WEDNESDAY April 27, 2016
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EDINBURG, TEXAS
Links to cartel revealed in murder case Five men arrested in decapitation By Aaron Nelsen SA N ANT ONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
Franklin Palacios Paz, a troubled Honduran immigrant, worked at a tire shop in Edinburg, earning around $80 a week in an environment that state
investigators have depicted as rife with tension, according to an affidavit. On the evening of March 16, 2015, his headless body was fished out of the waters off South Padre Island. When authorities broke the news of Palacios’ death to his wife, she threw herself on her bed, yelling, “Frankie, Frankie, why?” She had filed a
Leal
J. Luna
missing person report after Palacios stopped responding to phone calls and text messages, but it was her 13-year-old son
F. Luna
E. Luna
who provided investigators with the most revealing details about the victim. Palacios had confided
his affiliation with the Gulf Cartel, a drug trafficking organizaRodriguez tion based across the border in Tamaulipas, Mexico, the teenager said, according to the arrest affidavit for Border Patrol Agent Joel Luna. Palacios and the men at the tire
shop boasted of chopping off heads, the boy told investigators. And he had seen drugs hidden in video game machines, along with stacks of dollars brought over from Reynosa, Mexico, the affidavit states. In an interview with a girlfriend of Palacios, the affidavit continues, the victim had admitted “crossing illegals” for the Murder continues on A8
LOCAL
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
TORCH LIGHTING CEREMONY
Lions to hold golf benefit Grants over $6,000 THE ZAPATA TIME S
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Laredo Independent School District Superintendent A. Marcus Nelson, left, looks on Tuesday morning at the UISD Student Activity Center, as United Independent School District Superintendent Roberto Santos is joined by Special Olympians Juan Castro and Gabriela Chapa in lighting the torch at the opening ceremonies for the Spring Games for Laredo-Area SOTX Athletes. The games will be held April 26-28 at UISD Student Activity Center.
The Zapata Lions Club proudly presents the 3rd Annual Leobardo Martinez, Jr. Scholarship Golf Tournament. Set for Saturday, June 11, 2016 at the Los Ebanos Golf Course in Zapata, this year’s golf proceeds will help fund over $6,000 in scholarship to be given to 42 graduating Leo High School members. For businesses interested in sponsoring the tournament, sponsorship packages include: $250 Platinum level, which gets your business logo displayed on 1st or 18th golf course holes. $100 Gold level, which will display your compaLions continues on A8
MEXICO CITY
UN ‘concerned’ over missing students case By Maria Verza A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
MEXICO CITY — The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday it is troubled by a group of international experts’ complaints of obstacles to their investigation into the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico. Spokesman Rupert Colville said in a statement that the office is “concerned about the many challenges and obstacles reported by the experts,” including the ability to examine other lines of investigation such as military and other officials’ possible roles in the case.
He called on the Mexican government to “take into serious consideration” the recommendations of the group of experts from the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights. The group’s report from Sunday criticized the government’s investigation of the 2014 disappearances. It said suspects were apparently tortured and key pieces of evidence were not investigated or handled properly. Government investigators have said the students were taken by local police in the city of Iguala, in the southern state of Guerrero, and handed over to drug gang mem-
bers who killed them and burned the bodies at a trash dump. The group of experts, known by the acronym IGIE, and a separate body made up of Argentine investigators say there is no evidence at the dump of a fire large enough to incinerate that many corpses. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Sunday via Twitter that the federal attorney general’s office would “analyze the whole report, to aid in its investigations.” Colville called the group’s work “invaluable” and urged the government to explore new lines of investigation. Missing continues on A8
Photo by Rebecca Blackwell | AP
A woman holds up a photograph of a missing student with a caption reading "We are missing 43," during a press conference by the parents of missing teachers college students in response to a report issued Sunday by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights expert group in Mexico City.
Zin brief A2 | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 1 “Too Many Little Towns in Texas” luncheon and style show. 11:30 a.m. Laredo Country Club, 1415 Country Club Drive. The Volunteer Services Council for Border Region Behavioral Health Center is hosting the 24th annual Administrative Professional Day luncheon and style show. Tickets are $65 per person or $650 for a table of 10. RSVP with Laura Kim at 7943130. 1 Book-signing for Stacy B. Schaefer. 6–8 p.m. Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. Hosted by the Webb County Border Heritage Museum. Schaefer is the author of “Amada’s Blessings from the Peyote Gardens of South Texas.” A presentation of the book will take place at 7 p.m. Books will be available for sale that evening. For more information, contact the WCHF at 727-0977 or visit webbheritage.org 1 Bible study. 7–9 p.m. Lighthouse Assembly of God Church, 8731 Belize Drive. Every Wednesday. The Word of God has the power to comfort, heal and change hearts. For more information, contact Norma Perez at 251-1784 or normalight1@gmail.com
THURSDAY, APRIL 28 1 International Mariachi Workshop. 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. TAMIU’s Kinesiology, Wellness and Recreation Center. For students from local and surrounding areas. This workshop serves to train and provide lessons on music and instruments. For more information, contact Raquel Urrutia at 956-3262273 or email raquel.urrutia@tamiu.edu. 1 Blood Drive. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, Conference Room 1, Tower B. Anyone who is 16 years old and weighs at least 120 pounds or at least 17 years old and weighs at least 110 pounds, and in good general health can donate blood. Donors must present photo ID, last four digits of their Social Security number and their birth date. 1 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. 1 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, APRIL 29 1 Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros. 3–4:30 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Booths, crafts and a limited supply of free books. 1 Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows. 5–7 p.m. TAMIU. “Earth to the Universe” and “Led Zeppelin.” This event is open to the TAMIU community and public. General admission is $4 for children, TAMIU students, faculty and staff, and $5 for adults. For more information, contact Claudia Herrera at 956-326-2463 or email claudia.herrera@tamiu.edu. 1 TAMIU’s Spring Theatre Production class presents “University.” 7:30 p.m. TAMIU’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Sam Johnson Black Box Theatre. Admission requires a minimum scholarship donation of $5 per person, students with ID and children under 12 enter free. For more information, contact Dr. Gilberto Martinez at 956-326-3037 or email gilberto.martinez@tamiu.edu.
Today is Wednesday, April 27, the 118th day of 2016. There are 248 days left in the year.
HIGHLIGHT: On April 27, 1986, a video pirate
calling himself "Captain Midnight" interrupted a movie on HBO with a printed onscreen message protesting home satellite de-scrambling fees. (Captain Midnight turned out to be John R. MacDougall of Florida, who was fined and placed on probation.)
ON THIS DATE:
Photo by Connor Radnovich/The Chronicle | AP
Public Defender Jeff Adachi speaks to journalists about recently uncovered racist text messages sent by San Francisco Police Officer Jason Lai during a press conference.
POLICE ENSNARED IN RACE SCANDAL By Paul Elias ASSOCIATED PRE SS
SAN FRANCISCO — A beleaguered San Francisco Police Department took another hit to its tarnished image Tuesday with the release of racist and homophobic text messages allegedly among officers. The city’s public defender released transcripts of the offensive texts, which emerged during a rape investigation of a former officer. The messages belittle blacks, Latinos and Indians and insult President Barack Obama and NBA superstar LeBron James, among many other disparaging conversations. Police Chief Greg Suhr says four officers exchange inappropriate texts and that three of them have either quit or retired
Black bicyclists in Tampa got ticketed more than whites TAMPA, Fla. — Black bicyclists in Tampa were more likely than whites to be stopped and ticketed by police, the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday, adding that the citations didn’t reduce crime in the city. However, during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, officials insisted the policy was not discriminatory.
since last summer. He is seeking dismissal of the fourth officer. “It makes me sick to my stomach,” said Suhr, who said the entire department of nearly 2,000 sworn officers will undergo “implicit bias” training by year’s end. He apologized to San Franciscso. It’s the second such text-messaging scandal to shake the department since it was disclosed in late 2014 that a group of officers exchanged racist and homophobic text messages in an unrelated case. The current texting scandal began last year when a woman accused Jason Lai of rape after night of heavy drinking. Lai was a patrol officer at the time. He resigned earlier this month. The district attorney said in there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Lai.
According to the report, 73 percent of riders stopped between Jan. 1, 2014, and Aug. 30, 2015, were black and 26 percent were white, while the estimated population of riders during the period was 40 percent black and 49 percent white. “These disparities do not appear to be intentional,” said Ron Davis, the executive director of the Community Oriented Policing Services, a DOJ division that oversaw the Tampa study. The federal report found that the department’s “emphasis on
bicycling enforcement, by all indications, appears to be an honest effort to improve community safety in the areas most in need.” The report also said the bicycling stops were “unfair, and even if not intended as harassment, often perceived as such.” Tuesday’s report was requested a year ago by Mayor Bob Buckhorn and then-Police Chief Jane Castor following a Tampa Bay Times report that black bicyclists were issued citations at a vastly higher rate. — Compiled from AP reports
SATURDAY, APRIL 30 1 Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will celebrate its 11th anniversary. Noon–6 p.m. TAMIU. There will be showings of “Starry Night” and “Space Next” every 45 minutes. There will be snacks, face painting and other activities available. General admission is $3. Event is open to all TAMIU community and public. For more information, contact Claudia Herrera at 956326-2463 or email claudia.herrera@tamiu.edu. 1 Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan de Guadalajara. 7 p.m. LISD Civic Center, 2400 San Bernardo Ave. The performance, dubbed De México Para El Mundo, is a scholarship benefit for TAMIU students. Tickets are $50, $35 and $25 each and are available at Ticketmaster outlets and at the door. 1 TAMIU’s Spring Theatre Production class presents “University.” 7:30 p.m. TAMIU’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Sam Johnson Black Box Theatre. Admission requires a minimum scholarship donation of $5 per person, students with ID and children under 12 enter free. For more information, contact Dr. Gilberto Martinez at 956-326-3037 or email gilberto.martinez@tamiu.edu. 1 Laredo PAGA Scholarship Fundraiser Tournament. 8:30 a.m. (sign in 7:30 a.m.–8:10 a.m.). Max Mandel Golf Course. Cost: $100, includes tournament fees and lunch. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. You can mail in your teams and fees using the registration form, which can be accessed at http://www.laredopaga.org/. You need not be a PAGA member to come and support the cause. For more information, visit http://www.laredopaga.org/ 1 Dia de los Niños Jamaica. 1–9 p.m. Lighthouse Assembly of God Church, 8731 Belize Drive. Fun and food for the whole family; gorditas, brisket tacos, funnel cakes.
AROUND THE WORLD Chilean poet Neruda reburied at coastal home ISLA NEGRA, Chile — The remains of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda were reburied on Tuesday at his favorite home in a Chilean town overlooking the Pacific Ocean, despite lingering questions surrounding his mysterious death. The writer died in the chaos following Chile’s 1973 rightwing military coup, and some have speculated he was poisoned. His body was exhumed in 2013 to determine the cause of his death. Forensic tests showed no toxic agents in his bones. But Chile’s government said in 2015 that it’s “highly probable that a third party” was responsible for his death. Other tests are still being carried out by an international team of genomics experts and
Photo by Esteban Felix | AP
Pictured are bells belonging to Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. Neruda’s body was exhumed in 2013.
forensic specialists. This week, Neruda’s family members, politicians and fans paid homage to the beloved poet at Chile’s Congress. His remains were then taken to his home built on a rocky cliff over the Pacific Ocean in the coastal
town of Isla Negra, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Santiago. “Returning him to Isla Negra is allowing him to look at the sea again, and looking at the sea is not dying,” said the coup. — Compiled from AP reports
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines. In 1791, the inventor of the telegraph, Samuel Morse, was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. In 1822, the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio. In 1865, the steamer Sultana, carrying freed Union prisoners of war, exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee; death toll estimates vary from 1,500 to 2,000. In 1891, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev was born in presentday Ukraine. In 1925, the song "Yes, Sir! That's My Baby" by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn was published by Irving Berlin, Inc. of New York. In 1938, King Zog I of the Albanians married Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi. In 1941, German forces occupied Athens during World War II. In 1967, Expo '67 was officially opened in Montreal by Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. In 1973, Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray resigned after it was revealed that he'd destroyed files removed from the safe of Watergate conspirator E. Howard Hunt. In 1982, the trial of John W. Hinckley Jr., who had shot four people, including President Ronald Reagan, began in Washington. (The trial ended with Hinckley's acquittal by reason of insanity.) In 1992, the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed in Belgrade by the republic of Serbia and its lone ally, Montenegro. Russia and 12 other former Soviet republics won entry into the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Betty Boothroyd became the first female Speaker of Britain's House of Commons. Ten years ago: Construction began on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. Five years ago: Powerful tornadoes raked the South and Midwest; according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 120 twisters resulted in 316 deaths. One year ago: Loretta Lynch was
sworn in as the 83rd U.S. attorney general, the first African-American woman to serve as the nation's top law enforcement official. Today's Birthdays: Actress Anouk
Aimee is 84. Rock musician Jim Keltner is 74. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cuba Gooding is 72. Singer Ann Peebles is 69. Rock singer Kate Pierson (The B-52's) is 68. Rhythm-and-blues singer Herbie Murrell (The Stylistics) is 67. Actor Douglas Sheehan is 67. Rock musician Ace Frehley is 65. Pop singer Sheena Easton is 57. Actor James Le Gros is 54. Rock musician Rob Squires (Big Head Todd and the Monsters) is 51. Singer Mica Paris is 47. Actor David Lascher is 44. Actress Maura West is 44. Actress Sally Hawkins is 40. Rock singer Jim James (My Morning Jacket) is 38. Rock musician Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket) is 38. Rock singer-musician Travis Meeks (Days of the New) is 37. Neo-soul musician Joseph Pope III (Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats) is 37. Country musician John Osborne (Brothers Osborne) is 34. Actress Ari Graynor is 33. Rock singer-musician Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) is 32. Pop singer Nick Noonan (Karmin) is 30. Actor William Moseley is 29. Actress Emily Rios is 27. Singer Allison Iraheta is 24. Thought for Today: "Fear not those who argue but those who dodge." — Dale Carnegie, American writer-lecturer (1888-1955).
CONTACT US AROUND TEXAS
SUNDAY, MAY 1
Troopers, Dallas police target gang members
1 TAMIU’s Spring Theatre Production class presents “University.” 3 p.m. TAMIU’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Sam Johnson Black Box Theatre. Admission requires a minimum scholarship donation of $5 per person, students with ID and children under 12 enter free. For more information, contact Dr. Gilberto Martinez at 956-326-3037 or email gilberto.martinez@tamiu.edu.
DALLAS — State troopers are assisting Dallas police by serving warrants on “highthreat criminals” as the city tackles a surge in violent crime that last month prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to offer state resources to help. Troopers are particularly
focused on rounding up gang members, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger said in a statement Tuesday. Dallas Police Chief David Brown told a city council committee Monday that his department’s newly formed violent crime task force has curtailed the rate of violent incidents. But, according to The Dallas Morning News, he added that, “We’ve got a lot of work to do.
This is nowhere near where we need to be.” Dallas police in a statement Tuesday reiterated the role of state troopers but did not elaborate. Aggravated assaults have increased by 30 percent over the first three months of the year compared to the same period last year, and robberies have jumped by 15 percent. — Compiled by AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 |
A3
STATE
North Texas at risk for tornadoes and hail By Daniel C. Houston A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
OKLAHOMA CITY — Forecasters have moved North Texas squarely into the crosshairs of a large storm capable of producing “significant” tornadoes and grapefruitsized hail Tuesday afternoon and evening, placing at least 10 million people at moderate risk. The most dangerous weather — heavy winds, tornadoes and giant hail — will likely take aim at a 102,000-square-mile area stretching from central Texas to southern Nebraska, including the Dallas, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas, areas, according to the
Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Severe thunderstorms and strong wind gusts are also predicted for Mid-Atlantic states where voters are casting ballots in primary elections. George Eischen, 51, spent Tuesday morning moving vehicles off the lot at his Chevrolet dealership in the small town of Fairview, about 100 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Eischen said he has been lining the new vehicles “bumper to bumper” in the shop and even the floor of the lobby to protect them from the hail. “We’ve never been hit by a tornado here in town, amazingly,” Eis-
chen said. “But yeah, we’ve had hail. And that’s the real enemy of the car dealer.” In all, more than 53 million people from the Rio Grande in South Texas to Omaha, Nebraska, and parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky are at a slight risk or higher of experiencing severe weather Tuesday. That tally also includes Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Baltimore, where a separate storm system could bring strong winds and thunderstorms to MidAtlantic states. “We shouldn’t assume that we’re going to have a lot of information — you
Annova LNG slightly moving project to accommodate ocelots A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — An energy company has agreed to slightly move a planned South Texas natural gas facility to accommodate endangered ocelots. The Brownsville Herald reported Tuesday that the adjustment by Annova LNG means continued access to a wildlife-crossing culvert under Highway 48. The company plans a liquefied natural gas plant at the Port of Brownsville. Concerns were raised that the site would prevent wildlife from moving between the Boca Chica area, south of the Brownsville Ship Channel, and the Laguna
Courtesy photo
An energy company has agreed to slightly move a planned South Texas natural gas facility to accommodate endangered ocelots, pictured above.
Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge to the north. Ralph Cowen with the Brownsville Navigation District, which oversees the port, says Annova agreed to lease a few
more acres and slightly move the planned facility. Houston-based Annova in December donated $40,000 to help buy GPS tracking devices to monitor the rare ocelots.
Photo by Brandon Nolan | AP file
Brandon Nolan holds hail in his hand Tuesday, in West Wichita, Kan. The National Weather Service was warning north Texas of the possibility of hail.
know, a lot of lead time,” Storm Prediction Center meteorologist Matt Mosier said. “We may or we may not.” Winds gusting up to 60 mph downed trees, damaged buildings and knocked out power in parts of northern and central Missouri.
The National Weather Service reported that storms early Tuesday brought torrential rains and hail ranging from 1 to 1.5 inches in Kansas City and other northwest Missouri towns, stretching north to St. Joseph. Storms are expected in Delaware, Maryland and
Pennsylvania, where voters are casting ballots in primary elections Tuesday, though forecasters aren’t expecting a severe weather outbreak there. Some schools in the Oklahoma City area called off classes Tuesday.
Zopinion A4 | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Cruz’s cowardly anti-transgender stance By Rex Huppke CH ICAGO T RIBUNE
Ted Cruz is a coward. He’s other things - a GOP presidential candidate, a senator from Texas, possibly the Zodiac Killer (Google it) - but most of all, and most unquestionably, he’s a coward. A coward mocks what he doesn’t understand. A coward seeks political gain by maligning others. A coward talks about North Carolina’s controversial bathroom law, which requires transgender people to use the restroom that matches the gender on their birth certificate, by saying this at a Sunday campaign event: "If Donald Trump dresses up as Hillary Clinton, he still can’t go to the girl’s bathroom." Hah! The crowd laughed and thought it was a stitch because, naturally, all transgender women look like Trump in a pantsuit, right? Wrong. Not just wrong, but offensive. And not just offensive to transgender people, offensive to any American who thinks denigrating transgender people is repellent. Remarkably, Cruz’s anti-trans addition to his stump speech was only the second most offensive thing his campaign did in the past week. The No. 1 spot belonged to an ad released shortly after Cruz opponent Donald Trump said he disagrees with the North Carolina law. In the ad, the following text rolls over black-andwhite shots of women’s restrooms and a little girl holding her mother’s hand: "Should a grown man pretending to be a woman be allowed to use the women’s restroom? The same restroom used by your daughter? Your wife? Donald Trump thinks so. It’s not appropriate. It’s not safe. It’s PC nonsense that’s destroying America. Donald Trump won’t take on the PC police. He’s one of them." The implication here is that these quiet, blackand-white bathrooms are about to be overrun by marauding, faux-transgender people hell-bent on attacking your wife and daughter and ruining America. That, of course, is nonsense. Insulting, fearmongering nonsense devoid of any inkling of a clue as to what it actually means to be transgender. A transgender woman is not "a grown man pretending to be a woman." If you say that, as Cruz did, you clearly have no interest in understanding gender identity and would rather take the dullard’s approach of writing off those different from you
with no concern for their humanity. That doesn’t seem too Christian, but hey, I’m just a Catholic. What do I know? The idea that a bill like the one in North Carolina will open the door for male predators to don women’s clothing and start trolling restrooms is absurd on its face, and not backed by any historical evidence of such behavior. PolitiFact North Carolina did an exhaustive review of this topic and reported: "We haven’t found any instances of criminals convicted of using transgender protections as cover in the United States. Neither have any left-wing groups or right-wing groups." It’s a solution in search of a problem. Trump said he doesn’t see a need for laws like the one in North Carolina: "People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate, there has been so little trouble." Compared to most things Trump says, that’s remarkably mundane. But to Cruz it’s "PC nonsense that’s destroying America." First off, Trump is to political correctness what Cruz is to likability. And does anyone actually think America’s path to destruction runs through a public restroom? To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a flush." Cruz is fighting to keep Trump from locking up the GOP nomination for president, and his sudden burst of transphobic angling is a sad attempt to stir up fear. He seems to assume that those uncomfortable with transgender people vastly outnumber those uncomfortable with people who behave like insensitive boobs. I suspect he’s quite wrong. And right or wrong, it’s a despicable calculus. Transgender people are small in number, but that doesn’t make their feelings and need for understanding and acceptance any less than mine or yours. Cruz wants to win an election, and if he has to demonize people who are already too often ostracized, he’ll cue up the attack ad and roll. Then he’ll tell you what a nice, god-fearing Christian he is and ask you to vote for him so he can take on the PC police and keep those darn men pretending to be women away from your loved ones. This is a con, one that harms people as a means to an end. To borrow a couple lines from the ad, "It’s not appropriate. It’s not safe." It’s cowardly. Just like Ted Cruz.
OP-ED
Gary Stein: Cruz, Kasich teaming up? What a joke By Gary Stein SUN SENTINEL
You thought the Republican presidential primary race couldn’t get any more nauseating. You thought wrong. The latest bit of dreck being tossed at the public is the Ted Cruz-John Kasich tag team match to keep Donald Trump from getting enough delegates to win the nomination on
the first ballot. Listen, Trump is a fraud and totally unqualified to be president, but he’s right about this it’s a joke. Ted Cruz may be even more dangerous than Trump. He’s a religious fanatic and he’s totally despised by his colleagues in the Senate. And his whole spiel his entire campaign - is based on the fact he’s not
Trump. Yes, says Cruz, vote for me because Trump sucks. Yeah, that’s a guy you want to lead the country. As for Kasich, he’s a nice guy, And a total cipher as a candidate. He won his home state of Ohio, hasn’t been close anywhere else, and again, he says he’s not Trump. If these guys want the nomination - and hope to win a contested conven-
COLUMN
Age, walking cane ended the fun days of dancing Age carries lots of burdens with it. Among them is “blame” for ending fun things you did as a young person. So, I have no compunction about hanging the blame turkey of “no dancing” around the neck of age and maybe lack of opportunity. As a teenager, I got the yen to learn about dancing when I got the news of the high school junior-senior prom during my junior year. Now, I’d never danced, well except maybe a short victory jig after a ball game. Somehow, a music teacher in town got the idea of teaching ballroom dancing classes. For you young whippersnappers, “ballroom dancing” means holding your date close and doing steps to the rhythm of the music. So, several of us signed up for the classes and learned the two-step, the waltz and something Teacher referred to as “the Frisco,” which I quickly figured out was the jitterbug. Now, I’d seen that in the movies (no TV at our house yet) and thought it all looked like fun. Plus, I love music and the sounds of that day (early rock and roll, think Bill Haley and
the Comets as well as Elvis Presley) that lent itself to the jitterbug steps and moves. So, two-stepping and jitterbugging seemed really cool. The waltz reminded me of those snooty royalty movies where the decked-out couples looked like stiff boards bothered slightly by wind gusts. However, I learned to waltz and found it filled out the dance card nicely on many occasions. It can be the most elegant of dance steps. And, later in life during a stint publishing in Czech-GermanPolish communities, you’d better be a dancer and know the waltz in addition to the polka. Just as we’re all getting into the dancing lessons with visions of “coolness” swirling in our heads, a fundamentalist preacher at one of the town’s larger churches announced that dancing was a sin and he expected all the teens in that church to boycott the prom because it put evil
thoughts in young minds as little boys held little girls closely. Ol’ Preach even had his congregants sign a pledge. Yeah, it was ridiculous. Obviously, he’d never danced, or if he had, he didn’t concentrate on the music and the proper dance steps which doesn’t lend itself to thinking about anything else but not messing up and stepping on your date’s pretty, dainty feet. Plus, Preach obviously didn’t know about Lover’s Lane where the necking, hugging and smooching went on. There was plenty of time for that after the prom. The prom just took the place of one movie night, which regularly led to the same trip down that well-known lane. Actually, I never heard the preacher rail against movies, at least not the vanilla ones of that day and time. Think: Doris Day or Roy Rogers. Shucks, Roy wouldn’t even kiss his horse Trigger much less dance with Dale Evans. Not even a dos-e-doh. But, I became a real dancing fan. Especially the jitterbug. All that twirling and such. Over the years, I’ve
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tion - let them win because they have something to offer the country. They shouldn’t win anything just because they think they can stop Trump. They think they can accomplish what they want by each concentrating on different states. But neither has anything to offer. And the GOP joke campaign continues.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
spent a lot of time on a dance floor. I think if you really love music, dancing is a natural follow. In my young and single days, there were two schoolmates, Judi & Martha who I learned could dance really well, so we spent lots of time on dance floors. That preacher would be shocked to know that cutting the fancy rug with either of those talented ladies was so much fun, we didn’t even think about Lover’s Lane, just dancing to good music. However, it got to where I couldn’t take Judi dancing because she was such a wonderful vocalist and the band “stole” her and kept her on the bandstand most of the evening. Still, Martha was a smooth stepper, so I always had a great time. And, ahem, both were great eye candy. Of course, gorgeous Life Mate has long been my favorite dance partner. But, age and my footballtrophy walking cane pretty much ended that. (Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net .)
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 |
A5
NATIONAL Railroad Police seize journals from prom shooter’s home crossing arm crashes bus By Greg Moore ASSOCIATED PRE SS
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LOS ANGELES — A railroad track crossing arm crashed through a passenger window of a school bus carrying seven special-needs students and came out a window on the other side Tuesday in Los Angeles. No one was injured in the accident southeast of downtown, which was reported at about 7:30 a.m., authorities said. Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott said the crossing arm and some broken glass ended up on one student’s lap. Television images showed a student sitting calmly in the bus, which was stopped nearly parallel to the tracks. The crossing arm was bent and sticking through the bus. The seven students, including three in wheelchairs, were put on another bus and taken to two elementary schools, Los Angeles County Fire Battalion Chief Dale Drummond said. The accident occurred where a street crosses four sets of tracks operated by Union Pacific. The bus was making a left turn onto a street paralleling the tracks. “At the intersection on the other side, there’s a stop sign,” California Highway Patrol Officer Dion Conley said. “So he stopped at the stop sign, proceeded across the tracks, and that’s when the lights started to go off.
MILWAUKEE — Police seized spent ammunition, a gun sling and journals from the home of the 18-year-old who opened fire on students at a prom at his former school in northern Wisconsin before being fatally shot by an officer, court records show. According to a search warrant and supporting affidavit, Antigo Police Patrolman Andy Hopfensperger shot Jakob Wagner multiple times to
stop the attack. Wagner was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead early Sunday. Hopfensperger and another officer were checking cars in the school parking lot when Wagner opened fire and wounded two people as they left the dance, according to a statement from Antigo Police Capt. Nate Musolff. Hopfensperger fired “as the shooter was actively engaging the kids with the rifle.” One 18-year-old male
student was struck in the leg and a bullet grazed his date’s thigh. Both are recovering. Authorities haven’t previously identified the officer who shot Wagner, but they have said his actions “saved a lot of lives” by preventing him from ending up inside the dance. They also haven’t revealed a motive in the case, but people who knew Wagner have said he was bullied. Wagner’s mother, Lorrie Wagner, told The Associated Press on Monday that her son “wasn’t a
monster” and that she hopes the tragedy “shines light on bullying and how deeply it affects people.” His family released a statement Tuesday that said his loved ones are “filled with sorrow over the injuries caused to his victims, the position in which the police officers were placed along with the prom goers and their families.” The statement released by an Antigo funeral home said Wagner’s family realizes “his actions have torn open a wound in our community. We
pray for healing.” According to the documents filed Monday in Langlade County Circuit Court, officers seized several types of spent rounds along with the strap and various journal entries, notes and drawings. They also took electronics, including an iPod, a cellphone and video game systems. Additionally, the records show the seizure of “Notecards Devil In Nature” and “Teen Suicide Reading Materials.” Hopfensperger is on paid administrative leave.
Zfrontera A6 | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
ECONOMÍA Ribereña en breve ENTREGA DE BECAS ESCOLARES 1 Zapata County Independent School District (ZCISD) informa que hoy, miércoles 27 de abril se desarrollará la Noche de Becas en Zapata High School a las 6 p.m. Donadores recibirán un certificado de agradecimiento. Receptores y donadores podrán conocerse. RECOLECCIÓN DE MEDICAMENTOS 1 La Coalición Comunitaria del Condado de Zapata y la DEA realizarán el evento nacional Pill Take Back (recolección de medicamentos) el 30 de abril, de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m. en el Palacio de Justicia del Condado de Zapata. Se buscan medicamentos caducos o que ya no se estén utilizando a fin de retirarlos de forma apropiada. Informes en la oficina de SCAN en el 956-765-3555. CELEBRACIÓN DÍA DEL NIÑO 1 El Centro Bethel Mission Outreach Center invita a todos los niños a celebrar el Día del Niño el 1 de mayo en 206 N. Bethel, desde las 10:30 a.m., en Roma. Habrá un día de campo después del servicio en el patio de la iglesia. Los niños también podrán disfrutar de payasos, juegos de agua, brincolines y grandes premios. Evento gratuito y abierto al público. Mayores informes al (956) 897-4550. CELEBRACIONES 1 Del lunes 2 de mayo al viernes 6 de mayo se celebra la Semana Nacional de Agradecimiento al Maestro. En tanto, el viernes 6 de mayo es el Día Nacional de la Enfermera, así como el día del Héroe de la Comida Escolar. STAAR 1 El lunes 2 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR en Algebra 1; el miércoles 4 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR en Historia de EU; y el jueves 5 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR en Biología. El lunes 9 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR de matemáticas a los alumnos de 3o, 4o, 6o y 7o grado. Igualmente se reaplicará el examen de matemáticas a alumnos del 5o y 8o grados. El martes 10 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR de lectura a los alumnos de 3o, 4o, 6o y 7o grado. Igualmente se reaplicará el examen de lectura a alumnos del 5o y 9o grados. El miércoles 11 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR de ciencia a alumnos del 5o y 9o grados; igualmente el de Algebra II. El jueves 12 de mayo se aplicará el examen STAAR de ciencias sociales a alumnos del 8o grado. El martes 21 de junio se volverá a aplicar el examen de matemáticas a los alumnos del 5 y 8 grados; el miércoles 22 de junio, se reaplicará el examen de lectura para alumnos del 5 y 8 grados. El 11 de julio se aplicará el examen de Inglés I y el 12 de julio el de Biología e Historia de EU. El 13 de julio se hará lo propio con Inglés II y el 14 de julio el de Algebra I.
Envíe su calendario de actividades a mcharur@lmtonline.com
Defensa al Capítulo 313 TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Texas, al igual que otros estados de la Unión Americana, durante décadas ha estado ofreciendo incentivos fiscales a las empresas que prometen traer empleos e inversiones, esto como una forma de promover el desarrollo económico local. Específicamente, el Capítulo 313 (programa establecido dentro de la Ley de Desarrollo Económico de Texas) establece que se permite a los distritos escolares de Texas que ofrezcan reducciones en impuestos sobre la propiedad — una limitación de 10 años en aumentos en el valor de tasación
de las ganancias por imde la propiedad para la puestos locales que el parte de mantenimiento y distrito escolar perdona operaciones — a las embajo el Capítulo 313 es presas que construyan y reemplazado con fondos contraten personal en sus estatales”. comunidades, de acuerdo Uno de los críticos al con lo publicado por la HEGAR programa fue el GobernaContraloría de Texas en dor Greg Abbott, quien en Fiscal Notes. 2015 vetó la legislación para amLo anterior ha permitido que pliar los incentivos del Capítulo los incentivos de Capítulo 313 313 a proyectos que involucraban hayan favorecido a la instalación varios distritos escolares, agrega de una planta del camiones Toyota en San Antonio y la instalación Hegar en el documento. De acuerdo con Fiscal Notes, de otra planta de semiconducAbbott sostuvo que “Mientras tores Samsung en Austin. “Capítulo 313 tiene defensores y que el programa en algunas ocasiones ha tenido un impacto poscríticos”, dijo el Contralor de itivo en el desarrollo de la econoTexas Glenn Hegar. “La mayoría
RECONOCIMIENTO
mía local, existen preocupaciones graves acerca de su supervisión, su transparencia, y su valor para los contribuyentes”. Opositores aseguran que quizá algunos negocios se hubieran establecido en Texas, aún sin el incentivo. Aunque el programa tenía programado concluir en 2007, el Capítulo 313 ha sido extendido en tres ocasiones, con la actual fecha de vencimiento para el 31 de diciembre del 2022. En el artículo publicado en Fiscal Notes se explica cómo funciona el programa y el valor de los acuerdos del Capítulo 313, concluyó Hegar.
IRS
Motivan DESTACAN LABOR prórrogas E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía / ZCISD
Roberto O. Hein, Superintendente interino de escuelas para Zapata County ISD, fue reconocido como el "2016 Zapatan of the Year", en ceremonia celebrada el sábado 23 de abril, en Zapata High School. Hein, quien estuvo acompañado por familiares, colegas, amigos e invitados especiales, recibió un cuadro con la proclamación.
COLUMNA
Atestiguan duelos en Veracruz durante el Siglo XIX Raúl Sinencio TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Tratándose de varones, las ofensas graves solían llevarse al campo del honor al transcurrir el siglo XIX. Para batirse y, de acuerdo a la alta sociedad mexicana, el ofendido y su contraparte, debían seguir estrictos procedimientos. Los menos pudientes también tenían afrentas similares, aunque sin tantos protocolos. Imperaban tiempos aciagos y las huestes angloamericanas continúan apoderadas de Tampico, México. Habían llegado bien armados en noviembre de 1846 y permanecieron por año y medio. Debido al número, levantan casas de campaña fuera del perímetro urbano. En tierra se realizan batallas y aquellos en transportes navales esperan participar en el conflicto. William Gates, comandante a cargo, saca provecho de regentear la aduana marítima y amasa oscura fortuna y promulga: “Cesará en esta ciudad la venta de licores espirituosos”. El decreto se publica el 9 de diciembre de 1846. Por causas desconocidas, circunscribe al puerto de Tamaulipas la abstinencia etílica, pero bastaba cruzar el río Pánuco e ir a Pueblo Viejo, Veracruz. Cierto día militares americanos atraviesan el río frente a Tampico. “Se iba reuniendo una muchedumbre … venida de Veracruz y Tamaulipas en
esa famosa pero …arruinada población. El gran fandango de Pueblo Viejo ocupa una plaza muy amplia, que presenta dos hileras de puestos que ofrecen todas las formas de comestibles y bebestibles que tiene el mundo mexicano … dejando espacio para las mesas de juego …Calculo que no habría menos de 8.000 personas”, observa el capitán Lewis Aldebert Norton, cronista estadounidense. Algo estremecedor sucede de improviso. “Vi un tumulto, gente … excitada (que) corría” y “varios oficiales americanos fuimos a ver …qué pasaba. Al llegar presenciamos un duelo a espada entre dos “lugareños, más o menos en igualdad de … fuerza y destreza”, escribe Norton. “Cada uno (de los rivales) patentemente dispuesto a matar al otro”, asevera Norton. “La lucha se hacía larga y desesperada, y ya ambos habían recibido heridas ligeras”. Nadie pedía o daba tregua. Al fin “uno de ellos se tiró a fondo, siendo desviado hábilmente por su adversario, quien antes de que el primero pudiera reponerse, lo pasó de lado a lado, metiendo la espada casi hasta el puño por el pecho de su enemigo, que cayó echando bocanadas de sangre, expirando sin pronunciar palabra, ni siquiera un quejido. …El fandango siguió por ochos días más”. (Con permiso del autor, publicado en La Razón, el 22 de abril)
Las personas que estaban obligadas a presentar su declaración de impuestos o solicitar una prórroga en la fecha límite que venció el lunes 18 de abril, pero que por alguna razón no pudieron cumplir con ese plazo, deben actuar de inmediato siguiendo los lineamientos del Servicios de Impuestos Interno (IRS). Presentar y pagar pronto. Si se deben impuestos, se debe declarar y pagar tan pronto como sea posible, así se suspenderán los intereses y las multas. No hay cargo por presentar una declaración tardía si el gobierno le debe un reembolso. Mientras más pronto se presente, más pronto se obtendrá un reembolso. Utilizar el servicio de Free File del IRS. El servicio es gratuito y se presenta electrónicamente. Si el ingreso fue de 62.000 dólares o menos, se puede utilizar gratuitament un programa de impuestos de marca. Si el ingreso fue superior a esa cantidad, se deben utilizar los formularios interactivos de Free File e-file. Este programa usa las versiones electrónicas de los formularios en papel del IRS y hace algunos de los cálculos por la persona. Los formularios rellenables funcionan mejor para aquellos que están acostumbrados a hacer sus propios impuestos. e-file del IRS es seguro y rápido. No importa quien prepare la declaración de impuestos, este servicio se puede usar hasta el 17 de octubre. E-file es la manera más fácil, más segura y más precisa para presentar los impuestos. El IRS enviará una confirmación electrónica cuando se reciba una declaración de impuestos, y se emiten nueve de cada 10 reembolsos en menos de 21 días. Pagar todo lo que pueda. Si la persona debe, pero no puede pagar en su totalidad, se debe pagar tanto como sea posible cuando se presente una declaración de impuestos. Las opciones de pago electrónico del IRS constituyen la forma más rápida y fácil de pagar los impuestos. Se debe pagar lo que se debe, tan pronto como sea posible para minimizar multas e intereses. Pagos mensuales a través de un acuerdo de pago. Si se necesita más tiempo para pagar los impuestos, se puede solicitar un acuerdo de pago de débito directo a través de la herramienta de acuerdo de pagos del IRS en línea. Si no se utiliza la herramienta en línea, se puede aplicar con el Formulario 9465 (SP), Solicitud para un Plan de Pagos a Plazo. La persona puede obtener el formulario en IRS.gov/forms en cualquier momento. El IRS recomienda utilizar la aplicación móvil IRS2Go para verificar el estado de un reembolso, pagar sus impuestos, ver vídeos de YouTube del IRS.
Foto de cortesía | ZCI School District
Visita al zoológico Alumnos de segundo grado de la escuela primaria Villarreal Elementary School realizaron su viaje anual al zoológico Gladys Porter Zoo en Brownsville. Los estudiantes aprendieron sobre animales y disfrutaron esta experiencia acompañados de sus profesoras.
Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 |
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NFL: DALLAS COWBOYS
Cowboys’ Carr takes pay cut By Brandon George TH E DALLAS MORNI NG NEWS
IRVING — Cornerback Brandon Carr accepted a significant pay cut Monday to remain with the team that will free up additional salary cap space for the Cowboys, sources said. Carr was set to make a base salary of $9.1 million in 2016 and carry a massive salary cap hit of $13.8 million in the final season of his five-year, $50.1 million deal he signed as a free agent in 2012. The Cowboys decreased Carr’s base salary to $4.25 million, sources said, but he can earn up to $6 million in 2016. The pay cut frees up about $3.6 million in salary cap space for the Cowboys, a source said. Carr will receive a $1 million roster bonus May 1, sources said. He can also earn $500,000 more in incentives in 2016 and earn up to $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses, sources said. The Cowboys could use their additional cap space now to add a veteran backup quarterback or continue to push to sign free agent defensive end
Jason Jones. Carr’s willingness to take a pay cut and remain on the roster isn’t expected to affect the Cowboys’ draft strategy. They still could take Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey - the top cornerback in this year’s draft - at fourth overall Thursday if he’s still available. That’s because Carr and cornerback Morris Claiborne will be in the final year of their contracts in 2016. Several scouts also believe that Ramsey could be a better fit in the NFL at safety. The Cowboys considered asking Carr to take a pay cut last season but never forced the issue. Carr hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations that accompany a contract of his size. "It’s hard to hit the bar of the $50 million man," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in February. "He’s certainly a player that the big issue here is the price." Carr’s last interception came on Thanksgiving 2013, but he hasn’t missed a game during his eight seasons in the league. Carr, who turns 30 in three weeks, has long
been considered a leader in the locker room. He was named the club’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2015 and in February donated $110,000 to help his hometown of Flint, Mich., during its water crisis. Carr also recently was recognized by the City of Dallas for helping to develop a mentoring program at Carter High School and Mark Twain Elementary. Late last month, Carr made it clear he wanted to remain with the Cowboys despite the club pushing for him to take a pay cut. "Going through this process, I knew a lot comes with the territory, comes with the name," Carr said. "I’m just blessed to have the situation to sign a contract like that. I’ve been playing the game for a long time, and you dream about it as a kid, and my thing is to continue to work. "I’m still in this league and I’m still alive. I still have the opportunity to get up each and every day to go out there and do something I love to do, so just go out there and execute to the best of my ability and then see what happens down the road."
NBA: DALLAS MAVERICKS
Nowitzki returning By Schuyler Dixon A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki isn’t retiring, and the 7-foot German is all but certain that he will spend a 19th season with the Mavericks. The Dallas star said Tuesday it was “pretty much” crazy talk for coach Rick Carlisle to suggest after a firstround elimination in Oklahoma City that Nowitzki might consider playing elsewhere. He led the Mavericks in scoring again a season after someone else did it for the first time in 15 years. The Mavericks have not won a playoff series
Photo by Ashley Landis | Getty Images
Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki is planning to return to the Mavericks next season and will not retire yet.
since taking the franchise’s first title in 2011. But Nowitzki still believes the team can contend. Dallas has to decide
what a balky right knee means for the future of versatile young forward Chandler Parsons, who wants to return.
File photo by Ronald Martinez | Getty Images
Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr took a paycut on Tuesday to remain with the team next season.
A8 | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
FROM THE COVER
Sheen’s lawyers attack ex’s order A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LOS ANGELES — Charlie Sheen’s lawyer says his ex-fiancee’s attempt to extend a temporary restraining against the actor is a publicity stunt.
Sheen’s attorney, Martin D. Singer, wrote in a court filing Monday that Sheen has not had any contact with his ex, Scottine Ross, in more than a year. The filing is in opposition to Ross’ attempts to
extend a temporary restraining order she obtained earlier this month based on alleged threats the actor made toward her in a recording obtained by celebrity website RadarOnline.com. Sheen’s filing states
Ross has shown no evidence the actor has threatened her. It accuses Ross of filing a police report and temporary restraining order to achieve a favorable settlement in a civil lawsuit.
Prince’s sister says musician did not have a known will By Ryan Nakashima and Steve Karnowski ASSOCIATED PRE SS
LIONS From page A1
MISSING From page A1 “It is very important that the Government acts decisively on the IGIE’s
MURDER From page A1 cartel. By November, Cameron County investigators had arrested five men, including Luna, in connection with the grisly killing. According to the affidavit, the men killed Palacios to stop him from revealing their activities as drug smugglers with ties to the cartel. Aaron Rodriguez Medellin, 23; Nestor Manuel Leal, 19; Eduardo Luna Rodriguez, 25; and Fernando Luna Rodriguez, 35; as well as Joel Luna, 30; all face capital murder and other charges. Joel, Eduardo and Fernando Luna are brothers. All five men pleaded not guilty to the charges in February. The Cameron County district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the case, has said it won’t seek the death penalty. Cameron County sheriff’s investigators, with assistance from Edinburg police, learned that Palacios had filed a police report alleging an assault in January 2015, though it is unclear what came of the report. Palacios’ co-workers Medellin, Leal and Eduardo Luna denied having previous altercations with Palacios, telling authorities instead that the victim’s frequent marital spats were to blame for his troubles. Authorities soon uncovered damaging messages sent March 9 from Fernando Luna, the affidavit states. One message read in Spanish, “Franky and his brother are saying who is selling drugs.” Another read, “this Franky is a (expletive) traitor,” and yet another read, “at any moment he is going to put the finger on you.” The next day, investigators brought Fernando Luna in for questioning. Using global positioning locations from cellphone towers, investigators tracked the phones of
ny name on the golf course in different holes. The format of this competition will be a
three-member Florida Scramble, with a $75 donation per player. For more information,
individuals can call Lion member’s Eduardo Martinez at 956-765-8449 and Aaron Cruz at 240-3408.
recommendations and ensures the rights to truth and justice of the victims and their families.” Colville said. The United States also called on Mexico to con-
sider the experts’ recommendations. Parents of the missing students were planning a protest later Tuesday on the 19-month anniversary of the disappearances.
Late Monday, Mexican prosecutors announced the detention of a suspected member of a drug gang linked to the disappearances.
Eduardo Luna and Leal from San Juan in Hidalgo County to Port Isabel, near South Padre, then back to San Juan. Meanwhile, records show Palacios’ cellphone went offline the afternoon of March 10 somewhere near the Edinburg tire shop. But investigators were thwarted in their attempt to review the tire shop surveillance recordings for the day of March 10. The recording was missing, according to the affidavit. State District Judge Rose Reyna in Hidalgo County signed a search warrant in April to search the shop. Once inside, investigators found a pattern of blood stains on the walls. A DNA profile would later identify the blood as Palacios’. His body was discovered floating in the Laguna Madre during a busy week of Spring Break, and a Cameron County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to South Padre Island to investigate. Earlier that day, a group of friends, including children, had been out for a cruise when they found the body. Now the deputy was staring at the gruesome remains, lying in a pool of blood in a body bag. It appeared that the head had been cut off in a single motion with a sharp cutting instrument, the deputy reported.
There were two small puncture wounds in the upper chest, and a deep, wide laceration along the front of the body, exposing internal organs. Fingerprints run through a government database identified Palacios as the victim. He was 33. Rodriguez, Leal, Eduardo Luna and Fernando Luna were arrested in June and charged with capital murder, but Joel Luna wasn’t taken into custody until much later. The affidavit leaps over several months and resumes with the testimony of a sister-in-law of Joel Luna, who for six years had been a Border Patrol agent assigned to a checkpoint in Hebbronville. Luna requested that his sister-in-law open a bank account, in which he deposited $42,000 for the purpose of buying a house, she told authorities, adding that he also kept a stash of money at her mother’s house. A search of the San Juan home found a black safe containing 3 pounds of cocaine, half an ounce of methamphetamine, $89,560 in cash, a 1911 engraved pistol, a .22caliber pistol, a Border Patrol commemorative badge, plastic baggies, a scale, and a ledger documenting the sale of narcotics, firearms and ammunition, the affidavit shows.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed an immigration detainer on Luna at the Cameron County Jail after it was revealed that he has two birth certificates: one from Mexico and one from Texas. Luna’s attorney, Carlos A. Garcia, said that although his client was born in Texas, his parents also had registered his birth in Mexico so he could go to school there, a common practice along the border. “This is a complex case with many moving parts,” Garcia said. “It is important that everyone reserve judgment until the appropriate time. My client has pleaded not guilty, and we look forward to the process as it proceeds.” Neither the Cameron County district attorney nor the attorneys for the other four men could not be reached for comment. A status hearing is scheduled for June.
MINNEAPOLIS — Prince’s sister believes the superstar musician didn’t have a will and asked a Minnesota court to appoint a special administrator to oversee his multimillion-dollar estate, according to court documents filed Tuesday that could signal a looming fight over Prince’s assets. Tyka Nelson, Prince’s only surviving full sibling, said in a court filing that immediate action was necessary to manage Prince’s business interests following his death last week. The documents don’t estimate how much his estate may be worth, but Prince made hundreds of millions of dollars for record companies, concert venues and others. Nelson asked that Bremer Trust, a corporate trust company, be named administrator of the estate. The court documents say Bremer Bank provided financial services to Prince for many years. Prince died Thursday at his famous Paisley Park complex in suburban Minneapolis, and he owned a dozen properties around the area, mostly rural land and some houses for relatives, worth about $27 million, according to public records. But estimates of how much licensing his personal brand will bring in after his death reach to the purple clouds. The
outpouring of grief and nostalgia prompted fans to buy 2.3 million of his songs in just three days. If he left no will or trust, divvying up his fortune could get complicated, said Susan Link, a top Minnesota probate lawyer. Link, who isn’t involved in the case, said attorneys will need to get Prince’s siblings to agree on asset distribution, and that it could get extremely complicated if they don’t. “They will try to set the family down,” said Link, head of the estate planning group at the Maslon LLP law firm. “They’re not going to try to light the match and get a big fire going and get everybody fighting about this.” Mark Roesler, chief executive of CMG Worldwide, which handles licensing for the estates of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and other late stars, estimates that Prince’s post-mortem earnings could match top-earning dead celebrities like Elvis Presley, whose estate made $55 million in 2015, according to Forbes magazine. “He was as big as they get,” Roesler told The Associated Press late last week. “Will there be a business built up around Prince 60 years from now like James Dean? The answer is unequivocally, ‘yes.”’ Nelson’s court filing Tuesday said she had “no reason to believe” that Prince executed a will or any other documents of the sort.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 |
A9
BUSINESS
Stocks higher, energy rises By Marley Jay A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Stocks finished mostly higher Tuesday in another cautious day of trading. Energy companies climbed in tandem with the price of oil, but technology companies fell. The market wavered between small gains and losses throughout the day. Chemicals companies made the biggest gains, led by DuPont, while energy companies benefited from higher oil prices. Health care stocks fell on more regulatory scrutiny of drug pricing. The Nasdaq composite index fell for the fourth day in a row. Trading has been light this week. Julian Emanuel, U.S. equities and derivatives strategist for UBS, said investors are waiting to see the results of Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy meetings in the next few days. The Fed is expected to leave interest rates unchanged, while the Bank of Japan could take new steps to stimulate Japan’s economy. “People are very, very wary of taking big positions,” he said. “The commentary is going to be very closely parsed.” The Dow Jones industrial average added 13.08 points, or 0.1 percent, at 17,990.32. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 3.91 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,091.70. The Nasdaq fell 7.50 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,888.28. The price of benchmark U.S. crude oil jumped
$1.40, or 3.3 percent, to $44.04 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained $1.26, or 2.8 percent, to $45.74 a barrel in London. That helped energy stocks, and ConocoPhillips rose $1.81, or 3.9 percent, to $48.08 while Pioneer Natural Resources gained $11.86, or 7.7 percent, to $165.36. Oil company BP rose $1.70, or 5.3 percent, to $33.49 after BP posted a larger-thanexpected profit and it left its dividend unchanged even though oil prices and energy income has plunged. Earnings reports continued to stream in after the market closed for the day. Apple’s first-quarter results disappointed investors as its sales fell for the first time in more than a decade and fell short of analysts’ forecasts. Apple sank $6.20, or 5.9 percent, to $98.15 in aftermarket trading. Twitter’s firstquarter revenue and its second-quarter forecast disappointed investors and its stock lost $1.90, or 10.7 percent, to $15.85 in after-hours trading. Chemicals companies and makers of mining and construction equipment reported solid quarterly results. Emanuel of UBS said that energy, chemical and mining companies and heavy machinery makers are getting a hand from China’s economy, which is doing better than investors expected a few months ago. DuPont picked up $1.58,
or 2.4 percent, to $67.55. The chemicals giant expects a larger profit for the year, saying the strong dollar won’t hurt its results as much as it predicted. Dow Chemical, which is preparing to combine with DuPont, added $1.13, or 2.2 percent, to $53.67. Truck leasing company Ryder System added $4.20, or 6.4 percent, to $69.45. Manufacturing company Ingersoll-Rand rose $1.36, or 2.1 percent, to $65.39. Truck maker Paccar gained $2.88, or 5.1 percent, to $58.93. Telecommunications companies, one of the best performing parts of the market this year, fell on Tuesday. The stocks traded lower as bond prices fell and yields rose, making them more attractive to income-seeking investors compared to telecom stocks. Drug companies fell as investors looked ahead to the latest Congressional panel on drug prices. The Senate Aging Committee will hold its third meeting on drug prices Wednesday, and on Tuesday the committee said former Valeant Pharmaceuticals executive Robert Schiller and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, an investor in Valeant, will both be questioned. Investors in drug companies fear that Congressional scrutiny will make it harder for the companies to keep raising drug prices and keep their profits growing. Alexion Pharmaceuticals lost $4.01,
or 2.5 percent, to $154.01. Vertex Pharmaceuticals fell $1.52, or 1.8 percent, to $84.14. Elsewhere, specialty glass maker Corning lost $1.75, or 8.3 percent, to $19.22 after its sales were weaker than expected. Whirlpool, the appliance maker behind Maytag, KitchenAid and other brands, reported disappointing profit and sales. The company said its business was hurt by the strong dollar. The stock lost $6.61, or 3.6 percent, to $179.43. Drug developer Sarepta Therapeutics plunged after a Food and Drug Administration panel said its muscular dystrophy drug eteplirsen shouldn’t be approved. The panelists said evidence didn’t show the drug is effective. The stock fell $3.93, or 26.3 percent, to $11.02. In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 5 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $1.57 a gallon. Heating oil added 4 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $1.33 a gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $2.03 per 1,000 cubic feet. The price of gold rose $3.20 to $1,243.40 an ounce and silver edged up 10 cents to $17.11 an ounce. Copper lost 1 cent to $2.24 a pound. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent, while Germany’s DAX and the CAC 40 in France each lost 0.3 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3 percent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong gained 0.5 percent.
Exxon hurt by low oil prices By Joseph Pisani and David Koenig A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Low oil prices have helped cost Exxon its pristine “AAA” credit rating from Standard & Poor’s, a label it held for over six decades. The top “AAA” credit rating from S&P means a company’s debt is the safest possible investment. Now only two other U.S. corporations are rated triple-A by S&P: consumer and medical products company Johnson & Johnson and technology company Microsoft Corp. S&P said Tuesday that it lowered Exxon’s rating one notch to “AA+” because of slumping oil prices and the “large dividend payments” the
oil giant makes to shareholders. The credit-rating agency said Exxon is more likely to pay dividends than save money or reduce its debt. Exxon had held the “AAA” rating since at least 1949, S&P said. The one-notch downgrade, while symbolic, is more likely to bruise Exxon’s corporate pride than significantly raise its borrowing costs. The company has used the sterling rating almost as a marketing tool, particularly when talking to foreign governments. “I don’t see it having any financial impact,” said Brian Youngberg, an analyst at Edward Jones. “Even at ‘AA+’ it has the highest credit rating of any energy company and it is higher than pretty
much all of corporate America.” Another major ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, said in February that it was keeping its top “Aaa” rating on Exxon. But it sounded a cautionary note by lowering its outlook on the rating to “negative” from “stable.” Exxon Mobil Corp., which is based in Irving, Texas, said in a statement that nothing has changed about its “financial philosophy” and that it places a “high value on its strong credit position.” Like other energy companies, Exxon has been hurt by the slump in oil prices. In the previous quarter, the company reported a 58 percent drop in profit to $2.78
billion. It was Exxon’s smallest quarterly profit in about 14 years. Exxon’s long-term debt soared to $19.9 billion at the beginning of 2016 from $6.9 billion at the start of 2014, as the company spent money on big projects while oil prices were falling. Last year, the company raised its quarterly dividend 6 percent to 73 cents per share. It returned $15.1 billion to shareholders in dividends and share buybacks, down from $23.6 billion in 2014. In February, Exxon announced that it would stop buying back its own shares. Wall Street appeared to shrug off the ratings downgrade news. Exxon’s stock rose 30 cents to $87.63 Tuesday.
Twitter sales forecast misses estimates on brand advertising By Sarah Frier BL OOMBERG NEWS
Twitter Inc. forecast second-quarter revenue that will fall short of analysts’ estimates, signaling the company’s struggles to add users have dented advertising sales for the social network. Twitter forecast secondquarter revenue of $590 million to $610 million, missing the $677.1 million average analyst projection, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company said it added 5 million monthly active users in the first quarter, for a total of 310 million. Analysts projected 308 million. First-quarter revenue grew 36 percent to $594.6 million, compared with $607.5 million projected by analysts. Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey, the co-founder who took the top job again officially in October, is trying to reshape the company’s product and reputation to draw a more mainstream set of users. The company hired a chief marketing officer, as well as curators for a live news product called Moments, meant to make the network less daunting for new users. The latest strategies so far haven’t solved declining interest from advertisers and
Photo by Marcio Sanchez | AP file
This file photo, shows the Twitter app on an iPhone. Twitter Inc. forecast second-quarter revenue that will fall short of analysts’ estimates.
users beyond its central constituency of journalists, celebrities and politicians. “There’s risk that Twitter is a deteriorating asset,” Mark Mahaney, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, who has a hold rating on the stock, said before the earnings report. “I just haven’t seen enough product improvements for an experience that’s just materially better than people have seen in the past, or appeals more to the mainstream.” Earnings, excluding some items, were 15 cents per share, the San Francisco-based company said in a statement. That compared with analysts’ estimate of 10 cents a share. The company’s net loss narrowed to $79.7 million, or 12 per share.
A10 | Wednesday, April 27, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES