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BORDER TRADE
HOUSE BILL 11
Border bill signed Photo by Jennifer Whitney | Texas Tribune
New Federal Inspection Station encompassing Mexican and US Customs at Laredo International Airport, March 11, 2014.
Abbott OKs $310M law By JULIÁN AGUILAR TEXAS TRIBUNE
Mexico loosening rules
HOUSTON — To Gov. Greg Abbott, signing a sweeping, multi-million-dollar border security bill hundreds of miles from the Rio Grande made sense. “Here in Houston, there are more than 20,000 dangerous gang members that are associated with cross border traffic-related
See BORDER PAGE 9A
U.S. agents will be able to be armed on Mexico’s side of the border By JULIÁN AGUILAR TEXAS TRIBUNE
After decades of forbidding foreign law enforcement officers from carrying weapons on Mexican soil, the Mexican government is on the verge of allowing U.S. agents to carry guns in places where they help speed the flow of goods between the two countries. Texas lawmakers are celebrating the move as a significant step toward increasing trade, and say Mexico is also expected to draw up new rules allowing security personnel for visiting dignitaries to obtain permits to carry weapons. In August, the Mexican and United States governments are expected to finalize details of a permitting process that will allow U.S. immigration and customs agents to carry arms while working in foreign trade zones, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said Monday. The country’s national defense agency, SEDENA, will also finalize details on how security personnel for foreign dignitaries can apply for permits. “It’s not a blanket policy for any law enforcement officials to go there [and be armed], but it’s very significant,” Cuellar said. “This law has been around for a long
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“This law has been around for a long time, so to make that change is a very sensitive matter for Mexico.”
Photo by Julian Aguilar | Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott celebrates the signing of House Bill 11 at a Texas Department of Public Safety facility in Harris County.
MEXICO ELECTIONS
LOOKS LIKE A MAJORITY
U.S. REP. HENRY CUELLAR time, so to make that change is a very sensitive matter for Mexico.” The change should boost Texas’ already robust trade relationship with Mexico, specifically in the Laredo customs district, by allowing U.S. agents working on the Mexican side of the border to pre-clear northbound cargo, sparing it from further inspections and speeding its passage. Mexican customs agents already do the same thing at the Laredo airport for southbound cargo, but the U.S. half of the pre-clearance program has been held up over the firearms issue. With the new agree-
See RULES PAGE 8A
Photo by Rebecca Blackwell | AP
Poll workers count ballots underneath a street lights, at an outdoor poling station in Chilpancingo, Guerrero State, Mexico, Sunday. Protesters burned ballot boxes in several restive states of southern Mexico in an attempt to disrupt elections, but officials said the vote was proceeding satisfactorily despite "isolated incidents."
PRI wins an unexpected 40 percent of vote By PETER ORSI AND E. EDUARDO CASTILLO ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Despite widespread disillusionment with his govern-
ment, President Enrique Peña Nieto on Monday emerged from midterm elections with an expected congressional majority that will let him forge ahead with his reform agenda
without compromising with opponents. With 95 percent of the ballots counted, Peña Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and its two coalition partners
received about 40 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election. Under Mexico’s mixed system of direct and pro-
See ELECTIONS PAGE 9A
5TH U.S. CIRCUIT OF APPEALS
Court upholds Texas’ anti-abortion law By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — A federal appeals court upheld key parts of Texas’s strict antiabortion law on Tuesday, a decision that could leave as few as seven abortion clinics in the nation’s second largest state. The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds requirements that abortion clinics meet hospital-level operating standards, which owners of small clinics say demand millions of dollars in upgrades they can’t afford
and will leave many women hundreds of miles away from an abortion provider. But the court said abortion clinics failed to prove that the restrictions would unduly burden a “large fraction” of women. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other conservatives say the standards protect women’s health. But abortion-rights supports say the law is a thinly veiled attempt to block access to abortions in Texas, and they promised to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily sidelined the law last year.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other conservatives say the standards protect women’s health. But abortion-rights supports say the law is an … attempt to block access to abortions in Texas. “Not since before Roe v. Wade has a law or court decision had the potential to devastate access to reproductive health care on such a sweeping scale,”
said Nancy Northrop, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. Texas will be able to start enforcing the restric-
tions in about three weeks unless the Supreme Court steps in and temporarily halts the decision, said Stephanie Toti, an attorney for the center. Only seven abortion facilities in Texas, including four operated by Planned Parenthood, meet the more robust requirements. The ruling, made by a three-judge panel, is the 5th Circuit’s latest decision in a lawsuit challenging some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country. The New Orleans-based court — considered one of
the most conservative in the nation — allowed Texas to enforce the restrictions when abortion providers first sued in 2013, but the U.S. Supreme Court put the law on hold last year and ordered the 5th Circuit to reconsider. Texas currently has about 17 abortion providers, down from 40 clinics in 2012. That sharp decline began after the 5th Circuit upheld another part of the 2013 law that required doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
See ABORTION PAGE 8A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 2 to 5 p.m. 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; 5 p.m.: Secrets of the Sun. General admission is $3. Call 956-326DOME (3663).
Today is Wednesday, June 10, the 161st day of 2015. There are 204 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On June 10, 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron, Ohio, by Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith and William Griffith Wilson. On this date: In 1692, the first official execution resulting from the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts took place as Bridget Bishop was hanged. In 1864, the Confederate Congress authorized military service for men between the ages of 17 and 70. In 1940, Italy declared war on France and Britain; Canada declared war on Italy. In 1942, during World War II, German forces massacred 173 male residents of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in retaliation for the killing of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich. In 1944, German forces massacred 642 residents of the French village of Oradour-surGlane. In 1967, the Middle East War ended as Israel and Syria agreed to observe a United Nations-mediated cease-fire. In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon lifted a two-decadesold trade embargo on China. In 1985, socialite Claus von Bulow was acquitted by a jury in Providence, Rhode Island, at his retrial on charges he’d tried to murder his heiress wife, Martha “Sunny” von Bulow. In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard of South Lake Tahoe, California, was abducted by Phillip and Nancy Garrido; Jaycee was held by the couple for 18 years before she was found by authorities. In 2004, singer-musician Ray Charles died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 73. Ten years ago: President George W. Bush and visiting South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun pressed North Korea to rejoin deadlocked talks on its nuclear weapons program while trying to minimize their own differences over how hard to push the reclusive communist regime. Five years ago: Army Secretary John McHugh announced that an investigation had found that potentially hundreds of remains at Arlington National Cemetery were misidentified or misplaced One year ago: In a stunning assault that exposed Iraq’s eroding central authority, al-Qaida-inspired militants overran much of Mosul. Today’s Birthdays: Britain’s Prince Philip is 94. Columnist Nat Hentoff is 90. Media commentator Jeff Greenfield is 72. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is 62. Actor Andrew Stevens is 60. Singer Barrington Henderson is 59. Former New York Governor-turned-media commentator Eliot Spitzer is 56. Actress Gina Gershon is 53. Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley is 50. Rapper The D.O.C. is 47. Rock singer Mike Doughty is 45. Rhythm-and-blues singer JoJo is 44. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is 44. Actor Hugh Dancy is 40. Actor Shane West is 37. Country singer Lee Brice is 36. Singer Hoku is 34. Olympic gold medal figure skater Tara Lipinski is 33. Model-actress Kate Upton is 23. Sasha Obama is 14. Thought for Today: “When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.” — Saul Bellow (1915-2005).
THURSDAY, JUNE 11 Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 2 to 5 p.m. 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; 5 p.m.: Secrets of the Sun. General admission is $3. Call 956-326DOME (3663). Elysian Social Club will be hosting its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Contact Herlinda Nieto-Dubuisson at 2853126 The Laredo Noon Optimist Club will have their regular meeting at noon at Commerce Bank, Conference Room 2nd floor by San Dario and Mann Road to discuss new projects and donation to a local entity.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12 Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 6 to 8 p.m. 6 p.m.: Stars of the Pharaohs; 7 p.m.: Live Star Presentation (Observing will occur after the show, weather permitting). Call 956-326DOME (3663).
SATURDAY JUNE 13 Rio Grande International Study Center’s 21st annual meeting from noon to 3 p.m. at the Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Rd. Laredo’s only environmental nonprofit organization. Raffle and silent art auction; meet our educator, volunteer and junior volunteer of the year; become a member of RGISC. Free and open to the public. RSVP at 718-1063. Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 1 to 5 p.m. 2 p.m.: Accidental Astronaut (Matinee Show – $1 less); 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: Attack of the Space Pirates; 5 p.m.: Led Zeppelin. General admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. Admission is $4 for TAMIU students, faculty and staff. Call 956-326-DOME (3663).
TUESDAY, JUNE 16 Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 2 to 5 p.m. 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; 5 p.m.: Secrets of the Sun. General admission is $3. Call 956-326DOME (3663).
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 2 to 5 p.m. 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; 5 p.m.: Secrets of the Sun. General admission is $3. Call 956-326DOME (3663).
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 Elysian Social Club will be hosting its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Herlinda Nieto-Dubuisson at 956-285-3126. Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 2 to 5 p.m. 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; 5 p.m.: Secrets of the Sun. General admission is $3. Call 956-326DOME (3663).
Photo by Ron Jenkins | AP
Demonstrators gather near a community pool during a protest Monday in response to an incident at the pool involving McKinney police officers in McKinney, Texas.
McKinney officer resigns By DAVID WARREN ASSOCIATED PRESS
MCKINNEY — The white police officer who was video-recorded at a North Texas pool party pushing a black girl to the ground resigned Tuesday. Officer David Eric Casebolt resigned from the McKinney Police Department after almost 10 years on the force, said his attorney, Jane Bishkin of Dallas. A video recorded by another teenager and posted online showed him pushing a bikiniclad girl to the ground on Friday and brandishing his gun at other black teens after he and other officers responded to complaints about the pool party at a community-owned McKinney swimming pool. Bishkin declined to say where Casebolt is now and said the officer had received death threats. The attorney said she would release
Fisherman, 65, dies after falling into canal
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Condemned killer of Texas Superintendent overrides game warden loses appeal board, fires 3 principals
FAIRCHILDS — One man has died but another survived after both fell into a Houston-area canal while fishing. The Fort Bend County Sheriff ’s Office says the accident happened late Tuesday morning near Fairchilds. Maj. Chad Norvell says dispatchers received a 911 call from one of the men saying both had fallen into the canal.
HOUSTON — A federal appeals court has refused a 34-yearold Southeast Texas man’s appeal of his conviction and death sentence for the fatal shooting of a state game warden eight years ago during a poaching arrest. Attorneys for James Freeman argued he had deficient legal help at his 2008 capital murder trial for the slaying of 34-year-old game warden Justin Hurst.
DALLAS — The superintendent of the Dallas school district has fired three principals despite a school board vote to keep them. Superintendent Mike Miles declined to comment on his decision, which a district spokesman said was a personnel matter. School board members were told Monday that the choice to fire the principals was based on professional leadership concerns.
Ex-owner of mortuary gets prison for fraud
Body found in Wimberley area ID’d as flood victim
Police say two people found dead in parked van
DALLAS — The ex-owner of an abandoned North Texas mortuary where bodies were found unattended must serve nearly two years in prison for food stamp fraud. Rachel Hardy-Johnson in January pleaded guilty to illegally receiving federal benefits. She was sentenced to 21 months in prison and must repay more than $76,000.
WIMBERLEY — A body found last weekend in flood debris near the Blanco River in Central Texas has been identified as a missing 42-year-old man. Officials in Hays County on Tuesday identified the victim as William Randall Charba. His body was recovered Saturday by searchers in the Wimberley area. Two children remain missing.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police say a man and a woman have been found dead in a parked van with the engine still running. The bodies were discovered Monday night in the vehicle at an auto parts business parking lot. Police found no visible signs of trauma or violence. Autopsies have been ordered. — Compiled from AP reports
SATURDAY, JUNE 20 Planetarium shows at TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium from 1 to 5 p.m. 2 p.m.: Accidental Astronaut (Matinee Show – $1 less); 3 p.m.: Cosmic Adventures; 4 p.m.: Attack of the Space Pirates; 5 p.m.: Led Zeppelin. General admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. Admission is $4 for TAMIU students, faculty and staff. Call 956-326-DOME (3663). Operation Feed the Homeless – Summer Feast. Gathering once again in Jarvis Plaza at 3 p.m. For more information visit our Facebook page: Operation Feed the Homeless – Summer Feast. The Elysian Social Club will be sponsoring its annual Fathers’ Day Scholarship Fundraiser Dance at the Laredo Civic Center Ballroom. Contact Herlinda Nieto-Dubuisson at 285-3126.
more information at a news conference Wednesday. The incident has prompted criticism of the affluent suburb of McKinney north of Dallas, which is among the nation’s fastest growing cities, has highly regarded public schools and was ranked by one publication as America’s best place to live. People who demonstrated this week at a McKinney school against the police response often used the city’s name in the same sentence as Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri — cities where use of force by police triggered widespread protests and violence. The NAACP is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to review the procedures of the McKinney police force, stopping short of asking for a formal investigation. The local NAACP chapter said a review of department policies is needed.
AROUND THE NATION Truck carrying 2,200 piglets overturns XENIA, Ohio — Authorities estimate up to 1,100 piglets may have died when a semitrailer carrying 2,200 piglets overturned on an Ohio highway. Agencies and volunteers worked to corral the animals after the crash Monday night on U.S. Route 35 in Xenia Township, near Dayton. Crews picked up squealing pigs by their hind legs. Some may have escaped into wooded areas. Deputy Chief Greg Beegle of the township’s fire department says authorities rounded up those they could find before ending the search.
San Francisco approves warning on drink ads SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco supervisors voted Tuesday to approve health warnings on ads for sugary sodas and some other drinks, saying such
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Account Executive, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 765-5113 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Copy Editor, Nick Georgiou ....................... 728-2565 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ..........................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by Jim Noelker/The Dayton Daily News | AP
An officer passes off a pig after a semitrailer overturned on a highway carrying about 2,200 pigs in Xenia Township, near Dayton, Ohio, Monday. Numerous agencies worked to corral the animals after the crash on U.S. Route 35. beverages contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health problems. It’s believed that San Francisco would be the first place in the country to require such a warning on ads for soda if it receives final approval. The ordinance de-
fines sugar-sweetened beverages as drinks with more than 25 calories from sweeteners per 12 ounces. So advertising for such sodas as Coca-Cola Zero and would not require a warning, but ads for regular Coca-Cola would. — 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
Nation
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Hastert makes court appearance By MICHAEL TARM AND SARA BURNETT ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — A haggard Dennis Hastert appeared in court Tuesday for the first time since he was indicted, pleading not guilty to charges that he violated banking rules and lied to the FBI about promising to pay $3.5 million in hush money to conceal misconduct from his days as a high school teacher. As his attorney entered the plea on his behalf, the 73-yearold former House speaker stood motionless, his hands folded and eyes downcast at the floor. When the judge asked if he understood he had to submit a DNA sample and could go to jail if he violated any conditions of his release, the man who was once second in the line of succession to the presidency answered quietly, “Yes, sir.” Hastert has not spoken publicly about the accusations that emerged two weeks ago and
quickly raised questions about possible sexual abuse by the once-powerful Republican legislator from IlliHASTERT nois. Neither he nor his attorneys commented after the hearing. The politician-turned-lobbyist is accused of evading federal banking laws by withdrawing hundreds of thousands of dollars in smaller amounts and lying about the money when questioned. At the start of Tuesday’s hearing, Hastert reached into a coat pocket and pulled out his passport, handing it to his attorney, who turned it over to a court official. Surrendering foreign travel documents is a standard condition of release. The former congressman was also ordered to have any firearms removed from his property by June 23 and was forbidden from having contact
with victims or witnesses in the case. Judge Thomas M. Durkin spent most of the 20-minute hearing explaining how he believed he had no conflict of interest in the matter but then giving attorneys on both sides until Thursday to say if they want him to stay on the case. The issue came up because Federal Election Commission records indicate he donated $500 to the “Hastert for Congress” campaign in 2002 and $1,000 in 2004. Durkin was an attorney at a Chicago law firm at the time of the contributions. Durkin cited those donations and that he knew Hastert’s son Ethan. The two worked together in private practice before Durkin became a judge. But, the judge said, he does not consider the younger Hastert “a personal friend.” To the best of his knowledge, he said, he never met Dennis Hastert. “I have no doubt I can be im-
partial in this matter,” the judge said. After the judge issue is resolved, Durkin or another judge brought in to replace him will lay out a timetable for prosecutors to share evidence with the defense. Hastert could seek a plea deal or take his case to a jury. Any trial would probably be many months away. Appearing much thinner than in his days as speaker, Hastert walked into court slowly, slightly bent over. He appeared nervous as he sat at a defense table waiting for the hearing to begin, rubbing his chin, biting his lip and occasionally scanning the courtroom benches packed with reporters. At one point, a defense attorney reached over and patted him on the shoulder. His lead attorney, Thomas C. Green, is based in Washington and has represented clients in the Watergate, Iran-Contra and Whitewater cases.
Police look for escaped killers By MICHAEL HILL AND MICHAEL VIRTANEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WILLSBORO, N.Y. — With police helicopters hovering overhead, hundreds of law officers in body armor poured into this small town in the Adirondack foothills Tuesday in a search for two killers who used power tools to break out of a maximum-security prison 30 miles away. The hunt that began over the weekend focused on Willsboro, close to Lake Champlain, after residents reported seeing a couple of men walking on a road late Monday during a driving rainstorm. Hundreds of black-clad searchers wearing bulletproof vests and sidearms methodically worked their way shoulderto-shoulder in the rain through hilly woods, fields and swamps, checking every home, garage, shed and outbuilding, then yell-
Photo by Jacob Hannah/New York Times | AP
New York Department of Corrections officers search an area near Essex, N.Y., after a tip led them to believe two inmates may be nearby, Tuesday. ing, “Clear!” when there were no signs of the inmates. By early evening, it appeared the sweep had come up empty, and there was no confirmation from police that the escaped convicts had been there. Authorities have fielded numerous tips since the breakout from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, about 20 miles from the Canadian border, but appeared to have
jumped hardest on this one. David Sweat, 34, and Richard Matt, 48, cut through a steel wall, broke through bricks and crawled through a steam pipe before emerging through a manhole outside the prison grounds. They were discovered missing early Saturday after stuffing their beds with clothes to fool guards on their rounds and leaving behind a taunting note:
“Have a nice day.” Given the meticulous planning that went into the breakout itself, there was speculation that the inmates had arranged for someone to pick them up outside the prison and were long gone from the area. On Monday, authorities said the inmates could be anywhere — perhaps Canada or Mexico. On Tuesday, Willsboro dairy farmer George Sayward said he saw troopers parked next to his barn around 5 a.m., and they told him they were there because of a possible sighting of the convicts. Around 7 a.m., Sayward said, he heard one trooper tell another to call in 100 more men. “The next thing I know, there were a ton of them, by the busload,” Sayward said. State Police said more than 400 corrections and other law enforcement officers were in the area.
LOCAL EVENTS 150th Commemoration The Zapata Chamber of Commerce invites all to travel to Rio Grande City to celebrate the 150th Commemoration of Adrian Vital on Sunday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will celebrate the Tejanos who risked their lives to help liberate the Rio Grande Valley from the French and Imperialist allies. There will be a balloon launch, candlelight moment of silence, screening of short films and refreshments. There will also be special guests: The Moipei Triplets performing the National Anthem and Daniel Treviño and the South Texas Heritage Interpreters. The event will be located at the Lopez-Tijerina Courtyard in downtown Rio Grande City. For more information, call 487-0672.
Golf Tournament The Zapata Lions Club is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Leobardo Martinez Jr. Scholarship Golf Tournament on June 20 at Los Ebanos Golf Course in Zapata. The format is a 3 Men Florida Scramble with a $65 donation and $10 for two mulligans — one on the front 9 and one of the back 9. The first place team will be awarded $300; the second place team will win $200; and the third place team will get $100. For more information, contact Los Ebanos Golf Course at 765-8336.
Freedom Fest The 2015 Rio Grande City Freedom Fest will take place Friday, June 26 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Brasilia Villarreal Municipal Park. The show benefits the Rio Grande Boys and Girls Youth Club. Performers include Jack Ingram, Marshall Law and Los Palominos. There will also be free food, vendors, free kids rides and a firework extravaganza. Pre-sale tickets are $15. The festival is sponsored by Payne Auto Group.
5K Memorial Run The 3rd Annual PFC IRA “Ben” Laningham IV 5K Memorial Run will take place July 18 at 8 a.m. with a kids run at 7:50 a.m. Registration is $15 at the Boys and Girls Club, 302 W 6th Ave. and online at active.com Same day registration is $20 and takes place from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. There will be awards given to the top three in each age category and trophies for both male and female overall winners. The age divisions are as follows: 14 and under, 15 – 19, 20 – 24, 25 – 29, 30 – 34, 35 – 39, 40 – 44, 45 – 49, 50 – 54, 55 – 59, 60 – 64, 65 and over, law enforcement. Start and finish will be in front of the court house on 7th Avenue and Hidalgo Street.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Candidates’ mobilization errors Every serious presidential candidate has to answer a fundamental strategic question: Do I think I can win by expanding my party’s reach, or do I think I can win by mobilizing my party’s base? Two of the leading Republicans have staked out opposing sides on this issue. Scott Walker is trying to mobilize existing conservative voters. Jeb Bush is trying to expand his party’s reach. The Democratic Party has no debate on this issue. Hillary Clinton has apparently decided to run as the Democratic Scott Walker. As The New York Times’ Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman reported this week, Clinton strategists have decided that, even in the general election, firing up certain Democratic supporters is easier than persuading moderates. Clinton will adopt left-leaning policy positions carefully designed to energize the Obama coalition —African-Americans, Latinos, single women and highly educated progressives. This means dispensing with a broad persuasion campaign. As the Democratic strategist David Plouffe told Martin and Haberman, “If you run a campaign trying to appeal to 60 to 70 percent of the electorate, you’re not going to run a very compelling campaign for the voters you need.” The Clinton advisers are smart, and many of them helped President Barack Obama win the last war, but this sort of a campaign is a mistake. This strategy is bad, first, for the country. America has always had tough partisan politics, but for most of its history, the system worked because it had leaders who could reframe debates, reorganize coalitions, build center-out alliances and reach compromises. Politics is broken today because those sorts of leaders have been replaced by highly polarizing, basemobilizing politicians who hew to party orthodoxy, ignore the 38 percent of voters who identify as moderates and exacerbate partisanship and gridlock. If Clinton decides to be just another unimaginative base-mobilizing politician, she will make our broken politics even worse. Second, this base mobilization strategy is a legislative disaster. If the next president hopes to pass any actual laws, he or she will have to create a bipartisan governing majority. That means building a center-out coalition, winning 60 reliable supporters in the Senate and some sort of majority in the House. If Clinton runs on an orthodox left-leaning, paint-by-numbers strategy, she’ll never be able to do
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DAVID BROOKS
this. She’ll live in the White House again, but she won’t be able to do much once she lives there. Third, the mobilization strategy corrodes every candidate’s leadership image. Voters tend to like politicians who lead from a place of conviction, who care more about a cause than winning a demographic. If Clinton seems driven by demographics and microtargeting, she will underline the image some have that she is overly calculating and shrewd. Finally, the base mobilizing strategy isn’t even very good politics. It’s worth noting, to start with, that no recent successful first-term presidential campaign has used this approach. In 1992, Bill Clinton firmly grabbed the center. In 2000, George Bush ran as a uniter, not a divider. In 2008, Obama ran as a One Nation candidate who vowed to transcend partisan divides. The Clinton mobilization strategy is based on the idea that she can generate Obama-level excitement among AfricanAmerican and young voters. But as Philip Klein documented in The Washington Examiner, Obama was in a league of his own when it came to generating turnout and support from those groups. If Clinton returns to the John Kerry/Al Gore level of African-American and youth support, or if Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio can make inroads into the Hispanic vote, then the whole strategy is in peril. The mobilization strategy overreads the progressive shift in the electorate. It’s true that voters have drifted left on social issues. But they have not drifted left on economic and fiscal issues, as the continued unpopularity of Obamacare makes clear. If Clinton comes across as a stereotypical big-spending, big-government Democrat, she will pay a huge cost in the Upper Midwest and the Sun Belt. Furthermore, this strategy vastly exaggerates the supposed death of the swing voter. The mobilizers argue that it’s foolish to go after persuadable voters because in this polarized country there are none left. It’s true there are fewer persuadables, but according to the Pew Research Center, 24 percent of voters have a roughly equal number of conservative and liberal positions, and according to a range of academic studies, about 23 percent of the electorate can be swayed by a compelling campaign.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
COLUMN
Burns sent him down aisle As a sound Methodist, far be it from me to sound critical of more “fundamentalist” denominations and their practices and beliefs. I often point out that this country was founded, not just on the premises espoused by more fundamental groups of freedom “of ” religion, but “from” it as well. No, I’m not encouraging fleeing from any faith. Rather, I’m just not very understanding or accepting of the use of pressure and fear as a tool for lassoing someone into professing faith and joining a church. Make no mistake, there is or was a very real fear in most people of faith of an eternity in the fires of hell. That alone should not be the reason for confessing one’s sins (as almost every church expects), repenting and embracing Jesus as Savior. I was taught that those who did not accept Christianity were doomed to eternity in Hell, where the fires were hotter than one could even imagine and never-ending. Pretty scary. As a youngster of seven, I was assigned to watch my then-youngest brother, not
yet a toddler, as he sat in what I called a “jumper” chair playing with a rattle. Mother was outside our country farm home, working in the garden, getting it ready for the approaching spring. She had positioned his chair near the fireplace hearth where a fire was blazing away. Little Brother was playing with a rattle made, in the days before hard plastic, of a flimsy, thin material known as celluloid. What I knew was that if he dropped it and it rolled into the fire, it was a goner. What I believed was that, if that happened, I was in deep trouble with Mother. Sure enough, he dropped it and it started rolling across the hearth toward the fire. I grabbed and got it just before it got to the fire but the heat was intense enough that the flimsy celluloid burst into flames as I scooped it up. The flimsy material immediately melted over my left
hand, particularly the thumb. Naturally it hurt; I thought I was in Hell burning for the sin of not saving Little Brother’s rattle. Mother, alerted by my screams of pain, came rushing into the house and saw what had happened. She did what she knew to do in those World War II days, particularly for someone minus an automobile out in a rural area. “Doctoring” was one of the realms of a farm wife and mother. She applied a salve/ointment and loose bandages to the hand and fashioned a sling to keep the arm and hand immobile. Mom checked the burns several times a day, changing bandages and applying ointment when needed. We saw a doctor “in town” in a few days and he said she’d done as well as he could have. It took about six weeks for it to heal enough to be able to use, but left the left thumb pretty nastily scarred. Almost 70 years later, the thumb still looks a little different than the right one, and with a double-thickness nail, unno-
ticeable unless you point it out to someone. So, at age 12, when I felt the guilt pangs of sin brought on by the intonations of a revival preacher at our one-room country church, I fled sobbingly down the aisle to confess those sins (without detail, of course) and to pledge my soul to Jesus. Naturally, I strayed. We all do daily. However, when I did, I’d feel the pain of Hell in my left hand and would realign myself. As I gained maturity, I understood that we are mere humans and susceptible to sin. Atonement and faith are also ours, but fleeing down an aisle in tears isn’t necessary for forgiveness. My current church membership allows me to have intellectual and spiritual discussions without being preceded by fears and tears. After all, religion and faith are a very individual thing. Willis Webb is retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net.
EDITORIAL
Not enough Americans saving PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
Do you have a retirement account? Enough money in savings? Many Americans don’t, according to the Federal Reserve’s annual household survey, which found that nearly a third of workers have put away nothing for old age and that almost half of individuals would struggle to meet emergency expenses of $400 or more. The survey shows encouraging developments, too: Compared with the past two years, more people today
forecast short-term pay increases and register satisfaction with the state of their personal finances. But much of the news remains mixed, especially as it relates to savings and retirement. Twenty percent of individuals acknowledged having spent more than they earned over the course of the year. Only 63 percent said they had put away money in the same period. And 39 percent of workers reported not having given any thought to retirement plans. Economic hardship ap-
pears to be the main culprit behind these problems; not surprisingly, low-income individuals reported the greatest difficulties in saving. But poor financial literacy also seems to be a factor. Fourteen percent of those who borrowed to pay for their education said they put debt on their credit card. Twenty percent of individuals did not have a bank account, and instead used other methods to transact business. These are foolhardy choices considering the high interest rates on credit-card debt and alterna-
tive financial services, such as payday lending. Given these troubling statistics, banks and schools should do more to educate Americans about long-term financial planning. To its credit, the Social Security Administration already does so with online tools that enable workers to gauge their benefits upon retirement. But people also need to take greater control of their financial futures. For too many, the money choices that seem convenient today could prove catastrophic tomorrow.
CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
Nation
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
FDA panel backs drug By MATTHEW PERRONE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Federal health advisers on Tuesday recommended approval for a highly-anticipated cholesterol drug from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, but with the caveat that more data is needed about its long-term ability to reduce heart attacks. The expert panel recommended by a 13-3 vote that the Food and Drug Administration approve the injectable drug, called Praluent. But in an unexpected development, a number of panelists said the drug should only be used in patients with abnormally high cholesterol levels caused by an inherited disorder. Those panelists said they wanted to see more data about whether the drug ultimately reduces heart problems, before it is used more broadly. “I personally fall on the side of having optimism, but I need to see the cardiovascular outcome study to know,” said Dr. Philip Sanger of Stanford University, who voted for the drug. Panelists said they would like to see follow-up data on a number of other potential side effects suggested by shorter company studies, including cognitive problems, allergic reactions and diabetes. The FDA is not required to follow the group’s advice, though it often does. The same panel of experts will review a similar drug from Amgen Inc. on Wednesday. Both drugs block a substance called PCSK9, which interferes with the liver’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood. They lower cholesterol more than older medications called statins, which have been the standard treatment for more than 20 years.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Jurors dismissed for discussing info By SADIE GURMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The judge in the Colorado theater shooting trial dismissed three jurors Tuesday after learning that one was exposed to news coverage of the case and discussed it with the others. Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. found the three women violated his orders to avoid outside information on James Holmes’ death penalty trial and not talk about the case with anyone. The first woman told Samour her husband called her and told her, on speakerphone, that the district attorney had sent a tweet during testimony, which had been in the news. The other two jurors, who sometimes socialized with the first juror on breaks, were dismissed because they likely overheard her. The issue stalled Tuesday’s testimony, but Samour refused to let it derail
the trial, which is in its seventh week. Samour’s cuts came after he separately questioned each juror at length about what they had heard. He tried to ensure both sides were comfortable with the outcome. He decided against getting rid of a fourth juror who said she had heard the first dismissed woman mention the word “mistrial” but didn’t know what it was about. Samour also refused a defense request to dismiss a fifth juror, who had informed him about the situation, saying she had been honest and wasn’t compromised. “Thank you for doing the right thing,” he told her when she came forward, visibly distraught. A total of 21 jurors and alternates remain, with the trial more than halfway done. Samour likely anticipated some panelists would be exposed to media coverage and selected 12 alternates — an unusually large
number — as a precaution, legal experts say. The judge in the Boston Marathon bombing trial chose six alternates, likely for similar reasons. “The judge knew that given the attention and the amount of information that’s out there, there’s a good chance that some jurors are going to disobey him and do what’s natural,” said Alan Tuerkheimer, principal of Trial Methods, a Chicago-based jury consulting firm. “They’ve been accustomed to the whole world at their fingertips. It’s such an automatic response to try to access the world around them.” A similar situation with fewer alternates might have caused a mistrial, he said. Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing 12 people and wounding 70 others in a crowded movie theater in July 2012. Samour instructs jurors daily not to consult with outside sources, which in-
cludes a barrage of social media. Tuesday’s problems show how difficult that can be, and jurors aren’t alone with missteps. Last week, the judge scolded District Attorney George Brauchler for tweeting from the courtroom about a videotaped interview of Holmes that was shown to jurors. Brauchler told the judge it was an accident and apologized. The tweet and defense requests for mistrials were discussed while jurors were away from the courtroom, so they could have only known about them only from outside sources, such as social media or news reports. Under questioning from Samour, the first juror dismissed said she got the call from her husband during lunch last week, asking her about Brauchler’s tweet while another juror was sitting next to her. The juror said she and her husband argued because he knew she wasn’t
supposed to discuss the case. When asked why she didn’t report the incident, she responded: “I just really don’t pay attention to my husband most of the time. So it wasn’t really important, at that time.” The juror wiped away tears when Samour told her she was dismissed. During jury selection, the mother of three said she did not follow the news and said staying away from coverage about the trial would not be a problem. The jury selection process took nearly three months after 9,000 summonses were sent. None of the jurors and alternates selected will know who will decide the case until deliberations are about to begin. At that point, the remaining alternates will be dismissed. Jurors are allowed to go home every night, but they can’t discuss the case with anyone or see or read anything about it.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera TEXAS
Ribereña en Breve
Manifestación
RECAUDACIÓN DE FONDOS El Boys and Girls Club del Condado de Zapata se encuentra recaudando fondos para sus programas juveniles y eventos programados para el 2015. Interesados en apoyar la causa, la compañía Tupperware se encuentra ofreciendo que por cada producto Tupperware que se compre, un 40 por ciento de las ventas se destinará directamente al club de Zapata. Le meta es recaudar 3.000 dólares. Pida informes llamando al (956) 765-3892.
CAMPAMENTO DE VERANO Del 9 de junio al 2 de julio, tendrá lugar un Campamento de Verano, para los estudiantes de ZCISD desde preescolar a quinto año. Las sesiones serán de 8 a.m. a 12 p.m. y de 12 p.m. a 4 p.m. El desayuno y el almuerzo serán proporcionados. No habrá transporte. El campamento es gratuito, sin embargo, los estudiantes deberán cumplir con las normativas de fin de año para ser elegibles. Las solicitudes de ingreso deberán ser entregadas antes del 14 de mayo. Para más información puede llamar a Gerardo García al (956) 765-6917; a Dalia García, al (956) 765-4332; a Ana Martínez, al (956) 765-5611; o a Marlen Guerra al (956) 765-4321.
MIÉRCOLES 10 DE JUNIO DE 2015
POR DAVID WARREN ASSOCIATED PRESS
McKINNEY — Cientos de manifestantes protestaron la noche del lunes en la piscina en donde un policía blanco sometió al suelo a una adolescente de raza negra y apunto su arma hacia otros jóvenes durante el fin de semana. Quienes se manifestaron llevaban consigo pancartas con las frases, “Mi color de piel no es un crimen” y “Despidan a Eric Casebolt”. Algunos activistas comunitarios de McKinney, un suburbio de Dallas predominantemente blanco, han acusado a Casebolt, un policía de 41 años, de racismo. Otros pidieron calma hasta que se investiguen los hechos. De acuerdo a los vecinos, una mujer que vive en la comunidad reservó la piscina para una fiesta, narró Benét Embry, un locutor de radio, quien atestiguó el incidente del viernes. La asociación de residentes limita a dos invitados a la zona de la alberca para cada residente. Pero
Foto por Ron Jenkins | AP
Cientos de manifestantes protestan el lunes en contra de un incidente en una piscina pública en el que se involucraron agentes de la policía de McKinney. en el lugar había cerca de 130 personas, en su mayoría jovencitos. En un momento, varios jóvenes comenzaron a saltar la barda para ingresar a la zona de la alberca, provocando disturbios y un par de peleas. “Fue una fiesta de adolescentes
que se salió de control”, según Embry. La policía informó que algunos de los jóvenes no viven en la zona y no contaban con autorización para estar en la piscina. Los eventos fueron captados en
video por uno de los asistentes y en él se observa a una joven en bikini gritar varias veces “¡Llamen a mi mamá!” mientras Casebolt la somete al suelo, momentos antes de desenfundar su pistola y apuntarla hacia otros jóvenes. “¡Boca abajo!”, le gritó el policía a la joven en medio de los gritos de la muchedumbre. Aunque no estuvo de acuerdo con el vocabulario o la actitud beligerante del agente, Embry dijo que la policía hizo bien al responder. “Es lo que se supone que deben hacer, protegernos”, señaló. “No se me ocurre de que otra forma pudo haberla controlado o establecer el orden”. La joven aseguró que Casebolt le pidió que se marchara, pero la sometió luego de que “pensó que estábamos diciéndole cosas malas”, dijo en una entrevista a la televisora KDFW. “Entiendo cómo se sentía, todo el mundo lo rodeaba”, señaló la joven. “Pero no creo que debiera sacar su arma frente a niños de 15 años”.
FRONTERA
RÍO BRAVO, MX
INE: PRI VA ADELANTE
Arrestan a dos; incautan dinero
CAMPAÑA MÉDICO-ASISTENCIAL MIGUEL ALEMAN — Se implementará la primer campaña médico asistencial propuesta por miembros de los ministerios nacionales “Betel” el 11 de junio, de 8 a.m. a 5 p.m. El grupo de 15 personas, entre médicos y enfermeros, estarán representados por la misionera Deana Gatlin. Además traerán consigo ropa, medicamentos y despensas. El Presidente Municipal, Ramiro Cortez, informó que los misioneros evangélicos viajarán a las comunidades rurales del sur de Miguel Alemán el 13 de junio.
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
TORNEO DE GOLF Zapata Lions Club invita al Segundo Torneo de Golf Leobardo Martinez Jr. Scholarship, el sábado 20 de junio en Los Ebanos Golf Course. El estilo es 3 Men Florida Scramble. Donación es de 65 dólares y 10 dólares por Mulligans. Registro a las 8 a.m., inicio a las 9 a.m. Informes llamando al campo de golf al (956) 765-8336 o con Lioan Eduardo Martinez en el (956) 765-8449 y/o Lion Aaron Cruz al (956) 240-3408.
TORNEO DE PESCA A partir del jueves 11 de junio, a las 8 a.m., y hasta el sábado 13 de junio, a las 8 p.m. se realizará el Torneo de Pesca API, en Beacon Lodge.
FESTIVAL DE LA LIBERTAD RIO GRANDE CITY — El 2015 Rio Grande City Freedom Fest se realizará el viernes 26 de junio, a partir de las 6 p.m. en el Parque Municipal Basilio Villarreal. Presentación de Marshall Law, Palominos y Jack Ingram. Habrá comida gratis, puestos, juegos infantiles gratis y fuegos artificiales. Costo en preventa: 15 dólares; el día del evento a 25 dólares. Evento a beneficio del Rio Grande City Boys and Girls Youth Club.
EXHIBICIÓN DE ARTE El Boys and Girls Club de Zapata tendrá una exhibición de arte, el sábado 27 de junio, de 1 p.m. a 4 p.m. Los integrantes del club interesados en participar pueden llamar al (956) 7653892.
Foto de cortesía
Yahleel Abdala Carmona, candidata a la Diputación Federal por el Distrito 1 de Tamaulipas, es la ganadora virtual de las elecciones, de acuerdo con el PREP del Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE).
Yahleel Abdala sería nueva diputada TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
H
asta el lunes por la tarde, los resultados preliminares del Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) daban el triunfo a Yahleel Abdala Carmona, candidata del PRI a la diputación federal por el Distrito I, con cabecera en Nuevo Laredo, México. Según el conteo, el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) tiene 52.655 votos; el Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) obtuvo 49.998 votos; el Partido Verde Ecologista de México (PVEM), 3.588; y Diana Chavira, una candidata independiente, 3.020. Estos cuatro partidos representan las fuerzas políticas en el Distrito I con cabecera en Nuevo Laredo. “Se han computado 573 actas y solo faltaron cuatro”, explicó Manuel
Moncada Fuentes, vocal ejecutivo del INE. “El conteo oficial se realizará el miércoles a partir de las 8 a.m., y podría concluir hasta el jueves”. Una vez finalizado el conteo oficial se realizaría la ceremonia de entrega de constancia al candidato ganador. Alrededor de la medianoche del lunes, Abdala Carmona se dirigió a sus seguidores en las oficinas del PRI, agradeciendo a quienes apoyaron con sus voto en Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Alemán, Camargo, Mier y Nueva Ciudad Guerrero. “Gracias por la confianza”, expresó Abdala. Agregó que una vez que reciba la constancia de mayoría empezará a trabajar hacia su próxima responsabilidad donde lesgislará “para todos los habitantes del primer distrito, sin distinción de colores”.
Pese a que un pequeño margen divide al primero del segundo lugar – con la candidata del PAN, Laura Zárate –, Moncada sostuvo que no han recibido impugnación o queja relativa al desarrollo de las elecciones del domingo. Para el proceso fueron instaladas 577 casillas, repartidas en los cinco municipios, donde participaron 126.099 personas, de las 319.635 registradas. De acuerdo a las estadísticas del PREP (conteo rápido del INE) los alrededor de 9.000 votos emitidos en la frontera ribereña, serían los que dieron la ventaja a Abdala Carmona. Por su parte, las corporaciones de seguridad pública reportaron saldo blanco. (Con información de Agencia de Noticias-Oficina de Corresponsales)
El lunes, el municipio de Río Bravo, Tamaulipas, fue el escenario donde dos supuestos elementos del crimen organizado fueron arrestados por autoridades del estado de Tamaulipas, con más de 300.000 pesos, anunciaron funcionarios del Estado. Los sospechosos, arrestados por elementos de Fuerza Tamulipas, fueron identificados como Álvaro Barrera Garza y Juan Alberto Ruiz Acevedo. Se sospecha que ambos son integrantes de un grupo delincuencial que operan en el municipio de Río Bravo. Al momento de su arresto fueron decomisados 354.500 pesos, en producto de probables extorsiones, señala un comunicado de prensa. Asimismo, durante la detención, oficiales encontraron un cheque bancario por la cantidad de 100.000 pesos, además de 101.000 pesos en moneda nacional de diversas denominaciones y 10.000 dólares, equivalentes a alrededor de 153.500 pesos. El arresto tuvo lugar en el Fraccionamiento 7880, donde los policías estatales observaron un vehículo Honda color blanco de modelo reciente, cuyo conductor aceleró intempestivamente la marcha al notar la presencia policial. Caso fue puesto a disposición del Ministerio Público.
COLUMNA
Narra lucha de joven contra pena capital Nota del Editor: Este es el primero de dos artículos donde el historiador narra la situación de un hombre que enfrentaba pena de muerte en Tamaulipas, hacia 1909.
POR RAÚL SINENCIO ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Sobre Macario Zapata, de 24 años de edad, recae la condena a muerte, ningún recurso jurídico logra revertirla, solo le queda uno por agotar. Lo hace sin dudarlo. Tras la aplicación salen a relucir las fallas crónicas del sistema
judicial de Tamaulipas hacia el año 1909.
Motivos Pablo García, Tomás Maldonado y otros dos hacen ronda con Macario Zapata el domingo 14 de abril de 1907, alrededor de las 5 p.m. Transitan por “La Maroma”, rancho del municipio tamaulipeco de Jaumave. En algún momento, Zapata va a su cada y regresa con una carabina, propiedad de su cuñado Ire-
neo Martínez. Supuestamente ebrio alcanza a los contertulios. De improviso, acciona el arma en dos ocasiones. Las balas toman la vida de García y dejan mal herido a Maldonado, quien fallece el 7 de mayo. Zapata afronta las consecuencias. En confesión espontánea acepta los hechos; supuestamente ya había presentado mala conducta. En ese momento Tamaulipas cuenta con la pena capital por homicidio agravado. El ordenamien-
to supremo del país la reserva “al homicida con alevosía, premeditación o ventaja”. Y los dispositivos reglamentarios que permiten imponerla.
Procesos En consecuencia, el juez de primera instancia termina condenándolo a ella. Comete “el delito […] con las circunstancias calificativas de premeditación y ventaja”, dicta el fallo emitido el 17 de julio de 1908. Dado que “pudo
reflexionar y […] por” hallarse “inermes los occisos [sic]”. Zapata apela, pero “la Primera Sala del Tribunal Superior de Justicia” del estado ratifica el 11 de marzo de 1909 lo proveído e incluso añade la alevosía. La Segunda Sala del propio órgano desestima el cargo por alevosía, ante la súplica interpuesta por el reo, confirma la sentencia. (Publicado con permiso del autor conforme aparece en La Razón, Tampico, México.)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: TCU HORNED FROGS
TCU in COLLEGE World Series By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT WORTH — After 16 innings, 547 pitches and a gutsy game-ending play by a senior who has been there before, TCU is back in the College World Series for the second year in a row. The Horned Frogs needed a marathon finish to beat Texas A&M 5-4 early Tuesday, a week after overcoming a seven-run deficit after two outs in the eighth against North Carolina State just to advance to the NCAA super regional. “It’s amazing the resiliency that this team has,” said Garrett Crain, who right at 1 a.m. scored the winning run from second base when a ball trickled just beyond the edge of the infield. Crain had a 10-pitch walk to start the 16th before advancing on a wild pitch. Aggies third baseman Ronnie Gideon then made a nice backhanded stab to keep Evan Skoug’s two-out hard chopper from going down the line. But Crain kept running, through a coach’s stop sign, when the ball fell out of his glove. Gideon’s one-hop throw skipped by the plate before Crain slid in, sending TCU (49-13) to the College World Series for the third time in six seasons.
“I think one of the greatest college baseball games ever, had to be, considering what was on the line,” TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said after 5 hours and 55 minutes to fill the eighth and final spot in Omaha. With the Frogs set to play LSU on Sunday, here are a few things to know about their super regional clincher: SUDDENLY CAN’T CLOSE Record-setting TCU closer Riley Ferrell struggled again. With a 4-2 lead to start the ninth, he hit the first Aggies batter, walked the next, and both eventually scored. In the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments, the hard-throwing righty has allowed nine runs (seven earned) with three blown saves while recording only six outs in five appearances. “He’s the best that’s ever walked on this campus at that position, the guy’s had a couple of bad days,” Schlossnagle said. “I’m not giving up on him, not for one second.” Ferrell has 14 saves, one short of his school record set last season, and was picked by Houston in the third round (79th overall) of baseball’s amateur draft Tuesday. EASY AS 1-3-2
TCU’s Skoug almost ended the game with the bases loaded in the 14th, with a liner that struck pitcher Ryan Hendrix on the arm and ribs before ricocheting toward first base. G.R. Hinsley, in his first inning in the field, grabbed the ball and threw home for the force out. “A super heads-up play to extend the game,” Childress said. “You don’t see a 1-3-2 very often.” BY THE NUMBERS 1st — career homer for TCU freshman Connor Wanhanen, a two-run shot in the sixth that put TCU up 4-1. 2 — times “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” was played. Once during the second seventh-inning stretch and again in the middle of the 14th. 8 — innings that TCU had a runner at second base with one or no outs without scoring before the 16th. 8 — seniors on TCU’s roster, five of them everyday starters. 12 — pitchers used (five Aggies, seven Frogs). 25 — strikeouts by Texas A&M, the most ever for TCU pitchers in a game (previous record was 19). 50 — Wins by Texas A&M, for the first time since 1999. The 50th win was 2-1 in 10 innings Sunday to force the deciding third game.
Photo by Tim Sharp | AP
TCU’s Garrett Crain, center, celebrates with teammates following the 16th inning of a super regional as TCU won 5-4 to advance to the College World Series.
International
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
100K migrants crossed sea By ELENA BECATOROS AND NICOLE WINFIELD ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATHENS, Greece — More than 100,000 migrants — many fleeing the war in Syria — have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe so far this year, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday — and the arrivals in Greece have reached their highest level since the crisis began. Citing national figures, the UNHCR said 54,000 people had traveled illegally to Italy and 48,000 to Greece so far in 2015, with another small fraction heading for Spain and Malta. The numbers were announced as the European Union is struggling to persuade its 28 nations to adopt a quota system aimed at making the crossings less dangerous and easing the burden on Mediterranean countries. In Italy, nearly 6,000 people were picked up over the weekend by a host of ships taking part in the EU-mandated Mediterranean rescue
Photo by Boris Grdanoski | AP
Migrants from Syria hide from rain in a thicket near a railway northeast of Skopje, Macedonia, Thursday. operation. Most were subSaharan African migrants who had set off from Libya. The Italian coast guard and navy ships on Tuesday brought hundreds of migrants to shore in Sicily after having rescued them over the last few days. Officers wearing surgical masks and white coveralls directed the migrants to a processing tent set up at Pozzallo, a port in southern Sicily. AP Television footage showed one officer dragging an immigrant out of a cabin and striking another man sitting on the deck of a res-
cue vessel. In Greece, authorities said 457 people had been rescued from the sea in 12 separate incidents off the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Kalymnos and Kos in 24 hours from Monday morning. Another 304 people had made their way ashore Monday to Lesvos’ main port of Mytilene. The UN agency said about half of the 600 people who arrive daily in Greece are heading to Lesvos — where numbers have shot up from 737 in in January to 7,200 in May.
ABORTION Continued from Page 1A Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a strong supporter of the law, praised the court’s latest ruling. “Abortion practitioners should have no right to operate their businesses from sub-standard facilities and with doctors who lack admitting privileges at a hospital,” Paxton said. Under the new restrictions, the only remaining abortion facilities in Texas would be in major cities. One exception would be in McAllen, near the TexasMexico border, which the 5th Circuit exempted from some restrictions — but Toti said even those exemptions are so limited that it may not be practical to keep that McAllen clinic open.
But for women in El Paso, the closest abortion provider in Texas would require a 1,200-mile round trip to San Antonio, or they would have to cross the border into New Mexico. The appeals court found that option suitable, noting that a clinic was just across the border in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The court also said abortion clinics failed to show that most women would be unconstitutionally burdened by the law. “Although the nearest abortion facility in Texas is 550 miles away from El Paso, there is evidence that women in El Paso can travel the short distance to Santa Teresa to obtain an abortion and, indeed, the
evidence is that many did just that,” the court wrote in a 56-page opinion. Attorneys for the state dismissed opponents’ arguments about women being burdened by fewer abortion facilities, saying that nearly 9 in 10 women in Texas would still live within 150 miles of a provider. A new slate of conservative leaders in Texas has vowed to continue stifling abortion-rights efforts. George P. Bush, the son of expected 2016 presidential hopeful Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, made an anti-abortion rally at the Capitol his first public event since being sworn in as land commissioner, along with Abbott’s wife, Cecilia.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
RULES Continued from Page 1A ment in place, Laredo will be the first port to experiment with the new, two-way policy, Cuellar said. “After August, Laredo — even thought they’ve been working already — will officially get kicked off,” Cuellar said. “We are looking at having a big event with both U.S. and Mexican officials in Laredo.” U.S. Rep. Robert "Beto" O’Rourke, D-El Paso, said he was surprised by the change because as recently as last year, members of the Mexican Congress voiced their opposition to arming U.S. federal agents during a meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Inter-
parliamentary Group. “They said, ‘If you can’t understand this, you don’t understand how important Mexican sovereignty is and this will never happen,’" O’Rourke said. "So I’m really happy about the prospect that this will speed up travel times for trade and cargo coming through ports of entry. Texas really stands to be the [main] beneficiary of this." O’Rourke said he would work to get the pilot preclearance programs expanded to include trade passing through El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. Cuellar said it’s not clear if the Mexican gov-
ernment will expand the practice to include American agents working in Mexico on counter-narcotics or smuggling missions. Mexico has long been criticized for its gun laws, and the issue was thrust into a worldwide debate after the shooting death of Jaime J. Zapata, a Brownsville native who worked in Mexico City as an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was fatally wounded in an ambush on a Central Mexican highway. “It’s a step that opens up the door, but that will be a decision that will be made by the Mexicans,” he said.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
ANTONIA B. GONZALEZ
ELECTIONS Continued from Page 1A
June 13, 1937 – June 7, 2015 Antonia B. Gonzalez, 77, passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at Doctor’s Hospital in Laredo, Texas. Mrs. Gonzalez is preceded in death by her daughter, Baby, Maria Del Carmen Gonzalez; parents, Manuel and Maria Guadalupe Buentello; brothers, Manuel Jr. (Juanita) Buentello, Antonio (Alicia) Buentello, Faustino (Lamar) Buentello and Raul Buentello and sisters, Maria Luisa (Sylvestre) Bustamante, Enriqueta (Antonio) De Los Santos and Serafina Buentello. Mrs. Gonzalez is survived by her husband, Ramon R. Gonzalez; sons, Ramon Jr. (Sylvia) Gonzalez, Luis Antonio Gonzalez; daughters, Leticia Gonzalez, Sandra Y. Gonzalez, Maria Del Carmen (Alejandro) Vargas, Patricia Antonia (Mireyda) Gonzalez; eleven grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; brothers, Martin (Carmen) Buentello, Matias Modesto (Rosa) Buentello; sisters, Maria Guadalupe (+Teodulo) Villarreal, Beatriz (Alonzo) Juarez and by numerous nephews, nieces, other family members and friends. Visitation hours were held on Monday, June 8, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed on Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10
a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ramon Gonzalez Jr., Luis Antonio Gonzalez, Ramon Gonzalez III, Juan Manuel Gonzalez, Oscar Sanchez III, Rafael Villarreal, Jose Alonzo Juarez and Martin Juarez. Honorary pallbearers were Julian Antonio Gonzalez and Alejandro Vargas Jr. Special Thanks to Superior Nursing, Champion Home Health & Staff, Dr.’s Hospital ICU Staff and Well Wishers. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 N. U.S. Hwy 83 Zapata, Texas.
portional elections for congressional seats, analysts predicted the PRI coalition will ultimately control 245 to 263 seats in the 500-seat legislature. “I can assure you that Peña Nieto will be able to put together a majority with certainty,” said Roy Campos, director the Mitofsky polling firm. “Having 251, which is what he needs, is practically a done deal.” But “if the government measures the electoral result as an endorsement,” Campos added, “that means they didn’t understand this vote.” Halfway through Peña Nieto’s six-year term, the election was widely seen as a referendum on a government whose approval ratings have been hit by scandals over real estate deals with government contractors, a less dynamic economy than expected and ongoing security concerns, as well as suspected massacres of civilians and the disappearance and presumed murder of 43 students who were grabbed by police last September. A recent poll signaled that 91 percent of Mexicans surveyed distrusted the country’s political parties, while over half disapproved of Peña Nieto’s governance. But a schism in the country’s main leftist Democratic Revolution Party caused by former two-time presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador breaking off to launch his own party, known as Morena, cost the left seats and benefited the PRI. A year after it was formally recognized, Morena will have its first representation in Congress while Democratic Revolution, which was winning less than 11 percent of the vote in the preliminary results, could lose about a dozen seats. The third main political force, the conservative National Action of the Party that produced Mexico’s two previous presidents, maintained more or less steady support with about 21 percent of the vote. Analysts noted that in many places around the country there were no local elections for mayor or governor, and voters were casting ballots for unknown congressional candidates. In such races, the PRI enjoys an advantage because of its large, entrenched political machine. “It’s a sigh of relief (for the PRI), yes...,” said Jose Antonio Crespo, a political analyst and professor at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching. “What was not reflected was discontent with the government and the parties. All the indicators of discontent did not appear ... except at the local level.” The most notable example was the election of Jaime Rodriguez, known as “El Bronco,” who became
BORDER Continued from Page 1A crime,” Abbott said Tuesday as he was flanked by lawmakers and peace officers at a Texas Department of Public Safety facility. “More than 100,000 of those gang members operate across the state of Texas.” His signature on House Bill 11, by state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, is the final piece of a massive effort by lawmakers during the 84th Legislature to bolster the ranks of state police, increase technology, and establish intelligence operations units on the Texas-Mexico border. The bill has a price tag of about $310 million and is part of an $800 million border security effort. The measure will facilitate the hiring of additional troopers and give the Department of Public Safety the authority to expedite the hiring of certain military veterans who have been honorably discharged. It also increases penalties for human smuggling and creates a transnational intelligence center on the border to analyze crime data. In addition, the law continues the operations of the Texas National Guard on the border until the depart-
ment can hire and train up to 250 troopers to be permanently stationed in the area. The bill signing comes on the heels of a legislative session that saw the department and border Democrats repeatedly spar over what the lawmakers alleged was a lack of transparency at the state police force. Opponents of increased border-security spending demanded the department produce statistics to prove that the massive border surge, which began last summer in response to the flood of undocumented immigrants who breached the border illegally, was working. Instead, the department would only release data on apprehensions and drug seizures performed by all law enforcement agencies participating in the surge, including local and federal police. When Abbott was asked by a reporter what problem HB 11 was intended to fix considering crime in the Rio Grande Valley is at an all-time low, he instead emphasized the statewide impact of cross-border crime. “According to [Department of Homeland Security
Secretary] Jeh Johnson, who spoke here in Houston Texas yesterday, we still have more than 25,000 people come across the border illegally every month,” Abbott said. The governor also sidestepped a question about two unsuccessful legislative proposals. One would have ended in-state tuition rates for undocumented immigrants and another would have banned so-called “sanctuary cities” – local governments that prohibit law enforcement officers from enforcing immigration laws. Both topics were hot-button campaign issues for Republican lawmakers. When asked if he was disappointed they didn’t make it to his desk, he instead focused on how the federal government’s efforts to secure the border have fallen flat. “The issues exist in the first place because we have a failed federal government that has refused to address the issues to tackle those problems,” he said. “Those are national, federal-based issues that we demand the United States federal government address and solve. Texas is doing what is can
do by passing this border security plan.” Though he called House Bill 11 the cornerstone of the state’s efforts to protect and seal the border, he also lauded the passage of House Bill 10, which enhances penalties for human trafficking and House Bill 12, which codifies the duties of the state’s border prosecution unit. Abbott also indicated he was eager to sign a resolution that urges Congress to reimburse Texas the nearly $700 million the state has spent on border security operations since 2012. “Texas is willing to shoulder the responsibility; we expect the federal government to foot the bill,” he said.
the first independent candidate in Mexico to win a governor’s race, in Nuevo Leon state. This was the first year independents could seek office under a recent electoral reform. In doing so, the horseback-riding, boot-clad Rodriguez ousted the PRI from a key state that includes the business hub of Monterrey. Rodriguez filled a void where fed-up voters felt that traditional parties weren’t responsive to their needs, and it could set a precedent for similar candidacies in the future, Crespo said. “The independent gives you hope, an expectation, simply because it’s something different,” he said, “even though we have no proof that he will be more effective.” In the city of Cuernavaca outside the Mexican capital, recently retired soccer star Cuauhtemoc Blanco was ahead in the vote for mayor and poised to take over an office previously held by the PRI. He represented the tiny Social Dem-
ocratic Party, which doesn’t exist in most other states. And the major city of Guadalajara turned its back on the traditional powers, the PRI and National Action, by giving an overwhelming victory to Enrique Alfaro of the center-left Citizens Movement, which barely registers in polls in much of the country. Peña Nieto was boosted by a bump in support for the allied Green Party, which jumped from about 6 percent of the vote to 7 percent following a controversial campaign in which it was fined millions for ignoring campaign finance laws. That could give the Greens as many as 20 new seats. Protesters burned ballot boxes in several restive states in southern Mexico, but officials said they were isolated incidents. Electoral officials will issue final, certified results later in the week. Returns so far show the PRI losing some of its six governorships up for a vote, while winning back others.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015