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Six sentenced to prison for firearms trafficking By MATTHEW NELSON THE ZAPATA TIMES
Six people were sentenced to federal prison Friday in connection to a firearms trafficking organization operating out of Zapata that sent weapons to members of Los Zetas drug cartel in Mexico. Maria Elena Ramos, 31, of Rio Grande City, received the longest sentence at five years for attempting to unlawfully export
ammunition. Zapatan Claudia Medrano, 29, was sentenced to 42 months for conspiracy to make a false statement in connection with the acquisition of certain firearms. For making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of certain firearms, Anna Salinas-Alaniz, 52, of Zapata, received two years; Maria del Carmen Carbajal, 31, of Sullivan City, received two years and four months; Mar-
lene Riojas, 32, received one year and four months; and Maria Micaela Berrones, 26, of Zapata, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison. A seventh defendant, Adriana Garza, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 3. She has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement in connection with the acquisition of certain firearms.
See FIREARMS PAGE 10A
PUBLIC EDUCATION
RULE CHANGES Textbook review changes OK’d By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The Texas Board of Education imposed tighter rules Friday on the citizen review panels that scrutinize proposed textbooks, potentially softening fights over evolution, religion’s role in U.S. history and other ideological matters that have long seeped into what students learn in school. Tension over the issue has been building for years in the country’s second most populous state, where the textbook market is so large that changes can affect the industry nationwide. Critics complain that a few activists with
See TEXTBOOK PAGE 10A
Photo by Eric Gay | AP
In this Sept. 17, 2013 file photo, pro-science supporters rally prior to a State Board of Education public hearing on proposed new science textbooks, in Austin.
By ALDO AMATO THE ZAPATA TIMES
On the heels of Webb County voters approving more than $500 million combined in bond money for UISD and LISD, it appears Laredo Community College will float a bond in 2014. In June, LCC said it was mulling a possible $60 million bond issuance to build a student union and health science center at its south campus and expand the main campus’ Yeary Library. On Thursday night, the college’s board of trustees met to discuss and possibly act on, among other things, approving an order calling for a bond election. However, the vote has been postponed to February as only six LCC board members were present. No details, such as how much bond money LCC may seek, were discussed. Feb. 28 is the deadline for the college to place a proposal on the May 10 ballot. LCC trustees Leonides Cigarroa Jr., Allen Tijerina, Carlos Carranco Jr., Jesse A. Porras, Hilario Cavazos III and Rene De La Viña were present at Thursday’s meeting. LCC President Juan Maldonado opted to table the item because he had previously talked about it with Board President Cynthia Mares and wanted her and trustees Mercurio Martinez Jr. and Gilberto Martinez Jr. to be included in the discussion about a possible bond election. “We really need to finance the third phase of renovations to meet various campus needs,” Cavazos said. “To go along with a student union, we are considering building a clinic and a state-of-the-art science building, which would house our nursing program. If we find ways to fund these proposals, we could enhance the quality of life in this community.” The college increased tax rates and student fees in 2009 to bankroll its $120 million facilities master plan, which involved a comprehensive renovation of the college’s downtown Fort McIntosh campus. College officials said last year that increasing tax rates and student fees is not an option this time around. The growth of the city and county was the impetus for considering a bond to build new facilities at the south campus, Mares said in May. Health occupations are in ever-rising demand, and there can never be enough students produced with credentials in the medical field, Mares had said.
See BOND PAGE 10A
BRIDGES
Ports need upgrades By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
A federal agency said two ports of entry in Laredo need upgrades because they are either not up to code or present safety concerns. According to the General Services Administration, the pedestrian area at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge, otherwise known as bridge I, does not meet handicap accessibility or life safety standards.
The top priority for the port of entry is to make the process of moving pedestrians faster and safer, especially during extreme temperatures. Also, the General Services Administration reported that the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge, otherwise known as bridge II, was not designed to accommodate the level of bus traffic it currently receives. The combination of heat and long wait times create uncomfortable and unsafe conditions for port staff as
well as travelers, the administration said. To address these concerns, the administration announced recently that it will invest $61.6 million in federal funding for the two Laredo ports of entry to ease traffic in the area and help the Department of Homeland Security continue to fulfill its mission. “With these funds, Laredo will be able to modernize the infrastructure and expand the facilities at our
See PORTS PAGE 10A
File photo by Times staff
Hundreds of pedestrians wait in line as they try to cross the international bridge I in 2010 after it was closed down due to a bomb threat.
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
Saturday, Feb. 1
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Free SAT workshop for high school juniors and seniors. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. UTHSC Regional Campus Laredo, 1937 E. Bustamante St. To register and for more information, contact Area Health Education Center at 7120037 or dgarcia@mrgbahec.org. Used book sale, hosted by First United Methodist Church. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents. Laredo Northside Market. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. North Central Park. Contact Erna Pelto at 763-0138 or enpelto@stx.rr.com. Women’s City Club steak plate sale. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dr. Ike’s parking lot. Tickets $5. Call Nancy de Anda at 763-9960.
Today is Saturday, Feb. 1, the 32nd day of 2014. There are 333 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 1, 1960, four black college students began a sit-in protest at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where they’d been refused service. On this date: In 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New York. (However, since only three of the six justices were present, the court recessed until the next day.) In 1861, Texas voted to leave the Union at a Secession Convention in Austin. In 1893, the opera “Manon Lescaut,” by Giacomo Puccini (poo-CHEE’-nee), premiered in Turin, Italy. In 1896, Puccini’s opera “La Boheme” premiered in Turin. In 1922, in one of Hollywood’s most enduring mysteries, movie director William Desmond Taylor was shot to death in his Los Angeles home; the killing has never been solved. In 1942, the Voice of America broadcast its first program to Europe, relaying it through the facilities of the British Broadcasting Corp. in London. In 1943, one of America’s most highly decorated military units, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up almost exclusively of JapaneseAmericans, was authorized. In 1946, Norwegian statesman Trygve Lie (TRIHG’-vuh lee) was chosen to be the first secretary-general of the United Nations. In 1968, Richard M. Nixon announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke up during reentry, killing all seven of its crew members. Ten years ago: The New England Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three seasons with a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers; during the halftime show, Janet Jackson’s breast became exposed because of a “wardrobe malfunction” that prompted a $550,000 FCC fine against CBS. (The fine was later thrown out by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — twice.) Five years ago: Australian firefighter Dave Tree was photographed giving water to an injured koala found in burned brushland in Victoria state; the rescued female koala, dubbed “Sam,” became an Internet sensation, but ended up being euthanized in Aug. 2009. One year ago: Hillary Rodham Clinton formally resigned as America’s 67th secretary of state, capping a four-year tenure that saw her shatter records for the number of countries visited. Today’s Birthdays: Actor Stuart Whitman is 86. Singer Don Everly is 77. Actor Garrett Morris is 77. Singer Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show) is 77. Bluegrass singer Del McCoury is 75. Jazz musician Joe Sample is 75. TV personality-singer Joy Philbin is 73. Comedian Terry Jones is 72. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is 70. Opera singer Carol Neblett is 68. Rock musician Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is 64. Thought for Today: “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” — Eddie Rickenbacker, American war hero (1890-1973).
Sunday, Feb. 2 Laredo A&M Mothers’ Club Annual Super Bowl Steak Plate Sale. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. BBVA Compass Bank, 5400 McPherson Road. Event benefits scholarship recipients. Call Diana Lopez at 236-9549 or Gloria Villarreal at 7406391.
Photo by Charlie Riedel | AP
Emergency vehicles are parked outside a Quality Inn near the site of NFL Super Bowl XLVIII, on Friday, in Lyndhurst, N.J. White powder was mailed to businesses near the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, prompting an investigation by the FBI and other law enforcement. A federal law enforcement official said one of the envelopes contained baking soda.
FBI: Powder appears harmless
Tuesday, Feb. 4 Les Amies Birthday Club’s monthly luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Holiday Inn. Honorees are Velia Herrera, Mary Lou Solis, Yolanda Gonzalez and Ma Eugenia Garcia. Hostesses are Yolanda Gonzalez, Rebecca Martinez and Veronica Salinas. Meeting of Webb County Community Coalition. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. San Martin de Porres Catholic Church Meeting Room, 1704 Sandman St. Topic is drug prevention. Speaker is Dr. Waldo Lopez, association director of city health department. To RSVP, call Veronica Jimenez at 724-3177.
Wednesday, Feb. 5 Spring Vegetable Gardening Seminar. 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. City of Laredo Environmental Department Conference Room, 619 Reynolds St. Speaker is Dr. Juan R. Anciso, association professor and extension vegetable specialist. Topics: soil preparation, variety selection, insect and disease control, cylinder gardening and more. $10 fee. Contact George L. Gonzales at 7212626 or gl-gonzales@tamu.edu.
Thursday, Feb. 20 Winter Texan & Senior Citizen Appreciation Day. 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, March 10 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Thursday, March 13 42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
Friday, March 14 42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
Saturday, March 15 42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
By KATIE ZEZIMA ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEWARK, N.J. — A suspicious powder mailed to locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least five hotels near the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, appeared not to be dangerous, the FBI said Friday. The agency said further testing was being conducted on the substance, but it is “within normal values.” White powder also was found in a letter sent to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s business in New York City, where police said preliminary tests showed it posed no threat. A federal law enforcement official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said powder from one envelope tested positive for baking soda.
US seeks death penalty for marathon suspect BOSTON — The announcement by federal prosecutors that they will seek the death penalty against the man accused in the Boston Marathon bombing came as no surprise to people who lost limbs or suffered other injuries in last year’s attack. But the victims and their families expressed a range of emotions about the decision Thursday to seek the execution of a 20year-old man prosecutors accuse of committing one of the worst terror attacks on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2011. “It shows people that if you are going to terrorize our country, you are going to pay with your life,” said Marc Fucarile, of Stoneham, who lost his right leg above the knee and suffered other injuries in the bombing. But the grandmother of a 29year-old woman killed in the attack said she isn’t sure she supports the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, yet she fears
Hackensack University Medical Center received a number of people for evaluation because they came in contact with the letters, but a hospital spokeswoman said there were no reported illnesses or injuries. In New Jersey, the suspicious mailings went to at least five hotels, Carlstadt Police Detective John Cleary said. The mailings arrived at an Econo Lodge in Carlstadt, a Homestead Suites hotel in East Rutherford and a Renaissance Inn in Rutherford, Cleary said. Investigators intercepted additional envelopes from a mail truck before they reached a Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn in Carlstadt, he said. At the Homewood Suites, General Manager Thomas Martucci said the letter sent to his motel contained yellow powder and a typed letter inside referencing al-Qaida and the Dallas FBI.
that prison wouldn’t be enough punishment for him. “I don’t know, because it’s not going to bring her back,” said Lillian Campbell, grandmother of Krystle Campbell. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision, announced Thursday, was widely expected. The twin blasts last April killed three people and wounded more than 260. Over half of the 30 federal charges against Tsarnaev carry a possible death sentence. Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.
Amid drought, California agency won’t allot water SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Amid California’s most crippling drought of modern times, state officials on Friday announced they will not allocate water to agencies that serve 25 million people and nearly 1 million acres of farmland. The announcement marks the first time in the 54-year history of the State Water Project that such an action has been taken.
State Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin said the action was taken to conserve the little water that remains behind the dams in the state’s vast system of reservoirs. “Simply put, there’s not enough water in the system right now for customers to expect any water this season from the project,” Cowin said in a statement. Most of the 29 agencies serving the towns and farms that draw from the State Water Project have other, local sources of water, but those also have been hard-hit by the drought. The total cut-off of state water deliveries this spring and summer could have a national impact because it will affect farms in one of the nation’s richest agricultural belts. Friday’s action came after Gov. Jerry Brown made an official drought declaration, clearing the way for state and federal agencies to coordinate efforts to preserve water and send it where it is needed most. The governor urged Californians to reduce their water use by 20 percent. — Compiled from AP reports
Monday, March 24 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, April 14 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, April 28 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, May 12 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location and purpose and contact information for a representative.
AROUND THE WORLD EU: Iran nuclear talks to be held Feb. 18 in Vienna VIENNA — The European Union’s chief foreign policy official says the next round of nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers will be held Feb. 18 in Vienna. Catherine Ashton spoke Friday after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The two sides reached a firststage agreement in November that curbs some Iranian nuclear activities in return for a partial easing of sanctions choking Iran’s economy.
Pussy Riot urges pols to speak out in Sochi AMSTERDAM — Two members of the punk band Pussy Riot are urging politicians attending the Winter Olympics to criticize human rights abuses in Russia.
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Lion dancers take part in a night parade to celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, on Friday. The Lunar New Year this year marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar. Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin “can be influenced by foreign political pressure” — but only statements made in public. Tolokonnikova said anything told to Putin or his circle behind
closed doors “they’ll just nod their heads and ignore.” The two performers were sentenced in August 2012 to two years in prison for hooliganism after an irreverent performance blasting Putin. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Despite warnings, smoking deaths persist By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
It was 50 years ago this month when the first report was issued warning about the relationship between tobacco use and health risks. However, a half century later, tobacco consumption remains the No. 1 cause of premature and preventable deaths in the United States. “Linking tobacco to illnesses and the evidence has shown it was right,” said Dr. Zaida Gonzalez, health education supervisor with the City of Laredo Health Department. According to a report issued by the U.S. Health and Human Services this year, “Health Consequences of Smoking — 50 years of progress,” smoking by adults has dropped from 42 percent of the
population in 1965 to 18 percent in 2012. However, 42 million Americans continue to smoke. Gonzalez said an estimated 13 to 15 percent of the state’s population use tobacco, mainly adult men with low socioeconomic status. Despite work by researchers and scientists conducted over the past five decades as well as the establishment of a series of public policies, tobacco has killed more than 20 million people in the U.S. since the first report in 1964. Now, about 1,300 people die daily from smoking. Fifty years after the first report, diseases caused by tobacco use are still adding to the death toll, including heart attacks, strokes, chronic lung diseases and cancer. People with other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension, can in-
crease the risk of complications when they smoke. “In the case of women, smoking increases cardiovascular heart disease. Also, those who smoke during pregnancy can cause highrisk births and underweight children (premature), and also raise the risk of babies with sudden death,” Gonzalez said. “In men, tobacco consumption can cause poor-quality sperm and decreased sperm count.” She added that exhaled cigarette smoke contains about 7,000 chemicals that are harmful to health. “People believe that smoking causes only lung cancer; however, there is a high risk of causing some type of cancer also in the bladder, cervix, esophagus, kidney, throat, mouth, stomach, pancreas and other diseases,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said she believes that campaigns to stop cigarette smoking have worked as people have become more aware of the harm caused by tobacco use. “The city issued an ordinance in July 2006 prohibiting smoking in public places, which makes the city a tobacco-free zone. Smoking is only permitted 10 feet from a building’s entrance,” she said. “This law has helped protect the public from the risks associated with smoking and has decreased risk to non-smokers.” People interested in quitting can visit smokefree.gov, which provides options on how to stop. Serving Children and Adults in Need offers free sessions on how to stop through its program “Fresh Start Smoking Cessation Program,” sponsored by the American Cancer Society. For more information, call 724-3177.
DPS offers voting ID certificate SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding Texans in advance of the upcoming primary that Election Identification Certificates are available at all Texas driver license offices for individuals in need of proper identification required to vote in elections in Texas. The 2014 primary election in Texas is March 4, with early voting from Feb. 18-28. The last day to register to vote in the 2014 primary election is Monday, Feb. 3. Most residents already have an acceptable form of photo identification needed for voting and will not need or qualify for an election identification certificate. If an applicant already has any of the following documents, they are not eligible to receive a certificate: Texas driver license: unexpired or expired less than 60 days at the time of voting Texas personal iden-
File photo by Johnny Hanson | Houston Chronicle
Election judge Maria Pedroza shows the types of identification accepted, including the election certificate ID, in Houston. tification card: unexpired or expired less than 60 days at the time of voting U.S. passport book or card: unexpired or expired less than 60 days at the time of voting Texas concealed handgun license: unexpired or expired less than 60 days at the time of voting U.S. Military identification with photo: unexpired or expired less than 60 days at the time of voting U.S. Citizenship Cer-
tificate or Certificate of Naturalization with photo To apply for a certificate, applicants must visit a driver license office and complete an Application for Texas Election Certificate, DL-14C. To qualify for a certificate, an applicant must: Bring documentation to verify U.S. citizenship and identity Be eligible to vote in Texas (Bring a valid voter registration card or submit a voter registra-
tion application through DPS) Be a Texas resident Be 17 years and 10 months or older To avoid delays or complications, DPS urges potential applicants to make sure they have the necessary documentation before arriving at the office. The certificate receipt an individual receives will include their photo and can be used for voting until the permanent card is delivered by mail. The certificate is free of charge to qualifying applicants and is valid for six years. There is no expiration date for a certificate for citizens 70 years of age or older. The certificate can only be used for the purpose of voting in an election and may not be used as personal identification. For more information on the requirements, exemptions and process for obtaining a certificate, visit txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/electionID.htm. For more information on voting in Texas, visit votetexas.gov.
Photo courtesy of Stanford Research | AP
This image shows a 1949 Chesterfield cigarette advertisement featuring future President Ronald Reagan. On Jan. 11, 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry released a report that said smoking causes illness and death.
Real first lady Martha comes to life during LCC lecture SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
For 117 years, Laredoans have celebrated the lives and legacy of George and Martha Washington, the nation’s first president and first lady. But who exactly was Martha Washington the woman? Laredo Community College has invited author and historian Patricia Brady to answer that question 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center theater at the Fort McIntosh Campus. Brady’s presentation is free and open to the community. In her book, “Martha Washington: An American Life,” Brady gives life to one of our most famous historical figures. In her talk, as in her book, Brady will introduce her audience to Martha Dandridge, who was a widow, mother and land manager before meeting George Washington. As a social and cultural historian, much of Brady’s past work focused on the domestic lives of Southern women, including Nelly Custis, Martha
Washington’s granddaughter. During bicentennial celebrations in Washington, D.C., Brady noticed that many people knew very little about the woman behind the president, and the historical information that was available was largely inaccurate. Determined to set the record straight, Brady explored historical records in an effort to give a true portrayal free of myth. A native Texan, Brady is a graduate of Newcomb College and Tulane University, where she received her Ph.D. A New Orleans transplant, she has served as president of the Louisiana Historical Association, the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, and the New Orleans/Gulf South Booksellers Association. She founded and was director of the publications department at the Historic New Orleans Collection for 20 years and also is the recipient of a Mellon Fellowship. For more information, contact the LCC Office of Student Life at 721-5179.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
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COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
A remedy for education By O. RICARDO PIMENTEL SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
Here’s the stereotype: Teachers and those who represent them have tin ears when it comes to teacher quality and training. Teachers, you see, are mostly interested in funding candidates — for school boards on up — who will protect their outrageous perks and their inherent right to do their jobs badly without consequence. But even a short talk with the woman who is the face and voice of teachers nationally will disabuse you of this stereotype. Bad teachers happen, acknowledges Randi Weingarten, who heads the American Federation of Teachers. So, she adds, let’s figure out a method of accountability that goes beyond a “fixation” on testing and “merit” pay that, untethered from base pay, offers little incentive for improvement. Bad teacher training? This happens, too. So, look to countries such as Finland, she says, which has seven schools of education to train teachers rather than the multitudes here — some very good and, unfortunately, many not so good. Align teacher education with what it really takes to be effective teachers. Want better teachers? How about, she asks, investing in teachers as we do in physicians? See merit pay and base pay above. She didn’t mention it, but I will. Powerful teacher unions blocking needed education reform? They don’t even have collective bargaining in Texas, and
the state still posts among the sorriest educational results in the country. Says Weingarten, children should emerge to adulthood with three attributes: the ability to develop and sustain trusting relationships with others; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and persistence and grit. Another way of saying that poverty matters. Education done right provides the ability to compete, but, in and of itself, doesn’t create jobs. “You need an economy that grows good jobs,” Weingarten says. We don’t have enough of that in Texas. Right, as the scolders point out, today’s poor have something of a safety net (under constant attack, by the way) cell phones, refrigerators and cable television, as if to say, “See, they’re not really poor.” But those first paved roads didn’t mean the poor were less poor because they could get to their meager-paying jobs quicker and weren’t less poor because they could eat their gruel under something other than candlelight. Accessible technology should not prompt us to ignore income inequality or poverty’s role in education and beyond. Failure to improve the plight of the poor amounts to a “value statement,” says Weingarten. Yup. Not a good one. No; school failure must be about something else. Oh, I don’t know; fat-cat teachers with three-month vacations and lazy students? This, too, is a value statement. Not a good — or accurate — one.
COLUMN
Shootings now common By CRISTINA LAFFERTY HASSINGER SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST
When the detective arrived at my home, he had a folder in his hand. “We just have some paperwork to take care of first,” he said. After I signed his forms, he gave me a box with the clothes my mother was wearing when she was murdered. It had been almost a year, but I needed to touch them, to know how many times she was shot, to see where she had been hurt. My mom, Dawn Hochsprung, was the principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Recently, I told a woman that my mother had passed away just over a year ago. I was trying to be polite, but I instantly felt disgusted with myself for using the term “passed away.” My mother was shot to death through no fault of her own. That is not “passing away.” She was killed, gunned down in what I would normally have called her haven — her school. There have been at least 39 school shootings since the massacre in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, 2012. Already this year there have been 10 school shootings, including one Thursday at Eastern Florida State College. Sadly, Americans seem to be getting used to seeing our na-
tion’s youth, parents and educators gather outside schools, waiting to hear if their loved ones are safe.
Gun control Immediately after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, discussion of safer gun laws consumed the nation. At the time, I thought it was too soon — 26 innocent people had just been slaughtered at the school, and we were mourning. I realize now that I was wrong: It wasn’t too soon — it was already too late. Early last year it felt like the tragedy in Newtown was an eye-opener to the problem of gun violence in our country. But since Newtown, more than 12,000 Americans have been killed by gun violence. Last April, a majority of senators voted for a bipartisan bill to expand background checks and keep guns out of the wrong hands — but a minority caved to the gun lobby and was able to block passage. I thought Congress’ failure to pass gun-safety legislation would shatter my hopes. But it did the opposite: I and others who make up the 90 percent of Americans who support comprehensive background checks aren’t going away.
COLUMN
Deciding on death penalty In capital punishment trial of accused cop killer, jury selection gets personal
“
KEN HERMAN
AUSTIN — Accused of nothing, but summoned to the courthouse for a trial that could end in death, they walk one by one to the witness box where they will be judged. The tedious search continued this week for jurors open to having Brandon Daniel slain for gunning down Austin police officer Jaime Padron. The process began last month when 400 potential jurors filled out a questionnaire. Last week, in groups, they answered very basic questions. This week, they showed up for individual, sometimes detailed questioning from lawyers in a trial in which guilt is not in much doubt. Conviction would mean death or life in prison without parole. Which is the more severe? It’s a notion ruminated on by a potential juror who, discussing hypotheticals, said life without parole could be “worse than ending it all.” First up on Monday was a woman who stated her anti-death penalty views on the questionnaire. Prosecutor Bill Bishop
asked for the source of that opposition. “A combination,” she said, “but I couldn’t say it’s from a religious standpoint. It was more personal.” Capital case defense lawyers like to get death penalty foes on the jury. It can happen by having them acknowledge they could follow the law. That first woman told defense lawyer Russell Hunt, “I don’t feel that’s my position to vote for someone to be put to death.” But Hunt kept her in play by having her confirm that, if selected, she could listen to evidence and honestly answer the questions that could lead to execution. Texas jurors are not asked to choose life or death sentences. But their answers concerning future dangerousness and mitigating circumstances determine life or death. The law, Hunt noted, does not require jurors to support capital punishment. “I want to do my civic duty,” said the woman. Next up was a woman who said she’d never given the death penalty much thought and found herself “not completely opposed or in favor.” “That’s kind of what we’re looking for,” prosecutor Gary Cobb told her. The woman’s stepdad is
a retired Austin police officer, a fact that seems pertinent in the trial of a man accused of killing one. Counterintuitively, she said she doesn’t think punishment for killing a cop should be more severe than for killing a civilian. “I love him,” she said of her stepdad, “but I don’t think his life is worth more than my children or myself.” Neither side, at this point, sought to have her removed from the pool of potential jurors. Wednesday’s interviewees included a retired lawyer, a woman who befuddled everyone with conflicting answers about capital punishment and a man who showed up late and only under threat of arrest. The retired lawyer said on his questionnaire he supports the death penalty “except where it’s too harsh a punishment.” On the witness stand, he categorized himself as a devotee of a law school professor who believed the death penalty is “inappropriate in most cases (because) it doesn’t do the job that punishments ought to do.” “That was his shtick,” the retired lawyer said, “and I consider it that way.” But could he follow the
law and vote for a result that led to execution? “If my conscience has been salved, yes,” he said. He, too, remains in play for the jury, as does the man who said life without parole might be a more severe punishment than death. He advanced after questioning that touched on his favorite video games (“Assassin’s Creed”) and his affinity for Tom Clancy novels, which Hunt, ever searching for a potential juror’s leanings, summed up as “typically there’s a hero from the government who saves us from the bad guys.” The woman who confounded everyone on her feelings about capital punishment wrote on her questionnaire that an argument in favor is its positive impact on prison overcrowding. “We shouldn’t be judging as far as putting a person to death,” she said at one point. “It’s not that I’m opposed to it,” she said at another point. “I’ve never been put in a situation where I had to choose.” Yes, said prosecutor Bishop, “It’s an unusual position to be put in.” The search for people who will be put in that unusual position continues next week.
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 name-call-
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
ing 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.
Crime
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Two men accused of transporting immigrants By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Two men were arrested Jan. 25 and accused of moving undocumented immigrants in the Zapata area, according to court documents released Wednesday. A criminal complaint charges Wayne Nicholas Martinez and Juan Francisco Trejo-Ugalde with transporting 11 illegal immigrants with a motor vehicle. Both men are in federal custody pending detention hearings. At 7:35 p.m. Jan. 25, U.S. Border Patrol agents in the area of Texas 16, about 7 miles east of Zapata, spotted an older model Ford Expedition traveling in tandem with a light brown Buick Rendezvous heading east toward FM 649 Road. As the vehicles passed an agent’s location, he noticed the
As the vehicles passed an agent’s location, he noticed the Ford Expedition was ‘heavily latent’ in the cargo area, even though the driver was the only person visible, the complaint reads. The agent followed both vehicles for a closer observation. Ford Expedition was “heavily latent” in the cargo area, even though the driver was the only person visible, the complaint reads. The agent followed both vehicles for a closer observation. “Smugglers are known to travel in tandem as a tactic to disrupt or impede law enforcement from stopping one of the vehicles,” the complaint states. An agent passed the Rendezvous, and once he got behind the Expedition, the Expedi-
Woman pleads in smuggling case By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
A woman indicted on human smuggling charges pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday, court documents released this week state. Gabriela Martinez-Luna waived her presence at arraignment Thursday morning, but not before submitting her written “not guilty” plea. A final pretrial conference was set for March 10 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Guillermo R. Garcia. An indictment filed Jan. 22 charges Martinez-Luna with one count of conspiracy to transport one undocumented person, and two counts of transport and attempt to transport undocumented people for financial gain. She faces up to 10 years behind bars per count if she is convicted, the indictment reads. U.S Border Patrol agents traveling south on U.S. 83 by Mesa Salinas Road noticed a Chevrolet Suburban heading north. When the agents decided to follow the Suburban, the driver applied the brakes. “Once the agents caught up to the Suburban, they noticed the
driver accelerate in speed and began swerving to the shoulder,” a criminal complaint reads. By First Street and U.S. 83, agents spotted several people inside who attempted to lie down as if trying to hide. An immigration inspection was conducted on the occupants of the Suburban in the intersection of West 25th Avenue and U.S. 83. Identified as the driver, Martinez-Luna claimed she was just giving the occupants a ride. All five passengers were illegal immigrants, the complaint states. Martinez-Luna told agents she needed transportation and that a man identified as “Zambo” helped her. “Zambo contacted her and told her that if she needs a vehicle she could borrow his but only if she was willing to transport undocumented immigrants to Laredo,” the complaint reads. Two immigrants held as material witnesses identified MartinezLuna as the driver of the Suburban, according to court documents. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
tion reduced speed and began swerving. An agent attempted an immigration inspection on the operator of the Expedition. “Before the (agent) could reach the driver’s window, the driver accelerated and took off,” court documents state. The driver drove for about 25 yards and reduced speed, thus allowing people to jump out of the Expedition through the back passenger door and run toward the brush area.
“The (agent) began a foot pursuit and apprehended the subjects (who) ran into the brush. The driver of the vehicle took his opportunity and sped off eastbound on Texas 16,” according to court documents. A Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden would eventually pull over the Expedition for speeding in the area of Texas 16 and FM 649. Identified as Martinez, he told authorities the backpacks found scattered throughout
the passenger compartment belonged to illegal immigrants he had just dropped off. He was detained on site. “Martinez claims he became involved in this in order to assist his mother economically and so his mother would not have to drive and become involved herself,” the complaint states. Martinez had instructions to pick up the immigrants in George West and drive them to El Campo, a small town southwest of Houston. “Martinez’s mother did not want to tell him how much they were going to be paid,” court documents show. Martinez identified Trejo-Ugalde as the foot guide. Trejo-Ugalde opted to speak with an attorney. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Agents detain three men Suspects were allegedly in country illegally, had prior run-ins By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Federal agents detained three people accused of being in the country illegally in separate enforcement actions in Zapata County, court records show. U.S. Border Patrol identified the detainees as Carlos CazaresTapia and Claudio Rodriguez-Morales, both from Mexico, and Jose
Zhagnay from Ecuador, according to court documents filed Friday. They are being charged with re-entry of deported person. All three men were arrested in Zapata County on Tuesday. Further investigation revealed that CazaresTapia had been previously removed from the country in Laredo on Jan. 17, 2012. Rodriguez-Morales had been removed from the country in the
Brownsville-Matamoros area May 1. Zhagnay had been deported from New Orleans, La., on Sept. 12, 2012. None of the three men had applied or received permission to re-enter the United States after deportation. Each man has a $75,000 bond in a federal detention facility. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
BLOTTER ASSAULT
NO DRIVER’S LICENSE
ROBBERY
An assault was reported at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of Mango Drive.
Hector Martinez-Salas was arrested and charged with not having a driver’s license Thursday in the intersection of Fourth Street and Villa Avenue.
An aggravated robbery was reported at 7:01 p.m. Tuesday in the Siesta Shores neighborhood.
BURGLARY Joshua Eli Gonzalez was arrested and served for a capias for burglary of habitation Tuesday along Mercedes Lane. A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 12:52 a.m. Wednesday in the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Carla Street.
PUBLIC INTOXICATION Mario Medina Jr. was arrested and charged with public intoxication Friday in the intersection of Texas 16 and Ninth Street.
THEFT A theft was reported at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the 5400 block of Cuellar Lane. A theft was reported at 6:44 p.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of Hawk Street.
State
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
Cruise line cites fog, not illness, for return By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — A cruise ship that had more than 180 passengers and crew fall sick with an apparent stomach virus returned to a Houston-area port early due to a dense fog advisory and not because people were vomiting and had diarrhea, a Princess Cruises spokeswoman said Friday. But passengers whose sevenday vacation was cut short, missing their last stop in Belize, questioned that version of events. They said the crew announced on the second day of the cruise that people were sick, apparently with highly contagious norovirus, and that extra precautions were being taken to ensure it didn’t spread. “I was worried I might come down with the illness, but as days went by I didn’t, so I felt more comfortable,” said Doris Hajewski, 66, of Waukesha, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee. “Really, if you didn’t get sick, you didn’t notice much, just the extra hand sanitizers and the extra precautions at the buffet,” she added, explaining that crew served at the buffet instead of passengers being allowed to handle the food themselves. It was on Tuesday, when the crew announced the ship would return a day early due to a sea fog advisory that could close the Pasadena port, that passengers began questioning the validity of the information, Hajewski said. “People were unhappy with that and the sentiment on the ship became more that it wasn’t because of the possible fog,” she said. A Royal Caribbean cruise returned early to New Jersey on
Photo by Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle | AP
Jack Doebbler walks to his vehicle after getting off the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, Friday, in La Porte. The ship returned to port early on Friday due to a dense fog advisory and not because people were vomiting and had diarrhea, a Princess Cruises spokeswoman said Friday. Wednesday after nearly 700 people became ill with the same suspected gastrointestinal illness. But Princess Cruises spokeswoman Julie Benson said the situation aboard the Caribbean Princess was not the same. “If we did not have the potential of the closure of the port because of fog we would not have come in early,” Benson said. The National Weather Service says it issued a warning about sea fog from Friday through Sunday. The Port of Houston says pilots halt all docking activity if fog is too dense. The Caribbean Princess departed Jan. 25 for the Caribbean with more than 4,200 people on board. It returned Thursday night instead of Saturday. Cruise
liners are required to report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if more than 3 percent of the passengers on board the ship become sick. According to the CDC website, there are about a dozen cases annually where so many people become ill on a cruise, the vast majority with norovirus. This year there have already been three reported cases, including on the Caribbean Princess, and at least two appear to be due to that stomach virus. Overall, though, the CDC says only about 1 percent to 2 percent of norovirus outbreaks occur on ships. The vast majority of outbreaks are in nursing homes. Cruise Lines International Association reports that more than
State loses millions ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says Texas is losing $18 million a day in federal funding by not expanding Medicaid under the federal health-care overhaul. Sebelius spoke Friday at Paul Quinn College in south Dallas.
In her latest trip to Texas, Sebelius called on the uninsured to register online at www.healthcare.gov and for Texas to expand Medicaid. She also touted the work of “navigators” helping local residents sign up for health insurance. Asked about additional state requirements for navigators, Sebelius
said states like Texas were simply enacting “barriers” to make it harder for the Democratic-backed health care overhaul to work. Sebelius was joined by U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, the longtime Dallas Democrat who says the overhaul is “the most important program of my entire adult life.”
Historic designation Houston’s Astrodome now a historic landmark By JUAN A. LOZANO ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — A glimmer of hope surfaced in the effort to keep the Houston Astrodome —the world’s first multipurpose domed stadium — from being torn down with its addition this week to the National Register of Historic Places. But the designation alone will not be enough to prevent the demolition of the so-called “Eighth Wonder of the World,” according to officials. The Astrodome’s fate has remained uncertain since voters in November rejected a proposed $217 million bond issue to redevelop the stadium into a giant convention and event center. It had been home to baseball’s Houston Astros and the NFL’s former Houston Oilers. The National Park Service announced this week the Astrodome had been added to its National Register of Historic Places, joining more than 1.5 million other buildings and properties. The designation, mostly honorary, means any effort to revamp the stadium can be eligible for federal and state tax credits as well as other economic incentives, said Paul Lusignan, a historian with the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. But the designation doesn’t place any rules on what Harris County, which owns the stadium, can do with the facility. “A listing in the register doesn’t freeze the property
Photo by Smiley N. Pool | Houston Chronicle
The Reliant Astrodome and Reliant Stadium are seen in an aerial view on Monday, Jan. 20 in Houston. and make it untouchable,” Lusignan said Joe Stinebaker, a spokesman for Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, said the designation will have “very little impact” on the county’s decision making process. Stinebaker said the Astrodome’s fate is currently “in utter limbo” as county commissioners have no timeline for deciding what to do with the structure. No serious private or public proposals for revamping the Astrodome have been presented to county leaders since the bond issue was struck down by voters, he said. “We get many ideas on what should be done. But none of those proposals ever include financing, which is really key to the whole thing right now,” Stinebaker said. “Any savior at this point would have to come from the private sector.” Beth Wiedower, senior
field officer with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, one of various groups working to save the Astrodome, said she hopes this week’s designation will aid efforts to find either a private entity or a public-private partnership that will invest in reusing the stadium. “I’m more optimistic today than I have been since the election,” she said. Opened in 1965, the Astrodome hasn’t been home to a sports team since 1999 and has been closed to all events since 2009. While still structurally sound, the iconic stadium had fallen into disrepair. Stadium seats, pieces of AstroTurf and other Astrodome items have been sold to the public in recent months. The stadium’s most prominent use in recent years was as a shelter for Louisiana residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
20 million people took cruises in 2012. Officials with the CDC boarded the Caribbean Princess early Friday and are overseeing sanitation of the vessel before it departs for its next journey on Saturday, Benson added. Crew will clean all surfaces of the ship — from elevator buttons to railings — with a special liquid disinfectant. “To have people come on board when they are ill is, unfortunately, not a rare occurrence,” Benson said. She said crew members confirmed the virus in a lab on board the ship and closely monitored everyone who reported to the infirmary, especially with gastrointestinal problems. Jay Herring, a senior officer for Carnival Cruise Lines from
2002 to 2004, said norovirus spreads easily on a cruise ship where thousands of people travel together in a confined space. “One time we had three consecutive cruises that had norovirus and it wasn’t until we got serious about disinfecting that we got rid of it,” said Herring, also the author of “The Truth About Cruise Ships.” “Every casino chip, every elevator button, every hand rail was disinfected,” he added. Herring doesn’t believe having just over 3 percent of the passengers and crew ill was enough to cut short the voyage. But he doesn’t recall fog ever ending a voyage when he worked for Carnival Cruises. “I think the norovirus and the fog combined together is what ended this cruise early. I think the norovirus played a role,” Herring said. By and large, Hajewski said the cruise was fairly normal for those who didn’t become sick. She said she and her traveling companion were not infected. The pools remained open, the food was good and, at first, the weather was pleasant. Unlike reports from the Royal Caribbean cruise of people vomiting in bags, buckets and even on the floor, she said she didn’t see anyone get sick. She said the crew handled the situation professionally and were strict about quarantining ill passengers. “It’s just a disappointment to miss a port,” Hajewski said. She added that “there are no guarantees that everything will go as planned no matter where you travel. Whether it’s a cruise, whether it’s land travel, you’re always taking a risk.”
West blast makes list of lawmaker priorities Texas House speaker wants review of first responders By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The West fertilizer blast that killed 15 people will face more scrutiny over the next year from lawmakers who could strengthen state regulations surrounding chemical facility safety and inspections, according to a list of House priorities released Friday. Republican House Speaker Joe Straus also directed a review of first responders in rural areas dependent on volunteer units such as in West, where most of the victims who rushed toward the April 17 blast at West Fertilizer Co. were volunteer firefighters. More permitting for chemical facilities, however, won’t likely come in the aftermath of one of the deadliest U.S. plant explosions in recent years. El Paso Democrat Joe Pickett, chairman of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, said his panel is instead focusing on giving more oversight authority to current agencies. State inspectors, for example, could
be given more power to enter chemical plants. Last fall, State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy testified that several large fertilizer chemical plants in Texas turned away inspectors following the West blast. “I’m not looking at a whole bunch of regulation, or raising money through permit fees or overburdening businesses,” Pickett said. “But I think there definitely needs to be a few changes so we can hopefully avoid situations like this.” The explosion injured an additional 200 people and caused more than $100 million in damages. Investigators have not yet determined a single cause or ruled out criminal charges Investigating the West blast is among dozens of issues Straus ordered lawmakers to study before returning to the Capitol next year. Known as interim charges, the list also includes monitoring the federal health care marketplace in Texas and reviewing how 17-year-olds are considered adults in the state criminal justice system.
“I am confident that we can continue to address these issues in a responsible, bipartisan way,” Straus said in a statement. Pickett’s committee already held two meetings last year following the West explosion. Texas has no state fire code, and Connealy’s office lacks the power to make unannounced inspections of businesses or compel facilities to open their doors. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Connealy’s office have said they’ve narrowed the initial fire that sparked the explosion to three possible causes: a battery-powered golf cart, an electrical system in the plant or a criminal act. Authorities say a fire inside one of the storage buildings at West Fertilizer led to the detonation of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer that can be unsafe when stored improperly. Myriad state and federal agencies are also examining the incident for recommendations on how to improve the storage of ammonium nitrate and its potential hazards.
Mexico
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
Son of cartel head detained By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Mexican soldiers and marines captured the son of the alleged leader of a drug cartel during a raid Thursday near the western city of Guadalajara. Monte Alejandro Rubido Garcia, executive secretary of the National Public Safety System, said the military nabbed 23-yearold Ruben Oseguera and four other men in Zapopan, a city in the Guadalajara metropolitan area. His father, Nemesio Oseguera, allegedly leads the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which is believed to be allied with the Sinaloa cartel, Mexico’s most powerful drug gang led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The suspects possessed 14
Murder trial to begin ASSOCIATED PRESS
EL PASO — Jury selection is to begin Friday for the trial of a man accused of participating in the March 2010 killing of a U.S. consulate employee. Prosecutors say Arturo Gallegos Castrellon is a member of a border gang affiliated with a drug cartel. He’s accused in a multicount indictment of drug trafficking, money laundering and participation in the shootings that killed Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, a U.S. consulate worker in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez. Also killed was husband Arthur Redfels and Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, husband of another consulate employee. Castrellon was extradited from Mexico in 2012. The indictment names 35 defendants, 33 of whom are in custody with six awaiting extradition from Mexico. Twenty-five have pleaded guilty, while one committed suicide in jail.
weapons prohibited for civilian use, including a grenade, and they had “high quantities of money in pesos and dollars,” Rubido said. He said Ruben Oseguera is accused of trafficking drugs and ordering murders. He was also responsible for managing the finances of the cartel, the official said. “Ruben Oseguera is presumably the one in charge of buying, selling and trafficking the drugs coming from South America,” Rubido said at a news conference. The Jalisco state prosecutor said buses were set on fire in parts of Zapopan on Thursday, spreading fear among residents in the area around Guadalajara, which is Mexico’s second biggest city. The U.S. Consulate in the city warned U.S. citizens to stay
inside because of what seemed to be retaliatory attacks by cartel members following the raid. The Jalisco cartel is believed to be locked in a turf battle with the Knights Templar cartel in neighboring Michoacan state. It has been accused of supporting some of the civilian vigilante groups that have been battling the Knights Templar. In November, Jalisco authorities linked the Jalisco New Generation cartel to the discovery of dozens of bodies in mass graves in the community of La Barca near Lake Chapala, which is popular among Canadian and U.S. expatriates and tourists. Officials said police officers arrested for alleged gang ties led investigators to the graves and said the remains could be victims of people they had turned over to the cartel.
Photo by AP
A forensic specialist walks around a burned bus in the town of Zapopan, Mexico, on Thursday. The bus was torched by unidentified attackers while officials detained the son of an alleged leader of a drug cartel during a raid in the town.
PÁGINA 8A
Zfrontera SALUD
Agenda en Breve
Niegan alerta
LAREDO 02/01— First United Methodist Church tendrá una venta de libros usados, de 8:30 a.m. a 1 p.m. en 1220 McClelland Ave. Libros de pasta dura a 1 dólar; de pasta suave a .50 centavos; revistas y libros infantiles a .25 centavos. 02/01— La Asociación Laredo Northside invita al Mercado de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. en el área de juegos del North Central Park. Habrá venta de productos naturales, de jardinería, comida, manualidades y ogranizaciones comerciales y sin fines de lucro. La asociación entregará una donación al Laredo Parks and Leisure Services. 02/01— BALONCESTO: El equipo femenil de TAMIU recibe a Newman a la 1 p.m. y el equipo varonil recibe a Newman a las 3 p.m. Ambos partidos serán en el Edificio Kinesiology-Convocation. Costo de cada partido es de 5 dólares. 02/01— WBCA: Festival de Canto y Danza Juvenil de la WBCA, de 2 p.m. a 5 p.m. en el Auditorio del Laredo Civic Center. Entrada gratuita. 02/01— WBCA: El Border Beer Festival (Festival Fronterizo de la Cerveza) es de 7 p.m. a 1 a.m. en Laredo Civic Center. 02/01— “Solo Boxeo Tecate” se realizará en Laredo Energy Arena a partir de las 7 p.m. Están programadas 8 peleas. 02/01— LTGI presenta “Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got the Will?”, de Del Shores, a las 8 p.m. en el teatro del Center for the Fine and Performing Arts de TAMIU. Entrada general es de 15 dólares; estudiantes y adultos mayores a 10 dólares. Otra presentación el domingo a las 3 p.m.; del 5 al 8 de febrero a las 8 p.m. y el 9 de febrero a las 3 p.m. 02/03— Un recital de solos de la facultad de percusiones se presentará en el Salón de Recitales del Center for the Fine and Performing Arts de Texas A&M International University a las 7:30 p.m. 02/02— BÉISBOL: El equipo Dustdevil de TAMIU recibe a Southeastern Oklahoma State a las 12 p.m. en el Jorge Haynes Field. Visite GoDustdevils.com para más información. 02/02— El Club Laredo A&M Mothers realizará su venta de platillos anual a partir de las 11 a.m. y hasta las 2 p.m. en BBVA Compass Bank, ubicado en McPherson y Hillside. Los fondos recaudados serán destinados a becas escolares.
NUEVO LAREDO, MX 02/01— Se llevará a cabo el taller básico de pintura “Pintando como Artistas”, para niños de entre 5 y 12 años, en la sala de Servicios Educativos del Museo Reyes Meza, a las 4 p.m. Taller durará cuatro sábados. 02/01— Estación Palabra presenta: Bazar de Arte, a partir de las 9 a.m.; Taller “Como atrapar una historia”, a las 11 a.m.; Festival Infantil con cuentos para niños y dinámicas, a las 2 p.m.; Eventos gratuitos. 02/02— El grupo de Teatro Laberintus estará presentando la obra infantil “La Nave”, de José Luis Pineda Servín, a las 12 p.m. dentro del teatro del IMSS, entre Reynosa y Belden. 02/04— El grupo de Teatro Laberintus estará presentando la obra para adolescentes y adultos “Sueño de una noche de verano” de William Shakespeare, a las 7 p.m. dentro del teatro del IMSS, entre Reynosa y Belden.
SÁBADO 1 DE FEBRERO DE 2014
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Aunque autoridades de Tamaulipas aseguraron no existe alerta por casos de influenza estacional, insisten en que la población siga las medidas de higiene básicas, vacunarse y acudir al médico ante el menor síntoma gripal. Las medidas de prevención como el lavado correcto y frecuente de manos, estornudar usando el ángulo interno antebrazo-brazo y la vacunación para los grupos de riesgo continúan vigentes y constituyen la primera defensa contra la enfermedad, explicó Norberto Treviño García Manzo, Secretario de
Salud en Tamaulipas. Sostuvo que, sin duda, los casos más graves de la enfermedad fueron las cinco defunciones TREVIÑO registradas en el año. “Estas se debieron a la unión de distintos factores, entre ellos no estar vacunados, presentar comorbilidades como obesidad, diabetes u otras enfermedades crónicas no trasmisibles y solicitar atención médica tardía”, explicó Treviño. La influenza se transmite de persona a persona, a través de la
boca, nariz y ojos, cuando un enfermo o portador del virus expulsan gotas de saliva al estornudar o toser sin cubrirse boca y nariz, indica un comunicado de prensa. Aclaró que un estado de alerta se emite cuando se presentan tres circunstancias: Que sea un virus nuevo, desconocido. Ésta situación no se cumple en virtud de que el AH1N1, es el mismo registrado en el 2009. Que en las unidades de salud monitoras de influenza distribuidas en el estado, más del 20 por ciento de los casos de enfermedad detectados sean enfermedad tipo
influenza o enfermedad aguda respiratoria grave. Que los casos de enfermedad respiratoria aguda grave o tipo influenza que se muestren, sean positivos a influenza en más del 50 por ciento. Expuso que el país entero está lejos de estar en alerta por la influenza. Explicó que, por ejemplo, en Tamaulipas solamente un 15 por ciento de los casos de enfermedad respiratoria que se presentan son positivos a influenza. Treviño concluyó diciendo Tamaulipas cuenta con capacidad para atender los casos de infecciones respiratorias.
CULTURA
SEGURIDAD
DE ZAPATA A HOLLYWOOD Balacera deja cuatro muertos TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Un enfrentamiento entre elementos de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional y civiles armados en Ciudad Mier, México, dejó como saldo cuatro personas muertas.
Foto por Victor Strife | Laredo Morning Times
Del Shores posa para una fotografía en el lobby del Hotel Embassy Suites, el jueves por la tarde.
Del Shores platica su orgullo de regresar a Texas POR MALENA CHARUR TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
E
l actor, director, productor y dramaturgo Del Shores, quien vivió en Zapata durante parte de su juventud, se encuentra en Laredo para la presentación en teatro de su obra “Daddy’s Dying…Who’s Got the Will?” (“Papá se está muriendo…¿quién tiene el testamento?”). La obra es presentada como parte de la Temporada Especial por el quinto aniversario de la compañía Laredo Theatre Guild International (LTGI por sus siglas en inglés). Shores, nacido en Winters, y quien ha sido acreedor a múltiples premios y nominaciones, por producciones como “Sordid Lives”, “Cheatin”, y “Southern Baptiste Sistsies”, entre muchas otras, dijo que a pesar de las múltiples facetas artísticas en las que se desempeña, siente que el teatro es la actividad que más pudiera disfrutar. “Es una pregunta difícil, porque todas me gustan. Aunque creo que dirigir mis propias obras en un teatro es lo que más disfruto”, dijo Shores. “Hay algo acerca del teatro. Es mi credo”. Recordó el tiempo cuando vivió en Zapata y aseguró que le traía muy gratos recuerdos. “Yo era el típico chico regordete a quien le encantaba el teatro. Mi pasión eran el discurso y el drama”, dijo. “Me encantó crecer en Zapata”. Agregó que los amigos y la gente en ese lugar eran increíbles y resaltó la importancia de una vida sencilla en un pequeño lugar. “Era una educación simple, con un gran sentido de comunidad.
Los valores de este pequeño pueblo son los que aún sigo hoy en día”, expresó Shores. “La gente se preocupaba por los demás. Estoy orgulloso de que Zapata sea el lugar donde crecí”. Aseguró que su madre siempre ha sido la gran inspiración que le ha llevado a realizar una vasta producción artística. “Mi mamá siempre fue mi gran inspiración. Era la maestra de drama en la preparatoria Zapata High School y me transmitió el amor por las artes y el teatro”, indicó. Para Shores, el hecho de que la producción se presente en Texas, que es el lugar donde se realiza la historia, y en Laredo, una ciudad tan cercana a donde él creció, cobra un significado especial. “La obra ha sido presentada muchas veces en Texas, pero lo que en esta ocasión la hace especial es la cercanía con el lugar donde crecí”, comentó. “Cuando era niño, íbamos a Laredo para todo —despensa, cine, patinar, todo”. “Estar de regreso en mi estado natal, tan cerca de casa lo hace muy, muy especial”. La obra, una comedia acerca de una familia que enfrenta la inminente muerte del padre, desata una serie de dinámicas en las relaciones familiares y situaciones que la hacen a la vez graciosa y fluida. ‘Daddy’s Dyin’, ha sido aclamada por Los Angeles Times y Variety, entre otros medios de crítica especializada. Shores asegura que se inspiró en un evento familiar para producir esta obra. “En 1985, mi abuelo sufrió derrames cerebrales progresivos. Mi
madre me llamaba, mis tías me llamaban y ellas hablarían de cada una. De acuerdo con mi tía, mi madre estaba tratando de matar misericordiosamente a mi abuelo (PawPaw). Mi madre se enteró y amenazó con demandarla por difamación. Mi tío estaba convencido de que estaba fuera del testamento, porque mi abuelo lo envió a un reformatorio. Y así sucesivamente”, sostuvo. Añadió que para consternación de su familia, la obra se convirtió en un hit y una película. “Pensé que podría mantenerlo en secreto en un pequeño teatro de Hollywood. A menudo digo que no soy un escritor. Soy un ladrón”, expresó Shores. Dentro de las actividades alusivas a la celebración del quinto aniversario de LTGI, Shores también estará dirigiendo dos talleres de actuación durante el fin de semana. “Me encantan los actores y enseño como un director. Reconocemos nuestros temores, tomamos lo básico desde lo más profundo y enseño a los actores que deben confiar en sus instintos, tomar esas decisiones que vienen rápido y directo hacia uno”, comentó. “El no confiar en sus instintos —en la actuación y en la vida— nunca nos da lo mejor”. ‘Daddy’s Dyin… Who’s Got the Will” se presentará los días 1, 5, 6, 7 y 8 de febrero a las 8 p.m. y el 2 y 9 de febrero a las 3 p.m. en el Teatro del Center for the Fine and Performing Arts de Texas A&M International University. Costo general es de 15 dólares. (Localice a Malena Charur en el 728-2583 o en mcharur@lmtonline.com)
Un enfrentamiento entre elementos de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional y civiles armados dejó cuatro muertos en Ciudad Mier. Los hechos ocurrieron el martes 28 de enero al noroeste de la citada ciudad, en terrenos cercanos a la Brecha Las Morenas, en el Kilómetro 108.5 de la carretera Mier-Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, según reporte de Seguridad del Estado de Tamaulipas. Personal militar realizaba reconocimiento del área cuando fueron agredidos con disparos de arma de fuego, a decir del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas (GCT). Al repeler la agresión murieron los cuatro agresores, mismos que no han sido identificados. Del lugar de los hechos, personal militar aseguró seis armas largas, 96 cargadores, 2.486 cartuchos de diferentes calibres, nueve fornituras color negro y un pasamontañas. Los artículos fueron puestos a disposición del Agente del Ministerio Público de la Federación.
Incautación Por otra parte, el GCT informó que, el miércoles, en el municipio de Camargo, México, se aseguró un cargamento de 4.316 kilogramos de marihuana, después de recibir una denuncia ciudadana. La incautación se logró en el interior de una residencia en la Colonia Cuauhtémoc, donde militares encontraron 749 paquetes envueltos en cinta plástica.
COLUMNA
Autor describe ciudades de Tamaulipas hacia 1910 POR RAUL SINENCIO ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
(Nota del editor: El siguiente es un artículo acerca de hechos trascendentales en la vida de Tamaulipas. Primera de dos partes) Durante la dictadura porfiriana en Tamaulipas hacia 1910 quedaron atrás
años de inestabilidad. Como en el resto del país, imperó la paz, los negocios prósperos y el avasallamiento político. Esto sirve de marco al centenario de nuestra gesta independentista. Ni en sueños el régimen avizora que la antidemocracia y las iniquidades sociales acumulan serios agravios próxi-
mos a desbordarse.
Escritor La editorial Bouret circuló entonces con una colección, la cual versaba sobre geografía, estadística e historia de entidades federativas. Entre las que se incluye a Tamaulipas, esta-
do favorecido con obras ferroviarias, telegráficas, agrícolas, marítimas, etcétera. El tomo que reseñamos corre a cargo de Rafael de Alba. Nacido en Zacatecas, México, suma 40 y tantos años de edad con larga carrera burocrática. Funcionario del Archivo General de la Nación, aprovecha para localizar útiles documen-
tos. Recoge asimismo informes del oficialismo estatal. Ocupándose del lindero con la Unión Americana, De Alba menciona en calidad de ciudades a Camargo, Mier y Guerrero . “Conforme al censo” de 1900”. (Colaboración de Raul Sinecio, según publicación en ‘La Razón’ de Tampico)
Entertainment
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Pop star faces trouble Mars ready for Bowl By ANTHONY MCCARTNEY
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Justin Bieber’s court cases on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border could complicate the pop star’s jet-setting ways as his troubles bring more scrutiny by judges and prosecutors. Legal experts said a decision by Toronto authorities to charge the 19-yearold Bieber with assault on Wednesday makes his legal situation more complicated and difficult to untangle. He is already facing a driving under the influence case in Miami and remains under investigation for felony vandalism in California. All the cases are in the early stages and it’s uncertain whether the Grammynominated singer might be convicted of any charges. But if he is, it would impact how judges deal with him, said Stanley L. Friedman, a former federal prosecutor who now practices criminal defense in Los Angeles. “I think the legal system is much more likely to treat him harshly as somebody who needs to be taught a lesson,” Friedman said. “Now he’s become a national poster child for being a bad boy.” Andrew Flier, a criminal defense attorney who has represented sports stars and actors, said immigration issues are likely Bieber’s biggest problem at this point. If the singer is convicted, he could get closer scrutiny when traveling from his homeland of Canada to the U.S., where he now lives. “Multiple convictions even on misdemeanors could be troublesome to the non-citizen,” Flier said. Bieber has pleaded not guilty to DUI, resisting arrest without violence and driving without a valid license in the Miami case. A preliminary toxicology report released Thursday showed that he tested positive for marijuana and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. Bieber told police after the arrest that he had been smoking marijuana and had taken a prescription drug. In California, the singer remains under investigation for an egg-tossing incident that left his neighbor’s house with thousands of dollars in damage. If Bieber is charged in that case, a California judge may look at him more harshly in light of the Florida and To-
Photo by Miami Dade County Jail | AP
These police booking mugs show pop star Justin Bieber on Thursday, Jan. 23. Bieber’s court cases could complicate the pop star’s jet-setting ways as his troubles bring more scrutiny.
All the cases are in the early stages and it’s uncertain whether the Grammy-nominated singer might be convicted of any charges. ronto cases, said Stan Goldman, a criminal law professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. “The fact that you’ve got three is a heck of a lot worse than one,” Goldman said. Bieber has not addressed the vandalism claim in California, and his attorney Howard Weitzman has said the singer’s legal team believes their client is innocent in the Toronto case. Friedman agreed and said Bieber’s other cases might make it more likely that he will be charged in Los Angeles. Prosecutors have a lot of discretion in how they pursue cases, and a judge has limited influence in the early stages about what deal Bieber might be offered or whether the case goes forward. If Bieber is convicted in any of the cases, he would lose the benefit of the doubt that judges often give first-time offenders, Goldman said. For example, a judge could opt to keep Bieber on a long probation sentence to make sure he stays out of trouble, Goldman said, citing the case of Lindsay Lohan. The actress has been on some form of probation constantly since taking a plea agreement after being arrested twice for driving under the influence and drug possession in 2007. Numerous stars have had their international travel curtailed because of legal trouble, and attorneys said the U.S. and Canada both view drug offenses
harshly when deciding immigration issues. A Los Angeles judge restricted Lohan’s travel during the height of her probation. Japan blocked the entry of The Rolling Stones over drug convictions and in 1980 deported Paul McCartney for marijuana possession at Narita International Airport. In 2010, Japan blocked Paris Hilton from entering the country just days after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge in Las Vegas. R&B star Chris Brown must still have his international travel approved by a judge overseeing his probation for a 2009 attack on then-girlfriend Rihanna. David S. Kestenbaum, an attorney who represents a paparazzo charged with driving recklessly to obtain shots of Bieber, said the pop star’s troubles will likely affect his travels. Kestenbaum agreed with other experts who said Bieber’s chances of being deported from the U.S. remain low but said that doesn’t mean the pop star will quickly clear customs if he’s convicted. Agents could scrutinize Bieber and his entourage more closely in screenings for narcotics or other contraband, and some countries may require him to obtain a special visa, Kestenbaum said.
NEW YORK — Bruno Mars says he feels honored the NFL is letting him perform at the Super Bowl halftime show even though he’s still a budding artist. “I feel like a new artist,” Mars said at a press conference Thursday. The “NFL is such a prestigious stage ... and I’m so grateful for that.” Mars will hit the field Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks play the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The pop crooner debuted on the mainstream music scene in 2010 when he released his friendly pop debut, “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” which featured the No. 1 hits “Grenade” and the Grammywinning “Just the Way You Are.” Mars, 28, said he started rehearsing at the stadium two days ago and cold weather will be an issue.
Photo by AP
Bruno Mars, who will headline the halftime show at the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII, speaks during a press conference Thursday. “It’s like the microphone turns into a Popsicle,” he said. “We’re getting some heaters on everything.” The singer told the audience at the Rose Theater in the Time Warner Center that he hopes to “get people dancing, get people smiling” with his performance. When asked if he would reveal any surprises, he said: “I’m going to give T-
shirts away after the show.” When a reporter asked if he would sing in Spanish, Mars dramatically turned his head and shoulder and in an erotic voice said, “Si!” Mars is one of the youngest artists to perform during the halftime show, following recent performances from Beyoncé, Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas.
The Zapata Times
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
FIREARMS Continued from Page 1A In early 2010, ATF caught wind of a group of women living in the Zapata area that was purchasing firearms from Gladiator Guns and Ammo in Roma and smuggling them into Mexico for members of Los Zetas. Among the questions firearms dealers are required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to ask is whether the purchaser is the “actual buyer” of the weapon. If the firearm is meant for a different person than the person who bought the weapon, a gun vendor is
prohibited from tendering that sale. The women illegally purchased a total of 51 firearms, the majority of which were AR-15-type assault rifles, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. Ramos received the stiffest sentence after she was caught attempting to smuggle approximately 3,500 rounds of ammunition, one night vision spotting scope and two sets of night vision goggles across the border. The investigation, which
lasted for more than three years, has resulted in 16 convictions for drug trafficking and money laundering crimes. The investigation was conducted by ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Zapata and Webb County sheriff ’s offices. (Matthew Nelson may be reached at 728-2567 or mnelson@lmtonline.com)
BOND Continued from Page 1A The college is landlocked in its historic area in Laredo, so if it were to build a quality health science center, then it would have to be at the south campus, she said. “Because it is very much a historical piece of land, there are a lot of restrictions and limitations,” Mares said. “So we look to the south to be able to build a state-of-the-art facility that will encompass all of our health occupation areas.” Representatives from Sepulveda Architects were on-hand in May to present design plans they drafted for the health science center and student union as part of a feasibility study. The health science center,
proposed as a three-story $26.6 million complex on the east part of the campus, would house all of LCC’s health-related instruction: EMS, phlebotomy, medical assistant, radiology and general classrooms. Also included in the design is a public health clinic. An estimated $20.4 million project, the two-story student union center building would include within its confines a gathering, dining and stage area; a bookstore; a kitchen; a campus recreation department; a game room; and health services department. The design calls for the construction of an eight-lane junior Olympic pool and support areas on the premises,
which figures to cost about $5 million total. “The passage of the United ISD and Laredo ISD bonds gave us hope but this is something that will obviously have to be approved by the good people of Laredo,” Cavazos said of the proposed bond. “This is way overdue and I feel like these improvements could attract more students to attend LCC.” Cavazos said he expects the college’s advisory firm, Estrada Hinojosa & Co., will provide an in-depth look at what type of impact the bond could have on the current tax rate. (Aldo Amato may be reached 728-2538 or aamato@lmtonline.com)
PORTS Continued from Page 1A bridges,” U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said. “It will also increase the safety of our border communities and allow for better flow of trade and commerce through out ports.” In 2012, the Juarez-Lincoln bridge was named the busiest bus and third busiest automobile port in the nation. Additionally, the Gateway to the Americas bridge was named the fifth busiest pedestrian port in the country. According to the General
Services Administration, some of the existing facilities at bridge I will be modernized and the primary and secondary areas will be expanded. At bridge II, the undersized and overcrowded head house will be enlarged and pedestrian lanes will be expanded, including a turnstile and an inspection station per lane, and bus and privately owned vehicle inspection stations will be created. A new vehicle processing area from the project will help
accommodate the increased bus traffic while enhancing efficiency of operations for both the inspection agencies and the traveling public. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will have a permanent presence at both ports. With the funds now in tact, construction is scheduled to begin some time this year and end in 2016 or 2017. (Philip Balli may be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
TEXTBOOK Continued from Page 1A religious or political objections have too much power to shape what the state’s more than 5 million public school students are taught. The 15-member education board approves textbooks for school districts to use, but objections raised by reviewers can influence its decisions. The volunteer review panels are often dominated by social conservatives who want more skepticism about evolution included in science textbooks, arguing that a higher power helped create the universe. The board also had long been controlled by social conservatives before election defeats weakened their voting bloc in recent years — but not it drew national headlines. Those members pushed for deemphasizing climate change in science classes, and in social studies classes requiring students learn about the Christian values of America’s founding fathers and evaluate whether the United Nations undermined U.S. sovereignty. Among the changes approved Friday was a mandate that teachers or professors be given priority for serving on the textbook review panels for subjects in their areas of expertise. They also enable the board to appoint outside experts to check objections raised by review panels and ensure they are based on fact, not ideology. “It won’t eliminate politics, but it will make it where it’s a more informed process,” said Thomas Ratliff, a Republican board member who pushed for the changes, which he said “force us to find qualified people, leave them alone, and let
them do their jobs.” The new rules were unanimously approved. An outspoken conservative on the board, David Bradley, said he did his best to insert language mitigating what was approved. But he said “liberals are really trying to make it difficult for Christians and conservatives to have a voice in public education.” “Certainly there are some members that were unhappy with some of the experts that we’ve had in the past and certain reviewers,” said Bradley, a Republican from Beaumont. “Maybe it’s embarrassing when citizens step forth and show some of the blatant inaccuracies in our American history, references to our founding fathers, our Christian heritage, truly errors. But to try and silence them with intimidation I think is wrong and that’s what this is all about,” he said. Other changes require proposed books to be reviewed by at least two panel members, so that a single volunteer can’t raise objections. The new rules also require panelists to submit majority and minority reports about proposed material, and restrict board members’ contact with reviewers to avoid unfair influence . A more ambitious plan that would have allowed the education board to remove panelists for inappropriate behavior failed 9-6 earlier in the week. The catalyst for revamping the citizen review panels came last summer, when ardent evolution skeptics — including a nutritionist and a chemical engineer — caused a tumultuous fight by challeng-
ing a proposed biology textbook that they claimed contained too much information on natural selection, Charles Darwin’s theory on how life on earth evolved. Friday’s changes will take effect before the board tackles the potentially thorny adoption of new social studies textbooks later this year. Ratliff refused to predict whether the changes would avoid the raucous culture war debates that thrust the board into the national spotlight in the past. But he said the education board has come a long way. “This board is more cohesive and more policy driven than I believe we’ve been in a long time,” he said. “Which is not good for headlines ... but it’s good for public education.” Though modest, the changes could indeed have a major impact in Texas — where Republican Gov. Rick Perry bragged during his 2011 presidential campaign that students were taught both evolution and creationism. The previous year, the education board approved social studies and history curriculum in which children learned that the words “separation of church and state” were not in the Constitution. And, Thomas Jefferson was replaced as an example of an influential political philosopher with the likes of John Calvin, celebrated by the religious right. Still, the changes only deal only with textbook reviews and won’t stop larger clashes by education board members about textbooks. They also won’t affect panels that vet proposed curriculums.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
THE WEEK IN REVIEW WEEKLY STOCK EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS
d
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NYSE 9,967.65 -66.77
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE) Name Last Chg UnderArmr 108.11 +24.62 BioAmb wt 2.51 +.44 Manitowoc 28.45 +4.83 PUVixST rs 87.53 +14.72 Qihoo360 101.08 +16.34 Freescale 18.13 +2.89 MillenMda 7.94 +1.23 Care.com n 28.71 +4.41 SequansC 2.71 +.40 Meritor 10.98 +1.57
%Chg +29.5 +21.2 +20.4 +20.2 +19.3 +19.0 +18.3 +18.1 +17.3 +16.7
Last Chg 29.40 -12.01 8.26 -2.95 33.89 -11.10 30.04 -8.54 4.67 -1.31 41.36 -9.64 16.49 -3.32 12.49 -2.32 2.65 -.47 11.85 -1.95
%Chg -29.0 -26.3 -24.7 -22.1 -21.9 -18.9 -16.8 -15.7 -15.1 -14.1
NASDAQ 4,103.88 -24.29
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE) Name SiebertFn CarverBcp LilisEngy MMyTrip ArrowRsh Solazyme PranaBio EchelonC QC Hldgs IsleCapri
Last 2.94 10.94 3.05 27.75 15.34 12.97 11.60 4.06 2.48 9.56
Chg +1.27 +2.94 +.74 +6.61 +3.62 +2.98 +2.61 +.90 +.55 +2.09
%Chg +76.0 +36.7 +32.0 +31.3 +30.9 +29.8 +29.0 +28.5 +28.5 +28.0
Name Last Chg %Chg KaloBios n 3.12 -2.20 -41.4 Spherix 5.68 -2.56 -31.1 EducMgmt 6.93 -2.74 -28.3 DFC Glbl 7.52 -2.67 -26.2 DLH Hldgs 2.20 -.76 -25.7 Overstk 21.06 -7.06 -25.1 PrognicsPh 4.78 -1.59 -25.0 ZionB wt18 3.55 -1.01 -22.1 Thermgn h 2.20 -.62 -22.0 OnTrack 3.04 -.80 -20.8
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S&P500ETF7016585178.18 -.71 BkofAm 5783188 16.75 +.30 iShEMkts 5010951 38.19 -.05 B iPVix rs 2847285 49.51 +4.82 FordM 2539698 14.96 -.74 SPDR Fncl 2536963 21.06 -.05 iShR2K 2298820112.16 -1.29 GenElec 2191897 25.13 +.18 iShJapan 2126441 11.33 -.35 EMC Cp 1841571 24.24 -1.25
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1,473 1,728 140 168 3,255 54 18,513,247,619
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Facebook 4324038 62.57 +8.12 SiriusXM 2630931 3.58 -.06 PwShs QQQ2622369 86.27 -.47 Microsoft 2520165 37.84 +1.03 Zynga 2322035 4.40 +.90 Cisco 2203045 21.91 -.29 Yahoo 1758043 36.01 -1.90 AriadP 1563708 7.39 -1.60 Intel 1426470 24.54 -.27 MicronT 1395287 23.04 +.12
DIARY Advanced Declined New Highs New Lows Total issues Unchanged
STOCK MARKET INDEXES
Dow Jones industrials
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90.68 -189.77 109.82 -149.76
Close: 15,698.85 1-week change: -180.26 (-1.1%)
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52-Week High Low 16,588.25 7,591.43 537.86 11,334.65 4,246.55 1,850.84 1,359.99 19,776.59 1,182.04 5,698.58
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Dow Jones Industrials 15,698.85 Dow Jones Transportation 7,289.18 Dow Jones Utilities 506.26 NYSE Composite 9,967.65 Nasdaq Composite 4,103.88 S&P 500 1,782.59 S&P MidCap 1,313.08 Wilshire 5000 19,105.24 Russell 2000 1,130.88 Lipper Growth Index 5,522.24
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NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY Nasd NY NY NY NY NY NY Nasd Nasd NY
1.84 33.32 -.10 -0.3 -5.2 2.00 48.81 +2.04 +4.4 +4.4 .04 16.75 +.30 +1.8 +7.6 ... 49.51 +4.82 +10.8 +16.4 2.40 93.91 +7.74 +9.0 +3.4 1.19 106.24 ... ... -12.8 ... 41.41 +1.31 +3.3 +5.4 2.76 64.95 -1.62 -2.4 -8.1 .24 87.30 -3.40 -3.7 -10.2 ... 7.70 +.08 +1.0 -8.9 2.52 92.16 -2.69 -2.8 -8.9 ... 62.57 +8.12 +14.9 +14.5 .50 14.96 -.74 -4.7 -3.0 .88 25.13 +.18 +0.7 -10.3 .58 29.00 +.51 +1.8 +3.6 1.56 76.85 -2.31 -2.9 -6.7 .86 38.19 -.05 -0.1 -8.6 1.41 112.16 -1.29 -1.1 -2.8 .90 24.54 -.27 -1.1 -5.5 .46 23.41 -1.61 -6.4 -11.2 3.80 176.68 -2.96 -1.6 -5.8
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Lowes NY Lubys NY MetLife NY MexicoFd NY Microsoft Nasd Modine NY Penney NY PwShs QQQ Nasd RadioShk NY S&P500ETF NY Schlmbrg NY SearsHldgs Nasd SiriusXM Nasd SonyCp NY SPDR Fncl NY UnionPac NY USSteel NY UnivHlthS NY WalMart NY WellsFargo NY Zynga Nasd
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.72 46.29 -1.54 -3.2 ... 6.53 -.50 -7.1 1.10 49.05 -.46 -0.9 3.18 27.57 -.17 -0.6 1.12 37.84 +1.03 +2.8 ... 13.10 +1.58 +13.7 ... 5.92 -.78 -11.6 .88 86.27 -.47 -0.5 ... 2.40 +.01 +0.4 3.35 178.18 -.71 -0.4 1.60 87.57 -.58 -0.7 ... 36.37 -1.78 -4.7 ... 3.58 -.06 -1.6 .25 15.75 -.97 -5.8 .32 21.06 -.05 -0.2 3.16 174.24 +2.60 +1.5 .20 26.11 +.83 +3.3 .20 82.02 +1.70 +2.1 1.88 74.68 +.26 +0.3 1.20 45.34 -.14 -0.3 ... 4.40 +.90 +25.7
-6.6 -15.4 -9.0 -5.9 +1.1 +2.2 -35.3 -1.9 -7.7 -3.5 -2.8 -25.8 +2.6 -8.9 -3.7 +3.7 -11.5 +.9 -5.1 -.1 +15.8
Stock Footnotes: g=Dividends and earnings in Canadian dollars .h= Doe not meet continued- listings tandards lf = Late filing with SEC. n = New in past 52 weeks. pf = Preferred. rs = Stock has undergone a reverse stock split of at least 50 percent within the past year. rt = Right to buy security at a specified price. s = Stock has split by at least 20 percent within the last year. un = Units. vj = In bankruptcy or receivership. wd = When distributed. wi = When issued. wt = Warrants. Mutual Fund Footnotes: b = Fee covering market costs is paid from fund assets. d = Deferred sales charge, or redemption fee. f = front load (sales charges). m = Multiple fees are charged. NA = not available. p = previous day’s net asset value. s = fund split shares during the week. x = fund paid a distribution during the week. Gainers and Losers must be worth at least $2 to be listed in tables at left. Most Actives must be worth at least $1. Volume in hundreds of shares. Source: The Associated Press. Sales figures are unofficial.
Prime Rate Discount Rate Federal Funds Rate Treasuries 3-month 6-month 5-year 10-year 30-year
CURRENCIES Pvs Week
3.25 0.75 .00-.25
Last
Pvs Day
3.25 Australia 1.1435 1.1383 0.75 Britain 1.6432 1.6477 .00-.25 Canada 1.1124 1.1175 Euro .7415 .7379 0.04 Japan 102.32 102.69 0.06 Mexico 13.3421 13.3728 1.55 Switzerlnd .9079 .9034 2.72 3.64 British pound expressed in U.S. dollars.
0.03 0.06 1.50 2.65 3.60
All others show dollar in foreign currency.
MUTUAL FUNDS Name
Total Assets Obj ($Mlns) NAV
Alliance Bernstein GlTmtcGA m Columbia ComInfoA m Eaton Vance WldwHealA m Fidelity Select Biotech d Fidelity Select BrokInv d Fidelity Select CommEq d Fidelity Select Computer d Fidelity Select ConsFin d Fidelity Select Electron d Fidelity Select FinSvc d Fidelity Select SoftwCom d Fidelity Select Tech d PIMCO TotRetIs T Rowe Price SciTech Vanguard 500Adml Vanguard HlthCare Vanguard InstIdxI Vanguard TotStIAdm Vanguard TotStIdx Waddell & Reed Adv SciTechA m
WS 609 ST 2,449 SH 847 SH 7,959 SF 921 ST 255 ST 703 SF 251 ST 979 SF 745 ST 3,394 ST 2,231 CI 150,959 ST 2,927 LB 82,357 SH 9,635 LB 87,843 LB 86,541 LB 105,008 ST 3,577
Total Return/Rank Pct Min Init 4-wk 12-mo 5-year Load Invt
78.32 -3.3 49.82 -0.2 11.69 +4.0 205.55 +13.1 70.52 -5.0 29.95 +1.5 72.39 -2.3 15.62 -4.5 63.50 +0.6 78.58 -3.9 118.53 -0.1 123.39 +0.3 10.82 +1.3 38.80 -0.8 164.47 -3.5 191.63 +2.4 163.42 -3.5 45.24 -3.1 45.22 -3.1 15.93 -0.7
+14.4/C +17.3/E +41.1/B +74.6/A +28.4/A +23.2/D +22.6/D +21.0/C +32.1/B +20.2/C +42.3/A +29.6/B -0.3/D +35.6/B +21.5/C +37.7/D +21.5/C +22.6/B +22.5/B +47.6/A
+15.1/D +17.7/E +17.4/E +30.1/A +20.8/B +21.6/D +25.9/A +17.3/C +24.7/B +16.1/D +29.2/A +28.4/A +7.1/B +24.7/B +19.2/B +19.8/C +19.2/B +20.2/A +20.0/A +25.4/A
4.25 2,500 5.75 2,000 5.75 1,000 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 NL1,000,000 NL 2,500 NL 10,000 NL 3,000 NL5,000,000 NL 10,000 NL 3,000 5.75 750
CA -Conservative Allocation, CI -Intermediate-Term Bond, ES -Europe Stock, FB -Foreign Large Blend, FG -Foreign LargeGrowth, FV -Foreign Large Value, IH -World Allocation, LB -Large Blend, LG -Large Growth, LV -Large Value, MA -Moderate Allocation, MB -Mid-Cap Blend, MV - MidCap Value, SH -Specialty-heath, WS -World Stock, Total Return: Chng in NAV with dividends reinvested. Rank: How fund performed vs. others with same objective: A is in top 20%, E in bottom 20%. Min Init Invt: Minimum $ needed to invest in fund. Source: Morningstar.
US cattle herd at lowest number since 1951 By BETSY BLANEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
The lingering effects of drought across the Great Plains last year continued to shrink the size of the U.S. cattle herd, according to experts and a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Friday. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that the U.S. inventory of cattle and calves totaled 87.7 million animals as of Jan. 1. That was down by about 1.6 million cattle, or 2 percent, compared with this time last year. The agency said this is the lowest January cattle inventory since 1951 and said it was the second straight year the herd shrank by 2 percent. The shrinking supply could cost consumers into 2015, said Jim Robb, director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver, which is funded by the beef industry, universities and the government. A bright spot was a 2 percent increase in young, female cattle retained for breeding. One expert said that factor could allow the herd’s seven-year contraction to stabilize. “It will take rain this year,” said Robb, who attributed the decrease to drought. “The rate of heifer holdback is just a step toward stabilization, but it’s a critical step.” Totals in Texas, the nation’s
Photo by Betsy Blaney | AP
Cattle lounge in pens at a feedlot near Lubbock, Texas, on Dec. 16. Some Texas cattle producers are beginning a lengthy climb after a brutal and dispiriting stretch of years of drought. leading cattle producer that had its driest year ever in 2011, decreased 4 percent to 10.9 million animals. Herds in Kansas and California decreased 1 percent, and Nebraska’s dropped 2 percent. Ranchers across drought-stricken states in recent years couldn’t afford to feed their animals, so they sold them to out-of-state buyers or sent them to slaughter.
The January report had been anxiously awaited because the agency didn’t issue a report in July due to sequestration. This year will be a historically tight cattle and beef situation, said Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University extension specialist. “Nothing that comes in this report will change that kind of fundamental point, and consumers are very likely to see historically
high beef prices through 2014,” he said. The number of young females held back totaled 5.5 million and most were born last year, Robb said. “We have more states holding back heifers than a year ago because of improved forage conditions and lower feed costs,” he said. In southwest Kansas near Ash-
land, rancher Byron Pike has been slowly rebuilding the herd after selling off roughly 80 percent of his livestock. At one time, the family was running as many as a thousand head of cattle on grass. Those numbers dwindled to 100 during the depth of the drought, but are now up to 220 cows with the addition of some heifers he bought last fall to restock. And calving time will start soon. The rains that helped break the drought in Kansas finally came in August, along with some cool temperatures that allowed the Pike family to grow some grass and raise some feed crops for their cattle. Their winter wheat also got off to a good start, so they are planning to buy more cattle to graze out their wheat pastures. “We are just hanging on,” Pike said. “I mean, we finally got some rain there last year, so we are surviving.” Pasture conditions at the end of October, when the last national estimate was released, were good to excellent across 48 percent of the nation’s beef cattle producing areas. The previous year in the wake of the widespread drought only 21 percent of pastures in that same area were rated good to excellent. “One way to describe this is that twice as many cows were in excellent situations in October 2013 than in October 2012,” Tonsor said.
10 Super Bowl ads to watch out for on Sunday By MAE ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Actress Scarlett Johansson gives SodaStream some sex appeal in a controversial spot, Kia revives actor Laurence Fishburne’s “Matrix” character Morpheus in its commercial. And cute puppies and kids abound in ads for Cheerios to AnheuserBusch. Advertisers are in the game to win. The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest showcase, with more than 108 million people expected to tune into the game. And companies are paying an estimated $4 million to have their ads be a part of the action. Here are 10 ads to watch for on Sunday. Anheuser-Busch: The biggest Super Bowl advertiser’s ad in the fourth quarter shows an adorable Golden Labrador becoming enamored with one of the beermaker’s iconic Clydesdales to the tune of “Let Her Go” by Passenger. Online: http://youtu.be/ uQB7QRyF4p4 General Mill’s Cheerios: The cereal maker brings back an interracial family that starred in a prior spot. This one shows a father telling his daughter that they’re going to have an addition to the family, a
baby boy. Then, the little girl strongly suggests they also get a puppy. The ad airs during the first unscheduled time-out of the game. Online: http://youtu.be/ LKuQrKeGe6g Bank of America: The bank will promote its partnership with AIDS nonprofit (RED) by having music group U2 sing their new single “Invisible.” between the first and second quarter. The song will be a free download on iTunes during the game and for the following 24 hours. Bank of America will donate $1
each time it is downloaded to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. SodaStream: The Israeli at-home soda maker company has stirred up controversy on two fronts. Their ad features “Her” actress Scarlett Johansson touting the health and environmental benefits of the soda maker and will run in the fourth quarter. The ad first made waves when the company said it would delete its last line, “Sorry, Coke and Pepsi,” at a request by Fox. Then on Thursday, Johansson resigned her Oxfam ambassadorship. The
nonprofit was unhappy she was linked with SodaStream, which operates in Israeli settlements in the West Bank of Palestine. Oxfam is opposed to that. Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxq4ziuwrI H&M: The clothing maker’s ad in the second quarter features nifty technology that will allow people with some Samsung Smart TVs to order soccer star David Beckham’s Bodywear products with their remote control in real time. Online: https://www.you-
tube.com/watch?v=LHxCELegDz4 Nestle’s Butterfinger: A suggestive teaser ad showed a couple, “Chocolate” and “Peanut Butter,” in ’70s-style couple’s therapy talking about the need for “change” and “excitement.” The actual ad in the third quarter will have a related theme and Butterfinger is expected to introduce its Peanut Butter Cups with some tongue-incheek double entendres. Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZClNkQuU Beats Music: Ellen De-
Photo courtesy of Kia | AP
This undated frame grab provided by Kia shows the company’s 2014 Super Bowl commercial. The third-quarter ad, which introduces its K900 luxury sedan, features Laurence Fishburne reprising his “Matrix” role as Morpheus and displays some surprising operatic skills.
Generes reimagines the Goldilocks and The Three Bears fairytale in this ad running in the third quarter that introduces Beats Music, a streaming music service. Online: http://youtu.be/ jJR6YV4WAnM Wonderful Pistachios: The snack producer showcases comedian Stephen Colbert running amok in two 15-second ads in the second quarter. Online: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=oKAG7UJ-NWk Kia: In the carmaker’s third-quarter ad to introduce its K900 luxury sedan, Laurence Fishburne reprises his “Matrix” role as Morpheus and displays some surprising operatic skills. Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obwn52Dkmk Chrysler: The automaker is bound to surprise. Always mum ahead of the game, Chrysler has produced some of the best loved and most remembered spots during the big game, from Eminem’s “Imported from Detroit” ad in 2011 to last year’s “Farmer” ad featuring scenes of American farmland and a voiceover by conservative radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. Look for another surprising spot or two.
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors MLB: TEXAS RANGERS
HIGH SCHOOL POWERLIFTING: ZAPATA HAWKS
Zapata wins again File photo by LM Otero | AP
Michael Young retired Friday as a Ranger, after spending most his career in Texas.
Young retires as a Ranger By STEPHEN HAWKINS
Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Zapata’s Delany Cooper wins the 148 weight class with a total lift of 800 pounds.
Lady Hawks take second straight meet in Laredo By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO - For the second consecutive week, the Zapata girls’ powerlifting team dominated another meet. Last weekend it was the USHS Powerlifting Meet that the Lady Hawks took home top honors by obliterating the competition by 52 points. This time, Zapata scored 68 points to take home the title while United South and Nixon took second with 16 points. Third place went to Cigarroa and Martin with eight and fifth place went to LBJ with seven. United scored two points. "It is such an awesome feeling to rack up another Lady Hawks team cham-
pionship as we did on Saturday," Zapata head coach Veronica Arce said. "On Monday after every meet, our Lady Hawks know its back to business in the weight room. Coach Mario Arce and myself will continue their workouts off of their new maxes, concentrating on improving their totals for the upcoming meet. Our goal is to keep on increasing their totals to qualify them to regionals and state, and if the meet victories come with it we will definitely take it." On the boys’ side, the Hawks took third place behind United South and Alexander with 22 points. The Lady Hawks took nine of the 10 weight classes and swept the best categories. Taking gold medals were Jackie
Garcia (97-pound weight class), Joeli Castillo (105), Alexandra Garcia (114), Alana Montes (123), Monique Hurtado (132), Delany Cooper (148), Ecilia Mata (165), Amanda Esquivel (181) and Gaby Reyes (220). On the boys’ side, it was Maclovio Gomez who paced the Hawks with only Zapata gold medal in the 132-pound weight class. The Powerlifting teams return to action today in Laredo as they compete at the Mustangs Invitational at JW Nixon High School. Clara Sandoval can be reached at Sandoval.Clara@Gmail.com
See ZAPATA PAGE 2B
ARLINGTON — Michael Young is retiring after only one season away from the Texas Rangers. Young formally announced his retirement Friday at Rangers Ballpark. That was his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. The seven-time All-Star is the Rangers’ career leader with 2,230 hits. The 37-year-old Young finished as a career .300 hitter in 1,970 games for Texas, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Young made his major league debut playing twice the final weekend of the 2000 season, and became a regular in the Rangers lineup early the next season. He started all four infield positions for Texas, which went from being a last-place team to consecutive World Series in 2010 and 2011. Texas traded Young last winter to the Phillies.
NFL: DALLAS COWBOYS
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HOUSTON ASTROS
Last tango for Garrett, Jones
Young Astros promise progress
By DAVID MOORE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
NEW YORK - In an attempt to explain these puzzling days at Valley Ranch, let’s use a visualization technique. Imagine Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett locked in a tango. The two men try so hard not to step on each other’s toes that the dance deteriorates into a confusing mess with no flair or sense of focus. Does that accurately describe the state of the Cowboys? Jones desperately wants Garrett to be his Tom Landry. Garrett wants to remain the Cowboys’ head coach. That baseline has led both men to compromise in ways that aren’t particularly flattering to them or healthy for the franchise. Scott Linehan has been added as the team’s passing game coordinator. He will call the plays. Bill Callahan remains the offensive coordinator but will no longer call the plays. Garrett, the man who called plays for six years before grudgingly turning those duties over to Callahan, oversees both men. Garrett calls this a "clean structure," a statement that makes him appear delusional, dishonest or insulting. None of those options plays well in public. Now it’s time for a quick quiz. Garrett assembled his first staff as head coach in 2011. Only two position coaches remain
in place three years later. Name them? Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson and linebackers coach Matt Eberflus. Linehan is the 12th assistant coach hired by the Cowboys in the last two years. The team enters 2014 with its third different offensive and third different defensive play-caller in the last three seasons. Cleveland is the only other franchise to make that claim. Feel better? Aside from recurring timemanagement issues in games, Garrett receives high marks for how he manages the players. He has them prepared and keeps them on point. His message resonates. This is a resilient bunch that has given no indication that it is shutting down on their head coach. Managing his staff is another matter. A coach who constantly harps about the importance of continuity and the process can’t ignore those principals with those who work closest with him. Is the high turnover all on his shoulders? No. Jones was clearly the driving force to remove play calling from Garrett’s plate and switch defensive coordinators and schemes one year ago. But Garrett is complicit. Did he forcefully fight to keep Rob Ryan and the 3-4 scheme in place or did concern for his own job security mute his oppo-
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
By KIRK BOHLS MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
AUSTIN — Jason Castro stood outside the Palmer Events Center last week, trying to remain oblivious to the chilly temperatures and the biting wind out of the north. ”It’s a state of mind,” the Houston Astros catcher said, ignoring the cold. It almost has to be, because the actual state of the franchise has dipped far below the days of Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio and Roy Oswalt on a team that hasn’t really been competitive since its appearance in the 2005 World Series. Mind over matter, right? However, a smaller payroll and even smaller amount of major-league baseball experience have conspired against Houston, which hasn’t really mattered for some time. Jeff Luhnow sees hope, despite a record three consecutive 100loss seasons. The Astros general manager points to a rising payroll that should ”probably be double what it was” last year when the Astros finished the year with a $29.5 million budget. The addition of free agent relievers and former Texas Rangers starter Scott Feldman, who has back-of-the-rotation talent, as well as up-and-down center fielder Dexter Fowler should pump up the salaries. Luhnow also said the club made a reasonable bid for Masahiro Tanaka, the Japanese pitcher who ultimately signed with the Yankees for $155 million, or about $55 million more than Houston was willing to part with. Even though it fell short, that’s progress and the right approach
File photo by Phil Sears | AP
Former Stanford pitcher and No. 1 draft pick Mark Appel is a large part of Houston’s rebuilding plan. because Tanaka is only 25 and could have still been pitching for the Astros once they eventually become competitive when new outfield phenom George Springer breaks out, and the last two first picks of the draft — Stanford pitcher Mark Appel and 19-yearold shortstop Carlos Correa — come of age. No sense in throwing good money after bad, and the Astros still figure to be relatively bad for another couple of years while its minor-league organization continues its development into one of the top five in all of baseball. Fewer than 100 losses would mark progress. ”We want to be the most improved team in baseball,” Luhnow said during the Astros’ caravan stop in Austin in an attempt to make some inroads in a state that has swung heavily toward
the perennial contending Rangers. ”Of course, we had the worst record last year, so we should be. That’s a fair expectation.” The club needs to be if it plans to draw anything resembling a crowd. Houston has traded nearly every valuable piece, save for established second baseman Jose Altuve. Fans see very few recognizable faces and this April will greet a team with four newcomers in the starting lineup since designated hitter Carlos Pena, center fielder Justin Maxwell, right fielder Brandon Barnes and shortstop Ronny Cedeno have moved on. Luhnow and his staff identified the bullpen as the major culprit for the 51-111 season, the worst in club history, because relievers squandered leads in 41 games. To
See ASTROS PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
Carroll, Fox prepare for Super Bowl Championship coaches enjoy Super Bowl moment By BARRY WILNER ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — As if they were enjoying a morning coffee together, Pete Carroll and John Fox fulfilled their final media obligations leading to the Super Bowl. Relaxed, self-assured and even charming, the coaches of the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos answered questions for 30 minutes on Friday, joking with each other and the audience. No grumpy one-sentence responses. No agitated reactions to edgy queries. At one point, Fox wondered if he could say a specific crude word to the audience on hand. Watching on television, he then went ahead and used the word. Carroll immediately quipped: “You can’t say that, John,” eliciting laughs from reporters — and from Fox. Neither man seemed overwhelmed or even antsy about the biggest game of his life coming up on Sunday, even as they sat with the Vince Lombardi Trophy that is given to the NFL champion. “I think it’s a pinnacle for probably everybody that does what we do,” said the 58-year-old Fox, who was with the Giants when they lost the 2001 Super Bowl to Baltimore, and led the Panthers there when they fell to New England in 2004. “It’s something you work really hard (for). “As Pete mentioned earlier, you take individuals and try to paint a picture of where you want to get to. I think this is the pinnacle of it. Unlike different levels of football, there’s only one happy camper at that end. That’s going to be the team hoisting that trophy.” Carroll has hoisted championship hardware, but in college with Southern Cal. This is his first trip to the big game — he had never even attended a Super Bowl before this one. “The trophy really does symbolize the ultimate challenge and competitiveness in our sport and in our world of coaching or playing,” said the 62-yard-old Carroll. “To dream about being in this position as a kid and then working all through the years of coaching, battling and watching other guys do it and for the first time for us; it’s a tremendous honor. “It’s a tremendous opportunity and it creates an extraordin-
Photo by Matt Slocum | AP
Seattle head coach Pete Carroll and Denver’s John Fox speak at a news conference on Friday in New York before Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seahawks and Broncos.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll heads to his first Super Bowl while Denver’s John Fox goes to his third. Fox lost in both his previous appearances, and both will try to pick up a victory on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The matchup features the Broncos’ No. 1 ranked offense against the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense. ary challenge to see if you can be the one. It symbolizes a tremendous amount to all of us. We all live with that, our players and our coaches. It’s great to be here, and (I’m) thrilled to be doing it, too. It makes for so much fun. The whole buildup, the whole following, knowing it’s a global event on game day just adds to the fun of this thing. The challenge continues to be out there for us to reach for, so it’s very exciting.” Both coaches have defensive backgrounds, and they made note of that. Yes, the NFL has become a light-up-the-scoreboard
league — and no team ever did it better than Fox’s Broncos, who scored 606 points this season. But Fox and Carroll made their reputations as defensive coordinators before becoming head coaches. Carroll spent one season in charge of the Jets and three with the Patriots before heading to USC. Fox led Carolina for nine seasons. “You’ve got a couple old DB coaches here, and it’s interesting that’s how it turned out,” Carroll said. “It is an offensive era that we’re in, and with all the passing game it’s gone crazy. Maybe it’s fitting that we’ve
been fighting our whole life trying to slow this thing down, and we get a chance to do it here on the biggest stage. “Really we have very similar paths and the fact that we’re defensive guys, maybe that gives the defensive guys hope that maybe we can hire one of those guys in the league soon.” That already is happening, perhaps with the theory that strong defensive minds can slow down the points parade. Of the seven head coaching hires this year, four were filled by offenseoriented coaches (Bill O’Brien, Jim Caldwell, Ken Whisenhunt,
Jay Gruden) and three by defensive guys (Lovie Smith, Mike Zimmer, Mike Pettine). “I came up with a guy, Chuck Noll, who is a defensive guy, who I learned a lot from,” Fox said of the Hall of Fame coach of the Steelers. “I’ve been blessed to be around a lot of great people from ownerships on down to general managers, front office people, as well as coaches. You always take pride. This is a prideful thing to be in this position and play in a game like this with such great history. “Don’t forget about those defensive guys moving forward.”
ZAPATA Continued from Page 1B Varsity boys’ results 114 weight class: 1. Nikalas Rosell, Alexander, 720 total weight; 2. Nelson Carmona, Martin, 670; 3. Hector Lozano, United South, 605. 123 weight class: 1. Eric Oliva, United South, 1,075; 2. Isaac Castillo, Cigarroa, 955; 3. Jesus Trevin~o, Zapata, 855; 4. Raul Ortiz, Zapata, 740; 5. Rafael Duen~as, United, 705. 132 weight class: 1. Maclovio Gomez, Zapata, 935; 2. Joseph Gomez, United, 835; 3. Artemio Garcia, Zapata, 830. 148 weight class: 1. Paul Osorio, United, 760; 2. Alfonso Granger, LBJ, 745.
165 weight class: 1. Marco De Luna, United South, 1,240; 2. Bryce Turner, Alexander, 1,195; 3. Yahir Garcia, United South, 1,175; 4. Sergio Garcia, Nix- on, 1,130; 5. Mark Molina, Cigarroa, 1,000. 181 weight class: 1. Victor Ramos, United South, 1,355; 2. Adrian Garza, Ro- ma, 1,115; 3. Eloy Soto, Cigarroa, 1,035; 4. Danny Sanchez, Alexander, 1,025; 5. RG Garza, Roma, 1,000. 198 weight class: 1. Noe Gonzalez, United South, 1,350; 2. Jose Anaya, United South, 1,235; 3. David Oliva, Martin, 1,220; 4. Jonathan Rodrigues, Nixon, 1,110; 5. Frank Alba, United South, 1,070. 220 weight class: 1. Jose Flores, Cigarroa, 1,450; 2. Cecilio Garcia, Nixon, 1,235; 3. Mario Fuentes, Martin, 1,070; 4. Rafael Estevis, United, 1,045; 5. Ed- die Domin-
guez, United, 1,030. 242 weight class: 1. Max Flores, Alexander, 1,465; 2. Santos Alvarado, United, 1,450; 3. Agustin Lara, United South, 1,285; 4. Silverstre Bustamante, Zapata, 1,230; 5. Victor Nenque, Nixon, 1,125. 275 weight class: 1. Carlos Sanchez, United, 1,405; 2. Gilbert Hernandez, United South, 1,370; 3. Gustavo Diaz, Alexander, 1,330; 4. Olvidio Hernandez, Roma, 1,330; 5. Fernando Guevara, LBJ, 1,055. Super Heavyweight: 1. Rudy Flores, United South, 1,810; 2. Eduardo Sanchez, Zapata, 1,520; 3. Gerardo Gonzalez, Nixon, 1,350.
Varsity girls’ results 97 weight class: 1. Jackie Gar-
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B sition? Once he lost the fight on calling plays did his insecurity drive him to resist hiring someone outside the organization? Remember, it was Garrett the play caller who took over for Wade Phillips. Callahan wound up as the compromise choice. Let’s explore his treatment. He did not lobby for the position. There were no backroom machinations. Jones and Garrett approached him. Callahan’s charge: Add creativity that Jones felt was missing from the offense while working under a head coach who was stripped of his playcalling identity. The only conviction Garrett had about the move was that he would lose his job if he didn’t comply. Callahan didn’t fail as a play-call-
er. He was never put in a position to succeed. His reward for handling this untenable position is a public demotion while the team blocks his ability to move to another team. Jay Ratliff received better treatment from the Cowboys, and he wasn’t nearly as loyal or professional as Callahan. Garrett is asserting himself in the final year of his contract. Linehan is clearly Garrett’s hire. While he likes and respects Monte Kiffin, he has to be more comfortable with Rod Marinelli’s recent track record as a defensive coordinator in this league. If this works, the awkward dance between Jones and Garrett may finally end. If it doesn’t work, well, it will end anyway, and the owner will find a new dance partner. This is their last tango.
cia, Zapata, 615. 105 weight class: Joeli Castillo, Zapata, 565; 2. Daniela Vela, Zapata, 500. 114 weight class: 1. Alexandra Garcia, Zapata, 685; 2. Lizbeth Camarillo, United South, 610; 3. Nati Castan~eda, 595; 4. Amanda Perez, Nixon, 575; 5. Gina Rodriguez, Zapata, 565. 123 weight class: 1. Alana Montez, Zapata, 755; 2. Crystal Navarro, Zapata, 700; 3. Veronica Rodriguez, Nixon, 660; 4. Lili Cantu, Zapata, 640; 5. Clari Villarreal, Zapata, 640. 132 weight class: 1. Monique Hurtado, Zapata, 680; 2. Cindy Castillo, Nixon, 600; 3. Vanessa Guerra, Zapata, 600 148-weight class: 1. Delaney Cooper, Zapata, 800; 2. Amber Almeida, Nixon, 745; 3. Ashley
Deanda, Martin, 605; 4. April Navarro, Martin 560; 5. Victoria Hernandez, United South, 505. 165 weight class: 1. Secilia Mata, Zapata, 800; 2. Aileen Campos, Zapata, 795; 3. Trisha Garcia, Zapata, 700; 4. Sarah Hagy, United, 565; 5. Karina Garza, United South, 555. 181 weight class: 1. Amanda Esquivel, Zapata, 905; 2. Elise Munez, Zapata, 780; 3. Janice Yanez, Cigarroa, 420. 198 weight class: 1. Selena Rodriguez, United South, 520. 220 weight class: 1. Gaby Reyes, Zapata, 805; 2. Valerie Moncivais, Cigarroa, 730; 3. Bernadet Davila, Martin, 690; 4. Deborah Lu- go, United South, 585; 5. Alejandra Herrera, Nixon, 480. 220-plus weight class: 1. Idaliz Ramirez, LBJ, 765
ASTROS Continued from Page 1B shore up that deficiency, the Astros signed veteran relievers Chad Qualls, Jesse Crain and Matt Albers, a trio with Houston ties who have combined to throw in more than 1,500 games, though none has been a closer since 2010 and won’t fill that role. ”The sixth, seventh and eighth innings were winnable games,” Luhnow said, ”and we couldn’t hold onto leads. That was our main priority to bring in guys who could hold those leads or keep the game tied. So we brought in guys so that if Jarred Cosart gives them a two-run lead, we could keep it.” The Astros are slowly graduating from a franchise in disrepair to one that is gradually
building from within and improving the product on the field. Too slowly for fans? Probably. ”We want to make sure the fan base is staying with us as we’re moving forward,” Castro said. ”We thank them for that. I think they’ve been great, and I think they’ll see some rewards this year. They’ll see more guys come up and see some good things from the guys who got their feet wet.” That would include Castro behind the plate as well as Matt Dominguez at third and Josh Singleton at first and as young a pitching rotation as young can get with Jarred Cosart, Brett Oberholtzer and
Brad Peacock. Houston will still skew young in 2014, probably younger than any other team, which is not a recipe for success in its new neighborhood, the American League West. ”We’ve communicated directly with the fans, and I think that transparency has helped them understand,” Luhnow said. ”We’re not going to go from worst to first and stay there, but we do plan on going there over the course of a few years. I know they’re frustrated. We’re all frustrated with the losses. But we’ve made so much improvement. I think we’ll be able to surprise some people.” Any surprise would be good.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE
“
HELOISE
Dear Readers: Planning some home-improvement project this weekend, like PAINTING A ROOM or rooms in your home or apartment? Here are some hints for what tape to use and how to prep the room. Use the right tool (tape) for the right job, and the job will go easier! As my professional painters tell me, it’s ALL about the prep! Painter’s tape is designed to leave no residue when removed from surfaces. Painter’s tape comes in multisurface or delicate. Multisurface tape can be used on glass, painted walls, wood trim and metal. Delicate tape is used on newly primed walls, wallpaper, walls with faux finishes or newly painted walls. When in doubt, use delicate tape. Before starting a paint
job, cover the trim, baseboards, frames of windows/ doors and ceiling/floor edges with tape. Do not remove tape until after the paint is completely dry! Gently pull up tape slowly. — Heloise STOP SCRATCHING Dear Heloise: I live in an area where chiggers are a serious problem. I happened onto a way to cut back on bites: I apply shampoo from my ankles to just below the knees, and I have few, if any, bites. Then at bedtime, I just step into the shower and rinse off. I apply lotion and get a better night’s sleep than if I had to scratch. — Myrt, via email NO-MESS MAGNETS Dear Heloise: I often get magnets advertising a business. Instead of throwing them out or having a whole bunch clutter up my refrigerator, I save them in a bag. I glue them onto the back of inexpensive notepads I find. Then I can easily place the notepad on my refrigerator and have a pad to write grocery lists or notes on. — K.T. in Illinois
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
Sports
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
Attorney says Martin threatened Incognito By ADAM H. BEASLEY MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
MIAMI - Jonathan Martin sent vile text messages to Richie Incognito threatening to, among other things, "kill (his) whole family," Incognito’s attorney, Mark Schamel, said Thursday. But Incognito never felt in any danger because he saw the texts as "banter between friends, not bullying," Schamel said. Furthermore, Martin pledged to send someone to Incognito’s home with a "tranquilizer gun and sandpaper condoms" to rape him, Incognito’s attorney claims. Martin also threatened to perpetrate another sex act against Incognito, Schamel continued. All of these explosive messages have been provided to Ted Wells, and will presumably be included in his report on the Dolphins’ workplace-conduct scandal. "Consistent with our organizational position, we are reserving further comment on this matter while the report is pending," the Dolphins said in a statement. Martin left the team in late October, saying he was subject to extreme mental and physical abuse at the hands of his teammates. He resurfaced this week with a nationally televised interview in
File photo by Wilfredo Lee | AP
Miami tackle Jonathan Martin was accused of sending threatening and lewd messages to teammate Richie Incognito by Incognito’s attorney. which he reiterated some of those allegations, but did not provide much detail. Incognito, who was suspended by the team for the last two months of the season, had largely remained silent - until now.
Schamel says Incognito has "owned his inappropriate comments," but is adamant that they were jokes, not threats. "Now it is time for Jonathan Martin to do the same," Schamel said in his statement.
Martin told Incognito in October that he was upset about not playing well and his demotion to right tackle, Schamel said. Martin apparently also was missing team meetings and was concerned that his job was at risk.
"It was only after sharing these concerns, and Martin’s abandonment of the team, that the bullying allegations were raised," Schamel added. "Rather than deal with his poor on-field performance and myriad other issues, Martin is now hiding behind false allegations." In his interview with NBC Sports this week, Martin stated that he had no "tools" to deal with the bullying. Schamel disputed that as well, saying that in addition to his wealth, Martin has an agent, an attorney, a union representative and, among other resources, a mother who specializes in labor law. "Jonathan Martin had more support and love around him than almost any other person in the world," Schamel said. "He never once indicated he was uncomfortable with the interactions between teammates and friends. Rather, Jonathan Martin was a full participant, who at times led some of the exact same pranks and gags and text and email exchanges he now claims ’crossed the line.’ " Neither Martin, who is under contract in 2014, nor Incognito, a free agent, is expected back on the team. Wells’ report is due out as soon as next week.
Photo by Mel Evans | AP
The FBI says a powder mailed to several locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least five hotels near the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, appears not to be dangerous.
FBI investigates threat Powder mailed to hotels near Super Bowl not dangerous By KATIE ZEZIMA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Matt Slocum | AP
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed numerous issues at a news conference on Friday in New York.
Goodell addresses plans to media ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the possibility of adding two teams to the playoffs will “continue to get serious consideration.” Goodell said Friday at his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference that he sees many positives to the proposal. He believes it will make for more meaningful games later in the season, keeping fans engaged. The league’s competition committee is expected to look into the issue this offseason. Each conference would add one playoff team, bringing the total from 12 to 14. London ‘further’ off Goodell says the possibility of a future franchise in London is “further down the road” than it was a year ago at this time. During his state of the league address on Friday, Goodell says the fact the NFL has added a third game for 2014 and that all three games have already sold out is a strong sign of the growing interest in the United Kingdom. He says the more the league offers to the UK, the more the fans want. Goodell says he’s not sure where the process goes now, but the league plans to continue investing in the marketplace. Instant replay could get help from NY Goodell says it’s possible some part of the instant replay process will take place at league headquarters, not just on the field. The competition committee is expected to examine the issue this offseason. Goodell said at his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference Friday that one scenario is that officials at the game will still make the final decision, but that someone in New York will also
weigh in to ensure the correct call is made. Goodell says that the “input could be helpful” to “make sure they’re seeing any angle.” Goodell confident settlement will be approved Goodell says he is confident that the concussion settlement between the league and former players will be approved. A federal judge has slowed down the proposed $765 million settlement, questioning if there’s enough money to cover 20,000 retired players. Goodell said at his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference Friday that the “settlement we reached can provide the kind of benefits intended, and I’m confident we’ll get there.” U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody denied preliminary approval of the plan Jan. 14 because she’s worried the money could run out sooner than expected. Goodell: NFL didn’t handle playoff ticket sales correctly NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league made a mistake in how it handled ticket sales for the playoffs that led to teams struggling to sellout postseason games. Goodell spoke during his state of the league address on Friday. He says the league should not have been in the position of playoff games having trouble selling out. The Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers all had problems. Each team was given extensions to sell out their home games, and in each case, corporations had to step up to buy blocks of the remaining tickets. Meijer in Indianapolis, Associated Bank in Green Bay and P&G in Cincinnati all purchased the ticket and many were distributed to military families and veterans.
NEWARK, N.J. — A suspicious powder mailed to several locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least five hotels near the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, appears not to be dangerous, the FBI said Friday. The agency said further testing was being conducted on the substance, but it is “within normal values.” White powder also was found in a letter sent to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s business in New York City, where police said preliminary tests showed it posed no threat. A federal law enforcement official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said powder from one envelope tested positive for baking soda. It’s not clear where that letter
was sent. Hackensack University Medical Center received a number of people for evaluation because they came in contact with the letters, but a hospital spokeswoman said there were no reported illnesses or injuries. In New Jersey, the suspicious mailings went to at least five hotels, Carlstadt Police Detective John Cleary said. The mailings arrived at an Econo Lodge in Carlstadt, a Homestead Suites hotel in East Rutherford and a Renaissance Inn in Rutherford, Cleary said. Investigators intercepted additional envelopes from a mail truck before they reached a Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn in Carlstadt, he said. At the Homewood Suites, General Manager Thomas Martucci said the letter sent to his motel contained yel-
low powder and a typed letter inside referencing al-Qaida and the Dallas FBI. “It was nonsense,” he said. Lauren Wallace, a jet company employee from Los Angeles staying at the Homewood Suites, said she saw hazardous-material trucks outside and was shooed back from the lobby to her room around 11:15 a.m. by a hotel employee. She said she was allowed out of her room about 40 minutes later. Police were called to Giuliani’s firm near Rockefeller Center after a worker opened the suspicious letter addressed to Giuliani around 10:30 a.m. Friday, police said. Eight mailroom workers underwent decontamination as a precaution. A representative for Giuliani’s firm said the substance was found to be nonhazardous.
Asking for a dismissal ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Former NFL and University of Texas quarterback Vince Young is asking for dismissal of his Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. The Houston Chronicle reports court papers show Young’s attorneys have settled a legal dispute with a New York lender that had led Young to seek bankruptcy protection. The new York lender Pro Player Funding had a judgment with interest against Young of about $2.5 million stemming from a loan taken in his name during the 2011 NFL lockout. The court motion seeking dismissal of the bankruptcy case doesn’t reveal the terms of the settlement between Young and Pro Player Funding. Young’s Jan. 17 bankruptcy petition estimated assets between $500,001 and $1 million and liabilities between $1,001,000 and $10 million.
File photo by Eric Gay | AP
Former University of Texas and NFL quarterback Vince Young is asking for dismissal of his Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition.