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STATE OF TEXAS
OPERATION STONEGARDEN
Voter ID battle
County gets safety funds
State law likely to be enforced next week By CHRIS TOMLINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Unless a federal judge intervenes, the city of Edinburg could be the first to enforce a new voter ID law next week, and lawyers will likely use the special election to gather evidence to strengthen lawsuits to block it in the future.
While the U.S. Justice Department and several civil rights groups have filed federal lawsuits to block the requirement that voters produce a state-issued photo ID, no one as of Friday had asked for a restraining order to stop enforcement of the law. That means it will be in effect when early voting in the city’s special election begins Wednesday.
Allowing Texas to enforce the law could be part of a larger legal strategy to defeat it in the long run. Texas has been the center of the fight after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Congress must update how it enforces the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Texas is the only
See VOTERS
PAGE 11A
Congressman announces Zapata to receive a $441,999 grant SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Zapata County will receive $441,999 of the state’s $19-plus million in Operation Stonegarden funding for fiscal year 2013,
the area’s congressman’s office announced recently. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has an-
See GRANT PAGE 11A
FEATURE
MEDICINE, FAITH RESTORE MAN
Photo by Kye R. Lee/The Dallas Morning News | AP
Martin Oliva-Torres poses in Dallas on Aug. 8. Oliva-Torres was born with a horribly deformed face, and his kin treated him like a monster. Today, after a series of surgeries and a heap of faith, OlivaTorres likes what he sees. He taught himself English, found a steady job as a high school custodian and married a loving woman.
By TEGAN HANLON
North Texas man remade literally, figuratively
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
PALMER — Martin Oliva-Torres glanced into the mirror, his coal-black hair perfectly in place, his smile wide. “Man, I’m so hand-
some,” he told The Dallas Morning News. His wife laughed. It’s a phrase he wouldn’t have uttered almost 30 years ago as a young man in Guatemala. He was born with a horribly deformed face, and
his kin treated him like a monster. Today, after a series of surgeries and a heap of faith, Oliva-Torres likes what he sees. Thanks to a team of generous doctors, he no longer has the wide-
spread eyes and bulging forehead that often brought him scorn and ridicule. But it was OlivaTorres’ own resolve that finally granted him com-
See MARTIN
PAGE 10A
PUBLIC EDUCATION
Reyes voluntarily surrenders certificate By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — After troubled stints at three school districts, Javier Reyes has surrendered his teaching certificate for good — agreeing last week to plead guilty in Williamson County for attempted indecency with a child by contact. Reyes, 55, who faces a similar charge in Wilson County, once coached in the Zapata County Independent School District and more recently at the United Independent School District in Laredo for a dozen years. But he now becomes one of the roughly 300 educators to voluntarily surrender their teaching certificate in the last five years. More than 1,300 educators received sanctions from the state between January 2008 and May 2012, according to the Texas Education Agency.
DeEtta Culbertson, TEA spokeswoman, said the state typically tries to settle with educators when they have committed an offense and works with them to determine what kind of sanction will be imposed. “If it’s egregious enough an offense, we offer them voluntary surrender,” Culbertson said. “In the long run, it saves them the expense and time of going through the process of having their certificate revoked.” Any felony offense or conviction requiring registration as a sex offender triggers mandatory revocation of an educator’s certificate, according to the Texas Education Code. For example, sexual contact with a minor, romantic relationships with students and possession of child pornography are among the offenses that would necessitate revocation. Oftentimes, an educator may choose to surrender his or her certificate so as not to
face a drawn-out process when it is evident they will face sanctions anyway. “Basically it’s for the educator to decide if they want to go through this protracted legal process or go ahead and settle all this and move on,” Culbertson said. The Zapata Times was unable to reach Williamson County District Attorney’s office personnel for comment, and Reyes’s attorney, Joe Turner, did not return phone calls Friday. Isidro “Chilo” Alaniz, Webb County District Attorney, said pre-indictment plea agreements, such as the one Reyes entered in Williamson County last week, are uncommon. Alaniz has never encountered such a case since he has been at the helm of the DA’s office. He said pre-indictment plea deals can occur for a number of reasons.
REYES See CERTIFICATE PAGE 11A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, AUG. 24
ASSOCIATED PRESS
6th Annual Football Tailgating Cook-Off. El Metro Park & Ride, by Hillside Road. 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Entry fee $3. $200 per team to enter cookoff competitions. Food and commercial vendors, arts and crafts, music and other entertainment. To submit cook-off application or to participate as vendor, call LULAC 14 at 2869055.
Today is Saturday, Aug. 24, the 236th day of 2013. There are 129 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On August 24, A.D. 410, Rome was overrun by the Visigoths, a major event in the fall of the Western Roman Empire. On this date: In 1572, the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre of French Protestants at the hands of Catholics began in Paris. In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., setting fire to the Capitol and the White House, as well as other buildings. In 1821, the Treaty of Cordoba was signed, granting independence to Mexico from Spanish rule. In 1912, Congress passed a measure creating the Alaska Territory. Congress approved legislation establishing Parcel Post delivery by the U.S. Post Office Department, slated to begin on Jan. 1, 1913. In 1932, Amelia Earhart embarked on a 19-hour flight from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., making her the first woman to fly solo, nonstop, from coast to coast. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty came into force. In 1959, three days after Hawaiian statehood, Hiram L. Fong was sworn in as the first Chinese-American U.S. Senator while Daniel K. Inouye (in-OH’-way) was sworn in as the first Japanese-American U.S. Representative. In 1968, France became the world’s fifth thermonuclear power as it exploded a hydrogen bomb in the South Pacific. In 1970, an explosives-laden van left by anti-war extremists blew up outside the University of Wisconsin’s Sterling Hall in Madison, killing 33-year-old researcher Robert Fassnacht. In 1981, Mark David Chapman was sentenced in New York to 20 years to life in prison for murdering John Lennon. Ten years ago: The Justice Department reported the U.S. crime rate in 2002 was the lowest since studies began in 1973. Israeli missiles killed four Hamas fighters, including a fugitive commander. Five years ago: A suicide bomber struck a welcome-home celebration on Baghdad’s outskirts for an Iraqi detainee released from U.S. custody, killing at least 25 people. One year ago: A suit-clad gunman, Jeffrey Johnson, opened fire outside New York’s Empire State Building, killing a former co-worker, Steve Ercolino, before being gunned down by police. Today’s Birthdays: Former Education Secretary Shirley Hufstedler is 88. Actor Kenny Baker (“Star Wars”) is 79. Composer-musician Mason Williams is 75. Rhythm-andblues singer Marshall Thompson (The Chi-Lites) is 71. Rock musician Ken Hensley is 68. Actress Anne Archer is 66. Actor Joe Regalbuto is 64. Actor Kevin Dunn is 58. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is 58. Actor-writer Stephen Fry is 56. Actor Steve Guttenberg is 55. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is 53. Actor Jared Harris is 52. Talk show host Craig Kilborn is 51. Rock singer John Bush is 50. Thought for Today: “No one knows his true character until he has run out of gas, purchased something on the installment plan and raised an adolescent.” — Marcelene Cox, American writer.
MONDAY, AUG. 26 Ruthe B. Cowl’s Second Annual Wine & Dine for Rehab. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Salsa’s Restaurant and Sushi Grill, 9902 McPherson Road. Features domestic and imported wines. Prepaid tickets $75 sold at Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center and Salsa’s locations. Call 722-2431.
TUESDAY, AUG. 27 The Friends of KLRN presents the 18th Annual Laredo Wine Tasting at IBC Annex Ballroom, 2416 Jacaman Rd., from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased through http://www.klrn.org or by calling 1-800-627-8193.
THURSDAY, AUG. 29 Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium shows: “Earth, Moon and Sun” at 4 p.m. “Extreme Planets” at 5 p.m. General admission $3. 326-3663. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 727-0589.
FRIDAY, AUG. 30 Registration (and socializing) for Martin High School Class of 1958 reunion. 7 p.m. Residence of Samuel and Cecilia Moreno, 405 Reynolds St. Silent auction benefiting Literacy Volunteers of Laredo. 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Studio 55 Day and Spa Saloon, 7815 McPherson Road. Tickets $10. Bidding starts 7:30 p.m. and ends 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 31 Dinner and dance for Martin High School Class of 1958 reunion. 7 p.m. to midnight. D’Versailles Reception Hall, 5216 Tesoro Plaza. All class members and guests welcome. Contact Adelfa Mendiola Pérez at 7243283; Rubén Chavarría at 722-1300; laredomhs58@yahoo.com.
MONDAY, SEPT. 2 Bola Blanca Golf Tournament. Laredo Country Club. 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Two-person Florida scramble with shotgun start. Five flights with trophies for first and second places. Skill prizes at every hole. Registration fee $150 for chamber members and $175 for non-members.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 3 Alzheimer’s support group meeting. 7 p.m. Meeting Room 2, Building B, Laredo Medical Center. Call Melissa L. Guerra at 693-9991. Les Amies Birthday Club’s monthly luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Holiday Inn Civic Center. Honorees are: Viola Garcia, Lydia Linares, Frances Madison, Olga Hovel, Beatriz Martinez and Mercedes Salinas. Hostesses are Oralia Laurel, Leonar Daves, Teresa Saenz and Maria Luz Bustamante.
Photo by Brigitte Woosley/file | AP
U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, right, and his defense attorney, Lt. Col. Kris Poppe, are shown in this courtroom sketch during Hasan’s court-martial trial in Fort Hood on Aug. 21. Hasan has been convicted of murder for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood that killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others.
Soldier guilty of murder By WILL WEISSERT AND PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT HOOD — Army Maj. Nidal Hasan was convicted Friday for the deadly 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, a shocking assault against American troops at home by one of their own who said he opened fire on fellow soldiers to protect Muslim insurgents abroad. A jury of 13 high-ranking military officers reached a unanimous guilty verdict on all 13 counts of premeditated murder and a guilty verdict on 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Hasan is now eligible for the death penalty. Hasan stared at the jury with no visible reaction as the verdict was read. After he and jurors left the courtroom, some victims who survived the attack and victims’ relatives began to cry.
The Army psychiatrist acknowledged carrying out the attack in a crowded waiting room where unarmed troops were making final preparations to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq. Thirteen people were killed and more than were 30 wounded. Because Hasan never denied his actions, the court-martial was always less about a conviction than it was about ensuring he received the death penalty. From the beginning of the case, the federal government has sought to execute Hasan, believing that any sentence short of a lethal injection would deprive the military and the families of the dead of the justice they have sought for nearly four years. Autumn Manning, whose husband, retired staff Sgt. Shawn Manning, was shot six times during the attack, said Friday that she had been crying since the verdict was read.
Collier first Democrat for statewide office
Plans would turn historic orphanage into museum
Failing air conditioner causes death of 10 dogs
AUSTIN — A Houston businessman has become the first Democrat to announce for statewide office. He’s running for state comptroller in 2014. Mike Collier said on his website Friday that his experiences as a businessman and financial professional make him the perfect candidate to take charge of the state’s bank accounts..
GALVESTON — A Houston businessman has announced plans to convert a former Galveston orphanage that survived the 1900 hurricane into a museum. The Galveston County Daily News reports Torch Energy Advisors founder J.P. Bryan Jr. hopes to convert the former Galveston Orphans Home into a museum specializing in Texana. The 19,000-square-foot property remained an orphanage until 1983.
EL PASO — A malfunctioning air-conditioner has led to the deaths of 10 dogs that were being transported to West Texas to train with customs officers. The handlers for the German shepherds and Belgian Malinois made the grim discovery Monday while en route from a kennel in Denver, Ind., to the Fort Bliss Army post.
Fired social services worker gets 10 years GALVESTON — A fired social services worker in Southeast Texas who stole from people she was assigned to help must serve 10 years in prison. A judge in Galveston on Wednesday sentenced 47-year-old Sylvia Ann Villarreal of Hitchcock. Villarreal on June 17 pleaded guilty to felony theft. The Galveston County Daily News reports Villarreal must also pay $50,000 in restitution.
Texans urged to use care with Labor Day fires COLLEGE STATION — Texas forestry officials have urged caution during Labor Day outings to avoid starting wildfires like a disastrous blaze two years ago blamed on strong winds. Officials say the holiday weekend is the peak of summer fire activity when everything is at its driest due to the heat.
Boy dies in apparent accidental shooting NEW BOSTON — Authorities say a teenager has died in an apparent accidental shooting while with several other youths at a car wash in Northeast Texas. New Boston police on Thursday did not immediately release the victim’s name. Police Chief Tony King says officers are investigating who had the gun when it discharged Wednesday night. — Compiled from AP reports
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.
SATURDAY, OCT. 5 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.
FRIDAY, OCT. 11 Registration for the Texas Team Trail Championship will take place at the Zapata Community Center, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 2 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.
AROUND THE NATION Biden: Son Beau is ‘fine,’ wants to return to work SCRANTON, Pa. — Vice President Joe Biden says his son Beau, Delaware’s attorney general, is doing well after undergoing a medical procedure at a Houston cancer center. Biden says his son is “fine” and eager to get back to work. The 44-year-old Beau Biden was admitted earlier this week to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center after becoming weak and disoriented last week.
Uncle gets probation in NYC bomb plot case NEW YORK — A relative of a would-be New York City subway bomber has been sentenced to three years of probation. The uncle of Najibullah Zazi (nah-jee-BOO’-lah ZAH’-zee) had admitted he failed to report that he discovered homemade bomb
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 Carolyn Kaster | AP
Rev. Bobby Turner of Columbus, Ohio, places his hand on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Thursday in Washington.
materials stashed in his home. Zazi has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges alleging he traveled with two friends to Pakistan to receive terror training from al-Qaida. He returned to uncle Naqib Jaji’s home to make bombs in a hotel room in subur-
ban Denver before driving to New York in September 2009. Zazi abandoned the operation after discovering authorities were tailing him. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in September. His uncle was sentenced Friday. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
Smuggling case snares 1 By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
A Zapata woman who picked up illegal immigrants in the San Ygnacio area has been arrested for attempting to smuggle 13 people, according to federal court documents released this week. U.S. Border Patrol agents detained Raquel Solis Esquivel, 40, on Aug. 18 in Zapata. A criminal complaint filed against her Tuesday charged her with bringing in and harboring people who had entered the country illegally. On Sunday, Homeland
Security Investigations special agents responded to a call of a group of people apprehended by Border Patrol agents assigned to the Zapata station. It all started with a traffic stop by the Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office on Solis-Esquivel’s vehicle and another vehicle. An immigration inspection on all six people, including the juvenile driver, showed that all of them were in the United States illegally. Solis-Esquivel also admitted to dropping off immigrants in the brush along the side of a road, the complaint states. Solis-Esquivel led the
agents to the area and they encountered more immigrants. All people were transported SOLIS-ESQUIVEL to the Zapata station for processing. Federal authorities said Solis-Esquivel moved 13 people, the complaint states. In a post-arrest interview, Solis-Esquivel admitted she picked up five immigrants in San Ygnacio and took them to a house in Zapata. Solis-Esquivel then picked them up later that evening and took them
THE BLOTTER Assault
DWI
Public intoxication
Simon A. Martinez, 25, was arrested and charged with assault at about 11 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of Ramireño Avenue. He’s out on bail.
James G. Hernandez, 32, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated at about 3 a.m. Aug. 18 at the intersection Sierra Vista Lane and U.S. 83. He’s out on bond.
Rolando E. Sanchez, 50, was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 along Veleño Bridge. He was released for future court appearance.
Disorderly conduct
Terroristic threat
Burglary A 38-year-old man reported at 10:56 p.m. Aug. 18 in Lopeño that someone broke into his home. Deputies say the suspect (s) stole about $4,000, which included jewelry, cash and a flatscreen television. Deputies detained a 14year-old boy at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of Third Street. The juveniles had a burglary warrant out of Florida, according to sheriff’s officials.
Jason R. Peña, 18, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct at about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 18 in the intersection of Mier Street and 16th Avenue. He was later released for future court appearance. Deputies also arrested Octavio Rubio-Martinez, 27, and charged him with public intoxication. He too was later released for court appearance at a later date.
A 44-year-old man reported at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday in Lopeño that someone he knows committed a terroristic threat.
Theft A stolen vehicle was reported at 6:02 a.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Falcon Shore Drive.
to an unknown location on Texas 16 before the checkpoint. Solis-Esquivel stated she was to be paid $125 per immigrant. Two people held as material witnesses identified Solis-Esquivel as the woman who was transporting the immigrants, the complaint states. She has a preliminary examination and detention hearing set for 10 a.m. Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga. Solis-Esquivel remains in federal custody. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Woman finds dead animals By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Twenty-four animals were found dead Aug. 17 in the Tepozan neighborhood, a Zapata County Sheriff’s official said this week. A 41-year-old woman reported Aug. 17 at 3:41 p.m. that she found 24 dead animals belonging to her on her property. Deputies counted 18 chickens, five turkeys and one rabbit. All together, the animals had a value of $315, Sgt. Mario
Elizondo, sheriff’s spokesman, said. It hasn’t been determined who or what killed the animals, he added. Sheriff’s officials are asking for the community’s assistance. People with information about the case can call the sheriff’s office at 765-9960. Callers may remain anonymous. An investigation is underway. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
3D printing is newest revolution By LLEWELLYN KING HEARST NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON — Some people are calling it the Third Industrial Revolution. That may be hype, but it is going to be big; probably the biggest thing since the Internet, and nearly as revolutionary. It is additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing, most commonly known as 3D printing. It is the process of making three-dimensional solid objects from digital designs. The first working 3D printer was created by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems, Inc. in 1984. Currently, there is a $1.7 billion market for 3D printing. By 2015, that number is expected to double. In its simplest form, 3D printing uses a polymer or plastic feedstock to make a three-dimensional object from a computeraided design (CAD). The printers make passes over a platform, depositing thin layer upon thin layer of material, until the design is accurately reproduced. Architects and automobile designers were early users of the technology; they could see what that new building or car would look like without making a traditional model. Medicine also has been an early beneficiary. A brain surgeon can make an absolute model of a patient’s head before operating. Take, for example, the case of a child who lost his hearing in one ear because a bone deformity was blocking the canal. The surgeon knew exactly how to proceed, aided by a 3D-printed model of the child’s head. In another medical example, a large German manufacturer of dental implants and related products has gone from traditional molds to 3Dprinted parts. Increasingly, 3D printing is being used to create prosthetic devices. In Holland, a firm is attempting to print a house. DUS architects in Amsterdam is using a 3D printer which is big enough to make one room at a time for a traditional canal house. Some parts of modern aircraft are made with 3D printers. General Electric, which bought a feedstock supplier a decade ago, is working on its own additives — as the raw material is known — and will use 3D in its turbine manufacture. The trick for large, serious manufacturing is in the adaptive feed stock. Not everything can be made of colored plastic. Wood, metal and other materials can and are being used. To get the wooden parts of their canal house right, the Dutch ar-
Not everything can be made of colored plastic. Wood, metal and other materials can and are being used.
EDITORIAL chitects are using wood shavings mixed with a polymer. They say the result has all the characteristics of real wood; you can drive a nail into it, plane and saw it. Metal objects are created using a technique known as sintering. In this application, metal powder is heated to a point below its melting point and when applied with a laser, it fuses into a sheet. Next year, patents on the metal sintering technology run out. There will be a giant leap forward in the 3D industries when inventors do not have to worry about getting expensive licenses or violating patents inadvertently. The Pentagon has been excited about 3D printing but has its own set of legacy problems. For example, it is reported to have deployed portable 3D printers to Afghanistan, but the parts they make there have not been certified as required by military rules and Congressional fiat. If you make a part in the field, say, for a Humvee, how do you certify it as meeting standards when you are on the move and need to get the Humvee up and running again? Likewise, as a consumer, if you need a tool or a replacement part for a coffee maker part, do you have the right to make them? Can you be prosecuted as music-downloaders have been? The practice of 3D law also looks set to take off, and firms across the United States are exploring the intriguing legal issues of copyright and patent infringement that 3D printing presents. So far the market is sharply divided between consumer printers, which sell for under $1,000, and sophisticated, high-end machines that can make parts for aircraft or model a new car. The first machines sold in shops rather than on the Internet are appearing, and UPS is experimenting with putting 3D printers in its stores. The race is on. (E-mail: lking@kingpublishing.com)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
Manning sentence is fair SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
In sentencing Pfc. Bradley Manning to 35 years in prison, the U.S. Army colonel who heard the case against him for leaking military documents to WikiLeaks once again exercised proper judgment. Col. Denise Lind had found Manning guilty of most of the charges against him but acquitted him of the more serious charge of aiding U.S. enemies, an overreach that
could have sent him to prison for life. The government then sought a sentence of 60 years for Manning while his defense attorney argued for no more than 25 years, the time in which the leaked documents would have entered the public domain. Lind’s decision was fair. Manning will be eligible for parole after serving one-third of his sentence minus 3 1/2 years of time served. He could be free in eight years at age 33.
His attorney, David Coombs, portrayed his client as “well-intentioned” and simply naive. He said Manning was motivated by the violence in Iraq and wanted to “spark a worldwide discussion.” Mission accomplished, but he did it by violating a number of military laws. There is an inherent conflict in many Americans’ reactions to cases like Manning’s. We are often glad to learn classified information that alarms
us, such as recent revelations of the degree of National Security Agency spying on Americans; but we understand the need for secrecy to protect national security and the lives of people defending it. Military service members take an oath to obey military laws. If breaking them carries no real penalty, the laws become meaningless. Lind’s sentence exacts a price without destroying Manning’s life. Justice is served.
COLUMN
What was Dewhurst thinking? AUSTIN — So far, and it’s still kind of early, the best line about Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s ham-handed, failed attempt to spring his nephew’s wife from jail came from an unexpected source — your Texas Department of Agriculture. “Dew’s call to Allen PD sounds like Anchorman Ron Burgundy: ‘I don’t know how to put this, but I’m kind of a big deal. People know me,”‘ tweeted Texas Ag Commissioner Todd Staples, who’s running against Dewhurst in next year’s GOP primary. So is Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who, predictably, tweeted with exclamation-pointed righteous indignation: “Dewhurst’s blatant abuse of power to get a family member out of jail is disturbing!” This is a personal preference, but I much prefer low-brow movie comedy references — extra points if it’s from “The Jerk,” “Animal House” or “Caddyshack” — over predictable righteous indignation. So I’m declaring Staples the winner, so far, in this one. In trying to sort out what Dewhurst did, one must ask the two questions one must always ask oneself when one has done
“
KEN HERMAN
something dumb (especially if one knows it’s being recorded by someone covered by a law requiring them to release the recording): What was he thinking? And, was he thinking? Let’s start with this premise: There’s nothing wrong with trying to help to get your nephew’s wife sprung from jail after she’s been picked up for allegedly shoplifting $57 worth of provisions from a Kroger store. “David acted as a concerned family member in an attempt to acquire information on how to post bond for his niece while reiterating multiple times in the full conversation that law enforcement follow their normal protocols and procedures,” said Travis Considine, Dewhurst’s spokesman. Fair enough, but, and we’ll get back to this in a bit, was this really the most efficient and politically wise way to go about this? Dewhurst opened his call to the Allen Police De-
partment thusly: “This is David Dewhurst, the lieutenant governor of the State of Texas, and I want to talk to your senior officer who is there at your department right now.” And he ended the 12minute call with: “I’m David Dewhurst and I authorized this phone call that’s not gonna look good when the tape is released.” No, he didn’t say that. He said this: “I intend to jump into this and see what can be done to prevent this very nice lady, through a miscarriage of justice, from spending the night in jail. Now, I may not be able to do anything, but it’s whatever the law says.” Looks like he failed to prevent the very nice lady from spending the night in jail. (And it looks like it might have been wiser to go with my imagined closing line.) Allen Police Department Sgt. Jon Felty has been quoted as saying Dewhurst was not out of bounds. “He didn’t threaten anybody. He didn’t demand anything. He didn’t ask for anything that was above and beyond what a normal citizen would,” Felty said, seeming to put Dewhurst in a category other than
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
“normal citizen.” I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure the best way to go about trying to get a loved one out of jail involves calling a lawyer. I believe our major metropolitan areas are blessed with a plentiful abundance of lawyers, including some who sit by their phones awaiting calls from normal citizens trying to get a loved one out of jail. You can often find their phone numbers on large billboards and late-night TV ads. There are lawyers who can get bond posted in their sleep — though the fee is higher if you prefer them to be awake. Dewhurst, now under bipartisan political fire for this misstep, should have called a lawyer, not the police department. I’m sure Dewhurst knows some lawyers or he knows some people who know some lawyers. But then again, Dewhurst is a freedom fighter, not only for his nephew’s wife’s freedom, but for us all. Says so right there on his website: “David is a conservative who fights for our freedoms in Texas.” Ken Herman is a columnist for the Austin AmericanStatesman. E-mail: kherman@statesman.com.
Area
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
Youth league registering SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The Border Area Football League has announced registration for peewee football. Registration is underway
for 35 spots per age group, for the peewee division, 8to 9-year-olds, and junior midget, 10- to 11-year-olds. The $200 fee includes everything except insurance. Cleated shoes are not in-
cluded. Registration deadline is Tuesday. Contact Robert Dietert at 285-1336 or Gilbert Garza at 750-1554 for registration information.
LCC offers classes here SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Laredo Community College will be offering classes at the Zapata County Technical Advanced Education Center for the fall semester. Advisement and registration are now underway. Contact the Admissions office in Laredo at 721-5109, or www.laredo.edu/ cms/admission.aspx.
Last day to register is Sunday. Classes begin Monday. Classes on Tuesday and Thursdays are History 1301, History 1302, English 1301, English 1302 and Math 1314. Psychology 2301 is offered on Monday. For more information contact Janie Rodriguez at 489-0024 or jrodriguez@zcisd.org or Homer Carrizales at 765-6546 or hcarrizales@zcisd.org.
Administration is nursing master’s focus SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
A new master’s degree from Texas A&M International University’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences will ready graduates for upper-level administration roles within the Nursing profession. The degree is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Master of Science in Nursing Administration begins this fall at the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. Completion is possible in three years with 36 semester hours. Natalie Burkhalter, Canseco School of Nursing associate professor, said nursing administration is a high-demand area with diverse employment opportunities for graduates.
“This master’s degree truly empowers the nurse to make budgets, manage HR functions in healthcare settings and train staff. Graduates can work in labs, hospitals, nursing homes and other medical centers. Annual incomes average more than $75,000 with other possible career benefits including bonuses, flexible working hours, and more,” Burkhalter said.
Management Burkhalter said the nurse administrator often manages other nurses within a department, coordinates nursing care of patients and manages resources for patient needs. “For example, a nurse administrator can regularly assess staff ’s delivery of
quality assurance standards, plan staffing schedules and budgets and recruit new nurses. In a hospital setting, they frequently liaison with hospital senior management and the nursing team. They are also keenly involved in policy development with other medical staff and are expected to create policies/ protocol to govern the delivery of the expected standard of nursing care.” The TAMIU MSN-Nursing Administration degree includes theory and clinical hours. Graduates are also required to complete a capstone clinical practicum. TAMIU’s program is fully accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Man escapes cop’s car By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — A man handcuffed inside a locked Laredo patrol unit who found a way to escape from police custody was arrested this week in Laredo, according to police. Rodolfo Angel Tienda III, 26, was arrested Wednesday in the 5600 block of San Bernardo Avenue and charged with escape while in custody, a third-degree felony punishable with two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Laredo officers were able to confirm that Tienda had an active burglary warrant out of Zapata County, said Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman. Tienda re-
mained at the Webb County Jail as of Thursday night. An officer was dispatched to a hit-and-run at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of Sabal Loop. The case later turned into an aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, which occurred in the 5500 block of McPherson Road, Baeza said. Tienda allegedly attempted to hit someone with his white Ford Explorer. Instead, police said he hit a vehicle and fled. Police issued a look out for a white Ford Explorer with damage to the front area. Officers located Tienda in the parking lot of O’Reilly Auto Parts, 302 W. Calton Rd., in Laredo and took him into custo-
dy. Handcuffed, Tienda was placed inside a patrol unit that was locked. The officer then began working on paperwork to have Tienda’s vehicle impounded. Once done, the officer walked back to the police unit to find that Tienda had escaped. Baeza said the method Tienda allegedly used to escape is being investigated. Officers combed the area but could not locate the suspect. Police on Wednesday morning located Tienda in the 5600 block of San Bernardo Avenue and arrested him. Police are investigating the alleged aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
State
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
Debate thrusts CSCOPE into spotlight By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — It’s been lambasted on leading conservative Glenn Beck’s radio show, scrutinized during committee meetings at the Texas Capitol, and has prompted new state law and a Hill Country court fight. Now CSCOPE — online lesson plans designed to help teachers adhere to state academic curriculum requirements — is getting its own debate. “It’s the Thrilla in Manila,” deadpanned Thomas Ratliff, a Mount Pleasant Republican and vice chairman of the State Board of Education. Instead of the Ali-Frazier bout in 1975, this showdown features Ratliff defending CSCOPE against staunch critic and state Sen. Dan Patrick, a fellow
Republican who chairs the upper chamber’s powerful Education Committee. The debate is tonight in Tyler. CSCOPE was created by state-run Educational Service Centers, which are designed to support school districts. It offers about 1,600 model lessons that school districts accessed for a per-student fee. The system was supposed to be a cost-effective way to ensure teachers covered all state-mandated topics and was used in 877 school districts, most of them too small to afford to build their own curriculums. CSCOPE users educate about 35 percent of the state’s 5 million-plus students. Because of intellectual property concerns, many lessons weren’t available to the public. That angered some conservative grassroots groups, who worried
about bureaucrats secretly corrupting classrooms by promoting liberal, antiPATRICK American values. Peggy Venable, director of the Texas chapter of the small-government group Americans for Prosperity, noted that school districts have spent millions on CSCOPE with virtually no public oversight. She plans to attend the debate where she supports Patrick’s view that CSCOPE should be eliminated. “Neither of them are shrinking violets so I think we will get a very spirited debate,” Venable said of Ratliff and Patrick. “We may not get a lot of answers to our questions, but at least those questions will be raised.”
Criticism intensified when parents discovered a lesson plan used in previous incarnaRATLIFF tions of CSCOPE that asked students to consider whether participants in the Boston Tea Party could be considered terrorists in some contexts. Another sample lesson asked students to design a flag for a socialist country. Some critics suggested that lessons promoted Islamic values. Beck branded CSCOPE un-American on his radio and television programs. After a series of Education Committee hearings, Patrick announced that the service centers had agreed to remove all online lesson plans by Aug. 31. The Texas Legislature also passed a law mandating that the
State Board of Education vet CSCOPE materials. “They’ve got rumor and innuendo and they take one little grain of something and turn it into the Normandy Beach,” Ratliff said of CSCOPE critics. Patrick, now running for lieutenant governor, declared CSCOPE dead. But Ratliff warned that school districts were losing an important tool with only a few months before students returned to school. Ratliff said 90 percent of school districts in his vast Board of Education district use CSCOPE and that they should be allowed to do so if school board members and teachers think it’s helpful. In response to Ratliff ’s queries at a Board of Education meeting in July, the top attorney for the Texas Education Agency suggested that CSCOPE lesson plans had simply been
moved into the public domain where any school district could use them. Last week, a group of activists sued Central Texas’ Llano Independent School District, claiming that allowing teachers to use CSCOPE violated the new state law since the Board of Education has yet to check the system’s lesson plans. That case was thrown out. “To us, it represented someone from the outside telling us what we could and could not use,” said Llano Superintendent Casey Callahan, whose district has 1,950 students. Callahan said that before the district began using CSCOPE in 2006, its high school would have been rated “academically unacceptable” if just two students had scored lower on standardized tests. By 2011, three district campuses were rated “recognized.”
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZAPATA COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT BUDGET The ZAPATA COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on a PROPOSED BUDGET for the 2014 fiscal year. The public hearing will be held on SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2013, at the Zapata County Appraisal District Office at 200 E. 7th Ave Ste. 240 at 9:00 A.M.
A summary of the appraisal district budget follows: The total amount of the proposed budget is $ 606,115.00 The total amount of increase over the current year's budget is $ 9,828.00. The number of employees compensated under the proposed budget will be 6 (full-time equivalent). The number of employees compensated under the current budget is 6 (full-time equivalent). The appraisal district is supported solely by payments from the local taxing units served by the appraisal district. If approved by the appraisal district board of directors at the public hearing, this proposed budget will take effect automatically unless disapproved by the governing bodies of the county, school districts, cities, and towns served by the appraisal district. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection in the office of each of those governing bodies. A copy is also available for public inspection at the appraisal district office. ZAPATA COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
SÁBADO 24 DE AGOSTO DE 2013
Agenda en Breve NUEVO LAREDO, MX 08/24— Compañía Teatral Amigos e Hispanic Theatre presenta “Vaselina: El Musical de tu Vida” a las 6:30 p.m. en el Teatro del Seguro Social (Belden y Reynosa). Informes escribiendo a ciateatralamigos@hotmail.com. 08/25— Neos Club invita a Festival Artístico y Musical a beneficio de la Casa Hogar ELIM de Mamá Lupita, en el Salón de Recepciones “Varsovia”, 15 de septiembre 1923, de 8 a.m. a 12 p.m. Aportación: 100 pesos. 08/25— Proyecto Teatro presenta “Juanito y las Habichuelas Mágicas” de Benjamín Tabart, a las 12 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS. Costo: 20 pesos. 08/28— Evento inaugural del XV Festival Internacional Tamaulipas con la presentación del cortometraje “Otro día más” en el Teatro principal del Centro Cultural a las 6 pm. 08/29— FIT 2013 presenta: Patricia Laurent Kullick a las 6 p.m. en Estación Palabra; y, Contempodanza a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro Principal del Centro Cultural. 08/30— FIT 2013 presenta: Cuentacuentos a las 10 a.m. en Estación Palabra; Mexicanto a las 7 p.m. en el teatro de la Ciudad Adolfo López Mateos; y, Música a cargo de El Estado, Nemulov, Blue Hangar, Valyum, a las 7 p.m. en la Explanada de la Independencia. 08/30— Compañía Teatral Amigos e Hispanic Theatre presenta “Sor-Presas” a las 6:30 p.m. en el Teatro del Seguro Social (Belden y Reynosa). Informes escribiendo a ciateatralamigos@hotmail.com.
Zfrontera ARRESTAN A MUJER ACUSADA POR CONTRABANDO DE HUMANOS
POLICÍA
13 personas
Escapó de patrulla; lo arrestan de nuevo
POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Una mujer de Zapata, quien levantó a inmigrantes ilegales en el área de San Ygnacio, ha sido arrestada por intentar pasar de contrabando a 13 personas, de acuerdo a documentos de la corte federal dados a conocer esta semana. Agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza de EU detuvieron a Raquel Solís Esquivel, de 40 años de edad, el 18 de agosto en Zapata. Una querella criminal presentada en su contra el martes, la acusa con traer y albergar a personas quienes habían entrado de manera ilegal al país. El domingo, agentes especiales de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional respondieron a una llamada de un grupo de personas aprehendidas por agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza asignados a la estación de Zapata. Todo empezó cuando un agente de la Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Zapata ordenó que se detuvieran, tanto al vehículo de Solís-Esquivel como a otro vehículo. Una inspección migratoria sobre seis personas, incluyendo el conductor, mostró que ellos estaban de forma ilegal en los Estados Unidos. Solís-Esquivel también admitió haber dejado a los inmigrantes
en la maleza a un lado del camino, indica la querella. Solís-Esquivel llevó a los agentes al área y descubrieron a más inmigrantes. Todas las personas fueron trasladadas a la estación de Zapata para ser procesadas. Autoridades feSOLÍS-ESQUIVEL derales dijeron que Solís-Esquivel movilizó a las 13 personas, indica la querella. En una entrevista posterior al arresto, Solís-Esquivel admitió que recogió hasta cinco inmigrantes en San Ygancio y los llevó a una casa en Zapata. Solís-Esquivel entonces los levantó más tarde para trasladarlos a una ubicación desconocida sobre Texas 16, antes de la caseta de revisión. Solís-Esquivel declaró que le iban a pagar 125 dólares por inmigrante. Dos personas retenidas como testigos materiales identificaron a Solís-Esquivel como la mujer quien estaba transportando a los inmigrantes, indica la querella. Se tiene programado un interrogatorio preliminar y audiencia de arresto para las 10 a.m. del martes ante la Juez Magistrada de EU Diana Song Quiroga. Solís-Esquivel continuaba en custodia federal.
EU
Foto por Sonya N. Hebert / The Dallas Morning News | AP
LAREDO 08/24— Sexta Competencia Anual “Football Tailgating Cook-Off” de 4 p.m. a 11 p.m. en El Metro Park & Ride, por Hillside Road. Entrada: 3 dólares. Habrá venta de comida, manualidades, música y entretenimiento. 08/29— Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU presenta “Earth, Moon and Sun” a las 4 p.m.; y, “Extreme Planets” a las 5 p.m. Costo: 3 dólares. Informes al 326-3663. 08/30— Subasta silenciosa a beneficio de Literacy Volunteers of Laredo, de las 7:30 p.m. a 9:30 p.m. en Studio 55 Day and Spa Saloon, 7815 McPherson Road. Boleto: 10 dólares.
POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
LAREDO — Un hombre esposado dentro de una patrulla policiaca cerrada, quien lograra escapar durante su arresto, fue aprehendido esta semana en Laredo, de acuerdo a la policía. Rodolfo Ángel Tienda III, de 26 años de edad, fue arrestado el miércoles en la cuadra 5600 de avenida San Bernardo y fue acusado con escapar estando en custodia, una felonía de tercer grado que se castiga con dos a 10 años en prisión y una multa de 10.000 dólares. Oficiales de Laredo TIENDA III pudieron confirmar que Tienda tenía una orden de arresto activa por allanamiento de parte del Condado de Zapata, dijo el Investigador Joe E. Baeza, vocero para el Departamento de Policía de Laredo (LPD, por sus siglas en inglés). Tienda permanecía en la Cárcel del Condado de Webb hasta el jueves por la noche.
Hechos
FRONTERA CHICA 08/29— MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Carlos Ramírez Eguía a las 9 a.m. en el Museo del Río Centro Cultural; y, “Fuera de Servicio” a las 7:30 p.m. en la Plaza Hidalgo. 08/29— CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Taller de Tallado de Madera a las 9 a.m. en Casa de la Cultura; y, Ballet Folklórico del Mante a las 7 p.m. en la Plaza Juárez. 08/29— NUEVO GUERRERO, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Angélica Gallegos a las 9 a.m. en Museo de Trazos Regionales; y, Compañía Banyan de Marionetas a las 6 p.m. en Casino Argüelles. 08/30— MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Rodrigo Valdez “El Zorro” a las 7:30 p.m. en la Plaza Hidalgo. 08/30— CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Compañía Banyan de Marionetas a las 7 p.m. en Casino Argüelles. 08/30— NUEVO GUERRERO, México — FIT 2013 presenta: Fuera de Servicio, a las 3 p.m. en Casa Club del Adulto Mayor.
PÁGINA 9A
HOMICIDIO PREMEDITADO SUPERIOR: En esta imagen de archivo de noviembre del 2010, la Sargento Joy Clark, del Destacamento 467th Combat Stress, se toma un momento para pasar sus dedos sobre los 13 nombres grabados de sus compañeros soldados durante una ceremonia conmemorando el primer aniversario de la matanza en la base militar Fort Hood. DERECHA: Un jurado militar declaró culpable el viernes al mayor Nidal Hasan de una masacre en la base militar en 2009, en un veredicto unánime. Hasan pudiera ser condenado a la pena de muerte.
Foto por Bell County Sheriff’s Department | AP
Un oficial fue enviado a un caso de atropellamiento alrededor de la 1:30 a.m. del martes en la cuadra 400 de Sabal Loop. El caso se convirtió en una agresión con agravantes con un vehículo, el cual ocurrió en la cuadra 5500 de McPherson Road, dijo Baeza. Supuestamente Tienda intentó golpear a alguien con su Ford Explorer, color blanco. En lugar de hecho, la policía dijo que golpeó un vehículo y escapó. La policía emitió una orden de búsqueda por una Ford Explorer, color blanco, con daño en la parte delantera. Oficiales localizaron a Tienda en el estacionamiento de O’Reilly Auto Parts, 302 W. Calton Rd., en Laredo y lo arrestaron. Esposado, Tienda fue colocado dentro de una patrulla que estaba cerrada con llave. El oficial empezó a llenar los documentos para que el vehículo de Tienda fuera incautado. Una vez que lo hizo, el oficial regresó a la patrulla para encontrar que Tienda había escapado. Baeza dijo que el método utilizado por Tienda para supuestamente escapar está siendo investigado. Oficiales peinaron el área pero no pudieron localizar al sospechoso. El miércoles por la mañana la policía localizó a Tienda en la cuadra 5600 de avenida San Bernardo y lo arrestaron. La policía continúa investigando la supuesta agresión con agravantes con un vehículo. (Localice a César G. Rodriguez en el 728-2568 o en cesar@lmtonline.com)
INVESTIGACIÓN
Mujer FSA anuncia ayuda a reporta agricultores, debido a sequía muerte de animales TEXAS
ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Como las condiciones de sequía severa persisten en varias regiones a través del país, esta semana se anunció una ayuda temporal que se dará a los productores de ganado a través del Programa de Conservación de Reservas de la FSA (CRP, por sus siglas en inglés). Juan M. García, administrador de la Agencia de Servicios Agrícolas (FSA, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Agricultura (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), dio los detalles en un comunicado de prensa. En condiciones limitadas, los agricultores y ganaderos afectados por la sequía podrán utilizar ciertos acres adicionales de CRP para heno o el pastoreo en condiciones de emergencia, mientras que el mantenimiento de las garantías de los beneficios de la conservación y vida silvestre son proporcionadas por CRP. Además, el USDA anunció que la reducción de los pagos de alquiler anuales de CRP relacionados con el heno o el pastoreo de emergencia se redujo de 25 por ciento a 10 por ciento. Además, la venta de heno se permitirá bajo ciertas condiciones. Estas medidas tienen en cuenta las pérdidas de calidad del heno y proporcionará la asistencia necesaria a los productores ganaderos. “A partir de hoy, las oficinas estatales de la FSA están autorizados, en condiciones limitadas, para ampliar las oportunidades de heno y pastoreo en ciertas tierras adicionales que están inscritas en
“
Este enfoque local proporciona la flexibilidad y la capacidad de adaptar las garantías específicas a las condiciones regionales apropiadas”. JUAN M. GARCÍA, ADMINISTRADOR DEL FSA PARA USDA
el CPR”, dijo García. “Este enfoque local proporciona la flexibilidad y la capacidad de adaptar las garantías específicas a las condiciones regionales apropiadas. Los estados deben cumplir con los lineamientos específicos para garantizar que heno y pastoreo adicional aún mantiene los beneficios ambientales y de vida silvestre importantes de CRP. Estas garantías se determinarán en consultas con conservacionista del estado y la agencia de la vida silvestre y los depositarios que conforman el comité técnico del Estado”. Para más información acerca del programa CRP sobre beneficios y regulaciones puede ingresar a fsa.usda.gov/crp.
POR CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Veinticuatro animales fueron encontrados muertos el 17 de agosto en el sector de Tepozan, dijo un Oficial del Alguacil del Condado de Zapata la semana pasada. Una mujer de 41 años de edad reportó a las 3:41 p.m. del 17 de agosto que encontró 24 animales muertos, que eran de ella, dentro de su propiedad. Oficiales contabilizaron 18 pollos, cinco guajolotes y un conejo. Los animales tenían un valor conjunto de 315 dólares, dijo el Sargento Mario Elizondo, vocero del alguacil. No ha sido determinado quien o qué mató a los animales, expuso Elizondo. Oficiales del Alguacil están pidiendo ayuda de la comunidad. Las personas con información acerca del caso pueden llamar a la oficina del alguacil al 765-9960. Las llamadas pueden permanecer anónimas. Existe una investigación en proceso. (Localie a César G. Rodriguez en el 728-2568 o en cesar@lmtonline.com)
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
MARTIN fort and direction. He taught himself English, found a steady job as a high school custodian and married a loving woman. He preaches at his church. And, perhaps most important, he learned to forgive.
Continued from Page 1A
“
I did it because I heard the voice of God. And if I had to do it all over, I’d do it again.” ZANE JUDE, WHO WITH HIS WIFE PHYLLIS, ADOPTED MARTIN OLIVIA-TORRES AND TWO OTHER CHILDREN.
Rebuilding effort Oliva-Torres, 52, likes to say he rebuilt his life from the outside in. “I’m living in a dream,” he said from his home in Palmer, about 30 miles southeast of Dallas. “It’s a long dream I haven’t woken up from.” His was a childhood of gunshots, manual labor and dirt floors. He was born on Nov. 5, 1960, in a small village near Guatemala City. His mother died three months after his birth. The cause of her death was unclear, so the blame fell on the youngest of the three boys — Oliva-Torres. His father abandoned the family. The Guatemalan civil war raged nearby, and bodies fell into the river where Oliva-Torres did laundry and fished. He said he was beaten by his grandmother, treated as an outcast by neighbors and fed scraps — specifically chicken leftovers, he remembered. “I would ask for the legs, and I got the feet,” he said. Oliva-Torres wasn’t allowed to go to school, and his facial deformities barred him from employment. He began drinking at age 12. At 23, he found a job washing cars in Guatemala City. He used the money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. He walked with his head down. His deformities impaired his vision and his breathing. “I was angry,” he said. “I was angry with myself, the people.” It all changed the next year in December 1984.
Woman in a Jeep One in the when pulled
Sunday, Oliva-Torres stood street, soliciting business, an American woman over in a Jeep.
“She said, ‘Hey, have you been able to see a doctor?’ And I said, ‘No, I ain’t sick,”’ he recalled. The woman, whom he remembers as “Angie,” told him to go to the address on her business card. She would take him to the U.S., she said. He didn’t follow her instructions, and Angie returned the next week. “If you want to come to the U.S., you come and see me,” Oliva-Torres recalled her saying. This time, he complied and walked to the address she gave him. It was an orphanage for disfigured children. Oliva-Torres saw children who looked just like him. He felt less alone. He filled out paperwork, packed his tattered clothes and a blanket and prepared to board a flight to America.
Holding a child He was handed a 14-month-old boy named Bernie, who had a large protrusion between his eyes and a fever. “He was full of chicken pox,” Oliva-Torres said. “He had one little bottle of milk, one blankie.” A Washington-based nonprofit, Healing the Children, flew OlivaTorres and Bernie to Houston shortly before Christmas. Then they were driven to Dallas, where a craniofacial surgeon would change Oliva-Torres’ life forever. Zane Jude was in his truck when he got the call. His wife, Phyllis, said their pastor wanted to talk to them about three disfigured boys in need of a home — Oliva-Torres, Bernie and a 9-year-old from Mexico who was born without ears. “I said, ‘If we take one, we take all three of them,”’ Jude said.
So the Arlington couple began preparing for the homecoming of three Spanish-speaking children. They knew they’d only be able to communicate with hand signals. “I did it because I heard the voice of God,” Jude said. “And if I had to do it all over, I’d do it again.” Oliva-Torres stood in a Houston airport in a black shirt with red stripes, craving a cigarette and still holding Bernie. “Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t even see their deformities?” said Jude, 63, who now lives in West Virginia.
Forming a family It didn’t take long for the Judes to bond with Oliva-Torres and Bernie. The 9-year-old, after a brief stay, went back to Mexico. “Phyllis came up and gave us a hug,” Oliva-Torres said. “It was something, because I never had that from my own grandma.” The boys moved into the Judes’ apartment and, for the first time, Oliva-Torres had regular meals and a bed. “I said, ‘That’s for you,”’ Zane Jude said, and he pointed at the bed. “He finally realized what I was telling him and stopped sleeping on the floor.”
‘Down and out’ In 1986, a little more than a year after he arrived in the U.S., more good fortune smiled upon Oliva-Torres. He became a patient of Dr. Kenneth Salyer, who founded the World Craniofacial Foundation. The surgeon would fix OlivaTorres’ face at no expense to him. Salyer said he doesn’t know whether Oliva-Torres’ deformi-
ties stemmed from poor prenatal care or genetics because little is known about his family’s medical history. “All I knew was here was another young human being who was absolutely not accepted by society and was totally down and out,” Salyer said.
Rebuilding his face Oliva-Torres underwent his first surgery at Medical City Dallas Hospital. The doctors removed 20 millimeters of bone between his eyes, rebuilt his forehead and created a new nose with excess skin. “I don’t speak fluent Spanish, but my heart opened to him,” Salyer said. He would perform a series of operations on Oliva-Torres over the next 10 years. Salyer details the procedures he did on Oliva-Torres and Bernie in a chapter of his new memoir, A Life that Matters: Transforming Faces, Renewing Lives. Zane Jude remembers sitting in a Dallas hotel after OlivaTorres underwent his third surgery in 1988. The family had moved to West Virginia and had flown in for the operation. The surgery left Oliva-Torres’ eyes swollen shut. “I told him, ‘Martin, I’m your eyes. I’m your hands. I’ll do anything for you,”’ Jude said. As his face began to take on a new shape, so did Oliva-Torres’ life. He began teaching himself English by reading Bibles in English and Spanish side by side and singing along to oldies on the radio. With the Judes’ help, he got a work permit and his first job at the Salvation Army in Dallas.
Oliva-Torres later would meet his future wife, Delores, in church. “He’s my inspiration,” she said. But even as life was looking up, something was missing. He couldn’t let go of the anger. He couldn’t forgive. “It was awesome to see the change in my face,” he said, “but inside — the inside wasn’t changed.” Oliva-Torres remembers the exact moment he let Jesus Christ into his life. He was still a young man, living at home with the Judes. One day, alone, he watched a televised Christian sermon. “I started praying with him,” Oliva-Torres said. He found strength in his newfound faith. It took years, but it was that unfaltering faith that allowed him to forgive his grandmother, his neighbors, himself. It’s forgiveness that OlivaTorres preaches today.
Message in Spanish Once a month, he gives a sermon in Spanish at Palmer First Assembly of God. “Any message he ever preaches,” his wife said, “it always ends up talking about forgiveness.” He posts inspirational messages daily on his Facebook page. His fellow church members, who refer to Oliva-Torres as “Brother Martin,” often huddle with him to discuss Bible verses. “He’s very enthusiastic,” said First Assembly of God pastor Carmen Ingram. “He loves to pray for people. He’s very sensitive in the spirit.” His regrets are few, OlivaTorres said. He still gets sad when he thinks of Bernie, who was institutionalized. And Phyllis Jude, his adoptive mom, died in 2003. But Oliva-Torres knows he has so much to be thankful for. Sitting in the couple’s small home near a sunflower field, Oliva-Torres reflected on his life: “I just want to tell you, I am blessed.” He folded his hands and said it again: “I am blessed.”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
Dallas judge acquits DA of contempt ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — The Dallas County district attorney was acquitted of being in contempt of court Friday in a case that began when the DA declined to testify at a court hearing. State District Judge Bob Brotherton ruled in favor of Craig Watkins, who was facing a $500 fine and potential damage to his reputation as a well-known criminal justice advocate. Watkins refused in March to answer allegations that his office prosecuted an heir to an oil fortune as a favor to a friend
and campaign donor. State District Judge Lena Levario held him in contempt and threw out the mortgage fraud cases against the heir, Al Hill III.
Flawed order Watkins’ attorneys had attempted to have Levario removed from the case and she subsequently signed an order allowing Brotherton to decide the matter. Brotherton determined last month that Levario’s contempt order was flawed because it didn’t immediately set a
RODOLFO ‘RUDY’ NAVARRO JR. July 22, 1954 – Aug. 20, 2013
in throwing out the mortgage cases against Hill. “Judge Lena Levario reviewed hundreds of pages of evidence and heard testimony from several witnesses before deciding in March to dismiss the case against Mr. Hill due to constitutional violations by the District Attorney’s Office. Today’s hearing has no effect on that ruling,” Berger said. Watkins’ office has said prosecutors acted appropriately in investigating a $500,000 loan Hill had sought, and said it was not part of a vendetta at the behest of Watkins’ politi-
cal benefactor Lisa Blue. Blue and Hill have fought over attorneys’ fees relating to a lawsuit in which Blue represented him.
Jury: US marshal not guilty of 2 charges BROWNSVILLE — A jury has found a deputy U.S. marshal not guilty of revealing an undercover federal agent’s identity to his father — a convicted drug smuggler. The jury in Brownsville had entered its third day of deliberations before re-
CERTIFICATE Sexual abuse cases involving children, for instance, must take into account the victim, he said. “These cases require testimony,” Alaniz said. “The objective, for my office, is always … accountability by the defendant and acceptance of responsibility. You have to balance that with considerations for the victim.” The former coach is set for a September trial in Wilson County, where he is alleged to have touched the genitals of a child younger than 17 years
SAN YGNACIO — Rodolfo Navarro Jr., passed away on Aug. 20, 2013, at his residence in Corpus Christi. Mr. Navarro is preceded in death by his parents, Rodolfo and Maria Luisa Navarro. Mr. Navarro is survived by his brother, Juan H. (Amalia) Navarro, sister, Maria Idalia (Juan) Benitez of Corpus Christi; nephew, Aaron Benitez; nieces, Gabriela Ana Navarro, Kimberly Granado; and by his beloved cats, Joaquin and Paloma; and by numerous relatives and friends. Mr. Navarro was a Zapata High School graduate, Class of 1973. Services are pending.
turning a verdict Friday in the case of Lucio Moya. Deliberations began late Wednesday after Moya testified in his own defense on charges of obstruction and accessory after the fact. Moya said that in 2011 his father gave him a copy of the driver’s license of a man the father said he suspected of drug smuggling. Moya said his father wanted to become a paid informant. But prosecutors say Moya’s father was part of a drug ring that was trying to check out a driver hired to haul marijuana.
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old on July 1, 2004. He was indicted in January on a charge of indecency with a child by contact. In Williamson County, he has agreed to plead guilty to indecently touching a 15-year-old girl in her Round Rock home in August 2005. His next court proceeding in that case, where he is expected to formally give his plea, is in October. While decorated for his coaching abilities, Reyes faced termination in three of the four school districts in
which he taught, including UISD. In February, Reyes resigned from UISD. Claims he inappropriately touched and harassed girls on the Alexander basketball team spurred an investigation in 2012 and resulted in a reprimand and his placement on a job improvement plan. (JJ Velasquez may be reached at 728-2579 or jjvelasquez@lmtonline.com)
GRANT Continued from Page 1A
RICHARD DWAINE BENAVIDES Sept. 14, 1993 – Aug. 21, 2013 Richard Dwaine (Brown) Benavides, 19, passed away Aug. 21, 2013. Richard is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Jose Maria and Arabela Benavides; and maternal grandparents, Billy Dwaine and Faye Brown. Richard is survived by his father, Juan Jose (Myrna Bustamante) Benavides; mother, Tina (Joel) Longoria; brother, Juan Jose Jr. (Venessa) Benavides; sisters, Renae (Eduardo Jr.) Lopez, Victoria Benavides, Andrea Benavides, Carina Benavides, and Emily Benavides; nephews and nieces, Abigail Benavides, Kively Benavides, Elaine Lopez, Eduardo Lopez III, Estevan Lopez, and Miguel Chapa III, and by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Visitation hours were held Friday, Aug. 23, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m., and will be held Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession will depart Saturday, Aug.
punishment for Watkins. Watkins’ attorneys also pointed to comments Levario allegedly made in May that she would serve Watkins to the FBI on a “silver platter” and that he needed to be knocked off his pedestal. One recently fired county employee testified hearing the comments at lunch with the judge, but two others eating lunch with the group that day said they did not remember that. Matthew Berger, a spokesman for Hill, said his client was not involved in Friday’s hearing and that Levario was correct
nounced more $107 million in federal funding for state and local preparedness programs for fiscal year 2013 for Texas. Funds for Zapata County will provide resources for assessment, response, recovery from acts of terrorism and threats to urban areas, as well as to enhance border security cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico and gen-
eral emergency preparedness, a news release stated. “I encourage state and local governments to ensure that these funds are used where they are needed most, in the 14 Texas counties that are situated along the Rio Grande River and the border with Mexico,” Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) said.
VOTERS
24, 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 in Zapata. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 N. U.S. Hwy. 83, Zapata.
state in the last three years where a federal judge has ruled the Legislature intentionally discriminated against minorities. Federal judges in Corpus Christi are hearing two cases opposing Texas’ voter ID law: One filed in June by Democratic U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the NAACP and Dallas County and a new one filed Thursday by the Justice Department. Both will likely be combined by Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, an Obama administration appointee. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott insists there is nothing wrong with the voter ID law and says enforcing it is critical to preventing fraud in upcoming elections. He also points out that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states may require a photo ID to vote. Opponents, though, say that’s only if the requirement doesn’t make it too difficult for people, particularly minorities, to cast ballots. Those who brought the lawsuits
Distribution of funds The Homeland Security Grant Program funding for Texas breaks down as follows: State Homeland Security Program — Texas: $18,650,481 Urban Areas Security Initiative — Texas: $38,559,207 Operation Stonegarden — Texas: $19,422,318.
Emergency Management Performance Grants Program — Texas: $18,833,958 Urban Area Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program — Texas: $67,960 Transit Security Grant Program — Texas: $160,000 Port Security Grant Program — Texas: $11,228,503
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argue Texas is doing just that by requiring state-issued ID cards. In the past, Texas law has allowed people to vote after showing their voter registration card or state, federal, city and college IDs. The Justice Department points out that a state-issued ID can only be obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Many counties don’t have a DMV office, or it is only open one or two days a week. The complaint adds that to get a free Election Identification Card, a person must pay either $22 for a certified copy of their birth certificate or $345 for a copy of naturalization and citizenship papers. State data also shows that Hispanic and AfricanAmerican citizens are more likely not to possess a state-issued ID. Lastly, the Justice Department lawsuit said, there was the process the Republican-controlled Legislature used to adopt the law. “The Legislature and governor implemented a series of unusual procedures including designating (the vot-
er ID bill) as emergency legislation, which enabled the Senate to consider the bill on an expedited schedule,” court papers say. Thursday Abbott dismissed the new lawsuit as gamesmanship intended to help Texas Democrats. “This voter disenfranchisement argument is nothing but a myth,” he said. “Almost every single person either has a valid photo ID ... or it is very easy to get one.” That’s where the Edinburg election could help the case against the voter ID law. Jose Garza, an attorney for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said the burden is on civil rights groups to gather evidence that the law disproportionately prevents minorities from voting. “Edinburg does provide one opportunity,” he said, adding that he’s developing statistical models to determine the impact of the law. If the civil rights groups can gather enough material, they’ll try to get an injunction before the next statewide election in November.
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Offensive woes Photo by Rick Scuteri | AP
Dallas inside linebacker Sean Lee agreed to a six-year, $51 million extension with the Cowboys.
Locking down Lee Cowboys sign LB Lee for 6 years By RAINER SABIN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Hidden in the legal language of the six-year contract extension Sean Lee signed Wednesday, between the lines of the document, was the narrative of the Cowboys lineback-
See LEE PAGE 2B
Photo by Rick Scuteri | AP
File photo by Jose Yau | AP
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and the Cowboys first-team offense has yet to score a preseason touchdown under new offensive coordinator Bill Callahan.
Houston Texans running back Arian Foster practiced for the first time since May on Wednesday.
‘Boys first-team offense still looking for TD
Foster off PUP list
By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys’ first-team offense are still looking for their first touchdown this preseason with Bill Callahan calling the plays. Eight-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten, coming off a record-setting season, still doesn’t
even have a catch. “Yeah, don’t want to hurt that spleen, you know,” Witten joked this week about the injury he sustained last preseason before his 110 catches, an NFL single-season record for tight ends. There really is no reason to be too concerned about Romo and Witten, but it would be nice to get in the end zone Saturday night in what will
likely be their most extensive and last game action before things count for real. “Absolutely,” Witten said. “It’s all right though. You work on it in practice doing that stuff and this is the same system even though it’s a different play-caller, I’m sure that will all work out.”
Dallas plays the fourth of its five preseason games, the first at home, against Cincinnati. It comes two weeks before the season opener against the New York Giants. The five series Romo has played this preseason have resulted in a field goal, a missed field goal, a punt and lost fumbles at the end of two big
Practices for first time since May By KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Houston running back Arian Foster was removed from the physically unable to perform list Wednesday and practiced with the Texans
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B See TEXANS PAGE 2B
NCAA ATHLETICS: TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Chancellor says evidence clears Manziel By KATE HAIROPOULOS THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
File photo by LM Otero | AP
Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp said that he has seen enough evidence to conclude that Johnny Manziel did not violate NCAA rules.
DALLAS — In his strongest comments defending Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel yet, Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp said Thursday that he has seen enough evidence to conclude that Manziel did not violate NCAA rules by allegedly signing thousands of autographs for pay. "I know he’s innocent," Sharp told KBTX News 3 in College Station. "I know that he didn’t do what they accused him of doing. "I think that it’s time that we, once we knew what the facts are and we
know the facts . and I’ve seen what everybody else has seen now, and the rest of the country is going to get to see that before it’s over with. It was a bunch of hype journalism. "I’ve seen things that other folks can’t see. And it didn’t happen. It did not happen." A&M officials have not given a timeline on when it will be determined whether Manziel starts the season opener Aug. 31 against Rice. ESPN responded to Sharp’s criticisms of the network’s reporting on Manziel in an email Wednesday to some members of the Aggie community. ESPN released a state-
ment: "We stand by our reporting." Sharp criticized the network’s use of unnamed sources who "refuse to provide an interview or any tangible proof" and reporter Darren Rovell’s track record. Manziel named secondteam All-SEC: The ruckus surrounding Manziel may have affected SEC coaches when they voted for the preseason All-SEC teams. Georgia senior Aaron Murray was named the first-team quarterback when the squad was announced Thursday. Manziel, the Heisman
See TEXAS A&M PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores TEXAS A&M Continued from Page 1B
Trophy winner, had to settle for second team. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, who has led the Crimson Tide to the last two BCS national titles, earned a third-team spot. Coaches could not vote for their own players. Manziel set an SEC record for total offense, with 5,116 yards last season. Murray is already the first SEC quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards in his first three seasons and enters the season with SEC career records in reach. Other Aggies named to the preseason
teams include offensive lineman Jake Matthews (first team), receiver Mike Evans (second team) and defensive back Deshazor Everett (third team). Backup QB race narrows: A&M’s closely watched backup quarterback battle appears down to Arlington’s Matt Joeckel, a redshirt junior, and Southlake Carroll’s Kenny Hill, a freshman. Redshirt freshman Matt Davis will transfer, according to multiple reports Thursday. The backup is obviously key if Manziel is required to miss games.
LEE Continued from Page 1B er’s professional career. It’s a tale of a player with qualities desirable enough to pay him as much as $51 million to keep. It’s also a story of a man who has been betrayed by his body to the point that the organization committing to his future added playtime incentives while guaranteeing him a modest percentage of the total money he could earn. On Thursday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones called Lee "the Jason Witten of the defense," comparing the fourth-year linebacker to Dallas’ elite tight end who has been named to the Pro Bowl eight times. "But the big thing with Sean, and he knows it, is that he’s got to stay healthy," Jones said. And that’s what makes Lee a walking contradiction, a player viewed as among the most dependable in the Cowboys’ locker room from a performance standpoint but one who has been unreliable based on his record of availability. "I still have a ton left to prove," Lee said Thursday. "I still have to find a way to stay on the football field." Lee now has extra incentive to prove his worth. If he participates in at least 80 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2013 or 2014, he’ll see a bump in his pay in 2015. Of the 48 regular-season games he could have played in his career, he’s already missed 13 of them because of a pulled hamstring in 2010, a dislocated wrist in 2011 and torn ligaments in his right big toe that sidelined him last season for the final 10 weeks. Yet for all of Lee’s injuries he’s recognized by many inside the Cowboys organization - and outside it, too - as an essential member of the team. In the same starting unit that includes perennial Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Ware and $50 million cornerback Brandon Carr, Lee is considered perhaps the most important of all. "He’s the heart and soul of this defense, a guy that everybody responds to because he plays the right way, prepares the right way, is committed the right way," head coach Jason Garrett said. "Sean Lee represents, embodies, personifies everything we think is good
in football. To be able to lock him up for an extended period of time was a really positive thing." From the moment the Cowboys drafted Lee in the second round in 2010, they liked what they saw. According to the club’s records, Lee’s career statistics include 253 tackles, 13 of which have resulted in lost yardage. Even more impressive is his seven total interceptions, the second-highest number collected by all NFL linebackers since Lee entered the league. When Lee played, he produced. That was fact. So as he entered the final year of his contract in March, it was only a matter of time before he would be presented with a new deal. "As you know, when we want people to be here long-term, this is the way we typically approach it," Jones said. Lee was receptive to working out an extension because the Pittsburgh native from Steelers country loved being a Cowboy. "I never thought about waiting when they wanted to keep me here," he said. "The chance to be here for a long time, pretty much most of my career, I jumped at the opportunity." And the Cowboys strongly believe Lee will be a fixture in their lineup for as long as he’s under contract. After all, at 27, he is already one of the Cowboys’ foremost leaders. His work ethic and study habits are universally lauded by his teammates, even ones who have more experience than he does. "Sean - he’s like a coach at his position," said linebacker Ernie Sims, an eighth-year NFL veteran. "He’s just a good all-around ball player." Added Witten, "he does everything the right way." The only question that remains with Lee is whether he can play an entire season. Lee thinks he can, and so do the Cowboys executives. "We’re convinced and he’s convinced he’s going to be healthy or we wouldn’t have done the extension," Jones said. "And if he is healthy, then obviously he’ll make even more money. It’s a good deal." It’s also one that represents what the Cowboys think of Lee and what they hope he’ll ultimately become.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
Rangers scoring without Cruz By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARLINGTON — Not surprisingly, the Texas Rangers have hit fewer home runs without suspended All-Star slugger Nelson Cruz in their lineup. Yet, the AL West leaders are somehow scoring more runs and are 12-3 without him. “I think the reason for that is we’ve been able to get loose on the base paths,” manager Ron Washington said. “We’ve been able to do a lot of things that’s just been presented to us.” Speedy center fielder Leonys Martin was moved to the leadoff spot only a few days before the Rangers lost Cruz for the rest of the regular season. That put Ian Kinsler third in the batting order, with Elvis Andrus in between them. Texas also has since acquired right fielder Alex Rios, a player who hit homers and stole bases for the Chicago White Sox. “Missing Nellie obviously hurts, but our lineup’s clicking right now,” Kinsler said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that set things up and it’s working out for us.”
The Rangers have scored an MLB-best 6.3 runs per game since Aug. 5, the day Cruz was among 13 players disciplined by Major League Baseball after its drug investigation into the Biogenesis clinic in Florida. While they’ve hit half as many homers a game as they had with Cruz, they’ve stolen twice as many bases. “They’re using their skill sets to put them in the best position to be successful,” said Houston manager Bo Porter, whose team was swept in a three-game series at Texas this week. “There’s no weak links up and down their lineup.” Andrus (34 stolen bases), Rios (30) and Martin (27) are all among the top eight in the AL in stolen bases. Texas (74-53) is a seasonhigh 21 games over .500 with a 21/2 -game division lead over Oakland. After their third of six consecutive scheduled Thursdays off, the Rangers play 12 of 15 games on the road, starting with three games at the White Sox this weekend. When the Rangers lost Cruz for the rest of the regular season, they were averaging 4.6 runs with 1.2 homers per game. They have hit eight homers since
(.533 per game) with 1.2 stolen bases per game, up from 0.65 before that. Even when taking a pair of high-scoring victories out of the equation, Texas still has nearly five runs a game. There was a 15-3 win Saturday over Seattle, the highest-scoring game without a homer in the 20 seasons of Rangers Ballpark. A fiverun inning off Felix Hernandez included Jurickson Profar scoring on a suicide squeeze bunt by Martin. Two nights later against Houston, the Rangers had the highest-scoring inning in the majors this season. All nine players scored in their 11-run third that started with Martin’s bunt for the first of seven hits — six singles and a double. Texas again had 15 runs without a homer until A.J. Pierzynski connected in the seventh of a 16-5 victory. Andrus executed a hitand-run in the first inning with Martin the next game, then capped the series Wednesday against the Astros with a suicide squeeze bunt and game-ending sac fly. That’s not to say the Rangers don’t miss Cruz, who had 27 homers and 76 RBIs.
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B
TEXANS Continued from Page 1B for the first time since May. Foster strained his right calf in an offseason practice in late May and struggled with a sore back after recovering from that injury. “It’s really important,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “He’s been working, it’s not like he’s been standing around. He’s been trying to get all that soreness out and he felt really good the last two days. I think we took a big step forward.” Kubiak thought that Foster would have returned to practice sooner than he did, but he understood why he was out as long as he was. “I was watching him work and watching what he was going though so I felt confident that we were close and ready to go,” Kubiak said. “I also understand how important it was that they did it at the right time. The key is Arian felt good about it today and that’s the most important thing.” Foster rushed for 1,424 yards and 15 touchdowns last year for his third straight 1,200-yard season. Kubiak doesn’t expect Foster to play Sunday against the Saints and he likely won’t play in Houston’s final preseason game on Aug. 29 at Dallas. But that won’t keep him from being ready for Houston’s opener at San Diego on Sept. 9. “I don’t think it’s a must that he carry the ball in preseason to be ready for San Diego,” Ku-
biak said. Foster wasn’t sure if he’d see preseason action, but didn’t sound like he was angling to play before the opener. “I’m not a huge fan of preseason,” he said. “I feel like I’ll be ready for Sept. 9 without (it). I’ve just got to get myself acclimated.” He said it was a bit frustrating to deal with his back situation after recovering from the calf injury, but he was never concerned that the problems would bleed into the regular season. “I know my body and I knew it wasn’t a huge issue,” he said. “I had to give it time.” The Texans have relied on Ben Tate and a group of mostly rookie running backs while Foster was injured. Quarterback Matt Schaub said it was a boost to see Foster on the field on Wednesday. “It was great to see him back out there and see his explosiveness,” Schaub said. “After all his rehab he looked pretty fresh. It was great to have him back in the huddle and get another piece of the puzzle back.” Foster is excited about the possibilities for the offense with the new pieces they added in the offseason led by receiver DeAndre Hopkins, chosen in the first-round of this year’s draft. “We’ve got all the potential in the world, we’ve just got to go execute,” Foster said. “Obviously we have a bunch of talent here and it’s always fun to watch.”
Foster went through some changes in his life during the offseason, with he and his wife welcoming their first son. He said he mostly just sleeps and eats now, but he can’t wait for him to get old enough to run around and play. But he’s hoping that his boy doesn’t follow in his footsteps in a few years, saying an emphatic “no” when asked about the possibility of him playing football one day. “If he wants to it’s cool,” Foster said. “I love the game and everything but this hurts. It’s a lot of work. Let daddy put in the work so you can go study art or something.”
Smith suspended NEW YORK — Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith has been suspended by the NFL for the season opener and the last two preseason games for hitting Miami guard Richie Incognito with the Dolphins player’s helmet. Smith ripped the helmet off Incognito’s head, then hit Incognito on the shoulder with it in last Saturday night’s preseason game. The two also went at it in last season’s opener, when Smith kicked Incognito, drawing an $11,000 fine. Smith must sit out Houston’s visit to San Diego to begin the season Sept. 9. He also will lose about $400,000 in salary for his seventh rules violation since 2011.
File photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, left, and offensive coordinator Bill Callahan, right, are looking to fix the team’s early offensive problems. plays. The only score came after a drive started inside the Oakland 20 and lost 4 yards before the kick. Last weekend in a 12-7 loss at Arizona, Romo completed 7 of 10 passes for 142 yards but was undone by two fumbles at end of completed passes, one inside the 10 and another by Dez Bryant. Those were the first of five first-half turnovers by the Cowboys, and six overall. “There were a lot of good things in the game, really in all three phases,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “I think we have grown each of three weeks of the preseason. We made progress in each of those areas and there were a lot of really good individual plays. ... The overwhelming story of the ball game was the six turnovers and one takeaway.” It will be a homecoming of sorts for third-year Cin-
cinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, who played the first game of his TCU senior season at the Cowboys’ stadium, a victory over Oregon State that started a 13-0 season culminating with a Rose Bowl victory. Dalton is first quarterback to lead the Bengals to the playoffs each of his first two seasons, and most of their offense is mostly intact from a year ago. “There hasn’t been a whole lot of new learning gong on so far,” Dalton said. “Everybody basically knows what we’re doing. That’s going to make us better going into the season.” The Bengals’ starting offense last week had 220 yards, including 115 yards passing and a touchdown by Dalton while going 9of-14 passing, and built a 17-3 lead against Tennessee. Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green might be even back
for a few plays against the Cowboys. Green bruised his left knee during the first training camp workout and returned to practice last week without playing so far in the Bengals’ two preseason victories. Bengals starting running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis sat out last weekend’s game just to get a rest, providing an opportunity for 5foot-9 Giovani Bernard, the second-round pick who had seven carries for 37 yards and a touchdown and turned a short pass into a 22yard gain against the Titans. Bernard is expected to get a lot of time this season as the backup running back and on passing plays. “He’s not afraid,” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said. “He may not run over people like Adrian Peterson, but he’ll make some people miss. He’s hard to find in there.”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE TURN ‘LOST’ INTO ‘FOUND’ Dear Heloise: This is regarding your hints on FINDING A LOST PET. You failed to mention one very important hint: Have your pet microchipped. That way, if a pet does get lost and is found and taken to a shelter, someone there can scan the chip and retrieve the owner’s information. And if the owners move, they should be sure to call the microchipping company to let it know the change of address. — Diane S., Longview, Texas Diane, you are right — I didn’t mention microchipping in that column, although it has been mentioned in other columns of mine through the years. The cost is about $50. Check around to see about getting it done cheaper at the Humane Society or a pet shelter. The chip should last longer than the life of your dog. It’s very small, about the size of a grain of rice. And best of all, should your pet become lost, the chip should help in getting
“
HELOISE
your pet home to you! Thanks for reminding us of the importance of having your pet microchipped. — Heloise P.S.: Cabbie, our miniature schnauzer, says, “Woof, woof ” for her microchip. FRONT-LOADING WASHING MACHINE Dear Heloise: Thank you for suggesting a person look inside the seal of front-loading washing machines in search of odors. I did not have a washing-machine odor, but I decided to look to see if there was anything inside the seal that could be harboring a problem. Lo and behold, I found my husband’s car keys that have been missing for two years! — Judi, via email Well, that’s a new one! I guess he has the cleanest keys in town! — Heloise
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013