The Zapata Times 3/3/2018

SATURDAY

SPURS’ PARKER OR LA’S BALL? PARKER: FACED MORE PRESSURE DURING ROOKIE SEASON THAN LAKERS’ BALL, A6

MARCH 3, 2018

DELIVERED EVERY SATURDAY

FREE

TO 4,000 HOMES

A HEARST PUBLICATION

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

ZAPATA COUNTY FAIR

TEXAS BORDER

2018 ROYAL COURT

Teens used as drug mules

By Sarah Sarder DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

Queens for the 2018 Zapata County Fair are, from left, Ileana Aimee Garcia, first runner-up, Cassandra Renee Gonzalez, 2018 Zapata County Fair queen, and Lyanna Gomez, second runner-up.

Beauty queens ready for three days of festivities from March 8 to 10

By Andrea Castañeda LAREDO MORNING TIME S

T

he 2018 Zapata Royal Court is ready for the slew of festivities that come with the annual Zapata County Fair.

Cassandra Renee Gonzalez, 17, is this year’s Zapata County Fair Queen. Her court includes Ileana Garcia, 15, Lyanna Gomez, 16, and the Junior

Royalty.

Garcia and Gomez are the first and second-runner up for Zapata County Fair Queen, respectively.

Having looked up to former queens, all three girls said they competed because they wanted to become role models.

Through their participation, they said they have learned they are capable of so much more than they thought.

DALLAS — Border agents found nearly 1,200 pounds of marijuana being smuggled through Brownsville last week after a driver lost control and crashed.

Agents from the Fort Brown border patrol station first noticed the vehicle Feb. 22 because it was speeding. They gave chase and found the driver had flipped the vehicle, according to a written release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The vehicle contained 52 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 1,200 pounds, according to the release. The estimated value of the drugs is $969,000. The drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"Juveniles in our community are being exploited," Patrol Agent in Charge Letisia Camarillo said in the release.

"They are making decisions that put themselves at risk and they don’t understand the consequences. Juveniles are viewed as cheap and disposable labor, a means for cartels to push their illicit product."

The driver and the passenger are U.S. citizens, and the passenger is a juvenile, a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated. "(Cartels) constantly recruit to replace kids that are arrested and prosecuted," Camarillo said. "It’s a horrific cycle and we need to come together to educate our children about the consequences."

The driver and passenger will face charges of narcotic smuggling from the Cameron County district attorney’s office.

DACA

11,000 renew U.S. CONGRESS after Immigration push sputters as judge’s focus on guns grabs attention ruling

By Alan Fram A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WASHINGTON — It’s taken just two weeks for Washington’s immigration battle to fade from blistering to back-burner. Lawmakers now seem likely to do little or nothing this election year on an effort that’s been eclipsed

by Congress’ new focus on guns, bloodied by Senate defeats and relegated to Blevel urgency by a Supreme Court ruling.

Talks have gone dormant that sought a bipartisan package: A chance for citizenship for young immigrants brought to the country illegally and $25 billion for President Donald Trump to erect his treasured wall with Mexico. Even a proposal dangling modest wins for both sides — a three-year renewal of a program pro-

tecting hundreds of thousands of those young immigrants from deportation in exchange for a $7.6 billion down payment for the wall — seems a longshot.

“The prospects for immigration legislation, big or small, are very, very bleak,” concedes Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, an immigrants’ rights group.

Distrust between the two parties has intensified, with each suspecting the other of weaponizing the impasse to rouse loyal voters for November’s contest for congressional control. There are tactical rifts between Democrats and the coalition of liberal and immigrants’ rights organizations over how aggressively to force the issue, and differences between conservative organizations and some ReCongress continues on A5

Zapata continues on A5

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Susan Walsh / AP

Protesters are arrested as they block the streets near the Capitol and the Supreme Court in Washington on Thursday.

Its taken just two weeks for Washingtons battle over helping young immigrants to fade from blistering to back-burner.

HOUSTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says about 11,000 people renewed protections under a program shielding young immigrants from deportation in the weeks after a judge partially reopened it.

The agency released figures Wednesday for the three weeks after Jan. 10, the day after U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the government to resume accepting renewals under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

As of Jan. 31, another 22,000 people have initial requests for DACA protection pending. The number of people with DACA protection as of the end of January is 683,000.

Alsup ruled Jan. 9 that the Trump administration failed to justify ending the program. Another judge issued a similar ruling in a separate case in February.

Those rulings have removed some urgency leading up to the administration’s March 5 deadline for the DACA program.

In Brief A2 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CALENDAR

AROUND THE NATION

TODAY IN HISTORY

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

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.

Spanish Paleography: The Art (and Challenge) of Deciphering the Writing of Our Ancestors. 2 p.m.

Zapata County Museum Of History, 805 N. US Hwy 83, Zapata, Tx 78076.

Public admission is $5 and free for members. Featured speaker is Dr. Aaron Olivas. For more information, call 956-765-8983.

MONDAY, MARCH 5 Ray of Light Anxiety and Depression Support Group Meeting in English. 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Westcare Foundation, 1616 Callaghan St. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/or depression to participate in free and confidential support group meetings.

Contact information: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014

TUESDAY, MARCH 6 Alzheimer's support group meeting. 7 p.m. Meeting room 2, building B of the Laredo Medical Center. The support group is for family members and caregivers taking care of someone who has Alzheimer's. For information, call 956-693-9991.

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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10 National Women and Girls HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day 2018. 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Gateway Community Health Center, 1515 Pappas St. Event is free and open to the community. Call Gabriela Perez, SCAN, 956-724-3177 or Julie Bazan, AHEC, 956-712-0037 for more information.

Gary Higgins/The Quincy Patriot Ledger / AP

People and a cat are rescued from during flooding Friday in Quincy, Mass. A relentless noreaster pounded the Atlantic coast with hurricane-force winds and sideways-blown rain and snow.

STORM POUNDS U.S. EAST COAST BOSTON — A nor’easter pounded the Atlantic coast with hurricane-force winds and sideways rain and snow Friday, flooding streets, grounding flights, stopping trains and leaving 1.6 million customers without power from North Carolina to Maine. At least five people were killed by falling trees or branches.

The storm submerged cars and toppled tractor-trailers, sent waves higher than a two-story house crashing into the Massachusetts coast, forced schools and businesses to close early and caused a rough ride for passengers aboard a flight that

Parents gunned down by their son on college campus MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.

— More than 100 police officers, some heavily armed in camouflage uniforms, searched neighborhoods near Central Michigan University on Friday for a 19-year-old student suspected of killing his parents at a dormitory and then running from campus.

The shooting at Campbell Hall happened on a day when

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.

MONDAY, MARCH 19 Ray of Light Anxiety and Depression Support Group Meeting in Spanish. 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Holding Institute, 1102 Santa Maria Ave., classroom #1. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/or depression to participate in free and confidential support group meetings.

Contact information: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014

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.

THURSDAY, MARCH 22 Spanish Book Club meeting. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Joe A. Guerra Public Library off Calton Road. Meeting will feature PowerPoint presentation on Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia. For more info, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810.

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 info, call 724-3227.

landed at Dulles Airport outside Washington. The Eastern Seaboard was hammered by gusts exceeding 50 mph, with winds of 80 to 90 mph on Cape Cod. Ohio and upstate New York got a foot or more of snow. Boston and Rhode Island were expected to get 2 to 5 inches.

The storm killed at least five people, including a 77-year-old woman struck by a branch outside her home near Baltimore. Fallen trees also killed a man and a 6-year-old boy in different parts of Virginia, an 11-year-old boy in New York state and a man in Newport, Rhode Island.

parents were arriving to pick up students for the beginning of a week-long spring break.

Police released a photo of James Eric Davis Jr., urging the public to call 911 if they see him but also warning that he shouldn’t be confronted. Hours after a campus lockdown, police started a “slow, methodical removal” of staff and students who were ordered to take shelter in campus buildings, Lt. Larry Klaus said.

“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” Klaus said of Davis.

The university identified the two dead as his mosther Diva Davis and father James Davis Sr., a part-time police officer in the Chicago suburb of Bellwood.

The shooting occurred around 8:30 a.m. at a residence hall at Central Michigan, which is about 70 miles (112.6 kilometers) north of Lansing.

Klaus said video at the dorm suggests Davis fled on foot after the shooting. He was wearing a hoodie but had been shedding certain clothes while on the run. — Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE WORLD Deadly attacks by extremists strike Burkina Faso OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Islamic extremists struck the French Embassy and army headquarters in simultaneous attacks of gunfire and explosives Friday in Burkina Faso’s capital, killing eight people and wounding more than 80 others. All eight militants were slain by security forces.

The violence, which the government called a terrorist attack, marked a further deterioration in the former French colony’s perilous security situation.

Islamic militants already have struck twice since January 2016 in the West African country, prompting criticism of the military response each time.

No group claimed responsibility for Friday’s attacks.

One of the militants’ assaults destroyed a room in the army

Ludivine Laniepce / AP

Troops ride in a vehicle near the French Embassy in central Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on Friday.

headquarters where senior officers were to have met but was relocated at the last minute, according to Security Minister Clement Sawadogo.

“If the meeting had taken place in the first room, our army would have been beheaded,” Sawadogo said, adding that some of the assailants wore military clothing and

seemed to be aware of the planned gathering.

The French Embassy came under attack around 10:15 a.m., with witnesses at the nearby state TV offices telling The Associated Press that the attackers had arrived in a pickup truck, shouted, “Allahu akbar!” and began shooting. — Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE STATE $3 million cash bond for couple in kidnapping case HOUSTON — A Brazilian couple accused of helping their daughter kidnap their grandson from Texas and keep him in Brazil for the last five years was granted a $3 million cash bond by a federal judge on Friday.

However, Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes will remain jailed as U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena

Palermo stayed her order pending a possible appeal of her decision by federal prosecutors, who allege the couple would use their vast wealth to flee the U.S. Attorneys for Carlos Guimaraes, 67, and his 65-year-old wife, Jemima, said the couple isn’t a flight risk and want to have their day in court to prove their innocence.

Rusty Hardin, an attorney for Carlos Guimaraes, said he was pleased the couple had been granted a bond.

Today is Saturday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2018. There are 303 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem of the United States as President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution.

On this date: In 1791, Congress passed a measure taxing distilled spirits; it was the first internal revenue act in U.S. history.

In 1845, Florida became the 27th state.

In 1849, the U.S. Department of the Interior was established.

In 1918, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and Russia signed the Treaty of BrestLitovsk, which ended Russian participation in World War I. (The treaty was rendered moot by the November 1918 armistice.)

In 1923, Time magazine, founded by Briton Hadden and Henry R. Luce, made its debut.

In 1943, in London's East End, 173 people died in a crush of bodies at the Bethnal Green tube station, which was being used as a wartime air raid shelter.

In 1959, the United States launched the Pioneer 4 spacecraft, which flew by the moon. Comedian Lou Costello died in East Los Angeles three days before his 53rd birthday.

In 1960, Lucille Ball filed for divorce from her husband, Desi Arnaz, a day after they had finished filming the last episode of "The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show" ("Lucy Meets the Mustache") on Arnaz's 43rd birthday.

In 1974, a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport in Paris, killing all 346 people on board.

In 1985, coal miners in Britain voted to end a year-long strike that proved to be the longest and most violent walkout in British history.

In 1991, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video. Twenty-five people were killed when a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 crashed while approaching the Colorado Springs airport.

Ten years ago: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said his campaign had never given Canada back-channel assurances that his harsh words about the North American Free Trade Agreement were for political show, despite a Canadian memo indicating otherwise. Four adults and two children were found slain in a Memphis, Tennessee, house; three children survived the rampage.

Five years ago: Vice President Joe Biden led civil rights leaders and national political figures in a ceremonial crossing of a Selma, Alabama, bridge where voting rights marchers were beaten by law enforcement officers in 1965. The SpaceX company's Dragon capsule made good on its latest shipment to the International Space Station, overcoming earlier mechanical difficulty to deliver a ton of supplies. Bobby Rogers, a founding member of Motown group The Miracles and a songwriting collaborator with Smokey Robinson, died at his suburban Detroit home; he was 73.

One year ago: President Donald Trump toured St. Andrew Catholic School, a private religious facility in Orlando, Florida, praising it as an ideal institution for "disadvantaged children" while re-emphasizing that his education agenda would focus on school choice. The Nintendo Switch, a hybrid game machine that works as both a console at home and a portable tablet on the go, made its debut.

Today's Birthdays: Socialite Lee Radziwill is 85. Singer-musician Mike Pender is 77. Movie producer-director George Miller is 73. Actress Hattie Winston is 73. Singer Jennifer Warnes is 71. Actor-director Tim Kazurinsky is 68. Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 65. Actor Robert Gossett is 64. Rock musician John Lilley is 64. Actress Miranda Richardson is 60. Rock musician John Bigham is 59. Radio personality Ira Glass is 59. Actress Mary Page Keller is 57. Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie JoynerKersee is 56. Former NFL player and College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker is 56. Actress Laura Harring is 54. Contemporary Christian musician Duncan Phillips is 54. Rapper-actor Tone Loc is 52. Actress Julie Bowen is 48. Country singer Brett Warren is 47. Actor David Faustino is 44. Gospel singer Jason Crabb is 41.

Singer Ronan Keating is 41. Rapper Lil' Flip is 37. Actress Jessica Biel is 36.

Rock musician Blower is 34. Musician Brett Hite is 32. Pop singer Camila Cabello is 21. Actor Thomas Barbusca is 15.

Thought for Today : "Some people stay longer in an hour than others do in a month." — William Dean Howells, author and editor (1837-1920).

CONTACT US Hardin has portrayed the couple as loving grandparents and that the case is a custody matter that belongs in civil and not criminal court. Each has been indicted on two counts — international parental kidnapping and conspiracy. They have pleaded not guilty.

“It’s pretty self-evident (prosecutors) were incredibly overstating things that will not be supported by evidence in the trial,” Hardin said. The couple’s trial has been set for May 7. — Compiled from AP reports

Publisher, William B. Green .....................................728-2501 General Manager, Adriana Devally ..........................728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................................728-2531 Circulation Director ..................................................728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo..................................728-2505 Managing Editor, Nick Georgiou ..............................728-2582 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ........................................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo.......................728-2569

SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Wednesdays and Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata and Jim Hogg counties. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times in those areas at newstands, The Zapata Times is inserted.

The Zapata Times is free.

The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas, 78044. Call (956) 728-2500.

The Zapata Times

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, March 3, 2018 |

A3

CRIME

Apparent explosive device 232 arrested found on ferry in Mexico during immigration sweep

By Gabriel Alcocer A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — What appeared to be undetonated explosives were found on a ferry that runs between the Caribbean resorts of Playa del Carmen and the island of Cozumel, authorities said Friday, less than two weeks after a blast shook another ferry plying the same route.

Quintana Roo state prosecutor Miguel Angel Pech Cen said in interviews with Mexican media that the boat was anchored 500 yards (meters) from the Cozumel dock and was not in service when the object was discovered Thursday. He said a company diver reported the object, and Mexican navy divers removed it and handed it over to the Defense Department for analysis.

The announcement came on the heels of reports that a Feb. 21 explosion on a ferry owned by the same company and on the same route was caused by a bomb. That blast injured 19 Mexicans and at least five U.S. citizens. Authorities had initially suggested it could have been a mechanical malfunction.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said in a statement that it was barring its workers from taking any tourist ferries on that route because “undetonated explosive devices were found” on the boat. The region is one of the most popular travel destinations in Mexico.

“U.S. Government employees are prohibited from using all tourist ferries on this route until further notice. Mexican and U.S. law enforcement continue to investigate,” the embassy wrote.

Photos of the device published in local media showed what appeared to be a length of PVC pipe attached to the underside of a boat.

Pech Cen argued that there was no danger to tourists because the boat was out of service and far from the dock. He noted that the Defense Department had yet to issue a definitive finding on the nature of the object.

The state Tourism Department said the same in a statement and added that the vessel had not been in commercial service for over 10 months.

State and federal prosecutors are investigating, it said, “and the cooperation of international agencies such as the FBI is accepted.”

Among the lines of inquiry is the possibility that “the incidents are

By Elliot Spagat ASSOCIATED PRE SS

STR / AFP/Getty Images

Federal police officers and army soldiers arrive at the dock where an explosion occurred on a ferry in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo state, Mexico. An explosion left three Canadians and 15 Mexicans injured on Wednesday, local authorities reported.

exclusively related to situations that are internal and inherent to the ferry line in question, which is not providing commercial service,” the statement said.

“I would say the effect on the tourist population is an undesired collateral effect of something that probably has some other motive,” federal Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete said.

Except for isolated shootings last year, Mexico’s Caribbean coast has largely been spared the violence plaguing other parts of Mexico. The coast provides much of Mexico’s tourism revenue.

The ferry company, Barcos Caribe, whose boat was hit by the Feb. 21 blast, was suspended by the government from operating four days later, even though the firm said it had the necessary permits.

Local media have reported the company is owned by the father of former Quintana Roo state Gov. Roberto Borge, who is under arrest on corruption charges.

An employee at the firm said Friday that the company’s boats were not currently operating but did not immediately respond to the reports about the firm’s links to

the Borge family.

Ferries not operated by Barcos Caribe continued to shuttle passengers between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen on Friday.

On Cozumel, tourist Jack Bushman of New York had not heard of the incidents or the U.S. travel alert until a journalist asked him about it.

“I think the Mexican government will probably be doing a good job searching the ships, making sure this doesn’t happen again,” Bushman said. “They want us all to be safe and travel, and they want us to be here for tourism.”

More than 200 people were arrested on immigration violations during a four-day operation in Northern California, but authorities said Thursday that hundreds eluded capture because of a warning from Oakland’s mayor.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said officers made 232 arrests from Sunday to Wednesday arrests and renewed threats of a bigger street presence in California, where state law sharply limits cooperation with immigration authorities at local jails.

The Trump administration has cracked down on so-called sanctuary policies, insisting that local law enforcement inform federal agents when they are about to release immigrants discovered to be living in the country illegally.

Defenders of so-called “sanctuary” practices say they improve public safety by promoting trust among law enforcement and immigrant communities and reserving scarce police resources for other, more urgent crime-fighting needs.

Mayor Libby Schaaf tweeted on Saturday that an immigration operation

was imminent in the San Francisco area, including Oakland, possibly within 24 hours.

It was unclear how many people would have eluded capture without the mayor’s warning.

Targets often elude authorities because agents don’t have search warrants and advocacy groups have waged public awareness campaigns urging people not to open their doors. Other times, agents have outdated addresses or targets are not home.

The federal agency’s acting director, Thomas Homan, said Wednesday that Schaaf’s warning caused about 800 “criminals” to elude capture, an extraordinarily high number of missed targets.

More than 100 of the people arrested had criminal records, including convictions for child sex crimes, weapons charges and assault, ICE said.

The agency didn’t release their names, except for one who was considered a high-profile target, making it impossible to verify individual cases.

“ICE has no choice but to continue to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at worksites, which will inevitably result in additional collateral arrests,” the agency said.

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

A4 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

Gun violence is real and so is our fascination

By Mary Sanchez KA N SA S CIT Y STAR

If you’re giddily telling yourself that the National Rifle Association’s stranglehold on gun reform is finally coming to an end, think again.

Yes, Wayne LaPierre and the gun rights group he leads appeared out of step and hard-hearted in the national dialogue that followed the mass school shooting in Parkland, Fla., on Valentine’s Day. Yes, corporations have ditched discount programs and other association with the NRA. Dick’s Sporting Goods will cease selling assault-style weapons like the one used to murder 17 students and staff in Parkland. Even Walmart has bent to public outcry and raised the age limit for firearm sales to 21.

It all feels so positive.

The groundswell of protest and response gives hope that this time we’ll finally see action that will make America safer from gun violence.

But rest assured that LaPierre is not quaking.

His organization has barely been nicked, and he understands the grip that guns have on America.

Guns are deeply imbedded in the American psyche, tied to historic legacies both mythical and real. From our early childhoods on, guns are a staple of our media entertainment and the games we play.

Our attitudes are not captured very accurately by gun ownership data.

Many people who don’t own guns have positive feelings about them, even strongly held ones, based on their beliefs about individual rights. And gun affinities are also influenced by family and peer groups. You may not know how to shoot a gun, but you may also fondly recall stories of your greatgrandfather’s mastery as a hunter.

In fact, "relationship" is a theme of a recent assessment of gun ownership and attitudes in America that we’d all do well to acquaint ourselves with. "America’s Complex Relationship with Guns: An In-Depth Look at the Attitudes and Experiences of U.S. Adults" was released by Pew Research Center last June. Here’s what it found: "Americans have broad exposure to guns, whether they personally own one or not. At least two-thirds have lived in a household with a gun at some point in their lives. And roughly seven in 10 — including 55 percent of those who have never personally owned a

gun — say they have fired a gun at some point. Today, three in 10 U.S. adults say they own a gun, and an additional 36 percent say that while they don’t own one now, they might be open to owning a gun in the future."

There. In fewer than 100 words, you have read why the "gun debate" is often not a debate at all. Because well-meaning efforts to change how Americans buy, trade and possess their firearms often fail to take into account how firearms resonate to even non-gun owners.

The report goes on: "A third of adults say they don’t currently own a gun and can’t see themselves ever doing so."

A third of the population is far from the majority. The pathway to a safer America — one that respects the Second Amendment but also respects society’s need to be safe from guns — will not be dictated by that one-third of Americans who cannot fathom owning a gun.

Any workable consensus on gun control must include at least some Americans who either own guns or who would consider doing so. And that describes a whole lot of America.

It’s also worth considering that two-thirds of gun owners cited protection as a top reason for owning a gun. That explains why many continue to believe that arming teachers — a notion that teachers widely oppose — is a rational response to school shootings.

We all want to protect schools, churches and other public spaces from attack. And if you see a gun as a primary way of doing that, then it’s not really a leap to want to arm more people, however flawed the idea is in other practical ways.

Attitudes about guns are deeply held, and it’s not clear how easily they are altered by awful acts of violence, regardless of how high the body counts are or how long they remain in the headlines. The murder of 14 students and three faculty of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has had a more profound impact on the national conscience than most school shootings, thank God. If we are to find a way forward on gun violence in America, we have to understand and respect the realities both of the violence and of the attitudes and beliefs of our fellow citizens.

Mary Sanchez is a Kansas City Star columnist.

COLUMN

Fired coach is right, there’s a drug problem

By Jacquielynn Floyd DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Blaming Colorado for the nation’s drug problem is absurd, and heckling an innocent kid over his state’s political policies is cruel, which is why Mike Jeffcoat is out of a job.

The former majorleague relief pitcher was fired as head baseball coach at Fort Worth’s Texas Wesleyan University after he sent a bizarre response to a high school senior in Aurora, Colo., who had expressed respectful interest in the program.

"We are not recruiting players from the state of Colorado," Jeffcoat emailed 18-year-old Gavin Bell. "In the past, players have had trouble passing our drug test. We have made a decision to not take a chance on student-athletes from your state. You can thank your liberal politicians.

Best of luck wherever you decide to play."

The reference was clearly to Colorado’s liberal marijuana laws, which permit legal sales and possession of cannabis products. To date, 19 states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use.

Bell shared this startling message with his coaches and teachers, and the exchange went viral. TWU authorities fired Bell, making him approximately the 100 millionth American to learn the hard way that foolish or offensive emails and social media posts will come back to bite you.

TWU President Fred Slabach announced at a news conference that Jeffcoat "is no longer an employee . due to the discriminatory remarks contained in an email to a potential recruit from the state of Colorado," as well as to an unrelated

The former major-league relief pitcher was fired as head baseball coach at Fort Worth’s Texas Wesleyan University after he sent a bizarre response to a high school senior in Aurora, Colo., who had expressed respectful interest in the program. "We are not recruiting players from the state of Colorado," Jeffcoat e-mailed 18-year-old Gavin Bell.

possible violation of player eligibility rules.

"My intention wasn’t trying to get this guy fired," said Gavin, who really does seem like an awfully nice kid, in an interview with a Denver television station. "My intention was just to try to play baseball."

TWU didn’t respond when I e-mailed to ask whether it really has had an abundance of Colorado recruits flunking drug tests. They’re justifiably ready for this viral episode to exhaust its 15 minutes; Coloradans and their "liberal politicians" will no doubt make a full recovery as well.

What really struck me about the Jeffcoat imbroglio, though, was that it illustrates our utter inability to understand or address our nation’s deeply destructive drug problem.

Perhaps it’s because the scourge is so widespread that no one in authority can seem to get beyond the margins, obsessing on one subissue at a time. While we have all been hyperfocused on opioid addictions to prescription painkillers and street drugs, there has reportedly been a furious resurgence in the prevalence of methamphetamines.

While this country wages war on south-ofthe-border cartels, cheap new synthetics are pour-

ing in from underground labs in China. While we bicker over whether Grandpa should be able to buy pot brownies to relieve his sciatica, legions of Americans know how to obtain illegal and unregulated drugs with the ease of buying a candy bar. We recognize the futility of imprisoning people for simple drug offenses, but we’re chronically short of treatment options.

We waste millions on testing employees in every sector for minor marijuana use. Yet some industries say they’re recruiting refugees from other countries because too many U.S. citizens flunk screenings for deadly drugs like heroin and meth.

We just don’t have enough fingers to poke in all these holes. And we lack a sense of proportion about which problems demand the most urgency. I’m no expert, but I doubt Colorado’s pot policy ranks at the top of the list.

It should be noted that Jeffcoat’s perspective might cost him some seriously valuable recruits. If current-day MLB greats Kris Bryant, Bryce Harper or Joey Gallo were just starting out today, Jeffcoat would give them a pass: All three are from Nevada, which allows recreational marijuana use. Washington, Colorado, Oregon

LETTERS POLICY Laredo Morning Times does not publish anonymous letters.

To be published, letters must include the writer's first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity.

The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary.

Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the

letter. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms.

This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day.

Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted.

Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

and other states manage to balance legalized pot with valuable professional sports franchises and robust college programs.

Reducing drug use to a simple binomial screening test - yes or no, pass or fail - completely ignores the complexities of this issue: which substances we can or cannot trust adults to use responsibly; why some treatments methods are more effective than others; the money involved in illegal drug sales; our inconsistent attitude toward alcohol and other intoxicants.

Most of all, we are getting nowhere on addressing the biggest question of all: Why do so many Americans crave escape from their everyday lives? That’s the question that underlies every overdose death, every cartel murder, every crooked doctor rung up for running a pill mill.

These are hard issues, and its sometimes seems that we - all of us, media included - do little besides talking in circles.

Drugs, in this country, have become as intractable and complex an issue as guns. Examining either through a lens of politics, rather than science or social policy or plain good sense, makes it all so much worse.

And it leads some people, like the unfortunate former baseball coach, to make fools of themselves.

There are lot of reasons drugs are an appalling scourge affecting everyone from gangplagued urban neighborhoods to desperate small towns where the good jobs are all gone and, yes, to athletes.

But I think we can let Colorado off the hook.

Jacquielynn Floyd is a Dallas Morning News columnist.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, March 3, 2018 |

A5

FROM THE COVER

Man gets 3 years for fake immigration services A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

A Texas man has been sentenced to three years in prison after scamming immigrants by saying he could get them legal status for money.

Federal prosecutors in Seattle say that from late 2011 until spring 2015, 50-year-old Alejandro

CONGRESS From page A1

publicans over the wisdom of even a narrow accord.

Looking to furnish political cover to rankand-file Republicans, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., only want to consider immigration bills that have Trump’s support. Democrats say Trump’s portrayal of immigrants as threats who commit crimes and steal jobs, plus his vulgar references to their countries, shows he’s not serious about compromise — yet leaves him pivotal for any deal.

“There are certain people and certain countries that Donald Trump does not envision as part of America’s future,” said No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin of Illinois. “Until the president and the Republicans in Congress believe that deporting the Dreamers is so much of a political negative that they must do something, I think it’s unlikely that we’ll move forward.”

Rather than making new offers, Trump is blaming Democrats for the stalemate.

“I’m the one that’s pushing DACA and the Democrats are nowhere to be found,” he tweeted days ago, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Hoping to recapture attention, immigrant and civil rights groups plan

Gurany of El Paso falsely claimed to work for a government immigration office.

Investigators identified more than 30 people in Washington state and Ohio who were cheated out of $140,000, but they suspect there were additional victims because more than $400,000 in

cash was funneled into his bank account from at least seven states.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says that at one point he met with immigrants at an airport hotel near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and took their photographs and fingerprints.

In sentencing Gurany

on Friday, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik accepted his claim that he did it to pay off Mexican cartels that had threatened his family.

But the judge told him that was no excuse for preying on other vulnerable families.

demonstrations in Washington and elsewhere on Monday. When Trump announced last year that he was terminating the program, he gave Congress until that date, March 5, to replace it.

The program, which President Barack Obama created administratively without enactment of a law, lets immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children get jobs for renewable two-year periods. It’s currently protecting 680,000 of them.

The Supreme Court this week erased that deadline’s impact with a ruling that requires the administration to renew DACA permits while lower court challenges to Trump’s action continue.

Those lawsuits could drag on for months, easing pressure on Congress to act quickly.

Lawmakers are now fixated on last month’s shooting deaths of 17 students and faculty members at a high school in Parkland, Florida. The shift accentuates how rapidly priorities shift in Congress, fueled by today’s hyper speed news cycles and a president whose tweets and utterances add additional volatility.

Last month, the Senate rejected a Trump proposal offering citizenship to people protected by DACA, fully financing his wall, cutting legal immigration and ending a visa lottery for people from countries with low U.S. immigration rates. A bipartisan plan backed by nearly all Democrats

included potential citizenship for DACA recipients and money for Trump’s wall, barred the young immigrants from sponsoring their parents and left the visa lottery intact.

Neither side is showing any indication of sweetening its offer.

“We’ve offered the sun and the moon and that wasn’t enough,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking GOP leader. “I guess we’ll see what happens.”

Democrats face pressure from liberal groups like Indivisible and United We Dream to use coming budget legislation to crimp money for immigration enforcement programs. But with several Senate Democrats facing tough re-election fights in Trump-friendly states leery of that stance, the party has little leverage.

Clarissa Martinez, a policy chief for UnidosUS, an immigrants’ rights group, said Democrats should force votes on the issue any to drive home how immigrants bolster the economy. She cited the repeated, doomed votes Republicans forced under President Barack Obama to repeal his health care law “because they had a narrative they were building.”

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who’s joined bipartisan efforts to forge compromise, says he’ll try forcing a vote next week on his plan to extend DACA for three years and supplying three years of financing for Trump’s

wall.

But many Democrats oppose it, saying they abhor financing the wall in exchange for merely a temporary DACA extension. Groups like the Center for Immigration Studies that favor tight restrictions are also opposed, saying it would inscribe DACA into law, and conservatives such as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, seem certain to block Flake.

Flake said he’d keep trying anyway.

“At some point we’re going to want to put this behind us, even if there’s no deadline. I don’t think this plays into our favor in the midterms,” he said.

In the House, Republicans are hunting votes for a conservative package that cuts legal immigration, requires employers to verify workers’ citizenship and makes it easier to deport immigrants who are drunk drivers or gang members.

Facing solid Democratic opposition, GOP leaders remain short and it’s unlikely they’d consider more moderate alternatives that lack majority Republican support.

ACLU wants separated mother and child reunited ASSOCIATED PRE SS

HOUSTON — The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a federal judge to quickly reunite a Congolese woman and her 7-year-old daughter, who have been separated in immigration detention for four months.

ACLU lawyers on Friday requested a preliminary injunction in the case of the mother and daughter, who sought asylum in November. The woman is in a San Diego facility about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from the

ZAPATA From page A1 “That I had this confidence to actually run for this,” Gonzalez said. “Because last year I wouldn’t have seen myself running for this at all.”

The experience has also taught the girls humility and brought them friendship.

The Junior Royalty is comprised of Yaritza Landa, Jayden Hinojosa,

Chicago shelter for unaccompanied immigrant minors holding the girl.

According to the ACLU’s lawsuit, the girl was taken away "screaming and crying" from her mother.

Immigrant advocates accuse the Trump administration of systematically separating parents and children who are requesting asylum. Administration officials have said they believe many asylum seekers are taking advantage of a broken system.

Authorities declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Lilanie Peña, Mia Garcia and Monique Garcia.

For all the participants, ages 5 to 17, being a part of the Zapata County Fair presents an opportunity to gain confidence and make lifelong friendships.

The fair, which is dubbed the “Biggest Little Town Fair in Texas,” will be held March 8 to March 10.

For more details and full schedule of events, visit http://www.zapatacountyfair.com.

Sports&Outdoors

A6 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HOUSTON ASTROS

Despite fans’ wishes, Tucker not yet ticketed for the Astros’ 2018 roster Hinch: Houston star outfield prospect will not make opening day major league roster

By Hunter Atkins HOUSTON CHRONI CLE

WEST PALM BEACH — No matter how much fans clamor for Kyle Tucker, the Astros' top position player prospect, he will not make the opening day major league roster, manager A.J. Hinch said Friday.

Tucker, a 21-year-old right fielder who bats lefthanded, has set the Gulf Coast League on fire in spring training.

On Thursday, he hit his third home run in five games. He if 5-for-13 with eight RBIs. "He's a good-looking, young player who is doing a great job of making a great first impression," Hinch said. "He's a great talent. That's where it starts and ends."

Tucker's playing time will diminish when minor leaguers arrive in camp next week and as

major league starters require more reps at the end of March to prepare for the season.

"His contribution at the major league level will come at some point, if he continues to progress, but it's not going to come at the end of this month," Hinch said. "No matter what he does, we don't feel like it's in the best interest for him.

"That timeline always moves based on your readiness, but that's not defined by the first two weeks of spring."

Tucker produced with eye-catching power (25 HR, 90 RBIs, 21 steals and an .874 OPS) least season, which he finished in Class-AA Corpus Christi. He also struck out 109 times. He currently is focusing on improving his plate discipline.

Hinch explained the fine details that will improve Tucker's ap-

NCAA BASKETBALL: TEXAS LONGHORNS

proach: "He's got a good swing and he does some damage. The next step in development for him is to make sure that he picks the right pitches to swing at. Some of that is knowing strikes versus balls, but some of that is knowing what strikes he needs to attack early in counts and how to defend himself with two strikes."

Hinch mentioned the pitch-recognition process that Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa and George Springer went through before they vaulted to the majors.

"There's a lot of finetuning that goes on and a lot of that circles around tougher game plans that start to come about when the regular season would start," Hinch said.

"The Kyle Tucker Show will join the big leagues at some point," he added, "if he continues to do what he's do-

Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle file

Astros outfield prospect Kyle Tucker will not make the opening day major league roster despite fans’ wishes.

ing."

Tucker already passed a critical test: surviving clubhouse ridicule.

Teammates only refer to him as "Ted" because of a grandiose comparison

between his swing and that of Hall of Famer Ted Williams.

"The new nickname, how he blends in with a much older group than what he is," Hinch said,

"is really what the spring's about."

We tell out guys once you get to Double-A you're an option. ... But it's not right now."

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS

WHO HAS HANDLED THE MOST PRESSURE?

Joyce Marshall / Fort Worth Star-Telegram file

Texas' Eric Davis Jr. will remain out of the lineup after allegations he received improper benefits.

Smart 'hopeful' Davis situation will be resolved soon Nick Moyle SA N A N TONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS

AUSTIN – Texas will continue holding junior guard Eric Davis Jr. out of competition as the university's compliance department investigates allegations he received $1,500 from ASM Sports agent Christian Dawkins, coach Shaka Smart said Friday.

"Our compliance staff is continuing to work with Eric and the NCAA on that," Smart said.

"Eric can't really talk to us about it nor have we tried to pry and ask about it. His status is still where it's been, but we're hopeful that it can move towards a resolution for him."

Several other current college players who appeared on ASM Sports expense reports and balance sheets have been cleared to play, including Michigan State's Miles Bridges, Southern Cal's Chimezie Metu and Alabama's Collin Sexton.

Asked why UT's in-

ternal investigation has, at least comparatively, dragged along, Smart said, "I think because they're still figuring out exactly what happened. I think for the NCAA, there's a lot going on right now and they have to figure out what they want to do moving forward with this type of stuff."

Davis averaged 8.8 points and led UT with 40 3-pointers prior to UT choosing to hold him out indefinitely after his name surfaced in a Yahoo Sports report implicating more than two dozen current and former players in the FBI's ongoing probe into corruption in college basketball.

"I can't really speak to situations at other schools," Smart said. "I know at Texas, we've got a terrific compliance office. We just have to wait until that gets resolved. I'm hopeful that it will be resolved relatively soon, but I don't know when that will be."

Eric Gay / Associated Press

Spurs point guard Tony Parker said Friday that he faced more pressure during his rookie campaign than Lakers’ pick Lonzo Ball has.

Spurs’ Parker says he handed more pressure during rookie season than Lakers’ Ball

By Tom Orsborn SAN ANTONIO EXPRE SS-NEWS

SAN ANTONIO — Fans and media study Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball's every move in Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean only highprofile rookies in big markets have to deal with intense pressure.

Parker recalled Friday that the spotlight on him was pretty intense when he was a rookie for the small-market Spurs in

2001-02.

"When I came in, we were trying to win a championship," he said.

"And that's a lot of pressure on an everyday basis to be consistent and to perform."

Parker also said it wasn't easy trying to live up to the high standards set by "Five-oh (David Robinson) and Timmy (Duncan)."

"Rookies in L.A. and New York, yeah, there is pressure to be a good

player," Parker said. "But championship pressure, I think, is more."

Parker started 72 games as a rookie, averaging 9.2 points, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals for a team that lost to the Lakers in five games in the Western Conference semifinals. He was named to the NBA's All-Rookie First Team, marking the first time a foreign-born guard earned such recognition.

In his sophomore

season, Parker averaged 15.5 points and 5.3 assists while quarterbacking a team that won the NBA championship in Robinson's final season.

Ball has started 37 of the 39 games he's played in this season and is averaging 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.6 steals for a team that will enter Saturday night's game against the Spurs with a 27-34 record.

Frontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, March 3, 2018 |

RIBEREÑA EN BREVE ANIVERSARIO PUENTE 1 El Ayuntamiento 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

ELIGEN A REINA Y SU CORTE REAL

ROMA-MIGUEL ALEMÁN

Celebran 90 aniversario de puente Por Malena Charur TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

FERIA DEL CONDADO DE ZAPATA 1 Evento de cabalgata y carne asada Zapata County Fair Trail Ride & CookOff el sábado 3 de marzo. Para mayors informes visite http://zapatacountyfair. com/index.

1 Arranque de la Feria del Condado de Zapata con la presentación de Albert Zamora, Rick Naranjo y Los Gamblers, Jaime y Los chamacos ,el jueves 8 de marzo.

1 Disfrute del carnaval durante las actividades de la Feria del Condado, el jueves 8 de marzo.

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

1 Asista con su familia al Desfile de la Feria del Condado de Zapata, el sábado 10 de marzo.

1 Subasta de ejemplares en la Feria del Condado de Zapata, el sábado 10 de marzo.

1 Presentación de los grupos Pesado, Ramón Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte y el grupo Palomo, el sábado 10 de marzo.

A7

Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

De izquierda a derecha, Ileana Aimee García, Cassandra Renee González, y Lyanna Gómez.

Festividades se llevarán del 8 al 10 de marzo Por Andrea Castañeda TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

L

a Corte Real de Zapata 2018 está lista para la gran cantidad de festividades que vienen con la Feria anual del Condado de Zapata.

Este año, Cassandra Renee González, de 17 años, fue nombrada reina de la Feria del Condado de Zapata. Su corte incluye a Ileana García, de 15 años; Lyanna Gómez, de 16 años, y los miembros de la corte juvenil.

García y Gómez obtuvieron segundo y tercer lugar respectivamente dentro del

certamen.

Habiendo admirado a las antiguas reinas, las tres chicas dijeron que decidieron involucrarse para convertirse en modelos a seguir para otros jóvenes. A través de su participación, han aprendido que son capaces de mucho más de lo que pensaban.

“Que tenía la confianza para competir por esto”, dijo González. “Porque el año pasado no me hubiera visto a mí misma compitiendo”.

La experiencia también les enseñó a las chicas humildad y el valor de la amistad.

La corte juvenil está con-

formada por Yaritza Landa, Jayden Hinojosa, Lilanie Peña, Mia García y Monique García.

Para todos los participantes, de 5 a 17 años, ser parte de la Feria del Condado de Zapata representa una oportunidad para ganar confianza y formar amistades para toda la vida.

La feria, que ha sido denominada la “La Feria Pequeña más Grande de Texas”, se llevará a cabo del 8 de marzo al 10 de marzo.

Para obtener más información y un calendario completo de eventos, visite http:// www.zapatacountyfair.com/

El día de hoy, el Puente de Suspensión Miguel Alemán-Roma, estará de manteles largos, al cumplir 90 años de haber sido erigido.

El Ayuntamiento de la Ciudad de Roma y la Comisión Histórica de Roma están invitando a la celebración por el aniversario del único puente internacional de suspensión a lo largo del Río Grande.

“Durante el final de la década de 1920, inversionistas privados financiaron la construcción de varios puentes de suspensión a lo largo del Río Grande con la esperanza de estimular el desarrollo comercial en la parte baja del Valle del Río Grande”, se lee en la página de Internet de la organización sin fines de lucro Preservation Texas. “Inaugurado en 1928, el puente de suspensión en Roma dejó de dar servicio en 1979 cuando se construyó otro puente”.

Tanto la Ciudad de Roma como Miguel Alemán en México, han trabajado por más de una década para conservar y restaurar el puente colgante.

El Puente de Suspensión Miguel Alemán-Roma fue declarado Monumento Artístico Nacional por el Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes en 2004.

Foto de cortesía / City of Roma

El día de hoy se llevará una ceremonia en el Puente de Suspensión Roma-Miguel Alemán por la celebración de su 90 aniversario.

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, este martes 6 de marzo 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.

CONSULADO MÓVIL 1 El Consulado de México en McAllen invita al evento Consulado Móvil en Roma, el sábado 17 de marzo, en el Centro Mundial de las Aves, ubicado en Portscheller St., y avenida Convento de 8 a.m. a 1:30 p.m.

Prepare sus documentos y haga una cita en consulmex.sre.gob.mx/ mcallen/ 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.

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 956849-1411

MURO FRONTERIZO

COLUMNA

Dudas rodean a contratista

Presidente con dos actas

Por Margery A. Beck ASSOCIATED PRE SS

OMAHA, Nebraska — Una pequeña compañía de reciente creación en Nebraska, a la que le fue adjudicado el primer proyecto de construcción del muro fronterizo bajo el gobierno del presidente Donald Trump, es una ramificación de una empresa constructora que fue demandada varias veces por no pagarle a subcontratistas y que en una auditoría gubernamental de 2016 fue acusada de prácticas de facturación sospechosas.

SWF Constructors declara tener sólo un empleado en su oficina de Omaha. Aun así, en noviembre ganó un contrato federal de 11 millones de dólares como parte de un proyecto para reemplazar más de 3,2 kilómetros (dos millas) de una valla actual, sustituyéndola con barreras tipo poste de 9,1 metros (30 pies) de altura en Calexico, California. El proyecto representa una parte del plan de Trump en su central promesa de campaña de construir un muro en la frontera con México.

No queda claro por qué SWF fue incluida en la contienda para la licitación por el contrato del muro en lugar de Coastal Environmental Group, una empresa con sede en Edgewood, Nueva York, que en documentos en Internet del gobierno aparece como su propietaria.

Thomas Anderson, un abogado de Omaha que en un principio representaba a un subcontratista que demandó a Coastal en 2011 por falta de pago, dijo que no le sorprendería que se tratara de un intento de la compañía de esquivar el escrutinio de las autoridades por sus problemas legales anteriores.

Agregó que tales prácticas son relativamente comunes en los proyectos de construcción.

Richard Silva, que en los documentos del gobierno aparece como

el principal contratista tanto para SWF como para Coastal, no respondió a varios mensajes dejados por The Associated Press por teléfono y correo electrónico en busca de comentarios. Los mensajes dejados en un buzón general de mensaje de voz de Coastal tampoco fueron respondidos.

El Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército en Fort Worth, Texas, también se postuló para el proyecto del muro en Calexico, de acuerdo con los registros federales. La agencia señaló a la AP que para el jueves por la noche proporcionaría información sobre el proceso usado para verificar a SWF. No respondió a una llamada de seguimiento realizada el viernes en busca de información.

En 2011, el gobierno federal demandó a Coastal a nombre del cliente de Anderson como parte de un proyecto multimillonario de limpieza de plomo en un sitio en el noreste de Omaha, enlistado en el programa EPA Superfund de limpieza de lugares muy contaminados. En la demanda se acusó a Coastal de no pagar al subcontratista, Enviroworks Inc., cerca de 400.000 dólares en costos de trabajo y equipo, y de incumplir un acuerdo de participación en las utilidades que le debía generar al subcontratista aproximadamente 1,7 millones de dólares.

Los abogados del gobierno afirman que, como Coastal se negó a pagar, el subcontratista se vio obligado a despedir a la mayoría de sus empleados. De acuerdo con la demanda, inmediatamente después de que los trabajadores fueron notificados de su despido, "Coastal contrató y usó a los empleados de Enviroworks como empleados propios y siguió realizando el trabajo que a Enviroworks le correspondía hacer".

La demanda se resolvió con un acuerdo en 2015 por una cantidad no revelada.

Por Raúl Sinencio Chávez E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

A la memoria del arquitecto Carlos Rugerio Cázares.

En los arranques del México posrevolucionario, Emilio Portes Gil alcanza importantes cargos públicos. A fin de ejercerlos, debe acreditar su identidad personal.

“Nací en Ciudad Victoria, capital” tamaulipeca, Portes Gil “el 3 de octubre de 1890 … El nombre que me puso mi padre fue Emilio Cándido …Emilio, por la obra de Juan Jacobo Rousseau, y Cándido, por la obra de Voltaire, en que ambos escritores se revelan como anticlericales”, sostiene Portes Gil al iniciar “Raigambre de la Revolución en Tamaulipas”, de 1972.

Don Emilio resulta en 1917 diputado al Congreso de la Unión, reeligiéndose dos veces. Asume en 1925, vía eleccionaria, la gubernatura tamaulipeca. Salta tres años después a la presidencia de la República en forma provisional, tras el magnicidio de Álvaro Obregón, favorecedor suyo.

Recién promulgada entonces, la carta magna del país define los requisitos inherentes a dichos puestos.En cuanto al mandatario de Tamaulipas, le exigen 30 o más años cumplidos. Han de ser “ciudadanos mexicanos por nacimiento,” en todos los casos.

Incumplir con las cualidades prescritas, o comprobarlas mal, daba pie a perder la respectiva investidura.

De esta suerte, mediante acta la autoridad competente hace constar que llega Portes Gil al mundo en la urbe capitalina de Tamaulipas. Habría ello ocurrido el 3 de octubre de 1890, llamándolo Emilio Cándido. Pese a coincidir lo anterior con lo aducido en “Raigambre…”, afloran detalles que hacen dar tremendo brinco de asombro.

No obstante, don Emilio difiere tanto el trámite, que lo realiza hasta el 31 de marzo de 1947.

Cabe preguntarse cómo se las arregla mientras Portes Gil. De 1917 a 1930, para desempeñar funciones parlamentarias, gubernativas y presidenciales, necesita demostrar que posee ascendencia mexicana y que satisface los demás requerimientos previstos. O se expone a desagradable traspié.

Lo curioso es que, sin esperarse a 1947, puede en gran parte sortear escollos con sólo pedir copia válida de antiquísimo e incontrovertible documento. Veamos qué asienta en lo medular: “En Ciudad Victoria de Tamaulipas, a los tres días … de marzo de” 1885, “compareció …Domingo Portes, quien presentó … un niño, manifestando que es su hijo legítimo, que nació en esta ciudad el” 19 “de abril de” 1884, “que le impone el nombre de Emilio Crescencio con su propio apellido y que lo hubo en su esposa la señora Adelaida Gil de Portes…”. Firma al calce Francisco Perales, titular victorense del Registro Civil. Al parecer, don Emilio tenía ya acta de nacimiento; por motivos desconocidos quiso desentenderse y modificar datos biográficos.

A8 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

BUSINESS

Early plunge and rise caps frenetic week on Wall Street

By Stan Choe A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks went on another dizzying ride Friday and worked their way back from an early-morning plunge to send the Standard & Poor’s 500 index to its first gain in four days. It was just the latest swing in a frenetic week for markets around the world as investors recalibrated — again and again — how worried to be about a possible trade war and a more aggressive Federal Reserve.

When U.S. markets opened for trading, the S&P 500 lost as much as 1.1 percent to join a worldwide sell-off after President Donald Trump doubled down on “trade war” talk. He took to Twitter to defend his promise from Thursday to impose stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, saying that the United States is losing on trade with virtually every country and that “trade wars are good” and “easy to win.”

Investors had a different impression. Markets

tumbled from Asia to Europe on fears that escalating retaliation between countries could choke off trade and the global economy. The president of the European Union’s governing body suggested possible tariffs on blue jeans and motorcycles.

The S&P 500 trimmed its loss as the day went on and was bouncing between gains and losses by the early afternoon. It accelerated in the last half hour of trading and ended at 2,691.25, up 13.58 points, or 0.5 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 70.92, or 0.3 percent, to 24,538.06, and the Nasdaq composite rose 77.31, or 1.1 percent, to 7,257.87.

Stocks pared their losses as investors questioned how far Trump will end up going, said Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management.

“I view nearly every one of Trump’s actions through a negotiation lens,” he said. “This was an anchor, an opening

bid. ... I think the market senses some of that, and I would imagine that we will see some horse trading going on with what ultimately happens with these tariffs.”

The S&P 500 still ended the week with a loss of 2 percent, its third decline that severe in the last five weeks. Last year, the worst weekly loss was just 1.4 percent.

If a trade war does indeed break out, it could threaten a key reason investors were optimistic about stocks coming into 2018: The global economy is finally strengthening in sync, which should lead to higher corporate profits.

Big U.S. companies are heavily reliant on global trade, and companies in the S&P 500 got 43 percent of their sales from outside the United States in 2016, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. That means Apple and other big U.S. companies are dependent on customers not only in Peoria but also Paris and Peru.

Stocks of smaller U.S. companies, which tend to

US auto sales fall 2 percent in February

By Tom Krisher and Dee-ann Durbin A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

DETROIT — U.S. sales of new cars and trucks tailed off in February as automakers eased up on discounts.

Sales fell 2 percent from last February to 1.3 million, according to Autodata Corp. Among major automakers, only Toyota, Subaru and Volkswagen reported sales gains over last February.

Ford’s U.S. sales chief Mark LaNeve said automakers spent an average of $65 less per vehicle on incentives in February compared to the same month last year. That’s a stark contrast from 2017, when incentive spending often climbed $300 or $400 per month.

LaNeve said discounts could grow during the spring and summer, when tax returns arrive and more people shop for vehicles. But based on the first two months of this year, he expects automakers to remain fairly disciplined.

In the past, heavy discounting has led to overproduction and steep declines in automakers’ profits.

Here are some details regarding February sales: 1 General Motors Co. sales fell just under 7 percent to 220,905. Sales were dragged down by the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, GM’s top-selling vehicle. Silverado sales were off more than 16 percent from a year ago, when the company had record February sales of SUVs and pickup trucks. GMC and Chevrolet sales were down for the month but Buick and Cadillac sales rose.

1 Ford Motor Co. sales also fell 7 percent to 194,132.

Ford said its car and SUV sales were down but sales of the F-Series pickup — its biggest seller — inched up 3.5 percent. Ford brand sales were down 6 percent while luxury Lincoln sales plummeted 23 percent.

1 Toyota Motor Corp. sales rose 4.5 percent to 182,195 vehicles. Sales of its topseller, the Camry sedan, jumped 12 percent as an updated version went on sale. Luxury Lexus sales also rose 5 percent.

1 Fiat Chrysler’s sales fell 1 percent to 165,903. Jeep brand sales jumped 12 percent and Alfa Romeo sales were also up, but

Ram truck sales fell 14 percent because of a drop in fleet buyers. Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat sales also fell on low consumer demand for cars.

1 Nissan Motor Co. sales fell 4 percent to 129,930.

Demand for Nissan cars fell 17 percent but truck and SUV sales were up 9 percent, led by the Rogue small SUV. Nissan’s luxury Infiniti brand saw sales fall 7 percent.

1 Honda Motor Co. sales fell 5 percent to 115,557.

Sales of its best-seller, the CR-V SUV, dropped 19 percent despite a recent redesign. Luxury Acura sales were up 1 percent.

1 Hyundai Motor Co. sales fell 13 percent to 46,095 as higher sales of SUVs failed to make up for declining car sales. Genesis luxury sales also slid 14 percent.

1 Subaru brand sales rose 4 percent to 47,209. Sales of its newly redesigned Crosstrek SUV jumped 61 percent.

1 Volkswagen brand sales rose 6 percent to 26,660.

Volkswagen is introducing more SUVs as consumers shift away from cars; sales of its Touareg midsize SUV were up 14 percent in February.

do more of their business at home, did much better than the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks rose 25.78, or 1.7 percent, to 1,533.17.

The trade worries are piling onto a market that was already nervous.

Concerns about the possibility of higher inflation and interest rates have rocked markets since the S&P 500 set its latest record high in late January.

Inflation has been low in the years following the Great Recession, but if it jumps higher, it could force the Federal Reserve to raise short-term rates more sharply than investors are expecting.

That could easily upset markets, which had been enjoying a remarkably smooth ride last year.

The Fed’s chairman, Jerome Powell, jolted markets on Tuesday, when he said that he’s feeling more optimistic about the U.S. economy.

Some investors took that as a signal that the Fed may get more aggressive, which sent stocks down

and Treasury yields higher. Later in the week, though, Powell may have calmed some of the fears when he said that he does not see inflation in wages “at a point of acceleration.”

Such a dance is typical when central banks are raising interest rates and “tightening” financial conditions, rather than easing, said Schutte.

“When central banks ease, the goal is shock and awe, or to use a football analogy, to throw the deep ball,” he said.

“When they hike, it’s three yards and a cloud of dust. They want to advance the ball gradually.”

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 2.86 percent from 2.81 percent late Thursday.

The biggest loss in the S&P 500 came from Foot Locker, which plunged after it said sales trends were weaker last quarter than analysts expected.

Shares dropped $5.84, or 12.7 percent, to $40.04.

McDonald’s stock dropped on fears that its value menu isn’t drumming up much in sales,

and an analyst at RBC Capital Markets cut his expectations for the chain’s sales in the United States. Its shares dropped $7.43, or 4.8 percent, to $148.27.

In the commodities markets, benchmark U.S. crude rose 26 cents to settle at $61.25 per barrel.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose 54 cents to $64.37 a barrel.

Gold rose $18.20 to settle at $1,323.40 per ounce. Gold usually rises when investors are feeling more nervous about inflation and the economy. Silver climbed 19 cents to $16.47 per ounce, and copper added 2 cents to $3.12 per pound.

Natural gas was virtually flat at $2.70 per 1,000 cubic feet, heating oil slipped a cent to $1.88 per gallon and wholesale gasoline gained a penny to $1.90 per gallon.

The dollar fell to 105.54 Japanese yen from 106.24 yen late Thursday. The euro rose to $1.2331 from $1.2255, and the British pound rose to $1.3790 from $1.3768.

Best Buy, Kohl’s and others report strong sales

By Anne D’innocenzio ASSOCIATED PRE SS

NEW YORK — Best Buy, Kohl’s, Gap and Nordstrom all reported strong sales during the quarter that includes the holiday season, a sign of success as retailers learn to steady themselves — and work with — online companies.

At Best Buy, sales at established stores rose 9 percent. That’s a big turnaround in a key measure from a year earlier, when they dipped 0.9 percent.

The consumer electronics retailer also topped Wall Street’s profit and revenue expectations, and gave an upbeat outlook.

Meanwhile, Kohl’s enjoyed a 6 percent increase in sales at established stores, its largest such gain since 2001.

Business was helped by more customers both coming into the stores and shopping online. Its profit also was better than expected as it offered fewer discounts. Kohl’s, based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, also said Thursday it has teamed up with no-frills grocery chain Aldi to lease space in five to 10 stores.

Nordstrom, which has said that members of the founding family are looking into a buyout of the department store chain, reported profits and overall revenue Thursday that fell short of expectations for the quarter that includes the holiday season. The missed targets overshadowed Nordstrom’s healthy 2.6 percent increase in sales at established stores, which is a key measure of a retailer’s health.

Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg

Shopper are shown outside a Best Buy store in Louisville, Kentucky. Best Buy sales rose 9 percent, a big turnaround from a year earlier. The consumer electronics retailer topped Wall Street’s expectations and gave an upbeat outlook.

Gap’s fourth-quarter profit fell 7 percent, but the clothing retailer reported strong holiday sales and increased its dividend. The company’s overall sales at established stores rose 5 percent, fueled by a 9 percent gain at its low-price chain Old Navy.

The results follow a decent showing from many retailers over the past few days. Macy’s broke out of its three-year sales funk, and a strong home-improvement market pushed Home Depot’s profit higher. At rival Lowe’s, though, healthy same-store sales were overshadowed by a profit miss and lower overall revenue. As shoppers spend more online, retailers have revamped their businesses, from closing poorly performing stores to changing their product lineups to expanding their online services.

LAREDO MORNING TIMES | Saturday, March 3, 2018 |

1

2 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | LAREDO MORNING TIMES

LAREDO MORNING TIMES | Saturday, March 3, 2018 |

3

4 | Saturday, March 3, 2018 | LAREDO MORNING TIMES