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FEDERAL COURT
2 found guilty Jury: Local men part of cocaine case By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES Courtesy photo/Webb County Sheriff’s Office
Pictured is $999,465 seized May 21, 2009. The money load was coordinated by a Laredo man found guilty on cocaine conspiracy and money laundering charges Tuesday evening in federal court.
LAREDO — Three drug and money laundering co-conspirators were found guilty in federal court Tuesday evening following
about five hours of deliberation after a seven-day trial. Enrique Mendez, owner of KCM Transportation in Laredo, and Carlos Javier Flores Sr. and Carlos Javier Flores Jr., both from Zapata, were involved in the
transportation of loads of cocaine to Atlanta, Ga., and returning the drug proceeds to Laredo and then Mexico. They are set to be sentenced
See FEDERAL COURT PAGE 11A
FEATURE
Faith helps cancer survivor
WORLD WAR II’S PLOESTI RAID
RELIVING FIERY TERROR
Local woman helps others endure having the disease and treatment By MALENA CHARUR THE ZAPATA TIMES
(This is part one of a two-part series. Part two will run next week.) “You have colon cancer and you have to stay positive,” were the words Gloria Rodriguez heard her doctor say that left her shocked after being diagnosed with this disease in 2004. Rodriguez is a cancer survivor. Born in Laredo, she moved to Zapata as a child. LatRODRÍGUEZ er she returned to Laredo as a married woman and started a family. Her children Eddie, Naomi and Luis, plus her grandchildren, are her reason for living. “When I retired in 2003 I returned to Zapata and there I received the diagnosis,” Rodriguez said. It was a different type of pain that prompted her to seek medical attention. “After they told me the news I prayed to God. I put myself in his hands and asked him what do I have to do? I had to educate myself, find out what to expect from the treatment, know what’s going on in my body. But I did not forget fear,” Rodriguez said, who underwent surgery just two weeks after being diagnosed and afterwards aggressive chemotherapy in hope her cancer did not reappear.
Photo by Al Behrman | AP
World War II veterans, left to right, Jim McClain, William Newbold and Bob Rans view a B-24 bomber like the ones they flew on the Ploesti Raid while touring the United States Air Force Museum on Wednesday, in Dayton, Ohio. The men flew a dangerous low altitude raid on Aug. 1, 1943, targeting heavily defended oil fields in German-occupied Romania.
Raiders of ‘Hitler’s gas station’ reunite in Ohio By DAN SEWELL ASSOCIATED PRESS
CINCINNATI — All these years later, some surviving veterans still think the raid on “Hitler’s gas station” was a great plan. However, not all worked out as expected, and the result was a fierce World War II battle marked
Prayer, the Bible In an act of faith, Rodriguez found the answer she was expecting. In a moment of anguish and praying to God she heard a voice say, “I have chosen.” Later that same day when she opened her Bible she saw a verse from the Gospel of St. John which stated, “But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” “My sister told me about an event in which cancer survivors were invited to participate,” Rodriguez said, in explaining how she became involved with the American Cancer Society, a non-profit association dedicated to the prevention and early detection of cancer. The organization encourages research and promotes public policies that promote the fight against cancer. Rodriguez thought at the time she
See SURVIVOR PAGE 11A
by bravery and sacrifice. The 70th anniversary Ploesti Raid reunion this week at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force commemorates an Aug. 1, 1943, assault by waves of B-24 bombers on oil refineries in Romania that provided much of the fuel for the Nazi
war machine. Five Medals of Honor were among the many awards given for what U.S. military histories call the most decorated action of the war. One of the five was from Corpus Christi. U.S. commanders “emphasized the importance of completing the mission; in their
estimate, it would shorten the war in Europe by six months,” Dale Hulsey, 91, of Fort Worth, Texas, recalled Wednesday, after reunion participants viewed a restored B-24 at the museum near Dayton. “They tried to knock the thing out in one mission, but every-
thing went wrong,” said Bob Rans, a Chicago native who lives near Tampa at age 92, with vivid memories of being bathed in gasoline as a wall of flame roared toward him. The raid inflicted heavy but not devastating damage, and nearly
See PLOESTI PAGE 11A
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies seize pot near lake By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office deputies seized more than 700 pounds of marijuana Tuesday morning near the lake banks, authorities announced this week. Sgt. Mario Elizondo said the driver eluded authorities by running into the brushy area. People with information on the case are asked to call 765-990. Deputies said the case unraveled in the morning hours of Tuesday. Deputies stopped a 2001 Ford pickup
off of FM 496 near the corner of Oak Street and Howard Drive. But the driver managed to get away toward a brushy area, leaving behind 60 bundles of marijuana. The bundles were seized from the pickup. Elizondo said the marijuana had an estimated weight of 717 pounds and a street value of $322,000. Detectives are following leads in the case, Elizondo said. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Shown is some of the more than 700 pounds of marijuana seized by sheriff’s deputies Tuesday morning near the lake banks. People with information on the case are asked to call 765-990.
Courtesy photo
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, AUG. 3
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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.
Today is Saturday, Aug. 3, the 215th day of 2013. There are 150 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On August 3, 1863, the first thoroughbred horse races took place at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. On this date: In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on a voyage that took him to the present-day Americas. In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr went on trial before a federal court in Richmond, Va., charged with treason. (He was acquitted less than a month later.) In 1914, Germany declared war on France at the onset of World War I. In 1936, Jesse Owens of the United States won the first of his four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics as he took the 100-meter sprint. In 1943, Gen. George S. Patton slapped a private at an army hospital in Sicily, accusing him of cowardice. (Patton was later ordered by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower to apologize for this and a second, similar episode.) In 1949, the National Basketball Association was formed as a merger of the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League. In 1958, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus became the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater. In 1966, comedian Lenny Bruce, 40, was found dead in his Los Angeles home. In 1972, the U.S. Senate ratified the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union. (The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the treaty in 2002.) In 1981, U.S. air traffic controllers went on strike, despite a warning from President Ronald Reagan they would be fired, which they were. In 1988, the Soviet Union released Mathias Rust (muhTEE’-uhs rust), the young West German pilot who had landed a light plane near Moscow’s Red Square in May 1987. In 1993, the Senate voted 96-3 to confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ten years ago: The Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies further paved the way for the Rev. V. Gene Robinson to become the church’s first openly gay elected bishop, approving him on a 128-63 vote. Five years ago: Nobel Prizewinning Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn died near Moscow at age 89. One year ago: Michael Phelps rallied to win the 100-meter butterfly for his third gold of the London Games and No. 17 of his career. Today’s Birthdays: Author P.D. James is 93. Football Hallof-Fame coach Marv Levy is 88. Singer Tony Bennett is 87. Actor Martin Sheen is 73. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth is 73. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is 72. Singer Beverly Lee (The Shirelles) is 72. Rock musician B.B. Dickerson is 64. Movie director John Landis is 63. Actress JoMarie Payton is 63. Actor Jay North (“Dennis the Menace”) is 62. Hockey Hall-ofFamer Marcel Dionne is 62. Thought for Today: “The man who insists on seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides.” — Henri Frederic Amiel (ahnREE’ fred-deh-REEK’ ah-meeEL’), Swiss critic (1821-1881).
TUESDAY, AUG. 6 The Les Amis Birthday Club will host monthly luncheon at the Holiday Inn Civic Center. This month’s honorees are Maria Olivia Salinas, Hercilia Camina and Carmen Santos. Alzheimer’s support group. 7 p.m. Meeting Room 2, Building B, Laredo Medical Center. Call co-facilitator Melissa L. Guerra at 693-9991.
THURSDAY, AUG. 8 Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo County Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589. Lulac Council #12. 25th Annual Presentation of Scholarships. 7 p.m. Falcon International Bank, 7718 McPherson Rd. Each student will receive a $500 scholarship. Call Ed Bueno at 763-2214. South Texas Food Bank jail and bail. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Laredo Fire Fighters Union Hall, 5219 Tesoro Plaza. Local celebrities will be “locked up.” For “bail,” they must sell tickets for Empty Bowls VII concert at $10, $15 or $25. Call 324-2432.
FRIDAY, AUG. 9 Magic show for Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center patients and families. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Conference Room No. 2, 1220 N. Malinche Ave. Doors open 30 minutes prior. Snacks and drinks provided. RSVP by Wednesday, Aug. 7 with Ariana Mora/Maribel Cruz at 722-2431.
SATURDAY, AUG. 10 Holy Redeemer Church will be having a garage sale at 1602 Garcia St. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call Amparo Ugarte at 286-0862.
TUESDAY, AUG. 13 The Indispensable Assistant Workshop. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Room 101 of Laredo Community College’s De La Garza Building. Aimed at secretaries, administrative assistants and support staff, participants learn how to organize and plan for workdays. Early bird registration $149 per person. Regular registration (after July 31) $159 per person. AARP chapter 965 meeting. 2 p.m. Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Open to people over 50. Scheduled speaker is Congressman Henry Cuellar. Call club president Jorge Castillo at 286-6084.
THURSDAY, AUG. 15 Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo County Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589.
FRIDAY, AUG. 16 Fundamentals of Instructor Training class to become a certified American Red Cross Instructor in First Aid/ CPR/AED. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Location to be announced. Class is two-and-a-half days. CPR prerequisite. Cost $365, deposit $65 by July 31. Limited seating. Register with Randy Gonzalez, 7238401.
File photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
Texas Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott is welcomed by supporters during an appearance in Houston on July 15. At 26, Abbott lost the use of both legs when a 75-foot oak tree fell on him. Abbott has received more than $5 million so far from a lawsuit over the injury.
AG Abbott paid $5M By PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has received more than $5 million so far from a lawsuit over a felled tree in 1984 that left the Republican gubernatorial candidate paralyzed, according to long-guarded details of the settlement finally made public Friday. Abbott’s campaign released a copy of the 1986 settlement with a Houston property owner and a company that had inspected the oak tree before it crashed onto Abbott, who was then a 26-year-old law student out for a jog when the freak accident pinned him to the road and broke his back. He was paralyzed from the waist down and has used a wheelchair ever since. The settlement reveals that Abbott re-
ceives annually adjusted monthly payments for life that are currently worth about $14,400. He is also due 14 lump-sum payments through 2022 that total more than $4.2 million. If Abbott, 55, lives to see that final lumpsum payment, he will have received more than $9 million from the settlement. Spokesman Matt Hirsch said a copy of the seven-page agreement was made public because Abbott “wanted to end speculation and provide accurate details of his settlement.” He did not comment further; Abbott wasn’t available for an interview. The settlement was first obtained by The Texas Tribune. Abbott, whose salary as attorney general is $150,000, has been in public office since 1993 when he started his political career as a state district judge in Harris County.
Corruption trial moves toward jury deliberation
Human remains found in search for woman
Bond $1M for hospitalized suspect in slaying
McALLEN — The defense continues to call witnesses for the federal corruption trial of a former South Texas sheriff ’s deputy. Testimony continued on Friday in the drug trafficking conspiracy case against former Hidalgo County sheriff ’s deputy Jorge Garza. Garza is implicated in a scheme to steal and resell drugs.
COMANCHE — Authorities say they found human remains while searching for the body of a 34-year-old woman whose husband is charged in her death, but they were unable to confirm the remains were hers. Investigators said Thursday the remains were found on a property southeast of Rising Star. She was reported missing on July 24.
Company investigated as Ponzi scheme
28 indicted as part of drug trafficking ring
SAGINAW — Bond has been set at $1 million for a hospitalized teenager charged with killing a 6-year-old neighbor and wounding an officer. Tarrant County jail records Wednesday listed 17-year-old Tyler Holder as in custody while hospitalized. Holder was shot July 23 as officers served a capital murder warrant in the slaying of Alanna Gallagher. Her body was discovered July 1 wrapped in a tarp.
McALLEN — Federal authorities are investigating whether a government-sanctioned business that recruits foreign investors for a U.S. visa program is actually a Ponzi scheme. Search warrants filed indicate the FBI has been investigating USA Now Regional Center on suspicion of wire fraud, money laundering and transportation of stolen property.
BEAUMONT — More than two dozen people have been indicted for operating a drug distribution ring responsible for trafficking cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine in several states, including Texas. The defendants each face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison if convicted of one or more drug conspiracy charges.
Boy, 12, dies in ATV accident TROUT CREEK — A 12-yearold boy has died after falling off an all-terrain vehicle. The Texas Department of Public Safety says Tory Doniell Foster was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon at a hospital in Jasper. No charges were immediately filed. — Compiled from AP reports
SATURDAY, AUG. 17 The Back to School Kids Fishing Tournament will take place at Bravo Park Pond, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 23 The South Texas Food Bank’s Empty Bowls VII fundraiser starts at 6 p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena, 6700 Arena Blvd. The event will feature the band Starship and honor J.C. Martin III and James Pearl, trustees from the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust. Table sponsorships start at $1,500. Call 324-2432.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7 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.
Submit calendar items at lmtonline.com/calendar/submit or by emailing editorial@lmtonline.com with the event’s name, date and time, location and purpose and contact information for a representative. Items will run as space is available.
AROUND THE NATION NY woman denies alleged One Fund scam BOSTON — A New York woman accused of scamming almost half a million dollars from the Boston Marathon bombing victims fund pleaded not guilty Friday to larceny. Audrea Gause, 26, of Troy was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court and ordered held on $200,000 bail. Prosecutors said Gause got a $480,000 check from the One Fund after using faked medical records to claim she was treated at Boston Medical Center and Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y. Authorities got a tip she may not have been in Boston that day and the hospitals said they didn’t treat her.
Bus carrying deaf children overturns in Missouri DANVILLE, Mo. — A charter bus carrying students from the
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Copy Editor, Nick Georgiou ....................... 728-2565 Managing Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez........... 728-2543 Sports Editor, Adam Geigerman..................728-2578 Spanish Editor ........................................ 728-2569 Photo by Pete Kiehart/The Chronicle | AP
A group from the Electric Tour Company heads down Stow Lake Drive after circling the lake near Strawberry Hill on Wenesday in San Francisco, Calif.
Missouri School for the Deaf overturned along an interstate in Missouri on Friday, sending 15 children and three adults to a hospital but causing no lifethreatening injuries. The accident happened around 1:30 p.m. as the eastbound bus
was exiting Interstate 70 near Danville. The children, between ages 10 and 18, were treated in the emergency room at University Hospital in Columbia, along with the bus driver and two chaperones. — 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
Area
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
District seeks donations SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Zapata County ISD is giving a warm welcome to its employees for the new school year, and is asking the public to help them. ZCISD will be hosting its 2013 General Session on Monday, Aug. 21. About 600 employees will be in attendance. ZCISD is encouraging the public to donate materials, such as pens, pencils, dis-
count coupons, gift certificates, brochures and other items. If interested in making a donation, supplies may be delivered to the Curriculum Department at 17th and Carla Street, or call 765-6546 to make arrangements for pickup. For more information, contact Minerva Quintanilla at 765-5855, Mari Guzman at 765-6546 or Martha Rodriguez at 765-6546, ext. 2020.
Woman sent to prison By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — A woman who had lived in Zapata illegally for some time was sentenced to federal prison Friday morning in federal court in Laredo. U.S. District Judge George P. Kazen sentenced Maria Perez Hernandez, 47, of San Luis Potosi in Mexico, to nine months in federal prison followed by a one-
year supervised release. “I want to apologize for entering this country without a permit,” Perez Hernandez said through an interpreter. “If I came here without a permit, it’s because of my children.” Perez Hernandez is the mother of seven children. Four of them are U.S. citizens. She and her other children were in the process of legalizing their status in this country.
She was recently arrested after authorities received information regarding narcotics activity at a home in Zapata. Authorities seized $695 believed to be drug money and small pills. Hernandez did not face charges for that. Once completing her sentence, she faces deportation. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE BLOTTER Assault Isela Garcilazo, 28, was arrested and charged with assault, family violence at about 5:30 a.m. July 28 on Seventh and Miraflores streets. She released for future court appearance. Elizardo Paredes, 27, was arrested and charged with assault and possession of drug paraphernalia at about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday on Mesa Salinas Road, west of U.S. 83. He was fined $500.
while intoxicated at about 10:15 p.m. July 26 in the intersection of Fourth Street and Diaz Avenue. He had a $1,000 bond.
Lost wallet A lost wallet was reported at 9:50 a.m. July 24 in the 1000 block of Miraflores Street.
Possession
DWI
Javier Abel Gonzalez, 20, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at 10:22 p.m. July 25 in the vicinity of Fourth and Seventh streets and Zapata Avenue. He had a $1,500 bond. Juan Jose Hernandez, 30, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance at about 2:22 a.m. July 28 in the 100 block of Jackson Street. He had a $75,000 bond.
Javier R. Salinas, 25, was arrested and charged with driving
Public intoxication
Burglary A burglary of habitation was reported at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Eight Street and Texas 16. A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 3:53 p.m. July 27 in the 1800 block of First Street.
Derly Thatcher, 62, was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 9:15 p.m. July 28 in the 5200 block of Salvador Lane. He was released for future court appearance. Antonio Uvalle-Guzman, 36, was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 12:45 a.m. July 27 by Seventh Street and Zapata Avenue. He was released for future court appearance.
Terroristic threat A terroristic threat was reported at 10:59 a.m. July 24 in the 1700 block of Fresno Street.
Theft A 50-year-old man reported at 12:04 p.m. July 27 in Zapata that there were several barrel of oil missing. The stolen property added up to $21,000, according to sheriff’s officials.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
LCC off of probation By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — LCC endured a year of uncertainty as it corrected deficiencies in reports to a regional accrediting organization, which issued a probationary sanction against the college last year. Laredo Community College received word in June from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools that it was being removed from probation, and an official letter came in July. Now, with the probationary period over, one LCC trustee hopes to see periodic updates from the
college’s administration on compliance. Board member Jesse A. Porras asked LCC President Juan L. Maldonado in a meeting last week whether Maldonado and his staff could keep the board apprised, perhaps on a quarterly basis, on accreditation goings-on. “We can’t take our eye off the ball,” Porras said at the July 25 meeting. Cynthia Mares, LCC board president, said Porras would have the opportunity to add an item regarding periodic updates on accreditation compliance to the agenda of board’s next meeting late this month. Typically whenever a
trustee makes a request during a meeting, administration begins working on something for the next meeting, Mares said. Maldonado could not be reached Friday for comment. Mares said Porras’ suggestion was a great idea and would allow the board to be more proactive in its oversight. “We can always catch something and nip it in the bud as opposed to being confronted with a situation,” such as the one the college faced last summer when it learned of the sanction. “The more informed we are kept and updated, the (better) for all concerned.”
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
ASSOCIATED PRESS ANALYSIS
OTHER VIEWS
Not all are happy with changes By NICOLE WINFIELD ASSOCIATED PRESS
VATICAN CITY — The Francis Revolution is underway. Not everyone is pleased. Four months into his papacy, Francis has called on young Catholics in the trenches to take up spiritual arms to shake up a dusty, doctrinaire church that is losing faithful and relevance. He has said women must have a greater role — not as priests, but a place in the church that recognizes that Mary is more important than any of the apostles. And he has turned the Vatican upside down, quite possibly knocking the wind out of a poisonously homophobic culture by merely uttering the word “gay” and saying: so what? In between, he has charmed millions of faithful and the mainstream news media, drawing the second-largest crowd ever to a papal Mass. That should provide some insurance as he goes about doing what he was elected to do: reform not just the dysfunctional Vatican bureaucracy but the church itself, using his own persona and personal history as a model. “He is restoring credibility to Catholicism,” said church historian Alberto Melloni. Such enthusiasm isn’t shared across the board. Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, had coddled traditionalist Catholics attached to the old Latin Mass and opposed to the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council. That group greeted Francis’ election with concern — and now is watching its worst fears come true. His recent decision to forbid priests of a religious order from celebrating the old Latin Mass without explicit authorization seemed to be abrogating one of the big initiatives of Benedict’s papacy, a 2007 decree allowing broader use of the pre-Vatican II Latin liturgy for all who want it. The Vatican denied he was contradicting Benedict, but these traditional Catholics see in Francis’ words and deeds a threat. Even mainstream conservative Catholics aren’t thrilled with Francis. But tone and priorities can themselves constitute change, especially when considering issues that aren’t being emphasized, such as church doctrine on abortion, gay marriage and other issues frequently referenced by Benedict and Pope John Paul II. The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, used the word “gay” for perhaps the first time in its 150-year history on Wednesday, in an article marveling at the change Francis has brought. “In just a few words, the novelty has been expressed clearly and without threatening the church’s tradition,” the newspaper said about Francis’ comments on gays and women. “You can change everything without changing the basic rules, those on which Catholic tradition are based.” The biggest headline came in Francis’ inflight news conference on the way home from Brazil last week, when he was asked about a trusted monsignor who reportedly once
had a gay lover. “Who am I to judge?” he asked, when it comes to the sexual orientation of priests, as long as they are searching for God and have good will. Under normal circumstances, given the sexual morality at play in the Catholic Church, outing someone as actively gay is a death knell for career advancement. Vatican officials considering highprofile appointments often weigh whether someone is “ricattabile” — blackmailable. But Francis said he investigated the allegations himself and found nothing. And that regardless, if someone is gay and repents, God not only forgives but forgets. Francis said everyone else should too. By calling out the blackmail for what it is, Francis may well have clipped the wings of an ugly but common practice at the Vatican. Francis also made headlines with his call for the church to develop a new theology of women’s role, saying it’s not enough to have altar girls or a woman heading a Vatican department given the critical role that women have in helping the church grow. While those comments topped the news from the 82-minute news conference, he revealed other insights that reinforce the idea that a very different papacy is underway. Annulments: He said the church’s judicial system of annulling marriages must be “looked at again” because church tribunals simply aren’t up to the task. That could be welcome news to many Catholics who often have to wait years for an annulment. Divorce and remarriage: He suggested an opening in church teaching which forbids a divorced and remarried Catholic from taking communion unless they get an annulment, saying: “This is a time for mercy.” Church governance: He said his decision to appoint eight cardinals to advise him was based on explicit requests from cardinals at the conclave that elected him who wanted “outsiders” — not Vatican officials — governing the church. Francis obliged, essentially creating a parallel government for the church alongside the Vatican bureaucracy. And there was Rio. From the moment he touched down, it was clear change was afoot. No armored popemobile, just a simple Fiat sedan — one that got swarmed by adoring fans when it got lost and stuck in traffic. Rather than recoil in fear, Francis rolled down his window. Given that popes until recently were carried around on a chair to keep them above the fray, that gesture alone was revolutionary. He told 35,000 pilgrims from his native Argentina to make a “mess” in their dioceses, shake things up and go out into the streets to spread their faith, even at the expense of confrontation with their bishops. He led by example, diving into the crowds in one of Rio’s most violent slums. “Either you do the trip as it needs to be done, or you don’t do it at all,” he told Brazil’s TV Globo. He said he simply couldn’t have visited Rio “closed up in a glass box.
