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MAY 9,2008
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PUBLIC HEALTH
COMMISSIONERS COURT
No County eyes health care H1N1 cases By TARYN WHITE
THE ZAPATA TIMES
By DIANA R. FUENTES THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata County has seen two suspected cases of flu, but there have been no confirmed cases of the H1N1 strain, officials said Friday. A house-to-house canvas this week of children that have been absent from Zapata schools turned up no serious problems. “There were two school-age children in Zapata … they had flu-like symptoms and are considered suspect, but they’re not probable (for H1N1),” said Dr. Hector Gonzalez, director of the Laredo Health Department, which also oversees public health in Zapata, Jim Hogg and Duval counties. “They were treated and they’re fine,” Gonzalez said. The samples were sent to the state labs in Austin for further testing, as is standard procedure in these cases. Romeo Rodriguez, superintendent of Zapata County Independent School District, said initial concerns about higher-than-normal absenteeism were addressed with the help of Gonzalez and the hard work of a quickly pulled-together team of 38 school professionals. “We were very concerned that we didn’t know the status of a lot of these kids,” Rodriguez said. “We worked with Dr. Gonzalez … and we took a busload of people to Laredo Wednesday morning to get training.
Laredo Medical Center and Zapata County may potentially partner up to extend health care services in Zapata. On Monday, the Zapata Commissioners Court are expected to vote on an affiliation agreement between Zapata and LMC. “They have an interest in expanding the health care services in our county,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Joe Rathmell said. “They will hopefully be able to tap into federal funds.” LMC now runs Zapata Medical Center on U.S. 83 and 12th Street. Rathmell said if the court approves the affiliation agreement LMC will be able to seek federal funds to expand its services in the county. “Since they are looking at public money they need to work with the county to apply for it,”
Rathmell said. County Judge Rosalva Guerra, Rathmell and other county officials met with LMC representatives earlier this week to discuss the potential agreement. “I think this is the first step RATHMELL in trying to enhance the health care in the county,” Rathmell said. “I think anything that helps to improve our health care is a good thing.” Rathmell added he is hopeful this agreement will lead to a dialysis center, which he says the county desperately needs. Also on Monday, the Commissioners Court will vote to commit up to $977,088 for the Zapata County Boat Ramp Project. The money, which has been budgeted by the county for the past 3 years, will combine with
approximately $500,000 in federal funds. “They may not use all of the money but TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) needs the county to commit to the cost of the project before they can move forward,” said VELA Pct 1 Commissioner Jose Vela. According to Rathmell, TxDOT will manage the project, which will renovate the boat ramp on Country Road and US 83 and improve the 12 acres around the ramp. “We will have picnic tables and some sidewalks and trails,” Rathmell said. If funds are approved, the TxDOT will seek construction bids in August and the project will be completed within the year.
See COUNTY | PAGE 10A
A DAY AT THE LAKE Photos by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
A mocking bird sits in the shade of a mesquite tree at Falcon State Park on Friday morning.
See H1N1 | PAGE 10A
Falcon State Park: Bird and butterfly watching, fishing, more By ROB MCCORKLE
ZAPATA COUNTY
Zoning to be codified
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
T
he sun has just come up over the thornscrub as a visitor takes a seat beneath an ebony tree just outside an air-conditioned cabin at Falcón State Park to enjoy a cup of coffee. A slight breeze off the nearby International Falcón Reservoir separating this part of South Texas from northern Mexico fans the air.
A pair of great kiskadees chatter and chase each other in the thicket just ahead as a mockingbird swoops in and lands in the tree, joining the suddenly rising chorus of birdsong.
A place for recreation Nature is omnipresent at this 560-acre park that opened in 1965 on the Rio Grande roughly midway between Laredo and McAllen. Here, the river was dammed in the 1950s to create a
60-mile long reservoir to quench the thirsts of people of two nations, water their crops and provide a place for recreation in this typically arid part of the world dominated by cacti and thorny trees and shrubs. When full, which it finally is after years of drought that lowered its level to less than 15 percent capacity, the international reservoir covers some 90,000 surface acres and attracts
See PARK | PAGE 10A
By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
As one of the few counties in Texas with the governing powers of both a city and a county, Zapata is attempting to tackle the issue of zoning with the Falcon Lake Planning Commission, which on Wednesday had one of a handful of meetings since 2007. According to County Judge RosGUERRA alva Guerra, Zapata County was granted city powers during the 2007 state legislative session. Guerra said the power was granted because of Zapata County’s size. Since then, the county has been exercising powers normally left to cities, including zoning regulations. Made up of community members and appointed by the Zapata Commissioners Court, the zoning committee has not yet formed any concrete regulations or made any recommendations to the Zapata Commissioners Court, according to zoning Commissioner Eddie Martinez. Wednesday, the commission voted to have monthly meetings scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month. Also discussed was the direction the zoning commissioners would like the commission to go. “We are hoping Hector Uribe will present us with a list of ordinances that we will vote on within
See ZONING | PAGE 10A
A handicapped-accessable blind offers visitors to Falcon State Park the perfect spot to see many species of birds.
A roadrunner races across a field at Falcon State Park on Friday morning.
Falcon State Park offers a boat dock for visitors as they enjoy a day at the lake.