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Protest against wall prototype bid dismissed
Zika testing for pregnant women advised
Company did not file complaints in a timely manner A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SAN DIEGO — A U.S. government watchdog agency on Friday dismissed a company’s objections to the bidding process to build a prototype for a proposed border wall. The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that Ft. Worth, Texas-based PennaGroup did not file comments
in time to protest the bid. “Allowing PennaGroup to file its comments late would be inconsistent with our purpose of providing a fair opportunity for protesters to have their protests considered without unduly disrupting the procurement process,” Susan A. Poling, the agency’s general counsel, wrote in the decision. The decision comes days
after President Donald Trump threatened to force a federal government shutdown unless Congress agrees to fund the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. PennaGroup submitted comments by email on the final day allowed for complaints but these were derailed by an internet service disruption during stormy Texas weather, said Michael Evangelista-Ysasaga,
the company’s chief executive. He said the company plans to sue over the decision. “It’s certainly not over,” he said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection had no immediate comment. It was not immediately clear whether the decision would speed up construction on the Protest continues on A6
HURRICANE HARVEY
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas health department is recommending Zika virus testing for pregnant women in three more Texas counties near the border with Mexico. The Texas Department of State Health Services said Thursday that it now recommends testing for those in the West Texas border counties of Kinney, Maverick and Val Verde. The department already recommends the testing in six Zika continues on A6
THOUSANDS BRACE FOR SEVERE WEATHER
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Eric Gay / AP
In this Aug. 21 file photo, a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee is removed from the University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas.
University sued for removing statues ASSOCIATED PRE SS
tourist town about 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. If it does not lose significant strength, the system will come ashore as the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961’s Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record. Aside from the winds of 130 mph (201 kph) and storm surges up to 12 feet (4 meters), Harvey was expected to drop prodigious amounts of rain — up to 3 feet. The resulting flooding, one expert said, could be “the depths of which we’ve never seen.” Galveston-based storm surge expert Hal Needham said forecasts indicated that it was “becoming more and more likely that something really bad is going to happen.” At least one researcher predicted heavy damage that would linger for months or longer. “In terms of economic im-
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas is being sued for removing four Confederate statues from the main area of campus in Austin. The Sons of Confederate Veterans filed the lawsuit Wednesday, three days after the statues were quickly taken down following a late-night order from University President Greg Fenves. Three of the statues are of Confederate Postmaster John H. Reagan, and Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Albert Sidney Johnston. The fourth is of former governor James Stephen Hogg, who was the son of a Confederate veteran. Fenves said while the university aims to preserve and study history, it must also acknowledge when history runs counter to the university’s core values. “Erected during the period of Jim Crow laws and segregation, the statues represent the subjugation of African-Americans. That remains true today for white supremacists who use them to symbolize hatred and bigotry,” Fenves said. The removals followed the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school said the three statues of Confederate military and political leaders will be moved to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Hogg’s statute may be re-installed at a different campus
Harvey continues on A6
Statues continues on A6
Nick Wagner / AP
The USS Lexington, an aircraft carrier turned museum, rests in Corpus Christi Bay as waters begin to turn rough around Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday.
Category 4 storm to make landfall near Corpus Christi By Michael Graczyk and Frank Bajak A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With time running out, tens of thousands of people fled Friday from the path of an increasingly menacing-looking Hurricane Harvey as it took aim at a wide swath of the Texas Gulf Coast that includes oil refineries, chemical plants and dangerously flood-prone Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned that the monster system would be “a very major disaster,” and the forecasts drew fearful comparisons to Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest ever to strike the U.S. “We know that we’ve got millions of people who are going to feel the impact of this storm,” said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman and meteorologist for the National Hurricane Center. “We really pray that people are listening to their emergency managers and get
Ryan Pelham / AP
A sign above Interstate 10 in Beaumont, Texas, warns travelers to stay away from the coast as Hurricane Harvey bears down on the state on Friday.
out of harm’s way.” Fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, Harvey grew rapidly, accelerating from a Category 1 early in the morning to a Category 4 by evening. Its transformation from an un-
named storm to a life-threatening behemoth took only 56 hours, an incredibly fast intensification. Landfall was predicted for late Friday or early Saturday near Rockport, a fishing-and-
Zin brief A2 | Saturday, August 26, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Football Tailgating Cook-Off. 2 p.m. - 11 p.m. Uni-Trade Stadium. Event will feature cook-off competitions, brisket tasting/sampling for People's Choice from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., car show, live music, food vendors, arts & crafts and merchandise vendors and much more. For more information, contact LULAC Council 14 at 956-286-9055
Today is Saturday, Aug. 26, the 238th day of 2017. There are 127 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History: On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing American women's right to vote, was certified in effect by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.
MONDAY, AUG. 28 Google Computer Science Club. 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. McKendrick Ochoa Salinas Branch Library. 1920 Palo Blanco. This free program is limited to 18 participants each week. Participants, ages 12-17, will receive community hours. Learn to code social media projects with the Scratch programming language.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
THURSDAY, AUG. 31 Spanish Book Club. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Joe A Guerra Public Library off Calton Road. For info, call Sylvia Reash 7631810,
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 6 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
A crowd listens to speakers at a rally organized by city officials ahead of politically conservative rallies scheduled for this weekend outside of City Hall in San Francisco on Friday.
PEOPLE STAND AGAINST HATE IN SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO — Hundreds of people rallied raucously and danced against hate Friday in advance of a conservative “free speech” rally over the weekend near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco that civic leaders worry might turn violent. People held signs that read “Unite Against Hate” and cheered religious and elected officials who took the microphone to speak of love and champion diversity in a city that famously prides itself as a sanctuary for gays, minorities and people who are in the country illegally.
