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MAY 2,2008
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Man dies Schools to stay open in ATV accident By TARYN WHITE
THE ZAPATA TIMES
By JASON BUCH ZAPATA TIMES A man died and a woman was injured when they drove their all terrain vehicle into a metal fence, sheriff ’s officials said. Eduardo Villarreal, 32, of Zapata, was dead when deputies arrived at the San Jose Ranch north of Zapata on U.S. 83 early Sunday morning, said Sheriff ’s Capt. Aaron Sanchez. Jessica Ortado, 20, of Zapata, was transported to the Laredo Medical Center by ambulance, but the extent of her injuries was unknown, Sanchez said.
While neighboring cities Laredo and Rio Grande City take drastic measures after seeing a spread of flu-like symptoms, Zapata County and Zapata CISD officials will continue to operate as usual. They will keep an eye out for symptoms of H1N1 Influenza A. “We remain optimistic. We’re not a major city with a lot of people and we are kind of out of the way. Not that it couldn’t happen to us,” said Zapata Pct. 3 Commissioner Joseph Rathmell. “We will continue to take the necessary precautions and be aware of what is going on.” Friday, after both Laredo Independent School District and United Inde-
pendent School district decided to suspend classes, Zapata County Judge Rosalva Guerra, Dr. Hector Gonzalez, director of the Laredo Health Department, J.J. Meza, Zapata fire chief and management coordinator and Romeo Rodriguez, Zapata CISD superintendent, weighed all the risks associated with keeping Zapata CISD open.
School will continue
“We will continue to have school like normal. We have had zero cases of flulike symptoms so we have no reason to shut down,” Rodriguez said. “We will continue to monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis, but we want to be prudent and not spread panic.” The district has suspended all UIL
events both academic and athletic but will continue to have normal afterschool activities. “We are going to go ahead with our normal school day,” Rodriguez said. “Most of our UIL events aren’t until May 11, and we do plan on attending those.” Rodriguez said the district is keeping close tabs on children who have been sent home for illness, and is taking extra precautions with sanitizing desks, buses and other areas where children congregate. “We have had children who are showing cold-like symptoms but we haven’t had any fevers to report,” Rodriguez said.
See OPEN | PAGE 10A
Investigation continues It was unclear who was driving a vehicle or if alcohol was involved, he said. Deputies are still investigating. Deputies responded to an emergency call at the ranch at about 5 a.m. Sunday, Sanchez said. Ortado and Villarreal had been driving the four-wheel ATV on a paved road that was in bad shape and full of potholes and with most of the pavement gone, he said. The ATV struck a metal gate, ejecting both, Sanchez said. (Jason Buch may be reached at 728-2547 or jbuch@lmtonline.com)
EDUCATION
Photos by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
Adalberto Canales, left, superintendent of construction for Leyendecker Construction Company, looks over plans for the new A.L. Benavides Elementary School in San Ygnacio,with Jose Medina, center, supervisor of Support Services for ZCISD and school Principal Gerardo Montes on Friday morning.
Serving up a new school Courtesy photo
Zapata South Elementary School recently announced Jose Luis Elizondo, left, is the Teacher of the Year and Rosa Corpus is the Instructional Assistant of the Year. Elizondo has 34 years of experience in elementary education. Corpus has been an instructional assistant for 14 years with the special education department.
Two receive teaching recognition BY ERIKA LAMBRETON
Aug. 1 is date for moving in By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
S
taying true to schedule, the construction of the new A.L. Benavides Elementary School in San Ygnacio is swiftly approaching its completion date of Aug. 1. “I guess you can say it’s going unusually smooth,” said Guillermo “Memo” Cavazos, project architect. “We haven’t really had any problems.” If construction continues to be obstacle-free the new school will open just in time for the beginning of fall semester, Aug. 24.
A beautiful building
“(She) inspired me to try my best … back in first grade, she helped me out (tremendously),” said Elizondo, adding that he wanted to spread that inspiration on to as many children as he could reach. Elizondo, who has been a teacher with the Zapata Independent School District for 34 years, received his first Teacher of the year award in 2002, and said he was very surprised and grateful he was recognized again with such a prestigious award.
“I am elated. Not everyone gets to be there to open a new school,” said Gerardo Montes, Benavides School principal. “We are all looking forward to giving the kids a beautiful building to learn in.” The new school, which is being built from the ground up on the same location as the old school at 301 Lincoln St., will be 25,000 square feet and is being built in the architectural style of old Mexico. All the classrooms are being built to contain at least eight computer stations, and larger windows will give the school more natural light. Romeo Rodriguez, superintendent of Zapata County Independent School District, said this is a huge change from the previous elementary school, which was technologically out of date and had a leaky roof.
See TEACHING | PAGE 10A
See SCHOOL | PAGE 10A
THE ZAPATA TIMES
For some, it can take decades to decide on a career choice; however this was not the case for Jose Luis Elizondo, who was recently honored with his second Zapata South Elementary School Teacher of the Year title. For Elizondo, it was a clear choice to become a teacher, ever since he was inspired as a child by his first grade teacher.
Inspiring students
Gerardo Montes, principal of A.L. Benavides Elementary School in San Ygnacio, poses in front of the school of the same name under construction Friday morning.
Jose Medina, left, supervisor for Support Services for ACISD and Gerardo Montes, second from left, school principal at Benavides Elementary in San Ygnacio, walk inside the new school of the same name under construction on Friday morning.