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ZAPATA COUNTY ISD
ECONOMY
More teachers
Ranchers feeling the drought
District to fill 54 empty teaching positions By NICK GEORGIOU LAREDO MORNING TIMES
The 54 Zapata County ISD teachers who were laid off at the end of this school year will get their jobs back, the district’s board of trustees decided Tuesday. Administration recommended the hiring of 54 teachers in light of the
projected cuts to public education not being as severe as initially proposed by lawmakers early this year. The positions will be posted and those who previously held them will need to apply, but it’s likely they will get the jobs back if they want them, said Norma Garcia, Zapata County Independent School District superintendent.
After trustees voted in April to lay off the teachers, they and the administration said the intent was to rehire the vast majority of them, if not all, as long as the cuts were not going to be as bad as initially projected. At that time, ZCISD was facing
See REHIRING PAGE 8A
FISHING
By VALERIE GODINES FITZGERALD THE ZAPATA TIMES
OILTON — Sergio “Keko” Benavides is driving his pickup truck down a caliche road on his 2,200 acre ranch when he suddenly rolls down the window. He steers the truck into a puddle filled with rainwater that fell just a few hours earlier on this Thursday afternoon. “I love the sound of that,” he says, laughing as the water whooshes up to the window. It’s a sound he doesn’t hear enough. The drought that is so bad that the U.S. Department of Agriculture last week designated all of Texas a natural disaster area is killing cattle operations all over South Texas. Benavides, who has seen his herd decline by 50 percent, was grateful for Thursday’s rain, but he still has to face the larger picture of the drought. Before an inch fell on his ranch on May 28, there had been 100 days without a drop, he points out. The fourth-generation rancher, who has 180 head of cattle, scans his property and notes the
effects of the drought. “Look at those dry patches,” he said. “There should be tons of grass there. We’ve been averaging 108 (degrees) every day and the wind has been blowing the past 90 days. It’s like a dryer.” An average cow consumes 30 gallons of water a day on his ranch. “Their immune system drops. Their energy levels drop. They don’t even want to move. There is no production cycle. They won’t go into a heat cycle. If there is no green grass, they won’t cycle,” he said. “I am barely making it and it’s getting to the point of you’re in or you’re out and I am a fourth-generation rancher and it’s in our blood, but it’s not a good business right now. Prices are good but to maintain them in a harsh drought, it’s hard. If it wasn’t for the romance of it, I would have been out a long time ago, but we have it in our blood, and we have to keep on,” Benavides said. Last year he drilled two wells and they were dry. He drilled recently and hit a well that
See RANCH PAGE 8A
Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times
ABOVE: Dustin Hobbs signs up for the Bass Classic Fishing Tournament as fishermen are greeted by Belinda Bravo and Lelia Balderas at the Lakeview Inn and Suites on Friday afternoon. BELOW: Jeff Dement from Louisana prepares a fishing boat Friday afternoon at the Lakeview Inn and Suites’ parking lot for today’s tournament at Falcon Lake.
HOLIDAY ON THE LAKE Anglers at Falcon for weekend tournament By ERICA MATOS LAREDO MORNING TIMES
F
ourth of July weekend is a time for relaxing with family and friends, soaking up the great outdoors and enjoying grilling, and Zapata is kicking off these festivities today with its first Bass Classic Fishing Tournament at Falcon Lake. The event is sponsored by Lakeview Inn & Suites, Robert’s Fish & Tackle and the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce. The tournament began with com-
petitors setting off at 6:30 a.m. Registration for the event took place Friday from 5-9 p.m. As of early Friday evening, Aqua Restaurant & Bar manager Greg Padilla was anxious to see what the turnout would be. “You don’t really know how many competitors you’re going to get. Rain isn’t our biggest enemy; it’s the wind,” he stated. Padilla explained that most competitors wait until the day before competi-
See FISHING PAGE 7A
MEXICO
Underground marijuana Soldiers seize pot in two raids By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Mexican soldiers dug up nearly five tons of marijuana this week. In unrelated seizures, soldiers found the pot stored underground. Mexican federal officials said Thursday they are checking into a seizure of more than two tons of pot found hidden underground in the outskirts of Ciudad Camargo, a Tamaulipas town that sits across the border from Rio Grande City in Starr County. In Miguel Alemán,
which sits across the border from Roma, soldiers seized another 2.9 tons of marijuana. The Procuraduría General de la República, the attorney general’s office known as PGR, had not reported an arrest in any of the cases of as Friday afternoon. Regarding the Camargo seizure, a PGR report states soldiers were patrolling in several rural areas outside of the town. They detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from a property. Soldiers inspected it and noticed something out of place on the ground. Soldiers dug about three
See POT PAGE 8A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, JULY 2 Laredo Wrestling Alliance (LWA), a non-profit organization, will be holding its Independence Day Battle Royal, a wrestling event for the whole family, today from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at the Oswald H. & Juanita G. Ramirez Exhibit Hail. Admission is $5 to benefit the Marine Corp League Scholarship Program. For more information, contact Rey Chavarria at (956) 319-1094. The Zapata 3-D Archery Course will have its grand opening today at 8 a.m. at Meza Salinas Road, off U.S. Highway 83 South. Youth aged 18 and under pay $10 for the first round ($3 for every subsequent round), and adults pay $20 for the first round ($5 for each subsequent round). For more information, call Gil Gamez at (512) 426-4255. LULAC #14 will host a fireworks display on Alexander Lake (entrance through McPherson and University Boulevard). The festivities begin at 1 p.m. with kayak and canoe races, a fishing contest, raspa contest, hot dog cook-off, music, food vendors, arts and crafts, paddle boats, and much more. They conclude with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. For more information call (956) 286-9055.
SUNDAY, JULY 3 The City of Laredo’s annual 4th of July Family Fest ends today with a bike rally and motorcycle show and activities from noon to 8 p.m., music and fun for children from noon to 5 p.m., a musical talent competition from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and a baseball game at 7:30 p.m. Pandamania Vacation Bible School, for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, is Sunday night through Thursday night, 6 p.m.-8:45 p.m., at Primera Iglesia Bautista, located at 1320 San Bernardo Ave.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) will host its 2011 Border Summit: Empleos, Empresas y el Desarrollo Económico (A Focus on Solutions for the Border Economy) in McAllen today. Featured speakers include Mercedes Marquez, assistant secretary, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Donna Gambrell, director, Community Development Finance Institutions, U.S. Department of Treasury. For more information on the Border Summit and to register, visit www.nalcab.org.
FRIDAY, JULY 15 Open Art Studio will host Sundown Story Hour from 6:30-7:30 p.m., during which Mystery Storyteller reads a fun book and attendees take home a craft. Attendance is free, but space must be reserved at www.open2art.com. For more information, contact Victoria Ortega at openart@rocketmail.com. Mia’s Boutique, located at 408 Shiloh Dr. Ste 1, will be having a ribboncutting ceremony at 5 p.m. For more information, contact Gina Palma with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce at (956) 722-9895.
SATURDAY, JULY 16. The South Texas Food Bank will hold its 5K Run/Walk for Hunger awareness today at 9 a.m. at North Central Park in North Laredo. Registration is at 8 a.m. Fee is $15 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under. Age groups include 14 and under to 50+ for boys, girls, men and women. Registration forms are available at Rudy’s on McPherson Road or Fudducker’s on Hillside Road. For information, call Zelina Ruiz with South Texas Food Bank at 956-5683673 during business hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds go to the South Texas Food mission to feed the hungry.
FRIDAY, JULY 22 Open Art Studio will host Sundown Story Hour from 6:30-7:30 p.m., during which Mystery Storyteller reads a fun book and attendees take home a craft. Attendance is free, but space must be reserved at www.open2art.com. For more information, contact Victoria Ortega at openart@rocketmail.com.
FRIDAY, JULY 29 Open Art Studio will host Sundown Story Hour from 6:30-7:30 p.m., during which Mystery Storyteller reads a fun book and attendees take home a craft. Attendance is free, but space must be reserved at www.open2art.com. For more information, contact Victoria Ortega at openart@rocketmail.com. 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
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Darren Abate | AP
Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks during the 28th annual National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference on Thursday in San Antonio. The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that Perry can keep details of the travel expenses of his security force secret.
Perry’s records secret By JIM VERTUNO ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry’s safety concerns trump public records law and details from his travel expense records for his security force can be kept secret, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. Perry and the Texas Department of Public Safety have been fighting to keep the records closed since 2007, when the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express News and the Austin American-Statesman sued to get them. DPS has in the past released expense totals but not a detailed accounting of how they add up. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said those details should be kept secret because providing too much information about Perry’s security could put him in danger. Perry, who is considering running for president, has made recent trips to New
York, Louisiana and California. Two lower courts ruled that the documents should be public record, but those were overturned by the unanimous Supreme Court ruling written by Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson. “Freedom from physical harm is indeed a hallmark of our common law,” the ruling said. However, Friday’s ruling did not close off all the records for good. The ruling sent the case back to the trial court with orders for DPS to provide expert testimony on what records would put Perry in danger if released. The Supreme Court ordered the lower court to give DPS experts some deference and to consider the testimony in the context of the new personal safety determination. But it also noted that “vague assertions of harm will not carry the day.”
Perry names Cargill chair of Education Board
President Obama signs disaster declaration
Perry appoints new chair to state forensic panel
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Gov. Rick Perry has named Barbara Cargill to serve as chair of the State Board of Education. Cargill is a science teacher and was elected to the board in 2004 to represent District 8 in East Texas. She is a Christian who disputes the theory of evolution and voted to require that the theory’s weaknesses be taught in classrooms.
AUSTIN — President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster for parts of Texas ravaged by wildfires in April and early May. Friday’s declaration allows federal aid to help state and local recovery efforts in 45 counties. Many agriculture producers have lost entire crops because of drought and wildfires.
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry has appointed a new head of the Texas Forensic Science Commission following the departure of embattled chairman John Bradley. Nizam Peerwani was named the new chairman Friday. Peerwani is the chief medical examiner for Tarrant, Denton, Johnson and Parker counties.
Routier’s husband files for divorce
Charter bus overturns on Texas road, injuring 21
LUBBOCK — The husband of death-row inmate Darlie Routier is divorcing his wife. The 40-year-old woman was sentenced to death for killing her middle son, 5-year-old Damon, in 1996. Darin Routier told The Associated Press on Friday that he still believes in his wife’s innocence and that the divorce was a mutual decision that was “very difficult.”
SAN MARCOS — A charter bus overturned on a Texas interstate Friday after the driver swerved off the road and overcorrected, injuring all 21 people on board, authorities said. None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. A 4-yearold girl broke her leg and several other passengers were airlifted to hospitals with head injuries, authorities said. — Compiled from AP reports
July 4 fireworks banned for fear of wildfires FORT WORTH — There will be fewer oohs and aahs at the rockets’ red glare this July 4. Dozens of Texas cities have canceled shows, from large events in Austin and San Antonio to small-town celebrations. While there have been a few protests and at least one unsuccessful court challenge, many people appear to understand the precautions.
AROUND THE NATION Passing major debt deal by Aug. 2 seems doubtful WASHINGTON — It may be even more difficult than it appears for Congress to reach a broad deal to raise America’s borrowing limit and slash spending by Aug. 2. Even if quarreling lawmakers can somehow agree this month, it is doubtful that Congress can write it up in binding fashion and pass it by one month from Saturday. That’s when, the Treasury Department declared anew on Friday, the government will start running short of money to pay the nation’s bills.
Obama picks fight with GOP on taxes WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is renewing an old fight with the business community by insisting that $400 billion in tax increases be part of a deficit-reduction package. His
Today is Saturday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2011. There are 182 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 2, 1961, author Ernest Hemingway shot himself to death at his home in Ketchum, Idaho. On this date: In 1566, French astrologer, physician and professed prophesier Nostradamus died in Salon (sah-LOHN’). In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.) In 1926, the United States Army Air Corps was created. In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-theworld flight along the equator. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation reviving draft registration. In 1986, ruling in a pair of cases, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action as a remedy for past job discrimination. In 1991, actress Lee Remick died in Los Angeles at age 55. In 1994, a USAir DC-9 crashed in poor weather at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, killing 37 of the 57 people aboard. Ten years ago: Robert Tools received the world’s first self-contained artificial heart in Louisville, Ky. (He lived 151 days with the device.) Vice President Dick Cheney returned to work two days after receiving a new pacemaker. Five years ago: Conservative free-trader Felipe Calderon (fay-LEE’-pay kahl-duhROHN’) defeated leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (ahnDRAYS’ mahn-WEHL’ LOH’pez OH’-brah-dohr) by just 234,000 votes in Mexico’s presidential election. Comic Jan Murray died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 89. Today’s Birthdays: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 82. Jazz musician Ahmad Jamal is 81. Former White House chief of staff John H. Sununu is 72. Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, is 64. Rock musician Roy Bittan (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) is 62. Actressmodel Jerry Hall is 55. Actor Jimmy McNichol is 50. Country singer Guy Penrod is 48. Rock musician Dave Parsons (Bush) is 46. Actress Yancy Butler is 41. Contemporary Christian musician Melodee DeVevo (Casting Crowns) is 35. Actor Owain Yeoman (TV: “The Mentalist”) is 33. Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. is 32. Singer Michelle Branch is 28. Actress Vanessa Lee Chester is 27. Figure skater Johnny Weir is 27. Actress-singer Ashley Tisdale is 26. Actress Lindsay Lohan is 25. Thought for Today: “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” — Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961).
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Retail Adv. Manager, Raul Cruz................... 728-2511 Classified Manager, Jesse Vicharreli ........... 728-2525 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Managing Editor, Julie Silva ...................... 728-2565 City Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez .................. 728-2543 Sports Editor, Dennis Silva II......................728-2579 Entertainment Editor, Emilio Rábago III ....... 728-2564 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavín-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by J. Scott Applewhite| AP
Insisting there is too much to do, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks to reporters after announcing on the floor that he intends to bring senators back to work right after the July 4th holiday. proposals have languished on Capitol Hill, repeatedly blocked by Republicans, often with help from Democrats. Limiting tax deductions for high-income families and small business could raise more than $200 billion over the next decade.
No matter how Democrats characterize their proposals as revenue raisers or plugging tax loopholes, GOP leaders oppose them all, arguing that raising taxes in a bad economy would only make matters worse. — 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
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
Zlocal
Program aids with college preparation By STEVE TREVIÑO SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
A group of 46 high school students in Zapata are one step closer to being ready for college life because of a partnership between Laredo Community College and the Zapata County Independent School District. The high school students, ranging from incoming freshmen to rising seniors, were participants of this year’s Zapata Jump-Start initiative, a month-long summer college prep program where they received supplemental instruction in English, reading and mathematics.
Summer school For three summers, the students will benefit from the coursework offered through the Jump-Start program to help them be ready for college-level coursework by their junior or senior year. The students completed the program Thursday at Zapata Middle School with a ceremony where ZCISD and LCC officials presented each participant with a certificate for completing the program and a gift. Established in 2008, Jump-Start is made possible through the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation.
$125K donation The foundation has funded the program entirely for the past four years. At this year’s awards ceremony, college officials announced that
“
Laredo Community College is grateful for the support the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation has shown to this program since its inception.” LCC PRESIDENT JUAN L. MALDONADO
the Martinez foundation had donated $125,000 to continue supporting the program through the 20112012 academic year.
seum on the Bay and the Texas State Aquarium and watched a Corpus Christi Hooks baseball game.
‘Grateful’ for aid
Development
“Laredo Community College is grateful for the support the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation has shown to this program since its inception,” said LCC President Juan L. Maldonado. “On behalf of the students of Zapata County ISD, the college appreciates the gracious support the Jump-Start program has received. The foundation is thanked for the notable increase the program has received from last year’s donation of $120,000.”
“The uniqueness of the Jump-Start program is that it’s not only preparing these students for the rigors of a college education. It’s also helping them develop socially by exposing them to other cities, cultures and life experiences,” Ramon said. Zapata County ISD and LCC have an agreement to offer college courses to high school students who have achieved college entry requirements.
Out-of-town trips Luciano Ramon, dean of LCC South and spearhead of the project, noted that Jump-Start is not all about books and studying. During the program’s duration, the students went on several trips, including one to Corpus Christi, where they visited the USS Lexington Mu-
Buying textbooks Funding from the Martinez foundation also supports the purchase of textbooks for students taking dual-credit courses. For more information about the Jump-Start program, students should visit their school counselor. (Steve Treviño is the public relations specialist for Laredo Community College.)
PAGE 3A
Man gets financial aid from transportation department SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Daniel Flores, a May graduate of Zapata High School, has been awarded financial aid from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Conditional Grant Program to pursue a college degree in civil engineering. “I’m very happy and grateful to have received this award. It will substantially help me reach my career goals and provide me with even more incentive to succeed,” said Flores, who participated in powerlifting and football while in high school. Flores will attend Texas A&M UniversityKingsville to study civil engineering. The 18year-old graduate found out about the grant program through his older brother Jesus Flores, who also has had a long-time interest in civil engineering. “It’s great to hear that this grant has been awarded to an outstanding student such as Daniel,” said Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Zapata. “His hard work and commitment to his studies have certainly paid off. I wish Daniel the very best in all of his future endeavors.” The Texas Department of Transportation’s Conditional Grant Program was established in 1991 to provide economically disadvantaged students with funding for higher education. The grant amount is the sum of
the certified tuition and fees per semester, plus a stipend based upon the student’s documented needs. Flores, among other award recipients, will also gain experience by working for the Texas Department of Transportation for two years upon graduation. “Financial need should
never limit a student’s ability to explore academic interests. The Texas Department of Transportation’s Conditional Grant Program is an example of a measure taken to ensure that all Texas residents have an equal opportunity to further their education,” Guillen said.
ZAPATA COUNTY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT JOB POSTING (Preference for Former ZCISD RIFt Employees) Positions:
Elementary Bilingual Teacher(s) (Spanish) Spanish Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) Math Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) Science Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) English Language Arts Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) Social Studies Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) English as a Second Language Teacher (Secondary Level) Physical Education Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) Business Education Teacher (s) Criminal Justice Teacher Art Teacher (s) (Secondary Level) Special Education (s) Teacher Disciplinary Education Alternative Program Teacher (s) (Secondary Level Math/Social Studies)
Salary Schedule for Classroom Teachers & Full Time Librarians
$41,000.00 (est.) Minimum
Minimum Duty Days:
187 days
Minimum Requirements:
Valid Texas Teaching Certificate in area of assignment with required endorsements for subject and level assigned. In addition, individuals in core academic subject areas must meet the highly qualified teacher requirements as per the No Child left Behind Act. Bachelor’s degree from accredited university At least one year of student teaching or approved internship
Special Knowledge/Skills:
Ability to employ strategies that lead to student academic success. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Demonstrated ability to work effectively and harmoniously with administrators, other teachers, students, parents and other staff. Knowledge of assigned subjects. General knowledge of curriculum and instruction. Ability to instruct students and manage their behavior. Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Deadline For Applying:
Until filled
$58,360.00 Maximum
Applications may be obtained from: Human Resources Department 17th and Carla St. P.O. Box 158 Zapata, Texas 78076 (956)765-6858 Fax (956)765-5940 Website: www.zcisd.org We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, marital or veteran status, the presence of a medical condition, disability or any other legally protected status. An Equal Opportunity Employer
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Ed reformer becomes vocal critic By DAVID BROOKS NEW YORK TIMES
A
SPEN, Colo. — Diane Ravitch is the nation’s most vocal educational historian. She once was one of the leading intellects behind the education reform movement — emphasizing charter schools, testing and accountability. Over the past few years, she has become that movement’s most vehement critic. She pours out books, op-ed essays and speeches, including two this week at the Aspen Ideas Festival. She is very forceful, but there are parts of her new message that are hard to take. She is quick to accuse people who disagree with her of being frauds and greedheads. She picks and chooses what studies to cite, even beyond the normal standards of people who are trying to make a point.
Toeing the line She has come to adopt the party-line view of the most change-averse elements of the teachers’ unions: There is no education crisis. Poverty is the real issue, not bad schools. We don’t need fundamental reform; we mainly need to give teachers more money and job security. Nonetheless, Ravitch makes some serious points. Most important, she is right that teaching is a humane art built upon loving relationships between teachers and students. If you orient the system exclusively around a series of multiple choice accountability assessments, you distort it. If you make tests allimportant, you give schools an incentive to drop the subjects that don’t show up on the exams but that help students become fully rounded individuals — like history, poetry, art and sports. You may end up with schools that emphasize test-taking, not genuine learning. You may create incentives for schools to game the system by easing out kids who might bring the average scores down, for example. In sum, Ravitch highlights a core tension. Teaching is humane. Testing is mechanistic. This is true, but look at which schools are most distorted by testing. As the education blogger Whitney Tilson has pointed out, the schools that best represent the reform movement, like the KIPP academies or the Harlem Success schools, put tremendous emphasis on testing. But these schools are also the places where students are most likely to participate in chess and dance. They are the places where they are most likely to read Shakespeare and argue about philosophy and physics.
More than the test In these places, tests are not the end. They are a lever to begin the process of change. They are one way of measuring change. But they are only one piece of the larger mission. The mission may involve E.D.
Hirsch’s Core Knowledge curricula, or character education, or performance arts specialties. But the mission transcends the test. These schools know what kind of graduate they want to produce. The schools that are most accountabilitycentric are also the most alive.
Low achievement Contrary to Ravitch’s assertions, these places are not just skimming the best students. At the Urban Prep Academy of Chicago, which Ravitch holds up as an example of a bogus success story, more than 15 percent of the students are special ed. Ninety-six percent of the school’s first incoming class were reading below grade level. And contrary to Ravitch’s assertions, these schools, hundreds of them, have taken their students and put them on trajectories much different than the ones you would predict just by looking at the socio-demographic backgrounds. Carolyn Hoxby has rigorously shown good charter results in New York and Chicago. New Orleans is dominated by charters and choice. Since 2007, the New Orleans schools have doubled the percentage of students scoring at basic competence levels or above. Schools in New Orleans are improving faster than schools in any other district in the state.
YOUR TURN Reader says economics reason for drilling firms’ relocating elsewhere, not violence To the Editor: In an interview reported in the Presencia News and in multiple other interviews, Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez continuously bashes Zapata County regarding spill-over violence and pirates on the lake. None of the sheriffs in the border area can report any incidents of spill-over violence. They report normal crimes, particularly involving those addicted to drugs, such as the tragic shooting last month in Cotulla that resulted in the death of an 84-year-old man. The attack, according to Laredo Morning Times, was perpetrated by three youngsters (ages 19 to 20) from Cotulla. It appears to be violence which results when people lose control of their senses with drug use, not spillover violence. Mr. Gonzalez asserts that violent muggings of oilfield employees have
caused five oilfield companies to abandon Zapata. The fact is that these companies moved to the more lucrative areas, from Carrizo Springs and east to Goliad. These communities have the normal level of crime that exists in Zapata and across America. The level of crime in Zapata was not a consideration in the decision to relocate. Economics, not spill-over violence, was the driving force to move the operations. There is no record of violent assaults on oilfield workers or ranchers, other than normal heat of battle skirmishes among young workers challenging the pecking order. There are quite a few ranch burglaries where petty thieves break-in and steal electric drills, electric saws, electric grinders — items that are easy to carry and with quick resale value.
Mr. Gonzalez makes a blanket accusation that state and federal law enforcement officers are covering up these assaults, an incredible accusation — one that will further alienate state and federal agencies. The Zapata Sheriff ’s Department has the worst relationship with these agencies in its history. He claims to have more credibility than Ms. Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security — an incredible assertion. The fact is that Lake Falcon has had very few violent incidents over a 57-year history. One has to exercise judgment and to know where to go when we travel. I do not go to East Austin or West San Antonio at 2 a.m. to go bar-hopping. But, I do travel with frequency to Austin and San Antonio. I do not pet rattlesnakes, but I go out in the brush expecting that I may have
an encounter with a rattlesnake. Mr. Gonzalez asserts that tourism has abandoned Zapata. He obviously has not driven by convenience stores early in the morning to see the number of fishermen loading their boats. He obviously has not talked to Lake Falcon fishing guides or motels about their business. The sheriff ’s reports of violence are grossly overstated, and they scare visitors and their families. Zapata County is a tranquil wildlife paradise that attracts winter Texans, hunters, fishermen, and nature photographers. His exaggeration of criminal activity to the media has done irreparable damage to this community. The time has come for Zapata County residents to let Sigi know we do not appreciate his bashings. Signed, Renato Ramirez
Teach to the test The places where the corrosive testing incentives have had their worst effect are not in the schools associated with the reformers. They are in the schools the reformers haven’t touched. These are the mediocre schools without strong leaders and without vibrant missions. In those places, of course, the teaching-to-the-test ethos prevails. There is no other. The reform movement is most famous for tests and assessments. But the untrumpeted and undeveloped secret of the reform movement is the content — the willingness to develop character curriculum or Core Knowledge curriculum, the willingness to infuse the school with spiritual fervor. Ravitch thinks the solution is to get rid of the tests. But that way just leads to lethargy and perpetual mediocrity. The real answer is to keep the tests and the accountability but make sure every school has a clear sense of mission, an outstanding principal and an invigorating moral culture that hits you when you walk in the door. Ravitch’s narrative is that America has humane local schools that are being threatened by testing wonks. The fact is that many schools have become spiritually enervated and even great teachers struggle in an inert culture. It’s the reformers who often bring the passion, using tests as a lever. If your school teaches to the test, it’s not the test’s fault. It’s the leaders of your school.
COLUMN
God important during holiday As we approach Independence Day, I imagine that many of you are planning a special weekend or weeklong vacation. The imagery of bright lights and the deafening thunder of July 4th fireworks along with the accompanying and approving shrieks by children and adults come to mind. Surf, sand, hot dogs and hamburgers also fill the AllAmerican itinerary in celebration of our freedom. But there is more to this day than backyard barbecues, parades and fajita cook-offs. As a former major and Catholic chaplain of the 433rd Airlift Wing at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, July 4th holds a special significance to me. For many, it will be a time to travel, visiting friends and family. Families spending quality time together is truly a wonderful experience, creating memories that last a lifetime. However, it is also a time to pause and reflect on its
“
JAMES TAMAYO
true meaning. First, I am cognizant of the deacons and priests in the Diocese of Laredo who have served in the different branches of the United States military. And it is especially during this time of the year that I keep in my prayers the brave men and women who serve, as well as those who have served, this beacon of freedom. I also keep in my prayers the families in our diocese that have lost their loved ones in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Independence Day represents one patriotic day of national awareness and reverence for our Founding Fathers, who sacrificed to establish this great democracy for the people, of the people and by the people. We also honor all Amer-
icans who have died while defending our nation, its values and for the profound contributions they have made in securing our nation’s freedom. Blessed John Paul II, in his book entitled “Memory and Identity: Conversations at the Dawn of a Millennium,” describes patriotism as “a love for everything to do with our native land: its history, its traditions, its language, its natural features. It is a love which extends also to the works of our compatriots and the fruits of their genius. Every danger that threatens the overall good of our native land becomes an occasion to demonstrate this love.” So as you go about your celebrations this weekend with family and friends, please keep in your prayers the brave soldiers who have served and those currently serving our great nation. A prayer that comes to mind specifically for July 4th is one written by Archbishop Allan H. Vigneron of the Archdiocese of Detroit,
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
Michigan. “Heavenly Father, on this holiday weekend we give thanks to you for the gift and blessing of the freedom we enjoy in our great nation. We praise you, Lord, for inspiring and guiding our founding fathers as they struggled to build our country and create a new way of living with the goal of freedom and justice for all. “We thank you, Lord, for the courageous self-sacrifice and generous spirit of countless people who have given their life’s blood in the defense of freedom and for the pursuit of justice. Keep us faithful to the tradition and example we have inherited; may we leave for the next generation a better world, prepared for the dawning of the Kingdom of Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. “Amen.” Have a blessed Independence Day and remember all who serve this country. Todo Con Amor.
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
CHEERLEADERS ATTEND PRIVATE CAMP
Man gets six years in Mexico Jailed for pot, firearm possession By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Mexican federal authorities sentenced a man to six years in prison for possessing a handgun and more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana, officials announced Thursday. Guillermo Alvarado Domínguez also has to pay a fine of 6,576 pesos, about $565. Soldiers arrested him this week in Ciudad Camargo in Tamaulipas, across from Rio Grande City in Starr County. Mexico’s office of the attorney general, Procuraduría General de la República or PGR, said the man violated federal laws. Troops with Mexico’s army found Alvarado Domínguez inside an apartment located on Calle Santander in Colonia Obrera. Inside, PGR officials say the man had 1,240 pounds of marijuana. Soldiers also seized a .9mm handgun from him. A federal judge found him guilty on counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm for military use only. Alvarado Domínguez was transported to Centro de Ejecución de Sanciones, or CEDES, prison in Reynosa. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Courtesy photo
Zapata High School cheerleaders participated in a private camp with independent cheer instructor/choreographer Lauren Contreras, from June 24-26. Contreras taught the squad several routines and other material that will be performed during the football season. Contreras gave special recognition to Jackie Salinas, Daniela Lopez, Mary Jo Sanchez, Rebecca Quintanilla, and Justin Brandon for exceptional efforts throughout the weekend. Hawk Cheerleaders for 2011-2012 are, standing left to right, Justin Brandon, Daniela Lopez, Liana Flores, Cindy Martinez, Gabriella Gutierrez, Shelby Bigler, Head Cheerleader Jackie Salinas, LeAnn Hughes, Kristina De Leon, Clarissa Guevara, Wendy Medina and Cassandra Navarro. Kneeling left to right are Mary Jo Sanchez, Gabby Garcia, JuliAnn Alaniz, San Juanita Gonzalez, Sara Peña, Cassie Peña, Leanna Saenz, Rebecca Quintanilla, Daniella Soto and Christina Garza
THE BLOTTER ASSAULT
A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of Laredo Avenue.
A lost wallet was reported at 2:34 p.m. June 25 in the 100 block of Madison Avenue.
An assault was reported at 7:24 p.m. June 25 on Gonzalez Street. An assault was reported at 10:50 p.m. June 26 on Morelos Avenue. An assault with family violence report was filed Tuesday in the 900 block of Medina Avenue.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF
RECKLESS DRIVING
A criminal mischief incident report was filed at 12:22 p.m. Tuesday outside the parking lot of a restaurant in the 1800 block of U.S. 83.
BURGLARY
LOST ITEM
A reckless driving incident was reported at 12:25 a.m. June 23 in the intersection of Fourth Street and Texas 16. A reckless driving incident was reported at 11:30 a.m. June 25 by the corner of Texas 16 and Hidalgo Boulevard.
Officials find American-owned cars containing pot By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
An investigation is under way by Mexican federal officials after they found five vehicles, three bearing Texas plates, abandoned with more than 250 pounds of marijuana inside, officials said Thursday. The contraband and vehicles were seized in Guardados de Abajo near Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas state, across the river from Roma. A report by Mexico’s attorney general’s office, Procuraduría General de la República or PGR, states the person or people responsible could face federal prosecution for possession of a prohibited substance. A PGR report states that soldiers with Mexico’s defense ministry, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional or SEDENA, patrolling near the intersection of Calle López de Lara and Zeferi-
no Peña Vela noticed five abandoned vehicles. When troops inspected them, they found 39 small bundles of marijuana with an approximate weight of 253 pounds. Officials say three vehi-
cles had been reported stolen. Those are a gray Chevrolet Tahoe, bearing Tamaulipas plates; a white Ford F150 and a navy blue GMC Sierra, both bearing Texas plates. The two other vehicles
seized are a white Ford Windstar with Minnesota license plates and a white Ford Expedition bearing Texas plates. Federal officials have an open investigation.
PÁGINA 6A
Zfrontera
PRESUNTO SICARIO CONFIESA EJECUCIÓN DE PERSONAS EN SAN FERNANDO
Agenda en Breve
Detalles de masacre
SÁBADO 2 DE JULIO LAREDO — Intocable y Eli Young Band se presenta hoy en Mesquite Fest 2011 en LIFE Grounds a partir de las 5 .m. Boletos en preventa a 15 dólares. LAREDO — Iron Skull Live hoy a partir de las 11 p.m. en Cold Brew Rock & Metal Bar, 4520 San Bernardo, Suite 18. NUEVO LAREDO — Sábado en Estación Palabra “Gabriel García Márquez” presenta: Bazar de arte de 12 p.m. a5 p.m.; In Memoriam a las 2 p.m. en Sala Gabriel García Márquez; y, Festival Infantil: Luis Maria Pescetti de 2 p.m. a 4 p.m. en área Infantil de Estación Palabra.
DOMINGO 3 DE JULIO NUEVO LAREDO — Zoqueteadas a cargo del Club Zoqueteadas de 12 p.m. a 5 p.m. en La Molineda, Kilómetro 22.5 de la Carretera Nacional.
LUNES 4 DE JULIO LAREDO — League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) No. 14 invita a la Fiesta del Cuatro de Julio de 1 p.m. a 9:30 p.m. en Alexander Lake.
MIÉRCOLES 6 DE JULIO
SÁBADO 2 DE JULIO DE 2011
POR ADRIANA GÓMEZ LICÓN ASSOCIATED PRESS
MÉXICO — Militares capturaron a un presunto sicario del cartel de las drogas de Los Zetas a quien señalaron como autor material de la masacre de 72 migrantes en agosto y de asesinatos de pasajeros de autobuses que fueron enterrados en fosas clandestinas en Tamaulipas. La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (Sedena) informó el jueves en un comunicado la detención de Abraham Barrios Caporal, alias “Erasmo”, quien confesó ser miembro de Los Zetas y “haber participado en la ejecución e inhumación clandestina de personas” en ranchos de San Fernando. El coronel Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, vocero de la Sedena, dijo en rueda de prensa que Barrios era el autor material de la masacre de 72 migrantes, centro y sudamericanos, que ocurrió el agosto del 2010 en la misma localidad. Barrios, de 26 años, fue capturado el martes en Coatzacoalcos, con otros tres presuntos miembros de
Foto por Franklin Reyes | Associated Press
Abraham Barrios Caporal, alias “Erasmo”, es visto durante una presentación ante los medios de comunicación, el 30 de junio en la Ciudad de México. Barrios es un supuesto integrante de Los Zetas presuntamente involucrado en las fosas clandestinas encontradas en San Fernando, México. su célula criminal. Al momento de la captura, Barrios y los detenidos tenían secuestrada a una persona en Veracruz, adonde habían escapado después de los hallazgos de las fosas este abril, informó Trevilla. Barrios y los tres presuntos criminales fueron presentados ante los medios el jueves por la tarde mostrando algunos moretones así
como cortadas en el rostro. Fueron escoltados por oficiales de la policía ministerial federal en la ciudad de México. En abril las autoridades comenzaron a excavar fosas clandestinas en la municipalidad de San Fernando donde han encontrado un total de 193 cadáveres, entre los que se cree había mexicanos que buscaban emi-
TAMAULIPAS SE UNE EN ACADEMIA MUSICAL DE VERANO
NUEVO LAREDO — PintArte invita a la Exposición Pictórica Sueños y Realidades a partir de hoy a las 7 p.m. en Antiguo Banco Longoria.
LAREDO — Serie de Talleres de Agricultura Sostenible presenta hoy “Jardín de Vegetales Libre de Pesticidas” a las 6 p.m. en la Sala de Conferencias de El Metro. Costo por taller es de 5 dólares y las ganancias se destinarán al Mercado Agrícola El Centro de Laredo. Informes al 523-8817. Clase español. LAREDO — Partido amistoso entre Laredo Heat Soccer Club y Club de Fútbol Atlante FC, a las 8 p.m. en la cancha de Texas A&M International University. Costo: 15 dólares para adultos; 5 dólares para niños menores de 12 años; 25 dólares en área VIP.
ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
VIERNES 8 DE JULIO NUEVO LAREDO — El Pastor John Henry “El Chino” Millan, ex sicario de Pablo Escobar en Colombia, ofrecerá una conferencia hoy a las 7:30 p.m. en el Parque de Béisbol de la Nueva Ciudad Deportiva. Entrada gratis.
SÁBADO 9 DE JULIO
DOMINGO 10 DE JULIO LAREDO — Nora Velázquez “Chabelita” se presenta a las 8 p.m. de hoy en el auditorio del Laredo Civic Center. Informes al (956) 222-2687. Boletos a la venta en: San Ramon Record Shop, Guadalupe Music Store, y en el Civic Center de Laredo. NUEVO LAREDO — El Pastor John Henry “El Chino” Millan, ex sicario de Pablo Escobar en Colombia, ofrecerá una conferencia hoy a las 7:30 p.m. en el Parque de Béisbol de la Nueva Ciudad Deportiva. Entrada gratis.
TAMAULIPAS
Proyecto busca ordenar áreas con ferrocarril
JUEVES 7 DE JULIO
LAREDO — Girl in a Coma, A Giant Dog y La Mata se presentan hoy a partir de las 9 p.m. en Old No. 2 Bar and Grill. Costo: 10 dólares. NUEVO LAREDO — El Pastor John Henry “El Chino” Millan, ex sicario de Pablo Escobar en Colombia, ofrecerá una conferencia hoy a las 7:30 p.m. en el Parque de Béisbol de la Nueva Ciudad Deportiva. Entrada gratis.
grar a Estados Unidos. Ricardo Nájera, vocero de la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR), señaló que Barrios declaró que uno de los propósitos de detener a las personas en los autobuses era para identificar a posibles miembros del cartel rival del Golfo. Los Zetas solían trabajar como el brazo armado del Golfo hasta su separación a fi-
nales del año 2009. Barrios supuestamente se desempeñó como el segundo del ya detenido Martín Estrada Luna, alias “El Kilo” y quien también es acusado de los secuestros de pasajeros y responsable de la masacre de los 72 migrantes. Nájera dijo que el arresto de Barrios es una de las últimas detenciones pendientes respecto a los hechos ocurridos en San Fernando. A la fecha, autoridades han arrestado a 81 presuntos delincuentes involucrados en los casos, dijo Nájera. Las fosas comunes se han convertido en un descubrimiento cada vez más común en la guerra de México contra las drogas, que ha cobrado más de 35.000 vidas desde que el presidente Felipe Calderón desplegó miles de efectivos de las fuerzas federales de seguridad hace cuatro años para combatir a los traficantes. La ofensiva llevó a una fragmentación de los cárteles del país y al aumento de las peleas por territorio entre pandillas.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo
Ciudadanos recorren Estación Palabra de Nuevo Laredo en un reciente Bazar. El edificio será sede del Musicorum, evento coordinado por el Gobierno Federal, Estatal y Municipal.
MUSICORUM TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
F
ue anunciada la conformación de la Academia Musical de Verano Musicorum Reynosa 2011 cuyo objetivo es profesionalizar la educación musical de jóvenes quienes a mediano plazo pudieran conformar la primera Filarmónica de Tamaulipas. La directora general del Instituto Tamaulipeco para la Cultura y las Artes (ITCA), Libertad García Cabriales declaró que las acciones contribuyen a la legitimación de los recintos culturales “También se aplican parámetros artísticos musicales en las escuelas de formación artística”, dijo García. El director artístico del Festival Internacional Tamaulipas (FIT) y Proyectos
Especiales, Sergio Cárdenas, explicó que en el programa participarán docentes con reconocimiento internacional, y que los alumnos recibirán asesorías individuales y grupales en la especialidad de sus respectivos instrumentos. Serán asesorías particularmente en “música de cámara, profundizando en un repertorio de los siglos XVIII al XX”, dijo Cárdenas. En comunicado de prensa del Gobierno de Tamaulipas se explica que Musicorum conforma un cúmulo de actividades culturales para los habitantes de Reynosa y diversos municipios del estado, entre los cuales se encuentran El Mante, Matamoros, Mier, Nuevo Laredo, Tampico, Tula y Victoria. “Jóvenes de varias ciudades serán dignos de esta
experiencia única de México con una orquesta de cámara conformada como ninguna otra en el país”, agregó Cárdenas. Musicorum, en Reynosa, tendrá como sede el Parque Cultural y será donde artistas de la música se profesionalicen. En el caso de Nuevo Laredo, Musicorum proyectará una serie de películas en el Auditorio de Estación Palabra. La agenda es la siguiente: miércoles 6 de julio, “Gesualdo” a las 6 p.m.; viernes 8 de julio, “El Violinista” a las 6 p.m.; el sábado 9 de julio, “El Violinista que Vino” a las 4 p.m.; miércoles 13 de julio, “Violines en el Cielo” a las 6 p.m.; viernes 15 de julio, “El Solista” a las 6 p.m.; y, sábado 16 de julio, “Así en la Tierra como en el Cielo” a las 4 p.m.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, México — La Secretaría de Obras Públicas del Gobierno del Estado tiene programado un proyecto de convivencia urbano-ferroviario, consistente en armonizar la relación de las ciudades con la operación del ferrocarril. De llevarse a cabo la inversión aproximada sería de 1,675 millones de pesos entre la Federación, Estado, Municipio y los concesionarios. El Secretario de Obras Públicas del Estado, Manuel Rodríguez Morales, informó que los trabajos incluirían la construcción de pasos superiores, señalización y barretas de protección, construcción de puentes peatonales, liberación de invasiones al derecho de vía, confinamiento de vías, traslado de patios y la construcción de un puente internacional ferroviario. Este proyecto arrancaría en Nuevo Laredo con la construcción de dos pasos superiores vehiculares que se sumarían a los dos existentes, El Carlos Canseco y Eva Sámano. “En Nuevo Laredo, los dos pasos a desnivel tuvie-
MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ MORALES: Dijo inversión será tripartita. ron una inversión de 114 millones de pesos”, dijo Rodríguez. “Este año se contempla la construcción de dos más: El Yucatán y Munguía, con los cuales los tiempos de espera vehicular disminuirán considerablemente, así como la incidencia de accidentes”. El proyecto general busca que los tres niveles de gobierno y concesionarios brinden a las ciudades las condiciones necesarias que permitan la convivencia urbano-ferroviario, contemplada en el Plan Estatal de Desarrollo 2011 -2016. En Matamoros actualmente se encuentra en proceso la construcción del puente internacional ferroviario MatamorosBrownsville, que incluye un libramiento con una inversión de 519 millones de pesos y el propio puente con costo de 189 millones de pesos. “En el caso del puente en Matamoros se estima que inicie operaciones durante el primer semestre del año próximo”, concluyó Rodríguez.
SALUD
Vigilan trabajo en negocios de salud ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
CD. VICTORIA, México — Tamaulipas cuenta con un padrón de más de 10,000 establecimientos que proporcionan servicios de salud, 50 por ciento de los cuales se ubica en las principales ciudades de la frontera que colindan con el sur de Texas. Nuevo Progreso destaca debido a que existe una cantidad importante de consultorios médicos, farmacias y una red muy amplia de servicios odontológicos.
El Secretario de Salud, Norberto Treviño GarcíaManzo, especificó que son unos 20 hospitales públicos y 88 privados los que se registran en la frontera norte del estado, y se mantienen debidamente acreditados por la Comisión Estatal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios (Coepris). A la fecha se han sancionado unos 125 establecimientos quienes en un periodo no mayor a los de 20 días han corregido las observaciones evitando el cierre temporal o definitivo.
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
OBITUARIES ALMA ALICIA HERNANDEZ
Express-News file photo
Zapata’s Intocable has been banging out the hits for more than a decade. In 2000, the band consisted of Felix Salinas, Juan Hernandez, Sergio Serna, Rene Martinez, Ricky Muñoz and Danny Sanchez.
Intocable plays tonight in Laredo By EMILIO RÁBAGO III THE ZAPATA TIMES
The first annual Mezquite Fest will feature one of our area’s biggest acts: Zapata’s Intocable. The legendary Norteño band will headline the event tonight at the Laredo International Fair & Exposition, or LIFE, Grounds. The mega concert and dance will also feature one of country music’s biggest acts, the Eli Young Band, also from the Lone Star State. The outdoor stage is set, according to Adrian Reyna, the concert’s promoter. The concert and dance are scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Saturday at LIFE Grounds, off U.S. 59. Doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door. For beer drinkers, the festival will have $1 beer from 5 to 8 p.m. Also performing will be Laredo’s Mariachi Los Arrieros.
Intocable’s born Intocable, one of Norteño music’s biggest acts, was born in the early 1990s in Zapata. It all started with two kids, Ricky Muñoz (vocals and accordion) and René Martinez (drums), who rehearsed every day with dreams of reaching success. Fifteen years and almost 20 albums later, Intocable has come a long way. Among the band’s hit singles are “Estás Que Te Pelas,” “Eres Mi Droga,” “Enséñame A Olvidarte,” “El Poder De Tus Manos,” “Coqueta,” “Y Todo Para Qué,” “Fuerte No Soy” and “Tu Adiós No Mata.” Those tracks have earned the group numerous awards from distinct organizations, including the Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, Univisión’s Premio Lo Nuestro and Premios Juventud, Furia Musical, Oye Awards, and, of course, the Tejano Music Awards.
The band’s popularity spreads across the globe, as is evident in record sellouts. For instance, Intocable played to 140,000 people in the Mexico City Zócalo, to 74,000 at Reliant Stadium in Houston and to 55,000 in Guadalajara’s Jalisco Stadium. Most recently, Intocable released “2011,” a new album that links the band to its Norteño roots. Tracks like “Robarte un Beso,” “No Puedo Volver” and “Prometi” bring back memories of the lovebird songs the band is known for. Mezquite Fest 2011 promises a good mix of musical genres, with newer music performed along with Intocable’s classics. An afterparty is scheduled at Rumors Country Bar and Patio, with Laredoan Mick Cruz and his band, Diamondback, playing. (Emilio Rábago III may be reached at 728-2564 or erabago@lmtonline.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @3milio956)
Alma Alicia Hernandez, 56, passed away Friday, June 24, 2011, at Laredo Medical Center. Mrs. Hernandez is preceded in death by her parents: Genovevo and Francisca Bustamante; fatherin-law, Refugio Hernandez; brother Ricardo M. Bustamante; and brothers-inlaw Jesus Javier Hernandez and Genaro Guerrero. Mrs. Hernandez is survived by her husband, Silverio E. Hernandez; son, Eddie (Elizabeth) Hernandez; daughter, Veronica Yvette Hernandez; granddaughters: Ava, Alina Hernandez and Victoria Alicia Hernandez; brothers Hector (Mary) Bustamante and Amaro (Soledad) Bustamante; sisters Rosanelia Boykin, Socorro Gonzalez, San Juanita Guerrero, Leticia (Euge-
nio) Sanchez and Maria Elena (Homer) Carrizalez; mother-in-law, Leonor Hernandez; brothers-inlaw Refugio E. (Lupita) Hernandez and Fernando (Eva) Hernandez; sistersin-law: Yolanda Duflan, Maria (John) Williams, Nora Hernandez, Rosa (Arturo) Silva and Graciela (Juan) Garcia; and by numerous nephews, niec-
es and other family members. Visitation was Sunday, June 26, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Monday, June 27, 2011, at 8:45 a.m. for a 9 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata.
EUSTOLIO ARTURO LOPEZ Eustolio Arturo Lopez, 69, passed away Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at Laredo Medical Center. Mr. Lopez is preceded in death by his daughter, Maria Elena Lopez; parents: Manuel and Araceli C. Lopez; brothers Efrain A. Lopez and Edmundo A. Lopez; brothers-in-law Jack L. Moore and Romeo M. Garcia; sister Elva A. Gutierrez; and his father-inlaw, Juan Garcia. Mr. Lopez is survived by his wife, Yolanda G. Lopez; son, Eustolio Arturo Jr. (Landie Y.) Lopez; daughters: Monica Lorena (Mario Jr.) Garcia, Maria Dahlia (Victor) Sanchez, Sara Alicia (Juan) Arambula and Senaida Elena (Jim Bob) Granger; grandchildren: Monique, Myra, Mario Eustolio Garcia, Victoria, Samantha Sanchez, Sarahi, Karyzza, Juan Jr. Arambula, Eryn,
Christopher Granger and Laritza Lopez; mother-inlaw, Maria G. Garcia; brothers Eliseo A. (Flora) Lopez, Eloy A. (Blanca) Lopez, Eduardo A. Lopez and Enrique A. Lopez; sisters Elda A. (Jorge) Gonzalez and Estela A. Moore; brother-in-law Gerardo Gutierrez Jr.; sister-in-law, Irene Lopez; and by numerous nephews, nieces other family members and friends.
Visitation was Wednesday, June 29, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Thursday, June 30, 2011, at 9:45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Burial services followed at Zapata County Cemetery, including full military honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata.
DARWIN M. BISHOP Darwin M. Bishop, 68, passed away Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at Laredo Specialty Hospital. Visitation will be Friday, July 8, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a chapel service at 10 a.m. at
Rose Garden Funeral Home. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata.
FISHING Continued from Page 1A tion to decide whether to participate because the sport is so dependent on weather conditions, which are inherently unpredictable. The registration fee was $150 per boat (one or two per boat) and $10 Big Bass,
with first place winning the grand prize of $2,000. The amount awarded to second and third prize depends on the number of participants. Those participating in the Big Bass category opt into a $250 pot, in which
the competitor with the largest bass wins the entire pot — “winner takes all.” Weigh-in officially takes place between 2 and 3 p.m., but participants are invited to weigh-in periodically throughout the tournament.
After a long day on the lake participants, thanks to the generosity of 15-20 monetary and in-kind donors, can wind down and cool off with water and hot dogs. This tournament is a first for Lakeview Inn and,
as Padilla explained, a way for organizers to “get their feet wet” in preparation for future, larger tournaments. “We’re hoping to have another tournament in December (with) bigger sponsors, bigger entrance fee,
but bigger prizes,” Padilla said “The main goal of this (tournament) is to gain a better understanding of what we have to do … for it to run smoothly and that everyone has a fighting chance,”
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
POT
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
DALAI LAMA MEETS THE PRESS
Continued from Page 1A
RANCH Continued from Page 1A
feet deep and found a small, cement storage built underground. Plywood covered the entrance, PGR officials say. Inside, troops found 237 bundles of marijuana. The contraband weighed approximately 2.4 tons.
should help. He also has six earth tanks, but only two are being used. He pointed to his 15,000 cubic yard earth tank and shook his head. “It’s empty. That’s devastating to us,” he said. “When it’s full, it comes all the way to these trees.”
Hidden underground
Mesquite beans
Regarding the Miguel Alemán seizure, soldiers patrolling rural roads in the Guardados de Abajo municipality found an entrance to an underground storage room where they found 371 bundles of marijuana. The approximate weight was 2.9 tons. The marijuana seized from both cases was turned over to federal authorities for investigation. Both cases remain open. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Flowers have been sprouting on mesquite trees — not a good sign, according to Benavides. “That means there will be a drought,” he explains. The cattle have been grazing on mesquite beans. “That’s what they’re eating. That’s what has been keeping us going. But you get half an inch of rain and it will rot out the mesquite beans,” he said. “The ranch is like taking care of a baby — you have to tend to it all the time. When you go out of town, you’re always calling the workers asking, ‘Did you check this? Did you check that’?” The natural disaster designation allows ranchers and farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans. Texas is the largest beef cow producing state in the country.
Photo by Kevin Frayer | AP
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama gestures during an interview with The Associated Press at his residence in the hill station town of Dharmsala, northern India, on Friday.
REHIRING Continued from Page 1A anywhere between a $2.6 million to $11 million loss in its state revenue. Financial consultants, meanwhile, were projecting about $5 million to $6 million. Under the most recent school finance bill, ZCISD, home to about 3,700 students, will lose an estimated $1.79 million, or 5.3 percent, in state revenue next school year. And in 2012-13, the district will lose an estimated $2.97 million, or 8.7 percent, compared to current funding levels. While it’s still a significant amount of revenue lost, ZCISD administration said it has found ways to trim the budget without scaling back its workforce. Also Tuesday at ZCISD trustees’ regular monthly meeting, the trustees were
slated to vote to freeze employee salaries for next school year. Administration said it will save the district at least $154,000. But, at administration’s recommendation, trustees tabled the item. Garcia, the superintendent, said after the meeting that administration will continue to study the proposal to see if it is necessary. Teachers and other school employees, from administrators to custodians, typically get a pay raise each school year. Under a salary schedule, teachers also get a pay bump, or step increase, based on their years of experience at the district. But under the proposed salary freeze, teachers would not get that step increase. And with the ad-
justment to the pay schedule, a first-year ZCISD teacher’s annual base salary would be $40,500 instead of $41,000. In other action Tuesday, trustees met in closed session to discuss the annual evaluation and possible contract extension of Garcia, who has been superintendent for about a year. When they reconvened in open session, they voted to table the approval of the evaluation and any possible contract extension, as not all the board members were present at the meeting. ZCISD board President Jose M. Ramirez and Trustee Ricardo X. Ramirez were absent. (Nick Georgiou may be reached at 728-2582 or ngeorgiou@lmtonline.com)
In the billions According to a recent report in AgriLife Today, “preliminary estimates of Texas drought losses have reached $1.2 billion and will continue to rise as livestock producers continue to sell off herds and crop conditions deteriorate.” Nationally, as of Jan. 1, all cattle and calves totaled 92.6 million head, 1 percent below the 93.9 million on Jan. 1, 2010. It is the lowest January 1 inventory of
all cattle and calves since the 91.2 million head in 1958, according to agricultural statistics. Other factors are contributing to the decline, agricultural officials point out. During the last two decades, the number of all cattle operations in the U.S. has fallen 28 percent, while beef cow operations have declined by 21 percent, according to United States Department of Agriculture statistics.
Split ranches Land fragmentation is another big force causing cattle operations to fall. As land typically gets passed down through the generations, siblings will split up the land, leading to smaller and smaller operations or, eventually, no operation. There is also a changing culture, pointed out George Gonzales, Webb County extension agent for agriculture-natural resources. “The younger generation is not going into agriculture. It’s too hot. It’s a different society today. Now, they can’t find anybody to drive an AC tractor. All those things lead to declining cattle operations. It’s not what it used to be anymore.” “There are weekend ranchers. They enjoy that,” Gonzales said. In Nuevo Laredo, meanwhile, cattle operations are suffering as well. “I know that the drought
has affected the country; for nine months no precipitation had been recorded in the lowlands and southeast of Mexico,” said Jose Luis Canales Bermea, who assumed the national position of president of the Mexican Association of Beefmaster Livestock Breeders (Asociación Mexicana de Criadores de Ganado Beefmaster). “Now the rain is being generated and things will get better, as long as too much water doesn’t affect us either.” Tamaulipas has also suffered as a result of the drought. The president of the Unión Regional Ganadera de Tamaulipas (Livestock Union), Homero Garcia de la Llata, stated that the entity’s 30,000 producers are experiencing a decline in their figures because of the loss of life of their livestock. The cities which have most suffered are Aldama, Altamira and Gonzalez. The Tamaulipas state government recently assigned to the producers a grant of between 3,500 and 5,500 pesos, which should be used for feed, bale, molasses and salts and minerals; however, the stockbreeders say this is not enough. (Valerie Godines Fitzgerald may be reached at 728-2557 or vfitzgerald@lmtonline.com) (Times staff writer Miguel Timoshenkov contributed to this report.)
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors TRACK AND FIELD
VOLLEYBALL
Summer league wraps up Hawks fall to United South in three games By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO – The summer volleyball league has reached the end as teams played their final regular game on Tuesday. The top four teams in each division will head into a playoff format this coming week. The Zapata Lady Hawks dropped their final summer league game to District 29-5A foe United South in a three-game thriller. While the summer league record does not tell the tale of what will unfold during the regular volleyball season, it is used as an indicator for the coaches on their team’s strengths and weaknesses.
Zapata coach Rosie Villarreal, who made her way to Laredo for the summer league games as a spectator, has witnessed some positive strides the volleyball program has made. In the past years, the Lady Hawks have utilized the summer league as a measuring tool for their upcoming season, and this year was no different. Zapata has three athletes fighting for the setter position – the most vital part of an offensive attack – and at times did not look as strong as it has in the past, but this did not deter Villarreal’s motivation come the month of August. “We have three girls who
See VOLLEYBALL PAGE 2B
NBA Courtesy photo
Zapata’s Marlena Garcia, in front, will run collegiately at the University of Texas-Pan American.
GOING THE DISTANCE Garcia signs scholarship with UT Pan-Am By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
T
he Zapata girls’ cross country program has been one of the best in the area thanks to dedicated athletes who have put the time and the effort in
making the Lady Hawks a state qualifying team. With its recent success the past few years, Zapata has become a hotbed for long distance runners and colleges around the state of Texas and a few other states have taken notice and are dissenting to recruit
them. One Lady Hawk taking her talents to the next level and following in the footsteps of many great long distance runners like Jessica Martinez is Marlena Garcia, who inked
See GARCIA PAGE 2B Photo by Mary Altaffer | AP
NBA union chief Billy Hunter speaks with reporters after a meeting with the NBA, Thursday, in New York.
MLB
Astros’ bidder’s baggage Lockout forces NBA to close its doors
By KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Businessman Jim Crane has stayed out of the spotlight since the announcement that his investment group had reached a deal to buy the Houston Astros for $680 million. As he awaits word on approval from Major League Baseball, Crane says an almost decade-old discrimination settlement involving his company shouldn’t factor into the decision. In October 2001, Crane’s former company, Eagle Global Logistics, agreed to a $9 million settlement of a lawsuit that alleged race, sex and age discrimination against employees and job applicants. It included $8.5 million in back pay and damages and a $500,000 fund to train women and
See ASTROS PAGE 2B
By BRIAN MAHONEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by David J. Phillip | AP
Houston Astros’ Hunter Pence reacts after being called out on strikes to end an interleague baseball game in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday, in Houston.
NEW YORK — The NBA locked out its players Friday when its collective bargaining agreement expired, becoming the second pro sports league shut down by labor strife. The labor deal ended at midnight after players and owners failed to reach a new contract. The two sides remained far apart on just about every major issue, from salaries to the salary cap, revenues to revenue sharing. The long-expected lockout puts the 2011-12 season in jeopardy and comes as the NFL is trying to end its own work stoppage that began in March.
It is believed to be only the second time that two leagues have been shut down simultaneously by labor problems. In 1994, the NHL and MLB were idle from October through the end of the year. The NHL locked out its players from October 1994 until mid-January 1995 and reduced the 1994-95 season from 84 games to 48. MLB endured a 232-day strike from August 12, 1994 until April 2, 1995, which led to the cancellation of the entire 1994 postseason and World Series. In a call with the labor relations committee on Thursday, Commissioner David Stern recommended
See LOCKOUT PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
VOLLEYBALL Continued from Page 1B
Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth | AP
Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Britain’s Andy Murray in the men’s semifinal match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Friday.
New and old No. 1’s to face off in finals By HOWARD FENDRICH ASSOCIATED PRESS
WIMBLEDON, England — Having ensured his first trip to a Wimbledon final and first turn at No. 1 in the rankings with a thrilla-minute victory, Novak Djokovic dropped to his back at the baseline, limbs spread wide, chest heaving. Moments later, he knelt and kissed the Centre Court grass, while his entourage bounced giddily in unison, huddling in a tight circle up in Djokovic’s guest box. Clearly, it meant so much to all of them that Djokovic beat 12th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-7 (9), 6-3 Friday in an entertaining
and engaging semifinal filled with diving volleys and showmanship. What would mean even more: If Djokovic, who is 47-1 in 2011, can beat defending champion Rafael Nadal for the title Sunday at the All England Club. As a kid in war-torn Serbia, Djokovic recalled, “I was always trying to visualize myself on Sunday, the last Sunday of Wimbledon. Being in the Wimbledon final — it’s ’the thing’ for me.” Top-seeded Nadal extended his winning streak at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament to 20 matches by ending the latest so-close-yet-so-far bid by a British man at Wimbledon, eliminating No. 4 An-
dy Murray 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. It’s the third consecutive year Murray has lost in the semifinals. The last British man to win Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1936, and the last to even reach the final was Bunny Austin in 1938; since then, the host country’s men are a combined 011 in semifinals. “I feel sad for Andy,” said Nadal, who showed no signs of being hampered by the aching left heel that he’s numbing with painkilling injections as he seeks a third Wimbledon championship and 11th Grand Slam trophy overall. The Spaniard will be overtaken in the ATP rankings Monday by Australian Open champion Djokovic.
GARCIA Continued from Page 1B her named to run for the upcoming school year at the University of TexasPan American in Edinburg. UTPA beat other frontrunners like the University of Texas-San Antonio and the University of Houston because of its proximity to Zapata. “This is a good signing,” Zapata coach Mike Villarreal said. “She is following in the footsteps of other Zapata runners who have run at the college level. We are very proud of her.” Garcia, who leaves Zapata as one of the most decorated athletes to wear the Lady Hawk colors, finished her high school career at the UIL state track and
field championships in May and was one spot shy of a medal with her fourthplace finish. She leaves a long-lasting legacy and became the only Zapata athlete to make back-to-back appearances at the state track meet. Garcia helped the Lady Hawks’ cross country team pick up numerous regional titles and a few state berths in her four-year career at Zapata High. She picked up an individual regional title and placed 15th at the UIL state cross country championships in her final years at Zapata. Villarreal expects Garcia to do well at the college level since she has a tremendous work ethic and
still trains with the high school athletes a few times a week. “At first it might be an adjustment for her since you are going from two miles to running four miles,” Villarreal said of the distance from high school to the college level. “But she has always adapted well in any setting and I expect her to do the same at UTPA. “It would not surprise me to have her finish in the top 10 in conference in her freshman year and then have her work her way down to the top three in the next few years.” (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com).
are trying the setter position,” Villarreal said. “At this point, it comes down to who can handle the pressure of the varsity ball. “This is especially true for the girls who are coming from the J.V.” Villarreal saw moments where the Lady Hawks were taking a step in the right direction, such as setters getting the ball to the hitters for a kill, mixed in with moments where they showed a lack of communication between the setters and the hitters. “Overall I am pleased, but I did see that at times
our hitters had to work in getting to a ball and hit it,” Villarreal said. “The setter was just not getting the ball to them, but at the same time, a great hitter can work with anything that is set her way. The hitters can adjust to anything that is set their way. “I see that we have the pieces of the puzzle and we just have to put them in place. Whatever is in the best interest of the team will come first.” Villarreal, who has a strong belief in the overall development of a volleyball program, also made the rounds to watch her junior varsity players in
the summer league. “I feel that that in order to be successful that I must take the time and oversee all the programs, and that means making my way to JV games because in the long run they will be the future of the Lady Hawk program,” Villarreal said. “The J.V. player’s ultimate goal is to make the varsity squad, and that is the mentality that I expect from all the players in the volleyball program. “I see a lot of potential in the J.V.” (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com).
ASTROS Continued from Page 1B minorities for leadership jobs at the company. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged at the time that EGL had improperly failed or refused to promote or even find jobs for blacks, Hispanics and women. The EEOC also alleged that those three groups were paid less than whites and subject to disparate discipline and a hostile working environment. Crane left EGL, an international freight company, in 2007 and founded Crane Worldwide Logistics the next year. At the time of the settlement, he described it as a commitment to a work environment free of discrimination. “While we continue to deny the EEOC’s allegations, we feel that it is in the best interest of our company and its future to resolve this matter at this time in a productive, forward-looking manner,” he said in 2001. In 2005, nearly $6 million of the settlement was returned to EGL by District Judge Lynn Hughes after it was found that 203 of 2,073 claims were with merit. Crane did not respond to messages seeking comment on the issue, but addressed it in May during a news conference on the sale of the Astros. “If you’ve done your homework on that, there really wasn’t a problem there,” Crane said. “We can address that later. But I don’t think it’s going to be a problem whatsoever.” Racial discrimination is a particularly sensitive subject for a league that celebrates diversity in a number of ways. The
The league marks Jackie Robinson Day annually in memory of the Brooklyn star who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947, and it backs youth programs to address the dwindling number of blacks in the majors. league marks Jackie Robinson Day annually in memory of the Brooklyn star who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947, and it backs youth programs to address the dwindling number of blacks in the majors. The Houston chapter of the NAACP expressed concern about Crane, citing the EGL case. “We are deeply concerned that someone that has a broad reach throughout the community and across the country regarding employment has such a dismal record in the area of discrimination,” the NAACP said. “As such, this is someone that should be monitored very closely in the area of employment discrimination as it relates to minorities and women.” The president of the chapter, D.Z. Cofield, has reportedly since met with Crane. Cofield, who is also pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, did not respond to requests for comment. MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said the league would not comment on the issue while “in the midst of our due diligence” on Crane. He wouldn’t give a specific
timetable on the process. Crane has made several unsuccessful attempts to buy a team. He attempted to buy the Astros in 2008, but McLane turned him down. In 2009, he was in the running to buy the Cubs and last summer teamed with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in an unsuccessful bid to buy the Texas Rangers. Houston’s outgoing owner, Drayton McLane, said he does not believe the case will keep Crane from receiving MLB approval. “That’s an old issue that goes back eight to 10 years that was ultimately cleared up,” McLane said. “Very few of those claims were actually proven and that has long been solved. From what I’ve been hearing, it will not cause any problems in getting approval.” Crane is the chairman and chief executive of Crane Capital, a private equity fund company. If approved, Crane’s investors will become the fifth ownership group in charge of a team founded in 1962. The team has made the playoffs six times since 1997 but currently has the worst record in baseball.
LOCKOUT Continued from Page 1B that the first lockout since the 1998-99 season be imposed. “We had a great year in terms of the appreciation of our fans for our game. It just wasn’t a profitable one for the owners, and it wasn’t one that many of the smaller market teams particularly enjoyed or felt included in,” Stern said. “The goal here has been to make the league profitable and to have a league where all 30 teams can compete.” Despite a three-hour meeting Thursday and a final proposal from the players — which NBA leaders said would have raised average player salaries to $7 million in the sixth year of the deal — the sides could not close the enormous gulf between their positions. “The problem is that there’s such a gap in terms of the numbers, where they are and where we are, and we just can’t find any way to bridge that gap,” union chief Billy Hunter said. All league business is officially on hold, starting with the free agency period that would have opened Friday. The NBA’s summer league in Las Vegas already has been canceled, preseason games in Europe were never scheduled, and players might have to decide if they
want to risk playing in this summer’s Olympic qualifying tournaments without the NBA’s help in securing insurance in case of injury. And teams will be prohibited from having any contact with their players, most of whom won’t be paid until a deal is done but insist they’ll hang in anyway. “We’re going to stand up for what we have to do, no matter how long it’s going to take,” Thunder star Kevin Durant told The Associated Press. “No matter how long the lockout’s going to take, we’re going to stand up. We’re not going to give in.” The lockout comes exactly one year after one of the NBA’s most anticipated days in recent years, when Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the celebrated class of 2010 became free agents. That free agency bonanza — highlight by the James, Wade, Chris Bosh trio in Miami — got the league started on a season where ticket and merchandise sales, ratings and buzz were all up. That weakened the owners’ case that the system was broken beyond repair, but it also demonstrated why they wanted changes, with Stern saying owners feel pressured to
spend as much as possible to prove their commitment to winning to fans. The last lockout reduced the 1998-99 season to just a 50-game schedule, the only time the NBA missed games for a work stoppage. Hunter said it’s too early to be concerned about that. “I hope it doesn’t come down to that,” he said. “Obviously, the clock is now running with regard to whether or not there will or will be a loss of games, and so I’m hoping that over the next month or so that there will be sort of a softening on their side and maybe we have to soften our position as well.” The NBA appeared headed this route from the start of negotiations. Owners said they lost hundreds of millions in every season of this CBA, ratified in 2005. League officials said 22 of the 30 teams would lose money. So they took a hard-line stance from the start, with their initial proposal in 2010 calling for a hard salary cap system, reducing contract lengths and eliminating contract guarantees, as well as reducing player salary costs by about $750 million annually. Though the proposal was withdrawn after a contentious meeting with
players at the 2010 All-Star weekend, the league never moved from its wish list until recently, and Hunter said he believes negotiations never recovered from that rocky beginning. The union had previously filed an unfair labor charge against the league with the National Labor Relations Board for unfair bargaining practices, complaining the NBA’s goal was to avoid meaningful negotiation until a lockout was in place. Despite frequent meetings this month, the sides just didn’t make much progress. Owners want to reduce the players’ guarantee of 57 percent of basketball revenue and weren’t moved by the players’ offer to drop it to 54.3 percent — though players said that would have cut their salaries by $500 million over five years. They sparred over the league’s characterization of its “flex” salary cap proposal — players considered it a hard cap, which they oppose — and any chance of a lastminute deal was quickly lost Thursday when league officials said the union’s move was in the wrong direction financially. “I don’t think we’re closer; in fact it worries me that we’re not closer. We have a huge philosophical divide,”
Stern said. Hunter said he hopes the two sides will meet again in the next two weeks, after the union has looked at some additional documents it requested. The players’ association seems unlikely, at least for now, to follow the NFLPA’s model by decertifying and taking the battle into the court system, instead choosing to continue negotiations. Hunter said last week he felt owners believe the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, which is debating the legality of the NFL’s lockout, will uphold employers’ rights to impose lockouts. “We’ll just continue to ask our fans to stick with us and remain patient with us. As players we want to play. That’s who we are; we’re basketball players,” Lakers guard and union president Derek Fisher said. “Right now we’re faced with dealing with the business aspect of our game. We’re going to do it the same way we play basketball. We’re going to work hard. We’re going to be focused. We’re going to be dedicated to getting the results that we want.” About 90 percent of NBA players get paid from Nov. 15 through April 30, so they
won’t be missing checks for a while. But Stern has warned that the offers only get worse once a lockout starts, so the league could try to push through elements of its original proposal when bargaining resumes. “The fortunate thing about this situation is it didn’t just come up over the past couple of weeks,” Hornets guard and players’ executive committee member Chris Paul said at an event in Louisiana. “We’ve known this could be a possibility the past couple of years. I’ve been telling my teammates the past couple of years, and even the young guys that come in the league, to just be ready for it.” Like with the NFL lockout, NBA players won’t be the only ones affected. Employees of teams and the league also face a very uncertain future. Stern admitted all options would be considered, including furloughs for his employees. “The people who stand to have their livings impacted by a shutdown of our industry are going to have a negative view of both sides,” Stern said. “I think our fans will tend to have a negative view of why can’t you guys work this thing out.”
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS BY | HELOISE Shelter Assistance Dear Readers: Here is the last day of our “Blast From the Past,” with this column about pets. Read the hints below to see if you find anything helpful or interesting. And as always, I’d love to hear from you! — Heloise HELPING HOMELESS ANIMALS Dear Heloise: Most towns have an ANIMAL SHELTER, but are you aware that you can take old towels, blankets and throw rugs there? I also send all dogand cat-related coupons to the animal shelter, so when people come in to adopt an animal, they can pick up some coupons, too! This is a great way to help out, don’t you think? — Zora G., Washington, Ill.
“
HELOISE
I sure do. However, readers might want to call an animal shelter first to be sure it needs these things. Do support the animal shelter any way you can! I have adopted animals from a shelter (as well as some that just showed up!), and one of my assistants has adopted several. — Heloise BIRD FEEDER Dear Heloise: Instead of discarding a tightly woven old basket, fill it with birdseed, set it outside and delight our feathered friends! — Scott L., Ghent, N.Y.
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
FAMILY CIRCUS
Read online. DENNIS THE MENACE
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4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2011
Sundhage reforms U.S. By NANCY ARMOUR ASSOCIATED PRESS
SINSHEIM, Germany — The American women haven’t looked the same since Pia Sundhage got her hands on them. After years of getting the ball to their forwards and letting them overwhelm defenses with their superior athleticism, Sundhage has injected a little European flair into the U.S. offense. “I was always saying the States played a little too direct,” said Sundhage, a Swede who is the first foreign coach the U.S. women have had. “They’ve been very, very successful, don’t get me wrong. So I wanted to change that, but it couldn’t be too big of a change. With a successful team, you can’t change too much.” When the two-time World Cup champions play Colombia on Saturday, fans will see a possession-based offense. Instead of relying on the forwards to begin the attack, Sundhage wants the offense to develop in the midfield. Think the fluid, pretty style of Barcelona, and you get an idea of what Sundhage is going for. “Really knowing how to break down teams with many passes and much possession, truthfully that’s the best way of defending is holding the ball,” Abby Wambach said. “That’s why Barcelona is so good. They literally force their opponents into submission because they always have the ball. It’s demoralizing when you don’t even get much chance.” Opponents used to know exactly what was coming when they played the U.S., regardless of who was in the lineup or where on the field the Americans took possession. But they were powerless to do anything about it. The U.S. forwards were either bigger or quicker — or both — and more skilled. And because U.S. kids start out playing one-on-one in pretty much every sport, there was nothing Michelle Akers, Mia Hamm, Tiffeny Milbrett or Wambach loved more than taking on a defender or a goalkeeper. “Yes, I love playing on a team that they’re sending balls up to me and I’m fighting for balls. It’s my style,” Wambach said. “If you have a strong forward that can hold the ball, that can keep the ball for you, you can start the attack much further up
Photo by Elaine Thompson | AP
LaMichael James is one of several players Texas recruiting service provider Will Lyles guided toward Oregon in exchange for payment over the past several years.
Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez | AP
Heather O’Reilly, left, and Shannon Boxx run together during a training session in preparation for a match against Colombia during the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Sinsheim, Germany, Friday. field. For me, I love that. And I love being physical.” But the rest of the world is closing the gap on the Americans as countries devote more attention and resources to their women’s programs. Two countries, Colombia and Equatorial Guinea, made their World Cup debut here in Germany. Not only is France back after an eight-year absence, it’s ahead of twotime defending champion Germany on goal difference atop Group A after breaking down Canada with a crisp passing game Thursday. If the United States doesn’t adapt, it risks finding itself pulled back into the pack. “We need to be smarter. We need to do different things,” Sundhage said. “Change the point of attack more than once. For me, the game is about rhythm. In order to find rhythm, in order to decrease the tempo sometimes and increase the tempo, you need everybody involved.” Now when the Americans get the ball, Sundhage wants it to go to the center midfielders, usually Carli Lloyd and Shannon Boxx. Based on what they see, they can send the ball
out to the flanks or up to one of the forwards. Or they can direct it back to a defender and start the whole process over again. Not only do the long possessions burn time off the clock, they can frustrate opponents like nothing else. Watch Barcelona play, and it often looks like a game of keepaway — until there’s a lightning strike of a goal, that is. “I think it’s good for our system,” captain Christie Rampone said Friday. “We can’t always rely on one thing. Teams are getting better, stronger, putting more into their programs, as you can see. All these games (at the World Cup) have been close and they’ve been very good. So I think we need that addition to our attack.” As with any change, though, the transition has not always been smooth. After going more than two years without a loss, the Americans dropped three games in a five-month span. They lost to Mexico, a team that hadn’t beaten the U.S. in 25 tries, in regional qualifying. They dropped a game to Sweden, then lost to England for the first time since 1988.
Ducks’ recruiting scandal takes off ASSOCIATED PRESS
The owner of a Texasbased scouting service told Yahoo! Sports that Oregon coach Chip Kelly personally approved a $25,000 payment to him that’s the focus of an NCAA investigation. The February 2010 payment to Will Lyles of Houston has been questioned because of his relationship with running backs Lache Seastrunk and LaMichael James. Lyles was paid soon after Seastrunk signed a letter of intent. Oregon announced in March that it had been contacted by the NCAA to provide documentation about its use of recruiting services. Spokesman Dave Williford told The Associated Press on Friday that the school maintains it has done nothing wrong. Yahoo! Sports reported that Lyles’ role as mentor to prospects and paid contractor to Oregon is believed to be central to the NCAA’s investigation.
Lyles said Kelly asked him to send retroactive profiles of prospects to justify the $25,000 payment to Complete Scouting Services. Lyles said Kelly was “scrambling” when he made the request because the transaction was about to be revealed in a March 3 Yahoo! Sports report. Though Oregon didn’t directly ask him or pay him to guide recruits to Oregon, Lyles said, he was paid to help top recruits achieve eligibility and make sure they followed through with their commitment to sign with the Ducks. “I look back at it now and they paid for what they saw as my access and influence with recruits,” Lyles told Yahoo! Sports. “The service I provided went beyond what a scouting service should. I made a mistake and I’m big enough of a man to admit I was wrong.” “Indirectly I played a pivotal role in (Seastrunk signing with Oregon),” Lyles told the website.