COLUMN
Man at World Dwarf Games seeks different perspective AUSTIN — Sam Bremen drove up to Michigan this week to do something he’s steered clear of in the past — hang out with dwarves. At age 27, Bremen figures it’s time to give it a try. At 4 feet 6 inches tall, Bremen is a dwarf who, until now, intentionally has avoided organizations and activities for folks like him. Now, he says, it’s time to see what it’s like. Bremen will play soccer, basketball, badminton and boccia (a bocce-like game) at the World Dwarf Games at Michigan State University in East Lansing. It’s a weeklong event that began Saturday, involves participants from 17 nations and is a healthy reminder that athletes come in all sizes. I first got to know Bremen when he was a classmate of my son. I recall the letter his mom, Katy Graham, wrote to parents to introduce them and their kids to Sam. “I decided to ease people’s minds by putting out information that would explain dwarfism,” Graham told me in an email, adding that the letter, used whenever her son went to a new school, produced good results. “People were no longer embarrassed and expressed joy and acceptance for my baby boy.” And, as tends to happen not long after we’re exposed to something different, Bremen became just another kid at school. Graham also told me she’s worked to have the
“
KEN HERMAN
word “dwarf ” used as “a descriptive term, not a derogatory one.” Bremen finished high school in 2004 and headed to Whittier College in California. (Because Bremen’s always had an eye for the unusual, he was eager to make sure I knew he shares an alma mater with Richard Nixon.) After college, Bremen came home and has been teaching for five years at Austin’s Open Door Preschool, a great program blessed with kids of differing backgrounds and abilities. He’s also working on a graduate degree at Texas State University. And the kids soccer team he coaches at the YMCA went undefeated this past season. Says his mom, “Whenever I watch Sam’s little 4and 5-year-old soccer team play, I get teary-eyed with joy and pride.” Moms ... Bremen and I sat on the little chairs in his classroom while the kids (wellsupervised) played in an adjoining room. While we talked, a kid in cowboy boots wandered in and stood next to his teacher. The boy just wanted to be next to him; he had no questions. I had plenty, starting with the obvious. “It’s great,” Bremen
“
I don’t want to say that it happens every day, in certain ways, it does happen every day.” SAM BREMEN
said about being a dwarf, calling it a challenge best confronted when you “learn that life is better and more fun when you can keep your chin up.” Bremen has endured the cruelty and curiosity that difference invites. “I don’t want to say that it happens every day,” he said, “but in certain ways, it does happen every day.” In Copenhagen, during a college semester abroad, Bremen encountered people who’d never seen anyone like him. He dealt with the pointing and laughing with the most valuable Danish word he learned, the one that means “enough.” Are any of the jokes funny? “If they’re smart,” he said. “I am totally a proponent and advocate of humor, and I really believe in humor, and I love to
laugh.” He appreciated the type of humor spawned by the Mini-Me character in the Austin Powers movies. A few days before heading north, Bremen was excited and a bit nervous about what he’d find at a dwarf event. (His online fund-raising effort for the trip is at indiegogo.com/ projects/world-dwarfgames.) He’s not against such events or organizations, but he previously avoided them out of concern that it might narrow his world. Bremen recalls going to a Little People of America event in Dallas when he was a kid, maybe 7 years old. “And that was where I started to feel I just didn’t want to be sort of secluded or segregated, or that’s what I felt I kind of was.” Now, fully engaged in the broader world, Bremen has a different perspective. “After living my life this long, I want to get into this organization because — now that I’ve had this sort of world view — I really feel like I need this organization’s view and to feel what their perspective is,” he said. More immediately, he wants to come home with some of the organization’s medals. Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman. Email: khermanstatesman.com.
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State
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Social media putting freshmen at ease By ELAINE MARSILIO CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER-TIMES
Photo by Jesse Mendoza/Valley Morning Star | AP
A vehicle passes over the lift bridge at Rio Hondo, on July 19. State officials plan to make it a Texas historical landmark. It’s the state’s only lift bridge built between 1945 and 1960 still operating.
Bridge reflects history By FERNANDO DEL VALLE VALLEY MORNING STAR
RIO HONDO — For 60 years, the old lift bridge that rises over the Arroyo Colorado has been the lifeline of this area, Rio Hondo residents say. Now state officials plan to make it a Texas historical landmark. “I kept saying we need to put a historical marker on the bridge,” said Pete Castillo, a local historian who helps run the Rio Hondo City Museum. In 1953, the state opened the vertical lift bridge after about three years of construction, Castillo said. “It’s one of the most important parts of this area of the Valley,” Castillo told the Valley Morning Star of Harlingen. “It was the only crossing from Harlingen to Brownsville.” So he and historian Norman Rozeff of Harlingen researched the bridge’s history to request that the Texas Historical Commission designate it a state historical landmark, Castillo said. Today, it’s Texas’ only lift bridge built between 1945 and 1960 still operating, said Debbi Head, spokeswoman for the historical commission in Austin.
“It’s considered a prime gateway of the Rio Grande Valley,” Head said. “It’s significant simply because of its age.” Officials will research the bridge’s history for six months before preparing its historical marker, Head said. The bridge remains critical to the region’s economy. Every year, its spans open about 250 times to make room for barges hauling fuel, fertilizer, sand and cement to the Port of Harlingen, said Michael Perez, the port’s director. Rex Costley, district maintenance engineer at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Pharr office, reveres the old bridge. “It’s a special bridge,” Costley said. To open the massive steel spans, barge captains call his office about 24 hours before they approach the bridge, Costley said. So Costley said his maintenance workers are on call 24 hours a day to open it. Fully opened, the bridge offers a vertical clearance of 73 feet and a horizontal clearance of 150 feet, Costley said. But the bridge has
opened its spans for more than barges, Castillo said. When Hurricane Beulah flooded the region in September 1967, residents gawked as a house floated toward the bridge, Castillo said. “We were sand-bagging the arroyo from the bridge to Madero Street and saw a two-story house come down so they had to open the bridge all the way to the top to let it through — barely,” Castillo said. “The top of the house skimmed the bridge.” Sixty years ago, the bridge replaced a swing bridge at Madero Street that now serves as a bridge at Long Island near Port Isabel, Castillo said. “It was getting harder and harder for the swing bridge to open and there were bigger and bigger boats and they were coming more and more often,” Castillo said. Now, engineers are getting ready to touch up the old lift bridge, Costley said. He said an inspection of the bridge’s structural, electrical and mechanical systems will lead to its first maintenance job in more than 10 years. “It’s ongoing preventive maintenance,” Costley said. “It moves so you’ve got to take care of it.”
CORPUS CHRISTI — Celestina Encinia is comfortable with the idea of starting her freshman year of college later this month at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The 18-year-old Sinton High School graduate knows where she will live and soon will know her class schedule and necessary textbooks to buy, but that’s not what puts her at ease. It’s that she’s already connected with her peers without meeting them. That comfort makes the thought of college less intimidating. Encinia found four classmates on the imagesharing site Instagram weeks before she set foot on campus for Thursday’s new student orientation. “I’m here to make friends and (meet) people I will know for a long time, and just being one step closer helps,” she told the Corpus Christi CallerTimes. Across the country there are incoming college freshmen who use social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to connect with each other by sharing thoughts, fears, questions and photos about college life.
Many students have posted images of college acceptance letters, class schedules and school IDs as ways to show the start of their college careers is official.
Hashtag includes 17 A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University-Kingsville use hashtags that include the number 17 to signify the incoming freshmen class. The schools also have other hashtags and social media pages they use. Some students have created unofficial social media pages as a way to find people with common interests. Diane C. McDonald, marketing and social media executive director at Texas A&M University in College Station, said it’s natural for incoming freshmen to use social media because they’ve grown up with it. “They are taking a very organized approach to these connections by establishing sites and hashtags for their class before the first day of classes,” she said in an email. Joe Kuffner, a media relations professional in Portland, Ore., who maintains a blog dedicated to sharing universities’ and
colleges’ approaches to social media, said some of the most excited people engaging in social media are incoming students. Helping students feel comfortable with university life can ensure their college experience starts off well and continues during their time at school, said Gloria Gallardo, A&M-Corpus Christi’s communications and public affairs director.
Preferences The idea of linking students through social media also helps university officials introduce a school to students through a communication path students prefer, A&M-Kingsville admissions director Ramon Blakley said. “It’s just a breath of fresh air in the university,” he said, adding that students are the driving force in making it work. “They do with it what they want, and you just got to create it.” He said many of Kingsville’s incoming students shared their excitement about a student orientation by posting photos on social media of the mailed postcards university officials sent as invites. That instant connection is priceless, Blakley said.
National
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
Attorney: Adoption will devastate girl By TIM TALLEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Shannon Jones/courtesy | AP
Dusten Brown is shown with his daughter, Veronica. Veronica is at the center of an adoption dispute with a South Carolina couple.
OKLAHOMA CITY — A Cherokee Nation attorney said Friday that a 3-yearold girl will be devastated if she is adopted by a South Carolina couple and taken away from her biological father, who is a member of the tribe, in a case tribal leaders say could affect native children and their families nationwide. Chrissi Nimmo, an assistant attorney general for the Oklahoma-based tribe, said Dusten Brown has been raising his daughter, Veronica, for the past 19 months and the legal battle over her adoption has been emotionally draining. “I can’t imagine that it is anything other than miserable,” Nimmo said. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday denied Brown’s request to stay the adoption of his daughter that was finalized by a South Carolina judge Wednesday.
Court won’t delay inmate release By PAUL ELIAS ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday paved the way for the early release of nearly 10,000 California inmates by year’s end despite warnings by Gov. Jerry Brown and other state officials that a public safety crisis looms if they’re forced to open the prison gates. The majority of justices refused Brown’s emergency request to halt a lower court’s directive for the early release of the prisoners to ease severe overcrowding at California’s 33 adult prisons. A panel of three federal judges previously ordered the state to cut its prison population by nearly 8 percent to roughly 110,000 inmates by Dec. 31 to avoid conditions amounting to cruel and unusual punishment. The panel, responding to decades of lawsuits filed by inmates, repeatedly ordered early releases after finding inmates were needlessly dying and suffering because of inadequate medical and mental health care caused by overcrowding. Court-appointed experts reported that the prison system had a suicide rate that worsened last year to 24 per 100,000 inmates, far exceeding the national average of 16 suicides per 100,000 inmates in state prisons.
Brown appealed the latest decision of the panel and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to cancel the early release order while considering his arguments that the state is making significant progress in improving conditions. The governor also said he cannot further reduce the population without releasing dangerous felons. “This ruling refusing to block the order doesn’t bode well for their overall appeal,” said inmate lawyer Don Specter, head of the Berkeley-based Prison Law Office. Lawyers representing Brown argued in his July 22 appeal that releasing 10,000 more inmates will involve violent criminals and overwhelm the abilities of law enforcement and social services to monitor them. “No data suggests that a sudden release of inmates with these characteristics can be done safely,” the state said in its filing. “No state has ever done it.” The panel of judges and attorneys representing inmates have consistently rejected that argument. They say other states have marginally reduced inmate sentences without sparking an increase in crime. The governor said the state has already transferred thousands of low-level and nonviolent offenders to county jails, which in turn have been forced into early release of many in-
mates to ease their own overcrowding issues. The court rejected Brown’s plea on Friday over the objections of Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, who all said they would have granted the state’s request. Scalia, in a dissent joined by Thomas, wrote that the previous order by the three-judge panel was a “terrible injunction” that threatens public safety. Scalia said the state’s evidence shows it has made meaningful progress and that such reductions in the inmate population are no longer necessary. In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 the state must cut its inmate population to deal with unconstitutional prison conditions caused by overcrowding. They have said that further delay in reducing prison overcrowding will further the substandard delivery of medical and mental health care and, by extension, lead to more inmate deaths and injuries. In recent years, the special panel of judges has accused Brown of attempting to delay and circumvent their orders. They threatened to cite the governor for contempt if he does not comply. The judges waived all state laws in June as they ordered Brown to expand good-time credits leading to early release.
Matt and Melanie Capobianco, hand-picked by the girl’s birth mother to adopt her, raised Veronica for two years following her birth in 2009 and have sought to adopt her since birth. But Brown, who had never met his daughter, challenged that adoption, arguing that federal law favored the girl being raised by him and in cultural traditions. State courts initially sent Veronica to live with Brown in Oklahoma in 2011, citing the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, which seeks to keep Indian children from being taken from their homes and placed with non-Indian adoptive or foster parents. The Capobiancos appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this year said South Carolina’s courts should decide what happens to the girl. Nimmo said the Cherokee Nation supports Brown’s attempt to retain
custody of his daughter. “It is absolutely undisputed that he is a fit parent,” she said. “It is unfathomable to me that an adoption of a child who is currently residing with a fit biological parent can be finalized. Adoption is for children who need homes. Veronica does not need a home. It will be devastating for her if she is removed from her father.” She said Brown is currently on a training mission with the National Guard and was out of the state. She said Veronica is being cared for by her stepmother and grandparents in Nowata in northeastern Oklahoma. Nimmo said the child’s biological mother lives in Bartlesville, Okla., about 20 miles west of Nowata, but has not attempted to reach out to her daughter. The girl was put up for adoption after Brown signed legal papers without understanding them.
Brown’s attorneys have argued the girl’s biological mother concealed her plans to put their daughter up for adoption, and that Brown believed he had signed his custody rights to the mother. Brown mounted a challenge to the adoption four months after his daughter was born. Nimmo said she was disappointed that the nation’s highest court had denied Brown’s stay request. “While Veronica may not have a right to a determination of her best interests under South Carolina or federal law, she does have that right under Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation law,” Nimmo said in a statement. The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, which includes the Cherokee Nation, issued a statement that said South Carolina courts had ignored the child’s and the Brown family’s right to due process.
Man: Guns put in box ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATTLEBORO, Mass. — New court records say that an associate of Aaron Hernandez told police the former New England Patriot put guns in a box in his basement after returning from the industrial park where his friend was fatally shot. An affidavit released by Attleboro District Court says Carlos Ortiz told investigators Hernandez put firearms in the box after Odin Lloyd’s killing. The document indicates one was a small gun Ortiz handed Hernandez after they returned home with another associate, Ernest Wallace. Ortiz said he saw Hernandez with an additional “large handgun.” Hernandez has pleaded
Photo by Jessica Hill | AP
A Connecticut State Police Dive Team member tosses a metal detector as they searched Pine Lake on Tuesday, in Bristol, Conn. not guilty to murder in the death of Lloyd, a 27-yearold Boston semi-professional football player whose body was found June 17 about a mile from Hernandez’s North Attleborough, Mass., home. Authorities believe Lloyd was killed with a .45-caliber Glock. Prosecutors say video surveillance
from Hernandez’s home before and after the killing shows him holding a gun that appears to be a Glock. Police divers have been searching this week in a lake in Bristol, Conn., Hernandez’s hometown. Authorities have declined to comment on the search, but have confirmed it is linked to the investigation.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
National
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
Cables chilled US human rights efforts By DAVID DISHNEAU ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT MEADE, Md. — The 250,000 diplomatic cables that Pfc. Bradley Manning disclosed through WikiLeaks endangered the lives of foreign citizens and made some international human-rights workers reluctant to seek U.S. help, a State Department official testified Friday. Michael Kozak, acting assistant secretary in the department’s human-rights bureau, testified for the prosecution at Manning’s sentencing hearing. The soldier faces up to 136 years in prison for giving the cables, plus 470,000 Iraq and Afghanistan battlefield reports and some warzone video, to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq in 2010.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors are trying to show that the leaks harmed U.S. interests. The defense contends there was little or no damage, and that Manning leaked the material to expose what he considered wrongdoing by the military and U.S. diplomats. Diplomatic cables are written communications between U.S. embassies and State Department headquarters in Washington. Kozak said some of the cables that Manning downloaded from a classified government computer network identified people as sources of information that would put them at risk of death, violence or incarceration if their involvement were publicly known. He said the department helped some of those peo-
Photo by Patrick Semansky | AP
Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is seen in Fort Meade, Md. He was convicted of 20 of 22 counts in a federal court trial. ple move, sometimes to other countries, to keep them safe. Kozak, who heads a working group dedicated to the effort, said he still gets new requests for such assistance, including one in the last two weeks. “We had a moral obliga-
tion” to protect people who had spoken to diplomats in confidence, Kozak said. He declined to say publicly how many people his working group determined to be at risk. He said he would provide the number in a session closed to spectators and reporters that
followed his open-court testimony. Prosecutors requested the closed session to protect classified information. Kozak said the greatest damage to State Department human-rights efforts was a “chilling effect” on foreign activists seeking U.S. help. “They can’t be sure now whether what they say to us is going to remain confidential or whether it’s going to be broadcast around,” Kozak said. Earlier Friday, former State Department computer chief Susan Swart testified that the security breach wasn’t the agency’s fault. Manning’s top-secret security clearance gave him access to the network that included the cables. Swart said she had no qualms about putting the cables on
the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network. “I believed that the intent of the system was correct: If you’re on a system and you’re cleared to handle classified information, that you’re going to handle it appropriately,” she said. She said that after WikiLeaks began publishing the leaked cables, the department quickly responded by moving such material to a more restricted network, the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, where users had to justify their desire to read the cables. Manning, a 25-year-old native of Crescent, Okla., was convicted Tuesday of 20 of 22 counts, including Espionage Act violations, theft and computer fraud. He was acquitted of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy.
Pilot ejects; rescued after two-jet collision By BROCK VERGAKIS ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Steve Earley/The Virginian-Pilot | AP
Suspected pirates Shani Nurani Shiekh Abrar, left, and Ahmed Muse Salad, right, leave the federal courthouse in Norfolk, Va., on Tuesday. A jury suggested they receive life in prison sentences.
Jury says life for three By BROCK VERGAKIS ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORFOLK, Va. — A jury recommended Friday that three Somali pirates be sentenced to life in prison in the slayings of four Americans aboard a yacht off the coast of Africa. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, and 22 of the 26 crimes they were convicted of were death-eligible offenses. But a federal jury in Norfolk, Va., recommended the only other possible sentence for 20-yearold Ahmed Muse Salad, 25year-old Abukar Osman Beyle and 29-year-old Shani Nurani Shiekh Abrar. During the sentencing phase of the trial, defense attorneys attempted to raise doubts about the certainty of the crimes the jury had convicted them of. Salad attorney Claire Cardwell noted that nobody was able to definitively say which person shot which victim, and that much of the evidence presented relied on testimony of other convicted pirates. If the jury and the government wanted to dole out justice by taking an eye for an eye, “Which eye, for which eye?” she asked. Formal sentencing for the men will take place in October and November, and they will face numerous life sentences and additional time. The three men were among 19 who boarded the Quest in February 2011 several hundred miles off the coast of Somalia in hopes of taking the Americans back to Somalia and ransoming them for millions of dollars. The plan fell apart when the U.S. Navy began shadowing the sailing vessel. The yacht’s owners, Jean and Scott Adam of Marina del Rey, Calif., and their friends, Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay of Seattle, were shot to death a few days after negotiations with the Navy broke down. “Scott Adam, Jean Adam, Phyllis Macay, and Robert Riggle lost their lives and their families lost their loved ones. Nothing can make this right; nothing can make their families whole again — but we hope today’s verdict and sentences will bring some closure to their nightmare that began two years ago on the Indian Ocean,” U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride said
in a statement. The Navy had told the pirates that they could keep the yacht and a small Navy boat in exchange for the hostages, but they refused to take the deal because they didn’t believe they would get enough money. The only person authorized to negotiate the Americans’ release was also based in Somalia. With the yacht nearing the Somali coastline, the destroyer USS Sterett began maneuvering between the Quest and the Somali shore when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at it. Soon after, gunshots were fired on board the Quest. Prosecutors said the murders were planned, as evidenced by threats from the pirates to the Navy, but Cardwell said that made no sense for them to kill their hostages. By the time Navy SEALs scrambled aboard, all four Americans had been mortally wounded. Prosecutors said the Americans had been shot 41 times. “Let’s call it what it is. It was a massacre,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph DePadilla told jurors while arguing for the death penalty during closing arguments earlier this week. The victims were the first U.S. citizens killed in a wave of pirate attacks that have plagued the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean in recent years. In their justification for seeking the death penalty, prosecutors wrote that the men killed or attempted to kill more than one person during a single episode. They also said their actions endangered the U.S. military and that the Americans were killed “in an especially wanton and gratuitous manner.” In the case of Salad, prosecutors said he has demonstrated a lack of remorse in the Americans’ deaths and made boastful statements about them. Defense attorneys for Salad had argued he should not be eligible for the death penalty because they claimed he is mentally handicapped. Defense documents say Salad has a low IQ, a poor memory and had difficulty functioning as a child in Somalia. Defense attorneys also noted in court filings that his co-defendants describe Salad as “slow” and inept at fishing. The U.S. Supreme Court
has banned executing those with certain mental disabilities. Prosecutors argued Salad is competent, and Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith issued an order that concurred with that assessment. The decision to seek the death penalty was made by Attorney General Eric Holder. Executions under federal law are extremely rare. Only a handful out of more than 1,300 executions since 1976 having been carried out by the federal government, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Eleven other defendants who were aboard the Quest have already pleaded guilty to piracy and have been sentenced to life in prison. Four other suspected pirates were killed aboard the yacht. A fifth suspected pirate was released because he was a juvenile. Another man who prosecutors say was a land-based negotiator and the highest-ranking pirate they’ve ever captured has also been convicted of piracy and sentenced to a dozen life sentences. Michael Scharf is a Case Western Reserve University international law professor who has provided training for prosecutors in other piracy cases around the world. He noted that this case was different because most pirates convicted in other countries receive relatively light sentences. “To the Somalians, who live in miserable conditions, a short sentence in a foreign jail, where they receive three meals a day, exercise, and educational training, isn’t much of a deterrent,” Scharf said in an email. “So the U.S. sought the ultimate punishment, not just because U.S citizens happened to be the victims, but to send the strongest possible signal. That the jury returned a life sentence instead may blunt that somewhat.”
NORFOLK, Va. — Two Air National Guard fighter jets clipped each other’s wings midair, forcing one of the pilots to eject into the ocean and be rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter a few hours later off the Virginia coast, officials said Friday. The other pilot involved in the collision was able to fly back to Joint Base Andrews, Md. Both jets were from the 113th Wing D.C. Air National Guard and were on a training mission Thursday night when the collision happened about 35 miles southeast of Chincoteague on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Capt. Michael Odle, chief of public affairs for the air wing, said the single seat F-16C Fighting Falcons collided when their wings clipped each other. Odle didn’t specify the exact maneuvers the pilots were going through, but he noted that the air wing’s pilots are frequently called upon to intercept aircraft that enter restricted airspace or lose communications in the Washington area. The Air National Guard has not released the names of the pilots, but Odle said both are experienced pilots. One is a captain, and the other is a lieutenant colonel. The Coast Guard said the pilot of the jet who was rescued early Friday is in good condition. Odle said the other pilot has already been evaluated by medical staff and released. “We are extremely fortunate to have lost only metal, and not the life of one of our airmen,” Brig. Gen. Marc Sasseville, 113th Wing commander, said in a statement. The Coast Guard said it was alerted to the pilot’s
ditching by a distress signal from his ejection seat at about 10:30 p.m. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter that was based at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. arrived around midnight, according to the Coast Guard. It was faster to send the helicopter instead of a small boat from Chincoteague, said Petty Officer David Weydert, a spokesman for the Coast Guard’s 5th District in Portsmouth, Va. At the time of the rescue, seas in the area were about 4 feet high. Three other planes were also taking part in the training, and one remained in the area to help guide Coast Guard rescuers to the downed pilot, Odle said. The downed pilot was wearing a life vest and had a handheld radio with him in his life raft that enabled him to communicate with the pilot that remained in the area, according to the Coast Guard. That pilot relayed the information until the Coast Guard helicopter could get close enough to communicate directly. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Bret Fogle, the rescue swimmer on the operation, said it was pitch black outside during the rescue, but the downed
pilot followed his training and lit rescue flares so he could be found. He said the pilot’s demeanor was calm when he reached him, even though his right knee was in an incredible amount of pain. He said putting the pilot on a board so he could be lifted into the helicopter felt like he was putting the pilot’s knee through torture because it was swollen to the size of a grapefruit and appeared to be broken. “He was actually just a very tough dude. When I saw his knee and saw how he was handling it, the first thing in my mind was like, ‘How the hell do you get in this raft and why are you so calm?’ His training kicked in obviously, because he did everything right.” Fogle said he’s been a rescue swimmer for 13 years. This is the first time he or anyone else he knows has rescued a pilot that’s had to eject into the water. “We’ll usually rescue civilian fishermen or cruise ships,” he said. “To actually be able to get the opportunity to help somebody out, to help this caliber of a person for what he does for our country and everything, is just a really neat feeling.”
SÀBADO 3 DE AGOSTO DE 2013
Zfrontera GLORIA RODRÍGUEZ HA VENCIDO EN LUCHA CONTRA CÁNCER
Agenda en Breve
Sobrevivientes “
LAREDO 08/03—Se celebrará una competencia de natación donde participarán todos los equipos de nado de las Albercas de la Ciudad de Laredo, el evento será en Inner City Pool en la cuadra 202 de W. Plim, de 8 a.m. a 11 a.m. 08/03— First United Methodist Church tendrá su venta de libros usados, desde las 8:30 a.m. hasta la 1 p.m. en el 1220 McClelland Ave. Libros de pasta dura: 1 dólar; pasta blanda, .50 centavos; revistas y libros infantiles, .25 centavos. 08/03— El Centro de Defensa de Menores de Laredo y del Condado de Webb celebrará el primer torneo de softbol anual “Strike Out Child Abuse”, este sábado de 9 a.m. a 6 p.m. El torneo, que será llevado a cabo en el Benavides Field Complex 08/03— “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. 08/03— 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. 08/04— Jägermeister presenta al grupo de rock pesado en español “Molotov” en el Club Annex del Laredo Energy Arena, a las 8 p.m. Costo: 38 dólares en el piso y 28 dólares entrada general. 08/04— LTGI presenta el musical de Broadway “Hairspray”, dirigida por Vernon Carroll y producida por Joe Arciniega, a las 3 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. 08/05— Béisbol: Laredo Lemurs reciben a El Paso Diablos en Estadio Uni-Trade a las 7:30 p.m.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 08/03— Estación Palabra tendrá Bazar de Arte en la sala Gabriel García Márquez a las 12 p.m. 08/03— Se llevará a cabo un Festival Infantil en el área infantil de Estación Palabra con el tema “Las fábulas”, a partir de las 2p.m. 08/03 — Habrá un taller de creación literaria a las 3 p.m. dentro del Aula Telmex de Estación Palabra. 08/03— Estación Palabra estará recolectando bienes en especie para la Asociación Protectora de animales de Nuevo Laredo, las donaciones pueden dejarse en la recepción de Estación Palabra, de 10 a.m. a 7 p.m 08/04— Proyecto Teatro presenta “Juanito y las Habichuelas Mágicas” de Benjamín Tabart, a las 12 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS. Costo: 20 pesos.
PÁGINA 9A
POR MALENA CHARUR TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Esta es la primera de una serie de dos partes de historias de personas que han sobrevivido al cáncer, en referencia a una cena para sobrevivientes que se celebrará próximamente en la ciudad, por parte de la Amerian Cancer Society.
“Tienes cáncer de colón y tienes que ser positiva” fueron las palabras que Gloria Rodríguez escuchó decir al médico que la atendía y que la dejaron impresionada, esto después de que le realizaran un estudio para detectar este tipo de enfermedad, en 2004. Gloria es una sobreviviente de cáncer. Nació en Laredo y desde muy pequeña se trasladó a vivir a Zapata. Más tarde, volvió al lugar que la había visto nacer donde se casó para empezar una familia, la cual está formada por sus tres hijos: Eddie, Naomi y Luis, quienes, junto con sus nietos, son su razón de vivir.
Cuando me comunicaron la noticia me encomendé a Dios. Me puse en sus manos” GLORIA RODRÍGUEZ, SOBREVIVIENTE DE CÁNCER
“Cuando me jubilé en 2003, regresé a vivir a Zapata y allá fui diagnosticada”, comenta Gloria al recordar que un dolor diferente en el bajo vientre la impulsó a acudir con el médico. “Cuando me comunicaron la noticia me encomendé a Dios. Me puse en sus manos y pregunté ¿Qué tengo que hacer? Tengo que aprender a educarme, saber qué espero del tratamiento, conocer lo qué pasa en mi organismo. Pero el miedo no desapareció”, confesó Rodríguez, cuando recordó que tan sólo en dos semanas fue diagnosticada e intervenida quirúrgicamente para posteriormente iniciar un tratamiento agresivo de quimioterapia que ga-
rantizara, en lo posible, que el cáncer no volviera a aparecer. Un acto de fe le dio a Rodríguez la respuesta que esperaba. En un momento de angustia y en comunión con Dios, escuchó una voz que le decía “Te he escogido”. Ése mismo día al abrir su biblia apareció un versículo del evangelio de San Juan que dice: “Esta enfermedad no es para muerte, sino para la gloria de Dios, para que el Hijo de Dios sea glorificado por ella”. “Mi hermana me habló sobre un evento en el que se invitaba a personas sobrevivientes de cáncer”, refiere Gloria, al contar cómo se involucró en American Cancer Society, una asociación sin fines de lucro de-
dicada a la prevención y detección temprana del cáncer, que fomenta la investigación y promueve políticas públicas que favorezcan la lucha contra ésta enfermedad. Rodríguez, en aquella ocasión, pensó que sería la única persona con cáncer. Se sorprendió al descubrir que había como 20 ó 25 personas que se encontraban en su misma situación. “Gloria es una voluntaria y sobreviviente. Es una persona que le gusta platicar su historia para que otras personas aprendan y sepan que no están solas”, expresa Diana Juárez, gerente de la comunidad para la American Cancer Society, al referirse a la activa labor de voluntariado que ha venido realizando Gloria. “Ahora les digo a las personas: serás católica o no, yo te voy a decir lo que me llegó ése día. Es lo que ahora me da esa fuerza para poder darles ánimo, porque sinceramente es difícil”, expresa Gloria con respecto a su labor de ayudar a los demás en su misma situación.
COMUNIDAD
MÉXICO
RENOVACIONES
Baja tasa de muertes por homicidio ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foto de cortesía | Melissa Blair
Jason Suárez, Abel Suárez y Os Longoria observando que tan bien está creciendo el césped de la propiedad de Sánchez.
Rancho recibe asistencia por USDA-NRCS ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
A
bel Sánchez ha estado sonriendo por más de una cosa estos días, además de la lluvia que cayó sobre su rancho San Benito y del novillo comercial que resultó campeón Grand en el espectáculo the Rio Grande Valley Livestock. Sánchez ya ha tenido un corte de heno de primera calidad y más de este (heno) estará disponible cada 33 días, como resultado de la asistencia y financiamiento por parte de USDA-Servicios de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS, por sus siglas en inglés). “Compré este lugar en 1962 y tenía como experiencia la construcción e inspección, no la agri-
cultura, por lo que personal de NRCS como Os Longoria, fueron de mucha ayuda y me dieron buenos consejos sobre los que puedo hacer para mejorar la tierra y la producción”, dijo Sánchez. “Solíamos tardar una semana en tener agua, ahora son solo algunos días. Ahora solo tengo que abrir la vulva”. Tres generaciones de la familia Sánchez plantean espectáculos de novillos y becerros para el club 4-H y para estudiantes de FFA. “Estábamos acostumbrados a arrendar y cortar las tierras pero eso dejaba heno de poca calidad, por lo que cuando nos enteramos de que podíamos aumentar nuestra producción de forraje con menos trabajo de ni-
velación de tierras y mejorar nuestro sistema de riego en nuestra propia tierra, todo tuvo sentido”, dijo Jason Suárez. “Sólo desearía que hubiéramos hecho esto mucho tiempo antes”. El ecologista del Distrito del Condado de Cameron, Os Longoria, visitó el rancho y se le mostró cuáles eran los objetivos de Suárez para sus tierras y después, dio sus recomendaciones. Entre las recomendaciones estaba: el aumento del tamaño de la tubería de riego a 15 pulgadas, realizar una prueba de suelos para un análisis de los nutrientes para de esta manera saber los moldes de cada parte de tierra y los fertilizantes que se requerirían, así mismo la implementación de pastoreo rotativo.
Ciudad de México— La tasa de homicidios en México se redujo ligeramente a 22 por cada 100.000 personas el año pasado en comparación con 2011 que era 24 por cada 100.000, de acuerdo con un nuevo estudio por parte del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía del vecino país. Los expertos dijeron el martes que la caída fue desigual, con algunos de los estados más violentos de México publicando grandes descensos y otros mostrando grandes aumentos. Por ejemplo, en tanto que el estado de Chihuahua, sede de la ciudad fronteriza Ciudad Juárez y el estado del sur Guerrero, en la costa del pacífico, registraron 77 homicidios por cada 100.000 habitantes en 2012. Sin embargo, Chihuahua, sede de la ciudad fronteriza más violenta, ha visto que el número de homicidios callo de 6.407 en 2010, cuando se comenzó con los esfuerzos de vigilancia intensificada, a 2.783 en 2012. Guerrero, casa del destino turístico Acapulco, tuvo un salto de 1.555 a 2.684 homicidios durante estos años. El derramamiento de sangre también empeoró en el estado fronterizo de Coahuila, donde los homicidios pasaron de 730 a 1.158. Pero, Baja California, el hogar de la una vez violenta ciudad fronteriza, Tijuana, los homicidios bajaron drásticamente, de 1.528 a 584. El instituto dijo en un comunicado esta semana que un total de 26.037 homicidios se registraron el año pasado en México, un país cuya población se estima ahora en 117.3 millones. Alejandro Hope, un ex miembro del servicio de inteligencia interna de México, dijo que las cifras sugieren que los estados mexicanos que hicieron verdaderos esfuerzos para reformar las fuerzas policiales mostraron mejoría. “Lo que esto demuestra es que la capacidad del gobierno del estado y que el nivel de su compromiso cuenta”, dijo Hope. “En cualquier estado que presente una reforma seria — por ejemplo, en Chihuahua — se mejorará”.
SERVICIOS
Reportan éxito en perforación de pozos TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Obtener agua potable en la zona del Altiplano, por medio de la perforación de pozos, ha sido un éxito hasta el momento en Tamaulipas. El objetivo primordial es acercar el vital líquido a las familias que así lo requieran. Según informes del Gobierno de Tamaulipas, una inversión de 150 millones de dólares permitirá la perforación total de
12 pozos en una zona semiárida del estado. De esos 12 pozos que se contemplan ya se han perforado ocho lo que permitirá beneficiar a más de 3.000 habitantes que radican en comunidades rurales de Bustamante, Tula, Palmillas y Jaumave. Una vez contando con el aforo en estos pozos, resta trabajar en los sistemas de abastecimiento que se tienen que implementar y que en la mayoría de los casos, se habrán de insta-
lar tanques elevados en las pequeñas comunidades lo que resulta suficiente para brindar el servicio de agua potable a los habitantes de esta zona de Tamaulipas, explica Jaime Felipe Cano Pérez, Director General de la Comisión Estatal del Agua en Tamaulipas, a través de un comunicado de prensa. La profundidad de los pozos varía, algunos son de hasta 800 metros de profundidad. Por citar unos ejemplos,
en el caso del pozo El Caracol, en Bustamante, su profundidad es de 750 metros; en Tula, los pozos van de los 600 a los 750 metros de profundidad (beneficiando a los ejidos José María Morelos, Joya de Maravillas y Nicolás Romero); y, en Palmillas se perforó un pozo de 600 metros en el ejido San Vicente. “El pozo más reciente fue perforado en el ejido Joya de los Herrera,en el municipio de Bustamante,
en dónde se tuvo que llegar hasta los 800 metros de profundidad para poder encontrar el nivel estático apropiado”, dijo Cano. “En Bustamante se continuarán perforando pozos pero ahora en los ejidos El Macuate, Las Albercas y Las Antonias en donde se calcula se tiene que realizar un trabajo hasta los 600 metros”. Concluyó diciendo que en el ejido La Tapona, en Tula, se proyecta perforar otro pozo de 600 metros.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
Turnout wrong for pope’s Mass turnout By BRADLEY BROOKS ASSOCIATED PRESS
RIO DE JANEIRO — If measured in spirit, there is hardly a soul who would question the success of Pope Francis’ Mass on giant Copacabana beach last weekend. The count when it comes to the flesh-and-blood numbers of faithful who actually attended is an entirely different matter. The Vatican said an historic 3.7 million people were at the Sunday event, an eye-popping number that would have made it the second largest papal Mass ever. But number crunchers were splashing cold water on those estimates Friday, saying the real figure was not even half as big. The problem was, the count released by Vatican and Brazilian officials was a guesstimate that statisticians say grossly inflated the crowd figures. The research director of Datafolha, one of Brazil’s top polling and statistic firms, said that based on the size of the crowd area and reasonable density estimates, he would put Sunday’s turnout at between 1.2 million and 1.5 million people. Vatican officials and organizers of World Youth Day, an event held every three years that draws young Catholics from across the globe, weren’t bashful about telling the press how many people turned out to see Francis.
Photo by Victor R. Caivano/file | AP
A street vendor sells a beach blanket after the World Youth Day’s closing Mass, celebrated by Pope Francis on Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. Organizers say an estimate of 3 million people attending the closing Mass is incorrect. “It’s an old, old story that organizations, whether political radicals or the Vatican, always over-guesstimate the size of turnout, they want their event to look as good as possible,” said Clark McPhail, an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Illinois. McPhail first chuckled when he heard the Vatican’s crowd estimate in an area of Copacabana beach and adjoining streets that encompassed about 497,000 square meters. By the Vatican’s count, the crowd density throughout the entire area would have been 7.4 people per square meter, which
wouldn’t allow for movement of any kind, let alone the jumping, arm waving, singing and dancing seen at the papal events. Video and photos of the crowd also showed that while it was packed close to the gigantic altar built on Copacabana beach, the faithful thinned out along the 2.5-milelong beach. A big crowd estimate would surely be a boon to the pontiff ’s supporters, who would argue that the multitudes gave him a popular mandate to battle entrenched Vatican officials who don’t look kindly upon Francis’ drive to reform the church’s scandal-ridden bureaucracy.
The bloated crowd figure also provided cover for city officials in Rio, where problems seen during the papal visit brought into question the city’s ability to host 2014 World Cup group stage and championship matches, not to mention the 2016 Olympics. Those attending the papal events complained about the city’s woeful public transport system, a lack of affordable hotel rooms, the need for public toilets and a local services industry not able to meet demands for things as simple as lunch. A miraculously high crowd count would make all that more understandable and give local officials breath-
ing room. Perhaps not by coincidence, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes was the first to float last weekend that 3 million faithful attended a Saturday night prayer vigil with Pope Francis, and that even more were expected for the Sunday Mass. “We got that number from the organizers of the event and the mayor repeated it. How they arrived at that number, you’ll have to ask them,” said Nara Franco, a spokeswoman for the mayor. The Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, said in an email on Friday that the Vatican also received the 3.7 million figure from local church organizers of the World Youth Day. When asked, organizers acknowledged the figure of who attended the pope’s Mass wasn’t built upon anything resembling a scientific crowd count. The international press ran with the official estimates. But Brazilian experts say crowd counts in the country, like in many nations, are wildly inaccurate. “Nobody will be able to tell you how they came up with there being 3.7 million people attending the Mass because it’s impossible,” said Alessandro Janoni, research director for Datafolha. “The crowd wasn’t even using the entire beach. It’s simply impossible.”
Mexican farm blamed for bug By MARY CLARE JALONICK ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by LM Otero | AP
Donna Heller talks about her recent illness in Burleson. Heller picked up cyclospora from a salad she ate in mid-June.
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration says an outbreak of stomach illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska is linked to salad mix served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in those states and supplied by a Mexican farm. The outbreak of cyclospora infections has sickened more than 400 people in 16 states. The agency says it is working to determine whether the salad
Photo by Laurent Cipriani/file | AP
French soldiers patrol under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on Oct. 3, 2010. The State Department cautions Americans in Europe to be vigilant because of concerns about a potential al-Qaida terrorist attack.
Threat prompts closures By BRADLEY KLAPPER ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The United States issued a global travel alert Friday, citing an al-Qaida threat that also caused the State Department to close its embassies Sunday around the Muslim world. The State Department warned American citizens of the potential for terrorism particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, with a possible attack occurring or coming from the Arabian Peninsula. “Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August,” the statement said. The alert asks American travelers to take extra precautions when traveling overseas and suggests they sign up for State Department alerts and register with consulates or embassies in the countries they are visiting. The alert was posted a day after the U.S. announced it would close diplomatic facilities on Sun-
day because of an unspecified threat. Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the department acted out of an “abundance of caution” and that some missions may stay closed for longer than a day. Sunday is a business day in Muslim countries. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Friday the embassy threat was linked to al-Qaida and focused on the Middle East and Central Asia. “We’ve had a series of threats,” Royce told reporters. “In this instance, we can take a step to better protect our personnel and, out of an abundance of caution, we should.” Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence panel, also supported the department’s decision to go public with its concerns. “The most important thing we have to do is protect American lives,” he said, describing the threat as “not the regular chit chat” picked up from would-be militants on the Internet or elsewhere. The State Department issued a major warning last year informing American diplomatic facilities across the Muslim world
about potential violence connected to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Dozens of American installations were besieged by protests over an anti-Islam video made by an American resident. In Benghazi, Libya, the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed when militants assaulted a diplomatic post, but the administration no longer says that attack was related to the demonstrations. Friday’s alert warned that al-Qaida or its allies may target U.S. government or private American interests. It cited dangers involved with public transportation systems and other prime sites for tourists, noting that previous terrorist attacks have centered on subway and rail networks as well as airplanes and boats. “U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling,” the department said. It recommended that American traveling overseas register with consular authorities on a travel registration website. The alert expires on Aug. 31.
mix is the source of illnesses in the other 14 states. “It is not yet clear whether the cases reported from other states are all part of the same outbreak,” the agency said in a statement. “The investigation of increased cases of cyclosporiasis in other states continues.” Both Olive Garden and Red Lobster are owned by Orlando-based Darden Restaurants. In a statement, Darden spokesman Mike Bernstein said the FDA’s announcement is “new information.”
“Nothing we have seen prior to this announcement gave us any reason to be concerned about the products we’ve received from this supplier,” Bernstein said. The FDA said it traced illnesses from the restaurants in Nebraska and Iowa to Taylor Farms de Mexico, the Mexican branch of Salinas, Calif.based Taylor Farms. The company, which provides produce to the food service industry, said its facility located about 180 miles north of Mexico City in San Mi-
guel de Allende is the only one of its 12 sites to be connected to the cases. In a statement on the company’s website, Taylor Farms says the Mexican facility is “state of the art and has an exceptional food safety record.” The statement said the company is working with FDA investigators who are looking at the facility and that the product is out of the food supply. The FDA said it had audited the Mexican processing facility in 2001 and found “no notable issues.”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
Ex-lawmaker gets prison in bribery case ASSOCIATED PRESS
BROWNSVILLE — An ex-state lawmaker was sentenced on Friday to nearly four years in prison for his role in a South Texas judicial bribery scandal. Former Democratic Rep. Jose Santiago “Jim” Solis
was one of a dozen people arrested in the Brownsville corruption investigation by federal authorities. The Valley Morning Star of Harlingen reported Friday that Solis was sentenced to 47 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen.
He had faced up to 20 years. Solis, 47, pleaded guilty in April 2011 to extortion for paying former state District Judge Abel Limas for favorable rulings. The ex-lawmaker apologized during a statement before being sentenced.
“I know I did wrong. I’ve owned up to it,” Solis told Hanen. Hanen said Solis “betrayed the public trust and violated the oath to uphold the laws.” As part of his sentence, Solis also was ordered to forfeit $250,000 and pay
restitution of approximately $119,000. Solis will remain free on $50,000 bond until he reports to prison. The ex-lawmaker served seven terms representing the Rio Grande Valley in the Texas House before retiring in 2007. He was a
FEDERAL COURT Continued from Page 1A in the latter part of October before U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who heard the case. During the investigation, dubbed “Operation El Patrón,” agents seized more than $7.5 million in drug proceeds and more than 450 kilograms of cocaine, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal agents also seized a ledger belonging to Elbert Figueroa that detailed transactions of about 12,500 kilograms of cocaine and about $41. 9 million in drug proceeds. “The evidence showed that drug trafficking is a money-making business,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Graciela Rodriguez Lindberg of Mendez’s unexplained wealth. A jury found Mendez guilty of cocaine and money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering. He was found not guilty on obstruction by threats of force charge. Money seizures added up
to more than $2 million, according to prosecutors. Figueroa testified in court that Mendez moved drugs in the past and knew about the drug conspiracy. Delgadillo identified him as “Patrón” because Mendez was in charge of moving drug proceeds, according to prosecutors. Flores Sr. and Flores Jr. were both found guilty of cocaine conspiracy. Flores Sr. was also found guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Flores Sr. and Mendez could face from 20 years to life in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Meanwhile, Flores Jr. is looking at 10 years to life in prison. During the trial, prosecutors said Flores Sr. was responsible for scouting and coordinating the loads from Zapata, while his son, Flores Jr., was responsible for delivering cocaine from Zapata to Laredo at least once. On Dec. 3, 2011, Laredo Police Department stopped
ANDRES MAURO FLORES ZAPATA — Andres Mauro Flores, 81, passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at his residence in Zapata, Texas. Mr. Flores is preceded in death by his parents, Manuel Flores and Hermelinda B. Flores; brother, Jacinto J. Flores, Lauro (Raquel) Flores, Manuel Mario Flores; and brother-in-law, Efrain A. Lopez. Mr. Flores is survived by his brothers, Jose Abelardo (Elma) Flores, Salvador (Esperanza) Flores; sisters, Nora Flores Davila, Irene F. Lopez, Irma F. (Ruben E.) Salazar; sister-inlaw, Ernestina G. Flores; and by numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, friends and other family members. Mr. Flores was a graduate of Holding Institute in Laredo, Texas. He also served as an interpreter in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict in 1951-1953. Visitation hours were Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession will depart Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. for a 9 a.m. funeral Mass at Our
Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services will follow at Zapata County Cemetery, including full Military Honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 N. US Hwy 83 Zapata, Texas.
Flores Sr. and Delia Maribel Flores in a two-door Nissan 350Z on mile marker 18 of southbound Interstate 35 for failure to signal intention to turn. Police seized about $150,000, according to a report. Federal authorities told LPD they were investigating Flores Sr. Webb County Sheriff ’s deputies seized another money load that added up to $999,465 May 21, 2009. Flores Sr. also scouted the 114 kilograms of cocaine seized at the Freer U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint May 16, 2009. This drug load had been coordinated by him, prosecutors said. Defense attorneys Oscar A. Vela Jr. and Silverio A. Martinez Jr. attacked the credibility of the witnesses, saying all three people testified against their clients Flores Jr. and Mendez, respectively, seeking a reduction in their sentences. Vela said the government would not prosecute Figueroa’s wife, an additional benefit for Figueroa. Marti-
nez argued that the government’s case stands in the testimonies of criminals like Delgadillo and Figueroa, two men awaiting sentencing for federal charges. He added the fact that the men testified because they were looking at long prison terms. “They lie. They cheat. They don’t care about anyone else,” Martinez said. Federal agents tapped Delgadillo’s and Figueroa’s phone but not Mendez’s, defense counsel pointed out. Martinez also added that federal agents executed search warrants at four properties owned by Mendez. Nothing illegal was found, Martinez said. Federal officials said 25 other co-conspirators to date have been convicted and sentenced as part of the investigation. Seven other coconspirators identified in this investigation are scheduled for sentencing later this year. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
ROMEO T. FLORES ZAPATA — Romeo T. Flores Jr. 73, passed away Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo, Texas. Mr. Flores is preceded in death by his parents, Romeo Trinidad Flores and Beatriz G. Flores; brothers, Israel Gutierrez and Homero Flores. Mr. Flores is survived by wife, Gloria Alicia Flores; sons, Romeo (Consuelo) Flores III; daughter, Annette (Francisco) Molina; grandchildren, Romeo Flores IV, Adalberto J. Flores, Francisco Molina Jr., Alyssa Molina and Rebecca Molina; great-grandson, Romeo Trinidad Flores V; brothers, Abel Gutierrez, Edmundo (Sylvia) Flores, Jose Luis Flores; sisters, Beatriz M. Bigler, Sylvia (Joaquin) Solis; sister-in-law, Elma C. Flores; and by numerous nephews, nieces and other family members. Visitation hours were Thursday, Aug. 1, 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 Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our
Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Committal services will follow at Zapata County Cemetery, including full Military Honors by the American Legion Post 486 Color Guard. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rosegardenfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, Funeral Director, 2102 N. US Hwy 83 Zapata, Texas.
personal injury lawyer in Harlingen. Last year, Solis agreed to a state commission’s decision to bar him from practicing law. Prosecutors say Solis was one of many attorneys who paid for favorable pretrial rulings from Limas in civil matters.
SURVIVOR Continued from Page 1A would be the only person with cancer. She was surprised to discover there were 20 or 25 other people who were in the same situation. “Gloria is a volunteer and a survivor. She is a person who likes to tell her story so that others learn and know they are not alone,” explained Diana Juarez, community manager for the American Cancer Society, referring to the volunteer work Rodriguez does for the organization. “Now I tell people, whether you are Catholic or not, I’ll tell what I got that day. It’s what gives me the strength to
encourage others because, honestly, it’s hard,” Rodriguez said about her work to help others facing the same situation. “I think I have a mission, and it is to be a person of inspiration and of support to people who are undergoing cancer treatment. From my experience and my relationship with God, I ask people to have faith in God and to be strong, to be educated about cancer and know what’s going on in your body.” (Contact staff writer Malena Charur at 7282583, or at mcharur@lmtonline.com. Translated by News Editor Mark Webber.)
PLOESTI Continued from Page 1A a third of the 177 planes and their 1,726 men failed to make it back to their bases more than 1,000 miles away in North Africa. The Allies had tried bombing the oil fields before from high levels; Operation Tidal Wave was to be a surprise assault by a flying armada coming in under radar and methodically knocking out assigned targets. But navigational problems disrupted plans, and defenders on the ground were ready for them. Sweeping in just above cornstalks — “we were so close to the ground it was like driving at high speed in an automobile,” Hulsey said — the bombers were met with a barrage of firepower. Hulsey, a radio operator, remembers a continuous line of bright flashes from gunfire on the ground. Rans said anti-aircraft guns mounted on rail cars provided mobile defense against the bombers. An auxiliary fuel tank near Rans was hit, showering him with gasoline. Fire engulfing his plane, he parachuted out. He was captured, treated in a hospital for burns, then put in a prison camp. Hulsey said his plane knocked out its target and was headed home when shot down by fighter planes. The crew was found and protected by Yugoslav resistance fight-
ers until a British rescue operation got them out nearly a year later. Rans and Hulsey were among 11 raid veterans at the reunion, with nearly 100 family members and friends. Air Force history enthusiasts Mark Copeland of Lakeville, Minn., and Blaine Duxbury of Indianapolis helped organize it. Copeland said after a 60th anniversary reunion in Salt Lake City, there was interest in coming together again for what likely will be the last reunion. About 70 of the mission participants are still alive, he said. Scott Stewart came from Lincoln, Neb., to pay tribute to the mission his late father, Carroll Stewart, wrote about in a 1962 book co-authored with James Dugan. Stewart said his father spent years chronicling the stories of veterans of the battle, including Germans and Romanians. Rans said the reunion, which included a public memorial service Thursday, brought back memories, some tears and a sense of pride for the veterans about their place in military annals. “When you stop to think about it, you were part of an action that nobody else could ever be in again, the most highly decorated action of the war,” Rans said. “History is history.”
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Reed eyes return Photo by Gus Ruelas | AP
Dallas linebackers Bruce Carter, left and Sean Lee talk with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.
Counting on Lee, Carter Cowboys’ expectations high for playmaking linebackers By SCHUYLER DIXON Photo by Pat Sullivan | AP
Houston Texans free safety Ed Reed, left, and wide receiver Andre Johnson share a laugh during the team’s training camp on July 27 in Houston. Reed is recovering from surgery and hopes to be ready to play in the opening game of the regular season.
New Texans safety hopes to play in opening game By KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
H
OUSTON — Safety Ed Reed isn’t making any promises that he’ll be ready to go Sept. 9 against San Diego. Houston’s biggest offseason acquisition spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since he started training camp on the physically unable to perform list after surgery to repair a partly torn labrum on April 30. “I can tell you that it is close, but I can’t say that it is the first game because I don’t know,” Reed said. Texans receiver Andre Johnson said last week that Reed told him he planned
to play in Week 1. Reed joked a bit when asked about those comments on Tuesday, “I guess I’ve got to do it,” he said with a laugh. “This is his team.” The 34-year-old Reed spent his entire 11-year career with the Ravens before joining the Texans in March. He said he still feels “tightness and soreness” constantly in his hip and that he’ll know more about when he can play once he progresses past those problems. “Once I get that out, I can kind of push it more,” he said. “I’m not to the point where I can run 100 percent.” However, he is doing a lot of work as part of his rehabilitation including, pulling a sled, backpedaling and work-
ing on starting and stopping. “I’m opening the hip up and stuff like that, but at some point it kind of grabs,” he said. “So I’ve just got to get that scar tissue out and that edema out and everything. Once that that subsides, I can have a better timeline.” With a career that many believe will culminate in the Hall of Fame, coach Gary Kubiak and the Texans aren’t worried about Reed sitting out the entire preseason. They know that he’ll be prepared to step in and contribute as soon as he’s healthy. “I’m impressed with where he’s at,” Kubiak said. “We’re going to listen to
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OXNARD, Calif. — Sean Lee dismisses talk of how good the Dallas defense could be if he and Bruce Carter started together at linebacker for a full season. It hasn’t happened yet. So until it does — and until the Cowboys get back to the playoffs — Lee’s not listening. “Until you win a Super Bowl, until you’ve got it on tape week to week, it means nothing,” Lee said. “That’s all hype. If we lean on that hype, we’re never going to be good.” The Cowboys are counting on this playmaking pair to be good. Dallas won three straight games last season when both were sidelined by season-ending injuries — Lee with a badly damaged toe in the sixth game at Carolina and Carter with a dislocated elbow on Thanksgiving against Washington. But the defense ultimately faltered without them. The Cowboys couldn’t
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SWIMMING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
WORLD CUP SOCCER
FIFA focusing on stadiums By TALES AZZONI ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Michael Sohn | AP
Ryan Lochte of the United States competes in a Men’s 100m butterfly heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships on Friday in Barcelona, Spain.
Lochte claims two golds in Barcelona By PAUL NEWBERRY ASSOCIATED PRESS
BARCELONA, Spain — Missy Franklin finally lost. Ryan Lochte is suddenly on a winning streak. Lochte began one of the most grueling days of his swimming career with another world championship Friday, beating reigning Olympic champ and teammate Tyler Clary in the 200-meter backstroke. Lochte also posted the fastest time in the semifinals of the
100 butterfly, and put the Americans ahead to stay in the 4x200 freestyle relay. Franklin also had a busy night, but the first race didn’t go as she hoped. The 18-yearold American finished fourth in the 100 free, ending a run of four straight victories at the Palau Sant Jordi. She shook off the defeat, coming back about 25 minutes later to easily post the top qualifying time in the semifinals of
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SAO PAULO — With the World Cup less than a year away, FIFA is pledging to increase its monitoring of stadium construction in Brazil. Secretary General Jerome Valcke said Friday that with preparations entering the final stages, the focus will be on making sure Brazil can have all 12 stadiums ready for the June 2014 kickoff of soccer’s showcase event. There were several stadium delays for the Confederations Cup earlier this year and FIFA has made it clear that it will not tolerate the same problems again. Brazil has to deliver the final six World Cup venues by the end of the year. Valcke said the Confederations Cup was a success but there were “a few challenges and deficiencies” that need to be addressed for next year. “For us organizers a key focus is now on the 12 stadia, with a tighter monitoring naturally on the six arenas still under construction,” Valcke said in his monthly column released by FIFA. “The essential key to success of next year’s flagship event is that we can start setting up the complementary infrastructure ... as of early 2014
File photo by Eraldo Peres | AP
Brasilia Governor Agnelo Queiroz talks to Transportation Secretary Jose Walter Vazquez Filho next to a miniature model of the National Stadium on April 8. across all stadia — earlier than we managed for the Confederations Cup in order to allow time for proper testing and adjustments.” Only two of the six Confederations Cup venues were completed by the original December deadline set up by FIFA for the warm-up tournament, and some were only delivered just before the competition began. There was a lot of unfinished infrastructure work around nearly all of the venues, and local organizers were not able to host the ideal number of test events at the stadiums. “You cannot expect every-
thing to run perfectly in brand new stadia,” Valcke said. “That is where we will concentrate our efforts, as we seek to ensure the FIFA World Cup will be a roaring success for the teams, the fans and, most importantly, for the host nation Brazil.” The secretary general said that immediately after the Confederations Cup everyone involved started to sit down and assess what “we have learned, and we are set to strengthen any weak links” over the next few months.
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PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
Photo by Yong Kim | AP
Eagles receiver Riley Cooper meets with the media at training camp on Wednesday in Philadelphia. Cooper has been fined by the team for making a racial slur at a Kenny Chesney concert.
File photo by Peter Schneider | AP
Roger Federer of Switzerland withdrew from the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Friday. He did not give a reason for why he withdrew.
Federer withdraws from the Rogers Cup ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONTREAL — Roger Federer pulled out of the Rogers Cup on Friday, following three straight surprising exits from tournaments. The Swiss star gave no reason for the withdrawal from the tournament, which begins Monday. “I am disappointed not to be playing in Montreal next week,” Federer said in a statement. “It is a great tournament with
amazing fans. I look forward to competing there in the future.” He won the Rogers Cup in Toronto in 2004 and 2006. Federer lost in the final to Novak Djokovic in Montreal in 2007. Federer lost to No. 55 Daniel Brands last week in his opening match at the Swiss Open. In Hamburg, Germany, he cited back pain in his semifinal defeat to No. 114 Federico Delbonis. He fell to No. 116 Sergiy Stakhovsky in the sec-
ond round at Wimbledon. The winner of 17 Grand Slam singles titles dropped to fifth in the rankings after Wimbledon, marking the first time he has fallen out of the top four in a decade. Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Pablo Andujar of Spain will enter the main draw in Montreal. Viktor Troicki and Marin Cilic will not compete, joining Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish on the sideline.
SWIM Continued from Page 1B the 200 back. She’ll be a heavy favorite in that race Saturday night — she’s the Olympic champion and world-record holder — which leaves her still on course to at least match Tracy Caulkins of the U.S. and Libby Trickett of Australia as the only women to win five events at worlds. Caulkins won her five at the 1978 meet in Berlin, while Trickett did it in her home championships at Melbourne in 2007. “I’m a little bummed,” Franklin said. “I learned a lot, which is the most important thing. I think the 100 free is the event I definitely have the most room to improve on.” Franklin will have one more event after the backstroke — Sunday’s 4x100 medley relay — so she’s got a shot at joining Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz as the only swimmers to win as many as six golds at either worlds or the Olympics. Lochte got off to a slow start in Barcelona, taking silver as part of the 4x100 free relay and finishing fourth in the 200 free. He admittedly had not trained as much as he normally does, taking time off after the London Olympics as well as starring in a reality TV show. But any thought he was in for a disappointing championships ended with a victory in the 200 individual medley. Then he made it two in a row in the backstroke. Lochte pushed the early pace, leading at the first flip, and had enough to hold off his challengers. His winning time was 1 minute, 53.79 seconds — 0.45 ahead of Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki. Clary settled for bronze.
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I don’t think it really sunk in until I got out of the pool and I heard all the Aussies in the crowd chanting. In the water I was just like, ‘Why are all these people hugging me? What’s going on?’ — Cate Campbell
The race was the first of three that Lochte had in about a 90-minute span. He also qualified for the semifinals of the 100 butterfly, and was finishing the night by swimming the second leg on the relay. Cate Campbell of Australia easily won the women’s 100 free. She pushed the pace from right the start, making the flip more than a halfsecond under world-record pace. She had more than enough to hold on, touching in 52.34, a halfbody length in front of silver-medalist Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden. Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands edged Franklin for the bronze by 0.05. “I don’t think it really sunk in until I got out of the pool and I heard all the Aussies in the crowd chanting,” Campbell said. “In the water I was just like, ‘Why are all these people hugging me? What’s going on?’” There was no time for Franklin to mope. After climbing from the pool, she took a shortcut to the training pool to get ready for the 200 back —
her favorite event. Franklin posted a time of 2:06.46, giving her the prime middle lane for the final. Elizabeth Pelton of the U.S. also advanced with the third-fastest time. Yuliya Efimova of Russia pulled off an upset in the women’s 200 breaststroke, beating Rikke Pedersen one night after the Danish swimmer set a world record in the semifinals. Efimova got to the wall just ahead of Pedersen, winning in 2:19.41. Pederson will leave Barcelona with her name in the record book but only a silver medal around her neck, touching in 2:20.08 — nearly a second slower than her semis time of 2:19.11. Micah Lawrence of the U.S. grabbed the bronze. Florent Manaudou of France went fastest in the semifinals of the chaotic 50 freestyle — a mad dash from end of the pool to the other. His time of 21.37 was just ahead of American Anthony Ervin (21.42). Nathan Adrian of the U.S. and Brazil’s Cesar Cielo tied for third at 21.60.
STADIUM Continued from Page 1B “The preparations for football’s flagship event have now really grown into a huge collective undertaking between sports and host country stakeholders,
as the works continue apace,” Valcke said. “There is ‘only’ 11 months to go before the whistle is blown in Sao Paulo for the opening match and the
tournament can start for real.” Valcke will be in Brazil from Aug. 19-22 to inspect work in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Manaus.
Eagles excuse Cooper to attend counseling ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles excused Riley Cooper from all team activities on Friday after the wide receiver was caught on video making a racial slur. Cooper said the last few days have been incredibly difficult and he will step away to seek counseling. “My actions were inexcusable,” he said. “The more I think about what I did, the more disgusted I get. I keep trying to figure out how I could have said something so repulsive, and what I can do to make things better.” Cooper apologized profusely Wednesday after a video of him using the Nword at a Kenny Chesney concert last month surfaced on the Internet. The
Eagles immediately fined him. “Right now, I think it’s important for me to take some time to reflect on this situation,” Cooper said. “The organization and my teammates have been extremely supportive, but I also realize that there are people who will have a tough time forgiving me for what I’ve done. The best thing for me, and for the team, is to step away for a period of time.” The Eagles did not set a timetable for Cooper’s return. “He will meet with professionals provided by the Eagles during this period of time to better help him understand how his words have hurt so many, including his teammates,” the team said in a statement. Cooper spoke to the
media again after practice Thursday, telling them his meeting with teammates a night earlier was “extremely emotional.” Teammates Michael Vick, Jason Avant and others expressed forgiveness for Cooper. LeSean McCoy also said he forgives Cooper, but “I can’t really respect somebody like that.” Cooper, who grew up in Clearwater, Fla., was selected in the fifth round of the 2010 draft by the Eagles out of the University of Florida. He has just 46 catches and five touchdowns in three years with the Eagles, but has been practicing with the starters since Jeremy Maclin’s seasonending injury last week. “As long as it takes, and whatever I have to do, I’m going to try to make this right,” Cooper said.
TEXANS Continued from Page 1B him. He’s been through this before. I’m not concerned about him being ready for a preseason game. Right now, we’re trying to get him ready for our season, so we’re going to listen to him.” While he’s unable to practice, Reed has assumed the role of an extra coach for Houston’s secondary. Many of the players idolized Reed growing up and are eager to soak in everything he has to say. Rookie second-round pick D.J. Swearinger has watched video of Reed before each of his games
since he was in high school. Swearinger, who could fill in for Reed if he isn’t ready for the opener, raved about all the veteran has taught him so far. “Just being a pro about everything, on the field and off the field,” Swearinger said. “Learning the full defense, it will help you a lot as safety because we are the quarterbacks on the defense. Off the field, you have to handle yourself as a pro no matter what — all eyes on you.” Reed’s enjoyed providing tips his younger teammates and helping them improve.
However, he feels a little strange about it because he’s not able to be on the field to work with them. “You can’t be out there with your teammates moving around, communicating and it’s a little tougher,” he said. “Just talking in the meeting rooms and learning it just from a book standpoint and not physically doing it, it’s always tougher. But I’m doing as much as I can to learn it mentally and watch the guys move around and communicate in meeting rooms. It’s coming along well.”
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B stop Drew Brees’ passing game and got run over by Washington rookie Alfred Morris in a pair of season-ending losses that kept them out of the playoffs for the third straight year. Carter and Lee aren’t watching anymore, though. They’re at the center of a defensive makeover that started soon after the season, when the Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and replaced him with Monte Kiffin so they could return to the more linebacker-friendly 4-3 defense after nearly a decade in the 3-4. “When you’re playing the 4-3 defense, those ... (linebackers) are protected a little bit more,” coach Jason Garrett said. “They gotta get to the football and make plays.” Both have shown they can. Lee has a knack for interceptions, something that was sorely missing last season on a defense that tied a franchise low with seven. Lee has that many in 35 career games, a high number for a linebacker. Carter could have led the Cowboys in tackles last season if he hadn’t been injured. His strength is speed, and he’ll get his best chance to show it in the new scheme because one of the weakside linebacker’s biggest jobs is running down plays away from him. “I think guys are doing it well,” Carter said. “Coaches kind of introduced us a little slow just to get guys the whole grasp of the whole scheme. Now we’re out here just flying around, getting to the ball.” Carter and Lee joined the Cowboys a year apart and followed similar paths. Both were second-round draft picks who played quite a bit as rookies but never started. Both earned starting jobs going into their second seasons. When Lee injured his toe last year, Carter took over the defensive play-calling on the field. Even though he missed the final five
games, Carter’s first season as a starter did plenty to help him prepare for a leading role. “A whole lot more comfortable,” he said. “The more years you play, the more experience you gain, it just makes the game a lot slower for you. Especially for me, a guy coming off an injury.” Lee has missed at least one game in each of his three seasons after an injuryfilled career at Penn State. Last year’s injury — when he got his foot stuck awkwardly in a pile — came after he had a career-high 21 tackles against Seattle and just a week after he tripled his career best in quarterback pressures with six. Lee uses the word “urgency” a lot. He shows it in practice, too, chasing running backs and receivers and swiping at the ball long after the whistle blows and griping at referees over where the ball should be spotted in short-yardage work. He doesn’t disagree that it’s on him and Carter to lead the way. “We have to get better, and we have to get better fast,” Lee said. “If we want this defense to be good, there are a lot of parts that need to play well. But me and Bruce need to step our game up.” Lee says Carter shares his view that the talk means nothing. That’s not news to linebackers coach Matt Eberflus. “They work hand-in-hand,” Eberflus said. “They’re like two peas in a pod.” NOTES: The Cowboys signed a pair of offensive linemen in TCU’s Jeff Olson and UTEP’s James Nelson after a couple of training setbacks at guard. Kevin Kowalski is out at least two weeks with a knee bruise, and Nate Livings is dealing with knee soreness after missing the first week of camp with a foot problem. ... CB Morris Claiborne returned Thursday after missing Tuesday’s workouts with a migraine. He missed a minicamp practice in June with the same issue.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE THE VIRTUES OF VINEGAR Dear Heloise: I want to tell you how wonderful VINEGAR is. I live where dust settles on everything. My porch floor is stained a dark color, and the dust really shows on it. I take a jug of vinegar and a damp mop, and I pour straight vinegar and mop. The vinegar cleans and shines it all in one. Then I damp-mop it with clean water. I do the same thing to my basement cement floor. Thanks for your vinegar hints. — Betty Lee, Bedford, Iowa Betty, vinegar can cure almost any problem. It works on many stains, odors, etc. I have a pamphlet that is filled with great ways to use vinegar around your home. It will save you money because you won’t have to buy expensive cleaners; you can just use good ol’ vinegar. To receive a copy of the six-page pamphlet, send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (66 cents) envelope to: Heloise/ Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001,
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HELOISE
San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Did you know that vinegar makes cleaning metal miniblinds easier? Just mix a half-cup vinegar with a halfcup hot water. Then put on a cotton glove and dip it into the solution. Wipe both sides of the miniblind slat and rinse with water. The dust and grime will come right off, and they will be just like new. Give it a try! — Heloise NECKLACE HANGING Dear Heloise: I read the hint about using a garden rake to hold necklaces. I’m glad it works for the reader. But I have a neater closet just using a man’s tie hanger for my necklaces and chains. They come either round, with a handle extended for screwing into a wall, or long, with a center hanger for hanging on the clothes rod. — Carol W., Webster, N.Y.
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013