The Zapata Times 6/9/2012

ALL-CITY TEAM ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY JUNE 9, 2012

FREE

SEE THE LIST OF ZAPATA’S TOP FEMALE ATHLETES OF 2011-12, 1B

DELIVERED EVERY SATURDAY

TO 4,000 HOMES

A HEARST PUBLICATION

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

COUNTY

One step closer to clinic Commissioners prepare for Monday vote on kidney dialysis center

By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES

A decision Monday could be the clincher that brings the county a kidney dialysis center.

County commissioners are set to vote on the construction of a clinic they hope could generate medical tourism as well as relieve the county’s 30 to 40 patients on dialysis from the burden of traveling

twice or three times a week for treatment.

The county has been in talks with DaVita, a kidney dialysis corporation that operates clinics across the country, to build a 6,500-square-foot facility. The county could opt to build a smaller and cheaper clinic that would have fewer dialysis stations.

The company has told the county that it needs at least 60 patients to make the

clinic viable, so it has asked the commissioners for an incentive to set up shop here.

In exchange for providing service, staff and equipment in a community whose demand doesn’t meet the company’s minimum requirements for viability, the county will foot the bill to construct the building that will house the clinic.

Exact figures will be discussed at the

9 a.m. meeting in the County Courthouse, but Commissioner Jose E. Vela expects construction to cost upwards of $65,000. The final figure all depends on the size the county decides to go with.

Vela was appointed by the court to contact companies about setting up shop here.

Vela said he, other county officials

COMMUNITY

See CLINIC PAGE 10A

MEXICO

Ex-gov. denies ties to cartels ASSOCIATED PRESS

spondent for CNN has made him a witness to the upheaval in Iraq after the U.S. invasion and the pro-Democracy Arab Spring that swept the region last year.

Duran was returning from reporting on

MEXICO CITY — The former governor of the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas on Friday denied that he took money from drug cartels and channeled it through front men to buy properties in Texas, calling the allegations part of an effort to influence the July 1 presidential elections.

Former governor Tomas Yarrington told MVS radio station that President Felipe Calderon’s administration was using the allegations to help the candidate of his conservative National Action Party, or PAN, which has sought to portray Yarrington’s Institutional Revolutionary Party as corrupt and soft on drug trafficking.

"What is happening here is a malicious use of law enforcement instruments to influence an election once again," Yarrington told the radio station.

"It is very clear that they are trying to make the investigations coincide with the campaign ads and political speeches of the PAN candidate."

U.S. authorities have filed civil suits to try to confiscate a condominium in South Padre Island and a 46-acre (18.6-hectare) property in San Antonio allegedly owned or controlled

by Yarrington. He has denied owning the properties.

No criminal charges have been filed against Yarrington, who was Tamaulipas governor

See TRAVELING PAGE 10A

See TIES PAGE 10A

Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times

CNN cameraman/producer Joe Duran stands on a balcony at La Posada Hotel and Suites overlooking Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, his birthplace, during a recent visit to Laredo.

A TRAVELING MAN Former Laredoan’s CNN job takes him across world

By ANDREW KREIGHBAUM ZAPATA TIMES

For the last decade, CNN producer and cameraman Joe Duran, a Laredo native, has traveled constantly throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

Since January, his work brought him twice each to Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, as well as trips to Iran, Bosnia and Spain.

“We’ve traveled so much, I couldn’t tell you what I’ve done last year,” he said. “I never know where I am.”

Duran’s job as an international corre-

PAGE 2A

Zin brief CALENDAR

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

AROUND TEXAS

TODAY IN HISTORY

SATURDAY, JUNE 9 Former Laredoan Jack Strunk will make an appearance today at from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Laredo Public Library, H-E-B Multi-Purpose Room, 1120 E. Calton Road. Strunk will kick off the library’s Summer Author Lecture Series and discuss his life, his book and Laredo. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Refreshments will be served. The book is available for check-out or purchase at the Laredo Public Library. For more information, contact Pam Burrell at 795-2400, extension 2268, or at pam@laredolibrary.org.

The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will show “One World, One Sky Big Bird’s Adventure” at 5 p.m.; “2012: Ancient Skies, Ancient Mysteries” at 6 p.m.; and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” at 7 p.m. General admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. “Ancient Skies” and “Dark Side of the Moon” shows are $1 more. For more information, call 956-326-3663.

MONDAY, JUNE 11 The Zapata Commissioners Court will have its regular meeting today at 9 a.m.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 Zapata ISD will have its regular school board meeting today at 6 p.m. in the Professional Development Center, 702 E. 17th Ave.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 The Laredo Public Library will host a free creative writing workshop from 6-7:30 p.m. taught by Charlotte Cunningham-McEachin of Laredo Community College. Registration for the class is required and all participants must be at least 16. Deadline to register is today at the library reference deskl no online or phone retistration is available. For more information, call 795-2400, ext. 2268.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14 The Laredo Specialty Hospital’s free CEU seminar for Parkinson’s disease is today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be a lecture and hands-on training. Seminar has approved CEUs for PTs and OTs. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Certificate of completion will be given at the end of the seminar. Space is limited. To reserve a space, contact Nick Nilest at 956-7648381 or nicknilest@ernesthealth.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16 The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will show “The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather” at 5 p.m.; “2012: Ancient Skies, Ancient Mysteries” at 6 p.m.; and Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” at 7 p.m. General admission is $4 for children and $5 for adults. “Ancient Skies” and “The Wall” are $1 more.

For more information, call 956-3263663.

Children of St. Mary’s alumni, in partnership with Project Kids Aid with Lemonade, will host their second annual fundraiser to benefit the South Texas Food Bank at Uni-Trade Stadium, 6320 Sinatra Parkway, during the Lemurs’ baseball game at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Xochitl Mora Garcia at 337-3639.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by LM Otero | AP

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, left, gets a kiss from his wife Tricia Dewhurst before he speaks to the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth on Friday. Dewhurst is competing with Ted Cruz, a former state solicitor general and tea party favorite, for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. They face a runoff July 31.

Texas GOP still divided

By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS

FORT WORTH — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst addressed the Texas Republican Convention largely without boos Friday — a sign of unity in a powerful party still struggling with deep internal divisions between traditional conservatives and tea party activists.

The U.S. Senate candidate took the podium to warm applause and a partial standing ovation one day after some delegates launched into loud and prolonged boos as Gov. Rick Perry endorsed Dewhurst on the convention floor.

When the crowd quieted, a few people booed or yelled "Cruz!" in support of Dewhurst’s opponent Ted Cruz, but they were quickly and forcefully shushed.

Dewhurst is competing with Cruz, a former state solicitor general and tea party fa-

Texas Democrats focus on building party, rallying HOUSTON — Texas Democrats put their brightest stars on display at their convention Friday as they try to rebrand the party as pro-family and pro-education while ridiculing the growing influence of the tea party movement among Republicans.

State Rep. Joaquin Castro, who faces no significant challenge to represent San Antonio, is scheduled to introduce his twin brother, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, as the keynote speaker. Both said Democrats must take advantage of the GOP’s brutal internal battles.

"You have a lot of Republicans, mainstream classic Republicans, who are very worried about the future of their party," Julian Castro said. "I think they’ve released a monster and I don’t think they can stop it."

Democrats are struggling for relevance in Texas, where they haven’t won a statewide office since 1994 — the longest losing

The Laredo Public Library will host a free creative writing workshop from 6-7:30 p.m. taught by Charlotte Cunningham-McEachin of Laredo Community College.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22 Registration for the Second Annual Classic Bass Fishing Tournament is from 3-7 p.m. at the boat ramp.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23 The Second Annual Classic Bass Fishing Tournament begins with weighin at 2:30 p.m. There will be two person teams. Entry fee is $150 per boat.

First place is guaranteed $3,000.

MONDAY, JULY 9 The Zapata Commissioners Court will have its regular meeting today at 9 a.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 11 The Back To School Kids Fishing Tournament takes place today.

To submit an item for the calendar, send the name of the event, the date, time, location and contact phone number to editorial@lmtonline.com

vorite, for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

They face a runoff July 31 after no one in a crowded GOP field won a majority of the votes cast in last month’s primary.

Lieutenant governor since 2003, Dewhurst is the mainstream Republican choice. He says he has helped make Texas one of the most conservative states in the country, but also doesn’t apologize for sometimes working with Democrats to ensure key bills are approved by the Texas Legislature.

Tea party groups have branded Dewhurst as too moderate. Ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint have endorsed Cruz, as has former presidential candidate Rick Santorum.

Dewhurst trumpeted his conservative accomplishments in his speech at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

streak for Democrats in any state. However, with a rapidly growing Hispanic population and key victories in the state’s largest cities and countries, the mood in Houston is optimistic.

Agency: New STAAR test results ‘sobering’ DALLAS — If the final standards were already in place, more than half the Texas high school students taking the new, more rigorous end-of-course standardized tests would have failed them.

Texas Education Agency spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe is calling results of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test, released Friday "sobering."

It was widely known that STAAR was going to be a harder test.

Ratcliffe says the scores make the districts realize "we all have a lot of work do if we’re going to keep these students on track to graduate on time."

Beginning this year, the tough-

er passing standards are gradually being phased in and increasing through 2016.

Wealthy Dallas woman faces child porn charges DALLAS — A wealthy Texas woman married to an attorney has been charged with collecting and trading child pornography online in what experts say is a rare case of a woman being caught up in such activity.

Erika Susan Perdue has been undergoing addiction treatment since her April arrest on federal charges that she accessed child pornography from the computer in her $1.4 million home in the Dallas enclave of University Park.

FBI agents who raided the home found child pornography on the computer, and Perdue admitted she’d been collecting it for 12 years, according to court records. She told investigators she used file-trading software every day to exchange images while her husband was at work.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION Obama prods Europe to fix economies for US’ sake WASHINGTON — Europe’s economic crisis could send shock waves roaring across the Atlantic that would drag down the fragile U.S. economy.

Obama used an impromptu news conference to prod European leaders to deal with their crisis. Powerless to take on the crisis by himself, Obama tried to show he was nonetheless engaged in trying to help.

"Now, the good news is there is a path out of this challenge," Obama said. "These decisions are fundamentally in the hands of Europe’s leaders, and, fortunately, they understand the seriousness of the situation and the urgent need to act."

US braces for tsunami debris; impact unclear JUNEAU, Alaska — More than a year after a tsunami devastated

Today is Saturday, June 9, the 161st day of 2012. There are 205 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On June 9, 1972, heavy rains triggered record flooding in the Black Hills of South Dakota; the resulting disaster left at least 238 people dead and $164 million in damage.

On this date: In A.D. 68, the Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide, ending a 13-year reign.

In 1870, author Charles Dickens died in Gad’s Hill Place, England.

In 1909, Alice Huyler Ramsey, 22, set out from New York in a Maxwell DA on a journey to become the first woman to drive across the United States.

In 1911, Carrie (sometimes spelled “Carry”) A. Nation, the hatchet-wielding temperance crusader, died in Leavenworth, Kan., at age 64.

In 1940, during World War II, Norway decided to surrender to the Nazis, effective at midnight.

In 1949, Georgia Neese Clark was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the first female Treasurer of the United States.

In 1969, the Senate confirmed Warren Burger to be the new chief justice of the United States, succeeding Earl Warren.

In 1973, Secretariat became horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 25 years by winning the Belmont Stakes.

In 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints struck down a 148-year-old policy of excluding black men from the Mormon priesthood.

In 1986, the Rogers Commission released its report on the Challenger disaster, criticizing NASA and rocket-builder Morton Thiokol for management problems leading to the explosion that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.

Ten years ago: President Jacques Chirac’s mainstream right prevailed in a first round of elections for France’s 577seat National Assembly. Thousands of Russian soccer fans rioted in Moscow after their country’s loss to Japan in the World Cup. Albert Costa won the French Open over fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Se Ri Pak won the LPGA Championship to become the youngest woman to claim four major championships.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush, denounced by anti-American protesters on the streets of Rome, defended his humanitarian record as he met at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI, who expressed concern about “the worrisome situation in Iraq.”

One year ago: Alabama passed a tough law against illegal immigration, requiring schools to find out if students were in the country lawfully and making it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride. (Federal courts have since blocked parts of the law.)

Today’s Birthdays: Sports commentator Dick Vitale is 73.

Actor Michael J. Fox is 51.

Writer-producer Aaron Sorkin is 51. Actor Johnny Depp is 49.

Rock musician Dean Dinning is 45. Actress Natalie Portman is 31.

Thought for Today: “Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he isn’t. A sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.” — Horace Walpole, English author (17171797).

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. Scott Applewhite | AP

President Barack Obama talks about the economy Friday in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C. Japan, killing thousands of people and washing millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. government and West Coast states don’t have a cohesive plan for cleaning up the rubble.

The Japanese government estimates that 1.5 million tons of

debris is floating in the ocean from the catastrophe.

Some experts in the United States think the bulk of that trash will never reach shore, while others fear a massive, slowly-unfolding environmental disaster.

— 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

Crime

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A

Tip leads to rescue of 13 in NL THE ZAPATA TIMES

BURGLARY A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 8:29 a.m.

June 3 in the 100 block of Fourth Street.

A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 7:06 a.m.

Monday in the 5400 block of Romeo Lane.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF A criminal mischief report was filed at 1:31 p.m.

Monday by 16th Avenue and Glenn Street. The complainant stated that someone broke the restroom’s lights and windows at the little league field.

Photo courtesy of SEMAR

Mexican marines pose with 10 suspected members of a Gulf Cartel cell that operates in Nuevo Laredo, along with assorted weapons and equipment seized during the arrest. Federal officials also rescued 13 people. rifles known as “cuerno de chivo,” two rocket launcher tubes, a machine gun and six handguns, according to Mexican authorities.

Other items confiscated included a total of 43 grenades, 241 ammo clips and 16,500 rounds of ammo of various

calibers.

They also seized two vehicles, radio communication and tactical equipment and bulletproof vests.

Federal authorities released limited information on the 13 victims, who included 12 men and one woman. Mex-

ican officials said the victims claimed to have been kidnapped from various locations within Nuevo Laredo.

Lately, reports have indicated that at least three cartels — Gulf, Sinaloa and Los Zetas — are present in Nuevo Laredo.

Police search for alleged teen killer

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ LAREDO MORNING TIMES

A homicide suspect out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area could be in the Laredo area, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said Friday.

DPS is asking for the community’s help to find Jennifer Samantha Puente, 18. She is wanted in connection with the March 17 killing of 15year-old Moriah Gonzales in Ennis, a suburb outside Dallas.

Gonzales’ burned body was left on the side of a road

ASSAULT Jesus Gonzalez, 26, was arrested and charged with assault at about 8:30 p.m. June 3 in the 900 block of Zapata Avenue. He was taken to the Zapata County Jail.

Carlos Mauricio Villarreal, 24, was arrested and charged with assault at about 6:15 p.m. Monday in the 3000 block of Encino Road. He was at the Zapata Regional Jail on a $10,000 bond.

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ Mexican marines announced this week that they recently rescued 13 people who were held captive and arrested 10 suspected Gulf Cartel members in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, across the border from Laredo.

Officials also seized a cache of weapons and ammo, officials announced Monday.

Mexico’s Assistant Attorney General’s Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime is investigating the case.

The rescue took place last week at a home in Colonia Zaragoza, about 1.5 miles from International Bridge II. An anonymous tip alerted patrol troops to reports of armed people inside a home June 1, according to a news release from the Secretaría de Marina-Armada de México, or Mexican marines.

Troops arrested 10 suspected kidnappers who claimed to be members of a Gulf Cartel cell operating in Nuevo Laredo. Their names were not released.

From the home, authorities seized 17 AK-47 assault

THE BLOTTER

JENNIFER SAMANTHA PUENTE: Wanted in March 17 killing of Moriah Gonzales. in Ennis, according to DPS authorities. Tom Vinger, DPS spokesman in Austin, said another suspect, Jose Manuel Alvarado, 29, was arrested March 24 in connection to the homicide.

Puente is 5-feet-4-inches tall, weighs approximately 150 pounds and has a mole on her left cheek, a DPS news release states. She has an expletive tattoo on her right front shoulder area

reading, “F**k everybody.”

The message is written in cursive and surrounded by stars.

Puente also has a tattoo of a pacifier on the bottom part of her right arm. The phrase “Baby John” is tattooed on the back of her neck, according to DPS. Investigators believe Puente has ties to Grand Prairie, Arlington and Ennis.

Vinger said Puente has family ties in Corsicana and the Laredo area, specifically El Cenizo and across the border in Nuevo Laredo.

El Cenizo is under the ju-

risdiction of the Webb County Sheriff ’s Office. Kristina Guerra, sheriff ’s spokeswoman, said when the patrol division receives information about missing people or wanted suspects, all deputies are kept informed to remain vigilant.

Navarro County Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to Puente’s arrest. To provide information, call 903-874TIPS or local law enforcement.

(César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)

DWI Gilberto Sanchez, 34, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated at about 10 p.m. June 3 in the 400 block of Roma Avenue. He was at the Zapata Regional Jail on a $2,500 bond.

EVADING ARREST Rosa C. Villarreal, 19, was arrested after a traffic stop at about 6 a.m. June 2 in the 5400 block of Mercedes Lane. She was charged with evading arrest with motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated. She was at the Zapata County Jail on a $7,500 bond. Deputies also arrested Edgar Alaniz, 25, and Daniela N. Longoria, 19, and charged them with public intoxication.

Both were released for future court appearance.

POSSESSION Javier A. Vargas, 20, was arrested at about 11:30 p.m. June 1 by Sixth Avenue and Carla Street. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone, possession of marijuana in a drug-free zone and striking a fence from Zapata South Elementary School. He had a $40,000 bond at the Zapata Regional Jail.

Raul Salvador Sanchez Jr., 25, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday by 26th Avenue and Alamo Street. He was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION Christopher Lee Buentello, 20, was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 7:15 p.m.

June 2 by 18th Avenue and Glenn Street. He was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.

PAGE 4A

Zopinion

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM

OTHER VIEWS

Rick Perry: Don’t mess with Texas

By JONATHAN GURWITZ SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Texas Gov. Rick Perry taking a jab at cluelessness in Washington — not news. Perry firing a shot at Washington-based tea party groups — that’s another story.

In reiterating his endorsement of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the race for U.S. Senate, Perry decried the intrusion of groups such as FreedomWorks and the Club for Growth into the state’s politics.

“Come to Texas and learn how to do it right,” Perry said in Austin last week. “But don’t come down here and tell us who needs to be our next United States senator, thank you very much. We’ll decide that without your outside, Washington, D.C.-oriented help.”

The case made by these groups for former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz is as much against Dewhurst as it is for Cruz — namely that Dewhurst isn’t conservative enough.

Former House Majority Leader and FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey explained to me in April how members of his group view Dewhurst: “He’s a regular Republican. He’s going to come here, he’s going to get comfortable, he’s going to take up space, he’s gonna live a good life as a senator.” Cruz, he says, “knows what the

right thing is — he’s determined to go do something.”

Cruz is a brilliant conservative mind. It goes without saying that if the state’s Republican Party can’t find a way for talented candidates with names like Cruz, Carrillo or Rodriguez to win high-profile primary contests, then its days as the state’s majority party are numbered.

But Dewhurst has presided over the Senate through five legislative sessions in which the budget was balanced without raising taxes. Not conservative enough? This may be the only issue about which even Yellow Dog Democrats would agree with Perry. Perry’s broader point with the foreign Tea Party groups is that Austin isn’t Washington, D.C. Faced with a major budget shortfall in Austin during the last legislative session, Perry, Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus cut state spending rather than raise taxes. And they did so while increasing state spending on education.

Why would conservative groups in Washington spend millions of dollars in Texas that could be used to greater effect in other states?

Rick Perry doesn’t always articulate a good argument, but he got this one right: “They don’t know anything about how Texas works.”

In 2016, will Hillary run for president?

By ANNE E. KORNBLUT THE WASHINGTON POST

Even 4,000 miles away from Washington, and four years removed from her famous “18 million cracks” speech conceding the 2008 Democratic primary race, Hillary Rodham Clinton still gets the question.

If anything, since making it clear that she wouldn’t serve in a second Obama administration, she has started getting it more. In Copenhagen last month, after meeting with top Danish officials and taking reporters’ queries on U.S. policy toward Syria, the secretary of state was pressed on her political ambitions.

She did not sound like someone contemplating another campaign. “I’m looking forward to working as hard as I can until the end of my tenure as secretary of state, and then will look forward to some time to collect myself and spend it doing just ordinary things that I very much am looking forward to again,” Clinton said, “like taking a walk without a lot of company not that I don’t love seeing you all — but just having the time to set my own schedule and pursue a lot of the interests that I have pursued my entire life, particularly on behalf of women and children.”

The questioner persisted. “No politics?”

“No politics,” Clinton replied.

She has offered some version of that response for years now, always suggesting that her service as America’s top diplomat will be her final official role in public life. But that hasn’t stopped the speculation about what she should or shouldn’t do.

So what of 2016? In recent days, prominent Democrats such as former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and her own husband, former president Bill Clinton, have speculated aloud that she just might.

The speculation today stems from her soaring popularity — in a Washington Post-ABC News poll in April, her favorability rating stood at 65 percent, her highest ever as well as from her success as a Cabinet official and from the residual affection she earned during her presidential campaign, not to mention what some Clinton advisers call the “buyer’s remorse” of Democrats who wonder whether she would have been a better president.

And if she did decide to run? “It would look very different,” one friend said.

Unlike four years ago, Clinton is not getting constant political briefings from strategists such as Mark Penn (although Penn, who wasn’t banished from her circle, is still in occasional touch).

“Her inner circle has changed,” one friend said.

COLUMN

Reagan was a Keynesian

T

here’s no question that America’s recovery from the financial crisis has been disappointing. In fact, I’ve been arguing that the era since 2007 is best viewed as a “depression,” an extended period of economic weakness and high unemployment that, like the Great Depression of the 1930s, persists despite episodes during which the economy grows. And Republicans are, of course, trying — with considerable success — to turn this dismal state of affairs to their political advantage.

Comparisons They love, in particular, to contrast President Barack Obama’s record with that of Ronald Reagan, who, by this point in his presidency, was indeed presiding over a strong economic recovery. You might think that the more relevant comparison is with George W. Bush, who, at this stage of his administration, was — unlike Obama — still presiding over a large loss in private-sector jobs. And, as I’ll explain shortly, the economic slump Reagan faced was very different from, and much easier to deal with, than our current depression. Still, the Reagan-Obama comparison is revealing in some ways. So let’s look at that comparison, shall we?

For the truth is that on at least one dimension, government spending,

“

PAUL KRUGMAN

there was a large difference between the two presidencies, with total government spending adjusted for inflation and population growth rising much faster under one than under the other. I find it especially instructive to look at spending levels three years into each man’s administration — that is, in the first quarter of 1984 in Reagan’s case, and in the first quarter of 2012 in Obama’s — compared with four years earlier, which in each case more or less corresponds to the start of an economic crisis. Under one president, real per capita government spending at that point was 14.4 percent higher than four years previously; under the other, less than half as much, just 6.4 percent.

OK, by now many readers have probably figured out the trick here: Reagan, not Obama, was the big spender. While there was a brief burst of government spending early in the Obama administration — mainly for emergency aid programs like unemployment insurance and food stamps — that burst is long past. Indeed, at this point, government spending is falling fast, with real per capita spending falling over the past year at a rate not seen since the demobilization that followed the

Korean War. Why was government spending much stronger under Reagan than in the current slump? “Weaponized Keynesianism” — Reagan’s big military buildup — played some role. But the big difference was real per capita spending at the state and local level, which continued to rise under Reagan but has fallen significantly this time around.

Different environment And this, in turn, reflects a changed political environment.

For one thing, states and local governments used to benefit from revenue-sharing — automatic aid from the federal government, a program Reagan eventually killed but only after the slump was past. More important, in the 1980s, antitax dogma hadn’t taken effect to the same extent it has today, so state and local governments were much more willing than they are now to cover temporary deficits with temporary tax increases, thereby avoiding sharp spending cuts.

In short, if you want to see government responding to economic hard times with the “tax and spend” policies conservatives always denounce, you should look to the Reagan era — not the Obama years.

So does the Reagan-era economic recovery demonstrate the superiority of

Keynesian economics? Not exactly. For, as I said, the truth is that the slump of the 1980s — which was more or less deliberately caused by the Federal Reserve, as a way to bring down inflation — was very different from our current depression, which was brought on by private-sector excess: above all, the surge in household debt during the Bush years.

The Reagan slump could be and was brought to a rapid end when the Fed decided to relent and cut interest rates, sparking a giant housing boom. That option isn’t available now because rates are already close to zero.

As many economists have pointed out, America is currently suffering from a classic case of debt deflation: All across the economy people are trying to pay down debt by slashing spending, but, in so doing, they are causing a depression that makes their debt problems even worse. This is exactly the situation in which government spending should temporarily rise to offset the slump in private spending and give the private sector time to repair its finances. Yet that’s not happening.

The point, then, is that we’d be in much better shape if we were following Reagan-style Keynesianism. Reagan may have preached small government, but in practice he presided over a lot of spending growth — and right now that’s exactly what America needs.

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 name-calling 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.

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A

Zapatan completes pharmacy doctorate SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Photo by Dan Cepeda/The Casper Star-Tribune | AP

Juan Reyes stands among the ruins of his storage area after it was destroyed by a tornado Thursday south of Wheatland, Wyo. A rare quarter-mile-wide tornado cut a swath across mainly open country in southeastern Wyoming, damaging homes, derailing empty train cars and leaving one person with minor injuries, officials said.

Powerful storms tear through western US

By BEN NEARY ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A rare, quarter-mile-wide tornado cut a swath across mainly open country in southeastern Wyoming, ripping off roofs and shingles, destroying outbuildings and derailing empty train cars.

The twister, which carried winds of up to 135 mph, was part of a powerful storm system that rolled through parts of Colorado and Wyoming on Thursday, packing heavy rains, high winds and hail.

The storms followed a round of nasty late spring weather that pummeled the region.

The tornado passed through a sparsely populated area near Wheatland, a small city about 70 miles north of Cheyenne. It left eight structures heavily damaged and caused lesser damage three structures, said Kelly Ruiz of the

state’s Office of Homeland Security.

Some power lines also were downed. Only one person suffered minor injuries.

Kim Eike said the tornado went right over her house, which was still standing, though battered.

"We lost a camper, it blew out the windows in our house, blew off the shingles clear down to the plywood, but we didn’t lose the roof," Eike, whose property is about 8 miles south of Wheatland, said Friday.

Eike was watching the twister with co-workers at First State Bank in Wheatland when one pointed out it was near Eike’s house.

She said the pig barn and door from the main barn also were lost.

No one was home at the time, she said, noting that a couple in another house in the area rode out the storm in their basement.

Don Farrier, a Wheatland restaurateur, said his

house about 6.5 miles from Wheatland was damaged and will need a new roof.

He said he lost some trees, and a shed on his property was knocked down.

Farrier was at his restaurant when he saw the tornado and decided to drive toward his home.

"I stopped and watched it for a while," he said. "It sure wasn’t moving very fast, but you could tell it was a big tornado for this part of the country."

National Weather Service meteorologist Richard Emanuel said the tornado was a quarter-mile wide and stayed on the ground for much of its 20-mile path.

Hail the size of golf balls also was reported in the Wheatland area, and 2-inch hail was reported in Laramie, the National Weather Service said. The tornado knocked over five empty cars on a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train near parked Wheatland.

KINGSVILLE — Celina Renee Martinez of Zapata graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with Magna Cum Laude honors at Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy’s third commencement ceremony.

The ceremony was held May 12 at the Steinke Physical Education Center at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Gay Dodson, executive director of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, delivered the commencement address. A total of 88 graduates earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

The Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy prepares students for the practice of pharmacy as competent,

caring, ethical professionals dedicated to the provision of optimal pharmaceutical care through a balanced program of education, research and service, according to a news release.

Located in Kingsville, the college has produced more than 125 pharmacy doctorates since opening its doors in August 2006.

The college has recently been ranked 48th among the best graduate schools of pharmacy by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit www.pharmacy.tamhsc.edu The Texas A&M Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research, the news release states. Its seven colleges are located in communities throughout the state.

6A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

Lifeguard rescues child

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES

The Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a near-drowning incident that took place last weekend at the community pool, according to a sheriff ’s office spokesman.

At 7:22 p.m. June 2, deputies responded to the community pool at Romeo Flores Park Swimming Complex on First Avenue and Glenn Street, where they met with lifeguard Jeana Jasso, 17, a Zapata High School student.

Jasso saw the girl was in the shallow area face down and popping back up for air in the 3 ½ pool area.

The lifeguards’ attention was turned to a child who got nervous because he could not reach the bottom in the 5-feet area.

Lifeguards tended to him to make sure he was okay. Jasso was on her way to talk to the boy’s mom when she saw the 4-yearold girl face down but this time she was not moving.

Lifeguards brought over the girl to the edge of the pool.

Jasso, a 3-year-veteran lifeguard, felt a weak pulse on the girl and adminis-

tered CPR. “When the child coughed up water, she began breathing on her own and showed signs of a pulse. Lifeguard Jasso then placed the child in a recovery position in case the child began to cough up any more water,” Sgt. Mario Elizondo said.

“Through the quick reaction of (Jasso) and her skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the 4-year-old child’s life was saved.”

Zapata Fire Chief J.J. Meza said the girl was breathing on her own but was coming in and out of consciousness.

“We decided to fly her out to McAllen,” Meza said.

Zapata Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr. said the girl was doing well. Gonzalez said it’s believed the mother left the child in custody of another adult, but the case remains under investigation.

With the summer in full swing and water being one of the attractions for children, first responders are reminding parents to be vigilant. Gonzalez said parents should keep a watchful eye on their children even if life guards are present. Meza echoed the

Photo courtesy of Shaam News Network/AP video

This image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network and accessed Friday purports to show explosions in the Khaldiyeh area of Homs, Syria. Syrian troops on Friday heavily shelled a rebel-held neighborhood in Homs.

Courtesy photo

Pictured is Zapata High School student Jeana Jasso, 17, who rescued a 4-year-old girl from drowning Saturday, June 2.

By DIAA HADID AND ZEINA KARAM thought.

“Small children think they’re good swimmers.

But a lot of time they understand water. It’s good to have an adult (near by),” Meza said. “Accidents happen. It’s so easy for a child to drown.”

Authorities also cautioned families who go out to take a swim at Falcon Lake. Meza said some chil-

dren tend to jump into the lake from the public boat ramp dock. He said that could be dangerous.

If swimming at the lake, Gonzalez urges swimmers to use a floating device.

With water levels down, a person can get tangled up with debris and drown.

(César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)

Vatican scolds Italy for seizure

By NICOLE WINFIELD ASSOCIATED PRESS

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican chastised Italian authorities on Friday for seizing documents intended for the pope during a raid on the home of the recently ousted Vatican bank chief, reminding them that the Holy See is a sovereign state whose officials and documents enjoy immunity protections.

In a statement, the Vatican said it expected that Italian judicial authorities would recognize and respect its internationally

recognized sovereign status in any proceedings concerning Ettore Gotti Tedeschi.

Italian paramilitary police raided Gotti Tedeschi’s Piacenza home on Tuesday as part of a corruption investigation into Italy’s state-controlled aerospace giant Finmeccanica. He is not under investigation, and at the time of the raid prosecutors said the search had nothing to do with Gotti Tedeschi’s recently terminated role as president of the Vatican bank.

But during the raid, police seized documentation

UN team sees Syrian town’s massacre site

Gotti Tedeschi had prepared for the pope concerning his controversial May 24 ouster as president of the Vatican bank, known as the Institute for Religious Works.

In an unprecedentedly harsh move, the bank’s board fired Gotti Tedeschi in a no-confidence vote, accusing him of leaking documents, failing to do his job and impeding the Vatican’s efforts to be more transparent in its financial dealings.

Gotti Tedeschi’s lawyer said Thursday the documentation that was seized

contained his client’s responses to the board’s accusations.

The seizure and subsequent questioning by prosecutors about Gotti Tedeschi’s role at the bank posed potentially thorny legal issues, since Gotti Tedeschi enjoys some immunity as a former official of a foreign sovereign, the Vatican.

It’s not clear what was contained in the seized documentation — some news reports say there were 47 folders seized. Official Holy See documentation could be considered protected under the Vatican’s sovereign status.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEIRUT — U.N. observers could smell the stench of burned corpses Friday and saw body parts scattered around a Syrian farming hamlet that was the site of a massacre this week in which nearly 80 men, women and children were reported slain. The scene held evidence of a “horrific crime,” a U.N. spokeswoman said.

The observers were finally able to get inside the deserted village of Mazraat al-Qubair after being blocked by government troops and residents, and coming under small arms fire Thursday, a day after the slayings were first reported.

In central Damascus, rebels brazenly battled government security forces in the heart of the capital Friday for the first time, witnesses said, and explosions echoed for hours. Government artillery repeatedly pounded the central city of Homs and troops tried to storm it from three sides.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with international envoy Kofi Annan in

Washington to discuss how to salvage his faltering plan to end 15 months of bloodshed in Syria.

Western nations blame President Bashar Assad for the violent crackdown on anti-government protests that grew out of the Arab Spring.

The U.N. team was the first independent group to arrive in Mazraat alQubair, a village of about 160 people in central Hama province. Opposition activists and Syrian government officials blamed each other for the killings and differed about the number of dead.

Activists said that up to 78 people, including women and children, were shot, hacked and burned to death, saying pro-government militiamen known as “shabiha” were responsible. A government statement on the state-run news agency SANA said “an armed terrorist group” killed nine women and children before Hama authorities were called and killed the attackers.

Sausan Ghosheh, spokeswoman for the U.N. observers, said residents’ accounts of the mass killing were “conflicting.”

SÁBADO 9 DE JUNIO DE 2012

Agenda en Breve LAREDO 06/09 — El ex Laredense, Jack Strunk, se presentará en la Sala de Usos Múltiples H-E-B de Biblioteca Pública de Laredo, de 6 p.m. a 7:30 p.m. para discutir sus experiencias personales y su libro.

06/11 — Campamento de orientación para participar en el programa JROTC de Marine Corps., de 8 a.m. a 12 p.m. Más información llamando al 473-5446. El campamento continuará hasta el 21 de junio.

06/13 — Visite el Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU y disfrute “The Future is Wild” a las 4 p.m. and “Wonders of the Universe” a las 5 p.m. Costo general: 3 dólares.

06/13 — Laredo Heat Soccer Club recibe a Texas (Houston) Dutch Lions a las 8:15 p.m. en el Complejo Soccer de TAMIU. Costos: general, 5 dólares; niños de 12 años y menores, 1 dólares; VIP, 20 dólares.

06/14 — Proyecto de Teatro LCC Summer Stock presenta ‘Night, Mother’ de Marsha Norman, a las 7:30 p.m. en el teatro del Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center de Laredo Community College. Costo general: 7 dólares; estudiantes, 5 dólares.; otras presentaciones el 15 y 16 de junio a las 7:30 p.m.

06/15 — Laredo Heat Soccer Club recibe a El Paso Patriots a las 8:15 p.m. en el Complejo Soccer de TAMIU. Costos: general, 5 dólares; niños de 12 años y menores, 1 dólares; VIP, 20 dólares.

06/16 — Visite el Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU y disfrute “The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather” a las 5 p.m.; “2012: Ancient Skies, Ancient Mysteries” a las 6 p.m.; y Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” a las 7 p.m. Costo general: 5 dólares, adultos; 4 para niños. “Ancient Skies” y “The Wall” valen 1 dólar más/

Zfrontera

PÁGINA 7A

Asegura ser inocente ASSOCIATED PRESS

MÉXICO — Tomás Yarrington, ex gobernador de Tamaulipas acusado en Estados Unidos de recibir sobornos del narcotráfico, aseguró ser inocente y sostuvo que las acusaciones en su contra buscan incidir en el actual proceso electoral para favorecer a la candidata presidencial oficialista.

En sus primeras deYARRINGTON claraciones públicas desde que hace algunas semanas comenzó a ser vinculado con el narcotráfico en un proceso civil en Estados Unidos, Yarrington dijo en MVS Radio que se prepara para demostrar su inocencia.

“Yo no tengo ninguna relación con el crimen organizado, no he recibido sobornos ni he brindado protección a ningún delincuente; no he realizado actividades de lavado de dinero, ni tengo negocios inmobiliarios en Texas”, aseguró el político que tras los señalamientos fue suspendido de sus derechos como miembro del Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI).

Agregó que “no hay una sola evidencia” de los delitos que se le imputan.

Fiscales estadounidenses solicitaron en mayo la confiscación de propiedades de Yarrington en Texas, que incluyen un condominio en South Padre Island y una propiedad

“

Voy a estar preparado para demostrar mi inocencia”.

TOMÁS YARRINGTON RUVALCABA, EXGOBERNADOR DE TAMAULIPAS

de 18,6 hectáreas en San Antonio. El caso no había llegado a instancias penales y la petición de confiscación fue hecha en el ámbito civil.

Yarrington fue gobernador de Tamaulipas entre 1999 y 2004 y ya había sido acusado de recibir dinero de los carteles de las drogas del Golfo y Los Zetas por cuatro testigos de la agencia antinarcóticos de Estados Unidos (DEA).

“El gobierno de la República iba a tratar de incidir en el resultado electoral de la campaña presidencial, tratando de estigmatizar, tratando de señalar al PRI como un partido de delincuentes”, dijo Yarrington.

El candidato presidencial del PRI, Enrique Peña Nieto, se ubica a la cabeza de las preferencias electorales seguido del izquierdista Andrés Manuel López Obrador y la oficialista Josefina Vázquez Mota.

El PRI busca recuperar la presidencia que perdió en 2000 luego de 71 años de gobiernos continuos.

Según uno de los casos presentado en busca de la confiscación de sus bienes, Yarrington recurrió a un empresario mexicano que fue contratis-

ta de la alcaldía de Matamoros para que fuese el comprador oficial de un condominio de 450.000 dólares en South Padre en 1998.

En México no se ha hecho ninguna acusación penal ni civil contra Yarrington, sin embargo, la Procuraduría General de la República ha llevado a cabo algunas acciones derivadas de solicitudes de autoridades estadounidenses.

La Procuraduría solicitó recientemente congelar cualquier cuenta bancaria en México del ex gobernador y mantiene bajo prisión preventiva a tres personas supuestamente vinculadas a Yarrington.

“Voy a estar preparado para demostrar mi inocencia”, dijo Yarrington.

Por otra parte, las autoridades mexicanas allanaron un rancho y oficinas del ex gobernador de Tamaulipas, Eugenio Hernández Flores.

Un funcionario tamaulipeco dijo que militares y agentes de la oficina especializada en delincuencia organizada de la Procuraduría General de la República catearon las propiedades de Hernández.

ENTRE FLORES

NUEVO LAREDO 06/09 — Mosaico Campechano a las 7 p.m. en la Explanada Cívica de la Independencia.

06/09 — Estación Palabra invita al “Bazar de Arte” a las 12 p.m.; Festival Infantil “Cuenta Cuentos de Marcianos, Inventos y Naves Espaciales” a las 2 p.m.; Taller de Creación Literaria con Jacobo Mina a las 3 p.m.

Eventos gratuitos.

06/09 — Homenaje a Federico García Lorca con Lectura de Poesía a la 1 p.m. en Estación Palabra.

06/10 — Carrera de Ciclismo de Montaña “Reto Rotaxtreme” con 5 categorías a las 10 a.m. en el Centro Cultural.

06/10 — Juego de Béisbol de la ciudad “Tecos Vs Atléticos de Ciudad Acuña” a las 10:30 a.m. en el Parque de Béisbol La Junta.

06/10 — Laberintus Arte y Cultura, A.C. presenta “Historia del Otro Lado” de Ángel Hernández, a las 12 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS, Reynosa y Belden. Costo: 20 pesos. Apta para toda la familia.

06/12 — Velada Romántica (Música y Poemas) a las 6 p.m. en el Restaurante “Las Espuelas”.

06/13 — Exposición Fotográfica y Documental “Los Tres Laredos” a las 7 p.m. en el Archivo General del Municipio “Juan E. Richer”.

06/14 — Inauguración de las Jornadas Culturales “Oaxaca. Yucatán y Chiapas” a las 7 p.m. en la Explanada Cívica de la Independencia.

06/15 — Presentación del libro “Los Rebeldes” de Mónica Lavín (autora estará presente), a las 6 p.m. en Auditorio de Estación Palabra.

Foto de cortesía | La del Miernes

Flores de bugambilia adornan la imagen que tiene como fondo la torre de la Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción en Ciudad Mier, Tamaulipas, México, una tarde de esta semana.

Sigue asamblea de Testigos de Jehová ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

Los Testigos de Jehová realizan su Asamblea de Distrito en Laredo Energy Arena (LEA).

La asamblea lleva por título “Protejamos el corazón/Escucha tu corazón”, y durante tres días de actividades que inician a las 9:20 a.m., habrá un intermedio, y posteriormente el programa continuará alrededor de la 1:30 p.m.

Los organizadores tienen considerado que participan 5.000 personas procedentes de comunidades circunvecinas, y de Laredo, En Estados Unidos se prevé una asistencia total de más de 1.700.000 personas.

“El programa moverá a los presentes a hacerse un autoanálisis para evaluar lo que hay en su corazón”, indica un comunicado de prensa. “Verán que para tomar buenas decisiones, mejorar su vida familiar, fortalecer su relación con Dios y alcan-

“

Moverá a los presentes a hacerse un autoanálisis para evaluar lo que hay en su corazón”.

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA, TESTIGOS DE JEHOVÁ

zar la verdadera felicidad es imprescindible proteger el corazón”.

Sábado Mateo 12:34 servirá de base para el tema bíblico del día: “De la abundancia del corazón habla la boca”. “El programa explicará cómo influye el corazón en nuestra conducta y en nuestra adoración”, señala el comunicado.

A las 11:40 a.m. el tema será “Entreguen su corazón a Jehová”, donde se analizará la importancia del bautismo cristiano, tras lo cual se ordenará

como ministros a los nuevos discípulos; y por la tarde se presentará “Hagamos tal como nos hemos resuelto en el corazón”.

Se concluirá la sesión de hoy con el discurso “Inculque la Palabra de Dios en el corazón de sus pequeños”.

Domingo El tema bíblico del programa será “Sírvele [a Jehová] con corazón completo” tomado de 1 Crónicas 28:9.

“En una dinámica serie de discursos se analizarán ocho personajes de las Escritu-

ras que demostraron su devoción a Dios sirviéndole con todo el corazón”, indica el comunicado.

La sesión matutina discutirá “Las cosas anteriores no [...] subirán al corazón”, y en la sesión de la tarde se pondrá en escena una obra dramática sobre cuatro jóvenes que deben hallar la respuesta a la pregunta: “¿Qué es el amor verdadero?”.

La asamblea concluirá con el discurso “Nunca permitamos que se aterrorice nuestro corazón”.

LEA se encuentra en 6700 Arena Blvd. La entrada a todas las sesiones es gratuita.

Avanza relación entre EPA y Estado POR RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS

HOUSTON — La Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EU (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) sugirió el jueves que aprobaría partes del plan de aire limpio de Texas, un movimiento que pudiera aligerar algunas de las limitaciones entre el estado y la agencia federal.

La EPA dijo en un comunicado que apoyó revisiones sometidas por la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas (TCEQ, por sus siglas en inglés), otorgando flexibilidad operativa a algunos de los principales contaminantes del aire, incluyendo muchas refinerías estatales. La EPA indicó que aprobaría el plan una vez que concluya el periodo de 30 días para comentarios públicos.

La EPA y Texas han estado encerrados en un agrio enfrentamiento público durante años, un argumento que se elevó cuando agencias federales anularon el programa de permisos flexibles del estado. Más de 100 industrias, incluyendo a varias de las más grandes refinerías nacionales, se vieron forzadas a trabajar directamente con la EPA para obtener nuevos documentos de operación.

El anuncio de esta semana es una señal de que Texas y la EPA colaboraron de manera callada, aún cuando el Gobernador Rick Perry condenó a la EPA durante su campaña cuando buscaba la nominación presidencial del GOP. “Ellos tuvieron sus desacuerdos con nosotros, los cuales continúan en niveles de política, y nosotros seguimos trabajando con ellos en esos aspectos en varias formas”, dijo Carl Edlund, director de la división de aire, basura y tóxicos para EPA en la Región 6, quien supervisa Texas. “Esta no es una panacea, pero es una mejora y demuestra que podemos trabajar unidos”.

En una declaración escrita, la TCEQ sostiene que está complacida con el anuncio de EPA, agregando que “aclara los caminos para que compañías posean flexibilidad regulatoria y certeza”.

Baja en solicitudes desempleo ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — El número de personas que solicitaron el seguro de desempleo bajó la semana pasada, indicio de una modesta mejora tras tres meses de débil contratación.

El Departamento de Trabajo indicó el jueves que las solicitudes bajaron en 12.000 a 377.000 ajustadas por la estacionalidad, frente a las 389.000 de la semana anterior. Fue la primera contracción en cinco semanas.

El promedio de cuatro semanas, que elimina las fluctuaciones, aumentó en 1.750 a 377.500, el mayor nivel en un mes.

Las solicitudes son un índice de los despidos laborales.

Cuando bajan a menos de 375.000 es un indicio que la contratación laboral es lo suficientemente sólida para reducir el desempleo.

La semana pasada el gobierno indicó que el paro aumentó en mayo al 8,2% del 8,1% en abril. Las empresas agregaron solamente 69.000 trabajadores nuevos, la menor cuantía en un año.

El crecimiento laboral aumentó en un promedio de 252.000 al mes de diciembre a fines de enero, para caer desde entonces a un promedio de 96.000 mensuales.

State

8A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

Working on cars energizes injured vets

By SIG CHRISTENSON SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

SAN ANTONIO — With a turn of the key, the 1966 Shelby Cobra replica roars in a Converse garage, exhaust fumes filling the air, the car almost ready to hit the road after long years of labor.

A Lone Star Classics kit car, it was assembled by a small cadre of war-wounded troops. Most weren’t mechanics. Some were missing fingers and limbs, but all were determined to rebuild lives through a unique vehicle.

“I think it helped me to help myself improve the quality of my life basically for the rest of my life,” said retired Chief Petty Officer Peter Johns, who was burned over two-thirds of his body in an aircraft carrier fire.

Launched by San Antonio-based Operation Comfort, Automotivation provides occupational and physical therapy, like many programs. But it’s also different from the group’s more familiar offerings, which include hand cycles, recumbent bicycles, surfing trips and a sled hockey team.

“Not all guys are interested in sports. You get the gearhead guys, you can tell them about sled hockey, you can tell them about the cycling, you can tell them about the other programs we’ve got going on and it doesn’t interest them,” said Chris Leverkuhn, who lost his right leg below the knee after a blast in Iraq.

“But you tell them, ‘Hey, we’ve got a ‘66 Cobra kit car’ or ‘we’ve got a ‘84 Ford Bronco that we’ve thrown an old weapons carrier body

on,’ that sparks an interest and makes them start thinking, ‘I’d like to get out of bed and go see what’s going on out there.’”

Program’s start The program began around eight years ago after Operation Comfort founder Janis Roznowski talked with a soldier in Brooke Army Medical Center’s burn ward.

Aaron Coates was so badly injured after a rocket-propelled grenade struck his fuel truck that the gear shift knob and steering wheel melted into his hands. He lost all the fingers on his right hand and two on his left.

“I said to Aaron, ‘What on Earth can I do to make you use what hands you’ve got?’“ Roznowski, 63, of San

Four sentenced for stealing Army fuel ASSOCIATED PRESS

EL PASO — Authorities say three West Texas men have received federal prison sentences and another is on probation for stealing $290,000 worth of aviation fuel from the Army.

Tomas Quintero and Luis Campos were employed by a contractor that supplied fuel to military aircraft at Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso. They would steal the fuel and sell it to Fernando and

Richard Baca, who used it on their gravel trucks, the office of the Comptrollers Criminal Investigation Division said in a statement Friday.

All four have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft. Quintero received a 30-month sentence while Campos got four months in prison. Fernando Baca also pleaded guilty to IRS-related charges and received a 15-month sentence while Ricardo Baca is on five years’ probation.

Annie Oakley’s hat, guns going on auction block

By JAMIE STENGLE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS — Relatives of legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley are offering up a collection of items — including her Stetson hat, guns, letters and photographs — in an auction that one expert says hits the mark for its breadth and sentimental value.

On Sunday, Heritage Auctions will offer up about 100 Oakley-related items in Dallas, including a 12-gauge Parker Brothers shotgun that is expected to fetch about $100,000.

Two Marlin .22 caliber rifles are expected to sell for more than $20,000 each.

Oakley gained fame in the 1880s and 1890s for her shooting skills as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. She died in 1926 at the age of 66, but has remained a pop culture icon.

“The country kind of took her to heart,” said Tom Slater, Heritage’s director of Americana auctions.

Over the decades, her likeness has appeared on everything from dolls to lunchboxes and her life story inspired a Hollywood movie and Broadway’s “Annie Get Your Gun.” “She was just sparkling as a public performer,” said Paul Fees, former senior curator at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., with whom Heritage consulted on the auction. “This petite person handling firearms was startling. She was a natural at it. She made it look easy.”

The items are being offered up by Oakley’s greatgrandnieces — sisters Tommye Tait and Terrye Holcomb of California.

They inherited the items from their mother, Billie Butler Serene, who died in 2009 at the age of 95.

Serene was raised by her grandparents, and her grandfather, William Butler, was the brother of Oakley’s husband, Frank Butler, a marksman who became Oakley’s manager.

Oakley and Frank Butler frequently visited and Oakley taught Serene how to handle a gun.

“They were fun and they were almost like sur-

Photo courtesy of Heritage Auctions | AP

This handout photo, provided by Heritage Auctions, shows Annie Oakley in one of her cabinet photos. Oakley wears the dark wig she wore for The Western Girl was taken in New York between 1902 and 1904. Relatives of Oakley are selling items that once belonged to the legendary sharpshooter. rogate grandparents to her,” Holcomb said.

Holcomb said that she had grown up with many of the items.

Holcomb and her sister

didn’t realize how many of Oakley’s possessions their mother had until they went through the West Los Angeles house after her death.

Antonio recalled. “And he said, ‘If you put an engine block out there on that patio area, I’d be working on it 24/7.’”

Coates was discharged before Automotivation got its first truck, in 2006, a rusting Ford Bronco donated by Red McCombs. Coates instead worked with his dad on the family’s 1970 Bronco, and received an education that went beyond restoration.

“You’d bump up against a bolt, and it would tear a skin graft,” Coates, 32, of Bakersfield, Calif., said, laughing. “When I came back to the hospital, I pissed off my doctor because of all the new wounds I had.”

Finding ways to fix a car using damaged hands was just one challenge for troops such as Johns, who saw improvement in his range of motion while working on

the McCombs Bronco. The troops pushed it into the garage. They removed bolts, the interior and the body and tossed everything to the side.

“It looked like a tornado went through the shop,” said Leverkuhn, 28, of San Antonio. “We ended up tearing it all apart and got it down to the frame, and once we got to that point we didn’t have any plan, really, because we were pretty new to this stuff.”

Gaining experience At first, no one knew what to do, so some of the troops brought their own cars to the repair shop. Over time, they gained experience and realized they needed a second Bronco as a parts car. They put in a new frame and then a motor.

It was a trial-and-error experience marked by the addition of other projects, one of them the Cobra.

Sometimes they broke things, like the day sparks from a welding torch damaged the Cobra’s windshield. But they also sparked a renaissance that wasn’t limited to tired old cars.

“Everybody gained something from the program, whether it was confidence working on vehicles, range of motion or knowing people they never would have met,” said Johns, who also runs a hunting program.

“I don’t think it was just physical therapy; it was kind of like overall therapy,” said Robert Rodriguez, whose Converse-area paint and body shop is home to the program.

“It’s like food for their soul,” he said.

Foster parenting comes early for couple

By KATHLEEN PETTY MIDLAND REPORTER-TELEGRAM

MIDLAND — Tyler and Alicia Press are used to getting wayward glances and awkward stares.

When the almost-30-yearolds walk through the mall, they may have one child in a stroller, two kids toddling beside them and their teenage daughter standing nearby.

How they all fit together — especially 17-year-old Crystal and the two adults who couldn’t possibly be old enough to be her parents — is likely among the questions swirling through the heads of other shoppers, Tyler Press said.

Looking over at Crystal and Alicia one recent evening, he said they’ve long since stopped caring what other people think.

The couple knew when they married that they wanted to adopt before having their own. Alicia was adopted by her stepfather when she was a teen and said she always wanted to offer that to another child.

Still, seeing her family grow from just her and her husband to a group of six in only two years wasn’t quite what she had in mind.

God, though, had other plans.

“We call it our insta-family,” Tyler Press said. “We went from zero kids to four in two years.”

Tyler and Alicia started looking into adoption shortly after they married.

They had met when Tyler was as a pastor in Ohio, Alicia’s home state, and moved to the Permian Basin, where Tyler grew up,

in August 2007 to start Life Change Baptist Church.

International adoptions immediately were scrapped from their list of possibilities because of the often $30,000 to $50,000 cost associated with the move. They investigated domestic adoptions but decided not to go the private route because of the cost and because of the possibility the birth mother could change her mind after the infant was born.

They met Jim Palmer, who was with High Sky Children’s Ranch at the time, and learned about foster care. Many of the children who go through the state system become eligible for adoption and it might be a route that would allow the Presses to help kids while also building their family, Palmer told them.

At the time, however, Tyler and Alicia Press said the system’s requirements seemed overwhelming.

They backed away and decided simply to wait.

“We hadn’t even been married a year when this happened,” Tyler Press said. “We said, ‘We’re just not ready for that yet.’”

Months later, the couple met Palmer again. He was now with Buckner Chil-

dren and Family Services and inquired a second time about foster care.

This time, they were ready.

They enrolled in the necessary classes, went through the inspections and were certified as a foster family in August 2008.

They were both in their mid-20s.

Tyler said they heard from several well-meaning adults cautioning them about their decision during that time. “You’ve never been parents,” they would say.

“Well, duh,” Tyler responded. “I think it would almost be harder to have kids first because you expect them to fit into your family mold.”

The first child they welcomed was a newborn.

They received a call one evening and shortly after were standing in their home staring at a new baby.

“It’s a very odd feeling being foster parents for the first time,” Tyler Press recalled.

Not knowing quite the appropriate first move, Alicia Press said they headed for Walmart and stocked up on all the newborn essentials.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

Photo by Richard Drew/file | AP

In this April 12 file photo, traders Frederick Reimer, left, Gregory Rowe, center, and Robert Moran, second from right, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. U.S. futures augured a lower open on Wall Street on Friday. Dow Jones industrial futures fell 0.7 percent to 12,316 and S&P 500 futures lost 0.8 percent at 1,299.60.

Stock market posts best week of 2012

By JOSHUA FREED ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Stocks rose for the fourth day in a row on Friday, capping their best week so far this year.

It was a relief for investors after the big drops of the previous week.

Stocks fell in morning trading, with the Dow Jones industrial average down almost 63 points.

But they turned around after the government said businesses are restocking their shelves faster than analysts had expected.

The Commerce Department said U.S. wholesale stockpiles grew 0.6 percent in April. That’s twice as fast as they grew in March and a sign that businesses are ordering enough goods to lead to increased factory production and sales. Investors had been braced for more sluggish growth.

Oil fell 72 cents to $84.10 per barrel. Sure, it was pushed down by longterm economic worries.

But lower energy costs help consumers.

“If you had some doubts about an economic recovery, oil in the $80s is a lot better than oil at $110,” said Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia. Oil traded just below $110 in late February.

The Dow finished 93.24 points higher, or threequarters of a percent, at 12,554.20. It ended the week up almost 3.6 percent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 10.67 points, or 0.81 percent, to close at 1,325.66. The Nasdaq composite rose 27.40 points, or 0.97 percent, to close at 2,858.42.

Nine out of the ten industry groups in the S&P 500 rose. Only energy stocks declined, following energy prices lower.

Walmart Stores was the biggest gainer in the Dow, up $2.35, or 3.6 percent, at $68.22. Other companies that depend heavily on a strong economy grew too, including Intel, up 47 cents, or 1.8 percent, at $26.41, and General Electric, up 20 cents, or 1 percent, to $19.20. Home Depot rose $1.11, or 2.2 percent, to $52.35.

Facebook rose 79 cents, or 3 percent, to $27.10 after announcing an “app center” that will recommend new add-on software for users. Anything that boosts user interaction is likely to help it sell more ads, which has been a key concern for investors in its new stock, which debuted three weeks ago at $38.

Markets fell in Asia.

Shanghai’s stock index lost a half-percent, its fifth day of losses. Japan’s Nikkei fell 2.1 percent.

Chinese leaders have been showing signs of urgency ahead of May trade and industrial data due out this weekend that might be even weaker than earlier pessimistic forecasts. The Chinese government cut interest rates for the first time in four years and has reduced gasoline and diesel prices for the second time in a month.

Over the long run, that will put more money in the pockets of Chinese consumers. It’s a sign that the government is worried about growth.

Major European markets fell, although their declines were smaller after the U.S. inventory news came out.

Photo by Alan Diaz | AP

In this photo taken Monday, a crane prepares to load a container onto the cargo ship Asian Moon in the Port of Miami. The Commerce Department announced Friday that the trade deficit narrowed 4.9 percent in April to $50.1 billion, but only because a big drop in imports offset the first decline in U.S. exports in five months.

US’ April trade deficit shrinks

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit shrank in April, but only because a big drop in imports offset the first decline in U.S. exports in five months.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the trade deficit narrowed 4.9 percent in April to $50.1 billion.

U.S. exports, which had hit a record the previous month, fell 0.8 percent to $182.9 billion. Sales of everything from commercial jetliners to industrial machinery declined.

Imports, which also set a record in March, dropped an even faster 1.7 percent to $233 billion.

The trade gap remains wide and could weigh on growth in the April-June quarter. A wider trade gap slows growth because it means the United States is

spending more on foreignmade products than it is taking in from sales of U.S.made goods.

The slip in exports is especially troublesome because it shows the weaker global economy is dampening demand for Americanmade goods. Export sales declined to Europe, China and Brazil.

“With growth in Asia cooling, Europe in recession and the U.S. dollar strengthening, exports are likely in for another rough ride over the next year,” said James Marple, senior economist at TD Economics.

U.S. exports to the 27-nation European Union dropped 11.1 percent in April. Europe’s debt crisis has worsened in recent months and many economists say the region is already in recession. Europe accounts for almost one fifth of U.S. exports.

Growth has also slowed in emerging market countries. Exports to Brazil fell 8.2 percent in April.

The U.S. deficit with China increased to $24.6 billion in April. This year’s deficit is running 11.9 percent ahead of last year, when the imbalance hit an alltime high of $295.4 billion.

That’s the highest ever recorded for a single country.

Marple noted that the dollar’s strength could benefit U.S. consumers, who are also paying less for gasoline. A stronger dollar makes imports cheaper while making exports more expensive in other countries.

Most economists say the U.S. economy is growing at an annual rate of 2 percent to 2.5 percent in the current April-June quarter.

That’s slightly better than the 1.9 percent growth in the first three months of the year, but still only mod-

est.

So far this year, the trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports, is running at an annual rate of $603 billion, up 7.7 percent from last year’s total imbalance of $559.9 billion.

For April, the United States ran a $1.8 billion trade deficit with South Korea, three times the size of the March deficit. Imports from South Korea jumped 14.7 percent to $5.5 billion, the highest on record. U.S. exports to South Korea fell 12.3 percent to $3.7 billion.

On April 15, the new U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement took effect, lowering trade barriers between the two nations. It is the biggest free trade agreement reached by the United States since the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico in 1994.

S&P affirms reduced credit rating

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The rating agency that downgraded the U.S. government’s long-term credit rating last year has reiterated its assessment and its negative outlook. It says U.S. political leaders aren’t addressing the federal debt burden.

Standard & Poor’s said Friday that it’s keeping its rating of U.S. longterm debt at “AA+.” It cut the rating in August after a battle in Congress over whether to raise the nation’s borrowing limit. Previously, the U.S. government had always received a “AAA” rating, reserved for the most credit-worthy borrowers.

At the time, S&P said it lowered the credit rating in part because it had lost some confidence in the U.S. political system. On Friday, it made clear that hasn’t changed.

“We believe that political polarization has increased in recent years,” the S&P said, citing the failure of last year’s deficit-reduction “supercommittee” to reach agreement.

S&P said it expects the government’s debt to rise, as a percent of the economy, from 77 percent in 2011 to 83 percent in 2012 and 87 percent by 2016. That’s below the S&P’s forecast last August, when it downgraded the United States.

Still, S&P says the United States has an “adaptable and resilient”

economy, and many governments hold dollar reserves, a sign of confidence in the currency.

Last year’s rating cut contributed to a stock market plunge and caused a sharp fall in U.S. consumer and business confidence.

Yet despite S&P’s concerns about U.S. debt levels, investors seeking safety have been pouring money into Treasurys and driving down their interest rates. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, at 1.64 percent, is near a record low.

John Piecuch, a spokesman for S&P, said Friday that the agency revisits its credit ratings every year. Friday’s announcement came after “a routine review,” he said.

10A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

TIES Continued from Page 1A from 1999 to 2004.

"I have not had any relation with organized crime, I have not received bribes nor have I protected any criminal," he said. "I have not laundered money, nor do I have real estate interests in Texas."

Mexican investigators have ordered his accounts frozen, but Yarrington claimed he had only about 200,000 pesos ($11,500) in the accounts.

Yarrington also said he had no business dealings with a Mexican businessman, Fernando Alejandro Cano Martinez, named in a U.S. indictment.

CLINIC Continued from Page 1A and a representative from DaVita visited the proposed site for the clinic this week.

The site is an empty lot of about 2 acres on Rathmell Street.

Vela was upbeat on the project’s prospects of being approved.

“I think for sure it’s going to be something we’ll be approving,” he said.

He said the project appears to be affordable for the county.

County Judge Joe Rathmell said the county may apply for federal funds to

supplement the project.

“We’re going to explore the possibility, so I’ll follow up on that,” Rathmell said. “But it’s very preliminary.”

Resident comments The county officials said they spoke to a local dialysis patient who receives treatment in Laredo along with people who reside in Hebbronville. The man said three or four Hebbronville residents said they would be interested in

receiving treatment at the potential Zapata clinic.

“Given the fact that the facility (would be) available, I would expect residents from neighboring counties to come to Zapata,” Rathmell said.

Rathmell and Vela said they expect the clinic to generate local jobs.

The commissioners are seeking a 10-year agreement with the dialysis company.

(JJ Velasquez may be reached at 728-2579 or jjvelasquez@lmtonline.com)

TRAVELING Continued from Page 1A a resistance movement in Syria when he learned of his mother’s death last month and made plans to return home.

Maria de la Luz Duran died May 15 at the age 91.

Duran credits his mother with instilling the character that has allowed him to survive in an often difficult job.

“The only thing that’s scared me and I said this at the funeral,” he said.

“My fear was that if something happens to me, how my mom would take it.”

Duran, who is based in Istanbul, got his start with CNN as a freelancer covering the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion in 1994. Soon after, he was covering the Rwanda Civil War and would be called upon later to document multiple conflict zones.

When his career in international reporting started, he said, he took risks he began to appreciate more with experience.

“The industry tends to take a lot more caution, not just for safety but for mental health. There are all these things you realize you need to address like (post-traumatic stress disorder),” he said. “It was different in the sense that there were no rules.”

Duran has had his own close calls, including the filming of a police funeral in Fallujah shortly after the Iraq War began.

A crowd that gathered for the funeral procession became hostile and turned on a CNN crew in attendance. He was stopped by a group of men who began hitting him before one fired off two rounds into the air from a Kalashnikov rifle. His fleeing colleagues, hearing the shots, assumed he had been killed.

Duran managed to escape the group and barricade himself in a building until the crowd moved on.

He later slipped into Jordan and was transported from there to an American military base in Iraq.

“You have the joy of being — of surviving something like that,” he said.

“But then later you go through the whole mental thing and you realize what you went through and that you have issues you need to address.”

Duran said it is impossible to walk away from assignments in locations such as Rwanda, Iraq, Egypt and Syria without being affected. But as dark as many stories are, he said he is amazed by the

Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times

CNN cameraman/producer Joe Duran stands across the street from the Farias home on the 400 block of San Bernardo Avenue where he and his family lived when he was a child after moving to Laredo from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. bravery of activists and protesters working at great danger under repressive governments.

“I came out of there feeling so humbled and thinking these people have everything to lose — their

families, their kids,” he said. “What courage to tell the story, what’s happening there.”

(Andrew Kreighbaum may be reached at 728-2538 or akreighbaum@lmtonline.com)

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

“

CLARA SANDOVAL OVAL

Way to go, ladies

Athletes were a thrill to watch

I

Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times

Pictured clockwise from top left are Jackie Salinas, Jazmine Garcia, Kristina De Leon, Shelby Bigler, Michelle Arce and Leanna Saenz.

The Times reveals the female All-City team

By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES

Zapata is full of great athletes, and the time has come to recognize them for their hard work on the court, field and diamond.

The female athletes are honored in the inaugural The Zapata Times All-City team, while the male athletes will follow on Friday.

Six female athletes stood above the rest as they led the Lady Hawks to a playoff spot or into the postseason.

Other female athletes stood out on their own as they raced against time and proved their mental toughness on the course or track.

These female athletes were honored by the District 32-3A coaches, and were

named to the first team or selected for one of the district awards.

The Zapata All-City team was even with three seniors and three underclassmen.

Now it is time to unveil the inaugural The Zapata Times All-City female team.

Jazmine Garcia, Sophmore, Cross-Country and track All season long, one named rolled off the tongue when someone mentioned Lady Hawks cross-country. That name was Jazmine Garcia, who was counted among the best runners in south Texas and constantly placed in the top five at large 5A meets.

Garcia has embodied Zapata crosscountry since she first suited up for the Lady Hawks two years ago.

As a freshman, Garcia placed ninth at the state meet, and never skipped a beat during her sophomore year.

This past cross-country season, she made her second straight trip to the regionals and the state meet, the only Zapata athlete to do so.

Garcia placed second at the District 32-3A meet and fifth at the regional meet to earn her spot at the state meet.

“She is still maturing with unlimited potential,” Zapata cross-country coach Mike Villarreal said of Garcia’s future at ZHS. Garcia also carried that success into

NBA PLAYOFFS

have never been so excited about traveling to Zapata until last week because for the first time in The Zapata Times’ history we gathered six female and male athletes that stood out this season.

Today we are unveiling the inaugural The Zapata Times All-City female team.

All year long, I wrote about the best athletes that Zapata had to offer, and felt that it was time to put this dream team together.

Putting together an all-city team just seemed the logical choice after the banner year Zapata athletics had had with district titles.

Classifications were not taken into consideration, only what athletes did in their sport.

These athletes put Zapata on the map with their great athletic ability noticed by the district coaches and also by this sports reporter.

I watched Jazmine Garcia run at the state meet for the past two years, first as a brighteyed little freshman that did not know any better and came in ninth in the state.

This year Garcia was at it again at the state meet, but didn’t garnish the finish that she wanted. With two years left in her high school career, she will be poised to make another run.

Kristine De Leon just embodies power, and I have seen the extent of her abilities when Zapata played Nixon. She put on a hitting clinic, and never slowed down the entire season.

The numbers that Shelby Bigler put up in basketball were astonishing, and those are numbers people can only dream

See ALL-CITY PAGE 2B See SANDOVAL PAGE 2B

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Ware feels wear of playing in NFL after countless collisions

By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by Jim Young | AP

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook during the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. The Thunder won 107-99.

Spurs end season on sour note

By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN ANTONIO — Injuries weren’t a factor for once. Neither was depth. The San Antonio Spurs finally were healthy, and had the supporting talent and even the momentum of a

historic winning streak crafted at the perfect time to become NBA champions again.

And it still wasn’t enough.

“I thought this was definitely our time. Our time to get back to the finals. Our time to

See SPURS PAGE 2B

IRVING, Texas — DeMarcus Ware has never missed a game in his seven years with the Dallas Cowboys, even after a scary head-first collision three seasons ago.

Only six days after that crushing blow in a December 2009 game against San Diego, Ware was back on the field in a dominating performance in a victory over previously undefeated and eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans.

But the six-time Pro Bowl linebacker said Wednesday that he still gets occasional neck stingers after contact in games.

Ware sometimes gets a tingling sensation down his arm and it will go numb for a couple of seconds.

“Then I’ll have all my strength, and it’s like all right, wait a little while, and go back out there and keep playing,” Ware said. “But sometimes that can take away from maybe one play or a big play you can make, or two plays in the game where it’s key situation when you know you’re wanting to be out there and playing.”

Photo by Mike Roemer | AP

In this file photo, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Ware said he had never experienced such stingers before that game when his head rammed into the leg of a Chargers lineman.

There were some anxious moments while Ware was immobilized on the field and his facemask removed from his helmet before he was taken off the field on a stretcher and then hospitalized for several hours.

Though he didn’t start the following game against the Saints, the only one of his 112 regular season games without starting, Ware had a sack and forced fumble with 6 seconds left that clinched the victory.

When Ware missed last week’s workout that was open to

See COWBOYS PAGE 2B

PAGE 2B

Zscores

SPURS Continued from Page 1B push for another championship,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. “That was our singular goal, and obviously, it ends here.”

He meant this season.

But it might also be a deeper truth.

On Thursday, coach Gregg Popovich passed on speculating what’s next after the Duncan era-Spurs possibly saw their championship window close shut — for real this time.

Duncan, who is 36 and now without a contract, has suggested this year that he is leaning toward returning for at least a 16th season, but there are no guarantees.

The Spurs were up 2-0 on Oklahoma City and appeared to be a lock for the NBA Finals, before the young and hungry Thunder finished a stunning turnaround Wednesday night to win the Western Conference.

“We all want more. It hurts every day,” Popovich said. “It’ll pass eventually.”

It’s become cliche to declare every Spurs’ run that doesn’t end with a championship The End. The Spurs, after all, have defied their supposed demise and advancing age every year since their last title in 2007. No NBA team has more wins in the last three seasons than the Spurs, who just last week were steamrolling on a 20-game tear that stands as the fourthlongest winning streak in history.

Then it unraveled, and fast.

But this time Manu Ginobili wasn’t hobbling through the playoffs with a freshly dinged elbow (2011) or sitting out altogether (2009). Tony Parker wasn’t banged-up (2010) and there was no glaring lack of “firepower” (2009) that made it abundantly clear why the Spurs so suddenly came unglued and lost four in a row for the first time all season.

Injuries won’t haunt the Spurs with “what ifs” this summer. And it’s hard to find fault within a roster that Popovich called his deepest ever and pundits lauded as a near-perfect mix of veteran savvy and young athleticism running the second-highest scoring offense in the NBA to almost flawless perfection for 50 unbeaten days.

The explanation from Popovich instead was simple, and perhaps a little revealing.

“We faced a team that beat us fair and square.

We reached our limit,” Popovich said.

Future Uncertain After the final loss in Oklahoma City, Duncan didn’t extinguish the possibility he’ll retire Wednesday night but spoke several times this season as though he’ll return.

Popovich said Thursday talks with the star haven’t begun.

Duncan, among the league’s highest-paid players this year at $21 million, would certainly come back at a cheaper price that might give the Spurs more flexibility to tinker. Parker, who turned 30 last month, is under contract for two more years and just put together the best allaround season of his career, having finished fifth in the MVP voting.

Rookie Kawhi Leonard is considered a star in the making within the Spurs. Ginobili, 34, is signed for one more year and so is veteran swingman Stephen Jackson, who had 23 points off the bench in Game 6.

Lack of Depth The vaunted Spurs’ depth that Jackson headlined, however, disappeared as the series with the Thunder dragged on.

Danny Green, the unheralded and undrafted swingman who became an unlikely starter midway through the season, lost not only his starting job but playing time altogether by Game 5. Big men Matt Bonner (1 of 9 in the series) and Tiago Splitter also played their way out of the rotation.

Following last season, Parker returned to France and famously told reporters the Spurs were likely done as contenders. While Oklahoma City celebrated being the first new Western Conference champion in 14 years, in the visiting locker room Wednesday night, Parker declined to speculate on where the Spurs go from here.

Ginobili had an idea.

“Same place we’ve been going the last eight years,” Ginobili said.

“We’ve been always old.

We’ve been always criticized for that. We still compete. We won the West — well, regular season, of course. We are fine. We trust Pop and (general manager) R.C. (Buford) to make good decisions, bring talent. I think they did an unbelievable job this year. I think we had the best record in the league. I mean, what else you can expect, right?”

That’s what the Spurs might be asking themselves all summer.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

Devils in must-win situation

By TOM CANAVAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEWARK, N.J. — Winning Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals did more than keep the New Jersey Devils alive.

It gave them a sniff, a scent, a feeling. Call it momentum if you want.

For one game, Martin Brodeur and the Eastern Conference champions showed they could not only play with the Los Angeles Kings, they could beat them, too.

The 3-1 win in Los Angeles on Wednesday prevented the Kings’ coronation ceremony and forced the NHL to pack the Cup and ship it back to New Jersey for Game 5 Saturday night.

Now comes the hard part for coach Peter DeBoer and the Devils. They have to follow it up with another win over a team that has posted a 15-3 mark in the postseason and not lost consecutive games.

If New Jersey can somehow find a way, though, the Cup will be up for grabs.

“We know every time we can win a game and chip away, the end goal gets a little closer,” DeBoer said Thursday shortly after the

Devils’ flight from the West Coast landed. “I know it is a cliche, but I think if we win on Saturday night this series really takes a turn.”

Kings forward Dustin Penner didn’t agree with DeBoer.

“I think we are in the driver’s seat,” Penner said after the Kings arrived in New Jersey on Thursday night. “Now it’s up to us to drive the car where we want it.”

Kings coach Darryl Sutter felt his team played better Wednesday than it did in winning Game 2 in New Jersey.

However, Brodeur stood tall, got help on two shots off the goalpost and rookie Adam Henrique scored a great goal late in the third period to put New Jersey ahead.

“That’s why you play the series,” Sutter said. “Unfortunately, we have some spoiled people that think that everyone wins 16 in a row or something. A little confusing to me.”

The Kings have been in this position before on this road to what could be the franchise’s first title since joining the league in 1967.

They won three straight over top-seeded Vancouver in the opening round, lost

Game 4 at home and clinched the series on the road, where the team is an NHL-record 10-0 in this postseason., After sweeping secondseeded St. Louis in the second round, the eighth-seeded Kings followed the same formula in the Western Conference finals, taking the first three games from third-seeded Phoenix, losing a possible clincher at home and then nailing down their first trip to the Cup finals since 1993 in Game 5.

It would be appropriate if they raised their first Cup on Saturday, but the Devils stand in the way.

And this is a confident group.

“Elimination games, I don’t know, the teams you play against are there for a reason,” Los Angeles forward Justin Williams said Thursday. ‘It’s not supposed to be a sweep all the time.

You’re not supposed to win every game. That’s when their character comes out, when their backs are against the wall. They played a great game, battled hard. We just didn’t quite have enough.”

The Devils have felt the same way each time they lost a game. They lost the

first two games in overtime in New Jersey and were satisfied with their effort in Game 3 despite being beaten 4-0.

With a bounce or two, the Devils feel they could be up 3-1.

On the flight back to New Jersey, DeBoer said his team had the same confidence it has shown throughout the playoffs.

They were even-keeled and looking forward to Saturday.

When asked if the Devils suddenly had a glimmer of hope, Henrique the team simply won a game it had to win.

“We know within the room we have the personnel to complete this comeback,” said Henrique, who scored the series clinching goals in overtime against Florida in Game 7 and the Rangers in Game 6.

“There are a lot of people out there that don’t think we can do it, but it really doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks, it matters what we think in the room,” Henrique said. ‘We have to string together four in a row and every game is do or die. Every game is Game 7 for us and we have the confidence in the room we can do it.”

COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B reporters, the Cowboys described his absence as because of a strained neck. Ware said Wednesday that he was getting X-rays and other tests that he called precautionary.

“I’m not worried about it,” Ware said. “Really just make sure everything is all right and checking up and making sure it doesn’t happen this year. You never can be 100 percent saying it’s not going to happen when you’re out there playing aggressive, but you’ve got to take the precautionary things in the offseason to make sure that it doesn’t happen again, and that’s what I was do-

ing.”

Ware, who has 991/2 career sacks, said the tests showed everything was good and normal, and that he felt great.

The linebacker said the stingers always go away in the offseason, but come back sometimes during the season. He said everything is good now, partly because of the workouts without pads.

“It’s just going to be that way, you’ve just got to find some way to work through it and just do precautionary stuff,” he said. “At the end of (last season), it flared up a little bit,

and sometimes I would come out of the game, get little stingers here and there, but you’ve just got to work through it.”

Ware said he has been fitted for new pads, including those for his shoulder and neck. He believes that will help in the future.

“I think about long-term health all the time, because you know with football, your body takes a bruising and just got to get out there and just play anyway,” he said. “When your body tells you you can’t play anymore, that’s when you’ve got to stop and just can’t keep doing it.”

SANDOVAL Continued from Page 1B of when they play.

Bigler left everything on the court, and worked hard to get those points and go after those rebounds with her relentless work ethic.

The adjustment that Jackie Salinas made from first base to shortstop was astounding, and she never skipped a beat for the Lady Hawks.

Every good coach knows the value of a great leader and how each brings the team together.

That defines Salinas and her role on the softball team.

The value of a player is sometimes not found in

stats, as sometimes it’s the intangibles that can make or break a team.

That is what Salinas did for the Lady Hawks.

Michelle Arce has been a name associated with great athletes, and she worked extra hard to make sure she earned everything. Sometimes being a coach’s kid can be a negative thing because people think that mom and dad just handed awards to you.

Arce earned a runnersup trophy at the state meet this year.

Zapata has a state runner-up in its back yard, and most people don’t

know how hard that it is to achieve, especially when splitting time with the softball team. She is also very successful in that sport.

I have watched Arce lift weights that could break someone in half, and I can tell she prepared each week to do her best.

Leanna Saenz is simply a sensational golfer that can go toe-to-toe with some of her male counterparts.

To be a sophomore and to accomplish what she did is rare.

She is a very dedicated young lady to the sport, and I will not be sur-

prised when I get a call to cover Saenz signing to play with a college.

Saenz has two years to polish up her game, and if this year is any indication of what she can do, the state will be at her mercy.

These six young ladies put Zapata at the top, and it was truly a pleasure to meet each of them when the picture was taken.

Tune in next week when we reveal The Zapata Times male all-city team.

Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com

ALL-CITY Continued from Page 1B the track season, placing first in the 3200-meter run as she headed to the regional track meet.

Kristina De Leon, Junior, Volleyball Zapata enjoyed a successful volleyball campaign thanks to De Leon, who became an offensive nightmare for opponents with her ability to put the ball down like no other player in the district.

The Lady Hawks claimed the District 32-3A title for the second year in a row as De Leon played the outside hitter position as well as middle blocker.

De Leon was rewarded for all her efforts on the court and was named Offensive Player of the Year by the district coaches because of her ability at the net.

“Kris was one of my key players,” Zapata volleyball coach Rosie Villarreal said. “Her playing ability caught the eye of the coaches in our district because she was able to hit around the block.”

“She was able to read the court and place the ball in the open holes. Kris loves the game and will do whatever it takes to become a better athlete.”

Shelby Bigler, Senior, Basketball When Zapata started the basketball season with a new coach, it was Bigler

who emerged as the leader on the floor with her ability to score for the Lady Hawks and ease the transition of coach Hector Garcia Jr. from the boys program to the girls program.

Bigler was one of the most prolific scorers in the district as she spun and twisted her way like a tornado to the basketball and worked the paint like no other, obtaining a double-double every night.

Bigler averaged 18 points per game and grabbed 14 rebounds along the way to go along with her six assists, five blocks and four steals.

She led the Lady Hawks to a secondplace finish and into the postseason.

For her efforts Bigler was named 1st team all-district and this past month was named to the 11th annual Mercy-Bosom Buddies All-Star game held in Laredo

Jackie Salinas, Senior, Softball The Lady Hawks softball team had many weapons on the field but nobody was brighter than Salinas, who emerged as the leader on the field.

After playing first base the majority of last season, Salinas was able to adjust to playing shortstop, one of the most demanding positions.

Salinas played the position well and led the team in putouts as she became a defensive wizard.

Salinas was named first team all-dis-

trict and was all-tournament at the Lady Hawks’ annual tournament.

“Jackie was our vocal leader and also adjusted from first base to shortstop from one week to another and managed to fill that spot perfectly,” Zapata softball coach Jaime Garcia said. “She was an outstanding athlete that will be missed.”

Salinas was also named co-female athlete of the year at Zapata High School.

Michelle Arce, Senior, Powerlifting Everyone knows that Zapata powerlifting has become a force to be reckoned with thanks to the efforts of the Lady Hawks team.

Arce won first place at the regional meet in the 165-pound division to punch her ticket to the state powerlifting meet, which she won as a sophomore.

Arce was one of the most respected lifters in her weight division and beat out her 4A and 5A counterparts in meets in Laredo and in south Texas.

Arce put her best lift forward and came home with the runner-up trophy.

Some of the accolades that Arce was awarded was a $500 scholarship on behalf of the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association, and was named co-female athlete of the year at Zapata High, with Salinas.

Arce accomplished all this while also playing on the softball team, where she

was named offensive player of the year.

“As a coach and parent we have always instilled it in her that hard work and dedication would pay off, and it surely did,“ Zapata powerlifting coach Veronica Arce said. “She has been working since day one of her high school career. Being around the arena of sports she made up her mind very early what she wanted and needed to do.

“She had four years of successful athletic accomplishments with softball and powerlifting being her best. Her accolades that she racked up speak for herself. With all the recognition that was given to her through writings and articles allowed others to be able to know the athlete in Michelle, and not just as ‘Coach Arce’s daughter.’”

Leanna Saenz, Sophomore, Golf In only her sophomore year, Saenz was regarded as the best golfer in District 32-3A when she came home with the individual title this past season.

Saenz also led the Lady Hawks to a district title as the team scored 449 to beat Progresso by six strokes.

Saenz scored an 86 to run away with the individual title and was in control from the first day that she stepped on the course at the district meet.

“She is a very dedicated golfer that is always striving to improve her game,” Zapata golf coach Clyde Guerra Jr. said.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B

HINTS | BY HELOISE Dear Heloise: I am writing to suggest adopting TWO DOGS, if you can afford it. I always had one dog at a time and never thought about the dog being lonely all day, with nothing to do but eat and sleep. I was at work, so the dog was alone. No wonder I would get such a great greeting when I came home!

My friend was given a dog when she already had a dog. She said it was such a difference! The dogs are both female, about the same age, and they do everything together. They play, eat and spend lots of time together. She said she would never have just one dog again. — Dorothy J., Youngstown, Ohio If you can manage it, two dogs are a good fit.

Check your shelters and rescue groups to find two of a kind! — Heloise PET PAL Dear Readers: Barbara G. emailed a picture of her adorable pug, Mac. Mac goes for a two-mile walk every day in the park, where he loves to chase squirrels. He doesn’t know exactly what the squirrels are, but he knows he wants one really badly! To see Mac and our other Pet

“

HELOISE

Pals, visit www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.”

— Heloise COBWEB BRUSH Dear Heloise: I buy numerous toilet brushes at the dollar store when I’m there. I keep an ample supply in the garage, and I use them on sticky cobwebs! I go around the outside and inside of my house, brushing them off the bricks, eaves and corners of windows.

The toilet brush is rough enough in texture to snag the cobweb, but not rough enough to mar the walls or paint, and they are very inexpensive. — Cindy, via email EASY ALMONDS Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint that others might like: Sometimes I have trouble chewing nuts. I toss a couple of cups of almonds in the blender and grind them up. Then I use them in all kinds of ways: in cereal, oatmeal, cake batter, pudding, smoothies, burgers — you name it. — Elsie in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

PARDON MYPLANET

DENNISTHE MENACE

JUDGEPARKER

REXMORGANM.D. DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES | HERE’S HOWTO WORK IT:

FORBETTERORWORSE

Sports

4B THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

I’ll Have Another won’t run in Belmont

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — I’ll Have Another’s bid for the first Triple Crown in 34 years ended shockingly in the barn and not on the racetrack Friday when the colt was scratched the day before the Belmont Stakes and retired with a swollen tendon.

“It’s been an incredible ride, an incredible run,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“It’s a bummer. It’s not tragic, but it’s a huge disappointment.”

I’ll Have Another, who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes with stirring stretch drives, was the 4-5 favorite to win the Belmont and become the 12th Triple Crown winner and first since 1978.

Instead, he becomes the 12th horse since Affirmed, the last Triple champion, to win the first two legs but not the Belmont.

The scratch marks the first time since Bold Venture in 1936 that the Derby and Preakness winner didn’t run in the Belmont.

Burgoo King skipped the race in 1932.

O’Neill said the swollen left front tendon was the beginning of tendonitis, which could have taken six months to treat, and so the popular horse was retired.

“Yesterday he galloped great, but in the afternoon we noticed some loss of definition in his left front leg,” he said, addressing the media outside the Belmont barns while I’ll Have Another grazed nearby.

“We did just an easy gallop today. I thought he looked great on the track, and then cooling out, you could tell the swelling was back.”

Photo by Matt Slocum | AP

Photo by Michael Euler | AP

Benjamin Perez holds Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another after a news conference at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on Friday. I’ll Have Another’s bid for a Triple Crown ended with the news that the colt was out of the Belmont Stakes.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic backhands to Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their semifinal match in the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Friday. Djokovic won 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

O’Neill said he conferred with owner J. Paul Reddam and they contacted Dr. Jim Hunt, who examined the horse. “... Immediately we got Dr. Hunt over here and he scanned him and he said it was the start of tendinitis in his left front tendon and you can give him 3to-6 months and start back with him,” O’Neill said.

“It was unanimous between the Reddams and my brother and I and everyone at the barn to retire him.”

After the news conference, the O’Neill’s led I’ll Have Another out of the detention barn and walked him down a path toward the barn where the colt had stayed for most of the time he had been at Belmont. Starting Wednesday, all the Belmont Stakes horses were housed in the same barn; the track said it was a security measure.

“Some people have asked did the detention barn have anything to do with this. Absolutely not.

Just a freakish thing,” O’Neill said.

His brother Dennis said: “We’re very, very bummed out, but we’ll be

back next year.”

He said it was hard to tell anything was wrong just by looking at the horse.

“He looks great. He’s sound. He went great this morning. He looks super (but) you just can’t take a chance. He’s too valuable of a horse and we love him to death like all of them,” he said. “You wouldn’t run a horse if you think something might happen.”

Larry Bramlage, Belmont’s on-call veterinarian, called it a “slow-healing injury.”

Bramlage compared it to an Achilles tendon injury, which usually keeps a person off his feet for six weeks.

“This one to the horse is nowhere near that severity,” Bramlage said, “but it takes the same amount of time to rehab it.”

Bramlage said, for this horse, it would probably take a year to recover.

“It’s an early injury,” Bramlage said. “If you went on and had he raced, the danger would have been a bowed tendon, meaning a significant number of fibers injured.”

Djokovic beats Federer

By EDDIE PELLS ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS — For the fourth straight time in a Grand Slam final, it will be Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal.

That Nadal got there by winning his French Open semifinal in a breeze against David Ferrer was no shock.

That Djokovic made it after running into only a wisp of a challenge from Roger Federer — well, that came as a bigger surprise.

The top two players each won in straight sets Friday — second-seeded Nadal in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 whitewashing of sixth-seeded Ferrer and top-seeded Djokovic in a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 win over No. 3 Federer that didn’t feel that close.

On Sunday, “Rafa” and “Nole” meet and someone will make history: Either Nadal will win his seventh French Open to break the record he now shares with Bjorn Borg or Djokovic will become the first man in 43 years to win four straight Grand Slam tournaments.

And while they’ll have

trouble putting on a better show than their last Grand Slam final — the nearly six-hour, five-set drama Djokovic won at the Australian Open — it shouldn’t be hard to stage a more competitive day of tennis than what happened in the semifinals.

“I know I have to be playing consistently well on a very high level to win a best-of-five against Nadal here,” Djokovic said. “It’s the ultimate challenge. But I believe today was my best match of 2012 Roland Garros for me. I raised my game when I needed to.

That’s something that gives me confidence before the final.”

The key stat in Djokovic’s win was Federer’s 46 unforced errors to 17 for Djokovic. Federer, a 16-time major championship winner, struggled with the conditions on yet another windy day at Roland Garros, to say nothing of the pressure of having to go for big shots to get anything past his Serbian opponent.

“It was difficult to attack,” Federer said. “And being defensive — I could

have waited a little. But if I were to do this, I was playing for him. I was not here to play a good match but to win the match, so I had to hit the balls. It was a bit disappointing today.”

Serving to stay in the first set, Federer missed four forehands over the span of five points en route to the loss.

He came out in the second set and broke after overcoming a 40-0 deficit in the first game, including swatting away a volley winner after Djokovic chased down a lob and hit it between his legs. That came at the close of a 38-shot rally that wound up as the best point of the match.

Federer broke Djokovic again for a 3-0 lead and it appeared a possible repeat of last year’s thrilling U.S. Open semifinal, in which Djokovic saved two match points to win a five-setter, might be in store.

Instead, Djokovic won 13 of the next 18 games to avenge his last defeat in a Grand Slam tournament — a four-set loss to Federer here last year at the same stage of the French Open.