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COURTS
HIGHER EDUCATION
Civil case victory
Fees raised
Plaintiff closer to $1M after ruling on auto accident
LCC tries to make up for tuition, fee shortfall
By MATTHEW NELSON THE ZAPATA TIMES
With the Fourth Court of Appeals’ affirmation of a Zapata County civil case ruling, plaintiff Lauren Garza is another step closer to getting her hands on more than $1 million in compensation for an automobile accident she was involved in. “There’s an old saying in Texas that negotiations don’t ever really start until you get a verdict,” said Garza’s attorney, Jaime Gonzalez.
gence of an employee of JLG Trucking,” the court’s opinion states. The decision was made by the Fourth Court of Appeals on Oct. 9. “I think that the Fourth Court of Appeals’ decision was solid and it was expected. It complies with case law and case precedents, so there’s no surprise in this decision,” Gonzalez said. Unhappy with the verdict, JLG’s primary contention with
“
I think that the Fourth Court of Appeals’ decision was solid and it was expected.” ATTORNEY JAIME GONZALEZ
JLG Trucking appealed the verdict in the case that initially resulted in the jury awarding
Garza $1,166,264.38 in damages for injuries sustained during an accident caused by “the negli-
See VICTORY PAGE 7A
RANCHING
‘KING’ OF TEXAS Photos by Marie D. De Jess | Houston Chronicle
LEFT: Rose Morales poses in a temporary King Ranch store in Houston’s CityCentre for the winter holidays. The grand opening took place on Thursday, Oct. 31. TOP: The store is selling a wide variety of their merchandise including accessories, such as this belt buckle, commemorating the 160th anniversary of King Ranch.
Iconic King Ranch spreads brand with popup store By DAVID KAPLAN HOUSTON CHRONICLE
HOUSTON — The 1,300square-mile King Ranch is renting an extra 2,000 square feet. The iconic South Texas ranch has a popup store in Houston’s CityCentre, selling boots, apparel, accessories, luggage and more. It opened Friday and closes Christmas Eve. The temporary King Ranch Saddle Shop debuted at the west Houston center last year, but was open for less than half the time. Houston is one of the King Ranch’s best retail markets, based on catalog and online
sales, said Bill Gardiner, chief financial officer at the King Ranch’s Houston-based corporate headquarters. Might they have a yearround store here one day? “We’re sticking our toe in the water in Houston,” he said, adding that it is premature to say if the privately owned company will ever have a permanent store here. In the meantime, the King Ranch has found a variety of ways to market itself. The South Texas ranch has leveraged itself as a brand, selling items at its Kingsville store, on its website and through its catalog. It also has a licensing agreement with Ford.
“The King Ranch has a smart and aggressive branding team,” said Doug McIntyre, CEO of Cult Marketing in Columbus, Ohio. “When developing a brand, you have to ask, ‘Does it tell a story?,”’ he said. The King Ranch’s vast, rugged landscape and legendary cattle and quarterhorse breeding programs are a lot to draw on, McIntyre said, and they create a sense of “heritage and authenticity” for those who like the Western lifestyle. A King Ranch connection seems to work with Texas truck owners. About 16 percent of all the Ford Super Duty trucks sold in Texas are a King
Ranch model, said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. The King Ranch is a multifaceted business. It is the largest citrus producer in the U.S., the largest pecan sheller in the world and a leading producer of turf grass, Gardiner said. It produces cotton in Texas and grows sugar cane in Florida. On the retail side, the King Ranch is best known for its leather goods, said Rose Morales, general manager of the King Ranch Saddle Shop, which has a permanent store in Kingsville, an online presence at krsaddleshop.com, a
See KING PAGE 7A
By CODY PERMENTER THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Laredo Community College Board of Trustees voted to raise student fees Thursday night to make up for a shortfall in declining tuition and fee revenue. The board approved a $15 per credit hour increase on the general use fee, more commonly known as a building use fee. Technology and instructional support fees were both increased by $2.50 per credit hour. For example, a student enrolled in 15 credit hours would see an increase in tuition and fees from $1,350 this fall to $1,650 in spring 2014 — an increase of $300. “We did find that we are starting to have a shortfall in the generation of semester credit hours … enrollment could be a factor,” said Eleazar Gonzalez, chief administrator and financial officer. He said the college is looking at a projected 7.18 percent shortfall if trends continue into the spring semester, and a $990,000 annual shortfall. The fee increases will ease the burden of this shortfall, leaving an approximately $117,000 shortfall, which Gonzalez said could be made up with other revenues. Student fees were increased in August 2012, when the board voted to double the student activity fee from $5 to $10 to help fund women’s softball and men’s soccer. The previous major tuition and fee increase came in 2011, when the board voted to approve a 17 percent increase in tuition and a $16 per credit hour increase to the general use fee. Rene De La Viña, the only board member to vote against the increase, expressed concern over falling enrollment. “We need to bring up that enrollment. If we do that, we won’t have to be going up on fees and everything else,” he said. The college’s enrollment is the lowest it has been in five years, showing a decrease of 591 students from last fall semester. But this is following a state trend for public and technical colleges, which saw a decline in that sector of approximately 2,000 students this year, according to data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The board discussed ways of increasing presence in local high schools to make the college more appealing to potential students. Board member Jesse Porras said increasing fees was the right thing to do while the college decided how to increase enrollment. “Nobody likes to bite the bullet,” he said. “But we cannot be living on borrowed money; we have to live within our means.” ( Cody Permenter may be reached at 728-2579 or cpermenter@lmtonline.com)
CRIME
Alleged pot smugglers may face life sentence By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Three men accused of conspiring and transporting more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana between the area of San Ygnacio and Zapata could be facing a life sentence, according to court documents released last week. Elmer Oswaldo Campos, 36, Andrew James Escamilla, 34, and Juan Manuel Perez Jr., 38, were indicted in federal court in Lare-
do on Tuesday. A federal grand jury charged them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. If convicted, the trio could face from 10 years behind bars to life in prison, the indictment obtained by The Zapata Times on Thursday states. All three men remained in federal custody as of Friday afternoon.
Federal officials seized 644 bundles of marijuana, weighing about 8,000 pounds. The contraband had an estimated street value of $6.4 million. Campos, Escamilla and Perez have arraignment set for 11 a.m. Nov. 7 before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker. Their arrests date back to Oct. 2. That early morning, Laredo Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and task force officers set surveillance along U.S. 83 between Zapata and San Ygnacio.
Federal authorities were tipped off to a pneumatic tractor-trailer hauling marijuana from the Rio Grande Valley. A Texas Department of Public safety trooper assisted in pulling over the tractor-trailer driver, identified as Escamilla, along with his passenger, Campos. “Escamilla later admitted that there was marijuana concealed inside the trailer and that there were four scout vehicles traveling with him,” a complaint filed Oct.
3 states. Escamilla had been contacted to drive the load from Roma. Campos was identified as the man who would guide Escamilla past the federal checkpoints, according to the complaint. Perez was also identified as a scout. Agents stationed in Zapata arrested him in the parking of a gas station. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
Wednesday, Nov. 6
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Medical Mission. Free medical and dental services for adults and children. Registration from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall. 1609 Glenn St. First come, first serve basis. Spiritual services at 7 p.m. Healing Mass, spiritual talks and Confession. For more information, call Catholic Social Services at 956-722-2443.
Today is Wednesday, Nov. 6, the 310th day of 2013. There are 55 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Nov. 6, 1888, Republican Benjamin Harrison won the presidential election, defeating Democratic incumbent Grover Cleveland with an electoral vote count of 233-168, even though Cleveland led in the popular vote. On this date: In 1632, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was killed in battle. In 1860, former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency: John Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen Douglas. In 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term of office. In 1893, composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky died in St. Petersburg, Russia, at age 53. In 1928, in a first, the results of Republican Herbert Hoover’s election victory over Democrat Alfred E. Smith were flashed onto an electric wraparound sign on the New York Times building. In 1934, Nebraska voters approved dissolving their twochamber legislature in favor of a nonpartisan, single (or “unicameral”) legislative body, which was implemented in 1937. In 1944, British official Lord Moyne was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt, by members of the Zionist Stern gang. In 1947, “Meet the Press” made its debut on NBC; the first guest was James A. Farley, former postmaster general and former Democratic National Committee Chair; the host was the show’s co-creator, Martha Rountree. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower won re-election, defeating Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson. In 1962, Democrat Edward M. Kennedy was elected Senator from Massachusetts. In 1977, 39 people were killed when the Kelly Barnes Dam burst, sending a wall of water through Toccoa Falls College in Georgia. In 1990, about one-fifth of the Universal Studios backlot in southern California was destroyed in an arson fire. Ten years ago: President Bush signed an $87.5 billion package approved by Congress for Iraq and Afghanistan. Five years ago: President-elect Barack Obama spoke by phone with nine world leaders and met privately at the FBI office in Chicago with U.S. intelligence officials, preparing to become commander in chief. One year ago: As Americans went to the polls, President Barack Obama extended congratulations to rival Mitt Romney “on a spirited campaign” and said he was “cautiously optimistic” he would win. Today’s Birthdays: Director Mike Nichols is 82. Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 81. Singer Eugene Pitt (The Jive Five) is 76. Singer P.J. Proby is 75. Country singer Guy Clark is 72. Actress Sally Field is 67. Pop singer-musician Glenn Frey (The Eagles) is 65. Singer Rory Block is 64. TV host Catherine Crier is 59. Thought for Today: “I know nothing grander, better exercise, better digestion, more positive proof of the past, the triumphant result of faith in human kind, than a well-contested American national election.” — Walt Whitman, American poet (18191892).
Thursday, Nov. 7 Rummage sale. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave. Free. Contact 722-1674 or fumc_office@sbcglobal.net. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call 727-0589. Mercy McAuley Service Award Dinner. 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Honorees are Daniel Guevara, Judith Gutierrez and Dr. Ray Keck. Individual tickets $125. For info on sponsorships and tables, contact Rosanne Palacios at 721-7408 or rosanne.palacios@mercy.net.
Friday, Nov. 8 Rummage sale. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave. Free. Contact 722-1674 or fumc_office@sbcglobal.net.
Saturday, Nov. 9 Rummage sale. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave. Free. Contact 722-1674 or fumc_office@sbcglobal.net. TAMIU Planetarium shows. “One World, One Sky Big Bird’s Adventure” 2 p.m.; “The Future Is Wild” 3 p.m.; “New Horizons” 4 p.m.; “Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Matinee shows $4 for 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. only. Call 326-3663.
Thursday, Nov. 14 Women’s City Club monthly luncheon. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call 763-9960. Noon Optimist Youth Appreciate Day. Noon. Holiday Inn Civic Center. Speaker: Dr. Ray Keck. Laredo high school seniors take over city, county and federal offices at 9 a.m. Call Juan Loera at 235-4595. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call 727-0589.
Saturday, Nov. 16 TAMIU Planetarium shows. “Earth, Moon and Sun” 2 p.m. “Season of Light” 3 p.m. “Mystery of the Christmas Star” 4 p.m.; “Holiday Music Magic” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Matinee shows $4. Call 326-3663.
Thursday, Nov. 21 Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call 727-0589.
Friday, Nov. 22 Dance lock-in to benefit South Texas Food Bank. Noon to 6 a.m. Peter Piper Pizza, 1400 Guadalupe St. Call 285-4441 or email aalisai@mail.com. Email Ron2cal@yahoo.com or 3240322.
Saturday, Nov. 23 Sonya Hernandez Memorial 5K Walk/Run. 9 a.m. Lake Casa Blanca State Park. Benefits students whose one parent is battling cancer or has died of cancer. Color Vibe 5K. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. 6320 Sinatra Parkway. Come as a blank canvas and leave as a colorful mural. Sign up at thecolorvibe.com/Laredo.php. TAMIU Planetarium shows. “Star Signs” 2 p.m.; “Mystery of the Christmas Star” 3 p.m.; “Season of Light” 4 p.m.; “Holiday Music Magic” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Matinee shows $4 for 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. only. Call 326-3663.
Monday, Nov. 25 TAMIU Planetarium shows. “One World One Sky Big Bird’s Adventure” 2 p.m.; “Earth, Moon and Sun” 3 p.m.; “Mystery of the Christmas Star” 4 p.m. General admission $4. Call 3263663. Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location and purpose and contact information for a representative.
Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
People line up to buy stadium seats at a sale and auction of Houston Astrodome furniture, appliances, Astroturf and staff uniforms on Saturday, at the Reliant Center in Houston. The Astrodome was the world’s first multipurpose domed stadium and was once home to the Astros and the Oilers. The stadium has been closed to all events since 2009.
Sale features turf, lockers By JUAN A. LOZANO ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Thousands of people lined up Saturday for the chance to take home a piece of the iconic, but dilapidated Houston Astrodome, once dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world.” The “yard sale” and auction got underway in the morning at the Reliant Center, the convention center adjacent to the now-closed stadium. More than 4,000 people were inside or waiting to get in by about 10 a.m. Saturday, Reliant Park officials said. For those looking for a cheap memento, a 12inch by 12-inch piece of AstroTurf cost $20. Seats were going for $200 a pair, and larger items, including autographed lockers, were to be auctioned off. Marcos Escobar bought four squares of Astro-
Turf and two pairs of seats. He recalled fond memories of watching Houston Astros baseball games and Houston Oilers football games there with his father. “I wanted to come out here and get something before they tear it down,” Escobar said. Opened in 1965, the Astrodome was the world’s first multipurpose domed stadium. Voters had the chance Tuesday to vote for or against a referendum authorizing up to $217 million in bonds to turn the stadium into a giant convention center and exhibition space. Houston-area leaders have said that if the referendum fails, the Astrodome will probably be razed. Proceeds from the sale will go toward an ongoing Astrodome renovation project for safety reasons. Officials say the project had to be done regardless of the Astrodome’s future.
US Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio marries
Officials lift usage ban on creek, lake
Woman recognized for 80 years with church
SAN ANTONIO — U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro has gotten married. The Democrat from San Antonio said he and fiancée Anna Flores were married in a private ceremony on Saturday. He says, “Anna and I have had an eventful and very blessed year. We are excited to embark on our journey together as a family.”
AUSTIN — Emergency officials in Central Texas have lifted a usage ban on Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake as water levels eased from storms that claimed five lives. The Austin Fire Department on Monday afternoon let the ban expire but warned of significant debris in the water.
CHIRENO — An East Texas woman has been recognized for her 80-year unbroken membership in her church. Lilly Stone joined the Chireno United Methodist Church in 1933, when she was 8 years old. The Daily Sentinel in Nacogdoches reports that Stone was recently awarded a plaque honoring her longtime membership.
South Texas woman convicted of voter fraud BROWNSVILLE — A South Texas woman pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Brownsville to voting multiple times in a 2012 primary runoff election. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Sonia Leticia Solis forged absentee ballot applications for people she claimed were disabled. The scheme gave the 55-year-old five additional votes.
Estimated cost of new West schools cut in half WACO — School officials in West say the estimated $117 million cost of rebuilding schools destroyed by a fertilizer plant explosion can be cut in half. West Superintendent Marty Crawford tells the Waco TribuneHerald that the district’s construction manager now estimates a rebuild cost of about $50 to $60 million. Federal aid is also expected to help pay for the rebuilding.
Lawmakers to probe assault of teens at lockup AUSTIN — Two legislative panels intend to investigate how guards with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department were able to assault incarcerated teenagers by engaging them in fights. Guards accosted the teens by throwing them to the ground and punching them, according to internal reports. The department says three employees have been fired. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION Jackson Jr. pays $200,000 to judgement CHICAGO — Court records show that former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has paid $200,000 toward his $750,000 forfeiture judgment. Jackson is serving a 2 1/2 -year prison term after admitting to illegally using campaign money. Jackson admitted spending $750,000 of donors’ money on more than 3,000 personal items. A Monday federal court filing from prosecutors and his defense attorneys says Jackson gave the U.S. Marshals Service a $200,000 check on Oct. 25. The 48-year-old entered prison last week.
Motorcycle recovered in Calif. 46 years after theft LOS ANGELES — Authorities say a Nebraska man is getting his motorcycle back — 46 years after it was stolen from his back-
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Dr. Jerry Reisinger spends some time outdoors by riding his bicycle through Kirby Park, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Monday. yard. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday the black and blue 1953 Triumph Tiger 100 was recovered last week at the Port of Los Angeles. It was on its way to Japan, with its value listed as $9,000.
The bike was reported stolen in February 1967. It was worth $300 then and wasn’t insured. The California Highway Patrol will return the bike to its original owner, who is now in his 70s. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
THE BLOTTER AGGRAVATED ASSAULT An aggravated assault with a deadly weapon incident was reported at 11 a.m. Nov. 2 at Royal Oaks Apartments.
BURGLARY A burglary of a building was reported at 6:14 p.m. Nov. 2 on the 100 block of Ohio Street. A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 10:48 p.m. Nov. 3 on Lincoln Street.
CHILD CUSTODY A child custody incident was reported at 6:41 p.m. Nov. 1 at the McDonald’s on U.S. 83 and Irene Street. A child custody incident was reported at 7:40 a.m. Nov. 4 in the 100 block of Tepozan Road.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF A criminal mischief incident was reported at 11:35 p.m. Nov. 1 at Hawk Stadium on Alamo and Mier streets.
EVADING ARREST/DETENTION An evading arrest/detention incident was reported at 10:13 a.m. Nov. 2 on Flores Drive.
OPEN BAR AFTER HOURS An open bar after hours incident was reported at 2:29 a.m. Nov. 3 at Aqua Bar on the 100 block of U.S. 83.
THEFT A theft was reported at 3:48 a.m. Nov. 1 in the 400 block of Miraflores Avenue.
Woman faces three counts
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Job fair aimed at military veterans By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — A statewide job fair to support veterans will be held locally Nov. 14 at the University of Texas Health Science Center’s regional campus. The fair, which is titled “Red, White and You,” is being organized by Workforce Solutions of South Texas, along with other local agencies and organizations. Rogelio Treviño, executive director of Workforce Solutions of South Texas, said the event was first held last year, but Gov. Rick Perry proposed a statewide fair at 28 Workforce Solutions. “All of Texas will be holding an event,” Treviño said. “It is a proposal of the state, but locally we are working with agencies and other organizations that help veterans.” Gabriel Lopez, a veteran himself and assistant director for the Texas Veterans Leadership Program, whose mission is to help Iraq and Afghanistan veterans make the transition between military and civilian life, said about 300 people return monthly to the area covered by Workforce Solutions — which includes Webb County, Eagle Pass and San Ygnacio. “One of the main areas in which we focus is to find employment for veterans, because if there are no jobs, there are other problems,” Lopez said. “Veterans often have problems in adjusting, and that’s what we want to avoid. We want the transition easier for them.” He said although the goal is to have 100 percent of veterans seeking work hired, it takes 20 to 90 days for the worker to be com-
Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
Workforce Solutions for South Texas Executive Director Rogelio Treviño, at podium, is joined by Mayor Raul Salinas, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar and Webb County Veterans Services Officer David Garza on Monday morning at the local Workforce Solutions offices for a press conference to announce the “Red, White and You” Veterans Job Fair, set for Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Laredo’s UT Health Science Center. pletely stable in a job. Employers are also invited to consider hiring veterans based on their skills. “Veterans have three main characteristics: leadership, as they are subjected to extensive training, they are trained to be leaders so you do not have to pay for additional training; responsibility, another strength that they bring to the workforce because they recognize the consequences of their actions; and finally, mission critical skills, since these criteria apply directly to their work,” Lopez said.
Two-hundred people attended the event last year, Treviño said, but this time organizers are expecting greater traffic because county and city departments and agencies are involved. “There will be more than 40 businesses that offer work and who are ready to hire immediately,” he added. “Any veteran who wants to prepare their resume or wants information about how to conduct yourself in an interview or how to present can come ahead of time to seek advice on these issues.”
Mayor Raul Salinas also stressed the qualities that can be found in veteran workers. “When you talk about veterans, people talk about loyal, dedicated, high integrity and good people,” Salinas said. “We trust them because they work, because they are disciplined.” The event takes place at 1927 E. Bustamante St., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 956-794-6500. ( You may reach Malena Charur at mcharur@lmtonline.com or 728-2583.)
ALL SMILES
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
A woman arrested while transporting four immigrants in Zapata County was indicted last week in federal court in Laredo. Renee Morales, of Laredo, was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants within the United States, and two counts of transport and attempt to transport undocumented immigrants for financial gain, according to the indictment filed last Tuesday. Each count could carry up to 10 years in federal prison. On Oct. 8, two U.S Border Patrol agents stationed south of Zapata spotted a green Ford Escape that seemed to be transporting several people and appeared to be riding low. A registration check on the Ford Escape revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen in Laredo on Oct. 2. Agents then pulled over the vehicle along U.S. 83 in front of Sure Find Markers, south of Zapata. Morales was identified as the driver. She said the front passenger was her boyfriend. Regarding the vehicle theft allegation, Morales told agents the Ford Escape belonged to a company he worked for in Laredo. She also claimed they were headed to a funeral and lied about being in a one-year relationship with the front passenger, according to federal officials. Agents later determined that the four people were undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Later, Morales admitted to being paid $200 per person to transport them to El Cenizo, located about 13 miles south of Laredo. She has arraignment set for 11 a.m. Nov. 7 in Courtroom 2C before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Courtesy photo
Zapata County Judge Joseph Rathmell enjoys the drill team performance at the ZSES 5th Annual Fall Festival. Pictured are Sarah Rathmell, left, Judge Rathmell and Celia Rathmell.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
YOUR VIEWS
OTHER VIEWS
Writer wants Zapata to stop getting shafted by Laredo Don’t forget to send Letters to the Editor to editorial@lmtonline.com. Make sure to include the word “ZAPATA” in the subject line. To the editor: This is to the concerned voters and citizens of Zapata County. Fair and balanced? Laredo has 110,606 registered voters, and Zapata has 7,300. I ask: can Zapata County get a bridge? Can Zapata County get an industry? Can Zapata County get our lake cleaned? Can Zapata County defeat the weir dam? I don’t think so. Is it fair that Laredo can have what they won’t let us have? Is it fair that Laredo keeps us unfair and unbalanced? Is that good leadership on their side or ours? I don’t think so. I believe that it’s high time the good people of Zapata stand up against the hoggish attitude of Laredo and change the 28th congressional district. We have no chance whatsoever staying in this district to advance our community. I think that it’s time to change or time to move from this district. Sincerely, Xavier “Tavy” Villarreal
COLUMN
Cigarette COLUMN tax cuts The sun powers roadside whimsy smoking THE WASHINGTON POST
Boosting taxes on cigarettes is an effective way to cut smoking rates among adults and, even more, among those college-age and younger, along with tobacco-related disease and death. A case in point is Maryland, where the incidence of smoking fell by a third from 1998 to 2010, a period during which the state more than quintupled its cigarette tax. By the same token, states that have allowed cigarette levies to remain low, under the sway of Big Tobacco or antitax sentiment, generally suffer from higher smoking rates and the resulting impact on public health. Virginia’s cigarette tax is second-lowest in the nation, after Missouri’s; it is an example of a state that extends its smokers a license to kill — themselves. Pleased with the results in Maryland, anti-tobacco advocates want to build on their success. On the merits, they have an easy case to make. After the state doubled its levy in 2008, to $2 per pack, cigarette sales dropped sharply. Now advocates want to raise the per pack tax again, to $3. Lawmakers should take note. Higher taxes are particularly effective in cutting tobacco use among younger smokers, whose habits are less entrenched and who are more sensitive to price. As a direct result of the 2008 tax increase, youth smoking rates plummeted by almost a third in two years. In 2009, just 12 percent of Maryland youths were smokers, compared with a national rate of almost 20 percent. And while adult smokers are somewhat less sensitive to price increases, Maryland’s 2008 tax hike helped cut the number of adult smokers by about 13 percent. Complacency is the wrong course of action. Anti-tobacco advocates point out that following the big drop after 2008, smoking rates in Maryland have started to inch up again over the past few years. That coincides with an 80 percent cut in spending on the state’s main anti-smoking program, which aims to help people to quit or not start in the first place. Despite its relatively high tax rate on cigarettes, Maryland ranks just 34th nationally among the states in spending on its anti-smoking program. Each of the three increases in Maryland’s cigarette tax over the past dozen years has been followed immediately by a sharp drop in sales. True, some Maryland smokers may simply cross the border to buy their cartons in low-tax Virginia. But more have quit or cut back, as state-by-state smoking rates suggest. The tobacco lobby remains strong enough to push back against further increases. In Annapolis, a bill this year to raise the state’s per-pack tax to $3 died in committee. A similar effort in the legislative session starting in January may suffer the same fate. Anti-smoking advocates are focusing their efforts on the next year or two in the legislative calendar. They should be helped both by the counter-example of Virginia — and by the facts.