Pot bundle launched over US-Mexico border fence PHOENIX — Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona have seized a nearly 100-pound bundle of marijuana after spotting it flying over the border fence. Surveillance video on Wednesday captured the large package launching through the air over the fence from Mexico
Hip-hop artist MC Hammer railed against the hate that killed leaders in the 1960s, including President John F. Kennedy and Malcolm X. “Hate is dangerous and we can’t sit back and say, well, let them demonstrate it’ll go away,” he told the cheering crowd. Police in San Francisco are bracing for possible conflict Saturday when a group called Patriot Prayer hosts a “freedom rally” at Crissy Field near the foot of the Golden Gate to the dismay of Mayor Ed Lee and other Democrats who say the group invites hate.
to the U.S. Agents on the ground found a large, plasticwrapped bundle worth about $48,000. Spokeswoman Stephanie Dixon said drug smugglers are increasingly launching massive bundles of pot over the border fence, posing a danger to nearby residents and businesses because of their weight. She said she knew of one incident in which a bundle went through the roof of a dog house. Dixon said she didn’t have handy the number of such
cases over the last few years. “Not only is it illegal activity but it’s extremely dangerous to the public,” she said. It’s unclear what smugglers used to launch this particular package, but in the past they’ve used home-made catapults and air cannons. Sending a bundle that heavy over a fence that stands between 18 and 23 feet high would require a powerful launcher. Dixon said agents can sometimes hear the packages being launched. — Compiled from AP reports
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, OCT. 7 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, NOV. 4 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
Deportations on the rise in Canada amid migrant influx
Al Diaz / TNS
The migrant camp is expanded by the military located on the Canadian border on Aug. 12.
shift shelter and the army set up tents at the border. The Canadian government has warned migrants not to enter the country illegally and declare asylum, noting that many will be turned away because economic reasons are not a reason that will get you asylum. Many migrants said they left the U.S. fearing deportation
due to increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump and believing Canada would automatically give them residence, only to experience a rude awakening upon arrival. Only 52 percent of the Haitians who had their claims resolved last year were granted asylum. — Compiled from AP reports
KILLEEN, Texas — Police say a 34-year-old man has died after being shot while inside a Central Texas house that was hit by gunfire from outside. Killeen police say no one has been arrested in the deadly drive-by shooting before dawn Friday. A police statement says officers responded to a 911 call about
Five years ago: In the face of approaching Tropical Storm Isaac, Republicans pushed back the start of their national convention in Tampa, Florida, by a day. Lydia Ko, a 15-yearold South Korean-born New Zealander, won the Canadian Women's Open to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history and only the fifth amateur champion. Japan limited Tennessee's potent lineup to two hits in a 12-2 victory in the Little League World Series title game.
Today's Birthdays: Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is 72. Rhythm-and-blues singer Valerie Simpson is 72. Pop singer Bob Cowsill is 68. Broadcast journalist Bill Whitaker is 66. Actor Brett Cullen is 61. NBA coach Stan Van Gundy is 58. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 57. Country musician Jimmy Olander (Diamond Rio) is 56. Actor Chris Burke is 52. Actress-singer Shirley Manson (Garbage) is 51. Rock musician Dan Vickrey (Counting Crowes) is 51. TV writer-actress Riley Weston is 51. Rock musician Adrian Young (No Doubt) is 48. Actress Melissa McCarthy is 47. Latin pop singer Thalia is 46. Actress Meredith Eaton is 43. Rock singermusician Tyler Connolly (Theory of a Deadman) is 42. Actor Mike Colter is 41. Actor Macaulay Culkin is 37. Actor Chris Pine is 37. Actor Johnny Ray Gill is 33. Country singer Brian Kelley (Florida Georgia Line) is 32. Rhythmand-blues singer Cassie Ventura is 31. Actor Evan Ross is 29. Actor Dylan O'Brien is 26. Actress Keke Palmer is 24. Thought for Today: "Suffering belongs to no language." — Adelia Prado, Brazilian poet.
CONTACT US
AROUND TEXAS Man inside home killed by shots fired into house
Ten years ago: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out at American critics, saying Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democrats who were calling for his ouster should "come to their senses" and stop treating Iraq like "one of their villages." The $95 million Hawaii Superferry made its maiden run from Oahu to Maui, the first passenger ferry service between the islands. (However, the ferry went out of business two years later.) Warner Robins, Georgia, won the Little League World Series title with a 3-2 victory over Tokyo.
One year ago: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem before the Niners played host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game, saying he believed the United States was oppressing African Americans and other minorities.
AROUND THE WORLD
TORONTO — Canada has stepped up deportations of migrants this year as a surge of asylum seekers enter the country illegally from the United States. Canada Border Services Agency said Thursday there have been a total of 5,529 deportations as of Tuesday compared to 7,357 in all of 2016. The number of deportations to Mexico jumped from 433 last year to 719 this year. Canada waived a visa requirement for Mexicans last December. Deportations to Haiti have surged to 474 this year from 100 for all of last year. More than 80 percent of the migrants entering Canada in recent weeks are Haitian. More 4,000 migrants have crossed into Canada illegally in the last three weeks, straining the system to the point where officials turned a domed stadium into a make-
On this date: In 1789, France's National Assembly adopted its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. In 1817, the University of Michigan was founded. In 1939, the first televised major league baseball games were shown on experimental station W2XBS: a double-header between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. In 1944, French Gen. Charles de Gaulle braved the threat of German snipers as he led a victory march in Paris, which had just been liberated by the Allies from Nazi occupation. In 1957, the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for a term of office in his own right at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1968, the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago; the four-day event that resulted in the nomination of Hubert H. Humphrey for president was marked by a bloody police crackdown on antiwar protesters in the streets. In 1972, the summer Olympics games opened in Munich, West Germany. In 1986, in the so-called "preppie murder case," 18-year-old Jennifer Levin was found strangled in New York's Central Park; Robert Chambers later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 15 years in prison. In 1996, Democrats opened their 42nd national convention in Chicago. In 2015, Alison Parker, a reporter for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, Virginia, and her cameraman, Adam Ward, were shot to death during a live broadcast by a disgruntled former station employee who fatally shot himself while being purused by police.
a shooting victim inside a residence. Police arrived to find Glenroy Joseph Smith Jr. was critically hurt. Smith was transported to a hospital, where he later died. — Compiled from AP reports
Soldier busted in scheme to send guns to Indonesia A U.S. Army soldier who participated in a scheme to buy
guns and send them to a security detail for Indonesia’s president and vice president has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Audi Sumilat, of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty last year in New Hampshire. Twenty-three guns were recovered. Authorities say Sumilat joined a conspiracy to buy guns in Texas and New Hampshire for members of the Indonesian Presidential Guard. — Compiled from AP reports
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Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, August 26, 2017 |
A3
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Cowboys, Raiders are set for preseason peeks at key players By Schuyler Dixon ASSOCIATED PRE SS
LM Otero / Associated Press
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will be playing for the first and likely last time of the preseason Saturday when Dallas takes on the Raiders.
ARLINGTON, Texas — A long and eventful preseason comes down to this for the Dallas Cowboys: a handful of plays for Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Dez Bryant that figure to be their only snaps together until late October. As for the Oakland Raiders in their exhibition visit to Texas on Saturday night, they’re planning a brief appear-
ance for Pro Bowl left tackle Donald Penn just three days after he ended his training camp holdout. Prescott and Elliott, the sensational rookie quarterback-running back combo that helped the Cowboys to a 13-3 record last season, weren’t in the backfield together the first three preseason games this year. Elliott, last year’s NFL rushing leader, should make his exhibi-
tion debut against the Raiders. It’s the same plan from a year ago when he appeared in just one preseason game. But this year, Elliott is facing a sixgame suspension after the NFL concluded he used physical force against his girlfriend at the time last summer in Ohio. If Elliott’s appeal of the ruling is denied, his first regular-season game won’t be until Oct. 29 against Washington.
“Typically, the running backs in this league don’t play that much in the preseason,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Those guys just seem to have a feel, they can get a feel for what they need to do in practice if the practice is competitive and you’re practicing in the right environment, which we believe we do.” Penn skipped the first 26 days of camp with the Raiders before reporting Wednesday and getting in two practices.
BOXING: MAYWEATHER VS. MCGREGOR
MUCH-HYPED FIGHT FINALLY ARRIVES By Tim Dahlberg A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor has been kept pretty much under wraps ever since his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was announced, emerging occasionally to trash Mayweather only to disappear again behind the closed doors of the UFC training center. It’s not by accident. The biggest selling point of the spectacle that is Saturday night’s 154pound fight is the unknown. Is McGregor good enough to land a big punch on Mayweather? Did he acquire enough boxing skills in just a few short months to make what should be a lopsided fight competitive? Inquiring minds want to know, and there are enough of them to make this the most watched fight in history. Some 50 million people in the U.S. alone are expected to gather with friends and family to see it all unfold. “I will be the king of both sports,” McGregor crowed. “I’m already the king of fighting, I’ll soon be the king of boxing.” Not so fast, said Mayweather, who comes from a boxing family and famously began throwing punches before he could walk. “After 21 years I’ve been hit with everything and I’m still right here,” Mayweather said. “If you
John Locher / Associated Press
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor face off after weighing in Friday in Las Vegas the day before their much-anticipated showdown.
give it you must be able to take it.” It’s a fight that really makes no sense other than millions of people want to watch it. But the economics of the fight wouldn’t make any sense, either, if people saw McGregor — the UFC star who has never boxed professionally — in action and decided he just wasn’t good enough to be in the ring with a fighter like Mayweather. No mystique, no 5 million buys on Showtime pay-per-view. That’s
why there was never any chance of McGregor having a tuneup fight. And that is why the only boxing anyone outside McGregor’s inner circle has seen was him hitting the heavy bag in a comical media day performance and a few seconds of a UFC clip purportedly showing him knocking down Showtime announcer and former fighter Paulie Malignaggi. No worries, said McGregor, who says his boxing talents shouldn’t
be underestimated. “I’ve been lacing up the gloves my entire existence,” McGregor said. “Of course, we will come with a different approach than people are used to, we will paint many pictures inside the ring. It’s not going to end well for Floyd. It’s not going to end well for all the people who are doubting me and are so convinced that this is what it is.” McGregor’s fan base is driving this fight, united in their fervent hope that the Irish UFC champion
can muscle Mayweather around the ring and deliver knockout punches to his head. Sports books in this gambling city have taken so many longshot wagers on McGregor winning by a knockout early that they will suffer their worst loss ever should it actually happen. What should be a 100-1 fight began as 11-1 in Mayweather’s favor. Now it’s 5-1, though a lot of big money — including a few million-dollar bets — has been wagered on May-
weather in recent days. “I don’t see him lasting two rounds,” McGregor said. “He messed up with the 8-ounce gloves. Keep your hands up, keep them down. I don’t care. I’m going to break through whatever is in front of me.” For the flamboyant McGregor the fight is a chance to make money he couldn’t dream of in the UFC and gain a fan base outside of mixed martial arts. Estimates vary, but he could take home $100 million for a challenge of Mayweather that seemed improbable when he first started talking about it two years ago. He’s got youth on his side (he’s 29 and Mayweather is 40), and he’ll probably go in the ring much heavier than Mayweather after rehydrating following Friday’s weigh-in. He’s also got a reputation as a big puncher and the prevailing wisdom is he’ll try to maul Mayweather much like Marcos Maidana did in their 2014 fight. Other than that, everything favors Mayweather. He’s unbeaten in 49 fights as a pro and has a chance to pass Rocky Marciano on the perfect record list with win No. 50. Not only has he beaten every fighter put in front of him but he’s found ways to deal with big punchers like Miguel Cotto, Diego Corrales and Canelo Alvarez.
Zopinion
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A4 | Saturday, August 26, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COMMENTARY
OTHER VIEWS
Trump is no Republican By John C. Danforth WA S H INGT ON P O ST
Many have said that President Donald Trump isn’t a Republican. They are correct, but for a reason more fundamental than those usually given. Some focus on Trump’s differences from mainstream GOP policies, but the party is broad enough to embrace different views, and Trump agrees with most Republicans on many issues. Others point to the insults he regularly directs at party members and leaders, but Trump is not the first to promote self above party. The fundamental reason why Trump isn’t a Republican is far bigger than words or policies. He stands in opposition to the founding principle of our party - that of a united country. We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, and our founding principle is our commitment to holding the nation together. This brought us into being just before the Civil War. The first resolution of the platform at the party’s first national convention states in part that “the union of the States must and shall be preserved.” The issue then was whether we were one nation called the United States or an assortment of sovereign states, each free to go its own way. Lincoln believed that we were one nation, and he led us in a war to preserve the Union. That founding principle of the party is also a founding principle of the United States. Even when we were a tiny fraction of our present size and breadth, the framers of our Constitution understood the need for holding ourselves together, whatever our differences. They created a constitutional structure and a Bill of Rights that would accommodate within one nation all manner of interests and opinions. Americans honor that principle in the national motto on the presidential seal: “e pluribus unum” - “out of many, one.” Today, the United States is far more diverse than when we were a nation of 3 million people, but the principle remains the same: We are of many different backgrounds, beliefs, races and creeds, and we are one. The Republican Party has a long history of standing for a united country. Theodore Roosevelt raised up the ordinary people of his day and championed their cause against abusive trusts. Dwight Eisenhower used the army to integrate a Little Rock high school. George H.W.
Bush signed the most important civil rights legislation in more than a quarter-century, a bill authored by Republican senators. George W. Bush stood before Congress and the nation and defended Muslims after 9/11. Our record hasn’t been perfect. When we have pushed the agenda of the Christian right, we have seemed to exclude people who don’t share our religious beliefs. We have seemed unfriendly to gay Americans. But our long history has been to uphold the dignity of all of God’s people, and to build a country welcoming to all. Now comes Trump, who is exactly what Republicans are not, who is exactly what we have opposed in our 160-year history. We are the party of the Union, and he is the most divisive president in our history. There hasn’t been a more divisive person in national politics since George Wallace. It isn’t a matter of occasional asides, or indiscreet slips of the tongue uttered at unguarded moments. Trump is always eager to tell people that they don’t belong here, whether it’s Mexicans, Muslims, the transgendered or another group. His message is, “You are not one of us,” the opposite of “e pluribus unum.” And when he has the opportunity to unite Americans, to inspire us, to call out the most hateful among us, the KKK and the neoNazis, he refuses. To my fellow Republicans: We cannot allow Donald Trump to redefine the Republican Party. That is what he is doing, as long as we give the impression by our silence that his words are our words and his actions are our actions. We cannot allow that impression to go unchallenged. As has been true since our beginning, we Republicans are the party of Lincoln, the party of the Union. We believe in our founding principle. We are proud of our illustrious history. We believe that we are an essential part of presentday American politics. Our country needs a responsibly conservative party. But our party has been corrupted by this hateful man, and it is now in peril. In honor of our past and in belief in our future, for the sake of our party and our nation, we Republicans must disassociate ourselves from Trump by expressing our opposition to his divisive tactics and by clearly and strongly insisting that he does not represent what it means to be a Republican.
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letter. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
COMMENTARY
How President Trump should respond to Hurricane Harvey By Hugh Hewitt WASHINGTON P O ST
It’s no secret that how a president responds to a natural disaster can affect his fortunes. President Barack Obama’s reaction to Hurricane Sandy contributed significantly to his 2012 reelection. President George W. Bush’s fumbled response to Hurricane Katrina was part of a ruinous sequence of events in 2005 that destroyed his second term’s political momentum. Neither event was exclusive in its impact Obama benefited greatly from moderator Candy
Crowley’s intervention in a presidential debate with Mitt Romney, for example, and Harriet Miers’s failed nomination to the Supreme Court greatly hurt Bush’s standing - but major disasters always amplify the president’s role as national leader and cheerleader. A welltimed visit to the site of a terrible loss of property and often lives rallies residents, raises money and reduces hopelessness. So, here’s some specific advice for President Donald Trump. First, watch all of the coverage closely. Speak
with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, and Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long often. If you must tweet, tweet only about the storm and its impacts. Don’t golf or dine out. Act as a concerned family member would when news of a family tragedy arrives but details are few. Avoid all other controversies. Then, do as you did in the aftermath of the flooding in Louisiana last summer. Show up and pitch in when Abbott invites you. And some advice for my colleagues in the media: Be very slow to
politicize this storm. It looks to be quite awful in its impacts. The pull of domestic politics generally and the president specifically on every story is so strong these days that it takes great intentionality to not make this an occasion for another round of Trump trashing or boosterism. And, crucially, if people express online or on air that they are praying for the victims of the storm, ditch the snarky assaults on such traditional expressions. It’s not a sentiment. It’s a real and often cherished act and gift.
COMMENTARY
Democrats might not lose any ground in the Senate By Jennifer Rubin WASHINGTON P O ST
Conventional wisdom has it that Senate Democrats, who will have to defend 25 seats, including 10 in states that Trump won in 2016, are likely to lose ground in the 2018 midterms. The numbers alone would make it hard for Republicans not to gain ground, right? Well, as things are playing out, Republicans might make no gains or even lose a seat. Talk of Democratic Senate losses may be overblown, given how adroitly many red-state Democrats have navigated (so far) through the Trump presidency. Stalwart defense of Medicaid and opposition to an unpopular Republican health-care bill but more conservative votes for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch allow moderates like Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., to keep their base intact without getting tagged as “Washington liberals” by GOP opponents. In some cases, Trump undercut his party’s chances of picking up a seat. He selected as his interior secretary former congressman Ryan Zinke,
R-Mont., and potential Montana challenger to Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. Meanwhile, in Alabama, Trump’s support for the less kooky Republican candidate, Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala. who was appointed to fill Jeff Sessions’s seat doesn’t seem to have helped. (The governor who appointed Strange, however, was forced to resign in disgrace. ) Gadfly, birther and ex-judge (who was booted off the bench twice, once for putting the Ten Commandments up behind his bench and again for refusing to recognize gay marriage after the Supreme Court ruled otherwise) Roy Moore is leading Strange by almost 20 points in two separate polls. (Even an internal poll shows Strange trailing by 4 points.) Hard as it is to imagine, if Moore wins the primary the GOP might lose the seat, knocking their Senate advantage down to 51-49. (Even with Moore, the GOP would seem to have the advantage.) And, most egregiously, Trump has made life miserable for both Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., whom he accused of being “weak on borders, weak on crime” at his Arizona
rally this week and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., the most vulnerable Republican, someone who got in Trump’s cross hairs over Obamacare’s repeal. (He eventually voted for repeal, annoying just about everyone.) Democrats may have able challengers in both races. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., has not formally announced but would be a solid, moderate challenger; in Nevada, Democrats snared their top pick, Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Kyle Kondik, from Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, comes to the conclusion that this adds up to a status-quo election. that is, no change in the 52-48 split: “Applying the historical averages to next year’s Senate elections would result - drumroll please in a net party change of. . .zero seats. If 91% of the Democrats/Democraticcaucusing independents are reelected, that would be 23 out of 25, and if 75% of the Republicans are reelected, that would be six of eight, leading to no net change. “Without making any predictions, such a scenario is plausible: Democrats could lose two of the incumbents defending dark red states, in states
such as Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia, but otherwise hold everything else, while Republicans could lose the only two seemingly vulnerable seats among their much smaller stable of incumbent-held states: Arizona and Nevada. It’s very likely then, that in part because of Trump, Republicans lose both toss-up states (Nevada, Arizona) while Democrats keep their losses to two (Indiana, Missouri). As Kondik observes, “Ask any Senate observer or campaign participant which Democratic senator is most vulnerable and you’re likely to get one of two responses: either Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) or Claire McCaskill (D-MO). . . . One potential new vulnerability for Donnelly is a recent Associated Press report that his family’s company benefited from low-cost Mexican labor even as Donnelly has argued against outsourcing.” But, of course, if there is a wave election and despondent Republicans stay home, it would not be impossible for the GOP to lose both its most vulnerable senators and Democrats to save one or both of their own.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, August 26, 2017 |
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, August 26, 2017 |
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Zfrontera RIBEREÑA EN BREVE Consulado móvil 1 El Consulado General de México en Laredo tendrá el Consulado Móvil en la Ciudad de Roma el sábado 26 de agosto de 8 a.m. a 1:30 p.m. Centro Mundial de las Aves ubicado en la Plaza Histórica. Esquina de Portscheller St. y Convent Ave. Se realizarán los servicios de trámite de pasaporte mexicano, matrícula consular, credencial para votar, y actas de nacimiento entre otros servicios. Se requiere programar cita en http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/ mcallen/ o en la aplicación móvil mi Miconsulmex o llamar al teléfono 1877-MEXITEL
Regreso a clases 1 El primer día de clases para las escuelas del distrito escolar Zapata Independent School District se realizará el 28 de agosto.
Sociedad genealógica 1 La Sociedad Genealógica Nuevo Santander invita a su reunión el sábado 9 de septiembre a las 2 p.m. en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata. Moisés Garza, Somos Primos/We Are Cousins, presentará: “Recursos para obtener el máximo de su ADN”. Admisión 5 dólares. Evento gratuito para miembros de la sociedad.
HURACÁN
MIGUEL ALEMÁN, MX
Desastre mayor Comparan a Harvey con Katrina Por Michael Graczyk ASSOCIATED PRE SS
HOUSTON — Decenas de miles de personas en Texas se apresuraban el viernes por tomar refugio o salirse del paso del huracán Harvey, que enfilaba hacia el estado con potencial de lanzar fuertes vientos y densos aguaceros contra refinerías, plantas químicas y viviendas. El gobernador de Texas Greg Abbott advirtió que la tormenta causará “un desastre mayor” y los pronósticos exhibían una escalofriante similitud con las condiciones del huracán Katrina, uno de los más mortíferos en la historia del país. "Sabemos que habrá millones de personas que sufrirán los efectos de esta tormenta", dijo Dennis Feltgen, portavoz del Centro Nacional de Huracanes. "Rogamos que la gente le haga caso al personal de emergencia y busque refugio rápidamente”. Las condiciones en la costa texana del Golfo de México se deterioraban el viernes a medida que el
huracán iba cobrando más fuerza y avanzaba hacia el estado. Los meteorólogos advirtieron que la gente apresurar los preparativos y evacuaciones. Millones de personas se preparaban para un prolongado azote de la tormenta, que podría ser el huracán más feroz que toca tierra en Estados Unidos en casi 12 años. Los meteorólogos dijeron que Harvey conlleva “peligro de muerte” y representa un “grave riesgo”, agregando que podría empapar varios condados ubicados a más de 161 kilómetros de la costa. Atizado por las aguas tibias del Golfo de México, Harvey alcanzó la categoría 4 el viernes por la tarde, con vientos sostenidos máximos de 209 kilómetros por hora (130 millas por hora), informó el Centro Nacional de Huracanes. Las bandas de lluvia de la tormenta llegaron a la costa el viernes, con un incremento en el nivel de la marea y fuertes vientos. Brock Long, director de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias, dijo que la ventana para
las evacuaciones se estaba cerrando rápidamente. "Texas va a ser impactado por un gran huracán", dijo Long a "Good Morning America". "Vamos a ver una cantidad significativa de lluvias en los próximos tres días. Van a haber daños". Está previsto que Harvey toque tierra en la costa central de Texas, entre Port O'Connor y la bahía de Matagorda. Esta es una franja costera de 48 kilómetros (30 millas) a unos 110 kilómetros (alrededor de 70 millas) de Corpus Christi, Texas. La tormenta tiene el potencial de traer vientos de 200 kilómetros por hora (125 millas por hora) y olas de hasta 3,6 metros (12 pies) de alto, de acuerdo con el Centro Nacional de Huracanes. Harvey pasó rápidamente el jueves de depresión tropical a huracán de categoría 1. En la madrugada del viernes, el centro actualizó su estatus elevando su peligrosidad en un grado. La última tormenta de igual potencia en EU fue el huracán Wilma, que llegó a Florida en octubre de 2005.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Miguel Alemán
Un semental de alta calidad genética es exhibido en las instalaciones de la Asociación Ganadera Local de Miguel Alemán, México, con el objetivo de que se fortalezca el sector ganadero.
Buscan mejorar genética en ganado E SPECIAL PARA TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Un evento que beneficia a los ganaderos de Miguel Alemán, México, fue llevado a cabo en la Asociación Ganadera de esta localidad, el viernes. El evento beneficia a los ganaderos con sementales de registro para mejorar la genética de
sus hatos ganaderos. La alcaldesa de la ciudad fronteriza, Rosa Icela Corro Acosta, reconoció el gran trabajo que realiza la Asociación Ganadera Local y la Unidad Ganadera Regional de Tamaulipas; así como el apoyo del gobernador, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca hacia este sector.
ZAPATA COUNTY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOCHE DE CONOZCA AL MAESTRO
Retiro religioso 1 Grupo de Oración del Divino Niño Jesús invita al mini-retiro por el 12avo. aniversario Divino Niño Jesús el sábado 9 de septiembre, de 12 p.m. a 5 p.m. en la Iglesia La Sagrada Familia de Los Sáenz, Texas
Noche mexicana 1 La Ciudad de Roma invita a la Noche Mexicana que se celebrará el 14 de septiembre de 7 p.m. a 11 p.m. Disfrute de bailes folclóricos y antojitos mexicanos en la Plaza Guadalupe de la Ciudad de Roma.
Festival Nuevo Santander 1 La Sociedad Genealógica Nueva Santander invita al Festival Nuevo Santander el 13 y 14 de octubre de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata.
Caminata contra cáncer 1 Walk All Over Cancer! en su cuarta caminata anual. Inscripciones en el Ayuntamiento llamando al 956-8491411 x 9241 o en el 956-844-1428. Caminata iniciará en Citizens State Bank o en el Centro Comuniario de Roma el sábado 21 de octubre.
Aniversario de Ciudad de Roma 1 La ciudad de Roma invita al 250 aniversario de su fundación el sábado 14 de noviembre de 2015, de 8 a.m. a 11:30 p.m.
Pago de impuestos 1 Pagos de impuestos prediales de Ciudad de Roma se harán en Oficina de Impuestos.
Foto de cortesía | ZCISD
‘Super héroes’ de la escuela primaria Zapata South Elementary recibieron a los menores y a sus padres durante el evento “Meet the Teacher Night”, el jueves.
COLUMNA
Piratas frente a Tamaulipas Por Raúl Sinencio Chávez TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Remoto y extenso, el noreste costero de la Nueva España permanece mal guarnecido. Justo ahí se registra en distintas fechas la presencia de piratas. Aunque esporádicas, sus incursiones dejan huella. Tundido por el virrey Martín Enríquez de Almanza, huye del puerto de Veracruz en 1568 el bucanero inglés John Hawkins. Navega hacia el norte con maltrecha flota. Tanto escasean los víveres, que el 8 de octubre desembarca a 114 compinches en la barra de Ostiones, hoy municipio de Altamira, Tamaulipas. Bajan en tierras de aborígenes sustraí-
dos todavía a la conquista, que les permiten el paso. “Visto por ellos … cuán desfallecidos estábamos, (mediante señas) nos indicaron (…) el” camino a cercano vecindario del virreinato. Caminan en busca de Pueblo Viejo, sobre la margen veracruzana del río Pánuco. “Estaba a diez leguas”, dice Miles Phillips, del grupo abandonado por Hawkins. “Llegados al” flanco tamaulipeco del cauce fluvial –complementa Job Hortop–, “vinieron a nosotros” los “españoles … Conocían que éramos de los que habían peleado contra sus paisanos” en Veracruz. El alcalde Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva ordena conducirlos “presos a (la villa de) Pánu-
co”. Y de allí nos enviaron a (la Ciudad de] México –explica Hortop–, que está a noventa leguas)”, juzgándolos por herejes luteranos la Inquisición, recién instaurada. Cerca de Haití, la isla de la Tortuga más adelante da refugio a filibusteros que forman los Hermanos de la Costa. En dicha cofradía mucho destaca el holandés Laurent Graff, alias Lorencillo. Cobra éste triste fama por asolar los puertos de Campeche y Veracruz durante el último tercio del siglo XVII. Con el piloto Ricardo Quadre al frente, en la bocana del Pánuco secuaces de Lorencillo hacen lo suyo. Arriban el 23 de abril de 1684 a bordo de la fragata “Presbíteros” y cuatro balandras, as-
estándole tremendo golpe a Pueblo Viejo, por entonces única localidad en la ribera extrema. Ni siquiera la iglesia se libra del pillaje. En plenos desmanes, el 8 de mayo acude la Armada de Barlovento, que somete y captura a 104 malandros. Terminan 90 “aherrojados en parte segura” de la urbe jarocha para remitirlos a España, aplicándose “en capitanes o cabezas la pena de horca” el 14 de junio, asientan los documentos respectivos. Pese al severo castigo –añaden–, bien pronto “habían vuelto los enemigos a entrar en” la misma población “con cuatro embarcaciones”, ante la falta de “castillo o fortín en que poder defenderse” aquellos litorales.
A6 | Saturday, August 26, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
FROM THE COVER
California death penalty fight shifts By Sudhin Thanawala and Don Thompson A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SAN FRANCISCO — Supporters of capital punishment in California claimed victory after the state Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved measure to speed up death sentences, but they still have to clear a major obstacle before executions can resume: Getting approval for a new lethal injection method. The next step in that fight is expected on Friday, when state corrections officials plan to seek regulatory approval for a revised drug protocol to execute inmates. The new regulations would allow California’s death row inmates to be executed using one of two different drugs or choose the gas chamber. The state is acting after what critics say are years of delaying tactics by Democratic office-holders who have been in no hurry to resume carrying out the death penalty. Among other things, the justices’ decision upholding Proposition 66 ends the requirement that prison officials receive approval from state regulators for their new lethal injection plan. Corrections officials, however, said they would still submit the revised regulations to the state Office of Administrative Law and follow the normal regulatory process until the justices’ decision becomes final. Kent Scheidegger, legal director of the Criminal
ZIKA From page A1 South Texas counties — Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata. Zika can cause severe
PROTEST From page A1 project, which was cornerstone of Trump’s presidential campaign and has been flashpoint for his critics. The Trump administration said last month
STATUES From page A1 location, Fenves said. The statues were paid for by former University of Texas regent and Confederate veteran George Littlefield in 1920. The lawsuit argues the school broke its agreement with Littlefield by removing the statues. One of the plain-
Eric Risberg / AP
This 2010 file photo shows the interior of the lethal injection facility at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, California.
Justice Legal Foundation, isn’t bothered by their decision even though his organization had to sue to pressure corrections officials into adopting the new execution regulations after three years of delays. “That’s cautious but I can’t say that being cautious is a bad thing, because they know they’re going to be sued — they always are,” he said. The high court’s decision could become final as soon as late next month, although the court could extend that time for an additional 60 days. Once it becomes final, corrections officials will no longer need regulatory approval for the new lethal injection rules, so those will become final as well. The next step would then be for state officials to ask a federal judge and a Marin County superior court judge to lift separate longstanding injunctions that applied to California’s old way of executing inmates using a combina-
tion of three lethal drugs. Those injunctions have prevented the state from executing anyone since 2006. Under the new rules, corrections officials would choose between the powerful barbiturates pentobarbital or thiopental for each execution, depending on which one is available. They initially proposed using any one of four drugs, but they dropped two of them after opponents said those drugs had never been used in executions and questioned whether the drugs would be safe and effective. There may be other legal challenges to the final rules, however. Opponents already are objecting, for instance, that the rules allow the state to obtain the barbiturates from compounding pharmacies instead of manufacturers as the state attempts to work around a nationwide shortage of execution drugs.
birth defects in some cases when women are infected during pregnancy. Health officials say there’s no evidence of ongoing Zika transmission in Texas, but that the
nine-county area is at high risk of Zika spreading by mosquitoes because of its climate and geography. Health officials say that reports out of Mexico show local Zika transmission continues there.
the complaints by PennaGroup and another company had delayed the project until November. The administration had initially planned to begin construction in San Diego by June. The prototypes are expected to be awarded to
eight to ten companies for $200,000 to $500,000 each. Border officials say it should be impossible for people to climb on their own and impenetrable to sledgehammers and battery-operated tools trying to damage it for a full hour.
tiffs in the lawsuit is Steven Littlefield, a relative of George Littlefield. George Littlefield donated money and land to the school with the request that the university promote the “Southern perspective of American history.” “The university agreed to communicate political speech in perpetuity. Now, however, Pres. Fenves has
breached the university’s promise to communicate minority political speech,” the lawsuit said. A university spokesman said the school’s lawyers had carefully considered the decision. The association unsuccessfully sued the university in 2015 to stop the removal of a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Colorado bus aide sentenced in assault case By James Anderson ASSOCIATED PRE SS
BOULDER, Colo. — Over six days, Shiva Rai was kicked and hit, sprayed in the face with aerosol disinfectant, berated and told he was disgusting by an aide on a bus serving a Colorado school for autistic students. On Friday, the aide, 52-year-old Monica Burke, was sentenced to 20 months in jail and five years’ probation after she pleaded guilty in July to assaulting an at-risk person. She also was ordered to perform 360 hours of community service. The punishment came after Rai’s family reached a $3.85 million settlement from the St. Vrain Valley School District, which had
HARVEY From page A1 pact, Harvey will probably be on par with Hurricane Katrina,” said University of Miami senior hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. “The Houston area and Corpus Christi are going to be a mess for a long time.” Before the storm arrived, home and business owners raced to nail plywood over windows and fill sandbags. Steady traffic filled the highways leaving Corpus Christi, but there were no apparent jams. In Houston, where mass evacuations can include changing major highways to a oneway vehicle flow, authorities left traffic patterns unchanged. Federal health officials called in more than 400 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from around the nation and planned to move two 250-bed medical units to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Other federal medical units are available in Dallas. Just hours before the projected landfall, the governor and Houston leaders issued conflicting statements on evacuation. After Abbott urged more people to flee, Houston authorities told people to remain in their homes and recommended no widespread evacuations. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Friday tweeted “please think twice before trying to leave Houston en masse.” The spokesman of emergency operations in Harris County was even more direct, tweeting: “LOCAL LEADERS KNOW BEST.” At a convenience store in Houston’s Meyerland neighborhood, at least 12
employed Burke, family attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai said. District Judge Ingrid Bakke sentenced Burke after hearing emotional statements from Rai’s family and Burke, and the playing of excerpts of a school bus videotape showing Burke kicking a defenseless Rai and spraying him with the disinfectant. Courtroom spectators gasped and one uttered “my God” as the excerpts were shown. “You spray something toxic at something you want to kill,” Rai’s father, Vhim Rai, told the judge. “We pray and ask that no other at-risk person has to go through what we went through.” Burke’s sentencing capped a case that ex-
posed the vulnerabilities of those who are unable to report abuse — and are thus acutely at risk. The case drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which reached a compliance agreement with the school district that includes proper hiring and training of staff, ensuring bus camera footage is preserved for at least six months, and other conditions. About one in 68 schoolaged children have autism or related disorders, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in March. The effects can range from mild social interaction problems to repetitive behaviors and the inability to speak.
cars lined up for fuel. Brent Borgstedte said this was the fourth gas station he had visited to try to fill up his son’s car. The 55year-old insurance agent shrugged off Harvey’s risks. “I don’t think anybody is really that worried about it. I’ve lived here my whole life,” he said. “I’ve been through several hurricanes.” Scientists warned that Harvey could swamp counties more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) inland and stir up dangerous surf as far away as Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) from the projected landfall. It may also spawn tornadoes. Even after weakening, the system might spin out into the Gulf and regain strength before hitting Houston a second time Wednesday as a tropical storm, forecasters said. By late afternoon, the storm was centered about 60 miles (96 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi, moving 10 mph (17 kph) to the northwest. All seven Texas counties on the coast from Corpus Christi to the western end of Galveston Island ordered mandatory evacuations from lowlying areas. Four counties ordered full evacuations and warned there was no guarantee of rescue for people staying behind. Voluntary evacuations have been urged for Corpus Christi and for the Bolivar Peninsula, a sand spit near Galveston where many homes were washed away by the storm surge of Hurricane Ike in 2008. People in the town of Port Lavaca, population 12,200, appeared to heed the danger. The commu-
nity northeast of Corpus Christi was a ghost town Friday, with every business boarded up. But at a bayside RV park that looked vulnerable, John Bellah drove up in his pickup to have a look at an RV he had been told was for sale. He and his wife planned to ride out Harvey. “This is just going to blow through,” said Bellah, 72, who said he had been through Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Carla in 1961. He described those storms as “much worse.” State officials said they had no count on how many people actually left their homes. The storm posed the first major emergency management test of President Donald Trump’s administration. The White House said Trump was closely monitoring the hurricane and planned to travel to Texas early next week to view recovery efforts. The president was expected to receive briefings during the weekend at Camp David. Trump’s homeland security and counterterrorism adviser, Tom Bossert, said the administration was “bringing together the firepower of the federal government to assist the state and local governments, but the state and local governments are in the lead here.” The last Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. was Hurricane Charley in August 2004 in Florida. Superstorm Sandy, which pummeled New York and New Jersey in 2012, never had the high winds and had lost tropical status by the time it struck. But it was devastating without formally being called a major hurricane.