The Zapata Times 5/13/2015

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WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2015

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SENATE BILL 149

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Abbott approves

More speaking English

Bill helps students who fail

Percentage of Hispanics speaking Spanish at home has been declining

By EVA HERSHAW TEXAS TRIBUNE

By AMY TAXIN Gov. Greg Abbott warmed up his bill-signing pen on Monday, approving a measure ensuring that some high school seniors who fail to pass state exams can seek an alternate route to graduation.

"The goal of the Texas public education system should be to ensure all students who graduate from high school or college are

See STUDENTS PAGE 9A

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — A rising share of Hispanics in the United States speak proficient English and the percentage of those speaking Spanish at home has been declining, researchers said Tuesday.

A report by the Washington-based Pew Research Center found 68 percent of Hispanics

Photo by Deborah Cannon/Austin American-Statesman | AP

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks in Austin, April 21. Abbott signed Senate Bill 149 Monday, which ensures that some student can still earn a diploma despite poor performance on standardized exams.

spoke only English at home or spoke English very well in 2013, up from 59 percent in 2000.

The share of Hispanics speaking Spanish at home dropped to 73 percent from 78 percent over the same period.

The shift comes as migration to the United States from Latin America has slowed.

“This is part of a

See ENGLISH PAGE 9A

WEBB COUNTY BETTER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

SENIORS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS

Courtesy photo

The Webb County Better Community Foundation recently awarded scholarships to students. Pictured from left are Pete Garza, foundation board member; Marisela Jacaman, foundation vice chair; Vanessa Vela, Early College High School recipient; Maria Roxanne Vasquez, Cigarroa High School recipient; Raul Ruiz, Zapata High School recipient; Isidro R. Alaniz, foundation chair; Jazmine Peña, Martin High School recipient; Christina Aidee Limon, United High School recipient; Samantha Hernandez, LBJ High School recipient; Sissy de los Reyes, Alexander High School recipient; Ana Aguiña, United South High School recipient; David Sanchez, foundation treasurer; and Cecilia Garcia, foundation secretary.

Hundreds of applicants reviewed; Zapata High student chosen SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Webb County Better Community Foundation awarded an academic collegiate scholarship to nine local high school seniors during a special ceremony held at the Webb County 406th Dis-

trict Court on May 6.

Raul Ruiz of Zapata High School was among the nine chosen for this competitive award.

The foundation reviewed hundreds of applicants from every local high school. The recipients chosen were stu-

dents who demonstrated a commitment to excellence throughout their high school career in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities as well as community involvement. The $1,000 scholarship will aid high school seniors with finan-

cial assistance to students wanting to pursue a college degree in any field.

This is the first year the foundation provides a scholarship opportunity to students.

The following students were the scholar-

ship recipients: Ana Aguiña, United South High School Sissy de los Reyes, Alexander High School Omar Garcia, Nixon High School Samantha Hernandez, LBJ High School Christina Aidee Li-

mon, United High School Jazmine Peña, Martin High School Raul Ruiz, Zapata High School Maria Roxanne Vasquez, Cigarroa High School Vanessa Vela, Early College High School

METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES

Grants awarded for behavioral health

By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES

To help combat diabetes, obesity and depression, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, the largest private, faith-based source for healthcare services in South Texas, awarded seven grants Tuesday to health care providers in Zapata, Laredo, the Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend.

Mercy Ministries of Laredo and Texas A&M International University

were among the sub-grantees introduced as the inaugural cohort of the Sí Texas Project: Social Innovation for a Healthy South Texas, a 5-year project aimed toward improving behavioral health and chronic disease in South Texas.

The seven sub-grantees will receive their respective awards every year for the next 5 years.

Mercy Ministries of Laredo, which serves the unmet health needs of some of the poorest members of

The objective of the Sí Texas Project is … to highlight integrated behavioral health models that are effectively improving health outcomes in the communities with high rates of poverty, depression, diabetes… the community, received nearly $300,000.

Mercy Clinic provides

primary health care for all people, with special concern for women and chil-

dren as well as the poor and marginalized. Medical services include general medicine, women’s wellness, diabetes care, dental care, case management and medication assistance.

Sister Maria Luisa Vera, president of Mercy Ministries of Laredo, said she is grateful for having being chosen as a subgrantee.

“This grant means we will be able to expand our services for our patients,” Vera said. “We have been wanting to provide more

opportunities within the primary health clinic so that we can offer most of what the patients need being delivered under one roof.”

Vera said she hopes to hire a dietician and a physical activities director for the Mercy Clinic in the near future.

TAMIU will receive $1.7 million a year for the next five years.

University President Ray Keck said the federal

See HEALTH PAGE 9A

PAGE 2A

Zin brief CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

AROUND TEXAS

TODAY IN HISTORY

THURSDAY, MAY 14

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scuba Club meeting at 7 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel lobby restaurant in the back (not the steak house).

On the agenda is future saltwater and fresh water dive trips and scuba certification classes. For more information, contact Rene de la Viña, dive master, at 956-740-2101.

Spanish Book Club from 6-8 p.m. at the Laredo Public Library. For more information, contact Sylvia Reash at 763-1810.

Today is Wednesday, May 13, the 133rd day of 2015. There are 232 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On May 13, 1940, in his first speech as British prime minister, Winston Churchill told Parliament, “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

On this date: In 1607, English colonists arrived by ship at the site of what became the Jamestown settlement in Virginia (the colonists went ashore the next day).

In 1935, T.E. Lawrence was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Dorset, England; he died six days later.

In 1958, Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, were spat upon and their limousine battered by rocks thrown by anti-U.S. demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela.

In 1973, in tennis’ first socalled “Battle of the Sexes,” Bobby Riggs defeated Margaret Court 6-2, 6-1 in Ramona, California. (Billie Jean King soundly defeated Riggs at the Houston Astrodome in September.)

In 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square by Turkish assailant Mehmet Ali Agca.

In 1985, a confrontation between Philadelphia authorities and the radical group MOVE ended as police dropped a bomb onto the group’s row house.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated federal appeals Judge Stephen G. Breyer to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

In 2000, explosions at a fireworks warehouse in the Netherlands killed 23 people and injured nearly 1,000 others. (A suspect was found guilty of causing the blasts, but his conviction was overturned.)

Ten years ago: The Pentagon proposed the most sweeping changes to its network of military bases in modern history, a plan that would close 33 major facilities in 22 states and reconfigure hundreds of others.

Five years ago: Three Pakistani men who authorities say supplied funds to would-be Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad were arrested in a series of raids in New England.

One year ago: A European court, in an important test of the “right to be forgotten,” ruled that Google had to amend some of its search results at the request of ordinary people when they showed links to outdated, irrelevant information.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Buck Taylor is 77. Singer Stevie Wonder is 65. Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman is 54. Actor-comedian Stephen Colbert is 51. Singer Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish) is 49. Contemporary Christian musician Andy Williams (Casting Crowns) is 43.

Actress-writer-director Lena Dunham is 29. Actor Robert Pattinson is 29. Actor Hunter Parrish is 28.

Thought for Today: “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.” — Thomas R. Marshall, U.S. vice president (1854-1925). (To which American humorist Franklin P. Adams replied, “What this country really needs is a good five-cent nickel.”)

SUNDAY, MAY 17 St. Patrick Church Men’s Club scholarship steak asado plate sale, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Patrick grounds, 555 Del Mar Blvd. $5 per plate. Call Salo Otero at 956-324-2432.

TUESDAY, MAY 19 Rock wall climbing from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at LBV Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. People of all ages are invited. Climbers must bring an ID and sign the release form, weather permitting. Contact John Hong at john@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2520.

THURSDAY, MAY 21 Elysian Social Club will be hosting its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Contact Herlinda Nieto-Dubuisson at 956-285-3126.

FRIDAY, MAY 22 TAMIU commencement ceremonies at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building. College of Arts and Sciences (undergraduates only) at 10 a.m.; College of Arts and Sciences (graduates) at 2 p.m.; A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business at 2 p.m.; College of Education at 6 p.m.; College of Nursing and Health Sciences at 6 p.m.

Office of the University Registrar at 326-2250.

SATURDAY, MAY 23 Founders’ Day Celebration at noon at Laredo Center for the Arts, 500 San Agustín Ave. The Webb County Heritage Foundation will host a luncheon honoring the descendants of its founder, Don Tomas Sanchez, and all the founding families of the community. The event is open to the public.

Tickets are $60. For ticket information and table reservations, WCHF at 956727-0977 or visit www.webbheritage.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 26 Rock wall climbing from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at LBV Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. People of all ages are invited. Climbers must bring an ID and sign the release form, weather permitting. Contact John Hong at john@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2520.

The Color of Music, a Ballroom Gala-Dance at the Laredo Center for the Arts, 500 San Agustin, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts office at 820 Main and at the Laredo Center for the Arts. Tickets sold at the door.

Proceeds will benefit the student activity fund. Contact Robert M. Lopez at 273-7811 or rmlopez004@laredoisd.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 30 LCC’s Rio Grande Arts Festival from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. at LCC Fort McIntosh Campus West End. This celebration includes contests in playwriting, play production, short film, song writing, battle of bands and dance. Admission is free. For more information, contact the Martinez Fine Arts Center at martinezfineartscenter@laredo.edu or 721-5334.

LCC presents Girl in a Coma as part of the Rio Grande Arts Festival, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.

SUNDAY, MAY 31 LCC’s Rio Grande Arts Festival from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at LCC Fort McIntosh Campus West End. This celebration includes contests in playwriting, play production, short film, song writing, battle of bands and dance. Admission is free. For more information, contact the Martinez Fine Arts Center at martinezfineartscenter@laredo.edu or 721-5334.

(Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location and purpose.)

Photo by Eric Gay | AP

Texas Rep. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia, talks about his proposed bill that would penalize county and local officials for issuing gay marriage licenses, Tuesday in Austin. Nearly every Republican in the Texas House is backing a measure that would prohibit state and local officials from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Marriage law gets push

By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — Racing both a U.S. Supreme Court decision on gay marriage and legislative deadlines, Texas Republicans pushed ahead Tuesday toward putting the state at the forefront of resistance if same-sex weddings are ruled constitutional.

Nearly every Republican in the Texas House is backing a measure that would prohibit state and local officials from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Less than three weeks remain in Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s first session, and the bill must clear the House by midnight Thursday to advance.

If signed by Abbott, the bill would aim to defy the Supreme Court if it legalizes gay marriage, laying the groundwork for Texas to potentially raise new legal battles over its

ability to regulate marriage licenses.

“It would certainly put the state in a position to challenge,” said Republican state Rep. Cecil Bell, who filed the bill shortly after a Texas judge allowed a lesbian couple to wed despite a statewide ban on gay marriage.

The Alabama Supreme Court earlier this year already prohibited county officials in that state from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Lawmakers in South Carolina are also pushing a bill similar to what was filed in Texas, according to the Human Rights Campaign, which tracks gay rights issues.

Abbott didn’t give hot-button social issues legislative priority after taking office in January. But with the Texas Legislature now close to adjourning, Republicans have accelerated legislation that gay rights activists consider hostile.

Houston-area school bus crashes into house

Car hits, kills homeless man during rain storm

Pepper spray used to stop fight at middle school

LEAGUE CITY — Police say a Houston-area school bus has crashed into a house in a wreck that left a student, the driver and a teacher’s aide slightly hurt.

Officials with the Clear Creek Independent School District say the driver apparently had a medical problem Tuesday morning and possibly passed out.

League City police say the accident sent the front section of the bus into the two-story home.

HOUSTON — Houston police say a suspected drunken driver has been charged in the death of a homeless man who was struck and killed while under a bridge during a storm. Investigators say a car was making a turn when the driver lost control, the vehicle jumped the curb, went under an overpass and hit a homeless man. Authorities believe the victim had sought shelter during a rainstorm.

DALLAS — A school police chief says an officer had to use pepper spray to break up a fight at a Dallas middle school involving roughly 60 students.

The Dallas Morning News reports the fight happened Monday afternoon at Dade Middle School in south Dallas. According to a Dallas Independent School District spokesman, a handful of students started fighting on the school’s third floor.

Woman seeks protective order against senator

Police seek ID on baby’s body in luggage near road

Investigators continue to review fatal bridge crash

LUBBOCK — A woman in Oklahoma has requested a protective order against a Texas state senator whom she accuses of stalking and threatening to harm her.

Cynthia Ortiz made the allegations against Republican Sen. Charles Perry of Lubbock in court documents filed last week in Creek County, Oklahoma.

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police are trying to identify a baby found dead in a piece of luggage dumped along Interstate 37. A highway worker preparing to mow some grass on Monday found the bag, opened it and discovered the body.

The baby appears to have been very young, possibly a newborn.

Nobody has been arrested.

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety says investigators are still trying to determine what caused a tractor-trailer to strike a partially constructed bridge over Interstate 35 in March, leading to the death of a motorist. A man was killed when a portion of a concrete beam landed on his pickup.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION Egg, turkey meat prices rise as bird flu spreads DES MOINES, Iowa — Prices for eggs and turkey meat are rising as an outbreak of bird flu in the Midwest claims an increasing number of chickens and turkeys. Market experts say grocery stores and wholesalers are trying to stock up on eggs, but there’s no need to worry about having enough turkeys for Thanksgiving. Turkey prices, which had been expected to fall this year, are up slightly as the bird flu claimed about 5.6 million turkeys nationwide so far. About 238 million turkeys were raised in the U.S. last year.

Egg supplies are falling short of demand, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has indicated.

Man arrested after ‘liking’ mug shot on Facebook GREAT FALLS, Mont. — A Montana man who was arrested

CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Account Executive, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 765-5113 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Copy Editor, Nick Georgiou ....................... 728-2565 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ..........................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by Charlie Neibergall | AP

This Nov. 25, 2014 file photo shows eggs for sale in a Des Moines, Iowa grocery store. Prices for eggs and turkey meat are edging up as the bird flu in the Midwest claims an increasing number of chickens and turkeys. after “liking” his mug shot on a Crimestoppers Facebook page has posted bond in a felony forgery case.

Levi Charles Reardon of Great Falls was arrested on April 24, three weeks after an acquaintance pointed out his picture on

the Great Falls/Cascade County Crimestoppers Facebook page and Reardon liked it.

Reardon pleaded not guilty on May 7. Public defender Alex Spayd said Reardon posted a $2,500 bond the next day.

— Compiled from AP reports

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The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net

Local

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A

Naturalist program meeting today SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Brush Country Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program, focused in Webb and Zapata counties, will be holding its first training classes July through November, and a free informational meeting

will be held today.

The meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Zapata County Technical and Advanced Education Center (ZTAC).

During regular classes, volunteers compete 40 hours of training, where they will learn about birds, plants, insects, am-

phibians and reptiles, soils, climate and weather, ecoregions of Texas, and more.

After completing the classes and 8 additional hours of advanced training, volunteers give back 40 hours of service time each year to our community. Local service collabo-

Lions Club to host Memorial Day race SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Zapata Lions Club is hosting a Memorial Day Mayhem 8K run and 5K walk on May 23.

The race will start at the Lions Club, 2312 Hidalgo St., at 8 a.m.

Registration is from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.

Pre-registration is $15 at active.com and $25 on race day.

Age categories for the 8K run are 14 and under 15 – 19 20 – 29 30 – 39 40 – 49 50 – 59 60 and over For more information, contact Steve Sanchez at 285-9128 or Romeo Garcia at 750-0366.

rators include Falcon and Lake Casa Blanca State Parks, City of Laredo Parks and Recreation, Keep Laredo Beautiful, Laredo Community College/LBV Environmental Science Center, Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Webb and Zapata

County nonprofit organizations.

The Texas Master Naturalist program is an award-winning volunteer program whose mission is “to develop a well-informed corps of volunteers who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the

beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the state of Texas.”

For more information, contact Alberto Sandoval, chairperson of Brush Country Texas Master Naturalist Program, at alberto@rgisc.org.

Tourney needs sponsors SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce would like to invite sponsors to participate in the 5th Annaul Back to School Kid’s Fishing Tournament.

This has historically been one of the biggest events of the year, and they welcome your support.

In 2014, the support of many organizations helped host

more than 400 local children who participated in the tournament. Many volunteers and spectators were in attendance.

The chamber is anxiously looking forward to even greater success at this year’s event, which will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2015.

Below are the details concerning this year’s sponsorship levels: $2,000 and more – Platinum Level: Banner with your

company name and logo, logo presence on event T-shirt, website, email marketing and flyers. $1000 – Gold Level: Logo presence on event T-shirt, website, email marketing and flyers. $500 – Silver Level: Logo presence on event T-shirt, email marketing and flyers. $300 – Bronze Level: Logo presence on email marketing and flyers.

Public questions school junk food plan

By EVA HERSHAW TEXAS TRIBUNE

The reintroduction of deep fat fryers and soda machines into public schools may top the agenda of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. But some teachers, nurses and parents don’t appear to share his appetite for sugary drinks and french fries.

The Texas Department of Agriculture received nearly 200 public comments in response to Miller’s proposed repeal of a 10year-old state policy that bans deep fat fryers and soda machines in public schools while limiting the time and place where junk food can be sold. Miller has also proposed expanding

the number of days when student and parent groups can fundraise by selling sugary and fatty foods — from one to six per school year.

Of the 194 commenters, 135 were opposed to the proposed changes. Deep fat fryers were the overwhelming target of concern, with commenters using choice terms — "surprised," "shocked," "disheartened" and "appalled" — to describe their outrage.

Among the 62 in support of the changes, more than two-thirds referenced the importance of using such foods to fundraise for public schools. A handful of commenters called for the return of the deep fat fryer, while a dozen or so offered

more general support, citing the importance of local control and the need to reduce state-level mandates.

“I appreciate each and every one of the individuals who offered their feedback regarding the proposed rule changes,” Miller said in a statement, indicating that the repeal would allow schools to maintain strict standards if they wanted to. “The proposed rules do not require a school district to make changes; it simply reduces restrictions and increases options for local decision makers.”

But for those who oppose the proposed policy change, a repeal would be a strike against the welfare of the state’s children and young

adults, who are increasingly obese and overweight. In 2013, 16 percent of high school students in Texas were obese, up from 14 percent in 2005. Only Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama reported higher rates.

"Texas has long struggled to combat the childhood obesity epidemic and faces staggering obesity statistics," Suzanne Lozano, a registered nurse and the chairwoman of the American Heart Association’s state advocacy committee, wrote to the ag department. "Obesity is not simply a health issue, it is an issue that will dictate the future of Texas and the productivity of our workforce."

The American Heart Association has joined the

Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Texas Nurses Association and the Texas Parent Teacher Association to call for the current rules to be upheld.

"Don’t get me wrong, I am not a kale lover and I abhor the First Lady’s idea of good food and caloric maximums. And, yes, I am a proud Republican," wrote Dr. Janice LaPointe-Crump, who called the reintroduction of deep fat fryers and sweetened beverages in public schools the "most absurd decision I can imagine."

Her sentiments were echoed by Kevin White, a registered dietitian with the Tomball Independent School District, who said the current regulations

were "not meant to be a temporary ‘diet.’"

"It was meant to set the example of making and sticking to a lifestyle change," he wrote. "Repealing this would surely lead to more students eating out of vending machines."

Jim Walker, an attorney in Dallas, was more colorful in his concern about the state of Texas youth: "We are raising a state and nation of fat slobs that can text at 100 miles per hour but can’t walk half a mile without collapsing in a pool of deep fried sweat."

Not everyone shared Walker’s deep-fried concerns, citing bland food and meager portions as problems that have come with strict food standards.

PAGE 4A

Zopinion

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

Center-right movement The most surprising event of this political era is what hasn’t happened. The world has not turned left.

Given the financial crisis, widening inequality, the unpopularity of the right’s stances on social issues and immigration, you would have thought that progressive parties would be cruising from win to win.

But, instead, right-leaning parties are doing well.

In the United States, Republicans control both houses of Congress. In Israel, the Likud Party led

by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulled off a surprising win in an election that was at least partly about economic policy. In Britain, the Conservative Party led by Prime Minister David Cameron won a parliamentary majority.

What’s going on here?

Well, there are some issues in each election specific to that country, but there are a few broader trends to be observed. The first is that the cuttingedge, progressive economic arguments do not seem to be swaying voters.

Over the past few years, left-of-center economic policy has moved from opportunity progressivism to redistributionist progressivism.

Opportunity progressivism is associated with Bill Clinton and Tony Blair in the 1990s and Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago today. This tendency actively uses government power to give people access to markets, through support for community colleges, infrastructure and training programs and the like, but it doesn’t interfere that much in the market, and it hesitates before raising taxes.

This tendency has been politically successful. Clinton and Blair had long terms. This year, Emanuel won by 12 percentage points against the more progressive candidate, Chuy Garcia, even in a city with a disproportionate number of union households.

Redistributionist progressivism more aggressively raises taxes to shift money down the income scale, opposes trade treaties and meddles more in the marketplace. This tendency has won elections in Massachusetts (Elizabeth Warren) and New York City (Bill de Blasio) but not in many other places.

Ed Balls, the No. 2 figure in the Labour Party in Britain, co-led the group from the Center for American Progress that wrote the most influential statement of modern progressivism, a report on "inclusive prosperity." Balls could not even retain his own parliamentary seat in the last election.

The conservative victories probably have more to do with the public’s skepticism about the left than with any positive enthusiasm toward the right. Still, there are a few things that

“

DAVID BROOKS

center-right parties have done successfully.

First, they have loudly (and sometimes offensively) championed national identity. In this era of globalization, voters are rewarding candidates who believe in their country’s exceptionalism.

Second, they have been basically sensible on fiscal policy. After the financial crisis, there was a big debate over how much governments should go into debt to stimulate growth.

The two nations most associated with the "austerity" school — those who were suspicious of debt-based stimulus — were Germany and Britain. This will not settle the debate, but these two nations now have some of the strongest economies in Europe and their political leaders are in good shape.

Third, these leaders did not overread their mandate. Cameron in Britain promised to cut the size of government, and he did, from 45.7 percent of GDP in 2010 to 40.7 percent today, according to The Economist. The number of public-sector jobs there has gone down by 1 million.

But he made these cuts without going overboard.

Public satisfaction with government services has gone up. And there have been some sensible efforts to boost those at the bottom. As The Economist pointed out, "The richest 10 percent have borne the greatest burden of extra taxes. Full-time workers earning the minimum wage pay a third as much income tax as in 2010.

Overall, inequality has not widened — in contrast to America."

The British electorate and the U.S. electorate sometimes mirror each other. Trans-Atlantic voters went for Reagan and Thatcher together and Clinton and Blair together.

In policy terms, Cameron is a more conservative version of President Barack Obama.

Cameron’s win suggests the kind of candidate that would probably do well in a general election in this country. He is liberal on social policy, green on global warming and pragmatically conservative on economic policy. If he’s faulted for anything, it is for not being particularly ideological, although he has let his ministers try some pretty bold institutional reforms to modernize the welfare state. Globally, voters are disillusioned with large public institutions. But they also seem to want a slightly smaller public sector and strong welfare state reform.

For some reason, U.S. politicians are fleeing from this profile, Hillary Clinton to the further left and Republicans to the right.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters.

To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication.

We want to assure our

readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms.

Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed.

Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.

EDITORIAL

Baltimore black and blue THE WASHINGTON POST

Two or three times a day on average, suspects in the custody of the Baltimore police are turned away by the city jail because they are deemed too battered, beaten, bruised or otherwise injured or sick to be processed and admitted. The police are forced to head instead for a hospital emergency room to seek treatment for suspects suffering from head injuries, broken bones, hypertension and an array of other afflictions.

The frequency of such oc-

currences was detailed over the weekend by the Baltimore Sun, which obtained records from the city’s detention center under the Maryland Public Information Act. According to those records, the jail has turned away nearly 2,600 ailing detainees since June 2012 — about 2 percent of all bookings.

That staggering figure suggests the Baltimore police are heedless, at best, of the physical welfare of suspects in their custody. It also may help explain how Freddie Gray could have

pleaded for medical care at least five times after he was arrested last month before the officers who detained him bothered to summon a paramedic — by which time it was too late.

As is now widely known, Mr. Gray died of his injuries; among them was a mostly severed spinal cord sustained, it is suspected, while he was confined for 45 minutes in the back of a police van, his hands and feet shackled. That the officers discounted or disregarded his pleas, as alleged

by Baltimore State’s Attor-

ney Marilyn J. Mosby, appears to fit a pattern of negligent police conduct.

Police officers have dangerous and physically demanding jobs. Some suspects must be subdued and restrained in the course of arrests, and what happens on the street isn’t always pretty. That doesn’t absolve officers of the responsibility of professionalism — a responsibility that includes an obligation to safeguard the health of detainees in their custody. Baltimore police may need a refresher course on that.

COLUMN

All thumbs, a texting fool Are you one of those people who drive and text?

If so, nyaah-nanny-booboo!

Actually, I’d like to be able to text in any fashion and not be odd-man-out.

As a matter of fact, I can’t even talk into my iPhone (Apple, of course, doesn’t everyone?) and create a text. Something about having such a low, deep (ahem, er, uh, manly, huh?) voice.

In high school, I took typing class from Mildred Diemart. We had manual typewriters (mine was a Royal) and, of course, we learned the “touch” system wherein we memorized the “location” of whatever key we needed.

Even though I was considered “challenged” in this regard since I thought Manual Dexterity was a guy who made great tamales, I developed a pretty rapid typing pace. I managed to attain a high words-per-minute (WPM) average. If I could’ve hit the right key every time, I might’ve moved up there in the high WPM realm where all the girls were.

Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.

Sheeesh! Situations dealing with technical advancement and Ol’ Manual, tend to buffalo me. If Life Mate (LM) and I buy something for the house that requires assembly, well, guess who gets to read the instructions aloud and hand over tools and parts while LM (bless her patient soul) provides the dexterity and mechanical know-how to put it together.

And, does she text? Of course, dang it. As a matter of fact, she handles my replies to text messages as well. On top of all of those talents, LM is an outstanding writer herownself.

I tend to want to sit at my desk and look at this big ol’ monitor screen, put everything on 200 percent and write away. No spectacles/eyeglasses needed, thank you very much.

I used to type 75 WPM on Ol’ Manual, and 125 WPM on an IBM Selectric (for you youngsters, that’s

an electric typewriter).

Gee whillikers, technology is just wunnerful.

Quite naturally, typing skills are a blessing and much required in the world of country editors.

On occasion, I have been accused of being verbose.

Someone said that to me and I thought they were being smart alecks and referring to my Dunlop Disease (my belly done lopped over my belt). And, actually that’s LM’s fault … she’s a great cook.

LM and Son (also known as The Boy) text all of the time. I just sit there and turn a real pretty shade of Envy Green. It’s one of my better colors. In those cases, I retreat to my Man Cave, get behind my desk and pretend I’m creating once again. Sometimes that actually works and I get an idea for a column.

After they’re finished with the texting, I get a briefing on developments in The Boy’s life, including his girlfriend (aka The Sweetie). The Boy is a real estate salesman tycoon.

I’ve even watched him text back and forth with a client or with his office. Talk about your technological

merry-go-round Occasionally, they come over for dinner. Of course, the arrangements for such are handled via a texting triumvirate of The Mom, The Boy and The Sweetie.

They come over for dinner with us and The Puppy, aka Sawyer The Famous River Wonder Dog, aka The Little Wild Dog and, on occasion, as Le Pup Savage (pronounced Lay Pup Suh-vodge) as a tribute to our new location in Lake Charles, La. Once in a great while, The Sweetie will bring her little Yorkie (Jack). On Jack’s first visit, The Puppy thought Jack was a wind-up toy or something and kept trying to pin him down with a paw as Jack darted hither and yon. Talk about your hilarious sight…

All of this comes about through this wonderful technological advance of texting. But, being all thumbs is no help at all in texting. So, I just sit on the sidelines and enjoy it.

Willis Webb is a retired country newspaper editor of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net.

CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

International

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

Custody hearing begins for girl ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY — A teenage girl at the center of a U.S. custody case appeared in a Mexican court Tuesday, two weeks after authorities mistakenly seized another girl with a similar name and sent her across the border.

Alondra Diaz Garcia was presented to a court in Los Reyes, Michoacan state, for a hearing to confirm her identity and to consider a demand for custody made

by Dorotea Garcia, a Houston, Texas, woman who claims to be her mother.

The 13-year-old girl is believed to have been taken by her father to Mexico in 2007 without Garcia’s consent.

Garcia traveled to Mexico on Monday and told local reporters: “I’m dying to hold her in my arms and I hope to return with her.”

Alicia Diaz, the girl’s aunt, who accompanied her to the court, said her brother, Reynaldo Diaz, decided to leave the girl with her grandmother to personally hand her over to Garcia.

She said she was sure Alondra would be happy with Garcia, although, “We will miss her.”

Garcia’s search for her daughter attracted international attention last month when authorities seized another girl, 14-year-old Alondra Luna, and the court ordered her into the woman’s custody despite protests by the teen’s parents. A video of the girl resisting police after the court ruling spread widely in television broadcasts and online, prompting protests for her return.

Alondra Luna traveled with Garcia to Texas, but DNA tests taken days later revealed the mistake and she returned to her family in Mexico.

THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A

Another deadly quake in Nepal

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA AND KATY DAIGLE ASSOCIATED PRESS

KATHMANDU, Nepal — A new earthquake killed dozens of people Tuesday and spread more fear and misery in Nepal, which is still struggling to recover from a devastating quake nearly three weeks ago that left more than 8,000 dead.

A U.S. Marine Corps helicopter carrying six Marines and two Nepalese soldiers was reported missing while delivering disaster aid in northeastern Nepal, U.S. officials said, although there have been no indications the aircraft crashed.

Tuesday’s magnitude-7.3 quake, centered midway between Kathmandu and Mount Everest, struck hardest in the foothills of the Himalayas, triggering some landslides, but it also shook the capital badly, sending thousands of terrified people into the streets.

Nepal’s Parliament was in session when the quake hit, and frightened lawmakers ran for the exits as the building shook and the lights flickered out.

At least 37 people were killed in the quake and more than 1,100 were injured, according to the

Photo by Ranup Shrestha | AP

Rescue workers stand beside buildings that collapsed in an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday. A major earthquake has hit Nepal near the Chinese border.

Home Ministry. But that toll was expected to rise as reports began reaching Kathmandu of people in isolated Himalayan towns and villages being buried under rubble, according to the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Tremors radiated across parts of Asia. In neighboring India, at least 16 people were confirmed dead after rooftops or walls collapsed onto them, according to In-

dia’s Home Ministry. Chinese media reported one death in Tibet.

The magnitude-7.8 earthquake that hit April 25 killed more than 8,150 and flattened entire villages, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless in the country’s worstrecorded quake since 1934. The U.S. Geological Survey said Tuesday’s earthquake was the largest aftershock to date of that destructive quake.

Tuesday’s temblor was deeper, however, coming from a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) versus the earlier one at 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.

At least three people were rescued Tuesday in Kathmandu, while another nine pulled to safety in the district of Dolkha, the government said.

Rescue helicopters were sent to mountain districts where landslides and collapsed buildings may have buried people, the government said. Home Ministry official Laxmi Dhakal said the Sindhupalchowk and Dolkha districts were the worst hit.

Search parties fanned out to look for survivors in the wreckage of collapsed buildings in Sindhupalchowk’s town of Chautara, which had become a hub for humanitarian aid after last month’s quake.

