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TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER
SAN ANTONIO
Zetas violence could spill Jury convicts Zetas cartel boss over again
Guilty on all 10 counts
By César G. Rodriguez
By Jason Buch and Kate Carlson
TH E ZAPATA T I ME S
SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS
Foreseeing possible spillover violence due to on-going infighting in the Zetas drug cartel, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar held a meeting recently with his counterparts on the Texas-Mexico border. Cuellar talked to his peers about Operation Border SMART (Strategic Mobile And Response Team), a border security initiative. Sheriff’s offices in Zapata, Dimmit, Kinney, Maverick, Starr and Val Verde counties participated in the meeting. Currently, there is fighting between the old Zetas, known as La Vieja Guardia, and the new Zetas, dubbed Cartel del Noreste. They are fighting for the plaza in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, a lucra-
The same jurors who were visibly upset during testimony last week about a 6-year-old girl butchered with an ax on Tuesday found high-ranking Zetas cartel member Marciano Millan Vasquez guilty of all 10 counts he faced during a trial in San Antonio federal court. Millan Vasquez, who prosecutors said was the cartel’s regional leader in the Mexican border city of
Violence continues on A11
Piedras Negras, faces life in prison on all but two of the counts when he is sentenced in October. Among the crimes he was convicted of were drug conspiracy and killing while engaged in drug trafficking. Attorneys for both sides said the turning point in the trial was horrific testimony on July 13 by another drug trafficker that he watched as Millan Vasquez, 33, killed the girl in front of her parents. “That girl is an innocent child,” Assistant U.S. At-
torney Russell Leachman said during closing arguments. “I don’t care if her dad is the biggest dope dealer in Mexico.” Defense attorney Jaime Cavazos said after the decision that the gruesome descriptions of massacres at the hands of the Zetas — witnesses testified that Millan Vasquez was involved in a 2011 cleansing by Zetas leaders and after being promoted to the chief cartel position in Piedras Negras in 2013 led his own mass killings — Guilty continues on A11
Millan Vasquez
TEXAS
2016 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
TRUMP TRIUMPHS AS GOP NOMINEE Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle
Lupe Mendez talks about his issues with a controversial textbook proposed for Mexican American studies on Monday in Houston.
Textbook reignites Mexican-American studies flap Only submission for curriculum deemed biased By Will Weissert ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, walks off stage with his wife Melania during the Republican National Convention, Monday, in Cleveland.
Republicans unite despite chaotic kickoff By Julie Pace ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Nova Safo / Getty
Protestors rally before the start of the second day of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, in Cleveland, Ohio.
CLEVELAND — United for a night, Republicans nominated Donald Trump Tuesday as their presidential standardbearer, capping the billionaire businessman’s stunning takeover of the GOP and propelling him into a November faceoff with Democrat Hillary Clinton. “I will work hard and never let you down!” Trump quickly wrote on Twitter following the roll call vote. Trump’s campaign hoped the formal nomination would both end the discord surging through the Republican Party and overshadow the convention’s chaotic kickoff, including a plagiarism charge involving Melania Trump’s ad-
dress on opening night. There were flurries of dissent on the convention floor as states that Trump did not win recorded their votes, but he far outdistanced his primary rivals. Trump was put over the top by his home state of New York. Four of his children joined the state’s delegation on the convention floor for the historic moment and appeared overwhelmed with emotion. “Congratulations, Dad, we love you,” declared Donald Trump Jr. Some delegates emphasized the need for a televised display of party unity after the deeply divisive GOP primary. “United we stand, divided we fall,” said Johnny McMahan, a Trump delegate from Arkansas. But Colorado’s Kendal Trump continues on A11
AUSTIN, Texas — Activists and educators on Monday called a Mexican-American studies textbook proposed for use across Texas biased and poorly researched and argued that its contents are especially offensive in a state where a majority of public school students are Hispanic. A battle over the high school text is shaping up to become the latest ideological clash for the Republican-controlled Texas Board of Education. Its members have long waged high-profile debates over the teaching of evolution, climate change and Christianity’s influence on America’s Founding Fathers to more than 5.2 million public school students statewide. Democrats, who are outnumbered 10-5 on the board, pushed unsuccessfully two years ago to create a full Mexican-American studies program. Instead, publishers were asked to submit textbooks on a variety of ethnic studies topics that the board could consider for use
“Industrialists were very driven, competitive men. In contrast, Mexican laborers were not reared to put in a full day’s work so vigorously. There was a cultural attitude of ‘mañana,’ or ‘tomorrow.”’ Excerpt from “Mexican American Heritage”
beginning in the 20172018 academic year. Texas got one submission: Virginia-based publisher Momentum Instruction offered a textbook titled “Mexican American Heritage.” But the book is now being decried as racist and inaccurate by many of the same advocates who had wanted a broader MexicanAmerican studies course. “What we have now is a deeply flawed and a deeply offensive textbook,” Celina Moreno, Textbook continues on A11
Zin brief A2 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
1 Science Week. 10:30–11:30 a.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Free and for all ages. Amazing Science, Amazing Fun, an interactive science session with librarian Robert Brown. 1 Presentation and book signing. 6–8 p.m. Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. The Webb County Heritage Foundation will host a public presentation and book-signing on “Pesos and Dollars, Entrepreneurs in the Texas-Mexico Borderlands 1880-1940” by Alicia M. Dewey.
Today is Wednesday, July 20, the 202nd day of 2016. There are 164 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History: On July 20, 1976, America’s Viking 1 robot spacecraft made a successful, first-ever landing on Mars.
THURSDAY, JULY 21 1 Science Week. 10:30–11:30 a.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Free and for all ages. Exhibit on moon craters. Screening of science show and refreshments. 1 Cancer Friends Meet. 6 p.m. Every third Thursday of the month. Laredo Medical Center, A.R. Sanchez Cancer Center, Tower A, 1st Floor. Having cancer is often one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. However, support groups help many people cope with the emotional aspects of cancer by providing a safe place to share their feelings and challenges and learn from others who are facing similar situations. For more information, call Nancy Santos at 956-285-5410.
MONDAY, JULY 25 1 Family Gardening Club. 10–11 a.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Free and for all ages. Fun gardening activities and gardening science. 1 Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally. Free. For all ages and skill levels. Instruction is offered. 1 Laredo Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. 6:30 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, 1st Floor, Tower B in the Community Center. The meeting is open to anyone with Parkinson’s disease, a friend or family member of a PD patient, and primary care givers of patients with PD who are interested in learning more about the disease. Pamphlets with more information in both English and Spanish are available at all support group meetings. For more information, call Richard Renner at 645-8649 or 237-0666.
TUESDAY, JULY 26 1 Take the challenge and climb the Rock Wall. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Fun exercise for all ages and it's free. Must sign release form. For more information call 956-795-2400 x2520.
THURSDAY, JULY 28 1 Spanish Book Club. 6–8 p.m. Laredo Public Library–Calton. For more information, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810.
SATURDAY, JULY 30 1 Eckankar bilingual discussion. 1–2:30 p.m. Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Discover how past lives, dreams and soul travel can help you experience god. 1 7th annual Cat Appreciation Day Cat Contest. 2 p.m. Petco, 2450 Monarch Dr. There will be a contest for live cats and photos of cats. $1 for each category. All donations will go toward projects to protect community cats, including a trap, neuter and return program for Laredo. Cats will be available for adoption. Sponsored by Gateway Gatos of Laredo.
MONDAY, AUGUST 1 1 Family Gardening Club. 10–11 a.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Free and for all ages. Fun gardening activities and gardening science. 1 Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally. Free. For all ages and skill levels. Instruction is offered. 1 Cancer Friends Meet. 6 p.m. Every first Monday of the month. Doctors Hospital at the Community Center. Having cancer is often one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. However, support groups help many people cope with the emotional aspects of cancer by providing a safe place to share their feelings and challenges and learn from others who are facing similar situations. For more information, call Nancy Santos at 956-285-5410. 1 Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting. 6:30–7:30 p.m. Area Health Education Center, 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430. Every first Monday of the month. People suffering from anxiety and depression are invited to attend this free, confidential and anonymous support group meeting. While a support group does not replace an individual's medical care, it can be a valuable resource to gain insight, strength and hope.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 1 Alzheimer’s Disease Support Group. 7 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, 1st Floor, Tower B in the Community Center. Meetings are open to individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as family, friends and caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Those interested in learning more about the disease, as well as gather more information on resources available, are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information, call Melissa Guerra at 956-693-9991.
Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Fox News chairman Roger Ailes walks with his wife Elizabeth Tilson as they leave the News Corp building, Tuesday in New York City.
