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Oilfield families offered assistance Organization opens new South Texas Chapter SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Oilfield Helping Hands, a nonprofit organization that has given more than $3.3 million to oilfield families in need, has established a new South Texas Chapter, based in San Antonio. This is the sixth chapter for the organization and covers the Eagle Ford and other South Texas oilfield areas, including Zapata County. Officers of the new chapter are President Stephanie Blankenship, Halli-
The money that is raised is given … to members of the oilfield family who … are in a financial crisis. burton; Vice President Lynette Deihl, EFS Logistics; Secretary/Treasurer Derek Easterling, MSC Industrial Supply; and Chapter Liaison Taylor Wynn, Russell & Stott. “As the leaders of the new South Texas Chapter,
it is with pride that my team and I get to join this amazing organization,” Blankenship said. "During this economic downturn we feel privileged at the prospect of being able to give back to a community that supports many of our
livelihoods and families.” The chapter is beginning to organize its 2016 monthly meetings and fundraising events. For information about joining or supporting the South Texas chapter, contact Blankenship at SouthTexasOHH@Outlook.com. The nonprofit organization was organized in 2003 in Houston, with a small sporting clays tournament to benefit an oilfield services company employee whose savings had been
Photo by Gregorio Borgia | AP
Pope Francis talks to faithful inside the Cathedral in Morelia, Mexico, Tuesday. Francis arrived in the heart of Mexico’s drugtrafficking country to offer words of encouragement to clergy trying to minister to a people tormented by the violence and gang warfare of the drug trade.
Pope travels to drug IMMIGRATION ISSUES trade hotbed SHERIFFS ON FRONT LINE See OILFIELD PAGE 7A
Francis urges priests to not be resigned to status quo
By JACOBO GARCIA, NICOLE WINFIELD AND PETER ORSI ASSOCIATED PRESS
MORELIA, Mexico — Pope Francis urged Mexico’s priests on Tuesday to
fight injustice and not resign themselves to the drug-fueled violence and corruption around them, issuing a set of marching
See POPE PAGE 7A
JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA
Photo by Martin do Nascimento | Texas Tribune Photo by Jim Mone | AP file
The badge of Captain Jaime Magaña is shown at the Webb County Jail in Laredo on Nov. 5, 2015.
In this Oct. 20, 2015 file photo, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia speaks at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Local law enforcement often assisting ICE By MORGAN SMITH AND TERRI LANGFORD TEXAS TRIBUNE
With a $6 billion budget and more than 20,000 employees, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stands poised to seize and deport immigrants — undocumented or not — who commit serious crimes in the United States. Provided someone else catches them. The behemoth agency at the center of the nation’s immigration enforcement efforts has no proactive way — watch lists, data mining or the like — to systematically search for dangerous undocumented immigrants,
including those who have returned to the United States after being deported for committing crimes. Instead, if an immigrant criminal is caught and thrown out of the country, the process most likely begins when a local police officer or sheriff’s deputy pulls them over for a traffic stop or arrests them as part of a criminal investigation. The success of federal deportation policy in Texas and nationwide depends for the most part on a heads up from county sheriffs. They run the jails where people are taken when arrested and where the culling of criminal immigrants begins.
Being at the bottom of the enforcement pyramid places tremendous pressure on them — political, legal and otherwise — sheriffs say, and with federal policy increasingly targeting serious, repeat criminal offenders, their role in the process has grown. “When some of these sheriffs talk about bringing in an undocumented, it may be one a month,” said Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez. “With us, it’s several a day.” The legal tool federal authorities use to take custody of immigrants they want is the detainer. Around in some form or fashion since the 1950s, detainers are no-
tices sent to jails asking them to hold on to an immigrant once local authorities are done with them so federal agents can come by and get them. In its latest incarnation, the detainer is reserved for the most serious convicted immigrant criminals. This new, narrower restriction, imposed in November 2014, has caused the number of detainers to drop. As of October 2015, the latest monthly figure available, 7,117 detainers were issued. That’s down from an all-time monthly high of 27,755 in August 2011, according to voluminous Freedom of In-
See SHERIFFS PAGE 10A
Texas judge discloses death details By SAM HANANEL AND DAVID WARREN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Texas county judge who decided no autopsy was needed following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
has disclosed new details about Scalia’s health in the days before he died. Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara told The Associated Press on Monday she spoke with
See DEATH PAGE 7A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
Thursday, February 18
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shayne Murphy paintings exhibit reception at TAMIU’s CFPA Art Gallery from 6–7:30 p.m. The exhibit is open through April 7. Preschool Read & Play at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Story time and crafts for preschoolers. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Family Story Time & Crafts at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4-5 p.m. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403.
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 17, the 48th day of 2016. There are 318 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 17, 1996, world chess champion Garry Kasparov beat IBM supercomputer “Deep Blue,” winning a sixgame match in Philadelphia (however, Kasparov lost to Deep Blue in a rematch in 1997). On this date: In 1863, the International Red Cross was founded in Geneva. In 1865, during the Civil War, Columbia, South Carolina, burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in. In 1904, the original two-act version of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” received a poor reception at its premiere at La Scala in Milan, Italy. In 1913, the Armory Show, a landmark modern art exhibit, opened in New York City. In 1925, the first issue of The New Yorker magazine (bearing the cover date of Feb. 21) was published. In 1933, Newsweek magazine was first published under the title “News-Week.” In 1959, the United States launched Vanguard 2, a satellite which carried meteorological equipment. In 1964, the Supreme Court, in Wesberry v. Sanders, ruled that congressional districts within each state had to be roughly equal in population. In 1986, Johnson & Johnson announced it would no longer sell over-the-counter medications in capsule form, following the death of a woman who had taken a cyanide-laced Tylenol capsule. Ten years ago: A mudslide in the Philippines killed more than 1,000 people. Five years ago: A group of Democratic Wisconsin lawmakers blocked passage of a sweeping anti-union bill, refusing to show up for a vote and then abruptly leaving the state in an effort to force Republicans to the negotiating table. One year ago: Vice President Joe Biden opened a White House summit on countering extremism and radicalization, saying the United States needed to ensure that immigrants were fully included in the fabric of American society to prevent violent ideologies from taking root at home. Today’s Birthdays: Actor Hal Holbrook is 91. Country singer-songwriter Johnny Bush is 81. Football Hall-ofFamer Jim Brown is 80. Actress Rene Russo is 62. Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 54. Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan is 53. Actor-comedian Larry, the Cable Guy is 53. Movie director Michael Bay is 52. Actress Denise Richards is 45. Rock singer-musician Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) is 44. Actor Jerry O’Connell is 42. Actor Jason Ritter is 36. TV personality Paris Hilton is 35. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 35. Actor Chord Overstreet is 27. Singersongwriter Ed Sheeran is 25. Actress Meaghan Martin is 24. Actress Sasha Pieterse is 20. Thought for Today: “Wounded vanity knows when it is mortally hurt; and limps off the field, piteous, all disguises thrown away. But pride carries its banner to the last; and fast as it is driven from one field unfurls it in another.” — Helen Hunt Jackson, American author (1831-1885).
Friday, February 19 A Fresh Start to a Healthier You. Learn practical cooking and shopping tips and recipes for success in the kitchen at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4:30-5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Angie Sifuentes, Webb County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 956-523-5290, angelica.sifuentes@ag.tamu.edu.
Saturday, February 20 The first of the Laredo Free Thinkers Lecture series with Professor Shawn Miller will be held at the Holding Institute at 5:30 p.m. This lecture’s theme will be economics and budgeting. It is free and open to the public.
Tuesday, February 23 Join the MOS Library Knitting Circle at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 1-3 p.m. Please bring yarn and knitting needles. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Crochet for Kids at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4-5 p.m. Please bring yarn and a crochet needle. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403.
Thursday, February 25 Spanish Book Club from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at City of Laredo Public Library – Calton. For more info, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810. STEM Professional Development and Internship Fair from 1–4 p.m. at the Student Center Rotunda. Provides opportunities to those interested in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors for TAMIU students, alumni and the Laredo community. Employers will also host corporate presentations throughout the day. Spanish Book Club from 6-9 p.m. at City of Laredo Public Library – Calton. For more info, call Sylvia Reash at 956-763-1810 Preschool Read & Play at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Story time and crafts for preschoolers. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Family Story Time & Crafts at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4-5 p.m. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Meeting of the Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society. Speaker Dr. Jose Barragan Topic Land Grants. 3-5 PM St John Neumann Parish Hall The public is invited. For more info call Sanjuanita Martinez-Hunter 7223497.
Friday, February 26 A Fresh Start to a Healthier You. Learn practical cooking and shopping tips and recipes for success in the kitchen at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4:30-5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Angie Sifuentes, Webb County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 956-523-5290, angelica.sifuentes@ag.tamu.edu.
Tuesday, March 1 Join the MOS Library Knitting Circle at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 1-3 p.m. Please bring yarn and knitting needles. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Crochet for Kids at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St., from 4-5 p.m. Please bring yarn and a crochet needle.
Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
This Jan. 27 photo shows Jaime Arellano during an interview in the visitor’s room at the Wynne Unit of the Texas prison system in Huntsville, Texas. When he was 16 Arellano drove drunk, ran a red light and crashed into a pregnant woman’s car, killing her and her unborn child. Another drunken teenager, Ethan Couch, rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of people assisting a stranded driver, killing four. Jaime Arellano went to prison. Ethan Couch went free.
Comparing two cases By NOMAAN MERCHANT ASSOCIATED PRESS
HUNTSVILLE — One 16-year-old drove drunk, ran a red light and crashed into a pregnant woman’s car, killing her and her unborn child. Another drunken teenager rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of people assisting a stranded driver, killing four. Jaime Arellano went to prison. Ethan Couch went free. The stories of the two Texas teens illustrate how prosecutors’ decisions in similar cases can lead to wildly different outcomes. The poor immigrant from Mexico has been behind bars for almost a decade. The white kid with rich parents got 10 years of probation. Arellano was charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault, the same counts against Couch. But prosecutors
in Arellano’s case moved quickly after his June 2007 crash to send him to adult court. Arellano took a plea deal and got 20 years in prison, where he remains today. Sending Arellano’s case to the adult system opened the door to the kind of punishment many say Couch should have received from the beginning. Matt Bingham, the Smith County district attorney and head of the office that prosecuted Arellano, declined to comment on Couch’s case but said he considered adult prison to be a fair option for any teenager who has killed someone. Juveniles don’t always commit “what people think of as juvenile crimes,” Bingham said. “There is an appropriate punishment for what they have done. And the fact that they’re 16 years of age doesn’t negate that.”
A&M leaders visit school, apologize for incident
Man gets 50 years for killings of cats, dogs
Police seek to ID body found during grass fire
DALLAS — The head of the Texas A&M University System has visited a Dallas school and apologized for racial insults some minority students say they faced while visiting the flagship campus. The men had expressed outrage over treatment of the teens, including black and Latino youths, who visited the College Station campus last week. Some white A&M students allegedly made racial comments.
HOUSTON — A man charged in the creation and distribution of videos depicting the torture and killing of small animals, including puppies and kittens, has been sentenced in Harris County to 50 years in prison. Prosecutors say Justice and Ashley Richards produced so-called “crush” videos, which depict women killing small animals and are meant to satisfy the sexual fetish of those who purchase them.
EULESS — Investigators are trying to identify a body discovered when North Texas firefighters put out a grass fire. Euless police did not immediately release the gender or approximate age of the person whose body was discovered Sunday in the small fire near Highway 360. Police Lt. Brandon Zachary says firefighters who located the body summoned officers.
Fire leaves 16 apartments damaged, destroyed
Human remains found in west Bexar County
Trucker arrested with 132 pounds of cocaine
HOUSTON — Officials say fire has damaged or destroyed at least 16 units of a Houston-area apartment complex and one resident suffered minor injuries. Emergency responders battled the flames Tuesday at the complex in northwest Harris County but managed to put out most of the fire by dawn. One person was slightly injured.
SAN ANTONIO — Authorities say human remains were discovered in west Bexar County on a property being developed for housing. According to Bexar County Sheriff ’s Office, the unidentified remains were found Saturday night. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will assist in the identification of the body.
ORANGE — A South Texas truck driver has been accused of trying to smuggle nearly $5 million worth of cocaine. About 60 bundles of white powder found in the rig tested positive for cocaine. A sheriff ’s department statement says the 132 pounds of cocaine has a street value of at least $4.8 million. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION Heat brings out beachgoers in West SAN DIEGO — John Larson sat on a blanket on a Southern California beach, furiously posting videos on Facebook of his sons jumping in the waves and bracing for the expletives from friends in Buffalo, New York. It was 5 below zero when Larson and his sons left this weekend for their trip to San Diego, where a heat wave sent temperatures into the mid-80s on Tuesday. Beaches in Southern California were crowded after the holiday weekend saw record-breaking heat from Los Angeles to San Diego, while the East Coast and the South cleaned up from a deep freeze.
Teen charged with running illegal medical office WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida teen has been arrested after authorities say he
CONTACT US
Photo by Lenny Ignelzi | AP
The tide moves in at Torrey Pines Beach in Del Mar, Calif., where beach goers enjoys unusually warm temperatures for February on Tuesday. California is having another day of unseasonable warmth before a low-pressure system brings rain and snow. was posing as a doctor at an illegal medical office he ran. The Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office says in a news release that 18-year-old Malachi LoveRobinson was arrested Tuesday and charged with practicing medicine without a license.
At the West Palm Beach clinic he opened, officials say Love-Robinson performed a physical exam on an undercover agent and offered medical advice Tuesday. Love-Robinson was being held on $6,000 bail. — Compiled from AP reports
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State
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Work begins to restore Cottonland Castle By J.B. SMITH WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD
WACO — For years, the Cottonland Castle has been a landmark and a vacant eyesore for the historic neighborhoods along Austin Avenue. Now work has begun to turn it into a comfortable home, but it won’t be quick, easy or cheap. The Waco Tribune-Herald reports contractor Tom Lupfer Jr. and architect Sterling Thompson are spearheading the project to bring the 126-year-old castle into the 21st century while preserving its unique architecture. That means installing new plumbing, wiring and climate control and creating a modern kitchen and bathrooms while meeting the preservation standards needed to maintain it as a registered Texas Historic Landmark. While they wait for Texas Historical Commission approval for the plans, the team is already doing interior demolition, taking care not to damage the fine materials such as quartersawn oak, mahogany and marble. Crews, working in spooky half-light behind boarded windows, have collected pieces of hardwood paneling and ceiling ornament that had fallen on the floor. “The inside was a mess,” Thompson said. “I had been there a long time ago, and it looked great. Now all the parts are still there, but they’ve been taken apart.” Water damage and past mold-remediation work left the interior in disarray, and vandals have tagged the walls with obscenities, even marring a fine marble archway with blue spray paint. Still, Lupfer is confident the home will be restored to its earlier glory. “How many times are you going to get the opportunity to take something like this and do it right?” Lupfer said. “We don’t want
Zapata Sheriff’s Office touts new website By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office announced via Facebook the re-launch of their website. Sheriff ’s Officials said their newly-developed website is a great tool for the community. “In our website, you can information about our county from tourism, recreational activities, events, sports, parks, Falcon Lake, businesses, health care, quality of life, public safety, government and law enforcement,” reads the social media post. Authorities hope the website will provide another avenue of communication between the Sheriff ’s Office and the community. “If you have any questions or concerns, please let my staff or me know. Contact us either by phone, email, regular mail, or in person. Let us know what your questions, comments, or needs are,” Sheriff Alonso M. Lopez said in a statement. To contact the Sheriff ’s Office, call 956-765-9961 during business hours or the 24-hour line at 956765-9960. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
to miss the window of opportunity to bring it up to standard.” The Tribune-Herald reported in October 2014 that Oxford University classicist Dirk Obbink had bought the home. Obbink confirmed by email last week that he is “part of a larger project to renovate the house as a single-family home led by Tom Lupfer.” Lupfer has been the contractor for renovating the historic buildings at Quinn Campus for Rapoport Academy. In 2013, he began the $1 million project for Waco residents Robert and Kitty Tunmire to renovate the old Migel House on Columbus Avenue as a bed and breakfast. “I thought that was a once-in-a-lifetime project,” Lupfer said. “The fact that I’d get to work on two projects like this in the span of three years is incredible ... I’m more than a little humbled to be a part of it.” He said some Waco residents who have heard about the project have raised questions about how faithfully the castle’s original architecture will be preserved. He said the Migel House offers a good template of how to both restore and modernize. “If you want to see what we’re going to do, take a look at the Migel House,” Lupfer said. “We are going to take consideration and care for the historic nature of the building, knowing how prominent this is for Waco and the neighborhood.” Lupfer said the exterior will be restored to its original appearance, with diamond-paned windows carefully repaired, stone repointed and 1970s-era storm windows removed. The team also will take pains to preserve and restore the ground-floor interior, which includes quartersawn oak and mahogany and breathtaking fireplaces made of carved French Caen stone and pink gran-
Photo by Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune Herald | AP
The Cottonland Castle, which has been a landmark and a vacant eyesore for the historic neighborhood, is under renovation by local contractors, Feb. 11, in Waco, Texas. The project will bring the 126year-old castle into the 21st century while preserving its unique architecture. ite. Another prized feature of the ground floor is the 9foot-high oak front door, which still pivots easily on its hinges despite its weight of 400 pounds. But Lupfer said the back of the house needs to be redesigned to include a modern kitchen, if the Texas Historical Commission approves. A sunroom that was walled in a couple of decades ago might also be removed. In the past, the kitchen was in the basement, and food was hoisted up on a dumbwaiter. “The goal is a full-sized modern kitchen that’s not stuck down in a dank basement,” Lupfer said. “Most people don’t have servants these days, and the kitchen is integral to entertainment.” Likewise, the upstairs layout will be modified to make room for modern bathrooms and closets, while preserving some notable details such as plaster crown molding, he said. “There’s an equilibrium we’re looking for,” Lupfer said. “We want to preserve this historic building. There’s also a huge sum of money being invested, and if at some point they want
to sell it, they’d like to be able to get some of that back. If we simply go about it as a pure preservation project, it’s exponentially more difficult to recoup that substantial investment.” Kenneth Hafertepe, a Baylor University museum studies associate professor and historic preservation expert, said he understands the need to make some changes to the house to carve out a modern kitchen and bathrooms. “I do feel strongly that the interior character is part of the historic character of the house, so you need to think carefully about that,” Hafertepe said. “But there are reasons for upgrading the house to make sure it’s comfortable.” In the long term, Lupfer said the owner hopes to improve the appeal of the castle by purchasing the property across the alley that fronts on Franklin and now serves as a used car lot. Lupfer said he has been in touch with the owner of that property, Jack Schwan, who used to own the castle. The car lot property includes a tower that was once part of the castle and served as a water tank for the house before the house was connected to city water.
Lupfer said he feels confident about the castle’s future, but he noted that the house’s past has rarely been smooth. “I’m hoping it doesn’t have a builder’s jinx on it,” he said with a chuckle. “There have been a lot of starts and stops and false hopes.” The Cottonland Castle dates back to 1890, when a British-born stonemason named John Tennant began building the foundation and basement with stone left over from working on the Provident Building downtown. Tennant struck a deal with landowner J.W. Mann for the patch of barren prairie on a high spot overlooking Waco, giving Mann in return a stone obelisk for the family’s plot at Oakwood Cemetery. Tennant didn’t have the resources to finish the grand house he had in mind, so he sold it to cotton broker Ripley Hanrick in 1906, agreeing to continue with the stonework. The work building the heavy stone walls resumed but was abandoned in 1908. Meanwhile, a group of local investors were preparing to create the Huaco Country Club around present-day Sanger Avenue and 29th Street, with golf links that would extend nearly to the castle, and some wanted it torn down. Roy E. Lane, the architect for the country club, saw an opportunity to turn the eyesore into a landmark. In 1913, he persuaded Capt. Alfred Abeel and family to buy the stone structure and hire Lane to turn it into a German-style castle. Abeel, a Union veteran from New York who was wounded at Chickamauga in the Civil War, had moved in 1872 to Waco, where he amassed a fortune in the hardware, banking, railroad, ice and artesian water businesses. Abeel and Lane finished the castle at a cost of $75,000,
according to a history by Marion Travis in 1977. The castle and its outbuilding required 120 train carloads of stone, mostly white sandstone, according to news reports from the time. The three-story house included a basement, a 60foot tower on the corner and a flat roof with a crenelated top. In the 1940s, the Pipkin family, which owned Pipkin Drug Stores, bought the house and for years made it their home. Eventually, the Pipkin family moved out and donated the castle to Austin Avenue Methodist Church, which used it for a youth event center until upkeep became overwhelming. The family of Jack Schwan, a local car dealer, bought the house for $50,000 in 1969 and began years of renovations that led to a state historic marker in 1977. Schwan’s family lived in the house until the 1980s and finally sold it to the Brian Ginsburg family in 1991. The house sold to the Hatch Bailey family in 1999 and suffered water damage when the family was not occupying it. Russell Giles and Clarissa Carter bought the house in 2006 and started renovations but never finished them. Clint Peters, city planning director and historic preservation officer, said the house in recent years has become a drag on the adjacent Castle Heights neighborhood, its namesake. “Buildings are meant to be used, and when they’re not, they go downhill,” Peters said. He said it sounds like Lupfer and Sterling have a good plan for renovating it, and he has no problem with an addition on the back. “This is exciting that it’s being restored as a residential structure,” Peters said. “I think it’s real important, an iconic symbol and structure for Waco and Castle Heights.”
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Candidates need a new emotional tone Dear Hillary, Jeb, Marco and John, You all find yourselves running against a whirlwind. Hillary, for you the whirlwind is Bernie Sanders. For the rest of you it’s Donald Trump. Either way, you’re running against a candidate who generates passionate intensity. At some level those candidates’ followers must know that there’s something wildly impractical about the candidacy they are fervently supporting. Trump has no actual policies, and Sanders has little chance of getting his passed. And yet the supporters don’t care. Sanders and Trump make them feel known. Finally, somebody is saying what they feel. Finally, somebody is outraged by the things that outrage them. There’s a deep passion embedded in the Trump and Sanders phenomena, arousing energy, magical thinking and some suspension of disbelief. And the rest of you are basically asking voters to snap out of it. All of you, but especially you, Hillary, are asking voters to calm down and be pragmatic: Consider electability! Vote for the one who can get laws passed! And it’s not working. In debates Sanders is uninhibited by the constraints of reality, so his answers are always bolder. Trump speaks from the id, not from any policy paper, so his answers are always more vivid. The brute fact is you can’t beat passion with pragmatism. The human heart is not built that way. You can’t beat angry passion with bloodless calculation. If you’re going to have any chance against these hotheads, you have to set a rival and stronger emotional tone. I’d ask you to think of the ancient ideal of comradeship. Many Americans feel like they are the victims of a slow-moving natural disaster. Sanders and Trump try to put the blame for this disaster on discrete groups of people — Wall Street or immigrants. But in reality it’s a natural disaster caused by structural forces — globalization, technological change, the dissolution of the family, racism. A great nation doesn’t divide in times of natural disaster. It doesn’t choose leaders who angrily tear it apart. Instead, it chooses leaders like Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower, leaders who radiate sunny confidence, joy and neighborliness. You may think of neighborliness as a sentimental, soft virtue. And I suppose in times of peace, prosperity and ease it is a sweet and tender thing. But look at what happens to neighbors when one friend is threatened or when times are hard. Then neighborliness takes on a different hue. Friends become comrades in arms. That is what FDR and
“
DAVID BROOKS
Ike were able to do with their leadership styles. With fireside chats and golf jokes, they were neighborly even in times of great difficulty and stress. But they were also able to set an emotional tone that brought people together and changed the nature of Americans’ relationships with one another. During their presidencies, the bonds of solidarity grew stronger and the country more formidable. They were able to cultivate a deep sense of unity, responsibility and sacrifice. They didn’t call for sacrifice as something painful, but as what one did for one’s friends. I’d love to see one of you counter the Trump and Sanders emotional tones with a bold shift in psychology. This would be a shift toward the cheerful resolve of an FDR or an Eisenhower. Let Trump and Sanders shout, harangue and lecture. You respond to difficulty with warmth, confidence and optimism. Let them deliver long, repetitive and uninterrupted lectures. You converse, interact, chat and listen. Let them stand angry and solitary. You run as part of a team, a band of brothers, with diverse advisers and buddies joining you onstage at event after event. Let them assert that all our problems can be solved if other people sacrifice — the immigrants or the top 1 percent. You call for shared sacrifice. The rich can give more in taxes, but the rich, the middle class and the poor can all give more in civic engagement. Let them emphasize the cold relations of business (Trump) or of the state (Sanders). You emphasize the warm bonds of neighbor helping neighbor. While they dwell in the land of impersonal bureaucracies, you point out that the primary task before us to repair the social fabric — the basic respect that diverse Americans have for one another. Let them preach pessimism. You emphasize a warm nationalism — a basic confidence that America is not going down in decline, that it is still the nation best positioned to dominate the 21st century, that confidence is a better guide than anger or fear. Sanders and Trump have adopted emotional tones that are going to offend and exhaust people over time. Watching the GOP South Carolina debate I got the impression that Trump’s exhaustion moment is at hand. The candidate who has the audacity to change the emotional tone of this whole election will win the White House and have a shot at rebinding the civic fabric of this nation.
COLUMN
Sweet slumber startled by seriously stirred-up Sawyer Being awakened at 3 a.m. by a snoring dog is not conducive to kind thoughts about an otherwise beloved little animal. There are a number of reasons I long ago abandoned my lifelong edict of No Dog Will Ever Sleep in My Bed! You can’t issue that declaration to cats because they will slip under the covers and bite your toes in revenge. But, back to the dog. This little ragamuffin wiggled into our lives in our first year of retirement. We transplanted ourselves onto a riverbank in Central Texas to drink in the “peaceful country life” after dueling with deadlines for more than 50 years. Someone dumped this then-little-threemonth-old puppy on our country river road. I was working in the yard when the puppy, his hair matted with burrs and dirt, stood at our gate, pink tongue sticking out of his white-whiskered mouth, tail wagging to “beat sixty.” I knew Life Mate had to meet him and would likely adopt him. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. So, now nine years later, it is with deepening and developed adoration that I watch with parental concern (Life Mate has declared him ‘our baby’), trying to stifle a snicker lest I
awaken him and his ‘mom.’ The dog is on his back, sleeping peacefully with all four legs in the air. While lying quietly, watching a stirred but still somnambulant Sawyer, I wondered if my nudged nocturnal awakening would prompt a separated sleep pattern again. That’s a problem for septuagenarians, forcing latemorning or early afternoon lounge chair snoozes, which Life Mate says, in mock disdain, are brought on by a self-imposed curfew always signaled by the 10:30 p.m. end of the nightly newscast. As I pondered the hilarity of Sawyer’s sleep positions and sought a return to Dreamland and a Pulitzer Prize, the little Tibetan Terrier decided to abandon our bed. He often does that to seek the solitude of the sofa or, if his aging 9year-old bones moan for it, the carpet or the hardwood of the hall floor. Good, my sleep-deprived brain telegraphed. Maybe now I can go back to semicatatonic slumbering before my caffeine-addicted body requires brewing a
jolting first cup. That was not to be. He appeared beside my bed with a muffled “ruff,” so as wisely not to awaken Life Mate and, which translated from Sawyerspeak, means “Drag your booty out of bed, Dad, and let me out. I’ve got to GO.” Although there’s a doggy door from my study into our privacy-fenced back yard, it’s closed while we sleep so Sawyer can’t slip out and dig up danger or, as you may ascertain from the following revelation, allow an animal into the house. So, I slip into my warmups and house shoes, open the doggy door and flip on the outside light. As I’m standing there protectively watching The Puppy as he diligently seeks a place to potty, which Life Mate describes as my duty, I notice him take off in a dead run toward the back fence. Uh-oh. That can only mean one thing — Petey Possum has defiantly traipsed onto Sawyer’s terrain again. One wouldn’t think that, in the suburban setting we chose over the critter-friendly rural location of our former riverbank retirement home, we’d be besieged by Animal Kingdom. Sure enough, there’s Sawyer and Petey. Of course, Petey’s doing what
possums are noted for — playing possum. Sawyer keeps poking him with his paw and trying to apply a biting nip but there’s a wise wariness to the dog’s hesitant assault. Meanwhile, I’d grabbed a shovel in case Petey tried to bite Sawyer. Possums have razor-sharp teeth and claws on their feet that can do significant damage, even to a bigger dog than our middleweight fighter. I managed to coax Sawyer away from Petey (I NEVER thought The Puppy was stupid) and back into the relative solitude of our early morning home. Besides, I didn’t really want to kill the possum. I’d just have to find a way to dispose of the carcass in the daylight. Suburban living doesn’t allow just tossing the body into the river. So, Petey lives on to traumatize Life Mate’s flowers and taunt Sawyer. At any rate, The Puppy and I returned to the house. He’s now ensconced in our bed, snuggled up against Mama’s leg and I’m sitting here pounding on a keyboard. Life’s just not fair. Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net.
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National
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Chicago says it will release shooting videos By DON BABWIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo courtesy of Colorado Department of Transportation | AP
In this photo provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation, a highway worker examines debris from a rock slide on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon in western Colorado on Tuesday.
Rock slide forces closure of major highway ASSOCIATED PRESS
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A rock slide in a deep and narrow Colorado canyon has closed a major east-west highway, forcing drivers on a 140-mile detour until at least Thursday afternoon, according to state transportation officials. A tractor-trailer rig was damaged, but no one was injured Monday night when the rocks tumbled onto Interstate 70 about 125 miles east of the Utah border. The Colorado Department of Transportation shut down traffic in both directions along 24 miles of highway, from Glenwood Springs in the west to Gypsum in the east. “This is as big as I’ve seen,” said CDOT spokeswoman Tracy Trulove, who has been in her role for about two and half years.
Crews are expected to have the interstate clear by Thursday afternoon. But traffic could move slowly because pilot vehicles will lead drivers through the most damaged areas, the Glenwood Springs Post Independent reported. A boulder the size of a small car crashed into the truck’s trailer, said Ron Milhorn, news director of KMTS radio in Glenwood Springs, who came upon the scene after the slide. The truck driver, Ray Hatch of Las Vegas, told Milhorn he saw the car in front of him disappear into a cloud of dust before his truck hit a boulder headon. Hatch was calm and in good spirits after the crash, Milhorn told The Associated Press. Milhorn and his wife were returning to their home west of Glenwood Springs after a weekend in Denver when traffic came to a stop because of the
slide. He said his vehicle was behind 10 or 12 others about 100 yards from the debris. Vehicles that could turn around were escorted back out of the canyon, Milhorn said. Average daily traffic through the canyon is about 300 vehicles per hour, according to CDOT. The shortest detour adds nearly 140 miles to the trip, taking traffic north to U.S. 40 and then back south to I-70. A helicopter took CDOT inspectors on a flight Tuesday afternoon to assess the risk of additional rock fall from the canyon walls. The Colorado River carved the scenic canyon, which is popular with anglers and rafters. The chasm is so narrow that one 12-mile section of the interstate runs through three tunnels and across 40 viaducts and bridges. It took 12 years to complete.
CHICAGO — The city of Chicago promised Tuesday to start quickly releasing footage after police shootings, while activists critical of how authorities handled the videotaped fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald sought to have a special prosecutor take over the case. They’re the latest reactions to the shattered public trust in police officers, prosecutors and City Hall: One by attorneys, clergymen and some elected officials who say they’ve lost faith in Cook County’s top prosecutor, and the other by a mayor trying to restore people’s confidence in his office and police department. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has heard repeated calls to step down, said he
supported the new video policy recommended by the task force he created after the McDonald footage was released. His spokesman, Adam Collins, said the recommendations would be implemented immediately. The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates officer-involved shootings, plans to release videos and other evidence in all new cases as well as current investigations. The videos and other evidence would be released within 60 days, but law enforcement agencies can seek to delay that by another 30 days. “Restoring trust between our police and the communities they’re sworn to serve is an essential part of our City’s public safety efforts,” Emanuel said. Trust was a clear factor in the petition for a special
prosecutor. The civil rights attorneys and others say they want an outside prosecutor for the McDonald case and any further investigation into the shooting because of what they see as Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez’s close ties to the officers union. They say they don’t trust her to aggressively investigate and prosecute Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with first-degree murder. Alvarez’s “track record has undermined her credibility, created a crisis of confidence in her and her office, and created the appearance that this state’s attorney cannot be trusted to zealously and effectively prosecute Officer Van Dyke,” the petition reads. They contend she has repeatedly demonstrated a reluctance to charge officers.
National
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
Before nomination, an Drug Companies intrusive interrogation Fear Release of the New AloeCure By JOSH LEDERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Did you ever buy porn, sniff glue, have sex in junior high? Exactly how many times? White House lawyers are scouring a life’s worth of information about President Barack Obama’s potential picks for the Supreme Court, from the mundane to the intensely personal. In trying to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, the president could alter the balance of the court for decades — but only if he can get his nominee through Republicans in the Senate. Prospective justices are put through the nation’s most thorough background check, an invasive process where nothing is off-limits. After all, a surprise dredged up later could scuttle confirmation. So candidates’ taxes, writings, childhoods, business dealings, medical histories and, yes, love lives, are all scrutinized for potential red flags. “The idea that you miss something that later torpedoed the nomination — that’s a nightmare,” said Jack Quinn, former White House counsel to President Bill Clinton. Just ask Judge Douglas Ginsburg. Nine days after President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the high court, it was revealed he had smoked marijuana as a law professor at Harvard and he was forced to bow out. For Obama, who has successfully nominated two justices, the vetting process is even more critical this time as he works to push a nominee through in his final year in office. Already, Republicans are threatening to not even hold a vote. If hearings get mired in a squabble over some late revelation, Republicans could find a fresh rationale for dragging the process out until Obama’s term ends in January 2017. “I am going to present somebody who indisputably is qualified for the seat,” Obama said Tuesday. Traditionally, vetting
Big Pharma stands to lose billions as doctors’ recommend drug-free “health cocktail” that adjusts and corrects your body’s health conditions. Photo by Franz Jantzen/Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States | AP
The Courtroom of the Supreme Court has Associate Justice Antonin Scalia’s bench chair and the bench in front of his seat draped in black, Tuesday, at the court in Washington. takes weeks if not months, depending on how many candidates are being checked. But Obama is expected to move as quickly as possible to announce his pick. The White House was jolted into action after learning of Scalia’s death, officials said, summoning administration lawyers over Presidents Day weekend to begin searching for a suitable replacement. Obama, traveling in California, has been working with top advisers on his list while aides feel out senators about their willingness to hold a vote. Millions of Americans with security clearances or government jobs are asked probing questions about their loyalty, reliability and character in FBI background checks. But for Supreme Court contenders, the inquiry goes far deeper. Justice Anthony Kennedy sat through 10-plus hours of FBI interviews — and a three-hour session with the attorney general and White House counsel in which all “conceivable no-holdsbarred questions were asked,” according to a memorandum archived in the Reagan Library. Among the questions Kennedy was asked: Have you ever engaged in kinky sex? Did you shoplift as a kid? What about any associations with groups like the Ku Klux Klan? Ever abuse a girlfriend? Engage in cruelty to animals? And tell us
about sex in college: How often, how many women, and did you ever contract a venereal disease? Typically, such a deep dive doesn’t take place until the “short list” has been winnowed to a few candidates being seriously considered. Some presidents keep a close hold on the names, wary of allowing opponents to start building a case against them. Others have floated potential names through the media to try to gauge the public’s reaction. “I always tell clients that they should think long and hard about whether they want to go through the process at all,” said Robert Kelner, a partner at the Covington law firm who advises presidential appointees on Senate confirmation. “You give up any semblance of privacy. Your name may be floated, but then it might become publically known that the White House backed away because of something embarrassing.” In the Obama White House, the investigation has been divided in the past into a “substantive vet” of work-related history, performed by White House and Justice Department lawyers, and the “personal vet,” handled by outside attorneys, current and former administration officials said. Memos on each area of inquiry then get melded into a single report for the president and top aides.
Results in key cases could change By MARK SHERMAN AND SAM HANANEL ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court abhors even numbers. But that’s just what the court will have to deal with, perhaps for many months, after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Eight justices will decide what to do, creating the prospect of 4-4 ties. Here are some questions and answers about the prospects of filling the vacancy left by the death of its conservative icon and longestserving justice and its effect on the court: Q: What happens when President Barack Obama makes a nomination? A: Any nominee would first face the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would hold confirmation hearings and then vote on whether to send the selection to the full Senate. An Obama nominee would have a hard time even getting a favorable vote to get out of the committee, where Republicans hold an 11-9 edge. Some of the fiercest foes of the president serve on the panel, including GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz of Texas, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, David Vitter of Louisiana and Mike Lee of Utah. The committee chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said within hours of Scalia’s death on Saturday that Obama’s successor should select the next justice. Q: What if the nominee did emerge from the committee? A: The decision then rests with the full Senate,
where Republicans are in the majority 54-46 and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wasted no time on Saturday making clear that “this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.” Further complicating the prospects for approval is Cruz, who has vowed to filibuster any Obama nominee. That means it would take 60 votes to break a GOP filibuster. Obama’s allies would need 14 Republicans to break ranks and move ahead on the nomination. The 2012 and 2014 elections left just a handful of moderate Republicans who might vote for an Obama pick. Of those still in the Senate, only Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lindsey Graham, RS.C., voted for Obama’s two other Supreme Court choices, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Q: What happens to cases in which Scalia cast a vote or drafted an opinion, but no decision has been publicly announced? A: It may sound harsh, but Scalia’s votes and draft opinions in pending cases no longer matter. Veteran Supreme Court lawyer Roy Englert says that “the vote of a deceased justice does not count.” Nothing is final at the court until it is released publicly and, while it is rare, justices have flipped their votes and the outcomes in some cases. Q: What happens if there is a tie? A: The justices have two options. They can vote to hear the case a second time when a new colleague joins them or they can hand
down a one-sentence opinion that upholds the result reached in the lower court without setting a nationwide rule. When confirmation of a new justice is expected to happen quickly, reargument is more likely. In this political environment, the vacancy could last into 2017. Q: Why doesn’t the court like tie votes? A: A major function of the Supreme Court is to resolve disputes among lower courts and establish legal precedents for the entire country. Tie votes frustrate those goals and they essentially waste the court’s time. Q: How does Scalia’s death affect specific cases? A: It deprives conservatives of a key vote and probably will derail some anticipated conservative victories in major Supreme Court cases, including one in which labor unions appeared headed for a big defeat. Next month’s Supreme Court clash over contraceptives, religious liberty and President Barack Obama’s health care law also now seems more likely to favor the Obama administration. Q: What other pending cases could be affected? A: A challenge to the way governments have drawn electoral districts for 50 years now appears to have little chance of finding a court majority. The court heard arguments in December in a case from Texas on the meaning of the principle of “one person, one vote,” which the court has said requires that political districts be roughly equal in population.
by David Waxman Seattle Washington: Drug company execs are nervous. That’s because the greatest health advance in decades has hit the streets. And analysts expect it to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits. So what’s all the fuss about? It’s about a new “health enhancing cocktail” that’s changing the lives of millions who use it. Some doctors call it “the greatest discovery since penicillin”! And their patients call it “a miracle!” The name of the product is the AloeCure. And since it’s completely drug-free; the product is available to anyone who wants it, at a reasonable price. But it won’t stay like that forever. Not if Big Pharma has its way.
TOP DOC WARNS: DIGESTION DRUGS CAN CRIPPLE YOU! Company spokesperson, Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative health specialist out of Texas recommends an AloeCure health cocktail before she prescribes any digestion drug. Especially after the FDA’s stern warning about longterm use of drugs like Prilosec®, Nexium®, and Prevacid®. In a nutshell, the FDA statement warned people should avoid taking digestion drugs for longer than 14-days; you risk spine and hip damage. Most people take them for decades.” Dr. Leal should know. Many patients come to her with bone and joint complaints and she does everything she can to help them. One way for digestion sufferers to help avoid possible risk of tragic joint and bone problems caused by overuse of digestion drugs; is to take the AloeCure.
Analysts expect the AloeCure to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits. The secret to the AloeCure’s “health adjusting” formula is aloe vera. But not the same aloe vera that mom used to apply to your cuts, scrapes and bruises. This revolutionary strain of aloe is grown in special Asian soil; under very strict conditions. And despite its surprisingly pleasant taste, the AloeCure is so powerful it begins to benefit your health the instant you drink it. It soothes intestinal discomfort and avoids the possibility of bone and health damage caused by overuse of digestion drugs. Much like aloe works externally on cuts, bruises and abrasions. Studies show aloe has dozens of health applications…
HELPS CALM DOWN PAINFUL INFLAMMATION According to a leading aloe research scientist,
the amazing plant compounds in Aloe have a powerful antiinflammatory effect. Inflammation is your body’s first reaction to damage. So whether it’s damage that is physical, bacterial, chemical or auto-immune; the natural plant compounds in aloe helps soothe inflammation— rapidly reducing redness, heat and swelling.
RAPID ACID AND HEARTBURN FIX At first, Aloe proved to have an astonishing effect on users who suffer with digestion problems like occasional acid reflux, heartburn, cramping, gas and constipation. But new studies prove it does a whole lot more.
SLEEP LIKE A BABY A night without sleep really damages your body. And continued lost sleep can lead to all sorts of health problems. But what you may not realize is the reason why you’re not sleeping. Some call it “Ghost Reflux”. A low-intensity form of acid reflux discomfort that quietly keeps you awake in the background. A couple of teaspoons of the AloeCure will help you sleep more soundly and comfortably through the night.
CELEBRITY HAIR, SKIN & NAILS One of the Best-Kept Secrets in Hollywood. Pills like Nexium and Prevacid greatly reduce your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Aloe
DOCTOR’S EVERYWHERE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE ALOECURE: "My first experience recommending AloeCure was of a 46 year patient who developed a stomach ulcer due to stress. I suggested that he take AloeCure and the worst was over within 3 days. After using AloeCure intensely for that time I cut him back to just "use as needed". To my colleagues, if you’re not using AloeCure, you really need to. To all patients there is powerful help available, find a practitioner who knows of AloeCure. Dr. Rick Marschall, Port Angeles, WA*
SIDE-STEP HEART CONCERNS So you've been taking proton pump inhibitors for years and you feel just fine. A 2015 medical study showed long-term use of digestion meds may be a leading cause of heart damage. Getting off those meds and drinking the AloeCure daily, helps you support a healthy heart.
UNLEASH YOUR MEMORY Think about it. If you kept dumping fat and grease down your drain; how long do you think it would take to clog it up? The answer is, not very long at all. And that’s exactly what happens to your brain every time you eat processed, fried or fatty foods. Studies show that your brain needs the healthy bacteria from your gut in order function at its best. Both low and high
Doctors call it “The greatest health discovery in decades!” dosages of digestion drugs are proven to destroy that healthy bacteria and get in the way of brain function. So you’re left with a sluggish, slow-toreact brain without a lot of room to store information. AloeCure’s special formulation actually makes your gut healthier; so healthy bacteria flows freely to your brain so you think better, faster and with a larger capacity for memory.
neutralizes the pH levels in your blood so your body can absorb massive amounts of calcium. The result? Thicker, healthier looking hair… more youthful looking skin… And nails so strong they may never break again.
OPTIMIZE YOUR LIVER Your liver cleans out your blood and neutralizes its toxins. Without it, your body would be overrun with deadly toxins and a frail immune system. Aloe helps neutralize and remove toxic acids from your bloodstream. Studies suggest, if you started taking aloe today; you’d see a big difference in the way you feel, in no time at all.
RISK FREE SUPPLY The makers of AloeCure are excited to offer you a risk free supply. So you can get it into your hands, (before the drug companies force it off the market). Take advantage of this special opportunity to try the AloeCure in your own home for a full 60 days. Don’t worry, it’s completely risk-free. If you don’t see remarkable changes in your digestion, your body, and your overall health… Simply return it for a full refund less shipping and handling… No questions asked, ever! Just call 1-800-576-0301 to take advantage of this risk free offer before it’s too late. This offer is limited to readers of this newspaper.
THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY ALOECURE IS NOT A DRUG. IF YOU ARE CURRENLTY TAKING A PRESCRIPTION DRUG YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE USE. FOR THE FULL FDA PUBLISHED WARNING ON PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.FDA.GOV/DOWNLOADS/FORCONSUMERS/CONSUMERUPDATES/UCM213307 *compensated for opinion
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
OILFIELD Continued from Page 1A depleted by several serious and expensive surgeries and medical problems. The event was such a success that the group decided to create a nonprofit organization to continue their efforts. Since then the organization has established additional chapters in Oklahoma, Acadia-
na (South Louisiana), Rocky Mountain (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming), the Permian Basin (West Texas and eastern New Mexico) and, most recently, South Texas. The group raises money through corporate memberships, donations and fundraising events, in-
cluding sponsorships and entry fees. The money that is raised is given, based on need, to members of the oilfield family who, through no fault of their own, are in a financial crisis. For more information about OHH, visit www.OilfieldHelpingHands.org.
POPE Continued from Page 1A orders to shake up a Mexican church known for its cozy ties to the rich and powerful. Francis traveled to a hotbed of Mexico’s drug trade for a Mass with the country’s priests and nuns. It was the first event of a daylong visit to Morelia, the capital of Michoacan state, that includes a meeting with young people, a fixture of papal trips that often produces some of the most memorable and spontaneous moments. Francis’ visit was also a symbolic vote of confidence for the city’s archbishop, Alberto Suarez Inda. Like Francis, Suarez Inda has called for Mexican bishops to be closer to their people and not act like bureaucrats or princes. Last year Francis made him a cardinal — an unambiguous sign that Francis wants “peripheral” pastors like him at the helm of the church hierarchy. In his homily, Francis admonished the priests and nuns to not become resigned to the problems around them or give in to paralysis, which he called the devil’s “favorite weapon.” “What temptation can come to us from places often dominated by violence, corruption, drug trafficking, disregard for human dignity and indifference in the face of suffering and vulnerability? What temptation might we suffer over and over again when faced with this reality, which seems to have become a permanent system?” Francis asked. “I think we can sum it up in one word: resignation.” It was a clear reference to the situation in Michoacan, a major methamphetamine production hub, as well as the nation at large, where gangs and drug lords have thrived thanks in part to the complicity of police and other public authorities. That corruption came to light most recently in the case of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who escaped for a second time from a maximum security prison in July, and was recaptured after an October meeting with actor Sean Penn. Rather than give up in the face of such corruption, Francis urged the clerics to look to the model of Vasco de Quiroga, a 16th-century Spanish bishop who came to New Spain and founded Utopian-style indigenous communities where agriculture and handicrafts were taught.
A Franciscan, he was affectionately known as “Tata Vasco,” or “Father Vasco” in the Purepecha language. Francis said that when Vasco de Quiroga saw Indians being “sold, humiliated and homeless in marketplaces” due to colonial exploitation, he did not resign himself to inaction but rather was inspired to fight injustice. Since beginning his Mexico trip Friday night, Francis has repeatedly taken to task the Mexican church leadership, many of whom are closely linked to Mexico’s political and financial elite and are loath to speak out on behalf of the poor and victims of social injustice. “Sometimes the violence has made us give up, either out of discouragement, habit or fear,” said Fausto Mendez, a 23year-old seminarian who attended Tuesday’s Mass. “That’s why the pope comes to tell us not to be afraid to do the right thing.” On Saturday in Mexico City, Francis scolded what he called gossiping, career-minded and aloof clerics, and admonished them to stand by their flock and offer “prophetic courage” in facing down the drug trade. In an inscription in a seminary guestbook, he urged future priests to be pastors of God and not “clerics of the state.” “Although on Saturday he spoke strongly to the bishops, it was also directed at us,” said Uriel Perez, 20-year-old seminarian at Tuesday’s Mass. “Because the pope is demanding and he wants us to be prepared and on the streets shoulder to shoulder with our flock.” Priests have also been victims of the violence. Since 1988, 38 priests have been killed and two more are missing, according to the Catholic Multimedia Center, which tracks violence again religious people in Mexico. The vast majority — 28 — were killed since 2006. Suarez Inda clearly backs Francis’ program, echoing the pope’s admonition that “pastors should not be bureaucrats and we bishops should not have the mentality or attitude of princes.” In 2013, at what was perhaps the height of the violence in Michoacan, Suarez Inda led eight other bishops in signing an unusually outspoken letter accusing government authorities of “complicity, forced or willing,” with criminal gangs. It urged priests to “do whatever is
in your power” to help people in an atmosphere of kidnappings, killings and extortion and to “carry out concrete actions in favor of peace and reconciliation.” He has called for Mexico’s church leaders to put aside their comfortable lives and become pastors with the “smell of their sheep” — a reference to Francis’ often-repeated call for bishops to accompany their flock closely through life’s ups and downs. The pope “shakes up the conscience of priests in order that we not be mediocre installed priests who simply seek social promotion, but rather that we truly live our calling to serve the people with great generosity,” Suarez Inda told the Mexican newspaper El Universal last month. Suarez Inda was also part of a group of clergy from Michoacan and neighboring Guerrero state who prepared a report on Mexico’s drug violence last year that he said left Francis “very shocked and impressed.” Much of Michoacan is part of a region called Tierra Caliente, or the Hot Lands, known for both its blistering temperatures and brutal tactics by gangsters eager to control lucrative drug-production territory and smuggling routes. By 2013, the pseudo-religious Knights Templar cartel was widely kidnapping and extorting money and dominating the state’s economic and political scene, so much so that local farmers took up arms against them. But the uprising by the vigilantestyle “self-defense” forces brought little peace to the state, with the groups fighting among themselves even as new criminal gangs sprang up or tried to muscle their way into Michoacan. “I’m excited about the pope’s visit, but the reality is that people are afraid. Right now there is a festive atmosphere and a lot of police, but in the day-to-day it’s not that calm. Crime has risen,” said Yulisa Duran, an 18year-old nursing student sitting with her boyfriend in Morelia’s main square. “I lived in a tiny town that was very gentle, and then the (cartel) came in,” Duran added. Francis wraps up his five-day visit on Wednesday by traveling to Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, for a cross-border Mass expected to focus heavily on the plight of migrants.
DEATH Continued from Page 1A Scalia’s doctor on the day he was found dead in his room at a remote Texas ranch. She said the doctor told her that Scalia had a history of heart trouble, high blood pressure and was considered too weak to undergo surgery for a recent shoulder injury. Those details are seemingly at odds with recollections of friends who described Scalia as his usual, happy self during the days leading up to his death. News that the 79year-old justice was in declining health may come as a surprise to the public, but unlike presidents, the high court’s members don’t provide regular health disclosures. Guevara told the AP that she consulted with Scalia’s personal physician and local and federal investigators, who said there were no signs of foul play, before concluding that he had died of natural causes. She said she spoke with a “Dr. Monahan” at some point after 8 p.m. on Saturday to discuss Scalia’s health history. Rear Adm. Brian P. Monahan is the attending physician for members of Congress and the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court spokeswoman could not immediately confirm that Monahan had examined Scalia, and Monahan did not return a phone message left for him at his Capitol office Monday. Scalia’s death was a shock to those at the Cibolo Creek Ranch where he died, as well as to the rest of the nation. The owner of the ranch near Marfa, about 190 miles southeast of El Paso, said Scalia seemed normal at dinner the night before he was found “in complete repose” in his room. John Poindexter told reporters Scalia had arrived Friday and was
part of a group of about 35 weekend guests. Scalia retired around 9 p.m., saying he wanted a long night’s sleep, according to Poindexter. Chris Lujan, a manager for Sunset Funeral Homes in El Paso, Texas, said Scalia’s body was taken from the facility late Sunday afternoon and was to be flown to Virginia An El Paso International Airport official, Terry Sharpe, the airport’s assistant director for operations, said a private plane carrying Scalia’s body left the West Texas airport about 8 p.m. Eastern time Sunday. Guevara said Monahan told her Scalia had gone to the doctor’s office on both Wednesday and Thursday before traveling to Texas, and had an MRI on his shoulder. She said Monahan told her surgery was needed, but that Scalia wasn’t strong enough to endure surgery so rehabilitation was recommended instead. Scalia apparently had mentioned to some people at the ranch he was not feeling well, according to Guevara. She said that information came from her conversations with Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez and a U.S. marshal she identified as Ken Roberts, both of whom had seen Scalia’s body and determined there was no foul play. State law allows an inquest to be performed by phone. Guevara said she followed the procedure because both justices of the peace serving the region were out of town and she was also about 65 miles away from the resort. Guevara certified Scalia’s death by telephone about 1:52 p.m. Saturday. She had previously conducted two other death
inquests by phone. Bryan Garner, one of Scalia’s close friends and the co-author of two books with the justice, said in an interview that Scalia seemed happy and jovial during recent trips to Hong Kong and Singapore in late January and early February. Garner said Scalia never mentioned anything about heart problems or other ailments during the trip. “He did seem strong as ever,” Garner said. “He was a very strong man physically.” During the trip, Scalia and Garner spent long days traveling, speaking to university audiences about their most recent book on interpreting the law, and meeting with public officials. Garner said his most recent conversation with Scalia was on Wednesday morning, when the justice told him, “‘The world of tennis has lost a great competitor.”’ Scalia, long an avid tennis player, said he had torn his rotator cuff for a second time and that his playing days likely were over, Garner said. But Garner said Scalia never mentioned any other ailments other than that he was dealing with a “head cold.” In the nation’s capital, where flags flew at halfstaff at the White House and Supreme Court, the political sniping soared over replacing Scalia on the bench, raising the prospect of a court shorthanded for some time. President Barack Obama has pledged a nomination “in due time.” But the Senate’s top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, thinks it should wait for the next president. McConnell and other Republicans argued that, as a lame duck, Obama should not fill the vacancy created by Scalia’s death during an election year.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
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Sports&Outdoors MLB: TEXAS RANGERS
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HOUSTON ASTROS
Building on success
File photo by Fred Thornhill | AP
Texas starter Cole Hamels will have a full year of work for the Rangers after being acquired mid-season in 2015.
Rangers back after surprising 2015 season Texas returns for upcoming spring training By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
There will be a moment early in spring training when the Texas Rangers gather as a group and put last season in the past. All of 2015 — the slow start in April that could have derailed the entire season, the surprising AL West title and the mind-boggling, gutpunching end in the playoffs. “We will shut the door on last year at some point when it’s appropriate,” manager Jeff Banister said. “I think the ability for all of our guys to shut the door on last year collectively is important so that we refresh just where we came from and what we went through, but also acknowledge this is a new year.” A year when expectations certainly will be much different, at least externally. Left-hander Cole Hamels will start this season in Texas after being a midseason addition last year and Yu Darvish is on track to return by late May or early June from Tommy John surgery that kept him out all last season. Plus, the bullpen has been strengthened even more and the everyday lineup is pretty much intact. Banister, the AL Manager of the Year in his Rangers debut, said the team didn’t meet its goal “of winning the last game we get to play at the end of year.” Texas got to Game 5 of the AL Division Series. They lost after that wild
seventh inning in Toronto, with three consecutive errors before Jose Bautista’s tiebreaking three-run homer punctuated by his big bat flip. Prince Fielder said Banister sets the tone, and did so last year before even managing his first game when Texas was coming off a 95-loss season. “How he kept the mood in the clubhouse and how he started it off in spring training, it’s hard to create that during the season,” Fielder said. “It’s a credit to how good a manager he is of getting us going in that mindset in spring training.”
File photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
Astros’ Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa, center, and Houston went to the postseason in 2015 losing to eventual champion Kansas City.
Astros look to make another leap in 2016 By KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — The mindset of the Houston Astros headed to spring training is pretty simple: Last season was great, but it’s over. “I’ll be pretty direct with our guys to make sure that we don’t look back too far into last season because it doesn’t count for this season’s record,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s a nice base for us to build from, but it doesn’t get us one win this year.” The Astros put behind years of losing in 2015 with a surprising playoff
run and now that they’ve made it back to the postseason, they won’t be content unless they climb higher this season. “It is rewarding knowing that all the work we did over the past four years since (owner) Jim (Crane) bought the team has led to this point,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “But it also makes us nervous at how do we make sure we keep going forward. Because the closer you get to the top, the harder it is to stay there and move forward. And our goal is not to stay there. Our goal is to get back to the
playoffs and go further this year and win a championship.” Houston went 86-76 last season to reach the postseason for the first time since 2005 with a wild-card spot, and reached the American League Division Series by eliminating the Yankees with a 3-0 win in the wild-card game. The Astros came within six outs of advancing to the ALCS before they were
eliminated by Kansas City. “Our players will remember both the celebrations but also the angst that comes with being eliminated in the playoffs, so motivation won’t be an issue,” he said. The Astros return most of their key pieces from last year’s team, led by 2015 Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa.
MIÉRCOLES 17 DE FEBRERO DE 2016
Agenda en Breve SESIONES DE OPINIÓN Padres e integrantes de la comunidad tendrán la oportunidad de aportar al plan de desarrollo para hacer frente a las necesidades de Fidel and Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary. Los interesados en hacer sus aportaciones y comentarios podrán acudir a las juntad programadas para el viernes 22 de febrero. La sesión en español se realizará a las 10 a.m. mientras que la sesión en inglés será a la 1 p.m., en la escuela.
REYNOSA, MÉXICO Dos presuntos sujetos armados murieron tras un enfrentamiento con personal de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, en el municipio de Reynosa el sábado 13 de febrero, dijeron autoridades tamaulipecas. De acuerdo con el reporte, el incidente se registró a las 5:30 a.m., en calle Flor de Calabaza, de la colonia San Valentín, al término de una brecha. El convoy de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional circulaba por ésta vía cuando le salió al paso una camioneta Chevrolet Tahoe, modelo 2004, con placas de Texas. Sujetos armados comenzaron a disparar contra los soldados. Los militares repelieron el ataque y abatieron a dos presuntos delincuentes. Uno de los cuerpos fue identificado como Juan José Rojas Sánchez, de 40 años de edad. El cadáver quedó en el interior del vehículo, en el asiento del copiloto. El segundo individuo no fue identificado. Autoridades estiman tenía entre 30 y 35 años de edad. Al lado de los cuerpos había tres armas largas que fueron decomisadas. Igualmente se decomisó el vehículo, varios cargadores y otros objetos.
Zfrontera OILFIELD HELPING HANDS
Nuevo capítulo ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Oilfield Helping Hands, una organización sin fines de lucro que ha dado más de 3.3 millones de dólares para familias que se encuentran en situación vulnerable y están relacionadas con los campos petroleros, ha establecido un nuevo capítulo en el sur de Texas. Éste se encuentra en San Antonio. Este es el sexto capítulo de la organización y cubre Eagle Ford y otras áreas de campos petroleros del sur de Texas, incluyendo las del condado de Condado de Zapata y Webb. Las autoridades del nuevo capítulo son Stephanie Blankenship, Halliburton, presidenta; Lynette Deihl, de EFS Logistics, como vicepresidenta; como Secretario/Tesorero, Derek Easterling, de MSC Indus-
Este es el sexto capítulo de la organización y cubre Eagle Ford y otras áreas de campos petroleros del sur de Texas. trial Supply; y Taylor Wynn, de Russell & Stott, como enlace de capítulo. “Junto a los líderes del nuevo capítulo del sur de Texas, es con orgullo que mi equipo y yo no unimos a esta organización increíble”, dijo Blankenship. “Durante esta crisis económica nos sentimos privilegiados ante la perspectiva de ser capaz de retribuir a una comunidad que apoya a la mayoría de nuestro sustento y familias”. El capítulo está empezando a organizar sus reuniones mensuales
este 2016 y eventos de recaudación de fondos. Para obtener información sobre cómo unirse o apoyar el capítulo del sur de Texas, puede ponerse en contacto con Blankenship en SouthTexasOHH@Outlook.com. La organización sin fines de lucro fue organizada en 2003 en Houston, con un pequeño torneo deportivo para beneficiar a un empleado de la compañía de servicios petroleros cuyos ahorros se habían agotado tras varias cirugías graves y costosas y problemas médicos. El evento tuvo tanto éxito que el
ZCISD
FESTEJAN DÍA DE LA AMISTAD Foto de cortesía
Zaragoza ‘Zar’ Rodríguez IV y Tammy Arambula-Rodríguez fueron designados Marshals para el desfile de la feria 2016.
Anuncian ‘Marshals’ para desfile
La Feria del Condado de Zapata elegirá a sus representantes de belleza a inicios del 2016. El Concurso para Reinas de la Feria del Condado de Zapata se celebrará el 28 de febrero a las 2 p.m. en el Auditorio de Zapata High School.
DÍA PARA AGRADECER
SOCIEDAD GENEALÓGICA La Sociedad Genealógica Nuevo Santander se reunirá el sábado 5 de marzo, a las 2 p.m. en Zapata County Museum of History.
DESFILE La Feria del Condado de Zapata invita a los residentes, organismos y grupos de la comunidad a inscribirse en el Desfile de la Feria de Zapata. La fecha límite para entregar su solicitud de entrada es el miércoles 9 de marzo. El desfile tendrá lugar a las 9 a.m. del sábado 12 de marzo. La alineación del desfile será de 7 a.m. a 8:30 a.m., en U.S. Hwy 83 y 3rd Ave.
grupo decidió crear una organización sin fines de lucro para continuar sus esfuerzos. Desde entonces, la organización ha establecido capítulos adicionales en Oklahoma, Acadiana (en el sur de Louisiana), Rocky Mountain (Colorado, Utah y Wyoming), Permian Basin (al oeste de Texas y al este de Nuevo México) y, más recientemente, en el sur de Texas. El grupo recauda dinero a través de membresías corporativas, donaciones y eventos de recaudación de fondos, incluyendo patrocinios y derechos de inscripción. El dinero que se recauda es repartido en base a la situación, a familias en el área petrolera que por diferentes motivos se encuentran en una crisis financiera. Para obtener más información acerca de OHH, visite www.OilfieldHelpingHands.org.
FERIA DEL CONDADO
FERIA DEL CONDADO DE ZAPATA
Winter Texan and Citizen Appreciation Day se realizará el jueves 25 de febrero en el Zapata Community Center, 605 N. U.S. Hwy 83, de las 12 p.m. a las 5 p.m. La música en vivo estará a cargo de Terry Porter Rowe & Jeanette Silva. Asistentes podrán participar en la “Mesa Mejor Decorada”, donde habrá premios para el primer, segundo y tercer lugar. Durante el evento habrá revisiones de salud, comidas, refrigerios, rifas de regalos, módulos de información, entretenimiento y una serie de actividades.
PÁGINA 9A
ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía | ZCISD
Estudiantes de Zapata South Elementary School celebraron el Día de San Valentín con un desfile por los pasillos de la escuela. Los alumnos mostraron manualidades elaboradas con el tema del amor y la amistad, el viernes.
TAMAULIPAS
Aseguran un total de 62 tomas clandestinas ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Autoridades tamaulipecas anunciaron que se han ubicado y asegurado 62 tomas clandestinas sobre ductos de hidrocarburos, en cinco ciudades distintas, durante la reunión ordinaria del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas. De acuerdo con reportes presentados por el GCT, durante el mes de enero se descubrieron 19 tomas clandestinas, mientras que durante los primeros 11 días de febrero, se tan asegurado 43. Las tomas fueron detectadas sobre ductos de Petróleos Mexicanos en municipios como Altamira, Río Bravo, Reynosa, Matamoros y Victoria, México. Igualmente, durante febrero, la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) reportó 897.705 litros de hidrocarburos, 13 tracto camiones, 34 vehículos, 33 auto
tanques, 149 bidones y 16 personas puestas a su disposición. Del 5 al 11 de febrero, la PGR reportó 44.835 litros de combustible decomisados. Otras corporaciones del Grupo de Coordinación Tamaulipas, aseguraron 18.780 litros de hidrocarburos y 3.000 de diesel, indica un comunicado de prensa. Igualmente, se reportó el decomiso de 29 armas largas y 8 cortas a la PGR. Otras corporaciones aseguraron 15 armas largas, 324 cargadores, 9.648 cartuchos, nueve uniformes, 10 fornituras y 74 placas metálicas para chalecos antibalas. Durante la reunió, Egidio Torre Cantú, Gobernador de Tamaulipas, presentó a Contralmirante Carlos Vicente Díaz González como nuevo comandante del Sector La Pesca, dependiente de la Secretaría de Marina Armada de México.
La pareja conformada por Zaragoza “Zar” Rodríguez IV y Tammy Arambula-Rodríguez fueron designados Marshals para el Desfile de la Feria del Condado de Zapata 2016. Ambos han compartido varias cosas, haber nacido en Zapata, ser egresados de Zapata High School, haber egresado de Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi, han estado involucrados en la Feria del Condado de Zapata desde que estudiaban el tercer grado y, por supuesto, han participado en programas ganaderos. Zar Rodriguez crió corderos, cerdos y cabestros hasta que egreso de preparatoria. Fue integrante del Club North 4H, así como presidente y vicepresidente durante sus años en el 4H. En preparatoria empezó a participar en el FFA. Tammy Rodriguez crió conejos y corderos hasta egresar de preparatoria. Fue integrante del Club Lucky Clover 4H donde fungió como secretaria durante varios años. Cuando estudiaba la preparatoria ingreso al FFA. Ambos han participado en actividades como Toys for Tots, campañas para recaudar comida, proyectos para embellecimiento de la comunidad, los desfiles de la feria, entre otras actividades. Después de egresar de TAMU-CC, Tammy Rodríguez empezó su carrera como maestra en Villarreal Elementary School, en tanto que Zar Rodríguez se convirtió en el Zapata County Extension Agent. En la Feria del Condado de Zapata, han participado en el Comité de Ganadería por alrededor de una década en diversas responsabilidades. Los Rodríguez han sostenido que agradecen la oportunidad de ser voluntarios en la feria y poder ayudar a los participantes en las exhibiciones y a los padres de familia en cualquier manera posible. Zar y Tammy Rodríguez tienen tres hijos, Daniel, Nadina y Roxana. Daniel, estudiante de quinto grado, actualmente se encuentra criando un cabestro y un cordero; Nadina, estudiante del tercer grado, actualmente cría un cordero y un cerdo; y, Roxana, estudiante del Pre-K, es una Clover Kid. La Feria del Condado de Zapata fue establecida en 1978. Conocida como “The Biggest Little Town Fair in Texas” se realizará del 10 al 12 de marzo. El desfile se realizara el sábado 12 de marzo, a partir de las 9:30 a.m. y con salida de 3rd Avenue.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
SHERIFFS Continued from Page 1A formation Act requests made by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Texas is central to the federal agency’s deportation efforts. Nationwide, only eight jails received more than 1,000 detainer requests in the last year, according to clearinghouse data. Four were in Texas — Harris, Travis, Dallas and Hidalgo counties. A report last year on the federal agency’s enforcement operations shows it plucked 139,368 people from the nation’s jails and prisons during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015. That accounted for about 59 percent of the total number of people ICE removed from the country that year for a variety of reasons. Many came from Texas, screened out of state prisons or found among the approximately 71,000 people who are booked into local Texas jails each month, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. On average, 3,724 undocumented immigrants were detained in Texas jails each month in 2015, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of immigration detainer reports from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Between December 2012 and October 2015, undocumented immigrants who sat in Texas county jails cost taxpayers a total of $210.6 million, according to reports filed with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards that were released to The Texas Tribune. In 2015, the federal government provided about $12 million to Texas to care for incarcerated undocumented immigrants. Most of that - more than $8 million - went to the Texas prison system, not jails. Yet for all the statistics, no federal, state or local agency can claim it has a handle on the number of "criminal aliens" — the government’s term for foreigners who commit crimes in the U.S. — who are currently in the country, how many crimes they are responsible for and what share the system catches.
Local options In Harris, the state’s most populous county, 135,000 inmates each year come through the jailhouse doors. It and the city of Carrollton are the only two Texas jurisdictions that contract with the federal government to have immigration agents stationed at its jail helping pinpoint criminal immigrants. Nine federal officers and nine Harris County deputies schooled in federal procedures comb booking documents and interview inmates suspected of being in the country illegally. By contrast, in Brewster County, the state’s geographically largest — as in, bigger than some states — things work a bit differently. About 9,200 people live in the West Texas county, and its jail in Alpine has no official policy for handling undocumented immigrants. How does it strive to alert federal authorities when a criminal immigrant is arrested? “We’ve got a sign on the wall,” jail administrator Lora Nussbaum told the Tribune, referring to a torn ICE flier taped on a jail wall that lists the agency’s phone number. County jails may be the front line of efforts to keep undocumented immigrants who commit serious crimes from slipping through the cracks, but the state of Texas has no uniform method of going about that task, or measuring the scope of the problem. To gain a better picture of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants and how counties handle them, the Tribune asked for booking data and immigration procedure policies from 26 Texas counties, including the state’s 10 most populous. Almost none would provide it. Some, like Montgomery and Presidio counties, insisted that providing booking information, including an inmate’s date of birth, violated the inmate’s right to privacy. Harris County claimed that releasing a list of noncitizens was essentially creating new information — something the Texas Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to do. Some counties argued that that federal law specifically prohibits releasing information about immigrants. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office upheld most of the counties’ arguments, saying state open records laws don’t compel release of the information. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office went a step further and insisted that booking records are court records and, as such, are not subject to the state’s open records law. The attorney general’s office agreed, blocking their release. Five counties responded to the Tribune’s request for booking data: Brewster, Nueces, Fort Bend, Travis and Tarrant. Of those, only Travis responded with enough detailed information to analyze.
Photo by Martin do Nascimento | Texas Tribune
A group of undocumented Mexican nationals who were convicted of crimes in the U.S. enter Mexico at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing at Brownsville/Matamoros after being deported from the United States on Nov 4, 2015. The numbers show that Travis County booked about 20,000 inmates with federal immigration detainers between 2008 and 2015, facing charges that were roughly evenly divided between felonies and misdemeanors. More than 7,000 of those inmates faced drunk driving charges, the most common charge by far. That was followed by family violence-related assault charges, which about 1,900 inmates faced. An estimated 2,400 of the total inmates were repeat offenders. Maj. Wes Priddy, chief administrator for Travis County jails, said local law enforcement’s primary concern was public safety, not investigating immigration status. But he said that part of keeping dangerous people off the streets involved close cooperation with federal authorities. “We don’t want to be in a position where somebody loses their life because of something we didn’t do that was legal for us to do,” Priddy said. After arresting someone, the Department of Public Safety, county sheriffs, and even the Texas Department of Criminal Justice — the nation’s largest prison system — all have to rely on the federal government to inform them who is in the United States illegally. “What our obligation is, is to provide ICE with the population information,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson. “They go through it. They determine who they’re going to put a hold on and who they’re not, and our people don’t really have a way to further investigate are they truly here legally or not.” That typically happens during the booking process, when a suspect’s fingerprints are sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a procedure used for every new inmate. If the fingerprints match a profile in the federal database of non-U.S. citizens with previous criminal histories, ICE can decide to ask for a detainer. Texas jail officers do ask arrestees to name their country of birth as a part of the booking process, but an arrested immigrant’s answer is written down without being verified. The same holds true for inmates in Texas prison. As of Nov. 30, 2015, three-fourths of the 9,135 inmates in the Texas prison system with ICE detainers were in the United States illegally. The remainder include those serving time for crimes who had legal immigration status. “Ultimately, ICE will make the determination whether that person is in country illegally,” said Texas prisons spokesman Jason Clark. In 2010, the agency began asking for ICE help verifying those among the system’s 148,000 inmates who were illegally in the country. But the federal tracking system of verifying what law enforcement refers to as “criminal aliens” is less than precise. It relies on someone’s fingerprints being in the system because they have been arrested before. If an undocumented immigrant has never encountered law enforcement, the federal tracking system might not notice their first arrest.
Jumbled numbers There is no definitive data showing that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at a higher rate than the citizen population, and a few indications that in Texas they do not. The Pew Research Center estimates undocumented immigrants comprise about seven percent of the Texas population. On average, 3,724 undocumented immigrants were detained in Texas jails each month in 2015, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of immigration detainer reports from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Of the 148,000 inmates held in 100 Texas prison units, about 9,135
inmates have federal detainers asking that they be handed to federal officials when their sentences are complete. Not all were in the country illegally when arrested. Those that were illegal account for about 4.6 percent of the prison population. Nationwide, almost 60 percent of immigrants who are deported had some previous criminal charges, according to 2015 numbers from ICE. The Pew Center, relying on 2012 U.S. Census numbers, estimated that Texas has 1.7 million undocumented immigrants, ranking second in the nation. What portion of that 1.7 million is responsible for crimes is a tougher calculus. Estimates from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which gets the information from jails, are considered inaccurate because there’s no uniform requirement to verify citizenship during the jail booking process. In 2014, then-Gov. Rick Perry was criticized for relying on DPS’ first attempts to calculate the impact of crimes committed by immigrants. That year, Perry repeated the department’s claim that “criminal aliens” had committed more than 642,000 crimes in Texas since 2008. It was later revealed that “criminal aliens” referred to all foreign-born immigrants in Texas, not just those in the state illegally, and the "crimes" counted included charges, not convictions, some dating back decades. One year later, DPS tried to clarify the numbers, but even director Steve McCraw, appearing before the Texas House Committee on State Affairs in December, tried to lower expectations about the “criminal alien statistic” his agency featured on its website. “It’s an undercount,” McCraw testified on Dec 10. “We acknowledge it woefully undercounts the amount, but it does accurately count the ones who are in fact here and the ones who have committed crimes.” The DPS statistics continue to confuse both the public and lawmakers. ICE officials consider a foreign national — here legally or otherwise — a "criminal alien" if they’ve been convicted of a crime. DPS broadens the definition to include foreign nationals who have only been arrested. “Criminal alien is a foreign national with a criminal record," explained DPS Assistant Director Skylor Hearn, who oversees the agency’s law enforcement support division, which includes the state’s crime records. “There was probable cause to arrest them for something, and it would apply to the rest of us as well, generally speaking. If you’ve been arrested, you have a criminal record; you are not a criminal, but you have a criminal record.” By DPS’s count, 177,060 foreignborn individuals were charged with crimes from 2011 through Jan. 31. That’s a much larger number than those foreign nationals actually convicted during the same time frame in Texas: 84,182 non-U.S. citizens. Of those, 58,128 were determined to be in the United States unlawfully. State Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, says the DPS numbers on "criminal aliens" are artificially pumped up by counting the number of criminal charges filed against undocumented immigrants instead of actual convictions. Charges are routinely dismissed for lack of evidence or other reasons, he noted. But by hyping the number of charges, the agency bolsters the argument for more border security money. Last year, the Texas Legislature approved an additional $800 million for border security. "When crime rates were higher in this state, did the legislature move this much money?" Blanco asked. Adding to the mathematical murkiness, immigration status can be fluid. A foreign-born Texas
jail inmate could be legally in the country at the time of one arrest but have an expired visa by the next arrest and be undocumented the second time around, further bedeviling Texas’ attempts at measuring unauthorized immigrants’ impact on the state’s criminal justice system. Attempts by DPS to connect criminal aliens to their crimes also fall short. The agency’s data, obtained by the Tribune, shows that 177,060 non-U.S. citizens arrested from 2011 through Jan. 31 were charged with 252,083 offenses during that time. This is less than what DPS reports on its own website because the agency counts crimes committed over a U.S. citizen’s lifetime, outside the five-year span. DPS officials insist that its criminal alien counts, based on federal immigration data, are not an attempt to construe that foreignborn criminals are a greater threat than U.S. citizens. “The department has not made that statement and does not have information to support that statement,” DPS spokeswoman Summer Blackwell said in a statement. “The Department of Public Safety believes any individual who has committed a violent crime or is party to criminal activities — no matter their citizenship status or country of origin — is considered a potential threat to public safety and the security of Texas.”
Just say no Even when federal immigration authorities decide they want to take immigrants from the state criminal justice system into custody, there can be obstacles. Federal records obtained by the Tribune show that in more than 18,000 cases over the past two years, local jails across the country failed to hand over deportable immigrants to federal authorities. Jurisdictions in many states, including Pennsylvania, California and Colorado, have become reluctant to honor the detainers after facing a series of lawsuits from inmates challenging the constitutional legitimacy of the extended detention. Further information about the outcomes in cases where local officials declined to detain someone — whether those inmates, many with previous criminal histories, had been released to the public — proved difficult to come by, even in Texas, where there were only 146 such cases. Of the 11 state jails contacted by the Tribune, only one could provide definitive answers about what had happened with declined detainers in its jurisdiction. In Collin County north of Dallas, where agency records show two declined detainers, one for an inmate with a criminal history, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office said it “would literally be too manpower-intensive and potentially impossible to locate the reasons they were released.” The Texas county with the most declined detainers — Travis, which had 72 instances, including 33 on inmates with a prior criminal history — referred all questions about the records to the federal government. “I do not know how ICE came up with those numbers and we do not keep stats for ICE,” Travis County Sheriff’s office spokesman Roger Wade said in an email. “You will have to ask ICE how they arrived at those numbers and what their definition is of declining detainers.” The federal agency itself could not verify further details about the cases. An ICE official, who lacked authorization to comment and thus spoke on condition of anonymity, said a small number of the cases could be a result of administrative errors at the federal or local level. But beyond that, the official said it would be “resource-prohib-
itive” to determine what exactly happened in the individual circumstances. Step away from the direct cost to jails to house undocumented immigrants — and the troubling lack of standardized record keeping — and there’s the added pressure of keeping up with the federal government’s ever-shifting parameters of who in local jails is eligible for deportation. On Nov. 20, 2014, ICE’s parent, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, discontinued a policy known as Secure Communities in favor of a new plan called the Priority Enforcement Program. Secure Communities — which targeted anyone in the United States illegally — had faced fierce pushback from local officials across the country who feared legal liability under the program. With the new program, the federal agency decided to focus its deportation efforts on undocumented immigrants who committed the most serious crimes. In congressional testimony and internal documents detailing the new policy’s implementation, ICE officials have stressed the importance of local cooperation. A 2015 memo from the federal immigration agency describes “expansive efforts to encourage state and local law enforcement partners” to collaborate with the agency. The program was developed to “bring back on board those state and local jurisdictions that had concerns with, or legal obstacles to, assisting us,” said ICE Director Sarah Saldaña in July testimony before a congressional committee. But the federal agency has opposed requiring local authorities to honor immigration detainers. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told members of the House Judiciary Committee in July that it would a “huge setback” to mandate compliance with immigration policy. “I do not believe that mandating through federal legislation the conduct of sheriffs and police chiefs is the way to go,” he said. “I think it will be hugely controversial. I think it will have problems with the Constitution. I want to see us work cooperatively with state and local law enforcement, and I believe they are poised to do that.” The voluntary guidelines from federal authorities can leave local officials in a politically precarious position — often, no matter what decision they make will land them in hot water. Jurisdictions in Democratically controlled urban areas face intense pressure from activists critical of federal immigration policy to cease any cooperation with ICE. “Our ideal situation would be for there to be no ICE collaboration whatsoever,” said Carolina Canizales, the San Antonio-based deportation defense director of United We Dream, a national immigrant rights organization, which regularly stages protests at jails in the state, in an October interview. “I think they shouldn’t condemn thousands of undocumented immigrants for one crime that has been committed.” At the same time, state lawmakers are on the watch for any sign that county sheriffs are failing to hold unauthorized immigrants singled out by ICE for deportation until federal ICE officers can pick them up and return them to their home country. Take the case of Dallas County Sheriff Valdez, who throughout her time in office has most often found herself in the crosshairs of immigrant rights activists. She currently faces a lawsuit alleging her jail has held immigrants for unconstitutionally long periods of time even after they received bond. But recently, she has become better known for the harsh public denunciation she received from Gov. Greg Abbott, who wrote her a letter saying that what he viewed as lacking enforcement of federal immigration policy posed a “serious danger to Texans.” Abbott’s letter came after Valdez told reporters in October she would review federal detainers placed on inmates in her jail on a case-by-case basis and would not hold immigrants arrested for minor crimes for up to 48 hours for ICE officers. Her comments seemed to mirror ICE’s changed focus on the most serious immigrant criminals — but before she had a chance to clarify, Abbott blasted her stance and threatened to cut off grants to any sheriff’s office choosing to not abide by federal immigration detainers. Valdez said late last year that her statement was taken out of context. “What I said was, when there’s a disagreement (over whether a jail inmate was undocumented or not) we look at it case-by-case,” Valdez told the Tribune in December. “But in this whole time we haven’t had a disagreement ... The feds and I are great. ICE and I are fine.”
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
US homebuilder sentiment slips in February By ALEX VEIGA ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. homebuilders are feeling less confident about their sales prospects ahead of the spring home-selling season, though they remain positive overall that the housing market will continue to improve this year. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Tuesday slipped to 58 this month, down three points from a revised reading of 61 in January. The index had been hovering in the low 60s since June. Readings above 50 indicate more builders view sales conditions as good, rather than poor.
Builders’ view of current sales conditions and a measure of traffic by prospective buyers declined. But their outlook for sales over the next six months edged higher. The latest readings come as the annual spring buying season ramps up. Typically, the season sets the pattern for residential hiring and construction for much of the rest of the year. Several factors have builders feeling less optimistic this month, including heightened concerns of late about a slowdown in the global economy and its potential impact on the U.S., and rising costs for labor and ready-to-build land parcels. Even so, the builders’ trade association continues to fore-
cast modest growth for housing this year. “Historically low mortgage rates, steady job gains, improved household formations and significant pent-up demand all point to a gradual upward trend for housing in the year ahead,” said David Crowe, the NAHB’s chief economist. Sales of new homes surged 14.5 percent last year to 501,000, marking the strongest year for this segment of the housing market since 2007. Steady job growth that cut the unemployment rate to an eight-year low of 4.9 percent has given many homebuyers increased confidence, while relatively low mortgage rates improved affordability. Builders
have responded to the demand by increasing construction. Over the course of 2015, ground breakings rose 10.8 percent to 1.1 million. And yet, construction has yet to rebound fully from the housing bust nearly a decade ago, while sales of new homes continue to run below the 52-year historic average of 655,200. January’s new home sales figures are due out next week. Whether that progress continues this year will depend largely on the U.S. economy continuing to improve. That’s come increasingly into doubt in recent weeks as faltering growth in countries like China, the world’s second-largest economy, and financial mar-
ket turmoil have heightened concerns that the U.S. economy could be in for a stumble. This month’s builder index was based on 344 respondents. Builders’ view of current sales conditions for single-family homes fell three points to 65, while their gauge of traffic by prospective buyers fell five points to 39, the lowest level since May last year. Builders’ outlook for sales over the next six months rose one point to 65. Though new homes represent only a fraction of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to NAHB data.
Global economy shaky, cavalry may not come By DAVID MCHUGH AND PAUL WISEMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Eight years after the financial crisis, the world is coming to grips with an unpleasant realization: serious weaknesses still plague the global economy, and emergency help may not be on the way. Sinking stock prices, flat inflation, and the bizarre phenomenon of negative interest rates have coupled with a downturn in emerging markets to raise worries that the economy is being stalked by threats that central banks — the saviors during the crisis — may struggle to cope with. Meanwhile, commercial banks Photo by Vincent Yu | AP are again a source of concern, especially in Europe. Banks were A man walks past a bank electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index at Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Feb. 11. the epicenter of the 2007-9 crisis, which started over excessive loans low or negative rates are way out 1988, according to the Institute of is also now showing signs of weakness. Maybe not a recession, yet. to homeowners with shaky credit the ordinary. For one thing, they International Finance. And emerging markets aren’t But growth was a weak 0.7 anin the United States and then suggest investors don’t expect so emerging any more: they pro- nually during the fourth quarter. swept the globe into recession. much economic growth. “You have pretty sluggish Here are some of the risks that vide 70 percent of expected global Factory output has declined. Though unemployment has growth. growth globally. You don’t really markets have been waking up to. Central banks led by the U.S. dropped, wages have not recohave any inflation. And you have Fed responded to the global reces- vered quickly and companies apa lot of uncertainty,” says David sion by slashing interest rates and pear to be unsettled by the global Lebovitz, who advises on market printing money. That encouraged jitters. strategies for JP Morgan Funds. A sharp slowdown in China investors in search of higher reA rising dollar — a side effect Some of the recent tumult may be an overreaction by investors. threatens to remove a pillar of turns to place their money in of expected Fed interest rate increases — could hurt exporters. And the rock-bottom interest rates global growth. Slackening demand emerging markets. Now the Fed is trying to push That’s one reason the Fed may in are partly a result of easy money for raw materials there is hitting policies by central banks doing producers of oil and metals in oth- up its interest rates, and those fact hold off raising rates again er countries. Energy exporter Rus- flows have gone into reverse, caus- soon. their best to stimulate growth. Unemployment is low in sever- sia, for instance, slid into reces- ing financial markets and currenal major economies, 4.9 percent in sion and its currency has plunged. cies in emerging markets to sag. German automaker Daimler Debt becomes harder to repay. the United States and 4.5 percent IMF chief Christine Lagarde in Germany. The IMF forecasts made a record operating profit last Banks stocks have been plunggrowth picking up from 3.1 per- year, helped by a 41 percent surged has warned of “spillback” effects cent last year to 3.4 percent this in sales in China for its Mercedes- from emerging markets on more ing in the U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., low oil prices may Benz luxury cars. But its shares advanced economies. year. Stephen Lewis, chief economist mean companies involved in exBut that’s still far short of the fell when it announced a cautious 5.1 percent growth in 2007, before outlook for only a slight profit in- at ADM Investor Services, argues pensive drilling and extraction the crisis. The realization is dawn- crease for 2016 and “more moder- the Fed should simply go ahead will be unable to repay loans ing that growth may continue to ate” growth in China. CEO Dieter with raising rates to a more nor- made to dig wells that are no longer profitable. disappoint, and that recent tur- Zetsche cautioned that he saw mal level. In Europe, bank shares have “Unless we’re going to paralyze moil may be more than just nor- “more risks than opportunities” amid “restrained” global growth. monetary policy in the advanced been shaken by the bailout of four mal market volatility. economies forevermore, it is inevi- Italian lenders and fears about 1.2 In Japan, the yield on 10-year table that the funds that have gone trillion euros ($1.35 trillion) in bad bonds briefly turned negative, into emerging markets are going loans across the 19 country curmeaning bondholders were willto come back out of them,” he rency union. ing to pay the government for the John Cryan, co-CEO of said. privilege of being its creditor — Money is flowing out of soDeutsche Bank, had to take the for years. In the United States, unusual step of publicly reassurlong-term market rates are sliding called emerging markets like Braing that the bank’s finances were again, even though the Federal Re- zil, Russia, South Africa and Tur“rock-solid” after investors poundserve has begun pushing them key. Investors pulled $735 billion The other pillar of the global ed the bank’s stock. out of such countries in 2015 — higher. The spread of negative interest That’s alarming because such the first year of net outflows since economy besides China, the U.S.,
China
Banks
Emerging markets, submerging
Uncle Sam
rates could reduce banks’ profitability, since it squeezes the different between the rates at which banks borrow and at which they lend. Sick banks can choke off credit to companies and dump huge costs on governments, shareholders and creditors.
Return-free risk Low rates help people pay mortgages and buy cars. But there’s some concern that they suppress spending by savers, and may steer investment to less productive uses. The typical 10 million-yen ($87,900) in savings held by a household with a member over 65 would have earned $3,500 in 1995, but only returns $175 now, estimates Richard Katz, editor at the Oriental Economist. “We’re retired, so it would be nice to see them go up,” said 75year-old Lynne Metcalfe, who was having coffee and reading the morning paper with her husband in a Sydney shopping center Tuesday. Metcalfe, a retired teacher, says she is part of a generation that lived frugally and thanks to that she and her husband haven’t had to change their savings or investment strategies. And though they’d like to see the rates go up for their own sake, “for our son’s sake, no,” she says. “Because he has a mortgage.”
Out of bullets? With interest rates below zero in some cases, it’s much harder for central banks to apply more stimulus if needed. Low rates and stimulus in the form of bond purchases — using some $3.6 trillion in newly printed money in the case of the Fed — have driven up stocks worldwide. Yet inflation has remained quiescent. U.S. consumer prices fell 0.1 percent in December. European inflation is only 0.4 percent annually, despite massive ECB stimulus. So markets may be realizing this is one downturn where the central banks can’t ride to the rescue as before.
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016