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COMMISSIONERS COURT
Water delinquencies Outside agency may be hired to collect on old billings By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata County commissioners moved forward with a plan to use an outside agency to collect money from delinquent wa-
ter users. County Judge Joe Rathmell said Commissioners Court will look at which firm to hire at next month’s meeting. Funds owed to the county waterworks department total more than
$100,000, he said. “We just want to make sure we try to collect them,” Rathmell said. “The waterworks (department) is in good shape.” The county employs law firm Linebarger, Goggan, Blair &
Sampson to collect late real estate property taxes. County Commissioner Jose E. Vela said the county may consider using the same firm to collect from delinquent water users, which include both residential and com-
mercial users. Vela said the expense of hiring a collection agency would “pay for itself ” as the firm would receive a percentage of
See COMMISSIONERS PAGE 7A
COMMUNITY
CHILD ENDANGERMENT
BEST LITTLE FAIR IN TEXAS
Baby’s walk leads to arrest By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times
The Guerrero Gobierno municipal team drives in the parade as it hauls an oversized paper mache fish on Saturday morning.
Intocable pledges free ‘make-up’ concert in July By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Grupo Intocable had to take a rain check Saturday — literally. The homegrown band of Norteño musicians forged through six songs in the rain as the headlining act Saturday, cap-
ping off a weekend of events at this year’s Zapata County Fair, until the weather proved too much. The group took to Facebook the next day to issue an apology. “An incredible rain fell, and we continued playing until the equipment stopped working,”
the group said in a Spanish status update. “In gratitude and in conjunction with the Zapata Fair, we will return in the summer and give a free concert to which is everyone is invited.” Zapata County Chamber of Commerce President Paco Mendoza said Intocable’s make-up
concert will take place sometime in July on the fairgrounds. Admission, as the group promised on Facebook, will be free. “We’re calling it part two of the best little fair in Texas,” he said.
See FAIR PAGE 7A
A barefooted child wandering out on the streets landed a teenager in Zapata Regional Jail. Jesus Antonio Lopez, 18, is being charged with abandoning/endangering a child. Lopez is out on bail. Deputies responded to a child unattended call at 8:52 a.m. March 9 LOPEZ in the 100 block of Ann Drive. Sgt. Mario Elizondo noted how the weather that day was cold. Reports do not mention the child’s age. An on-site investigation led deputies to arrest Lopez. Child Protective Services was also called in for an investigation. The child was turned over to a relative. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
DRUGS
BP arrests 21-year-old on possession charge By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a 21-year-old man for transporting approximately 650 pounds of marijuana in San Ygnacio on March 10. Jesus Muñoz is being charged with knowingly and unlawfully possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The man remains in federal custody. Federal court records state at 1:20 p.m. March 10, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the San Ygnacio area spotted a gray GMC Yukon followed by a convertible Ford Mustang. A criminal complaint states the Yukon appeared to be heavily laden. The agent noticed how both vehicles got off U.S. 83 and went
JESUS ALBERTO MUÑOZ: Charged with possession with intent to deliver. into a San Ygnacio street. A criminal complaint states the Yukon parked at a property with a brown trailer home. A man identified as Muñoz was standing next to a GMC pickup parked next to the Yukon. As the
agent drove toward the area, he noticed the tailgate of the GMC opened and spotted a square bundle in plain view consistent with narcotics smuggling. A criminal complaint states Muñoz went inside the trailer after noticing the agent walking toward the area. A K-9 unit inspected the Yukon and alerted agents to the presence of narcotics. Agents knocked on the trail-
er home door to no avail. Court records states agents heard footsteps inside the residence and a telephone ringing. Agents opened the doors and saw Muñoz on the living room couch. A criminal complaint states agents found more bundles similar to the ones in the Yukon inside a closet which did not have
See POSSESSION PAGE 8A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, MARCH 17
ASSOCIATED PRESS
El Centro de Laredo Farmers Market is from 9 a.m. to noon today at Jarvis Plaza, in Downtown Laredo. Trolley tours to the Lost Lakes area also will be available. For more info, call 523-8817, visit www.LaredoMainStreet.org or email laredofarmersmkt@att.net. A cleanup is from 8:15 a.m. to noon today under the Chacon Creek Bridge, halfway between the Meadow Street railroad overpass bridge and U.S. 83. Volunteers are encouraged to dress comfortably and arrive early to register and get cleaning. Snacks will be provided. For more information, call City Councilman Alex Perez at 2369498. The Lady Hot Shots, a basketball team, is holding a food and clothing drive from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Peter Piper Pizza on San Dario Avenue to give back to the community. Members are cutting their Spring Break a day short for the community service project.
Today is Saturday, March 17, the 77th day of 2012. There are 289 days left in the year. This is St. Patrick’s Day. Today’s Highlight in History: On March 17, 1912, the Camp Fire Girls organization was incorporated in Washington, D.C., two years to the day after it was founded in Thetford, Vt. (The group is now known as Camp Fire USA.) On this date: In A.D. 461 (or A.D. 493, depending on sources), St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died in Saul. In 1762, New York’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place. In 1776, British forces evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed the first king of a united Italy. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt first likened crusading journalists to a man with “the muckrake in his hand” in a speech to the Gridiron Club in Washington. In 1910, the U.S. National Museum, a precursor to the National Museum of Natural History, opened in Washington, D.C. In 1941, the National Gallery of Art opened in Washington, D.C. In 1942, six days after departing the Philippines during World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur declared, “I came through and I shall return” as he arrived in Australia to become supreme commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific theater. In 1950, scientists at the University of California at Berkeley announced they had created a new radioactive element, “californium.” In 1966, a U.S. midget submarine located a missing hydrogen bomb which had fallen from an American bomber into the Mediterranean off Spain. In 1970, the United States cast its first veto in the U.N. Security Council. (The U.S. killed a resolution that would have condemned Britain for failure to use force to overthrow the white-ruled government of Rhodesia.) In 1992, 29 people were killed in the truck bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In Illinois, Sen. Alan Dixon was defeated in his primary re-election bid by Carol Moseley-Braun, who went on to become the first black woman in the U.S. Senate. Ten years ago: A grenade attack on a Protestant church in Islamabad, Pakistan, killed five people, including a U.S. Embassy employee and her 17year-old daughter. Today’s Birthdays: The former national chairwoman of the NAACP, Myrlie EversWilliams, is 79. Rock musician Paul Kantner is 71. Singersongwriter Jim Weatherly is 69. Singer-songwriter John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful) is 68. Rock musician Harold Brown (War; Lowrider Band) is 66. Actor Patrick Duffy is 63. Actor Kurt Russell is 61. Actress Lesley-Anne Down is 58. Actor Gary Sinise is 57. Actor Rob Lowe is 48. Thought for Today: “It is my rule never to lose me temper till it would be detrimental to keep it.” — Sean O’Casey, Irish playwright (1880-1964).
TUESDAY, MARCH 20 There will be a meeting of the trustees of the Zapata County Independent School District 6 p.m. at the Professional Development Center, 702 E. 17th Ave.
Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
Auboni Champion-Morin, left, turns away from reporters after a status hearing in juvenile court on Thursday in Houston. Champion-Morin’s son vanished eight years ago and was recently found. The former babysitter, 26-year-old Krystle Rochelle Tanner, was arrested Monday on a kidnapping charge.
Boy, 8, faces confusion By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 The “Customer Service: a Key to Business Success” seminar will be held from 9:30 a.m. through noon at the Zapata County Coursthouse, suite 248. Fee for the seminar is $20. The Laredo Public Library’s two book clubs invite Laredoans to check out the two titles selected for today’s meetings: “The Night Season,” a thriller, and “Rin Tin Tin,” about a dog. The book clubs meet at the Laredo Public Library, First Floor Conference Room, 1120 E. Calton Road. The “Scene of the Crime” Mystery Book Club meets from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Gateway City Book Lovers’ Book Club from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. There are no dues. All books are available for checkout at the Reference Desk at the Laredo Public Library or for purchase at Books-A-Million at Mall Del Norte. For more information, contact Pam Burrell at 7952400, extension 2268, or pam@laredolibrary.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 25 The 2012 Laredo Commission for Women will host the 12th Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. today in the Laredo Civic Center Ballroom, 2400 San Bernardo Ave. Tickets are $25 per person or $200 for a table of 10. To RSVP, contact Christy Laredo, Laredo Commission for Women staff liaison, at the City of Laredo City Secretary’s Office at 791-7308 or clara@ci.laredo.tx.us.
SATURDAY, MARCH 31 The South Texas Collectors Expo returns for the first two-day collectible event in Laredo’s history at the Laredo Civic Center, 2400 San Bernardo Ave., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature vendors from Austin, Houston, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, Corpus Christi and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Admission will be $3 per day or $5 for a weekend pass. For more information, visit www.southtexascollectorsexpo.com. First United Methodist Church will hold its 63rd annual Flower and Art Show in the Fellowship Hall from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. today. The public is invited to visit the beautiful displays of fresh flowers from Laredo’s gardens.
HOUSTON — Eight years after her baby disappeared, Auboni Champion-Morin is looking forward to embracing the child authorities believe is her son. “I want to tell him that I love him,” Champion-Morin said Thursday after a court hearing gave the state temporary custody of previously missing Miguel Morin. Experts say the child also may experience frustration. Miguel will be meeting a mother and father who are complete strangers to him, and the woman he has known as is mother is now accused of kidnapping him when he was 8 months old. Miguel’s parents agreed in court to provide DNA to confirm the child is theirs. Child Protective Services officials in Houston said the DNA results might be available
in time for a March 28 hearing set by a judge. It’s also possible the parents might be able to have a supervised visit with Miguel before that. CPS spokeswoman Estella Olguin said that will depend on what’s in the interest of the boy, who is now in foster care. “We’re going to have to go with what the therapist recommends. Of course it’s heartbreaking. I’m sure the parents want to see him. But for him, his family is back in St. Augustine.” That town about 150 miles northeast of Houston is where the woman accused of kidnapping him, Krystle Rochelle Tanner, was jailed. According to Champion-Morin, Tanner was a friend who lived in the same Houston apartment complex eight years ago and was close enough to be named godfather to Miguel.
Texas man in custody after triple murder
Texas sues feds over Women’s Health Program
Death in Corpus Christi police custody: homicide
ALICE — A man was in custody Friday and charged with three counts of capital murder after his girlfriend and her two sons were found stabbed at her home in Alice. Phillip Jesus Chapa, 24, was arrested without incident at his home hours after police found Michelle Hughes, 41, and her sons, Ivan Joshua Hughes, 20, and 15-year-old William Bryan Hughes.
AUSTIN — Texas has filed a lawsuit in response to the federal government’s decision to halt funding for the Texas Women’s Health Program amid a fight over clinics affiliated with abortion providers. Attorney General Greg Abbott on Friday sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The state says the Obama administration’s move interferes with its ability to promote women’s health.
CORPUS CHRISTI — A coroner says last month’s death of a South Texas man while in police custody has been ruled a homicide. The case of 48-year-old Troy Stewart will be forwarded to a Nueces County grand jury. Corpus Christi police say no cause of death was released Thursday by the medical examiner’s office.
3 more Texas counties can apply for FEMA help AUSTIN — Three more Texas counties affected by last year’s wildfires can apply for disaster recovery aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA and the Texas Division of Emergency Management announced Friday that those eligible in Erath, Midland and Wichita counties can apply.
SE Texas courthouse reopens after gunfire BEAUMONT — A Southeast Texas courthouse has reopened two days after gunfire outside left one person dead and three hurt. The Jefferson County Courthouse reopened Friday. A suspect, Bartholomew Granger, remains in custody over the shootings in downtown Beaumont.
Dallas firefighter allegedly fired gun at station DALLAS — An off-duty Dallas firefighter has been accused of discharging a handgun at a fire station. Officials say 37-year-old Jesus Ventura of Irving has been put on administrative leave during the investigation of the March 8 incident. Nobody was hurt. Dallas police say Ventura was arrested late Thursday at his home. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION
TUESDAY, APRIL 10 The Zapata County Commissiioners Court meets today at 9 a.m. in the Zapata County Courthouse.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19 Power of the Purse is at 6 p.m. today at La Posada Hotel, 1000 Zaragoza St. It will feature a silent and live auction of purses of every size and style at a cocktail reception to benefit the Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas. Funds raised will support local outreach in Laredo schools. Tickets are $75 each, and sponsorships are available. The council invites all former Girl Scouts to participate. Call Norma at 723-7251 for more information.
FRIDAY, MARCH 16 This is the last day of Spring Break for Zapata ISD students.
FRIDAY, APRIL 6 Easter holiday for Zapata ISD students.
Ex-Rutgers student guilty in webcam suicide case NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A former Rutgers University student convicted Friday in the webcam spying episode that ended in his gay roommate’s suicide could be headed off to prison in a case experts say stands as a tragic lesson for young people about casual cruelties and unintended consequences in the Internet age. A jury found Dharun Ravi guilty of all 15 counts against him, deciding that Ravi not only invaded the privacy of Tyler Clementi and another man but also committed bias intimidation — a hate crime — by targeting Clementi because he was gay.
Penn implements ex-FBI boss’ recommendations HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State trustees learned Friday that the university is implementing rec-
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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney holds 4-month-old Ryan Pratt while campaigning at Pancakes Eggcetera on Friday in Rosemont, Ill. ommendations offered by ex-FBI director Louis Freeh, who’s leading an internal investigation into a sex abuse scandal involving a former assistant football coach. The board met to discuss changes to the way it operates in a bid to become more open in the
aftermath of harsh criticism over its handling of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, which has led to the firing of head coach Joe Paterno and the dismissal of then-school president Graham Spanier in November. — Compiled from AP reports
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 17, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Man attempts robbery of 8-liner By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Deputies say a man attempted to rob an eightliner business with an unloaded gun early Monday. However, César Trejo-Olguin, 26, surrendered after the owner pulled a weapon of his own. Zapata County Sheriff ’s deputies responded to an aggravated robbery at 12:38 a.m. Monday at the Las Vegas Entertainment game business in the 900 block of Texas 16. Sheriff ’s officials were also informed that a man was being detained.
CÉSAR TREJO-OLGUIN: Charged with aggravated robbery. Sgt. Mario Elizondo said preliminary investigation indicates Trejo-Olguin was outside looking at the place and waiting for an employee. A report states Trejo-Olguin forced himself in and demanded money at gunpoint from the employee. Elizondo said the owner was able to pull a weapon on Trejo-Olguin. “Some way he got (the suspect) to surrender,” Elizondo said, noting
there was no gunfire. Deputies took custody of the man and seized his 9mm silver and black gun. After examining the weapon, deputies say the gun was not loaded. Trejo-Olguin was charged with aggravated robbery. According to the Texas Penal Code, the first-degree felony is punishable with up to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The suspect remains at the Zapata Regional Jail on a $60,000 bond. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE BLOTTER BURGLARY
DUI
A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 11:21 a.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Glenn Street. A man reported at 12:33 p.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of Glenn Street that a man he knows forced him into his residence and stole his cell phone.
Gerardo Guardian, 17, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence at about 11:30 a.m. March 12 at 19th Street and Roma Avenue. An incident report states the man was driving without a driver’s license and under the influence of a drug. Guardian is out on bail from the Zapata Regional Jail.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF A woman reported at 12:11 p.m. Wednesday on West 22nd Street that someone shattered the back window of her vehicle.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT Stephanie Diane DobieMcClure, 23, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct at about 3:30 p.m. March 9 at the Twin Palm Apartments at East 18th Avenue and Jackson Street. She already served her time at Zapata County Jail.
HIT AND RUN A hit and run accident was reported at 6:33 p.m. Tuesday in the Medina Addition. A report states that a person the victim knows was driving a black Chevy and struck a parked Tahoe.
session of a foil paper containing what appeared to be crack cocaine. He was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.
RECKLESS DRIVING Juan Carlos Gonzalez Jr. was arrested and charged with reckless driving at about 5 a.m. Tuesday. The address where he was arrested was blacked out on the complaint. He was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail. Reynaldo Cruz, 19, was arrested and charged with reckless driving at about 5 a.m. March 11 at Third Avenue and Fresno Street. An incident report states Cruz collided with a light pole and a fence. He is out on bond from the Zapata Regional Jail.
POSSESSION Jose Eliseo Martinez-Ibarra was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance Wednesday at 16th and Medina streets. A report states Martinez-Ibarra was found in pos-
THEFT A woman reported at 5:15 p.m. Monday that someone stole her ring and pawned it at the EZ Pawn.
Banker gets 30 years ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAREDO — A former bank manager in South Texas faces up to 30 years in prison for stealing from a customer who never visited the branch. Prosecutors say 50-yearold Patricia Garcia Munoz of Laredo pleaded guilty Friday to embezzlement
and misapplication of funds. No sentencing date has been set for Munoz, who remains free on bond. Munoz worked at BBVA Compass Bank in Laredo when she stole nearly $102,000 from certain accounts between April 2009 and June 2010. Munoz says she targeted that customer because he never stopped
by the bank and she thought he wouldn’t notice. A spokeswoman for BBVA Compass said Friday the company doesn’t comment on pending investigations or employee matters. Munoz, as part of the plea agreement, must repay the money. She also could be fined.
Roma man sentenced ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — A South Texas man has been sentenced in Houston federal court to more than three years in prison for his role in a drug smuggling operation while prosecutors say two of his nephews who were former law
enforcement officers remain on the lam, likely in Mexico. U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon sentenced 50-year-old Jesus Manuel Garcia of Roma to 41 months in prison Friday for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says Garcia admitted to helping his nephews Roel Roberto Garcia and Jose Omar Garcia move and store 450 kilograms of marijuana. Prosecutors say both nephews are former Roma law enforcement officers facing drug conspiracy charges.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
OTHER VIEWS
John Carter likes ‘John Carter’ By KEN HERMAN COX NEWSPAPERS
kept my attention. We got to watch it in 3-D, and it’s a pretty good movie.” Fine, but what’s it going to do for John Carter’s political career?
AUSTIN — Perhaps predictably, John Carter says “John Carter” is pretty good. That would be John Carter, the GOP U.S. House member from Round Rock, Texas, commenting on “John Carter,” the sci-fi movie from Disney. We should heed movie reviews by people with the same name as the movie. “John Carter” opened last weekend to reviews skewing toward bad and worse. But Americans, starved for entertainment since football season ended, spent $31 million on the movie during its opening weekend. The epic film cost about $250 million to make, making the $31 million opening an epic failure. John Carter paid $15 to see “John Carter,” which is about a different John Carter, at a screening last week at the Washington office of the Motion Picture Academy of America.
“Politics is all about name ID and money, my friend,” he told me. “I’ll take some ribbing for it because I don’t look like John Carter, but it’s great to have your name out in the public. It’s great to have free publicity.” Yes, there is something to be said for having your name thrown around, as John Carter’s is in “John Carter.” There’s this from a trailer: “Fate has brought you here, John Carter. ... You may be the only one who can save us.” And in the movie, somebody (or something) proclaims, “John Carter fights for us!” (Never mind that “us” is big green creatures with four arms and two facial horns.
It’s a movie
The downside
Some of you may not be aware there is a movie named “John Carter.” It’s about an ex-Confederate soldier who strikes gold in Arizona before being transported to Mars where he gets involved in battles with aliens. No, really, it is.
On the downside of the free publicity equation is the use of the congressman’s name in film reviews. And herein I shall use the Tinseltown tradition of selective quoting from reviews: CNN: “John Carter ... seems mildly perplexed.” Austin AmericanStatesman: “John Carter might be living in some other world. ... And Carter is bewildered.” Los Angeles Times: “John Carter flops!” Variety: “John Carter ... turgid, visually unappealing.” Detroit Free Press: “John Carter is bloated.”
And a pol Some of you may not be aware there is a Central Texas congressman named John Carter. He was a judge before being transported to Washington, where he’s involved in battles involving aliens. No, really, he is. “John Carter” is based on a character created in 1912 by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Tarzan guy. The character is sometimes known as John Carter of Mars. As a youth, John Carter of Round Rock (nee John Carter of Houston) was a Burroughs fan, but he was more tuned in to Tarzan than the homonymous character. “I wasn’t into space travel at the time,” he told me.
Taking grief John Carter is taking some grief as a result of “John Carter,” especially because of the title role performance by Taylor Kitsch of “Friday Night Lights” fame that inspired this from one reviewer: “Picture sand-encrusted pecs and sweatdrenched biceps and you get the picture.” “I’m not in that good a shape any more, and stuff like that,” John Carter, 70, told me, relaying the kind of jabs he’s heard.
Good rating John Carter’s review of “John Carter”: “If you like action-adventure space characters like in ‘Star Wars’ — and I still love those fantasies — I’d give it a good rating. I know some people are panning it, but I thought it was pretty good. It
Name ID
Stuff happens I guess when you have a name as common as John Carter, stuff like this is going to happen. Other John Carters who are not John Carter of Round Rock or John Carter of sand-encrusted pecs include John Carter who was the New Vaudeville Band’s lead singer (extra points if you’re now humming “Winchester Cathedral”). That John Carter co-wrote “Little Bit O’ Soul,” the 1967 one hit of one-hit wonder band the Music Explosion. Great song.
COLUMN
Women are still in the fight By MAUREEN DOWD NEW YORK TIMES
Hillary Clinton has fought for women’s rights around the world. But who would have dreamed that she would have to fight for them at home? “Why extremists always focus on women remains a mystery to me,” she told an adoring crowd at the Women in the World Summit at Lincoln Center on Saturday. “But they all seem to. It doesn’t matter what country they’re in or what religion they claim. They want to control women. They want to control how we dress. They want to control how we act. They even want to control the decisions we make about our own health and bodies. “Yes,” she continued to applause, “it is hard to believe that even here at home, we have to stand up for women’s rights and reject efforts to marginalize any one of us, because America needs to set an example for the entire world.” As secretary of state, Clinton is supposed to stay out of domestic politics. But this was a moment pregnant with possibility, a titanic clash of the Inevitable (Hillary) and the Indefensible (Republican cavemen). The attempt by Republican men to wrestle American women back into chastity belts has not only breathed life into President Barack Obama, it has roused and riled Hillary. And that could turn out to
Spolier alert Prior to my viewing of the movie, I asked Republican John Carter if the ugly four-armed green guys in “John Carter” represent Democrats. (Spoiler alert.) “No,” he said, “they turn out to be the good guys.” Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman. Email: kherman@statesman.com.
replace Joe Biden on the ticket in 2012 and demote him to Foggy Bottom: “Vice President Clinton would be a formidable asset in governing as well as campaigning, both as a political calculator and as an emissary to Capitol Hill. She has, to put it mildly, an ability to navigate the world of powerful, problematic men.” She wouldn’t, however, be able to navigate past two powerful men who would find her elevation problematic: Obama and Biden. Although chatterers love to chat about the Joe-Hillary switch because she’s so much more compelling — and masterful — than the whole Republican field, it’s not on the radar screen at the White House. It would make the president seem weak, desperate and disloyal and get him a vice president who would pull focus and be a competitor. Besides, before he would go, Biden would handcuff himself to Bo. The Republican assault on women does, though, provide a glide path to the White House both for Obama in 2012 and Hillary in 2016. Women have watched a chilling cascade of efforts in Congress and a succession of states to turn women into chattel, to shame them about sex and curb their reproductive rights. They’ve seen the craven response of Republican candidates after Limbaugh branded a law student wanting insurance coverage for birth control pills, commonplace for almost
five decades, as a “prostitute” and “slut.” American women have suddenly realized that their emancipation in the 21st century is not as secure as they had assumed. On “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, a Republican, had the gall to say this, justifying his support for a bill designed to humiliate women getting abortions by penetrating them with a wand to take a picture: “Every invasive procedure has an informed consent requirement.” What he really meant is that when abortion is an option, informed consent should require an invasive procedure. Along with Rick Santorum’s Taliban views, Mitt Romney suggested in an interview Tuesday with a St. Louis TV station that to help balance the federal budget he would eliminate Planned Parenthood funding: “We’re going to get rid of that.” Women who assumed that electing Obama would lift all minority boats are beginning to think: Maybe he’s not enough. If the desire of all these conservative male leaders to yoke women is this close to the surface, if they are perversely driven to debase women even though it could lead to their own political demise, then women may require more than Obama. If women are so vulnerable, they may need one of their own. Is she inevitable?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Trivia More John Carter trivia: It was Charlton Heston’s name at birth. I saw “John Carter” the day after I talked to Rep. John Carter. I found it confusing — but remember, I found “Toy Story 2” confusing — and annoyingly loud.
be the most dangerous thing the wildly self-destructive GOP leaders have done. In some kind of insane bout of mass misogyny, Republicans are hounding out the female voters — including Republicans and independents — who helped them gain control of the House in 2010. Sen. Olympia Snowe, who is fed up and leaving Congress, told The Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty that “it feels as if we are going back to another era,” warning that Republicans could drive women into Democratic arms. And whose arms would be more welcoming to the sisters than Hillary’s? The woman who has been mocked as “the sex-retary of state” by Rush Limbaugh would know just where to hit back. There has been fevered speculation about Hillary ascending. Patrick Caddell and Douglas Schoen suggested in The Wall Street Journal that Obama should take “the moral high ground” and step aside for his secretary of state. Hillary, they argued sanguinely, could “break the gridlock in Washington.” It’s an amusing but absurd scenario. Al Hunt of Bloomberg News wrote this week that Hillary could waltz past Larry Summers into the presidency of the World Bank and that she is the automatic front-runner for 2016. My colleague Bill Keller suggested that she
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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Rampage followed sex abuse claims By DANNY ROBBINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — The gunman police say went on a shooting spree outside a Texas courthouse this week had become increasingly frustrated by sexual misconduct charges his daughter lodged against him and two of his brothers, and he was so convinced of his innocence he rejected a plea deal that would have kept him out of prison, records and interviews revealed. Police say Bartholomew Granger opened fire Wednesday outside the Jefferson County courthouse in Beaumont, killing an elderly woman and wounding three others, including his daughter and her mother, in what’s now coming into focus as a final, desperate act of a man who believed he and his brothers had been wrongfully accused. “This has been going on for a long time, and I guess he finally snapped,” said one of the brothers, Ulysses Granger. “He couldn’t take it anymore.” Bartholomew Granger, 41, was in custody Friday on $4 million bond after being charged with the murder of a bystander, Minnie Ray Sebolt, 79, of Deweyville. Meanwhile, his daughter remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition, a police spokeswoman said. Authorities say Granger shot the 20-yearold woman and ran over her with his pickup truck as he tried to leave the scene. The rampage occurred just hours before Granger’s daughter was to resume testimony in a trial in which she accused her father of sexually assaulting her nine years ago. It was the latest episode in a saga that has led to two other criminal cases, a series of lawsuits and a sharply-divided family. Granger’s daughter made the allegations
against her father and uncles in 2009, shortly after she moved out of her father’s Houston home and went to live with her mother in Lake Charles, La., court records show. One of Granger’s brothers, Lyndon, was scheduled to stand trial in the same Beaumont courtroom on a charge of indecency with a child once Granger’s trial was finished, although officials say both cases are now on hold because of the shooting investigation. Lyndon Granger, 43, was out on bond at the time of the shooting. He has since been arrested and held on $500,000 bond at the direction of the trial judge, John Stevens. Ulysses Granger, 44, was charged with sexual assault and prohibited sexual contact in Houston, but those changes have been dismissed, according to court records. During trial testimony Tuesday, Granger’s daughter recounted details of the alleged rape. She also testified that she first spoke of abuse during a conversation in which she and her mother were discussing whether to obtain a protective order against Granger. Ulysses Granger said in an interview that he and his brothers believe his niece was prompted to make false statements by her mother because of lingering bitterness over a custody battle, but authorities have refused to take them seriously. Granger and his daughter’s mother had two children together but were never married. “In every corner, no matter we tried to do, it was like nobody wanted to hear our side,” Ulysses Granger said. “It’s like, ‘You’re going to jail no matter what you do, what evidence you have.’ It’s been like that the whole way through.” Court records show the case against Ulysses Granger was closed by Houston
Photo by Dave Ryan/The Beaumont Enterprise | AP
Ulysses Granger, sitting, brother of the alleged shooter, Bartholomew Granger, is comforted by his mother, Vallire Ozene, as his wife Debbie Granger, right, makes calls on Wednesday in Beaumont. A man opened fire Wednesday outside a Texas courthouse where he was on trial in a family dispute, killing an elderly woman and wounding three other people. police due to lack of information. Jefferson County District Attorney Tom Maness declined to comment on the cases in his jurisdiction because both are still pending. The mother did not respond to messages at phone numbers listed for her. Rife Kimler, the attorney representing Bartholo-
Feds halt TWHP funding By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The federal government on Thursday began making good on its promise to cut off all funding for the Texas Medicaid Women’s Health Program amid an escalating fight over the state’s ban on funding for clinics affiliated with abortion providers. In a letter to state officials, Cindy Mann, director of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said her agency regretted the move. “We had hoped not to be at this point. But, unfortunately, as we’ve made clear to the state at all points in this process, we don’t have a choice,” Mann said on a conference call with reporters after sending the letter. “Medicaid law is clear,” she said. “Patients, not state government officials, are able to choose the doctor and health care providers that are best for them and their family.” The standoff stems from a law passed by the Legislature last summer and took effect Wednesday. It bars state funding for clinics affiliated with abortion providers. The Obama administration had pledged to stop funding the Women’s Health Program because federal law requires women to be able to choose any qualified clinic. Gov. Rick Perry counters that states have the right, under federal law, to determine qualified providers in the program. The program provides care to about 130,000 women between the ages of 18 and 44 earning less than $20,000 a year or less than $41,000 for a family of four — with federal funds paying 90 percent of its cost and Texas covering the rest. Mann said that last year it cost about $41 million, and about $34 million of that came from Washington.
About 29 other states have programs similar to the one in Texas, and all of them except Texas are continuing to participate in their programs with feder-
al support, Mann said. Perry has directed state health officials to find the funding to keep the program going from other parts of the budget.
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mew and Lyndon Granger in their criminal cases, said Bartholomew Granger rejected a plea deal before the trial began in which he would have received 10 years’ probation with deferred adjudication. That means if Granger fulfilled the terms of his probation, he wouldn’t have had a felony conviction, the attorney said. “He said, ‘I didn’t do it.
Why should I plead guilty?’“ Kimler said. The attorney said he planned to challenge Granger’s daughter’s credibility during cross-examination Wednesday afternoon because she initially testified the assault occurred in Houston instead of Beaumont before correcting herself. Because of that and other inconsistencies in her testimony, Kim-
ler said he thought he had a winnable case and never anticipated anything other than normal behavior from his client. “I’m really at a loss on this case,” he said. In lawsuits filed in both federal and state court, the brothers have claimed, often in heated fashion, that they have been victimized by law enforcement as well as Granger’s daughter and her mother. The lawsuits, filed without attorneys, describe in detail how much the criminal proceedings have cost each man. In one filing, Bartholomew Granger said he lost his job with a bus company after a Jefferson County official informed the firm of his pending case. In another, Ulysses Granger, who works as a captain on ships that service offshore oil rigs, said he was forced to cash in his 401(k) to stay out of jail. “The police and (Child Protective Services) are working in concert to deprive us of life, liberty, privacy and freedom,” they wrote in a document signed by all three. “I know there’s good cops and good judges, but so far we (have) seen nothing but tyranny from these defendants’ actions.” John T. Floyd, a Houston criminal defense attorney who regularly represents defendants accused of sex crimes, said what happened in Beaumont is a worst-case example of how such cases can cause people to become unhinged. Three of his clients committed suicide while their cases were pending, including one who appeared headed for acquittal, he said. “When it comes down to these types of allegations, all the rules start to change,” Floyd said. “There’s an incredible amount of pressure. Families start to fall apart. There’s really no winner, even when the verdict is ‘not guilty.’“
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
Agenda en Breve
SEGURIDAD
MEDIDA HUMANA
LAREDO 03/17 — Primer Torneo Anual de Golf del Juez Danny Valdez a desarrollarse en el Campo de Golf Casa Blanca. Tee Time es a las 8 a.m. Cuota: 75 dólares. 03/17 — Venta de artículos Usados en Volunteers Serving the Need—Veteran’s Thrift Store, 1202 avenida Salinas, de 9 a.m. a 4 p.m. Igualmente se invita a donar. Lo recaudado será para veteranos. 03/17 — Jornadas Sabatinas 2012 del Consulado General de México en Laredo, de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. Se realizan trámites de pasaportes ó matrículas consulares. Haga su cita llamando al teléfono gratuito del servicio MEXITEL 1-877-639-4835 (desde Estados Unidos) ó 01-800900-0773 (desde México). 03/17 — Mercado Agrícola “El Centro de Laredo” será de 9 a.m. a 12 p.m. en Plaza Jarvis y celebrará el Día de San Patricio con el tema “Laredo goes green!” 03/17 — Presentación del documental “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North” a las 2 p.m. en la Sala de Usos Múltiples HEB de la Biblioteca Pública de Laredo, 1120 E. Calton Road. 03/17 — Fiesta por el Día de San Patricio en La Posada Hotel, 1000 Zaragoza, de 5:30 p.m. a 11 p.m. Habrá DJ en vivo, entremeses Irlandeses, cerveza verde y bar en efectivo. No Cover. 03/17 — Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam es hoy a las 7:30 p.m. en Laredo Energy Arena. Otra presentación el domingo a las 2 p.m. 03/17 — Cold Brew Rock Bar, 4520 San Bernardo, presenta a Wayne “The Train” Hancock. 03/17 — Hoy es la fecha límite para la Conferencia Académica Lamar Bruni Vergara & Guillermo Benavides Z. de TAMIU. El evento es gratuito para jóvenes a punto de graduar y aquellos que ya hayan graduado. Más información en http://www.tamiu.edu/gradschool/ lbvconference/index.shtml 03/17 — Conferencistas Distinguidos de USHS invita a la conferencia de Sister Rosemary Welsh de Casa de Misericordia y Mercy Ministries en Laredo, a las 10:30 a.m. en la biblioteca de United South High School, 4001 avenida Los Presidentes. 03/21 — Concierto “Guitar Studio All-Stars” a las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center del Laredo Community College-Campus Fort McIntosh. Veinte alumnos de LCC y de la VMT School of Communications and Fine Arts interpretarán música clásica y contemporánea. Evento gratuito. 03/22 — Concierto de Jazz de la Facultad a las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center de Laredo Community College-Campus Fort McIntosh. Costo: 10 dólares por persona; 5 dólares, estudiantes. Ganancias se destinarán a becas para estudiantes de música de LCC. 03/23 — Peleas de Campeonato Bellator, en cuartos de final del torneo de peso ligero, en Laredo Energy Arena, a partir de las 6 p.m. Pelean: Pitbull Vs Woodard; Weedman Vs Ambrose; Tirloni Vs Hawn; Michel Vz Nazare. Boletos disponibles en Ticketmaster o taquilla de LEA.
NUEVO LAREDO 03/17 — “Feria del Taco y Canto 2012” a las 4 p.m. en la Explanada de la Independencia (Palacio Federal). 03/17 — Gala Inaugural con la Presentación de la Compañía de Danza Nuevo laredo a las 6 p.m. en el Teatro Principal del Centro Cultural. Entrada gratuita. 03/18 — Domingo de Teatro Universitario presenta: “El Dilema del Prisionero” a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro Lucio Blanco de Casa de la Cultura. Entrada gratuita. 03/19 — Asedune invita a la Marcha Cristiana 2012, a partir de las 5 p.m. en la Plaza Primero de Mayo. 03/22 — Jueves de Teatro presenta: “Ser Mujer en el Tiempo” con el Grupo de Teatro Caletre, a las 8 p.m. en el Teatro Lucio Blanco de Casa de la Cultura. Entrada gratuita. 03/23 — Audición Extra para la Compañía de Danza Nuevo Laredo a las 4 p.m. en la Sala de Danza del Centro Cultural. Entrada gratuita.
SÁBADO 17 DE MARZO DE 2012
Texas abrirá centro para inmigrantes infractores POR WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
K
ARNES CITY — Un nuevo centro de detención para la retención de inmigrantes infractores abrirá en unas tres semanas en Texas. Según las autoridades, el nuevo centro de 608 camas responde a la promesa del gobierno del presidente Barack Obama de reformar el sistema carcelario. Aunque el centro del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas cuenta con fuertes medidas de seguridad, como puertas que se cierran electrónicamente y ventanas con cristales reforzados, las autoridades insisten en que no es una prisión. El centro para detenidos de bajo riesgo costó 32 millones de dólares y está en la ciudad de Karnes, a unos 96 kilómetros (60 millas) de San Antonio. Las autoridades mostraron las instalaciones a los reporteros el martes. Los guardias no portan esposas, no hay un muro alrededor y el exterior está pintado de vivos colores azul marino y vino. Los dormitorios tienen cuatro literas, baño privado, televisión y teléfono para llamadas internacionales por sólo 15 centavos de dólar por minuto. Tampoco hay una política para apagar las luces en la noche y los residentes son libres de recorrer áreas comunes en el tiempo que está designado para dormir. Otros servicios incluyen 117 teléfonos de paga y acceso gratuito a Internet para los detenidos. Algunos conservadores opinan que los criminales están siendo mimados.
Foto por Will Weissert | Associated Press
Un pasillo cerca de las clínicas médica y dental es visto en las nuevas instalaciones para el centro de detención para presos de bajo riesgo en Karnes City, el 13 de marzo. Hace tres años la Casa Blanca prometió repensar las políticas de detención después de las demandas de 2007 por violación a las libertades civiles presentadas por familias de detenidos en un centro de reclusión para inmigrantes en el centro de Texas. El nuevo lugar fue construido con reformas más humanas en mente y permite a los detenidos más movimiento sin estar custodiados, más opciones recreativas y más contacto con visitantes. Sin embargo, los activistas se preguntan si será suficiente con construir un nuevo edificio. Las autoridades están equipando otros centros de detención en California, Virginia y Nueva Jersey para que sean parecidas a la de Karnes y también están construyendo centros más restrictivos en Florida e Illinois para detenidos de riesgo alto y medio.
Foto por Will Weissert | Associated Press
Gary Mead, director ejecutivo asociado para Operaciones de Aplicación y Remoción del U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, habla a reporteros junto a un campo de fútbol soccer en las nuevas instalaciones del centro de detención para presos de bajo riesgo.
MÉXICO
INTERNACIONAL
Sentencian a ‘El Hummer’
ONU señala a militares por desapariciones
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MÉXICO — Un juez en México sentenció a 35 años de prisión a un miembro fundador del cartel narcotraficante de Los Zetas, acusado de secuestro y crimen organizado, anunciaron el jueves las autoridades. Jaime González Durán, lugarteniente de los Zetas, era conocido como “El Hummer” antes de su arresto en 2008 en Reynosa. Los fiscales describieron al desertor del ejército como uno de los presuntos criminales más peligrosos de México. La oficina del procurador general dijo que González Durán fue sentenciado antes a 16 años y medio de prisión por lavado de dinero y a 21 años adicionales por posesión de armas. Al momento de su detención, las autoridades hallaron un alijo de 540 fusiles, 165 granadas, 500 cartuchos y 14 cartuchos de dinamita en Reynosa que se cree tenían relación con González Durán.
Profesionalización Con el fin de confrontar la persistente violencia del narcotráfico, el gobierno federal dijo que la clave es limpiar y profesionalizar a la policía local y estatal, en la que permea la corrupción y que está a menudo equipada de manera deficiente u obsoleta. Sin embargo, el gobierno federal informó el jueves que apenas 25% de los 430.000 policías locales y estatales han estado sujetos a investigación de antecedentes y exámenes exhaustivos. El país tiene además unos 57.000 policías federales que fueron investigados. El gobierno dijo que distribuirá este año 17.300 millones de pesos (137 millones de dólares) entre las fuerzas locales, si participan en la realización de exámenes a oficiales de mando. Cuatro estados han efectuado todos los requisitos de los exámenes. Se prevé que los otros 17 estados del país harán lo mismo para enero de 2013.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MÉXICO — Naciones Unidas denunció el miércoles que las autoridades mexicanas no ponen suficiente empeño en aclarar un creciente número de desapariciones atribuidas a las fuerzas de seguridad y cometidas principalmente en regiones donde se libra una guerra contra el narcotráfico. “No se están realizando los esfuerzos suficientes para determinar la suerte o el paradero de las personas desaparecidas”, informó Ariel Dulitzky, representante de un grupo de trabajo de la ONU que presentó un informe sobre la materia. “Pareciera que México no tiene la voluntad o es incapaz de realizar investigaciones efectivas en casos de desapariciones forzadas”, añadió. Los estados que mencionó fueron Coahuila, Guerrero, Chihuahua, Nuevo León y Tamaulipas, la mayoría en la frontera con Estados Unidos, donde repuntó la violencia ligada al narcotráfico. El reporte de la delegación no ofreció nuevas cifras sobre la temática, aparte de las que se conocen desde el 2010 que refieren que 412 casos de desapariciones forzadas que se remontan hasta la década de los 80’s. Sin embargo, Dulitzky sostuvo que “el grupo de trabajo recibió documen-
tación de varios casos de desapariciones forzadas que habrían sido perpetradas por militares y marina”. El reporte además informó que el fuero militar carece de independencia para investigar dichas violaciones a los derechos humanos. En la comisión participaron dos representantes del gobierno. Las conclusiones del informe advierten que desde que el presidente Felipe Calderón desplegó a las fuerzas armadas en una ofensiva contra el crimen organizado en 2006 se han observado patrones en los que personas fueron llevadas a la fuerza para ser interrogadas y torturadas. “El gran número de nuevas alegaciones recibidas durante la visita así como el descubrimiento de varias fosas comunes en los últimos meses podrían indicar un deterioro en relación con las desapariciones forzadas en México”, expone el documento. Dulitzky recomendó a México implementar un protocolo para resolver casos de desaparición forzada y rescatar a víctimas. Néstor González Sánchez, coordinador de investigaciones especiales en delitos federales para la procuraduría de México, dijo que asumiría “el compromiso de atender las recomendaciones”.
TRAS AÑOS DE ESPERA Dos mujeres reciben de manos del Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Egidio Torre Cantú y del Secretario de Gobernación, Alejandro Poiré Romero, las tarjetas del Fideicomiso 2106, Fondo de Apoyo Social para Ex Trabajadores Migratorios Mexicanos, en el Centro de Convenciones de Tampico. Se trata del beneficio, después de décadas de espera, para ex braceros mexicanos. Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
CONCEPCION M. ‘CONCHITA’ GONZALEZ LOPEÑO — Concepcion M. “Conchita” Gonzalez, 66, passed away Tuesday, March 13, 2012, at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Gonzalez is preceded in death by husband, Federico Gonzalez; sons Fidel Romero and Ruben Romero; parents: Fernando and Cleofas Monrreal; and a sister Carmela Hernandez. Ms. Gonzalez is survived by her son Carlos (Ana) Romero; daughters: Rosaura Romero, Olga Romero, Maria De Los Angeles Romero and Yolanda (Luviano) Diaz; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brothers: Saul Monrreal, Fernando Monrreal, Manuel (Luz) Monrreal and Fernando “Chito” (Ileana) Monrreal; sisters Estela (Antonio) Rios, Isidra Monrreal, Damiana (Mario) Antuna, Ester Perez, Martha (Raul) Barillas and Luz Maria Monrreal; and by numerous nieces, nephews and many friends. Visitation hours were Thursday, March 15, 2012, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a
Site known for its rock art By RAMON RENTERIA EL PASO TIMES
rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Friday, March 16, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at San Pedro Mission. Committal services followed at Lopeño Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 U.S. 83, Zapata, Texas.
EL PASO — Filmmaker Jackson Polk describes Hueco Tanks as a worldclass jewel in the desert. “Whether you come to climb the boulders, study the plants and animals or honor the spirits that blow with the wind, Hueco Tanks is alive with experiences that can’t be found anywhere else on earth,” Polk said at the end of his latest documentary film, “El Paso’s Hueco Tanks.” Polk, an award-winning filmmaker, spent eight
years shooting video, collecting interviews and studying Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, an outcropping of ancient rocks 32 miles northeast of El Paso. The site is best known for its vast collection of spectacular and rare pictographs, or rock art. The video depicts Hueco Tanks as El Paso’s oldest and largest art gallery. “What we’re trying to do is create a television program that can be exported from El Paso to explain Hueco Tanks to anybody who doesn’t know it,” Polk
said in a recent interview. El Paso County Historical Society, one of various project sponsors, will premiere the 52-minute video on Sunday at a fundraising event. Jackson is optimistic that the video, one of several he has produced on the region’s history, will help educate city and county officials about the potential in heritage tourism. The $48,000 budget for this project included a $12,000 grant from the El Paso County Commissioners Court. “You have all kinds of factions out there — rock
climbers, Native Americans, the state of Texas and recreational people that think they own the place,” Polk said. Hueco Tanks is known for its hollow areas that catch and hold the desert’s rare rainfall. Water attracted animals, plants and humans for centuries. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages the site. The Tigua Tribe of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, the Mescalero Apaches and Kiowas in Oklahoma all claim that Hueco Tanks is part of their culture and history.
COMMISSIONERS Continued from Page 1A the funds. The court will consider proposals at next month’s meeting, he said. In other business, the court passed a resolution to provide sewer service to residents in the Las Palmas neighborhood, two miles north of town and on the site of a former Air
Force base. The project has been in the works for several years and will involve a loangrant combination in which the United States Department of Agriculture will provide the funds. The county will match those funds to make the project viable.
The neighborhood has used septic systems for wastewater disposal. Commissioners Court also approved the following items: The demolition of an abandoned water plant and repairs to a raw water generator. A resolution to sub-
mit a grant application for SKILS, a delinquency prevention, program, to the Office of the Governor’s criminal justice division. Moving the election primary employee holiday to May 29. (JJ Velasquez may be reached at 728-2567 or jjvelasquez@lmtonline.com)
FAIR Continued from Page 1A PARADE AWARDS Best in show: IBC Bank Top organization entry: Falcon Lake Nursing Home Top school entry: Zapata Middle School, One Act Top tier entry: Zapata Lightening All-Stars Top dance entry: Laura’s Dance Art Top law enforcement entry: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Top equestrian entry: Zapata High School Future Farmers of America Top military veterans entry: Zapata County Veterans Top royalty entry: Zapata County Fair Queen and Court Top business entry: Riverview Family Center Top musical entry: Mighty Hawk band Community Spirit Award: Falcon Lake Babes
LIVESTOCK SHOW GRAND CHAMPIONS
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times
Zapata Middle School’s One Act Play group portrays Las Soldaderas (the female warriors of the Mexican Revolution) during the Zapata County Fair Parade on Saturday morning. Mendoza said organizers decided to cut the previous act’s set short as the storm got worse because they wanted to give Intocable as much time on stage as the weather permitted. After a speaker system failed, singer Ricky Muñoz’s voice, the accordion and drums were all that could be heard, Mendoza said. About 20 minutes into their performance, organizers called off the concert. “We really admire them because they
stayed up there on stage assuming all the risks,” he said, adding lightning and thunder struck during their set. “They didn’t give up, and they didn’t get off stage until their equipment completely gave out.” Despite the storm that put a damper on Saturday’s main event, there was a “great turnout,” he said. Mendoza said about 10,000 to 12,000 people attended this year’s fair. He said exact attendance numbers and funds raised are
still being tallied, but the weather prevented the fair association reaching its expected revenue. The livestock auction, however, brought in $38,000 more than it did last year. Projects sold at the auction reached a total of $323,000, said David Guerra, treasurer of the livestock committee. Guerra couldn’t point to anything specific that could have prompted a rise in the amount buyers spent this year. “Our local economy has been kind of
Steer: Arturo Salinas, 1,100 pounds, $12,650 Hog: Amanda Gutierrez, 244 pounds, $4,148 Lamb: Alyssa Jo Gutierrez, 133 pounds, $3,700 Goat: Matthew Bravo, $3,800 Broiler rabbit: C.J. Uribe, $2,800 Fryer rabbit: Jose M. Ramirez IV, $2,500 Turkey: Emily Leal, $1,200 Chickens: Mario Mendoza, $1,000 Medal: Manuel Navarro, $3,300 Senior baking: Shelby Bigler, $2,800 Junior baking: Jesus Cavazos, $1,800 Art: Christina Medina, $3,100 Craft: Sarah Gomez, $700 Photo: Larissa Salinas, $2,000 flat the past year or so,” Guerra said. “I can just attribute it to the buyers. They just come out and help us out every year. This year was no exception. They really stepped up to the plate, opened up their wallets and helped out the kids. We’re very grateful to them for doing that for us.” (JJ Velasquez may be reached at 7282567 or jjvelasquez@lmtonline.com)
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Birth control coverage options outlined By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration signaled Friday it’s willing to help insurance companies offset the cost of providing free birth control to women working at church-affiliated institutions like hospitals and colleges. By finding a way to make the middlemen whole, the administration may be able to extricate itself from an unexpected political furor over birth control that has mobilized partisans across the political spectrum a half-century after the advent of the pill. A 32-page regulatory proposal unveiled Friday offered options for providing free birth control to women whose employers object to contraception on religious grounds. The government now classifies birth control as preventive care, and President Barack Obama’s health care law requires health plans to cover prevention at no cost to the consumer. Churches, synagogues, mosques and other institutions whose primary purpose is to propagate faith are exempt from the mandate. But when the administration sought to impose the requirement on religious nonprofits serving the public, it triggered a backlash. That forced President Barack Obama himself to offer a compromise: insurers, not the religious employers would bear the responsibility. Friday’s proposal lists
options for carrying out the president’s compromise without forcing insurers to bear the whole cost — or tempting them to engineer backdoor maneuvers to recoup money from religious institutions that object to birth control. Administration officials are seeking public comment for 90 days and will sift the responses before making any final decision. Reflecting the sensitivity of the issue, officials spoke only on condition of anonymity. “Our general principle is that we want to maintain the posture that a religious organization that objects to paying for contraception, won’t,” said an official who briefed reporters. The basic idea is to use the levers of government policy to reimburse the insurance companies, for example, by providing them credits against fees they would have to pay under another provision of the health care law. Finding a balance will be tricky because of the complexity of the health care law. Women’s groups were generally supportive of the administration’s latest move, although it seemed unlikely to please religious conservatives. Catholic bishops have taken a forceful stand opposing the birth control requirement as an affront to religious freedom. Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, questioned the timing of the announce-
ment, late Friday on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day festivities. She said church leaders will begin studying the proposal immediately, “but now is too soon to know what it actually says.” Administration officials say they don’t expect an endorsement from the bishops, but they are hoping the accommodation will work for hospitals, colleges and charitable organizations. The head of the Catholic Health Association, a trade group representing more than 600 hospitals around the country, also withheld judgment. “We have to spend time reviewing it,” said Sister Carol Keehan. Her group provided critical support for passage of Obama’s health care law through Congress, publicly breaking with the bishops in a dispute over the legislations restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortions. The insurance industry also said it would need more time to study the proposals. Additionally, the administration released new rules for student health plans on Friday. Generally, the requirements will lead to more robust coverage. But because of a previously unforeseen gap in federal legislation, not all student plans will have to upgrade. Plans sponsored by religious colleges would be given more time to comply with the birth control coverage provisions.
POSSESSION Continued from Page 1A a door. about seized, that he
Asked if he knew the contraband “Muñoz replied did not and found
out about it when agents arrested him.” He denied the agents’ allegations and declined to give further
comments. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Photo by Evan Vucci | AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday.
Hopefuls trade barbs By THOMAS BEAUMONT ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — After two Deep South losses, Mitt Romney is intensifying his campaign efforts in the economically challenged Midwest — a friendly region for him — in hopes of regaining his front-runner’s momentum when Illinois holds its Republican presidential primary Tuesday. But the race for Illinois and its cache of 54 delegates is tighter than might have been expected, thanks to Rick Santorum’s recent rise in opinion polls. And President Barack Obama, the Democrat they both hope to oust, is making his presence felt, too, in his adopted home state. Romney is clearly mindful of the threat from Santorum. He and his allies are pouring money into the state, near Michigan where he grew up and his father was governor. Romney won the Michigan primary on Feb. 28. Logistically, he’s also looking to take advantage
of Santorum’s failure to get the signatures needed to ensure he’s on the ballot statewide in Illinois. And Romney’s on the attack. “We are not going to be successful in replacing an economic lightweight if we nominate an economic lightweight,” the former Massachusetts governor said Friday during an early morning stop near Chicago. The criticism, focusing on the economy, which is the voters’ No. 1 concern, was a one-two punch against both President Barack Obama and Republican Santorum. “I am an economic heavyweight, and I know how to fix this economy,” Romney declared. Romney also began airing a television advertisement in Illinois accusing Santorum, a former twoterm senator, of having little understanding of the economy. And he began airing a radio ad pointing to Santorum’s crushing defeat for re-election in 2006. Santorum lost his seat in Pennsylvania to Democrat Bob Casey by 18 percentage points.
Santorum, just back from campaigning in Puerto Rico for Sunday’s primary there, sounded confident despite Romney’s heavy organizational and advertising edge — and unconcerned about the criticism of his economic acumen. Appearing at a Hispanic grocery store in Prospect Heights, Ill., he shot back at his rival. “I believe in a light touch of government where Governor Romney believes in a very heavy touch,” Santorum said. “So he is an economic government heavyweight.” Obama was fundraising and campaigning in Illinois, too, on Friday and taking his own shots at the Republicans — for negative campaigning. Noting he was in “the land of Lincoln,” Obama said the Republicans weren’t exactly appealing to — in the Civil War president’s words — “the better angels of our nature.” I’m thinking maybe some Lincoln will rub off on them while they’re here.”
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
TENNIS
Defending District 31-3A
Courtesy photo
Zapata Hawk and championship level tennis player Trey Alvarez rolled through the first round of the Rio Grande Valley Tennis Association Championship Major Zone Tennis tournament before falling in the round of 16.
Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times
The Zapata Lady Hawks began their District 31-3A championship defensive last week with a pair of powerful wins.
Lady Hawks open solid title campaign By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
The start of the District 31-3A softball season got under way last Tuesday, and the defending champion Lady Hawks wanted to make sure that they started off on the right foot. Zapata came out swinging with big bats, scoring six runs in the sixth inning to run rule Port Isabel, 14-4, and start the defense of their title in the right direction. “It is always good to win the first game (of the district season) for confidence, but we are going to take one game at a time and not take anyone lightly,” Zapata coach Jaime Garcia said. Zapata’s offense did not take long to flex its muscles at the plate, as the Lady Hawks ripped many hits in every inning.
The Lady Hawks unleashed a balanced firepower at the plate with five players getting into the swing of things — no one benefited greater than senior catcher Michelle Arce, who has continued to make a strong case for Offensive Player of the Year with her performances. Arce had three RBI and the Lady Hawks never looked back as they were able to make the most every time they came to bat. Backing Arce’s performance at the plate were Ally Solis, Gaby Chapa, Jackie Salinas, and Liana Flores — all rounding out Zapata’s offensive performance. Salinas had two RBI, while Solis and Chapa scored three runs apiece to add to the Lady Hawks commanding lead. The story of the game was the return of senior pitcher Estella Molina, who hadn’t
pitched all season because of an injury. Molina tested her knee after partially tearing her meniscus before the start of the season. Molina took the mound without skipping a beat, as she was sensational for the Lady Hawks, forcing the Lady Tarpons into routine plays or zipping strikes past them and finishing with three strikeouts. The few times that Port Isabel hit, the Zapata defense backed up Molina with great plays and minimal mistakes on the field. Zapata’s defense made the routine play, but more importantly, did not allow Port Isabel to gain momentum, consistently leaving runners on base. “The defense played extremely solid on the field,” Garcia
See SOFTBALL PAGE 2B
Making Zapata proud
S
AN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — Zapata is a town filled with great athletes that have gone on to become productive members of society and flourish in very successful careers. Many Zapata County’s residents have gone on to live in different cities, but they always remember where it all started so many years ago. Laredo Alexander head coach Joel Lopez was raised in Zapata, and has gone on to become one of the best football coaches in Laredo — recently leading his Bulldog team to the best-ever Gateway City record at 13-1. Before his Alexander success, a stint at Laredo Nixon saw similar accomplishment when he led the Mustangs to five district championships. There’s also Javier Reyes, a former Zapata basketball player now in charge of the girls’ basketball program at Laredo Alexander who’s taken the Lady Bulldogs to new heights. Just last season, the Lady
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CLARA SANDOVAL OVAL
Bulldogs went 18-0 in district, picking up the district, bi-district, area, and regional quarterfinal titles while making a run all the way to the region IV tournament. Reyes’ Lady Bulldogs were 36-2 — a Laredo city record — and have gone 153-26 in the past five years. Even a new generation of Zapata residents have done well at the collegiate level, putting the Hawks and Lady Hawks on the map. Marelena Garcia, a 2011 graduate of Zapata, now runs for the University of Texas-Pan American and is considered one of the top long-distance runners on the team, while Arturo Flores is blazing the mound for the Broncs. There are many more athletes out there at the collegiate
level, and The Zapata Times would like to highlight each of them because they have become part of a society that only many high school athletes could dream of. It’s time to track down these athletes — former college players or current ones — and that’s where the Zapata community comes into play. I do spend my spare time on college websites to see if any Zapata athletes are on the roster, but it would expedite the process if the Zapata community would help me track them down. Many of their family members still live in Zapata and that would be the first step to take. Please drop me an email at Sandoval.Clara@Gmail.com, so we can get the process started, and in a few weeks we can start featuring them in The Zapata Times. I am looking for former Zapata athletes who have gone to
See SANDOVAL PAGE 2B
Alvarez volleys in RGVTA championship SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Zapata’s Trey Alvarez competed in the Rio Grande Valley Tennis Association Championship Major Zone Tennis tournament last weekend. There are only two championship level tournaments held in the state each month, so the RGVTA tournament drew over 200 boy and girl tennis players from throughout the state in different age divisions. Alvarez competed in the boys’ 16-year old division. There were 32 players in the boys’ 16’s. While there were four players from the valley, most came from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi to construct a very tough draw. In the first round, Alvarez drew Abraham Cantu of Mercedes. The first set was all Cantu, as he immediately broke Alvarez’s serve and got on a roll winning the first set 6-0. Trey composed himself and
chased everything down, surprising Cantu with an early lead in the second set. He held on to win it 6-2. Alvarez again went in front 3-0 in the third set, before Cantu won three in a row. A sharp backhand gave Alvarez the next game to go up 4-3. After Cantu evened it out at 4-all, Trey broke Cantu’s serve and held on to win the match 0-6, 6-2, 6-4. The match lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. In USTA junior tournaments you are given only one hour between matches so Alvarez had to come back and play the tournaments No. 2 seed Rod Khansari of Houston. Khansari proved too tough an obstacle to overcome, defeating Alvarez in the round of 16. The Hawks and Lady Hawks teams have been practicing over Spring Break and will be back in action March 23 at the LISD Open, followed by the Zapata Invitational on March 30 and the 32-3A District tournament on April 3-5.
POWERING TOWARD STATE
Courtesy photo
The Zapata Lady Hawks are proud to send four of their own to the state powerlifting championships in Corpus Christi this weekend. Angie Darnell, left, Jackie Garcia, middle left, Klari Salinas, middle right, and Michelle Arce, right, qualified for the state meet.
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Manning watch still in full effect By JOEDY MCCREARY ASSOCIATED PRESS
RALEIGH, N.C. — Peyton Manning won’t be a Dolphin or a Cardinal. But he could still join the Titans, the Broncos or even — get ready for this — the 49ers. The race to sign the NFL’s only four-time MVP and the most prized free agent of the offseason heated up Friday as Denver Broncos executive John Elway and coach John Fox watched the star quarterback throw at Duke and San Francisco was revealed as a stealth suitor. A person familiar with the situation said that Manning worked out for 49ers’ coach Jim Harbaugh on Tuesday night at Duke. ESPN first reported on the session. Manning also threw the ball at Duke’s athletic fields Friday afternoon for the Broncos. He was seen leaving the Blue Devils’ indoor
practice facility wearing blue shorts, a gray t-shirt and no helmet heading to the outdoor practice field followed by Elway and Fox. Manning came off the field about 4 p.m., and the Broncos contingent left about the same time. “We enjoyed visiting with Peyton today in N.C.,” Elway tweeted later. “He threw the ball great and looked very comfortable out there.” Another person confirmed to the AP that Manning phoned the Miami Dolphins on Thursday to advise them he’ll sign elsewhere. The team has now turned its attention to free agent quarterback Matt Flynn. The people who spoke to the AP did so on condition of anonymity because Manning’s workouts have remained private and all the teams involved have refused to comment about their free agency negotiations. The record-setting quar-
terback has been rehabilitating in North Carolina after a series of neck surgeries. Duke coach and longtime Manning friend David Cutcliffe told The Tennessean that Manning has made good progress throwing the football following the operations, which forced him to miss the entire 2011 season. Manning’s uncertain health led the Indianapolis Colts to balk at paying a $28 million roster bonus to the 35-year-old quarterback. The colts released Manning on March 7, which in turn triggered a flurry of meetings and visits. The 49ers had been working to re-sign quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 who made a comeback in 2011 under first-year coach and former NFL QB Harbaugh, and Smith has acknowledged he was happy with the three-year offer. Smith and Manning both are represented by Tom
Photo by Samuel M. Simpkins | AP
NFL football quarterback Peyton Manning visits Baptist Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday. A group of Tennessee Titans executives returned to Nashville with Manning for a meeting with the free agent on the team’s home turf. Condon and CAA Sports. “Alex is trying to figure out what he wants to do,” 49ers CEO Jed York said earlier this week. “There have been good conversations back and forth.” The NFC West champion 49ers on Monday signed wide receiver Randy Moss after he spent a year out of football, hoping he will be the dynamic wideout and deep threat he once was and will open up the field.
An email to Smith, multiple phone messages to his agency and to his father were not returned. The 27-year-old Smith threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions as San Francisco went 13-3 and made the NFC title game last season after an eight-year playoff drought. Neither running back Frank Gore nor tight end Vernon Davis had been told
by the 49ers they were pursuing Manning. Both are big fans of Smith. Asked if Smith is still the man, Gore said, “I think he is.” Manning’s whirlwind free agency tour officially kicked off soon after he bid farewell to the Colts in an emotional press conference. The Broncos had the first crack at wooing him, rolling out the red carpet for his visit. Team officials flew him in and he spent the spent the day chatting with Elway, the Hall of Fame QB turned team executive. Manning also was escorted around the team’s building by Fox and general manager Brian Xanders as he listened to their sales pitch. After that, Manning journeyed to nearby Castle Rock, Colo., and spent the evening with good friend Brandon Stokley, who played catch with Manning the next morning and spoke highly of his former teammate in an interview on a local radio show.
Injuries can’t stop run at Augusta National By DOUG FERGUSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Scott Verplank and Lucas Glover played a practice round together Tuesday at Innisbrook, which was only unusual considering where they have been — on the disabled list. They return about the time Paul Goydos goes on the DL for what could be three months or more. Verplank has not played since he withdrew after a 78 in the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship because the tendon kept slipping out of place in his left wrist. He had surgery two weeks later for a tendon reconstruction, in which tissue was folded over the tendon to help keep it stable. Verplank had hoped to return at Phoenix or Riviera, but wasn’t ready. His motivation to return was for the Masters — he is eligible from his tie for fourth in the PGA Championship. Glover sprained knee ligaments and a tendon the weekend before the PGA Tour season opener at Kapalua when he landed awkwardly after falling from a paddle board. Glover didn’t realize the severity of the injury until each week rolled around and he wasn’t fit to play. He finally decided to abandon the West Coast swing and prepare for Florida. He felt strong enough to play two weeks ago, but wanted to get into golf shape — walking golf courses on a tender knee. He said he would skip Bay Hill, then play Houston in his final tune up before the Masters. Goydos, 47, had surgery Tuesday to remove a bone spur in his left wrist, which had been bothering him for longer than he cares to remember. He said removing the bone spur was the first step in trying to get his wrist healthy.
Goydos said the pain in his wrist kept getting worse from the opening tournament in Hawaii, and he thought it might be arthritis. When he saw a hand specialist, he saw the X-ray of the bone spur.
GLOVER’S ADVICE Brian Harman, the little lefty from Georgia, is part of a refreshing trend among young players (Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler) who play quickly. So life on the PGA Tour his rookie season took some adjustments. He decided to ask a mentor, Lucas Glover, for advice. Glover, another player who wastes little time playing, told Harman to make sure he’s the last one in his group to get to his golf ball. Stay behind on the tee to chat, pick through the cooler for a bottle of water, go to the bathroom even he doesn’t need to go. Glover was on his way to West Palm Beach, Fla., where he played in the Pro-Member at Seminole, when he asked his girlfriend to check on scores from the Honda Classic. She told him some guy named Brian Harman had shot 61. “He’s a good listener,” Glover said with a laugh.
STAT OF THE WEEK When he returned to golf at the 2010 Masters, Tiger Woods broke par all four rounds. He has not done that at any tournament since then.
FINAL WORD “If anybody says they are not nervous going into Sunday around the lead, they’re just lying to you. Their psychologist is telling them to lie to themselves.” — Bubba Watson.
SANDOVAL Continued from Page 1B play at the college level, coached at the college level or have gone into the coaching world. I am excited to take The Zapata Times to the next level, and the Zapata community is a big part, because after all, this is your newspaper and we want to make it great, filled with Zapata people. We at The Zapata Times would like to make sure
that we capture Zapata’s sports world, from little league to high school sports to middle school sports to all the outdoor sports that happen in Zapata, and it can only be accomplished with your help. I cannot wait to read all my email all this week, so I can start tracking down all the athletes and start writing about them.
Photo by John Bazemore | AP
Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun heads up one of many NCAA programs featuring poor graduation rates, especially of its black athletes.
Few NCAA teams score all A’s By TIM DAHLBERG ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filling out a bracket for the NCAA tournament is pretty much a crapshoot, no matter how much you study or how good you guess. That was especially true last year, when no No. 1 seed made the Final Four yet Butler somehow found its way there for the second straight year. Figuring out which schools care as much about academics as they do basketball is a lot easier. Attend Duke or, say, Creighton and you’re pretty much assured a degree if not a career in the NBA. Both schools in recent years graduated all their basketball players, as did four other teams in this year’s field. Matriculate somewhere else, and you might end up working behind the counter at Subway. That’s the reality of college athletics, where the payoff for athletes doesn’t come close to matching the payday for schools. The NCAA tournament is a billion-dollar-a-year business that distributes riches to almost everyone in-
volved except the ones who really count — the unpaid labor toiling on the court. Unfortunately, some schools are failing their athletes — and failing them miserably. That’s especially true when it comes to black basketball players. Richard Lapchick, who does an annual report on graduation rates for the University of Central Florida, said black players are graduating at a 60 percent rate while white players were at 88 percent. The good news is that things are getting marginally better. Coaches are being forced to pay more attention to academics, and there are new penalties that will eventually reduce the number of basketball factories in the nation’s institutes of higher education. They’re hardly perfect, and they contain way too many loopholes for a cagey coach to exploit. But they are a start, and the potential ban of UConn from next year’s tournament because of poor academics should serve as a wakeup call for those who still don’t get it.
Credit NCAA president Mark Emmert for some of it. He runs an organization that in the past appeared to be uncertain about its true purpose, which is to educate athletes and protect the integrity of college athletics. Since coming on board a little more than a year ago, he has repeatedly pushed proposals for tougher academic standards, some more effective than others. Give Education Secretary Arne Duncan an assist, too. The former Harvard basketball player has made it his annual mission as the tournament rolls around to remind folks that coaches, as well as universities, need to be held accountable for performance in the classroom. A lot of folks have played around the margins — and still do. Eight schools in this year’s tournament fall below the minimum graduation rate standards set by the NCAA and face sanctions if they don’t improve. One of them is UConn, which didn’t get serious about improving its graduation rates until being hit with
a postseason ban for next year that the university is currently appealing. Still, the graduation numbers for both black and white players are 15 points higher than when Lapchick first started charting graduation rates a decade ago. There has been progress, even if the NCAA graduation standards can still be circumvented in various ways. Kentucky, for instance, remains in good standing on the academic performance watch even if just two of the eight freshmen and sophomores on John Calipari’s team three years ago are still on the roster. By next year, teams must graduate 50 percent of their players to be eligible for postseason play. Coaches may argue otherwise, but that’s not an unreasonable standard, especially when you consider the tutors and other academic help given to athletes. The great thing about the NCAA tournament is that everyone has a chance to succeed. We should ask for no less when it comes to players getting their degrees.
SOFTBALL Continued from Page 1B said. “I am very proud of the girls, and how they played Tuesday night.” Now Zapata gears up for one of the most trying weeks on the schedule, hitting the road to the Rio Grande Valley to face Rio Hondo on Tuesday and La Feria on Friday. Zapata, Rio Hondo, and La Feria are considered the three playoff teams in the district. Zapata will have a few days to practice and get ready for a rough week of softball. If the bats come alive, the Lady Hawks will come home with two victories. “We need to have good practices and hit the ball,” Garcia said. “If we can hit the ball, we are going to be ok.,” Garcia said. “Our defense has been great and
that is another aspect that we are going to count on.”
Zapata 17, PSJA 6 The Lady Hawks continued to dominate the district with a thrashing of PSJA Southwest, 17-6, last Thursday night. Salinas was 3-for-3 with one RBI and scored four runs, while Chapa went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Flores went 2-for-3 with three RBI to round out Zapata’s muscle at the plate. Molina went back to the mound for the Lady Hawks and picked up her second victory.
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE Dear Heloise: As a librarian, I urge people to call their library before they DONATE BOOKS. Space is limited, and libraries try to keep the books most recently published for their patrons to read. They often do not have room for old books or a second copy of anything. If people have books more than a year or so old, I recommend that they take them to a charity or a similar organization. Thanks. — A SmallTown Librarian, via email Thank you for sharing another point of view! Check with your library about donating books, and if it doesn’t need them, a librarian probably can refer you to an agency that will! Another great place to check is the American Library Association’s website, www.ala.org, which has links to a lot of great organizations looking for new or gently used books! — Heloise PET PAL Dear Readers: Sharon in San Antonio sent a picture of her black terrier mix, Maggie, with one folded ear and one stuckup ear. Sharon says that Maggie sometimes listens with only that one stuckup ear! Maggie was found along a country road and “adopted Sharon” soon after. To see Maggie and our other Pet Pals, visit www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.” — Heloise A PAIN IN THE DRAIN Dear Heloise: We recently learned that using powerful drain cleaners damages plumbing pipes. Can you help us with a solution that will clear our bathtub drain? My wife and I enjoy reading your column every day in the Laredo (Texas) Morning Times. — Eddie, via email
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HELOISE
Yep, commercial drain cleaners can damage plumbing, especially if left to sit in the pipes for a long time or if used too often. And if the pipes are old, you are asking for trouble. Here are a few hints to help clear your bathtub drain: Carefully pouring HOT water down the drain sometimes can cause a clog to break apart. Of course, a plunger or plumbing snake (each available at large retailers) can help loosen a clog. Turning to a professional plumber may be the safest and best bet. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. — Heloise TWO HINTS Dear Heloise: Before removing the tablecloth from the serving table, I spot-treat all of the stains, but only if there is a pad under the tablecloth. By doing this while the cloth is still on the table, it is easier to find all of the spills, and since I remember what food was where, I can treat each stain accordingly. Removing dust from wood blinds: I have tried it all, but no sooner would I wipe the blind than the dust would reappear! I took one of my socks and sprayed it with an antidust spray, then ran it along each slat. It took a little longer, but my blinds have remained dust-free for the past four days and counting! — Virginia in Houston
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Basketball
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Camby comes home to Houston’s Rockets By CHRIS DUNCAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Carolyn Kaster | AP
President Barack Obama and Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron attend the Mississippi Valley State versus Western Kentucky NCAA tournament game on Tuesday.
President meets First Fans By JOE KAY ASSOCIATED PRESS
DAYTON, Ohio — Christian Laettner’s incredible shot. Jim Valvano’s joyous dash. Everybody has a favorite NCAA tournament memory. For some still-amazed students at the University of Dayton, it will be the night they spent watching hoops and eating hot dogs with the president of the United States. Three volleyball players got to sit in the front row with President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron for the tournament’s opening game Tuesday night. They chatted about sports and school, ate hot dogs and posed for photos. Then, they got to tell family and friends — in awe-struck voice — what they’d just experienced. The president. The prime minister. Really! “It’s hard to believe it happened,” said Samantha Selsky, a junior from California who sat four seats from Obama. “Looking back on it, I’m trying to remember what was going through my head. It’s hard to remember. It seemed so fast — the fastest three
hours ever.” So surreal, and such a surprise. None of them expected to be front and center with the nation’s top basketball fan for the opening game of the NCAA tournament Tuesday night at the UD Arena. The school sent an email to some of its top students, asking if they wanted to sit in the same section with Obama for the game. Three volleyball players — Selsky, junior Rachel Krabacher and sophomore Shayne Brown — accepted the invitation. It was sunny and 75 degrees when they walked into the arena, passed through metal detectors set up at each entrance and were handed their tickets. Section 101. Row A. The president’s row. Not just in his row. A couple seats away, close enough to talk to him throughout the game. “We were kind of like being little girls,” Selsky said. “We couldn’t believe this was happening. What were we going to say? What do we call him? We were asking the Secret Service what we do. When he comes out here, can we use our phones? How do we refer to him? So they were kind of
laughing at us because they knew we were kind of star-struck.” While Western Kentucky and Mississippi Valley State warmed up, the president and prime minister arrived, flanked by security. Obama settled into a seat in the middle of the row, with an assistant to his right. Next to him were the three volleyball players. The president introduced himself and asked their names. They carried on conversation throughout the game, chatting about sports and college and a hot dog sushi featured at a Hawaiian restaurant — a hot dog wrapped in rice and seaweed. During the first half, Obama decided he’d like a hot dog and asked the students if they would like one, too. “We all kind of looked at each other like, ‘Are we allowed say yes?”’ Krabacher said. “He was like, ‘You’re college students. Who turns down free food?’ He called somebody over and said, ‘I’ll take 10 hot dogs.’ So we got hot dogs from the president.” They watched to see how he fixed his. “He uses mustard,” Krabacher said.
HOUSTON — Marcus Camby wants to finish his career in Houston, where he’s lived since 2005. Derek Fisher may never suit up with the Rockets at all. Houston acquired the two veterans in separate deals on Thursday with the hope of bolstering a playoff push. The Rockets are 24-20 and currently hold the No. 8 spot in the West with road games this weekend against the L.A. Clippers and Phoenix. General manager Daryl Morey said the 6-foot-11 Camby is still one of the league’s elite defensive players and rebounders. He was named the league’s top defensive player in 2007, and he ranks 10th in career blocked shots per game (2.46). Camby was averaging 8.8 rebounds in about 22 minutes per game with Portland this season. He’ll likely back up Samuel Dalembert. “People are very familiar with his game, having been in the league for quite a while (16 years),” Morey said Friday. “I think people aren’t familiar with how effective he still is.” Camby, who turns 38 next week, says he wants to play for 20 seasons and finish his career in Houston. He passed a physical on Friday and met his team on the tarmac at a Houston airport in the early afternoon. “It feels good to be home,” he said. “I’m excited about our chances of getting in the playoff race right now. I’m just ready to go.” Fisher, meanwhile, was a no-show in Houston after the Lakers dealt him and a first-round pick to the Rockets for forward Jordan Hill. The Rockets need a backup point guard immediately, with starter Kyle Lowry slowly recovering from a bacterial infection and Goran Dragic starting. Lowry is expected to return in 2-3 weeks. The Lakers felt they needed to deal Fisher, with Steve Blake and newly acquired Ramon Sessions on the roster. Fisher played most of his 16 seasons in Los Angeles and won five championships with Kobe Bryant. Morey would not comment when asked directly about Fisher’s status, only acknowledging that the trade with the Lakers was final. Fisher has a player option worth $3.4 million next season. “Right now, I can just say that the trade obviously happened,” Morey said. Houston also cut forward Terrence Williams. The 6-6 Williams averaged 4.5
Photo by Michael Conroy | AP
Newly acquired Houston Rockets center Marcus Camby is happy to return home to Houston and play for its team. points and 2.3 rebounds in 12 games this season. Williams, a former first-round pick out of Louisville, never found a niche after the Rockets acquired him in a trade with New Jersey in December 2010, and his contract runs out after this season. “We’ve got a very strong wing rotation,” Morey said, “and we wanted to give Terrence an opportunity to play somewhere in a contract year.” The Rockets are still chasing that elusive superstar they hope will catapult them into the upper tier of the Western Conference. Coach Kevin McHale is confident that Camby and a point guard — if not Fisher, then someone else — will be enough to get Houston into the postseason. “Of course, they’ve got to get here and get acclimated,” McHale said. “There’s only a month left in the season, so it’s kind of a tough thing to do. But we’ll get them on the fly and get them comfortable as soon as we can.” Camby says “things were going crazy” in Portland in recent weeks. The Blazers followed a flurry of roster moves with the firing of coach Nate McMillan. Camby spoke with Morey on Thursday night, and thinks he can fit in with the Rockets immediately. “I think I’m more excited about being here, than they are in having me,” Camby said. “Just looking forward to blending in with the guys. It’s kind of new to me. I kind of feel like — have you ever felt like the new kid in school? The new kid comes into school that just moved into town. I’ve got that nervous feeling, but once I get out there on the court, it’s just basketball.”