The Zapata Times 3/5/2011

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SATURDAY MARCH 5, 2011

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Stay away from Mexico Department of Public Safety warns spring breakers of dangers

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES

With spring break around the corner, U.S. officials are urging travelers to avoid Mexico because of the ongoing violence.

In a news release issued earlier this week, the Texas Department of Public Safe-

ty also reminded boaters to stay on the U.S. side of Falcon Lake because cartel activity remains high in Mexican waters.

“While drug cartel violence is most severe in northern Mexico, it is prominent in other parts of the country as well,” said DPS Director Steven C. McCraw. “Various crime problems also exist in many popular

resort areas, such as Acapulco and Cancun, and crimes against U.S citizens often go unpunished.”

But a tourist official from Guerrero state said Acapulco is ready to receive the spring breakers. Félix Ávila Díaz, a representative of the Guerrero state tourist promotion office, finds the DPS travel warning out of

TEXAS

place.

He finds the DPS travel warning a bit out of place. Díaz noted Acapulco recently hosted, from Feb. 21 to Feb. 26, the tennis tournament Abierto Mexicano Telcel of the ATP World Tour 50. Well-known players

See MEXICO PAGE 12A

ZAPATA COUNTY

Cuts won’t solve deficit Combs: Money must accompany cuts

By CHRIS TOMLINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — The Texas comptroller told the House Appropriations Committee earlier this week that she can’t imagine solving the current budget crisis through cuts alone.

Susan Combs spoke at a hearing Thursday designed to be a reality check for conservatives who think the budget can be balanced by slashing state services. The current two-year budget cycle is $4.3 billion short and, under the Texas Constitution, that deficit must be made up by Aug. 31.

The state is also facing another projected $27 billion shortfall in the next two-year budget, but that was not the subject of Thursday’s hearing.

Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican, asked Combs to testify after he introduced a bill to spend $4.3 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to cover the deficit. In opening Thursday’s hearing, he tried to communicate the gravity of the problem, which left lawmakers silent and stonefaced.

“The budget adopted by the Legislature last session, and signed by the governor, exceeded the comptroller’s measure of available revenue,” Pitts said. “This committee, and this Legislature, has very limited options: the use of the

See BUDGET PAGE 11A

Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times

Zapata County Fair Queen Paola Jasso, third from left, and her court, from left, first runner-up Maryjo Sanchez, third runner-up Jacy Lee Clifton and second runner-up Cassandra Gutierrez, are shown after their coronations.

THE COUNTY FAIR BEGINS! New queen, annual trail ride kicks off annual event

By DIANA R. FUENTES

INSIDE

THE ZAPATA TIMES

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new queen and the traditional trail ride today kicks the 39th Zapata County Fair into high gear.

Rosendo “Lupe” Canales, fair president, welcomes visitors in a letter on the fair’s website.

“There is much to see and do during this (three)-weekend fair,” he wrote. “And most importantly — don’t forget, there’ll be plenty of your favorite fair

¿LISTOS? Get ready for the Zapata County Fair, including the entire events schedule. SPECIAL SECTION foods!”

The early events for “The Biggest Little Town Fair in Texas” attract hundreds of people from as far away as Austin, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley.

Breakfast for the trail riders and supporters starts at 7 a.m. today, followed by the trail ride

beginning at Bustamante Roping Arena.

Later in the day is the fajita cookoff and dog show.

The fair continues Thursday as livestock moves onto the fairgrounds. There will be judging of arts, crafts and photography and displays of crafts and quilts, as well as judging for livestock that carries on into Friday.

The night is capped with a street dance featuring La Mafia from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.

Saturday’s events start with the Zapata County Parade at 10

a.m., and more judging of livestock and arts projects.

Paola Jasso will reign over this year’s activities as the 2011 Zapata County Fair Queen. First runner-up is Mary Jo Sanchez; second runner-up is Cassandra Gutierrez; and third runner-up is Jacy Lee Clifton. All are students at Zapata High School.

For more information, visit www.zapatacountyfaironline.com.

(To reach Diana R. Fuentes, call 728-2581 or e-mail dfuentes@lmtonline.com)

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Zin brief CALENDAR

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

AROUND TEXAS

TODAY IN HISTORY

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Veterans Helping Veterans will meet in the Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road, from noon to 2:30 p.m. today and March 26. Meetings are confidential and for military veterans only. For more information, contact George Mendez at 794-3057 or georgem@borderregion.org or Jessica Morales at 794-3091 or jessicam@borderregion.org.

A book sale will be held in the Widener Room of the First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is invited, and admission is free.

Donated books and magazines are accepted. Call 722-1674 for more information.

A one-day math and verbal SAT workshop is from 7:45 a.m. to noon today for UISD, St. Augustine, Cotulla and Hebbronville school district students. It will be held at the UTHSCSA Laredo Extension (DD Hachar Building).

Beatrice Vazquez will speak at the Laredo Church of Christ on how to help special needs children with autism and ADHD at 9 a.m. today at 1505 Calle del Norte, Suite 330. The session is free. For more information, call 286-9631.

A special Heart and Stroke Healthy City Initiative Mass CPR training in conjunction with the City of Laredo Fire Department EMS will be conducted at the Laredo Civic Center Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

Registration is at 8 a.m. Those interested in attending this class must enroll by calling 795-4957.

SUNDAY, MARCH 6 Laredo Community College’s Opera Workshop presents a five-time Tony Award-winning musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission tickets are $10 at the door. Proceeds benefit student scholarships and future productions. The musical is for mature audiences.

MONDAY, MARCH 7 The Farmers Insurance Golf Tournament, a two-man scramble, will be held at the Laredo Country Club today.

Tee time is 8 a.m. The event will benefit the March of Dimes. Trophies and recognitions will be awarded. Registration is $125 per person and includes greens fees and golf cart beverages.

For more information, contact Cynthia Cardenas at (956) 724-8200 or ccardenas1@farmersagent.com or Sandra Zimmerman at (956) 795-1066 or szimmerman@farmersagent.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 8 The United Methodist Men of the First United Methodist Church, 1220 McClelland Ave., will host a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today. The public is invited; there is no admission fee, but the men accept free-will donations.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 SWACHA will hold a fraud reduction meeting from 9-11 a.m. today to address critical security and investigative issues and problems with the banking industry. The seminar is designed to prepare against fraud, robberies and other criminal activity. It will be held at Falcon Bank, 7718 McPherson Road.

MONDAY, MARCH 14 Children and their families are invited to participate in free activities this week at the Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Today’s activities are story and crafts from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and arts and crafts from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Children and their families are invited to participate in free activities this week at the Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Today’s activities are story time from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Creative Kidz from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26 The South Texas Food Bank is having its first fishing tournament at Falcon Lake, featuring a $2,000 prize for the heaviest stringer. Entry to the Bass Challenge is $150 per boat. Register at the Zapata Chamber of Commerce or by calling Pancho Farias at the South Texas Food Bank at (956) 568-3673.

To submit an item for the calendar, send the name of the event, the date, time, location and contact phone number to editorial@lmtonline.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle | AP

Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland performs CPR on Anthony Morris after he collapsed and stopped breathing during a news conference at City Hall where Mayor Annise Parker unveiled initiatives to restore public trust in local law enforcement on Friday, in Houston.

City jobs on block ASSOCIATED PRESS

HOUSTON — More than 2,300 city workers in Houston could lose their jobs through budget cuts outlined by Mayor Annise Parker, according to a newspaper analysis.

The Houston Chronicle reported Friday that Parker sent a memo to city officials Thursday indicating how many employees they could lose. An estimated $130 million shortfall requires "extremely tough, if not brutal" decisions, she said.

Parker said essential life and safety services such as police, fire, municipal courts and solid waste will face a 5 percent cut. However, most other departments, including the mayor and council offices, must cut spending by more than 27 percent, she said.

Parker, who formally proposes the budget in May, didn’t specify how many jobs would

be lost. The Chronicle calculated that the layoffs could exceed 2,300 based on city employees receiving an average of $55,000 a year in salary and benefits.

City leaders have been forecasting a huge budget gap for the fiscal year that starts on July 1 for months. The crisis stems in part from reduced property taxes, the city’s main source of revenue. Houston also lost $10 million in annual revenue from traffic citations due to voters rejecting red-light cameras.

Parker said department heads have engaged in "intense" budget workshops with city council members.

"I’ve been warning them that we couldn’t just prune the branches; we could actually cut off big limbs," she said.

Parks, the library, convention and entertainment facilities are among several departments expected to make drastic cuts.

Fort Hood suspect a step closer to court-martial

Texas coach gives birth, leads team to state

Police: Robbery may be motive in pastor’s death

FORT WORTH — A brigade commander’s recommendation Friday moved the Army psychiatrist charged in the Fort Hood shooting one step closer to facing a military trial death.

Col. Morgan Lamb recommended that Maj. Nidal Hasan be court-martialed on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the 2009 shootings on the Texas Army post.

AUSTIN — Amber Branson is one tough basketball coach.

Shortly after coaching Lipan to a regional semifinal victory last Friday, Branson gave birth to daughter Leslie. And about 15 hours later, she was back on the bench guiding the Lady Indians to another win and the school’s first berth in the Texas state tournament since 2003.

“I was pretty tired,” Branson said Friday.

ARLINGTON — Police say robbery may have been the motive in an attack at a Texas church that left the pastor dead and an employee hospitalized.

Arlington police said Friday that items were missing from NorthPointe Baptist Church but wouldn’t give details. Police continue searching for the injured ministry assistant’s vehicle, which was believed stolen after the Thursday attack.

Teacher layoffs would harm some localities

3 dead in one-vehicle crash

Court orders Texas to pay exonerated man $66K

AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Rick Perry can’t quit talking about jobs.

He used the word 19 times in his recent state of the state address and has made it a top spending priority. But if Perry realizes his vision of a budget balanced through cuts alone, 100,000 teachers could lose their jobs.

HALTOM CITY — Three people were killed and five who were riding in a van were taken to Dallas-Fort Worth area hospitals after a one-vehicle accident.

Police said the driver of the van lost control while driving south on Airport Freeway, left the highway and struck a tree.

The crash occurred Friday afternoon.

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday upheld an exonerated man’s claim for an additional $66,000 in compensation that the state comptroller initially refused to pay for his wrongful imprisonment.

Billy Smith was wrongly convicted of sexually assaulting a woman.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION Lawmakers weigh giving more IRS date to police WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are studying legislation that would chip out a piece of Internal Revenue Service privacy rules by allowing police to get the names and addresses from tax returns of suspects in child abduction cases.

Currently, the IRS lacks authority to disclose tax return information to state and local investigative bodies.

Under the pending bill sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn, RTexas, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., law enforcement authorities would be required to obtain court orders from a U.S. district court judge or magistrate to gain access to the IRS information.

The lawmakers last week heard the mother of an abducted child describe her futile efforts to find her son kidnapped 22 years ago.

Today is Saturday, March 5, the 64th day of 2011. There are 301 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. On this date: In 1770, the Boston Massacre took place as British soldiers who’d been taunted by a crowd of colonists opened fire, killing five people.

In 1868, the Senate was organized into a Court of Impeachment to decide charges against President Andrew Johnson, who was later acquitted.

In 1933, in German parliamentary elections, the Nazi Party won 44 percent of the vote; the Nazis joined with a conservative nationalist party to gain a slender majority in the Reichstag.

In 1953, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died after three decades in power.

In 1959, a fire at the Negro Boys Industrial School in Wrightsville, Ark., claimed the lives of 21 teenagers trapped inside a locked dormitory room.

In 1960, Cuban newspaper photographer Alberto Korda took the now-famous picture of guerrilla leader Che Guevara during a memorial service in Havana for victims of a ship explosion. Elvis Presley was discharged from the U.S. Army.

In 1963, country music performers Patsy Cline, “Cowboy” Copas and “Hawkshaw” Hawkins died in a plane crash near Camden, Tenn., that also claimed the life of pilot Randy Hughes (Cline’s manager).

In 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons went into effect after 43 nations ratified it.

In 1979, NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe flew past Jupiter, sending back photographs of the planet and its moons.

In 1982, comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33.

Ten years ago: Vice President Dick Cheney underwent an angioplasty for a partially blocked artery after going to a hospital with chest pains. Two students at Santana High School in Santee, Calif., were shot to death, 13 other people were wounded; student shooter Charles “Andy” Williams was later sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. A stampede broke out during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, killing 35 Muslims.

Five years ago: AT&T announced it was buying BellSouth Corp., a big step toward resurrecting the old Ma Bell telephone system. Today’s Birthdays: Actor Dean Stockwell is 75. Actor Fred Williamson is 73. Actress Samantha Eggar is 72. Eugene Fodor is 61. Rock musician Alan Clark (Dire Straits) is 59. Magician Penn Jillette is 56. Actress Adriana Barraza is 55. Rock singers Charlie and Craig Reid (The Proclaimers) are 49. Rock musician John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 41.

Model Niki Taylor is 36. Actor Sterling Knight is 22. Actor Jake Lloyd is 22.

Thought for Today: “More tears have been shed over men’s lack of manners than their lack of morals.” — Helen Hathaway, American writer (1893-1932).

CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226 Chief Accountant, Thelma Aguero .............. 728-2553 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Retail Adv. Manager, Raul Cruz................... 728-2511 Classified Manager, Jesse Vicharreli ........... 728-2525 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Editor, Diana Fuentes ................................728-2581 City Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez .................. 728-2543 Sports Editor, Dennis Silva II......................728-2579 Business Journal Editor, Sean Bowlin.......... 728-2529 Entertainment Editor, Emilio Rábago III ....... 728-2564 Online Editor, Julie Daffern ....................... 728-2565 Photo by Darryl Bautista/Poughkeepsie Journal | AP

A diver is lifted away after examining the wreckage of a jet that crashed into the Hudson River north of the Kingston-Rhiecliff Bridge, N.Y., on Saturday. FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker said the pilot was unaccounted for.

Pilot in New York crash not trained for aerobatics KINGSTON, N.Y. — A report says a pilot called friends to an airport in New York and then

did aerobatics he wasn’t trained for before plunging to his death in the Hudson River last week.

Michael Faraldi called friends Feb. 26 about an hour before he arrived over the airport.

— Compiled from AP reports

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, MARCH 5, 2011

THE BLOTTER ASSAULT Deputies responded to an assault call at 2:22 p.m. Feb. 27 in the 5200 block of Grande Lane in the Siesta Shores subdivision. A woman told deputies that a man she knows assaulted her.

BURGLARY Deputies responded to a burglary call at 9:37 a.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Juarez Avenue. The complainant told officials that someone burglarized her husband’s truck.

EMERGENCY CALL Christopher Lee Lindsay was arrested and charged with interfering with an emergency call at about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 5200 block of Cuellar Lane. The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

Zlocal

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Fundraisers to honor fallen ICE agent

By DENISE BLAZ LAREDO MORNING TIMES

In the wake of the violent attack that left an Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent dead and one wounded, the city of Laredo is making sure to reach out to provide support.

On Friday, Crime Stoppers in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement agencies, announced two benefits where a portion of the proceeds will go toward a criminal justice scholarship at TAMIU for fallen agent Jaime J. Zapata.

“Every day men and woman in uniform risk their lives for the safety of our citizens and we had one of our own make the ultimate sacrifice,” said Mayor Raul Salinas. “We’ve heard about the weapons going south, one of those weapons cost Zapata’s life.”

Two events, a “Battle of the Badges Rib Cook-off ” and a

“

We want to recognize Jaime, but we will defer to ICE so they can tell us what would be appropriate,” LAREDO MAYOR RAUL SALINAS

“Crime Stoppers Night with the Laredo Bucks,” are scheduled to be held at the Laredo Energy Arena on March 12.

At 9 a.m. the cook-off will begin, which is also open to the public to be judged in an open division.

A charge of $60 per team will be assessed, which includes a package of five tickets to the hockey game.

Later that night, the Bucks will help the cause with tailgating and a silent auction prior to the game starting at 7:30 p.m.

If a total of 3,000 tickets are sold, the Laredo Bucks have announced they will donate $10,000 to Crime Stoppers.

According to Salinas, the City of Laredo is hoping to do more to honor Zapata.

“We want to recognize Jaime, but we will defer to ICE so they can tell us what would be appropriate,” said Salinas. “This is a young hero, a man that was full of life and dedicated to helping people. I hope that the Mexican government lets individuals that serve there let them be equipped

with the necessary resources and equipment to protect themselves.”

On Feb. 15, Zapata was brutally attacked along with ICE special agent Victor Avila as they were driving between Monterrey and Mexico City.

Zapata had been stationed in Mexico at the ICE’s attaché office in Mexico City and was expected to return back to Texas.

Prior to the brazen attack, Zapata had served on the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit and Border Enforcement Security Task Force, where he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Special Agent in Charge in Laredo.

For more information or to buy tickets for the reduced price of $12, call the Crime Stoppers administrative office at 724-1876, or e-mail the organization at lcs@bizlaredo.rr.com.

(Denise Blaz may be reached at 728-2547 or dblaz@lmtonline.com)

POSSESSION Brandon Navarro was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and for not having a driver’s license at about 10:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the intersection of 10th Street and Bravo Avenue. The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION Jesus Valadez-Gonzalez was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 7 p.m. Feb. 26 near the corner of 10th Street and Ramireño Avenue.

The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

Leonardo Zuniga-Sanchez was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 3 p.m. Feb. 27 near the corner of 16th Avenue and Hidalgo Boulevard. Zuniga-Sanchez was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

Rep. files bills for transportation funding SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

AUSTIN — State Representative Ryan Guillen, DZapata County, announced today that he has filed legislation to provide more transportation funding for Texas.

“With a major budget shortfall on our hands, it is absolutely imperative that our state utilizes funds to the best of its abilities,” said Guillen, chairman of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism.

REP. RYAN GUILLEN: Bills would provide transportation funding.

“Texans must act wisely and sensibly in regard to using state and federal funds intended for important transportation projects.”

The following bills filed

by Guillen will increase utilization of state and federal transportation funds: H.B. 981 would create local mobility credit pro-

grams with the intent of improving local transportation systems. These credits would minimize requirements for state funds to match federal grants, freeing state money to be used on projects at a lower cost because they would not be required to meet more expensive federal requirements.

H.B 1276 would maximize the federal funds our state receives for transportation by improving in-state transporta-

tion planning processes that would increase Texas’ eligibility for additional federal funding opportunities. According to the Texas Legislative Budget Board, the amount of federal funds the Texas Department of Transportation receives as a percentage of its total budget has declined since fiscal year 2003.

H.B. 578 would allow for more funding for public transportation in smaller urban transit districts and would strength-

en the affected transit districts for purposes of growth. It would also continue to facilitate the necessary resources to maintain services to the communities.

“Maximizing the utility of our resources for transportation projects today is essential to future economic development,” said Guillen. “These bills are among several that my office has tirelessly been working on that address various transportation issues affecting our state.”

PAGE 4A

Zopinion

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

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COLUMN

OTHER VIEWS

Afghanistan would benefit from surge

By CARL LEVIN AND JACK REED SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

W

ASHINGTON — A now-discredited report in Rolling Stone alleged that U.S. military officials in Afghanistan used inappropriate information operations techniques to try to persuade us, as well as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and others, to support additional resources to train more Afghan troops.

More for Afghanistan The truth is, we have long argued that the best way to bring our troops home sooner while succeeding in Afghanistan is to build a stronger Afghan military and government. We’ve been making that case because the facts support it — which is why the president and the majority of the American people do, too.

We saw during a trip to Afghanistan in January that the United States, our Afghan allies and our NATO partners have made significant progress in reversing the momentum of the insurgents, seizing the initiative and helping Afghans secure their future.

Areas once closed to travel and commerce are open. Afghans’ confidence is growing, and the country’s security forces increasingly are taking the lead in operations.

Delicate gains While we’ve begun to turn around the oncedaunting dynamic in Afghanistan, there is no guarantee that our progress will continue or that our gains will be permanent. The phrase “fragile and reversible” could have been invented for Afghanistan.

Our troops will continue to face danger and hardship, especially as the Taliban renews its offensive operations with the end of winter weather. In turn, policymakers in Washington will continue to face difficult choices.

The decision to begin reducing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in July means that Afghans, the United States and our NATO partners must urgently prepare for a transition to Afghan control.

Monetary aid The United States and our NATO partners must be prepared to provide substantial financial support to Afghan military forces in the years ahead as they take up the fight.

We worry that the international coalition may fall short of supporting an Afghan security structure capable of defending the Afghan people.

We are also concerned that, as U.S. forces transition from a lead role to one of support, the civilian elements of U.S. policy, including diplomacy and economic development, may not be ready to step in as needed, particularly if they do not receive the resources to do this demanding work.

More forces Failure to meet these needs could endanger the gains for which so many have fought and sacrificed. And the cost of maintaining a large U.S. presence in the future would be far greater than the expense, in the short term, of building a larger Afghan force.

Afghanistan added about 70,000 troops in 2010. Thanks to strong recruiting by the Afghans and hard work by our training command, the Afghans are on track to meet goals of 171,000 soldiers and 134,000 police officers by October.

Taking over Increasingly, Afghan forces are leading operations. They are largely responsible for holding areas already cleared of insurgents by joint NATO-Afghan operations.

To continue these missions and take on an increasing and sustained security role as we reduce our involvement, they will need more soldiers and police.

The Obama administration is considering a proposal to increase Afghan security forces by about 30,000 soldiers, and a similar number of police, which would bring total Afghan security force levels to about 378,000 by the end of 2012.

Safer Expanding the Afghan army and police force will make the country more secure in the short term and will put it in better condition when the vast majority of our troops come home. A comparison to Iraq is valuable here. Iraq has security forces of about 665,000 protecting a population of 27 million people spread out over 168,000 square miles. A force of 378,000 Afghan security personnel would be needed to provide roughly equivalent protection to 30 million Afghans spread over 250,000 square miles of much more difficult, undeveloped terrain.

More hard work Such an increase will require additional effort and money. But the cost of not meeting these needs would be far higher, and failure to do so would disrespect the sacrifices already made.

Thirty years ago the United States worked to help Afghans reclaim their country from Soviet invaders. With the departure of Soviet forces, we declared victory and turned away from helping Afghans build a stable country with effective security forces.

Remembering lesson On Sept. 11, 2001, we discovered the tragic consequences that such inattention can have.

That is a lesson we cannot afford to learn again.

(Carl Levin, a Democrat from Michigan, is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, is a member of the panel.)

COLUMN

Schools claim bragging rights

By KEN HERMAN COX NEWSPAPERS

A

USTIN — It is my belief that everyone’s high school has produced a distinguished (or semidistinguished) alum or two.

So you can imagine how my world was rocked when, in reading a newspaper listing of distinguished alums of the 24 schools in town for this weekend’s UIL girls high school basketball tournament, I came upon “N/A” for Knippa and Falls City.

(That’s Knippa High School over near Uvalde, Texas, not Knappa High School in Oregon. And the K in Knippa is not silent.

And the district motto is “It takes a little more to be a Rockcrusher.” And the girls team is the Lady Crushers. And that’s all the Knippa knowledge I know.)

N/A? Is that “not available” or “not applicable?”

On Thursday, as I tried to contact the two N/A schools, I found that in the case of Falls City it means “not answering,” as in nobody home. How come? No school.

“Because our girls and boys basketball teams are awesome, we have the opportunity to support them as they approach the highest level of competition,”

said the district website.

“They need the Beaver Nation to support their playoff games. We will NOT have school on Thursday ... .” (FYI, the make-up day is May 27, which no longer will be a teacher workday.)

Alas, the Falls City boys team lost to Mason 38-33 Wednesday night.

And the girls lost here Thursday 49-31 to Martin’s Mill in the state semifinals.

The Knippa Lady Crushers played here Friday night against Whitharral. Thursday, I was able to reach Alice Santleben, a Knippa theater production and speech teacher, to ask about distinguished alums. Alice came up with Brenda Niemeyer, current tennis coach at St. Edward’s University right here in Austin; Brenda’s great-uncle Herbert O. Niemeyer, a Texas House member in the early 1960s; and several doctors of pharmacology.

Knippa’s Lady Crushers (and bless them for not spelling it Krushers) play Whitharral as they vie for a spot in Saturday’s Class A, Division II state title game. Alice is heading to Austin for the game. So are most Knippaites (Knippapolians? Knippapopilites?).

Sounds like a good day

for me to head to Knippa and rob the bank, I joked with Alice. “We don’t have a bank,” she noted.

In case you didn’t scour the distinguished alum lists like I did (How many times do I have to tell you people that you’re missing good stuff if you don’t dig deep into the newspaper?), here are highlights to remind us that “distinguished” is relative.

Alief Elsik produced Maria Brumfield, a former WNBA player, and Beyonce Knowles, who — and I really should Wikipedia this — I believe was one of the Supremes who was not Diana Ross.

Canyon produced “Survivor” contestant Clay Jordan. Beaumont Ozen gave us “Top Chef AllStars” contestant Tiffany Derry. Martin’s Mill produced O’Neal Weaver, a former Midwestern State University basketballer known to many (though not me) as the “Martin’s Mill Magician.” Triple M did his magic at MSU in the mid-50s and to this day is the 11th all-time leading scorer in school history. The Martin’s Mill Lady Mustangs play in O’Neal Weaver Gymnasium.

In listing distinguished alums, folks at some schools perceive opportunity to score some points

with officialdom. Whoever offered the list for Neches included Randy Snider, the local school superintendent (and brother of girls hoops coach Andy).

FYI, the Austin American-Statesman’s listings included one other school that didn’t offer a distinguished alum. But Lucas Lovejoy (that’s Lovejoy High in Lucas, Texas, not some school named for some guy named Lucas Lovejoy) gets a pass because it opened in 2007.

Wikipedia notes that on Nov. 16, a Lovejoy junior released an iPhone app for the school. The entry says “this application is fairly lame and useless.” To me, the app looks like a good way for me to keep up with any goings-on that might be going on at Lucas Lovejoy.

So who are the famous/ distinguished grads from your high school? I went to two high schools, Midwood in Brooklyn and North Miami in Florida.

North Miami gave us baseball Hall of Fame lefty pitcher Steve Carlton.

Midwood produced Allen Stewart Konigsburg, known to you as Woody Allen.

He’s no Martin’s Mill Magician, but he’s had his moments. (e-mail: kherman@statesman.com.)

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To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The

phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication.

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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 name-call-

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

ing or gratuitous abuse is allowed.

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State

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

PROTESTING FOR A GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE Flour Bluff High School students walk past protesters in front of the school as they head to class Friday, in Flour Bluff.

The protesters came out to support Bianca “Nikki” Peet, 17, a senior at the school, after she was denied permission to start a Gay-Straight Alliance.

Prosecutors: Dismiss rape conviction

By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Todd Yates/Corpus Christi Caller-Times | AP

Police: Robbery motive in death

By ANGELA K. BROWN ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARLINGTON — Church members holding Bibles hugged and cried outside a church in a Dallas suburb on Friday, a day after their young pastor was killed and a ministry assistant was severely beaten in what police suspect was a robbery gone wrong.

Because items were missing from NorthPointe Baptist Church, investigators suspect that robbery was a motive but would not say exactly what things or if any money was stolen Thursday, said Tiara Ellis Richard, an Arlington police spokeswoman.

Authorities continued searching for the injured church employee’s car, which was believed stolen after the crime. The woman remained hospitalized Friday.

The Rev. Clint Dobson, 28, who had led NorthPointe, a satellite church of First Baptist Church of Arlington, for about three years, was described as a dynamic and caring pastor whose heart was even bigger than his tall stature.

“He always had a smile on his face and would hug you as you walked in,” said Lida Cummings, fighting back tears. “He had joy in his heart. He will really be

THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A

HOUSTON — Prosecutors on Thursday formally asked a judge to declare innocent a Texas man who spent 17 years in prison for a 1987 rape he didn’t commit.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office submitted paperwork to clear 50-year-old George Rodriguez.

Prosecutors say DNA tests found on hairs at the scene prove Rodriguez did not commit the crime. A ruling on the request could come as soon as Friday.

Dismissed

Photo by Paul Moseley/Fort Worth Star-Telegram | AP

Emotions show as people arrive at NorthPointe Baptist Church, on Friday, in Arlington. A man believed to be the pastor of the church was found dead and an assistant was found severely beaten at the church Thursday afternoon, friends and associates said. Arlington police had not identified the victims by late Thursday, reporting only that they were employees of the church. missed.”

The young pastor was a distant relative of James Dobson, one of the country’s most influential conservative Christian leaders.

“The family is quite shocked,” said James Dobson’s assistant Becky Lane, who said the young pastor was the son of one of the elder Dobson’s cousins.

Investigators were still trying to determine what time the attack occurred.

Police were called to the church at about 4:15 p.m.

Thursday after someone went to check on Clint Dobson and the assistant after a relative could not reach

one of them, and then looked in a church window and saw the victims on the floor.

Belinda Billings, coordinator of a neighborhood community watch group and a former NorthPointe member, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the church was kept locked and the assistant would usually let her in after she rang a bell.

The Rev. Dennis Wiles, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Arlington, said Friday that he was “just trying to get through today” and was not sure if security would be a greater

concern for churches.

“We’re going to go on.

That’s what we have to do.

That’s what Clint would want us to do,” Wiles said before hugging some grieving church members who gathered outside the NorthPointe building in Arlington.

Dobson grew up in the Houston area and was an all-American boy who loved playing baseball and spending time with friends, said his former pastor, the Rev. Robert Creech.

Rodriguez has been free since a court ruled in 2004 that faulty evidence was presented at trial. The case was later dismissed amid concerns the rape victim would have to testify at another trial.

Harris County prosecutors were not obligated to go ahead with DNA testing after the case was dismissed, but District Attorney Patricia Lykos said Wednesday that her office “acted on the most impor-

tant obligation of all — to see that truth emerges, and that justice is done.”

The victim had identified Rodriguez as one of the two men who abducted and raped her in a Houston home. A resident of the house, 50-year-old Manuel Beltran, also was convicted and is serving a 60-year prison term. Officials said DNA testing confirmed Beltran’s role in the attack.

No evidence When Houston’s Post Conviction Review team began looking at the evidence, all that remained were some of the victim’s hairs on a slide. The team found a California lab that had developed a method to detect DNA in strands of hair collected from female victims.

The test results arrived Feb. 22 and officially excluded Rodriguez as an assailant.

More than 265 people have been exonerated by DNA testing in the United States since 1989, including more than 40 in Texas, according to the Innocence Project.

PAGE 6A

Zentertainment

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Cops take twins from Sheen after threats LOS ANGELES — Charlie Sheen’s estranged wife Brooke Mueller obtained a restraining order to keep the actor away from her and their young sons because she was afraid of violent comments the actor had made in recent days, including threats that he would stab her in the eye with a pen knife.

The order, which was issued after Mueller filed claims of physical abuse and threats, prompted police to take the nearly 2year-old twins from Sheen’s Hollywood Hills home on Tuesday night and return them to her care.

She told the court in a filing that the “Two and a Half Men” star had also refused to return the boys to her. The order, filed Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, requires Sheen to stay 100 yards away from Mueller and their twin sons, Max and Bob. According to a sworn declaration filed in the case, Mueller said Sheen told her in a phone call Sunday night, “I will cut your head off, put it in a box and send it to your mom!”

The order and police action was the latest in a multi-day saga during which Sheen has given a series of bizarre interviews in his fight against “Men” producers. The toprated comedy remains on hiatus and its future is in doubt.

Aguilera accused of public drunkenness WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Fresh from a stumble at the Grammys and muffing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, singer Christina Aguilera was arrested early Tuesday near the Sunset Strip on suspicion of being drunk in public but will not be prosecuted, authorities said.

Aguilera, 30, was “extremely intoxicated” when a car driven by her boyfriend was stopped at about 2:45 a.m. on Clark

AP Photo

Charlie Sheen’s personal woes and public tirades against producers of “Two and a Half Men” reduced the show’s season, but CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said CBS isn’t suffering financially in the short term because paying for fewer episodes than planned is “financially a gainer.”

Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Bill McSweeney said.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said Aguilera “didn’t really understand where she was” but was cooperative.

Lohan: Hoping for a comeback NEW YORK — Lindsay Lohan says she wants to be identified with great films in the future, not the personal problems that have stalled her career in recent years.

“I don’t want that to be what I’m known for anymore — the tabloid stuff,” she said Tuesday on the syndicated magazine show “Extra.”

The troubled starlet acknowledged a comeback won’t be easy.

She has pleaded not guilty to that felony charge, which she did not discuss in the interview.

Holmes sues Star Magazine over cover LOS ANGELES — Katie Holmes sued the publishers of Star Magazine on Tuesday, accusing them of libel over a magazine cover that insinuated she was a drug addict.

The actress filed the lawsuit against American Media Inc. in federal court in Los Angeles. She said a January cover that featured the headline “Katie DRUG SHOCKER!” was false.

— Associated Press

File photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times

The Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra continues its “Connections” season Sunday at 3 p.m. with “Mixed Media” at the Texas A&M International University Center for the Fine and Performing Arts’ Recital Hall. Tickets are $25 and $17 for seniors and students can go in free with proper ID.

Local flavor to orchestra concert SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, known by its acronym as LPO, performs this season’s third concert at Texas A&M International University’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts’ Recital Hall on Sunday.

Titled “Mixed Media,” Sunday’s program will proudly showcase local flavor with a performance that features younger compatriots, all members of the Laredo Philharmonic Youth Orchestra or the Chamber Orchestra of Laredo.

“There will be about 70 string players ranging in

age from 7 to mature,” said Brendan Townsend, the LPO’s musical director.

All three ensembles will join together to offer the world premiere of David Manuel García’s “Sinfonietta for Strings,” written specifically for this concert.

Garcia, TAMIU’s director of bands, is a prolific composer whose works have been performed by ensembles around the country.

Sunday’s performance serves as an official welcome for him as the LPO’s “Composer-in-Residence.”

The soloist for the concert is also a local musician: Mario Benavides. Benavides

has been pursuing advanced studies in organ performance at the University of Texas in Austin, where he is completing his doctoral program. The organ instructor at TAMIU, Garcia also coordinates the University’s Organ Recital Series throughout the year. On Sunday, he will perform the Rheinberger Organ Concerto No. 1 in F Major.

Other works on the program include a Bach choral prelude that was arranged for strings by the late Leopold Stokowski, the first “Salzburg Symphony” by W.A. Mozart and “Danzas Latinoamericanas” by Mex-

ican composer José Elizondo.

The Laredo Philharmonic Youth Orchestra is comprised of students from both Laredo and United independent school districts, who meet every Monday evening, under the direction of Bea Balli. The Chamber Orchestra of Laredo includes combined string players from TAMIU and Laredo Community College, as well as guest players.

For tickets or more information, please contact the LPO at 326-3042 or visit the LPO website at http:// www.laredophilharmonic.com/.

LCC’s ‘Drowsy Chaperone’ ends today SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Laredo Community College’s Opera Workshop is inviting the community to take a step back in time with laughter with its presentation of five-time Tony Award-winning musical “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

With a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, this charming and wacky tribute to the 1920s is a rare combination of modern wit and classical musical comedy.

The four-day production concludes today at Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center theater on LCC’s Fort McIntosh Campus. The finale is a matinee show at 3 p.m.

Proceeds benefit student

scholarships and future productions.

The tale of “The Drowsy Chaperone” is a comedy best suited for mature audiences and is not recommended for children under the age of 13. “‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ is a madcap comedy which has delighted audiences from coast to coast,” Dr. Joseph Crabtree, LCC

Performing Arts Department chair and director of the LCC Opera Workshop, said.

The musical is a rare combination of unprecedented originality and blinding talent. “‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ boldly addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained,” Crabtree added.

The tale begins when a die-hard musical-theater fan plays his favorite cast album on his turntable, and the musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find, and keep, her true love.

“The audience can expect a rollicking good time,” Crabtree said.

SÁBADO 5 DE MARZO DE 2011

Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 5 DE MARZO LAREDO — Pase la tarde en el Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU y explore “The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather” a las 5 p.m.; “IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System” a las 6 p.m., y ”Rock On Demand” a las 7 p.m. Entrada general es de 5 dólares.

LAREDO — El Taller de Ópera del Laredo Community College presenta “The Drowsy Chaperone” a las 7:30 p.m. en el Teatro Martinez Fine Arts Center de LCC. Costo: 10 dólares.

NUEVO LAREDO — Esther Tovar en concierto hoy en dos funciones, a las 5 p.m. y 7 p.m. en el Centro Cultural. Tovar presenta su nuevo disco “Luna Nueva”.

SAN ANTONIO — Hoy se presenta la película “Dos tipos de cuidado” (1952), protagonizada por Pedro Infante y Jorge Negrete, a las 5 p.m. en el Auditorio del Instituto Cultural de México (600 Hemisfair Park). Entrada gratuita. Reservar su lugar en el (210) 227 0123.

Zfrontera

PÁGINA 7A

DPS PIDE A VACACIONISTAS NO SUBESTIMAR VIOLENCIA

Aviso de inseguridad POR ANDREW KREIGHBAUM TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

El Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas está advirtiendo a los vacacionistas del Spring Break evitar México este año.

Una declaración en el sitio de Internet del departamento citó la violencia que prevalece y específicamente advirtió a los residentes del estado el permanecer del lado de EU del Lago Falcón en el Condado de Zapata.

En el comunicado, el Director del Departamento de Seguridad Pública, Steve McCraw dijo que la violencia se extendió más allá del norte de México hacia des-

tinos vacacionales populares como Acapulco y Cancún. DPS emitió una advertencia similar en enero urgiendo a los “winter Texans” evitar viajar hacia el sur de la frontera tras el homicidio de una misionera americana.

El ciudadano de EU David Hartley se extravió del lado mexicano del Lago Falcón el pasado otoño mientras iba en su moto acuática con su esposa, Tiffany.

Ella posteriormente dijo a los investigadores que hombres en varios botes les dispararon a ambos.

Otros diversos incidentes de piratas fueron reportados al sur el año pasado.

Sesenta-y-cinco americanos fueron asesinados en México en el 2010, de acuerdo a cifras del DPS. Americanos también han sido víctimas de secuestro, robo, robo de autos y agresión sexual.

“Subestimar la violencia en México sería un error para padres de familia y estudiantes”, dijo McCraw.

“No motivaría a las personas a ir ahí”, dijo el Alguacil del Condado de Webb Martin Cuellar. “Estas personas están luchando y no quieres quedar atrapado entre el fuego cruzado”.

Cuellar dijo que si cualquier americano va a México, solamente deberían via-

jar a áreas pobladas y hacerlo durante el día y acompañados.

También dijo que manejar vehículos último modelo pudiera convertir a los viajeros en blanco para los criminales.

El Presidente de la Cámara de Comercio de Laredo Miguel Conchas dijo que la advertencia de DPS agrega otro reto para mejorar las ideas equivocadas acerca de la ciudad. La cámara, sin embargo, también está advirtiendo a los residentes de Texas sobre no viajar a México.

“Realmente no podemos en ninguna forma motivar a las personas a viajar a

ENTRETENIMIENTO

PAQUETE

Plan brinda apoyo al campo

DOMINGO 6 DE MARZO LAREDO — La Orquesta Filarmónica de Laredo presenta “Mixed Media” a las 3 p.m. en el Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall de TAMIU. Adquiera sus boletos con tiempo. Más información en el 326-3039.

LAREDO — El Taller de Ópera del Laredo Community College presenta “The Drowsy Chaperone” a las 3 p.m. en el Teatro Martinez Fine Arts Center de LCC. Costo: 10 dólares.

TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

Foto de archivo/Ricardo Segovia | Laredo Morning Times

LUNES 7 DE MARZO LAREDO — El Torneo de Golf Farmers Insurance, mezcla de dos, se realizará en el Laredo Country Club el día de hoy. El Tee time es a las 8 a.m. El evento será a beneficio del March of Dimes. El registro es de 125 dólares por persona. Más información llamando al (956) 724-8200 y (956) 795-1066.

HOUSTON: Fox Elipsus se presenta hoy en Coffee Groundz a las 7 p.m. El evento es gratuito. Elipsus presentará su disco “The Road”.

MARTES 8 DE MARZO LAREDO — Juego de Hockey, los Laredo Bucks reciben a Arizona Sundogs a las 7 p.m. en Laredo Energy Arena.

JUEVES 10 DE MARZO NUEVO LAREDO: Epidauro Teatro presenta hoy la obra “Papá Querido” en el Teatro Lucio Blanco de la Casa de la Cultura, a las 8 p.m.

VIERNES 11 DE MARZO LAREDO — El equipo de tenis femenil Palominos de LCC reciben hoy a Lee College Lady Rebels a las 9:30 a.m.

LAREDO — Juego de Hockey, los Laredo Bucks reciben a Missouri Mavericks a las 7:30 p.m. en Laredo Energy Arena.

SÁBADO 12 DE MARZO LAREDO — Hoy es la Jornada Sabatina del Consulado General de México en Laredo, de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m.

El objetivo es brindar atención en los renglones de trámites de pasaportes, matrículas consulares, actos de registro civil y que necesitan asistencia consular en el ámbito de protección.

LAREDO — Los Laredo Bucks reciben a Arizona Sundogs a las 7:30 p.m. en Laredo Energy Arena.

LAREDO — Metal Knights es hoy a las 10 p.m. en The Cold Brew, 4520 San Bernardo, con la presencia de bandas metaleras locales.

México actualmente”, dijo Conchas. Pero, dijo él, “cualesquier problemas que existan son del lado mexicano”.

Los turistas de ciudades tales como Austin y Dallas históricamente se han detenido en Laredo y se quedan en los hoteles locales mientras compran y disfrutan la vida nocturna en Nuevo Laredo, dijo Conchas.

Pero dijo a partir del 2005 y 2006 el turismo del norte empezó a bajar.

“Básicamente se ha ido”, dijo él.

(Localice a Andrew Kreighbaum en el 728-2538 ó en akreighbaum@lmtonline.com)

David Guerra observa una cabra mientras recorre los terrenos de la Feria del Condado de Zapata.

DÍAS DE FERIA Zapata atrae a familias el fin de semana POR EMILIO RÁBAGO III

Once y 12 de marzo

TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

“L

a más grande feria de pueblo pequeño en Texas” continúa en Zapata el día de hoy, y el entretenimiento estará a cargo de algunas de las mejores bandas regionales y tejano.

La Feria del Condado de Zapata abre con la tradicional cabalgata, el concurso anual de fajita y la exhibición Pitbull, sancionada por ABKC hoy en los terrenos de la feria. Eventos pasados han atraído a cientos de personas de ciudades como Austin, Corpus Christi y el Valle de Rio Grande.

El desayuno para la cabalgata inicia a las 7 a.m. de hoy, seguido de la cabalgata que arranca en la Bustamante Roping Arena.

Para el mediodía, las puertas abren para el concurso de fajita y el espectáculo canino. La música dará inicio a las 2 p.m. con la South Texas Drifters Country Band. La presentación de premios está programada para las 3:30 p.m.

Por supuesto, la Feria del Condado de Zapata presentará una variedad de comidas, diversión y música, además del carnaval — diversión para toda la familia.

El jueves la feria continúa con evaluación de conejos, novillos, cabras y corderos y la evaluación de arte, manualidades y fotografía, seguido de una batalla de las bandas desde las 7 p.m. hasta la medianoche.

Los eventos del viernes presentarán bailables de calle por grupos escolares de Zapata a partir de las 4 p.m. Un concierto en la calle inicia a las 5 p.m. con Grupo Kalibre, seguido de Grupo Nexxo. La popular banda La Costumbre toca a las 7 p.m. y le seguirá el concurso de “Tight Jean” (mezclillas apretados) a las 8:30 p.m. La música regresa a las 9 p.m. con Hometown Boys. El grupo La Mafia de Houston cierra el entretenimiento del viernes desde de las 10:30 p.m. hasta la medianoche.

El siguiente gran día será el próximo sábado, que iniciará con el Desfile del Condado de Zapata a las 10 a.m.; lazo y bailes folclóricos a las 1 p.m.; una subasta de ganado a las 4 p.m.; y concurso de jalapeño a las 7:30 p.m. Se tienen considerados conciertos en la calle con la presentación de la música de quienes ganen el primer lugar en la batalla de las bandas, a las 5 p.m.

Grupo Retonio se presenta a las 6 p.m., Los Zamorales a las 8 p.m., David Lee Garza y Los Musicales a las 10 p.m. y el legendario acordeonista Ramón Ayala estará de 11:30 p.m. a 1 a.m.

Los boletos están a la venta en la Cámara de Comercio de Zapata, 601 N. US-83. Más información visitando www.zapatacountyfaironline.com.

(Localice a Emilio Rábago III en el 728-2564 ó en erabago@lmtonline.com)

TAMAULIPAS

Siguen sin identificar a 14 cuerpos ASSOCIATED PRESS

MÉXICO — Los cuerpos de 14 de los 72 migrantes asesinados en 2010 en el noreste del país permanecen en una morgue de la capital mexicana aún sin identificar.

El vocero de la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR), Ricardo Nájera, dijo a la AP que el cuerpo identificado recientemente de un hindú permanece también en el servicio médico forense y que han recibido una solicitud de Guatemala para intentar hacer un nuevo reconocimiento ante la posibilidad de que al menos uno de los cadáveres sea originario de su país.

Las autoridades mexicanas localizaron el 24 de agosto de 2010 en Tamaulipas los cuerpos acribillados de 72 migrantes, en un hecho que ha sido atribuido al cartel de las drogas de Los Zetas.

La PGR solicitará al servicio médico forense capitalino resguardar los cuerpos al menos otros tres meses mientras se realizan nuevas actuaciones.

La PGR había solicitado al servicio médico forense capitalino resguardar los cuerpos hasta el 1 de marzo, aunque la dependencia solicitará que se extienda el plazo al menos otros tres meses mientras se realizan nuevas actuaciones y así evitar que los cadáveres no identificados sean inhumados en una fosa común, refirió Nájera.

“Se siguen haciendo diligencias... ”, dijo el portavoz.

Comentó que México envió a los países de donde se cree que serían originarios los migrantes

una carpeta de información con huellas dactilares, fotografías y datos de su indumentaria para darles elementos que permitan identificarlos plenamente.

Además del hindú, hasta ahora han sido identificados ciudadanos de Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador y Brasil.

Las autoridades han detenido a ocho personas por su presunta participación en el crimen múltiple, y el gobierno ha dicho que al menos siete de ellos son presuntos integrantes de la estructura operativa del cartel de Los Zetas.

CIUDAD VICTORIA — El Gobierno de Tamaulipas y la Federación destinarán este año 471 millones de pesos al desarrollo de programas y acciones para el fortalecimiento del campo.

El monto será aplicado en tres programas estratégicos e iniciarán con la apertura de ventanillas el lunes 14 de marzo, en base a un convenio de coordinación 2011.

El convenio considera los programas de apoyo a la inversión en equipamiento e infraestructura, programa de desarrollo de capacitación e innovación tecnológica y extensionismo rural y el programa de sustentabilidad de los recursos naturales.

El Secretario de Desarrollo Rural, Jorge Alberto Reyes Moreno, informó que los 471 millones de pesos representan un 15 por ciento de incremento respecto al 2010.

Igualmente se ha solicitado a la SAGARPA que el dinero sea destinado acorde al grado de marginación de la población para poder ampliar los márgenes de apoyo.

Reyes dijo que la Federación estará aportando 353 millones 600 mil pesos y el resto será inversión estatal para un total de 471 millones de pesos, de los cuales un 20 por ciento de este porcentaje se destinará a proyectos territoriales.

Las ventanillas para la recepción de solicitudes se abren a partir del 14 de marzo y se cerrarán el 29 de abril.

El 14 de junio entrarán en período de dictaminación y el 21 del mismo mes sería la notificación de resultados.

Reyes indicó que las ventanillas se ubicarán en los 34 CADER, en las 41 direcciones municipales de Desarrollo Rural y en la propia Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural.

“El propósito que nos mueve es recuperar cuanto antes la capacidad productiva del norte y garantizar el abasto de alimentos en el mercado nacional, en especial de maíz blanco”, dijo el gobierno federal en un comunicado de prensa.

A decir del gobierno federal la base para lograrlo es la resiembra de las zonas agrícolas siniestradas y la pronta reactivación de las unidades ganaderas.

En Tamaulipas, la onda gélida registrada a principios de este mes, dañó total o parcialmente más de 215 mil hectáreas de cultivo, por lo que fue publicado un nuevo decreto que ofrece un paquete de beneficios fiscales a los agricultores y ganaderos de las zonas afectadas.

Entre los beneficios del decreto está condonarles los recargos causados y las multas generadas por la omisión en el pago de las retenciones del Impuesto Sobre la Renta, correspondientes al mes de enero de 2011.

Esta semana en Tamaulipas iba un proceso de resiembra de más de 185 mil hectáreas, 157 mil de sorgo y 29 mil de maíz, que es casi 25 por ciento de lo que tienen programado, indicó el gobierno federal.

8A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

PROTESTING IMMIGRATION TREATMENT Members of the Hispanic community share stories of alleged unfair treatment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with state representatives Wednesday, in Jackson, Miss.

The appearance came following a four-day operation during which federal immigration officers arrested 58 people in the Jackson metro area.

By JAY ROOT ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Rogelio V. Solis | AP

Ire after nun’s death Critics say govt. at fault for accident

By MATTHEW BARAKAT ASSOCIATED PRESS

McLEAN, Va. — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement report made public Friday concludes that new federal immigration policies would have prevented the release of an illegal immigrant who was subsequently charged with killing a nun in an alleged drunken driving accident.

Carlos Montano, 23, who arrived in the United States from Bolivia with his family as a 9-year-old boy, is awaiting trial in Prince William County for involuntary manslaughter. Authorities say he was drunk and caused the August 2010 crash that killed Denise Mosier, a Benedictine nun, and injured two other sisters.

The case fueled nationwide debate over the ICE bureau’s immigration policy, especially in Prince William County, where immigration has become a flashpoint.

Activists who support strict enforcement of immigration laws wanted to know why Montano hadn’t been detained or deported for previous drunken-driving arrests in 2007

State House moves new abortion rules forward

and 2008 and a reckless driving conviction earlier in 2010.

According to the report, federal policy at the time of Montano’s first arrest was to avoid detaining illegal immigrants whenever possible because of a lack of existing beds.

Current policy calls for ICE to focus on detaining illegal immigrants with a criminal record who pose a threat to public safety.

“Under the priorities outlined in this memorandum, Montano likely would have been detained for three reasons, namely that he was: (1) a convict; (2) a repeat offender; and (3) a demonstrated danger to public safety,” according to the report.

ICE says it has dramatically increased the number of beds dedicated to holding immigration detainees, especially in the Washington area, where 500 beds were added last year.

Still, ICE says it can’t hold every illegal immigrant charged with a crime, even potentially dangerous crimes like drunken driving.

“Nationwide, however, ICE simply does not have the funding that would be required to detain all aliens charged with or convicted

of DUI offenses,” according to the report.

Prince William County officials and the conservative legal group Judicial Watch had been waiting for months to see the ICE report. Each filed a lawsuit demanding access to the report after Freedom of Information Act requests were unsuccessful.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Friday he believes the publicly released report was scrubbed to remove passages that would prove embarrassing to the Obama administration.

“Most Americans expect illegal aliens to be caught and deported. To use the excuse that ‘We don’t have enough beds’ is so pathetic,” said Fitton, who said the Obama administration has a “neverending supply of reasons” it won’t detain illegal immigrants.

The report, though, indicates that ICE agents initially decided not to detain Montano in 2008, when George W. Bush was still president.

Fitton allowed that the Bush administration “has got some answering to do, too.”

Calls seeking comment from ICE were not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

AUSTIN — Democrats used procedural rules, dozens of amendments and lengthy debates Thursday, but failed to stop a measure requiring women in Texas to get a sonogram before ending a pregnancy, part of a nationwide push

by Republicans and conservative activists to restrict abortion rights.

A vote in the Texas House to move the bill through the amendment phase succeeded on a 10342 vote. All that remains is a simple procedural vote in that chamber, which is expected next week.

Gov. Rick Perry has made the proposed law a legislative “emergency,” and passage in the Texas House, where Republicans hold 101 of 150 seats, is all but certain. During a debate Thursday afternoon, Democrats were nevertheless trying to derail it and highlight the intrusive and potentially humiliating nature of the legislation.

It would require many women who want an abortion — even victims of sexual assault — to have an ultrasound probe inserted into their uteruses at least 24 hours before the proce-

dure. The method is used in early pregnancies, generally 10 weeks or less, opponents said.

State Rep. Carol Alvarado, a Houston Democrat, carried an ultrasound wand onto the House floor during a debate Wednesday and in the debate on Thursday described in detail how it is used. “This is government intrusion at an all-time high,” she concluded. Proponents did not dispute Alvarado’s description of how the wand would be used in earlyterm pregnancies.

Her effort to gut the legislation failed on a 106-41 vote, a signal that the bill will pass easily. Seven Democrats, all from heavily Hispanic areas, joined with Republicans to keep the legislation intact. One Republican, Rep. Sarah Davis of Houston, opposed it. Another amendment designed to exempt victims of rape or incest from undergoing the sonogram went down on a 97-49 vote.

In a sign of trouble to come, the House also rejected a substitute bill that would have matched a less stringent version already passed in the Senate. The two versions of the bill must be reconciled before going to Perry for his signature.

Republicans point to a provision in the bill saying no woman or doctor will be penalized if the patient “chooses not to receive the information” required under the bill: the results from the sonogram, the sound of any fetal heartbeat and a description of the fetus, including whether it has limbs. Bill author Sid Miller, a GOP representative from central Texas, says women wanting an abortion must undergo the sonogram but could look away from the image and wear headphones to avoid hearing the heartbeat.

“They don’t have to view it; they don’t have to listen,” Miller said.

Doctors who did not perform a sonogram before providing an abortion would lose their medical licenses.

The legislation is part of a push by Republicans across the nation, emboldened by their 2010 election gains, to enact abortion restrictions favored by their conservative base. The sonogram bill is the first substantive legislation to hit the House floor.

The Texas House deliberations come on the heels of abortion curbs passed this week in South Dakota.

Court: $66K to exonerated man

By SOMMER INGRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday upheld an exonerated man’s claim for an additional $66,000 in compensation that the state comptroller initially refused to pay for his wrongful imprisonment.

Billy Smith was wrongly convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint and sentenced to life

in prison. Smith spent 20 years behind bars before DNA testing proved his innocence in 2006.

The comptroller denied Smith’s compensation request for the first 10 months he was in prison because the false conviction had revoked his parole for an earlier robbery.

Texas law prevents the wrongfully imprisoned from collecting full compensation if they were also serving a sentence for an-

other crime. The comptroller invoked that statute to back up her argument.

Smith’s lawyer appealed to the Texas Supreme Court last year, arguing that the comptroller applied the law improperly.

While the court found the statute vague enough to lend itself to either party’s interpretation, it ultimately determined the state must pay Smith for the entire time he spent behind bars.

National

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

Navy ROTC opens at Harvard U.

By JAY LINDSAY ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOSTON — Harvard University officially welcomed the ROTC back to the nation’s oldest college Friday as other elite campuses considered whether to lift their decades-old bans now that Congress has voted to allow gays to serve openly in the military.

Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus signed an agreement that establishes the Naval ROTC’s formal presence on campus for the first time since the Vietnam War era.

Other schools, including Columbia, Yale and Brown, are discussing whether to follow suit.

“Both the American military and higher education have been engines of inclusion and wellsprings of service,” Faust said during the ceremony. “The relationship we renew today marks progress in that common pursuit.”

ROTC first left Harvard and other prominent universities amid anti-Vietnam War sentiment, and schools lately kept it off campus because of military policy on gays, which they considered discriminatory. But Faust began working toward ROTC’s return after Congress repealed the so-called don’t ask, don’t tell policy in December.

The 17-year-old policy required soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to keep their homosexuality a secret or face dismissal.

Mabus commended Harvard after the ceremony for being “willing to step out and lead.” During his official remarks, he said the military must strive to reflect

By SARAH EDDINGTON ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Elise Amendola | AP

Demonstrators hold signs on Harvard University’s campus on Friday, protesting the agreement between Harvard University and the Navy that will recognize the Naval ROTC’s formal presence there.

The protesters feel the decision to bring ROTC back discriminates against trans- and intersex students who will be prohibited from participating in an officially recognized program on campus. the nation it protects.

“It does not serve our country well if any part of society does not share in the honor of its defense,” Mabus said.

About 30 students from the Trans Task Force, a student group that advocates for transgendered students, chanted and held protest signs outside the ceremony, saying Harvard shouldn’t bring back the ROTC because the military still doesn’t allow the transgendered to serve.

That’s a violation of Harvard’s nondiscrimination policy, they said.

“There’s no way ROTC should be on

the campus,” said group member Jia Hui Lee, 22, a junior. “It conflicts with Harvard values, or at least the values it claims to have.”

Under Harvard’s agreement with the Navy, a director of Naval ROTC at Harvard will be appointed, the university will resume funding it and the program will be given office space and access to athletic fields and classrooms.

Harvard cadets will still train as part of a consortium based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also located in Cambridge, near Boston.

Robot’s debut moved up after call

By MARCIA DUNN ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The 220-mile-high unveiling of R2, the first humanoid robot in space, is being moved up at the urging of the president of the United States.

Astronaut Catherine Coleman said Friday that she and the 11 other humans aboard the shuttle-station complex want to get R2 out of its packing material as soon as possible.

“In fact, we’re all pretty sure that we hear scratching from the inside there,” she said during a crew news con-

2 gas firms tell Arkansas they’ll stop quake zone injection wells

ference.

Robonaut 2, better known as R2, flew to the International Space Station aboard Discovery and will stay behind when the shuttle leaves Monday. In a call to the two crews Thursday, President Barack Obama teased the astronauts for waiting to unpack the robot, urging them to “let him stretch his legs pretty soon.”

R2 seemed to like the idea.

“I think he gave them some great advice about me,” the robot said in a Twitter update posted Friday by a human colleague.

NASA managers initially wanted to wait a couple of

months before getting R2 out.

But now Discovery is spending two extra days at the orbiting outpost so its crew can help unpack a storage unit.

Coleman said she’s not sure if they will be able to unwrap R2 before Discovery leaves.

For sure, the space station astronauts will get to it by late March, the lead flight director said later Friday.

“We don’t want to rush things,” cautioned Rob Ambrose, chief of Johnson Space Center’s automation, robotics and simulation division in Houston. “The robot’s really, really patient. It’s just us humans who are anxious.”

Project manager Ron Diftler noted that Robonaut hasn’t seen the outside world for quite a while. It was boxed up for six months aboard Discovery, awaiting liftoff. The flight was delayed four months.

Diftler isn’t surprised by “the fervor” surrounding R2.

“Humanoid robots are something that a lot of people can identify with, and having the first humanoid robot in space, especially when so many people have seen things like this in science fiction, it’s getting a lot of people’s excitement up,” Diftler told The Associated Press on Friday.

“We’re excited about it, too.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Two natural gas companies agreed Friday to temporarily cease operations of injection wells in an area of central Arkansas that has seen more than 800 earthquakes during the past six months.

Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy and Clarita Operating of Little Rock said they would comply with the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission’s emergency request to stop all injection activities in Greenbrierand Guy-area wells used to dispose of wastewater from production. The panel’s next regular meeting is March 29.

Geologists are studying recent area quakes, most tiny, in an attempt to determine whether there is a connection between the seismic activity and gas-drilling companies’ work in the Fayetteville Shale formation. A 4.7-magnitude earthquake, the most powerful reported in the state in 35 years, struck near Greenbrier on Sunday night.

A six-month moratorium on new injection wells in the area took effect in January to allow time to determine what relationship, if any, there is between the wells and the earthquakes.

Shane Khoury, deputy director and general counsel for the commission, said Arkansas Geological Survey researchers had found enough evidence to request an immediate shutdown of the two well locations. He added that the emergency order would not affect the five other injection wells currently operating in that region.

“We believe preliminary data from the moratorium study shows a potential connection between injection operations and earthquakes at one or both of those wells,” he said.

The Fayetteville Shale, an organically-rich rock formation underlying the region, is a major source of natural gas in Arkansas.

Drillers free up the gas by using hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” which requires injecting pressurized water to create fractures deep in the ground. The two injection wells at issue dispose of waste “frack” water when it can no longer be re-used, by injecting it into the ground.

Khoury said there has been no evidence to indicate a connection between the earthquakes and production operations, only injection or disposal methods.

Neither company testified at the hearing or offered evidence on its behalf, but will have the opportunity to do so at the next hearing.

National

10A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

WikiLeaks House eyes marriage ban defense suspect forced to sleep nude

By LAURIE KELLMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

By DAVID DISHNEAU ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The Army private suspected of giving classified U.S. documents to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks was stripped of all clothing for two nights to keep him from hurting himself in his military jail cell, a Marine Corps spokesman said Friday.

The brig commander issued the order Wednesday, the same day Pfc. Bradley Manning was hit with a new charge — aiding the enemy — that could carry the death penalty.

Manning’s civilian lawyer, David Coombs, called the treatment degrading.

He said the brig commander, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Denise Barnes, issued the order without consulting the brig’s mental health providers. Coombs has repeatedly complained that Manning’s strict confinement conditions are punitive, a charge the military had denied.

“There can be no conceivable justification for requiring a soldier to surrender all his clothing, remain naked in his cell for seven hours, and then stand at attention the subsequent morning,” Coombs wrote on his blog.

But 1st Lt. Brian Villiard said Barnes was striving to keep Manning safe, secure and able to stand trial.

“The circumstances required that his clothing be removed as a precaution to ensure that he didn’t harm himself,” Villiard said.

Villiard said privacy rules prevented him from discussing the circumstances that prompted the order but he added, “I can tell you that this was event-driven.”

Manning, a former intelligence analyst, has been in pretrial confinement since his arrest in Iraq in May. He is charged with 34 offenses for allegedly stealing computer files of more than 250,000 confidential State Department cables, classified video of a deadly U.S. helicopter attack and a plethora of Iraq and Afghanistan war logs. The video and thousands of the documents have been published on the WikiLeaks website.

The 23-year-old from Crescent, Okla., was taken to Quantico on July 29. He is in maximum custody

BRADLEY MANNING: Accused of leaking unauthorized classified info. and on prevention-of-injury status — designations that keep him confined alone 23 hours a day, and require removal of all clothing except his boxer shorts at night.

On Wednesday, the Army announced 22 new charges including aiding the enemy. The charge is punishable by death but prosecutors have said they will recommend that the charge be sent to trial as a noncapital offense.

The Navy Corrections Manual, which governs Quantico brig operations, permits clothing removal for prisoners who have threatened suicide or made a suicidal gesture, or for strip searches involving suspicion of a crime.

Villiard said Manning was not placed on suicide watch this week but he has been in the past.

On Wednesday, the government issued a preliminary denial of Coombs’ January complaint seeking to have Manning’s custody status reduced from maximum- to medium-security.

Manning said he will file a rebuttal next week, and then await reviews by Quantico commander Col. Daniel J. Choike and the Navy secretary.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich issued a statement saying the clothing-removal order could amount to cruel and unusual punishment and may violate international law.

“Is this Quantico or Abu Ghraib?” the Ohio Democrat said, referring to detainee abuses at a U.S. military prison in Iraq in 2003.

The United Nations torture investigator is pursuing an inquiry into Manning’s confinement, based on allegations by a Manning supporter.

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner said Friday the House may go to court to defend the federal law against gay marriage, which President Barack Obama’s administration has concluded is unconstitutional.

Boehner said he would convene a group of bipartisan congressional leaders that has the authority to instruct the House counsel to represent the chamber in court. The panel would include Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.; Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi DCalif., and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts — not

by the president unilaterally,” the Ohio Republican said in a statement. “This action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a manner consistent with our Constitution.”

The Obama administration last month announced it would no longer defend the constitutionality of the federal law that bans recognition of gay marriage.

Attorney General Eric Holder said the section of the 1996 law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman is unconstitutional.

Nonetheless, he said the Justice Department would continue to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act, and it remains in effect.

Boehner said he was convening the panel of House leaders “for the purpose of initiating action by the House to de-

fend this law.” But there was no immediate indication of specifically what action it would direct.

Democrats on the panel were unlikely to support any defense of the law. Pelosi has lauded Obama’s decision to stop defending it as a “victory for civil rights, fairness and equality.”

On Friday, she criticized the move as a costly burden on House staff.

“This is nothing more than a distraction from our most pressing challenges” such as creating jobs and reducing the federal deficit, she said.

The White House declined to comment on Boehner’s announcement.

The law’s supporters lauded the new House speaker, saying constitutionality should be decided by the courts and not by the president.

“With the House intervening, we will finally get lawyers in that courtroom who are trying to win this” issue, said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.

The law’s opponents said Boehner’s action amounted to pandering to the GOP’s conservative base at the expense of gays and lesbians.

House Republicans have “now shown they’re more interested in scoring cheap political points on the backs of same-sex couples than tackling real problems,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

Passed by the Republican-led Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996, the law defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Photo shows Giffords before shooting

By AMANDA LEE MYERS ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHOENIX — A photo taken of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shortly before a shooting rampage erupted in Tucson shows the congresswoman listening intently as she talks with two of her constituents, one of whom also was injured.

Giffords is wearing a bright red coat and bold red necklace, and has her hands clasped in front of her as she speaks to Jim and Doris Tucker of Tucson. Shortly after it was taken, a man walked quickly up to the group, shot Giffords in the head and then shot 18 others at the “Congress on Your Corner” event.

Six were killed in the Jan. 8 attack, including a federal judge and a 9year-old girl, and 13 more were injured, including Giffords.

Giffords’ staff posted the photo Friday on Facebook, and it is the first and only photo the staff has released from

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This Saturday, Jan. 8 photo provided by the office of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shows the Arizona congresswoman listening intently as she talks with Jim and Doris Tucker, two of her constituents, one of whom also was injured, in Tucson, Ariz. Shortly after the photo was taken, a man walked quickly up to the group and shot Giffords and 18 other people. that day. The photo led many fans of Giffords’ Facebook page to comment on it.

One person wrote, “What a haunting picture.” Another wrote, “It is just so sad to know what is about to hap-

pen ...”

Jim Tucker was one of the 18 people who was shot and survived the attack. A message left at his home wasn’t immediately returned Friday evening.

Giffords spokesman C.J. Karamargin said Giffords held 20 Congress on Your Corner events, and constituents typically spoke with her individually.

“The way it worked was people had the chance to speak to the congresswoman one-on-one about any topic, and that’s what was going on when that photo was taken,” he said Federal prosecutors on Friday announced new charges against suspect Jared Lee Loughner, saying the 49-count indictment covered the shooting of all 19 victims, since they were participating in a federally provided activity.

Giffords is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head at a Houston hospital.

In recent days, Giffords has been talking and singing some of her favorite songs as part of her speech and musical therapy. She also is undergoing physical therapy.

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A

PROCESO BARRERA JR. ZAPATA — Proceso Barrera Jr. 88, passed away Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at Laredo Medical Center.

Mr. Barrera is preceded in death by his wife, Juliana M. Barrera.

Mr. Barrera is survived by his sons: Proceso Barrera III and Omar Barrera; daughters: Hilda Barrera and Nora (Jesse) Garcia; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren; and by other family members and friends.

Visitation hours will be held Monday, March 7, 2011, from 6 to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home.

The funeral procession will depart Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at 9:45 for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Committal services will follow at Zapata County

By MATTHEW CRAFT AND DAVID K. RANDALL ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cemetery, including full military honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata.

BUDGET Continued from Page 1A Rainy Day Fund, further reductions ... or deferring payments into the next biennium.”

While Combs never called on the committee to dip into the Rainy Day Fund, she presented a detailed history of how it had been used in the past and how spending it would not hurt the state’s credit rating. She also examined the other options.

“I don’t know how you can get to $4.3 billion in cuts,” Combs said. She warned that even if the recession ends, that doesn’t mean revenues will return to levels seen in 2005, when the Texas economy was booming.

When some lawmakers tried to compare the situation to 2003, the last time they tapped the Rainy Day Fund, the Democratic vice chair chastened them.

“I wish this was 2003.

But if anyone tries to compare 2003 to what we are going through now, and saying they are similar, you are not facing reality,” said state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston. “This situation is far worse.”

Combs acknowledged that the recession that began in 2007 was the worst since the Rainy Day Fund was created. But she warned that lawmakers should think about the next four years, not just the next two, when considering how much of the fund to spend or how to fix a business tax that has never raised as much money as expected.

She also pointed out that if lawmakers did not make funds available to cover the deficit, she is obligated under the state constitution to borrow money from the Rainy Day Fund to pay

Gains may mean another fall

When some lawmakers tried to compare the situation to 2003, the last time they tapped the Rainy Day Fund, the Democratic vice chair chastened them. the state’s bills.

Conservative groups, including tea party activists, have consistently called on lawmakers to leave the Rainy Day Fund alone.

Some have threatened legislators that they will face conservative opponents in the 2012 election if they tap the fund.

Pitts was clearly laying the groundwork to pressure the 101-member Republican supermajority in the Texas House to spend some of the Rainy Day Fund. Pitts’ bill would require three-fifths of the lawmakers present to authorize using it.

Some state Senate leaders have also expressed a readiness to tap the fund.

Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday he remains opposed to spending the fund, “which would only delay tough decisions and leave us unprepared to handle bigger emergencies in the future.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke fielded the usual questions about inflation, tax cuts and government debt during a trip to Congress last week.

Then a new question popped up: is the Fed creating another bubble in stock prices?

Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee he saw “little evidence” that was happening. But he cautioned: “Of course, nobody can know for sure.”

That’s the problem with bubbles. You only know you’re in one when it pops.

This week is the second anniversary of the bull market that followed the financial meltdown. The Standard & Poor’s 500stock index is in its fastest climb since 1955, doubling since the market bottomed on March 9, 2009. In January and February alone, it’s up 5.5 percent, the best start to a year since 1998.

Stock bubbles are famously hard to define. In 1999, for instance, investors thought it was perfectly rational to pay 62 times a company’s earnings for a technology stock because it seemed like dot-com companies couldn’t lose.

They only realized their error when many of those companies turned out to be nothing more than slick marketing ploys.

After two bubbles in the past 10 years — tech stocks and real estate — investors are suspicious of consistent gains that seem too good to be true. Some worry that the Fed’s dramatic measures to pump

Photo by Elaine Thompson | AP

In this March 1 photo, Mariam Bario, recently relocated to Seattle from Kenya, fills out an application with others at a job fair, in SeaTac, Wash. Employers in February hired at the fastest pace in almost a year and the unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent — a nearly two-year low. up the economy mean the market’s gains are an illusion. But a range of measurements suggests the market isn’t in the midst of a bubble now. Instead, the stock market may simply be back to normal.

“The last two years were the great giveaway,” says Stephen Lieber, the chief investment officer responsible for $6 billion in assets at Alpine Mutual Funds. Stocks had fallen so low during the panic that anyone who bought stocks on March 9, 2009, received a once-in-a-lifetime deal, he says. Caterpillar Inc., for instance, closed below $24 that day.

It’s now above $100.

While stock prices are much higher than they were two years ago, Bob Doll, market strategist for asset-management giant BlackRock, says investors

aren’t irrationally optimistic.

“Bubbles occur when there are high valuations, evidence of lots of borrowing to lever up to buy something,” he says.

“When I look around the landscape I have a hard time finding anything that looks like that.”

One sign of a bubble would be if stocks rose far beyond what’s normal by historical standards, says Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Asset Management Group.

By that measure, it’s not happening yet. According to Stone’s research, since 1928, the average bull market runs almost five years and gains 164 percent. By comparison, this bull market has barely hit middle age.

The fundamentals of the stock market don’t suggest

a bubble, either. The S&P 500 index now trades at 17.4 times the earnings of its stocks over the past year. In March 1999, during the tech bubble, the multiple was 30.6.

Corporations are expected to make record profits this year and have enough cash — $2 trillion — to pay bigger dividends and start buying back shares of stock, both of which make stocks more valuable.

“Corporate balance sheets haven’t been in better shape over the last 200 years, period,” says Joe Davis, the chief economist at fund giant Vanguard.

And there’s no ignoring the economic recovery.

The economy was shrinking at almost a 5 percent annual rate when stocks bottomed out in 2009. Now it’s growing at almost a 3 percent pace.

Teacher layoffs would hurt towns

By APRIL CASTRO ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry can’t quit talking about jobs.

He used the word 19 times in his recent state of the state address and has made it a top spending priority. But if Perry realizes his vision of a budget balanced through cuts alone, 100,000 teachers could lose their jobs.

That’s about a third of the 333,000 teachers employed by Texas public schools.

“In a small town, the school is the largest employer,” said Deborah Ottmers, assistant superintendent for business and finance at the Fredericksburg school district. These proposed cuts would be “a huge hit on the economy in any town.”

Plans for layoffs are stirring panic from Houston to far West Texas. And while the Legislature has until May to write a budget, districts can’t wait to see what happens. The pink slips have already started in places such as Austin, Round Rock and Dallas.

Perry, meanwhile, keeps talking about jobs. Just not teaching jobs.

“The governor has put a priority on bringing jobs to Texas,” said Milton Rister, Perry’s director of administration. Rister was outlining Perry’s request for millions of dollars to give companies in return for doing business or making films in Texas. None of those programs, though, will save the jobs of Alan and Nikki Guckian.

Alan Guckian’s position as a north Austin band di-

rector has been cut to halftime. His wife, a high school drama teacher expecting their second child in June, was laid off.

“It makes me sick to my stomach to see some of the things they’re arguing about in the Capitol,” Alan Guckian said. “There are a lot of people that won’t be able to pay their mortgage and they’re still talking about attracting movie people.”

Economists say sudden job losses, like those to the Guckian family, will lead to even more job losses.

“If you lay off 1,000 teachers you’re going to have greater number of that jobs loss because, presumably, those teachers are not going to be spending money in those communities,” said Terry Clower, director of the Center for Economic Develop-

ment and Research at the University of North Texas.

“That’s going to flow through the economy.”

That’s already started for the Guckians. Lately, they’ve traded in dinners out with friends for casseroles and ramen noodles at home. They have started saving hand-me-downs for the new baby. Phone service and cable television will probably be next.

Still, Perry continues to brag that Texas is a lone bright star in an otherwise dreadful economy. He repeatedly reminds audiences that, at 230,000, Texas added more jobs last year than any other state.

Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said the governor values public education but plans to follow through on his promise to cut the budget and keep taxes low.

12A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

MEXICO Continued from Page 1A street-level dealers operating in Cancún and Playa Del Carmen. Soldiers seized several personal doses of marijuana, crack and cocaine.

On Feb. 28, soldiers raided a ranch within the municipality of Coyuca de Catalán in Guerrero state. Mexican authorities seized approximately 29 pounds of marijuana and $45,000. The raid also yielded seven assault rifles, three handguns, 12 ammo clips and 748 rounds of ammunition.

On March 1, a woman approached soldiers patrolling the municipality of San Miguel Totolapan in Guerrero.

She told authorities about a field within the community where “several people were buried.” Soldiers dug out a yellow sheet wrapped around human remains.

from around the globe participated. Díaz noted the tourney attracted 55,000 tourists.

However, college officials in Laredo recommend students stay safe.

Understanding warnings Vincent Solis, vice president of student services at Laredo Community College, said officials make sure every student gets the message when authorities issue travel warnings. Also, Texas A&M International University officials are fully aware of the ongoing violence in the neighboring country.

Jerry Alva, director of student affairs at TAMIU, strongly discourages students from traveling into Mexico, but if they do, he recommends they be aware of their surroundings.

Students could face other issues than violence when traveling for spring break.

They include drunk driving or accepting drinks in open containers from strangers, Solis and Alva pointed out.

School officials encourage students to travel in groups, stay in highly visible areas and to let someone else know about their plans.

To educate students before traveling, LCC plans to have a safety education awareness fair at both campuses Wednesday morning.

At TAMIU, officials are preparing a party before the party Thursday evening.

They call it Spring Fling, an event to remind students how to stay safe and healthy while out on spring break.

“We encourage our students to be safe and be aware of their surroundings and to just take precautions while enjoying their spring break,” Alva said.

Solis hopes for the same.

“At the end of the day, students are going to make personal choices and responsible choices about what they do, whether they’re on this side of the border or on that side of the border,” Solis said. “Students need to be aware there are consequenc-

Pacific battles Associated Press

Police react as gunmen on vehicles shoot at them outside a police station in Acapulco, Mexico, on Saturday, Jan. 8. In a news release issued this week, the Texas Department of Public Safety also reminded boaters to stay on the U.S. side of Falcon Lake because cartel activity remains high in Mexican waters. es. In this case, innocent bystanders can also be caught in situations.”

Cartel battles A spokesman for Grupo Savant, an intelligence firm in Washington D.C., said currently two cartels are fighting for the Acapulco plaza. These are La Resistencia — a remnant of the Arturo Beltrán Leyva organization — and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación.

Several cruise lines have stopped their cruises into Mazatlán and Acapulco because of violent acts happening under the radar. The Gulf Cartel and its former enforcers, the Zetas, are clashed in a gory battle for narcomenudeo — street level drug distribution — in various resorts in the potential hot spot of Yucatan. Several incidents have occurred, but local media has downplayed violence.

“Even though is not pub-

licized, it is considered a dangerous area,” the spokesperson said.

Cartels want to control what analysts call tienditas, street corners to sell drugs on the streets to tourists.

This could create a dangerous environment for spring breakers.

“You can get caught in the fire,” the Grupo Savant spokesman added.

Acapulco seizures Since February, the National Defense Ministry, known as SEDENA, has recorded seizures, apprehensions and gun battles in surrounding municipalities of Guerrero state, including Acapulco.

On Feb. 11, soldiers patrolling Colonia Bonfil in Acapulco seized 18 assault riffles, 49 ammunition clips, 1,370 rounds of ammo and two vehicles reported stolen.

Authorities also arrested nine alleged associates of Cartel del Pacífico.

Events On Feb 16, soldiers arrested a narcomenudista in Nicolás Bravo in Quintana Roo. Authorities nabbed the man after receiving an anonymous tip from the community. He had 75 doses of cocaine and 2,132.50 pesos.

On Feb. 17, a beheaded body was left in the rear seat of a car in front of a shopping mall within the tourist zone of Acapulco in broad daylight. The attackers left the head on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

On Feb. 22, soldiers stationed in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, fired back at members of an organized crime gang near a town in Pungarabato. Three armed civilians died in that clash.

Soldiers seized three AK-47s, five ammo clips and 107 live rounds. Authorities also recovered a Ford sport utility vehicle reported stolen.

Between Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, soldiers arrested nine

According to Grupo Savant, Mexico is going through a “War of the Pacific.” La Resistencia is fighting La Nueva Generación for several plazas on the Pacific coast of Mexico, including Mazatlán, Acapulco and the Port of Lázaro Cardenas.

Díaz acknowledges the acts of violence in Mexico.

“I can’t deny there had been problems. But these are not problems impacting the tourists. The (U.S.) alerts created a negative image (of Acapulco),” Díaz said. “Acapulco is still Acapulco. The federal, state and municipal governmental entities are working in conjunction to guarantee the safety of spring breakers.”

A sign of improving security in Acapulco, Díaz said, is the fact that foreign companies have invested in Acapulco.

“Two of the most important airlines, Delta and Continental, announced last week the addition of two flight routes each to Acapulco. Spring breakers should ponder on that before making the trip,” Díaz said.

“Just as (U.S. authorities) send out the alerts, they should help us take them

down when they consider it safe to travel. United States is a market that interests us.”

Those visiting cartel territories in Mexico should stay in the tourist areas.

“Go out during the day.

Do not leave at night. Do not take credit cards. Take only the amount of cash needed,” the spokesperson added.

When going out, spring breakers should call a cab from a “sitio,” a taxi company contracted by the hotels.

Other cabs roaming around the areas are called “libre.”

These are taxis pretending to be independent but could well be in service of a cartel.

“If you get kidnapped by a fake “libre” taxi, they could take you at gun point to an ATM around 11:45 p.m.

They pick up your maximum cash allowed to be withdrawn, wait until midnight to take out the maximum again. It’s an express kidnapping,” said the Grupo Savant spokesman.

When making reservations, spring breakers should make sure their parents know where they are staying. Another option is to register at the nearest U.S consulate to let them know the exact location. Grupo Savant analysts suggest spring breakers be in constant communication with their parents.

“Let them know via email or by cell phone. At the end of day, check in with them,” the spokesman said.

“As a back up plan if you don’t have communication, (parents) should be able to call a friend of yours on the trip or location.”

Meanwhile, Mexican officials are waiting with open arms.

“For spring breakers taking the opportunity to visit us, we’ll show them we’re ready to showcase all our tourist attractions. As far as security, they should not worry about that,” Díaz said. “But I understand it’s not going to be easy for parents to send their children.”

(César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS

HIGH SCHOOL TRACK

LADY HAWKS ON TRACK Courtesy photo

Cristina Mendoza, Garret Umphres, Trey Alvarez, Javier Zapata and Isabella Martinez have starred for Zapata tennis early this season.

Varsity champs Lady Hawks hit high note in Hebbronville

By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES

The Zapata tennis teams are busy navigating through the pre-season schedule as they made pit stops at the Hebbronville Invitational tennis tournament and the Zapata tennis tournament the last two weekends.

The weekend warriors competed against eight teams at the Hebbronville tournament with the Zapata teams displaying outstanding performances.

The Lady Hawks captured the varsity title while

the Hawks took home the runner-up trophy, missing on the first place trophy by 2.5 points.

The junior varsity teams fared well as the boys’ team captured the team title while the girls left with the second place trophy.

Seniors Isabella Martinez and Cristina Mendoza led the way in girls’ doubles, capturing first place with a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the championship game.

“Isa and Cristina totally dominated in this tourna-

See TENNIS PAGE 2B

Courtesy Photo

Marlena and Jazmine Garcia compete at a recent race. Both have thrived for the Zapata track and field team this season.

Turns in strong showing at local competition

By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES

The time has come for the Zapata Lady Hawks track team to put all their track education to the test after last week’s practice meet in Zapata.

The Lady Hawks were ready to spread their wings and test themselves against quality opponents who were going to push them to the brink as they headed out to the Kingsville Relays.

Zapata did not take long to make its presence felt as three medals started to come in within the first hour of competition that included 5A and 4A schools.

The Lady Hawks, who have one of the best cross country programs in the area, were naturally strong in the long distance events as they were able to pick up a few medals in the distance races.

Cassie Peña set the tone with a convincing victory in the junior varsity two mile where she left the competition in the rearview mirror early in the morning.

Peña was clocked at a personal record of 12:59.

Freshman sensation Jazmine Garcia continued where she left from the cross country season where she became the first Lady Hawks to place in the top 10 at the state meet

in November.

Garcia captured second place in the meet behind a runner from Mercedes to start her march toward a state berth in track and field. She set a personal and school record for track and field at 11:54.

Not far behind was senior Marlena Garcia, who captured fourth place, just missing a medal with a season’s best of 12:11.

At the same time, the Lady Hawks were making great strides in the field events.

High jumpers Clarissa Villarreal and Brandi King became the back-

See TRACK PAGE 2B

MLB

Injury sidelines Castro Astros’ catcher out for months ASSOCIATED PRESS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro will be sidelined for most or all of the season following surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Castro, who earned the Astros’ regular catching job as a 22-year-old rookie last season, was injured Wednesday while trying to avoid a tag by Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera in Lakeland. It was the Castro’s second game of spring training.

The original diagnosis was a sprain, but an MRI revealed a tear in Castro’s right meniscus. The torn ACL was discovered late Thursday and he was oper-

See ASTROS PAGE 2B

Photo by Eric Gay | AP

Philadelphia Phillies’ Cliff Lee throws during spring training baseball practice, in Clearwater, Fla., on Feb. 17.

All eyes on Cliff Lee

By ROB MAADDI ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by David J. Phillip | AP

Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro, right, tries to avoid being tagged out by Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, left, during a spring training baseball game in Lakeland, Fla., on Wednesday. Castro, who was injured on the play, will have to undergo surgery to repair a torn right medial meniscus.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cliff Lee walked up to the table set up for a group news conference and picked up the placard bearing his name to make sure he was sitting in the right seat.

"I guess I’m in the middle," Lee said.

As usual, his location was right on.

On a staff of aces and team of stars, Lee

has been the center of attention since the Philadelphia Phillies opened spring training.

From the minute he arrived, he has been followed by cameras and surrounded by microphones. When the five members of the starting rotation talked as a group to reporters upon arriving in camp, most of the questions were directed at Lee.

See CLIFF LEE PAGE 2B

PAGE 2B

Zscores

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

Oregon denies reported violations

TENNIS Continued from Page 1B

ASSOCIATED PRESS

EUGENE, Ore. — School officials have confirmed that Oregon paid about $28,000 to a pair of recruiting services, but claim the payments and services were within NCAA rules.

Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that Oregon paid $25,000 to Will Lyles of Complete Scouting Services in Houston. Lyles has a mentoring relationship with Ducks running back Lache Seastrunk and is also tied to running back LaMichael James, a Heisman trophy finalist.

ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported the NCAA is probing Seastrunk’s recruitment. Both Seastrunk and James are from Texas.

The Yahoo report also said that Oregon paid $3,745 to Baron Flenory of New Level Athletics.

Flenory told Yahoo he also ran a recruiting service that provided Oregon with information about potential recruits, but the company no longer operates because of a change in NCAA rules.

The Oregon athletic department issued a statement Thursday night that said: “This is something we remain confident that is within the acceptable guidelines allowed by the NCAA and occurred with the knowledge of the department’s compliance office.”

If either men guided a recruit to Oregon, it would violate NCAA rules.

The NCAA will not comment on ongoing investigations.

The Ducks went 12-1 this past season, falling to Auburn in the BCS title game. They were ranked No. 3 in the final Top 25. James led the nation in rushing with 1,731 yards.

Rumors had been swirling for the past week that Oregon was facing a possible investigation into recruiting violations.

“We have previously stated that we have not been in contact with anyone from the NCAA or Pacific-10 Conference in regards to these practices and that situation remains unchanged,” Oregon’s statement said.

Attempts to reach Flenory and Lyles by telephone on Thursday night were unsuccessful.

Photo by David J. Phillip | AP

St. Louis Cardinals’ Colby Rasmus (28) steals second base safely as Houston Astros second baseman Matt Downs catches the throw during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game on Friday in Kissimmee, Fla.

Cardinals top Astros in spring game ASSOCIATED PRESS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Kyle Lohse was almost too efficient for his own good Friday.

The St. Louis starter had to take the mound for a third inning just to get in 41 pitches during the Cardinals’ 10-2 win over the Houston Astros.

“My limit was 50, so I didn’t even get there,” said Lohse, who gave up one run and three hits. “I’ve had three batting practices where I’ve thrown 40 pitches each time, so to go out there and do three wasn’t that big of a stretch.”

Lohse gave up a wind-aided home run to Matt Downs, but got four groundball outs and two strikeouts, all very fast.

“It’s the thing you try to do during the season and it’s good to do — go out there and get quick outs,” he

said. “That comes with throwing strikes early in the count and getting ahead of hitters. Those are the main focal points right now.”

Colby Rasmus went 3 for 3, scored twice and stole a base for St. Louis.

He improved to 7 for 13 this spring.

Matt Cooper drove in two of the three runs off Houston starter Ryan Rowland-Smith in the second inning.

Rasmus led off a two-run third with a double against Brandon Lyon.

Rowland-Smith, a candidate for Houston’s No. 5 pitching spot, was one out away from two scoreless innings when he walked Skip Schumaker. Three straight hits followed, producing three runs.

“The results weren’t there,” Rowland-Smith said, “but outings like that, when you’ve got to work with runners on base and behind in the count, that’s what makes it better at this point of the year. I’ll take that.”

CLIFF LEE Continued from Page 1B Roy Halladay is the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton have World Series rings. Roy Oswalt has more 20-win seasons and All-Star game appearances than Lee. Yet everyone is talking about Lee because he’s the new guy and perhaps the one who can help the Phillies win another World Series.

Left fielder Raul Ibanez spent his offseason in Philadelphia instead of returning to his home in Miami.

Wherever he went around town, people asked him about one guy.

"Cliff Lee. Right when we got Cliff Lee, they were so excited," Ibanez said. "Everybody who came up to me was so gracious and so excited about getting Cliff and how they were working on getting their season tickets already. It’s a lot of fun.

The fans are phenomenal.

What can you say? They’re the best. It was November or December and I was running into people and they were so fired up like spring training was around the corner. And it was still football season. It’s great to be a part of."

The Phillies stunned the baseball world when they lured Lee away from the Texas Rangers and out of the grasp of the New York Yankees with a $120 million, five-year contract. The left-hander took about $30 million less from the Phillies, spurning the bright lights of the Big Apple for the Liberty Bell and those famous cheesesteaks.

"I like Philly cheesesteaks, but that had nothing to do with me coming back to Philadelphia," Lee said.

Of course not. Clearly, money wasn’t his top prior-

The Phillies stunned the baseball world when they lured Lee away from the Texas Rangers and out of the grasp of the New York Yankees with a $120 million, five-year contract. ity, either.

Lee got a taste of the World Series with the Phillies in ’09 and the Rangers last year. But he didn’t win a title and he chose Philadelphia because he wants to get over that hump and celebrate a championship parade.

"I could have gotten more money in other places.

That really wasn’t what it was all about for me," Lee said. "It was really three pretty good options to be honest with you. I just honestly stepped back and looked at each team and evaluated. I felt like this is the team that’s going to give me the best chance to win a ring, and hopefully multiple rings. That was what the decision was based on.

"Obviously, the fans had a lot to do with it. They sell out every game. A lot of the stadiums were packed.

There was a lot of hype every game. It’s a great feeling playing in that park, and I wanted to come back and do some more of it."

Lee first joined the Phillies in July 2009 in a trade with Cleveland. He had a sensational postseason, going 4-0 and earning two wins in the World Series.

But the Yankees beat Philadelphia in six games.

Lee never wanted to leave, but the team feared it wouldn’t be able to afford him when his contract was up after the season. So, he was dealt to Seattle on the same day Halladay was acquired from Toronto. The

Phillies then tried to reacquire Lee last July, but ended up getting Oswalt from Houston instead.

Now they’re all here. Lee, Halladay, Oswalt. Don’t forget Hamels and Blanton.

The Phillies have assembled a rotation that could eventually go down as one of the all-time best.

All they care about it is winning the World Series.

"A big part of it for me is not having the best pitching staff in history, but having the best chance to get to the postseason and the best chance to win a World Series," Halladay said. "To be on a team that has that chance is what every player wants. This is definitely a great group. But I think the ultimate is if it gives you the best chance to get to the postseason and win a World Series."

Being part of a rotation that has four legitimate aces can make some guys even more competitive. Oswalt and Hamels often talked about trying to outdo each other last year. Halladay always sets a high standard for himself. Lee, however, doesn’t need the extra motivation.

"To be honest with you, I could care less what the guy ahead of me did," Lee said. "I want to go out there and do the best I can regardless. I hope that we have shutouts every single day. No doubt about it. Obviously, the better they pitch, the better our team does. That’s great.

"But whether the guy

that pitched ahead of me the day before threw a complete game shutout or gave up five in the first inning, I’m still going to go out there and do the same thing. I want to get deep in the game, put up as many zeros as I can and give the team a chance to win.

That’s it for me."

Lee was the AL Cy Young Award winner in 2008 when he was 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA for the Indians. He hasn’t come close to matching those numbers since, but has established himself as one of the game’s best postseason pitchers.

He was 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in his first eight playoff starts before losing Games 1 and 5 of the World Series to the San Francisco Giants last year.

Now he enters a season knowing he’s going to finish it with the same team.

Lee doesn’t have to worry about trade rumors or wonder where he’ll end up going in July.

"I was glad to get those opportunities to bounce around and play with different organizations, get to play in back-to-back World Series with two different teams," Lee said. "It was a fun ride, and hopefully I’ll get a chance to be a little more stable about that process and get to experience some more World Series with this team, hopefully multiple times. I definitely want that ring. That’s what it’s all about."

For Lee, that’s the real center of attention.

ment,” Zapata coach Robert Alvarez said. “They were the top seeds going in and played like it. They have played well all season.”

Kassandra Flores had to deal with blisters in the tournament and was unsure if she was going to continue in the girls’ singles division.

Flores recovered enough to take third place.

“I thought Kassie was going to have to default, but Hebbronville AD Robert Gomez patched her up and got her back on the court,” Alvarez said. “She really showed some toughness and the points from her third-place finish won us the girls’ title.”

The boys’ doubles team of seniors Garret Umphres and Javier Zapata entered the tournament as third seeds but quickly showed they belonged in the championship bracket.

Umphres and Zapata mowed through all their competition in straight sets, winning 6-2,6-3 over the top seeds from Hebbronville in the finals.

“Garret and Javy had a tough draw, but they just played hard and got after it,” Alvarez said. “They show up to practice every day with a good attitude and really work hard.”

In boys’ singles, freshman Trey Alvarez was seeded third to start his quest for a bid to the championship game.

Alvarez made it to the finals, where he lost in a marathon match to top seed Chris Pena of Bruni, 6-2, 3-6 and 10-8.

“This finals match was the match of the tournament. Both players were all over the court, making high quality shots,” Alvarez said. “Pena is one of the best players in the area, but I thought Trey really wore him down in the second set. Chris, however, really served big in the third set super-tiebreaker to win the match.”

The Lady Hawks captured the varsity title while the Hawks took home the runner-up trophy, missing on the first place trophy by 2.5 points.

At the 2nd Annual Zapata Tennis Invitational Tournament, 165 athletes from Laredo Nixon, Martin, Cigarroa, LBJ, St. Augustine, Hebbronville, Bruni and Zapata participated in the tournament.

2nd Annual Zapata Tennis Invitational Tournament Varsity boys’ singles: 1. Julio Cepeda, Cigarroa; 2. Chris Peña, Bruni; 3.

Gerrardo Vasquez, St. Augustine.

Varsity boys’ doubles: 1. Salazar/Deleon, St. Augustine; 2. Lopez/Saldivar, LBJ; 3. Umphres/Zapata, Zapata.

Varsity girls’ singles: 1. Melina Cedillo, Cigarroa; 2. Gaby Solis, Martin; 3. Alexia Guarneros, St. Augustine.

Varsity girls’ doubles: 1. Sanchez/Posada, Martin; 2. Martinez/Mendoza, Zapata; 3. Tawil/Barroso, St. Augustine.

Mixed doubles: 1. Cavasos/Lopez, Martin; 2.

Morales/Martinez, Nixon; 3. Dellano/Pizena, St. Augustine.

Varsity boys’ team standings: 1. St. Augustine; 2. LBJ; 3. Zapata.

Varsity girls’ team standings: 1.Martin; 2. St. Augustine; 3. Zapata.

ASTROS Continued from Page 1B ated on Friday. The typical recovery time is six months.

“He might be able to come back at some point in September, but he’s such a valuable person, such a valuable player, you don’t want to rush a guy like that,” manager Brad Mills said. “Let him take his time. Let him get stronger. He’s going to be fine. As I told Jason, he was going to have a great year this year. Now, he’s going to have a great year next year.”

Astros medical director Dr. David Lintner operat-

ed.

“The surgery went well,” general manager Ed Wade said. “Dr. Lintner indicated that the meniscus tear was significant and actually took longer to repair than the ACL. Houston was left with five catchers in camp, but only Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles are on the 40-man roster.

“We’ve talked about all kinds of things,” Mills said, “but right now we’ve got these five guys in camp and they’re going to work and everything is going to be considered.”

TRACK Continued from Page 1B bone of Zapata’s field events.

Villarreal took the silver medal in a valiant effort in her runs at the high jump in the junior varsity division, clearing 4’8.”

King, who is an outstanding overall athlete that excels in three sports, took that same dedication and determination to the high jump pit.

King took the gold medal for the second meet in a row with a clearance of 5’2” in the varsity division.

In the running events, the Lady Hawks continued to put their best foot forward in the 800-meter dash.

Sara Peña blazed through the course for a first place finish in the junior varsity 800-meter division.

Peña also set a personal record of 2:43 to head home with a great accomplishment.

After Villarreal’s second place finish in the high jump, she turned all her attention to the 400-meter dash. She added a gold medal in the JV 400-meter dash with a time of 1:06.9.

In the ensuring race,

freshman Daniela Vela had to reach deep down inside to come from behind for a dramatic gold medal in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 54.85, shattering her old mark.

In the long distance event of the evening, Zapata made a strong run at the medal count in all divisions.

Peña took her second medal of the day with a first place finish in the mile run with a personal record of 6:01, just one second shy of breaking the six-minute barrier.

Norma Cepeda turned in a gutsy performance with a new personal record of 6:59.

Senior Gloria Jauregui paced Cepeda throughout the race.

Marlena captured a silver medal with a time of 5:36, a season’s best.

Jazmine turned in a 5:47 for a personal best, while Erica Hernandez was clocked at 6:07.

The Lady Hawks are competing in the Border Olympics track and field meet in Laredo this weekend.

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B

HINTS BY | HELOISE Dear Heloise: My neighbor always wants to give my two small dogs her LEFTOVER MEAT BONES. I have told her several times that I NEVER give my dogs real bones. I figure if she sees this in writing in your column, she will finally stop bringing the bones over. — Unhappy Neighbor, via email Consider it done. No bones about it! It doesn’t matter the size of the bone or the size of the dog. Chewing on bones can cause broken teeth (ouch) and injuries to the tongue or mouth; the bones could splinter and get stuck in the dog’s throat, stomach or intestines! These are just a few of the harmful things that can happen, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. So, don’t give your pet real meat bones!

And don’t just toss them in the kitchen trash, where an enterprising dog may get to them. A good idea is to put them in the fridge or freezer, and then on trash day throw them away. There are many chewable pet products available that will make your pet as happy as can be.

— Heloise TIDY GUINEA PIG Dear Heloise: My friend has a guinea pig, and its fur is matted and messy. Aren’t you supposed to brush its fur to keep it looking nice? My friend says no, but I think a good brushing is needed. --

“

HELOISE

Jenny R., via e-mail Yes, you generally should brush guinea pigs, especially the long-haired varieties.

Short-haired “pigs” should be brushed at least once a week, while long-haired ones should be brushed every day.

Use a soft-bristled brush, and the guinea pig will love spending this time with you!

— Heloise HANDY DROPCLOTH Dear Heloise: I would like to pass on a helpful hint for pet owners. I discovered inexpensive, disposable dropcloths that are plastic-coated on one side and paper on the other. I spread one out on my living-room floor when I leave for the day, just in case my dog can’t “make it” for my return. The dropcloths catch any soiling, and I’m able to trim and throw away soiled spots. — Debbie in Minnesota DOG BATHS Dear Heloise: I enjoy your column so much. My daughter has two small dogs that, in between baths, can get smelly. So she sprays them with a safe doggie deodorant then runs them through the house. Presto -- odors are gone, leaving a nice fragrance, and doggies get their exercise. — Annette Boy in Columbus, Ohio

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4B THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011

Minus a ’Melo, Nuggets are much more

By ARNIE STAPLETON ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER — George Karl excitedly declared he had his best team in his 51/2 seasons in Denver.

These comments came AFTER the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks that stripped the Nuggets of their star power, leading many to call Karl a wishful thinker, eternal optimist or even delusional.

How about prophetic?

The Nuggets are 5-1 since sending Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks in a threeteam, 13-player trade that brought them Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov from New York and Kosta Koufus from Minnesota.

Karl is mashing and meshing a deep lineup of hustlers who buy into his defense-produces-offense philosophy that had been collecting dust over the last decade as he coached teams in Milwaukee and Denver that were loaded with offensive personalities.

Sure, they’ve missed Melo at times.

Gallinari is out with a broken toe, and in Denver’s lone loss since Anthony’s departure, the Nuggets couldn’t hit the clutch shots down the stretch in a 107-106 overtime loss at Portland.

But they’ve also shown that defense can dominate, shutting down Boston (75 points), Charlotte (80) and

Photo by Steve C Wilson | AP

Denver Nuggets players, from left, Arron Afflalo (6), Wilson Chandler (21), Raymond Felton (20), and Nenê (31), of Brazil, celebrate a win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Thursday.

Atlanta (90).

In a 120-80 shellacking of the Bobcats, the Nuggets had seven players score in double figures, led by Chandler’s 16. It’s the kind of stat sheet Karl loves to see.

“I know the other team doesn’t know how we’re going to score because I don’t know how we’re going to score,” Karl said.

“But we do score.”

Charlotte’s Stephen Jackson said Anthony’s exit has changed the personality of the Nuggets.

“They’re playing more

open,” Jackson said. “I think they have four or five guys on the court that are aggressive instead of waiting for ’Melo to shoot all the balls. They’re playing with two point guards, so they’re making plays and everybody is getting shots. They’re not depending on one guy to score.”

The 40-point margin of victory surpassed Denver’s previous high this season, a 34-point win against Phoenix on Jan. 11. Ty Lawson also had 10 of the Nuggets’ 34 assists for his first career double-

double.

“We’re playing together and we’re winning right now,” Lawson said.

“That’s fun for everybody.

There’s no sticky hands out there. We’re passing the ball, getting everybody involved. It feels a lot better when everybody is happy. The bigs are happy.

The wings are happy. Everybody is touching the ball, and that’s the way basketball should be played.”

While noting the Nuggets have a long way to go and a tough road ahead,

Karl said they’ve come together quickly because the team is committed to competing through defense, which was always a deficiency in Denver since he took over the team in 2005.

“We’re pretty focused at both ends of the court,” Karl said, “which has always been the headache of the Nuggets teams I’ve had coaching here: the defensive end of the court never was our forte. I think you’re seeing a team that could be not only a good offensive team, it might become a special de-

fensive team.

“We have size, we have speed. We’re not giving up transition points. Our transition defense is the best it’s ever been since I’ve been here.”

Karl admittedly spent his first night after the trade lamenting the loss of his top two players and backups Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams. But by practice the next day, he was excited.

“I think we’re going to be better than people think we’re going to be,” he said last week. “And I think we’re going to be really good by the end of the year. Somehow, someway, we got to fight our way into the playoffs. It’s going to take some time to figure out who plays where and who likes playing with each other. I’m going to make mistakes with that and they’re going to make mistakes not being familiar with each other. We’re going to have a growing-together period of time.”

Still, he had bold predictions for a team that has moved up from seventh in the Western Conference standings to fifth and was within two games of Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division heading into the Thunder’s game at Atlanta Friday night.

“I think it’s the deepest team I’ve ever had here,” Karl said. “I have 12 guys who can play basketball, maybe 14. That’s usually too many, but that’s a nice problem to have.”

NFL, players agree to 7-day CBA extension

By BARRY WILNER ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The NFL and its players are still talking. Soon they’ll need to start agreeing.

While failing to reach a deal that would keep labor peace intact for the nation’s most popular sports league, the NFL and the players’ union agreed Friday on a seven-day extension for their collective bargaining agreement.

It was the second time they had stopped the CBA from running out, though the two sides do not appear to be close to a new pact.

“We’re obviously having a lot of dialogue,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday after a federal mediator announced the seven-day reprieve. “We met for a lot of days. And we are going to meet for more.”

The CBA was set to run out on Thursday before a 24-hour extension was granted. Under the new arrangement, talks will resume Monday and the old deal will expire at the end of next Friday.

“We’ve got very serious issues,” NFL lead negotiator Jeff Pash said. “We’ve got significant differences.”

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith noted both sides had committed to giving the talks a chance to move ahead. “We look forward to a deal coming out of that,” he said.

That deal still could be a long way off. If the CBA expires the owners could lock out the players, and the union could decertify to try and prevent that through the courts — something the NFLPA did in 1989.

“Talking is better than litigating,” Goodell said.

For the moment, talking at least staves off the NFL’s first work stoppage since the 1987 players’ strike. It certainly indicates neither the owners nor the players are ready to make a bold move to shut down a league that rakes in $9 billion a year and is more

GEORGE H. COHEN: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director. popular than ever. The last two Super Bowls rank No. 1 and No. 2 among mostwatched TV programs in U.S. history.

The extension don’t mean, however, that the sides have found common ground on the key issues: — How to divide the league’s revenues, including what cut team owners should get up front to help cover certain costs, such as stadium construction. Under the old deal, owners received about $1 billion off the top. They entered these negotiations seeking to add another $1 billion to that.

— A rookie wage scale, and how much of the money saved by the owners under such a system would go to veteran players.

— The owners’ push to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 while reducing the preseason by two games. The players oppose that idea, citing health factors, especially the number of injuries already sustained during a 16-game regular season.

— Benefits for retired players.

“There’s been enough serious discussion to warrant both sides taking this step,” Pash said after the extension was announced.

He also said he wouldn’t be surprised if NFL owners were at the sessions next week, a step that would strongly indicate discussions were reaching a critical stage.

“It’s time for us really to dig, to dig deep, and try to find solutions,” Pash added, “and try to be creative and try to compromise in a way that will work for everybody.”

The NFL said no transactions would be allowed during the seven-day extension, just as none were allowed when the two sides initially stopped the clock.

President Barack Obama urged the sides to keep talking when asked Thursday about the NFL labor dispute.

Photo by Greg Kendall-Ball/The Reporter News | AP

Lipan High School girls basketball coach Amber Branson holds her newborn daughter, Leslie, as she celebrates with members of her team in a hospital in Abilene on Feb. 26.

A Texas tournament birth

By JIM VERTUNO ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — Amber Branson is one tough basketball coach.

Shortly after coaching Lipan to a regional semifinal victory on Feb. 25, Branson gave birth to daughter Leslie. And about 15 hours later, she was back on the bench guiding the Lady Indians to another win and the school’s first berth in the Texas state tournament since 2003.

“I was pretty tired,” Branson said Friday, a few hours before Lipan was routed by defending champion Neches 65-26 in the semifinals of Class 1A Division II, the division for the state’s smallest schools. “I never felt like I couldn’t do it. God’s been good to me this week.”

Branson knew such a scenario was possible if her team went deep into the playoffs. After her team won its regional semifinal, she went back to her hotel room to rest.

Having two children already, it wasn’t long before Branson realized her third was rapidly on her way.

Branson went to the hospital in Abilene shortly after 9 p.m. and gave birth about an hour later. Leslie came so fast she didn’t give her mom time to get an epidural for pain.

The hardest part was leaving baby Leslie at the hospital. But there was no way Branson was going to let her team play such a big game without her.

“If I had the epidural, I might not have been able to make it” to the game, she said.

Instead, by 2 p.m. the next day Branson was back on the bench, exhausted and sore but urging her team on as they rallied from 15 points down to win.

The hardest part was leaving baby Leslie at the hospital. But there was no way Branson was going to let her team play such a big game without her.

“I would have taken her with me if I could have,” Branson said.

Les Branson said his wife has taken some criticism in the media for her decision.

“People don’t understand what basketball’s like in Lipan,” Les Branson said of the 400-person town 90 miles west of Dallas. The school has only 76 students, making it the second-smallest in the tournament.

After the game, Branson went back to the hospital “to be a mom

for a few hours” and rest. The Lady Indians went to the hospital and took a team photo surrounding Leslie.

Coincidentally, the team motto this season is, “If it’s easy, I don’t want it.”

Still just a week old, Leslie made it to the state tournament. She was in a baby carrier two rows behind the Lipan bench and tucked under a pink striped blanket.

The Bransons plan to put a basketball in Leslie’s hands at an early age — she’ll play guard, dad says — and they hope to someday return to Austin to watch her win a state championship.

At the very least, Leslie is already part of Lipan lore.

And how will her parents tell her the story of the week? They’ll talk about the small-town team that made it to state.

“I tell her how proud I am of the girls who brought her here,” Branson said.