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Jail inmate dies by suicide, found hanging Sex assault case unfolded in Zapata By César G. Rodriguez TH E ZAPATA T IME S
A Webb County Jail inmate facing several sexual assault and child pornography charges died at a local hospital after he was found hanging in his cell, authorities said Friday. The Webb County
Sheriff’s Office identified him as Federico Reyes, 39, a head instructor at Laredo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the 8500 block of Las Cruces Drive. Sheriff Martin Cuellar said Reyes hanged himself with part of his uniform. Paramedics said they responded to a reported attempted
Reyes
suicide at 7:54 p.m. Thursday at the jail. First responders rendered CPR on Reyes and continued advance cardiac life support measures on him en
route to Laredo Medical Center. Emergency room medical staff pronounced Reyes dead at 8:42 p.m. Sheriff’s officials have notified Reyes’ death to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Attorney General’s Office. A spokesperson for the jail commission said they are reviewing the case to see if the jail followed protocol. “The preliminary Jail continues on A13
Eric Gay / AP
In this Nov. 21 photo, trucks move along Interstate 35 in Laredo.
Border cities worry that ending NAFTA would be harmful By Paul J. Weber
ZAPATA
ASSOCIAT ED PRE SS
LIONS, LEO CLUBS HOST CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE, TURKEY GIVEAWAY
LAREDO — Donald Trump’s only visit to the U.S.-Mexico border while running for president was a stop in Laredo that lasted less than three hours. On some days, that’s not long enough for 18-wheelers hauling foreign-made dishwashers and car batteries to lurch through the gridlocked crossing. Trump’s campaign promise to tear apart the North American Free Trade Agreement helped win over Rust Belt voters who felt left behind by
globalization. But the idea is unnerving to many people in border cities such as Laredo and El Paso or Nogales in Arizona, which have boomed under the 1994 treaty. About 14,000 tractor-trailers cross the border daily in Laredo, the nation’s busiest inland port. Local officials say roughly 1 in every 3 jobs benefits from international trade. “We are NAFTA on wheels,” Mayor Pete Saenz said. Free trade across the border, he explained, is the “backbone” of this city of 255,000 people. NAFTA continues on A13
CORPUS CHRISTI
Gabe Hernandez / Corpus Christi Caller-Times/AP
Customers stand in line to pay for cases of water at an H-E-B store Thursday in Corpus Christi.
Chemical leak reported week before public was warned ASSOCIAT ED PRE SS
Courtesy
The Zapata High School Leo Club recently held a Christmas toy drive and passed out over 160 gifts to children at El Lago Head Start and Zapata Early Head Start. “It was an awesome experience for our kids!” Leo Club Sponsor Clyde Guerra Jr. said. The Zapata Lions Club also held their fifth annual Christmas Turkey Giveaway and helped out 75 families in need. See more photos on Page A13.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Officials in Corpus Christi released few details Friday on a suspected chemical leak into the Texas city’s public water system as they awaited test results from the state to determine whether the water was safe to consume. Mayor Dan McQueen said at a news briefing that he hopes the tests show that residents across the Gulf Coast city of 320,000 can drink the water. But he didn’t address how the chemical may have entered the public water system from an
industrial plant or when city officials were first notified of a problem at the plant. Officials on Wednesday warned all residents to stop using the water, including for consumption and showers, because a harmful chemical had leaked from the plant. The city released a map late Thursday showing areas where the water had been deemed safe, but most residents were asked to still refrain from using tap water. Ergon Asphalt and Emulsions Inc. said in a statement that it has been in contact with Water continues on A13
Zin brief A2 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Laredo Northside Farmers Market. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. North Central Park.
Today is Saturday, Dec. 17, the 352nd day of 2016. There are 14 days left in the year.
Past Lives, Dreams and Soul Travel. 1-2:30 p.m. Fairfield Inn & Suites Meeting Room, 700 W. Hillside Road. Discover how past lives, dreams and soul travel can help you experience God. Free bilingual discussion.
Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned poweredairplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.
TAMIU Planetarium Christmas show. 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium. Take a break from crowded stores and the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy a special Christmas season show, “Mystery of the Christmas Star.” General admission is $5.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 Memorial Bells 9th Annual Christmas Concert. 4 p.m. Sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland. The program will include both sacred and secular selections and will conclude with a “Ring-SingA-Long.” Free and open to the public. Donations accepted.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 Jedi Christmas. 3-5 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco. Stormtrooper Santa, gaming, crafts, music and food. Star Wars costumes are encouraged. Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available. Movie and Popcorn. Every Monday, 4—5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Enjoy a family movie and refreshments.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20 Christmas Party. 2-5 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Families are welcome to participate in our raffle and take home a family picture with Santa. There will be free food, crafts and more. LEGO Workshop. Every Tuesday, 4—5 p.m. Santa Rita Express Library, 83 Prada Machin Drive, on the corner of Malaga Drive and Castro Urdiales Avenue. Create with LEGOs, DUPLOs and robotics.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.
MONDAY, JANUARY 2 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available. Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting. 6:30—7:30 p.m. Area Health Education Center, 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430. Every first Monday of the month. People suffering from anxiety and depression are invited to attend this free, confidential and anonymous support group meeting. While a support group does not replace an individual’s medical care, it can be a valuable resource to gain insight, strength and hope.
MONDAY, JANUARY 9 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.
MONDAY, JANUARY 16 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.
MONDAY, JANUARY 23 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.
MONDAY, JANUARY 30 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available. Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting. 6:30—7:30 p.m. Area Health Education Center, 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430. Every first Monday of the month. People suffering from anxiety and depression are invited to attend this free support group meeting.
John Minchillo / AP
Annie Glenn touches the casket of her husband John Glenn as he lies in honor, Friday, in Columbus, Ohio. Glenn, 95, the first American to orbit Earth, died last week.
JOHN GLENN LIES IN HONOR COLUMBUS, Ohio — John Glenn’s home state and the nation began saying goodbye to the beloved astronaut Friday starting with a public viewing of his flagdraped casket inside Ohio’s Statehouse rotunda. Politicians, including Secretary of State John Kerry, and ordinary citizens from across the country paid their respects to the first American to orbit Earth as a somber Marine honor guard kept watch. The normally festive holiday decor was bedecked with black buntings and the windows were covered in black.
Bergdahl judge won’t allow evidence of injuries FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The judge overseeing the military trial of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl ruled Friday that he won’t allow evidence that any service members were injured while searching for him. The judge, Army Col. Jeffery Nance, wrote the risk is too great that such evidence would spur military jurors to act on emotion, rather than logic,
Ryan and Cristin Hanson, of Holland, Michigan, brought their 10-month-old baby, Hilary. “He’s a hero who’s continued to be remembered,” said Ryan, 31, who said he and his wife, 29, were awed by Glenn’s accomplishments. “When we were young, we learned about John Glenn from our folks, and we hope that’s something that gets perpetuated as we move forward.” Glenn died last week at 95. He grew up in eastern Ohio before becoming a national hero when he orbited Earth in 1962. — Compiled from AP reports
unfairly biasing them against Bergdahl during a court martial scheduled for April 2017. Nance issued the written ruling hours after hearing oral arguments on the matter. “The accused is not to be convicted because, while searching for him, his comrades were horrifically injured. Even (perhaps especially) hardened combat veterans of many deployments who might sit on this panel would be hard pressed not to be affected by the horrific injuries to SFC Allen, in particular,” he wrote,
referring to a soldier shot in the head. “Since the danger can be avoided, I deem it should be.” Bergdahl is charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy; the latter could put him in prison for life. Bergdahl has said he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 to alert higher-ups to what he felt were problems with his unit. Nance said the defense has plenty of other evidence it can use to argue that Bergdahl’s actions endangered his comrades. — Compiled from AP reports
New study casts doubt on Anne Frank theory
One year ago: Defense Secretary Ash Carter acknowledged that he sometimes used a personal, unsecured email account to conduct official business after he took office, a practice he called “entirely my mistake.”
Bas Czerwinski / AP file
This June 12, 2009 photo, shows a photo of Anne Frank at the opening of the exhibition “Anne Frank, a History for Today.”
coupons at the canal-side house where she and other Jews hid for just over two years. Anne kept a diary during her time in hiding that was published after the war and turned her into a globally recognized symbol of Holocaust victims. She died in the Bergen-Belsen Nazi concentration camp at age 15, shortly before it was liberat-
ed by Allied forces. The new research points to two men who worked in the building on Amsterdam’s Prinsengracht canal and dealt in illegal ration cards. They were arrested earlier in 1944 and subsequently released, Dutch records show. The arrests also are mentioned in Anne’s diary. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND TEXAS San Antonio-based H-E-B recalls raw shelled pistachios SAN ANTONIO — The HE-B grocery store chain has recalled bulk and packaged raw shelled pistachios. San Antonio-based H-E-B on Wednesday said there’s a potential that the raw shelled pistachios could be contaminated with salmonella. The issue was discovered through routine Food and Drug Administration
Ten years ago: Gunmen in Iraqi army uniforms kidnapped some 30 people at the Red Crescent offices in downtown Baghdad (about half were released the same day). Five years ago: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.
AROUND THE WORLD
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Anne Frank may not have been betrayed to Nazi occupiers, but captured by chance. A new study published Friday by the Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam says that despite decades of research there is no conclusive evidence that the Jewish diarist and her family were betrayed to the Netherlands’ German occupiers during World War II, leading to their arrest and deportation. Ronald Leopold, Executive Director of the Anne Frank House museum, said in a statement Friday that new research by the museum “illustrates that other scenarios should also be considered.” One possible theory is that the Aug. 4, 1944, raid that led to Anne’s arrest could have been part of an investigation into illegal labor or falsified ration
On this date: In 1777, France recognized American independence. In 1865, Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, known as the “Unfinished” because only two movements had been completed, was first performed publicly in Vienna, 37 years after the composer’s death. In 1925, Col. William “Billy” Mitchell was convicted at his court-martial in Washington of insubordination for accusing senior military officials of incompetence and criminal negligence; he was suspended from active duty. In 1939, the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled by its crew, ending the World War II Battle of the River Plate off Uruguay. In 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time. In 1969, the U.S. Air Force closed its Project “Blue Book” by concluding there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings. An estimated 50 million TV viewers watched singer Tiny Tim marry his fiancee, Miss Vicky (Budinger), on NBC’s “Tonight Show.” In 1975, Lynette Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, California, to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford. (Fromme was paroled in Aug. 2009.) In 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance executive, was fatally injured after leading police on a chase with his motorcycle in Miami. (Four white police officers accused of beating McDuffie were later acquitted, sparking riots.) In 1981, members of the Red Brigades kidnapped Brig. Gen. James L. Dozier, the highest-ranking U.S. Army official in southern Europe, from his home in Verona, Italy. (Dozier was rescued 42 days later.) In 1986, Eugene Hasenfus, the American convicted by Nicaragua for his part in running guns to the Contras, was pardoned, then released. In 1996, Peruvian guerrillas took hundreds of people hostage at the Japanese embassy in Lima (all but 72 of the hostages were later released by the rebels; the siege ended April 22, 1997, with a commando raid that resulted in the deaths of all the rebels, two commandos and one hostage). Six Red Cross workers were slain by gunmen in Chechnya. Kofi Annan of Ghana was appointed United Nations secretary-general.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 86. Pope Francis is 80. Political commentator Chris Matthews is 71. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 70. Actress Actor Joel Brooks is 67. Country singer Sharon White is 63. Country musician Tim Chewning is 54. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 50. Country musician Duane Propes is 50. Actress Laurie Holden is 47. Actress Marissa Ribisi is 42. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 42. Actress Milla Jovovich (is 41. Singer Bree Sharp is 41. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT) is 34. Rock singer Mikky Ekko is 33. Actress Shannon Woodward is 32. Actress Emma Bell is 30. Actress Vanessa Zima is 30. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore) is 27. Actor Graham Rogers is 26. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 22. Thought for Today: “Democracy is not an easy form of government, because it is never final; it is a living, changing organism, with a continuous shifting and adjusting of balance between individual freedom and general order.” — Ilka Chase, American author, actress, humorist (1905-1978).
CONTACT US sampling. Salmonella is a bacterial illness that can cause serious and potentially fatal infections in young children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems. Most patients recover without treatment. A company statement says there are no reports of illness and all of the recalled products have been removed from H-E-B and Central Market Texas stores. The recall involves prepackaged plastic containers containing raw pistachios with
labels reading Shelled Pistachios or Central Market Shelled Pistachios, with a best by date of Jan. 1, 2017. The recall also involves pistachios found in bulk with SunRidge Farms labels reading: Women’s Vitality Mix, Pistachio Nuts and Dark Chocolate Pistachios, with a purchased on or after date of May 15, 2016. Customers can return the recalled products to a store for a full refund, or call 1-855432-4438. — Compiled from AP reports
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The Zapata Times
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
A3
STATE
Texas begins implementing $350M in Medicaid therapy cuts A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
AUSTIN — Some $350 million in cuts to a Texas Medicaid program providing therapy for disabled children have taken effect. The reductions sparked outcry after being approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature last year. They reduce revenue for some Texas therapy providers. Opponents say they’ll force providers to close, and could cost roughly 60,000 children access to speech and occupational therapists.
