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LAKE FALCON The releases are in response to water needs in both the United States and Mexico.
Lake shows decrease Water release to help Valley
THE ZAPATA TIMES
This month, both the United States and Mexico have released significant volumes of water from Amistad Reservoir.
RECREATION
The water is being transferred downstream to Falcon Reservoir to meet irrigation and municipal water demand in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The releases are in re-
sponse to water needs in both the United States and Mexico and do not impact Mexico’s deficit in deliveries to the United States un-
See LAKE PAGE 11A
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Courtesy photo
This safe at a house in the 1800 block of Kennedy Street was where money and valuables were stored before a break in.
Courtesy photo
People pack Legacy Comics, 5901 McPherson Road, Suite 2B in Laredo, last year during Free Comic Book Day. This year’s day is scheduled next Saturday.
Store to host comics artists, give away books SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
LAREDO — Legacy Comics will give away more than 5,000 free comic books as it celebrates Free Comic Book Day next Saturday. The celebration also will include a sketching and signing session with Marvel Comics artist Dave Marquez, who has worked on titles such as “All-New X Men” and “Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.” Artists Cody and Lance Schibi also will make sketches and sign their works. The day kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs through 8 p.m. at Legacy Comics, 5901 McPherson Road, Suite 2B. “The wide array of comics books being published today ensures that readers of all ages can find some-
Courtesy photo
Fans dress as their favorite comic book characters during Free Comic Book Day in 2012 at Legacy Comics in Laredo. thing appropriate that will stir their imaginations,” said Chris Niles, co-owner of Legacy. “Even if you have never picked up a comic book, stop in, because you never know what you will
end up finding.” “This Free Comic Book Day weekend will be another huge one for the genre,” said Peter Mares, media manager for the store. Saturday, May 4 will be
the 12th annual celebration of Free Comic Book Day and expectations are that more than 3.3 millions comic books will be given away free to fans. Niles and Mares believe giving away free comics could impact the literacy rate in the United States. “Comics are a great way to get kids to start and enjoy reading, because between the visual artwork and the reading, both sides of the brain are involved,” Niles said. When he was a child, Mares said, he loved watching cartoons on television. His mother gave him comic books featuring his favorite cartoon characters to encourage him to read more.
See COMICS PAGE 11A
Sheriff asks for town’s assistance Authorities looking for those who took $40,000 and jewelry By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office is asking the community to come forward with information regarding a home breakin where the suspect made it off with $40,000 and jewelry, authorities said Friday. Sheriff ’s deputies responded to a theft call at 2:37 p.m. Monday to the 1800 block of Kennedy Street, west of U.S. 83. Deputies met with a 73year-old woman who stated that approximately $40,000 and jewelry had been stolen from a safe inside her residence. Sgt. Mario Elizondo
said items stolen included gold rings, diamond pendant chains, gold chain crosses, gold bracelets, gold rope chains, gold and diamond earrings, a Rolex watch and other assorted jewelries. Elizondo said any people selling questionable jewelry should be reported to the sheriff ’s office at 765-9960. Callers may remain anonymous. The person arrested in this case could face at least theft charges, a third-degree felony punishable with two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE US SENATE
Immigration hearing gets contentious By GARY MARTIN HEARST NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON — Emotions erupted in a contentious Senate hearing on immigration reform Monday during an exchange over the Boston Marathon bombing. Opponents of a bipartisan Senate immigration bill said the tragedy raised questions about the current system and urged restraint in moving ahead with an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws. But Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pa-
trick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, urged lawmakers to refrain from exploiting the Boston tragedy for legislative gain on an issue that impacts millions of employers, workers and immigrants. “Let no one be so cruel as to use the heinous acts of two young men last week to derail the dreams and futures of millions of hard-working people,” Leahy said. The ranking Republican, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, said last week that the Boston bombing showed it was “important
“
The bill includes elements that are deeply divisive, and none more divisive than a path to citizenship.” SENATOR TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS
to understand the gaps and loopholes in our immigration system.” “This is not something to be rushed,” Grassley said.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., an author of the bill, issued a rebuke Monday, saying the tragedy in Boston should not be used “as an excuse for not doing
a bill or delaying it many months or years.” That prompted an outburst by Grassley: “I never said that! I never said that!” Leahy pounded his gavel to stop the angry verbal confrontation from escalating, but the exchange laid bare the emotions underlying the contentious issue of immigration reform. Schumer said his comments were not directed at Grassley, or any individual lawmaker, but toward sentiment to delay proceedings on the bill. He said specific mea-
sures in the bill could strengthen security and “make a Boston less likely.” The two immigrant Chechen brothers believed responsible for the attacks were in this country legally, and one became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2012. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, scheduled to appear before the panel last week, canceled her testimony as events in Boston unfolded. She is rescheduled to testify before the committee on
See IMMIGRATION PAGE 11A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will show: “The Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” at 3 p.m.; “Lamps of Atlantis” at 4 p.m.; and “Pink Floyd’s The Wall” at 5 p.m. Matinee show is $4. General admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. Premium shows are $1 more. Call 956-326-3663. The Laredo Detachment of the Marine Corps League will hold a steak plate sale to raise funds for college scholarships, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1306 Malinche Ave. Tickets are $5 each and can be obtained at the Malinche address on the day of the plate sale or by calling Tomas Rodriguez at 722-5614, or Juan Lira at 744-6039.
Today is Saturday, April 27, the 117th day of 2013. There are 248 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On April 27, 1813, the Battle of York took place in Upper Canada during the War of 1812 as a U.S. force defeated the British garrison in presentday Toronto before withdrawing. On this date: In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines. In 1777, the only land battle in Connecticut during the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Ridgefield, took place, resulting in a limited British victory. In 1805, during the First Barbary War, an American-led force of Marines and mercenaries captured the city of Derna, on the shores of Tripoli. In 1822, the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio. In 1865, the steamer Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tenn., killing more than 1,400 people, mostly freed Union prisoners of war. In 1938, King Zog I of the Albanians married Countess Geraldine Apponyi de NagyApponyi. In 1941, German forces occupied Athens during World War II. In 1967, Expo ’67 was officially opened in Montreal by Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. In 1973, Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray resigned after it was revealed that he’d destroyed files removed from the safe of Watergate conspirator E. Howard Hunt. In 1982, the trial of John W. Hinckley Jr., who had shot four people, including President Ronald Reagan, began in Washington. (The trial ended with Hinckley’s acquittal by reason of insanity.) In 1992, the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed in Belgrade by the republic of Serbia and its lone ally, Montenegro. Russia and 12 other former Soviet republics won entry into the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Betty Boothroyd became the first female Speaker of Britain’s House of Commons. In 2011, powerful tornadoes raked the South and Midwest; according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 120 twisters resulted in 316 deaths. Ten years ago: The U.S. military arrested the selfanointed mayor of Baghdad, Mohammed Mohsen al-accusing him of exerting authority he didn’t have. Nicanor Duarte won Paraguay’s presidential election. Kevin Millwood pitched a no-hitter to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the San Francisco Giants 1-0. Today’s Birthdays: Announcer Casey Kasem is 81. Actress Judy Carne is 74. Rock musician Jim Keltner is 71. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cuba Gooding is 69. Singer Ann Peebles is 66. Rock singer Kate Pierson (The B-52’s) is 65. Rhythm-and-blues singer Herbie Murrell (The Stylistics) is 64. Thought for Today: “Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices — just recognize them.” — Edward R. Murrow, American broadcast journalist (1908-1965).
SUNDAY, APRIL 28 The San Ygnacio Ladies Club presents the First Annual Dia del Niño Celebration at the Henry M. Martin3z Community Center in San Ygnacio. The celebration begins at 3 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults, though everything is free for children. There will be entertainment, games and food. For more information, call 765-3409, 744-7691, 285-7230 or 765-5777.
FRIDAY, MAY 3 The San Ygnacio Ladies Club presents the 23rd Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration Coronation Dance from 8 p.m. through midnight at the Henry M. Martinez Community Center in San Ygnacio. Gilberto Perez y Su Conjunto and Grupo Diamante will perform. Tickets are $12.50 per person or $125 per table. For more information, call 765-3409, 744-7691, 285-7230 or 765-5777. Proceeds will assist people with medical emergencies and to help pay for scholarships. Join the congressman for coffee and a discussion of current national issues that affect the Zapata community. During coffee, Cuellar will distribute books from the Library of Congress.
SATURDAY, MAY 4 Rep. Henry Cuellar will visit Zapata at the Holiday Restaurant, 506 N. U.S. 83 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 5 Doors open at 3 p.m. for The Miss Jr. Zapata Texas Pageant and the Miss Zapata Texas Pageant at the Zapata High School auditorium. The pageants start at 4 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 7 The UISD Family Leadership Institute Training class is from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 2 of the Bill Johnson Student Activity Complex, 5802 Santa Claudia Lane. The objective of the institute is to teach parents and caregivers the art and skill of family leadership by using a practical, 10-step approach. Dinner and daycare will be provided. For more information and to register for the classes, call Nora E. Murillo at 473-6471 or Belinda Hernandez at 473-6470.
SUNDAY, MAY 19 Zapata High School will compete at state One Act Play and academics in Austin through Wednesday.
SATURDAY, MAY 25 The 10th Annual Juvencio de Anda Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Laredo Country Club. Tee time is 8 a.m.
Photo by Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union | AP
Two Loggerhead turtles make their way to the surf as bystanders and volunteers watch. Fifty-two sea turtles of the Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley and Green Sea Turtle species were released at Little Talbot Island State Park after arriving in Jacksonville, Fla. by caravan April 7.
Sea turtle watch is on By CHRISTOPHER SMITH GONZALEZ GALVESTON COUNTY DAILY NEWS
GALVESTON — Volunteers cruising the beach by Galveston State Park were keeping a sharp eye on the sand. The skies were overcast. The tide was coming in, and a stiff wind was blowing out of the south. It was just the kind of weather Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are looking for when it’s time to lay their eggs. The Galveston County Daily News reports the sea turtle nesting season began April 1 and will continue into July. Katie Holt, a marine biology junior at Texas A&M University at Galveston, and Bobette Brasfield, a Galveston Bay Area Master Naturalist, are two of more than 100 volunteers with the Texas A&M University at Galveston Sea Life Facility who are patrolling Galveston Island beaches looking for any
Perry disgusted by explosion cartoon
SATURDAY, JULY 20 The PFC Ira “Ben” Laningham IV 5K Memorial Run is set for 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. There will also be a 200m Kids Fun Run. Early registration through Sunday is $8; from Monday through July 19, $10; and late registration on race day is $15. Registration for the Kids Fun Run is $5. Those who wish to participate may register at Zapata Boys & Girls Club, 306 6th St.; Zapata County Chamber of Commerce, 601 N. U.S. 83; Momentum Running Co., 1202 E. Del Mar Blvd., Ste. 103, Laredo; or by email at http://www.evenbrite.com/ event/5820121139#. Submit calendar items by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, locations and purpose. Items will run as space is available.
Philanthropist gives $20M Starr: Texans knew to stop to San Antonio hospital in West before blast
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry is expressing “disgust and disappointment” after a California newspaper ran a cartoon depicting him boasting about business booming in Texas just before a major explosion. The cartoon in The Sacramento Bee shows the Texas governor crowing “Business is Booming.” The next panel reads “Boom!” as an explosion engulfs the area behind the governor.
SAN ANTONIO — A billionaire philanthropist has given $20 million toward the construction of a children’s hospital in San Antonio. The foundation established by Christopher “Kit” Goldsbury gave the largest gift in the 144year history of the Christus Santa Rosa Health SystemThe system is converting a downtown health facility into the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
WACO — Baylor University President Ken Starr is honoring the Czech heritage of the tiny town where a fertilizer plant explosion killed at least 14 people. Starr spoke Thursday at a memorial service for 10 first responders and two honorary responders who died in last week’s explosion in West. He mentioned how Texans knew to “check in” to the Czech Inn or stop to buy kolaches.
Fugitive arrested on confidence game charges
Ex-court clerk gets probation in gun case
Retail gasoline prices down 4 cents
AUSTIN — San Antonio police have arrested a fugitive accused of running a long-term confidence scheme with victims in Ohio, Florida and Texas. A department spokesman said Friday that Officers captured David Scott Srail at a small municipal airport in San Antonio. Austin police have been searching for Srail since 2007.
GALVESTON — A former court clerk in Texas who served time for assaulting his then-wife has been put on probation for threatening her with a gun. Murray on Thursday pleaded no contest to using a gun to assault his wife in April 2011. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor family assault in a December 2011 incident.
HOUSTON — Retail gasoline prices across Texas have slipped 4 cents this week to settle at $3.35 per gallon. AAA Texas reported the nationwide average price help steady at $3.51 per gallon. Houston had the most expensive gasoline in Texas at $3.40 per gallon. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION
SATURDAY, JUNE 1 The Bass Champs South Region Fishing Tournament is set for 7 a.m. through 4 p.m. at the Zapata County Public Boat Ramp.
sign of the turtles making their way up the beach to nest. “I like to look at the tire tracks because you can tell if (a turtle has) gone over them,” Holt said as she sat in one of the Sea Life Facility’s utility vehicles. She and Brasfield would be out for five or six hours combing the beach. Much of that time is spent with the human visitors, rather than with turtles. “We do a lot of outreach,” Brasfield said. “(People will) stop and ask us what we’re doing, and we have some information on the turtles that we can give out.” No turtles have been found along Galveston’s beaches yet this year, but Kim Reich, director of the Texas A&M University at Galveston Sea Life Facility, is expecting one any day. Five turtles were found nesting in South Texas last week.
Small levee breaches on Mississippi River WINFIELD, Mo. — A levee breach on the Mississippi River north of St. Louis is causing some concern. The small levee broke Friday afternoon between the northern Missouri towns of Foley and Winfield, threatening a few homes. Lincoln County authorities said the break was about 150 feet long. No evacuations were ordered, but residents in some areas were advised to consider leaving. It wasn’t clear what caused the breach. The river has crested and is dropping in the Winfield area, but remains high and is expected to stay above flood stage into next week. Backwater — water that topped levees at the height of the flood — also rose Friday, getting into the yards of a few homes in the same area.
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Copy Editor, Nick Georgiou ....................... 728-2565 Managing Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez........... 728-2543 Sports Editor, Adam Geigerman..................728-2578 Spanish Editor ........................................ 728-2569 Photo by J.B. Forbes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch | AP
Volunteers use sandbags to hold down the tarp over the dirt berm on First Street on Thursday afternoon in Clarksville, Mo., as residents prepare for the swiftly rising Mississippi River that threatens businesses and homes along the riverfront.
Possible 9/11 landing gear part found in NYC NEW YORK — A rusted 5-foottall piece of landing gear believed to be from one of the hi-
jacked planes destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks has been discovered near the World Trade Center wedged between a luxury apartment building and a mosque site that prompted virulent national debate. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Photo students to have exhibit SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Courtesy photo
The TAMIU Mathematical Society won third place at the Calculus Bowl. From left, Gilberto Cardenas, Arturo Perez, Tawny A. Muñoz, Jocelyn L. García, Maria Filazolla, and advisor Firooz Khosraviyani.
TAMIU students get 3rd SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Members of the Texas A&M International University Mathematical Society brought home the prize for third place in the Calculus Bowl held during the Mathematical Association of America Texas Section 93rd Annual Meeting in Lubbock at Texas Tech University on April 11–13. The group, comprised of Jocelyn L. Garcia, Gilberto Cárdenas, Arturo Pérez, Tawny A. Muñoz
and Maria Filazolla, tied for third place. There were more than 20 teams from across the state competing in the Calculus Bowl. “The group rigorously participated in the tournament and was able to receive third prize, winning on behalf of the Mathematical Society of TAMIU,” said Dr. Rohitha Goonatilake, Society advisor and professor and coordinator of mathematics. “The team wanted to thank Candy Hein, vice
president, Office of Institutional Advancement, and the Society for supporting travel for this event,” Dr. Goonatlike said. Firooz Khosraviyani, associate professor of computer science and mathematics and also a Society advisor, accompanied the team to the Bowl. Of special note, not all students who competed are majoring in mathematics, but all are members of the TAMIU Mathematical Society.
THE BLOTTER BURGLARY A burglary of a habitation was reported at 11:21 a.m. Wednesday in the 5200 block of Cuellar Lane. A burglary of a habitation was reported at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at a home along Treviño Street. A burglary of a habitation was reported at 11:34 p.m. Thursday in the 1900 block of Third Street.
HARASSMENT A harassment/criminal trespass incident was reported at 4:24 p.m. April 18 in the 1300 block of Guerrero Avenue.
HIT AND RUN A hit-and-run accident was reported at 5:30 a.m. April 18 at the boat ramp on Falcon Lake Estates.
A hit-and-run accident was reported at 11:27 a.m. Wednesday in the 1800 block of Carla Street.
THEFT A theft was reported at 11:08 a.m. Monday at the Medina Addition. A theft was reported at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday in the 1000 block of Glenn Street.
An annual student photo art exhibit, Film Stills: Images That Tell Our Stories, opens Thursday with a reception starting at 5 p.m. in the Texas A&M International University Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library Colonnade. The exhibit’s theme focuses on displaying a connection between moving film and photography without compromising
the narrative. Reception food and refreshments willl be provided by Aramark. Most of the photos are taken in Laredo, and are the captured imaginations of everyday scenes that often go overlooked. The passions portrayed in each image prompt one to not just look at the image, but to analyze the scene. TAMIU student artists exhibiting are Neguif Angeles, Ignacio Banda, Mi-
riam Castro, David De la Garza, Michael Flores, Alexis Garza, Miriam González, Rebecca Leza, Emmanuel López, Sandy Lugo, Cesar Sánchez, Ana Vazquez, Charlie Romo and Emily De Los Cobos. The exhibit will be on display through Friday, May 17. For more information, contact Marcela Morán, TAMIU associate professor of communication, at 326-3047 or email amoran@tamiu.edu.
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
It wasn’t the finest time in politics DALLAS — It could be American politics’ finest moment. But it also could be its phoniest. Democrats saying nice things about Republicans and vice versa. “He is a good man,” President Barack Obama said Thursday of George W. Bush at the dedication of the latter’s presidential center at SMU. Ex-Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter also said nice things about Bush. That made three Democrats who rose to the top of the political ladder saying nice things about a Republican who did likewise. Are we buying this kind of on-stage, interparty love in an era in which questioning your political foes’ heritage seems to be the way to go? Finest moment, or phoniest?
Blame game We’ve little to no evidence of any kind of ongoing relationship between Bush and Obama. Folks on both sides have said harsh things about the other. Longtime Bush adviser Karen Hughes recently told me, ”After 2008, the president came home and for the next two years President Obama blamed him for everything.” The night before the dedication, Naomi Aberly, hostess of a Democratic National Committee event at her home, thanked Bush for offering up a reason for Obama to come to Dallas to raise money for the Dems. Obama’s motorcade rolled past Ross Perot’s home en route to the DNC event in a 12,000-square-foot home that’s a mile or so from Bush’s. The 60 or so guests paid up to $32,400 for dinner. Not a Bush fan in the house, I’m guessing. And — also a guess — at least a few who continue to blame him for everything. Nevertheless, Obama chose to go positive about his predecessor. “One of the things I will insist upon is that whatever our political differences, President Bush loves this country and loves its people ... and was concerned about all people in America, not just some, not just those who voted Republican,” he said to fellow Democrats who paid a bunch of money to hear him say it. He wrapped up with a bit of political unorthodoxy, saying, “Occasionally, I may make some of you angry because I am going to reach out to Republicans. ... Even if some of you guys think
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KEN HERMAN
I’m a sap, I will keep on doing it because I think that’s what the country needs.”
Kind words At the Thursday dedication, Obama said about Bush: “To know the man is to like the man, because he’s comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is. He doesn’t put on any pretenses. He takes his job seriously, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously.” “He is a good man,” Obama said. Near the top of his speech, Bush responded with kindness. “I am very grateful to President Obama and Michelle for making this trip,” he said. “Unlike the other presidents here, he’s actually got a job. Mr. President, thank you for your kind words and for leading this nation we all love.” Fine moments, or phony ones? After all, what else are presidents and ex-presidents supposed to say about each other at the dedication of a presidential library? I choose to believe these kinds of events are American politics’ finest moments, moments of sincerity in an often insincere political world. We’d be in even worse shape than we are if the folks at the top rung of the political ladders didn’t respect each other despite their differences. I’m concerned that there’s not that kind of respect among congressional leaders, but I believe there’s something about the shared experience of sitting in the Oval Office that elevates members of that exclusive club to a better place. It’s often said that America deserves leaders as good as its people. When it comes to putting the proper tone on political discourse, I hope our people can do it as well as the leaders we saw on stage here Thursday. “Ultimately the success of a nation depends on the character of its citizens,” Bush said. The current level of political discourse from some of those citizens — on all sides and edges of the spectrum — dangerously challenges that success. (Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman. Email: kherman@statesman.com.)
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. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. 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. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No namecalling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
COLUMN
A big fight over budget cuts By GREG SARGENT THE WASHINGTON POST
Top House and Senate progressives are demanding a meeting with President Obama to underscore their opposition to cuts in Social Security benefits as part of a budgetary grand bargain — a sign that the left has no intention of allowing cuts without a major fight. The demand is in a letter set to be mailed to the president on Thursday and signed by Congressional Progressive Caucus cochairs Keith Ellison and Raul Grijalva, along with Democratic Reps. Jan Schakowsky, John Conyers and
Donna Edwards and Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent. “We appreciate your ongoing efforts to negotiate with Congressional Republicans in a serious, thoughtful manner, despite their unwillingness to consider a balanced approach,” it says. “However, at a time when many Americans are struggling, cutting Social Security benefits would take money directly out of the pockets of American seniors and slow our economic recovery.” More than 100 House Democrats have already signed a letter opposing “chained CPI,” a way of indexing benefits payments
to inflation that would amount to a cut in benefits. Meanwhile, Sanders and Sen. Tom Harkin, a Democrat, introduced Wednesday a resolution opposing chained CPI, signaling strong opposition among liberals in both chambers. The backdrop for all this is that top Democrats are seriously discussing temporarily “turning off ” the socalled sequester, thanks to the outcry over sequestration-caused flight delays. With Republicans complaining about the delays — and blaming Obama for them even as they claim the sequester as a victory for themselves — Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid has called the GOP’s bluff by suggesting the counting of war savings to replace the sequester cuts. The White House endorsed Reid’s idea on Wednesday. Liberals and unions have long pushed for outright cancellation of the sequester. Progressives hope that their stiff opposition to cuts in entitlement benefits will convince Obama and Democratic leaders that suspending the sequester is a better outcome than any “grand bargain” that alienates the left. Republicans are all but certain to oppose that approach, even as their complaints about flight delays continue.
COLUMN
Church helps in abuse efforts Jesus showed great respect for the dignity of every person, even those considered by others to have little worth. At a time in human history when children were not considered to be very important, even the disciples of Jesus rebuked those who were bringing boys and girls to be blessed by Him. Jesus told them, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) In our own time, tragic news stories of child abuse remind us of the vulnerability of children and our responsibility to protect them. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a campaign dedicated to promoting child abuse prevention in our communities. This month is observed in many ways, such as wearing blue ribbons, displaying pinwheels, and by sharing knowledge and resources that may help to identify the signs and symptoms of child abuse. The Diocese of Laredo
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JAMES TAMAYO
joins numerous online resources and community agencies, which are supporting this worthwhile and important effort. The diocesan website, www.dioceseoflaredo.org, offers information on the prevention of child abuse. Please click on the link “Safe Environment” for more information. The Catholic Church has committed its unwavering support of child abuse prevention through the Safe Environment Program. Safe Environment educates children in the Catholic Schools and in religious education classes throughout the Diocese of Laredo. The program provides ageappropriate instruction to children on how to protect themselves from abuse and educates adults on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse, and how to report suspected
abuse. All clergy, religious leaders, employees and volunteers who do parish work with children in the Diocese of Laredo are required to participate in child abuse prevention training. This training program has been part of the Catholic Church since 2002. It provides adults with knowledge on how to be involved in the protection of children. There are many people actively involved in the protection of children including law enforcement, Child Protective Services, community agencies, clergy, teachers, religious education instructors and many others. These wonderful people deserve our appreciation for the wonderful work they do every day to keep children safe. But your help is also needed as part of this concerted effort to protect children. Every person has the moral and civic responsibility to protect children from abuse and to report reasonable suspicions of abuse. Reporting suspected child
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
abuse is a form of involvement in the protection of children. We, as caregivers and concerned citizens, report so that the proper authorities investigate allegations and provide abused children with safety and the hope for a better life. Please join those of us who will be praying in a special way this Sunday for children, their safety, well being and protection. April 28 has been designated as the Blue Sunday Day of Prayer, a child abuse prevention prayer initiative, which will take place throughout the nation. This day also offers an opportunity to pray collectively for victims of abuse as well as for all those dedicated persons who work with them to find healing. Every child deserves to live a life filled with the simple joys of being a child and knowing how much he or she is truly loved by others. Let us in no way hinder the children from coming to Jesus, but may we help them to know His constant care for them. — Todo con Amor!
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
National
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
Panels needed for lakes By JOHN FLESHER ASSOCIATED PRESS
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A U.S.-Canadian panel urged both nations Friday to consider installing water retention structures to boost levels on Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, which fell to their lowest points on record in January and have lagged well below their historical averages since the late 1990s. The International Joint Commission, which advises the two federal governments about shared waterways, called for a study of placing inflatable gates or other devices in the St. Clair River, the outlet at the southern end of Lake Huron. Officials have acknowledged dredging, gravel mining and other human activities eroded the river bottom in the last century, accelerating the volume that flowed out of Lake Huron toward Lake Erie. Owners of Huron shoreline property, particularly in Canada’s Georgian Bay, have demanded action for years to offset the losses, although federal scientists say rising evaporation and declining rain and snow are the biggest reasons for the lake’s drop-off.
Raising lakes In a letter to the governments, the commission proposed investigating ways to raise Huron and Michigan by 5 to 10 inches. Although considered two separate lakes, they are connected by a 5-mile-wide strait and are the same elevation above sea level. “Although future water levels are uncertain, we cannot ignore the damage” already done from record lows, said Joe Comuzzo, chairman of the Canadian delegation to the commission. Although not endorsing specific measures, the panel suggested focusing on adjustable devices that could be activated during low-water periods when outflow from Lake Huron needs to be reduced and deactivated when there’s danger that water could get too high. The commission has six members, three from both countries, although one of the Canadian positions is vacant. Four of them signed the report. Lana Pollack, head of the U.S. delegation, declined to endorse it because she said it might give “false hopes” that artificial structures could solve the low-water problem. While much of the document is praiseworthy, it understates the role climate change has played and says too little about the need for governments to help people adapt, she said. “The public really needs to understand what we’re doing to our Great Lakes by pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and creating climate change,” Pollack said. Great Lakes levels fluctuate seasonally and have risen and fallen significantly over the decades, but now are in a prolonged low-water period. Huron and Michigan have suffered the biggest drop-offs. When they set a record in January, they were 29 inches below their long-term averages and had declined 17 inches within a year. They have risen slightly since, helped by snowfall and rain. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it would take a number of wet years to restore the lakes to normal. Studies have shown that Huron and Michigan fell by 10 to 16 inches because of dredging and other activities as late as the 1960s.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
Controllers to return to work By ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Furloughed air traffic controllers will soon be heading back to work, ending a week of coast-to-coast flight delays that left thousands of travelers frustrated and furious. Unable to ignore the travelers’ anger, Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation Friday to allow the Federal Aviation Administration to withdraw the furloughs. The vote underscored a shift by Democrats who had insisted on erasing all of this year’s $85 billion in across-theboard budget cuts, not just the most publicly painful ones, for fear of losing leverage to restore money for Head Start and other programs with less lobbying clout and popular support. With President Barack Obama’s promised signature, the measure will erase one of the most stinging and publicly visible consequences of the
Photo by David Goldman | AP
A passenger sits in the international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson airport on Friday, in Atlanta. Congress approved legislation Friday ending furloughs of air traffic controllers. budget-wide cuts known as the sequester. Friday’s House approval was 361-41 and followed the previous evening’s passage by the Senate, which didn’t even bother with a roll call. Lawmakers then streamed toward the exits — and airports — for a weeklong spring recess. White House spokesman
Jay Carney said Obama would sign the bill, but Carney complained that the measure left the rest of the sequester intact. “This is a Band-Aid solution. It does not solve the bigger problem,” he said. Using the same Band-Aid comparison, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said that “the sequester needs triple
bypass surgery.” The FAA and Transportation Department did not respond to repeated questions about when the controllers’ furloughs would end. Sen. Susan Collins, RMaine, who helped craft the measure, was told by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Friday that the agency is “doing every-
thing they can to get things back on track as quickly as possible,” said Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley. In the week since the furloughs began, news accounts have prominently featured nightmarish tales of delayed flights and stranded air passengers. Republicans have used the situation to accuse the Obama administration of purposely forcing the controllers to take unpaid days off to dial up public pressure on Congress to roll back the sequester. “The president has an obligation to implement these cuts in a way that respects the American people, rather than using them for political leverage,” House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a written statement. “Unfortunately for this administration, the term ‘sequester’ has become synonymous with fear,” Rep. Richard Hudson, RN.C., said during the debate.
Boston suspect is now in prison By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN AND EILEEN SULLIVAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhohkar Tsarnaev was moved from a hospital to a federal prison medical center, while FBI agents searched for evidence Friday in a landfill near the college he was attending. Tsarnaev, 19, was taken from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he was recovering from a gunshot wound to the throat and other injuries suffered during a getaway attempt, and transferred to the Federal Medical Center Devens, about 40 miles from Boston, the U.S. Marshals Service said. The facility at a former Army base treats federal prisoners. “It’s where he should be; he doesn’t need to be here anymore,” said Linda Zamansky, a patient at Beth Israel, who thought the suspect’s absence could reduce stress on bombing victims recovering there. Also, FBI agents picked through a landfill near the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where
Photo by Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe | AP
FBI agents search Thursday for evidence at a landfill in New Bedford, Mass., near the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth where bombing suspect Dzhohkar Tsarnaev was a sophomore. Tsarnaev was a sophomore. FBI spokesman Jim Martin would not say what investigators were looking for. An aerial photo in Friday’s Boston Globe showed a line of more than 20 investigators, all dressed in white overalls and yellow boots, picking over the garbage with shovels or rakes. U.S. officials, meanwhile, said that the bombing suspects’ mother had been added to a federal terrorism database about 18 months before the deadly attack —
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a disclosure that deepens the mystery around the Tsarnaev family and marks the first time American authorities have acknowledged that Zubeidat Tsarnaeva was under investigation before the tragedy. The news is certain to fuel questions about whether the Obama administration missed opportunities to thwart the April 15 bombing
that killed three people and wounded 260. Tsarnaev is charged with joining with his older brother, now dead, in setting off the pressure-cooker bombs. The brothers are ethnic Chechens from Russia who came to the United States about a decade ago with their parents. Investigators have said it appears that the brothers
were angry about the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, said the CIA had Zubeidat Tsarnaeva’s name added to the terror database along with that of her son Tamerlan Tsarnaev after Russia contacted the agency in 2011 with concerns that the two were religious militants. About six months earlier, the FBI investigated mother and son, also at Russia’s request, one of the officials said. The FBI found no ties to terrorism. Previously U.S. officials had said only that the FBI investigated Tamerlan. In an interview from Russia, Tsarnaeva said Friday that she has never been linked to terrorism. “It’s all lies and hypocrisy,” she told The Associated Press from Dagestan.
SÁBADO 27 DE ABRIL DE 2013
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Agenda en Breve LAREDO 04/27— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “The Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” a las 3 p.m.; “Lamps of Atlantis” a las 4 p.m.; “Pink Floyd’s The Wall” a las 5 p.m. Costo varía de 4 a 6 dólares. 04/27— Se realizará la presentación de monólogos durante el evento “Blue Yonder and Beyond Et al” a las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center del Campus Fort McIntosh en LCC. Costo: 7 dólares, para el público, y 5 dólares para estudiantes y adultos mayores. Adquiera sus boletos en la puerta del teatro. 04/27— R.O.W. (Renegades of Wrestling) presenta función de lucha libre para beneficiar a la familia de Marcos Aranda, a las 7 p.m. en Firefighters Union Hall, 5219 Tesoro Plaza. Costo: 5 dólares (en pre-venta). 04/27— Richard Reséndez dirige la obra “Dangerous Liasons”, a las 8 p.m. en Laredo Little Theatre, 7802 avenida Thomas. Costo: 10 dólares. 04/28— Richard Reséndez dirige la obra “Dangerous Liasons”, a las 8 p.m. en Laredo Little Theatre, 7802 avenida Thomas. Costo: 10 dólares. 05/01— Concierto Guitar Studio and Ensemble, a las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro del Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez, en el Campus Fort McIntosh. Evento gratuito. 05/03— El DJ Paul van Dyk se presenta en Laredo Energy Arena a partir de las 7 p.m. Costo: 53 dólares y 33 dólares. Adquiera su boleto en Ticketmaster o la taquilla de LEA. 05/04— “No Mud No Glory 2” se llevará a cabo a las 7:30 a.m. en North Central Park, 10202 International Blvd. Cuota: 65 dólares (registro en el lugar de 7 a.m. a 11 a.m.) Habrá varios obstáculos de lodo para que los equipos tengan mayores retos. Visite www.cityoflaredo.com para mayor información y pre-registro. Información llamando al 729-4600. 05/04— First United Methodist Church invita a su venta de libros usados, de 8:30 a.m. a 1 p.m. en 1220 avenida McClelland. Libros de pasta dura a 1 dólar; pasta blanda, a .50 centavos; revistas y libros infantiles, a .25 centavos.
Foto por Eric Gay | Associated Press
De pie, frente a 12 féretros cubiertos con banderas de los EU, el Presidente Barack Obama habla durante el servicio funeral para los bomberos que murieran durante la explosión en la planta de fertilizantes en West, Texas, en Baylor University en Waco, el jueves.
Brindan consuelo a familias POR JOSH LEDERMAN Y DANNY ROBBINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
WACO — El presidente Barack Obama consoló el jueves a una comunidad rural de Texas, estremecida por la mortífera explosión en una planta de fertilizantes donde murieron 14 personas, y dijo a los residentes que no estaban solos en su dolor y que tienen el respaldo de la nación para recuperarse de la destrucción. “Esta familia de un pueblo pequeño es más grande ahora”, destacó Obama en un servicio fúnebre en la Universidad Baylor para las víctimas de la explosión de la semana pasada en la vecina West, Texas, donde 200 personas resultaron heridas. Casi 10.000 personas se congregaron en homenaje a los socorristas que llega-
“
Aunque no vivamos aquí en Texas, pero también somos vecinos. También somos estadounidenses, y estamos con ustedes”. BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENTE DE EU
ron apenas se produjo la explosión, una multitud que triplicó la población de West, de 2.700 habitantes. “A las familias, los vecinos que se enfrentan a tan irreparable pérdida, estamos aquí para decirles que no están solos. No están olvidados”, aseguró el presidente en medio de aplausos. “Aunque no vivamos aquí en Texas, pero también somos vecinos. También somos estadounidenses, y estamos con ustedes”, añadió. La explosión del 17 de
abril dejó un cráter de más de 28 metros (90 pies) de ancho, destruyó decenas de viviendas y dejó desamparados a muchos residentes. El Consejo de Seguros de Texas calculó las pérdidas en más de 100 millones de dólares, y cuadrillas de trabajadores buscan entre los escombros algunas señales de lo que causó la explosión o si se trató de un incendio intencional. La explosión se produjo 20 minutos después que se reportó un incendio en West Fertilizer. Diez de los
COMUNIDAD
ECONOMÍA
IRS advierte sobre estafas de caridad ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 04/27— Estación Palabra presenta el Festejo del Día del Niño, a partir de las 12 p.m. Habrá el “Bazar de Arte” a las 12 p.m.; y el “Festival Infantil: Hay que Soñar” a las 2 p.m. 04/27— Estación Palabra presenta “Leo… luego éxito” con la actriz Maya Zapata, a las 6 p.m. dentro del auditorio de Estación Palabra. Entrada Libre. 04/28— Se realizará la Celebración del Día Internacional de la Danza a las 11 a.m. en el Centro Cultural de Nuevo Laredo. Entrada libre. 04/28— Festeja el Día del Niño con la “Lucha Libre Kids” en el Salón Principal del Real Inn, de 4 p.m. a 8 p.m. Habrá cuatro luchas profesionales, siendo la estelar entre Laredo Kid, Huracán Rmz contra Oscuridad y Jake Mate. Costo: 180 pesos. 04/28— Casa de la Cultura presenta ‘Domingos de teatro universitario’ con la obra “Casado, soltero, divorciado, viudo”, del Grupo Uteatro a las 5 p.m. en el teatro Lucio Blanco. Entrada libre. 04/30— Proyecto Teatro presenta “Esencia de nostalgia” de Miguel Ángel Cedano, a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS, Belden y Reynosa. Costo: 20 pesos.
muertos fueron socorristas que trataban de apagar el incendio esa noche. Mientras Obama hablaba, el gimnasio brillaba con los destellos de las cámaras y teléfonos celulares. El presidente habló por 16 minutos, leyó un pasaje de la Biblia y elogió a los caídos, cuyos féretros tenía delante, cubiertos por la bandera estadounidense. El gobernador de Texas, Rick Perry elogió a los socorristas voluntarios, y afirmó que cada uno de ellos significaba mucho para
muchas personas, por lo que es lamentable que sus vidas acabaran tan pronto. “Estos eran voluntarios. Personas sencillas bendecidas por su extraordinario valor y determinación para hacer lo que podían para salvar vidas”, destacó. Obama decidió participar en el servicio fúnebre además de su presentación en un viaje planeado desde hace mucho a Texas para la inauguración de la biblioteca presidencial de George W. Bush en la Universidad Metodista del Sur. Después del funeral, el presidente y la primera dama Michelle Obama tenían previsto visitar en privado a los familiares y amigos de los bomberos que murieron en la explosión, dijo la Casa Blanca. (La periodista de Associated Press, Nedra Pickler de Washington, contribuyó a este despacho)
Foto de archive/Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Renato Ramírez, Presidente CEO del la Junta Administrativa de IBC Zapata durante la ceremonia de arranque de la campaña de United Way en 2012. Él anunció el apoyo al organismo sin fines de lucro.
Apoyo hace diferencia con United Way ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Las donaciones monetarias que anualmente se realizan a United Way permiten que personas y familias mejoren su educación, adquieran estabilidad financiera, y vivan vidas saludables. Un organismo que participó durante la campaña 2012 fue IBC Bank. Empleados de la institución bancaria, en Texas y Oklahoma, donaron un total de 353.047 dólares en la campaña 2012. IBC Bank-Zapata contribuyó con 17.340 dólares del gran total. “La inversión en la comunidad local ayuda a crear cambios duraderos y sostenibles que lleven a mejores y más fortalecidos sitios donde vivir y trabajar”, indica un comunicado de prensa de IBC. La donación otorgada beneficiará al Boys and Girls Club de Zapata, una agencia del United Way of Laredo.
“Apoyamos encarecidamente a United Way a través de donaciones monetarias y esfuerzos de los voluntarios porque todas estas agencias provee muchos servicios necesarios y fortalecen a los individuos hacia mejores vidas”, dijo Renato Ramírez, CEO de IBC Bank-Zapata. Ramírez agregó que la filosofía de la institución “provee la plataforma que que participemos en iniciativas que hacen una marcada diferencia en la comunidades que servimos”. Pamela R. Juárez, Presidenta de United Way of Laredo, calificó a el banco citado como un modelo ejemplar de compromiso con la comunidad de Zapata. “El profundo impacto que IBC Bank ha hecho sobre los necesitados, médicamente frágiles, vagabundos, y las víctimas de circunstancias desafortunadas, no tiene medida y estamos muy agradecidos con esta generosa organización”, dijo Juárez.
Después de las grandes catástrofes y tragedias, los estafadores fundan organizaciones benéficas para robar dinero u obtener información privada de los contribuyentes bien intencionados. Los esquemas fraudulentos incluyen solicitudes por teléfono, redes sociales, correo electrónico o en persona. Los estafadores usan una variedad de tácticas. Algunos operan organizaciones benéficas falsas o pretenden estar afiliados con organizaciones benéficas legítimas para persuadir al público a enviar dinero o proporcionar información financiera personal. Los estafadores entonces usan esa información para robar la identidad o el dinero de sus víctimas. El IRS ofrece los siguientes consejos para ayudar a los contribuyentes que deseen donar a las víctimas de las recientes tragedias el maratón de Boston y la planta de fertilizantes de Texas: Haga donativos a caridades calificadas. Use la herramienta “Exempt Organizations Select Check” en IRS.gov (en inglés) para encontrar organizaciones benéficas calificadas. Solamente los donativos hechos a organizaciones de caridad calificadas son deducibles de impuestos. También puede encontrar organiza-
ciones benéficas legítimas en el sitio de Web de la Agencia Federal de Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA por sus siglas en inglés) en fema.gov. Desconfíe de las caridades con nombres similares. Algunas organizaciones benéficas falsas utilizan nombres que son similares a las organizaciones familiares o conocidas a nivel nacional. Podrán usar nombres o sitios web que suelen parecerse a organizaciones legítimas. No dé información financiera personal. No dé su número de Seguro Social, números de tarjeta de crédito y cuentas bancarias y contraseñas a quien le solicita una contribución. Estafadores usan esta información para robar su identidad y el dinero. No dé ni envíe dinero en efectivo. Para propósitos de seguridad y de respaldo para los impuestos, haga el donativo mediante cheque o tarjeta de crédito u otra forma que aporta documentación del donativo. Sospecha fraude, repórtelo. Los contribuyentes que sospechan fraude tributario o relacionado a la caridad deben visitar IRS.gov y hacer una búsqueda usando las palabras clave “Report Phishing”. Más información sobre estafas tributarias y esquemas está disponible en IRS.gov usando las palabras clave “scams and schemes”.
State
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
Corrido singer found dead in Valley By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
McALLEN — The death of a South Texas singer well known for his ballads, including some about the exploits of Mexican drug cartels, was being treated as a murder investigation after authorities found his body Thursday on a rural road. Jesus “Chuy” Quintanilla appeared to have been shot at least twice in the head and was found near his vehicle, Hidalgo Coun-
ty Sheriff Lupe Treviño said. Irrigation workers found his body on a roadway north of Mission in an isolated area surrounded by citrus groves, Treviño said. Quintanilla’s family filed a missing person report Thursday morning, saying they hadn’t had contact with him since the previous night. But investigators were already on the scene, Treviño said. Treviño wouldn’t release details about the investigation but said it was
being treated as a murder investigation. He speculated that the singer was either lured or taken to the area where his body was found. “It’s not like a ‘let’s meet at a bar and talk about a music contract,”’ Treviño said. Quintanilla is well known in the region for musica norteña, a genre of music popular in northern Mexico and South Texas, particularly for his ballads, known as corridos. Some of his songs could
Lege OKs funding for schools, fires By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Firefighter training following a deadly explosion in West, money to arm Texas prosecutors and an extra $500 million for public schools were ways that House lawmakers Friday considered spending the final dollars in the current state budget. Not all the proposals survived. But the House eventually gave overwhelming approval to an $875 million spending bill that includes an immediate half-billion dollar payout to classrooms and settles the costs from fighting wildfires that ravaged the state in 2011. Lawmakers also approved $2 million for a disaster recovery effort in West, where dozens of families remain displaced following the blast at the West Fertilizer Co. plant last week. Fourteen people were killed, most of whom were volunteer firefighters and emergency medics. But that fresh tragedy did not compel House members to push through a $60 million proposal for more training and resources for volunteer firefighter departments statewide. Ground rules of the budget debate demanded that lawmakers find money to cut if they wanted to spend, and Democrats balked at the training com-
“It’s just a one-time ‘Go buy a gun, go buy a monitoring system for your house.’” REP. CRAIG EILAND ing at the expense of a program to help feed low-income children. “We’ve been sent here to make tough choices,” Republican state Rep. David Simpsons said. The proposal was soundly defeated moments after Democratic state Rep. Naomi Gonzalez cried while describing growing up in a struggling family that would have benefited from programs to make sure schoolchildren don’t go hungry on weekends. “(This) does an injustice to children like me who, growing up, did not have food at the table,” Gonzalez said. “Who had parents that are working hard who don’t want to be part of the system, who want to give their children something to eat at night.” Gov. Rick Perry still must sign the spending bill. But with the spending for the
current two-year budget now out of the way, lawmakers can devote their full attention in the final month of the 140-day session to hammering out a final budget for 2014-15. Earlier this month, the House approved a $93.5 billion budget for the next biennium that boosts spending across the board by 7 percent. The Senate this week, meanwhile, approved taking $5.7 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund for water and roads projects, as well as public schools. Under the Senate plan, nearly 70 percent of the $5.4 billion that lawmakers slashed from classrooms in 2011 would be restored starting this fall. Republican state Rep. Bryan Hughes tried squeezing in an amendment Friday to give district attorneys in Texas a one-time $7,500 payout for security, following the killing of two Kaufman County prosecutors earlier this year. He withdrew the effort after lawmakers questioned cutting money earmarked for judges to pay for his idea. “It’s just a one-time ‘Go buy a gun, go buy a monitoring system for your house,’” Democratic state Rep. Craig Eiland said. “But it’s not going to be there the next session, the next session, the next session. I just really think you’re putting us in a very bad position.”
be considered narcocorridos, which often tell of the power of top drug traffickers or recount big gun battles in ways that can sometimes draw the ire of those on the losing side. Singers of narcocorridos have been targeted in the past. Valentin Elizalde was fatally shot in 2006 after performing in Reynosa, a border city across from McAllen, and Sergio Vega was killed in Sinaloa in 2010. Quintanilla dismissed the term narcocorrido during a 2011 interview
with The Monitor newspaper in McAllen, saying his genre of music has always illustrated people’s lives. He said the songs began more than a century ago as a way to tell the stories of battles, and have changed only to keep up with the times. “This is something that is very real; it’s happening right now, and everyone can identify with it or has heard of it or been affected by it,” Quintanilla told the newspaper in Spanish. Quintanilla also said he
had worked for 20 years with the state police in Mexico and later worked for the federal police there before embarking on his musical career. “Personally, I enjoy writing songs about racehorses,” he said. A man reached at a number advertised with Quintanilla’s performances wouldn’t give his full name but said he was friends with Quintanilla. He said the singer was noted for his norteña music and ballads.
Lawmakers push back at Perry in this session By JIM VERTUNO ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry revved up for a presidential bid in 2011 by showing the country who’s boss in Texas: He slashed spending, tightened abortion restrictions and declared illegal immigration a state emergency. He’s not calling the shots anymore. A year after Perry’s run for the White House flamed out, the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature is showing signs of defiance in a series of votes that push back against Perry’s authority — a poke in the eye of the 12-year governor. In recent weeks, the Texas House and Senate have approved separate budget plans that increase spending and put some money back into public education, something Perry said the state spends plenty on. The Senate has endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment calling for term limits for statewide office holders and voted to audit Perry’s pet Texas Enterprise Fund, which the governor has used for the last decade to give $485 million to private companies looking to expand or relocate in the state. And members in both chambers have gone on the offensive in challenging Perry’s political ap-
pointments to the University of Texas System regents, part of a power strugPERRY gle over who governs dayto-day operations of state universities. The Senate recently voted to curtail regents’ authority. Those measures aren’t law yet, but show legislators are determined to be independent. Sen. Kevin Eltife, the Tyler Republican who authored the term limits proposal, boldly criticized Perry’s tenure as lacking vision on the growing shortages of water and the need to build and improve highways across the state. “What have we solved in the last 10 years? What can I really stand up and say I’m proud of ?” Eltife said. “The problems that I saw when I got to the Senate are still here.” Water and transportation issues have been pushed to the front of the session and have Senate GOP leaders considering spending half of the state’s cash reserves, a move that would have been unthinkable in 2011. All this muscle-flexing by lawmakers, notably Republicans, is the result of not having to curry favor with the man who wanted to be president, Republican political consultant
Bill Miller said. “Last session (Perry) ruled with an iron hand. He was running for president and leading in the polls,” Miller said. “Everyone wants to be in favor with the guy who might be president ... now, they are saying ‘Alright, the heel is off the back of my neck.’” Lawmakers are questioning Perry’s plans. He’s been governor since late 2000 and has said he’ll wait until summer to announce whether he plans to run for a fourth full term in 2014 or launch a 2016 presidential bid. Whatever Perry decides to do, state Republicans are enjoying the freedom to cast votes and say what they want — up to a point. Despite the voting trends heading into the final weeks of the session, Perry still wields tremendous power in his veto pen. Perry spokesman Josh Havens downplayed lawmakers’ change of attitude this session and noted that every bill must pass Perry’s desk before it can become law. Perry also has the power of line-item veto in the budget, where local spending projects can live or die with a single stroke. “Each session has its own personality and, at the end of the day, the governor will have a chance to review each piece of legislation that the House and Senate send to his desk,” Havens said.
Sheriff: Remains those of missing teen ASSOCIATED PRESS
SNYDER — Remains found in a remote West Texas location last month are those of a 13-year-old middle school cheerleader missing since December 2010, authorities announced Friday. Hailey Darlene Dunn’s remains were found near Lake J.B. Thomas in Scurry County on March 16, more than two years after her mother reported her missing. The girl’s disappearance and the cause of her death remain under investigation, Scurry County Sheriff Trey Wilson said at a news conference Friday. The Scurry County District Attorney’s Office received written confirmation of the identity of
the remains on Friday, he said. Texas Rangers informed the girl’s mother, Billie Jean Dunn, on Friday afternoon at her Austin home, said her attorney, John Young. Dunn will be driving to West Texas to arrange her daughter’s funeral, he said. The body was found about 20 miles northwest of the girl’s hometown of Colorado City. The girl had been the subject of months of intensive searches in and around Colorado City and surrounding fields and landfills after her mother reported her missing on Dec. 28, 2010. More than 100 billboards featuring her picture and information about the case were
Photo courtesy of Clint Dunn/file | AP
Authorities on Friday confirmed the remains found in a remote part of Scurry County in March are those of Hailey Dunn, left. set up along interstates in Texas and other states. The mother’s boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, has said he last saw Hailey a day
before she was reported missing. He said the girl told him she was going to her father’s home nearby and then on to spend the
night at a friend’s home. She did neither. Authorities had named Adkins as a person of interest in the girl’s disappearance, but he was never charged. At one point, authorities accused the girl’s mother of lying about the whereabouts of Adkins, who was found at her home. Billie Dunn pleaded no contest in June 2011 to making a false report to law enforcement and received a suspended 90-day jail term with probation. The mother and Adkins have denied involvement in Hailey’s disappearance. Hailey’s paternal grandfather, Bill Dunn, died in 2011, six months after the girl went missing. His widow, Spicy Dunn of Ponca City, Okla.,
said her husband spent much of the last months of his life trying to learn what became of his granddaughter. “He was very, very hurt, and was on the computer all the time looking and trying to find anything that had to do with Hailey,” she said Friday. “Anything.” She said family members made a point not to change their phone numbers so that law enforcement officials could reach them in case of any developments, even years later. “It is a relief to know that she’s at peace,” Spicy Dunn said. “She doesn’t have any more suffering.” She later added, “I hope the family comes to a closure. I know it’s very hard.”
Man executed for store abduction killing By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
HUNTSVILLE — An inmate was executed Thursday evening for fatally shooting one of three people he and a partner abducted during a convenience store robbery nearly 11 years ago. Richard Cobb, 29, didn’t deny using a 20-gauge shotgun to kill Kenneth Vandever in a field where two women also were shot and one was raped. He was convicted of capital murder. He was pronounced dead 16 minutes after the lethal drug was injected. The U.S. Supreme Court about two hours earlier cleared the way for the execution, the fourth this
year in Texas, when it rejected an appeal from Cobb. His lawyers from the University of Houston-based Texas Innocence Network contended a prison expert at Cobb’s trial in 2004 falsely described how much freedom the convicted Cobb could expect if Cherokee County jurors gave him life in prison rather than a death sentence. Cobb’s attorneys argued that in at least four other death row cases with similar testimony, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordered reviews of those punishments. In a brief order last week, the state court refused Cobb’s appeal as being filed improperly and dismissed it without considering the
Photo by Texas Department of Criminal Justice | AP
Richard Cobb was executed Thursday in Huntsville for a man’s slaying. merits of the claim. The Supreme Court justices needed to address whether Cobb’s equal protection or due process rights were violat-
ed, Cobb’s attorneys said. The high court, in a brief order, refused. State lawyers had argued the state court’s ruling was legally correct and that the expert testimony was factually and procedurally different from the other cases cited, as well as accurate in Cobb’s trial. With Cobb’s execution imminent, the appeal was “nothing more than a meritless attempt to postpone his execution,” Tomee Heining, an assistant state attorney general, told the high court late Wednesday. On Sept. 2, 2002, Vandever and the two women were abducted from a store in Rusk, about 120 miles southeast of Dallas, and
taken to a field about 10 miles away. All three were shot and left for dead. Vandever, 37, died, but the women managed to get help and later testified against Cobb and his partner, Beunka Adams. Cobb was 18 at the time of the attack, on probation for auto theft and a high school dropout. Cobb and Adams were arrested in Jacksonville, about 25 miles away, the day after the crime. It was the latest in a series of robberies tied to them. Cobb testified at his trial he began using drugs at age 12 and turned to robbery to pay off a drug debt. Adams was executed a year ago this week for his participation in the slaying.
International
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Hitler’s taster tells of poisoning fears By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER ASSOCIATED PRESS
BERLIN — They were feasts of sublime asparagus — laced with fear. And for more than half a century, Margot Woelk kept her secret hidden from the world, even from her husband. Then, a few months after her 95th birthday, she revealed the truth about her wartime role: Adolf Hitler’s food taster. Woelk, then in her midtwenties, spent two and a half years as one of 15 young women who sampled Hitler’s food to make sure it wasn’t poisoned before it was served to the Nazi leader in his “Wolf ’s Lair,” the heavily guarded command center in what is now Poland, where he spent much of his time in the final years of World War II. “He was a vegetarian. He never ate any meat dur-
Teachers protest ed changes By KARLA ZABLUDOVSKY NEW YORK TIMES
MEXICO CITY — One of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s signature efforts to shake up the country — a broad plan to overhaul the education system — has run into violent protests that underscore how difficult it may be to carry out, particularly in some volatile states with poor academic performance. Armed with iron rods and rocks, dozens of masked members of the teachers’ union in Guerrero state attacked the local offices of the four major political parties on Wednesday, smashing windows and overturning furniture. They also set fire to the office of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, to which Peña Nieto belongs. On Thursday, in a further sign of the growing conflict over education changes, teachers marched down Mexico City’s main boulevard, temporarily closing it down. The education overhaul, which transfers power from the potent teachers’ union to the federal government, proposes periodic teacher evaluations to determine appointments, salaries and dismissals — a major adjustment for workers who are accustomed to buying or inheriting their positions and who have had, until now, virtual immunity from the state. The president’s plan, signed into law in February, and the arrest of the seemingly untouchable boss of the teachers’ union, Elba Esther Gordillo, were seen as political victories for Peña Nieto, whose agenda is focused on retooling the education sector. But additional legislation is needed to carry out the new education law, and dissenting teachers are trying to influence it through a mix of paralyzing protests and vandalism in parts of the country. “They won’t stop it,” said Eduardo Andere, an education expert at ITAM university. But growing pressure could push legislators to give secondary legislation “language that permits more local meddling,” he said. Other obstacles loom. A “pact for Mexico” that Peña Nieto reached with opposition parties on a range of issues is in danger, after rivals erupted over a recording in which PRI officials in one state were heard discussing how to use anti-poverty programs to buy votes in coming local elections. Mollifying the local offshoots of the teachers’ union was never going to be easy, as they historically have mobilized against any perceived threat to power.
ing the entire time I was there,” Woelk said of the Nazi leader. “And Hitler was so paranoid that the British would poison him — that’s why he had 15 girls taste the food before he ate it himself.” With many Germans contending with food shortages and a bland diet as the war dragged on, sampling Hitler’s food had its advantages. “The food was delicious, only the best vegetables, asparagus, bell peppers, everything you can imagine. And always with a side of rice or pasta,” she recalled. “But this constant fear — we knew of all those poisoning rumors and could never enjoy the food. Every day we feared it was going to be our last meal.” The petite widow’s story is a tale of the horror, pain and dislocation endured by people of all sides who survived World War II.
Photo by Markus Schreiber | AP
Margot Woelk, one of Adolf Hitler’s food testers, shows a photo album with a picture of herself taken around 1939 or 1940. Only now in the sunset of her life has she been willing to relate her experiences, which she had buried because of shame and the fear of prosecution for having worked with the Nazis, although she insists she was never a party member. She told her story as she flipped through a
photo album with pictures of her as a young woman, in the same Berlin apartment where she was born in 1917. Woelk first revealed her secret to a local Berlin reporter a few months ago. Since then interest in her life story has been overwhelming. School teachers
wrote and asked her for photos and autographs to bring history alive for their students. Several researchers from a museum visited to ask for details about her life as Hitler’s taster. Woelk says her association with Hitler began after she fled Berlin to escape Allied air attacks. With her husband gone and serving in the German army, she moved in with relatives about 435 miles to the east in Rastenburg, then part of Germany; now it is Ketrzyn, in what became Poland after the war. There she was drafted into civilian service and assigned for the next two and a half years as a food taster and kitchen bookkeeper at the Wolf ’s Lair complex, located a few miles outside the town. Hitler was secretive, even in the relative safety of his headquarters, that she never saw him in person — only his German
Romance fuels Egypt fight
Mexico cases collapse By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON AND MARK STEVENSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Some of Mexico’s most high-profile corruption cases have unraveled recently on thin or made-up evidence, reinforcing long-held notions that the Attorney General’s Office is more focused on political vendettas or favors than justice. Among the cases to collapse or suffer setbacks are those of a former drug czar and a former No. 2 in the Defense Department, accused of links to drug cartels, as well as corruption proceedings related to a former governor of Coahuila state who saw $3 billion in public funds go missing during his tenure. Experts say the faulty prosecutions are the product of questionable police work, organizational problems and a justice system dominated by political interests. All three cases began during the government of President Felipe Calderón and were thrown out or quietly shelved during the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto. “There is a deficiency in the organization, in the presentation of investigations. There are serious technical flaws,” said Javier Oliva, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico who studies defense and security. “If the question is,
By MAGGIE MICHAEL ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP file photo
Federal prosecutors have dropped organized crime charges against retired Mexican Army General Tomas Angeles Dauahare, accused of aiding a drug cartel. ‘Why did these cases fail?’, it is because they have no legal support.” The first to be freed was former anti-drug czar Noe Ramirez, who was arrested in 2008 in an internal sweep known as “Operation Clean House” on charges that he took $450,000 a month from the Beltran Leyva drug cartel. Last week, a federal judge in western Nayarit state, where Ramirez had been held at a maximum security prison, ordered his release after determining that the main witness in the case lied and prosecutors might have fabricated evidence. The case against Ramirez was launched following the arrest of Gerardo Garay, then the country’s acting federal police chief, for stealing money from a Mexico City mansion during a drug raid, according
to Samuel Gonzalez, who occupied Ramirez’s antidrug post a decade earlier. Gonzalez said Garay’s boss and ally, federal Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna, was reportedly incensed by the arrest and demanded that Calderón prosecute someone at the Attorney General’s Office in revenge. “Garcia Luna was the one who demanded that Calderón go after Noe Ramirez, because charges had been brought against Garay, he wanted someone of the same level charged,” Gonzalez said. Two days after Ramirez was freed, retired army Gen. Tomas Angeles Dauahare was also ordered released after the Attorney General’s Office dropped the drug corruption case against him because of a lack of evidence.
Angeles Dauahare, a former assistant defense secretary, told The Associated Press that he believes the case against him was also political. He had openly criticized Calderón’s strategy of cracking down on the drug cartels and appeared at a May campaign event for then-candidate Peña Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. Days later, he and other senior military leaders were arrested on accusations of helping the Beltran Leyva cartel. “They tried to destroy everybody who didn’t share their opinions,” Angeles Dauahare said of the Calerdón government. Calderón’s conservative National Action Party government had touted the arrests as proof of Mexico’s fortitude in fighting internal corruption.
Mexican newspaper photographer found dead By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — The hacked-up bodies of a photojournalist and another young man have been found in the northern Mexico city of Saltillo, authorities said Thursday. Photographer Daniel Martinez Bazaldua, 22, had recently been hired to cover social events for Vanguardia, the paper said in a story in its online edition. Officials identified the other man as Julian Zamora, 23. Saltillo is in northern Coahuila state, an area where the Zetas drug cartel is active. Another Coahuila newspaper recently announced it would no longer publish stories about drug gangs, after receiving threats apparently signed by a Zetas leader. State prosecutors said the bodies were found Wednesday in a jumbled pile of severed parts on a street, next to a hand-lettered message that appeared to indicate the Zetas were responsible for the killings. The state government
shepherd Blondie and his SS guards, who chatted with the women. Hitler’s security fears were not unfounded. On July 20, 1944, a trusted colonel detonated a bomb in the Wolf ’s Lair in an attempt to kill Hitler. He survived, but nearly 5,000 people were executed following the assassination attempt, including the bomber. Following the blast, tension rose around the headquarters. Woelk said the Nazis ordered her to leave her relatives’ home and move into an abandoned school closer to the compound. With the Soviet army on the offensive and the war going badly for Germany, one of her SS friends advised her to leave the Wolf ’s Lair. She said she returned by train to Berlin and went into hiding.
said the sign suggested the two young men had deserted from a drug gang. BAZALDUA Coahuila state Attorney General Homero Ramos told reporters later that investigators had testimony indicating both men “were participating in illegal activities.” Vanguardia criticized that accusation, noting that the message left at the scene also contained threats to police. “We think it is sad and alarming that Coahuila has become a state in which the authorities condemn murdered people, converting them into criminals, without offering the least evidence,” the newspaper wrote. “Only a serious, professional investigation can find out the truth that society deserves,” Vanguardia said. Vanguardia Editorial Director Ricardo Mendoza told The Associated Press that Martinez Bazaldua was “very calm,” “friendly” and “enthusiastic,” and said he did not
know whether the killing was related to his work as a photographer. In some cartel-plagued cities in Mexico, covering even the society section can be dangerous, because cartel leaders may hang out at prominent social events and get angry if they are included in photos. In some cases, if they want the attention, they can be angered if they are left out. The Inter-American Press Association condemned the photographer’s killing and demanded authorities do a thorough investigation. It also said it was regretful that state authorities almost immediately linked him to organized crime. “It’s irresponsible that without doing a minimal investigation, authorities immediately linked the killings to a vengeance by members of organized crime,” it said. Four journalists have been killed in Coahuila and two more have gone missing since 1989. None of the cases have been solved, the association said. Press advocates have long called Mexico one of
the most dangerous nations for reporters. But there isn’t a single, agreed-upon figure on crimes against journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists says in its latest report published in February that 12 Mexican journalists went missing in 2006-2012 and that in the same period 14 were killed because of their work. Mexico’s human rights commission lists 81 journalists who it says have been killed since 2000. In 2012, Mexico’s special prosecutor for crimes against freedom of expression said 67 journalists had been killed and 14 had disappeared in the country since 2006. On Thursday, the lower house of congress approved a bill that would allow journalists to request that federal prosecutors and federal judges investigate attacks on them, and to establish cases in which such federal intervention would be obligatory. The bill was previously approved by the senate and has now been sent to the president for his signature.
CAIRO — An alleged romance between an Egyptian Muslim college student and a Coptic Christian man heightened sectarian tension on Friday in a small rural Egyptian town where police fired tear gas to disperse stone-throwing Muslims who surrounded a Coptic church in anger over the inter-faith relationship, a security official and priest said. The Muslim protesters accuse Saint Girgis Church of helping 21-year-old Rana el-Shazli, who is believed to have converted to Christianity, flee to Turkey with a Coptic Christian man. Stories of conversions to Christianity or Islam, interfaith romances and the illegal building and expanding of churches have caused a series of deadly sectarian incidents in recent years. Since Islamists rose to power after Egypt’s 2011 uprising that forced out longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, Christians have grown more fearful of intimidation and violence from fellow Egyptians, especially ultraconservative Salafis. The alleged romance has been fueling sectarian tension for nearly two months in Wasta, a rural town in Beni Suef province, about 60 miles south of Cairo. Muslims have attacked churches there and forced Christians to close their shops for nearly eight days last month and members of the Christian man’s family have been arrested, including his mother and father, after a prosecutor accused them of collaborating in hiding the woman. The woman’s family issued an ultimatum for the church to bring her back early this month, but when it didn’t, violence erupted anew. On Friday, ultraconservative Salafis distributed flyers accusing the church of “proselytizing Christianity,” according to a copy of the flyer posted on a social networking site. It called on residents to rally inside a mosque located yards from the church to “rescue a Muslim soul and bring her back from the deviant path.” Father Bishoy Youssef of the church said he heard loudspeakers from the adjacent mosque calling on worshippers to join a march to the church for the sake of the girl. He said churches in Wasta had been forewarned about “threats to attack the churches” and scheduled early morning masses that would be finished before Friday prayers at the mosque. “God protect us,” he said. “We have nothing to do with this whole story.”
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
Plane parts from 9/11 found By JAKE PEARSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Louis Lanzano | AP
The entrance of 51 Park Place is cordoned off by police on Friday, in New York. A part of an aircraft’s landing gear was discovered behind the building.
NEW YORK — A rusted 5foot-tall piece of landing gear believed to be from one of the hijacked planes destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks has been discovered near the World Trade Center wedged between a luxury apartment building and a mosque site that prompted virulent national debate about Islam and freedom of speech. The twisted metal part, jammed in a sliver of open space
Efforts to protect assault victims advance By MICHAEL BRICK ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — For Nicole Anderson, the courage to report the crime was just the beginning. “I was raped one year, eighth months and twelve days ago,” she told a legislative committee this week. “I couldn’t go anywhere to get the help I needed.” Turned away by hospitals that declined to gather crucial physical evidence, Anderson has continued to speak out. And now state lawmakers are listening. The Texas Senate is advancing new protections for victims of sexual assault, along with some money to start investigating older cases. On Thursday, the Senate approved SB 1192, which would give victims the right to track the physical evidence as it is submitted for lab analysis. The bill still must pass the House. Another measure, SB 1191, emerged earlier this week from the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. If approved, it would require nearly every hospital to either provide the resources necessary to gather
physical evidence, commonly known as a rape kit, or to provide a transfer to a different hospital. Testimony showed that many hospitals currently refuse to gather the evidence because of liability concerns. “These bills would ensure that the victims of these horrific crimes are respected and are made partners in the pursuit of justice,” said Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. Davis’ proposals represent significant progress. Just six years ago, the state did not even collect statistics on sexual assault. Since then, according to the most recent figures available, the Department of Public Safety counted 19,011 victims in 2011. Like Anderson, who said she was raped by a coworker, more than 17 percent described their attackers as a male “acquaintance.” Nearly 8 percent were raped by men they considered boyfriends. The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sex crimes, but Anderson has publicly told her story to encourage passage of the legislation. For those who report the
crime, finding a hospital willing to gather evidence presents only the first of many obstacles. “No other crime collects as much evidence from a live person,” notes a manual published by the state attorney general’s office. “Having your person gone over with a fine tooth comb, your blood and saliva samples taken, your fingernails scraped and every orifice that has already been violated swabbed with cotton on a stick can be a devastating experience.” The DPS has estimated that more than 22,000 of those rape kids have gone untested, partly due to laboratory backlogs. Budget proposals moving through the legislature include $11 million to clear a backlog of more than 22,000 untested evidence kits. Testing old kits, taken from victims who no longer want to testify, could help investigators expand DNA databases. But “the state needs to be prepared for all the follow-up work that needs to occur,” said William Wells, a criminal justice expert at Sam Houston State University.
between the buildings, has cables and levers on it and is about 3 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep. It includes a clearly visible Boeing Co. identification number, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said Friday. “The odds of this being wedged between there is amazing,” Browne said, adding it was not surprising that it went undiscovered for more than a decade given the location. “It had to have fallen just the right way to make it into that space.”
Other World Trade Center wreckage had been discovered at the buildings and around the area in years past. The piece of equipment was discovered Wednesday by surveyors inspecting the lower Manhattan site of a planned Islamic community center, at 51 Park Place, on behalf of the building’s owner, police said. An inspector was on the roof and noticed the debris and then called 911. Police secured the scene, documenting it with photos.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
Country superstar George Jones dies By CHRIS TALBOTT AND HILLEL ITALIE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When it comes to country music, George Jones was The Voice. Other great singers have come and gone, but this fact remained inviolate until Jones passed away Friday at 81 in a Nashville hospital after a year of ill health. “Today someone else has become the greatest living singer of traditional country music, but there will never be another George Jones,” said Bobby Braddock, the Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter who provided Jones with 29 songs over the decades. “No one in country music has influenced so many other artists.” He did it with that voice. Rich and deep, strong enough to crack like a whip, but supple enough to bring tears. It was so powerful, it made Jones the first thoroughly modern country superstar, complete with the substance abuse problems and richand-famous celebrity lifestyle that included mansions, multiple divorces and — to hear one fellow performer tell it — fistfuls of cocaine. He was a beloved and at times a notorious figure in Nashville and his problems were just as legendary as his songs. But when you dropped the needle on one
of his records, all that stuff went away. And you were left with The Voice. “He just knows how to pull every drop of emotion out of it of the songs if it’s an emotional song or if it’s a fun song he knows how to make that work,” Alan Jackson said in a 2011 interview. “It’s rare. He was a big fan of Hank Williams Sr. like me. He tried to sing like Hank in the early days. I’ve heard early cuts. And the difference is Hank was a singer and he was a great writer, but he didn’t have that natural voice like George. Not many people do. That just sets him apart from everybody.” That voice helped Jones achieve No. 1 songs in five separate decades, 1950s to 1990s. And its qualities were admired by more than just his fellow country artists but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others. “If we all could sound like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones,” Waylon Jennings once sang. Word of his death spread Friday morning as his peers paid tribute. “The greatest voice to ever grace country music will never die,” Garth Brooks said in an email to The Associated Press. “Jones has a place in every heart that ever loved any kind of music.” Dolly Parton said, “My heart is absolutely broken.
Photo by The Tennessean | AP
Tammy Wynette, left, sings with George Jones in Nashville in this undated photo. Jones died Friday in Nashville. He was 81. George Jones was my all time favorite singer and one of my favorite people in the world.” Ronnie Dunn added: “The greatest country blues singer to ever live.” In Jones’ case, that’s not hyperbole. In a career that lasted more than 50 years, “Possum” evolved from young honky-tonker to elder statesman as he recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Williams. Jones survived long battles with alcoholism and drug addiction, brawls, accidents and close encounters with death, including bypass surgery and a tour bus crash that he only avoided by deciding at the
COMICS Continued from Page 1A “Now, as an adult, I read novels, both classic and bestsellers, but I have an undying love for comics,” Mares said. Niles also remembers comic books as a big part of his youth. “We would walk every week, quarters in pocket, to a local store and pick up every issue that came out,” he said. “My comics didn’t hold up well because I read each one
over and over until they literally fell apart.” The celebration at Legacy also will include two costume roleplaying contests, one for children and another for adults. Niles and Mares encourage comic books fans to visit the store next Saturday dressed as their favorite characters. For more information, call the store at 956-7234420.
last moment to take a plane. His failure to appear for concerts left him with the nickname “No Show Jones,” and he later recorded a song by that name and often opened his shows by singing it. His wild life was revealed in song and in his handsome, troubled face, with its dark, deep-set eyes and dimpled chin. In song, like life, he was rowdy and regretful, tender and tragic. His hits included the sentimental “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes,” the foot-tapping “The Race is On,” the foot-stomping “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” the melancholy “She Thinks I Still Care,” the rockin’ “White Lightning,” and the barfly lament “Still Doing Time.”
Jones also recorded several duets with Tammy Wynette, his wife for six years, including “Golden Ring,” “Near You,” “Southern California” and “We’re Gonna Hold On.” He also sang with such peers as Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and with Costello and other rock performers. But his signature song was “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a weeper among weepers about a man who carries his love for a woman to his grave. The 1980 ballad, which Jones was sure would never be a hit, often appears on surveys as the most popular country song of all time and won the Country Music Association’s song of the year award an unprecedented two years in a row. Jones won Grammy awards in 1981 for “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and in 1999 for “Choices.” He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and in 2008 was among the artists honored in Washington at the Kennedy Center. He was in the midst of a yearlong farewell tour when he passed away. He was scheduled to complete the tour in November with an all-star packed tribute in Nashville. Stars lined up to sign on to the show, many remembering kindnesses over the years. Kenny Chesney thinks Jones may have one of the greatest voices in not just
country history, but music history. But he remembers Jones for more than the voice. He was picked for a tour with Jones and Wynette early in his career and cherishes the memory of being invited to fly home on Jones’ private jet after one of the concerts. “I remember sitting there on that jet, thinking, ‘This can’t be happening,’ because he was George Jones, and I was some kid from nowhere,” Chesney said in an email. “I’m sure he knew, but he was generous to kids chasing the dream, and I never forgot it.” Jones was born Sept. 12, 1931, in a log house near the east Texas town of Saratoga, the youngest of eight children. He sang in church and at age 11 began performing for tips on the streets of Beaumont, Texas. His first outing was such a success that listeners tossed him coins, placed a cup by his side and filled it with money. Jones estimated he made more than $24 for his two-hour performance, enough to feed his family for a week, but he used up the cash at a local arcade. “That was my first time to earn money for singing and my first time to blow it afterward,” he recalled in “I Lived to Tell it All,” a painfully self-critical memoir published in 1996. “It started what almost became a lifetime trend.”
LAKE Continued from Page 1A der the 1944 Water Treaty. During the past week, water levels at Falcon Reservoir have slightly decreased, from an elevation of 78.64 meters on April 19 to 78.35 meters Friday. Meanwhile, Lake Amistad, located on the Rio Grande at Del Rio, Texas-Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, dropped below the record low elevation of 1,058.37 feet above mean sea level, set in August 1998.
The reservoir level is 1,058.29 feet as of 3 p.m. Friday and continues to decline. Reservoir elevation is a function of both inflows and releases from Amistad Dam. When releases exceed inflow, the lake level drops. Releases from Amistad Dam are currently at the rate of nearly 9,000 cubic feet per second, including approximately 5,300 cubic feet per second for Mexico
and 3,500 cubic feet per second for the United States. Releases are expected to be reduced by Sunday. The current low lake levels are in contrast to conditions less than three years ago when, in July 2010, the reservoir achieved its highest elevation in 36 years and the second highest elevation ever after high inflows from Hurricane Alex filled the reservoir. Construction of Amistad
Dam was completed in 1969. The International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, is responsible for dam operation and maintenance. During normal and low reservoir conditions, the rate of U.S. releases is determined by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Rio Grande watermaster based on the need to deliver water to Texas users.
IMMIGRATION Continued from Page 1A Tuesday. Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both Republicans, also missed the committee hearing last week to be back in their home state with victims of the fertilizer plant explosion in the town of West. In their appearance at Monday’s hearing they thanked lawmakers for their condolences and prayers. The two Texas lawmakers also signaled their opposition to key portions of the bill, including a path to citizenship for 11 million
undocumented immigrants, contingent upon increased border security. Cornyn said the bill would need substantial improvement on border security measures to receive his support. “I regret that the border security elements fall well short of the sponsors’ aspiration to protect the borders and maintain U.S. sovereignty,” Cornyn said. “Without major changes, the bill could do more harm that good.” The bill calls for $6.5 million in new spending on
border fencing, technology and the addition of 3,500 new Border Patrol agents. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to provide a plan within 6 months of the bill’s implementation detailing how it will strengthen security measures and increase apprehensions. In addition to the security measures, Cruz also objected to the plan to provide eventual citizenship to undocumented immigrants who overstayed visas or entered this country illegally.
Cruz said the Senate should focus on measures of the bipartisan bill that enjoy consensus from lawmakers in both parties in order to pass legislation. “The bill includes elements that are deeply divisive, and none more divisive than a path to citizenship,” Cruz said. Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., another author the bipartisan bill, said failing to address the 11 million people in this country illegally is a de facto amnesty. “The 11 million are not going away,” Graham said.
Meanwhile, Texas native Arturo Rodriguez, the United Farm Workers of America president, said agricultural provisions in the bill would provide growers with sufficient workers, while giving protections to those who work in the fields. He said over 600,000 agriculture workers are currently U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. The bill would allow growers to bring in agriculture workers, but also allow those new workers to apply for citizenship after
five years. Rodriguez said the deal was forged in negotiations brokered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who brought the various agricultural interests together behind closed doors. “I am proud that both Texas senators are on this committee, and I hope to leave here today knowing that I can count on the support of Senators Cornyn and Cruz to advance this proposal,” Rodriguez said. gmartin@expressnews.net
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: 2013 DRAFT
For the big boys Photo by David J. Phillip | AP
The Dallas Cowboys, a team with numerous needsm used the No. 31 pick to select Wisconsin center Travis Frederick.
Big ‘D’ picks a surprise Cowboys select Wisconsin center after trading down to rear of 1st round By DAVID MOORE THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
AP photos
ABOVE: Tackle Eric Fisher, from Central Michigan, was selected first overall by the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday at Radio City Music Hall in New York. LEFT: Dion Jordan, from Oregon, was selected third overall by the Miami Dolphins. RIGHT: Former FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel was selected 16th overall as the first QB on Thursday. BOTTOM: Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, an offensive lineman, was second pick overall in the draft on Thursday.
IRVING — Owner Jerry Jones took a break from the Cowboys draft room Thursday morning to at-
tend the dedication of the Bush Library. A cynical fan base will ask why he had to return. A team with numerous
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
Texans make solid snatch Linemen dominate 1st round By RICHARD ROSENBLATT ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — More than 2-1/2 tons of linemen, five trades, one quarterback and no Manti Te’o. The first round of the NFL draft delivered an enormous portion of beef, with 18 teams devouring linemen from the opening pick of offensive tackle Eric Fisher by Kansas City to center Travis Frederick by Dallas at No. 31.
But perhaps the biggest story of the first round was Teo’s name not being called by Commissioner Roger Goodell during the 3hour, 33-minute session Thursday night. Te’o, the All-America linebacker from Notre Dame, became a tabloid sensation in January
with revelations that the girlfriend who supposedly died during the season was actually a hoax. But what may have hurt his draft status most was his poor play in the national title game loss to Alabama, and his slow 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.
Te’o wasn’t the only big-name player who will have to wait until Friday’s second round. West Virginia’s Geno Smith was expected to be taken, but instead the only quarterback picked was Florida State’s EJ Manuel by Buffalo with the 16th spot, acquired in a trade with St. Louis. It was the lowest the first QB was taken since 2000, when Chad Pennington went 18th to the Jets. The Bills, of course, are optimistic about Manuel. “If we can develop this guy, he has the talent to take you to the dance,” Bills general manager Buddy Nix
Good pick, Houston. General manager Rick Smith has talent on his roster and could afford to be patient when it comes to the direction, but it was nice to see him tab Clemson wideout DeAndre Hopkins with the 27th overall pick. Andre Johnson can’t do it by himself and the Texans had to get him some help. The 6-foot-1, 214pound Hopkins will fill that need after catching 82 balls last season. With all due respect to
See NFL DRAFT PAGE 2B
See TEXANS PAGE 2B
Clemson wideout will make impact next to Johnson in Houston By CEDRIC GOLDEN AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Photo by Richard Shiro | AP
Clemson wideout DeAndre Hopkins was the 27th pick to the Houston Texans in the first round of the draft on Thursday.
SUMMER BASEBALL
LONE STAR FOOTBALL LEAGUE: LAREDO RATTLESNAKES
LCC offers chance to play ball
Rattling for revenge
Jr. Palominos extends opportunity for high schoolers to gain experience SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Local high school students will have a chance to play ball for the Laredo Community College Palominos this summer. LCC is looking for young baseball enthusiasts between the ages of 13 and 16 years old to step up to the plate this May and be part of the Junior Palomino Under-16 Baseball Club. The summer program aims to sharpen baseball
skills and develop a positive attitude toward the game. To better inform prospective members and their parents about the program, LCC will host a brief parent and player meeting on April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Billy Hall Jr. Student Center’s dining area at the LCC South Campus. The meeting will cover crucial information about
See LCC PAGE 2B
By JASON MACK THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Laredo Rattlesnakes are looking to avenge a narrow loss in the season opener when they return home tonight to host the Abilene Bombers. “It’s always good to be home,” Rattlesnakes coach Rod Miller said. “After being away for a month on the road and with bye weeks, there’s no place like playing at home. We’re excited to be here and have our fans here. We’ll give them something to cheer about.” With four games under their belt, the Rattlesnakes are 2-2 with a pair of last-minute road losses by a combined deficit of five points. “The biggest thing is we haven’t been dominated in any of those games,” Miller said. “We’ve played every team and know where we stand. It’s a matter of us learning how to finish. It’s a learning experience. If it takes being 2-2 to get us to a point of winning a championship, then that’s what it takes. You have to learn somewhere. We’re winning every game; we just need to learn how
Photo by Jason Mack | The Zapata Times
With four games under their belt, the Rattlesnakes are 2-2 with a pair of last-minute road losses by a combined deficit of five points. to finish.” Abilene handed the Rattlensnakes one of their two loses. Laredo led 6135 in the third quarter, but the Bombers scored 27 unanswered points, including the game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds remaining, to win 62-61. Laredo’s other loss came last Saturday when Amarillo scored with two seconds left to beat them 62-58. “It’s a learning curve,” Miller
said. “We still have some young guys. We have a new team and need to gel to know how to win. For most people it would be disappointing. It’s a long season. A lot of the teams are around the same record right now.” In the first game against Abilene, the Bombers hassled quarterback Bryan Randall more than any team this season with three sacks and two
See RATTLESNAKES PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B needs decided to drop from the middle of the first round to the back end and pick up an additional third round pick in the process. The Cowboys then used the No. 31 pick to select Wisconsin center Travis Frederick. Surprised? You’re not alone. Frederick himself said he didn’t expect to be taken until the second round. He was projected to go in the second or third round. “There is a lot to like about him,” coach Jason Garrett said. “He’s just a good, smart football player. “He was the highest-rated player on our board when it was time to pick.” The Cowboys didn’t simply move back a few spots in the first round of the draft. They nearly dropped out of the round entirely. Jones agreed to give up the No. 18 pick in a trade with San Francisco to plummet to the 31st pick. The Cowboys got a third round pick (No. 74) from the 49ers in return. Now, let’s put that in perspective. Three years ago, Jones gave up a third-round pick to move up three spots in the first round to select receiver Dez Bryant at No. 24. This was the 60th draft day trade made by Jones since he purchased the team, and perhaps one of the more controversial. The owner said the team had only 19 players on its board with a first-round grade and the room was unanimous about wanting to move back. The Cowboys were holding their breath that one of the elite guards in this draft — either North Carolina’s Jonathan Cooper or Alabama’s Chance Warmack — would still be available at No. 18. History said that was a reasonable expectation.
But those hopes went up in smoke early. A league that has drafted a guard in the top 10 only once in the previous 16 years took Cooper and Warmack in the top 10 this night. Two other players high on their board, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and safety Kenny Vaccaro, soon followed. When that happened, the Cowboys and Jones appeared committed to moving back. The lure of defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, who was surprisingly still available, wasn’t enough to persuade them to stay put. “We feel like first of all, defensive line is a position of strength for us,” Jerry Jones said. “No. 2, in our system, we probably would put a premium on a quick twitch potential three technique. We view him as not that, but someone who is capable of getting there.” There was much talk going into this draft about the team’s need to find a walkin starter in the first round. The team did that last year with cornerback Morris Claiborne and the year before with offensive lineman Tyron Smith. Frederick could challenge Phil Costa for the starting job. But the Cowboys also like the fact he can play guard and could decide to let him compete for a starting job there. “You want to make that decision as early as you can,” Garrett said of where Frederick will play. Frederick is only the second center selected by the Cowboys in the first round. Robert Shaw was the first back in 1979. Something else of note: A team that had not selected an offensive lineman in the first round since Jones purchased the team in 1989 has now done so in two of the past three drafts.
TEXANS Continued from Page 1B Wade Phillips, who transformed this defense into one of the league’s best, offense wins Super Bowls, contrary to traditional beliefs and this pick was a nice add. The defense is fine but to hold off the young, talented Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South, the Texans are going to need more playmakers to help Johnson and All-Pro running back Arian Foster. Hopkins will thrive with Johnson as a mentor. For far too long, the Texans have eschewed the importance of a second receiver while Johnson put up Hall of Fame numbers after being taken with the third overall pick in 2003. He represents the highest a receiver has been selected in franchise history, ahead of Jabar Gaffney, who went in the second
round in 2002, the team’s first draft. The list of wideouts taken after Johnson is not an impressive one. Former Texas player Sloan Thomas (fourth round, 2004) didn’t pan out and was followed by guys like David Anderson, Super Bowl hero Jacoby Jones, Trindon Holliday, and last season’s fourthround pick, Keshawn Martin. While some Texan fans on Twitter were clamoring for the team to take a quarterback, that wasn’t going to happen, especially with Matt Schaub signing a five-year, $66 million contract extension. Schaub isn’t going anywhere soon and his numbers will only get better with the addition of a potential game breaker. Johnson will be 32 by the time the Texans kick
off the 2013 season with a Monday night game at San Diego. He isn’t getting any younger. The Texans ranked 12th in the league in receiving last season but those numbers could have been bigger had they had a quality No. 2 wideout. Of Schaub’s 350 completions, 112 went to Johnson, who will be even better with a legitimate receiving threat on the other side of the ball. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Texans didn’t go after another wideout in the next few rounds. This is a three-receiver league now and with the move to a more open style of football league-wide, you can’t have enough pass catchers these days. Johnson’s load will be lightened in 2013. He has some help now. Is more on the way?
NFL DRAFT Continued from Page 1B said. “This guy was further along than most of them as far as his knowledge of the game. ... This guy, to us, has got leadership qualities. He’s smart. And he’s big.” Also left out in the first round were running backs — none was taken for the first time since 1963. Among running backs who could go in the second round are Eddie Lacy of Alabama and Montee Ball of Wisconsin. Other quarterbacks still waiting for their names to be called include USC’s Matt Barkley, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones and Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib. This first round showed off the beef. The breakdown: nine offensive linemen, nine defensive linemen. “It’s always nice when the O-line gets some respect,” offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said after being taken No. 2 by Jacksonville. “We usually get the crummy meeting room, the crummy chairs in our meeting room. “A lot of teams are realizing how important the position is. The guys, they look pretty scoring the touchdowns, but they get space to score those touchdowns from us.” And on the other side of the ball, teams need players to break through the line to get to the quarterbacks and running backs. That’s why Miami was in a trading mood, moving up from No. 12 to No. 3 in a deal with Oakland to grab defensive end Dion Jordan of Oregon. “We took a player we coveted quite a bit,” Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland said of the player he hopes could be the next Jason Taylor. “You’ve got to knock the quarterback down, you’ve got to take the ball away. This guy can do one of those two things.” After the opening two picks, the stampede was on. The first seven picks were all linemen. “That’s a lot of love for the big boys up front, which we usually don’t get,” Fisher said. Fisher became the first Mid-American Conference player selected at the top when Chiefs new coach
Andy Reid chose the 6foot-7, 306-pound offensive tackle. “This is so surreal,” Fisher said. “I’m ready to get to work right now. I’m ready to start playing some football. I can’t process what’s going on right now.” After Joeckel and Jordan were taken, it was BYU defensive end Ziggy Ansah to Detroit, LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo to Cleveland, and North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper to Arizona. Fisher was only the third offensive tackle picked No. 1, joining Orlando Pace (1997) and Jake Long (2008) since the 1970 merger of the NFL and AFL. It’s also the first time since ‘70 that offensive tackles went 1-2. Even without a highprofile passer, runner or tackler going at the outset, the fans in the home of the Rockettes were pumped. They chanted “U-S-A, U-S-A” when Goodell paid tribute to the first responders at the Boston Marathon bombings and to the victims of the explosion in West, Texas. They roared when Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath began the countdown to the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather site by taking the podium and screaming: “New York; Super Bowl 48.” The crowd didn’t seem to care that early on the picks were all heifers, not hoofers. No Andrew Lucks or RG3s at the top of this crop. New Eagles coach Chip Kelly got a road-grader for his uptempo offense in Johnson. “Tackle is not a very sexy position,” Johnson said. “But it’s a position of dire need.” In another trade, the Rams moved up eight spots — and sent four picks to Buffalo to do so. St. Louis then grabbed West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin, all 5-8, 174 pounds of him. The New York Jets may have found a replacement for star cornerback Darrelle Revis — traded to Tampa Bay — when they picked Alabama All-American Dee Milliner. That
RATTLESNAKES Continued from Page 1B interceptions. Randall completed 20 of 35 passes for 254 yards and five touchdowns. Christian Torres led the Bombers on defense with 11 tackles and four pass breakups. Chaz Russell and Diamond Weaver each had an interception, and Jermaine Blakely had 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Abilene and Amarillo are tied for first in the Lone Star Football League at 3-1 overall. The Bombers are coming off a 66-48 win at home over San Angelo. Byron Ingram split time at quarterback against Laredo but has been Abilene’s only passer in the following three games. He went 16 for 27 against the Rattlesnakes for 168 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ingram has completed 64 of 122 passes this season for 775 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Ingram also leads Abilene’s rushing attack with 22 carries for 93 yards and 10 touchdowns. Alex Joyner is second on the team with 16 rushes for 43 yards and four touchdowns. Juan Reese is Ingram’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 394 yards and eight touchdowns. Randall is 75 for 120 this season for 971 yards with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also rushed for 47 yards and seven touchdowns. Damion Clark has been a go-to target for the Rattlesnakes. He leads the league in receiving yards and touchdowns with 24 catches for 401 yards and 13 scores. Jerome McGee is second on the team with 27 receptions for 336 yards and seven touchdowns. The Rattlesnakes have benefited this week from the opportunity to practice exclusively inside the arena instead of outdoors. “Practice has been great,” Miller said. “Getting a chance to be inside all week has been good for us in terms of our landmarks and spacing and the mentality of being in the arena. We left it on the field in practice this week. Practice was very spirited. Hopefully it translates into a win.” Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Laredo Energy Arena. Tonight’s game is dedicated to local law enforcement and first responders, and the Rattlesnakes and LEA are teaming with the city of Laredo to accept donations benefiting the city of West.
Playing for West The City of Laredo is teaming up with the
was the first of three straight selections from two-time national champion Alabama: Tennessee took guard Chance Warmack and San Diego got offensive tackle D.J. Fluker. Oakland used the pick it got from the Dolphins for Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden, who nearly died last November after a collision in practice tore a blood vessel off the back of his heart. He was taken to a hospital and had surgery. Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who also had a heart scare at the NFL combine but then checked out fine, went 14th to Carolina, followed by Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro to New Orleans. Former Patriots guard Joe Andruzzi, who carried an injured female runner to safety after the Boston Marathon explosions, displayed a jersey with the city’s 617 area code and “Boston Strong” written on the front. He was supposed to announce New England’s pick, but the Patriots dealt it to Minnesota, giving the Vikings three first-round selections. Andruzzi, a native New Yorker, said, “There’s a new saying in Boston: Boston Strong” before unveiling the jersey as “Sweet Caroline” was played on the loudspeakers. Pittsburgh, which always seems to find standout linebackers, took the highest-rated one in Georgia’s Jarvis Jones. The Rams went with another Georgia linebacker, Alec Ogletree with the No. 30 pick. Notre Dame ended up with a first-rounder when tight end Tyler Eifert was chosen 21st overall by Cincinnati. Atlanta’s choice of Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant gave that family three brothers in the league. His older siblings, Marcus and Isaiah, preceded him. One major surprise was the New York Giants’ selection of Justin Pugh — yet another tackle, but one who wasn’t projected to go in the opening round by many draft analysts.
LCC Continued from Page 1B
Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times
Laredo mayor Raul Salinas and Laredo Rattlesnakes general manager Lewis Wagner announced a donation booth during the next game will be used to help the victims of the West, Texas, explosion. Laredo Rattlesnakes and Laredo Energy Arena to raise donations for the City of West as it continues to rebuild from the explosion on April 17. “We want to join the effort to support those in need,” Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas said. “I’m asking people from the bottom of my heart to please do your part and let’s help those folks. They are really hurting. Laredo has always answered the call. I’m very thankful that the LEA has joined our effort to help these people. “I know these folks are really in desperate need. Some of them lost their homes and some are still in the hospital. We saw what happened in Boston. America always stands up to the plate in the most difficult times. The people in West are going through some very difficult times.” Donations of cash, money orders and checks will be accepted at tonight’s Rattlesnakes game at the LEA. “We’re doing it because we care,” Salinas said. “Laredo (and its area) is a caring city and a loving city. We have always reached out to help people in need. You never know. It happened to them just a few days ago. It could happen to us. We want it known that we stand united with the people in West, Texas. We want to show them that they are not alone.” The Rattlesnakes previously announced today’s game is dedicated to local law enforcement and first responders. “We appreciate the Rattlesnakes always be-
ing community oriented and helping us out,” Salinas said. “I know you’re going to bring us a victory. I’m still waiting for my one-day contract, coach. I can still hit and I can still kick.” The Rattlesnakes are happy to do their part to help the City of West. “The Laredo Rattlesnakes are going to support this 100 percent at our game,” Rattlesnakes general manager Lewis Wagner said. “We ask that you come bring your hearts and help us help each other. Let’s take care of our fellow Texans and our fellow Americans. This team will always be here to help not only our community but others.” “I think it’s a great idea,” Rattlesnakes coach Rod Miller said. “It happened here in Texas. It’s right at home in our backyard. Anytime something happens at home, you have to take care of your own. I’m a firm believer in that. If we don’t, nobody else will. We have guys on the team who are from around that area, so it hits even closer. We have to make sure we do our part.” Doors at the LEA open at 6 p.m. today and kickoff is at 7 p.m. against the Abilene Bombers. Donations will be accepted in the main lobby throughout the game. “I’m calling on the City of Laredo to extend their hand to help our friends and family in that city,” Salinas said. “They don’t have a lot of resources so they need help. Let’s show the Laredo pride and our commitment to help those in need.”
the team’s code of conduct, game schedules and program structure. LCC Campus Recreation Coordinator Jorge Canales said he is looking forward to the new team. “We hope to get a lot of players from all over (the area) to join the Jr. Palominos,” Canales said. “We are not looking for baseball prodigies or stars. We only ask that the participants love the sport and be committed to this great team so we can all have fun on the field this summer.” Practices are set to start on May 1 at the South Campus Recreation Complex and will run Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The first game is scheduled for the third week of May. Games will be played Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. “This experience will especially be very helpful to those players who wish to try out one day to be part of the Palomino baseball team,” said Canales. “Hopefully, we will get a lot of support from the community and future Palominos.” Those interested in joining the summer program must attend the meeting accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The participant’s birth certificate and a $70 registration fee are required. All members will receive a free Palomino t-shirt. For more information about the Jr. Palominos baseball club or to register, contact Canales 956-7644313.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE GARLIC REMOVAL MADE EASY Dear Heloise: I enjoy cooking and like to try new recipes all the time. One thing that was annoying to me was trying to REMOVE A GARLIC CLOVE when the dish was done. Now, before I add the clove to a sauce or dish, I stick a toothpick through it. When the dish is done, I can easily remove it. Makes cooking easier. — A Reader, via email Easier cooking certainly is more enjoyable! Want to try some new recipes? I have compiled a great pamphlet that every kitchen should have; it is called Heloise’s Main Dishes and More. It is filled with great recipes to try, meat dishes and even some side dishes. To receive a copy, please send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (66 cents) envelope to: Heloise/MDM, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: To make gelatin salads easier, try using a pitcher to get liq-
“
HELOISE
uid gelatin into individual cups or other small dishes. No spills to clean up, and very easy to do! — Heloise NO ESCAPING Dear Heloise: For the reader whose dog escaped when the gate was left open by a lawn service, she should put up signs that say “Keep Gate Closed” on the gate. From personal experience and that of my neighbors, this is one of the greatest responsibilities of a pet owner: keeping the pet safe! You may even want to put locks on all gates. Keep the key in your possession. It takes only one road-crossing to cause the loss or death of your pet. Children roam around. Kids also can get hurt on your property — which is big trouble. — Pat in Arkansas
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013