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Incentives for local businesses
HISTORIC FORT TREVIÑO GETS A TARRING
Court likes idea of giving breaks to established firms that are expanding By JULIE DAFFERN THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Zapata Commissioners Court seemed receptive to the idea at Monday’s meeting that a potential incentive program to attract new business could also apply to local businesses in certain circumstances, such as when they expand. The court has expressed reluctance to the idea of tax abatements, but Peggy Umphres Moffett, of the Zapata Economic Development Center, emphasized there are other options, such as sewer and water rate adjustments. However, prior to the vote Commissioner Jose Emilio Vela said the county shouldn’t need to offer incentives.
“Zapata is one of the areas where businesses don’t have to pay that much in taxes … because Zapata is not an incorporated city,” he said, pointing to Laredo, where some residents must pay a county, city, school district and community college tax. Umphres agreed, saying, “The county does have a lot of advantages.” In the end, a resolution in expressing the court’s intent to consider financial incentives for prospective companies was approved, and Umphres asked the court to schedule a workshop. County Judge Rosalva Guerra said the workshop had yet to be scheduled by Thursday afternoon.
Photos by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
The streets in San Ygnacio are filled with mud as the community waits for them to be paved.
Construction firm accepts responsibility
See COMMISSIONERS PAGE 10A
By JULIE DAFFERN THE ZAPATA TIMES
HUNGER
A
Food bank sees record distribution More than 17,000 families got help, including more than 14,000 children By SALO OTERO SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The South Texas Food Bank had record distribution of product in 2009 at five Zapata County sites. According to Elia Solis, agency coordinator for the South Texas Food Bank, which is headquartered in Laredo, the food bank served 17,179 families in Zapata. Among them were 23,641 adults and 14,274 children. Also, 40,046 meals were served. “Every agency had at least an increase of between 20 and 40 percent from last year,” said Solis, a native of San Ygnacio and a graduate of Zapata High School. “The need is great and we’re still looking for eligible non-profit organizations to help us increase distribution.” One of the South Texas Food Bank programs is Adopt-a-Family. A donation of $120 for the year allows a needy family to pick up one box of groceries per month. The food bank is a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization that serves people from birth to death. Tax deductible donations can be sent to PO Box 2007; Laredo, TX 78044. The phone number is (956) 726-3120. The Web site is at www.southtexasfoodbank.org It is also on face
“
The need is great and we’re still looking for eligible non-profit organizations to help us increase distribution.” ELIA SOLIS, STFB COORDINATOR
Construction signs block off Uribe Avenue and Benavidez Street in San Ygnacio on Thursday. Fort Treviño is in the background The structure was sprayed with road tar this week.
project superintendent with the construction company responsible for smearing tar on the side of the Treviño Fort said the company takes full responsibility for the damage and is awaiting word from the River Pierce Foundation, an organization formed to preserve the historic building, for further action. Ray Zamora, Reim Construction’s superintendent on the project, said he wasn’t there when the incident occurred, and wouldn’t comment in detail on what happened because of the threat of a lawsuit. “It was a mishap,” Zamora said, adding that the company has been ready to make amends from the start, but has not been allowed. “We’re ready. Our insurance company has been contacted. “They (the River Pierce Foundation) need to de-
cide what they’re going to do with it,” he added. “We will definitely own up to the problem. We have a good track record.” The construction company was hired by Zapata County to complete a drainage project in San Ygnacio. Zamora said the company had to remove all of the asphalt and caliche and replace it. Currently, the roads have been stripped, and recent rain has made the streets extremely muddy. Zamora said the project is at a point where construction could progress rapidly if the weather cooperates, and they could be complete in three to four months. As the project continues, Zamora said the likelihood of damaging other buildings with the tar is slim. “I don’t foresee it happening again unless it’s an act of God,” he said. County Judge Rosalva Guerra said she’d like to see Fort Treviño cleaned
See FORT PAGE 10A
ELECTIONS
Governor hopeful visits Zapata
book as South Texas Food Bank and on twitter: www.twitter.com/SoTxFoodBank The food bank headquarters, at 1907 Freight and Riverside in west Laredo, is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. More than 4,500 Zapata residents live under the federal government poverty guidelines, according to the 2007 census. The poverty rate in Zapata is 33.4 percent. A majority of the 4,500 are at risk of not having enough food to eat. The South Texas Food Bank continues to make a significant difference in
Education is the No. 1 job of state government, according to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White, and if he wins the position, White said his focus will be on that issue. “It’s a dream that people can work and their kids can do better,” White said while visiting Zapata on a tour of South Texas earlier this week. “And we need a governor who understands that and who understands that the No. 1 job of the state
See FOOD PAGE 10A
See WHITE PAGE 10A
Popular mayor Bill White puts focus on education THE ZAPATA TIMES
Courtesy photo
Renato Ramirez, president and CEO of IBC-Zapata, left, listens to former Houston Mayor Bill White, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, during White’s visit to Zapata.
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Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
Saturday, Jan. 16
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society will have its general meeting at 1 p.m., followed by a presentation by Joel C. Uribe on his book “The Sword and the Chalice: A Biographical Recount of Two Brothers, Col. Jose Bernardo and Reverend Jose Antonio Gutierrez de Lara Uribe.”
Thursday, Jan. 21 AARP Chapter No. 1308 will have its monthly meeting at the Masonic Lodge, 14th Street and Texas 16. Lunch will be served by Zapata Chapter No. 1106 Order of the Eastern Star. Donation is $5. Business meeting begins at 1 p.m. There also will be a bazaar and bake sale with Melissa Guerra as auctioneer.
Friday, Jan. 22 The deadline to register for the upcoming Boys and Girls Club shootout is 5 p.m. today. The entry fee is $120 per shooter. There is a five-man team limit. For more information, call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 7654871.
Saturday, Jan. 23 Those looking to compete in the Boys and Girls Club cook-off need to register before 5 p.m. today. The registration fee is $200 per team. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871.
Tuesday, Jan. 26 FLW Eastern Series fishing tournament begins today and continues through Saturday, Jan 30, at Falcon Lake. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871.
Saturday, Jan. 30 Boys and Girls Club will be hosting their annual Shootout and Cook-off today. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871.
Saturday, Feb. 6 Noche de Cabaret, presented by LULAC Council No. 7, will take place tonight from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Laredo Civic Center Ballroom. The 15th annual gala dance will feature the music of Henry “Mr. Ritmo” Brun and the Latin Playerz. Tickets are $17.50 per person. For tickets or more information, call 7171727, 693-7853 or 753-6656.
Saturday, Feb. 20
Photo by Kevin Wolf | AP
A report is seen at the Pentagon on Friday during a news conference to discuss the results of an independent review related to the Ft. Hood shooting in November.
Errors in Hasan case By ANNE FLAHERTY ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The military remains vulnerable to another Fort Hood-like massacre with religious radicalization on the rise and too little attention being paid to internal threats, senior Pentagon officials said Friday. An internal investigation into the shooting at the Texas Army post in November found that several officers failed to use “appropriate judgment and standards” in overseeing the career of Army Maj. Nidal Hasan and that their actions should be investigated immediately.
Glitch makes Internet lose track of who is who
Company recalls more Tylenol, Motrin
1 in 5 Americans get swine flu protection
SAN FRANCISCO — A Georgia mother and her two daughters logged onto Facebook from mobile phones last weekend and wound up in a startling place: strangers’ accounts with access to troves of private information. The glitch — the result of a routing problem at AT&T — revealed a little known security flaw with far reaching implications for everyone on the Internet, not just Facebook users. The Internet lost track of who was who, putting the women into the wrong accounts.
NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson expanded a recall of over-the-counter medications Friday, the second time it has done so in less than a month because of a moldy smell that has made users sick. The broadening recall now includes some batches of regular and extra-strength Tylenol children’s Tylenol, eight-hour Tylenol, Tylenol arthritis, Tylenol PM, children’s Motrin, Motrin IB, Benadryl Rolaids, Simply Sleep and St. Joseph’s aspirin. Caplet and geltab products.
ATLANTA — About 1 in 5 Americans have been vaccinated against swine flu, according to the government’s first detailed estimates of vaccination rates for the new virus. The estimate is based on two government telephone surveys in December and early January. The surveys say an estimate 61 million people — or about 20 percent of the population — got a shot or nasal spray vaccination against swine flu since the vaccine became available last year. -- Compiled from AP reports
Bass Champs Tournament Trail, South Texas Division, is today at Falcon Lake. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871, or visit www.basschamps.com.
Friday, Feb. 26 Winter Texan and Senior Appreciation Day. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871.
Tuesday, March 2 Primary elections are today. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 11 The Zapata County Fair begins today. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at (956) 765-4871, or go online at www.zapatacountyfaironline.com
Friday, March 12 The Zapata County Fair continues today. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at (956) 765-4871, or go online at www.zapatacountyfaironline.com
Saturday, March 13 The Zapata County Fair ends today. For more information call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at (956) 765-4871, or go online at www.zapatacountyfaironline.com
AROUND THE STATE Woman told mom of problems before death WACO, Texas — Shortly before she died, a minister’s wife found crushed pills in her husband’s briefcase and was upset because he had accused her of causing their young daughter’s death, her mother testified Friday at his murder trial. Linda Dulin told jurors that the weekend before Kari Baker’s death, which initially was ruled a suicide, she and her husband looked after their two grandchildren because her daughter said she needed to talk to her husband about their problems. Matt Baker, 38, a Baptist minister, faces up to life in prison if convicted.
N. Texan injured in Haiti earthquake dies DALLAS — A member of a Dallas-area church’s team of medical missionaries has died of internal injuries received in Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti.
To submit an item for the daily calendar, send the name of the event, the date, time, location and a contact phone number to editorial@lmtonline.com
Photo by Mike Fuentes | AP
Katy Langley speaks at a news conference in Dallas, on Friday. Langley was in Haiti during the destructive earthquake last week. A fellow missionaries, Jean Arnwine, died from injuries sustained in the quake. Jean Arnwine of Dallas was part of a team of volunteers from the Highland Park United Methodist Church staffing an eye care clinic in the Haitian village of Petit Goave.
Cop fired over nude photos sent to student DALLAS — A Dallas police
officer has been fired after an internal investigation revealed he sent nude photos of himself to a 17-year-old high school student. Police Chief David Kunkle on Thursday fired Officer Bryan Crews, who had been with the department for four years. A police spokesman says Crews had a sexual relationship with the girl, who is now 18. -- Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD
Saturday, March 20 The 60th annual Flower and Art Show, sponsored by the United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, will display beautiful flowers and paintings in the Fellowship Hall from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Public is invited. Admission tickets will be sold at the door.
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, has been charged with killing 13 people. “I would ask all commanders and leaders at every level to make an effort to look beyond their day-to-day tasks and be attuned to personnel who may be at risk or pose a danger,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. A separate White House assessment concluded the government doesn’t do enough to share information on “disaffected individuals” and that closer scrutiny is needed. Of particular concern is “self-radicalization” by individuals seeking out extremist views, said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Paratroopers, groups try to get aid to Haitians PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Hundreds of U.S. troops touched down in earthquake-shattered Port-au-Prince overnight and were soon handing out food and water to stricken survivors, as relief groups struggled to deliver aid Friday and fears spread of unrest in Haiti’s fourth day of desperation.
Pockets of looting flared across the capital. Small bands of young men and teenagers with machetes roaming downtown streets helped themselves to whatever they could find in wrecked homes.
Canadian safe-injection site to remain open VANCOUVER, British Columbia — British Columbia’s
top court on Friday rejected an attempt by the Canadian government to close North America’s first safe injection site for drug users. The site, where people can inject illegal drugs with clean needles under a nurse’s supervision, has operated since 2003 under a temporary exemption. It was opened as part of a harm-reduction plan to tackle an epidemic of HIV-AIDS and drug overdose deaths. -- Compiled from AP reports
Today is Saturday, Jan. 16, the 16th day of 2010. There are 349 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 16, 1920, Prohibition began in the United States as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect, one year to the day after its ratification. (It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.) On this date: In 1547, Ivan IV of Russia (popularly known as “Ivan the Terrible”) was crowned czar. In 1883, the U.S. Civil Service Commission was established. In 1919, pianist and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski became the first premier of the newly created republic of Poland. In 1935, fugitive gangster Fred Barker and his mother, Kate “Ma” Barker, were killed in a shootout with the FBI at Lake Weir, Fla. In 1942, actress Carole Lombard, 33, her mother and about 20 other people died when their plane crashed near Las Vegas while returning from a warbond promotion tour. In 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in London. In 1969, two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel. In 1978, NASA named 35 candidates to fly on the space shuttle, including Sally K. Ride, who became America’s first woman in space, and Guion S. Bluford Jr., who became America’s first black astronaut in space. In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off under extremely tight security; on board was Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon. (The mission ended in tragedy when the shuttle broke up during its return descent, killing all seven crew members.) In 2007, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., launched his successful bid for the White House. Ten years ago: Ricardo Lagos was elected Chile’s first socialist president since Salvador Allende. Five years ago: The U.S. military freed 81 detainees in Afghanistan, ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha. Golden Globes were awarded to “The Aviator” as best movie drama and “Sideways” as best movie musical or comedy. One year ago: President-elect Barack Obama made a pitch for his massive economic stimulus plan at a factory in Bedford Heights, Ohio, saying his proposal would make smart investments in the country’s future and create solid jobs in upand-coming industries. Today’s Birthdays: Author William Kennedy is 82. Authoreditor Norman Podhoretz is 80. Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 76. Hall of Fame auto racer A.J. Foyt is 75. Singer Barbara Lynn is 68. Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 67. Country singer Jim Stafford is 66. Talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger is 63. Movie director John Carpenter is 62. Actress-dancerchoreographer Debbie Allen is 60. Comedian Robert Schimmel is 60. Singer Sade is 51. Rock musician Paul Webb (Talk Talk) is 48. R&B singer Maxine Jones (En Vogue) is 44. Actor David Chokachi is 42. Thought for Today: “Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.” — Marshall Field, department store founder (1834-1906).
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SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
Zlocal SCIENCE PROJECT LOSES ITS TOP
Guerra opts to run for treasurer post SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Rosalva Guerra, currently serving as Zapata County Judge, has formally announced that she is running for county treasurer. “As County Judge I have overseen the various components that make up our county,” she said in a prepared statement. “This experience has allowed me to identify the strengths and weaknesses in each department. With a front row seat to the daily processes and procedures of all the county’s divisions, I now feel that I am capable of excelling at any task given to me as Zapata County Treasurer. I have the knowledge and experience this department needs.” Guerra said the demands placed on her time by the position of county judge led her to seek a different office. She apologized for not seeking reelection, but said she had “enjoyed” her time in office and considered it an honor to serve the public.. “I firmly believe that one should place what matters most first,” she said. “For me, my family – my daughters, and husband – are first in my heart. Since the County Judge’s responsibilities to the County must always be placed before anything else, my family has had to endure many nights without me. “Your next County Judge must be willing and able to place this office first and must be able to devote their time and energy to the responsibilities of this position.” Guerra graduated from Zapata High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Laredo State University. In 2006, she earned her master’s in Public Administration at Texas A&M International University. She served as Chief Ap-
PAGE 3A
County Judge Rosalva Guerra decides not to run for reelection. praiser for the Zapata County Appraisal District from 1982 to 2002 and was elected to serve as Tax Assessor/Collector in 1989 to 2005. She took on the post of county judge in 2007. Guerra also serves as chairman of the Board of Directors for the South Texas Development Council, an organization comprised of Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties. The council plans, coordinates and implements regional strategies to improve health, safety, and general welfare in the communities it serves. Among her goals, if elected: provide a monthly report to Commissioners Court as required by the Texas Local Government Code Section 114.026(c), preferably on Friday before the meeting to provide time for commissioners to closely review the report provide a monthly report of the Commissioners Court report for the County’s Web site provide a report to be examined by the County Auditor together with the cancelled check that have been verified, as required by Texas Local Government Code Section 115.002(c) provide a report on the total amount of claims registered by the County Treasurer to the County Clerk, as required by Texas Local Government Code Section 114.061. ensure all employees in the treasurer’s office adhere to a time management system assist all departments in their budget analysis to provide a consistent flow of operation save the county grant administrative fees by providing in-house assistance
Courtesy photo
Zapata South Elementary School second graders in Hector Garcia’s science class are studying a unit on land forms, and one of their assignments was to construct a volcano. Krystyna Gray is surrounded by her classmates as she erupts her volcano. Pictured are Angel Alaniz, Ashley Ramirez, Adriana Cavazos, Patsy Banda, Rey Muñoz, Alexa Martinez, Kaelynn Gonzalez, Krystyna Gray, Carlos H Flores Jr., Gregory Gutierrez, Daniel Gonzalez, Garcia, Sofia Ramirez, Homero Martinez and Jazmine Peña. Krystyna said her dad Joe, mother Ana and brother AJ helped her make the volcano. She said it was “a lot of fun.”
THE BLOTTER ASSAULT Deputies responded to an aggravated assault call. According to reports, a male juvenile assaulted three other juveniles with a BB gun at 2:45 p.m. Jan. 10 in the 700 block of Bravo Avenue in the Medina Addition. The Zapata County Sheriff’s Office has an open investigation on the case.
THEFT Deputies responded to a theft call around 9:15 a.m. Jan. 12. According to reports, some welding jacks and a battery charger were stolen from the USDA yard, 700 block of Carla Street. Deputies responded to a theft call around 6:45 p.m. Jan. 13 in the intersection of 16th Street
and Texas 16. According to reports, someone stole a front license plate from a vehicle.
DEADLY CONDUCT An anonymous man reported shots fired at about 8:45 p.m. Jan. 10 in the 900 block of Juarez Street in the Medina Addition. No arrest was made. Deputies are investigating the case.
BURGLARY Deputies responded to a burglary call around 4 p.m.on Jan. 12 in the 2100 block of Retama Lane. According to the sheriff’s department report, unknown people entered the residence through a window and stole a TV, a camera and a DVD player.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF Deputies responded to a criminal mischief call around 3 p.m. Jan. 12 in the 300 block of Cerrito Drive. According to reports, a man reported unknown people damaged her property when they threw rocks.
POSSESSION Roberto Ignacio Garcia Jr. was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana at about 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at Pepe’s RV Park, Irene Avenue. The man was book-
ed and transported to Zapata Regional Jail. An initial burglary call turned out to be a seizure of marijuana. Deputies responded to a burglary call around 4:30 p.m. Jan. 13 in the 5300 block of Sean Lane. According to reports, a consent to search was conducted for stolen items. During an investigation deputies discovered bundles of marijuana in a concealed compartment under the bed. A male juvenile was detained for questioning. The Zapata County Sheriff’s Office has an open investigation on the case.
Zopinion
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Obama sows fear, doubt By GARY ANDRES HEARST NEWSPAPERS
W
ASHINGTON — The candidate of hope and change has now become a president of fear and doubt. This is hampering the economy and the American people’s sense of security. The fear factor manifests itself in several ways. Consider what was formerly known as the “war on terror.” Whatever the president wants to call it these days, we’re losing. This is a scary thought. It’s deeply frightening when an al-Qaeda operative nearly blows up an airliner filled with American citizens, over an American city. Yet when that same terrorist gets treated like someone who just robbed a bank, the people’s fear becomes widespread doubt — skepticism emerges about this administration’s capacity and commitment to protect its people. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is a terrorist and enemy combatant, not a common criminal. He should not enjoy the constitutional protections belonging to American citizens. Period. Allowing the military to hold and interrogate him could have yielded critical real-time intelligence about persons and plans to kill more Americans. We missed that opportunity and now could pay a catastrophic price. Unfortunately, Obama seems like a naive college professor, more committed to a theoretical ideal of preserving Miranda rights than to defending America. This perception is growing, and it’s contributing to the fear factor.
Just a criminal Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal: What the gaffes, the almost comically strained avoidance of such direct terms as “war” and “Islamist terrorism,” and the failure to think of Abdulmutallab as a potential source of intelligence rather than simply as a criminal defendant seem to reflect is that some in the executive branch are focused more on not sounding like their predecessors than they are on finding and neutralizing people who believe it is their religious duty to kill us. That’s too bad, because the Constitution vests “the executive power” — not some of it, all of it — in the president. He, and those acting at his direction, are responsible for protecting us. Mukasey understands the fear factor nexus. He concludes his piece by arguing, “There is much to
worry about if they think that the principal challenge of the day is detecting bombs at the airport rather than actively searching out, finding and neutralizing terrorists before they get there.” Fear also hampers the economic recovery. And Obama’s domestic policies are causing angst here, as well. Growing choruses of economic analysts recognize this point. Larry Kudlow, writing in National Review Online last week, argues that the collective weight of all these measures — the “stimulus monster,” cap and trade, government takeover of health care, increases in marginal tax rates and capital gains tax rates — is dragging the economy down. “It’s creating so much uncertainty that even profitable businesses are afraid to hire new workers and expand,” Kudlow writes. He’s right. Instead of injecting confidence, Obama seems like a risky gambler, doubling down on doubt.
Money woes University of Chicago economists Gary S. Becker, Steven J. Davis, and Kevin M. Murphy make a similar point in last week’s Wall Street Journal. They argue that introducing a host of economic changes on the heels of a recession is a mistake and contributing to our economic woes. “By failing to adopt a measured approach, Congress and the president may be slowing the economic recovery, and thereby prolonging the distress from the recession,” they write. The Democratic leadership is exacerbating the fear factor, hurling the party into a political death spiral. Veteran political analyst Charlie Cook says, “Watching Democrats over the last 6 months is a bit like watching a car wreck in slow motion.” No one knows all the reasons underlying voter trepidation with Obama and the Democrats. Americans clearly desired “change” in the 2008 election. So now are they saying “no,” “too much,” or “not this kind of change?” Probably a little of each. The Democrats seek to promote change with a host of party-line votes on everything from the stimulus to cap and trade to health care. Americans are connecting the dots — on everything from fighting terrorism to domestic policy — and the picture emerging from Obama and the Democrats in Washington is scaring them. Bottom line: Americans want political leaders to solve problems with common sense, not politicians who act like ideologues on a mission.
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readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No namecalling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
EDITORIAL
Juveniles need their protection NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
T
he Justice Department needs to act swiftly and decisively to protect young people who are being battered and raped in juvenile corrections facilities all across the country. A shocking new study by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics surveyed more than 9,000 young people in custody and found that 12 percent reported being sexually abused one or more times, mainly by staff members. Particularly alarming, the study found several juvenile facilities where 30 percent or more of the young people reported be-
ing raped. Many of the victims said that they were injured in the attacks. Some of the institutions with high rates of victimization were in Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. These latest findings are consistent with those reported in June by a federal commission created by Congress under the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act. The commission, which examined the problem for five years, also outlined a list of sensible policy changes, which the Justice Department has the power to make mandatory for all corrections institutions that accept federal money.
The commission said that corrections facilities must make it easier for victims to report abuse without fear of reprisal and promptly and thoroughly investigate all rape claims. It said that prison employees must be better screened before they are hired, and they must be better trained in how to deal with vulnerable young people. The commission also called on state corrections agencies to develop explicit, written zero-tolerance rules for employees of both adult and juvenile facilities — and write these rules into future union contracts. Employees must be put on notice that they will be held accountable if they
participate in sexual assaults or look the other way when they occur. The 2003 law gave the U.S. attorney general until June of this year to evaluate the commission’s findings and issue new rapeprevention standards. But juvenile justice advocates worry that the Justice Department will allow state corrections officials to water down those requirements, partly by arguing that they will be too expensive to implement. The department should not allow that to happen. If it does, Congress will have to strengthen the legislation. Zero tolerance for abuse in prisons or juvenile facilities must be the law of the land.
COLUMN
Obama’s broken promises By JONATHAN GURWITZ SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
R
epublicans haven’t been disappointed by Barack Obama’s first year in the Oval Office. They set appropriately low expectations for the former community organizer, state senator and partial-term U.S. senator. And with the notable exception of Afghanistan — which he eventually got right — President Obama has met those expectations. For many Democrats and, especially, independents who voted for Obama, it’s a different story. Obama courted them with inspiring promises to transform Washington with “change we can believe in” and the self-affirming pledge, “Yes we can.” But the Obama administration’s first 12 months have often been characterized by a desultory business as usual and the depressing tendency of the president to waffle whenever he can. That politicians occasionally fail to fulfill campaign promises is not exactly a revelation. In this
sense, Obama is far from being unique. What is unique is the contemptuous way that Obama has broken not one, not a few, but a series of explicit pledges that were central to his victory in 2008. The most embarrassing example at the moment was his unceasing commitment to open the negotiations for health care reform to C-SPAN’s cameras and public scrutiny. This was the rhetorical bludgeon he used to attack the Clintons and the secretive, backroom deals that candidate Obama said were responsible for the failure to pass health care reform in 1993. Republicans see the Internet mashups of Obama’s C-SPAN declarations and laugh. Democrats who wonder what happened to the public option and independents who want to know how pharmaceutical companies were able to cut a deal see them and cry. The shameless guile of the C-SPAN fraud is unsettling. But it is a common theme for a chief executive who is perpetuating
“failed” policies of the Bush administration he vowed to undo. During the campaign, Obama criticized the Bush administration’s legal rationale for the treatment of detainees. “We will abide by the Geneva Conventions,” he reiterated last January. “We will uphold our highest ideals.” In November, the Obama Justice Department used Bush-era legal arguments to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss Rasul v. Rumsfeld, a case that would have made government officials liable for torture, because “the constitutional rights they claim were violated” — namely, the right not to be tortured — “were not clearly established.” During the campaign, Obama condemned the practice of extraordinary rendition and pledged to shut down the program. In a 2007 article he wrote for Foreign Affairs, Obama said he would end “the practices of shipping away prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in faroff countries.”
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
In February, the Obama administration asserted the same legal position as the Bush administration in Mohamed et al v. Jeppesen Dataplan Inc., a suit brought by five men who accused a flight-planning company of flying them to secret CIA prisons abroad where they claim they were tortured. On state secrets, indefinite detention, warrantless surveillance, the Patriot Act and signing statements, President Obama has used the language of transparency to give the appearance of change. In practice, however, he has asserted virtually the same executive authority he reviled as abuses by his predecessor. For skeptics who never bought into the mythology of Obama as The One, who saw through the soaring rhetoric to a conventional if unqualified candidate, this comes as no surprise. For the millions of supporters who were duped into believing the hype about change, it’s a hard lesson in the cynicism of politics.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
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Moxie materialized By STEPHANIE M. IBARRA THE ZAPATA TIMES
Even upon first glance, the artworks appear to be more than just splashes of paint on paper. Many of artist Kimberly Walton’s pieces in “The Moxie Files” collection series, currently on display at the Laredo Center for the Arts, entail layer-upon-layer color diffusions, making for a moving and often textural appearance. According to Walton, the notable textures seen on the different surfaces are implied, and used to portray the message she initially has in mind when creating a piece. “It’s just about getting something down on paper and letting the piece breathe, say something exciting,” Walton said.
The series Moved often by the brushstrokes themselves, all her works in this collection are nonrepresentational, each piece evoking a varied understanding of the artist’s intention. The realist-turned-contemporary-artist maintains that “The Moxie Files” originated by a simple interest in the word “moxie,” “Moxie is just a fun word, not a word we hear everyday,” Walton said. “It’s a neat word that gets into this idea of pushing forward. Sometimes we need to be brave and do things that maybe we’re not used to.” In terms of her collection, a sequence of five artworks, it exhibits a more recent conquest: surfing off the north shore of Hawaii, where she sought out her
Courtesy photo
Pictured above is the U.S. Air Force Band of the West’s Dimensions in Blue Jazz Band at the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, N.M.
Band of the West tickets available for free at LMT LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Contemporary artist Kimberly Walton speaks about her artwork, currently on exhibit at the Goodman Gallery at the Laredo Center for the Arts, during an interview Tuesday afternoon. next bold step. “One particular series is simply about an experience that I happened to have a couple of years ago,” Walton recalled. “I learned how to surf. I literally stood up with my hands in the air and thought “I can’t believe I’m doing this!”
Moxie in motion Ironically, the now-Texas A&M International University professorat one point considered the transition from studio artist to educator to be a moxie-motivated move. “The idea of teaching terrified me, and then I was comfortable enough to say, ‘Yeah, I have something to say,’ so I put my fears aside and did it,” Walton said. “I always tell students: Be
careful what you say you won’t do, ’cause you might just do it. When I’m teaching, they motivate me.” Walton continues that as she now teaches, whether it is at the institutional or community level, she hopes to inspire students. “I want them to bring their own very unique sense into what they do. I actually appreciate when they tell me, ‘This is not generally the kind of art I like,’ and that’s OK,” she said. “Say something, have a purpose, keep that passion.” Walton is currently working on larger, canvas pieces for an upcoming exhibit in Corpus Christi. Her art exhibit, “The Moxie Files,” can still be viewed at the Laredo Center for the Arts through Jan. 30. The Laredo Center for the Arts is located at 500 San Agustin Ave.
The United States Air Force Band of the West is set to make its triumphant return to Texas A&M International University on Friday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. The award-winning band, headquartered at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, will present “Dimensions in Blue” as part of the annual Washington’s Birth-
day Celebration activities. The concert, which typically includes patriotic, popular and marching band selections, is free, but tickets are required. For free tickets, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and ticket request, available in the print edition of Laredo Morning Times, to the newspaper offices at 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX, 78041. A copy of the ticket re-
quest is also available for print online at www.lmtonline.com/. As many as four tickets may be requested. Audience members must be seated by 6:45 p.m. to begin the concert promptly at 7. For more information, visit www.bandofthewest.af.mil or www.facebook.com/bandofthewest. The concert is sponsored by Laredo Morning Times.
MISS MANNERS
Bless you — again and again and again DEAR MISS MANNERS — Of course, the proper reply to the all too common sneeze is a cultural issue. But many people are insulted if one does not provide the common English expression of “Bless you,” addressed to one who sneezes. What is the “socially acceptable to everyone etiquette” for dealing with a public sneezer?
“
JUDITH MARTIN
GENTLE READER — Such is the way with custom. There is no logical reason why sneezes are blessed. So people are still blessed at the first sneeze,
and asked “Are you all right?” after a series. People get accustomed to this patchwork of odd little customs. This makes them difficult to change, and the prospect of changing them all to conform to a logical pattern is daunting. Furthermore, opening the possibility of change brings out the worst in some people.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
LCA to offer art classes SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
What better way to start off the year than with the Laredo Center for the Arts? LCA is thrilled offer Saturday Art Class and Beginner’s Drawing to the public. Saturday Art Class will be offered on Saturday mornings from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for children ages 6-12; the Beginner’s Drawing will be offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for teens ages 13-18 at the Laredo Center for the Arts, starting today. Artists and art educators will provide Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Sister Aloysius (Carllyn Walker), Father Brendan Flynn (Brendan Townsend) and Sister James (Casandra Canales) appear in a scene from “Doubt, A Parable.”
The shadow of doubt LTGI’s production fiercely takes on foundations of belief By KIRSTEN CROW THE ZAPATA TIMES
The actors and crew of “Doubt” will tell you that the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by John Patrick Shanley could just as easily have been titled “Certainty.” What we know — and how we know — and how firmly we stand in our convictions is what takes center stage for the actors’ characters as well as their audience in the Laredo Theater Guild International’s latest offering, which continues todayand Sunday. Produced by Linda Howland and directed by Vernon Carroll, it’s a dense work. The company plans to hold a question-and-answer portion following the shows to further stoke discussion of its implications. Carroll compared the writing to Shakespeare’s — not a word is breathed without being fully loaded. “This is not thin material,” he said. “This is not disposable theater.”
The plot “Doubt,” set at the St. Nicolas School in The Bronx in 1964, opens with a sermon by its newest and most popular priest, Father Brendan Flynn, played by Brendan Townsend. The sermon appropriately foreshadows what lies ahead for the audience, addressing the sheer potency of doubt and certainty, as Flynn notes, “What do you do when you don’t know for sure? …Doubt can be as powerful and sustaining as certainty.” The audience is soon introduced to Sister Aloysius, played by Carllyn Walker, the principal of St. Nicholas who equally disdains “fidgety boys,” “restless minds,” art, ballpoint pens “Frosty the Snowman” and, as she puts it, “easy choices.” Life is about rules: Knowing them, following them and certainly enforcing them. Juxtaposed against the naïve and enthusiastic Sister James, played by Casandra Canales, the contrast is palpable. Sister James is
THE 411 Who: Laredo Theater Guild International What: ‘Doubt, A Parable’ When: 3 and 8 p.m. today; 3 p.m. Sunday Where: TAMIU Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Sam Johnson Experimental Theatre Cost: General admission is $15; discount rates of $10 are available for students with ID and senior citizens. Presale tickets are available at Foster’s,1605 E. Del Mar Blvd. trusting, appeasing and somewhat cowed in the presence of her superior, whom she appears to both idolize and fear. Sister Aloysius says, notably, that Sister James was a woman who would “trade a warm look for anything.” It’s apparent from the first introduction that Sister Aloysius has her misgivings about the new priest, ordering Sister James to be alert to any unusual developments in the school without further clarifying. Shortly thereafter, Sister James has some news: Flynn spoke with one of the boys, the first black student at the school, in private. Robert Muller, she continues, behaved strangely when he returned to class. And his breath smelled like alcohol. It’s enough to convince Sister Aloysius of impropriety. As she seeks out the truth — or confirmation of what she already believes to be true — she uncovers instead other truths about her own nature, as well as Sister James’. Whether what she discovers constitutes evidence is left in the hands of the audience. It’s as much about strength as it is about weakness. One of the final scenes involving a confrontation between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn is something akin to clash of the titans, as each has their own predilection for some kind of hubris. Each scene is packed — there’s nothing expendable in the emotionally charged episodes leading to the short play’s conclusion. “If someone were to cut
just one act, it would destroy it,” Carroll said. “A lot of the story and a lot of the characters never, ever appear on stage. The actors have to fill in the gaps.”
The actors The play was rife with challenges, one being a lastminute cast change when Walker stepped into the role of Sister Aloysius, the main character of the ensemble cast. But judging from a rehearsal Tuesday, Walker is more than prepared to take on the challenge. As Sister Aloysius, she speaks with a deadpan precision, placing inflection on one word, which is emphasized like a heel against broken glass. It’s a powerful effect. Canales, fresh off her role as the director of “Dog Sees God,” returns to the stage following her last showing as Sally Bowles in “Cabaret” with a character who begins cheerfully sure and ends legitimately conflicted. Townsend, in his stage debut, utilizes the tools that he learned as an orchestral conductor and brings fire to the stage as a charismatic, and later furiously indignant, priest. But it’s Lilly Austin’s performance as Mrs. Muller, Robert’s mother, that is arguably the most powerful. Appearing in only one scene, it’s the pivotal point of the play. Austin takes her Mrs. Muller from congenial and concerned to volatile and fiercely defensive of her son when Sister Aloysius voices her suspicions of the priest and Robert is caught in the crossfire.
