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EDUCATION
TAKS scores show decline By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata CISD may have an unacceptable campus for the first time in nine years, according to preliminary Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills or TAKS scores. The scores were made available to the district earlier this week. The figures also show A.L Benavides Elementary is the only recog-
nized campus for the year. The district had two recognized campuses last year: Benavides and Zapata South Elementary, which this time around made the acceptable list. According to this year’s numbers, 67 percent of the students at Villarreal Elementary School passed the reading portion of the test. State standards require at least 70 percent of students pass to be considered acceptable.
“We are all shocked,” said Romeo Rodriguez, superintendent. “No one was expecting this. I think the root of the problem is we need to do a better job of making our kids come to school.” Just last year, Villarreal missed a recognized designation by just a few kids, he said. However, Rodriguez remains optimistic as the school is just three percentage points below the stan-
dard and the results are just preliminary, still subject to change. “We are expecting the worst and wishing the best,” Rodriguez said. “Right now, what we want to let the community know is that we’re studying it and we’re trying to see if there’s any possibility to appeal.” The final numbers will be released by the state in August. According to Norma Garcia, chief instructional officer, the
school percentages were put together by school principals after they were given a list of each child’s individual score. Garcia said that since the principals were rushing to calculate all the numbers, there is a large chance of human error. Both Garcia and Rodriguez stressed these are just preliminary
See TAKS | PAGE 14A
RECREATION
PLANNING A NEW PARK Officials urge boat safety By ZACH LINDSEY LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Photo by Ricardo Segovia | Laredo Morning Times
Zapata County Maintance workers clean up the debris at the Zapata County Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Chamber of Commerce renovating old plaza By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
T
he Zapata County Plaza on U.S. 83 and 17th Street is getting a facelift. Over the next couple of months the Zapata Chamber of Commerce will be renovating the plaza, which was once a place politicians gathered to announce their candidacies. “There is a bandstand in the center of the plaza that we are going to renovate along with a kiosk,” said Paco Mendoza, Chamber of Commerce director. “Politicians used to come here to make speeches, and we want to keep that history.” The Chamber of Commerce began the renovation of the plaza last week af-
ter speaking with the Zapata Commissioners Court. “It is very rare you have someone who wants to adopt a park and make it better,” said Pct. 1 Commissioner Jose Vela. “We are lucky the chamber wanted to do this, and I am very confident it will turn out well.” In addition to renovating the historical bandstand and the kiosk, grass and trees will be added to the plaza, along with a sprinkler system, lights and benches. Mendoza said the renovation will be completed in two phases. Phase one will include restoration of the bandstand and kiosk, and phase two includes wiring the area with lights and
a sprinkler system and adding grass and 10 new trees. It should all be completed in about six months. “Right now we are just cleaning up,” Mendoza said. “We are pulling weeds and getting rid of trees that are falling down.” The plaza spans about 17,000 square feet, and Mendoza is hopeful that after the renovation, the plaza will be used by the public as a place to go and enjoy the outdoors. “We have a really nice courthouse and the plaza has been neglected for such a long time. We want to bring it up to the same standard,” Mendoza said. (Taryn White may be reached at 7282568 or twhite@lmtonline.com)
In the wake of what the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is referring to as a “deadly” boating season, including one death on Falcon Lake, the agency is urging boaters to update their registrations and take boater safety courses. In 2008, there were two accidents on Falcon Lake. The one that led to a fatality occurred May 31 at about 7 p.m. and involved alcohol. Statewide, 61 boaters died in 2008. The last time that number has been so high was 2002. However, in 2002, there were more than 620,000 registered boaters in the state. That number has dropped to 591,000. That means that the 61 deaths create a higher per capita rate than in 2002. “We have about five percent fewer boats than we did the last time we saw a number that high,” said Aaron Reed, Wildlife and Fisheries information specialist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In nearly 30 percent of those fatalities, alcohol was a contributing factor. “I would certainly encourage anyone who has alcohol on their boat to designate a sober driver, not just for the lake, but for a safe ride home,” Reed said. “Drunken boaters become drunken drivers when they pull their boat out of the water.” The penalties for boating while intoxicated are similar to the penalties for Driving while Intoxicated, and can result in a suspended driver’s license. Reed recommended that every boater in the state take a boater education course. The courses are $13. There are no courses offered in the Zapata area any time soon, but an online version of the course is available at www.boat-ed.com/tx/. There will also be a course in San Antonio on June 6. Boating safety classes are required for anyone under the age of 18. They can also be required for violators of certain Water Safety Act regulations. Even if someone is not required to take the class, Reed said the class provides valuable lessons. The class includes instructions about legal requirements for a boat, tips about handling accidents and emergencies, and dealing with inclement weather.
See SAFETY | PAGE 14A
HEALTH CARE
Dental van makes the rounds By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Ricardo Segovia | The Zapata Morning Times
Dentist Eduardo Perez and destal assistan Enrique de la Ola provide dental service to five-year-old Gabriela Lizeth Davial of Zapata in a UT Health Science Center van on Tuesday afternoon.
Teeth cleaning, cavity fillings and learning to floss aren’t anyone’s idea of a good time. But parked outside of Zapata Middle School the UT Health Science Center Mobile Dental Van is determined to provide dental care to as many people in Zapata as possible. Supplying pediatric dental services, the UT dental van accepts Medicaid and uninsured patients at no cost. Every week, two days a week for the next six months the van will see patients for everything from basic check-ups to root canals to teeth pulling. Accord-
ing to dentist Eddie Perez, if there is a medical need the van can’t provide, patients are referred to UT’s state-of-the-art dental facility in Laredo. “This is our second time in Zapata. In our first trip we did a lot of treatment. Now most of our patients are coming back again for a regular check-up,” Perez said. “Eventually we would like to get to a point where we are just doing preventative care.” The dental van travels to Zapata and neighboring counties at six-month intervals. After visiting one county, it will move on and come back only after completing the rotation. “In small communities like
these, often there is a lack of access,” Perez said. “We bring the dental care to the patients.” Anthony Grove, 17, came to the dental van to get his teeth cleaned and get a couple of cavities filled. According to his mother, Alberta Blair, the dental van is a great service. “He hasn’t really been to the dentist since he was young because it’s so expensive,” Blair said. “The only way you can qualify for any sort of assistance is if you are practically homeless.” Blair added Grove has had a painful tooth and he will finally
See DENTAL | PAGE 14A