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EDUCATION
COUNTY
Top official retires
Jails pass state checkup
Board searches for interim ZCISD superintendent
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
The superintendent of Zapata County Independent School District announced her retirement Monday from the school district. Norma Garcia has worked with ZCISD for 28 years and served as superintendent for the past three years. “I came in when there were tremendous (budget) shortfalls from the state, but I accepted the challenge of being interim at the time,” Garcia said. “We have a wonderful staff that helped me through it, and we grew together. Now somebody else is going
to take up that challenge.” Garcia said she wants to move on and spend more time with her family. GARCIA “There are a lot of systems that are in place for someone else to build upon,” Garcia said. With her retirement effective Dec. 31, the ZCISD Board of Trustees is beginning its search for an interim superintendent until a permanent one is found. Board President Ricardo Ramirez said it may be difficult to find a replacement during the
middle of the school year. “We are going to start talking to some people to see if they would be interested in coming and helping us out for the rest of the year,” Ramirez said. “We are going to open up the position and negotiate the starting time.” Ramirez said Garcia performed well in a demanding job at a demanding district. The school board is sad to see her go, he said. The board recognized Garcia’s retirement at the end of its meeting Monday night. “I have been really immersed in my job all these years, but
there comes (a time) when you just need a change,” Garcia said. “I told everybody that if they ever needed me to help them with any projects or staff developments that I would be happy to.” If the board finds an interim, he or she would start in January, after Garcia retires. Ramirez said he hopes to begin interviewing applicants for the permanent job in February or March. Ideally, ZCISD would have a new superintendent by June 1, he said. (Philip Balli can be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)
COMMUNITY
‘THANK YOU’
Courtesy photo
Laredo mayor honors family caring for soldier’s grave By ALDO AMATO LAREDO — Mayor Raul Salinas thanked a family in France via Skype on Monday who has taken care of the grave of a soldier from Laredo who died in World War II.
Christian Le Nagard, his wife Anne and three children joined the mayor and Gabriel Lopez, president of the South Texas Afghanistan Iraq Veterans Association, for the hour-long Skype session. Salinas and Lopez presented the family with a plaque and
thanked them for the care of the grave. “We cannot thank you enough,” Salinas said. “You are part of our family and so wonderful. God is watching from above and recognizes your love and generosity.” U.S. Army records show Pfc.
Both county jails’ facilities have passed their yearly unannounced inspection from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Zapata County Sheriff ’s officials said Monday. Zapata County Jail for women and Zapata Regional Jail for men both passed their unannounced inspection Oct. 31. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards acknowledged the “excellent work” with a certificate of compliance for the Zapata County Jail, states a letter sent to Sheriff Alonso Lopez by the commission. The letter goes on to state that “essential budgetary support” plays a role in achieving compliance. Sheriff ’s Chief Raymundo Del Bosque credited the Zapata County Commissioners Court for playing a vital role in keeping the male facility operational and open, the chief said.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards acknowledged the ‘excellent work’ with a certificate of compliance for the Zapata County Jail, states a letter.
Mayor Raul Salinas, left, poses with Gabriel Lopez of the South Texas Iraq Afghanistan Veterans Association and the Le Nagard family on screen.
THE ZAPATA TIMES
THE ZAPATA TIMES
Hector S. Molina died June 18, 1944, near St. Lo during a battle in the village of Littee. Although records show Molina died on June 18, a niece states that a family member said Molina died closer to D-Day, June 6,
See HONOR PAGE 10A
The commission looks at construction, equipment, maintenance and operation of jail facilities. They also inspect custody, care and treatment of inmates, the commission’s website reads. “The certificate of compliance demonstrates your outstanding leadership and the diligent work of your staff in complying with minimum jail standards,” the letter to Lopez states. “In addition, this achievement is a direct result of your office’s commitment to excellence and is an example of dedication and professionalism in maintaining a safe, secure and sanitary facility.” Del Bosque echoed the comment. “Our hard work from jail administrators and detention officers, both male and female, did a great job in the yearly inspection,” he said. “The facilities have to be in compliance 365 days a year because the inspection is unannounced. Our guys work hard to get the facility in compliance daily.” The jail is under the direction of Lt. Ramon Montes, jail administrator, and Sgt. Carlos Ramirez, jail supervisor. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
MEXICO
Seven die during Nuevo Laredo gun battles By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Gun battles over the weekend in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, resulted in seven people killed, one arrest and the seizure of high-powered rifles, including a grenade launcher, Tamaulipas state authorities said. Officials said the gunfire erupted in the Sister City late Saturday and early Sunday. One man who died in the confrontations was identified as Gilberto Herrera
Jaques. The names of the others who were killed were not released. The first armed confrontation occurred at 9:18 p.m. Saturday on Calle Grijalva and Río Cupatitzio in El Campanario neighborhood in the outskirts of West Nuevo Laredo. A clash between the Mexican military and gunmen left two suspects dead. Both gunmen were in a Ford F-150 bearing Texas license plates. Authorities seized three assault rifles and an undetermined amount
of ammo, according to reports. A second shooting erupted at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Avenida César López de Lara and Calle Anáhuac in the Colonia Anáhuac neighborhood in Central Nuevo Laredo. One man, later identified as Herrera Jaques, died and one was arrested following a gun battle between federal police officers and armed suspects. Herrera Jaques was found inside a white 1998 Ford Contour bearing Texas plates. Authorities identified the man
arrested as Jonathan Saldaña Armendáriz. They also seized one assault rifle, one magazine and two radios. Gunmen in a gray 2005 Ford Expedition bearing Texas plates battled with Mexican marines in the third and final armed confrontation reported at 5:40 a.m. Sunday at Calzada Revolución and Avenida Tecolotes, near the entrance of Lomas del Río neighborhood. Four gunmen died, reports state. Authorities seized five as-
sault rifles, a grenade launcher and ammo, Tamaulipas state authorities said. All three cases are under investigation. A travel warning issued by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs during the summer remains active and states that people should “defer non-essential travel to the state of Tamaulipas.” ( César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com.)
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
Thursday, Nov. 21
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call 727-0589.
Today is Wednesday, Nov. 20, the 324th day of 2013. There are 41 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Nov. 20, 1947, Britain’s future queen, Princess Elizabeth, married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey. On this date: In 1620, Peregrine White was born aboard the Mayflower in Massachusetts Bay; he was the first child born of English parents in present-day New England. In 1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights. In 1910, revolution broke out in Mexico, led by Francisco I. Madero. In 1925, Robert F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass. In 1929, the radio program “The Rise of the Goldbergs” debuted on the NBC Blue Network. In 1945, 22 out of 24 indicted Nazi officials went on trial (one in absentia) before an international war crimes tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany. In 1959, the United Nations issued its Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy held a news conference in which he announced the end of the naval quarantine of Cuba imposed during the missile crisis, and the signing of an executive order prohibiting discrimination in federal housing facilities. In 1967, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Clock at the Commerce Department ticked past 200 million. In 1969, the Nixon administration announced a halt to residential use of the pesticide DDT as part of a total phaseout. A group of American Indian activists began a 19month occupation of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. In 1975, after nearly four decades of absolute rule, Spain’s General Francisco Franco died, two weeks before his 83rd birthday. In 1982, in one of college football’s oddest finales, the University of California used five laterals to score a disputed winning touchdown on the last play of a game against Stanford, 25-20. In 1992, fire seriously damaged Windsor Castle, the favorite weekend home of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Ten years ago: Michael Jackson was booked on suspicion of child molestation in Santa Barbara, Calif. (Jackson was later acquitted at trial.) Five years ago: Sen. Ted Stevens, the chamber’s longest-serving Republican, delivered his swan song address following his failed re-election bid; he was saluted by his colleagues as a staunch friend and teacher. One year ago: Former boxing champion Hector “Macho” Camacho was shot while sitting in a car in his hometown of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. (Camacho died three days later after doctors removed him from life support.) Today’s Birthdays: Nobel Prize-winning author Nadine Gordimer is 90. Actress-comedian Kaye Ballard is 88. Actress Estelle Parsons is 86. Comedian Dick Smothers is 75. Singer Norman Greenbaum is 71. Vice President Joe Biden is 71. Actress Veronica Hamel is 70. Broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff is 67. Thought for Today: “Make haste slowly.” — Caesar Augustus, Roman emperor (63 B.C.-A.D. 14).
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. Bethany House warehouse sale. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 405 Hidalgo St. $5 Clothing bag sale. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bethany House vintage store. 920 Hidalgo St.
Sunday, Nov. 24 Laredo Ministerial Association Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service. 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Christ Church Episcopal, 2320 Lane St. Rev. Paul Frye officiating. All religious denominations invited. Monetary collection offering to benefit South Texas Food Bank. Call 324-2432.
Monday, Nov. 25 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920. 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.
Tuesday, Nov. 26 TAMIU Planetarium shows. “Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” 2 p.m.; “Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” 3 p.m.; “Season of Light” 4 p.m. General admission $4. Call 326-3663.
Thursday, Nov. 28 Guajolote 10k Race. 9 a.m. to noon. Hamilton Trophies, 1320 Garden St. Register at Hamilton Trophies, Hamilton Jewelry (607 Flores Ave.) or at http://www.raceit.com/search/ event.aspx?id=23722. Call 724-9990 or 722-9463.
Tuesday, Dec. 3 South Texas Food Bank fundraiser. 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Hal’s Landing, 6510 Arena Blvd. Featuring music of Ross and Friends. Admission $10. Call 324-2432.
Thursday, Dec. 5 Christmas Parade and Lighting of the County Plaza. Parade lineup starts 5 p.m. 17th Avenue and Glenn Street. Music, refreshments and toys with Santa. Email cbalderas@zapatachamber.com.
Photo by Jay Janner/American-Statesman
The University of Texas campus and downtown Austin is shown Oct. 3. A conservative student group at the University of Texas cancelled their “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Game” on Tuesday, saying they feared retaliation by campus officials and counter-protests that could endanger their volunteers.
Students cancel ‘game’ By CHRIS TOMLINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — A conservative student group at the University of Texas cancelled their “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Game” on Tuesday, saying they feared retaliation by campus officials and counter-protests that could endanger their volunteers. In the event that had been planned for today, members of the Young Conservatives of Texas would have worn signs that said “illegal immigrant” and offered $25 gift cards to students who caught them and turned them in to the club. Group chairman Lorenzo Garcia acknowledged the idea was “over the top” but said students should “not be silenced when they attempt to make their voices heard about an issue that is so important to our futures.” “I believed that our event would spark this
VP Joe Biden visits Port of Houston PASADENA — Vice President Joe Biden has brought to the busy Port of Houston the Obama administration’s assertion that boosting federal investment in the nation’s infrastructure will help create jobs and grow the economy. Biden’s appearance Monday came a day before he’s to tour the Panama Canal. An expansion project there, set for completion in 2015, is expected to bring larger vessels to U.S. ports.
West Texas couple and child found, baby missing EL PASO — Authorities say a couple and their 17-month-old toddler that were reported missing in El Paso have been found alive, but the whereabouts of their 5-month-old baby is unknown. The El Paso Police Department says the baby has a light complexion and short hair.
Sunday, Dec. 8 4th Annual Christmas Animal Posada. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. St. Peter’s Plaza (Matamoros Street and Main Avenue). Pets should be taken with leash, harness or cage. Owners can participate by wearing animal mask or costume. Contact Berta Torres at 2867866 or birdtorres@hotmail.com.
Monday, Dec. 9 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920. Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com. Items will run as space is available.
Condemned killer of 3 in Guest fatally shot through Houston loses appeal wall at Irving motel HOUSTON — A Houston man on Texas death row for the slayings of three people at their home more than 11 years ago has lost a federal court appeal. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments Monday from 31-year-old Derrick Dewayne Charles that he had shoddy legal help at his trial for the slayings.
Fort Worth Diocese gets new bishop FORT WORTH — A Roman Catholic priest in North Texas has been selected to lead the Fort Worth Diocese. Pope Francis on Tuesday named Monsignor Michael F. Olson as bishop. Olson currently is a priest with the Fort Worth Diocese and serves as rector of Irving-based Holy Trinity Seminary. The 47-year-old Olson replaces Bishop Kevin Vann.
IRVING — A female guest at a Dallas-area motel has died after being shot through the wall of her room. Irving police say the woman was struck Tuesday by a bullet apparently fired from the room next door. Police did not immediately announce any arrests.
Prison system officials get big raises AUSTIN — Top Texas prison system officials have been given significant raises by an executive director whose own pay hike has raised complaints. The system’s medical director’s salary went from $309,000 to $375,000, and the deputy executive director and chief financial officer went from $133,301 to $150,000. Brian Olsen, head of a union of correctional officers, says the hikes make him “want to puke.” — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION
Saturday, Dec. 7 First United Methodist Church will hold a used book sale, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents.
discussion on campus,” he said in a statement. “I hope that the publicity surrounding the event will create debate among students.” The Texas DREAM Act allows students who were brought to the United States illegally as children to pay in-state tuition at public universities. Several groups had planned to protest the game. The Librotraficantes, a Latino activist group in favor of a more open immigration policy, promised to hand out free “illegal immigrant” signs to students so they could collect the gift cards. On Monday, Gregory Vincent, the university’s vice president for diversity, had warned that students who participated in the game would be exercising their freedom of speech “to the detriment of others.”
Feds want $195,000 in back taxes from Kilpatrick DETROIT — The bill is growing for former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The government wants Kilpatrick to pay $195,000 for tax crimes while in office. That’s on top of $4.5 million in restitution to the city for other convictions from his corruption trial. The tax figure was disclosed in a court filing Tuesday. Kilpatrick is serving a 28-year prison sentence for rigging contracts, taking bribes and other acts. U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds will hold a hearing on restitution on Dec. 10.
Suspect in LAX shooting jailed after hospital stay LOS ANGELES — A 23-yearold man charged in a deadly shooting rampage at Los Angeles International Airport has been released from a hospital and
CONTACT US
Photo by Matt Rourke | AP
James Getty, portraying President Abraham Lincoln, stands before a ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on Tuesday, in Gettysburg, Pa. placed in federal custody. Paul Anthony Ciancia was released from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on Monday and is under the care of the U.S. Marshals Service, authorities said. Ciancia is charged with mur-
der and other counts in the killing of a Transportation Security Administration officer and wounding of three other people. It wasn’t immediately known when Ciancia will make his first court appearance. — Compiled from AP reports
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
Zlocal
PAGE 3A
$2 million cocaine seizure Reggaeton duo set for arena concert
Nearly 60 pounds seized at bridge from San Antonio residents
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Almost 60 pounds of cocaine worth nearly $2 million was seized over the weekend at a local international bridge, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday. The seizure occurred Saturday, when CBP officers encountered a 2007 Mazda CX-7 driven by a 23-year-old U.S. citizen from San Antonio at the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge. The female driver was accompanied by a 34-year-old U.S. citizen, who is also from San Antonio. Both the driver and her male passenger were referred to secondary inspection. During the inspection, officers allegedly discovered 23 concealed packages containing cocaine. The packages were concealed within the sport utility vehicle and weighed a total of 58
THE BLOTTER ASSAULT An assault was reported at 9:49 a.m. Nov. 16 at the Del Mar Apartments. An aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was reported at 12:41 a.m. Nov. 17 in the 200 block of Lozano Street. An aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was reported at 10:31 p.m. Nov. 17 in the intersection of 26th and Iturbide streets.
BURGLARY A burglary of habitation was reported at 7:21 p.m. Nov. 15 in the 1000 block of Jackson Street.
EVADING ARREST An evading arrest incident was reported at 4:42 p.m. Nov. 12 in the intersection of North Siesta Lane and McAllen.
THEFT A theft was reported at 11:34 a.m. Nov. 13 in the 100 block of Valle Verde. A theft was reported at 3:30 a.m. Nov. 16 in the 100 block of Trinity Lane.
Agents detain man By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
A Mexican national has been detained for being in the country illegally, according to federal court documents filed Monday. Jose Guadalupe LunaMartinez had been previously removed from the United States. He is being charged with re-entry of deported immigrant. U.S. Border Patrol detained Luna-Martinez on Nov. 15 near Zapata County after they determined he was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Luna-Martinez remained in federal custody on a $75,000 bond. He had a preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. Nov. 29 but he chose to waive it, court documents show. Luna-Martinez had been previously removed from the United States in the Brownsville-Matamoros area. No record exists that Luna-Martinez had applied for or received permission to re-enter the country, a complaint reads. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Courtesy photo
Federal authorities display 58 pounds of cocaine that was seized Saturday from a vehicle occupied by a man and a woman from San Antonio. They were attempting to cross into the United States through the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. pounds, with an estimated street value of about $1.85 million, according to CBP. Authorities seized the vehicle and the alleged cocaine, and arrested both the female driver and the male passenger. “CBP officers utilize the tools that they have at their disposal, together with their skills and experience to develop a successful formula in detecting illegal contraband such as this load of narcotics,” said Jose R. Uribe,
CBP’s acting port director for Laredo. “Although the lines of traffic were extraordinarily long and there was a strong spike in travelers this weekend, CBP officers maintained their vigilance and were able to stop this significant amount of cocaine from coming into the U.S.” Both suspects were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for further investigation. They have not yet been identified by authorities.
“Los líderes” return to the Laredo Energy Arena this Friday. The popular reggaeton duo of Wisin & Yandel hail from Cayey, Puerto Rico. Before getting together to form one of the genre’s most successful Latin music acts, Wisin was studying acting, while Yandel worked as a barber. They fell in love with the reggaepanamanian dance hall music that was eventually called “reggaeton” and have dominated the genre ever since. Their biggest hits include “Rakata,” “Llamé Pa’ Verte (Bailando Sexy),” “Pam Pam,” “Sexy Movimiento,” “Pegao,” “Síguelo,” “Abusadora,” “Zun Zun Rompiendo Caderas,” “Gracias a Tí,” “Tu Olor” and many more. “Wisin y Yandel have a great fanbase in this region. We’re very positive about this show,” said Xavier Vilallon, general manager for the Laredo Energy Arena.
Courtesy photo
Wisin & Yandel come to the Laredo Energy Arena on Friday. Tickets are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, including Ticketmaster.com, the LEA box office, charge-by-phone at 1-800-7453000 and select H-E-B Ticketmaster outlets.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Don’t conceal corporate ag THE KANSAS CITY STAR
Suppose you step outside one morning to enjoy the crisp autumnal air. You stand on your porch, take a deep breath ... and gag at the stench. Maybe it’s coming from the stream that flows nearby. The water didn’t used to have that sheen. Maybe it’s riding on the northerly breeze. The wind doesn’t usually blow from that direction. So you start asking around and wind up checking with the Environmental Protection Agency. The folks there tell you that a nearby corporate farm has a history of violations. When you ask who owns it and where it is, the EPA is mute. Congress won’t let it say. Follow your nose. That nightmare scenario could occur too often if the federal Farm Bill, now in congressional conference committee, retains provisions in the House version that would slap an unneeded, overly broad muzzle on the EPA. The professed motivation makes sense. Small, family farmers have reported incidents of environmentalists targeting them for harassment and vandalism. The government does not need to help by turning over farmers’ addresses and names under the Freedom of Information Act. That is why FOIA already protects that kind of personal information. Certainly, sometimes mistakes happen. The EPA this year improperly released records about 80,000 livestock operations to environmental groups. When it figured out its error, the agency asked for the records back, and the
groups complied. No harm done. The Farm Bill’s secrecy provision would have changed nothing. What it would do is extend secrecy to corporations. It would protect records about owners, operators and employees of agricultural operations. That includes corporations that own or operate industrial farms and concentrated animal feeding operations (think lots and lots of pigs and everything that comes out of them). Current protections apply to people, and while in the realm of campaign finance corporations are people, the Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that the “person” in “personal privacy” still matters for purposes of public records. Large corporate agricultural operations can cause serious environmental, health and quality of life harm in communities. Allowing them to hide behind a congressionally provided mask would erect significant barriers to accountability and monitoring. If federal records related to some of the biggest users are off limits, states will have a devil of a time with enforcement and verification of who is doing what to the waterways. Congress can redundantly reinforce existing privacy protections for farmers and their families and still balance public interest in disclosure. That will happen only if senators and representatives care about transparency and accountability. But too many currently seem more interested in the headline-grabbing Farm Bill disputes than the public’s right to know.
COLUMN
Gettysburg still echoes SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST
“That these dead shall not have died in vain.” Of all the lines — of all the ideas — in Lincoln’s famous speech, this one resonates most with me. Even now, long after I have taken off the uniform, grieving mothers, fathers, sons and daughters approach me and ask, “Was it worth it? Did his death mean anything?” I tell them it did. I tell them it mattered. How could it be otherwise? How could it be that in a democracy — a free society — men and women may risk their lives to defend that freedom and lose those lives in vain? It cannot be so.
Sacrifice Regardless of the terms of the treaty, the surrender, the withdrawal, the defeat or the victory, no American who sheds blood to preserve that which his ancestors fought to establish can ever be said to have made that sacrifice without meaning. No one who dies in the service of country dies in vain. It may be easy to forget this when headlines tell of renewed violence in Iraq and a still-active deadly enemy in Afghanistan,
with critics saying we achieved nothing. It’s easy to forget it when troops still come home through Dover Air Force Base and are laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, when loved ones grapple with futures snuffed out or with wounds, visible and invisible. It’s easy to forget it when public support wanes for the war effort.
COLUMN
JFK’s death: 50 years later By GREGORY CLAY MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
The conspiracy theories are endless. They seem to multiply like locusts. A classic whodunit: Was it the Mafia? How about Fidel Castro and Cuba? Maybe LBJ himself was the mastermind? What about the CIA? J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI? Could it have been Nikita Khrushchev and the Soviet Union? Just who REALLY was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? That question has fascinated Americans for 50 years. Could the assailant really have been a pathetic, underachieving simpleton named Lee Harvey Oswald all by himself ? “Nobody wants to believe that these two losers could impact the world the way they did,” suggested Hugh Aynesworth, a former Dallas Morning News writer and author of the recently released book “November 22, 1963: Witness to History.” Aynesworth, now 82, was referring to Oswald and Jack Ruby, the man who shot Oswald. To paraphrase pop artist Andy Warhol, both wanted their 15 minutes of fame, Aynesworth believes. He’s right. Many observers expect a more complicated plot in the Kennedy assassination. They are reaching for something more mysterious and potent that validates such a tragedy. Even U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry opened a Pandora’s box, recently telling NBC’s Tom Brokaw, “To this day, I have
serious doubts that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.” Aynesworth subscribes to the theory that Oswald, indeed, was alone. “I have seen absolutely no evidence to the contrary,” Aynesworth maintained during a telephone conversation. “Look, I’m aware that probably 75 percent of Americans believe in conspiracy theories about Kennedy. The movies, documentaries and television shows all predict conspiracies. Oliver Stone’s movie (titled “JFK”) probably influenced two generations of Americans. But the only thing that was right in that movie was the date and the city.” Aynesworth’s claim to fame is that he witnessed the JFK assassination, the subsequent capture of Oswald and the Ruby shooting incident. It was an unfathomable time when Aynesworth originally was supposed to have been enjoying a day off on that Friday, Nov. 22. “Oswald wanted to be somebody,” Aynesworth explained. “He wanted to be above the fold. He wanted to show he was bigger and better than everyone else — somebody who couldn’t
quite make it in life and wanted to go out with a bang.” Aynesworth knew Ruby in those days. Ruby often would frequent the Morning News to buy ad space to promote his seedy strip club, then talk to the newspaper’s writers seeking more publicity while there. All in the name of trying to make a name for himself, Aynesworth recalled. “He was a loudmouth show-off,” Aynesworth blurted. Aynesworth, then the Morning News’ aviation and aerospace reporter, had his Nov. 22 all planned that eventful day. A little early lunch, then watch the Kennedy motorcade in the afternoon before heading to Southern Methodist University to take in a lecture by a space scientist. However, shots were fired at the president and Aynesworth’s day changed. “Every place that I have worked,” Aynesworth said, “they have asked me to check out this conspiracy theory, that conspiracy theory — when I was at the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Times Herald and Newsweek. I’ve been to Cuba for this. I spoke at the University of Havana in Cuba, and probably 29 of
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Necessary war But we should be quick to remember that war, though never glorious, is sometimes necessary, that the soldier is the servant of the state, not the maker of policy, and that sacrifice, though painful, is the price we pay for freedom. For those of us who advised the president to send troops into harm’s way, these were never decisions taken lightly. We should remember that what qualifies a life welllived and honorably lost is not merely victory on the battlefield but the nobility of the struggle itself — the courage to take up arms in pursuit of something large. It was to this idea — to an America whole and free and not simply to more Union victories — that Lincoln aspired when he spoke of the lives sold.
“
And Dallas for decades was excoriated as that Haunted City that killed the King of Camelot. But with time comes the power of healing.
the 30 students there believed in the conspiracy theories.” Bob Schieffer, anchor and moderator of CBS’ “Face the Nation,” once said, “Hugh Aynesworth knows more about this tragic story and the reporters who reported it than anyone I know.” Kennedy believed Florida and Texas were crucial for re-election in 1964. That’s why he embarked on a five-city swing through Texas, with Austin scheduled to be the final stop. Dallas was viewed as hostile territory by some because of its right-wing, anti-communist extremism. The president ignored those pleas and ... he never made it to the Texas state capitol ... as all of the above helped fuel countless conspiracy theories. And Dallas for decades was excoriated as that Haunted City that killed the King of Camelot. But with time comes the power of healing. Aynesworth says the NFL and pop culture lent a helping hand in a big city’s long, arduous comeback story. “The Dallas Cowboys and the television show ‘Dallas’ helped cool the climate here a little bit,” he said. Now, Aynesworth is a man in demand. A panel discussion about the Kennedy assassination one day. A special reunion dinner for the media members who covered Nov. 22, 1963, on another day. Says Aynesworth, with a touch of wistfulness: “I’m getting too old for this.” But he admits the excitement is unforgettable.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: ZAPATA LADY HAWKS
Transitioning Lady Hawks moving from volleyball to basketball By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
After advancing to the second round in the volleyball playoffs, the Zapata girls’ basketball team is still finding its rhythm on the court. After last Tuesday’s 67-33 loss to United, head coach Hector Garcia reflected on the lack of time that he has had to work with his entire team since a few of the Lady Hawks were still transitioning over from the volleyball team. "They did well for only having one practice under them," Garcia said. "We are going to be fine after getting a few practices and games in us to get into basketball shape." All those notions changed with a few practices and games as the Lady Hawks headed out to the Rio Grande Valley and played in the the McAllen Tournament this past weekend. Getting a little more time to gel together, Zapata is starting to emerge on the basketball court. After the offense was held to 33 points by the Lady Longhorns, Zapata has been averag-
ing 51 points per game thanks to the hot hand of Clarissa Villarreal. The senior has scored in double figures in three of the last five games. "She’s our senior leader," Garcia said. "She has been keeping our team together especially on offense." In the tournament opener in McAllen, Zapata took on former district foe PSJA Southwest. The Lady Hawks squeezed out a four-point victory to beat the Wolverines 42-38 and move to the right of the tournament bracket. Zapata was paced by Isela Gonzalez, who had a gamehigh 14 points while Roxy Galvan chipped in with eight. In the second game of the tournament, Zapata lost a heartbreaker as Brownsville Lopez picked up a close 57-56 win. Zapata had two players score in double figures as Clarissa Villareal and Tere Villareal scored 16 and 15 points, respectively. Also helping out on the offensive end were Gonzalez and Galvan, who scored nine points apiece in a losing cause.
To end the tournament, Zapata played in two overtime games and came away with one win. The Lady Hawks were able to rebound in the third game of the tournament beating Donna 51-44 in an overtime thriller. Once again ZHS was paced by Clarissa Villareal who had 16 points for the second time in the tournament. The team could not keep their success in extra play going, however, as the Lady Hawks fell to host school McAllen 58-54 in overtime. Clarissa Villarreal scored a season-high 19 points while Gonzalez had 11 in the loss. In the final game of the tournament, Zapata lost to Rio Grande City 50-40 as fatigue might have played a part after coming off back-to-back overtime games. Gaby Gutierrez had 10 points while Tere Villarreal added eight and Alexis Alvarez and Galvan had 6 points apiece. Clara Sandoval can be reached at Sandoval.Clara@Gmail.com
Photo by Clara Sandoval | Laredo Morning Times
Zapata’s Clarissa Villarreal has scored in double figures in three of five games as the Lady Hawks competed in the McAllen Tournament this weekend.
National
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
NASA’s Maven heads to Mars By MARCIA DUNN ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s newest robotic explorer, Maven, rocketed toward Mars on Monday on a quest to unravel the ancient mystery of the red planet’s radical climate change. The Maven spacecraft is due at Mars next fall following a journey of more than 440 million miles. “Hey, guys, we’re going to Mars!” Maven’s principal scientist, Bruce Jakosky of the University of Colorado at Boulder, told reporters after liftoff. Jakosky and others want to know why Mars went from being warm and wet during its first billion years to cold and dry today. The early Martian atmosphere was thick enough to hold water and possibly support microbial life. But much of that atmosphere may have been lost to space, eroded by the sun. Maven set off through a cloudy afternoon sky in its bid to provide answers. An unmanned Atlas V rocket put the spacecraft on the proper course for Mars, and launch controllers applauded and shook hands over the success. “What a Monday at the office,” NASA project manager David Mitchell said. “Maybe I’m not showing it, but I’m euphoric.” Ten years in the making, Maven had Nov. 18, 2013, as its original launch date, “and we hit it,” Mitchell said. “I just want to say, ‘Safe travels, Maven. We’re with you all the way.’” Jakosky, Maven’s mastermind, said he was anxious and even shaking as the final seconds of the countdown ticked away. An estimated 10,000 NASA guests gathered for the liftoff — the most exciting one of the year from Cape Canaveral — including a
couple thousand representing the University of Colorado. Surviving liftoff was the first big hurdle, Jakosky said. The next huge milestone will be Maven’s insertion into orbit around Mars on Sept. 22, 2014. To help solve Mars’ environmental puzzle, Maven will spend an entire Earth year measuring atmospheric gases. This is NASA’s 21st mission to Mars since the 1960s. But it’s the first one devoted to studying the Martian upper atmosphere. The mission costs $671 million. Maven — short for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, with a capital “N’’ in EvolutioN — bears eight science instruments. The spacecraft, at 5,410
pounds, weighs as much as an SUV. From solar wingtip to wingtip, it stretches 37.5 feet, about the length of a school bus. A question underlying all of NASA’s Mars missions to date is whether life could have started on what now seems to be a barren world. “We don’t have that answer yet, and that’s all part of our quest for trying to answer, ‘Are we alone in the universe?’ in a much broader sense,” said John Grunsfeld, NASA’s science mission director. Unlike the 2011-launched Curiosity rover, Maven will conduct its experiments from orbit around Mars. Maven will dip as low as 78 miles above the Martian surface, sampling the atmosphere. The lopsided orbit will stretch as high as 3,864
miles. Curiosity’s odometer reads 2.6 miles after more than a year of roving the red planet. An astronaut could accomplish that distance in about a day on the Martian surface, Grunsfeld noted. Grunsfeld, a former astronaut, said considerable technology is needed, however, before humans can fly to Mars in the 2030s, NASA’s ultimate objective. Mars remains an intimidating target even for robotic craft, more than 50 years after the world’s first shot at the red planet. Fourteen of NASA’s previous 20 missions to Mars have succeeded, beginning with the 1964-launched Mariner 4, a Martian flyby. The U.S. hasn’t logged a Mars failure, in fact, since the late 1990s.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
Website asks for stories of JFK legacy By CARA RUBINSKY ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — There’s no shortage of places for people to share memories of where they were 50 years ago when they found out John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. But a website unveiled Monday aims to take the focus from past to future by asking people of all ages — even those who weren’t alive when Kennedy died — to share their thoughts about how he has inspired them. The website is part of the JFK Library and Museum’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death, which is Friday. The museum also plans a new exhibit of never-before-displayed items from his three-day state funeral, including the flag that draped his casket and notes written by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Visitors to the “An Idea Lives On” site can explore an interactive video that includes NASA Commander Chris Cassidy, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, comedian Conan O’Brien, Freedom Rider Charles Person and others talking about Kennedy’s lasting impact. The Kennedy Library Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money to support the library, is spear-
heading the project. The foundation hopes visitors will upload their own photos, videos, written messages and tweets to answer the question “How do the ideals of John F. Kennedy live on in your life today?” “It’s ambitious,” said Tom McNaught, the foundation’s executive director. “He was an ambitious president. In a way that’s how we see this. You can’t stop trying to instill in young people the ideas he instilled in my generation.” All submissions will become part of the archives at the JFK Library in Boston. The best stories will be featured on the site. “The stories are meant to be really personal,” said Brian Williams, vice president and creative director of The Martin Agency, which produced the site. The site’s name comes from a quote in a speech Kennedy gave in February 1963: “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.” It’s also inscribed on the wall visitors to the library see when they exit the small area of the museum that focuses on his assassination and walk into a brighter area where they can learn about his lasting impact on civil rights, public service, civic discourse, the arts, space exploration and more.
“President Kennedy stood for vitality and optimism and hope, so we’ve made a conscious decision to try to have the experience be uplifting,” said Tom Putnam, the library’s executive director. Because of that focus, the library does not typically do anything special to mark the anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination. But this year is different. In addition to the website, a new exhibit starts Friday that will include the flag from his casket and the saddle, boots and sword worn by the riderless horse that walked in the funeral procession. Visitors will also see notes written by Jackie Kennedy as she made plans for her husband’s funeral and a 15minute video with footage from the events. Curator Stacey Bredhoff hopes it will help visitors who were not alive or too young to remember comprehend the enormity of the shock and the mourning that followed. Also Friday, the library will host a musical tribute featuring Paul Winter, who performed at the White House with his jazz sextet during Kennedy’s presidency, along with a U.S. Navy choir and James Taylor. Between songs, notable guests including Gov. Deval Patrick will read quotes from
8 bodies found in pits in northern Mexico ASSOCIATED PRESS
File photo | AP
This Friday, Nov. 22, 1963 file photo shows the front pages of seven British national daily newspapers in London headlining the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Friday marks the 50th anniversary of his death. Kennedy’s speeches. The event is not open to the public, but it will be streamed live on the library’s website. It will include a moment of silence at the time Kennedy was killed. Members of the Kennedy family will not attend and
instead will observe the anniversary privately at home. “We want our tone to be respectful and we want it to have a certain reverence, but we also want it to be hopeful and end on this notion of what JFK stood for,” Putnam said.
MEXICO CITY — Authorities in the northern Mexico border state of Sonora have found eight bodies in two clandestine burial pits. Sonora state police say they were acting on a tip when they found the pits along a dirt road near the city of Navojoa. The bodies found Monday include six men, one woman and a girl. Investigators say they may have died as long as a year and a half ago. The causes of deaths are being investigated. Drug cartels in Mexico frequently use such pits to bury executed rivals. Twenty bodies so far have been excavated from eight clandestine graves found last week in the western state of Jalisco. The area is the site of a turf war between the Knights Templar and the New Generation cartels.
Vatican unveils art By NICOLE WINFIELD ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast | AP
This aerial photo taken Monday shows a home that was destroyed by a tornado that hit the western Illinois town of Washington on Sunday. It was one of the worst-hit areas after intense storms and tornadoes swept through Illinois.
Damaged, but not broken After twisters, ravaged communites come together By DAVID MERCER & DON BABWIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, Ill. — Aaron Montgomery’s house was not damaged by the tornado that roared through this central Illinois community. But when the twister knocked out power across town, he had to find a way to keep his 5year-old daughter alive. The recipient of a heart transplant last year, Isabel Montgomery requires machinery to help her breathe and eat. So her father furiously made calls looking for help, finally getting through to a construction company that loaned two generators. “I baby-sat the generators with a gas can last night to make sure they were full and running,” he said Monday. The cleanup from Sunday’s outbreak of tornadoes had scarcely begun, but people in storm-ravaged towns like Washington, 140 miles southwest of Chicago, had to keep moving. The tornado cut a path about an eighth of a mile wide from one side of Washington to the other and damaged or destroyed as many as 500 homes. It could be days before power is restored in the town of 16,000, state officials said Monday, and debris was still scattered across the streets. But people forced out of their homes were allowed back in Monday to survey damage and see what they could save. In one neighborhood, homeowners and their friends and families worked quickly in a stiff, cold breeze. Some homes had been shattered into piles of brick, drywall and
lumber. Others, like Jessica Bochart’s house, still had sections standing. “All of this can be replaced,” she said, gesturing at the collapsed remnants of her ceiling. But inside the home she shares with her husband, son and daughter, she was relieved to find some irreplaceable things intact — photos, family heirlooms and the Bochart’s cat, Patches. “He was sitting under our dining table, looking like, ‘What happened?’” Bochart said as she weighed the next set of decisions. Among them: Where will the family live for now? Offers from friends and family had poured in, and they were in a hotel for the moment, but she hesitated with the decision. “I don’t know,” she said after a long moment’s thought. Though the powerful line of thunderstorms and tornadoes howled across 12 states Sunday, flattening neighborhoods in minutes, the death toll stood at just eight. Forecasters’ uncannily accurate predictions, combined with television and radio warnings, text-message alerts and storm sirens, almost certainly saved lives. But in Washington, the hardest-hit town, many families, like the Bocharts, were also in church. “I don’t think we had one church damaged,” Mayor Gary Manier said. Daniel Bennett was officiating Sunday service before 600 to 700 people when he heard a warning. Then another. And another. “I’d say probably two dozen phones started going off in the service, and everybody started looking
down,” he said. What they saw was a text message that a twister was in the area. Bennett stopped the service and ushered everyone to a safe place until the threat passed. A day later, many in the community believed that the messages helped minimize the number of dead and injured. “That’s got to be connected,” Bennett said as he bicycled through a neighborhood looking for parishioners’ homes. “The ability to get instant information.” Another factor was forecasting, which has steadily improved with the arrival of faster, more powerful computers. Scientists are now better able to replicate atmospheric processes into mathematical equations. In the last decade alone, forecasters have doubled the number of days in advance that weather experts can anticipate major storms, said Bill Bunting of the National Weather Service. But Bunting, forecast operations chief of the service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said it was not until Saturday that the atmospheric instability that turns smaller storm systems into larger, more menacing ones came into focus. Despite Sunday’s destruction and at least eight deaths, 2013 has been a relatively mild year for twisters in the U.S., with the number of twisters running at or near record lows. So far this year, there have been 886 preliminary reports of tornadoes, compared with about 1,400 preliminary reports usually received in mid-November.
ROME — The Vatican on Tuesday unveiled newly restored frescoes in the Catacombs of Priscilla, known for housing the earliest known image of the Madonna with Child — and frescoes said by some to show women priests in the early Christian church. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican’s culture minister, presided over the opening of the “Cubicle of Lazzaro,” a tiny burial chamber featuring 4th century images of biblical scenes, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and one of the early Romans buried there in bunk-bed-like stacks as was common in antiquity. The labyrinthine cemetery complex stretching for kilometers (miles) underneath northern Rome is known as the “Queen of the catacombs” because it features burial chambers of popes and a tiny, delicate fresco of the Madonna nursing Jesus dating from around 230-240 A.D., the earliest known image of the Madonna and Child. More controversially, the catacomb tour features two scenes said by proponents of the women’s ordination movement to show women priests: One in the ochre-hued Greek Chapel features a group of women celebrating a banquet, said to be the banquet of the Eucharist. Another fresco in a richly decorat-
Photo by Gregorio Borgia | AP
A fresco adorns the Catacombs of Priscilla, a labyrinthine cemetery complex that stretches for kilometers underground in Rome. ed burial chamber features a woman, dressed in a dalmatic — a cassocklike robe — with her hands up in the position used by priests for public worship. The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, which includes women who have been excommunicated by the Vatican for participating in purported ordination ceremonies, holds the images up as evidence that there were women priests in the early Christian church — and that therefore there should be women priests today. But Fabrizio Bisconti, the superintendent of the Vatican’s sacred archaeology commission, said such a reading of the frescoes was pure “fable, a legend.” Even though the catacombs’ official guide says there is “a clear reference
to the banquet of the Holy Eucharist” in the fresco, Bisconti said the scene of the banquet wasn’t a Eucharistic banquet but a funeral banquet. He said that even though women were present they weren’t celebrating Mass. Bisconti said the other fresco of the woman with her hands up in prayer was just that — a woman praying. “These are readings of the past that are a bit sensationalistic but aren’t trustworthy,” he said. Asked about the scenes, Ravasi professed ignorance and referred comment to Bisconti. The Priscilla catacombs are being featured in a novel blending of antiquity and modern-technology: For the first time, Google Maps has gone into the Roman catacombs, providing a virtual tour.
MIERCOLES 20 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2013
Agenda en Breve LAREDO 11/20— Dentro de las actividades por semana de la Educación Internacional en TAMIU, los estudiantes que han participado en Estudios en el Extranjero por parte de TAMIU estarán compartiendo sus experiencias a través de una exhibición de videos y fotografías a partir de las 11 a.m. dentro de la escuela. 11/20— A partir de las 5:30 y hasta las 8 p.m., LCC estará formando equipo con el personal del programa Gear Up de Texas A&M University-Kingsville para inscribir en una Feria de Inscripción en el Campus del Sur. El evento será celebrado en la Suite de la Comunidad en el Centro de Estudiantes William N. “Billy” Hall Jr. 11/21— Dentro de las actividades por semana de la Educación Internacional en TAMIU, se estará celebrando un Festival Alrededor de la Cultural de la Humanidad, en el cual se estará interactuando con estudiantes extranjeros acerca de sus tradiciones y constumbres, esto a partir de las 11 a.m. dentro de TAMIU. 11/21— La escuela Clark Elementary estará celebrando a sus mejores lectores (Pre-K a 5o. grado) quienes leyeron la mayoría de los libros antes de que terminara el segundo periodo de seis semanas de 2 a 2:50 p.m. 11/21— Bonnie Garcia Elementary School tendrá una presentación sobre el Mes para la Concietización sobre ser Bilingüe, dentro de la escuela en 1453 Concord Hills Blvd. a partir de las 6 p.m. Durante el evento estudiantes de primero y segundo grado expondrán trabajos que han realizado en la clase Dos Idiomas. 11/21— El Laredo Community College estará llevando a cabo un concierto para una ‘Noche romántica’ a partir de las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro del Centro de Bellas Artes y Artes Escénicas Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez dentro del Campus Forth McIntosh. 11/22— Se estará realizando un rally y desfile ‘contra la intimidación escolar’ dentro del gimnasio de Killam Elementary School, en 5315 Fairfield Drive a partir de las 8 a.m. 11/22— Alexander High School estará celebrando el Día de Carreras, donde líderes de la comunidad hablarán a los estudiantes sobre sus carreras y sus trabajos actuales. Las pláticas serán dentro de la escuela en 3600 E. Del Mar Blvd. a partir de las 8:30 a.m. 11/22— Clark Elementary School estará celebrando su aniversario 40 en el gimnasio de la escuela, en 500 W. Hillside Road, a partir de las 2:15 p.m. 11/22— Patrocinadores del Jalapeño Fest estarán revelando los grupos que se presentarán el próximo año, en el Centro de Comunicaciones Guerra, en 6402 avenida Bartlett, a partir de las 6 p.m. 11/22— Los cantantes de reggaeton Wisin y Yandel, se estarán presentando en LEA a parto de las 8:30 p.m. 11/22— Se estará celebrando un torneo de baloncesto en el Centro Recreacional E. Hachar, en 1102 N. Smith, a partir de las 9 p.m. Jóvenes de 15 años en adelante. Se requiere Membresía.
Zfrontera NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO
Siete muertos
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Siete civiles armados murieron durante tres enfrentamientos durante el fin de semana en Nuevo Laredo, México, informaron autoridades del Gobierno de Tamaulipas. Un sospechoso fue detenido y fueron incautadas nueve armas largas, un lanzagranadas y una cantidad indeterminada de municiones. El sábado, a las 9:18 p.m., se registró el primer enfrentamiento por calle Grijalva y Río Cupatitzio en el Fraccionamiento El Campanario. Ahí fallecieron dos sospechosos, quienes no fueron identificados, tras que se enfrentaron a elementos del
Civiles armados perdieron la vida durante enfrentamientos ocurrido el fin de semana en Nuevo Laredo, México. Un sospechoso fue detenido. Ejército Mexicano, explica el reporte del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas. Los hombres viajaban en una camioneta pick up Ford F-150, modelo 2001, color rojo, con placas de circulación de Texas. Autoridades incautaron en el lugar tres armas largas y municiones, cuya cantidad no fue especificada en el reporte. Fue a las 10:30 p.m. del mismo sábado que en el crucero de las calles César
López de Lara y Anáhuac, en la Colonia Anáhuac, cuando civiles armados se enfrentaron contra elementos de la Policía Federal. Ahí falleció un civil identificado como Gilberto Herrera Jaques. Él viajaba dentro de un automóvil Ford Countor, modelo 1998, color blanco, con placas de circulación de Texas. El informe del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas indica que se logró detener
a Jonathan Saldaña Armendáriz, así como se incautaron un arma larga, un cargador, una cantidad no específica de municiones y dos radios de comunicación. Fue a las 5:40 a.m. del domingo cuando ocurrió el tercer enfrentamiento por Calzada Revolución y Calle Tecolote, en el Fraccionamiento Lomas del Río. Ahí se enfrentaron civiles armados y elementos de
la Secretaría de Marina, siendo el saldo cuatro sospechosos muertos, los cuales no fueron identificados, explica el comunicado. El cuerpo de dos civiles quedaron en el interior de una camioneta Ford Expedition, modelo 2005, color gris, con placas de Texas. Las otras dos víctimas quedaron sobre el pavimento. El informe agrega que se lograron asegurar cinco armas largas, un lanza-granadas y diversas municiones. El Gobierno de Tamaulipas informó que Agentes del Ministerio Público Federal y del Fuero Común empezaron la integración de las averiguaciones en cada caso.
TAMAULIPAS
TURISMO
‘EMBAJADORES TAMAULIPECOS’
Unidos buscan reforzar frontera ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Egidio Torre Cantú, a la izquierda, durante entrega de reconocimiento al futbolista Iván Ochoa, seleccionado Sub17, durante evento Premio Estatal del Deporte en Tamaulipas 2013.
Gobernador reconoció esfuerzo de deportistas TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Fue llevada a cabo la ceremonia de entrega del Premio Estatal del Deporte en Tamaulipas 2013 donde se reconocieron los logros obtenidos por deportistas tamaulipecos en diversas disciplinas. El Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Egidio Torre Cantú los calificó como “los mejores embajadores de Tamaulipas”. Raúl Curiel García fue el ganador del Premio Estatal del Deporte 2013. “Es un compromiso con nuestros entrenadores que nos alientan a dar el mayor de los esfuerzos en cada día
de competencia, en cada prueba que nos preparan para superar en cualquier obstáculo”, dijo Curiel. “Es un compromiso con nuestro estado porque nos sentimos orgullosos de nuestras raíces y motivados a representarlo dignamente llevando siempre en alto el nombre de Tamaulipas”. También recibieron reconocimiento: Lidia Damaris Juárez Aladro como Deportista Infantil; Vanessa María Infante Galván como Deportista Juvenil; y, Carlos Daniel Rodríguez Vázquez en Deporte Adaptado. En reconocimientos especiales, se entregó galardón al equipo de gimnasia rítmica de Tamaulipas; a Iván
Ochoa, seleccionado Sub17 y a Uriel Adriano, campeón Mundial de Tae Kwan Do. Ochoa, quien obtuvo el Balón de Oro con la Selección Mexicana en el Mundial Sub 17 en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, dijo que para él es un orgullo ser tamaulipeco. El Premio al Entrenador lo ganó el organismo Deportistas y Entrenadores del Deporte Adaptado en México A.C. y el premio al entrenador del año fue para William Jonathan Valentín Arzola Rodríguez; en tanto que el deportista Horacio Berrones Fuentes fue seleccionado para su entronización al Salón al Mérito deportivo.
El Gobierno de Tamaulipas se sumó a la convocatoria para fortalecer las relaciones binacionales en materia económica, industrial y turística en la franja fronteriza, con la finalidad de consolidar los lazos de cooperación entre Tamaulipas y Texas. Durante un evento llevado a cabo en McAllen se reunieron representantes de la industria, finanzas, comercio y turismo del Valle de Texas y de Tamaulipas, y manifestaron su voluntad por estrechar los lazos de cooperación para promover el crecimiento de todas las ciudades hermanas a lo largo de la frontera de ambas naciones. Mónica González García, Secretaria de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo, manifestó que el Gobierno de Tamaulipas está atento a cualquier iniciativa para impulsar los lazos de cooperación binacional que fomentan el crecimiento, desarrollo y expansión de una frontera fuerte y competitiva. González agregó que es importante fortalecer las relaciones binacionales que formen regiones fuertes y competitivas. Durante la reunión participaron el Presidente Municipal de Reynosa, José Elías Leal, y los Alcaldes San Juanita Sánchez de San Juan; Leopoldo Polo Palacios, de Pharr; Beto Salinas, de Missión; Chris Boswell, de Harlingen y Jum Darlind, de McAllen.
SEGURIDAD
Se reportaron enfrentamientos en Reynosa y Matamoros, México TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 11/20— NUEVO LAREDO, México—Cine Club “Carmen González” presenta película “Hecho en México”, dirigida por Alexander Mackendrick, a las 6 p.m. Película para adolescentes y adultos.
PÁGINA 9A
Dos personas muertas fue el saldo tras que el fin de semana se registraran persecuciones y enfrentamientos entre civiles armados y elementos de la Secretaría de Marina en las ciudades de Reynosa y Matamoros, México.
El Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas informó que el 15 de noviembre, a las 8:30 p.m., concluyó una persecución de sujetos armados frente a una planta maquiladora ubicada por la carretera Reynosa-Río Bravo. Los sospechosos, indica un reporte, “se desplazaban a bordo de una camioneta
pick-up GMC Z-71 color arena, cuatro puertas, modelo 2004 y sin placas de circulación”. El informe agrega que cerca de la unidad quedó el cuerpo sin vida de un sospechoso, de aproximadamente 35 años de edad. Se aseguró un arma larga, mochilas con equipo de co-
municación y la camioneta. Otros civiles que viajaban en la camioneta lograron darse a la fuga. En tanto, el 16 de noviembre, a las 10:30 a.m. por la Avenida Solernau, entre las calles Rafael Solís y 18 de Julio de la Colonia Aurora, en Matamoros, elementos de la Secretaría de
Marina marcaron el alto a un vehículo donde iban sujetos armados, indica un reporte. El saldo fue una persona muerta, de aproximadamente 25 años de edad, dentro de la camioneta Jeep Cherokee 4×4, modelo 2002, con placas de circulación del Estado de Texas.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
Four want absolution By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
File photo by Eric Gay | AP
In this July 9, 2013, file photo, opponents and supporters of an abortion bill hold signs near a news conference outside the Texas Capitol in Austin.
Court will not block law By MARK SHERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — A sharply divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to continue enforcing abortion restrictions that opponents say have led more than a third of the state’s clinics to stop providing abortions. The justices voted 5-4 to leave in effect a provision requiring doctors who perform abortions in clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The court’s conservative majority refused the plea of Planned Parenthood and several Texas abortion clinics to overturn a preliminary federal appeals court ruling that allowed the provision to take effect. The four liberal justices dissented. The case remains on appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Orleans. That court is expected to hear arguments in January, and the law will remain in effect at least until then. Justice Stephen Breyer, writing for the liberal justices, said he expects the issue to return to the Supreme Court once the appeals court issues its final ruling. The Texas Legislature approved the requirement for admitting privileges in July. In late October, days before the provision was to take effect, a trial judge blocked it, saying it probably is unconstitutional because it puts a “substantial obstacle” in front of a woman wanting an abortion. But a three-judge appellate panel moved quickly to overrule the judge.
The appeals court said the law was in line with Supreme Court rulings that have allowed for abortion restrictions so long as they do not impose an “undue burden” on a woman’s ability to obtain an abortion. Writing for the appeals court, Judge Priscilla Owen noted that the Texas law would not end the procedure, only force women to drive a greater distance to obtain one. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing in support of the high court order Tuesday, said the clinics could not overcome a heavy legal burden against overruling the appeals court. The justices may not do so “unless that court clearly and demonstrably erred,” Scalia said in an opinion that was joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
SAN ANTONIO — Four San Antonio women imprisoned for sexually assaulting two girls in 1994 have achieved their first aim: freedom. Their next step is to fight for exoneration, and that is what their attorneys intend to pursue before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh and Cassandra Rivera were released Monday night on their own recognizance. That was after a judge decided to recommend that an appeals court vacate their 1998 convictions as tainted by faulty witness testimony. The fourth woman, Anna Vasquez, was released on parole last year. The women haven’t been exonerated formally. Bexar County prosecutors have said they don’t intend to retry them if the appeals court vacates the convictions. However, they disagree with the women’s attorneys that they should be declared formally innocent. Exoneration would allow them to collect money Texas pays to the wrongfully imprisoned. The women and their attorneys were expected to describe their next steps in their pursuit of exoneration later this week. The release of Ramirez, Mayhugh and Rivera on Monday was delayed for about six hours by paperwork issues with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Photo by Eric Gay | AP
Cassandra Rivera is greeted by family members after she, Elizabeth Ramirez and Kristie Mayhugh were released from jail. The three emerged from the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, clasping their hands in one another’s and holding them high as tearful family members and friends surged toward them. Each was dressed in fresh, new clothes brought to them in advance by their families. Rivera was introduced to her granddaughter for the first time. “I’m your grandma. I’m your grandma, baby. You’re beautiful!” she said with a gasp. They walked past reporters without comment before they climbed into a minivan. As they left, family members repeated over and over to them, “I love you. I love you.” Before the women emerged, Gloria Herrera was anxious about reuniting with her daughter, Ramirez. “I’ve seen her, but I haven’t held her,” she said.
The three were convicted with Vasquez in 1998 of assaulting two of Ramirez’s nieces, ages 7 and 9, in successive attacks during a week in 1994. The girls testified that the women held them by their wrists and ankles, attacked them and threatened to kill them. Ramirez was given a 37year prison sentence. Mayhugh, Vasquez and Rivera were given 15-year sentences. Their case came to the attention of attorneys affiliated with the nonprofit Innocence Project of Texas and National Center for Reason and Justice more than a decade after the women were imprisoned. The groups investigate potential wrongful conviction cases and Mike Ware, an attorney for the women who has worked on the case for two years, filed petitions on their behalf last month with the state appeals court.
HONOR Continued from Page 1A 1944, because his body was recovered before June 18. Le Nagard said his son Malo, 7, spearheaded efforts to tend to the grave several times during the year. “It has been a great honor for
me and my family,” Le Nagard said. “I just want to thank all the people of Laredo, and it is such an honor to receive a certificate. My family and I love you and everyone in Laredo.” Salinas said he was taken
aback by the family’s random act of kindness. “This really touches your heart, and I am normally not at a loss for words but wow,” he said. “This shows that people everywhere still love the United States
of America. It really hit my heart knowing someone was taking care of our own soldier. “It really doesn’t matter where you are from. People still have compassion for other people.” Salinas and the Laredo City
Council plan to send the Le Nagard family a package of mementos from Laredo and Mexico in the near future. (Aldo Amato may be reached at 728-2538 or aamato@lmtonline.com)