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IMMIGRATION
South Texas sees influx Flow of Central, South Americans overburdening BP and others Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part story about immigrant overcrowding on the border, specifically about the increase of children and families crossing, which has caused trouble within the Department of Homeland Security.
By SUSAN CARROLL AND DAVID MCCUMBER HEARST NEWSPAPERS
McALLEN — A little before noon on May 30, a white Homeland Security bus stopped outside a public bus terminal in downtown McAllen, its doors
opening to disgorge a group of about 20 immigrants from Central and South America. A father carried a sleeping 9month-old with curly black hair. A mother steered two toddlers toward the terminal. “They just left us here,” said Norma Navarro, from El Salvador, as the government bus pulled away from the terminal. “We have nothing.” But each person on the bus had at least one critical possession: a packet of U.S. government-issued documents ordering them to report to immigra-
tion officials within 15 days of landing at their new destination, and to appear in immigration court on a set date. The paperwork confers no legal status, but many immigrants see it as a pass to a new life. Edilberto Lanza Mejia, a 26year-old from Honduras holding his infant son, described it like this: “It is a permit to enter the United States.” The flow of Central and South Americans through South Texas has become an unmanageable torrent within the past month, overburdening the
Border Patrol and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is charged with placing thousands of unaccompanied minors who have been arrested. “We are being overwhelmed,” said U.S. Border Patrol Agent Christopher Cabrera, vice president of National Border Patrol Council Local 3307. “We have groups of 70, 80, 90 people just walking up and turning themselves in. They’re finding the first agent and ‘saying take me in and let me have my walking papers.’ If we don’t get some help soon, it’s going to be disas-
trous.” Last week, Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to send more Border Patrol agents to Texas and to deploy 1,000 National Guard troops. Perry also asked the administration to eliminate policies that he described as encouraging illegal immigration — in particular releasing immigrants from custody with notices to appear in court and reuniting youths caught alone in the
See INFLUX PAGE 10A
SCHOOLS
INSPIRING ARTWORK High school senior donates mural
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
United South High School senior Victoria Majesta Marquez unveiled her original mural Monday morning at the high school under the watchful eyes of her teachers, fellow students and administrators.
United High School senior Victoria Majesta Marquez’s mural was unveiled Monday morning at the high school.
By JUDITH RAYO THE ZAPATA TIMES
A local artist unveiled a mural she created during a ribboncutting ceremony at United South High School on Monday.
United South High School senior Victoria Marquez donated a mural of the school’s mascot, a panther. It took Marquez twoand-a-half weeks to complete the mural, which is located in the administrative hall.
Marquez says she wanted to paint the mural to encourage other artists to display their work. The idea came after she joined the Panthers Artists and Writers Society, or PAWS. “I met so many talented art-
ists throughout the club who did not put their work out there,” Marquez said. “You have to pursue your dream. You can’t let what other people say ruin your path. It’s not their path, it’s yours.”
The mural contains a quote by Socrates, “Know Thyself,” and 82 symbols that symbolize the importance of being true to one’s self. The symbols are also
See ARTWORK PAGE 10A
FORT HOOD, TEXAS
Sexual-assault prevention officer facing charges ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT HOOD — Two soldiers said Tuesday that a noncommissioned sexual-assault prevention officer at Fort Hood recruited them and other cash-strapped female soldiers to join a prostitution ring. Their testimonies came during an Article 32 hearing to determine whether Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen will face a military court-martial on more than 21 criminal charges filed in March that include pandering, adultery and sexual assault. The hearing is similar to a grand jury proceeding. The first to testify was a female private who said she was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony. “Basically, it was having sex with higher-ranking officers for
money,” the private said, according to the Killeen Daily Herald. She was 20 at the time of the alleged misconduct and said she confided in McQueen, telling him she was experiencing money prob-
Brad Grimes, has already been demoted and reprimanded in the case for conspiring to patronize a prostitute and solicitation to commit adultery. The private testified Tuesday
— have not been released. Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway said it’s to protect the women. Anu Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women’s Action Network and a former captain
Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen may face a military court-martial on more than 21 criminal charges filed in March. lems after her husband left her and her 3-year-old son and drained the couple’s bank account. She also testified that McQueen had sex with her and took photos of her naked to show potential clients. Another soldier at the Army base in central Texas, Master Sgt.
that McQueen arranged for her to have sex with Grimes for $100. A second female soldier testified that McQueen sexually assaulted her and also attempted to recruit her to join the prostitution ring, but she declined. The names of the female soldiers who testified — three in all
with the Marine Corps, said prostitution rings are not uncommon within the military and the allegations against McQueen were no surprise. “Institutionally, a lot of inappropriate behavior is condoned,” she told The Associated Press. “Women are so few within the military
still that I think predators look at women as fresh meat and the military as an institution where they can get away with criminal activity.” More testimony is expected Wednesday, including from Grimes. McQueen’s attorney, Joseph Jordan, did not return a phone call to the AP seeking comment Tuesday. Fort Hood would not release the initial charges list — akin to the complaint in a civilian case — when the AP requested a copy. The case has brought renewed focus on the prevalence of sexual assault within the military. In March, the U.S. Senate blocked a bill that would have stripped military commanders of their authority to prosecute or prevent charges for alleged rapes and other serious offenses.
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
Thursday, June 5
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Grief support group. Noon to 1:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave. Free and open to public. Contact Patricia Cisneros at 722-1674 or pcisneros@mhm.org. TAMIU Planetarium shows. “The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” 2 p.m.; “Earth, Moon and Sun” 3 p.m.; “Wonders of the Universe” 4 p.m.; and “Destination Saturn” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Call 3263663. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589. Conversations with the Sisters of Mercy. 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 1000 Mier (corner of Hendricks). Discussions focus on five concerns: Earth, nonviolence, women, racism and immigration. First conversation is immigration. English and Spanish. Contact Rosanne Palacios at 721-7408 or rosanne.palacios@mercy.net.
Today is Wednesday, June 4, the 155th day of 2014. There are 210 days left in the year. Today’s Highlights in History: On June 4, 1944, during World War II, U-505, a German submarine, was captured by a U.S. Navy task group in the south Atlantic; it was the first such capture of an enemy vessel at sea by the U.S. Navy since the War of 1812. The U.S. Fifth Army began liberating Rome. On this date: In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers first publicly demonstrated their hot-air balloon, which did not carry any passengers, over Annonay, France. In 1784, opera singer Elisabeth Thible became the first woman to make a nontethered flight aboard a Montgolfier hot-air balloon, over Lyon, France. In 1892, the Sierra Club was incorporated in San Francisco. In 1919, Congress approved the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing citizens the right to vote regardless of their gender and sent it to the states for ratification. In 1939, the German ocean liner MS St. Louis, carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees from Germany, was turned away from the Florida coast by U.S. officials. In 1940, during World War II, the Allied military evacuation of more than 338,000 troops from Dunkirk, France, ended. In 1942, the World War II Battle of Midway began, resulting in a decisive American victory against Japan and marking the turning point of the war in the Pacific. In 1954, French Premier Joseph Laniel and Vietnamese Premier Buu Loc signed treaties in Paris according “complete independence” to Vietnam. Ten years ago: Muffler shop owner Marvin Heemeyer, angry after losing a zoning dispute, went on a rampage in Granby, Colorado, using a customized armor-plated bulldozer to knock down or damage nine buildings before shooting himself to death. Five years ago: Speaking at Cairo University, President Barack Obama called for a “new beginning between the United States and Muslims” and said together, they could confront violent extremism across the globe. One year ago: Already heavily criticized for targeting conservative groups, the Internal Revenue Service suffered another blow as new details emerged in a report about senior officials enjoying luxury hotel rooms, free drinks and food at a $4.1 million training conference. Today’s Birthdays: Sex therapist and media personality Dr. Ruth Westheimer is 86. Actor Bruce Dern is 78. Musician Roger Ball is 70. Actresssinger Michelle Phillips is 70. Jazz musician Anthony Braxton is 69. Rock musician Danny Brown (The Fixx) is 63. Actor Keith David is 58. Blues singer-musician Tinsley Ellis is 57. Thought for Today: “As people used to be wrong about the motion of the sun, so they are still wrong about the motion of the future. The future stands still; it is we who move in infinite space.” — Rainer Maria Rilke (RY’-nur mahREE’-ah RIHL’-kuh), German poet (1875-1926).
Friday, June 6 Grand Dance of Legends, to benefit Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center. 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Casa Blanca Ballroom. Featuring Sunny Ozuna & the Sunliners, Freddy Martinez and Joe Castillo Zaz y Zaz. $20 pre-sale tickets at Casa Raul North and South, Graphitiks Advertising Design Inc., Rio Bravo Music Store, San Ramon Record Shop and Ruthe B. Cowl. Sponsorships available. Call 722-2431 or visit ruthebcowl.com.
Saturday, June 7 Used book sale, hosted by First United Methodist Church. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents. Computer genealogy workshop by Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Church of Latter Day Saints. Members only. Bring laptops. Call Sanjuanita MartinezHunter at 722-3497. TAMIU Planetarium shows “The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” 2 p.m.; “Earth, Moon and Sun” 3 p.m.; “Wonders of the Universe” 4 p.m.; and “Pink Floyd’s The Wall” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more.
Sunday, June 8 Mexico Lindo 2014. 3 p.m. Laredo Little Theatre. Gabriela MendozaGarcia Ballet Folklorico to perform folkloric dances of Mexico. Children and adult company members to perform from states of Nuevo Leon, Jalisco, Veracruz and Sinaloa. $10 admission adults and $5 children 12 and under. Tickets purchased at door or by calling 725-1832.
Tuesday, June 10 “The Calling” series of Bible talks. 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Laredo Church of Christ Chapel, 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 340. Contact Miguel Zuñiga at 286-9631 or mglzuñiga@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, June 11 1964 Zapata High School Class 50th reunion. Dinner at The Steak House on Wednesday, June 25. Call Dora Martinez at 324-1226 or Ninfa Gracia at 500-5219.
Photo by Staton Breidenthal/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | AP
Investigators look over the scene of a double fatality accident Monday, in Clinton, Ark. Officials said a log truck lost control and slid onto a bridge under construction killing two and injuring 19 workers on the bridge. The driver of the logging truck, Jerry Hickman, 39, of Bee Branch, suffered minor injuries.
2 killed, 19 hurt in wreck ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLINTON, Ark. — A logging truck blew a tire, overturned and spilled its cargo onto a group of construction workers, killing two people and injuring 19, authorities in northcentral Arkansas said. Van Buren County Sheriff Scott Bradley said the wreck occurred Monday afternoon on a U.S. 65 bridge in Clinton, about 70 miles north of Little Rock. “They were like sitting ducks on the bridge,” Bradley told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “There was nowhere for them to run to get away from the logs.” The driver of the logging truck, Jerry Hickman, 39, of Bee Branch, suffered minor injuries, and 19 people were taken to a hospital in Clinton, officials said. Ozark Health Medical Center administrator David Deaton
Attorney: Girl charged in stabbing is mentally ill
Severe weather packs baseball-size hail
Hershey’s World adds to Vegas’ chocolate offerings
MILWAUKEE — A defense attorney for a 12-year-old girl accused of stabbing her friend says Wisconsin’s laws automatically charging children as adults in some cases could mean his client won’t get help she needs. The girl and another 12-yearold face attempted homicide charges as adults in connection with the attack Saturday. Prosecutors say they conspired for months to kill their friend to please a fictional character named Slenderman that they read about online. In Wisconsin, anyone 10 or older charged with homicide is automatically considered an adult. Four states have the next youngest threshold for children to be automatically considered adults in homicides, at 13. The girl’s attorney says she should be in juvenile court, which offers more social services and mental health treatment than the adult system.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Large hail has been reported in Nebraska as severe weather with a potential for tornadoes moves through a swath of Midwest states. The National Weather Service says the highest risk for severe weather Tuesday is centered in parts of northern and eastern Nebraska, western and southern Iowa, and northeast Missouri. Officials say there’s the potential for a derecho system, which is a storm of strong straight-line winds spanning at least 240 miles. An outbreak of severe thunderstorms also is expected in parts of Illinois, Kansas and South Dakota. Officials say baseball-size hail was reported Tuesday in northeast Nebraska. The severe weather threat arrives amid an unusually quiet late spring, with far fewer documented tornados in May than in previous years.
LAS VEGAS — A chocolate lover’s paradise featuring a giant, Hershey bar replica of the Empire State Building is now open on the Las Vegas Strip. The two-story Hershey’s Chocolate World store debuted Tuesday at the New York-New York casino. It features a super-sized Reese’s peanut butter cup on its facade and an 800-pound replica of the Statue of Liberty carved out of milk chocolate. The store is not the only place on the Strip where tourists can satisfy their sweet tooth. A fourlevel M&M’s World across the street is a shrine to rival company Mars’ signature candy. The Bellagio is also home to a floor-to-ceiling chocolate fountain that’s certified as the world’s largest. Hershey’s has similar stores in Times Square, Niagara Falls, Chicago, Singapore, Dubai and Shanghai. — Compiled from AP reports
Thursday, June 12 Grief support group. Noon to 1:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave. Free and open to public. Contact Patricia Cisneros at 722-1674 or pcisneros@mhm.org. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589.
Friday, June 13 Registration for 3rd Annual 5k Run, Walk & Roll for Rehab. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Academy Sports & Outdoors at San Bernardo Avenue. $15 adults and $10 Kid’s ½ Mile Run (10 and under). Call 722-2431.
Saturday, June 14 1964 Zapata High School Class 50th reunion. Dinner at The Steak House on Wednesday, June 25. Call Dora Martinez at 324-1226 or Ninfa Gracia at 500-5219. Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com. Items will run as space is available.
told the Democrat-Gazette that 12 of those patients suffered “major injuries.” State police on Tuesday identified the two people who died as Ricardo Trochez, 40, of Atkins, and Robert Keith Moore, 51, of Chester. It could take a month or longer before the investigation is complete, state police spokesman Bill Sadler told The Associated Press. A preliminary state police report said a rear tire on the big rig’s trailer blew out, causing the load to shift and the logs to scatter among the workers. The crew was working on an Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department project to widen the bridge from three lanes to five. Rescue teams had to cross steel rebar rods to reach the injured, Sheriff Bradley told the Democrat-Gazette.
AROUND THE WORLD Cambodia welcomes back 3 looted statues PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia has welcomed back three statues that had been in Western art collections after having been looted from a 1,000-yearold temple during war. The pieces were handed over at a ceremony Tuesday attended by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and U.S. diplomat Jeff Daigle. The statues were returned by the U.S. branches of auction houses Sotheby’s and Christie’s, and the Norton Simon Museum in California. They originally came from the Koh Ker temple complex in Siem Reap province, also home to the Angkor Wat temples. Cambodian officials said they were stolen during the civil war in the 1970s.
Controversial techniques doesn’t look unsafe LONDON — Britain’s fertility
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 Managing Editor, Nick Georgiou ................. 728-2565 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ..........................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by Heng Sinith | AP
Cambodian dancers perform a blessing dance near the three pieces of the 10th century Cambodian sandstone statues from the United States, during a handover ceremony at the Council of Ministers, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Tuesday. regulator says controversial techniques to create embryos from the DNA of three people “do not appear to be unsafe” even though no one has ever received the treatment, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The techniques are meant to
help mothers from passing on potentially fatal genetic diseases to their babies and involve altering a human egg or embryo before transferring it into a woman — which is currently illegal in Britain. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. 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, JUNE 4, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Calling all photogs Fourth annual photo contest is under way SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Courtesy photo
Members of the Asociacion de Caballeros Extraordinarios meet weekly. Shown at a recent meeting are, front row, Jorge Vega and Jose Cabello; second row, Rogelio Guerra, Enrique de la Garza, Jose Botello and Jaime Delgado; third row, Raul Ceballos, Mario Guerra, Enrique Diaz and Jesus Romero.
Men share stories, more By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
Sharing stories, experiences, jokes and culture in general is the goal of the Asociacion de Caballeros Extraordinarios, which meets every Monday at a Laredo restaurant. Pomposo “Popo” Caballero is important in keeping the 3-yearold group going, which he calls “a simple gathering of friends.” “When we gather everybody comments on something that happened in the past week,” Caballero said, “because we only make plans for seven days. No more, because we don’t know what the future holds.” The group, comprised of men 65 or older, was founded by the late Gumercindo Garza. It began with seven members but has been growing and now has 22. “We are a united group. At the same time we are different in our beliefs, convictions and ideas, but we respect each other’s thoughts,” Garza said. The group’s name comes from member Enrique de la Garza, a teacher who is considered knowledgeable in the history of both Laredos. “Enrique de la Garza said we were extraordinary gentlemen on two or three occasions, and we liked that and thus became the Association of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” Caballero said. For him the meetings are
therapy. “When we meet we discuss things, tell stories, bring something beautiful to read or reflect on or plan an occasion in which we eat, socialize, sing, to spend an extraordinary time together,” he said. “Everybody forgets their problems. This is therapy.” Raymundo Rios Mayo, president of the Historical Society of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and a group member, said the group also discusses Tamaulipas’ historical documents. “We analyzed a very important document dating from 1848 relating to the establishment of Nuevo Laredo, where a paragraph included by the state’s legislature states the Villa de Laredo ceases being a part of Tamaulipas to become a part of the United States,” Caballero said. Caballero added that Rios Mayo often discusses Laredo and Nuevo Laredo’s history with information about the founding of both cities. “He has very detailed information about those who went to the other side to found Nuevo Laredo, who took their dead with them and about those who decided to stay,” Caballero said. He added that when they want to know something about the United States, the group turns to de la Garza for the information. “When we want to know something important about the
United States, such as the death of John F. Kennedy, de la Garza gives us information with all of the details that causes us to consider it was a conspiracy,” Caballero said. During one meeting Caballero said he read the “Response of Chief Seattle,” regarded as a key statement on the environment, attributed to a Native American chief named Seattle. He added that the meetings serve as enrichment sessions for the members due to sharing knowledge. “Each time we are enriched. We find people with extraordinary knowledge, something that reflects the beauty of the person, his simple manner of speech and expression. That motivates us to share the time we have together in these meetings,” he said. Men who are over 65 and are looking for an enjoyable way to spend time are invited to join the group, he said. “We invite you to come, participate and listen. Here there are no commitments, no fees, nothing. You have a chance to come and say hello. You are going to enjoy the time you spend with us because we wholeheartedly hope to see you again in seven days. This is what draw us together,” Caballero said. (Contact Malena Charur at 728-2583, or at mcharur@lmtonline.com. Translated by Mark Webber of the Times staff.)
The Webb County Heritage Foundation is calling on all area photographers to submit entries in the fourth annual “Historic Laredo and Webb County” photo contest. Photos should feature a historic building, landmark, architectural feature, landscape or other subject reflecting the region’s history or heritage. Deadline for entries is July 11 at 5 p.m. A cash prize will be awarded to the first and second place winners and a total of 13 winners will be chosen to be featured in the Heritage Foundation’s “2015 Historic Laredo and Webb County” Calendar. An entry fee of $10 will allow up to three photographs to be en-
tered. Photographs should be full-color, horizontal views, unmatted and unframed. The Photo Competition was designed to foster a greater appreciation of the region’s historic architecture, significant landmarks and other notable historical features. In addition, the calendar features some of the important dates in Laredo’s history, and serves as a convenient educational tool. All entries in the competition will be showcased in the “Historic Laredo Photo Competition” exhibit at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum in December. Entries must be brought to the foundation office at 500 Flores Ave. For more details on contest rules, visit webbheritage.org or call 956-727-0977.
Summer of fun TAMIU offering summer camps for kids SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The thoughts of a summer of fun are dancing in young heads … but for parents the dance to insure that fun has just begun. At Texas A&M International University, a summer of fun and learning is available with a schedule of offerings at the TAMIU Children’s Summer Camps. The university’s Office of Continuing Education coordinates the camps, which vary in length from 4 days to 8 weeks and are available for campers ages 4-17. Camps begin as early as June 9, and continue through August 8. TAMIU Continuing Education Director Kimberly Martin del Campo said this summer’s offerings are diverse. “We pride ourselves on creating a summer experience that is rich and relevant and full of both fun and innovative learning opportunities. You’ll find everything from ‘Barbie, Barbie, Everywhere,’ dedicated to helping participants learn what they need to become great girls with bright futures, to ‘Look at Me, I’m an Author,’ a writing program that helps children find their voice, to STEM camps focus-
ing on including mathematics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, in addition to a full spectrum of specific sport camps, recreational camps and hybrids,” Martin del Campo explained. She noted the university’s long history of offering summer camps, more than 20 years, has seen participation become generational. “We’re now meeting parents who were themselves campers years ago and want that experience for their children. It’s also common to see previous campers returning to our programs with younger or older brothers or sisters or friends from school,” she said. Camps take place on campus in university facilities and are supervised by paid staff, faculty and volunteers. Martin del Campo said she urges parents to take advantage of the university’s online registration and payment to insure a place in the camps of their choice. “We have a terrific website which includes all camps, full instructions, requirements and registration and online payment is just a click away,” she said. The web site is http://www.tamiu.edu/college4kids.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COMMENTARY
OTHER VIEWS
Guns and mental illness By JOE NOCERA NEW YORK TIMES
It is difficult to read stories about Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old man who went on a murderous spree in Isla Vista, California, last month, without feeling some empathy for his parents. We know that his mother, alarmed by some of his misogynistic YouTube videos, made a call that resulted in the police visiting Rodger. The headline from that meeting was that Rodger, seemingly calm and collected, easily deflected the police’s attention. But there was surely a subtext: How worried — how desperate, really — must a mother be to believe the police should be called on her own son? We also learned that on the day of his murderous rampage, his mother, having read the first few lines of his “manifesto,” had phoned his father, from whom she was divorced. In separate cars, they raced from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara hoping to stop what they feared. And then, on Monday, in a remarkably detailed article in The New York Times, we learned the rest of it. How Rodger was clearly a troubled soul before he even turned 8 years old. How his parents’ concern about his mental health was like a “shadow that hung over this Los Angeles family nearly every day of Elliot’s life.” Constantly bullied and unable to fit in, he went through three high schools. In college, he tried to throw a girl off a ledge at a party — and was beaten up. (“I’m going to kill them,” he said to a neighbor afterward.) He finally retreated to some Internet sites that “drew sex-
ually frustrated young men,” according to The Times. Throughout, said one person who knew Rodger, “his mom did everything she could to help Elliot.” But what his parents never did was what might have prevented him from buying a gun: have him committed to a psychiatric facility. California’s tough gun laws notwithstanding, a background check would have caught him only if he had had inpatient mental health treatment, made a serious threat to an identifiable victim in the presence of a therapist, or had a criminal record. He had none of the above. Should his parents have taken more steps to have him treated? Could they have? It is awfully hard to say, even in retrospect. On the one hand, there were plainly people who knew him who feared that he might someday harm others. On the other hand, those people weren’t psychiatrists. He was a loner, a misfit, whose parents were more fearful of how the world would treat their son than how their son would treat the world. And his mother, after all, did reach out for help, and the police responded and decided they had no cause to arrest him or even search his room, where his guns were hidden. Once again, a mass killing has triggered calls for doing something to keep guns away from the mentally ill. And, once again, the realities of the situation convey how difficult a task that is. There are, after all, plenty of young, male, alienated loners — the now-standard description of mass shooters — but very few of them become killers.
COMMENTARY
Prisoner swaps not a good idea By ADAM B. KUSHNER THE WASHINGTON POST
Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. Army sergeant seized nearly five years ago by the Taliban, is coming home. That’s great news for him, for his family, for President Barack Obama’s standing, and for other soldiers who might worry whether the White House would parley with terrorists for their release. Even the Old Testament praises “the redemption of captives” among the highest moral acts. Everyone loves a story with a happy ending. But in this case, the sourpusses, spoilsports, and partisans are right. Swapping five Guantanamo detainees in exchange for Bergdahl was a terrible idea. The reasoning here is pretty straightforward: When you set up incentives that reward kidnappers, you can count on more kidnapping. And seen from the Taliban’s perspective, the Bergdahl swap was just such an incentive. Afghan commanders made the great American hegemon violate its sacred we-don’t-negotiate-withterrorists creed. And, more importantly, they showed the world that one freed American fighter is worth five freed insurgent fighters. In other words, they have every reason to rededicate themselves to acquiring more Americans. (Of course, they already had this incentive, but the spectacular Bergdahl results may prod them to shift resources away from, say, assassinating local officials toward more abductions.) Todd Sandler, an
economist at the University of Texas-Dallas, studied four decades of data and found that, for every kidnapper paid, 2.5 more abductions occurred. This dynamic has played out in Israel, where the government vows to redeem any captive — even corpses — at any price. It’s a noble sentiment, one enshrined in Jewish law as pidyon shvuyim. But it leads to heinously, and increasingly, asymmetrical trades. It got the point where, in 2004, Israel traded 430 Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners (plus the remains of 59) in exchange for three dead soldiers and one live one. In the most famous case of recent memory, Hamas snatched Gilad Shalit, a 19-year-old tank gunner, during a Gaza raid in 2006. First, Israel gave up 20 female prisoners just for proof that Shalit was still alive. Then, in 2011, the government redeemed him for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners (who were said to have been responsible, collectively, for 569 dead Israeli civilians). Incentives aren’t the only problem; it can also be bad for security, even outside Afghanistan. “There is no question that the Iraqi insurgency learns from Hezbollah and that the Taliban learns from the Sunni insurgency,” said Steve Simon, a scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, when I asked him about this in 2008. And there’s no guarantee released prisoners will settle quietly into retirement. After a 1985 exchange, several liberated Palestinians rejoined the armed struggle.
COLUMN
The interesting art of focus Three techniques children use to learn may be helpful to adults who are struggling to lead a life free of distractions By DAVID BROOKS NEW YORK TIMES
Like everyone else, I am losing the attention war. I toggle over to my emails when I should be working. I text when I should be paying attention to the people in front of me. I spend hours looking at mildly diverting stuff on YouTube. (“Look, there’s a bunch of guys who can play ‘Billie Jean’ on beer bottles!”) And, like everyone else, I’ve nodded along with the prohibition sermons imploring me to limit my information diet. Stop multitasking! Turn off the devices at least once a week! And, like everyone else, these sermons have had no effect. Many of us lead lives of distraction, unable to focus on what we know we should focus on. According to a survey reported in an Op-Ed article on Sunday in The Times by Tony Schwartz and Christine Porath, 66 percent of workers aren’t able to focus on one thing at a time. Seventy percent of employees don’t have regular time for creative or strategic thinking while at work. Since the prohibition sermons don’t work, I wonder if we might be able to copy some of the techniques used by the creatures who are phenomenally good at learning things: children. I recently stumbled across an interview in The Paris Review with Adam
Phillips, who was a child psychologist for many years. First, Phillips says, in order to pursue their intellectual adventures, children need a secure social base: “There’s something deeply important about the early experience of being in the presence of somebody without being impinged upon by their demands, and without them needing you to make a demand on them. And that this creates a space internally into which one can be absorbed. In order to be absorbed one has to feel sufficiently safe, as though there is some shield, or somebody guarding you against dangers such that you can ‘forget yourself ’ and absorb yourself, in a book, say.” Second, before they can throw themselves into their obsessions, children are propelled by desires so powerful that they can be frightening. “One of the things that is interesting about children is how much appetite they have,” Phillips observes. “How much appetite they have — but also how conflicted they can be about their appetites. Anybody who’s got young children ... will remember that children are incredibly picky about their food. ... “One of the things it means is there’s something very frightening about one’s appetite. So that one is trying to contain a voraciousness in a very specific, limited, nar-
rowed way. ... An appetite is fearful because it connects you with the world in very unpredictable ways. ... Everybody is dealing with how much of their own aliveness they can bear and how much they need to anesthetize themselves.” Third, children are not burdened by excessive selfconsciousness: “As young children, we listen to adults talking before we understand what they’re saying. And that’s, after all, where we start — we start in a position of not getting it.” Children are used to living an emotional richness that can’t be captured in words. They don’t worry about trying to organize their lives into neat little narratives. Their experience of life is more direct because they spend less time on interfering thoughts about themselves. The lesson from childhood, then, is that if you want to win the war for attention, don’t try to say “no” to the trivial distractions you find on the information smorgasbord; try to say “yes” to the subject that arouses a terrifying longing, and let the terrifying longing crowd out everything else. The way to discover a terrifying longing is to liberate yourself from the self-censoring labels you began to tell yourself over the course of your miseducation. These formulas are stultifying, Phillips argues: “You can only recov-
er your appetite, and appetites, if you can allow yourself to be unknown to yourself. Because the point of knowing oneself is to contain one’s anxieties about appetite.” Thus: Focus on the external objects of fascination, not on who you think you are. Find people with overlapping obsessions. Don’t structure your encounters with them the way people do today, through brainstorming sessions (those don’t work) or through conferences with projection screens. Instead, look at the way children learn in groups. They make discoveries alone, but bring their treasures to the group. Then the group crowds around and hashes it out. In conversation, conflict, confusion and uncertainty can be metabolized and digested through somebody else. If the group sets a specific problem for itself, and then sets a tight deadline to come up with answers, the free digression of conversation will provide occasions in which people are surprised by their own minds. The information universe tempts you with mildly pleasant but ultimately numbing diversions. The only way to stay fully alive is to dive down to your obsessions 6 fathoms deep. Down there it’s possible to make progress toward fulfilling your terrifying longing, which is the experience that produces the joy.
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DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
Local
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Parade of Homes event attracts 4,000 visitors By GABRIELA A. TREVIÑO THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Laredo Builders Association held its 17th Annual Parade of Homes over the weekend, with organizers saying the event attracted about 4,000 visitors. For $5, people could visit all 12 homes on display in Alexander, Cuatro Vientos Norte, Escondido, Lakeside, Las Flores, Plantation, Royal Oaks, San Isidro-La Paz and Uptown at Alexander subdivisions. Visitors were also eligible to win prizes which varied depending on the number of houses visited. From modern art pieces in the homes to high end furniture items, from swimming pools to fountains, from large homes to small homes, there was something for every taste and price range. On the lower end, homes ranged between $140,000 and $170,000. On the higher end, prices ranged between $300,000 and $800,000. The lower priced homes included townhouses near Casa
Photo by Victor Strife | The Zapata Times
Local residents visit one of the 12 custom built homes that participated in the Laredo Builder’s Association’s 17th Annual Parade of Homes, on Sunday afternoon, at D&J Alexander Estates. Blanca Municipal Golf Course, with easy access to Loop 20, and a home in South Laredo with three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and approximately 1,487 square
feet. In North Laredo, one of the homes in D&J Alexander Estates had a modern and contemporary design done by QS Design Inc.
The home won two awards including Best Realtor Tour and Best Kitchen. A large crowd of spectators were drawn in, marveling at the
interiors from Attitude High End Furniture, a local retailer, and the unique design. The home boasted 3,604 square feet of living area and had a price tag of $520,000. Most visitors said they were there to get ideas for their own homes. Two sisters, Lizzy Villarreal, 29, and Jackie Herrera, 31, were at the Parade of Homes for different reasons. Villarreal said she and her husband were looking to buy a home in the near future, and wanted to get an idea of what she wanted to look for. Herrera, on the other hand, said she liked attending the Parade of Homes event because it gave her ideas on how to decorate her own home. Julio Dominguez, 72, was scoping out the houses with his wife. They are looking to buy a home and relocate from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico to Laredo, Texas. When asked why Dominguez planned to move he said, “Because (in Laredo) it’s safe and quiet.” (Gabriela A. Treviño may be reached at 956-728-2579 or gtrevino@lmtonline.com)
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Agenda en Breve ZAPATA 06/04— La Clase 1964 de Zapata High School se reunirá para celebrar los 50 años de haber graduado el miércoles 25 de junio en el Steak House. Interesados en asistir a la cena pueden solicitar informes con Dora Martínez al (956) 324-1226 o con Ninfa Gracia al (956) 500-5219. 06/07— La Clase 1964 de Zapata High School se reunirá para celebrar los 50 años de haber graduado el miércoles 25 de junio en el Steak House. Interesados en asistir a la cena pueden solicitar informes con Dora Martínez al (956) 324-1226 o con Ninfa Gracia al (956) 500-5219.
MIÉRCOLES 4 DE JUNIO DE 2014
NACIONAL
Problema humanitario POR ALICIA A. CALDWELL Y CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — El aumento en la cantidad de niños que cruzan solos la frontera desde México es un “asunto humanitario urgente”, dijo el presidente Barack Obama, en momentos que la Casa Blanca solicita 1.400 millones de dólares adicionales al Congreso para hacer frente a la situación. Obama dijo que los menores serán alojados temporalmente en dos bases militares. Obama nombró el lunes a Craig Fugate, director de la Agencia Federal de Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA), para hacerse cargo de la situación. En sus nuevos estimados, el gobierno estadounidense informó que unos 60.000 menores, en su mayoría centroamericanos, pudieran ser de-
Presidente Obama señala que aumento en cantidad de niños de cruzan la frontera solos es “asunto humanitario urgente”. tenidos este año mientras tratan de cruzar ilegalmente la frontera desde México. Esto cuesta a Estados Unidos más de 2.280 millones de dólares por concepto de albergar, alimentar y transportar a los niños a albergues para reunirse con familiares que ya viven en Estados Unidos. El nuevo cálculo es aproximadamente 1.400 millones más de lo que el gobierno pidió al Congreso en la solicitud de presupuesto de Obama enviada al Capitolio anteriormente este año. Obama describió el problema humanitario fronterizo en un memo-
rando emitido el lunes y que describió un operativo liderado por Fugate en el que participarán numerosas entidades federales. Cecilia Muñoz, directora de política nacional de Obama, dijo que la cantidad de menores que viajan solos ha aumentado desde 2009, pero que este año el alza ha sido mayor que la del 2013. Muñoz dijo que entre los migrantes hay ahora más niñas y varones menores de 13 años. “Todo esto ha contribuido a crear una situación de urgencia”, dijo Muñoz. “Estos niños han tenido ex-
periencias horribles viajando solos y les proporcionamos la atención debida”. El aumento ha superado la capacidad del sistema para procesar y albergar a los menores. El mes pasado, el gobierno federal abrió un centro de operaciones de emergencia en el sur de Texas para ayudar a coordinar las operaciones, y la Oficina de Asentamiento de Refugiados, una división del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales, pidió ayuda al Departamento de Defensa por segunda vez desde el 2012 para alojar a los niños en la Basa Aérea Lackland, cerca de San Antonio. Mark Greenberg, secretario adjunto de Salud y Servicios Sociales, dijo que unos 1.000 niños están albergados en la base de Texas y que unos 600 más serían alojados en una base de la Marina en el sur de California.
LAREDO 06/04— Clínica de Vacunación contra la Rabia, de 7 p.m. a 8 p.m. en el Laredo Animal Care Facility at 5202 Maher Avenue. Costo de vacuna, con registro y microchip, a 22 dólares. 06/05— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” a las 2 p.m.; “Earth, Moon and Sun” a las 3 p.m.; “Wonders of the Universe” a las 4 p.m., “Destination Saturn” a las 5 p.m. Costo: 5 dólares, adultos; y 4 dólares, niños. 06/05— En el marco del 120 Aniversario de Sisters of Mercy se invita a la serie de discusiones “Conversaciones con las Hermanas”. La primer charla será a las 6 p.m. en el Centro de Educación Lamar Bruni Vergara, 1000 Mier, esquina con Hendricks, con el tema de Inmigración. La conversación será Bilingüe. 06/06— Desayuno mensual de Wellness & Women Connection de 11:45 a.m. a 1:30 p.m. en Palenque Grill. Durante el evento se tratarán temas de salud, peso y nutrición. 06/06— Gran Baile de Leyendas a beneficio del Centro de Rehabilitación Ruthe B. Cowl, será de 8 p.m. a 1 a.m. en Casa Blanca Ballroom. Se presentará Sunny Ozuna & The Sunliners, y Freddy Martínez. Boleto en pre-venta 20 dólares. Informes en el (956) 7269393. 06/07— La Asociación Laredo Northside invita al Mercado de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. en el área de juegos del North Central Park. Habrá venta de productos naturales, de jardinería, comida, manualidades y organizaciones comerciales y sin fines de lucro. 06/07— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta “The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” a las 2 p.m.; “Earth, Moon and Sun” a las 3 p.m.; “Wonders of the Universe” a las 4 p.m.; “Pink Floyd’s The Wall” a las 5 p.m.. Costo: 5 dólares, adultos; 4 dólares, niños.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 06/04— Se llevará a cabo “Miércoles de danzón” a partir de las 7 p.m. en la Plaza 1 de Mayo, frente a Estación Palabra. Participará la Centenaria Banda de Música Municipal, y el Grupo de Danza Mextli. 06/04— 55ª Muestra Internacional de Cine presenta “Paraíso: Esperanza” (Austria-Francia-Alemania/2012) a las 7 p.m. en Cinemex Plaza Real/HEB. Costo: 20 pesos. 06/05— 55ª Muestra Internacional de Cine presenta “Los insólitos peces gato” (México/2012) a las 7 p.m. en Cinemex Plaza Real/HEB. 06/06— 55ª Muestra Internacional de Cine presenta “Liv & Ingmar” (MoruegaSuecia-Reino Unido/2012) a las 7 p.m. en Cinemex Plaza Real/HEB.
TAMAULIPAS
MÉXICO
HOMENAJE A LABOR
Duplican pena por secuestro POR E. EDUARDO CASTILLO ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El domingo autoridades nacionales y del estado de Tamaulipas se unieron para celebrar el aniversario número 72 del Día de la Marina. En la imagen se observa a autoridades federales, estatales y de marina durante la ofrenda floral.
Autoridades celebraron ‘Día de Marina’ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
A
utoridades nacionales y del estado de Tamaulipas se unieron para celebrar el aniversario número 72 para el Día de la Marina, el domingo por la tarde. El Presidente de la República, Enrique Peña Nieto, el Gobernador del Estado Egidio Torre Cantú y el Secretario de Marina, Almirante Vidal Francisco Soberón Sanz, se reunieron en el puerto de Tamaulipas, a bordo del buque Papaloapan de la Marina Armada de México, donde reconocieron a hombres y mujeres del sector marítimo. “El sector marítimo está llamado a cumplir un papel de primer orden de desarrollo nacional y se está preparando para lograrlo, en esta administración lo seguiremos respaldando para que cumpla sus metas”, dijo Peña Nieto. Durante el evento las autoridades llevaron a cabo el acto de abande-
ramiento de 2 buques del Sector Marítimo, (Seacor Cabral y Seacor Columbus), momento en que el presidente impuso a los buques marítimos la protección y amparo de la bandera nacional. Para terminar la agenda de las festividades del día de la Marina, el Presidente Peña Nieto y el Gobernador Torre
Cantú, sostuvieron un encuentro con personal de la Secretaría de la Marina, representantes de la sociedad civil tamaulipeca y los líderes de opinión. “Agradecemos el esfuerzo ejemplar que día a día realizan los marinos para que los tamaulipecos gocemos a plenitud de una nación libre,
segura, nuestra, reconocemos su incondicional entrega al servicio de la patria”, dijo Torre Cantú. Asimismo reconoció y agradeció las labores de la de Marina realizadas en la entidad en sus diferentes labores y en especial en el camino a recuperar la paz y la tranquilidad en estas tierras.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El presidente de la República Mexicana, Enrique Peña Nieto, durante la entrega de bandera en la ceremonia de festejo del 72 aniversario del Día de la Marina.
MEXICO — México duplicó las penas de prisión por secuestro, un delito que en los últimos años ha ido en alza pese a diversos intentos por enfrentarlo. Con las modificaciones a la ley para prevenir y sancionar el secuestro, publicadas el martes en el Diario Oficial, la pena mínima de cárcel pasará de entre 20 a 40 años a entre 40 y 80 años. Sin embargo, si la víctima muere en manos de los secuestradores la pena puede ser de hasta 140 años, cuando hasta ahora era de no más de 70 años. Las reformas entrarán en vigor el miércoles y si bien son vistas por algunos como una manera de enviar un mensaje a los secuestradores, expertos han considerado que la mejor manera para enfrentar un delito en México no es una mayor pena, sino la aplicación continua de la ley para evitar las altas tasas de impunidad. Las autoridades también modificaron el Código Penal Federal, el cual establece que la pena máxima de 60 años en cualquier otro delito no será aplicada para el secuestro. En México no existe la pena de cadena perpetua para ningún delito, salvo en el estado fronterizo norteño de Chihuahua, donde se aplica sólo para el caso de secuestro. Datos oficiales señalan que en todo 2013 hubo 1.698 denuncias de secuestro, un incremento de 20% respecto al año anterior, pero las autoridades reconocieron que la cifra podría superar los 105.000 casos al incluir los no denunciados. El Instituto Nacional de Estadística estimó que el número de casos sin denunciar supera el 90%. Sólo entre enero y abril de 2014 se habían reportado 570 denuncias de secuestro. Rivas dijo que aunque observa un mayor compromiso oficial para enfrentar ese delito, “hoy el problema del secuestro sigue siendo un problema gravísimo”. Las autoridades han atribuido el incremento en los secuestros en gran parte a los golpes dados a los carteles del narcotráfico que al ver reducido su margen de maniobra aumentan su participación en otras actividades criminales como el plagio y la extorsión. La actual estrategia antisecuestro ha dado prioridad a los estados de Morelos, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Estado de México, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Tabasco, Durango, Veracruz y Oaxaca, que según el gobierno concentran más del 70% de la incidencia de plagio.
SISTEMA TEXAS A&M
Unen esfuerzos para aliviar hambre ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
MCALLEN — Organizaciones federales, estatales y municipales unen esfuerzos para satisfacer las necesidades alimenticias que se presentan a lo largo del Sur de Texas. John Sharp, canciller del Sistema de la Universidad Texas A&M, se reunió
con autoridades del Centro de Ciencias de la Salud de Texas A&M, con la finalidad de discutir asuntos de salud pública en la región. El evento representa uno de los esfuerzos conjuntos en la colaboración para el diseño de programas para servir en el Sur de Texas. Durante la reunión se
compartió información acerca de la inauguración de los programas alimenticios gratuitos o reducidos de USDA para niños de la región y el papel que los compañeros académicos juegan en el mejoramiento de la vida de los niños de la región, que es la meta principal de USDA. “Texas A&M está com-
prometida en unir a las personas adecuadas para proporcionar programas innovadores e intervenciones que cumplan con las necesidades del Sur de Texas”, dijo Sharp en un comunicado de prensa. “Nuestros esfuerzos no solamente beneficiarán a las personas de esta región, sino que tendrán un impacto
a largo plazo en el estado”. En la junta estuvieron presentes Brett P. Giroir, CEO del Centro de Ciencias de la Salud de Texas A&M; la directiva de Texas A&M AgriLife Extension y representantes de la Iniciativa para el Hambre de la Universidad de Texas de Baylor, administrativos de USDA.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS
A second chance Spurs again face Heat in NBA Finals By TIM REYNOLDS ASSOCIATED PRESS
When last season’s NBA Finals ended, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was all smiles. For a few minutes, that is. Popovich’s first order of business after the season’s final buzzer sounded in Miami was to go and embrace Erik Spoelstra, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, giving everyone hearty hugs and offering genuine words of congratulations after the Heat topped his Spurs in Game 7 of one of the most dramatic, thrilling championship series in league history. The pain of losing started setting in later, and lasted for months. But now, the dream scenario for San Antonio has arrived. Starting Thursday, the Spurs get a rematch in the NBA Finals against the only team to ever beat them in a championship series. San Antonio will be holding home-court advantage, so if another Game 7 awaits, the Spurs will have the decided edge this time around. If that wasn’t enough, the Spurs even got basically five full days between games to get healthy and prepare.
It is, without question, everything the Spurs could have wanted. “We know what we’re going against,” said Spurs guard Tony Parker, who added that he has great respect for what the Heat have done in this four-year run. “It’s a great challenge.” There are so many things that would seem like
“I’ll do my best,” said Parker, who didn’t practice Tuesday but is hoping to play in the series opener, as the Heat expect he will. This is San Antonio’s sixth trip to the NBA Finals. The Spurs won it all in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007, the last title in that run coming when San Antonio swept a Cleveland team that featured a young Le-
The Spurs will get another shot at taking the NBA title from Miami when the teams square off beginning with Game 1 Thursday. a distinct San Antonio advantage right now. First, while everyone’s better at home, the Spurs dominate in San Antonio, winning 103 times in their last 123 games there. Over the past four seasons, the Spurs are also 25-5 when having three or more days between games. Maybe most importantly, having nearly a week between the end of the Western Conference finals and the start of the NBA Finals gives Parker plenty of time to get his ailing left ankle ready to go for Game 1.
Bron James making his debut on the league’s biggest stage. James is no finals apprentice anymore. He’s been to the title round three times since, winning the last two. And James is quick to point out that the Spurs aren’t the only team fueled by hunger in this championship round. “Both teams have motivating factors,” James said. “They have a motivating factor. We have our own.” Losing the finals is one thing. Losing the way the
Spurs did last June, that’s something else. Forget Game 7 for a moment. Game 6 will be replayed for as long as there are replays, unforgettable for both how the Heat rallied and how the Spurs collapsed. A 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter was erased, in part because Mike Miller scored three points on one shot while wearing one shoe. And a five-point lead with 28.2 seconds left, well, you know the rest. Manu Ginobili misses a free throw. James makes a 3-pointer. Kawhi Leonard makes one of two free throws. James misses a 3pointer. Chris Bosh out jumps Ginobili for the rebound. Ray Allen started backpedaling to the right corner, hoping for a chance. ABC’s Mike Breen described what happened next like this: “Rebound Bosh ... back out to Allen ... his 3-pointer ... BANG!!! Tie game!” The Heat went on to win in overtime that night, then found a way to win Game 7 and the title, 95-88. When this season began, Popovich started camp by showing his team Games 6 and 7, painful as it was.
File photo by Lynne Sladky | AP
Manu Ginobili and the Spurs will look for revenge after losing the NBA Finals to Miami last season in seven games.
File photo by Lynne Sladky | AP
Spurs point guard Tony Parker is expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after suffering an ankle injury against Oklahoma City.
National
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
FBI: California man had bomb components By TERRY COLLINS AND SUDHIN THANAWALA ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — A search of a social media expert’s apartment in San Francisco turned up ball bearings, screws and components needed to make a homemade bomb designed to kill or maim, the FBI said in an affidavit unsealed Tuesday. Investigators said they found the materials inside a bag at the apartment of Ryan Kelly Chamberlain during a search over the weekend. The discovery prompted a manhunt for the 42-year-old Chamberlain that ended with his arrest Monday in San Francisco. The bag also contained a circuit board, screw top glass jar with batteries, a wire and a powdery green substance believed to be explosive material, FBI Special Agent Michael Eldridge said in the document. “FBI bomb technicians believe that the circuit board described above was designed to serve as a remote control, allowing detonation of the device from afar,” Eldridge said. “They further believe that the device was designed to maim or kill a human being or human beings.” The FBI has not said what, if any, specific plans Chamberlain might have had for the device, or how they were alerted to the ma-
Photo by Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle | AP
Agents in hazardous material suits are seen as the FBI searches a building in San Francisco, on Saturday. A search of a social media expert’s apartment turned up ball bearings, screws and components needed to make a homemade bomb. terial. Though Chamberlain was considered armed and dangerous, FBI spokesman Peter Lee reiterated Tuesday that he did not seem to pose an immediate threat to public safety. Chamberlain appeared in federal court Tuesday after being charged with one count of possession of an illegal destructive device. He was accompanied by a public defender and did not enter a plea. He had on the same shorts
and sweatshirt when police arrested him near the Golden Gate Bridge. On Saturday, as authorities arrived to search the apartment, they spotted Chamberlain and a woman leave and drive away. Chamberlain returned on foot about 30 minutes later, when Eldridge said he identified himself and asked if they could talk in a nearby coffee shop. After a short discussion, Chamberlain asked if he could leave, and Eldridge said
he could, the document states. Authorities tried to follow him as he drove off but decided to pull back when he began speeding and running lights, Eldridge said. Authorities then searched the apartment and found the bomb materials. “There were particular items that were found when we executed the search warrant that caused us great concern, concern for the public’s safety in the event he decided to use those in such a fash-
ion,” FBI Special Agent in Charge David Johnson said. “It was going to be a significant problem.” Chamberlain was arrested by police officers who responded to a report that a person matching Chamberlain’s description had been spotted, Police Chief Greg Suhr said. Chamberlain had spotted the officers and was taken into custody after a brief chase and struggle, Suhr said. He described Chamberlain as someone who was in crisis and getting “more desperate by the moment.” Morgan Manos, who saw the arrest, captured it on video and sold it to TV stations, told reporters at the scene that Chamberlain looked surprised and frantic. “They took him down hard,” Manos said. Alex Clemens, a partner of the San Francisco-based Barbary Coast Consulting, said Chamberlain is well known in city political circles and had been a fixture on the campaign trails for more than a decade. His work in the field ended several years ago. Clemens, who briefly hired Chamberlain for a project in 2009, said people who know Chamberlain are stunned. “I believe there’s been a failure in his support system. I’m sad for that,” Clemens said. “I hope he will reach out to those who will help him.”
Friends describe freed soldier as multi-faceted By REBECCA BOONE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOISE, Idaho — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl always seemed to be searching for something to define his life. Growing up in the mountain town of Hailey, Idaho, Bergdahl was as likely to be found inside, poring over a book at a local library, as he was to be spotted outside, riding his bicycle through the hills that border the small town. Home-schooled, Bergdahl performed in a ballet. He joined a fencing club, dabbled in foreign languag-
BERGDAHL
es, including working his way through tomes written in Russian, and he even crewed on a sailboat trip from South Carolina to Cal-
ifornia. It may have been that curiosity, combined with his tendency to gravitate toward disciplines like martial arts, that led him to join the military in June 2008, recalled his former ballet teacher, Sherry Horton. “I think Bowe would have liked the rigor — that’s what he liked about ballet,” she said. “And it was something that he really believed in, serving the country, and making sure that he was there for the side of good.” Now, as he recovers from
five years as a Taliban prisoner in Afghanistan and amid questions about whether he was a deserter, some who know him say his personality is too multifaceted to be summed up so neatly in black and white. Bergdahl’s parents, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, moved to Hailey about three decades ago in search of peace and quiet, neighbors said. His older sister, Sky, was also home-schooled. He received a high-school GED diploma. Residents remember Bergdahl’s crop of blond hair and his bicycle.
GOP offers alternative bill Proposed bill would give vets flexibility to see private doctor if wait is too long By MATTHEW DALY ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — A bill proposed by four Senate Republicans would give veterans more flexibility to see a private doctor if they are forced to wait too long for an appointment at a Veterans Affairs hospital or clinic. Arizona Sen. John McCain and three other GOP senators introduced the bill Tuesday, the latest response in Congress to a furor over patient delays and cover-ups at VA health facilities nationwide. A federal investigation into the troubled Phoenix VA Health Care System found that about 1,700 veterans in need of care were “at risk of being lost or forgotten” after being kept off an electronic waiting list. The investigation also found broad and deep-seated problems throughout the sprawling health care system, which provides medical care to about 6.5 million veterans annually.
A document released Tuesday by Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, both Kansas Republicans, showed that at least 108 veterans waited more than 90 days for appointments with a primary care doctor at nine hospitals and 51 outpatient clinics in Kansas, Missouri and parts of four other states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas. A bill being crafted by the Republican chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee would require the VA to offer outside care to veterans who cannot be seen within 30 days. And the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee’s chairman, an independent, has proposed a bill to pay for veterans’ appointments at community health centers and military hospitals or with private doctors if they cannot get a timely appointment at a VA facility. Meanwhile, Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House panel, asked acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson on
Tuesday to respond within a week to a month-old subpoena demanding documents related to an investigation of alleged falsified records and other problems that have surfaced in the past six weeks across the 1,700-facility VA health care system. Miller said is frustrated by the “stonewalling” to his request by the department under former Secretary Eric Shinseki, who resigned under fire last Friday. “Right now, Secretary Gibson has a chance to begin to repair the reputation of a department that has gained notoriety for its secrecy and duplicity with the public and indifference to the constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities of Congress,” Miller said. A career banker, the 61-year-old Gibson had served as deputy VA secretary since February. He came to the department after serving as president and chief executive of the USO, a nonprofit organization.
Bergdahl got a job at a coffee shop, showing up looking for a job on his bicycle, said Sue Martin in a 2009 interview. When she was asked why Bergdahl joined the Sun Valley Ballet School, Martin said it was for the beautiful young women. The smaller children at the school adored him as he would get on the floor and play with them during breaks, Horton said. “He had the best manners. Any time someone needed something Bowe would do it,” said Horton, who is now the owner of di-
Vine, a wine bar in Hailey. As much as he liked being with people, he liked to “meditate, and sit in nature, and just listen to the sounds. I’m hoping he took that skill with him and it helped him with the time over there” in Afghanistan, she said. In 2007, Bergdahl got a job at a local gun club, which included helping shooters on the trap fields, stocking targets and cleaning racks full of rifles. “He was good every which way you looked at it,” manager Dick Mandeville said in 2009.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
THE MARKET IN REVIEW DAILY DOW JONES
STOCK EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS
d
d
NYSE 10,770.33
-1.68
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE) Name
NASDAQ 4,234.08
IAMGld g 3.41 AmberRd n 15.42 ConcdMed 7.98 Hillshire 58.65 ArcLogist n 25.00 Chegg n 5.81 NortelInv 22.21 FdAgricA 24.76 EmergeES 105.06 FstBcpPR 5.22
Last Chg%Chg
+.38 +12.5 ACareSrce +1.42 +10.1 InterDig +.72 +9.9 TheraBio n +5.08 +9.5 Biocept n +1.76 +7.6 AcadiaHlt +.40 +7.4 EnsignGp +1.35 +6.5 EgaletCp n +1.48 +6.4 Astrotch h +5.98 +6.0 PDI Inc +.29 +5.9 VitalTher n
3.49 45.15 23.51 5.56 47.98 29.53 14.98 3.09 4.94 13.97
Dow Jones industrials
16,760
Close: 16,722.34 Change: -21.29 (-0.1%)
16,540
+.66 +7.74 +4.01 +.85 +5.94 +3.60 +1.62 +.31 +.47 +1.27
+23.3 +20.7 +20.6 +18.0 +14.1 +13.9 +12.1 +11.2 +10.5 +10.0
16,320
16,800
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Last Chg%Chg
Quiksilvr DoralFn rs Cheetah n KrispKrm BitautoH WhitingII TeucrmAgs Lentuo WescoAir Molycorp
3.41 2.95 14.54 16.19 37.39 11.50 36.35 3.51 19.98 2.50
38.23 -9.52 -19.9 4.93 -.80 -14.0 2.51 -.39 -13.4 4.17 -.62 -12.9 7.53 -.86 -10.3 14.41 -1.64 -10.2 7.71 -.87 -10.1 2.91 -.30 -9.3 7.06 -.70 -9.0 3.22 -.32 -9.0
-2.38 -.61 -2.76 -2.81 -4.89 -1.38 -3.50 -.31 -1.56 -.19
-41.1 -17.1 -16.0 -14.8 -11.6 -10.7 -8.8 -8.1 -7.2 -7.1
ClovisOnc Viggle n GigaTr h Covisint h ArgosTh n Hydrognc JkksPac EagleBulk BearStFin SpeedCmce
MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE) MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE) Name
Vol (00)
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Quiksilvr 548161 3.41 -2.38 S&P500ETF 536918 192.80 -.10 BkofAm 477965 15.21 -.05 iShEMkts 334562 42.92 +.24 FordM 319380 16.55 +.11 iShR2K 291835 111.98 -.27 IAMGld g 245610 3.41 +.38 Pfizer 234674 29.59 -.12 AT&T Inc 216454 35.20 -.24 iShChinaLC 210271 37.45 +.33
Vol (00)
Last Chg
SiriusXM 482665 ApldMatl 331369 Intel 324204 Facebook 317052 ARltCapPr 279418 Zynga 251146 Cisco 222583 Staples 213896 Broadcom 210667 PwShs QQQ 181654
3.30 +.02 21.42 +.90 27.66 +.40 62.87 -.21 12.73 +.36 3.31 -.08 24.68 -.11 10.91 -.26 35.88 +1.04 91.18 -.04
DIARY Advanced Declined Unchanged Total issues New Highs New Lows
Volume
1,182 1,917 122 3,221 164 29 2,773,047,009
DIARY Advanced Declined Unchanged Total issues New Highs New Lows
Volume
994 1,575 159 2,728 61 57 1,654,145,532
14,551.27 5,952.18 462.66 8,814.76 3,294.95 703.39 1,560.33 1,114.04 16,442.14 942.79
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Dow Industrials Dow Transportation Dow Utilities NYSE Composite Nasdaq Composite S&P MidCap S&P 500 S&P MidCap Wilshire 5000 Russell 2000
16,722.34 8,080.30 547.19 10,770.33 4,234.08 851.86 1,924.24 1,381.51 20,347.55 1,126.15
YTD 12-mo Chgg %Chg %Chg %Chg -21.29 -68.07 +1.75 -1.68 -3.12 -.52 -.73 -.38 -13.48 -2.75
-.13 -.84 +.32 -.02 -.07 -.06 -.04 -.03 -.07 -.24
+.88 +9.18 +11.54 +3.56 +1.38 +3.40 +4.11 +2.90 +3.26 -3.22
+10.18 +29.13 +13.68 +15.56 +22.90 +15.71 +17.95 +17.87 +18.35 +14.68
16,000
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15,600
CURRENCIES
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LOSERS ($2 OR MORE)
Name
10 DAYS
16,400
15,200
LOSERS ($2 OR MORE)
16,756.64 8,152.60 558.29 11,334.65 4,371.71 853.00 1,925.88 1,398.91 20,371.65 1,212.82
-3.12
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)
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STOCK MARKET INDEXES 52-Week High Low
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M
STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST Name
Ex
AT&T Inc AEP ARltCapPr ApldMatl BkofAm Caterpillar CCFemsa CmtyHlt ConocoPhil Dillards EmpIca ExxonMbl Facebook FordM GenElec HewlettP HomeDp iShEMkts iShR2K Intel IntlBcsh
NY NY Nasd Nasd NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY Nasd NY NY NY NY NY NY Nasd Nasd
Div
1.84 2.00 1.00 .40 .04 2.40 2.17 ... 2.76 .24 ... 2.76 ... .50 .88 .64 1.88 .86 1.45 .90 .50
YTD Yld PE Last Chg %Chg
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Ex
Div
YTD Yld PE Last Chg %Chg
5.2 3.7 7.9 1.9 .3 2.3 1.9 ... 3.5 .2 ... 2.7 ... 3.0 3.3 1.9 2.3 2.0 1.3 3.3 2.1
IBM Lowes Lubys MetLife MexicoFd Microsoft Modine NewLead rs Penney Quiksilvr RadioShk S&P500ETF Schlmbrg SearsHldgs SiriusXM SonyCp UnionPac USSteel UnivHlthS WalMart WellsFargo
NY NY NY NY NY Nasd NY Nasd NY NY NY NY NY Nasd Nasd NY NY NY NY NY NY
4.40 .92 ... 1.40 3.13 1.12 ... ... ... ... ... 3.48 1.60 ... ... .25 3.64 .20 .20 1.92 1.40
2.4 1.9 ... 2.6 ... 2.8 ... ... ... ... ... 1.8 1.5 ... ... 1.6 1.8 .9 .2 2.5 2.7
11 16 ... 30 20 18 ... ... 13 15 ... 11 83 10 20 12 21 ... ... 15 13
35.20 -.24 53.94 +.46 12.73 +.36 21.42 +.90 15.21 -.05 104.49 +.73 116.18 -.40 41.66 +.40 79.82 +.34 111.29 -1.07 7.98 -.09 100.39 +.45 62.87 -.21 16.55 +.11 26.79 -.04 33.69 +.26 80.67 +.30 42.92 +.24 111.98 -.27 27.66 +.40 24.10 -.11
+.1 +15.4 -.9 +21.2 -2.3 +15.1 -4.6 +6.1 +13.0 +14.5 -5.6 -.8 +15.0 +7.3 -4.4 +20.4 -2.0 +2.7 -2.9 +6.6 -8.6
12 21 99 16 ... 15 5 ... ... ... ... ... 19 ... 55 ... 20 ... 19 16 13
184.37 -1.32 47.22 +.21 4.95 -.05 53.21 +1.42 27.95 +.15 40.29 -.50 14.50 -.44 .76 -.19 8.59 -.09 3.41 -2.38 1.39 -.04 192.80 -.10 103.85 -.06 38.90 -.46 3.30 +.02 16.08 -.21 197.39 -1.78 22.73 -.02 92.83 +2.91 76.71 -.05 51.09 ...
