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2016 TEXAS PRIMARIES
PILL TAKE BACK EVENT
Unofficial results
DEA pushes safe disposal of medication
Zapata County Sheriff election very close THE ZAPATA TIMES
Incumbent Alonso Lopez won the Democratic primary for Zapata County Sheriff by 13 votes, according to unofficial election results. The results show that Lopez received 1,962 votes, or 50.17 percent, and Sigifredo “Sigi” Gonzalez garnered 1,949 votes, or 49.83 percent. Gonzalez, a former Zapa-
ta County sheriff, said Friday that he will meet with his team to discuss options LOPEZ available to him, such as requesting a recount or contesting the election results, which still need to be canvassed, or made official. “By that we could mean
to file a lawsuit,” he said. “We’re looking at options right now to review over the GONZALEZ next few days. There are lots of discrepancies in the election, which we’re looking at. We already have some witnesses.” Gonzalez did not elaborate further.
Out of 7,326 registered voters in Zapata County, 3,963, or 54.1 percent, cast ballots during the primary elections. Following are the unofficial election results for other Democratic primary races:
County Commissioner See ELECTION PAGE 8A
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Abuse of prescribed medication can lead to injuries or death, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge James Reed was in town promoting the nationwide 2016 Pill Take Back at the Za-
pata County Community Coalition of Serving Children and Adults in Need. “The reason for this campaign is to attempt to reduce the deaths and injuries caused by the abuse of prescription drugs, especially opioid based prescriptions and heroin,” Reed said.
See DEA PAGE 8A
ZAPATA COUNTY FAIR
THE QUEEN & HER ROYAL COURT
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times
The Zapata County Queen and her court pose for a photo on Thursday afternoon at the Laredo Morning Times offices. Gabriela Therese Gonzalez, 16, is this year’s Queen and her court includes of Christina Arely Landa, 16, and Shannon Monique Lopez, 16. The junior royalty consists of Darely Garcia, Alyssa Ramirez, Rebecca Lopez, Karyzza Arambula and Ramiro Garcilazo IV.
Weekend of excitement kicks off this morning with fun trail ride By JUDITH RAYO THE ZAPATA TIMES
E
xciting, fun and not one activity to miss, that is how the Zapata Royal
Court are describing the Zapata County Fair taking place this weekend. Gabriela Therese Gonzalez, 16, is this year’s Zapata County Fair Queen for 2016.
Her court includes of Christina Arely Landa, 16, and Shannon Monique Lopez, 16. The 2016 Zapata County Fair Junior Royalty consists of Darely Garcia,
Alyssa Ramirez, Rebecca Lopez, Karyzza Arambula, and Ramiro Garcilazo IV. When describing the fair, the Zapata Royal Court agreed their favorite part is the trail rides and
without a doubt, the food. The fair kicked off this morning with the Zapata County Fair Association Trail Ride. The weeklong event includes of a goat show, rab-
bit judging, arts and crafts, street dancing, jalapeño eating contest, carnival rides and a parade. On Friday, Mar. 11, the
See ROYAL PAGE 8A
IMMIGRATION
Mexico won’t pay for Trump wall ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Gregory Bull | AP
A family looks towards metal bars marking the United States border where it meets the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, in Tijuana, Mexico.
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has made its first direct response to Donald Trump’s pledge to build a wall along the two countries’ border — and make Mexico pay for it. “I say it emphatically and categorically: Mexico, under no circumstance is going to pay for the wall
that Mr. Trump is proposing,” Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray said late Wednesday to Milenio television. The wall proposal by the Republican presidential hopeful has been criticized widely and fiercely in Mexico, but the government itself has tried to avoid commenting directly on the issue until now. Trump is leading the
Republican presidential contenders and has used especially tough talk on immigration. His comments came one day after Francisco Guzman of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s office told reporters that the government would not engage in verbal duels with U.S. candidates. Instead, he described a plan to reach out with informa-
tion to campaigns through Mexican consulates in the U.S. Former Mexican president Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon had already derided the idea and compared Trump to Adolf Hitler. “Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a very
See WALL PAGE 8A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Laredo Northside Farmers Market. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. North Central Park. Third annual Easter egg hunt held at the playground at 11 a.m. for children ages 12 and younger. Free. The market association will also hold a children’s raffle during the market. The first-ever 0.5K Stiletto Walk/Run Relay. 8-11 a.m. In front of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library at TAMIU. Hosted by the Student Nurses’ Association. A fun opportunity for both men and women to join forces against Multiple Sclerosis. The event is a fundraiser to support Dustdevil Paula Arias, recently diagnosed with MS. Onsite registration will be $25 for couples and $15 for single participants. Large stiletto shoe sizes will be made available to accommodate men. For additional information, contact Dr. Julio Lujano at 956-3263113 or email julio.lujano@tamiu.edu. Book sale. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Widener Book Room, First United Methodist Church. Admission is free. Everyone is invited.
Today is Saturday, March 5, the 65th day of 2016. There are 301 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, in which he said: “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an ‘iron curtain’ has descended across the continent, allowing police governments to rule Eastern Europe.” On this date: In 1766, Antonio de Ulloa arrived in New Orleans to assume his duties as the first Spanish governor of the Louisiana Territory, where he encountered resistance from the French residents. In 1770, the Boston Massacre took place as British soldiers who’d been taunted by a crowd of colonists opened fire, killing five people. In 1868, the U.S. Senate was organized into a Court of Impeachment to decide charges against President Andrew Johnson, who was later acquitted. In 1933, in German parliamentary elections, the Nazi Party won 44 percent of the vote; the Nazis joined with a conservative nationalist party to gain a slender majority in the Reichstag. In 1953, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died after three decades in power. Composer Sergei Prokofiev died in Moscow at age 61. In 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons went into effect after 43 nations ratified it. In 1979, NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe flew past Jupiter, sending back photographs of the planet and its moons. In 1982, comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33. Ten years ago: “Crash” won the Best Picture Academy Award in an upset over “Brokeback Mountain”; Philip Seymour Hoffman won Best Actor for “Capote” and Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress for “Walk the Line.” Five years ago: Egyptians turned their anger toward ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s internal security apparatus, storming the agency’s main headquarters and other offices. One year ago: Actor Harrison Ford crash-landed his vintage plane on a golf course in Los Angeles after reporting engine failure shortly after takeoff. Today’s Birthdays: Actor James B. Sikking is 82. Actor Dean Stockwell is 80. Actor Fred Williamson is 78. Actress Samantha Eggar is 77. Actor Michael Warren is 70. Actor Eddie Hodges is 69. Singer Eddy Grant is 68. Rock musician Alan Clark (Dire Straits) is 64. Actress-comedian Marsha Warfield is 62. Magician Penn Jillette is 61. Actress Adriana Barraza is 60. Rock singers Charlie and Craig Reid (The Proclaimers) are 54. Rock musician John Frusciante is 46. Singer Rome is 46. Actor Kevin Connolly is 42. Actress Jill Ritchie is 42. Actress Jolene Blalock is 41. Actress Eva Mendes is 41. Model Niki Taylor is 41. Actress Kimberly McCullough is 38. Actress Dominique McElligott is 30. Actor Sterling Knight is 27. Actor Jake Lloyd is 27. Thought for Today: “Tomorrow is a thief of pleasure.” — Sir Rex Harrison, British actor (1908-1990).
MONDAY, MARCH 7 Chess Club. Every Monday from 4-6 p.m. LBV – Inner City Branch Library. Free for all ages and skill levels. Basic instruction is offered. For more information call John at 956795-2400 x2520.
TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Knitting Circle. 1-3 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Please bring yarn and knitting needles. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Crochet for Kids. 4-5 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Please bring yarn and a crochet needle. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Rock wall climbing. 4-5 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Free. Take the challenge and climb the rock wall! Fun exercise for all ages. Must sign release form. For more information, contact John Hong at 795-2400 x2521.
THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Preschool Read & Play. 11 a.m.–12 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Story time and crafts for preschoolers. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Family Story Time & Crafts. 4-5 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. For more information, contact Priscilla Garcia at priscilla@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403.
FRIDAY, MARCH 11 A Fresh Start to a Healthier You. 4:30-5:30 p.m. The kitchen at McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Learn practical cooking and shopping tips and recipes for success. For more information, contact Angie Sifuentes, Webb County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 956-523-5290, angelica.sifuentes@ag.tamu.edu.
Courtesy photo by the FBI | AP file
This undated file photo provided by the FBI shows a gold bar that was recovered in Miami from a heist in North Carolina on March 1, 2015. Agents identified the alleged ringleader as Adalberto Perez, who was arrested this week and held without bail Friday, on federal robbery and weapons charges. Two accomplices remain at large.
Gold truck robbery By CURT ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — The FBI has revealed how thieves made off with gold bars worth $4.8 million in a truck robbery on Interstate 95 last year, and it reads like a heist fit for Hollywood. Agents say the armed robbers painstakingly prepared for the job, using high-tech gizmos including a GPS tracker and a remote-controlled pepper-spray launcher to subdue the drivers. Agents identified the alleged ringleader as Adalberto Perez, 46. He was arrested this week at his home in the Miami suburb of Opa-Locka, Florida, almost exactly a year after the March 2015 robbery in Wilson County, North Carolina. Two accomplices remain at large. It appears the case was cracked when a
Parents question ‘baby fight club’ verdict MANASSAS, Va. — When parents dropped their toddlers off at the “monkey room” at Minnieland Academy, they noticed the children’s personalities change. The 2-year-olds became aggressive, violent and clingy, trying as hard as they could not to be left at the school.” Moms and dads, many of them new to parenting, chalked it up to the “terrible twos” — not knowing the unthinkable was happening: Twin sisters encouraged to fight each other in what a prosecutor called “baby fight club.” Teachers biting kids’ fingers or stomping on their toes and laughing about it. On Thursday, a jury convicted Kierra Spriggs, 26, of Woodbridge, on four felony counts of child cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery. She could face up to three years in prison. In January, the lead teacher in the monkey room, Sarah Jordan, was convict-
friend of Perez came forward just a few months ago. According to an FBI affidavit unsealed in federal court this week, the friend said Perez spent about a year preparing for the heist. The target: a routine shipment of gold bars aboard a tractor-trailer sent by Miamibased Republic Metals to a processing plant in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, that serves jewelry makers in the Boston area. The FBI says that friend — now a confidential informant — said Perez bought a GPS tracking device online and had it mailed to the friend’s address, without telling him what was in the package. The affidavit doesn’t say how Perez was able to gain access to the truck, if he had any relationship with the TransValue shipping company, or if the plot involved still more accomplices.
ed on similar charges. Both are jailed while they await sentencing in May. Nearly three weeks of testimony in the two trials shed no light on the fundamental question of why two seemingly normal adults would delight in abusing and tormenting a classroom of innocent children. Adam Smith, a parent whose daughter was abused, said he had no idea what was going on. “It plagues me as a parent. Time and time again I handed my child to Sarah Jordan with no inclination” that she was mistreating the toddlers. “I can’t even fathom what would make a person think this was OK.” The details of the mistreatment were at times bizarre. Spriggs snapped rubber bands wrapped around kids’ hands and even fed a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto to one child, leaving the girl’s face beet red and gasping for air. Smith said his daughter still has nightmares. She used to be a happily babbling toddler before enrolling at Minnieland, and suddenly stopped talking almost entirely within a few weeks of at-
tending. Even now, Adams said, his almost 5-year-old daughter scopes her surroundings warily. “It is very obvious to watch her check out her environment” in a new setting, he said. Jordan took the stand in her own defense to deny any role in the abuse. Spriggs did not testify but her lawyer suggested the allegations arose out of workplace conflicts between Spriggs and the teachers who reported and testified about the abuse. James J. McCoart III, who represents several of the Minnieland victims’ families, said he expects to file lawsuits against the academy. He said the parents have been waiting three years for the trials to answer their questions. Instead, testimony showed that teachers who reported the abuse to their supervisors at the Woodbridge facility were ignored. It was not until the allegations were carried to Minnieland’s corporate office that Child and Protective Services was contacted. Minnieland has more than 50 sites throughout Virginia. — Compiled from AP reports
MONDAY, MARCH 14 Chess Club. Every Monday from 4-6 p.m. LBV – Inner City Branch Library. Free for all ages and skill levels. Basic instruction is offered. For more information call John at 956795-2400 x2520.
TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Knitting Circle. 1-3 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Please bring yarn and knitting needles. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Crochet for Kids. 4-5 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Please bring yarn and a crochet needle. For more information, contact Analiza Perez-Gomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. Rock wall climbing. 4-5 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Free. Take the challenge and climb the rock wall! Fun exercise for all ages. Must sign release form. For more information, contact John Hong at 795-2400 x2521.
AROUND THE WORLD Puerto Rico inmates vote in Republican primary SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Thousands of inmates lined up in prisons across Puerto Rico on Friday to cast early ballots in the U.S. territory’s Republican primary, some saying they hoped the elections can help lift the island out of an economic crisis. At least 6,500 of the island’s 11,500 prisoners are registered to vote, and government officials said this year’s turnout was strong. Even prisoners not registered are allowed to participate in the open primaries, which are held two days ahead of the vote for the general population. The island’s Republican primary is Sunday while Democrats vote in June. Some said they were prompted to vote by Puerto Rico’s decadelong economic woes and concerns for relatives who have left for the U.S. mainland, seeking jobs.
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Inmate Edgardo Rodriguez prepares to cast a vote in Puerto Rico’s Republican primary at a prison in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Friday. The U.S. territory has allowed inmates to vote since the 1980s. “I wanted to take action this time,” said Omar Quintana, 37, a first-time voter who is serving a six-year sentence for robbery at Institution 1072 in Bayamon, just southwest of the capital of San Juan. “Maybe this will improve if we become a U.S. state.”
Like others, he declined to say who earned his vote, but said he made up his mind after watching two televised debates and talking with other inmates. “The deficit we have right now is incredible,” he said. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
Immigrant smugglers indicted By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Three people allegedly involved in human smuggling activity in Zapata were indicted this week, according to court documents. On Tuesday, a grand jury charged Maria Alicia Herrera, Javier Erlado Garza-Rocha and Arturo Flores with one count of conspiracy to transport
undocumented immigrants within the United States and three counts of attempt to transport undocumented people for money. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in federal prison. Herrera and Garza-Rocha allegedly admitted to transporting illegal immigrants for money, records state. Flores did not provide a statement when he
was arrested because he said he was under the influence of heroin, states the criminal complaint. U.S. Border Patrol detained the suspects Feb. 3. Authorities said they observed a red Pontiac Grand Am on the shoulder of U.S. 83 along with a gold Dodge Ram. The driver of the Pontiac allegedly waived his hands and then agents observed about 15 illegal im-
migrants coming out of the brush, running across U.S. 83 and boarding the Pontiac and the Dodge, records state. Agents later detained the suspects Herrera, Garza-Rocha and Flores. Records state they were transporting immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala or Mexico. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Crackdown on synthetic drugs By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Sheriff ’s Office Chief Raymundo del Bosque Jr. recently spoke about the county’s success in reducing the use and sales of synthetic narcotics. Del Bosque was keynote speaker at The Regional Symposium on Synthetic Drugs in Weslaco in February. “Del Bosque shared the key elements to the ‘KUSH – FREE ZAPATA’ movement, which was created in late 2013,” the Sheriff ’s Office said. In 2013, a task force comprised of civic groups, community activist, concerned citizens, law enforcement agencies and local government created awareness and helped target the issue, authorities said. “The adoption of an ordinance (in 2014) was key to allow legal action
Courtesy photo
This is Chief Raymundo del Bosque Jr. speaking at The Regional Symposium on Synthetic Drugs in Weslaco last month. against vendors. This opened way for indictments, search warrants
and arrests,” the Sheriff ’s Office. “The most important
part of it was the execution of the Ordinance. (The Sheriff ’s Office) now can make arrests, issue citations and fines to vendors.” At the symposium, del Bosque said he and his staff were able to network with other agencies and school districts that want to mirror the ordinance and obtain further training on synthetic drugs. “Our plan is to provide as much training as possible to all these law enforcement agencies, parents, students, and school districts against all these type of different drugs,” del Bosque said. “Together we can fight the war against these dangerous drugs, and we can save the lives of our beautiful kids, who are our future.” (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Autism Awareness 5K Run/Walk THE ZAPATA TIMES
The 2nd Annual Zapata County Autism Awareness 5K Run/Walk will take place Saturday, April 2. The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce is informing the public that
pre registration can be done at www.active.com or at the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 800 North Highway 83 Zapata, Texas 78076. Pre registration fee is $10, children under 10 years of age are $5 and
$20 for same day registration. Age categories for the 5K are; 14 and under, 15 through 19, 20 through 29, 30 through 39, 40 through 49, 50 through 59 and 60 and over. Awards will be reward-
ed to the top three in each category of the 5K for both male and female. Top 10 finishers in the kids run will also win an award.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Man arrested for violating his parole By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
A man from Zapata was arrested in Laredo for violating his parole, according to authorities. Laredo police identified the suspect at Ruben Lee Paredes, 30. At approximately 10:40 a.m. Thursday, officers responded to the 6000 block of McPherson Road for a wanted person call. Police said they noticed a man walking in the area. He was identified as
Paredes. Records revealed he had an outstanding warrant for violation of PAREDES his parole. However, records did not indicate what he was on parole for. Paredes was then taken to the Webb County Jail, where he remained Friday. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Winter Texan event a huge success THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce would like to extend a huge thank you to the many sponsors and volunteers for making Winter Texan and Senior Citizen Appreciation Day a complete success last week. The event staff hopes attendants had a good time and enjoyed the various activities, food and engaged in various conversations. The goal for Winter Texan and Senior Citizen event was not only met, but the event’s previous attendance record
The event’s previous attendance record was shattered. was shattered. A very special thanks goes out to the volunteers from Laredo Community College and American Legion’s Manuel Uribe, Mary Strouts and Hector Quintanilla. The organizers hope to see everyone at the next event.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Primary results gone awry In the words of a great man at his time of great challenge: “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” Or maybe this is the appropriate quote: “We have met our enemy and he is us.” Or maybe it’s this: “Hey, Herman, couldn’t you have given us a heads-up on some of this?” (Guilty, on one count.) The voters, bless our hearts, do the best we can. This stuff is hard. On Tuesday, Travis County GOP voters elected a conspiracy theorist extraordinaire as their county party chairman. Democrats statewide sent a man they can’t possibly know anything about into a Railroad Commission runoff. And East Texas GOP voters advanced a woman who believes Barack Obama paid for his drug habit by working as a prostitute. On the bright side, I’m unaware of us nominating any dead people. Let’s deal first with the outrage spurred by the election of Robert Morrow to replace James Dickey as Travis County GOP chairman. I’m not sure where to start in explaining to you the full essence of Morrow and the conspiracy theories in which he believes. And I’m limited by taste constraints on how much I can tell you about what he believes about the Clintons, the Bushes, Rick Perry and how the LBJ crowd killed JFK. I met Morrow in 2011 at his home while he was claiming then-Gov. Perry was a bisexual adulterer. Morrow showed me his expansive collection of political conspiracy books. He’s the co-author of the recent book “The Clintons’ War on Women,” pitched on Amazon as a “stunning exposé” of how the Clintons “systematically abused women and others — sexually, physically and psychologically — in their scramble for
“
KEN HERMAN
power and wealth.” Morrow is sole author of tweets lobbing serious and seriously unproven allegations, including Hillary Clinton’s sexual orientation and Chelsea Clinton’s relationships with the Stanford University swim team. He also tweets about his favorite female parts. I felt the pangs of guilt when I saw Morrow’s name on my GOP primary ballot Tuesday. I should have warned you. The voters now have spoken, and county party regulars are stuck with an irregular county chairman. Morrow has responded to talk of ousting him by suggesting his foes individually attempt a reproductive act that generally involves two people. Now, lest Dems laugh too lustily about this, let’s talk about Grady Yarbrough of Tyler, a friendly man with whom I spent a day of noncampaigning in 2012 when he, then 75 and living in San Antonio, was seeking the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat. Yarbrough (who in no way is to be likened to Morrow) spends little money and does little campaigning, which means there’s not much any voter can know about him other than his name, which has been on ballots for years. In 1986 and 1990 he lost runoffs for the GOP nomination for land commissioner. In 1994 he lost a bid for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer. In 2012, he lost a runoff for the Democratic nomination to the Senate. On Tuesday, Yarbrough got just under 40 percent of the Democratic vote to advance to a runoff for nomination to the Texas Railroad Commission. Cody Garrett ran second with 35.2 percent.
OP-ED
Racism breeds depression By DARRYL WELLINGTON TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
It is hard to feel anything but a sense of lost potential over the suicide of MarShawn McCarrel, an Ohio Black Lives Matter activist who shot himself in early February. He led anti-police brutality rallies and initiated a program in Ohio to feed the homeless. Though only 23, McCarrel had already touched many lives. McCarrel had been homeless; he carried scars from his life. McCarrel said he suffered attacks of fear "whenever I see a badge or police lights." On the day he died, he posted on Facebook: "My demons won today. I’m sorry." His friends and acquaintances blamed depression - fueled in part, no doubt, by the social ills that McCarrel devoted himself to ending. His death reminds us of the long reach of racism, how it exacerbates stress, hopelessness and mental illness. That racism takes a psychological toll even on people of color who have never been beaten, or wrongfully arrested, is clear from books like Ralph Ellison’s 1952 novel "Invisible Man," whose narrator sinks into depression after repeated racist
social confrontations. Blacks and other minorities have for decades exchanged stories of how racism led to ongoing feelings of anger. That anger can lead to noble activism, or a greater appreciation of universal humanity. It can also lead to substance abuse or pervasive depression. Medical research details the bleak reality. A 2002 study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry concluded that Caribbeans, Africans and Asians who had endured racist verbal abuse were three times more likely to suffer from depression or psychosis. Those who had endured a racist attack were five times more likely to suffer from psychosis. Other studies have shown that the stress from racism substantially increases the risk of heart disease and early death. And the suicide rate among blacks is climbing. The Black Lives Matter movement has emphasized holistic mental, environmental and economic wellbeing, even before McCarrel’s suicide. Hopefully, the movement will help release people of color from the myth that there is something wrong, or weak, in seeking mental and psychiatric help.
COMMENTARY
Court needs minimalism By CASS R SUNSTEIN BLOOMBERG VIEW
On the Supreme Court, both conservatives and liberals admire bold, heroic figures, invoking the Constitution to strike down what they dislike most — whether it’s the Affordable Care Act, affirmative action programs, restrictions on abortion, bans on samesex marriage or executive actions by Democratic or Republican presidents. But the United States has had enough of judicial heroism. As the nation debates the future membership and direction of the court, it’s a good time for minimalists, who speak softly and carry a small stick. Minimalist judging is not the stuff of newspaper headlines, but it has strong roots. In American history, Justices Felix Frankfurter and Sandra Day O’Connor defined judicial minimalism. They believed in narrow rulings, focused on the facts of particular cases. In Frankfurter’s never-to-beforgotten words: "Rigorous adherence to the narrow scope of the judicial function is especially demanded in controversies that arouse appeals to the Constitution." Warning about the risks of sweeping decisions about the legal authority of the president, Frankfurter wanted the Supreme Court to ask whether particular actions, by particular presidents, transgressed consti-
tutional limitations. Instead of pronouncing broadly and in the abstract about affirmative action programs, O’Connor wanted to answer specific questions about the purposes and effects of concrete programs. Minimalists reject the idea that judges should adopt deep theories about the real meaning of ideals like liberty or equality. They prefer modest rulings that can be accepted by judges (and Americans) who disagree about a great deal. In some of its most important decisions, the court has rejected minimalism. Like it or hate it, Roe v. Wade, protecting women’s right to choose abortion, was an iconic heroic ruling. The same is true for Citizens United, broadly protecting the right of corporations to spend money on political campaigns. Minimalists abhor both decisions on the ground that they were unnecessarily wide-ranging — and arrogant. Some justices are neither heroes nor minimalists. Instead they are soldiers, insisting that judges should follow orders, and thus uphold most of what emerges from the democratic process. Of course, soldiers don’t think that anything goes. But whenever the Constitution is ambiguous, they would give political majorities the benefit of the doubt. Their creed is one of judicial restraint. Soldiers have no problem with gun control laws,
Obamacare, restrictions on abortion, affirmative action or bans on samesex marriage. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes was the great judicial soldier, urging, "If the people want to go to Hell I’ll help them. It’s my job." In the 1930s, when conservative justices threatened the New Deal, many liberals argued that they should back off and embrace soldiering. In the 1960s, when liberal justices were in the ascendancy, many conservatives lionized Holmes. Whenever the democratic process is with you, and the court’s majority is against you, judicial soldiering starts to look pretty attractive. Minimalists sound a bit like soldiers, but they’re a different breed. They like case-by-case rulings, not across-the-board restraint. They want to hew closely to precedents and to take problems as they arise. They don’t want to help the people to go to hell. In constitutional law, minimalists think that soldiering is an abdication of the judge’s responsibility. When, as now, a nation is intensely polarized, the argument for judicial minimalism is unusually strong. Minimalists know that there is a lot that judges do not know — about the trade-off between national security and privacy, about immigration, about affirmative action programs, about the social consequences of new technologies. Aware of their incomplete information, they prefer to fo-
cus on the facts of particular cases. Minimalists are also aware that when citizens feel strongly, an aggressive judicial role, decisively choosing one side over another, might damage democracy itself. They favor rulings that can attract support, or at least respect, from people who disagree on fundamental matters. Modest rulings have the great advantage of telling the current losers (on, say, abortion or gun control) that while a particular day has gone badly, there are other battles to be fought and possibly won. Justice Antonin Scalia was a great figure, but no one would accuse him of being a minimalist. He favored big rulings — eliminating affirmative action programs, striking down Obamacare and campaign finance laws, insisting that the Constitution has nothing to say about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In that respect, he belongs in the same category as the court’s other heroes, including such liberals as Earl Warren, William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall. Minimalists are not glamorous figures. Their defining virtue is humility, and they don’t like revolutions. Their paths are slow and steady; their decisions have deep roots. In this moment of division, minimalists are right on a key point: From the highest court in the land, silence is often golden.
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CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
National
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
System may forecast tornadoes weeks away By SETH BORENSTEIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Researchers say they’ve come up with a way to predict the likelihood of tornadoes two or three weeks in advance — a step toward better warnings of storms that kill an average of 80 Americans each year. Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at the College of DuPage outside Chicago, found a link between tornado activity in the United States and complicated atmospheric wave patterns that shift every 40 to 60 days. The pattern is dependable enough that last year he used it to predict overall tornado activity in the nation — and was right 10 out of 15 times. Now, Gensini has predicted higher than normal tornado activity from Sunday through March 19. Normally, there are about 14 or 15 tornadoes a week this time of year, but the forecasters predict at least 22, and likely more. Technically the prediction is for the nation as a whole, but Gensini said conditions are especially ripe for tornadoes in the Southeast and Great Plains. Specifically, he said, that means Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, southern Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina and parts of Virginia. Gensini said he predicted these conditions back on Feb. 22. And in the past few days, the more widely used weather models have suddenly started to forecast severe weather for that area. “Victor’s results look promising,” although some big challenges and unknowns remain, emailed Greg Carbin, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction
Photo by Orlin Wagner | AP file
In the file photo, a truck drives along I-70 as a tornado moves on the ground north of Soloman, Kansas. Center. Because twisters are so small and short-lived — unlike hurricanes that meteorologists track for days as they lumber toward the coast — they are somewhat of a mystery for forecasters. Meteorologists now give notice up to five days in advance that thunderstorm conditions are going to be ripe for tornadoes, but that’s only as they forecast storm systems come together. It’s ever changing, so it can’t be statistical enough to provide the public with a longer term heads’ up, like they get with El Nino or hurricane seasons. Gensini’s study is based on something called the Global Wind Oscillation — actually, a collection of climate and weather wobbles,
like the familiar El Nino and the less familiar and more short-range Madden Julian Oscillation. It’s more of a catch-all index that operates as “an atmospheric orchestra,” Gensini said. Gensini looks for shifts in that big index, especially as Earth transitions out of an El Nino, like now. He focuses on the jet stream — winds at 33,000 feet — changes. In this case it’s going from rather straight east-west to more roller coaster-like plunges north and south, altering energy in the atmosphere and making tornado outbreaks more prevalent, Gensini said. He has examined the biggest tornado outbreaks of past 50 years, including a deadly outbreak in April 2011 that killed 316 people.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Ribereña en Breve NUEVOS OFICIALES El Zapata County Community Coalition informa que los nuevos oficiales para el ciclo 2015-2016 son, Alynna Benavides, presidenta; Maycol Mendoza, vice-presidenta; Andrea Monique Hurtado, Secretaria.
RONDAS INFANTILES Alumnas de la escuela primaria Justo Sierra de Miguel Alemán, México, obtuvieron el tercer lugar en la categoría de Rondas Infantiles en el evento regional de Rondas Infantiles y Salto de Cuerda celebrado en Reynosa, México. La etapa estatal está programada tentativamente para el lunes 14 de marzo en Ciudad Victoria, México.
SÁBADO 5 DE MARZO DE 2016
‘PILL TAKE BACK 2016’
REPUBLICANOS
Recolección
Trump registra avance
POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
El abuso de medicamentos preescritos puede ocasionar que el usuario sufra heridas o muera, de acuerdo con la Administración del Control de Drogas. El Agentes Especial Asistente a Cargo, James Reed, estuvo en la ciudad promoviendo el evento “Pill Take Back 2016” de la Colisión de Servicios al Menor y a Adultos en Necesidad del Condado de Zapata. “La razón de esta campaña es intentar reducir las muertes y heridas causadas por el abuso de medicamentos preescritos, especialmente las prescripciones con base en opiáceos y heroína”, dijo Reed. El evento es un esfuerzo que proporciona al público una manera segura de deshacerse de medicamentos no deseados y que ya han cadu-
cado, dijo DEA. “El evento del año pasado fue un gran éxito a nivel nacional, DEA recolectó toneladas y toneladas de medicamentos no deseados y caducos. Al anunciar el evento de este año, se desea que el mensaje llegue a la mayor cantidad (de personas) posible y tendremos otro evento exitoso”, dijo Reed. La recolección está programada para el 30 de abril, de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m. en el Palacio de Justicia del Condado de Zapata. “Al promover y participar en el evento Pill Take Back 2016, se espera que podamos detener el círculo vicioso de quienes comienzan con el abuso de medicamentos preescritos y terminan (consumiendo) heroína”, dijo Reed. “No es sorprendente, que estemos viendo una conexión entre las personas que usan los opiáceos prescritos no medici-
nales… usen heroína”. La especialista de la colisión, Berta E. González, dijo que han recibido reportes de abuso de medicamentos preescritos. El abuso de medicamentos preescritos puede ocasionar una reacción alérgica, dijo. “Si usted toma algo que no se le recetó, puede llevarlo a la (sala de emergencias)”, dijo González. Con el receso de primavera cerca, González recordó a la comunidad ser cuidadosos con sus hijos. “No tome y maneje. No mezcle alcohol con medicamentos preescritos”, dijo. Los padres deben hablar con sus hijos sobre los peligros que hay en el receso de primavera y que menores beban… Nunca acepte un trago por parte de un extraño”. (Localice a César G. Rodriguez en 728-2568 o en cesar@lmtonline.com)
OBITUARIO La Presidenta Municipal de Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, México, Nathyelli Elena Contreras Villarreal, encabezó la ceremonia de homenaje para el ex alcalde Alejandro García González, quien encabezara la administración municipal de 1978 a 1980.
COMUNIDAD
FERIA DEL CONDADO
MOTO RALLY El presidente del Club de motociclistas Revolucionarios, Noe Ramírez, dio a conocer que el 7 de mayo a las 10:30 a.m. dará inicio el Moto Rally 2016 en la explanada de la plaza principal de Diaz Ordaz y concluirá en Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, éxico. Se proyecta la participación de 400 motociclistas.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, MÉXICO El jueves por la tarde, elementos de la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado de Tamaulipas, localizaron dos cuerpos en el interior de un vehículo, dijeron autoridades tamaulipecas. Las autoridades localizaron un vehículo Honda de modelo no reciente, color verde, con placas americanas, alrededor de la 5 p.m. del jueves, en las calles Sonora y 16 y 17 en Ciudad Victoria, México. En el interior estaban los cuerpos sin vida de dos jóvenes. Ambos presentaban heridas de bala. Los cuerpos no han sido identificados. Sin embargo, autoridades confirmaron, a través de un comunicado de prensa, que en el asiento del conductor estaba el cuerpo sin vida de un joven no mayor de 20 años de edad, y en el asiento del copiloto el cuerpo de una jovencita no mayor de 18 años, con vestimenta estudiantil. A 50 metros del Honda, fue localizado un automóvil Toyota Corolla de modelo reciente, color gris y placas de la Ciudad de México, el cual tenía reporte de robo. De acuerdo con el reporte, se sospecha que a bordo del vehículo Toyota Corolla se desplazaban los responsables del ataque.
Foto por Danny Zaragoza | Laredo Morning Times
Las integrantes de la Corte Real de la Feria de Zapata y de Junior Royalty de la Feria de Zapata posan para una fotografía dentro de las instalaciones de Laredo Morning Times.
Eventos previos comienzan el día de hoy POR JUDITH RAYO
E
mocionante, divertida y una actividad que no puede perderse, es la manera en que la Corte Real de Zapata describió la Feria del Condado de Zapata que tendrá lugar el próximo fin de semana. Los eventos de la feria comienzan esta mañana con el Zapata County Fair Association Trail Ride. Al hablar de la feria, la Corte Real de Zapata estuvo de acuerdo en que su parte favorita son los paseos por senderos y sin duda, la comida. Entre los eventos que se realizarán en la feria se incluyen competencia para valorar al mejor conejo, arte y manualidades, bailes callejeros, competencia para comer jalapeños, juegos mecánicos y un desfile. El viernes 11 de marzo, la comunidad podrá disfrutar de la música de Duelo y el 12 de marzo de un espectá-
CABALGATA Feria del Condado de Zapata invita a la Cabalgata Anual en Bustamante Arena, Hwy 16 en Bustamante, Texas, el día de hoy. El registro inicia a las 7 a.m. y la cabalgata arrancará a las 8 a.m. Cuota de registro es de 5 dólares. La meta será en el Zapata County Fair Pavilion. Informes con Aaron Cruz al (956) 240-3408.
Corte Real Gabriela Therese González, de 16 años, es la Reina de la Feria del Condado de Zapata 2016. En su corte se encuentran Christina Arely Landa, de 16 años, y Shannon Monique López, de 16 años. Las chicas de la corte hicieron referencia al trabajo duro que realizan en la feria y estuvieron de acuerdo en que el certamen no se trata solo de belleza, sino también de inteligencia. Para ser una reina, las jóvenes tienen que demostrar talento, acordaron. Para participar en el concurso, las candidatas deben tener buenas calificaciones y ser residentes de Zapata. González, quien se describió como una persona dedicada, compasiva y culta, planea conseguir un titulo en
ingeniería civil con especialización en desarrollo de tierra y estudios medioambientales en Texas A&M University en College Station. López, la primer finalista, planea acudir a Texas A&M University en Corpus Christi y obtener su licenciatura en psicología. También está en sus planes obtener un doctorado. Landa, la segunda finalista, tiene planes para acudir a la Universidad de San Antonio y obtener una licenciatura en terapia ocupacional. Después de obtener su título, ella planea regresar a Zapata y ayudar a las personas en situación vulnerable. La Junior Royalty de la Feria del Condado de Zapata está conformada por Darely García, Alyssa Ramírez, Rebecca López, Karyzza Arámbula y Ramiro Garcilazo IV. “Venga y visite la pequeña feria más grande del pueblo”, dijeron. Para más información sobre la Feria del Condado de Zapata visite zapatacountyfair.com.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Líderes republicanos y votantes moderados el viernes esperaban señales de que los ataques de la víspera al precandidato Donald Trump hayan puesto un freno a su campaña. En una jornada extraordinaria de la historia del partido, Trump recibió fuertes críticas del candidato de 2012 Mitt Romney y de sus rivales Ted Cruz y Marco Rubio, mientras la elite republicana buscaba cerrar el camino del empresario neoyorquino hacia la candidatura. El caos refleja la convicción de la conducción republicana de que Trump tiene pocas probabilidades de vencer a Hillary Clinton, la ex secretaCRUZ ria de Estado y ex senadora que parece encaminarse a obtener la candidatura demócrata. Con todo, los otros tres precandidatos ROMNEY —Cruz, Rubio y John Kasich— declararon durante el debate de la víspera que apoyarán a Trump si gana las primarias. A su RUBIO vez, Trump dijo que apoyará a quien gane, aunque se mostró incrédulo ante la posibilidad de que no fuera él. El discurso de Romney, TRUMP un ataque inédito de un ex candidato del partido, puso de manifiesto la desesperación que reina en el establishment partidario. "No tiene el temperamento de un líder estable y reflexivo", dijo Romney. Calificó a Trump de "farsante" y "estafador" que "quiere timar al público estadounidense", un hombre cuya "imaginación no debe gozar de poder real". En declaraciones por la cadena NBC el viernes, Romney dijo que "haré todo dentro de los límites políticos normales para asegurar que no elijamos como candidato a Donald Trump". En materia política, Trump se declaró dispuesto a negociar en varias cuestiones. Le parecía bien, dijo, que el senador Rubio hubiera negociado en cuestiones de inmigración. Dijo que había cambiado de parecer porque "necesitamos gente altamente capacitada en este país".
COLUMNA
SOCIEDAD GENEALÓGICA La Sociedad Genealógica Nuevo Santander se reunirá el día de hoy, a las 2 p.m. en Zapata County Museum of History.
culo por parte del grupo Pesado.
TIEMPO DE LAREDO
POR STEVEN R. HURST
Describen orígenes de movimiento obrero Nota del Editor: Este es el primer artículo de dos sobre cómo los tTamaulipecos hacen maletas en vísperas del porfiriato y se dirigen a la Ciudad de México.
POR RAÚL SINENCIO CHÁVEZ ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Los orígenes del movimiento obrero en México se remontan al siglo XIX y reciben aliento de Tamaulipas. En tramos extremos del río Bravo, ocupan la orilla derecha Matamoros, Reynosa, Camargo, Mier y Ciudad Guerrero. Tras la guerra anexionista de 1846-1848 surge Nuevo Laredo hacia el noroeste.
Las así llamadas Villas del Norte quedan justo en los redefinidos límites tamaulipecos con EU. Suprimidas por entonces las aduanas fronterizas de Reynosa y Ciudad Guerrero –otrora Revilla–, los restantes vecindarios ribereños conservan las suyas. A falta de puentes entre una y otra margen, poseen rangos de puertos fluviales, encabezándolos Matamoros, abierto todavía al tráfico marítimo por medio de la bocana del Bravo. Merced a los auspicios de la “zona libre”, que mantiene vigente la federación, con el comercio internacional las Villas del Norte ganan prosperidad. Encabezan los
censos de Tamaulipas y algunas incluso superan en habitantes a Tampico o Ciudad Victoria. Alejandro Prieto escribe en 1873 que, salvo Matamoros “sus fincas son generalmente […] de piedra o guano con techos de terrado, tejas o zacate”. Pero, Prieto omite aspectos bastante merecedores de “mención”. Frecuentes conflictos bélicos y políticos arrojan ruinoso saldo. Al resentirlo la infraestructura carretera, se dificulta el tránsito a territorios remotos como el norte. Ingeniándoselas, los tamaulipecos aprovechan la navegación de altura para comunicarse en forma regular con el centro del país a tra-
vés de Veracruz, puerto que el ferrocarril primigenio conecta ya a la Ciudad de México. Así se facilita la llegada del semanario “El Socialista” fundado en 1871. Los propios editores indican que tienen “agentes y corresponsales” en Tampico, Matamoros, Camargo, Mier y Ciudad Guerrero, identificándolos. Dada la época, resulta de veras llamativo el nombre del impreso y asombra que inserte noticias frescas de la Asociación Internacional de Trabajadores, “presidida por míster Karl Marx”, refiere el tabloide. (Con permiso del autor, según fuera publicado en La Razón, Tampico, Tamps., 19 febrero 2016)
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
Student busted after Trump threat By AMY TAXIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — An Egyptian flight student who was arrested after he wrote on his Facebook page that he would be willing to serve a life sentence for killing Donald Trump agreed Friday to leave the
United States by July. Immigration authorities agreed to let Emadeldin ElBUSHRA sayed, 23, return home voluntarily instead of deporting him, as long as he
departs by July 5. Elsayed, who has not been charged with a crime but had his visa revoked, appeared shackled and wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit at a hearing in immigration court in Los Angeles. He is being held at a Southern California jail. His lawyer, Hani Bushra,
told Immigration Judge Kevin Riley that he may seek another bond hearing for the aspiring pilot from Cairo because he believes Elsayed’s detention is illegal. Bushra said after the hearing that he understands why the Feb. 3 Facebook post led to his client being investigated.
ELECTION Continued from Page 1A Pct. 1
Constable Pct. 1
Paco Mendoza – 619 votes, 52.77 percent Juan Carlos Solis – 149 votes, 12.70 percent Mario Alvarez – 405 votes, 34.53 percent
Mario H. Garcia Jr. – 687 votes, 62.51 percent Gregory Gutierrez – 412 votes, 37.49 percent
Eloy J. Martinez (incumbent) – 627 votes, 69.28 percent Ramiro “Ram” Hernandez – 278 votes, 30.72 percent
Constable Pct. 2
Constable Pct. 4
Jimmy Mendoza – 355 votes, 36.61 percent Daniel “Danny” Arriaga – 368 votes, 40.22 percent Julian J. Gutierrez (incumbent) – 212 votes, 23.17 percent
Manuel “Manny” Medina III – 154 votes, 19.42 percent Baldemar Montes – 348 votes, 43.88 percent Manuel Mario Flores Jr. (incumbent) – 151 votes, 19.04 percent Daniel “Danny” Perez – 140 votes, 17.65 percent
County Commissioner Pct. 3 Benito Reyes – 227 votes, 24.17 percent Cynthia Garza-Herrera – 322 votes, 34.29 percent Eddie Martinez (incumbent) – 390 votes, 41.53 percent
Constable Pct. 3
WALL Continued from Page 1A bad idea, it is an idea based in ignorance and that is not supported by the reality of North American integration,” Videgaray said. He said there was no way that Mexican taxpayers could pay for that sort of
project. Since he launched his campaign last summer, Trump has taken aim at Mexicans, saying they bring crime and drugs to the U.S. and are “rapists.” Mexico’s answer until
now had been to remind Americans of the economic contributions made by their citizens and MexicanAmericans. The two countries’ trade amounts to more than $500 billion annually.
ROYAL Continued from Page 1A community may enjoy music from Duelo and on Mar. 12, from Pesado. When describing the royal court, the ladies said they are nothing like Disney princesses. The girls have to roll up their sleeves and work hard in the fair. They also agree its not just about the beauty, but brains too. To compete to be queen, the girls have to demonstrate a talent. To be eligible to partici-
pate in the contest, girls should be in good standing in school and must be a Zapata resident. Gonzalez, who describes herself as dedicated, compassionate and knowledgeable, plans on pursuing a degree in civil engineering specializing in land development and environmental studies at Texas A&M University in College Station. Lopez, 1st runner up, plans to attend Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and major in psychology.
She also plans to earn a doctorate degree. Landa, 2nd runner up, plans to attend the university of San Antonio and obtain a degree in occupational therapy. After getting her degree, she plans to return to Zapata and help those in need. For more information on the Zapata County Fair visit zapatacountyfair.com “Come visit the biggest little town fair in Texas!” said the Zapata County Fair junior Royalty.
U.S. Representative, District 28 Henry Cuellar (incumbent) – 3,068 votes, 95.04 percent William Hayward – 160 votes, 4.96 percent
Presidential (Democratic) Hillary votes, 67.85 Bernie votes, 23.60
Clinton – 1,969 percent Sanders – 685 percent
DEA Continued from Page 1A The Pill Take Back is an effort that provides the public safe disposal of unwanted and expired medication, the DEA said. “Last year’s event was a great success and nationwide, DEA collected tons and tons of unwanted or expired prescription drugs. By advertising this year’s event, it is desired that the message will reach as many as possible and we will have another successful event,” Reed said. The collection is set for April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Zapata County Courthouse. “By promoting and participating in the 2016 Pill Take Back Event, it is hopeful that we can help to stem the vicious cycle of which begins with prescription drug abuse and end with heroin,” Reed said. “Not surprisingly, we are seeing a connection between those who use prescription opioids nonmedically … turn to heroin …” Coalition specialists
Berta E. Gonzalez said they have received reports of prescribed medication abuse; for example, children mixing cough syrup with Sprite and drinking it in a baby bottle. Abuse of prescribed medication can lead to an allergic reaction, she said. “If you take something that was not prescribed to you, it could take you to the (emergency room),” Gonzalez said. With spring break around the corner, Gonzalez reminded the community to careful with their children. Catching a ride with a drunk driver could lead to a fatality, she said. “Don’t drink and drive. Don’t mix alcohol with prescription drugs,” she said. “Parents should talk to the children about the dangers of spring break and underage drinking. … Never take a drink from a stranger.” (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Stocks have a modest gain By MARLEY JAY ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Stocks wobbled to the finish Friday but salvaged a four-day winning streak after the U.S. government said employers added more jobs than expected in February. That was another vote of confidence in the economy. Mining companies made the biggest gains as metals prices climbed. The jobs report showed that construction, retail and health care companies are still hiring more workers. Energy companies also rose with the recovering price of oil. Stocks fell back from an afternoon peak as investors sold telecommunications companies, which have been the bestperforming sector of the market this year. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 62.87 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,006.77. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 6.59 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,999.99. The Nasdaq composite index edged up 9.60 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,717.02. The Labor Department said employers added 242,000 jobs last month. Consumer demand was solid, and the government also said employers hired more people in December and January than it had previously estimated. More people also looked for work. This week stocks rose after reports on hiring, construction spending and manufacturing suggested that the U.S. economy is doing fairly well. Kate Warne, investment strategist for Edward Jones, said she expects continued job and economic growth for the U.S. “The worries that we’ve been hearing recently about the economy sliding into recession aren’t war-
Photo by Richard Drew | AP file
This file photo shows a Wall Street sign in front of the flag-draped facade of the New York Stock Exchange. ranted,” she said. Combined with low inflation rates, she said that’s good news for investors. Metals and energy prices kept climbing on the continued signs of life for the economy. Gold, which is trading at its highest price in a year, rose $12.50, or 1 percent, to $1,270.70 an ounce. Silver jumped 55 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $15.69 an ounce and copper rose 7 cents, or 3 percent, to $2.27 a pound. The price of U.S. oil jumped $1.35, or 3.9 percent, to $35.92 a barrel. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oils, rose $1.65, or 4.5 percent, to $38.72 a barrel in London. Oil prices climbed about 10 percent this week and have risen for three weeks in a row, which hadn’t happened since May. Brent crude is now higher than it was at the beginning of the year, although U.S. crude is still lower. Those gains helped copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan gained 63 cents, or 6.9 percent, to $9.74. Aluminum producer Alcoa edged up 10 cents to $9.57. Energy stocks also kept rising. Drilling rig operators did the best as investors were pleased they keep closing rigs to cut costs. Transocean climbed $1.88, or 17.4 percent, to $12.71. Ensco rose $1.43, or 13.1
percent, to $12.36. The market has now erased most of its losses after a painful start to the year. But there are signs investors are still worried: investors keep buying utility and telecom stocks, which are considered safe bets when the market is troubled, and the price of gold has surged to its highest levels in more than a year. And while stocks have risen the last three days, the gains were small and came in choppy trading. Warne said investors still feel uneasy about problems ranging from shaky economies outside the U.S., low oil prices, and uncertainty over when the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates and what effect that will have on the economy. “I think we’re going to continue to see a lot of market volatility,” she said. AMC Theaters, owned by Wanda Group of China, is buying Carmike Cinemas for $1.1 billion. The deal will create the biggest movie theater chain in the world. Earlier this year, Wanda said it would buy Legendary Entertainment, a studio that co-financed movies including “Jurassic World” and “The Dark Knight.” Carmike climbed $4.14, or 16.4 percent, to $29.25. Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasu-
ry note rose to 1.87 percent from 1.84 percent late Thursday. Michael Fredericks, portfolio manager for BlackRock Multi-Asset Income Fund, noted that bond yields have recovered along with stocks over the last few weeks. “There was just a huge amount of pessimism” about economic growth, he said. He added that bond yields had fallen because investors were worried about the health of Europe’s banks and the possibility the Fed would experiment with negative interest rates in the U.S. A handful of companies rose and fell as quarterly earnings kept trickling out. Hewlett Packard Enterprise, an information technology products and service company, reported better-than-expected results from its first quarter as a publicly-traded company. Its stock surged $1.84, or 13.5 percent, to $15.44. Handgun maker Smith & Wesson rose $1.65, or 6.5 percent, to $27.05 after its profit and sales surpassed Wall Street estimates. Smith & Wesson also raised its profit and sales projections for its current fiscal year. Tax preparer H&R Block tumbled after its quarterly profit and revenue disappointed investors. The company said people are filing their taxes later and refunds are taking longer to process as efforts to fight tax fraud increase. The stock dropped $5.14, or 15.6 percent, to $27.76. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 1.1 percent and France’s CAC 40 rose 0.9 percent. Germany’s DAX was up 0.7 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index closed 0.3 percent higher and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.2 percent.
Photo by Karen Bleier | Getty Images
An environmental group’s lawsuit claims ExxonMobil Corp. continues to violate Clean Air Act regulations.
ExxonMobil gets sued for pollution By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
BATON ROUGE, La. — An environmental group’s lawsuit claims ExxonMobil Corp. continues to violate Clean Air Act regulations despite a 2014 settlement over emissions from the company’s Baton Rouge chemical plant. The federal suit, filed Thursday by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, alleges that pollution from the plant jeopardizes the health of nearby residents of a predominantly black, low-income area. A 2014 settlement agreement with the state called for ExxonMobil to pay more than $2.3 million to resolve alleged permit violations over chemical releases and spills at four of its Louisiana facilities. The company agreed to pay a $300,000 civil penalty, fund more than $1 million in “beneficial environmental projects,” and spend at least $1 million on projects designed to prevent and control spills at its Baton Rouge facility. The Baton Rouge-based environmental group’s lawsuit claims the company has repeatedly violated permitted pollution limits and failed to properly notify the state Department of Environmental Quality about alleged infractions. The plant’s neighbors de-
serve to be “fully informed of the risks they face,” the suit says. “Exxon’s failure to properly report unauthorized discharges exacerbates these concerns because Plaintiffs do not know how much harmful pollution they are exposed to as a result of Exxon’s emission,” the suit adds. ExxonMobil spokesman Todd Spitler said in a statement that the company’s 2014 settlement agreement was “forceful and transparent” and was believed to be the first of its kind in Louisiana. “Through the settlement and stipulated penalty structure, ExxonMobil worked with (the Department of Environmental Quality) to identify ways we can go beyond regulatory and permit requirements to continue to enhance our environmental performance going forward,” he said. The lawsuit asks the court to impose civil penalties, payable to the federal government, and set aside $100,000 in penalty proceeds for “beneficial mitigation projects within the community.” A statement issued by the Department of Environmental Quality in 2014 said the settlement agreement also addressed a string of alleged violations since 2008 at an ExxonMobil refinery.
New Mexico revives oil contamination case By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — More than 200 current and former residents who claim decades of oil and gas operations led to contamination that spurred a rash of illnesses in their southeastern New Mexico neighborhood will be able to pursue their case thanks to a ruling by the New Mexico Supreme Court. The justices revived the case involving the Westgate neighborhood in Hobbs by finding that a lower court erred in preventing the residents from introducing scientific evidence and expert testimony in support of their claims. “Historically, this court
has placed great value on allowing a jury to hear evidence and decide a case on the merits,” they stated in the ruling. The case was ordered back to district court for further proceedings. Martin Buchanan, a California attorney who helped the plaintiffs with their appeal, said he was pleased with the decision. “It’s for the jury to decide whether our expert testimony is credible or not and we believe we have strong arguments that lupus and other autoimmune diseases were caused by this contamination,” he told The Associated Press in phone interview. “We’re confident the jury is going to agree with us in the
end.” An attorney listed for Shell Oil Co. and Shell Western Exploration and Production Inc. did not answer phone and email messages. Shell Oil also did not immediately return a message seeking comment. According to court documents, the Westgate subdivision was built in the late 1970s on and near an unlined storage pit where Shell had placed oilfield wastes for about two decades. The pit was eventually covered with dirt in the 1960s. Documents say no environmental risk assessment was done while the pit was in operation or after it was covered.
Shell also had storage tanks just west of the unlined pit. They were used until 1993, when they were decommissioned. The Supreme Court ruling said Shell never reported releases or leaks of toxic chemicals to the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division and did not notify the Westgate subdivision builder that the storage pit existed. Contamination that stretched about 65 feet below the surface and into the aquifer was discovered when the storage tanks were being dismantled in 1997. Later that year, builders discovered a hard layer of hydrocarbon contamination one to two feet below
the surface that ranged from several inches to several feet thick. Below that was oily soil saturated with toxic hydrocarbons. Residents filed their tort claim in 1999, alleging negligence on the part of Shell. Jurors sided with the company in 2007 and the Court of Appeals later decided not to grant a new trial. The plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court, asking that they be allowed to submit as evidence the expert testimony of a doctor who reviewed the medical records of residents, took blood samples and analyzed dust from inside the homes for toxicity. All of the data was compared with information
gathered from other areas of Hobbs and the doctor concluded the illnesses were caused by or aggravated by contamination in the subdivision. The research documented 13 cases of lupus on two blocks within the neighborhood. It also determined that diagnoses of lupus and rheumatic disease, another autoimmune disorder, were 10 times those in other parts of the community. As the first trial was under way, court documents showed parts of the area remained contaminated despite years of attempted remediation that included the removal of hundreds of truckloads of contaminated earth.
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Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
MLB: HOUSTON ASTROS
Romo opts for surgery Photo by AP
Dallas Keuchel is coming off an AL Cy Young winning season recording an MLB-best 20 victories with a 2.48 ERA in 2015.
Keuchel eyeing a championship Houston’s Cy Young winner has Astros thinking title in 2016
File photo by AP
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo will have a portion of his clavicle removed and will not have a metal plate inserted to protect his collarbone, which has been broken three times in his career.
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Cowboys QB will remove portion of clavicle By DAVID MOORE THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
When Tony Romo undergoes surgery next week, the plan is to shave off or remove a portion of his clavicle rather than attach a plate, sources said. Romo has stated repeat-
edly in recent months that his goal is to strengthen the clavicle in a way that will allow him to finish his career without this becoming a recurring issue. There have always been three options in play: no surgery, shaving the clavicle or attaching a plate.
The Cowboys quarterback underwent the latest in a series of CT scans Wednesday to determine the level of bone growth and regeneration. After reviewing those results, surgery was scheduled for next week. Before that scan was ad-
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Dallas Keuchel is proud to have won the Cy Young Award. Houston’s ace won’t be satisfied until he leads the Astros to a championship. “I’m hungry just because the individual awards came but there was no ultimate team
ministered, Romo told reporters that he was leaning toward having a plate attached. Several reports have surfaced since late Thursday evening that state the quarterback will opt for the plate.
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS: UFC 196
award,” Keuchel said. “And I want multiple championships because I think in your career that’s what a lot of people judge you on is how many rings you have.” After a surprising playoff run last season, the Astros aren’t going to sneak up on anyone in 2016. They return most of
See ASTROS PAGE 2B
NFL: BALTIMORE RAVENS
Photo by AP
Conor McGregor will face off against Nate Diaz in a non-title welterweight bout Saturday at UFC 196. File photo by AP
Holm, McGregor ready for UFC 196 By GREG BEACHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Holly Holm could have kicked back and prepared for the rematch while Ronda Rousey regroups from the beating Holm gave her four months ago. Conor McGregor could have played it safe and waited for another title fight after Rafael Dos Anjos dropped out of their bout last week. Instead, Holm and McGregor eagerly accepted matchups at UFC 196 that more cautious champions would have avoided. Their hunger to fight allowed the UFC to create a blockbuster pay-per-view card on Saturday night headlined by two of its biggest stars taking unneces-
sary risks. “I’m here because I’m passionate about fighting,” Holm said. “I don’t want to do anything because it’s more strategic. I just want to fight. ... I told myself when I got in this sport, ’Passion first. Everything else falls into place.”’ Holm (10-0) takes on veteran title contender Miesha Tate (17-5) for the bantamweight belt shortly before McGregor (19-2) faces hard-hitting brawler Nate Diaz (19-10) in a nontitle welterweight bout — 25 pounds heavier than the usual limit for McGregor, the UFC’s featherweight king. Neither champion needed to take the fights they’re facing, but neither betrays any sign of worry about stepping into the
MGM Grand Garden Arena cage. The fans clearly appreciate it: Thousands lined up outside the arena several hours before Friday’s weigh-in for a card that ranks among the UFC’s hottest tickets in recent years. Holm spent the past few months in a whirlwind of publicity and attention after her stunning head-kick knockout of Rousey, the most popular fighter in mixed martial arts. But when Rousey decided she couldn’t fight again until the fall, Holm agreed to a showdown with Tate, a gritty wrestler who hasn’t lost since Rousey beat her for the second time in 2013. “I feel like this is a real-
See UFC PAGE 2B
Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was arrested for driving with a suspended license after a minor car accident on Friday.
Ravens’ Suggs arrested ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was arrested Friday on a suspended driver’s license after investigators say his car hit a curb and he told them he may have been asleep. Officers responding to a report of a crash in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale followed a fluid trail to a grocery store parking lot where they found Suggs’ BMW sedan with fresh damage. Suggs was not impaired and told officers he possibly fell asleep before the crash, police Sgt. Ben Hoster said. He was released after being arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident and driv-
ing on a suspended license, Hoster said. “Terrell alerted us early this morning about the situation and we are looking into it,” Ravens Senior Vice President of Public & Community Relations Kevin Byrne said. Suggs’ representative at EAG Sports Management, Denise White, issued a statement that read in part: “Police were called and upon speaking to Terrell found his license to be suspended for speeding tickets. ... Terrell will let the judicial process take its course and fix his license issues.” In a post on Instagram, Suggs acknowledged he was driving with a suspended license and wrote, “My bad Y’all.”
The 33-year-old Suggs is a six-time Pro Bowl linebacker and a lynchpin of the Ravens defense. He tore his Achilles tendon in the 2015 opener at Denver and missed the rest of the year. Although Suggs has kept a low profile since the injury, general manager Ozzie Newsome expects the linebacker back in 2016. “In my last conversation with him, his answer to me was, ’I don’t want to leave the game the way I left it out in Denver.’ So, I think he is using that as motivation,” Newsome said in January. “I’m just looking forward to him getting back in here when
See SUGGS PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
Stewart still uncertain of return to racing By GREG BEACHAM
Stewart quashed that speculation in Las Vegas, shaking his head at the suggestion of a future Sprint Cup career beyond this season — and he lamented the circumstances of his injury, which happened in a 25-foot drop off a sand dune. “I’m not going to change the plan because I got hurt,”
Stewart said. “These are the cards we were dealt. It was a weird accident that nobody ever thought would happen. ... The story about how I got hurt, I can’t even make it sound cool. I got hurt driving 5 miles an hour. I wish I could tell the story of — I was jumping a 50-foot gap, running 60 miles an hour, it flipped over, caught on fire and I broke my back. That’s not what happened.” Stewart sat at a podium to answer a few questions Friday, even though he knew sitting wasn’t good for him. He needs to be flat on his back, or he has to keep moving around. Although he’s getting off to a late start, Stewart hopes to get a medical waiver from NASCAR that would allow him to compete for a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup if he wins a race and manages a top-30 finish in the standings. Kyle Busch got into the Chase last year despite missing the first 11 races with a broken leg, and he ended up winning the championship. But Busch was injured during a NASCAR event, while Stewart was on his own time. “I’ll do the best I can,” Stewart said. “Whatever they decide, they decide, and I would like to think it’s going to be similar to what they did last year with Kyle. The biggest thing I’m worried about is just getting this to heal properly.”
that he was going through this process to see what procedure "ensures, most likely, that it never happens again. That’s really what you’re trying to do. "We’re asking a lot of people to get enough data to figure out. The reality of it is, it’s a collarbone, and if the collarbone doesn’t
hurt, I should be good to go to play out the final four to five years. That’s all we’re trying to ensure." The Mumford procedure has a six-to-eight week recovery period, which would clear Romo to take the field for the start of organized team activities in May.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Tony Stewart still doesn’t know when he’ll be back in his car to begin his final NASCAR season. And yes, the three-time Sprint Cup series champion says he’s still done after this year. Stewart is hoping to return to his car quickly, but he’ll know more about his recovery from back surgery when he has X-rays next week. He defied his doctors’ wishes with a cross-country flight to Nevada this week, although he spent most of it flat on his back. “I’m definitely breaking the rules,” Stewart said Friday. “But I can’t lay in bed any longer. It’s about to kill me. We did everything short of bubble-wrap me to ride out here on the plane.” Rest is necessary to ensure a full recovery for his broken vertebra, but Stewart wanted to support his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates and employees at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend when NASCAR opens its three-race Southwest swing. Brian Vickers is driving Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet in Las Vegas, and Ty Dillon also will drive the car in other races. Although he isn’t following the letter of his doctors’ instructions, Stewart also won’t return to his car until body is ready. “This is a different injury
Photo by AP
Injured in an offseason dirt buggy accident right before his final year in NASCAR, Tony Stewart still isn’t sure when he will return to the sport. than the leg injury,” Stewart said, referring to his broken leg in 2013. “The leg injury was a much more severe injury, but this is a much more sensitive injury. If this doesn’t heal right, if we do something that messes it up, it could affect me the rest of my life. It’s more important to let this thing heal right.
We’re not rushing to get back in the car.” Stewart was injured in a low-speed dirt buggy accident near the CaliforniaArizona border on Jan. 31. He had surgery to stabilize his back, but his doctors haven’t examined his progress or allowed him to begin rehabilitation.
Stewart’s injury and his truncated season led to speculation that the notoriously competitive driver wouldn’t want to go out like that. Some wondered whether he would run a limited schedule next year, perhaps competing in the Daytona 500, which he has never won.
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B But sources insist that’s not the first option. They stress the intent of the surgery, based on the location of the fracture, is to correct the problem by shaving or removing a portion of the clavicle and that Romo is on board with this approach. Known as a Mumford
procedure, this reduces pain and discomfort where the clavicle meets the shoulder. An argument can be made that the procedure is preferred because it will place less long-term stress on the collarbone than attaching a plate. Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith under-
went this procedure while with the Cowboys in the 1990s. As with many surgical procedures, there’s a chance the surgeon will encounter variables that dictate a different approach. That keeps the option of a plate in play. People close to Romo acknowl-
edge while the plate remains a possibility, it’s a slim one based on the information gathered to this point. Romo missed 12 games in 2015 after fracturing his distal clavicle on two separate occasions. He told reporters two days before last month’s Super Bowl
UFC Continued from Page 1B ly tough fight for me, but what else am I supposed to be doing here?” Holm asked. “I want to fight all the girls that are the best, because that’s what makes the best victory. Obviously this is a really big challenge for me to take, and a lot of people think it was even silly.” When Holm violently dethroned Rousey, she cleared a path for McGregor to rise atop the sport. The Irishman with a 15-fight winning streak seized that chance with both fists, winning the 145-pound title with a 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo in December. And while Holm and Tate are willing promoters of their fight, nobody can match McGregor’s showmanship. His presence on a card guar-
antees huge attention and revenue when fans and cameras behold his verbal gifts, which were in sharp form at this week’s news conference. “You’re like a gazelle,” McGregor said to Diaz. “I’m a lion in there, and I’m going to eat you alive. Your little gazelle friends are going to be staring through the cage looking at your carcass getting eaten alive, and they can do nothing. All they can say is they’re never going to cross this river again.” Holm and Tate grinned as they watched from the stage while McGregor and Diaz lobbed insults at each other. “They’re over here flipping each other off under the table, and Holly and I are making each other friendship bracelets,” Tate said. “I’m
SUGGS Continued from Page 1B
having a great time.” McGregor planned to become a two-division champion this week, but Dos Anjos hurt his foot late last month. Rather than waiting for the lightweight champ, McGregor agreed to a non-title showdown with Diaz, one of the sport’s most entertaining fighters and an awfully good foil for McGregor’s verbal jousting. “I’m certainly going to toy with the young boy,” the 27year-old McGregor said of the 30-year-old Diaz. “I’m going to play with him. His entries and his exits, his retreats, his feints are all identical. He can’t break out of his patterns, out of his set routines, so he is very, very predictable.” Diaz is the biggest man
McGregor has ever fought, with advantages in height and reach. McGregor’s extra weight should give him added punching power, but it could also affect his quickness — not that it worries McGregor, who took on his “Mystic Mac” persona to predict that he’ll stop Diaz late in the first round. “Skill-wise, I made a big, big jump from the (Chad) Mendes performance to the Aldo performance, but I didn’t get to show a lot of that because the fight was so quick,” McGregor said. “Part of me wants to stretch it out to show that, and to show the fans some new sequences, some new movements, some new forms of attack and defense. I just hope Nate can last.”
he does, being involved in the OTAs, going through training camp and just seeing where he is.” Suggs is the franchise career leader with 106 1/2 sacks and was The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, when he recorded a career-high 14 sacks and led the league with seven forced fumbles. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Suggs played college football at Arizona State before Baltimore drafted him as the 10th overall pick in 2003. After Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis retired following the 2012 season, Suggs stepped up to assume leadership of a defense that perennially is among the best in the NFL. Suggs has led Baltimore in sacks in seven of his 13 seasons. On the practice field and in the locker room, he keeps the mood light by joking with his teammates. On Sundays, when not chasing the quarterback, he’s constantly chatting with the officials and opposing players.
ASTROS Continued from Page 1B
Photo by AP
Houston starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel has his sights set on contending for a championship this season.
the team that went 86-76 to reach the postseason for the first time since 2005. That success, Keuchel said, was important in the Astros re-establishing themselves as a team to contend with after a dismal stretch that included three straight 100-loss seasons from 2011-13. “A lot of guys wanted respect last year and that’s what we were aiming toward, and now that we’ve got that, I think there’s going to be more teams coming into our place or us going there and they’re going to know who we are now,” he said. “And that’s what we wanted from the start.” With the foundation set and a plethora of young talent, Keuchel believes the Astros are poised to win a title. “If nothing happens I’ve got three years left here and we should win at least one with the talent we have and with the talent we’ll get in the next two
years after this year,” he said. “We should definitely be right there in the thick of things.” The 28-year-old Keuchel returns to lead the team after a year where he led the American league with a season-high 20 wins and had a 2.48 ERA in 33 starts to become the first Astro to win a Cy Young since Roger Clemens won it in the National League in 2004. Keuchel, who pitched three complete games last season, picked up his second straight Gold Glove Award for his work in 2015. That success won’t change his personal goals. “I just want to stay healthy and try to repeat,” he said. “It’s a never-ending process and I try to reinvent myself every year.” Still, manager A.J. Hinch said he nonetheless tries to impress upon Keuchel the importance of not relying too much on what happened in 2015. “I don’t want him to try
to mimic last season,” Hinch said. “Trying to act like last season or trying to repeat things is just not how you compete and he knows that. He’s got areas to improve and he’s got some things that he wants to work on to make himself even better.” Things have changed a lot for Keuchel, who was named Houston’s opening day starter on Feb. 20 — nearly a month earlier than last year. Hinch has seen an increased maturity and development in his ace since he took over the team before last season — and he is still challenging him to do more. “The mental component he can get a little bit sharper and I know he wants to anchor the staff,” Hinch said. “At this time last year he didn’t know he was pitching opening day and he ends up getting the Cy Young Award. Now he knows he’s pitching opening day, a lot of attention’s on him. He’s just
got to make sure that his preparation’s buttoned up.” The Astros are bringing Keuchel along a bit slower than their other starters this spring after he pitched a MLB-leading 232 innings and 14 more in the playoffs in 2015. He won’t play until Houston’s second week of spring training games. Despite the later start, Keuchel still expects to appear in five games this spring, which he believes will get him exactly where he wants to be for when Houston opens the season against the New York Yankees on April 4. Keuchel isn’t worried about the amount of innings he piled up last season, 46 more than his previous career high. “I’m thankful I got through (almost) 250 innings,” he said, “and I’d like to go even more this year just because that means we get deeper into the playoffs.”
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016
Dear Heloise: Because I’ve been a customer-service representative for many years, I’ve learned a couple of sneaky hints about the AUTOMATED MENU to get you to someone without the crazy-long hold times: 1. Select "Spanish" on the prompt at the beginning of the call. Your call will be routed to a Spanish-speaking representative. Don’t forget, though, that they speak English, too! 2. Select "New Customer." Companies load the newcustomer department with lots of representatives to ease you into the company. These are seasoned reps who are experts! – Julie in New York Ohhhhhhhhhh! Julie, thanks for the very helpful hints! Sometimes I just want to scream when I get caught in the "loop" while on hold. – Heloise GREETING CARDS Dear Readers: Here is a Heloise Hint for you when sending gift cards for birthdays and other occasions. Greeting cards can become a target for thieves. A greet-
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ing card seems to scream out "birthday card," which might have cash and gift cards inside. If you are sending cash (which you should not), a check or a gift card, place the whole card in a largersize envelope or even a bubble-type envelope. – Heloise P.S.: PRINT the name and address if you don’t have legible writing. NO RUST Dear Heloise: I use my steel-wool scouring pads for about a year without them getting rusty. I put them in a plastic bag after use and store them in the freezer. I think I got this hint from your mother. – Nancy B., via email Nancy, you are right – it’s an oldie but a goodie! – Heloise QUICK CLEAN Dear Heloise: Hint: Put a pair of old slipper socks on and run your toes and foot over baseboards/chair rails. There’s no getting up and down, and then launder them for the next cleaning day. – A Reader, via email
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