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LAREDO CITY COUNCIL
No plastic bags City, merchants head to court over ordinance By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
City Councilman Roberto Balli reads his proposals regarding the plastic bag ordinance at City Council Chambers.
The City of Laredo will amend its plastic bag reduction ordinance to state that thin plastic bags cannot be sold or given away for free by businesses. Laredo City Council directed city attorney Raul Casso to make
the revision during a special called meeting Monday. The ordinance is still set to take effect Thursday, said city spokeswoman Xochitl Mora Garcia. The applause of ordinance supporters rang in the City Council chambers after the motion from District 8 Councilman Roberto
Balli to direct Casso to amend the language was voted on and approved. “We are ecstatic with the City Council’s decision to amend this ordinance to make it ironclad and to make sure that we keep with the spirit and the intent of it,” said Tricia Cortez, Rio Grande International Study Cen-
ter executive director. Local attorney Christopher C. Peterson, who filed a lawsuit last month over the ordinance on behalf of the Laredo Merchants Association, said he did not want to comment on City Council’s decision since he was not at the meeting. Council members
ZAPATA COUNTY ISD
discussed the ordinance due to statements made by an attorney during a court hearing on the lawsuit April 20. The attorney, Elizabeth GuerreroSouthard, who was representing the city, said at the hearing that the ordinance did not prohibit the sale of
See BAGS PAGE 11A
ZAPATA COUNTY
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Suspect charged in smuggling By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Cuate Sanots | The Zapata Times
Zapata County ISD Special Olympians participated in the Area Special Olympics Tuesday morning at the UISD Student Acitivity Complex.
A man accused of transporting seven illegal immigrants was arrested recently following a traffic stop in Zapata County, according to court documents obtained Monday. Federal authorities charged the suspect, Benito Juarez-Gutierrez, with bringing in and harboring immigrants who are in the country illegally, according to a criminal complaint filed against the defendant on April 20. U.S. Border Patrol said the case happened April 15. That afternoon, the Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office requested assistance from agents because deputy could not identify seven of eight occupants during a speeding violation stop at U.S. 83 and Singer Street. Authorities identified the driver as JuarezGutierrez, who was determined to be a U.S. citizen. But the seven occupants he allegedly had in his vehicle were Mexican nationals with no legal status to be in the country, according to court documents. In court documents, the deputy stated that Juarez-Gutierrez freely admitted to picking up the group at a house in the Siesta Shores neighborhood. The suspect allegedly agreed to a post-arrest interview. Juarez-Gutierrez allegedly stated he had gotten a call asking him if he could transport immigrants to Laredo for $200 per person. Records further stated that Juarez-Gutierrez has served time behind bars for possession of marijuana in state and federal facilities. Two immigrants held as material witnesses in the cases state they made arrangements to cross the border illegally through Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on April 14. Agents said the men paid $5,000 and $6,000, respectively. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
SEVENTH ANNUAL SHOOT FOR THE STARS SPORTING CLAY TOURNAMENT
DA Office raises $30k By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The District Attorney’s Office raised almost $30,000 during their Seventh Annual Shoot for the Stars Sporting Clay Tournament. The event took place April 18 at the South Texas Shooting Complex, which is located off of Texas 359. All the money raised will benefit the Webb County Better Community Foundation, a nonprofit corporation created by District Attorney Isidro R. “Chilo” Alaniz to build
lifelong relationships with community members. “That foundation enables us to help different organizations. We’re able to spread the money throughout all Webb and Zapata counties instead of one particular agency. We feel that we make a stronger impact that way,” Alaniz said. The foundation also serves to support services, activities and assistance to the youth in the areas of education, mental health, overall wellness and various therapies. Since its inception, Shoot
for the Stars has raised more than $200,000, Alaniz said. “We’re always happy to be able to help out in that way,” he said. International Bank of Commerce in Zapata entered two teams. Their purpose was to help out the community. “It’s nice to be helping out others while at the same time, we’re getting together and having a good time,” said team member Zonia Camacho. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Courtesy photo
Pictured are Hugo Melo, Zonia Camacho, Erika Martinez, Claudia Piña, Viviana Moncivais and James Johnson. They were part of the two teams IBC-Zapata sponsored in the Sporting Clay Tournament.