The Zapata Times 5/24/2017 by The Zapata Times

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PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BUDGET PLAN

TRUMP/RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

Cuts for poor, more for military Plan cuts food stamps, Medicaid, highway funding, crop insurance, medical research and more By Andrew Taylor and Martin Crutsinger ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Andrew Harnik / AP

Budget Director Mick Mulvaney speak to the media about President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal 2018 federal budget in the Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump fulfilled a major campaign promise Tuesday, proposing a $4.1 trillion budget plan that would upend Washington in a big way. But he drew rebukes, even from some Republican allies, for the plan's jarring, politically unrealistic cuts to the social safety net for the poor and a broad swath of other domestic programs.

The budget, Trump's first as president, combines his spending plan for the upcoming 2018 fiscal year with a promise to balance government books after a decade, relying on aggressive cuts, a surge in economic growth — and a $2 trillion-plus accounting gimmick. "Through streamlined government, we will drive an economic boom that raises incomes and expands job opportunities for all Americans," Trump declared in his budget Budget continues on A12

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Former CIA Director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Tuesday before the House Intelligence Committee Russia Investigation Task Force.

Brennan to Russia: Hands off US election By Eileen Sullivan And Deb Riechmann

H-E-B/ZAPATA LIONS CLUB

VOLUNTEERS DISTRIBUTE DRINKING WATER

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Courtesy

H-E-B and the Zapata Lions Club joined efforts to pass out over 5,000 gallons of drinking water following a devastating storm that disabled a water pump in Zapata. This storm also caused the closing of schools and businesses. Volunteers from all over Zapata helped including the Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department, the Commissioners Court , Zapata Boxing Club, ZHS Leo Club and Lion members.

WASHINGTON — Former CIA Director John Brennan told Congress Tuesday he personally warned Russia last summer against interfering in the U.S. presidential election and was so concerned about Russian contacts with people involved in Donald Trump's campaign that he convened top counterintelligence officials to focus on it. Meanwhile, a Senate committee issued two additional subpoenas to businesses of ousted Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, one of several key figures in the Russia-Trump campaign probe, and sent a letter to his lawyer questioning his basis for claiming a Fifth Amendment right not to provide documents. If there is no response from Flynn, the Senate Intelligence Committee may consider a contempt-of-Congress charge, said Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina. Tuesday's letter narrowed the scope of the documents the panel is seeking. Flynn had rejected the earlier subpoena for records as being so broad that providing them could make him vulnerable. Former CIA chief Brennan's testimony to the House intelligence committee was the clearest public indication yet of the significance the Russia contacts play in counterintelligence investigations that continue to hang over the White Brennan continues on A12

TEXAS BATHROOM BILL

Some transgender kids fear exposure By Meredith Hoffman A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — Each morning, Joanna Smith's 7year-old son pulls on a T-shirt and shorts, boasts how fast he can tie his sneakers and heads to school. An honor-roll student who loves science and spelling, he often stays after class to run on the playground with his large group of friends. But teachers may soon have to disrupt his routine by revealing a secret: This energetic boy was born a girl. Legislation headed for passage in the Texas Legislature this month could forbid him from using the boys' bathroom and effectively divulge his transgender identi-

ty to classmates. "He would be very embarrassed and ashamed to be outed," said Smith, who plans to pull her child out of school if the measure is adopted. "I worry so much that it would just ruin his life." She spoke on the condition that her son's name would not be used. The measure poses an excruciating dilemma for Texas schools that have quietly agreed at parents' requests to keep secret the birth genders of some students. To comply with state law, teachers might have to send transgender students to the bathroom of their birth gender or to a single-occupancy bathroom, shocking their peers.

The legislation "really boxes in school systems," said Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, a spokeswoman for the national transgender rights organization Trans Equality. A broad bill requiring transgender individuals to use the restroom of their birth-certificate gender passed the Senate but stalled in the House. Supporters revived it late Sunday, advancing a proposal applying only to the state's public schools, which educate about 5.3 million students. That's the second-largest number in the U.S. after California. The final details of the measure are still being worked out. A similar law in North CaroliExposure continues on A12

John L. Mone / AP

In this May 4 photo, Joanna Smith, of Houston, walks her twin first-graders home from school. One of her children is transgender and Smith fears the child's school would be compelled by the state to "out" her child's biological gender should a "bathroom bill" become law.

Zin brief A2 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CALENDAR

AROUND THE NATION

TODAY IN HISTORY

SUNDAY, MAY 21

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

St. Patrick Men's Club steak asado plate sale scholarship fundraiser.

Today is Wednesday, May 24, the 144th day of 2017. There are 221 days left in the year.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Patrick Church ground, 555 Del Mar Blvd. $5 per plate. For more information call, 956-324-2432.

Today's Highlight in History: On May 24, 1775, John Hancock was unanimously elected President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, succeeding Peyton Randolph.

MONDAY, MAY 22 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6

p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete with other players in this cherished game played internationally. Free instruction for all ages and skill levels. Chess books and training materials are available.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24 LEGO Night. 6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco. Free and family friendly. LEGOs, DUPLOs, and LEGO Robotics will be made available to the public for free-play.

THURSDAY, MAY 25 Landscaping with Native Plants.

6:30 p.m. Lake Casa Blanca International State Park Ranchito. Presented by George Altgelt, Sr., Soil Scientist, and Danny Gunn, Sr., Master Gardener. Free and open to the public. For more information, email: brushcountrychapter@gmail.com. Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society regular meeting.

3-5 p.m. Joe A Guerra Public Library, second floor. Speaker: Judy Jordan, "When It Rains It Pours; The Story of the Jordan Family.” For more information, call Sylvia Reash at 763-1810. Spanish Book Club. 6-8 p.m. Joe A.

Guerra Public Library, conference room. Discussion of La Quinta Montaña by Paulo Coelho of Brazil. Power Point on Brazil. For more information, contact Sylvia Reash at 763-1810.

MONDAY, MAY 29 Chess Club. Every Monday, 4-6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 LEGO Night. 6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library, 1920 Palo Blanco. Free and family friendly. LEGOs, DUPLOs, and LEGO Robotics will be made available to the public for free-play.

MONDAY, JUNE 5 Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting.

6:30—7:30 p.m. Area Health Education Center, 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430. Every first Monday of the month. People suffering from anxiety and depression are invited to attend this free, confidential and anonymous support group meeting. While a support group does not replace an individual’s medical care, it can be a valuable resource to gain insight, strength and hope.

SATURDAY, JUNE 10 The Martin High School Class of 1957 60th Reunion. Embassy

Suites, 110 Calle Del Norte. Classmates wishing to attend should register by checking the class website at mhsclassof57.org or calling Irma Perales Mireles at 956-2866385.

THURSDAY, JUNE 22 Why Invasive Species are So Invasive—An Ecosystem Approach.

6:30 p.m. Lake Casa Blanca International State Park Ranchito. Presented by Stephen Lange, Project Leader, South Texas Ecosystem Project, Chaparral and Daughtrey Wildlife Management Areas. Free and open to the public. For more information, email: brushcountrychapter@gmail.com

MONDAY, JULY 3 Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting.

SATURDAY, JULY 22

Chapman University / AP

In this Saturday photo, Judy O'Connor, center, sits with her son, MBA graduate Marty O'Connor, during commencement at Chapman University in Orange, California.

MOM GETS MBA WITH QUADRIPLEGIC SON ORANGE, Calif. — A Southern California university has awarded an honorary degree to the mother of a quadriplegic student after she attended every class with him and took his notes while he pursued his Master of Business Administration. Judy O'Connor, a retired elementaryschool teacher, pushed her son Marty in his wheelchair for him to receive his degree during commencement Saturday at Chapman University in the Los Angeles suburb of Orange. Then, a choked-up graduation announc-

Neighbor charged fire that killed 5 kids, 2 adults AKRON, Ohio — A neighbor of a family that died in a house fire was charged Tuesday with intentionally setting it ablaze, killing two adults and five children. Stanley Ford, 58, was charged with aggravated murder and arson, Akron police said. Investigators would not discuss a possible motive because

er said the school's faculty, administrators and board of trustees had decided to give her an MBA. The idea for the surprise honorary degree came from her son. "I'm a geek. I love being in school," she said before the ceremony. "I'm not going to lie. I've enjoyed every minute of it." Marty O'Connor received an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and was working as a salesman for a packaging industry company in 2012 when he fell down a flight of stairs and was paralyzed. — Compiled from AP reports

they are still investigating the May 15 fire. They also would not say what led them to arrest Ford on Tuesday. A message seeking comment was left at his home. Police said they did not know of any connection between Ford and the family other than they were neighbors. Tiffney Gary, 38, a neighbor, said she saw Ford at a vigil for the family Saturday. She described him as quiet and said she couldn't believe Ford might have set the fire. "I don't understand; nobody said they had

a beef or anything, or that they've ever argued with him," Gary said. Authorities last week searched several houses near the fire-ravaged home. Killed were 35-year-old Dennis Huggins, his partner, 38-year-old Angela Boggs, and five children: 14-year-old Jered Boggs, 6-year-old Daisia Huggins, 5-year-old Kylle Huggins, 3year-old Alivia Huggins and 11-month-old Cameron Huggins. A medical examiner said all seven died of smoke inhalation. — Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE WORLD Warning of “imminent” attack, Britain raises threat level MANCHESTER, England — As officials hunted for accomplices of a suicide bomber and Britain's prime minister warned another attack could be "imminent," thousands of people poured into the streets of Manchester in a defiant vigil Tuesday for victims of a blast at a pop concert — the latest apparent target of Islamic extremists seeking to rattle life in the West. The attack left at least 22 dead, shattering the revelry at a show by American singer Ariana Grande, where strains of electric pop and the sways of innocent young fans quickly gave way to an explosion, a flood of screams and a stampede of panicked concert-goers, many clutching pink balloons and wearing the kitten-ear headbands popularized by

Emilio Morenatti / AP

A man lights candles after a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England on Tuesday.

Grande. Touching on that disconnect, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "We struggle to comprehend the warped and twisted mind that sees a room packed with young children not as a scene to cherish but as an opportunity for carnage." May said Britain's terror

threat level had been raised to critical. The status means armed soldiers could be deployed instead of police at public events including sports matches. The threat level had been at the second-highest rung of "severe" for several years. — Compiled from AP reports

On this date: In 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message "What hath God wrought" from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America's first telegraph line. In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was dedicated by President Chester Alan Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland. In 1935, the first major league baseball game to be played at night took place at Cincinnati's Crosley Field as the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1. In 1937, in a set of rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Social Security Act of 1935. In 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British battle cruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, killing all but three of the 1,418 men on board. In 1957, anti-American rioting broke out in Taipei, Taiwan, over the acquittal of a U.S. Army sergeant who had shot and killed a Chinese man. In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington. In 1977, in a surprise move, the Kremlin ousted Soviet President Nikolai Podgorny from the Communist Party's ruling Politburo. In 1994, four Islamic fundamentalists convicted of bombing New York's World Trade Center in 1993 were each sentenced to 240 years in prison. In 2001, 23 people were killed when the floor of a Jerusalem wedding hall collapsed beneath dancing guests, sending them plunging several stories into the basement. Ten years ago: Bowing to President George W. Bush, Congress passed an emergency war spending bill that did not include a provision ordering troops home from Iraq beginning in the fall of 2007. Ohio death row inmate Christopher Newton was executed by injection; it took him 16 minutes to die, more than twice the usual amount of time, once chemicals began flowing into his veins, which the execution team had trouble locating. Five years ago: President Barack Obama doubled down on criticism of rival Mitt Romney's background as a venture capitalist, telling a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds there might be value in such experience but "not in the White House." Brian Banks, a former high school football star whose dreams of a pro career were shattered by what turned out to be a false rape accusation, burst into tears as a judge in Long Beach, California, threw out the charge that had sent Banks to prison for more than five years. One year ago: Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump each won primaries in Washington state. Protests outside a Donald Trump rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, turned violent as demonstrators threw burning T-shirts, plastic bottles and other items at police officers, overturned trash cans and knocked down barricades. Today's Birthdays: Actor-comedianimpressionist Stanley Baxter is 91. Jazz musician Archie Shepp is 80. Comedian Tommy Chong is 79. Singer Bob Dylan is 76. Actor Gary Burghoff is 74. Singer Patti LaBelle is 73. Actress Priscilla Presley is 72. Country singer Mike Reid is 70. Actor Jim Broadbent is 68. Actor Alfred Molina is 64. Singer Rosanne Cash is 62. Actor Cliff Parisi is 57. Actress Kristin Scott Thomas is 57. Rock musician Jimmy Ashhurst (Buckcherry) is 54. Rock musician Vivian Trimble is 54. Actor John C. Reilly is 52. Actor Dana Ashbrook is 50. Actor Eric Close is 50. Actor Carl Payne is 48. Rock musician Rich Robinson is 48. Actor Dash Mihok is 43. Actor Bryan Greenburg is 39. Actor Owen Benjamin is 37. Actor Billy L. Sullivan is 37. Actor-rapper Jerod Mixon (aka Big Tyme) is 36. Rock musician Cody Hanson (Hinder) is 35. Dancer-choreographer-singer Mark Ballas is 31. Country singer Billy Gilman is 29. Rapper/producer G-Eazy is 28. Actress Brianne Howey (TV: "The Exorcist") is 28. Actor Cayden Boyd is 23. Thought for Today: "It is the weakness and danger of republics, that the vices as well as virtues of the people are represented in their legislation." — Helen Maria Hunt Jackson, American author (1830-1885).

Laredo and South Texas Weather.

2 p.m. TAMIU Student Center, Room 236. Presented by Richard ‘Heatwave” Berler, Chief Meteorologist, KGNS-TV. Free and open to the public. For more information, email: brushcountrychapter@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4 Les Amies Birthday Club monthly meeting. 11:30 a.m. Ramada Plaza.

The hostesses are Rosita Alvarez, Marta Rangel Bennett, Imelda Gonzalez and Carmen Santos. The honoree will be Magda Sanchez. Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location, purpose and contact information for a representative. Items will run as space is available.

AROUND TEXAS Texas Senate revives efforts to try to limit abortion coverage from some health insurances AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers are reviving efforts to prohibit coverage of abortion by some health insurance plans with just a week left to deliver the bill to Republican Gov. Greg

Abbott. The Texas Senate on Monday night once again sent the measure back to the House, where the original bill never received a vote. A similar effort also collapsed in 2015. The proposal bars health insurance plans offered through the Obama administration's health care law from covering abortions unless supplemental coverage is purchased.

Opponents call it another effort by Texas Republicans to make abortion less accessible. Texas never established health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, but state policies are offered via federal exchanges. Twenty-five states already restrict abortion coverage in plans purchased through exchanges. The legislature adjourns May 29. — Compiled from AP reports

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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 24, 2017 |

STATE

Some Waco families get ‘prescription vegetables’ By Phillip Ericksen A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WACO, Texas — “Eat your vegetables,” many parents tell their children. Now, doctors are taking a similar approach with their patients. The Waco TribuneHerald reports that through a partnership between the Family Health Center and World Hunger Relief Inc., doctors are supplying patients with fresh, “prescription vegetables” in an effort to prevent diseases caused by poor diet. “For years we’ve been instructing patients to eat healthier in order to help prevent disease or to treat existing disease, but haven’t had the option to immediately gain access to that healthy food,” said Dr. Jackson Griggs, a family physician at the Family Health Center. “Through the prescription program, we’ve been able to eliminate barriers to having access.” A grant from the Episcopal Health Foundation, a Texas research and health care services provider, makes the project

possible. World Hunger Relief is providing about 1,200 half-bushel boxes of vegetables over a period of 10 weeks. Patients at three Family Health Center locations have their vegetable prescriptions filled in the lobby after doctor visits. Eighty-seven percent of Americans do not eat enough vegetables, a 2015 government survey found. Bad eating habits are the leading risk factors for early death and disabilities, Griggs said. “Dietary risks lead to the most common killers in the United States, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and a host of other problems,” he said. The program gets to the root of problems associated with food insecurity, including a lack of education regarding vegetables, said Joel Scott, director of development and outreach at World Hunger Relief. Raw kale, for instance, is bitter for first-time users. Cooking demonstrations and classes available through vouchers via World Hunger Relief can aid the palate

Rod Aydelotte / AP

Patrick Lillard washes produce Friday from a farm located near Waco, Texas.

transition process, Scott said. “My cause is recognizing that food is cultural and that you’ve got to recognize folks like to eat food in a variety of ways .?.?. allowing folks to experience the way they would naturally do it within their family setting — just recognizing there’s not one way to eat whole foods,” Scott said. “Maybe the first step is exposing folks to the opportunity to have it in their households.” When grocery stores close and public transportation efforts fail, access to vegetables decreases and people turn to convenience stores for food, Scott said. Jeremy Everett often studies food deserts as executive director of Waco-based Texas Hunger Initiative, a Baylor University collaborative project researching policy solutions to food insecurity. The grocery industry has a 1 percent profit margin, and most companies seek a population of 50,000 people before building a store, Everett

said. “It’s not just that they don’t want to go into lowincome neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s an issue of a narrow profit margin. .?.?. It’s just not always a viable business option to put stores everywhere. “Another reason is because there is a public perception that people in low-income communities don’t have as much money to spend (on groceries), which we know, when you begin to really dive down deep, that buying power in low-income communities is still really high.” The seeds of the program came through Live Well Waco, Prosper Waco and Baylor’s Master of Public Health Program, which has conducted additional research into the idea. Similar programs have succeeded around the country. Students of Baylor’s chapter of the American Medical Student Association also fill the prescriptions at the Family Health Center and help educate the patients on their new preventive remedies.

Jeff Woo / AP

A small plane sustained damage during an overnight storm at Denton Enterprise Airport on Tuesday in Denton, Texas. Authorities say more than a dozen small planes have been damaged as storms packing strong winds struck the North Texas airport.

Storm damages planes at North Texas airport ASSOCIATED PRE SS

DENTON, Texas — Authorities say at least a dozen small planes have been damaged as winds of nearly 50 mph struck a North Texas municipal airport and flipped some aircraft. Denton police say some airplanes were found piled on top of each other as officials surveyed Tuesday’s storm damage at Denton Enterprise Airport . Nobody was hurt. Airport spokeswoman Lindsey Baker says 12 to 15

planes were damaged, along with about a dozen hangars and other structures, at the city-owned aviation complex. Baker had no immediate damage estimate. The National Weather Service says the storm struck Denton around 1 a.m. Tuesday. Forecaster Patricia Sanchez says an initial review confirmed peak winds of 48 mph, but she expects the official number to be higher. Denton is 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Dallas.

Zopinion

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

A4 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

Separate but equal has its day in Texas House By Ken Herman COX N EWSPAPE RS

AUSTIN, Texas — The caption — that language at the top of a bill that says what it’s about — says Senate Bill 2078 is “relating to the duties of (school officials) regarding multihazard emergency operations plans and other school safety measures.” When the bill came up in the Texas House, there was talk about various kinds of school emergencies. Columbine was mentioned. And, after a ruling from Speaker Joe Straus that such talk was germane to the bill, there was talk about which bathrooms and locker rooms students use. Welcome to Sunday night at Your State Capitol, a place where local control is the mantra except when it isn’t. The talk ended, inevitably, with the GOP majority prevailing despite emotional pleas from Democrats. By a 91-50 margin, the House voted to tell school districts what to do about transgender students and bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities. The measure, given final House approval Monday in a 94-51 vote, goes back to the Senate, which has passed a broader version, one that applies to all government buildings and state universities, not just public schools. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Monday he has “concerns” about “the ambiguous language” in the House version “which doesn’t appear to do much,” so this battle might not be over. There has been speculation that the language in the House version might not actually keep a transgender student out of the bathroom of his or her choice, but that remains to be seen. Opponents of the amendment spoke passionately about the evils of separate but equal. “I want to tell you a little bit about history,” Thompson said. And she did, offering that periodically important reminder about the shame of our past while linking it to our present. “I can tell you when I go to pee, you think I’m going to be looking over at the next stall to see if somebody is transgender?” Thompson said in the forceful way that leads colleagues to call her Mrs. T. “No, I’m not. I’m not in the restroom to do that.” But Mrs. T is an adult in a restroom. That’s different from a schoolkid in a locker room, a factor that complicates the dis-

And, not meaning to be cavalier about past horrors, there are places where separate but equal is appropriate.

cussion. And, not meaning to be cavalier about past horrors, there are places where separate but equal is appropriate. Bathrooms and locker rooms are such places. So are athletic contests and single-gender schools. And there are contexts in which one gender is favored over another. Sort of, if just to help show the complexity of questions we once thought so simple: Who’s a boy, and who’s a girl? We’re now told we must also ask who’s something else. Some lawmakers feel a need to decide on a statewide, one-size-fits-all basis which students pee in which bathroom and who gets undressed in which locker room. In some cases, parents, school officials and health care professionals might decide separate but equal -- something separate from the boys or girls bathroom or locker room -- might be appropriate for a particular transgender kid. For others, it might be the bathroom of their gender at birth, regardless of their gender identity. In some situations, the right answer might be the facility of their gender identity. That option would be precluded by the Paddie amendment. And that’s too bad. The place to deal with transgender student issues -- and they are difficult issues that can affect all the children in a school — is where they’re handled now, at the local level. The Legislature should keep its hands off this. For political reasons, that’s not going to happen. And that’s too bad also. SB 2078 is supposed to be about “multihazard emergency operations plans and other school safety measures.” Paddie told colleagues his amendment is “absolutely about child safety” and protecting the privacy and safety of all kids. He also said, “I’m not saying there is an emergency.” You wouldn’t know that by listening to the GOP rhetoric on this one. Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman.

EDITORIAL

Trump: If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth? By Kristine Phillips WASHINGTON P O ST

President Donald Trump and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn have lambasted political opponents for taking the Fifth Amendment. But at different times in the past, both men have exercised the constitutional right that protects them from selfincrimination. Flynn did so Monday, when he refused to comply with a Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena to turn over documents pertaining to any contacts he had with Russian officials. Trump himself invoked the Fifth Amendment in 1990, during his bitter and public divorce from his first wife, Ivana Trump. The real estate mogul took the Fifth to avoid answering questions about adultery; according to Wayne Barrett’s “Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth,” the Fifth Amendment is Trump’s “favorite” and

allowed him to not answer a total of 97 deposition questions that were mostly about “other women.” But by last year, Trump was singing a different tune: During the presidential election, he repeatedly slammed former staffers for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton who took the Fifth during a congressional probe into her use of a private email server. “The mob takes the Fifth,” he said at an Iowa campaign rally in September. “If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” “It’s worse than Watergate; it’s a bigger deal than Watergate,” he said at another rally that month in Loveland, Colo. Flynn was also vocal in his criticisms. On the same day of Pagliano’s deposition, Flynn shared a tweet from his son, who called the former State Department staffer’s decision to take the Fifth “unbelievable.”

Three months later, on “Meet the Press,” Flynn, the former general, told Chuck Todd: “When you are given immunity, that means that you have probably committed a crime.” This week, after Flynn decided to take the Fifth, the Democratic National Committee sent emails to the press resurrecting Trump’s previous comments that suggested that people who assert that constitutional right are guilty. The chair and vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee have both said they’re “disappointed.” The Senate committee must decide whether to accept Flynn’s decision or hold him in contempt. In a letter to committee leaders, Flynn’s attorneys argued that the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel on the Russia investigation creates new dangers for Flynn. That Flynn would be jailed for contempt is a

EDITORIAL

Trump’s budget is simply ludicrous By Lawrence H. Summers WASHINGTON P O ST

Details of President Donald Trump’s first budget have now been released. Much can and will be said about the dire social consequences of what is in it and the ludicrously optimistic economic assumptions it embodies. Apparently, the budget forecasts that U.S. economic growth will rise to 3.0 percent because of the administration’s policies

Then the administration asserts that it will propose revenue neutral tax cuts with the revenue neutrality coming in part because the tax cuts stimulate growth! This is an elementary double count. You can’t use the growth benefits of tax cuts once to justify an optimistic baseline and then again to claim that the tax cuts do not cost revenue. This is a mistake no serious business person would make. I have no doubt that there are civil

servants in Office of Management and Budget, the Treasury and the Council of Economics who do know better than this mistake. Were they cowed, ignored or shut out? How could the secretary of the treasury, the director of OMB and the director of the National Economic Council allow such an elementary error? I hope the press will ferret all this out. The president’s personal failings are now not just center stage but whole stage. Whether it

LETTERS POLICY Laredo Morning Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer's first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the

letter. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.

long shot, but it’s a risk. Federal criminal defense attorney Todd Bussert told The Washington Post that although the Fifth protects people from making incriminatory statements about themselves, it doesn’t apply to past statements or documents. Here is how the Fifth Amendment reads: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

is Secretary Mnuchin’s absurd claims about tax cuts not favoring the rich, Secretary Ross’s claim that the small squib of a deal negotiated last week with China was the greatest trade result with China in history, NEC Director Cohn’s ludicrous estimate of the costs of Dodd-Frank, or today’s budget, the Trump administration has not yet made a significant economic pronouncement that meets a minimal standard of competence and honesty.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 |

STATE City to pay family $850K for fatal shooting

Bill could turn back page, return power to Texas board of education

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — The often-combative Texas Board of Education would expand its ability to reject textbooks it doesn’t like, rolling back limits that have been in place for more than two decades, under a proposal on the verge of clearing the state Legislature. Some fear the bill’s benign language would, intentionally or not, return broad influence to a veteran bloc of social conservatives on the 15-member, elected board. That same bloc previously has attempted to deemphasize lessons on evolution and climate change, and insist that publishers edit classroom materials to better conform to Republican ideology. How impactful is the textbook market in Texas? Large enough that changes made for the

ARLINGTON, Texas — A Texas city will pay $850,000 to the family of an unarmed black college football player who was shot and killed by a white police officer responding to an August 2015 burglary call at a car dealership. An Arlington City Council report obtained by the Fort Worth StarTelegram indicates the payment will settle a claim filed by the family of 19-year-old Christian Taylor. Taylor was seen in security footage vandalizing cars at the dealership and then crashing a car into the showroom. He was shot by rookie officer Brad Miller, who claimed Taylor was advancing toward him. Police Chief Will Johnson fired Miller days later, saying he used poor judgment. A grand jury last June declined to indict Miller. Taylor played football at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.

Smuggler gets nearly 7 years for Texas ship channel death A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — A convicted human smuggler from Mexico must serve nearly seven years in a U.S. prison over the 2015 death of an immigrant struck by a Coast Guard boat as she tried to reach Texas. Galdino Jose RuizHernandez of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced Monday in Brownsville. The 38-year-old RuizHernandez was convicted of human smuggling leading to death. Ruiz-Hernandez received 80 months for smuggling and 24 months for illegally re-entering the U.S, with the sentences concurrent. The Mexican later faces deportation. Authorities say RuizHernandez was in the water guiding the woman through the Brownsville Ship Channel when she was hit by a Coast Guard patrol boat. Ruiz-Hernandez was arrested after reporting that a friend told him he saw a woman’s body in the channel. Officials later determined Ruiz-Hernandez was the smuggler.

By Will Weissert ASSOCIATED PRE SS

state can affect what’s taught nationwide, though modern, electronic classroom materials have made it easier to tailor lessons to individual states and school districts — thus diluting the board’s national influence some in recent years. The board’s ability to influence what gets published in textbooks — even sometimes lineediting materials to remove things its members didn’t like — was far greater before 1995. That year, the Texas Legislature passed an omnibus education bill that included limits allowing the board only to reject textbook when discovering factual errors or material that didn’t conform to Texas curriculum standards, which mandate what gets taught its about 5.3 million students. Texas’ more than 1,000 school districts don’t

have to use board-approved textbooks, but most do. Some say a bill already approved by the Texas Senate, and scheduled for a state House vote Tuesday, would return sweeping influence to the board. The proposal would require that all materials on the Board of Education’s instructional list be “suitable for the subject and grade level” for which it was submitted. That seems relatively tame, but classroom advocates say it is subjective enough to force wholesale textbook rewrites. “Board members will take this bill as an open invitation to return to the days of almost unrestrained bullying of publishers to change or censor textbook content for purely political reasons,” said Dan Quinn, a spokesman for the Texas Freedom Network, a board watchdog group

and frequent critic. “The board will become an even bigger political circus than it has been.” The proposal’s sponsor, Sen. Kel Siliger, doesn’t see it as a broad expansion of power. “There’s been a lot of weirdness, but as it’s described in the bill, it’s about age and grade appropriateness and things like that,” said Seliger, a Republican from Amarillo. “The culture wars won’t be played out in legislation.” But Seliger also acknowledged that the proposed changes could have unintended consequences: “Absolutely there will be factions that try to stretch and look for things like ideological purity.” Both the Texas House and Senate are Republican-controlled, but state lawmakers have long been wary of increasing board influence. In 2011, the Texas Senate

voted to expand the board’s veto power over classroom electronic materials. After the media called attention to the move, the Senate took the unusual step of returning hours later and amending its already passed legislation to remove that expansion. The House is expected to approve Seliger’s bill. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott hasn’t said if he’ll sign it, but it will automatically become law after clearing the Legislature unless he issues a veto. But even if it stalls, there’s another chance for it to become law. Identical language has been attached to a separate bill otherwise requiring board-approved state instructional materials to include “American principles.” That cleared the Senate on Friday, but hasn’t yet been scheduled for a House floor vote.

Texas man fatally shot ‘Second chance’ bill during pursuit in would seal some Arizona identified criminal records ASSOCIATED PRE SS

KINGMAN, Ariz. — Authorities have released the name of a stabbing suspect who was fatally shot during a pursuit in northwestern Arizona. Arizona Department of Public Safety officials on Monday announced that 41-year-old David Jay Juarez of Texas died at the scene of the May 14 shooting in the Kingman area. Juarez's hometown wasn't immediately released. The Mohave County Sheriff's

Office says Juarez stabbed two people before fleeing in a pickup truck. Sheriff's officials asked DPS for assistance with the pursuit if it reached Interstate 40. Authorities say Juarez made erratic lane changes and then a U-turn and was driving the wrong way on I-40 before a Kingman police officer and a DPS trooper fired shots at the suspect. DPS says it is conducting both an administrative and criminal investigation of the incident.

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Legislature is moving closer to approving a bipartisan law letting some first-time, low-level offenders seal their criminal records — keeping them from being made public when doing things like applying for jobs. The so-called "second-chance" bill previously cleared the House and was passed Monday by the Senate, which included an amendment ensuring that Tex-

ans convicted of some crimes involving sex or violence wouldn't be eligible. It now heads back to the House, which can send it to Gov. Greg Abbott if the chamber accepts the Senate changes. Abbott can sign or veto the measure, or let it become law automatically. People convicted of some felonies involving small amounts of marijuana, and some drunk driving offenses, are among those who can petition to keep their records secret.

Zfrontera A6 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

RIBEREÑA EN BREVE FERIA DEL LIBRO

1 La escuela primaria Zapata North Elementary School invita a la Feria del Libro. Compre un libro y lleve otro gratis, del 18 al 25 de mayo en la biblioteca de ZNES, de 8 a.m. a 3:30 p.m.

Pago de impuestos 1 Desde diciembre, los pagos por impuestos a la propiedad de la Ciudad de Roma deberán realizarse en la oficina de impuestos del Distrito Escolar de Roma, localizado en el 608 N. García St. PAGO EN LÍNEA

1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a sus residentes que a partir de ahora el servicio del agua puede pagarse en línea a cualquier hora las 24 horas del día.

FRONTERA

Reanuda operaciones Puente 3

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

Diariamente cruzan por el Puente del Comercio Mundial entre 6 mil y 11 mil camiones hacia los Estados Unidos.

La tormenta que alcanzó vientos de hasta 128 kilómetros por hora ocasionó severos daños a las instalaciones del Puente 3.

Reabren circulación a camiones de carga vacíos E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Autoridades mexicanas anunciaron la reapertura parcial del Puente 3 dos días después haber suspendido operaciones debido a los daños ocasionados por una severa tormenta. La Asociación de Agentes Aduanales de Nuevo Laredo y el Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) anunciaron ayer que se reanudaría la circulación de camiones de carga vacíos tanto en

los carriles hacia el norte como hacia el sur desde las 4 p.m. El horario correspondiente a esta operación (vacíos) retomará su curso habitual, de las 7 a.m. a la media noche. Autoridades en Tamaulipas y en Texas dispusieron el cierre temporal del cruce en ambos sentidos tras los daños ocasionados por la tormenta que azotó a Laredo y a Nuevo Laredo, México el domingo 21 de mayo. Las instalaciones del Puente

Internacional Comercio Mundial, comúnmente conocido como Puente 3, fueron afectadas considerablemente por el fenómeno meteorológico que alcanzó vientos de hasta 128 kilómetros por hora, de acuerdo con un reporte del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Diariamente cruzan por este puente fronterizo entre 6 mil y 11 mil camiones hacia los Estados Unidos. Autoridades de la Aduana de

Nuevo Laredo, la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos y del Fideicomiso del Cruce Comercio Mundial habían anunciado el domingo que comenzarían la evaluación de daños. “Hecho el recuento de los daños...el viento volcó camiones, dañó antenas de comunicación y postería de energía eléctrica”, señaló Raúl Trad, titular del Fideicomiso del Puente Internacional 3.

LABORATORIO COMPUTACIONAL

1 La Ciudad de Roma pone a disposición de la comunidad el Laboratorio Computacional que abre de lunes a viernes en horario de 1 p.m. a 5 p.m. en Historical Plaza, a un lado del City Hall. Informes en el 956849-1411. MUSEO EN ZAPATA

1 A los interesados en realizar una investigación sobre genealogía de la región, se sugiere visitar el Museo del Condado de Zapata ubicado en 805 N US-Hwy 83. Opera de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. Existen visitas guiadas. Personal está capacitado y puede orientar acerca de la historia del Sur de Texas y sus fundadores. Pida informes en el 956765-8983. GRUPOS DE APOYO

1 El grupo de apoyo para personas con Alzheimer se reunirá en su junta mensual, a las 7 p.m., en el Laredo Medical Center, primer piso, Torre B en el Centro Comunitario. Las reuniones se realizan el primer martes de cada mes en el mismo lugar y a la misma hora. 1 El grupo Cancer Friend se reúne a las 6 p.m. el primer lunes del mes en el Centro Comunitario de Doctors Hospital. 1 Grupo de Apoyo para Ansiedad y Depresión Rayo de Luz. En Centro de Educación del Área de Salud, ubicado en 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430. El grupo se reúne de 6:30 p.m. a 7:30 p.m. en 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430, cada primer lunes de mes.

ZCISD

Distrito celebra 60 años de acreditación E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Este año el Distrito Escolar Independiente del Condado de Zapata (ZCISD por sus siglas en inglés) celebra 60 años de la acreditación y certificación completa de su escuela preparatoria. En el año escolar 1956-1957, ZCISD se convirtió en un distrito totalmente acreditado después de un proceso

de tres años en el que recibió asistencia por parte de la Agencia de Educación de Texas. La acreditación significó que los estudiantes que se graduaban de la Escuela Preparatoria Zapata no solo cumplían con los requisitos del distrito sino que también podían inscribirse en colegios y universidades. Los estudiantes de generaciones anteriores

que deseaban graduarse e ir a la universidad tenían que salir de Zapata y asistir a otras escuelas preparatorias, a menudo tenían que vivir con miembros de su familia extendida o en internados donde permanecían durante el año escolar. “Deseamos honrar y celebrar los esfuerzos de nuestros líderes de la comunidad, de nues-

tro personal del distrito y de los estudiantes que participaron en este viaje para abrir la puerta a un mundo de oportunidades”, se lee en un comunicado de prensa de ZCISD. “La acreditación de nuestro distrito rompió los límites que limitaban la educación a sólo unos pocos privilegiados y lo abrió a las masas dentro de nuestro condado”.

TAMAULIPAS

Ganaderos recibirán apoyos E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

ALDAMA, Tamaulipas— En un hecho sin precedentes en la entidad, el Gobernador Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca anunció que dentro de los diversos programas para impulsar el fortalecimiento de la ganadería, los productores tamaulipecos recibirán apoyos por un monto superior a los 130 millones de pesos. Lo anterior al poner en marcha en este municipio, el programa de Mejoramiento Genético “Tamaulipas 2017”, donde subrayó que este año, a través del programa de Concurrencia, el Gobierno Federal apoyará con recursos para la adquisición de 500 toros de registro. “Sin embargo, en un hecho sin precedentes, porque fue el compromiso que hice con los ganaderos tamaulipecos, el Gobierno del Estado estará aportando el recurso para 1.625 toros, con lo que apoyará a más de 1.500 productores de todo el estado, mediante la aportación del 50 por ciento del valor de los sementales que se adquieren en el 2017”, precisó. “La vocación ganadera de la entidad cuenta

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

El gobierno estatal estará aportando recursos para 1.625 toros.

con todo el apoyo del gobierno del estado, muestra de ello es que puesta en marcha el Programa de Mejoramiento Genético Tamaulipas 2017, resultado de la coordinación del Gobierno del Estado, con la Sagarpa, dentro del cual se adquirirán 2.125 sementales bovinos, 250 caprinos, 250 ovinos con una inversión total de 26 millones de pesos, cifra sin precedentes en el estado”, agregó. Explicó que en este programa, la federación estará aportando 9 millones de pesos para apoyar la compra de 500 sementales y en total los recursos estatales y federales destinados a este programa suman 35 millones de pesos. El mandatario estatal destacó también el alcance de otros impor-

tantes apoyos como el Programa de Repoblamiento de Hatos Ganaderos, donde a través de un programa de financiamiento para la adquisición o retención de becerras para remplazo, se obtiene el apoyo para el pago de intereses por parte del gobierno del estado. “Pretendemos también promover el financiamiento de hasta 325 millones de pesos equivalente a la adquisición de 25.000 becerras en el primer año”, recalcó. Para el programa Apícola subrayó que se contempla la construcción de un centro de mejoramiento genético en la materia, a fin de buscar incrementar la calidad y la cantidad de abejas, contemplándose una inversión estatal de 15 millones de pesos, así como una inversión de

más de 116 millones de pesos en el Programa se Sanidad, para aplicarse en campañas sanitarias. Durante el evento, donde el Secretario de Desarrollo Rural Gonzalo Alemán Migliolo destacó el importante apoyo que significa el Programa de Mejoramiento Genético para los ganaderos de esta región, el Delegado de la Sagarpa en Tamaulipas, Eduardo Mansilla Gómez subrayó que esta dependencia atiende a cada año a más de 80 mil productores en el estado. “En un año presupuestalmente complicado, la Sagarpa ha convenido con gobierno del Estado destinar y operar de manera coordinada 214 millones de pesos de recursos federales que se están destinando en diferentes programas como Concurrencia, para pequeños productores y Sanidades entre otras estrategias”. En el evento estuvieron presentes también el Presidente de la Asociación Ganadera Local de Aldama, Joaquín Pazzi Alemán, el Presidente Municipal Faisal Smer Silva y el Presidente de la Unión Ganadera Regional de Tamaulipas, Julio Gutiérrez Chapa, entre otros asistentes.

CONDADO DE ZAPATA

Corte presentaría cargos TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

En medio de acusaciones de supuesto acoso sexual, la Corte de Comisionados del Condado de Zapata votó el lunes para presentar cargos en contra del recaudador de impuestos Luis Lauro González. En la moción aprobada, la corte solicitó que a González no le sea permitido entrar a las instalaciones del condado hasta la resolución de los cargos criminales. Los Texas Rangers estarán a cargo de la investigación a petición de los comisionados. Actualmente, los detalles de las acusaciones en contra de González no están disponibles. “No puedo hablar, lo siento”, dijo González a Laredo Morning Times González cuando fue localizado vía telefónica. Durante la junta mensual celebrada el lunes, los comisionados también aprobaron una resolución condenando el acoso sexual en el lugar de trabajo. “Es la política de la Corte de Comisionados del Condado de Zapata que cada empleado del condado tenga el derecho de ser tratado con dignidad y respeto, y que este exento de todas las formas de acoso en el lugar de trabajo; y la Corte de Comisionados del Condado de Zapata reconoce que todas las formas de acoso están en oposición a los estándares de conducta que deben exhibir los funcionarios electos del condado”, se lee en la resolución. Además agrega, “Los Comisionados del Condado de Zapata reconocen que el acoso sexual en el lugar de trabajo o en relación con el trabajo constituye un comportamiento inaceptable que no será tolerado por esta Corte de Comisionados; Y la Corte de Comisionados del Condado de Zapata reconoce que el acoso sexual en el lugar de trabajo afecta el empleo de un individuo, interfiere irrazonablemente con el desempeño laboral de un individuo y/o crea un ambiente de trabajo hostil u ofensivo; Y la Corte de Comisionados del Condado de Zapata también reconoce que el acoso sexual es una forma de discriminación sexual que viola tanto la ley federal como la estatal". El Juez del Condado de Zapata Joe Rathmell no pudo ser localizado para dar comentarios.

Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 |

NFL: HOUSTON TEXANS

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Ginobili’s future with the Spurs up in the air David J. Phillip / Associated Press file

Houston’s J.J. Watt has been participating in the offseason program, including the first two OTAs.

J.J. Watt a full participant in Texans practices By John McClain H OUSTON CHRONICLE

Defensive end J.J. Watt is participating in every drill during the Texans' organized team activities at their Houston Methodist Training Center. Watt, a three-time winner of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, was cleared to resume working out in early February and has been participating in the offseason program, including the first two OTAs. Watt is more careful how he attacks his workout regime. "I think the slow pace applies a little more to the weight room than it does to the field," he said Tuesday. "I don't like to play slow. The best part is just being back out here with my teammates. It's so much fun to be in the meetings, to be on the

field and be back with the guys. "I feel great. I'm sure we'll have some sort of program where I take a day off here and there, but as far as when I'm allowed to be on the field, I feel awesome." Watt was healthy for the first two games last season when the Texans started 2-0, but he was forced to undergo a second surgery on his back and missed the last 13 games. Now he wants to hit. "I can't wait," he said. "You're a football player, you live to hit people. So I just can't wait to get back in real situations, but I also understand how valuable this time is with my teammates and with my coaches to learn and to grow, especially to get back into the groove of things. It's been very good so far."

NFL: DALLAS COWBOYS

Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili has won four NBA Championships with the Spurs.

David Irving facing The 39-year-old is currently a free agent 4-game suspension after failed drug test for PEDs By Raul Dominguez ASSOCIATED PRE SS

By Brandon George TH E DALLAS MORNI NG NEWS

Dallas Cowboys defensive end David Irving is facing a four-game suspension to start the season for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs, a source said. Irving is appealing the failed drug test. The suspension stems from Irving using a banned supplement, the source said. Neither the NFL nor the Cowboys have made any official announcement about Irving’s suspension. The suspension was first reported by KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan. NFL players almost always appeal failed drug tests and rarely does the league side with the players. Irving was the Cowboys’ most productive pass-rusher late last season. He led the Cowboys with 26 quarterback pressures and added four sacks. Irving was expected to be a key part of the Cowboys’ pass rush again this year after he signed his exclusive free-agent tender this offseason for $615,000. He’s set to become a restricted free agent after 2017. Irving joined the Cowboys early in the 2015 season from Kansas City’s practice squad. He went undrafted in 2015 out of Iowa State.

Matt Ludtke / Associated Press file

Dallas’ David Irving led the Cowboys with 26 quarterback pressures and added four sacks.

At 6-7, 284, Irving is also valuable disrupting a quarterback’s vision at the line of scrimmage or attempting to block a field goal or extra-point attempt. Last June, Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was also suspended the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs. His appeal was denied. Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory, a 2015 second-round pick, is suspended for the entire 2017 regular season after multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy because of failed tests for marijuana.

SAN ANTONIO — Manu Ginobili was swept away by the emotions of a sold-out home crowd serenading him with chants of “Manu, Manu” and rising as one for a standing ovation in the closing minutes of the Western Conference Finals. Spurs fans were saying goodbye, but did not want to let go of the star who helped San Antonio win four of its five NBA Championships with his dynamic play. “It was kind of emotional and overwhelming,” Ginobili said. “Yea, I don’t have a lot of words to describe it, but of course it makes you feel really well. Feeling that type of appreciation, love, respect. ... When it happens in a situation like that and you receive all of that without expecting it, it shakes your world a little bit.” The emotional outpouring led Ginobili to make a startling revelation to friend and teammate Patty Mills as they sat on the bench. He had no idea what all the fuss was about. “It felt like they wanted me to retire,” Ginobili said with a smile. “Like they were giving me sort of a celebration night. And of course, I’m getting closer and closer. There is no secret, for sure. It’s getting harder and harder, but I always said that I wanted to let it sink in for three weeks, four weeks, and then I will sit with my wife and see how it feels.”

San Antonio’s highly passionate fan base does not want Ginobili to retire. The fans simply wanted to show their appreciation because they are unsure if their beloved star will return next season. The Spurs also aren’t sure. “If he decides he’s going to play again, that’s up to him,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “I won’t try to convince him one way or the other. I don’t think he needs that.” Ginobili’s uncertain future is one of many questions the Spurs are awaiting answers on this offseason. San Antonio’s season came to an abrupt end when they were swept by Golden State in the conference finals. The Warriors became the first team in league history to start the playoffs 12-0 after defeating the Spurs 122-108 on Monday night in Game 4. Still, San Antonio’s first season in 20 years without franchise cornerstone Tim Duncan was a success. The Spurs captured their second straight Southwest Division title and earned their 20th straight playoff appearance. “If you have half a brain, you put things in perspective,” Popovich said. “For the first year without Timmy’s leadership and a lot of new players, these guys got it together to win 61 games and just got better and better as the playoffs proceeded and we were basically on a pretty good roll starting Game 1 at Golden State. Some bad fortune which happens to

all of us at some point in our lives and we don’t get to be the last team standing. But when I think about what they accomplished, they deserve a lot of credit.” The Warriors outscored the Spurs by 85 points in the series after Kawhi Leonard suffered a sprained ankle in Game 1 with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter and San Antonio leading 78-55. Leonard will be fine after some rest and rehabilitation. Forward David Lee is also expected to return after suffering a torn patellar tendon in Game 3 against the Warriors. Tony Parker is expected to be out at least eight months after suffering a ruptured left quadriceps tendon against Houston in Game 2 of the West semifinals. Healing LaMarcus Aldridge’s psyche could be trickier. The 6-foot-11 forward struggled in the postseason, especially against Golden State. Aldridge was twice held to eight points in the conference finals, including a 7-for-17 effort in Game 4. Popovich isn’t worried. “Not having Tony and Kawhi, it takes away our two best creators,” Popovich said. “They create a lot for our team. If one of the other scorers is left on his own like L.A. and he gets doubled and the playoffs get more physical, then you have to find scoring elsewhere and we had a problem doing that.” The Spurs do not have any existing cap space to add players, but do have eight potential free agents

that could impact that. Lee, Pau Gasol and Dewayne Dedmon all have player options while Patty Mills and Jonathon Simmons are unrestricted free agents. Keeping Simmons may be difficult after his star turn in the playoffs, especially once Leonard went down. “We value all the guys that are going to be free agents,” Popovich said. “R.C. and I will sit down and put together a plan and priorities and that sort of thing, it’s no different than any other year.” Ginobili is a free agent, but is expected to return to the Spurs if he does not retire. The question is, does he want to. The 39-year-old rebounded from four straight scoreless games against Memphis in the opening round to provide San Antonio with a needed boost. He finished with 15 points in a frenzied 32 minutes in Game 4 against Golden State. “I do feel like I can still play, but that’s not way is going to make me retire or not,” Ginobili said. “It’s about how I feel.” Unsure of what that decision is, Popovich made sure Ginobili understood what he has meant to the Spurs and their fans. Ginobili started and was taken out of the game with two minutes remaining to huge applause. “I’m really happy we did what we did last night for him,” Popovich said. “I think he really was moved by it. He deserved it and it worked out wonderfully.”

A8 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

STATE

Boy dies after stepping into puddle with downed power line A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

LAREDO, Texas — Authorities say a 14-yearold Texas boy died from electrocution after stepping into a puddle containing a downed power line during a storm that brought heavy rain, hail and strong winds to Laredo. Laredo police spokesman Joe E. Baeza said Aldo Jordani Rojas died Sunday. Corinne Stern, the Webb County medical examiner, said Monday that the death is being ruled accidental. Stern

says it appears the puddle became electrified. Baeza says their investigation will include trying to determine when the line came down. The storm damaged roofs, downed trees and caused power outages. Some area schools were closed Monday. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said effects of the storm caused operations to be temporarily suspended at the World Trade Bridge, which is only for commercial traffic between the U.S. and Mexico.

Texas Senate approves banning drones over stadiums, jails By Meredith Hoffman A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — Drone flights could soon face new restrictions in America’s largest conservative state. The Texas Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to ban drones over sports arenas and jails. The measure makes flying a drone intentionally over a stadium or correctional facility punishable by up to six months in jail. Multiple

infractions may mean up to a year behind bars. The regulation is designed to protect the public from weapons that drones could possibly carry, and to prevent drones from sneaking inmates drugs or contraband. But opponents say the federal government is charged with overseeing airspace, and worry the bill could stifle the booming drone industry. The legislation now returns to the House.

Eric Gay / AP

In this April 26 file photo, Texas Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas is surrounded by lawmakers as he speaks against an anti-"sanctuary cities" bill in Austin, Texas.

Courts could put Texas GOP’s agenda to the test By Paul J. Weber ASSOCIATED PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republicans have been pushing an aggressive agenda despite promised court challenges, including legislation that would let police ask drivers whether they’re in the U.S. legally, restrict what school bathrooms transgender students can use, ban most second-trimester abortions and let adoption agencies reject gay couples over religious objections. The lawsuits have already begun: El Paso County on Monday asked a federal court to block a “sanctuary cities” crackdown signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott that opponents say invites racial profiling by police and will push immigrant crime victims further into the shadows. Abortion rights groups, civil rights lawyers and LGBT organizations have also renewed pledges to take the state to court this summer following a whirlwind weekend in which the Republicancontrolled Legislature pushed new anti-abortion

bills, a religious objections bill and a so-called “bathroom bill” closer to Abbott’s desk before lawmakers adjourn May 29. “I would think it’s unprecedented that this many actions by the Legislature will be contested in court,” said state Rep. Chris Turner, the Democratic leader in the Texas House of Representatives. Texas is used to getting dragged into federal courts, which have weakened or dismantled some of the state’s most prominent Republican efforts in recent years. Federal judges this spring found intentional discrimination in the state’s voter ID law and Republican-drawn voting maps, and last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a sweeping Texas antiabortion law that prompted more than half of the state’s abortion clinics to close. Steamrolled by a dominant GOP majority in the Texas Legislature, Democrats have turned to federal courts as a refuge, but this summer could be particularly busy. Defending the laws is likely to cost the state hundreds of

thousands of dollars or more in taxpayer money, depending on how long the cases last. The likely challenges include a bill passed early Monday in the Senate that allows publicly funded foster care and adoption agencies to refuse to place children with non-Christian, unmarried or gay prospective parents because of religious objections. If passed, the law would be the nation’s second to let state-funded adoption agencies reject families on religious grounds, following South Dakota, where the legislation passed in March has made it too soon to measure its practical effects. The Texas House on Monday also cleared a “bathroom bill” reminiscent of one that caused a national uproar last year in North Carolina, although less far-reaching. Under the Texas measure, transgender students at public and charter schools would not be permitted to use the bathroom of their choice, but could be directed to separate, single-occupancy restrooms. Lambda Legal,

a national gay rights group, signaled a legal challenge after Republican members overwhelmingly sent the bill to the state Senate. Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, said the rightward drift of the Legislature has left lawmakers OK with leaving some laws up the courts. “None of these reps are going to lose their primary if the laws are blocked in the court,” Jones said. “They could lose their primary if they go against the bathroom bill, or against the abortion bill, or against the sanctuary city bill.” Since Abbott signed the sanctuary city bill, the American Civil Liberties Union and big Texas cities have pledged lawsuits, while the state in turn has pre-emptively asked a federal court to declare the law constitutional. The law gives police the right to ask residency questions during any “lawful detention or arrest” and threatens police chiefs and sheriffs with jail time if they don’t comply with federal immigration agents.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 |

BUSINESS

Fox News Target, states reach $18.5 million finds itself in settlement on data breach third place looking up at MSNBC and CNN By Anne D'Innocenzio AP RETAIL WRITER

By Gerry Smith and Anousha Sakoui BL O O MBE RG

After parting ways with the mostwatched personalities in cable news and firing its founder over allegations of sexual harassment, the conservative-oriented Fox dropped to third place last week in prime time among the viewers that advertisers court, a spot it hasn’t occupied for almost 17 years. Meanwhile, left-leaning MSNBC soared to No. 1 for a second straight week, helped by news on probes into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. The reversal marks a big shakeup in TV news and could alter the fortunes of all three news networks if it lasts. Audience ratings drive the subscriber fees and advertising rates that all three outlets charge, and being No. 1 for 15 years has made Fox News the most profitable channel at parent 21st Century Fox Inc. A long exile in third place would matter. “That’s when investors will see it,” said Brett Harriss, an analyst at Gabelli & Co. who recommends buying shares of 21st Century Fox. Until then, “it’s kind of wait and see.” Fox shares have dropped 4.4 percent this year, compared with a 6 percent gain for the S&P 500 Media Index. On the surface, MSNBC’s rise can be explained by the fact that it has become a rallying point for those opposed to President Trump, said Andrew Tyndall, whose Tyndall Report monitors TV news. As troubles mounted for the administration last week, MSNBC’s audience swelled. “These type of breaking news events are going to attract news viewers who are interested in learning more negative things about Donald Trump than positive things,” Tyndall said. To be fair, Fox isn’t losing viewers — for now it’s just bragging rights to No. 1 that are in play. All three networks have benefited from heightened interest in the Trump administration’s turmoil, showing growth in total viewers and the 25-to-54-year-olds that advertisers target when they buy spots in newscasts. So far this year, Fox News is still first in viewers of all ages for the full day, with its audience up 23 percent, according to Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group. Comcast Corp.’s MSNBC, fueled by the growing appeal of commentators Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell, has seen its followers more than double. CNN, part of Time Warner Inc., is up 54 percent. But last week, MSNBC climbed to first in total weekday viewers with 2.44 million in prime time, compared with Fox’s 2.41 million, and continued to lead in the younger demographic. That was Fox’s worst finish since 2000, TVNewser reported Monday. CNN was second in the key age group and third overall.

NEW YORK — Target Corp. has reached an $18.5 million settlement over a massive data breach that occurred before Christmas in 2013, New York's attorney general announced Tuesday. The agreement involving 47 states and the District of Columbia is the largest multistate data breach settlement to date, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman's office said. The settlement, which stipulates some security measures the retailer must adhere to, resolves the states' probe into the breach. Target spokeswoman Jenna Reck said in a statement that

the company has been working with state authorities for several years to address claims related to the breach. "We're pleased to bring this issue to a resolution for everyone involved," she said. Target had announced the breach on Dec. 19, 2013, saying it occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 of that year. It affected more than 41 million customer payment card accounts and exposed contact information for more than 60 million customers. The breach forced Target to overhaul its security system and the company offered free credit reports for potentially affected shoppers. Target's sales, profit and stock price all suffered months after the

disclosure as shoppers were nervous about their security of their credit cards. The breach also contributed to the departure of Target's then-CEO, chairman and president Gregg Steinhafel, who resigned in May 2014. CEO Brian Cornell took the helm in August 2014. Target's data breach was the first in a series of scams that hit other retailers including SuperValu and Home Depot. It forced the retail industry, banks and card companies to increase security and sped the adoption of microchips into U.S. credit and debit cards. An investigation by the states found that in November 2013, scammers got access to Target's server through cre-

dentials stolen from a thirdparty vendor. They used those credentials to take advantage of holes in Target's systems, accessing a customer service database and installing malware that was used to capture data, including full customer names, telephone numbers, email and mailing addresses, credit card numbers, expiration dates and encrypted debit PINs. The settlement requires Target to maintain appropriate encryption policies and take other security steps, though the company has already implemented those measures. Reck said the costs of the settlement are reflected in the reserves that Target has previously disclosed.

US says Fiat Chrysler used software to cheat emissions tests By Tom Krisher ASSOCIATED PRE SS

DETROIT — The U.S. government is suing Fiat Chrysler, alleging that some of its diesel pickup trucks and Jeep SUVs cheat on emissions tests. The lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Justice Department marks the second time the government has gone after an automaker alleging use of software on diesel engines that allows them to emit more pollution on the road than during Environmental Protection Agency lab testing. Last year, the government accused Volkswagen of cheating on tests, and the company ended up pleading guilty to criminal charges in a scandal that cost VW more than $20 billion in the U.S. alone. In the latest case, the government alleges that Fiat Chrysler, or FCA, put eight “software-based features” on diesel engines in nearly 104,000 Ram pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokees from the 2014 to 2016 model years. The software allowed the vehicles to emit fewer pollutants during lab tests by Environmental Protection Agency than during normal driving conditions. The 3-liter FCA diesels emit nitrogen oxide at a much higher rate than allowed under federal laws when on the road, the EPA said in a statement. The company failed to disclose the software during the process to become certified so the vehicles can be sold, according to the EPA. The agency called the software a “defeat device” that changes the way the vehicles

John Bazemore / AP

In this file photo, Dodge Ram pickup trucks are on display on the lot at Landmark Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM in Morrow, Georgia.

perform on treadmill tests in a laboratory. “Each of these vehicles differs materially from the specifications provided to EPA in the certification applications,” the statement said. “Thus the cars are uncertified, in violation of the Clean Air Act.” The Italian-American automaker said in a statement Tuesday that it is disappointed that the lawsuit was filed because it has been working with the EPA for months to clarify pollution control issues. FCA has contended that unlike VW, it did not install the software with intent to cheat on tests. “The company intends to defend itself vigorously, particularly against any claims that the company engaged in

any deliberate scheme to install defeat devices to cheat U.S. emissions tests.” In the lawsuit filed in Detroit federal court, the government seeks civil fines that could total over $4 billion, as well as court orders stopping the company from making or selling vehicles with undisclosed software. The EPA issued a “notice of violation” against FCA, exposing the software in January in the waning days of the Obama administration. FCA had planned to appeal to the administration of President Donald Trump for help after Trump promised fewer government regulations. At the time, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne denied any wrongdoing and said the agency was blowing the issue

out of proportion. The EPA and the California Air Resources Board still are discussing with FCA ways to make the vehicles comply with federal and California pollution laws. FCA says it still hopes to resolve the matter in negotiations. “The nature and timing of any resolution of this issue are uncertain,” the EPA statement said. The lawsuit is another example of stepped up enforcement of diesel emissions cases worldwide after the VW scandal. Earlier Tuesday German automaker Daimler AG said that prosecutors will search several of its offices in Germany as part of a preliminary investigation into suspected manipulation of diesel emission controls.

A10 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

ENTERTAINMENT

Broadway's box office coffers soars but attendance retreats By Mark Kennedy ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Thibault Camus / AP

Members of staff from the festival, hold a moment of silence on the steps of the Palais du Festival on Tuesday for the victims of the Manchester bomb blast.

Cannes Film Festival holds silent moment for Manchester By Jake Coyle A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

CANNES, France — The Cannes Film Festival paused Tuesday for a moment of silence to honor the victims of the attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. Thierry Fremaux, director of the festival, led Cannes in a minute of silence from the redcarpet steps of the Palais, the festival's hub. The moment, he said, was to show solidarity with the victims, their families and the British people. "We are a festival of peace," said Fremaux, who was joined by Pierre Lescure, president of the festival, actress Isabelle Huppert and festival

employees. In a statement, festival organizers called Monday's blast "yet another attack on culture, youth and joyfulness, on our freedom, generosity and tolerance, all things that the Festival and those who make it possible — the artists, professionals and spectators — hold dear." Some events were canceled or curtailed due to the blast. Disney canceled a promotional event for "Cars 3." The festival also pulled back on some elements of its 70th anniversary, which it was celebrating Tuesday. Fireworks planned for the evening were canceled. Cannes Mayor David Lisnard assured festival-

goers that security measures were at their highest and that Cannes would continue to carry "the universal message of culture, in a spirit of openness." Monday's bombing was on the minds of many at Cannes. "It's devastating, devastating for the families that are going through this now" said Nicole Kidman. "It's not even to be discussed. It's just to ... pray for them." Security has been greater than ever at the festival this year, with increased use of metal detectors and an antidrone system. Nice, where a cargo truck last July plowed through crowds, killing 86 people, is just 20 miles away.

NEW YORK — On Broadway, there's great financial news to sing about but a sour note amid the flush times: Box offices are enjoying the highest grossing season in history but attendance has dipped after four consecutive seasons of gains. The Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, said Tuesday that box offices reported a record total gross of $1.45 billion for the season that began May 23, 2016, and ended Sunday— up 5.5 percent from the $1.37 billion earned the previous season. The trade association for theater owners, operators and producers said attendance was up to 13.27 million ticket buyers, down 0.4 percent from the 13.32 million the season before and despite more offerings. The new numbers come during a season that saw a new theater — the Hudson Theatre — joining the 40 existing ones. It also saw the average ticket price soar from $97.33 last season to $113.85 this time. A total of 45 shows opened during the season. There were 20 new musicals, 20 plays and five special events. Last season saw 39 shows open. It was an unpredictable season, heavy on revivals and not always kind to visiting Hollywood celebs. Sally Field returned in a stripped-down production of "The Glass Menagerie" and got a

Charles Sykes / AP

This 2012 file photo shows a Broadway street in Times Square, in New York.

Tony nomination but reviews were poor and it struggled to earn more than half its weekly potential, closing early. Cate Blanchett, an Oscar-winner making her Broadway debut in Anton Chekhov's "The Present" and earning a Tony nomination in the process, didn't sell out her theater each week — not by a long shot. Nor has Glenn Close, in a widely praised revival of "Sunset Boulevard." Diane Lane, in a revival of "The Cherry Orchard," often saw her show's weekly take dip below 50 percent of its potential. And interest in the Liev Schreiber-led "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" seemed to plummet as the run went on. Bette Midler, naturally, has packed audiences into the Shubert Theatre to see her in "Holly, Dolly!" and Jake Gyllenhaal earned praise and box office clout in his sold-out revival of "Sunday in the Park With George." Josh Groban helped make "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" a hit

but it remains to be seen what happens to the show when he leaves in July. One clear winner this season was "Dear Evan Hansen," a musical which centers on a profoundly lonely 17-year-old who fabricates a prior friendship with a classmate who has just committed suicide. The acclaimed musical has songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. New plays, overall, have had a hard time this season, with "Sweat," ''A Doll's House, Part 2" and "Indecent" all struggling, although "Oslo" and "The Play That Goes Wrong" have done relatively well. "Significant Others," a drama with no stars, turned in one of the most underwhelming box office performances in years, at one point earning just 17 percent of its potential weekly earning. Revivals of plays have done OK, while "Heisenberg" was a rare bright spot for plays in the fall and the celebrity-heavy revival of "The Front Page" was a financial smash.

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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 |

A11

NATIONAL Jury deliberations start in New Jersey father's murder trial ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Neal Augenstein / AP

CAMDEN, N.J. — Jurors have ended their deliberations for the day in the murder trial of a New Jersey man accused of killing his 3-year-old son because the boy had become an impediment to his relationship with a teenage girlfriend. Defense lawyers had told jurors that prosecutors failed to show 23-

year-old David Creato was guilty. But prosecutors noted that Creato Creato was the only person with Brendan Creato the night the boy disappeared. They say it wouldn't take much to smother a sleeping child. Creato maintains

Brendan wandered away from his Haddon Township home in October 2015. His body was found hours later in a creek. The panel got the case late Tuesday, shortly after defense and prosecution lawyers concluded their closing arguments. Jurors deliberated for about 20 minutes before talks ended for the day. They will resume Wednesday.

In the photo, Richard Collins III's graduation gown is draped over front row chairs at Bowie State University ceremony Tuesday in College Park, Maryland.

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

sible hate crime, because Urbanski became a member of a racist Facebook group several months ago. "I know people are hurting," Police Chief Hank Stawinski said Monday. "I know that people are drawing conclusions. I know that social media moves in its own way. "But I'm asking as the chief of police in Prince George's County ... that we take pause and allow all these investigators to do their work. They will know to a certainty what lies behind this, but we're not there yet." Defense attorney William C. Brennan argued that since the 22-year-old Urbanski had no criminal record, he should be allowed to live at home with a GPS monitor and receive alcohol abuse treatment while his case goes forward. The judge declined, for now. Collins, 23, who was visiting friends at the College Park campus, had just been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Lt. Col. Joel Thomas, who runs the Bowie State ROTC unit, said at a vigil Monday night that Collins could have been an outstanding military leader. "Richard cared deeply about his friends, cared deeply about others and he was exactly what we are looking for when we're selecting officers for the United States Army," Thomas said. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan posted Monday on Facebook that the person responsible must be fully prosecuted. "Violence and hatred have no place in our communities and will never be tolerated," he said.

By James Nord A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The U.S. Department of Energy is abandoning a test meant to determine whether nuclear waste can be buried far underground because of changes in budget priorities, the agency said Tuesday. A spokeswoman said in a statement that the agency doesn't intend to continue supporting the Deep Borehole Field Test project, which was meant to assess whether nuclear waste could be stored in approximately 3-miledeep holes. Officials had stressed it wouldn't involve the use of actual nuclear waste. Federal energy officials said in December that companies were exploring potential sites for the test

in South Dakota, Texas and New Mexico. Only one company would have eventually carried out the field test. The project's contract dictated that after the project was completed, the borehole would have been permanently sealed and the land restored. Local officials in North Dakota and South Dakota had previously rebuffed project organizers over nuclear waste concerns. South Dakota U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem in a statement applauded the Energy Department's move, saying that she and local community members were deeply concerned about doing testing in "our backyard" to see whether boreholes could store nuclear waste. "I am grateful to the Trump administration for hearing the concerns

raised by these communities and subsequently withdrawing consideration of this proposal," Noem said. A spokesman for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard said in a statement that he didn't object to the test as long as it wouldn't have led to nuclear waste storage in South Dakota. The Trump Administration budget released Tuesday seeks $120 million to revive the mothballed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, which is hugely unpopular in Nevada and was largely stopped by the efforts of former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid. Waste from commercial reactors in the U.S. now is stored onsite at nuclear power plants. The waste generated from defense activities is kept at a few secure locations.

NEW YORK — More sponsors are dropping out of a New York City parade that is honoring a Puerto Rican nationalist who served decades in prison for his involvement in a group that claimed responsibility for more than 100 bombings. Coca-Cola, AT&T and JetBlue became the latest sponsors to skip the June 11 Puerto Rican Day parade along Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. New York has the largest Puerto Rican community off the island. Goya Foods already dropped out but said it was a business decision. Oscar Lopez Rivera spent more than 35 years in prison before his sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama. He was a member of the Armed Forces of National Liberation, or FALN, which claimed responsibility for more than 100 bombings around the U.S. and Puerto Rico in the 1970s and 1980s, including a blast that killed four

people at New York's historic Fraunces Tavern in 1975. Dallas-based AT&T Inc. said it celebrates Puerto Ricans and "their rich heritage" but would be withdrawing support from the parade this year. JetBlue said the debate was dividing the community and it would instead redirect funds to support student scholarships. "We did not make this decision lightly and hope all sides will come together to engage in a dialogue about the parade's role in unifying the community at a time when Puerto Rico needs it most," New Yorkbased JetBlue Airways Corp. said in a statement. The Coca-Cola Co., headquartered in Atlanta, said representatives wouldn't march, but it would honor the financial support to the scholarship program. The New York Yankees said they wouldn't participate this year but would continue to fund scholarships. The team has an afternoon home game the day of the parade.

Hispanic societies in both the Fire Department of New York and the New York Police Department have said they would not be sending delegations this year, and the police commissioner said he wouldn't march. Law enforcement officers were among those injured in the FALN blasts. Parade organizers stand by their decision to honor Lopez Rivera as "Procer de la Libertad" — National Freedom Hero. Supporters rallied around the organizers at a news conference Monday. The 74-year-old Lopez Rivera has thousands of supporters who see him as a political prisoner, jailed for seeking independence for Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. Lopez Rivera wasn't convicted in any of the bombings. Mayor Bill de Blasio is still marching, and more than 30 city lawmakers, including City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who was born in Puerto Rico, said they supported the decision to honor Lopez Rivera.

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. — A black Bowie State University student who police say was fatally stabbed by a white stranger was honored Tuesday at the commencement ceremony where he would have walked across the stage. The gown of Richard Collins III was draped over a chair in the front row, and his family accepted his business administration degree. The historically black school's commencement was held in a sports arena at the nearby College Park campus of the University of Maryland, where Collins was killed early Saturday. Moments after the stabbing, witnesses directed officers to a white Maryland student sitting nearby with a knife in his pocket, police said. Bowie State President Mickey Burnim asked graduates to remember Collins. "Let us pause now in a moment of silence and contemplation of what each of us might do to promote greater peace, harmony and love that seems to be so lacking in our country and our world today," he said. Indeo Ragsdale, a friend of Collins from Bowie State's ROTC program, said the day was full of sadness from losing him, but also the happiness of having known him, and the many lives he touched. "He'll be truly missed," said Ragsdale, a junior from Lindenwold, New Jersey. Bowie State students were trying to avoid negative thoughts, even

though Collins was stabbed a short distance from the commencement, he said. "It's sad that it happened up the street from here, but it's out of our control. We're not focused on the negativity today. We're focused on the positivity. Collins was a joyful person," he said. Robert Caret, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, noted these contrasting emotions while addressing the graduating class. "Commencements, almost without exception, are events that are bound with excitement and good feeling and hope, but it's clear that we gather today heartbroken by the murder of one of our very own, someone who by any rational measure should be with us today," Caret said. Outside, University of Maryland physics professor Charles Clark wore his academic regalia and carried a sign honoring Collins as he welcomed the other school's graduates and faculty. "I thought I'd come and greet people on my own behalf and give them a good impression of the University of Maryland at College Park," he said. Bowie State science professor Uvetta Dozier thanked Clark. She called Collins' death heartbreaking. "He could have been someone whose life could have been a lamp unto those who are lost," Dozier said. Authorities have appealed for patience from both college communities as they investigate the background of Sean Urbanski, now jailed on murder charges. Police are considering it a pos-

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A12 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

INTERNATIONAL

Key Mexico-US border crossing remains closed after damage A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

MEXICO CITY — A major commercial border crossing between the U.S. and Mexico will remain closed this week as a result of damaging winds and rain. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says in a statement that the

BUDGET From page A1 message. "Basically dead on arrival," opined the Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. The proposal reflects a conservative vision of smaller government, a drastic rollback of programs for the poor and disabled to prod them into the workforce and a robust hike for the military and border security. It foresees scuttling Barack Obama's health care law and an overhaul of the tax code, a boon to the wealthiest Americans. The plan is laced with $3.6 trillion in cuts to domestic agencies, food stamps, Medicaid, highway funding, crop insurance and medical research, among others. Many of the voters who propelled Trump into the presidency last November would see significantly less from the federal government. "We're no longer going to measure compassion by the number of programs or the number of

World Trade Bridge connecting Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas, will hopefully reopen on May 29. Strong winds Sunday afternoon ripped roofing off port-of-entry buildings, flipped over tractor-trailers, knocked out power and soaked computers on

the Mexican side. Downed power poles and billboards block access to the bridge. Facilities

on the U.S. side suffered similar roof damage and experienced flooding in offices.

The statement Tuesday said here were no reported injuries. Commercial traffic is

being rerouted to the Colombia-Solidarity bridge which also connects the cities.

people on those programs, but by the number of people we help get off those programs," said Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget and a former tea party congressman. At the same time, the blueprint boosts spending for the military by tens of billions and calls for $1.6 billion for a border wall with Mexico that Trump repeatedly promised voters the U.S. neighbor would finance. Mexico emphatically rejects that notion. The proposal got a chilly reception from congressional Republicans and Democrats, who insist they will have the final say as they struggle to complete a health care bill and rewrite the tax code. Food stamp cuts would drive millions from the program, while a wave of Medicaid cuts — on top of more than $800 billion in the House-passed health care bill — could deny nursing home care to millions of elderly poor people. It would also

force some people on Social Security's disability program back into the workforce. "These cuts that are being proposed are draconian," said veteran GOP Rep. Harold Rogers, who represents a poor district in eastern Kentucky. "They're not mere shavings, they're deep, deep cuts." Said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.: "I don't think the president's budget is going anywhere." The budget would reduce pension benefits for federal workers by $63 billion by eliminating cost-of-living adjustments for most and by requiring employees to make larger contributions. In agriculture, it would limit subsidies to farmers, including for purchasing crop insurance, an idea already attacked by farm state lawmakers. "We've lost 40 percent of our wheat crop and you're telling me there's going to be large cuts to crop insurance?" asked Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan. "Come on. That doesn't add up."

BRENNAN From page A1

have sufficient information to make a determination about whether or not such cooperation or complicity or collusion was taking place," Brennan said. "But I know there was a basis to have individuals pull those threads." Brennan noted anew that U.S. intelligence agencies had concluded "Russia's goals were to undermine public faith in

the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary (Hillary) Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency, and to help President Trump's election chances." "It should be clear to everyone that Russia brazenly interfered in our 2016 present election process" and did so despite strong protests and his warning, he said.

Texas teens identify as transgender, but the number of children under age 13 is not known. Some districts have nondiscrimination policies that explicitly include gender identity. Others have no formal policy but still shield students on a case-bycase basis. Faculty at Smith's school declined to discuss their treatment of her son. But Lindsey Pollock, a principal in another school in the district, said she tries to stick up for children, even under legal and

political pressure. "This has never been an issue," said Pollock, who said she has always allowed transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice in her 17 years as a principal. "The problem is the adults looking to make it a problem." Texas Rep. Ron Simmons, who authored a House version of the bathroom legislation, said the measure was not meant to discriminate against transgender individuals but to preserve practices that he believes have worked in the past.

Eric Gay / AP

In this file photo, trucks travel on an overpassed to and from the World Trade Bridge, in Laredo, Texas.

House. Brennan, who was President Barack Obama's CIA director, said he couldn't say whether there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, an issue being investigated by congressional committees and now a federal special counsel. "I don't

EXPOSURE From page A1

na was partially repealed this year after protests and boycotts. Comparable proposals have been offered in other legislatures, but none has been approved. Currently, each school and school district determines how to handle students whose birth genders are secret — a small portion of Texas' thousands of transgender minors. A survey conducted by the Williams Institute at UCLA indicated that 13,800

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 |

A13

NATIONAL

Nearly 740,000 foreigners overstayed US visas By Elliot Spagat A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

SAN DIEGO — Nearly 740,000 foreigners who were supposed to leave the United States during a recent 12-month period overstayed their visas, the Homeland Security Department said Monday, detailing a crucial but often overlooked contributor to the number of people in the country illegally. President Donald Trump has proposed spending billions of dollars to erect a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico and hire more border agents, but those measures would not address people who arrive legally and stay after their visas expire. An estimated 40 percent of the roughly 11 million people in the

country illegally stayed past their visas. There were 739,478 overstays from October 2015 through September 2016 among visitors who arrive by plane or ship — more than the population of Alaska. The total number of overstays is much larger but has not been quantified because the statistic doesn't include how many people leave by land. The cost and technological hurdles to develop a checkout system at congested land crossings are enormous because the sites are so busy. Last year, Homeland Security tested facial scans at a San Diego border crossing but has npt said if the technology works or will be expanded. Homeland Security last year published the num-

Gregory Bull / AP

In this 2014 file photo, a Border Patrol agent uses a headset and computer to conduct a long distance interview by video from a facility in San Diego.

ber of overstays for the first time in at least two decades, saying 527,127 people who came by air or ship stayed past their visas from October 2014 to September 2015. This year's report added student and foreign exchange visitors and many visa categories for temporary workers, while last year's only counted business travelers and tourists. Homeland Security said it will make additional improvements in future reports,

including more data on people who cross by land. Overstays accounted for 1.5 percent of the 50.4 million visitors who arrived by plane or ship in the latest period, Homeland Security said. Canada occupied the top slot for overstays among business travelers and tourists, followed by Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. Germany, Colombia, China, India and Italy rounded out the top 10.

The overstay rate was much higher among students and foreign exchange visitors, with 79,818 of 1.5 million, or 5.5 percent, staying after their visas expired. China had the largest number of student overstays, followed by Saudi Arabia, South Korea, India and Brazil. Trump vowed during last year's campaign to finish building a system to record when visitors leave the country by using biometric identifiers,

like facial or iris scans, but he has focused much of his attention on building a wall and hiring more border agents. Homeland Security's internal watchdog said earlier this month that immigration agents waste their time logging in and out of archaic computer systems while trying to track down foreigners suspected of overstaying their visas only to find out later that many visa holders have left the country.

10 people seated on jury in Botulism Bill Cosby's sex assault trial outbreak tied to By Joe Mandak and Maryclaire Dale A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

PITTSBURGH — The jury that will hear Bill Cosby's sexual assault case was filling up quickly Tuesday as lawyers and prosecutors worked to select panelists who they believe would be favorable to their side. A black woman who said she knows only "basic information" about the case and a young white man who initially expressed a tendency to believe police were the latest to be added to the panel. The man said he could put that bias aside if instructed to do so, leading defense lawyers to accept him on the panel. The jury so far consists of six men and four women — all but one of them white — in a case that Cosby says may have racial undertones. The actor-comedian once known as America's Dad for his beloved portrayal of Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" is charged with drugging and molesting a Temple University women's basketball team manager at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. He has called the encounter consensual. Dozens of other women have made similar accusations against Cosby, 79, but Judge Steven T. O'Neill is allowing only one of them to testify at the June 5 trial in suburban Philadelphia. The jury from

Gene J. Puskar / AP

Bill Cosby, right rear, arrives with one of his attorneys Angela Agrusa, center, for the second day of jury selection in his sexual assault case at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh will be sequestered nearly 300 miles from home. Lawyers will continue to question Pittsburgharea residents this week until they find a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates in a case that has attracted worldwide publicity. The first group of 100 potential jurors summoned this week includes 16 people of color. The judge will bring in more people as needed. Cosby, in an interview last week, said race could be a motivating factor in the accusations against him. Cosby became the first black actor to star in a network TV show in 1965 but has alienated some younger blacks by criticizing their clothes, music and lifestyle. Black comedian Hannibal Burress seemingly inspired more accusers to go public after he called Cosby a rapist onstage. "Race plays a role in every trial, but it shouldn't eclipse ... the evidence,"

Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson said. "This case is frankly more about gender, celebrity, how women are treated (and) Bill Cosby's credibility. But race may take a more focused perspective because the defense has (raised it) recently." Cosby recently broke two years of silence when he gave a brief interview with a black news service, while one daughter issued a public statement saying she thinks race played a role in the accusations. The other jurors picked Tuesday include a young man and middle-aged woman who said they had no opinions on the case, and a man who said he doesn't read or watch the news. The jurors' names, ages and occupations were being kept private. Two men selected Monday said they or someone close to them had been sexually assaulted, but they insisted they could judge the

case fairly. Sometimes that is not so easy, one law professor said. One-third of the initial jury pool questioned Monday said they had an opinion about Cosby's guilt or innocence, and an equal number said they or someone close to them had been sexually assaulted. The trial will take place in Norristown in Montgomery County, where Cosby had invited Andrea Constand to his home in 2004. Constand said she went seeking career advice. She said Cosby gave her wine and pills that put her in a stupor before molesting her on his couch. Constand was 30 and dating a woman at the time, while Cosby was 66 and long married to wife Camille. Cosby in sworn testimony has said he put his hand down Constand's pants, but said she did not protest. Cosby has said he does not expect to testify. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault unless they come forward, as Constand has done. Cosby was arrested Dec. 30, 2015, days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. He has pleaded not guilty and remains free on $1 million bail. He told a talk show host last week that he hopes to beat back the charges and resume his career.

nacho cheese kills 1, sickens 9 ASSOCIATED PRE SS

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A botulism outbreak linked to contaminated nacho-cheese dip sold at a Northern California gas station has killed one man and left at least nine other people hospitalized, health officials said. The San Francisco County coroner's office identified the dead man as Martin GalindoLarios Jr., 37. Matt Conens, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, declined to release further information on the death, the condition of the other victims, or the status and extent of the investigation into the weeks-old outbreak. Family members of Galindo-Larios did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An online fundraising page said the man had been married and the father of two small children. Tests have confirmed the botulism toxin was present in nacho-cheese dip sold at a gas station in the Sacramento suburb of Walnut Grove, the state health agency said Monday in a statement. The agency said last week that the container and cheese dip were

removed May 5 and that authorities believe the contamination posed no further risk to the public. Wisconsin-based food distributor Gehl Foods said it had been notified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the company's nacho cheese was among the products that inspectors seized at the gas station. "We immediately retested samples from the relevant lot of cheese, and it remains clear of any contamination," the company said in a statement. The manufacturer said an independent lab also found no sign of the toxin in the samples tested there. There is no recall of the nacho cheese product, the company said. Botulism, a comparatively rare kind of food poisoning, can lead to paralysis, breathing difficulty and sometimes death. Survivors often need to spend weeks or months on ventilators to help them breathe. A major outbreak of foodborne botulism stemmed from a church potluck in Ohio in 2015, when at least 29 people fell ill. Authorities blamed potato salad made from potatoes that had been canned improperly at home.

Egypt moves bed, chariot of King Tut to new museum By Menna Zaki A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

CAIRO — Egypt safely moved two artifacts, a funerary bed and a chariot, belonging to the famed pharaoh King Tutankhamun on Tuesday, from the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo to a new one across the city, which will house a large collection of the ancient monarch's items. The two gold-plated pieces are part of a bigger batch of King Tut's items that will be gradually moved to the Grand Egyptian museum, which is

still under construction just west of the Giza pyramids. In large sealed wooden boxes, the unique items were carried, crossing a distance of about 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) while surrounded by police cars. Upon their arrival to the site of the museum, the items were placed inside a restoration room, where they will be kept until the artifacts adapt to the new atmospheric conditions. Tareq Tawfiq, director of the Grand Egyptian Museum, told reporters that the vehicles used to

move the items were equipped with devices to measure humidity, heat and vibrations. The transfer of King Tut's items has become a particularly sensitive issue since 2014, when the beard attached to the ancient Egyptian monarch's priceless golden mask was accidentally knocked off and hastily reattached with an epoxy glue compound, causing damage and sparking uproar among archaeologists. The restored mask, which is yet to be moved to the new museum, will be put on display among

5,000 other items belonging to the boy king, whose nearly intact tomb was discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter in the southern city of Luxor. For many, King Tut embodies ancient Egypt's glory, because his tomb was packed with the glittering wealth of the rich 18th Dynasty, from 1569 to 1315 B.C. He became pharaoh at the age of 10 in 1333 B.C., but ruled for just nine years at a pivotal time in Egypt's history. A vast area of around 7,000 square meters has been allocated for the

display of King Tut's belongings, which include two other funerary beds and four chariots. The new museum, which covers 480,000 square meters, will house about 100,000 artifacts spanning the pre-dynastic era up until the GrecoRoman period. Among the antiquities that will be featured in the museum is a recently discovered colossus, believed to belong to Psamtek I, a littleknown pharaoh from the 26th dynasty who ruled Egypt between 664 and 610 B.C. The Antiquities Min-

istry has made a string of discoveries since the beginning of 2017 in several provinces across Egypt — the most recent of which was a human necropolis holding at least 17 mummies near the Nile Valley city of Minya. Egypt hopes that the new discoveries coupled with the inauguration of the new museum will help spur a vital tourism industry that has been reeling from the political turmoil that engulfed Egypt following the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

A14 | Wednesday, May 24, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES