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SOUTH TEXAS FOOD BANK
STFB holds conference Members from Helping Hands, Shepherd’s pantries represent Zapata SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The South Texas Food Bank will host more than 100 people at its annual member agency conference on Tuesday, March 17 at the International Bank of Commerce Annex on Jacaman Road and Loop 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Laredo.
Attending are agency coordinators and assistants. Representatives from Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Starr, Dimmitt, Maverick, Val Verde and Kinney Counties will attend. Among the Zapata County attendees will be food bank board member Romeo Salinas; Alma de los Santos, Norma Mendoza
and Andicia Peña of Helping Hands pantry; and Nidia Cruz and Mary Pulido of Shepherd’s Pantry. The Rev. Paul Frye, pastor of Laredo’s Christ Church Episcopal will deliver the invocation. Christ Church Episcopal is one of the largest agencies in Laredo, serving more than 400 families per
IMMIGRATION
month. The South Texas Food Bank serves an average of 27,000 families, 7,000 elderly, 7,000 children and 500 veterans and their widows per month. Villarrreal and South Texas Food Bank board president Anna Benavides Galo will welcome the group. Speakers will include a motivational talk
by Laredo ISD superintendent Dr. A. Marcus Nelson. There will be informational presentations by Laredo Health Department director Dr. Hector Gonzalez on food safety, Feeding Texas disaster awareness coordinator Gaylynn Bailey, Texas A&M International University Agri Life staffer
Cristana Mussett on nutrition and South Texas Food Bank Kids Café director Dr. Jesse Olivarez on civil rights. The South Texas Food Bank, distributes food to the needy of Zapata County. Elia Solis, agency director for the South Texas
See FOOD BANK PAGE 11A
ZAPATA COUNTY FAIR
MEET ROYALTY Photo by Marjorie Kamys Cotera | Texas Tribune file
Rally for Immigration Reform protestors walk on Feb. 22, 2013.
Lawmaker wants to know impact It has been nine years since anyone undertook a comprehensive study By JULIÁN AGUILAR TEXAS TRIBUNE
As state lawmakers debate spending millions of dollars on border security, doing away with instate college tuition for some undocumented students and other controversial immigration issues, they lack a fundamental set of information that could affect their decisions — what impact do undocumented Texans have on the state economy? It’s been nine years since anyone undertook a comprehensive study to find out whether undocumented immigrants help or hurt the state. A border lawmaker wants to fill that information vacuum by requiring the state comptroller to assess the economic impact
of illegal immigration for lawmakers each year. House Bill 2416 by state Rep. César Blanco, D-El Paso, would require regular updates to a 2006 study conducted by former Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn. That study estimated that deporting the approximately 1.4 million undocumented immigrants living in Texas in 2005 would have cost the state about $17.7 billion in gross domestic product. It also showed that the state collected more in taxes and other revenues — about $1.6 billion in 2005 — than the $1.16 billion it spent to provide them with state services. But the study also concluded that local governments weren’t reim-
See IMPACT PAGE 11A
Photo by Victor Strife | The Zapata Times
From left, the 2015 Zapata County Fair queens and her court: Ashley Ibarra, runner-up; Rebecca Villarreal, first runner up; Priscilla Elizondo, 2015 ZCF queen; and Raquel Almaguer, runner-up pose at The Zapata Times offices on Friday afternoon.
Local high school students honored By JUDITH RAYO THE ZAPATA TIMES
A speechless and proud 14-year-old was recently crowned Zapata County Fair Queen for 2015. Ninth-grader Priscilla Elizondo, along with her court, says she is honored to be crowned queen. “It feels amazing,” she said. “It’s been a great experience.” This is not Elizondo’s first time competing at a pageant. She has also participated in Miss PreTeen South West, Junior
Miss Laredo, Miss Falcon Lake, and the 2014 Texas Teen USA pageant. Elizondo said her duties for queen include being a good role model and promoting the fair. Next to her, a smiling 17-year-old Rebecca Villarreal proudly took the honor of being named The People’s Choice Award by Zapata community members. Villarreal is also first runner-up for the court. She said being part of the court is an accomplishment itself.
“I’ve been around the fair since the third grade,” Villarreal said. “I wanted to represent the fair as I finish my high school years.” She said her proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Club in Zapata. A former member herself, she picked the club as a form of gratitude. “I wanted to give back everything they gave to me when I was younger,” Villarreal said. The Miss Congeniality Award was given to Raquel Adriana Almaguer,
runner up of the court. She was voted by the royalty court, because of her friendliness and easy, approachable attitude. The 17-year-old, whose achievements include the National Honor Society and Varsity Cross-Country and track, was speechless as she thanked the court for the award. Ashley Ibarra, 16-yearold runner up, whose accomplishments include Miss Falcon Lake for
See ROYALTY PAGE 11A
OFFICE OF THE STATE DEMOGRAPHER
Report: Texas population could double by 2050 ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — A new report says the state’s population will double by 2050 if migration into Texas continues at the same rate that it did in the last decade. The analysis issued Thursday by the Office of
the State Demographer projects the state’s population will be about 54.4 million if current immigration, both legal and illegal, and migration levels are sustained. The study also projects population in Texas age 14 and under would increase
from 5.7 million in 2010 to 10.2 million in 2050. The 1564 population would increase from 16.8 million to 34.7 million, and the 65 and over population would rise from 2.6 million to 9.4 million. The Austin AmericanStatesman reports an in-
Beginning in 2005, Texas has experienced the largest annual population growth of any state. crease in population could have broad implications for the state’s economy, quality of life, water and transportation infrastructure, schools and politics. “Beginning in 2005, Texas has experienced the largest annual population growth of any state,” wrote the state demographer, Lloyd Potter.
Austin has set the pace for the state. Its population grew 37 percent in the decade ending in 2010. According to demographers, migrants tend to be younger, and can help maintain a high worker to retiree ratio. William Frey, a demographer with the Brookings Institute, said that it is un-
likely that Texas will be able to maintain the growth rate is has had this century, which benefited from a strong economy that was largely unbattered by the recession. Frey also said Texas received a onetime population bump from people leaving Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.