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5TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
Court revisits Texas voter ID law Supporters say strict photo ID rules prevent election fraud By Kevin Mcgill ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Eric Gay / AP
In this Feb. 26, 2014 file photo, an election official checks a voter's photo identification at an early voting polling site in Austin, Texas. A federal appeals court is set to take a second look Texas’ strict voter ID law.
INTERSTATE 35
NEW ORLEANS — Whether a strict Texas voter ID law should be struck down, upheld, or, perhaps, adjusted is now up to 15 federal appeals court judges. The full 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard
arguments Tuesday about the law, which requires voters to present one of seven specific forms of photo ID to cast a ballot. The state and other supporters of the law say it prevents fraud. Opponents, including the U.S. Justice Department and civil rights groups, say in-person voter fraud is
extremely rare and that Texas’ law discriminates by requiring forms of ID that are more difficult to obtain for low-income, African-American and Latino voters. It was unclear when the full court would rule. Last year, a three-judge panel of the court upheld Voter continues on A11
FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER AND REFUGE
1 dead, eight hurt in rollover
BISON MAKING A COMEBACK
Teen lost control of vehicle while avoiding capture By César G. Rodriguez TH E ZAPATA T IME S
An alleged human smuggling attempt Sunday turned deadly when the driver lost control of the vehicle while avoiding a controlled tire deflation device deployed by U.S. Border Patrol, authorities said. A man from Honduras died in the crash and eight others suspected of entering the country illegally were injured, Border Patrol said in a statement. The identity of the deceased has not been released pending the notification of next of kin, said Trooper Conrad J. Hein, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman. Hein said DPS is spearheading the crash investigation. Those injured were taken to hospitals in Laredo and San Antonio, authorities said. U.S. Customs and Border Protectin identified the driver as a 15-year-old U.S. citizen. He’s not likely to face federal charges due to his age. Border Patrol said the case unraveled at about 5:35 p.m. when agents said they saw a suspicious vehicle driving
Rodger Mallison / Fort Worth Star-Telegram/AP
This photo shows a herd of American bison, which are one of the most popular features of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge in Fort Worth, Texas. Bison once roamed the Great Plains by the millions and even made their way through Texas.
By Bill Hanna FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
F Rodger Mallison / Fort Worth Star-Telegram/AP
This photo shows people taking photos of a herd of American bison, which are one of the most popular features of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge in Fort Worth, Texas.
ORT WORTH, Texas — Bison once roamed the Great Plains by the millions and even made their way through North Texas. But in a matter of years they were hunted to the brink of extinction, dropping from an estimated 30 million to 60 million as European settlers arrived in North America to around 1,000 by 1889. While their numbers have recovered Bison continues on A11
Rollover continues on A11
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Many veterans do not have a cemetery near TH E ZAPATA T IME S
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Zapata, announced Monday the passage by the full U.S. House of the Fiscal Year 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs House Appropriations bill. The bill includes language by the
congressman that could provide for new burial places for veterans in Cuellar Texas’ 28th Congressional District. The bill was approved by the
House Thursday on a vote of 295-129. The language Cuellar introduced in the bill encourages the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to look at the possibility of private donors offering land to establish new independent veterans cemeteries
or satellites of existing ones. The VA aims to provide a burial place for all veterans within 75 miles of where they live. However, 8 percent of veterans across the country fall outside this range. Although eligible veterans can receive benefits from the VA for
burial in non-VA cemeteries, the congressman would like to see local veterans have their own dedicated resting place. By donating land as a satellite cemetery, the 28th District could bypass the competitive application process for VA cemeteries. Current-
ly, in order for a VA cemetery to be built, the Texas Land Commissioner must apply to the VA, with the blessing of the locality, and compete with other similarlyminded communities. With a number of plots of land already set aside Veterans continues on A11