-1.7 -4.7 -35.9 -1.3 -4.6 +7.7 +13.1 -99.9 -6.1 -61.1 -46.5 +4.4 +15.2 -2.1 -5.4 -7.0 +17.5 -22.9 +14.2 -2.5 +12.5
Stock Footnotes: g=Dividends and earnings in Canadian dollars .h= Doe not meet continued- listings tandards lf = Late filing with SEC. n = New in past 52 weeks. pf = Preferred. rs = Stock has undergone a reverse stock split of at least 50 percent within the past year. rt = Right to buy security at a specified price. s = Stock has split by at least 20 percent within the last year. un = Units. vj = In bankruptcy or receivership. wd = When distributed. wi = When issued. wt = Warrants. Mutual Fund Footnotes: b = Fee covering market costs is paid from fund assets. d = Deferred sales charge, or redemption fee. f = front load (sales charges). m = Multiple fees are charged. NA = not available. p = previous day’s net asset value. s = fund split shares during the week. x = fund paid a distribution during the week. Gainers and Losers must be worth at least $2 to be listed in tables at left. Most Actives must be worth at least $1. Volume in hundreds of shares. Source: The Associated Press. Sales figures are unofficial.
Prime Rate Discount Rate Federal Funds Rate Treasuries 3-month 6-month 5-year 10-year 30-year
3.25 3.25 0.75 0.75 .00-.25 .00-.25 0.04 0.06 1.64 2.60 3.44
0.03 0.05 1.53 2.52 3.36
Australia Britain Canada Euro Japan Mexico Switzerlnd
Last
Pvs Day
1.0805 1.6747 1.0911 .7341 102.52 12.9453 .8967
1.0815 1.6747 1.0903 .7355 102.44 12.9122 .8987
British pound expressed in U.S. dollars. All others show dollar in foreign currency.
MUTUAL FUNDS Name Alliance Bernstein GlTmtcGA m Columbia ComInfoA m Eaton Vance WldwHealA m Fidelity Select Biotech d Fidelity Select BrokInv d Fidelity Select CommEq d Fidelity Select Computer d Fidelity Select ConsFin d Fidelity Select Electron d Fidelity Select FinSvc d Fidelity Select SoftwCom d Fidelity Select Tech d T Rowe Price SciTech Vanguard HlthCare Waddell & Reed Adv SciTechA m
Total Assets Total Return/Rank Pct Min Init Obj ($Mlns)NAV 4-wk 12-mo 5-year Load Invt WS 594 83.42 +2.4 +20.5/A +9.3/E 4.25 2,500 ST 2,488 54.68 +5.1 +23.2/C +15.2/D 5.75 2,000 SH 897 12.11 +3.4 +31.9/A +18.5/D 5.75 1,000 SH 8,111 186.13 +3.6 +28.4/B +27.5/A NL 2,500 SF 634 70.47 0.0 +13.9/C +13.3/C NL 2,500 ST 289 31.68 +3.3 +25.4/B +14.3/E NL 2,500 ST 639 75.34 +2.1 +15.1/E +20.9/A NL 2,500 SF 182 15.27 +1.5 +13.2/D +17.6/A NL 2,500 ST 1,556 73.76 +6.2 +37.1/A +20.5/A NL 2,500 SF 1,184 82.39 +1.4 +15.9/B +11.5/D NL 2,500 ST 3,149 112.38 +1.1 +25.9/B +23.2/A NL 2,500 ST 2,294 114.64 +2.9 +23.4/C +19.9/A NL 2,500 ST 2,882 39.53 +3.4 +27.1/B +17.7/C NL 2,500 SH 10,037 199.38 +3.8 +32.5/A +21.2/C NL 3,000 ST 3,436 15.85 +2.3 +30.0/A +20.4/A 5.75 750
CA -Conservative Allocation, CI -Intermediate-Term Bond, ES -Europe Stock, FB -Foreign Large Blend, FG -Foreign LargeGrowth, FV -Foreign Large Value, IH -World Allocation, LB -Large Blend, LG -Large Growth, LV -Large Value, MA Moderate Allocation, MB -Mid-Cap Blend, MV - Mid-Cap Value, SH -Specialty-heath, WS -World Stock, Total Return: Chng in NAV with dividends reinvested. Rank: How fund performed vs. others with same objective: A is in top 20%, E in bottom 20%. Min Init Invt: Minimum $ needed to invest in fund. Source: Morningstar.
Emissions plan could boost climate talks By JUERGEN BAETZ AND JOE MCDONALD ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS — President Barack Obama’s move to limit U.S. carbon emissions may prompt an important shift by China in its climate policies, where officials are increasingly worried about the costs of pollution anyway, according to a Chinese expert and activists closely following the international negotiations. The initiative may be a crucial move in pressuring Beijing to accept binding goals to cut greenhouse gases, while also allowing the U.S. to start catching up with the European Union in the fight against climate change. “This is the kind of leadership that’s highly needed,” said Martin Kaiser, head of international climate politics at Greenpeace. The proposal should have been twice as ambitious, he added, but “it demonstrates that the Obama administration wants to seriously tackle climate change.” The plan, unveiled Monday, would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants, many of which are coal-fired, by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Governments want an agreement by late next year in Paris to curb emissions of greenhouse gasses blamed for global warming. Unlike the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which exempted developing nations from emissions limits, this deal is supposed to cover every country. The U.S. never ratified the Kyoto protocol, handing China and others an easy excuse to dodge tougher action as well. “The new initiative is a first firm commitment that puts the U.S. in a serious negotiating position for the upcoming climate talks in Paris,” said Georg Zachmann, an expert with the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel. “It gives hope that further steps in that direction will be forthcoming,” he added.
Photo by Andy Wong/file | AP
A Chinese boy cycles past cooling towers of a coal-fired power plant in Dadong, Shanxi province, China, on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009. President Barack Obama’s move to limit U.S. carbon emissions may prompt a shift by China in its climate policies. The U.S. announcement came just ahead of international climate talks starting Wednesday in Bonn, Germany, where governments will discuss how ambitious to be in tackling global warming over the coming decades. Climate change is also on the agenda at a meeting of the G-7 leaders in Brussels Thursday, bringing together Obama and his counterparts from the other leading Western economies. China, the world’s biggest polluter ahead of the U.S., has promised to curb its output but has so far resisted binding limits. The U.S. move will give incentive to the Chinese to do more, many experts believe. “Obama’s plan to cut greenhouse gas may have some impact on China’s decision-making,” said Wang Ke, a professor at the School of Environment and Natural Resources at People’s University in Beijing. “But China’s goal will be based on its domestic needs in the transformation of its economy and handling smog.” United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres on Saturday insisted she fully expected “action
by the United States to spur others in taking concrete action.” Greenpeace’s Kaiser sounded an optimistic note on China, saying that witnessing high pollution in their own cities had convinced leaders in Beijing that only joint action could tackle the problem. “Both countries, the U.S. and China, have seen the consequences of climate change at home and realize now that only joint international action with binding targets can be a solution,” he added. Like many developing countries, China’s status has changed drastically since the 1997 agreement. It has grown into an export powerhouse and the world’s second-largest economy, prompting American lawmakers to say any new treaty must cover China. Beijing says it is still too poor to take on the limits imposed on rich countries. Clare Perry, a campaigner for the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency, said Obama’s plan falls way short of what is needed to stop global warming, but it “should help bring China to the table.” China accounted for 29 percent
of global carbon emissions in 2012, more than the United States and the 28-nation European Union combined, according to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. Europe welcomed Obama’s plan, if more for the political dynamic than for its ambition. Obama has pledged a reduction of 17 percent of the entire economy’s emissions by 2020 compared with the level in 2005, even though that isn’t an internationally binding target. It compares to a reduction of about 4 percent in relation to 1990 levels. EU officials in Brussels estimate Obama’s new plan will only reduce U.S. emissions sufficiently to meet the overall target of a 17 percent reduction by 2020. Without the new plan, the reduction would come in at only about 12 percent. The EU, in turn, has already reduced its emissions by 19 percent compared with 1990 and aims to achieve a reduction of about 25 percent by 2020, and 40 percent by 2030. Its successful emissions reduction, however, got a boost from
the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1990, which led to the closure of many polluting plants. Activists complain the EU has lost steam in its fight against climate change in the past years since the global financial crisis hit the continent 2008. Still, one of the EU’s most prominent tools in the fight against climate change is a comprehensive emissions trading system, under which companies pay per ton of carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere, with the pollution certificates traded on the market. In the U.S., Obama’s efforts to pass a cap-and-trade bill failed on Capitol Hill due to bipartisan opposition. Bruegel’s Zachmann also warned that Obama’s new initiative relies on executive action and bypasses Congress, which could make it far easier for his successor to change the rules again. “If everything can be reversed following a change of leadership, that’s bad because it might not create the necessary legal certainty for businesses to invest in lowcarbon technology,” he said. Scientists, however, maintain that far larger cuts will be required to avoid drastic environmental change. Emissions must drop by 40-70 percent by 2050 to keep the global temperature rise below the 2-degree C (3.6-degree F) cap set in U.N. climate talks, according to a report in April by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Scientists consider it a key threshold above which the impact of global warming on humans would increase significantly, for example through extreme weather conditions. Instead, emissions are rising. The IPCC said that global emissions increased by 2.2 percent a year between 2000 and 2010, outpacing growth in previous decades to reach “unprecedented levels,” underlining the urgency to reach a global climate deal next year in Paris.
Seattle raises minimum wage to $15 an hour By DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEATTLE — Seattle activists celebrated a successful campaign to gradually increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 by calling for a national movement to close the income and opportunity gaps between rich and poor. The Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Monday that would give the city the highest minimum wage in the nation. Socialist City Council Member Kshama Sawant, who after the council meeting called on the people of America to elect more independent and socialist candidates, said the push for a higher minimum wage is spreading across the nation. “Seattle may be a hippie city. We may wear socks with our sandals,” but it’s also a city where different progressive groups can work together to bring about
change, Sawant said. The minimum wage issue has dominated politics in the liberal municipality for months, and a boisterous crowd of mostly labor activists packed the council chambers for the vote. They held signs that said “15 Now,” chanted, cheered and occasionally jeered when amendments they favored were voted down. Mayor Ed Murray, who was elected last year, had promised in his campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, as did Sawant in her campaign last year. “We did it. Workers did this,” she said. “We need to continue to build an even more powerful movement.” Council Member Tom Rasmussen said, “Seattle wants to stop the race to the bottom in wages” and address the “widening gap between the rich and the poor.” The International Franchise Association, a Washington, D.C.-
based business group that represents franchise owners, said it plans to sue to stop the ordinance. “The City Council’s action today is unfair, discriminatory and a deliberate attempt to achieve a political agenda at the expense of small franchise business owners,” the group said in a statement. The measure, which would take effect on April 1, 2015, includes a phase-in of the wage increase over several years, with a slower process for small businesses. The plan gives businesses with more than 500 employees nationally at least three years to phase in the increase. Those providing health insurance will have four years to complete the move. Smaller organizations will be given seven years. The ordinance came from recommendations made by an advisory group of labor, business and nonprofit representatives.
Photo by Jordan Stead/seattlepi.com | AP
Carlos Hernandez raises his sign in celebration following the Seattle City Council’s passage of increasing the minimum wage in the city to $15 for Seattle employers on Monday, at City Hall in Seattle.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
INFLUX Continued from Page 1A
Photo by Hasan Jamali/file | AP
Muslim pilgrims wear surgical masks to help prevent infection from a respiratory virus known as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on May 13.
Review finds over 100 more MERS infections The Saudi Health Ministry’s most recent tally of cases listed 575 cases and 190 deaths By ADAM SCHRECK ASSOCIATED PRESS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia, which is grappling to contain the spread of a frequently deadly respiratory virus, announced Tuesday that a review of the illness led authorities to sharply revise upward the number of confirmed infections and deaths from the disease. The surprise disclosure followed the unexpected firing of the kingdom’s deputy health minister, heightening concerns about the country’s ability to halt the spread of the Middle Eastern respiratory virus. He was the second senior Saudi health official to lose his job in less than two months. A report by the official Saudi Press Agency said authorities have registered a total of 688 confirmed infections and 282 deaths as a result of MERS since the virus was first identified in 2012. Of those infected, 53 were reported to still be receiving treatment. The Saudi Health Ministry’s most recent tally of cases listed 575 cases and 190 deaths, meaning that over 100 cases had previ-
ously gone unreported. MERS belongs to a family of viruses known as coronaviruses that include both the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which killed some 800 people in a global outbreak in 2003. MERS often starts with flu-like symptoms but can lead to pneumonia, breathing problems and in severe cases, kidney failure and death. Dr. Tariq Madany, who heads the country’s medical advisory council, said the revised toll was the result of a “full review” of previous cases undertaken to better understand the virus’ spread. “The ministry is committed to providing all the data concerning the coronavirus and putting polices in place to protect public health,” the agency quoted Madany as saying. “Though the review showed confirmed cases that needed to be added, we are still witnessing a decline in the number of newly registered cases in the past few weeks.” Acting Health Minister Adel Faqih on Monday issued an order removing his deputy, Ziad Memish, according to a brief statement on the ministry’s
website. It did not give a reason for the move. King Abdullah sacked the previous health minister in April following a spike in reported infections. Not everyone who contracts the virus that causes MERS gets sick, while others show only mild symptoms before they recover. There is no commercially available vaccine. Saudi Arabia has been the epicenter for the disease. The virus has since spread to other parts of the world, including the wider Middle East, and parts of Europe, Asia and the United States. Scientists believe camels may play a role in primary infections but are unsure exactly how the disease spreads to humans. The disease can spread between people, but typically only if they are in close contact with one another. Many of those infected have been health care workers. The World Health Organization last month said MERS does not yet constitute a global health emergency despite a recent spike in infections, though it continues to monitor the spread of the virus.
Photo by Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle
Central American families walk off a Homeland Security bus released at the McAllen Central Station on Friday, in McAllen. The families were detained and processed from crossing the border illegally days before being left at the bus station.
country illegally with family members in the U.S. “I ask you to take action to prevent the situation along the U.S.-Mexico border from further escalating by providing more resources to secure our porous border,” Perry wrote. Top Department of Homeland Security officials said they already have dispatched hundreds more agents to the Texas border, and are in highlevel talks with other agencies about how to reduce the flow of unaccompanied children through the Rio Grande Valley. “This situation is an example of a broken immigration system and the need to fix our legal immigration channels to allow for immigrant families, in particular children and other vulnerable populations, to reunite legally and safely,” department spokeswoman Marsha Catron said in a statement. The steep influx of children and families in particular has caused turmoil within the agency, prompting some Homeland Security officials to agitate internally for a shift. “We’re not going to interdict our way out of this problem. More arrests just mean more problems,” a Homeland Security official said. “We
ARTWORK Continued from Page 1A representative of students and staff. “Hopefully my mural inspires others to do that,” Marquez added. “I asked (them) what symbol really embodies who they are and I put it in my mural,” Marquez said. Marquez graduates June 7 and will attend the Studio Art program at the University of Texas at Austin. Growing up, Marquez says she was discouraged to pursue art as a career but eventually received encouragement to pursue her dreams. Her dream is to open a mini art
gallery. “I want a place that emits arts and helps others achieve their goal,” Marquez said. For now, Marquez continues to pursue her dream of becoming a muralist. The panther mural is the fifth of Marquez’s work on display. Her other murals include two at Salinas Elementary, one in North Central Park for the Laredo Health Department’s HIV Awareness Contest and another at Vicientos De Dios Church.
“Leaving this for her campus is a wonderful thing from her part,” said United South principal Adriana Ramirez. “We will all be enjoying it.” Marquez said she couldn’t have completed the mural without the support of her mentors, including Ramirez, PAWS sponsor Janette Miller and art teacher Amando Chapa. To view more of Marquez’s artwork, visit torimajesta.webs.com. (Judith Rayo may be reached at 728-2567 or jrayo@lmtonline.com)
need a policy change so we can send these families and children back home instead of turning them loose.” But the argument is not as simple as some politicians or policymakers would make it seem, immigration experts said. The U.S. government treats immigrants caught along the Southwest border differently, based on where they are from and if they need special protections dictated by federal law or lawsuit settlement agreements. Most adults from Mexico caught near the border are typically processed and returned to the port of entry within days. Mexican children who claim a fear of returning home or indicate they have been trafficked are put into formal removal proceedings and transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Adults from countries other than Mexico generally are held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers and placed in expedited removal proceedings, which allow the government to fast-track them for flights home without a court hearing. But when immigrants from countries other than Mexico are caught with children, it becomes more complicated. Legally, the
government can detain families pending their removal, but ICE officials have only one residential family detention center, located in Reading, Penn., with a capacity of 96. So instead of being detained, most parents with young children are typically processed by the Border Patrol and ordered to report to ICE and appear in court, and taken to bus stations and released from custody. One group of immigrants poses perhaps the greatest challenge for immigration officials: youths under 18 from countries other than Mexico caught in the U.S. illegally and alone. Because they are considered particularly vulnerable, the law requires immigration officials to hand them over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Once in ORR custody, the youths typically are housed in a sprawling network of state-licensed shelters and other facilities until the government can arrange for their release to relatives of other sponsors in the U.S. pending the outcome of their immigration cases. Children are moving through the detention system at record pace because of the strain on the system, with about 90 percent released to a sponsor in the United States.