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U.S. BUDGET BATTLE
IMMIGRATION REFORM
Government shutdown less likely this time
DACA deadline extension discounted
Republican and Democrat lawmakers close in on deal ahead of Thursday’s deadline
By Alan Fram ASSOCIATED PRE SS
By Andrew Taylor A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Buoyed by the sudden likelihood of a budget pact, lawmakers are on track avoid a repeat of last month’s government shutdown — though President Donald Trump unexpectedly raised the possibility of closing things down again if he can’t have his way on immigration. “I’d love to see a shutdown if we can’t get this
stuff taken care of,” Trump declared Tuesday, repeating the sentiment for emphasis. Trump’s comments were strikingly disconnected from the progress on Capitol Hill, where the House passed a short-term spending measure Tuesday night and Senate leaders were closing in on a larger, longterm pact after of a Thursday night deadline. The broader agreement would award whopping spending increases to both the Pentagon and domestic federal
programs, as well as approve overdue disaster relief money and, perhaps, crucial legislation to increase the government’s borrowing limit and avoid possible default. Democratic leaders have dropped their strategy of using the funding fight to extract concessions on immigration, specifically on seeking extended protections for the “Dreamer” immigrants who have lived in the country illegally since they were children. Instead,
the Democrats prepared to cut a deal that would reap tens of billions of dollars for other priorities — including combatting opioids — while taking their chances on solving the immigration impasse later. Tuesday night’s 245-182 House vote, mostly along party lines, set the machinery in motion. The six-week stopgap spending bill contains increases for the military that long have been demanded by Trump and
WASHINGTON — Some immigrants may have been “too afraid” or “too lazy” to sign up for the Obama-era program that offers protection from deportation, White House chief of staff John Kelly said Tuesday as he defended President Donald Trump’s proposal on the divisive issue. Kelly discounted the possibility that Trump would announce a temporary extension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program beyond March 5, when its protections could expire. He said the administration would not ask Congress to set a later date to give bargainers more time to reach a bipartisan deal, but said the government would not start deporting “Dreamers”
Budget continues on A8
DACA continues on A8
WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ASSOCIATION
Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times
WBCA President Jeff Puig cuts the ribbon for the WBCA Ticket Kiosk at the Mall del Norte Center Court in front of Macy's on Monday. Tickets for the WBCA events are on sale now through Feb. 16.
TICKET KIOSK OPENS AT MALL DEL NORTE CENTER COURT Hours of operation are 4 to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday S P ECIAL T O T HE T I ME S
WBCA kicked off Monday the opening of its Ticket Kiosk at Mall del Norte with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the third annual WBCA & Mall del Norte Cookie Decoration Showdown. Tickets for the 121st Washington’s Birthday Celebration events officially went on sale Monday. The WBCA ticket kiosk is open at the Mall Del Norte Center Court in front of Macy's through Feb. 16. The hours of operation are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday. WBCA CARNIVAL SPONSORED BY MCDONALD'S OF LAREDO
1 Pre-Sale $8 per sheet of 18 tickets (These tickets are only valid from Feb. 12-15)
WBCA STARS & STRIPES AIR SHOW SPECTACULAR SPONSORED BY MILLER LITE
1 $10 Adult General Admission 1 $20 Flight Line Chalet (GA not included) 1 $50 per ticket | $500 per table of 10 (GA included) Afterburner Club Sponsored by Falcon International Bank WBCA JALAPEÑO FESTIVAL SPONSORED BY LA COSTEÑA
1 Friday, Feb. 16. Main Stage: Solido, Erick y su Grupo Massore 1 Saturday, Feb. 17. Main Stage: Los Angeles Azules, Siggno, Alicia Villarreal 1 Pre-Sale $25 two-day pass 1 $20 single day passes 1 Two-day passes for Jalapeño Festival WBCA continues on A8
Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times
2018 Princess Pocahontas Hannah Rose Sharkey took first place in the 2018 WBCA & Mall del Norte Cookie Decoration Showdown on Monday at Mall del Norte. Pictured with Sharkey are, from left, WBCA President Jeff Puig, Chief Bear Spirit David Arman Rivera and Princess Pocahontas Council President Grace Hornedo.
In Brief A2 | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, FEB. 10
A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S
Conference and Resource Fair for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities, 8:30am-1:30pm, UT Health Regional Campus Laredo, 1937 E. Bustamante, This is a free resource fair for parents of children with special needs it is also open to the community. To register call Oda Garcia at 956-712-0037 email ogarcia@mrgbahec.org.
TUESDAY, FEB. 13 The United Methodist Men’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. 6 to 7:30 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. All you can eat pancakes, syrup, butter, bacon and sausage, with a choice of coffee, orange juice, milk or lemonade. Public is invited. Free will donations accepted. Proceeds are used to support the church’s mission projects. Red Huber / Associated Press
THURSDAY, FEB. 22 Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society meeting. 3 to 5 p.m. Joe A. Guerra Public Library, second floor. Speaker topic: San Ygnacio and the River Pierce Foundation, Melita Rodriguez. For more info, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810. Spanish Book Club. 6 to 8 p.m. Joe A. Guerra Public Library, conference room. For more info, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810.
A SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from launch Pad 39A Tuesday for the maiden demonstration test flight at the Kennedy Space Center.
SPACEX’S BIG NEW ROCKET BLASTS OFF
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31 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, FEB. 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.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 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, FEB. 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, FEB. 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.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX’s big new rocket blasted off Tuesday on its first test flight, carrying a red sports car aiming for an endless road trip past Mars. The Falcon Heavy rose from the same launch pad used by NASA nearly 50 years ago to send men to the moon. With liftoff, the Heavy became the most powerful rocket in use today, doubling the liftoff punch of its closest competitor. The three boosters and 27 engines roared to life at Kennedy Space Center, as thousands watched from surrounding beaches, bridges and roads, jamming the
Teen girl dies in fall from cliff hike at Zion National Park SALT LAKE CITY — A 13-year-old girl fell to her death from a popular narrow trail bordered by steep drops at Zion National Park, officials said Tuesday. The Utah girl was hiking with family when she tumbled from the Angel’s Landing Trail on Monday evening, park ranger John Marciano said. She was quickly discovered by hikers on
highways in scenes unmatched since NASA’s last space shuttle flight. At SpaceX Mission Control in Southern California, employees screamed, whistled and raised pumped fists into the air as the launch commentators called off each milestone. Two of the boosters returned minutes later for simultaneous, side-by-side touchdowns at Cape Canaveral. Sonic booms rumbled across the region with the vertical landings. There was no immediate word on whether the third booster made it onto the ocean platform offshore. — Compiled from AP reports
the West Rim Trail below. Angel’s Landing was closed Tuesday morning to investigate the fall from the path that ascends some 1,500 feet (457 meters) above the southern Utah park’s red-rock cliffs. There has been about one death each of the last two years on the trail, Marciano said. The girl had done the hike before, and the trail was clear of ice and snow. “It was just a beautiful day. It’s at time you wouldn’t expect anything to happen,” Marciano said.
It did not appear that anyone had witnessed the fall, he said. The girl’s name and hometown were not immediately released. The iconic trail offers sweeping views of the red-rock park in southern Utah and has become especially popular among visitors inspired by social media posts. But it also comes with dire safety warnings about the danger of falls, Marciano said. Anyone with young children or problems with heights is advised not to make the trek, he said. — Compiled from AP reports
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.
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.
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.
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.
AROUND TEXAS Judge facing complaint after outing domestic violence victim DALLAS — A Dallas judge previously disciplined for 2014 comments saying a 14-year-old rape victim in her court wasn’t the “victim she claimed to be” is facing another complaint after calling out a domestic violence victim during a reelection event. The interaction happened Monday night at a candidate forum between State District Judge Jeanine Howard and her opponent in the Democratic Primary, Alison Grinter, at the African American Museum in Dallas. Before her closing remarks, Howard saw Keisha Nixon in the audience, identified her by name, and after a moderator tried to calm the situation proceeded to tell the audience that Nixon’s “boyfriend was sent to
G.J. McCarthy / Staff Photographer
State District Judge Jeanine Howard (left) of Dallas Criminal District Court #6 addresses attorneys during cross examination.
prison for assaulting her numerous times.” Nixon appeared at a news conference Tuesday with a representative from the Next Generation Action Network, a social justice activism group based in Dallas that has sought police and criminal justice reforms. Nixon and the group are calling for Howard to re-
sign over the interaction, and Nixon said she has filed an ethics complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. From a video of the interaction posted to Facebook, it was unclear whether Nixon had asked a question or interacted with Howard prior to the altercation. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD Deadly earthquake strikes Taiwan; 2 deaths reported TAIPEI, Taiwan — A magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck Tuesday near the coast of Taiwan, killing two people and injuring more than 200 others, officials said. The ground floor of the Marshal Hotel in Hualien county caved in, causing the death of one employee. Another person died in a residential building,
the national fire and rescue service reported. Other buildings shifted on their foundations and rescuers used ladders, ropes and cranes to get residents to safety. Taiwanese media reported that a separate hotel known as the Beautiful Life Hotel was tilting. The agency also posted photos showing a road fractured in several parts. Bridges and some highways were closed pending inspections after buckling due to the force of the quake.
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 7, the 38th day of 2018. There are 327 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 7, 1943, the government abruptly announced that wartime rationing of shoes made of leather would go into effect in two days, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person per year. (Rationing was lifted in October 1945.) On this date: In 1497, "The Bonfire of the Vanities" took place in Florence, Italy, as followers of Dominican friar Girolama Savonarola burned a huge pile of items considered to be sinful distractions, such as books, artwork, fine clothing and cosmetics. In 1795, the 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, dealing with states' sovereign immunity, was ratified. In 1817, America's first public gas street lamp was lighted in Baltimore at the corner of Market and Lemon streets (now East Baltimore and Holliday streets). In 1857, a French court acquitted author Gustave Flaubert of obscenity for his serialized novel "Madame Bovary." In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized a flag for the office of the vice president. In 1948, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as U.S. Army chief of staff; he was succeeded by Gen. Omar Bradley. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy imposed a full trade embargo on Cuba. In 1971, women in Switzerland gained the right to vote through a national referendum, 12 years after a previous attempt failed. In 1984, space shuttle Challenger astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart went on the first untethered spacewalk, which lasted nearly six hours. In 1986, the Philippines held a presidential election marred by charges of fraud against the incumbent, Ferdinand E. Marcos. Haitian President-for-Life Jean-Claude Duvalier (doo-VAHL-yay') fled his country, ending 28 years of his family's rule. In 1998, the Winter Olympic Games were opened in Nagano, Japan, by Emperor Akihito. In 1999, Jordan's King Hussein died of cancer at age 63; he was succeeded by his eldest son, Abdullah. Ten years ago: John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his campaign. Fourteen refinery workers were killed in a sugar dust explosion in Port Wentworth, Georgia. A gunman opened fire at a Kirkwood, Missouri, council meeting, killing three city officials and two police officers before being fatally shot by law enforcement. In Los Angeles, a man who claimed responsibility for the deaths of three relatives opened fire on a SWAT unit, killing one officer; the gunman was killed by a police sniper. After two months of delay, shuttle Atlantis blasted into orbit with Europe's gift to the international space station, a $2 billion science lab named Columbus. Five years ago: CIA Directordesignate John Brennan strongly defended anti-terror attacks by unmanned drones under close questioning at a protest-disrupted confirmation hearing held by the Senate Intelligence Committee. One year ago: Charter school advocate Betsy DeVos won confirmation as education secretary by the slimmest of margins, pushed to approval only by the historic tiebreaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence. Actor Richard Hatch, perhaps best known for playing Captain Apollo in the original "Battlestar Galactica" film and TV series, died in Los Angeles at age 71. Today's Birthdays: Author Gay Talese is 86. Former Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., is 83. Reggae musician Brian Travers (UB40) is 59. Comedy writer Robert Smigel (SMY'-guhl) is 58. Actor James Spader is 58. Country singer Garth Brooks is 56. Rock musician David Bryan (Bon Jovi) is 56. Actor-comedian Eddie Izzard is 56. Actor-comedian Chris Rock is 53. Actor Jason Gedrick is 51. Actress Essence Atkins is 46. Rock singermusician Wes Borland is 43. Rock musician Tom Blankenship (My Morning Jacket) is 40. Actor Ashton Kutcher is 40. Actress Tina Majorino is 33. Actress Deborah Ann Woll is 33. NBA player Isaiah Thomas is 29. Thought for Today: "Do not read as children do to enjoy themselves, or, as the ambitious do to educate themselves. No, read to live." — Gustave Flaubert, French author (1821-1880).
CONTACT US With aftershocks continuing, shell-shocked residents were being directed to shelters, including a newly built baseball stadium, where beds and hot food were provided. Speaking from a crisis center, Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung said rail links appeared to be unaffected and the runway of Hualien airport was intact. “We’re putting a priority on Hualien people being able to return home to check on their loved ones,” Hsu said. — Compiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 |
A3
STATE
Man fatally Second principal charged shot by police with failing to report abuse previously shot by officers ASSOCIATED PRE SS
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — A burglary suspect who attempted to carjack several motorists last week before being fatally shot by Houston police had a prior run-in with officers who shot him as he waved a machete. Authorities say 37year-old Anthony Williams had robbed a gas station Thursday when he attempted to flee from police by carjacking passing motorists. Officials say he was pointing
a gun at officers when one shot him multiple times. The Houston Chronicle cites court records in reporting that Williams at the time was out on bail on charges that included aggravated assault on a public servant. Those charges stem from an April 2017 incident in which Williams waved a machete at a man and later at officers. Records say the officers shot him when he didn’t comply with orders to drop the weapon.
Data shows rate of attempted suicide doubles in prisons A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — Data figures show the rate of attempted suicide recorded inside the Texas prison system has more than doubled in four years. Texas Department of Criminal Justice data outlined in Emergency Action Center reports show state prisons averaged 65 suicide attempts per month in 2013. In the first eleven months of 2017, the prisons averaged 150 attempts per month. The Houston Chronicle
reports that some experts point to staff turnover and an increasing prison population with mental illnesses as to what’s behind the shift. But the department says the increase stems from a push for better suicide prevention training that could have broadened the understanding of what’s considered an attempt. Department spokesman Jason Clark says most attempts don’t result in death and nearly 90 percent don’t involve recorded injuries.
WICHITA FALLS, Texas — A second elementary school principal for a Texas school district has been arrested for failing to report a case of abuse to law enforcement. The Wichita Falls
Times Record News reports 35-year-old Cindy Sue Underwood was booked into the Wichita County jail on Monday and later released. An arrest warrant says a teacher found a school iPad that three 6-year-olds used to take photos as
they engaged in sexual acts in a classroom. The warrant says the teacher notified Underwood, who told parents of the incident but didn’t alert law enforcement. A public phone listing for Underwood couldn’t be found. A spokeswoman
for the school district didn’t immediately return a message. In an unrelated incident, another principal was arrested last week on the same charge following an allegation of a 7-yearold who was sexually assaulted.
Searchers find second set of human remains in pit ASSOCIATED PRE SS
MIDLAND, Texas — A West Texas sheriff says the skeletal remains of a second person have been found in a pit as part of an investigation into two teenagers missing since 2015. Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter says the remains were
found Saturday as investigators were searching a second pit on private land after receiving a tip early last month. An initial set of remains were found about a week ago in another pit on the same land. The remains discovered Saturday were found about 14 feet (4.3 meters) down.
Painter says two teens have been missing since October 2015. He says a person was found with some property belonging to the missing pair, whose names weren’t released. Painter says the property owner has cooperated and is not a person of interest in the investigation.
2 arrested in slaying of man trying to sell car ASSOCIATED PRE SS
HOUSTON — Police say a man and his 16year-old girlfriend have been accused of stabbing a driver more than 50 times while stealing his for-sale car then dumping his body.
Records show 20-yearold Terrell Derrick Funches was being held without bond Tuesday on capital murder, evading arrest and unauthorized use of a vehicle charges. The girlfriend was in juvenile custody on capital murder and
trespass of a motor vehicle charges. Sgt. Matthew Brady says Altaf Hussain Malik of Richmond on Dec. 5 met with two people about selling his 2009 Audi. His body was discovered Dec. 7 beside a dumpster in Houston.
Brady says the suspects were in Malik’s vehicle when they were chased and arrested Jan. 4. Capital murder charges were added Monday. Online records don’t list an attorney for Funches.
Letters to the editor Send your signed letter to editorial@lmtonline.com
A4 | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Democrats caught in a tax bill trap By Conor Sen B L OOM BE RG V IEW
Friday’s jobs report, and the stock market selling off in response to faster wage growth and the prospect of higher inflation, shows the quandary Democrats are in heading into the midterm elections. The Republican tax bill’s benefits were targeted toward corporations and investors. They’re also the ones whose tax cuts were made permanent, unlike households. Yet with the bill signed into law, the way people will evaluate it is probably based on what happens to wage growth and the stock market. And there’s a very real scenario for this year that would make Democrats’ message on the tax bill look wildly off the mark. The problem with saying the tax bill won’t do much for workers is that it was passed at a time when the unemployment rate is low and wage growth is likely to accelerate based on where we are in the business cycle. And indeed, that’s what last week’s economic data showed. On Wednesday, the employment cost index showed that compensation for workers is at its highest level of the expansion. And on Friday, the jobs report showed the same thing. Over the past year, wage growth averaged 2.9 percent. Shrinking the sample size just to the past three months, wage growth has risen at an annualized rate of just over 4 percent. If wage growth heading into the final weeks of the campaign continues to accelerate from here, it’s going to be hard for Democrats to campaign on the idea that the tax bill did little for workers. The other piece of the tax bill — its benefit to corporations and investors — may be a challenge for Democrats as well. The stock market has risen so much over the past few months in part on tax bill optimism, and in part on the state of global economic growth. Yet at the same time that stock markets have rallied, we’re seeing signs that some of the "crowding out" impacts of the tax bill may be more real than investors anticipated as well, a potential negative for stocks down the road. That strong wage growth the past few
months also creates the possibility that corporations may have to raise wages more than they anticipate, cutting into their profits. The price of oil is up $20 a barrel since the end of August, raising energy and transportation costs for the economy, creating profit-crushing cost pressures for some industries and leading to the prospect for broader-based inflation. And interest rates have been rising strongly of late, creating multiple concerns for investors. First, it means the Federal Reserve may increase interest rates faster than previously thought, slowing economic growth and raising the potential that the economic cycle will end earlier than anticipated. Second, corporations issued a lot of low-interest debt beginning in 2012, and as that comes due it will need to be reissued at higher interest rates, increasing debt expense, which comes right out of corporations’ bottom lines. And third, as interest rates go up, bond yields look relatively more attractive, putting downward pressure on stock prices. Perversely, a tax bill that gave workers short shrift and a windfall for corporations and investors may, in the short run, appear to have the opposite outcome. Wage growth may accelerate due to cyclical momentum that had been in place for years. And the prospect of higher interest rates, a more aggressive monetary policy tightening cycle, and cost pressures may make 2018 a bad year for investors. This doesn’t mean that the midterm elections will turn out poorly for Democrats. In 2006, a strong economic year, Democrats flipped 31 seats in the House and five in the Senate, taking control of both chambers. President Donald Trump’s approval rating is far below how presidents tend to be seen in such thriving times, indicating that voters are likely to be motivated by factors other than the economy this year. But the Democrats would be wise not to become too anchored to the impact of the tax bill, because the economy has a way of making fools out of all of us. Conor Sen is a Bloomberg View columnist.
COLUMN
Making a buck off MLK’s legacy By Dahleen Glanton CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Everyone seems to be blaming Dodge for desecrating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in order to sell Ram trucks during the Super Bowl game. But the automobile company didn’t do it alone. The slain civil rights leader’s sons had a hand in it too. So when we’re tossing out criticism for folks trying to make a buck off King’s memory, we can’t stop with the company responsible for the ad, which is actually Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, owner of the brands Dodge and Ram. Still we’ve got to look at King’s kids and wonder, "What were they thinking?" The timing of the commercial could not have been worse. With racial tensions higher than most Americans have seen in their lifetime, the last thing we needed was a commercial implying that King would have been telling people that in order to be great, they should go out and buy a truck that can cost more than $30,000. Not only did Ram disgrace King’s name by running the commercial, King’s children disrespected their father’s memory by allowing it to happen. As caretakers of their father’s estate, Dexter King and Martin Luther King III had to clear the way for the executor to give Ram the go-ahead to use excerpts from their father’s little known sermon, "The Drum Major Instinct." And they likely were paid a hefty sum for it. Shortly after the ad ran Sunday night, Bernice King, who has been at odds with her brothers
As caretakers of their father’s estate, Dexter King and Martin Luther King III had to clear the way for the executor to give Ram the go-ahead to use excerpts from their father’s little known sermon, "The Drum Major Instinct." And they likely were paid a hefty sum for it.
for years over profiting from their father’s legacy, made it clear that neither she nor the King Center had anything to do with the ad. The King Center tweeted this: "Neither The King Center nor Bernice King is the entity that approves the use of MLK’s words or imagery for use in merchandise, entertainment (movies, music, artwork, etc) or advertisement, including tonight’s Dodge Super Bowl commercial." As CEO of the King Center, Bernice King cannot afford to alienate donors whose private gifts keep the nonprofit center founded by her mother, Coretta Scott King, going. Based on the backlash on social media, lots of people are livid that Ram used King’s voice in a speech about greatness as if he were talking about a Ram truck. In the voice-over, King is heard saying, "If you want to be important — wonderful. If you want to be recognized — wonderful. If you want to be great — wonderful. " The 60-second commercial shows a Ram trekking through the mud and ends with the quote "Built to Serve" on the screen. Clearly, anyone involved with allowing this ad to make its way before one of television’s biggest audiences must have
been brain-dead. Or plain money-hungry. It isn’t hard to figure out why Ram might have thought this was a good idea. The ad begins by stating that it is the 50th anniversary of the sermon King delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Feb. 4, 1968, two months before he was assassinated. In some warped way, the executives might have thought they could get away with hawking their top-selling truck under the guise of paying tribute to King. But regardless of how many poignant moments they threw in — from a soldier returning home from duty to rescue workers saving a dog — they couldn’t hide the fact that this was really about Ram trying to sell trucks. In fact, in the sermon used by the commercial, King spoke about people driving around Cadillacs and Chryslers they can’t afford as a way to stroke their egos. It is possible that the folks at Ram weren’t as tone-deaf as they appear. Maybe they knew what they were doing and decided that it was worth the risk. Only the Americans who buy the company’s trucks will determine whether the risk pays off. But the King children, that’s another matter. For years, the three
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DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
surviving siblings have been engaged in a public battle over how their father’s legacy should be handled. They have guarded his intellectual properties like pit bulls, making sure that no one ripped them off without paying a steep price. In 2006 alone, King’s heirs picked up $32 million by selling a trove of documents. The siblings have been criticized a lot for that, most recently when they refused to donate King’s Bible and his Nobel Peace Prize to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture because they couldn’t work out a price. Some have argued that the children have a right to profit off their father’s legacy. The Rev. King died a pauper, without a will. He had nothing of financial value to leave his young children other than the rights to his speeches, his medals and his writings. But with those holdings come a requirement to use them responsibly. It is hard to imagine that a man who gave away much of the money he made because he believed in standing with the poor would have wanted his name associated with an expensive truck. King often talked about the insignificance of material things. Had the King sons failed to protect their father’s properties, King’s most notable speeches would, no doubt, have been used for any commercial venture to exploit for money. The family now shamelessly gets a cut for joining in that exploitation. Dahleen Glanton is a Chicago Tribune columnist.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 |
A5
NATIONAL
Ex-Olympic coach Geddert facing investigation By David Eggert A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LANSING, Mich. — Former U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team coach John Geddert is facing a criminal investigation following the final sentencing of disgraced Geddert ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar, who molested girls at Geddert’s elite gymnastics club in Michigan. The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that people recently came forward with complaints against Geddert, 60. The office declined to elaborate on the number of complaints, when exactly they were filed or their nature, citing the ongoing investigation. Geddert until recently owned and operated Twistars, a gym in Dimondale near Lansing where Nassar offered treatments on Monday nights. During Nassar’s two recent sentencing hearings, some victims complained that Geddert was physically abusive, was indifferent to injuries and forced them to see Nassar. One also alleged that Geddert was aware in the late 1990s that Nassar had performed an “inappropriate procedure” on her when she was 16, and her mother and Geddert agreed that Nassar would not treat her in private appointments again. That accuser’s anonymous statement was read in court by a prosecutor. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment with Geddert’s
lawyer Tuesday. Geddert has insisted he had “zero knowledge” of Nassar’s crimes. In response to lawsuits, his attorney filed court papers saying Geddert was “just one person in an extremely long line of people who were fooled by Nassar.” Geddert previously was accused of physically assaulting a Twistars employee in 2011. He also was accused of assaulting a gymnast in 2013. He did not face charges in either case. On Monday, the worst sex-abuse case in sports history ended with a third long prison sentence for Nassar — this time 40 to 125 years for molesting
young gymnasts at Twistars. The focus will shift to civil lawsuits and multiple probes of Nassar’s actions and those of people around him when he worked for Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, the sport’s governing body. Geddert, whose national profile rose while training Lansing-area standout Jordyn Wieber, was suspended last month by USA Gymnastics until it completes its own investigation. Geddert coached the “Fierce Five” that won a team gold in 2012 in London. He recently announced his retirement and transferred ownership of the club to
his wife, Kathryn. A spokeswoman for Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office prosecuted Nassar, has declined to say if Geddert or Twistars is under investigation An astonishing 250plus women and girls gave statements in two Michigan courtrooms over 10 days of proceedings. Makayla Thrush, who trained at Geddert’s club from ages 7 to 17, said she developed an eating disorder because of Geddert and accused him of becoming so angry that he threw her on top of a low bar, ruptured the lymph nodes in her neck, gave her a black eye and tore
the muscles in her stomach, ending her career. “I have been dealing with many mixed emotions the past few weeks, some of it having to deal with the enablers of the abusers trying to get out of their screw-up,” she said in court last month. “There isn’t one bone in my body that doesn’t hate John Geddert for everything he has done to me in my career.” Separately Tuesday, Michigan State released a letter that interim president John Engler sent Monday to an independent special prosecutor appointed by state Attorney General Bill Schuette to investigate
allegations that the school ignored and mishandled old complaints against Nassar. Engler pledged “full cooperation” but also criticized William Forsyth for sending authorities without warning to execute search warrants at the university Friday, as news cameras filmed. Engler noted that Schuette had said the probe would not be “political.” The presence of camera crews was hopefully “not part of an investigation ‘media strategy’ but rather inadvertent and the result of indiscrete behavior that can be stopped,” Engler wrote. Leaks must be prevented, he said.
Sports&Outdoors
A6 | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS A&M AGGIES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas’ day of reckoning Cowlishaw: Garrett, Cowboys watch Eagles win title Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press file
By Brent Zwerneman
March 2-5 in Indianapolis.
H OUSTO N CHRONI CLE
Texas A&M spring game to be held April 14 COLLEGE STATION – New Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher has said he wants to break the record attendance for a spring game, now fans know what time to be there if they’re going to try and do so. A&M’s spring game will be on April 14 with a 4 p.m. kickoff and televised on the SEC Network, according to the ESPN Media Zone. A&M fired Kevin Sumlin in late November and hired Fisher from Florida State, and one of the first things Fisher said is he expects Aggies to break the spring game record – which appears to be 100,189 at Ohio State’s 2016 game. Kyle Field holds more than 102,000 fans.
COLLEGE STATION – Four players will represent Texas A&M at the NFL Combine: receiver Christian Kirk, safety Armani Watts, punter Shane Tripucka and defensive tackle Zaycoven Henderson. Henderson’s addition is the most curious of the foursome, considering he has a criminal case pending in Brazos County. Henderson and another man were arrested in early December on three charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evidence tampering and marijuana possession (less than two ounces). Kirk is a potential firstround NFL Draft selection. The NFL has invited 326 players to the combine, which runs from
NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS LONGHORNS
Brian Bahr / Getty Images file
By Nick Moyle, Matt Young SA N A N TONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
AUSTIN – Six former Longhorns, all underclassmen, will journey to Indianapolis later this month to participate in the 2018 NFL Draft Combine. Left Tackle Connor Williams, linebacker Malik Jefferson, safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Holton Hill, punter Michael Dickson and running back Chris Warren have accepted invitations to the annual pre-draft event held from Feb. 27 to Mar. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Williams, an All-American in 2016, is expected to go in the first round despite missing much of last season with a knee injury that is now fully healed. Jefferson, the Big 12 codefensive player of the year and Butkus Award semifinalist in 2017, is viewed as a fringe first-
rounder. And Dickson, last season's Ray Guy winner and MVP of the Texas Bowl, will look to become the first Texas specialist drafted since place kicker Jeff Ward was selected in the 11th round of the 1987 draft. UT football Twitter account suspended A day before National Signing Day, the University of Texas' football Twitter account was mysteriously suspended. The account was suspended at some point Tuesday morning, but was back up and running by 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. When an account is suspended and reactivated, followers of the account have to re-follow. The short-term Twitter suspension led the account to go from more than 189,000 followers to just 12,000 in a matter of hours.
Michael Ainsworth / Associated Press
Last year’s NFC champions, the Cowboys remained home this offseason as NFC East rival Philadelphia rolled to the No. 1 seed and knocked off New England for the Super Bowl LII championship.
more salary cap room to maneuver this off-season than the Eagles. Will they use it wisely? Last year’s bargain shopping brought the team cornerback Nolan Carroll, defensive lineman Stephen Paea and guard Jonathan Cooper. Only Cooper was still on the roster by Halloween. But what about Garrett? He’s on the hot seat with two years remaining on his contract. That makes him subject to dismissal if the club misses the playoffs again, something the Cowboys have done five times in Garrett’s seven full seasons.
With no change on top or at either coordinator position, do you see the Cowboys moving forward and adapting to the modern style of wide-open Madden football that Pederson embraces? Consider what happened on the winning drive. With just under six minutes to play, the Eagles faced fourth-and-one at their own 45, trailing by one point. The conservative coach punts the ball there, and even in a game in which the defenses were extremely challenged to make plays, you know some coaches would have
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Six Longhorns to participate in 2018 NFL Combine
A night of long-sought glory for the Philadelphia Eagles. A day of reckoning for Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys. For the third time since Garrett has walked the Cowboys sidelines as coordinator or head coach, an NFC East team has been crowned Super Bowl champs. This time it’s different. When Jerry Jones hired Garrett in 2007 for an undetermined job that turned out to be offensive coordinator (and head coach-in-waiting), it was because the owner believed there was coaching greatness in the former backup quarterback. It was no knock on the young coach when the Giants’ Tom Coughlin stunned first the Cowboys and eventually New England in that 2007 season. When Coughlin and the Giants did it again after the 2011 season, that was Garrett’s first full season as head coach. The training wheels had not yet come off. And I think the most important difference between those Giants’ triumphs and what happened Sunday night in Minnesota is that the New York teams got hot at the right time. The ’07 Giants were a 10-6 wild-card team that finished three games behind Dallas. The ’11 Giants were 9-7 division winners. They seized on an opportunity more than anything else. This year’s Eagles came flying out of the gates and never stopped. By the time they had run over the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 19, they were 9-1 with a four-game lead on Dallas. When they carved up the Rams in LA three weeks later - the day they would lose MVP candidate Carson Wentz for the year - they were 11-2. There was no month this season from October to February in which it was crazy to say, "The Eagles are the best team in football." We’ll give the Chiefs September. And they will begin next season with Wentz back at quarterback, with Pro Bowler Jason Peters back at left tackle, with middle linebacker Jordan Hicks back in action. Philadelphia’s favorite adopted son, Nick Foles, will give the Eagles the sturdiest backup on the planet in 2018. And, yes, much needs to be said of Doug Pederson and the game he called against the great Bill Belichick. Pederson may have been the former backup NFL quarterback who was truly bound for greatness. How could anyone have known in 2007 when Garrett was being anointed? Pederson was winning district for Shreveport’s Calvary Baptist Academy. If Cowboys fans are suffering from watching the Eagles hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time, at least it’s a wake-up call for Cowboys coaches and management. The Cowboys have
,
Texas offensive lineman Connor Williams is one of six Longhorns who are going to the 2018 NFL Draft Combine.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
FREE
,
A&M sending 4 to NFL Combine
By Tim Cowlishaw
<5
Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk will be among the four Aggies that will participate in the 2018 NFL Draft Combine.
done exactly that. Garrett is probably one of them. Pederson knew he had to keep pushing, and Foles completed a short pass to Zach Ertz, who would eventually catch the goahead touchdown as well. Pederson never took his foot off the pedal the way Jacksonville’s Doug Marrone had done when the Jaguars held a 10-point fourth quarter lead in the AFC Championship. Will Garrett and Linehan follow this path with an offense that is based on moving the chains with Ezekiel Elliott? Is their quest to be different something that can work in the modern game, as it appeared to be during the 2016 season? Or is it quickly becoming outdated? It’s easy to think about the latter after watching the Eagles and Patriots break the Super Bowl total yardage record in the third quarter. It’s a long offseason for the Cowboys and if it’s to be anything other than Garrett’s last, change is required. At the very least he can trade in his robotic, well-mannered news conference speak with his private, profanity-laced coaching style when it comes to his beloved Tshirt mottos for players to sport around Oxnard. My suggestion: Flip the Birds.
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Frontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 |
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE Primera Muestra de Cortometrajes de Ciudad Mier 1 La Dirección de Arte y Cultura de Ciudad Mier presenta la primer muestra de cortometrajes de la ciudad el viernes 9 de febrero y el sábado 10 de febrero de 5:30 p.m. a 8 p.m. en el Centro de Cultura y Arte Mier Mágico. Habrá plática con directores y actores. Entrada libre.
Feather Festival 1 La primera edición de este festival se llevará a cabo el sábado 17 de febrero en la plaza principal de San Ygnacio a partir del mediodía. Habrá venta de comida, música, concursos, danza, bingo, entre otras actividades para toda la familia. Más informes al 956489-1064.
Día de Aprecio a Adulto Mayor 1 Acompañe a celebrar y mostrar su aprecio por los Adultos Mayores y Winter Texan’s, que serán honrados por sus logros y por lo que siguen haciendo a favor de su comunidad, el jueves 22 de febrero.
A7
ECONOMÍA
LPD
Tasa de desempleo de región continúa baja
Buscan a joven en Nuevo Laredo
Industrias del comercio, transporte, y utilidades agregaron nuevos empleos
Por César G. Rodríguez
E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
La tasa de desempleo del área de servicio del Sur de Texas que se conforma de los Condados de Webb, Zapata y Jim Hogg, se mantuvo en 3,6 por ciento durante diciembre del 2017, un 1,3 por ciento de disminución comparado con el mismo mes en diciembre del 2016. La tasa de desempleo ajustada estacionalmente se ubicó en 3,4 por ciento en diciembre. La tasa continúa por debajo de la tasa de desempleo del 3,7 por ciento en Texas, y la tasa de desempleo del 3,9 por ciento que se registró los Estados Unidos, de acuerdo con Workforce Solutions for South Texas. En diciembre del 2016 la tasa se ubicó en 4,6 por ciento en Laredo. Comparándola con los
números dados a conocer más recientemente, la tasa de desempleo muestra una baja del 1,2 por ciento desde diciembre del 2016 a diciembre del 2017. “La creación de empleos continúa en el área conforme hemos visto a nuestra fuerza laboral tener un incremento neto de 400 personas”, dijo Rogelio Treviño, Director Ejecutivo para Workforce Solutions for South Texas. “Durante el año hemos visto un incremento de 1.300 personas más empleadas en el mismo periodo de un año, y continuamos experimentando niveles históricos de desempleo para nuestra región”. Las industrias que agregaron trabajos en diciembre fueron: Comercio, Transporte, y Utilidades con 200 nuevos empleos; y, Recrea-
ción y Hospitalidad con 100 nuevos empleos. Comercio, Transporte y Utilidades sigue siendo la industria con más personas empleadas con 32.500, seguido por Gobierno con 24.300 trabajos; Educación y Servicios de Salud se encuentra en 16.500; Recreación y Hospitalidad posee 11.500; y, Servicios Profesionales y de Negocios tiene 10.100 pesonas empleadas. Los salarios del segundo trimestre para las industrias principales son: 1 Comercio y Transporte (31 por ciento de la fuerza laboral): 252.7 millones de dólares 1 Gobierno (23 por ciento de la fuerza laboral): 283.1 millones de dólares. 1 Educación y Servicios de Salud (15 por ciento de la fuerza laboral): 106.7 millones de dólares.
Al comparar noviembre y diciembre del 2017, varias industrias locales permanecieron sin cambio, tales como la de Fabricación (700 empleos), Información (700 empleos), Actividades Financieras (3.900 empleos), y Servicios Profesionales y de Negocios (10.100 empleos). La Mano de Obra Civil en el área de servicio del Sur de Texas se mantiene en 121.737 de los cuales 117.380 cuentan con empleo y solo 4.357 se reportaron como desempleados, haciendo que la tasa de desempleo en el Sur de Texas sea del 3.6%. “Los tres Condados del Sur de Texas (Webb, Zapata, y Jim Hogg) continúan beneficiándose del crecimiento laboral y experimentan la tasa de desempleo más baja en la historia”, dijo Treviño.
TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Un hombre desapareció en Nuevo Laredo, México, de acuerdo con un incidente reportado con el Departamento de Policía de Laredo. El lunes, una mujer indicó que su hijo, Richard Lugo, de 22 años, desapareció el 30 de enero. Ella habló con él a través de Facebook Messenger alrededor de las 5:30 p.m. Él le dijo que se había registrado en su cuarto de hotel en Nuevo Laredo. Ella dijo que su hijo en ocasiones se quedaba en Nuevo Laredo con su novia o sus amigos. Ella fue a Nuevo Laredo al hotel donde se estaba quedando pero no lo encontró, dice el reporte. Lugo no ha regresado sus llamadas telefónicas. Un reporte de persona extraviada fue emitido. Para proporcionar información sobre el paradero de Lugo, llame a LPD al 795-2800.
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, todos los martes de 6:30 p.m a 8 p.m., en Roma Birding Center. Evento gratuito patrocinado por la Iglesia de Jesús de los Santos de los Últimos Días.
Aviario 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a visitar el aviario Roma Bluffs World Birding Center en el distrito histórico de Roma. El aviario estará abierto desde el jueves a domingo de 8 a.m. a 4 p.m. hasta enero. Mayores informes al 956-849-1411
Botes de basura 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a la comunidad que sólo estará recolectando basura contenida en botes propiedad de la ciudad. Informes al 849-1411
Pago de impuestos 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa que los pagos por impuestos a la propiedad deberán realizarse en la oficina de impuestos del Distrito Escolar de Roma, localizado en el 608 N. García St. Pago en línea 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a sus residentes que a partir de ahora el servicio del agua puede pagarse en línea a cualquier hora las 24 horas del día.
Llenado de aplicaciones 1 La Ciudad de Roma ofrece servicio llenado de aplicaciones para CHIP, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Chip, Prenatal. Informes en 956246-7177.
CONSULADO GENERAL DE MÉXICO EN LAREDO
EXPIDEN PRIMERA ACTA DE NACIMIENTO EXTEMPORÁNEA Cónsules fuera de México pueden emitir actas de personas no registradas en la misma situación que José David.
Nota del editor: En esta ocasión se han omitido los apellidos de los entrevistados para proteger su identidad debido a su situación migratoria. Por Melissa Santillana TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Todos hemos escuchado sobre los estragos de la violencia de género, y vemos campañas mediáticas con famosas pintadas con ojos morados o la nariz rota rechazando la violencia hacia las mujeres. Pero poco se dice de las repercusiones secundarias de este problema social. El lunes el Consulado de México en Laredo emitió por primera vez en la historia un acta de nacimiento extemporánea. El acta era para José David, un joven de 18 años que llegó a Laredo cuando tenía cuatro años. José David ha logrado estudiar en los Estados Unidos tan solo presentando su boleta de vacunación, pero después de cumplir la mayoría de edad era vital que contara con al menos una identificación. “Este día es muy especial porque hace apenas unos minutos José David no tenía identidad jurídica, no tenía personalidad jurídica propia, no tenía identidad”, dijo la Cónsul Carolina Zaragoza en una rueda de prensa en el consulado. Aunque José David nació en México, no tenía ninguna prueba para ser considerado mexicano. De hecho, no estaba registrado en ningún país. Gracias a cambios a la Ley del Registro Civil y a la Ley del Servicio Exterior Mexicano, los cónsules trabajando fuera de México pueden registrar el nacimiento de niños
Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times
Carolina Zaragoza Flores, derecha, cónsul general de la Embajada de México en Laredo, Texas, presenta a Bernardina el acta de nacimiento oficial de su hijo José David, quien nació en el estado mexicano de Hidalgo en 1999.
jóvenes y adultos que no fueron registrados en México, dijo la Cónsul Zaragoza. “Para nosotros es esto viene siendo un suceso importante para la protección de los mexicanos en el exterior”, dijo. Gracias a eso, José David ahora también tiene un pasaporte y una matrícula consular, documentos que necesita para cualquier otro trámite o proceso migratorio que quisiera realizar en Estados Unidos, como la inscripción al programa de Acción Diferida. “(José David) ahora si es como todos ustedes, tiene un nombre, tiene un apellido, tiene una nacionalidad y va poder hacer todos su tramites tanto personales como profesionales en este
país y en cualquier otro país del mundo”, dijo el Cónsul de Documentación José Alberto Canseco. Canseco indicó que todas las personas que se encuentren en una situación similar a la de José David deberán acercarse al consulado para comenzar el trámite de su acta de nacimiento. Aunque cada caso es distinto, el trámite para emitir el acta de José David tomó aproximadamente dos meses y se tuvieron que realizar pruebas de ADN para comprobar que efectivamente existía la relación madre e hijo, de acuerdo con Canseco. “En el caso de la señora ella solo contaba con una constancia de alumbramiento de la po-
blación de Bonigu localizada en el ayuntamiento de Pisaflores, Hidalgo”, dijo Canseco. “No teníamos ni acta, ni alguna constancia de la Secretaria de Salud de esa entidad. En este caso tuvimos que constatar que efectivamente no existiera un registro y para eso pedimos la constancia por parte del estado de Hidalgo. La manera en que pudimos comprobar el nexo entre la señora y su hijo fue con un examen de ADN. Esto es un mecanismo novedoso y permitió solventar el expediente y autorizar el registro de nacimiento”. Según Canseco, el consulado en Laredo ya se encuentra en el proceso de tramitar otras cuatro actas de nacimiento de personas que estaban
Encerrada Bernardina, la mamá de José David, llegó a Laredo en el 2003 desde Pachuca, Hidalgo. Ella dejó cinco hijos en México y se vino con José David, quien tan solo tenía 4 años, otros dos hijos y el papá de sus hijos. Ella dijo que había sido muy difícil para ellos conseguir trabajo en Pachuca, “había muy pocos trabajos para salir adelante”. Bernardina dijo en entrevista para Laredo Morning Times, que la razón por la que no había podido registrar a su hijo en México, era porque el papá de sus hijos era “muy delicado”. “No me dejaba salir. Me tenía nada más ahí encerrada”, dijo ella. Una vez en Laredo, Bernardina decidió separarse del hombre que le había impedido registrar a uno de sus hijos y ahora se dedica a la cocina para mantener su familia. “Yo hago mis tamalitos para vender aquí en Laredo, y hago comida que me piden. Me va bien, ahí vamos”, dijo ella. Ahora con una identificación, Bernardina dijo que José David tiene la intención de continuar sus estudios en el colegio, “él quiere seguir estudiando, porque quiere ser un maestro. Algo en la vida”. Para servicios consulares, tramitar actas de nacimiento o pasaportes, llame al Consulado de México en Laredo al 956-723-6369 Localice a Melissa Santillana en el 728-2585 o msantillana@lmtonline.com
A8 | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
FROM THE COVER BUDGET From page A1 his GOP allies. But the measure appears increasingly likely to be rewritten by the Senate to include legislation implementing the brewing broader budget pact. The budget negotiations, conducted chiefly by the Senate’s top leaders, Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Chuck Schumer of New York, have intensified in recent days — and the looming government shutdown at midnight Thursday added urgency to the talks. In addition to the military and domestic spending, the deal taking shape would approve overdue disaster relief money and, perhaps, crucial legislation to increase the government’s borrowing limit and avoid possible default. Both McConnell and Schumer reported progress Tuesday morning. “I think we’re on the way to getting an agreement and getting it very soon,” said McConnell. Prospects for dealing with immigration, however, were as fuzzy as ever. The Senate is slated next week to begin a debate to address the dilemma of immigrants left vulnerable by the looming expiration of former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Weeks of bargaining have left the two parties divided over how to extend protections for such Dreamer immigrants and a court ruling has blunted a March 5 deadline. McConnell said Tuesday that while he hopes “we will end up having something,” he was unsure if any proposed measure would get the 60 votes needed for approval. On Tuesday, White House chief of staff John Kelly threw fuel on the dispute as he defended
WBCA From page A1 will be sold through Feb. 16 or until tickets sell out, whichever comes first. 1 Hot Spot Friday. Main Stage: $50 per day (GA included) 1 Hot Spot Saturday. Main Stage: $50 per day (GA included) CABALLEROS COCKTAIL PARTY
1 $40 per person Tickets for some affiliate events are also available for a limited time. Visit the WBCA Ticket Kiosk for more information. Jalapeño Festival tickets are also available online at www.jalapenofest.org. Air Show tickets are also available online at www.wbcaairshow.com
Trump’s proposed solution. The retired general noted the White House proposal would expand protection for some 1.8 million immigrants. That group includes both the 690,000 currently shielded and also “the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say were too lazy to get off their asses, but they didn’t sign up,” he said. No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin of Illinois, his party’s chief immigration negotiator, bristled at the comment. “I’m sorry for that characterization. It doesn’t surprise me from Gen. Kelly,” he said. The budget talks appeared to be going more smoothly. GOP defense hawks were prevailing over the party’s depleted ranks of deficit hawks, championing major new spending on military programs. Democrats, meanwhile, leveraged their influence to increase spending for domestic priorities such as combating opioid misuse. The result could be the return of trillion-dollar deficits for the first time since Obama’s first term. The stopgap spending bill would keep the government open through March 23 to allow time to write and pass detailed follow-up “omnibus” legislation to fund the government through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. The prospective longerterm budget agreement would give both the Pentagon and domestic agencies relief from a budget freeze that lawmakers say threatens military readiness and training as well as domestic priorities
such as combating opioid abuse and repairing the government’s troubled health care system for veterans. The temporary funding measure would also reauthorize funding for community health centers, which enjoy widespread bipartisan support. Aides in both parties said the budget measure may also contain a provision to raise the government’s $20.5 trillion borrowing limit. Legislation to increase the debt ceiling is always a headache, especially for House GOP leaders whose rank and file have in the past used the votes to register objection to deficit spending. Another likely addition is more than $80 billion in long-overdue hurricane relief for Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, a top priority of lawmakers in both parties. Under Congress’ arcane ways, a broad-brush agreement to increase legally binding spending “caps” — which would otherwise keep the budgets for the military and domestic agencies essentially frozen — would be approved, then followed by a far more detailed catchall spending bill that would take weeks to negotiate. It’s clear that Senate Democrats have no appetite for another government shutdown. Their unity splintered during last month’s three-day closure. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had linked progress on the budget with action to address the immigration program, but other Democrats are beginning to agitate for delinking the two, lest the opportunity for a budget pact be lost.
DACA From page A1 who don’t have criminal records. “They are not a priority for deportation,” he told reporters. Kelly spoke as lawmakers have deadlocked in an effort to reach an immigration compromise. Barring an unlikely lastminute agreement, the Senate is expected to begin debating the issue next week, and it is unclear what if any plan will survive. “We just don’t know where 60 votes are for any particular proposal,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., citing the votes needed for passage. Republicans have a slim majority and any measure will need around a dozen Democratic votes to succeed. Kelly said Trump’s recent offer to provide a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million immigrants went “beyond what anyone could have imagined.” A bipartisan offer by six senators that Trump rejected would have made citizenship possible for the 690,000 “Dreamers” registered under the program, nicknamed DACA, which shields immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and stayed here illegally. “There are 690,000 official DACA registrants and the president sent over what amounts to be two and a half times that number, to 1.8 million,” Kelly said. “The difference between (690,000) and 1.8 million were the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say
were too lazy to get off their asses, but they didn’t sign up.” Immigration experts cite various reasons why people eligible for DACA’s protections do not apply. These include lack of knowledge about the program, a worry that participating will expose them to deportation and an inability to afford registration fees. “I’m sorry for that characterization. It doesn’t surprise me from Gen. Kelly,” No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin of Illinois, his party’s chief immigration negotiator, said of the White House staff chief’s remarks. At a later bargaining session among lawmakers and White House officials, No. 2 House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland “had an exchange” with Kelly about the comments, Durbin said. Hoyer later declined to describe his comments, saying, “I want to get a deal done.” Durbin also scoffed at Kelly’s assertion that “Dreamers” would not be deported after the March 5 deadline arrives. “It’s cold comfort to DACA people that if Congress does nothing, they’re still safe in the loving arms of the Department of Homeland Security,” said Durbin. With leaders working on a separate track toward a budget pact, Trump threw a knuckle ball into the mix, saying he’d “love to see a shutdown” if Democrats didn’t meet his immigration demands. Trump said last September that he was ending DACA but gave lawmakers until March 5 to
pass legislation shielding the Dreamers. A federal judge has indefinitely blocked Trump from terminating the program’s protections, blunting the deadline’s immediate impact. Many lawmakers are uneasy about what might happen to the Dreamers after March 5, and Democrats — and Trump himself — are using that uncertainty as leverage to help force a deal. Kelly rejected the idea of asking lawmakers to extend the deadline, saying, “What makes them act is pressure.” In exchange for making citizenship a possibility, Trump wants $25 billion for border security, including money to build parts of his coveted wall along the U.S.-Mexico boundary. He also wants to curb legal immigration, restricting the relatives that legal immigrants could sponsor for citizenship and ending a lottery that distributes visas to people from diverse places like Africa. “I can’t imagine men and women of good will who begged this president to solve the problem of DACA” would oppose Trump’s proposal, Kelly said. He added, “Right now, the champion of all people who are DACA is Donald Trump.” Democrats strongly oppose limiting legal immigration, and conservatives are against giving citizenship to DACA recipients, and Trump’s bill has gotten little traction in Congress. Durbin, his party’s chief vote counter, said Trump’s proposal would not get 60 Senate votes, saying, “I don’t think it will get any votes on the Democratic side.”
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 |
A9
BUSINESS
Quits rise at fastest pace in 17 years By Christopher Rugaber A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — U.S. companies posted the fewest open jobs in seven months in December, yet the number of Americans quitting their jobs rose to a 17-year high, a mixed reading on the job market. The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings dropped 2.8 percent to 5.8 million. That’s still a healthy level and up 4.9 percent from a year earlier. The number of people quitting rose 3.1 percent to 3.26 million, the most since January 2001. More quits are generally a positive sign for the economy, because most Americans leave their jobs when they already have another position, typically at higher pay, or are confident they can
Lynne Sladky / AP
Women fill out job applications at a Job News USA job fair in Miami Lakes, Fla. The Labor Department reported on job openings and labor turnover for December on Tuesday.
find one. The figure suggests companies, which are desperate for workers, are offering bigger salaries to lure people away
from their current jobs. On Friday, the government reported that hourly pay rose in January from a year earlier at the fastest
Dow gains 567 points as stocks rally
pace in eight years. Employers also added a healthy 200,000 jobs and the unemployment rate remained at a low 4.1
percent for the fourth month. That report helped send stock prices tumbling Friday and Monday,
as investors worried that stronger pay gains could lead to higher inflation. That, in turn, could lead the Federal Reserve to lift short-term interest rates more quickly than planned, potentially slowing growth. Still, inflation for now remains below the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target and has stayed there for six years. The decline in job openings, meanwhile, could slow hiring in the coming months. Openings have declined 5.9 percent since reaching a record high of 6.18 million in August. Openings dropped sharply in construction, manufacturing, retail, and professional and business services, a category that includes highly-paid work such as engineering and legal services. They rose in restaurants and hotels and health care.
GM likely to expand subsidized loans if rates rise By Tom Krisher ASSOCIATED PRE SS
By Marley Jay A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks rallied Tuesday as a late surge helped them regain almost half their losses from the day before, when they had their biggest plunge in 6 ½ years. That came at the end of a day of heavy trading and huge swings for the market. Major indexes in Asia and Europe took steep losses and U.S. markets started sharply lower, only to repeatedly change direction. After its 1,175-point nosedive Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 567 points right after trading began. After numerous turns higher and lower, it wound up with a gain, coincidentally, of 567. Despite the turbulence, Tuesday’s trading looked similar to the patterns that have shaped the market for the last year: investors bought companies that do well when economic growth is strongest. Gainers included technology companies, retailers like Amazon and Home Depot, and industrial companies and banks. Bond yields turned higher after a sharp drop
Monday. As a result, the biggest losses went to high-dividend companies such as utility and real estate companies, which investors often buy as an alternative to bonds. When bond yields rise, those stocks become less appealing to investors seeking income. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.80 percent from 2.71 percent. The Dow finished 567.02 points higher, or 2.3 percent, at 24,912.77. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index, a broader market barometer that many index funds track, climbed 46.20 points, or 1.7 percent, to 2,695.14. The Nasdaq composite rose 148.36 points, or 2.1 percent, to 7,115.88. It was the busiest day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange since Nov. 10, 2016, two days after the presidential election. The steep drops Friday and Monday wiped out the gains the Dow and S&P 500 made since the beginning of the year, but both remain higher over the past 12 months. The Dow is up 24 percent over that time, the S&P 500 18 percent. Even after Tuesday’s gain, the S&P 500 is still down 6.2 percent from the recent record high it set on January 26. That’s
less than the 10 percent drop that is known on Wall Street as a “correction.” Corrections are seen as entirely normal during bull markets, and even helpful in curbing excessive gains and allowing new investors to buy into the market at lower prices. It has been an uncommonly long time since the last market correction, which ended almost two years ago. Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, said the plunge wasn’t caused by inflation fears alone. The markets have been unusually calm since late 2016, and he said investors were betting that would continue. “People were positioned for more central bank easing or continued central bank easing, low rates, and importantly, low volatility,” he said. “Corrections are caused by people having to reposition for new environments.” Investors remain fearful that signs of rising inflation and higher interest rates could bring an end to the bull market that has sent stocks to record high after record high in recent years.
DETROIT — If auto loan interest rates rise as expected this year, General Motors and others are likely to make more subsidized loans, including zero-percent financing, to keep car sales flowing. CFO Chuck Stevens told reporters Tuesday after GM released its fullyear and fourth-quarter earnings that generally, auto company finance arms try to make up for rising rates with subsidies. GM expects rates will increase 0.75 percent this year as the Federal Reserve acts to stave off inflation. As many as three quarter-point hikes are expected. Auto loan rates now run around 3 percent to 4 percent for buyers with good credit. Across the industry, subsidized loans make up a relatively low percentage of incentive spending now because financing rates remain so low, Stevens said. But as rates rise, companies likely will move dollars from other sales incentives to keep loan rates low, he said. “Leasing and cashbased incentives are kind of predominant now,” Stevens said. “As interest rates increase, there will be more subvented financing. Then you’ll reduce other parts of the tool-
Jewel Samad / AFP/Getty Images
GM Executive Mark Reuss speaks as he unveils a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado truck. A huge one-time charge for US tax reform pushed GM’s quarterly earnings into the red, but the automaker said Tuesday that earnings were better-than-expected when the tax hit is excluded.
box.” A quarter-point rate increase pushes up a typical monthly car payment by only $3, Stevens said. GM expects 2018 to be another strong year for sales because wages are growing, gas prices are low and consumers will have more disposable income due to tax cuts, Stevens said. He made the comments Tuesday morning, just after GM reported a $3.9 billion net loss for 2017 driven largely by a $7.3 billion accounting charge. Excluding one-time items, GM made $9.9 billion, or $6.62 per share, the greatest since leaving bankruptcy in 2009. The earnings beat Wall Street estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $6.33 per share. Full-year revenue was $145.6 billion, which also topped expectations.
GM said the rewrite of the U.S. tax code forced it to write down accumulated losses that it uses to avoid income taxes. Assets fell from $33.6 billion, to $24 billion. Since the corporate tax rate dropped from 35 percent, to 21 percent, the losses are worth less. Stevens said GM still won’t pay much in U.S. corporate taxes until after 2022 or 2023. GM also announced that about 50,000 union factory workers will get $11,750 profit-sharing checks this month, based on a full-year pretax North American profit of $11.9 billion. For the fourth quarter, GM posted a $5.2 billion net loss due to the accounting charge. Without charges, the company made $2.4 billion, or $1.65 per share, soundly beating analyst estimates of $1.39.
A10 | Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
ENTERTAINMENT
A guide to watching Olympics without a TV By Anick Jesdanun A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Every Olympic event will be streamed live. But to watch online, you’ll still need to be a paying cable or satellite subscriber. As with past Olympics, NBC is requiring proof of a subscription. If you’ve already given up on traditional cable or satellite TV, you can sign up for an online TV service such as PlayStation Vue or YouTube TV. Otherwise, your video will cut out after a half-hour grace period. The subscription requirement also applies to coverage on virtual-reality headsets.
More than 1,800 hours of online coverage begins Wednesday evening in the U.S. with preliminary curling matches. Friday’s opening ceremony will be shown live online starting at 6 a.m. ET, and on NBC’s prime-time broadcast on a delayed basis at 8 p.m. NBC also plans live streaming of the closing ceremony on Feb. 25. Here’s a guide to watching the Olympics online. NBC’s over-the-air network will cover popular sports such as figure skating and skiing, some of it live. For those who can’t get to a TV, NBC will stream the broadcast at NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. But
there you’ll need your paid-TV credentials to sign in — even though you can watch the network over the air for free. The sports network NBCSN will be the main channel, carrying events such as biathlon, bobsled and luge. Coverage on CNBC and USA Network will be limited to curling and ice hockey. The Olympic Channel will have medal ceremonies, news and highlights, but not event coverage. All four of these cable channels will also be streamed online. The online coverage will come from the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Broadcasting Services.