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HEALTH CARE BILL
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
Trump to senators: We need to be more generous
Political party withdraws from impeachment call
Criticism confused Republicans By Alan Fram A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump told Republican senators Tuesday that the House-passed health care bill he helped revive is “mean” and urged them to craft a version that is “more generous,” congressional sources said. Trump’s remarks were a surprising slap at a Republican-written House measure that was shepherded by Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and whose passage the president lobbied for and praised. At a Rose Garden ceremony minutes after the bill’s narrow House passage on May 4, Trump called it “a great plan.” The president’s criticism, at a White House lunch with 15 GOP senators, also came as Senate Republican leaders’ attempts to write their own health care package have been slowed by disagreements between their party’s conservatives and moderates. Trump’s characterizations seemed to
undercut attempts by Senate leaders to assuage conservatives who want restrictions in their chamber’s bill, such as cutting the Medicaid health care program for the poor and limiting the services insurers must cover. Moderate GOP senators have been pushing to ease those restrictions. Facing expected unanimous Democratic opposition, Republicans will be unable to pass a Senate bill if just three of the 52 GOP senators vote “no.” Alienating any of them could make approving the measure trickier for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who’s been hoping for a vote before Congress’ July 4 recess. Trump’s comments were described by two GOP congressional sources who received accounts of Tuesday’s White House lunch. They spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal a closed-door conversation. Their descriptions of Trump’s words differed slightly. One source said Trump called the House bill “mean, mean, mean” and said, “We need to be more generous, more kind.” The other source said Trump used a vulgarity to describe the House bill and told the senators, “We need to be more generous.” Two other congressional GOP officials confirmed that the general descripBill continues on A11
Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images
US Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of California, left, and US Representative Al Green, Democrat of Texas, take questions about articles of impeachment for US President Donald Trump during a press conference on Capitol Hill on June 7.
By Kevin Freking ASSOCIATED PRE SS
WASHINGTON — House Democrats distanced themselves on Tuesday from a longshot bid to impeach President Donald Trump, arguing that multiple investigations should play out before considering such drastic, politically fraught action. California Rep. Brad Sherman has told colleagues that he may try to force a vote in the full House if the Judiciary Committee declines to
consider a proposed article of impeachment that he’s still finalizing. Sherman’s proposal, circulated to colleagues along with a letter, states that the president sought to hinder and stop federal investigations by “threatening and then terminating James Comey,” the ousted FBI director. “The evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so,” Sherman said in his letter. Sherman said he’s
getting suggestions from colleagues now on how to improve his proposal. He said about a dozen lawmakers have told him they’re supportive of his effort. But numerous Democrats emerged from a close-door caucus meeting Tuesday opposed, including some of Trump’s harshest critics. Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky said more time is needed so that people can decide whether there have been impeachable Democrats continues on A11
RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
AG JEFF SESSIONS TESTIFIES He denies all allegations made by Democrats By Chris Strohm and Steven T. Dennis B L OOMBE RG NEWS
A
ttorney General Jeff Sessions said he never spoke with Russian officials concerning “any type of interference” with the 2016 presidential campaign and called any suggestion he colluded with Russia during the election an “appalling and detestable lie.” Under questioning by Senate Intelligence Committee members Tuesday, Sessions added that he was within his responsibilities as attorney general to sign off on the firing of FBI Director James Comey, even though he had recused himself from involvement in a federal probe of Russia’s role in the election that was led at the time by Comey. With pressure growing on the White House over Comey’s dismissal and the Russia probe, Sessions also defended himself against Democratic allegations that he gave misleading testimony about his contacts with Russian officials during his confirmation hearing. “That is false,” Sessions said. While the hearing lacked the detailed revelations that Comey provided in his Sessions continues on A11
Win McNamee / Getty Images
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is sworn-in prior to testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill on June 13, 2017 in Washington, DC.
Zin brief A2 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
TODAY IN HISTORY
AROUND THE NATION
THURSDAY, JUNE 22
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
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
Today is Wednesday, June 14, the 165th day of 2017. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.
Today's Highlight in History: On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the original American flag, declaring: "Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation."
Spanish Book Club. 6-8 p.m. Joe A Guerra Public Library. For more info call Sylvia Reash at 956-763-1810.
MONDAY, JULY 3 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, JULY 22 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
Ed Cunicelli / AP
This 2016 photo shows conjoined twin girls Abby, right, and Erin at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL SEPARATES CONJOINED TWINS
FRIDAY, AUG. 18 South Texas Food Bank Empty Bowls XI. Laredo Energy Arena. Tex-Mex power rock trio Los Lonely Boys will perform. The event includes a dinner, a benefit concert and a silent auction featuring artworks from local and regional artists. Sponsorship tables of 10 that include dinner and access to silent auction items are available. There are different levels of sponsorship available: Diamond $20,000, Platinum $10,000, Gold $5,000, Silver $2,500 and Bronze $1,500. Individual table tickets are $150. Table tickets are available at the food bank, 1907 Freight at Riverside. Concert only tickets are $10, $15 and $25. Tickets are available at the LEA box office, Ticketmaster.com, select Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. 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.
California governor named adviser for UN climate conference SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Jerry Brown was named Tuesday as a special envoy to states at the next United Nations Climate Change Conference, further elevating his international profile as a leader on the issue as President Donald Trump backs away from a key international agreement. Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, incoming president of the conference, named Brown as a special adviser for states and regions during a visit to Sacramento. The announcement of Brown’s role at the November conference in Bonn, Germany, comes on the heels of his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks to discuss climate change. “I will lean on Gov. Brown to continue to bring the leadership he has demonstrated time and time again, and to mobilize a strong contingent of like-minded leaders from around the world, to show the world that we mean business,” Bainimarama said during a news conference at the historic governor’s mansion. The four-term governor has made reducing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting green technology a key tenet of his administration. He’s launched non-binding climate change pacts, including the newly formed U.S. Climate Alliance of states committed to upholding the carbon reductions goals in the Paris climate agreement, from which Trump plans to withdraw. Bainimarama on Tuesday joined Fiji in the Under2 Coalition, a pact among cities, states and countries that Brown helped launch in 2015 aimed at keeping the rise of global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. — Compiled from AP reports
PHILADELPHIA — A team successfully separated 10-month-old conjoined twins during an 11-hour surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia said Tuesday. The hospital said sisters Erin and Abby Delaney, of North Carolina, are recovering in the intensive care unit after last week’s procedure. The surgery was carefully orchestrated, down to marking monitors and equipment with green or purple tape, one color assigned to each girl. “Separating conjoined twins is a very complex surgery followed by a long and complicated recovery, but we are very hopeful for a positive outcome,” Dr. Jesse Taylor said in a news release. Taylor is a plastic surgeon who helped lead the multidisciplinary team of about 30 people. It marked the 23rd time the hospital has separated conjoined twins over the
past 60 years and the first involving children joined at the top of their heads, the least common type of conjoined twins. That condition is known as craniopagus. Their shared blood vessels and a protective membrane around their brains were carefully separated before the team split into two groups to perform reconstruction involving each patient. The girls were born 10 weeks prematurely in late July by cesarean section. The hospital said they are now in separate beds for the first time in their lives. Additional surgery is considered likely. “When we go home, it’s going to be a big party,” their mother, Heather Delaney, said in a statement released by the hospital. “Welcome home, baby shower, first birthday.” The girls are expected to return home later this year. The hospital declined to disclose the family’s hometown. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD Iraq: Food poisoning strikes hundreds at camp for displaced HASSAN SHAM U2 CAMP, Iraq — Food poisoning at a camp for displaced residents of Mosul has made more than 700 people sick, with hundreds hospitalized, Iraqi officials said Tuesday. The incident at the Hassan Sham U2 camp, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) east of Mosul, has become part of the ongoing dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Saudi media accused a Qatari charity of supplying tainted food to the residents of the desert camp. Iraqi Health Minister Adila Hamoud told The Associated Press that 752 people in the camp became ill following a Monday night iftar — the meal breaking the dawn-to-dusk fast by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. At least 300 people remain in serious condition, he said. The Health Ministry reported that no one had died from food poisoning. Two deaths cited earlier were from other causes. The provincial governor said there had been one
On this date: In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created. In 1801, former American Revolutionary War general and notorious turncoat Benedict Arnold died in London. In 1922, Warren G. Harding became the first president heard on radio, as Baltimore station WEAR broadcast his speech dedicating the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry. In 1934, Max Baer defeated Primo Carnera with an 11th round TKO to win the world heavyweight boxing championship in Long Island City, New York. In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland. In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that children in public schools could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. In 1967, the space probe Mariner 5 was launched from Cape Kennedy on a flight that took it past Venus. California Gov. Ronald Reagan signed a bill liberalizing his state's abortion law. The movie "To Sir, with Love," starring Sidney Poitier, was released by Columbia Pictures. In 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered a ban on domestic use of the pesticide DDT, to take effect at year's end. In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands. In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece. In 1992, Mona Van Duyn became the first woman to be named the nation's Poet Laureate by the Library of Congress. Ten years ago: The San Antonio Spurs won their fourth NBA title in nine years as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 83-82 in Game 4. Five years ago: In dueling speeches in the battleground state of Ohio, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaking in Cincinnati, described the Obama administration as the very "enemy" of people who create jobs; President Barack Obama, going second in Cleveland, asked the nation to buy into his vision for four more years or face a return to the recession-era "mistakes of the past." One year ago: A 2-year-old boy was dragged into the water by an alligator near Disney's upscale Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; the child's remains were found the following day.
Balint Szlanko / AP
A man comforts his daughter as a doctor is preparing to treat her for suspected food poisoning in the Hassan Sham U2 camp.
death. The U.N. refugee agency at first reported one death but later said nobody had died. The conflicting reports could not immediately be reconciled. Amira Abdulhaliq of the UNHCR said it was unclear when the meals had become contaminated, whether it was during its preparation, packaging, transportation or distribution. “So far, we have received around 800 cases. Around 200 have been transported to the hospitals in Irbil,” she said. Irbil Gov. Nawzad Hadi said the food was prepared in an Irbil restaurant by a local
NGO, Ain el Muhtajeen, and funded by a Qatari charity known as RAF. In Saudi Arabia, which has been leading a recent campaign to isolate Qatar, state media quickly seized on the issue with coverage that implied Qatar was poisoning refugees deliberately. Raad al-Dahlaki, chairman of the Iraqi parliament’s immigration and displacement committee, visited the camp overnight and said the meal contained rice, a bean sauce, meat, yogurt and water. He put the number of sick at 850. — Compiled from AP reports
Today's Birthdays: Actress Marla Gibbs is 86. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is 78. Writer Peter Mayle is 78. Actor Jack Bannon is 77. Country-rock musician Spooner Oldham is 74. Rock singer Rod Argent (The Zombies; Argent) is 72. President Donald Trump is 71. Singer Janet Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 71. Rock musician Barry Melton is 70. Rock musician Alan White (Yes) is 68. Actor Eddie Mekka is 65. Actor Will Patton is 63. Jazz musician Marcus Miller is 58. Singer Boy George is 56. Rock musician Chris DeGarmo is 54. Actress Traylor Howard is 51. Actress Yasmine Bleeth is 49. Actor Faizon Love is 49. Actor Stephen Wallem is 49. Actor Sullivan Stapleton (TV: "Blindspot") is 40. Screenwriter Diablo Cody is 39. Actor Lawrence Saint-Victor is 35. Actor Torrance Coombs is 34. Actor J.R. Martinez is 34. Actor-singer Kevin McHale is 29. Actress Lucy Hale is 28. Pop singer Jesy Nelson (Little Mix) is 26. Country singer Joel Crouse is 25. Actor Daryl Sabara is 25. Thought for Today: "I am not the flag; not at all. I am but its shadow. I am whatever you make me, nothing more. I am your belief in yourself, your dream of what a People may become." — From a Flag Day address by U.S. Interior Secretary Franklin Knight Lane (1864-1921) recounting what Old Glory "said" to him.
CONTACT US AROUND TEXAS Missing woman believed found on Galveston beach CRYSTAL BEACH, Texas — Coast Guard officials say a body has been found near Crystal Beach on Galveston’s Bolivar Peninsula that matches the description of an East Texas woman who went miss-
ing after trying to help her 4-year-old child struggling in the rough Gulf of Mexico surf. The Galveston County Sheriff ’s office says witnesses told them 33-year-old Brandy Mosley, of Palestine, went into the water Monday afternoon with a relative after a wave swept away her son who was playing in the sand at the edge of the water. The child, who was
wearing water wings, and the relative made it back to shore but Mosley didn’t. A body was found by sheriff ’s deputies Tuesday morning. Officials are awaiting positive identification. Residents say visitors often are unaware of dangerous riptides along the beach. — Compiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 |
LOCAL & STATE
Petitions oppose seeking abortion provider waiver A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
AUSTIN, Texas — Planned Parenthood has delivered what it says are 16,000-plus petition signatures opposing Texas’ asking the federal government to fund a state-run women’s health program excluding abortion providers. Activists turned in the petitions Monday at Gov. Greg Abbott’s office at the Texas Capitol. Texas last month sought a waiver to restore millions of federal Medicaid dollars blocked under
President Barack Obama in 2011, after the state’s family planning program booted Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. The request hasn’t yet been answered but is seen as a test of how abortion policy might change under President Donald Trump. If Texas gets a waiver, other conservative states could seek similar ones. The move follows Planned Parenthood failing to block a health care overhaul in Congress that seeks to halt its federal funding.
A3
Laredo officer leaves hospital ASSOCIATED PRE SS
LAREDO, Texas — The last of three South Texas police officers wounded during a shootout this month that left a murder suspect dead has been released from a hospital.
A Laredo police statement says Officer Agapito Perez was discharged Monday. Investigators say three police officers were shot during a June 2 confrontation with Antonio Geraldo Rodriguez in a Lare-
do convenience store parking lot. Police were searching for Rodriguez since hours earlier finding his girlfriend slain at a residence. A murder warrant had been issued for Rodriguez, who previously
served time for a Houston slaying. All three wounded Laredo officers were transported to San Antonio hospitals. Two officers with less serious injuries than Perez spent a couple of days hospitalized.
Fire ignites multiple acetylene gas tanks in Tyler, Texas ASSOCIATED PRE SS
TYLER, Texas — A fire ignited tank after tank of acetylene gas at an East Texas welders supply lot, firing tanks and shrapnel high into the air but injuring no one. The episode began just
before 4 p.m. Tuesday at Tyler Welders Supply. Tanks rocketed into the air for about 20 minutes before the explosions subsided. Smith County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Coslin said the fire was being allowed to burn itself out. He also said that there were 20 to 30
Sarah A. Miller / AP
Fire engulfs Tyler Welder Supply in Tyler, Texas on Tuesday.
employees at the yard when the fire started, but all got out uninjured. Traffic was blocked on
U.S. 271 and Farm Road 14 and a half-mile in all directions from the yard were evacuated.
Zopinion
Letters to the editor Send your signed letter to editorial@lmtonline.com
A4 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
OTHER VIEWS
COLUMN
How great is Trump? Cabinet members tell him all the time By Ken Herman COX N EWSPAPE RS
Welcome to chapter infinity of “This Isn’t Normal,” a daily experiment in reality TV/surreality governance. On Monday, President Donald Trump held his first full cabinet meeting. It was Trumpian. Instead of talking about the honor of serving the country, it was more about praising the president, including self-praise as he told us that “with few exceptions,” we’ve never been blessed to have a president who’s accomplished as much as he has in such a short period. “I think we’ve been about as active as you can possibly be and at a just about record-setting pace,” he said, ignoring the fact that no major legislation has been passed under his leadership. “In just a very short time, we’ve seen amazing results.” Trump spoke, largely about his wonderfulness, for about 12 minutes as the cameras rolled. And then each cabinet member made statements, most opting to use their brief time to agree with the boss about how great he is. Wherever the message came from that that would be appropriate, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, our ex-gov, got it as his turn came in a little play we’ll call, “Hail to the Chief. Really, Really Hail.” “Mr. President, an honor to be on the team,” Perry told Trump, a man he branded as a “cancer on conservatism” when he ran against him for the GOP presidential nomination. “This last week, I had the great privilege to represent America in China at the Green Energy Ministerial. Good timing. They needed to hear why America was stepping away from the Paris Accord and they did. And that America is not stepping back but we’re stepping into place and sending some messages that we’re still going to be leaders in the world when it comes to the climate, but we’re not going to be held hostage to some executive order that was ill thought out. “So my hat’s off to you for taking that stand,” Perry told the president who rescued him from a Round Top retiree’s life. “And for sending a clear message around the world that America is going to continue to lead in the area of energy.” His statement didn’t get much play in the network news montages of the Cabinet Room praisefest,
probably because Perry’s words were mild compared to those of some of his colleagues. “I can’t thank you enough for the privilege you’ve given me and the leadership you’ve shown,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told Trump. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson thanked Trump for the “great privilege you’ve given me.” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told Trump “last week was a great week,” recalling the White House had declared it “infrastructure week.” Most of us recall it as Comey Week, but Chao told Trump, “Thank you for coming over to the Department of Transportation. Hundreds and hundreds of people were just so thrilled hanging out, watching the whole ceremony.” White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told Trump, “On behalf of the entire senior staff around you, Mr. President, we thank you for the opportunity and blessing that you’ve given us to serve your agenda and the American people.” And, despite reports that he recently offered to quit, Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump, “It is great to be here.” Sessions said law enforcement officials’ response to POTUS has been “fabulous.” Yes, for a handful of them it’s a first chance to investigate a POTUS. For a Twitter-sized synopsis of this odd White House happening let’s look for an appropriately named tweeter: “Maybe a bit too ‘Dear Leader-ish,’” tweeted Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island. If something can simultaneously be incongruous and not surprising, it’s Perry’s role in all of this. For whatever reasons, at this latter point in his public service career, he’s chosen to work for a guy he knows to be impulsive, compulsive and, at times, repulsive. We continue to wish Perry well. As energy secretary, the twice unsuccessful presidential candidate is closer to the presidency than he’s ever been. He’s 14th in the presidential succession line that’s based on when each cabinet post was created. And he’s actually lucky/ unlucky 13, because Chao, just ahead of him in the succession line, is ineligible for the presidency because she was born in Taiwan. Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman.
EDITORIAL
The FDA makes a move on opioids WASHINGTON P O ST
Opioids continue to ruin lives, and end them, in Maryland. New official figures show that 2,089 people died from drug and alcohol overdoses last year, a 66 percent increase over 2015.Government data for the nation as a whole are not yet available, but the New York Times recently estimated based on its own survey of state and local officials that overdose deaths last year exceeded 59,000, which would represent a 19 percent increase from 2015. The epidemic that began two decades ago with legally produced and distributed prescription drugs has given way to an out-of-control surge in illegal sales and use of fentanyl, a drug considered many times more potent than heroin, much of it originating in China, which accounted for more
than half of the deaths recorded last year in Maryland. Belatedly, those responsible for health and safety in this country have begun to rein in prescription opioids. Yet they still contributed to 418 deaths in Maryland last year, up from 351 in 2015. As those statistics suggest, the horrific advent of fentanyl should not obscure the fact that addiction to prescription medications remains a major publichealth problem. Therefore it was welcome news that the Food and Drug Administration has told Endo Pharmaceuticals to remove its opioid Opana ER from the market. The agency concluded that “the benefits of the drug may no longer outweigh the risks,” consistent with the judgment reached earlier by an FDA advisory pan-
el. Opana had become notorious as the cause of an addiction epidemic in rural Indiana that led, in turn, to a surge in HIV infections. Addicted users were converting the pills to injectable form and then sharing needles, spreading the virus. Significantly, the FDA recommendation applies to a reformulated version of Opana, issued six years after the painkiller’s debut in 2006, that Endo had claimed would be “abuse deterrent.” That reformulation wasn’t protective enough, in the FDA’s view, and the agency had refused to let Endo label it as “abuse deterrent.” Last Thursday’s recommendation represents a further vote of no confidence from the agency. Endo issued a statement to the effect that it was “evaluating the full range of potential op-
EDITORIAL
Children continue to be traumatized by shootings. When will America act? WASHINGTON P O ST
On Sept. 28, 2016, there was a shooting on the playground of Townville Elementary School in South Carolina. A teacher and two students were shot, one of whom — a 6-year-old boy — later died. National media coverage was limited, a sad sign of how accustomed the country has become to these shootings, especially when “only” one child dies. But the damage from what happened on that playground in 12 deadly seconds extends far beyond those killed or wounded. That should further prod efforts to combat gun violence.
A searing examination by The Washington Post of the children who witnessed last fall’s shooting revealed scars and struggles. Recurring nightmares, inability to focus and fear of leaving home were just some of the symptoms. These elementary school children are suffering post-traumatic stress similar to that of combat veterans returning from war. Even more heartbreaking is that the students of Townville are not alone. An analysis by The Post found that beginning with the shootings at Columbine High in Colorado 18 years ago, more than 135,000 students attending
at least 164 primary or secondary schools have experienced a shooting on campus. That doesn’t include other incidents — accidents, after-school assaults, suicides — in which children have been exposed to gun violence. The damage extends to parents, grandparents and siblings forced to cope with trauma. Imagine having to reassure your 7-year-old son that he couldn’t have done more to protect a friend gunned down, or not knowing if your daughter will ever recover from what she witnessed in those 12 bloody seconds. The gun lobby, believing it has a receptive audi-
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.
tions,” but we can’t understand why any company would continue to sell Opana ER under these circumstances, or why the FDA would hesitate to follow through on its promise to take the drug off the market if the company won’t do so itself. The new FDA administrator, Scott Gottlieb, acknowledged at his confirmation hearings in Aprilthat the FDA had been “complicit, even if unwittingly,” in the opioid epidemic. The agency, he said, “didn’t fully recognize the scope of the emerging problem,” and he pledged a new approach. The recommendation that Endo stop selling Opana ER is a sign that he intends to keep that promise regarding the future, even if not much can be done about the past — except to learn from it.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
ence with Republicans in control of Congress and the White House, is pushing an extreme agenda that would deregulate the sale of gun silencers, federally mandate concealed-carry laws in every state and even eliminate gun-free school zones. Countering the gun lobby is a growing grass-roots movement for gun control that has claimed some victories on the state and local levels in closing loopholes and strengthening protections. That is encouraging, and we wish them more success because far too many children already have died — or been traumatized — by gun violence.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 |
A5
CRIME
Lawyers say deputy, spouse unfairly treated By Juan A. Lozano A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — Prosecutors rushed to judge a Houstonarea sheriff’s deputy and her husband because of their ties to law enforcement when
charging the couple with murder in the death of a man they confronted outside a restaurant, their attorneys said Tuesday. Harris County Deputy Chauna Thompson and her husband, Terry Thompson, are
accused of causing the death of 24-year-old John Hernandez, who died three days after the May 28 confrontation outside a Denny’s restaurant in Sheldon. The couple made their first court appearance in the case Tuesday, but said little and didn’t enter pleas. Dozens of protesters chased after the couple following their court appearance, hitting and surrounding their car outside the courtroom. “My client probably would not be indicted but for her job title,” attorney Greg Cagle, who represents Chauna
Thompson, said following the haring. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office denied the claims, saying prosecutors are dedicated to an orderly process in the case. Hernandez’s relatives allege authorities didn’t act quickly enough to arrest the couple because she worked in law enforcement. The Thompsons, who are each free on $100,000 bonds, will next be in court on July 14. About 60 protesters were outside the courthouse during the hearing, some holding signs saying, “Justice for John.”
Judge Chief: Officer made errors in named in confrontation with woman attorney general’s case ASSOCIATED PRE SS
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
AUSTIN, Texas — The new judge assigned to oversee the felony securities fraud case against Texas’ attorney general is a Houston Democrat who defeated the son of the state’s lieutenant governor to win his seat on the bench. Harris County Judge Robert Johnson was randomly assigned the case against Republican Ken Paxton on Tuesday. Paxton is accused of defrauding wealthy investors in a tech startup. State District Judge George Gallagher previously ruled that prosecutors couldn’t get a fair trial in Paxton’s hometown near Dallas, and moved the case to Houston. Paxton’s attorneys then successfully had Gallagher removed, arguing he lacked authority to preside over cases outside his home county. That shifted the proceedings to Johnson, who was elected in November. He defeated Republican incumbent Ryan Patrick, son of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas police chief says an officer he suspended following a videotaped arrest of a woman and her daughters made multiple errors in responding to a call that a neighbor allegedly assaulted the woman’s son. Fort Worth Chief Joel Fitz-
gerald said Tuesday during an appeal hearing for officer William Martin that Martin was disrespectful and used excessive force in his December confrontation with Jacqueline Craig. Martin is appealing his 10day suspension. Fitzgerald also said Martin failed to check on Craig’s son.
One of Craig’s daughters videotaped the interaction between her mother and the officer, and posted it to social media. The widely viewed footage showed the white officer forcing Craig, who is black, to the ground. An attorney for Martin says the video doesn’t fully reflect how the incident unfolded.
Dallas man sentenced for health fraud ASSOCIATED PRE SS
DALLAS — A Dallas businessman convicted of health care fraud using homeless people recruited as patients must serve more than 17 years in prison and repay Medicare $23 million. Wilbert James Veasey Jr. was sentenced Tuesday in Dallas. The 65-year-old Veasey was convicted last year of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud. Veasey, who received 210 months in federal prison, must also repay nearly $507,000 to Medicaid. Prosecutors say Veasey was among several people convicted for their roles in conspiring to defraud and defrauding Medicare and Medicaid through companies they owned or controlled. Investigators say some residents of a Dallas homeless shelter were improperly recruited to sign up as Medicare patients for home health care.
Zfrontera A6 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE PROGRAMA DE ASISTENCIA MÉDICA 1 Si usted está teniendo dificultades para costear la compra de medicamentos, el programa “Medication Assistance” lo puede ayudar. Acuda el 21 de junio a la Corte del Condado de Zapata (cuarto de juntas ubicado en el segundo piso) de 10 a.m. a 12 p.m. y de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m. Para mayores informes llame a Eslanda Treviño al 361-6673350. CONSULADO MÓVIL 1 El Consulado General de México en Laredo llevará a cabo el Consulado Móvil el 17 de junio en San Diego, Texas, de 8 a.m. a 2 p.m. y en donde se estarán emitiendo pasaportes, matrículas consulares y recepción de documentación INE, en la iglesia St. Francis de Padua, 401 S. Victoria, St.
NACIONAL
Niega nexos con Rusia Por Eric Tucker y Erica Werner ASSOCIATED PRE SS
WASHINGTON — El secretario de Justicia Jeff Sessions negó airadamente el martes que tuviera alguna reunión secreta con el embajador ruso o conversaciones con funcionarios rusos sobre las elecciones de Estados Unidos. También prometió defender su honor “contra acusaciones insidiosas y falsas”. Durante una audiencia en el Senado, Sessions dijo que era una “mentira detestable y espantosa” insinuar que participó o que estuvo al tanto de alguna colusión entre Rusia y la campaña de
Trump. En su comparecencia ante ex homólogos, Sessions también contradijo una declaración que hizo el ex director del FBI James Comey ante la misma comisión la semana pasada. Comey dijo que, tras un encuentro con el presidente Donald Trump en el que supuestamente el mandatario lo presionó para cerrar una investigación sobre el ex asesor de seguridad nacional, le “imploró” a Sessions que se asegurara que nunca se quedara a solas con el presidente de nuevo, pero que Sessions no respondió. “No recuerda esto, pero le respondí acordando que el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia neces-
itaban seguir con atención la política de la dependencia” en lo referente a los contactos con la Casa Blanca, afirmó Sessions. El ex senador por Alabama se defendió contra acusaciones de que tergiversó las cosas durante su audiencia de confirmación cuando dijo que no se había reunido con funcionarios rusos durante la campaña. Sessions dijo que se recusó de la investigación del Departamento de Justicia sobre Rusia debido únicamente a una regulación que exige esa acción dada su participación en la campaña de Trump. Insistió en que nunca supo nada sobre la indagatoria a Rusia.
“Muchos han insinuado que mi recusación se debió a que sentí que yo mismo era objeto de la investigación, que quizá hice algo malo”, añadió. “Pero esta es la razón por la que me recusé: sentó que así debía hacerlo de conformidad con las reglas del Departamento de Justicia”. Aunque se recusó de la investigación a Rusia, Sessions dijo: "no me recuso de defender mi honor contra acusaciones insidiosas y falsas". El secretario de Justicia no se apartó realmente de la indagatoria sobre Rusia sino hasta el 2 de marzo, el día posterior al reporte de The Washington Post sobre sus dos reuniones previamente no reveladas
con el embajador ruso Sergey Kislyak. Días después, Sessions corrigió su testimonio de la audiencia de confirmación para informar a la comisión sobre las reuniones con Kislyak. El senador demócrata Ron Wyden preguntó a Sessions sobre las insinuaciones que surgieron la semana pasada en el testimonio de Comey de que había “algo problemático” respecto a su recusación. Wyden preguntó a Sessions qué asuntos problemáticos existían. "¿Por qué no me dice? No hay ningunos, senador Wyden, no hay ninguno", insistió Sessions, intensificando su tono de voz.
TAMAULIPAS
LIBERAN MÁS DE MIL TORTUGAS LORA
TORNEO DE GOLF 1 Boys and Girls Club of Zapata County invitan al 1er. Torneo de Golf que se llevará a cabo el sábado, 24 de junio en Los Ébanos Golf Course. Registro inicia a las 7 a.m. Para mayores informes contacte a Cipriana GonzálezWells al (956) 8981365. ACADEMIA AHEC EN ZAPATA 1 Estudiantes de preparatoria pueden asistir de manera gratuita a un taller vocacional que se llevará a cabo del 19 al 21 de junio de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m. en el Advanced Education Center (ZTAC), ubicado en 605 N. HWY 83. Se discutirán temas como carreras en el área de salud, liderazgo, entrenamiento de voluntarios, cómo escribir un curriculum vitae y el proceso de inscripción a la universidad. Para registrarse envíe un correo a rcruz@mrgbahec.org o llame al 956-7120037. Cupo limitado. 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. PAGO DE IMPUESTOS 1 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 el servicio del agua puede pagarse en línea a cualquier hora las 24 horas del día. LABORATORIO COMPUTACIONAL 1 La Ciudad de Roma pone a disposición de la comunidad el Laboratorio Computacional que abre de lunes a viernes de 1 p.m. a 5 p.m. en Historical Plaza, a un lado del City Hall. Informes en el 956849-1411.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno del Estado de Tamaulipas
El gobernador Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca recorrió el campamento Tortuguero La Pesca, donde visitó los corrales de incubación y participó en la liberación de más de mil crías de tortugas lora, especie de las costas tamaulipecas.
EDUCACIÓN
Realizan congreso pedagógico en NL Por Malena Charur TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
El IV Congreso de Investigación e Innovación Educativa organizado por la Universidad Pedagógica de Nuevo Laredo, México, se llevará a cabo del 14 al 16 de junio en la vecina ciudad. Ésta será la primera vez que la institución funge como sede de este congreso. Yolanda Villanueva Hernández, directora de la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional y quien posee un doctorado en Metodología de la Enseñanza, dijo que anteriormente los congresos se han realizado en Reynosa, Matamoros y Tampico. “Es la primera vez que nos corresponde ser sede. Somos cinco unidades en Tamaulipas y el próximo año será en Ciudad Victoria, con esto se completará la primera ronda pero queremos que se convierta en un congreso institucional”, señaló Villanueva Hernández. La Universidad Pedagógica Nacional es una
Foto de cortesía
Ésta será la primera vez que la institución funge como sede del Congreso de Investigación e Innovación Educativa.
