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$6,000 awarded to area students Scholarships help defray college costs SPECIAL TO THE TIME S
H-E-B / Courtesy photo
Rosemary Melody, Sergio Treviño and Lea Ramirez sort apples donated by H-E-B Grocery Company on Wednesday during a news conference at the San Antonio Food Bank.
H-E-B DONATES MORE THAN 1.5M APPLES Throughout summer, food banks see a surge in demand for food S P ECIAL T O T HE T I ME S
Summer break signals the end of the school year, which means children and families across Texas will struggle to avoid hunger. To help combat the problem, H-E-B will donate 1.5 million apples to the
South Texas Food Bank in Laredo and 16 others across the Lone Star State this week. “In Texas, one in seven households is at risk of hunger, and the need for food grows during the summer break,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group
vice president public affairs, diversity and environmental affairs. “H-E-B is committed to providing our communities and vulnerable families with nutritious food and the necessary resources to avoid hunger.” Throughout summer, food banks across Texas see a surge in demand for food. Without access to daily school lunches, children are especially at risk of facing hunger. H-E-B, through its Food Bank Assistance Program,
works directly with food banks that are affiliated with Feeding Texas, a member of Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization. Last year, Feeding Texas food banks distributed more than 300 million pounds of food to communities throughout the state. “We are incredibly grateful to H-E-B for this generous donation,” said Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole. “Many food bank
IBC Bank-Zapata continues their support of higher education by awarding area students with the A.R. Sanchez, Sr. Memorial Scholarship as they venture into college and start a new chapter of their lives. Scholarships are granted to students who demonstrated a “Do More" attitude and leadership in student and community affairs throughout their years in high school. An event was held at IBC Bank-Zapata where $6,000 in scholarships were handed out to deserving students from four high schools. “The students who were selected to receive the scholarship award are examples of IBC Bank’s ‘We Do More’ philosophy,” said IBC Bank Vice President of corporate marketing Margarita Flores. “We are extremely honored to assist in the pursuit of their higher education goals.” Born into a humble family, Antonio R. Sanchez, Sr., the namesake of the scholarship award and the founder of IBC Bank, was a strong supporter of making higher education available to those interested in bettering their lives. SanIBC continues on A8
STAAR
Testing glitches negated CITY OF RIO BRAVO by TEA Border Patrol agent kills woman Apples continues on A8
Agency waives rules for 5th, 8th grade students
By Matthew Haag N EW YORK T I ME S
A Border Patrol agent shot and killed a woman who had crossed the border illegally near Laredo, Texas, on Wednesday after the officer came under attack, federal authorities said. The officer was searching for “illegal activity” in a culvert on a residential street in Rio Bravo, a border town about 7 miles south of Laredo, when a group of unauthorized immigrants started to hit him with “blunt objects,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. The officer, whose name was not released, fired at least one shot with his handgun, fatally striking the woman in the head. A woman who lives next door to the site of the shooting disputed the federal agency’s account of the events, saying that the property does not have a culvert and that she did not see any weapons that the group could have used. “They were on the very corner on that lot where there was a tree,” the wom-
By Jacob Carpenter HOUSTON CHRONICLE
hit record on her cellphone. She then peered over a chain-link fence to the adjacent lot, she said, and saw an officer flip over a woman’s body. “She was very young,” said Martinez, who estimated she may have been 20 years old. The left side of her face
Texas fifth- and eighth-graders will not be held back this year if their computers were affected by glitches during State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exams, state education officials said this week. It is not clear precisely how many fifth- and eighth-grade students were disrupted while taking tests in recent weeks, but the two glitches impacted tens of thousands of students across the state. Texas Education Agency officials said an April 10 disruption hit about 41,700 students in grades four through 12 on 3,870 campuses statewide. A May 15 glitch impacted about 29,300 students in grades three through eight on more than 3,000 campuses. Some students may have been impacted by both glitches, TEA officials said. Texas is home to about 8,800 public schools. TEA records show Laredo-area and Zapata school districts were impacted in some way by the technology issues. Fifth- and eighth-grade students must pass the STAAR math and reading exams to advance to the next grade. A student who does not pass still can advance if members of a district committee agree the student is likely to meet state academic standards with more intensive instruction. However, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has waived those requirements for students who dealt with technology delays on the state tests.
Border continues on A8
STAAR continues on A8
Tamir Kalifa / The New York Times
A portion of the border fence is shown in Laredo. A Border Patrol agent shot and killed a woman who had crossed the border illegally near Laredo after the officer came under attack, federal authorities said.
an, Marta V. Martinez, said in an interview Thursday morning. “There was no weapon. They were hiding.” The confrontation, which unfolded shortly before 12:30 p.m. on an empty lot about a quarter mile from the Rio Grande, came at a time when the Border Patrol agency is under intense pressure from President
Donald Trump to crack down on unauthorized immigration. Martinez said the gunshot rang out about 10 feet from her house. “I didn’t hear any yelling or ‘stop’ or ‘don’t run,’” she said. After the gunshot, she ran outside, saw Border Patrol agents swarming her block on Centeno Lane and
In Brief A2 | Saturday, May 26, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, MAY 26
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Mexico Lindo 2018. Laredo Little Theater, 4802 Thomas Ave. 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 years of age or younger.
SUNDAY, MAY 27 St. Patrick Catholic Church Men's Club Steak Plate Sale. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Patrick Church grounds, 555 Del Mar Blvd. $5 per plate for scholarships to St. Patrick parish high school seniors. For more information, call 956-324-2432.
TUESDAY, MAY 29 Tiny Toes Virtual Tour – Spanish. 11 a.m.-12 p.m. 1700 East Saunders. Tower B, 1st floor. The virtual tour gives mothers-to-be detailed information about what to expect upon arrival and during their stay at Laredo Medical Center. To reserve a space, call 956-796-4019 or visit www.laredomedical.com/tiny-toes.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
MONDAY, JUNE 4 AHEC College Academy. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. UT Health Regional Campus Laredo, 1937 Bustamante St. A free one-week summer program to prepare students for the high school to college transition. To register: https:// aheccollege2018.eventbrite.com. Ray of Light Anxiety and Depression Support Group Meeting in English. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Westcare Foundation, 1616 Callaghan St. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/or depression to participate in free and confidential support group meetings. Contact information: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014
TUESDAY, JUNE 5 Alzheimer's support group meeting. 7 p.m. Meeting room 2, building B of the Laredo Medical Center. The support group is for family members and caregivers taking care of someone who has Alzheimer's. For information, call 956-693-9991.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
J. David Ake / AP
A copy of the letter sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from President Donald Trump canceling their planned summit in Singapore is photographed in Washington on Thursday.
TRUMP CANCELS N. KOREA SUMMIT WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly canceled his summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Thursday, blaming “tremendous anger and open hostility” by Pyongyang and abandoning for now a meeting that held the promise of a historic peace deal but also the risk of diplomatic meltdown. In a letter to Kim announcing his decision to back away from the June 12 summit, Trump pointed to America’s vast military might and warned the rising nuclear power against any “foolish or reckless acts.” The letter kicked off a day of mixed
Dem, GOP leaders get briefings on Russia probe WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Thursday huddled in classified briefings about the origins of the FBI investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election, a highly unusual series of meetings prompted by partisan allegations that the bureau spied on the Trump campaign. Democrats emerged from the
messages by the president, who declared hours later that “I really believe Kim Jong Un wants to do what’s right.” Then, after that, a senior White House official said the North lacked judgment and had reneged on its promises ahead of the summit. Trump said from the White House that a “maximum pressure campaign” of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation would continue against North Korea, with which the U.S. is technically still at war, but he added that it was possible the summit could still take place at some point. — Compiled from AP reports
meetings saying they saw no evidence to support Republican allegations that the FBI acted inappropriately in its early investigation into ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox News he had learned “nothing particularly surprising,” but declined to go into detail. Still, the extraordinary briefings drew attention to the unproved claims of FBI misconduct and political bias. The meetings were sought by
Trump’s GOP allies and arranged by the White House, as the president has tried to sow suspicions about the legitimacy of the FBI investigation that spawned a special counsel probe. Initially offered only to Republicans, the briefings were the latest piece of stagecraft meant to publicize and bolster the allegations. But they also highlighted the degree to which the president and his allies have used the levers of the federal government to aide in Trump’s defense. — Compiled from AP reports
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
MONDAY, JUNE 18 Ray of Light Anxiety and Depression Support Group Meeting in Spanish. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Holding Institute, 1102 Santa Maria Ave., classroom #1. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/ or depression to participate in free and confidential support group meetings. Contact information: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions. Monthly walk: Un paso más de fe. 6 p.m.-7 p.m. North Central Park. Performing physical activity regularly helps keep oneself encouraged, reduces stress levels, controls depression and anxiety, and strengthens selfesteem. If you suffer from depression and/ or anxiety we invite you to come out every third Wednesday of every month. Contact information: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014
AROUND THE STATE Abbott meets with students, shooting survivors AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrapped up three days of emotional meetings on school safety and mass shootings Thursday by speaking with survivors from last week’s shooting at a high school near Houston. But there’s little expectation that the staunch gunrights supporter will push for major changes to restrict the ownership or purchasing of firearms. The Republican, who is campaigning for re-election, organized the mostly closed-door meetings shortly after eight students and two substitute teachers were fatally shot last week inside Santa Fe High School. Abbott said he wanted to find “swift and meaningful” ways to stop future shootings. Most of the ideas centered on monitoring student mental health and security measures,
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman / AP
A Santa Fe High School student is comforted by his father during a discussion about school shootings with Gov. Abbott.
such as “hardening” campuses with armed guards and teachers. Abbott hasn’t said when or what he’ll recommend to address those issues, but said Thursday that “we are going to do more than just talk, we are going to act.” Abbott so far has ignored calls from a handful of state lawmakers from both parties to call the Legislature
into special session to address gun laws, which is a sharp contrast to the response in Florida after a high school shooting in February killed 17 people. Three weeks after that massacre, Florida politicians passed a gun-control package after a lobbying campaign led by survivors of the attack. — Compiled from AP reports
Today is Saturday, May 26, the 146th day of 2018. There are 219 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 26, 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges. On this date: In 1647, Alse (Alice) Young was hanged in Hartford, Connecticut, in the first recorded execution of a "witch" in the American colonies. In 1897, the Gothic horror novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker was first published in London. In 1938, the House Un-American Activities Committee was established by Congress. In 1940, Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II. In 1954, explosions rocked the aircraft carrier USS Bennington off Rhode Island, killing 103 sailors. In 1960, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets during a meeting of the Security Council of hiding a microphone inside a wood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.) In 1978, Resorts Casino Hotel, the first legal U.S. casino outside Nevada, opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court made it far more difficult for police to be sued by people hurt during highspeed chases. The Supreme Court ruled that Ellis Island, historic gateway for millions of immigrants, was mainly in New Jersey, not New York. Ten years ago: President George W. Bush paid a Memorial Day tribute to America's fighting men and women who died in battle, saying national leaders must have "the courage and character to follow their lead" in preserving peace and freedom. Chinese officials said they would waive their one-child policy for families with a child who was killed, severely injured or disabled in the country's devastating earthquake. Oscar-winning movie director Sydney Pollack died in Los Angeles at age 73. Composer Earle H. Hagen, who wrote the themes for "The Andy Griffith Show," ''I Spy," ''The Mod Squad" and other TV shows, died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 88. Five years ago: President Barack Obama visited tornado-devastated Moore, Oklahoma, consoling people staggered by the loss of life and property and promising that the government will be behind them "every step of the way." A Nigerian tugboat carrying 12 crew members capsized and sank in about 100 feet of water; a sole survivor (Harrison Odjegba Okene) was miraculously rescued three days later. Tony Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500. One year ago: President Donald Trump, attending a G-7 meeting in Sicily, vowed to crush "evil organizations of terror" following an attack on Coptic Christians that killed at least 28 people near Cairo, Egypt. Two men were stabbed to death aboard a light-rail train in Portland, Oregon; police said the victims were trying to protect two women who were the target of a man's anti-Muslim rant. President Jimmy Carter's national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, died in Falls Church, Virginia, at age 89. Hall of Fame pitcher and former U.S. senator Jim Bunning, 85, died in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Today's Birthdays: Sportscaster Brent Musberger is 79. Rock musician Garry Peterson is 73. Singer Stevie Nicks is 70. Actress Pam Grier is 69. Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 69. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 69. British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is 69. Actress Margaret Colin is 60. Country singer-songwriter Dave Robbins is 59. Actor Doug Hutchison is 58. Actress Genie Francis is 56. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 56. Singeractor Lenny Kravitz is 54. Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 52. Distance runner Zola Budd is 52. Rock musician Phillip Rhodes is 50. Actor Joseph Fiennes is 48. Singer Joey Kibble is 47. Actor-producer-writer Matt Stone is 47. Thought for Today : "The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls." — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, feminist (1815-1902).
SATURDAY, JUNE 30 Sunny and the Sunliners. 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. L.I.F.E. Down pavilion. For information call 480-5843.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 1220 McClelland Ave. 10 a.m. to noon. Hard cover $1, paperbacks $0.50, magazines and children’s books $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, JULY 7 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
AROUND THE WORLD N. Korea demolishes nuclear test site as journalists watch PUNGGYE-RI, North Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made good on his promise to demolish his country’s nuclear test site, which was formally closed in a series of huge explosions Thursday as a group of foreign journalists looked on. The explosions at the test site deep in the mountains of the
North’s sparsely populated northeast were supposed to build confidence ahead of a planned summit next month between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. But Trump canceled the meeting on Thursday, citing “tremendous anger and open hostility” in a North Korean statement released earlier in the day. The blasts were centered on three tunnels at the underground site and a number of buildings in the surrounding area. North Korea held a clos-
CONTACT US ing ceremony afterward with officials from its nuclear arms program in attendance. The group of journalists that witnessed the demolition, which touched off landslides near the tunnel entrances and sent up clouds of smoke and dust, included an Associated Press Television crew. North Korea’s state media called the closure of the site part of a process to build “a nuclear-free, peaceful world” and “global nuclear disarmament.” — Compiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, May 26, 2018 |
A3
BUSINESS
Cancellation of Korea summit sends stocks on bumpy ride By Marley Jay ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg
President Trump holds up S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, And Consumer Protection Act on Thursday.
Trump signs bill easing restraints on banks By Marcy Gordon A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law a measure that loosens key restraints for banks imposed after the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. Savoring the legislative triumph, he called it “the next step in America’s unprecedented economic comeback.” The Republican-crafted bill passed Congress on Tuesday with the help of some Democratic votes and allowed Trump to fulfill his campaign pledge of dismantling the landmark Dodd-Frank law. The 2010 law was enacted by President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress in response to the crisis that brought millions of lost jobs and foreclosed homes, and a taxpayer bailout of hundreds of billions for banks on Wall Street and beyond. Trump held a signing ceremony at the White House not long after announcing the cancellation of his planned June summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The new law raises the threshold at which banks are deemed so big and plugged into the financial grid that if one were to fail it would cause major havoc. Such banks are subject to stricter capital and planning requirements. Trump is gaining a major building block in his drive for businessfriendly policy changes and easing of regulations that he says have stifled lending, economic growth and job creation. “As a candidate, I pledged that we would rescue these community banks from Dodd-Frank, the disaster of DoddFrank, and now we are keeping that commitment,” Trump said at the signing event in the Roosevelt Room.
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks finished mostly lower Thursday as energy companies skidded along with oil prices. The market dropped after President Donald Trump said he canceled a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but recovered most of those losses. Crude oil futures and energy companies fell as investors reacted to reports that OPEC nations may start producing more oil. Banks fell as interest rates edged lower, and car companies including Fiat Chrysler and Toyota dropped as the Trump administration considered tariffs on imported cars and car parts, a move that was criticized by the governments of China, Japan and the European Union. The Dow Jones industrial average fell as much as 280 points in the morning, more than 1 percent, after Trump said the June meeting with Kim was off. In a letter, Trump said he was canceling the summit because of “tremendous anger and open hostility” in a recent statement by a North Korean official. Technology companies, which have led the market in recent years, took some of the
biggest losses and defense contractors climbed. The market gradually recovered those losses, and Trump later told reporters that the meeting could still happen in June or later on. Stocks finished only slightly lower than where they were before Trump’s initial announcement. Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for the Independent Advisor Alliance, said investors were troubled at first by Trump and Kim’s statements about a possible nuclear war, but they’ve gotten used to it, which means the market doesn’t react as much to their statements. “The first time the
market hears these threats there’s a large reaction and after that there’s less reaction,” he said. “It’s just rhetoric right now and there’s no actual military conflict, (so) these moves are kind of short-lived.” The S&P 500 index dropped 5.53 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,727.76. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 75.05 points, or 0.3 percent, to 24,811.76. The Nasdaq composite dipped 1.53 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 7,424.43. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks edged up 0.61 points to 1,628.22. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 1.6 percent to $70.71 per barrel in New York.
Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 1.3 percent to $78.79 a barrel in London. Various news outlets reported that the nations of the OPEC cartel might start producing more oil in response to reduced exports from Venezuela and Iran. Greater supplies would send prices lower. Energy companies have slipped in recent days as investors anticipated that possibility. On Thursday Exxon Mobil lost 2.3 percent to $80.27 and Chevron dipped 1.6 percent to $126.61. OPEC and a group of other major oil producers cut production last year in response to a steep drop in oil prices.
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A4 | Saturday, May 26, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Pro-lifers must reject terrorism By Mary Sanchez KA N SA S CIT Y STAR
Shelley Shannon was correctly labeled a terrorist by the federal judge who sentenced her for firebombing abortion clinics in the 1990s. Shannon is a free woman again, having been released this week (May 21) from prison after serving 25 years. Pray that she doesn’t go back to terrorism. Shannon is a rabid activist, the type that federal authorities had in mind when they passed a law to keep people from chaining themselves to clinics to prevent women from accessing them. Shannon believes in the justifiable homicide of those involved in abortions, to keep them from killing babies. Yes, I am against abortion, but I am also against the type of self-righteous twisting of the Bible by people like Shannon who believe they are soldiers of God. It’s how she rationalized shooting the infamous Kansas abortionist George Tiller, wounding him in the arms, years before Scott Roeder — who visited and befriended Shannon in prison — shot and killed Tiller in 2009. While Shannon was locked up, abortion in America underwent profound changes: Abortion rates are lower, and more restrictive laws have been enacted. Between 2010 and 2016, states passed nearly 340 new abortion restrictions. Iowa just passed the strictest law ever on abortion; outlawing it after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks. The law is both an attempt to rile up voters for the midterms and a route to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Trump administration is weighing in too. It just announced the "domestic gag rule" taking Title X federal family planning funding from clinics if they merely mention abortion. That’s extreme, the type of move that can wind up undercutting one of the reasons that abortion rates are dropping: better access to contraception. One has to wonder if making it harder to get contraceptives is intentional. If so, expect consequences. After all, the abortion rate declined 25 percent between 2008 and 2014, with fewer occurring among all demographic groups, including for the first time in two decades among very poor women. You might think that all the legislative victories against abortion would have placated the extremists, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The kinds of vio-
Death threats made to abortion providers doubled between 2016 and 2017, from 33 to 62, according to ...National Abortion Federation. Incidents of people obstructing the business of clinics grew from 580 to more than 1,700. lence and criminal acts that Shannon engaged in have spread along the fringes. Death threats made to abortion providers doubled between 2016 and 2017, from 33 to 62, according to data compiled by National Abortion Federation. Trespassing more than tripled. Incidents of people obstructing the business of clinics grew from 580 to more than 1,700. And more than 78,000 incidents of picketing were recorded in 2017. Harassing comments are being noted, not for increasing frequency but for becoming more personal and graphic, such as the YouTube user who said of abortion doctors, "They should be dragged until nothing is left of them but a red stripe along the highway." The Midwest has long been a hotbed for such activity. The Summer of Mercy, which launched Shannon into prominence, saw 2,600 arrested in Wichita in 1991. Overland Park, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City, will host the National Right to Life convention in late June, and it’s a good bet that these issues will be debated. At least one can hope, because it’s dangerous not to see the full scope of what is occurring with abortion in America. You can cheer fewer abortions but remain highly conscious of those who will stop at nothing, not even the murder of doctors and other violence, in the cause of "life." America is faced with a choice when it comes to contentious issues like this. We can either fight for convictions peacefully, through the legislature and at the ballot box, or go the route of Shannon. It’s really not much of a choice. The nation appears to be moving along both continuums, and it’s time that the pro-life movement and federal officials begin to take notice. Mary Sanchez is a Kansas City Star columnist.
COLUMN
Trump’s relationship with North Korea just got more dangerous By Nicholas Kristof NEW YORK TIME S
Now we enter a more dangerous period in relations with North Korea. President Donald Trump topped a particularly inept diplomatic period by canceling his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The previous policy of maximum economic pressure on North Korea may no longer be viable, so the risk is that Trump ends up reaching for the military toolbox. As every president since Richard Nixon — except for Trump — has realized, the military options are too dangerous to employ. That’s even more true today, when North Korea apparently has the capacity to use nuclear, chemical and biological weapons against Seoul, Tokyo and perhaps Los Angeles. Yet Pentagon officials seem deeply nervous that Trump doesn’t realize this and has a Kim-like appetite for brinkmanship in ways that create risks of a cataclysm. It was at least a relief that Trump, in canceling the summit, didn’t slam the door on diplomacy. “I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting,” he wrote Kim in a letter, in a tone more of regret than anger. He added: “Some day, I very much look forward to meeting you.” He added that South Korea and Japan are “ready should foolish or reckless acts be taken by North Korea.” Trump apparently canceled both because of recent North Korean belligerent rhetoric, including denunciations of Vice President Mike Pence, and because it grew clear that North Korea wasn’t planning on giving up its nuclear weapons any time soon. There was some political risk that Trump
would look foolish reaching a general agreement with North Korea that was much less significant and onerous than the one he tore up with Iran. The Trump statement leaves open the possibility that South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has been the crucial figure in the peace process, can put Humpty Dumpty together again, so that a meeting could be held later this year. Indeed, if the cancellation now leads to working-level talks between U.S. and North Korean officials, that would be progress. The risk, though, is that we’re back to confrontation. I hope that North Korea will respond to Trump’s letter in similarly measured, calm terms. But no one has ever made money betting on North Korean calmness. North Korea could decide to create a new crisis, perhaps by conducting a missile test or an atmospheric nuclear test. If such an atmospheric test were conducted in the northern Pacific, that could send radiation toward the U.S. and would be perceived in Washington as a great provocation. Likewise, the U.S. could respond to new tensions by sending B-1 bombers off the coast of North Korea. If North Korea scrambled aircraft or fired anti-aircraft missiles, we could very quickly have an enormous escalation. So look out. We may be headed for a game of chicken, with Trump and Kim at the wheel. And all the rest of us are in the back seat. In any case, it will be difficult for Trump to return to his policy of strangling North Korea economically. China has already been quietly relaxing sanctions, and South Korea may not have the stomach for strong sanc-
tions either. Kim has met with the leaders of both China and South Korea in recent months, building ties and reducing his isolation, and I expect he’ll continue the outreach to both countries. Some Republicans have praised Trump for his North Korea diplomacy, and there’s been talk about him winning a Nobel Peace Prize. That was always ludicrous, and his North Korea policy is in fact a fine example of ineptitude. Here’s what actually happened. Trump’s jingoistic rhetoric didn’t particularly intimidate North Korea, but it terrified South Korea, which feared it would be collateral damage in a new Korean War. So Moon shrewdly used the Olympics to undertake a careful peace mission to bring the U.S. and North Korea together, flattering each side to make this happen (Moon is a worldclass Trump flatterer, and other leaders around the world have noted his success). This was commendable on Moon’s part; he’s the one who genuinely did have a shot at the peace prize. As I wrote at the time, however, it was a mistake when Trump rashly accepted the idea of a summit without any careful preparations. The risk of starting a diplomatic process with a summit is that if talks collapse at the top, then it’s difficult to pick up at a lower level. That’s precisely what ended up happening, and this dynamic creates greater risk than ever of military conflict. With different aides, Trump might have pulled it off. While Trump and his fans were always deluded about the possibility that North Korea would hand over its nuclear weapons any time soon, there was some possibility of a general statement
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.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
about starting a dialogue about denuclearization. North Korea would destroy some intercontinental ballistic missiles, tensions would drop, and we’d all be better off even if denuclearization never actually happened. Yes, Trump would have been played, but the world would still have benefited from the peace process. Yet John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser, spoke up in ways calculated to unnerve the North Koreans, by talking about the Libya model. When you cite as a model a country whose leader then ended up being executed by his own people, that’s not usually persuasive to another dictator. On my most recent visit to North Korea, in September, officials cited the Libyan experience as one reason they needed to hold on to their nuclear weapons. North Korean leaders themselves responded to Bolton’s comments with harsh, over-the-top rhetoric, including the comment about Pence. This was a major miscalculation on their part, escalating the ineptitude and helping to kill the summit. While the North Koreans didn’t get the summit they wanted with Trump, they have managed the process quite well. They used the rush of diplomacy to rebuild ties with Beijing and start discussions about economic integration with South Korea, and to moderate their international image. They’ve also created something of a wedge between Washington and Seoul, as was apparent in the response to Trump’s cancellation by a South Korean government spokesman: “We are attempting to make sense of what, precisely, President Trump means.” Nicholas Kristof is a New York Times columnist.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, May 26, 2018 |
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Frontera A6 | Saturday, May 26, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE PROGRAMA AYUDA PARA GANADO 1 La Oficina del Representante Henry Cuéllar invita a conocer el Programa de Emergencia para el Ganado dirigido a ganaderos y agricultores. La cita es el 30 de mayo en el Cento Comunitario de Zapata, de 3:30 p.m. a 5 p.m. AVIARIO 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a visitar el aviario Roma Bluffs World Birding Center en el distrito histórico de Roma. El aviario estará abierto desde el jueves a domingo de 8 a.m. a 4 p.m. hasta enero. Mayores informes al 956-849-1411 BOTES DE BASURA 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a la comunidad que sólo estará recolectando basura contenida en botes propiedad de la ciudad. Informes al 849-1411
PATRULLA FRONTERIZA
Agente mata mujer Agente estaba buscando ‘actividad ilegal’ en Río Bravo Por Matthew Haag NEW YORK TIME S
Un agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza le disparó y mató a una mujer que había cruzado la frontera ilegalmente cerca de Laredo el miércoles después de ser atacado, anunciaron autoridades federales. El agente estaba examinando una obra de drenaje buscando “actividad ilegal” en una calle residencial en Río Bravo, una ciudad fronteriza ubicada a 7 millas al sur de Laredo, cuando un grupo de inmigrantes indocumentados comenzaron a golpearlo con “objetos cortantes”, dijo la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza. El agente, cuyo nombre no ha sido publicado, disparó al menos un tiro con su pistola, impactando fatalmente a la mujer en la cabeza.
Una mujer que vive al lado del lugar donde se registró el incidente cuestionó la versión de los hechos provista por la agencia federal, alegando que la propiedad no tiene una obra de drenaje y que ella no observó ningún arma que el grupo pudo haber usado. “Ellos estaban en la esquina de ese terreno donde había un árbol”, dijo la mujer, Marta V. Martínez, en una entrevista el jueves por la mañana. “No había un arma. Se estaban escondiendo”. El enfrentamiento, que sucedió poco antes de las 12:30 p.m. en un terreno baldío a un cuarto de milla del río Bravo, llega en un momento en el que la Patrulla Fronteriza se encuentra bajo presión del presidente Donald Trump de combatir la inmigración indocu-
mentada. Martínez dijo que el disparo se escuchó aproximadamente a 10 pies de su casa. “No escuché gritos o un ‘deténganse’ o ‘no corran’”, dijo. Después del disparo ella corrió hacia afuera y observó a una multitud de agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza rodear la cuadra Centeno Lane, fue entonces cuando oprimió el botón para grabar en su celular. Luego miró por encima de una cerca de alambre al terreno adyacente, dijo, y vio a un oficial voltear el cuerpo de una mujer. “Era muy joven”, dijo Martínez, quien estimó que la mujer fallecida tendría 20 años. El lado izquierdo de su cara estaba cubierto de sangre, dijo Martínez, quien puede ser escuchada en el video gritándole al agente.
“¿Por qué mataste a la mujer?” le gritó al oficial, quien no respondió. “¡La mataste!” El agente comenzó a realizarle compresiones torácicas a la mujer, pero Martínez dijo que era claro que ya había muerto. El FBI se encuentra investigando el tiroteo, dijeron autoridades, y los agentes hablaron con Martínez el miércoles y revisaron sus videos. En otra parte del terreno, el cual esta vacío excepto por varios árboles, pasto y maleza, el agente capturó a tres hombres que se creen acompañaban a la mujer. Mientras el oficial los escoltaba, Martínez aseguró haberlo escuchado decir: “¿Ves lo que pasa? Esto es lo que les pasa a ustedes”. Centeno Lane termina en una zona que colinda
directamente con el río Bravo y en la que no hay una cerca, convirtiendo a este punto en una ruta popular para las personas que cruzan la frontera. Es común que agentes federales patrullen la calle, dijo Martínez, persiguiendo a supuestos inmigrantes indocumentados. Pero en los 20 años que ha vivido aquí, dijo, ella jamás había escuchado que un agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza disparara y matara a alguien. El año pasado hubo 17 casos en los que agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza utilizaron la fuerza, una disminución del 55 por ciento con respecto al año 2012, de acuerdo con la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza. La agencia federal no especificó cuántos de estos fueron fatales.
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. LLENADO DE APLICACIONES 1 La Ciudad de Roma ofrece el servicio de llenado de aplicaciones para CHIP, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Chip, Prenatal y otros. Contacte a Gaby Rodríguez para una cita en el centro comunitario o en su domicilio al 956246-7177. 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 956-765-8983. 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.
INMIGRACIÓN
MEMORIAL DAY
86 PREPARAN CELEBRACIÓN Hallan personas en camión
VSTN por realizar Vet-Fest el sábado
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Por Melissa Santillana TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Con la celebración de Memorial Day en puerta, la organización sin fines de lucro Volunteers Serving the Need se encuentra preparando un festival para veteranos abierto al público en general. El primer Vet-Fest es un festival musical que contará con la participación de los cantantes de musical country Shane Greenville y Toney Ramey el sábado de 11 a.m. a 1 p.m. También habrá venta de platillos de comida y actividades para toda la familia. Además de que tendrá la oportunidad de celebrar Memorial Day con los héroes militares locales. La misión de VSTN es proporcionar a los veteranos militares y sus parejas en el Condado de Webb con mandado, artículos de higiene personal y artículos del hogar básicos cada mes. La organización entrega frutas, vegetales y pan cada semana. Y cuando están disponibles también distribuye comidas congeladas y otros artículos esenciales del hogar. VSTN recibe apoyo financiero de subsidios y
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Gigi Ramos, presidente y fundadora de VSTN, posa par auna foto en la tienda de segunda manos de Volunteers Serving the Need.
donaciones de otras sin fines de lucro, así como de su tienda de segunda mano VSTN Thrift Store. “Somos la única unidad como esta en los Estados Unidos, no hay otra unidad así. Mi sueño es enseñar como hacer esto a otras personas para que podamos tener algo así en cada condado y cuidar a los nuestros. Porque si se puede hacer una diferencia”, dijo Gigi Ramos fundadora de la organización. “No se necesita tener dinero, yo no tengo. No se necesita tener educación, yo solo tengo 27 horas de universidad. No se necesita conocer a nadie mas que Jesus. Si crees en lo que estas haciendo el Señor abrirá la puerta”. Ademas de la comida y la música en vivo, habrá stands con información sobre los servicios que
presta VSTN, un castillo inflable para los menores, rifas y regalos. Ramos dijo que este es el primer evento de su clase que realiza la organización, y espera se convierta en un evento anual. De igual forma, ella espera que el festival atraiga a personas a su tienda de segunda mano, pues dependen de las ventas de la tienda para poder seguir desarrollando mas programas para los veteranos. “Nosotros tenemos mucha mejor calidad que cualquier otra tienda de segunda mano en la ciudad y tenemos los precios más bajos”, dijo Ramos. “¿Cómo podemos extender nuestros programas si no vendemos lo que tenemos?”, preguntó la fundadora de VSTN. “Esperamos que indirecta-
mente con Vet Fest, con toda esta comida y rifas, la gente entre a la tienda y se enamore y se conviertan en clientes regulares”. Ramos dijo que la gerente de la tienda se da a la tarea de ir a visitar otras tiendas de segunda mano en la ciudad y ver los precios que ellos ofrecen para así poder ofertar sus artículos aun mas baratos. “Espero que la gente venga y diga ‘Oye fui a Goodwill y estaba a tanto y aquí esta a mucho menos, así que voy a regresar mas seguido’”, dijo Ramos. El Vet Fest es gratuito y abierto al público en general y se llevará acabo el sábado 26 de mayo de 11 a.m. a 1 p.m. en las instalaciones de Volunteers Serving the Need, 1202 Salinas Avenue.
RAYMONDVILLE, Texas — El descubrimiento de 86 inmigrantes viajando ocultos en la parte trasera de un camión remolque representa uno de los mayores casos de contrabando que un jefe de policía del sur de Texas ha visto en su carrera. El sheriff del condado Willacy, Larry Spence, le dijo al periódico The Monitor el miércoles que algunas de las personas en el remolque abrieron un agujero en el techo para escapar cuando el vehículo recibió la orden de detenerse. La Patrulla Fronteriza dijo que un policía estatal detuvo el camión el martes por la noche cerca de Raymondville, a unos 65 kilómetros (40 millas) de la frontera con México, luego de recibir una llamada sobre actividad sospechosa. Las autoridades dijeron que dos presuntos contrabandistas fueron arrestados. Agregaron que los inmigrantes entraron ilegalmente al país y provienen de Guatemala, Honduras y otros países. El más joven tiene 3 años. Estaban escondidos detrás de cajas de verduras podridas.
COLUMNA
Mercado negro de electores Por Raúl Sinencio E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
La democracia mexicana ha recorrido caminos llenos de escollos. Sobresalen las intromisiones monetarias. Vienen de lejos y muestran terrible persistencia. Ardides Los tempranos indicios anteceden con mucho al horizonte democrático. Adscritos
por gracia superior, carentes de término fijo, en tiempos novohispanos existen “oficios perpetuos”, también llamados “oficios vendibles”, dadas las fortunas inmiscuidas. Idea de ello dan “los alcaldes mayores”, que garantizan mediante “fianza y […] fiador […] el pago de los impuestos” recogidos. “De pocos recursos económicos, pero con grandes ambiciones”, dichos funciona-
rios presentaban “fiador, que casi siempre era uno de los grandes comerciantes de la Ciudad de México”, quien les “exigía […] un contrato” favorable a los intereses “de su fiador en el distrito de su alcaldía”. Mandos borbónicos intentan remedios fallidos, “de ahí que este problema pasara entero al siglo XIX”, señalan Enrique Florescano e Isabel Gil Sánchez.
La carta magna redactada por las Cortes de Cádiz instituye la representatividad popular en 1812. Por cuanto a España y sus dominios, modera la monarquía con instancias colegiadas de gobierno, compuestas “en los pueblos […] a pluralidad absoluta de votos”. Suprime en consecuencia los “oficios perpetuos […] cualquiera que sea su título” o nombre. La ciudadanía designa
en fechas previas a los miembros del constituyente. Aunque inaugural, parece que la respectiva consulta evidencia ardides capaces de mantener “vendibles” puestos otrora “perpetuos”. Cabe inferirlo, pues el aludido código, de corta e interrumpida vigencia en México, previene contra el “cohecho o soborno para que la elección recaiga en determinada persona”.
Sports&Outdoors
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, May 26, 2018 |
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: HOUSTON TEXANS
Texans' Watson, Watt embrace rehab together Watson threw passes at Houston’s OTAs By Aaron Wilson HOUSTON CHRONI CLE
The collaboration between Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt has been one of working together for a common goal. Both NFL standouts are working their way back from serious in-
juries. Watson participated in an organized team activity this week, throwing while wearing a knee brace after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Watt observed the Texans' practice sessions from the side, but has made major progress from a gruesome broken leg suffered last season.
NBA: HOUSTON ROCKETS
Watt and Watson have run together, rehabbed together and leaned on each other during their recovery. “It was similar as me," Watson said. "We have the same mindset: grind and feel like we’re in last place, never get complacent, each and every day is an opportunity for us to get better and we know that we have a long way to go to get back to where we were but we understand the process.”Watson saluted Watt for offering to pay for the funerals for
the victims of the Santa Fe school shootings. “That’s a blessing," Watson said. "That’s just J.J. That’s the person he is, that’s the type of heart he has. He’s a guy that wants to help. We were actually watching it during rehab with the news, everyone just got quiet because it was just kind of something that we weren’t expecting. But we send all our prayers out to those families and to that high school. We’re going to continue to help them out as much as we can.”
Brett Coomer / Associated Press
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson throws a pass in front of head coach Bill O'Brien during practice Tuesday in Houston.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: HOUSTON ROCKETS
DEFENSIVE ROCKETS
Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle
Chris Paul has been ruled out for Game 6 of the Western Conference finals with a hamstring injury suffered in the final minute Thursday.
Paul out for Game 6 with hamstring injury A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — Houston’s Chris Paul will miss Game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night because of a hamstring injury. Paul was injured in the fourth quarter of Houston’s win over the Warriors on Thursday night. The win gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Rockets say Paul’s strained right hamstring will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston following Game 6.
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
Eric Gordon steals the ball from Draymond Green in the closing seconds of the Rockets’ 98-94 win over the Warriors Thursday that put them ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference finals.
Houston limits Warriors to move within a game of the NBA Finals By Kristie Rieken ASSOCIATED PRE SS
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets are so full of physical defenders that Golden State coach Steve Kerr said many look like they could play football. And with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt watching from a courtside seat Thursday night, this team long known for its powerful offense relied again on its defense to beat the Warriors 98-94 and take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. “Both teams are playing their guys heavy minutes so shots will fall or not,” James Harden said. “But I think whoever can buckle down and get stops consecutively and create opportunities with their de-
fense is going to win or have a chance at winning games. “The last two games, we’ve done that.” Indeed. The Rockets bounced back from an embarrassing 41-point loss in Game 3, when Golden State scored 126 points, to hold the Warriors to fewer than 100 points in two straight wins. Houston’s stingy defense helped the Rockets come out on top on a night when Harden, the MVP frontrunner, was 0 for 11 on 3-pointers. Critics of Mike D’Antoni’s teams often said they were too focused on offense and not good enough on defense. It looks like that’s changed now — against a team with four All-Stars in its starting lineup. “Ninety-four points for a team like that, the guys are
trying to find a way and they did,” D’Antoni said. The Rockets have kept the Warriors from moving the ball the way they’re accustomed to, crowding them and forcing them into playing more isolation- style. They’ve also been relentless at throwing bodies at their shooters, and have often used bigger players to harass Stephen Curry to try and wear him down. Houston has forced the Warriors into 34 turnovers combined and limited them to 19 total 3-pointers in the last two games. The Warriors and Rockets were first and second in the NBA in points per game during the regular season, averaging 113.5 and 112.4, respectively. Golden State has managed just over 107 points a game in this series, and Houston has held the defending champions to 97 points in its three wins. Curry noted that both teams have elevated their defenses in
this series. “It’s been high level,” he said. “Nothing’s easy out there on either side.” He shook his head at the fact neither team has broken 100 points in the last two games. “I think (if you) guessed what the final score would be between the Rockets and Warriors, and neither team getting to 100 two straight games, don’t know what the odds (would be) on that,” he said. “Defense is high right now.” While everyone has been pitching in, the tone on defense, especially in these last two games, has been set by the aggressive play of P.J. Tucker and Trevor Ariza, and Clint Capela’s presence at the rim. Tucker knows that most people believe the way to beat the Warriors is to outscore them in a shootout. The Rockets have shown that energy and effort on the defensive end are a better formula for getting it done.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Danny Green on Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard: ‘I think he wants to be in San Antonio’ By Madalyn Mendoza SA N A NT ONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
Spurs guard Danny Green told ESPN's morning show Get Up! that he has spoken with Kawhi Leonard and though the situation is "up in the air," Leonard told Green he wants to stay in San Antonio. Get Up! host and former San Antonian Michelle Beadle started the conversation by asking Green "What's the deal with Kawhi Leonard?" "I talk to him here and there, check up on him, see how he's doing," Green said.
He continued, adding that it's "very common" for athletes to get a second opinion. "It's up in the air right now," Green said. "But I think he wants to be in San Antonio, he's let me know that, he let me know verbally he wanted to be there, so we'll see what happens." Leonard is eligible for a five-year supermax contract worth $219 million this summer. Murray gives update on Popovich, says he’s ‘doing better’ It's been weeks since Spurs
fans have seen or heard much of Coach Gregg Popovich following the passing of his wife, Erin Popovich, in April. Wednesday night, Dejounte Murray posted an Instagram story message updating his more than 460,000 followers on the widely-respected coach. "Glad To See Coach Pop Is Doing Better, Such A Strong Man Who Cares More About Others More Than Himself," the message read. The Spurs drafted Murray in the first round in 2016. In January, Popovich made the decision to start the 21-year-old as the team's guard and bench
veteran Tony Parker. Popovich's tough love has been a trademark of his coaching career and Murray appreciated it. "If he didn't want to coach me and just threw me out there, it would say something to me that he's not trying to teach me," the then 20-yearold told the San Antonio Express-News in January 2017. "I think it's real important for him to be able to coach me." Earlier in the day on Wednesday, the NBA announced Murray was named to the 2017-2018 NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News file
Danny Green said on a television appearance Friday that Kawhi Leonard has told him he would like to stay in San Antonio.
A8 | Saturday, May 26, 2018 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
FROM THE COVER BORDER From page A1 was covered in blood, said Martinez, who can be heard yelling at the officer in the video. “Why did you kill that woman?” she screamed at the officer, who did not respond. “You killed her!” The officer began frantically doing chest compressions on the woman, but Martinez said it was clear that she had already died. The FBI is investigating the shooting, authorities said, and agents on Wednesday spoke with Martinez and reviewed her videos. On another part of the lot, which is empty except for a few trees, grass and overgrown weeds, an officer caught three men who were believed to be with the woman. As the
APPLES From page A1 clients struggle with diet-related illness due to their inability to afford healthy foods. With H-EB’s support, we’re able to provide nutritious food and move closer to closing the hunger gap in Texas.” In 2016, more than 15.5 million U.S. households were faced with the threat of hunger, a recent
IBC From page A1 chez’s commitment to the power of learning lives on in the A.R. Sanchez, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Award, which is bestowed annually on deserving high school seniors in South Texas and Oklahoma. “It gives me great joy to
STAAR From page A1 The agency also will exclude test scores of impacted students from annual academic accountability ratings issued to campuses and districts, unless the results would improve their ratings. TEA officials said the decision is based on the agency’s “commitment to providing a positive assessment experience for our districts and students, and with the priority of ensuring that those affected are not penalized for system failures.” TEA officials said the April glitch caused a 20-minute disruption during testing, though some districts experienced login issues that lasted three hours. The May glitch resulted in a connectivity slowdown of about 90 minutes. The TEA is ordering
Morgan Freeman apologizes for bad behavior
officer escorted them away, Martinez said she heard him say: “See what happens? This is what happens with you people.” Centeno Lane comes to a dead end at a part of the Rio Grande without a fence, making the area and the street a popular route for people who cross the border. Federal agents often zoom down the street, Martinez said, chasing after suspected unauthorized immigrants. But in the 20 years she has lived there, she said, she had never heard of a Border Patrol agent fatally shooting someone. Last year, there were 17 use-of-force cases with firearms by Border Patrol agents, a decrease from 55 in 2012, according to Customs and Border Protection. The federal agency does not identify how many of the episodes were fatal.
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman apologized on Thursday to anyone who may have felt “uncomfortable or disrespected” by his behavior, after CNN reported that multiple women have accused the A-list actor of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on movie sets and in other professional settings. “Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or
report from the United States Department of Agriculture shows. From 2014-2016, 1.4 million (one in seven) Texas households faced the threat of hunger, and last year, one in four children in Texas were at risk of facing hunger. During this period, Texas was one of just fifteen states with greater food insecurity than the entire nation. Throughout the year, the H-E-B Food Bank
Assistance Program works to raise awareness and battle hunger. Last year, the program donated nearly 26 million meals to families in need, and since 1982, the year the program was founded, H-E-B has donated more than 1 billion pounds of food to 5,500 non-profit organizations in Texas and Mexico. Altogether, more than 650,000 pounds of apples will be delivered to the 17 food banks in Texas.
see the expression on the faces of the students and their parents as we hand them a check for $1,000, which they will use to defray the costs of going to college,” said Ricardo Ramirez, president and CEO of IBC Bank-Zapata. “We love giving back to our community and know the awards are appreciated.” Scholarship award
recipients include: IBC Bank-Zapata · Alberto Gonzalez, Zapata High School · Genesis Villarreal, Zapata High School · Gregorio Andrade, Zapata High School · Jermayne Miller, AC Jones High School · Cristy Lopez, Hebbronville High School · Jennifer Rios, Rio Grande High School
ETS, the New Jerseybased vendor that administers most STAAR tests in Texas, to pay $100,000 in damages. In a statement, ETS spokesman Tom Ewing said the company “takes full responsibility” for the issues and “apologizes for the inconvenience to students, teachers and district officials.” “We understand the importance of these assessments and strive to make the experience as stress-free as possible,” Ewing said. “We are committed to ensuring a similar event will not occur in the future and there will be a positive testing experience across the state.” ETS now has been faulted twice for issues related to STAAR. In 2016, the TEA ordered ETS to pay $5.7 million in damages and asked it to invest $15 million to fix several areas of concern after widespread logisti-
cal and technical failures. The problems caused an estimated 14,000 students to lose answers on their tests. The TEA dropped passage requirements for fifth- and eighth-grade students and excluded exams impacted by the glitches at that time. ETS inked a four-year, $280 million contract in 2015 to administer tests in Texas. TEA officials said they have been planning to rebid the contract when it ends, prioritizing the “online testing experience and functionality of the assessment.” “Any new contract will require greater enhancements and safeguards and will be designed to ensure the agency can offer teachers and students an innovative and comprehensive instructional system,” the TEA said in a statement.
By Jocelyn Noveck ASSOCIATED PRE SS
The Laredo Morning Times contributed to this report.
knowingly make anyone feel uneasy,” the actor, now 80, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. “I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent.” In a statement to The Associated Press, the organization, which represents actors, journalists and others, called the allegations “compelling and devastating” and contrary to its attempts to make sure working environments are safe in the industry. “Any accused person
Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images
Multiple women are accusing actor Morgan Freeman of sexual misconduct, CNN reported.
has the right to due process, but it is our starting point to believe the courageous voices who come forward to report incidents of harassment,” the statement read. “Given Mr. Freeman recently received one of our union’s most prestigious honors recognizing his body of work, we are therefore reviewing what corrective actions may be warranted at this time.” The CNN report includes the account of a production assistant on
the 2017 heist film “Going In Style,” who detailed an incident in which the actor repeatedly tried to lift up her skirt, and asked if she was wearing underwear. She alleged that Freeman subjected her to unwanted touching and comments on a near-daily basis on the film. Several women alleged that he made frequent comments about their bodies, or would stare at them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable.