin, and Latin faded from glory and common usage once the Roman legions had retreated and/or were decommissioned. And there

38

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

were cases where the soldiers just plain deserted once the paychecks stopped rolling in and discipline broke down. That is, they settled in places like Egypt, Germany, Spain, or some other colony of the former Roman Empire, wherever they were stationed at the time of the Fall.

Another factor that explains the disappearance of The Golden Ass from the radar screen is that Latin had never really caught on in a big way in many of the Roman colonies, especially the ones not contiguous to the Italian homeland. The Romans, as regimented and callous as they sometimes tended to be, didn’t declare or much less enforce a “Latin only” policy in their conquered colonies, although it behooved many colonials to command at least a smattering of Latin if they wanted to do business with the people who minted the money and controlled all the avenues of trade. And every one of us neo-Romantics knows what happened to the Latin language in places like Spain, France, and even Italy itself.

In other words, the Romans didn’t do what the Normans did in England about 800 years later, when English was outlawed and French was made mandatory, temporarily turning England into a “Latino” nation linguistically.

But as far as book-reading is concerned, the portion of the population that was literate to any appreciable degree was generally limited to the Christian clergy, the monastic

movement, the remnants of the colonial intelligentsia, and a handful of former slaves that had worked in book-stocked households. The fate of Apuleius’ book was thus at the mercy of forces far beyond his control or ability to predict.

Yet there is little doubt that the Latin language made a profound cultural impression far and wide. Two good examples are Lucius Apuleius and St. Augustine, both Algerians, who wrote classic books that have stood the test of time. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, because the Roman Empire stretched from Portugal to Bulgaria, from Libya to the Scottish border.

Luckily for us, one of the best translations of a Latin work into English is William Adlington’s 1566 translation of The Golden Ass. Most English language readers still prefer Adlington’s translation over later translations because of Adlington’s lively prose and comic sensibility as seen in his choice of words, his phraseology, and his old-timey spelling (sunne, moone, pisse).

There is so much to enjoy in this rambling tale of a rambling man and the intercalated tales told by some of the colorful people he meets on his journeys. The switching over from one narrator to another is refreshing, but sometimes challenging to the reader. The result of letting so many different common people speak their minds is that the reader comes away with a fairly good primer on the sociology of the Ro-

man world of North Africa, which had a lot in common with the Roman world all over the empire.

Although it is sometimes hard to remember just whose story you are hearing at a given time, you are too busy being entertained to care much one way or the other. It’s a style of storytelling not tailored for the fussy stickler. A businessman, Apuleius, sets out on a business trip and runs into a whole slew of individuals who have a tale to tell.

The first tale involves a certain Aristomenus, who tells of a recent encounter he had with a dangerous enchantress, Meroe. Aristomenus says, “Verily shee is a Magitian, which hath power to rule the heavens, to bring downe the sky, to beare up the earth, …to lift up the terrestrial spirits into the aire, and pull the gods out of the heavens, to extinguish the planets and to lighten the deepe darknesse of hell.”

Immediately fascinated by the power of magic, Lucius eventually became an amateur spell-caster, until one day he accidentally turned himself into an ass. The spell is eventually broken, but during the time that he is an ass Lucius learns about and talks sympathetically about the similarity between the treatment that men meted out to lowly asses and lowly working people and slaves.

Although The Golden Ass is the first novel of any kind ever written, it is the progenitor of the picaresque genre, later refined in Renaissance Spain. u

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Movie Review

He’s Just Not That Into You, probably because you’re a lunatic

By MONICA MCGETTRICK

I

have no shame in admitting that I love romantic movies, or “chick flicks” as some idiots prefer to dismiss them. My favorite movie as a child was not PeeWee’s Big Adventure or Pete’s Dragon but Billy Wilder’s Sabrina. I adored Audrey Hepburn’s sweet version of “La Vie En Rose,” her innocence, and her gorgeous wardrobe. Humphrey Bogart’s transformation into a romantic lead cemented an appreciation for the older man, despite being desperately old (to a seven year-old he was positively ancient), and William Holden is Prince Charming, even if a womanizing rake.

Needless to say, over the years I fell for the Hollywood romantic comedy/drama trap, and like millions of other women (and some men), I flock to the theatre when there’s even a hint of romance. Why? I like to think it’s because I have a Heart of Gold, but no doubt there is some sort of notso-subtle hoodoo going on. I refuse to believe it is because I’ve been programmed to do so since birth, programmed to believe that “one day my prince will come.”

Truly, I think I’ve just been on a lifelong search to find the modern-day equivalent to Sabrina (remakes don’t count).

And so it was that I found myself in line with a friend to watch Ken Kwapis’ He’s Just Not That Into You. It is filled with likable actresses and so-so actors -- with the exception of the frat-boy looker and extremely likable Bradley Cooper from the short-lived series Kitchen Confidential -- and as a rule, I generally enjoy films that feature Jennifer Connelly (who doesn’t generally frequent RomComs), Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, and the adorkably awesome Ginnifer Goodwin. By the way, if this movie put you off Goodwin, just rent season one of Big Love and you’ll see why I adore her, but I warn you, it might forever WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

put you off Bill Paxton -- a fair trade, in my opinion.

The fact that the movie was based on a “self-help” book by a Sex and the City editor (because that show is so completely based on reality), no matter how loosely should have been a warning. But the Pirates of the Carribbean movies were enjoyable, and they were based on a theme park ride. Alas, the film only reconfirmed my belief that Hollywood doesn’t understand -- and doesn’t care -- what real people are like. How’s that, I hear you say? Let’s break it down, shall we?

To begin with, there’s Gigi. No one can call her ugly. She appears to be fairly successful, as she lives on her own, dresses well, and can afford multiple drinks in ritzy looking bars.

She’s upbeat and has flawless skin. In fact, she even glows.

Yet she’s a complete nutjob. Throwing herself at any man who even glances her way, she stalks her telephone in the hope that some third-rate yob in a shirt and tie calls her after a boring date.

She needs a man (Justin Long) to explain to her that all men are dogs. This, ladies and gents, is our romantic lead.

We know she’ll get her happy ending, but not until she’s humiliated to the point where any real person might consider antidepressants or a convent somewhere in France. But not Gigi! She’s happy to be insane because really, until she finds a man, life has no meaning.

Next up, we have Anna (Scarlett Johannson). Anna’s got pretty hair, full lips, and a nice rack. When she grossly overreacts to winning an Igloo cooler at a supermarket (it’s hard to tell if the overreaction is on purpose, if Anna is just that bubbly, or if Johansson is just that bad an actress), she catches the eye of Ben (Cooper) who is married to Janine (Connelly). Anna’s the polar opposite of the ultra-thin, severe looking Janine.

Continued on page 46

44 L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

39

Photo by Monica McGettrick

Caught in the act On Feb. 2 at approximately 12:52 p.m. police interviewed Hector Flores of Southwestern Kleaning Service of 102 East Lane Street after a witness reported seeing him illegally dumping cleaning chemicals into a drain on the corner of Houston St. and Santa Rita Ave. Flores and coworker Mary Lou Flores had been cleaning a recently vacated office at 1820 Houston. The building is owned

by Robert Sepulveda. Both Floreses were issued a citation by Gerardo Pi単a, an investigator with the City of Laredo Environmental Services Department and face a fine of up to $2,000.

40

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

41

42

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

News

By PENELOPE WARREN

T

he Río Grande International Study Center (RGISC) celebrated its 15th birthday on Sunday, January 25, with festivities on the banks of the Río Grande behind Laredo Community College. The site, which had been cleared of cane by RGISC’s Dr. Jim Earhart and student and community volunteers, overlooked the river where it flows south just before bending east toward the international bridges.

Ceremonies began with remarks from a number of area officials. Mayor

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

RGISC celebrates 15 years of environmental advocacy Raul Salinas, Webb County Judge Danny Valdez, and Laredo City Council member Cindy Liendo-Espinoza together read a proclamation honoring the anniversary. LCC’s President, Dr. Juan Maldonado, spoke about the close ties between RGISC and the college,

which have worked together on such projects as the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center and the river curriculum learning community. Together Earhart and Dr. Tom Vaughan, co-founders of the organization, shared reminiscences of RGISC’s early

days and hopes for the future. A plaque was presented to retiring Chief Carlos Castillo of the Border Patrol.

Other speakers included David Negrete and Sandra Tejada of el Centro Internacionál por el Estudio del Río Bravo (CIER), RGISC’s Nuevo Laredo branch, and Tom Miller, Director of the Environmental Center. Emcee for the event was RGISC’s new Co-Executive Director, Jay JohnsonCastro.

After the ceremonies, participants planted a number of native trees and shrubs in the cleared area, in what RGISC hopes will be a successful demonstration that the river banks can be revegetated with native species once the invasive Arundo cane has been removed.

The celebration also demonstrated the many uses possible for the cane. The palapa under which a light meal was served was constructed of cane, with cane serving trays and a cane wind chime hanging from its roof. A cane piñata hung on a tree to welcome guests at the entrance. Signs sported cane frames.

Later, guests were given an opportunity to visit another experimental site, where the possibility of using cane for animal feed is being explored with the assistance of two goats and Pancho, the caneeating donkey. There are now four goats.

Both the original nannies unexpectedly gave birth two weeks ago.

Earhart noted that RGISC has begun a new phase of forging alliances with other organizations up and down the Río Grande in order to carry out its mission of preserving both the quantity and the quality of water in the river and preserving its unique habitat and ecosystems. He stressed the need for cooperation among local agencies as well as state and national governments in preserving the environmental heritage of the Río Grande watershed.

“Laredo and Nuevo Laredo,” he said, “exist for one reason and one reason only: this river. Without it, life here would not have been possible. If we don’t take steps to preserve it now, life here will not be possible for future generations. A healthy river is our legacy. If we take care of it, it will take care of us and those who come after us.” u L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

43

Movie Review

The game of life in the slums of Mumbai: Slumdog Millionaire

By CORDELIA BARRERA

T

he early 20th-century American writer, Horatio Alger wrote rags to riches stories about lucky boys who meet the right millionaire at the right time. The Victorian Charles Dickens took the rags to riches archetype and created Oliver Twist, a tale so resolute and vivid that it opened the eyes of social critics to the deplorable conditions of child labor in 19th century London. The globalized world now brings us the fast and furiously paced Slumdog Millionaire, a rags to riches story for the 21st century. The film, which has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, takes the rags to riches motif to tell an unpretentious story of how “God is Great.”

Slumdog Millionaire is a British production directed by Danny Boyle, the man behind Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Sunshine. It’s based on the prizewinning novel, Q and A by the Indian writer Vikas Swarup. The novel was adapted for the screen by Simon Beaufoy, who recently picked up the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

Tightly narrated and cleverly edited, Slumdog Millionaire plays out remarkably because the images and suffocating realism of the film’s central character -- India’s slums --are never presented as cliché. In lesser hands, this story of a world filled with disease, destitution, and neglect might play out like so much cheesy melodrama. But Slumdog Millionaire brings alive an otherwise simple story of love and chance in the slums of Mumbai in such a way that the images, details, and alternative/hip hop score coalesce into a chance-dance with destiny -- which is, in fact, a major theme of the movie. By the film’s end, the audience has not just suspended disbelief, as all films ask us to. Instead, with M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” blaring, and the piles of trash and despair mounting, we are transported to a world that, however unimaginable, nonetheless carries a certain grace and beauty -- however awkward.

The film begins as young Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an orphan from the Dharavi slums, is being interro-

44

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

gated and tortured by a police inspector in Mumbai.

Through a series of flashbacks, we come to know that Jamal is a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Jamal has made it to the final question, and both the police and the show’s host imagine that the only way Jamal has made it this far on the show is by cheating. As the narrative unfolds, we journey into a world of violence and ubiquitous trash heaps, a world of gangsters and killers where cowardly men collect street children to beg for the money they refuse to earn for themselves.

Jamal and his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), along with Latika (Freida Pinto), a young girl from the streets whom the two befriend, form a triangular relationship that solidifies the tension of their tumultuous world. Where Jamal is subdued and thoughtful, Salim is reckless and unpredictable. After a series of events surrounding a rivalry between two despicable crime bosses, the “three musketeers,” as the trio refer to themselves, become separated. Jamal, however, does not forget the beautiful Latika. Years later, as a young man working in a call center, he manages to track down his brother Salim, who now works for Javed, one of the crime bosses from their youth. Once Jamal finds his way to Salim, he follows Salim to Javed’s house, where Jamal learns that Latika is now Javed’s “property.”

“Who Wants to be a Millionaire” is a game, and running away from the bad guys as children, for Jamal and Salim, plays out like a game. In the adult world, however, the game will only be won if “It Is Written.” One’s destiny, then, is not a matter of chance. Rather, it is a matter of Providence -- a matter of divine guidance.

This is not a simple film. What’s on the surface does not remain, and so is not important. Experience and what the heart knows are the only truths that matter. When boys become men and girls become women, endurance in a world of chaos and insurmountable odds becomes faith. This is one among many kernels of wisdom in Slumdog Millionaire. For this reason, it’s a very likely candidate to garner Best Picture of 2008.

Slumdog Millionaire is a story of lost, but neverforgotten love. It is also a story of faith, devotion, and, perhaps, simple karma. Just as there are human representatives of cowardice and malice in our world, there are also those who work hard and honestly -- this is the biggest difference between the winners and the losers in the game of humanity as well as in Slumdog Millionaire.

(Former Laredoan Cordelia Barrera is completing Ph.D. work in English and American Literature at the University of Texas in San Antonio.) u

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Seguro Que Sí

The financial whodunit: imperial over-confidence

By Henri Kahn Contact Henri D. Kahn with your insurance questions at (956) 725-3936, or by fax at (956) 791-0627, or by email at hkahn@ kahnins.com

W

ho is responsible for our current economic crisis?

George W. Bush? No, all he’s ever been is a good ol’ boy, dumb as they come.

The Republican leadership? Uh, uh.

They’ve always been too busy looking for ways to say no when the Democratic Leadership says yes, and vice versa.

The Banks? Don’t think so. Their aim has always been to discreetly increase highly profitable service fees and develop their financial supermarket schemes, as well as striving to keep their special “Favorite Son of the Government” status.

The stock market? Can’t blame them.

These stock brokerage firms have always sold us working-stiffs on the idea of investing now and keeping your money in stock market investments, regardless of tumbles like 2008 and 2009 because time heals all wounds. I firmly believe that the ups and downs in the stock market are totally controlled by entities like the oil rich, the financially successful nations who sell far more than they consume and investing conglomerates that make the stock market shimmy and shake at their pleasure.

Our aggressive tactics in foreign affairs during the eight years of Republican dominance? Nothing changes here.

Our country is known around the world as an imperialist nation of people that favor meddling in other countries’ internal affairs through the use of military or economic force. Defense spending has always been a huge squandering of our tax dollars.

The national financial burden caused by health and welfare services provided to illegal immigrants? Instead of complaining about Julio, Maria, and Juanito, we need to wise up to the fact that ilWWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

legal immigrants, who don’t turn up their nose at long hours or hard, menial work, are an absolute asset to this country and, in effect, follow the envious tradition of our country in providing an opportunity for all to excel and live in a comfortable life. So this isn’t the reason either!

Energy dependence? Sources of energy continue, as they have been for decades, to be traded in a system of symbiosis. You provide me with the oil I need for my refiners and I’ll furnish you the technology you need to enhance your manufacturing capacity. No blame here.

Financial corruption? You have to be kidding. Our business transactions are, in their absolute majority, the most visible, open, least corrupted in the entire world of finance.

So, who dunnit?

This crisis is unique and has been building up slowly but surely without detection because of the confluence of financial problems throughout the world that began discreetly several years ago as a ripple, then a wave, and now a tsunami. Much like a tsunami, we have been swamped and now we have to implement some huge uncharacteristic solutions whose results are virtually unpredictable in any aspect.

This being said, it is important to understand that each major political party should be civic-minded enough in a spirit of helping our nation to cope with the crisis instead of acting like three-yearolds who refuse to share their toys.

Further, the TV media has gained what I consider an inordinate sensationalist method of expressing opinions about events rather than reporting them, which has been, and will continue to be, detrimental to any optimism in this country. We are still, and will continue to be, the greatest country in the world with the most enviable lifestyle without ever having to resort to ongoing Socialism.

When you hear “the government will bail us out,” you must remember and know that the government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.

We need to stay positive and know that this too shall pass. u L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

45

Review

National Geographic January cover story: The Real Price of Gold by Brook Larmer “Gold is what drives everybody crazy”

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

G

old has been highly valued throughout history. The Egyptians called gold “the flesh of the gods,” ancient Thracians worked it into valuable objects d’art, as did a good many ancient cultures, and it has been prized for jewelry and coinage for millennia. NG writer Brook Larmer points out that the ancient Incas of South America called gold “the sweat of the sun, ” adding that “the mother lode built the American west.” Gold has long been the value standard of the world’s economy, which means that it is a coveted commodity, to say the least.

There’s hardly any place left to go where you can dunk your hand into a stream and fish out a gold nugget. And there aren’t many streams left where you can pan for the valuable little particles that can never rust. It’s getting a lot harder to find the shine.

The only large nuggets are on the basketball court in Denver, and the only thing they’re dunking is a basketball. The gold doesn’t just lie there waiting for somebody to scoop it up anymore, and, and of course, “Ball don’t lie.” Somebody like Carmelo Anthony will always be there to scoop it up and sift it through the net. At least that’s what happened two seasons ago when I saw Carmelo Continued FROM page

ers who do the actual “dirty work.” The price of gold has risen 235% in the past eight years. Gold mining is usually done by extremely poor peasants who work for subsistence wages in difficult conditions (high altitude, cold, heat, mosquito infestation, toxic fumes, manual labor) in places like the Andes Mountains, the Indonesian archipelago, or South Africa’s deep mines. “The world’s largest mining companies are pursuing gold to the ends of the earth,” Larmer says.

There are many testaments to their (the miners’) primitivity: At La Rinconada mine in Peru, miner Juan Apaza placates the gods by pouring out a bottle of pisco for them, placing coca leaves under a rock, and attending a shaman’s ceremony where a rooster is sacrificed. A testament to the human primal urge to have gold is to be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where armed gangs, sometimes large enough to be called small armies, regularly use deadly force to wrest control of goal mines and gold shipments from mining personnel, and in Kalimantan, Indonesia, where the actual military itself controls gold mining operations and most of the profits.

Surprisingly, the United States and Europe are not alone in fueling the $53.5 billion yearly gold jewelry market -- India

44 iston could have held her own against the that Anna and Gigi exist, that lying bas-

Anna practically skips when she walks, and she likes to wear colorful clothes and, oh yes, she teaches yoga! At multiple points in the film, Ben practically has to wipe his mouth to keep from drooling and his pants from catching fire. She pursues poor Ben, who was forced into marrying his wife because it was after college and God forgot to give him a spine. Infidelity is okay because delusional Anna, like all delusional cheaters, thinks Ben “is the one.” But the joke’s on Anna because Ben only loves her boobs and actually seems afraid of his wife!

Janine and Beth (Aniston) give the film heart, although both are extremely underserved. Connelly, with her sharp angles, dark hair, and gorgeous green eyes reminds me a little of Katharine Hepburn, and An-

46

and the Nuggets shine like gold while the Spurs lost looking like tarnished silver in a lackluster performance.

But you don’t have to be a Denver Nugget or a Golden State Warrior to glom the glitter in the pro basketball world -- all those stilts and stallions on all the teams are carting the carats to the bank and wearing a king’s ransom of the stuff around their fur-lined necks. Having exceptional height or size along with good sports skills on the professional level is more or less like having the Midas touch.

Goldfinger in sneakers or spikes or cletes.

People and nations will do almost anything to acquire gold. Larmer says, ‘For thousands of years the desire to possess gold has driven people to extremes, fueling wars and conquests, girding empires and currencies, leveling mountains and forests.”

Those who seek raw gold, and there are many for the demand is great, must today look for it in hard-to-get-to places, like two miles underground in South Africa or 17,000 feet under a glacier in the Peruvian Andes.

The incentive is great -- riches galore -- for the mine owners and the huge mining firms and jewelry purveyors that can afford to operate large-scale “digs” in these difficult-to-get-to places; but the dangers are many and deadly for the min-

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

likes of Cary Grant. She’s even got the Golden Hollywood drama surrounding her personal life. The reason these two characters are so believable is because they are women you know. One is struggling with the death of her father, a house under construction, and a cheating spouse. The other is faced with a passel of married sisters, family members who crack jokes about her unmarried status, and a long-term boyfriend who “doesn’t believe in marriage.” Each is better than the man she iswith, but the film’s writers refused to give them any self-worth aside from that given by their relationships with their significant others. The only one to break free is Janine, and the best laugh in the film comes from watching how the carefully controlled Janine deals with Ben’s cheating. For that one moment you forget

tards who break your heart and leave you for dead exist, and Connelly sweeps in, steals the film, and forcefully boots everyone else out. And thank God. My question in all of this is, is this how the dating game really works? Are all men really insecure cowards? Are all single women either betrayers of their sex who scheme to steal another woman’s husband or single-minded lunatics who believe that being unattached is a disease that must be remedied at any cost? We are supposed to be more progressive, yet we are more backwards than ever before. It’s the Madonna/ whore complex all over again. Janine’s the one you take home to mom because she’s steady, smart, and capable, even if a little cold (we never learn if that’s only a recent phenomenon brought on by the death of

and Japan are equally obsessed with the yellow metal.

The international environmental movement is trying hard to dissuade companies and nations from doing gold business with nations who deal in “dirty gold,” or gold obtained and processed by companies who destroy or pollute the environment by openpit mining and illegally dumping mercury and toxic cyanide (used in the refining process) into waterways or the sea. Because of the mercury pollution at La Rinconada, Peru, Larmer calls the place “a sort of Shangri-la in reverse.” Newmont, a Denverbased company that is purportedly a major polluter of the environment, has a staff of lawyers to fend off all the lawsuits against it, has nicknamed its private gymnasium near an Indonesian mine, “the second home of the Denver Nuggets.”

Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars spent annually to try to minimize mining’s environmental impact, the incentives for finding gold outweigh what Larmer calls “the brutal calculus of gold mining.”

According to this article, it is a sure bet that the environment will continue to take damaging hits from the gold mining industry because gold is “the transcendent symbol of beauty, wealth, and immortality, it’s what drives everybody crazy.” u her father). Anna’s the one you sleep with on the side and that you put out like last week’s garbage when she gets too needy.

Gigi, well, there’s no dealing with Gigi. I’ve never met anyone quite like her. Her character might play for laughs, but a woman who acts like that in real life would face the derision of her friends and family.

My worry in all this is that women will leave the theatre believing that this is truly how men and women behave because, after all, the film is based on a self-help book.

Gigi and Beth get their standard “happy endings,” but that happiness is tempered by the fact the men they choose are both morons -- one lacks personality and the other is an cocky SOB. Is this truly what Hollywood believes we deserve? Perhaps we only have ourselves to blame. After all, we bought the tickets. u WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Literary Classics

Green Mansions by W.H. Hudson “…nearer to nature than other men…”

Argentina and England claim this talented writer

By JOHN ANDREW SNYDER

B

ack in 1904 an Argentina-born naturalist/ bird-watcher of English parentage published a novel about what he knew -- trees and birds. But aren’t novels supposed to be about people and the messes they get themselves into and the messes they make of their own and other people’s lives trying to get out of those messes? Yes, yes, yes/ yes. The bird-watcher was William Henry Hudson and the book he wrote 105 years ago was titled Green Mansions.

The milieu where the story evolves (the Venezuelan rainforest), the Setting, is hardly one you would readily regard as a fitting backdrop for a story of the struggles of a 20th century man looking for his place in the world. There’s simply nothing familiar there -- but still, Hudson pulls it off. But just barely, in my jaded, city-spoiled opinion.

Maybe my opinion is contradictory -- jade is green, isn’t it?

Actually, what Hudson has done is to deliver a powerful human drama and a linear plot that unfolds steadily until the action reaches a climax in the final chapter. As might be expected, the compelling and mysterious force of Nature, embodied by the everpresent forest, its weather phenomena, and its wild inhabitants is both a metaphor and a character in the story. It (Nature) pervades the novel, as it pervades all Hudson’s novels (he wrote half a dozen).

In his famous Foreword to Green Mansions, fellow novelist John Galsworthy said, “We feel from his writings that he is nearer to nature than other men, and yet more truly civilized. The competitive, towny culture, the queer up-to-date commercial knowingness with which we are so busy coating ourselves simply will not stick to him…his writings…are remote from the fret and dust and pettiness of town life; they are large, direct, free.”

The human drama that is acted out in the deep forests of Venezuela and Guayana in this novel is a first-person narrative. The main character/speaker is never known to us by name -- maybe it was Hudson himself, and maybe this story is partly autobiographiWWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

cal -- it certainly seems that way to me, because of the narrator’s love of plants, trees, and birds. His descriptions of forest scenes are those of a nature-lover (Hudson was a trained naturalist), somebody who relishes being (even being lost) in that type of setting.

The only other human characters in this story are the Indian wood nymph-like Rima and her grandfather the Indian Snuflo. We see another little Indian, Hudson’s temporary guide into the “forbidden” part of the wood, and sundry other natives, mostly savages, of the dense labyrinth of greenery, from which no one ever emerges.

Most of the action of the story takes place around Mt. Ytaioa, a mythical mountain right out of a Donovan song. Beneath “yon misty mountain” dwell the Indians of the Maqiritari tribe -- the good ones were friendly, trusting, childlike, full of innocent adventure, and very superstitious, while the bad ones Hudson described as having “a cunning or low kind of intelligence vastly greater than that of the brute.” He would prove to be correct in his apprehensiveness about this dangerous, potentially deadly element of the tribe.

The story is simple but not simplistic, because each moment the reader is more amazed by the surprising complexity of the web of existence in the depths

of the rain forest. Basically, Green Mansions is the step-by-step description of a young naturalist’s trek into the thickest part of the jungle in search of --the depths of the jungle. You can use the words forest and jungle interchangeably here because these forests are stocked with monkeys, anacondas, Tarzan-vines, and lots of unschooled, superstitious natives, untainted in the least way by the white man’s civilization, just like Johnny Weismuller used to encounter during his African adventures.

About a day or two into his journey, he marks elapsed time with this exquisite bit of description: “As the sun went down over the ridge, beyond the savannah, the whole western sky changed to a delicate rose colour, that had the appearance of rose-coloured smoke blown there by some far-off wind, and left suspended -- a thin, brilliant veil showing through it the distant sky beyond, blue and ethereal.”

Another nature lover of another time, Henry David Thoreau, spoke up in favor of the respect that your fellow men should have for you even though you may fundamentally differ from them: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

W. H. Hudson was a nature-lover and a bird-lover, a naturalist and an ornithologist. He is definitely straining his eyes and ears for birds: “Flocks of birds, a kind of troupial, were flying past me overhead, flock succeeding flock, on their way to their roosting place, uttering as they flew a clear, bell-like chirp; and there was something ethereal, too, in those drops of melodious sound, which fell into my heart like raindrops falling into a pool to mix their fresh heavenly water with the water of earth. Doubtless into the turbid tarn of my heart some sacred drops had fallen -- from the passing birds, from that crimson disk which had now dropped below the horizon, the darkening hills, the rose and blue of infinite heaven, from the whole visible circle; and I felt purified and had a strange sense of apprehension of a secret innocence and spirituality in nature,” Continued on page 604 4 L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

47

48

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

49

By the way….

WBCA celebrations begin

By Jennie reed

By The Way appears monthly in Greater Laredo Magazine. It is reprinted here with permission.

50

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

Courtesy Photo

F

ebruary is skating by as though it were on ice, even though the weather has been fairly balmy of late. As we go to press, preparations for the 112th Washington’s Birthday Celebration are in full swing and will soon reach fever pitch.

A group of kissin’ cousins hosted a really neat tea party for our favorite debutante, Daniela Lucia Leyendecker, who will be part of the court in the Princess Pocahontas Pageant. Hostesses included Linda Leyendecker Gutierrez, Valerie Leyendecker, Jennie Leyendecker Reed, Barbara Leyendecker, Mary Leyendecker Quiros, Rosanne Winch Potts, Carolyn Jordan, Anna Jordan Dodier, and Rosemary Jordan Contreras.

Daniela is the daughter of Bede Leyendecker. Her grandfather Sam Leyendecker was Chief to Ermin Gass’ Pocahontas numerous times during his prime.

Guests included cousins by the dozens as well as members of the

Daniela Lucia Leyendecker feted.

A party was recently held in honor of Daniela Lucia Leyendecker (center), a member of the 2009 Princess Pocahontas court. Hosting the party were Linda L. Gutierrez, Mary L. Quiros, Rosanne W. Potts, Carolyn Jordan, Jennie L. Reed, Anna J. Dodier, Barbara Leyendecker, Rosemary J. Contreras, and Bede Leyendecker, mother of Daniela.

Princess Pocahontas Council Alma Cabello, Grace Hornedo, Rosa Benavides, Tenchita Sanchez, Dhris-

tina Dovalaina, Laura Magnon, Martha Salinas and Elsa Cass. Also present were Aliztah Martinez, Princess Pocahontas 2009, and the other girls who will be presented.

Nancy Blair brought fabulous old

news clippings of early Celebrations and many vintage photos were on display, including some of Dani’s greatgrandfather Peter P. Leyendecker Jr. as a dashing parade marshal on horseback. A beautiful floral arrangement was a gift from long-time friend and dance teacher Lula Lacey.

A breathtaking painting was unveiled of a costumed Dani with her grandfather, in full headdress, as though looking over her. The joy of this gathering was tempered with sadness as the funeral of beloved cousin Edward R. “Wayo” Leyendecker was taking place the same weekend. The family celebrated his life and devotion to his family, his community, and his Lord. The stories of his good humor and mischievous nature were recounted at length and his full life was evident in the zillions of artistically arranged photos that line the walls of the home he shared with his wife Nancy.

Wayo was again remembered as the Society of Martha Washington’s “Sons and Daughters of Liberty,” of which he was a founding member.

Another cousin, Dave Leyendecker, joined the group this year, as Patrick Henry.

We will catch up with you, dear readers, after sampling the Jalapeño Festival, Jamboozie, air show, carnival, Señor Internacional, Mr. South Texas luncheon, Princess Pocahontas and Colonial pageants, Grand International Parade, just to name some of the attractions of this grand patriotic celebration. Ain’t no other like it! No way, no how. u

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

The Mendoza Line

The good, the bad, and the ugly: one observer’s perspective of Shirley Field By alex mendoza Native Laredoan Dr. Alex Mendoza is an assistant professor of history at the University of Texas at Tyler.

He can be reached at mxela@ hotmail.com.

(Additional reporting by Jesus Quiroz.)

O

n December 4, 2008, Laredoans witnessed the passing of an era as hundreds of LISD officials, parents, and students attended a commemoration to say goodbye to the seven-decade-old stadium as it faces demolition and a complete renovation in the next several months.

The Laredo media that covered the storied facilities pointed to the bittersweet element of longing that tinged the ceremonies. Clearly, while many citizens were sad to see the old stadium go, many others looked forward to a new and improved facility in the future.

“We practically played here since we were two,” Alex Lopez, a sophomore at Nixon High School, told Pro 8 News in December, “There’s just so many memories, so many pictures.” Reading the comments section in the Laredo Morning Times it is clear many Laredoans recall “fond memories” and some even refer to Shirley as “iconic.”

From a personal perspective I could relate to the nostalgic element tied to the razing of the stadium that provided generations of LISD students many fond recollections. I, too, shared many positive reminiscences as well. After all, I practically grew up at Shirley Field, and many sentimental memories stemmed from some sort of activity at the famed complex.

Yet focusing on the positive memories is a common pitfall of any objective student of history. After all, trying to remember only the upbeat leads to a distorted view of the past.

The Good From my perspective the positive memories stem from my background WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

and love of sports. Shirley Field was the place I attended my very first Martin High School football game during my years as a student at Farias Elementary. I remember that I accompanied my parents to see my sisters perform as a part of La Banda del Animo (the Martin band) at those games in the 1970s. As a fourth grader, I recall winning my first track and field race at Shirley Field, a 300-yard dash.

Later, as a student at Christen Junior High, I stood in awe as I attended my first Border Olympics. I honestly felt important as I volunteered to be a “hurdle engineer,” a term used to describe the middle school kids who ran out to the track and placed or removed the hurdles during the various races that weekend.

The Border Olympics, one could say, were the benchmark for the stadium. A few decades ago, before indoor track and field became truly popular, schools from the Southwest Conference -- the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and others -- brought some of their best athletes to the two-day meet. Almost equally as impressive was the huge turnout for the high school division as almost every school with a solid track program brought their best athletes.

While a student at L.J. Christen, I was amazed watching more than three-dozen runners vie for the two-mile title at the Border Olympics.

In the midst of many fond memories related to track and field, I also took note of many other activities at the storied stadium. Events such as the Special Olympics, huge upsets on the gridiron, and various other charitable events, like the 1986 Stop Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Walk all brought a positive vibe to Shirley.

The Bad But not everything at Shirley Field was rosy. There were a few negative events that stretched beyond the realm of wins and losses that were tied to the old stadium’s history.

Perhaps the worst memory for me occurred in 1985, when that year’s Border Olympics was cancelled due to the fact that Shirley Field was not ready to host the annual event. I was a freshman at Martin High that spring. You could say I was pretty excited to run in the largest track

meet I knew at the time. The problem, though, was that Shirley had just been resurfaced a few weeks earlier. The construction lagged and these delays were exacerbated by the weather, which kept the track without lanes or numbers that March. I remember the sense of futility was nearly overwhelming the day before the meet opened when I saw a local helicopter hovering just a few feet above the stadium with hopes that the propellers would hasten drying the track’s wet surface. When Border Olympics officials scrambled to cancel the meet, all I could do was shake my head.

The Border Olympics never recovered after that. The following year I raced in my first meet and garnered the Billy Hall Award, but there was this sense of loss as I competed against a fraction of the competitors I would have been pitted against in previous years. Now, the meet is held away from its original home, at the SAC. The Ugly There are also some rather unpleasant recollections tied to that old stadium.

For instance, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the track was painted black rather than the traditional orange, purportedly to save money. Clearly the decision makers at LISD did not consider the ramifications of a black hue on the track. Beyond the aesthetics, having a black track in South Texas, where the temperatures reach into the triple digits, might not have been the best decision. For years, the track remained that dark shade.

Around the same time, LISD experimented with a turnstile to allow runners and walkers access to the track and stadium during off hours. It was imperative they do so, for UISD’s Krueger Field allowed Laredoans a very broad access to their facilities. The turnstile, located on the south corner of the stadium, however, quickly fell in disrepair and was soon discarded in a corner below the sta-

dium bleachers. I thought it was a shame that Laredoans (me included) never got access to the track in the early morning or late evening hours. Even UT Austin allowed access to Memorial Stadium at one point.

Coda Falling outside the confines of past memories is the fact that the Shirley Field construction project has resulted in some rather odd news. Apparently the soil used for the track’s outer lanes came from an old landfill along the Mines Road. According to Veronica Castillon, Director of Communications at Laredo ISD, the track’s surface will have to be excavated approximately three to five feet deep, and the soil will be “encapsulated” before the findings are released to the state.

Encapsulation could entail the mixing of the contaminated soil with lime or other products to keep it isolated.

Ms. Castillon noted that the problem was detected early, and she sees no delays to the construction project and it should culminate, as previously indicated, by 2010.

Shirley Field, like any other notable athletic facility, certainly has its supporters and its detractors. And while LareDOS ran a story highlighting the legacy and the positive virtues of the stadium, I found it imperative to trace the full range of my memories, from the upbeat to the depressing. I dare not suggest that my personal recollections should stand as a testament to the rich and varied personal histories of the generations of Laredoans that have been to one or many functions at Shirley Field.

Yet as the construction project takes shape, perhaps Laredoans and LISD officials can fully explore their own experiences with the stadium to ensure that the memories for the future complex are more heavily tilted toward the “good” rather than the “ugly.” u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

51

Maverick Ranch Notes

Road’s historic significance recognized

By bebe & sissy fenstermaker Our road in northwest Bexar County is historic. It was the first road from San Antonio to Fredericksburg, used by the earliest settlers moving into the Hill Country. Hill Country folks called it “the San Antonio Road” but it was “the Fredericksburg Road” to San Antonians.

Starting in SA, it made a turn at Leon Springs to the northwest, then crossed Balcones Creek before leaving Bexar County. From there it went on to Boerne, Comfort, and Fredericksburg.

There was a much earlier use of this by-way, of course, a pre-historic one. The road loosely follows the winding Leon Creek, which rises in the northwestern part of Bexar County and flows down through present day SA, joining the Medina River below the city. Indians used Leon Creek as their north-south route well into historic times. It was their water and food source in addition to a road route. The creek certainly had more water in it than in recent times. Large pools and

springs sustained mankind and wildlife.

Later the settlers learned to stop at these important locations when making their way northward into the hills.

Daniel Fromme was one of them. He grew up in the New Braunfels orphanage in the early days of that town. Both his parents died en route from Germany to New Braunfels, so the orphanage was his earliest home. As a teenager he got a job driving a freight wagon loaded with goods from San Antonio to Fredericksburg. On every trip he stopped at a certain little spring to water his team and spend the night. Indians were still prevalent so his journeys were not without danger.

After a few years of hard work and service in the Civil War, Fromme was able to buy a homestead, which included that little spring. He built his house and barn by himself, adding later improvements with the help of several hardworking sons. We have an account of an Indian encampment just below the tall rock wall of the Fromme compound sometime in the 1860s. The Indians were making their way downstream picking pecans in the native pecan bottom alongside the creek. They camped there three days. There was no trouble between the Frommes and the Indians, but the family took much caution.

Daughter Annie Fromme Calvert related in her old age that as a little girl it was her job to collect the chicken eggs from the long barn behind the house.

Her mother held the door open for her as she dashed to the barn and back with the eggs. Mr. Fromme had also secured the milk cow and mules in their stalls in the barn until the visit was over.

The Maverick family traveled from SA to the ranch on the road. The town of Boerne was their mail and shopping destination, so they traveled the road northward quite often. The children’s schoolhouse was just up the road on Balcones Creek, so they traveled the road daily, sometimes their horses and donkeys getting loose and arriving home before they did. Our grandmother took all her children to stay in Fredericksburg at least once a year, travelling the road by wagon.

Farms, dairies, and ranches with quaint old homestead houses dotted the entire road from San Antonio to Fredericksburg.

These places and the pretty hills gave beautiful views all the way. Interesting travelers on the road besides Indians and settlers included gypsy caravans and a couple of highway robbers. The robbers staked out the north end of the road to watch for travelers, then held them up further south.

In the 1920s, in order to give automobile drivers a scenic day trip route, Scenic Loop Road was built to connect the Bandera Highway to our San Antonio-Fredericksburg road. Touring cars left SA via Bandera Road to Helotes and then drove up Scenic Loop Road to where it dead ended into the SA to Fredericksburg road and took our road back to SA, making a loop. The lovely tiny town of Grey Forest sprang from an early subdivision along Scenic Loop Road.

In the 1930s our road from SA to Boerne (32 miles) was designated a special Headquarters Section of the Texas section of the Old Spanish Trail (OST). This was a national effort to promote car travel, tourism, and beautification generally following old Spanish trails. Just a mile or so up the road on our side the Balcones creek are the remains of an OST campground. Automobile travelers could pitch a tent and spend the night, getting water and a few supplies from a little store. Now the only remaining rural and scenic part of this OST designation in Bexar County is our part of the San Antonio to Fredericksburg road, a length of just four miles.

Bebe Fenstermaker A few years ago Bebe and I were encouraged to join with a group of Grey Forest residents who had been researching the history of the Scenic Loop automobile

52

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

route. They had compiled a notebook on the history of the road from the Bandera Highway, through Grey Forest, to its intersection with Boerne Stage Road and Toutant-Beauregard Road. Along with the road’s history there were photographs of historic buildings, rock walls, and the beautiful scenery of the area. However, in order to designate the roadway historic there had to be a certain percentage of historic structures along the route. They needed more historic buildings, and we were very interested in joining the group.

So the Scenic Loop Boerne Stage Alliance was formed and the notebook continued to grow. Ultimately we included the Toutant-Beauregard Road and all its historic structures.

Our goal was to have the corridor designated historic and to include the Scenic Loop auto touring route, part of the original freighting route between San Antonio and the Hill Country communities (Boerne Stage Road) and what remains of the Old Spanish Trail auto highway in this part of Bexar County. We contacted the Texas Historic Commission for historic designation but were told they do not handle historic roads. They recommended we talk with Krista Gebbia, executive director of Preservation Texas. That was done, and she was interested. We invited Krista over for a tour, and to our delight she was very interested and suggested we apply for nomination as one of their “Most Endangered Places.” She told us Preservation Texas had not dealt with a road before as an endangered place. Our nomination was in the mail soon after her visit.

Low and behold, the Scenic Loop Boerne Stage Corridor was picked as one of Preservation Texas’ “2009 Most Endangered Places.” We were ecstatic! However, one thing we had to do was keep the information from getting into the press before Preservation Texas’ press conference announcing their list on the steps of the State Capitol on Preservation Day. Krista then called to let us know they were also planning a press conference the next day in Grey Forest. We had to caution those that were notified, our various Legislative representatives, local officials, friends, and family not to breathe a word to the press.

Since her call there has been a flurry of activity planning for both press conferences.

As I write, neither has taken place. So sorry, we will have to report on them in next month’s column.

Sissy Fenstermaker WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Texas A&M International University

Matias De Llano Charitable Trust bestows $500,000 on TAMIU’s A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business

By STEVE HARMON

T

he Matias De Llano Charitable Trust donated $500,000 to Texas A&M International University’s A.R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business for the continuation of its Ph.D. program in International Business Administration.

A check for an installment of $500,000 was presented today to university representatives including TAMIU president Dr. Ray Keck, dean of the Sanchez School of Business Dr. Jacky So, and Ph.D. Program director, Dr. William Gruben. Representing the trust’s committee were Eddie Farias, Dan Hastings, Peggy Newman, and Leonardo Salinas.

The $500,000 pledge is the second contribution from the trust after a previous gift of $500,000 in 2004. This second commitment will be matched by the Sanchez Challenge Grant, bringing the combined total from all gifts and matches to $1.5 million.

The Matias De Llano Charitable Trust was established on April 1, 2003, under the Last Will and Testament of Matias De Llano. De Llano appointed IBC Bank as sole trustee, and from 2004 to 2009, the trust has donated over $2,500,000 to local organizations and schools. De Llano directed that the trust continue his legacy by helping the community that he lived in and loved, especially children and the less fortunate.

Trust officials say they intend to maintain the Trust’s corpus while distributing the annual income to charitable organizations in Laredo for many years to come.

University advises current, future students to file for financial aid early Today’s darkening economic climate threatens to obscure many young students’ plans for higher education; especially those who will need financial assistance to realize their degree dreams. Officials at Texas A&M International University say that while university assistance resources are available, they are limited. Therefore, WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

De Llano Trust Gift The Matias De Llano Charitable Trust has provided a gift of $500,000 to Texas A&M International University’s A. R. Sanchez Jr., School of Business for continuation of its Ph.D. program in International Business Administration. Left to right are Dean of the Sanchez School of Business Dr. Jacky So, PhD program director Dr. William Gruben, trust committee member Dan Hastings, TAMIU President Dr. Ray Keck, IBC Chairman of the Board and CEO Dennis Nixon, trust committee member Eddie Farias, trust committee member Leonardo Salinas, and trust committee member Peggy Newman. they encourage students to apply in advance of the early priority deadline of March 15.

“We know that budgeting for higher education is a challenge for the students of many Laredo and area families. The University has an impressive array of assistance available, but our resources are in danger of being exhausted. That’s why we’re encouraging students, both current and future, to observe early priority deadlines and apply online or in person now to help insure that they’ll receive the assistance they deserve and need,” said Laura Elizondo, TAMIU financial aid director.

Elizondo said students need to realize that they’re not alone in their pursuit of financial aid. “With the sagging economy, more people, especially the recently unemployed, are turning to universities to enhance their marketability. That means there are more people both qualified for assistance and competing for assistance. Our federal assistance contacts are projecting about a 10 percent increase in applications for federal aid the upcoming school year,” she explained.

Another cloud on the horizon is the possibility that government grants

could face a funding shortfall in the traditional Pell Grant Program, which awarded about 5.5 million grants last year.

Elizondo said the key is for parents and students of all ages to be persistent, apply early, and explore all possible options for which they may be qualified, including TAMIU’s Dusty Promise.

“This is an especially popular program for admitted students whose families earn less than $30,000 annually.

Funding comes from TAMIU’s operating budgets and, in some cases, is covered by federal, state, or grant sources and scholarships. Last fall, we provided over $1.5 million in assistance, with 247 students qualifying for four academic years of tuition and fee costs to attend the university. Since we initiated the Dusty Promise in 2007, we’ve awarded $2.7 million and helped 491 students to come to TAMIU,” she said.

Other options worth consideration include: - For high school students, taking Advanced Placement courses can cut university costs by enabling them to earn credit in advance. Dual enrollment, mandated by House Bill 1, and including participation by local school

districts, insures students can take up to 12 hours in university credit classes.

- Military service or ROTC program participation.

- GI Bill benefits, for those who are eligible.

- Private scholarships.

“Again, the key is to apply early, be admitted, and make sure you make all deadlines,” Elizondo concluded.

To help students and their families better navigate financial aid, the university will be participating in the statewide College Goal Sunday Financial Aid Program on Sunday, February 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. Parents and students can visit TAMIU’s financial aid office to complete needed forms and also visit the go-mobile van outside of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library.

The financial aid office is located in room 158 of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. Extended office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 pm. Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. For more information, call 326-2225, email financialaid@tamiu.edu, or visit http://www. tamiu.edu/affairs/financial/?id=2 Continued on next page L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

44

53

Continued FROM page 53

44 available to TAMIU students, staff and

Free library services reach beyond books at TAMIU’s Killam Library Has today’s economy forced you to cut back? With Texas A&M International University’s Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, you can still enjoy life -- while maintaining a tight budget.

You can listen to CDs with music

by Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms; find books with tips to help you improve your resume; read the latest magazines; surf the Internet at quicker than normal speed; or watch videos on-site at TAMIU’s Killam Library.

All of these items and services are

faculty, local educators, and library patrons free of charge, as well as to members of the community who purchase community library member cards.

“The Killam Library began its first year of operation in 1995 as an independent, university library,” said Rodney Webb, Library director. “The library now houses more than 259,000 bound volumes and provides access to 1,492 print periodical subscriptions and more than 28,000 electronic journals in full text or image. There are also over 842,400 microform units and over 51,290 state and federal documents available,” added Webb.

Alzheimer’s Support Group Meeting Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 7 p.m.

Laredo Medical Center, Tower B, Meeting Room 2

call 723-1707

Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting Monday, March 2, 2009 at 7 p.m.

Laredo Medical Center, Tower B, first floor, Community Center

call 723-8470 or 285-3126.

In addition to all the volumes of books and periodicals, the library also has a collection of DVDs and VHS tapes that will entertain patrons with feature movies, inform with documentaries and educational films, and train with how-to videos that can be viewed on-site at the Killam Library’s viewing stations.

Although videos cannot be checked out, for those who enjoy music, the library has a collection of CDs that can be. Best of all, all of these services are available free of charge not only to university students, faculty, and staff, but also to patrons of TexShare institutions and local educators.

TAMIU provides educator courtesy cards to Laredo Independent School District and United I.S.D. teachers, nurses, counselors, and administrators that entitle them to circulation privileges free of charge.

TexShare cardholders can also use their cards at the Killam Library and use the library services reserved for TAMIU students, faculty, staff, and educator courtesy card holders. The Laredo Public Library is a member of TexShare, a statewide consortium of academic and public libraries. Contact your local library for more information on how to obtain a TexShare card.

Visitors who do not qualify for free

services may purchase a community library member card. They must be 18 years or older, demonstrate local residency, fill out an application form, and pay $25 for a membership card good for one year. Community library member cardholders are entitled to circulation privileges and wi-fi access at Starbucks, located in within the library.

Other visitors have access to library books and other materials in open collections and access to computers on the first floor. Visitors may also receive assistance in locating collections and services and reference assistance, including basic instruction for the online catalog.

The Killam Library also has traditional services available in addition to the regular collections. The library owns collections of U.S. federal documents, Texas state documents, and a special collection of materials featuring local and regional history.

For more information, visit the Killam Library at 5201 University Boulevard. You can also check out its new web site at library.tamiu.edu or contact Rodney Webb at 326.2400.

Library hours are Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. u

Downtown Office Suite For Lease St. Peter’s Historical District

n

Office located on 2nd floor

n

1,350 Sq. Feet

nTwo n

n n

Wireless Network

Large Offices

n

Large Conference Area

n

Small Kitchen

n

Storage Area

Street Parking

Wooden Floors n

High Ceilings

n Excellent

Natural Light

Available Now

956-791-9950 319-8001 l

54

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

BORDER MEDIA PROMOTES THREE

Border Media rang in 2009 with a variety of new assignments and opportunities for three Border Media Managers, as Walter Alvarez, Petra Gunnoe, and Ana Rivera-Soto received promotions.

Walter Alvarez who has been with Border Media since 2005, and who has been a part of the Sales Management Team for the past year and a half, has been promoted to Director of Regional Sales. “Walter has been an intricate part of our general sales management team.

Coming out of large and major markets like El Paso and Dallas, he brings to the table not only his expertise in dealing with advertising agencies, but also his ability to mentor the junior level marketing executives, through daily guidance and formal training,” said Miguel A. Villarreal, Jr. vice president and market manager for Border Media.

Petra Gunnoe joined Border Media during the latter part of 2008 as a senior marketing executive and has recently been promoted to local sales manager. Her primary focus will be to continue developing the team of marketing executives and to increase the level of customer service with an emphasis on individualized customization of marketing initiatives. Villarreal noted: “Although Petra is a newcomer to Border Media, she is neither a newcomer to Laredo or to the world of media. She brings to our team a diverse background which spans radio and television from McAllen to DC, including prior stints in Laredo and Albuquerque.”

Ana Rivera-Soto, with her promotion to general sales manager, is now at the helm of all things marketing for Border Media’s Laredo cluster. Simply stated, Ana is in charge of integrating Border Media’s various marketing platforms for the benefit of the advertiser. She will lead the effort of crafting specialized marketing solutions that integrate traditional radio advertising with event, mobile, and on-line marketing.

“Ana is the consummate professional and a phenomenal leader. Over the past year she has led our event marketing and new business development departments, and has molded a group of traditional radio sellers into a team of marketing specialists who have moved from a commoditized approach to a solutions based initiative. She has successfully embraced new delivery technologies and has been instrumental in coordinating their assimilation into the traditional marketing model, both from the operational and marketing perspectives,” said Villarreal. Rivera-Soto adds a unique perspective to the post as a result of her diverse background, which includes management and marketing positions with AT&T and Laredo Medical Center, as well as TV ad sales management experience.

For more information contact Miguel A Villarreal Jr. at 956-794-9104 mvillarreal@bordermedia.com.

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

55

Laredo Communnity College

By Steve Treviño Jr.

R

ough and tough rock music goes head to head with the refined and graceful sounds of classical music when Break of Reality returns to the Gateway City to offer a concert at Laredo Community College on Tuesday, March 10. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center Theater.

The group is categorized as a rock band, but it’s hardly anything typical of the brazen genre. That’s because instead of utilizing a vocalist, guitarist, or bassist, Break of Reality features three cellists and a percussionist who have drawn worldwide acclaim for developing instrumental music with a universal sound.

The band is composed of cellists Patrick Laird, Erin Keesecker, and Christopher Thibdeau, as well as drummer Ivan Treviño. Treviño is a native of Victoria, Texas.

The band members say that their goal is “to create instrumental music that challenges traditional expectations and unifies conflicting genres.” Music critics agree, saying that Break of Reality is something that can please all types of music fans.

The group has performed at nearly every type of venue, from popular New York City rock clubs such as The Knitting Factory and Joe’s Pub, to classical music halls at Eastman School of Music and Ithaca College.

After a highly successful debut appearance in Laredo last year, the rock cello group returns to LCC by popular demand. Among the independent albums the band has produced are Voiceless in 2004 and The Sound Between in 2006, which have sold thousands of copies in the U.S., Germany, Spain, Australia, England, Canada and Brazil.

For more about the group, go online to www.breakofreality.com.

Tickets for the Break of Reality concert at LCC are $5, with proceeds benefiting student scholarships and educational resources for the Performing Arts Program.

Tickets are available at the Martinez Fine

56

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

Arts Center Office. For more information, call 721-5334.

Festival to celebrate Earth Day at LCC Celebrate the marvels of Mother Earth by attending an Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center, located on the north side of the LCC Fort McIntosh Campus.

Admission to the festival is free and open to the community.

This year’s celebration will include an information fair featuring a number of environmental agencies and eco-friendly businesses. While there will be a lot of information and literature to pick up from the participating agencies, there also will be music, food, native plants for sale, door prizes, and more.

Earth Day will be commemorated with a tree planting ceremony and the release of ladybugs, an eco-friendly form of pest control.

Sponsors include the LCC Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center, Keep Laredo Beautiful, the City of Laredo, the Laredo CW, Sames Motor Company, and Borderplex Area-Wide Phonebook.

To volunteer or for more information, call the LBVE Science Center at 764-5701 or 721-5458. u

Courtesy Photo

Rock meets classical in Break of Reality concert at LCC

Get ready to rock at LCC Laredo Community College hosts the return of Break of Reality, a rock band with a unique sound. The group features cellos and drums to deliver instrumental music with a universal sound. Don’t miss the show at LCC on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center Theater.

LCC to celebrate Earth Day Show your support for Mother Earth by attending an Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center at Laredo Community College. Admission to the celebration is free and open to the public.

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Texas By Nature

Rare trees seen only on Devils River Single U.S. stand of Mexican white oaks on nature preserve

By NIKI FRANCES McDANIEL

58

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

Photo by Scott McWilliams

Photo by Lynn McBride

Photo by Rebecca Flack

VAL VERDE COUNTY -- Thanks to its rich plant diversity and the remarkable Devils River, biologists some time ago had deemed certain land on the western fringe of Texas Hill Country in Val Verde County worthy of protection. But when they stumbled upon the only known stand of Mexican white oaks in the United States, they knew their initial hunch was correct.

What is now the Dolan Falls Preserve -- 4,800 acres owned by the Conservancy Conservation easements through the Conservancy bolstered by a conservation easement on 13,722 adjoining acres -- lies between Del Río and Sonora amid three overlapping ecological regions: the Edwards Plateau, Chihuahuan Desert and Tamaulipan Thornscrub. The ecological mixture makes for an explosion of leafy diversity fed by the pristine Dolan Springs, Dolan Creek, and the fabled Devils River.

“The incredible biological diversity of this pocket of Texas is a key reason The Nature Conservancy helped protect these unique acres,” said John Karges, the orgaGreen wine vines.

The Mexican white oak. nization’s West Texas program manager who originally discovered the Mexican Easements can help ensure land’s bit of research and several meetings, the white oaks. legacy through generations family donated a conservation easement “Scientists from a variety of institutions Even after the family elders had passed on their ranch to The Nature Conservancy recognize this special place, and send re- on and the children had moved to the cit- of Texas to keep the property intact. search teams to study the variety of rare ies to pursue other careers, the Lucas famRichard was surprised to learn a conand endangered species here,” he added. ily was in no way ready to sever the cord servation easement would allow ranching Mexican white oaks at Dolan Falls that had bound six generations of Texans activities to continue. share soil with a variety of other oaks, syc- to the wide-open grasslands of the Fair “When I first came into the conservaamores, and the endangered Texas snow- Oaks Ranch near Beeville. tion easement process, I had doubts about bell, a flowering understory tree.

For Richard Lucas, life on the ranch how much could be negotiated and conUsually found shallowly rooted in conjured memories of a childhood spent cerns about ranching processes being curmoist soil, the Mexican white oak grows as on horseback, much as life had been 150 tailed,” he said. “But all our concerns were tall as 80 feet and has branches as wide as years ago at this 10,800-acre South Texas addressed -- protecting our water rights, 60 feet. Increasingly, this oak is planted as heritage ranch. “We’d ride one horse in the allowing for oil and gas exploration, and a shade tree, functional barrier, and urban morning to work the cattle, have lunch, allowing a minimal amount of subdividecoration. Mature trees can survive on as and ride another horse in the afternoon,” sion for family homes.” little as eight inches of rain per year.

Lucas recalled. “I imagined this was much A conservation easement is a legal To find out more about Texas native like it was for my forebears.” agreement in which landowners volunspecies and Dolan Falls Preserve, visit naToday, Richard and his sister, Leslye tarily limit the way their property may be ture.org/texas.

Weaver, live in Houston with their fami- used to protect the land’s ecological, prolies. However, all deeply wanted the ranch ductive, or cultural features now and in Families protect their to continue as a cow-calf operation and not the future. This agreement is negotiated ranching heritage become overrun by development. After a between the landowner and the “holder”

of the easement, which may be a qualified non-profit organization or a government entity.

The landowner retains legal title to the property and determines the types of land uses to continue and those to restrict. For example, a landowner may want to allow ranching or recreational activities to continue, but restrict subdivision and development.

Conservation easements remain in place on the land, and future owners of the property must abide by them. They may be donated or sold by the landowner to qualified easement holders.

Wright and Suzanne Friday recently decided to place a conservation easement on their more than 7,000-acre Hill Country ranch in Uvalde County. They sold an easement to the city of San Antonio through a program in which the city works with willing landowners to protect the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for the region.

Wright Friday said his family, which has owned the ranch for more than 100 years, has had opportunities to sell the land to developers, and ultimately chose not to.

“You have two choices at some point in time, whether you just sell the country or you try to protect it for generations to come,” he said. The proceeds they received from selling a conservation easement will help the Fridays maintain the wild character of their ranch.

“Conservation easements are among the most powerful, effective tools available for the conservation of private lands,” said Jeff Francell, the Nature Conservancy’s director of land and water protection in Texas, noting that conservation easements conserve millions of acres of wildlife habitat and natural resources in the United States.

“A conservation easement can help protect family land and may help a family keep its land over the long run,” Francell added.

“At the same time, conservation easements aren’t for everyone. So it’s important for landowners to go into them with as much knowledge as possible, to involve their family members in the process and to have expert legal representation.”

Continued on page 634 4 WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

South Texas Food Bank

South Texas Food Bank fundraisers: Radiodrive, Empty Bowls By salo otero Salo Otero is the director of development for the South Texas Food Bank. He can be reached at sotero@southexasfoodbank.org or by calling 956-726-3120.

The economy. The economy. The economy.

It has been the talk of the town and nation in recent months. We can‘t avoid it. The effects of a poor economy are all over. The local, state, and national figures prove we are in a deep recession.

And so, Laredo is feeling it as unemployment lines increase, and among the hurting are those who are getting their hourly work schedule cut from 40 to 30 hours or from 30 to 20 hours. The South Texas Food Bank is also feeling the pinch as the need for supplemental food has increased and donations are harder to come by.

Even before the economy hit a downswing, the need at the South Texas Food Bank has always been astronomical because the charitable organization, located at 1907 Freight in west Laredo, helps families living under the poverty guidelines. Laredo is one of the state and national leaders when it comes to poverty. According to the 2006 census, more than 30 percent of Laredo wage earners live in poverty, which is double the state and triple the national average.

“We’ve always had a huge need. Now it’s even greater,” South Texas Food Bank executive director Alfredo Castillo said.

“Laredoans have always supported the food bank and now we’re asking for it again.”

The South Texas Food Bank serves a population of over 330,000 people in eight counties -- Webb (Laredo), Zapata, Jim Hogg (Hebbronville), Dimmitt (Carrizo Springs), Maverick (Eagle Pass), Val Verde (Del Rio), Kinney (Brackettville), and Starr (Rio Grande City). It provides food to 19,000 families and 37,000 individuals per month.

WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

In Webb County, the STFB serves 18,000 individuals per month, 6,000 of whom are children.

The key is to raise money to keep the three main South Texas Food Bank feeding programs funded. They are the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), Kid’s Cafés, and Adopt-AFamily.

CSFP distributes 6,269 bags of groceries to the elderly per month. The USDA program has a waiting list of 1,187. The success of the South Texas Food Bank’s CSFP is featured in a story on the USDA publication this month. Eugenio Almendariz is the program director.

Kid’s Café feeds between 600 and 700 school children with an after school meal at 11 local sites. A twelfth one will open this month at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Boys and Girls Club in south Laredo. Gloria Jackson is the program director.

Adopt-A-Family is a local South Texas Food Bank initiative that provides a monthly bag of groceries for a donation of $120 per year. The caseload is 638 families, but the waiting list is 727.

Cindy Liendo Espinoza is the program director.

The South Texas Food Bank is preparing for its two major fundraisers, sponsored by BMP Radio and the Laredo Entertainment Center.

The fourth annual South Texas Food Bank-BMP Radio Radiodrive for the Hungry has a new twist. For first three years, it’s been a one-day radiothon event in the BMP studios on Calle Del Norte. This year’s will be a monthlong campaign from April 1 to April 30 over the five BMP stations -- La Ley 100.5 FM, Hot 106.1, The Works 94.9, Digital 107.3, and Norteño 1490. Valued board members Olga Maldonado (AEP Texas) and Roberto Diaz are the event co-chairs.

Ana Rivera Soto, sales manager for BMP, announced the format. “It’s not your traditional radiothon. It’s a 30-day campaign. BMP truly believes in the South Texas Food Bank mission of feeding the hungry and this appeal will maximize the efforts to raise as much money as possible.’’

“We are again grateful to BMP, its management and employees to let us

have the air time to get our mission across and allow the generosity of Laredoans to shine through,’’ Castillo said.

“Hunger is not a problem you just see on television appeals from third world countries. Hunger exists in our own backyard. The South Texas Food Bank is on the front line of combating the issue.

We raised $112,000 last year, and our goal this year is $150,000.’’

The South Texas Food Bank will sell 30-day radio sponsorships for $1,500, $5,000, and $10,000. The sponsor’s name will be aired throughout the month with the $5,000 sponsor also getting a live interview and the $10,000 sponsor a two-hour live remote broadcast from the sponsor’s business during April.

The third annual Laredo Entertainment Center-South Texas Food Bank Empty Bowls is June 11 at the LEC from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Valued board members Kevin Romo and Anna Benavides Galo

are the event co-chairs. Details of the event will appear in a future column.

There will be dinner, entertainment, and an auction of autographed bowls.

Empty Bowls raised $42,000 last year.

The South Texas Food Bank is a charitable organization that accepts tax-deductible donations. Send contributions to P.O. Box 2007, Laredo, Texas, 78044 or call (956) 726-3120 during the day Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Donors our way: -- A $75,000 grant from the Beaumont Foundation, facilitated by Sen. Judith Zaffirini.

-- Early birds for the radiodrive -pledges from AEP-Texas, Mercy Health Plans, Drs. Castellano-Carpenter, and La Posada Hotel.

--A $500 check from the United High School choir, directed by Paul Foster, from money they raised singing Christmas carols during the holidays. u

L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

59

Literary Classics Continued from page 474 4

John Galsworthy said that Hudson’s main passion was birds. Galsworthy writes, “Hudson’s fancy is akin to the flight of the birds that are his special loves -- it never seems to have entered a house, but since birth to have been roaming the air, in rain and sun, or visiting the trees and the grass.” The whole impetus to the significant action in Green Mansions is a result of the response that Hudson (the narrator and main character) has to a certain, beautiful but unfamiliar bird call (drummer) that he hears and chooses to follow to ascertain its source. All of the indigenous people native to that jungle refuse to go along on the bird-hunt, fearing that section of woods as enchanted, or haunted, or inhabited by evil spirits. In short, they were afraid for their lives -- they were afraid to be caught and punished or killed by the Didi, or the daughter of the Didi, which they believed lurked there.

Dismissing the natives’ fear as mere superstition, the narrator keeps returning to the spot where the “weird warblings” continue to call to him. For five or six chapters he comes frustratingly close to catching sight of the mysterious bird, especially at the tantalizing end of the chapter, leaving the anxious reader on tenterhooks each time.

Frustrated, too, like the main character. This is an

60

| LareDOS | FEB RUARY 2009

effective literary technique to get the reader more involved in the action. He pulls the carrot away right when you think you’re going to get a crunchy bite. It makes for fun reading. After the third time he does it, you just know he’s going to do it again.

And when he does, you congratulate yourself for your 20-20 anticipation.

After trying time after time in vain to locate the mysterious singer hidden somewhere in the woods, now here, now over there, now somewhere at a distance, but always calling to him, as he thought, the narrator felt deeply disappointed at his failure to find the source of the mysterious warbler. At that time he said, “When failure first stares a man in the face, it has so dark and repellent a look that not anything that can be added can make him more miserable.” But, though he may have been disappointed, he still derived a sort of intellectual-hedonistic pleasure from his natural surroundings: “Even where the trees were largest, the sunshine penetrated, subdued by the foliage to brilliant greenish-golden tints, filling the wide lower spaces with tender half-lights, and faint blue-and-gray shadows.”

As the natural descriptions get more sensual, even obviously sexual, the narrator seems to be falling in love with the object of his feverish search: “Here Nature is unapproachable with her

green, airy canopy, a sun-impregnated cloud -cloud above cloud; and though the highest may be unreached by the eye, the beams yet filter through, illuming the wide spaces beneath…with its own lights and shadows…the tender gloom is traversed now by a golden shaft of light…giving a strange glory to everything it touches.”

A little way beyond mid-book, the love-pining narrator finds his little chickadee, a beautiful, scantily clad young sylph-like girl who has eyes for only him. It was love at first sight: “All the separate and fragmentary beauty and melody and graceful motion found scattered throughout nature were concentrated and harmoniously combined in her.”

He obviously liked what he saw: “I dropped on my knees and kissed the stony ground, then casting up my eyes, thanked the Author of my being for the gift of that wild forest, those green mansions where I had found so great a happiness!”

But this is a novel, not a fairy tale, and with half the novel still left to elapse, there was still ample space for the evil people and the evil forces in the dark rain forest to wreak havoc. And so they did. The narrator just knew that his idyll seemed too good to be true: “…that cloud in the west had grown up and now covered half the sky with vast lurid masses of vapour, blotting out the sun, and a great gloom had fallen on the earth.” u

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Serving Sentences

A year of radiology By randy koch Randy Koch is teaching composition and pursuing an MFA in creative writing at the University of Wyoming in Laranie.

At 5:00 each weekday morning in the high-country winter darkness, my radio comes on, and before I get up, I doze in and out of the voices of Steve Inskeep and Renée Montagne, hosts of Morning Edition on National Public Radio. I wake slowly to their conversations about Governor Blagojevich’s impeachment, Minnesota’s unresolved senatorial election, and the 100-0 loss by the Dallas Academy girls’ basketball team. In Laredo, the absence of a mainstream news source, one that’s reliable, thoughtful, mostly objective like NPR, contributed to the feeling that

62

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

the town is not only isolated but that the border is a distinct and remote country, reaching as far as Cotulla, where, if you try to find an FM station on your car radio, the digital numbers roll round and round for miles as they search for a signal to stop on. And at over 7,000 feet, Laramie is also remote -- more than two hours north of Denver and connected to Cheyenne by 45 miles of I-80 that winds over the 8,600-foot summit, a treacherous stretch of highway often closed this time of year. And while tuning into NPR makes me feel like I’m in the United States again, a different link to radio also makes me feel -- even hundreds of miles away -- that I’m still tied to the border.

You see, at 4:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month inside the Lincoln Community Center on Laramie’s West Side, I stand in front of a microphone and listen for my cue. Then, at the top of the hour I push a button to cut in to the satellite feed from Radio Bilingue in Cali-

fornia (which also has affiliate KBAW in Laredo) and flip a toggle switch to turn on my mic. Then, reading from a script I had written during the previous couple of days, I plunge into the one-hour program: “Good afternoon. You’re listening to KOCA LP FM, 93.5, La Radio Montañesa, Voz de la Gente. My name is Randy Koch, and you’re listening to Speaking of Writing.” And then I try to do again what I had done on a few occasions in Laredo with Meg Guerra several years ago when she hosted Drive Time on KLNT: talk to writers about writing. But now instead of interviewing Jesse G. Herrera and Raquel Valle Sentíes, Tammy Gomez and Naomi Shihab Nye, I talk to George Vlastos and Jami Attenberg; Beth Loffreda and Jeff Lockwood; Tyler Fall, Lori Howe, and Jason Stenar Clark.

And so I don’t stumble through the show or have to worry about dead air, I write a script beforehand: the transition into the program, a teaser to entice listeners to stay tuned for the interview, announcements about upcoming readings and book-signings, introductions to today’s guest writer, station ID’s, updates for listeners tuning in late, questions to draw from while interviewing the writer at the other mic, and the closing when five o’clock rolls around. Then, another community radio volunteer, Dr. Bob, who is lean and clean-shaven and wears a tan cap, stands in the doorway of the booth and holds a CD, which he’ll cue up so that when I finish Speaking of Writing, he can slide right into his show, Big Hollow Blues.

And though one might think that doing an internship, a requirement for the MFA, on KOCA’s Speaking of Writing means being trained and guided through the skills and responsibilities of some unfamiliar job -- like writing a radio script -- this really hasn’t been the case. Yes, a year ago UW English professor Julianne Couch, the host of this program for its first two years, met me one afternoon at the studio to show me how to run things because each host is his or her own technician. For 15 minutes she pointed at the five spots across the control panel, two CD players, three microphones, and two stacked mixing boxes with their various knobs, buttons, toggle switches, dials, and gauges, and explained when I should twist, push, flip, or turn each one. But she said nothing about a script, about writing out the parts of the program that are second nature to

her. Writing -- like listening to NPR -- was my idea, what I needed to do to help me feel as at ease behind the mic as I do at a keyboard, to give listeners the impression of comfortable spontaneity on the air much as I try, through endless revision, to make words on the page feel naturally conversational.

It’s because of the script writing I do each month that I listen more intently to Morning Edition or Neal Conan’s noontime Talk of the Nation and try to analyze how announcers move gracefully from one segment to another and avoid verbal blunders. As a result, I assess my scripted words with criteria different from those needed for a poem or this column because filling an hour of air time is nothing like filling a page or fleshing out the lines of a villanelle. Radio listeners need short, clear sentences, not long, grammatically complex constructions that cause them to forget the beginning before I reach the end.

In the script, I’m more conscious of creating pauses for breath -- which also offer listeners time to digest information. I need to repeat vital things -- the date, time, and location, for example, of Dorothy Allison’s reading and book signing -- since listeners can’t rewind or reread or TiVo the show.

And I watch for phrasing that requires precise pronunciation and can be potentially dangerous during the program, when I’m suddenly panicked by the thought that I or my guest is talking into a dead mic and my eyes sweep the gauges. That’s when the script and my mouth can collide in a malapropism, such as saying “delude” instead of “allude,” or a mondegreen, where I intended “the sky falls down” but listeners hear “this guy falls down,” or an embarrassing spoonerism, where by a slip of the tongue Don Roth, the dean of the Graduate School, becomes Dean Roth, the don of the Graduate School.

Even though KOCA’s low-power signal rarely reaches beyond the city limits and doesn’t cross the summit to Cheyenne, the MFA program at UW has sponsored one hour each week so that Laramie can hear writers talk about writing and read their work. And for one hour each month, I’m at the mic behind the glass, where not only do I have to think differently about my writing but I try to give the illusion that I’m chatty, spontaneous, able to fill the empty spots in a conversation that outside the booth I would happily let last. u WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M

Notes from Lala Land

A true stellar giant of arts and culture -the late Ricardo Montalban was Laredo Señor Internacional in 1992 By dr. neo gutierrez (Dr. Neo Gutierrez is a Ph.D. in Dance and Related Fine Arts, Laredo Sr. Int’l USA 2008, Tiger Legend 2002, Sr. Int’l de Beverly Hills 1997. Contact neodance@aol.com)

D

ashing Hollywood film star giant Ricardo Montalban went to heaven in mid-January, leaving behind a voluminous record of work in film as well as in humanitarian endeavors. Ricardo was Laredo LULAC #12’s Señor Internacional in 1992. He was 88 and confined to a wheelchair due to a back injury he suffered when he fell off a horse while filming a movie. Ricardo is survived by two daughters, Laura and Anita, two sons, Mark and Victor, and 6 grandchildren.

Ricardo was born in 1920 in Mexico City, the youngest of four children of Castilian Spaniards. He immigrated to Los Angeles as a teenager and began to work for the studios. He returned to Mexico City, however, when his mother fell ill. It was in Mexico City that Ricardo got a one-line part in the Cantinflas movie The Three Musketeers, and around that time he met Georgiana Belzer. He married Belzer, sister of old-time movie star

Loretta Young, who, by the way, attended mass every Sunday at Blessed Sacrament Church in my neighborhood. She died two years ago.

When he arrived in L.A. as a teenager from Mexico, he enrolled at Fairfax HS eight blocks from where I live now. After graduation he went back to Mexico, where he became a star of movies in the 1940s.

MGM gave him a leading role as a bullfighter opposite Olympic swim star Esther Williams, in Fiesta. His performance in that film assured a long-term contract, and Ricardo went on to appear with such movie greats as Clark Gable and blond bombshell Lana Turner.

Ricardo went on to become an MGM star in splashy musicals and later portrayed Mr. Roarke in TV’s Fantasy Island. He also starred as Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, a follow-up to a previous TV episode of Star Trek in which he was featured.

He fought being typecast as the Latin lover to film greats. To combat this, he established the nonprofit Nosotros Foundation to increase employment of Latinos in Hollywood. Ricardo set the standard as he pushed against the only images and roles that Latinos were portraying in the movies. He felt that Hollywood lacked respect for Mexican American actors. He himself, while at MGM, had played Cubans, Brazilians, Argentineans, but never

Continued from page 584 4

To find out more about conservation easements or other Conservancy projects, visit nature.org/texas.

‘Green’ wines found closer to home Vintage’s carbon footprint a concern for the conscientious For wine connoisseurs, the last several decades have been an exciting and sometimes dizzying time. Grazing the supermarket rows for a decent dinner bottle has become more complicated, thanks to the explosion of respectable vineyards that have cropped up in some of the most unlikely places -- everywhere from China to Australia to Chile to Texas. Some are produced organically and WWW. L AREDOSNEWS. COM

a Mexican. In his autobiography, Ricardo notes that he was always cast by MGM as a supporting actor in film roles, never in roles that would make him a major star.

In 1951, while making a western movie with Clark Gable, Ricardo fell from a horse, injuring his spine. He then started walking with a limp, and eventually he was confined to a wheelchair. His guiding light always, said Ricardo in his book, was his Catholic faith. Pope John Paul II made him a Knight Commander of St. Gregory, the highest honor given nonclergy in the Roman Catholic Church.

And to close this tribute, the funniest thing Ricardo may have ever said: when he first arrived in Hollywood, the studios wanted to change his name to Ricky Martin. Asi como lo oyen…

Some quick notes: Remember the movie Dirty Dancing? I was reminded of the terrific dance movie when I saw dancer/ singer/actor Patrick Swayze being interviewed by Barbara Walters. Sad to say, Patrick is now fighting inoperable pancreatic cancer. Patrick was trained in dance by his mother, Patsy Swayze, who had many years ago the largest dance studio in all of Houston. I visited Houston one summer, and some friends took me to see Patsy’s school’s annual dance concert at a huge outdoor arena. It was totally full, with maybe over 10,000 spectators. Her dancers, even though many were children,

sustainably, with others produced along more conventional lines.

As varieties and growing practices have expanded, consumers’ increasing interest in the carbon “footprint” of their purchases, determined by the distance from which products must be shipped and the amount of fuel it takes to do so, picking the best bottle is sometimes more than just a nose matter.

“Just like other products, wines have carbon footprints, considering they are packed in everything from bottles to boxes, and transported in ships, planes, and trains,” said Laura Huffman, Texas state director of the Nature Conservancy.

“At the same time, climate change also poses a threat to the ancient art of grape growing and wine making. So it’s important to remember that there

were of the highest professional caliber.

Finally, my major January shocker -- Superstars of Dance! The first judge on the roster was María Pogee of Argentina, who is actually María Pohlli of Las Vegas, originally from Argentina. She came to the U.S. to become a Vegas showgirl about 40 years ago. She was trained in classical ballet at the famous Teatro Colón (Columbus Theater) in Buenos Aires.

When I saw María on camera I remembered that back in 1962, when I first arrived in L.A. from Texas, I taught public school in the daytime, and four nights a week I took a two hour jazz dance class with Vegas choreographer Larry Maldonado. María Pohlli (the real spelling of her name) was also in the class.

Pohlli later married a guy from Vegas, and I lost track of her after that. But I never forgot how perfect she was as a dancer and as a friend. Although trained in classical ballet, she ate up jazz dance and she had all the looks for a Vegas showgirl. She eventually danced with Shirley MacLaine in her stage dance act.

So after all these years, there was Pohlli on TV in close-up. Superstars of Dance, by the way, is a professional-super talent version of my Global Village Assembly, which I presented at Beverly Hills HS for 32 years when I was on the faculty there.

Time to close, and as Norma Adamo puts it: TAN TAN! u

are things everyone can do to make a difference.”

The Nature Conservancy offers the following tips for consumers to consider when seeking a good wine at a price that’s reasonable for the planet.

Go local: Most carbon emissions from wine are a result of transportation. Consider a Texas vintage close to home.

Go west: If Lone Star wines aren’t what you’re looking for, try to purchase wines shipped in from West Coast vineyards to avoid added air and rail miles of overseas labels.

Go natural: Organically produced wine is easier on the Earth and less carbon-intensive.

Offset: Worried about your own carbon footprint? Find out ways to offset your impact after you add up your carbon emissions using our online carbon calculator at nature.org/texas. u L areDOS | FEB RUARY 2009 |

63

God Bless our country in these difficult times May HIS light shine on Texas and our beloved Webb County forever

LOUIS H. BRUNI

LEADERSHIP FOR webb county political advertising paId for by valeriE menendez, treasurer, post office box 1810, LAredo, TX, 78044

64

| LareDOS | fe b r ua ry 2009

WWW.L AREDOSNEWS .CO M