FOX NEWS CHIEF DENIES REPORT NEW YORK — A lawyer for Roger Ailes denied Tuesday that the embattled Fox News Channel chief executive sexually harassed network star Megyn Kelly. Susan Estrich’s statement came amid a swirl of contradictory reports that Ailes had been ousted as head of the influential network he built from scratch, that he hadn’t been ousted, and that he was negotiating a departure. Attributing anonymous sources, New York magazine reported on Tuesday that Kelly had told investigators working for Fox News Channel parent 21st Century
Kansas City officer dies after shot in police car KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A suspect in a drive-by shooting fatally shot a 17-year veteran of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department on Tuesday as the officer was sitting in his patrol car, police said. Capt. Robert Melton, 46, was searching for the suspect when he drove up to someone who matched that person’s description just before 2 p.m., police
Fox that Ailes had sexually harassed her when she was a reporter at Fox 10 years ago. “Roger Ailes has never sexually harassed Megyn Kelly,” Estrich said. “In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him.” A former Fox anchor, Gretchen Carlson, alleged in a lawsuit that Ailes had forced her out following a meeting where he told her that “you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago.” — Compiled from AP reports
spokesman Tom Tomasic said. Before Melton could get out of his vehicle, the suspect opened fire and hit the officer multiple times, Tomasic said. The alleged shooter was caught five minutes later about a block away, he said. A police spokeswoman said the suspect was being questioned Tuesday evening along with two other people suspected in the initial drive-by shooting. Police weren’t releasing the suspects’ names because charges hadn’t been filed. Melton was brought to the
University of Kansas Hospital just before 2:30 p.m., but resuscitation efforts did not work, trauma surgeon James Howard said. “There’s a lot of pain and brokenness in our community and our nation right now, and we just want to ask everyone to be prayerful and thoughtful right now,” Mayor Mark Holland of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County said. It’s the second time a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer has been shot and killed this year. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD
Michael Sohn / AP file
In this April 11 photo, Mexico's President Peña Nieto, right, and his wife Angelica Rivera de Peña greet students in Germany.
about the apparent conflict of interest. Speaking at the presentation of a new anti-corruption law, Peña Nieto offered “my profound and sincere apology for the offense and indignation I caused.” “I personally felt the Mexican people’s irritation, I understand it perfectly,” Peña
Nieto said. Just days before the news reports surfaced, Peña Nieto’s government canceled a highspeed rail contract that had been granted to the sole bidder, a consortium that included a division of the company that sold Rivera the mansion. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND TEXAS ‘Secure’ border still elusive year into $800M mission AUSTIN — Nowhere along the Texas-Mexico border is yet secure a year after the state committed an historic $800 million to guard the 1,200-mile boundary with hundreds more troopers and high-tech surveillance, the state official overseeing most of the mission said Tuesday. Defining what constitutes a
Ten years ago: President George W. Bush, addressing the annual meeting of the NAACP in Washington, said he knew racism existed in America and that many black voters distrusted his Republican Party; Bush promised to improve the GOP’s rocky relations with blacks. The Senate voted 98-0 to renew the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act for another quarter-century. Five years ago: Six Republican presidential hopefuls traded tweets in the first presidential debate conducted through Twitter, outlining their agendas across the popular social media service. The last fugitive sought by the U.N.’s Balkan war crimes tribunal, Gordan Hadzic, former leader of Croatia’s ethnic Serbs, was seized in a remote mountain forest in northern Serbia. (Attempts to try Hadzic for alleged war crimes have been suspended indefinitely because he has cancer and has been deemed too ill to participate in his trial.) NBA star Yao Ming announced his retirement in his hometown of Shanghai. German-born British painter Lucien Freud, 88, died in London. One year ago: The United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations after more than five decades of frosty relations rooted in the Cold War. The U.N. Security Council unanimously endorsed a landmark deal to rein in Iran’s nuclear program. Banks in Greece finally reopened after being closed for three weeks. Zach Johnson won the British Open. Songwriter Wayne Carson, 72, died in Nashville, Tennessee. “Archie” cartoonist Tom Moore, 86, died in El Paso, Texas.
Mexican president apologizes for wife’s mansion scandal MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s president apologized on Monday for a 2014 scandal involving a $7 million mansion bought by his wife from a company that won lucrative contracts with his administration. President Enrique Peña Nieto had reacted crossly at the time to those who criticized the purchase, saying there were “countless versions and falsehoods” surrounding the story. First lady Angelica Rivera also reacted angrily at the time, denying she had done anything wrong. She claimed she was using money she earned during her career as an actress. But she later returned the mansion, which she had been paying for in installments. On Monday, more than 1 ½ years after the scandal broke, Peña Nieto said he understood why Mexicans would be angry
On this date: In 1861, the Congress of the Confederate States convened in Richmond, Virginia. In 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation as a Canadian province. In 1917, the World War I draft lottery went into operation. In 1923, Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa was assassinated by gunmen in Parral. In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for a fourth term of office at the Democratic convention in Chicago. In 1954, the Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into northern and southern entities. In 1968, the first International Special Olympics Summer Games, organized by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, were held at Soldier Field in Chicago. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon after reaching the surface in their Apollo 11 lunar module. In 1982, Irish Republican Army bombs exploded in two London parks, killing eight British soldiers, along with seven horses belonging to the Queen’s Household Cavalry. In 1989, Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi (soo chee) was placed under house arrest by the military government of Myanmar. In 1990, Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, one of the court’s most liberal voices, announced he was stepping down. In 2012, gunman James Holmes opened fire inside a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people and wounding 70 others. (Holmes is serving a life prison sentence.)
Today’s Birthdays: Actress-singer Sally Ann Howes is 86. Author Cormac McCarthy is 83. Rockabilly singer Sleepy LaBeef is 81. Artist Judy Chicago is 77. Rock musician John Lodge (The Moody Blues) is 73. Country singer T.G. Sheppard is 72. Rock musician Carlos Santana is 69. Rock musician Paul Cook (The Sex Pistols, Man Raze) is 60. Country singer Radney Foster is 57. Actor Dean Winters is 52. Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 50. Singer Vitamin C is 47. Actor Omar Epps is 43. Actor Simon Rex is 42. Actress Judy Greer is 41. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is 36. Actor John Francis Daley is 31. Country singer Hannah Blaylock (Edens Edge) is 30. Dancer-singer Julianne Hough (TV: “Grease Live!”) is 28. Thought for Today: “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” — Will Rogers, American humorist (18791935).
CONTACT US “secure border” has often been as contentious a topic in Texas as the money that Republican lawmakers have approved in pursuit of that goal, starting under former Gov. Rick Perry and continuing with Gov. Greg Abbott’s record spending plan. Under pressure to defend the expenditure as worthwhile, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw is now offering lawmakers benchmarks for “substantial control” that he said will mean a county is secure. But none are there
yet, he said, adding that several counties remain “clearly at the unsecured level.” But his proposals suggest a potentially costly and high bar before a secure border might finally be proclaimed — among the requirements are roundthe-clock marine patrols, day and night aerial coverage and redundant installations of cameras and sensors. “We’re really making it more difficult on ourselves than it has been in the past,” McCraw said. — Compiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 |
A3
STATE
Fort Worth Stock Show ends 100-year tradition of live music at rodeos By Preston Jones FO RT WORT H STAR-T E LE GRAM
FORT WORTH, Texas — For the first time in nearly 100 years, when the horses and their riders canter into the Will Rogers Memorial Center on Jan. 13 for the beginning of the 2017 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, there will be no live orchestra to greet them. The pageantry of the Grand Entry will, instead, be accompanied by prerecorded music. On July 15, the 20-piece orchestra, which has been an audible staple of the annual Fort Worth event for decades, was notified by FWSSR management that its services would no longer be needed. “I got a call (last week),” Rick Stitzel, director of the band, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Monday. “(Management) said, ‘We decided to go a different direction, and we won’t need the band next year.”’ Stitzel says the decision not to renew the band’s contract was “presented as (a) matter of fact.” “Every four years, we would sit down with management and discuss whether there was going to be a pay raise or whatever,” said Stitzel. “Then last year, we sat down with the same proposal — management told us they wanted to give us no raise and a one-year deal. That was the first time ever it had been a one-year contract.” FWSSR management characterized the firing as a “difficult choice,” but one that factored in both
Star-Telegram / AP
In this Jan. 12, 2008, photo, director Jack Cobb, far right, leads his 21-piece ensemble.
costs and relevancy of live music. “In the last decade, the usefulness and flexibility of digitally produced music has played an increasingly important role in creating a lively and fastpaced rodeo performance,” read a FWSSR statement. “Unfortunately, an orchestra has limitations in this environment, thus the decision was made to discontinue its use in 2017 rodeo performances.” FWSSR spokesman Matt Brockman confirmed the decision is “permanent.” The orchestra began performing at the rodeo in 1918, according to a 2008 Star-Telegram article. Brockman, who couldn’t confirm that date, said it was likely “some time” after the first rodeo was held in 1918. “(It’s) very surreal right now to know that come January, people will be paying their ticket price, many in anticipation of hearing the traditional old marches, gallops, fanfares and overtures played by a
live 20-piece orchestra, but instead will now be hearing a laptop,” wrote Stitzel’s son Rich, who played drums in the band, in a Facebook post. “It was the last live rodeo band in the world, and there was a lot of pride in the Fort for that tradition.” For the FWSSR, an event which began in 1896 and is steeped in tradition, “this wasn’t a decision we made lightly,” Brad Barnes, president and general manager, said in a statement. “But the use of digital music gives us greater ability to utilize video and other tools to create exciting experiences and features.” Sound and light consultant Benje Bendele, who owns Crazy Heart Sound and Lighting, will take over the musical duties, according to the FWSSR summer newsletter. “Management remains very dedicated to retaining the ceremonial magic of the best grand entry in all of rodeo,” reads the newsletter. “(Bendele) is tasked with developing (a)
musical mixture that will be well-suited for the grand entry and remaining spots in the rodeo schedule where the orchestra music has been utilized.” Although the news was sudden, Rick Stitzel, who began playing with the FWSSR band in 1977, says it was not surprising. “We had been playing the last few years with (Bendele) in the arena using his laptop and doing part of the show,” Stitzel said. “(It was) a pretty workable arrangement where we played the traditional stuff and he played the contemporary stuff. . I’m glad (management) gave it a chance to work as a compromise situation, (but))I wish we could continue to work that way. “I’m not against modernizing things; I just think tradition should be worth something.” While some in the rodeo community might bristle at any change to a beloved cultural institution like the FWSSR — veteran rodeo announcer Bob Tallman once told the Star-Telegram that “putting in a high-tech sound system (at the Stock Show) would be like putting a pacemaker in a 96-yearold body. It don’t work, and it’s not necessary” — longtime attendees should prepare themselves for more changes, according to the FWSSR’s Barnes. “We’ll never stop looking for new means to deliver the most fun and engaging performance possible,” Barnes said, “and give our guests the best bang for their buck.”
Stephen Spillman / Texas Tribune
A Black Lives Matter protest takes place at the Texas State Capitol Friday.
Patrick backs call for probe of Black Lives Matter By Patrick Svitek TEXAS TRIBUNE
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Tuesday he supports having the U.S. attorney general investigate the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks to bring attention to police shootings of African Americans. Appearing Tuesday afternoon on CNN, Patrick agreed with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who suggested a day earlier that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to look into the civil rights activist group. “We know we have a distrust in the black community of police,” Patrick said on CNN. “We know that there are some police officers who need to be replaced. And police forces want to remove those people as well. But before we can sit down at a table and have unity, we have to stop having protesters
chanting, ‘Kill the cops.’” Patrick has been especially critical of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the shooting earlier this month at a protest in Dallas that left five police officers dead and seven others wounded. He had called the demonstrators “hypocrites” for expecting protection from the same police they were protesting, a remark for which he has since expressed some regret. In a town hall last week with President Barack Obama, Patrick pressed the president to do more to show support for law enforcement. Obama insisted that he has “been unequivocal in condemning any rhetoric directed at police officers.” Patrick made the remarks Tuesday while here for the Republican National Convention, where he is serving as chairman of the Texas delegation in Gov. Greg Abbott’s absence.
Zopinion
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A4 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Don Reid gave me a big push down the good life trail When you get to the major reminiscing time in your life, hopefully you’ll remember those who gave you a boost along that long, tough road. And, in your aging years, when you have more time to think, you tend to fondly reminisce about those good experiences. All too often, it’s after those boosters have departed this world. But, I believe we can send thoughts to them and they’ll get ‘em. My good friend Steve Owen recently sent me a book about a man who gave me more than a gentle nudge down life’s highway — Don Reid, Jr. The book — Dad, Man of Mystery — was splendidly written by Don’s daughter, Donna Reid Vann. I highly recommend the book even if you didn’t know Don. He was truly an interesting character. I first became acquainted with him when I attended then-Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, where he was the editor of The Huntsville Item. Over the years he quietly gave me wise advice and guidance down my career path. And, young whippersnapper me didn’t thank him enough nor give him the credit he was due. For years, Don covered every execution at the state prison in Huntsville for years. He did so not just for The Item, but for the Associated Press as well. At that time, executions were carried out in the electric chair, nicknamed Old Sparky. He wrote a book about his experiences witnessing the execution — Have a Seat, Please — which Don said is what the warden said to every prisoner who was led into the death chamber. After attending Sam Houston for two years, I ran out of money and laid out of school for a year while I earned more for my education fund. I worked for my hometown newspaper, The Teague Chronicle. I went back to Sam Houston the next summer and found my mentor, head of the SHSTC journalism department, had no jobs for me. I still needed to work to attend school. So, I sought Don for some guidance. He told me there just weren’t enough jobs in Huntsville for students who were majoring in
journalism. Don suggested that I look into attending the University of Houston, then a private school, and offered to take me there and introduce me to the director and assistant director of journalism. Away we went to Houston where, true to his word, Don introduced me to Bruce Underwood, director, and Billy I. Ross, assistant director of the journalism and graphic arts department. They gave me a $1-per-hour job as the secretary-receptionist for the J-GA department. I worked from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday for $1 an hour. Don apparently told the directors I was a needy student but vouched for my ability and potential. He also suggested any paid position on the student newspaper. So, I became the weekly Houston Cougar’s copy editor for $5 a week. My class schedule included two courses on Monday and Wednesday evenings and two on Tuesday-Thursday nights, plus a three-hour Saturday morning class. I got through my junior year on that schedule. My senior year was even more different. It was all night school but a full-time day job necessitated that. So, I actually finished school in eight semesters (four regular school years) plus a 6-week summer semester. Didn’t hurt me a dang bit. And, I didn’t have time to fritter money on some of those wild college parties you hear about. Well, not much anyway. Don kept tabs on me regularly but quietly, and I became another finished project for that booster extraordinaire. I don’t know how many educational guardian angels like Don exist, but I’m blessed to have had him quietly shepherding my experience in gaining a college degree. Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor and publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net.
COLUMN
Michelle Obama gave a lovely speech at the RNC By Gary Stein SUN SENTINEL
There were so many highlights of the first day of the Republican National Convention, I don’t know where to start. There was Rudy Giuliani’s over-caffeinated yelling. He acted like he was the emcee at a UFC match. There was the incredible list of celebrity speakers, highlighted by
Scott Baio — would you actually vote the way Scott Baio wanted you to vote? — and some guy from “Duck Dynasty.” I guess Bill Cosby wasn’t available. There were the gun nuts outside the convention hall with guns strapped to their hips, flaunting Ohio’s opencarry law. With all the violence taking place these days, a scene like that kind of makes you proud to be an Amer-
ican, doesn’t it? Then there was Donald Trump’s low-key, subtle entrance. But the highlight had to be the speech by Michelle Obama. Actually, it was Melania Trump doing the talking, saying what a great, warm guy Donald the Fraud is, and how great their family is, etc. The speech was getting rave reviews, also, until it was discovered some of the phrases were
COLUMN
Trump getting even Trumpier! Does anybody else have the sense that Donald Trump is slipping off the rails? His speeches have always had a rambling, free association quality, but a couple of the recent ones have, as the Republican political consultant Mike Murphy put it, passed from the category of rant to the category of full on “drunk wedding toast.” Trump’s verbal style has always been distinct. He doesn’t really speak in sentences or paragraphs. His speeches are punctuated by five- or six-word jabs that are sort of strung together by connections that can only be understood through chaos theory: “They want the wall … I dominated with the evangelicals … I won in a landslide … We can’t be the stupid people anymore.” Occasionally Trump will attempt a sentence longer than eight words, but no matter what subject he starts the sentence with, by the end he has been pulled over to the subject of himself. Here’s an example from the Mike Pence announcement speech: “So one of the primary reasons I chose Mike was I looked at Indiana, and I won Indiana big.” There’s sort of a gravitational narcissistic pull that takes command
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DAVID BROOKS
whenever he attempts to utter a compound thought. Trump has also always been a little engine fueled by wounded pride. For example, writing in BuzzFeed, McKay Coppins recalls the fusillade of abuse he received from Trump after writing an unflattering profile (he called Mar-a-Lago a “nice, if slightly dated, hotel”). Trump was so inflamed he tweeted retaliation at Coppins several times a day and at odd hours, calling him a “dishonest slob” and “true garbage with no credibility.” The attacks went on impressively for over two years, which must rank Coppins in the top 100,000 on the list of people Donald Trump resents. Over the past few weeks these longstanding Trump patterns have gone into hyperdrive. This is a unique moment in American political history in which the mental stability of one of the major party nominees is the dominating subject of conversation. Everybody is telling Trump to ratchet it down
and be more sober, but at a rally near Cincinnati this month and in his Pence announcement speech on Saturday, Trump launched his verbal rocket ship straight through the stratosphere, and it landed somewhere on the dark side of Planet Debbie. The Pence announcement was truly the strangest vice-presidential unveiling in recent political history. Ricocheting around the verbal wilds for more than twice as long as the man he was introducing, Trump even refused to remain onstage and gaze on admiringly as Pence flattered him. It was like watching a guy lose interest in a wedding when the bride appears. The structure of his mental perambulations also seems to have changed. Formerly, as I said, his speeches had a random, free-form quality. But on Saturday his remarks had a distinct through line, anchored by the talking points his campaign had written down on pieces of paper. But Trump could not keep his attention focused on this through line — since the subject was someone else — so every 30 seconds or so he would shoot off on a resentment-filled bragging loop. If you had to do a rough
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lifted right out of Michelle Obama’s speech at the 2008 convention. The Fraud keeps telling us how rich he is. He should spend some of that money on a decent speech writer. What could top all that? Not sure, but if Trump starts his acceptance speech with “Ask not what Trump can do for you, ask what you can do for Trump,” don’t be surprised.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
diagram of the Trump remarks it would be something like this: Pence … I was right about Iraq … Pence … Hillary Clinton is a crooked liar … I was right about “Brexit” … Pence … Hillary Clintons ads are filled with lies … We’re going to bring back the coal industry … Christians love me … Pence … I talk to statisticians … Pence is good looking ... My hotel in Washington is really coming along fantastically … Pence. Donald Trump is in his moment of greatest triumph, but he seems more resentful and embattled than ever. Most political conventions are happy coronations, but this one may come to feel like the Alamo of aggrieved counterattacks. It’s hard to know exactly what is going on in that brain, but science lends a clue. Psychologists wonder if narcissists are defined by extremely high self-esteem or by extremely low self-esteem that they are trying to mask. The current consensus seems to be that they are marked by unstable selfesteem. Their self-confidence can be both high and fragile, so they perceive ego threat all around. David Brooks is a columnist for the New York Times.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 |
A5
ENTERTAINMENT Viewers found relief Leslie Jones, under from grimness with hateful barrage on TV’s fun-and-games Twitter, fights back By Frazier Moore A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — The news was awful again last week, but viewers found some refuge in TV’s funand-games. In the Nielsen Top 20, no fewer than 11 programs were reality-competition and game shows (including the week’s mostwatched series, two editions of “America’s Got Talent”). Add to that baseball’s All-Star Game, the Home Run Derby and “The ESPY Awards,” and clearly viewers were eager for some relief. Boosted by “America’s Got Talent,” NBC led the networks overall with a prime-time average of 4.9 million viewers. Runnerup ABC had 4.7 million, while CBS had 4.4 million. Fox, with 3.3 million, got a much-needed shot in the arm with its All-Star Game telecast (which drew 8.71 million viewers). Univision had 1.8 million viewers, Telemundo had 1.4 million, ION Television had 1.2 million, and the CW had 980,000 for the week. Fox News Channel once again was the week’s most popular cable network, averaging 2.75 million viewers during another busy news week. HGTV had 1.49 million, USA had 1.41 million and ESPN had 1.33 million. In the evening news derby, NBC’s “Nightly News” regained the top spot with an average 7.9 million viewers, topranked every night including Friday, when it was the only newscast of the three to be anchored (by Lester Holt) from Nice
following the terrorist attack. In second place was ABC’s “World News Tonight” with 7.6 million while the “CBS Evening News” had 6.5 million. For the week of July 11-17, the top six shows, their networks and viewerships: “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 11.85 million; “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 11.54 million; MLB All-Star Game, Fox, 8.71 million; “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.17 million; “Celebrity Family Feud,” ABC, 7.77 million; “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 7.22 million.
By Jake Coyle ASSOCIATED PRE SS
NEW YORK — Under a barrage of hateful posts on Twitter, “Ghostbusters” star Leslie Jones said she was “in a personal hell” and urged the social networking service to do more to eradicate abuse. In a series of posts Monday night, Jones said she had been pummeled with racist tweets. She retweeted numerous tweets directed at her with disturbing language and pictures of apes. Jones said the messages were deeply hurtful and
brought her to tears. The “Saturday Night Live” cast member called on Jones Twitter to strengthen guidelines and for users to “stop letting the ignorant people be the loud ones.” “I feel like I’m in a personal hell,” wrote Jones. “I didn’t do anything to deserve this. It’s just too much. It shouldn’t be like this. So hurt right now.” The exchanges came at a career high point for the
“Saturday Night Live” cast member. “Ghostbusters,” which opened last week, is her first major film role. “It’s like when you think, ‘OK I’ve proven I’m worthy’ and then you get hit with a shovel of (hatred),” she said. She concluded a string of messages early Tuesday morning. “I leave Twitter tonight with tears and a very sad heart,” wrote Jones. “All this cause I did a movie.” The tweets caught the attention of Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, who sent Jones a message asking her to get in touch with him. Twitter later responded in a statement. “This type of abusive behavior is not permitted on Twitter, and we’ve taken action on many of the accounts reported to us by both Leslie and
others,” said a spokesperson for Twitter. “We rely on people to report this type of behavior to us but we are continuing to invest heavily in improving our tools and enforcement systems to prevent this kind of abuse. We realize we still have a lot of work in front of us before Twitter is where it should be on how we handle these issues.” “Ghostbusters,” which also stars Melissa McCarthy, Kirsten Wiig and Kate McKinnon, has spawned an unusual amount of vitriol online, with many anonymous commenters targeting its female stars. The film debuted with $46 million over the weekend. Many, however, have come to Jones’ defense, tweeting support for the actress under the hashtag “LoveForLeslieJ.”
Zfrontera A6 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE COORDINACIÓN 1 Autoridades de Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, México, llevaron a cabo una reunión para coordinar emergencias por avenidas del Río Bravo. Participaron representantes del gobierno municipal, la sección mexicana del CILA, Protección Civil y COMAPA. La reunión permitió reiterar la importancia de estar “prevenidos ante las posibles contingencias que se puedan presentar en caso de inundaciones”, de acuerdo con un comunicado de prensa, agregando que las dependencias deben estar debidamente comunicadas para salvaguardar a la ciudadanía. REGRESO A LA ESCUELA 1 ZCares Community Reach Project del Zapata County ISD invita a la tercera academia para padres “Bienvenido de Regreso a la Escuela” el jueves 18 de agosto, de 5 p.m. a 7 p.m. en Zapata High School, 2009 State Highway 16. Los participantes recibirán una caja con útiles escolares para sus hijos (mientras haya disponibles). ACLARAN MENSAJE 1 Las alertas emitidas en redes sociales acerca de la supuesta movilización de vehículos con civiles armados, pertenecientes a grupos delincuenciales que operan en Tamaulipas, autoridades estatales descartaron que sean ciertas. “Solo buscan provocar pánico y temor entre las familias tamaulipecas”, indica un comunicado de prensa del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas. Personal policiaca ha estado realizando sobrevuelos y reconocimientos terrestres en las diferentes carreteras que conectan a las ciudades de Tamaulipas, “resultando falsas tales alertas cibernéticas”, agrega el comunicado. Autoridades dijeron que los patrullajes serán permanentes a fin de “garantizar la seguridad y tranquilidad de los tamaulipecos”. ASEGURAMIENTO 1 Gracias a una denuncia anónima, policías estatales de Tamaulipas aseguraron una camioneta tipo Van que contenía en su interior recipientes con aproximadamente 250 litros de gasolina, en Río Bravo, México, el domingo. Policías respondieron a un reporte anónimo acerca de un vehículo “en aparente estado de abandono” por calle Guanajuato. Autoridades investigan si la gasolina fue robada. PRÓXIMOS DEPORTISTAS 1 Estudiantes interesados en participar en deportes en Zapata Middle School y Zapata High School deberán acudir al examen físico de atletismo el martes 28 de julio. Para el nivel preparatoria será a la 1 p.m. en el gimnasio de ZHS. Para el nivel secundaria (7o y 8o grados) será a las 3 p.m. en ZHS. Costo: 20 dólares.
JUICIO ZETA
MIGUEL ALEMÁN
Jurado encuentra culpable a Millán
Existen 13 cargos contra Adame
Fiscalía pidió pensar en niña de 6 años asesinada Por Jason Buch y Kate Carlson SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS
Un jurado federal encontró a Marciano “Chano” Millán Vásquez, un acusado jefe de Los Zetas, culpable de todos los 10 cargos relacionados a drogas que tenía en su contra, el martes. Millán estaba acusado de conspiración por drogas y de homicidio mientras estuvo involucrado en narcotráfico y enfrenta cadena perpetua. Fiscales y testigos dijeron que era el líder regional para el cartel en la ciudad fronteriza de Piedras Negras, México, y que había trabajado con otros líderes del cartel para sobornar políticos y asesinar a veintenas de personas en el estado de Coahuila, a fin de proteger negocios para el contrabando de drogas hacia los Estados Unidos.
“Es el acusado quien ayudó a Los Zetas en su reinado de terror en Piedras Negras”, dijo el Fiscal Asistente de Millán EU Michael Galdo, a los jurados. “Ellos convirtieron esa ciudad y Acuña en un narco estado, un refugio donde ellos podían operar”. El abogado de la defensa Jaime Cavazos dijo que los fiscales carecían de evidencia física que relacionara a su cliente con cualquiera de los crímenes. En lugar de ello, dijo, el gobierno se basó en los co-conspiradores quienes testificaron para lograr reducir sus sentencias. “No crean estas historias”, dijo Cavazos. “Son inconsistentes con quienes son estas personas. Nunca dijeron la verdad... Están aquí para obtener
algo”. El Fiscal Asistente de EU Russell Leachman dijo que los agentes federales pudieron producir teléfonos gratuitos y otra evidencia física enlazando a Millán Vásquez con decomisos de drogas en Texas y con un informante de la policía quien fuera asesinado en México. Él cerró su argumento pidiendo a los jurados pensar acerca del testimonio de un testigo, quien dijo que vio a Millán utilizar un hacha para desmembrar a una niña de 6-años de edad en frente de sus aterrorizados padres durante una depuración de Los Zetas quienes mataron a más de 300 personas en Coahuila. “Deseo que piensen acerca de ella siendo atrapada por hombres mayores, y a sus padres observando mientras las extremidades de su hija eran tomadas de su propio cuerpo”, dijo Leachman. “El único consuelo que estas personas tuvieron fue mirar hacia abajo y quizá rezar, y ¿qué hizo él? Tomó sus cabezas y los hizo ver el sufrimiento de su hija”.
VALLE DEL RÍO GRANDE
FRONTERA CON HISTORIA
E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
CD. VICTORIA, MÉXICO — Un presunto depredador sexual quien estaba en la lista de los más buscados por autoridades de Texas fue ubicado en Miguel Alemán, México, dio a conocer el Gobierno de Tamaulipas en un comunicado de prensa, durante el fin de semana. Alfredo Javier Adame, de 25 años de edad, es originario del Condado de Duval en donde tiene en su contra 13 cargos por el delito de agresión sexual agravada en perjuicio de un menor de edad. De acuerdo con el reporte, Adame fue Adame sorprendió intentando hurtar un vehículo estacionado en la zona centro de Miguel Alemán. Cuando vio a los oficiales, el sospechoso intentó escapar, iniciándose una persecución. Adame fue detenido al poco tiempo. Una vez identificado, la policía de Tamaulipas notificó del arresto a las autoridades del Condado de Duval. Adame fue puesto a disposición del ministerio público, quien determinará su situación jurídica en México, a fin de proceder a su extradición a los Estados Unidos.
GALVESTON
Menor fallece tras ser arrollado SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS
Foto por Aaron Nelsen | San Antonio Express-News
Dos niñas leen un poco de historia, tocando balas de cañón, en el Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, el sitio del inicio de la guerra México-Estadounidense.
Detallan atractivos Aaron Nelsen SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS
BROWNSVILLE — San Antonio tiene el Álamo; Brownsville tiene una trilogía de las batallas durante la guerra entre EU y México. En una visita a Rio Grande Valley se destaca que esta ciudad rebosa la historia como pocos lugares en Texas. Fue aquí, cuando en 1846, el General Zachary Taylor ordenó que se construyera un fuerte en la parte norte del Río Grande, al cruzar de Matamoros. Si el Álamo le dio forma a Texas, lo que empezó en los campos de Brownsville cambió la cara de la parte norte del continente americano. La historia da la oportunidad única de volver a trazar el camino del ejército de Taylor con recorridos guiados de las excavaciones de Fort Brown, Campo de Batalla Resaca de la Palma —el sitio de la segunda mayor batalla de la guerra— y Campo de Batalla Palo Alto. Cada una de estas ubicaciones ofrece una lección sobre las causes de esta guerra poco entendida, el asedio de seis días y cómo se desarrollaron las batallas. También hay demostraciones de las armas y
tácticas de la Guerra Estados Unidos-México, así como demostraciones de mosquetes y artillería. El restaurante Rutledge Hamburger Stand en el centro de Brownsville, es un marcador histórico. Abrió en 1922, el propietario original vendió el restaurante a un empleado de largo tiempo, cuyas hijas aún sirven hamburguesas. Harlingen Es un centro para los amantes de los aves que viajan por todo el mundo para lograr ver aves que no se encuentran en otro lugar del país. Pasear a través del distrito histórico de la ciudad, la calle Jackson. Los murales adornan la vista de la ciudad, cada uno representando escenas de la historia y cultura del Río Grande Valley. El primer sábado de cada mes la calle Jackson es sede de Market Days, una feria en la calle que presenta artesanías, productos locales y otros alimentos. Entre tiendas de antigüedades y galerías de arte, se encuentra Prelude, un lugar que los propietarios describen como “incubadora de músicos”, enfocado en ayudar a los músicos en ciernes. Para el visitante casual, sin embargo, es un gran lugar para escuchar música. Para quienes les gusta la aventura podrían tomar un turno en el micrófono. En el restaurante Rio Grande Grill se puede pedir un plato
de brisket, barbacoa o tacos de pescado. Este céntrico restaurante sirve una variedad de carnes cocinada con leña de mezquite. McAllen La Quinta Mazatlán in McAllen es un oasis en medio de la ciudad y es una de las nueve ubicaciones del Centro Mundial de Aves en la región, y quizás la más distintiva. El parque es una propiedad remodelada que data de la década de 1930 y está cuidadosamente adornada con plantas y fauna nativos. El parque ofrece actividades durante todo el año. A una distancia corta manejando desde Quinta Mazatlán se encuentra Riverside Club cercano a Mission. A pesar de la longitud del Río Grande, hay pocos lugares que disfrutan del río en el Sur de Texas. El Riverside Club presenta música country y recorridos en bote durante todo el año. La terraza del restaurante es un buen lugar para tomar una bebida fría y disfrutar del río. Para terminar puede cenar en el restaurante Schneider’s German Gasthaus and Bier Garten y disfrutar la cerveza alemana. No hay escasez de comida mexicana a lo largo de la frontera, pero para tratar algo diferente pruebe una cerveza alemana bien fría mientras disfruta de música en vivo.
Autoridades dicen que un motociclista ha sido acusado con homicidio imprudencial por intoxicación tras que atropellara fatalmente a un niño de 4 años de edad que estaba jugando a un lado del camino en el sur de Texas. El Capitán Mike Benavides de la oficina del alguacil del Condado Galveston, dijo que testigos dijeron a los investigadores que el niño estaba jugando con Forsyth una camioneta de juguete cuando fue atropellado el domingo por la tarde en la comunidad Bacliff, ubicada al noroeste de Galveston. Benavides dijo que Justin James Forsyth, de 37 años de edad, está acusado de conducir del lado equivocado del camino cuando atropelló al niño en la cuadra 4300 de 10th Street alrededor de las 7:30 p.m. No se ha revelado el nombre del niño. Benavides dijo al Galveston County Daily News que adultos estaban supervisando al niño cuando ocurrió el incidente. El reporte agrega que el niño fue arrastrado por unos 15 pies tras que fuera atropellado. El menor fue llevado al Clear Lake Regional Medical Center en Webster, donde falleció debido a las lesiones, de acuerdo con las autoridades. Forsyth, quien es de Friendswood, continuaba en la cárcel del Condado Galveston el martes por un cargo de homicidio imprudencial por intoxicación con una fianza fijada en 100.000 dólares. Al momento archivos de la cárcel no daban a conocer un abogado para él. Una orden de registro para conocer el contenido de alcohol en Forsyth arrojó que estudios preliminares revelaron que el nivel era de .260, es decir, alrededor de tres veces el límite legal, revelaron autoridades.
Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 |
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS
A7
NBA: SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Mayor declares July 21 'Tim Duncan Day' Kin Man Hui / San Antonio Express-News file
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich is fine with the idea his Spurs teams were never known as “super teams” in the NBA.
Pop not bothered by Spurs not being called 'super team' By Tim Griffin SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images file
Spurs legend Tim Duncan announced his retirement after 19 seasons in the NBA this offseason, ending a career that included five championships and 15 All-Star Game appearances.
San Antonio to celebrate Duncan’s Hall of Fame career By Nick Moyle SA N A NT ONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
For 19 years, Tim Duncan's days were dedicated to the city of San Antonio. Now the city that adopted this tall, stoic Virgin Islander as one of its own is giving him a day back. Mayor Ivy Taylor declared that July 21 would be known as "Tim Duncan Day," via her official Twitter account. Taylor is encouraging citizens to don all of their Spurs gear as a tribute to the retired star. Of course, this goes
Mayor Ivy Taylor / Twitter
San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor declared July 21 “Tim Duncan Day” in appreciation of the retired star.
mor was a perfect fit for the locker room and local HEB commercials, but he rarely engaged in national advertisements like many of his peers. Duncan's blue-collar
against most everything No. 21 has ever stood for. Even at the height of his considerable powers, Duncan shunned the spotlight. His dry, sardonic hu-
attitude, the spurning of glitz and glam, his passé sense of fashion — it all jibed so well with a community that came to admire him for everything he was and everything he wasn't. Duncan, who has notoriously shunned social media, might be unaware of Taylor's declaration, and he might not be around to witness the tribute, but after all the days he's given this city, he deserves to have one all to himself. nmoyle@expressnews.net Twitter: @NRmoyle
The movement of Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City to Cleveland has made the term "super team" in vogue around the NBA. Former players like Charles Barkley and Larry Bird have griped about the Warriors' acquisition of talent. Players around the league have been more understanding. Despite claiming five championships during the last 18 seasons, the Spurs have never really earned that designation — much to the dismay of their fans. The sting doesn't seem to bother San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich. When asked by the Bay Area New Group's Marcus Thompson, Popovich had a quick rebuttal that was typical from him. "Naah, he said with
what Thompson described as "a coy smile" while answering. "I just count the championships." Which brings one of his most memorable moments in the direction of the Spurs franchise after the team claimed the 2014 title over Miami. Popovich hinted back to earlier comments from LeBron James, who promised multiple titles for the Heat but was able to deliver only two before leaving for Cleveland. True to his words, Popovich has helped the Spurs win as many titles as the fingers he has on his hand. Not many NBA coaches -- in fact, only Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Popovich and Pat Riley — can make that claim. Tgriffin@ expressnews.net Twitter: @TimGriffinBig12
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NCAA FOOTBALL: BAYLOR BEARS
Manziel offers fans another apology
Jim Grobe keeping Briles’ plan at Baylor
By Nick Moyle
By Carlos Mendez
SA N ANT ONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
Johnny Manziel is asking for forgiveness again. The former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback offered an apology to fans via Twitter, claiming that he would "do whatever I can to make it right." Manziel then posted a message on Instagram, vowing that he would "be back." Considering the depths Manziel has sunk to, the climb back up will be a long and arduous one. "Johnny Football" is far removed from his College Station glory days. Since leaving Texas A&M, where he became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Manziel's life has been a downward spiral of booze- and drug-infused chaos. Friends and fans and family members, his own father included, have distanced themselves from the volatile quarterback. "I truly believe if they can't get him help, he won't live to see his 24th birthday," Paul Manziel told The Dallas Morning News in February. Manziel, 23, has repeatedly offered to change, to veer away from his chosen path of self-destruction. Nothing
DALLAS — New Baylor coach Jim Grobe said he is not going to make changes "from a football perspective" with the Bears, who he said were skeptical and heartbroken after the departure of former coach Art Briles. "It absolutely was a challenge, and there was no road map to this," he said. "When I got in and first met with the team, I think they were somewhat skeptical of a lot of things. They were certainly heartbroken that they lost Art. I know the staff was in shock, and so it’s been a journey, to be honest. I think we’ve gotten to the point now where the players are trusting of me, and I think they wanted that I’m here to help, I’m not here to change things. Some coaches come in and they try to run off the old guy’s players and bring in their fresh recruiting classes. I’m not here to do that." Grobe, speaking at his formal press conference Tuesday during Big 12 Media Days at the Dallas Omni, said he is keeping Briles’ style on offense. "I’ve been so impressed with what Art and the football program has accomplished over the last few years," Grobe said. "I’m an old West Virginia hillbilly, and we got that feeling if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So from
Smiley N. Pool / Dallas Morning News file
Former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel apologized once again to fans after a tumultuous offseason for the former first-round draft pick.
ever stuck. In 2015, he spent several weeks at an alcohol and drug treatment center following a slew of troubling incidents and bizarre behavior. Upon his release, he offered an apology. "I take full responsibility for my actions and it's my intention to work very hard to regain everyone's trust and respect. I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say," Manziel said. "I also understand there's a lot of curiosity about this but anyone who has a friend or family member that's been through things like this knows it's an ongoing process. I'm going to continue to ask folks to try to respect my privacy as I determine to what degree I am comfortable talking about a
subject which I consider very personal." But the former Kerrville Tivy star resumed his erratic behavior soon after that stint in rehab. Most notably, Manziel currently faces a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a January incident with ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. Crowley accused Manziel of throwing her into a car by her hair, slapping her hard enough to damage hearing in one ear, and making murderous and suicidal comments. Manziel, who is currently a free agent, has also been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the 2016 season for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. nmoyle@ expressnews.net Twitter: @NRMoyle
Clara Sandoval / TZT
Baylor’s Jim Grobe talks at the Big 12 Media Day.
strictly a football perspective, I think we want to continue to play fast and furious on offense. We want to keep those same principles that Art had." Grobe said he will keep many other aspects of the football operation. "I’m not here to make a lot of changes," he said. "I thought that was really important especially for our players to have the same terminology, the same type of schemes as much as possible but hopefully as we go forward if I do see things that I think might help us be a little bit better we might put a different spin on a few things, but I’m not here to change a whole lot." Grobe said the majority of Baylor kids "are fantastic kids" and that Baylor is dealing with its problems from the fallout of the sexual assault cases that led to the departure of Briles and other athletic officials.
"The problems that we’re dealing with at Baylor or have dealt with at Baylor to this point are probably problems at every university in the country," he said. "I hate to say every one, but I’m guessing most universities are having some of the same issues we’ve had at Baylor. You can make a call as to whether you think Baylor was too strong in the way they dealt with it. Unbelievably, I’ve had people tell me they don’t think they dealt with it strongly enough. But I think going forward, do we want to learn from our past mistakes? We absolutely want to learn from our past mistakes, and we’re doing that. "Baylor University right now is better than every because we have confronted some problems and made changes in the way we deal with problems going forward and I’m talking about serious problems. I’m not talking about missing class and late to weights and those type of things." Grobe said he can make changes as he sees fit with the coaching staff. "When I took the job I was assured that I could make any changes with the coaching staff that I needed to make," he said. "When I got here, my plan was to be at Baylor’s direction, really. I’m working for Baylor University.”
A8 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
NATIONAL
Louisiana capital city struggles with two weeks of violence By Cain Burdeau and Melinda Deslatte A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana capital is marked by memorials — flowers, balloons and stuffed animals with notes of condolences. In the past two weeks, Baton Rouge has seen a black man shot to death by white police and night after night of protests, followed by a fatal attack on three officers by a gunman who seemed to target the badge. The city of 229,000 is better known for its championship college football team and its political scene. But this broiling summer, it has been churning through tension and grief and taking a leading role in the national debate about race and law enforcement. Sterling Pierce, a 32-
year-old black appliance store worker, was shaken up as he paid his respects Tuesday outside the convenience store near where the officers were killed. A sign posted at a memorial read: “God ... please help us heal!” Shaking his head, Pierce struggled to make sense of recent events and to foresee an end to the violence. He showed bullet marks on his car and said the city’s problems run deep. The killing “is not going to stop down here,” he said. “It’s never going to change.” Pierce said he was friends with Alton Sterling, the black man shot by white officers two weeks ago. He also knew one of the officers killed this week, East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s Deputy Brad Garafola, a repeat customer at the
store where Pierce works. “This just messed me up,” he said. “I don’t know how to feel.” As he spoke, Pierce was approached by a white woman, Deirdre Breaux, who hugged him. “We’re all the same on the inside. We’re just a veneer on the outside,” said the 49-year-old antiques collector from nearby Central. She was more hopeful, praising the tone and actions of city, state and federal officials. “I see them lining up. They want to see progress, change,” Breaux said. “What we don’t need are outsiders bringing their propaganda and upsetting what we’re trying to heal.” In the aftermath of Sterling’s July 5 death, thousands of people turned out at several locations around Baton Rouge for protests. The 37-year-
old was killed as the officers pinned him to the pavement outside a convenience store where he sold CDs. The killing was captured on cellphone video and widely circulated online. The footage drew attention to strained race relations and longstanding inequities in a city with a 55 percent black population that is informally segregated. Northern neighborhoods are predominantly black, southern ones white. The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the death. The next weekend, police in riot gear arrested nearly 200 protesters. The clashes grew increasingly intense after a deadly police shooting in Minnesota and the killing of five officers in Dallas. Civil rights groups and
Max Becherer / AP file
In this July 9 file photo, a man attempts to stop protesters from engaging with police in riot gear in front of the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters after police attempted to clear the street in Baton Rouge, La.
activists sued Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies over their treatment of protesters. The police chief defended the response, saying authorities discovered a plot against police that weekend. Tensions continued to simmer, but the protests largely dissipated as Sterling’s family laid him to rest Friday at a memorial service that drew thousands. Just as the city appeared to take a breath, the next blow hit Sunday, when a masked former Marine ambushed law enforce-
ment along a busy highway, killing three officers and wounding three more before he was shot and killed. Police said they don’t know if Gavin Long’s attack came in response to Sterling’s death, but Louisiana State Police Col. Mike Edmonson said it’s clear officers were “intentionally targeted and assassinated” by the 29year-old black gunman. Slain was Garafola and two officers from the Baton Rouge Police Department: Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald.
Crane collapses on lanes of Tappan Zee Bridge in NYC suburbs By Ezra Kaplan A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — A huge crane toppled off the new Tappan Zee Bridge under construction and collapsed across the busy span it is replacing, bringing cars to a halt midday Tuesday on the key Hudson River crossing north of New York City. “Miraculously, there were no serious injuries,” said Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who briefed reporters at the scene. “If you said to me that a boom could fall across the Tappan Zee Bridge at noon, not hit a car... I would not believe
it.” Cuomo said the crane was performing routine work on the new bridge, driving pilings into the river bottom, and it was unclear what caused the crane’s boom to fall across the entire 90-foot, sevenlane width of the old bridge. Cars swerved to avoid the machinery, and at least one person was loaded into an ambulance, but no one was seriously hurt. Cuomo said he would not allow traffic back on the bridge until inspectors determine it is safe. It wasn’t clear when that inspection would be complete, but Cuomo said it
Julie Jacobson / AP
Motorists in the southbound lanes of Interstate 87 sit stopped about a mile from the site of a collapsed crane used in the construction of the new bridge alongside the Tappan Zee Bridge, Tuesday.
would take at least several hours. “As you know it’s an old bridge,” he said. “That’s why we’re replacing it in the first place.” Nicholas D’Emealio, 21,
of Irvington, was in a vehicle about three football fields away from the crane, toward the center of the bridge, when he heard a bang and his driver slammed on the brakes.
“It shook the whole bridge,” he said. “At first I thought the bridge was collapsing because this is not a good bridge.” Everybody was OK, but they were stranded. He and his friends got out of their vehicle and threw around a football to pass the time. The base and treads of the large, movable crane sat on the unfinished new bridge, which crosses the river between Westchester and Rockland counties. After the crash, several boats carrying emergency workers maneuvered in the river around the collapsed crane arm, while other workers appeared to
be scanning the water around the wreck. Rockland County had a helicopter and marine unit at the scene, according to Rockland County Executive Ed Day. The county executive tweeted that the crane operator was shaken but not hurt. The new Tappan Zee Bridge has been under construction for three years and is expected to be completed by 2018 at a cost of $3.9 billion. It is being built alongside the original Tappan Zee span, which dates to 1955. In March, a 90-foot tugboat sank after it hit a construction barge near the bridge site.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 |
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BUSINESS
Plans for self-driving cars have pitfall: the human brain By Joan Lowy A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Experts say the development of self-driving cars over the coming decade depends on an unreliable assumption by many automakers: that the humans in them will be ready to step in and take control if the car’s systems fail. Instead, experience with automation in other modes of transportation like aviation and rail suggests that the strategy will lead to more deaths like that of a Florida Tesla driver in May. Decades of research shows that people have a difficult time keeping their minds on boring tasks like monitoring systems that rarely fail and hardly ever require them to take action. The human brain continually seeks stimulation. If the mind isn’t engaged, it will wander until it finds something more interesting to think about. The more reliable the system, the more likely it is that attention will wane. Automakers are in the process of adding increasingly automated systems that effectively drive cars in some or most circumstances, but still require the driver as a
backup in case the vehicle encounters a situation unanticipated by its engineers. Tesla’s Autopilot, for example, can steer itself within a lane and speed up or slow down based on surrounding traffic or on the driver’s set speed. It can change lanes with a flip of its signal, automatically apply brakes, or scan for parking spaces and parallel park on command. Joshua Brown, a 40year-old tech company owner from Canton, Ohio, who was an enthusiastic fan of the technology, was killed when neither he nor his Tesla Model S sedan’s Autopilot braked for a truck making a left turn on a highway near Gainsville, according to federal investigators and the automaker. Tesla warns drivers to keep their hands on the wheel even though Autopilot is driving, or the vehicle will automatically slow to a stop. A selfdriving system Audi plans to introduce in its 2018 A7, which the company says will be the most advanced on the market, monitors drivers’ head and eye movements, and automatically slows the car if the driver’s attention is diverted. But Brown’s failure to
Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
Kaushik Raghu, Senior Staff Engineer at Audi, takes his hands off the steering wheel while demonstrating an Audi self-driving vehicle on I-395 expressway in Arlington, Va., Friday.
brake means he either didn’t see the truck in his path or saw it too late to respond — an indication he was relying on the automation and his mind was elsewhere, said Missy Cummings, director of Duke University’s Humans and Autonomy Laboratory. The truck driver said he had heard a Harry Potter video playing in the car after the crash. “Drivers in these quasiand partial modes of automation are a disaster in the making,” Cummings said. “If you have to rely on the human to see something and take action in anything less than several seconds, you are going to have an accident
like we saw.” Operators — an airline pilot, a train engineer or car driver — can lose awareness of their environment when they turn control over to automation, said Rob Molloy, the National Transportation Safety Board’s chief highway crash investigator. He pointed to the crash of Air France Flight 447 into the Atlantic Ocean while flying from Brazil to France in 2007. A malfunction in equipment used to measure air speed caused the plane’s autopilot to disconnect, catching pilots by surprise. Confused, they caused an otherwise flyable plane to stall and fall from the sky, killing 228 people.
Planes and trains have had automation “for 20, 30 years and there are still times when they’re like, ‘Wow, we didn’t expect that to happen,”’ Molloy said. Part of the problem is overconfidence in the technology causes people to think they can check out. Not long after Tesla introduced its Autopilot system, people were posting videos of car with the self-driving mode engaged cruising down tree-lined roads or even highways with no one in the driver’s seat. Brown, for example, had posted videos lauding the Autopilot system and demonstrating it in action. “There is a tendency of people to take one ride in one of these vehicles and then conclude that because they have not crashed over the course of 10 minutes that the system must be ready,” said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina professor who studies the technology. Some experts think the ability of people to monitor autonomous systems may be getting worse. With the advent of smartphones, people are accustomed to having their desire for mental stimulation satisfied immediately. “Go into Starbucks, for
example,” said Cummings. “No one can just patiently wait in line, they’re all doing something on their phones. It’s kind of pathetic.” Some automakers may be rethinking their approach. Two years ago, General Motors announced it would start selling a Cadillac in the fall of 2016 that would almost drive itself on freeways. But last week the company confirmed that the project has been delayed for an unspecified reason. At previous briefings, company executives said they were waiting to perfect methods of assuring that the driver pays attention to the road even when the system is on. The system, called “Super Cruise,” will use cameras and radar to keep the car in the center of a lane and also stay a safe distance behind cars in front of it. The system will bring the car to a complete stop without driver action if traffic halts, and it can keep the car going in stop-and-go traffic. But it’s designed for use only on limitedaccess divided highways. Google, meanwhile, is aiming for a car that’s fully self-driving and may not even have a steering wheel or brake pedals.
Questions and answers about US fuel economy standards A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
The U.S. government has issued a report on fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for U.S. cars and trucks that were first established in 2012. The report Monday kicked off a two-year review process leading to a government decision on whether to leave the standards in place through 2025 or change them. A look at the standards: What are CAFE and GHG standards? CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) and GHG (greenhouse gas) standards are mile-pergallon and emissions targets for cars and trucks set by the U.S. government. The standards are based on size and are weighted by sales. Each manufacturer has a different requirement based on the models it sells. Congress required CAFE standards in 1975 after several years of gasoline shortages during the
Arab oil embargo. The standard for passenger cars stayed at 27.5 mpg from 1990 until 2007, when Congress required substantial increases in fuel economy. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began regulating greenhouse gas emissions. In 2009, the government set a standard of 34.1 mpg for cars and light trucks by 2016. In 2012, the government set a new target of 54.5 mpg by 2025. Does that mean my car could get 54.5 mpg in 2025? No. That figure comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is based on the fuel economy needed to achieve greenhouse gas reductions. Manufacturers can apply credits for various technologies to arrive at that figure. Realworld mileage is likely to be around 40 mpg. What’s happening now? The government must
Gene J. Puskar / AP file
In this July 16, 2015, photo, a customer re-fuels her car at a Costco in Robinson Township, Pa.
decide whether the proposed standards for 2025 should stay in place or should be modified. When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency set the new standards in 2012, they agreed to conduct a mid-term evaluation for model years 2022-2025. That evaluation begins with the draft technical assessment, which was released Monday, and is expected to end in 2018 with a decision on whether the CAFE standards should be modified.
technical assessment say? The draft doesn’t recommend whether to change fuel economy and emissions requirements. That will come later. It says automakers are well on their way toward meeting the 2012 standards, but it also says those standards might have to be lowered, since low gas prices have changed the mix of vehicles that automakers sell. More people are buying trucks and SUVs — and spurning small, fuel-efficient cars — now that gas prices are low.
What did the draft
Why would the
government consider changing the standards? Gas is more than $1 per gallon cheaper than it was in 2012, when the standards were issued, which has hurt demand for more fuel-efficient cars. If automakers can’t sell those cars, then they can’t apply their high mileage toward their corporate average. But environmentalists and others say automakers are already beating the targets in many cases, so the government shouldn’t weaken them. They also say automakers have been pushing SUVs because they are more profitable than cars. How are automakers improving their fuel economy? The standards give manufacturers extra credit for new technologies, such as hybrid engines for pickup trucks and stopstart systems, which automatically shut off the engine when the vehicle stops. They also get
greenhouse gas credits for more efficient air-conditioning systems. Manufacturers are raising their fuel economy with the introduction of electric cars like the Chevrolet Bolt, which is due out later this year, and the increased use of lightweight materials like aluminum and highstrength steel. Engine technologies, such as direct fuel injection, and more efficient transmissions are also contributing. Do those added technologies make my vehicle more expensive? Yes. In the report issued Monday, the EPA estimates the fuel economy standards will cost $1,017 per vehicle between the 2022 and 2025 model years, while NHTSA estimates they will cost up to $1,245 per vehicle. The agencies differ on how much consumers would save in gas, but they estimate it’s between $680 and $1,620 per vehicle.
A10 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
INTERNATIONAL
Nice, Riviera jewel, has flip side as jihadi breeding ground Africa. The attack on a center of insouciant urban life jolted Nice into the other reality of their city, far removed from its sparkling image — the underbelly where the landscape includes housing projects and a population, often Muslims from North Africa, living on the edge of the mainstream. Those outer rims are a wellspring of discontent tapped by the Islamic State group and other extremist organizations. There are 15 to 20 “informal places of worship” in metropolitan Nice, makeshift prayer rooms preaching mainly fundamentalist or radical messages, according to Yasmina Touaibia, a political scientist who teaches at the Nice law school. “So there is a breeding ground in this town,” she said. “We let these groups proliferate silently without paying attention,” she said, “and today (they) have created networks and are rooted in a num-
ber of neighborhoods.” The profile emerging of the truck driver who throttled down the promenade on July 14, a Tunisian who had lived in Nice for years, points to a potential link with IS, which claimed responsibility for the attack. At 31 and with three children, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was older than many who transform seemingly overnight into Islamist radicals. He has been described by family in Tunisia and neighbors in Nice as a man with a volatile temperament prone to bursts of anger. While no direct link between Bouhlel and IS has yet been established, he is suspected of heeding their instructions to Muslims in Europe to carry out their jihad at home, and by any means. Bouhlel, a delivery man, was clearly on the margins of society in Nice, where the far-right National Front, opposed to immigration and stoking fears of a perceived Muslim “invasion,” has had a
strong presence for years. “Nice is a town where there is a weak social tissue ... less solidarity,” contrary to, for example, the much larger city of Marseille, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) down the coast with a substantial Muslim population, said Raphael Liogier, a sociologist and expert on Islam in France. In Nice, “there is ostensible, extremely visible wealth ... with an enormous disparity with the forgotten population who in a way just lick the windows,” he said. “It is harder to be poor in Nice than in Marseille. “Nice is the heart of the heart of the heart of the Riviera,” Liogier said. Oumar Diaby, alias Omar Omsen, who is considered by authorities to be a top Syria-based recruiter, has lured youth from his hometown of Nice to Syria, where he is aligned with Islamic State’s enemy, al-Nusra. Omsen is known for his French-language jihadi recruitment videos,
Turkey fires tens of thousands in coup plotters hunt
Turkish government has established probable cause that a crime was committed. Gulen has denied any knowledge of the failed coup. The vast numbers of people purged in recent days suggests that the government is not waiting for evidence at home. The crackdown was escalated Tuesday, as the government announced the firing of nearly 24,000 teachers and Interior Ministry employees and demanded the resignations of another 1,577 university deans. The dismissals touched every aspect of government life. Turkish media, in rap-
id-fire reports, said the Education Ministry had fired 15,200 educators, while the Interior Ministry dismissed 8,777 employees and Turkey’s Board of Higher Education called for the deans’ resignations. In addition, 1,500 finance ministry employees were fired, 257 people working at the prime minister’s office were sacked and 492 staffers at the Directorate of Religious Affairs were dismissed, including clerics, preachers and religious teachers.
By Elaine Ganley and Frank Jordans A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NICE, France — Nice, the city that sits on the Bay of Angels and that for many epitomizes the sunsplashed French Riviera, has a flip side unknown to tourists and invisible to most residents, as a breeding ground for Islamic radicals and jihadis. About 200 youths from Nice have traveled to Syria, and more are expected to leave, according to experts. And one of the top Syria-based recruiters of French jihadis hails from Nice. The city’s many moderate Muslims fear a backlash after the Bastille Day truck attack by a Tunisian radical that killed at least 84 revelers on its famed Promenade des Anglais. The Muslim community is mourning its many victims of the attack, with mosques holding memorials and some families sending bodies back to native lands across the Mediterranean in North
By Dominique Soguel and Suzan Fraser A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
ISTANBUL — Asserting that “all the evidence” points to a U.S.based Muslim cleric as the mastermind of last week’s failed coup, Turkey’s government on Tuesday fired tens of thousands of teachers, university deans and others accused of ties to the plot and demanded the cleric’s extradition. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue in a phone call with U.S. President Barack Obama, and his spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said the government was preparing a formal extradition request for the cleric, Fethullah Gulen. But he also suggested that the U.S. government shouldn’t require the facts before extraditing him. “A person of this kind can easily be extradited on grounds of suspicion,” Kalin said. “And there is very strong suspicion for his involvement, for Gulen’s involvement, in this coup attempt. So this is sufficient ground.” Later, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that Turkey had submitted materials related to Gulen and the administration was reviewing them to determine whether they amounted to a formal extradition request. Earnest added that
a decision on whether to extradite would be made under a longstanding treaty between the two countries, and wouldn’t be made by Obama. The extradition demand is likely to put strains on U.S. ties as the Obama administration refers the matter to the Justice Department, which will review the documents to determine whether the
Claude Paris / AP
People sunbathe in the beach of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, Tuesday. Joggers, cyclists and sun-seekers are back on Nice's famed Riviera coast, a further sign of normal life returning on the Promenade des Anglais.
notably on YouTube, and was among the first to target girls for recruitment. Christian Estrosi, who served for years as mayor and now runs the region, fought to keep the new En-Nour mosque from opening in western Nice. He recently lost the battle after the Council of State, France’s highest administrative body, approved the mosque, which opened July 4. Local authorities have put in place measures intended to spot radicalization and encourage friends or family members to report what Nice Mayor Philippe Pradal called “weak signals,”
such as changed eating habits or sudden interest in religion. A psychoanalyst who co-directs a de-radicalization program, Brigitte Erbibou, said that “increasingly radical positions are nourishing each other” in Nice. “Nice will be like ... a laboratory for all kinds of radicalism, extreme right, Muslim fundamentalists ... that reflects all the problems of France,” said Touaibia, the political scientist. Some anti-Muslim remarks were captured on video during the commemoration Monday on the Promenade, site of the truck attack.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 |
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FROM THE COVER
Police break up skirmishes among Pence seeks to reassure demonstrators in Cleveland By Michael Hill and Mark Gillispie A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
CLEVELAND — Police broke up scuffles between groups of demonstrators a few blocks from the Republican National Convention as crowds in the hundreds gathered Tuesday afternoon. There was no immediate word on any arrests or injuries. A skirmish broke out when right-wing conspiracy theorist and radio show host Alex Jones started speaking in downtown’s Public Square through a bullhorn. Police on bicycles pushed back a surging crowd, and Jones was whisked away. Minutes later, more officers on bicycles formed a line between a conservative religious group and a communistleaning organization carrying a sign that read, “America Was Never Great.” The demonstrators — including anti-Muslim protesters, religious conservatives and marchers
Mary Altaffer / AP
Police officers stand in formation in between opposing groups of demonstrators in Public Square.
decrying racism and “murder by police” — appeared outnumbered by law officers and members of the media. Police on bike and on foot formed lines to keep pockets of protesters separated. Demonstrators soon spilled into the streets, and some appeared to be making their way toward the convention arena before turning back. More skirmishes broke out at one intersection. The crowds and the police presence were some of the largest and
most raucous gatherings in downtown Cleveland since the convention got underway Monday. Cleveland’s police chief was talking to the crowd before one of the skirmishes broke out. Earlier Tuesday, officials said 11 members of the planning team for the California delegation to the Republican convention were recovering from a bout of norovirus, or what’s commonly known as stomach flu, health officials said. No delegates appeared to be affected. The symptoms, which
can include vomiting and diarrhea, were first reported Thursday as logistics members arrived at a hotel about an hour west of Cleveland ahead of the Republican National Convention, said Pete Schade, Erie County health commissioner. Those who got sick are keeping themselves isolated in their rooms, Schade said, and the Ohio Health Department is trying to identify the source. Norovirus can be contracted from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. Ohio Health Department spokesman Russ Kennedy confirmed there was at least one suspected norovirus case and said the victim was apparently infected before arriving in Ohio, based on when the person fell ill. Cynthia Bryant, executive director of the California GOP, told delegation members to wash their hands frequently, avoid shaking hands and not to share food.
conservatives about Trump By Jonathan Lemire ASSOCIATED PRE SS
CLEVELAND — Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, making his first appearance in Cleveland since being named Donald Trump’s running mate, tried to reassure Republicans nervous about the celebrity businessman’s conservative credentials by vouching for his character and comparing him to Ronald Reagan. Pence, long a conservative darling, made a surprise appearance Tuesday in front of a powerful conservative lobbying group to vow “that Donald Trump will be a great president of the United States of America because his heart beats with the heart of the American people.” “He’s a builder. He’s a fighter. He’s a father and a patriot,” Pence said of Trump in what may be a
preview of his vice presidential acceptance speech at the Republican NaPence tional Convention on Wednesday. “Trust me when I say this. When we come together as a party, we’ll re-elect strong conservative majorities in the House and the Senate and elect this good man as the 45th president of the United States, and I know in my heart that we will make America great again.” Trump picked Pence as his running mate last week after days of unusual and very public deliberations. Those in Trump’s camp who advocated for Pence framed his selection as a step toward party unity, touting his popularity among conservatives.
Clinton: First day of Republican National Convention was ‘surreal’ By Ken Thomas A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LAS VEGAS — Hillary Clinton dismissed the first day of the Republican National Convention as a “surreal” experience on Tuesday, comparing the gathering led by Republican Donald Trump to the classic fantasy film “The Wizard of Oz.” “There were similarities that appeared to
VIOLENCE From page A1 tive corridor for human and drug smuggling. “We don’t want to see the spillover come over and have them do what they did in 2006, 2007, where they come in and hit people that may live here,” Cuellar said. In the mid-2000s, Laredo saw a spike in homicides due to spillover violence, Cuellar recalled.
GUILTY From page A1 colored the jurors’ opinions of his client. The killings were alleged in the first count of the indictment against Millan Vasquez, and as jurors proceeded through the charges it likely weighed heavily on their minds, Cavazos said. “There’s no question that the blow-by-blow description of the little girl meeting her death was something that all of
TRUMP From page A1 Unruh, a leader of the anti-Trump forces, called the convention a “sham” and warned party leaders that their efforts to silence opposition would keep some Republicans on the sidelines in the fall campaign against Clinton. This week’s four-day convention is Trump’s highest-profile opportunity to convince voters that he’s better suited for the presidency than Clinton, who will be officially nominated at next week’s Democratic gathering. But the rocky start raised fresh questions about his oversight of his campaign, which gives voters
me. Lots of sound and fury — even a fog machine,” Clinton told 6,000 people at the convention of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Las Vegas. “But when you pull back the curtain, it was just Donald Trump with nothing to offer to the American people.” Clinton rallied labor allies in Nevada as Republicans met in Cleve-
land for the second day of the national convention where delegates are expected to officially select Trump as their party’s nominee. Speaking to longstanding Democratic allies, Clinton noted Trump’s shadowy appearance before he introduced his wife, Melania Trump, but made no mention of allegations that she lifted passages of her speech from first lady
Michelle Obama’s 2008 address. Bracketing Trump, the presumptive Democratic nominee said “last night in Cleveland was surreal,” prompting a chorus of boos at the mention of her Republican rival’s name. She added that viewers heard a lot about her and Trump but “not a single solution” that would help workers and their families.
Operation Border SMART is still an ongoing project, the sheriff said. But authorities also discussed better alternatives to border security other than a wall along the riverbanks, Cuellar said. Alternatives included the use of smart cameras that can be operated remotely. The cameras would be installed in locations deemed hot spots for illicit activity, Cuellar said. He hopes to obtain state grants to acquire the tech-
nology. “We want to make sure that we are one team in being proactive in doing what we can to prevent spillover coming from Mexico,” Cuellar said. A Facebook post talking about a curfew and the conflict within the Zetas drug cartel has been floating around since July 8. It warns people about being out on the streets after midnight and stresses bar-goers to avoid nightclubs in Nuevo Laredo.
TEXTBOOK
us had a hard time hearing,” he said. Cavazos said he was surprised by the decision to convict Millan Vasquez on all counts because he felt the government had relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and couldn’t prove his client was connected to all the killings and all the acts of drug trafficking alleged in the indictment against him. During closing arguments, he pointed out that Millan Vasquez, who was arrested last year in
a window into how a candidate might handle the pressures of the presidency. The plagiarism accusations center on Monday night’s speech by Trump’s wife. Two passages from Mrs. Trump’s address — each 30 words or longer — matched a 2008 Democratic convention address by Michelle Obama nearly word-for-word. Trump’s campaign only kept the controversy alive on Day 2 of the convention by insisting there was no evidence of plagiarism, while offering no explanation for how the strikingly similar passages wound up in Mrs. Trump’s address. The matter consumed news coverage from Cleveland until the evening vote,
John Gurzinski / Getty
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses the AFSCME at their conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Tuesday.
San Antonio and who he described as a rancher who was falsely accused by Mexican authorities and then the U.S. government, lived in mobile homes during his time in the U.S. The government made “deals with the devil” giving reduced sentences to co-conspirators, including one who was able to bargain down five life sentences to 25 years in prison, Cavazos said, and lacked physical evidence linking Millan Vasquez to any crimes.
an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said at a news conference in the lobby of the Texas Education Agency, where the board meets. Moreno and other activists are part of the new Responsible Ethnic Studies Text Coalition, which scrutinized the proposed textbooks and detailed what it described as “multiple factual errors.” The coalition said those included suggesting that Mexican culture promotes laziness, linking MexicanAmericans to immigrants who are not in the country legally, and characterizing leaders of the Chicano movement that advanced MexicanAmerican civil rights in the 1960s and ’70s as adopting “a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society.” “Industrialists were
very driven, competitive men,” the textbook says, according to excerpts. “In contrast, Mexican laborers were not reared to put in a full day’s work so vigorously. There was a cultural attitude of ‘mañana,’ or ‘tomorrow.”’ A phone number for Momentum Instruction rang unanswered Monday. The liberal watchdog group Texas Freedom Network says the textbook publisher is controlled by Cynthia Dunbar, a former Texas Board of Education member who has advocated for state curriculum standards downplaying the constitutional separation of church and state. Hispanics now make up 52 percent of Texas public school students, with most being Mexican-Americans. The education board plans to vote in November on whether to approve the “Mexican American Heritage” textbook. Texas’ more than 1,000 school districts don’t have to use board-sanctioned class-
room materials, but most do. As a result, Texas has an outsized influence on school textbooks nationally. Its market is so large that edits made by publishers to meet the state’s curriculum standards can wind up altering content in textbooks sold elsewhere. David Bradley, a social conservative and veteran Board of Education member, said Monday that activists who forced Texas to solicit proposed ethnic studies textbooks are now angry with the results. “You ought to be careful what you ask for. You got it,” Bradley, a Republican from Beaumont, said in a phone interview. He said Texas should focus on basics like reading, writing and math before worrying about more specialized courses. “I’m Italian, Irish and French,” Bradley said. “And I feel like I’m being discriminated against when we only have an exclusive minority studies program in Texas.”
obscuring Mrs. Trump’s broader effort to show her husband’s softer side. Clinton pounced on the tumult, saying the Republican gathering had so far been “surreal,” comparing it to the classic fantasy film “Wizard of Oz.” “When you pull back the curtain, it was just Donald Trump with nothing to offer to the American people,” Clinton said during a speech in Las Vegas. Top Trump adviser Paul Manafort said the matter had been “totally blown out of proportion.” “They’re not even sentences. They’re literally phrases,” Manafort told The Associated Press. Conventions are massive organizational un-
dertakings, with thousands of attendees to manage and dozens of speakers to oversee. But the weeklong gathering pales in comparison to the scope of a president’s responsibilities as head of the U.S. government. Republican leaders found themselves answering unwelcome questions. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said he “probably” would have fired his own speechwriters under similar circumstances and acknowledged the matter was a distraction. It was unclear whether the controversy would have any bearing on how voters view Trump. The businessman has survived numerous politi-
cally perilous moments that might have doomed other candidates. Manafort, a longtime Republican operative, has emerged as a controversial and pivotal figure in Trump’s Cleveland operations. He led efforts to successfully tamp down a rebellion on the convention floor Monday, though the campaign still had to contend with angry outbursts from antiTrump delegates. The campaign chairman also upended Republicans’ unity message by slamming Ohio Gov. John Kasich in his home state. He called Kasich “petulant” and “embarrassing” for not endorsing Trump or attending the convention, drawing quick condemnation from
other GOP leaders worried about angering the popular governor of one of the most important election states. Following the roll call vote, a parade of Trump’s former campaign rivals, Republican leaders who are lukewarm about his nomination and more family members were taking the stage. Tiffany Trump, the candidate’s 22-year-old daughter from his marriage to Marla Maples, and Donald Trump Jr., his eldest son and an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, were scheduled to speak. Both were expected to highlight a more personal side of their father than is often seen in public.
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A12 | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES