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LEGISLATURE
HIGHER EDUCATION
House, Senate can’t agree
More education
State is still without transportation deal By CHRIS TOMLINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Nathan Lambrecht/The Monitor | AP
University of Texas-Brownsville President Juliet Garcia, center left, and University of Texas-Pan American President Robert Nelson, center right, receive a standing ovation for their work getting the law that merged their two universities passed during a ceremony Tuesday, at UTPA in Edinburg.
Valley residents get bigger university, med school By REEVE HAMILTON THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
BROWNSVILLE — In two emotional ceremonies — one at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg and the other at the University of Texas at Brownsville — Gov. Rick Perry ceremonially signed a bill that will merge the two institutions to create a new university that includes a medical school and spans
the Rio Grande Valley. The passage of Senate Bill 24 was among the most heralded accomplishments of the regular session, and a number of lawmakers attended both ceremonies, which also featured leaders of the universities and the University of Texas System. Perry described the ceremonial signing — he officially signed SB 24 on June 14 — as “one of the greatest moments in my governor-
ship.” Despite the excitement, few new details were offered about the university. Officials expect the name to be announced by the end of the year. In the meantime, the system is using the moniker “Project South Texas” to refer to the initiative. UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa called the new university a “work in progress,” noting that a transition team led by UT-
Pan American President Robert Nelsen and UTBrownsville President Juliet Garcia has begun the planning process. He said that group would collaborate with faculty and staff. And to get broader input, Cigarroa also announced that he will be hosting town hall meetings around the Valley in the coming month. Some details are known:
See UNIVERSITY
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AUSTIN — There’s still no deal for more transportation dollars for Texas roads, sending House and Senate leaders back to the bargaining table. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Friday there are “significant policy differences” between both chambers about how to pay for a congested and crumbling highway system. State transportation officials say another $4 billion a year is needed just to maintain the status quo. Dewhurst appointed a team of negotiators after the Senate rejected a measure passed by the House a day earlier. Lawmakers want to divert money from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, but the Senate wants to protect the balance from dipping below $6 billion. Dewhurst says House and Senate negotiators will meet informally before both chambers reconvene Thursday. He wants a deal by the end of next week. House members rallied to exceed the two-thirds majority needed to create a new funding stream for highways and bridges, diverting money away from the Rainy Day Fund, by a 108-25 vote. Whether the measure becomes law, though, is ultimately up to voters in November as an amendment to the state constitution. The measure aims to solve two problems with how the state pays schools and roads. Experts say Texas needs an additional $4 billion a year in new spending to maintain the existing transportation system, but some of the gasoline taxes intended for road maintenance currently goes to public schools. The Republican-controlled Legislature is opposed to raising taxes, so they
See ROADS
STATE OF TEXAS
PAGE 9A
MEXICO
Sweeping abortion Violence flares up restrictions OKd again in Mexico Controversial bill gets governor’s signature By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed sweeping new abortion restrictions on Thursday that could shutter most of the state’s clinics that provide the procedure, a final step for the Republican-backed measure after weeks of sometimes raucous protests at the state Capitol. Supporters credited God’s will and prayer as the governor signed the legislation, with protesters’ chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” echoing from the hallway. Opponents have vowed to fight the law, though no court challenges were immediately filed. “Today, we celebrate the further cementing of the foundation on which the culture of life in Texas is
“
The fight over this law will move to the courts.” CECILE RICHARDS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND
built upon,” Perry told an auditorium full of beaming GOP lawmakers and antiabortion activists. “It is our responsibility and duty to give voice to the unborn individuals.” The law restricts abortions to surgical centers and requires doctors who work at abortion clinics to have hospital admitting privileges. Only five of the 42 abortion clinics in Texas — the nation’s secondlargest state — currently meet those new requirements. Clinics will have a year to either upgrade
their facilities or shut down after the law takes effect in October. The law also bans abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, based on the disputed notion that fetuses can feel pain at that point of development, and dictates when abortion-inducing drugs can be taken. Supporters argue the new law will ensure highquality health care for women, but opponents view it as over-regulation intended to make abortions harder to obtain. Similar measures in other states have been blocked by federal judges, and opponents in Texas said they would pursue a similar course. “The fight over this law will move to the courts, while the bigger fight for women’s access to health care in Texas gains steam,” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said in a statement.
See ABORTION
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Increase noted after arrest of Treviño, other cartel leader By MARK STEVENSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Drug cartel violence has forced hundreds of people to flee their villages in the mountains near Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, amid a new surge in gang confrontations that left bodies littered around the region, authorities said Friday. The development comes just days after the arrest of one of Mexico’s bloodiest capos, Zetas cartel leader Miguel Angel Treviño Morales, near the U.S. border. Better known as “Z-40,” Treviño Morales was taken by helicopter to an undisclosed maximum-security prison Friday. An official in the federal prosecutors’ office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the case, said the prisoner now faces formal charges, but did not specify which.
Violence has only increased along the southern Pacific coast. Soon after the arrest Monday, federal security spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said Treviño Morales would be charged with homicide, torture, organized crime, money laundering, weapons possession and drug trafficking. The prosecution official also confirmed that one of the alleged leaders of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, Victor Delgado Renteria, had been arrested last week near the western city of Guadalajara. Some Mexicans had expressed hopes the arrest of Treviño Morales could bring a decrease in drug bloodshed, but violence has only increased along the southern Pacific coast, in the states of Michoacan and Guerrero. Mexico has
often experienced such upsand-downs before as drug violence calmed in one previously bloodied region only to swell in another. Jalisco New Generation has been battling the Michoacan-based Knights Templar cartel for control of the southern region. Residents said the latest battles appeared tied to the discovery Friday of four bodies hanging from a bridge in the town of Buenavista, where people rose up in arms against the Knights Templar gang in February. It was unclear whether the self-defense squad in Buenavista had any relation to the deaths, which came a day after five other
See MEXICO PAGE 6A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, JULY 20
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The PFC Ira “Ben” Laningham IV 5K Memorial Run is set for 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. There will also be a 200m Kids Fun Run. Early registration through Sunday is $8; from Monday through July 19, $10; and late registration on race day is $15. Registration for the Kids Fun Run is $5. Those who wish to participate may register at Zapata Boys & Girls Club, 306 6th St.; Zapata County Chamber of Commerce, 601 N. U.S. 83; Momentum Running Co., 1202 E. Del Mar Blvd., Ste. 103, Laredo; or by email at http://www.evenbrite.com/ event/5820121139#. Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Training. 902 E. Calton Road. 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Training will prepare volunteers to assist youth by advocating their best interest. No experienced needed. Training free. Contact Alexis Herrera at 727-8691 or alexis@vozdeninos.org to reserve seat. The Art of Video Games. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Public Library’s Multipurpose Room, 1120 E. Calton Road. Learn about and play video games, learn about ESRB rating system and keep children away from unwanted content.
Today is Saturday, July 20, the 201st day of 2013. There are 164 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 20, 2012, a gunman wearing a helmet, body armor and a gas mask opened fire inside a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colo., during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people in one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history. (Suspect James Eagen Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to more than 160 counts of murder and attempted murder.) On this date: In 1861, the Congress of the Confederate States convened in Richmond, Va. In 1871, British Columbia entered confederation as a Canadian province. In 1917, the World War I draft lottery went into operation. In 1923, Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa was assassinated. In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for a fourth term of office at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon after reaching the surface in their Apollo 11 lunar module. In 1976, America’s Viking 1 robot spacecraft made a successful, first-ever landing on Mars. Ten years ago: Gen. John Abizaid (AB’-ih-zayd), the top commander of coalition forces in Iraq, predicted that resistance to U.S. forces in Iraq would grow in coming months as progress was made in creating a new government to replace the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein. Five years ago: Pope Benedict XVI wrapped up a six-day World Youth Day Festival in Sydney, Australia, by challenging young people to shed the greed and cynicism of their time to create a new age of hope for humankind. One year ago: After years of preparation and months of buildup, London’s Olympic moment finally arrived as Royal Marine Martyn Williams carried the Olympic torch from a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter into the Tower of London on the shore of the River Thames. Today’s Birthdays: Rock singer Chris Cornell is 49. Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 47. Actor Reed Diamond is 46. Actor Josh Holloway is 44. Singer Vitamin C is 44. Actor Omar Epps is 40. Actor Simon Rex is 39. Actress Judy Greer is 38. Actor Charlie Korsmo is 35. Singer Elliott Yamin (yah-MEEN’) (American Idol) is 35. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is 33. Rock musician Mike Kennerty (The All-American Rejects) is 33. Actor Percy Daggs III is 31. Actor John Francis Daley is 28. Country singer Hannah Blaylock (Edens Edge) is 27. Country singer-ballroom dancer Julianne Hough is 25. Actress Billi Bruno is 17. Thought for Today: “The regret on our side is, they used to say years ago, we are reading about you in science class. Now they say, we are reading about you in history class.” — Neil Armstrong, American astronaut (19302012).
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows: “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure” at 4 p.m. “Force 5: Nature Unleashed” at 5 p.m. General admission $3. 326-3663. Relieve Tension & Migraine Headaches Workshop. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Room 101 of Laredo Community College’s De La Garza Building. Silva Method instructor Enrique T. De La Garza presenting. $25 per person and $15 per LCC student or employee.
THURSDAY, JULY 25 Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows: “Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” at 4 p.m. “Stars of the Pharoahs” at 5 p.m. General admission $3. 3263663. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club meeting. Laredo Country Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call Beverly Cantu at 727-0589.
SATURDAY, JULY 27 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Training. 902 E. Calton Road. 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. No experienced needed. Training free. Contact Alexis Herrera at 727-8691 or alexis@vozdeninos.org to reserve seat. Epoca de Oro Social Club summer dance. Roli’s Music Hall, 100 Taylor St. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ticket sale Saturday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn. Ticket sale day of event, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call Teresita at 723-9809, Sylvia at 718-0024 or Daniel at 290-7341. 4th Annual Cat Appreciation Day and Cat Contest, sponsored by PETCO and Gateway Gatos. PETCO, 2450 Monarch Dr. 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Proclamation by Mayor Raul Salinas at 12:30. Registration for 10 categories in cat contest from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Judging and prizes 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for live categories and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. for photo categories. $5 donation for each category. Call 286-7866. United Way’s Caring, Loving, Giving Concert. 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Laredo Civic Center Ballroom. Musical lineup is Sneaky Downs and Somewhere in Between, with headliner The Spazmatics. Presale tickets $15 at United Way of Laredo office, 1815 Hillside Road or IBC locations: IBC Main Bank, El Banquito Mall del Norte No. 1, El Banquito South, El Banquito Plantation and IBC Wal-Mart at Loop 20. $20 at the door. Call 723-9113. PILLAR Light Up the Night 5K Walk/Run. Registration 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Children’s run 7:30 p.m. Walk/Run 8 p.m. North Central Park. Registraton $25 for adults and $5 for children. Call 723-7457.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31 Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows: “The Little Star that Could” at 4 p.m. “Black Holes” at 5 p.m. General admission $3. 326-3663.
SATURDAY, AUG. 3 First United Methodist Church will hold a used book sale, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents.
Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
Authorities investigate a home Friday in Houston where police say four homeless men were found in "deplorable conditions." Officers who responded to a call expressing concern said they found three men locked in a garage and a fourth in the home who were malnourished.
Men held captive found By JUAN A. LOZANO AND RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Four men found living in “deplorable conditions” in a Houston garage on Friday told police that they were being held captive after being lured by promises of food and cigarettes so that their captor could cash their public-assistance checks, authorities said. Three of the men were malnourished and taken to a hospital after being discovered by officers responding to a 911 call about the home, Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva said. Sgt. Steven Murdock described the living conditions as like a “dungeon.” Investigators were still trying to determine how long the men lived there, but they said it may have been weeks. Silva said the men told investigators they were forced to live in the garage — which in-
cluded just one chair, no bed and a possibly malfunctioning air conditioner — so their captor could cash their assistance checks. She said the men were “given scraps to eat.” “They clearly stated to us they were being kept against their will,” Silva said. Silva said one person has been detained but no charges have been filed. He apparently did not live in the house, she said. Four women were also found living in the house, three of whom appeared to have mental disabilities, Silva said. She described the other woman as a caretaker. Unlike the garage, she described the living conditions inside the home as more normal. A neighbor called authorities Friday morning expressing concern about men in the house in North Houston. Murdock, the police sergeant, described them as malnourished and “almost invalids.”
Records: Teenager raped as men cheered
Air Force pilots injured after ejecting from jet
Ex-Texas Tech student executed for slaying
AUSTIN — Court documents say as many as 10 men allegedly took turns sexually assaulting a runaway 13-year-old girl in an apartment June 29, where some cheered and filmed the attacks with their cellphones.. Juan Lozano Ortega, 25, and Edgar Gerardo Guzman Perez, 26, were charged Wednesday with aggravated sexual assault of a child. They were still being held Thursday on $30,000 bond.
WICHITA FALLS — Two pilots have suffered minor injuries when they ejected from their jet before it crashed to the ground south of Sheppard Air Force Base in North Texas. The Times Record News in Wichita Falls reports the wreck was caused by the T-38 Talon striking a bird Friday. Base spokesman Daniel Hawkins would not confirm the cause, citing the ongoing investigation. The jet went down at the edge of a heavily wooded area and burst into flames.
HUNTSVILLE — A former Texas Tech graduate student convicted of a double slaying a dozen years ago has been executed. Vaughn Ross received lethal injection Thursday evening for the January 2001 fatal shootings of an 18-year-old woman with whom he had been feuding and an associate dean at the university in Lubbock who was with her.
Man dies after attack at his 38th birthday party ORANGE — A man has died after being attacked during his 38th birthday party and his stepson faces a murder charge. Capt. Cliff Hargrave says John W. Lee Jr. apparently was beaten and died Thursday night at a hospital. His son, Robert Wyatt Walter Jr., was being held Friday on $250,000 bond.
June unemployment remains at 6.5 percent AUSTIN — The June unemployment rate for Texas held steady from May at 6.5 percent. The Texas Workforce Commission announced Friday that the statewide seasonally adjusted figure compares to the U.S. jobless rate of 7.6 percent last month.
Memorial to slain girl set on fire at home SAGINAW — North Texas police are trying to determine who set fire to a makeshift memorial for a 6-year-old girl found dead earlier this month and also torched a car owned by the girl’s family. Firefighters responded to the scene Friday. Authorities are investigating whether there’s a link between the the fires and the July 1 death of the girl. — Compiled from AP reports
AROUND THE NATION NY woman accused of posing as Marathon victim BOSTON — A New York woman used fake hospital records to pose as a Boston Marathon bombing victim with a brain injury and fraudulently collected nearly half a million dollars from the fund for victims, Massachusetts authorities said Friday. Audrea Gause, 26, of Troy, N.Y., was arrested there Friday on a Massachusetts fugitive warrant charging her with larceny, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said. Gause submitted a claim to the fund last month. She received a $480,000 check from the fund, created to help victims of the April 15 attacks that killed three people and wounded more than 260.
Once-mighty Motor City files for bankruptcy DETROIT — Detroit became
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Visitors to Random International’s "Rain Room" at the Museum of Modern Art pace through an environment of falling water Friday in New York. The field of rainlike water allows visitors "the experience of controlling the rain." the biggest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy Thursday, its finances ravaged and its neighborhoods hollowed out by a slow decline in population and auto manufacturing. The filing put the city on a course that could mean laying
off municipal employees, selling off assets, raising fees and scaling back basic services. City and state leaders must now confront the challenge of rebuilding Detroit’s broken budget in as little as a year. — 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
Local/Area
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Group eyes landscapes Drugs land 2 in prison SPECIAL TO THE TIMES SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
SAN ANTONIO — Taking Care of Texas and the South Texas Energy and Economic Roundtable co-hosted a tour of the Eagle Ford Shale region June 3 featuring Taking Care of Texas Founder former first lady Laura Bush; STEER President Omar Garcia; and representatives of Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Wildlife Association. “Taking Care of Texas is about building on existing conservation efforts,” Bush said. “We are working with developers of the Eagle Ford Shale because it’s important to take care of the landscapes and wildlife habitat where drilling occurs. We want Texas to be a leader in meeting the nation’s energy needs while conserving soil and habitat and boosting the economy in Texas.” STEER and its members facilitated the day-long tour to showcase conservation efforts being implemented by the oil and gas industry on drilling sites across South Texas, and to explore opportunities to expand this work through collaboration with Taking Care of Texas. Bush and the Taking Care of Texas team are working with the oil and gas industry in the Eagle
Photo by Carolyn Kaster | AP
Former first lady Laura Bush attended a summit on the Eagle Ford Shale on June 3. With her is former President George W. Bush. Ford Shale region to ensure control of erosion, salvage of topsoil, and native plant reseeding on drilling locations of all sizes. They are organizing widespread adoption of sound conservation practices, many of which are already in use by oil and gas companies. The partnership also aims to develop new and more effective practices over time. “We are proud to welcome first lady Laura Bush and her team from Taking Care of Texas to the Eagle Ford Shale region and provide this organization with a firsthand look at the best practices the oil and gas industry are currently and meticulously implementing to ensure that we protect our environment,” Garcia said. “The oil and gas industry understands the importance of protecting South Texas, and we are happy for the opportunity to show
how we effectively operate our businesses in communities across South Texas.” Taking Care of Texas will continue to work with STEER, Texas Oil and Gas Association, oil and gas companies, wildlife biologists and landowners to develop support materials for surface activities and spotlight locations where conservation practices are voluntarily implemented. “We believe that conservation of Texas’ vast open spaces and natural treasures, when done collaboratively as part of drilling operations, will benefit all Texans, present and future,” Bush added. “We were pleased to see the conservation practices that are in motion during the extraction process and we look forward to helping the industry continue the important work of safeguarding our environment.”
THE BLOTTER Assault An assault was reported at 11:30 p.m. July 11 in the 1700 block of Bravo Avenue. An assault was reported at 12:18 a.m. July 11 in the 100 block of Trinity Lane. An assault was reported at 3:10 a.m. Monday on Mier Street. An assault was reported at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Siesta Shores neighborhood.
Burglary A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 11:10 a.m. July 13 in the 2000 block of Sunset Street.
A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 6:30 p.m. July 13 in the Siesta Shores area.
Dog bite A dog bite was reported at 6:05 p.m. July 13 in the 2200 block of Brazos Street.
Theft A theft was reported at 5:05 p.m. July 12 in the 200 block of Irene Drive. A theft was reported at 10:42 p.m. July 13 on Villa Street. A theft was reported at 7:27 a.m. Wednesday in the 2300 block of Lago Vista.
McALLEN — Alfredo Barrientos, 30, of Rio Grande City, and Mexican National Esteban Treviño, 39, were ordered to prison following their convictions for crack cocaine trafficking conspiracy Thursday. The two men pleaded guilty March 4. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed Barrientos and Treviño federal prison sentences of 85 and 30 months, respectively, for possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. Barrientos also received a three-year-term of super-
vised release. Treviño is expected to face deportation afterwards. In August 2011, agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Rio Grande City Police Department launched an investigation into a crack cocaine distribution network in Rio Grande City. Following an investigation that included 20 drug transactions involving informants and undercover agents that resulted in the seizure of more than 180 grams of crack cocaine, a federal grand jury indicted 11 Rio Grande City residents including the defendants on Nov. 13, 2012. The investigation re-
vealed the crack cocaine distribution network relied upon the use of at least four houses in Rio Grande City. The evidence presented during the hearing Thursday showed Barrientos assisted his brother, Emmanuel Barrientos, in the crack distribution ring that included Juan Treviño and Esteban Treviño. The group sold large quantities of crack from adjacent residences in Rio Grande City. Both will remain in custody pending transfer to federal prisons. The remaining nine defendants in the year-long investigation have been convicted.
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Zopinion
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Questions abound in next Lege AUSTIN — Looks like the 83rd episode of the Texas Legislature, everybody’s favorite is-thisreality show, will wrap up soon. The 83rd is in its waning days and, barring a third special session, we won’t get to enjoy the show again until the 84th convenes in January 2015. The Latin term used to connote a session’s end is “sine die.” Sine means “belly” and die means “up.” We should not let this moment pass without noting the changing of the guard to come. Lameduck Gov. Rick Perry won’t be governor when the 84th rolls around. We’ve not had a legislative session begin without Perry at the helm since before the turn of the century. And the last time it happened, back in 1999, Perry was in charge of the Senate as lieutenant governor. On the House side, the smart bet is that Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, will win a fourth term at the helm on the first day of the 84th regular session. But, other than periodic weirdness, nothing’s guaranteed in Texas politics. Assuming GOP Attorney General Greg Abbott is our next governor, the biggest question will be who’ll be running the Senate when it next convenes. The answer probably will come from a great four-way GOP primary battle featuring three-term incumbent David Dewhurst (tall, rich), three-term Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson (a quote machine), two-term Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples (his name’s on every gas pump in Texas and half of the big-box office supply stores) and two-term Houston Sen. Dan Patrick (a former radio talk-show host). Millions of dollars will be spent to get the $600-amonth job. A runoff is likely, and a good time should be had by all, with the possible exception of Dewhurst, who faces a big question on spending. Remember, he spent $24 million of his own money last year to lose the GOP U.S. Senate primary to now-Sen. Ted Cruz. Dewhurst’s dilemma revolves around how wide to open his deep wallet for the upcoming race. Will his self-generosity be proportional to his self-perceived chances of victory? And if he thinks victory could be difficult, does he become more miserly? And if he doesn’t perceive a good chance of winning, why run? Tough decisions, I’d guess, and kind of similar to a dilemma Texas
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KEN HERMAN
Democrats face in the gubernatorial race. Infused with enthusiasm after the recent abortion fight, Dems enjoy activism and interest unseen on their side in a long time. A Democrat, some Democrats believe, could win a statewide race — possibly governor — next year. The questions are which Democrat and which statewide race. The buzz du jour surrounds Fort Worth Sen. Wendy Davis (she of the recent anti-abortion bill filibuster and whose name is on a bunch of burger places) for governor. She’d be a credible candidate, and let me try to explain why that could be a problem for the Dems. There are several potential 2014 gubernatorial race outcomes for Texas Democrats. One is very good for them. One is kind of OK. Two (the most likely two?) could be bad and embarrassing. One outcome gives us our first Democratic governor since Ann Richards left office in January 1995. Could happen, but no Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate has received a majority of the vote since Mark White in 1982. In the past four gubernatorial contests, no Dem got more than 42.3 percent. Another possible 2014 outcome, one that could be spun as a positive for the Dems, would be a closer loss that shows progress. Then there are the two bad 2014 outcomes for the party out of power. I’m not sure which is worse. What if they run a credible, reasonably well-funded candidate and still get stomped? That could put a damper on the Dems’ high-profile push to turn Texas blue. Alternatively, the Dems could decide to spend their money elsewhere (perhaps congressional and legislative races) and acknowledge that spending on a gubernatorial race might carry a low return on investment. In that scenario, would any credible candidate (and they don’t have many of them) want to be the party’s gubernatorial nominee? And absent a credible candidate, might the Dems wind up with an embarrassment of a gubernatorial candidate? Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman. Email: kherman@statesman.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
YOUR OPINION Protect yourself from the sun: July is UV Safety Month To the editor: July is UV Safety Month and the message is sun, fun and UV safety. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are the main cause of skin cancer. UV damage can also cause wrinkles, blotchy skin and damage to your eyes. These are just some of the reasons why it is important to raise awareness of the risks of sun damage. During the month of July, join us in taking action to prevent skin cancer and reduce the risk of UV damage. Protection from sun exposure is important all year round, not just during the summer or at the beach. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays also
reflect off surfaces like water, cement, sand and snow. Did you know that just a few serious sunburns can increase your child’s risk of skin cancer later in life? Kids don’t have to be at the pool, beach or on vacation to get too much sun. Their skin needs protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays whenever they’re outdoors. Use sunglasses that block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. By protecting your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays with sunglasses, you can reduce risks for some minor or serious eye problems. The Centers for Disease Control recommends these easy options for sun protection: Seek shade, especially during midday hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV rays are strong-
est and can do the most damage. Wear clothing to protect exposed skin such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants of tightly woven fabrics. Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears and neck. Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays as possible. Use sunscreen with sun protective factor 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection. A good broad-spectrum sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 15 and contain avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. Apply sunscreen liberally and often while exposed to the sun. Most people use sunscreen improperly by not applying enough. They apply only
25 percent to 50 percent of the recommended amount. Sunscreen should be applied liberally enough to all sun-exposed areas that it forms a film when initially applied. It takes 20-30 minutes for sunscreen to be absorbed by the skin, so it should be applied at least a half an hour before going out in the sun. Also, avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. The UV rays from them are as dangerous as the UV rays from the sun. For more information on UV Safety Education, please contact the Transforming Texas Program of SCAN at 724-3177. Sincerely, Suzie Sanchez Transforming Texas Program Outreach Worker SCAN, Inc. www.scan-inc.org
COMMENTARY
Surviving without a car a/c By ANDREA BALL COX NEWSPAPERS
AUSTIN — My stiflingly hot hell on wheels started in the summer of 2011. The air conditioning in my 14-yearold Saturn was dead. It was too expensive to fix. And so I decided to suffer the consequences. And suffer I did. Ever sit at a traffic light in 108 degrees? Zip down the highway as broiler heat slaps your face? Stick a dry napkin on your forehead to stop the sweat from stinging your eyes? Yeah, it’s gross. But, as it turns out, not unbearable. This is my third summer without cool car air and I am surviving.
Improvising Others are having a tougher time with that. One friend whose air conditioning recently died said, “I tell my kids to enjoy the breeze and then see them in the back like three sweaty fish gasping for air.” My friends, a few of Austin’s hottest drivers, are here to help. Josh Rabinowitz, the 28-year-old founder of a
medical device company, has been living without air conditioning since 2002 when he bought his beloved Suzuki Sidekick. Paul Freehill, a 23year-old community outreach specialist, lost the AC in his Toyota Camry in mid-May.
Survival tips Our combined 13-plus years of experience makes us qualified to provide the following tips to surviving the summer heat. Roll your windows down. What? They’re broken? Start walking. Bring something cold to drink. A frosty mug of beer is a bad idea, but that’s between you and the police. Grab your Olivia Newton-John sweatband, short shorts and old tee. Pack a bag with your work clothes and freshen up at the office, preferably not at your desk. Skip the pantyhose and girdles. Numerous peer-reviewed studies show these fashion choices increase heat-induced misery by 67 percent. Speaking of fashion choices, outfit your vehicle with a sun shade. All the cool cars are wearing them. Tame the long hair. Forgot your
pony-tail holder? Paper clips, rubber bands and binder clips will do in a pinch. Masking tape is unwise. A few other ideas: skip the highway and drive on shady roads; bring a cooling towel for your neck or head; and schedule your appointments for the morning. “It’s not that bad when you get used to it,” Freehill said.
The bad side And now, a word about road rage. Bad drivers plus scorching heat equal instant temper tantrum. That buffoon who cut you off suddenly seems like a menace who must be stalked and destroyed. Don’t do it. You’ll just sweat more. There’s no denying the beauty of a cool car. But when it’s gone, a good attitude makes for a more bearable drive. Think of it as a tribute to desert animals or the Earth’s core. Think of it as preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Or just get your AC fixed. That’s probably best. Andrea Ball writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: aball@statesman.com.
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
State
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
Photo by Tony Gutierrez/file | AP
West Intermediate School sits damaged behind a chain link fence Friday, May 31. After a deadly plant explosion damaged many schools, the town is now tens of millions of dollars short of rebuilding them.
Schools’ future in doubt By NOMAAN MERCHANT ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — After a massive fertilizer plant explosion devastated this rural town in April, local teachers and administrators did what they could to help the community cope with a disaster that killed 15 people and wrecked hundreds of structures, including three of West’s four schools. They borrowed classrooms in a nearby town so that children could return to class, and salvaged the school year so that the 113 high school seniors could graduate on time. But now West’s schools are confronting another challenge as they plan to begin the new term next month in clusters of trailers that some are already calling “Portable City.” It’s not clear how temporary the prefab village will actually be. Federal officials have rejected the town’s $40 million disaster aid request and insurance companies have offered just $20 million of the estimated $59 million value of the schools’ insurance policy. Leaders of the town of 2,800 worry about the impact of the schools’ uncer-
tainty on hundreds of residents who are deciding where to rebuild their lives— in West or possibly elsewhere. “Delaying it another year is not going to do any good as far as morale goes, for the community and for our kids,” said Superintendent Marty Crawford. Parents are wondering about the schools’ future, and the town’s. “You want to be home. You want that sense of normalcy,” says Crystal Anthony, a school board member and the mother of a rising ninth grader who has been living in nearby Waco since the blast destroyed her house. For some, she said, moving somewhere else might be easier, but Anthony said she intends to stay in West and rebuild. Until the night of April 17, West was a town of quiet streets best known for its kolaches and other Czech pastries, reflecting the heritage of the immigrant farmers who settled the area a century ago. Most residents went through the West schools and work on the surrounding farms and ranches, or commute to jobs in Waco, or even the Dallas-Fort Worth area an hour away.
Many of those families are still displaced, living in surrounding towns and grappling with insurance payouts that still leave them with heavy unmet costs. In addition to destroying 200 houses and buildings, the blast at the West Fertilizer Co., which occurred after a fire ignited explosive chemicals, blew out the windows and ceilings in the intermediate school next door, and caved in part of the high school and middle school a short walk away. Since the end of the school year, school officials have concentrated on being able to resume classes in town in the fall. How they will get permanent schools again is another matter. They are tens of millions of dollars short. Town officials say a tax increase is almost out of the question with so many residents struggling with costs for their damaged houses. A bond issue may also be difficult given the uncertain tax base. Gov. Rick Perry said Saturday that $10 million from a $15 million state emergency funding bill will be directed to West.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
State
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
Suspect, 71, dies in jail By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Two days after a man was charged in a 1987 cold-case slaying of a 68-year-old Harris County woman, he died in custody, Texas prison officials said Friday. Roman Martinez, 71, collapsed Wednesday while being held in downtown Houston at a state lockup for parole offenders. He was taken to a hospital and died the following evening, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark said. “A preliminary cause of death is that Martinez died
of cardiac arrest and multiple organ failure,” he said. An autopsy was pending. On Tuesday, Harris County sheriff ’s officials announced Martinez had been charged with capital murder in the death of Jacqueline Anderson. She was found bound with rope and strangled in her north suburban Houston home after she apparently interrupted a burglary in 1987. Deputies say Martinez, a neighbor at the time, confessed to breaking into the house but contended Anderson was alive when he fled. The sheriff ’s office reopened the case last year
and DNA evidence linked him to the slaying scene. Martinez had a lengthy criminal history that extended back to the 1950s and included burglaries, thefts, drug possession, aggravated robbery and rape. He also was a registered sex offender in El Paso. In 1989, Martinez was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a Harris County burglary with intent to commit theft. He was released on mandatory supervision in October 2005, prison records show. In early May, he was placed in the South Texas Intermediate Sanction Facility as a parole violator.
Deborah Cannon/Austin American-Statesman | AP
State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, center, urged the State Board of Education on Friday to leave implementation of new curriculums up to local school boards as the CSCOPE era comes to an end.
Schools move on after CSCOPE comes to end By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Juan Carlos Llorca | AP
Lt. Col. Jason Crowe closes a contaminated bunker at Ft. Bliss, on Friday. Army officials found low levels of radiation from nuclear weapons stored there when the facility belonged to the Air Force.
Radiation not a threat By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT BLISS — Fort Bliss officials downplayed the threat of radiation exposure Friday related to a contaminated bunker on the West Texas military post. Leaders said additional testing shows the contamination is contained to the floor of one bunker at Biggs Army Airfield. Nuclear weapons were assembled and stored in the bunker in the 1950s and 1960s when the facility belonged to the Air Force. Officials earlier this week announced that a tip from a retired airman about buried sealed containers with radioactive residues near the bunkers prompted an investigation, which revealed radioactivity in the bunker and called into question the safety of personnel. But they said Friday there was no risk to those who worked in the bunker during the Cold War-era or more recently. “The radiation continues to be contained within the (epoxy) paint,” Maj. Joe Buccino said. The Air Force covered the floor of the bunker with epoxy paint, which at the time
was standard procedure to contain this type of radiation, he said, but when the Army started using the building, the paint began to chip away and exposed the contaminants. Buccino said the contamination in the bunker or the reported buried containers has not seeped into the ground water. “The water is normal and safe,” adding that the equipment stored in the bunker since 2003 isn’t contaminated, he said. Lt. Col. Jason Crowe, who was in charge of the equipment inside the bunker until the radiation was discovered, said he was “concerned,” but said that the airman who contacted authorities about two months ago about contaminated residue was in his 80s and apparently still healthy. Learning that levels and spread of the radiation are lower than initially expected is good, Crowe said. “It gives the contractors peace of mind,” he said. Radiation levels in the area of the bunker are equal to those naturally occurring in the environment, Buccino said. Between 2003 and a few days ago, when the contam-
ination was discovered, the bunker was a repository for rifles and other weapons used for training by soldiers preparing for deployment. Buccino also said testing conducted this week in the area of the bunker and of the water table below has minimized initial concerns about exposure to uranium. Rags and other items used in assembling nuclear weapons were placed in containers decades ago and buried in proximity to the bunker, which is one of nine near the airfield. Buccino said the focus for investigators in the coming months is to determine where containers are buried. He said they’ll rely on old documents and anecdotal evidence from workers at the time to pinpoint the locations. As for searching for potentially contaminated buildings, Buccino said the base will only search specific facilities if alerted. “We can’t go on a witch hunt,” he said. “We have a lot of area.” Fort Bliss stretches across 1,700 square miles — more than any other military installation in the country.
MEXICO Continued from Page 1A bullet-ridden bodies were found on a road near Buenavista, some with gunshots to the head. The Michoacan state prosecutor’s office said all of the men had been shot to death, but offered no motive. But Hipolito Mora, leader of another self-defense squad in the nearby town of La Ruana, said the deaths appeared to be part of the battle between the two rival cartels. “It look like a war has broken out,” said Mora. “I think it is between the Knights Templar and Jalisco New Generation.” Even heavily armed federal police convoys traveling on major highways have come under attack. On Thursday, gunmen fired on a convoy of eight federal police trucks near a highway tollbooth, killing three officers and wounding three others before escaping into the hills. Such brazen attacks also occurred in Michoacan in 2006 and 2009, and usually marked an upswing in violence. The turf battles appear to be spilling over into the neighboring state of Guerrero, where hundreds of residents of isolated mountain villages have been forced to flee their homes. “There has been what we
call a ‘cockroach’ effect,” Guerrero state government spokesman Jose Villanueva said. “Amid the crackdown on crime in Michoacan, the criminals spill over into the border areas of neighboring states, like the border areas of Guerrero.” In late May, a video posted on social media sites showed dozens of masked, heavily armed gunmen who described themselves as members of Jalisco New Generation and said they had set up operations in Guerrero to fight incursions there by the Knights Templar. Villanueva said he could not confirm whether the video was authentic or whether Jalisco had entered Guerrero, but he acknowledged that several gangs were operating in the state, especially in the mountainous areas near
the Michoacan border. He said that in the rural township of San Miguel Totolapan, about 500 people, had fled their homes amid increased shootouts in the area. He said drug cartels were a major factor in those confrontations, although the area has also experienced conflicts over land and logging disputes. The state government said in a press statement that it was providing food and shelter for about 120 families from three outlying villages in San Miguel Totolapan, which functions as a sort of county seat. Some of the displaced people have started to return to their communities, and the state said federal and state police and army patrols had been sent into the township “to guarantee the safety of these families.”
AUSTIN — The architect of a new Texas law overhauling high school standardized testing and curriculum requirements urged the State Board of Education on Friday to leave implementation up to local school boards whenever possible. The board will meet in August to begin hammering out new curriculum standards under House Bill 5, which passed the Legislature unanimously and reduces from 15 to five the number of standardized tests high school students must pass to graduate. It also modifies course requirements in an effort to give more flexibility to youngsters who want to focus on vocational training, not just rigorous academic and college-prep classes. “Intentionally the bill was designed for this body to fill in the details,” sponsor Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, a Killeen Republican who chairs the House Public Education Committee, told the board. He later added: “The decision was a conscious one on the part of the Legislature to dump this, if you will, in your
lap.” Critics worry that Texas, which had been a national leader in strict academic standards based on frequent testing, is retreating from that model while watering down its academic standards. “This bill calls for something of a culture change,” Aycock said. “What this bill calls for is a less prescriptive nature to education.” Aycock also worried that as the board grapples with implementing the law, its members may make certain electives part of the required curriculum. The law replaces standards that had required students to take four years each of math, science, social studies and English, and Aycock urged the board not to simply reinvent the old system by piling on additional requirements — including more credits in social studies or speech. He said the board should not mandate such inclusions but leave them up to local school boards. The overhaul became one of the legislative session’s top priorities amid backlash from students, teachers, parents and school administrators who worried that Texas was
over-testing students. Aycock called the clamor to reduce exams “an interesting episode in grass-roots politics.” Also Friday, Aycock’s counterpart in the state Senate, Dan Patrick, said he’s not buying the assessment that a left-for-dead curriculum system known as CSCOPE may live again. CSCOPE offered internet-based lesson plans and exams designed to help teachers adhere to state curriculum, especially those working in small districts. It had been used in 877 school districts statewide. But CSCOPE was criticized by conservative grassroots groups, who said some of the lessons it offered were anti-American. Under pressure, CSCOPE’s creators agreed to remove online lessons in August, and Patrick — a tea party favorite from Houston who chairs the Senate Education Committee — declared the CSCOPE era over. However, the Board of Education heard Wednesday from a top Texas Education Agency attorney who suggested that CSCOPE has simply been moved into the public domain.
SÁBADO 20 DE JULIO DE 2013
Agenda en Breve LAREDO 07/20— “Books-A-Million” presenta “Story Time” de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m. Habrá lectura, manualidades y regalos para los niños. El objetivo es motivar la alfabetización, habilidades sociales y valores familiares. 07/20— “Flesh: and exhibition” de Catherine Avaritt se presenta a partir de las 7 p.m. en Caffe Dolce, 1708 calle Victoria. Música en vivo, vino y comida. BYOB. 07/21— Cuarto Festival Urbano Anual (Música+Arte) en Laredo Energy Arena, de 12 p.m. a 9 p.m. Costo: 23 dólares (con cuota de instalaciones incluida). Adquiera su boleto en Ticketmaster o en taquilla del LEA. 07/22— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a Kansas City T-Bones en Estadio UniTrade a las 7:30 p.m. 07/23— Las Superestrellas de la WWE se presentan en una edición especial de Monday Night Raw. Costo del boleto inicia en 15 dólares (sin incluir cuota de instalaciones). Boletos disponibles Ticketmaster.com y en la taquilla de Laredo Energy Arena. 07/23— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a Kansas City T-Bones en Estadio UniTrade a las 7:30 p.m. 07/24— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “One World, One Sky Big Bird’s Adventure” a las 4 p.m.; y, “Force 5: Nature Unleashed” a las 5 p.m. Costo: 3 dólares. 07/24— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a Kansas City T-Bones en Estadio UniTrade a las 7:30 p.m. 07/25— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta: “Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” a las 4 p.m.; y, “Stars of the Pharaohs” a las 5 p.m. Costo: 3 dólares. 07/25— LTGI presenta el musical de Broadway “Hairspray”, a las 8 p.m. en el Teatro del Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center de LCC. Costo: 20 dólares; 10 dólares para estudiantes y adultos mayores; 5 dólares para niños de 10 años de edad y menores. Adquiera su boleto en Blue Top, 101 Hillside Road, # 11. 07/25— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a Amarillo Sox en Estadio Uni-Trade a las 7:30 p.m. 07/26— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a Amarillo Sox en Estadio Uni-Trade a las 7:30 p.m. 07/26— LTGI presenta el musical de Broadway “Hairspray”, dirigida por Vernon Carroll y producida por Joe Arciniega, a las 8 p.m. en el Teatro del Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center de LCC. Costo: 20 dólares; 10 dólares para estudiantes y adultos mayores; 5 dólares para niños de 10 años de edad y menores. Adquiera su boleto en Blue Top, 101 Hillside Road, # 11. Evento en cooperación con Laredo Community College y el Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation.
NUEVO LAREDO, MX 07/20— Obra “Bang Bang, Estás Muerto” (versión libre), bajo la adaptación, producción y dirección de Braulio Aguiñaga y Cía. Xcenaria se presenta a las 5 p.m. y 7:15 p.m. en el Teatro Lucio Blanco de la Casa de la Cultura, Lincoln esquina con Chimalpopoca en la Colonia Viveros. Costo: 50 pesos. 07/21— El Grupo de Teatro Laberintus presenta la obra “Alicia en el país de las maravillas”, del Clásico de Lewis Carroll, dirigida por Luis Edoardo Torres, a las 12 p.m. en el teatro del IMSS, Reynosa y Belden, Sector Centro. Costo 20 pesos. — Tiempo de Zapata
Zfrontera
PÁGINA 7A
MÉXICO
Tenía bajo perfil
Foto de cortesía/Armada de México SEMAR | Associated Press
En esta imagen combinada de tres fotografías distribuída el martes 16 de julio, por la Armada de México aparecen el líder del cartel de los Zetas, Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, en el centro, Ernesto Reyes García, a la izquierda; y Abdon Federico Rodríguez García tras ser capturados en México.
AP: ‘Cuarenta’ intentó escapar durante captura en Nuevo Laredo POR E. EDUARDO CASTILLO Y MARK STEVENSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
M
ÉXICO — El máximo líder del cartel de las drogas de Los Zetas, Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, intentó escapar antes de que marinos lograran capturarlo el lunes. Un funcionario del gobierno federal reveló a The Associated Press que cuando un Black Hawk de la Marina mexicana maniobró para detener la camioneta en la que viajaba Treviño, el escolta y el contador que lo acompañaban se tiraron de inmediato al suelo, pero el presunto capo, conocido como “Z40”, intentó huir. El funcionario habló bajo condición de anonimato por la sensibilidad del tema. Dijo que Treviño, de 40 años, corrió entre los matorrales de esa zona desértica donde fue detenida la camioneta “Ford Super Duty” modelo 2013, color gris plata, en la que viajaba el líder del grupo criminal.\ Añadió que el presunto capo se cayó en al menos una ocasión y sufrió varios rasguños al correr entre los matorrales, pero que finalmente
fue capturado sin que se hubiese hecho un solo disparo. El gobierno mexicano ha informado que la captura se realizó en un camino rural a unos 27 kilómetros al suroeste de Nuevo Laredo, México, su ciudad natal. A Treviño y sus presuntos cómplices se les decomisaron dos millones de dólares en efectivo, ocho armas largas y unos 500 cartuchos útiles y de diversos calibres. El funcionario federal también dijo el miércoles a la AP que en las últimas semanas el “Z 40” había asumido un bajo perfil que incluía transportarse durante las madrugadas a través de caminos de terracería y con la menor cantidad de gente a su alrededor. El gobierno actual del presidente Enrique Peña Nieto sólo divulgó un video que mostraba a Treviño sin esposas, mientras caminaba por las instalaciones de la Procuraduría. El titular de esta entidad, Jesús Murillo, dijo el miércoles en Radio Fórmula que Treviño no estaba esposado “porque estaba perfectamente vigilado”. Comentó que el gobierno decidió “ser muy respetuosos de los derechos de cada quien, cuando no hay necesidad o riesgo” de que alguien se fugue.
Treviño era buscado también por las autoridades de Estados Unidos, que ofrecían una recompensa de hasta cinco millones de dólares por información que llevara a su captura. El vocero del gobierno federal en materia de seguridad, Eduardo Sánchez dijo el miércoles que hasta ahora no se tenía información sobre si Estados Unidos ha solicitado la extradición del presunto criminal, aunque dijo que en caso de que lo hiciera, Treviño deberá enfrentar primero los cargos que le endilga la justicia mexicana. Algunos en México han expresado su esperanza, no sin cierta cautela, de que el país pueda finalmente emerger de seis años de violencia del narcotráfico que ha dejado más de 70.000 asesinados desde 2006 y una cantidad indeterminada de personas desaparecidas. “Yo creo que es una captura muy importante, que puede marcar la diferencia”, dijo a la AP Samuel González, ex fiscal antidrogas de México. “Esos (Los Zetas) son los inventores de todo el proceso de violencia y decapitaciones, los colgamientos en puentes. A pesar de eso, el hecho de que unos de los más violentos líderes cae, demues-
TEXAS
tra que no importa que usaron esa metodología, de todas maneras están siendo procesados”. El procurador Murillo consideró la captura de Treviño “va a darnos una pausa en la violencia” y que incluso se “reducirá la violencia”. En la localidad norteña de Monterrey, la tercera ciudad más grande del país y donde Los Zetas han tenido una violenta presencia en los últimos años, un grupo de líderes empresariales locales se quejaron de que el gobierno de Estados Unidos mantenga la emisión de alertas de viaje que, dijeron, hacen daño a la economía. En rueda de prensa, los empresarios aseguraron que la violencia ha bajado en Monterrey, capital de Nuevo León. Estados Unidos emitió una alerta este mes que pedía a sus ciudadanos tomar precauciones si querían viajar a Nuevo León. “Instamos a los representantes del gobierno norteamericano (estadounidense) a reconsiderar el sentido de su comunicación, pues impacta negativamente al desarrollo económico y la tranquilidad social del estado de Nuevo León”, dijo Alberto Fernández, presidente de la Confederación Patronal estatal.
TAMAULIPAS
Perry firma ley que México: Rescatan a 81 restringe aborto migrantes secuestrados POR WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — El gobernador de Texas Rick Perry firmó el jueves una nueva ley de aborto con amplias restricciones que podrían provocar el cierre de muchas clínicas en el estado. Más de un centenar de legisladores republicanos participaron en la ceremonia de suscripción mientras un pequeño grupo de manifestantes que vestían de luto PERRY protestaba fuera del local y portaba un cartel que decía “Vergüenza”. La ley ha provocado protestas durante semanas en el Capitolio estatal. La nueva ley prohíbe los abortos después de la 20ma semana de embarazo y regula cuándo se deben tomar los medicamentos que inducen al aborto. Pero asimismo obliga a que los médicos de las clínicas de aborto tengan privilegios de admisión en los hospitales y restringe la práctica del aborto a los centros quirúrgicos. Actualmente, sólo cinco de las 42 clínicas de aborto que operan en Texas cumplen con los requisitos de la nueva ley. La ley entrará en vigencia en octubre y las clínicas tie-
nen un año para mejorar sus instalaciones o de lo contrario deberán cerrar. Perry destacó que la nueva ley “se basa en nuestro compromiso de proteger la vida en el estado de Texas”. El gobernador y otros políticos republicanos del estado dieron prioridad a la aprobación de la ley, en parte con el objeto de complacer a sus simpatizantes antes de las elecciones primarias de su partido en marzo. El mes pasado no lograron aprobar la ley en el último día de una sesión legislativa especial debido a una prolongada obstrucción de un senador demócrata y una acalorada multitud. Pero lograron su cometido la semana pasada después que Perry convocó a una segunda sesión extraordinaria a fin de que se aprobara la nueva ley. Quienes están a favor de la ley alegan que garantizará un cuidado de salud de alto nivel a las mujeres y a los fetos, pero sus detractores opinan que su exceso de regulación tiene la intención de obstaculizar que se obtengan abortos. Los jueces federales han bloqueado medidas similares en otros estados, cuestionando su constitucionalidad. Se prevé que los opositores entablarán demandas judiciales similares en Texas ahora que Perry ha suscrito la ley.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MÉXICO — Fuerzas de seguridad de México rescataron a 81 migrantes que fueron secuestrados por un grupo criminal, informó el miércoles el gobierno del estado norteño de Tamaulipas. Las víctimas estuvieron en cautiverio varios días en una casa de dos pisos en la ciudad de Reynosa, que comparte frontera con McAllen, Texas. De las 81 personas, 39 eran de Honduras, 38 de Guatemala, tres de El Salvador y una era mexicana. Llegaron a la ciudad fronteriza con intenciones de cruzar sin autorización legal a Estados Unidos. El grupo de migrantes, que incluía mujeres, fue hallado gracias a una llamada telefónica de un testigo, según
Los secuestradores huyeron en el momento del rescate. un comunicado del gobierno de Tamaulipas. Los secuestradores huyeron en el momento del rescate. Los cárteles del narcotráfico secuestran con frecuencia a migrantes en el noreste de México para obtener dinero de familiares que pagan por el rescate, o para reclutarlos para sus organizaciones. El cártel de los Zetas fue señalado como responsable de la muerte de 72 migrantes en el norte del país en 2010.
RECUERDOS ESCOLARES
Foto de cortesía/Juan Hinojosa | La Del Miernes
Celebrando los 25 años de egresados de la Secundaria Federal Presidente Adolfo Ruiz Cortinez de Ciudad Mier, México, se observa a la Generación 1967-1970, en esta imagen de diciembre de 1995. La fotografía fue tomada en los jardines de la misma escuela. Junto al grupo se encuentran, en los extremos de pie, los maestros Enrique Maldonado Quintanilla y Ramón Hinojosa Ramos.
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
JOSE GUADALUPE TREVIÑO AUG. 19, 1984 — JULY 15, 2013 Jose G. Treviño, 28, passed away Monday, July 15, 2013, at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo. Jose Guadalupe is survived by his wife, Claudia L. Arroyo; sons, Jose G. Treviño, Damian Treviño and Jhaiden J. Treviño; daughter, Ixel A. Treviño; father, Jesus M. Treviño; mother, Elvira Treviño; brother, Jesus M. (Paulita) Treviño; sister, Diana P. (Juan E.) Ubalde; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends and other family members. Visitation hours were Thursday, July 18, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a wake at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. A chapel service was held Friday, July 19, 2013, at 10 a.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Jesus Mario Treviño, Jesus Mario Treviño Jr., Jesus Gonzalez Jr., Juan Eloy
Ubalde, Martin Arredondo Jr., David Arredondo, Martin Arredondo Sr., Gaby Alaniz and Alex Alaniz. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 N. U.S. Hwy. 83, Zapata.
EMELIA P. CANALES Emelia P. Canales, 86, passed away Saturday, July 13, 2013, in Austin, where she has been living with her daughter for the past four years after leaving her home in San Ygnacio. Mrs. Canales was born on May 23, 1927, in Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She was the fifth child of 10 children born to Trinidad and Irene Perez. Emelia spent her childhood and youth in Los Cerritos, Nuevo Leon. She married Arturo Canales on May 8, 1954, and they made their home in San Ygnacio. The couple was blessed with two children, Maria Eyna and Arturo Jr. She was a loving mother and spent her time caring for her children. However, she also worked in agriculture in the early years of her marriage. It is impossible to encapsulate a life; it is especially difficult to do so for a woman who served and loved others as her mission in life. Mrs. Canales was preceded in death by her husband, Arturo Canales; brothers, Amador Perez (Gloria) and Manuel (Francisca) Perez; sister, Alicia P. (Reynaldo+) Barrera; and her parents, Trinidad and Irene V. Perez. She is survived by her daughter, Maria Eyna (Juan) Zarate, and her son, Arturo Jr. (Stacey) Canales; grandchildren, Xavier (Elizabeth) Zarate, Erik Zarate, Taylor (Courtney) Emmons and Travis Emmons; one great
granddaughter, Isabella Emelia Emmons; four sisters, María de Jesús (Heriberto+) Díaz, Ofilia (Porfirio+) Gutiérrez, Oralia (Oscar) Vela and Ludivina (José Santos) Cadena; two brothers, Romeo (Teresa+) Pérez and José Trinidad (Araceli) Pérez; and numerous nephews, nieces and friends. Visitation hours were Monday, July 15, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 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 N. U.S. Hwy. 83, Zapata.
ROADS need to shuffle existing revenues. Under House Joint Resolution 2, the state would divert $800 million a year in oil and gas taxes paid by drilling companies from the Rainy Day Fund and instead send it to the Available School Fund. About $800 million in gasoline taxes, paid by consumers at the pump, would no longer go to public schools but to transportation, as originally intended. “When we go to the tax pump, not all of the taxes we pay for gas tax goes to roads ... what we are saying is that all of the gas tax should go to roads,” said Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, and author of the resolution. Tea party members, though, op-
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pose the measure because they worry about what happens when oil and gas revenues drop off. They want to set a bare minimum for the Rainy Day Fund and look for a long-term solution to paying for roads. “You need to have at least $2.2 billion of (oil and gas) revenue before one penny will go into the Rainy Day Fund,” Plano Republican Rep. Van Taylor said of the plan. “We are taking about a very volatile revenue stream ... we’re jeopardizing any revenue going into the Rainy Day Fund.” Democrats also sought assurances that public schools would not see cuts as a result of the shift. Pickett said education was protect-
ABORTION Perry and other top Republican leaders made passing the law a top priority, in part to please the most conservative wing of the party before the primary election in March. But it touched off weeks of protests that saw thousands of activists on both sides of the issue descend on the Texas Capitol in an outpouring of activism unseen in at least 20 years. After the regular legislative session ended May 27, Perry added passing the abortion measure to lawmakers’ agenda for a 30-day special session. But on the last day to pass bills, Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis staged a more than 12-hour, one-woman filibuster hoping to talk past a midnight deadline and kill the legislation. Republicans used parliamentary objections to silence Davis, but just before midnight hundreds of bill opponents in the Senate gallery screamed and cheered so loudly that all work stopped on the Senate floor below until it was too late. It launched Davis into an overnight political sensation. But Perry called lawmakers back for a second special session — setting up the bill’s final approval last week.
The medical school plans to admit its first students in 2016. The doors of the new university are projected to open in 2015, and the first diplomas emblazoned with the name of the institution are expected to be handed out that December. Students currently enrolled in either UT-Brownsville or UT-Pan American will be automatically admitted. The initial student population is projected to be around 28,000, and UT System Board Chairman Gene Powell predicted that “in a few short years,” it would grow to be among the state’s largest universities and the country’s largest Hispanic-serving institution. The new institution will be eligible for money from the Permanent University Fund, one of the largest higher-education endowments in the country. Only certain universities in the UT System and Texas A&M University System have access to the fund, and historically UT’s institutions in the Valley have been excluded. In a board of regents meeting last week, the regents dedicated PUF money to the region for the first time to help lay the groundwork for a campus expansion in Brownsville. In that same meeting,
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“When Governor Perry signed the bill, he signaled a clear break with Texas families,” Davis said in a statement Thursday. She said Perry and his party’s elected officials “have now taken sides and chosen narrow partisan special interests over mothers, daughters, sisters and every Texan who puts the health of their family, the well-being of their neighbors, and the future of Texas ahead of politics and personal ambitions.” The signing ceremony was moved from Perry’s office on the second floor of the Capitol to a basement auditorium, surrounded by dozens of state troopers who, tightly controlled, entered and braced for potentially hundreds of activists. Instead, only about two dozen showed up, clutching coat-hangers and signs that read “My Body, My Choice” and “Shame!” Perry drew applause for warmly greeting and shaking hands with Dem. Sen. Eddie Lucio of Brownsville, the only Senate Democrat who supported the bill. As the governor and other lawmakers spoke, protesters repeatedly chanted “Shame!” loud enough to be heard. Once the bill was signed, they
UNIVERSITY
ed by the proposed constitutional amendment, and he rejected setting a minimum balance for the Rainy Day Fund until lawmakers could take a closer look at what that number should be. Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Lewisville, said he’s been assured that the Senate will not pass out a bill that does not have a floor in it. That chamber takes up the matter Friday. The Rainy Day Fund is set out in the Texas Constitution, so any attempts to change it must be made with an amendment. A two-thirds majority is required to move an amendment out of the Legislature and a simple majority of voters is needed to ratify it.
hooted and then sang Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It!” Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who oversees the state Senate, blamed “intentional chaos created by the radical left” for the bill not passing sooner. That was a common sentiment among supporters. The Catholic Association said in a statement: “Rick Perry is a brave man for standing up to the mob tactics of the abortion lobby and has earned the respect of prolife women and men across the country.” Republican Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, who sponsored the bill in the Texas House and mistakenly suggested during debate that emergency room rape kits could be used to terminate pregnancies, said: “It really was the hand of God” and prayer that helped make the signing possible. Laubenberg told Perry, who announced last week that he wouldn’t seek a fourth full term as governor next year, that: “Your eternal legacy will be as a defender of life.” Sen. Glenn Hegar, a Katy Republican who sponsored the bill in the Senate, called it “a very proud day in Texas history.”
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they approved a list of broad guiding principles for the new university. An example: “Become a global leader in higher education, health education, bio-medical research, emerging technology and preparing students to be lifelong learners.” “It’s one thing to have the vision,” Perry said in Edinburg, signaling to the lawmakers and administrators on stage with him. “It’s also another thing to help that vision along with the money, and these individuals understood that.” The new university also stands to benefit significantly from a bill that would issue tuition revenue bonds for campus construction projects. Such a bill did not make it through the legislative process, despite broad support, in the regular session. Despite requests from lawmakers to add the issue to the special session call so that they can pass it, Perry has yet to do so. “Once we get the transportation issue addressed and finalized,” Perry told reporters when asked if he might add TRBs, “then we can have a conversation about whether or not there are any other issues that we have the time and inclina-
tion to put on the call.” State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who attended the events and has been pushing for a TRB bill for the last three regular sessions, was encouraged after his remarks. “It left the door open,” she said, “so I am very cautiously optimistic that he will add TRBs to the call if the three bills are passed.” She noted that there is precedent: Perry added TRBs to a special session in 2006 — the last time the Legislature funded campus construction projects — after his priority agenda items were passed. Whether that happens or not, the Valley is preparing for significant returns on the investment in the new university. Perry said the region had the potential to become the “epicenter for growth in America.” UT-Pan American student government president Aaron Barreiro acknowledged that there were tough decisions still to be made as the two institutions merge, but encouraged his fellow students not to get too worked up over them. He said of the new university, whatever its name ends up, “It’s going to bring to us hope and a positive mind-set.”
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
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Sports&Outdoors MLB: TEXAS RANGERS
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Youth movement File photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Texas starting pitcher Yu Darvish (8-4) is the Major League’s strikeout leader halfway through the season with 157.
Texas looking to upgrade Rangers looking up at first after All-Star break By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Gus Ruelas | AP
Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne is hoping to continue to improve after being selected with Dallas’ first round pick last season.
Dallas to look to six young players in 2013 By TOM ORSBORN SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
OXNARD, Calif. — With Jerry Jones hiring 73-year-old Monte Kiffin to run the Cowboys’ defense, age was a hot topic for a while this offseason in Dallas. But while studying the weathered mug of the legendary Cover 2 guru, many forgot the team’s fortunes this season could hinge on six starters who weren’t even alive when Kiffin
entered the NFL in 1983 as linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers. If Dallas is going to snap its threeyear playoff drought, wide receiver Dez Bryant, 24, linebacker Bruce Carter, 25, cornerback Morris Claiborne, 23, linebacker Sean Lee, 26, running back DeMarco Murray, 25, and left tackle Tyron Smith, 22, must fulfill the promise that led the team to use either first-, second- or thirdround picks on them between 20102012.
No less an authority than NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt, the Cowboys’ personnel director during the Tom Landry era, believes this is the year the group steps to the fore. “I really think they’ve turned the thing around and I’ve been bullish on them all this year,” Brandt said of the Cowboys. “They’ve had some good drafts and they do have some good young players. They’ve en-
Tito Vilanova leaves after recurrence of throat cancer BARCELONA, Spain — Tito Vilanova is stepping down as Barcelona’s coach following a recurrence of throat cancer, just a month before Lionel Messi and his teammates begin the defense of their Spanish league title. Club president Sandro Rosell told a hurriedly called news conference at Barcelona’s training facility on Friday that Vilanova will “follow a treatment” that will be “incompatible” with staying on as coach. Rosell said that a new head coach would be named next week and that Barcelona was canceling its first friendly of the preseason, scheduled to be played in Poland on Saturday against Lechia Gdansk. Spanish media was rife with speculation that littleknown Joan “Rubi” Ferrer would replace Vilanova. Ferrer was hired on June 28 as Barcelona’s new assistant coach after his
strong season with Catalan club Girona in the second division. In Vilanova’s single season in charge he led Barcelona to the Spanish league title with a record-tying point 100 points. In doing so, he played his part in denying Real Madrid a major trophy and the exit of counterpart Jose Mourinho, the man who originally made Vilanova famous for poking him in the eye during a scuffle between the two heated rivals. The 44-year-old Vilanova had twice previously been obliged to take a medical break from his duties at Barcelona, once as Pep Guardiola’s assistant in the 2011-12 season and again as its manager last season. The quiet-spoken coach had battled the recurrent tumor in a saliva gland and had returned to work on both occasions. As recently as April, Vilanova said that he felt fine and “had never thought
See VILANOVA PAGE 2B
MLB: HOUSTON ASTROS
File photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Barcelona coach steps down ASSOCIATED PRESS
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See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
LA LIGA: FC BARCELONA
By JOSEPH WILSON
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers are coming out of the All-Star break chasing for the first time in four seasons. While the Rangers expect a boost from the return of several injured players in the next week, general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday that he would like to upgrade the team. Asked if that meant trying to add a starting pitcher or right-handed bat before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, Daniels said those were possibilities though he didn’t discuss specifics.
Houston manager Bo Porter and the last place Astros are on pace to finish with the worst record in the MLB for the third straight season.
Last place Astros optimistic Houston looking at positives despite being 33-61 By KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
File photo by Manu Fernandez | AP
Barcelona’s coach Tito Vilanova has stepped down after a recurrence of throat cancer.
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros have finished last in the majors the past two seasons and are showing every sign of doing it again. With a 33-61 record, the Astros are well on their way to joining the 1962-65 New York Mets as the only teams with 106 or more losses in three consecutive seasons, according to STATS. Houston lost 106 games in 2011 and a franchiseworst 107 last year. The negatives at the All-Star break, including the team’s 69 errors and 863 strikeouts — both tops in the majors — are undeniable. But those dreadful statistics don’t tell the entire story of a young team focused on rebuilding from within. The first half of this season has given the Astros plenty of reason to be optimistic that their long-term plan will work just fine.
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Zscores
VILANOVA Continued from Page 1B about quitting” the job of coach that he called “his life.” But at that point his doctors had encouraged him to continue working. Now, that has apparently changed. “This is a piece of news I would have never in my life wanted to give,” Rosell told a packed media room including Barcelona’s first team with Messi and captain Carles Puyol. “After evaluating the results of the routine tests and checkups for Tito Vilanova, the option arose of following a treatment that will be incompatible with the development of the responsibilities as the coach of the first team,” Rosell said. Vilanova was not in attendance. He first fell ill in Nov. 2011 and had to have surgery. He then had a second tumor removed last December and traveled to New York several times to receive further treatment. In his absence last season, assistant Jordi Roura took over to mixed results in the Champions League before Bayern Munich crushed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the semifinals — with Vilanova back on the touchline. First as Guardiola’s assistant, Vilanova provided the tactical know-how that helped his boss forge one of the best teams in the history of the sport — winning 14 of a possible 19 titles from 20082012, including two Champions League trophies. As a young player, Vilanova spent six years at Barcelona’s training academy — from 1984-90 — but never made it to the topflight team, going on to play for clubs such as Celta Vigo and Mallorca before his playing career was cut short by a serious knee injury. That injury led Vilanova into coaching and to Barcelona’s cadets, tutoring current first-team players Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique. Vilanova moved on from Barcelona to work as sport director at third division club Terrassa before answering Guardiola’s call to help him take Barca B up from the third division in 2007-08. Barcelona is set to play Bayern, Guardiola’s new club, in a friendly on Wednesday. “This is a very hard blow, but we have bounced back from others,” Rosell said. “You must think about the individuals first and ... the club second.”
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B hanced their coaching staff and they have created competition at several positions. They just have done a good job of adding to their roster.” To get a glimpse of what Dallas could be like with all six youngsters clicking on all cylinders, consider what happened late last season when just one of them was dominant. En route to a breakout 92-catch, 1,382-yard, seventouchdown season, Bryant enjoyed a seven-game TD streak through Week 16, a sensational run in which the Cowboys were 5-2. Now just imagine what it would be like if Carter, Lee and Murray had been playing at a similar high level during that spree instead of either standing on the sideline nursing injuries or playing at less than full speed. The three missed a combined 21 games in 2012, a big reason why Dallas finished 8-8 for a second straight season. “I’ve said from the beginning, the best way we can improve upon our team from last year is keep guys healthy,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told a Dallas radio station in the offseason. “..... If we can really do a better job there, I like our chances of making some significant improvements on 8-8.” But it can’t end with Bryant, Lee, Carter and Murray. Dallas also needs Smith and Claiborne to play the way scouts thought they would when the Cowboys selected them ninth and sixth overall in 2011 and 2012. Smith had a strong second half last season, but a lot more is expected from a player who told reporters the day after he was drafted, “I have the potential to be a Pro Bowler and a Hall of Famer.” Maybe he’ll be inspired by watching Larry Allen, the greatest offensive lineman in franchise history, enter the
ASTROS Continued from Page 1B First-year manager Bo Porter, who at 41 is the youngest skipper in the big leagues, has been impressed by the attitude of his team as it navigates its first season in the American League. “What I like about our ballclub is its resilience,” Porter said. “We’ve had some ups and downs where we’ve played well and did not win games. We’ve had downs where our starting pitching just went awry. But one thing I give these guys credit, I give the staff credit, the entire organization, is everybody stayed positive. They come to the ballpark each and every day ready to fight the next day and put out maximum effort. The preparation has always been there.” Perhaps the most promising development has been the emergence of catcher Jason Castro. A first-round pick in 2008, Castro missed all of 2011 and half of last season after tearing the ACL in his right knee in spring training. Castro was Houston’s representative at this year’s All-Star game after hitting .270 with 12 homers, 31 RBIs and 25 doubles. He was surprised that it took him so long to feel normal after his injury. He began to improve late last season, but said this year his health and confidence are back to where they were before the injury. “Now I’m at the point where it’s like it never really happened,” he said. “I don’t really think about it, so I’m really happy.” The Astros are encouraged by his offensive production, but they love the effect he’s had on Houston’s young pitching staff. “I think he’s helped a lot,” Porter said. “He’s one of the hardest-working guys on the team. He does a great job of understanding our pitchers and how they can use their repertoire and their pitch selection to attack the hitters.” Though only 26, Castro has become a leader and likes the team improvement he’s seen so far. “I’ve seen a pretty big change even from earlier in the season just from the type of baseball we’re playing,” he said. “Our pitching has really come a long way and some of the younger guys on the staff
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have really matured and learned. The offense has done a good job. We’re in a lot of the games that we don’t win, so that’s an encouraging sign. I’m excited to see where we’re headed.” The Astros have also been helped this season by the continued solid play of second baseman Jose Altuve. This team, with the lowest payroll in baseball, made an investment in its future when it signed him to a four-year contract extension through 2017. The 23-year-old was an All-Star in 2012. He is hitting .280 with 15 doubles, three homers and 28 RBIs this season. Another positive for the Astros has been the contribution of slugger Chris Carter, who is in his first full season in the majors. The 26-year-old, who was acquired in a trade with Oakland, leads the team with 18 homers and 47 RBIs. Though his power is undeniable, the Astros are hoping his plate discipline will continue to improve so he can boost his .229 average. His 123 strikeouts are tied for most in the majors, but he’s improved after working with hitting coach John Mallee. “He got a little more attack in his stride and he’s lining up to the ball out over the plate much better and consequently he’s able to put some of those balls into play and start to stay through those balls and drive the ball better,” Mallee said. “He’s made some pretty good adjustments in his swing from the beginning of the season.” A recent bright spot for the Astros has been the turnaround of first baseman Brett Wallace. Wallace started for the Astros on opening day, but went 1 for 24 with 17 strikeouts and a .042 batting average and was sent to the minors in mid-April. He returned just before the break and hit .353 with three homers and eight RBIs in 11 games. The Astros were also encouraged by pitcher Jarred Cosart’s major league debut last week against Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and got the win, allowing just two hits and no runs in eightplus innings. He was optioned to Triple-A after the game, but is likely to return later this season.
Photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant had a breakout season in 2012 for the Cowboys.
Hall of Fame next month. In Allen’s second year, he was already a Pro Bowl player. Then there’s Claiborne. While he showed flashes last season of justifying Dallas making him the first defender selected in the 2012 draft, he often was outmuscled by physical wideouts and burned in
man coverage. The good news for the Cowboys: Claiborne is stronger this season. “You can tell by looking at him,” Bryant said. “He is real tough. That’s what I love. He is adding an element to his game, that is, being more physical.
“He already has the eye for the ball. He has the hands of a receiver. He is just putting pieces together to be one of the best in the league.” If Claiborne and Co. can reach that lofty level, the Cowboys will have a great shot at finally getting back into the playoffs.
RANGERS Continued from Page 1B
File photo by Michael Dwyer | AP
The Rangers will hope to get a boost from Alexi Ogando, who has been on the disabled list for much of the season.
“Our goal is a lot bigger than just being in a good position,” said Daniels, adding that the Rangers are initiating most of the calls being made. “You could really go both ways, and we’re having active conversations on both fronts. I don’t know sitting here right now exactly where it’s going to head.” Among the potential targets for the Rangers (54-41), who trail Oakland by two games in the AL West, could be Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Garza and White Sox outfielder Alex Rios, among others. Utility player Jeff Baker, who has been outstanding against left-handers, and speedy outfielder Craig Gentry are both expected to be activated from the disabled list before Friday night’s game against Baltimore. Yu Darvish threw a bullpen session Thursday and will like start against the New York Yankees on Monday night. Alexi Ogando could return the next night. “We’re going to activate two right-handed hitters (Friday) and then hopefully activate two starting pitchers next week,” Daniels said. “So that will go a long way toward bringing us back to where we want to be.” There are 67 games left in the regular season. Not in first place out of the break for the first time since 2009, when they last missed the playoffs before consecutive World Series appearances, here are some things to watch for the Rangers: HURTING HURLERS Of the majors-high 10 players the Rangers have on the disabled list, six are starting pitchers. All-Star right-hander Yu Darvish (8-4), the major league strikeout leader with 157, is expected back Monday night after what in essence was only one missed start because of a right trapezius strain. Alexi Ogando is on the DL for the second time this season. But opening day starter Matt Harrison made only two starts in April before surgery twice on a herniated disk in his lower back, and Colby Lewis is still rehabbing from surgery last July to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow. Nick Tepesch, one of three rookies who have made a combined 39 starts for Texas, is also on the disabled list. The Rangers still have a 3.73 team ERA, second-best in the Amer-
ican League. NEEDING NELLIE All-Star right-fielder Nelson Cruz leads the Rangers with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs. It seems more likely now that the slugger eligible for free agency this offseason will be able to remain in the Texas lineup all season. Cruz is among more than a dozen MLB players under investigation for ties to Biogenesis, a closed anti-aging clinic in Florida linked with the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs. The baseball players’ association said this week that any suspensions resulting from the sport’s latest drug investigation likely won’t be served until next year if the discipline is challenged before an arbitrator. MANNY BEING A RANGER Manny Ramirez signed a minor league deal with Texas earlier this month, cut his long dreadlocks and hit three home runs in his first eight games for Triple-A Round Rock. Could the 41-year-old Ramirez, a 12-time All-Star and .312 lifetime hitter with 555 career home runs, be an option down the stretch? General manager Jon Daniels said it’s still premature to say. Since Ramirez hasn’t played in the majors since April 2011 with Tampa Bay, the Rangers want him to keep getting at-bats in the minors for now. “From a clubhouse perspective and a teammate, it’s been very positive reports,” Daniels said. “We knew when we signed him we were going to give him a few weeks minimum to really let him settle in, and make an evaluation, see where he is and if there’s a spot here and whether he can help us. Those are still two things we are evaluating. ’’ WINNING WASH Before getting hired by the Texas Rangers seven years ago, longtime Oakland third-base coach Ron Washington’s only managerial experience was two seasons for a Class A South Atlantic League team two decades ago. Now he needs only eight more wins to overtake Bobby Valentine for the most by a Rangers manager. Washington has a 574-493 record in regular season games, and took Texas to its only World Series appearances (2010 and 2011). Only Valentine has managed more Texas games (1,186 from 1985-92).
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE SKUNK SMELL BREWING? TRY COFFEE Dear Heloise: I read your DE-SKUNKING RECIPE and had to chuckle about it because I had a beautiful little female Irish setter who one night met a skunk and lost! I put her in a tub of warm water and dumped in a whole jar of instant coffee. The coffee neutralized the skunk smell. I know it sounds weird, but it does work. When she was done, she smelled like brewed coffee. — Nick F. in Colorado Glad this worked for you. Here is my tried-and-true Heloise skunk-neutralizing formula: 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide 1 cup baking soda 1 teaspoon mild dishwashing or laundry detergent (check label to be sure it does NOT contain bleach or ammonia) Mix ingredients together. Rub this mixture through the dog’s fur, being sure to cover all areas. Don’t get it into your dog’s ears or eyes. Let sit for a few minutes,
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HELOISE
and then rinse the mixture completely out of the fur. You probably want to do this outside so that the house is not left a mess! If the odor remains, a second washing may be necessary. Isn’t baking soda wonderful? It has a multitude of uses that can help you save money around the house. I have compiled a six-page pamphlet filled with great ways to use baking soda. For a copy, just send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (66 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Has your box of baking soda been sitting in the pantry for a while? Here is how to check if it is still good: Pour a little bit of vinegar in a bowl. Next, add a spoonful of baking soda. If this mixture bubbles up, then the baking soda is still good to go! — Heloise
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013