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VIOLENCE IN MEXICO
Missing boy found Several law enforcement agencies comb brush area By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
For a couple of hours, lawmen experienced tense moments Friday as they searched for an 8-year-old boy reported missing. He was later found at a friend’s home. At 9:30 p.m. that evening, deputies were dispatched to
the 300 block of First Street. Relatives who could not find the boy filed a missing child report. Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office deputies, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens and U.S. Border Patrol agents canvassed the nearby brush area to no avail. Two hours into the search, the child was found at a
friend’s home down the street. He returned home safely, a sheriff ’s office report states. He did not ask for permission or let relatives know he was leaving the home, according to the report. “It is a very scary and dangerous situation when you have a small child that is lost,” Sheriff Alonso Lopez said in a news release. “The
outcome of this incident was excellent, and I am very appreciative of not only my deputies that were out vigorously searching for the child, but also the response and support from (game wardens) and (agents) that arrived to assist in the search.” (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
PUBLIC HEALTH
MODERN MEDICINE
THE ZAPATA TIMES
See MOBILE PAGE 10A
See VIOLENCE PAGE 10A
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
City Manager Carlos Villarreal, left, Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas, BCFS President andCEO Kevin C. Dinnin, Congressman Henry Cuellar and Laredo Fire Chief Steve Landin cut the ribbon for the new Mobile Medical Unit on Tuesday. and CEO of BCFS, said the opportunity to join with the City of Laredo to benefit the citizens of the community and support the firefighters is very important.
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ
“We have been a part of serving the colonias for over 10 years, providing prenatal and postpartum healthcare servic-
By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
It is equipped with sophisticated technology such as a non-fetal stress test monitor, ultrasound and other medical tools. Kevin C. Dinnin, president
NL listed in violent cities Nine Mexican cities, including Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, were named among the 50 most violent in the world in 2013, according to a report issued last week by a Mexican civil group tracking security issues. The Citizen Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice in Mexico stated in its report that Latin American countries with the most occurrences of violence were Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela. For a third time in a row, San Pedro Sula in Honduras ranked as the most violent city, the citizen council said. Mexican cities mentioned in the report include: No. 3 Acapulco No. 16 Culiacán No. 18 Torreón No. 21 Chihuahua No. 22 Victoria No. 30 Nuevo Laredo No. 37 Ciudad Juarez No. 43 Cuernavaca No. 47 Tijuana The announcement came a week after the U.S state department issued a travel warning to Mexico, stating Americans have been victims of violent crimes such as kidnapping, carjacking and robberies perpetrated by criminal organizations. State officials have discouraged trav-
Unit to aid colonias, firefighters The ribbon was cut Tuesday for a multipurpose mobile medical unit that will provide much-needed medical care and rehabilitation to families in the colonias, local firefighters and those affected by disaster. The new mobile unit, operated by BCFS Health and Human Services, will bring care directly to communities along the border, which has some of the highest rates of poverty and lack of insurance. It was funded by the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust and BCFS Foundation. Its primary responsibilities will be to deliver prenatal and postpartum care to women living in the colonias. It is outfitted with an exam room, a blood-draw station, first-aid station and a delivery station.
Courtesy photo
Krystal Azeneth Lopez, who was reported missing in Nuevo Laredo on Feb. 27, 2012, is shown.
ENVIRONMENT
Town hall to provide update on water issue By ALDO AMATO THE ZAPATA TIMES
It’s been seven years since Carolina Obregon has picked up a glass of tap water at her own home. The Lyndon B. Johnson High School honor student lives in Rio Bravo and said the poor condition of the water is nothing new to her. A boil water notice was is-
sued in early August for the approximately 8,000 residents in El Cenizo and Rio Bravo, after water quality issues arose and a sample tested positive for E. coli. The alert lasted three weeks. “The concern about tap water is nothing new to us and was something that just wasn’t out there getting reported,” Obregon said. “We’ve always known about the issues for years, and I think the notice in August made
people in Laredo more aware.” Obregon is one of several young residents of both communities who plan to attend a public workshop today at Salvador Garcia Middle School. The workshop is designed to provide an update on Rio Grande water conditions, possible health hazards and details on the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality investigation into the Webb County Surface Water
Treatment Plant. It is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tricia Cortez, executive director of the Rio Grande International Study Center, said representatives from United ISD, Webb County, Nuevo Laredo and public health experts will be on hand to provide insight. “The goal is to figure out a way to get clean water to the area,” Cortez said. “Residents should be able to drink their
own tap water.” Luis Macias, a graduate of LBJ and lifelong resident of Rio Bravo, said he’s always been skeptical of the water and does not feel optimistic about the future. “The water always smells bad,” Macias said. “I don’t know if it will ever get better or not, but I think they should do a bet-
See WATER PAGE 10A