Locally Owned
Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. – Warren Buffett A JOURNAL OF THE BORDERLANDS augUST 2013
Est. 1994
Vol. XVIII No. 8 64 PAGES
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LareDOS Newspaper
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Water quality issues aired at Commissioners Court meeting
5K Color Dash Guns-N-Hoses of Laredo hosted their first-ever 5K Color Dash and Fire Engine Pull on Saturday, August 10 at North Central Park. Laredoans of all ages participated in the event that benefited the Guns-N-Hoses Scholarship Fund.
The most pressing topic discussed at the August 26 Commissioners Court was the status of the water treatment services at the Rio Bravo treatment plant. Frustrated residents of Rio Bravo and El Cenizo appeared at the meeting with protest signs to address the county’s efforts to respond to the water quality issues.
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Falcon International Bank recognized by LCC Park re-named after Rendon Present at the Juan José “Johnny” Rendon Park dedication ceremony were the City of Laredo’s Fire Department and Police Department Color Guard who made special presentations of both the American and Texas flags Friday, August 2.
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LCC president Dr. Juan L. Maldonado (center) and LCC vice president for resource development Dr. Nora Garza (far left) presented Erik Ommen (right) of Falcon International Bank with a plaque from the LCC STEM students on Thursday, August 1. Ommen and Falcon Bank were honored for their continuing commitment to and support for students studying science, technology, engineering and math at LCC.
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Good to meet you Incoming LCC freshman Michelle Landa and LCC math instructor Gabriel Carranza participated at the meet and greet during the Focusing on Student Success Program (FOSS) Networking luncheon on Monday, August 5.
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REAL Mission honors program grads Hon. Judge Oscar O. Martinez,, Border Patrol agent Matthew Hudak, Buddy Bruni, and Border Patrol agent Ignacio Perez are pictured on Tuesday, August 6 at the International Bank of Commerce Annex building for the Rewarding, Education, Attitude, and Leadership (REAL) Mission 2013 graduation ceremony.
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Mayor Raul G. Salinas, Laredo Little Theatre board president Oscar O. Peña, and Congressman Henry Cuellar are photographed on Wednesday, August 14 at the Laredo Little Theatre for the announcement of the completed renovations to the facility.
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Supporting local theater
Freshest produce in town AHEC students were at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 17 at Jarvis Plaza offering customer’s some of the freshest produce in town.
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Mariachi Vargas to perform in Laredo as part of the Laredo Mariachi Music Fest
aredo mariachi phenom Karen Zavala, a Cigarroa High School graduate and a criminal justice student at Texas State University, will perform in concert with the world’s preeminent Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán at the Laredo Civic Center on Friday, October 11. Zavala and the Mariachi Vargas will be in Laredo as part of the Laredo Mariachi Music Fest October 10-11. Concert tickets are on sale at the Laredo Civic Center and at HEB Ticketmaster outlets at 210 W. Del Mar Blvd. and 4801 San Dario Ave. The Mexico City-based Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán is renown worldwide for their energized performances. Performing since 1898, the Mariachi Vargas is in its sixth generation as the greatest mariachi in the world. The Laredo Mariachi Music Fest
Laredoan Karen Zavala
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is part of three Mariachi Vargas concerts in Texas this fall. In addition to the Laredo performance the Mariachi Vargas will perform Saturday, October 12 at the American Bank Center Selena Auditorium in Corpus Christi and on Saturday, December 7 at the Lila Cockrell Theater in San Antonio. No mariachi in history has had an impact or trajectory comparable to that of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. The group is not only unique in that it spans three centuries, but in that it exemplifies mariachi music’s evolution from that of an obscure, rural folk ensemble to that of an urban symbol of musical nationalism. Founded in 1898 by Gaspar Vargas in the southern Jalisco village of Tecalitlán, the original group had only four musicians on harp, guitarra de golpe, and two violins. In 1921, Gaspar’s son Silvestre joined the group as a violin-
ist. In 1932 Gaspar turned the group’s leadership over to his son, who would eventually be considered the greatest mariachi leader of all time. By 1934, Silvestre Vargas had expanded the group to include eight musicians on four violins, harp, guitarrón, guitarra de golpe, and guitar. That same year they performed in Mexico City, and by 1935 they had found permanent employment as an official musical ensemble of the Mexico City police department and had begun performing on the radio. The 1937 film Así es mi Tierra was the first of over 200 motion pictures in which Mariachi Vargas would appear. The Mariachi Vargas toured with Linda Ronstadt in 1988 on her historic Canciones de Mi Padre tour and recorded her album of the same name. This tour opened up mariachi music to new audiences and introduced the
genre to non-Hispanic listeners on an unprecedented scale. Mariachi Vargas would later go on to perform in Spain, Japan, and the Czech Republic. When not touring, the group is composing and/or arranging new songs, rehearsing new material, or working in the recording studio. Every year, they perform in more than 25 U.S. cities and twice as many throughout Latin America. Most recently, Mariachi Vargas’ Musical Director José “Pepe” Martinez, Sr., composed Cruzar la Cara de la Luna to a libretto by Leonard Foglia. The mariachi opera was commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera and opened at the Wortham Center - Brown Theater on November 13, 2010 in Houston. Mariachi Vargas has toured with the Houston Grand Opera in Chicago, San Diego, and Paris, France. Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán performs with a 14-piece ensemble that includes seven violins, three trumpets, one harp, one guitarrón, one vihuela, and one guitar. Mariachi Vargas’ Laredo concert is part of the two-day mariachi music festival that includes community and school presentations. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the cultural traditions of Mexico and promote cultural preservation and higher education among Hispanic youth. Sponsors include Buchanan’s, the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau, and La Posada Hotel. The Mariachi Vargas Texas Tour is produced by MPR (Muñoz Public Relations). MPR is in its 19th year as the premiere producer of Mariachi Vargas concerts in Texas. Call 210-225-3353 or log on to mariachimusic.com for more information. — LareDOS Staff
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AHEC’s Bazan serves on UTHSCSA advisory
SENTRI reduces border crossing wait time
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he Board of Directors of the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) has announced the re-election of Julie Bazan, AHEC executive director, to serve on the President’s Staff Advisory Council (SAC) of the UT Health Science Center-San Antonio for FY14 and FY15. “Ms. Bazan’s re-election to this position represents the commitment and professionalism that she has consistently delivered in her duties as executive director of the AHEC programs in Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Duval and Dimmit counties. We are extremely proud of her accomplishments,” noted AHEC board chair Mercurio Martinez Jr. Bazan’s responsibilities as a SAC member will include serving as a representative advisory council for
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all non-faculty employees (staff); providing a vehicle for communication of interests, concerns, and issues that affect staff at all UT Health Science Center campuses, including the South Texas campuses; presenting recommendations to the UTHSCSA President; and supporting the President by attending conversations with the President, Town Hall Meetings, and other HSC functions. Bazan has served as executive director of the Area Health Education Center in Laredo since 2010. The program was established in 1993 to help meet the need of the community in regards to health care services and programs for the six-county area. For additional information, please call (956) 712-0037 or log on to www.mrgbahec.org
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By JUAN MADERO LareDOS Staff
n a border town as travelled through as Laredo, two-hour lines to get to and from Mexico are an everyday occurrence. This is even more so of an issue in Laredo than in other border cities given the volume of international commerce and people who work on the American side of the border. In an effort to accommodate — and profit from — this segment of the population, U.S Customs and Border Protection offers a Trusted Traveler program called Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI). SENTRI was initiated at the Otay Mesa, California port of entry on November 1, 1995. Today, SENTRI commuter lanes expedite travelers and pedestrians in El Paso, TX; San Ysidro, CA; Calexico, CA; Nogales, AZ; Hidalgo, TX; Brownsville, TX; Anzalduas, TX; San Luis, AZ; and Laredo. SENTRI documentation assures the Department of Homeland Security that a traveler can be trusted, and consequently doesn’t need to be inspected at each border crossing as exhaustively as other travelers. This program, however, is quite selective and the path to a SENTRI card is a long one. For starters, applicants must complete a lengthy online application, which asks for much personal information. The applicant also agrees to undergo a biographical background check against criminal, law enforcement, customs, immigration, and terrorist indices; a 10-fingerprint law enforcement check; and a personal interview with a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Applications may be rejected if the applicant provides false/incomplete in-
formation about himself/herself; have a criminal record; have been known to violate any customs, immigration, or agriculture regulations or laws in any country; are currently under investigation by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency; are inadmissible to the United States under immigration regulations, including applicants with approved waivers of inadmissibility or parole documentation; or simply fail to convince CBP that they present a risk to American security. Upon completion of the process, applicants are issued SENTRI I.D. cards and vehicle tags (if applicable). Though the steps to applying may seem arduous,, the benefits of a SENTRI permit are very appealing. In addition to rapid inspection by CBP officers, Laredenses can enjoy crossing the border via commuter lanes located throughout the entire US-Mexico border (specific locations listed above). The required SENTRI fees are as follows: an application fee of $25.00 per person (or a maximum of $50.00 total for husband, wife and minor children); a fingerprint fee of $14.50 for applicants 14 years and older; and a system costs fee of $80.00 per person (or a maximum of $160.00 total for a husband, wife and minor children) for a total of $122.25 per person. There is also an additional cost of $42.00 for the registration of more than one vehicle for use in a SENTRI lane or for a member to be registered to more than one vehicle. Because for many, time is money, those eligible for SENTRI would do well to take advantage of this opportunity if they cross the border regularly and find it affordable. For more information on SENTRI, go to http://www.cbp.gov/xp/ cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/sentri/sentri. xml, visit the CBP office at Bridge II, or call (956) 523-7399.
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By MAXIMA MONTANO LareDOS Staff
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here aren’t any definite variables that dictate if a child runs the risk of being bullied or if the child will one day become a bully. Bullying is not a new problem, however, it has become an issue that sometimes takes a drastic toll on its victims and their families. PILLAR (People with Ideas of Love, Liberty, Acceptance and Respect), which was established in 2010 by cofounders Manuel Sanchez and Arturo Diaz, promotes bullying prevention by educating the community through various presentations and workshops. It educates the youth of Laredo and surrounding areas who have been victims of bullying, have attempted suicide, or are still struggling with suicidal thoughts. It keeps people aware of the treadmarks that bullying leaves on its victim. PILLAR offers confidential counseling for those who need one-on-one contact and also has its own 24/7 Crisis Intervention Hotline at (956) 7237457. Bullying prevention measures within schools have been implemented through two programs, both of which required administrators and staff to undergo specific training. Christina Uribe-Flores, UISD director of guidance and counseling, presented the curriculum for the Bully Free Program to district principals and assistant principals at the district’s Administrator Leadership Summit Wednesday, July 24. The curriculum focused on providing lesson plans for all students from pre-kinder through high school seniors. Aside from this year’s new
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implementation of the Bully Free Program, second graders will continue to be taught guidelines from the RadKIDS program. RadKIDS is a non-profit educational organization in partnership with the Childrens Advocacy Center (CAC) dedicated to providing children and parents with realistic choices to avoid and/or escape violence or harm in their daily lives. The program makes a difference in their safety by encouraging physical fitness, teaching realistic physical skills, and core safety values to live by. RadKIDS was piloted on November 2012 and since then, both LISD and UISD offer these unique defensive courses as part of their physical education curriculum. CAC executive director Sylvia Bruni said, “Three core principles taught to children are that they are the most important person in the world — often times abused children need that affirmation — no one has the right to hurt you, and everyone is entitled to protect themselves as long as they don’t hurt others.” Some of the skills taught include preventing and stopping predator tricks including physical resistance strategies against abduction; Internet safety; personal touch and person space safety (good, bad, uncomfortable/unwanted touch) featuring Sam’s Secret; and home, school, out and about safety in parks, fairs, playgrounds, beaches, stores, and malls, all taught through the eyes of the child. Elementary school counselors and physical education teachers in collaboration with the CAC teach RadKIDS. Both parents and students can report bullying incidents to any teacher, counselor, or school administrator. UISD’S website, www.uisd.net, can also be used to report bullying.
Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
Bullying: Overcoming wrong with good
At the Molotov concert Angie Cardenas and Rodrigo Valdez are pictured at the Laredo Energy Arena on Sunday, August 4 at the Molotov concert.
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Feature
Downtown business makes a home for local artists By MARIELA RODRIGUEZ LareDOS Staff The Knick Knack Studio and Shop a one-stop shop for art, culture, and entertainment, is located at 1708 Victoria above Caffé Dolce. Designer Olivia Cotton and writer Jorge Santana are founders of the creative space. The concept, although unique to our city, is one that has been embraced by other cities such as San Antonio, McAllen, and Austin, to name a few. “So why not in Laredo?” she asked, adding, “A business such as this, given the location, can be a bit of a risk. I wasn’t sure Laredo was ready, but overall the response has been great — slow, but great.” Prior to opening up for business, Cotton a regular vendor at the Saturday bazaars held at the French Quarter. “I felt that attending a Bazaar once a month was not enough for local artists. We deserved a place of our own. That is what the Knick Knack Studio and Shop is — a forum for artists to call home,” she said. Friends at Caffé Dolce inspired Cotton to get organized and see the concept to fruition. “It took me six months to expand on the concept and create a concrete business plan. I also had to search for instructors, artists, and other creative individuals to become a part of this,” she said, adding, “The city is known for reselling imported items, but why not artisans’ crafts. We must first and foremost support our local economy by supporting local merchants.” The Knick Knack Studio offers a wide variety of handcrafted products from local artists and crafters — W W W.L A R ED OSN E WS.COM
from household knick-knacks to jewelry. There is also a small selection of discount hipster and chic clothing from outlets and thrift stores. “Local artists and crafters with a great deal of dedication handcraft all of our products. Handcrafted products are not perfect, but they do possess a higher intrinsic value when it comes to giving or receiving a oneof-a-kind gift,” said Cotton, adding, “We are very selective as to what products we put out for sale. Whomever would like to sell their artwork or crafts at the shop are welcome to come by and show us what they’ve got.” From drawing and painting classes offered for children and adults and other seasonal arts and crafts courses, the studio enlists artists from across the city to assist with instruction. “We have all types of classes — from piano classes every Saturday to paper mâché, crochet, homemade screen printing, rubber stamping, and embroidery courses,” she said, adding, The feedback thus far has been overwhelmingly positive for the Knick Knack Studio, but like with most businesses, there have been a few setbacks. “The only thing we struggle with is our price range. People are accustomed to buying low quality products at low prices. Knick Knack only offers handmade
products of high quality,” Cotton explained. A painter, commercial designer, seamstress, carpenter, art instructor, and part-time pastry chef, Cotton’s love of art and all forms of creative expression are deeply rooted in her adolescence in Mexico. “Art appreciation can come at any point in life. My love of art came at the age of 13. I began reading literature and writing poetry. Later on, I gained a deep appreciation for the visual arts,” she said. Cotton studied art history for four years at La Casa del Lago Bellas Artes in Mexico City. A graphic designer in her spare time, a large portion of her knowledge in design has stemmed from her autodidact tendencies and experiences. With three individual art exhibits and seven group exhibits under her fashionable belt, Cotton is all about capturing her audience through aesthetics. “Besides a painter, I consider myself an illustrator and designer. My graphic design work is meant to capture an audience and make them want to take a publication home.” Since painting, nothing else has compared and inspired such enthusiasm for Cotton — until now. “Going into business has made me more tolerant and social, and has helped me gain a different perspective on our society, which is filled
will individuals who work daily to stimulate the local economy,” Cotton said. This downtown merchant chose her location based on her belief in the vastness of undiscovered potential in Laredo and its historic downtown neighborhoods. “The first time I saw our location, I felt chills and an overwhelming sense of happiness. I knew I had found the place!” Cotton said. She added, “I love downtown. I may not have the advantages of commercial locations on the north side, but I am a part of something much more meaningful. The history behind this part of town is amazing. I hope this eventually becomes a spot where citizens wish to spend their leisure time” Cotton would like to see more community support for the arts and for downtown so that they reach their full potential. “I hope Laredoans open up their imaginations and show more support for artists so that that they don’t feel the need to move to other cities to find their happiness — every single one strives to find a place to call home,” she said, adding, “All in all, I hope downtown becomes what is should be — a historical center of pride, our very own art district.” Artists can count on The Knick Knack Studio and Shop to promote art and culture, and provide their customers with affordable prices and plenty of promotions. Preregistration for art and music courses begins August 26. For more information visit Knick Knack’s Facebook page, call (956) 255-0230 or visit the location Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. LareDOS I AU GUST 2013 I
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Feature
LPO poised for 2013-2014 season kickoff By MARIELA RODRIGUEZ LareDOS Staff
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ith a longstanding history of 33 years, the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is poised for its 34th season kickoff on Sunday, September 29 at Texas A&M International University’s Fine Arts Recital Hall. The opening concert is entitled “With Liberty and justice for all.” “If you are used to one style of music, why not try something new? Too many people see the concert hall as being beyond their experience and that is just not the case,” said LPO musical director Brendan Townsend, who commences his second decade leading the orchestra. “The LPO’s board members agreed to adjust our mission statement last year to include what we refer to as the four E’s - enrich, engage, educate, and entertain,” said the maestro, adding, “We want feasible engagement and interaction with and from the community.” Under his direction, the LPO has developed unique concepts for each season. “We’ve done everything from basing our work around TV shows to musical journeys. This year I was looking for one or two things to be the unifying thread throughout the whole season. What we settled on was an idea of shared borders as the overall theme,” said Townsend. This season will feature pieces from living female American and Mexican composers. Townsend said, “Since we are right here on the border, people are hopefully familiar with both styles of music. We want to bring a sense of shared cultures to the concert stage.” Some of the American and Mexi-
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can composers to be featured include Scurria, Bernofski, RobbinsColeman, Galbraith, Moncayo, Huizar, Rosas, Marquez, and Ibarra. He added, “By introducing some familiar pieces from Mexico, people who normally do not attend will hopefully be drawn to the concert hall, so they can experience their first concert.” Transformations from darkness to light by Linda Tutas Haugen is a piece that was commissioned by the National Kidney Foundation. Inspired by the concept, Townsend will reach out tothe local kidney foundation and Laredo Medical Center to host a concert to benefit them in March, National Kidney Awareness Month. “That effort is part of that partnership and engagement we want to do with the community,” said Townsend. This year the LPO is experimenting with concert times. “Given that a large portion of our audience is of an older age who prefer to attend a concert Sunday afternoon, whereas someone of a younger age prefers to go out on a Saturday night, we are experimenting with our concert times this season,” said Townsend. While concerts will continue to be traditionally held on Sundays, the LPO will host one concert entitled “Eternal Rest” on a Saturday, April 5 —featuring Nancy Galbraith’s “Euphonic Blues,” Federico Ibara’s “Sinfonia No 2: Las antesalas del sueño,” and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Overture Romeo & Juliete.” Plans are also in motion to host “Friday Night Lites Cocktail Concert” on November 15. Drinks will be available from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. followed by a 45-minute concert. The 34th season will feature world-renowned organist Paul Ja-
cobs — the only solo organist to receive a Grammy Award in 2011. “It has taken us three years to book him because he is so busy playing with the San Francisco, Houston, Baltimore, and Washington symphonies,” Townsend said. LPO is also in preparation for its annual gala set for Saturday, October 5 at La Posada Hotel’s St. Augustine Ballroom. Doors open at 7 p.m. with a short performance by the Laredo Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and dinner at 8 p.m. Ross and Friends will provide live entertainment. A live and silent auction will follow with auctioneer Robert Summers. “Auction items include a sevennight stay at an exclusive ocean beach community in Manzanillo, Mexico with a private staff of five. This luxury 8,000 square-foot villa includes a private swimming pool and Jacuzzi,” said LPO events coordinator Angeline Townsend, adding “A ceramic molding of one of LPO’s violins by TAMIU ceramics instructor David Bogus will also be auctioned.” This year’s gala will honor Congressman Henry Cuellar and feature Dr. Marcus Nelson as master of ceremonies. “Congressman Cuellar continues to make an enormous contribution to the community,” said Townsend, adding, “He is a huge advocate for education. The four E’s in our mission statement are something he relates to very well.” Each year the proceeds from the gala fund one entire concert as well as the budget for soloists brought to Laredo to perform with the LPO. Townsend said Laredo’s interest in the orchestra has become very clear to him. He has been approached by members of the community to host a music appreciation
course for the public to learn about the general history of music and how to listen to a concert. “It is one of the things I want to pursue this year,” he said. The maestro also hopes to bring the orchestra out into the community. “We have been talking with City officials and council members about playing concerts at some of our local parks,” he said, adding, “If we can get the funding in order, we’re looking at playing two concerts on the North and South sides in early May.” LPO’s board of directors is committed to a long-term goal of developing a children’s music education program based on El Sistema, Venezuela’s National Music Education Program. “It is a program that involves children from an early age staying everyday after school to learn how to read and play music. This would be a great way of engaging children in the community in a positive activity, so they stay out of trouble,” Townsend said. Philharmonic season tickets are available for $80 for adults, $20 for single concerts; and $60 for seniors, $15 for single concerts. They are on sale at TAMIU’s Follet Bookstore, Cantu Interiors, or at the recital hall the day of the concert. “This season promises great music and entertainment for everyone, so make sure to come out and support the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra,” Townsend added. For more information or for a schedule of concerts, visit www. laredophil.com. For ticket or table purchases, corporate sponsorship, or reservations for the gala, contact Angeline Townsend at (956) 2367772 or email laredophilharmonic@ gmail.com W W W.L A R ED OSN E WS.COM
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TARS Scholarship Fund is set to host the 2013 Laredo STARS Extravaganza on Wednesday, September 18. The event, which will be held at the Laredo Country Club, will feature the 56th President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón — Latin Business Chronicle’s 2007 leader of the year, Latin Trade’s BRAVO Business Award recipient, and one of Time Magazine’s top 100 influential people in the world.
Felipe Calderón “Former President Calderón will provide tremendous insight into our relationship with Mexico. As we well know living in Laredo, that has a tremendous effect on our economic and political position,” said L&F Distributors manager and STARS Scholarship board member Steve La Mantia Organizers of the private event invite local businesses to support the scholarship fund by becoming a sponsor. “The number of scholarships the STARS fund can award is directly related to the success of our annual Extravaganzas, and therefore we W W W.L A R ED OSN E WS.COM
strive to ensure each is better than the last,” said L&F advertising director Yvette Donovan, adding, “Each year, top entertainers and speakers are featured, making this one of the premier events in South Texas.” Since its inception in 2002 and thanks to partnerships with various businesses, organizations, colleges, and universities, STARS Extravaganza has raised nearly $19 million to assist 9,199 South Texas students. Locally, 168 students from Laredo Community College and 596 students from Texas A&M International University have benefited, from STARS Scholarships. “The STARS Scholarship Fund is an outstanding financial resource for students in South Texas. LCC is proud to partner with this organization to help students achieve their professional dreams to create a more prosperous Texas,” said LCC President Dr. Juan L. Maldonado. TAMIU director of financial aid Laura Elizondo said, “The majority of our students are first-generation college bound and cannot afford the dream of a college degree without financial aid and scholarships. STARS philanthropy and the generosity of its donors provide major support. Without their assistance and that of others, our students would have a hard time fulfilling their dream.” STARS Scholarship Fund expenses are underwritten by L&F Distributors and Anheuser-Busch, which allows 100 percent of sponsor contributions to go toward student scholarships. To become a sponsor or for more information on the STARS Scholarship Fund visit www.StarsScholarship.org. — LareDOS Staff
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Felipe Calderón keynotes STARS Extravaganza
Kiwanis Club meeting Kiwanis Club members Pastor Miguel Zuñiga and Erasmo Villareal are pictured at the weekly noon meeting at the Holiday Inn’s Covey Lounge. The organization heard from Timothy Timm about expansion and services at the Laredo International Airport.
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EduPlates present early education concepts for Laredo youngsters By MARIELA RODRIGUEZ LareDOS Staff
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ivine intervention, a sense of giving, and hard work go a long way, as demonstrated by Michael Puig, executive director of Help Educate Texas Children, Inc. (HETC), a Laredo-based 501c(3) nonprofit. Puig’s innovative creation of EduPlates — a set of six educational dinnerware plates that introduce the alphabet, numbers, colors, and phonics to children at an early age — facilitates early learning, encourages parents to be active in the learning process, and aids teachers in extending learning beyond the classroom. The supplemental learning tool, along with a children’s music CD are meant to promote verbal fluency and make learning fun and easy. EduPlates are provided free of charge to kindergarten students attending Title One public schools across the state. Principals can apply online for
a grant prior to being funded and receiving sets of the EduPlates. “The concept behind EduPlates is to literally place the foundation of reading and math in the hands of children, encouraging them to practice frequently what they are exposed to or will be exposed to in the classroom.” said Puig. The organization’s annual goal is to provide EduPlates to all the public school kindergarteners in Laredo and to continue reaching as many children as possible in other Texas communities. Dovalina Elementary Principal José R. Perez, when applying for a grant, wrote, “The vast majority of our kinder students are native Spanish speakers with little or no early education. Our school has a 97.8 percent student population living below the poverty level. Our children will benefit from this tool through exposure to phonics, which aids early literacy development.” Kindergarten teachers of KennedyZapata Elementary wrote to HETC after receiving EduPlates, “As classroom
teachers in a bilingual program at Kennedy-Zapata Elementary, the EduPlates had a great impact on literacy with our kindergarten students. The students came back to school with stories about singing the early childhood songs and using the plates during meal times.” EduPlates are food-safe, colorful, durable, and practical. Their frequent use provides learning opportunities at every mealtime — providing parents opportune times to praise the child and build their child’s self-esteem. “Despite the fact that parents are essentially their child’s first teacher, many don’t have the tools to facilitate the early learning process,” Puig said, adding, “We’re providing this educational product free of charge for that reason — to make a difference with all kindergarteners especially economically disadvantaged students.” The community can easily get involved, as evidenced with Newman Elementary School, which received a donation of EduPlates from its namesake, the
B. P. Newman family. “Because of their generosity, over 100 kindergarteners and their siblings enjoyed and learned from their EduPlates this past summer,” said Puig. HETC recently received a donation of a $5,200 from Laredo Gateway Rotary to promote EduPlates to over 650 UISD kindergarteners this coming fall. “The non-profit is designed as a medium for the general public to have an immediate impact in the critical learning years of young children,” he said, adding, “EduPlate initiates conversation, stimulate minds, and act as creative teaching tool 24/7.” In 2006, the catchword “EduPlate” and the company character Professor Read-A-Lot were copyrighted. Soon after, The EduPlate Factory was created — selling up to 20,000 sets to schools and nonprofits during the following years. In 2012, with the help of fellow Laredoans Ruben Soto Jr., Sonia Benavides, and OsContinued on page 15
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Laredo Daybreak Rotary Club funded the donation of 105 Eduplates to Clark Elementary School students in April 2013.
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car Moreno, the non-profit was formed. “I always knew the ultimate way to get EduPlates in the hands of children was to form a non-profit. I didn’t want a few dollars to come between a child and the experience of learning at home with EduPlates. It is a well-known fact that home is the child’s first classroom,” Puig said, adding “My aim was always for the sole benefit of children. Not acquiring the basic reading skills by the end of kindergarten puts children at-risk of never becoming proficient readers. The community needs to do all we can to help our young children succeed in school and become productive contributing citizens.” As a public school educator for eight years, i ncludi ng six years teaching second and third grade bilingual classes, Puig realized how many students were still learning the phonemic sounds in second grade. He said, “Without reading fluency, reading comprehension suffers tremendously. This was a primary reason I created EduPlates once the idea popped into my mind.” Puig believes a more educated society with more people pulling their economic weight can make a huge long-term difference, not only in America but in the world. “The foundation believes that real change begins at home, at an early age and that no other area of need (education) can have a profound and lingering impact on the future of an entire community,” he said. “HETC has full control over the manufacturing of the product, so donations received go directly to putting the W W W.L A R ED OSN E WS.COM
product in the child’s hands,” said HETC board member and treasurer Soto. “We have no salaried employees and our overhead cost is minimal,” Soto added. “We want to support our hard working educators by providing this educational tool that creates a zeal and love for reading which will impact them the rest of their lives,” Soto said. He added, “Any citizen can demonstrate their support to their community by making a donation to provide EduPlates to the children of Laredo or another Texas community.” Little Ceasars Pizza of Laredo, HEB Tournament of Champions, Laredo Gateway Rotary, Nancy DeAnda, IBC of Laredo, Laredo Daybreak Rotary, Laredo Rotary, LULAC #7, LULAC #12, Modern Machine Shop, Jett Bowl, ConocoPhillips Co., and Sam’s Club were among partners of HETC this past school year. Those partnerships provided approximately 5,500 EduPlate sets to kindergarteners attending 18 LISD and 15 UISD schools The non-profit also provided EduPlates to children in Dilley, Oilton, Hebbronville, Waco, Childress, El Paso, Agua Dulce, Robstown, Zapata and Ore City. EduPlates can be purchased with a $20 donation by individuals and are also available for purchase by private and public schools and daycares at special rates. For more information on HETC call (956) 763-1522. To make a donation visit www.HelpEducateTexasChildren.org Public access to numerous children supplemental educational printouts at no charge are also available at www.MyChildsFavoriteWebsite.com.
Opinion
The pursuit of happiness By LETICIA RANGEL LareDOS Contributor
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onald Reagan once said, “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be one nation gone under.” In the past, historians, politicians, presidents, church leaders, and laymen believed God should be included in affairs of the government. Where, I wonder, does this ideology leave entitled rights to people who are gay, such as my teenage son Nick. In 1962, the Supreme Court decided God’s name did not belong in public schools. The Court banned prayer and/ or Bible reading in schools. The constitutionally guaranteed pursuit of happiness no longer applied to Americans who believed God had a place in our schools. My teenage son’s pursuit of happiness is no longer guaranteed, due to the division of church and state, along with the rulings of the Catholic Church. When Nick recently revealed to our family that he is gay, it caught us by surprise. We all reacted differently, but the reaction I worried about was his older brother’s, a conservative Catholic who has always believed that there is no such thing as a conservative or liberal Catholic. He believes we are simply Catholics. I think differently and consider myself a liberal Catholic who though she believes in the Catholic Church, sometimes does not agree with all of the church rules. As parents, we love our children, and we embraced Nick and accepted his choice of lifestyle, as did his brothers. Because my older son’s perspective was filtered through his conservative Catholic views, he was torn between his beliefs and the lifelong love he has for Nick. I have always been open-minded, and now I question why church and state can dictate how Nick will pursue happiness. Why can these entities define what limitations my son should have in
this pursuit? Pope Francis, as evidenced in a recent interview as he flew from World Youth Day in Brazil to the Vatican, has set a new tone for the Catholic Church’s views on its gay believers. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” he said. Cardinal Timothy Dolan echoed those sentiments on the Today Show with, “We need to look at the person’s heart.” Nick is lively, vivacious, and intelligent and loves God with all his heart. He is loved by everyone, but secretly my heart is heavy for him. I want him to live a full life in his own pursuit of happiness just as I did. The church teaches us to treat everyone — gay and straight — with dignity and respect, though it does not approve of gay relationships. My son’s life will differ from mine, and so will his journey along the pursuit of happiness. He will be loved as I am. He will have a job he loves, as I do, and he will have a home as I do. But will he, a young man who serves God, have the opportunity to marry in the church he loves so much? Because of the lifestyle he has chosen, my son’s pursuit of happiness will be judged, hindered, ostracized, and discriminated against. Though only 13 states allow gay marriage, and evidence abounds that the state interferes with the inalienable right of some to pursue happiness, I find hope in the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), as I find hope in the loving, open-minded words that Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, has shared with the world about acceptance and judgment. (Works Cited: Dolan, Timothy. Interviewed by Matt Lauer. NBC Today Show, August 1, 2013. John L. Allen Jr., Hada Messia. Interview with Pope Francis. CNN. Web. July 29, 2013 www.free2pray. info/2schoolprayerrulings.html (April 2012) LareDOS I AU GUST 2013 I
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Satire
For my own hygenic safety I drink alcohol
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ater — the life sustaining substance that shouldn’t kill you. I’ve always been wary of Laredo’s water, and a recent notice from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) about the presence of carcinogenic trihalomethanes in the water confirmed my suspicions. But two weeks after that announcement, I received another notice, a “Public Notice to Boil Water,” notifying me that “due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system” it is crucial to “vigorously boil” any water I use. That’s it, I’m out; that’s the last straw for me! I decided right then to completely quit using water for any of my daily needs. I needed something with vitality to keep me hydrated, so I switched to alcohol. When it comes to ingredients, I prefer hops to chlorinated disinfectants. People in the Middle Ages drank alcohol instead of water because the water was so unsafe to drink. It was the difference between health and illness. Alcohol was in fact considered the healthiest of liquids that could be drunk after any activity. After dinner — wind down with a goblet of wine. After a jousting match — replenish with a horn of mead. Down with the flu — rejuvenate with a tankard of ale. When it came to choosing a beverage in the Middle Ages, the common question running through everybody’s mind was, “Hmmm, shall we get drunk tonight or die of dysentery?” You may call it alcoholism, but I call it hydration. When I wake up in the morning, I cook myself break-
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fast, and then quaff my thirst with a screwdriver (orange juice and vodka). After breakfast, I take an alcohol shower. Usually I bathe in gin, but on mornings I’m feeling particularly sluggish I’ll use silver tequila, which perks me right up. The beauty of alcohol showers is that you don’t need soap or shampoo; alcohol burns the bacteria right off of you. There are some drawbacks to alcohol hydration. Last week my daughter Gwenn had to take me to the hospital for alcohol “poisoning.” In my defense it was because I didn’t have breakfast that morning, so I was drinking on an empty stomach. Remember, when you replace water for alcohol, make sure you have some food in your system before hydrating. Regardless, after I was discharged Gwenn really came down on me hard about my alcoholism (hydration), and I felt really bad. I never liked disappointing my daughter, and I started questioning my way of life. But just as we were walking out of the hospital, we noticed a bunch of emergency vehicles by the hospital’s retention pond. Emergency crews were scrambling around the pond and the drainage ditches. Apparently diesel had spewed from the hospital’s generator right into the storm channel. Some say it vomited up to 600 gallons of fuel! A city’s water supply endangered by its own hospital — a medieval sage would read that as an omen. I saw the diesel spill as a sign from God. He was testing me as my stomach was being pumped, and just as I was reconsidering my alcoholic way of life, He stepped right in to reassure me of my alcoholic path, like He did with Abraham just as he was about to sacrifice Isaac. No longer am I worried about getting
weird illnesses from what I drink. Alcohol has had me feeling in ways I could never have felt while on water. I feel so energetic and jolly, like a bee buzzing around, so buzzed on life. You might say I’m overreacting, that the “Public Notice to Boil Water” was just for people living in Rio Bravo and El Cenizo. Well, I don’t take chances with my health, and rest assured you won’t find me drinking a scotch and water when I visit my friends down river. Laredo is notorious for its dirty,
highly chlorinated water, which spawned a 79-foot, 300-lb earthworm back in 1993. An account of the monster appeared in a March issue of The Laredo Morning Times. I saw that mutant with my own eyes. I was at my friend Esteban’s ranch by the Río Grande when the creature slithered right out of the river and ate two of his goats. That earthworm rose from the chemical sludge flowing through our pipes right into the river. Just imagine what mutants Laredoans can turn into from drinking the water.
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Courtesy Photo
By Mr. E. Waters LareDOS Contributor
LCC Nursing Pinning Ceremony Laredo Community College nursing instructor Alfredo Vela and Itzamara Cardenas, recent graduate of the one-year LCC nursing program, are pictured at pinning ceremonies at the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts theater. Cardenas was among the 41 graduates at the August 8 pinning ceremonies. W W W.L A R ED OSN E WS.COM
News
News
ACS seeks volunteers for Patient Resource Centers
20th annual Logistics/Manufacturing symposium set for Sept. 24, 25
By MAXIMA MONTANO LareDOS Staff
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he American Cancer Society (ACS) is looking for volunteers to donate their time during normal business hours at the Patient Resource Centers at Doctors Hospital Cancer Treatment Center and the Laredo Medical Center’s A.R. Sanchez Cancer Treatment Center. The ACS wants volunteers who can make the time commitment and whose aspiration it is to help provide a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Resource Center volunteers can become familiar with the various services and programs the ACS offers to its patients and families. Certifications may be required for some volunteers. The ACS encourages all who are willing to bring something new to the table. No one with the desire to be a volunteer will be turned away, according to Laredo ACS representative Diana
Juarez. She encourages the community to donate their time to either of the two resource centers. “We have several programs to choose from, and we need volunteers on a daily basis,” she said. More than one million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year. More than one-hundred diseases are classified as cancer. One-third of the female population and half of males living in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. According to The National Cancer Society (NCS), two in every three people diagnosed with cancer today survive at least five years. The work of the NCS has helped make possible almost every major cancer research breakthrough since 1946. For more information about local volunteer opportunities and to support the fight against cancer, call Juarez at (956) 319-3100. For additional information regarding cancer, call the National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-ACS-2345.
Juanita Martinez, Rita Uribe, Francisca Zapata, Luisa Gomez, and Nancy Santos are pictured at the Doctors Hospital’s “Luzca Bien, Siéntase Mejor” workshop sponsored by American Cancer Society on Thursday, August 8.
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he Laredo Development Foundation (LDF) — in coordination with the Logistics and Manufacturing Association Port Laredo (LMA), Association of Laredo Forwarding Agents (ALFA), Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Broker (LLUSCB), Laredo Community College (LCC), City of Laredo and Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) — will host the 20th Annual Logistics and Manufacturing Symposium September 24-25, 2013 on the campus of Texas A&M International University. Themed “Trade Corridors – Pathways to Prosperity,” the symposium will focus on the 20th Anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the role of NAFTA trade corridors in strengthening trade and bringing closer together the economies of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The role of the NAFTA in fostering trade relationships between the NAFTA partners, the development of key trade industries and major trade corridors, and the economic impact of the NAFTA trade partners in bringing the three NAFTA countries together will be a central topic at this year’s symposium. An innovative format of sessions, banquets and networking opportunities will highlight the symposium. Key industry leaders — presenters and attendees — will draw decision makers from a broad cross-section of the region. The symposium will bring together an audience of transportation, logistics, and international trade industry stakeholders, as well as provide interaction with expert representatives from Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Ed Sherwood, Symposium Planning Committee co-chair, said, “The Symposium will bring focus to the Port of Laredo as the Number One land-based port on the U.S.-Mexico Border, and more importantly, bring emphasis and importance to this Port as the Number Six largest Customs District in the U.S.” LDF executive director Olivia Varela added, “Invited to this year’s symposium are a distinguished list of keynote speakers, including Hon. Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Counsel General of Canada to the South Central United States; Dr. John A. Adams, Business Development Manager, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; and Dr. Wolfgang Kneer, President and CEO, MBtech North America. The Symposium will include panel discussions and highlight presentations covering topics such as Twenty Years of Trade and Investment Growth; Changing the Face of Customs since NAFTA’s Implementation; The Dominant Position of Laredo and Detroit in Cross Border Trade; Meeting the China Challenge to Manufacturing in Mexico; the Presidents Transportation Firm’s Panel – Logistics – The Engine of Growth in the Corridor; and Manufacturing Trends in the South Texas Corridor. An opening reception will be on Tuesday, September 24 at LCC’s new Performing and Fine Arts Building. The Wednesday, September 25 program will be held at TAMIU’s Student Center. Symposium agenda and registration information are available at www.ldfonline.org or by calling toll-free 1-800-820-0564 or (956) 7220563. — LareDOS Staff LareDOS I AU GUST 2013 I
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News
VSTN asks for community volunteers By MARIELA RODRIGUEZ LareDOS Staff
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ince its doors opened in January 2010, Volunteers Serving the Need (VSTN) has continued to serve Webb County veterans through the sale of donated items to its thrift store. VSTN, however, needs the community’s help to continue their mission. The non-profit ran into a bit of misfortune last month when its food delivery truck was stolen. VSTN CEO and founder Gigi Ramos quickly turned to social networking sites to get the word out on the incident. The Laredo Police Department was able to recover the truck within 12 hours, however, it sustained substantial damages that rendered it immobile. Ramos blamed herself for the incident, an oversight attributed to the long hours she invests in VSTN. She commented on the recent change of hours of operation at the VSTN thrift store. “I have worked 80 hours a week for four years. I can’t do it anymore; it is overwhelming, Ramos said, adding, “There have to be people who are financially blessed who can donate their time to help care for veterans.” With a passion for sales and assisting people, Maria Luisa Fierros, one of two full time employees, began working at the Thrift Store a few months back. “Gigi helps the veterans out a lot by attempting to meet all of their needs,” she said, adding, “The progress of VSTN and the Thrift Store has been amazing in comparison to when it started. But we need a lot of help, especially on Wednesdays.” Fierros was referring to Wednesdays’ Project Prepare in which VSTN receives food deliveries from the South Texas Food Bank and repackages products for distribution. “We need volunteers to assist with unloading the food and repackaging, so we can distribute it to the veterans,” she added.
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VSTN is equipped to serve 550 veterans with supplemental groceries, frozen foods, and personal hygiene products monthly. In July 2013, 403 were served receiving 70 to 80 pounds of groceries. VSTN also offers an Adopt a Veteran program. A monthly donation of $15 will provide a veteran and his/her family with food, toiletries, and other essential items at no charge. “We are seeing waves of returning veterans, and sadly our numbers to serve continue to increase,” said Ramos, adding, “The STFB serves eight counties’ of which VSTN is one of 80 agencies served. Of those 80 we serve two and a half more times, by providing 70 to 80 pounds of food per veteran, under primitive working conditions compared to other agencies.” Thanks to the Gateway Rotary Club, the Thrift Store obtained two mini split air conditioning unit for the first time
Nancy Chamberlain, Gigi Ramos since it began operations in June 2013. The Thrift Store’s profits go directly to meeting veterans needs as well as operational costs. Ramos said volunteers are the non-profit’s greater need. The shortage of volunteer help has forced VSTN to shorten its hours of operation. Ramos said there are a number of ways Laredoans can help. They can adopt a monthly utility bill for the store — be it electric services, water, phone/internet, food bank bills, heavy-duty paper
bag purchases, or gasoline expenses. Community members can also donate one or more items on the VSTN’s wish list — an icemaker, a commercial iced tea maker, digital camera with memory card, heavy-duty dollies, new computers, pallet jack or fork truck, and a 16 ft x 60 ft piece of carpeting for the Veteran’s Café. They can also add their names to an emergency volunteer list for unexpected deliveries. Because of her family’s and her husband’s military background, Ramos has experienced firsthand the needs of military veterans — whom many perceive as cared for by the U.S. government. This is a misconception because upon their return home, service men and women are treated like everyone else, according to Ramos. “This has been a labor of love and a lot of sacrifice. This is work intensive because we have to create money. How do we create money? Out of other people’s unwanted gently used items. Their stuff is our gold,” she said, adding, “The original intent was to honor my family. The dream is that we have veteran’s projects in every county in the United States someday.” Ramos was involved with the food bank in Starr County in 1980. She spearheaded the creation of the county pantry and provided food to over 5,000 senior citizens. Ramos is a recipient of the prestigious 2009 Jefferson Award for unsung heroes in public service, for which she was nominated by The Laredo Morning Times. “My purpose is to find the need and create a solution for it. That is what it’s all about. I’ve learned through hard knocks how to run these types of operations,” Ramos said. She added, “I do this because I love my God, our country, and these veterans. It is sad to see what some of these veterans are going through. Some are young, some are old, but oh, the problems they’ve got,” explained Ramos,
“I’m ready to jump up to the next step, and I need good people to come in and help us.” Longtime friend and supporter of VSTN Nancy Chamberlin said, “Gigi makes my heart sing. She is so positive and hardworking. We really need this community to back her up.” If you or a veteran you know need help or for more information call, (956) 717-2960 or email VSTNveterans@ yahoo.com. Monetary donations can also be made via a PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/ webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_ id=5LE2VWGXP9652
SIDEBAR
Since LareDOS last visit in July 2012, the Thrift Store has undergone various positive changes. It is set up on Salinas Avenue facing the railroad tracks, which grants the store ample parking. Over the course of four years Ramos has purchased eight freezers through Dillard’s “Shop for A Cause” — originally beginning with one. The store is lined with recycled shelves with merchandise neatly organized. LPD and the Border Patrol make their rounds every night to ensure the store is kept safe. The Veteran’s Café, one of Ramos’ projects in the works, will operate in much same way as the Kid’s Café programs. Veterans will be served a continental breakfast and lunch while they wait to receive their food. This will also serve as a good place for veterans to visit one another. Stop by the VSTN Thrift Store at 1202 Salinas, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to purchase or donate any new or gently used items — toys, clothing, shoes, home décor, appliances, dishes, bedding, and home and office furniture.
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Rotnofsky, Liendo to reign at SOL Masquerade Ball
Saturday morning downtown Rosie Aguirre of Detalles Joyeria Stainless Steel set up for the August 24 brunch and bazaar at Caffé Dolce.
Architect Frank Rotnofsky and City Council Member Cindy Liendo have been named Rey and Reina del SOL Masquerade Ball. Both were recognized on August 16 for their contributions to the community and their efforts to revitalize downtown through economic sustainability. Laredo Main Street’s Streets of Laredo (SOL) Masquerade Ball is scheduled for Saturday, October 26 at La Posada Hotel’s San Agustin Ballroom from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
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Entertainment
News
LEA’s biggest show of the season
DA Alaniz presents case study at Crimes Against Children Conference
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he Cud Life Tour, featuring Kid Cudi, Big Sean, and Logic, is coming to the Laredo Energy Arena (LEA) on Thursday, October 17 at 8 p.m. Kid Cudi’s 2009 debut single “Day ‘n’ Nite” landed the hip-hop artist two Grammy Awards in 2010. He released his second studio album in 2010, Man on the Moon II, which featured singles such as “Erase Me” and “Mr. Rager.” Cudi launched Wicked Awesome Records — his own label in 2011. He has since featured artists such as WZRD, who debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard Charts. With the release of his debut album Finally Famous, the Detroit MC Big Sean captivated America. He was GQ Magazine’s 2012 hottest rookie and 2012 Black Entertainment Television Awards best new artist. Big Sean received double Grammy nomination for his collaboration with Kanye West for
“Mercy”. Logic, an up and coming rapper, become an overnight internet sensation. His latest mixtape to be released was Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever. The rapper is currently signed with Visionary Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. “This is one show you don’t want to miss! Make sure to get your tickets early to beat the rush,” said SMG-managed LEA’s general manager Xavier Villalon. Tickets are on sale from Saturday, August 10 until the day of the show at all Ticketmaster outlets including the LEA box office, Ticketmaster.com, HEB Ticketmaster, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. General admission floor seats are $55 and $40 and $30 for bowl seating. An early bird special two-day presale will be available for LEA’s online Ticketmaster e-blast subscribers — if you’re not a subscriber visit www.learena.com to sign up. — LareDOS Staff
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ebb County District Attorney Isidro R. Alaniz and Chief Assistant District Attorney Marisela Jacaman presented the case study of José Eduardo “Lalo” Arredondo — the teenager who kidnapped, sexually abused, and murdered two-year-old Katherine Cardenas — to the nationally and internationally recognized Crimes Against Children conference in Dallas August 12 to 15. Entitled “Rejection, Rage, and Revenge: The State of Texas v. José Eduardo Arredondo,” the presentation offered a close look at the Arredondo trial. The prosecution required a multidisciplinary and strategic combination of forensic investigation, visual presentation, and cutting-edge application of the law. It provided a lesson for police and prosecutors, starting with effective visual presentation during the opening statement branching into the use of DNA evidence, surveillance videos, and telephone re-
cordings to outline the State’s proof. Finally, the review of the sentencing phase included special considerations for obtaining maximum punishment of juvenile capital offenders. The Dallas Conference is the largest Child Abuse Conference in the United States attended by more than 3,000 law enforcement, prosecution, and other multi-disciplinary professionals who work collectively to help child victims. Each year, the conference empowers and educates professionals who work with children of crimes by providing current information and presenting effective intervention strategies. These workshops and case studies, aide in the prevention, detection, and prosecution of child abuse cases. The conference was hosted by the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. The keynote speaker was Aaron Fisher, nationally known as “Victim 1,” in the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal. — LareDOS Staff
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At risk youth complete REAL Mission program Fun for the whole family Health screenings and dance contests were among the many activities offered at the Sixth Annual Community Health Fun Fest at the Laredo Civic Center on Saturday, August 24.
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Border Patrol agent Erasmo Elizondo and Olajuwon Davis are photographed with Rewarding, Education, Attitude, and Leadership Mission 2013 graduates Gerardo Gonzalez (left) and JosĂŠ Gonzalez (right) on August 6 at the International Bank of Commerce Annex building on Jacaman Road.
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News
Zapata Rising reunion marks 60-year anniversary of Falcon Dam
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he year 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of an event that significantly changed the lives of Zapata county residents forever. On a warm fall day — October 19, 1953 — to be exact, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his Mexican counterpart, President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, formally dedicated Falcon Dam and Falcon Lake. Despite the fanfare that surrounded the momentous bi-national occasion, there was for some a measure of sorrow about the loss of ancestral homes and ranches and historic communities established more than a century earlier. The displacement of 3,000 people made way for the rising waters of the Río Grande that created the lake. The move had been planned for 1955, however, torrential rains in 1953 forced families to evacuate their homes and ranches in haste. The unexpected transition caused many families to flee the rising lake waters with only the clothes on their backs, forcing them to leave behind their possessions, the livestock
of their ranches, and even their pets. To pay tribute to the sacrifices made by these families, Zapata will host a three-day event that will define the meaning of unity for past and present residents of the communities of Zapata, Ramireño, Uribeño, Lopeño, and Falcon. “Zapata Rising: The Biggest Family Reunion in the World” takes place on the weekend of October 17 to 19. Over 600 of the original families and their descendants will converge in Zapata, Texas for an event filled with memories, educational highlights, and numerous commemorative activities. “ T h i s unique event will not only reunite relatives, but, it will also bring the together famgreater ily, our Zapata family,” said Joe Rathmell, Zapata County Judge. “It will be a time of reflection, a time of recollection, and for many, a time for healing. It’s been 60 years long in coming.” For more information, contact José García at (956) 723-4389, or email queries to info@zapatarising. com or visit www.zapatarising. com.
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marketing manager Tim Franciscus said, “My dad and I have played the tournament over the last four years, and it seems that the tournament just gets better and better.” General entry fee is $175 and $150 for Chamber members. “The fun part is that w i t h plenty of prizes to go around, almost no one goes h o m e empty-handed,” Conchas added. The tournament has been in existence since 1997. It is a major fundraiser for the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit. For sponsorship or registration information contact the Laredo Chamber of Commerce at 956-7229895 or visit laredochamber.com — LareDOS Staff
Distracted Driving course for teens LISD Crime Stoppers coordinator Veronica Perez, LISD director of guidance counseling Rosina Silva, Carissa Guerra, Judge Rosie Cuellar, Brandon Valdez, Roy Medina, and Reymundo Garza are pictured on August 16 at the Laredo Municipal Court for the Distracted Drivers. Cuellar organized the course in an effort to provide a community outreach program to educate teens on the dangers of phone use while driving.
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he Family Chevrolet sponsored Bola Blanca Golf Tournament, one of the best in South Texas, is set for Labor Day Monday, September 2 at the Laredo Country Club. Teams in the two-person Florida scramble tournament will tee off with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. Tr o p h i e s will be awarded for the best overall low net score, and first and second place in each of the five flights. Skill prizes will go to golfers at a luncheon immediately after the tournament. Plenty of food and refreshments as well as embroidered shirts will be provided to all tournament participants. Laredo International Airport
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Annual Bola Blanca set for September 2
Laredo Book festival Victoria Montiel, Ophelia Noriega, and Nicole Montiel were among attendees of the Third Annual Laredo Book Festival hosted by the Laredo Public Library on Friday, August 16. They enjoyed an afternoon meeting Texas and local contemporary authors and illustrators. W W W. L A R E D OSNEWS. COM
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Opinion
Los olvidados — they are everywhere By MARIA EUGENIA GUERRA LareDOS Publisher
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he differences between the haves and the have-nots are nowhere more precisely defined than in the extremes of prosperity and poverty of the borderlands. Our own city, so enriched by the two decades of the bounties of the NAFTA, and now the Eagle Ford Shale play, is no exception. While the 8,000 residents of El Cenizo and Río Bravo — many of them citizens whose Webb County taxes guarantee a delivery system for clean water — now boil household water and line up to fill plastic bottles with potable water from a 60,000 gallon truck, the taxpayers of
North Laredo irrigate their waterguzzling lawns with near abandon. There are no boil notices in the beautifully landscaped suburbs of the northern sector of the city — as there are no dead dogs at the curb, old sofas, piles of tires and rat har-
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boring brush, private prisons for profit, or a recycling plant that shreds cars (neoprene dashboards and all) and releases particulate matter that is dangerous to inhale. Filling plastic gallon bottles from a modern day barrilero is a throwback, a reenactment of times of yore and even to more recent times when colonia entrepreneur Cecil McDonald carved up the rancheria of southern Webb County into the lots of El Cenizo and Río Bravo and sold them as-is — without water and sewage infrastructure. Here are two things that would not have happened if the sprinkler systems of Laredo suburbs were spewing water charged with the bonus nutrient of E. coli bacteria: the operator of the water plant would not be allowed — in the face of huge health hazards to the public — to go gently into the night of retirement to “spend more time with his family;” and there would be no attempt to mollify the residents of those areas with a promise that in six months this “system failure” would be transformed into a “top notch” treatment plant. In the void of real leadership for all the citizens of Webb County, there would be no faint echoing by a second-term county judge of sentiments that the job would get done. Nay. A coterie of business owners, high-dollar taxpayers, and contributors to certain political campaigns would move with hangem-high stealth to motivate elected officials and administrators to restore the health and harmony of their lives. Johnny Amaya, a recycled political hack who has seen service as a City Council member and currently as an LISD trustee, was, it now seems, out of his league as the
Webb County Water Utilities director and steward of clean water for the communities of El Cenizo and Río Bravo. Though certified in that capacity, the lack of maintenance at the Río Bravo water plant calls to question how he staffed the operation and the extent of the oversight he provided. I am reminded at this writing of Los Olivados, the organized citizens of La Ladrillera neighborhood who have made known their health and environmental concerns to local and state agencies regarding the operation of a metal recycling facility in their neighborhood. Their tenacity to speak up and to ask for the help they need from taxpayerfunded agencies is a commendable model of orderly civic action. Like their counterparts in the 2010 federal lawsuit of Barrio de Colores against U.S. Customs and Border Protection to stop the defoliation of the riverbanks with the chemical Imazapyr, Los Olvidados has gained much in speaking with one clear voice. I am reminded at this writing of the plights of the many olvidados who live at the distant edges and
far from the epicenter of prosperity, where public health and environmental issues unseen and not verbalized are not dealt with responsibly by those elected and/or empowered to so. That the basic necessity of life — clean water — is out of the reach of anyone in Webb County is an outrage. That the matter has been handled so poorly — and only after it was exposed in the light of public discourse by a state agency as a health emergency — is inhumane and a reflection of this county administration’s ineptitude, its lack of leadership and due diligence, and its lack of regard for all its citizenry, those at the heart of its prosperity and those on the far edge of it. If ever there was a moment for Webb County to stop the practice of giving jobs in return for political favors to unqualified, untrained individuals — acomodadas — this would be it. If ever there was a moment for Commissioner Mike Montemayor to put politics aside to gain the respect of his electorate by acting in their best interest and that of their children, this would be that moment.
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Río Bravo residents speak of water contamination
San Juana Ramos, 57
Manuela Menchaca, 60
I have to be carrying the water daily, and that is a struggle. There are four people in my household, including my parents, who are 78 and 75. I have a seven-year-old daughter. It has been a struggle preparing to go back to school with the current water conditions. I found out about the water contamination when I saw that the water was coming out yellowish from the faucet, with particles of dirt. There was no formal notice here. Residents including myself called the Water Plant, and they assured us they were taking care of the issue — flushing out the pipe, that was what they said.
I’ve lived in Río Bravo for more than 55 years. This morning we attended the Commissioner’s Court meeting and were received very well. We want solutions, not promises, because this is a big problem for the community. This is principally a big issue for our children and the elderly citizens. The bacteria, E. coli, contaminating our water is very dangerous. A lot of people have been afflicted with a rash on their body and in their eyes. No one notified us. I found out by word of mouth about how the Community Center would be donating drinkable water to the residents outside City Hall from a truck of potable water. This is not a current issue. At the meeting they said this had been detected back in January, but no one had been notified. My neighbor María Guadalupe Enero has a rash throughout her body. I’ve heard of various children experiencing diarrhea. The schools have just opened up. They claim to have the potable water turned off except for usage in the commodes. They have hand sanitizer dispensers now in the bathrooms, but children are still vulnerable and capable of becoming ill. I don’t speak for myself. I speak for the community. This is a big problem. They had advised to boil and re-boil water, but why bother — might as well go out and purchase the distilled water. Thanks to Gilberto Gonzalez, director of the Rio Bravo community Center, has been distributing cases of bottled waters throughout the community.
Juan Lopez I’ve lived here for 20 years, and it’s always been a struggle about the water. They say the water is no good. I heard about the water through family members. I’ve been getting my water from the truck outside City Hall, or travel to Laredo to get it. Who knows why our water is the way it is. W W W. L A R E D OSNEWS. COM
Graciela Valadez, 58 It has been difficult getting the kids ready to go back to school. That is my biggest concern, not knowing what is going to happen at the schools. I bathe my grandchildren with fear. I tell them not to open their eyes or mouth and to cover their noses, because they say the bacteria can easily travel. Mr. Amaya should not have resigned. He should have confronted the problem. LareDOS I AUGUST 2 0 1 3 I 2 5
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Feature
Adela Frank – joyful, wise, and intense By XAVIER ROTNOFSKY LareDOS Staff
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kh is the Ladino word to be used for expressing feelings of pleasure, delight, and all that is good. Okh, pronounced with a long accented o, should end with a guttural h sound, like the Spanish j. Okh! It is a mere syllable, yet it is more than just a word. It is visceral. Adela Frank can be heard casually incanting this word throughout the day. She appreciates what she has every day because she understands how it can all be taken away at any moment. Taken from 90 years of experience, she is an example of how to lead a harmonious, okh-filled life.
Adela and Mauricio Frank Ladino is the hodge-podge language of the Sephardic Jews that were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. It is made up of Castilian Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic, and any other language the displaced peoples added from the land settled on. In the case of Adela’s ancestors,
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it was the Ottoman Empire, where Turkish was incorporated into the language. Adela Frank (née Béjar-Franco) was born December 19, 1923 in Constantinople, the same year the 624-year-old Ottoman Empire fell and the city became Istanbul, Turkey. Even through turbulent times, life was good until the newly established Turkish government began confiscating Jewish land, including the family’s cherry orchards. Adela learned about the temporality of life when the BéjarFranco family immigrated to Mexico City to escape further persecution. It was quite the juxtaposition from being well off in a nice neighborhood in Istanbul to being penniless and fatherless in the crowded slum of La Merced in Mexico City. Were to be asked if she thought she had a tough upbringing, she would reply with a hearty “no!” and then give you a spiritual halfEnglish half-Spanish lecture on life. Though her formal education ended in the sixth grade, she hasn’t stopped learning. Peddling men’s ties on the 1930s streets of Mexico City as a child laid the foundation for the sharp business tactics that have made her the successful businesswoman she is today. With the week’s earnings, Adela would buy a big burger – a luxury. Those burger moments were okh moments. Nowadays there are no more burgers. Adela eats purely vegan, raw, and organic food, and she grows whatever can be grown in the garden. Eating a meal she prepares can add at least ten days of longevity to your life; however, no matter how healthy and simple the meal, there must always be something sweet for dessert, chocolate in most cases. Upon offering a chocolate
truffle, she’ll say, “Una es ninguna, two is something, tres ya es comida.” Okh! She walks a mile every morning and then goes to work (except on Wednesdays when she detoxifies with a juice fast) at the family property management company she and her late husband Mauricio Frank started in the early 1970s. Any trivial piece of paper like a used post-it note or candy wrapper in Adela’s proximity will get turned into an origami crane. She’ll grab the piece of refuse and transform it into a crane; the action has become unconscious. Her home and workplace are scattered with all sizes of paper cranes. Throughout conversation, her fingers will be twiddling paper birds. Adela learned how to fold the
birds from a Hollander friend she took to Puerto Vallarta 25 years ago. The friend told her about a Japanese legend that promises anyone who folds one thousand origami cranes will be granted a long life and eternal good luck. It is apparent that Adela has exceeded that number. At her 90 th birthday party this past December, the Laredo Center for the Arts was decorated with flocks of Adela’s origami cranes, and little glass jars containing one of these cranes were given to guests as party favors. Adela wears earrings she fashioned from bougainvillea flowers in her garden. Her internal optimism is visible and radiates externally; she embodies the word she uses to express this inherent joy – okh.
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News
Book signing features De la Garza’a stories
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eatriz de la Garza, author of From the Republic of the Río Grande: A Personal History of the Place and People, will sign copies of her book on Thursday, Septemeber 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, at 801 Zaragoza St. The event is sponsored by the Webb County Heritage Foundation. De la Garza used family papers, local chronicles, and scholarly works to tell the story of the Republic of the Río Grande and its people from the perspective of individuals who lived in this region from the mid- 18th to the mid- 20th century. Like others who were born in Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico, de la Garza moved to Laredo with her family when her beloved hometown was flooded by the constructuon of the Falcon International Reservoir. She was educated in Laredo schools and soon developed her love of writing, leading to a story award from Seventeen Magazine while still in high school. After receiving a scholarship from The Corpus Christi Caller Times to attend the University of Texas, de la Garza studied journalism and creative writing and continued publishing stories in the UT student magazine. Her first collection of short stories, The Candy Vendor’s Boys and Other Stories was published by Arte Público Press and was selected by the New York Public Library for its list, “1996
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Books for the Teen Age.” Her novel for young adults, Pillars of Gold and Silver, was published by Arte Público Press in the fall of 1997. In 2003, the University of Texas Press published her third book, a true account of a double homicide that took place in South Texas in 1912 entitled A Law for the Lion: A Tale of Crime and Injustice in the Borderlands. She recounts of the From the Republic of the Río Grande: A Personal History of the Place and People, “This book had its origins in a small trunk — 22 inches long and 11 inches wide and made of tin reinforced with wood strips — filled to the top with papers either generated or preserved by my paternal grandfather, Lorenzo del la Garza. As I read those old letters and documents, their authors came to life with their words and resurrected their world with them. It was a world that had existed in a particular place — the northeastern Mexican states of Coahulia, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas (and South Texas). This was the world that existed in the land that came to be known (rightly or wrongly) as the Republic of the Río Grande.” Copies of the book will be available for sale at the book- signing and at the Republic of the Río Grande Museum. For more information contact the Webb County Heritage Foundation at www.webheritage.org or (956) 7270977. — LareDOS Staff
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News
Gateway Park Community eyes restoration of Bridge II approach
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By MARIELA RODRIGUEZ LareDOS Staff
H-35’s Mile Marker One approach to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge was once a lush, tree-lined five-block boulevard, but over years it has declined into a neglected eyesore of distressed landscaping — not at all a welcoming sight to inbound travelers from Mexico. A group called the Gateway Park Community (GPC) initiative is seeking to change the look and feel of the area that Mexican tourists first see as they enter the United States. TxDOT owns the property, and the state currently has an agreement with the City of Laredo for maintenance and water to the area. GPC founder Jaque Frank-Geissler, along with Ricardo De Anda, George Altgelt, John Dromgoole, Josie Papas, Alfonso Varela, and Rafael Torres have been documenting the visible decline of the area. “The GPC wants to take guardianship of the boulevard to restore the green spaces with appropriate landscaping, paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, and to add symbolic fountains and statues that speak of the importance of the site,” said Frank-Geissler. As the group has researched a plan for water and maintenance for the area, their focus has expanded to an understanding of just how important the area is as a transportation corridor. “It is a symbol of how important the location is as a nexus,” said Frank-Geissler, adding, “By enhancing this transportation corridor as a crossroads, we are highlighting the areas around it.” She referred to historic downtown Laredo, El Azteca, and other surrounding neighborhoods.
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In addition to a restoration of the area for aesthetic purposes, the replenished green space would greatly counter the carbon footprint of the GSA’s existing facilities and their plans to redevelop Bridge II. “The development of the green space is imperative,” she said. “There is no other site like this in our city. It speaks of our international importance, both economically and culturally,” Frank-Geissler said, adding “Economic growth is not simply measured by the number of businesses and warehouses a community has, but also in its ability to preserve, maintain, and appreciate environmental attributes while capitalizing on them.” She added, “We believe that this area has the potential of being Laredo’s Champs Elysees, or the Paseo de los Recolectos in Madrid. Who is to say that the first stretch of the highway has to look like a highway? It can function like a highway, but it does not have to look like one.” She commented on the style and grandness of new highways in San Antonio and other cities, and Laredo’s own potential for growth. “Many of us have lived in big cities. We have seen welllit, pedestrian friendly, vibrant public spaces. “It is time to create the city we believe Laredo can be and should be,” said Frank-Geissler. The proposed green spaces will be in the daily sight of passengers in vehicles going to and from Mexico, the Heights, South Laredo, downtown, LCC, the Azteca neighborhood, Saint Peters neighborhood, and North Laredo from IH-35. “It would be a travesty to build a bus inspection station or bus mall in the green spaces and close Hidalgo Street, or to negate the international importance of the boulevard, or to build
a tunnel to the bridge, as was reported in LareDOS of the Kell Muñoz plan for downtown revitalization,” FrankGeissler said. Despite commitments from several businesses and property owners and some City Council members, FrankGeissler said the most needed support would have to come from the City Managers’ office. “We believe, as members of Team SOL believe, that economic development for downtown and surrounding areas is best accomplished when a broad base of property owners, businesses, and investors can participate and benefit from economic development. It cannot be done by the city serving one property owner or business at a time,” she said. The City has already expressed an interest in purchasing the green belt from TxDOT. “We believe that the City can be a good partner, but we would not want TxDOT to sell it to the City without a deed restriction to detour city officials from the idea of building structures there for private or departmental use, or for GSA,” she said, adding, “There are plenty of businesses and locales in the Bridge II area that can service bus passengers if the city would provide the economic development tools and incentives to the downtown area. Government should not become a landlord or compete with the private sector, the taxpayer,” Frank-Geissler continued. Discussions with TxDOT will define the GPC’s course of action as the group formalizes its structure into a non-profit corporation. GPC has the full support of Senator Judy Zaffirini who in a letter addressed to Mayor Raul Salinas, wrote, “It is important that we collaborate with
TxDOT, the GPC, and the City of Laredo to facilitate the maintenance and development of the proposed parks. GPC’s plan would expand the City’s green space initiative and be a symbol of Laredo’s unique position as a crossroads for visitors entering or exiting the United States via Mexico.” “The timing is perfect for such an endeavor given all the emphasis on developing downtown. We have the new outlet mall coming. There is a group working to restore the Plaza Theater. And with the Laredo Mainstreet Farmer’s Market having been so successful, there is no reason that our main corridor entry should be in such disarray,” said Frank-Geissler. Mike Graham, TxDOT’s Laredo District environmental coordinator assigned to organize the efforts to upgrade the landscaping of the area, wrote to Frank-Geissler, “We are trying to work with the GPC and City of Laredo to formalize an agreement as to particulars on the types of upgrades (including costs), and an agreement on the long-term responsibility for the upkeep of the area.” He also indicated to Frank-Geissler that he has attempted to contact the City Manager’s office, but has not yet reached anyone as of yet. He indicated that currently TxDOT’s restricted budget can take care of the day-to-day work of trash pickup, mowing, and other minor maintenance activities. It does not, however, include the repair of the irrigation system or other, more costly items. The GPC refers to the area as the Boulevard of Saints and Generals, given the namesakes of surrounding streets. For further information, contact Frank-Geissler at (956) 763-7765.
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Feral hogs: unprotected, exotic, non-game harvested by any means or methods at any time of year
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n his excellent assessment of the feral hog overpopulation in Texas in the January 2011 issue of Smithsonian.com, writer John Morthland called the overrun of wild hogs on ranchland, woodlands, prairie, and cultivated land “a plague of pigs.” Morthland corroborates what nearly every South Texas rancher knows that, “Wild hogs are among the most destructive invasive species in the United States today.” Millions of the animals have unfettered run of farm and ranch land in at least 39 states and four Canadian provinces. About two million of these omnivores live in Texas, where they destroy crops, orchards, fences, and habitat for
whitetail deer and other wildlife species – thriving in all but about 30 of Texas’ 254 counties. Feral hogs are true pigs, runaway breeders that first came to the New World with Christopher Columbus. They are a species separate from javelinas, which have an unnoticeable tail, one dewclaw on the hind foot, and a scent gland near the base of the tail. Feral hogs have bred with Russian boars, the European wild hogs introduced into Texas for sport hunting in the 1930s, but on the whole it is feral hogs that populate Texas. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) web site, there are very few true European hogs remaining in Texas.
As to color, weight, and markings, feral hogs have a very similar appearance to domestic hogs. Mature males range in size of 100 to 400 pounds and are about 36 inches in height. Feral hogs have much less fat than domestic hogs and are considered, as they were long ago by early settlers, a clean, tasty source of protein. The gestation period for feral hogs is around 115 days with an average litter size of four to six, though under optimum conditions a sow may have 10 to 12 young, with a one-to-one male to female ratio. Feral hogs travel in family groups called sounders, which are two sows, their young, and occasional stray males. According to TPWD, the omnivorous diet of feral hogs is based on seasonal
Carroll Dase of San Antonio on an early morning hog hunt on the family ranch near San Ygnacio.
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availability of grasses, forbs, roots and tubers, browse, mast (acorns), fruits, bulbs and mushrooms. Animal matter includes invertebrates such as insects, snails, and earthworms; reptiles; amphibians; and carrion; as well as live mammals and birds. Feral hogs are especially fond of acorns and domestic agricultural crops such as corn, milo, rice, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, watermelons, and cantaloupe. They feed primarily at night and during twilight hours, but will also feed during daylight in cold or wet weather. Hogs are generally found in dense vegetation cover often associated with water, but also do well in the drought prone environments of South Texas. During hot weather, feral hogs enjoy wallowing in wet, muddy areas and are never far from dense protective cover. They will concentrate in areas of food availability, especially where there are nut producing trees or agricultural crops. Their home range is based mainly on food availability and cover. It is usually less than 5,000 acres, but can range up to 70,000 acres. In general, boars have a larger home range and will also travel greater distances. TPWD considers feral hogs “intelligent” quarry. Feral hogs compete directly with livestock as well as game and nongame wildlife species for food. However, the main damage caused to livestock and Continued on page 33
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Continued FROM page 32 wildlife is indirect destruction of habitat and agriculture commodities. Rooting and trampling activity for food damage agricultural crops, fields, and livestock feeding and watering facilities. Feral hogs can damage and destroy wildlife feeders. They are not active predators, but wild hogs can prey on fawns, young lambs, and kid goats. If the opportunity arises, they may also destroy and consume eggs of ground nesting birds, such as turkeys and quail. TPWD lists feral hogs as unprotected, exotic, non-game animals that can be harvested by any means or methods at any time of year. Though there are no seasons or bag limits, a hunting license and landowner permission are required to hunt them. Many South Texas ranchers shoot them on sight and also encourage their hunting patrons to take them out for slaughterhouse preparation, freezer filling, and the pozole pot. The lack of fat on feral hog meat and its non-game taste are the stuff of legendary barbecues on
ranches and in high-end restaurants that feature Texas-harvested game. Trapped feral hogs for commercial sale are taken to a buying station and from there to a processing plant overseen by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors. The end buyers will likely be Europeans and Southeast Asians, according to Morthland’s story. He notes that wild pig doesn’t taste like domestic pork. “It’s a bit sweeter, with a hint of nuttiness, and is noticeably leaner and firmer. Boasting onethird less fat, it has fewer calories and less cholesterol than domestic pork.” He cited the popularity of the winning entry in the 2010 exotic category at the LaSalle County Fair Wild Hog Cook-Off — wild hog egg rolls of pulled pork and chopped bell peppers in a wonton. (Sources: Rick Taylor’s booklet, The Feral Hog in Texas, at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ huntwild/wild/nuisance/feral_hogs/ and John Morthland’s “A Plague of Pigs” at www.smithsonianmag.com/sciencenature/A-Plague-of-Pigs-in-Texas)
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Documenting drought AUSTIN — What does your Texas drought look like? With more than 97 percent of Texas suffering from drought conditions, that’s what the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) want to know. This coalition of state agencies has launched an interactive public awareness campaign inviting Texans to submit personal photos capturing what the drought looks like for them and the impact it has had on their lives. From now through September 30, Texans are invited to share their original photographs of the drought on Flickr, Instagram and other social media platforms. Texas’ many diverse regions are each experiencing the drought in unique ways. This project aims to educate Texans on the critical nature of drought and water conservation. By providing photographs, the public will help TDA, TWDB and TPWD garner an in-depth view of local drought conditions, ultimately helping manage and conserve the state’s water resources. “At the Texas Water Development Board, we’re well acquainted with the effects of drought on our state,” said TWDB Executive Administrator Melanie Callahan. “It affects water supplies for cities and agriculture alike, and can devastate economies and natural resources. This photo campaign is a way for Texans to document how drought affects them personally. Showing the results of water shortages and ways to conserve are equally important parts of
this story.” According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly the entire state of Texas is experiencing some form of drought, and more than 65 percent of the state is suffering from severe to exceptional drought. The state water plan dictates nearly 25 percent of our future water needs will be met through water conservation. “With the punishing drought our state has suffered, most people know how important it is to conserve water and plan to use it wisely, and dramatic photos showing the reality of drought certainly underscore that conservation is imperative,” said TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith. “In poll after poll, Texans have consistently ranked water resources near the very top of public priorities. It’s important for people in cities, and it’s important for fish and wildlife, state parks and natural habitats—everything is connected. We all have a role to play in conserving water.” Photographs may be submitted to Flickr group, “What does your Texas drought look like?” at http://www. flickr.com/groups/texasdrought. Photographs also may be posted to Twitter or Instagram. Please use the hashtag #txdrought to share photos. The campaign’s Instagram account is texasdrought. Tag photos with date, location and include a short description. Additionally, you can email up to three photos to TexasDrought@yahoo.com, and we will post the pictures to our flicker page. All usersubmitted photographs must be original content.
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Feature
Michael Donovan’s Eagle Scout project leaves lasting impact on his community McALLEN – Boy Scout Michael Donovan, 16, has recently completed an Eagle Scout project that will have a lasting impact — a community garden of eight raised beds — on the campus of his former school, St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Edinburg. A Scout since 2007, Donovan and a core of fellow Scouts from Troops #76 and #1954, classmates from St. Joseph’s, and volunteers from the Science Academy of South Texas built the project from the ground up. Working with Scoutmaster Mike Key, Donovan raised $1,300 to build the beds of treated lumber, to line them with weed barrier cloth, and to fill them with topsoil and compost 20 inches deep. Donovan used Autodesk Inventor 3D design software to plan the project to scale prior to construction. “I invested about 55 hours in total planning and execution of the project. I wanted to give something back to my former school,” he said, adding, “The students currently enrolled there and teachers — who underwent training to teach the children how to tend to the garden
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Michael Donovan — will benefit greatly from this. Should they wish to start their own garden in the future, they’ll have the necessary skills to do so.” Michael’s goal is to show students that vegetables don’t come from grocery stores. Donovan has achieved various milestones in Scouting that affirm the level of commitment and discipline he has acquired over the years. He was awarded scribe for the 2010 National Jamboree, appointed Assist Senior Patrol Leader — second
in charge of the whole troop, certified as a life guard, awarded the highest award in Webelos with the Arrow of Light Award, and completed the National Leadership Seminar — the highest training possible in Scouting. He is currently attending the Science Academy of South Texas in Mercedes and is slated for graduation in 2015. He has his sights set on Texas A&M University in College
Station where will study aeronautical engineering. He gave his experiences in scouting credit for allowing him to explore his creativity and interests. “In Scouting, we do different oriented projects some that involve construction and creativity, so in a sense I have discovered some of the interests I want to further pursue through Scouting and in life.” — LareDOS Staff
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Courtesy Photo
ADA Guerra sworn in Assistant Webb County District Attorney Ricardo Guerra, second from right, is pictured at swearing-in ceremonies with his brother Armengol Guerra IV and his parents Bertha and Armengol Guerra III. A graduate of Baylor Law School, Ricardo passed the State Bar exam in May.
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Award winning storyteller and musician Saturday morning at the plaza Young and old alike enjoy the fresh air conviviality and home grown produce offered at each and every Farmers Market.
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Texas writer Tom McDermott took part in the Laredo Book Festival on Friday, August 16 with his Halloween-themed children’s books The Ghouls Come Haunting One by One and Otis Steele and the Taileebone. McDermott has won various awards for storytelling and travels the world sharing his stories.
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Vintage VWs showcased The Oil Drippers VW Car Club hosted the Third Annual VW Border Jam on Saturday, August 17 at Brown Hyundai on Jacaman Road. VWs of every stripe and vintage were showcased by their owners for competition in several categories.
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Teaching teens about road safety Texas Municipal Court (Austin) representative Gary Parker, Lupita Zepeda, officer Laura Montemayor, officer Ruben Gutierrez, Connie Chavarria, and officer Rick Martinez were among speakers at Judge Rosie Cuellar’s distracted teen driving course on Friday, August 16 at the Laredo Municipal Court.
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Habitat’s latest project Habitat for Humanity board members Gloria Perez, Maru Martinez of Briggs Equipment, Elsa Palacios, veteran JosÊ Gutierrez Jr., Diana Rodriguez, and Joe Escobedo (back) are photographed August 24. Gutierrez was selected for an exterior home preservation initiative aimed to raise the pride and esteem of struggling homeowners.
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Parker and Lorie Neel enjoyed a Friday night out on August 23 at the South Texas Food Bank’s Empty Bowls auction and concert at the Laredo Energy Arena. This marked the eighth year of the benefit that featured over 100 art pieces.
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At the STFB’s Empty Bowls benefit
Brunch and shopping Tanya San Miguel of P.T.L. Jewelry and Robert Jacaman Jr. of DragonFire, LTD were some of the vendors at Caffé Dolce’s August 24 brunch and bazaar.
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TAMIU students share summer internship experiences
First annual LPD basketball camp
Judith Rayo shared her experience with fellow classmates at Texas A&M International University about her summer internship at Univsion News. She was among a handful of communication students who conducted their mandatory internships this summer at local media outlets.
The Laredo Police Department hosted its first ever L.P.D. basketball camp for kids’ on Saturday, August 10 at the Haynes Recreation Center. Officer Jose. E Ceballos spearheaded the free camp open to children ages five to 11 years old.
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Commentary
By XENIA MARTINEZ LareDOS Staff “Wow, be careful, and look forward!” That is all I’ve heard for the past few weeks. “Be careful, slow down, or turn the wheel.” I guess it’s all part of the grind when learning how to drive. Yes ― I am 17 and just now learning to drive. Surprising? Don’t worry; I have a Facebook, Twitter, and Skype account so I’m not totally out of the loop. I have been trying to become proficient at something that is totally foreign to me —operating a motor vehicle. The driver’s ed book, the class, the actual driving — I have one word for all of this — overwhelming. Don’t get me started on all the laws. Who knew you could get a ticket for having two driver’s licenses? English, pre- calculus, physics, and dual enrollment college courses — I passed them all with A’s, but driving? I’ve never had so many C’s on a report card in my life. I think I just broke my own record with three C’s on my first three days of actual driving. As if the bad grades weren’t terrify-
ing enough, encountering distracted drivers on the road was not comforting at all. On my third day driving, a woman behind me in a truck kept looking at the girl in the passenger seat while driving. She kept inching toward me, drastically reducing the space she was leaving between vehicles. As I looked at her in my rearview mirror, I could almost imagine the conversation straight out of my novela Corazon Indomable. “No, mi hijita, Maricruz already has a boyfriend. She is going to forget about Octavio. I know they love each other, but I think that they will never be together again.” I’m not sure if I should be worried about encountering more drivers like this or my own easily distracted nature. I think I discovered the power of prayer that day. “God, I don’t want to die not knowing if Octavio and Maricruz will get married,” I implored. I think the real prayer should have been: “I don’t want to die at all, but I am alive. That’s what counts.” The next day, well, let’s just say that I made it, so wish me luck as I continue this rite of passage, keep a car length between us, and don’t call the police on me just yet.
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Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
License to drive, please
Giving back to the community Briggs Equipment sponsored Habitat for Humanity’s A Brush with Kindness event on Saturday, August 24. Representatives of Briggs assisted in the exterior restoration of the home of 94-year-old World War II veteran José Gutierrez Jr.
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Courtesy Photo
Jackie O' Hern's 9th Birthday Party, September 15, 1940, the Big O Ranch Pictured are W. J. Sames Jr., Mike Brennan, Alfonso Chapa, Kyle Erwin, David Kuntz, Jim Erwin, Locke Purnell, Ed Leyendecker, Howard Cary, Charles Fansler, B.B. Leyendecker, Windy Elliot, Jack O'Hern, Jim Pierce, Jack Sayay, E. García, Jack Crane, Randal Minter, Andres (?), Jesus Cantu, George B. Neel, Horace Hall, Lislon Leyendecker, George Loose, Jim Willis, Donald Irwin, Eito Hill, D. Lane, Ed Richter, Jack Halsell, L. Decammaits, Bub Sayay, Lyon Williams, Jim O’Hern, Frankie Leyendecker, Justo Leyendecker, George Hachar, Pat Moore, Joc Sera.., Hal Wallace, Beto Mata, Bill Duck Powell, Ed Wright,Jimmie Williamson, Chas. Reid, B. Zachary, Larry Puig, Poncho Willis, and George Sanchez.
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LareDOS I AUGUST 2 0 1 3 I 4 3
News
LMC diesel spill makes it into Zacate Creek channel
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az Mat officers of the Laredo Fire Department (LFD) and investigators of the City’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) were called to handle a spill of commercial diesel originating from a generator on the roof of a mechanical building on the northeast side of the Laredo Medical Center (LMC) campus. The fuel made its way through two overspill pipes that run out of the engine room/mechanical building through a wall and onto the roof where a storm water drain connects to an inlet box on the curb of the parking lot in front of that building. In an investigation headed by Ivan Santoyo of the City’s ESD, LMC’s director of facilities David Clemons told Santoyo that the spill was “hosed down the drain with an unknown amount of water and detergent” — an unfortunate attempt at remediation, according to Santoyo, because it moved the now larger contaminated wastewater spill from the hospital’s storm water inlet box connected to the LMC inline detention ponds that eventually discharge into the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) channel outfall. The spill moved through a conveyance pipe under the intersection of Meadow and Bustamante streets and made it down the Zacate Creek channel and across McPherson Road before stopping at an earthen berm in the channel in proximity to the Maryland Street crossing. According to Santoyo’s report, the hospital facility has no mechanism to handle a diesel spill, a flaw that has been part of the building since the
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hospital was built in 1999 and has never been addressed. Santoyo questioned Clemons as to the possibility that other discharges had occurred in the past and whether other hospital personnel had knowledge of previous spills. After visiting with Santoyo, who issued a citation for the spill, Clemons placed temporary open pool containers under each of the exposed overfill pipes. The ESD has requested a plan of action from the hospital to ensure a permanent correction against future toxic spills. Laredoan Jorge Lopez first reported the spill in a 3-1-1 call on Friday, July 26. Noticing that no action had been taken, Lopez’s brother Leo Lopez, called the Laredo Fire Department on July 29. Leo Lopez said a strong odor accompanied the thick red substance flowing through the hospital’s canal on hospital property. He said the substance had pooled where weeds in the cracks in the canal had slowed it down. “It looked like an emulsion of oil and water,” he observed. Assistant ESD director John Porter observed that the fumes given off by the spill were significantly strong. Laredo Fire Department (LFD) personnel were the first responders to the spill. Determining that most of the diesel was contained to a detention pond on the hospital grounds, LFD crews restricted the pond’s overflow with absorbent booms to form a dike around its perimeter. LFD haz mat officers applied a micro-glaze oil of diesel-eating bacteria over leftover contaminated water, which, with the help of sunlight, will further break down the diesel into less harmful compounds. After documenting the spill, the fire department turned the matter over to ESD, which in turn made sure that MOVAC equipment vacuumed the contaminated water from the
hospital’s two connected detention ponds. A Municipal Court judge will assess LMC a fine between $500 and $2,000 and will take into consideration how well the hospital remediated the situation. According to ESD assistant director John Porter, it is possible that the MOVAC cleanup paid for by Laredo Medical Center will exceed the cost of the fine. In addition to the fine, LMC will be required to provide a solution so the problem won’t happen again. Polychlorinated phenols in the diesel, according to Santoyo, are known to be carcinogenic and accumulate in fish swimming in the Río Grande. Even the chemical detergents used to clean up the spill are considered to be pollutants. These detergents are rich
in nitrates and phosphates that cause eutrophication in the water, a condition in which the water is so rich in nutrient and organic compounds that it promotes algae growth. With more algae there is less oxygen, suffocating any other life in the water. Santoyo said it was fortunate that the contaminated diesel/detergent/ water mix didn’t make it past the berm in the channel of Zacate Creek at Maryland Street and into the Río Grande. A rain event could have caused the storm channel to overflow and push the diesel more rapidly into Zacate Creek and on to the river. ESD continues to follow the situation closely, and to make sure that LMC takes full responsibility in the remediation of the spill.
Courtesy Photo
By XAVIER ROTNOFSKY and MARIA EUGENIA GUERRA LareDOS Staff
Fr. Silos marks a milestone Parochial vicar Fr. Gerardo Silos of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Zapata celebrated his sixth-year anniversary in the priesthood with visiting priests Fr. Luis Mares Muñoz, also of Our Lady of Lourdes, and Fr. Fidel E. Gonzalez, parochial vicar of Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church in South Laredo.
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Feature
The night I met the fabled Carol Doda By LEM LONDOS RAILSBACK LareDOS Contributor
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travelled to San Francisco about four decades ago to get married. She travelled from Spain and met me there, and we had a wonderful time. However, she did not like my blood red tie that I had purchased in Hong Kong, so we never got married. That tie still hangs in my living room in a position of honor. It always stimulates visitors to ask questions, and I explain that that is my “Freedom Tie.” If she had liked my tie, I would still be married. Since she didn’t, I have been free for the last four decades. Three years ago or so, I participated in a national conference in San Francisco. Two blocks behind our hotel was a wonderful book store with lots and lots of ancient volumes. Across the street was a former train depot that had been transformed into a café that served wonderful food. During that trip, I noticed that the Fisherman’s Wharf had changed considerably. In the old days, I could stand on the Wharf directly in front of the old Alioto’s fish stand and look back toward the steep streets at the old Buena Vista Café, which had withstood the 1906 earthquake. I could also view from that vantage point the old Wax Museum and the famous Ghirardelli Chocolate store. On this second trip, I could not help but notice a multi-floored commercial mall situated on the edge of the Wharf. That new mall blocked the view. I knew that the café was still operating because I had just walked by it a few moments before. Someone else now owned the chocolate factory, and I just could not find the museum. I didn’t know if it was still operating or if it had closed. Even Alioto’s fish market had transformed into a fancy restaurant. And there was a submarine parked alongside the Wharf, along with an-
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Carol Doda other surface ship. From time to time, a “Duck” vehicle went by taking tourists to swim in the bay or travel on land around the sharp corners and steep streets. The Wharf had changed. Last month I visited the historic, majestic, beautiful, bustling, sprawling City of San Francisco, and during my weeklong visit, I stayed at Fort Mason. From my seat at breakfast every morning I could look out the window to the left to view the Golden Gate Bridge, and from another window to my right I could view Alcatraz. Through another window I could view a pre-Civil War cannon on the grounds of the Fort. If I left by the front door and walked around the giant building to the right and continued for about 10 minutes, I would arrive at Fisherman’s Wharf. By walking all around downtown and traveling on a double-decker tour bus, I got all around the main neighborhoods of the great city. We travelled by Robin Williams’s home in the $5 million/ house section. And our tour included the Haight Ashbury district where Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and the Jefferson Airplane band used to live. On one afternoon, I visited Alcatraz and learned a great lot of history that seriously conflicted with much of the
movie lore that I had devoured in my youth. My friend Mark, who is one of the city’s many artists, picked me up at the Fort to visit North Beach and some of the old Beat hangouts of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and Ken Kesey. We visited the Vesuvio. Mark and I had dark, strong coffee while he talked with the owner and several of the oldtimers. Mark pointed out to me the Cool Lights Bookstore just across the street and to a street sign that read “Jack Kerouac Alley.” The massive bookstore covered about half the block and had a basement. Both floors were filled with thousands of books. I was really surprised when Mark told me that Lawrence Ferlinghetti owned the bookstore. I was amazed that Ferlinghetti was even still alive. We visited the Caffe Trieste where Ferlinghetti, Ginsberg, Kerouac, and other beats used to hangout. Their photos lined one of the walls. Mark talked with Tony, an older man with long, white hair and a beret. A young man was reading a manuscript and writing notes in his big notebook. Two other customers were arguing over a book: one of the men was holding up a page for the other to read and explaining loudly his own interpretation of the text. Another patron in the corner was quietly readying his own book and staying away from any conversation. The owner brought over the coffee, spoke with Mark on “What’s happening?” and then went leisurely back to his stool behind the bar. I could
easily imagine that the business, the reading, the note-taking, and the arguing that I had just witnessed had been a heavily established custom during and since the time of Kerouac and Ginsberg Mark and I walked out and over to The Saloon, another hang-out for the old beats. At a fourth bar, Mark said, “There she is!” and pointed to a pretty, welldressed female with long, flowing white hair at the bar; she was talking with a female friend. I walked over, politely interrupted the conversation, and introduced myself with, “Ms. Doda, I am Lem Londos Railsback from Laredo, Texas.” Carol Doda was gracious, kind, cheerful, and friendly. She appeared to be genuinely interested in who I was, where I was from, and what in the world I was doing in North Beach. I enjoyed speaking with her for a few minutes very, very much. After all, she was/is an icon of the North Beach! At the efficient and fast In-and-Out fast food place, Mark had a sandwich and thin, crisp French fries and a milkshake while I had a milkshake. We recounted Carol’s go-go dancing career at the old Condor Club in the mid-1960’s, her famous photographs on North Beach, the later opening of her own club on North Beach, and her great fame as a major feature of the City of San Francisco. When I had walked by the Condor Club downtown earlier on the day before, I had asked a nearby taxi driver if that was the same club that Carol Doda had danced in. He had said that it was and that “This city owes so much to that great lady!” After the milkshakes and meal, Mark dropped me back at the Fort and went home. As I went to bed that night, I had trouble going to sleep. After all, I had just met one of the great icons of my youth.
LareDOS I AUGUST 2 0 1 3 I 4 5
The Mystery Customer
Cinemark Mall del Norte The MC, who is working mightily to get to heaven, took the grandkids and their friends to see Monsters University, and in the process lost her small, fits-inyour-palm wallet. Se dio cuenta long after the screening was over and the theater had been swept clean. The theater’s manager and cleaning crew scoured the row of seats where the MC’s party had been seated and found nothing. The manager and a crew member wearing rubber gloves emptied the trash from that theater into a larger bin, combed through the refuse, and found the lost wallet. The MC thanked them profusely for their above and beyond effort and for saving her the trouble of having to cancel credit cards and getting a new drivers license. J.R. Martinez Zapata Hwy. These fellows did a great job putting a new set of tires on the MC’s SUV. The work was ready as promised. Walgreen's 7610 McPherson Road The rise to great service was quick, polite, time-saving, considerate of customers, spectacular like something out of a customer service training movie. A line thick with customers was quickly diminished when a clerk opened another register, and then yet another clerk said, "I can take you over here at cosmetics." For those of us inured to the long lines at HEB, the display of customer service was almost shocking, and we said so to the kind woman, a Chicago native, who checked us out quickly. Ancira Volkswagen of Laredo 3720 E. Saunders The MC ended up at the recently opened Ancira Volkswagen dealership after hours of a seemingly hopeless search for a new vehicle. Management
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Cinemark MDN staff, management relentless in lost wallet search; service, good deal at Ancira VW earn the MC's respect at the dealership across the roadway from Ancira was completely unwilling to work with the MC’s needs, so it was good to experience Ancira’s very accommodating customer service. The MC was immediately greeted at the door and provided with all the necessary information to make a decision. Ancira staff was well-informed of their products and features, and a great, affordable deal was struck by the MC, a first-time car buyer. LFD Home furnishings 1319 Lincoln St. The MC was looking to furnish his new home and made a stop at LFD. With a plentiful selection and good summer prices, the MC found just what he was looking for. The delivery of the furniture was prompt, and the MC was satisfied with his purchase. Texas Community Bank 6721 McPherson You won't wait in long drive-through lines at this bank, Enough staffing and competent staffing make banking at this facility an easy, pleasant proposition. IBC 7909 McPherson It's an unfortunate given. Your drivethrough transaction will kill your precious time. At 12:30, Saturday, August 10, one person staffed the drive-through while cars piled up. Staff came in and out of the area where the one teller tried to keep up, but none assisted, and one employee in particular had extensive chats with the sole teller while the service lines grew and for more than 12 minutes none of the four cars already in the cue were serviced. Laredo Pizza Factory 9652 McPherson Rd LPF just keeps getting better and better! The establishment recently added pasta to their regular menu, which includes a wide variety of pizza and subs.
The MC enjoyed the chicken, artichoke, and spinach pasta and the cordial service. Oishii International Grill 5517 McPherson Rd From the Southwest salmon salad, to the pecan-crusted tilapia and the garlic butter rainbow trout, there is absolutely nothing on this menu that isn’t fantastic! The MC has frequented the restaurant since it’s grand opening in June and has never once been disappointed. The elegant interior design, well-prepared dishes at affordable prices, and iPad menus, make for a pleasant dining experience. The MC recommends checking out the establishment’s lunch specials. It’s a good place for a business lunch.
Los Pasteles Bakery Zapata, Texas The best conchas and cuernitos in the universe, according to some discerning MC grandchildren. The service is always good there and it’s a good place to catch your breath while you are on ranch mandados. Bolillo’s 6950 McPherson The MC has in the past experienced indifferent customer service at this restaurant. A recent visit, however, turned that idea upside down. The MC enjoyed attentive service, the pot of fresh coffee brewed just for her, and being able to buy a cake for a short notice event the next day.
Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
BY THE mystery Customer
LLC recognizes Cuellar for HUD grant Laredo Little Theater board member A.B. Barrera recognized Congressman Henry Cuellar at the August 14 announcement for the completion of the Theater's $200,000 renovation through a HUD Economic Development Initiatve. WWW.L A R E DOSN EWS.COM
Commentary
Remembering our earliest Texas ancestors By JOSÉ ANTONIO LÓPEZ LareDOS Contributor
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he rewarding response to my recent articles and presentations continues to open up a renewed desire in many to learn more about early Texas history. Some readers were surprised to learn that those of us who originate in South Texas (Villas del Norte) did not become Tejanas and Tejanos (Texans) until 1848. That is simply because the southern border of Texas was the Nueces River and not the Río Grande. It was not until then that the U.S. forcefully moved the Texas southern border to the Río Grande and also took over half of Mexico’s sovereign land. It is this aggressive land grab by the U.S. that makes its Berlin Wall-type immigration fence on the southern border offensive for two reasons: (l) they’re building it in the middle of Old Mexico, and (2) they are splitting the Native American Tohono O’odham Nation’s homeland in two. It is in regard to the second point above that I’m asked about the earliest residents of Texas, our Native American brethren. It is with them in mind that I offer the following: By the time Spanish Mexican pioneers began arriving in the early 1700s, several indigenous groups had lived here for thousands of years. First Americans crossed the ancient Asia-America land bridge (Beringia) between 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. It’s estimated that hundreds of groups existed across America. Dozens of them called Texas home, each with its own language and culture. In the earliest recording of Texas history, indigenous people are mentioned at least three times – in 1528-36, 1554, and 1629. The following is a brief summary of each of these accounts. As a result of a 1528 shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico, Cabeza de Vaca and
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three shipmates washed ashore onto the upper Texas coast. They began an eightyear adventure from 1528 to 1536) as they walked across Central and South Texas. At times, they were held as slaves and brutally treated. At other times, they were allowed to wander on their own, as when they established reputations as healing shamans. Cabeza de Vaca is considered the first doctor in Texas. De Vaca writes about living among various tribes — the Capoques, Hans, Caddo, Karankawa, Charrucos, and Quevenes to name a few. De Vaca identified nearly 20 different groups in the small coastal area between the Guadalupe River and Río Grande alone. Of interest to folks in South Texas, Cabeza de Vaca crossed the Río Grande through present-day Zapata County. Observing that some of the tribes lived with long-term animosity toward each other, de Vaca became useful. He volunteered to mediate in disputes between warring clans. He also excelled as a trader of goods, thus becoming the first European-descent merchant in Texas. Once he was rescued in 1536, de Vaca wrote about his ordeal in his Relación in a most objective manner. In his famous report, he was not bitter and described Texas natives as fellow human beings. As a result, Cabeza de Vaca is recognized as the first advocate for Native American human rights. The second time indigenous people are described in Texas occurs in 1554. A four-ship flotilla loaded with families sailed from Veracruz bound for Cuba and Spain. A violent storm rammed three of the ships onto the Texas coast near the north end of Padre Island. Close to 200 survivors began walking the shoreline back to Veracruz. Sadly, hostile natives picked off the tired, frightened stragglers one by one. All perished, except Brother Marcos de
Mena, a lay priest, who had been left for dead. He recovered, walked back to safety and told the sad story. Upon hearing of the savage attack, the Spanish authorities sent soldiers to punish the natives. However, the terrain was still so menacing that the Spanish accomplished little success. The poignant story of the shipwreck survivors is yet another inspiring Spanish-Mexican rendering of bravery, determination, and endurance that is not mentioned in mainstream Texas history books. The third time we hear about native people in pre-Spanish Texas happens in 1629. In that year, the Isleta, New Mexico Convent Abbot was stunned! A group of Jumano Indians from Texas had arrived unexpectedly after walking many miles. They asked for a mission to be built in their village. When the priests
asked why, the Indians replied that “The Lady in Blue” had sent them. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Spain, Sister María de Jesús de Agreda, reported to her religious superiors that she had often visited the indigenous people of Texas and New Mexico to pray with them. What makes the story so intriguing is that María never left her convent in Spain. From all indications, she put herself in a deep trance while in prayer and her spirit left her body and traveled many miles to America. The Native Americans welcomed her apparition as a miraculous sign and tell of a legend that Bluebonnets began appearing in Texas when the Lady in Blue last appeared. The question remains. What hapContinued on page 49
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Feature
Hasta la vista, Laredo! by DENISE FERGUSON LareDOS Contributor
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ittle did I know when I danced the Mexican Hat Dance in a Pawtucket, Rhode Island gym class or attended colorful world fiestas at the local baseball stadium that I would someday be twirling around a gym on the Mexican border executing Zumba moves led by authentic Mexican dancers. Likewise, who knew that I would be reminiscing about Xavier Cugat movie musicals I once saw with my parents while attending folklorico presentations at TAMIU or LCC? It’s as though my life has completed a full circle. Music and/or dance are so vital to the emotional health of all of us. As a child, I so much wanted to be a part of something in which one could dance with abandon. Living in Laredo provided me that indulgence. So much about coming to Laredo was about expanding my personal horizons. It seemed predestined that I was never to fly, an edict perhaps handed down by my grandfather, a Belfast native who arrived to this country by boat. The corollary to that was that I was never to leave the contiguous continent. It is possible to think in that smaller context on the east coast because ground travel is easily available by rail. With careful planning you can go all over the country and continent by train. But when my grandchild moved to Laredo, there was no expeditious alternative but to fly. My heart was thumping so hard that first time. Overcoming that fear took me on a trip to the Grand Canyon, gave me the courage to fly to California to visit my cousin, and eventually to fly to Vienna! Who knew? None of this is to say I never had cause to experience some letdowns
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I always admired the ease with which Denise Ferguson could pick up and move forward, and I admired her son and his family for making sure she was with them. And lastly, but on a par with the aforementioned, I admired that she undertook so wholeheartedly the daunting task of trying to experience this culture, this frontera, this place that can sometimes be unwelcoming to outsiders. She did a great job, and with much grace and curiosity. Her grandson is fortunate to have her so vital a part of his life. Denise Ferguson has pluck, and that is a good thing. — Maria Eugenia Guerra
in Laredo. After having spent years in school and college learning to read and write French and Spanish, I thought I would eventually have the opportunity to speak a second language. The citizens of Laredo may be 95% Hispanic, but most of them are bilingual, and the ones who aren’t bilingual used sign language more quickly than I could conjure the correct Spanish words to express myself. It was told to me that the Mexican people have the ultimate work ethic. In reality, the work ethic in Laredo is more or less the same as everywhere else. Some customer service representatives here are not satisfied until the customer is beyond delighted; some couldn’t care less. A while back, a young lady made some ill-advised comments about Laredo and its citizenry on YouTube. She railed about Mexican men in particular, using the word “disgusting” to talk about them. I reflected on my past interactions with Rhode Island men, remembering being a member of a Cumberland, RI Boy Scout parent council where a respectable grandparent kept poking my foot. At another meeting, a Boy
Scout leader kept bumping my knee. Not to be outdone, my male pastor couldn’t keep his hand off the knee of the lady sitting next to him during a Bible class. I found the behavior of Rhode Island Boy Scout leaders and Bible punchers far more offensive than that of the many gallant, chivalrous, and respectful men we met in Laredo. Laredo is a city of small kindnesses and some big ones. When I was careless, someone delivered my mailbox keys to my door before I realized they were missing. A local housewife climbed a ladder onto her own roof to rescue her height-challenged male neighbor’s cat. Once when I fell off my bike, a jogger stopped to pull the bike off of me, pull me off the sidewalk, and check that I was functional. I have been constantly summoned by fellow transients to point out that I left my car windows opened or the doors unlocked. Here culture is everywhere for those who take the time and have the disposition to look. When my cousins came here to visit, they were enthralled with the history provided by the city in the downtown historic
district and Fort McIntosh. I think we agreed that San Agustín Church was the most beautiful church we had ever visited. And my own church, Christ Church Episcopal, exposed members and visitors to the wonderful organist skills of Dr. Ray Keck and piano of Dr. Fritz Gechter. Rev. Frey isn’t bad at his craft either. I took community courses at LCC’s picturesque Fort McIntosh campus and attended many lectures or public seminars and exhibitions at Texas A&M International University. They offered Aqua Zumba, too! On many occasions I enjoyed the simple opportunity to soak in the quiet, natural beauty of the TAMIU campus or the wide open spaces of North Central Park. I am heading to Central Florida where I expect to see plenty of flowers in bloom most of the year. But here in Laredo to see a lovely bluebell poking itself out of the desert sand is a natural wonder! A cluster of sunflowers blossoming in what looks like a giant mud puddle is miraculous. And to look up and see the bright blue sky all around gives me a sense of freedom. I will always remember Laredo personalities such as Gabriel Castillo, whose Sunday column I religiously read to learn a new lesson in human relations. Likewise, I will miss Heatwave’s carefully crafted weather forecasts. And Meg Guerra of LareDOS, working hard to whip the leaders of the community into shape — she has her hands full. I couldn’t begin to enumerate the people who have been an inspiration to me, since most do their good works quietly. I have submitted stories about many of them on these pages in past years. Indeed, the people of Laredo have touched my heart and broadened my view of the world. Vayan con Dios!
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Maverick Ranch Notes
By bebe & sissy fenstermaker
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Living with triple digit heat; enjoying the personal letters of Sam Houston
exas is pushing a water desalination program but little else to protect its water. An oil and gas boom is on, and thousands are moving each week into the State. Why do we not have a heat storage program? As it repeatedly hits 100 degrees here, I wish I had a way to store this heat for use in January. The Texas government has done so many ‘wonderful’ things with our natural resources, what’s holding up this one? Recently our local historic roads association was highly shocked but amused by a man who blew past our information table at Leon Springs Night saying he had just moved here from Boston, and he didn’t think we had any history that could hold a candle to theirs. He won’t be adding much to the picture here. This summer’s reading was The Personal Correspondence of Sam Houston, Vols. 1-4, edited by Madge Thornall Roberts. These were a wonderful birthday present to Sissy and me. The letters run from about 1840 to 1863 and are the family correspondence between Houston and his wife, Margaret Moffett Lea Houston, with a few letters between Houston and his oldest children. The letters offer a portrait in his own words of the hero of San Jacinto as he married, served a second time as President of the Republic of Texas, and then spent 13 years in the United State Senate. Texas began its statehood in 1845 with two of the finest senators it has ever had, Houston and Thomas Jefferson Rusk. These two braved month-long journeys each way to Washington, D.C. in icy Novembers and Decembers, and then returned home on scorching trips in summertime. They traveled by horse or mule, buggy, stagecoach, riverboat and, as the 1850s proceeded, ‘the cars’ (trains).
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Roads were horrible and rivers rose. Sometimes Houston took a lower route through Alabama, visiting Margaret’s relatives on his way, but more often he traveled the Mississippi to Tennessee, visiting his brother and friends in that state before going on to the Capital. In his advanced years it took a pioneer’s stamina to endure these journeys and the massive work of the Senate. His daily schedule was hard work until retiring at 1 a.m. every night. He never went to plays, balls, or dinners other than a required levee at the White House. This had been his promise to Margaret. He was a Son of Temperance and gave speeches on temperance in several states while in the Senate. His letters to Margaret are endless love letters and he wrote her nearly every day. She refused to accompany him to his political jobs because she did not wish to be a part of politics. She was as strong in her way as he in his and stayed home with their eight children while he pined for her company. Certainly Houston’s life before coming to Texas was a wild ride, but once in Texas he found his place. His gift of assessing people and situations created a natural general, but often made him enemies. He courageously never shied from calling a rat a rat. He despised pomposity in public servants. He took an early stand against secession as the Civil War crept closer, supporting the United States (‘the Union’) and its Constitution in Senate debates and at home. His steadfast refusal to take the Confederate Oath in Texas cost him dearly, but he saw that nearsighted fanatics on both sides were intent to push their personal opinions and thus an awful war. He refused to go along while so many others gave in. — Bebe Fenstermaker
Continued FROM page 47 pened to the original Texas residents? The short answer is that they (we) are still here. The reason is that as more Spanish Mexican pioneers moved into Texas, the nomadic lifestyle of the individual clans slowed significantly. For example, many found work in pueblos. Weaker tribes threatened by stronger ones found refuge in Catholic missions where they became the first cowboys and cowgirls. So, natural absorption into the Spanish culture through marriage was inevitable. Some chose their independent lifestyle. However, after Texas joined the union, the U.S. introduced the reservation system. Hence, the U.S. Army hunted down the last remaining independent tribes, conducting constant raids in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and throughout the west and Northwest Territories. The intentional, brutal dislodgment by the U.S. of innocent Native American families from their homes to virtual prison life on reservations gives the world one of the worst examples of man’s inhumanity to man. Regarding Native American-Spanish relationships in the Southwest, what was first an intense culture clash soon turned into a crucible where a new Mestizo race was formed, claiming both brown (American) and white (Spanish) genealogies. True to the spontaneity of DNA in each individual, some descendants look white European in every
respect, while at the same time, their blood-related relatives have brown Native American features, whose natural beach tan-like skin ties them unequivocally to America. In truth, the blending continues; pointing directly to José Vasconcelos’ theory of the birth of a new race of “gente de bronce,” more specifically, “La Raza Cósmica,” or simply “La Raza.” Finally, if you’re a citizen of Mexican-descent, the next time someone asks you what happened to the original Texas and Southwest people, tell them we are still here, over 30 million strong in the U.S. alone and growing. We are the end-product of the solid fusion of Spanish and First American bloodlines beginning in the early 1500s. Likewise, when loony loud-mouth extremists whine that they “want their country back,” tell them that America was never theirs in the first place. (José Antonio (Joe) López was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and is a USAF Veteran. He now lives in Universal City, Texas. He is the author of three books: The Last Knight (Don Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara Uribe, A Texas Hero), Nights of Wailing, Days of Pain (Life in 1920s South Texas, and The First Texas Independence, 1813. Lopez is also the founder of the Tejano Learning Center, LLC, and www.tejanosunidos. org, a Web site dedicated to Spanish Mexican people and events in U.S. history that are mostly overlooked in mainstream history books.)
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Seguro Que Si 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
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A sign of the times?
his year’s justice Super Bowl that featured players George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin will go down in history as a record-setting media performance to further emphasize an aura of racism that intensely polarized white and black people. The unique jury of six women added to the lust for sensationalism of the written and visually transmitted distributors of social havoc. Televised courtroom proceedings are turning into something akin to sporting events and should not, in my opinion, be permitted, because the only result derived is to titillate peeping Toms who have nothing constructive to do. I continue to believe that the disdain for integrity of newspaper and television reports serve to hurt as-
pects of our opportunity to attract established companies and entrepreneurs to establish a business liaison that will eventually develop jobs here. The Laredo Morning Times continues to emphasize Mexican cartel problems that local reporters suspect are prevalent in Laredo and human atrocities that occur in our sister city of Nuevo Laredo. The continued exaggerated emphasis on negativity is bad news for both sides of this immediate TexasMexico Border. My beautiful wife and I were impressed by the following vignette that is special and want to share with you. Dance as if no one were watching Sing as if no one were listening Live everyday as if it were your last Enjoy life, it’s worth living.
Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
By Henri Kahn
STFB’s Empty Bowls The South Texas Food Bank’s Eighth Annual Empty Bowls concert and auction took place on Friday, August 23 at the Laredo Energy Arena. Sponsors this year included Arturo N. Benavides Jr., the A.R. Tony and Maria Sanchez Family Foundation, Tano Tijerina, ANB Cattle Company, C.Y. Benavides, and the AETNA Foundation.
www.laredosnews.com
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Letter from the Village
The first-ever Crackington Wall of Cheese By Ida Swearingen LareDOS Contributor
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reetings all. We are having the first hot, dry summer since 2006 and everyone is out making the most of it. Bodies that have not seen sunlight in years are showing up at the beach in two-piece bathing suits, everyone is out grilling like crazy and this year we held the first, annual Crackington Wall of Cheese. When they told me they were going to lay out cheese sculptures on the bridge wall on the road over the stream at the beach, I thought it was madness. Every sea gull within 10 miles would show up and rats from all over the county would pack up their babies to attend. But I was so wrong. Instead, we had magnificent creations made of cheese along with wine, lager, biscuits, and assorted goodies. It was all to benefit the MacMillan Nurses,
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who are cancer nurses who do home visitation. Many of you have told me how much you would like to live in a village. Therefore, I relate the following story of what life in a village is really like. It is the time for the annual St. Gennys Horticultural Show, which is the major cultural event of the year. I was persuaded to enter two photos in the photographic section, so I read the entry requirements in the St. Gennys Gazette. They stated application forms would be available at the post office store. So up I went to get one only to be told they didn’t have any and never had and that I should ring Jen Cowling of Rosecare who was in charge of such things. Jen Cowling reported No, there weren’t any forms at the store. I protested, the Gazette said there would be. Yes she said, but there aren’t. So what I was to do was write all the information down and bring the photos over to her house
in Rosecare. And where is your house? I asked. Oh you’ll find it, she said, it’s right up the hill from Gill Ruddick. Here I must confess that I do know who Gill Ruddick is, but I don’t know where she lives; however, I drove to Rosecare, found a house at the bottom of a hill. Unfortunately all of Rosecare is above Gill Ruddick’s house, so I called in to several of them before finding Jen Cowling, who was very happy to take my photos. So, if you are thinking of living in a village, folks, that’s what its like. BTW, I did get the photos entered. The Queen has signed the Gay Marriage bill so we can now say that even HRH likes us. We cannot, however, get married in the Church of England because, as we all know, it was founded by a man who wanted to divorce his wife to marry a younger woman and is, therefore, above such things. Ellen has sold her book The Di-
vorce Diet to a New York publisher, Kensington. and it will be appearing on bookshelves everywhere very soon. Unfortunately, the title may be changed because the publisher is afraid bookstores will shelve it with the diet books. My suggestion for an alternative title is The Divorce Diet: a novel you idiots. But we are over the moon. She has been working on this for almost 10 years. We are off to Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival early next month, and I’ll be sending you news and photos. Hope your summer is as lovely as ours. The English go to pieces if the temperature reaches 86°, which to some of you would feel like fine weather. I am having loads of fun laughing at them. So get out there and get yourselves some laughs, too. Late breaking news, a couple named William and Kate just had a baby they named George. Lots of fuss about the whole thing.
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By salo Otero Salo Otero is the director of marketing for the South Texas Food Bank. He can be reached at sotero@ southexasfoodbank.org or by calling 956-726-3120.
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arina Peña is only 4-feet, 10 inches tall and weighs all of 105 pounds. But the Cotulla High School sophomore, who celebrated her 15th birthday on May 1 with a quinceañera party in Laredo, stands much, much taller in the eyes of the South Texas Food Bank and the thousands of clients it serves monthly. Peña, daughter of Laredoan Annette Reyna Peña and Cotullan Tommy Peña, delivered $2,040 to STFB executive director Alfonso Casso’s office at 1907 Freight at Riverside. The cash is earmarked for the AdoptA-Family (AAF) program to help
South Texas Food Bank
Diminutive quinceañera stands tall with mission to feed the hungry feed the hungry. The money was collected when Karina urged those attending her milestone birthday bash to donate money to the food bank instead of bringing a gift. An all-A honor student, varsity cheerleader and all-around athlete involved in volleyball, track and field, and softball, Karina explained her contribution. “I thought of helping other people who need it more than I because I am so blessed. I want to make a difference.” Karina’s mom, a 1986 graduate of J.W. Nixon High School and a math teacher in Cotulla for 22 years, gleamed, “I am humbled, and also
very proud that Karina would think of others.” Ms. Peña and Karina’s dad met in Laredo, she said, “at the Learning Center,” while enrolled at Laredo State University, which is now Texas A&M International. Dad Peña just retired this year to take care of the family business after a 16-year teaching career. The Peña Family is very involved at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cotulla, helping pastor Rev. Francisco Stodola. Ironically, Rev. Stodola was a member of the STFB board in the 1990s when he was a pastor at Santa Margarita in Laredo.
Karina Peña, 15, presented funds to STFB executive director Alfonso Casso and marketing director Salo Otero. Guests at Karina’s quinceañera made donations to the foodbank instead of bringing gifts to the event.
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The Peña family’s Catholic roots are deep. Karina experienced her Teen ACTS retreat at Laredo’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church last summer. Her quinceañera Mass was at San Agustín Cathedral. Karina’s maternal grandparents, Celia and Amador Reyna, are active parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. STFB Director Casso praised Karina. “Her generosity and example to all — young and old – is to be admired. To have someone, especially a young person, do what Karina did is a huge blessing to our mission of feeding the hungry. We hope others follow her lead. I told Karina’s mother, she should be very proud. The world would be a better place if there were more young people like Karina,” he said. The money raised by Karina will adopt 20 STFB AAF families. AAF is a sponsorship program started seven years ago. An annual donation of $120 allows the food bank to deliver a box of groceries per month to a needy family. More than 400 families are receiving the supplemental food on adopt-a-family. The STFB is serving an average of 28,000 families per month via its other programs — Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP, mainly for elderly 60 and over); SNAP Outreach (formerly food stamps), 18 Kids’ Cafes, for armed service veterans and emergency walk-in bags. Via its tear pad program at the checkout counter in June and July, HEB collected $10,000 from its customers. HEB has been a mainstay since the STFB started in December of 1989. Also, organizers Joe Navarro and Beto Muñoz of the annual Joey Muñoz Memorial Run and Walk donated $650 to the STFB.
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María Eugenia Guerra/LareDOS
Maxima Montano/LareDOS
Sign of the times — Los Olvidados present TCEQ findings Ask me how LCC Math Instructor Anna María Mendiola shared some funny moments during a game called “Ask me how” designed to break the ice with incoming freshmen at the Focusing on Student Success Program (FOSS) Networking Luncheon Monday, August 5.
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Carlos Hernandez, a member of La Ladrillera's Los Olvidados, points to a recently re-installed "No Trucks" sign at the corner of Scott and San Ignacio. On August 6, members of the organization presented the media with new findings from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding nuisance conditions generated by the Wilkinson Iron and Metal recycling operation in their neighborhood.
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By dr. neo gutierrez
Dr. Neo Gutierrez is a Ph.D. in Dance and Fine Arts, Meritorious Award in Laredo Fine Arts recipient 2009 from Webb Co. Heritage Foundation, Laredo Sr. Int’l 2008, Laredo MHS Tiger Legend 2002, and Sr. Int’l de Beverly Hills, 1997. Contact neodance@aol.com.
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hat a surprise to discover that Los Angeles is the chapulin (grasshopper) capital of the U.S. They have become menu offerings in quite a few Mexican restaurants, according to Javier Cabral of The L.A. Weekly. Los Angeles is known as the home away from home of many Oaxacans because of the seasonal southern Mexico delicacy. They are available fresh only during the summer rainy months in Mexico’s alfalfa fields. The summer crop of grasshoppers are easiest to eat because of their consistently uniform small size, as well as their hook-shaped legs. If they are on the menu at times other than summer, you will be served leathery, sun-dried grasshoppers that are not as easy to chew. There are five restaurants in L.A. that offer chapulines, which provide a terrific protein fix. There is also a mescal cocktail made with chapulines, for beginners. “Just think of them as the missing link in the protein world, not as fatty as meats and seafood, and not as caloric as nuts. As for the flavor, imagine a savory raisin,” said Cabral. Email pal Ernesto Uribe of Falls Church, Virginia, sent back some eyeopening information of personal experience with chapulines. He wrote, “When my son Augie goes to Mexico, he goes to the mercado and eats crickets, ants, grasshoppers, worms, and any other kind of sixlegged critter they put in front of him. Chocolate-covered ants and ant eggs are also a great delicacy. When Augie invited me to Peru for a two-week trip to visit Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu, we went into a restaurant that specializes in guinea pig (aka cui in Quechua) and he ordered a whole rat for each one of us. They serve the roasted rats in
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Notes from La La Land
Lunch in L.A.: chapulines a dish with rosemary branches sticking out their butt, and their sharp little teeth showing in a frozen smile. They taste like roast chicken, except for the oozing slimy grease. “Would I order cui again? Not if I can get cabrito or a steak for the same price. Once in the Bolivian altiplano with my hunting partner, who was a retired Bolivian general, we ate an excellent llama (probably road kill) stew in an Aymara Indian village, with all the indigenous spices and local Andean potatoes that were not bad. It was a real delicacy for them.” Ernesto is a former career Foreign Service Officer who served full tours in Ecuador, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina as his final overseas posting. He began his career as a junior officer involved in student and academic affairs and worked his way up to Counselor for Public Affairs in his last four postings, where he was in charge of educational, cultural and media affairs. He accrued 30 years of experience as a specialist in International Communications and Diplomacy, directing media and educational and cultural activities as a representative of the U.S. government overseas. As a Latin American specialist he has extensive field experience in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Onto another kind of brilliance, that of Yasiel Puig, Cuba›s gift to American baseball. Puig arrived a few weeks ago to play with the L.A. Dodgers and has electrified the scene like no other player this season. Small wonder that the defector from Cuba, via Mexico, is guaranteed $42 million, and that was before he even set foot on American soil. A physical marvel, he is 22 years old, weighs 245 pounds. The following we learned from Bill
Plaschke’s July 9, 2013 story in The Los Angeles Times about the most important member of the Dodgers staff? It’s probably Tim Bravo, who officially watches over Yasiel 24 hours per day. Tim doesn’t wear a uniform, doesn’t have a contract, and is not allowed in the dugout during games. He is a 51-year-old schoolteacher who watches over Yasiel from his morning steak-and-eggs breakfast, to his midnight walks with his two bulldogs. Tim lives with Yasiel, and during games he watches him play from a tunnel next to the dugout. Tim watches so Yasiel doesn’t drive too fast in his brand new Rolls-Royce, party too hard, and knows how to use his credit card. Tim protects him from all the groupies around the unsettled Cuban refugee who lives as hard as he swings. Tim started as Yasiel’s English tutor, but has ended up being the star’s life tutor. Yasiel is always shouting out to him: “Teacher!” Indeed, Tim is in charge of protecting, harnessing, and teaching the most exciting new player in baseball, and has given up much of his own life to do so. A former special education teacher
at Las Cruces High School in New Mexico, he has six children and six grandchildren. While on duty with Yasiel, Tim sleeps in one of the three bedrooms in Yasiel’s downtown L.A. apartment. The day starts with Yasiel banging on his teacher’s door at mid-morning. They shop and run errands. An L.A. native, Tim has been with the Dodgers for six years as a part-time director of cultural assimilation. Since Yasiel was signed, the Dodgers asked him to drop everything to take care of Yasiel. Meanwhile, at the team store, Yasiel is also breaking records, with sales of Yasiel-related merchandise. From a Thursday to Sunday, the store sold more Yasiel goodies than any player over a four-day period, even more than Manny Ramirez and Fernando Valenzuela. Time to close shop for today, but not before making a major correction to my July column: Actress Carmen Salinas is the aunt, not the sister, of the Laredo mayor. And on that note, it›s time for--as Norma Adamos says--TAN TAN!
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Serving Sentences
By randy koch Randy Koch earned his MFA at the University of Wyoming and teaches writing at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
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’ve lost my religion when it comes to Major League baseball and its biggest frauds: Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Rodriguez, Peralta, Cruz, Braun, and a number of other players recently suspended for using performanceenhancing drugs. But I still believe in the game. Maybe it’s the rural homeliness of outfield and infield, pitcher’s mound, bullpen, and dugout. Maybe it’s the colorful vernacular —ducks on the pond, a clean-up hitter driving a frozen rope into the alley, a fielder robbing him with a shoestring catch, hitters choking up or getting sawed off, and subs riding the pine or emptying the bench for a rhubarb. Or maybe it’s just because baseball’s details hint at its sanctity, with its prophet-like pitchers looking for signs; its trinity of outs, strikes, and bases; and, looming beyond the ninth inning of a tie game, not a clock’s strict margins but the enticing possibility of eternity. Yes, I still believe in baseball, but for the past three months I’ve replaced those PED-inflated heathens with some true boys of summer — and of any other season. Almost five months ago I started reading Dean Young’s Bender: New and Selected Poems (Copper Canyon, 2012) and finally finished it this month, not because it’s a long, bad book but because these poems — all 160 of them — need to be read aloud. No baseball poems here but plenty that barrel willy-nilly through geese, brandy, John Keats, robots, exsanguination, Buddhists, and run-down kohlrabi, sometimes, it seems, all in the same poem. Young’s work is often feral and funny, chaotic in its calliope of sound effects and bent rhymes, poignant about love, about
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The Boys of Summer his own busted heart, and about faith as in these lines from “Casting Off”: When you’re a kid you want to believe in the crow who flew to heaven, in the woman bending over your bed, high in high heels, far away in galactic earrings. So for a while you try to get to heaven and who knows? This book is a big dose of Dean Young and might not be the place to start if you’re new to his work. Try one of his shorter earlier collections first, maybe elegy on toy piano or First Course in Turbulence. But Bender is a fine collection, worth all five months I spent reading it. However, I needed only five days to devour Reza Aslan’s Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (Random House, 2013), which the author discussed in an interview on NPR. I was intrigued because he examines but does not depend on the Gospels to uncover the historical Jesus. In fact, Aslan argues that when considered in the social, religious, and political context of the first century C.E., Jesus was nothing less than a revolutionary whose life and message were sanitized, mythologized, and canonized decades after his death by writers who did not know him and who often contradicted each other. I’m certainly no scholar of religions like Aslan and not particularly interested in reading a scholarly treatise on Jesus, which is precisely why Zealot hooked me. Aslan relates history as story, chapters often ending with cliffhangers and new chapters beginning with dramatic scenes leading to analysis of the relevant history. And he does the scholarly thing, too, providing 50+ pages of detailed notes and an extensive bibliography, which help distinguish matters of fact from matters of faith. Which is also one of George
Vlastos’s preoccupations in his unpublished 278-page manuscript Pin~Heads, which he mailed to me last March. I met George in 2007 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where we were both enrolled in the MFA program. There I read drafts of parts of his book about the pilgrimage he and his brother made through Greece and into the Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, Mount Athos. Back then I didn’t appreciate his conception of the whole book, but this spring when I opened the package, I found more than just a stack of typed pages and none of the self-righteous pontificating that might be expected in a book about religious pilgrims. George’s careful attention to the physical design of Pin~Heads — heavy-stock covers reminiscent of parchment, black rivet binding, a collage of images and text (including a recipe, a list of saints’ body parts, and lyrics from David Bowie’s “Suffragette City”) inside the front cover, a hand-drawn fold-out map on onionskin, and other sketches scattered throughout — all personalize the work and complement the fine writing, especially the physical descriptions and lively dialogue. He provides useful his-
torical and religious context for his experience with sections that recur under titles such as “Byzantium,” “Artifact,” “Orthodoxy,” and “Hesychasm,” and he thoughtfully and surprisingly contrasts monastic reverence with the touching, sometimes vulgar, often laugh-out-loud humanity of the other pilgrims, his brother, and himself. And in one day I flew through Darin Strauss’s memoir of guilt and redemption called Half a Life (Random House, 2011), which begins, “Half a life ago, I killed a girl”; I read Mark Doty’s The Art of Description: World into Word (Graywolf, 2010) with its memorable “Description’s Alphabet” comprising the last half of the book; and I reread Cormac McCarthy’s brutal No Country for Old Men (Vintage, 2005), which is shot through with vivid West Texas dialogue and Old Testament violence. No bush leaguers in this summer line-up. Nobody needing legal advice or asterisks or likely to confuse Biogenesis with Genesis. And no one who, during the seventh-inning stretch, makes me want to belt out REM’s “Losing Our Religion” instead of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
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LAPS
The parasitic tapeworm in your pets By RICHARD RENNER LAPS Board Secretary
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oes your dog or cat have fleas? If they do, then they are likely to have one or more tapeworms in their small intestine. Tapeworms ARE found in many different animals, including people. These worms are usually long, segmented, and ribbon-like with a tiny head that has hooks and suckers to attach to the inside of the small intestine. It produces new segments just behind the head so it can grow quite long. The mature segments are packed with fertile eggs. The terminal segments separate, break off, and are expelled in the animal’s feces. The segment will attach to the hairs or skin around the anus where it expands and contracts, causing the animal to lick itself. The segment will be picked up on the pet’s tongue and swallowed, releasing dozens of eggs that can hatch and re-infect the host animal. Pets usually acquire tapeworms by ingesting a flea that has fed on the eggs of tapeworm on the skin and hair around the anus. When the fleas are digested, the tapeworms are released and attach to the inside of the small intestine. Heavily infested pets may lose weight due to the worms stealing the nutrients from the animal. A person could also acquire parasitic worms from their pets. When you arrive home, your pet excitedly
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greets you, licks your hands, or gives doggie kisses to your face! Remember where its tongue has recently been cleaning? Regular visits to your pet’s veterinarian will help control both internal and external parasites that cause you and your pet misery! Your pet’s veterinarian can diagnose and treat your pet for the worms found during an office visit. Prevention of tapeworms starts with control of fleas on your pet, in your house and in the lawn of your house. If you are treating your pet for fleas and tapeworms, it is a good idea to also treat the property inside and outside your home. Thorough vacuuming of the house and all areas where the pet sleeps will be a good start. Application of pesticides that contain hormones that prevents fleas from developing and killing the adults is necessary. The veterinarian can treat the pet for any adult worms that may be present. Dogs or cats that are on hearwtorm preventative will have the added benefit of the medicine killing the tapeworms as well. Donations of money and medications such as Avandtix will assist the LAPS Animal Shelter keep the dogs and cats pest-free as well. If you have not visited the Animal Shelter at 2500 Gonzalez Street, please come by and look at the available pets. There are several secure areas where you can interact with the pet to see if the potential pet is suitable for your family. Come see the many positive changes in Laredo’s No-Kill Shelter that have occurred in the past year.
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Habitat for Humanity Knights Eduardo Cervantes, Mariana Cardona, Blanca Brosig, Karla Ramirez, Ileana Reyes, and Adrienne Madriaga were part of Habitat’s “A Brush with Kindness” initiative. They assisted with the exterior restoration of José Gutierrez Jr.’s home on San Enrique Street.
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Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
Mariela Rodriguez/LareDOS
Knights to the rescue
Fun for kids Sandy Lugo of Safari Kids Rehab is pictured with attendees at the Sixth Annual Community Health Fun Fest on Saturday, August 24 at the Laredo Civic Center. The event was sponsored by Gateway Community Health Center.
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Review
Breaking Bad: the amoral transformation of Walter White
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By JUAN MADERO LareDOS Staff
here is no question that over the last 10 years the drug cartel culture has become ingrained in the culture of the border, and while it has become a cause of sorrow, it has also captured our attention as a source of entertainment. The Colombian program El Patron del Mal even portrayed the drug dealer Pablo Escobar as a hero, and the show’s audience was pushed to sympathize with and support the character. This new genre of TV dramas, however, is not exclusive to the Hispanic community. In 2008, the American television giant AMC aired its own brand of drug culture programing in the form of Breaking Bad, which is produced by Sony Pictures Television. The drama created by Vince Gilligan tells the story of a stressed, extremely overqualified high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who is diagnosed with inoperable, stage III lung cancer. Walter is motivated by the desire to provide financial stability for his pregnant wife and disabled son, and to pay for his expensive cancer treatment. He knows that his death would mean condemning his family to life of debt, so Walter turns to a life of crime out of necessity. Walter decides to partner up with a former student named Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), who is an established member of the drug industry and a junkie himself, to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. Using his advanced knowledge of chemistry, Walter is able to make top quality crystal meth, which attracts both the interest and fear of the established members of the meth industry. Over the course of the series, the audience sees this innocent, moral man
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become a merciless drug lord. Gilligan’s goal in the series was to create the character of Walter White so that he would transform from the protagonist of the series to the antagonist. This method has a profound effect on the audience that views the series and
become increasingly monstrous. While viewers are accustomed to programs in which the main character remains consistent throughout the series, Breaking Bad’s audience is pushed to justify Walt’s actions in a challenge to the viewer’s sense of morality. This almost forces
is a way back for those who are already there. Breaking Bad has won numerous awards and nominations, including seven Primetime Emmy Awards, three Outstanding Drama Series nominations, and the Writers Guild of America Award for
is the secret to the series’ massive success. From the beginning, the viewer is pushed to support the character of Walt and view his involvement in crime as purely a sacrificial act of love towards his family. However, Breaking Bad illustrates how ambition, jealousy, and money can corrupt the very soul of even the most innocent of people. In the beginning of the series Walt is heavily troubled with even the prospect of killing even when his own safety is at risk, but by the end he kills carelessly and with little cause. Because this transformation takes place over the course of five seasons, the viewer is conflicted because the audience is taught to support the character of Walt, even as his actions
the viewers to gradually lose their own firm stance on morality, just as Walt does in the story, which is an experience as thrilling as it is frightening. On the other hand, Walter’s partner Jesse remains conflicted with guilt over the suffering that his ventures cause others throughout the series. Jesse is a dynamic character just as Walt is, but in a fundamentally different way. While Walt is consumed in his quest for greater power, Jesse grows in maturity, opting for more stability in his life. He becomes a much more morally conscious character and abandons his use of drugs. In short, Walter shows the lure and moral danger of exposure to money and power, while Jesse demonstrates that there
Television: Dramatic Series in both 2012 and 2013. For his execution of the controversial lead character Walter White, Bryan Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for three consecutive years in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Overall, the show has won a total of 46 industry awards and has been nominated for 150. On March 13, 2013, Sony declared that it would create a Spanish-language remake of Breaking Bad entitled Metastasis starring Diego Trujillo as Walter Blanco (Walter White) and Roberto Urbina as José Miguel Rosas (Jesse Pinkman). The series is available on Netflix, and the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad are currently premiering Sunday nights on AMC.
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News
Dr. Reynaldo Godines tells Rotary Club: LBJ had a heavy hand in Kennedy assassination By XAVIER ROTNOFSKY LareDOS Staff
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he Laredo Rotary Club hosts a weekly speaker series with guests who present ideas that reflect on the club’s Four Way Test on turth, goodwill, friendship, and beneficence. On July 31, gastroenterologist Dr. Reynaldo Godines spoke at the Holiday Inn about the Kennedy assassination conspiracy. Dr. Godines began his lecture by advocating for water conservation. Drip irrigation, which he asserts will save up to 90% of our water, is the future of agriculture. He then touched upon the importance of reforestation. More trees give us more water and remove carbon dioxide from the air. He proposes that if three trees were planted for each person in the world, the atmosphere would return back to normal. It would bring rain, and continue to irrigate our crops. Godines explained, “The most important things in this room right now are our brains.” With cleaner air and better water, we have healthier brains. He calls it a “win, win, win.” Godines then dove into the subject of the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy, a subject for which he is known to be well informed. He gave his narrative a beginning in 1953, the year Iran’s democratically elected government was overthrown by a CIA-backed coup d’état. He explained that top CIA officials were behind operations like these. Godines stated, “These scumbags were all over the place taking away the hopes and dreams of other people.” The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was a dangerous time for the whole world, Godines said, asserting that there would have been a nuclear holocaust if it weren’t for Kennedy’s peace efforts. He said, “The man who saved us was
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a peacemaker in the white house.” JFK had already chosen to drop Lyndon B. Johnson from the 1964 presidential ticket, and conniving U.S. officials like Allen Dulles, James Angleton, and Richard Helms were angry about JFK’s peacekeeping ideology, which would have slowed (and eventually ended) the Vietnam War. J. Edgar Hoover was getting ready to retire from the FBI in 1964 and, according to Dr. Godines, Hoover didn’t want his corruption and personal proclivities to be exposed. The day of JFK’s assassination, Life Magazine was on the brink of exposing LBJ’s corruption. Dr. Godines asked the audience to remember where they were the night before the assassination of John Kennedy, and then explained LBJ’s whereabouts. He was at the home of Texasbased oil magnate Clint Murchison along with J. Edgar Hoover, who had flown in from Washington, D.C. for the special meeting, H.L. Hunt, Richard Nixon, John J. McCloy, who would later be appointed to the Warren Commission by LBJ to continue the assassination cover-up, and various mafiosos. At this secret meeting, Godines claims LBJ announced, “After tomorrow, those Kennedys will never embarrass me again. That’s no threat; that’s a promise.” Godines alleges that on the day of the assassination LBJ was hiding on the floor of his car with a walkie-talkie talking to “the people who were going to murder democracy.” He draws evidence from a photograph of LBJ’s car from the parade and points out that you can see Lady Bird but LBJ is hiding out of sight. Dr. Godines went on to quote CIA operative David Morales, who said “I was in Dallas when we got the son-ofa-bitch [JFK] and I was in Los Angeles when we got the little bastard [Robert F.
Kennedy].” He, along with another CIA operative, William Harvey, were part of Murder, Inc., the assemblage of assassins Godines claims Allen Dulles and Jim Angleton formed. In an interview with Walter Cronkite, LBJ explains that the assassination “wasn’t done by one person; it was done by Murder, Inc.,” which, Godines claims, received orders directly from Angleton, who was then head of the CIA’s Counterintelligence Staff. LBJ told the joint chief of staffs, “Just let me get elected and you can have your war in Vietnam.” Thousands of young Americans and billions of dollars could have been saved if the “murder of democracy” had not occurred. Dr. Godines argues that the resources that
went to fighting the Vietnam War could have gone to reforestation and drip irrigation projects. Godines questions, “Is it fair to the Vietnam War veterans who died that if the peacemaker JFK had not been murdered in Dallas, we would never have gone into Vietnam? What would have happened if Kennedy had ended the war? The economy would have suffered because our country runs on a war economy. Godines calls upon President Eisenhower’s warning: “Beware the militaryindustrial complex.” He attributes the country’s debt to the military-industrial complex. The money that has fed that complex, he said, could have instead been used to sustain the Earth.
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Noche de musica Gris Estrella, Fatty Mendiola, and Adriana and Luis Dominguez were among those who enjoyed the Molotov concert on Sunday, August 4 at the Laredo Energy Arena.
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Art, food, music, and fun for a great cause Enrique Haynes, Minnie Dora Haynes Rodriguez, and South Texas Food Bank’s Francisco “Pancho” Farias caught up at the August 23 Empty Bowls concert and auction. The event is the STFB’s largest fundraiser of the year.
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