Health and Human Services Commission spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the cuts were implemented Thursday to “achieve savings,” as directed by state lawmakers. She added: “We will monitor the reduction of rates to ensure access to care is not impacted.” Advocates sued to stop the cuts, but Texas’ Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says the Legislature may readdress the cuts, though, after it convenes Jan. 10.
Texas, long a leader in executions, loses its distinction this year By Michael Graczyk ASSOCIATED PRE SS
HOUSTON — The state of Texas, long the nation’s leader in executions, lost that distinction in 2016 and its two most populous counties didn’t send a single convicted killer to death row, according to a new report. The change is because growing legal and public hesitance to impose the ultimate punishment, according to the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. “The death penalty landscape in Texas continues to change dramatically,” Kristin Houlé, the advocacy group’s executive director said in a year-end report. “Prosecutors, juries, judges, and the public are subjecting our state’s death penalty practices to unprecedented scrutiny and, in many cases, accepting al-
Pat Sullivan / AP file
This file photo shows the gurney in Huntsville where Texas’ condemned are strapped down to die.
ternatives to the ultimate punishment.” Texas juries sent only three convicted killers to death row this year and none of them came from the two most populous counties — Harris including Houston, and Dallas including Dallas-Fort Worth. Those two Texas counties have accounted for more people put to death than any other counties in the nation since the death penalty was rein-
stated in the U.S. in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Seven convicted killers were given lethal injection in Texas this year, the lowest number since three were executed in 1996. For the first time since 2002, Texas did not lead or tie for the state with the most executions. Georgia has that distinction for 2016, with nine, as only five states — Georgia, Texas, Missouri,
Alabama and Florida — accounted for the 20 executions nationwide. None of the seven Texas inmates given lethal injection this year was African-American, although all three prisoners arriving on death row this year are black. Over the past five years seven of the 35 people sentenced to death in Texas were white, according to the coalition’s report, which contended the statistics showed “patterns of racial bias” in imposition of the death penalty. The group also said in Texas’ highest sentencing counties, all nine men sentenced to death in Dallas or adjacent Tarrant County since 2012 are AfricanAmerican, as were 15 of the last 18 defendants from Harris County. The overall numbers reflect a downward trend in capital punishment both in Texas and across the country.
Judge blocks Texas from requiring fetal remains be buried By Will Weissert A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
AUSTIN — A federal judge on Thursday blocked until at least next month hotly debated Texas rules mandating burial or cremation of fetal remains that were set to go into effect within days. The ruling by Austinbased U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks begins the latest legal battle for a state whose tough antiabortion laws were largely struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer. The Center for Reproductive Rights and other national advocacy groups sued to prevent Texas from requiring hospitals and clinics to bury or cremate fetal remains from abortions or mis-
carriages rather than disposing of them in a sanitary landfill, as they often currently do with such remains and other biological medical waste. The rules had been set to take effect Monday. The lawsuit argues that the rules serve no medical purpose and are meant to shame women who seek abortions and make it harder for doctors to provide them. Sparks granted a temporary restraining order blocking the rules, then scheduled two days of testimony for early next month. He expects to rule by Jan. 6 on whether they will be allowed to stand going forward. Earlier legal challenges blocked similar measures in Louisiana and in Indiana, where they were signed into law by Gov.
Tamir Kalifa / AP file
In this July 13, 2013 file photo, abortion rights advocates, left, protest in the State Capitol.
Mike Pence, now Donald Trump’s vice presidentelect. “"We look forward to demonstrating that these regulations are unwise, unjustified and unconstitutional, and should be permanently struck down,” David Brown, senior staff attorney with the Center for Reproduc-
tive Rights, who represented the plaintiffs in Thursday’s hearing, said in a statement. The rules brought more than 35,000 public comments when they were proposed earlier this year. The state health department wrote that it “believes the methods allowed by the rules will
protect the public by preventing the spread of disease while also preserving the dignity of the unborn in a manner consistent with Texas laws.” The rules were proposed to the health commission at the behest of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in July, just days after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down antiabortion laws that would have left Texas with 10 abortion clinics, down from more than 40 in 2012. They require fetal remains, regardless of the state of gestation, to be treated like those of a deceased person by having them buried or cremated. Cremated remains would still have to be buried or scattered. Republican state lawmakers also have pre-
filed bills that would codify similar rules into Texas law. The Texas Legislature convenes Jan. 10. Remains are currently most often disposed of in sanitary landfills, and that cost is included in the price of getting an abortion or otherwise undergoing treatment for a terminated pregnancy. Critics say cremation, and especially burial, would cost more and force women to have to cover the additional expenses, while funeral home operators also have worried about the added costs interment and cremation. The Texas Catholic Conference, however, has announced that it is readying plans to allow free burial for fetal remains at Catholic cemeteries.
Zopinion
Letters to the editor Send your signed letter to editorial@lmtonline.com
A4 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Fetal remains rule appeals to our sense of humanity By Cynthia M. Allen FO RT WORT H STAR-T E LE GRAM
In Belgium in 2010, a woman in her 30s, depressed and suffering from emotional illness, ended her life. Her story, while tragic, is not unusual; suicide claims the lives of 1 million people each year. What is different in the case of Tine Nys is that her suicide was made possible with the help of a supportive medical community and the tacit approval of her nation’s government. In Belgium and the Netherlands, euthanasia is a legal and all-toocommon occurrence for individuals with mental illness and cognitive disorders. These governments, once expected to protect the most vulnerable citizens, are now willing participants in ending their lives when pain or sickness renders them lacking in value. In the U.S., physicianassisted suicide is legal in five states. Pending congressional approval, it will soon be permissible in Washington, D.C. Citizens of the U.S. and their governments appear to be going the way of Europe in embracing euthanasia. None of this is surprising. The state has long endorsed a practice that ends human life when some people deem it inconvenient. Abortion has been not only legal in the U.S. but a prevalent procedure for decades. We long ago exceeded Europe’s much more restrictive approach to abortion. Indeed, some argue that modern society’s approach to morality is on a continuum. If so, once one class of vulnerable human life is deemed expendable, the value of other vulnerable lives becomes open for debate. Which is why a new Texas rule that would force us to reassess the value of life at all stages and in all conditions should be praised and not condemned. Under the new rule, Texas would require that fetal remains from miscarriages or abortions be buried or cremated, regardless of how long the fetus has been gestating. The rule would apply only to miscarriages and abortions that occur in medical facilities, not those that occur at home. The facilities, not the would-be mothers, would be responsible for the cremation or burial and the requisite costs. Currently, children who die in utero are disposed of in sanitary landfills, like other forms of biological medical waste.
The rule would ensure that their bodies be treated with the same respect and human decency as any human life. But for some individuals, the very acknowledgment that an unborn child represents a life is too controversial. The pro-abortion Center for Reproductive Rights wants to stop the rule from taking effect. The group has persuaded a federal court to delay the rule’s implementation until a formal hearing is held in January, saying in its lawsuit that the rule will “restrict a woman’s right to access safe and legal abortion by increasing both the cost of reproductive health care services and the shame and stigma surrounding abortion and pregnancy loss.” But such claims are baseless, given that the rule would have no demonstrable impact on a woman’s legal right to enter an abortion clinic and end the life that resides within her. It is hard to imagine burial and cremation costs being so dramatically high as to drive up the price of what is already a highly lucrative procedure. And organizations like the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops have offered burial services in Catholic funeral homes and cemeteries free of charge. In a culture where “shout your abortion” was a popular hashtag and nearly half of voters selected a candidate who supported absolutely no restrictions on abortion whatsoever, it’s difficult to accept the notion that requiring the dignity of a proper burial stigmatizes women who choose to pre-emptively end the lives of their unborn children. Opponents argue there is no medical reason for the rule, and on that point, they may be correct. They also call the rule “politically motivated.” Without a doubt, it is. Politics are inescapable when it comes to life, death and morality. But in an age when it is becoming increasingly easy to nullify life, the new rule would serve a profound purpose: It forces us to reconsider the value of the most vulnerable by reminding us that the unborn, the underdeveloped and unwanted are still human. And as humans, they deserve from us a common decency and respect, even if their death is sanctioned by the state. Perhaps this new rule would make us pause to reconsider the debate over the value of life before we fully embrace devaluing it further with physicianassisted suicide.
OP-ED
Christmas behind bars By David Simonson TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
In prison, wearing anything in Santa red will land you in solitary confinement. It’s a gang color - and a serious violation of prison rules. Any giving or receiving of gifts among inmates risks disciplinary action. Anything in a cell not sanctioned by the prison is considered contraband. And don’t even think of yelling “Ho, Ho, Ho!” Despite such restrictions, people in prison, myself included, are immersed in the holiday season. The newspapers we read are thick with gifts to buy. The television we get to see is punctuated by commercials showing just how happy buying and receiving can be. Holiday music invades the radio. And then there are the fake Christmas trees.
Some appear on the desks of staff. A big fake one adorns the central area of our prison, complete with symbolically empty wrapped gifts. It’s unclear whether this is an attempt to bring in some holiday spirit, or remind of us of how much we’re missing because we screwed up. What makes the season most difficult is that most of us haven’t forgotten the meaning of Christmas, despite the loss of our freedom. In fact, for many, its significance is more glaring than ever. We try not to show it, but you can see it on our faces. During mail call, you can see how inmates look hopefully at the colorful greeting-card-sized envelopes in the pile, hoping one is meant for them. You can see, too, the crushed looks when this doesn’t happen.
This is the time of year when we miss family the most, even though we’ll never say it to one another. If absence in the free world makes the heart grow fonder, absence of family through imprisonment, especially at this time of year, tenderizes the heart to putty. It threatens to consume. And that’s just the selfpity side of the equation. Worse still is thinking about what our incarceration is doing to those we’ve left behind. It’s not all bad. We may get to make one free phone call to our family. A local church choir may brave our place long enough to joyfully sing carols. Many of us will even watch “A Christmas Carol” or “Home Alone” as a way to stay connected with our past. We won’t wear red or green, but we’ll find ways to celebrate in our own
letter. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
Oregon death row inmate David Simonson is affiliated with Prison Lives, a nonprofit group that works with prison inmates and their families. He wrote this for Progressive Media Project, a source of liberal commentary on domestic and international issues.
OP-ED
Where is American religion heading? By James A. Haught TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
For the first time in history, Congress has passed a law that protects “non-theists.” The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act — named for a former congressman who championed freedom of conscience — is designed to shield all types of minority believers who suffer attacks and prejudice. It specifically says authorities must “protect theistic and non-theistic beliefs as well as the right not to profess or practice any religion.” The bill passed Congress last week and is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama. This first-time inclusion of nonbelievers recognizes a transformation in U.S. society: the rapid growth
of adults who say their religion is “none.” A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that “nones” have become America’s largest faith category. They constitute 25 percent of the adult population, compared to 21 percent who are Catholic and 16 percent who are white evangelicals. Since 1990, unaffiliated people have climbed with remarkable speed in national polls. The increase surely will continue, because young adults under 30 are more strongly secular than older Americans. Amid many other changes in daily life, rising secularism raises an intriguing question: Where is U.S. religion heading? Demographers and sociologists predict that faith will continue shrinking in America —
but will remain more powerful than in other Western democracies. Since World War II, Europe has suffered enormous loss in churchgoing. Perhaps only 5 percent of adults still attend in many nations. Cathedrals sit empty, except for a few elderly worshippers and tourists. A generation from now, will U.S. society be similar? All surveys imply a trend in that direction. Some analysts foresee a time when more than half of Americans will have no church connection, and churchgoers will be a minority. National Geographic recently bannered a story titled: “The World’s Newest Major Religion: No Religion.” It said Christianity is dwindling in all northern democracies, while it grows in subSahara Africa and other
LETTERS POLICY Laredo Morning 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
way, if for no other reason than to not quite feel so alone and segregated from the rest of the world. The holiday spirit behind bars is alive. And, for some of us, perhaps it’s good to have our holiday cheer mixed with a healthy dose of why we are here, away from our loved ones. This is the season of a remembrance. For many of us, it’s just the thing we need to spark our path to rehabilitation, and to a future where we can show those we care about that we truly understand the meaning of Christmas.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
tropical lands. The revered magazine said: “There have long been predictions that religion would fade from relevancy as the world modernizes, but all the recent surveys are finding that it’s happening startlingly fast. France will have a majority secular population soon. So will the Netherlands and New Zealand. The United Kingdom and Australia will soon lose Christian majorities. Religion is rapidly becoming less important than it’s ever been.” Freedom of religion means that people may reach their own decisions about faith, without pressure from the government or the surrounding culture. Great numbers of Americans are choosing to go their own way, apart from organized churches. It’s fascinating to watch society evolve.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
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A6 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
NATIONAL
N. Carolina GOP strips some of Democratic governor’s power By Gary D. Robertson and Meg Kinnard A S S O CIAT E D PRE SS
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republicans stripped the incoming Democratic governor of some of his authority on Friday and they were on the cusp of an even greater power grab, an extraordinary move that critics said flies in the face of voters. Just last week, it appeared Republicans were ready to finally accept Democrats’ narrow win in a contentious governor’s race. As it turns out, they weren’t done fighting. In a surprise special session in the dying days of the old administration, some say the Republican-dominated legislature has thrown the government into total disarray, approving at least one bill aimed at
emasculating incoming Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration. Cooper, the current attorney general, has threatened to sue. And many in the state are accusing Republicans of letting sour grapes over losing the governor’s mansion turn into a legislative coup. “This was a pure power grab,” said retired school librarian Carolyn White, 62, a long-time demonstrator who was arrested as part of the “Moral Monday” protests against GOP-led legislative policies. “I got arrested two years ago. Did it make any difference? No. But just like the civil rights movement, it’s forward together. You just have to keep going forward.” The protesters were so loud that Senate and House cleared the galler-
ies — a highly unusual move. Dozens of people were arrested this week, and as demonstrators were led away from the Legislative Building, some chanted “all political power comes from the people.” Those that remained behind could only watch the debate through glass windows or listen to it online. Hundreds stomped their feet or banged on windows outside the gallery, causing several Republican lawmakers to note they were having trouble hearing during the debate. Democrats repeatedly stated their objections. “The kindergartners are getting rowdy,” said Republican Rep. Dana Bumgardner. She said Democrats were “creating out of thin air a talking point for the
next election.” Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who lost to Cooper by about 10,000 votes, quickly signed into law a bill that merges the State Board of Elections and State Ethics Commission into one board comprised equally of Democrats and Republicans, according to documents from General Assembly staff. The previous state elections board law would have allowed Cooper to put a majority of Democrats on the panel. The law would also make elections for appellate court judgeships officially partisan again. Another bill that received final legislative approval would force Cooper’s Cabinet choices to be subject to Senate confirmation. McCrory must decide whether to sign the sec-
Ethan Hyman / AP
Speaker of the House Tim Moore, left, confers with Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger in the Senate chambers during a special session in Raleigh, N.C., Friday.
ond law passed by a General Assembly that has repeatedly tugged the man who campaigned as a moderate in 2012 as Charlotte’s moderate former mayor into hard-right turf. Lawmakers’ veto-proof majorities since 2013 and the uncompetitive election districts they drew have allowed legislative Republicans to ignore Democratic viewpoints and sometimes McCrory’s desires. Republicans insist the legislation is simply adjusting the constitutional powers already granted to
the General Assembly. Many of the provisions had been debated for years but always got set aside. “There’s probably no better time than to deal with it in the present,” said Republican Rep. Bert Jones. Democrats said it was an attempt by the GOP to cling to power a week after the Republican incumbent conceded. “I really fear that we have harmed our reputation and integrity this week,” said Rep. Billy Richardson, a Democrat.
FBI backs CIA Dangerous wind chills put conclusion on parts of US in the deep freeze Russian hacking motive By Kathy Mccormack ASSOCIATED PRE SS
By Josh Lederman and Bradley Klapper A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — The FBI is supporting the CIA’s conclusion that Russia interfered in the presidential election with the goal of supporting Republican candidate Donald Trump. In a message sent to employees, CIA Director John Brennan said he had spoken with FBI Director James Comey and James Clapper, the director of national intelligence. Brennan said in the message that “there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature, and intent of Russian interference in our presidential election.” A U.S. official who had seen the unclassified message from Brennan confirmed it to The Associated Press on Friday. President Barack Obama is promising that the U.S. will retaliate against Russia for its suspected meddling in America’s election process, an accusation the Kremlin has vehemently denied. As the White House grew more bullish about suggesting President Vladimir Putin was personally involved, Obama said he’d spoken directly to Putin about his concerns about Russian meddling. He said whenever a foreign government tries to interfere in U.S. elections, the nation must take action “and we will at a time and place of our own choosing.” “We have been working hard to make sure that what we do is proportional, that what we do is meaningful,” Obama said in an NPR News interview airing Friday. Obama’s remarks were the clearest indication that whatever response the U.S. is planning, it hasn’t happened yet. The White House has insisted for months that when the U.S. did retaliate, it might not be made public, a position that has created uncertainty about the strength and timing of any response. Obama was expected to face questions about the hacking and his response during a news conference at the White House on Friday afternoon. White House officials said it was “fact” that Russian hacking helped Donald Trump’s campaign against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. White
House press secretary Josh Earnest on Thursday also assailed Trump himself over his refusal to acknowledge the hacking and his attacks on the U.S. intelligence community. The tough talk from the White House fell flat in Moscow, where Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the accusations baseless and inappropriate. “They should either stop talking about that, or produce some proof at last,” Peskov told reporters Friday. “Otherwise it all begins to look unseemly.” There has been no specific, persuasive evidence shared publicly about the extent of Putin’s role or knowledge of the hackings. That lack of proof undercuts Democrats’ strategy to portray Putin’s involvement as irrefutable evidence of a directed Russian government plot to undermine America’s democratic system. But the White House pointed to a U.S. intelligence assessment released publicly in October that asserted “only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.” And Obama’s deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, connected the dots further, saying Thursday Putin was responsible for the Russian government’s actions. “I don’t think things happen in the Russian government of this consequence without Vladimir Putin knowing about it,” he told MSNBC. Trump has been under increasing pressure from both parties to acknowledge Russia’s actions, despite his insistence that he doesn’t believe Moscow was meddling. Trump has rejected the CIA’s assessment that Russia’s aim was to help him win and argued on Twitter that “these are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.” The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Sen. Richard Burr, defended the U.S. intelligence community in a statement Friday pushing back on the notion that the CIA was trying to undermine Trump for political reasons. Burr said intelligence officials “come from all walks of life and hold views across the political spectrum.”
CONCORD, N.H. — Low temperatures and high winds have put the Northeastern U.S. in a deep freeze. Dangerous wind chills of 20 to 30 below in parts of the region made for some crippling conditions Friday. “You are talking about 30 degrees below normal highs. That is pretty darn cold,” said National Weather Service meteorologist James Brown in Maine. “This is pretty much a piece of Arctic air that came off the North Pole and came into New England.” Forecasters said a storm will follow the frigid weather, bringing chances for snow, sleet and freezing rain across much of the country. Some schools closed early Thursday and many others delayed opening Friday to avoid a bonechilling wait at the bus stop. “We’re not strangers to these sorts of bitter temperatures on Mount Washington’s summit,” senior weather observer Mike Carmon said in the weather observatory’s
Robert F. Bukaty / AP
Theo Bradeen, 5, of reacts to the cold as he disembarks from a ferry in Portland, Maine, Friday.
blog at the highest peak in the Northeast. “However, over the last few winters, it’s generally late January or February before we experience this sort of polar air outbreak.” The wind chill was down to 85-below at the summit early Friday. Utility workers were prepared for power outages due to fallen trees. David Flener, field safety manager at Eversource, New Hampshire’s largest utility, said workers are well-educated on how to stay warm in the coldest weather, starting before they even arrive on a job site. They are urged to make sure they carry an emergency kit with clothing and food in case they
get stranded, and once they arrive, there is a discussion about on-thejob safety. “We’re oftentimes up in buckets, so you’re sometimes above the trees and there’s a little more wind up there,” he said. “You’d be surprised how much heat you lose from the top of your head.” Sara Sankowich, who oversees tree crews for Unitil, said workers are encouraged to watch out for one another to see if they show signs of hypothermia or frostbite. “We’ll take every step to make sure they are staying safe out there and that they’re not overexposing themselves to the elements,” she said.
In upstate New York, along the Lake Ontario shore, wind gusts approached 70 mph and the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning effective through early Friday morning. Lakeeffect snow was accompanied by winds of up to 50 mph, causing whiteout conditions in some places. In suburban Syracuse, a woman’s body and vehicle were found in a creek, apparently after a crash during whiteout conditions from the lake-effect story. Authorities say the body of 50-year-old Daphne Washburn, of Liverpool, was found under ice in 4 feet of water Onondaga Lake Park, along with her partially submerged SUV on Thursday night. Elsewhere in New York, parts of the Adirondack Northway, north of Albany, were closed for more than four hours after a crash involving a tractortrailer and a snowplow. No injuries were reported. In western Pennsylvania, lake-effect snow bands were blamed for slick roads and poor visibility. Fifty-nine vehicles crashed in a snowy pileup and three people were hurt.
Obama urges Trump to take foreign election impact seriously By Josh Lederman and Julie Pace ASSOCIATED PRE SS
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama suggested strongly on Friday that Russia’s Vladimir Putin knew about the email hackings that roiled the U.S. presidential race, and he urged his successor, Republican Donald Trump, to back a bipartisan investigation into the matter. “Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin,” Obama said in his year-end news conference. The president said he had warned Putin there would be serious consequences it he did not “cut it out,” though Obama did not specify the extent or timing of any U.S. retaliation for the hacking, which many Democrats believe contributed to Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton. Obama also expressed bewilderment over Republican lawmakers and voters alike who now say they approve of Putin, declaring, “Ronald Reagan would roll over in his grave.”
Obama
Trump has dismissed recent talk about hacking and the election as “ridicu-
lous.” Clinton has even more directly cited Russian interference with the U.S. election. She said Thursday night, “Vladimir Putin himself directed the covert cyberattacks against our electoral system, against our democracy, apparently because he has a personal beef against me.” Obama did not publicly support that theory Friday. He did, however, chide the media for that he called an “obsession” with the flood of hacked Democratic emails that were made public during the election’s final stretch. U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump have heightened the already tense relationship between Washington and Moscow. Separately, Oba-
ma has blamed Russia for standing in the way of international efforts to stop the civil war in Syria, where government forces have beaten back rebels in their stronghold of Aleppo. Obama said he feels “responsible” for some of the suffering in Syria, but he defended his decision to avoid significant military action there. He said that while military options short of invasion were tempting, it was “impossible to do this on the cheap.” Still, he pinned the bulk of the blame on Russia, as well as Iran, for propping up Syrian President Bashar Assad. “This blood and these atrocities are on their hands,” he said as he addressed reporters from the White House briefing room shortly before leaving on his annual Christmas vacation to Hawaii. The news conference lasted about an hour and a half, longer than usual. The president is ending his eighth year in office with his own popularity on the rise, though Trump’s election
is expected to unwind many of Obama’s policies. He’s leaving his successor a stronger economy than he inherited, but also the intractable conflict in Syria and troubling issue of whether Russia was meddling in the U.S. election to back Trump. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded with “high confidence” that Russia interfered in the election on Trump’s behalf. The president-elect has disputed that conclusion, setting up a potential confrontation with lawmakers in both parties. The president rejected any notion that the dispute over the origin of the hacking was disrupting efforts to smoothly transfer power to Trump. Despite fiercely criticizing each other during the election, Obama and Trump have spoken multiple times since the campaign ended. “He has listened,” Obama said of Trump. “I can’t say he will end up implementing. But the conversations themselves have been cordial.”
Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE EL CASCANUECES 1 El Departamento de Teatro de ZCISD, Teatro de Exalumnos de ZCISD y el Estudio de Danza, invitan a la comunidad al Ballet El Cascanueces, el 17 de diciembre a las 7 p.m. en el Auditorio de la Preparatoria Zapata High School. Admisión 5 dólares. DESFILE NAVIDEÑO BOTES EN CASA BLANCA 1 3er. Desfile Navideño de Botes en Lago Casa Blanca desde las 7 p.m.
Festival de globos 1 Balloona Palooza Festival de Globos en terrenos de L.I.F.E. Viernes y sábado desde las 4 p.m. a 12 a.m.; Domingo de 2 p.m. a 10 p.m. Espectáculo de globos iluminados desde las 9 p.m. todas las noches. PISTA DE PATINAJE 1 Diversión en patines sobre hielo. Todos los días hasta el viernes 23 de diciembre en Laredo Energy Arena. Todos los días hata el 23 de diciembre desde las 4 p.m. a 9 p.m. Renta de patines 8 dólares y 5 dólares llevando los propios patines. Sesiones de patinaje son de 45 minutos. Boletos en venta en las taquillas de LEA, 6700 Arena Boulevard. Mayores informes al 956-7919192.
CONDADO DE WEBB
Hombre se suicida en cárcel Por César G. Rodríguez TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Un hombre que estaba preso en la cárcel del Condado de Webb por varios cargos de asalto sexual y pornografía infantil murió en un hospital local después de ser encontrado colgado en su celda, dijeron las autoridades el viernes. La Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Webb lo identificó como Federico Reyes, de 39 años de edad, instructor principal en Laredo Brazilian JiuJitsu localizado en la cuadra 8500 de Las Cruces Drive. El alguacil Martin Cuéllar dijo que Reyes se había colgado usando partes de su uniforme. Paramédicos dijeron que respondieron a un reporte de intento de
suicidio en la cárcel el jueves a las 7:54 p.m. Personal de primeros auxilios le administró CPR y continuó sumistrándole medidas de reanimación cardíaca mientras iban en camino al Laredo Medical Center. Personal de emergencias declaró el fallecimiento de Reyes a las 8:42 p.m. Funcionarios de la Oficina del Alguacil notificaron a la Comisión de Normas Penitenciarías de Texas y la Oficina del Procurador General de la muerte de Reyes. Un portavoz de la Comisión de Penitenciarías mencionó que el caso está siendo revisado para saber si la cárcel siguió los protocolos correspondientes. “La investigación preliminar indica que seguimos todas las reglas y
regulaciones al monitorear a este preso”, dijo Cuéllar. Cuéllar indicó que Reyes no estaba considerado en riesgo de suicidio. Personal de la cárcel y personal médico examinaron a Reyes y no mostraba signos de tendencias suicidas, dijo la Oficina del Alguacil. Reyes fue acusado de agredir sexualmente a una mujer y a tres menores de edad. Además, se grabó a si mismo teniendo relaciones sexuales con una niña de un año de edad, de acuerdo con la policía. El martes, recibió Reyes una orden de arresto adicional por el cargo de agresión sexual continua a un menor. En total, la fianza de Reyes era de 1.875.000 de dó-
lares. . “La unidad de investigaciones especiales dijo que este es probablemente uno de los peores casos que han visto”, dijo el Investigador Joe E. Baeza, portavoz de la policía. Órdenes de cateo obtenidas por el Laredo Morning Times muestran que investigadores incautaron dispositivos electrónicos, dispositivos de almacenaje, laptops, un juguete sexual de baterías, una pistola de mano Glock calibre .22, entre otros artículos encontrados en la residencia de Reyes ubicada en la cuadra 1800 de Arctic Court en el vecindario Village Heights del norte de Laredo. La mujer indicó que su instructor de Jiu-Jitsu,
CLUB DE LEONES DE ZAPATA
CELEBRAN TURKEY Apoyan GIVEAWAY CON FAMILIAS cruce de paisanos Especial para Tiempo de Zapata
CURSOS DE LENGUAJE DE SIGNOS (ASL) 1 El Departamento de Educación Especial local está ofreciendo clases de Lenguaje Americano de Signos para el personal profesional y paraprofesional así como para padres, estudiantes o administradores del distrito Zapata County Independent School District, todos los jueves desde el 20 de octubre al 15 de diciembre (ocho semanas de duración). En el horario de 4:15 p.m. a 5:15 p.m. en el laboratorio de computadoras de la escuela primaria Zapata North Elementary School. Mayores informes al 956-2856877 o a la Oficina de Educación Especial al 956-756-6130 antes del 13 de octubre.
LABORATORIO COMPUTACIONAL 1 La Ciudad de Roma pone a disposición de la comunidad Laboratorio Computacional de lunes a viernes en horario de 1 p.m. a 5 p.m. en Historical Plaza. Informes en el 956849-1411.
quien fue identificado como Reyes, la había agredido sexualmente en su casa en Arctic. Además, Reyes le había mostrado videos de pornografía infantil casera que tenía en su celular y en su computadora. Después de la agresión, Reyes le dijo a la mujer que no le dijera a nadie o algo le pasaría a ella y a su madre. Reyes solía tener una clase de JiuJItsu en Zapata hasta que se mudó a Laredo, la mujer le dijo a la policía, indican registros. Una declaración jurada indica que Reyes tenía pornografía infantil casera en una laptop negra Acer dentro de un closet. Los videos pornográficos infantiles estaban escondidos entre archivos de música, de acuerdo con documentos de la corte.
NUEVO LAREDO, MX
PAGO DE IMPUESTOS 1 A partir del 7 de diciembre, los pagos por impuestos a la propiedad de la Ciudad de Roma deberán realizarse en la oficina de impuestos del Distrito Escolar de Roma, localizado en el 608 N. García St.
MUSEO EN ZAPATA 1 A los interesados en realizar una investigación sobre genealogía de la región, se sugiere visitar el Museo del Condado de Zapata ubicado en 805 N US-Hwy 83. Opera de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. Existen visitas guiadas. Personal está capacitado y puede orientar acerca de la historia del Sur de Texas y sus fundadores. Pida informes en el 956-765-8983.
A7
Foto de cortesía
El Club de Leones de Zapata realizó su quinto anual Turkey Giveaway, ayudando a 75 familias, el club donó más de 160 regalos a los niños de El Lago Head Start y Zapata Early Head Start.
Módulos de atención a paisanos se han isntalado frente al Centro Cultural sobre el Boulevard Colosio, en Nuevo Laredo, México, con el fin de que su paso por la ciudad sea ordenado y ágil. El presidente municipal Enrique Rivas Cuéllar, realizó un recorrido por los módulos de atención y dispuso mejorar la programación de los semáforos para agilizar el flujo vehicular del boulevard Colosio y evitar embotellamientos. “Estamos haciendo los ajustes con la duración de la luz verde y roja de los semáforos para poder darle la prioridad al flujo de norte a sur por el boulevard Colosio principalmente, destinando un promedio de 60 segundos cada luz verde, recortando los tiempos de espera sobre el boulevard y permitiendo una mejor circulación”, comentó el Alcalde. Mencionó que también se supervisa el operativo de Tránsito y Vialidad, del personal de Protección Civil instalado en las islas de auxilio, para así brindar un mejor servicio a los paisanos y a los ciudadanos de Nuevo Laredo. Dijo que hasta el momento todo va bien, sin ningún reporte o incidente, reportado por las personas que vienen desde Estados Unidos y que va a distintos lugares de México. “La Temporada Paisano ya inició y vamos a estar al pendiente atendiéndolos, cualquier situación a través de las redes sociales y de la aplicación “YoNLD”, algún paisano puede habilitar esta herramienta para hacernos llegar algún mensaje, queja o recomendación”, puntualizó Rivas Cuéllar.
COLUMNA
Fidel Castro visitó “El Mante” Con autorización del autor según se publilcó en el blog Puras Historias Raúl Sinencio Chávez TIEMP O DE LAREDO
Como en casa, próximo el verano tamaulipeco de 1956, poco a poco se frena el automóvil. Orillándose, abandona la carpeta asfáltica. Metros adelante se estaciona. Por el lado del conductor desciende Fidel
Alejandro Castro Ruz. Impidiéndole el avance, a corta distancia acomoda su motocicleta Armando Ayech Villegas, agente de Tránsito. “El Mante”, indican los rótulos metálicos a las afueras del lugar. Ante el golpe de Estado con que Fulgencio Batista se hace del poder, en Santiago de Cuba el 26 de julio de 1953 Fidel comanda el asalto fallido al cuartel Moncada. Acumula veinti-
dós meses de cárcel. Batista lo amnistía y arriba el 8 de julio de 1955 a la Ciudad de México, donde se establece. Castro reúne a pequeño grupo de seguidores, del que asume el liderazgo. Tiene la firme idea de repatriarse y liberar del régimen despótico a la isla. Metido en los detalles, visita EUA, recaba financiamientos y contacta a migrantes adeptos. “In-
icialmente pensábamos recaudar el dinero con la colaboración de “los mexicanos, “pero no pudimos reunir ni todo el dinero ni todos los hombres que necesitábamos”, expresa a la postre. Sagaz, intuitivo, en México obtiene respaldos inopinados. En junio de 1956. En vehículo de reciente modelo, Fidel cruza Tamaulipas. Luce contento. Los planes avanzan en lo pos-
ible. Alquila el rancho Santa Rosa, de Ayotzingo. Con el brazo izquierdo sobre la ventanilla abierta, confiado en las perspectivas, brusco cambio de semblante le produce advertir por medio del espejo retrovisor al elemento de vialidad que va detrás, marcándole el alto. El carro del adalid caribeño avanza, sin notársele características que levanten sospechas.
A8 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
ENTERTAINMENT
An international ‘Rogue One’ cast for a new era He’s also the father of Jones’s lead Jyn Erso . “As a scientist you have morals of course but often you just dive into a project that will consume you completely and before it’s too late you realize what you’re creating,” Mikkelsen said. “I think he’s one of those.”
By Lindsey Bahr A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SAN FRANCISCO— “Star Wars” has always had a wide variety of faces and languages in its films, but, besides a few outliers, the diversity was mainly limited to that of the various creatures inhabiting the planets. “The Force Awakens” cracked that seal a bit, but it’s the spinoff film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” that really bursts through the arbitrary barrier with a large international cast, including Mexican actor Diego Luna, Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, the BritishPakistani actor Riz Ahmed, Chinese stars Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen, Australian Ben Mendelsohn, African-American actor Forest Whitaker and British actress Felicity Jones. For director Gareth Edwards, it just made sense for the story. “The rebellion is in chaos,” he said. “There are different sections of the alliance that are coming together and they can’t agree on much. We wanted to reflect the different areas of the galaxy and, you know, you obviously have things like talking fish in the rebellion, so it’s like, we should definitely represent the world. The great thing about that is when you do that, you can choose any actor you want. We are spoiled with the cast we have.” Meet a few of the new characters in “Rogue One” before it hits theaters Friday: Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk
Lucasfilm Ltd. / AP
This image released by Lucasfilm Ltd. shows Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso in a scene from “Rogue One.”
Luna wanted so badly to be in a “Star Wars” film, he said he would have paid to be part of it. In the film, he plays Cassian, an intelligence officer for the rebellion, or, a spy charged with leading the dangerous mission that culminates in the rebels stealing the plans for the Death Star. “He’s a very lonely character. His best friend is a droid basically — that says a lot about him — and a droid that he reprogrammed! It’s that kind of character,” Luna said. “He has so much information, he has seen terrible things he would love to forget.” That droid is K-2S0, voiced by Tudyk, who is being hailed as one of the breakouts of the film for his deadpan humor. “I’d like to think that we’re a team. Kind of like a cop team, and I’m the smart-ass cop and he’s the one who’s like ‘Come on K-2!”’ said Tudyk. Riz Ahmed chimed in: “It’s funny, you think of you guys as a team but he doesn’t think of you that way at all. He thinks of you as his butler.” Tudyk: “He thinks of me as dead weight or as
his chauffeur because I do fly the spaceship which is pretty cool.” Riz Ahmed Ahmed, who broke out this year as the star of HBO’s “The Night Of” plays Bodhi, an Imperial cargo pilot living on a planet, Jedha, that’s occupied by the Empire. “He’s just someone who is trying to keep his head down and earn a living, and the only job in town when you live on an occupied planet is to work for the Empire,” Ahmed said. “It’s when he comes across certain kinds of information ... The name Bodhi means ‘awakening,’ so he wakes up to certain realities. He questions allegiances and what he’s doing with his life.” Ben Mendelsohn and Mads Mikkelsen Mendelsohn’s Orson Krennic is the known baddie of the group, the one in charge of making sure the Death Star works. He came up in the Empire alongside Mikkelsen’s Galen Erso, a scientist who tried to leave the planet killermaking ways behind, only to be drawn back in.
Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen Edwards, inspired by George Lucas’s love of Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress,” wanted to have two actors who would squabble but still venture out together on a mission. It was where Lucas got the idea for R2-D2 and C-3PO, but Edwards wanted to go back to the source. “I thought ‘I really like those two characters, two Asian guys who don’t really get along but really they’re best friends.’ At the same time the writer was saying ‘I want to do two characters who represent the themes of the film — war and peace,” Edwards said. It resulted in Donnie Yen’s blind “warrior monk” Chirrut and Jiang Wen’s always heavily armed Baze Malbus. Yen, a Hong Kong resident and star of Chinese blockbusters like “Ip Man,” said that “Star Wars” was not really part of Chinese culture until recently — even though it was so inspired by Asian cinema. “I realized, ‘Oh, my God, this is something very special. I’m going to make history,”’ he said. “Particularly, I started to realize, ‘Hey, you know, I’m the first Chinese actor in the ‘Star Wars’ universe.’ That is so rewarding.”
A hippo for Christmas By John Rogers ASSOCIATED PRE SS
LOS ANGELES — All a cute, curly haired 10year-old girl named Gayla Peevey wanted for Christmas in 1953 was a hippopotamus. And amazingly enough, after “I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas” became the biggest hit song of that holiday season, she actually got one, a 700-pound baby named Matilda. She promptly donated it to the Oklahoma City Zoo, where it lived to be nearly 50, a ripe old age for hippos. As for Peevey’s song, it may never die. “That one just really took off, and it’s still going strong, stronger than ever. Sixty-three years later! Hard to believe,” Peevey, an ebullient woman of 73, says during a recent phone interview from her San Diego-area home. So much so that it’s used as a cellphone ringtone these days, included on holiday ornaments and Christmas cards,
available for download on iTunes. It’s even featured in a U.S. Postal Peevey Service commercial in which the post office boasts it ships more online gifts, hippopotamuses included, than anybody. Some people will tell you it’s an annoying ear worm, a tune with such silly lyrics and a melody so maddeningly memorable that it will play endlessly in your head every holiday season until New Year’s Day. But that’s part of its charm, says Tim Moore, iHeart Radio’s New Hampshire programming director who over the decades has played it plenty of times. “It’s got the sound of an old-time recording,” Moore says. “It sounds dated. It sounds a little corny. But that’s the thing about it. Also, not to be discounted is its effect on children.”
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
A9
BUSINESS
November Texas jobless rate down slightly to 4.6 percent A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
AUSTIN — The statewide unemployment rate declined slightly in November to settle at 4.6 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. Texas had an October jobless rate of 4.7 percent. The nationwide jobless rate for November also stood at 4.6 percent. The Amarillo, AustinRound Rock and Lubbock areas all had the lowest unemployment rates in Texas last month at 3.0 percent, according to a commission statement. The McAllenEdinburg-Mission area had the state’s highest jobless figure for November at 7.1 percent. Texas has added jobs in 19 of the past 20 months, with an estimated 210,800 seasonally
Weak tech, bank stocks pull indexes back from record highs By Stan Choe ASSOCIATED PRE SS
adjusted jobs added over the past year. The changes included the addition of 20,900 nonfarm jobs in November. “I am encouraged by our state’s continued job growth, with Texas employers adding jobs in nine of 11 industries over the past year,” said Andres Alcantar, TWC chairman. “TWC will continue to focus on the workforce needs of our diverse industries and build education and training partnerships that support jobs created by Texas employers.” The leisure and hospitality industry recorded the largest private-industry employment gain over the month with 5,700 jobs added. Education and health services employment grew by 4,700 jobs in November, according to TWC officials. Construction employment in Texas expanded by 2,500 jobs.
NEW YORK — Falling technology and financial stocks pulled U.S. indexes back from the edge of record highs on Friday. Bond yields gave up some of their big gains from the last few days, and the dollar downshifted from its sharp climb against other currencies. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 3.96 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,258.07. It had wobbled up and down through the day, never rising by more than 0.3 percent or falling by more than 0.3 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 8.83 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 19,843.41. The Nasdaq composite fell 19.69, or 0.4 percent, to 5,437.16 after climb-
ing above its record closing level earlier in the day. All three indexes remain within 1 percent of their record highs. Friday’s moves close a week where stocks slowed their sharp ascent since last month’s presidential election, and bond yields and the dollar continued their big gains. A driving force was the Federal Reserve’s move on Wednesday to raise interest rates for only the second time in a decade and indicate several more increases may be in store for 2017. The dollar gave back a smidgen of its gains on Friday. The ICE U.S. Dollar index, which measures the dollar against six other currencies, dipped 0.2 percent. The index remains close to its highest level in 14 years.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury likewise regressed a bit Friday, dipping to 2.59 percent from 2.60 percent late Thursday. It’s still near its highest level since 2014. Friday’s drop in yields helped drive stocks that pay big dividends higher. They often trade in the opposite direction of interest rates on expectations that income investors will buy them when bond yields are dropping. Those sectors had struggled in recent days. Utility stocks and real-estate investment trusts both rose 1.2 percent on Friday, the largest gains among the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500. Banks and other financial stocks fell in a rare off-day. The sector has been cruising since last month’s election on
expectations that higher interest rates will boost their profits. Financial stocks in the S&P 500 fell 0.9 percent. Bank of America fell 50 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $22.66, and Regions Financial fell 32 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $14.20. Technology stocks in the S&P 500 fell 0.8 percent. Software giant Oracle fell $1.76, or 4.3 percent, to $39.10 after reporting revenue for its latest quarter that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Despite drops for the S&P 500 and other indexes, more stocks rose on the New York Stock Exchange than fell. Among them was Chipotle Mexican Grill, which jumped $9.72, or 2.5 percent, to $392.07. The restaurant chain said four new directors will join its board.
Stores push deals, hope to lure shoppers for final week before Christmas By Anne D’Innocenzio A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Stores are pushing deals and incentives like free shipping for the final week of the holiday shopping season, as new numbers show people are so far spending at a bit of a slower pace than last year. Retailers pared down their inventories and offered more exclusive merchandise this season in a bid to avoid having to offer big discounts that shoppers have come to expect. But customers seem willing to wait, and so stores are once again counting on last-minute buyers for the final stretch, particularly Saturday, which could be the busiest day of the year. “This has really become a game of chicken. In that game of chicken, retailers once again were the ones who flinched,” said Joseph Schmitt, director at the retail consulting firm AlixPartners. Retail spending is up 2 percent, slightly slower the 2.4 percent gain at this time last year, with the rate of online spending far outpacing buying at phys-
ical stores from Oct. 29 through Monday, according to First Data. The firm analyzed online and instore payments from nearly a million merchants. The data captures about 40 percent of all card transactions in the U.S. but excludes cash. Online sales growth was up 9 percent, while spending at physical stores was up a mere 0.1 percent. At the mid-season point, e-commerce made up about 22 percent of retail spending, up from 16 percent in 2015. Overall, the average dollar amount spent per person for the 45-day period was $70.28, up slightly from last year’s $69.34. “It’s pretty decent growth, but the average shopper is moving online,” says Rishi Chhabra, vice president for information and analytics at First Data. Gregg Omoto, an information technology worker from Seattle, says he’s been shopping more online. “It’s easier,” he said. "You can tap into people’s wish lists, so there’s not a lot of guesswork involved.” Four of the seven cate-
Matt Rourke / AP
In this Dec. 8 photo, shoppers look for gifts in booths set up for the holidays around City Hall in Philadelphia.
gories First Data tracks showed sales growth this season: building materials, electronics and appliances, furniture and home furnishings and health and personal care. General merchandise stores suffered the biggest sales drop — 2.8 percent — because of deep discounts as well as less foot traffic. Within that category, department stores took the biggest hit, with overall sales down 8.8 percent. While the Thanksgiving weekend has usually kicked off the holiday season, stores have been starting their sales earlier
and earlier. They also started the season with less inventory on hand than in years past. Many hoped that shoppers would have more to spend with the economy improving and lower gas and food prices, and the uncertainty over the presidential election behind them. But many shoppers retain the habits they developed during the Great Recession, focusing on deals and more readily using technology to find them. Stores needed to be more aggressive with discounts, particularly
last weekend, said C. Britt Beemer, chairman of the consumer-focused America’s Research Group. “Consumers are saying, ‘where is the deal?”’ he said. “Retailers hurt themselves last weekend by not having more deals.” Stores were still aggressive. Sixty-seven percent of orders were placed online using a promotion from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, up from 38 percent in the same timeframe a year ago, according to DynamicAction, which studied $4 billion in online consumer transactions. For the first five days of December, 60 percent of orders were placed using a promotion, compared with 29 percent a year ago. Shoppers are hoping for even better deals in the final stretch. Nearly 156 million people — or 66 percent of Americans — plan to or are considering taking advantage of Saturday sales to complete their holiday gift lists, according to a survey released Friday by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey found that more people said they
planned to shop on Saturday than those who aimed to shop over Thanksgiving weekend in an earlier survey. Still, given the quirk in the calendar that makes this weekend the last full weekend before Christmas, retailers including Best Buy, Gap and J.C. Penney, have set an earlier deadline to order holiday gifts this year, according to StellaService, which tracks online services at retailers. Wal-Mart, along with others, is encouraging online shoppers to pick up their merchandise at the store. Target will be offering last-minute shoppers deals that are good only for a day on certain indemand products like children’s sleepwear and fragrance sets. Still, plenty of shoppers plan to take their time. Christine Bunker Tobia of Queens says she mostly shops at Macy’s but likes to wait to get the best deals. She’s been stopping by Macy’s New York Herald Square store often to check the prices. “I’m looking for a special sale,” she said last weekend. “I may wait another week.”
A10 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
GIFT GUIDE
Victor Strife / The Zapata Times
Clear Vision Express’ fashionable frames Roberto Cavalli sunglasses are on display during the Clear Vision Express Marcolin Eyewear USA Corp. trunk show.
Mona M. Jewelry has pieces for all occasions TH E ZA PATA T IME S
Mona M. Jewelry has been a go-to source for fine jewelry since it was founded in Laredo in 1985 by its namesake, Mona M. Hachar. Although Hachar has retired, the store continues in its mission to sell jewelry of all kinds: from high-end pieces like diamond engagement rings to costume jewelry. New diamonds seem to be the biggest seller, whether in ring or stud form, Diane Sanchez, Mona M. Jewelry salesperson, said. However, the store also has an entire section dedicated to estate pieces.
Courtesy
Mona M. Jewelry is located at 101 W. Hillside Road, Suite 3, in Laredo. They can be reached at 791-8814.
“These are pieces that you no longer see, and the prices are really good,” Sanchez said. Sanchez said their costume jewelry is great for less expensive gifts, but she personally has her eyes on some diamond studs.
“Diamond studs are forever,” she said. “You can dress them up or dress them down.” Mona M. Jewelry is located at 101 W. Hillside Road, Suite 3, in Laredo. They can be reached at 791-8814.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
A11
YEAR END
AP’s top 10 movies led by ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land’ By Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle names his choices for the best films of 2016. Jake Coyle: 1. “Moonlight.” The life of Chiron, the young man who grows up in three distinct chapters in Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece, is hard and full of pain. And yet “Moonlight” is so abundant with transcendent moments of grace and lyrical splendor. In the film’s blue-tinged darkness shines a tortured soul, one of the most intimately and fully realized ones I can remember encountering in a movie. 2. “Cameraperson.” In Kirsten Johnson’s memoirlike montage of film, momentary intimacies from a
lifetime of making documentaries accrue a staggering poetry. From war zones abroad to her family at home, her camera is a force of connection that binds us, fleetingly. 3. “La La Land.” It’s not like we’re so overrun with blissfulness and charm that we couldn’t use Damien Chazelle’s light-footed celebration of classic musicals, Los Angeles, dreams, keytars and Emma Stone. It’s not a revolutionary work. It’s a knowing and full-hearted resurrection. It’s a conversation with nostalgia, held at golden hour between lampposts and tap shoes. 4. “I Am Not Your Negro.” Does anyone’s voice sound more urgent today than James Baldwin’s? Raoul Peck’s documentary, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, is culled largely from an unfinished manuscript of the writer, intel-
AP’s top songs of 2016
lectual and social critic. Baldwin’s words wash over you, at once inspiring in their passion and alarming in their frightful insight into America. But Peck doesn’t need to mix in more recent footage to connect Baldwin’s thoughts with today. Amid the shards of 2016, Baldwin’s relevance is apparent enough. 5. “Sunset Song.” Rare is the combination of formal beauty and deep inner-life that’s found in Terence Davies’s adaptation of the 1932 novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. It was one of two films by the chronically underappreciated Davies this year, the other being his less sublime Emily Dickinson biopic with Cynthia Nixon, “A Quiet Passion.” But “Sunset Song,” about a young woman growing up in rural Scotland in the years before World War I, is one
of the more exquisite and wrenching portraits of lives shaped and ripped apart by history. 6. “American Honey.” Nothing was more thrillingly alive this year than Andrea Arnold’s bassthumping plunge into the American heartland. Arnold, the British director of “Fish Tank,” has both a keenly critical eye to what she sees around her and a deeply affectionate one for her young characters. Rihanna (played in a scene set in a Walmart) supplies Arnold’s anthem: She finds love in a hopeless place. 7. “Manchester by the Sea.” It might be my third favorite of playwright Kenneth Lonergan’s three films (the others are “Margaret” and “You Can Count on Me”), but it’s still one of the year’s best. Scenes this natural just don’t come along. Seem-
David Bornfriend / A24/AP
This image released by A24 shows Alex Hibbert, foreground, and Mahershala Ali in a scene from the film “Moonlight.”
ingly quotidian moments flicker with the past, with pain, with humor, with glimpses of insight. Lonergan’s way with words is trumped only by the great reaches of his empathy. 8. “O.J.: Made in America.” It’s an L.A. story. Ezra Edelman’s 467-minute documentary, released both as one long film and a five-part television series, has an almost Dickensian scope. Edelman uses the case as a prism through which to make a grand portrait of Los Angeles and of America. 9. “Hell or High Water.” David Mackenzie’s West Texas heist tale is a genre movie firing on all cylinders. There’s the fine acting of Chris Pine, Ben
Books old and new in 2016 got boost from Trump candidacy By Hillel Italie ASSOCIATED PRE SS
By Mesfin Fekadu A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — A list of the year’s top 10 songs from Associated Press Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu. 1. “Cranes In the Sky,” Solange: On a song about trying to move on, Solange tries a few things to get on with life: drinking, having sex, shopping and running away. It’s an honest tune over a mid-tempo beat produced with the help of a musical genius named Raphael Saadiq. And Solange’s vocals glide nicely over the track, ending it with memorable coos, and making it the year’s best. 2. “Mercy,” Shawn Mendes: In 2014, there was Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Last year, we had James Bay’s slow burner “Let It Go.” This year, it’s all about Shawn Mendes’ “Mercy,” the aching, heartfelt and emotional rock track. 3. “All the Way Up,” Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared: Everyone wants Remy Ma to win after she returned to music following her 2014 release from prison. And she’s definitely winning with the year’s best club track. 4. “Hold Up,” Beyonce: Don’t we all want to Beyonce in the yellow dress, swinging her bat in
the music video for “Hold Up”? 5. “Love on the Brain,” Rihanna: Rihanna’s live performance of old-school R&B track “Love on the Brain” reminds you that HOMEGIRL CAN SING. 6. “My Church,” Maren Morris: Maren Morris is refreshing beyond words. Period. 7. “Breathe,” India.Arie: This songbird’s soft and acoustic song about the current troubles of the world makes the hard times just a little easier to deal with, thanks to India.Arie’s voice and that guitar. 8. “Black Beatles,” Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane: OK, what’s not to love about this track? 9. “Chantaje,” Shakira featuring Maluma: We all know Shakira’s hips don’t lie, but neither does her voice: “Chantaje,” which means “Blackmail,” is a sexy, beat-laden Spanish track that features rising singer Maluma and has us anticipating the Colombian queen’s new album. 10. “#1 Spice,” Young Cardamom and HAB: While Disney’s “Queen of Katwe” is worth watching because of acting by Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and newcomer Madina Nalwanga, the real star of the film is the fun and upbeat song “(hash)1 Spice,” by performers Young Cardamom and HAB.
Foster, Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham. There’s the economical but loose direction of Mackenzie ("Starred Up”). And there’s the flavorful, comic dialogue of Taylor Sheridan ("Sicario”). Add it all up and you get a hell of a movie. 10. “The Edge of Seventeen.” The pleasures are similar in Kelly Fremon Craig’s spectacular debut: a genre movie (this time a teen coming-of-age comedy in the John Hughes mold) made with uncommon authenticity and wit. And I’m not sure I enjoyed any performance this year more than Hailee Steinfeld’s beset highschooler who curses her generation as “mouth breathers.”
NEW YORK — Books by such familiar names as J.K. Rowling, Jeff Kinney and Bill O’Reilly were among the top sellers of 2016. But the most unexpected presidential election in memory also led to some unexpected successes. Donald Trump’s rise from celebrity candidate to improbable nominee and winner of an historic upset brought heightened attention to books old and new, fiction and nonfiction, ranging from a journalist’s memoir completed during the campaign to the document that Trump will swear to protect and defend upon taking the oath of office. Here are five notable releases that received a Trump Bump: 1 J.D. Vance, “The Hillbilly Elegy”: Liberals befuddled by Trump’s victory turned to Vance’s memoir about his relatives in rural Kentucky and Ohio’s rust belt. Interviewed last summer by The Associated Press, Vance spoke of Trump’s appeal to the white working class: “He communicates in a way that is very relatable to a lot of people; it’s one of the things that both parties frankly have been increasingly bad at, which is connecting to voters in an emotional and kind of visceral way.”
Mary Schwalm / AP file
In this Aug. 19, 2015 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a copy of his 1987 book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal” during his campaign event.
1 Megyn Kelly, “Settle for More”: This book was announced early in 2016, or what now seems like distant history when Trump was a longshot for the White House, despite early leads in the polls against his GOP primary rivals, and Roger Ailes was the enduring leader of Fox News. By the time the book was released in mid-November, Ailes had been forced out amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment and Trump was the presidentelect. Kelly had plenty of news about both. She alleged that Ailes had made unwanted sexual advances on her early in her career and that Trump, who consulted with Ailes during his campaign, had tried to intimidate her even before she confronted him during a Republican debate in
2015 about his comments about women. Kelly was subjected to prolonged and highly personal attacks from Trump and wrote that she received death threats from his supporters. 1 Sinclair Lewis, “It Can’t Happen Here,” and Philip Roth, “The Plot Against America”: Trump’s campaign inspired some readers to seek answers in the past, not just from history, but from dystopian fiction. Lewis’ warning about the fragility of democracy was written in the mid-1930s, when Nazis were on the rise in Europe and populist demagogues such as Huey Long of Louisiana were seen as challengers to the reelection of President Franklin Roosevelt. In “It Can’t Happen Here,” Lewis imagined the frightening rise of Sen. Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip, whose
defense of “The Forgotten Man” and attacks on Mexicans and the media gave the novel renewed relevance in 2016. Roth’s book, published in 2004, was set in the author’s native Newark, New Jersey, in the early 1940s. The premise: An authoritarian government under President Charles Lindbergh, the aviator hero who later became an open anti-Semite and an “America First” advocate, who believed the country should stay out of World War II and not fight the Nazis. Wrote Roth: “Americans everywhere went about declaiming, No war, no young men fighting and dying ever again! Lindbergh can deal with Hitler, they said, Hitler respects him because he’s Lindbergh.” 1 The United States Constitution: For the book world at least, the most eventful speech at the Democratic National Convention was not given by the nominee, Hillary Rodham Clinton, but by the father of an American soldier killed in 2004 during the Iraq War. An emotional Khizr Khan denounced Trump’s negative comments about Muslims, held up a copy of the Constitution and questioned whether Trump had read it. The candidate responded with a wave of angry tweets, while readers made an 18th century, public domain text a bestseller.
In 2016, politics dominated our pop culture — and vice versa By Jocelyn Noveck A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
Our politics is often reflected in our popular culture, and vice versa — especially in an election year. That relationship seemed closer than ever in 2016, when a TV personality was elected president, reality shows and beauty contests were referenced in presidential debates, and even a Broadway show ignited partisan sparring. At times, it seemed like the election overshadowed everything, but of course there was more. The diversity issue again roiled Hollywood. One of Hollywood’s most scrutinized couples called it quits. And we said a series of painful goodbyes: to legendary rock stars, cinema and TV greats, and The Greatest himself. Our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane:
party ticket.
January: Ground Control to Major Tom: We shall miss you. The death of DAVID BOWIE casts a pall over the pop culture scene as the year begins. The elegant rock star succumbs to cancer — an illness he fought in secret — just a few days after his 69th birthday. February: A year after #OscarsSoWhite in 2015, the Oscars are ... #SoWhiteAgain! For the second year, all 20 nominated actors are white. The lack of diversity leads to some sweeping membership changes at the Academy. March: President Obama hosts a White House concert performance of “HAMILTON,” part of a remarkable 2016 for LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA and his rap-infused Broadway musical about founding father Alexander Hamil-
July: ROGER AILES is out at Fox News Channel, following allegations of sexual harassment.
Chris O'Meara / AP file
In this Feb. 4, 2007, file photo, Prince performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XLI.
ton. April: And April showers bring Purple Rain: Rock legend PRINCE dies a shocking death at 57 of an accidental opioid overdose, launching countless poignant tributes. May: “It’s not over ‘til I say it’s over,” says BERNIE SANDERS to HILLARY CLINTON, of the fight for
the Democratic nomination. Actually, that’s LARRY DAVID talking to KATE MCKINNON on “Saturday Night Live.” June: The greatest is gone: MUHAMMAD ALI dies at 74 after a three-decade battle with Parkinson’s disease. It’s CLINTON’s turn to clinch her party’s nomination, becoming the first woman in U.S. history to lead a major
August: In Rio, MICHAEL PHELPS ends his historic Olympic career (or so he says) with a mindboggling 23rd career gold. Actor GENE WILDER — whose name could easily describe his famous eyes and untamed hair — dies at 83 of complications of Alzheimer’s. September: The first CLINTONTRUMP debate draws 84 million viewers, the most ever for a U.S. presidential matchup, and yields at least one catchy meme: The “Hillary Shimmy.” Bye Bye, BRANGELINA: One of the most highprofile couplings in Hollywood is over. October:
Hello, NASTY WOMAN: Trump’s frustrated comment about Clinton in their third, extremely contentious debate becomes one of the more famous exchanges of the season, launching “nasty woman” merchandise like the “Madam President If You’re Nasty” T-shirt. November: Something happens in early November ... what was it again? Meantime, let’s remember singer LEONARD COHEN, dead at 82. Many find themselves singing “Hallelujah,” his much-covered ballad — including a somber MCKINNON on “SNL,” a few days after the election. December: Finally, for those craving a little consistency in this turbulent year, it’s perhaps nice to know that December arrives bearing the same Christmas gift as it did last year: A new “STAR WARS” movie.
A12 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
INTERNATIONAL
Aleppo evacuation halted as both sides of Syria’s war trade blame By Bassem Mroue A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
BEIRUT — Diplomats sought to salvage the evacuation of eastern Aleppo after it stalled Friday amid recriminations by both sides in Syria’s civil war, raising fears the cease-fire could collapse with thousands still desperate to escape the rebel enclave. The Aleppo evacuation was suspended after a report of shooting at a crossing point into the enclave. The Syrian government pulled out its buses that since Thursday had been ferrying out people from the ancient city that has suffered under intense bombardment, fierce battles and a prolonged siege. “The carnage in Syria remains a gaping hole in the global conscience,” said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Aleppo is now a synonym for hell.” The halt also appeared to be linked to a separate deal to remove thousands of people from the government-held Shiite villages of Foua and Kfarya that are under siege by the rebels. The Syrian government says those evacuations and the one in eastern Aleppo must be done simultaneously, but the rebels say there’s no connection. The foreign minister of Turkey, a main backer of the rebels, said he was talking to his counterpart in Iran, a top ally of the Syrian government, to try to resume the evacuation. A closed emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council was held on
the crisis in Aleppo, discussing a French proposal to have independent monitors oversee the evacuation of civilians and fighters. The council meeting ended with diplomats saying they would convene again this weekend. The cease-fire and evacuation marked the end of the rebels’ most important stronghold in the 5-yearold civil war. The suspension demonstrated the fragility of the cease-fire deal, in which civilians and fighters in the few remaining blocks of the rebel enclave were to be taken to opposition-held territory nearby. In announcing the suspension, Syrian state TV said rebels were trying to smuggle out captives who had been seized in the enclave after ferocious battles with troops supporting President Bashar Assad. Several opposition activists said Syrian troops shot and killed four people in one bus, but the
incident could not be independently confirmed. The Lebanon-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV broadcast images of the government buses apparently returning evacuees to eastern Aleppo after the road was closed. Al-Manar TV, the media arm of the Lebanonbased Hezbollah militant group that supports Assad, said Syrian government supporters had closed the road used by evacuees from Aleppo, demanding the wounded from Foua and Kfarya be allowed to leave. Syrian state media said rebels shelled a road that was supposed to be used by people leaving the villages. But the opposition’s Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Hezbollah fighters backed by Assad ally Iran had cut the road to protest a lack of progress in the evacuations. Buses that arrived at a collection point in the
Associated Press
Syrian children, evacuated from Aleppo, stand inside a tent at a refugee camp near Idlib, Syria, Friday.
Hama countryside to pick up evacuees from the villages waited for hours to no avail. Later, two rebel spokesmen privy to the talks said the fighters besieging the villages, including the al-Qaida linked Fatah al-Sham Front, had agreed to evacuate several hundred wounded from the villages. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had called Iranian Presidential Deputy Ishak Cihangiri and told him he was ready to cooperate with Tehran on the evacuation issue. Reports differed on how many people remain in the Aleppo enclave, ranging from 15,000 to 40,000 civilians, along with an estimated 6,000 fighters. There also were contradictory reports on the
number of evacuees. Syrian state TV put it at more than 9,000; the Syrian state news agency said 8,079 opposition fighters and their families have left; and Russia, a key Assad ally, said over 9,500 people, including more than 4,500, were taken out. More than 2,700 children have been evacuated in the past 24 hours, UNICEF said.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
A13
FROM THE COVER NAFTA From page A1 The Democrat endured a backlash from his party for welcoming Trump in July 2015 after the then-candidate called immigrants from Mexico criminals and rapists. Trump described NAFTA as “the worst single trade deal ever approved in this country.” That kind of talk resonated in hard-hit industrial towns such as Greenville, Michigan, where Electrolux shut down a factory a decade ago and moved jobs to the Mexican border city of Ciduad Juarez. During his transition to the White House, the president-elect has not discussed NAFTA at all. The agreement went unmentioned in a video Trump released last month laying out the priorities for his first 100 days in office. Saenz, the telegenic son of a dairy farmer, talks about the possible repeal of NAFTA like a small-town Midwest mayor trying to keep a factory from moving away. He foresees unemployment spiking to double digits, abandoned warehouses and crippled city finances. Laredo keeps the toll revenue from international bridge traffic, which last year amounted to about $60 million, enough, according to Saenz, to cover police and fire department payrolls. His grim predictions are not widely shared. Even customs brokers in Laredo who have cashed in on NAFTA believe they will survive and trade will continue if the agreement is abandoned. But for now, there’s still no better place in the U.S. to get a glimpse of the trade treaty than the Rio Grande city. Interstate 35, clogged with wheezing 18-wheelers, starts here on its 1,600-mile straight shot to the Canadian border. Busy industrial parks are a revolving door of imported and exported goods. Four years after NAFTA was signed by President Bill Clinton and approved by a Republicancontrolled Congress, the Census Bureau named Laredo the country’s secondfastest growing area. At one time, denim makers thrived in Texas, and El Paso was considered the
JAIL From page A1 investigation shows that we followed all the rules and regulations in monitoring this inmate,” Cuellar said. Sheriff ’s Officials described Reyes as the role model inmate who would comply with rules and regulations at the jail. “My sincere condolences to the family. I can assure the community and the family that we followed all protocol regarding this incident,” the sheriff said. Cuellar pointed out that Reyes was not in suicidal watch. Jail personnel and medical personnel screened Reyes, and he showed no indications of suicidal tendencies, the Sheriff ’s Office said. “They did about five screenings with him. They had face-to-face (meetings) with him because we knew what he was facing, the type of charges he was facing. We wanted to make sure that nothing would happen to him,” Cuellar said. Instead, Reyes was in administrative segregation for his own wellbeing, the sheriff said. Arrest Laredo police had arrested Reyes in midNovember on five counts of aggravated sexual assault, seven counts of possession of child pornography and one count of sexual assault. Reyes had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman and three children. Moreover, he
blue jean capital of the U.S. But those clothing manufacturers closed and the jobs went south. Bill Hrncir, owner of LMS International, turned a small factory that once made Levi’s into a 200,000-squarefoot distribution center. His warehouses are now stocked with coils of steel awaiting transport to Mexico. Emilio Richer III, whose company has customs brokers and logistic-services offices up and down the U.S.-Mexico border, said ending NAFTA would be felt in his hometown of Laredo, but he does not think Trump is serious. “I have it in the back of my head that he was being fed wrongful information,” and Trump was talking to people in other parts of the country, telling them “what they wanted to hear,” said Richer, whose vote for Trump was in the minority in heavily Democratic Webb County, which went 3-to-1 for Hillary Clinton. Repealing or renegotiating the agreement could wallop Mexico, the United States’ largest trading partner. Most American economists do not believe NAFTA has a major effect on the nation’s overall job market. Nor was NAFTA some high tide that lifted all boats, even in Texas. After NAFTA was adopted, $400,000 homes sprung up in Laredo. But beyond that wealth is widespread poverty in one of the nation’s poorest cities. The poverty rate in Laredo is 32 percent, among the highest in the nation, according to census figures. And 92 percent of students in the city’s public schools qualify as economically disadvantaged. Warehouse jobs generally are not lucrative, with wages less than double the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. At the South Texas Food Bank, just a few blocks behind Hrncir’s distribution center, Claudia Lira waited in the lobby for a box of food to take home. She and her husband moved back to Laredo after he retired from a John Deere factory in Iowa. She didn’t know anything about NAFTA but, but speaking in Spanish, theorized why the city has remained so persistently poor. “A lack of jobs could be a factor,” she said. “There aren’t enough of them.”
recorded himself having sex with a 1-year-old female infant, according to police. On Tuesday, police served him with an additional warrant charging him with continuous sexual assault of a child. He had combined bond of $1,875,000. “You don’t want to put someone that’s been charged with molesting a … child with the general population. You do that. They find out. What’s going to happen? His life is at risk,” Cuellar said. Cuellar said the jail commission requires authorities to monitor inmates every 30 minutes, At Webb, correctional officers strive to monitor inmates every 15 minutes. “We had him segregated, apart from the general population and unfortunately, he found a way to hang himself,” the sheriff said. Reyes was arrested in mid-November on an array of sexual assault and child pornography offenses. But on Tuesday, Laredo police served him with an additional warrant charging him with continuous sexual abuse of a child. He remained at the Webb County Jail, where he has been behind bars since his first arrest Nov. 15. Last month, Reyes was charged five counts of aggravated sexual assault, seven counts of possession of child pornography and one count of sexual assault. He has a combined bond of $1,875,000. Police said he sexually
Courtesy photos
Christmas toy drive and turkey giveaway Top: Zapata Lions Club members gather for their fifth annual Christmas Turkey Giveaway. They were able to give turkeys to 75 families. Bottom: Members of the Zapata High School Leo Club got together for a Christmas toy drive, where they passed out over 160 gifts to children at El Lago Head Start and Zapata Early Head Start.
WATER From page A1 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and was “working cooperatively to provide all information to ensure state officials can remedy the situation as quickly as possible.” The statement from the Mississippi-based company, which specializes in the development of engineered paving and pavement preservation products, did not take responsibility for the spill. However, City Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that the city believes Ergon was responsible. The company didn’t respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.
assaulted a 21-year-old woman and three children, whose ages range from 1 to 9. “The special investigations unit said this is probably one of the worst cases they’ve seen,” said Investigator Joe E. Baeza, police spokesman. Search warrants obtained by the Laredo Morning Times show that investigators seized electronic devices, storage devices, laptops, a battery-powered dildo, a .22-caliber Glock handgun, among other items from Reyes’s home in the 1800 block of Arctic Court in the Village Heights neighborhood in north Laredo. Baeza said more charges could be added when investigators are done reviewing the items seized. Reported in Zapata Laredo police said the case unfolded in Zapata. At 10:40 p.m. Nov. 14, a Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office deputy responded to the Holiday Inn Express to meet with a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and a woman who wanted to report a sexual assault that had occurred in Laredo. The woman stated that her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, who was identified as Reyes, had sexually assaulted her at his home on Arctic. Furthermore, Reyes allegedly showed the woman homemade child pornography videos he had on his cell phone and laptop computer. Records alleged Reyes
The leak has forced school closures and disrupted commerce. On Friday, city officials said plenty of bottled water has been donated to help residents. City spokeswoman Kim Womack told KRISTV on Thursday that officials did not find a “backflow preventer” at the site. “They’re saying there is one and we’re telling them ‘show us,”’ she said. “In the simplest terms, someone was careless when they were injecting chemicals with a pump and ... when the injection occurred, it crossed over into our water system,” she told KRIS-TV. Anywhere from three to 24 gallons of the chemical got into the water system. It is an asphalt emulsifier that can burn the skin in
“spoke details to (the woman) about the videos, seeming he wanted to let it out and tell someone,” an affidavit states. After the assault, Reyes allegedly told the woman not to tell anyone or something would happen to her or her mother. Reyes used to have a Jiu-Jitsu class in Zapata until he moved to Laredo, the woman told police, records show. An affidavit states Reyes had homemade child pornography on a black Acer laptop inside a closet. The child pornography videos were hidden among music files, according to court documents. She saw three homemade child pornography videos on his laptop. One showed a girl approximately 10 years old who was being sexually assaulted while another recorded another girl approximately 11 years old also being sexually assaulted, according to the search warrant. Another video showed Reyes removing a 1-yearold baby’s diaper and sexually assaulting her, court records state. ‘Lost consciousness’ “(Reyes) then strangled (the woman) ‘till she lost consciousness. (The woman) stated that she woke up and found herself being sexually assaulted by (Reyes),” states the affidavit. Police detained Reyes while serving the search warrant in mid-November. He was taken to LPD headquarters for questioning. He allegedly agreed to speak to au-
concentrated amounts. “We haven’t confirmed that this product is even in the flow system,” McQueen said Thursday. City councilman Michael Hunter told the Caller-Times early Thursday that it was unlikely that the leaked chemicals were concentrated enough to do harm, but that officials must take every precaution. The TCEQ said it has initiated “multiple measures,” including sampling “to determine the extent of potential impact.” Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott said his office is coordinating with the TCEQ and other state agencies. The incident is the latest in a string of water scares for Corpus Christi. In May, the city issued
thorities. An investigator first asked Reyes if he could give him his password to his iPhone. Reyes refused. Police told him the woman had accused him of sexually assaulting her at his residence. Reyes claimed he had been having an affair with the woman for about a year, according to court documents. He then allegedly described the sexual encounter in great detail. He further stated she needed the lights off when having sex. Investigators then confronted Reyes with the child pornography allegations and told him the woman had accused him of having the illicit videos in his iPhone and Acer laptop. Records alleged Reyes got “noticeably upset” and told investigators he did not want to show them his phone. When police tried to get his phone, he would lock it. At one point, Reyes appeared to be “nervously searching” through his phone, authorities said. Fearing he could erase evidence, an investigator retrieved the phone from Reyes, who allegedly stood up and rushed the investigator in an attempt to get the phone back. Reyes grabbed the investigator from the arm to try to get his phone back. Backup officers entered the interview room and detained Reyes, according to court documents. Child pornography While searching the phone, police located two
its third boil-water advisory in a year as a precaution after nitrogen-rich runoff from rain flowed into the water system, resulting in low chlorine disinfectant levels in the water supply. Boil-water notices were issued last year because of elevated levels of E. coli and another for low chlorine levels, the Caller-Times previously reported. The notices mirrored two others that were issued in 2007. City crews have worked to reconfigure some water mains to ensure that water keeps circulating and to prevent bacteria growth. But an overarching concern is an old water system where more than half of 225 miles of castiron pipe needs to be upgraded.
videos of a 1-year-old baby being sexually assaulted. The baby was the daughter of a woman who had broken up with Reyes. The mother told police Reyes “held a grudge,” the affidavit states. Reyes allegedly had access to the child when the mother and her family were in town visiting from El Paso. Laredo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Laredo Brazilian JiuJitsu has operated in Laredo since 2007 and “has grown to be very well respected in the jiu-jitsu community,” its website states. Reyes was the head instructor there. He is listed as an active competitor who has dominated the Texas, national and international tournament scene for the last nine years, according to the website. Laredo Brazilian JiuJitsu posted the following message on his website: http://www.laredobjj.com. “The actions of an individual do not reflect a group as a whole. We are taking major measures to ensure the safety of everyone at our academy. Our new page will be up soon along with a new revamped gymnasium,” reads the statement. “We would like to extend our prayers to anyone affected by the recent events brought to light and thank everyone for their continued support and trust.”
A14 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
NATIONAL
Jeff Chiu / AP
Volunteer diver George Bell, dressed as Santa Claus, swims in the Philippine coral reef tank at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Scuba Santa feeds the fish this holiday season in California A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SAN FRANCISCO — ‘Tis the season for Santa to take a scuba dive. As part of holiday festivities at the California Academy of Sciences, the fish are getting fed by a diver dressed as Santa Claus. The show known as
“Scuba Santa” runs through Christmas Day. It takes place during the morning feed at the Philippine Coral Reef tank at the San Francisco museum. Volunteer diver George Bell donned his Santa suit, from hat to coal black boots, and scuba gear for a recent feed and
fielded visitors’ questions from inside the tank. Floating amid the coral reef and array of fish, he explained that Santa likes to “take a tropical vacation or two” during his off months and first learned to scuba dive in the Bahamas and then trained in California.
Dashing through the home: Teen shoots deer in living room A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
FREDERICK, Md. — A Maryland teenager shot and killed a deer inside his house after it busted through his family’s front door and ransacked their home. Ryan Manchester says he thought someone was
trying to break into his home Dec. 5 when he heard banging at the door. Instead, he found a fully grown deer had broken down the door and was ransacking the living room, trying to break out through a window. He recorded video that shows the deer trying to
escape, knocking over the family’s Christmas tree and causing other damage. The Frederick NewsPost is reporting that he then called his father and 911 before getting his father’s gun and shooting the animal between the eyes from behind his living room couch.
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Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
B1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Cooled-off Cowboys set to host hot Buccaneers Dallas faces Tampa Bay in prime-time game By Schuyler Dixon ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Andy Clayton-King / Associated Press
The Cowboys, with rookie sensations Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, were the hottest team in the NFL before their 11-game winning streak ended last week. Now they’re playing one of the hottest teams in the Buccaneers Sunday, whose five-game streak is the club’s longest since the Super Bowl-winning season of 2002.
ARLINGTON — The Dallas Cowboys, with rookie sensations Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, were the hottest team in the NFL before their 11-game winning streak ended last week. Now they're playing
one of the hottest teams in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose five-game streak is the club's longest since the Super Bowl-winning season of 2002. First-year coach Dirk Koetter just isn't sure which team is hotter going into the Sunday night spotlight, a first for
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: HOUSTON TEXANS
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston. "Yeah, we're playing with confidence and I think these guys have earned a certain amount of swagger," Koetter said. "I think that comes with the territory, but if we've earned some swagger, how much has Dallas earned? They just had an
11-game winning streak snapped and we're sitting there with Detroit at a five-game winning streak. "That looks kind of puny compared to Dallas' 11." The Cowboys (11-2) are struggling for the first time with Prescott and Elliott. Even though they Cowboys continues on B2
NBA: HOUSTON ROCKETS
TEXANS LOOK TO CONTINUE PLAYOFF PUSH AGAINST JAGUARS
Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle file
Rockets forward Donatas Montiejunas was released a week after he was signed to a four-year, $31 million deal following a team physical.
Rockets deal with departure South-leading Houston hosts sliding Jaguars of Motiejunas Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle file
A game ahead in the AFC South, Houston running back Lamar Miller and the Texans meet the Jaguars Sunday — losers of eight straight.
By Kristie Rieken A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are being careful to avoid a letdown Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are losers of eight straight, after their huge win at
Indianapolis last week that left them in control of the AFC South. “We keep it all in perspective no matter what their record is,” Houston left tackle Duane Brown said. “We know that they’re going to play us very tough. ... We’re not
overlooking them by any means and we’re not resting on our accomplishment from last week. So we’re all pretty focused on them and the challenges that they have.” Houston’s victory over the Colts last week extended the team’s division
winning streak to nine games and left the Texans tied with the Titans atop the AFC South standings at 7-6. But the Texans control their own destiny and hold the tiebreaker because of a 4-0 mark in the division . Texans continues on B2
By Jonathan Feigen HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni long held out hope that Donatas Motiejunas would return to the Rockets roster, a possibility that ended Thursday
when the Rockets renounced the contract agreement they and Motiejunas had reached a week earlier. "From a team standpoint, we lost a piece that could have been Rockets continues on B2
Biggest D-I women’s rout: No. 3 Baylor tops Winthrop 140-32 By Jason Orts A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WACO — In the biggest Division I women’s basketball rout ever, No. 3 Baylor overwhelmed Winthrop 140-32 Thursday. The 108-point margin of victory surpassed the 102 set by Grambling when it beat Jarvis Christian College 139-37 in 1986. Baylor (11-1) led 77-18 at halftime and outscored the Eagles 29-0 in the fourth quarter. Baylor coach Kim Mulkey substituted freely throughout the game and
no one played more than 21 minutes. Leading scorer Alexis Jones, who’s had knee trouble, sat out for the second straight game to rest. Khadijiah Cave had a career-high 25 points to lead five double-figure scorers. Baylor set school single-game records for points, rebounds (75) assists (42) and blocked shots (17). Erica Williams led Winthrop (1-9) with 15 points. The Eagles shot 13.6 percent for the game and were outrebounded by 50. Winthrop did best Baylor in one statistical
category — foul shooting percentage. It made 12 of 15 while the Lady Bears were 13 of 20. Baylor’s point total was the second highest in women’s Division I history, topped only by the 149 scored by Long Beach State in 1987. The biggest rout between two Division I teams in women’s basketball had been in 1989 when Louisiana Tech topped Texas-Pan American 126-25. Last month, in an exhibition game, powerful Maryland beat Division II Bluefield State Baylor continues on B2
Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press
Kalani Brown and Baylor had their way with Winthrop Thursday night recording the largest victory in Division I women’s basketball history winning 140-32.
B2 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
SPORTS
Yankees closer Chapman: Cubs manager Joe Maddon misused me in the postseason By Ronald Blum A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Aroldis Chapman says Cubs manager Joe Maddon misused him during the postseason, putting the hard-throwing reliever on the mound too often in Chicago’s successful effort to win the World Series for the first time since 1908. Traded from the New York Yankees to Chicago in late July, Chapman got the victory in Game 7 against Cleveland after wasting an eighth-inning lead. He became a free agent and agreed to an $86 million, fiveyear contract to return to the Yankees, a deal finalized Thursday. “I think he was wrong in the way he used me. He abused a little bit on how much he made me pitch, and sometimes he made me pitch when I didn’t need to pitch,” Chapman said Friday. “But he’s the manager. He knows his stuff. He manages the way he knows, the way he wants and the way he wants to win. It was his decision, and my duty is to be prepared. I prepare myself to be strong, so that my arm is healthy. Thank God I was able to do the job, and I could pitch the way he wanted me to.” The left-hander from Cuba threw 273 pitches in 13 postseason appearances, including 42 over 2 2/3 innings in Game 5, when he got his first eight-out save in the Cubs’ 3-2 win. He threw 20 on one day’s rest to get four outs in Game 6, then
ROCKETS From page B1 helpful," D'Antoni said. "Too bad that it didn't work out, but it didn't. We'll move on
TEXANS From page B1 The Texans won last week, thanks to Lamar Miller’s running and a defense which forced three turnovers. Quarterback Brock Osweiler still hasn’t morphed into the player many hoped he would be when he signed a $72 million contract to leave Denver for Houston this offseason. Under Osweiler’s direction, Houston is averaging just 190 yards passing a game, which ranks 30th in the NFL and he has thrown the same number of touchdowns (14) as interceptions. Osweiler believes he learned from being in a playoff race last season with the Broncos and is ready to lead the Texans in this important stretch. “The most important thing this time of year is not looking too far ahead,” he said. “It’s very easy to get into the playoff scenarios, the division scenarios ... I think the most important thing is just focus on your next opponent because if you look past an opponent, you’re not going to end up with the results that you
Kathy Willens / Associated Press file
Coming back to the Yankees this offseason, closer Aroldis Chapman criticized former Cubs manager Joe Maddon for how he was used in the postseason. Chicago won its first World Series this year since 1908.
35 more in Game 7 when he entered with a 6-3 lead and allowed Brandon Guyer’s RBI double and Rajai Davis’ two-run homer. Asked for an example of misuse, Chapman cited Game 6, when he entered with a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh with two on and two outs. Francisco Lindor hit a grounder to first and originally was called safe, a ruling reversed when a video review concluded Chapman beat him to the bag after catching Anthony Rizzo’s throw. Chapman stayed in to start the bottom of the ninth with Chicago ahead by seven runs, then was replaced by Pedro Strop after a leadoff walk. “I don’t think I needed to
come into the game,” Chapman said. “Looking forward, the important game was going to be Game 7 because basically we had that game almost won. Then I had to pitch on Game 7 and I was a little tired. I felt a little different. It’s not the same. I could go out to pitch, do my job, but you’re not as efficient if you’re tired.” Maddon did not immediately respond to a message Friday seeking comment. Speaking before Game 7, he said: “Yesterday that was a really clear-cut decision for me how to work that inning. The threat there, was that had we not done it, then Aroldis would have had a more stressful 1 2/3 innings in the eighth or ninth inning.”
Chapman also was pursued in free agency by the Miami Marlins, who made a backloaded offer and do not offer no-trade provisions. “The Marlins were close on signing me, but at the end my wish was to come back to the Yankees,” he said. “I also wanted to be part of a young team, like the Yankees have now and not go to the Marlins because as you all know from time to time they change their team a lot, and I wanted to have a stable team of young players where I could feel at home.” Chapman, who turns 29 in February, was acquired by the Yankees from Cincinnati last December and was suspended for the first 29 games of the
and we'll make the best of it. He's a pro and hopefully it'll work out for him." The Rockets signed guard Bobby Brown to the open roster spot. The team announced that Motiejunas
would become an unrestricted free agent, but did not say why Motiejunas would not join the team after reaching a contract agreement. Motiejunas had left Toyota Center on Saturday when he
and the Rockets had planned for him to rejoin the team after the team learned of the results from his physical. "It's tough," forward Corey Brewer said. "I don't know the situation, but I wish D-Mo the
want.” The Jaguars (2-11) know that upsetting the Texans could hurt their playoff chances. But instead of focusing on that, they want to use their last three games, which are all in the division, to try and improve and set a good tone for 2017. “I don’t think ‘spoiler’ is the right word to use,” quarterback Blake Bortles said. “I think you want to get the chance to say: ‘How are we against one of these playoff teams and (how do we) stack up?’ You really don’t want to talk about it or think about it, but let’s build something going into the offseason for next year.” Some things to know about the Jaguars-Texans game: FOUR-PEAT? Bortles can’t possibly throw another interception for a touchdown against Houston, can he? Bortles has had a pick returned for a score in three consecutive games against the Texans, tying an NFL record set by Peyton Manning. “I’ve got to be a better tackler,” Bortles joked.
COWBOYS From page B1 beat Minnesota two weeks ago, Prescott had a season low in passing yardage and Elliott needed a 30-yard run late to get to 86. Then came the 10-7 loss to the New York Giants , Prescott's worst game as a pro when Dallas had a chance to wrap up the NFC East title and a first-round bye. The Cowboys will try again this week, but will need this time a Giants loss or tie against Detroit. "I just worry about the next game," Prescott said. "But coming off a bad game, you have that chip on your shoulder. You want to go back out there and that's what it's about for me each and every day, is coming in and proving myself, not just after a loss." Defense has led a surge by the Buccaneers (8-5) to a tie for
If Bortles has another INT taken to the house Sunday, he would become the first player in NFL history to throw four pick-6’s against the same team in four straight games. Manning had three returned for scores in three consecutive games against San Diego (2010-12). “That’s something I’ll try not to do,” Bortles said. He might want to throw away from Houston cornerback Kareem Jackson after he has returned an interception for a touchdown in the Texans’ last two games against the Jaguars. THIS IS THE GUY WE DRAFTED Houston defensive end Jadeveon Clowney had perhaps the best game of his career last week against Indianapolis. Andrew Luck threw an interception early in the third quarter under heavy pressure from Clowney and fumbled late in the quarter on a strip-sack by the top overall pick in the 2014 draft. Clowney, who was slowed by injuries in his first two seasons, returned last week after missing a game because of elbow and wrist injuries.
the NFC South lead with Atlanta, capped by a 16-11 win in which New Orleans was held without a touchdown for just the second time since quarterback Drew Brees joined the Saints in 2006. Tampa Bay has an NFL-high 14 takeaways during the winning streak. "They are extremely fast," Dallas offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "They get a lot of people around the ball. That's why they have so many turnovers. That's a combination of their speed and pursuit." Things to consider in the second meeting in as many years between the Cowboys and Buccaneers, who snapped a five-game skid against Dallas with a win at home last season: PRIME TIME FOR JAMEIS This game was moved from early Sunday, offering Tampa Bay a chance to shine against a storied franchise that's tied for
He leads AFC defensive ends with 12 tackles for losses and needs one sack to surpass his career high of 4 1/2 set last season. CLOSE CALLS Jacksonville had had plenty of chances to end its eight-game losing streak. The Jaguars have had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter in five of their last six games. In those 11 possessions, they have six punts, three turnovers on downs, an interception and a fumble. The only game where Jacksonville didn’t have a chance late? Against Houston. MILLER TIME Miller has been great in his first season in Houston after spending his first four years with the Dolphins. He ranks sixth in the NFL with 1,010 yards rushing and is just 90 yards away from surpassing his career high of 1,099 yards set in 2014. Miller hasn’t missed a game this season despite dealing with numerous injuries, and Sunday will be his 67th straight start, which is the third-longest active streak among running backs.
the best record in the NFL this season. The Bucs are chasing their first playoff berth since 2007 and on the verge of ending a string of five straight lastplace finishes in their division. But the biggest focal point is Winston, last year's No. 1 overall pick. "Not really taking that away from the Cowboys because they are a prestigious franchise," Winston said. "But we have to focus on the Bucs." THIRD AND LONG The Cowboys were one of the best teams in the NFL on third down most of the season before slumping to 2 of 24 combined against the Vikings and Giants. Penalties and negative plays led to a high number of third-andlong situations, and the passing game frequently broke down from more manageable distances. Dallas also didn't convert on first or second down as
season under baseball’s domestic violence policy stemming from an October 2015 disturbance involving his girlfriend. According to a police report, Cristina Barnea told police he pushed and choked her. Chapman said there was an argument and he was pushed down by Barnea’s brother. Chapman said he eventually got a handgun and fired eight shots into a wall and window while locked in his garage. Criminal charges were not filed. “I was coming to this team with a problem, and the way they treated me, the way they welcomed me, the way that they helped me, starting from the manager, the staff, my teammates, they made me feel at home,” Chapman said. “That kind of support, it’s something that you need in a moment like that.” Chapman’s fastball reached as high at 105 mph last season, when he went 4-1 with 36 saves in 39 chances for the Yankees and Cubs. He has 636 strikeouts in 377 innings and 182 saves in seven big league seasons. Because of the domestic violence dispute, Chapman understands why some Yankees fans were disappointed New York brought him back. “We are all humans. We make mistakes, and we move forward,” he said. “I’ve done therapy over the years, and it has helped me to be a better person, and it pushes me to be a better person every day.”
best. He was a great teammate to me. I was hoping he was coming back, but whatever is best for him. We're happy to have Bobby (Brown) back and we got to keep winning."
BAYLOR From page B1 146-17. Baylor won its previous game 90-24 over Texas State. The stands were about half-full at the Ferrell Center, boosted by a large contingent of kids from elementary schools, for this game as Baylor rushed to a 38-6 lead in the first quarter. Winthrop kept trying to attack the basket until the end, but couldn’t break past the taller Lady Bears. Lauren Cox and Alexis Prince both scored 23 points for Baylor. Kalani Brown had a doubledouble with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Beatrice Mompremier had 16 rebounds. Danyael Goodhope added 10 for Winthrop. The Eagles made only three field goals in the first half. BIG PICTURE Winthrop: The Eagles have played a rough schedule, but they hadn’t seen anything like the Lady Bears. They get credit for pushing toward the hoop, never shying away from Baylor’s big and talented front court. Baylor: All of the Lady Bears needed to get back in the flow after a nine-day layoff, and they did just that. All 12 of them received at least 10 minutes, but with nobody playing longer than Brown’s 21. UP NEXT Winthrop: The Eagles have two games left on the nonconference slate. They return home to meet Mercer on Sunday, then it’s off to No. 12 Ohio State on Wednesday. Baylor: Another long rest is ahead, with a full two weeks off before opening Big 12 play against Kansas State at home Dec. 29.
much. "If you have 15 third downs in a game (against the Giants) it's probably going to be a struggle," Garrett said. STINGY CREW Tampa Bay's defense has played much better since allowing more than 1,000 yards within a five-day span during losses to Oakland and Atlanta. The team has allowed only 17 second-half points during its surge, one of the best stretches in franchise history. "For whatever reason, after that Thursday night game (against Atlanta), it just became a new defense," tight end Cameron Brate said. "Those guys are playing with so much confidence and energy, which carries over to the rest of the team." McFADDEN MYSTERY Darren McFadden, Dallas' leading rusher last season, is
active for the first time in 2016 after breaking his right elbow in a household accident during the offseason. Garrett isn't saying whether he'll make the game-day roster, or what role he will have if he does. Backup running back Alfred Morris' role has diminished significantly in recent weeks. MUTUAL RESPECT Winston and Dak Prescott are meeting for the first time, but aren't strangers. They were roommates at Peyton Manning's quarterback camp. And Prescott, a fourthround pick who was expected to be the third quarterback before injuries to backup Kellen Moore and 10-year starter Tony Romo, appreciates what Winston has done in the spotlight from the beginning. "I definitely admire the work he does, just being a great leader,'" Prescott said.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, December 17, 2016 |
Dear Readers: The holidays are upon us. Animal shelters and rescue groups always need DONATIONS, and now is a great time to organize a drive! It takes just a little work and time, and people will be happy to donate this time of year. Of course, a monetary donation is wonderful, but here are some other ideas for organizations that care for the animals: * Baby wipes * Sandwich bags * Bleach * Cat litter * Food bowls * Crates * Brushes * Plastic bags * Blankets * Towels * Vinegar * Baking soda. Yes, our old standbys -vinegar and baking soda -- can even help clean and freshen shelters! I've recommended these
workhorse cleaning items for years -- you should always have them on hand. GETTING LAUNDRY OUT Dear Heloise: My husband and I needed a new top-loading washer. I picked out just the one I wanted. It did everything and more! When it arrived, I was so happy -that is, until I did the first load. You see, I am 5 feet 4 inches tall. I went to get the load out and found that I could not reach the bottom of the tub. I have to use salad tongs to get the laundry from the bottom of the tub! Make sure when you buy a washer that you can reach into the machine comfortably. Some of the washers nowadays are so big, you can't reach the bottom! -- Carolyn K., via email
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B4 | Saturday, December 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES