The Zapata Times 10/7/2016

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SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Poverty down in Texas However, need for food stamps remains unchanged

By Alexa Ura THE TEXAS TRIBUNE

Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle

People stand in line for food stamps in the Texas Health and Human Services Offices in Houston, Texas. According to new data, although poverty declining in the state, there's been less change in the share of households relying on food stamps.

Although incomes have been rising and poverty declining in Texas, there's been less change in the share of households relying on food stamps, new U.S. Census data shows.

In 2015, 12.5 percent of Texas households used the program, down from 13.1 percent in 2014.

The drop of about 43,000 households was less significant than the overall drops in individual and household poverty from 2014 to 2015. The disparity underscores that economic recovery has not reached all poor people and that the need for food assistance is not limited to those living in poverty, nutrition advocates and researchers said.

People facing the most dire

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY KINGSVILLE

financial circumstances are “probably the ones whose boats are last to rise,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas.

“Just the fact that people are on SNAP over the poverty line is an indicator that even over the poverty line people aren’t earning enough to feed their families,” Cole added.

The Supplemental Nutrition Stamps continues on A9

ZAPATA COUNTY

TAMUK EARNS $25K GRANT DEA to host ‘Pill Take Back’ Event aims to properly dispose expired medicines

By César G. Rodriguez THE ZAPATA TIME S

Courtesy photo

Shown on the photo are Dr. Fred Bryant, Executive Director of CKWRI; Tio Kleberg, Chairman of the Cesar Kleberg Foundation; Renato Ramirez, IBC-Zapata CEO; Texas A & M University Kingsville President Dr. Steve Tallant; Ricardo X. Ramirez, President of IBC-Zapata, and Dean William Kuvlesky.

Funds will go toward wildlife research project S P ECIAL TO THE TI ME S

R & P Ramirez, LTD, owned by the Renato Ramirez family, donated the third installment of $25,000 of a $75,000 grant for a turkey project to the Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI).

The project is studying turkey habitat and movement at the Veleno Creek in Zapata.

The purpose of the study is to determine if a sustainable turkey

population can be achieved through management in the Veleno Creek watershed. A side benefit is that graduate students will get advanced degrees using the study to write thesis and dissertations and Zapata County could develop a lasting benefit from the aesthetics and revenues from the turkey population.

Texas A & M University Kingsville President Dr. Steve Tallant praised the Ramirez family and IBC for their commitment to the university.

The university is a driving economic force in South Texas.

The Ramirez family and IBCZapata are committed to the Rodeo Team, the Athletic Department, the Alumni Association, The Texas A & M Kingsville Foundation, and the College of Business Administration.

Renato serves on the board of the Foundation, on the College of Business Leadership Board, and is an Executive in Residence at the College of Business.

Residents of Zapata County will have an opportunity to properly dispose of expired, unwanted prescribed medication.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is setting up a collection point at the Zapata County Courthouse, 200 E. Seventh Ave. on Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is part of the National Pill Take Back, an opportunity for people get rid of prescribed and unwanted medication “People can come by and they hand the (prescription) drugs in. No questions asked,” said James R. Reed, DEA assistant special agent in charge.

“We’re trying to reduce the availability of prescriptions drugs on the street. The

problem that we have in the United States is kids like to get into medicine cabinets, and they like to experiment with the drugs that are in there.”

Reed added it doesn’t matter what’s in the medicine cabinets. Kids just like to experiment with drugs.

“We all have a situation where we start a prescription but we don’t finish it. If it expires, we no longer need it. What we’re trying to do is eliminate these drugs from being available to kids,” Reed said.

From a safety standpoint, the DEA is asking the community to not bring liquids and syringes. DEA does not recommend flushing the medication down the toilet because it creates an environmental hazard.

For more information, visit www.dea.gov.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Barely half of illegal border crossers caught

By Elliot Spagat A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

Barely half of people who entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico last year were caught, according to a report commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security that also shows sharp declines in illegal entries.

The report found 54 percent of people who entered illegally between border crossings got caught in the 2015 fiscal year.

That’s much lower than the 81

percent success rate that Homeland Security cited publicly using a different counting method.

The 98-page report was completed in May, and Homeland Security has declined to release it. The Associated Press obtained a copy from a government official involved in border issues who acted on condition of anonymity because it has not been made public.

The report offers some of most detailed measures yet of

how secure the border with Mexico is — a major issue in a presidential campaign that features Republican nominee Donald Trump calling for a wall along the entire 1,954-mile border. It includes enough material to argue that the government has made significant strides or that it is falling short.

In terms of people, 170,000 eluded capture during the 2015 fiscal year, 210,000 the previous year, and 1.7 million in Border continues on A9

Gregory Bull / AP

A Border Patrol agent walks near the secondary fence separating Tijuana, Mexico,. According to a report, U.S. immigration authorities caught barely half the people who illegally entered the country from Mexico last year.

Zin brief A2 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CALENDAR

AROUND THE NATION

TODAY IN HISTORY

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

1

Walk to end Alzheimer’s. 9 a.m.

Texas A&M International University. To register for the event, visit alz.org/ walk/laredo. On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. For more information, contact Melissa Guerra at 956-693-9991 or mlguerra62@gmail.com. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

Today is Saturday, Oct. 8, the 282nd day of 2016. There are 84 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On Oct. 8, 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series to date as the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5, 2-0.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 1

“Wolf Boys” book signing. 2 p.m.

Books-A-Million, Store 568, 5300 San Dario Ave. Dan Slater will be signing his book, “Wolf Boys.” He will be doing a reading and a Q&A followed by the signing.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10 1

Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally.

Free. For all ages and skill levels.

Instruction is offered.

1 Movie and Popcorn. Every Monday, 4–5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Enjoy a family movie and refreshments.

Brittany Greeson / The New York Times

In this Jan. 20 photo, Elijah Loren, 10, cleans off with a sanitary wipe at home in Flint, Mich. U.S. education officials on Friday announced a $480,000 grant to help Flint Community Schools.

GRANT TO HELP FLINT SCHOOLS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 1

Rock wall climbing. 4–5:30 p.m.

LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Take the challenge and climb the rock wall! Fun exercise for all ages. Free. Bring ID. Must sign release form. Every Tuesday. For more information, call 795-2400 x2520.

1 LEGO Workshop. Every Tuesday, 4–5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Create with LEGOs, DUPLOs and robotics.

1 National Night Out. 6 p.m. LISD Performing Arts Center (Civic Center).

The City of Laredo and law enforcement hold this event to heighten crime prevention awareness. The event is free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

FLINT, Mich. — U.S. education officials on Friday announced a $480,000 grant to help Flint Community Schools as the public district grapples with problems associated with the city’s lead-contaminated drinking water crisis.

The money will support the hiring of attendance specialists, counselors and psychologists.

Education Secretary John King Jr. said Flint’s challenges, including its water crisis, are “emblematic of a broader crisis, which is an unwillingness to invest in the

common good,” The Flint Journal reported.

“And you see that in the lack of investment in infrastructure, and you see that in the lack of investment in education,” he said while speaking with students, guardians and others during a round table discussion Friday in Flint.

Flint was under state control in 2014 when it switched from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River to save money.

Tests later showed the river water was improperly treated, causing lead to leach from aging pipes.

1

SRX Chess Club. Every Wednesday, 4–5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Learn the basics of chess and compete with friends.

Limited chess sets available for use.

1 Relay For Life 2017 Kickoff. 6 to 8 p.m. Firefighters’ Union Hall, 5219 Tesoro Plaza.

1 City Council District IV Forum.

6:30 p.m. Laredo Community College’s Kazen Student Center. Hosted by the Laredo Next Generation Rotary Club. Gain knowledge on the candidates and what they plan to do if elected.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 1

Wii U Gaming. Every Thursday, 4–5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Game with friends on Wii U. 1 Laredo Area Retired School Employees Association monthly meeting. 11 a.m. Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2219 Galveston St.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 1

DUPLO Fun Time. Every Friday, 10:30–11:30 a.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco Street. LEGOs for toddlers.

1 Rodeo for The Cure featuring the third annual Youth Ranch Hand. 7 p.m.

LIFE Downs. Hosted by Brush Country Trail Riders.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 1

First day of the annual Pumpkin Patch. 7 a.m.–7 p.m. First United Methodist Church lawn, 1220 McClelland Ave. 1 11th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Trail Ride. 9 a.m. LIFE Downs.

Hosted by Brush Country Trail Riders.

1 Rodeo for The Cure featuring the 2nd Women’s Ranch Rodeo. 4 p.m.

LIFE Downs. Hosted by Brush Country Trail Riders.

1 Rodeo for The Cure featuring the seventh annual Ranch Rodeo for The Cure. 7 p.m. LIFE Downs. Hosted by Brush Country Trail Riders.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 1

Pumpkin Patch. Noon–7 p.m. First United Methodist Church lawn, 1220 McClelland Ave. 1 The Laredo Phil presents “Heavenly Peace.” 3–5 p.m. TAMIU Recital Hall. $20. The theme for this season is “Music of Peace, Joy & Love.” Dr. Fritz Gechter, associate professor of piano at TAMIU will perform as the soloist in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor Op. 38. Show is free for full time students with ID. For tickets and more information visit the Laredo Phil website at www.laredophil.com or call 326-3042.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 1

Pumpkin Patch. 11 a.m.–7 p.m. First United Methodist Church lawn, 1220 McClelland Ave. 1 Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally.

Free. For all ages and skill levels.

Instruction is offered.

1 Movie and Popcorn. Every Monday, 4–5 p.m. Santa Rita Library.

Hurricane threatens some of South’s most storied cities ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Hurricane Matthew spared Florida’s most heavily populated stretch from a catastrophic blow Friday but threatened some of the South’s most historic and picturesque cities with ruinous flooding and wind damage as it pushed its way up the coastline.

Among the cities in the crosshairs were St. Augustine,

Florida; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina.

“There are houses that will probably not ever be the same again or not even be there,” St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Shaver lamented as battleship-gray floodwaters coursed through the streets of the 451-year-old city founded by the Spanish.

Matthew — the most powerful hurricane to threaten the Atlantic Seaboard in over a decade — set off alarm as it closed in on the U.S., having left more than 300 people dead in Haiti.

In the end, it sideswiped Florida’s Atlantic coast early Friday, swamping streets, toppling trees onto homes and knocking out power to more than 1 million people. But it stayed just far enough offshore to prevent major damage to cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

And the coast never felt the full force of its 120 mph winds. “It looks like we’ve dodged a bullet,” said Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat whose district includes Martin County.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE WORLD Russia faces Security Council showdown Saturday over Syria MOSCOW — International diplomatic pressure increased on Moscow on Friday to end the joint Russian-Syrian siege of the city of Aleppo, but Moscow’s U.N. ambassador says he will most likely veto a U.N. Security Council resolution that would ground Russian warplanes.

Russia’s parliament meanwhile ratified a treaty with Syria that allows its troops to stay indefinitely in the country, a show of support for embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The siege by Syrian forces backed by Russian warplanes has inflicted immense suffering on civilians in the city’s rebelheld eastern districts. A ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia collapsed last

Ivan Sekretarev / AP

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia on Friday.

month and Washington-Moscow ties have deteriorated sharply; Russian lawmakers said ratifying the treaty with Syria on Friday was a necessary step to stand up to the U.S. The United States and Russia support opposite sides in the more than 5-year-old war — Moscow has been a staunch Assad ally and Washington

backs Syrian rebels trying to oust him.

As Aleppo’s misery dragged on, Russia’s United Nations ambassador Vitaly Churkin rejected a French-proposed U.N. Security Council resolution that would call for grounding all aircraft, including Russia’s, over Aleppo.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND TEXAS Juvenile charged in severe burning of 10-year-old boy KERRVILLE — A Texas juvenile has been charged with arson after police say he tossed aside a burning gas canister that struck and seriously burned a 10-year-old boy, officials said Thursday. City officials in Kerrville, 70 miles northwest of San Antonio, said the juvenile was arrested Wednesday.

On this date: In 1869, the 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, died in Concord, New Hampshire.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire erupted; fires also broke out in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and in several communities in Michigan.

In 1918, U.S. Army Cpl. Alvin C. York led an attack that killed 25 German soldiers and resulted in the capture of 132 others in the Argonne Forest in France.

In 1934, Bruno Hauptmann was indicted by a grand jury in New Jersey for murder in the death of the kidnapped son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman told a press conference in Tiptonville, Tennessee, that the secret scientific knowledge behind the atomic bomb would be shared only with Britain and Canada.

In 1957, the Brooklyn Baseball Club announced it was accepting an offer to move the Dodgers from New York to Los Angeles.

In 1967, former British Prime Minister Clement Attlee died in London at age 84.

In 1970, Soviet author Alexander Solzhenitsyn was named winner of the Nobel Prize for literature.

In 1982, all labor organizations in Poland, including Solidarity, were banned.

In 1998, the House triggered an open-ended impeachment inquiry against President Bill Clinton in a momentous 258-176 vote; 31 Democrats joined majority Republicans in opening the way for nationally televised impeachment hearings.

In 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake flattened villages on the Pakistan-India border, killing an estimated 86,000 people.

Ten years ago: Word reached the United States of North Korea’s claim that it had exploded a nuclear weapon for the first time, conducting an underground test that defied international warnings.

Five years ago: Scott Anderson became the first openly gay ordained Presbyterian minister during a ceremony at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin.

One year ago: Volkswagen’s top U.S. executive, Michael Horn, offered deep apologies, yet sought to distance himself from the emissions scandal enveloping the world’s largest automaker, asserting before a congressional subcommittee that top corporate officials had no knowledge of the cheating software installed in 11 million diesel cars. Svetlana Alexievich, a Belarusian journalist and prose writer, won the Nobel Prize in literature. Chef Paul Prudhomme, 75, who’d sparked a nationwide interest in Cajun food, died in New Orleans.

Today’s Birthdays: Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson is 75. Comedian Chevy Chase is 73. Author R.L. Stine is 73. Actor Dale Dye is 72. Country singer Susan Raye is 72. TV personality Sarah Purcell is 68. Rhythm-andblues singer Airrion Love (The Stylistics) is 67. Actress Sigourney Weaver is 67. Rhythm-and-blues singer Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool & the Gang) is 66.

Producer-director Edward Zwick is 64.

Country singer-musician Ricky Lee Phelps is 63. Actor Michael Dudikoff is 62. Comedian Darrell Hammond is 61.

Actress Stephanie Zimbalist is 60.

Rock musician Mitch Marine is 55.

Actress Kim Wayans is 55. Rock singer Steve Perry (Cherry Poppin’ Daddies) is 53. Actor Ian Hart is 52. Gospel/ rhythm-and-blues singer CeCe Winans is 52. Rock musician C.J. Ramone (The Ramones) is 51. Actress-producer Karyn Parsons is 50. Singer-producer Teddy Riley is 50. Actress Emily Procter is 48. Actor Dylan Neal is 47.

Actor-screenwriter Matt Damon is 46.

Actor/comedian Robert Kelly is 46.

Actor Martin Henderson is 42. Actress Kristanna Loken is 37. Rhythm-andblues singer Byron Reeder (Mista) is 37. Rock-soul singer-musician Noelle Scaggs (Fitz and the Tantrums) is 37.

Actor Nick Cannon (TV: “America’s Got Talent”) is 36. Actor Max Crumm is 31. Singer-songwriter-producer Bruno Mars is 31. Actor Angus T. Jones is 23. Actress Molly Quinn is 23.

Thought for Today: “There is an abiding beauty which may be appreciated by those who will see things as they are and who will ask for no reward except to see.” — Vera Brittain, British author (1893-1970).

CONTACT US Officials haven’t released the identity of the juvenile, who is charged with first-degree arson. Police said the canister caught alight Sunday as the juvenile poured gasoline onto a fire in a shed and that he threw it aside, inadvertently striking the 10-year-old.

Officials haven’t released the victim’s name, but his family told media outlets he is Kayden Culp.

The victim’s mother, Tristyn Hatchett, has said 20 percent of his body is burned, from ears

to belly, and he has been in an induced coma. Hatchett said Kayden exhibits autistic behavior but hasn’t been diagnosed.

Police Chief David Knight said four juveniles who were “friendly” with each other were in a shed where there was an initial fire. Knight, who didn’t know how that fire started, said the juvenile who has been charged at one point left and returned with a gas canister in hopes of making the fire bigger.

— Compiled from AP reports

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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

A3

STATE

Backpage.com raided, CEO arrested on sex-trafficking charges

By Don Thompson and Terry Wallace A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

DALLAS — State agents raided the Dallas offices of adult classified ad portal Backpage.com and arrested Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer following allegations that adult and child sex-trafficking victims were forced into prostitution through escort ads posted on the site.

Ferrer, 55, was arrested on a California warrant after arriving Thursday in Houston on a flight from Amsterdam. Handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, he waived extradition during a court hearing Friday morning in Houston.

Authorities also issued arrest warrants for the site’s controlling shareholders: Michael Lacey, 68, and James Larkin, 67.

It wasn’t immediately clear Friday whether the men had been taken into custody.

“Making money off the backs of innocent human beings by allowing them to be exploited for modern-day slavery is not acceptable in Texas,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris said Ferrer was arrested on felony charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping. Under California’s law, felony pimping is defined as making money off prostitutes or soliciting customers for prostitution.

“Raking in millions of

dollars from the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable victims is Ferrer outrageous, despicable and illegal,” said Harris, a Democrat who is running for the U.S. Senate in next month’s election. “Backpage and its executives purposefully and unlawfully designed Backpage to be the world’s top online brothel.”

Ferrer also has been charged in Texas with a single count of money laundering, according to Texas Attorney General’s Office spokeswoman Kayleigh Lovvorn. He was expected to be flown to California on Friday.

Ferrer’s attorney, Philip Hilder, said Friday that his client believes the charges are “trumped up.”

“He’s looking forward to his day in court, where he gets to battle back on these charges,” he said.

Lacey and Larkin are former owners of the Village Voice and the Phoenix New Times. It wasn’t clear if they had attorneys. An attorney who previously represented the two men, Michael Manning, said he was not representing them in this case.

Backpage.com advertises a wide range of services, but the California arrest warrant alleges that internal business records obtained through a search warrant show that 99 percent its revenue came from its adult services section between January 2013 and March 2015. Cali-

fornia officials said the site collects fees from users who use coded language and nearly nude photos to offer sex for money.

Worldwide revenue from sex ads topped $3.1 million in just one week last year, according to a court affidavit. It says Ferrer expanded Backpage.com’s share of online sex marketing by creating affiliated sites including EvilEmpire.com and BigCity.com with related content.

Larkin and Lacey each received $10 million bonuses from the website in September 2014, according to the court filing. It says Backpage.com was created in 2004, but since 2014 has been owned by a Netherlands-based company that has Ferrer as its only named partner.

California authorities said the state’s three-year investigation found many of the ads include victims of sex trafficking including children under the age of 18.

One of the advertisers, identified only as 15-yearold “E.S.,” “was forced into prostitution at the age of 13 by her pimp,” according to an affidavit filed with the complaint. She used other online advertising services until they were shut down, the court filing says, when she turned to Backpage.com.

“I mean really, coming from someone my age, there is too much access, like it’s too easy for people to get on it and post an ad,” she told California Special Agent Brian Fichtner, according to his affidavit.

Judge dismisses civil fraud charges against AG for now

By Paul J. Weber ASSOCIATED PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — For now, embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will not face a federal securities fraud lawsuit, a judge said Friday, but Paxton is still fighting separate criminal charges of duping wealthy investors before he took office.

The apparent collapse of a civil case brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is still a major victory for Paxton, a Republican who has spent most of his 20 months on the job under felony indictment. He has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case while trying to preserve a high profile

nationally, leading lawsuits against the Obama administration over Paxton immigration, transgender rights and Syrian refugees.

U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant “conditionally granted” a dismissal of the civil lawsuit but gave federal regulators two weeks to restate its case.

The cases brought by the SEC and criminal prosecutors are virtually identical: Both accused Paxton of luring investors to high-tech startup Servergy in 2011 without disclosing that he was being

paid by the data storage company. At the time, Paxton was a state legislator from suburban Dallas, and one investor he allegedly misled was a fellow Republican lawmaker.

“Paxton did not have a legal obligation to disclose his financial arrangement,” Mazzant wrote.

Two courts have so far refused to throw out two felony charges of securities fraud, which carry a possible sentence of 5 to 99 years in prison. Unless the indictments are quashed by Texas’ highest criminal court, Paxton is likely to stand trial in 2017.

Federal regulators say Paxton raised $840,000 by betraying friends.

Zopinion A4 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

GOP better think twice about ‘that Mexican thing’

By Mary Sanchez TH E KA NSAS CI T Y STAR

Gov. Mike Pence, warn your buddy Donald Trump. That Mexican Thing you mentioned in the vice-presidential debate — it’s coming for you.

Like La Llorona and El Chupacabra, the folkloric spooks that Mexican parents tell stories about to scare the bejeezus out of their naughty children, That Mexican Thing is not to be trifled with. It has its eye on you.

Trump’s calumnies against Mexicans and other Latinos in the U.S. are well known, and they don’t have to be rehashed here. It’s worth noting, however, that these comments aren’t gaffes or tics.

In a recent civil deposition, Trump admitted that his peroration on Mexican rapists — in the speech with which he kicked off his campaign — was a premeditated offense.

Indeed, it is impossible to regard this provocation as anything other than part of a strategy to blow up the Republican Party and reconstitute it in the mold of populist white nationalism. After all, it was only four years ago that the GOP searched its soul after failing to unseat Barack Obama and concluded that it must reach out to Latinos. Alas, what innocent times those were!

Pence, who is cut from crustier Republican cloth, seems ill at ease with Trump’s "alt-right" style of racist agitprop, but then again he doesn’t seem to get what a big deal it is.

That explains his exasperation when his opponent, Sen. Tim Kaine, repeatedly brought up Trump’s rapist remark in their debate.

"Senator, you whipped out that Mexican thing again," Pence said peevishly, before doubling down on Trump’s view of Mexican immigrants as, essentially, criminals.

In doing so, Pence showed that he, too, thinks of Latinos in nebulous terms, not quite as human beings, as U.S. citizens and voters, but rather as an undifferentiated mass in the category "problematic." For those of us Americans of Mexican descent, it showed that bigotry against us is embedded in the Trump-Pence campaign. It’s not going away.

You know what else is not going away? Us. Numbering 55 million, Latinos are 17 percent of the population, the largest ethnic minority. For years, demographic trends have foretold a watershed moment when Latino citizens will be able to exert a significant impact on na-

tional elections. 2016 might be the year.

In doing so we will be partaking of a grand American tradition — that of immigrant groups taking their place in the American body politic.

Latinos are hardly the first minority to come up against organized political bigotry. Trumpism and the so-called alt-right have a forerunner in the Know Nothing movement of the 1850s, a deplorable and sometimes violent party organization that formed in backlash against the arrival of millions of Irish Catholic and German Catholic immigrants.

Political cartoons of the time depicted the Irish as ape-like murderers and ruffians. They were said to be drunks, criminals and agents of the pope, inimical to American republican values.

I guess certain American political tendencies don’t change, but the targets do.

Like the Irish before us, we Latinos won’t be taking it lying down. Immigrants have been rushing to upgrade from permanent legal resident to U.S. citizenship in time to vote, creating massive naturalization events during the past year.

Many have cited Trump as the impetus.

Voto Latino reports it has registered more than 100,000 new voters since last November. And that’s just one Latino group working to encourage a strong turnout.

Trump’s words are the leverage. People know when they are being disparaged. Casual asides don’t fool anyone — as when Trump qualified his rape slander of Mexicans thus: "Some, I assume, are good people."

That’s not mitigating the offense; it’s accentuating it.

It’s classic Trump. And now Pence joins in with his "Mexican thing," showing how clueless he is about his running mate and his country.

No other nation has as long and as rich and as complicated a history with the United States as Mexico. Major portions of the U.S. used to be Mexico.

Our blood and our cultures are mixed. No modern political candidate can undo that.

Mexicans and MexicanAmericans know the nuances of immigration policy, trade deals and border security in ways Trump can never fathom.

The details are embedded in our family histories, in the traditions and beliefs passed from generation to generation well beyond our families’ migration.

COLUMN

Wartime allies deserve visas

By Trudy Rubin THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Amid all the ugly, anti-immigration talk this election season, at least one category of immigrants should be sacrosanct: those who helped the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan at great risk to their lives.

Yet all too often we’ve failed these Iraqis and Afghans, exposing them and their families to brutal retaliation.

Read what’s happening to the family of Wisam Albaiedhani, who worked as a translator for U.S. forces, and you’ll see what I mean.

Wisam and his brother Khalid were students in Baghdad when the United States invaded Iraq. Khalid also worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army; both brothers accompanied their units on risky patrols.

When U.S. troops withdrew, the Shiite Jaish Mahdi militia shot Khalid in the arm and face for the "crime" of working with Americans (he still has muscle damage). They sent Wisam a bullet wrapped in a message that read: "This is for your heart."

The good news: Both brothers made it to the United States via special immigrant visas issued to Iraqis who worked for U.S. forces or government officials. (However, this program set up so many bureaucratic hurdles — endless paperwork, several years of interviews and security checks - that many desperate Iraqi and Afghan interpreters got left behind.)

But, as Wisam told me by phone from Worcester, Mass., where he works in a credit union, the brothers feared for their family members in Baghdad. Jaish Mahdi

There is a backlog of 51,000 Iraqi applicants, including family members, awaiting their first interview; there are only 15 staffers available at any one time to conduct these interviews. So the backlog barely budges.

Even after that hurdle is crossed, the applicants face years-long, multiple security checks. militiamen have long memories and are still seeking revenge.

So the brothers applied for visas to bring their father and younger siblings, as provided by U.S. law. The family went through five years yes, five years - of paperwork, interviews and multiple security checks.

In mid-August, the family was finally informed by U.S. Embassy officials that all were cleared to emigrate to the United States, on a flight departing Aug. 31.

Wisam’s 65-year-old dad Mohammed sold the family house, car, and possessions and packed up to fly to Jordan and on to America.

Then on Aug. 30, Mohammed received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, saying, "Sorry, your tickets have been cancelled and you have to stay in place until further notice."

There was a new security check. No explanation of what this meant, no way to respond, no date of travel. Maybe weeks, maybe never.

Wisam’s family is now marooned in Baghdad, living with relatives.

"This doesn’t make sense to us," Wisam says. "We are good citizens, did everything legally. My brother and I have applied for citizenship. We are very loyal to this country. We are hard workers.

"The only thing we

ask for is to help our family. They lost everything. We have no clue where this will end."

Wisam’s family is caught up in a Kafkaesque process that has trapped many other Iraqis and Afghans who worked for Americans.

One major reason the process drags on for years: there are too few interviewers available to handle the caseload of applicants.

There is a backlog of 51,000 Iraqi applicants, including family members, awaiting their first interview; there are only 15 staffers available at any one time to conduct these interviews. So the backlog barely budges.

Even after that hurdle is crossed, the applicants face years-long, multiple security checks (yes, there already is "extreme vetting"). These checks are opaque and there is no appeal, so similar names or false information can derail legitimate applicants. As Wisam has learned, there is no way to find out what has gone wrong.

This particularly upsets Peter Farley, who volunteered to fight in Iraq because he felt it was his patriotic duty, and wound up training Iraqi military police; Wisam was his interpreter and accompanied him on patrols. "Absolutely, Wisam and his brother risked their lives every day," says Farley,

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DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

who now works for Veterans Affairs in Rhode Island. "We don’t really recognize the sacrifices Iraqis who supported us have made."

Of Wisam’s family, Farley asks: "Where do they go? His service has put a mark on them. To throw them back into the middle of Baghdad . they are going to be exposed. I am scared for them. And nobody knows why they are being held up."

I can’t help thinking of what must be going through the minds of Wisam’s father and 9year-old sister, who are now living in limbo. "It breaks my heart for people to look the other way," Farley told me.

Indeed, it’s long past time for politicians who claim to be patriots to focus on the visa process for Iraqis and Afghans who helped us. It’s long past time to finally provide adequate resources and coherence to the program.

And — this is a must — we must extend and expand the special immigrant visa program for Afghans, which expires this month. "This is important for our own security," says Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., who is co-sponsoring legislation to do just that. "If we’re going to ask people to help us in the future, they won’t do it if we haven’t met our commitments. It’s an American value to uphold our moral obligation."

We also have a moral obligation to rescue Wisam’s family from limbo.

They’ve sacrificed more than most of us for our country. This is the least we can do in return.

Trudy Rubin is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

A5

ENERTAINMENT

Former teen-actress asks court to revive Cosby lawsuit

By Maryclaire Dale ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Warner Bros. Records / AP

This cover image released by Warner Bros. Records shows "Revolution Radio," the latest release by Green Day. The latest album sees Green Day back on the straight and narrow, a dozen potent tunes encasing the punk attitude with plenty of pop hooks.

‘Revolution Radio’ is Green Day back on straight and narrow

By Pablo Gorondi A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

“Revolution Radio” sees Green Day back on the straight and narrow, a dozen potent tunes encasing the punk attitude with plenty of pop hooks.

The band shakes off a few years in the wilderness, including personal crises and artistic diversions, with a no-frills collection in which they work from a clean slate without losing their collective memory. There’s no overall concept, nothing really innovative, but there’s room for the topical and ample rawness in sounds and feelings.

First single “Bang Bang” is inhabited by the “semi-automatic lonely boy” who seeks to be a “celebrity martyr,” while “Outlaws” is a doomed power-cum-murder ballad with a quiet/loud/quiet dynamic like Radiohead’s “Creep.”

Also making their mark are “Bouncing Off the Wall,” a bit of anarchy in the USA; “Forever Now,” which hides a three-part, seven-minute opus behind a much-used title while closing with a reprise of opening track “Somewhere Now;” and “Still Breathing,” a kind of survival of the least disturbed where a “home

that’s for the restless” is about as good as it gets.

There are some echoes of early Clash in the title track, mostly the opening riff, the song title and a few lines like “legalize the truth.” It’s easy to imagine the late Joe Strummer commenting on “the dawn of the new airwaves for the anti-social media,” wondering why kids are checking his boom box for a Bluetooth connection.

Singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong’s most recent New Year’s resolution was “to destroy the phrase ‘pop-punk’ forever.” On “Revolution Radio,” he and the rest of band fail splendidly.

PHILADELPHIA — A former teen-actress who accuses Bill Cosby of molesting her asked a federal appeals court Friday in Philadelphia to revive her defamation lawsuit against the comedian.

Renita Hill, of Pittsburgh, said she was defamed when Cosby, his wife and his then-lawyer questioned abuse accusations raised in late 2014 by Hill and other women.

Cosby lawyer Martin Singer called the new accounts “fantastical,” “ridiculous,” “illogical” and beyond “absurd.”

A federal court in Massachusetts has allowed seven women to sue Cos-

by for defamation over the statement, but a Pittsburgh judge dismissed Cosby Hill’s lawsuit.

In oral arguments Friday, the appeals court judges peppered her lawyer with questions about whether the comments amounted to defamation.

They did not indicate when they would rule.

Los Angeles lawyer Angela C. Agrusa, defending Cosby, said that Singer’s statement was “pure opinion” that, if anything, attacked the press for printing the accusations.

Hill’s lawyer, George M. Kontos, of Pittsburgh, said

Singer unfairly implied the women’s claims had been investigated and proven untrue.

“Over and over again, we have refuted these new, unsubstantiated stories with documentary evidence,” Singer wrote in the statement. “When will it end?”

The statement came days after The Washington Post printed a Nov. 13, 2014, opinion piece by Cosby accuser Barbara Bowman, and a day after Hill first told her account to a Pittsburgh radio station.

Hill accuses Cosby of drugging and sexually molesting her, starting when she was 16, after they met on the TV show, “Picture Pages,” in 1983.

A6 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

BUSINESS

Apple wins appeal reinstating $119.6M Samsung verdict

By Susan Decker B L OOM BE RG NEWS

Apple Inc. won an appeals court ruling that reinstates a patent-infringement verdict it won against Samsung Electronics Co., including for its slide-to-unlock feature for smartphones and tablets.

In an 8-3 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said a three-judge panel was wrong to throw out the $119.6 million verdict in February. Instead, it ordered the trial judge to consider whether the judgment should be increased based on any intentional infringement

by Samsung.

The decision Friday comes less than a week

before the U.S. Supreme Court considers another case Apple had filed against Samsung. That case, to be argued Tuesday in Washington, focuses on how much Samsung should pay for copying patented designs for Apple’s iPhone.

Together, the two cases are the remnants of a global legal battle between the world’s biggest makers of smartphones that began in April 2011 and at one point spanned four continents.

In this case, Apple claimed that Samsung infringed patents for the slide-to-unlock feature, autocorrect and a way to detect phone numbers so they can be tapped to make phone calls. The bulk of the award, $98.7

Andrew Caballero-Rey Nolds / Getty Images

A woman walks past an Apple store to buy the new Apple iPhone 7, in Washington, DC. A US appeals court on Friday handed Apple a victory in one of its battles with rival Samsung, reinstating a $119.6 million verdict for the iPhone maker for patent infringement.

million, was for the detection patent that the earlier panel said wasn’t infringed. The February decision also said the other two

Stocks end lower to cap first weekly loss in a month

patents were invalid.

‘Substantial evidence’ That was a wrong decision, the court ruled Fri-

By Christopher S. Rugaber

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

NEW YORK — Stocks ended slightly lower on Wall Street on Friday, giving the market its first weekly decline in a month.

The market edged up in early trading after a much anticipated report on hiring last month showed decent gains. It quickly turned lower and remained down for the rest of the day. Suppliers of basic materials and industrial companies lost the most.

The government reported that employers hired last month at a slower pace than forecast, but not slow enough to signal the economy is in trouble and cause the Federal Reserve to hold off on raising interest rates later this year.

Bonds were little changed on the news. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes slipped to 1.72 percent from 1.74 percent.

Real estate and phone companies continued to decline. Once favored by investors for their relative stability and steady dividends, they have become less attractive at the prospect of higher interest rates. Real estate companies lost 5 percent during the week, and phone companies slumped 3.8 percent.

WASHINGTON — Drawn by steady hiring and slightly higher pay, more Americans began looking for work in September, a sign of renewed optimism about the U.S. job market.

The influx of job seekers sent the unemployment rate up slightly as more Americans were counted as unemployed.

Taken as a whole, Friday’s jobs report from the government painted a picture of a resilient economy that could keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates in December.

Employers added 156,000 jobs, fewer than the 167,000 in August and well below last year’s average monthly gain of 230,000. Still, September’s hiring pace, if sustained, would likely be more than enough to absorb new job seekers.

At the same time, the unemployment rate inched up to 5 percent from 4.9 percent as more than 400,000 people began looking for jobs and some didn’t immediately find them. The rate has barely budged in the past year even though employers have added 2.4 million jobs. That’s because many Americans have begun seeking work after having remained on the sidelines

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

“Everything that everyone had been buying for safety has gone down this week, and it’s gone down big,” said John Fox, chief investment officer of Fenimore Asset Management. “You have an unwinding of the low-rate trade.”

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 28.01 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,240.49. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 7.03 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,153.74. The Nasdaq composite declined 14.45 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,292.40.

Industrial companies were dragged down in part by Honeywell International, which lowered its earnings forecast.

The company put out a press release citing lower shipments to aviation equipment makers and delays in its military and

space businesses, among other things. Honeywell closed down $8.67, or 7.5 percent, to $106.94.

The jobs report showed that U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs last month, a decent gain but slightly below market expectations. Jobs growth has averaged 178,000 a month so far this year, down from last year’s pace of 229,000.

Most investors expect the Fed to raise rates in December. It has held them near zero since 2008, a factor that many market watchers cite as a key driver of the sevenyear bull run in stocks.

Low interest rates make stocks appear relatively appealing compared to low-yielding bonds or CDs. They also make it easier for companies to borrow money to buy back their own stock.

tions of earlier ideas.

The three judges who objected to the majority opinion were the same ones who had thrown out the verdict in February.

Dyk said the panel “has continually expressed willingness, and indeed desire” to remove the information that the majority objected to, saying it wasn’t necessary to the original decision.

The Federal Circuit handles all patent appeals in the U.S., so its decisions have broad ramifications for how cases are handled in the courts and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The case is Apple Inc. v.

Samsung Electronics Co, 15-1171, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Solid hiring and better pay draw more Americans into job hunts

By Bernard Condon

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

day, because it relied on issues that were never raised on appeal or on information that was beyond the trial record.

“The jury verdict on each issue is supported by substantial evidence in the record,” Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore wrote for the majority.

The opinion was a surprise — the court never announced that it would consider the case before all active judges prior to issuing the opinion. In a dissent, Circuit Judge Timothy Dyk objected to the full court opting to take on the case without allowing additional legal arguments, saying the majority opinion results in “profound changes” in the analysis of whether patents cover obvious varia-

Sam VarnHagen / AP

United Auto Workers assemble a 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty truck at the Kentucky Truck Plant.

for much of the economic recovery.

“The word has spread that there are jobs to be had, and more and more people are flocking to the job market,” said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at California State University’s Smith School of Business, said.

The economy’s durability, despite its sluggish growth, contrasts sharply with the tumultuous ups and downs of the presidential race, which is nearing its end. The two major presidential nominees have sketched sharply conflicting views of the economy’s health and the best ways to accelerate its growth.

Donald Trump focuses on the loss of manufacturing jobs, for which he blames badly negotiated trade agreements. The Republican nominee also points to what he calls

excess regulation for stifling businesses and depressing hiring. He pledges to renegotiate or withdraw from the trade pacts and reduce regulation.

Hillary Clinton notes that 15 million jobs have been created since the economy bottomed in 2010. Still, she supports additional infrastructure spending to try to accelerate growth and hiring.

And she wants to make college more affordable and community college free.

Friday’s jobs report isn’t likely to affect the course of the election. But it reflected improvement in two key areas: job-hunting and pay.

For much of the recovery, the proportion of Americans who either had a job or were looking for one had declined as an aging population increased.

Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

RIBEREÑA EN BREVE FIESTA ROMA 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a su festival Roma Fest Parade 2016. El Marshal del desfile será Yamil Yunes. El concurso de los carros alegóricos inicia a las 3 p.m.

Desfile desde las 5 p.m. el domingo 9 de octubre.

FERIAS DE SALUD 1 La Oficina de Servicios Fronterizos de DSHS y el Consejo Binacional de Salud SMAC, invitan al público a acudir a dos ferias de salud.

Una se llevará a cabo en Colonias Unidas en Río Grande City el 13 de octubre de 8 a.m. a 11 a.m.; la segunda se realizará el mismo día en el Centro Comunitario Roma de 2 p.m. a 4 p.m. Informes con Lupita Guerrero al 956-729-8600.

DOCUMENTAL ‘DESPIERTA’ 1 Con motivo del Mes de la Herencia Hispana, Laredo Community College está invitando a la comunidad de Zapata a ver la proyección del Documental “Despierta”, que intenta proporcionar una perspectiva diferente sobre los orígenes de los pueblos indígenas en América, incluyendo a los aztecas y a los mayas. La proyección se llevará a cabo el 11 de octubre de 6:30 p.m. a 8:30 p.m. en el campus Fort McIntosh de LCC, ubicado West Washington Street, Laredo. Evento es gratuito y abierto al público.

TAMAULIPAS

CLIMA

Toman protesa a nuevo procurador

Huracán deja dos muertos

E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Cd. Victoria, México— Tras la aprobación de la Sexagésima Tercera Legislatura de Tamaulipas, el Gobernador, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, tomó protesta al Procurador General de Justicia, Irving Barrios Mojica.

El nuevo Procurador del estado es experto en temas de seguridad pública y política criminal, penal y administrativa. También fue titular de la Unidad Especializada en Investigación de Operaciones con Recursos de Procedencia Ilícita y de Falsificación o Alteración de Moneda, así como Director de Asuntos Internacionales de la PGR. El abogado, fue Subprocurador Especializado en Investigaciones de Delitos Federales de la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR), además fue Subprocurador de Investigación Especializada en Delincuencia

Dos personas han muerto en Estados Unidos debido al huracán Matthew, dijeron el viernes las autoridades.

Una mujer falleció y un hombre sufrió heridas menores cerca de City Crescent, en Florida, cuando un árbol cayó sobre su casa rodante durante la tormenta, según oficina del jefe policial del condado Putnam.

Los dos adultos intentaban escapar en su vehículo de la tormenta cuando cayó un árbol al parecer debido a los ventarrones, señaló la oficina del jefe policial en un mensaje difundido en su página de Facebook.

El hombre sufrió heridas menores pero la mujer perdió la vida.

Las autoridades no identificaron de momento a ambas víctimas.

Horas antes, el director de gestión de emergencia del condado Volusia, Jim Judge, había informado de la muerte de una mujer debido a la caída de un árbol sobre su casa.

Más de 300 personas han fallecido en el Caribe debido al huracán, principalmente en Haití.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

El Gobernador de Tamaulipas, México, Francisico Javier García Cabeza de Vaca tomó protesta al Procurador General de Justicia, Irving Barrios Mojica., el miércoles

Organizada (SIEDO-SEIDO), así como Coordinador General y Encargado del despacho de la Unidad Especializada en Investigación de Delitos Contra la Salud (SIEDO-SEIDO).

Al tomarle la protesta el

Gobernador de Tamaulipas recordó al nuevo procurador el compromiso que se tiene con la sociedad tamaulipeca para restablecer el orden, la paz y el estado de derecho.

CIUDAD DE ROMA

RECIBE K9 CHALECO ANTIBALAS

REUNIÓN ANUAL 1 La Asociación de Derechos de Propiedad del Sur de Texas invita a su 11ava.

Reunión Anual y Recaudación de Fondos en el centro Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center desde las 2:30 p.m. a las 7 p.m., el 13 de octubre. John Cornyn, Senador de EU será el orador invitado, además de otros conferencias.

Habrá cena, espectáculo, rifas y subastas silencias y en vivo.

Para máyores informes visite STPRA.ORG CURSOS DE LENGUAJE DE SIGNOS (ASL) 1 El Departamento de Educación Especial local está ofreciendo clases de Lenguaje Americano de Signos para el personal profesional y paraprofesional así como para padres, estudiantes o administradores del distrito Zapata County Independent School District, todos los jueves desde el 20 de octubre al 15 de diciembre (ocho semanas de duración). En el horario de 4:15 p.m. a 5:15 p.m., en laboratorio de computadoras de la escuela primaria Zapata North Elementary School.

Mayores informes al (956) 285-6877 o a la Oficina de Educación Especial al (956) 756-6130 antes del 13 de octubre.

EXHIBICIÓN DE ÁRBOLES FAMILIARES 1 El Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata y la Sociedad de Genealogía Nuevo Santander invitan a la exhibición de árboles familiares y cocina en sartenes de hierro fundido el viernes 21 de octubre.

A7

Foto de cortesía | Departamento de Policía de Roma

En la fotografía aparece el oficial canino K-9 Ares del Departamento de Policía de Roma luciendo el chaleco protector contra balas y armas punzocortantes que fue donado recientemente por Jennifer Luciano de New Jersey

Ciudadanos pueden donar prenda protectora a perros E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

El oficial canino K9 Ares del Departamento de Policía de Roma, ha recibido un chaleco protector contra balas y heridas de arma blanca, gracias a la donación de la organización sin fines de lucro Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. El chaleco fue patrocinado por Jennifer Luciano, una residente de New Jersey, ávida amante de los animales y que fue animada por el sentimiento “En honor de K9 Clif”.

El elemento canino K9 Clif del Departamento de Policía de

Vineland, New Jersey, murió al ser atropellado por un vehículo después de que se realizó un registro a un sospechoso de allanamiento en octubre de 2011.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. es una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en East Taunton, Massachussets, cuya misión es proporcionar chalecos protectores y asistencia a perros de las autoridades del orden y agencias relacionadas en todo Estados Unidos. La organización sin fines de lucro fue establecida en el 2009 para asistir a las agencias encargadas del orden con este potencial salvavidas para sus

oficiales caninos. Desde sus inicios, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. ha proporcionado más de 2.000 chalecos protectores en 50 estados, a través de donaciones privadas y corporativas, a un costo superior de 1,7 millones de dólares. Todos los chalecos son hechos a la medida en Estados Unidos por Armor Express in Central Lake, Michigan.

El programa está abierto a perros empleados activamente en EU por las autoridades o agencias relacionadas, que estén certificados y al menos tengan 20 meses de edad. Los nuevos oficiales caninos K9 graduados, al

igual que elementos con chalecos vencidos, son elegibles para participar.

El donativo para proporcionar un chaleco protector para un oficial canino es de 1.050 dólares.

Cada chaleco tiene un valor entre 1.795 a 2.234 dólares y una garantía de cuatro a cinco años, además tiene un peso promedio de cuatro a cinco libras. Hay un estimado de 30.000 oficiales caninos en todo EU. Para mayores informes o para conocer acerca de oportunidades de voluntariado, llame al 508824-6978 o visite el sitio www.vik9s.org

CULTURA

Filman escena en residencia laredense Por Enrique T. de la Garza TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Foto por Benedict Kim | NYT

Una casa blanca en Laredo, que pretendía estar en la playa, fue locación de película

En 1981 se filmó en Laredo la película Eddie Macon’s Run. Los protagonistas fueron Kirk Douglas y John Schneider.

Parte de la trama se desarrolla en Laredo.

Antes de que iniciara el rodaje de la película fui contratado por Universal

Studios cuando el productor ejecutivo del filme, Lou Stroller, me pidió fungir como scout (explorador) para la película.

Entre mis funciones estaba conseguir locaciones para filmar escenas y me pidieron que consiguiera una casa en la playa.

Esa era una tarea bastante difícil ya que no imaginaba cómo podría encontrar una casa de

playa en el desierto. Entonces recordé un tiempo cuando fui caddy en el Casa Blanca Country Club y caminaba de regreso a casa. Junto al camino había una casa blanca con palmas y un porche cubierto. Era una pequeña casa en medio de la nada Decidí buscarla y me sorprendí que ahí estaba y que nos la rentaran por un buen precio

A8 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

NATIONAL

United States blames Russia for hacking websites

By Deb Riechmann A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WASHINGTON — The U.S. on Friday blamed the Russian government for the hacking of political sites and accused Moscow of trying to interfere with the upcoming presidential election.

Pressure has been mounting on the Obama administration to call out Russia for the hacking of U.S. political sites and email accounts. The hacking claim Friday was another setback in already strained U.S.-Russia relations.

The White House declined to say whether the formal attribution would trigger sanctions against Russia. A senior Obama administration official said the U.S. would respond “at a time and place of our choosing,” but any retaliation may not take place in the open.

The official said the public won’t necessarily know what actions the U.S. has already taken or will take in the future against Russia in cyberspace. The official wasn’t authorized to comment by name and requested anonymity.

Federal officials are investigating cyberattacks at the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Election data systems in at least two states also have been breached.

We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities,” the Office of the Director of

National Intelligence said in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security.

The statement said recent disclosures of alleged hacked emails on websites like DCLeaks.com and WikiLeaks, and by the Guccifer 2.0 online persona, are consistent with the methods and motivations of efforts directed by Russia, which has denied involvement.

“These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process,” the statement said. “Such activity is not new to Moscow. The Russians have used similar tactics and techniques across Europe and Eurasia, for example, to influence public opinion there.”

A phone message and email left with the Embassy of the Russian Federation were not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House intelligence committee, applauded the administration’s decision to publicly name Russia as the source of the hacking.

“We should now work with our European allies who have been the victim of similar and even more malicious cyber interference by Russia to develop a concerted response that protects our institutions and deters further meddling,” Schiff said.

Intelligence officials say some states have experienced scanning or probing of their election systems, which in most cases originated from servers operated by a Russian company.

Trump caught on video making lewd, crude remarks about women

By Jonathan Lemire ASSOCIATED PRE SS

NEW YORK — Donald Trump blurted out lewd and sexually charged comments about women as he waited to make a cameo appearance on a soap opera in 2005. The Republican presidential nominee issued a rare apology Friday, “if anyone was offended.”

Trump bragged about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women who were not his wife on audio and video recordings obtained by The Washington Post and NBC News. The celebrity businessman boasted “when you’re a star, they let you do it,” in a conversation with Billy Bush, then a host of the television show “Access Hollywood.”

The remarks were captured by a live microphone that Trump did not appear to know was recording their conversation.

In a statement released by his campaign, Trump said: “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. I apologize if anyone was offended.”

The comments came two days before the Republican nominee meets Democratic nominee

Hillary Clinton for their second presidential debate, and as he confronts a series of stories about his past comments about women and tries to move beyond remarks shaming a former Miss Universe for gaining weight.

The 2005 remarks were recorded months after the reality TV star married his third wife, Melania. He is heard bemoaning that he tried and failed to seduce an unidentified woman, saying, “I moved on her and I failed, I’ll admit.”

“I did try and f—- her.

She was married,” Trump said. “And I moved on her very heavily. In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, ‘I’ll show you where they have some nice furniture.”’

Trump said he “moved on her like bitch” and then made a crass remark about the woman’s breast implants. Then, after seeing the actress Arianne Zucker on the set of the soap opera on which he was to appear, he said he needed some breath mints “just in case I start kissing her.”

“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump said.

Evan Vucci / AP file

Donald Trump made a series of lewd and sexually charged comments about women as he waited to make a cameo appearance on a soap opera in 2005.

“And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything.”

He added: “Grab them by the p——. You can do anything.”

The comments, which appeared to condone sexual assault, were swiftly condemned by Clinton’s campaign.

“This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president,” Clinton posted on her campaign’s Twitter account.

Earlier this week, Trump dismissed questions about his history of vulgarity, telling a television station in Nevada that “a lot of that was done for the purpose of entertainment.” He added: “And I can tell you this, there’s nobody — nobody — that has more respect for women than I do.”

Trump has a long history of making lewd and highly sexual comments toward and about women. The Associated Press reported this week that during his years as a reality TV star on the “The Apprentice,” the GOP nominee repeatedly demeaned women with sexist language, rating female contestants by the size of their breasts and talking about which ones he’d like to have sex with.

During frequent interviews with shock jock Howard Stern in the 1990s, Trump made a long list of demeaning

comments, saying that he could have had sex with Diana, princess of Wales, who had recently been killed in a car crash, and declaring that “A person who is very flat-chested is very hard to be a 10.”

He has repeatedly called the comedian Rosie O’Donnell a “pig” and “slob” and suggested she’d be less depressed if she stopped looking in the mirror. The Los Angeles Times reported last month that managers at Trump’s golf club in southern California knew the New York developer only wanted good-looking women on staff.

The Republican nominee delivered an uneven performance in the first presidential debate — punctuated by his frequent interruptions of his female opponent — and then spent days after the debate renewing his past attacks on Alicia Machado, the 1995 winner of the Miss Universe pageant that Trump used to own, over her weight.

Trump is slated to travel Saturday to Wisconsin to campaign at an event with House Speaker Paul Ryan, in what would be their first joint campaign appearance.

Several aides to Ryan did not respond to inquiries about whether the Wisconsin Republican still planned to appear with the nominee.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

A9

FROM THE COVER

Death toll rises as Haiti digs out from hurricane wreckage

By David McFadden A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

JEREMIE, Haiti — People across southwest Haiti were digging through the wreckage of their homes Friday, salvaging what they could of their meager possessions after devastating Hurricane Matthew killed hundreds of people in the impoverished country.

The central government’s official death toll stood at nearly 300, but an official in southwest Haiti said that figure did not include at least 80 more people and authorities doing the on-ground assessment in remote corners of the southwestern peninsula said it would likely be significantly higher.

Saint-Victor Jeune, an official with the Civil Protection agency working in Beaumont, in the mountains on the outskirts of hard-hit Jeremie, said 82 bodies found by his team had not been recorded by authorities in the capital because of spotty communications. Most appeared to have died from falling debris from the winds that tore through the area at 145 mph (235 kph) on Tuesday.

“We don’t have any contact with Port-auPrince yet and there are places we still haven’t reached,” Jeune said, as he and a team of Civil Protection agents in orange vests combed through the area.

The storm left signs of devastation all around the southwestern peninsula.

Outside the coastal town

STAMPS From page A1 Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides assistance to almost 1.2 million Texas households through Lone Star cards that can be used like credit cards at stores that accept food stamps.

The need for food stamps increased significantly during the 2008 economic recession. But as the economy has recovered, SNAP rolls have been slow to fall both nationally and in Texas.

The share of Texas households on food stamps peaked at 14.3 percent in

BORDER From page A1 2005. The number of people who eluded capture is larger when including those who escaped detection at border crossings or who entered by sea, which is the responsibility of Homeland Security agencies outside the Border Patrol. Adding those, 200,000 people got away last year, 260,000 in 2014, and 1.9 million in 2005.

The huge drop in illegal entries over the last decade coincides with increases in border security spending, which has reached $14 billion annually. The report notes more serious consequences imposed on illegal crossers during that period, which include jail time.

Immigration experts have also cited the significant decline in job opportunities after the Great Recession that began at the end of 2007.

Still, sharp declines in illegal entries have continued in recent years as the economy improved.

“This is the first solid evidence we have that

of Jeremie, home after home was in ruins. Drew Garrison, a Haiti-based missionary who flew in Friday, said several fishing villages along the coast were submerged and he could see bodies floating in the water.

“Anything that wasn’t concrete was flattened,” said Garrison, whose organization, Mission of Hope Haiti, based in Austin, Texas, was bringing in a barge loaded with emergency supplies on Saturday. “There were several little fishing villages that just looked desolate, no life.”

Solette Phelicin, a mother of five who lost her home and her small fruit and vegetable plot, watched from her yard as U.N. peacekeepers patrolled the small air strip.

She said they were hungry and desperately in need of food. “Jeremie might get rebuilt after I’m dead, maybe, but I doubt it.”

As Haitians mourned their losses, they tried to recover what they could of their belongings. Homes throughout the area were piles of rubble, the roofs mangled or stripped away.

Telemaque Dieuseal, 54-year-old farmer, fled his small house to stay with a cousin. When he returned, he could not find his TV, motorcycle or radio in the wreckage.

“The thieves were out all day after the storm stealing everything they could get,” Dieuseal said.

“It’s going to take a long time to get back on my feet.”

Workers from the International Organization of Migration and other groups were going through the area to assess the damage and provide assistance, though their efforts were hampered by damaged roads, rough terrain and other factors.

“Devastation is everywhere,” said Pilus Enor, mayor of Camp Perrin, a town near the port city of Les Cayes on the peninsula’s south shore. “Every house has lost its roof.”

Officials were especially concerned about the department of Grand-Anse on the northern tip of the peninsula, where they believe the death toll and damage is highest.

Emmanuel Pierre, an Interior Ministry coordinator in Les Cayes, told The Associated Press late Thursday that authorities had counted 283 people dead in one part of Haiti’s hard-hit southwest, but that did not include Grand-Anse or its surrounding areas.

Death tolls are fre-

quently difficult to tabulate in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster in any country, though it is particularly difficult in remote and mountainous southwest Haiti.

When Category 4 Hurricane Flora hit Haiti in 1963, it killed as many as 8,000 people.

More bodies began to appear Thursday as waters receded in some places two days after Matthew’s 145 mph (235 kph) winds smashed concrete walls, flattened palm trees and tore roofs off homes, forcing thousands of Haitians to flee.

Those killed in Haiti included a woman and her 6-year-old daughter who frantically abandoned their flimsy home and headed to a nearby church to seek shelter as Matthew surged in early Tuesday, said Ernst Ais, mayor of the town of Cavaillon.

“On the way to the church, the wind took them,” Ais said.

Officials said that food

and water were urgently needed, noting that crops had been leveled, wells inundated by seawater and some water treatment facilities destroyed.

Officials with the Pan American Health Organization warned about a possible surge in cholera cases because of the widespread flooding caused by Matthew. Haiti’s cholera outbreak has killed roughly 10,000 people and sickened more than 800,000 since 2010, when it was introduced into the country’s biggest river from a U.N. base where Nepalese peacekeepers were deployed.

Haiti’s government has estimated at least 350,000 people need some kind of assistance in what is likely to be the country’s worst humanitarian crisis since the devastating earthquake of January 2010.

International aid groups are already appealing for donations for a lengthy recovery effort in Haiti, the hemisphere’s least-developed and most

aid-dependent nation.

In the coming days, the U.S. military expects to help deliver food and water to hard-hit areas via helicopter.

After passing over Haiti, Matthew hit Cuba’s lightly populated eastern tip Tuesday night, damaging hundreds of homes in the easternmost city of Baracoa but there were no reports of deaths. Nearly 380,000 people were evacuated and measures were taken to protect infrastructure.

Matthew advanced up the length of the Bahamas on Wednesday and Thursday, tearing roofs away, toppling trees and causing flooding that trapped some people in their homes. There had been no reports of casualties by late Thursday as the storm headed toward Florida’s coast.

Before hitting Haiti, the storm was blamed for four deaths in the Dominican Republic, one in Colombia and one in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

2012 — up from 9.5 percent in 2008. By contrast, the share of households below the official poverty line has dropped slightly below 2008 level.

“Just having people move out of poverty isn’t necessarily moving” people out of the income eligibility range for SNAP, said state demographer Lloyd Potter.

In fact, only about half of households receiving food stamps were below the poverty level in 2015. A family of four would generally need to make $40,104 or less now to qualify for food stamps.

By contrast, a family of four with two children

would be classified as poor if their income is less than $24,036.

The median household income in Texas last year was $55,653 — up almost 5 percent from 2014. While the median household income for households on food stamps also increased, it was much lower: $22,488.

Additionally, some areas of the state didn’t see people move out of poverty despite overall economic gains. Roughly a third of the state’s 25 metropolitan areas actually saw their poverty rates increase in 2015, and the share of people living in poverty in more than

half of the state’s metro areas surpassed the state average.

South Texas metro areas, which are predominantly Hispanic, remained among the poorest areas of the state, with poverty rates double the state figure.

Half of the Texas households that received food stamps in 2015 were considered Hispanic households.

Overall, black and Hispanic households were far more likely to receive food stamps than white households.

Nutrition advocates are claiming success when it comes to reducing the

share of Texas households who live with “food insecurity,” meaning their access to adequate food is limited by lack of money and other resources.

In a September report looking at food security in 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture placed the food insecurity rate among Texas households at 15.4 percent — down from 17.2 percent the year before.

While the prevalence of food insecurity in Texas — along with 11 other states — was higher than the national average, the decline in Texas was more significant than it was nationally, said Kathy

Krey, research director for the Texas Hunger Initiative at Baylor University.

The decrease is a result of both a drop in poverty and targeted efforts to improve access to food, Krey said, pointing to increased use of a federal nutrition program and other private food resources. Among efforts to improve food access are several pieces of legislation that have increased Texas schools’ participation in summer meals and breakfast programs.

“We’re still not below or at what we saw in 2007 and some of the years before,” Krey said. “But we’re getting closer.”

the border buildup of the last 20 years has indeed made some significant difference in deterring and reducing illegal entries across the southern border,” said Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The department said Thursday that the report was “one building block provided by a research organization” toward developing more reliable measures of border security and that its methodology needed refinement.

“DHS does not believe it is in the public interest to release, and it would be irresponsible to make policy or other judgments on the basis of analysis that is incomplete and remains a work in progress,” spokeswoman Marsha Catron said.

The Border Patrol’s capture rate on the Mexican border was 55 percent in 2014 and 36 percent in 2005, according to the report prepared for Homeland Security by the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded research organization. The Border Patrol achieved an 11-

Hector Retamal / Getty Images

A woman sits in her home destroyed in hurricane Matthew as she prepares tea in Jeremie, in western Haiti on Friday.

Astrid Galvan / AP file

A U.S. Border Patrol agent, left, helps an immigrant, including setting up intravenous fluid replacement for dehydration, near Sells, Arizonia.

point improvement in 2014 after years of slow but steady gains.

The report offers detailed analysis going back to 2000, shortly before the U.S. erected hundreds of miles of border fences, added surveillance gear and doubled the number of Border Patrol agents.

Homeland Security has been under pressure to show if those multibillion-dollar investments

yielded results.

The primary measure that Homeland Security has publicly released is the number of Border Patrol arrests, which tells how many people got caught but not how many got away. Arrests dropped to the lowest level in 44 years in 2015, down 80 percent from a peak of nearly 1.7 million in 2000.

For the last two years, the department has re-

leased an “interdiction effectiveness rate” that measures the percentage of people who got caught among all who attempted to enter between crossings on the Mexican border. The figure — which was 81 percent last year — includes those who set foot in the U.S. and turned around and asylum-seekers.

The report obtained by the AP does not credit the government for peo-

ple who turn around or turn themselves in to agents to seek asylum, a common occurrence among Central American women and children who have entered the country in large numbers over the last five years.

The report says there were 140,000 asylum seekers on the Mexican border last year and 170,000 in 2014, compared to about 20,000 a year a decade ago. Homeland Security’s practice of counting those as captures goes a long way toward explaining why its success rate was so much higher.

Counting border crossers who elude capture is a mammoth and imprecise task but one that many experts believe is necessary to judge whether the border is secure. Homeland Security approaches the job by tracking physical evidence, such as footprints in the desert and other signs of human presence, and by agent sightings. The internal report uses that information, along with migrant surveys and techniques developed by social scientists.

A10 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS VS. OKLAHOMA

B1

MLB: BLUE JAYS 5, RANGERS 3 — ALDS GAME 2

Texas falls in two-game hole to begin ALDS Rangers lose both home games to Jays

By Stephen Hawkins ASSOCIATED PRE SS Sue Ogrocki / AP photo file

Texas head coach Charlie Strong looks to once again be on the hot seat as the Longhorns meet Oklahoma Saturday in the Red River Rivalry.

Texas’ Strong enters OU game once again under pressure

David J. Phillip / Associated Press

Rougned Odor and the Rangers lost each of their first two games in Texas and head to Toronto down 2-0 in the best-of-5 ALDS against the Blue Jays.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Talk about a 1-2-3 punch for the Toronto Blue Jays in these playoffs.

The wild-card Blue Jays have rediscovered their power stroke in October, and are going home with a chance to sweep the Texas Rangers

in the AL Division Series after a 5-3 win Friday.

Edwin Encarnacion capped a three-homer burst in the fifth inning off Yu Darvish and Toronto won on a dreary, misty afternoon for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five matchup.

One important reminder, though: Last fall, ToRangers continues on B2

NCAA FOOTBALL: NO. 8 TEXAS A&M VS. NO. 9 TENNESSEE

A&M, TENNESSEE BOTH LOOK TO REMAIN PERFECT

Longhorns to face Sooners in Norman

By Cliff Brunt A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

NORMAN, Okla. — A year ago, Texas coach Charlie Strong strengthened his shaky job status with an upset win over Oklahoma.

He could use another one in this year’s edition of the Red River Rivalry against the 20th-ranked Sooners Saturday in Dallas.

Strong’s Longhorns (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) opened this season with a win over Notre Dame that energized their demanding fans. But allowing 50 and 49 points in losses to California and Oklahoma State prompted a comment from athletic director Mike Perrin, and changes followed. Strong, a former defensive coordinator, took the defensive controls from Vance Bedford this week in hopes that a personal touch can sway the team’s fortunes.

“I don’t think it’s desperate measures,” Strong said. “Talking to defensive staff, they understand what we need to get done. I’ve done it before. I see where I can help. Sometimes you need new energy and eyes.”

Oklahoma’s season hasn’t been a picnic either.

The Sooners (2-2, 1-0) entered the season ranked No. 3 and with hopes of competing for a national title after reaching the College Football Playoff last season, but that goal faded after losses to Houston and Ohio State.

All is not lost. The Sooners won their conference opener at No. 21 TCU last Saturday , and a victory over the Longhorns would give the Sooners wins over two of the Big 12’s most talented teams in their bid for another league title.

With all the disappointment each team already has encountered, and the heat rising for Strong and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, neither can afford to lose to their top rival.

“From an emotional standpoint, this is a street fight,” Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “That’s absolutely what this is. There’s no hiding that. This is the biggest rivalry in college football. You get in that tunnel and there’s nothing nice to be said. They don’t like us and we don’t like them.”

Here are some things to watch heading into this year’s matchup.

TEXAS NO STEP Texas running back Chris Warren III is out indefinitely after injuring his right knee Saturday against Oklahoma State. Warren missed the secTexas continues on B2

Todd Bennett / Getty Images file

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds and No. 8 Texas A&M host No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday in an SEC showdown.

Aggies host battle of unbeatens Saturday

By Kristie Rieken ASSOCIATED PRE SS

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M has had a tough time piling on points late after building a lead this season.

The eighth-ranked Aggies know that if they get ahead on Saturday against No. 9 Tennessee and let up it probably

won’t end well for them.

Not what the Volunteers have done again and again this year.

Tennessee’s Jauan Jennings grabbed a 43-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Dobbs on the last play of the game to give the Volunteers a 34-31 win over Georgia last weekend and improve to 5-0. The catch came after the Bull-

dogs took the lead on their own long scoring grab with 10 seconds to play.

It was the fourth time in five games that Tennessee has come back from a double-digit deficit to get a victory.

“Let’s just say what it is,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “This is a team on paper if you don’t watch it you say:

‘Well, they’ve gotten lucky.’ No, they haven’t gotten lucky. They have a veteran quarterback that is No. 1 in league for points responsible for.

Let’s just start there.

Whether he’s throwing it, he’s running it, whatever he’s doing he’s the No. 1 guy for points in this league. That gives you a A&M continues on B2

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS

Romo had MRI last week, received positive feedback

By Jon Machota THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images file

Cowboys QB Tony Romo had an MRI and received positive results last week.

FRISCO, Texas — Tony Romo received an MRI on his injured back last week. The feedback was very good for the Cowboys’ franchise quarterback, a source said.

Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has watched Romo

throw recently and said he "looks good."

Thursday marked six weeks since Romo suffered an L1 compression fracture against Seattle in Dallas’ third preseason game. He has not returned to practice, but he has been throwing more frequently.

"I don’t think he’s really getting carried

away with drops, but he’s stepping through and throwing," Linehan said.

"It looks like he feels good, and he tells me he does feel good. Where exactly that is, I think he’s just progressing daily.

"We’re just kind of taking it day by day with where he’s at. But he does look better to me - he

looks more comfortable.

We’ll see. I’m excited about him coming back."

After sustaining the injury, Romo’s timetable to return was set at six to 10 weeks. The most likely scenario at the moment is Romo returning after the bye week when the Cowboys host the Eagles Oct. 30.

Cowboys continues on B2

B2 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

SPORTS

Texans wide receiver Will Fuller still looking to improve despite his hot start

By Kristie Rieken A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

HOUSTON — Will Fuller has avoided the slow start many rookie receivers endure and leads the Houston Texans and all first-year players with 323 yards receiving.

The speedy Fuller has also pitched in on special teams, taking the first punt return of his career 67 yards for a touchdown last weekend to earn AFC special teams player of the week honors.

And still coach Bill O’Brien is looking for more from the 22year-old as he heads into his fifth game on Sunday at Minnesota .

“He’s got a long way to go,” O’Brien said. “I know that sounds crazy to you guys, but he’s got a long way to go. I mean he can improve in so many different areas.”

Fuller’s speed has always been his best quality, and it was only talked about more after he ran a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. But enter-

ing the draft, some wondered if his other skills were good enough to succeed as an NFL receiver.

The 21st overall pick in this year’s draft quickly allayed those fears, grabbing five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s opener to become the first first-round pick to have a 100-yard receiving game in his debut since 1984. In Week 2, he finished with four catches for 104 yards to become the first player drafted in the first round to start his career with consecutive 100-yard receiving games.

Fuller has slowed down a bit in the past two weeks, with 31 and 81 yards receiving, respectively, but that hasn’t stopped people around the league from taking notice.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was asked about the challenges Fuller’s speed presents.

“It’s nerve-wracking to say the least,” he said. “He is a bigplay receiver and he’s doing a great job.”

The soft-spoken Fuller hates

talking about himself and simply won’t discuss his early success.

“I’m just moving on,” he said.

“We still have a long season so (there’s) a lot of room for me to improve. So I’m not going to just dwell on something that happened last week.”

Quarterback Brock Osweiler isn’t surprised that Fuller is off to a great start.

“Will has done such a great job through the first four games because of his work ethic,” Osweiler said. “A lot of players leave during the summer, and he stayed here. I think that says a lot about him. I think it says a lot about him as a person.”

Fuller believes that building a good relationship with Osweiler has been the most important factor in how his season has gone so far.

“Getting on the same page as your quarterback is a big thing,” he said. “He has to trust you for anything to start.”

Fuller is a meticulous student of the game, and O’Brien said he often sees Fuller jotting down

A&M From page B1

TEXAS From page B1

chance to have those types of games and to win every game.”

Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight is well-aware of what the Volunteers have done this season and won’t be shy about reminding his team of their history if the Aggies build a lead in this matchup of unbeaten teams.

“Keep your foot on the pedal, don’t let up because there’s a lot of ball left to play,” he said. “It’s never over until it’s over especially with the way these guys have battled back throughout this season and that’s going to be an emphasis this week. Starting fast and definitely finishing the game.”

While the Aggies worry about finishing games, the Volunteers are looking to start fast after playing from behind almost every week.

“With these games coming up, going on the road playing Texas A&M, we need to play four quarters of football,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.

“That’s paramount. This football team is as talented as any football team in the country.”

The first quarter has been particularly bad for the Volunteers where they’ve been outscored 41-10. Things are much different late in games where they have a 76-21 advantage in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.

“I think we’re like vampires,” Tennessee receivers coach Zach Azzanni quipped. “I think when the sun goes down, we’re a lot better.”

Some things to know about the Tennessee-Texas A&M game.

ond half against Oklahoma State after rushing for 106 yards on 10 carries in the first half. Leading rusher D’Onta Foreman left the Oklahoma State game in the third quarter with an abdominal injury after churning out 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Strong said he expects Foreman to play Saturday.

WHITHER HURD Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd has a team-high 407 yards rushing but is coming off a difficult performance against Georgia. Hurd lost a fumble on his way to the end zone. He scored a touchdown in the third quarter, but sat out most of the second half with what Jones described as a lower extremity injury that has left his status for Saturday’s game uncertain. Jones has said Hurd is day to day this week with the injury.

PASS-RUSHING FORCES The game could feature two of the nation’s top pass rushers in Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett and Tennessee’s Derek Barnett . Garrett has 27 career sacks and 38 1⁄2 tackles for losses. Barnett has 24 sacks and 41 1⁄2 tackles for losses. Barnett has recorded two sacks in each of his last two games.

RARE MEETING This marks just the third time Tennessee and Texas A&M have faced each other, and it’s their first regular-season meeting. Tennessee beat Texas A&M 3-0 in the 1957 Gator Bowl and 38-7 in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005.

INJURY UPDATE Tennessee will be without linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland, Jr. as well as cornerback Cam Sutton because of injuries. Texas A&M starters Garrett, receivers Ricky SealsJones and Speedy Noil and offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor all sat out last week because of various injuries.

Sumlin refused to comment on the health of any of the players on Tuesday.

SCHEDULE WATCH The Vols get no breather after their visit to College Station. Next weekend, Tennessee gets a visit from top-ranked Alabama and the Crimson Tide will host the Aggies on Oct. 22 in games that will likely go a long way in shaping the race for the SEC championship.

MIXON IT UP Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon can be found all over the field. The sophomore running back ranks fourth

COWBOYS From page B1 "The plan for him is just to continue to progress in

Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

Houston WR Will Fuller was recently named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

notes during meetings when he’s being given tips or criticism.

“He’s a very bright guy, very hard working guy,” he said.

“Really understands football.

He’s an instinctive player. He’s done a good job of taking care of his body ... I think the college program that he comes from, Notre Dame, trained him very well in how to practice and how to do things off the field.”

Fuller doesn’t understand why his note-taking is a subject of conversation and shrugged

his shoulders when asked about why he does it.

“It just helps me remember stuff,” he said. “When I get a tip or something, I just want to write it down so I don’t forget about it.”

Fuller and teammate and Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be challenged this week in facing a Minnesota defense that limited Odell Beckham to three receptions for a career-low 23 yards in a win over the Giants last weekend.

nationally in all-purpose yards with 191.5 per game.

He has 340 yards rushing, 242 on kickoff returns, 162 receiving and 22 on punt returns. He returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State.

It will worth watching to see how Oklahoma’s already struggling defense handles losing a significant player. Emmanuel Beal, who had eight tackles against TCU last Saturday, is expected to fill the slot.

EVANS RETIRES Oklahoma linebacker Tay Evans has retired from football after dealing with concussions. It was difficult news for his teammates to hear.

“The guy had been starting, and really had an incredible future, but we want the best for him moving forward in his life first and foremost,” Stoops said.

SWOOPING IN Reserve quarterback Tyrone Swoopes is handling business for Texas in short yardage and red zone situations. He has five multitouchdown rushing games in his past 13 outings, and had two scores last Saturday against Oklahoma State.

FAVORITE TARGET? Mayfield has been searching for someone to replace

Sterling Shepard’s production from last season for the Sooners. Dede Westbrook showed he might be the guy with seven catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns last week against TCU. He had touchdowns receptions of 67 and 40 yards against the Horned Frogs. He has recovered from an unspecified injury that cost him some of his speed earlier in the season.

“You talk about the explosive part of his game, which is what makes him so special,” Mayfield said. “I mean, he’s got such unique speed and top level speed.

When he’s able to use it, he benefits from it.”

his rehab," head coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday. "A lot of his rehab is off the field, it’s doing work for his back, it’s in the training room, it’s with the strength

coaches.

"The next step for him is to throw the ball. He’s thrown it a little bit this week already. He’ll continue to do that. Like with all our

players, when you do work, the biggest thing is how do you respond to the work?

How does he feel the day afterwards? You make those adjustments as you go."

cast with a temperature of 67 degrees, but the game started on time after rain fell overnight and in the earlymorning hours at Globe Life Park. It was 90 degrees Thursday at the start of the series opener that was played under bright, sunny conditions.

RANGERS From page B1 ronto lost the first two games of the ALDS at home against Texas, then rallied to win the series.

“I learned something last year ... you got to win three games,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “They’ve got a great team over there.

You don’t lead the American League, powerhouse league, you don’t luck into that.”

Wearing spikes that had "No Panic" printed on them, closer Roberto Osuna got a five-out save that sent the Blue Jays home looking to clinch the series in Game 3 Sunday night.

Osuna entered after reliever Francisco Liriano was hit in the neck by Carlos Gomez’s line drive — Liriano was hospitalized as a precaution. It was Osuna’s first appearance since he left the mound in the AL wild-card win Tuesday night with a shoulder injury that left his status in doubt.

Kevin Pillar, Ezequiel Carrera and Encarnacion, who ended the wild-card game with a three-run homer in the 11th inning, hit solo homers in a five-batter span in the fifth. Troy Tulowitzki’s two-run drive in the second put 20-game winner J.A. Happ and the Blue Jays ahead to stay.

“Getting behind in the count, and they were looking for fastballs,” Darvish said through his interpreter.

“When I left it on the plate, they got it.”

Texas scored twice in the eighth, including Gomez’s single that struck Liriano.

The pitcher walked off the mound, and an ambulance took him to the hospital for what Gibbons referred to as “some further tests.”

A day after Cleveland homered three times in an

David J. Phillip / Associated Press

The Blue Jays defeated the Rangers’ top two starters beating Yu Darvish Friday and Cole Hamels Thursday.

inning against Boston and won its ALDS opener, the Blue Jays matched the feat against the team that had the best record in the AL this year. The home runs boosted the Blue Jays in a game in which they got outhit 13-6.

While Toronto finished the regular season fourth in the majors with 221 homers, there were only eight the last 11 games. They already have eight in three postseason games.

“Home runs are always a good thing,” Gibbons said.

Darvish had as many strikeouts (four) in his five innings as homers allowed, becoming the first pitcher in the postseason to allow four homers in a game since Minnesota’s Rick Reed against Oakland in Game 3 of the 2002 ALDS. Texas has lost five straight ALDS games to the Blue Jays since winning the first two games in Toronto last October. The Rangers dropped to 1-11 in ALDS games in their home ballpark, including Cole Hamels worst-ever postseason outing in the 10-1 series-opening loss Thursday.

“We’ve come back from a

lot this year. ... We all believe in each other,” said Texas outfielder Ian Desmond, who drove in two runs but was also thrown out trying to score on an infield grounder.

Happ allowed nine hits but only run before leaving one batter into the sixth.

“You go into a game knowing that at some point they’re going to get their hits,” Happ said. “But yeah, it was a battle. It seemed like a long five innings.”

Osuna, who afterward said he felt no pain, came in a little earlier than planned, a move that followed Liriano getting struck.

The ball off Gomez’s bat was measured at 102 mph, and Liriano turned away just in time to avoid being hit in the face. Gomez winced as the ball caromed into right-center field to make it 5-2.

Desmond drove in a run with a grounder before Osuna struck out Carlos Beltran to end the eighth.

Adrian Beltre was stranded at second after a leadoff double in the ninth.

COOL DOWN At first pitch, it was over-

OUT AT HOME Desmond had a leadoff double in the seventh, but later thrown later was thrown out at the plate when third baseman Josh Donaldson fielded a grounder and threw home. The out call stood after a replay challenge by the Rangers.

TRAINER’S ROOM Blue Jays: 2B Devon Travis was scratched from the starting lineup about an hour before first pitch because of right knee irritation.

Rangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo was out of the lineup after playing Game 1, but manager Jeff Banister said Choo was fine physically.

Choo was on the disabled list four times this year, and had missed 39 games with a broken left forearm until last weekend.

UP NEXT Blue Jays: One of the two losses by RHP Aaron Sanchez, the AL ERA leader at 3.00, was to Texas. He gave up a season high-matching six runs and was the loser in that May 15 game with the bench-clearing brawl after Toronto star Jose Bautista was punched by Rougned Odor.

Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA in nine career postseason games (eight starts) for Texas. In 2010, he won the AL Championship Series clincher to get the Rangers to their first World Series, and beat San Francisco in Game 3 for their only victory in that series.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 8, 2016 |

Dear Heloise: Wouldn't it be a cute column idea to ask readers to send in the best hint they ever got from an OLDER RELATIVE? I don't think this would put you out of the hint business, and you might get some interesting answers!

My grandmother's hint to a newlywed was, "Never go to bed angry," and my husband's retort to that always is, "Sometimes we stayed up for days." Thanks, Grandma!

-- H.T., via email EASY REACHER Dear Heloise: Due to an accident many years ago, reaching with my right arm to make my payment at a drive-thru window for food, etc., is awkward and results in money falling to the ground. I solved this by saving an empty container from my prescription drugs with the label removed.

I place money in the container and hand it to the drive-thru cashier.

The cashier places any change coming to me, along with my receipt, in the container. No more cash falling to the ground!

Just thought someone like me might benefit from this. -- Phyllis Jeanne C., via email GNATS BEGONE! Dear Heloise: At this time of year, we are bringing in a lot of veggies and fruits during the harvest season. It seems the gnats are immediately attracted, so I put a little brandy (I use blackberry brandy) into a small glass or bowl (it doesn't take much), and they will be attracted to this and drown. It works great wherever gnats appear in the house.

-- Marilyn in Northwest Indiana

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B4 | Saturday, October 8, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES