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LAREDO POLICE
FEDERAL COURT
Drug trafficking De Leon gets 20 years, ordered to pay $42 million By PHILIP BALLI
cording to a ledger seized by law enforcement, distributed at least 12,500 kilograms of cocaine and had almost $42 million in drug proceeds was sen-
THE ZAPATA TIMES
A man involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy that, ac-
tenced Monday in a Laredo federal court to more than 20 years in prison. In addition to receiving a 262-month prison sentence, Os-
car “Shrek” De Leon, 39, was ordered to pay nearly $42 million following multiple convic-
See TRAFFICKING PAGE 9A
GARCIA
Zapata resident served
CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO IN LAREDO
NEW AMBASSADOR
Man arrested for terroristic threats By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
Laredo police served a Zapata resident with warrants for his arrest Tuesday for two separate offenses. Juan Antonio Garcia, 49, was arrested and charged with terroristic threat of family for allegedly assaulting and threatening his wife and fraud, removal concealment writing for allegedly attempting to switch the price tags for three items at a Laredo Academy Sports and Outdoors store. On Nov. 25, Garcia was involved in a domestic dispute at a residence in the 3800 block of Santa Isabel Avenue in which he allegedly assaulted his wife and threatened to kill her. Officers responded to a 911 call made by Garcia’s wife, but when they arrived at the scene, Garcia was gone, according to Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman. The woman said that her husband arrived at the residence intoxicated and agitated, and that he fled the scene on foot shortly after the assault. According to a police report, Garcia struck her with an open hand to the right side of the face, causing her to hit a wall and fall to the ground. “She said she was pleading to the man to stop hitting her and that whenever she tried to get up, Garcia would push her down to the floor,” Baeza said.
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times file
Consul General of Mexico, Miguel Angel Isidro, waves the Mexican flag after performing the traditional "Grito" at San Agustin Plaza, on Sept. 13, 2013.
Miguel Angel Isidro will focus on oil in Kuwait By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
A
fter seven years as Consul General of Mexico in Laredo, Miguel Angel Isidro
leaves to serve as Ambassador of Mexico in Kuwait. Mexico’s Senate ratified his appointment in the second week of December. “My work in Kuwait will be different from what I did in
the United States. Here the work is focused on serving and assisting Mexicans. There it will be more political, more representative and more promotional,” he said. “Kuwait is mainly an oil state and Mexi-
co is seeking a better understanding of the experience that it has in the field.” One goal is to increase trade between the two nations,
See KUWAIT PAGE 9A
See SERVED PAGE 7A
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
Police involved in 2011 migrant massacres By MARIA VERZA ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Local police in the city of San Fernando in northern Mexico were involved in the 2011 massacres of 193 mainly Central American migrants whose bodies were found in mass graves, according to fed-
eral prosecutors. The claim appeared in a memo sent by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office to the National Security Archive, a Washington D.C.-based research organization that solicited the information under Mexican transparency laws. It published the memo on its website on Monday and high-
lighted the similarities in the case to what happened with the 43 teachers college students who disappeared in southern Guerrero state in September. The students were abducted by local police linked to a drug cartel in the city of Iguala and handed over to the members of the Guerreros Unidos gang who
after killing them are believed to have burned their bodies and dumped the remains into a river, according to Mexico’s government. The case has generated angry protests in Mexico and abroad over the alleged involvement of police and corrupt officials. Reports have emerged of mayors
and police forces in cities in parts of Mexico being on the payroll of cartels. In San Fernando, a city of 60,000 inhabitants in Tamaulipas state near the Texas border, local police worked as lookouts for the brutal Zetas drug cartel, as well
See MASSACRES PAGE 9A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Laredo Toastmaster, a public speaking and leadership club, meets from noon to 1 p.m. at Laredo Chamber of Commerce, 2310 San Bernardo Ave. http://laredotoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org.
Today is Wednesday, Dec. 24, the 358th day of 2014. There are seven days left in the year. This is Christmas Eve. Today’s Highlights in History: On Dec. 24, 1914, during World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front between British and German soldiers who, in some cases, exchanged gifts and even played soccer with each other. Conservationist John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, died in Los Angeles at age 76. On this date: In 1814, the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812 following ratification by both the British Parliament and the U.S. Senate. In 1851, fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes. In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe as part of Operation Overlord. In 1951, Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” the first opera written specifically for television, was first broadcast by NBC-TV. In 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast. In 1974, Cyclone Tracy began battering the Australian city of Darwin, resulting in widespread damage and causing some 65 deaths. In 1999, five hijackers seized an Indian Airlines jet, forcing the aircraft on a journey across South Asia and into the Middle East. (The 8-day ordeal resulted in the death of one passenger and India’s release of three jailed pro-Kashmir militants in exchange for the rest of the hostages.) Ten years ago: Bearing gifts of praise and encouragement, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld paid a surprise Christmas Eve visit to U.S. troops in some of the most dangerous areas of Iraq. Five years ago: The Senate passed health care legislation, 60-39, in the chamber’s first Christmas Eve vote since 1895. One year ago: In Egypt, a car bomb ripped through a security headquarters in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, killing 16 people, almost all policemen. Today’s Birthdays: Songwriter-bandleader Dave Bartholomew is 94. Author Mary Higgins Clark is 87. Federal health official Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., is 74. Recording company executive Mike Curb is 70. Actress Stephanie Hodge is 58. The president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, is 57. Rock musician Ian Burden (The Human League) is 57. Actor Anil Kapoor is 55. Actor Wade Williams is 53. Designer Kate Spade is 52. Rock singer Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) is 51. Actor Mark Valley is 50. Actor Diedrich Bader is 48. Actor Amaury Nolasco is 44. Singer Ricky Martin is 43. Author Stephenie Meyer is 41. “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest is 40. Actor Michael Raymond-James (TV: “Once Upon a Time”) is 37. Rock singer Louis Tomlinson (One Direction) is 23. Thought for Today: “To perceive Christmas through its wrapping becomes more difficult with every year.” — E.B. White, American author and journalist (1899-1985).
THURSDAY, DEC. 25 Spoken word competition. 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. Three minutes to perform an original work. Two rounds. Five random judges from the audience. Cash and quirky prizes. BYOB. Raffle. Gallery 201. 513 San Bernardo. 9-11 p.m. $2 suggested donation at the door. www.facebook.com/laredoborderslam.
SUNDAY, DEC. 28 Winterfest 2014 at Roxxy, 8510 Las Cruces Dr. From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
MONDAY, DEC. 29 Monthly meeting of Laredo Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, Tower B, First Floor Community Center. Patients, caregivers and family members invited. Free info pamphlets available in Spanish and English. Richard Renner (English) at 645-8649 or Juan Gonzalez (Spanish) at 237-0666.
Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
In this Dec. 9 photo, shopper Cori Fredeman looks at a purse at a Lucchese Bootmaker shop on opening day of the Houston store. The Texas-based boot company started making fashion shoes and purses this year in addition to their famous boots.
Lucchese steps into heels By JAMIE STENGLE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TUESDAY, DEC. 30 Free basic computer classes. Classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. No registration required. Hands on learning about the computer, Microsoft Word, the internet and email. The Inner City Branch Library is located on 202 W. Plum St. next to the Inner City Pool. For more information call John Hong at 795-2400 x2521 or visit the website: http://www.laredolibrary.org/innercityevents.html.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31 Epoca de Oro New Year’s Scholoarship Dance. Table reservations and tickes on sale at Rolis. Call Rosa at 337- 7178, Sid at 740-3572 or Daniel at 290-7341 for more information. Elysian Social Club New Year’s ScholarshipDance. Mirage Reception Hall. Call Consuelo Ramirez 956 286 4253 for reservations and additional information.
DALLAS — The 131-year-old Texas bootmaker Lucchese is kicking up its heels — literally. This year, Lucchese began expanding its high-end offerings, starting with a fashion shoe line that includes everything from sleek sling-backs to burnished oxfords. “It really is all about matching the desires and needs of our customer base,” said William Zeitz, who helped shepherd the company though the change as executive vice president and creative director. “They lead very active, vibrant lives and boots are fine but they wanted more from Lucchese.” The idea for the expansion came after longtime customers said they would be interested in offerings of more than just boots, said Zeitz, who joined Lucchese in spring
2012 after stints at Nike and Cole Haan. With everything from brand strategy to product design in place, he left the vice president and creative director post this fall but remains a marketing consultant for the company. El Paso-based Lucchese launched its fashion footwear collection for men and women in the spring, with advertisements running in fashion magazines including Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. This fall it rolled out a line of purses. The new offerings continue the tradition of being handmade, with the company using its signature luxurious materials including ostrich, calf, pony hair and crocodile. Some of the new items include a nod to the company’s heritage, heels in dark blue calfskin with a Western-inspired overlay that sell for about $800 and a clutch with a base inspired by the silhouette of a saddle.
THURSDAY, JAN. 1
Solar-powered vehicles could patrol in Galveston
El Paso smoking ban to expand Jan. 1
Strong holiday shopping season expected in Texas
First Day Hikes at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the Mesquite Bend Nature Hike, about 1.75 miles. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., White-tail Loop Fossils Hike, about 1.25 miles. From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Junior Ranger Hike, about 1 mile. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Roadrunner Trail, about 2.25 miles.Meet at the Boat Ramp Restrooms for all hikes. Contact Holly Reinhard at holly.reinhard@tpwd.texas.gov or 7253826.
GALVESTON — Solar-powered vehicles could be cruising along Galveston’s seawall to help with parking enforcement. The park board recently tried out a loaner vehicle from a dealer. The $18,000 test vehicle has a solar panel on its roof, room for two passengers and a top speed of 25 mph. Chairman Melvin Williams says the park board hopes to have a clear plan for its version of the program by spring break.
EL PASO — The next phase of a West Texas city’s smoking ban is set to take effect on Jan. 1. El Paso residents won’t be able to smoke or use electronic cigarettes at all city-owned facilities, including bus stops, playgrounds and parks. The El Paso Times reports the city passed the state’s most stringent anti-smoking law in 2001, but the ban focused on prohibiting smoking inside buildings, including restaurants and bars.
DALLAS — Lower gas prices and a growing state economy are fueling forecasts that Texans are spending more this Christmas shopping season. The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects sales nationwide for the holiday period — November and December — to rise 4.1 percent. That’s higher than last year’s 3.1 percent increase.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6 WWE Smackdown at 6:45 p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena, 6700 Arena Blvd. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com, the LEA box office and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Alzheimer’s support group. 7 pm to TBA. Meeting room 2, building B of the Laredo Medical Center. The support group is for family members and caregivers taking care of someone who has Alzheimer’s. For information, please call 956-693-9991.
Colorado pilot dies in Texas small plane crash ODESSA — A pilot from Colorado has been killed in the West Texas crash of a single-engine plane used for aerial patrols of oil and gas fields. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the Cessna 172 to crash into a field and burn.
SATURDAY, JAN. 10 Professional Bull Riders at 7 p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena, 6700 Arena Blvd.
SUNDAY, JAN. 11 Professional Bull Riders at 2 p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena, 6700 Arena Blvd.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24 STCE’s Comic Con at TAMIU Student Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 5201 University.
SUNDAY, JAN. 25 STCE’s Comic Con at TAMIU Student Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 5201 University.
MONDAY, JAN. 26 Chess Club. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. LBV- Inner City Branch Library at 202 W. Plum St. next to the Inner City Pool. Contact John Hong at john@laredolibrary.org. or http://www.laredolibrary.org/innercityevents.html. Or call 795-2400 x2521.
Feds report marijuana seizures in Texas in 2014 SAN ANTONIO — A new federal report says Border Patrol agents working in Texas seized nearly 874,000 pounds of marijuana during fiscal year 2014. Most of the seizures took place in the Rio Grande Valley sector in South Texas — 654,162 pounds. The Laredo sector reported 123,383 pounds.
Texas TV meteorologist improving after shooting TEMPLE — A Central Texas meteorologist who was shot outside his TV station says he continues to recover and is “slowly getting better.” Crawford, who’s the morning weathercaster at KCEN-TV near Waco, was shot Wednesday morning while in the station parking lot. The unknown suspect fled on foot. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION Guns were smuggled aboard US airliners NEW YORK — A brazen scheme in which guns — even an AK-47 rifle — were taken onto passenger jets for years in carryon luggage was described by a Brooklyn prosecutor Tuesday as a terrorism threat that should lead to the end of letting workers enter airports without security screening. “I hope this is a wakeup call for the nation,” Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said at a news conference. “This was an egregious breach of our nation’s air traffic security.” Thompson commented as he described a case brought against five people, including an airline baggage handler who was charged a day earlier by federal authorities in Atlanta. Thompson said he was not trying to scare anyone. But he said it’s “truly frightening” what investigators learned after a
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The Kid’s Kampus daycare in Sumrall, Miss., sustained heavy tornado damage after the strong winds passed through the rural community, Tuesday. According to the Sumrall Police Department, all 30 children and employees were unharmed. probe that started as a way to reduce gun violence in Brooklyn. He said former Delta Air Lines employee Mark Quentin Henry took guns aboard at least 17 commercial airliners this year from Atlanta to New York airports. Henry’s lawyer, Terence
Sweeney, said his client, held without bail, “maintains his innocence and he’s looking forward to his day in court.” Henry was arrested Dec. 10, when investigators videotaped him in the Atlanta airport. — Compiled from AP reports
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State
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Some disabled vets have foster families By ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH HOUSTON CHRONICLE
HOUSTON — Half a dozen Christmas packages lay in front of the fireplace in Eileen Merize’s home in Katy. There were some wrapped for her, others for her husband, Rudolph. In the middle lay another, intended for a newer member of their family: 93-year-old Harold Utsler, the World War II veteran who moved in with them two years ago. The Houston Chronicle reports Utsler is one of three veterans who live in her home through the Medical Foster Program, which helps disabled elderly veterans live with “foster families” rather than in large nursing homes. Utsler and many of the other veterans who joined the program in Houston in recent years require nursing-home type care, but they would rather not live in a nursing home. Instead, Utsler spends his days in a private home with Merize, 58, and her husband. He doesn’t have many people left in his life — his parents and siblings are dead, and though he was married twice, the unions didn’t stick. When a VA official suggested he move into a medical foster home, he was skeptical. But at Merize’s home earlier this month, he had a different take. “They treat me like family,” he said, lounging on a puffy leather couch. He has his own room, with a photo of a B-24 like the ones he used to crew on the missions he flew from Italy and Romania. “We have a knock-down-dragout every once in a while, but we work it out,” said Utsler, a tall man with piercing blue eyes. He likes to recount his days with the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing. He flew dozens of missions with the group before his superiors ordered him home to help with recruitment efforts. Utsler’s experience is similar to that of hundreds of other aging veterans around the country who are unable to live on their own but don’t want to live in a nursing home, said Marie Jones, who coordinates the foster program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. The program, now in its 15th
Photo by Billy Smith II/Houston Chronicle | AP
Navy veteran Carl Monroe, 91, lives in a foster home with two other veterans. He has his own room with pictures of his family. year nationally, began accepting patients in Houston in 2011. Since then, 43 veterans here have been placed in medical foster homes, Jones said. Before the VA signs off on foster families, their homes are inspected by a fire and safety inspector, nurse, social worker, dietitian and often a rehabilitation therapist, according to the VA. Caregivers undergo a rigorous screening process and FBI background check and receive routine, unannounced visits, Jones said. Nationally, nearly 900 veterans in 45 states are in the program, according to Daniel Goedken, national program manager for the Medical Foster Home Program. Since 1999, when the program was conceived, 2,689 veterans have been placed in homes. Some stay with their foster families for years, Goedken said, noting one veteran who died recently who had lived with a family for 10 years. The vet, who’d suffered from se-
vere schizophrenia, didn’t have any family left. “He died in his caregiver’s arms,” Goedken said. “You don’t find these individuals easily.” About 120 VA facilities across the country have foster home programs funded or implemented, he said. VA officials hope to extend it to every VA facility and expand the programs already in place to accommodate more veterans. In Houston, seven medical foster homes are qualified to receive veterans, though Jones said she is looking for more. Just down the block from Eileen Merize’s home, her sister, Yvonne Clarke, cares for Carl Monroe and two other veterans. Monroe, who served in the Navy during World War II, lived in Chicago until his family members brought him to Houston. He was living in a nursing home, but last year he fell and broke his hip. The nursing home told his family his care would cost an additional $2,000 a month,
money they didn’t have. Monroe wasn’t really a fan of the place. His wife had died in a nursing home. The food didn’t thrill him, nor did the setting. The Department of Veterans Affairs helped move Monroe into a foster care home. “It’s a blessing how all this came together,” said Toni Watts, Monroe’s daughter. In Clarke’s home, Monroe has his own room. Pictures of his parents, wife and children line the walls. Foster homes can’t have more than three veterans living in them at a time. The VA covers the cost of care from nurses, doctors, nutritionists and physical therapists. The vets pay for their room and board and other expenses out of their disability benefits or their Social Security or other income. VA officials say foster placements result in big cost savings. For example, the VA pays just over $50 on average, per day, for patients in foster care. The agency
pays an average of more than $450 per day for veterans in nursing homes, Goedken said. Merize decided to apply to house veterans after her children moved away. She’d worked in a nursing home during school and hadn’t liked the impersonal nature of it, she said. Utsler was one of the first veterans to move into her home — she had cared for him for more than a year beforehand as a home health aide. It was a natural step inviting him to come live with her, she said. Merize, Utsler and the two other veterans in her house have a daily routine. She wakes them in the mornings, takes their vital signs, helps them clean up and prepares breakfast. They like to watch TV. Sometimes they go for short walks or out to dinner. “I believe they should be treated like human beings, and family,” Merize said of Utsler and the two other veterans living with her.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
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COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
The subtle sensations of faith By DAVID BROOKS NEW YORK TIMES
With Hanukkah coming to an end, Christmas days away, and people taking time off work, we are in a season of quickened faith. When you watch people exercise that faith, whether lighting candles or attending midnight Mass, the first thing you see is how surprising it is. You’d think faith would be a simple holding of belief, or a confidence in things unseen, but, in real life, faith is unpredictable and everchanging. It begins, for many people, with an elusive experience of wonder and mystery. The best modern book on belief is "My Bright Abyss" by my Yale colleague, Christian Wiman. In it, he writes, "When I hear people say they have no religious impulse whatsoever ... I always want to respond: Really? You have never felt overwhelmed by, and in some way inadequate to, an experience in your life, have never felt something in yourself staking a claim beyond yourself, some wordless mystery straining through word to reach you? Never?" Most believers seem to have had these magical moments of wonder and clearest consciousness, which suggested a dimension of existence beyond the everyday. Maybe it happened during childbirth, with music, in nature, in love or pain, or during a moment of overwhelming gratitude and exaltation. These glimmering experiences are not in themselves faith, but they are the seed of faith. As Wiman writes, "Religion is not made of these moments; religion is the means of making these moments part of your life rather than merely radical intrusions so foreign and perhaps even fearsome that you can’t even acknowledge their existence afterward. Religion is what you do with these moments of over-mastery in your life." These moments provide an intimation of ethical perfection and merciful love. They arouse a longing within many people to integrate that glimpsed eternal goodness into their practical lives. This longing is faith. It’s not one emotion because it encompasses so many emotions. It’s not one idea because it contains contradictory ideas. It’s a state of motivation, a desire to reunite with that glimpsed moral beauty and incorporate it into everyday living. It’s a hard process. After the transcendent glimpses, people forget. Their spirits go dry and they doubt anything ever happened. But believers try, as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
put it, to stay faithful to those events. They assent to some spiritual element they still sense planted in themselves. The process of faith, of bringing moments of intense inward understanding into the ballyhoo of life, seems to involve a lot of reading and talking - as people try to make sense of who God is and how holiness should be lived out. Even if you tell people you are merely writing a column on faith, they begin recommending books to you by the dozen. Religion may begin with experiences beyond reason, but faith relies on reason. In his famous fourth footnote in "Halakhic Man," Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik writes, "The individual who frees himself from the rational principle and who casts off the yoke of objective thought will in the end turn destructive and lay waste the entire created order. Therefore, it is preferable that religion should ally itself with the forces of clear, logical cognition, as uniquely exemplified in the scientific method, even though at times the two might clash with one another." Or as Wiman puts it more elegantly: "Faith cannot save you from the claims of reason, except insofar as it preserves and protects that wonderful, terrible time when reason, if only for a moment, lost its claim on you." All this discerning and talking leads to the main business of faith: living attentively every day. The faithful are trying to live in ways their creator loves. They are trying to turn moments of spontaneous consciousness into an ethos of strict conscience. They are using effervescent sensations of holiness to inspire concrete habits, moral practices and practical ways of living well. Marx thought that religion was the opiate of the masses, but Soloveitchik argues that, on the contrary, this business of living out a faith is complex and arduous: "The pangs of searching and groping, the tortures of spiritual crises and exhausting treks of the soul purify and sanctify man, cleanse his thoughts, and purge them of the husks of superficiality and the dross of vulgarity. Out of these torments there emerges a new understanding of the world, a powerful spiritual enthusiasm that shakes the very foundations of man’s existence." Insecure believers sometimes cling to a rigid and simplistic faith. But confident believers are willing to face their dry spells, doubts, and evolution. As Wiman notes, "To be truly alive is to feel one’s ultimate existence within one’s daily existence."
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No namecalling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
COLUMN
Gingrich hijacked the Senate By SEAN THERIAULT THE WASHINGTON POST
AUSTIN, Texas — Senate Republicans and President Barack Obama last week agreed on a $1.1 trillion spending plan, averting another government shutdown. Is the harmonious passage of the budget deal a sign of what we can expect from the Republicanled Senate that will take charge Jan. 3? The incoming Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., thinks so. As early as January, he promised that if the Republicans took control after the 2014 elections, the Senate might again be worthy of the moniker "The Greatest Deliberative Body in the World." McConnell promised, "My purpose is to suggest that the Senate can be better than it has been, and that it must be if we’re to remain great as a nation." Are McConnell’s words just the hot air that we have come to expect from senators? After all, the Senate that just adjourned was not only unworthy of being the "greatest" — even "deliberative" was a stretch.
As one indication, more than one-third of the rollcall votes taken in the Senate during the past two years were to stop filibusters. But I think McConnell may very well be correct, which is a bit surprising given my research. I found that the driving force behind the Senate’s decline from a body worthy of praise to one worthy of only contempt is a group of senators who first served in the House Republican Conference after it was radicalized by Newt Gingrich. These "Gingrich senators" brought his politics to the Senate, and because they came in such numbers and stuck around so long, they ended up transforming it rather than being transformed by it. The Gingrich senators can account for almost the entire growth in party polarization in the Senate. They are primarily responsible for the massive increase in filibuster threats, and their warfare mind-set has compelled them to develop and implement the latest strategy of killing bills — an endless stream
of amendments until the Democrats simply give up. Gingrich senators’ amendments were responsible for more than 30 percent of the roll-call votes in Obama’s first two years in office. Eventually Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., squashed the strategy by filling the amendment tree, which restricted other senators’ ability to offer amendments. While the parties have bickered for campaign talking points, the country has shut down, nearly slid off the economic cliff and suffered its first credit-rating downgrade. Forty-two Gingrich senators have served in the Senate; 22 of them continue to serve today, including Tom Coburn, R-Okla., David Vitter, R-La., and Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. Their alumni include Jim DeMint, RS.C., Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho. In the Senate that will meet in January, there will be 26 Gingrich senators, which accounts for almost half of the Republican conference. Despite their increasing numbers and power, McConnell is right; the Senate will function better.
How can I possibly express such optimism? Although my research shows that the Gingrich senators are distinct from the other Republicans with whom they serve in their combative approach to governing, that distinction has completely disappeared when the Republicans are in the majority and they become more conciliatory. The responsibility of governing and accountability to the American voters should compel this recalcitrant group to buckle down and solve problems. Furthermore, the Democrats, because of their ideology, generally do not engage in the paralyzing warfare tactics that the Gingrich senators have perfected. They are, after all, the party of government. Even while serving in the minority, they are unwilling to paralyze the Senate for short-term electoral gain because it would make the government more dysfunctional, which would hurt their overall intellectual political argument. The one wildcard is the Tea Party senators, led by Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
COLUMN
The decline of the death penalty CHICAGO TRIBUNE
The death penalty has had a long run in America, but that run may not last forever. Though it’s not on life support, it’s definitely in serious condition. A form of punishment that was once widely used and highly popular has lost much of its allure. So far this year, the Death Penalty Information Center says in its annual report, 35 people have been executed in the United States — down from 98 just 15 years ago. Forty-three states carried out none, and
18, including Illinois, have formally abolished it, as has the District of Columbia. Even in the states that still allow it, the magic is gone. Prosecutors are less likely to seek it and juries are less likely to impose it. In 1996, 315 death sentences were handed down; this year, so far, there have been just 72 — a drop of 77 percent. In 2000, says DPIC, death rows across the country had 3,670 residents. The latest count: 3,035. Even Texas, a longtime leader in lethal injections, has undergone a change. This year it executed only
10 inmates — compared with 40 in 2000. The number of new death sentences in the Lone Star State has likewise plunged. This was a bad year for capital punishment in other ways too. In Arizona, the executioners needed 15 injections and nearly two hours to kill one condemned man. Another execution in Oklahoma went so badly, with doctors frantically searching for a usable vein and the condemned man groaning and writhing, that the lethal drugs were exhausted and the execution was stopped,
though the prisoner died shortly after. These were poor advertisements for the death penalty. The biggest reason for the nationwide decline, though, is modern DNA analysis, which over the years has revealed that a significant number of the condemned were wrongly accused. In 2000, Illinois Gov. George Ryan put a moratorium on executions. Capital punishment is not going to disappear from this country anytime soon. But the more experience Americans have with it, the less they like it.
CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
Nation
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
Severe weather affects travel By SOPHIA TAREEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — A wintry mix of Gulf Coast thunderstorms expected to travel north, predicted snowfall in the Great Lakes and blustery conditions in the nation’s midsection threatened Tuesday to snag holiday travel plans nationwide. While snow fell in some Midwestern states Tuesday — nearly 2 feet in South Dakota’s Black Hills — a strong storm system expected to drop rain along the East Coast and snow from Missouri to Michigan developed in Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana, among other southern states. The storms in the South generated likely tornadoes, damaged some buildings and left thousands without power. Meteorologists predicted rain-into-snow for parts of the Great Lakes region, with several inches of Christmas Eve snow expected in portions of Illinois. Officials at both airport hubs in the nation’s third-largest city readied for the potential of holiday delays and cancellations, particularly with more people expected to fly this year. “I’d be nervous about the possibility of not being able to get out,” said Chicago area meteorologist Charles Mott. “I would definitely make plans about possibly staying put or doing something else.” About 4.2 million passengers are expected through O’Hare and Midway international airports during an 18-day holiday travel period ending Jan. 6, said Chicago Aviation Department spokeswoman Karen Pride. That would be a 3 percent increase at O’Hare and a 9 percent jump at Midway compared to last year. Pride urged travelers to allow plenty of time and monitor airlines closely. Elsewhere, a blast of cold and snowy conditions affected travel Tuesday. Dozens of flights in and out of Philadelphia International Airport were canceled and others saw delays of about two hours due to bad weather and low clouds. Just west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, a school bus was involved in three-vehicle crash on snow-covered, slick roads. No serious injuries were reported. In eastern Colorado, Interstate 70 was shut down into Kansas because of strong winds and blowing snow. Parts of western South Dakota saw snow accumulations of a foot or more through Tuesday morning. Higher elevations in the Black Hills got close to 2 feet. But not all winter enthusiasts were so lucky. Snow isn’t expected in other parts of South Dakota until Friday. Sioux Falls resident Alana Amdahl said she’s disappointed about the lack of snow projected for Christmas. “We live in South Dakota for a reason,” said Amdahl, 27. “We don’t have palm trees to put Christmas lights on, we have evergreens. Of course, we need snow. It can melt after the new year.”
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Sony re-gifts ‘The Interview’ By JAKE COYLE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — “The Interview” was put back into theaters Thursday when Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a limited theatrical release for the comedy that provoked an international incident with North Korea and outrage over its cancelled release. Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said Tuesday that Seth Rogen’s North Korea farce “will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day.” He said Sony also is continuing its efforts to release the film on more platforms and in more theaters. “We have never given up on releasing ‘The Interview,”’ Lynton said in a statement Tuesday. “While we hope this is only the first step of the film’s release, we are proud to make it available to the public and to have stood up to those who attempted to suppress free speech.” For Sony, the decision was the culmination of a gradual about-face: After initially saying it had no plans to release the movie, the company began softening its position after it was broadly criticized. Moviegoers celebrated the abrupt change in fortune for a film that appeared doomed as “The Interview” began popping up in the listings of independent theaters across the country Tuesday, from Atlanta to Los Angeles. The film stands to open in as many as a few hundred theaters on Thursday, the day it was originally set for wide release. One of the loudest critics of the film’s shelving — President Barack Obama — hailed Sony’s reversal.
Photo by Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution | AP
Brandon Delaney, general manager of the Plaza Theatre, in Atlanta, Ga., finishes hanging the marquis Tuesday to announce that the theatre will be showing "The Interview." “The president applauds Sony’s decision to authorize screenings of the film,” said Obama spokesman Eric Schultz. “As the president made clear, we are a country that believes in free speech, and the right of artistic expression. The decision made by Sony and participating theaters allows people to make their own choices about the film, and we welcome that outcome.” Rogen, who stars in the film he co-directed with Evan Goldberg, made his first public comments in a surreal ordeal that began with hackers leaking Sony executives’ emails and culminated in an ongoing confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea. The FBI has said North Korea was behind the hacking attacks. “The people have spoken! Freedom has prevailed! Sony didn’t give up!” said Rogen on Twitter. “VICTORY!!!!!!!” said James Franco, who co-
stars in the film. “The PEOPLE and THE PRESIDENT have spoken.” North Korea’s Internet was shut down in an apparent attack Monday, and continued to be roiled by intermittent outages Tuesday. That followed President Barack Obama’s vow of a response to what he called North Korea’s “cyber vandalism” of Sony. The White House and State Department have declined to say whether the U.S. government was responsible for North Korea’s outages. After hackers last Wednesday threatened terrorist attacks against theaters showing the film, the nation’s major multiplex chains dropped “The Interview.” Sony soon thereafter canceled the film’s release altogether and removed mention of it from its websites. But that decision drew widespread criticism, including from Obama, who chastised Sony for what he deemed “a mistake” that went against Ameri-
can principles of free speech. George Clooney also led a chorus pressuring for the movie’s release and rallying against alleged corporate self-censorship. The unusual release will give indie theaters a chance to debut the most talked-about movie in the country. James Wallace, creative manager for Alamo Drafthouse’s Richardson, Texas, location said the Texas chain received word from Sony on Tuesday morning that Thursday’s showings were a go. Among other touches, the theater will offer a patriotic menu featuring burgers, “freedom fries” and apple pie. “You better believe it’s going to be all-American,” Wallace said. Releasing “The Interview” could potentially cause a response from the hackers, who called themselves the Guardians of Peace. There have been none of the embarrassing data leaks of Sony emails since the movie’s release
was delayed. In a message last week to the studio, the hackers said Sony’s data would be safe so long as the film was never distributed. A limited release could potentially be followed by expansion into larger multiplex chains, a rollout that has been used in the past for controversial films including “Zero Dark Thirty.” The country’s top chains — Regal Cinemas, AMC Theatres and Cinemark Theatres — didn’t comment Tuesday. Independent theaters had shown a stronger appetite to screen “The Interview.” Art House Convergence, which represents independent exhibitors, sent a letter Monday to Sony saying its theaters (comprising about 250 screens) wished to show the film. In recent days, Sony has been trying to secure digital partners to help distribute “The Interview” either through streaming or video-on-demand. Such a multi-format release would be historic for Hollywood, whose studios have long protected the theatrical release window. Sony did not immediately say how many theaters will show the film, but “The Interview” will open in far from the wide release originally planned on up to 3,000 screens. Colby Cohen, 29, of Atlanta came to the Plaza Theatre shortly after 1 p.m. with a goal of buying 5 tickets for a Thursday showing. He said while he wanted to see the film in the first place, the circumstances “completely changes things.” “I want to see it a lot more,” said Cohen. “I’m going to get to fight terrorism on Christmas Day now.”
FDA lifting ban on gay blood donors By SABRINA TAVERNISE NEW YORK TIMES
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it would scrap a decades-old lifetime prohibition on blood donation by gay and bisexual men, a change that experts said was long overdue and could lift the annual blood supply by as much as 4 percent. The FDA enacted the ban in 1983, early in the AIDS epidemic. At the time, little was known about the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes the disease, and there was no quick test to determine whether somebody had it. But science — and the understanding of HIV in particular — has advanced in the intervening decades, and Tuesday the FDA acknowledged as much, lifting the lifetime ban but keeping in place a more modest block on donations by men who have had sex with other men in the past 12 months. In a statement, the agency said it had "carefully examined and considered the scientific evidence" before changing the policy. It said
Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News | AP file
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended an end to the nation’s lifetime ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. it intended to issue a draft guidance detailing the change in 2015. The shift puts the United States on par with European countries like Britain, which adjusted its lifetime ban in favor of a 12-month restriction in 2011. Men’s health advocates welcomed the move, say-
ing that the ban was not based on the latest science and that it perpetuated stigma about gay men as a risk to the health of the nation. Legal experts said the change brings an important national health policy in line with other legal and political rights, such as
permitting gay individuals to marry and to serve openly in the military. "This is a major victory for gay civil rights," said I. Glenn Cohen, a law professor at Harvard University who specializes in bioethics and health. "We’re leaving behind the old view that every gay man is a potential infection source." He said, however, that the policy was "still not rational enough." The shift will have far-reaching implications for the nation’s blood supply. The Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, has calculated that the change could add about 317,000 pints of blood to the nation’s supply annually, an increase of 2 percent to 4 percent. About 8.5 percent of U.S. men — or about 10 million people — report having had sex at least once with a man since turning 18, according to the Institute. The new policy will exclude the 3.8 percent of U.S. men who report having had a male sexual partner in the past year, a group that could double the potential new supply, the institute said in a report.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Ribereña en Breve HORARIO DE INVIERNO La Oficina de Impuestos de Roma ISD, estará abierta durante el receso de invierno el lunes 29 de diciembre y el martes 30 de diciembre de 8 a.m. a 3 p.m.
INTEGRACIÓN DE AGENTES Doscientos cuarenta y cuatro elementos policiales se incorporaron a agencias del orden. Los egresaron recibieron capacitación y certificación en Mazaquiahuac, Tlaxcala, y cursaron el diplomado sobre Nuevo Sistema Penal Acusatorio en la Universidad de Seguridad y Justicia de Tamaulipas. El general Arturo Gutiérrez García, Secretario de Seguridad Pública del Estado, destacó que los efectivos policiales fueron incorporados de inmediato a las labores de seguridad y vigilancia tanto de zonas urbanas como rurales.
DESTINO TURÍSTICO El Gobierno de Tamaulipas invita a visitar sus Pueblos Mágicos, como una opción para visitar durante la temporada invernal Los Pueblos Mágicos de México se han convertido en un destino turístico para nacionales y extranjeros que gustan de disfrutar las tradiciones, gastronomía, artesanías, la arquitectura y todo lo que envuelve la cultura mexicana, además de ser una oferta basada en la historia y actividades propias del lugar, así como de la aventura y deporte extremo en escenarios naturales. Los Pueblos Mágicos de Tamaulipas son Tula y Mier, México.
MIÉRCOLES 24 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2014
CASO SAN FERNANDO
Implican a policía POR MARIA VERZA ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO — La fiscalía mexicana asegura que la policía municipal de San Fernando, en el Estado de Tamaulipas, estuvo involucrada en la matanza de 193 inmigrantes en 2011 y cuyos cadáveres fueron encontrados en fosas clandestinas. Así lo constata una tarjeta informativa de la Procuraduría General de la República enviada a The National Security Archive, una organización no gubernamental estadounidense que solicitó la información en aras de la ley de transparencia mexicana y que el lunes divulgó el documento oficial, en su sitio en Internet. El informe dice que policías locales y de tránsito de San Fernando, una localidad de 60.000 habitantes cerca de Texas, participaron en
“labores de halconeo” (vigilantes al servicio de los cárteles), en la detención de los inmigrantes y en su posterior entrega al cártel de Los Zetas, una de las organizaciones criminales más poderosas de Tamaulipas y que lucha contra el Cartel del Golfo por controlar el tráfico de personas en el área. A mediados de 2011 se reportaron secuestros masivos de indocumentados que viajaban en autobuses con la intención de cruzar ilegalmente la frontera con Estados Unidos y que fueron atribuidos a la delincuencia organizada. El documento detalla que los agentes ayudaban a la organización de los Zetas, que se encargaban de la “intercepción de personas”, y que incumplían con su deber porque no actuaban frente a delitos de los Zetas, de quienes “recibían pago”.
Esta es la primera vez que la Procuraduría desclasifica documentos relacionados con alguna de las tres masacres contra inmigrantes ocurridas en el norte de México en los últimos años: los 72 inmigrantes muertos en San Fernando en agosto 2010; los al menos 193 cuerpos encontrados en 47 fosas clandestinas también en San Fernando entre abril y mayo de 2011, y los 49 torsos localizados en Cadereyta, en el Estado de Nuevo León, México, en mayo de 2012.
Panorama La desclasificación coincide con la crisis generada por el caso Iguala, en el que también fueron policías locales vinculados con el crimen organizado en el ataque en Guerrero, a los estudiantes de la
CIUDAD DE ROMA, TEXAS
REYNOSA, MX
COMPARTEN FESTEJO
Liberan a 27; hay un arresto TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
KARATE-DO Nuevo Laredo, México, logró el primer lugar en la etapa estatal de la Olimpiada Infantil y Juvenil 2015 en la disciplina de Karate-Do, y con esto el trofeo "CONADE" de la Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte. Entre los jóvenes que asistieron al encuentro, están Ana Karen Rodríguez Hernández, Yaneth Quiroz Castillo, Zugehin Gallardo Rivera, Magaly Uranga Balderas, César Ramos Hernández, Brenda Reyes Muro, Alondra Rivera Gallegos, Abraham Treviño Rangel, Christian Anaya Castro, Tania Ramos Hernández y Julio Treviño Rangel.
Foto de cortesía | Ciudad de Roma
El miércoles 17 de diciembre la Orden de Alhambra El Cid, número 106, compartió la tarde con niños y jóvenes con capacidades especiales. Durante el evento se contó con un ensamble navideño, la visita de Santa Claus, una comida y baile.
ECOLOGÍA El estado de Tamaulipas busca la conservación y aprovechamiento responsable de una amplia variedad de especies de flora y fauna silvestres en de los habitantes de las comunidades donde se encuentran, cuidando la sustentabilidad y equilibrio, señala un comunicado. Con el objetivo de proteger, manejar y mantener los ecosistemas, hábitats y poblaciones de vida silvestre, se promueve la creación de nuevas Unidades de Manejo y Aprovechamiento de Vida Silvestre – UMA. Actualmente se cuenta con 1.952 unidades bajo ese esquema. En la Colonia Parras de la Fuente en Abasolo, se realizan actividades de manejo conservación y recuperación de los ecosistemas, y es la principal área de anidación de la paloma de ala blanca, Zenaida asiática, en América, este año se consiguió un incremento en el número de ejemplares de la especie, de 6.630.008 millones. — Con información del Gobierno de Tamaulipas y la Ciudad Nuevo Laredo
Normal Rural de Ayotzinapa el 26 de septiembre, matando a 6 personas y desapareciendo a 43 estudiantes. La Fundación para la Justicia y el Estado Democrático de Derecho, uno de los colectivos que asesora a las víctimas de San Fernando, ya había denunciado la participación de autoridades en esos crímenes pero, como explicó a AP su directora, Ana Lorena Delgadillo, el documento desclasificado ahora confirma “el grado de participación de la policía”. “Es un paso muy importante ir abriendo el derecho a la verdad”, dijo Delgadillo, aunque lamentó que la tarjeta informativa desclasificada siga sin dar muchas respuestas porque, aunque menciona que se investigó a 18 agentes, no aclara cuántos procesos se iniciaron, ni el estado de los mismos.
Tras el seguimiento a una denuncia ciudadana, elementos policiales lograron el rescate de 27 inmigrantes, así como el arresto de una mujer en el municipio de Reynosa, México, anunciaron autoridades tamaulipecas el miércoles. Elementos de la Policía Estatal atendieron un reporte ciudadano, donde se indicó que varias personas portaban armas de fuego. Tras seguir la pista llegaron a una casa ubicada en la calle Novena en la colonia Las Fuentes. Una vez en el interior, los oficiales encontraron un grupo de 27 personas, 17 inmigrantes de Guatemala, 6 de Honduras y 4 de El Salvador. En el grupo había siete menores de edad. Tras el descubrimiento, se realizó el arresto de Lesbia Xiomara Cárcamo, quien fue señalada por los inmigrantes como la persona que los cruzaría a Estados Unidos a cambio de dinero Los inmigrantes fueron atendidos y turnados a las autoridades correspondientes. Cárcamo quedó a disposición del Ministerio Público de la Federación.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO
T-MOBILE
Reportan incremento en cruces diarios
Pagará millones por cobros indebidos
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
El Puente Internacional del Comercio Mundial, que conecta a Laredo y a Nuevo Laredo, México, ha presentado incremento en el promedio de cruces diarios durante tres trimestres consecutivos. De acuerdo con autoridades tamaulipecas se ha registrado un promedio de 12.000 cruces diarios, o un 4.7 por ciento, durante tres meses en 2014, en comparación al periodo de 2013. “Ya estamos arriba de los 62.000 cruces adicionales, vamos bien en el año”, señaló Alfredo Espinoza Elizondo, director del Fideicomiso del Puente del Comercio Mundial, en Nuevo Laredo. Este puente es presenta-
do en escenarios nacionales e internacionales como una de las ventajas más competitivas que tiene Tamaulipas, señaló Mónica González García, Secretaria de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo (SEDET). “Las facilidades de importación y exportación (del puente) coloca al Estado en un lugar privilegiado para recibir inversiones extranjeras, consolidar inversiones y permite un sostenido desarrollo económico regional”, añadió González García. Nuevo Laredo ha ocupado el título de Capital Aduanera de América Latina, ya que año tras año se ratifica el número de cruces internacionales que se registran mensualmente.
POR MARCY GORDON ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON— La operadora de telefonía celular T-Mobile US pagará al menos 90 millones de dólares, en su mayoría en reembolsos a clientes a quienes les cobró por servicios de mensajes de texto que nunca pidieron, según un acuerdo con los reguladores federales de Estados Unidos. La Comisión Federal de Comercio (FTC por sus siglas en inglés) anunció el acuerdo el viernes con T-Mobile en relación con la facturación de cargos no autorizados, una práctica conocida en inglés como “cramming” (abarrotar). T-Mobile, la cuarta mayor empresa de telefonía celular de Estados Unidos, pagará por lo menos 67,5 millones de dólares en reembolsos a los clientes afectados, más 18 millones de dólares en multas a los gobiernos de 50 estados y el Distrito de Columbia, y 4,5 millones en multas a la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones. La FTC demandó a T-Mobile en julio, acusándola de cobrar a clientes la suscripción a servicios de texto por parte de terceras compañías, como horóscopos por 9,99 dólares al mes o actualizaciones de
chismes sobre celebridades, que los clientes no querían ni autorizaron. T-Mobile cobró entre 35% y 40% de los cargos, incluso después de que los clientes alertaron a la empresa de que se trataba de cargos no deseados, alegó la FTC. T-Mobile US Inc., con sede en Bellevue, Washington, es controlada por la alemana Deutsche Telekom AG. Es la cuarta mayor operadora de telefonía móvil en Estados Unidos después de Verizon Wireless, AT&T y Sprint. El acuerdo con T-Mobile se produjo dos días después de otra agencia reguladora federal, la Oficina de Protección Financiera al Consumidor, demandó a su rival Sprint Corp. por presunto “cramming”. La oficina está buscando la imposición de una multa no especificada a Sprint. “El ‘cramming’ móvil es un asunto que ha afectado a millones de consumidores estadounidenses y me complace que este acuerdo le devuelva su dinero a los clientes de T-Mobile afectados”, dijo la directora de la FTC, Edith Ramírez, en un comunicado. “Los consumidores deben poder confiar en que sus facturas de teléfono móvil reflejen los cargos que autorizaron y nada más”.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
Dismemberment suspect found guilty ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONTREAL — A jury found a Canadian man guilty on Tuesday of killing and dismembering his Chinese lover and mailing the body parts to schools and political parties around the country. Luka Magnotta was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2012 slaying of Jun Lin after eight days of jury deliberations. He was also convicted on the four other related charges. Magnotta, 32, had pleaded not guilty. While he admitted to the slaying, he sought to be found not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. His lawyer argued he is schizophrenic and couldn’t tell right from wrong at the time of the slaying. The prosecution countered the crime was both planned and deliberate and that Magnotta’s behavior and actions were not those of an insane person. “I thought we had good evidence of premeditation,” said prosecutor Louis Bouthillier outside of the Montreal court house. “There was never a doubt the jury would find Magnotta guilty of first-degree murder.” “(But) it’s always a great feeling for a (government) prosecutor to hear the word ‘guilty’ come out of the mouth of a juror at the end of a trial” A key piece of evidence for the prosecution was an email Magnotta sent to a British reporter of his macabre plan six months before the murder. Reporter Alex West confronted Magnotta in Lon-
Photo by Vincent Yu | AP file
In this Sept. 20, 2012 file photo, North Korean students use computers in a classroom with portraits of the country’s later leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and his son Kim Jong Il hanging on the wall. Photo by Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press | AP
Diran Lin, center, father of Jun Lin leaves the Montreal Courthouse alongside his lawyer Daniel Urbas and translator following the murder trial for Luka Rocco Magnotta, Tuesday. don in December 2011 about cat killing videos he made that had created a stir online. Magnotta replied with an email that said cats were just the beginning. “Next time you hear from me it will be in a movie I am producing, that will have some humans in it...” Magnotta wrote near the end of the email, sent Dec. 10, 2011. Later in that message, he added: “Once you kill, and taste blood, its impossible to stop. The urge is just too strong not to continue.” After the verdicts, a lawyer read out an impact statement on behalf of Lin’s father, Diran Lin, who traveled to Montreal from China and watched proceedings throughout the trial from a private room in the courthouse. “I had come to see your trial system to see justice done and I leave satisfied that you have not let my son down,” Daniel Urbas
told the emotionally charged room. “I had come to see remorse, to hear some form of apology, and I leave without anything.” The case shocked Canadians and quickly gained international notoriety when body parts arrived at offices of Canada’s biggest political parties and a video appeared online that prosecutors say shows Magnotta stabbing and having sex with the dismembered corpse. In May 2012, a package containing a severed foot was found at the headquarters of Canada’s ruling Conservative Party. That same day, a hand was discovered at a postal facility, in a package addressed to the Liberal Party of Canada. Lin’s torso was found in a suitcase at a garbage dump outside Magnotta’s apartment building in Montreal. About a week later, the missing foot and hand were found, mailed to two schools in Vancouver.
SERVED Continued from Page 1A She was able to grab her phone to call 911, according to the report. However, when she heard the operator and was about to speak, Garcia allegedly grabbed her by the neck and told her that if she said anything, he would kill her. “Garcia stated to her that if she did something that he was going to put her head in a hole, cut her in half and cut the other half of her body and put it in a bottle,” the report states. Approximately two and a half weeks after the assault, Garcia was caught allegedly switching the price tags of three items at Academy. On Dec. 12, Garcia was spotted by a loss prevention officer from Academy taking the tags off two camouflage sweaters and a camouflage hoodie in the men’s apparel section and switching them for cheaper price tags, Baeza said. He then proceeded to walk to the cash registers to pay for the items, but before he was able to, the loss prevention officer informed management of the situation. Garcia was approached about the price tags and proceeded to leave the items behind and then
walked out of the store. He denied tearing the price tags off the items and the loss prevention officer advised him that he would be
filing a report with police, according to Baeza. (Philip Balli may be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)
N. Korean websites online after shutdown By FOSTER KLUG AND HYUNG-JIN KIM ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEOUL, South Korea — Key North Korean websites were back online Tuesday after an hours-long shutdown that followed a U.S. vow to respond to a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures that Washington blames on Pyongyang. The White House and the State Department declined to say whether the U.S. government was responsible for the Internet shutdown in one of the least-wired and poorest countries in the world. Although North Korea is equipped for broadband Internet, only a small, approved segment of the population has any access to the World Wide Web. Few North Koreans have access to computers; those who do are typically able to connect only to a domestic Intranet. Though it denies responsibility for the Sony hack, Pyongyang has called it a “righteous deed” and made clear its fury over “The Inter-
view,” a comedy that depicts the assassination of the North’s authoritarian leader, Kim Jong Un, the head of a 1.2 million-man army and the focus of an intense cult of personality. South Korean officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of office rules, said the North’s official Korean Central News Agency and the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, which are the main channels for official North Korea news, had earlier been down. But the websites were back up later Tuesday. Among the posts glorifying the ruling Kim family was one about Kim Jong Un visiting a catfish farm. U.S. computer experts described the Internet outages in the North as sweeping and progressively worse. Jim Cowie, chief scientist at Dyn Research, an Internet performance company, said in an online post that the North came back online after a 9 1/2-hour outage. Possible causes for the shutdown include an external attack on its frag-
ile network or even just power problems, Cowie wrote. But, he added, “We can only guess.” Last year, North Korea suffered similar brief Internet shutdowns of websites at a time of nuclear tensions with the U.S., South Korea and other countries. North Korea blamed Seoul and Washington for the outages. President Barack Obama has said the U.S. government expected to respond to the Sony hack, which he described as an expensive act of “cyber vandalism” by North Korea. Obama did not discuss details, and it was not immediately clear whether the Internet connectivity problems represented the retribution. The U.S. government regards its offensive cyber operations as highly classified. But U.S. options for acting against North Korea are limited. The country already faces massive international and U.S. sanctions over its repeated nuclear and rocket tests.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS
NCAA FOOTBALL: OREGON DUCKS
Player of the Year Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter | AP
Alabama authorities have suspicions about a fire that gutted a mansion belonging to Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain.
Fire guts home of Dallas’ LB Rolando McClain ASSOCIATED PRESS
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A witness reported seeing a car speeding away from the exclusive neighborhood where a suspicious fire gutted a mansion owned by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain, a police spokesman said Tuesday. Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Lt. Andy Norris said the vehicle could be a clue in the fire, which occurred Monday night, but investigators had yet to determine whether the blaze was accidental or purposely set. County detectives and investigators from the state fire marshal’s office were on the scene of the fire, which destroyed a six-bedroom, five-bath brick house that was listed for sale on real estate websites at $1.5 million. A crime dog will be used to determine whether something was used as an accelerant to start the fire, Norris said. “Anytime you have a vacant house go up, particularly one of that value, you have to consider it suspi-
cious,” he said. “Every house in that neighborhood is probably over $1 million.” A spokesman for the Cowboys declined comment on the fire, and McClain was not immediately available for comment. The player tweeted about the fire, however: “It can’t be real! To (sic) much of my ’history’ in that house for it to be gone...” McClain, a 25-year-old native of Decatur, Alabama, listed the house as his home address in a court document filed in September accusing his ex-wife of failing to give him adequate visitation time with their 31/2year-old daughter. The house sat on 4 acres of land beside Lake Tuscaloosa about 14 miles north of Tuscaloosa, where McClain played college football at the University of Alabama. The house had a three-car garage and a boat house on the shore. McClain is now making an NFL comeback with the Cowboys after legal scrapes that include his conviction in July on charges including resisting arrest.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill | AP
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was announced Tuesday as the Associated Press Player of the Year.
Oregon QB Marcus Mariota wins AP award By RALPH D. RUSSO ASSOCIATED PRESS
The only thing left for Marcus Mariota to win at Oregon is the national championship. The Ducks’ star quarterback is The Associated Press college football player of the year, adding yet another honor to his season. Mariota won the AP vote in the same landslide fashion he won the Heisman Trophy. He re-
ceived 49 of the 54 votes submitted by the AP Top 25 media panel. Alabama receiver Amari Cooper drew three votes. Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston had one vote each. Mariota is the first Oregon player to win AP player of the year. The junior has also won the Maxwell Award and Walter
Camp player of the year, and the Davey O’Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Oregon will face Florida State and last year’s Heisman winner and AP player of the year, Winston, in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl. The winner will face Alabama or Ohio State in the national championship game Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in North Texas.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Gabino Guzman
Dow tops 18,000, market high
Jan. 4, 1934 – Dec. 16, 2014 Gabino Guzman, 80, passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo, Texas. Mr. Guzman is preceded in death by his parents, Santiago and Juliana Guzman; brothers, Tomas Guzman, Margarito Guzman and Santiago (Maria) Guzman. Mr. Guzman is survived by his wife, Enriqueta Guzman; sons, Gabino Guzman, Rolando Guzman, Arnulfo Guzman; daughters, Yolanda Guzman, Maribel Guzman; grandchildren, Veronica (Edgar) Gutierrez, Nancy (Javier) Placensia, Evelyn (Enrique) Rico, Maria (Anthony) Rodriguez, Eduardo Luis Guzman, Hector Madrigal, Jr., Saul Madrigal, Heriberto Madrigal, Jessica Guzman, Alejandra Guzman, Mariela Guzman, Arnulfo Guzman, Jr., Damian Guzman, Emilio Guzman, Julian Guzman; twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Nicasio (Esperanza) Guzman, Noe (Ester) Guzman; sisters, Elvia (+Florencio) Aguilar, Adalia (Alfonso) Cruz, Irma (+Ernesto) Monte-
By ALEX VEIGA
ing to S&P Dow Jones Indices. If the Dow closes above 18,000, it would be its second 1,000-point milestone this year after closing above 17,000 for the first time in July. All told, the S&P 500 is up 12.7 percent this year, while the Dow has gained 8.9 percent. The Dow, which has just 30 stocks, has been held back by a slump in Chevron as the price of oil collapsed and by an 11 percent drop in IBM.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
mayor, Manuela (+Isac) Chapa, Maria Ester (Jaime) Corona; and by numerous other family members and friends. Visitation hours were held on Thursday, December 18, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a wake at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 N. U.S. Hwy 83 Zapata, Texas.
The Dow Jones industrial average broke through 18,000 points for the first time Tuesday as the stock market continued a lateyear march to record highs. Investors welcomed the latest encouraging news on the economy as the government said the U.S. grew at the fastest pace in more than a decade in the third quarter. The market is heading for its fifth straight gain as indexes recover the last of the ground they lost in an early-December slump.
Keeping Score The Dow Jones industrial average rose 100 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,059 as of 2:13 p.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor’s 500 gained six points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,084. The Nasdaq composite fell six points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,775.
Strong Finish
Photo by Seth Wenig | AP
Peter Tuchman wears a "DOW 18,000" hat on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday. The market has bounced back after a rough patch earlier this month. The latest rally comes as investors have been encouraged by signs of strength in the U.S. economy and reassurances that the Federal Reserve won’t interest rates soon. Those trends bode well for the bull market run, which is on track to mark its sixth year in March. Despite weak growth overseas, geopolitical troubles and other concerns, inves-
tors have repeatedly bet on the U.S. economy and corporate earnings growth this year, pushing stock prices higher.
Milestone Crushers The all-time highs set by the Dow and S&P 500 Monday and Tuesday are the latest in a long string of records. Through Monday, the S&P 500 had set 50 record closes this year, while the Dow has set 35, accord-
The Quote Despite being at record highs, stocks are not overvalued, said Cameron Hinds, regional chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank. “You have to understand that U.S. economic output is at an all-time high and corporate profits are at an all-time high,” Hinds said. “Bull markets typically don’t die purely of old age, they tend to die of recessions and overvaluation and perhaps policy mistakes, and we don’t see any of those on the horizon.”
KUWAIT Continued from Page 1A inviting Kuwait to invest in sectors like oil, hotels and Mexican tourism.
Initiatives While in Laredo, Isidro oversaw the installation of Health Windows in 2009. “It’s a program that has had a positive effect on the lives of many people not only for the work carried out in the office but by channeling many cases where people needed to be treated at health centers here in the United States,” he said. “For this program you have as an ally the city’s health department
and is something that has an institutional character to it.” In addition, the consulate streamlined services it offers. “Passports are delivered on average between one and a half to two hours, from the time a person applies until the document is delivered. The same thing happens with consular fees,” he said. Another initiative was traveling to Zapata to offer services to residents of the area, and to begin the Jornadas Sabatinas program, when the consulate opens on certain Saturdays to offer services.
“Jornadas Sabatinas (are) for people who over the course of a week cannot go to the consulate, but can take advantage of this service provided once a month,” he said.
Facilities The Mexican Consulate in Laredo is located at 1612 Farragut St., in a facility Isidro considers inadequate. “Everything changes, and the building where it is located is no longer appropriate for several reasons but mainly due to space. There was discussion of
TRAFFICKING Continued from Page 1A tions of drug and international money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. De Leon was a co-conspirator working for a Laredo-based drug trafficking organization responsible for shipping cocaine, marijuana and U.S. currency from Mexico through Laredo to Atlanta, Ga., and throughout the United States from 2006 to 2010. He was convicted on drug and international money laundering conspiracy charges as well as possession with intent
to distribute more than 100 kilograms of cocaine and more than 300 kilograms of marijuana from May 2008 and May 2009, respectively. To date, a total of 38 co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced as part of a longterm Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation. Nine co-defendants, including Elbert Figueroa, the alleged head of the trafficking cell, were each handed stiff prison sentences in mid-November. During the course of
the investigation, dubbed Operation El Patrón, agents seized more than $7.5 million in drug proceeds and more than 450 kilograms of cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. De Leon will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. He will be placed on a 10-year term of supervised release following his incarceration. (Philip Balli may be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)
moving elsewhere in 2008. The issue may be reactivated. “It is possible that next year the consulate will relocate,” he said.
Grateful Isidro came to Laredo on Nov. 11, 2007, although he had visited the city for personal reasons previously. “I never expected that I was going to live here. It’s been a great experience,” he said. “It was a very different city the first time I came… I can say that even in these seven years the city that I knew when I ar-
rived has shown major growth.” For him, Laredo is a city with a major economic impact, one which has its place by serving Latin America and as a crossing point for merchandise between Mexico and the United States. Isidro said he is grateful to the community for its years of support, where his family always felt welcomed. “There’s great chemistry between the consulate and the community, and that is something I value, appreciate and give thanks for. It is a very generous community that has always sup-
ported us to carry out our functions. It is an honor and pleasure to represent my country in this area of the southern United States,” he said. Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto nominated Carolina Zaragoza, Consul General of Mexico en San Bernardino, California, to replace Isidro. The Senate has ratified her nomination. She is expected to assume the Laredo position in the first quarter of 2015. (Contact Malena Charur at 728-2583, or at mcharur@lmtonline.com. Translated by Mark Webber of the Times staff.)
MASSACRES Continued from Page 1A as turning a blind eye to cartel activity, according to members of the Zetas cited in the memo. The Zetas were fighting for control of human trafficking networks with the Gulf Cartel. In 2011 there were many cases of the mass kidnapping of migrants heading north to try to cross illegally into the United States. Officials have said that most of the bodies found in and around San Fernando belong to migrants kidnapped off buses and killed by the Zetas, some because they refused to work as drug mules. In the memo, detained Ze-
tas told authorities that local police helped in the “intercepting of people.” This is the first time the Attorney General’s Office has declassified documents related to the mass killings of migrants in northern Mexico in recent years. These are the killing of 72 migrants in San Fernando in August 2010, the discovery of at least 193 bodies in 47 clandestine graves in San Fernando between April and May of 2011, and the discovery of 49 human torsos in Cadereyta in the neighboring state of Nuevo Leon in May 2012. The Foundation for Jus-
tice and the Democratic Rule of Law, a group that advises relatives of the victims in San Fernando, had already denounced the alleged participation of authorities in the crimes. The group’s director, Ana Lorena Delgadillo, told The Associated Press that the memo confirms “the degree of participation by the police.” “This is a very important step toward finding the truth,” said Delgadillo, lamenting that the declassified memo didn’t give much more information than that 18 local police officers were being investigated.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014