Impoverished Nepal appealed for billions of dollars in aid from foreign nations, as well as medical experts to treat the wounded and helicopters to ferry food and temporary shelters to hundreds of thousands left homeless amid unseasonal rains.

PÁGINA 6A

Zfrontera

Ribereña en Breve SESIÓN INFORMATIVA El Capítulo Brush Country del programa Master Naturalist de Texas, impartirá sesiones para conocer más sobre plantas, animales y naturaleza del sur de Texas al organizar caminos naturales, trabajo con menores, mantenimiento de senderos, entre otras cosas.

Durante las clases, los voluntarios cumplirán con un entrenamiento de 40 horas.

Una sesión de información gratuita se ofrecerá el día de hoy, de 7 p.m. a 9 p.m. en Zapata County Technical and Advanced Education Center (ZTAC).

Para más información puede escribir a alberto@rgisc.org.

MIÉRCOLES 13 DE MAYO DE 2015

DEPARTAMENTO DE ESTADO

Ratifican alerta POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE LAREDO

En medio de los recientes enfrentamientos violentos y los arrestos de líderes de cárteles a través del Estado de Tamaulipas, el Departamento de Estado de EU, actualizó su alerta para viajar a México el martes, diciendo que hay riesgo de viajar a determinados lugares, de acuerdo con reportes.

Oficiales del Departamento de Estado dijeron que ciudadanos de Estados Unidos, reportaron fueron víctimas de crímenes violentos en manos de grupos criminales en varios estados de México.

La alerta menciona que las per-

ESPECTÁCULO DE LUCHA LIBRE

sonas deben “aplazar todos los viajes no esenciales” a Tamaulipas debido a crímenes violentos — homicidios, asaltos armados, robos de auto con violencia, secuestro, extorsión y agresión sexual — que poseen un “riesgo de seguridad significativo”, de acuerdo con la alerta.

El jueves, el Alguacil del Condado de Webb, Martin Cuellar, dijo estar de acuerdo con la alerta.

Cuellar añadió que las personas solo deben cruzar la frontera en situaciones de emergencia o si es un asunto imperativo.

“Si van en una situación de emergencia o no, aún hay peligro”, dijo Cuellar. “La información que recibimos (muestra) que aún

hay disturbios por allá. Las alertas son emitidas por una razón”.

Dos incidentes pasaron desapercibidos esta semana en Nuevo Laredo, México.

Las personas tomaron las redes sociales para informar y para estar informados, debido a que autoridades de los distingos sectores de gobierno no emitieron información.

Alrededor de las 10 p.m. del 4 de mayo, el blog Nuevo Laredo en Vivo, una fuente para usuarios de redes sociales, informó acerca de actividad criminal en la Ciudad Hermana, reportando disparos de armas de fuego y una persecución a través de Twitter en la colonia Villas de San Miguel, al oeste de

Nuevo Laredo. No hay más información disponible.

Al día siguiente el blog publicó en Twitter, a las 3:10 p.m., que se presentaron disparos durante una persecución por la intersección de calle Perú y calle Porfirio Díaz, alrededor de dos cuadres del complejo deportivo Unidad Deportiva.

No se hizo pública otra información.

“Los conflictos violentos entre elementos del criminal y/o el ejército mexicano, pueden ocurrir en cualquier lugar de la región y a cualquier hora del día”, señala la alerta en referencia a Tamaulipas.

(Localice a César G. Rodriguez en 728-2568 o en cesar@lmtonline.com)

MIGUEL ALEMÁN, MÉXICO

A fin de recaudar fondos y adquirir equipo adecuado para realizar deporte en las escuelas de Miguel Alemán, México, se llevará a cabo un espectáculo de lucha libre el viernes 15 de mayo en el Centro Cívico (dentro de los terrenos de la Expo Feria) a las 5 p.m.

El Supervisor de Tránsito, Antonio Santos Ramírez, informó que será un evento familiar.

Entre los luchadores que participarán se encuentran Granda XXX y Mascara Sagrada Junior, Ator y los minis del cuadrilátero, los luchadores enanitos Voladorcito, La Parquita y Brazalete de Plata y de Platino.

Santos Ramírez agregó que previo al evento se realizará un desfile con los luchadores participantes.

RECUERDAN BATALLA

Foto de cortesía

CARRERA Carrera/Caminata 8K y 5K Memorial Day Mayhem, se realizará el sábado 23 de mayo, en Lions Club of Zapata County, ubicado en 2312 de Hidalgo Street.

Puede inscribirse en líneao más información visite: http://tinyurl.com/mm2nc3q.

CAMPAMENTO DE VERANO Del 9 de junio al 2 de julio, tendrá lugar un Campamento de Verano, para los estudiantes de ZCISD desde preescolar a quinto año. Las sesiones serán de 8 a.m. a 12 p.m. y de 12 p.m. a 4 p.m.

El desayuno y el almuerzo serán proporcionados. No habrá transporte.

El campamento es gratuito, sin embargo, los estudiantes deberán cumplir con las normativas de fin de año para ser elegibles.

Las solicitudes de ingreso deberán ser entregadas antes del 14 de mayo.

Para más información puede llamar a Gerardo García al (956) 765-6917; a Dalia García, al (956) 765-4332; a Ana Martínez, al (956) 765-5611.

CAMPAÑA MÉDICO-ASISTENCIAL MIGUEL ALEMAN — Se implementará la primer campaña médico asistencial propuesta por miembros de los ministerios nacionales “Betel” el 11 de junio, de 8 a.m. a 5 p.m.

El grupo de 15 personas, entre médicos y enfermeros, estarán representados por la misionera Deana Gatlin. Además traerán consigo ropa, medicamentos y despensas.

El Presidente Municipal, Ramiro Cortez, informó que los misioneros evangélicos viajarán a las comunidades rurales del sur de Miguel Alemán el 13 de junio.

EXHIBICIÓN DE ARTE El Boys and Girls Club de Zapata tendrá una exhibición de arte, el sábado 27 de junio, de 1 p.m. a 4 p.m.

Los integrantes del club interesados en participar pueden llamar al (956) 7653892.

Estudiantes de la supervisión escolar número 124 de Miguel Alemán, México, realizaron una asamblea para conmemorar el aniversario 153 de la Batalla de Puebla, en la explanada municipal de la ciudad. La batalla es recordada el 5 de mayo. Durante la presentación de los estudiantes rindieron honores a la bandera, realizaron una representación artística del acontecimiento y se contó con la presencia de autoridades municipales, civiles y militares.

CORTE

NUEVA CIUDAD GUERRERO, MÉXICO

Sujeto acepta culpa

Abdala visita a pescadores

POR PHILIP BALLI TIEMPO DE LAREDO

Un hombre arrestado en marzo, en relación al decomiso de más de 1.200 libras de marihuana, se declaró culpable el martes en una corte federal de Laredo.

El 17 de marzo, un gran jurado acusó a Víctor Tristan, de conspiración para posesión con intento de distribuir 100 kilogramos o más de marihuana y posesión con intento de distribuir 100 kilogramos o más de marihuana.

Durante una conferencia final previa al juicio, ante la Juez de Distrito, Marina García Marmilejo, Tristan se declaró culpable a posesión con intento de distribuir 100 kilogramos o más de marihuana.

Como parte de su acuerdo de culpabilidad, el cargo por conspiración será desestimado en su audiencia de sentencia, que está programada para el 1 de septiembre.

El caso se desarrolló el 27 de febrero, cuando agentes de Patrulla Fronteriza que patrullaban sobre U.S. 83, por el vecindario de Siesta Shores, notaron un vehículo Ford F-250 transportando un generador. Tras conducta sospechosa, un agente interrogó a Tristan, identificado como el conductor. Después tras una búsqueda primaria, en la estación de Patrulla Fronteriza de Zapata, agentes decomisaron 96 paquetes que contenían 1.190 libras de marihuana valuada en 952.000 dólares. Agentes especiales de DEA acudieron a la estación a investigar.

TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

El sábado, la Candidata a la Diputación Federal para el Distrito 1 por el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), Yahleel Abdala, visitó Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, México.

Durante el recorrido, Abdala se reunió con pescadores del municipio para escuchar sus comentarios, peticiones y necesidades, de acuerdo con un comunicado de prensa.

“Lo único que ellos necesitan es un verdadero defensor de sus intereses, que sea un verdadero gestor, porque ahorita están completamente abandonados; nosotros solo vinimos a ofrecer nuestro apoyo”, señaló Abdala en un comunicado de prensa.

Durante el encuentro, se habló de la importancia de la pesca en el sector de Nueva Ciudad Guerrero; ésta actividad representa gran parte de la economía de este municipio.

Entre las principales peticiones estuvo la gestión de recursos ante el

Foto de cortesía

Yahleel Abdala, candidata a diputada para el Distrito 1 de Tamaulipas, por el PRI, durante una visita a Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, México, el fin de semana, donde habló con los pescadores de la región. gobierno federal para mejorar las condiciones de sus lanchas, así como los accesos y caminos a la presa, señala el comunicado.

“Los pescadores forman parte de un sector que se siente abandonado y necesitamos luchar porque se les respeten los derechos que como

gente productiva tienen”, declaró Abdala.

La candidata se comprometió a reunirse con ellos nuevamente antes de culminar su campaña para establecer prioridades.

El día de elecciones se realizará el 7 de junio.

COLUMNA

Narra arribo de ciclón en 1909 Nota del editor: Esta es la primer parte de dos donde el autor relata declaraciones y reporte oficial de ciclón que golpeó Tamaulipas en 1909.

POR RAÚL SINENCIO CHÁVEZ ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

El ciclón de 1909 ingresó con fuerza por costas próximas al Trópico de Cáncer.

“El día 26 [de agosto] a las seis de la mañana” en Ciudad Victoria, capital de la entidad principió “a soplar viento moderado del norte”, convirtiéndose “a las 10:45 de la noche del mismo” jueves “en viento fuerte con rachas violentas, hora en que comenzaron a caer lloviznas discontinuas”, extendidas a “las seis de la tarde del día 27”, informa Espiridión Ledesma, jefe de la Estación Meteorológica.

“Al amanecer del” viernes 27

—abunda— “el viento había cambiado […] hacia el noroeste, y aumentando de intensidad, siendo ya muy violento a las 10:30 de la mañana […] hora en que comenzó a quebrar las ramas delgadas de los árboles […] a las cuatro de la tarde empezaron a caer árboles corpulentos, y a las seis […] derribaba árboles […] de tronco muy grueso, volaba los techos de las casas, tiraba los motores de viento, desplomaba los muros y barría […] cuanto encontraba a su paso que no pudiera” resistírsele. Los vendavales consiguieron “mayor intensidad a las nueves de la noche” y cesaron “a las dos de la mañana del […] 28”.

El funcionario complementa: Entre “las seis de la tarde del […] 27” y “las 7:30 de la mañana del […] 28, hubo lluvia continua y abundante que produjo una precipitación pluvial de 168 milímetros”, que junto

con las lloviznas sumaron “en conjunto […] 264 milímetros. A las cuatro de la tarde del […] 30 cesaron las lloviznas” en la urbe victorense.

Según Ledesma, “probablemente el diámetro del ciclón fue de unos doscientos cincuenta kilómetros”.

“Calculé la velocidad de traslación, dado el tiempo y el espacio recorrido […] y obtuve un valor para esa velocidad de 21 kilómetros por hora”.

Dedujo asimismo “que el centro del ciclón tocó la costa de Tamaulipas 80 kilómetros al norte de Tampico, a las dos de la tarde del día 27, y” afectó “en su trayectoria” amplia franja de la entidad, “internándose […] a Nuevo León y San Luis Potosí [...] La dirección que seguía era hacia Durango y Culiacán”.

(Con permiso del autor, según fuera publicado en La Razón, Tampico, el 8 de mayo)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Evidence against Brady Investigator points to evidence

By RACHEL COHEN ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — The lawyer who investigated the New England Patriots insisted Tuesday that he found direct, not just circumstantial, evidence to show quarterback Tom Brady knew team employees were deflating footballs.

Miffed by criticism from Brady’s agent, Ted Wells decided to take the unusual step of holding a conference call with reporters, a day after the NFL suspended the Super Bowl MVP for the season’s first four games based on the report.

Wells said his findings would have been strong enough to convince a jury under the "preponderance of evidence" standard, which is used in many civil cases.

Wells released his report last Wednesday, asserting it was "more probable than not" that Brady "was at least generally aware" of

Photo by Damon Winter | AP

NFL investigator Ted Wells claimed that there was direct evidence against Tom Brady in the Deflategate incident. plans by two team employees to prepare the balls to his liking, below the leaguemandated minimum of 12.5 pounds per square inch.

His voice frequently rising Tuesday, Wells testily rebutted assertions from Don Yee, Brady’s agent, questioning Wells’ independence because his firm does other business with the NFL. "What drove the decision in this report is one thing: It was the evidence," Wells

said. "I could not ethically ignore the import and relevancy of those text messages and the other evidence."

Wells specifically mentioned two series of text exchanges between officials’ locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski. In one, McNally referred to himself as "the Deflator" and joked about going to ESPN. In another, Jastremski mentioned speaking to Brady

BOXING: MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO

Fight breaks PPV record

By TIM DAHLBERG ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao proved a box office smash, even if their welterweight title fight didn’t live up to the hype.

The May 2 fight obliterated the pay-per-view record, with 4.4 million buys generating more than $400 million in revenue. With a live gate of nearly $72 million and other revenue, the bout grossed more than $600 million and likely made Mayweather more than $200 million.

Showtime and HBO officials reported the whopping PPV figures Tuesday, saying the fight broke the previous record of 2.48 million buys generated by Mayweather’s 2007 fight with Oscar De La Hoya by nearly 2 million buys.

Photo by Isaac Brekken | AP

Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrates his victory over Manny Pacquiao in their welterweight title fight on May 2 in Las Vegas.

It also nearly tripled the record $150 million in pay-per-view revenue generated by Mayweather vs.

Canelo Alvarez in 2013.

"We did not anticipate this number of buys," said Mark Taffet, who heads PPV operations for HBO. "It reinforces the notion that when you give the fans the fights they demand, they always respond."

Mayweather was the

big winner both in the fight and at the bank. He was guaranteed 60 percent of the net revenue to the promotion, while Pacquiao’s camp got the remaining 40 percent.

The total figures to be around $400 million after satellite TV and cable systems take their cut, meaning Mayweather - who is his own promoter - could walk away with $240 million for his night’s work.

the previous night, saying the quarterback knew McNally was stressed out by needing to deflate the balls.

"That is not circumstantial evidence," Wells said.

"That is two of the participants in a scheme discussing what has taken place."

On Thursday, Yee had called Wells’ report "a significant and terrible disappointment," suggesting that it "reached a conclusion first, and then determined

so-called facts later."

Along with denying any bias, Wells derided the idea that the NFL wanted the investigation to implicate a quarterback he described as "one of the most popular, iconic players in the league."

"That does not make sense," Wells said. "It’s a ridiculous allegation."

Wells has conducted several other high-profile sports investigations in recent years, including the

NFL report on the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal.

To Yee’s assertion that he omitted key statements from Brady, Wells challenged the agent to release his full transcript of the interview.

"Nothing, I guarantee you, in his notes would make any difference in my decision," he said.

He also disputed Yee’s characterization of the investigation as a "sting," noting that NFL officials initially didn’t take the Colts’ complaints seriously during January’s AFC Championship game.

The Patriots wound up routing Indianapolis 45-7 that day, then went on to beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl 28-24 for Brady’s fourth title. In the quarterback’s only public comments since the report’s release, he said that the scandal hasn’t taken away from the team’s accomplishments.

Brady plans to appeal his four-game suspension. The Patriots were penalized $1 million - matching the largest fine in league history and docked two draft picks.

Owner Bob Kraft has declared his "unconditional support" for his two-time MVP quarterback.

Nation

8A THE ZAPATA TIMES

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

Obama’s presidential library set for Chicago

By DON BABWIN AND CARYN ROUSSEAU ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO — President Barack Obama will establish his presidential library on the South Side of Chicago, a part of the city where his political career began and where some of the issues that he plans to devote himself to when he leaves the White House are playing out on the streets.

The Barack Obama Foundation made official Tuesday what had been widely expected, that the library will be erected on a site proposed by the University of Chicago. The location was selected over bids

made by Columbia University in New York, the University of Hawaii and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“With a library and a foundation on the South Side of Chicago, not only will we be able to encourage and effect change locally, but what we can also do is to attract the world to Chicago,” Obama said in a video accompanying the release. “All the strands of my life came together and I really became a man when I moved to Chicago.”

The library, to be located in one of two public parks near campus, is expected to be a boon to nearby communities that struggle with

Zimmerman investigated

By MIKE SCHNEIDER ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORLANDO, Fla. — George Zimmerman had moved out of Florida recently, hoping for a fresh start.

In the two years since his acquittal in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, the one-time neighborhood watch volunteer has had several run-ins with the law.

Once again, he is involved in a police investigation, only this time authorities say he was shot at in his pickup truck. What exactly transpired with the shooter — a man he crossed paths with last fall — is in dispute.

Zimmerman and Matthew Apperson were both driving Monday on a busy road in the Orlando suburb of Lake Mary when some sort of confrontation occurred. The passenger window of Zimmerman’s pickup had a bullet hole in it and Zimmerman suffered minor injuries from flying glass and debris.

Zimmerman had returned to the area for Mother’s Day and a doctor’s appointment, and was driving to his doctor’s office when the confrontation took place, said his attorney, Don West.

Apperson works nearby, at a disability-benefits office.

Police recovered a handgun from Zimmerman and took two guns from Apperson’s car. Both men had their guns legally.

“He never waved it, displayed it or brandished it,” West said of Zimmerman.

“He did not threaten Mr. Apperson in any way with a firearm.”

Apperson’s attorney, Mark NeJame, said the shooting was “a good, oldfashioned self-defense case” and that Apperson’s encounter with Zimmerman was pure “happenstance.”

Apperson claimed Zimmerman brandished a gun and he feared for his life, NeJame said.

“He is not looking for trouble. He did not want trouble,” NeJame said.

“He’s not following George Zimmerman around. He’s not wanting anything to do with George Zimmerman, as it relates to any of this.”

Photo by Charles King/Orlando Sentinel | AP

Lake Mary Police officer Bianca Gillett speaks to media about Monday’s shooting involving George Zimmerman, Tuesday, in Lake Mary, Fla. Police recovered a handgun from Zimmerman and took two guns from a man accused of shooting at him.

Police on Tuesday released a 911 call in which the caller says Apperson told him he was forced to fire at Zimmerman.

“A guy says he had to shoot a guy through the window and he wants the police to come,” the man said on the call. “He had to shoot at somebody ... He said it was George Zimmerman.”

gang violence, drugs, and unemployment. The University of Chicago has said the library and its 800,000 expected visitors a year will translate into dozens of new businesses, thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in revenue.

While the choice was not a surprise — people with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press and other media nearly two weeks ago that it was the winner — sewing up the deal was less smooth than expected. Questions lingered for months about whether the library could legally be built on park land as the university proposed, because the universi-

ty had not secured the land.

Those questions triggered a flurry of activity, with the City Council approving an ordinance to transfer the land and state lawmakers passing a bill reinforcing the city’s right to use the park land for the library as well as “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ proposed lakefront museum.

But the bid was still considered a front-runner, in large part because the president once taught constitutional law at the university, the first lady once worked as an administrator at the University of Chicago Medical Center and they still have a family home nearby.

In the video, Obama cited Chicago as the place he was able to apply his “early idealism to try to work in communities in public service” as well as being where he met his wife and their children were born.

Added first lady Michelle Obama: “Every value, every memory, every important relationship to me exists in Chicago. I consider myself a South Sider.”

As a place to tell the president’s life story, Mayor Rahm Emanuel noted that the chapter about the president’s days as a community organizer happened just outside what will be the doors of the library.

“This is where President

Obama’s journey began in public life,” Emanuel said Tuesday. “He walked these streets, knocked on these doors.”

That connection remains a strong one. After the videotaped beating death of a 16-year-old honor student in 2009, for example, Obama dispatched his attorney general and education secretary to discuss teen violence. Four years later, after honor student Hadiya Pendleton was shot to death in a park about a mile from the Obama home, Michelle Obama returned to Chicago to declare in a deeply personal speech that “Hadiya Pendleton is me and I was her.”

White officer not charged

By TODD RICHMOND ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. — A white Wisconsin police officer will not be charged for fatally shooting an unarmed 19-year-old biracial man who witnesses say was acting erratically and attacked at least two people, a prosecutor announced Tuesday.

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said he won’t file charges against Madison Officer Matt Kenny in Tony Robinson’s death, which sparked several peaceful protests in the weeks following the March 6 shooting in an apartment house near the state Capitol building.

Ozanne, sweating profusely and mopping his brow repeatedly with a handkerchief, spoke forcefully for some 25 minutes laying out the results of a state Justice Department investigation. He cited three 911 callers whose accounts meshed with that from police. The callers described Robinson as “tweaking,” punching a friend, jumping in front of a car, punching one person trying to call 911 in the face and assaulting two people

Photo by M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal | AP

Andrea Irwin, center, mother of Tony Robinson, and her boyfriend, Jeff Jackson, center right, participate in a protest in Madison, Wis. on the sidewalk. One caller feared for both his safety and Robinson’s, Ozanne said. “’Tony is acting insane right now,”’ one of the callers told dispatchers, according to Ozanne.

When Kenny reached the apartment building, he heard incoherent yelling, screaming, what sounded like a fist hitting something and items being thrown or breaking. Kenny thought Robinson was upstairs and might be attacking someone, Ozanne said.

The officer ran inside and went upstairs with his weapon drawn, Ozanne said. He announced his

presence and almost immediately the 6-foot-4 Robinson punched him in the side of the head, according to Ozanne. Kenny said he fell into the wall, hitting his head, Ozanne said.

Kenny said he was afraid he would fall down the stairs and lose consciousness, Ozanne said.

Fearing that Robinson would then take his gun and shoot him as well as whoever was in the apartment, Kenny fired seven shots in three seconds, Ozanne said.

All seven struck Robinson, with every round entering the front of his body, the district attorney said.

“I conclude that his tragic and unfortunate death was the result of a lawful use of deadly police force, and that no charges should be brought against Officer Kenny,” Ozanne said.

Toxicology reports confirmed that Robinson had been using hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana and Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, Ozanne added.

The district attorney, who is biracial but identifies as black, stressed his own racial background before announcing his decision. He ended his statement with an implicit plea against violent demonstrations, saying “truth and lasting change does not come from violence, but from exercising our voices and our votes.”

Robinson’s mother, Andrea Irwin, said she was not surprised by the decision. She said the investigation wasn’t thorough enough.

“They could have done a lot. What they didn’t do was give my son any respect,” she said.

Following the announcement, about 20 people sat in the street in front of the house in Madison where Robinson was shot.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

Verizon buys AOL for $4.4 billion

By MAE ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — After selling millions of Americans their mobile phones, Verizon now wants to capture their eyeballs, too.

As its phone business slows down, the nation’s largest wireless carrier is making a $4.4 billion bet that it can find growth in mobile video and advertising by buying AOL, one of the Internet’s oldest brands, which has been through its own share of transformations since introducing much of America to the online world nearly a generation ago.

The acquisition is the latest effort by a wireless company to tap into some of the money shifting to streaming video and mobile devices.

Ken Doctor, a media analyst for consulting company Outsell, said Verizon is becoming less of a utility that merely provides access to online services and more of a player in the digital arena as it sees growth in the

likes of Apple, Google and Facebook.

“They’re trying to move into that league of players getting money from digital, both from consumers and advertisers,” Doctor said.

For consumers, the deal could mean more advertising — and ad targeting — from Verizon. That might mean more personalized ads in online videos and AOL content that appears on Verizon handsets and in marketing messages to customers.

AT&T has taken a different tack. Last year, the company said it would buy satellite TV provider DirecTV for $48.5 billion so it could offer bundles of TV, Internet and phone services — just like cable companies. In many cases, the Internet component would be through wireless rather than fixed-wire broadband.

With the AOL acquisition, Verizon will gain access to advanced advertising technology, including the “One by AOL” platform that lets customers buy ads

Photo by Mark Lennihan | AP

People walk out of the New York office building where AOL headquarters is located, Tuesday. Verizon is buying AOL for $4.4 billion. across platforms, including video, online and TV. AOL reported a 7 percent boost in revenue during its first quarter, mainly on strong global advertising sales.

“AOL’s focus on unifying the advertising experience across display, video, mobile and TV makes it an attractive asset because advertisers are looking for better ways to reach their audience across screens,” said

Lauren Fisher, analyst at eMarketer. “Coupled with Verizon’s existing mobile (and streaming video) presence, the companies’ combined ad offerings mean massive cross-screen reach with much richer audience data.”

Verizon also gains control over significant AOL content, including The Huffington Post and TechCrunch.

AOL is the nation’s fourthlargest online property with

STUDENTS Continued from Page 1A career-ready," Abbott said in a statement after the bill signing. "While it is critical that the state appropriately holds public schools and districts accountable for delivering the best possible education, we must protect Texas students from being penalized as a result of evolving testing standards."

Under Senate Bill 149 by state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, panels made up of educators, counselors and parents will weigh factors such as grades, college entrance exam scores and attendance to decide whether a student should earn a diploma despite poor performance on standardized exams.

About 28,000 students in the class of 2015 still must pass one or more of the five state exams in U.S. history, biology, algebra I, English I and Eng-

about 200 million monthly consumers of its premium brands, according to its website. And AOL is the third-largest desktop video company in the U.S. by users, accounting for about 35.4 of total unique viewers of online video via desktop computer in February 2015, according to IBIS World.

AOL’s own shows include a reality series of half-hour episodes called “Connected” and a two-minute daily satirical sports analysis show called “2 Point Lead.”

When it comes to providing Web services, Verizon has already come under fire for inserting unique tracking codes into some of its customers’ traffic. Although the trackers did not contain personal information, they could be used to gauge a customer’s interests and habits and used for ad targeting.

Following complaints, Verizon began letting customers withdraw from the tracking program.

Still, analysts said, the move should not be overstated since it’s a relatively

small part of Verizon’s overall value.

According to MoffettNathanson partner Craig Moffett, the investment in AOL is “tiny.” He says AOL will account for little more than 1 percent of Verizon’s total value.

“It’s the tip of the tip of the tail, and it is clearly not going to wag the whole dog,” he said in a research note. “Verizon is still, first and foremost, a wireless phone company.”

The deal marks yet another transformation for AOL, which as a powerhouse dial-up provider in the 1990s acquired Time Warner Cable in 2000 for $165 billion. The deal with Time Warner failed and came to be regarded as one of the most disastrous business combinations in history.

In 2009, AOL was spun off from Time Warner, becoming an independent, publicly traded company and since then has transformed itself into a media and ad tech company.

ENGLISH Continued from Page 1A

lish II required to graduate. Of those who need to retake exams, about half must retake more than one.

Supporters of the bill say it’s intended to provide an alternative graduation method for some otherwise qualified students, not as a graduation fast track for students who did not meet the requirements needed to get a diploma.

Critics, however, have expressed concern about the objectivity of the panels, made up by educators whose schools could be penalized if their students fail to graduate. The plan has been criticized by the Texas Association of Business and the Austin Chamber of Commerce, which argue that it could lead to graduates being less prepared for careers or higher education.

The law takes effect immediately.

broader trend, which is the U.S.-born driving many of the characteristics of the community, and it is only going to become more amplified,” said Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew’s director of Hispanic research.

Even so, the number of Hispanics who speak Spanish at home reached a record 35.8 million because of overall growth in the Hispanic population. The report found the number of Hispanics who speak proficient English also hit a record 33.2 million.

The Hispanic population in the United States surged 53 percent to 54 million from 2000 to 2013, driven largely by growth among U.S.-born Hispanics, not immi-

grants, according to Pew. That’s compared with 12 percent growth in the total population.

About half of U.S.-born Hispanics speak Spanish, and about half of their children retain the language, Lopez said.

The recent rise of English-language media geared toward Hispanics is responding to this trend, he said.

The language report, which was based on an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data for Hispanics age 5 and older, found 89 percent of U.S.born Latinos spoke proficient English in 2013, up from 81 percent in 2000. For Hispanic immigrants, English proficiency was greater among those with high-

er levels of education, the report showed.

In Southern California, Rene Amel Peralta, 28, said he’s increasingly used English as he pursues his college degree in chemistry. He said he had all but stopped using Spanish — the only language he knew until he came to the U.S. from Mexico at age 13 — but has started speaking it again more recently to reconnect with his culture.

“Since I am getting a university education, my English language is becoming more academic, something I don’t have at all in Spanish,” he said. “In Spanish, I have the very basics. It is basically street Spanish.”

Mauro Mujica, chairman of the group U.S. English, welcomed the news but questioned how quickly immigrants living in heavily Spanish-speaking neighborhoods in California and Florida are mastering English compared with those who settle elsewhere.

Mujica, whose organization wants English declared the country’s official language, said he believes newcomers would learn English even sooner if the U.S. government did more to help them assimilate.

“I have never met an immigrant, or a mother of an immigrant, who doesn’t want their kids to speak English,” he said.

HEALTH Continued from Page 1A funding will help target three health prevalent health problems in Laredo: diabetes, obesity and depression.

“We will receive $1.7 million a year for five years to establish a consortium to direct appropriate health care delivery without duplication or confusion and with cooperation between service providers in Webb, Jimm Hogg and Zapata counties,” Keck said.

Keck said Dr. Glenda Walker, dean of the nursing school at TAMIU, was the driving force in the university’s securing of

the grant.

Vera and Keck were present in McAllen on Tuesday for the announcement during a 2-day crash course designed to prepare the sub-grantees for the evaluation and management of the grant funds.

Other sub-grantees include Lower Rio Grande Valley Community Health Management Corp. in Hidalgo County, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in Hidalgo County, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health in Cameron County, Community Hope Pro-

jects in Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy and Cameron counties and Rural Economic Assistance League in Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kennedy and Kleberg counties.

“We at Methodist Healthcare Ministries are thrilled these seven organizations emerged as the trail blazers that will help test strategies that prove to be the most effective means, as evidenced by an evaluation of their models, to address these health issues,” Kevin C. Moriarty, MHM president and CEO, said in a news release.

The money for the

grants awarded stem from a $10 million federal grant Methodist Healthcare Ministries received from the Social Innovation Fund to support its Sí Texas Project.

The award marked the first time Social Innovation Fund selected a faithbased organization to receive funding since its inception.

The Social Innovation Fund is a key White House initiative and program of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The objective of the Sí Texas Project is to stimu-

late improvements in behavioral health and chronic disease in South Texas, and to highlight integrated behavioral health models that are effectively improving health outcomes in the communities with high rates of poverty, depression, diabetes, obesity and other associated risk factors.

The project will target 12 counties that span the U.S.-Mexico border, including Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Kenedy, Kleberg, Jim Wells, Duval, Jim Hogg and Brooks.

After receiving the $10

million grant, Methodist Healthcare Ministries launched an open competition for organizations with evidence of results to submit applications to receive sub-grants of at least $250,000 to $2 million.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries reached out to 120 organizations that provide medical services in the project’s 12-county area during the competition period, according to Rebecca Brune, vice president of strategic planning and growth.

(Philip Balli may be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)

10A THE ZAPATA TIMES

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015