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Bridge updates
Battle over fracking North Texas group wants to ban fracking inside City of Denton By JIM MALEWITZ THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
These renditions of proposed improvements to both international bridges were on display Tuesday morning at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge for a press conference to announce funding to expand and modernize the nation’s fifth largest Port of Entry. Local and federal officials announced $62 million in improvements for the Gateway to the Americas and Juarez-Lincoln international bridge crossings.
Laredo crossings to get upgrades worth $62M By ALDO AMATO THE ZAPATA TIMES
Two of the country’s busiest but aging ports of entry will get an overhaul to help alleviate traffic congestion, increase safety and improve the flow of trade and commerce. Local and federal officials announced Tuesday $62 million in improvements for the Gateway to the Americas and Juarez-Lincoln international bridge crossings, which link Texas and Mexico. The Gateway to the Americas bridge, which is more than 50 years old and ranked fifth highest in pedestrian crossings in fiscal year 2013, is expected to undergo a complete renovation of
the exterior to the historic administration building, as well as the interior spaces, to improve the flow of pedestrians through the port. “The top priority for this project is to make the process of moving pedestrians faster, and safer especially during extreme temperatures,” according to General Services Administration records. “Pedestrian traffic has increased substantially, with the trend expected to continue. “Long-time use of this crossing has become even more important to the locals and visitors due to increased crime in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Specifically, people are very reluctant to venture off a known route that provides a heightened sense of safety.”
The federal agency also said the pedestrian area at the bridge does not meet handicap accessibility or life-safety standards. “We will do everything we can to meet (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements so pedestrians can cross comfortably,” said Dan Tangherlini, agency administrator, who was joined Tuesday at the Juarez-Lincoln bridge by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and Alejandro Mayorkas, deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Improvements to the Juarez-Lincoln bridge will include construction of new bus stalls, vehicle inspection lanes, a new waiting area, restrooms and a ca-
See BRIDGES
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A group of concerned Denton residents is aiming to close the North Texas city’s doors to hydraulic fracturing. The organization, called the Denton Drilling Awareness Group, on Tuesday announced it was gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that would ban the method of oil and natural gas extraction — widely known as fracking — inside city limits. With voters’ approval, Denton, which sits atop the natural gas-rich Barnett Shale, would become the first major Texas city to ban the practice, the group said, and the first U.S. city to do so after previously permitting drilling. “We are out of options. The city is allowing fracking to happen right in our backyards,” Cathy McMullen, a member of the group, said in a statement. “When fracking-impacted residents call with problems, the city passes the buck.” The proposal would not prohibit drilling outright; it would apply only to fracking, which involves blasting apart rock with millions of gallons of chemical-laced water. Violators would be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $2,000 per day. With a population of more than 121,000 and pockmarked with more than 270 natural gas wells, Denton is one of several Texas cities wrangling with questions about where to allow drilling and how strictly to regulate a practice no longer relegated to sparsely populated outposts. Disputes have pitted drillers and mineral owners against residents who are concerned about noise and impacts on the environment, roads and public health. As drilling increasingly moves into urban areas, said Jim Bradbury, an environmental and eminent domain lawyer in Fort Worth, tension is growing between property rights above ground and sub-surface mineral rights, which have long taken precedence in Texas law. “This Denton case seems to be hitting right at that,” he said. “This is going to press the law and policy further to the limit.” This is not the first time Denton’s drilling regulations have come into question. In January 2013, Denton updated its drilling rules, which included adding 200 feet to its previous 1,000-foot buffer between homes, schools, parks and hospitals. Local public
See FRACKING
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NUCLEAR ENERGY
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
$6.5B for power
NSA program exposes divisions in both parties
Nuclear plant will be first built in US in decades By MATTHEW DALY ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Energy Department is poised to approve $6.5 billion in federal loan guarantees for the first nuclear power plants built from scratch in this country in more than three decades. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz was expected to announce final approval of the deal at a speech on Wednesday, a day before he visits the $14 billion Vogtle nuclear plant now under construction in eastern Georgia. Three government officials familiar with the deal confirmed its details Tuesday. They asked not to be identified because the deal has not been made public. Atlanta-based Southern Co. is building the plant with several partners about 30 miles southeast of Augusta, Ga. The project is widely considered a major test of whether the industry can build nuclear plants without the endemic delays and cost overruns that plagued earlier rounds of building in the 1970s. Vogtle was originally estimated to cost around $14 billion, but government monitors have warned the final cost is likely to be higher.
The Energy Department tentatively approved an $8.3 billion loan guarantee for the project in 2010 as part of President Barack Obama’s pledge to expand nuclear power and other energy sources. Obama and other proponents say greater use of nuclear power could cut the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels and create energy without producing greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. More than two dozen nuclear reactors have been proposed in recent years, but experts now say it is likely that only five or six new reactors will be completed by the end of the decade. The once-expected nuclear power boom has been plagued by a series of problems, from the prolonged economic downturn to a sharp drop in natural gas prices and the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. Owners of at least four nuclear reactors have shuttered plants in recent months or announced plans to do so, including California’s troubled San Onofre nuclear plant. Utilities have decided it is cheaper to close plants rather than spend big money fixing them and risk the uncertainty of safety reviews.
See POWER
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By STEVE PEOPLES AND EILEEN SULLIVAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — While some leading Democrats are reluctant to condemn the dragnet surveillance of Americans’ phone records, the Republican Party has begun to embrace a libertarian shift opposing the spy agency’s broad powers. But the lines are not drawn in the traditional way. The Republican National Committee and civil libertarians like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul have joined liberals like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on one side of the debate — a striking departure from the aggressive national security policies that have defined the Republican Party for generations. On the other side, defending surveillance programs created under the Bush administration and continued under President Barack Obama, are Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, Democratic former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the House and Senate leadership of both parties.
As a result, the debate about whether to continue the National Security Agency’s sweeping surveillance tactics has highlighted intraparty divisions that could transform the politics of national security. The split in each party could have practical and political consequences ahead of the 2014 midterm elections. There are already signs that the debate is seeping into the next presidential contest. Speaking Tuesday to New Hampshire voters, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., cited the spy agency’s surveillance methods as another example of broad overreach in what he called Obama’s “imperial presidency.” Issa called for reforms that would ensure American people are represented during secret court proceedings that decide the scope of the NSA surveillance. Obama has called for more oversight, too, and Issa stopped short of endorsing the plan to eliminate the bulk collection program. Congress may address government surveillance this spring in one of its last major moves before members head
home to focus on the November elections. But if Congress punts the surveillance debate to next year, it would resurface just as the presidential primary campaigns are beginning. The bulk collection of Americans’ phone records was authorized under Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. Details of the program were secret until June when a former NSA systems analyst, Edward Snowden, leaked classified documents that spelled out the scope of the government’s activities. The bulk collection provision in the law is set to expire June 1, 2015, unless Congress acts to renew it. More than a decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans have become less willing to support invasive surveillance tactics in the name of national security. Recent polls show a sharp decline in public support for the NSA programs. The Obama administration justifies continuing the surveillance program, in part, by pointing to Congress’ continued approval and support. In
See SURVEILLANCE
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Zin brief CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
Thursday, Feb. 20
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Winter Texan & Senior Citizen Appreciation Day. 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Orthopedic clinic. 8:30 a.m. Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center, 1220 N. Malinche Ave. Benefits children with cerebral palsy, club foot, scoliosis, spina bifida and more. First come, first served basis. $5 processing fee. Call 722-2431. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589.
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2014. There are 315 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, clearing the way for the U.S. military to relocate and intern JapaneseAmericans during World War II. On this date: In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland. In 1803, Congress voted to accept Ohio’s borders and constitution. In 1864, the Order of the Knights of Pythias, an international, non-sectarian fraternal organization, was founded in Washington, D.C. In 1881, Kansas prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. In 1934, a blizzard began inundating the northeastern United States, with the heaviest snowfall occurring in Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1945, during World War II, some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they began a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces. In 1959, an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence. In 1964, the French movie musical “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” premiered in France. In 1976, calling the issuing of Executive Order 9066 “a sad day in American history,” President Gerald R. Ford issued a proclamation confirming that the order had been terminated with the formal cessation of hostilities of World War II. In 1984, the Winter Olympics closed in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. In 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him. Ten years ago: Former Enron Corp. chief executive Jeffrey Skilling was brought to court in handcuffs, charged with fraud, insider trading and other crimes in connection with the energy trader’s colossal collapse. (Skilling was later convicted of 19 counts and sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison, but a federal judge in 2013 shaved a decade off that sentence, which means Skilling could be released by 2017.) Five years ago: A jury in Moscow voted unanimously to acquit three men in the killing of investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya. One year ago: The United Nations said the number of U.S. drone strikes in Afghanistan had risen sharply in 2012 compared with 2011. Today’s Birthdays: Singer Smokey Robinson is 74. Actress Carlin Glynn is 74. Former Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer is 72. Singer Lou Christie is 71. Actor Michael Nader is 69. Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell) is 66. Actor Stephen Nichols is 63. Author Amy Tan is 62. Thought for Today: “There is, I think, nothing in the world more futile than the attempt to find out how a task should be done when one has not yet decided what the task is.” — Alexander Meiklejohn (MIHK’-ul-jahn), American educator (1872-1964).
Friday, Feb. 21 TAMIU Planetarium shows. “Secrets of the Sun” 6 p.m. and “Violent Universe” 7 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Call 326-3663.
Saturday, Feb. 22 38th Annual Noche Mexicana: A Presentation of Señor y Señora Internacional. 6:30 p.m. Laredo Civic Center Ballroom. Sen. Wendy Davis is Señora Internacional representing the U.S., and Senadora Cristina Diaz Salazar is Señora Internacional representing Mexico. Dinner served at 8 p.m. Tickets $50 per person; tables for 10 $500. Call Mace Martinez at 645-2441.
Photo by Thomas Graning/The Daily Mississippian | AP
The James Meredith statue is seen on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford, Miss., on Monday. A $25,000 reward is available for information leading to the arrest of two men involved in sullying the statue early Sunday.
Noose tied on statue ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, Feb. 24 Monthly meeting of Laredo Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, Tower B, First Floor Community Center. Patients, caregivers and family members invited. Free info pamphlets available in Spanish and English. Call Richard Renner (English) at 645-8649 or Juan Gonzalez (Spanish) at 2370666.
Thursday, Feb. 27 Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589. Book-signing with Joe Lopez, author of “The First Texas Independence, 1813.” 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. Books available for sale that evening. Call 727-0977 or visit webbheritage.org.
Saturday, March 1 Used book sale, hosted by First United Methodist Church. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents.
Monday, March 10 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Thursday, March 13 42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
Friday, March 14 42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
Saturday, March 15
OXFORD, Miss. — The FBI on Tuesday was helping investigate who tied a noose around the neck of a University of Mississippi statue of James Meredith, who, in 1962, became the first black student to enroll in the then all-white Southern college. University police on Sunday morning found the rope noose and, on the statue’s face, a pre-2003 Georgia state flag with a Confederate battle symbol, said campus police Chief Calvin Sellers. Two men were seen near the statue early Sunday. “It’s a racial hate crime,” Mississippi NAACP president Derrick Johnson said Tuesday after a news conference at the state Capitol. “At what level do they get prosecuted? I don’t know. But as long as we tolerate hate, we will continue to revisit history and
the past of this state, and at some point we must move forward.” In a statement, Chancellor Dan Jones condemned the action as contrary to the beliefs and values of the university community. “These individuals chose our university’s most visible symbol of unity and educational accessibility to express their disagreement with our values,” Jones said. “Their ideas have no place here, and our response will be an even greater commitment to promoting the values that are engraved on the statue — Courage, Knowledge, Opportunity, and Perseverance.” University police asked for the FBI’s help, said Deborah R. Madden, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi FBI office in Jackson. The Ole Miss Alumni Association is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Authorities look into turbulence on flight
Baby named in honor of those who saved him
LA archdiocese to settle 17 abuse cases for $13M
BILLINGS, Mont. — Federal authorities are looking into severe turbulence that triggered “pandemonium” aboard a United Airlines flight into Billings, Mont., and sent five people to hospitals. Passenger Ejay Old Bull of Billings says drinks had just been served and passengers were moving around the cabin when flight 1676 began to lurch violently about 55 minutes after it left Denver. Old Bull says he watched the unrestrained woman next to him crash into the luggage bin overhead and briefly lose consciousness, while a crew member got bounced around in the galley just behind his seat. United Airlines spokeswoman Christen David says three crew members and two passengers were taken to hospitals. One crew member remained hospitalized Tuesday.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A baby boy born prematurely in the back of an ambulance has been named in honor of the Southern California paramedics who saved his life. U-T San Diego reports the new parents brought the 2-month-old baby to an Oceanside fire station Monday to announce the honor. The mother, 37-year-old Melissa Wells-Pestana, went into labor seven weeks early, and the baby wasn’t breathing and had no pulse after he was born. Rescuers gave the baby CPR as the ambulance raced about 4 1/2 miles to the hospital. The parents honored the fire crew by naming the child Zavier Stephan Morgan Pestana, with the middles names coming from firefighter-paramedic Steven Choi and fire Capt. Glen Morgan. The newspaper reports Zavier slept through most of his visit to the fire station.
LOS ANGELES — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will pay $13 million to 17 alleged victims of clergy sex abuse. Attorneys for the plaintiffs announced Tuesday that the nation’s largest diocese moved to settle 11 cases involving a visiting Mexican priest named Nicolas Aguilar Rivera rather than go to trial. The settlement also involves six other lawsuits involving four other accused clergy. Aguilar Rivera fled Los Angeles to Mexico in 1988 to avoid prosecution. Police allege he abused 26 boys during his 10-month stay in LA. Aguilar Rivera remains a fugitive a quarter-century later and is believed to be in Mexico. J. Michael Hennigan, an attorney for the archdiocese, confirmed the settlement. — Compiled from AP reports
42nd Annual Zapata County Fair. 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Zapata County Fairgrounds.
Monday, March 24 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, April 14 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, April 28 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920.
Monday, May 12 Zapata County Commissioners Court meeting. 9 a.m. Zapata County Courthouse. Call Roxy Elizondo at 7659920. Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location and purpose and contact information.
AROUND THE WORLD Riot police move in against Kiev protest camp KIEV, Ukraine — Thousands of police armed with stun grenades and water cannons have clashed with anti-government protesters in the center of Ukraine’s capital, and police say at least 18 people have been killed. Moving into Independence Square, which has been the center of nearly three months of protests, police on Tuesday dismantled some of the barricades and many of the protesters’ tents were set on fire. But the 20,000 demonstrators fought back, armed with rocks, bats and fire bombs, and singing the Ukrainian national anthem.
Snowden elected leader of students at UK school LONDON — Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden was elected Tuesday as the official representative
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Account Executive, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 765-5113 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Copy Editor, Nick Georgiou ....................... 728-2565 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ..........................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by Andres Kudacki | AP
A model displays an Autumn/Winter design by Maria Escote during Madrid’s Fashion Week, in Madrid, Spain, on Monday.
of the student body at the University of Glasgow. Students at the institution say that they nominated Snowden to make a statement about democratic rights. “We showed Edward Snowden and other brave whistleblowers
that we stand in solidarity with them, regardless of where they are,” they said in a statement. Snowden, who leaked documents disclosing details of U.S. spies’ surveillance, has received temporary asylum in Russia. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
Thousands served Food bank now marking 25th anniversary By SALO OTERO SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The South Texas Food Bank distributed more than 350,000 pounds of product in 2013 to the needy of Zapata County. The total was 360,471 pounds as figures were released by the Laredo-based South Texas Food Bank, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary (1989-2014) of serving the community. The wholesale value is $602,271.59. Translated into meals is 300,393. The South Texas Food Bank’s address is 1907 Freight, Laredo, Texas, 78041. The phone number is 956-726-3120, website southtexasfoodbank.org and also on Twitter and Facebook. Alfonso Casso Jr. is the executive director. The STFB mission statement is: “To alleviate hunger in all the eight counties the Food Bank serves by collecting and distributing food through partner agencies and programs while creating awareness and educating the community on the realities of hunger.” The other seven counties
served are Webb (Laredo), Starr (Rio Grande City-Roma), Jim Hogg (Hebbronville), Dimmit (Carrizo Springs), Maverick (Eagle Pass), Val Verde (Del Rio) and Kinney (Brackettville). Elia Solis, a native of San Ygnacio and Zapata High School graduate, is the agency relations coordinator for the STFB. The Zapata County food is distributed via three agencies. The largest is Helping Hands, 8th and Del Mar. The coordinator is Norma Mendoza. More than 325,000 pounds were distributed by Helping Hands. The other sites are Shepherd’s Pantry, 305 Hawk St., Mary Pulido is the contact person and Zapata Boys and Girls Club, 302 West 6th Ave., Ramiro Hernandez is the coordinator. Call to get the hours of distribution. Romeo Salinas of Zapata is a member of the South Texas Food Bank board, which meets monthly the second Wednesday at noon at the IBC Commerce Bank community suite on Mann Road and San Dario Avenue, in Laredo.
Parade applications due on March 11 SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Businesses and organizations which would like to participate in the annual Zapata County Fair Parade must submit applications to the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce by Tuesday, March 11. Parade entries will start lining up at 7 a.m. Saturday, March 15, on 3rd Avenue, by Pepe’s Car Wash, and must be in line and ready to start by 8:30 a.m. Parade participants riding on floats must be aboard their floats by 8:45 a.m. The parade kicks off at 9 a.m., heading north on High-
way 83 and taking a right on 23rd Avenue to the county fairgrounds. Trophies for different categories will be awarded at the county fairgrounds at 1:30 p.m. The parade will officially be judged and announced while passing the county plaza. Deliver or fax forms to Zapata County Chamber of Commerce, ZCFA Parade Committee, 601 N. U.S. Hwy 83, Zapata, Texas 78076. Office phone number is 956-765-4871, and fax is 956-765-5434. One can also contact cbalderas@zapatachamber.com for more information.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
THE BLOTTER Assault
Eight Street.
Claudio Hill Treviño was arrested and charged with assault Friday in the 100 block of Kens Way. Martha Veronica Lagos was arrested and charged with assault Tuesday in the 500 block of Roma Street.
Marco Alonzo Juarez was arrested and charged with minor in possession of alcohol Saturday at the Stripes Convenience Store, off U.S. 83.
DWI
Public intoxication
Dyhanne Villarreal was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated Saturday in the intersection of Texas 16 and
Jose Eduardo Juarez was arrested and charged with public intoxication Saturday along U.S. 83 South.
MIP
Gilberto Sanchez was arrested and charged with public intoxication Saturday in the intersection of 10th Street and Guerrero Avenue. Adalberto Ramos Resendez was arrested and charged with public intoxication Saturday in the 5400 block of Kenneth Lane.
Striking a fixture Victor Alonso Sanchez was arrested and charged with duty on striking a fixture in the intersection of U.S. 83 and North Siesta Lane.
Art alums to star in exhibit SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Art “Powered by TAMIU” Art Alumni will be featured in a historic TAMIU Art Alumni Show featuring 12 former art students opening in March. An opening reception will be Thursday, March 6 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. Assistant professor of art Nicole Foran said this is the first exhibit showcasing art alumni work. “The reason we have decided to organize the Show at this time is to celebrate our graduates’ achievements. All the artists participating graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from TAMIU and many have gone on to pursue other goals. They have gone on to graduate school, found jobs in the arts, or exhibit their work on the national level,” Foran explained. Alumni like Teresita de la Torre, ’12, have continued their education in graduate programs. De la Torre recently began a Masters in Fine Arts program at California State University, Fullerton. Bernardo Diaz, ’07, continued his academic career with a Master of Arts from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi, followed by a Master of Fine Arts from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. An essay and im-
ages of his work will be published in the upcoming issue of Aztlan: A Journal of Chicano Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Other alumni have established art and photography studios that allow them to continue their passion for art. Erika Ordoñez, ’07, established Silver Rabbit Art Studio where she teaches students ages 9-15 about composition, subject matter, color theory and different techniques. Ordoñez’s studio annually exhibits students’ work in local venues, providing them with the experience of sharing their art with the public. Alum Sylvia de Leon, ’12, also opened a photography studio specializing in children’s photography. “There is nothing that would satisfy me more than to teach others my passion for art, transmit all that I was taught, experienced, practiced and continue learning, as well as creating a venue to provide jobs for graduating art majors,” Ordoñez noted. Francesca Forno, ’10, became an elementary school teacher in Austin where she continues to share her knowledge with her young pupils. “My experience at TAMIU really helped me discover a profound interest in art that I know will always remain an important part of my life…I share the knowledge that has been shared with me and think back to those
learning moments with gratitude,” Forno stated. Armela Mariano, ’09, now works as a Registered Nurse at Laredo Medical Center. Mariano explained that her experience at TAMIU was definitely an unforgettable one. “In a way, I used art as a lever for my personal development, mentally and spiritually,” Mariano said. Although many of the former students have moved onto different platforms in their lives, they all agree on one thing: TAMIU was the foundation for their success. “With the classes behind me, and years of experience on campus, I was able to creatively grow through the inspiration and encouragement I had been given by my art professors who all continue to inspire me in my business today,” explained Gracie Gutíerrez, ’11. The art exhibit will be displayed throughout March and several featured artists will attend the opening reception, sharing their insight and experiences. “I am particularly excited about this show because of its potential to motivate our current students. These artists are wonderful representatives of the success that can come with pursuing art and achieving a degree from TAMIU,” explained Foran. Works will be displayed through Friday, April 4 at the TAMIU Art Gallery.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Restraint required By RICK CHRISTIE COX NEWSPAPERS
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Until Feb. 8, I really didn’t know much about Marcus Smart. I knew he was a standout basketball player for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, and that he could go as high as No. 1 in this year’s NBA Draft. I didn’t know that he had struggled in some recent games, including a four-point effort against West Virginia when he kicked a chair on the bench. That led to him apologizing to his teammates afterward. “Marcus puts a lot of pressure on himself at times,” his coach, Travis Ford, said last week. “On many occasions he has handled it well, and on a few occasions he hasn’t.” And that’s how I — and millions of other people — came to know more about Marcus Smart. Late in a Feb. 8 game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Smart tumbled out of bounds behind the basket after trying to block a shot. He was helped to his feet and then shoved Jeff Orr with two hands after it appeared the Red Raiders fan said something to him. Teammates quickly pulled Smart away as he pointed back and shouted in Orr’s direction. Smart was suspended for three games by the Big 12 Conference for shoving Orr. To his credit, he said: “This is not how I conduct myself. I let my emotions get the best of me. It’s ... a lesson I’ll have to learn from. The consequences that are coming with it — I’m taking full responsibility. No fingers pointing — this is all upon me.” Let me be clear here. I put the majority of blame for this unseemly incident on Orr, the alleged adult in the room. He should have known better than to yell, “You’re a piece of crap!” at an adrenaline-pumped, ultra-competitive 20-year-old during heated competition. Especially, when he was standing just three feet from him. Orr, who goes to many Texas Tech games every year, has voluntarily agreed to not attend any Red Raiders home or away games for the remainder of the season, according to a statement released by the school. “I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies to Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, Tubby Smith and the Texas Tech men’s basketball program,” Orr said in the statement. “My actions last (Saturday) night were inappropriate and do not reflect myself or Texas Tech — a university I love dearly. I regret calling Mr. Smart a ‘piece of crap,’ but I want to make it known that I did not use a racial slur of any kind.” To call Orr an idiot would be kind. But Marcus Smart also needs to be, well, smarter. Because Orr will not be the last idiotic fan he encounters. Like far too many of our young black athletes, I fear Smart is lacking in the one human quality that would allow him to rise above — humility — and the requisite thick skin that comes with it. Of course, many would say he shouldn’t have to put up with that kind of disrespect. And they would be right. Then again, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron shouldn’t have had to put up with it either. Still, they rose above it. And where Robinson kicked in the door to the house of Major League Baseball, Aaron tore the house down and made them build it all over again. Aaron, who turned 80 this month, obliterated one of the most hallowed records in American sports history when he broke Babe Ruth’s home-run record. On his way to 755 career home runs, he was called every racial epithet you can think of — and maybe some you can’t. The night before the Oklahoma StateTexas Tech game, “Hammerin’ Hank” was feted at a reception in his honor by friends, former teammates and baseball luminaries — including Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson and Jim Rice. Although revered themselves, they confessed to holding a special reverence for Aaron because his accomplishments — while playing for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers — came all while combating racism with quiet dignity. Aaron spoke at the event and grew emotional as he talked of his parents, recalling an afternoon when he and his brother were called into the house and ordered to hide under beds. Minutes later, members of the Ku Klux Klan marched up their street. “I don’t know what that could have done to me growing up,” Aaron said. “But my mother — she was uneducated and father, too — but they always taught me and all of my siblings that the thing I want you to remember is, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ That’s been my philosophy.” These days, that can seem a like a lot given our lack of civility. But given what Aaron endured from fans, it’s not asking that much of Marcus Smart. Rick Christie’s e-mail: rick_christie@pbpost.com.
COLUMN
Vulgarity is in eye of beholder
“
KEN HERMAN
AUSTIN — As happens from time to time, it’s now my duty to convene the Court of Public Opinion, a court that’s never wrong. Before us today is Tanya Lippincott vs. the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. As judge, I will offer no opinion. (Unless I do. I never said I was a fair judge.) The saga began when Donnie Hicks, Lippincott’s husband, was promoted from Texas Air National Guard tech sergeant to master sergeant. Hicks also is a member of Texas’ Governor’s Twenty, a designation given to the state military forces’ top shooters. In July 2012, Hicks was honored by Gov. Rick Perry at the Capitol for earning his way into the Governor’s Twenty. Duly proud of his promotion and military service, including stints in Iraq and Afghanistan, Lippincott sought a unique gift for him. Wives are good about that. She decided on a special license plate. Lippincott, who lives in League City, between Houston and Galveston, found that “TXANG” (Texas Air National Guard) was unavailable and “rifleman” was too long. But she came up with an appropriate and available acronym. She ordered a plate noting his service in the Texas Military Forces, the umbrella name for the Texas Air National Guard, Army National Guard, State Guard and Domestic Operations Control. Let’s now turn to the evidence, starting with a Jan. 31 email to Lippincott from Charles Hall of My Plates, the state contractor that handles specialty license plates: “Thank you for your recent My Plates
order. Unfortunately, the combination you chose has been declined by the TxDMV under the criteria VULGARITY.” The combination she chose is the combination that serves as the official acronym of the Texas Military Forces. You can see it on its website, txmf.us, which includes links to the “official TXMF magazine” and the official “TXMF strategic plan.” TXMF, it turns out, is good enough for use by the Texas military but too vulgar for use on a Texas license plate. I know I’m just the judge here, but really? Lippincott was not done. Wives are good about that. “I would like to appeal this decision,” she wrote in response to the rejection. “My husband is MSgt Donnie Hicks with the Texas Air National Guard. He has been a proud member of the military for over 26 years. He has been a part of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF) since 2001. In 2001, after the 9/11 incident, he was activated to serve both our country and our great state of Texas for several years. This took him not only away from his family but his civilian job. He is still a member of the TXMF under the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG) and serving at the 147th RW (reconnaissance wing) in Houston, Texas.” And, she noted, “the acronym TXMF is a state-recognized acronym for the Texas Military Forces,” led by the state’s adjutant general, who, it should be noted, uses the TXMF acronym on the txfm.us website. “If required,” Lippincott wrote in the appeal, “I would be happy to have the Texas Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, or Texas Gov. Rick Perry provide you with additional information regarding the Texas Military Forces.” On Feb. 5, Deanna Dugan of
the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles told Lippincott by email that her appeal, “after careful consideration,” was denied. “With license plates being visible to our 20 million Texas citizens, we hope you understand that we are extremely careful to avoid issuing plate selections that may be construed to have an entirely different, and possibly offensive, meaning to the general public than the one intended by the applicant,” Dugan told Lippincott. “As a fellow Texan, we want you to have fun expressing yourself with your vehicle license plates, and we hope you will seek another personalized license plate that you will be proud to display.” Undeterred (wives are good about that), Lippincott asked for the next step in the appeal process. “I disagree with the decision to deny a recognized state-defined and designated acronym,” she told Dugan, who told her there were no further appeals and that state law says her agency “may refuse to issue a specialty license plate with a design or alphanumeric pattern that the director or designee considers potentially objectionable to one or more members of the public.” (As one or more members of the public, I’d like it to be known that I’m potentially offended by the number seven, which seems crooked, and zero, which is nothing. Ban them! Sorry, I’m just supposed to be the judge here, not the jury.) “We stand by our decision not to approve the requested plate selection,” Dugan told Lippincott with finality. Lippincott’s subsequent phone conversations with Tim Thompson, deputy director of the agency’s vehicle titles and registration division, produced no change in the decision. And
Thompson told me there’ll be no change. (His agency referred me to the 86 military-related plate styles that are available.) “My fear is there would be people out there that would see that particular pattern and interpret it for something beyond what her intent is,” he said, acknowledging her intent to honor “a noble group and cause. ... But unfortunately, most of the people out there would have no idea what the true intent of her message is.” And, Thompson wanted me to know, his agency has rejected an application for a plate saying HMFIC. Which leads us to dealing with — delicately and in a way that seeks to avoid anything potentially objectionable to one or more members of the public — the possibility that some in the Court of Public Opinion don’t immediately understand the problem caused by TXMF. TX is OK. But MF is a common (to some) acronym for a male person who is, shall we say, closer to his mother than is generally considered healthy. Not only is TXMF an official, often-used acronym in state governmentdom, the MF part has a curious link to our current governor. Fans of oncamera gaffes will recall the 2005 incident when Perry, unaware the camera was still rolling at the end of a television interview, cavalierly lobbed a gratuitous “Adios, mofo.” With that, and by the power I’ve duly vested in myself, I now place the case in the good hands of the Court of Public Opinion: If TXMF is good enough for the Texas Military Forces (and if mofo is good enough for the governor’s mouth), is TXMF good enough for use on a Texas license plate? My inbox awaits your input. Ken Herman’s e-mail: kherman@statesman.com.
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Nation
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
North finally gets warmth ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — A speedy winter storm that blew through parts of the Great Lakes and East on Tuesday is expected to leave a trail of warmer weather and rain that should provide a respite for residents weary of weeks of bitter cold but also create the potential for flooding and collapsing roofs in some areas. Clogged storm drains could cause ponding and puddles on roads, and in Ohio the National Weather Service said the combination of melting snow and more rain could cause significant flooding. In Michigan, where several roof collapses have been reported since January, there was concern that rain on top of snow could lead to more. Temperatures above freezing in places where the storm passed through Tuesday should move up to the 40s to mid-50s for the rest of the week, said John Cristantello of the National Weather Service in New York. Despite the warming and some expected rain on Wednesday and Friday, flooding will not be a concern in New England, said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the weather service in Taunton, Mass. “The snow can handle a lot of rain,” he said. “It’s not like we’re looking at temperatures into the upper 50s and mid-60s. The snow’s not going to all melt away all at once. By next week, we’ll be back down to normal and below normal temperatures.” The storm brought “thundersnow” to Pittsburgh and areas northeast of the city. Pennsylvania Turnpike officials reduced speed limits along the entire 360mile highway system but later
Photo by Jim Mone | AP
The $400 miliion Powerball jackpot tops the list of lottery payouts in this convenience store in the Minneapolis skyway system, on Tuesday.
Winners be careful By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Tim Barber/Chattaooga Times Free Press | AP
Lee University student Sydney Fleming nears a mound of snow on campus, Tuesday, in Cleveland, Tenn. A speedy winter storm that blew through parts of the Great Lakes and East on Tuesday is expected to leave a trail of warmer weather. lifted most of them. By midday, the weather service said parts of western Pennsylvania had gotten about 6 inches of snow, with 3 inches falling at Philadelphia International Airport and 2 inches outside New York City. The latest storm came days after the Southeast and Northeast were paralyzed with heavy snow, ice and massive power outages. It was expected to drop 3 to 5 inches of snow on Boston, with 6 to 10 inches forecast for parts of Northern New England, before moving out late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Many schools in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine canceled for the day or planned early dismissals, and New Hampshire reduced the speed limit on all of its highways to 45 mph. School cancellations were not an issue in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, where most schools have a Feb-
ruary break this week, though the University of Connecticut canceled classes beginning after 2 p.m. at both its Storrs and Greater Hartford campuses. “I’m ready for it to end,” said Bill Long, 50, of Abington, Mass., as he waited in line for lunch at a Boston food truck. “It’s a pain to come home from work and have to dig out my driveway.” Relief is in sight. On Monday, several inches of snow fell across the Great Lakes, causing Chicago’s two airports to cancel more than 1,000 flights. In Michigan, crashes closed portions of Interstate 96 in Grand Rapids and the Muskegon area saw whiteout conditions. Last week, about 1.2 million utility customers lost power as the storm marched from the South through the Northeast. Schools, businesses and government offices closed. The storm was blamed for at least 25 deaths stretching from Texas to Maine.
ST. LOUIS — Jackpots like today’s anticipated $400 million-plus Powerball can grant a lot of wishes. But what if you were the only winner, and you had but one chance to blow all that money on a single purchase? If you ignore the cautious advice of accountants and money managers and are ready to spend big, real estate listings, auction houses and even simple web searches are full of ideas to separate you and your newfound wealth. A single winner taking the lump sum payout would end up with about $230 million. Opting for the quick cash grab, accounting for taxes, would still leave more than $100 million to invest wisely. Or spend frivolously, if that’s how you roll. “When you look at $100 million, you think that well will never run dry,” said Mark DiGiovanni, a certified financial planner in Atlanta. “If you have $100 million and lose it, that’s probably worse than having never won at all.” Changes in the ways big
multistate lotteries like Powerball and Mega Millions are played have increased the frequency of staggering jackpots. The nation’s biggest lottery prize was a $656 million dollar Mega Millions jackpot in March 2012 that was shared by three winning tickets sold in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. The second-largest came in December, a $636 million Mega Millions prize. The two winning tickets were purchased in San Jose, Calif., and Atlanta. The biggest Powerball jackpot ever was a $590.5 million prize won by a Florida woman last May. St. Louis security guard Gerald Mukes, 36, has modest aspirations. He plays Powerball three to four times each month and planned to purchase several tickets before today’s drawing. Pressed for his wish list, Mukes could only muster a $100,000 home, though he did suggest an interest in traveling the world “like a rolling stone” before settling down. “Nothing superbig,” he said. “I understand about being hungry.” But why let a little common sense get in the way of your dreams?
Shooting suspect compared self to rape victim By DEREK KINNER ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida software designer accused of killing a black teenager during an argument over loud music compared himself to a rape victim, telling his fiancée
in a jailhouse phone call that the police were trying to blame him for the shooting when he was only defending himself. In a series of taped phone calls and jailhouse visits released Tuesday by prosecutors, Michael Dunn also expressed surprise at
the media attention his November 2012 shooting of 17year-old Jordan Davis outside a Jacksonville convenience store had drawn and expressed confidence he would be exonerated. Dunn, 47, was convicted Saturday of three counts of attempted second-degree
murder for shooting at three of Davis’ friends who were all inside an SUV, but the jury hung on a first-degree murder charge for Davis’ death. Dunn, who is white, has argued that he fired at Davis after the teen threatened him and raised a shotgun or something
that looked like one after he asked the teens to turn down their rap music. No shotgun was found in the SUV. Dunn is facing 60 years in prison when sentenced and State Attorney Angela Corey says she will retry him on the murder charge,
which carries a potential life sentence. In a December 2012 phone call with his fiancée, Rhonda Rouer, Dunn compares himself to a rape victim, saying the detectives wanted to blame him for the shooting, not Davis and his friends.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Agenda en Breve LAREDO 02/20— “Go Red for Women” de la Ciudad de Laredo invita a un evento a partir de las 9 a.m. en el Departamento de Salud. Habrá exámenes de la presión arterial/BMI y temas de nutrición; a las 10 a.m. habrá el tema Saludo para el Corazón de la Mujer; a las 11 a.m. “Zumba para su Corazón”. Evento gratuito. 02/20— Clínica Ortopédica en el Centro de Rehabilitación Ruthe B. Cowl iniciará a las 8:30 a.m. Costo: 5 dólares como cuota de procesamiento de datos. Pida informes en el (956) 7222431. 02/20— WBCA— Desfile Juvenil ‘Bajo las Estrellas’ inicia a las 6 p.m. al sur de Avenida San Bernardo. Entrada gratis. Bancas: 3 dólares (en la puerta). 02/21— AVISO: United ISD informa que las escuelas y oficinas administrativas, incluyendo la oficina de impuestos, estarán cerradas. 02/21— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “Secrets of the Sun” a las 6 p.m.; y, “Violent Universe” a las 7 p.m. Costo general: 4 dólares para niños y 5 dólares para adultos. 02/21— WBCA— Fiesta de Cocktail de los Caballeros de la República del Rio Grande, se realizará a las 6 p.m. en el Salón de Baile del Laredo Civic Center. Costo: 40 dólares. 02/21— WBCA— Festival Jalapeño se realizará a partir de las 6 p.m. en El Metro Park & Ride (Thomas y Hillside). Pase de dos días a 35 dólares; concierto de grupo Duelo, a 30 dólares. 02/22— Taller “Experiencias Espirituales, ¿Ha tenido alguna?” será una discusión gratuita, bilingüe, de 1 p.m. a 2:30 p.m. en la Biblioteca Pública de Laredo, 1120 E. Calton Road. Informes en el (210) 831-7113. 02/22— WBCA— Festival Jalapeño se realizará a partir de las 3 p.m. en El Metro Park & Ride (Thomas y Hillside). Pase de dos días a 35 dólares; concierto de grupo Los Tigres del Norte, a 30 dólares. 02/24— AVISO: United ISD informa que las escuelas estarán cerradas, debido a un día de Desarrollo Profesional.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 02/19— Cine Club presenta “Por Siempre Joven” a las 6 p.m. en Estación Palabra. Entrada gratuita. 02/19— Presentación del libro “Soya” a las 7 p.m. en Estación Palabra. Entrada gratuita. 02/20— Cine Maquila proyectará Documental de Lucha Libre a las 4 p.m. en Maquila Creativa. Entrada libre. 02/20— Curso de “Danzas y Bailes de México”, impartido por Juan Carlos Guajardo Ojeda, a partir de las 5 p.m. en la Sala Sergio Peña. 02/20— Exposición de pintura y presentaciones musicales “Amor con Música… Amistad en Lienzo” a las 6 p.m. en el Centro Cívico. Entrada libre. 02/21— Cine Club presenta “Capote” a las 7 p.m. en Estación Palabra. Entrada gratuita. 02/22— Estación Palabra invita al “Bazar de Arte” a las 9 a.m.; Festival Infantil “Amor y Amistad Extravaganza” a las 2 p.m.; “Tertulia en el Jardín” a las 3 p.m. Eventos gratuitos. 02/22— “Pinta de Grafitti” a las 10 a.m. en instalaciones de Sport Gym Papa Milo. Entrada gratuita. 02/22— “Vive 2014: Fiesta Tequila” a las 2 p.m. en el Centro Histórico.
MIÉRCOLES 19 DE FEBRERO DE 2014
EAGLE FORD SHALE
Accidentes graves POR JENNIFER HILLER SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
SAN ANTONIO — Menos personas fallecieron por accidentes vehiculares en la región del Eagle Ford Shale el año pasado, pero la cantidad de accidentes graves continúa al alza. Un área de 23 condados, que abarca desde Laredo hasta el borde de la cobertura oriental cerca de Huntsville, presenció 236 fatalidades en 2013, una cantidad menor a los 248 del año anterior, de acuerdo al Departamento de Transportación de Texas (TxDOT, por sus siglas en inglés). Pero se registraron 3.430 accidentes que resultaron en lesiones graves o fatalidades — un salto del 26 por ciento comparado con el 2012. De nueva cuenta, TxDOT está emprendiendo su campaña “Be Safe. Drive Smart” (Tenga cuidado. Conduzca con habilidad) en Eagle Ford y en Permian Basin en el West Texas. Los horarios más inseguros del día en el Eagle Ford son alrededor de las 9 a.m. y a las 5 p.m.
En Permian Basin, los horarios más peligrosos del día fueron alrededor de las 8 a.m. y a las 5 p.m. En el 2013, en los 59 condados de Permian Basin, hubo 4.371 accidentes graves o fatales, hasta 5 por ciento más, con 358 muertes, un incremento del 13 por ciento. “Hace dos años, usted no me hubiera hecho creer que esto era un problema”, dijo Mark Cross, un vocero con TxDOT. “Está afectando al estado en una gran forma, buena y mala. Solamente tenemos que ser vigilantes y cuidados para hacer que las cosas sean tan seguras como podamos. La actividad vial se ha incrementado en esas áreas. Sabemos que hay preocupación debido a los accidentes”. El Juez del Condado La Salle, Joel Rodríguez Jr., cree que la cantidad de fatalidades el año pasado pudiera ser superior a 236. “Algunos de estos accidentes con lesionados son probablemente fatalidades, pero no se convierten en una fatalidad hasta que están en el hospital, en San Antonio o Laredo”, dijo Rodríguez. “Ya hemos visto una cantidad de fatalidades este año. Lo estamos tomando un día a
la vez. Todas nuestras familias y amigos utilizan esos caminos, y es para atemorizarse. Hay una alta probabilidad de que algo pudiera suceder”. Los condados a lo largo del Sur de Texas han intentado agregar equipos de emergencia a su personal. En el Condado DeWitt, oficiales del alguacil solían realizar obligaciones como guardia de sala en las cortes — parte de las muchas actividades que una persona realiza en comunidades pequeñas. Pero el condado ha contratado a dos guardias de sala para que los oficiales puedan mejor responder al mayor número de llamadas de emergencia. La falta de atención al conducir y la velocidad fueron dos aspectos que las agencias policíacas locales han reportado que provocan la mayor cantidad de accidentes. La campaña “Be Safe. Drive Smart” conmina a los conductores a tomar su tiempo y dar suficiente espacio para maniobrar a las unidades grandes. El año pasado, en una lista de posibles amenazas al estado de Texas, el Departamento de Seguridad
Pública (DPS, por sus siglas en inglés) consideró a los accidentes viales en la región del Eagle Ford Shale en una lista que incluía carteles de las drogas, contrabando de humanos y desastres naturales. El DPS dijo que se esperaba que los accidentes siguieran a la alza en el área petrolera del Sur de Texas conforme más personas, carros y camiones fluían hacia el área rural. Las áreas más peligrosas estuvieron en algunos de los condados considerados como estar en el “corazón” del sitio, donde se realizan las mayores actividades de perforación y las mayores ganancias para las compañías petroleras. El reporte dijo que entre el 2009 y el 2011, en los condados de Karnes y Dimmir, los accidentes involucrando vehículos comerciales se incrementaron en un 470 por ciento, mientras que el total de accidentes se incrementaron en 98 por ciento. Basados en los permisos para perforaciones, el DPS dice que los condados de DeWitt, McMullen, Webb y Zavala, también tuvieron un incremento en riesgo de accidentes.
ECONOMÍA
NACIONAL
INVERSIONES
Exponen panorama sobre aumentos POR ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
La Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico de Tamaulipas participó en el evento “The North American Prospect Expo”, celebrado en Houston, en donde sostuvieron aproximadamente 80 reuniones de trabajo con empresas de ramo de la petroquímica, petróleo y gas.
Promueven tratos en área petrolera TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
La Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico de Tamaulipas participó en el evento “The North American Prospect Expo”, celebrado en Houston, en donde sostuvieron aproximadamente 80 reuniones de trabajo con empresas de ramo de la petroquímica, petróleo y gas. La finalidad de participar en esta exposición fue tratar las oportunidades de inversión que se abren con la reforma energética para el estado
vecino. Al evento asistieron más de 17.000 personas que tienen que ver con los negocios del sector petroquímico y energético. Asistiendo a esta clase de eventos se busca presentar las ventajas competitivas del estado de Tamaulipas y potenciar las oportunidades de negocios en materia energética, de acuerdo con Mónica González García, Secretaria de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo. La sede de la reunión fue en Houston, del 5 al 7 de febrero y asistieron también miem-
bros de la Cámara Nacional de la Industria de la Transformación (CANACINTRA) Matamoros, al ser uno de los eventos más grandes de producción y exploración de la industria del petróleo. Esta fue la primera participación del Gobierno del Estado en un evento relacionado con el tema del petróleo; en este foro los asistentes escucharon las conferencias de negocios con reconocidos ponentes en el área de explotación, producción y aplicación de la tecnología en el sector del petróleo y gas.
WASHINGTON — Si el gobierno de Estados Unidos acepta elevar el salario mínimo federal, como proponen el presidente Barack Obama y los demócratas del Congreso, más de 16,5 millones de personas tendrían más ingresos para 2016, pero también se perdería medio millón de empleos aproximadamente, dijeron el martes analistas del Congreso. El informe de la Oficina de Presupuesto del Congreso fue divulgado mientras el Senado se prepara para debatir una propuesta demócrata que aumente gradualmente el salario mínimo, de 7,25 dólares la hora en la actualidad a 10,10 dólares en 2016. Obama respalda la propuesta, pero ésta enfrenta una fuerte oposición entre los republicanos y hay pronósticos adversos sobre su aceptación en el Congreso. El análisis inmediatamente echó leña a la actual disputa entre partidos sobre la propuesta. Le dio un peso de autoridad al viejo argumento republicano de que un aumento al salario mínimo costaría puestos de trabajo, al obligar a las empresas a invertir más en salarios. “Este informe confirma lo que hemos sabido siempre: Aunque ayudará a algunos, la obligatoriedad de salarios más altos tendrá costos reales, como el de un menor número de personas con trabajo”, dijo Brendan Buck, portavoz del presidente de la Cámara de Representantes John Boehner, republicano por Ohio. “Con el desempleo como la principal preocupación de los estadounidenses, nuestro enfoque debe ser la creación, no la destrucción, de puestos de trabajo para quienes más lo necesitan”.
COLUMNA
Dan detalles de exhumación de Iturbide POR RAÚL SINENCIO ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Agustín de Iturbide fue fusilado el verano de 1824 en Padilla, Tamaulipas, México. “Mexicanos pretendo mediar en las diferencias que existen entre vosotros”, anunciaba el ex monarca en manifiesto. El atrio de la iglesia guardaría sus restos. Mediante ceremonia de tufo reaccionario, 14 años después los exhuman para conducirlos a la Ciudad de México. Dicho recorrido abarcaría varias localidades de la entidad del Noreste extremo.
Fervores Perdido Texas y próxima la guerra de los Pasteles, quedó atrás la etapa federativa. Bajo el régimen
centralista, Tamaulipas se vuelve departamento, a cargo del gobernador Juan Antonio Quintero, de ideas conservadoras. Mientras continúa la inopia del erario y los desbarajustes administrativos, ocupa la presidencia de la República Anastasio Bustamante. Parece el indicado ante cierta iniciativa en puerta. La Concordia abre brecha. Órgano del gobierno tamaulipeco, el sábado 11 de agosto de 1838 expresa “un tierno sentimiento al grande hombre”, sacrificado “en el turbulento 1824”. Sin contextualiza indica “el primer decreto de proscripción individual”, “expedido del foco de los bandos políticos”.
Independencia Poco antes, el 6 de agosto de
1838, Bustamante promulgó un ordenamiento legislativo. “El gobierno dispondrá que las cenizas del héroe de Iguala Agustín de Iturbide sean trasladadas a la capital de la República”, determina la primera cláusula. Instruye el segundo párrafo hacer “lo conveniente para que las expresadas cenizas sean colocadas en la catedral de México, lugar destinado” a los próceres. Autoridades superiores notifican el resolutivo a los funcionarios tamaulipecos. De ello se encargó el “Ministerio de lo Interior”. Acompañándolo indicaciones complementarias, el lunes 20 lo reciben en Ciudad Victoria, sede de los poderes locales. Quintero responde enseguida que desde luego preparará “la exhumación” con “la dignidad y [el] respeto debidos”, auxiliado por la
jefatura eclesiástica. Como los demás gobernadores, le debe el cargo al presidente. No obstante, afloran motivaciones ideológicas.
Extravagancias El mandatario de Tamaulipas atendió lo ofrecido. “El día 22 [de agosto de 1838] fueron exhumados en Padilla los restos del héroe por el gobernador en persona con la Junta Departamental” completa e invitados de alto rango. Antes de marchar a su destino, “los restos se condujeron en pompa fúnebre al alojamiento de” Quintero. Nunca se menciona las extravagancias imperiales del exhumado. (Contenido cortesía de Raul Sinencio, según fue publicado en ‘La Razón’ de Tampico, México)
State
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
Trial to start in May By NOMAAN MERCHANT ASSOCIATED PRESS
STEPHENVILLE — The death-penalty case against a North Texas man accused of killing former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and another man remains on track for a May trial. Eddie Ray Routh sat quietly Tuesday during a pretrial hearing in which a judge heard more than 40 motions from his attorneys. Routh is charged with capital murder for the killings last year of Kyle — reputed to be the deadliest sniper in the U.S. military and the best-selling author of the memoir “American Sniper” — and his friend, Chad Lit-
tlefield. If convicted, Routh faces the death penalty. State District Judge Jason Cashon refused to set aside the indictment against Routh, whose attorneys argued in a motion that Texas’ death penalty statute is illegal under the U.S. and Texas constitutions. Attorneys J. Warren St. John and Shay Isham also asked Cashon to tell the jury, if Routh is convicted, that one juror could hold out and prevent a death sentence. Most of the motions concerned witness lists and details about the evidence both sides would turn over before jury selection May 5
in Stephenville, about 100 miles southwest of Dallas. The 26-year-old Routh has been described by family as a troubled veteran who was hospitalized for mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Kyle and Littlefield took Routh to a gun range in Glen Rose, similar to hunting and shooting retreats Kyle often hosted for veterans. Authorities say Routh gunned down the two men, stole a pickup truck, then confessed to family. His attorneys have said Routh was released from a Dallas Veterans Affairs hospital against his family’s wishes just two days before the shootings.
Forgiving trespasses Church forgives thieves after $40K worth of items taken ASSOCIATED PRESS
SLIDELL — Leaders of a church in a small North Texas town have a message of forgiveness for thieves who stole about $40,000 worth of property. WFAA-TV reports a sign posted Monday outside First Baptist Church of Sli-
dell said: “To Those Who Robbed Us, We Forgive You.” Pastor Bobby Cates says he believes there are desperate people no matter where you live, including Slidell — a town of about 175 people, located 50 miles north of Fort Worth. Cates last Friday found
his church office ransacked and a laptop computer, other electronics and a sound system missing. A church van was stolen, but later recovered. Nobody has been arrested. The Wise County Sheriff ’s Office didn’t immediately return a message Tuesday.
Fixing water plant Donna finally repairing 6-year-old hurricane damage ASSOCIATED PRESS
DONNA — A Rio Grande Valley town is contracting engineers to overhaul a water treatment system damaged six years ago when Hurricane Dolly slammed the community. The McAllen Monitor reports that Donna city leaders have approved using fed-
eral funds to help pay for the repairs. City Manager Oscar Ramirez says that although extensive repairs are needed, the treatment plant is up and running and water quality has not been impacted. Most of the issues began after the 2008 hurricane inflicted heavy water damage on the treatment plant. Ini-
tially the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the city nearly $500,000 to repair the plant. Now the city is asking for another $1.2 million to complete the work. Finance Director David Vasquez says federal officials have already toured the plant to reassess the damage.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
Victims remembered Site of Fort Hood massacre to become memorial By JEREMY SCHWARTZ AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
AUSTIN — For the last four-and-a-half years, Fort Hood’s Building 42003 stood frozen in time, mostly untouched since Nidal Hasan entered its doors and opened fire on defenseless soldiers preparing to deploy to war. The building, home to a soldier readiness processing center, or SRP in military parlance, was considered an active crime scene until Hasan’s court-martial last year, in which he was sentenced to death in the Nov. 5, 2009, mass shooting, which left 13 dead and more than 30 wounded. On Tuesday, a heavy equipment excavator be-
Photo by Fort Hood Public Affairs Office | AP
Building 42003 is shown being demolished at Fort Hood. Officials said Tuesday they have razed the structure, site of a 2009 massacre that left 13 people dead and more than 30 wounded. Planned are trees, a gazebo and a memorial plaque at the site. gan tearing the building apart, slamming into its red brick walls and ripping out its innards. The demolition is the first step in transforming the site: Fort Hood officials say the building will be replaced with trees, a gazebo and a plaque memo-
rializing the victims. The surrounding buildings will resume their role as part of the soldier readiness complex, where soldiers undergo medical checks and fill out legal and financial paperwork before and after deployments.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: ZAPATA HAWKS
MLB: TEXAS RANGERS
Alvarez honored Zapata FB is 1st team 3A All-State
Photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Texas starter Yu Darvish had some fun at spring training, joking about the Yankees paying pitcher Masahiro Tanaka $155 million.
Yu jokes at Tanaka deal
By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata senior fullback Mike Alvarez was recently named to the 63rd Annual Collin Street Bakery/Texas Sports Writers ALVAREZ Association’s firstteam Class 3A AllState football team for all his hard work on the gridiron this past fall. Alvarez was a workhorse for the Hawks rushing for 1,932 yards with 16 touchdowns. He also was a factor in the passing game with 275 receiving yards with four touchdowns. He rushed for over 200 yards in five games this season. Alvarez has a career rushing record of 4,763 yards on the ground with 51 touchdowns and 374 receiving yards with five scores through the air. "This is a well deserve award for Mike," Zapata head coach and athletic director Mario Arce said. "He is a hard-working individual and the stats speak for themselves." With the help of Alvarez, the Hawks made the playoffs this season and picked up a bi-district title before bowing out in the second round. He capped off his senior campaign by being named District 31-3A Offensive Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive year. As a sophomore and junior he was also named the Offensive Most Valuable Player by the district coaches. In the first week of the football season, Alvarez was named the Gridiron Legend Player of the Week after burning Laredo Cigarroa for over 300 yards in the game and was a finalist for the award at the Texas Bowl. Alvarez attributed his success to the guidance of his parents Miguel and Yvette who have been there from day one, supporting his love of playing football. "This is a great honor because you are with the best of the best in the state," Alvarez said. "This award is thanks to my parents, who have guided me in my life and have made me the person that I am today. "I am very proud to represent the Zapata community because they have supported me since day one. I would also like to
By ALAN ESKEW ASSOCIATED PRESS
File photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
Zapata fullback Mike Alvarez was named to the Collin Street Bakery/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class 3A All-State first-team. thank my high school coaches who have taught me to work hard on the field." Clara Sandoval can be reached at Sandoval.Clara@Gmail.com
FIRST TEAM Offense Tackles - Zachary Ledwik, La Grange, sr. and Josh Pelzel, Rockdale, 6-7, 325, sr. Center - Terrell Cuney, Jasper, 6-3, 265, sr. Guards - Max Jones, Stephenville, 6-2,230, sr. and Griffin Bankhead, Carthage, 6-3, 305, sr. Tight end - Cameron Knight, Shallowater, 6-3, 255, sr. Wide receivers - Terian Goree, Carthage, 6-3, 170, sr. and Cain Lowe, Decatur, 6-1, 165, sr. Quarterback - Blake Bogenschutz, Carthage, 6-1, 180, sr. Fullback - Miguel Alvarez, Zapata, 5-8, 165, sr. Running backs - Larry Rose, Fairfield, 6-0 175, sr.; Jarek Black, Shallowater, 5-10, 210, sr.; and Juwan Washington, Kennedale, 5-7, 170, jr. Place-kicker - Cole Hedlund,
Argyle, 5-10, 160, sr. All-purpose back - Ian Sadler, Argyle, 5-11, 190, sr. Defense Linemen - Micah Capra, Argyle, 6-1, 244, sr.; Jordan Wells, Navasota, 6-0, 280, sr.; Mario McCain, Carthage, 6-1, 225, sr.; and Ladarrin Anthony, Kilgore, 6-0, 268, sr. Linebackers - James David, Rockdale, 6-3, 220, sr.; John Miller, Gonzales, 6-0, 205, sr.; Colton Hinnrichs, Argyle, 6-2, 210, sr.; and Landon Richter, La Vernia, 5-10, 190, sr. Secondary - Deionte Thompson, West Orange-Stark, 6-2, 180, jr.; Travon Fuller, Athens, 6-0, 150, Soph.; Alex Ward, Fairfield 5-8, 180, sr.; and Darrance James, Gonzales, 6-1, 180, jr. Punter - Yovani Urbano, Navasota, 6-0, 190, sr. Kick returner - Deontra Richardson, Hillsboro, 5-11, 180, jr. Overall awards Offensive player of the year(tie) Bogenschutz, Carthage and Rose, Fairfield Defensive player of the year – Wells, Navasota Coach of the year – (tie) Todd Rodgers, Argyle and Scott Surratt, Carthage
SURPRISE, Ariz. — If Yu Darvish is feeling any pressure after leading the majors in strikeouts last season, it isn’t showing. The Texas Rangers ace was even in a joking mood Tuesday at spring training. Darvish wisecracked that the New York Yankees might have paid too much for fellow Japanese righthander Masahiro Tanaka by giving him a seven-year, $155 million contract on top of a $20 million posting fee to the Rakuten Golden Eagles. The deal made Darvish No. 2 when it comes to Japanese players in the majors: He has a six-year, $56 million deal signed before the 2012 season after the Rangers paid $51.7 million to Hokkaido for the right to negotiate with him. “I don’t know the details of the posting system, but I think the Yankees gave him
a little bit too much,” Darvish said with a chuckle through his interpreter during his first spring training session with reporters. Even before the session was done, the remark was all over social media and the Rangers released a statement to make sure everyone knew Darvish was kidding. “I am sorry if anyone took my comment seriously about Masahiro Tanaka at the press conference,” Darvish said in the statement. “I assumed by the reaction in the room that everyone knew I was joking.” The 27-year-old Darvish could opt out of his contact after five years if he wins a Cy Young Award and potentially get a contract exceeding that of Tanaka. He came close last year, finishing second to Max Scherzer in the balloting after leading the majors with 277 strikeouts — the most since Randy Johnson struck out 290 in 2004 with Arizona.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
NICANOR ‘NICKY’ LOPEZ June 6, 1985 – Feb. 15, 2014 Nicanor “Nicky” Lopez, 28, passed away Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo. Nicky is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Nicanor Lopez, and maternal grandparents, Gilberto and Maria del Pilar Hurtado. Nicky is survived by his son, Jayden N. Lopez; parents, Ruben and Maria Juanita Lopez; brothers, John D. (Tyanne) Hurtado and Paul Eric (Amada) Hurtado; sister, Maria del Pilar Lopez; paternal grandmother, Benita Lopez; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces and friends. Visitation hours were held Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2012 N. U.S. Hwy. 83, Zapata. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite/file | AP
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Nov. 7, 2013. Boosting the federal minimum wage as proposed would increase earnings for more than 16.5 million people by 2016 but also cut employment by roughly 500,000 workers.
Wage hikes would cost jobs
3 years for nun in protest By TRAVIS LOLLER ASSOCIATED PRESS
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An 84-year-old nun was sentenced Tuesday to nearly three years in prison for breaking into a nuclear weapons complex and defacing a bunker holding bomb-grade uranium, a demonstration that exposed serious security flaws at the Tennessee plant. Two other peace activists who broke into the facility with Megan Rice were sentenced to more than five years in prison, in part because they had much longer criminal histories of mostly non-violent civil disobedience. Although officials said there was never any danger of the protesters reaching materials that could be detonated or made into a dirty bomb, the break-in raised questions about safekeeping at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. The facility holds the nation’s primary supply of bomb-grade uranium. After the break-in, the complex had to be shut down, security forces were re-trained and contractors were replaced. In her closing statement, Rice asked the judge to sentence her to life in prison, even though sentencing guidelines called for about six years. “Please have no leniency with me,” she said. “To remain in prison for the rest of my life would be the greatest gift you could give
me.” She said the U.S. government was spending too much money on weapons and the military, and she told the judge about the many letters of support she had received. “This is the next generation and it is for these people that we’re willing to give our lives,” she said. Rice, Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli all said God was using them to raise awareness about nuclear weapons and they viewed the success of their break-in as a miracle. Their attorneys asked the judge to sentence them to time they had already served, about nine months, because of their record of good works throughout their lives. Rice is a sister in the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. She became a nun when she was 18 and served for 40 years as a missionary in Africa. Walli’s attorney said the activist served two tours in Vietnam before returning to the U.S. and dedicating his life to peace and helping the poor. Walli said he had no remorse about the break-in and would do it again. “I was acting upon my God-given obligations as a follower of Jesus Christ,” he told U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar. The judge said he was concerned the demonstrators showed no remorse and he wanted their punishment to be a deterrent for other activists.
By ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Boosting the federal minimum wage as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are proposing would increase earnings for more than 16.5 million people by 2016 but also cut employment by roughly 500,000 jobs, Congress’ nonpartisan budget analyst said Tuesday. In a report containing ammunition for both supporters and opponents of the Democratic electionyear proposal, the Congressional Budget Office said gradually raising the minimum from $7.25 hourly to $10.10 would lift 900,000 people above the federal poverty level by 2016. That is out of 45 million who would otherwise live in poverty without an increase. But the analysis also noted a downside: About 0.3 percent fewer jobs, especially for low-income workers; higher costs for business owners and higher prices for consumers. The study was unveiled as the Senate prepares for a March debate on a plan by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, ramping up the minimum in three steps to $10.10 by 2016. The proposal is backed by Obama and is a keystone of Democrats’ campaignseason plans to highlight their effort to make incomes more equitable, but it faces strong Republican opposition and long odds of approval by Congress. The analysis, which examined increases very similar to Harkin’s, immediately added fuel to the partisan dispute over the proposal. It put authoritative weight behind longtime GOP claims that increasing the minimum wage would cost jobs by forcing companies to spend more on wages, putting Democrats on the defensive. “This report confirms what we’ve long known: While helping some, mandating higher wages has real costs, including fewer people working,” said Brendan Buck, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, ROhio. “With unemployment Americans’ top concern, our focus should be creating — not destroying — jobs for those who need them most.”
The budget office said its estimate of employment losses was approximate. It said the actual impact would likely range from a very slight employment reduction to a loss of 1 million workers. “If and when Democrats try to push this irresponsible proposal, they should be prepared to explain why up to a million Americans should be kept from having a job — beyond the work already lost due to Obamacare,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., using a favorite nickname of the GOP’s favorite election-year target — Obama’s 2010 health care overhaul. Democrats cited other studies that they said concluded employment would not be reduced. They said job-reduction claims are overblown and outweighed by the benefits to workers and the overall economy as low-paid employees use their higher incomes to spend more money. The CBO job-loss figures “do not reflect the overall consensus view of economists which is that raising the minimum wage has little or no negative effect on employment,” Jason Furman, chairman of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, said in a blog post with council member Betsey Stevenson. Instead, they emphasized the millions who would gain higher wages and the 900,000 boosted above poverty. “No matter how the critics spin this report, the CBO made it absolutely clear: Raising the minimum wage would lift almost one million Americans out of poverty, increase the pay of low-income workers by $31 billion, and help build an economy that works for everyone,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. A minimum wage boost can cost jobs because employers can compensate for their higher wage costs by raising prices, prompting consumers to purchase fewer goods and services and, in turn, encouraging companies to hire fewer workers, the report said. A minimum wage increase also encourages some businesses to trim the number of low-paid workers. But the study said the effect can
be mixed. It noted that some firms would react by getting higher productivity from their workers, and some would see savings because increased wages could reduce turnover. Other companies could benefit as increased spending by low-wage workers boosts demand for their products. After 2016, Harkin’s measure would require the minimum wage to be increased annually to reflect rising inflation. The study also examined the impact of boosting the minimum wage to just $9 hourly by 2016 and leaving it at that level afterward. That lesser increase would have smaller effects: About 100,000 fewer jobs, higher wages for 7.6 million workers and 300,000 people lifted out of poverty. The report said the increase to $10.10 would add $31 billion to the earnings of low-wage workers. But it noted that only 19 percent of that increase would go to families earning less than the poverty threshold, while 29 percent would go to families earning more than triple the poverty level. That is because many low-wage earners are not in lowwage families. But in addition, income would decrease by $17 billion for families earning at least six times the poverty level because that group would be affected most by lost business income and price increases. The report said that besides boosting wages for people earning less than $10.10 hourly, some people making more than that amount would also see higher earnings as bosses adjust their pay scales upward. Some people’s incomes would grow as their earnings increase, causing them to pay more taxes. But for others, income would fall — reducing their tax burden — and still others would begin collecting unemployment insurance. As a result, the budget office said federal budget deficits would probably decrease slightly for a few years but then increase slightly after that. The budget office estimates that the 2016 poverty level would be $24,100 for a family of four and less for smaller families.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
BRIDGES nopy for buses. Mario Maldonado, bridge manager for the City of Laredo, said the improvements should reduce wait times. “This bridge currently does not have the facilities required to process all of that traffic,” Maldonado said. “This project will allow for more smoother and efficient crossings and is desperately needed.” More than 100 buses cross each day and approximately 3.5 million privately-
Continued from Page 1A owned vehicles crossed the bridge last year. The General Services Administration said the facility “was not designed to accommodate this level of bus traffic.” The combination of heat and long wait times create uncomfortable and unsafe conditions for port staff as well as travelers, the agency said. Improvements to the bridges are scheduled to be completed by July 2017. (Aldo Amato may be reached at 728-2538 or at aamato@lmtonline.com)
FRACKING health and environmental groups, however, say the updates did not go far enough in regulating new wells and that they allow companies to continue working on wells drilled under the old rules. Last October, the city filed a lawsuit against Dallas-based driller EagleRidge Energy for allegedly drilling two wells without permission — and too close to a housing development. But the city withdrew the lawsuit five days later after a district judge denied the city’s request for a temporary injunction against EagleRidge. The
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city is now in “standstill” agreement with EagleRidge, which says the company will not drill at new well sites while it negotiates rights at existing sites. EagleRidge representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ballot initiative campaign. The petition’s organizers must gather 571 signatures within 180 days to place the initiative on the ballot. Adam Briggle, a University of North Texas philosophy professor who is part of the effort, said he doubts the initiative will
POWER Southern Co. officials told Wall Street analysts in late January that they had submitted the paperwork necessary to get the loan guarantees, but company spokesman Tim Leljedal would not discuss Tuesday whether a deal had been reached. “We’re committed to enhancing the customer value of the project through various avenues including the pursuit of loan guarantees,” he said. The company has said federal assistance was not needed to finish the project. The company was able to borrow $4.3 billion privately in 2012. Completion of the project is not expected until at
Continued from Page 1A least 2018. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Stan Wise said state officials have been invited to a signing ceremony Thursday. He had not been briefed on the terms. A spokesman for the Energy Department declined to comment. Government officials familiar with the deal said two loan guarantees totaling $6.5 billion will be offered to Georgia Power, a Southern subsidiary, and Oglethorpe Power Co., a partner on the project. A separate agreement guaranteeing $1.8 billion was still being negotiated with a third Vogtle partner, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia.
SURVEILLANCE an effort to win back public trust, Obama has called for some changes that would provide more privacy protections and transparency but not end the program. Clinton, the overwhelming Democratic favorite should she seek the presidency, has been virtually silent on the NSA debate for months. Last fall she called for a “full, comprehensive discussion” about the practices but also defended the surveillance. “From my own experience, the information-gathering and analyzing has proven very important and useful in a number of instances,” she said. A Clinton spokesman declined to offer further comment last week. Paul, a prospective Republican presidential hopeful and tea party favorite, contrasted Clinton’s position with his own aggressive opposition to Bush-era intelligence programs, as polls suggest that a growing majority of Republicans — tea party supporters in particular — are deeply skeptical of the federal government. “I think in 2016 if you had a more libertarian-leaning Republican, and you had someone like Hillary Clinton, I think you could actually completely transform where people think they are and what party people think they have allegiance for,” Paul said at a recent Washington conference. Last week, he filed a lawsuit against Obama and others in the administration over the so-called 215 program. The Republican National Committee in January approved a resolution “to immediately take action to halt current unconstitutional surveillance programs and provide a full public accounting of the NSA’s data
be ready for the city’s May election, so it might slip to November if Denton does not hold any special elections beforehand. Bradbury said he would not be surprised to see the initiative succeed in Denton, where the University of North Texas has fostered a “creative class” of voters. But such an outcome would undoubtedly irk mineral owners and possibly spark a legal battle, putting city officials in an awkward position. “I think it’s good that these issues are bubbling up to the surface,” Bradbury said.
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collection programs.” There was an immediate backlash from Bush-era Republican intelligence officials who described the resolution in a letter to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus as a dangerous “recipe for partisan oblivion.” Other Republicans also pushed back against the intraparty shift. Rubio said this week that “we need to be careful about weakening” the nation’s surveillance capabilities. Rubio said Americans’ privacy expectations and rights need to be protected. “But we also need an effective surveillance capability,” he told the Tampa Bay Times. “Every other country in the world, certainly those that are hostile to our interests, has robust intelligence programs.” There was an unexpectedly close vote in the Republican-controlled House last July on a measure that would have ended the bulk collection of phone records. The amendment failed, but it was the first chance for lawmakers to take a stand on the secret surveillance program since the Snowden leaks. A Pew Research Center poll found last month found that Republicans, fueled by tea party supporters, now disapprove of the program by 56 percent to 37 percent. Democrats are almost evenly split on the program — 46 percent approve and 48 disapprove. Facing increasingly vocal activists at home, nine Republicans who didn’t vote or voted against the amendment last year have signed onto bipartisan legislation that would end the bulk collection surveillance program.
Lawmakers are expected to get another chance to weigh in this spring when Republican House leaders plan to allow a vote on an amendment to a Defense Department bill that would curtail some of the NSA’s surveillance authority. If approved, the measure would give GOP members political cover with their party’s most aggressive NSA critics. In the Democratic Party, progressive members are more likely to be aligned with tea party Republicans than Clinton and Obama on the issue. Warren, a liberal favorite, said that while Obama’s proposed reforms were “a significant step forward,” they didn’t go far enough. She is among more than a dozen Democratic and three Republican senators who support legislation that would end the 215 program. “Congress must go further to protect the right to privacy, to end the NSA’s dragnet surveillance of ordinary Americans, to make the intelligence community more transparent and accountable,” Warren said in a statement to The Associated Press. The intraparty divisions are clear on both sides, but at least one Republican strategist sees a silver lining. “You want to keep the country safe, and you don’t want to eviscerate our liberties and freedoms,” said William Martel, a foreign policy adviser to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign. “That common sense is pulling Democrats and Republicans closer together on this issue than we expect. Isn’t that really the basis of bipartisan consensus?”