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IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

Relatives targeted for smuggling children Plan marks latest approach to ending illegal activity

By Garance Burke A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

SAN FRANCISCO — The Trump administration said Friday it will begin arresting parents and other relatives who hire smugglers to bring their children into the U.S., a move

that sent a shudder through immigrant communities nationwide.

The new “surge initiative” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement marks the latest gettough approach to immigration by the federal government since President Donald Trump took

office. The government says the effort aims to break up human smuggling operations, including arresting people who pay coyotes to get children across the U.S. border.

That marks a sharp departure from policies in place under ICE continues on A13

Eric Gay / AP

This 2014 file photo shows U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents work at a processing facility in Brownsville, Texas.

SAN ANTONIO

HEALTH CARE

OFFICER DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY He was a 9-year veteran with SAPD

By Juliet Eilperin, Sean Sullivan and Kelsey Snell WASHINGTON P O ST

WASHINGTON — The dispute within the Republican Party over health care widened further Friday as President Donald Trump joined with two conservative senators in calling for an outright repeal of the Affordable Care Act if the party fails to agree on an alternative plan by the

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

S

AN ANTONIO — A police officer in San Antonio died Friday of wounds suffered when he and his partner were shot by a man they intended to question about a vehicle break-in, police said.

Officer Miguel Moreno, a nineyear veteran of the police force, was shot in the head during the encounter Thursday. The gunman fired on Moreno and his partner, Officer Julio Cavazos, as they stepped out of their patrol car. Cavazos also was shot but returned fire and Moreno attempted to pull Moreno out of the line of fire.

Cavazos underwent surgery and is expected to recover, police Chief William McManus said during a news conference earlier Friday. The gunman died in the shootout.

The officers were patrolling north of downtown when they decided to question two men because they were near the vehicle that had been broken into, McManus said. He said the officers didn’t consider the men suspects.

“I’m at a loss to describe what a tragedy this is,” McManus said.

The gunman was shot in the buttocks and as he attempted to flee he suffered a head wound that may Officer continues on A13

Anxiety peaks over alternative plan

Health continues on A13

UVALDE COUNTY

Man indicted in deadly bus collision ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Eric Gay / AP

Flags are lowered to half-staff at the San Antonio Police headquarters on Friday in San Antonio.

UVALDE, Texas — A grand jury has indicted a Texas man whom authorities accuse of causing a traffic collision that killed 13 people in a minibus returning from a church retreat in March.

The Uvalde County district attorney’s office said Thursday that Jack Dillon Young, 20, was indicted Monday on multiple charges, including intoxication manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury.

Young turned himself in Wednesday and was being held on a $380,000 bond, District Attorney Daniel Kindred said in a statement emailed Thursday. He has a court hearing scheduled for late July.

A message left for Young’s attorney was not immediately returned.

A National Transportation Safety Board report Indicted continues on A13

Zin brief A2 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CALENDAR

AROUND THE WORLD

TODAY IN HISTORY

SATURDAY, JULY 1

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Inaugural Independence Day Bash.

8:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (approximately).

Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course. Event will include activities, such as, a three-person scramble, wedding/expo, 5K run/walk, battle of the bands, firework display and much more.

Today is Saturday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2017. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day.

Today's Highlight in History: On July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain as the British North America Act took effect.

Paws for Independence Pet Adoption Event. Noon-3 p.m. PETCO North, 2450 Monarch Dr. Event is held coordination with Laredo Animal Care Services.

SUNDAY, JULY 2 Paws for Independence Pet Adoption Event. 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. PETCO, 5410 San Bernardo Ave. Event is held in coordination with Laredo Animal Care Services

MONDAY, JULY 3 Ray of Light anxiety and depression support group meeting in English. 6:30 - 8 p.m. Westcare Foundation, 161 Callaghan St. 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. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/ or depression to participate in free confidential support group meetings and social events. Contact information for a representative: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014.

TUESDAY, JULY 4 4th of July Event - Picnic at the Park. 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Los Tres Laredos Park. Event will include most patriotic pet and most patriotic child contests, a variety of water activities, entertainment, food, music, train rides, prizes, firework display and much more.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5 The 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.

FRIDAY, JULY 7 Sister Cities Festival opening ceremony and ribbon cutting. 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Laredo Energy Arena.

Michael Kappeler / AP

Men with a rainbow flag stand in front of the Brandenburg Gate at an event to celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in Berlin, Germany on Friday.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE APPROVED IN GERMANY ASSOCIATED PRE SS

BERLIN — When Sarah Kermer proposed to her girlfriend in March, she knew she was in love, but she did not know when, if ever, Germany would allow them to marry.

The answer came early Friday morning, when the lower house of the German parliament voted to legalize same-sex marriage after a brisk but emotional debate, prompting Kermer and scores of other gay and lesbian Germans to celebrate in the streets.

“I was at work, and I just started crying,” Kermer, 25, said as she and her fiancée left a spontaneous gathering at the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin. “I was watching the decision on live-stream,

and I cried — a lot. This has all happened just so fast.”

The historic decision came with a swiftness rare in Germany’s usually staid politics, just five days after Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly relaxed her party’s opposition to same-sex marriage and allowed lawmakers to vote on the issue according to their consciences.

Merkel’s softened resistance opened the way for her coalition partners in the Social Democratic Party and two other political groups to press for a vote on the measure, which had previously been blocked

by Merkel’s Christian Democrats and their conservative allies. Merkel voted against the measure Friday, but many of her party colleagues voted in favor, allowing it to pass easily — 393 votes in favor and 226 against, with four abstentions.

Sister Cities Festival. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. LEA.

SATURDAY, JULY 8 No Mud No Glory Mud Run 5. 7:30 a.m. North Central Park, 10202 International Boulevard. Register by July 7 at https://nomudnoglory4.itsyourrace.com/register/ Sister Cities Festival. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. LEA.

SUNDAY, JULY 9 Sister Cities Festival. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. LEA.

Abused child rescued in Mexico may be US citizen MEXICO CITY — A 4-yearold boy who was found chained, malnourished and beaten in an apartment may be a U.S. citizen, Mexico City’s prosecutor’s office said.

The office said in a statement

Thursday that it has asked the U.S. Embassy for help in determining the boy’s citizenship.

Authorities rescued the boy Tuesday and arrested two people identified as an aunt and uncle in a neighborhood north of downtown. The child was admitted to a hospital with multiple injuries.

A photograph released by authorities showed a silver

chain binding his thin legs.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Mexico City said in a statement that staff had seen reports of a hospitalized U.S. minor, but due to privacy considerations would have nothing more to add. The embassy typically visits and aids U.S. citizens who require hospitalization.

— Compiled from AP reports

MONDAY, JULY 17 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. Recurring event. Spanish group meets every third 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. The support group welcomes adults suffering from anxiety and/ or depression to participate in free confidential support group meetings and social events. Contact information for a representative: Anna Maria Pulido Saldivar, gruporayitodeluz@gmail.com, 956-307-2014.

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

THURSDAY, JULY 27 Spanish Book Club. 6 - 8 p.m. Joe A. Guerra Public Library. For more information, call Sylvia Reash at 7631810.

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.

AROUND TEXAS Teachers learn about Waco history WACO, Texas — Before the Texas humidity set in on a recent Wednesday, local educators, including University High School history teacher Dan Pfleging, inched from one edge of Waco’s oldest public cemetery to the other. The Waco Tribune-Herald reports that a teacher would squat to take a closer look at a faded epitaph or birth dates in First Street Cemetery, near Interstate 35.

They would run a hand along the grooves of headstones from the late 1800s, snap a photo and tap on their smartphones, searching for answers to a scavenger hunt that revealed hints of untold history.

“I’m always learning new things, and it’s fun to see that.

This kind of helps us, you know, the crusty old veterans, to be kind of shocked out of what we were doing into what we could be doing,” said Pfleg-

Jerry Larson / AP

Trovocie Jackson takes a closer look at a faded epitaph or birth date at the First Street Cemetery on Wednesday in Waco, Texas.

ing, who has been an educator for 20 years. The hunt was part of a three-day professional development summit for area teachers who are part of the first Social Studies Teachers’ Academy for Waco’s new Heart of Texas Council for the Social Studies. More than 30 teachers from 11 school districts listened to presentations by other social

studies teachers and explored historical sites in Waco. The teachers were trying to find new ways of engaging students beyond standardized curriculum. When Pfleging was invited to be part of the academy, he jumped at the chance, he said.

— Compiled from the Waco Tribune-Herald

On this date: In 1916, during World War I, France and Britain launched the Somme Offensive against the German army; the 4 1/2-month battle resulted in heavy casualties and produced no clear winner. Dwight D. Eisenhower married Mary ("Mamie") Geneva Doud in Denver.

In 1934, Hollywood began enforcing its Production Code subjecting motion pictures to censorship review.

In 1946, the United States exploded a 20-kiloton atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.

In 1957, the International Geophysical Year, an 18-month global scientific study, began.

In 1961, Diana, the princess of Wales, was born in Sandringham, England.

In 1973, the Drug Enforcement Administration was established.

In 1980, "O Canada" was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated federal appeals court judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court, setting off a tempestuous confirmation process that ended with Bork's rejection by the Senate.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, beginning an ultimately successful confirmation process marked by allegations of sexual harassment. The Warsaw Pact formally disbanded.

In 1997, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as a British colony. Actor Robert Mitchum died in Santa Barbara, California, at age 79.

Ten years ago: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kennebunkport, Maine, for an overnight visit at the Bush family estate and talks with President George W. Bush. Princes William and Harry celebrated the life of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 46th birthday with a concert they'd organized at London's Wembley Stadium.

Five years ago: Syria's main opposition groups rejected a new international plan that called for a transitional government because the compromise agreement did not bar President Bashar Assad from participating.

Voters in Mexico returned the Institutional Revolutionary Party to power. Tiger Woods won the AT&T National at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland, closing with a 2-under 69 for the 74th win of his career.

One year ago: New laws targeting abortion took effect in about one-fifth of the states, initiating another wave of restrictions just days after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas measure that had led to the closing of several clinics. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she regretted meeting with former President Bill Clinton while his wife, Hillary, was under federal investigation for her emails, telling a conference in Colorado, "I certainly wouldn't do it again."

Today's Birthdays: Actress Olivia de Havilland is 101. Actress-dancer Leslie Caron is 86. Actress Jean Marsh is 83.

Actor Jamie Farr is 83. Actor David Prowse is 82. Cookiemaker Wally Amos is 81. Actress Genevieve Bujold is 75. Rock singer-actress Deborah Harry is 72. Actor Daryl Anderson is 66. Actor Trevor Eve is 66. Actor Terrence Mann is 66. Rock singer Fred Schneider (B-52's) is 66. Pop singer Victor Willis (Village People) is 66.

Actor-comedian Dan Aykroyd is 65.

Actress Lorna Patterson is 61. Actor Alan Ruck is 61. Actress Pamela Anderson is 50. Rock musician Mark Pirro is 47. Rock musician Franny Griffiths (Space) is 47. Actor Henry Simmons is 47. Hip-hop artist Missy Elliott is 46. Actress Julianne Nicholson is 46. Actress Melissa Peterman is 46. Rock musician Bryan Devendorf (The National) is 42. Actor Thomas Sadoski is 41. Actress Liv Tyler is 40.

Bluegrass musician Adam Haynes (Dailey & Vincent) is 38. Actress Hilarie Burton is 35. Actress Lynsey Bartilson is 34. Actress Lea Seydoux is 32. Actor Evan Ellingson is 29. Actors Steven and Andrew Cavarno are 25.

Actress Storm Reid is 14.

Thought for Today: "Americans are benevolently ignorant about Canada, while Canadians are malevolently well-informed about the United States." — J. Bartlet Brebner, Canadian historian (1895-1957).

CONTACT US AROUND THE NATION Escaped elephant strolls through Wisconsin neighborhood BARABOO, Wis. — The pachyderm was a startling sight for residents of one small Wisconsin neighborhood.

A full-grown elephant sauntered through Baraboo early Friday morning on a brief walk

of freedom.

The mammoth creature more suited for the ‘big top’ clashed with the quiet residential neighborhood.

Law enforcement officers quickly got in touch with the nearby Circus World Museum, home to the wandering pachyderm.

A trainer arrived and led the elephant back to the circus complex.

Circus World spokesman

Dave Saloutos says the elephant, named Kelly, was freed by her pachyderm partner, Isla, who used her trunk to disengage a restraint.

Saloutos says Kelly lumbered across the shallow Baraboo River and wandered into a neighboring backyard where she unlatched a gate and munched on some marigolds during her couple hours of freedom.

— Compiled from AP reports

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Zopinion

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

A4 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

The Republican case for reforming Medicaid

By Ramesh Ponnuru B L OOM BE RG

Republican efforts to pass health-care legislation are in jeopardy again. But the Republican reforms are more moderate, and more worthwhile, than they are getting credit for.

Medicaid is a program rife with inefficiency. It’s also a program that creates perverse incentives for state governments.

Because the federal government has paid more than half the cost of the program, state politicians have been able to promise voters more than two dollars of benefits for every dollar of taxes they extract from them. This funding structure has also meant that when state governments have to trim their budgets, every dollar of savings requires more than two dollars in benefit cuts.

Obamacare expanded eligibility for the program: States could cover people up to 138 percent of the poverty level, and the federal government would pick up even more of the cost of this expansion.

Senate Republicans are not simply repealing this expansion. States could still cover everyone making less than 138 percent of the poverty level, and the federal government would still cover part of the tab. But it would not cover 80 percent of it. The federal match rate would be lower, gradually receding to equal the rate at which Washington matches the rest of each state’s Medicaid spending. Payments per Medicaid beneficiary would be capped, and the level of the cap would grow at a rate that would eventually be indexed to the general inflation rate.

The Senate Republicans would also allow people who are under the poverty level but aren’t eligible for Medicaid in their state to use a tax credit to buy insurance outside the program.

The Congressional Budget Office expects that in 2026, 15 million fewer people will be enrolled in Medicaid if the legislation passes than if it doesn’t. In part that’s because the Republican bill also ends Obamacare’s fines on people without insurance. The CBO seems to expect that as soon as the fines are gone, about 4 million fewer Americans will seek Medicaid benefits. It thinks that several states will expand Medicaid if Obamacare’s match rates

stay in place, but that none will under the reduced match rates.

And it thinks that some states will reduce eligibility levels under reduced match rates.

It’s because of these assumptions that the CBO predicts that in 2026, federal spending on Medicaid will be 26 percent lower under the bill than it would be under current law.

When Democrats say that the bill would impose steep cuts on Medicaid, that’s mostly what they have in mind -- the CBO’s projection of the difference between how the program would develop under Obamacare’s rules and how it would develop under the ones the Republicans are seeking.

Many of these assumptions seem implausible. Are states really going to cut their voting residents’ benefits to find savings of less than fifty cents on the dollar?

Are that many people really going to stay off Medicaid if they’re not threatened with fines?

That leaves two important questions. First, how do we assess the trade-off between Medicaid coverage —which, even if low-quality and inefficient, brings peace of mind to many recipients — and cost control?

Second, if we think that the Republican bill gets the trade-off wrong, what’s the best way to modify it? The legislation currently repeals all of Obamacare’s tax increases, but some Republicans are talking about scaling back those tax cuts. The extra money could be used to increase the match rate, which would yield a nicer score from the CBO. But it might be better used to make it easier for people under 138 percent of the poverty level to buy non-Medicaid insurance: giving them a larger tax credit, or helping them pay deductibles.

My own conclusions should probably by now be pretty clear: The CBO is exaggerating the effects of the Republican legislation on Medicaid enrollment, it’s worth putting Medicaid on a firmer footing, and any additional resources for health insurance for low earners should be directed toward enabling them to buy private coverage rather than pumped into Medicaid. On Medicaid, in short, the Republicans are on the right track.

Ramesh Ponnuru is a Bloomberg View columnist.

EDITORIAL

Texas’ new law on immigration policy is a blow to good policing WASHINGTON P O ST

At a stroke, Republicans in Texas enacted a law this spring that undercuts law enforcement chiefs in the state’s biggest cities and amounts to a frontal assault on the Hispanic population, which accounts for 4 in 10 Texans. The law, rammed through the GOP-dominated legislature in Austin and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, R, threatens police chiefs, sheriffs and other officials with fines, removal from office and even imprisonment if they take steps to impede officers from questioning the immigration status of people they arrest or detain, including those stopped for minor traffic violations — even if they’re not charged with a

crime.

Texas’ new statute, which takes effect in September, is in some ways more draconian than Arizona’s notorious “show me your papers” law, enacted in 2010. Under the guise of cracking down on so-called sanctuary cities and counties, it effectively wrests control of police departments and sheriff’s offices from commanders whose priorities, in some cases, include cultivating good relations with Hispanic communities.

The measure dealt a blow to good policing in a state that prides itself on law and order. That was made clear in a public statement drafted by a group of police chiefs from around the state, led by those in Houston and

Dallas, who warned that it would discourage Hispanic victims and witnesses from reporting crimes and interacting with officers, for fear they could be asked about their immigration status and risk deportation. The chiefs called the measure “political pandering that will make our communities more dangerous.”

Now, police chiefs and sheriffs determined to cultivate closer ties with Hispanic communities would be hamstrung in dealing with freelancers on their forces who might prefer to detain day laborers for loitering. Powerless to prioritize more serious crimes over immigration violations, local police chiefs and sheriffs would be stripped of their au-

EDITORIAL

Trump clearly won’t improve his behavior.

Here’s what the rest of America can do.

WASHINGTON P O ST

After his latest execrable tweets, it’s obvious that there is no point in urging President Donald Trump to act with greater dignity, respect for his office or, for that matter, self-respect. It isn’t going to happen.

That makes it all the more urgent for the rest of us to think about how to safeguard civility and democratic values until his presidency ends.

It would be wrong to say that Trump’s attacks on Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough Thursday were shocking, because his boorishness no longer can shock. But the hateful insults directed at the MSNBC co-hosts did seem to take the capital city’s collective breath away. “Please just stop,” Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, Neb., tweeted in response. “This isn’t

normal and it’s beneath the dignity of your office.” Many others chimed in, urging Trump to apologize, to stop tweeting or even (in a moment of extreme wishful thinking) to resign.

Yes, Trump should apologize, he should stop tweeting insults, he should respect the awesome history of his office.

Similarly, he should stop attacking the news media, which plays an important role in American democracy. He should take questions from the press more often, and he should answer truthfully.

He should show more respect for women. He should, in short, act presidential, and he should continue to be urged to do so, not only by editorial pages but also by other leaders, especially in his own party, and by people in his administration.

But assuming he remains immune to such importuning, what can the rest of us do? We’ve given this some thought in the context of international relations, because the world had become accustomed to looking to the United States as a defender of democracy, human rights and liberal values. Admittedly the nation has played this role imperfectly, with dollops of hypocrisy and inconsistency along the way. But from World War II until now, the United States had not been led by anyone espousing selfishness as a lodestar. And that has made it crucial for others to fill the gap - crucial for Congress, civil society and citizens across the nation to stand up for freedom and for the United States remaining a beacon of freedom across

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thority.

Many Texas sheriffs, especially in rural counties, support the new law, which they say imposes uniformity on enforcement statewide. The law faces legal challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union, which hope federal courts will regard it as an affront to civil liberties and an invitation to racial profiling. A federal judge in San Antonio heard arguments on the case Monday. Coupled with a recent federal court ruling that found that lawmakers in Austin had intentionally gerrymandered congressional districts to dilute minority voting power, it suggests that state officials are eager to keep Texas a bad place to not be white.

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

the globe.

We’d say the same now about plain old courtesy and decorum. It may be beyond the power of any other politician to change Trump’s behavior. But all of us can model a different way of acting and interacting.

What gives us hope is the conviction that the American people are better than the misogyny and rudeness we see spewing from the White House. Our politics have always been rough and tumble, but most of us don’t want to see this kind of ugliness become the dominant trait. We should all be focused on preserving a little flame of decency so that, whenever the Trump era ends, that flame can be rekindled into the kind of discourse that would make the country proud again.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

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LOCAL

Texas to comply with voter fraud commission

3 hurt in wrong-way wreck in Fort Worth

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

ASSOCIATED PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas election officials say they’ll provide public voter information to President Donald Trump’s commission that is investigating alleged voter fraud in the 2016 elections.

The announcement Friday comes after the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity this week asked states for voter data including names, party affiliations, addresses and dates of birth.

Democratic officials in some states have refused to comply, saying the

request invades privacy and is based on false claims of fraud.

Texas already makes much of the information requested publically available. Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos didn’t list what records would be sent to the commission, but the Republican said in a statement he will protect private information.

Texas law prohibits the release of Social Security numbers. The commission asked for voters’ last four digits.

AP-WF-06-30-17 1952GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas — Authorities say a wrong-way driver was critically hurt and two children slightly injured when the car hit a North Texas school bus hauling youngsters to a summer program.

Fort Worth police are investigating why the

woman was driving the wrong way on a ramp around 7 a.m. Friday.

A Fort Worth Independent School District statement says the bus driver and 11 children were headed to a summer program at a private school.

Medical officials say the car driver was critically hurt and transported to a hospital. Further details

David Kent / AP

Police stand next to a Fort Worth ISD bus which was involved in a collision with a sedan in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday.

on her weren’t immediately released.

MedStar Mobile Healthcare spokesman Matt Zavadsky (zuhVAD’-skee) says one child on the bus was treated at

Pastors in Texas find ways to serve fearful immigrants

By Nomaan Merchant ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Court questions right of benefits for gay spouses

By Jim Vertuno A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

AUSTIN, Texas — Gay spouses may not be entitled to governmentsubsidized workplace benefits, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday in a unanimous decision that was quickly condemned by gayrights groups.

The court overturned a lower court’s decision that favored same-sex marriage benefits, ordering the issue back to trial. Social conservatives hope the case will help them chip away at the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling legalizing gay marriage. Gay rights groups denounced the ruling as an “absurd distortion”

of established law regarding marriage equality.

Friday’s decision was a major reversal for the all-Republican Texas high court, which previously refused to even consider the benefits case after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution grants gay couples who want to marry “equal dignity in the eyes of the law.”

The Texas court only agreed to hear it after coming under intense pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

They filed a flurry of briefs saying the case may help Texas limit the scope of the Supreme Court ruling.

the scene. Another was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Another bus transported the children to the school.

HOUSTON — On one of his recent visits to the home of an immigrant family, Julio Barquero asked everyone sitting in the living room to stand and join hands. They formed a circle, closed their eyes, and prayed.

“Help us in the name of God,” Barquero, a lay minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), said in Spanish.

“And help the Latino community and the state of Texas.”

Barquero is among pastors serving Texas’ estimated 1.5 million people living in the U.S. illegally who are offering new programs and, in some cases, visiting families fearful of crackdowns on immigration. A new Texas law targeting so-called sanctuary cities comes just as immigration arrests have gone up dramatically in the state’s biggest cities.

In Texas and nationally, some parishes and communities with large populations of immigrants in

John L. Mone / AP

In this June 23 photo, Pastor Julio Barquero, a lay minister in the Disciples of Christ, holds a conference call bible study and prayer session with attendees to afraid to go to church in Houston.

the U.S. illegally have reported slightly lower attendance on Sundays, or significant drop-offs in attendance at classes or programs outside of prayer services. Others say more immigrants without legal permission are coming to church in search of reassurance and help.

“I’ve visited people in their own families in their apartments, taking communion to them, almost

treating them as they are ill or homebound,” said Sam Dunning, director of the Office of Justice and Peace for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese serving Houston.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May signed an anti-sanctuary cities law that would allow local police to ask people about their immigration status during routine stops, though departments can declare a “place of wor-

ship” off-limits for cooperation with federal authorities. The law would also force police chiefs and sheriffs to honor all federal “detainer” requests to hold criminal suspects for possible deportation, with the threat of jail time for officials who don’t comply.

Several Texas cities and civil rights groups have gone to court to try to stop the law, which is set to take effect in September.

Texas is both the nation’s largest conservative state, with leaders who have long pushed for tougher immigration laws, and one of the nation’s biggest recipients of refugees and other immigrants, with or without legal status. It is also a deeply religious state, with thousands of churches, mosques and temples serving people across race and political lines.

Under Abbott, Texas has lined up behind the immigration priorities of the Trump administration, which has increased immigration-related arrests and promised to try to speed up deportations.

Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

RIBEREÑA EN BREVE INSCRIPCIONES PARA PORRISTAS 1 El distrito escolar Zapata County Independent District invita a los padres de alumnos de 3o., 4o. y 5o. de la primaria Zapata North Elementary, el jueves 29 de junio y el 13 de julio. Para mayores informes llame al 956-765-6917.

TALLER PARA PEQUEÑAS EMPRESAS 1 BBVA Compass Bank y la Fundación Industrial del Condado de Starr invitan al Taller Gratuito para Pequeñas Empresas Grow Your Small Business, el 28 de junio de 12 p.m. a 2 p.m., se incluye comida.

Centro Comunitario de Roma, 502 6th, St., en la ciudad de Roma. Inscripciones en el 956-487-2709.

DÍA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a la Celebración del 4 de Julio en el Distrito Histórico de Roma de 6 p.m. a 11 p.m.

PAGO DE IMPUESTOS 1 Desde diciembre, los pagos por impuestos a la propiedad de la Ciudad de Roma deberán realizarse en la oficina de impuestos del Distrito Escolar de Roma, localizado en el 608 N. García St. PAGO EN LÍNEA 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a sus residentes que a partir de ahora el servicio del agua puede pagarse en línea a cualquier hora las 24 horas del día.

A7

POLÍTICA

Vicente Fox visita Laredo Por Melissa Santillana TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

El primer candidato de la oposición que llegó a la presidencia de México después de 70 años de gobierno del PRI, el ex presidente Vicente Fox visitó Laredo para hablar sobre comercio, inmigración y el muro fronterizo.

Invitado por la Cámara de Comercio de Laredo, Fox se dirigió a los medios de comunicación para discutir el futuro de Laredo si se llegara a disolver el TLCAN y si se iba a erigir el muro.

Entre los temas clave que abordó durante la breve conferencia de prensa previa a la gala principal Visión 2017, Fox advirtió que la desaparición del TLCAN sería un error para las tres naciones que lo conforman.

“Es un juego de suma cero, es una situación en la que todas las partes saldrán perdiendo”, dijo el ex presidente mexicano. “Este podría ser el peor error histórico. Necesitamos construir puentes, puentes de entendimiento, puentes de comercio, de eso se trata ser un compañero, un vecino, un amigo. Eso son los resultados que esperamos de la renegociación del TLCAN que sucederá pronto”.

Foto por Danny Zaragoza | Laredo Morning Times

El ex presidente de México, Vicente Fox, fue uno de los ponentes de la serie de conferencias Vision 2017.

El ex mandatario mexicano hizo hincapié en las ventajas económicas del acuerdo comercial para todas las partes interesadas. “Las tres naciones se beneficiarán”, dijo Fox. “Los Estados Unidos no tienen una capacidad de manufactura competitiva y estas compañías sobreviven gracias al rescate del gobierno federal a costa de los contribuyentes y sobrevivieron porque se hicieron una corporación del TLCAN.

La economía de los Estados Unidos es competitiva porque es abierta y debe permanecer así”.

Fox también mencionó que si el acuerdo comercial no puede ser renegociado, el país vecino reaccionará en consecuencia.

"Hay una reacción a toda acción, cada política—especialmente en economía— tiene sus consecuencias, si los productos provenientes de México son gravados, por supuesto que México

tomará represalias”, dijo Fox. “(El país) tomará sus propias medidas, gravaremos todos los productos que manufactura esta gran nación como computadoras, servicios de tecnología de la información como Google, Microsoft”.

El ex presidente mexicano dijo que nadie desea llegar a esta situación “excepto un tipo, un ignorante que no sabe cómo funciona la economía”.

Miguel Conchas, Presi-

dente de la Cámara de Comercio de Laredo, presentó a Fox explicando la historia de la serie de conferencias Vision, que comenzó en 1999 como un esfuerzo para que la comunidad aprenda sobre la situación económica actual. Eventualmente, evolucionó para culminar en lo que hoy en día es una gala que cuenta con la presencia de un orador de renombre, en este caso el ex presidente mexicano Vicente Fox.

ZOOLÓGICO REGIONAL DE NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO

HABRÁ CAMPAMENTO DE VERANO

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. Pida informes en el 956-765-8983.

GRUPOS DE APOYO 1 Grupo de apoyo para personas con Alzheimer se reúne a las 7 p.m., en el Laredo Medical Center, primer piso, Torre B en el Centro Comunitario.

1 Grupo Cancer Friend se reúne a las 6 p.m. el primer lunes del mes en el Centro Comunitario de Doctors Hospital.

1 Grupo de Apoyo para Ansiedad y Depresión Rayo de Luz se reúne de 6:30 p.m. a 7:30 p.m. en 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 430.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo

El zoológico regional de Nuevo Laredo llevará a cabo el campamento de verano ''Zoo Camp 2017 Las Especies'', en el cual niños de 5 a 15 años de edad podrán estar en contacto con 106 especies animales diferentes y aprenderán el manejo de un parque animal. Se llevará a cabo del 25 al 30 de julio. Las inscripciones ya están abiertas y el cupo es limitado. Para mayor información pueden comunicarse al teléfono 867-714-6172 ó 867-714-5423.

CULTURA

Obtiene premio de literatura infantil TIEMP O DE ZAPATA

Una residente de Zapata ha recibido el premio Purple Dragonfly y ha sido seleccionada como una de las tres finalistas de los Premios Internacionales de Libros Latinos (ILBA por sus siglas en inglés).

María Alma González Pérez, propietaria de Del Alma Publications, LLC, la editorial que publica sus libros ganó el segundo lugar en la categoría de diversidad cultural por el libro para niños “¡Vamos a comer!— A Mexican Food Alphabet Book”. “¡Vamos a Comer!” es el más reciente libro bilingüe de Pérez quien fue direc-

tora de campus de la Universidad Pan American de Texas en el González Condado Pérez Starr. Los premios Dragonfly reconocen la excelencia en literatura para menores desde el 2009, de acuerdo con su página web.

“Ganar cualquier lugar en el Concurso Purple Dragonfly es un gran honor porque para poder mantener la integridad de los Premios Literarios Dragonfly, se necesita una puntuación mínima para obtener primero, segundo

o inclusive una mención honorifica para entregar el premio— inclusive si solo hay una entrada en esa categoría”, dijo Linda F. Radke, presidente de Story Monters LLC, los patrocinadores de los Premios Literarios Dragonfly. “La competencia es dura, también, porque no hay fecha límite de publi-

cación siempre y cuando el libro esté impreso”. “¡Todos a Comer!” también fue seleccionado como uno de los tres finalistas para los ILBA 2017 en la categoría Mejor Libro Latino para Niños Ilustrado.

Los premios ILBA son los premios latinos literarios más grandes en los Estados Unidos. Han honrado la grandeza de 2.404 autores y editoriales en las últimas dos décadas. Estos libros son un reflejo de que los libros escritos por latinos y sobre latinos se encuentran en alta demanda.

“Seguimos asombrados… Recibir un premio es un gran honor… Pero

recibir noticia no solo de uno, sino dos para el mismo libro en mismo día es surreal”, dijo Pérez. “Este texto es un recurso para el salón de clases con un enfoque cultural regional con el objetivo de atender las necesidades de niños hispanos en los EU”.

“Estos niños están perdiendo tanto de su cultura por el curriculum exclusivamente en ingles al que están expuestos en este país. Al contrario, estos niños deberían enorgullecerse de su cultura y su identidad”, dijo Pérez.

“Es nuestro objetivo que este libro sea de interés para su uso en programas bilingües y de educación temprana”.

A8 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

A9

BUSINESS

President Trump urges ‘energy dominance’

Labor Department wants salary to count on overtime rule ASSOCIATED PRE SS

By Matthew Daly And Josh Boak

WASHINGTON — The Labor Department says it intends to consider salary level when determining who is eligible for overtime pay. But it hasn’t yet set the maximum earnings a worker can have and still qualify.

That’s according to a

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Thursday it is taking steps to expand oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans as President Donald Trump continues to push for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

The Interior Department is rewriting a fiveyear drilling plan established by the Obama administration, with an eye toward opening areas in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans that now are offlimits to drilling. It’s one of six initiatives that the president unveiled Thursday in hopes of generating more energy exports and jobs.

“The golden era of American energy is now underway,” Trump said in a Thursday speech at the Energy Department.

“And I’ll go a step further: The golden era of America is now underway, believe me. And you’re all going to be a part of it in creating this exciting new future.”

U.S. oil production has boomed in recent years,

B L OOMBE RG NEWS

Mexico is racing against the clock to get natural gas pipelines online this summer.

The nation has found itself “in a tight situation,” David Madero, who overseas the government’s Natural Gas Control Center, said in an interview in Mexico City.

The season when gas demand typically peaks is fast approaching, and Mexico is still dealing with setbacks in getting long-anticipated pipelines into service.

The delays are causing a glut of natural gas to swell up north of the border as U.S. shale drillers wait for the lines to carry their fuel to market.

Citigroup Inc. warned in a research note two months ago that the holdups in Mexico would probably force gas in the Gulf Coast to trade at heavy discounts.

a Senate panel that he’d consider raising the threshold from roughly $24,000 to around $30,000 to keep up with inflation.

A federal district court in Texas put the Obama rule on hold last year, saying Labor focused too much on salaries and not enough of job duties.

Kevin Dietsch / Bloomberg

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Unleashing American Energy event at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

and exports of oil and natural gas are surging, primarily because of improved drilling techniques such as fracking that have opened up production in previously out-of-reach areas.

Trump has pledged to ramp up production further, withdrawing from the Paris climate change agreement because of the limitations that it could have placed on the burning of fossil fuels.

While Trump has promised that the initiative will create millions of jobs, the energy sector

employs fewer workers than it did a decade ago despite the recent boom.

The Labor Department said there are 655,300 jobs in mining coal and extracting oil and natural gas, down from a peak of 1.18 million jobs in 1981.

