ODOR SUSPENDED
WEDNESDAYMAY 18, 2016
FREE
RANGERS SECOND BASEMAN GETS 8-GAME BAN, 6A
DELIVERED EVERY SATURDAY
TO 4,000 HOMES
A HEARST PUBLICATION
LCC
Trustees appoint new president After confusion, college names lone finalist for position By Judith Rayo TH E ZAPATA T IME S
Ricardo Solis, dean of academic professional and technical education at Gateway Community College in Arizona, has been named the lone finalist for the LCC president position. Laredo Community College trustees voted Monday night to appoint Solis for the job. Trustees Allen Tijerina, Tita Vela, Jackie Ramos, Mercurio Martinez, Gilberto Martinez Soils and Michelle De La Peña voted in favor of naming Solis as the finalist. Cynthia Mares voted against. Rene De La Viña and Leonides G. Cigarroa Jr. were absent. LCC President Juan Maldonado, who will retire from the job in August, was not present at the meeting as well. Trustees met in executive session for about an hour before reconvening in open session and voting to name Solis as the finalist. Gilberto Martinez appointed Mares, Mercurio Martinez and Tijerina to negotiate the terms of employment with Solis. Under state law, the governing body of the institution must give public notice of the name or names of the finalists being considered for the position at least 21 days before the date of the meeting at which final action or vote is to be taken on the employment of the person. Solis previously served as the executive director for international initiatives at the Houston Community College System, associate vice president at Texas State Technical College and dean of workforce instruction at McLennan College. He has a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin. There had been confusion over whether the LCC board of trustees had selected a finalist last week. Following a special-called meeting May 9, Mercurio Martinez told Laredo Morning Times a consensus had not been reached on appointing a new LCC president. The following day, he said a decision had been made during the hour-and-a-half executive session. Martinez said the Association of Community College Trustees advised him not to disclose the name of the finalist. He said the association advised board members about a state law prohibiting the official announcement of their candidate until after an interim period of 21 days. However, an attorney from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas said there was no state law prohibiting LCC from releasing the name. LCC attorney Rusty Meurer said no finalist had been selected before Monday’s meeting. The other three finalists for LCC president were: 1 Anthony Cruz, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs at Sinclair Community College in Ohio 1 Robert Muñoz, vice president of community and industry education at Tarrant County College District in Fort Worth 1 Luis Pedraja, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Antioch University in California Judith Rayo may be reached at 728-2567 or jrayo@lmtonline.com
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
DIOCESE OF LAREDO
Bishop still remains silent Tamayo’s decisions questioned by many colleagues By Philip Balli, Judith Rayo and Gabriela A. Treviño THE ZAPATA TIME S
Throughout his 16-year tenure as bishop of the Diocese of Laredo, James A. Tamayo has made questionable decisions that have left members of his flock scratching their heads, according to letters delivered last month to the Tamayo Vatican. Remaining silent is Tamayo’s typical response when asked for explanations. It’s what he did when the City of Laredo passed a resolution six years ago urging him to consent to the conducting of DNA testing on the human remains found on the grounds of San Agustin Cathedral. The silence has also been extended to law enforcement. When a priest was arrested
in Laredo on rape charges from New York in 2002, the Brooklyn Kings County district attorney said the local diocese’s cooperation was less than satisfactory and refused to provide information on the circumstances the priest had left the diocese. An explanation was also never offered by Tamayo as to why he did not formalize a funding agreement during the early years of the Diocese of Laredo between him and Roberto Gonzalez, then-bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Failing to do so resulted in the loss of a major financial benefactor for the Diocese of Laredo. Tamayo has yet to publicly explain his reasons for halting the construction of the Catholic Student Center, a project that the Brothers of St. John and a host of Laredo citizens and community leaders have been trying to get off the ground during the past two years.
“Supposedly Bishop Tamayo got something great, but in my estimation, it was not for the benefit of Laredo. The sad part is that those who would have benefited most are the ones that are currently the most in need ...” Amengol Guerra III, formal financial council for Diocese of Laredo
Although he has said he was “under duress” when he signed a document with the brothers in 2009 to allow for the campus ministry’s formation, rendering the agreement null and void, few have accepted that answer to be either true or plausible. Texas A&M International University President Ray Keck has said he thinks it is an absurd remark. Father Robert Kincl, a priest in Hutto, Texas, has said Tamayo’s explanation was ridiculous and a lie. On one occasion when a Zapata Times reporter approached him and asked if he would comment on the center
at a later date, Tamayo said “No.” The Zapata Times has attempted to solicit a comment from Tamayo for nearly two months. Numerous phone calls requesting comments have not been returned. The Brothers of St. John, which leads the diocese’s Catholic Campus Ministry, have said it plans on releasing a statement about the issue. Presently, TZT has not received the statement. Vatican letters In early April, Kincl, a canon lawyer and former judicial vicar for the Diocese of LareBishop continues on A11
FATAL ROLLOVER ON US 83
CHARTER BUS DRIVER NAMED
Danny Zaragoza / The Zapata Times
An OGA Charters bus is hauled away after the bus rolled over on Saturday morning approximately 5 miles south of the Dimmit-Webb County line on North U.S. 83. The incident resulted in 8 fatalities.
Incident killed eight, injured 44 people By Philip Balli, Judith Rayo and César G. Rodriguez THE ZAPATA TIME S
DPS identified Monday the driver of the bus that rolled over Saturday in Webb County, leaving eight dead and 44 injured, making it one of the deadliest crashes in Texas in recent years. Porfirio Aguirre Vasquez, 29, was identified as the driver of the OGA Charters bus. He is from Pharr, Texas. Trooper Conrad Hein, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman, said DPS has interviewed Vasquez, who has since been released from a hospital. Hein said he
could not release information on the interview due to the ongoing investigation. On Monday, Hein Doctors Hospital said four of the 23 victims it received remained hospitalized and were in stable condition. Laredo Medical Center has two remaining patients. Seven bus passengers were at University Hospital in San Antonio as of Monday afternoon. Elizabeth Allen, spokeswoman for the hospital, said four were in fair condition, two in good condi-
tion and one in critical condition. Eight passengers were also taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. A spokesperson there could not be reached for comment Monday. Lawsuits Two women who were seriously injured during the bus crash filed a lawsuit Monday afternoon against OGA Charters in a Hidalgo County District Court. McAllen attorney Jeffrey Stern filed the lawsuit on behalf of Guadalupe Carrillo and Elizabeth Carrillo. In it, the women blame OGA Charters of failing to
adequately maintain or repair the bus, failing to fix known brake and emergency exit problems on the bus, failing to adequately train the driver of the bus and failing to use a high degree of care which as a common carrier, is its duty to its passenger. The plaintiffs are asking for more than $1 million in damages. They are also asking for a temporary restraining order preventing the company from destroying or altering any evidence from the crash, such as, the onboard black box recorder, all paper records, emails and documents containing emRollover continues on A11
Zin brief A2 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
1 LEGO Robotics. 6:15–7:15 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Make a LEGO robot and program its movement. Duplo LEGO play available for toddlers. 1 Laredo Animal Care Facility Rabies “VACUNA” Clinic. 7–8 p.m. McKendrick-Ochoa-Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Space is limited to first 100 animals. A Rabies shot is $12, a microchip costs $10 and registration is $5. For more information, contact the City of Laredo Animal Care Facility at 717-5762. 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
Today is Wednesday, May 18, the 139th day of 2016. There are 227 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History: On May 18, 1926, evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished while visiting a beach in Venice, California. (McPherson reappeared more than a month later, saying she’d escaped after being kidnapped and held for ransom, an account that was received with skepticism.)
Tom McCarthy Jr. / Courtesy photo
THURSDAY, MAY 19 1 Cancer Friends Meet. 6 p.m. Laredo Medical Center, A.R. Sanchez Cancer Center, Tower A, 1st Floor. Having cancer is often one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. However, support groups help many people cope with the emotional aspects of cancer by providing a safe place to share their feelings and challenges and learn from others who are facing similar situations. For more information, call the A.R. Sanchez Cancer Center at 956-796-4725.
SATURDAY, MAY 21
Members of the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services listen as Dr. John Hellerstedt discusses the current and future effects of the Zika virus in Texas.
SPREAD OF ZIKA ‘LIKELY’ IN TEXAS By Will Weissert ASSOCIATED PRE SS
1 El Centro de Laredo Farmers Market. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Jarvis Plaza. Free and open to the public. There will be fresh, local, seasonal produce available for purchase, a free cooking demo featuring LCC student Marco Gutierrez, more than 25 participating vendors and live music by DJ The Pop Rocks.
MONDAY, MAY 23 1 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, MAY 24 1 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 PerezGomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. 1 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 PerezGomez at analiza@laredolibrary.org or 795-2400 x2403. 1 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.
AUSTIN — Texas has identified 33 cases of the Zika virus that all have been associated with overseas travel, but the virus is expected to begin spreading locally within the state during the sweaty upcoming summer months, top health officials said Tuesday. Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt told a Texas Senate health panel that potential hot zones include Dallas, Houston, the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Poor areas are likely to be hardest hit
Recent quakes linked to oil activity DALLAS — A new study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin concludes that human activity, particularly oil and gas production, has been a factor in earthquakes throughout the state for nearly 100 years. The study’s conclusions are in a paper to be published Wednesday in the journal Seis-
since they tend to be rife with standing water and bits of old tires that are breeding havens for mosquitoes, which carry the virus. “We do believe that Texas will, at some point, likely experience mosquito vector transmission,” Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt told a state Senate health committee meeting. “We don’t know when and we don’t really know at what level that will occur.” There have been 500-plus cases of Zika in the continental U.S., but so far all involved travel to foreign locales.
mological Research Letters. The Dallas Morning News reported the study concludes that man-made earthquakes in Texas began in 1925 and that activity associated with oil and gas production “almost certainly” or “probably” triggered 59 percent of the earthquakes detected across the state in 1975-2015, including recent seismic activity in North Texas. Another 28 percent of the quakes were “possibly” triggered by oil and gas explora-
tion and production, and just 13 percent were caused naturally. “The public thinks these started in 2008, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Cliff Frohlich, senior research scientist at UT and the study’s lead author, told The News. The study offers important new information that could affect future seismic threat assessments for Texas, said geophysicist Robert Williams. — Compiled from AP reports
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 1 20th Annual Photography Exhibition. 6-9 p.m. Laredo Center for the Arts, in the Laredo Area Community Foundation Gallery, 500 San Agustin Ave. Journalism and online media students will be displaying their work. 1 LEGO Robotics. 6:15–7:15 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco St. Make a LEGO robot and program its movement. Duplo LEGO play available for toddlers. 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, MAY 26 1 Spanish Book Club. 6–8 p.m. Laredo Public Library – Calton. For more information, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810. 1 Groovin’ – A Ballroom GalaDance featuring SoundTown. 7:30–10:30 p.m. LISD Civic Center Ballroom, 2400 San Bernardo Ave. $15. Come and enjoy VMT’s premiere Jazz Ensemble SoundTown and their vibrant, energetic, and jazzy sounds. Tickets are available at the VMT office located at 2102 East Lyon St., 956273-7800. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Proceeds will benefit the student activity fund.
SATURDAY, MAY 28 1 Mexico Lindo. 7 p.m. Laredo Little Theatre, 4802 Thomas Ave. $10. Presented by the Gabriela MendozaGarcia Ballet Folklorico. This concert features regional folkloric dances of Mexico. Children and adults will perform dances from the Mexican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Sinaloa and Veracruz. In addition, the adult company will premier “Chicano Power! Dances of Political Expression” which is the most recent scholarly and choreographic work of the director. Here, the dancers will portray the music and dances of those involved with the Chicano movement.
SUNDAY, MAY 29 1 Mexico Lindo. 3 p.m. Laredo Little Theatre, 4802 Thomas Ave. $10. Presented by the Gabriela MendozaGarcia Ballet Folklorico. This concert features regional folkloric dances of Mexico.
AROUND THE NATION
Wade Payne / Invision/AP file
This Sept. 12, 2012 file photo shows Guy Clark at the 11th annual Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, Tenn.
the scenes and characters for many of his songs, including “Desperados,” based on an oil well digger who once stayed at his grandmother’s shotgun hotel. His interest in music was inspired by his father’s law partner, and most of the first songs he learned to sing and play were in Spanish. He moved to Houston in the
1960s, where he met Van Zandt and several other folk songwriters and played in coffee shops and bars. He married his first wife, Susan Spaw, and they had a son, Travis, in 1966. After his split with Susan, he met painter Susanna Talley and they moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD Morocco slams US human rights report as a list of lies RABAT, Morocco — Morocco slammed the U.S. State Department’s report on human rights in the North African kingdom as a list of inventions and even lies. The official MAP news agency on Tuesday quoted the Interior Ministry as saying the report’s content is “truly scandalous.”
Morocco is an important U.S. ally in a volatile region, particularly valuable for its help in the fight against terrorism, making its irate, public reaction to last month’s report highly unusual. The report’s contents “went from approximation of information to pure and simple invention, from erroneous appreciation to lies,” MAP quoted the ministry as saying. It denounced the sources used to compile the report as “unreliable” and “politically hostile.”
Ten years ago: Visiting one of the busiest crossing sectors between the U.S. and Mexico, President George W. Bush said in Yuma, Arizona, that it made sense to put up fencing along parts of the border but not to block off the entire 2,000-mile length to keep immigrants from entering the U.S. illegally. Prisoners with makeshift weapons battled guards trying to save a detainee pretending to commit suicide at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in what military officials said was a coordinated attack that left six prisoners injured. Five years ago: Dominique StraussKahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, resigned, saying he wanted to devote all his energy to battling the sexual assault charges he faced in New York. (The charges were later dropped.) The United States slapped sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and six others for human rights abuses over their brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, for the first time personally penalizing the Syrian leader for the actions of his security forces. One year ago: President Barack Obama ended long-running federal transfers of some combat-style gear to local law enforcement in an attempt to ease tensions between police and minority communities, saying equipment made for the battlefield should not be a tool of American criminal justice. An 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said a threemember panel of the same court should not have forced YouTube to take down an anti-Muslim film that sparked violence in the Middle East and death threats to actors.
Guy Clark, Grammy-winning musician, dead at 74 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark, who helped mentor a generation of songwriters and wrote hits like “L.A. Freeway” and “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” has died. He was 74. Clark died Tuesday at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, according to his manager, Keith Case. He’d been in poor health, although Case didn’t give an official cause of death. A native of Monahans, Texas, Clark belonged to a group of highly influential Texas songwriters that included Townes Van Zandt and Mickey Newbury. Together with his painter-songwriter wife, Susanna, Clark’s home in Nashville became a gathering place for artists like Rodney Crowell and Steve Earle. Born in 1941, Clark’s upbringing in west Texas inspired
On this date: In 1642, the Canadian city of Montreal was founded by French colonists. In 1765, about one-fourth of Montreal was destroyed by a fire. In 1896, the Supreme Court, in Plessy v. Ferguson, endorsed “separate but equal” racial segregation, a concept renounced 58 years later in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In 1910, Halley’s Comet passed by earth, brushing it with its tail. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure creating the Tennessee Valley Authority. In 1934, Congress approved, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed, the so-called “Lindbergh Act,” providing for the death penalty in cases of interstate kidnapping. In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces finally occupied Monte Cassino in Italy after a four-month struggle with Axis troops. In 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier as she piloted a Canadair F-86 Sabre jet over Rogers Dry Lake, California. In 1969, astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Thomas P. Stafford and John W. Young blasted off aboard Apollo 10 on a mission to orbit the moon. In 1973, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was appointed Watergate special prosecutor by U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson. In 1980, the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing. In 1991, Helen Sharman became the first Briton to rocket into space as she flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts on an eight-day mission to the Mir space station.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Bill Macy is 94. Actress Priscilla Pointer is 92. Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Jack Whitaker is 92. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Brooks Robinson is 79. Actress Candice Azzara is 75. Baseball Hall-ofFamer Reggie Jackson is 70. Country singer George Strait is 64. Rhythmand-blues singer Butch Tavares (Tavares) is 63. Actor Chow Yun-Fat is 61. Rock singer-musician Page Hamilton is 56. Contemporary Christian musician Barry Graul (MercyMe) is 55. Contemporary Christian singer Michael Tait is 50. Comedian-writer Tina Fey is 46.Rock singer Jack Johnson is 41. Country singer David Nail is 37. Christian-rock musician Kevin Huguley (Rush of Fools) is 34. Christian singer Francesca Battistelli is 31. Thought for Today: “Never do anything you wouldn’t want to explain to the paramedics.” — Author unknown.
CONTACT US The State Department issues a country-by-country report each year on human rights around the world. The latest report, issued April 13, listed corruption and widespread disregard by security forces for the rule of law as two significant ongoing problems in Morocco. Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad has met with U.S. Ambassador Dwight Bush about the report, the ministry said. Apparently to no avail. — Compiled from AP reports
Publisher, William B. Green .....................................728-2501 General Manager, Adriana Devally ..........................728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................................728-2531 Circulation Director ..................................................728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo..................................728-2505 Managing Editor, Nick Georgiou ..............................728-2582 Sports Editor, Zach Davis ........................................728-2578 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavin-Castillo.......................728-2569
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Wednesdays and Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata and Jim Hogg counties. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times in those areas at newstands, The Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas, 78044. Call (956) 728-2500.
The Zapata Times
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 |
A3
LOCAL & STATE
Scam phone calls on the rise By César G. Rodriguez TH E ZAPATA T IME S
Scam phone calls from Mexico are on the rise, the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office warned this week. The Sheriff’s Office said they recently received several reports from citizens saying they received calls from Mexican numbers starting with +52. Authorities encourage the community to report the scams immediately or simply not to answer the call. “If you do happen to answer one of these phone calls, do not give out any kind of personal information,” reads a statement from the Sheriff’s Office. Scammers call residents in the United States claiming to be a distant relative in Mexico, but they never give out a name. “By using vague language, the caller gets the victim to drop the name of a family member, who the scammer then claims to be,” the Sheriff’s Office stated. People from the community can report scam calls at 956-765-9960. In April, county authorities issued a scam alert regarding threatening calls from alleged IRS representatives. Scammers aggressively targeted elderly community members, according to reports. Self-proclaimed IRS representatives made calls threatening people with arrest for failing to pay back taxes. Scammers would leave voicemails saying a lawsuit would be filed if the victims did not return the phone call, reports state. “While these dangerous and cunning con artists can sound convincing and credible, they are far, far from it. If you receive such a call, don’t allow yourself to get scammed,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Grammy-winning Tejano star Emilio Navaira dies in Texas By Diana Heidgerd ASSOCIATED PRE SS
DALLAS — Grammy-winning musician Emilio Navaira, known for his mix of traditional Mexican music and accordion-based polka known as Tejano, has died at his home in Texas. He was 53. Navaira, whose fans knew him as simply Emilio, was found unresponsive by his family Monday night at his home in New Braunfels, a city just northeast of his native San Antonio. Authorities believe he died of natural causes, according to New Braunfels police spokesman David Ferguson. Navaira released nearly a dozen albums in Spanish and English during his career. Although he was best known
for his Tejano music — he won a Grammy for best Tejano album in 2002, for his record “Acuerdate” — his work also included country music. He had “one of the great voices in the history of Tejano music,” said Juan Tejeda, Navaira’s longtime friend and a Mexican-American studies and music instructor at Palo Alto College in San Antonio. “He was a very humble guy from the south side of San Antonio,” Tejeda said, noting that Navaira had been wellknown in the area since he was a teenager as being an outstanding performer. “He always had a great voice.” Navaira was critically injured in a tour bus accident near Houston in March 2008. He suffered head trauma and
Wilfredo Lee / AP file
In this Sept. 3, 2003 file photo, Emilio Navaira arrives at the Latin Grammy Awards in Miami. The Grammy-winning Tejano star has died in New Braunfels, Texas. He was 53.
other injuries after being thrown through the windshield. The injuries required several surgeries, and he wore a helmet for months to protect his skull. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. The kept Navaira from performing for several years, but he recently was appearing more often, according to his longtime friend, Tejeda said.
“Little by little he was coming back, making a comeback.” In a 1995 interview with The Monitor newspaper, Navaira said music was his life and that he wasn’t going to let anyone get him down. “Soy Chicano. I’m from San Antonio and always will be,” he said. “We must be proud of where we came from and who we are to make it anywhere.”
Indicted AG has not been asked to resign By Jim Vertuno ASSOCIATED PRE SS
AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who faces felony charges of defrauding investors unrelated to his office, has the support of Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders and hasn’t been asked to resign, a Paxton spokesman said Tuesday. The state’s top prosecutor, a Republican, has faced months of speculation that the state’s dominant party would pressure him to step aside as his legal troubles mounted. Abbott, Paxton’s predecessor as attorney general, served 12 years in the office before he was elected governor in 2014.
But just a few days after Republicans rallied in Fort Worth at their state convention, Paxton Paxton spokesman Marc Rylander said the attorney general has not been asked to resign and enjoys strong support from state leaders. Republicans have won every statewide election since 1998. “There has been no such request. We are encouraged by the support that we have received from the governor, the lieutenant governor and many across state offices, state leaders and our state Legislature,”
Rylander said. “We continue every day to do the job that Texans elected us to do.” Rylander declined to detail the support. Abbott spokesman John Wittman said the governor’s office will continue to work “productively” with Paxton, and noted former Gov. Rick Perry successfully fought to have felony abuse of power charges against him dropped earlier this year. “The governor has repeatedly said that a person is innocent until proven guilty, and the legal process must run its course as we saw in Gov. Perry’s case,” Wittman said. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s office declined to comment.
The charges against Paxton relate to a tech startup company before he became attorney general. He also is being sued by federal financial regulators. Paxton released a video last week saying is “not going anywhere” and would fight the charges. In the video, Paxton said he believes the legal cases against him are politically motivated. At a news conference Tuesday about the attorney general’s Sex Offender Apprehension Unit, Paxton initially declined to take questions about other topics but said he’d be available to reporters after the event. Paxton instead had Rylander field questions and left the room.
Zopinion
Letters to the editor Send your signed letter to editorial@lmtonline.com
A4 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Not all of Tabasco’s products are hot stuff — some are sweet My cowboy daddy, the late Lawrence Ray (L. Ray) Webb, saw to it that spicy seasoning was a staple around the household when he and Mom were raising four sons. Dad spent a lot of his early childhood in Brady and spicy food — a definite Mexican influence via a significant Hispanic population — was plentiful. So, naturally he craved as much of the taste as possible. Mom, being the typical housewife and mother of the times, sought to satisfy that taste as much as possible. While, her central Texas farm-raising gave her recipes and talents for creating in the kitchen, she was also good at oldfashioned canning. One area of canning involved relishes that were used to season everything, particularly the typically somewhat bland pinto bean and black-eyed peas dishes. “Chow-chow,” one traditional relish used by farming families was an onion-based but sweet in flavor in that sweeter onions were used and augmented by sweet pickles and peppers. The latter were usually of a mild variety and might also be slightly sweet, which made for a pleasant mixture. She also made “pepper sauce,” by canning hot green peppers that produced and were held in a liquid that was definitely spicy and used on any array of vegetables from turnip greens to spinach to pinto beans to field peas. However, Dad’s desires for something “hotter” and spicier made Mother hunt for a fiery concoction simply called pepper relish. It contained hotter peppers and onions and accompanying liquid mixtures that had a definite zing to them. The chopped relish was quite good with beans and peas, and the liquid pepper sauce livened the leafy veggies. But, there was another
seasoning Dad expected to be on the table at all times “just in case nothing else spiced up the turnip greens, beans or peas: Tabasco sauce. That red peppery liquid was applied to meats as well as to pinto beans especially and occasionally to the blackeyed shelled peas. I didn’t know there was another Tabasco sauce other than the red one until a couple of summers ago when we celebrated Life Mate’s birthday with a requested trip to Acadiana — New Iberia and surrounding territory where we found the original Tabasco facility on Avery Island. Naturally, the sauce manufacturing facility had a ready supply of peppers, being grown both by the company and other farmers, in close proximity. The company store had all manner of Tabasco products, since the trademark sauce has created a cult in and of itself. In addition to a wide variety of sauces and seasonings, there are of course tshirts, caps, aprons, hot pads, dishes and coffee cups with the Tabasco label. Obviously, I had to have a cap that hangs on the rack in my Man Cave and is worn alternately with other head coverings. We managed to select a small number of Tabasco flavors — Now Original, Chipotle, Buffalo Style and Sweet & Spicy Tabasco sauces grace our table. But, my personal favorite, and one with which I douse meats and vegetables is Raspberry Chipotle. It has just the right combination of sweet and hot, although Dad might have preferred the Habanero, Green Pepper or Garlic. After all variety is the spice of life. Willis Webb is a retired newspaper editor-publisher.
COLUMN
One community at a time By David Brooks NEW YORK TIME S
LOST HILLS, Calif. — What is the central challenge facing our era? My answer would be: social isolation. Gaps have opened up among partisan tribes, economic classes and races. There has been a loss of social capital, especially for communities down the income scale. Take, for example, the town of Lost Hills. Lost Hills is a farming town in the Central Valley, 42 miles northwest of Bakersfield. It is not a rich town, but neither is it a desolate one. There are jobs here, thanks to the almond and pistachio processing plants nearby. When you go to the pre-K center and look at the family photos on the wall, you see that most of the families are intact — a mom, a dad and a couple kids standing proudly in front of a small ranch house. Many of these families have been here for decades. But until recently you didn’t find the community organizations that you’d expect to find in such a place. There’s still no permanent church. Up until now there has been no library and no polling station. The closest police station is 45 miles away. Until recently there were no sidewalks nor many streetlights, so it was too dangerous to go trick-or-
treating. Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that Americans are great at forming spontaneous voluntary groups. But in towns like Lost Hills, and in neighborhoods across the country, that doesn’t seem to be as true any more. Maybe with the rise of TV and the Internet people are happier staying in the private world of home. Maybe it’s the loss of community leaders. Every town used to have its small-business owners and bankers. But now those businesses and banks are owned by investment funds far away. Either way, social isolation produces rising suicide rates, rising drug addiction, widening inequality, political polarization, depression and alienation. Fortunately, we’re beginning to see the rise of intentional community instigators. If social capital isn’t going to form spontaneously, people and groups will try to jumpstart it into existence. Lost Hills is the home of a promising experiment. The experiment is being led by Lynda Resnick, who, with her husband, Stewart, owns Wonderful Co., which includes FIJI Water, POM juice and most of the pistachios and almonds you eat. You should know that I’m friends with Lynda and Stewart and am biased in their direction.
But what they are doing is still worth learning from. First, they are flooding the zone. They’re not trying to find one way to serve this population. The problems are so intertwined, they are trying to change this community from all directions at once. In Lost Hills there are new health centers, new pre-K facilities, new housing projects, new gardens, new sidewalks and lights, a new community center and a new soccer field. Through the day, people have more places to meet, play and cooperate with their neighbors. Second, they’ve created a practical culture of selfimprovement. You can talk about social reform in ways that seem preachy. But the emphasis here is on better health and less diabetes, a nonmoralistic way to change behavior. At the nut plant I met men and women who’d lost more than 100 pounds. One of the workers gets up at 2:45 every morning, so he can hit the gym by 4 and be at work by 6. This guy wants to be around to watch his kids grow, and his self-disciplined health regime has led to a whole life transformation. He’s now taking business and law courses online. The new institutions here are intensely social. When you go to the health center, you don’t sit silently in the waiting
room before going into a small room for your 15minute visit. Many of the patients have group visits (sort of like Al Anon groups) to meet communally with doctors and encourage one another’s healthier behavior. The medical staffs perform as teams, too. Staff members sit together in a central workroom collaborating all day. Finally, there are more cross-class connections. Dr. Maureen Mavrinac moved here from the UCLA Family Medicine Department. Dr. Rishi Manchanda was the lead physician for homeless primary care at the Los Angeles VA. These are among the dozens who have come to Lost Hills not to save the place from outside, but to befriend it. Their way of being ripples. I met several local women who said they were shy and quiet, but now they are joining community boards and running meetings. What’s the right level to pursue social repair? The nation may be too large. The individual is too small. The community is the right level, picking a piece of land and giving people a context in which they can do neighborly things — like the dads here who came to the pre-K center and spent six hours building a shed, and with it, invisibly, a wider circle of care for their children.
COLUMN
Dear graduates, (Congratulations! / The laundry’s all yours!) By Frank Cerabino PA LM B EACH P O ST
Dear graduates of the Class of 2016: Congratulations. Graduating high school is an important milestone in your lives and the lives of your (tearful / gleeful) parents who are sitting out there behind you today. For now, with a diploma in hand, you are ready to (launch /
flounder) into a new world, where nobody (tells you what to do / makes your bed). Many of you will experience for the first time the freedom to (follow your dreams / do your own laundry) and to learn the hard lessons of mixing (work and pleasure / colored and white clothing in the same wash.) Many of you will be going off to college, where you will be surrounded by a dizzying array
LETTERS POLICY Laredo Morning Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer's first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the
use of pseudonyms. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
of (academic majors / unsanitary living conditions) that will make it easy to (dream big / stop flossing) and get (excited / staph). And it will be quite a journey. You will be exploring the world of (higher learning / money management), figuring out the (DNA / NSF) messaging of your (academic passions / debit card account), as you decide what (courses to take / beer to buy) to
maximize your (academic / financial) options. You will have amazing experiences learning things about yourself, things your parents would love you to (share with them / keep off social media) so (they can feel so proud / potential future employers never find out). There was a day when your parents sat right where you are today, and like you, they too
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
were (eager / clueless) young adults ready to take on (the world / debt). But it was (simpler / not six figures) back then. And they persevered. Got educated, got jobs, and raised a family — a family that now includes you. So now it’s your turn to (spread your wings / let them turn your bedroom into an office). Don’t let them down. They have such big plans for (you / the room).
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 |
A5
NATIONAL
Report finds segregation in education on the rise By Jennifer C. Kerr A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Six decades after the Supreme Court outlawed separating students by race, stubborn disparities persist in how the country educates its poor and minority children. A report Tuesday by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found deepening segregation of black and Hispanic students at highpoverty K-12 public schools. These schools often offered fewer math, science and college prep classes, while having disproportionally higher
rates of students who were held back in ninth grade, suspended or expelled. “Segregation in public K-12 schools isn’t getting better. It’s getting worse, and getting worse quickly,” Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia said. The analysis, he said, confirmed that America’s schools are largely segregated by race and class, leaving “more than 20 million students of color now attending racially and socioeconomically isolated public schools.” “This report is a national call to action,” said Scott, the House education committee’s top Dem-
South Carolina passes bill banning abortion after 19 weeks By Seanna Adcox A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Legislature passed a bill Tuesday prohibiting abortion after 19 weeks, becoming the 17th state to pass the restrictive ban. The legislation will now head to Gov. Nikki Haley’s desk. The Republican said in March she will almost certainly sign it, but wants to look at the details once it reaches her desk. Similar laws are in effect in 12 states. They’ve been blocked by court challenges in three others, and the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on the ban’s constitutionality. A South Dakota law signed in March takes effect this summer. In Utah, a related law, also signed in March, requires doctors to provide anesthesia to a fetus at least 20 weeks in the womb. The South Carolina bill is among several fronts abortion rights supporters say make having the procedure tougher. Abortion opponents have also passed laws in other states requiring clinics to get admitting privileges for doctors and banning a procedure commonly used in the second trimester, known as an evacuation method. The South Carolina House approved the bill 79-29. The Senate approved a compromise in March. The ban allows exceptions only if the mother’s life is in jeopardy or a doctor determines the fetus can’t survive outside the womb. The measure’s
limited definition of “fetal anomaly” means it would be illegal to abort a fetus with a severe disability if the child could live. Such anomalies are generally detected around 20 weeks. That “fetal anomaly” exception was crucial for the bill clearing the Senate, where Democrats had blocked the legislation for years. Sen. Brad Hutto, a leading opponent, still believes it should be the woman’s choice. But he called the compromise he’s worked on since last
ocrat and among the lawmakers who requested the study. Its release coincided with the 62nd anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which declared segregated schools unconstitutional. “While much has changed in public education in the decades following this landmark decision and subsequent legislative action, research has shown that some of the most vexing issues affecting children and their access to educational excellence and opportunity today are inextricably linked to race and poverty,” the report said. GAO studied three
year “the best we can get.” As it initially passed the House, the bill gave an exception only for the mother’s life. Only four of the 16 states to pass the restrictions since 2010 allow a legal abortion if a doctor determines the child will be stillborn or die upon birth. South Carolina legislators borrowed the wording for that exception from Georgia, where state court blocked enforcement of Georgia’s 20-week ban in 2012. The South Carolina bill, like most of the similar laws, contains no exceptions for rape or incest. Supporters believe a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks. Opponents argue such later-term abortions involve wanted pregnancies that go horribly wrong, and politicians should play no role in the difficult decision.
school districts in the South, Northeast and West. Each took steps to increase racial and economic diversity in the schools but were hampered by transportation issues and getting support from the parents and the community. In a separate paper, the Civil Rights Project at UCLA said New York and Illinois have been “at or very near the top of the list” of states where African-American and Latino students have been most severely segregated. It found that “residential resegregation” in some parts of Maryland spilled over into the schools and
Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
Pre-K teacher Epernay Kyles, center, holds Jenny Rivas, left, and Linden Videnieks at Garrison Elementary in Washington, Tuesday.
that in California, the percentage of Hispanics was increasing as the overall school population declined. “We need to create schools that build a society where the talent of all is developed and students of all races-ethnicities are prepared to understand and live successfully in a society that moves beyond separation toward mutual respect and integration,” the group said.
The GAO report found that in the 2013-2014 school year, 16 percent of the nation’s public schools had high concentrations of poor and black or Hispanic students, up from 9 percent at the start of the millennium. The student body at these schools were at least 75 percent black or Hispanic and poor — and in some cases 100 percent. The findings were based on an analysis of Education Department data.
Sports&Outdoors A6 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: TEXAS RANGERS
Odor suspended
Tim Fischer / Midland Reporter-Telegram
Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish recorded six strikeouts in five innings Saturday for the Frisco Rough Riders making his fourth rehab start as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Yu Darvish nearing a return to Rangers Richard W. Rodriguez / Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Texas second baseman Rougned Odor was dealt an eight-game suspension from the MLB on Tuesday for his involvement in Sunday’s brawl with the Blue Jays.
Texas ace strikes out six in fourth rehab start ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Rangers second baseman gets eight-game ban from MLB By Jeff Wilson TH E ATL ANTA J OUR NA L -CONST I TUT I ON
OAKLAND, Calif. Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor was suspended eight games Tuesday by Major League Baseball for punching Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista on Sunday, according to reports. Those reports also said that Odor will appeal the ban, meaning he will be available to play until his appeal is heard. Other outlets have reported that Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was suspended three games for coming
back onto the field after the Odor punch after being ejected early in the game. More suspensions are possible. A benches-clearing brawl started in a contentious eighth-inning. Odor’s punch came two batters after Matt Bush hit Bautista in the padding on his left elbow and the ball deflected down and hit Bautista in the hip. It was the first pitch of the inning. An angry Bautista went to first base and later made a late slide into second base as Odor tried to turn a double play. Bautista hopped up with his chest
out. Odor shoved him and then beat Bautista to the punch with a right to the jaw as it looked as if Bautista was getting ready to punch him. Third baseman Adrian Beltre grabbed Bautista and restrained him well back from the growing melee, in which it is believed that Odor also punched reigning MVP Josh Donaldson. Donaldson, Bautista, Gibbons and right-hander Jesse Chavez, who hit Prince Fielder to start the bottom of the eighth, were ejected, as was Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele.
MIDLAND, Texas — Yu Darvish struck out six while throwing 47 of 68 pitches for strikes in his fourth minor league injury rehabilitation start, and he could be back in the Texas Rangers rotation by the end of the month. Darvish pitched his scheduled five innings for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday, which was 14 months after Tommy John surgery. He limited Midland, an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, to three singles, a walk and an unearned run. “I feel pretty confident right now, so just keep going,” Darvish said through an interpreter. The right-hander from Japan is expected to make at least one
more rehab start for Frisco or Triple-A Round Rock. He could then possibly rejoin the Rangers and make his season debut during a three-game interleague series at home against Pittsburgh the last weekend of May. When asked about his timetable for getting back to the Rangers, Darvish said it was hard for him to comment because that was up to the team. “I’m just going with the schedule they gave me right now,” Darvish said. “That’s all I can say.” Midland’s only run against Darvish came in the first inning, on a play when the pitcher had to cover the plate after a passed ball. Darvish has a 1.29
ERA with 15 strikeouts and five walks while allowing six hits in 14 innings over four rehab starts split between Round Rock and Frisco. He has increased his pitch count each outing, from 32 on May 1 in his first start to 50, 54 and now 68. He threw two innings the first time, and has added an additional inning each start since. Against Midland, when he threw several slow curveballs, Darvish said he was trying to pitch realistic game situations as opposed to working on anything specific. “Working on game situations, facing hitters,” he said. “I’m still in rehab outings, still focusing on one outing each time I go out there.”
Bradford says he has no regrets Eagles QB discusses tumultuous offseason By Rob Maaddi A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
PHILADELPHIA — Sam Bradford plans to mentor Carson Wentz and lead the Philadelphia Eagles for as long as they keep him around. Speaking to reporters for the first time since asking for a trade last month, Bradford didn’t hide the disappointment that led him to skip voluntary workouts for a couple of weeks after the Eagles traded up twice to get in position to select Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft. He also made it clear he’s not going to pout anymore. “I’m not completely naive. At some point it’s not going to be my team,” Bradford said Tuesday. “Until that day comes, I’m going to continue to lead these guys.” Bradford signed a two-year deal worth $36 million with $22 million guaranteed before the Eagles gave Chase Daniel a three-year, $21 million contract to be the backup quarterback and traded a
slew of draft picks to get Wentz. “My goal was to play well for the next two years and create that stability that I’ve talked about my whole career,” Bradford said. “Philadelphia is the place I wanted to play. ... and stay here for the rest of my career.” The Eagles had conversations with Denver about Bradford, but the Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round and had already acquired Mark Sanchez from Philadelphia. So, Bradford returned to the Eagles because it was his best — and only — option. “After time and thought, I realized this is the best place for me,” Bradford said, adding that he missed being around his teammates. “Guys are behind me 100 percent and that’s all you can ask for as a quarterback.” Bradford was 7-7 in his first season as Philadelphia’s starter after Chip Kelly acquired him from the Rams for Nick Foles and a second-round pick. He played well the
second half of the season once he grew more comfortable with the offense and more confident in the knee that forced him to miss 11/2 seasons following two operations. Kelly was fired and replaced by Doug Pederson so Bradford is playing for his fifth offensive coordinator in seven seasons. He knows he’ll be onto his eighth after this season or next because the Eagles went all-in for Wentz. “You have to realize what the situation is,” Bradford said. “There’s no promises in this business.” Wentz said there’s been “no tension” with Bradford in the quarterback room. The former North Dakota State star will learn behind Bradford and Daniel for a while. “I’m not going to hide anything and if I can do something to help him become a better player, I’m going to do it,” Bradford said. “It’s only right I fill that role right now. If I wasn’t willing to do that it’s not having respect for the game.”
Matt Rourke / AP
Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford throws during practice Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 |
A7
TRAGEDIA
EL CHAPO
Volcadura mortal
Otro juez da su visto bueno Por E. EDUARDO CASTILLO ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Foto por Danny Zaragoza | Associated Press
Un autobus de la empresa OGA Charters es arrastrado del lugar donde se volcara, el sábado, al sur de la línea que divide los Condados de Dimmit y Webb, sobre U.S. 83 Norte.
Mueren ocho personas en accidente sobre US 83 Norte Por Philip Balli, Judith Rayo y César G. Rodriguez TIEM P O DE LARE DO
El lunes, el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas identificó al conductor del autobús que se volcara el sábado en el Condado de Webb, dejando a ocho personas muertas y 44 lesionadas, haciendo a éste uno de los accidentes mortales más graves en Texas en años recientes. Porfirio Aguirre Vázquez, de 29 años, fue identificado como el conductor del autobús de OGA Charters. Él es de Pharr, Texas. El Oficial Conrad Hein, vocero para DPS, dijo que Vázquez, quien desde entonces ha sido dado de alta de un hospital, ha sido interrogado por agentes policíacos. DPS confirmó que la compañía de camiones se encuentra cooperando con el caso. El lunes, Doctors Hospital dijo que cuatro de las 23 víctimas que recibiera continuaban hospitalizadas y estaban en condición estable. Laredo Medical Center tiene dos pacientes.
Foto por John Davenport | San Antonio Express-News
Oficiales de Seguridad Pública de Texas desvían el tráfico el martes en la Carretera 83 Norte de Laredo donde investigadores federales y estatales investigan la escena donde ocurrió la mortal volcadura de un camión turístico de pasajeros, el sábado.
En una declaración a Laredo Morning Times, Doctors Hospital dijo que de los 23 pacientes, siete fueron admitidos, 10 fueron atendidos y dados de alta y cinco fueron trasladados a un hospital en San Antonio. El Hospital Universitario en San Antonio confirmóo que tenia a siete víctimas del autobús accidentado hasta el lunes por la tarde. Elizabeth Allen, vocera para el hospital, dijo que cuatro pacientes se encontrada en condición estable, dos en buenas condiciones y uno en condición grave. Dos mujeres que resultaran lesionadas gravemente durante la volcad-
EXTRADICIÓN
ura presentaron una demana el lunes por la tarde en contra de OGA en una corte de Distrito del Condado de Hidalgo. Guadalupe Carrillo y Elizabeth Carrillo quedaron gravemente lesionadas en el incidente. La demanda fue presentada por el abogado de McAllen Jeffrey Stern en representación de las dos mujeres. En ella, las mujeres culpan a OGA de fallar en dar mantenimiento adecuado o reparar el autobús, el no arreglar frenos y problemas de salidas de emergencia en el autobús, no entrenar adecuadamente al conductor del autobús y no realizar un alto grado de
cuidado, el cual, como un transportista común, es un deber para sus pasajeros. Las dos mujeres están solicitando más de un millón de dólares en daños. También han solicitado una orden de restricción previniendo a la compañía de destruir o alterar cualquier evidencia de la volcadura, tales como, cajas negras, la papelería de registros, correos electrónicos y documentos conteniendo archivos del personal por temor a que puedan ser alterados o destruidos, de acuerdo a la demanda. Durante una conferencia de prensa realizada el lunes, Peter Kotowski, un
investigador senior de NTSB, dijo que la agencia federal cerró el área donde ocurrió el accidente el martes para propósitos de reconstrucción. El autobús comercial se volcó en la Carretera US North 83, cerca de ocho millas al norte del puesto de revisión de la Patrulla Fronteriza. Dijo que el tráfico será desviado durante el tiempo que tome realizar las pruebas de fricción de superficie tanto en condiciones de lluvia o secas en el camino. “Este tipo de información es extremadamente importante para nosotros para la reconstrucción de este accidente”, dijo Kotowski. También dijo que NTSB ha entrevistado a personal de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza al igual que a personal de apoyo y de servicios de emergencia. NTSB ha empezado a programar entrevistas con los pasajeros, agregó. El autobús comercial OGA fue manufacturado en 1997. Fue equipado con cinturones de seguridad para el conductor y para las primeras cuatro filas de asientos solamente.
OBITUARIO
Responderán Muere astro por muerte Emilio Navaira de agente ASSOCIATED PRE SS
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Dos mexicanos han sido extraditados a Estados Unidos para ser enjuiciados por el homicidio de un agente especial del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos en 2011. Jesús Iván Quezada Piña y Alfredo Gastón Mendoza Hernández fueron detenidos sin posibilidad de fianza después de comparecer el lunes por primera vez en una corte federal en Washington. De acuerdo con el acta acusatoria, a los dos se les imputa la muerte a tiros del agente especial Jaime
Zapata, así como cargos por causar heridas a otro, Victor Avila, en Zapata una emboscada en febrero de 2011 en San Luis Potosí, México. Con ellos, ya son siete las personas acusadas por el asesinato. Cuatro hombres más se han declarado culpables en relación al homicidio, al aceptar que fueron parte de un escuadrón de sicarios del grupo criminal Los Zetas. Un quinto hombre fue extraditado el año pasado y está en espera de su juicio.
NEW BRAUNFELS — El astro de la música tejana Emilio Navaira, conocido por sus fans simplemente como Emilio, falleció. Tenía 53 años. Pruebas preliminares indican que Navaira murió de causas naturales el lunes por la noche, dijo David Ferguson, un vocero de la policía en New Braunfels. Navaira grabó casi una docena de discos en español e inglés, en su mayoría mezclando la música tradicional mexicana con la música tejana pero también algo de country. En el 2002 ganó el Grammy al mejor álbum tejano por “Acuérdate”.
Ferguson dijo en un comunicado el martes que parientes hallaron al Navaira cantante inconsciente en su casa en New Braunfels el lunes. Navaira fue declarado muerto en un hospital. “Estaba solo en ese momento. Miembros de su familia llegaron y lo encontraron inconsciente y sin respirar”, dijo Ferguson. Una autopsia estaba prevista y los arreglos funerales pendientes. Navaira sufrió lesiones graves en marzo del 2008, cuando salió disparado por el parabrisas
de su autobús de gira en un accidente en el área de Houston. Sufrió traumas cerebrales y otras lesiones que requirieron varias cirugías, y durante meses tuvo que usar un casco para proteger su cráneo. El nativo de San Antonio luego se declaró culpable de conducir en estado de ebriedad. En una entrevista en 1995 con el diario The Monitor, Navaira dijo que la música era su vida y que no iba a permitir que nadie lo desanimara. “Soy chicano. Soy de San Antonio y siempre lo seré”, expresó. “Tenemos que estar orgullosos de dónde venimos y de quiénes somos para poder triunfar en donde sea”.
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO — Un segundo juez federal mexicano determinó que es procedente extraditar al líder narcotraficante Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán a Estados Unidos, en un fallo que aún debe ser ratificado por la cancillería. La consideración del juez está relacionada con un segundo proceso de extradición solicitado por una ‘El Chapo’ corte federal de Texas y fue anunciada el lunes en un comunicado por el Consejo de la Judicatura. Hace una semana, otro juez ya había resuelto algo similar con un primer proceso de extradición solicitado por una corte en California. Debido a los plazos que tienen tanto el gobierno para resolver sobre el envío como la defensa para impugnar la eventual extradición, pueden pasar meses antes de que Guzmán eventualmente pise territorio estadounidense. Por esta segunda opinión, inicia un plazo de 20 días para que la cancillería determine su concede o no la extradición de Guzmán, y si lo hace la defensa del hombre visto como el líder del cartel de Sinaloa aún tiene 30 días para apelar la decisión. La Judicatura señaló que el segundo proceso está relacionado con cargos por asociación delictuosa para importar y distribuir cocaína y marihuana a Estados Unidos, lavado de dinero y posesión de armas, además de homicidio. Guzmán enfrenta acusaciones de siete fiscalías federales en Estados Unidos, incluidas las de Chicago, Nueva York, Miami y San Diego. El abogado de Guzmán, José Refugio Rodríguez, dijo el lunes a The Associated Press que el fallo del segundo juez fue notificado a la defensa desde el viernes y que ahora esperarán a que la cancillería se pronuncie. Dijo que si el gobierno concede la extradición, la defensa iniciará un juicio de amparo para impedirla, aunque no lo harán de inmediato. “Lo vamos a hacer, pero inmediatamente no, porque es un proceso que hay que combatir con argumentos”, comentó vía telefónica. “Tenemos 30 días”. El abogado de Guzmán busca que el capo sea devuelto al penal del Altiplano, bajo el argumento de que su defensa se ve afectada porque su proceso lo lleva un juez que está cerca de ahí, a cientos de kilómetros de la prisión de Ciudad Juárez. Rodríguez aseguró que un juez les dijo que Guzmán podría ser enviado de nuevo al Altiplano, siempre que la autoridad responsable de las prisiones federales considere que están dadas las condiciones. El abogado dijo en Radio Fórmula que la pareja de Guzmán, Emma Coronel, lo visitó por primera vez en Ciudad Juárez hace unos días.
A8 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES ADVERTISEMENT
NATIONAL
Men Say “WOW!” After Using New Doctor Approved Sex Pill Doctors look beyond Viagra to help men “Stay in the Game!”
Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg
Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign event in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Clinton aims for Kentucky win to challenge Sanders By Ken Thomas A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton sought to avoid primary losses in Kentucky and Oregon on Tuesday, aiming to blunt the momentum of challenger Bernie Sanders ahead of a likely general election matchup against Republican Donald Trump. Clinton enters Tuesday’s primaries with a commanding lead of nearly 300 pledged delegates over Sanders and a dominant advantage among party officials and elected leaders called superdelegates. She remains on track to clinch the nomination against the Vermont senator in early June but is trying to avoid a trail of primary defeats that could expose weaknesses before she takes on Trump. Democrats were holding primaries in Kentucky and Oregon as new questions over party unity emerged in the contest between Clinton and Sanders after a divisive weekend state party con-
vention in Nevada put a spotlight on relations between the two sides. During a party event in Las Vegas, supporters of Sanders tossed chairs and made death threats against the Nevada party chairwoman arguing the party leadership rigged the results of the convention in favor of Clinton. In a sign of the tensions, Sanders issued a defiant statement dismissing complaints from Nevada Democrats as “nonsense” and said his supporters were not being treated with “fairness and respect.” Trump was competing in the sole GOP contest in Oregon, unopposed as he was poised to pad his lock on the Republican nomination. The billionaire businessman picked up nine delegates on Tuesday in Guam, which held its territorial convention in March, and had 1,143 delegates heading into the Oregon contest, fewer than 100 delegates short of the 1,237 he needs to clinch the nomination. In Kentucky, the former secretary of state visited black churches, a small-
town diner and held rallies on Sunday and Monday in an effort to break up Sanders’ momentum after his recent victories in Indiana and West Virginia. Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, was the last Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election — he won Kentucky in 1992 and 1996 — and the former first lady tried to emphasize those ties in the days leading up to the primary. Clinton was joined by prominent Democrats like former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s secretary of state, and she pointed to the state’s economic progress during her husband’s two terms in the White House. “I’m excited about the primary but we’ve got to turn a lot of people out,” Clinton told a packed diner in Paducah, Ky., on Monday. “I’ll tell you this. I’m not going to give up on Kentucky in November. I want to help to bring back the kind of economy that worked for everybody in the 1990s.”
PHILADELPHIA — Many of the symptoms associated with ‘growing old’ are actually signs the body is running on empty. For a man, the precipitous drop in the hormone testosterone can be lifechanging; degrading the quality of erections, reducing sexual desire, and stamina. There’s more.
A Slow Leak Low ‘T-levels’ can also trigger insomnia, premature aging of the skin, increased body fat, muscle loss, depression, and worrisome mind and memory problems . The good news is that restoring testosterone to optimal, youthful levels is a fairly easy process. The bad news is that it’s painful and expensive. One has to endure repeated doctor visits, blood tests, painful injections deep into large muscles, or the daily application of ineffective, expensive adhesive patches or messy topical creams. Now, there’s a better way, say doctors.
With age and the natural upheaval in hormonal balance, some men, by no fault of their own, will begin to convert testosterone to... estrogen.
Man Boobs Gone Wild Ever seen a man with pronounced ‘man boobs?’ This is often caused by this unwanted shift in estrogen-testosterone balance. The Beyond Human Testosterone formula prevents this with the addition of a remarkable phytonutrient called diindolylmethane, or DIM. DIM helps safeguard and protect a man’s testosterone reserves.
Guarding Testosterone In studies. DIM has been shown to promote healthy estrogen detoxification and elimination from the body, thus supporting overall hormone balance. Formulators have included another clinically tested extract, Rhodiola rosea that promotes a calmer yet more alert mind, paired with increased physical strength and stamina. The effects of these performanceboosting extracts are further magnified and intensified by the addition of piper nigrum, an extract that increases uptake and assimilation of other nutrients. The addition of two critical minerals, zinc and magnesium, along with an abundant dose of pyridoxine, or vitamin B6 help improve micro-circulation.
Sexual Powers and Youth Returns In the quest to keep aging men young and vibrant, scientists looked beyond human testosterone to discover an ensemble of natural fire-starters and sexual enhancers that re-kindle a man’s sexual powers by naturally elevating testosterone. This can make any man a better, stronger lover, and also improve his overall well-being, and confidence. The breakthrough is called Beyond Human Testosterone. It’s a drug-free, two-capsule-a-day formula that is growing more popular with healthcare professionals and men looking for a painless, prescription-free fix.
Slow Down Aging Users report better sex, increased mental focus, alertness, and productivity, increased muscle mass, energy expenditure, and smoother, more ‘touchable’ skin. “Beyond Human Testosterone is an impressive formula,” says physician Dr. Steve Klayman. “Its ability to stimulate the body into producing more testosterone makes it perfect for every man who wants to boost his sexual response, improve his physical appearance, brighten his moods, and slow the rate at which his body is aging.” Kevin J. San Angelo, Texas is in full agreement. He has his life back.
Hard as Steel “I’ve had problems sustaining my erections,” confesses Kevin. “I tried Beyond Human Testosterone and my erection was unusually hard and I lasted longer than I have in years.” Reactions like this are not surprising to Dr. Klayman
Defeating ‘Man’-opause “I just have to say how much better I feel since starting on Beyond Human Testosterone,” says Larry D. from Philadelphia. “I admit, I thought ‘male menopause’ was a bunch of baloney, but when I read your Report on ‘Surviving Manopause,’ it was like looking in the mirror. I thought I was just getting old. Now I know better. Your formula has given me a new lease on life!”
Time to Man-Up? If you believe that you are actually running on empty, instead of just growing old, here’s your risk-free opportunity to do something about it. In a very short while, you can be enjoying the energy, strength, confidence, and sexual command that you wielded when you were younger. No doctor, no needles, no drugs.
Best Friend Re-Appears Susan M. who lives in a large city on the west coast writes about her husband’s nightand-day turnaround, “Jim has been on Beyond Human Testosterone for four weeks and the changes are miraculous. He’s like his old self again.” “My husband’s moods have perked up,” says Susan. “He’s a lot more adventurous. Romancewise, it’s like it was when we first met.,” she smiles. “He’s caring, adventurous, and extremely passionate. I’ve got my best friend back!” “Thanks to Beyond Human Testosterone, I’ve gone from having sex once a week, or sometimes less, to three or four times a week,” laughs Jim. “On our last vacation in Mexico, Susan and I were at it almost every day and night. It was like being on our honeymoon again.”
Raises Testosterone The formula pairs dual, testosteroneboosting plant extracts from eurycoma longifolia and fenugreek seed. These unique plant chemicals work synergistically to stimulate and increase natural testosterone production. The result is markedly higher levels of free testosterone in the body. When testosterone is replenished, regardless of age or physical state of health, any man can enjoy a more powerful sex drive, enhanced sexual function, increased energy levels, and a far more pleasurable sexual experience. Increasing levels of testosterone is, by itself, may not be enough to fully restore waning sexual powers, warns Dr. Klayman
Get a Free 30 Day Supply The manufacturer is offering our readers the opportunity to obtain a free 30-day supply of Beyond Human Testosterone. Try it risk-free today, and feel the newfound energy, razor-sharp mental focus, and the effervescent joy of youth wash over you. The first 200 callers can also receive free of charge, the medical report that every man should read – Surviving Manopause. Learn the preventive measures that help ward off encroaching ‘old man-itis.’ Call 1-800-347-7909 now and ask how you can get a FREE 30 day supply, plus the FREE Surviving Manopause report. Don’t wait; supplies are limited, so call today!
THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FDA. DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. RESULTS
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO ATYPICAL. YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 |
A9
BUSINESS
US industrial production jumps by most since November 2014
Stocks sink, erasing gains from a rally the day before
By Paul Wiseman By Bernard Condon
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
WASHINGTON — U.S. industrial production in April posted the biggest increase since November 2014 as utility output surged, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday. Industrial output — which includes factories, mines and utilities — rose 0.7 percent from March. It had dropped the previous two months. Fueling the improvement was utility production, which surged 5.8 percent in April. It was the biggest jump since February 2007. Demand for electricity and natural gas returned to more normal levels after unusually mild March weather. Factory output rebounded 0.3 percent, the most since January, helped by a solid increase in auto and machinery production. The dollar, which surged in 2014 and 2015, has been falling against major currencies since January.
Alan Diaz / AP file
In this Monday, Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, welder Gabriel Gonzalez welds a support beam at a local welding shop in Hialeah, Fla.
A lower dollar provides some relief to factories by making their goods less expensive in foreign markets. Mining production dropped 2.3 percent, marking the eighth straight decline as energy companies reduced oil and gas drilling. Coal producers have also cut back in the face of lower-
price competition from natural gas. Overall, American industry remains slack. Factories were operating at 75.3 percent of capacity last month, up slightly from March but well below their long-run average of 78.5 percent. The industrial weakness reflects a sluggish economy. The U.S. econ-
omy expanded at an annual rate of just 0.5 percent from January through March, decelerating from an alreadylackluster 1.4 percent rate the last three months of 2015. The job market has remained resilient despite the weak growth. But employers added just 160,000 jobs in April, the fewest since September.
Again, Home Depot shares rise above the retail fray A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
ATLANTA — Home Depot topped expectations for the first quarter thanks in part to mild weather and the company, riding a strong rebound in housing, lifted its outlook for the year. Shares neared an alltime high before the opening bell Tuesday. Americans are plowing money into homes as prices continue to rise. In its most recent report, the Standard & Poor’s/CaseShiller 20-city home price index rose 5.4 percent and the National Association of Realtors’ seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 1.4 percent to 110.5, the highest level since May 2015. On Tuesday the Commerce Department will report on April U.S. home construction. Ground breakings are running ahead of last year’s pace, largely because of a dramatic increase in the construction of single-family homes. For the three months
Joe Raedle / Getty
Hector Ponte shops for cleaning supplies in a Home Depot store on Tuesday in Miami, Florida.
ended May 1, The Home Depot Inc. earned $1.8 billion, or $1.44 per share, easily surpassing pershare projections for $1.33, according to a survey of analysts by Zacks Investment Research. It also topped last year’s quarterly profit of $1.58 billion, or $1.21 per share. Revenue increased to $22.76 billion, from $20.89 billion, better than the $22.32 billion that Wall Street expected. Sales at stores open at least a year, a key indicator of a retailer’s performance, climbed 6.5 percent. They were even
stronger, up 7.4 percent, in the U.S. Those comparable-store sales are also running in the opposite direction of other retailers like Macy’s and J.C. Penney. A host of retailers reported falling profits, falling revenues or outright losses over the past week. J.C. Penney last week, after reporting another quarter of losses, said it would begin selling home appliances, the first time it has done so in three decades, hoping to grab some of the profits piling up at Home Depot and its rival, Lowe’s.
Some of the same variables that hurt most retailers even more this year, namely warm weather, also pushed Home Depot sales higher. Chairman and CEO Craig Menear said the company saw “week-to-week demand spikes caused by weather variability.” Home Depot now foresees 2016 earnings of $6.27 per share. Revenue is expected to be up about 6.3 percent, with samestore sales now anticipated to rise approximately 4.9 percent. The company’s previous guidance was for earnings between $6.12 and $6.18 per share, with revenue predicted to rise about 5.1 percent to 6 percent and same-store sales growth of approximately 3.7 percent to 4.5 percent. Lowe’s Cos. reports quarterly results Wednesday. Shares of Home Depot added $2.31 to $137.65 before the market open. That’s 77 cents shy of the company’s all-time high, reached just last week.
NEW YORK — Stocks fell across industries on Tuesday, erasing gains from a rally a day earlier, as investors sifted through economic reports for clues as to when the era of low interest rates may end. Consumer goods companies and utilities fell the most. Kraft Heinz fell 4 percent and Consolidated Edison dropped 2 percent. Nine of the 10 sectors of the Standard and Poor’s 500 index ended lower. Energy stocks rose as the price of crude oil rose to a sevenmonth high. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 180.73 points, or 1 percent, to 17,529.98. The S&P 500 index gave up 19.45 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,047.21. The Nasdaq composite pulled back 59.73 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,715.73. Diane Jaffee, a senior portfolio manager at TCW Group, said investors are worried that a pickup in inflation suggests the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates soon, threatening the still-sluggish economy. The Fed next meets on rates in June. “The specter of rising rates in June may be making investors queasy,” said Jaffee. The economy is at a “tipping point.” The Labor Department reported Tuesday that the cost of living in April climbed by the most in more than three years. A separate report said builders are breaking ground on new homes at a faster past than last year. Investors worry that reports like those could prompt the Fed to raise rates. That could hurt high-dividend stocks like utilities. Adding to the jitters, Politico quoted Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart saying that “action could be taken” at the Fed’s June policy meeting. Investors will get a better idea of the Fed’s thinking on Wednesday when the central bank releases minutes from its last meeting in April. Among stocks making big moves, LendingClub plunged 34 cents, or nine percent, to $3.60 after the Department of Justice opened an investigation.
The company forced out its founder last week after an internal review found irregularities with the way loans were sold. The stock traded as high as $25 a share in late 2014, shortly after the company went public. Pandora Media rose 61 cents, or six percent, to $10.59 after hedge fund Corvex Management raised its stake and began advocating for a sale of the streaming music company. Corvex said that putting the company on the block is the best answer to rising competition from Spotify and Apple. Another report showed U.S. industrial production posted the biggest increase in April since November 2014 after dropping the previous two months. Industrial output, which includes output at factories, mines and utilities, rose 0.7 percent from March. Still, production is modest. The report said that factories are operating at 75.3 percent of capacity, well below their long-run average. “We’ve got an economy in slow-down mode, with an increase in inflation,” said James Abate, chief investment officer at Centre Funds. “That is the worst possible situation.” In Europe, stocks were mixed. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.3 percent, while Germany’s DAX shed 0.6 percent. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3 percent. In Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 percent as the yen continued to weaken, a plus for Japanese exporters. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.2 percent. U.S. crude rose 59 cents to $48.31 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 31 cents to $49.28 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.63 a gallon, heating oil also rose 3 cents to $1.47 a gallon and natural gas rose 2 cents to $2.05 per 1,000 cubic feet. U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.77 percent from 1.75 percent. The dollar rose to 109.07 yen from 108.98 yen and the euro fell to $1.1317 from $1.1320. Precious and industrial metals futures closed mostly higher. Gold rose $2.70 to $1,276.90 an ounce and silver gained 10 cents to $17.25 an ounce. Copper was flat at $2.09 a pound.
A10 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
INTERNATIONAL
Mexican president proposes legalizing gay marriage By E. Eduardo Castillo and Peter Orsi A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
MEXICO CITY — President Enrique Pena Nieto proposed to legalize same-sex marriage in Mexico on Tuesday, a move that would enshrine on a national level a Supreme Court ruling last year that it was unconstitutional for states to bar such couples from wedding. If it is approved, Mexico would become the fifth country in Latin America to make samesex marriage legal. The announcement was hailed by LGBT activists and criticized by church officials in Mexico, which is home to the second-largest Roman Catholic population on the planet. Speaking at an event on the International Day Against Homophobia, Pena Nieto said he signed initiatives that would seek to amend the constitution and the national civil code. Pena Nieto said he wants to change Article 4 of the constitution to clearly reflect the Supreme Court opinion “to recognize as a human
Eduardo Verdugo / AP file
In this March 11, 2010 file photo, same sex couples celebrate after getting married at City Hall in Mexico City. The couples wed under Latin America's first law that explicitly approves gay marriage. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Tuesday proposed legalizing gay marriage.
right that people can enter into marriage without any kind of discrimination.” “That is, for marriages to be carried out without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or nationality, of disabilities, of social or health conditions, of religion, of gender or sexual preference,” he added. Pena Nieto’s Twitter page and other government Twitter accounts were changed to include the rainbow colors as he made the announcement. A two-thirds majority vote in congress is required to amend the constitution. Pena Nieto’s
party and allies control about half the seats in both houses, and the measure could also pick up support from the leftist opposition Democratic Revolution Party. It would then need to be ratified by a simple majority of states before going to the president for his signature. The Rev. Hugo Valdemar, spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico City, urged lawmakers to listen to their “conscience” and oppose the initiative. “Marriage has some very concrete aims which, of course, two people of the same sex do not ful-
Canada introduces bill to protect transgender people By Rob Gillies A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has put forward a bill to extend human rights protections to transgender Canadians. Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Tuesday the law is necessary to make it unequivocal that transgender persons have the right to live free from discrimination, hate propaganda and hate crimes. The proposal comes amid a U.S. debate about transgender bathroom policies that limit restroom use to people based on their birth sex. Asked what her message to America is, Wilson-Raybould said: “This is a message to all Canadians that we live in a time where discrimination in any form is completely unacceptable.” The Canadian legislation would, if passed, make it illegal to prevent someone from getting a job or to discriminate in the workplace on the basis of gender identity or gender expression. It also expands hate speech laws to include gender identity and gender expression. Similar legislation has previously failed to pass Parliament several times, including last year. But when Trudeau was elected late last year and he appointed Wilson-Ray-
bould, he made it a part of her mandate to introduce the legislation. “Everyone deserves to live free of stigma & persecution, no matter who they are or whom they love,” Trudeau tweeted. His government has the majority of seats in the House of Commons so it will likely pass there. After that it will go to the unelected Senate. Charlie Lowthian-
Rickert, a 12 year-old transgender female, thanked the Liberal government and said she feels “much safer.” “It will protect us from hateful propaganda, assault,” Lowthian-Rickert said. The justice minister fought back tears as she spoke. The bill was introduced on the International Day Against Homo-
fill,” Valdemar said, referring to procreation. He called Pena Nieto’s initiative a “distraction” in a country where “there are more serious issues that should be attended to” such as violence and corruption. About 80 percent of Mexicans are Catholic, though only about 15 percent to 20 percent regularly practice the faith, said Andrew Chesnut, chairman of Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. He added that a recent Pew survey said Mexicans’ acceptance of gay marriage and LGBT issues in general closely
phobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Charles McVety, president of the Institute for Canadian Values, a social conservative think tank, called the law reckless. “The proposed law will establish universal protection for any man who wishes to access women’s bathrooms or girls’ showers with momentary gender fluidity,” McVety said in a statement. “Every Member of Parliament should examine their conscience over the potential of their vote exposing women and girls to male genitalia.”
mirrored views in the United States, where same-sex marriage was legalized by the Supreme Court last year. The president’s announcement “is just of monumental significance,” Chesnut said. “It really is symbolic of the rapidly waning, eroding influence of the Catholic Church on both politics and the social front.” Gay marriage is already legal in some parts of Mexico such as the capital, the northern state of Coahuila and Quintana Roo state on the Caribbean coast. Adding it to the constitution and the civil code would expand gay marriage rights across the country. Last June, the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for Mexican states to ban samesex couples from getting married. But the decision did not specifically overturn state laws, meaning couples have had to sue in court in each particular case. Alejandro Brito, director of Letra S, a human rights group specializing in sexual diversity issues, called Pena Nieto’s announcement great news.
“I think it sends a very clear message of respect and against discrimination toward sexual diversity,” Brito said. “If it is enshrined in the constitution and the Supreme Court has established a precedent on this, it would seem just a question of time before all (government) entities across the country recognize equal marriage. ... I think this is a battle that has been won.” Twenty-three countries around the world have legalized gay marriage, according to Pew Research. Argentina became the first in Latin America to do so in 2010, followed by Brazil and Uruguay in 2013 and Colombia earlier this year. Chile allowed same-sex civil unions last year. The U.S. island territory of Puerto Rico also legalized gay marriage by executive decree after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. “This, in tandem with Colombia, which is still close to about 80 percent Catholic and is usually kind of looked to as the most devout Catholic nation in Latin America ... it’s amazing,” Chesnut said.
Sean Kilpatrick / AP
Charlie Lowthian-Rickert, a transgender female, speaks to reporters during an announcement on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday regarding legislation on gender identity and gender expression.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 |
A11
FROM THE COVER BISHOP From page A1 do, told TZT he had around 30 letters he planned on delivering to the Vatican post office April 15. All of the letters were written by Laredoans who were tired of Tamayo’s behavior. Kincl sent a handful of the letters to TZT. Within the letters’ contents included pleas for assistance to help move the Catholic Student Center project forward, commendations toward the Brothers of St. John for the work it has done within the campus ministry and disappointment concerning Tamayo’s recent and past behavior and decisions. Kincl told TZT his understanding is that when letters are dropped off directly at the Vatican post office, they are likely to end up in the Office of the Pope sooner. TZT recently touched base with Kincl, who said “the Holy Father should have the letters.” “We’ll see if he responds to them or not. I think he will,” Kincl added. Kenedy Foundation Included in the stack of letters delivered to the Vatican and received by TZT was a narrative written by Amengol Guerra III. Guerra recounts in the narrative his time serving on the finance councils for the Diocese of Corpus Christi and the Diocese of Laredo, when it was formed. Guerra played a large role in the creation of the Diocese of Laredo when Bishop Roberto Gonzalez of the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1997 named him the chairman of a committee tasked with the creation of the new diocese. Guerra states in his narrative the biggest item the committee discussed was the division of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, which at the time was paying the Diocese of Corpus Christi about $500,000 per quarter. The foundation was established in 1960 by Sarita Kenedy East to support and fund Catholic educational, charitable and religious activities in Texas, primarily in the region of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The committee and Gonzalez would eventually agree on a 40-60 split, in which the new diocese would receive 40 percent of the proceeds from the foundation with the remaining 60 percent going to the Corpus
ROLLOVER From page A1 ployee personnel files, according to the lawsuit. A separate lawsuit, also filed in a district court in Hidalgo County, was filed by the Cowen, Mask and Blanchard personal injury law firm on behalf of the husband of one of the persons killed in the rollover. The firm has offices in Laredo, San Antonio, McAllen, Brownsville and Fredericksburg. Attorney Jody R. Mask is representing Andres Rubio III, of Mercedes, Texas, and husband to Marisela Lopez, who died in the crash. Mask filed an application for a temporary restraining order, seeking to compel OGA to preserve the bus as evidence in the case. "Our client has suffered an immeasurable loss in this terrible crash," Mask states in a press release. "We will investigate this accident thoroughly, and fight zealously to ensure justice for Mr. Rubio and his family. Today’s filing is the first step on that road.” NTSB Investigation During a news conference held Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board updated media regarding the steps it has already taken in its investigation. Aside from scheduling interviews with Vasquez and OGA Charters Kotowski officials, Peter Kotowski, a NTSB senior investigator, said the federal agency would be closing off the area where the crash occurred Tuesday for reconstruction purposes. The OGA Charters bus rolled over on U.S. 83 North at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday in
Christi diocese. When the Diocese of Laredo was established in 2000 and Tamayo was selected as the bishop, he asked Guerra to serve on the new finance council. Guerra says at that time, the Diocese of Laredo would receive between $150,000 and $225,000 from the foundation per quarter, or nearly $1 million per year on the high-end. He writes that when the finance council would meet, members would discuss the Kenedy Foundation money. “I would remind the good bishop that the agreement of the 40/60 split had to be formalized with the archbishop of San Antonio and the bishop of Corpus Christi,” Guerra states. Guerra adds that similar suggestions were made to Tamayo by then-accountants of the diocese. “Bishop Tamayo seemed very uncomfortable upon hearing my suggestion and we went five years that I was seated on the council without any sort of formal agreement,” Guerra states. “His response at my forceful suggestion was to say that he would look into it.” Guerra told TZT it would have been a simple process to formalize the agreement. “Normally these things are conducted during a meeting between the archbishop and the two dioceses,” he said. “Maybe Bishop Tamayo has a good reason why it wasn’t done. Every time I would remind him, I always got the same response, which was that he was looking into it and that he was going to do something in the near future.” By the end of Guerra’s fifth year of service on the finance council, he received a letter from Tamayo thanking him for his service and advising him he would no longer be required on the council. In 2013, Guerra writes in the narrative he was made aware of an announcement from the Diocese of Corpus Christi that it would be ceasing Kenedy Foundation payments to the Diocese of Laredo. Instead, Guerra states, the Diocese of Corpus Christi was willing to pay a lump sum to the Laredo diocese to finalize the division of the foundation’s proceeds. “As I understand it, Bishop Tamayo asked for $10 million and this figure was accepted,” Guerra states. A member of the finance council for the Diocese of Laredo could not be reached to con-
rainy conditions. It was en route to a casino in Eagle Pass. No other vehicles were involved. The 51 passengers boarded the bus in either Hidlago City or Brownsville, according to a Webb County official. Kotowski said traffic was be diverted Tuesday for the duration of time it will take to perform surface friction tests in both wet and dry road conditions. “This type of information is extremely important to us and for the reconstruction of this crash,” he said. Kotowski also said NTSB has already interviewed personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as support personnel and other first responders. NTSB has begun to schedule interviews of passengers as well, he added. The OGA charter bus was manufactured in 1997. It was equipped with seat belts for the driver and the first four rows of seats only. Federal online records show OGA Charters, based in San Juan, Texas, has two buses. The company was fined about $2,000 by regulators in 2011 for violations involving periodic inspections and pre-employment drug testing of drivers, but had a "satisfactory" rating in May 2014 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In 2015, the company had twice been ordered by Louisiana state inspectors to take one of its buses out of service to fix brake and emergency exit problems, MCSA records show. It was not immediately clear if that was same charter bus that crashed in Texas or what steps the company took to fix the problems. No one could be reached at the company's listed phone number. As for seat belts, federal regulations require them in
firm whether the diocese received the lump-sum payment. Guerra said in a statement to TZT the Diocese of Laredo had a source of funds that was inexhaustible and all of a sudden it dried up. “Supposedly Bishop Tamayo got something great, but in my estimation, it was not for the benefit of Laredo,” he said. “The sad part is that those who would have benefited most are the ones that are currently the most in need, the poor and the downtrodden. The $10 million would have come in eventually and there would have been more money for the impoverished in the Diocese of Laredo.” Guerra ends his narrative by writing that Tamayo is not a good fit for the Diocese of Laredo as bishop. Cathedral Because Tamayo has never given a reason as to why he stalls certain projects, speculation has been raised about his reasoning. A popular speculation is that Tamayo wishes to pay special attention to the restoration of San Agustin Cathedral. Margarita Araiza, executive director of the Webb County Heritage Foundation, said the cathedral underwent major restoration in the 1990s. However, this is before Tamayo assumed his position as bishop. In 2014, major restoration on the cathedral’s roof was done. A local architecture firm said master plans for a major cathedral renovation have been drawn up. “The diocese wants to see this happen,” the architect, who wanted to remain anonymous, said. Tomas Sanchez dig It has been almost 20 years since the most extraordinary archaeological discovery in Laredo’s recent history was made. In 1998, an archeological dig revealed the remains of a 6-foottall man in an underground sandstone crypt near the corner of Grant and San Agustin streets. Lead archaeologist Jim Warren said he believes it is the body of Don Tomas Sanchez, founder of the original Villa de San Agustin de Laredo. However, Warren said this was never able to be scientifically proven by way of DNA testing due to the refusal of Tamayo to grant permission. “When we tried to get permission, the bishop said, ‘No,’”
Warren said. “He never gave us a reason.” Javier Santos, Fernando A. Salinas’ Trust’s benefactor, had planned to fund the DNA test. Santos said he and his attorney, Bruce J. Werstak III, had set up an initial meeting with Tamayo but that the bishop was a “noshow.” “He blocked us immediately,” Santos said. When Santos was eventually able to meet with Tamayo, Santos said Tamayo would only allow the DNA testing if Santos would also fund DNA testing on former bishop, Pedro Verdaguer, who died in 1911. Verdaguer, came to Laredo via California in the late 1800s. It is unknown why Tamayo wanted to do a DNA test on Verdaguer. Unlike with the lineage of Sanchez, whose present-day descendants could provide DNA to compare it to, Verdaguer had no known descendants. “I asked him, ‘Where are you going to get the blood line match for this priest?’” Santos said. “We never heard from him again.” Araiza said a slew of individuals and organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, the Webb County Historical Commission and the Genealogical Society wrote the bishop letters urging him to authorize the DNA test. On Sept. 2, 2010, the City of Laredo passed a resolution, “urging the most Reverend Bishop Tamayo, of the Diocese of Laredo, to consent to the conducting of a DNA testing on the human remains found on the grounds of San Agustin Cathedral.” However, the City of Laredo never received a response. “Nobody ever got a response,” Araiza said. “It would have been a special place for the city.” Instead, what is believed to be the resting site of Tomas Sanchez and his immediate relatives remains covered up in front of the abandoned Saint Augustine School, a property owned by the diocese. About 200 other bodies from the original villa were also dug up and accessioned, and they continue to be buried in unmarked graves underneath what is today the cathedral’s parking lot. Lily Perez, a descendant of Tomas Sanchez and one of the two surviving members of the 1998 archeological dig, donated a tooth of hers for the purpose of matching the DNA. Eighteen years after the 1998 dig, at the age of 74, Perez still
Danny Zaragoza / The Zapata Times
An OGA Charters bus is hauled away after the bus rolled over on Saturday morning approximately 5 miles south of the Dimmit-Webb County line on North U.S. 83.
new buses, starting in November. Efforts to require seat belts in older buses failed because retrofitting was deemed too difficult and expensive, said Shaun Kildare, director of research for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based group that tracks bus crashes and highway safety laws. OGA Charters had reported no crashes in the last two years prior to Saturday, MCSA records show, but six driver and vehicle inspections since 2014 found 15 total violations, ranging from driver records and hours they were on the road, to vehicle maintenance problems. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, which runs the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in Eagle Pass where the bus was headed Saturday, expressed its condolences to those who died and said it hoped the injured recovered quickly. Robert Rodriguez, an attorney for the tribe, said the bus was not chartered by the casino. He said he was still researching what kind of business arrangements, if any, the casino may have with bus companies, but declined further
comment. Earlier this month, a Dallas County jury awarded nearly $11 million to relatives of two passengers who died following a 2013 casino tour bus crash. The judgment against the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma came after court testimony indicated the Choctaw Nation had a contract with a private bus company to transport people to the casino. Dallas attorney Frank Branson, who represented one of the victims in that case, said a tour bus can sometimes generate tens of thousands of dollars in casino revenue. If casinos exercise any control over the situation, he said, they would have some responsibility for safety on the bus. Among those on the bus Saturday were several employees of the school district in La Hoya, located about 130 miles south of Laredo. The district said six of their employees, including one who died, were on the bus as part of a weekend trip that was not school sponsored. Outpouring of support Amid the tragedy, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina saw something rising from the
hopes to see the DNA testing done one day. Perez said she met with City Councilman Roberto Balli to see if he would be able to help erect a plaque to honor the resting site of Sanchez. “I had a meeting with her, and we talked about it. … Yeah, it’s something that we’d be interested in. ... It is certainly intriguing,” Balli said. He also said he would respect the wishes of the bishop and the Diocese of Laredo. The archaeological dig was authorized by the then-bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Laredo had been under that diocese because the Diocese of Laredo did not form until 2000. The man who authorized the excavation is now archbishop of the Diocese of San Juan in Puerto Rico. Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves could not be reached for comment. Journey to Damascus Tamayo has not only put a halt to the ministry, but denied a request to hold retreats in Laredo. In 2014, a letter was sent to Tamayo requesting to hold Journey to Damascus retreats. The request was denied about a year later. In a response from Tamayo, he said there was no need for more retreats. “I felt very let down,” said Glen Jackson, a Laredo insurance agent and volunteer dedicated to spiritual retreats. “It’s something that would have enhanced the community, not hurt it.” Community members interested in participating in the Journey to Damascus retreats must travel to Boerne or Corpus Christi to do so. Jackson said to date, since the letter was denied, there have been eight Journey to Damascus retreats held. Tamayo also denied an additional location to hold ACTS retreats, Jackson said. A request was made to hold ACTS retreats in the House of Mary. Tamayo did not provide a clear explanation as to why he denied the request, Jackson said. A survey, Jackson added, showed the need for additional ACTS retreats. “It made me feel rather taken back,” Jackson said. “It is needed.” Currently, the Holy Spirit Retreat Center is booked through 2017. The House of Mary would allow a minimum of one additional retreat per week.
ashes in the aftermath of the bus rollover. “It was heartbreaking to see something so tragic happen but comforting to see the outpour in help,” Tijerina wrote in a letter to Webb County employees Monday morning. He said he learned that Dr. Corinne Stern, Webb County medical examiner, needed additional assistance due to the number of patients she had received at her office. “Family members were arriving to inquire about their loved ones and she was in dire need of help,” Tijerina wrote. Several county offices and other groups from the community came forward: American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, building maintenance, engineering, indigent health, information technology, Laredo Fire Department, Laredo Health Department, medical examiner’s office, public information office, road and bridge, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Webb County Judge’s Office, Webb County Volunteer Fire Department and the Webb County Sheriff’s Office. “A tragic event such as this reminds me that responding to emergencies requires many different agencies to work seamlessly together. We are very lucky to have some of the most talented and disciplined first responder and employees committed to the well-being of others. This was an example of the close-knit community we are,” Tijerina stated. “Our county works tirelessly to promote and preserve the highest level of safety for our constituents. We will continue to offer our support and service to everyone who was affected in the accident. Once again, thank you all. Un abrazo fuerte.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A12 | Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES