The Zapata Times 3/28/2009 by The Zapata Times

SATURDAY

PUMPING IRON Four Lady Hawks take powerlifting medals

MARCH 28,2009

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High bid gets contract 2 get medals By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES

Beating out lowest bidder, Coastal Resources, Zapata County Commissioners Court voted Friday to hire Hoover Construction to expand the county landfill on U.S. 83, two miles south of San Ygnacio. “Based on our history with Coastal Resources we decided to go with Hoover instead,” said Pct. 3 Commissioner Joseph Rathmell. Coastal Resources offered to expand the landfill for $499,237 where as Hoover’s bid was $536,082.

The county will pay for the expansion with allocated funds from the fund balance. Currently contracted by the county, Coastal Resources was hired last year to repave a number of streets in precinct 3 and precinct 4. According to Mike Mendez, owner of Coastal Resources, a variety of small problems arose that have prevented finishing the project on time. Originally scheduled to be complete in August 2008, the project still hasn’t been finished. Mendez specifically cited a water main, which had to be moved. “I have been involved in the steps of con-

struction and there have been some little problems,” Rathmell said. “But the project should have been done by now.” During a special called meeting on Friday, Mendez attempted to reassure the commissioners that if hired, Coastal Construction will get the job done. “Yes, we do have some fault, but not all,” Mendez said about Coastal’s delay in finishing the road paving project. “We have dozers and scrapers ready to get on the (landfill expansion) project and finish it on time.” But, unconvinced, the court unanimously

See COUNTY | PAGE 12A

SAVING A PIECE OF HISTORY

at state meet SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Two members of Zapata High School’s UIL Cross-Examination Debate team reached the Octofinals at the 2009 3A State C-X Debate Meet meet in Austin on March 16-17. Ediel Bernal and Alexandra Harsacky were the octofinalists. The state meet in Austin is the largest debate meet in the nation. At Austin, the 56 teams from 3A each debated four rounds on Monday, March 16. From those rounds, the top 16 teams (based on win-loss record and individual speaker points) advanced to compete the next day in the Octofinal Round, the first of four elimination rounds held that day. Bernal and Harsacky were included in those 16 teams that “broke” to the second day of competition. Zapata High restarted its debate team three years ago. Team members watched the quarterfinal and final rounds, and

See DEBATE | PAGE 12A

Courtesy photo

Ediel Bernal and Alexandra Harsacky are shown after receiving their medals at the 3A State C-X Debate Meet in Austin earlier this month.

Gun smuggling draws 4 years By JUAN A. LOZANO ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times

Frank Briscoe, who has worked on several restoration projects, stands near a door inside the Treviño Fort in San Ygnacio, his latest project.

Grant helps Fort Treviño with facelift By ERIKA LAMBRETON THE ZAPATA TIMES

ne of the most historic structures in San Ygnacio, Fort Treviño, once on the verge of complete disarray, is now being preserved. The Texas Historic Commission awarded a special grant to the River Pierce Foundation. The foundation reached out to stonemason Brian Ash and architectural conservator Frank Briscoe, to name a few, to revive a fort that once represented the thriving ranch culture in South Texas. “We are stabilizing the structure,” Briscoe said, adding the earliest building in San Ygnacio was a wonderful complex that stretched about half a city block. The complex is comprised of several structures that were added to the original fortified domicile. “Some of these buildings were in a dangerous conditions,” Briscoe said. The overall goal of the project is to rehabilitate and restore the building without diminishing its authenticity and character through insensitive repair. Briscoe said the structure is very important to San Ygnacio. “It is so original, authentic … and not too many interventions (have been done in the past), so our work was to stabilize the building without affecting the authenticity of the building,” he

Masons have worked on the exterior walls of the historic Fort Treviño in San Ygnacio.

Ferank Briscoe works on the entrance to Fort Treviño in San Ygnacio on Thursday afternoon.

See FORT | PAGE 12A

HOUSTON — A Houston man who says he fears for his family’s safety after working for an organization that bought militarystyle firearms that ended up with drug traffickers in Mexico was sentenced to nearly four years in prison on Friday. Prosecutors say Juan Pablo Gutierrez was one of 23 people who purchased 339 weapons in a 15-month period. At least 40 of these weapons have been recovered in Mexico and three have been found in Guatemala, according to court documents. “He was arming an infantry squad,” prosecutor Mark White told U.S. District Judge Gray Miller. “He wasn’t just arming local street thugs. This defendant was doing something a lot more serious.”

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty in January to eight counts of making false statements to a federal firearms licensee, claiming he was buying the weapons for himself. White said Gutierrez refused to identify his customers. But prosecutors suspect Gutierrez was purchasing the guns for a cousin, and White said Gutierrez has a cousin whose father-in-law is Osiel CardenasGuillen. The drug kingpin was extradited in 2007 from Mexico to Texas and is set to be tried in Houston in September. After the court hearing, White declined to say if he knew whether the guns were purchased for Cardenas-Guillen’s son-in-law. “He’s scared of the people that got him into this. That’s why he

See GUNS | PAGE 12A

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECOGNITION

Photo by Marlen Guerra | Special to the Times

Arturo L. Benavides Elementary School in San Ygnacio recently honored its Teacher of the Year and Instructional Assistant of the Year. Standing left to right, back row, are teachers Ana Ruiz,Anna Gutierrez and Marlen Guerra; Principal Gerardo D. Montes and teachers Guadalupe Hughes,Lety Muñoz,Irasema Gutierrez,Yolanda Solis and Rebecca Gonzalez. Sitting, left to right, are Sergio Perez, the ALBES Teacher of the Year; and Margarita Villarreal, the ALBES Instructional Assistant of the Year. Perez,who lives in Laredo and commutes to Zapata every day,is a first-year teacher at ALBES.He’s the school’s coach and also co-teaches second, third, fourth and fifth grades.Villarral is the firstgrade instructional assistant. She’s from San Ygnacio.

Zin brief

SATURDAY, MARCH 28,2009

AROUND TEXAS | IN BRIEF

WHAT’S GOING ON

Tibutes honor fallen Oakland officers

The Zapata County Clerk’s office will be selling corn nuts, pickles, and sods for $3 today starting at 2:30 p.m.This event is part of their Relay for Life.

SATURDAY,APRIL 4  The Falcon Lake Tackle shop will be hosting their first ever Bass Blast Sunday April 5. Registration for the tournament will be today from 5 p.m. to 7p.m. at their shop located 2195 South Highway 83. For more information please call 765-4866 or 765-5854, or visit them online at www.falconlaketackle.com Sunday, April 5  The Falcon Lake Tackle Bass Blast will be held today. The weigh in will be at Oso Blanco Ramp. The rules for the twoman team open tournament include a three fish limit, a $124 entry fee, includes big bass. Meals will be served at registration, and many great door prizes will be given away.  The Zapata County Museum will have its groundbreaking ceremony today. The public is invited to join in celebration. For more information please call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 7654871

FRIDAY,APRIL 10 Staff development day at Zapata Independent School district; no class for students. Pre-registration will be held today for the Falcon Lake Big Bass Tournament, which kicks off tomorrow, at the Holiday Restaurant. Or you can register online at www.zapatausa.com For more information please call the Zapata Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871  The Laredo Center for the Arts will host the offical opening reception for their latest exhibit “Light”today from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit is by Laredo native,Jerry Cabrera, and will run until April 30. For more information, call the LCA at 725-1715.

SATURDAY,APRIL 11  Falcon Lake Big Bass Tournament is set to start today. Planning is underway for live entertainment and food sponsors. More details to come.For more information please call the Zapata Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871

SUNDAY,APRIL 12 Today is the start of National Library Week. The San Ygnacio Public Library and the County Public Library will celebrate with what is called Amnesty Week. This means no late fees will be charged on any book. The event runs though April 18. For more information, call 765-5351

MONDAY,APRIL 13  Easter Monday. No classes today for Zapata Independent School District students

SATURDAY,APRIL 18  Today is the last day of Amnesty Week hosted by the San Ygnacio Public Library as part of its celebration of National Library Week. For more information, call 765-5351  The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce will host a fishing tournament for bass champs today at the Zapata County public boat ramp. For more information please call the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at 765-4871. The Boys and Girls Club of Zapata invites you to the Inauguration ceremony for the Devon Energy Soccer Field and Open Pavilion today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The celebration will also be honoring club directors, past presidents, and club contributors. There will be fun, food, and games. For more information please call the Boys and Girls club at 956-765-3892.

Photo by Michael Norris/Amarillo Globe-News | AP

Avehicle that collided with a truck is seen Friday, in Amarillo.A major spring blizzard plodding eastward over the Southern Plains shut down major highways and paralyzed the region as residents braced for up to a foot of snow, freezing 45-mph winds and massive snowdrifts.

Blizzard creates chaos, dumps foot of snow in Panhandle By LINDA STEWART BALL ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS — A spring blizzard slammed into the Texas Panhandle, causing numerous accidents, shutting down major highways and paralyzing the region as residents braced Friday for up to a foot of snow, freezing 45-mph winds and massive snowdrifts. “We’ve had several accidents, several tractor-trailers jackknifed but no fatalities,” Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Wayne Williams said Friday. The blizzard is part of a storm system that’s all over the Southern High Plains, including eastern New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. About 1 million people are affected, including some 400,000 Texans, the weather service said. The weather has left hundreds of travelers stranded in Colorado and knocked out power in Oklahoma. The storm system moved into the region late Thursday, and by early Friday officials had closed Interstate 40 east and west of Amarillo and U.S. 287 north of the city early Friday. All major highways around Dalhart in the northwest corner

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of the Panhandle also have been closed. The National Guard has been placed on alert to help any blizzard-stranded motorists, a DPS dispatcher in Amarillo said. Schools and businesses were shutting down in the Texas Panhandle, and most flights were canceled at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport on Friday, officials said. Although traffic Friday morning was lighter than usual, police said it didn’t take much traffic to create a problem. Visibility was limited, especially in flat, open fields and agricultural areas with no houses to restrict the horizontally moving biting winds. “This afternoon, as the wind picked up and the snow picked up, things got considerably worse,” said Sgt. Brent Barbee of the Amarillo Police Department. “We’re having a rash of accidents right now.” Around 4:30 p.m., he said overpasses were snow-packed and glazed but most residential streets were passable. The National Weather Service is predicting snowfall in Texas of up to a foot and winds gusting to more than 45 mph that could lead to zero visibility and snowdrifts of up to 11 feet before the storm wanes near midday Saturday.

Republican wants delay of voter ID rules

License supervisor arrested in scheme

Ed board approves science standards

AUSTIN — Seeking compromise where none has seemed possible, a top Republican leader is pushing for a delay of up to four years before enacting new voter identification requirements, giving Texas time to conduct a massive statewide voter registration campaign. The proposal for tougher voter ID rules tied the Senate in knots and sparked days of partisan bickering. The voter ID debate is akin to redistricting, where party members run to their respective corners and refuse to compromise.

DALLAS — A supervisor in Texas’ drivers license division accused of conspiring to provide identification documents to illegal immigrants was arrested Friday, federal prosecutors said. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Alvaro Ivan Adame, 40, of Wichita Falls, was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to transfer unlawfully issued identification documents. Adame, who has worked for DPS since 1988, has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

AUSTIN — State education leaders forged a compromise on the teaching of evolution Friday, capping a week of impassioned debate. The move represented something of a victory for pro-evolutionists, who wanted the State Board of Education to drop a 20year-old requirement that both “strengths and weaknesses” of all scientific theories be taught. But the board’s 13-2 vote also means students in public school will be encouraged to scrutinize “all sides” of scientific theories. — Compiled from AP reports

OAKLAND, Calif. — The city virtually halted Friday for the funeral of four slain police officers, with a populace still in shock jamming a large sports arena, spilling into an overflow stadium and filling the streets to pay their last respects. The funerals for Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai, who authorities say were gunned down March 21 by a parolee, shut down major freeways into and out of Oakland for much of the day. The entire 815-member Oakland Police Department, wearing dress white caps and gloves and black mourning bands on their badges, filled the front rows, saluting their fallen brethren as their flag-draped caskets were carried inside.

Kansas: Before abortions, offer ultrasounds TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a bill Friday to ensure that women and girls seeking abortions in Kansas are allowed to see ultrasound images or hear their fetus’ heartbeat before the procedure. The measure requires abortion providers who use ultrasound or monitor fetal heartbeats to give their patients access to the images or sound at least 30 minutes before an abortion. Spokeswoman Beth Martino said Sebelius concluded that the bill had no constitutional flaws, didn’t jeopardize patient privacy and did not block access to health services. The governor

has in the past vetoed legislation sought by anti-abortion groups.

Scientists focus on the southern San Andreas THERMAL, Calif. — An arid expanse of California desert at the southern end of the notorious San Andreas Fault is being wired with high-tech sensors that scientists hope will tell them when the state’s sleeping giant could awaken. The effort could not be more timely. A swarm of more than 250 earthquakes has jiggled the desert for a week where the first new seismic instruments were installed earlier this year. In the first large-scale monitoring upgrade to one of the Earth’s most infamous cracks, scientists are showering unprecedented attention to the forgotten southernmost section, which has not ruptured in over three centuries and is thought to be the most ripe to break.

Judge orders release of CIA documents NEW YORK — A judge has given the CIA a month to begin releasing documents related to the destruction of videotapes of detainee interrogations. Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court says the CIA should start turning over the information and a list of witnesses to the American Civil Liberties Union within 30 days or explain why the agency should be exempt. The judge reviewed the CIA documents and on Friday gave the agency until April 9 to produce a schedule for releasing them. — Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE WORLD | IN BRIEF Iraq to move Iranian opposition group

Police raid hitman training camp

BAGHDAD — Iraq plans to move members of an Iranian opposition group from a camp north of Baghdad to remote areas elsewhere in the country as it steps up efforts to rid itself of a major source of tension with Tehran. Iraq’s Shiite-led government has long sought to get rid of members of the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which fought alongside Saddam Hussein’s forces during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States as well as Tehran.

GUATEMALA CITY — A hitman training camp for Mexico’s infamous Gulf cartel was found in northern Guatemala, along with 500 grenades, police said Friday. Officials also seized six rifles, three motorcycles and several boxes of ammunition during Thursday’s operation. Mexican drug cartels often use grenades in attacks, and many of the weapons are believed to be coming from Central America. The grenades found at the camp originated in Mexico. — Compiled from AP reports

DESIGNED FOR HISTORY

TODAY IN HISTORY ASSOCIATED PRESS

AROUND THE NATION | IN BRIEF

TUESDAY,MARCH 31

WEDNESDAY,APRIL 8

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Today is Saturday, March 28, the 87th day of 2009. There are 278 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On March 28, 1979, America’s worst commercial nuclear accident occurred inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pa. On this date: In 1834, the U.S. Senate voted to censure President Andrew Jackson for the removal of federal deposits from the Bank of the United States. In 1854, during the Crimean War, Britain and France declared war on Russia. In 1896, the opera “Andrea Chenier,” by Umberto Giordano, premiered in Milan. In 1930, the names of the Turkish cities of Constantinople and Angora were changed to Istanbul and Ankara. In 1939, the Spanish Civil War effectively ended as Madrid fell to the forces of Francisco Franco. In 1941, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf died in Lewes, England. In 1969, the 34th president of

the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington at age 78. In 1994, absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco died in Paris at age 84. T e n y e a r s a g o : NATO broadened its attacks on Yugoslavia to target Serb military forces in Kosovo in the fifth straight night of airstrikes; thousands of refugees flooded into Albania and Macedonia from Kosovo. The Baltimore Orioles beat a Cuban all-star team 3-2 in Havana. Venus Williams beat younger sister Serena 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to win the Lipton Championships in the first all-sister women’s final in 115 years. Five years ago: French President Jacques Chirac’s government suffered stinging defeats in regional elections seen as a vote of censure against painful economic reforms. Actor and writer Sir Peter Ustinov died in Genolier, Switzerland, at age 82. Game show host Art James died in Palm Springs, Calif., at age 74. One year ago: President Bush declared that Iraq was standing at a defining moment as it struggled to put down heavily armed

Shiite militias in new flare-ups of violence. Cuba made it legal for its citizens to own cell phones in their own names. Today’s Birthdays: Former White House national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski is 81. Country musician Charlie McCoy is 68. Movie director Mike Newell is 67. Actress Conchata Ferrell is 66. Actor Ken Howard is 65. Actress Dianne Wiest is 61. Country singer Reba McEntire is 54. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Bart Conner is 51. Rapper Salt (Salt-NPepa) is 43. Actress Tracey Needham is 42. Actor Max Perlich is 41. Movie director Brett Ratner is 40. Country singer Rodney Atkins is 40. Actor Vince Vaughn is 39. Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 38. Actor Ken L. is 36. Rock musician Dave Keuning is 33. Actress Annie Wersching is 32. Actress Julia Stiles is 28. Thought for Today: “Humanitarianism needs no apology... Unless we … feel it toward all men without exception, we shall have lost the chief redeeming force in human history.” — Ralph Barton Perry, American author and educator (1876-1957).

Photo by Jacquelyn Martin | AP

The design concept for the National Museum of African American History and Culture submitted by Foster + Partners/URS Group, Inc., is seen in Washington, on Friday. Six architectural models for the planned National Museum of African American History and Culture are on display.

Zlocal

SATURDAY,MARCH 28,2009

THE BLOTTER FAILURE TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER  A man identified as Jesus Martinez attempted to renew his driver’s license Tuesday at the Department of Public Safety driver’s license office on U.S. 83 and was arrested for failure to comply as a sex offender.

STOLEN VEHICLE  Deputies received a report Monday that a 2008 Chevrolet Impala was stolen from the 600 block of Roma while the owner was out of town.

FALSE REPORTTO A PEACE OFFICER  Antonio Arturo Ledezma, of 2410 Fresnos, complained to police Monday that

he left his vehicle in a parking lot and it was stolen. Deputies later proved Ledezma was making a false report, and a warrant was issued.

was found to be in possession of marijuana.

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA

 Deputies on Saturday arrested Arnulfo Guzman Sanchez at the corner of 9th Street and Highway 16 on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.  School administrators at Zapata Middle School found a female juvenile to be in possession of rohypnol on Wednesday.

 Deputies on Sunday responding to a fight near the corner of 2nd Street and U.S. 83 arrested a man identified as Jose Luis Rodriguez on a charge of possession of marijuana.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLENCE  Deputies performing a traffic stop Saturday on Roma Street arrested a man identified as Reymundo Solis for driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. At the Zapata County Jail, Solis

POSSESSION OFA CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

STOLEN BOAT  Deputies received a complaint Friday that a 1970 Delkl 14-foot rowboat was stolen from the 600 block of Papaya Street.

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Zapata State Park to limit entry on Easter Sunday SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Falcon State Park will have limited day use entry into the park on Easter Sunday, April 12, due to the high water level of the lake. For visitor’s safety we will stop entry into the park once all day use sites are full. The state park will have 53 picnic sites available on a first come–first serve basis, each with a barbecue grill and table.

In addition, there will be an area designated to accommodate approximately 30 picnic sites, of which visitors will need to bring their own portable grills and tables. The county is under a fire ban so no ground fires are allowed. The park will open at 5:30 a.m. Easter Sunday. Entry will be $4 each for adults; children 12 and under are free entry. Contact Falcon State Park for any additional information at 956-848-5327.

Membership service coordinator of chamber moved to Zapata BY DORA MARTINEZ

COLUMN

Celia Balderas has been the membership service coordinator of the Zapata Chamber of Commerce for about three years. A native of McAllen, she moved to Minnesota after completing high school. In Minnesota she studied photo typesetting at St. Paul Technical College. Celia worked for Sexton Printing Company for a few years then went to work for West Publishing, a legal publishing company, for 24 years. During those years, the company was bought out by the foremost provider of integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market, Thomson West Group. She had the opportunity to be with Westlaw, a computerized legal research tool, in its first stages and also had the opportunity to be involved in the development and implementation of Thompson SAP System Customer Service Module. Celia said all that gave her business experience and provided a steadfast work-ethic environment, but her goal was always to move back to Texas as a

winter Texan. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold after 32 years away from Texas; however, during that time, some of her family had moved to Zapata. Celia’s sister Lydia came to marry her husband, Raul Serna, and that is what started the family connection here. Now her mother, two sisters and five brothers live here in Zapata. Celia says it is a great place and that she enjoys working for the Zapata Chamber of Commerce because she gets to meet the whole town. Zapata has made her feel welcome, Celia said. She has a daughter and a son and is a proud grandmother of four who live in Minnesota. She hopes someday they will follow her path to Zapata. Thanks, Celia, for a job well done. She is an orgullo and pride of our town. (Dora Martinez is a native of Zapata who was publisher of Hispanic News in San Antonio for 21 years. She can be reached at thezapatatimes@att.net)

Passport fair today at post office SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Zapata Post Office is having a passport fair today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the office, 810 U.S. 83. The fair will provide information to U.S. citizens about the passport process, and passport applications will be accepted. The Zapata Post Office is joining the Department of State in celebrating “Passport Day in the U.S.A.” — a national passport acceptance and outreach event. June 1, U.S. citizens must present a passport book, passport card

or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Carribean and Bermuda, at land borders and

sea ports of entry. For more information on how to get a passport, visit travel.state.gov or call toll-free (877) 487-2778.

Keep up on the latest in entertainment by reading Kirsten Crow’s column in ¿Que Pasa? in Laredo Morning Times.

Zopinion

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

SATURDAY,MARCH 28,2009

OTHER VIEWS

EDITORIAL

Don’t give up on health care reform HOUSTON CHRONICLE

resident Barack Obama is standing firm on reforming health care, and that just infuriates some people. We’re guessing most of these folks have never worried about missing work to tend to a sick child or had to decide between putting food on the table and renewing a vital prescription. Stay strong, Mr. President. Access to affordable health care is an indispensable piece in the rebuilding of this sickly American economy. In these days of widening layoffs, the fear among American workers is palpable, and much of it relates to a possible loss of benefits. That has been addressed in a short-term way by inclusion in the stimulus package of a provision for Washington to pay 65 percent of COBRA costs for up to nine months for those laid off. COBRA is the program that allows laid-off employees to keep their health benefits for up to 18

months after the axe falls, but at their own expense. Defraying those costs brings a needed boost for thin pocketbooks. It was no coincidence that the insurance industry this week signaled its willingness to give on its long-standing position of charging higher premiums to people with a history of medical problems. We feel sure that Obama’s firm stand on reform caused that welcome change in attitude. Health care uncertainty can amount to an excise tax on people’s dreams. Who doesn’t know of a co-worker with a good idea for a new business who stays frozen in place year after year, fearing to risk a loss of benefits? Imagine the possibilities if that risk could be eliminated. By staying the course, the president can continue to set and shape the agenda on health care reform. The time for getting this fixed will never be better, and the benefits of doing so will be manifest. Let’s do it without delay.

EDITORIAL

Study shows bird protection needed HOUSTON CHRONICLE

COLUMN

Obama right to focus on Mexico he worsening drug war on the U.S.-Mexican border earned only a brief mention in President Obama’s press conference earlier this week, but we will be hearing more about it. As the president noted, the Mexican government has dispatched its military to take over from police deeply corrupted by the drug cartels’ payoffs and bribery, and the Obama administration has newly assigned hundreds more agents to the border and is sending additional technology. In both countries, those are only stop-gaps. The drug trade is so extensive and profitable that it is unlikely to yield to even the sternest and most technically sophisticated of the usual deterrents. The rival cartels’ own shoot-outs are piling up bodies without discouraging the trafficking. In effect, even summary execution hasn’t slowed recruiting. An analysis for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warns that, unchecked, the drug war could metastasize into a political insurrection whose complications for this country could be grievous. Mexican President Filipe Calderon is confronting the challenge boldly and the problem is mainly Mexico’s to handle, but the violence is spilling into the American Southwest, drugs from Mexico are spreading east and north and the trade is provoking more illegal immigration and is hampering legitimate trade. Mexico’s efforts and our own interests deserve more from the United States than the temporary surge Obama has ordered. We need to rethink fundamental policies. Obama hinted as much himself Tuesday when he said, “We need to do more too make sure that illegal guns and cash aren’t flowing back to the cartels.” Perversely, our own looseygoosey gun trade is largely arming the cartels. President Bush gave cartel violence a boost when

the Bush Administration, which generally downplayed climate change and repeatedly undercut the Endangered Species Act. The report also has some positive findings, with bald eagles and peregrine falcons bouncing back from near extinction and waterfowl beloved by hunters as well as birders increasing in number due to successful wildlife management measures and wetland conservation efforts. Many varieties of resident urban birds have benefited from the creation of green space by city planners and the popularity of backyard bird feeders. Among other recommendations, the report calls for more funding for wildlife agencies, a

regional system of protected areas to balance land development with habitat maintenance, and efforts to make agricultural practices compatible with bird preservation. The fact that wildlife conservation and regulation have proved so effective in maintaining game birds and nurturing such iconic species as the whooping crane and the California condor demonstrate that where there’s a determination to preserve our natural treasures, there’s usually a means to make it happen. The issuance of “The State of the Birds” indicates a renewed determination by the federal government to play a leading role in that effort.

TOM TEEPEN he reneged on a pledge not to let the ban on military-style assault weapons lapse. The huge loophole that forgoes background checks for gun-show sales allows straw buyers to load up stateside and clean up Mexico-side. The bloody result is just one more of the prices we pay to appease our domestic gun lobbies and their political intimidation. And it is our huge market that enriches the drug gangs. Generations of a sometimes waxing, sometimes waning but never ending “war” on drugs manifestly failed decades ago. Rather than daring to look for a better strategy we keep grinding away at the “war” futilely with nothing much to show for it but a booming prison industry. As with our constant deference to the firearms lobby, political cowardice holds us back here, too — keeping us from considering how treatment, controlled sales of some non-addictive drugs, decriminalization of others, alternative punishments to prison and other means might be applied to lower drug use and take the high, crime-inducing profits out of what remains. As Obama’s news conference once again made clear, this country right now has an agenda to groan under. Small wonder the president and Congress aren’t rushing to attempt more than a patch for the border drug issue. The issue looks likely to add itself to the agenda anyway. We might as well begin to prepare for it. (To reach Tom Teepen, an Atlanta-based columnist for Cox Newspapers, e-mail teepencolumn@earthlink.net)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. People who want to air their opinions publicly must do so openly. We want to assure our readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter; The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms.

report recently issued by an alliance of federal wildlife agencies and nonprofits has some findings that should alarm those committed to protecting our winged friends and the marshes, prairies and forests that provide their essential habitat. Entitled “The State of the Birds,” the study issued by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar utilizes decades of observations to evaluate the health of particular species. It documents that nearly a third of the 800 bird species found in the U.S. are under threat, with the most critical situation in Hawaii.

Birds in grassland and arid habitats in the continental U.S. are particularly imperiled, mainly as a result of destruction of habitat caused by urban sprawl. Species restricted to ocean habitats are also threatened by pollution, overfishing, and warming sea temperatures resulting from global warming. Forest birds have fared better by comparison, but many species are in decline as a result of unsustainable logging, increasing severity of wildfires, and pests and diseases inadvertently imported from elsewhere. In citing global warming and energy industry practices as threats to bird conservation, the report marks a sharp break with

Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. We do publish “thank you” letters, but due to limited space, we ask writers to list no more than 10 names in such letters. Mail letters to 111 Esperanza Drive; Laredo, TX 78041. Or email to editorial@lmtonline.com Letters also can be dropped off at 1309 N. US Highway 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, in Zapata.

YOUR OPINION Help South Texas Food Bank raise funds to fight hunger in Laredo,Hebbronville and Zapata To the editor: The South Texas Food Bank and Border Media of Laredo are teaming up again to hit the airways to battle hunger in Laredo, Hebbronville and Zapata. This year’s fourth annual South Texas Food Bank-BM Radio Radio Drive for the Hungry has a new fundraising twist. For first three years, it’s been a one-day radiothon event in the BM studios on Calle Del Norte. This year’s will be a month-long campaign, called a Radio Drive, from April 1 to April 30 over the five BM stations — La Ley 100.5 FM, Hot 106.1, The Works 94.9, Digital

107.3 and Norteño 1490. Ana Rivera Soto, executive for Border Media of Laredo, announced the format. She said, “It’s not your traditional radiothon. It’s a 30-day campaign. Border Media truly believes in the South Texas Food Bank mission of feeding the hungry and this appeal will maximize the efforts to raise as much money as possible.” The food bank is grateful to the Border Media group, its management and employees for letting us have the air time to get our mission across and allow South Texans, especially the generosity of Laredoans, to shine through.

The radiothon raised $112,000 last year. This year’s goal is $150,000. Hunger is not a problem you just see on television appeals from third-world countries. Hunger exists in our own backyard. The South Texas Food Bank is on the front line of combating the issue. In Zapata, the STFB serves more than 1,000 families, including nearly 1,500 children. Valued South Texas Food Bank board members Olga Maldonado and Roberto Diaz are the event co-chairs. Donors can call the South Texas Food Bank office at 7263120 Monday through Friday

from 8 to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 to make their pledge or mail in the donation to P.O. Box 2007, Laredo, TX, 78044. Donations are also being taken at all Wendy’s and Mariachi Express restaurants. You can also visit our Web site for more information at www.southtexasfoodbank.org Listen throughout the month of April and make your much appreciated and needed tax-deductible donations. God bless you and thank you. Signed, Alfredo Castillo, Executive Director South Texas Food Bank

Take time to learn about autism; April is Autism Awareness Month To the editor: Something short of miraculous happened at the Laredo Public Library on Friday, March 20, 2009. That’s when Congressman Henry Cuellar announced $238,000 in funding for a virtual diagnostic center for autism. Of course, the autistic community is elated This has been in the making for a very long time; some parents have been waiting for this for the last 20 years. This is not the undertaking of one particular person, but the many children, parents,

and families that deal with autism and the many trails and tribulations that come with the label. Every time our children look directly into our eyes, are able to utter at least one complete sentence, are able to take care of themselves, and even attend at least one regular class, we, as families of children diagnosed with autism, slowly start punching our way out of the very lonely autism world. This center will start to bring the Laredo area into the 21st century. Parents will no longer have

to travel to San Antonio for the services that the new center will bring. When a child is first diagnosed with autism, as a child is every 20 minutes, this child will be able to start on his own individualized plan. This will give the child a great head start since early diagnosis is one of the best interventions to reach a child with autism. April is Autism Awareness Month and April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. Families for Autism Support and Awareness (FFASAA) would like to invite everyone in

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

the community to become aware of the autism characteristics. For example, autism affects more than 250 families in the Laredo community. Keep in mind that autism is being diagnosed at a rate of 1 out of 150 births. Join our effort, learn the facts and get involved. For more information visit our Web site at www.familiesforautism.org Signed, Veronica V. Orduño President FFASAA

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Courtesy photo

Jerry Cabrera stands in front of his oil-on-canvas work,“Haven 5.”

Cabrera to bring ‘Light’ to the Laredo Center for the Arts SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | Laredo Morning Times

Pedro Jose Rojas’“Collateral of the Last Supper.”

All that is sacred By TARYN WHITE LAREDO MORNING TIMES

t has been said that art is a tryst where the painter and viewer meet. Enticing and inspiring art evokes great emotion from all of its devoted lovers. Never neglectful or disappointing, great art begs the beholder to feel something profound and look into oneself for true interpretation. On the walls of the Reyes Meza Museum at the Centro Cultural in Nuevo Laredo hang dozens of masterpieces, which may conjure up nothing less than passion, joy, sorrow and reverence from their beholders. More than 100 works created by the greatest artists from Mexico line the walls of the Reyes Meza Museum in an exhibit being shown in Mexico for the first time. Aptly titled “Myth, Mortals and Immortality” patrons are taken on a journey of abundance, religion, death and serenity.

Walking through the museum Upon entering the dimly lit room housing paintings and sculptures, large colorful brush strokes greet visitors in a painting called “Beautiful Mexico.” “It shows a representation of Mexico showing what we have to offer the whole world,” said Hector Romero Lecanda, City of Nuevo Laredo cultural affairs director. Painted by Jorge Gonzalez Camarena, five beau-

tiful, smiling women clad in costumes representing different regions of world stand in front of the Mexican flag holding baskets filled with fruits and vegetables. According Lecanda, this painting with its vibrant colors and classic beauty represents what people think of as “stereotypical” Mexican art. Taking a right turn after “Beautiful Mexico,” museum patrons enter a room of Baroque-style art inspired by religious icons. Exquisitely detailed renditions of the Virgin Mary painted in golds, rich reds and blues by artists like Juan de Sáenz and Francisco Martínez inspire reverie when looked upon. “Religion is very important to the Mexican culture,” Lecanda said. “In these pieces, you can feel the suffering of Jesus and the sadness of the Lady of Guadalupe.” Rounding out the exhibit are sculptures, including “The True Portrait of Christ of the Column” and an adorned reliquary holding a sliver of what is believed to be the original cross where Jesus was crucified.

The Laredo Center for the Arts is encouraging the community to visit its new exhibition, “Light,” opening April 3 and closing April 30. The center will also host an opening reception for the exhibit on Friday, April 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. The Lilia G. Martinez Gallery is set to present 18 new paintings by Laredo native and emerging artist Jerry Cabrera. “Light’ is a series of paintings first conceived after the artist visited the concentration camp sites and the Jewish Museum in Germany. His work is rooted in both theme and palette in the importance of light in isolated environments, environments of extreme suffering and that are considered sacred, such as a church or cathedral. Through his paintings, the artist explores the facets of light as a representation of life and all the associations that come to mind with it, such as hope, warmth and energy. The artist also plays with light as an ar-

Through his (Jerry Cabrera) paintings, the artist explores the facets of light as a representation of life and all the associations that come to mind with it. chitect would as an element of design. In considering the architecture of a prison cells and the limited amount of light available, light is used as a vehicle for escapism. The paintings investigate the psychology behind light as an element of hope in such environments. Light is the only source of visual escape from imprisonment and isolation. The paintings should be used as a reminder for the viewer of the vastness of light people are free to experience on a day-today basis, as opposed to those who do not have that freedom to walk in the sun. The intention of the paintings is also a chance to give the viewer a narrow, yet

vast, window of light — narrow enough not to physically fit through, but vast enough through which to visually escape Cabrera’s work is in many private and corporate collections, including the Neiman-Marcus Collection and the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Cabrera obtained his bachelor’s degree in painting from Texas State University in San Marcos and his master’s degree in painting from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also an adjunct professor of art at the University of Texas in San Antonio. For more information, call 725-1715 or visit www.laredoartcenter.org.

Celebrating death Immediately following the pieces inspired by religion are works representing Mexico’s cultural interpretation of death. “We don’t see death as dark; it is just a part of our continuing life,” Lecanda said.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009

Comedic opera to play at LCC SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | Laredo Morning Times

Jean-Fedrick Maximilien de Waldeck,“ Ideal Reconstruction of a Pre-Hispanic Ceremony."

SACRED | Continued from Page 5A One of the most interesting pieces from this exhibit is a painting titled “Portrait of a Dead Child” by David Alfaro Siqueiros. According to Lecanda, the story behind this painting is just as fascinating as the rendering itself. “The story is, the little girl in the painting asked Siqueiros to paint her with her little sister who had recently died,” Lecanda said. “But because of how expensive creating a painting was, Siqueiros painted it on a potato sack.” And now, “Portrait of a Dead Child” hangs in its original form, painted on a potato sack at Reyes Meza.

History on canvas Next, patrons will look upon paintings depicting historical accounts of Mexico from the 17th to 19th century. Paintings of landscapes by artists like Pedro Villegas, Conrad Wise Chapman and Gerardo Murillo portray images of what Mexico once looked like.

MISS MANNERS | BYJUDITH MARTIN

Secret identity revealed! DEAR MISS MANNERS — My problem is not one of mistaken identity, but rather one of accidentally revealed identity! I am a regular participant in an active online discussion group, and while heated debates over MARTIN politics and religion are the norm there, we usually manage to keep things civil. One prolific participant is a sort of self-appointed expert on many things, and makes quite a thing of the fact that she has two bachelor’s degrees and reads a lot. She goes to great pains to try to make people see her as smart and interesting. As a result, she is one of the people most likely to end up embroiled in a personal argument, and has revealed a lot about her off-line life. She recently posted a link to something with her real full name on it, and it turns out that this is someone I have known, or at least known about, in the past. She is a former friend of a friend, who was known, years ago, to have stirred up quite a bit of controversy, told a lot of damaging lies about someone and generally hurt a lot of people. It also appears that she has told some blatant lies about herself and her past in our online forum. I’m trying to decide how to proceed with her, and with the rest of the group. Would it be wrong of me to continue to participate in discussions with her without revealing that I know who she is? I have no idea what etiquette dictates in a situation like this. GENTLE READER — Excuse Miss Manners for being naive, but don’t we assume that most selfsketches on anonymous groups are at least embroidered, if not outright fantasy? Surely the question is whether you should reveal her identity, not whether you can keep participating without doing so. Where anonymity is presumed, even by the careless, you should not spread her name. Where is the clear and present danger from which you would be protecting the other participants? It isn’t as though you had discovered that your friend’s fiance was wanted for the murder of his first three wives.

Also, portraits of Spanish warriors and Mexican soldiers, as well as scenes involving debauchery and celebration, depict Mexico’s rich history. At the last display, the exhibit returns to the traditional Mexican style of art, using vibrant colors and images of plentiful food and beautiful women. According to Lecanda, the exhibit the exhibit in its entirety brings together classic Mexican images, which will give people a better understanding of Mexico’s influence on the rest of the world. “This exhibit has been shown in places like the Smithsonian and museums in San Antonio, and this is the first time it is being shown in Mexico,” Lecanda said. “We believe this museum is an original center that promotes art from this region.” “Myth, Mortals and Immortality” will remain on display at Reyes Meza until mid-April, when it will travel to Monterrey, Lecanda said. (Taryn White may be reached at 728-2568 or by e-mail at twhite@lmtonline.com)

For the first time at Laredo Community College, “The Bartered Bride,” a “challenging, yet comedic opera,” will be performed Friday through Sunday on LCC’s Fort McIntosh campus at the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center theater. The LCC Opera Workshop will perform Smetana’s opera with shows today at 7:30 p.m and Sunday, March 29, at 3 p.m. Admission for each performance is $5 per person. “It’s very entertaining, upbeat, and a great form of family entertainment for the Laredo community,” said Joseph Crabtree, LCC performing arts chair and director of the LCC Opera Workshop. “This is the first true opera that we’ll be performing at the Martinez theater and (it) is one of the most challenging pieces that we have done to date.” “The Bartered Bride” is a comedic tale of a penniless man in love with a girl who is supposed to marry a wealthy man. It is one of the top 20 and a handful of Czech operas that are continually performed throughout the world. “The Bartered Bride” was written by the Czech Republic’s Bedrich Smetana in the late 1800s. The cast is composed of 22 LCC Opera Workshop students and about 20 stage crew. This will be the workshop’s last performance of the academic year. “The real practical musical experience is invaluable and rarely found in any undergraduate institution. I really encourage folks to see it,” Crabtree said. “Everyone thinks that operas are just sad and everyone dies at the end. ‘The Bartered Bride’ is nothing like

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Laredo Community College’s Opera Workshop will perform “The Bartered Bride”today through Sunday at LCC’s Fort McIntosh campus at the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center theater. Admission is $5. From left to right, Krusina (Sergio Bernál) comforts his daughter Marie (Alexa DeAnda) during a dress rehearsal for the Czech comedic opera. that. You’re allowed to laugh.” Stephanie Schnyder, a 25year-old LCC student, is one of 22 cast members for the opera. Her role as Esmeralda, a circus performer as a tight-ropewalker, is one she enjoys playing. “There is so much going on during my performance — and insight — that I think the audience will have a pretty good laugh out of it,” Schnyder said. Schnyder has always dreamt of performing in front of a large audience. “I see myself as one day performing in New York City Broadway theaters,” Schnyder said. “This is a great way of setting that foundation, by per-

forming this type of challenging and amazing opera at LCC.” Stephen Miller, who is now 20 years old, has been performing at LCC since the age of 15. Miller is a Zapata native who also has performed at various theatres across the Laredo area. “I like this particular opera because there is a little of unraveling of the plot, which will surprise the audience near the end,” Miller said. Miller admitted that it can get hectic juggling homework and weekday evening dress rehearsals, but things always work out in the end. For more information, contact the LCC Performing Arts Department at 721-5330.

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Photo by DreamWorks Animation LLC | AP

In this publicity still released by DreamWorks Animation LLC, Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.,voiced by Hugh Laurie, left, and B.O.B.,voiced by Seth Rogen in a scene from DreamWorks Animation’s “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Photo by Danny Moloshok | AP

Musician Pitbull performs during KIIS-FM's Wango Tango concert, Saturday, May 12, 2007 in Irvine, Calif.

Pitbull to unleash at the LEC SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Reggaeton and Latin rap star Pitbull — known for hits like “Shake,” “Toma,” “Go Girl” and “The Anthem,” as well as the more recent “Krazy,” featuring Lil Jon — lands at the Laredo Entertainment Center stage Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. Joining Pitbull will be Houston-based rapper Slim Thug, who is enjoying renewed popularity with his single, “I Run,” and the tongue-in-cheek, self-proclaimed “Tamale Kingpin,” Chingo Bling. Tickets for the concert, available at the LEC box office, Ticketmaster and by phone at 712-1566, are $46, $36, $26 and $6, plus facility fees.

The big dog Pitbull — also known as Mr. 305 and Li’l Chico — has made several appearance in the Gateway City. He also headlined concerts in 2005 and 2007. Born to Cuban immigrants as Armando Christian Perez, Pitbull was raised by a single mother in Miami. The family endured frequent relocation to different parts

of town, which honed Pitbull’s skills to adapt to any environment and interact with different types of people. All the while, Pit was falling for hip-hop. Through his constant winning verbal warfare and his VIP friendships with Li’l Jon and Luke Campbell, Pit signed with TVT. Since then, Pitbull has become one of the top MCs in the game, releasing his gold-selling debut, “M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue)” in 2004 and his sophomore album “El Mariel” in 2006. In his last studio effort, “The Boatlift,” Pitbull was joined by a star-studded crew, including Grammy award-winning producers Play-N-Skillz for his first single “Secret Admirer” featuring R&B sensation Lloyd. The diverse album ranged from R&B-influenced sounds with his hit single “Secret Admirer” to techno/dance-inspired tracks like “The Anthem,” as well as songs like “Midnight” that are heavily mainstream/pop-influenced and down South-inspired tracks like “Dookie.” “The Boatlift” boasts appearances from Trina, Jim Jones, Don Omar, Twista, Lloyd, Frankie J,

Young Berg, Trick Daddy, Fabo of D4L and Young Boss. Pitbull teams up with Trina and Young Boss on the club banger “Go Girl,” which he also filmed a video for in Miami. Other album notables include “Sticky Icky” produced by Li’l Jon and featuring Jim Jones, “Fuego” featuring Platinum artist Don Omar and produced by Mr. Collipark, and the Twista-assisted “Candy Man” produced by Echo. Pitbull’s last album, “El Mariel,” produced numerous radio hits, including the club anthem “Bojangles” and the hit rap single “Ay Chico.” In 2004, Pitbull surpassed gold status for more than 600,000 copies sold of his debut album “M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue” in the United States. The feat gave Pitbull the biggest-selling bilingual hip-hop debut since Cypress Hill’s 1991 self-titled debut, and put him in the rare category of Latino rappers who have achieved major success at English-language radio. More recently, the hits have included “Krazy,” featured Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, and “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho.)”

‘Monsters’ has high-energy humor By CHRISTY LEMIRE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Classic creatures from the 1950s get a hightech makeover, with a healthy amount of attitude, in the 3-D animated “Monsters vs. Aliens.” The Blob, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Fly — they’re are all here, led by The 50-Foot Woman, who’s now 49 feet, 11 inches as voiced by the diminutive Reese Witherspoon. (Animation, by the way, is a great fit for her, and for both the crispness and sweetness in her voice.) Far from being menacing, they’re optimistic misfits who just want to be loved and understood. Rather than destroying each other, they’re loyal friends who’ve been trapped together as government test subjects, only to be unleashed on the world when an alien invasion requires their unique powers. It’s an enormously clever concept — no pun intended — with a choice voice cast. Who else but Seth Rogen could play a lovable blue blob named B.O.B., who always has a smile on his gelatinous face? Will Arnett essentially revives his hilariously cocky-but-clueless “Arrested Development” character, Gob Bluth II, as the half-fish, half-ape Missing Link, and Hugh Laurie lends his rich voice to the British mad scientist Dr. Cockroach. Just seeing the words “And Stephen Colbert as The President” during the opening titles is good for a laugh, especially given the comic’s faux run for

The White House from his home state of South Carolina. And the laughs keep coming steadily from there. Directors Rob Letterman (“Shark Tale”) and Conrad Vernon (“Shrek 2”), working from a script from about a half-dozen people, maintains a high energy throughout, although the explosive climax feels bombastic and repetitive. Far more effective is the way this motley crew comes together. Witherspoon’s Susan is a simple woman from Modesto, Calif., who’s about to marry pompous TV weatherman Derek (Paul Rudd). On their wedding day, as Susan dreams of honeymooning in Paris and Derek obsesses over an anchor audition in Fresno, a meteor hits Earth, exposing Susan to galactic gloop that turns her into a giant with a shock of white hair. (And as she grows, her wedding gown rips and clings to her in sexy ways — but there’s nothing too racy here on any level. “Monsters vs. Aliens” is decidedly PG, with any vestiges of antagonism softened for the sake of family-friendly comedy. It could have used a bit more edge.) The military, led by Gen. W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland), scoops her up and sticks her in a holding cell along with B.O.B., Link, Dr. Cockroach and a goofy, 350-foot bug named Insectosaurus. (Their back stories, rendered in rundown film clips, are a nice nostalgic touch.) They also rename her Ginormica, which gives her a self-esteem boost when she needs it most.

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‘Forum’ is great can’t miss, funny musical comedy By KIRSTEN CROW LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Boisterous. Flamboyant. Bawdy. Downright (well, mildly) scandalous. “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” isn’t what most people envision when they’re considering a trip to the theater — but for anyone who enjoys a brief respite from the realities of the world within the confines of a cool auditorium or just enjoys a good snicker or belly laugh, this is a can’t-miss musical comedy. Under the direction of Joe Flores and produced by the Laredo Institute of Theatrical Education, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” combines the flutterings of a first-love story bookended by laughs, as the young actors throw themselves fully into their over-the-top roles bringing to life the phrase from the musical’s opening number: “Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight.”

Making LITE of love Based on the book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart and the plays of Plautus, and with music and lyrics by renowned composer Stephen Sondheim, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” centers around the stuff of romantic comedies: young love versus its lustier counterparts, the comedic circumstances surrounding nearly insurmountable obstacles, and, of course, the true staple — cross-dressing. Immediately following its opening song, replete with high kicks, the audience is introduced to Pseudolus, the charismatic, good-hearted slave of Senex, the would-be philanderer who makes no qualms about his distaste for his wife, and Domina, the derriere-blessed battleaxe who hounds him and behaves like a harpy true to her name. All Pseudolus wants in the world is his freedom — and perhaps the

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Homer Gonzalez poses as Erronious at the Laredo Civic Center. Gonzalez spends much of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” shuffling in and out of scenes, bringing them to an abrupt, amusing halt. The play will be performed at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday and at 6 p.m. Sunday at the civic center. company of some of the comely courtesans that reside next door. The prominent couple leave town, Domina’s bust in tow — and yes, it is a literal a bust in the artistic sense that bears a “frightening resemblance” to its inspiration — willing their son, Hero, to the charge of the servants, and namely Hysterium, a mouse of a man who continuously and humorously overreacts to any and all situations. It is explicitly stated that Hero is to have no contact with the fairer sex. Enter the young man in question, who has been struck with Cupid’s arrow and the first blush of love. Unfortunately for him, the

object of his affection is residing in the house of Marcus Lycus — a courtesan house with many unmentionable delights — or, as it is phrased, “gross indulgences” sure to “satisfy an Olympian appetite.” Upon discovery that Hero pines for the fair-haired Philia, Pseudolus strikes a deal with his young master: If he can secure the girl for Hero, Hero will secure his freedom. Now the only problem is wooing the beautiful but empty-headed Philia –she was “taught only beauty and grace and no more” — away from the courtesan house and her impending marriage to her betrothed, Miles Glorius, who

is almost as impressed with his bride-to-be as he is with himself. In between, we find Erronious — an elderly man who occasionally brings the scenes to a humorous halt as he continues his neverending search for his missing offspring, kidnapped by pirates when they were merely small children.

The players Hitting the stage in LITE’s latest and most mature project are a number of stage vets encompassing the ages between high school and the recently graduated, many with a number of UIL One-Act Play accolades.

For some, this will be their last LITE play, noted Armando X. Lopez, board member. “For (this musical) you need some real comedians, and we had that, and you need some beautiful women, and we had that,” he said about the selection, a change from the originally planned The Who’s “Tommy.” Several parts have two actors portraying the characters on different nights: Alex Lopez and Ernesto Gonzalez play Pseudolus, Oliver Saenz and Mark Gonzalez play the lascivious Senex, and Victoria Young and Cassandra Vara play the “just lovely” Philia. Other standouts include Santi-

High flying If you believe in fairies, that boys don’t really need to grow up, or that mothers are the healers of the hearts of children, the Laredo Little Theatre is the place to be this weekend and next. Directed by Adalberto Chavarria, the Little Theatre’s version of “Peter Pan” takes the classic story by J.M. Barrie with some young — but, make no mistake, very professional — young talent ages 5 to 19. Performances of the play will be held at Laredo Little Theatre, 4802 Thomas Ave., at 8 tonight and 3 p.m. Sunday. The production continues the following weekend. Admission is $5.

Smackdown The Laredo Entertainment Center, an SMG-managed facility, and WWE have partnered to put on an action-packed show with the WWE Smackdown and ECW to take place Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. at the LEC box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. WWE has promised an exciting lineup with all the favorite Smackdown and ECW stars. Ticket prices are $20, $25, $30 and $40.

‘El Vaquero Real’ The Webb County Heritage Foundation has a new exhibit of photographs and paintings celebrating the cultural legacy of vaqueros, the original cowboys wellknown and recognized throughout the world, titled “El

Vaquero Real, The Original American Cowboy.” The exhibit, on display until the end of October, may be viewed Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. in historic downtown Laredo. The photographs are the work of noted photographer John Dyer, while the paintings were created by well-known advertising executive Lionel Sosa. Both San Antonio artists will be on hand to meet the public at an opening reception Thursday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend. For more information, contact the Webb County Heritage Foundation at 727-0977 or heritage@webbheritage.org.

‘Sisterhood ... Traveling Pants 2’ ASSOCIATED PRESS

Yes, the pants still exist, but now they’re covered in patches and jewels and etched with the memories and dreams of the four young women who’ve been wearing them. And they still travel — to New York and Vermont, Turkey and Greece, and points in between. But the magic in those jeans, and in the bond that linked the

friends who’ve shared them over the years, seems to have faded. The sequel to 2005’s surprisingly tolerable “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” finds our eclectic group of heroines a little bit older and wiser and a lot less connected to each other. “Sisterhood” is rated PG-13 for mature material and sensuality. It is playing at Cinemark Mall Del Norte and Hollywood Theaters.

Presented by the City of Laredo Parks and Leisure Department and LITE Productions through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” will have performances at 8 tonight and Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday at the Laredo Civic Center, 2400 San Bernardo Ave. Admission is $5. For more information, call Sandra Gallegos at 645-8088 or Marta Perez at 740-6410. (Kirsten Crow may be reached at 728-2543 or by e-mail at kirsten@lmtonline.com)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The formula is pretty familiar by now in these Judd Apatowproduced comedies. A couple of buddies get into trouble, and as they try to bumble their way out of it, their friendship only grows stronger. “Pineapple Express” tries to breathe some fresh life into this comic genre by turning it into a serious action movie. But because it tries to be both, it doesn’t completely work on either level. Seth Rogen and James Franco have great chemistry, though — not surprising, since they’re both longtime friends of Judd who costarred on his TV series “Freaks and Geeks.” Rogen also co-wrote the script with lifelong pal Evan Goldberg, with whom he wrote the script for “Superbad,” which was inspired by their geeky adolescence.

Auditions set Open auditions for the Texas A&M International University Opera Workshop and Laredo Community College Opera Workshop’s joint production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Martinez Fine Arts Center, Room 102, on the main LCC campus. The performance is slated for Thursday, Oct. 16, through Saturday, Oct. 18. Singers should prepare one song from memory and take a copy of their sheet music for the accompanist for the audition. Rehearsals will be held on weeknights from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, contact Dana Crabtree at dcrabtree@tamiu.edu or 326-3040 or contact Joseph Crabtree at LCC at 721-5869.

On the way?

‘Pineapple Express’

ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFS SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

ago Moreno as Hero, sweetly portraying a young man touched by Philia’s unforgettable smile, Carmella Diaz-Lolar as the delightfully snarky Marcus Lycus, Marla Perez as the shrewish Domina and Ricky Vera as Miles Glorious in all his self-aggrandizing splendor. But David Gonzalez, playing Hysterium, and Homer Gonzalez as Erronious, possibly have the most comic opportunities. Although he has few lines, Homer Gonzalez is able to provoke laughs by his mere presence and the slight shake in his old-man stride. Also notable are the courtesans, who showcase some impressive, hip-shaking moves choreographed by Ani Vera Perez, owner of Dance City and a former San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancer, along with the proteans, who slip easily from role to role, bringing a new essence to each one. But for parents of young children, be warned: This isn’t G-rated. There’s no cursing or nudity, but there is a hefty dose of sexual innuendo and suggestive dancing befitting a play set during the Roman era. Although the majority of the jokes will likely go over heads lower to the ground, it might be best to leave the kids at home and keep it high schoolaged and older.

Courtesy photo

“Angels of Desire,” by Sheila Elias.

Art Happening at the C. for the Arts SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Laredo Center for the Arts will hold its Art Happening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday in an evening that will feature an artists reception and a disc jockey set by the Pop Rocks. The Lilia G. Martinez Gallery will exhibit “Somewhere, Anywhere” by Sheila Elias. “Somewhere, Anywhere” is a midcareer retrospective of the multimedia artist, whose work includes paintings and photographs spanning a 35-year career. Her work connects life and art through aesthetics and social consciousness. Elias’ work portrays a perception of urban tension, raw emotions and harsh realities tempered with gentle optimism and beauty, countering an American Dream that has gone astray. In the Mezzanine, “Full of Cold Air,” an interactive sitespecific inflatable installation by Jimmy Kuehnle, continues its run. The exhibit will be on display through Aug. 29.

On exhibit in the Rosalie G. Goodman Gallery is “July left in September,” large-scale penand-ink drawings by local artist Jorge Javier Lopez, while the Laredo Art League Gallery presents “Vive Le Arte,” artwork by The Santos. “Vive Le Arte” is a group show consisting of paintings, photographs and installations influenced by pop culture, art, consumerism and fashion. In addition to the visual arts, the event will incorporate a DJ set by The Pop Rocks, a local DJ duo that combines art and

music in a masterful way. The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by IBC Bank, L&F Distributors and the Texas Commission on the Arts. For more information, call the Laredo Center for the Arts at 725-1715 or visit www.laredoartcenter.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28. 2009

THE ZAPATA TIMES | 9A

NATIONAL

Thousands flee ahead of floodwaters By PATRICK CONDON and DAN SEWELL ASSOCIATED PRESS

FARGO, N.D. — Thousands of shivering, tired residents got out while they could and others prayed that miles of sandbagged levees would hold Friday as the surging Red River threatened to unleash the biggest flood North Dakota’s largest city has ever seen. The agonizing decision to stay or go came as the final hours ticked down before an expected crest Saturday evening, when the ice-laden river could climb as high as 43 feet, nearly 3 feet higher than the record set 112 years ago. “It’s to the point now where I think we’ve done everything we can,” said resident Dave Davis, whose neighborhood was filled with backhoes and tractors building an earthen levee. “The only thing now is divine intervention.” Even after the floodwaters crest, the water may not begin receding before Wednesday, creating a lingering risk of a catastrophic failure in levees put together mostly by volunteers. National Guard troops fanned out in the bitter cold to inspect floodwalls for leaks and weak spots, and residents piled sandbags on top of 12 miles of snowcovered dikes. The freezing weather froze the bags solid, turning them into what townspeople hoped would be a watertight barrier. Hundreds more Guard troops poured in from around the state and neighboring South Dakota, along with scores of American Red Cross workers from as far away as Modesto, Calif. Homeowners, students and small armies of other volunteers filled sandbags in temperatures that barely rose into the double digits. The river swelled Friday to 40.67 feet — more than 22 feet above flood stage and beyond the previous high-water mark of 40.1 feet in 1897. In one flooded neighborhood, a man paddled a canoe through ice floes and swirling currents. Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker cautiously expressed hope that the river would stay below 43 feet — the limit of the reinforced dikes. Walaker said there was not enough time to build the levees any higher. Fargo escaped devastation from flooding in 1997, when

Grand Forks was ravaged by a historic flood 70 miles to the north. This year, the river has been swollen by heavier-than-average winter snows, combined with an early freeze last fall that locked a lot of moisture into the soil. The threat has been made worse by spring rains. “I think the river is mad that she lost the last time,” said engineer Mike Buerkley, managing a smile through his dark stubble as he tossed sandbags onto his pickup truck after working 29 straight hours. Some 1,700 National Guard troops helped reinforce the dikes and conduct patrols for leaks. Police restricted traffic to allow trucks laden with sandbags, backhoes and other heavy equipment to get through. Guard member Shawna Cale, 25, worked through the night on a dike, handing up sandbags that were 30 to 40 pounds and frozensolid. “It’s like throwing a frozen turkey,” said sister-in-law Tawny Cale, who came with her husband to help with the sandbags and then to help Shawna move her valuables as she evacuated. “When it hurts when you lift your arms, you have to stop,” Shawna Cale said. City Administrator Pat Zavoral said the cold firms up the bags, strengthening the dikes. “If you lay loose bags and now they’re frozen, they’re like a frozen ice cube. It’s good shape.” Authorities said they were keeping about 300,000 of the 3 million sandbags they had Friday in warm buildings for use as needed. Sandbags that are already frozen when piled onto a dike do not fit together snugly. But the freezing temperatures actually helped stave off worse flooding; officials said the river was rising more slowly because the freezing temperatures prevented snow from melting. The White House said it was monitoring flooding in North Dakota and Minnesota, and President Barack Obama has dispatched the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the region. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama has personally spoken with the governors of both states and with Fargo’s mayor. The president called North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad on his cell phone during a news confer-

Photo by Brian Peterson/The Star Tribune | AP

Homes along the Wild Rice River in South Fargo, N.D. near its confluence with the Red River, are shown Friday. Thousands of shivering, tired residents got out while they could and others prayed that miles of sandbagged levees would hold Friday as the surging Red River threatened to unleash the biggest flood North Dakota’s largest city has ever seen. ence in Bismarck on flooding problems there and in Fargo. “If there’s anything more that we can do, we will do it,” Obama said after Conrad held the phone up to a microphone. Authorities in Fargo and across the river in Moorhead — a city of about 30,000 people — expanded evacuations Friday across several blocks. About 2,600 households in Moorhead — about a third of the city — were asked to leave their homes. Hundreds more in Fargo were asked to evacuate. Some residents were roused from their sleep around 2 a.m. Friday and told to leave after authorities found a leak in a dike. They expected to be able to patch it securely. More than 100 inmates were taken from the county jail in Fargo to other lockups in the region, and Moorhead planned to evacuate the police station because of encroaching floodwaters. U.S.

Sen. Byron Dorgan said Northwest Airlines was sending two jetliners to move hospital patients to safer areas. The effort to fortify floodprone neighborhoods took place around the city, with officials building a contingency dike system as a second line of defense should the river breach riverside neighborhoods. But some residents were left between the two sets of dikes. “There are people who are angry about being on the wrong side of the dike,” said Tim Mahoney, a Fargo city commissioner whose home is in one of the “wrong-side” neighborhoods. “We have a 500-year flood that we’re combatting, and we think we’re doing as well as we can,” Mahoney said. Residents in another of those neighborhoods placed pumps in their yards in hopes of keeping water out of their homes.

$150M buys late TV producer’s L.A. mansion By ALEX VEIGA ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — The widow of producer Aaron Spelling is placing “The Manor” in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood on the market for a jawdropping $150 million, making it by far the most expensive home for sale in the U.S. The French chateau-style mansion has 56,500 square feet of space on more than 4.7 acres and is the largest home in Los Angeles County. Among the neighbors are the Los Angeles Country Club and,

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not too far away, the Playboy Mansion. Candy Spelling’s late husband produced hit shows such as “Charlie’s Angels,” “Dynasty” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” He died in 2006. “Everything there is glamorous, and is luxurious and it’s really great scale,” said Sally Forster Jones, an agent with Coldwell Banker Previews International in Los Angeles, which is co-listing the property. “There really is nothing to compare it to.” Spelling told The Associated Press that she let her dog Madison, a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, help pick out the best

real estate agent for the task. She had her security bring the dog into the room every time she met one of the candidate agents and watched how the dog reacted. If Madison didn’t like them, Spelling crossed them off the list. Prospective buyers won’t have to worry about passing such scrutiny, Spelling jokes. “Not at all,” she says. The mansion, built in 1991, is gated and features a winding driveway that leads up to the three-story house, which includes ceilings that reach up to 30 feet high, Jones said.

While some published reports put the tally of rooms in the mansion at well past 100, Jones couldn’t provide an exact count. Spelling says she doesn’t know either. “You’re really asking the wrong person,” Spelling jokes. “There’s a lot. (The house) has evolved and I actually haven’t gone around and counted.” The Spellings found no shortage of uses for the many rooms in the mansion, however. There’s a bowling alley, a wine storage and tasting room, gift-wrapping room, a humidity-controlled silver storage room,

China room, library, gym and media room, among many others. The screening room is one of Spelling’s favorites. “I had some really wonderful times entertaining in that room,” she said. “We showed movies and I still do.” The room features a movie projection system that automatically comes up from the floor at the same time that shades extend over the windows. I t ’ s a n i d e a t h at c a m e to C a n dy Spelling in a dream as she sought to avoid having a projection screen open all the time.

10A | THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009

Financial firms fail to meet job targets By KELLEY SHANNON ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN, Texas — Mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corp. fell more than 1,600 jobs short of its target last year for creating jobs under its Texas Enterprise Fund agreement, while failed bank Washington Mutual was 192 jobs below its goal, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press. Both companies have laid off thousands of workers nationally and have been taken over by other financial firms since receiving tens of millions of dollars from the taxpayer-funded account overseen by Gov. Rick Perry. Countrywide was to create 5,500 new jobs by the end of 2008 under its contract, but created only 3,876. Perry’s office said the company is still in compliance with its long-term agreement to bring 7,500 total new jobs to Texas by the end of 2010. That’s because it has “surplus credits” it can use to offset the annual shortage, according to Perry spokeswoman Allison Cas-

tle. Surplus credits are accumulated when the company exceeds its job target in previous years. “There are challenges in the current economy, and the goal of the enterprise fund is job creation,” Castle said. “Countrywide continues to meet the terms of the contract.” Washington Mutual had a target of creating 2,400 jobs last year, but it reported only 2,208. Like Countrywide, it has surplus credits to keep it in compliance, Castle said. The AP has sought to obtain under the Texas Public Information Act the enterprise fund certification letters Countrywide and Washington Mutual filed with the state. Perry’s office is trying to block the release of those documents and has asked the attorney general to allow them to be kept secret. Perry’s office says the information is proprietary and could cause competitive harm to Countrywide and Washington if released. Late Thursday, Perry’s office provided the AP with a synopsis of the job creation num-

bers it said the companies reported in January. Castle said the governor is not shutting off access to government spending information. “The governor is an advocate for transparency and accountability in state government,” she said. “We’ve provided the job creation totals.” Countrywide received $20 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund under its agreement signed in 2004. Bank of America bought Countrywide last year, taking over a company that was at the epicenter of the mortgage crisis. Washington Mutual — a recipient of $15 million from the enterprise fund under a 2005 agreement to add 4,200 new jobs in Texas by 2011 — became the biggest bank failure in U.S. history when it was seized by federal regulators and taken over by JPMorgan Chase in September. The companies could be forced to pay some of the Texas money back if they don’t create enough jobs.

Accountability wanted in Enterprise Fund By JACKIE STONE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN, Texas — Lawmakers quizzed leaders of the Texas Enterprise Fund and the Emerging Technology Fund on Friday about how they distribute money after a $50 million state grant to the Texas A&M University System raised some eyebrows earlier this week. The House Appropriations committee asked leaders of the funds to explain how they decide on grants. Gov. Rick Perry’s office came under fire when it was discovered the technology fund’s 17-member advisory committee did not recommend a $50 million grant for the Texas A&M University System. Members of the House budget-

writing committee called the fund directors to task, suggesting there is a lack of accountability because financial decisions rest solely with the top three leaders of the state — the governor, lieutenant governor and House majority leader. “It seems like every day we go through this thing, it gets more disturbing,” Appropriations chairman Jim Pitts said. Some committee members also expressed concern that money from state’s unemployment insurance fund is redirected to the Texas Enterprise Fund. The unemployment insurance trust fund is currently floundering. It is expected to have just $48 million by Oct. 1, when it is required by law to have $860 million.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009

THE ZAPATA TIMES | 11A

OBITUARIES FREDERICK D. ‘CHIPS’ McLENDON

MARTIN J. CORONADO

Martin J. Coronado 58, passed away Monday, March 23, 2009 at Laredo Medical Center.

Mr. Coronado is preceded in death by his father, Juan Antonio Coronado; brother, Roel Rolando Coronado and a sister, Amanda Elia Coronado. Mr. Coronado is survived by his wife, Alicia Martinez; sons, Martin Coronado Jr., Joseph Gil Coronado, Anthony Coronado; daughter, Marie Coronado; grandchildren, Christian L. Coronado, A.J. Coronado, Josiah Coronado, Kristal Requejo, Kariss Celedon; mother, Adelfa S. Coronado; brothers, Larry (Guillermina) Coronado, Raul A. (Noelia) Coronado; and by numerous nephews, nieces and many friends. Visitation hours were held Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 6 to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at

Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Friday, March 27, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Condolences were sent to www.rosegardenfuneralhome.co m. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Hwy. 83, Zapata.

County Cemetery. Condolences were sent to www.rosegardenfuneralhome.co m. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Hwy. 83, Zapata.

Petra Quezada 52, passed away March 18, 2009 in Houston.

Condolences were sent to www.rosegardenfuneralhome.co m. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Hwy. 83, Zapata.

Dorothy M. Hammond, age 85, longtime resident of Zapata, passed away at Gulf Breeze, Florida on Sunday, March 8, 2009. Dorothy was born March 1, 1924 in Arab, Alabama. She is survived by her daughter, Belva Mazzeo; son, Kelly Hammond; grandchildren, Staff Sgt. Gennaro Mazzeo and Jina Weaver and great-grandchildren Danillio

Mazzeo, Mia Mazzeo and Catherine Weaver. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 28, 2009 at Lakeshore Tabernacle, Zapata. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Lakeshore Tabernacle School Missionary Services, P.O. Box 577, Zapata, 78076. Remember her for her love of life, plants, flowers and most

of all beautiful music. Arrangements are entrusted to Rose Lawn Funeral Home of Gulf Breeze. You may offer condolences, share memories and sign the guest book at www.roselawn-fh.com.

Plane with problems lands safely ASSOCIATED PRESS

PETRA QUEZADA Mrs. Quezada is preceded in death by her father, Ubvaldo Garcia and two brothers. Mrs. Quezada is survived by her husband, Juan A. Quezada; sons, Lucio (Viviana) Quezada and Juan Luis Quezada; daughter, Ludivina Quezada; grandchildren, Nathalie Quezada, Haley Quezada and Amie Quezada; mother, Herminia G. Garcia; and by numerous brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and many friends. Visitation hours were held Friday, March 20, 2009 from noon to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession depart-

his children, James McLendon, Marjorie Stanley and Rick (Belinda Clark) McLendon, sister, Mary Elizabeth McCutcheon; brother, Bobby R. McLendon, eight grandchildren; many greatgrandchildren, and by numerous relatives and many friends. A graveside service was held Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 2 p.m. at Zapata County Cemetery, including full Military Honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard.

DORTHY M. HAMMOND

REV. PETER J. McNAMARA Rev. Peter J. McNamara 81, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Falcon Lake Nursing Home in Zapata. A rosary was recited Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church visitation followed until 9 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Monday, March 16, 2009, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church opened at 8 a.m. for visitations. A funeral Mass started at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata

Frederick D. “Chips” McLendon, passed away March 16, 2009. He was a native of Atlanta, Ga. and resident of Coden, Ala. Mr. McLendon is preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie McLendon; son, Harold McLendon; parents, Jesse Martin McLendon and Elizabeth Sartain McLendon, four brothers, George McLendon, Jack McLendon, Melborne McLendon and James McLendon. Mr. McLendon is survived by

ed Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. for a 9 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Condolences were sent to www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Hwy. 83, Zapata.

Subscribe to the Laredo Morning Times by calling (956) 728-2550

HOUSTON — Police and airline officials are investigating a disturbance involving a passenger Friday on a Continental Express jet on a flight from Cincinnati to Houston’s Intercontinental Airport. The aircraft also reported a brake issue as it prepared to land about 9:30 a.m., then taxied to a gate after an inspection showed no problem. No injuries were reported and passengers departed without further incident. “There was an incident on board,” Kristy Nicholas, a spokeswoman for ExpressJet Airlines, the Houston-based operator of the flight, said. “I don’t have details. We had law enforcement meet the aircraft.” She said officers did “some questioning” but wasn’t aware of any subsequent arrests.

Airport fire crews were alerted when the pilot, “acting on an abundance of caution,” radioed ahead and declared an emergency before landing when instruments showed brakes were

over acceptable temperatures, she said. “Obviously you don’t take a risk when something is saying it’s too hot and it slows the aircraft down,” Nicholas said.

12A | THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009

Obama widens al-Qaida war, making it his own

FORT | Continued from Page 1A said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want our work to jump out at you.â&#x20AC;? The conservation effort will be aided by a study now underway to help the preservation team determine how best to restore the structure to its

former glory. The project is expected to be completed later this year. (Erika Lambreton can be reached at 728-2567 or e-mail erika@lmtonline.com)

By BEN FELLER ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; This is not the war heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ending. President Barack Obama on Friday made clear that it will take more troops and more time for the United States and its allies to regain control of the war in Afghanistan. As he winds down an Iraq conflict he considered a blunder, Obama is widening the war in OBAMA Afghanistan, and calling the cause essential and just. At stake in taking on the alQaida terrorist network in Pakistan and Afghanistan? Nothing less, Obama says, than â&#x20AC;&#x153;the safety of people around the world.â&#x20AC;? Obama launched a fresh effort by sending in 4,000 more troops, hundreds of civilians and increased aid for a war that has lasted more than seven years and still has no end in sight. The president also promised intensive diplomacy with Pakistan and Afghanistan and an unprecedented world outreach for help. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future,â&#x20AC;? Obama said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just.â&#x20AC;? Stirring echoes of Sept. 11 and making the war his own, Obama warned that al-Qaida is actively planning attacks on the United States from secret havens in Pakistan. The president, who declared last weekend an â&#x20AC;&#x153;exit strategyâ&#x20AC;? was needed for Afghanistan, never used those words in announcing his plans on Friday. His strategy is built on an ambitious goal of boosting the Afghan army from 80,000 to 134,000 troops by 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and greatly increasing training by U.S. troops accompanying them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; so the Afghan military can de-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan.â&#x20AC;? PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

feat Taliban insurgents and take control of the war. That, he said, is â&#x20AC;&#x153;how we will ultimately be able to bring our troops home.â&#x20AC;? There is no timetable for withdrawal, and the White House said it had no estimate yet on how many billions of dollars its plan will cost. The essence of Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy is to set clear goals for a war gone awry, to get the American people behind them, to provide more resources and to make a better case for international support. He is heading next week to a NATO meeting in France and Germany, where he expects allies to pledge more help of their own. Much like Iraq, the war effort in Afghanistan has been longer and costlier than American leaders expected. U.S.-led forces toppled the militant Taliban government there after the terrorist attacks on America in 2001, but many militants fled and regrouped in neighboring Pakistan. Obama said that Afghanistan will now get the resources it should have received years ago, â&#x20AC;&#x153;denied because of the war in Iraq.â&#x20AC;? Since becoming president, Obama has ordered 21,000 troops into Afghanistan, counting 17,000 combat forces who will try to quell surging violence. The Pentagon says that will put the U.S. total there at more than 60,000, the most to date. As the Iraq conflict winds down, the Afghanistan war is growing. Taking firm control of the war that dominated Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presidency, Obama broke with his predecessor in significant ways but also used phrases that sounded strikingly familiar.

He described the ruthlessness of the enemy, the need to take on terrorists, the genesis of the fight. Bush often reminded the nation that terrorists were plotting to kill Americans, even as the public fear dissipated with each passing year after the 9/11 attacks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remind everybody, the United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan,â&#x20AC;? Obama said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, for doing nothing more than going about their daily lives.â&#x20AC;? He tied Afghanistan and Pakistan together as one conflict, pledging regular three-way diplomacy with both countries and intensive outreach to the world for help in the region. He pledged to send in 4,000 forces to train the Afghan army and police force. He is sending in hundreds of U.S. civilians â&#x20AC;&#x201D; agricultural specialists, educators and engineers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to help a poor, broken country try to build itself up from the provincial level. The president promised that the U.S. will hold itself and others accountable by using benchmarks, although those measures are just starting to be shaped. And showing the frustration of many in American government, Obama spoke bluntly about the leadership of the government it is trying to help. He said Pakistan must no longer expect a â&#x20AC;&#x153;blank checkâ&#x20AC;? for its U.S. aid and must be willing to take on extremists within its borders. He suggested that the U.S. would strike terrorist targets in Pakistan if the country did not do so itself, saying he will insist that action be taken â&#x20AC;&#x153;one way or another.â&#x20AC;?

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DEBATE | Continued from Page 1A learned new methods to incorporate into future matches. The experience in Austin was new to several of the members, and has changed college plans for some. ZHS Debate coach A.J. Martinez was proud of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has been our goal from the beginning of the year, to break at state,â&#x20AC;? Martinez said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m extremely proud of the way the whole team has performed this year. Of course, next year will be better.â&#x20AC;?

The goal for next year is to keep on advancing to Octofinals, and perhaps beyond. To accomplish this, the team is already focusing on next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debate topic: increasing social services for those who live in poverty in the US. The team is planning to attend a debate camp during the summer. At camp, the students will refine techniques, learn about argumentation styles and begin building their cases and other files. To raise money for the trip, the team had a weekly bake sale at lunch for the past month.

COUNTY | Continued from Page 1A voted to hire Hoover Construction. The county is hoping to begin expanding the landfill within the next couple of weeks and as long as no unforeseen problems arise, the project should be completed in 45 days. Also on Friday, Zapata County Commissioners Court voted to award the San Ygnacio street and

drainage improvement project to REIM Construction with a bid of $2,603,712. The drainage improvement project is being funded through a previously approved bond. (Taryn White may be reached at 728-2568 or twhite@lmtonline.com)

GUNS | Continued from Page 1A didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cooperate. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worried for his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety,â&#x20AC;? defense lawyer David Adler said. Gutierrez, who was also fined $7,500, apologized to his family and friends before being sentenced, saying he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where the firearms he bought would end up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve hurt people who Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never met,â&#x20AC;? he said. Gutierrez bought 20 weapons from Carterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country, a chain of four gun stores based in the Houston suburb of Spring, from October 2006 to December 2006. Five of these weapons have been recovered at crime scenes in Mexico. Three of those included two Bushmaster assault rifles that were among an arsenal of weapons seized in April 2007 from a group of 20 suspected kidnappers and drug traffickers in Campeche, Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula, and another Bushmaster rifle seized in December 2007 when 11 suspected Zetas â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Gulf cartelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infamous hit men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were arrested in Campeche after assaulting police. Prosecutors said Gutierrez also bought several FN 5.7 caliber pistols, semiautomatic handguns which can fire armor-piercing bullets and are popular with drug cartels. In all, Gutierrez bought weapons worth more than $17,800. The organization he worked for bought weapons worth more than $366,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating in January 2007 after a routine inspection of Carterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s records. A worker at Carterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country declined to make anyone available to comment on the case. The chain was named Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;best place to buy gunsâ&#x20AC;? by a newspaper in 2006. Adler said guns dealers share culpability for guns going into Mexico. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The problem wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be solved until the government focuses on the conduct of gun dealers,â&#x20AC;? he said. Authorities say that Gutierrez also used a socalled â&#x20AC;&#x153;straw buyerâ&#x20AC;? to buy eight Beretta 9mm handguns. That person later cooperated with authorities. Gutierrez could have been sentenced up to 10 years for each count he faced and fined up to $250,000. John Phillip Hernandez, another member of this organization, pleaded guilty last year to similar charges in the case and is set to be sentenced next month. Authorities say one of the guns Hernandez bought was recovered from a bloody February 2007 daylight shooting in the resort city of Acapulco, where more than a dozen armed assailants staged simultaneous attacks against two police stations, killing five police investigators and two secretaries.

The Zapata Times SATURDAY,FEBRUARY 21,2009

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Sports&Outdoors BORDER OLYMPICS GOLF

Cagers eying bi-district By NINO CARDENAS THE ZAPATA TIMES

The Zapata Hawks basketball team has already surpassed expectations, but don’t expect it to relax just yet. The Hawks (11-3) finished in second place in District 32-3A, behind district champion Hidalgo, and now travels to Falfurrias on Monday to take on Sinton in bi-district. The game is set for a 6 p.m. tipoff. While the team did set aside lofty goals to begin the season, the truth of the matter was that there was more reason to doubt their success. “Not too many people expected that from us, especially with me being in my first year as coach,” head coach Juan Villar-

real said. “At the beginning I didn’t think it was going to be attainable. We just wanted to put up a dog fight in every single game and take one game at a time and hopefully buy a spot to go into the playoffs.” A trip to the playoffs wasn’t supposed to come this quickly, and challenging for a title as district play drew to a close was even more of surprise. Yet, from the beginning, the mix of seniors and sophomores didn’t take the oil and water route. Instead, they steadily began to believe in one another. “These kids have come a long way from the first day of practice to now,” Villarreal said. “They bought into the program and we’re excited, the town is excited. They started to listen to each oth-

er playing together. At the beginning they couldn’t find their identities and most had not played together. Out of the five seniors, only one had made it through the whole year last year.” By the time district play rolled around the Hawks were slowly smoothing out the road toward success. The players responsible for the Hawks’ success are seniors Rene Garcia, Meliton Trejo, Arlo De Los Santos, Rene Benavides and Raul Serna and sophomores Andrew Magee, Joey Barrera, Louie Gonzalez, Ricky Martinez and Francisco Trejo. They opened with four straight district wins before falling to Hidalgo. Despite that loss, the previous victories served as the confidence springboard that lifted the Hawks

back into the postseason. “They stepped up and met the challenges,” Villarreal said. “I liked the way they didn’t back down from anybody or any of my challenges.” Villarreal had his expectations tempered as he took over the program. His plan was to bring the glory of yesterday back into the present, but the hard part now for the Zapata coaches and players is to focus on the task at hand. While they’re satisfied at getting back to the playoffs, they walk the fine line of being content of just being there. “We are trying to keep them relaxed, to not think that it’s too big of a step,” Villarreal said. “Hopefully they act like they’ve been there before.”

See CAGERS | PAGE 2B

GETTING READY FOR THE DIAMOND Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times

Zapata’s Denise Benavides tees off on Hole No. 6 Friday morning as she participates in the Border Olympics High School Golf Tournament at the Casa Blanca Golf Course.

Seven positives in steriod tests By JIM VERTUNO ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — The second round of steroid testing for Texas high school athletes found only seven positive results in nearly 19,000 tests, about the same outcome as the program’s debut last year. The latest results, released by the University Interscholastic League on Friday, came from random tests on male and female athletes from September through December. The initial round of testing in the nation’s largest high school screening program found only four cases of steroid use in 10,000 athletes. With such tiny numbers, some state lawmakers have questioned the value of the $6 million program. Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, has suggested it may need to be scaled down. A spokesman for Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican who pushed the plan through the Legislature in 2007, said the few numbers of positive tests show the program “is clearly working as a deterrent.” “The lieutenant governor believes the program is working as intended to keep young people from destroying their bodies and their lives by using steroids,” spokesman Rich Parsons said. Texas, New Jersey and Illinois are the only states testing high

school athletes for steroids and the Texas program is by far the biggest, aiming to test up to 50,000 by the end of the school year. Florida recently decided to scrap its smaller program with one steroid user caught in 600 tests. State officials said they couldn’t justify the $100,000 cost in a tough economy. Texas state Sen. Dan Patrick, a Houston Republican, had previously criticized Texas program as a “colossal waste of taxpayer money.” His office declined comment on the results released Friday. The Texas program is supported by prominent testing advocate Don Hooton, whose 17year-old son Taylor committed suicide while battling depression doctors believe was brought on by steroid use. Hooton, who has testified before Congress on the dangers of steroid use, said testing is designed to prevent drug use, not to measure how many kids are doing it. The small number of athletes caught should not discourage more testing, he said. It could be geared more toward sports that are known to draw users such as football, baseball and softball. “They don’t stop testing Olympic athletes just because most of them don’t test positive,” Hooton said.

See SEVEN | PAGE 2B

Courtesy photo

The Zapata Lady Hawk softball captains this season are, from left, Lynda Leyva, Tessa Moss and Mayra Alaniz.

Lady Hawks prepare for tough opponents in new district By CLARA SANDOVAL SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

he Zapata Lady Hawks have dusted off their bats and are ready to hit the diamond full force to open the softball season. Coach Jaime Garcia starts his sophomore year at the helm for Zapata after spending six years as the assistant softball coach for the Lady Hawks. Zapata will feel the effects of last year’s realignment as it faces some tough competition in its new district, 32-3A. The Lady Hawks will face powerhouses Raymondville, Lyford and La Feria, which have a strong hold on the district and have gone deep in the playoffs. Raymondville, the defending 31-3A champion, has owned the district, claiming the last four district titles and making a trip to

the regional quarterfinals last year. Lyford returns fireball pitcher and last season’s All-Valley Newcomer of the Year Katrina Zamorano. The La Feria Lionettes, defending 32-3A champions, will put up a fight and hope to improve on their 18-8 mark from last year. Garcia also returns a wealth of experience on the diamond as he welcomes back nine lettermen. He hopes the experience will lead to wins for the Lady Hawks and help them improve on last season’s 6-15 record. “We are a year older and the experience we are returning from last year group will help us,” Garcia said. “If we can just put the pieces of the puzzle together we should do well this year.” Last season during district play the Lady Hawks battled in every game and were with-

in striking distance of a win when they seemed to lose their composure at the end. They lost six district games by three runs or fewer, as small mistakes would have a snowball effect on the team. “Every game we were in it but we just made some costly mistakes down the stretch to cost us,” Garcia said. Garcia welcomes back four-year lettermen Lynda Leyva, Tessa Moss and Myra Alaniz, who have made a steady impact on the softball program since their freshman year. “All three of them are great leaders, and I expect big things from them,” Garcia said. Leyva returns to the mound for pitching duties and will utilize her three years of experience to help the Lady Hawks to a playoff spot

See LADY HAKWS | PAGE 2B

Woods ready for links comeback By DOUG FERGUSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods has been on the golf course every day, either practicing or playing, hitting his full array of shots without fear of pain shooting down his left leg or bones sliding out of place. The next step is taking that inside the ropes. And not even Woods is sure what to expect. “I’m as curious as you,” Woods said Friday during a conference call. “The feeling of adrenaline, the rush of competing and playing again, all that I haven’t done in a while.” Woods will have gone more than eight months — 253 days to be exact — without hitting a shot that counts when he returns from reconstruc-

tive knee surgery next week at the Accenture Match Play Championship just north of Tucson, Ariz. His goal is to win. That hasn’t changed. The surgery in June was to repair his knee, not his heart or his mind. But as confident as Woods feels about his game, his main concern is how sharp he will be in his first tournament since the U.S. Open last June. “It’s one thing to do it in a practice environment at home against my buddies for a little bit of cash,” Woods said. “It’s a totally different deal to do it at a PGA Tour event against the best players in the world. I’m excited to get out there and experience that.” But at least he’ll be doing it on a healthy knee, saying “it’s been years” since he was without pain.

“One of the great things coming back is my bones aren’t moving anymore,” Woods said. “It’s a very comforting feeling hitting a golf ball without your bones sliding all over the place. That’s been very exciting to play that way, and I’m looking forward to the season.” Swing coach Hank Haney said the only change in his swing will be the finish, noting that Woods finally has a strong left knee that will not give way and “flop all over the place.” The only noticeable change might be his golf bag. Woods ended his nine-year endorsement deal with Buick because of the automaker’s financial problems. He said he will have AT&T on his bag as an extended partnership with the telecommunications giant.

AT&T is the title sponsor of his PGA Tour event in Washington and a major sponsor of his foundation. He also has an endorsement with Accenture, although Woods said that wasn’t behind his decision to return. The knee has felt strong enough that he could have played earlier. All he waited on was the birth of his son, Charlie Axel, making sure his wife and baby were healthy before he went back to work. “It was making sure the family was all good with the birth of Charlie and making sure Elin was OK, Charlie was OK, everything was safe and sound on the home front,” he said. “Then the focus was on playing again.” Woods offered some insight on the name of his son.

Photo by Charlie Riedel | AP

In this June 15, 2008, file photo Tiger Woods holds on to his left knee after teeing off on the second hole during the fourth round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.Woods will end his eight-month absence from competition Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the Accenture Match Play Championship outside Tucson,Ariz. He has not played since capturing the U.S. Open last year.

Zscores National League All Times EDT East Division W L Pct GB New York Philadelphia Florida Atlanta Washington

74 73 68 59 49

60 62 66 75 85

.552 — .541 1½ .507 6 .440 15 .366 25

Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago Milwaukee St. Louis Houston Cincinnati Pittsburgh

85 77 74 68 58 57

50 56 60 66 76 76

.630 — .579 7 .552 10½ .507 16½ .433 26½ .429 27

West Division W L Pct GB Arizona Los Angeles Colorado San Francisco San Diego

68 65 63 59 51

65 69 72 74 82

.511 — .485 3½ .467 6 .444 9 .383 17

Thursday’s Games Houston 3, Cincinnati 2 Atlanta 4, Florida 2 Washington 11, L.A. Dodgers 2 Chicago Cubs 6, Philadelphia 4 Friday’s Games Chicago Cubs 3, Philadelphia 2 Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets at Florida, 7:10 p.m. San Francisco at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m. Atlanta at Washington, 7:35 p.m. St. Louis at Houston, 8:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, 9:40 p.m. Colorado at San Diego, 10:05 p.m. Saturday’s Games Philadelphia (Myers 7-10) at Chicago Cubs (Lilly 13-7), 3:55 p.m. Milwaukee (Suppan 9-7) at Pittsburgh (Maholm 8-7), 7:05 p.m. St. Louis (Looper 12-10) at Houston (Moehler 9-5), 7:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Pelfrey 13-8) at Florida (Nolasco 13-7), 7:10 p.m. Atlanta (J.Reyes 3-10) at Washington (Bergmann 2-10), 7:10 p.m. San Francisco (Correia 3-7) at Cincinnati (R.Ramirez 0-0), 7:10 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Billingsley 12-10) at Arizona (Haren 14-6), 8:10 p.m. Colorado (Jimenez 9-11) at San Diego (Greer 0-0), 10:05 p.m. Sunday’s Games San Francisco at Cincinnati, 12:35 p.m. N.Y. Mets at Florida, 1:10 p.m. Atlanta at Washington, 1:35 p.m. Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 1:35 p.m. St. Louis at Houston, 2:05 p.m. Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m. Colorado at San Diego, 4:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, 8:05 p.m.

American League All Times EDT East Division W L Pct GB Tampa Bay Boston New York Toronto Baltimore

81 77 71 68 63

51 56 62 65 70

.614 .579 .534 .511 .474

— 4½ 10½ 13½ 18½

Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago Minnesota Cleveland Detroit Kansas City

76 75 65 64 56

57 59 67 69 77

.571 — .560 1½ .492 10½ .481 12 .421 20

West Division W L Pct GB Los Angeles Texas Oakland Seattle

81 66 62 50

52 69 72 83

.609 — .489 16 .463 19½ .376 31

Thursday’s Games N.Y. Yankees 3, Boston 2 Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 2 Oakland 3, Minnesota 2 L.A. Angels 7, Texas 5 Friday’s Games Toronto at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Boston, 7:05 p.m. Kansas City at Detroit, 7:05 p.m. Seattle at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m. Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m. Minnesota at Oakland, 10:05 p.m. Texas at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m. Saturday’s Games Toronto (Parrish 1-0) at N.Y. Yankees (Rasner 5-9), 1:05 p.m. Seattle (Washburn 5-14) at Cleveland (Reyes 2-1), 3:55 p.m. Baltimore (D.Cabrera 8-8) at Tampa Bay (Sonnanstine 13-6), 3:55 p.m. Chicago White Sox (Buehrle 11-10) at Boston (Pauley 0-0), 7:05 p.m. Kansas City (Duckworth 1-0) at Detroit (Rogers 9-11), 7:05 p.m. Minnesota (Liriano 4-3) at Oakland (Braden 4-3), 9:05 p.m. Texas (Feldman 5-5) at L.A. Angels (Jer.Weaver 10-10), 9:05 p.m. Sunday’s Games Toronto at N.Y. Yankees, 1:05 p.m. Kansas City at Detroit, 1:05 p.m. Seattle at Cleveland, 1:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Boston, 1:35 p.m. Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 1:40 p.m. Texas at L.A. Angels, 3:35 p.m. Minnesota at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

MLB leaders

NATIONAL LEAGUE

BATTING—CJones, Atlanta, .359; Pujols, St. Louis, .357; Holliday, Colorado, .340; Berkman, Houston, .333; CaLee, Houston, .314; Theriot, Chicago, .311; YMolina, St. Louis, .311. RUNS—Berkman, Houston, 100; HRamirez, Florida, 98; Holliday, Colorado, 95; JReyes, New York, 95; DWright, New York, 93; Beltran, New York, 92; Utley, Philadelphia, 90; Ludwick, St. Louis, 90. RBI—Howard, Philadelphia, 112; DWright, New York, 100; CaLee, Houston, 100; ArRamirez, Chicago, 99; Ludwick, St. Louis, 97; Berkman, Houston, 93; Delgado, New York, 93. HITS—JReyes, New York, 174; Holliday, Colorado, 156; Berkman, Houston, 156; DLee, Chicago, 155; Theriot, Chicago, 154; Pujols, St. Louis, 153; Atkins, Colorado, 152. DOUBLES—Berkman, Houston, 41; McLouth, Pittsburgh, 39; Hart, Milwaukee, 39; Young, Arizona, 38; DWright, New York, 37; Kemp, Los Angeles, 36; ArRamirez, Chicago, 36. TRIPLES—JReyes, New York, 16; FLewis, San Francisco, 11; SDrew, Arizona, 9; Rollins, Philadelphia, 9; Victorino, Philadelphia, 7; BPhillips, Cincinnati, 7; Braun, Milwaukee, 6; Loney, Los Angeles, 6; CJackson, Arizona, 6; Weeks, Milwaukee, 6. HOME RUNS—Howard, Philadelphia, 36; Dunn, Arizona, 34; Braun, Milwaukee, 33; Ludwick, St. Louis, 32; Utley, Philadelphia, 31; Burrell,

Philadelphia, 30; Delgado, New York, 30. STOLEN BASES—Taveras, Colorado, 61; JReyes, New York, 43; Pierre, Los Angeles, 38; Rollins, Philadelphia, 36; Bourn, Houston, 34; Kemp, Los Angeles, 29; HRamirez, Florida, 29; Victorino, Philadelphia, 29. PITCHING (14 Decisions)—Lincecum, San Francisco, 15-3, .833, 2.43; Webb, Arizona, 19-5, .792, 2.96; Volquez, Cincinnati, 15-5, .750, 2.80; Dempster, Chicago, 15-5, .750, 2.95; Zambrano, Chicago, 13-5, .722, 3.53; Haren, Arizona, 14-6, .700, 3.10; Wellemeyer, St. Louis, 11-5, .687, 3.87. STRIKEOUTS—Lincecum, San Francisco, 210; Billingsley, Los Angeles, 171; Haren, Arizona, 171; Hamels, Philadelphia, 168; Cain, San Francisco, 161; Dempster, Chicago, 160; JSantana, New York, 159. SAVES—BWilson, San Francisco, 36; Valverde, Houston, 35; Lidge, Philadelphia, 31; Gregg, Florida, 29; KWood, Chicago, 28; BWagner, New York, 27; Hoffman, San Diego, 27. AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING—Bradley, Texas, .322; Kinsler, Texas, .319; Pedroia, Boston, .317; Mauer, Minnesota, .317; Youkilis, Boston, .316; Polanco, Detroit, .312; ISuzuki, Seattle, .311; Damon, New York, .311. RUNS—Kinsler, Texas, 102; Pedroia, Boston, 101; Markakis, Baltimore, 95; Quentin, Chicago, 95; BRoberts, Baltimore, 92; Granderson, Detroit, 88; Peralta, Cleveland, 86; ARodriguez, New York, 86. RBI—Hamilton, Texas, 116; Morneau, Minnesota, 103; Quentin, Chicago, 100; MiCabrera, Detroit, 100; Mora, Baltimore, 97; Huff, Baltimore, 94; Youkilis, Boston, 91. HITS—Pedroia, Boston, 174; ISuzuki, Seattle, 174; Kinsler, Texas, 165; JoLopez, Seattle, 158; BRoberts, Baltimore, 157; MiYoung, Texas, 157; Morneau, Minnesota, 156; Ibanez, Seattle, 156. DOUBLES—BRoberts, Baltimore, 46; Kinsler, Texas, 41; Markakis, Baltimore, 40; Pedroia, Boston, 40; Rios, Toronto, 40; Huff, Baltimore, 40; Ibanez, Seattle, 39. TRIPLES—Granderson, Detroit, 10; Crawford, Tampa Bay, 10; BRoberts, Baltimore, 8; Inglett, Toronto, 7; AJones, Baltimore, 6; Rios, Toronto, 6; ISuzuki, Seattle, 6. HOME RUNS—Quentin, Chicago, 36; Dye, Chicago, 32; Sizemore, Cleveland, 31; Hamilton, Texas, 29; Huff, Baltimore, 29; MiCabrera, Detroit, 28; ARodriguez, New York, 28; Thome, Chicago, 28. STOLEN BASES—Ellsbury, Boston, 41; ISuzuki, Seattle, 39; Upton, Tampa Bay, 38; Sizemore, Cleveland, 34; BRoberts, Baltimore, 33; Rios, Toronto, 30; CaGomez, Minnesota, 27. PITCHING (14 Decisions)—CLee, Cleveland, 19-2, .905, 2.43; Matsuzaka, Boston, 15-2, .882, 2.98; Perkins, Minnesota, 12-3, .800, 3.96; Galarraga, Detroit, 12-4, .750, 3.20; ESantana, Los Angeles, 13-5, .722, 3.41; Lester, Boston, 12-5, .706, 3.41; GFloyd, Chicago, 14-6, .700, 3.70. STRIKEOUTS—Burnett, Toronto, 185; ESantana, Los Angeles, 176; Halladay, Toronto, 175; JVazquez, Chicago, 163; Greinke, Kansas City, 151; FHernandez, Seattle, 147; CLee, Cleveland, 145; Beckett, Boston, 145. SAVES—FRodriguez, Los Angeles, 51; Nathan, Minnesota, 36; Papelbon, Boston, 34; Soria, Kansas City, 33; Sherrill, Baltimore, 31; MRivera, New York, 31; Percival, Tampa Bay, 27.

College Football Schedule All Times EDT Saturday, Aug. 30 EAST Coastal Carolina at Penn St., Noon Bowling Green at Pittsburgh, Noon Monmouth, N.J. at Rhode Island, 1 p.m. Towson at Navy, 3:30 p.m. Villanova at West Virginia, 3:30 p.m. Bryant at Cent. Connecticut St., 5 p.m. Albany, N.Y. at Massachusetts, 6 p.m. Assumption at Sacred Heart, 6 p.m. Colgate at Stony Brook, 6 p.m. SOUTH Virginia Tech at East Carolina, Noon Hawaii at Florida, 12:30 p.m. Georgia Southern at Georgia, 12:30 p.m. Birmingham-Southern at Campbell, 1 p.m. Southern Cal at Virginia, 3:30 p.m. Delaware at Maryland, 3:45 p.m. Tulsa at UAB, 4 p.m. Illinois St. at Marshall, 4:30 p.m. Appalachian St. at LSU, 5 p.m. SE Louisiana at Alcorn St., 6 p.m. Alabama St. at Florida A&M, 6 p.m. Texas College at MVSU, 6 p.m. Johnson C. Smith at N. Carolina A&T, 6 p.m. Virginia St. at Norfolk St., 6 p.m. McNeese St. at North Carolina, 6 p.m. S. Carolina St. at UCF, 6 p.m. Mississippi St. at Louisiana Tech, 6:45 p.m. Tennessee St. at Alabama A&M, 7 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn, 7 p.m. James Madison at Duke, 7 p.m. Richmond at Elon, 7 p.m. North Greenville at Liberty, 7 p.m. Memphis at Mississippi, 7 p.m. Texas A&M Commerce at Northwestern St., 7 p.m. Jacksonville at Savannah St., 7 p.m. Tenn.-Martin at South Florida, 7 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette at Southern Miss., 7 p.m. Webber International at The Citadel, 7 p.m. Presbyterian at Wofford, 7 p.m. Mars Hill at Furman, 7:05 p.m. Alabama at Clemson, 8 p.m. MIDWEST W. Kentucky at Indiana, Noon Maine at Iowa, Noon Syracuse at Northwestern, Noon

SATURDAY,AUGUST30,2008

Youngstown St. at Ohio St., Noon Akron at Wisconsin, Noon Utah at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Fla. International at Kansas, 7 p.m. N. Illinois at Minnesota, 7 p.m. W. Michigan at Nebraska, 7 p.m. North Texas at Kansas St., 7:05 p.m. Boston College at Kent St., 7:30 p.m. St. Ambrose at South Dakota, 8 p.m. Illinois vs. Missouri at St. Louis, 8:30 p.m. SOUTHWEST Florida Atlantic at Texas, 7 p.m. Ark.-Monticello at Ark.-Pine Bluff, 7 p.m. W. Illinois at Arkansas, 7 p.m. Southern U. at Houston, 7 p.m. Chattanooga at Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Langston at Stephen F.Austin, 7 p.m. Arkansas St. at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. Angelo St. at Texas St., 7 p.m. E. Washington at Texas Tech, 7 p.m. Texas Southern vs. Prairie View at Houston, 8 p.m. FAR WEST S. Utah at Air Force, 2 p.m. Ohio at Wyoming, 2 p.m. Adams St. at Montana St., 3:05 p.m. Oklahoma St. at Washington St., 3:30 p.m. W. Oregon at Portland St., 4:05 p.m. N. Iowa at BYU, 6 p.m. TCU at New Mexico, 6 p.m. Idaho St. at Boise St., 8 p.m. Michigan St. at California, 8 p.m. UC Davis at San Jose St., 8 p.m. Grambling St. at Nevada, 9:05 p.m. Humboldt St. at Sacramento St., 9:05 p.m. Cal Poly at San Diego St., 9:30 p.m. Idaho at Arizona, 10 p.m. N. Arizona at Arizona St., 10 p.m. Washington at Oregon, 10 p.m. Utah St. at UNLV, 10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31 SOUTH Jackson St. at Hampton, 2 p.m. Kentucky at Louisville, 3:30 p.m. Fayetteville St. at N.C. Central, 4 p.m. MIDWEST Dayton at Central St., Ohio, 5 p.m. FAR WEST Colorado St. vs. Colorado at Denver, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1 EAST Fresno St. at Rutgers, 4:30 p.m. FAR WEST Tennessee at UCLA, 8 p.m.

CONCACAF Champions League At A Glance PRELIMINARY ROUND First Leg Tuesday, Aug. 26 Joe Public (Trindad) 2, New England (United States) 1 Tauro FC (Panama) 2, Chivas USA (United States) 0 Cruz Azul (Mexico) 6, Hankook Verdes (Belize) 0 Wednesday, Aug. 27 Montreal Impact (Canada) 1, Real Esteli (Nicaragua) 0 Alajuelense (Costa Rica) 1, Puerto Rico Islanders 1 Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) 2, Marathon (Honduras) 2, tie Thursday, Aug. 28 Harbour View (Jamaica) vs. Pumas UNAM (Mexico), ppd., hurricane Jalapa (Guatemala) 1, San Francisco FC (Panama) 0 Friday, Aug. 29 Harbour View (Jamaica) vs. Pumas UNAM (Mexico), ppd., hurricane Thursday, Sept. 4 Harbour View (Jamaica) vs. Pumas UNAM (Mexico) Second Leg Tuesday, Sept. 2 New England (United States) vs. Joe Public (Trinidad) Chivas USA (United States) vs. Tauro FC (Panama) Real Esteli (Nicaragua) vs. Montreal Impact (Canada) Wednesday, Sept. 3 Puerto Rico Islanders vs. Alajuelense (Costa Rica) Hankook Verdes (Belize) vs. Cruz Azul (Mexico) Marathon (Honduras) vs. Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) Thursday, Sept. 4 San Francisco FC (Panama) vs. Jalapa (Guatemala) Pumas UNAM (Mexico) vs. Harbour View (Jamaica) GROUP STAGE Group A Team GP W D L GF GA Pts DC United (USA) 0 0 Saprissa (CRC) 0 0 Cruz Azul-Hankook0 0 Metapan-Marathon0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 D.C. United (United States) vs. Saprissa (Costa Rica) Wednesday, Sept. 17 Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner vs. Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner Tuesday, Sept. 23 Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner vs. Saprissa (Costa Rica) Wednesday, Sept. 24 Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner vs. D.C. United (United States) Tuesday, Sept. 30 Saprissa (Costa Rica) vs. Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner Wednesday, Oct. 1 D.C. United (United States) vs. Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner Tuesday, Oct. 7 Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner vs. Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner Thursday, Oct. 9 Saprissa (Costa Rica) vs. D.C. United (United States) Tuesday, Oct. 21 Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner

vs. D.C. United (United States) Thursday, Oct. 23 Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner vs. Saprissa (Costa Rica) Tuesday, Oct. 29 D.C. United (United States) vs. Isirdo Metapan-Marathon winner Saprissa (Costa Rica) vs. Cruz Azul-Hankook Verdes winner Group B Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Houston (USA) 0 Firpo (Slv) 0 Jalapa-San Fran 0 Harbour-Pumas 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Jalapa-San Francisco winner vs. Harbour View-Pumas winner Wednesday, Sept. 17 Houston (United States) vs. Firpo (El Salvador) Tuesday, Sept. 23 Jalapa-San Francisco winner vs. Houston (United States) Wednesday, Sept. 24 Harbour View-Pumas winner vs. Firpo (El Salvador) Tuesday, Sept. 30 Harbour View-Pumas winner vs. Houston (United States) Thursday, Oct. 2 Firpo (El Salvador) vs. Jalapa-San Francisco winner Wednesday, Oct. 8 Houston (United States) vs. JalapaSan Francisco winner Thursday, Oct. 9 Firpo (El Salvador) vs. Habour View-Pumas winner Wednesday, Oct. 22 Houston (United States) vs. Habour View-Pumas winner Jalapa-San Francisco winner vs. Firpo (El Salvador) Tuesday, Oct. 28 Firpo (El Salvador) vs. Houston (United States) Habour View-Pumas winner vs. Jalapa-San Francisco winner Group C Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Atlante (Mex) 0 0 0 Olimpia (Hon) 0 0 0 J.Public-New England 0 0 0 Canada-Real Esteli0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Wednesday, Sept. 17 Canada-Real Esteli winner vs. Joe Public-New England winner Thursday, Sept. 18 Atlante (Mexico) vs. Olimpia or Marathon Wednesday, Sept. 24 Joe Public-New England winner vs. Olimpia or Marathon Canada-Real Esteli winner vs. Atlante (Mexico) Tuesday, Sept. 30 Atlante (Mexico) vs. Joe PublicNew England winner Thursday, Oct. 2 Olimpia or Marathon vs. CanadaReal Esteli winner Wednesday, Oct. 8 Joe Public-New England winner vs. Canada-Real Esteli winner Olimpia (Honduras) vs. Atlante (Mexico) Tuesday, Oct. 21 Canada-Real Esteli winner vs. Olimpia (Honduras) Joe Public-New England winner vs. Atlante (Mexico) Tuesday, Oct. 28 Olimpia (Honduras) vs. Joe PublicNew England winner Atlante (Mexico) vs. Canada-Real Esteli winner Group D Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Santos (Mex) 0 0 0 Municipal (Gua) 0 0 0 Alajuelense-PR Island0 0 0 Chivas USA-Tauro 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Alajuelense-Puerto Rico winner vs. Chivas USA-Tauro winner Wednesday, Sept. 17 Santos (Mexico) vs. Municipal (Guatemala) Tuesday, Sept. 23 Chivas USA-Tauro winner vs. Municipal (Guatemala) Thursday, Sept. 25 Alajuelense-Puerto Rico winner vs. Santos (Mexico) Wednesday, Oct. 1 Municipal (Guatemala) vs. Alajuelense-Puerto Rico winner Chivas USA-Tauro winner vs. Santos (Mexico) Tuesday, Oct. 7 Municipal (Guatemala) vs. Chivas USA-Tauro winner Wednesday, Oct. 8 Santos (Mexico) vs. AlajuelensePuerto Rico winner Wednesday, Oct. 22 Santos (Mexico) vs. Chivas USATauro winner Thursday, Oct. 23 Alajuelense-Puerto Rico winner vs. Municipal (Guatemala) Tuesday, Oct. 29 Chivas USA-Tauro winner vs. Alajuelense-Puerto Rico winner Wednesday, Oct. 30 Municipal (Guatemala) vs. Santos (Mexico) QUARTERFINALS First Leg Tuesday, Feb. 24-Thursday, Feb. 26 Pairings TBD Second Leg Tuesday, March 3-Thursday March 5 Pairings TBD SEMIFINALS First Leg Tuesday, March 17-Thursday, March 19 Pairings TBD Second Leg Tuesday, April 7-Thursday, April 9 Pairings TBD FINALS First Leg Tuesday, April 21-Thursday, April 23 Semifinal winners Second Leg Tuesday, April 28-Thursday, April 30 Semifinal winners

European Champions League All Times EDT FIRST ROUND Top two teams in each group advance Third-place teams advance to UEFA Cup (Home teams listed first) GROUP A GP W D L GFGA PTS Bordeaux 0 Chelsea 0 CFR Cluj 0 AS Roma 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Chelsea (England) vs. Bordeaux (France), 2:45 p.m. AS Roma (Italy) vs. CFR Cluj (Romania), 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 Bordeaux vs. AS Roma, 2:45 p.m. CFR Cluj vs. Chelsea, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 Bordeaux vs. CFR Cluj, 2:45 p.m. Chelsea vs. AS Roma, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4 CFR Cluj vs. Bordeaux, 2:45 p.m. AS Roma vs. Chelsea, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 Bordeaux vs. Chelsea, 2:45 p.m. CFR Cluj vs. AS Roma, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 Chelsea vs. CFR Cluj, 2:45 p.m. AS Roma vs. Bordeaux, 2:45 p.m. GROUP B GP W D L GFGA PTS Anorthis 0 Inter Milan 0 Panathinaikos 0 Werder Bremen 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Panathinaikos (Greece) vs. Inter Milan (Italy), 2:45 p.m. Werder Bremen (Germany) vs. Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyprus), 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 Anorthosis Famagusta vs. Panathinaikos, 2:45 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Werder Bremen, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 Inter Milan vs. Anorthosis Famagusta, 2:45 p.m. Panathinaikos vs. Werder Bremen, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4 Anorthosis Famagusta vs. Inter Milan, 2:45 p.m. Werder Bremen vs. Panathinaikos, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 Anorthosis Famagusta vs. Werder Bremen, 2:45 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Panathinaikos, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 Panathinaikos vs. Anorthosis Famagusta, 2:45 p.m. Werder Bremen vs. Inter Milan, 2:45 p.m. GROUP C GP W D L GFGA PTS Barcelona 0 Basel 0 Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Sporting Lisbon 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Barcelona (Spain) vs. Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), 2:45 p.m. Basel (Switzerland) vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Barcelona, 2:45 p.m. Sporting Lisbon vs. Basel, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 Basel vs. Barcelona, 2:45 p.m. Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Sporting Lisbon, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4 Barcelona vs. Basel, 2:45 p.m. Sporting Lisbon vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Basel, 2:45 p.m. Sporting Lisbon vs. Barcelona, 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 Barcelona vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 2:45 p.m. Basel vs. Sporting Lisbon, 2:45 p.m.

Friday’s European Cups (Home teams listed first) European Super Cup At Monte Carlo, Monaco Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) 2, Manchester United (England) 1

UEFA Cup Draw MONTE CARLO, Monaco (AP) — Draw Friday for the 2008-09 UEFA Cup (home teams for first leg listed first): First Round First leg Sept. 18, second leg Oct. 2 APOEL Nicosia (Cyprus) vs. Schalke (Germany) Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) vs. Borac (Serbia) Austria Vienna (Austria) vs. Lech Poznan (Poland) Banik Ostrava (Czech Republic) vs. Spartak Moscow (Russia) Bellinzona (Switzerland) vs. Galatasaray (Turkey) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) vs. Udinese (Italy) Braga (Portugal) vs. Artmedia Petrzalka (Slovakia) Brann (Norway) vs. Deportivo La Coruna (Spain) Brondby (Denmark) vs. Rosenborg (Norway) Cherno More Varna (Bulgaria) vs. Stuttgart (Germany) Copenhagen (Denmark) vs. Moscow (Russia) Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) vs. Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) Everton (England) vs. Standard Liege (Belgium) Feyenoord (Netherlands) vs. Kalmar (Sweden) Hamburg (Germany) vs. Unirea Valahorum Urziceni (Romania)

Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Israel) vs. Saint Etienne (France) Hertha Berlin (Germany) vs. St. Patricks (Ireland) Kayserispor (Turkey) vs. Paris Saint-Germain (France) Litex Lovech (Bulgaria) vs. Aston Villa (England) MSK Zilina (Slovakia) vs. Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) Manchester City (England) vs. Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) Maritimo (Portugal) vs. Valencia (Spain) Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) vs. Besiktas (Turkey) AC Milan (Italy) vs. Zurich (Switzerland) NEC Breda (Netherlands) vs. Dinamo Bucharest (Romania) Nancy (France) vs. Motherwell (Scotland) Napoli (Italy) vs. Benfica (Portugal) Nordsjaelland (Denmark) vs. Olympiakos (Greece) Politehnica Timisoara (Romania) vs. Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) Portsmouth (England) vs. Guimaraes (Portugal) Racing Santander (Spain) vs. Honka Espoo (Finland) Rennes (France) vs. Twente (Netherlands) Sampdoria (Italy) vs. Kaunas (Lithuania) Sevilla (Spain) vs. Salzburg (Austria) Slaven Koprivnica (Croatia) vs. CSKA Moscow (Russia) Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) vs. Vaslui (Romania) Tottenham (England) vs. Wisla Krakow (Poland) Vitoria Setubal (Portugal) vs. Heerenveen (Netherlands) Wolfsburg (Germany) vs. Rapid Bucharest (Romania) Young Boys Berne (Switzerland) vs. Club Brugge (Belgium)

U.S. Open At The USTA Billie Jean King Na tional Tennis Center New York Purse: $20.657 million Surface: Hard-Outdoor Singles Men Second Round Fernando Gonzalez (11), Chile, def. Bobby Reynolds, U.S., 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4. Nikolay Davydenko (5), Russia, def. Agustin Calleri, Argentina, 6-4, 64, 7-6 (2). Dmitry Tursunov (26), Russia, def. Victor Hanescu, Romania, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, def. Ivo Minar, Czech Republic, 6-7 (2), 3-6, 64, 6-3, 6-2. Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, def. Tommy Haas, Germany, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-3. Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, def. Thiago Alves, Brazil, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Marin Cilic (30), Croatia, def. Robby Ginepri, U.S., 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. Nicolas Almagro (18), Spain, def. Sam Warburg, U.S., 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Igor Andreev (23), Russia, def. Jeremy Chardy, France, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-3. Novak Djokovic (3), Serbia, def. Robert Kendrick, U.S., 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4. Fernando Verdasco (13), Spain, def. Rui Machado, Portugal, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-0. Women Third Round Jelena Jankovic (2), Serbia, def. Zheng Jie, China, 7-5, 7-5. Li Na, China, def. Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Elena Dementieva (5), Russia, def. Anne Keothavong, Britain, 6-3, 6-4. Katarina Srebotnik (28), Slovenia, def. Svetlana Kuznetsova (3), Russia, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3. Caroline Wozniacki (21), Denmark, def. Victoria Azarenka (14), Belarus, 6-4, 6-4. Sybille Bammer (29), Austria, def. Tatiana Perebiynis, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-0. Doubles Men Second Round Rik de Voest, South Africa/Ashley Fisher, Australia, def. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay/Luis Horna (12), Peru, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Lukas Dlouhy, Czech Republic/Leander Paes (7), India, def. Eduardo Schwank, Argentina/Potito Starace, Italy, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Marcelo Melo/Andre Sa (15), Brazil, def. Jurgen Melzer, Austria/Rainer Schuettler, Germany, 6-3, 7-6 (0). Maximo Gonzalez/Juan Monaco, Argentina, def. Amer Delic/Alex Kuznetsov, U.S., 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. Mahesh Bhupathi, India/Mark Knowles (4), Bahamas, def. Yves Allegro, Switzerland/Horia Tecau, Romania, 6-3, 6-3. Martin Damm/Pavel Vizner (11), Czech Republic, def. Michael McClune/Kaes Van’t Hof, U.S., 6-0, 6-0. Christopher Kas/Philipp Petzschner, Germany, def. Jonas Bjorkman, Sweden/Kevin Ullyett (5), Zimbabwe, 6-7 (2), 6-1, 7-6 (3). Daniel Nestor, Canada/Nenad Zimonjic (1), Serbia, def. Ross Hutchins/Andy Murray, Britain, 7-5, 36, 7-6 (2). Women Second Round Janette Husarova, Slovakia/Peng Shuai (11), China, def. Liga Dekmeijere, Latvia/Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, 7-5, 6-1. Julie Ditty/Carly Gullickson, U.S., def. Tathiana Garbin, Italy/Tamira Paszek, Austria, 7-5, 6-4. Klaudia Jans/Alicja Rosolska, Poland, def. Sorana Cirstea/Monica Niculescu, Romania, 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-2. Stephanie Foretz/Camille Pin, France, def. Tracy Lin/Riza Zalameda, U.S., 6-3, 6-3. Tatiana Poutchek, Belarus/Anastasia Rodionova, Australia, def. Nuria Llagostera Vives/Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (14), Spain, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia/Virginie Razzano, France, def. Iveta Benesova, Czech Republic/Galina Voskoboeva (12), Russia, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6

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SPORT SHORTS Casa Blanca Open for Labor Day Casa Blanca Golf Course will be open on Labor Day (Monday) from 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Laredo Adult Baseball League Team and individual registration for the Laredo Adult Baseball League will start Monday. There are three divisions: Major/Open (young adults up to 34 year olds), Veterans (35-47 year olds) and Masters (48-years plus). For more information, contact Marco Escamilla at 333-9005 or Jesse Montemayor at 333-6935. (5). Marina Erakovic, New Zealand/Jelena Kostanic Tosic, Croatia, def. Maria Elena Camerin, Italy/Gisela Dulko, Argentina, 6-4, 6-3. Cara Black, Zimbabwe/Liezel Huber (1), U.S., def. Lucie Hradecka/Renata Voracova, Czech Republic, 6-4, 61. Mixed First Round Rennae Stubbs, Australia/Robert Lindstedt, Sweden, def. Nathalie Dechy, France/Andy Ram (8), Israel, 6-4, 6-4. Flavia Pennetta, Italy/Dusan Vemic, Serbia, def. Janette Husarova, Slovakia/Jeff Coetzee, South Africa, 6-1, 6-1. Elena Vesnina, Russia/Mariusz Fyrstenberg, Poland, def. Yan Zi, China/Mark Knowles (7), Bahamas, 7-6 (7), 2-3, retired. Jill Craybas/Eric Butorac, U.S., def. Ai Sugiyama, Japan/Kevin Ullyett (3), Zimbabwe, 6-4, 6-4. Nadia Petrova, Russia/Jonas Bjorkman, Sweden, def. Anna Chakvetadze, Russia/Max Mirnyi, Belarus, 6-3, 6-1.

Transactions BASEBALL Major League Baseball MLB—Suspended New York Yankees minor league RHP Justo Arias and LHP Rafael Martinez and Chicago Cubs minor league RHP Jhon Rodriguez for 50 games each for testing positive for banned substances. The suspensions will be effective at the start of next season. American League BOSTON RED SOX—Placed RHP Josh Beckett on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 18. Placed 1B Sean Casey on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 20. Purchased the contract of C David Ross from Pawtucket (IL). Transferred SS Julio Lugo from the 15- to the 60-day DL. CLEVELAND INDIANS—Activated C Victor Martinez from the 15-day DL. Designated INF Andy Gonzalez for assignment. National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS—Activated OF Justin Upton from the 15day DL. Recalled RHP Max Scherzer from Tucson (PCL). Optioned OF Alex Romero and RHP Leo Rosales to Tucson. ATLANTA BRAVES—Added RHP Elmer Dessens to the 25-man roster. Optioned RHP Charlie Morton to Richmond (IL). SAN DIEGO PADRES—Placed OF Scott Hairston on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Cla Meredith from Portland (PCL). Purchased the contracts of RHP Josh Geer and OF Will Venable from Portland. Sent RHP Josh Banks outright to Portland. Announced LHP Wil Ledezma has been claimed off outright waivers by Arizona. WASHINGTON NATIONALS—Sent RHP Brian Sanches and RHP Chris Schroder outright to Columbus (IL). American Association SHREVEPORT SPORTS—Traded INF Ron Fenwick to Lancaster (Atlantic) for a player to be named. Can-Am League NEW JERSEY JACKALS—Released INF David Urias. QUEBEC CAPITALES—Released RHP Gabe Ribas. Eastern League

TRENTON THUNDER—Announced RHP Victor Zambrano was assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL) and that LHP Zach Kroenke was assigned to the team from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Golden League CALGARY VIPERS—Agreed to terms with OF Richard Austin and 1B-OF Kit Pellow. ST. GEORGE ROADRUNNERS— Agreed to terms with C Kyle Wells and RHP Kevin Cooper. Northern League KANSAS CITY T-BONES—Released LHP Chris Shaver. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association NEW YORK KNICKS—Acquired F Patrick Ewing Jr. from Houston for the draft rights to C Frederic Weis. FOOTBALL National Football League CAROLINA PANTHERS—Acquired QB Josh McCown from Miami for an undisclosed draft pick. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS—Released T Steve Fifita, OL Jimmy Martin, CB Jeff Shoate and TE Jonathan Stupar. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS—Placed WR Adrian Arrington on injured reserve. Terminated the contract of S Lance Schulters. Waived DE Jeremy Geathers, TE Ronnie Ghent, DE Marcus Pittman, S David Roach, G Isaiah Ross and T Brian Stamper. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES—Released WR Bam Childress, CB Therrian Fontenot, CB Nick Graham, WR Jamal Jones, S Marcus Paschal, OL Stefan Rodgers and LB Pago Tagofau. Waived/injured RB Ryan Moats. ST. LOUIS RAMS—Released WR Marques Hagans, S Jerome Carter, WR Matt Caddell, TE Nick Cleaver, CB Tanard Davis, CB Cortney Grixby, LB Marcus Riley, C Donovan Raiola, DT Henry Smith and DT Willie Williams. HOCKEY National Hockey League COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS— Signed F Maksim Mayorov. LACROSSE National Lacrosse League CALGARY ROUGHNECKS— Signed D Brad McDonald to a oneyear contract. SAN JOSE STEALTH—Traded G Anthony Cosmo to Chicago for G Matt Roik and a 2008 first-round draft pick. Traded D Paul Dawson to Boston for F Peter Veltman. SOCCER Major League Soccer NEW YORK RED BULLS—Signed F Sainey Touray to a developmental contract. Moved MF Sinisa Ubiparipovic to the senior roster. COLLEGE METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE—Named Chris Herring administrative fellow for championships, Alison Adamski administrative fellow for compliance and Christian Arnold administrative fellow for marketing. BARUCH—Named Temi Arijeloye women’s assistant cross country coach. LYCOMING—Named Erica Brown women’s lacrosse coach and Dan Lazorka softball coach. N.J. CITY—Named John Ricca men’s assistant soccer coach. PRINCETON—Named Steve Dolan men’s cross country coach. TRINITY, TEXAS—Named Butch Newman director of tennis and Ryan

SP U RS | Continued from Page 1B a walking boot for several weeks starting in June after an MRI showed a ligament to be five times the size of the one in his other foot. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had urged Ginobili not to compete in the Olympics unless the injury improved. He not only competed in the games, but also carried the flag for Argentina in the opening ceremonies in Beijing. During Argentina’s semifinal game against eventual gold-medal winner United States, Ginobili hobbled off the court during the first quarter after apparently aggravating the injury. He did not play in Argentina’s bronze-medal win over Lithuania. “Aside from this situation, I’m comfortable with the situation,” he said. “My plan was to be part of the Olympic games, and I knew that if I suffered from pain they would have to operate. This isn’t something that took me by surprise.”

C OW B OYS | Continued from Page 1B Even while waiting for the ruling on whether he would be allowed to play this season, some of the biggest suspense surrounding Jones during camp really had nothing to do with off-field problems that plagued his past and led to the suspension that caused him to miss all of last season with the Titans. Instead, the uncertainty was over whether “Pacman” could field another punt while already cradling five footballs. (He did, though he said he’s caught eight before). Owens is content with a new contract that pushed his deal through 2011 rather than expiring after this season. The 34-yearold receiver who desperately wants a Super Bowl title also talks often about his good relationships with “Coach Wade” — who calls Owens by his name rather than referring to him as “the player”

like the previous coach — and Romo, who has thrown him 25 touchdown passes the past two seasons since replacing Drew Bledsoe at quarterback. While Romo spent much of the offseason working on different throwing techniques, the two-time Pro Bowler still has become as much a staple in entertainment magazines and Web sites as in sports ones because of his starlet girlfriend. The sometimes sensational coverage of his personal life, which Romo generally doesn’t talk about, helps him keep things in perspective. “People’s perceptions, they roll with that stuff over and over and you just have to try and keep a level head about it all,” Romo said. “But for us, we don’t add to it. We don’t all talk about whatever happened in Adam Jones’ past or critique his lifestyle, or Terrell

Owens and what he’s wearing, even though it’s exotic and crazy sometimes. “We play a game and we enjoy it,” Romo said. “We just talk about that sometimes. It helps.” Part of their conversation is how to make up for the missed opportunity last season, when after matching a team record with 13 victories and earning the NFC’s top seed, Dallas didn’t win a playoff game. The Cowboys have now gone 12 seasons since their last Super Bowl championship, 11 without winning a game in the postseason. It actually took an earthquake to shake things up during training camp, but even that measured as only a minor tremor. The lack of drama and intrigue among the players probably isn’t exactly what HBO executives had in mind when they decided to highlight the Cowboys again on

their “Hard Knocks” series. Those cameras will be gone and the final episode of the series will air before the Sept. 7 season opener at Cleveland. “Everybody has done a great job as far as interacting when they need to with the cameras, but at the same time, when it’s time to focus on football, then we’re playing football,” Owens said. They have done an even better job of maintaining a determined calm about what they need to do on the field. “We handled things well when we had a lot of odd games and Dallas Cowboys-type games last year,” Phillips said. “They handled that well and going into it last year we had a lot of high expectations, maybe not from everybody, but from us. We’re going through the same thing.” After breaking camp in California and spending a week in

Denver, the Cowboys returned home, where nearly 25,000 people showed up at Texas Stadium to watch the team go through a midweek practice without pads. There is always plenty of attention on the Cowboys, whom Phillips often refers to as a bunch of “characters with character.” It is also a veteran group that knows what it has to do now. “Wade wants you go be who

you are, wants your personality to show,” Witten said. “But the team’s got to be first and I think everybody’s bought into that. We’ve got something to prove. “The most impressive thing for me is being able to put last year behind us and move forward because none of that matters now,” he said. “It’s a new season.” And so far, a surprisingly calm one.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2008

THE ZAPATA TIMES | 3B

HINTS BY HELOISE Dear Readers: Bringing a FISH into your home is no less of a responsibility than having a cat or dog. Whether it is a $2 guppy or a $10 angelfish, it deserves the same quality of care, regardless of the price tag. It would be wise to invest in an HELOISE aquarium book to learn about the proper care of the fish you are going to buy. It is important to learn how big your fish will get before purchasing an aquarium. Quite often, pet owners have fish that become aggressive because they have grown too large for their aquarium. If you have multiple species, be sure to find out if they are passive or aggressive, and do not mix the two. Only introduce fish that are compatible with each other. A fast-growing fish will need a larger aquarium than a fish that remains small. — Heloise

HOROSCOPES | BY FRANCIS DRAKE ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Think about ways to improve your job and your attitude toward your work. Think about ways to improve your health. (That’s what to do with today’s New Moon.) TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You love the finer things in life. This is the best day all year for you to scrutinize the kind of balance you have between play and pleasure versus work, obligations and responsibilities. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Are you happy with your home environment? Are you happy with your family relationships? What can you do to improve your domestic life? CANCER (June 21 to July 22) No man is an island. Communication with others is important. What can you do to improve your style of communicating with others, especially relatives and siblings? LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) You’re the last of the big-time spenders. What can you do to boost your earnings and reduce your debt? Think about this today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Today is the only New Moon that occurs in your sign all year. What can you do to improve your appearance and create a better first impression when others meet you? LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) We all have a spiritual side, whether we acknowledge it to ourselves and others or not. This is a good day to think about what you believe in to guide your choices in life. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Do you hang out with quality people? Do you like your friends? Your friends influence your mind, and your mind makes your choices about the future. That’s why friends are important! SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Others notice you today. However, for you, it’s the perfect day to think about how you can improve your relationships with authority figures — parents, teachers and bosses. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) What can you do to improve your education or your training for your job? You’re never too old to continue learning.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Each New Moon is the perfect time to make resolutions to improve something. How can you improve your debt scene? What can you do to reduce your debt? PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Think of ways to improve your closest friendships and partnerships? Remember: In a successful relationship, you must be as good for your partner as he or she is for you. YOU BORN TODAY You’re reliable. No matter what imaginative flights of fancy you pursue, your feet are on the ground. You’re excellent with money, and you’re a good organizer. You know how to take care of yourself and your loved ones. During this year, you’ll make an important decision, which will lead to building or constructing something next year. Birthdate of: Warren Buffett, billionaire/philanthropist; Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, novelist; Cameron Diaz, actress.

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REAL ESTATE

LOTS FOR SALE

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Lote Grande De Venta! $45,000 En Los Presidentes Call 744-3299

Representantes de la Empacadora de Vegetales Lakeside Foods, Inc. del estado de Wisconsin estaran en Laredo contratando para la temporada 2009 para las localidades de Belgium, Eden, Manitowoc y Random Lake, WI. Se nesecitan: Mecanicos, Operadores de Combine, Operadores de Maquinas, Control de Calidad, entre otros trabajos. Entrevistas: Marzo 25, 26 y 27, de 8am to 5 p.m. en el Holiday Inn, 800 Garden St, en Laredo. Para mas informacion comuniquese: Mario Escareno tel. (262) 285-3299 ext. 307 / mescareno@lakesidefoods.comor CaroSalazar tel. (920) 477-2311 ext. 24 / csalazar@lakesidefoods.com Informacion para Operadores de Combine: Laura Kubsh (920) 684-0151 ext 3901 / lkubsh@lakesidefoods.com

HOMES FOR SALE

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CONDOS FOR SALE 64

Commissary Representative (Prison Store)

1 Condo $60,000 OBO

Keefe Commissary Network (KCN), a leader in the prison commissary supply industry, seeks a FT Commissary Representative to hand-deliver commissary orders to inmates at Rio Grande Detention Center. We offer competitive pay and benefits include medical, 401(k) & profit sharing. Must pass drug screen, federal background and credit checks. Able to lift up to 50 lbs. Please see full description and apply online at www.centricgroup.com EOE M/F/DV

Door to door reps needed for aggressive Time Warner sales project. $1000+ weekly commission. Call Fred for an interview. 956-774-1084.

Must Sell, Moving Out, negotiable, 2bd/1.5ba, 2803 Bayard. Brand new, south Laredo. For sale by owner.

Call Dr. Rendon 011-52-867-714-1502 or 956-333-0122

LOTS FOR SALE

Lot for sale, 8915 Peak Drive, behind Shiloh Dr. 60 x 108, 6,480 sqft., $52,000 firm. Call:(956)242-5947

PETS & SUPPLIES

128

*Toy French Poodles, Schnauzers & Cocker Spaniels. With shots, $200 & up. Call 791-1676.

North Laredo. 1.3 Acres on Loop 20 near TAMIU, next to Khaledi Heights on Blue Quail St. $12.50 Per SqFt Neg. Can be sold separately Call 956-333-0122 or 011-52-867-714-1502

7 week pure breed Pugs with initial vet check+vacc. $500ea. 2F & 3M. 791-7122

Solar y 1/2, esquina (corner lot) Sta. Rita sbdv. $35,000 obo. (956)774-8879; 333-6505

Adorable Fawn Boxer puppies, 5 wks. old, 3f, 3m, clipped, de wormed & 1 st. shots. $200ea. Call:(956)286-0150; 286-8215

ACREAGE FOR SALE 76

French, Chihuahuas, Labradors & Pekinese. $150. Call:(956)744-2342

5 acre tract, frontage on Casa Verde Rd. $200,000 per acre. Contact (956)725-6641

ARTICLES FOR SALE 136 Country Club Full Membership. $2800. Call 206.1524.

TRANSPORTATION

100 acres mile 60 Hwy 35 High fence, $330,000 Finance 8%! Call 722-4447

LIVESTOCK & SUPPLIES 130

10ac. Las Lomas Fenced HWY 59 $8000 p/ac 712-4205; 774-6976

Grey Moro 10 years, gentle, black mare, 3 years $1,000 ea. Call:(956)286-8613

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT 79

MISCELLANEOUS

3 Lots,14 Apts $550,000 OBO. Call:722-4447. We Finance! 8%

BOATS

190

John boat ‘05,14 ft., 2.5hp Mercury, trolling motor, fish finder, seats, boat cover Asking $1,500 obo. Call:286-0090

CAMPERS & RV’S

191

Ford RV 1972, in good condition, new tires, air condition, gas range, kitchen, shower, toilet, lvn. rm. sleeps two people. $2,500.00 Call:(956)771-5975 Travel trailer, good condition, ready to live in, bath & shower $2,500 obo. Call(956)220-9594

HEAVY EQUIPMENT 192 01 International Trailer w/ 24’ closed box. backlift, 140Kmil., $12,500 reduce to $8,500 Call 774-8910

Storage containers, delivered to your ranch, 40ft long. Excellent Cond. $3000 Call 744-5059

PETS & SUPPLIES

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS 194 ARTICLES FOR SALE 136 Jump Zone 14-FT Trampoline w/enclosure. less than 1yr old $140. Call 956-763-3869

‘01 Land Rover Discovery, Fully loaded, excellent cond. $7,000 Call 645-7233; 645-3380 Chevy Blazer ‘02, V6, 4.3 liter, Auto, A/C, blue title, New Tires $4,800 OBO call (956) 286-8966 Chevy Step Van 3500 ‘91, 14 ft. long, $3,900. Call:(956)763-9120 id # 145*4*11336

11 week old, Belgian Sheep dog puppies, $165. 324-1148

Poodles, 2 females, puppies, 6 weeks, beige, tails clipped, 2nd shots,de wormed $180ea. Call:(956)251-1100

TRUCKS FOR SALE 198

Chevy towing hitch and Suburban side steps. $185 obo. (956)324-1148 Toyota Camry factory rims 16” excellent condition. $275. Call:(956)722-7398; 337-5353

Ford FX4 ‘03, 4x4, a/c, 87k mi., $7,600. Call:(956)379-0806 Mazda MPV ‘06, Mini van, 32k mi., exc. cond. leather int., dvd player, 6 cd changer, Must sell! $11,900 Call 744-1754

Nissan X-terra ‘05, blue title, $10,500. Call:(956)235-9405 Rampvan “Handicap” ‘99 Dodge Grand Caravan, power ramp, wheelchair tie downs, swivel driver’s side seat & hand controls. 60k mi $12,500.00 Call:722-1820

CARS FOR SALE

200

‘01 Honda Accord 4cyl, A/c, Sunroof, Electric, $3,800 O.B.O Call 635-5496 Mitsubishi Eclipse ‘03, convertible, good condition. $6,000 Call:(956)645-9036 Pontiac Sunfire GT ‘96, excellent condition, 1 owner, very economical. $1,900 Call:(956)237-0914

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