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ZAPATA COUNTY
FEDERAL COURT
Pot smuggler arrested
Suspect indicted in helping illegal migrants
Man allegedly had over 300 pounds of marijuana By César G. Rodriguez TH E ZAPATA T IME S
A man was arrested in Zapata for transporting over 300 pounds of marijuana, according to court documents. A criminal complaint filed Monday charged the suspect, Carlos Daniel Salazar, with conspiracy to possess with intent to dis-
tribute marijuana. On Sept. 10, a U.S. Border Patrol agent stopped a maroon 2002 Chevrolet Silverado along U.S. 83 in the Zapata area. The driver, who was identified as Salazar, allegedly failed to answer simple questions as vehicle ownership and his nationality. Salazar claimed he was picking up a truck part,
states the complaint. Authorities said Salazar’s hands were shaking when he handed over the driver’s license to the agent. A consent to search the vehicle led to the discovery of an auxiliary fuel tank that appeared to be new, according to reports. Agents alleged the tank contained black bundles of marijuana weighing 307
pounds. The contraband had an estimated street value of $245,600. Salazar, who admitted to a custodial interview, said he had dropped off the vehicle at a gas station in Roma to be loaded with the narcotics. Salazar had instructions to deliver the marijuana in Zapata in exchange of a $2,000 payment.
Man was caught near San Ygnacio By César G. Rodriguez
MEXICO CITY
THE ZAPATA TIME S
Protesters demanding ouster of President Enrique Peña Nieto By Elisabeth Malkin TH E N EW YORK T IME S
MEXICO CITY — As President Enrique Peña Nieto prepared for the beginning of Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations, protesters took to the streets of Peña Nieto capital Thursday to demand his resignation. Chanting “Peña out,” the mostly young crowd marched peacefully past the glass towers of the city’s main boulevard, Paseo de la
Reforma, in the waning afternoon light, hours before the president, whose government has been buffeted by a series of scandals and a weakening economy, was to formally start the long Independence Day weekend by ringing a bell on the balcony of the National Palace. “I am here because I want my country to have a political system that holds an official accountable for bad performance,” said Alberto Serdán, 37, a public policy researcher and blogger. With each crisis, Serdán added, the government “simply loses any notion of Protest continues on A11
Alfredo Estrella / Getty Images
Demonstrators protest against Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, demanding that he step down. Thousands of people protested in Mexico City, demanding that the president "resign now" over his handling of drug violence and corruption.
A man who tried to smuggle illegal immigrants through Zapata County in August has been indicted in a Laredo federal court. On Tuesday, a grand jury charged Bernardo Bernabe-Lira with conspiracy to transport undocumented people and attempt to transport undocumented people for financial gain. The case unfolded Aug. 21. A concerned citizen called the U.S. Border Station in Zapata regarding a white Ford F-150 loading up people coming out of the brush near San Ygnacio. Agents said they caught to a vehicle matching the description traveling north on U.S. 83. Authorities pulled over the vehicle to conduct an immigration inspection. Agents encountered the driver, BernabeLira, and seven additional occupants, according to court documents. Border Patrol said the seven passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico and Guatemala who were in the country illegally. Bernabe-Lira agreed to speak to authorities regarding the alleged smuggling attempt, according to court documents. He stated he was transporting the immigrants for money, the complaint states.
U.S. BORDER PATROL
IMMIGRATION SURGES AGAIN More illegal Central American immigrants are being apprehended By Eleanor Dearman and Travis Putnam Hill TEX A S T RIBUNE
For the second time in three years, the U.S. Border Patrol is apprehending more non-Mexicans than Mexicans along the southwest border, reflecting a renewed surge of Central American migrants fleeing violence and gang warfare in their home countries. Many of those apprehended are children traveling alone or in so-called “family units,” and come from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to newly released statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement. Nearly two-thirds of the apprehensions occurred within the Rio Grande Valley Border continues on A11
Martin do Nascimento / The Texas Tribune
In this March 8 photo, unaccompanied child migrants from Honduras voluntarily turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents near Roma, Texas. For the second time in three years, the Border Patrol is apprehending more non-Mexicans than Mexicans.
Zin brief A2 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
1
Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows. 2 p.m. TAMIU. “The Little Star That Could,” “Cosmic Adventure,” “Black Holes” and “A Starry Tale.” General admission is $5 and $4 for children, TAMIU students, faculty and staff. For more information, call 326-3663. 1 First-ever Rib Cage Chili CookOff and Trail Ride. Rib Cage Smokehouse, 3000 Jaime Zapata Memorial Highway. The event starts at 10 a.m. with a trail ride at the Webb-Zapata County Line and ends at the smokehouse. The family-fun festival, starting at 3 p.m. at the Rib Cage Smokehouse, will include a chili cook-off. A car show, pan de campo booths, music, and food vendors also will be available. Proceeds from the event will benefit Star of Hope. For trail ride information, call Rosy Gregory at 956-744-7505 or Cristina Estrada at 956-319-4080. For chili cook-off and vendor space, call Reno Garza at 956-324-8067 or The Rib Cage Smokehouse at 956-568-1563.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 1
Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally. Free. For all ages and skill levels. Instruction is offered.
Today is Saturday, Sept. 17, the 261st day of 2016. There are 105 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 17, 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty.
Uli Seit / The New York Times
Jahmal Lightfoot, center, outside the Bronx courthouse where six former New York City correction officers were sentenced to prison terms for his 2012 beating in Rikers Island.
OFFICERS HEAD TO PRISON IN BEATING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 1
Rock wall climbing. 4–5:30 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Take the challenge and climb the rock wall! Fun exercise for all ages. Free. Bring ID. Must sign release form. Every Tuesday. For more information, call 795-2400 x2520. 1 Down Syndrome Laredo Bowl-AThon. 5–8 p.m. Jett Bowl North, 5823 McPherson Road. Come support our children. Wear your blue and yellow for DS awareness. If you would like to purchase a lane, contact Priscilla Garcia at 333-9312. 1 Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows. 6 p.m. TAMIU. “Violent Universe” at 6 p.m. and “Led Zeppelin” at 7 p.m. General admission is $5 and $4 for children, TAMIU students, faculty and staff. For more information, call 326-3663. 1 TAMIU celebrates “Voces, Hispanic Heritage Month.” 6:30 p.m. Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library Helen Richter Watson Gallery and de la Chica Room. The exhibit, a series by Raquel Valle, features Chicana portraits. Valle will also recite some of her poetry. Three 5-minute documentaries created by TAMIU students will also be shown.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 1
University College Fair. 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. TAMIU Student Center. Play interactive games and learn more about TRiO, Advising and Mentoring, Testing, Learning, Writing and Service-Learning Centers. Books and prizes will be available. Admission is free and open to TAMIU students.
By Winnie Hu THE NEW YORK TIME S
NEW YORK — Six former New York City correction officers returned to Rikers Island — this time as inmates — after being sentenced Friday to prison terms of from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 years for their roles in the beating of an inmate there in 2012. The sentencing of the former officers in state Supreme Court in the Bronx came three months after they were convicted of first-degree attempted gang assault, the most serious offense, and other charges. While there have been other instances of
Jury undecided of German man’s sanity who set Los Angeles fires LOS ANGELES — A judge declared a mistrial Friday over whether a German man was sane when he set dozens of fires across Los Angeles during three nights of terror nearly five years ago. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George Lomeli declared the mistrial after jurors deadlocked in the
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 1
brutality against inmates, this case stood out because of the large number of officers involved, as well as the high rank of some of them. Prosecutors said Eliseo Perez Jr., an assistant chief for security, and Gerald Vaughn, a captain, ordered members of an elite squad to beat the inmate, Jahmal Lightfoot, after Perez decided Lightfoot was being insolent. Justice Steven Barrett sentenced Perez, Vaughn and four others — Jose Parra, Tobias Parker, Alfred Rivera and David Rodriguez — in a courtroom filled with their friends, relatives and fellow correction officers.
sanity phase of Harry Burkhart’s trial. The same jury previously found the former Frankfurt resident guilty of nearly 50 arson counts for fires he set around New Year’s 2012. Burkhart, 29, made good on threats to “roast America” to avenge his mother’s extradition to Germany on fraud charges, a prosecutor said. He placed fire-starting devices under cars in Hollywood, the San Fernando Valley and West Hollywood on three nights between Dec. 30, 2011, and Jan.
2, 2012, authorities said. Some vehicles were in carports and in 19 cases the fires spread to homes and apartments. No one was seriously injured during the fires that caused an estimated $3 million in damage, but the blazes ignited widespread fear. Defense attorney Steve Schoenfield argued that Burkhart was seriously mentally ill and asked jurors to find him insane. He said medical records from doctors in Germany had documented mental illness symptoms over many years. — Compiled from AP reports
“
Voces, Hispanic Heritage Month” lecture. 11 a.m. TAMIU Student Center, room 236. Admission is free and open to TAMIU students. 1 The annual TAMIU Chamber Music Festival. 7:30 p.m. Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 1
Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows. 2 p.m.–5 p.m. TAMIU LBV Planetarium, 5201 University Blvd. The Little Star that Could at 2 p.m.; Cosmic Adventure at 3 p.m.; Black Holes at 4 p.m.; A Starry Tale at 5 p.m. General Admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. Admission is $4 for TAMIU students, faculty and staff. The 2 p.m. show is $1 less. For more information call 326-DOME (3663).
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 1
Spaghetti lunch. Noon–1:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall, First United Methodist Church. No admission fee. Freewill donations accepted.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 1
Chess Club. 4–6 p.m. Every Monday. Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Compete in this cherished strategy game played internationally. Free. For all ages and skill levels. Instruction is offered.
AROUND THE WORLD Judge OKs extradition of British man on US hacking charges LONDON — A British man accused of hacking into U.S. military and government computer systems and stealing confidential information should be extradited to the United States to face trial, a judge ruled Friday. Judge Nina Tempia said Lauri Love faces “extremely serious charges,” and his extradition would not be disproportionate. At Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the judge said “I am satisfied Mr. Love’s extradition would be compatible with his (human) rights.” She said Love, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, “suffers from both physical and mental health issues,” but ruled that the U.S. prison system is capable of meeting his needs.
Matt Dunham / AP
British national Lauri Love, who is accused of hacking into U.S. government computers, speaks to the media and supporters.
Tempia sent the case to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who makes the final decision on extraditions. Love has 14 days to appeal the judgment to the High Court. U.S. prosecutors say 31-yearold Love hacked agencies including the U.S. Army, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the
Environmental Protection Agency between 2012 and 2013, stealing names, Social Security numbers and credit card information. Love, from Stradishall in eastern England, was arrested in 2013 on suspicion of computer crimes but has not been charged in Britain. — Compiled from AP reports
On this date: In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam (an-TEE’-tum) in Maryland. In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C. In 1937, the likeness of President Abraham Lincoln’s head was dedicated at Mount Rushmore. In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault. In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.) In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded “Sixteen Tons” by Merle Travis for Capitol Records in Hollywood. In 1966, “Mission: Impossible” premiered on CBS. In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.) In 1984, Progressive Conservative leader Brian Mulroney took office as Canada’s 18th prime minister. In 1986, the Senate confirmed the nomination of William H. Rehnquist to become the 16th chief justice of the United States. In 1996, Former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew died in Berlin, Maryland, at age 77. Ten years ago: Patricia Kennedy Lawford, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and ex-wife of actor Peter Lawford, died in New York City at age 82. Five years ago: A demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world. Charles H. Percy, 91, a Chicago businessman who became a U.S. senator and was once widely viewed as a top presidential contender, died in Washington. One year ago: General Motors agreed to pay $900 million to fend off criminal prosecution over the deadly ignition-switch scandal, striking a deal that brought criticism down on the Justice Department for not bringing charges against individual employees; GM also announced it would spend $575 million to settle the majority of the civil lawsuits filed over the scandal. Today’s Birthdays: Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 83. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 77. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 81. Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni is 73. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 71. Singer Fee Waybill is 66. Actress Cassandra Peterson (”Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”) is 65. Comedian Rita Rudner is 63. Muppeteer Kevin Clash (former voice of Elmo on “Sesame Street”) is 56. Director-actor Paul Feig is 54. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 54. Singer BeBe Winans is 54. TV personality /businessman Robert Herjavec (TV: “Shark Tank”) is 53. Actor Kyle Chandler is 51. Directorproducer Bryan Singer is 51. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 50. Actor Malik Yoba is 49. Rock singer Anastacia is 48. Rock musician Keith Flint (Prodigy) is 47. Actor Matthew Settle is 47. Rapper Vinnie (Naughty By Nature) is 46. Actor Felix Solis is 45. Rhythm-andblues singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 43. Actress-singer Nona Gaye is 42. Singer-actor Constantine Maroulis is 41. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 41. Pop singer Maile Misajon (Eden’s Crush) is 40. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is 37. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is 37. Actor Billy Miller is 37. Country singer Desi Wasdin (3 of Hearts) is 33. Rock musician Jon Walker is 31. Actress Danielle Brooks is 27. Actresssinger Denyse Tontz is 22. Thought for Today: “Governments exist to protect the rights of minorities. The loved and the rich need no protection — they have many friends and few enemies.” — Wendell Phillips, American abolitionist (1811-1884).
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 1
Rock wall climbing. 4–5:30 p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library, 202 W. Plum St. Take the challenge and climb the rock wall! Fun exercise for all ages. Free. Bring ID. Must sign release form. Every Tuesday. For more information, call 795-2400 x2520. 1 City of Laredo Comprehensive Plan’s Public Design Workshop (Charrette). 6 p.m. Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Community-wide kick-off event to mark the official start of a two-week public planning process. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 6, Plan Viva Laredo is hosting a public charrette, which is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others can collaborate on their vision for the comprehensive plan.
AROUND TEXAS Agencies since 2014 granted $430K in emergency leave AUSTIN — A review finds Texas agencies since 2014 have granted at least $430,000 in emergency leave to employees who already left their jobs. Details were released Thursday by the State Auditor’s Office, The Dallas Morning News reports. The audit was put together at the request of the House Committee on General
CONTACT US Investigating and Ethics. Severance pay is not allowed in Texas government. State law gives the heads of agencies unrestricted authority to give emergency leave for any reason and however long they choose. Seven agencies were asked to detail packages they offered to Texas employees since September 2014. Committee members asked the state to provide information on the agencies because they had been the subject of recent media reports. The auditor’s office said it didn’t
verify the information provided by the agencies. The newspaper reported that the review’s results are similar to finding from the newspaper’s analysis conducted in May. Six agencies reported paying ex-employees emergency leave for weeks and sometimes months after they left. Auditors found that more than $432,000 in taxpayer money was paid to 44 ex-employees. The money was paid out by the Teachers Retirement System. — Compiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
A3
STATE
Portland high school teacher’s ‘Conspiracy Week’ challenges students By Fares Sabawi COR P US CHRI ST I CALLER-TI ME S
PORTLAND, Texas — William Schuetz’s U.S. history class fell silent once he closed the door and walked into his classroom last May. “I don’t expect you to believe anything I tell you over the next eight days,” Schuetz told his students. “I came up with the idea of Conspiracy Week as a reward,” Schuetz told the Corpus Christi CallerTimes. “I’m not telling (the students) but I’m secretly still trying to educate them and make them curious.” Schuetz covers events unconfirmed by the government. He started the week with the Philadelphia Experiment, a topsecret operation in the 1940s intended to mask naval ships from radar detection that went wrong. By the end of his series this year, he had made his pitch to stu-
dents about the existence of UFOs and why Elvis Presley didn’t die until recently. The chase for the truth traces back to when the teacher was a seventhgrader in a Beaumont junior high school. Over the PA came an announcement that would change his life. “‘President (John F.) Kennedy was shot in Dallas,”’ Schuetz recalled. “I have been researching the Kennedy assassination since that time.” Schuetz gets all of his research from books, his self-proclaimed “vice.” His colleagues rarely see him without one. “He’s always reading something,” Charlotte Brown, the school’s drama teacher, said. “It’s his passion and that’s why his conspiracies are so good.” He works meticulously to put his conspiracies together, which requires years of research. Even when he hits a dead end,
Rachel Denny Clow / AP
Gregory-Portland High School U.S. History Teacher William Schuetz presents his theories during “Conspiracy Week” in Portland, Texas. Schuetz lectures about conspiracies after the standardized state exams last year.
he doesn’t give up. “I’m resilient in the fact that I don’t accept setbacks,” Schuetz said. “If I’m researching and I hit a brick wall, I’ll find a way around it.” Schuetz is only satisfied once he fits all the pieces together. He views his research like an archaeologist digging for bones. “I’m digging in the ground for years and years and looking for that one stone tablet,” Schuetz said. “That would be incredible.”
Conspiracy Week has become almost folklore for students. Brianne Dubose, now a senior at Gregory-Portland High School, heard about the lectures from her older sister, her mom and her friends before hearing it from Schuetz. “He’s a very convincing speaker,” she said. “It definitely makes you question everything.” Through the years, Schuetz said teachers, principals and even school board members have stopped by to hear
his conspiracies. Kyde Eddleman, the high school principal, said he enjoys sitting in for the lecture. “He’s one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met,” Eddleman said. “His conspiracies get the kids thinking and opens up all sorts of discussions for the kids.” The teacher’s fascination began with a refusal to believe what he was told. Likewise, he doesn’t want his students to buy into the conspiracies on his word alone.
“I’m trying to challenge them,” he said. “I want them to go check out a book and read up on something.” Most students leave Schuetz’s class with a new perspective on several events in American history, but the teacher hopes his students apply his lesson in their futures. “They’re going to go to college and be exposed to incredible ideas,” Schuetz said. “Don’t discount them, listen, research and make up your own mind.”
Roofs damaged by Hurricane Ike get help 8 years after storm By Juan A. Lozano A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HOUSTON — Blue tarps that still cover hundreds of storm-damaged homes in Houston — including some houses battered by Hurricane Ike in 2008 — could finally be gone thanks to a new city program that’s promising to perform long-overdue roof repairs.
In the wake of Ike, which came ashore near Houston and caused $29 billion in damage, many of the thousands of homes damaged in the Houstonarea were covered by the tarps. Houston officials say two other programs have previously helped fix thousands of homes damaged by Ike or helped build new ones. But red
tape and issues related to delinquent taxes and ownership questions have caused delays in repairing some homes that still have the blue tarps, said Tom McCasland, interim director of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department. “There’s been a lot of work replacing homes. But we wanted to really zero in on the homes that
need a roof and where a roof will fix the long-term problems with the house. ... With a new roof, the home can continue to be a place where it’s habitable, healthy, safe and affordable for the people to live,” McCasland said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who took office this year, asked McCasland to tackle the blue tarp problem, and
McCasland said his department worked to simplify things, streamlining an application process that once took up to 160 days down to a half-hour during a home visit. “We can’t build a city of complete communities when so many of our citizens can’t count on the roof over their heads to keep them dry in a storm,” Turner said in a
statement. One of the Houston residents hoping to be helped by the new “Blue Tarp Program” is Margaret Gaines, who thought she no longer had to worry about her roof after it was repaired with help from the city following Ike. However, Gaines said shoddy repair work caused her roof to collapse again in August.
Zopinion
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A4 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Wells Fargo prove the value of vigorous bank regulation By Mary Sanchez TH E KA NSAS CI T Y STAR
Wells Fargo kicked its public relations machine into gear after news broke that regulators fined the bank $185 million for creating up to 2 million fake accounts in the names of existing customers. The company took out full-page ads in major publications and top executives made promises to adhere to the company’s "values." The problem is, the financial giant’s values and business culture are all too evident in this debacle. Regulators slapped the fine on Wells Fargo through a settlement after discovering that employees created fake email addresses, fraudulently applied for credit cards and moved unwitting customer’s money to the new accounts. The misbehavior earned bonuses and let employees meet aggressive sales quotas. Yet so far, Wells Fargo remains in denial. Sure, it fired thousands of employees and refunded millions of dollars to the customers in whose names the accounts were fraudulently opened. However, its settlement with regulators does not require it to admit wrongdoing, and its top executive denies that its system of incentives contributed to the behavior. This is as troubling as the original deceits. Because it signals that significant change, the sort of deep rewiring of attitudes and how they play out in policy, might not come. CEO John Stumpf flatly insisted to the Wall Street Journal, "There was no incentive to do bad things." Why then, did Wells Fargo promptly dump the practice of sales goals to drive new business to its financial services? It’s doubtful that the heavy insistence on cross-selling was shuttered for appearances only. Maybe Stumpf will be more forthcoming in his testimony Tuesday (Sept. 20) before the Senate Banking Committee. Or maybe it will take discovery from the U.S. attorney’s offices now opening investigations. The 5,300 people Wells Fargo fired for their involvement in the scandal are believed to have charged the unwitting customers $1.5 million in fees for accounts they didn’t know they opened. They made 565,000 false credit card applications, sometimes closing the accounts as quickly as they were given credit for opening them. That’s
It doesn’t matter that Wells Fargo refunded fees to people. Or that, in perspective, the 5,300 employees are a fraction of the company’s 270,000 total workforce. called covering your tracks. Such predatory practices don’t occur in a vacuum. Regulators believe the behavior continued over a period of about five years. No doubt, bosses up the chain of command were pleased and well compensated for the bogus new business and had little incentive to verify that it was on the level. That’s business culture. At the top of that food chain was recently retired executive Carrie Tolstedt, who headed up the community banking sector. She left the firm with $124 million in stock and options. The lower level employees, who did wrong but were incentivized to do so, got fired. That, too, is business culture. And it’s just one industry’s example of why the average working person feels systems are so set against them. It doesn’t matter that Wells Fargo refunded fees to people. Or that, in perspective, the 5,300 employees are a fraction of the company’s 270,000 total workforce. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have been trotting out plans to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - the very agency that helped bring this scandal to public light. That’s business culture operating in politics. The Financial Choice Act, pushed by Jeb Hensarling, a Republican from Texas, seeks to rollback many of the checks and balances set in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was enacted after the financial crisis of 2008. Many Democrats admit that Dodd-Frank, like many sweeping laws, could benefit from a rewrite of certain passages. However, the Wells Fargo script shows clearly that regulators must remain vigilant. And the congressional friends of the big banks must not be allowed to muzzle the public’s watchdog. Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star.
COLUMN
Gary Johnson is out of his league in this race By Harold Jackson THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Gary Johnson is likely to get more votes than any previous Libertarian running for president, but he’s not even close to being qualified. His popularity has almost nothing to do with Johnson and everything to do with the distaste many Americans have for his two major-party opponents. Johnson, by some estimates, served admirably as governor of New Mexico, not the most populace state, but voting for him for president would require ignoring his shortcomings. Remember the old saying about cutting off your nose to spite your face. This country doesn’t need that kind of pain. Its issues can’t be resolved by someone who means well but can’t do the job. Johnson’s deficiencies became even more apparent during an Inquirer editorial board interview Monday with him and his running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. It didn’t take long to see why Weld was added to the ticket despite objections by many in the party that some of the former Republican’s views aren’t very Libertarian. His job is to fill in the blanks when Johnson falters. "I barely squeaked by at the convention in Orlando," Weld said. "I was a federal prosecutor for seven years; that doesn’t go down well, and you know, it’s not expansionary, but I believe in engagement abroad, as does Gary. But they were very suspicious of me, and about 20 percent of them still are." Weld said he missed his chance to run for president as a Republican in 1996. Johnson was asked about his slip-up when he
Johnson’s deficiencies became even more apparent during an Inquirer editorial board interview Monday with him and his running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. It didn’t take long to see why Weld was added to the ticket despite objections by many. was asked during an MSNBC interview what he would do about the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. "And what is Aleppo?" asked Johnson. The response was particularly disturbing given how much Aleppo had been in the news, including haunting photographs of a 4-year-old Syrian boy covered in dust and blood who had survived an air strike. "No excuse regarding Aleppo," Johnson said Monday. "This is no excuse. I sat down for the interview. I had no idea what the context of the interview was. This is the nature of going 6 o’clock until midnight every day. I was thinking in terms of acronyms." The acronym explanation left open what Johnson knew about Aleppo before the MSNBC gaffe, so he went further. "But regarding Aleppo, and what I have been saying for, I don’t know, six or seven weeks now, is that a key in solving the civil war in Syria is involving Russia," he said. "The key to bringing this all together is Russia. And both Bill and I were reading about, you know, what’s in the works, how will this all work, well, how is this going to work when the Free Syrian army is so intertwined with our enemy, and yet they’re supposed to remarkably turn around now and we’re all going to be allied against the Islamists and ISIS." Johnson said that even
if ISIS is defeated, another Islamist group would likely replace it. "What does that say for inspired attacks that are occurring here in this country and other places? Look, we’ll be as vigilant about that as anyone else," he said. "Bill has some ideas, which I think are good ideas, on how to address that." Johnson seemed equally out of his element in discussing Black Lives Matter and racial discrimination. "I watched the O.J. Simpson documentary several months ago. I had, I thought I was an informed human being. I had no idea, the prelude to the O.J. Simpson trial, and what was in fact, you know you hear it as background, and then you see it front and center, and oh my gosh, I didn’t realize this was happening, and by this was happening it’s still happening," he said. Johnson was on firmer ground when discussing illegal Mexican immigrants. "Everything (Donald) Trump is saying about the border is just incendiary," he said. "They’re not taking jobs that U.S. citizens want. They are, statistically speaking, the cream of the crop when it comes to workers. They commit less crime than U.S. citizens. They are an absolute asset. Building a wall across the border: crazy." With no prior congressional experience, the Libertarians believe they know what makes it tick.
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DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
"I know a lot of members of the House and Senate. Underneath it all, they don’t really want to be as poisonously partisan as they’re being," said Weld. "If we get there, I think we will be less threatening to the members in general. We’re grownups. We’re not faint of heart. We’re happy warriors. But we wouldn’t be giving sanctimonious speeches." The Libertarians believe they can get Congress to agree to real budget cuts, rather than smaller spending increases. "Both of us came into being governor out of the private sector," Weld said. "So we didn’t know there were any sacred cows in the budget." Their experience with state legislatures would be helpful, but Congress doesn’t treat novices very well. It was announced Friday that Johnson failed to reach the 15 percent average in polling that he needed to qualify for the first presidential debate. I’m not sure the debates would help him. Adding a third participant might reduce the personal attacks between Trump and Hillary Clinton, but it also would reveal how little Johnson knows. Weld wouldn’t be on the podium to help him. Voting for someone who isn’t qualified to be president solely to register your anger with the other candidates isn’t prohibited by the Constitution. But I think it’s rather selfish when deciding the course of this country for everyone. Our responsibility as citizens should be to objectively consider who can actually do the job and vote accordingly. Harold Jackson is the editorial page editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
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NATIONAL
Trump admits Friend: Ohio boy had BB gun, ran from police before being shot Obama was born in the US By Kantele Franko and Ann Sanner ASSOCIATED PRE SS
By Jill Colvin and Jonathan Lemire A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — After five years as the chief promoter of the false idea that Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States, Donald Trump reversed course and admitted on Friday that the president was — and then claimed credit for putting the issue to rest. Clinton "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period," Trump said Trump in a brief statement read at the end of a campaign appearance. "Now we all want to get back to making Obama America strong and great again." But as Trump sought to put that false conspiracy theory to rest, he stoked another, claiming that the "birther movement" was started by rival Hillary Clinton. There is no evidence that that is true. "Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it," Trump said. "I finished it, you know what I mean." While the birther theory was pushed by some bloggers who backed Clinton's primary campaign against Obama eight years ago, Clinton has long denounced what she's called a "racist lie" that sought to "delegitimize America's first black president." "Leading the birther movement is deplorable," Clinton tweeted after his Friday event. "Attempting to say it 'did a great service' to the president who Trump attacked is asinine." Trump's statement, in a sprawling ballroom at his new Washington hotel, lasted only a few seconds following a lengthy campaign event featuring military officers and award winners who have endorsed him. Trump did not address the issue until the end, turning the event into a de facto commercial for his campaign, as the major cable TV networks aired the full event live in anticipation of comments Trump had hyped hours before. "I'm going to be making a major statement on this whole thing and what
Hillary did," he told the Fox Business Network. "We have to keep the suspense going, OK?" For years, Trump has been the most prominent proponent of the "birther" idea. He used the issue to build his political profile and define his status as an "outsider" willing to challenge conventions. He generally avoided the issue during the GOP primary, and Friday marked the first time he said in no uncertain terms he was mistaken. As late as Wednesday, Trump refused to acknowledge Obama was born in Hawaii, declining to address the matter in a Washington Post interview published late Thursday night. "I'll answer that question at the right time," Trump said. "I just don't want to answer it yet." Clinton seized on Trump's refusal during a speech Thursday night. "This man wants to be our next president? When will he stop this ugliness, this bigotry?" she asked. Hours later, Trump's campaign spokesman Jason Miller issued a statement that suggested the question had been settled five years ago — by Trump. "In 2011, Mr. Trump was finally able to bring this ugly incident to its conclusion by successfully compelling President Obama to release his birth certificate," Miller said. "Mr. Trump did a great service to the president and the country by bringing closure to the issue that Hillary Clinton and her team first raised," he added. The facts of Trump's actions do not match Miller's description. Trump repeatedly questioned Obama's birth in the years after Obama released his birth certificate. In August 2012, for example, he was pushing the issue on Twitter. "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud," he wrote. Even in January of this year, Trump sounded skeptical when asked whether he now believed the president was a natural-born citizen. "Who knows? Who cares right now? We're talking about something else, OK?" Trump said in a CNN interview. "I mean, I have my own theory on Obama. Someday I'll write a book." Trump's reversal comes as he works to win over African-American voters — many of whom have been turned off by his attempt to delegitimize the nation's first black president.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 13-year-old Ohio boy who was fatally shot by a policeman investigating a reported armed robbery had a real-looking BB gun and ran from police, said a friend who was with him. Tyre King was shot Wednesday night after witnesses reported a group of people had robbed a man of $10. The 19-year-old King friend, Demetrius Braxton, told The Columbus Dispatch that King wanted to rob someone for money. He said he had run away with Tyre and was with him when the shooting occurred. Braxton said police told them to get down. He says they did, but then Tyre got up and ran and was shot, the paper reported Friday. Braxton was interviewed by police but not charged. A spokesman for Columbus police says they won't comment on how Braxton's comments compare with the officers' accounts of what happened. The shooting will be investigated thoroughly, authorities said, to determine if charges are warranted. Evidence will automatically be presented to a grand jury to determine whether the officer's actions were justified. The coroner, Dr. Anahi Ortiz, said Friday that Tyre's autopsy was complete but she wouldn't yet release details, including where he was shot. She says the official manner of death is pending, with a final report not expected for several weeks. Relatives are still grieving and working on
Ann Sanner / Associated Press
Candles and a bouquet of flowers sit in the alley where Tyre King was fatally shot by a police officer investigating a reported armed robbery, Friday.
the funeral arrangements, Sean Walton, an attorney for the family of Tyre, said Friday morning. They may hold a news conference next week. He said he's looking for people with information in the case to come forward. "We just have many different witness accounts that are contradictory to the police officer's version of events," Walton said. "What is currently out there might not be true." Mayor Andrew Ginther appeared to choke up Thursday as he called for the community to come together and questioned why an eighth-grader would have a replica of a police firearm. "There is something wrong in this country, and it is bringing its epidemic to our city streets," Ginther said Thursday. "And a 13year-old is dead in the city of Columbus because of our obsession with guns and violence." Dozens attended a vigil Thursday night near the shooting, including members of Tyre King's youth football team. Some carried signs calling for justice for Tyre, while candles spelled out "RIP Tyre King." The boy's family called for an investigation conducted "in a manner that
ensures fairness and truth," and said people shouldn't rush to judgment about Tyre's activities that night. Police and city authorities also promised a full investigation, while rejecting comparisons to the 2014 killing of 12year-old Tamir in Cleveland. Officers investigating the robbery report east of downtown Columbus spotted three males who matched the description of the suspects, authorities said. Two of the males ran away when officers tried to speak with them. The police chased the pair into an alley and tried to take them into custody. Tyre pulled out a gun with a laser sight, and an officer fired, hitting the boy multiple times, police said. Tyre later died at a hospital. The officer was identified as Bryan Mason, a nine-year veteran of the force. Police records show that in 2012 he shot and killed a man who was holding another person at gunpoint. The Columbus Dispatch said investigators cleared him. In keeping with department policy, Mason has been placed on leave while Tyre's shooting is investigated. The officer is a well-respected policeman who did what he had to do in that circum-
stance, Jason Pappas, head of the local police union representing Mason, said Friday. "Of course he is, you know, not happy about having to be in that situation, but at the end of the day he had to do what he had to do," Pappas said. An attorney for Tyre's family, Sean Walton, called for an independent investigation. Walton would not discuss any previous dealings Tyre had with police but said the boy had no violent criminal history. He said the family believes Tyre's involvement in an armed robbery would be "out of character." Tyre played several sports, including football, and was in the young scholars program at school, Walton said. He had a slight build and, if anything, was on the small side for his age, the attorney said. In Tamir's case, a 911 caller reported someone pointing a gun at people near a recreation center. A rookie officer shot the boy almost immediately after pulling up in his cruiser. The officer and his partner were cleared of wrongdoing. The 911 caller had said the person with the gun was probably a juvenile and the weapon was probably fake, but that information was never passed on to the officers.
Man with dementia charged in shooting his wife and daughter ASSOCIATED PRE SS
SPRING LAKE, N.C. — A 79-year-old North Carolina man suffering from dementia is in jail on murder charges after shooting his wife and caretaking daughter, authorities said. Bobby King killed the two women Thursday, then called 911 and waited for officers outside his family's home in Spring Lake near Fort Bragg, Police Chief Troy McDuf-
fie told media outlets. King's 84-year-old wife, Dorothy, and his King 55-year-old daughter Cynthia both died a short time later at the hospital, authorities said. Family members gathering at the home told reporters that Bobby King served in the Army, but had been in declining
mental health in recent years. "Although he suffered from depression and mental illness and dementia, he will always be remembered to me as a very good grandfather," Karen Evans said. Dementia is a brain disorder that can alter personalities and cause delusions and paranoia, according to the Alzheimer's Association website. The association recom-
mends removing or disabling guns from homes of dementia patients because the disease can alter their perception of reality, like making them think a family member or caregiver is really an intruder. Spring Lake officers had been called to King's home in July, after Dorothy King said her husband was threatening her after accusing her of stealing her property, McDuffie said.
FAA contemplating whether millions of drones will fill skies By Joan Lowy A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — So many people are registering drones and applying for drone pilot licenses that federal aviation officials said Friday they are contemplating the possibility of millions of unmanned aircraft crowding the nation's skies in the not-toodistant future. In the nine months since the Federal Aviation Administration created a drone registration system, more than 550,000 unmanned aircraft have been registered with the agency, said Earl Lawrence, director of the FAA's drone office. Speaking at the first meeting of a new govern-
ment-industry drone advisory committee, Lawrence said new registrations are coming in at a rate of 2,000 a day. By comparison, the FAA says there are 260,165 manned aircraft registered in the U.S. The FAA began issuing drone pilot licenses to commercial operators less than a month ago. Already, 13,710 people have applied to take the pilot exam, and 5,080 have passed it, Lawrence said. It's clear the agency's estimate of 15,000 licensed drone pilots by the end of 2016 will easily be exceeded, he said. The FAA now forecasts there will be more than 1.3 million licensed drone pilots by 2020. Lawrence asked the 35 committee members and
Matt Rourke / AP file
Federal aviation officials say so many people are registering drones and applying for drone pilot licenses, they wonder if there will eventually be millions of drones crowding the nation's skies.
dozens of attendees at the meeting: Will there eventually be hundreds of thousands of drones in the nation's skies? Or
will there be millions? Hobbyists and commercial operators alike are required by the FAA to register their aircraft,
but agency officials acknowledged that they have no way of measuring how many unregistered drones are in use.
U.S. drone sales are expected to top 2.4 million aircraft this year, more than double last year's sales, according to the Consumer Technology Association, whose members include drone manufacturers. NASA is working with industry and the FAA to create a new low-altitude air traffic control system specifically for drones. Industry and government officials say such a system will be needed if there are to eventually be widespread drone deliveries by Amazon and other companies. Google and the Chipotle Mexican restaurant chain are currently testing drone deliveries of burritos at Virginia Tech.
Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE SOCIEDAD DE GENEALOGÍA 1 La reunión de la Sociedad de Genealogía Nuevo Santander invitan a su reunión el día de hoy desde las 2 p.m. Los conferencistas serán Dr. Javier González, María del Refugio Ramírez, María del Carmen Carvajal y Luis Lauro González. La cita es en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata. TORNEO DE CAMPEONATO 1 La Cámara de Comercio del Condado de Zapata está invitando al Torneo de Campeonato de la Asociación Sun Country Bass, a realizarse del 25 al 30 de septiembre, el cual se llevará a cabo en Falcon Lake. EXHIBICIÓN DE ÁRBOLES FAMILIARES 1 El Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata y la Sociedad de Genealogía Nuevo Santander invitan a la exhibición de árboles familiares y cocina en sartenes de hierro fundido el viernes 21 de octubre y sábado 22 de octubre de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m. El evento se llevará a cabo en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata.
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PATRULLA FRONTERIZA
MÉXICO
Carga de marihuana
Exigen renuncia de Peña Nieto
Hombre transportaba más de 300 libras de droga
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO — Una campaña a través de redes sociales convocó el jueves a cientos de personas a una protesta para exigir la renuncia del presidente mexicano Enrique Peña Nieto, mientras el país se preparaba para el festejo anual de su independencia. La asistencia para una protesta fue pequeña en una ciudad de 20 millones de habitantes, y la mayoría de los manifestantes eran jóvenes. Pero el momento en que ocurre ratifica la insatisfacción de la ciudadanía con Peña Nieto. El presidente sufre de bajísimos índices de aprobación que amenazan con desplomarse aún más luego de la suma-
Por César G. Rodríguez TIEMP O DE LAREDO
Un hombre fue arrestado en Zapata por transportar más de 300 libras de marihuana , de acuerdo a documentos de la corte. Una querella criminal, presentada el lunes, acusaba al sospechoso, Carlos Daniel Salazar, de conspirar para poseer con intención de distribuir marihuana. El 10 de septiembre, un agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza detuvo un vehículo Chevrolet Silverado 2002 color marrón por la carretera US 83 en el área de
Zapata. El conductor, quien fue identificado como Salazar, supuestamente no pudo contestar preguntas simples como propiedad del vehículo y nacionalidad. Salazar alegó que estaba recogiendo una refacción de un camión, se establece en la querella. Las autoridades dijeron que las manos de Salazar estaban temblando cuando entregó la licencia de conducir al agente. Una búsqueda en el vehículo, autorizado por el acusado, llevó al descubrimiento de un tanque auxiliar de combustible que parecía
ser nuevo, de acuerdo a reportes. Los agentes declararon que el tanque contenía paquetes negros de marihuana pesando más de 307 libras. El contrabando tenía un valor estimado en las calles de 245.600 dólares. Salazar, quien aceptó una entrevista de custodia, dijo que había dejado el vehículo en la estación de gasolina en Roma para que fuera cargado con los narcóticos. Salazar tenía instrucciones de de entregar la marihuana en Zapata a cambio de 2.000 dólares como pago.
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
mente criticada reunión del mes pasado con el candidato republicano a la presidencia de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump. Su partido perdió elecciones a gobernador en cuatro estados en los que nunca antes había sido vencido. La noche del jueves, Peña Nieto realizó el tradicional grito de independencia desde el palacio presidencial frente a miles de asistentes al zócalo de la capital. El activista Ignacio Del Valle fue uno de los manifestantes. “No tenemos nada de festejar”, enfatizó. “Al contrario, el motivo de nuestra presencia en esta manifestación de descontento del pueblo es justo esto: Repudiar a Peña Nieto”.
TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
INDEPENDENCIA DE MÉXICO
FIESTA FAMILIAR DE HALLOWEEN 1 La Patrulla Fronteriza y el Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre invitan a la fiesta familiar del terror el viernes 29 de octubre en el Parque Municipal de Roma.de 5 a 9 p.m. Habrá concursos de disfraces para todas las edades, juegos, comida y mucho más. MUSEO EN ZAPATA 1 A los interesados en realizar una investigación sobre genealogía de la región, se sugiere visitar el Museo del Condado de Zapata ubicado en 805 N US-Hwy 83. Opera de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. Existen visitas guiadas. Personal está capacitado y puede orientar acerca de la historia del Sur de Texas y sus fundadores. Pida informes en el (956) 7658983. FIRMA DE LIBROS 1 La Dra. Alma González Pérez dictará una conferencia y estará firmando su nuevo libro de poesía en la reunión mensual de la Sociedad de Genealogía Nuevo Santander el sábado 12 de Noviembre en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata. La cita es a las 2 p.m. 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 956-849-1411. SE SUSPENDE JUNTA 1 a Sociedad de Genealogía Nuevo Santander informa a sus socios y a la comunidad en general que debido a las fiestas decembrinas no habrá reunión de la sociedad durante el mes de Diciembre.
Foto por Danny Zaragoza | Laredo Morning Times
Estudiantes de la universidad TAMIU vestidos a la usanza tradicional mexicana posan para una fotografía el jueves por la tarde en el Centro Estudiantil durante el inicio de las actividades por el Mes de la Herencia Hispana que tuvo entre sus celebraciones el Grito de la Independencia de México.
COLUMNA
Tamaulipas y el fin del Virreinato Raúl Sinencio Chávez TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Asiento de los poderes tamaulipecos, Cuidad Victoria surge en 1825 revestida de gloria. Antaño villa de Aguayo, le atribuyen haber sido entonces precursora de acontecimientos que en ámbitos locales liquidan el virreinato, abriéndole paso al tramo independiente. Toribio de la Torre elabora la versión en comento y considera la villa de Aguayo “vértice de los pueblos” en la entidad, por alojar pre-
sunta junta conspirativa. De líder sobresale el alcalde (…) Antonio Fernández de Córdova, partidario decidido de la independencia”. “Cuando el general (…) Zenón Fernández secundó en Río Verde el Plan de Iguala” –asevera don Toribio–, por correo pide al gobernador José María Echegaray apoyarlo. Los conspiradores interceptan al mensajero, y lo convencen de “que a quien menos convenía” remitir los respectivos papeles “era al gobernador” –enemigo del movimiento–, debiéndoselos
entregar a “Fernández (de Córdova) si quería que surtiera el efecto que deseaba el general” Zenón. Leídos aquellos documentos, “el alcalde” prepara una asamblea, “invitando al gobernador”. No obstante poseer “disimulados informes” de que “esta ciudad” es “foco de la revolución” independentista, Echegaray concurre. Porque el munícipe enseguida revela “la buena disposición del vecindario para” respaldar el Plan de Iguala, suplicándole al invitado que lo
“aceptase (…) ” puesto el 7 de julio de 1821, tras ciertas vicisitudes. “Así terminó el último gobernador (…) del agonizante sistema”. Resulta improbable que sorprendieran a Echegaray. Semanas atrás el municipio de Tula enarbola la bandera emancipadora, al ocuparlo Zenón Fernández. Incluso, al celebrarse la mentada asamblea, en la zona ya estaba formalmente extinguida la monarquía española. Lo anterior, merced a que el 2 de julio de 1821 Joaquín Arredondo, máxima auto-
ridad del noreste, refrenda de manera oficial la trigarancia. Las evidencias documentales tampoco insinúan siquiera que arrancaran el 7 de julio a Echegaray “la investidura”. Al contrario, dimite hasta el día10 y aduce “la grave enfermedad de que me hallo atacado”. Puntualiza además que él resuelve confiarle “el mando (…) al señor (…) Felipe de la Garza”. (Con autorización del autor según se publicó en el blog Puras Historias el 15 de septiembre)
A8 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
INTERNATIONAL
EU leaders look at 6 Months for rebulding EU dream By George Jahn and Raf Casert A S S O CIAT E D PRE SS
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — With policy splits among European Union countries putting their bloc under existential threat, national leaders agreed Friday on a sixmonth time table to come up with solutions for the multiple crises hobbling their union. But they delivered few concrete commitments on ways to bridge the deep differences. While not on the agenda, Britain’s decision to leave the EU hung over the meeting, reinforced by the absence of British Prime Minister Theresa May. But the 27 leaders attending talks in the Slovak capital had plenty of other divisive issues to discuss: Migration, a common European defense policy, worrying unemployment and the anemic state of the economy In the end, the leaders committed to have a clear roadmap of the way ahead and some practical results when they meet in late March to mark the 60th anniversary of the EU founding Treaty of Rome in the Italian capital. “Europe can, must move forward, as long as it has clear priorities: protection, security, prosperity and the future of the youth,” said French President Francois Hollande in a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel called the current situation in the EU “critical,” not only because Britain voted in June to leave the EU, the first ever
Jean-Francois Badias / AP
Jean-Claude Juncker, left, shares a laugh with Frans Timmermans.
member to do so. She noted the migration crisis and economic problems that have fed growing disenchantment with the EU among many member states. Still, she said there was a common willingness to bounce back beyond the many issues that divide and even anger individual EU nations. EU Council President Donald Tusk agreed, saying the mood in the EU now was “sober but not defeatist.” Still, comments by some leaders as they left the meeting suggested hard work ahead. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the staunchest opponent of liberal EU migration policies, again blamed Germany for refusing to set limits on migrant arrivals under Merkel. Unless Berlin caps arrivals, he said, the flood will continue “because everyone sees ... that there is a place in Europe where the good life can be achieved, where they are welcomed and where their needs are taken care of.”
Orban said Hungary should be praised instead of criticized for erecting a razor-wire barrier at its southern borders. “Our job is to stop at the Hungarian border the negative consequences of the suction effect of German domestic politics,” he said. The refugee emergency has been particularly divisive and Orban has been one of the most abrasive voices as he makes common cause with other countries to the East — Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland — to oppose solutions coming out of EU headquarters in Brussels. At the end of a “difficult day” of consultations, Orban said the good news is that all 27 remaining EU members said they would stay in the union and work together to improve it. But he complained that the current “self-defeating and naive” migration policies would remain. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, frankly acknowledged the divisions.
“There are different views, different ideas,” he said. “We need to be more concrete in the future.” Still, some of Orban’s allies noted recent give by Brussels on the notion of mandatory refugee resettlement. “It is of great importance that we are leaving today with a new political agenda that will open the process of EU reforms,” Poland’s Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said. “We are opening the process of reforming Europe.” Others also noted some progress in discussions on how to heighten security and defense cooperation, secure external borders and get Europe’s unemployed youth back to work. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said a decision was taken to award 108 million euros ($121 million) in emergency funding to Bulgaria for border management at one of the most porous borders, with Turkey — a decision praised by Orban. Other EU nations committed extra equipment and personnel. Added urgency for EU reform comes from planned elections in France and Germany next year where far-right and populist parties are seeking to exploit uncertainty generated by Britain’s decision to become the first country to walk out of the EU. Hollande is trailing in the polls ahead of next May’s French presidential elections. His far-right opponent from the National Front, Marine Le Pen, has already said she will call for an in-out referendum on EU membership if she wins.
Aid convoys for Syria’s Aleppo delayed By Bassem Mroue and Vladimir Isachenkov ASSOCIATED PRE SS
BEIRUT — Trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Syria's besieged rebel-held part of the city of Aleppo were held up for yet another day as heavy fighting broke out Friday on the edges of Damascus between government forces and insurgents. The clashes were some of the most serious since a U.S.-Russia-brokered cease-fire went into effect this week. The fighting and mutual accusations of violations sparked concern that the fragile cease-fire, which brought some relief to millions of people across the warravaged country, may be starting to fray. In a further sign of tensions picking up, the Obama administration warned Russia that potential military cooperation in Syria will not happen unless humanitarian aid begins to flow into Aleppo and other besieged communities. The Russian military had said that the Syrian army withdrew its armor, artillery and other weapons from a key highway near Aleppo early Thursday, signaling the possible arrival of aid convoys after several days of delay. Syrian state TV said bulldozers began clearing the road on the northwestern edge of Aleppo that leads into besieged rebel-held neighborhoods to make way for the convoys. But a Russian official, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, said the Syrian army Friday moved its
heavy weapons back to Castello Road after the opposition failed to withdraw their arms in sync in line with the truce deal. In a video call from Castello Road, Russian Col. Sergei Kapitsyn said the rebels fired on government positions overnight, wounding two Syrian soldiers and prompting the Syrian army to move their weapons back to the road to prevent the rebels from advancing. The Russian military said it has complained to the U.S. at a joint working group in Geneva about the opposition's failure to pull back in sync with the Syrian army, but received no immediate response. The Russian military also claimed that the Syrian opposition has used the truce to regroup and strengthen its forces. In a Friday phone call, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Moscow must use its influence with the Syrian government to get the aid moving, adding that delays in the assistance had been "repeated" and "unacceptable." Kerry told Lavrov that unless the aid is delivered, the U.S. will not move ahead with the formation of a joint facility with Russia to coordinate attacks on terrorist groups and share intelligence. Sustained delivery of humanitarian aid, along with a decrease in violence, is a requirement for that cooperation under an agreement Kerry and Lavrov reached last week.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
A9
BUSINESS
Fox accuses Netflix of poaching employees in California suit By Anousha Sakoui and Lucas Shaw B L OOMBE RG NEWS
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. sued Netflix Inc., claiming the internet movie and TV service poached its employees. “We filed this lawsuit because we believe Netflix is defiantly flouting the law by soliciting and inducing employees to break their contracts,” Fox said Friday in a statement. “We intend to seek all available remedies to enforce our rights and hold Netflix accountable
for its wrongful behavior.” Netflix spokesman Jonathan Friedland declined to comment on the suit, which was filed in state court in Los Angeles. Hollywood has a lovehate relationship with Los Gatos, Californiabased Netflix, owner of the most popular paid online TV network in the world. Netflix has contributed to the erosion in viewership of live television with its on-demand service. Yet media compa-
Paul Sakuma / AP file
The Netflix logo is displayed at the company's headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. sued Netflix Inc., claiming the internet movie and TV service poached its employees.
nies happily sell shows to Netflix, which spends billions of dollars a year licensing programs and movies from companies like Fox. The parent of Twentieth Century Fox is New
York-based 21st Century Fox Inc. The case is Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. v. Netflix Inc., SC12643, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County (Los Angeles).
Jay Reeves / AP
Tanker trucks line up at a Colonial Pipeline Co. facility in Pelham, Ala., near the scene of a 250,000-gallon gasoline spill on Friday. The company says spilled gasoline is being taken to the storage facility for storage.
Pipeline shutdown could send gas prices higher By David Koenig A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
DALLAS — Motorists in the Southeast and East could pay more for gasoline in coming days because of the shutdown of a leaking pipeline in Alabama. Experts say, however, that any spike in servicestation prices should only be temporary. Colonial Pipeline Co. said Friday that it doesn’t expect to fully reopen its primary gasoline pipeline until next week. It is one of two major pipelines that connect more than two dozen refineries in Texas and Louisiana with cities in the East, from Atlanta to New York. The Colonial pipeline provides nearly 40 percent of the region’s gasoline and usually runs at or near full capacity. Prices on futures contracts for wholesale gasoline rose about 2 percent Friday to $1.46 a gallon after rising 5 percent on
Thursday. Colonial said that supply disruptions would be felt first in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. Tom Kloza, an energy analyst with the Oil Price Information Service, said some stations in the Southeast could run short on supply and boost their prices by 20 or 30 cents a gallon. “The Colonial pipeline is the metaphorical aorta for the supply the most populated regions of the country, and you’ve lost 10 days of blood flow,” Kloza said. The good news, he added, is that the disruption comes at a time when gasoline prices are down sharply from a couple years ago. If prices rise, the effect could be felt the hardest in Tennessee, which is supplied by a spur off the leaky pipeline. Trade groups for service stations and convenience stores in Ten-
nessee assured consumers that the pumps won’t run dry. They said fuel wholesalers were hauling gasoline in from fuel terminals and refineries that don’t depend on the downed pipeline. “Tankers are just having to drive farther to get the fuel,” said Emily LeRoy, executive director of the Tennessee Fuel and Convenience Store Association. Pump-price increases should be smaller in the Mid-Atlantic, Kloza said, because any shortfall from the shutdown of the Colonial pipeline could be made up within about 10 days by tankers arriving from Europe. Jim Ritterbusch, who advises energy investors, said the surge in gasoline futures was exaggerated. A large surplus of gasoline in the central-Atlantic region should have cushioned the blow of the pipeline accident, he said. By the end of September, the bulk of the price
spike should be erased as higher prices attract more supply to fill the void, he wrote in a note to clients. Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline estimated that the pipeline rupture near Birmingham has spilled 252,000 to 336,000 gallons of gasoline, most of which was corralled in a retention pond. The company downplayed any threat to public safety. It is not clear when the leak started. It was detected Sept. 9. Colonial said work crews would begin excavation work Friday and repairs would continue through the weekend. Workers might put up a temporary stretch of pipeline around the leak, the company said. Colonial said it was making up some of the gasoline shortfall by using another pipeline that usually carries diesel and jet fuel. The company said fuel shippers were also sending tankers to supply markets along the East Coast.
Stocks decline, hurt by declines in banks By Ken Sweet ASSOCIATED PRE SS
NEW YORK — Stocks were moderately lower Friday, pushed down, in part, by the price of oil. Investors continue to remain on edge regarding the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates at its meeting next week. Banks also fell, led by a plunge in Deutsche Bank after the giant German lender said it wouldn't settle with the Department of Justice over its handling of mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 88.68 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,123.80. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 8.10 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,139.16 and the Nasdaq composite fell 5.12 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,244.57. The U.S.-listed shares of Deutsche Bank dropped $1.38, or 9 percent, to $13.38 after the bank said it did not intend to pay the $14 billion settlement that the U.S. government asked for. Federal regulators have been looking to settle with Deutsche Bank, as it has done with the other major Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co., for its role in the mortgage bubble and financial crisis. Other European banks fell as well. Royal Bank of Scotland Group fell 30 cents, or 6 percent, to $4.86. The news out of Deutsche Bank dragged European stocks lower, with Germany's DAX closing down 1.5 percent, France's CAC-40 index down 0.9 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index down 0.3 percent. Stocks have been volatile this week, with the Dow moving more than 100 points four out of five days. Most of the volatility has come as investors prepare for next week's Fed meeting. While most investors do not expect a rate increase, there is a small but noticeable likelihood there will be one. "By the Fed's own criteria, everything is in
place for them to raise rates. But still, people don't think they are going to raise rates, so the market is in conflict," said David Kelly, chief global investment strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management. In other company news, pharmaceutical company Novavax plunged $7.05, or 85 percent, to $1.29 after the company said its experimental vaccine failed in late-stage clinical testing. Novavax has no active products on the market and this drug was their furthest in development. Intel rose $1.11, or 3 percent, to $37.67 after the company raised its revenue forecasts, citing stronger-than-expected demand for personal computers. The S&P 500 is adding a new industry to its traditional groups for the first time since the dotcom era. The benchmark stock index will now have a real estate sector, which will be split off from the financial services component. The new industry component will be effective at the end of trading Friday. After the split, the S&P 500 will have 11 industry sectors. The 10 current sectors of the S&P 500 are: financial services, information technology, energy, industrials, consumer discretionary companies, materials, telecommunications, consumer staples, health care and utilities. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 88 cents to $43.03 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 82 cents to $45.77 per barrel. Heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.41 a gallon, wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.46 a gallon and natural gas rose 2 cents to $2.948 per 1,000 cubic feet. The yield on the 10year Treasury note was mostly unchanged at 1.69 percent. The euro fell to $1.1151 from $1.246 and the dollar rose to 102.42 yen from 102.16 yen. In metals, gold fell $7.80 to $1,310.20 an ounce, silver fell 18 cents to $18.86 an ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.16 a pound.
A10 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
ENTERTAINMENT
Label left Frank Ocean out of contract early By Mesfin Fekadu A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
NEW YORK — Even before Frank Ocean released his albums “Endless” and “Blonde” on Apple Music last month, he and his label decided the relationship was over. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Ocean’s label, Def Jam, decided to let the singer out of his contract early because the relationship between the singer and the label was like a “bad marriage.” The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not allowed to publicly speak about the topic, did not say how many albums Ocean was contracted for, but added that “it wasn’t going to work out.” “He didn’t want to be on a label. He wanted to do his own thing,” the person said. Representatives for Ocean didn’t respond to emails seeking comment and a rep Def Jam declined to comment. Ocean, one of the most heralded young artists of the last few years, released the Grammy-winning “channel ORANGE” on Def Jam in 2012, marking his debut as an act on the label, also home to Kanye West, Rihanna and Justin Bieber, among others. But it took years for the follow-up to be released. While fans were antsy, behind the scenes, the relationship between the label and Ocean got fractious — so much so both parties decided that Ocean’s next album would be his last, according to the person. “I’m sure there was
Jordan Strauss / AP file
Frank Ocean arrives at the 55th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Before Ocean released his albums “Endless” and “Blonde” on Apple Music last month, he and his label decided the relationship was over.
some kind of negotiation in order for him to get out of the contract if there were remaining commitments on the contract,” the person said. Ocean, 28, released the visual album “Endless” through Def Jam — his final project for the label — and it is available on Apple Music as one entire project but not as individual songs, nor is it on sale for commercial consumption. A day after, he released “Blonde,” his 17track album featuring songs with Beyonce and
Kendrick Lamar — a surprise to his former label. “Blonde,” referred to as the “real album,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. “It was delivered right at the last minute,” the person said of “Blonde.” Def Jam is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, which also the home to labels such as Interscope Records (Lady Gaga, Eminem), Republic Records (The Weeknd, Ariana Grande) and Capitol Records (Sam Smith, Katy Perry).
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
A11
FROM THE COVER
Pavement cuts shown to smooth roads and reduce noise By Dug Begley H OUSTON CHRONICLE
HOUSTON — Perhaps for once, the phrase “TxDOT is making cuts” is good news for drivers on a stretch of Interstate 10. Following a successful test on Loop 610 of a new way to quiet freeway travel, state transportation officials and local cities are cooperating to spend $12.4 million to make more of the socalled longitudinal cuts in the pavement along I-10 in both directions from Post Oak to east of Gessner. The cuts — one of the primary features of the next-generation concrete surfaces, as they’re called in the pavement industry — mark a new way to make roads smoother and deliver a quieter ride. Motorists indicate the new concrete is reducing noise, which can be a major issue not just for drivers but for taxpayers as well. Although expenses vary, it costs about $3 million per mile to install sound walls and other measures around freeways to reduce noise for
nearby homeowners. Quieter freeways also improve driving conditions. “I notice when I’m on them,” said Heights resident Steve Preston, who commutes along Loop 610 where the longitudinal cuts were installed last year as an attempt to quiet travel around the Loop north and south of U.S. 290. “The hum goes away,” he told the Houston Chronicle (http:// bit.ly/2cSItGh). The noise-reduction work on five miles of I-10 is expected to start early in 2017, TxDOT officials said, and take about eight months to complete. Most of the work will lead to nighttime and weekend lane closures. Concrete highway lanes are rarely totally smooth, in order to better handle water and provide drivers better traction. After years of study, the consensus of researchers is that making the oneeighth-inch wide cuts evenly spaced along the roadway in a way that leaves detailed, clean channels is crucial to effectively keeping the
Michael Ciaglo / AP
Cars drive over longitudinal cuts on loop 610 between I-10 and Ella Boulevard in Houston.
surface smooth. The grooves help channel water away without tires losing traction. It’s really the surface that makes most of the difference, said Larry Scofield, director of engineering and research for the International Grooving & Grinding Association. Typically, concrete is textured on the surface so it can move water off the surface and provide traction. The new method makes a smooth surface, then cuts grooves into it for traction. “This results in the tire not having to traverse a surface which, on a micro-scale, is going up and down causing the tire to vibrate,” Scofield said. “Since the resulting . texture is smooth, it not only reduces the tire pavement noise but also reduces tire rolling resistance, which improves
gas mileage as a secondary benefit.” Federal funds related to highway improvements controlled by TxDOT will pay for 80 percent of the cost of the work. The remaining $2.4 million bill will be split, with TxDOT paying half and five municipalities, including Houston, paying the remaining half. “Most everything else that could be done has been done,” said Spring Valley Village Mayor Tom Ramsey, noting the cities are encouraged by studies that show the new pavement will reduce noise. The expansion of I-10, completed seven years ago, displaced many commercial properties along the freeway, and brought the widened highway closer to many residences. “Sometimes during the day it is quite significant,”
Ramsey said of the freeway noise. Officials chose to groove I-10 following the positive feedback they received about Loop 610, where the longitudinal cuts were made as part of the larger Loop 610 and U.S. 290 interchange project, said Quincy Allen, district director for TxDOT’s Houston office. That project — which stretches from I-10 to Ella along the Loop — is part of ongoing research by the University of Texas at San Antonio to verify how much noise reduction the new pavement can provide. The longitudinal cuts are not the only way some Houston-area roadways have been quieted. Asphalt repaving along U.S. 59 and Interstate 45 recently helped re duce some road noise on the freeways by providing a
smoother ride. Working with Texas A&M Transportation Institute researchers, TxDOT used a higherquality but thinner application of asphalt on the repaved segments. Though the repaving was part of routine maintenance, it has made for quieter freeway trips. The grooves, or highway cuts, meanwhile, will be used on a case-by-case basis, said Raquelle Lewis, spokeswoman for TxDOT in Houston. Like sound walls, noise mitigation along a freeway is site-specific, she said. “It is not the plan to incorporate the treatment on any and all new pavement,” she said. “As you can imagine, there are cost and resource implications that need to be evaluated. . That said, our designers are looking at various other projects.”
Algae bloom known as red tide back in parts of South Texas By Raul Garcia VA LLEY MORNING STAR
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — It was a normal day on the beach, except for the eel and small fish dead on some parts of the shore. Not even that stopped people from taking a stroll on the sand, dipping their toes in the water or sitting in a beach chair under the hot sun. The Valley Morning Star (http:// bit.ly/2csNqV2 ) reports they’re not alone in continuing their enjoyment
PROTEST From page A1 dignity and capacity to rule.” Peña Nieto has become Mexico’s most unpopular president in a quartercentury, opinion polls show, as frustrations mount over entrenched corruption and anxiety rises over economic stagnation and a steady increase in homicides. Even so, Thursday’s protest was not nearly as large as past demonstrations. City officials said they had expected only 1,000 people. Many more showed up but were blocked from entering the Zócalo, the giant central square that is the
BORDER From page A1 Border Patrol Sector, spanning much of Texas’s southernmost tip. Through August of this year, there were a total of 369,411 apprehensions on the U.S.-Mexico border. More than half of those were of non-Mexicans, the statistics show. As of July, the border patrol had apprehended 57,344 people from El Salvador, 58,337 from Guatemala and 41,042 from Honduras compared to 160,193 from Mexico. Apprehensions of non-Mexicans first outnumbered those from Mexico in 2014, accord-
of the Gulf of Mexico in what appears so far as a milder case of red tide still hovering a ways off the shoreline. Yummies Bistro owner Ernie Del Rio said the red tide that rolled in earlier this week has not made a big difference on the Island so far. He said of the many customers who have dined in, only a few people have complained about the red tide bothering them. “People should enjoy the beach, and be prepared if something does
happen,” said Tony Reisinger, Cameron County extension agent-coastal and marine resources, Texas Sea Grant and Texas Agrilife’s extension service. “Red tide is something that we have to learn to live with it now.” Reisinger made sure to explain that red tide is not a monster. “I encourage fisherman to go fishing,” Reisinger said. “We have not seen any dead fish out on the bay.” He said there have been some reports of mild
aerosol in some areas and moderate- to high-cell counts of red tide in the water. Reisinger said the aerosol the red tide is emitting into the air is mild and a simple dust mask will help filter out the aerosol. He said the Red Tide Rangers have been recording moderate cell counts over the week. The red tide Rangers is group with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Coastal Studies lab on the Island. Reisinger said the highest cell counts of red tide
are at the Brazos Santiago Pass where it meets Laguna Madre near the boat ramp at Isla Blanca Park. “It is in the bay but we have not seen any fish kills washing ashore on the Island,” Reisinger said. Reisinger said red tide is making more of an impact off shore. On Wednesday a Red Tide Ranger volunteer reported large red snapper and about 30 fish were floating dead about 17 miles out from shore. “It’s not looking good out there,” Reisinger said.
“So far the Island has dodged the bullet.” He attributed the mild aerosol to the recent weather. “The cells don’t break a lot with light wind and waves,” Reisinger said. That’s different from last year’s red tide appearance, which was worse and later in the season. It lasted for several weeks and impacted beach events and tourism. Red tide has been occurring more often now than in the 1980s and 1990s.
site of the National Palace. Anger has crystallized during the past two weeks after Peña Nieto invited Donald Trump to Mexico and treated him like a fellow head of state. Trump, the Republican U.S. presidential nominee, is reviled here for, among other things, accusing Mexico of sending drugs and rapists over the border. Peña Nieto’s finance minister, Luis Videgaray, resigned a week later after news reports described him as the person who had proposed the visit. But the departure of Videgaray, a close associate of Peña Nieto’s and the architect of many of his policies, did little
to quell the discontent. As Peña Nieto enters the final two years of his six-year term, there is a sense among his many critics that the country is adrift and that he cannot change course. “The country does not deserve two more years of political distrust and limitless uncertainty,” Ricardo Raphael, a journalist and commentator with the newspaper El Universal, wrote Thursday. Last week, Peña Nieto tried to brush off his critics. “Political decisions are sometimes subject to enormous polemic,” he said at the inauguration of a park. “And maybe today they are not un-
derstood, but I am sure that the time will come when the reason for each decision will be comprehended. “ But at the protest, some said their patience had run out long ago. “I am sick of this government, of this disastrous president,” said Alicia Mercado, 66, who joined the march in a wheelchair. “With Trump’s visit, he couldn’t or didn’t even want to defend his own people.” Although Peña Nieto began his presidency in 2012 with a series of drastic changes designed to revive economic growth, he has stumbled repeatedly over the past two years.
His government bungled an investigation into the September 2014 disappearance of 43 students at a rural teachers’ college in Guerrero state, an inquiry that was sharply criticized in April by a panel of independent experts who reviewed the case. The chief investigator, Tomás Zerón, resigned from the attorney general’s office Wednesday in an apparent acknowledgment of the doubts regarding his handling of the case, which is the subject of two internal inquiries. But Zerón was not out of a job for long. A few hours later, the president appointed him as the technical secretary for
Mexico’s National Security Council. The appointment to a post that keeps Zerón close to the president’s inner circle rekindled the anger. “It’s making a mockery not only of the 43 and their families, it’s making a mockery of all Mexicans,” said Mario González, a father of one of the missing students. In recent weeks, Peña Nieto has also faced new accusations over his integrity, with evidence that he plagiarized part of his undergraduate law thesis and that a wealthy Mexican businessmen paid the property taxes for the Miami apartment of his wife, Angélica Rivera.
ing to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. Faye Hipsman, policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., says the trend isn’t fading. "It’s definitely clear that these flows are enduring,” Hipsman said. “They’re not going to go away anytime soon. We’re likely to see significant numbers of Central American unaccompanied children and families crossing the border.” A huge surge of undocumented immigrants, including children fleeing the "northern triangle" of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras without their parents marked 2014. The influx elicited strong responses
from those on both ends of the political spectrum. Both President Obama and then-Gov. Rick Perry deemed the situation a humanitarian crisis. Perry called for the swift deportation of the unaccompanied minors, saying that allowing them to stay would only encourage more to come. Mexico boosted security along its southern border, hoping to curb illegal immigration through the country, but the efforts have not had a lasting effect, experts say. Hipsman said Mexico’s increased border enforcement worked for a time in 2015, “but this year, it kind of looks like smugglers have found their way around that
enforcement or are just increasingly beating it.” Her views are reflected in a U.S. Customs and Border Protections report published Sept. 9 which indicates apprehensions overall are higher this year than in 2015, but below the rates of 2014 and 2013. As of August, the apprehension of unaccompanied children from El Salvador and Guatemala far outpaced apprehensions of unaccompanied children from Mexico. The same holds true for family units — individuals apprehended with a family member — apprehensions for those from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras compared to those from Mexico.
But unlike in 2014, the Border Patrol may be better prepared to process the large volume of Central American immigrants. Border Patrol spokesmen declined comment for this article, but the agency's report detailed plans for “expanded capacity for refugee processing.” “There isn’t the surprise element,” Hipsman said. “They aren’t blindsided by these flows anymore. They’ve worked on management and processing them. So you don’t see you know, just that hysteria that we saw in 2014.” Multiple inflatable rafts on the water. Emotionally shaken kids in the back of Border Patrol
vans. Dope dumped on the river’s edge. The Texas Tribune witnessed all that and more during an afternoon with the U.S. Border Patrol. The news crews have drifted away, and the national spotlight has turned elsewhere. But Central American immigrants continue to cross illegally into Texas, and their numbers seem to be growing again. Federal immigration agents apprehended nearly 97,000 more people trying to enter the U.S. illegally through Texas’ southern border during the 2014 fiscal year than they did in 2013, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday.
A12 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
Sports&Outdoors THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
B1
NCAA FOOTBALL: NO. 11 TEXAS LONGHORNS AT CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Cal QB Webb finally gets a shot to play Texas No. 11 Longhorns hit the road to face Cal By Josh Dubow A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
BERKELEY, Calif. — It took transferring to California for quarterback Davis Webb finally to get the chance to play against the Texas team he grew up backing. Webb served as a backup twice and was injured once when his old team at Texas Tech took on the Longhorns. But he will get that opportunity to play Saturday night when the
Golden Bears (1-1) host No. 11 Texas (2-0) in the nonconference finale for both teams. “It’s a little unique,” Webb said. “I probably pictured this coming as a freshman at Texas Tech. At the same time, that’s the opportunity I got.” Playing the Longhorns holds special meaning for the handful of Lone Star state Cal players, many of whom grew up surrounded by Texas burnt orange. Running back Vic En-
were, who grew up outside of Houston, said he’s had this game circled on his calendar for a while now. “You grow up with a lot of those guys and you grow up with that Longhorn mentality around the state,” he said. “It’s definitely something personal for me. I’m very excited to play this game.” The Longhorns are familiar with Webb even if he didn’t play against them during his time at
Texas Tech. They scouted him in case he played and have plenty of film on him already after just two games at Cal. Webb has seamlessly taken over for No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff, throwing for 963 yards and nine TDs in just two games at Cal. “He’s a tall guy. He is a pocket passer,” defensive tackle Paul Boyette said. “We just got to make him feel uncomfortable in the Texas continues on B2
NCAA FOOTBALL: NO. 17 TEXAS A&M AGGIES VS. AUBURN TIGERS
Eric Gay / Associated Press
Texas QB Shane Buechele and the Longhorns face off against Cal this week, helmed at QB by Texan and Texas Tech transfer Davis Webb.
NFL
A&M, AUBURN BIDDING TO RISE IN THE SEC WEST Aggies head to Auburn By John Zenor A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS Nick Ut / Associated Press
AUBURN, Ala. — No. 17 Texas A&M and Auburn have each faced a tough nonconference test and another one that wasn’t so challenging. Now, they get a chance to discover whether they’ve made some progress in the Southeastern Conference Western Division. The Tigers (1-1) and Aggies (2-0) open league play Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium in a matchup of two teams who haven’t fared so well in the SEC the past couple of seasons. Auburn has lost three straight against Power 5 conference teams since beating Texas A&M last season. The Aggies, meanwhile, get another chance to prove that they’ve made progress both with quarterback Trevor Knight and as a defense after ranking among the SEC’s worst at stopping the run in 2015. The game “will be another test cause that’s basically where we are as team,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Everyone waiting to see who we are and what we can do. Our team enjoys A&M continues on B2
Former NFL safety Darren Sharper, center, sits with his attorneys. Sharper has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in a case where he was accused of drugging and raping as many as 16 women in four states.
Sharper’s HOF nomination causes national outcry Safety nominated after prison sentence ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Sam Craft / Associated Press
After wins against UCLA and Prairie View in the first two weeks of the season, Texas A&M squares off with Auburn this weekend.
CANTON, Ohio — The inclusion of former NFL safety and convicted rapist Darren Sharper on this year’s list of Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees has created a national outcry. Sharper, a five-time Pro Bowler, pleaded guilty in 2015 to drugging and raping up to 16 women in four states. U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced him to 18 years in prison last month. There is no character clause to be eligible for the Hall of Fame, but that
has not tempered a debate that has some Twitter members calling for an NFL boycott in the unlikely event Sharper is elected. To be eligible for the nominating process, a player or coach must be retired for at least five years. Several more cuts remain in the process before finalists are chosen. Messages and emails left with two Hall of Fame spokesmen were not immediately returned. Sharper was convicted of teaming up with two other men to spike nine Sharper continues on B2
2016 WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY
Americans say ‘it’s time’ to break through at World Cup of Hockey By Stephen Whyno ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Chris Young / Associated Press
Team USA's Patrick Kane, of the Chicago Blackhawks, leads the Americans into the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Play begins Saturday in Toronto against Team Europe.
TORONTO — Patrick Kane looks at 2010 Sochi Olympic final loss to Canada as the United States being one goal away from gold. Jonathan Quick looks at the 2014 Vancouver Olympic semifinal loss as the U.S. being one goal away from playing for gold.
This generation of U.S. players has always been one goal away and unable to finish the job. With Kane, Quick, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and captain Joe Pavelski among those back for another crack, the realization is setting in that this World Cup of Hockey is the Americans’ best and perhaps last chance to win an international
championship. Coach John Tortorella has told his team, “It’s time.” “We’re probably in the prime and peak of our careers right now where we feel that it’s time to make something happen,” Kane said. “You can think about that pressure, you can do whatever you want with it, but it comes down to
this tournament for us and this tournament only.” The Americans open tournament play in Toronto on Saturday against Team Europe, and the showdown against Canada is Tuesday. With only three games in round-robin play, there’s urgency for every team to start USA continues on B2
B2 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
SPORTS
Golovkin hovers over Canelo-Smith fight in Texas By David McNabb A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Liam Smith kept things respectful in the traditional stare down with Canelo Alvarez, ending it with a handshake in less than 10 seconds. How long their fight will last Saturday night is another question altogether. Smith (23-0-1) is defending his WBO junior middleweight title against the hard-hitting Alvarez, who is moving back to the 154-pound class where he has plenty of experience and never lost. But a third fighter’s shadow hangs over this bout: Gennady Golovkin, the middleweight champion that some contend Alvarez is avoiding. Last May, the popular Mexican champion vacated his WBC middleweight title rather than be pressured into fighting
Golovkin, who now has the full WBC belt along with his IBF and WBA belts. Many had expected the blockbuster title unification fight to be staged Saturday at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. “I will fight GGG and I will beat GGG, but I will not be forced into the ring,” Alvarez said then. “I am hopeful that by putting aside this ticking clock, the two teams can now negotiate this fight and GGG and I can get in the ring as soon as possible and give the fans the fight they want.” Golovkin improved to 36-0 earlier this month by beating Kell Brook in a slugfest that ended with a TKO in the fifth round. The 34-year-old Golovkin is now targeting a unification fight with Billy Joe Saunders to claim the minor WBO title while everyone waits to see if he ends up in the ring
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith pose after the weigh-in for their WBO junior middleweight world championship fight at AT&T Stadium on Saturday.
TEXAS From page B1
SHARPER From page B1
pocket.” Here are some other things to watch:
women’s drinks so they could rape them while the women were sedated in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Nevada. And some can’t believe Sharper’s name is listed. “This is not a character flaw, however. This is something even Sharper described at his sentencing as ‘heinous,”’ Sporting News columnist Mike DeCourcy wrote after the
RUN GAME The Texas offense will load up with their twin 250-pound tailbacks against a Cal defense that looks soft against the run. Foreman ran for 131 yards against Notre Dame but sat out last week with an undisclosed injury. Coach Charlie Strong says Foreman will play against Cal. Warren has 142 yards this season and had a 276-yard game last season against Texas Tech. “Where we’re good is that we are able to run the ball. We have a physical nature about us, then we can throw,” Strong said. “If you want to load the box, we’re going to throw it over your head. If you’re going to back off, we’re going to run it.” BUSY HANSEN Webb has quickly zeroed in on a favorite target, completing 14 passes in each game to receiver Chad Hansen. Hansen has 350 yards receiving and three TDs so far. Webb has options if defenses focus too much on Hansen, including five-star recruit Demetris Robertson, who had four catches for 81 yards and a score last week against San Diego State. REMATCH Last year’s meeting between the teams was an epic one with Cal surviving for a 45-44 win after almost blowing a 21-point lead. The Longhorns were in position to tie the game with 1:11 left but Nick Rose missed an extra point. That loss ultimately cost Texas a bowl bid as the team finished 5-7 in coach Charlie Strong’s second season. “I wouldn’t say ‘revenge,”’ star linebacker Malik Jefferson said. “It’s more an opportunity to get out there and make plays. It’s a new team for them, a new team for us. I think this year is going to be a different outcome.” HERE’S HEARD WR Jerrod Heard torched Cal last season with a Texas school record 527 total yards — as a quarterback. Heard has since moved to receiver and caught his first two touchdown passes last week against UTEP and had eight catches for 119 yards. “It’s a good thing to have,” Heard said of the record that bumped Vince Young down a notch. “I guess when I’m 35 or older, I can tell my kids. Other than that, it’s one of those deals where you got to move on, try to do something great.” HOME OPENER Cal is one of the only Power Five teams yet to play a home game. The Bears opened the season in Australia against Hawaii, had a week off to recuperate and then traveled to San Diego State last week. Now they finally get a chance at a home opener.
USA From page B1 strong and no breathing room. Kane pointed out that previous American generations won at the 1960 and 1980 Olympics and 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Kane, Quick, Parise, Suter, Pavelski, David Backes and Ryan Kesler have been around for six years and through two Olympics and it’s not just time, it’s about time. “We’ve been there and we’ve had our chances and it’s time to break through,” Pavelski said. “We’ve been close, but
attraction fight an interim bout. So in steps Smith, the 28-year-old Briton who told ESPN that Alvarez has “ducked Golovkin massively.” The 26-year-old Alvarez (47-1-1) is coming off a one-punch knockout of Amir Khan in May.
with Alvarez. The two powerful punchers have been on a collision course since November, when Alvarez won his title from Miguel Cotto. Golovkin became the mandatory challenger, but Alvarez promoter Oscar De La Hoya wanted to have his biggest
nominees were released Thursday. “This is not someone who was mean to reporters or undermined his teammates or got in one too many bar fights. This is someone who has acknowledged he drugged women — notice the plural there — for the purpose of forcing himself on them while they were incapacitated.” Fans don’t get it, either. “Darren Sharper has the chance to get in the Football HOF but baseball wants to keep Rose out.
“We know what Liam brings, it’s a very tough fight but that’s what we prepare for,” Alvarez said at the pre-fight news conference with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones front and center at his showplace stadium where less than a sellout crowd is expected. “Come Satur-
I’m confused,” one person wrote on Twitter. Sharper won a Super Bowl during a long career Green Bay before finishing his career with stops in Minnesota and New Orleans. Several others pro football Hall of Famers got into plenty of trouble. One of the Hall’s most notable honorees is O.J. Simpson, who has been incarcerated in Nevada for the past eight years following a 1995 acquittal on the infamous double-murder.
we’re looking for a little bit more out of each other and to really find that right ingredient and that big play at the right moment.” Look no further than Kane, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP last season for the Chicago Blackhawks and led the league in scoring with 106 points. He’s the brightest of the U.S. stars and will have to do better than the zero goals and four points he produced in Sochi. Winger Max Pacioretty called Kane “the best player in the game” and the World Cup the perfect situation for him.
Despite calls for his removal more than two decades ago, Simpson is still a member of pro football’s most prestigious club. And linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who has had a series of run-ins with the law — mostly involving drugs or alcohol — also remains in the Hall of Fame despite pleading guilty to charges of sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute who was 16 years old. He was sentenced to six years of probation.
misdirection and get your eyes somewhere. You have to have lot of eye discipline.”
A&M From page B1 that kind of attitude. That’s been kind of the attitude about us since Week One.” That’s when the Aggies survived an overtime win over UCLA before routing Prairie View A&M 67-0. Auburn took No. 5 Clemson down to the wire in the opener before rolling over Arkansas State, 51-14. Let the battle for SEC West positioning begin. Neither team has had a winning league record in the past two seasons. Auburn is a slight favorite in the game, but the visiting team has won the last four meetings. “It is a little weird,” Auburn guard Alex Kozan said. “Normally the home team advantage, but 2012 obviously that wasn’t going to happen. (In) 2013 we kind of shocked them a little bit, 2014 they shocked us and then 2015 we got them again, so hopefully we can break that little weird streak.” With a win, Texas A&M will have started 3-0 in three consecutive seasons for the first time since 1939-41.
day night, we can all celebrate together. I can have my hand raised for taking home the title and we’ll all say ‘Viva Mexico.”’ If that happens, the cheers will likely also include a call for the showdown with Golovkin.
Bob Levey / Getty Images
Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight has secured the top spot on the Texas A&M depth chart leading the team to the No. 17 ranking nationally.
Some things to watch when No. 17 Texas A&M and Auburn play on Saturday: BLOCKING GARRETT Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett has one sack in the first two games, but Auburn knows how formidable a pass rusher he is and has two new starting tackles. “It pretty much looks like he was created in a video game to rush the passer,” Tigers guard Alex Kozan said. “He’s long, athletic and he can bend.” DEFENDING AU-
“I’d go as far as to say our team has a good chance because Patrick Kane is in his prime,” Pacioretty said. “This tournament sets up perfectly for him. ... A guy like that can change a game in one shift so I think for the rest of the team our identity is be hard to play against, make life difficult for them, but Kaner, let him do his thing.” Some things to watch as the United States faces Europe: LINE SHUFFLE Tortorella has Kane with left winger James van Riemsdyk and center
Derek Stepan, and Pavelski centering Parise and Blake Wheeler, but won’t hesitate to shake things up. Already Pacioretty has been bounced around the lineup, and everyone is on a short leash. “We can’t wait and it’s not about feeling our way through,” Tortorella said. LAST CHANCE Europe coach Ralph Krueger isn’t professing “it’s time” for a team that has never played together before, but he does know the clock is running out on players like 39-year-old Zdeno Chara, 38-year-old Mark Streit,
BURN’S RUN Coach Gus Malzahn’s Tigers racked up 462 rushing yards in last week’s win over Arkansas State, with tailbacks Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway both topping 120 yards. Texas A&M has allowed 2.3 yards per carry through two games. “What you saw from UCLA was downhill lead, power team and toss,” Sumlin said. “Different run attack than a Gus Malzahn team. More of a misdirection. Don’t get it confused. It’s a power attack. But it’s power and
37-year-old Marian Hossa and 35-year-old Dennis Seidenberg. “For a lot of them it might be the last time on this big a stage to have an opportunity to do something special, and we can feel the hunger for that,” Krueger said. QUICK VS. HALAK Quick starts in goal for the U.S. against Europe’s Jaroslav Halak, who was impressive in the exhibition finale against Sweden. Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik and Europe’s top offensive players could be a tougher test for Quick than anyone thinks.
QB STABILITY Both Knight and Auburn’s Sean White appear to have stabilized the quarterback situations. They’ve also each flashed some running ability. White was one of just three Auburn quarterbacks to play against Clemson in Malzahn’s failed experiment but clearly is the No. 1 guy now, with John Franklin III so far used as essentially a Wildcat QB. FACING AGGIES WRS Clemson’s Mike Williams burned Auburn’s secondary down the field a number of times, and Texas A&M presents even more receiving threats with Christian Kirk, Josh Reynolds, Ricky SealsJones and others. PETTWAY’S ENCORE Pettway hadn’t logged a carry for Auburn before last week’s 15-carry, 152yard coming out party. The 6-foot, 240-pounder provides a definite change of pace to the smaller Johnson but hasn’t had a shot at an SEC defense yet.
EARLY JITTERS The teams are full of veteran players who are familiar with elite tournaments, but the first game of the entire World Cup could see some early butterflies. A first-period mistake could have a long-term impact, especially because goal differential is a tiebreaker. BRUTE STRENGTH If there’s anything U.S. has more than other teams in the tournament it’s size and strength. Europe can’t match that and will have to use finesse and playmaking to counteract the Americans’ power.
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, September 17, 2016 |
Dear Heloise: My "pet" peeve: I have worked in the VETERINARY field for 30 years, the last 20 working animal ER. I work nights, weekends and holidays, and have missed family events and milestones. I am here to help your pet. The number of pet owners who do not prepare for emergencies astounds me. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet, you take on their basic needs and providing for emergencies. Owning a pet is a privilege. You are responsible for a living, breathing animal. Does this help come with a cost? Certainly. Be prepared. Sock a little money away for emergencies, and invest in pet insurance. Thank your veterinary-care workers for all they do. -- Lynn H., Girard, Ohio Lynn, setting up a
separate account for pet care is critical if you have lots of furry, four-legged friends. -- Heloise SCHOOL RULES Dear Heloise: Here are some hints that keep our family running on schedule during the busy school year. These hints are especially helpful if you have elementary-age kids: * Lay out clothes the night before. This is a real timesaver. You can take time to see what you have, what's clean, what needs to be replaced, mended, etc. * Look over the school menu online during the weekend. Plan the meals your kids will eat from the cafeteria, then shop and prepare lunches for the "brown bag" days. * A delicious and filling breakfast is a must. Yogurt, whole-grain cereal, toast, nuts -- all good choices. -- Sam W. in California
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B4 | Saturday, September 17, 2016 | THE ZAPATA TIMES