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EDUCATION
FEDERAL COURT
Schools balk at calculator directive
Teen gets 1 year
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — School district officials across Texas say efforts to equip students with new technology are being impeded by a state directive that they must purchase costly calculators for eighth-graders. Districts are eager to invest in iPads and other mobile devices for students. Administrators could then download a $15 application with features virtually identical to the calculators. But the Austin American-Statesman reports the state still requires graphing calculators that cost $100 a piece. The state for now won’t allow schools to use the app in lieu of the calculator because of test-security concerns. “What it means for us is we won’t be able to purchase some technology that we desperately need for our kids to become proficient in 21st-century skills,” said Frances McArthur, superintendent of the Lexington school district, about 50 miles northeast of Austin. Educators are focusing on making technology available in order to personalize instruction and better engage students. The Houston school district, for example, has equipped about 18,000 students at a quarter of its high schools with laptops and aims to cover all high school students by 2016, according to the Houston Chronicle. The state’s requirement that each student have a calculator on test day could slow efforts by districts to get technology as they have to redirect dollars to supply the graphing calculators, which are required for next year’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The Texas Education Agency is exploring the app as an alternative to the calculators but the sticking point is test security, said Debbie Graves Ratcliffe, an agency spokeswoman. Current policy prohibits calculation devices that provide access to the Internet or have a camera. “It’s the camera on the device that creates the security risk. ... This is an issue that we will be re-examining for future years,” Ratcliffe said. Jennifer Bergland, director of governmental relations for the Texas Computer Education Association, said she understands the security concerns. However, “if that could be worked out, it’s silly for school districts to use their resources to pay for something they already have on the device,” she said. There were 367,000 eighth-graders in Texas public schools last year. It is not clear how calculators will be needed because some students will buy their own and districts may already have some for their algebra students.
Judge sentences Raul Turi in transportation case By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
A Zapata High School student arrested in the San Ygnacio area on human smuggling charges was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Laredo to one year in prison. Raul Ivan Turi, 18, pleaded guilty in January to transportation of illegal immigrants, an offense punishable with up to 10 years in federal prison, an indictment reads. Turi’s defense attorney, Juan Garcia, told U.S. District Judge Marina Marmolejo that the problem Turi has is due to the group of friends he hangs out with in San Ygnacio.
Turi has been behind bars following his arrest Oct. 25 with a $75,000 bond. Garcia requested a bond reduction for TURI Turi so he could graduate from high school, but the motion was denied Nov. 1. U.S. Border Patrol agents allege Turi was transporting illegal immigrants in a red Chevrolet Cruze. He parked the vehicle outside Pepe’s Gas Station in San Ygnacio and went inside the establishment. Then, two illegal immigrants ran from the Cruze but
were apprehended shortly after, according to court documents. Turi could not be located inside the store. Federal officials requested assistance. An agent patrolling the San Ygnacio area spotted a red Ford Mustang, where Turi was a passenger in the backseat. In a post-arrest interview, Turi admitted to being hired to transport the illegal immigrants. Before handing down the sentence, Marmolejo attempted to convey to Turi the seriousness of the offense he had committed. “You’re 18 years old, and I
don’t think you understand that this will affect you the rest of your life,” Marmolejo said. “I could have given you a sentence of five to 10 years, but I hope a 12 month sentence will help you see that you cannot commit these crimes.” Turi said it was easy for him to commit the crimes and that he wanted to stop. Marmolejo also made attaining his GED a part of Turi’s sentence as well as three years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. (Philip Balli may be reached at 728-2528 or pballi@lmtonline.com)
ZAPATA COUNTY FAIR
QUEEN AND HER COURT
Photo by Victor Strife | The Zapata Times
The Zapata County Fair court includes Carina Andrea Cruz, second runner up; Lydia Eliza Garza, queen; and Selissa Lynette Lopez, first runner up. They visited the Laredo Morning Times last week.
Lydia Eliza Garza and court rules the 42nd fair By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
Lydia Eliza Garza was recently crowned Zapata County Fair Queen in the traditional competition where young women show off their talent and beauty for the title. Selissa Lynette Lopez was named first runner-up, and Carina Andrea Cruz was
second runner-up. The three of them, referred to as “The Ladies in Red,” make up this year’s queen and court. Garza said the competition this year was tough as each of the six women were strong candidates. “Every single one of us had strong talents and were each very different, so we all had a good chance,” Garza said. “I can’t express how excited I was when
they called my name. It is such an honor to be able to represent Zapata County.” This was Garza’s third time participating in a pageant. She was also named Miss Falcon Lake in 2012. The pageant has been a tradition in Zapata since the 1970s. Attendees were camping outside of the doors of Zapata
See FAIR PAGE 10A
CULTURE
Show honors Jose Velasco By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
An exhibition featuring the work of landscape painter Jose Maria Velasco, commemorating the 100th anniversary of his death, was inaugurated Thursday at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum. The traveling exhibition, “Visions of Anahuac,” consists of 25 authorized reproductions reflecting Velasco as a painter in addition to illustrating contemporary life in Mexico. Miguel Angel Isidro, Consul
General of Mexico in Laredo, spoke at the opening reception of Velasco’s exhibition. Velasco is considered one of the greatest landscape painters of the 19th century. Isidro said Velasco was born in 1840 in the state of Mexico. At an early age he studied art, entering San Carlos Academy where he excelled in painting scenes of nature. His early works were related to architecture, but he later noticed the beauty in the Valley of Mexico City, with its volcanoes with snowy peaks which he focused on. Velasco participated in interna-
tional exhibitions in Paris and Chicago, and died in Mexico City in 1912. Isidro said Mexico’s Foreign Ministry has made it possible to exhibit cultural offerings of Mexico that includes Velasco’s work. The exhibit was produced by the National Museum of Mexican Art to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Velasco’s death in 2012. “Mexico has a vibrant arts heritage, and within this category, the works of Jose Maria Velasco is a fundamental part of the historical
See PAINTINGS
PAGE 10A
Photo by Victor Strife | The Zapata Times
Calixto Seca Jr. and Reyna Arzate admire artwork created by 19th-century Mexican painter Jose Maria Velasco at the “Visiones De Anahuac” art exhibit at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum in Laredo.