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U.S. DISTRICT COURT

Judge sides with Trump on border wall Ruling removes obstacle to begin construction of barriers

By Elliot Spagat A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

SAN DIEGO — A judge who was taunted

by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign sided with the president Tuesday on a

Curiel

challenge to building a border wall with Mexico, removing what could have been a major

obstacle to the signature campaign pledge.

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel rejected arguments by the state of California and advocacy groups that the administration overreached by waiving laws requiring

Elliott Spagat / AP

This photo shows prototypes of border walls in San Diego. U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel on Tuesday rejected arguments by California and advocacy groups that the administration overreached by waiving laws requiring environmental and other reviews before construction could begin.

environmental and other reviews before construction can begin. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit said a 2005 a law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad authority to

waive the reviews had expired.

Trump berated Curiel during the campaign for his handling of fraud allegations against nowdefunct Trump Universi-

SUPREME COURT

ty, suggesting the Indiana-born judge’s Mexican heritage reflected a bias.

Curiel mentioned his roots in his 101-page rulBorder continues on A8

WHITE HOUSE

‘DREAMERS’ REMAIN PROTECTED Rebecca Blackwell / AP

A tentative plan for President Donald Trump to host Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto in Washington has been put on hold. Trump and Peña Nieto have agreed that now is not the right time for Peña Nieto to make his first visit since Trump took office more than a year ago.

Peña Nieto’s visit to D.C. put on hold Plan shelved after testy telephone call between leaders

By Darlene Superville ASSOCIATED PRE SS Saul Loebsaul / AFP/Getty Images

channels.”

DACA has provided protection from deportation and work permits for about 800,000 young people who came to the U.S. as children and stayed illegally.

In September, Trump argued that President Barack Obama had exceeded his executive powers when he created the program. Trump announced he was ending the program effective March 5 and gave lawmakers until then to come up with a legislative fix.

But in recent weeks, federal judges in San Francisco and New York have made Trump’s deadline temporarily moot for people who have sought and been granted renewals; the rulings do not extend to people who are applying for the first time.

Judges issued injunctions ordering the administration to keep DACA in place while courts consider legal challenges to Trump’s termination.

WASHINGTON — A tentative plan for President Donald Trump to host his Mexican counterpart in Washington has been put on hold, the White House confirmed Saturday.

Trump and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto have agreed that now is not the right time for Peña Nieto to make his first visit since Trump took office more than a year ago, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. U.S. and Mexican officials will continue to talk and work together, the official said.

The Washington Post cited U.S. and Mexican officials in reporting late Saturday that the plan was shelved last week after a testy telephone call between the leaders ended in an impasse over the wall Trump has pledged to build on the U.S.Mexico border to stem the flow of immigrants and drugs.

Trump promised the wall throughout his presidential campaign, often leading crowds to yell "Mexico" when he asked who would pay for it.

Mexico regards the idea of a border wall as an insult and insists it will not pay.

Trump and Peña Nieto spoke on Feb. 20, the White House said in a statement at the time.

Trump offered condolences after a military helicopter carrying officials assessing earthquake damage crashed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, killing 13 people, and Peña Nieto offered

DACA continues on A8

Visit continues on A8

Capitol Police arrest members of the Catholic community and supporters of DACA recipients during a protest demonstration in support of the DREAM Act as a part of a Catholic Day of Action in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Tuesday.

Case affecting DACA program will have to work its way through lower courts

By Jessica Gresko A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s highly unusual bid to bypass a federal appeals court and get the justices to intervene in the fate of a program that protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

The announcement means the case affecting “Dreamers” will have to work its way through the lower courts before any Supreme Court ruling is possible. The case could also become moot if Congress takes action in the meantime. Right now, however, efforts to address the issue in Congress have hit a stalemate.

The Supreme Court’s decision for now to stay out of the case on the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, wasn’t surprising. It’s highly unusual for the Supreme Court to hear a case before a lower appeals court has considered it.

But DACA supporters hailed the decision as a significant — if only temporary — win. Trump said the case would now be heard by an appeals court and “we’ll see what happens from there.”

“You know, we tried to get it moved quickly because we’d like to help DACA. I think everybody in this room wants to help with DACA,” he said to visiting governors.

“But the Supreme Court just ruled that it has to go through the normal

In Brief A2 | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CALENDAR

AROUND THE NATION

TODAY IN HISTORY

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

Laredo Northside Farmers Market.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. North Central Park at the playground behind the trailhead facility. This month's raffle is for two each Easy Rollers at 11 AM. Please register by 10:45 a.m. Must be present to win.

Jacqueline Larma / AP

Headstones toppled and damaged by vandals lie on the ground at Mount Carmel Cemetery. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 57 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2017.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

Better Neighbors: Toward a Renewal of Economic Integration in Latin America. 7:30 pm, TAMIU Student Center Ballroom, 5201 University Blvd., Laredo, TX 78041. Please join us for our International Bank of Commerce Keynote Speaker Series presentation featuring Dr. Raymond Robertson, professor and the Helen and Roy Ryu Chair in Economics and Government at Texas A&M University. The event is free and open to the public. Translations services (English to Spanish) will be available. Contact: Amy Palacios, 956-326-2820, cswht@tamiu.edu.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS SOAR The Anti-Defamation League is reporting a 57 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. last year, the highest tally that the Jewish civil rights group has counted in more than two decades, according to data it released Tuesday.

The New York City-based organization found 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents last year, up from 1,267 in 2016. That’s the highest total since 1994 and the largest single-year increase since the group began collecting this data in 1979.

The ADL said the sharp rise includes 952 vandalism incidents, an increase of 86

Studies find safer option than saline solution in IV bags New research calls into question what’s in those IV bags that nearly every hospitalized patient gets. Using a different intravenous fluid instead of the usual saline greatly reduced the risk of death or kidney damage, two large studies found.

The difference could mean 50,000 to 70,000 fewer deaths and 100,000 fewer cases of kidney failure each year in the

SATURDAY, APRIL 7 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 Habitat for Humanity Laredo major fundraiser Golfing For Roofs golf tournament. Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course. Hole sponsorships are title $10,000, platinum $5,000, diamond $2,500, gold $1,500, silver $1,000, bronze. For information, call 724-3227.

SATURDAY, MAY 5 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

SATURDAY, JULY 7 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

SATURDAY, AUG. 4 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.

Submit calendar items by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location, purpose and contact information for a representative. Items will run as space is available.

percent from 2016. The group also counted 1,015 incidents of harassment, a 41 percent increase from 2016.

ADL national director and CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the “alarming” increase appears to be fueled by emboldened far-right extremists as well as the “divisive state of our national discourse.”

Greenblatt also acknowledged that heightened awareness of the problem likely led to increased reporting. Anti-Semitic incidents at schools and on college campuses nearly doubled for the second year in a row. — Compiled from AP reports

U.S., researchers estimate.

Some doctors are hoping the results will persuade more hospitals to switch.

IVs are one of the most common things in health care. They are used to prevent dehydration, maintain blood pressure or give patients medicines or nutrients if they can’t eat.

Saline — salt dissolved in water — has been the most widely used fluid in the U.S. for more than a century even as evidence has emerged that it can harm kidneys, especially when used a lot.

Other IV solutions called balanced fluids include saline but also contain potassium and other things that make them more like plasma, the clear part of blood. They’re widely used in Europe and Australia.

The studies involved 28,000 patients at Vanderbilt University who were given IVs of saline or a balanced fluid. For every 100 people on balanced fluids, there was one fewer death or severe kidney problem since there are about 30 million hospitalized in the U.S. each year.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE STATE GOP outsider Ted Cruz now embraced by his party FORT WORTH — Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas now benefits from all the perks of being part of a club he made his name railing against.

Despite leading a government shutdown, calling the Republican Senate majority leader a "liar" and declining to endorse his party’s nominee for president at the 2016 Republican convention, the Cruz isn’t remotely worried about threats from his party in the March 6 Texas primary.

The two strongest Republicans seeking to unseat Cruz in the primary are running shoestring campaigns. One is relying on volunteers and family for campaign staff. The other is leaning on help from college friends and Democrats.

In the final days before that primary, Cruz is holding few public events in Texas. He

Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto / TNS

Senator Ted Cruz speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 22, 2018 in National Harbor, Md.

spent Congress’ state work week last week railing against ethanol standards in Pennsylvania and speaking to a national conservative conference in National Harbor, Md. —keeping in close touch with the conservative base he could someday need if he runs for president again. His office reported just one public event

last week, a Republican dinner in El Paso Saturday night. The previous weekend, Cruz traveled with Vice President Mike Pence on a Texas fundraising swing and a visit to the Mexican border. Once the ultimate outsider, Cruz has quickly become a powerful force in his state and national parties. — Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE WORLD German court lets cities ban diesel cars BERLIN — Handing environmentalists a landmark victory, a German court ruled Tuesday that cities can ban diesel cars and trucks to combat air pollution, a decision with far-reaching and costly implications in the country where the diesel engine was invented in the 1890s.

The ruling by the Federal

Administrative Court stirred fears from motorists, auto dealers and other businesses worried about the financial impact.

And Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government scrambled to reassure drivers it would seek to prevent such drastic measures by pushing other ways to reduce urban pollution.

Diesel automobiles are a popular alternative to gasolinepowered ones in Germany, with about 9 million diesel cars and several million trucks, buses and other vehicles affected by

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2018. There are 306 days left in the year. The Jewish holiday Purim begins at sunset.

Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed.

On this date: In 1784, John Wesley, the co-founder of Methodism, chartered the first Methodist Church in the United States in Leesburg, Virginia.

In 1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others.

In 1861, the Territory of Colorado was organized.

In 1917, The AP reported that the United States had obtained a diplomatic communication sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to a German official in Mexico proposing a German alliance with Mexico and Japan should the U.S. enter World War I. (Outrage over the telegram helped propel America into the conflict.)

In 1942, the heavy cruiser USS Houston and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth were attacked by Japanese forces during the World War II Battle of Sunda Strait; both were sunk shortly after midnight on March 1 with a total loss of more than 1,000 men.

In 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick announced they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. In 1958, a school bus clipped a truck near Prestonburg, Kentucky, and plunged down an embankment into the Big Sandy River; 22 children managed to escape, but 26 other children and the bus driver drowned.

In 1960, a day after defeating the Soviets at the Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, the United States won its first Olympic hockey gold medal by defeating Czechoslovakia, 9-4.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush told a White House news conference the country was not recessionbound; Democratic candidate Barack Obama said the economy was "on the brink of a recession" and blamed economic policies espoused by Bush and Republican presidential contender John McCain.

Five years ago: Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate. (Benedict was succeeded the following month by Pope Francis.)

Bradley Manning, the Army private arrested in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history, pleaded guilty at Fort Meade, Maryland, to 10 charges involving illegal possession or distribution of classified material.

One year ago: Heralding a "new chapter of American greatness," President Donald Trump issued a broad call for overhauling the nation's health care system and significantly boosting military spending in an hourlong speech to a joint session of Congress. Dozens of tornadoes began touching down in the upper Midwest and northern Arkansas, killing at least three people. Amazon's cloud-computing service, Amazon Web Services, experienced a five-hour outage in its eastern U.S. region, causing unprecedented and widespread problems for thousands of websites and apps.

Today's Birthdays: Architect Frank Gehry is 89. Actor Gavin MacLeod is 87. Singer Sam the Sham is 81. Actordirector-dancer Tommy Tune is 79.

Mario Andretti is 78. Actor Frank Bonner is 76. Actress Kelly Bishop is 74. Actress Stephanie Beacham is 71.

Writer-director Mike Figgis is 70.

Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 70. Actress Bernadette Peters is 70. Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu is 70. Actress Ilene Graff is 69. Economist Paul Krugman is 65. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is 63. Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley is 63. Actor John Turturro is 61. Rock singer Cindy Wilson is 61. Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 57. Actress Maxine Bahns is 49.

Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 49. Rock singer Pat Monahan is 49. Author Daniel Handler is 48. Actress Tasha Smith is 47. Actor Rory Cochrane is 46.

Actress Ali Larter is 42. Country singer Jason Aldean is 41. Actor Geoffrey Arend is 40. Actress Melanie Chandra is 34. Actress Michelle Horn is 31.

Actress True O'Brien is 24. Actress Madisen Beaty is 23. Actress Quinn Shephard is 23.

Thought for Today : "In science, all facts, no matter how trivial or banal, enjoy democratic equality." — Mary McCarthy, American author and critic (1912-1989).

CONTACT US the ruling.

Overall, 1 in 3 passenger cars in Germany, home to such automakers as Daimler, Volkswagen and BMW, are dieselpowered, though the cleanest, most modern models would probably still be allowed even if cities decided on a ban. While diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide, they emit higher levels of nitrogen oxides, contributing to respiratory illnesses and 6,000 deaths annually, according to government figures. — Compiled from AP reports

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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 |

STATE

Some return to homes after leaks led to evacuations A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

DALLAS — Gas is being restored to a few dozen homes in Dallas as hundreds of others are complying with an evacuation order following a house explosion last week that killed a 12year-old girl.

Atmos Energy was notifying some residents Tuesday in north Dallas

that gas service had been restored and they were safe to return to their homes.

The deadly explosion Friday that knocked a home off its foundation led to the evacuation of an elementary school and nearby homes.

People were allowed to return the next day but then another leak elsewhere was reported

Sunday that triggered another evacuation affecting hundreds.

Atmos is trying to determine the extent of the leaking.

State and federal officials are investigating.

The company has said it will replace 2.5 miles of pipe through the area over the next several days.

Official apologizes after player pretends to shoot opponents A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

VICTORIA, Texas — A South Texas school district has apologized for the actions of a baseball player who used a bat as a fake gun to simulate a sniper shooting at opposing players from the dugout.

Victoria Independent School District Athletic

Director Leonard McAngus said this week that the player’s behavior during a game Friday was “inappropriate.”

The Victoria East High School player, who was not in uniform, used athletic tape and items resembling a cartridge and gun handles to make the bat resemble a rifle.

A spectator told the Victoria Advocate that the player at one point sprawled on the ground as if he were a sniper.

The spectator, retired U.S. Border Patrol agent Manny Perez, says the behavior was unseemly in the wake of the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Man accused of theft in dead uncle’s military pension A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

RICHMOND, Texas — A recently retired county jail guard in Texas has been charged with pocketing two decades worth of military pension checks sent to his long deceased uncle.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Burnie Joseph Haynes is accused of theft of federal funds for taking more than

$286,000 from his late uncle’s bank account, which was receiving military pension checks for service in the U.S. Air Force.

He’s set to appear in federal court Tuesday.

Haynes was a detention officer for the Fort Bend Sheriff ’s Office until about two weeks ago.

Court documents show Haynes’ uncle, Joseph

McKinley Wells, died in 1996. He didn’t list any benefactors on his account, but Haynes had signatory authority through a power of attorney.

Federal officials allege Haynes stole money from 1996-2016 in the form of retirement pay from the Defense Department.

The newspaper couldn’t reach Haynes for immediate comment.

A3

Letters to the editor Send your signed letter to editorial@lmtonline.com

A4 | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

Gun-violence discussion a game-changer

By Ken Herman COX N EWSPAPE RS

If you spend any time in downtown Austin, you know you can run into folks on the street espousing stuff, sometimes crazy stuff.

I heard the darndest things on Monday from a guy on Congress Avenue.

He looked like a reasonable guy, reasonably dressed in Texas business attire (sport coat and jeans).

But the words that came out of his mouth ... .

See what you think.

First, he thinks Texans are ready this year to elect a Democrat as their next governor. As if that’s not sufficiently outside the box, this guy also thinks the GOP-controlled, NRA-approved Texas Legislature can be persuaded to pass what he sees as reasonable and needed restrictions on guns and ammo.

The things you can hear on Congress Avenue.

He’s Andrew White.

His late dad, Mark White, was governor, back when Democrats could be governor of Texas, and this White thinks he can be the next governor of Texas. First, of course, he has to beat former Dallas Sheriff Lupe Valdez in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Early voting for the March 6 primary ends Friday. Go vote for somebody.

White espoused his gun-control ideas as he was flanked by leaders of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

They’re not endorsing anybody in the primary, but they are looking for general-election candidates that would qualify for their seal of approval.

White and Valdez seem pretty much in alignment on gun issues, including calls for background checks on all gun purchases, including personto-person sales; a limit on magazine capacity; and raising the age for rifle purchases from 18 to 21.

White on Monday urged GOP Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session to pass “common-sense gunsafety legislation.”

Don’t hold your breath on that.

In the wake of the Feb. 14 Parkland, Florida, school shootings, Abbott, proud of his A-plus NRA rating, has talked about mental health issues and improving the federal background check system for gun purchases. He’s mentioned nothing about further restrictions on guns or ammo.

Both Democratic candidates say you can simultaneously support the Second Amendment and back additional gun re-

strictions that could reduce the number of mass shootings. I certainly hope so.

So it fell to John Moritz, who patrols the Capitol for the USA Today Network, to ask White the pertinent political question about his gun control proposals: “Is this a winner in November in the state of Texas?”

Moritz doesn’t waste words.

The current platform of the party most definitely in power in Texas says, “We strongly oppose all laws that infringe on the right to bear arms.” It also talks about a “God-given right to carry” firearms and says, “All federal acts, laws, executive orders, and court orders which restrict or infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms shall be invalid in Texas, not be recognized by Texas, shall be specifically rejected by Texas, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in Texas.”

Confronted with the political reality question, White said, “You know what, it doesn’t matter.

This isn’t about getting some special-interest group to vote for me or not vote for me. It’s about doing right and risking the consequences.”

The consequences in this case, one would think, might include little to no chance of a guncontrol advocate (even limited gun control) beating Abbott in November.

Those of us who favor competitive two-party Texas government have been looking for a political game changer for about a generation now.

How weird it would be if guns were that game changer? Valdez and White are counting on that. We’ll see if they’re on to something. Again, let’s hope they are because, Second Amendment supporter though I am, I refuse to adopt the hopeless position that there’s nothing that can be done to, at least, curtail mass shootings.

Elva Mendoza was among those who stood with -- but didn’t endorse -- White in downtown Austin on Monday.

“I’m seeing a tremendous shift, and it gives me hope,” said Mendoza, state legislative lead volunteer for Moms Demand Action. “I know we still have a long way to go, just like any other movement.”

Mendoza finds hope in her group’s efforts in the 2017 Texas Legislature to defeat what she calls “permitless carry” of weapons and what supporters called “constitutional carry.”

Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman.

COLUMN

NRA boycott forces businesses to choose

By Dahleen Glanton CHICAGO TRIBUNE

After years being bullied into submission by the National Rifle Association, Americans have finally had enough.

The NRA and businesses that support the gun lobby group are finding out quickly that hell hath no fury like a nation scorned.

In a smart move, Americans who want to see sensible gun laws enacted are threatening to boycott corporations that profit from the NRA’s vast power. The #BoycottNRA hashtag is spreading quickly on social media, and it’s taking hostage any company that is even remotely supportive of the NRA. This isn’t the first time consumers have attempted to target companies that offer discounts to NRA members, but it is the first time such a move has seemed to get any traction. The slaughter of 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Fla., this month has galvanized the anti-gun movement in ways we did not see after prior mass shootings.

There is nothing wrong with NRA members fighting for their rights under the Constitution, and the Supreme Court has given them some cover. Though many of us disagree with their interpretation of the Second Amendment, our country is built on the freedom to stand up for whatever we believe in.

But it is a two-way street. As consumers, we also have the right to choose whether to patronize any business that goes against our values.

In order to make those decisions, we need to know where the corporations stand.

Boycotting businesses that have a peripheral connection with the NRA is a roundabout way of getting at the pro-gun group, but it forces companies to get off the sidelines and choose sides in one of the nation’s most polarizing debates.

Corporate America should not be allowed to sit on the fence when it comes to the issue of gun control. This is literally a life-or-death situation that, among other things, has a direct impact on our children.

As consumers, we understand our financial power, and we are eager to use it to force businesses to say publicly whether they are for us or against us. Until now, these companies have been able to have the best of both worlds.

By offering discounts to NRA members, car rental companies, airlines, banks and other service providers have been able to build their businesses and gain the loyalty of the 5 million members the NRA boasts.

The NRA, meanwhile, has been allowed to use these corporate perks to recruit new members and entice the old ones to keep paying their $40-ayear membership dues.

On its website, the NRA advertises, "It pays to be a member!" The group goes on to state that its members get back hundreds of dollars more than they pay in dues.

Like the consumer groups AAA and AARP, NRA memberships bring discounts on everything from wine to life, health and accident insurance.

Though an NRA membership number is required to see which companies provide discounts and the specific amounts, the website advertises that its members can

save up to 65 percent on lodging, flights and other travel services.

Already, at least 15 companies have said they were severing ties with the NRA. Many consumers will not be satisfied until all of them follow suit.

First National Bank of Omaha, which had offered the "Official Credit Card of the NRA," was the first to publicly jump ship. Then came Hertz and Enterprise Holdings - owners of Enterprise, National and Alamo.

Then United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Moving companies, identity theft prevention services and computer security software firms also are no longer trying to woo NRA members.

And the list goes on.

Perhaps the perk that could affect NRA members most directly, though, is the one offered

by Chubb Limited. The insurer announced it would no longer underwrite "NRA Carry Guard," the NRA policy that helps cover legal services for members facing criminal charges or lawsuits after they shoot someone.

The NRA used the insurance to assure its members that if they ever got into trouble, the organization would have their backs. Many gun carriers found that comforting.

While no one thinks that taking away a few discounts will cause NRA members to start dropping out of the organization in droves or lead to the downfall of the organization, the sudden rash of companies no longer willing to do business with the NRA does seem to indicate a change of tide. The more the NRA is ostracized by the public, the easier it will be to loosen its grip on state and local lawmak-

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DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

ers.

The latest defections by corporate America show that the NRA is not as impenetrable as it was once thought to be. Vulnerability is the last thing the NRA bullies want to show.

The organization lashed out in a statement, using its signature tough talk to remind the world that it will not back down.

"Let it be absolutely clear," the statement said.

"The loss of a discount will neither scare nor distract one single NRA member from our mission to stand and defend the individual freedoms that have always made America the greatest nation in the world."

The NRA has long used its armor to keep lawmakers in line, enticing them with cash and the support of its voting bloc. But while NRA members might be loyal, politicians are fickle.

Once public sentiment is put on display, lawmakers tend to shift to whichever way the wind is blowing. And right now, we are beginning to feel the early gusts from what could be a hurricane of change down the road.

If I were a politician in Congress or a state legislature, I’d be getting a little antsy. If Americans can keep the anti-gun momentum going, there’s a good chance that voters will be coming after elected officials on Election Day. It is only fair that politicians also be forced to choose sides. They must decide, just as corporate America has, whether to save themselves or go down with the NRA’s sinking ship.

Dahleen Glanton is a Chicago Tribune columnist.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 |

A5

NATIONAL Parents, teens, officials gather to talk safety

By Kelli Kennedy, Brendan Farrington and Curt Anderson A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

PARKLAND, Fla. — Florida’s governor said Tuesday that he’s determined to make the Parkland school shooting the last the state ever experiences.

Gov. Rick Scott met with Miami-Dade County officials to outline a plan to pass a school safety bill before the state’s annual legislative session ends next Friday.

Scott says he wants to spend $500 million to increase law enforcement and mental health counselors at schools, to make buildings more secure with metal detectors and to create an anonymous tip line.

Family members of slain students spoke during the news conference and during a legislative hearing Tuesday in Tallahassee.

The father of a girl who was shot to death at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14 urged people not to allow the contentious gun debate to stall other efforts.

“Let’s not get mired down in that debate,” said Ryan Petty, father of Alaina Petty. “There will be time for that. Right now, we secure our schools.

Next, we figure out what went wrong.”

Also Tuesday, a House committee approved the bill that would raise the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and create a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases. The bill would also create a program that allows teachers who receive law enforcement training and are deputized by the local sheriff’s office to carry concealed weapons in the classroom if also approved by the school district.

Marion Hammer, a lobbyist for the National

Rifle Association and Unified Sportsmen of Florida, told the House Appropriations Committee that she supports hardening schools and keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, but couldn’t support the bill because of the new restrictions on gun ownership.

After the meeting, she said the restrictions wouldn’t have stopped the Parkland shootings.

“There are laws in place that if they had been followed, that shooter could have been stopped so many times it makes your head spin. So passing more laws dealing with guns as a solution to a problem that exists within the enforcement of laws is just kind of silly,” Hammer said.

The 23-6 committee vote Tuesday came after

more than four hours of emotional discussion, including input from parents of some of the 17 killed at Stoneman Douglas.

Linda Beigel Schulman, mother of 35-year-old geography teacher Scott Beigel, who died in the shooting, spoke about the need to raise the minimum age to buy a rifle to 21, as well as banning assault-style rifles and putting limits on the size of ammunition magazines.

She spoke against the idea of arming teachers.

“If you can’t legally buy a beer in Florida, why should you be able to legally obtain a weapon of war that can kill people?

If you are not mature to consume alcohol, why would you then be mature enough to handle a firearm?” Schulman said.

Democratic Rep. Jared

Moskowitz, a former Parkland vice mayor, said he didn’t like the bill but still voted for it. He explained: “It doesn’t go far enough, and now it goes too far in other areas. But the NRA opposes it, and I will not vote with the NRA.” Unlike Monday, when hundreds of sometimes rowdy protesters jammed a Senate meeting to consider a similar bill, Tuesday’s proceedings were more orderly. Several people spoke in favor of the assault weapons ban, including Parkland resident Amber Hersh.

“Our children lost a friend. Our friend lost a daughter. This is your opportunity. The world is watching,” she told the committee.

An amendment to ban assault weapons was rejected on an 18-11 vote.

C.M. Guerrero/Miami Herald / AP

Florida Governor Rick Scott alongside Andrew Pollack, right, whose daughter was murdered in Parkland and Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos A. Gimenez are shown during a news conference at Miami-Dade Police Department in Doral on Tuesday. Governor Scott highlighted his action plan to make major changes to help keep students safe, including a $500 million investment in school safety and mental health.

The Senate’s version of the school safety bill was approved by a second committee on a 13-7 vote Tuesday evening. Sen. Bill Galvano, who is designated to become the next Senate president and is ushering through the bill, said the earliest it will be considered by the full Senate is Friday.

There were a mix of Democrats and Repub-

licans who didn’t support the bill. Democrats objected to the idea of arming teachers and Republicans opposed new restrictions on gun sales and ownership.

As the bill moves through the Legislature, a judge has refused to step aside in the court case of Nikolas Cruz, the 19-yearold accused of killing 17 people at the high school.

A6 | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

BUSINESS

Treasury yields rise, stocks slide following Fed testimony

By Stan Choe A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

NEW YORK — Treasury yields rose Tuesday, and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index slid to its first loss in four days after the head of the Federal Reserve said that he’s feeling more optimistic about the economy.

The testimony by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell before Congress was highly anticipated, and he gave encouraging words about the economic data that have arrived in recent weeks. But some investors speculated they could mean the central bank

will get more aggressive in raising interest rates than the market has prepared for.

“My personal outlook for the economy has strengthened since December,” Powell said in response to a question about whether the recently passed tax cut and other moves by Congress have changed his outlook for how quickly the Fed will raise interest rates.

The immediate reaction in the bond market was to send Treasury yields higher, and the yield on the 10-year note climbed to 2.90 percent from 2.86 percent late Monday. It

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• Carta del Departamento de IRS si usted, su cónyuge, y/o dependientes recibieron un número de ITIN. • Comprobante de salario e ingresos en Formularios W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, de todos sus empleadores.

• Estados bancarios de intereses y dividendos (Formulario 1099-Int, 1099-Div) • Número de ruta bancaria y número de cuenta para depósito directo • Monto total pagado a proveedores de cuidado en guardería y el número de identificación tributaria del proveedor (el número de seguro social del proveedor o el número de identificación del empleador del negocio) • Para presentar electrónicamente una declaración de impuestos conjunta, ambos deben estar presentes para firmar

had been down earlier in the morning.

Higher interest rates can hurt stock prices by making bonds more attractive. Generally, when interest rates are rising, companies need to produce bigger profits just for their stock prices to stay flat.

The S&P 500 fell 35.32 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,744.28. It had been bouncing between modest gains and losses early in the morning, but the losses accelerated after Powell began answering questions on Capitol Hill.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 299.24, or

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1.2 percent, to 25,410.03, and the Nasdaq composite fell 91.11, or 1.2 percent, to 7,330.35.

The Fed raised its key policy interest rate three times last year and has signaled that another three increases may be coming in 2018. Powell reaffirmed to the House Financial Services Committee that the central bank plans to raise interest rates gradually as the economy improves.

The market got spooked

earlier this month when potential signs of inflation strengthened, which raised speculation that the Fed may speed up its timetable. Stocks around the world fell sharply as a result, with the S&P 500 losing 10 percent from its record high at one point.

If the Fed does raise rates four times this year, it could upset markets when many investors have been preparing for only three increases, said Rich Weiss, chief investment

officer of multi-asset strategies at American Century Investments.

What may make things even more muddled is how long it’s been since investors have had to contend with a market where inflation is a threat and interest rates are rising, Weiss said. The last time was before the 2008 financial crisis. The rise in Treasury yields sent stocks that pay big dividends to some of the market’s steepest losses.

Frontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 |

RIBEREÑA EN BREVE Actividades literarias 1 La escuela primaria Fidel & Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary de ZCISD celebra al Dr. Seuss con un evento literario “Dr. Seuss: Read Across America”, durante la semana del 26 de febrero al 2 de marzo.

Revise el sitio de Internet de ZCISD para los eventos de cada día.

Genealogía 1 ¿Desea saber más sobre su historia familiar? ¿Necesita ayuda para iniciar su genealogía? Venga y reciba ayuda personalizada para investigar a sus ancestros utilizando recursos en línea. Voluntarios entrenados le ayudarán en Roma Birding Center. Evento gratuito patrocinado por la Iglesia de Jesús de los Santos de los Últimos Días.

Aniversario Puente 1 El Ayuntamieto de la Ciudad de Roma y la Comisión Histórica de Roma tienen el honor de invitar al público al evento sobre la celebración de 90 años de historia del Puente Internacional Colgante Roma-Miguel Alemán, el próximo 3 de marzo.

Feria del Condado de Zapata 1 3 de marzo: Evento de cabalgata y carne asada Zapata County Fair Trail Ride & CookOff. Para mayores informes visite zapatacountyfair.com 1 8 de marzo: Arranque de la Feria del Condado de Zapata con la presentación de Albert Zamora, Rick Naranjo y Los Gamblers, Jaime y Los chamacos. Además, disfrute del carnaval durante las actividades del evento.

1 9 de marzo: Presentación de los grupos La Mafia, La Firma y Kyle Park.

1 10 de marzo: Asista al Desfile de la Feria del Condado de Zapata. Además, habrá subasta de ejemplares en la Feria del Condado de Zapata y la presentación de Pesado, Ramón Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte y el grupo Palomo.

Huevos de Pascua 1 Evento de Búsqueda de Huevos de Pascua en su sexta edición, organizado por la Ciudad de Roma, de 10 a.m. a 12 p.m., en Roma Texas Municipal Park, el sábado 24 de marzo.

Museo en Zapata 1 A los interesados en realizar una investigación sobre genealogía de la región, se sugiere visitar el Museo del Condado de Zapata ubicado en 805 N US-Hwy 83.

Opera de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. Existen visitas guiadas. Personal está capacitado y puede orientar acerca de la historia del Sur de Texas y sus fundadores. Informes al 956-765-8983.

Aviario 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a visitar el aviario Roma Bluffs World Birding Center en el distrito histórico de Roma, de jueves a domingo de 8 a.m. a 4 p.m. Mayores informes al 956-8491411.

A7

UNITED SOUTH

Arrestan a estudiante Habría amenazado con disparar en preparatoria Por César G. Rodriguez TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Un adolescente acusado de amenazar de disparar en United South High School y tratar de linchar a un administrador escolar indicó que él no pensó su publicación en Facebook podría ser tomada en serio, de acuerdo con la declaración jurada del arresto.

Gerardo Martínez, de 18 años de edad, fue arrestado el viernes por la tarde y acusado de acoso y hacer una alarma o reporte falso. Él fue liberado después el mismo día de la Cárcel del Condado de

Webb, de acuerdo con registros de custodia.

La policía de Laredo dijo que el caso se desarrolló alrededor de las 10:30 a.m. el 18 de febrero después de que recibieran información sobre un estudiante de United South haciendo amenazas en Facebook.

El estudiante, quien después fue identificado como Martínez, dirigió su amenaza a la escuela y al decano de magnet en United South. Utilizando su perfil “Jerry Martinez”, él publicó comentarios insultantes sobre la escuela y el decano.

Bajo esa publicación, él des-

pués supuestamente agregó los comentarios, “Al diablo con United South” y “voy a disparar a la v**** y linchar al (decano de magnet)”.

Martínez Las autoridades obtuvieron una dirección de Martínez en la cuadra 3400 de la calle Almond en el vecindario Pecan Acres. La policía se reunió con la mamá de Martínez. La policía le explicó la situación y pidieron consentimiento para buscar la casa por armas.

“Ella agregó que su casa está libre de armas y no tenía ningún problema con que la policía buscara dentro de la casa”, dice la queja criminal.

La policía no encontró armas,

ni signos de que Martínez planeara lastimar al decano o la escuela, de acuerdo con documentos de la corte. Los investigadores después hablaron con Martínez, quien supuestamente accedió a hablar a la policía.

Martínez supuestamente indicó que estaba enojado porque su amigo había sido suspendido de United South. “Él después indicó que como estaba molesto, utilizó la plataforma de Facebook e hizo la publicación bajo su perfil, ‘Jerry Martinez’”, dice la querella.

“Además, él agregó que realmente no pretendía disparar en la escuela y que no tenía ningún problema con el decano. Él agregó que no pensó su comentario sería tomado en serio. Él dijo que no tiene acceso a armas porque sus padres no poseen armas”.

DACA

SE UNEN A DIÓCESIS DE LAREDO Piden a comunidad contactar a Congreso Por Andrea Castañeda TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Conforme se acerca la fecha de expiración del programa de Acción Diferida, los beneficiados que se han quedado en la incertidumbre han unido sus esfuerzos con las Caridades Católicas para pedir a la comunidad contactar al Congreso.

El lunes fue el Día Nacional para Llamar por la Protección de los Dreamers. Caridades Católicas realizó una conferencia de prensa con beneficiados locales y aliados para expresar la importancia de juntar el apoyo comunitario.

“Es importante como comunidad, como un todo, que trabajemos juntos para asegurarnos que los Dreamers sean protegidos”, dijo Rachel Flores, directora ejecutiva de Caridades Católicas. “Son parte de nuestra comunidad, están contribuyendo a nuestra comunidad, son parte de nuestras parroquias, son nuestros vecinos de a lado, así que son parte de la comunidad”.

El Programa de Acción Diferida para Menores o DACA (por sus siglas en inglés) protege inmigrantes indocumentados traídos a los Estados Unidos como niños. El Presidente Donald Trump había anunciado que el programa expiraría en marzo, a menos de que el Congreso actuara.

Dos órdenes federales fueron emitidas y bloquearon la eliminación del programa.

Pero Dreamers, como Ena Vega, siguen estando muy preocupados por el futuro de su estatus migratorio. Vega se encontraba en la conferencia de prensa junto con la Alianza de Inmigrantes de Laredo, una organización local de la cual forma parte. Vega llegó a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía 10 años de edad. Su permiso vence en 2019.

“Inclusive así, es como estar viviendo con un cronómetro”, ella dijo. “Lo que sea que pase ahora me afectará en el 2019. Y ahora el hecho de que nada suceda como quiera me

Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

El Dreamer local José Luis Saldaña habla con Edith Cedillo, Gerente del Programa de Inmigración de Caridades Católicas después de una conferencia de prensa en apoyo del Día Nacional para Pedir por la Protección de Dreamers.

afecta porque pienso, ‘¿podré graduarme para el 2019?’”

En la reunión del lunes, ellos alentaron a la comunidad a llamar a sus senadores y representantes para poder pedir una solución. En el Condado de Webb se han reportado 6.000 Dreamers. Al unirnos, Vega dijo, podemos hacer que la voz de todos se escuche y el mensaje llegue a todo el país.

“Ahora mismo tenemos a 122 beneficiados DACA perdiendo su estatus a diario, pero una vez que llegue el 5 de marzo, ese número incrementará a miles”, dijo Vega. “Aún se

están tramitando renovaciones pero los servicios de inmigración no están procesando los permisos tan rápido como de costumbre.

Así que la gente está esperando su renovación pero mientras esperan su DACA expira.

Así que básicamente están en pausa. Esa es la urgencia”.

La Alianza de Inmigrantes de Laredo anunció que estarán realizando una caminata el 5 de marzo para continuar su plegaria.

Vega dijo que ella espera la participación de la comunidad presione al Congreso a actuar en una solución permanente.

SAN YGNACIO

Imparten charla sobre Fuerte Treviño Por Malena Charur TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

El Fuerte y Rancho TreviñoUribe en San Ygnacio y el papel que ha jugado la fundación The River Price Foundation en su restauración fue el tema tratado durante la reunión mensual de la Sociedad Genealógica Villa San Agustín de Laredo, que se llevó a cabo en la Biblioteca Pública de Laredo Joe A. Guerra, el jueves.

Christopher Rincón, director ejecutivo de la fundación, fue el encargado de impartir la charla.

“Desde hace dos décadas, en 1990, el artista visual Michael Tracy, creó esta fundación para dar oportunidad a otros artistas a trabajar en la quietud de un espacio como San Ygnacio”, explicó Rincón.

Tracy radicaba en San Ygnacio desde tiempo atrás “huyendo de la cultura dominante de Estados Unidos”. Su obra artística forma parte de colecciones y ha sido expuesta alredor del mundo.

“Después de una vida artística

exitosa Tracy decide retribuir a la comunidad y funda The River Price Foundation”, relató Rincón.

Rincón agregó que conoció a Tracy cuando estudiaba una licenciatura en Artes con una especialización en Organizaciones Sin Fines de lucro en la Universidad de Texas en Austin.

Después de trabajar en algunas galerías fue contratado como director ejecutivo de la fundación The River Price Foundation.

Desde entonces está a cargo de la recaudación de fondos y las operaciones diarias de este organismo.

“Aun cuando ya trabajaba para la fundación, me preguntaba: ¿Qué tiene que ver la preservación histórica con el arte contemporáneo? ¿Qué fundación es ésta?”, recordó Rincón. “Entonces acudí a un crítico de arte ya fallecido y dijo: “El arte cambia cómo vemos las cosas y quizás cambie cómo son las cosas”. Él habló del compromiso hecho por la Junta Directiva de la fundación, que ha dejado plas-

mado en una resolución.

“Exhortamos a un renovado compromiso para el descubrimiento de nuestra ecología aquí en la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos. Buscamos una respuesta vigorosa y respeto por nuestra gente, nuestras historias, los lugares en los que habitamos, y dónde y cómo trabajamos y vivimos”, se lee en la resolución.

La fundación también está comprometida a preservar el carácter colonial de San Ygnacio.

“San Ygnacio fue fundada en 1830. Jesús Treviño construye el fuerte para defenderse de los indígenas nativos”, dijo. “En una de las habitaciones se lee una inscripción que dice “En paz y libertad, obramos”.

Cambios alrededor de San Ygnacio, como la construcción de la presa que traería actividad económica y deportiva a la región, también es parte de recuerdos tristes que se asocian a la destrucción de otros asentamientos como Revilla y Guerrero Viejo.

“Pero, a pesar de los cambios alrededor, San Ygnacio permaneció intacto como la última colección de estructuras que retrata cómo era la vida en los asentamientos ubicados en la parte baja del Río Grande”, dijo.

El Fuerte Treviño en San Ygnacio ha sido distinguido como un monumento histórico a nivel estatal y nacional.

La fundación River Pierce Foundation ha realizado la restauración total del fuerte y ahora está abierto al público. Rincón anunció que tienen una tienda de regalos y que pronto abrirán el edificio “La casa de los duendes”, ubicada al oeste del Fuerte Treviño y que aparentemente era la casa de Fernando Uribe.

También buscan conservar un equilibrio entre los visitantes y el espíritu histórico y artístico del lugar.

“Creemos en la educación para rescatar los edificios y conservar la ecología. Que haya una buena agua para beber y un buen aire para respirar”, dijo.

A8 | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

FROM THE COVER DACA From page A1

BORDER From page A1

As a result, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services resumed accepting and processing DACA renewals in January, just as it had before Trump’s September announcement.

The Trump administration has not tried to block the injunctions that force it to continue operating the program.

Though the March 5 date is now moot, Greisa Martinez, policy and advocacy director for United We Dream, said DACA supporters planned to demonstrate in Washington on that day in part to continue to pressure Congress to act.

The Senate two weeks ago blocked a bipartisan bill offering Dreamers potential citizenship and providing $25 billion for President Donald Trump to build his proposed border wall with Mexico.

A more conservative House proposal that sharply reduces legal immigration and imposes other restrictions has languished short of the GOP votes it would need to pass, leaving its fate in question.

The Supreme Court’s announcement Monday that it wouldn’t step in to the case now means the

ing Tuesday when he cited another native of the state, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote in another case that courts should not make policy judgments.

“The court cannot and does not consider whether the underlying decisions to construct border barriers are politically wise or prudent,” Curiel wrote.

The lawsuit was the first major legal challenge to the wall under Trump and the latest legal challenge to fail over the years.

The Center for Biological Diversity, which sued along with the state of California and three advocacy groups, said it would appeal.

“They’re giving unprecedented, sweeping power to an unelected agency chief to ignore dozens of laws and crash through hundreds of miles of spectacular borderlands,” attorney Brian Segee said, referring to the head of Homeland Security.

“This is unconstitutional and shouldn’t be allowed to stand.”

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said, “We will evaluate all of our options and are prepared to do what is necessary to protect our people, our values, and our economy from federal overreach.”

The Animal Legal Defense Fund said it may ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. The Sierra Club said the environmental and other reviews are critical to protecting border communities, but the group didn’t discuss its next step.

U.S. Justice Depart-

VISIT From page A1 condolences over last week's Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead.

The statement said Trump underscored his commitment to expanding cooperation with Mexico on security, trade, and immigration, but did not mention a possible visit by Peña Nieto. The White House sought

Al Drago / New York Times

Catholic activists gather before being arrested in the Russell Senate office building in Washington.

Organizers billed a series of events on Tuesday as the Catholic Day of Action for Dreamers.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will likely be the first appeals court to weigh in on the topic, the step before the case would return to the Supreme Court.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has led the multistate lawsuit in California to keep DACA in place, cheered the Supreme Court announcement Monday.

“It’s a victory for all Dreamers, certainly a great victory for California,” Becerra said during a phone call with reporters. “It’s a victory for the rule of law and it’s a victory for our economy.”

The Ninth Circuit has set no date to hear argu-

ments but has given lawyers dates by which they must file briefs that run through April. Andrew Pincus, an attorney who represents more than 100 businesses that intervened in support of DACA, said June is probably the earliest that the court would rule.

Trump on Monday didn’t seem to hold out much hope of winning at the Ninth Circuit, criticizing the liberal-leaning court by saying “nothing’s as bad as the Ninth Circuit.”

“I mean, it’s really sad when every single case filed against us is in the 9th Circuit we lose, we lose, we lose and then we do fine in the Supreme Court,” he said.

Saturday to minimize any appearance of a rift in relations with its southern neighbor.

"We enjoy a great relationship with Mexico and the two administrations have been working for a year to deepen our cooperation across a range of issues including security, immigration, trade and economics," said National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton.

Peña Nieto scrapped a planned trip to meet

Trump at the White House shortly after Trump took office in January 2017 over Trump's insistence that Mexico pay for the wall.

The leaders met in Germany at the Group of 20 economic summit in July. Trump has not visited Mexico as president, though he and Peña Nieto met in Mexico City when Trump traveled there as a candidate during the 2016 presidential campaign.

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ment spokesman Devin O’Malley welcomed the decision, saying Congress granted authority to build a wall without delay and that the administration is pleased it can continue “this important work vital to our nation’s interests.”

Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton added, “Simply put, walls work.”

The decision came days after construction began on a 30-foot (9.1meter) high barrier in Calexico, California, the administration’s first wall project outside of eight prototypes in San Diego that were completed in October.

The administration has issued three waivers since August, two to build in parts of California and one in part of New Mexico. President George W. Bush’s administration issued the previous five waivers, allowing the government to quickly extend barriers to about one-third of the border.

The Center for Biological Diversity said in its lawsuit that the waiver authority cannot be interpreted to last forever.

California argued that it expired in 2008, when Homeland Security satisfied congressional requirements at the time on how much wall to build.

Curiel wrote that the law certainly “is not a model of legislative precision” and that both sides made plausible arguments.

The judge declined to second-guess the administration’s findings that waivers were issued in areas of “high illegal entry,” a requirement set

by Congress. The advocates argued that dramatic declines in border arrests undermined those findings.

During 21/2 hours of arguments this month, the judge peppered both sides with questions about the law’s meaning.

He showed strong interest in a requirement tacked on in late 2007 for Homeland Security to consult other federal agencies, state and local governments, Indian tribes and property owners to minimize the impact of construction, which challengers said the administration failed to do.

Curiel said in his ruling that the law’s lack of specifics prevented him for concluding that the administration failed to properly consult others.

Trump is seeking $18 billion to extend the wall as the White House and Congress are at an impasse. Earlier this month, the Senate rejected an administrationbacked plan to link funding and sharp cuts to legal immigration to allowing young immigrants to stay in the country after they were temporarily shielded from deportation under an Obama-era program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The wall prototypes in San Diego that were built to guide future designs and the wall replacement in Calexico were previously funded.

Curiel was pilloried by Trump over the Trump University lawsuits. The then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee called him a “hater” of Trump who should be ashamed, calling attention to the judge’s Mexican ancestry and Trump’s support for a border wall.

Trump settled the lawsuits for $25 million after winning the election, without admitting wrongdoing.

Sports&Outdoors

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 |

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HOUSTON ASTROS

A9

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS

Report: Goodell to fine Jones millions of dollars NFL to punish Dallas owner for his conduct

By Clarence Hill FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM

Jeff Roberson / Associated Press file

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel has won a Cy Young Award and a World Series but still believes there's more to learn.

Astros lefty star Keuchel constantly studying and is still learning

By Kristie Rieken A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Dallas Keuchel has won a Cy Young Award and a World Series ring.

Despite his success, the left-hander knows there’s so much more to pick up. That’s why he’s constantly studying the habits and routines of teammates, hoping to pick up something that will help him improve.

“If you’re not willing to learn, then I firmly believe you’re not going forward,” he said.

And Keuchel’s focus isn’t limited to those who are older or have more experience than he does. He feels like he can benefit from watching 24-year-old Lance McCullers the same way he can learn from 13-year veteran and 2011 Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

“What I did four or five years ago is not going to keep me up at the top,” Keuchel said. “So you’re always trying to sprinkle in little things because you’re ever evolving. Your body’s not the same as it was five years ago and it’s not going to be the same as it is now five years from now. If you can learn little things here and there to push yourself forward, then why not?”

Keuchel loves finding new things to try that he thinks can help him, but sometimes actually doing those things isn’t quite as enjoyable.

“Taking the knowledge and trying to produce it in competition seems easy, but it’s not that easy because once you get used to doing something one way your body adapts to it,” he said. “So when you teach yourself to do something else, it feels that much better when you do it but it’s difficult. And it takes work.”

Manager A.J. Hinch, who took over in 2015, has seen Keuchel’s attention to detail and desire to constantly tweak his game pay off in the years he’s managed him. He spoke on Monday about how he gets to the facility every day during spring training at about 5 a.m., and often sees Keuchel come trotting in not long after he gets to his desk.

“His confidence is sky high, rightfully so,” Hinch said. “His understanding of what he needs to do to get through all the adjustments during the game has grown. I think he’s become a little bit more outspoken in a leadership role as he’s had a few years under his belt and the quality of performance that he’s had.”

Keuchel was 14-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 23 starts last season to bounce back from a tough 2016 where he went 9-12 with a 4.55 ERA in the follow-up to his 20-win 2015 season which earned him the Cy Young.

The 30-year-old started five playoff games last year, going 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA as the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series for their first championship.

Keuchel is one of only a few players remaining who played for Houston during the really lean years.

His major league debut came in 2012 when the Astros lost 107 games for the second of three straight losing seasons during their rebuilding process.

Almost anyone would be happy to be part of a pitching staff that includes Verlander, McCullers and new Astro Gerrit Cole, but Keuchel may appreciate it more than most after having played on those terrible Houston teams.

“The better the talent that you have you have a better shot at winning,” he said. “And the last three or four years it’s been steadily increasing. We’ve got guys who are going to be in the bullpen who are quality, quality major league starters who have a chance to make a lot of money, and you don’t see that anywhere, you won’t see that anywhere else in the big leagues. That’s a very, very nice luxury to have.”

When asked for one word to describe this powerful Astros rotation, he pauses for a moment to think and rubs his signature beard.

“Special,” he said finally. “That is the word that resonates most with me and that goes for everybody on the pitching staff, not just the starters.”

After various injuries last season limited Keuchel to his fewest starts since he made 16 as a rookie in 2012 following a June call up, Keuchel is hoping to stay healthy this season to help the team more. He’s dealt with injuries that have cost him chunks of time for the last two seasons after he pitched 200 innings in 2014 and a career-high and AL-leading 232 in 2015.

“There’s no statistic-based season I want to do or numbers or whatever accomplishments,” he said.

“But if I’m healthy and I’m making a start every fifth day the guys know that I’m durable. So that means the most to me ... you want to be accountable for your team and that’s what I intend to do.”

So the year-long battle between Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has not gone quietly into the night.

According to The New York Times, Goodell plans to fine Jones millions of dollars for conduct detrimental to the NFL. The root of the discipline was Jones’ challenging of Goodell’s contract extension and public opposition to the six-game suspension for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The NFL declined comment.

The Cowboys also declined comment through public relations director Rich Dalrymple.

Goodell will announce the punishment for Jones in the coming weeks, according to the report.

The question is how will Jones’ respond?

He threatened to sue the NFL’s compensation committee last fall over Goodell’s contract before backing down.

Jones will be ordered to pay the legal fees that the committee incurred defending itself, as well as the legal expenses the NFL

LM Otero / Associated Press file

A report says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, plans to fine Cowboys owner Jerry Jones millions for conduct detrimental to the NFL.

spent defending its decision to suspend Elliott, according to the NYT. The history of this battle dates back to the league’s year-long investigation of Elliott for allegedly committing domestic violence against a former girlfriend.

Elliott was never arrested or charged in the case.

And per sources, Jones was told by Goodell that there would be no discipline for Elliott.

When Goodell announced a six-game suspension for Elliott on Aug. 11, Jones considered it an unforgivable breach of trust, per sources.

He supported Elliott as

the running back fought the suspension in federal court through the first eight games of the season before eventually losing and having to sit out six games.

Jones also began a public battle against Goodell’s contract extension, initially as a non-voting member of the compensation committee.

Jones felt Goodell had too much power. He wanted the league to get out of investigating players. He also criticized the commissioner’s handling of the anthem protests.

Jones was removed from the competition committee

after hiring a lawyer and telling the six owners on the committee that he was prepared to take them to court to stop them from finalizing Goodell’s deal.

Jones eventually backed down with the belief that his issues were being heard.

And when Goodell’s five-year extension, which could be worth up to $200 million, was finalized during an owner’s meetings in December in Irving, the two men engaged in an obligatory hug following the closing press conference.

"Do I look like I take it personally? Jerry, do I look like I take it personally?"

Goodell said the time, pointing to Jones who was in the room. "No is the answer to that question.

As I have said before, I think people disagree.

People who have the ability to do that within the context of our structure is something that makes us stronger.

"My relationship with Jerry has been great. We don’t always agree. I’m not paid to agree and he’s not paid to agree with me."

Said Jones: "I hope Roger earns every dime.

That means he’s doing a great job, and we’re doing good."

Things are good no more.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS

KAWHI LEONARD IS BACK WITH SPURS San Antonio’s star is eyeing a March return to the roster

By Jabari Young SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS

Gregg Popovich is on the verge of being “surprised.”

As reported by the Express-News last week, Kawhi Leonard is on the verge of returning to the court after missing the previous 17 games. The Spurs decided to sideline their franchise player again to rehab further from a right quadriceps tendinopathy injury which caused him to miss the first 27 games of the season.

League sources tell the ExpressNews that Leonard returned to San Antonio over the weekend and could start practicing with the team as early as Tuesday.

Last week, Popovich sent shockwaves through the NBA when commenting on Leonard’s status, indicating that a return to the court this season was unlikely.

“We only have X number of games left this season, and he’s still not ready to go,” said Popovich. “If by some chance he is, it’s going to be pretty late into the season and it’s going to be a tough decision on how late you bring somebody back. That’s why I’m trying to be honest and logical. I’ll be surprised if he gets back this year.”

“We’ve got to move on,” Popovich continued. “The team has to realize this is who we are. This is who we have. This is who is going to play.

Wishing and hoping doesn’t do anybody any good. We’ve got to do what we can to be the best team possible as this season winds down.”

Before his latest absence — labeled a “regrouping” by a person close to the situation — Leonard initially made his season debut in December against the Dallas Mavericks. In the

Kin Man Hui / San Antonio Express-News

Kawhi Leonard has missed the past 17 games due to a a right quadriceps tendinopathy injury but is on the verge of returning for the Spurs.

nine games played this season, Leonard averaged 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. He recorded a season-high 25 points in a win over the New York Knicks last month and the Spurs went 5-4 with Leonard in the lineup.

“I want to get back out there and compete,” Leonard said before a December contest against the Houston Rockets, “help the team win games and get back to my regular self.”

Though the Spurs cleared Leonard to return to action after shutting him down in January, Leonard decided to take additional to time to heal. He spent the All-Star break in the New Jersey-New York area working out and seeking more opinions from doctors outside the Spurs.

Now back in San Antonio, Leonard could return to action by the first

or second week of March if not sooner if no further setbacks occur.

“I want to be positive,” said guard Tony Parker, who returned from a left quadriceps tendon injury last November. “I had the same injury, and I came back. So, I want to stay positive that he’ll be back. I know he’s working hard and I’m just going to think positive.

“We have to prepare for both,” added Parker. “If he comes back, great. If he doesn’t come back, a lot of guys stepped up. Kyle (Anderson) and Bryn (Forbes) — all those guys played well. We’ve got LaMarcus (Aldridge) and Rudy (Gay) back.”

After closing the month against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, the Spurs team will play nine of their 14 games at AT&T Center in March.

A10 | Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

ENTERTAINMENT

Fox News wins appeals ruling over media monitoring company

By Larry Neumeister A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

NEW YORK — A media monitoring company is cheating Fox News out of revenue by failing to pay for some content it resells, a federal appeals court said Tuesday in a decision closely watched in the news broadcasting industry.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against TVEyes Inc., a Fairfield, Connecticutbased company distributing television clips and snippets of transcripts to its customers.

“The success of the TVEyes business model demonstrates that deeppocketed consumers are willing to pay well for a service that allows them to search for and view selected television clips, and that this market is worth millions of dollars in the aggregate,” the appeals court said.

It said TVEyes was depriving Fox of licensing revenues and it should be left up to Fox whether it wants to create a similar service itself or license it to others.

“At bottom, TVEyes is unlawfully profiting off the work of others by commercially redistributing all of that work that a viewer wishes to use, without payment or license,” the 2nd Circuit said.

Attorney Dale Cendali, who represented Fox News, called it “a significant win in the field of fair use law.”

“We cannot emphasize enough the practical

effect this win should have for content holders of all stripes,” Cendali said.

In a statement, TVEyes said it was disappointed by the ruling and was evaluating it and considering its options.

“We continue to believe that TVEyes offers an irreplaceable public service to its customers, including elected officials and government agencies, the military, law enforcement and the news media itself, within the bounds of the law,” the company said.

The appeals court said the company, which enables customers for about $500 monthly to sift through large quantities of television clips to find what interests them, was unlawfully profiting off the work of others because its product was only modestly transformative, not enough to be considered fair use of the television content.

However, the appeals court noted that Fox News did not challenge the media monitoring company’s creation of a text-searchable database.

The company’s clients include journalists, government and political organizations, law enforcement, the military, for-profit companies and nonprofits, the court said.

The written appeals ruling from a three-judge panel said some claims

by TVEyes were similar to those made by Google Inc. when it successfully defended its creation of a text-searchable database

of millions of books. But the 2nd Circuit noted that it was testing the boundaries of fair use when it ruled that Google’s service was “transformative” — a legal requirement that enables a user of content to overcome copyright objections.

“We conclude that defendant TVEyes has exceeded those bounds,” the panel said.

It said Google’s snippet function was designed to ensure users viewed a tiny piece of a book’s contents while TVEyes enables customers to see 10-minute long segments, likely allowing them to access all the Fox programming they seek.

As the appeals court described it, TVEyes records all television broadcasts as they happen, drawing from over 1,400 channels aroundthe-clock. It then enables a client to search video clips no more than 10 minutes long for mentions of a particular term. The 2nd Circuit said the service enables clients to measure the frequency of discussion of a subject or to learn for marketing or public relations purposes how a product is mentioned in the media.

Attorney Dale Cendali, who represented Fox News, called it “a significant win in the field of fair use law.”

“We cannot emphasize enough the practical effect this win should have for content holders of all stripes,” Cendali said.