To go “Doubt” will be performed at 8 p.m. tonight, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Texas A&M International University Center for Fine and Performing Arts’ Sam Johnson Experimental Theatre. General admission is $15; students with ID and senior citizens get in for $10.
‘Lovely Bones’ trades soul for spectacle By DAVID GERMAIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
REVIEW
Odd as it sounds, Peter Jackson needed to come down to Earth a bit more in “The Lovely Bones,” his adaptation of Alice Sebold’s best-seller about a murdered girl looking back on her life from beyond. The visionary filmmaker crafts lovely but ineffectual dreamscapes of the afterlife that eviscerate much of the human side of the story. Jackson loses the spark of Sebold’s story — a young girl’s lament over a life never lived, a family’s bottomless grief over a child and sister lost — amid his expensive pretty pictures. Like the book, the film merges first-person and
omniscient narration as Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan, an Academy Award nominee for 2007’s “Atonement”) chronicles her journey from sensitive 14-yearold schoolgirl to shattered soul stuck in a nether zone between earth and heaven. Sweet and somewhat shy, Susie is just developing a passion for photography and on the verge of her first kiss when a creepy neighbor (Stanley Tucci) with a serial-killer past lures her into his secret lair and murders her. For her family — including parents (Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz), grandmother (Susan Saran-
don) and younger sister (Rose McIver) — Susie has simply vanished, her body hidden away by her killer. Years pass, and Susie watches the family crumble, her mom running off to work on a farm, her dad obsessed with finding his daughter’s murderer, to the exasperation of the cop (Michael Imperioli) handling the case. Through death, Susie gains a razor-sharp focus on what’s truly important, all those glorious little snapshot moments that, for the living, can become lost and forgotten in the cacophony of everyday life. “The Lovely Bones” is playing at Cinemark Mall Del Norte and Hollywood Theaters.
introductory art classes exploring a variety of media such as printmaking, painting, drawing and sculpture. Saturday Art Class promotes self-expression and the development of creativity in a positive environment. Classes are held three Saturdays per month. They are $15 per session or $40 per month. Tuition is non-refundable and must be paid in full at registration. Classes will continue throughout the school year. Registration is required. For more information, call 725-1715 or visit www.laredoartcenter.org for the latest updates.
SÁBADO 16 DE ENERO DE 2010
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PÁGINA 7A
Hoteles listos para atender al turismo
Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 16 DE ENERO LAREDO — El Center for the Fine and Performing Arts del College of Arts and Sciences de TAMIU presenta “Doubt” del Laredo Theater Guild International. Las presentaciones son hoy a las 8 p.m. y el domingo 17 de enero a las 3 p.m. Más información en ww.laredotheaterguild.com.
ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
MARTES 19 DE ENERO NUEVO LAREDO — El Gobierno Municipal de Nuevo Laredo, a través de la Dirección de Cultura y el Museo Reyes Meza invitan a la exposición “La Esencia Expresiva, Pintura y Escultura” de Juan Soriano, a partir del día de hoy en el Teatro Experimental del Centro Cultural. La inauguración será a las 7 p.m. y se contará con el relato del coleccionista Marek Keller.
JUEVES 21 DE ENERO LAREDO — La pianista clásica Ilya Itin regresa a TAMIU como la invitada especial para las Series Steinway de la Universidad el día de hoy a las 7:30 p.m. en el Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall de TAMIU. La entrada es gratuita y abierta al público en general. El programa vespertino incluye música de Franz Schubert y Sergei Rachmaninov.
VIERNES 22 DE ENERO LAREDO — Hoy salen a la venta los boletos para el concierto de Chicago el jueves 8 de abril en el Laredo Entertainment Center. El costo de los boletos varía de 70, 52, 42 y 32 dólares, más la cuota de instalaciones. Pueden adquirir sus boletos en la taquilla de LEC y en Ticketmaster. ZAPATA — A las 5 p.m. de hoy es la fecha límite para inscribirse al torneo de tiro del Boys & Girls Club. La cuota de entada es de 120 dólares por participante. Hay un límite de cinco personas por equipo. Más información llamando a la Cámara de Comercio del Condado de Zapata en el (956) 765-4871.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El Presidente de México Felipe Calderón, segundo de izquierda a derecha, camina junto al Gobernador de Tamaulipas Eugenio Hernández Flores, mientras se dirige a la ceremonia de inauguración del Puente Anzaldúas en Reynosa el 11 de enero.
Calderón inaugura Puente Anzaldúas ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
REYNOSA, México — El lunes fue inaugurado el nuevo Puente Internacional Reynosa Anzaldúas por el Presidente de México Felipe Calderón Hinojosa. Es el 16to cruce internacional de Tamaulipas y tuvo una inversión superior a los mil millones de pesos. Según registro desde el año 2000 no se inauguraba un puente en la frontera Texas-Tamaulipas. Calderón dijo que el Gobierno del Estado ha dado su apoyo para acelerar la competitividad y el comercio entre ambas naciones. “Estamos viviendo en ambos lados de la frontera el inicio de un ciclo de la recuperación económica y algún día habremos de comprender texanos y tamaulipecos, que la mayor
oportunidad de crear empleo en México y Estados Unidos es estrechando vínculos entre ellos”, dijo Calderón. En representación del Presidente de los EU Barack Obama asistió Ronald Kira del área de Comercio Exterior. Calderón sostuvo que la inversión impulsada en infraestructura en México por parte del gobierno federal será de 630 mil millones de pesos en este año, dentro de la cual a Tamaulipas se destinarán más de 9 mil millones en obras de infraestructura prioritarias para su progreso. “Estaremos invirtiendo en la modernización de carreteras, en la construcción de más y mejores caminos rurales, así como en el impulso de otras grandes obras como la comunicación entre Ciudad Valles y Tampico; Reynosa-Ciu-
dad Mier; Matehuala-Victoria y Tuxpan-Tampico donde se construirá un nuevo libramiento que va a dar vitalidad a la costa del golfo”, dijo. A decir del Gobernador de Tamaulipas Eugenio Hernández Flores el Puente Anzaldúas representa una aportación para modernizar la infraestructura fronteriza. “Su construcción refleja el entendimiento, la cooperación y el trabajo conjunto de dos naciones que comparten una de las regiones más dinámicas del mundo”, dijo Hernández. Agregó que el cruce significa una ventaja competitiva para Tamaulipas “toda vez que más del 60 por ciento de las exportaciones e importaciones terrestres entre México y los Estados Unidos de América se realizan por esta entidad”.
NUEVO LAREDO, México — Ante la posibilidad del inicio de la recuperación económica, la Asociación Nacional de Hoteles y Moteles local asegura que están listos para seguir con el compromiso de posicionar a Tamaulipas como un destino de clase mundial. El Presidente del organismo Santos Jiménez Alejandro dijo que el estado cuenta con atractivos dentro del Plan Maestro Turístico denotado por el Gobernador Eugenio Hernández Flores. “Con el Parque Emblemático El Cielo y Costa Lora, todo el turismo carretero procedente de los Estados Unidos que cruzará por nuestras fronteras, generará recursos y divisas para todos los sectores, lo que representa un mayor numero de empleos y mejores niveles de vida”, dijo Jiménez. En el Centro Integralmente Planeado Costa Lora, dentro del Municipio de Soto La Marina, se hicieron inversiones millonarias que motivarán la economía en la entidad, asegura un comunicado de prensa. “Es uno de los proyectos más importantes de los últimos años en México que va a proyectar a Tamaulipas mundialmente”, dijo Jiménez. “(Costa Lora) tiene todas las ventajas geográficas, naturales y se caracteriza de otros destinos por la calidad y calidez de nuestra gente”. En esta ciudad el sec-
DOMINGO 24 DE ENERO LAREDO — La Orquesta Filarmónica de Laredo continúa su temporada con “Anticipated Return” hoy a las 3 p.m. en el Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall de TAMIU.
tor hotelero se dijo preparado e incluso analizando las nuevas oportunidades que los diferentes proyectos representan, como el incremento en el número de habitaciones, promoción, construcción de nuevos hoteles, etc. Según comunicado de prensa, en el 2009 Tamaulipas se mantuvo, por tercer año consecutivo, su liderazgo nacional con un programa de capacitación a prestadores de servicios turísticos y funcionarios del sector para dar respuesta a una vocación que vincula a los sectores productivos, genera certidumbre entre inversionistas y une voluntades con la federación, municipios y con la sociedad en general. “En los últimos cinco años Tamaulipas ha tenido un repunte como nunca en su historia, es reconocido por sus estándares de calidad, competitividad y por las aportaciones a la prosperidad económica y social de su gente”, dijo Jiménez.
Abren albergue en Mier POR YAHAIRA L. ZAMBRANO
SÁBADO 23 DE ENERO LAREDO — Hoy es el UETA Jamboozie Street Festival de 5 p.m. a la medianoche en el centro de Laredo. El Jamboozie presenta al Grupo Fantasma y más de 40 entretenimientos más en 6 escenarios distintos. El costo en pre-venta es de 7 dólares. En la puerta es de 10 dólares y los niños menores de 12 años entran grantis. Adquiera sus boletos en La Paletera, UETA y algunos IBC. Más información en jamboozie.com. LAREDO — Pase la tarde en el Planteraio Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU y disfrute el estreno del nuevo espectáculo en el planetario “Violent Universe: Catastrophes of the Cosmos” a las 5 p.m. y 6 p.m. Otras presentaciones serán de “The Wall” de Pink Floyd a las 7 p.m. La entrada general es de 5 dólares y 4 dólares para menores así como estudiantes, maestros, personal y exalumnos de TAMIU. ZAPATA — Quienes busquen participar en la competencia de cocina del Boys and Girls Club necesitan inscribirse hoy antes d elas 5 p.m. La cuota de inscripción es de 200 dólares por equipo. Más información llamando al (956) 765-4871.
SANTOS JIMÉNEZ ALEJANDRO
TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
Ciudad Mier está entrando a la tercera etapa de las remodelaciones del centro para que pueda seguir siendo considerado un Pueblo Mágico de México.
Continúa remodelación de Mier ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
MIER, México — Con el objetivo de que esta ciudad consolide su estatus dentro del grupo de Pueblos Máxicos de México, el Gobierno del Estado espera que este año se concluyan los trabajos de embellecimiento del Centro Histórico. Ciudad Mier es la única ciudad en la frontera norte que participa dentro del grupo de Pueblos Mágicos. La inversión del estado será superior a los 16 millones de pesos, según comunicado de prensa. El Director General de Servicios Turísticos de Tamaulipas José Herbey Ramos Ramos informó que ya fueron concluidas las dos primeras etapas contempladas dentro del Plan Estatal de Infraestructura 2008-2010. Ambas etapas tuvieron recursos federales y estatales, indica el comunicado de prensa. “Al concluir la tercera y última fase en el 2010, el municipio presentará un nuevo rostro al visitante nacional y extranjero con fachadas remodeladas, calle peatonal, fuentes en los accesos norte y
sur, columnas conmemorativas y alumbrado público en el centro histórico”, dijo Ramos. Sostuvo que la remodelación de Mier inclusive ha ayudado en la creación de fuentes de empleo, equipamiento y mayores índices de visitantes que generarán divisas y el desarrollo de la economía regional. Fundado en 1753, Mier ofrece a sus visitantes una atmósfera tranquila, en sus calles se aprecia su historia plasmada en la arquitectura novo hispana de sus edificios de los que destacan la Plaza de armas que cuenta con un quisco porfiriano hexagonal de hierro; la iglesia de la Purísima Concepción terminado en 1796; la casa de las columnas construida en el siglo XIX; la Capilla de san Juan Bautista o la casa de la Batalla de los Frijoles Pintos, indica el comunicado de prensa. Ramos destacó que por sus tradiciones como el juego de la lotería con más de 150 años, su gastronomía, arquitectura, artesanías y lugares turísticos esta localidad fue certificada por el Gobierno Feder-
al a través de la Secretaría de Turismo como uno de los Pueblos Mágicos que existen en el país. En sus cercanías se localizan, además del Río Bravo, los ríos Álamo y San Juan, que convierten a la región en un punto privilegiado para las actividades turísticas por su abundancia de flora y fauna ideales para la actividad cinegética ya que se pueden cazar especies de venado cola blanca, codorniz y paloma de ala blanca. Al norte del municipio se localiza la famosa presa Falcón, donde al disminuir el nivel de sus aguas, se vuelven más visibles las ruinas de Guerrero Viejo y los restos de su iglesia de San Ignacio de Loyola con más de 200 años de antigüedad. Al sureste está la presa El Azúcar, alimentada por el río San Juan; en el río Álamo que baja de las sierras neoleonesas, se ubica la presa Las Blancas. “Son tres grandes cuerpos de agua pletóricos de lobina negra, carpa, mojarra y otras especies muy codiciadas en la pesca deportiva”, concluyó diciendo Ramos.
CIUDAD MIER — Después del paso del frente frío número 22 por esta frontera, el Jefe de Gobierno José Iván Mancías Hinojosa giró instrucciones para que Protección Civil ofreciera al Salón Argüelles como albergue temporal. “El salón se encuentra a disposición para personas necesitas ó cuyos hogares no estén en condiciones para soportar el clima”, dijo Mancías. El Salón Argüelles está ubicado en Obregón entre Hidalgo y Morelos. Este fin de semana se encuentra en la zona el frente frío número 23 por lo que personal de Protección Civil se encuentra atento ante cualquier caso de emergencia.
Impuesto Predial A partir del miércoles inició el perifoneo donde se conmina a la población al pago del impuesto predial. Los interesados en cumplir con esta obligación pueden acudir a la Oficina de Catastro durante el mes de enero donde se les otorgará entre un 15% de descuento por pago oportuno. “Para los adultos mayores, discapacitados y pensionados del Municipio se aplica un descuento del 50%”, dijo Mancías. “El único requisito es presentar la credencial que compruebe dicha condición”. Los descuentos son exclusivos durante el mes de enero, según informó la Directora de la Oficina de Catastro y Predial de Mier Blanca Esthela Gonzales Zambrano. (Yahaira L. Zambrano es Directora de Comunicación Social del Gobierno de Mier).
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
ZAPATA SOUTH ELEM. SCHOOL STUDENTS OF THE WEEK, JAN. 5-8
ERUPTING VOLCANOES
Courtesy photo
These students were named Students of the Week for Jan. 5-8. Front row, left, to right, Marco Garcia Blanca Salazar Ebany Gonzalez and Eddie Garcia. Second row, Elenissa Uribe, Kaelynn Gonzalez, Jason Contreras, Angela Martinez and Edgar Villanueva. Third row, Rebecca Ayers, Idalinda Guerra, Amy Flores, Jessie Hammer, Ricardo Lopez. Back Row: Marla Gutierrez, David Reyes, Chelsea Martinez and Johnny Gonzalez.
ZAPATA SOUTH ELEM. SCHOOL STUDENTS OF THE WEEK, JAN. 11-15
Courtesy photo
Zapata South Elementary School Assistant Principal Rebeca G Flores helps her son, Carlos Flores, and Daniel Robles and Jose Alvarado, second grade students in Hector Garcia’s class, create an erupting volcano. Students are studying land forms in science class. A favorite project every year is the construction of a volcano and its eruption.
Courtesy photo
Front row, left to right, Jessica Galvan, Roel De Los Santos, Taily Alva, AJ Pena, Miguel Esquivel and Eryn Granger. Second row, Elias Villarreal, Nicholas Saucedo, Alexa Martinez, Leyver Coal and Carlos Benavides. Third row, Susie Moreno, Kevin Torres, Abram Guerra, Gabriel Mata, Andrea Guerra, Johnny Bayarena, Miguel Treviño, Juan Guzman, Roel Rodriguez and Jorge Zuniga. Back row, Brianna Maldonado, Israel Navarro, Zadriana Salinas and Jerry Martinez.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
OBITUARIES JOSE CRUZ TREVIÑO Jose Cruz Treviño 89, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, at his residence in Zapata, Texas. Mr. Treviño is preceded in death by his son, Miguel Angel Landa. Mr. Treviño is survived by his daughter, Ma. Guadalupe Landa (Pedro M. Lopez); grandchildren, Miguel Angel (Vanessa) Landa, Jr., Gabriela (Adrian) Saldaña and Lizbeth Landa; seven great-grandchildren; and by other relatives and many friends. Visitation hours were held in Funerales Guadalupe in Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Funeral procession followed at Panteon Municipal. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 U.S. 83 Zapata, Texas.
State halts on social studies By APRIL CASTRO ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN, Texas — After tackling hip-hop, McCarthyism and immigration, the State Board of Education abruptly ended consideration of new standards for teaching social studies on Friday, delaying until March a tentative vote on the guidelines that could have an impact on classrooms nationwide. The board had been expected to take a first vote on the guidelines later Friday, after several days of discussion on topics such as which historical figures to hold students accountable for learning and whether second-graders should be taught Aesop’s Fables. But as the debate stretched on, the board decided it needed to move on to finalizing details on new high school graduation requirements. Approving those requirements was deemed time-sensitive as students will soon begin to register for next year’s
classes. The delay leaves discussion of a slew of issues regarding high school social studies, history and economics classes unfinished until the board’s March meeting. A final vote on new standards will now be set for May. Debate was heated at times as the guidelines will dictate what about 4.8 million K-12 students must learn in social studies, history and economics over the next decade. The standards also will be used by textbook publishers who develop material for the nation based on Texas, one of their largest markets. On Friday, the board declined to strike the “Red Scare” from high school history classes, and added a reference to the Venona Papers, research that “confirmed suspicions of communist infiltration in U.S. government.” It also agreed to require students to differentiate between “legal and illegal immigration” in a section on geography and changing demographic patterns.
JOSE OSCAR GUTIERREZ Jose Oscar Gutierrez, 81, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, at his residence in Zapata, Texas. Mr. Gutierrez was preceded in death by his wife, Belia R. Gutierrez; brothers, Daniel Gutierrez and Tomas Gutierrez; and a sister, Guillermina Wright. Mr. Gutierrez is survived by his sons, Jose Oscar Gutierrez Jr. and Guillermo Manuel Gutierrez; daughter, Maria Belia (Teofilo III) Vela; grandchildren, Maria de Lourdes (Wally Jr.) Paredes, Oscar Javier Gutierrez, Sofia (Aldo) De Los Santos and Victoria Alexis Vela; great-grandchildren, Aldo De Los Santos, Jr., Angelika Paredes, Jacklyn Gutierrez and Amada De Los Santos; sister, Gloria (Lorenzo) Williams; and by numerous relatives and many friends. Visitation hours were held on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. for a
10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Burial services followed at Ramireño Cemetery, including full Military Honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 U.S. 83 Zapata, Texas.
OLIVIA S. BARRERA Olivia S. Barrera 85, passed away on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, at Laredo Medical Center. Ms. Barrera was preceded in death by her husband, Raul Barrera; granddaughter, Veronica Y. Gutierrez; brothers, Jose (Estela) Saenz, Serafin (Elvira) Saenz, Oscar Saenz; and a sister, Hortencia (Benito) Gutierrez. Ms. Barrera is survived by her sons, Raul Barrera Jr. and Arturo Barrera; daughters, Yolanda (Felix) Garcia, Elia (Jose Clemente) Gutierrez and Idelta (Domingo) Castañeda; grandchildren, Felix Jr. (Diana) Garcia, Reynaldo (Claudia) Garcia, Victor J. Garcia, Cynthia (Eusbaldo) Alsandua, Rebecca (George) Blevins, Jose Clemente (Nahanni) Gutierrez, Raquel Y. Gutierrez, Anabelle Hernandez, Daniel A. Barrera, Jessica (Jesus C.) Buruato, Domingo E. Jr. (Cecilia) Castañeda, David E. (Magali) Castañeda and Kristina Castañeda (Eleazar Resendez); 20 great-grandchildren; and by numerous nephews, nieces and many friends. Visitation hours were held on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 U.S. 83 Zapata, Texas.
JUAN OVIDIO MOLINA Juan Ovidio Molina 53, passed away on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at Laredo Medical Center. Mr. Molina is survived by his wife, Araceli Molina; son, Juan G. Molina, Venancio (Thelma) Molina; daughter, Jessica Molina; grandchildren, Monique, Mindy Juan G., Jr., Sophia Molina, Amber Essary, Andrea Chapa; parents, Ovidio (Maria P.) Molina; brother, Arturo (Ruby) Peña; sister, Leticia (Rene) Mercado; and by numerous other relatives and many friends. Visitation hours were held on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. with a rosary at 9 a.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed at 10:15 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery.
IDOLINA RAMIREZ
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 HWY 83 Zapata, Texas.
Idolina Ramirez, 83, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, at her residence in Falcon, Texas. Ms. Ramirez is preceded in death by her parents, Isidro (Francisca) Ramirez; brother, Ms. Ramirez is survived by her brother, Lauro Ramirez; and by numerous cousins and other relatives and many friends. Ms. Ramirez was a lifelong resident of Falcon, Texas. She was a member of Sacred Heart Society and very active with Santa Anna Catholic Church. Visitation hours were held on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 6 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession will depart on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Santa Anna Mission. Committal services will follow at Fal-
con Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 U.S. 83 Zapata, Texas.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
Latin American sports Boys & Girls Club hall to host time capsule benefit coming up THE ZAPATA TIMES
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame is celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year. In conjunction with the annual induction banquet, which recognizes outstanding Latino/Latina athletes, the organization will commemorate the special event with a time capsule to be buried
at the Laredo International Airport. “We are inviting community organizations and educational institutions to join us by including your history, pictures, recruitment info, courses offered, athletic events, etc. – almost anything you would like to include – in our time capsule,” said Cynthia Haynes Ramirez, Latin Sports Hall of Fame secretary. “Be-
cause we want to have enough room for everyone, however, we are asking that you put what you want included on a DVD or CD.” The capsule burial is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30, at the airport. For more information, call Haynes Ramirez at 724-9904 or send an e-mail to chaynesramirez@yahoo.com
The deadline for registering for the Boys & Girls Club of Zapata’s annual benefit shoot-off is 5 p.m. Jan. 22. The first 40 fivemember teams are guaranteed a spot. The third annual Benefit Sporting Clay Tournament and Cook-off is scheduled for Jan. 30 at Rancho Ramirez. The second annual benefit boasted roughly 43 teams, made up of over
FORT Continued from Page 1A
200 shooters. For those looking to register, entry fee is $120 per shooter with $20 going towards Calcutta Entry. The two day event includes the popular cookoff. That entry fee is $200 per team and competitors should keep in mind the last day to register is Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. Categories for the cook-off include fajita, chicken, and pork ribs with varying weight requirements.
WHITE Continued from Page 1A government is education.” He pointed to a nonpartisan study on global competitiveness that indicates a disturbing phenomenon. According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, fewer Americans, and fewer Texans, aged 25 to 35 have college degrees than Americans and Texans aged 35 to 45. The first step for White is to get more children to complete high school. “If somebody drops out of school, there ought to be alarm bells going off,” White said. On his trip through South Texas, White made stops in Roma, Hebbronville and Laredo in addi-
tion to Zapata. In Zapata, White met with Zapata County Judge Rosalva Guerra, Zapata County Treasurer Romeo Salinas, County Commissioner Norberto Garza and former County Commissioner Joe Rathmell, in addition to other county officials. Earlier, in Roma, White spent time at Rancho Café, where he met with Starr County Judge Eloy Vera and Sheriff Rene Fuentes, among other community leaders. “We want somebody who will talk with people in our border communities about border issues, and not talk at them about border issues,” he told the leaders. “For
some of our politicians the border has become a prop for a political speech that will destroy the image of our border communities and possibly endanger our trade.” White completed six years as Houston’s mayor earlier this month. During his campaign to date, he’s met with voters at events in McAllen, Edinburg, Weslaco, Edcouch, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. The son of San Antonio school teachers, White helped build a law firm and managed a successful business before being elected Houston’s mayor in 2003. White considers himself to be a businessman rather than a career politician.
“I may not have the glamour, or the hair,” the balding White quipped. “I do know how to get things done.” His term as mayor of Houston was marked by high popularity ratings, typically in the 80 percent range. He cut property taxes five years in a row and was the Profile in Courage Award recipient in 2007 for his response to the flood of refugees from Hurricane Katrina. During his administration, Houston was a leader in job growth nationally, adding more jobs than 16 states combined. White also has served as Deputy Secretary of Energy of the United States.
up as quickly as possible. “This is really a disappointment for the county because we have been trying our best in preserving the historical value of our town while trying to upgrade the infrastructure much needed,” she stated in an e-mail. Christopher Rincon, executive director for the River Pierce Foundation, said the organization already has a team of preservation professionals who have been working on the project for a long time. He added that Frank Briscoe, an architectural conservator familiar with the structure, was expected to check on the damage Friday. He said the foundation will likely add clean-up of the road tar to the list of items in need of preservation. “At first we were very emotional about it because you … can never plan enough,” Rincon said. “It’s never anything that we would have imagined that would have (arisen).” Rincon put a positive spin on the situation; however, saying that after the River Pierce Foundation’s team of experts is able to fix the situation, they’ll be able to share the information in case it happens to other stone buildings.
COMMISSIONERS Continued from Page 1A The court also selected Premier Engineering to work on sewer improvements in Colonia Linda Vista. Funding for the
project is available through a $500,000 grant with the county matching $50,000. Also at Monday’s meeting, the
court: Approved the installation of speed humps at 1714 Juarez, 1202 Juarez and 15127 Laredo
St. Approved the installation of security lights at 3286 N. U.S. 83, 1357 Roma Lane, 5224 Grande
Lane and 149 Riverdrive. (Julie Daffern may be reached at 728-2565 or jdaffern@lmtonline.com)
FOOD Continued from Page 1A its mission of feeding the hungry of Zapata County. The South Texas Food Bank serves Zapata at five pantries. Food distributions are made at: Helping Hands, 8th and Del Mar, 765-9327. Helping Hands also has a distribution site in San Ygnacio. Norma Mendoza is the contact person. Boys and Girls Club, 6th and Lincoln, 765-3892. Concilio el Buen Pastor, Hawk Street and Falcon Meza, 765-1300. Maria Hernandez is the contact. Iglesia Pentecostes Emmanuel, 302 East Highway 16, 765-5440. Shepherd’s Pantry, 305 Hawk Street, 765-0123; Mary Pulido contact person. The food bank works with three other Zapata agencies and programs for food distribution. They are the Boys and Girls Club, Commodity Supple-
Carmen Ramirez - Rathmell, D.D.S.
“Let your smile be a sign of happiness & good health” 1520 Corpus Christi Street Telephone (956) 726-0160
mental Food Program (CSFP) and STCADA. The CSFP, mostly for elderly, distributes to 494 families. Boys and Girls Club served 3,800 meals and STCADA dispersed to 16 families, including 24 adults and 34 children. “The South Texas Food
Bank means a lot to Zapata County,” said Mendoza of Helping Hands. “:It helps a lot of people with food on their table. “When I started three years ago we didn’t even have 100 families, now more than 800 families are being helped,” she
added. “Our need is great. We have a lot of unemployment. We ran out of product in December. Some school organizations had food drives and also collected $30.” The adopt-a-family program is catching fire here.
“We have 50 families thanks to a grant from United Way and the work of Romeo Salinas,” Mendoza said. Salinas, the Zapata County treasurer, is a valued member of the South Texas Food Bank board, officials said.
Helping Hands also has collected clothes and shoes for the needy. The agency receives clients from San Ygnacio, Falcon and Lopeño as well as Zapata. (Salo Otero is director of development for the South Texas Food Bank)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors DALLAS COWBOYS FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
’BOYS HOPE TO DROWN OUT Romo focused THE SOUNDS OF METRODOME
on more victories By JAIME ARON ASSOCIATED PRESS
IRVING — Tony Romo is coming off the first playoff win of his career and going into a game against his childhood hero, Brett Favre. How cool is that? Romo isn’t really saying. As he’s done all season, Romo is downplaying any excitement as the Dallas Cowboys prepare ROMO to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. “I think any time you’re playing in this type of game, it’s going to be special,” Romo said Thursday. “I like Brett. He’s fun to hang out with and talk to and stuff. I think we’re both going to be trying to win this game, for sure.”
Best yet
doubt in their minds in the beginning, that can go a long way. ... But we’ve got to be ready for a 31/2-hour battle and fight to the end.” The Cowboys followed that game plan four weeks ago in New Orleans. They jumped on the Saints with two quick
Romo has been better than ever this season because he’s cut way down on his turnovers, making smarter decisions and taking fewer chances. In other words, he seems to have stomped out some of his Favre-like tendencies. He wouldn’t call it that, though. “I would think you would want to have some, with the season that he’s had,” Romo said. “He takes chances when he thinks it’s a healthy chance. I don’t think he randomly throws the ball up in the air. If you feel like you can fit a ball through the hole, you throw it. If you don’t, you don’t. I don’t know there’s any big secret beyond that.”
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
See ROMO PAGE 2B
Photo by David J. Phillip | AP
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking (51) motivates his teammates before their wild-card playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Saturday in Arlington. Brooking and the rest of the Cowboys know they’ll be in a tougher situation this Sunday when they face the Minnesota Vikings in the notoriously rowdy Metrodome.
Loud stadium is next challenge for Dallas By JAIME ARON ASSOCIATED PRESS
I
RVING — Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking remembers the loudest game of his career coming in Minnesota’s Metrodome. And he remembers winning it — a victory that sent his team to the Super Bowl.
Brooking also remembers that the loudest game Dallas played this year was indoors, at New Orleans’ Superdome. He remembers winning that one, too. So as the Cowboys prepare for a trip to Minnesota for a second-round playoff game on Sunday, the message from the Dallas locker room is clear:
Bring it on, Vikings fans; make all the noise y’all want. “We have pretty good experience facing a hostile crowd,” Brooking said. “The way you have to handle the situation is, obviously, you can’t allow them to get the momentum going early in the game. You’ve got to go for their heart. If you can put a little
Arenas pleads guilty to felony gun charges Guard admits to carrying pistol with no license, will be sentenced on March 26 By MATT BARAKAT ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty Friday to carrying a pistol without a license in the District of Columbia, a
felony conviction that could jeopardize his future in the NBA. Arenas pleaded guilty to a single count of violating the city’s strict gun laws as part of a plea bargain in D.C. Superior Court. He will remain free at least
GILBERT ARENAS: NBA star pleaded guilty to charges filed on Thursday. until his sentencing March 26. The charge stems from a Dec. 21 incident in which Arenas acknowledged he stored guns in his locker at the Verizon Center and took them out to play a joke on a teammate.
The NBA has suspended him indefinitely. A presentence report is not yet complete, but defense attorney Kenneth Wainstein said Friday that prosecutors have agreed not to seek a sentence longer than the low end of sentencing guidelines, which call for six months to two years. That could include probation, jail time or some combination. Judge
Robert E. Morin emphasized he is not bound by prosecutors’ recommendation. Arenas “accepted full responsibility for his actions, acknowledged that those actions were wrong and against the law, and has apologized to all who have been affected by his conduct,” Wainstein said in a statement. Prosecutor Chris Kava-
naugh, reading in court from a statement of facts that Arenas agreed to, said the charge stemmed from a Dec. 19 dispute with another player over a card game. Kavanaugh did not identify the other player, but authorities have searched the home of teammate Javaris Crittenton for a gun.
See ARENAS PAGE 2B
Soccer team Lady Hawks move up in 32-3A wins boost girls’ basketball ready to begin Back-to-back team to third place in district standings first season By CLARA SANDOVAL
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
By JOY LINDSAY THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata will host the first high school soccer game in the city’s history on Monday night at Hawk Stadium. The Zapata boys’ soccer team, in its first season of competition, will face the La Joya Coyotes on parents’ night for their inaugural campaign. Blake Garza is the head coach for the new program, and Sergio Perez will serve as his assistant coach. Eighteen players, most
of whom are first-time soccer players and first-year competitive athletes, will suit up for the Hawks, who will play a JV schedule this season before moving up to varsity competition next year. “It’s a big deal for the area,” Garza said. “This will give kids another opportunity to participate in an extracurricular activity. These are first-year players, so they’ve been really energetic and are excited to get started.” Zapata will be a part of
See SOCCER PAGE 2B
The Zapata Lady Hawks are flying high after putting together a string of back-to-back wins to move into third place in the District 32-3A standings. Zapata (4-2 32-3A, 12-11 overall) got a big win over the Port Isabel Lady Tarpons last Friday. The Lady Hawks squeezed out a 46-43 victory to send them climbing toward the top of the district standings. “That was a big win for us,” Zapata coach Clyde Guerra Jr. said. “Our seniors stepped it for us down the stretch.” The Lady Hawks were down 2116 at the half before they made a remarkable comeback led by se-
niors Adriana Peña, Mela Martinez, Maritza Garcia, Ashley Martinez, Clary Solis and Liz Davila. Next on the hit list for were the Progreso Lady Reds Ants. Zapata strolled into the gym still one spot out of playoff contention with its fourth-place district standing. A victory would put them in third place, and a loss would put them further from their postseason aspirations. Sophomore Jackie Gutierrez scored 17 points as the Lady Hawks routed Progreso 65-27 to set up a much-anticipated matchup with the state-ranked Hidalgo Lady Pirates on Friday. Zapata dominated from the tipoff, as the Lady Hawks took a 26-11 lead in the first quarter on a suffo-
cating full-court press that did not allow the Lady Red Ants any offensive momentum. Zapata kept picking Progreso’s pockets throughout the course of the game and converting on turnovers. Peña scored four of her nine points in the first quarter. “We did a very good job on our free throws, and that set the tone for the rest of the game,” Guerra said. The Lady Hawks were 13-of-19 from the charity stripe in the first quarter. With the game well in hand, Guerra gave his bench quality minutes in the second, third and fourth quarters. The bench picked off where the starting group had left and continued to execute the game plan. Zapata took a commanding 36-14 lead to the locker room at halftime.
See BASKETBALL PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
TRANSACTIONS BASEBALL American League BOSTON RED SOX: Agreed to terms with RHP Fernando Cabrera, RHP Edwin Moreno, RHP Jorge Sosa, LHP Brian Shouse, INF Angel Sanchez, INF Gil Velazquez and OF Darnell McDonald on minor-league contracts. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Agreed to terms with C Mike Redmond on a one-year contract. SEATTLE MARINERS: Claimed 1B Tommy Everidge off waivers from Oakland. TEXAS RANGERS: Agreed to terms with RHP Brandon McCarthy and RHP Dustin Nippert on one-year contracts. National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Agreed to terms with INF-OF Conor Jackson, C Miguel Montero and INF Adam LaRoche on one-year con-
tracts. Designated OF Eric Byrnes for assignment. HOUSTON ASTROS: Agreed to terms with RHP Chris Sampson on a one-year contract. LOS ANGELES DODGERS: Agreed to terms with RHP Chad Billingsley on a one-year contract. MILWAUKEE BREWERS: Promoted Tod Johnson to director of application development and Corey Kmichik to director of network services. Named Sarah Holbrook director of corporate marketing. SAN DIEGO PADRES: Agreed to terms with RHP Heath Bell on a one-year contract. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Agreed to terms with RHP Brandon Medders on a one-year contract. American Association SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CAPTAINS: Acquired RHP Brian Henschel and OF Bryan Frichter from San Angelo (United) for future consid-
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
erations. SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS: Traded OF Justin Nelson to Chico (Golden) for LHP Rusty Jones, RHP Scott Watson, RHP Mark Dibernardo and future considerations. WICHITA WINGNUTS: Traded INF Kelly Hunt to Schaumburg (Northern) for RHP Cephas Howard. Can-Am League NEW JERSEY JACKALS: Signed RHP Romas Hicks. BASKETBALL NBA NEW JERSEY NETS: Waived F Shawne Williams. UTAH JAZZ: Signed G Sundiata Gaines to a second 10-day contract. FOOTBALL NFL CHICAGO BEARS: Named Mike Tice offensive
line coach. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Signed P Tim Masthay to a reserve/future contract. HOCKEY NHL CAROLINA HURRICANES: Recalled LW Drayson Bowman from Albany (AHL). Reassigned F Jerome Samson to Albany. ST. LOUIS BLUES: Assigned F Derek Armstrong to Peoria (AHL). WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Recalled D John Carlson from Hershey (AHL). AHL AHL: Suspended San Antonio RW Francis Lessard for three games as a result of his actions in a Jan. 14 game vs. Chicago. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS: Released D Ryan Stokes and D Johann Kroll. MANITOBA MOOSE: Signed G Rejean Beauchemin. Released G Stefan Drew. Recalled C Derek LeBlanc from Rapid City (CHL).
MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS: Signed C Oren Eizenman. PROVIDENCE BRUINS: Signed F Kenny Roche. ECHL ELMIRA JACKALS: Signed F Bear Trapp. Announced D Michael Busto has been assigned to the team by Hamilton (AHL). Loaned G Tyler Sims to Binghamton (AHL). Added G John Sellars to the roster. VICTORIA SALMON KINGS: Announced D Tim Wedderburn and F Andy Brandt have been loaned to Lake Erie (AHL). SOCCER Women’s Professional Soccer SAINT LOUIS ATHLETICA: Acquired MF Lindsay Tarpley from Chicago for G Jillian Loyden. COLLEGE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE: Named Shamaree Brown director of student-athlete programs and Lee Butler associate director of championships.
ALABAMA: Moved director of player development Jeremy Pruitt to a defensive coaching position. ARIZONA: Junior TE Rob Gronkowski will enter the NFL draft. ARKANSAS: Named Chris Klenakis offensive line coach. CATAWBA: Named Josh Gillon men’s assistant soccer coach. CENTRAL MISSOURI: Named Jim Svoboda football coach. GEORGIA: Named Todd Grantham defensive coordinator. GEORGIA TECH: Named Al Groh defensive coordinator. LOUISIANA TECH: Announced the resignation of football coach Derek Dooley to take the same position at Tennessee. UTEP: Named Adam Gonzaga safeties coach and Robert Rodriguez linebackers coach. WINSTON-SALEM: Signed men’s basketball coach Bobby Collins to a contract extension.
ROMO Continued from Page 1B Growing up Romo grew up in Burlington, Wis., during the prime of Favre’s career with the Green Bay Packers. Since Romo burst onto the scene in 2006, he and Favre have become friends. They’ve gone head-to-head only once, in 2007, with Romo winning 37-27. When the Cowboys went to Minnesota this preseason, the pair were seen chatting and laughing on the field before the game. “We talk about a lot of different things,” Romo said, “but I
don’t want to share all of that stuff.” He’s also not ready to throw out an “I told you so” about winning a playoff game after losing his first two under dubious circumstances. It also was Dallas’ first playoff win in 13 years. “You keep doing the things that have allowed you to play at a level that is good enough to keep winning, but you know that each game, for me, becomes more exciting and more fun,” he said. “I’ve said it all along. This is why you play the game, to play in these games. It’s very
easy to prepare and get ready for situations like this because it’s so enjoyable. Hopefully, we have a lot left.”
What’s at stake Win Sunday and the Cowboys will be headed to the NFC championship game for the first time since 1995. If the Cardinals beat the Saints today, Dallas will host the Super Bowl play-in game. If New Orleans wins, the Cowboys would be headed back to a place where they won last
month. So there would be plenty for Romo to look forward to, if he was willing to acknowledge thinking about anything like that. It’s a one-day-at-a-time approach he’s spouted consistently since summer. Considering how things have worked out — career highs in yards and passer rating, along with that career low in interceptions — he might as well stick with it. “You just don’t go there because it’s too important right now, today, to get everything done that you need to get done
for this game,” Romo said. “The improvement side is always there because you’re always building toward something. “It allows you to keep an optimistic or positive attitude about trying to obtain your goal. So this week, if we win this game and move on, we got a little bit better. “It’s always a process and it always gets you a little closer toward reaching your goal. But I think we’re hoping and fully expect to go up there and put our best foot forward this weekend. I think we have a great shot of doing some good things.”
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B touchdowns, silencing the crowd with a 14-0 lead. Dallas remained in front all night, but things got shaky — and loud — in the fourth quarter. New Orleans scored two touchdowns and was driving for the potential tying score when the Cowboys staved off Drew Brees and the inspiration of the New Orleans fans to hold on for the win. Dallas hasn’t lost since, winning four in a row, including its first playoff victory in 13 years. “I think it does help that we played in New Orleans,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “We have to have the same kind of focus and concentration that we did in that game. ... It’ll be loud in there, but that’s part of being the visitor in this league.” To get acclimated, or at least try to, Dallas practiced Thursday at its domed stadium with a recording of crowd noise cranked up. While it’s not the same bloodpumping atmosphere as a packed stadium, the deafening sounds forced the offense to work off gestures instead of commands hollered by quarterback Tony Romo, and the defense had to respond to movement instead of the quarterback’s voice. Crowds are generally loudest when the visitors have the ball; after all, they don’t want to drown out their own quarterback’s signal-calling. At Dallas home games, the team even re-
Photo by Edward A. Ornelas | San Antonio Express-News
In this Sept. 12, 2004, file photo, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson leaves the field after the Cowboys lost to the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. minds fans of this by putting a sign on the video board that reads: “Quiet. Offense at work.” Romo knows what to expect and is already plotting how to counter it. “There are going to be a lot of little things that come up that I won’t be able to say as we’re
leaving the huddle or at the line of scrimmage,” Romo said. “(You have to) be prepared for what could happen. Tell them in the huddle before go out there different things you won’t be able to say because it will be too loud. Things like that I’ll have to think a little extra on.”
The burden isn’t only on Romo. It’s actually tougher for the other 10 guys, who have to be tuned in to him. “An atmosphere like that, (we’re) more tight in the huddle so we hear every word that comes out of the quarterback’s mouth,” receiver Roy Williams
said. “The snap count is big. You can’t hear him saying ’down, set, hut,’ and on the defensive side of the ball they’re trying to get us to jump offside. We have to be together as a unit.” Stats indicate how much crowd noise can help a defense. The leading sack artist in home games this season: New Orleans’ Will Smith, with 10. He had three on the road. Second on the list: Minnesota’s Jared Allen, with 91/2. He had five on the road. Their common denominator, of course, is a roof that traps in the noise. “New Orleans was kind of loud as well, but I think Minnesota is the loudest,” said Williams, who used to play there every year when he was with the Detroit Lions. “They are the only team out of 32 teams that when you watch film, it shakes.” The Saints and Vikings also fed off their dome-field advantages to grab the top two seeds in the NFC. Minnesota benefited most, going 8-0 at home. The success of both teams starts with talented players and coaches who can get the most out of them. Still, the so-called 12th man can only help, and at this time of year, teams need every little edge they can get. “The crowd makes it hard on the other team’s offense to function,” Vikings center John Sullivan said. “We feed off that in every facet of the game.”
ARENAS Continued from Page 1B Kavanaugh said the disagreement developed during a team flight back from Phoenix. The other player offered to settle matters with a fist fight, but Arenas, 28, said he was too old for that and suggested he would instead burn the other player’s Cadillac Escalade or shoot him in the face. The argument on the plane ended with the other player saying he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired left knee. Two days later, Kavanaugh said, Arenas brought at least one gun to the Verizon Center in a black backpack. He laid out four guns on a chair in front of the other player’s locker with a sign saying, “Pick 1.” When the other player asked, “What is this?,” Arenas re-
sponded: “You said you were going to shoot me, so I thought you would like some firepower. Pick one.” The other player said he had his own gun, threw one of Arenas’ weapons across the room and then displayed what appeared to be a silver-colored firearm, Kavanaugh said. Since Arenas first acknowledged keeping guns in his locker, he has publicly employed a “goof ball” defense, claiming he wasn’t aware of the law, meant no harm and never takes anything seriously. But he was subdued in court Friday, wearing a gray suit with a light pinstripe and responding in a soft voice to the judge’s questions. U.S. Attorney Channing D.
Phillips said in a statement that “playing with firearms is no joke.” “Today’s guilty plea to a felony count of carrying a pistol without a license reflects the seriousness and grave risk of such conduct,” Phillips said. Arenas, a three-time All-Star, earlier acknowledged storing four unloaded guns in his locker, saying he wanted to keep them away from his young children and didn’t know it was a violation of the city’s strict gun laws. He says he took them out of the locker Dec. 21 in a “misguided effort to play a joke” on a teammate. After the fracas, authorities seized four unloaded handguns from Arenas, including a gold-plated Desert Eagle .50-caliber semi-automatic that
the manufacturer sells for about $2,000. The other weapons were a 500-magnum revolver, another semi-automatic and a pistol. He was charged Thursday, hours after Crittenton’s northern Virginia apartment was searched by police looking for the silver- or chrome-colored semiautomatic handgun with a black handle. The search warrant indicated police were investigating crimes that include brandishing a weapon. No evidence was seized, according to court documents, and Crittenton has not been charged. Prosecutors said Friday that Crittenton has denied he had a firearm, but they are continuing to investigate. Crittenton has previously said he did nothing wrong.
Even if Arenas avoids jail, the outcome of the legal process will have important implications on his future in the NBA and specifically with the Wizards. Possession of a gun at an NBA arena is a violation of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, and last week commissioner David Stern suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay pending the outcome of the investigation, a move supported by the Wizards. Stern was particularly upset that Arenas repeatedly joked about the matter with reporters and on Twitter. Arenas at one point said: “I’m a goof ball and that’s what I am, so even doing something like this, I’m going to make fun of it and that’s how I am.”
SOCCER Continued from Page 1B District 61-4A, joining Hidalgo Early College, La Joya-Juarez Lincoln, Mission, Mission Veterans Memorial, Pharr Valley View and Roma. The Hawks scrimmaged a team from a local men’s
recreational league, and Garza was pleased with their effort despite a 4-1 loss. “They held their own against a team of grown men,” he said. Zapata is now ready to
make history with its first UIL competition. “They’re very excited,” Garza said. “They’re anxious to start playing and have a successful year.” Players on the current roster are Isaac Angeles,
Jesus Bravo, Alberto Castillo, Jason Garcia, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Mario Gonzalez, Juan Hernandez, Rojelio Huerta, Julio Justo, Renato LeDuc, Antonio Lopez, David Luna, Hector Madrigal, Edgar Martinez,
Javier Ojeda, Ramberto Quintero, Heriberto Torres and Marco Zuniga. Monday’s game is scheduled to be played at 6 p.m. “We want to see as many people out there as possible,” Coach Garza
said. “It’s a football stadium, so we don’t expect it to be full, but there’s excitement in the air. A lot of people are aware of the game, and the players are ready to go and start a winning tradition.”
BASKETBALL Continued from Page 1B The Lady Hawks did not skip a beat and continue to pour on the points and seal the victory. Zapata faced state-ranked district leader Hidalgo on Friday. The Lady Pirates are tearing
through the district despite the turmoil that surrounded the team at the beginning of the season. Coach Monica Rodriguez was determined to have violated
rules pertaining to recruiting, summer conditioning and summer practices and was put on probation along with the athletic program at Hidalgo. Hidalgo was ranked the No. 2
team in the state of Texas after its trip to the UIL state basketball tournament last year and returned a strong group. The Lady Hawks knew that the Hidalgo game will test
them, but they were not going to back down from the challenge. “This game is important, and we just have to stick to our game plan,” Guerra said.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
THE ZAPATA TIMES | 3B
HINTS BY HELOISE Dear Fellow Animal Friends: In a recent column, we printed hints about the dos and don’ts of owning and caring for FERRETS, those adorable furry little creatures. One of the dos mentioned was to give them a little bit of fruit or vegetable as treats. Many ferret owners who read this column wrote to say that ferrets should not eat fruits or vegetables, because they cannot digest them. We did more research, and we absolutely agree with my readers and experts that ferrets should NOT be fed fruits or vegetables. The treats that are recommended for ferrets are those that contain meat -- for example, cooked chicken breast, meat that is cooked or freeze-dried meat products, according the American Ferret Association. The recommendation for the main diet is a high-quality dry ferret food, or you can give fer-
“
HELOISE
rets a very good cat food. Note: As with cats, you should NOT feed ferrets dog food! Why take a chance with the health of your playful, lovable ferrets when they rely on you for good care? My husband and I had three darling scamps in our lives, many years ago. We loved hearing them “chuckle” as they would run down the hall, or we’d smile when we would find one curled up inside one of my cowboy boots in my closet! They can get into and out of many surprising places. Remember, if you have questions about caring for your happy-go-lucky friends, check with your vet or the American Ferret Association. -Heloise, a former ferret owner
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4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010
Saints look to keep pace Rested squad ready for Cards By BRETT MARTEL ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Gail Burton | AP
In this Nov. 22, 2009, file photo, Indianapolis Colts safety Tim Jennings stops Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco during the third quarter of the Colts’ 17-15 victory in Baltimore. The teams will get a rematch today in the AFC divisional playoffs.
Colts looking for wins By MICHAEL MAROT ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are trying to repress those old playoff memories. Back in 2005, they were undefeated entering December, had a bye week in early January and a home date against the AFC’s No. 6 seed (Pittsburgh), which had lost in the AFC championship a year earlier. The Colts lost. On Saturday night, Indy faces the same scenario against another AFC North foe, Baltimore. “That was 2005, and that was a completely different team,” defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “It was a completely different defense. There’s not much that needs to be said other than ‘This is the playoffs.’ Either win or go home.” It’s a simple philosophy the Colts (14-2) understand as well as any team still in the hunt. Despite having the most successful decade in regular-season history (115 wins), an NFL record seven straight 12-win seasons and the league mark for most consecutive regular-season wins (23), Indianapolis has won just one Super Bowl title. Critics contend they’ve struggled in the playoffs because those long, late-sea-
son breaks made them rusty. This time, they’re at least healthy. Not one player missed practice this week, a first this season. But the lesson is clear: Regular-season success, seeding and oddsmakers mean nothing in the postseason. Being sharp does. “Don’t go out there and look like you haven’t played a game in six months,” receiver Reggie Wayne said when asked what the Colts learned from their early exits. “As long as you can just go out there and play football and play all four quarters, somewhere in there you’ll have the opportunity to win the game.” A victory clearly would help the Colts change perceptions after two straight playoff losses, both to San Diego. Indy hasn’t won in the postseason since beating Chicago in the Super Bowl after the 2006 season. Baltimore (10-7), meanwhile, understands what it takes to be win playoff games on the road — a suffocating defense and a proficient running game. That was the game plan Baltimore used to win its Super Bowl title following the 2000 season as a wildcard team. They won their first-round game again last Sunday, handing New England its only home playoff
loss since 1978 though quarterback Joe Flacco threw only 10 passes and finished with just 34 yards. It didn’t matter on a day when the Ravens defense intercepted Tom Brady three times and its offense ran for 234 yards, including Ray Rice’s 83-yard burst for a score to open the game. Not only was it the Ravens first win over New England, but it also gave Baltimore a sixth road playoff win this decade, matching the record set by the 1970s Dallas Cowboys — and a chance to break it Saturday in Indy. “Playing away is kind of an advantage because we always look at it as there’s no pressure on us,” former Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis said. “The bottom line is, no matter where we go play at, no matter who we’re playing, going to play in somebody else’s home, there is no pressure. Just go let your hair back and just go play football.” Facing Indianapolis has always been a little different, though. In Baltimore, merely saying the word Colts is considered heresy even now, more than a quarter-century after the team’s midnight move to Indy. The public address announcer and scoreboard still do not use the team’s nickname.
NEW ORLEANS — Sean Payton was the toast of New Orleans even before the Saints’ storybook run to the NFC championship game in his first season as a head coach. Fans were happy to have their team back and eager to embrace a coach who wanted to be a part of the rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina left entire neighborhoods in a state of lifeless, sagging, waterlogged ruin. Four years later, evidence of the widespread devastation is dwindling. Shattered windows and ripped up roofs have been replaced. Homes have been rebuilt. Long rows of flooded cars and countless fetid debris piles are gone from most of the city. The Louisiana Superdome — a hot spot of sweltering, rancid misery for thousands who took shelter there during Katrina — is getting new champagne-colored siding to replace panels faded gray by decades of sun and dented by projectiles launched by the storm’s fierce winds. On Saturday, when the Arizona Cardinals visit for the divisional round of the playoffs, the dome will be a place countless thousands want to be, a place where home fans now gather to simultaneously celebrate their solidarity during the recovery and the greatness exhibited by Drew Brees and the rest of Payton’s league-leading offense. Expectations have gone up — a lot — and that’s precisely what Payton envisioned when he took the job. Although New Orleans won a franchise-record 13 games this season, it will mean little if they flop in the playoffs. “In the very beginning, when we got here, you’re wanting to raise the expectation level and how we perform, and I think that when you get to where we’re at now in the postseason, this is a place that we aspire to be every year,” Payton said. “For
Photo by Bill Haber | AP
New Orleans Saints cornerback Usama Young (28) and linebacker Marvin Mitchell practice in Metairie, La., on Wednesday. this team, just getting in the postseason was part of the process, but it wasn’t the end goal. I think the expectation level of this team and the organization has changed. And four years ago that’s what we were looking to do.” The Superdome crowd was already sure to be juiced even before Payton, as if to add some extra zip, brought back franchise rushing leader and fan favorite Deuce McAllister on Friday. It was not clear how much McAllister would play after being out of football for a year, but Payton said the 31-year-old running back would lead the team onto the field. As fate would have it, the Saints (13-3) — who had a first-round bye as the NFC’s top seed — open the seventh postseason in franchise history against the Cardinals (11-6), another club long known for ineptitude but recently transformed into a respected contender. One season ago, Arizona went where the Saints never have — the Super Bowl — and nearly upset the Pittsburgh Steelers. No one doubts the Cardinals’ credentials this season, not after they outlasted Green Bay in a 51-45 overtime thriller that went into the record books as the highest-scoring playoff game. “What I see from them now is that they’re playing with a lot more confidence,” Brees said. “They were the NFC champs last year. They went to the Su-
per Bowl. They represented us, our conference.” Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is trying to get to his fourth Super Bowl and win a second yet sounded unsure of whether Arizona’s playoff experience a year ago would be a help or hindrance. “The key for us is to still try to stay loose even though expectations are different. That’s what I think was a little easier for us last year. Nobody really expected anything from us. We could kind of be us and young guys could be free and loose. It wasn’t going to be like, ‘You guys blew this opportunity,’ because nobody expected it,” Warner said. “What’s different this year is, can we keep that same attitude? Can we play the same way even though there’s expectations?” Warner did so Sunday, torching the Packers for 379 yards and five TDs. Although Anquan Boldin missed that game with an ankle injury that also is expected to sideline him against New Orleans, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet kept the Cardinals’ passing attack in overdrive. By contrast, Arizona’s defense struggled mightily before winning the game with a quarterback strip and fumble return, raising the prospects of a WarnerBrees shootout. “They’re both very intelligent quarterbacks and it’s very hard to fool them,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
Jets’ Ryan has been an entertaining quote machine ‘Rexisms’ prevalent as coach’s first season in New York continues By DENNIS WASZAK JR. ASSOCIATED PRESS
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Rex Ryan has been called lots of things in his first season as the New York Jets coach, and it’s hard to argue with any of them. Funny. Outrageous. Brash. Cocky. Confident. Call him whatever you want, but one thing’s for sure: Ryan has been consistently entertaining.
He speaks his mind, whether you like it or not, and apologizes for nothing. And, the more the Jets win, the more attention Ryan’s words get. “I just build our guys up,” Ryan said. “If it’s trash talking that I believe in our football team, then, yes, I agree with that statement. I’m the biggest trash talker there is. I don’t disrespect anybody else. I just have confidence in our football team. I don’t mean to be
REX RYAN: Coach developing a reputation for entertaining lines. disrespectful at all to opponents.” Ryan has been a quote machine, providing a humorous soundtrack to what has become a wild season for the Jets. His daily news conferences are must-hear events because it seems you’re left shaking your head at least once a week and asking, “Did you hear what Rex said this time?” Some fans, mainly of Jets opponents, and members of the media think
Ryan yaps a bit too much. To a man, though, Ryan’s players love his “I’m just going to be me” approach. “I don’t think it is trash talking,” right tackle Damien Woody said. “It’s confidence that he has in his team. He believes in us. If he doesn’t believe in us, who will? He goes against the grain. Rex tries to build you up, make you feel like you can do anything.” That certainly has been the case for the past several weeks, as the surging Jets have won six of their last seven and head to San Diego for a playoff game Sunday. Last week, Ryan creat-
ed a postseason itinerary for his players that included the Super Bowl in Miami — and the subsequent victory parade on Feb. 9. Bold? Yep, but certainly not unexpected. Ryan’s not going to change now, not when — as he pointed out a few times this week — his team is three wins from a championship. “If a team wants to use it as motivation that I really believe in our football team,” Ryan said, “then that’s fine.” When Ryan was hired last January, he took over a team that was, by many accounts, uptight and lacking
an identity. He fixed that the first time he opened his mouth, declaring at a news conference that the Jets would meet President Obama someday as Super Bowl champions. Eyes widened, jaws dropped, and Ryan was just getting started. Ryan’s father, Buddy, was also a cocky and outspoken coach, but was considered by some to be gruff and sometimes mean-spirited. Rex is the opposite in that sense. He’s the guy who walks into a room as if it’s the neighborhood bar — laughing, smiling and saying whatever’s on his mind.