As the administration celebrated a self-proclaimed “energy week,” Trump said more steps are needed to “unleash” domestic reserves and remove government regulations that could prevent the U.S. from achieving global dominance in energy.

Mexico races to reach more US natural gas

By Adam Williams and Ryan Collins

brief filed Friday with the federal appeals court in New Orleans in a case that debates whether President Barack Obama’s administration had the right to double the threshold to around $47,000.

The Trump administration is not endorsing that level. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta suggested to

“The good news is that we are constructing a lot, the bad news is that we are a bit delayed, which is rather normal in this industry,” Madero said on Wednesday. “We would have loved to see these projects online before the peak of the demand this summer.”

The seven gas projects under construction, in addition to others in the northwest, are part of the government’s five-year energy plan. Technical hitches and issues with local landowners are to blame for the delays, according to Madero, who said he’s confident they’ll eventually all get done.

“If they are delayed one month, three months or one year more, well, that is how long they will take,” he said, emphasizing that the delays hadn’t reached a crisis point.

A director of Mexico’s state-owned utility said earlier this month that it’s pushing pipeline builders so it can complete new

gas-fired generation by the end of 2018. Delays of three to four months could push back plans to as late as 2019 in some cases, Guillermo Turrent said on the sidelines of a conference in Houston on June 20.

The Los Ramones Phase II line, which stateowned Petroleos Mexicanos is developing with private equity firm First Reserve Corp. and BlackRock Inc., is meanwhile “practically operating at 100 percent,” Madero said. The pipeline network, which imports gas from the U.S., is projected to boost U.S. gas deliveries south of the border by about 17 to 22 percent, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

“If everything goes as well as we hope, for 2020, we are going to have capacity to import more than 14 billion cubic feet per day, of which we would expect to use a little less than half,” Madero said.

Ilana Panich-Linsman / NYT

This file photo shows Danny Perez, a floor hand, washing a rig with water, at Latshaw Drillings Oil Rig 43 in Midland, Texas.

Oil posted longest rally this year

By Meenal Vamburkar BL OOMBERG NEWS

Oil posted the longest run of gains in six months after U.S. shale explorers paused a record drilling expansion in a sign the boom may be slowing down.

Futures added as much as 2.7 percent in New York, advancing for a seventh session. Shale explorers broke the longest stretch of uninterrupted growth in three decades as rigs targeting crude fell by 2 this week, bringing the total to 756, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data reported Friday. The rig count has more than doubled from a low of 316 in May. While prices have surged this week, oil in New York and London are still set for a loss in June -- a month in which prices typically gain.

Crude futures tumbled into a bear market last week on concerns that

rising global supply is offsetting cuts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners.

Bank of America Corp. became the latest in a string of banks to cut its outlook for prices this year and next.

“I don’t think everyone’s quite ready to write off the OPEC/non-OPEC accord just yet,” John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC, a New York-based hedge fund, said by telephone.

“And given how far we’ve fallen, you’re seeing bargain hunting by some.”

West Texas Intermediate for August delivery gained $1.11 to settle at $46.04 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil is down about 9 percent this quarter.

Brent for August settlement, which expires Friday, closed 50 cents higher at $47.92 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe

exchange. The global benchmark is down about 9 percent this quarter and traded at a premium of $1.85 to WTI. The rig count drop follows a report Wednesday that U.S crude output fell by the most in almost a year last week amid field maintenance in Alaska and tropical storm Cindy, while gasoline inventories fell for a second week. OPEC and its partners aren’t worried about the market recovery and don’t plan to discuss deeper cuts, said United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei.

“There is cause to be confident that the longawaited oil market rebalancing is fast approaching,” said Stephen Brennock, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd. in London. “Doubts will linger over the staying power of this rally” and “several stumbling blocks still lie ahead of the price recovery.”

A10 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

CRIME

UPS worker to do time for accepting bribes A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

MCALLEN, Texas — A judge has sentenced a former U.S. Postal Service worker in South Texas to 11⁄2 years in federal prison for accepting bribes to provide addresses of some mailin ballot recipients in 2014 races.

Noe Olvera of Mission was sentenced Friday in McAllen after pleading guilty last March, in a plea deal, to soliciting bribes during an election. He could have received up to 15 years in prison.

Olvera admitted to accepting more than $1,000 in October 2014 in return for providing a political worker with names and addresses of people on his route related to a Hidalgo County sheriff’s race.

Sheriff Eddie Guerra has denied any knowledge of the incident and says he never engaged in any criminal mail-in ballot scheme.

4 charged in Galveston fatal shooting ASSOCIATED PRE SS

GALVESTON, Texas — Prosecutors say a man who told investigators he prayed with people and could predict when bad things might happen is among four men

BP agent admits to staging drug seizures ASSOCIATED PRE SS

MCALLEN, Texas — A U.S. Border Patrol agent in South Texas has pleaded guilty to working with drug traffickers to stage seizures of fake narcotics and redistributing the real

2 Midland elected officials arrested A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

MIDLAND, Texas — Federal authorities say two West Texas elected officials have been arrested on charges they received kickbacks for directing a county contract to a private company.

Authorities said in a statement that Presidio County Commissioner Lorenzo Padilla Hernandez was arrested Thursday in Midland. Also arrested was Carlos Eduardo Nieto, a school board member for the city of Presidio.

They each face a variety of charges that include conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

charged in a Galveston County slaying.

An affidavit says Jose Leyva of Alvin was charged with murder and accused of arranging the May 23 shooting death of 64-year-old Francisco Esparza.

The affidavit says family members of Esparza believe he told the 65-year-old Levya to stay away from a teenage relative he prayed with and offered presents. Documents show Leyva, when questioned by detectives, said he believed Esparza’s relative had a demon and the cure was a sexual act.

Jail records show three men were being held Friday on assault and murder charges.

Levya was freed on $250,000 bond.

An attorney for Levya didn’t immediately return a message.

Authorities allege that beginning in 2015 the men used their positions and influence to ensure the company was awarded the contract to provide a document management system.

Hernandez allegedly

received $19,800 in the scheme and Nieto got $8,300.

Hernandez did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment and phone listing for Nieto rang unanswered Friday.

cocaine for profit.

Eduardo Bazan Jr. faces up to five years in prison for his Friday guilty plea to making a false statement regarding the seizure. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has set sentencing of the 49-year-old former

agent for Sept. 12 in McAllen.

Bazan admitted that he lied about a 2007 seizure near McAllen in which agents found 66 kilograms of cocaine. Instead, he said he was paid $8,000 to help with the staged drug seizure.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

A11

NATIONAL

Trump relaunches Man to carry photo of girl killed in crash he caused the National Space Council

By Kate Brumback ASSOCIATED PRE SS

By Sarah Kaplan WA S H INGT ON P O ST

President Donald Trump is bringing back the National Space Council, a group formed 60 years ago aimed at coordinating the nation’s activities beyond Earth. But with NASA still without an administrator, it’s not yet clear what this means for Trump’s vision for space exploration.

An executive order signed Friday appoints Vice President Mike Pence chairman of the resurrected advisory body, which will also include the secretaries of state, defense, commerce, transportation and homeland security; the NASA administrator; the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other government officials. The order also called for the establishment of a “Users’ Advisory Group” composed of representatives from states and private industry.

“We’re going to lead again,” Trump said. “It’s been a long time, over 25 years, and we’re opening up and we’re going to lead again like we never led before. . . . The next great American frontier is space.”

Besides having not named a NASA administrator, the president has not yet appointed a director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy, who also is supposed to sit on the council.

The National Space Council was first created during the Eisenhower administration, with the aim of making sure there was someone close to the president to coordinate national policy on space. It included the NASA administrator, some Cabinet secretaries for relevant agencies (Defense, Energy, Transportation), and a handful other officials and heads of private industry. After Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space in 1961, President John F. Kennedy asked the council to draft a report on where the United States stood in comparison. The council ultimately suggested setting a moon landing as a national goal, and soon after, Kennedy told a Texas crowd: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade.”

The council’s influence waned over the next few decades, and after a brief resurgence during the George H.W. Bush administration, it was ultimately disbanded.

The component agencies, especially NASA, tended to bristle at the council’s oversight, according to a history compiled

by George Washington University space policy expert John Logsdon. Critics saw the council as adding an extra layer of bureaucracy to an already convoluted endeavor.

But proponents of a revived national space council say it could help coordinate the nation’s agenda in an increasingly complex environment. Recently, the commercial space sector has grown bigger and more ambitious. And many critics have been frustrated by NASA’s seeming lack of direction in the past few decades: First we were going to the moon, then to Mars, now back to the moon, maybe?

“Given this diffuse space system, if there is to be a national strategy for space, it must come from the center of government,” Logsdon wrote this year.

Trump has generally spoken about space travel in sweeping terms - “American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream,” he said in a February address to Congress. Earlier this year, the president asked NASA to conduct a feasibility study to see if it could put astronauts on the first test flight of its new rocket and crew capsule; the agency ultimately rejected the idea. Now the plan seems to be for a “Deep Space Gateway” - a crew-tended space port in lunar orbit, kind of like the International Space Station but farther away. The president has also indicated he’d like to send people to Mars by his second term, though it’s not clear how serious these plans are.

Mark Albrecht, who served as the executive secretary for the National Space Council under George H.W. Bush, applauded the decision to revive it.

“The agenda for a White House coordinating body on space policy will be substantial and urgent,” he told The Washington Post in an email.

ATLANTA — A Georgia judge has ordered a New Mexico man to carry around a photo of an 18-year-old girl who died in a crash that the man caused.

Daniel Crane pleaded guilty last week to charges of vehicular homicide and following

too closely in the Aug. 20 collision that killed Summer Lee. Local media reports from the time say Crane Crane was traveling north on Interstate 75 in Henry County, just south of Atlanta, when his tractor-trailer hit Lee’s

SUV. At a sentencing hearing June 22, Senior Judge Rusty Carlisle gave him a two-year sentence, including 60 days in jail and the remainder on probation. As a condition of probation, Carlisle said Crane must carry around a photo of Lee and a copy of the statement her mother read at the hearing.

Planned Parenthood closes 4 clinics in Iowa

By Nicole Lewis WASHINGTON P O ST

Four Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa plan to shutter on Friday, following then-Gov. Terry Branstad’s approval of a budget in May that stripped the organization of its Medicaid funding.

Planned Parenthood officials said the closures will affect one-third of its clinics in Iowa and will cut off access to essential health-care services like cancer screenings and annual checkups for nearly 15,000 women.

The nonprofit organization — which provides birth control, breast cancer screenings and other women’s health services but has become a political lightning rod for its abortion services — says the closures foreshadow what could happen across the country should Republicans’ health-care bill become law. The Senate bill contains a provision, which closely mirrors the Iowa law, that would eliminate Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding for one year. Some clinics

Margery Beck / AP

Iowa residents hold protest signs during a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

could lose as much as 40 percent of their funding.

“What’s happening in Iowa is heartbreaking,” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in an email. “If Trumpcare is passed into law, we’ll see that kind of devastation happen nationwide, with far too many women simply going without the health

Plane crashes on California freeway

care they need. “ Community members, Planned Parenthood staff and patients held vigils on Thursday over the closing of the clinics in Burlington, Quad City, Keouk and Sioux City.

More than half of Planned Parenthood patients are insured through Medicaid, according to the organization.

“It’s devastating,”

said Burlington resident Laura Blanchard, who has used Planned Parenthood services. She said she knows of only one other reproductive health-care option in her town targeted to low-income women and women on Medicaid.

“This community cannot afford to lose a health-care provider like Planned Parenthood,” she said.

10 states push to end DACA program

By Michael Balsamo

By Antonio Olivo

A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

WASHINGTON P O ST

LOS ANGELES — A small twin-engine plane dropped out of the sky and exploded in flames on a busy freeway near a Southern California airport Friday morning, injuring the two people aboard but clipping only one passing vehicle, a fire official said.

The Cessna 310 aircraft crashed on Interstate 405, just short of a runway at John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa around 9:30 a.m., said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot declared an emergency shortly after taking off from the airport and was trying to return when the crash occurred, Gregor said.

“Hey, we got a mayday!” the pilot told air traffic controllers before the crash. “Mayday, mayday ... I’m trying to make it back to the airport.”

The exchange was captured on a recording of air traffic controller communications, posted on the website LiveATC.net.

After an air traffic controller tells the pilot a gear of the plane appears to be up, the pilot says he’s trying to gain altitude. “I lost my right engine,” he said.

The two people who were aboard the plane, a

Wally Skalij / TNS

A small plane sits on a freeway after a crash just short of the John Wayne Airport runway Friday in Newport Beach, California.

man and a woman in their 50s and 60, were alive when they were pulled from the fiery wreckage and were taken to a hospital with traumatic injuries, Orange County Fire Capt. Larry Kurtz said.

The plane clipped a blue pickup truck as it crashed on the freeway, but the driver suffered only a bruised elbow, Kurtz said. “The fact that a plane was able to land and only strike a single vehicle is extraordinary,” he said.

Video posted on social media showed the plane engulfed in flames and plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.

Traffic was backed up for miles on the major route

between Los Angeles and San Diego as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.

“The plane collided, spun across the freeway and burst into flames,” Kurtz said. The wreckage saw strewn across several lanes of the freeway, he said.

The pickup truck’s driver, Blackstone Hamilton, told KCBS-TV he initially thought a large truck had slammed into the back of his car and then saw flames quickly surrounding his vehicle.

He checked to make sure his passenger was safe before pulling over on the side of the freeway.

“We gave each other a hug that we were still alive,” Hamilton told the

television station.

Tina Foster had just left nearby John Wayne Airport when she heard a loud boom, which she initially thought was a car crash. “By the time I got up to it, the only thing I saw was the flames,” she said.

Foster posted a photo of smoke pouring out from behind the airport on Facebook to calm her friends’ fears after receiving texts asking if she were still alive, she said.

Another driver, Brian Gladish, said he was driving down the freeway when he saw a large cloud of smoke and flames. “There was debris everywhere, the freeway was still on fire,” he said.

Top Republican officials in 10 states are threatening to take legal action against the Trump administration if it does not end an Obama-era program that has granted deportation reprieves to nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who arrived in this country as children.

In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, R, the group of attorneys general - plus Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, R - gave the administration until Sept. 5 to begin phasing out the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, before they take up the issue in federal court.

“This request does not require the Executive Branch to immediately rescind DACA or Expanded DACA permits that have already been issued,” the letter sent on Thursday reads. “And this request does not require the federal government to remove any alien.”

On Friday, a Justice Department spokesman said the department is reviewing the letter and would not comment.

Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly

said DACA would remain in place two weeks ago, when he rescinded President Barrack Obama’s 2014 memo authorizing the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents program. The latter program, which had been blocked in court, had “no credible path forward,” Kelly said.

The officials now demanding the end of DACA were plaintiffs in the federal court case in Texas that successfully stopped the rescinded program, known as DAPA, which sought to shield about 4 million parents of U.S. citizens and green card holders from deportation.

Groups seeking tougher immigration laws argue that the Trump administration would have an equally tough time defending DACA in court.

“This program was improper under the Obama administration and it’s still improper and, in our view, unconstitutional under the Trump administration,” said Jessica M. Vaughan, director of policy for the Center for Immigration Studies.

“Congress is the branch of our government that has the authority to decide who gets to stay in this country as a legal immigrant, not the president.”

A12 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

INTERNATIONAL

Carlo Hermann / AFP/Getty Images

Migrants wait to disembark from the Spanish Guardia Civil Rio Segura Patrol Ship with 1,216 migrants on board who were rescued Thursday, in the port of Salerno.

Italy threatens to bar ports to migrant rescue ships

By Michael Birnbaum and Stefano Pitrelli WA S H INGT ON P O ST

BRUSSELS — More than 12,000 migrants have been rescued in the blue seas of the Mediterranean in the last four days, a spike that has some overwhelmed Italian policymakers threatening to partly bar their ports to rescue ships.

The drastic step would in theory force ships bearing people fleeing war and economic deprivation to find other places to dock, shifting some of the burden of Europe’s grinding migration crisis to nations such as France and Spain.

Both nations are on the Mediterranean Sea, but they are far more distant from Libya, through which nearly all the migrants are passing.

The proposal is likely a bargaining position taken ahead of a meeting of European migration ministers next week to discuss the continent’s challenges.

But it is also a reflection of Italy’s years on the migration front lines with little help from the rest of Europe. More than 82,000 people have ar-

rived in Italy this year, a 20 percent increase over the same period last year, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

Migrant flows into Greece from Turkey have mostly dried up, meanwhile, a result of a March 2016 deal with Ankara to halt the traffic.

“With this frequency and these numbers we can easily tell that soon enough we won’t be able to handle it any longer,” said Nicola Latorre, the chairman of the defense committee of the Italian Senate. “We need to act now, and what can immediately be done is to allow vessels that are not flying the Italian flag to carry those migrants to their respective countries.

“We risk reaching a point when we won’t be able to authorize any landing any longer, a dramatic situation,” he said.

Under current EU rules, asylum seekers are supposed to apply for protection in the first EU country they enter. At the height of the migration crisis in late 2015, EU leaders set up a quota system to try to distribute some of the migrants from the main arrival

nations of Greece and Italy, but it has barely gotten off the ground.

The influx has strained Italian infrastructure — and the goodwill of Italian voters.

Italian citizens, once relatively friendly to migrants, rejected many politicians seen as soft on immigration in local elections on Sunday. Antiimmigrant hard-liners were much more successful, putting pressure on the country’s ruling center-left Democratic Party to be seen to ease the crisis.

“The message is that of a country that is not breaking the rules, but is coming under pressure and is asking for a concrete contribution from its European counterparts,” Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Thursday alongside other European leaders in Berlin as they prepared for the Group of 20 summit of world powers next week.

“The migrant influx is not stopping. Unless you help us, the danger is that the populists will win the next general election in Italy,” Gentiloni said, according to Italy’s La Stampa newspaper.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

A13

FROM THE COVER

Jay-Z gets personal on new album

and Real counties confirmed they had received phone calls about a white pickup driving erratically and crossing the highway shortly before the wreck.

Young, of Leakey, Texas, was not wearing his seatbelt while most if not all of the 14 church bus occupants had been wearing theirs, the NTSB said.

The wreck happened on a two-lane highway about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of San Antonio.

An affidavit from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper seeking a blood test for a toxicology report said there was probable cause to believe Young was intoxicated during the collision because Young acknowledged ingesting the prescription drugs, including clonazepam and the generic forms of Lexapro and Ambien.

President Barack Obama’s administration, during which time tens of thousands of young people fleeing spiraling gang and drug violence in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador crossed the border. The children are then placed with “sponsors” — typically parents, close relatives or family friends — who care for the minors while they attend school and their cases go through the immigration court system.

The government now says it plans to arrest the sponsors.

“ICE aims to disrupt and dismantle end-to-end the illicit pathways used by transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling facilitators,” agency spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez said.

“The sponsors who have placed children directly into harm’s way by entrusting them to violent criminal organizations will be held accountable.”

Officials did not respond to questions Friday seeking details on the number of sponsors who would be targeted or already had been arrested, or what charges would be applied. Immigrant advocacy groups said they were investigating a dozen arrests or ongoing investigations in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia.

Elsy Segovia, an immigration attorney in Newark, New Jersey, said armed agents visited her client on Wednesday under the guise of checking something with his Social Security number, then announced he was being investigated for smuggling his 16-year-old nephew from El Salvador, who crossed the border in Arizona last week.

“They coerced him into giving over his phone, and they said if you don’t tell the truth, we will take away your temporary protected status,” Segovia said, referring to a program that has allowed many Salvadorans to legally live in the U.S. “He is very, very worried.”

The man’s nephew had been fleeing gang violence in El Salvador, and the agents told him they knew he had wired money to smugglers coyotes to get his relative to the U.S., Segovia said.

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said that as a matter of policy, the agency could not comment on an ongoing law enforcement action.

“Arresting those who come forward to sponsor unaccompanied children during their immigration proceedings, often parents, is unimaginably cruel,” said Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, a nonprofit that has matched thousands of unaccompanied minors with attorneys in the last eight years. “Without caregivers to come forward, many of these children will languish in costly detention centers or be placed in foster care at great expense to states.”

Immigration enforce-

ment was a centerpiece of Trump’s presidential run, and he has sought to carry through on his campaign promises by cracking down on people in the country illegally. He has vowed to build a wall on the U.S-Mexico border and go after “sanctuary cities” that enact favorable policies toward immigrants, while emboldening ICE to arrest more people.

At the Annunciation House shelter in El Paso, at the westernmost point of Texas’ border with Mexico, director Ruben Garcia said more families are beginning to arrive after a big decline in numbers in recent months.

The Trump administration had sought to take credit for that decline, saying its policies and Trump’s signature promise to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall were keeping people away.

“To zero on you smuggled so and so and so you contributed $3,000 to the cartels, and to try to isolate the discussion that way, is pretty disingenuous,” Garcia said. “If we really cared anything about the impact of some of these policies and some of these practices, then we would be much more engaged in how do we solve this.”

Children whose sponsors were arrested would be placed with another verified relative or guardian, or under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the federal agency that takes custody of unaccompanied minors, Rodriguez said.

Since October 2013, nearly 170,000 unaccompanied minors have been placed with sponsors in all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and many are still awaiting their day in court, according to federal data. ICE officials said they were intervening after three incidents in Texas in recent years in which unaccompanied minors had been injured, sexually assaulted or locked into tractor trailers.

Last year, an Associated Press investigation and a bipartisan congressional probe found that the agency’s own inadequate screening had endangered more than two dozen migrant youth in the government’s care, including six Guatemalan minors who were placed with traffickers and forced to work on egg farms. The office later made numerous internal changes to strengthen its safeguards, but the program again came under fire recently after some unaccompanied minors were recruited by gangs in the U.S. Leon Fresco, a former Obama administration Justice Department official, said Trump’s recent move likely would be challenged in court, given limits on the amount of time children can be detained.

“This sends a signal to young people who would cross the border not to cross, or your relatives will be placed in removal proceedings,” said Fresco.

“This is a policy change to say a minor is no longer to be treated as a person worthy of our sympathy, but instead to be treated as another unlawful entrant whose entrance must deterred at all costs.”

do was contact these two individuals, contact them to get their identification, in the event that anything did happen ...,” McManus said. “And things went bad real quick.”

Moreno’s death brought people to police headquarters Friday, leaving flowers and notes of sympathy outside the entrance. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” read one.

“We back the blue,” said another.

The mourners included 9-year-old Tony Alameda, who left flowers and knelt for prayer. The

boy said his aim is to one day become a police officer.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday ordered state flags lowered to half-staff across San Antonio through Monday in tribute to Moreno.

“This senseless act of violence against two courageous and committed law enforcement officers demonstrates the risk our men and women in blue face every day,” Abbott said in a statement. “We owe Officer Moreno and Officer Julio Cavazos a great debt of

gratitude for their service and bravery in the face of danger.”

Thursday’s incident follows a shooting in November in which a San Antonio police detective was killed. Benjamin Marconi, a 20-year veteran of the force, was sitting in his squad car writing a traffic ticket when a man walked up and shot him in the head.

The suspect, identified as Otis Tyrone McKane, later told reporters he was angry about a childcustody fight and lashed out.

‘The House’ has Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell but zero laughs

By Mesfin Fekadu A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

By Stephanie Merry WASHINGTON P O ST

NEW YORK — Jay-Z gets personal and deep on his new album, opening up about his relationship with Beyonce, the elevator fight with Solange and his children.

The icon released “4:44” on Friday, and it quickly became a trending topic online and on social media. On the title track, he apologizes to Beyonce for some of his past decisions.

“You matured faster than me, I wasn’t ready, so I apologize, I seen the innocence leave your eyes, I still mourn this death, I apologize for all the stillborns ‘cause I wasn’t present your body wouldn’t accept it,” he said.

On “Kill Jay Z,” the album’s opening track, the rapper addresses the elevator fight from 2014, where Beyonce’s sister was caught attacking the rapper.

“You egged Solange on, knowing all along, all you had to say you was wrong,” Jay-Z raps.

He also muses on the track that he almost “went Eric Benet” by letting “the baddest girl in the world get away.”

The line is a reference to R&B singer Eric Benet, who was divorced from actress Halle Berry after he acknowledged cheating on her. Benet responded on Twitter on Friday, writing that his current wife is “the baddest girl in the world.”

Blue Ivy’s voice is heard on the final track, “Legacy,” and Jay-Z discusses his mother, who he says is a lesbian, on the song “Smile.” She closes the track with raw and real words, ending with: “Love who you love, because life isn’t guaranteed, smile.”

“4:44” is Jay-Z’s first since 2013’s “Magna Carta... Holy Grail.” The 47-year-old references his twins on several tracks, though neither he nor

HEALTH From page A1 end of the July Fourth recess.

The reemergence of what has for much of the year been a fringe idea within the GOP revealed not only the party’s philosophical divide over how to revise Obamacare, but also senators’ growing anxiety that they’re now headed home to see their constituents with little to show for it.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who has said he cannot yet support the current draft of the Senate bill because of the impact its cuts in Medicaid funding would have on his state, received a blistering reception at a Baton Rouge town hall Friday. Even as he sought to discuss flooding issues, an attendee interrupted to mention Medicaid, prompting others to chant, “Health care!

Health care!”

“If you wish to chant and stop others from being able to speak or be heard, that is not civil,” Cassidy retorted.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., continued to work on forging a compromise that could garner sufficient support once his colleagues return to Washington on July 10.

But Trump’s suggestion that Republican senators

Chad Batka / NYT

In this 2016 file photo, Jay-Z performs at the Barclays Center in New York.

Beyonce have officially commented on the births.

Beyonce sings and has writing credit on the song “Family Feud” where Jay-Z raps: “Yeah, I’ll (mess) up a good thing if you let me, let me alone, Becky.” It’s a playoff of “Becky with the good hair” from Beyonce’s hit “Sorry,” from her infamous “Lemonade” album.

Jay-Z also addresses Kanye West on “Kill Jay Z,” saying: “But you ain’t the same, this ain’t kumbaya, but you got hurt because you did cool by ‘Ye, you gave him 20 million without blinking, he gave you 20 minutes onstage, (what) was he thinking?” At concerts on his tour last year, West said his kids and Blue Ivy “ain’t never even played together.” West also said he wanted Jay-Z to call him and “talk to me like a man.”

“4:44” was produced

by No I.D., who has worked with Jay-Z, Kanye West, Common and others.

“4:44” is available on the streaming service Tidal, which the rapper co-owns with Beyonce, Rihanna, Madonna and other stars. The album is also available to Sprint customers who sign up for Tidal (Sprint bought a 33 percent stake in the service earlier this year).

The 35-minute album, which has 10 tracks, is also available on 160 iHeartMedia radio stations.

should switch gears and immediately try to repeal the ACA if compromise is elusive could embolden conservatives, making it harder for McConnell to broker a deal.

The early-morning tweet was Trump’s first public statement since taking office in favor of bringing down Obamacare with no replacement system in place - a move that could send the U.S. health-care system into deep turmoil.

“If Republican Senators are unable to pass what they are working on now, they should immediately REPEAL, and then REPLACE at a later date!” Trump tweeted.

Health industry officials have warned that overturning the existing law, which has extended insurance to roughly 20 million Americans and changed the rules under which insurance is offered across the country, would create chaos in a sector that accounts for one-sixth of the U.S. economy.

Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, said repealing the ACA without a replacement would be “a trauma” for an insurance market that needs regulatory clarity to set premium rates.

“There would be absolutely no certainty, whatsoever, about anything,” Laszewski said.

“The House” is astonishingly, mystifyingly unamusing. With Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler in lead roles, the comedy could have been solid counterprogramming to summer franchise-mania. Instead, director Andrew Jay Cohen (”Neighbors,” “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”) delivers one lazy sketch after another, manufactured under the misguided pretense that lewdness and violence are inherently funny.

But it takes more than buckets of fake blood and alfresco bathroom adventures to produce laughs.

There’s a mildly sweet story hiding under all the body fluids. Ferrell and Poehler play Scott and Kate, a couple whose lives revolve around their only child, Alex (Ryan Simpkins), a recent high school graduate. Alex plans to head to her dream school in the fall, though she doesn’t realize that her parents can’t afford it. In one of many illogical plot points, Scott and Kate were banking on a scholarship that their small town awards each year.

Alas, the cash doesn’t pan out.

Their best friend, Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), is also in a fi-

nancial bind. Facing foreclosure, he needs money fast, so the three devise a scheme to open a gambling den in Frank’s roomy abode.

Since the house always wins, they reason, they’ll make loads of cash off their suburban neighbors, who are clearly desperate for a thrill. Once the underground casino takes off - and Frank adds fight night, massage tables and a Hard Rockcaliber pool party Scott and Kate start embracing the criminal life.

The direction is no more artful. Shot like a sitcom with editing that highlights the bizarre pacing, the movie goes all in on montages to advance the story.

The bloody violence, which strains to be outrageous, comes out of nowhere, like a desperate bid to distract from everything that came before. Because what’s funnier than dismemberment?

In the end, “The House” aims to be a humorous version of “Breaking Bad,” with Scott and Kate justifying their behavior through the needs of their family. That’s not such a bad premise, but the execution is lacking in every way. It might be the only laughable thing about the movie.

INDICTED From page A1 says Young told investigators he was checking his phone for a text when the crash happened March 29, near San Antonio. He said he had taken prescription drugs before the crash and investigators found marijuana in his pickup, the report said.

An NTSB review of a 14-minute video shot by a motorist trailing Young’s pickup prior to the crash showed Young’s truck cross the double yellow center line 19 times, the solid white shoulder lines 37 times and the grass shoulder at least five times, according to the report.

The driver and 12 passengers on the bus from First Baptist Church of New Braunfels were killed. One passenger survived and was hospitalized with serious injuries. All were senior adult members of the church.

At one point, the video even shows the pickup driving on the wrong side of the road. Investigators estimated the truck was traveling from 67 to 71 mph (108 to 114 kph) in a 70-mph (112-kph) zone, based on an analysis of the video.

Officials from Uvalde

OFFICER From page A1 have been self-inflicted.

Police have not released the name of the gunman, but McManus said he might have come from Louisiana.

McManus said the second man was unaware that his companion would pull a weapon and has been cooperating with investigators. He was arrested on outstanding municipal warrants but released.

“All they were going to

Young

ICE From page A1

A14 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

B1

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HOUSTON ASTROS

Houston’s mixing of power and contact Astros own the best record in baseball

By Tyler Kepner N EW YORK T I ME S NEWS S ERVICE

HOUSTON — Sluggers strike out. In baseball, it is all but fact. The 1927 New York Yankees led the majors in slugging percentage and strikeouts. The five players with the most career strikeouts averaged nearly 600 home runs. This season, major league hitters are on a record pace for home runs and strikeouts.

Slugging and strikeouts — like love and marriage, as the song goes, you can’t have one without the other. Unless you are the Houston Astros.

When the Yankees visit Minute Maid Park

this weekend, they will meet an Astros team coming in with a 54-26 record — the best in the majors through 80 games in more than a decade. The Astros’ hitters have the fewest strikeouts in the majors (540) while also leading in slugging percentage (.485).

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two teams since 1910 have led the majors in slugging percentage while recording the fewest strikeouts: the 1948 Yankees and the 1995 Cleveland Indians.

The Astros have contact hitters who punch, not slap.

“I don’t want guys swinging at a pitch unless they can hit a hoAstros continues on B2

Bob Levey / Getty Images

Entering Friday the Astros had a 54-26 record — the best in the majors through 80 games in more than a decade.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS

NFL: DALLAS COWBOYS

HOW DAK IS HANDLING HIS RISE TO STARDOM Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press

Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott hosted his two-day ProCamp on Thursday and Friday.

Ezekiel Elliott puts on his coaching hat working youth camp

By Drew Davison FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM

Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott says he can balance obligations, working out and preparing for football while still getting in the offseason relaxation he needs.

Second-year QB is the face of the franchise

By Kate Hairopoulos TH E DALLAS MORNI NG NEWS

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott says he’s going to hit a beach somewhere and relax in Los Angeles before training camp starts in July.

But in the meanwhile, it’s been evident that Prescott is more visible and marketable - than

ever as he comes off his first season as the starting quarterback of America’s Team and moves toward his first full season as the unquestioned face of the franchise.

He appeared on Good Morning America this week - couldn’t miss him in that sharp, bright jacket. It was just the start of a full day of media ap-

pearances. The focus of the day was to promote immuno-oncology, which Bristol-Myers Squibb says is a rapidly advancing area of cancer research. Of course, fighting cancer is a meaningful cause to Prescott, who lost his mother, Peggy, to the disease while he was a college student. His off-field story always

comes back to her.

Prescott’s platform and array of endorsement deals has been building steadily since last season and his first major effort in December, when he appeared in a commercial sponsored by Adidas and Champs Sports.

The banners of myriad sponsors hung at the Dak continues on B2

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott found out firsthand what it’s like to be a coach.

He jumped from group to group on Thursday morning, giving a piece of advice and breaking a huddle with the hundreds of kids who showed up to his two-day ProCamp presented by SunnyD at Grand Prairie High School in Texas.

"It’s definitely fun to do my first camp as a pro.

I’m having a great time out here with the kids," Elliott said. "Teaching

them some football, but really teaching them how to have fun."

Asked the difference between playing and coaching, Elliott smiled and said: "Definitely having a blast, but I think it’s more tiring being a coach than a player."

The camp, which was for first- through eighthgraders, cost $249. Along with football instruction from Elliott and other area coaches, campers received an autograph from Elliott, a team photo with him and a T-shirt.

One camper traveled from as far as Las Cruces, N.M., to take part.

"It’s been awesome Elliott continues on B2

NCAA BASKETBALL: TEXAS LONGHORNS

Texas denies allegation that top hoops recruit will be ruled ineligible

By Greg Anglin SA N A NT ONI O NEWS-E XPRE SS

Texas moved quickly to refute a Facebook Live post by the estranged brother of five-star recruit Mohamed Bamba that claimed the 6-foot-11 center will be ruled ineli-

gible by the NCAA. "As is usual practice by the NCAA, Mo's amateur status was previously reviewed and final certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center," the university said in a statement to Yahoo Sports late Wednesday. "The NCAA has

not informed us of any pending issues or eligibility concerns at this time regarding Mo. If there are further questions, we certainly will cooperate with the NCAA to the fullest."

In a poolside video Bamba continues on B2

Gregory Payan / Associated Press file

Texas says Mo Bamba’s amateur status had previously been reviewed by the NCAA and he has been cleared to play.

B2 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

SPORTS BAMBA From page B1 laced with profanity, Bamba's older brother Ibrahim "Abe" Johnson alleged that Bamba had accepted cash and gifts from financial adviser and mentor Greer Love.

"He's not going to play this year in the NCAA because I already reported him to the NCAA and I'm already going to meet with the NCAA," said Johnson, shirtless and wearing a backward cap. "He's not going to play this year. I'm not going to lie to you. I exposed that kid."

Johnson, a former basketball player at Division II University of Montevallo, said Love caused a rift between him and his brother by saying he planned to become a sports agent and represent Bamba after he turns pro.

Love, who apparently

DAK From page B1 youth camps he offered last week in his college stomping ground of Starkville, Miss., hometown of Haughton, La. and in the Dallas area in Corinth, Texas. His Twitter feed tells part of the tale, with mentions of Nicholas Air, which offers private air travel.

Then there’s Welch’s Fruit Snacks, which supplied some kids with free spots to his camps. The Adidas logo is easy to spot scrolling through. Then there’s Prescott holding a Pepsi and a bag of Tostitos. A new deal with Campbell’s Chunky Soup was announced last week. You get the idea.

Prescott is managed by ProSource Sports Management, an agency located in his home state, in Monroe, La. The agency outsourced some of his marketing to Peter Miller of JABEZ Marketing Group.

Walter Jones Jr., part of Prescott’s management team at ProSource, said that they were able to sort through opportunities as Prescott emerged during his rookie season, when he unexpectedly became the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year after longtime starter Tony Romo was

ASTROS From page B1 mer,” said Dave Hudgens, the Astros’ hitting coach. “I don’t want guys swinging at a pitch unless they can do damage.

If you go in with that mind-set, you’re not going to miss your pitch as often.”

Hudgens, who has also coached for the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets, said he had always approached hitting this way. To make it work, though, Houston built a talented lineup with no holes.

From 2011 through 2013, the Astros lost 324 games. As a new general manager, Jeff Luhnow, overhauled the organization with an emphasis on analytics after his hiring in December 2011, the players on the roster felt hopeless.

“It was like we were trying to find a way to lose a game,” said the utility man Marwin Gonzalez, a rookie in 2012.

“You’d say sometimes in the morning, ‘Oh, I gotta go to the ballpark.’ It wasn’t fun.”

Outfielder Josh Reddick, then with the Athletics, remembers the opposite feeling when facing the Astros. Hitters, he said, seemed to race one another to the bat rack. It was going to be a good day.

But the Astros’ pitchers have evolved, too.

They lead the majors in strikeouts, and their six most-used relievers each average at least 10 strikeouts per nine innings.

ELLIOTT From page B1

met the younger brother in 2008 when he started an after-school basketball program at Bamba's Harlem elementary school, also said the two have done nothing wrong.

"When Mo asked me to guide him and help coordinate the logistics of his recruitment, I immediately engaged the former chief compliance officer of two Big 10/Big 12 schools, who provided frequent consultation on a variety of matters," Love told 247Sports.

"Doing things the right way has been our top priority since day one," Love added. "Mo's got way too much to lose to take any chances on anything even remotely impermissible."

Rated the nation's No. 2 recruit in the 2017 class by ScoutHoops, Bamba chose Texas over Kentucky, Duke and Michigan. He's expected to be a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Rated the nation's No. 2 recruit in the 2017 class by ScoutHoops, Mo Bamba chose Texas over Kentucky, Duke and Michigan.

injured.

"We knew he was capable of doing what he was doing, but no one had any idea this would happen as fast as it did," Jones said.

"There were sponsors lining up for the opportunity to work with Dak. We got a great marketing guy, and he knew that he probably needed to wait, to see how things panned out before he decided to go with a particular sponsor. . A lot of these people tracked his performance in (training) camp, on and off the field.

They kind of knew that he could be that guy. They were positioning themselves."

While Prescott is taking advantage of his new position - more high-profile announcements are on the horizon, Jones said - Prescott and those around him stress that his focus remains on football.

"Football is the train," Jones said. "All the carts behind are secondary. If he doesn’t take care of the train, there won’t be any cars behind him. The priority is to represent on the field, be the best football player that he can and everything else will take care of itself. That’s his motto, that’s what he feels even today. We’re not out looking for people to merge spon-

sorships with. They’re coming, and we’re going to merge him with the groups that fit best."

Leigh Steinberg, the original super agent who is holding an agent boot camp/seminar Saturday and Sunday at SMU, said that Prescott deserves to be celebrated after leading Dallas to a 13-3 season and the playoffs. But he said the enhanced profile brings higher expectations to deliver on the field and find the right match of partners off of it.

"Once you have success on the field, it comes down to product category," Steinberg said. "You want the overall group to synergize . and make sure you’re projecting a real person the way he wants to be projected."

Prescott says he can balance obligations, working out and preparing for football while still getting in the offseason relaxation he needs. And he’s actually expected back at The Star in Frisco, Texas ahead of training camp in Southern California to work with the rookies, who are reporting early. The demands on him were evident during his camps last week, when everyone wanted an interview, autograph, picture or chat.

Just one team has ever led the majors in strikeouts by its pitchers and fewest strikeouts by its hitters, according to Elias — the 1911 New York Giants.

The Astros, who were 10 games better than the next closest American League team entering Thursday night’s games, may soon become even stronger. The injured starters Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Collin McHugh should all be back within a month, and the Astros could push hard to add another starter before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline.

“Coming into spring, we understood we had a very balanced and very deep roster, and within that balance and depth, we were oozing with talent,” said Lance McCullers Jr., one of Houston’s starters. “I don’t know if you get that every year.”

The Astros did not quite have it in 2015, when they squeezed into the playoffs after a hot start and beat the Yankees in the wild-card game. That season, Houston ranked second in the majors in slugging, but also second in strikeouts.

“Power’s exciting, power sells tickets and power wins games, at times,” Luhnow said.

“But power usually comes at the expense of rally-killing strikeouts in other instances. It’s not a satisfying brand of baseball, and I don’t think it’s a winning brand of baseball, necessarily, to have 30-home run hitters with

Gregory Payan / Associated Press file

"He’s taken it all in stride, he’s never shown exhaustion," Jones said. "He’s always 100 percent upbeat."

Jones said he spent six weeks with Prescott as the quarterback prepared for the NFL combine and draft in early 2016.

"He wanted to become a starter in the NFL, that’s all he ever cared about," Jones said. "The Cowboys were his favorite team, so naturally he would’ve loved to play for the Cowboys, as he is. But at that particular time, it didn’t matter. He wanted to be a starter in the NFL." The Cowboys got Prescott for a steal in the fourth round. He’s slated to earn less than $3 million over his four-year rookie deal. Prescott’s success has led to him being able to more than supplement his football salary.

"He’s got a financial adviser," Jones said, "and they’re doing a great job."

But Jones said again that football, football, football is first.

"His main objective is to be the best that he can be as a football player," Jones said. "He wants to win games for the Dallas Cowboys. And his ultimate goal is to take them to the Super Bowl. Everything else is secondary."

Bob Levey / Getty Images

Carlos Correa has a team-high 53 RBIs for the Astros.

200 strikeouts a year.

“You can have one of those guys, but we ended up having a few of them up and down our lineup.

So we made a decision to try to change the nature of our lineup by adding guys that made hard contact.”

Luhnow has trimmed several free swingers from the 2015 roster, including Chris Carter, Jason Castro, Carlos Gomez, Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena.

Meanwhile, the young core of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer has continued to improve, as have role players like Gonzalez and Jake Marisnick.

Surrounding them now are veterans who more reliably make con-

tact: Reddick, Nori Aoki, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Yuli Gurriel, a rookie with a long track record in Cuba. All but Aoki have power.

The Astros lead the majors in on-base plus slugging percentage from the 8 and 9 spots in the order, essentially using 12 everyday players to shuffle seamlessly in and out of the lineup.

“You don’t see a lot of teams with guys that can come off the bench and pretty much do the same kind of damage as the guys they replace,” Reddick said. “That’s a great tool to have.”

Reddick said he was not aware that the Astros’ hitters had the fewest strikeouts in the majors, but said it made

hanging out with Zeke," 10-year-old Aidan Snow said. "There are really no words for it."

Elliott burst onto the NFL scene last season after the Cowboys made him the fourth overall pick out of Ohio State.

Elliott, who turns 22 next month, finished his rookie season with a league-leading 1,631 rushing yards and 15 TDs on 322 carries. He averaged 5.1 yards a carry in earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

Elliott, who topped the 100-yard rushing mark in seven of 15 regular season starts, is up for an ESPY as the "Best NFL Player." He’ll be attending the awards show next month.

Elliott didn’t seem overly optimistic about giving an acceptance speech.

"I don’t know, man," Elliott said. "Got some great quarterbacks in there."

But Elliott certainly took center stage at his camp. The groups were broken down by age group by his high school team (the Bombers), his college team (the Buckeyes) and his pro team (the Cowboys).

Elliott appreciated that touch, and raved about his football coaches growing up keeping him on the right track.

"My best mentors growing up were my football coaches," Elliott said. "Guys I’m very close with still today. My football coaches when I was 7 and 13, I still talk to them today. Both of their sons are my best friends. My high school coach, (former NFL quarterback Gus Frerotte), we’re still very close. And even all of my college coaches.

"Football coaches are the most influential people in my life other than my parents."

Other topics Elliott touched on: On the ESPN Body Issue: "The photo shoot was great. It was definitely a good experience. At first it was a little odd, but you kind of get warmed up to it. I’m definitely glad I did it."

On his relationship with quarterback Dak Prescott: "It’s just great. It’s great to be able to come in with a rookie who kind of got everything thrown at him the same way you did. I think it helps that we’re really good friends. We’re basically best friends after just a year of knowing him. We have each other to use as tools to get through this."

On having a camper from New Mexico: "It makes you feel great. At Ohio State, Coach (Urban) Meyer always made it very important that we knew that you’re always someone else’s shining light. No matter how small you may think it is, the actions you do, you can change someone’s day. You can change someone’s life.

You’ve got to take advantage of this pedestal and this stage we’re on and continue to spread happiness."

On Cowboys hype being similar to Ohio State: "It’s very similar to Ohio State. The fans are just as passionate, just as crazy."

On the NFL relaxing its rules on touchdown celebrations: "It’s great. It’s definitely needed in pro football and I think there are going to be some pretty funny celebrations this year. . (Jumping in The Salvation Army kettle) should be OK, but I don’t know."

On being a mentor to kids: "It’s great. It’s great to be on this stage and it’s all about doing it the right way, all about reinforcing these kids the right way and helping them become better people."

sense because they work counts well and rarely chase pitches out of the strike zone. The Kansas City Royals took a similar approach in 2015, when they had the fewest strikeouts in the majors en route to a championship.

The Astros came close to winning their division series here in Game 4 that year, but the Royals strung together five singles and an error to erase a four-run deficit in the eighth inning. The Royals did not have the Astros’ power — not even close — but made an impression with their relentless attack.

“Just a bunch of quality at-bats in a row,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, recalling that loss. “What you try to avoid is empty at-bats.”

Hinch has experience with those. He managed Arizona for most of the 2010 season, when the Diamondbacks’ hitters set a major league record for strikeouts, a mark now held by the 2016 Milwaukee Brewers. He hated strikeouts then, and still does.

“I use the phrase ‘contact’s your friend’ all the time, whether it’s putting pressure on defense, moving runners, scoring one run with a guy on third,” Hinch said. “I’ve used that over and over and over again for the last couple of years, so I don’t know if it’s a philosophical change. It’s not as if I taught strikeouts one year and I’m not teaching strikeouts this year. But the style of offense that has developed here has been a

perfect blend.”

Hinch uses Springer at the top of the order, giving his best power hitter the most chances to produce. Springer has responded with 24 home runs, including a clubrecord nine to lead off games. He is on track to start the All-Star Game in the outfield, with Altuve at second base and Correa at shortstop.

Altuve, who will soon be a five-time All-Star at 27, said it was fine to strike out sometimes; it is better than grounding into a double play, for example. But when talented hitters like Correa and Springer aggressively hunt strikes — and only strikes — their hits can go far.

“I guess not striking out is one of the reasons we’re in first place, but I’m not against strikeouts,” Altuve said. “I don’t like people going up there and trying to not strike out. That’s not the right approach. The right approach is going up there and trying to drive the ball.”

The Astros did that again Thursday, chasing a young Oakland starter, Daniel Gossett, in the sixth inning when Altuve doubled off the right-field wall and Correa launched his second homer of the game, a missile high over center field. Oakland’s hitters had 14 strikeouts, Houston’s just four. The Astros rolled to a 6-1 victory.

Contact, indeed, is their friend. The Astros horde it for themselves, and the relationship is serious.

THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, July 1, 2017 |

Dear Heloise: I have a PET SITTER stay at our home to care for our beloved dogs when we travel. For my peace of mind, I change the ID tags on their collars to reflect the pet sitter's cellphone number instead of mine.

This is especially important when we're on long trips, sometimes out of the country or on a cruise ship. -- Nancy in California Wonderful, Nancy!

Readers, what other pet/travel hints can you come up with? -- Heloise MARKET MONEY Dear Heloise: I go to outdoor farmers markets, and I am astonished how some people act toward vendors and others. I have seen people with $50 or $100 bills expecting change for a $2 purchase. Be considerate of the vendors.

Also, when visiting with friends at the market, step to the side, and

don't extend pet leashes or baby strollers out.

This is a tripping hazard.

-- A Reader, Columbus, Ohio RING HER UP! Dear Heloise: My friend and I live together.

If we're both at home and she needs me, she calls me on my cellphone. If I'm in a different part of the house, I will know to come help her.

She is 95, and I am 88!

-- Guilda M., North Port, Fla. BEACH FEET Dear Heloise: Living close to the beach and with dirty, sandy feet from time to time, I found a way to easily scrub them up, shinyclean!

I keep a bottle of inexpensive shampoo in the shower, grab a heavy washcloth, load it up with shampoo and scrub away. Shiny feet -- it works! -- Susie in Huntington Beach, Calif.

B3

B4 | Saturday, July 1, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Was this why Chris Paul spurned Spurs?

By Greg Anglin SA N AN T ONI O NEWS-E XPRE SS

Chris Paul and the Spurs reportedly had mutual interest in each other, so many observers were caught by surprise when he passed on free agency and forced a trade to the Houston Rockets.

While some have pointed to his friendship with Rockets superstar James Harden, opting in for a below-market $24.3 million to facilitate the deal seemed like an odd move when he could've commanded as much as $149 million over four years from the Spurs (or another team).

Even if he were asked to take a discount for South Texas' ultra-low cost of living and the chance to play for one of the most-respected organizations in sports, a deal with the Spurs surely would've paid him more than $30 million a year through age 36.

Of course, Paul is set for life many times over, so maybe his decision had more to do with winning than with money. But if that's the case, wouldn't it have made more sense to team up with Kawhi Leonard than with Harden, a guy who also needs the ball in his hands all the time?

Stephen Dunn / file

Houston’s Chris Paul could've commanded as much as $149 million over four years from the Spurs.

Free agency looming in NBA

By Tim Reynolds ASSOCIATED PRE SS

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle file

San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray headlines the Spurs’ Utah Summer League roster.

Murray, rookies headline Spurs summer league roster

By Jabari Young SA N A N TONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS

The Spurs released their roster for the Utah Summer League, headlined by 2016 first-round pick Dejounte Murray, and newcomers Derrick White and Jaron Blossomgame, who the team selected in the 2017 NBA Draft earlier this month.

Forward Davis Bertans and guard Bryn Forbes are included on the roster, in addition to 2013 first round pick Livio Jean-Charles.

The Spurs waived Jean-Charles last October before the start of the regular season. He signed with the Austin

Spurs on the NBA Gatorade League (formally the NBA D-League), averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds in 45 games.

Another noticeable name on the roster: guard Olivier Hanlan.

The Spurs received the rights to Hanlan in the trade that sent forward Boris Diaw to the Jazz last July.

The Spurs will open the Utah Summer League against the Jazz on Monday. The league will conclude next Thursday, as the Las Vegas Summer League is scheduled to commence.

Spurs assistant coach Will Hardy will coach the team in Utah.

MIAMI — Drama is never in short supply during NBA free agency.

This year will be no exception.

Case in point: A Utah fan has been lobbying Gordon Hayward to stay with the Jazz, citing a story this week about how the Massachusetts Legislature is aiming to raise taxes on those who make more than $1 million a year. That fan happens to be U.S. Congressional hopeful Tanner Ainge, the son of Boston Celtics President Danny Ainge.

So even family ties get crossed during free agency, which starts Saturday at 12:01 a.m. Eastern, the moment when players like Hayward, Kyle Lowry, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap and many more can start officially taking meetings and hearing pitches that will ultimately help them decide where to play next season.

“You never know what’s going to happen in free agency,” Miami Heat President Pat Riley said.

“We’ll see what happens on July the 1st. It’s always a pretty exciting time.”

With Chris Paul already traded to Houston, and since free-agents-tobe Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are widely believed as locks to stay with NBA champion Golden State, Hayward could be considered the top available player in free agency. He’ll meet Saturday with the Heat, a team that will have around $35 million to spend once they officially part ways with Chris Bosh and get relief from the remainder of his contract.

No deals can be execut-

Danny Moloshok / Associated Press file

Utah’s Gordon Hayward will have a lot of interest on the free agent market this offseason.

ed until July 6, but it’s likely that agreements adding up to $2 billion or more will be in place by when the moratorium ends. Everyone is chasing Golden State, and Houston has fired the first big salvo.

“We’re going all-in,” Houston general manager Daryl Morey said.

That’s evident, given how the Rockets pulled off a series of six trades to acquire Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers this week. Houston is looking to add even more firepower to pair with Paul and MVP runner-up James Harden, potentially by getting Paul George (who has told Indiana he will play elsewhere in 2018, if not before).

“Paul is a special player,” Pacers President Kevin Pritchard said.

“He’s been good for this organization. We felt like, in a few of the talks over the summer, that he wanted to win and he wanted to win here. So it was a little bit of a gut punch for us. We’re adjusting right now.”

George isn’t a free agent, and neither is Carmelo Anthony. But both could be on the move now; the Pacers will likely have to trade George now to ensure that they don’t lose him for nothing next summer, and Anthony could be freed by New York after the Knicks decided this week to part ways with Phil Jackson after three futile, playofffree, turbulence-filled seasons.

Minnesota has already made a splash, getting Jimmy Butler on draft night. Butler says he’s recruiting more players to join him, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I think Jimmy’s impact on our team will be great,” Timberwolves general manager Scott Layden said. “That’s what happens with great leaders. They are involved with their leadership and with making the team better.”

There’s a market for point guards, with Lowry, George Hill and former NBA MVP Derrick Rose

all set for new deals. J.J. Redick, Kyle Korver and Dion Waiters will be among the shooting guards likely to get the most interest. Miami will aim to keep James Johnson out of a small-forward class that includes Andre Iguodala, the coming-off-an-injury Rudy Gay and Danilo Gallinari (along with Durant and Hayward).

Griffin has declared himself a free agent, meaning he potentially could leave the Clippers.

He headlines a powerforward group that has Millsap, Serge Ibaka, Taj Gibson and others. And at center, perhaps the most interesting name out there could be JaVale McGee — who likely resurrected his career after a strong year with the Warriors.

There’s also veterans like Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol, who will almost certainly be free in name only: Nowitzki isn’t leaving Dallas, and Gasol isn’t leaving San Antonio.

There’s so much money out there to spend, thanks to the salary structure that skyrocketed when the league’s $24 billion television deal began filling the NBA coffers. It led to some huge, eyeraising deals last summer — and teams might be more cautious this summer.

“Some of the contracts were sort of out of whack,” Riley said. “I don’t know if you’re going to see that this year. I’d be surprised, because from my experience with talking to a number of teams this year, those contracts are already trying to be dumped. There might be a little bit more discipline in how teams go about that whole process.”

Golden State’s Durant declines to opt into contract

By Janie Mccauley A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant declined to opt in for the second year of his contract with Golden State and will become an unrestricted free agent, an expected move for the NBA Finals MVP who said he plans to do his part to keep the core of the champion Warriors intact to chase more titles.

A person with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed Durant’s intentions Thursday, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made.

When the season ended, Durant made it clear he plans to stay with the Warriors. The 28-yearold Durant was due to earn more than $27.7

million for 2017-18 yet said he would go this route to provide the franchise with financial flexibility so Golden State general manager Bob Myers might be able to retain other key members of the group — like key reserve and 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala — for what everyone hopes is another special postseason run next year. Then Durant could receive his max deal a year from now.

Durant now will need to begin working out a new deal once the free agency period begins Saturday, but might wait to see how things play out with his free-agent teammates before signing. He is expected to gain a 20 percent raise over the $26.5 million he made last season and would earn about $31.8 million. Durant had a

Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press file

In a move that was expected, NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant has opted out of his contract with Golden State and will become an unrestricted free agent. He is expected to re-sign with the Warriors on a long-term deal.

deadline of Thursday to make his decision.

“It means a lot. It just shows the commitment when a guy’s willing to take less, the commitment to the team,” Defensive Player of the Year

Draymond Green said Wednesday. “You look at the situation, sometimes you have to do that in order to make things work. I took less so we could go and get Kevin.

And it worked out. If

you want to keep great teams, keep everything aligned, sometimes you have to do that. You have to be willing to sacrifice.”

Two-time MVP Stephen Curry also has indicated while he is thrilled to be up for a major raise with a new super-max deal, which could put him at the $205 million mark, he also is committed to winning for the long haul and shares Durant’s teamfirst philosophy.

In the postseason, Durant averaged 28.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists and shot 55.6 percent, scoring more than 30 points in nine of his 15 games.

“It’s amazing to have that kind of talent and humility and the teamoriented demeanor that both guys have,” coach Steve Kerr said last

week. “The fact that both those guys are so willing to think about and not only with points and shots and everything else but they want to do what’s best for the team all the time, every single day. So it’s a powerful force when you have that kind of talent and humility, and it sets a great tone for us.”

Iguodala has full Bird rights, meaning the Warriors can exceed the salary cap to retain him as one of their own free agents. He is expected to generate high interest and salary outside the organization as free agency starts.

Curry, who won the MVP the past two years and earned $12 million this season, scored 28.1 points in the playoffs while also contributing 6.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds.