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SA water proposal scrapped
Roma man seen in Zapata By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Roma Police Department is asking the
the vehicle were not available. Relatives of Garza reported him missing Feb. 3. Aguirre said there’s no way of knowing if foul play is suspected. He added that the case is in its preliminary stages. People with information on his whereabouts are asked to call Roma authorities at 956-849-2231. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
community for assistance in locating a man who went missing in Zapata County. Irving Garza, 20, of Roma, was dropped off at a convenience store in Zapata on Jan. 30. Information on who dropped him off was not available. Roma Detective Lt. Rafael Aguirre said Garza boarded a “passenger car.” The make and model of
Pipeline would’ve drawn from springs feeding into Rio Grande By ALDO AMATO THE ZAPATA TIMES
GARZA
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
MEXICO AT CROSSROADS
File photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre | AP
In this Dec. 26 photo, American companies such as Applebee’s, Burger King and Smartmart line the street in Ciudad Juarez. Looking around a Mexico dotted by American outlets, it’s hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Reforms pose challenges for lawmakers, trade By LYNN BREZOSKY SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
Mexico has come a long way thanks to a level of political cooperation not seen in years, but the challenge for Mexican lawmakers will be in seeing through an ambitious package of reforms, former North American Development Bank CEO Raúl Rodríguez-Barocio said
Tuesday. Rodríguez, currently Benson chair of banking and finance at the University of the Incarnate Word, repeated what he said was a catchphrase among trade scholars: It’s got a 21st-century trade climate that’s clouded by its 20th-century regulatory environment and infrastructure and a 19th-century concept of sov-
ereignty. The recently adopted constitutional change to open the country’s the energy sector to private investment is a case in point, he said at the monthly breakfast meeting of the Mexican Entrepreneurs Association. The energy legislation may seem an extraordinary achievement for the administration of President En-
rique Peña-Nieto. But the government still has to develop the secondary laws and regulations. “The devil is in the fine print,” Rodríguez said. And failure to follow through would hurt already ailing international and domestic confidence in Mexico’s competitiveness.
See MEXICO PAGE 10A
A proposed pipeline that would’ve drawn billions of water a year from springs that feed the Rio Grande has been scrapped. The proposal’s opponents feared that the springs’ water flow could slow or even dry up. Officials from the San Antonio Water System announced Monday that they would not pursue the proposal, which called for drawing more than 16 billion gallons of water a year from the San Felipe Springs, which feed into the Rio Grande. Instead, SAWS staff recommended to its board the pursuit of additional brackish groundwater from Bexar and Wilcox counties. Brackish water has more salinity than freshwater. “Brackish groundwater is plentiful, unused in our region and is available for centuries,” said SAWS President and CEO Robert R. Puente in a statement. “Texas views desalination as a solution to meet future water demands and so do we.” A SAWS spokesperson said the proposed pipeline was scrapped because SAWS officials thought “it was too risky.” “I am so relieved and happy this happened,” said Tricia Cortez, executive director of the Rio Grande International Study Center. “But we can’t fully exhale because there might be other people waiting in the wings and it is still like a free for all. But we’re happy the border united on this issue.” In late January, Cortez and city officials met with representatives from other Texas-Mexico border cities to form a coalition against the proposal. The coalition planned on attending a SAWS board meeting later this month to voice their opposition. “I’m sure this coalition is not going to die just yet,” Cortez said. “We’ve still got plenty of work to do to make sure this does not happen again.” Annalisa Peace, executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, praised SAWS officials’ decision. “We were really delighted with the recommendation not to choose Val Verde County,” Peace said. “Brackish water makes more sense anyways. We’ll continue to fight any attempts to drill from the springs and drain natural resources.” Peace said the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance will join future causes that Cortez and the alliance of Texas-Mexico border cities may fight for. “We will definitely be aligned with our allies on the border in order to make sure unsustainable amounts of water are not exported from the water supply,” she said. “I really hope they’ll continue the fight.” (Aldo Amato may be reached at 728-2538 or aamato@lmtonline.com)
UT SYSTEM
Cigarroa, UT chancellor, officially steps down By JENNIFER R. LLOYD SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
AUSTIN — University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa announced Monday that he plans leave the UT board room, from which he’s pushed for progress at the system’s 15 academic and health institutions and faced controversy over relations with its flagship school, in favor of the operating room at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Cigarroa noted his work with the system’s four emerging research universities, including UTSA, and x the planting of a larger flag in South Texas with the creation of a new
university that will include a medical school called the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Once his successor is found, the San Antonio resident said he plans to embark on a “new and exciting adventure” as the head of pediatric transplant surgery at UTHSCSA. Cigarroa said he was offered the position at the end of December and briefed Foster in mid-January that he was inclined to accept it. Cigarroa, a native Laredoan, also will be a special liaison to the system’s board of regents, advising on the creation of UT-RGV, said UT regents Chairman Paul Foster. “I’ve got to admit I am
absolutely elated about the accomplishments we’ve made collectively at the University of Texas System over the past five years,” Cigarroa said at a news conference, highlighting progress toward opening the Dell Medical School at UT Austin, among other achievements. “We have set the pathway for UT-Austin to become America’s finest university.” UT-Austin President Bill Powers said in a statement that he appreciated Cigarroa’s “support in a variety of areas, most of all, establishing a medical school.” But the unexpected announcement has some law-
See CIGARROA PAGE 10A
Photo by Bob Owen | San Antonio Express-News
Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., announced that he will step down as head of The University of Texas System after a five-year tenure in Austin on Monday.
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
Thursday, Feb. 13
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Meeting of Laredo Area Retired School Employees Association. 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Blessed Sacrament Parish Hall. Health fair to be held. Contact Marta Kinslow at 722-0214 or mbkinslow@aol.com. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589. Admission event for University of the Incarnate Word. 6:30 p.m. Alumni Center, St. Augustine High School. Representatives from admissions, financial assistance, campus life and faculty available to answer questions. To register, call 210-829-600 or 1-800-749WORD. Laredo Border Slam Poetry. 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. 513 San Bernardo Ave. Spoken word competition. Second and fourth Thursday of every month. Three minutes to perform an original work. Two rounds, five random judges from the audience. Cash and quirky prizes. Contact Julia Orduña at juliaorduna@gmail.com.
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 12, the 43rd day of 2014. There are 322 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in present-day Larue County, Ky. On this date: In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, who’d claimed the throne of England for nine days, and her husband, Guildford Dudley, were beheaded after being condemned for high treason. In 1818, Chile officially proclaimed its independence, more than seven years after initially renouncing Spanish rule. In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded. In 1912, Pu Yi (poo yee), the last emperor of China, abdicated, marking the end of the Qing Dynasty. In 1914, groundbreaking took place for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (A year later on this date, the Memorial’s cornerstone was laid.) In 1924, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” premiered in New York. In 1940, the radio play “The Adventures of Superman” debuted with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel. In 1959, the redesigned Lincoln penny — with an image of the Lincoln Memorial replacing two ears of wheat on the reverse side — went into circulation. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a reception at the White House. A Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 720 broke up during severe turbulence and crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing all 43 people aboard. In 1973, Operation Homecoming began as the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place. In 1994, the 17th Winter Olympic Games opened in Lillehammer, Norway. In 1999, the Senate voted to acquit President Bill Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice. Ten years ago: Defying a California law, San Francisco officials began performing weddings for same-sex couples. Five years ago: A Colgan Air commuter plane crashed into a suburban Buffalo, N.Y., home, killing all 49 aboard and a person in the house. (The victims included Alison Des Forges, 66, a noted expert on the 1994 Rwanda genocide, and Gerry Niewood, 64, and Coleman Mellett, 34, members of Chuck Mangione’s band.) One year ago: Defying U.N. warnings, North Korea conducted its third underground nuclear test. Today’s Birthdays: Movie director Franco Zeffirelli is 91. Actor Louis Zorich is 90. Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 88. Movie director Costa-Gavras is 81. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 80. Actor Joe Don Baker is 78. Author Judy Blume is 76. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is 72. Country singer Moe Bandy is 70. Actress Maud Adams is 69. Thought for Today: “Human beings are the only creatures who are able to behave irrationally in the name of reason.” — Ashley Montagu, English anthropologist (19051999).
Friday, Feb. 14 TAMIU Planetarium shows. “Star Signs” 6 p.m. and “New Horizons” 7 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Call 326-3663.
Saturday, Feb. 15 LCC Fun Fest and Musicale. Noon to 5 p.m. Laredo Community College’s Fort McIntosh Campus, next to Maravillo Gym. Games, petting zoo, live music, food, pony rides, rock climbing, face painting, inflatable slides, bounce houses. Free admission. Contact 7215140 or mpro@laredo.edu.
Thursday, Feb. 20 Winter Texan & Senior Citizen Appreciation Day. 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Orthopedic clinic. 8:30 a.m. Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center, 1220 N. Malinche Ave. Benefits children with cerebral palsy, club foot, scoliosis, spina bifida and more. First come, first served basis. $5 processing fee. Call 722-2431. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589.
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.
Monday, March 24 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Photo by John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution | AP
Motorists, reflected in a puddle, move on the downtown connector Tuesday without hindrance from ice in Atlanta. In a dire warning Tuesday, forecasters said a "catastrophic" winter storm threatened to bring a thick layer of ice to Georgia and other parts of the South, causing widespread power outages that could leave people in the dark for days.
Atlanta braces for storm By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA — The city dodged the first punch of a dangerous winter storm Tuesday, but forecasters warned of a potentially “catastrophic” second blow in the form of a thick layer of ice that threatened to bring hundreds of thousands of power outages and leave people in their cold homes for days. The streets and highways in metro Atlanta were deserted as people in the South’s business hub heeded advice from officials to hunker down at home, especially after the epic snow jam two weeks ago that saw thousands of people stranded on roads for hours. Eli Jacks, a meteorologist with National Weather Service, said forecasters use words like “catastrophic” sparingly. “Sometimes we want to tell them, ‘Hey, listen, this warning is different. This is really
Package explodes, killing Tenn. lawyer at home LEBANON, Tenn. — Investigators said Tuesday that a package sent to a rural Tennessee home exploded, killing a lawyer who lived there and injuring a woman. Killed was 74-year-old Jon Setzer and 72-year-old Marion Setzer was in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Hospital on Tuesday, police said. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials declined to say what kind of package was sent to the Lebanon home. “A package was delivered, as far as where or when, I can’t give that information,” TBI spokeswoman Illana Tate said. Along with the TBI, agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were investigating at the home on a rural cul-de-sac. Official vehicles filled the yard of the red brick two-story home with white dormers on Tuesday. “We will be here night and
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.
Monday, May 26 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.
extremely dangerous and it doesn’t happen very often.’ “I think three-quarters of an inch of ice anywhere would be catastrophic,” Jacks said. But the Atlanta area and other parts of the South are particularly vulnerable because there are so many trees and limbs hanging over power lines. When the ice builds up on them, limbs snap and fall, knocking out power. “There is no doubt that this is one of Mother Nature’s worst kind of storms that can be inflicted on the South,” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said. Around the Deep South, slick roads were causing problems. In North Texas, at least four people died in traffic accidents on icy roads, including a Dallas firefighter who was knocked from a ramp, according to police.
day trying to come to the quickest resolution to this issue as we can,” Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn said. Earlier, alcohol bureau spokesman Michael Knight said investigators had ruled out accidental causes like gas leak or electrical malfunction. Later authorities confirmed it was a package. Police on Tuesday afternoon announced an $8,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction in the case.
Feds, pilots warn of lasers pointed into cockpits LOS ANGELES — Airline pilots and federal officials launched a campaign Monday to warn about the dangers of people pointing lasers into cockpits. They’re promising prosecution for those who are caught, and a reward for those who turn them in. While the powerful beams of light do not harm the aircraft, they can temporarily blind pilots, some of whom had to hand
over control to a co-pilot. The number of reported incidents nationwide increased from about 2,800 in 2010 to nearly 4,000 last year, according to data collected by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA attributed the increase to more reporting by pilots as well as the availability of stronger lasers that can reach higher altitudes. Portland, Ore., had the most reported instances, with 139. The rest of the top 10: Houston; Phoenix; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Chicago; New York; Honolulu; and Miami. No laser incident has resulted in a crash, but officials emphasized Monday that the threat is real. The FBI plans to offer a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. “We applaud the FBI for recognizing how serious this situation is,” said Capt. Sean Cassidy, first vice president of the Airline Pilots Association. The FAA said that over the past two years, it has investigated 152 laser incidents, resulting in 96 “enforcement actions.” — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD Algeria: Plane crash kills 77 but 1 man survives ALGIERS, Algeria — Algeria’s Ministry of Defense says 77 people were killed and one man survived after a military transport plane crashed into a mountain in eastern Algeria. The statement said Tuesday the C130 Hercules turboprop was carrying 74 passengers and four crew members. After radio and radar contact with the flight was lost at 11:37 a.m. local time, three helicopters were sent to find the plane. The ministry said it had slammed into Mount Fortas, 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the flight’s destination city of Constantine.
King Richard III to get his genetic code sequenced LONDON — Richard III has already been immortalized as Shakespeare’s hunchbacked antihero. Now scientists hope to im-
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A man watches rescue personnel working at the wreckage of an Algerian military transport aircraft after it slammed into a mountain in the country’s rugged eastern region Tuesday. mortalize his genetic code by sequencing his DNA. Scientists believe the information will reveal the dead monarch’s hair and eye color, provide insights into his ancestry, and even give some hints as to what ailed the infamous monarch,
whose skeleton was unearthed beneath a parking lot in the English city of Leicester in 2012. Scientists will also sequence the genome of one of the king’s confirmed living relatives, Michael Ibsen. — 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
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
KIOSK OFFICIALLY OPENS
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Rare gull spotted by birder during festival By MATTHEW NELSON THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Laredoan Miguel Sepulveda holds tickets for the WBCA Stars & Stripes Air Show Spectacular and the Anheuser-Busch Washington’s Birthday Parade he purchased Monday afternoon after the grand opening of the WBCA Ticket Kiosk at Mall del Norte.
File photo by Times staff
Alejandra Rodriguez shows different types of plants to Thomas Garcia Jr., left, and Thomas Garcia III in 2013 during El Centro de Laredo’s Farmers’ Market Cilantro Festival at Jarvis Plaza.
Farmers’ market set SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Love will be in the air Saturday as Laredo Main Street hosts El Centro de Laredo Farmers’ Market. The market is free and open to the public, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at downtown’s Jarvis Plaza. Free parking will be available with a market purchase at El Metro Transit Center, 1301 Farragut St. Products to look forward to include local,
fresh natural and pesticide-free produce, such as: Winter greens Lettuces Herbs Citrus and root vegetables Organic maple syrup Vanilla Olive oils/vinegars Pan de campo Edible garden roses Natural soaps and skincare products Baked breads
Sweets The farmers’ market is held every third Saturday of the month. Laredo Main Street is a nonprofit that works to build community support, interest and economic growth for Laredo’s historic downtown commercial area and surrounding neighborhoods. For more information about the organization’s events and programs, visit laredomainstreet.org.
Birders caught a rare glimpse of the Slatybacked gull, whose habitat stretches from Siberia to Alaska, over the weekend during the Laredo Birding Festival. Susan Foster, who served as a guide for the festival, spotted a “very unusual, funky-looking gull” on Thursday, the first day of the birding festival, at Lake Casa Blanca. “It was much larger than the gulls that are normally there. It just had a black back instead of the light grey and a smudgy head, smudgy eyes. The thing that stuck out the most was that it had dark rose-colored legs and feet, which was very unusual because the gull that I thought it might be — the lesser black-backed gull — has yellow legs and feet,” Foster said. “It’s incredibly rare. It’s from Siberia.” As the word spread, more birders flocked to the area, but the gull was swimming in the water, hiding its pink feet and causing others to doubt what Foster saw. “They didn’t really believe that I saw that color legs and feet,” she said. “So basically, without photographic evidence, people thought I was crazy.” Foster said other birders thought she saw a lesser black-backed gull, but she was adamant about what she saw. “I was so stubborn because I was just, you know, don’t tell me I didn’t see red … They were blowing it off and I was just like, this is something really big. We can’t just let it go.” Foster returned to Lake Casa Blanca on Sunday, deciding to take one last look before heading home to Rockport when she found the gull again. She called Holly Rein-
Courtesy of Holly Reinhard
This photo of a bird is allegedly the rare Slaty-backed gull. It was taken after birder Susan Foster spotted it at Lake Casa Blanca. hard, a park interpreter at Lake Casa Blanca, who brought a camera and snapped photos of the bird perched on a buoy. Reinhard said the gull’s large size, its dark back and pink feet helped them make the identification. “Unfortunately there’s not one definitive thing, but the pink feet is what really made us say, ‘oh my gosh, this is rare,’” Reinhard said. “I was trying to be cautious and not get so excited, then have it turn out to be something not as rare.” Once the word got out, other birders within the larger birding community dubbed the find “a slam dunk Slaty-backed gull.” Reinhard estimated that there have been around seven records of the Slatybacked gull in Texas. The gull was reportedly spotted twice Monday at the lake, once in the morn-
ing and again at around 4 p.m. Reinhard speculated that the cold weather that’s blanketed most of the U.S. pushed the typically northern bird down to Laredo. “With the weather, and of course it’s been cold all over the U.S., it’s more likely that some of these Northern species get pushed down. The wind carries them as well. It’s not unthinkable,” she said. Reinhard heard birders from San Antonio and Austin are making the trip to the lake for a chance to see the rare bird. “If it sticks around, they’re going to be coming down, and from possibly farther. It’s a very, very good bird,” Reinhard said. “Who knows how long it will be here.” (Matthew Nelson may be reached at 728-2567 or mnelson@lmtonline.com)
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
GOP spoke too soon CHICAGO TRIBUNE
From the preamble of the House Republicans’ “standards for immigration reform,” released Jan. 30: “The serious problems in our immigration system must be solved, and we are committed to working in a bipartisan manner to solve them.” Well, that didn’t last long. A week after declaring that it’s time to deal with the “political football” of immigration reform, House Speaker John Boehner is threatening to punt again. “The American people, including many of my members, don’t trust that the reform that we’re talking about will be implemented as it was intended to be,” Boehner said last week, icing the optimism that greeted the GOP’s outline for a promised legislative package. The document acknowledges that the failure to repair our broken immigration system — a failure that rests squarely on House Republicans’ refusal to do anything at all — “is hurting our economy and jeopardizing our national security.” It’s sprinkled liberally with phrases like “it is past time” and “it is imperative” and “we must.”
Real reform? But never mind all that. In a matter of days, the hope that immigration reform might be realized by the end of this year has been replaced by the excuse that it can’t possibly happen as long as Barack Obama is president. What the Republicans are saying is that immigration reform is critical to the nation’s long-term interests, but the status quo will just have to do for three more years. And Boehner is saying he doesn’t have the muscle to do what he just finished saying must be done. Let’s be clear: If the House refuses to take up immigration reform this year, it’s not on Obama. It’s on Boehner. The Obama administration has deported 2 million people since 2009, far more than were deported during eight years under George W. Bush, whose calls for immigration reform went unheeded by his own party. Obama has taken a lot of heat from immigration activists, but his emphasis on enforcement helped create what emerged last week as an opening for compromise. For the first time, Democrats in Congress signaled a willingness to consider something short of a special path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants who came to the country illegally. The president has insisted on such a provision, and hard-line Republicans have ruled it out, calling it “amnesty.” But many advocates for immigrants now say that ending the threat of deportation is more important than the promise of citizenship.
Agreement That opens the door to an agreement under which those immigrants could remain in the country without hiding, and American businesses could hire the workers they need legally. But House Republicans are apparently willing to take a pass on that opening to placate the hard-liners, who are threatening to take out the speaker if he pushes for immigration reform in an election year. The blowback over the Republicans’ cautious embrace of immigration reform did not come from “the American people.” In poll after poll, the American people strongly support comprehensive immigration reform — including, by the way, a path to earned citizenship. Boehner knows that. For Republicans, failure to act is shortsighted and self-defeating, and Boehner knows that, too. Latino voters are the fastest growing segment of the electorate. That got the attention of Senate Republicans, who brokered a bipartisan immigration bill that Boehner refuses to call for a vote — a position that’s defensible only if his chamber is serious about coming up with its own solution. If that’s not the case, the speaker has only himself to blame.
COLUMN
Big step forward for gay athletes THE KANSAS CITY STAR
It is extremely encouraging to see people in all walks of life send congratulatory messages to University of Missouri football player Michael Sam after he courageously revealed Sunday night that he’s gay. This outpouring of support from teammates, coaches, fans, celebrities and politicians shows that much of America has progressed on this social issue. Sam’s announcement is a watershed moment in the march toward equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans. He is poised to become the first openly gay player in one of the nation’s great pastimes, the National
Football League. However, the national blitz of mostly positive attention for Sam can’t block out some ugly realities. Open prejudice still exists against gay athletes in football and other major league sports. Intolerance manifests itself in other arenas, too; witness attempts in state legislatures to prevent same-sex couples from having their marriages recognized. The most important next step for Americans to watch regarding Sam will arrive at the NFL draft in early May. That’s when we’ll find out whether some evolution on gay athletes has occurred in the workplaces of the
older, too-often-bigoted NFL officials who will decide which team will draft him. In a chilling article Sunday, Sports Illustrated gave anonymity to NFL officials, all of whom predicted various troubles for Sam. He would lose money by being picked lower in the draft, meaning coming out was “not a smart move” for him. He would “chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room,” becoming a big distraction for his team. These NFL officials need to examine what happened at MU this year: The entire team knew about Sam’s orientation, yet the Tigers went on to have an extremely successful season.
Maybe the young men and women who play sports these days have a different, more enlightened take on this matter. So do some college coaches. As University of Kansas basketball coach Bill Self said Monday, “I don’t think anybody should ever have to live or hide behind who they are or how they feel.” Michael Sam finds himself in a unique situation, given the mega-attention that the NFL receives. And that makes his story extra compelling. Sam — and the other gay men who will follow him into the league — should have the opportunity to open people’s eyes while playing on the biggest stage for sports in America.
COLUMN
Data breach: Bring on chip-and-PIN THE WASHINGTON POST
If you worry about your privacy and carry a credit card, the Target data breach ought to be a startling wake-up call. A massive theft from cardswiping machines between Nov. 27 and Dec. 18 took information such as numbers and names from about 40 million customers and compromised personal information — names, addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers — from about 70 million. Although there may be overlap, perhaps 1 in 4 people in the United States were exposed to fraud and potential loss of privacy. The data were siphoned off by crooks and sent abroad. How did it happen? According to John Mulligan, Target’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, who testified Feb. 4 before the Senate Ju-
diciary Committee, intruders crept into Target’s network and installed malware designed to skim off credit- and debit-card information. How they did that is not known, although cybersecurity sleuth Brian Krebs has reported that they may have gotten into the network through a vendor to Target; the vendor said it was a “victim of a sophisticated cyber attack operation.” The crooks then spread the stealthy malware to the point-ofsale machines. The data were skimmed off in the seconds after customers swiped their cards during the busy holiday season. Chastened, Mr. Mulligan told the Senate panel that Target was accelerating a $100 million investment to convert to socalled chip-and-PIN technology that is more secure. He pledged that Target would have it in place early next year, six months
earlier than planned. Mr. Mulligan’s response raises a larger question: Why isn’t the United States as a whole moving more quickly toward chip-and-PIN technology? The answer is that it is coming, next year, but the transition involves costs that stores, card companies and banks have been reluctant to bear. When Europeans adopted the technology more than a decade ago, they lacked a continent-wide online verification system, so the new approach made sense, allowing verification on site. But such an online verification system did exist in North America. Since then, however, the magnetic swipe cards have become much more vulnerable. The chip-and-PIN technology is now widely used in Europe and is being adopted around the world. These cards have data
embedded on a chip, and the user inserts the card and inputs a personal identification number. This two-step verification process is more secure, although not ironclad, since the data still can be transmitted through networks and subject to theft. American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa have all announced plans to move toward a chip-and-PIN payments system, and after October 2015 merchants who don’t use the more secure technology will face greater liability for fraud and higher penalties. A nextgeneration technology, contactless cards, is on the horizon. Consumers in the United States have generally been shielded from liability for fraud on their cards and have grown complacent. They ought to be angry at the industry’s lag. Privacy needs to be protected.
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
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DOONESBURY FLASHBACK | GARRY TRUDEAU
State
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Experts: Slower fire season
‘Deal with devil’ prompted murder
Environment for wildfires won’t be 2011 repeat
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Prosecutors say two teenage boys were making a deal with the devil when they sexually assaulted then killed a 15-year-old Houston-area girl. Harris County prosecutor John Jordan said Tuesday that 17-year-old Jose E. Reyes told a 16-year-old friend that he had sold his soul to the devil. Reyes told the 16-year-old that he, too, could sell his soul if they killed Corriann Cervantes. Her body was found Sat-
By BETSY BLANEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
LUBBOCK — In December 2010, Texas weather and wildfire experts gathered in College Station to plan for what they feared would be a very active wildfire season ahead. It was, and over the next year, Texans watched as wildfires torched thousands of homes and a total of about 6,200 square miles of land in the state. There hasn’t been a need for such a meeting since then, and forecasters say this year’s wildfire season isn’t likely to be anywhere near as severe as the 2011 season. One weather official pegged the odds of a repeat this year at 50-1. Parts of West Texas remain in one of the three driest stages of drought, which put them at high risk of wildfire. Substantial rain in some of those areas late last summer allowed grass and brush to grow, and this winter’s freezing temperatures helped dry that vegetation, making it ripe for ignition. “We expect to have some fires because we have some fuel out there,” said Tom Spencer, head of the Texas A&M Forest Service’s predictive services division. “The overall environment is favorable to less active as opposed to more active.” The risk is greatest west of a line extending southwest from Wichita Falls to Del Rio. Texas’ spring wildfire season typically runs from February through April, with the risk highest toward the end of that period. The forest service monitors conditions around
Girl, 15, killed
File photo by Eric Gay | AP
In this Sept. 7, 2011 file photo, homes destroyed by wildfire are seen near Bastrop, Texas. Forestry officials say this year’s wildfire threat will be highest in only some parts of Texas. the state on a daily basis. Fire warnings come when there’s been little to no rain or precipitation for a week or longer and when fronts with low humidity move in. The recent precipitation throughout the state has kept a lid on the wildfire potential, especially between Abilene and Childress, which had been mostly dry through January. But it’s too soon to say the risk has been lowered by the moisture. “It could definitely dry in time to still be a concern,” Spencer said in an email. “Every precipitation event we get helps to lower the potential, but we will need more to get through the next two months.” Texas received only slightly less than its average annual rainfall in each of the past two years, so there has been enough moisture for vegetation to grow. However, this year’s fuel load isn’t spread is
not as broadly as in 2011, which followed two years of above normal rainfall. “That’s why we’re not overly concerned as we were in 2010,” said Todd Lindley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo. For years, suppressing wildfires when they started was the most accepted strategy. After the 2011 fire season, though, the focus shifted to reducing fuels before fires begin. That led to the formation of the nonprofit Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas in December 2011, which aims to educate, train and practice safe prescribed burns. “It’s something that needs to be done on a regular basis because Mother Nature will build (fuels) again each spring,” said the group’s president, Larry Joe Doherty. “We have got to get better at explaining the problem, and the need and the role of prescribed burning.”
Weather forecasters say the Pacific Ocean water temperature responsible for determining whether Texas is dry (La Niña) or wet (El Niño) is currently neutral. Even so, West Texas is forecast to have a greater chance of below normal precipitation through February. It was La Niña conditions that formed in the fall of 2010 that raised concerns about an intense wildfire season in 2011. In July 2010, right in the middle of growing season, Texas was deluged by the remnants of Hurricane Alex — some places got as much as 10 inches of rain in one day. Those areas hit by heavy rains ended up mirroring those hardest hit by fire the following year. “We’re not anything like that, anything close to that,” Spencer of the forest service said about conditions that led to the worst wildfire season ever in Texas.
urday in a vacant apartment. Jordan says signs of the occult were found in the apartment REYES and an upside down crucifix carved into the girl’s stomach. The younger teen knew the girl through school. Each boy is charged with capital murder. Reyes is being held without bond at the Harris County jail and the 16-year-old is being held at a juvenile detention facility.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO
Agenda en Breve
Mueren dos
LAREDO 02/13— El Consejo de Padres de United se reunirá de 11 a.m. a 2 p.m. en el salón 2 del Bill Johnson Student Activity Complex, ubicado en 5201 de Sta. Claudia Lane. 02/13— BALONCESTO: El equipo femenil Dustdevil de TAMIU recibe a Lubbock Christian University a las 5:30 p.m.; y, el equipo varonil Dustdevil de TAMIU recibe Lubbock Christian University a las 7:30 p.m. Ambos partidos serán en el Kinesiology-Convocation Building. Costo por partido es de 5 dólares. 02/14— La Junta de Fideicomisarios de United Way de Laredo realizará una conferencia de prensa en la oficina de United Way ubicada en 1815 de E Hillside Rd., a las 11 a.m. 02/14— Plaza Sésamo presneta “Make a New Friend” a las 10:30 a.m. (Matiné Especial Infantil), en Laredo Energy Arena. Costo de 14, 20, 28 y 50 dólares, más la cuota de instalaciones. 02/14— Espectáculo “AMOR (LOVE)” se presenta en Laredo Center for the Arts, 500 San Agustin. Habrá comida y arte para ser adquirido. Puede adquirir boleto para una rifa de cuadros de artistas locales por 20 dólares de donación. Informes en el (956) 725-1715. 02/14— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “Star Signs” a las 6 p.m.; y, “New Horizons” a las 7 p.m. Costo general: 4 dólares para niños y 5 dólares para adultos. 02/15— WBCA— Comedy Jam for George se presentará en Laredo Little Theatre, a las 7 p.m. y 10 p.m. Costo: 25 dólares. 02/15— El Mercado Agricola de Laredo estará activo en la Plaza Jarvis a las 9 a.m. Evento gratuito. Estacionamiento gratis a quienes compren en el mercado dentro del estacionamiento de El Metro en 1301 Farragut. 02/15— WBCA Founding Fathers estarán celebrando una carrera 5K y una feria de la salud en el Laredo Medical Center a las 8:30 a.m.. Costo es de 5 dólares preinscripción y 10 dólares el día del evento. 02/15— BALONCESTO — El equipo de baloncesto femenil de TAMIU se enfrentará a Texas-Permian Basin a la 1 p.m. en el KinesiologyConvocation Building. Costo de los boletos 5 dólares y gratuito a estudiantes de TAMIU. Más información en GoDustdevils.com. 02/15— BALONCESTO — El equipo masculino de baloncesto de TAMIU se enfrentará al equipo de TexasPermian Basin a las 3 p.m. en el Kinesiology-Convocation Building. Costo de los boletos 5 dólares y gratuito a estudiantes de TAMIU. Más información en GoDustdevils.com. 02/15— BÉISBOL — El equipo de béisbol TAMIU se enfrentará al de Fort Hays State University (DH) a las 12 p.m. en el Jorge Haynes Field. Costo de los boletos 5 dólares y gratuito a estudiantes de TAMIU. Más información en GoDustdevils.com. 02/15— Plaza Sésamo presneta “Make a New Friend” a las 10:30 a.m. y 2 p.m., en Laredo Energy Arena. Costo de 14, 20, 28 y 50 dólares, más la cuota de instalaciones.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 02/16 — 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 teatro del IMSS. Costo 20 pesos.
MIERCOLES 12 DE FEBRERO DE 2014
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Dos personas muertas fue el saldo que dejara un enfrentamiento armado entre civiles armados y la policía militar, el martes en la madrugada en Nuevo Laredo, México. Autoridades no han identificado a las dos víctimas. Civiles armados no identificados agredieron a elementos de la Policía Militar que realizaban un patrullaje de vigilancia, a las 2:25 a.m. del martes, en el crucero de bulevar Adolfo Ruiz Cortines y ca-
Dos personas murieron en un enfrentamiento armado entre civiles armados y policía militar, durante la madrugada del lunes en Nuevo Laredo, México. lle Coahuila, en la colonia Riberas del Bravo, reportó el Grupo de Coordinación Militar.
Los sospechosos se desplazaban en un automóvil Mazda Tribute, modelo 2004, color azul, sin placas,
que estaba reportado como robado, según el comunicado. Los cuerpos de ambos civiles quedaron en el asiento posterior del automóvil, el cual quedó volcado sobre uno de sus costados. Autoridades no pudieron confirmar si otros sospechosos lograron escapar del lugar de los hechos. La Policía Militar incautó el Mazda Tribute, un automóvil Chevorlet Malibú, color gris, cinco armas largas, una pistola automática, y una cantidad indeterminada de cargadores y cartuchos.
ITCA
SALUD
BUSCAN PROMOVER CULTURA Y ARTES
Luchan contra dengue TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El Instituto Tamaulipeco para la Cultura y las Artes (ITCA), a través del Parque Cultural Reynosa (PCR), hace la invitación a participar en los programas permanentes de teatro, cine y literatura que se instrumentan en este espacio cultural. En la imagen algunos de los niños que visitan los talleres impartidos en PCR.
Invitan a conocer espacios culturales TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
E
l Instituto Tamaulipeco para la Cultura y las Artes (ITCA), a través del Parque Cultural Reynosa (PCR), hace la invitación a participar en los programas permanentes de teatro, cine y literatura que se instrumentan en este espacio cultural fronterizo. Con la finalidad de ampliar la actividad artística y cultural con producción de eventos en los espacios culturales, el aprovechamiento de la infraestructura y la actualización de los servicios para la mayor captación de públicos se han desarrollado los siguientes programas. En los lunes de teatro se estará presentando, durante febrero, una obra de la autoría del dramaturgo mexicano Tomás Urtu-
sástegui titulada “Espejito, espejito” bajo la dirección de Martha Valdivia y actuación de Clarissa Chaverry, a las 7 p.m. horas en el teatro experimental del PCR. El costo general es de 30 pesos y es una propuesta de género infantil. Carola es una niña que disfruta al máximo de sus actividades, de su imaginación y de sus juegos. Una mañana, antes de ir a la escuela, recuerda frente a un espejo los mejores años de su vida, al compartir estos momentos con su espejito y por el solo hecho de haberla escuchado sin interrupción, decide por siempre hacerlo su más entrañable amigo. En los martes de cine de febrero se proyectará el ciclo de cine “Sobre el amor”. La cartelera está relacionada a la festivi-
dad del mes, los filmes que forman parte de este ciclo son “Casablanca”, “Azahares para tu boda”, “Benny & Joon” y “Mejor… imposible”. Las funciones son en el Teatro Experimental del Parque Cultural Reynosa a las 6 p.m. La entrada es gratuita. El Centro de Lectura y Formación Lectora sigue con sus actividades y se hace una cordial invitación a todos los niños para que asistan a disfrutar de las lecturas animadas que cada miércoles se ofrecen a las 4 p.m. El objetivo es acercar a los niños al hábito de la lectura y es una actividad gratuita. Para mayor información sobre los eventos puede visitar la página en Facebook y twitter @CulturalReynosa, donde se dan a conocer los eventos que se realizarán.
El Gobierno de Tamaulipas dio a conocer que ha reactivado las campañas en contra del dengue, así mismo invitó a los 43 municipios tamaulipecos a unirse en esta lucha. “Nos encontramos a buen tiempo para realizar acciones y eliminar los criaderos que se encuentren dentro de nuestros domicilios, lo que reducirá la posibilidad de contagio”, señaló el Secretario de Salud, Norberto Treviño García Manzo, al poner en marcha en las 12 jurisdicciones sanitarias, la Primera Semana Estatal de Intensificación de Acciones de Prevención y Control de Dengue. Tras destacar que “la salud es una responsabilidad compartida”, el funcionario dijo que la dependencia a su cargo desarrolla actividades preventivas durante todo el año; pero refuerza su campaña con 4 semanas intensivas con la participación de los diferentes órdenes de Gobierno, instituciones educativas y asociaciones civiles, que contribuyen a evitar la propagación del vector. Señaló que el personal de vectores visitará viviendas en todo el Estado para la identificación de criaderos, eliminación de larvas, control de recipientes e impartirán sesiones educativas sobre las características de un patio limpio y distribución de material informativo. Con el sector educativo se elaborarán recados escolares, periódicos murales y se dará seguimiento a la acreditación de escuelas como libre de riesgo de dengue; además continuará la estrategia “Inspector de patio limpio”, distinción que se entrega a los alumnos que colaboran en las acciones preventivas en sus hogares. Respecto a la vigilancia epidemiológica, se capacitará al personal médico y de enfermería para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad, toma de muestra y criterios de referencia a los hospitales. Se trabajará en la focalización de riesgos, conformarán equipos con el personal de los diferentes Centros de Salud e integrantes de los más de 3 mil Comités de Salud, harán seguimiento a las ovitrampas instaladas en sectores estratégicos del Estado, saneamiento básico con énfasis en localidades de riesgo, entre otras medidas igual de importantes. “El dengue es asunto de todos y todos debemos de entrarle con responsabilidad, con pasión, para evitar que nuevamente se vuelva a presentar en nuestro Estado como epidemia”, sostuvo.
COLUMNA
Analizan obra y aportaciones de escritor POR RAÚL SINENCIO CHÁVEZ ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Crítico de las elites, eco del México profundo, José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi incomodaría a poderosos y retrógradas. Por su calidad literaria, arrojo e incidencia mediática, bien podríamos considerarlo precursor del Subcomandante Marcos.
Penalidades Fernández de Lizardi, El Pensador Mexicano, maneja con audacia la prensa. Al declinar 1813 presenta “Diálogo entre un francés y un
italiano sobre la América Septentrional”. Ahí dijo: “Un hombre de gran talento puede ser ignorante hasta que no recibe la instrucción necesaria, en cuyo caso deja de ser ignorante. El necio, como que no está dotado de talento o capacidad, jamás se penetrará de la enseñanza, y por consiguiente, jamás dejará de ser necio”. Hacia 1815 divulgó “Los paseos de la Verdad”. Esto resalta que la sátira permite “distinguir la virtud del vicio” en los poderosos. Escribe asimismo “El periquillo sarniento”, célebre novela aparecida en 1816. Bajo el régimen novohispa-
no sufre cárcel y censura.
Medicina Incluso así, sabe mantener el tintero bastante lejos de las alabanzas por encargo, que algunos funcionario públicos gustan de patrocinar con recursos del erario. “El gobierno [debe] hacer que el pueblo experimente las ventajas del sistema actual sobre el pasado, no con palabras vagas, ni con especulaciones ideales, sino con hechos prácticos y positivos que le hagan conocer la ventajosa mutación de su suerte”, reclama en 1825 al cerrar las “Conversaciones
del Payo y el Sacristán”. Meses atrás reflexiona el Payo respecto al socorrido patriotismo de los representantes populares: “Esa virtud ayuda, pero no basta […], si falta ciencia”. El “charlatán en medicina, por mucha caridad que tenga, matará a cuantos enfermos pueda, con buena intención, porque le falta ciencia; así también un charlatán político dictará malas leyes por más patriotismo que rebose”.
Cenizas Por lo tanto, en la “Constitución Política de una Re-
pública Imaginaria” estipula: “Nunca se distraerán los diputados conversando, leyendo impresos ni durmiéndose mientras se discute algún asunto” importante, “pues de esa manera y votando sin conocimiento de causa, no podrán votar con conciencia segura, ni la patria lo estará de sus erradas” medidas. El precursor del Sub está igualmente ligado a Tamaulipas. Con motivo de las temerarias yimputaciones que le hace, propina contundente desmentido al tamaulipeco José Eustaquio Fernández, teólogo y político de ideas conservadoras.
Entertainment
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
Curls and dimples: Shirley Temple dies at 85 By HILLEL ITALIE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Any kid who ever tapdanced at a talent show or put on a curly wig and auditioned for “Annie” can only dream of being as beloved — or as important — as Shirley Temple. Temple, who died Monday night at 85, sang, danced, sobbed and grinned her way into the hearts of dispirited Depression-era moviegoers and remains the ultimate child star decades later. Other pre-teens, from Macaulay Culkin to Miley Cyrus, have been as famous in their time. But none of them helped shape their time the way she did. Dimpled, precocious and oh-so-adorable, she was America’s top box office draw during Hollywood’s golden age, and her image was free of the scandals that have plagued Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan and so many other child stars — parental feuds, or drug and alcohol addiction. Temple remains such a symbol of innocence that kids still know the drink named for her: a sweet, nonalcoholic cocktail of ginger ale and grenadine, topped with a maraschino cherry. Her hit movies — which included “Bright Eyes” (1934), “Curly Top” (1935), “Dimples” (1936), “Poor Little Rich Girl” (1936) and “Heidi” (1937) — featured sentimental themes and musical subplots, with stories of resilience and optimism that a struggling American public found appealing. She kept children singing “On the Good Ship Lollipop” for generations. She was also a tribute to the economic and inspirational power of movies, credited with helping to save 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy and praised by President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself for lifting America’s spirits during a gloomy time. She was “just absolutely marvelous, greatest in the
world,” director Allan Dwan told filmmaker-author Peter Bogdanovich in his book “Who the Devil Made It: Conversations With Legendary Film Directors.” “With Shirley, you’d just tell her once and she’d remember the rest of her life,” said Dwan, who di-
greatest screen legends put Temple at No. 18 among the 25 actresses. “I have one piece of advice for those of you who want to receive the lifetime achievement award: Start early,” she quipped in 2006 as she was honored by the Screen Actors Guild. But she also said that
Dimpled, precocious and oh-so-adorable, she was America’s top box office draw during Hollywood’s golden age rected her in “Heidi” and “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.” “Whatever it was she was supposed to do — she’d do it. ... And if one of the actors got stuck, she’d tell him what his line was — she knew it better than he did.” Her achievements did not end with movies. Retired from acting at 21, she went on to hold several diplomatic posts in Republican administrations, including ambassador to Czechoslovakia during the sudden collapse of communism in 1989. Former President George H.W. Bush, who appointed Black to the post in Prague, saluted her Tuesday for “her selfless service to our country” and her film career. “In both roles, she truly lifted people up and earned not only a place in our hearts, but also our enduring respect,” Bush said in a statement. Temple, known in private life as Shirley Temple Black, died at her home near San Francisco. The cause of death was not disclosed. From 1935 to 1938, she was the most popular screen actress in the country and was a bigger draw than Clark Gable, Joan Crawford or Gary Cooper. In 1999, the American Film Institute’s ranking of the
evening that her greatest roles were as wife, mother and grandmother: “There’s nothing like real love. Nothing.” Her husband of more than 50 years, Charles Black, had died a few months earlier. In “Bright Eyes,” Temple introduced the song “On the Good Ship Lollipop” and did battle with a charmingly bratty Jane Withers, launching Withers as another major child star. As a bright-eyed orphan in “Curly Top,” she sang “Animal Crackers in My Soup.” She was teamed with the legendary dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in two 1935 films with Civil War themes, “The Little Colonel” and “The Littlest Rebel.” Their tap dance up the steps in “The Little Colonel” (at a time when interracial teamings were rare in Hollywood) became a landmark in the history of film dance. Known for a remarkable ability to cry on cue, she won a special Academy Award at age 6 — and was presented with a miniature Oscar statuette — for her “outstanding contribution to screen entertainment.” Temple and her movies were an escapist delight at a time when America was down in the dumps. Mothers dressed their little girls like her, and a line of dolls that are now
highly sought-after collectibles was launched. Her fans seemed interested in every last golden curl on her head. Her mother, Gertrude, was said to have done her hair for each movie, with every hairstyle having exactly 56 curls. Roosevelt once said: “As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right. When the spirit of the people is lower than at any other time during this Depression, it is a splendid thing that for just 15 cents, an American can go to a movie and look at the smiling face of a baby and forget his troubles.” Temple’s mother worked to keep her daughter from being spoiled by fame and was a constant presence. Temple said years later that her mother had been furious when a director once sent the mother off on an errand and then got the child to cry for a scene by frightening her. “She never again left me alone on a set,” Temple said.
File photo by AP
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: ZAPATA HAWKS
Playoff bound Hawks basketball finishes second in District 31-3A
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CLARA SANDOVAL OVAL
Photo by Clara Sandoval | Laredo Morning Times
Zapata’s Alfonzo Gutierrez averaged 21 points in last week’s district games. He finished the week by dropping 24 on La Grulla with a 57-41 Hawks victory.
3LA GRULLA — Zapata is the in the playoffs after grabbing second place in an intense game Friday night on the road. The Hawks led the entire way and took home a 57-41 victory against Rio Grande City-La Grulla to secure the runner-up finish in District 31-3A. In the postseason, Zapata faced Rio Hondo on Tuesday at La Joya at 7:30 p.m. It was an intense game and adding fuel to the fire was La Grulla’s conducting parents’ night. La Grulla was also in a must-win situation to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Leading the way for the Hawks was senior guard Alonzo Gutierrez, who poured in 24 points in the Hawks victory to conclude an offensive outburst which started on Tuesday. Gutierrez had 18 points in the Hawks 54-34 victory over Lyford on Tuesday and averaged 21 points in two games. E. G. Garcia added 10 points in the win over La Grulla. Zapata played a physical game against La Grulla in order to secure that second place spot after losing two district games against Kingsville.
Zapata led from the opening tip as Gutierrez and company got into the scoring act early in the game. The Hawks held an 11-9 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The second quarter is where the Hawks started to put some space between them and the Gators who were doing everything in their power to stay on pace with Zapata. The Hawks went to the break holding a 26-19 halftime lead. Zapata did not allow the 10-minute halftime to slow down their progression and came out firing on all cylinders in the second half as they continued to open up the gap against La Grulla. At the end of the third quarter, Zapata held a 41-32 advantage and saved its best for last. The Hawks put their foot on the gas pedal in the fourth quarter and opened 16-point lead. They were able to sustain it despite La Grulla putting some runs together.
Hawks vs. Lyford The Hawks started the week off in the right foot as they came home with a 5434 victory over Lyford to punch their ticket to the playoffs. After being down the entire first half, Zapata came out putting pressure on the ball to come out with the win and secure second place spot for the playoffs. Clara Sandoval can be reached at Sandoval.Clara@Gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Company recalling nearly 3.8M child car seats By DEE-ANN DURBIN & TOM KRISHER ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT — Graco is recalling nearly 3.8 million car safety seats because children can get trapped by buckles that may not unlatch. But the company has drawn the ire of federal safety regulators who say the recall should include another 1.8 million rear-facing car seats designed for infants. The recall covers 11 models sold from 2009 through 2013 by Graco Children’s Products Inc. of Atlanta. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration warned that the problem could make it “difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire or other emergency.” But NHTSA also criticized Graco in a letter dated Tuesday, saying the recall improperly excludes infant car seats with the same buckles. Both the company and NHTSA have received complaints about stuck buckles on the infant seats, the agency said. “Some of these consumers have had no choice but to resort to the extreme measure of cutting the harness straps to remove their child from the car seat,” the NHTSA letter said. The agency wants Graco to identify the total number of seats that potentially have the defect and explain why it is pushing for the smaller recall.
Photo by Fred Beckham | AP
In this Sept. 20, 2005 file photo, South Windsor Police Department Community Service Officer Robin Massanti helps Debra Mlinek from West Suffield secure her daughter, Eliza, five months, in her car seat during a Child Passenger Safety Clinic in Hartford, Conn. Graco, a division of Atlantabased Newell Rubbermaid, told The Associated Press that its tests found that food or beverages can make the harness buckles in the children’s seats sticky and harder to use over time. The company will send replacement buckles for free to owners who
registered their seats. Owners who didn’t register their seats but want free replacement buckles can call the company’s consumer hotline at 800-345-4109 or visit its website. Rear-facing infant seats aren’t being recalled because infants don’t get food or drinks on their
seats, Graco spokeswoman Ashley Mowrey said. But Mowrey said Graco will send replacement buckles to owners of rearfacing infant seats upon request. Mowrey said the company has issued cleaning tips for the buckles, and began sending replacement buckles to owners last
summer. Graco is also sending instructions for how to replace the buckles and posting a video on its website to show parents how to replace them. In documents sent to NHTSA, Graco estimated that less than 1 percent of the seats involved in the recall have had buckles that were stuck or difficult to unlatch. Mowrey said there have been no reported injuries due to the defect. NHTSA, in documents filed last year, said it received 80 complaints about the seats. In one complaint from October of 2011, a parent wrote that they tried to get a 20-month-old boy out of a My Ride seat, but the center release button on the buckle couldn’t be depressed. The parent was able to loosen the straps from the rear of the seat enough to free the child. “My biggest concern is that if this happens during an emergency, where we need to get him out quickly, we won’t be able to without cutting the belt material,” the parent wrote. Two months before that, a family with a Graco MyRide 65 car seat told NHTSA that Graco wouldn’t replace a sticking buckle on their car seat, but offered them $40 toward a replacement seat. NHTSA does not identify people who file complaints to the agency, but it posts complaints on its website.
Oil below $100; pump price up Appeal lost on new IRS rules
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — The price of oil slipped back below $100 a barrel Tuesday as the new head of the U.S. Federal Reserve promised to maintain the central bank’s approach to monetary policy. Meanwhile, the Energy Department provided some estimates of how much the harsh winter has is boosting American’s heating bills, particularly for the nearly 3,000 homes in the Midwest and Northeast that use propane for heat. Benchmark U.S. crude for March delivery fell 12 cents to $99.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Monday, oil had its first close above $100 since Dec. 27. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said she expects a “great deal of continuity” with her predecessor, Ben Bernanke. She signaled that she supports his view that the economy is strengthening enough to withstand a pullback in stimulus but that rates should stay low to further improve a still-lackluster economy. The U.S. central bank has embarked on a policy to gradually reduce its stimulus, which has helped shore up a number of fi-
By MATTHEW BARAKAT ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Brad Doherty/The Brownsville Herald | AP
A car gets gas at an Exxon station in Brownsville on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. The price of oil slipped back below $100 a barrel Tuesday. nancial assets over the past few years, including oil prices. One reason oil is near $100 is increased demand for heating oil due to this winter’s frigid temperatures. Demand for natural gas and propane has soared as well. In a report issued Tuesday, the Energy Department estimated how much Americans will spend this winter to heat their homes: — Households using heating oil will pay on average 3.4 percent more this winter, or about $2,164. Although the price for a gallon of heating oil will be about 5 cents less than a year ago, homes will consume 5 percent more fuel.
— The average cost for natural gas users will rise nearly 8 percent to $649. In the Northeast, where prices spiked sharply at times, the average bill rises 12 percent to $990. — Propane users feel the biggest hit. Heating costs for Northeast propane users are estimated to rise 19 percent to $2,316; Midwest households will pay 46 percent more for propane, or $1,942. Propane prices spiked because the cold winter boosted demand, helping deplete supplies that were already below normal following last year’s corn harvest. For U.S. drivers, the recent rise in gasoline prices continued Tuesday. The na-
tionwide average for a gallon of gas rose 1 cent to $3.31, a four-week high. Refineries are starting to undergo seasonal maintenance, which lowers supplies and boosts prices heading into spring. Brent crude, which is used to set prices for international varieties of crude, gained 22 cents to $108.18 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London. In other energy futures trading in New York: — Wholesale gasoline gained 3 cents to $2.75 a gallon. — Heating oil rose 3 cents to $3.03 a gallon. — Natural gas jumped 25 cents to $4.82 per 1,000 cubic feet.
McLEAN, Va. — The IRS on Tuesday lost a federal appeal in a legal battle over its effort to institute competency exams and other new regulations for as many as 700,000 paid tax preparers. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia unanimously upheld a lower court’s ruling last year that the IRS lacked authority to impose the new rules without congressional authorization. The regulations were challenged by the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Va., a libertarian legal group that has filed a variety of lawsuits challenging occupational licensing laws. It argued that the proposed regulations for tax preparers were onerous and would have put thousands of mom-and-pop tax preparers out of business. Dan Alban, a lawyer for the institute who argued the case in front of the D.C. circuit, called the ruling “a clear win both for tax preparers and taxpayers” and said it could
have broad implications for federal agencies that attempt to issue regulations without a mandate from Congress. “Congress never gave the IRS the power to license tax preparers, and the IRS cannot give itself that authority,” Alban said. The IRS has said the rules are needed to weed out ill-trained and incompetent tax preparers. It said it had the authority to impose the regulations under a law passed to help Civil War soldiers seeking compensation for dead horses. That law authorizes the IRS to “regulate the practice of representatives of persons before the Department of the Treasury” but the appellate judges said it should not be stretched to give the IRS regulatory dominion. “It might be that allowing the IRS to regulate tax-return preparers more stringently would be wise as a policy matter. But that is a decision for Congress and the President to make if they wish by enacting new legislation,” Judge Brett Kavanaugh wrote in an opinion.
The Zapata Times
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014
MEXICO Continued from Page 1A Mexico, meanwhile, has a lot of catching up to do, he said. The country so far has missed the shale gas revolution, he said, noting that there were some 9,100 permits granted to drill for shale gas in the United States but just three in Mexico. He showed a satellite picture of Eagle Ford
Shale lights at night that appeared as a crescent-shaped glow stretching roughly from San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley. “Note the darkness of Mexico,” he said. “Missed opportunity.” Mexico’s failure to develop human capital won’t help, he said. Of the thousands of recent engineering
graduates, only 40 had studied petroleum engineering, Rodríguez said. “We aren’t producing the talent,” he added. Some of the best news has been commerce resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico’s total global exports increased more than seven times in the pact’s first 20 years.
CIGARROA Continued from Page 1A Photo by J. Scott Applewhite/file | AP
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday, Feb. 6. House Republicans backed away from a battle over the government’s debt limit Tuesday.
Debt ceiling raised By ANDREW TAYLOR ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Unwilling to spook the markets and divided among themselves, House Republicans backed away from a battle over the government’s debt limit Tuesday and permitted President Barack Obama’s Democratic allies to drive quick passage of a measure extending Treasury’s borrowing authority without any concessions from the White House. The 221-201 vote came hours after Speaker John Boehner announced that his fractured party would relent. Just 28 Republicans voted for the measure, including Boehner and his top lieutenants. But 193 Democrats more than compensated for the low support among Republicans. Senate Democrats hoped to vote on the legislation as early as today and send it to Obama for his signature. The move was denounced by many conservative groups but came after most Republicans in the House made clear they had no taste for another high-stakes fight with Obama over the na-
tion’s debt ceiling, which must be raised so the government can borrow money to pay all of its bills. The bill would permit the Treasury Department to borrow normally for another 13 months, putting off the chance of a debt crisis well past the November elections and providing time for a newly elected Congress to decide how to handle the issue. Just Monday, Republicans suggested pairing the debt measure with legislation to roll back a recent cut in the inflation adjustment of pension benefits for working age military retirees. Democrats insisted on a debt measure completely clean of unrelated legislation. “The full faith and credit (of the United States) should be unquestioned and it is not negotiable,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The vote comes four months after Washington defused a government shutdown and debt crisis that burned Republicans politically — an experience they did not want to repeat. The White House applaud-
ed Tuesday’s vote. “Tonight’s vote is a positive step in moving away from the political brinkmanship that’s a needless drag on our economy,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said. He said Congress should now take additional steps to strengthen the economy and pressed efforts by Obama and Democrats to restore jobless benefits to the long-term unemployed and to increase the minimum wage. Tuesday’s developments, which many Capitol Hill insiders saw coming, mark a reversal of the GOP’s strategy of trying to use the debt limit to force spending cuts or other concessions on Obama. The president yielded to such demands in 2011 — before his re-election — but has since boxed in Republicans by refusing to negotiate. “I am disappointed that Democrats have walked away from the table,” said Dave Camp, R-Mich., the glum chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. “But for as disappointed as I am, I cannot in good conscience let the Democrats’ refusal to engage, lead to a default.”
makers concerned about leadership at the system, whose approach to Powers has been the frequent focal point of controversy in recent years amid recurring rumors about the flagship president’s imminent sacking. As recently as December, Cigarroa recommended that Powers keep his job but both Cigarroa and Foster discussed the difficult relationship they’ve had with him. Some Texas lawmakers have accused Regent Wallace Hall Jr., of requesting voluminous records from UT Austin as part of a witch hunt for reasons to fire Powers. A legislative committee is investigating Hall for possible impeachment. Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a member of that committee and a Democrat whose district includes the San Antonio Medical Center, said in a statement that he’s pleased Cigarroa will lead UTHSCSA’s pediatric transplant team but the “news raises more questions than answers.” “In the past year, UT System has lost five attorneys with decades of combined experience in open government, open records and transparen-
cy. Now, it has lost its chief leader,” Martinez Fischer said. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Democrat representing Cigarroa’s hometown of Laredo, reacted to the announcement with “deeply mixed emotions,” happy for his return to surgery but noting in a statement, “he has endured unmitigated stress from the rogue regents who want UT President Bill Powers fired.” “Those who were unhappy” with Cigarroa’s stated support of Powers “reportedly turned their powerful weapons on him,” she said. Foster said the board would likely hire a search firm to find Cigarroa’s replacement, which could take up to six months. “We’re going to find the best replacement that we can for Chancellor Cigarroa and we’ll wind up with the second best chancellor in the history of UT,” Foster said. Some have speculated that Gov. Rick Perry’s influence can be seen in the ongoing conflict with the flagship school after Perry pushed for reforms that value teaching over research several years ago. When asked what role
Perry might have in the selection of the next chancellor, Foster said the governor doesn’t have a direct hand in it but added, “As the highest ranking official in the State of Texas and as the gentleman who appointed all the regents, his input will be sought and will be, certainly, considered.” Perry issued a statement wishing Cigarroa well, calling him “a strong proponent for the university system throughout his tenure.” “It says a lot about him that his departure is tied to his love of his important work saving lives as a pediatric transplant surgeon,” Perry said. Cigarroa, who specializes in pediatric transplantation, primarily of kidneys and livers, has continued to work with the health science center’s transplant service about every third weekend during his time as chancellor — including this past weekend. “We are delighted to have him back,” said UTHSCSA President Dr. William Henrich. “He’s had, as you might have predicted, a good relationship with everybody and he’s kept that relationship over the years as the chancellor.”