COLUMBUS — Life’s highway takes us past certain inexplicable roadside sites that demand explication. The Monolithic Dome place just off Interstate 35 East up in Italy — between Hillsboro and Waxahachie — is such a place. So is every Buc-ee’s. And so is the Industrial Country Market on Texas 71 just west of Columbus. It bills itself as an off-the-grid, nongeneral-general store and you can pass it only so many times before you must pull in to seek the answer to this question: What the heck is going on here? I pulled in and I’m ready to report. What’s going on at Dan and Michele Bretch’s place is weirdness; the happy, you-gotta-smile, tie-dyed, good variety of weirdness. The Bretches, each 64, grew up in St. Louis and have known each other since seventh grade. They’re ex-teachers and they’ve owned an electronics business in southwest Houston — Electronics Parts Outlet, still in business — since 1985 that put their two sons through UT. “It paid the bills,” Dan said as the three of us sat in his small office. “The cash flow was fine but we looked at the future and the future wasn’t very promising because we have to keep paying rent and electricity.” Michele Bretch says life was good but the business “never fed my soul because I had to
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KEN HERMAN
buy resistors and capacitors and transistors.” And, she told her husband as we sat there, “your passion has always been, ‘Can I take the sun and make energy?”’ He can and he does and the Bretches 6,000-square-foot store, 1,400-square-foot home (with Double Diamond Deluxe slot machine Michele can’t seem to walk past without trying her luck) and assorted other stuff at their place gets no electric bill. No water bill either. This whole thing started back in the 1990s when a friend who had bought some acreage just west of Columbus sold some of it to the Bretches. Dan had an idea to run past his wife. “Let’s open a store out on Highway 71 between Columbus and Austin,” he told her. “You’re nuts,” she told him. “Yes, I understand that,” he told her. They started with a solarpowered weekend house and looked to the future, which seemed to hit a dead end at the place where lots of bright ideas go to die. “I put my double-breasted suit on, got my business plan lined up and I go to the local bank in Columbus and I pre-
sent my argument that I need $250,000 to do this,” Dan said of his trip to the bank. “And the gentleman was reading over the portfolio I had presented to him and his first question was, ‘What are photovoltaics?”’ So they talked about solar power for a while. One of them was very excited about it. “Then he says, ‘You’re going to collect rainwater? Why would you do that?”’ Dan said. “I said, ‘Well, it doesn’t have dissolved salts or minerals in it and it’s much better for your plants, blah, blah, blah, blah.”’ It all sounded like blah, blah, blah, blah to Mr. Banker. Rejected. And, I’ve got to tell you, as we sat in the small office I too was unsure of the deal here, which is an ever-evolving business/home/hobby built with “money as it became available” and off the power and water grid that connects most of the rest of us. What the Bretches have created is a store most likely most unlike any you’ve ever seen, a water garden, an art gallery, an educational facility, a hydroponic greenhouse and what they call a “re-art sculpture garden” created by a Houston artisan. It’s all powered by a solar power system made up largely of surplus materials and irrigated by rainwater collected in Wal-Mart swimming pools. Take that, grid. This is not a political statement. These are not survival-
ists hunkering down for The Big Day. These are not religious fanatics awaiting The Big Redemption. These are not loners avoiding The Big Government. These are the Bretches. “The goal of all this is to have a retail business, a retirement retail business, that we enjoy doing at our convenience,” Dan said. The Bretches are business people acutely aware that they never took Business 101. They learn by experience, including their first mistake. Yes, lots and lots of vehicles cruise down Highway 71. But no, those folks are not all looking for interesting roadside attractions to break up their trip. “I made a major, catastrophic failure because people on Highway 71 are on the clock,” Dan said. “They’re going from Houston to Austin or Austin to Houston. They’ll go right down the street here to Hruska’s (which sells bakery and other food in nearby Ellinger) to urinate and get something to drink and they’re gone.” The Bretches knew they could lure travelers by adding gas pumps and food, but that wasn’t the vision. So they kept at it and noticed an increase in visitors to the store after they got profiled by TV man Bob Phillips on his popular “Texas Country Reporter” show. If you’ve been to Industrial Country Market you understand what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you should.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS
NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY: ZAPATA HAWKS
XC champs Garcia, Garza win regional titles By CLARA SANDOVAL LAREDO MORNING TIMES
SAN ANTONIO — Jazmine Garcia represented Zapata well at the Region IV-3A cross country meet Saturday morning, running away with the individual girls title to be crowned the 3A regional champion. Garcia finished the twomile course in 11 minutes, 31 seconds to earn her fourth consecutive trip to the state meet at Round Rock in Old Settlers Park. All season long, Garcia was regarded as one of the best two-mile runners in South Texas and took home the individual district title. Also making a trip to the regional meet were Jannet Chapa, who finished 23rd, and was followed by Raquel Almaguer (35th), Cassandra Pena (40th), Abby Zuniga (54th), Sara Pena (84th) and Norma Ramirez (101st). Garcia is the second Lady Hawk to win the regional cross country title. "Marlena Garcia did it in ’09,” Zapata girls coach Mike Villarreal said. “It is great for the program and for Jazmine. It is an indication of hard work paying off." As a freshman, Garcia
placed 10th at the state meet and is vying for one more opportunity to finish in the top 10. "We are shooting for the top three," Villarreal said. Luis Garza was next in one of his best runs of the year, as he led from the opening mile. He never looked back after opening up a 13-second lead over Hidalgo Early College’s Moises Campos, who came in second with a time of 15:52. "We knew he had a great chance at it, but it was going to take him (having) his best race ever and he did,” Zapata boys coach Roel Ibanez said. “I just hope he saved some of that magic for state." Garza was followed by Heriberto Perez (34th), Isuaro Sanchez (66th), Alvaro Rodriguez (86th), Danny Hinojosa (114th), Jose Morales (126th) and Alex Martinez (154th). Last year Garza placed third at the regional meet and headed into this year’s race determined to leave everything out on the course. Heading into the state meet, Garza is eying a top-10 finish. "Luis has the second-best
time going in, but we all know that doesn’t mean anything,” Ibanez said. “At that level, anything can happen, but his chances are good and we believe that he could win it if things rolls his way.” For the past two years, Ibanez has had a runner at the state meet. "Last year was special because we made it as a team when no expected it since I was new coming in this year," Ibanez said. "I knew that Luis and a couple of my other kids had a chance, it was just a matter of staying healthy and working hard and Luis was able to manage both." Garza has always been one of the top runners in Zapata and in South Texas, but this year he set lofty goals and has already accomplished two of them. "Luis is very talented and his best attributes is having that strong mind and believing that he can do it,” Ibanez said. “We set goals for this year since summer to be district champ and he did it, we talked about regional champ and he did it, so after the race I told him you still have one more goal pending.”
Photos by Clara Sandoval | Laredo Morning Times
Zapata senior Jazmine Garcia (above) won the Region IV-3A meet in San Antonio on Saturday to earn her fourth consecutive trip to the state meet. After placing third in last year’s meet, Luis Garza (left) took the boys title and is hoping for a top-10 finish at the state meet.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Agenda en Breve LAREDO 11/06— Se ofrecerán servicios médicos gratuitos para personas de bajos recursos económicos, a través de la Brigada de Médicos Misioneros de la Divina Misericordia, a partir de las 8 a.m. en San Luis Rey Catholic Church, 3502 Sanders. Evento organizado por Servicios Sociales Católicos y la Diócesis de Laredo. Informes llamando al 722-2443. 11/06— El Departamento de Economía de LCC estará ofreciendo un taller de etiquetas en los negocios a partir de las 8 a.m. en el salón 101 de De La Garza Building. 11/06— Se estará llevando a cabo un Taller de Etiqueta para Negocios de 8:30 a.m. a 12 p.m. en el salón 101 de De La Garza Building, dentro del Campus Fort McIntosh de LCC. El taller será impartido por A.B. Barrera. El propósito del evento es enseñar como debe presentarse una persona de manera profesional y positiva. Costo: 75 dólares. Para más información llame al 956-721-5110. 11/06— La Coalición de Éxito Económico Familiar de Laredo e IRS estarán celebrando una sesión de orientación a voluntarios para aquellos que gusten unirse al Programa VITA, a partir de las 6:30 p.m. en la Biblioteca Pública de Laredo. 11/06— TAMIU estará presentando un concierto en el salón de recitales del Center for the Fine and Performing Arts a las 7:30 p.m. Evento gratuito y abierto al público. Más información en 326.ARTS (2787). 11/07— Se ofrecerán servicios médicos gratuitos para personas de bajos recursos económicos, a través de la Brigada de Médicos Misioneros de la Divina Misericordia, a partir de las 8 a.m. en San Luis Rey Catholic Church, 3502 Sanders. Evento organizado por Servicios Sociales Católicos y la Diócesis de Laredo. Informes llamando al 722-2443. 11/07— Mercy Ministries de Laredo celebrará su anuversario 10 y honrará a tres personas con el reconocimiento Mercy McAuley Service, hoy a las 6:30 p.m. en el Laredo Country Club. Los boletos individuales para el evento tienen un costo de 125 dólares. Para más información llame al 956 721 7408. 11/07— Se ofrecerán servicios médicos gratuitos para personas de bajos recursos económicos, a través de la Brigada de Médicos Misioneros de la Divina Misericordia, a partir de las 8 a.m. en San Luis Rey Catholic Church, 3502 Sanders. Evento organizado por Servicios Sociales Católicos y la Diócesis de Laredo. Informes llamando al 722-2443. 11/08— Se ofrecerán servicios médicos gratuitos para personas de bajos recursos económicos, a través de la Brigada de Médicos Misioneros de la Divina Misericordia, a partir de las 8 a.m. en San Luis Rey Catholic Church, 3502 Sanders. Evento organizado por Servicios Sociales Católicos y la Diócesis de Laredo. Informes llamando al 722-2443.
NUEVO LAREDO, MX 11/07— NUEVO LAREDO, México — II Festival de Teatro Vértices presenta “Diálogos de Nostalgia y Pollos” a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS, Reynosa y Belden. 11/08— NUEVO LAREDO, México— Se estará presentando la Orquesta Sinfónica Coro y Mariachi de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional de México en el Centro Cultural de Nuevo Laredo, México, a partir de las 6 p.m.
MIERCOLES 6 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2013
CORTE
Fallo a caso civil POR MATTHEW NELSON TIEMPO DE LAREDO
Con la afirmación la Cuarta Corte de Apelaciones del Condado de Zapata sobre el fallo al caso civil, la demandante Lauren Garza está un paso más cerca de conseguir más de un millón de dólares en compensaciones por un accidente automovilístico en el que estuvo involucrada. “Hay un viejo dicho en Texas que dice que las negociaciones no comienzan realmente hasta que llegue el veredicto”, dijo el abogado de Garza, Jaime González. JLG Trucking apeló el veredicto en el caso que en un principio dio lugar a que el jurado concediera 1.166.264,38 millones de dóla-
res a Garza, por daños y prejuicios por las lesionas sufridas en un accidente causado por “la negligencia de un empleado de JLG Trucking”, indica la opinión del jurado. La decisión fue tomada por le Corte Cuarta de Apelaciones el 9 de octubre. “Creo que la decisión de la Corte Cuarta de Apelaciones era sólida y esperada. Cumple con la jurisprudencia y los precedentes de casos, por lo que esta decisión no es ninguna sorpresa”, dijo González. Descontento con el veredicto, el argumento principal de JLG contra el fallo fue la insuficiencia y divulgación completa de evidencia. La Corte Cuarta de Apelaciones
consideró que la evidencia fue “legalmente suficiente” para apoyar la cantidad concedida en base a la determinación del jurado de que “existe una probabilidad médica razonable de que Garza incurriera a futuros gastos médicos” Garza declaró que, a pesar de que tuvo una cirugía para colocar las placas de metal en su cuello durante el resto de su vida, “que sintiendo dolor”, según documentos de la corte. El tribunal consideró el testimonio de Garza, junto con el de su doctor, era apoyo suficiente para el veredicto del jurado. JLG también argumentó que la información sobre un segundo accidente en que Garza estuvo involucrada fue excluido de las prue-
bas. Sin embargo, el médico que trata a Garza declaró que “todas las lesiones de Garza eran atribuibles a la primera colisión”, afirma el dictamen. “Hemos pensado todo el tiempo que no tenía ninguna razón para cambiar la decisión del juez y la constatación del jurado”, dijo el abogado de Lauren Garza, Héctor Leal Rodríguez. Hay una oportunidad de que JLG apele la decisión de la Corte Cuarta de Apelaciones, es decir que, la próxima parada del caso podría ser la Corte Suprema de Texas. “Esto aún no ha terminado. Todavía queda la posibilidad de presentar el caso ante la Suprema Corte de Texas”, dijo Rodríguez.
TAMAULIPAS
POLICÍA
DAN INICIO A CARRERA CICLISTA
Acusan a tres; fijan audiencia POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo
La Segunda Vuelta Ciclista Internacional por Tamaulipas dio inicio en Nuevo Laredo, México, y continuará a través de todo el estado vecino hasta el 10 de noviembre.
Participan ciudadanos de varios países TIEMPO DE LAREDO
A principios de esta semana dio inicio la segunda edición de “Vuelta Internacional Ciclista Tamaulipas”, con la participación de más de 150 ciclistas de diferentes nacionalidades. La ceremonia de inicio tuvo lugar en la ciudad de Nuevo Laredo, México el 3 de noviembre y continuará hasta el día 10 del mismo mes. Entre las ciudades que están siendo recorridas se encuentran las ciudades tamaulipecas Miguel Alemán, Reynosa,
Matamoros, San Fernando, Victoria, Mante y finalizará en ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, México. Durante la primera etapa de esta vuelta que se realizó en Nuevo Laredo, participaron 15 equipos de ciclistas y constó de un circuito de 160 km. de 12 vueltas con duración de alrededor de dos horas. El ganador de esta primera etapa fue José Andrés Sánchez Ortega, originario de León Guanajuato; el segundo lugar fue para Ricardo Torres y el tercer para Miguel Luis Ál-
varez. Por otra parte, Edgardo Hernández Chagoya, presidente de la Federación Mexicana de Ciclismo comentó que este evento servirá como preparación para los Juegos Centroamericanos 2014 que se disputarán el próximo noviembre en Xalapa, Veracruz. También se estuvo entregando material deportivo durante el evento con la finalidad de promocionar la actividad física y deportiva en los diferentes centros de activación que se encuentran en el poniente de la ciudad.
Tres hombres acusados de conspirar y transportar más de 8.000 libras de marihuana entre las áreas de San Ygnacio y Zapata podrían enfrentarse a una sentencia de cadena perpetua, de acuerdo con documentos de la corte emitidos la semana pasada. Elmer Oswaldo Campos, de 36 años, Andrew James Escamilla, de 34 años y Juan Manuel Pérez Jr., de 38 años, fueron acusados en una corte federal en Laredo el martes. Un gran jurado federal los acusó por cargos de conspiración por posesión con intento de distribuir 1.000 kilogramos de marihuana y posesión con intento de distribuir 1.000 kilogramos o más de marihuana. En caso de ser encontrados culpables, el trío podría enfrentar de 10 años tras las rejas a cadena perpetua, indica la acusación obtenida por Zapata Times. Los tres hombres permanecían en custodia federal hasta el viernes por la tarde. Autoridades federales decomisaron 644 paquetes de marihuana, equivalentes a un peso de 8.000 libras. El contrabando presenta un estimado de 6.400.000 millones. Campos, Escamilla y Pérez tendrán comparecencias el 7 de noviembre a las 11 a.m. ante el Juez Magistrado de EU J. Scott Hacker. Su arresto se remonta al 2 de octubre. Esa mañana el Buró de Investigaciones Federales (FBI por sus siglas en inglés) de Laredo y fuerzas especiales estaban vigilando en U.S. 83 entre Zapata y San Ygnacio. Autoridades federales fueron alertadas sobre que el neumático de un tractor transportaba marihuana de Rio Grande Valley. Agentes del Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas asistieron y detuvieron al trailer, identificando al conductor del trailer como Escamilla, junto con su pasajero Campos”. Escamilla ha sido acusado de conducir la carga de Roma. Campos fue identificado como el hombre que guiaría a Escamilla a pasar los puntos de revisión federales, de acuerdo con la querella. Pérez también fue identificado como un explorador. Fue arrestado en el estacionamiento de una gasolinera. (Localice a César G. Rodriguez en 7282568 o en cesar@lmtonline.com)
NACIONAL
IRS advierte sobre nueva forma de fraude ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE LAREDO
WASHINGTON— El Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS por sus siglas en inglés) advirtió a los consumidores sobre una estafa telefónica sofisticada dirigida a los contribuyentes, incluyendo a inmigrantes recién llegados, a través del país. Se les dice a las victimas que deben dinero al IRS y que deben pagarlo de manera inmediata, mediante una tarjeta de débito pre-pagada o transferencia bancaria. Si la víctima se niega a cooperar, la amenazan con arrestarla, deportarla, o suspenderle su licencia de negocio o de conducir. En muchos casos, la persona que llama
se vuelve agresiva. “Esta estafa ha afectado a contribuyentes en casi todo los estados del país. Queremos educar a los contribuyentes para que ellos mismos se protejan. Tengan la seguridad que nosotros no preguntamos ni preguntaremos sobre números de tarjetas de crédito por teléfono, ni solicitamos tarjetas de debito pre-pagadas, ni transferencias bancarias”, dijo el comisionado interino del IRS Danny Werfel. “Si alguien lo llama de improviso diciendo ser del IRS y lo amenaza con arrestarlo, deportarlo, o revocarle de su licencia si usted no paga inmediatamente, eso es una señal de que no es el IRS quien le está
llamando”. Otras características de esta estafa incluye: Los estafadores usan nombres falsos al igual que números de emblema del IRS. Por lo general usan nombres y apellidos comunes para identificarse. Los estafadores pueden ser capaces de saber los últimos cuatro dígitos del número de seguro social de la víctima. Los estafadores copian el número gratuito del IRS para que aparezca en su identificador de llamada y usted piense que es el IRS quien lo está llamando. Los estafadores a veces envían correos electrónicos del IRS falsos como apoyo a sus llamadas falsas.
Las víctimas oyen ruido de fondo de otras llamadas que se están realizando que simulan un centro de llamadas. Después de amenazar a las víctimas con una sentencia carcelaria o con la revocación de su licencia de conducir, los estafadores cuelgan la llamada e inmediatamente llaman otros estafadores fingiendo ser de la policía local o del Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados (DMV, por sus siglas en inglés), y el identificador de llamadas respalda sus afirmaciones. Si recibe una llamada de alguien diciendo ser del IRS, esto es lo que debe hacer: — Si sabe que adeuda
impuestos o si piensa que podría deber, llame al IRS al 1.800.829.1040. — Si sabe que no debe impuestos y no tiene ningún motivo para pensar lo contrario, llame y reporte el incidente al Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration en la página treasury.gov/tigta/, o llamando al 1.800.366.4484. Si ha sido victima de este fraude, debe contactar a la Comisión Federal de Comercio, (FTC, por sus siglas en inglés), y use el “Asistente de Queja FTC. Los contribuyentes deben tener en cuenta que hay otras estafas no relacionadas a esta y solicitudes que fraudulentamente dicen ser del IRS.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
‘FALL’-ING FOR AUTUMN
VICTORY Continued from Page 1A
Courtesy photo
Teachers from Zapata South Elementary School tape up a sign for the school’s 2013 Annual Fall Festival, which took place Oct. 29. This is the fifth year that the festival has been held in Zapata County Independent School District.
Microsoft enters deal By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — It takes a lot of energy to store all the data 1 billion people and 20 million businesses plug into their computers, phones, tablets and gadgets. So as part of an effort to become carbon neutral, Microsoft Corp. has entered a 20-year deal to buy power from a new wind farm in Texas, the first time the tech giant is directly purchasing electricity from a specific source. The deal announced Monday between Microsoft and RES Americas is being funded in part by money collected from a “carbon fee,” an internal tax of sorts that the company has been charging its departments for every ton of car-
bon produced. Microsoft also hopes the deal will be a model for other parts of its global operations, said Brian Janous, director of energy strategy. “We’re definitely looking at this as a first of a kind, but it fits into our overall desire to have more control over our energy supply,” Janous said. Construction on RES Americas’ $200 million, 55turbine wind power project, called Keechi, will begin in December and is expected to be operational by June 2015. Microsoft is buying all 430,000 megawatt hours of energy it produces — or enough to power up to 45,000 homes. That’s about 5 percent to 10 percent of the company’s total electricity consumption. Microsoft declined to say
how much it is paying for the 20-year contract. But Robert Bernard, the company’s chief environmental strategist, said it is coming out of the carbon fee funds, which Microsoft previously estimated could amount to about $10 million in the first year. “It’s a sign of the times that the price point for these renewable projects is quite attractive to them,” said Rob Morgan, chief development officer for RES Americas. While the wind energy goes directly onto the Texas grid and it never can be known exactly where electricity is coming from at any given time, having renewable sources helps offset the use of coal, for example, which produces more carbon pollution.
the ruling was with the sufficiency and full disclosure of evidence. The Fourth Court of Appeals deemed the evidence “legally sufficient” to support the amount awarded based on the jury’s determination that “a reasonable medical probability exists that Garza will incur medical expenses in the future.” Garza testified that, even though she had surgery to place metal plates in her neck for the rest of her life, “she still experienced pain,” according to court documents. The court felt Garza’s testimony, along with that of her doctor, were sufficient support for the jury’s verdict. JLG also argued that information on a second accident Garza was involved in was excluded from evidence. However, Garza’s treating physician testified that “all of Garza’s injuries were attributable to the first collision,” the opinion
states. “We thought all along it didn’t have any basis for reversing the judge’s decisions and the jury’s finding,” said Garza’s attorney, Hector Leal Rodriguez. There is a chance JLG will appeal the Fourth Court of Appeals’ decision, meaning the case’s next stop could be the Texas Supreme Court. “It’s not over yet, though,” Rodriguez said. “There’s still the option of them filing with the Texas Supreme Court.” JLG filed motions for reconsideration and rehearing Oct. 24, but both were rejected by Halloween. The verdict was “above and beyond the policy limits that the insurance company had,” meaning it is possible that a lawsuit would be filed with Garza’s insurance for “not settling this when they should have,” Rodriguez said. “I think the Fourth
Court of Appeals was pretty clear in its decision that there wasn’t anything there to reverse what the trial court did and/or what the jury decided. But who knows, they may appeal,” Rodriguez said. “We’re just going to wait and see.” Appealing this decision will act more as a delay tactic, Gonzalez said, “because that is the way insurance companies operate so that they don’t have to pay victims what rightfully belongs to them.” “I think that the insurance company, again, is doing a disservice to their insured, which is the defending company, so we want to bring it to the court’s attention to either put a bond up, pay up or we just send the deputies and start collecting,” he said. “There’s not a whole bunch of choices for them.” (Matthew Nelson may be reached at 728-2567 or mnelson@lmtonline.com)
KING Continued from Page 1A catalog and an annual popup store at the Houston Livestock Show. The popup in CityCentre smells like leather. Morales said all its leather goods, from wallets and briefcases to sofas and saddles, are made in the U.S. Under a glass case is a large belt buckle, made of nickel, gold and rubies, commemorating the ranch’s 160th anniversary. CityCentre is a good fit for King Ranch because of the center’s tenant mix, proximity to the Energy Corridor and the area’s residential makeup, said Jason Baker, principal at the Baker Katz retail brokerage firm. He brokered the deal for King Ranch. About two months after the King Ranch popup shuts down in CityCentre it will have a temporary shop at the Houston Livestock Show for the third year. A number of retailers are using popup stores for test marketing, said Patricia Norins, publisher of the Specialty Retail Report which covers the kiosk and tem-
porary retail industry. They study the sales and shopper demographic to determine if the popup would work as a permanent store, she said. The Land of Nod, a retailer of baby and children’s furniture, bedding and accessories, will make its Houston debut this holiday season as a popup shop in the Galleria, from Nov. 8 to Jan. 26. The Morton Grove, Ill.-based retailer has permanent stores in several states and opened its first popup in New York City last holiday season. It will have six popups in the U.S. this year. The Land of Nod is always on the lookout for new markets for permanent stores, and it is possible that it could open one in Houston “following a successful opening this holiday season,” said managing director Michelle Kohanzo. Toys R Us will operate about 200 popup Express stores across the country this holiday season, spokeswoman Alyssa Peera said. Many of its 24 permanent stores in outlet malls were originally popups, she said.
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013