institución que se creó en 1978, pero no fue sino hasta 1979 que se fundó en la vecina ciudad y nace por decreto presidencial. “La universidad surge con el propósito de elevar a nivel de licenciatura en educación básica a todos aquellos maestros que egresaban de las normales y eso fue el plan 79. Más tarde se instituyó el plan 85 con una licenciatura en educación preescolar; después el plan 94 que incluía la licenciatura en planeación educativa… Por último, el plan 2002, una licenciatura para
jóvenes recién egresados de bachillerato, enfocada en la intervención educativa”, expresó. “Cada universidad crea sus planes educativos de acuerdo a sus necesidades y, con base en esto, creamos la Maestría en Educación Bilingüe por ser una ciudad fronteriza”. Villanueva Hernández agregó que la institución se ha adaptado a los contextos educativos, políticos y sociales para generar los programas y dijo que actualmente la universidad ofrece sus planes educativos exclusivamente
a nivel postgrado, ofreciendo cuatro diferentes maestrías en las que se incluye innovación educativa, educación bilingüe, educación básica y la maestría en educación media superior. “La universidad tiene tres tareas sustantivas que son la docencia, la investigación y la difusión y extensión universitaria. Entonces, tenemos que difundir el quehacer académico y hemos encontrado en el congreso el espacio idóneo para que investigadores especialistas, maestros de nivel superior y nuestros propios estudiantes difundan el conocimiento pedagógico”, manifestó. “Se trata de compartir el conocimiento en cuanto a los avances en el ámbito educativo”. El congreso contará con tres conferencias magistrales a cargo de destacados investigadores en este campo que se llevarán a cabo en el Teatro Principal del Centro Cultural, mientras que la presentación de ponencias en las mesas temáticas así como talleres dirigidos a los docentes se
realizará en las instalaciones de la institución. “Tendremos ocho mesas temáticas y un total de 66 ponentes de diferentes estados de la República Mexicana, además se han unido el Instituto Tecnológico de Nuevo Laredo y la Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas”, indicó. Dijo que esperan la asistencia de más de 600 personas e invitó a la comunidad docente a asistir a este evento. “Nos sentimos orgullosos de ser el medio para dar la oportunidad a compañeros maestros de que vivan esta experiencia y auguramos que será un éxito por la calidad de las personas que estarán presentando sus investigaciones. Invitamos a todos los maestros de Nuevo Laredo para que asistan y sean parte de la difusión de este conocimiento”, finalizó. Para mayores informes acceda a la página de Internet www.upn284.com o en la página de Facebook Unidad UPN 284.
Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 |
NBA: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
A7
NFL: HOUSTON TEXANS
And now, 29 teams will start chasing the champion Warriors GSW has won 2 of the last 3 NBA titles By Tim Reynolds A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
The alarm was sounded loud and clear by LeBron James not long after the NBA Finals ended, and every other player, coach and general manager around the league who did not end this season drenched in champagne surely agreed with what he was saying. The Golden State Warriors are a problem. And they’re probably going to stay that way. There will be one question inevitably asked this offseason by most of the 29 other teams in the NBA whose fingers didn’t get to smudge the golden surface of the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year. That question will not have a good answer for many, if any. Basketball’s offseason is here, a draft and free agency loom, and for the second time in three years everyone is chasing the Warriors. Good luck, everybody. You’re going to need it. “They’re going to be here for a while,” James said after the Finals ended , his words coming as the Warriors’ celebration was still going in earnest. “They’re going to be around for a while. Pretty much all their guys are in their 20s. Pretty much all their big-name guys are in their 20s, and they don’t show any signs of slowing down.” Boston has the No. 1 pick in the draft to add to a team that went to the Eastern Conference finals this season. Miami will have around $37 million in spending money once Chris Bosh comes off the
Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
Golden State’s Andre Iguodala and the Warriors won their second NBA title in the last three seasons on Monday.
books. James will try and lure more help to come to Cleveland. Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Gordon Hayward, Paul George and Blake Griffin may all be changing addresses. The Knicks have openly been begging Carmelo Anthony to seek a trade elsewhere. No, quiet will not happen in July 2017. It’s unclear if any of this summer’s moves will matter come June 2018. The Warriors might be that far ahead of the field already. “There’s going to be a lot of teams that’s trying to figure out ways to put personnel together to try and match that if they’re able to actually face them in a playoff series, both Eastern Conference and Western Conference,” James said. “Because they’re built for ... from my eyes, they’re built to
last a few years.” Technically, the Warriors have some work to do in order to remain the Warriors. Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee will be among many Golden State players in the free-agent waters, and Kevin Durant will likely join them. Even though it will cost the Warriors big money — remember, Curry is in line for an enormous raise and made “only” $12 million this season — it’s more than possible for them to keep their core intact. There also are some other matters of business around the league to clear up this season. Many players have opt-in decisions coming before the July 1 shopping spree opens. Some of those decisions could
affect what happens on draft night, when Markelle Fultz will likely go to the Celtics with the No. 1 overall pick. And there is still all the awards that need to be handed out, like settling the Russell Westbrook versus James Harden race for MVP. There hasn’t been a coaching change in more than a year, which is an incredibly rare occurrence for the league. But some front offices have undergone recent overhauls, and more of that could be on the way — especially if Cleveland does not retain GM David Griffin, whose contract with the Cavs is expiring. Rosters, though, will definitely change. They always change. The Warriors won’t be the same when Commissioner Adam Silver hands them their rings next October (when the league’s longer season designed to give more rest over the 82game span) begins. The Cavaliers won’t be the same either. Nobody will have the same 15 players they ended the season with. But the Warriors look like they’re on the brink of something dynastic . No team had a winning record against Golden State this season — five were .500 against the Warriors — and 16 of the 29 other teams in the league didn’t beat them even once. The best example of how far the league has to go to catch the Warriors might be the Portland Trail Blazers, a very solid team with two great scorers in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Portland played Golden State eight times this season. The Blazers went 0-8. Again, good luck, everybody else. “We’re obviously just getting started,” Curry said. “This is something that we want to continue to do.”
Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle
Houston guard David Quessenberry is the 2017 recipient of the George Halas Award after battling non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for nearly three years.
Texans' David Quessenberry wins George Halas award By John McClain HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Texans guard David Quessenberry, who battled non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for almost three years, is the winner of the 2017 George Halas Award. The Halas Award, voted on since 1969 by the Professional Football Writers of America, is presented annually to the "player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed." Quessenberry, 26, finished chemotherapy treatment in April and has been participating in the offseason program. He's the first member of the Texans' organization to win the Halas Award named after the founder and longtime coach of the Chicago Bears, who also helped form the NFL. New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath was the first Halas Award winner in 1969. Kansas City safety Eric Berry, who also beat cancer, won the award in 2016. "Some legends of our game have received this award, and I'm honored and humbled to be a part of it," Quessenberry said.
"I'm proud to receive this award, not just for my fight and everything that I went through, but also to represent everyone who helped me get back to playing football. "The Texans organization stood behind me when I felt like the furthest thing from a football player. They gave me that motivation to see this thing through and beat it and get back to the field, where I belong." Other finalists for the award were New England quarterback Tom Brady, New York Giants' defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, Baltimore tight end Dennis Pitta and Miami defensive end Cameron Wake. In his four seasons with the Texans, Quessenberry has never played in a regular-season game. A sixth-round pick from San Jose State in 2013, Quessenberry spent his rookie year on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot. In June of 2014, Quessenberry was diagnosed with cancer and began his ordeal that ended in April when he finished chemo and was declared cancer free.
CONFEDERATIONS CUP
A Green Wave of fans follows Mexico to Russia for Confed Cup By Carlos Rodriguez A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
MEXICO CITY — They rejoiced at Wembley Stadium following the victory over Brazil in the 2012 London Olympic soccer final. They sulked in California when Mexico was humiliated 7-0 by Chile at last year’s Copa America. Whether it’s the World Cup or Copa America, an exhibition or official match, just look up in the stands during a Mexico game. There’s “La Ola Verde” — The Green Wave. From New Zealand to Ohio, a group of Mexican fans has been traveling the world for almost a decade following the national team. Its next stop is Russia, where “El Tri” plays in the Confederations Cup, a World Cup warmup tournament that starts Satur-
day. “We are one movement, and everywhere we go we try to get together as many Mexicans as possible,” said Gabriel Galvan, one of the group’s founders. The 38-year-old attorney and about 200 other “Green Wave” members will travel 22 hours and 10,000 miles from Mexico City to Kazan, a city in southwest Russia where Mexico debuts against Cristiano Ronaldo and European champion Portugal on Sunday. Each group member pays its own way, and Galvan estimates the trip will cost about $5,000. It’s not the first time Galvan and others have traveled to the other side of the world to cheer “El Tri” — the popular nickname for the national team based on the green, red and white colors of
Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press
Gabriel Galvan, left, is the founder of the "La Ola Verde," or The Green Wave.
the Mexican flag. In 2013, a group of about 10 trekked to Wellington, New Zealand, for a World Cup playoff. Mexico won 4-2 to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “It’s an experience that we will cherish forever,” Galvan said. Galvan estimates that since 2009, he has spent about $50,000 rooting for the Mexican team
around the world. He has seen more than 100 matches, and Russia will be his 36th country. “People say I’m crazy, especially when the team is playing bad,” Galvan said. “Many friends and relatives ask me, ‘Why do you keep supporting them?’ But I like to see our flag and represent our country, and we are not going to stop doing
it.” Mexico plays its other group matches on June 21 against New Zealand in Sochi, the Black Sea resort and 2014 Olympic host, and on June 24 against Russia back in Kazan. Depending on the results, the team led by Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez could play the semifinals in either city. The final is July 2 in St. Petersburg. Mario Nava will also travel to Russia for the Confederations Cup, and hopes to return next year for his third World Cup. Mexico leads the CONCACAF qualifying tournament after six matches. “I’ve traveled to countries like El Salvador, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, it’s nice to be able to support the team in places where there are not that many Mexi-
cans,” said the 37-yearold attorney, who also works in Mexico City. “My longest trip was to (the World Cup in) South Africa in 2010. It was a great experience to get to know their culture.” It will be hard to miss the “Green Wave” in the stands, especially if there are half-empty stadiums with ticket sales lagging a few days before the tournament begins. Galvan will be the one wearing the multicolored, winged goalkeeper uniform made famous in the 1990s by former national team star Jorge Campos. Others dress as “El Chavo del 8” (The Kid from the 8), a popular Mexican TV character, or with typical Mexican sombreros and lucha libre wrestling masks. “We are very easy to spot in each stadium,” Galvan said. “That’s the idea.”
A8 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
STATE
Austin police on famed Sixth Street strive to ensure safety By Nolan Hicks AUSTIN A M ER ICAN-STAT E SMAN
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police Lt. Dustin Lee stands on the corner of Sixth and Trinity streets on a Friday in June, a perfect vantage point in the middle of a bar-lined stretch of downtown. The Austin AmericanStatesman reports Lee was just a month away from the early morning chaos of May 7, when police say Landon Nobles fired a gun amid a street confrontation — and less than a block from where Nobles was shot dead by police. The standard for a good night for cops working this beat is one during which they can stand and observe. The data are on Lee’s side. Requests for police assistance in the 400 block of East Sixth Street — where the May 7 fight broke out — have dropped 14 percent since 2015, according to an American-Statesman analysis of more than 2,800 calls received from the area between Jan. 1 and May 7 for the past three years. The stretch of seven blocks known as “Dirty Sixth” is barricaded and patrolled by roughly 35 officers on the average Friday night. Some are longtime veterans who have policed downtown for years. Others are fresh-faced and straight out of the academy. Lee is their boss. Although only appointed to the post in December, he is an old Austin hand, a graduate of the University of Texas who has been with the Austin Police Depart-
Ricardo B.Brazziell / Associated Press
In this 2016 file photo, police work the scene after gunshots rang out in downtown Austin, Texas.
ment since 1996. “Sixth Street is more about managing than anything else,” Lee says. “You want to be able to go to Sixth Street and have a good time.” For years, the young have flocked here, pouring into the bars and clubs and music venues — the girls in skirts and stilettos or summer dresses and sandals, the guys in shirts and slacks or tees and shorts — to be part of the whirling mix of music and color and sweat and booze and drugs. They come alone, as couples, in groups, bouncing from bar to club to bar, turning Sixth Street into a river of bodies, looking for the next great thing as the night grows later and slowly becomes morning. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, they’re not breaking the law, so you’re just managing what they do,” Lee adds. Beyond the crowds, there is Andres Vaso, who has dribbled a soccer ball up and down “Dirty Sixth” for the past year or two, in part because the crowd makes for easier practice than setting up cones and because it’s a way to meet women. “I’m the only one out here not breaking the
law,” he jokes. Then there’s musclebound YouTube performer Connor Murphy, who, as part of a gag, poses as a Pokemon nerd, only to take off his shirt and lie down on the street, encouraging passing women to play with fidget spinners on his chest — all on camera, of course. In the midst of all this stand Lee and his officers, who hope this Friday will stay quiet. One man is so drunk, he passes out next to a tree in a planter box. An ambulance is called about midnight to take him to a hospital for treatment. He is, as one officer puts it, “too drunk for jail.” The scene is in the 500 block of Trinity, just around the corner from where a fight that immediately preceded Noble’s death spun out of control, and is far more representative of what cops there deal with on a regular basis, the Statesman’s analysis of crime data found. From January through May 7, there were 872 requests for police assistance on the block, down from 920 for the same period in 2016 and 1,016 in 2015. Over those roughly four months in 2017, only 24 of the calls were for disturbances.
That pattern appeared to be largely holding during the first week of May, immediately before the shooting. From May 1 through May 7, police received 46 calls from the block, almost exactly the same as the 45 calls received in 2016 and 44 in 2015. It’s part of a larger, longer trend. “We just don’t have a whole lot of fights anymore,” Lee said. The clock ticks past 1 a.m. The revelry’s toll is beginning to show. The curbs are filled with people looking to take a moment from the booming music, the crowds, the piercing lasers and strobe light flashes of the clubs. The clock keeps ticking and the slouches grow and the stumbles become more common. DJ after DJ, in bar after bar, begins to make “last call” announcements, heralding the end of the night. Lee watches over it all, his posture just as ramrod straight as it was at the night’s start. The clock ticks past 2 a.m., and the bars begin to close, sending patrons pouring out onto the streets. The crowds grow as friends look for friends, and groups look for food, and couples old and new look for rides home. There are screams of happiness and a few shouts of anger, but the peace holds and the clock never stops moving. It’s a little after 2:30 a.m. now, and the crowds have thinned. A convoy of police cars forms and slowly starts moving, signaling the reopening of Sixth Street to traffic. The night is done. The heat still stifles. The throngs have departed. The night was good.
Texas public safety agency restoring license office hours ASSOCIATED PRE SS
HOUSTON — The Texas Department of Public Safety is restoring expanded hours at 11 of the state’s busiest driver’s license offices after some lawmakers bristled that reduced hours intended to address budget shortfalls instead shortchanged Texas drivers. The agency acknowledged in a statement from its Amarillo office that the decision Tuesday afternoon to resume extended hours after came after discussion with
state leaders and legislators. The Houston Chronicle reported earlier Tuesday the public safety department quietly disclosed the cuts in an email to lawmakers and their staffs two weeks ago — just after the legislature ended its session. The department now says it will consider “other options and efficiencies” to deal with a $14 million shortfall in the current budget and another $7 million reduction in the new budget beginning in September.
New restrooms installed near Galveston beach ASSOCIATED PRE SS
GALVESTON, Texas — New public bathrooms are being installed near the Galveston seawall as part of about $6 million in improvements along the beach. The Galveston County Daily News reports the first of five prefabricated restroom units was installed Monday. The units are made from stainless steel. The interior contains a hand sanitizer dispenser and a flush toilet. A handwashing station and a shower are on the outside. Authorities say the restrooms, costing $90,000 apiece, will be connected to the Galves-
Jennifer Reynolds / AP
Jimmy Hamilton shows off the new public restroom at 29th Street and Seawall Boulevard in Galveston, Texas.
ton utility system. Officials say the new toilets are part of transportation-related improvements on Seawall Boulevard. Each restroom will be near a new bus stop. Federal transportation grants helped fund the units.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 |
A9
BUSINESS
Uber CEO Sprint Corp. targets Verizon customers with year of free service to take leave of absence By Scott Moritz BL OOMBERG NEWS
By Tom Krisher and Barbara Ortutay A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SAN FRANCISCO — Uber CEO Travis Kalanick will take a leave of absence for an unspecified period and let his leadership team run the troubled ride-hailing company while he’s gone. Kalanick told employees about his decision Tuesday in a memo. He says he needs time off to grieve for his mother, who died in a May boating accident. He also says he’s responsible for the company’s current situation and needs to become a better leader. The announcement comes as forKalanick mer U.S. Attorney Eric Holder released a list of recommendations to improve Uber’s toxic culture. He recommended that Kalanick be relieved of some leadership responsibilities, shifting them to a chief operating officer and other senior managers. The COO would be a partner with Kalanick. Holder recommended that Uber use performance reviews to hold senior managers accountable by setting metrics for improving diversity and responsiveness to employee complaints. Holder’s firm, Covington & Burling LLP, and a second firm, Perkins Coie, were asked to conduct separate examinations of Uber’s workplace culture after a former engineer leveled charges of sexual harassment. Susan Fowler posted a blog in February that detailed sexual harassment during the year she spent at Uber. Fowler wrote she was propositioned by her manager on her first her with an engineering team. She reported him to human resources, but was told he would get a lecture but no further punishment because he was a “high performer,” she wrote. Holder’s investigators conducted more than 200 interviews with current and former employees, including people who had knowledge of Fowler’s allegations, according to the law firm’s recommendations . After Fowler’s blog, Uber Technologies Inc. made changes in human resources and opened a 24-hour hotline for employees. Last week, the company fired 20 people including some managers at the recommendation of Perkins Coie, which probed specific complaints made to the company about sex harassment, bullying, and retaliation for reporting problems. That firm checked into 215 complaints, with 57 still under investigation. Under Kalanick, Uber has disrupted the taxi industry in hundreds of cities and turned the San Francisco-based company into the world’s most valuable startup. Uber’s valuation has climbed to nearly $70 billion.
Sprint Corp. is putting a new twist on mobile-service freebies with a giveaway aimed right at Verizon Communications Inc. customers. The smallest of the four major U.S. wireless carriers is offering a year of unlimited voice and data service to Verizon customers who bring their own phones. The deal requires a new Sprint SIM card and enrollment in an autopay program. In exchange customers get 10
gigabytes of hotspot access and high-definition video viewing. The offer expires June 30 and isn’t being advertised. Instead, Sprint is singling out Verizon customers through online promotions and emails offering as many five lines of free unlimited data service for a year, said Dave Tovar, a Sprint spokesman. Sprint already has the lowest priced unlimited plans starting at $50 for the first line. The latest promotion could set off a new
round of price cuts as each of the big carriers continue to slug it out on unlimited data offers. Saddled with $40 billion in debt and a decade of losses, Sprint’s survival depends on boosting its subscriber numbers, as well as finding a merger partner like T-Mobile US Inc. or a cable company to help turn around its prospects. Sprint owner SoftBank Group Corp. has had preliminary talks with T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom AG about a possible combi-
nation. One of the hurdles to the deal would be convincing regulators that wireless consumers would benefit from a three-player market at a time when prices continue to drop in a four-player market. Competition that drops prices to zero isn’t easy to ignore. “It’s hard to imagine that regulators will be tempted to imagine anything much better than giving away service for free,” Craig Moffett, an analyst with MoffettNathanson, wrote in a note Tuesday.
Centene plans to expand health exchange presence in some states By Tom Murphy ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Health insurer Centene announced plans Tuesday to expand into more Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges next year, at a time when competitors are either pulling back from those markets or proposing steep price hikes to remain. The insurer said it will start offering coverage on exchanges in Missouri, Kansas and Nevada. It also will expand its presence in Florida, Ohio, Texas and Washington, among other states. Centene didn’t specify where it will expand in all those states, but the growth spurt could fill some big holes that have developed in the exchanges, which allow people to buy individual coverage with help from an income-based tax credit. Currently, 25 counties in Missouri, 20 in Ohio and another two in Washington have no insurers lined up to sell coverage on the exchange in 2018. The exchanges are the only way customers can get subsidies or tax credits to help cover the premium. Big national insurers such as Humana and Aetna have shuttered their exchange businesses for next year, and President Donald Trump’s administration has been highlighting the thinning options on many exchanges as a sign that the market is failing. Trump and congressional Republicans are devising a potential replacement for the Affordable Care Act. Many insurers have been hit with steep losses by their exchange business since it started in 2014. But they’ve also been pulling back from
Jeff Roberson / AP
This 2015 file photo shows the building housing Centene Corporation headquarters in Clayton, Montana.
this market or raising prices because of the uncertain future of billions of dollars in government funding that helps reduce some coverage expenses for people with modest incomes. President Donald Trump has talked about potentially stopping the payments, and insurers want a guarantee that they will last through next year. Centene Chairman and CEO Michael Neidorff said earlier this year he didn’t think the government will stop those payments. Centene covers more than 1.2 million customers through the exchanges and is one of the biggest insurers in that market. It said earlier this year that it was planning to return in 2018, but it has not detailed what prices it
plans to charge. Analsysts have said Centene does well on the exchanges because it sticks to customers it knows. The insurer specializes in managing the state and federally funded Medicaid program for the poor. On the exchanges, it targets low-income customers in markets where it has already formed networks of providers for its Medicaid business. That means the insurer doesn’t have to build doctor networks for its exchange business from scratch. It also means Centene generally serves customers who get big subsidies that can shield them from price hikes. This makes it more likely they keep their coverage.
The company said Tuesday that 90 percent of its customers are eligible for subsidies. It also has said most of its customers this year were renewals from 2016, which makes it easier for insurers to figure out the right prices to charge. Insurers in several other states also have indicated that they are eyeing a return to the exchanges for next year. That includes Blue Cross-Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Kansas, Alabama and Texas. Companies are still figuring out their 2018 coverage plans. They have several more weeks in which they can back out or reverse a decision if their business takes a bad turn or government funding stops.
A10 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
ENTERTAINMENT Sandy Hook group drops Megyn Kelly as event host By David Bauder A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — NBC News is moving ahead with plans to air Megyn Kelly’s interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones this weekend despite a backlash that has cost the show advertisers and led to Kelly being dropped as host for an event by an organization founded by parents of children killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. The network has been taken aback by the response to booking Jones, the “Infowars” host who has questioned whether
the killing of 26 people in 2012 at the school in Newton, Connecticut, was a hoax. NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said the story will be edited with the sensitivity of its critics in mind. Sandy Hook Promise, an anti-gun violence group, said it had asked Kelly to step down as host of its Wednesdaynight gala in Washington. The group cannot support Kelly or NBC’s decision to give a platform to Jones and hopes NBC reconsiders its plan to broadcast the interview. Kelly said she understood and respected the decision, but was disappointed.
The force is strong in upcoming Star Wars auction By Mark Pratt ASSOCIATED PRE SS
BOSTON — Die-hard Star Wars fans will need to rely on more than the force if they want to bid on an R2-D2 droid that appeared in several of the franchise’s movies. A couple million dollars might also help. Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, Darth Vader’s helmet and shoulder armor, as well as imperial and rebel weapons are on the block, but the centerpiece is no doubt the squat blue, white and silver droid famous for communicating in a series of electronic beeps and squeaks. Representing “the pinnacle of the Star Wars collecting universe,” it could fetch up to $2 million in the June 26-28
Trump blocks author Stephen King on Twitter By Caitlin Gibson WA S H INGT ON P O ST
It doesn’t take much to provoke President Donald Trump into blocking a follower on Twitter - anything from an insult to an unflattering gif to a mild “covfefe” joke seems enough to do the trick. So it perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise that best-selling author Stephen King was abruptly added to the #BlockedByTrump list Tuesday. The horror fiction maestro has been one of Trump’s most consistent and creative Twitter critics since well before the November election: “A Trump presidency scares me more than anything else,” he told Ron Charles,
editor of The Washington Post’s Book World, during a Facebook King Live interview in September. “I’m terrified that he’ll become president.” Trump, of course, did exactly that - and King continued to offer outspoken condemnation (and sometimes, outright mockery) in response to Trump’s Twitter missives. That is, until Tuesday, when King announced that he had apparently been blocked from viewing the president’s tweets: “Trump has blocked me from reading his tweets. I
may have to kill myself.” The tipping point appeared to be a couple of pointed barbs aimed at at the president’s cabinet and his daughter, Ivanka Trump. But it didn’t take long for another prominent Trump critic and literary icon to come to the rescue: Best-selling author J.K. Rowling promised that she would keep King informed of the president’s tweets. Despite his dramatic initial tweet, King was quick to note that he wasn’t actually despondent; for many, in fact, being blocked by Trump a phenomenon that has inspired a trending hashtag - is something of a mark of pride.
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Lou Bustamante / AP
This 2017 photo shows a light saber used in the first two Star Wars movies.
auction, according to Calabasas, Californiabased auction house Profiles in History. The bidding is being handled by Boston-based online auction marketplace Invaluable. The 43-inch tall R2 unit for sale is sort of a Fran-
kenstein’s monster of droids, pieced together over several years from different original components used in the first five Star Wars movies. There is no known complete original R2 unit, according to the auction house. For the sequels after the
original “Star Wars: A New Hope” in 1977, production designers took the aluminum, steel and fiberglass R2 units, retired old and worn out parts and added new features to save time and meet production deadlines. Fans outbid for the droid may want to take a shot at landing the lightsaber. Carried by actor Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in the first two Star Wars movies, it is expected to sell for anywhere from $150,000 to $250,000. Not a Star Wars fan? Props from some of Hollywood’s most famous movies are also for sale, including the illuminated disco dancing floor from “Saturday Night Fever,” which is expected to get as much as $1.5 million.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 |
A11
NATIONAL
Sheriff: Lawmen ‘desperately’ searching for killer inmates A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
EATONTON, Ga. — A sheriff said officers were “desperately” searching Tuesday for two inmates who somehow got through a gate inside a prison bus, killed two guards and got away. “My biggest worry is they’re going to kill somebody else,” Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said. The two men overpowered and disarmed the guards around 6:45 a.m. as 33 inmates were being driven between prisons, Sills told reporters. One of them fatally shot both guards, and then they jumped out of the bus and carjacked a driver who happened to pull up behind them on a rural highway, Sills said. “We are still desperately looking for these two individuals. They are armed with 9 mm pistols that were taken from these correctional officers. They are dangerous beyond description. If anyone sees them or comes into contact, they need to call 911 immedi-
BILL From page A1 tions of Trump’s words were accurate.
Chad Baumer / AP
Georgia Department of Law Enforcement / AP
This photo combo shows inmates Ricky Dubose, left, and Donnie Russell Rowe. Authorities say Dubose and Rowe escaped after killing two prison guards during a bus transport in Georgia. Both are being sought by law enforcement.
ately,” the sheriff said. The fugitives — Donnie Russell Rowe, serving life without parole, and Ricky Dubose, who has elaborate tattoos on his face and neck — were last seen getting into a “grass green,” four-door 2004 Honda Civic with the Georgia license plate number RBJ-6601, and driving west on state Highway 16 toward Eatonton, southeast of Atlanta. Sills said the two inmates got a head start by taking and tossing the
Honda driver’s cellphone and leaving the other 31 prisoners locked inside the bus. He predicted they would break into a house to change out of their prison clothes, and try to switch cars to throw pursuers off their trial. The slain guards were identified as Christopher Monica and Curtis Billue, both officers at Baldwin State Prison. Monica had been with the Georgia Department of Corrections since October 2009 and Billue since July 2007.
The sources say the president did not specify what aspects of the bill he was characterizing. White House aides declined to talk on the
record about Trump’s words. One said, “We aren’t going to comment on rumors about private conversations that may or may not have happened.”
This June 9 photo shows a baby walrus born at the park in Orlando, Florida. SeaWorld officials said a 14-year-old walrus named Kaboodle gave birth June 3 at the Florida theme park. It's Kaboodle's first baby, and it's the first walrus birth at SeaWorld Orlando.
Baby walrus born at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida ASSOCIATED PRE SS
ORLANDO, Fla. — A whiskered baby walrus has been born at SeaWorld Orlando. SeaWorld officials said Tuesday that a 14-yearold walrus named Kaboodle gave birth June 3 at the Florida theme
park. It’s Kaboodle’s first baby, and it’s the first walrus birth at SeaWorld Orlando. The pair of flippered marine mammals is not currently on public display. The sex of the young walrus was not released. Images posted online by SeaWorld showed the
young walrus sporting a full mustache, just like its mother. Both male and female walruses have whiskers and tusks. Park officials said the birth has thrilled its animal husbandry and veterinary teams, “especially when mom and calf vocalize with each other.”
Judge to decide fate of woman charged with urging suicide ASSOCIATED PRE SS
DEMOCRATS From page A1
offenses. “My concern is this: If we don’t allow the discovery of and unwinding of all this so that people come to their own conclusions that there have been impeachable offenses, Republicans will just accuse Democrats of trying to rig the system: ‘Couldn’t win the election outright, so they want to manipulate the process,”’ Schakowsky said. “That won’t be helpful for our country. It certainly won’t be helpful for the Democratic Party.” Democratic leaders recognize that any talk of
SESSIONS From page A1 testimony last week, it featured sharp exchanges between Sessions and committee Democrats over accusations the attorney general recused himself from the Russia probe, in part, for reasons that haven’t been publicly disclosed. “Why don’t you tell me,” what those accusations are, Sessions said to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden. “There are none — I can tell you that for absolute certainty,” he continued, adding that he doesn’t appreciate “secret innuendo” being leaked about him. Sessions sought to preempt questions from the panel about conversations with President Donald Trump regarding the Russia investigation and the May 9 firing of Comey, saying he “cannot and will not violate my duty to protect the confidential communications I had with the president.” Democrats said he had little basis for doing so without the White House claiming executive privilege. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico repeatedly said Sessions’ answers amounted to “obstructing” the congressional probe and his refusal to answer was without justification. In a
impeachment energizes the Republican base, and that could undercut Democrats hoping for significant gains in next year’s midterm elections. “It’s a little early. We all know that,” said Rep. John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. “We believe strongly that a discussion about impeachment is not timely until the facts are fully garnered,” said Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, DMd. Sherman’s efforts come after Comey appeared before a Senate panel last week to answer questions about his May 9 firing and other matters. Comey said it was his
judgment that he was fired because of the Russia investigation, but he also refused to say whether he thinks Trump broke the law. Sherman said Comey’s testimony was a turning point for him. Obstruction was an article of impeachment against President Richard Nixon before he resigned and was one of the counts on which the House impeached President Bill Clinton, who was later acquitted by the Senate. Sherman said he’s under no illusion that his article of impeachment would pass, but “we want to move the ball forward one step.”
Sessions sought to preempt questions from the panel about conversations with President Donald Trump regarding the Russia investigation and the May 9 firing of Comey, saying he “cannot and will not violate my duty to protect the confidential communications I had with the president.”
aware of the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia attempted to undermine the election because of media reports. He said he never read classified reports about the meddling or got a briefing, even before he joined the administration. “It appears so,” Sessions said when asked whether Russians interfered in the 2016 election. “I know nothing but what I’ve read in the paper.” Responding to questions about the firing of Comey, Sessions says he never informed the FBI chief of concerns about his job performance, which the administration cited in his dismissal. And he added that he discussed the need for a “fresh start” at the FBI with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein before either of the men were confirmed to their posts. Sessions largely confirmed a key portion of Comey’s description of a February meeting at the White House, at which the attorney general and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner left the Oval Office so the president and Comey could speak alone. He said Comey expressed concerns afterwards about being left alone with the president, a point highlighted in the former FBI director’s testimony last week.
response to Maine independent Senator Angus King, the attorney general suggested he wanted to keep the president’s options open. “It would be premature to me to deny the president a full and intelligent choice on executive privilege,” Sessions said. Sessions, in his first public testimony on Capitol Hill since his January confirmation hearing, suggested he’s only
TAUNTON, Mass. — A young woman accused of sending her boyfriend dozens of text messages urging him to kill himself when they were teenagers “kicked out his feet from under him” every time he expressed doubts about taking his own life, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Michelle Carter is charged with manslaughter in the death of Conrad Roy III in 2014, when she was 17 and he was 18. During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn said Carter, who’s now 20, told Roy his relatives would be fine after his suicide and she would take care of them. Rayburn said Carter scolded Roy whenever he became frightened and abandoned any plan to kill himself. “It got to the point he was apologizing to her ... apologizing for not being dead yet,” Rayburn said. Carter’s lawyer, Joseph Cataldo, said Roy was intent on killing himself and took Carter along on his “sad journey.” Cataldo said Carter was struggling with “baggage” of her own at the time. A psychiatrist who testified for the defense
Faith Ninivaggi / AP
Michelle Carter is escorted out of Taunton Juvenile Court at the end of the day by a court officer in Taunton, Massachusetts on Monday.
said Carter was suffering from side effects from an anti-depressant she was prescribed. Cataldo said Carter became “overwhelmed” by Roy’s suicidal thinking after she initially tried to talk him out of it and urged him to get professional help. “It was his constant wearing on Michelle Carter for over a year and a half of ‘I want to take my own life,”’ Cataldo said. Roy was sitting in his pickup truck in the parking lot of a store in Fairhaven in July 2014 as the truck filled with carbon monoxide. After he exited the truck, Carter told him to “get back in,”
prosecutors said. In a suicide note that was introduced into evidence Tuesday, Roy thanked Carter. “I love you and greatly appreciate ur effort and kindness towards me,” Roy wrote in a handwritten note in a spiral notebook. “I’ll forever be in your heart and we will meet up someday in Heaven.” Carter waived her right to a jury trial, so Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz will decide the case. The judge began deliberating late Tuesday. He said he will announce his ruling in open court, but he did not give any timeline.
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A12 | Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES