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DRUNK DRIVING
BUDGET
TxDOT: Drunk drivers go to jail
County won’t lay off employees By JJ VELASQUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
County employees will not be laid off this fiscal year after a budget proposing 12 layoffs was amended to only include cuts by attrition. County commissioners
adopted the 2012-13 budget Monday at Commissioners Court. A proposed budget had called for about 30 jobs to be cut, but savings on the county’s liability insurance coverage allowed for
See COUNTY PAGE 11A
FISHING
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
A group of anglers fish the waters of Falcon Lake on a sunny and windy Thursday afternoon.
Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times
Danny Magree, Texas Department of Transportation director of transportation operations, speaks during the “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” press conference held at the STRATIS Control Room on Friday morning.
Police beef up forces over holiday weekend By MIKAELA RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Texas Department of Transportation, in an attempt to curb drunk driving over the Labor Day weekend, held a press conference highlighting its “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” initiative, beginning each year in mid-August and lasting until Sept. 1. Fewer people were killed during drunk-driving accidents last year than since 2003, with the number dipping below double digits. “We’ve had a 21 percent decrease in traffic deaths; you can consider that dramatic,” said Danny Magee, Laredo TxDOT director of transportation operations. However, Magee said citizens should still remain on high alert over the holiday. “We deal with infrastructure, and as engineers
“
We’ve had a 21 percent decrease in traffic deaths; you can consider that dramatic.” DANNY MAGEE, LAREDO TXDOT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS
we put a lot of thought into how we design things — everything we do, the factor of safety is always designed in,” Magee said. “The one thing we can’t design for is the driver.” Investigator Joe Baeza with the Laredo Police Department said DWI arrests have spiked dramatically since last year: LPD made 200 driving-while-intoxicated arrests between Jan. 1 and July 23, 2011. During the same period this year, more than 350 arrests were made. “We have peaks and
valleys in terms of frequencies of arrests,” Baeza said. “Then again, as the city grows, different trends might occur.” Raul Leal, TxDOT public information officer, said the campaign is a proactive way of getting the anti-drinking and driving message out on the streets. Safety advisories are brought to citizens online via Twitter and other digital media, through TV ads and signs with DWI statistics placed on major highways. “Throughout the year
we provide grants for law enforcement, for overtime pay and selective weekend enforcement,” Leal said. “It’s an ongoing thing throughout the year.” LPD Lt. James Montemayor said police patrols will increase, and regular patrol officers with be placed on DWI duty over the weekend. Mayor Raul Salinas said awareness is paramount in preventing alcohol-related injuries and deaths, and a devil-maycare attitude can be the most harmful factor in getting behind the wheel while impaired. “People don’t realize the consequences of possibly hurting others,” Salinas said. “You have the right to have fun, but you should do so responsibly.” Salinas said he’d like to see a designated driver awareness campaign that
See DRUNK PAGE 11A
Bassmaster coming back to Falcon By MIKAELA RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society announced Wednesday it will hold its Bassmaster Elite Series fishing competition on Falcon Lake in March 2013 for the second time since 2008. From March 21-24, nationally renowned anglers will travel to Zapata to test their skills as they compete to catch the heaviest amount of bass within a four-day span. Michael Mulone, Bassmaster site selection coordinator, said Falcon Lake conditions are “lightning in a bottle” and a perfect place for uncommonly large fish to thrive. “There’s a lot of structure underground — places to hide,” Mulone said. “It just basically means that overall it’s a great growing venue for fish — they keep getting bigger and bigger.”
During the first Falcon Slam in April 2008, angler Paul Elias of Mississippi broke a Bassmaster record, catching 132 pounds of fish by the end of the tournament, with each bass averaging a meaty 6 pounds. “There are entire lakes that don’t have 6-pound fish … and that was just the average,” Mulone said. “We’ve seen recreational anglers there catch repeated 10pounders.” Mulone said the Bassmaster tournament is also “here to provide national attention” to the small town of Zapata. Peggy Moffett, CEO of the Zapata County Economic Development Corporation, said a pillar of its overall economic development strategy was to build on bass-fishing organizations since 2004.
See BASS PAGE 11A
MEXICO
Presidential winner declared By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO AND MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s highest electoral authority declared Friday that Enrique Peña Nieto was the legitimate winner of the country’s July 1 presidential election, formally opening the transition to a new government despite continuing claims of fraud by the second-place candidate of the left. The Federal Electoral Tribunal said leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had failed to prove claims that votebuying had affected the results of the vote returning Mexico’s former autocratic ruling party to the country’s highest office af-
ter a 12-year absence. Lopez Obrador told reporters Friday morning that he refused to recognize the results of the election and was calling for a peaceful protest that he described as “civil disobedience” on Sept. 9 in the Zocalo, the historic plaza in the heart of downtown Mexico City. He launched street demonstrations that paralyzed central Mexico City after he lost the 2006 vote, but widespread protests appear far less likely this time. Lopez Obrador said the electoral tribunal made an illegitimate ruling Thursday evening when it rejected the leftist’s allegations of vote-buying and other campaign violations in favor of Peña Nieto, the candidate of the
Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. The seven electoral magistrates are nominated by Mexico’s Supreme Court and confirmed by Congress and are widely seen as credible and nonpartisan, although Lopez Obrador has alleged that several members were based in favor of the PRI. “I am telling the people of Mexico that I cannot accept the judgment of the electoral tribunal that declared the presidential election valid,” Lopez Obrador told a news conference. “The elections were not clean, free and genuine. As a result, I will not recognize an illegitimate power that’s emerged as a result
See VOTE PAGE 11A
Photo by Alexandre Meneghini | AP
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, presidential candidate for the Democratic Revolution Party, speaks during a news conference in Mexico City on Friday. Lopez Obrador said Friday that he is refusing to recognize the results of Mexico’s presidential election, raising the question of whether he will launch street protests like those he used to paralyze central Mexico City after losing the 2006 vote.
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, SEPT. 1
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ZHS volleyball against United at United. Time to be announced.
Today is Saturday, Sept. 1, the 245th day of 2012. There are 121 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 1, 1939, World War II began as Nazi Germany invaded Poland. On this date: In 1715, following a reign of 72 years, King Louis XIV of France died four days before his 77th birthday. In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was found not guilty of treason. (Burr was then tried on a misdemeanor charge, but was again acquitted.) In 1902, the Georges Melies (meh-lee-EHZ’) short film “Le Voyage dans la lune” (A Trip to the Moon) opened in France. In 1912, British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, known as the “Black Mahler” (and not to be confused with the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge), died at age 37. In 1923, the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Yokohama were devastated by an earthquake that claimed some 140,000 lives. In 1932, New York City Mayor James J. “Gentleman Jimmy” Walker resigned following charges of graft and corruption in his administration. In 1942, U.S. District Court Judge Martin I. Welsh, ruling from Sacramento, Calif., on a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Fred Korematsu, upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals. In 1951, the United States, Australia and New Zealand signed a mutual defense pact, the ANZUS treaty. In 1961, the Soviet Union ended a moratorium on atomic testing with an aboveground nuclear explosion in central Asia. A TWA Lockheed Constellation crashed shortly after takeoff from Chicago’s Midway Airport, killing all 78 people on board. In 1972, American Bobby Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik (RAY’-kyuh-vik), Iceland, as Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union resigned before the resumption of Game 21. An arson fire at the Blue Bird Cafe in Montreal, Canada, claimed 37 lives. In 1983, 269 people were killed when a Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 was shot down by a Soviet jet fighter after the airliner entered Soviet airspace. In 1987, peace demonstrator S. Brian Willson lost his legs when he was hit by a train at the Concord Naval Weapons Station in California while protesting weapons shipments to Central America. Ten years ago: The California Legislature approved a $99 billion budget, ending a 2month-old standoff. Typhoon Rusa, the worst typhoon to hit South Korea in 40 years, left at least 119 people dead. Today’s Birthdays: Former Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird is 90. Actor George Maharis is 84. Conductor Seiji Ozawa is 77. Attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz is 74. Comedian-actress Lily Tomlin is 73. Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 62. Singer Gloria Estefan is 55. Former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers is 51. Thought for Today: “The most dangerous of all falsehoods is a slightly distorted truth.” — Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, German scientist (1742-1799).
MONDAY, SEPT. 3 The Bola Blanca Chamber Classic golf tournament is today from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Laredo Country Club, 1415 Country Club Drive. For more information, call Lupita Vogel at 956-722-9895.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 4 ZHS volleyball against Crystal City in Crystal City. Game times at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. The Alzheimer’s support group will meet at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room 2, Building B of the Laredo Medical Center, 1700 E. Saunders St. The support group is for family members and caregivers taking care of someone who has Alzheimer’s. For more information, call Melissa L. Guerra at 956-6939991.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5 Ninth and JV football versus Alexander at home. Game times at 5 and 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 6
Photo courtesy of Liberty County Sheriff’s Department | AP
This undated booking photo shows Eric McGowen, 20, the first defendant to face trial among a group of men and boys accused of repeatedly raping a young Texas girl. He vanished Wednesday during a break in the proceedings in Liberty, following emotionally charged testimony from the alleged victim. McGowen is among 14 adults charged in the case.
Man flees during trial By JUAN A. LOZANO
Varsity football versus Alexander in Laredo at 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 7 Villa San Agustin de Laredo Genealogical Society and Gallery 201 will exhibit “Las Bodas de Nuestra Antepasados” today from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Gallery 201, 513 San Bernardo Ave., with parking at Laredo National Bank Plaza. Members will share their ancestors’ wedding photos and wedding memorabilia at the exhibit. There will be a silent auction, music and cash bar. The exhibit is open to the public. For more information, call 722-3497 or 635-7172.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 8 Community Cleanup at Las Palmas Nature Trail. This is a collaboration among RGISC, City of Laredo, Keep Laredo Beautiful, and the Texas Army National Guard/436th Chemical Co. Starts at 8 a.m. sharp. Parking underneath Bridge II. Questions, (956) 718-1063. The Great Strides Laredo Walk Event to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be held at Central Park, 10202 International Blvd.. Check-in is at 8 a.m., and the walks starts at 9 a.m.. Individual or team registration can be made online at www.cff.org/ lonestar. For information, call Hugh Farr at 210-829-7267. The Girl Scouts of Great South Texas council will host an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 701 N. Stone Ave. There will be snacks and activities throughout the morning. Troops will also show the girls and parents what Girl Scouts do every day. For more information, call the Laredo office at 956-723-7251.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 21 The Sun Country Fishing Tournament begins and runs through Friday, Sept. 28, at Falcon Lake.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 The Bud Light 2012 San Antonio Division tournament takes place at Falcon Lake.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LIBERTY — The trial is over. There’s a conviction and a steep prison sentence. But justice is on hold for a young Texas girl who prosecutors say was repeatedly sexually assaulted by 20 people. The first man convicted in the case — Eric McGowen — is still on the lam after disappearing from the trial after the victim gave an emotional account of the attacks. While there’s a warrant out for his arrest and authorities are searching, it puts the end of a horrific case on hold. Prosecutors say the girl was sexually assaulted on at least five occasions from midSeptember through early December of 2010 by 20 men and boys in Cleveland, 45 miles northeast of Houston. McGowen, 20, was found guilty Thursday
Parkland, state health dept. settle case
of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced to 99 years in prison. The defendant was free on bail when he disappeared during a Wednesday afternoon break in proceedings, so authorities say a security detail was not required to watch or follow him. The Liberty County Sheriff ’s Office has declined to release any details about the search for McGowen, other than to say that he is believed to be armed and dangerous. His disappearance is the latest twist in a case that has divided the small town of Cleveland, both because of the horrific allegations and suggestions from some residents that the girl was partly responsible because of her appearance. Police began investigating after one of the girl’s classmates told a teacher he saw video of her being sexually assaulted in an abandoned trailer.
Texas airman’s wife jailed Ariz. man gets 52 life after toddler’s death terms for Texas sex abuse
DALLAS — Parkland Health and Hospital System has been fined $1 million in an agreement with the Department of State Health Services to dismiss any potential litigation and enforcement actions for compliance issues prior to the end of May. It’s the largest penalty the state has issued against a hospital. The agreement cited various findings from inspections, including an improper follow-up that resulted in the amputation of a patient’s leg.
FORT WORTH — A West Texas woman who claims her military husband’s deployment left her too stressed to care for her kids is facing child injury charges after her toddler’s death and allegations of neglecting her two other daughters. Tiffany Nicole Klapheke, 21, remained jailed Friday in Abilene with bonds totaling $500,000. She doesn’t yet have an attorney.
Perry to take economic development trip to Italy
LEWISVILLE — Police say a North Texas man has been charged in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend and the wounding of her 16-year-old son. Lewisville police say a judge Friday set $2 million bond for 24year-old Nelson Flores on murder and attempted murder charges. Flores was caught while seeking medical help for himself following Thursday night’s attack.
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry and his wife Anita are headed to Italy for an economic development mission. The Perrys will leave Sept. 4 and return Sept. 12. The governor plans to meet with Italian business and government leaders.
Lewisville man held in girlfriend’s fatal stabbing
EDNA — An Arizona man has been sentenced to 52 life prison terms for sexually abusing three girls in Texas in the 1980s. Fifty-nine--year-old Rickie Moore of Phoenix must serve the terms concurrently.
Federal court rejects new Texas voter photo ID law AUSTIN — A Texas law requiring voters to show picture ID at the polls was struck down by a three-judge federal panel, who said the state failed to prove the legislation wouldn’t harm low-income and minority voters. Thursday’s ruling was the second legal defeat in three days for one of America’s most conservative states, which on Tuesday had a different Washington panel reject its congressional and state Legislature district maps on the grounds that they discriminated against blacks and Hispanics. — Compiled from AP reports
FRIDAY, OCT. 12 The Southeast Texas Bass Federation will host a tournament through Saturday, Oct. 13.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18 The Anglers Quests tournaments begin, to run through Sunday, Oct. 21.
SATURDAY, OCT. 27 The Bass Champs South Region Championship takes place today and Sunday, Oct. 28.
SATURDAY, NOV. 17 The Bud Light Tournament Fall 2012 San Antonio Division tournament returns to Falcon Lake.
THURSDAY, MARCH 21 The Falcon Slam Bassmaster Elite Tournament returns to Falcon Lake. The tournament will run through Sunday, March 24. To submit an item for the calendar, send the name of the event, the date, time, location and contact phone number to editorial@lmtonline.com.
AROUND THE NATION Publisher of bin Laden book won’t back down WASHINGTON — The publisher of an account of the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden said Friday it will begin public sales next week despite a Pentagon warning of possible legal action against the book’s author and unspecified associates. “At this time, we see no reason to change our plans,” Christine Ball, a spokeswoman for the publisher, Penguin Group (USA)’s Dutton imprint, said. Dutton moved up publication to Sept. 4 from Sept. 11, saying that it was “important to put ‘No Easy Day’ on sale and let the book speak for itself.” See story, Page 9A
Thousands call Yosemite hotline to ask about virus FRESNO, Calif. — More than 1,000 calls a day are coming into Yosemite National Park as vis-
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 David J. Phillip | AP
Tony Rodriguez, right, carries his baby daughter Nicole as they and his wife Jodi Clelland leave their flooded home in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac in Slidell, La., on Friday. Isaac is now a tropical depression. itors frightened about a growing outbreak of a deadly mouseborne virus flood phone lines seeking reassurance. At least six rangers are staffing phones this week to answer questions from visitors wondering whether they’re in danger of
exposure to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, park spokesman Scott Gediman said. “We want to tell people this is what we know,” he said. “The most important thing is the safety of visitors and employees.” — 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, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Men in jail for evading authorities DAVID CANTU-CANTU: Charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanor.
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Three men landed in jail last week after deputies say the men evaded authorities on their dirt bikes and a four-wheeler, according to a Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office spokesman. Daniel Chapa Jr., 20, and Jorge Luis Falcon, 19, were arrested and charged with evading arrest with a motor vehicle, a state jail
felony punishable with 180 days to two years in jail and $10,000 fine. Both men are out on bond. A third person identified as David Cantu-Cantu, 21, was charged with reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to 180 days in jail and/or a $2,000
DANIEL CHAPA JR.: Charged with evading arrest with a vehicle. fine. Cantu-Cantu is out on bail. At 9:10 p.m. Aug. 23, a deputy patrolling Monterrey Lane in the Siesta Shores subdivision spotted three men riding dirt bikes and a four-wheeler, according to sheriff ’s Sgt. Mario Elizondo. The deputy attempted a traffic stop
JOSE LUIS FALCON: Charged with evading arrest with a vehicle. by turning on his unit’s emergency lights, but the men accelerated. Two men later identified as Cantu-Cantu and Falcon eventually stopped and were arrested on site. Chapa managed to get away, according to Elizondo. However, deputies obtained an arrest warrant
for him. Chapa was served with it Tuesday in the 5300 block of Garry Lane, according to Elizondo. “The sheriff ’s office would like to let the public know that it’s illegal to drive off-road, all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes in a public roadway,” Elizondo said. “Anyone stopped will receive a ticket, and the ATV will be towed.” (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Deputies Cuellar tours tech center search for suspect after house burglary By MIKAELA RODRIGUEZ ZAPATA TIMES
Rep. Henry Cuellar toured Zapata’s Higher Education Advanced Technology Center on Wednesday, a state-of-the-art facility built for students in Zapata County and the surrounding areas where they may obtain fully transferable college credit from several nearby universities and colleges. “I think it will transform Zapata,” Cuellar said. “I was highly impressed by the technology they had in the classrooms.” Cuellar said the presence and availability of higher education could be invaluable in growing the small town. “This is something the community wanted,” he said. “It was important to have their own presence.” The ZCHEATC was funded in part by a $1 million Economic Development Administration grant, about $1.5 million from the Texas Department of Rural Affairs and other federal and private funds. The center also offers GED certification, vocational training and ESL courses. The ZCHEATC has enrolled 214 students seeking course credits since its opening last July. The facility is equipped with four classrooms outfitted with real-time video conferencing equipment, allowing students to attend classes held miles away in Laredo. Remote courses supplement face-to-face courses taught by adjunct professors from LCC and TAMIU. Additionally, it is equipped with computer labs, administrative offices, a career center and a distancelearning auditorium. “A long-term goal is providing access to education, not only to Zapata residents, but people along the rural Mexico border that
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Courtesy photo
David Brown, right, shows Rep. Henry Cuellar around the Zapata County Technical and Advanced Education Center on Wednesday. don’t have the same access as people in Laredo,” said Dr. David Brown, adjunct professor at the ZCHEATC and dean of higher education at the center. Peggy Moffett, president and CEO of the Zapata County Economic Development Corporation, said the ZCHEATC is a “catalyst project” intended to enhance Zapata’s workforce and boost economic development. “We had the data that indicated education attainment levels were very low,” Moffett said. “We had to build marketable skills of our workforce so our existing business can hire skilled folks. That in itself helps you promote development and attract new industry.” Cuellar said he’d be happy to work with Zapata County officials in garnering funding for a second phase of the center in the future. (Mikaela Rodriguez may be reached at 956-728-2567 or mrodriguez@lmtonline.com)
Investigators are asking for the community’s assistance to help them identify the suspect(s) who broke into a ranch house earlier this week. On Tuesday, deputies responded to a burglary of a habitation call at 8:56 a.m. at El Tecolote Ranch in Chihuahua, off FM 2687. A 73-year-old man told deputies his neighbor’s ranch house and barn had been burglarized. Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office Sgt. Mario Elizondo said the suspects stole a 16inch sawed-off shotgun. Burglars also stole a John Deere 4x4 Gator. The stolen items had a total value of $11,000, accord-
ing to sheriff ’s officials. Investigators found footprints at the scene. They also noticed that a window was forced open to gain access to the ranch house. “Investigators are working the case and asking the public for any other leads and information that leads to the recovery of the stolen items and/or arrest of the individuals responsible,” Elizondo said. To provide information, call the sheriff ’s office at 765-9960 or Crime Stoppers at 765TIPS (8477). All callers may remain anonymous. Information leading to an arrest may be rewarded. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE BLOTTER ASSAULT A 16-year-old male juvenile was served with an assault, family violence warrant at about 3 p.m. Aug. 24 for an incident that occurred in the 900 block of Villa Avenue. He was turned to over to juvenile authorities.
CRIMINAL MICHIEF A 25-year-old woman reported at 9:29 p.m. Monday in the 2500 block of Iturbide Street that someone shattered the back glass of her Nissan Altima.
DWI Armando Valadez-Riojas, 68, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated shortly after midnight Sunday at U.S. 83 and First Street. He had a $1,500 bond at the Zapata Regional Jail.
POSSESSION Ivan Gonzalez, 17; Daniel Sanchez Jr., 34, and Rosio Tanguma, 24, were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 22 at U.S. 83 and Park Drive. All suspects are out on bail. Alberto Jaime, 17, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana Aug. 24 at Seventh and Miraflores streets. Jaime is out on bail.
PAGE 4A
ZOpinion
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Tea party critics show duplicity By JONATHAN GURWITZ SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
When conservatives talk about fiscal responsibility in Washington, Democrats have traditionally scoffed. Where was all the concern about deficit spending and a growing national debt during George W. Bush’s two terms in the Oval Office, when Republicans controlled the House for six years and there was a GOP majority in the Senate for four years?
‘Spending addiction’ Wasn’t it Dick Cheney who said ”deficits don’t matter”? And didn’t spending and earmarks — which Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., described as ”a gateway drug to spending addiction” — explode under Republican leadership? For the better part of the last decade, these critics were mostly right. Bush, if not an advocate of big government and deficit spending, certainly wasn’t its enemy. Not with No Child Left Behind, not with Medicare Part D, and not with two wars and a focus on national security that essentially left questions of domestic spending in the hands of congressional spendthrifts.
Republican faults But the critics are also partly wrong. Wrong, because there were Republicans in Congress who did sound the debt alarm — among them Coburn, along with fellow GOP Sen. Jim DeMint from South Carolina and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. And wrong because it confuses conservatism with Republicanism. While the Republican Party supposedly represents conservative interests in Washington, that isn’t always the case, any more than a Democratic Party that empowers toobig-to-fail financial institutions serves liberal interests.
2010 change All that began to change in 2010, when Democrats lost their House majority in the biggest mid-term rout for either party since 1938, along with six seats in the Senate. In their place, voters sent a new class of Republicans to Washington. After two years of Democratic control of the White House and
both chambers of Congress that witnessed an unprecedented expansion of government power, spending and debt, this freshmen class of GOP lawmakers was charged with doing more than simply talking about limited government — or worse, talking about it on the campaign trail, but joining in the spoils of big government when they arrived on Capitol Hill.
Greece’s role Something else happened in 2010. Standard & Poor’s downgraded Greece’s sovereign debt to junk status. Nations and states, like businesses and households, cannot indefinitely live beyond their means. The Greek financial crisis, the subsequent spread of the sovereign debt contagion and California’s budget disaster are stark reminders that the United States is not immune from this ironclad law of economics. So Republicans such as Ryan went to work in Washington, writing budgets that begin to tame the debt beast and offering proposals that will actually salvage entitlement programs that, their trustees warn with increasing urgency, are headed for insolvency. In New Jersey and Wisconsin, GOP governors Chris Christie and Scott Walker did likewise with state budgets and benefit programs.
Democrats and Obama Now the same people who chided Republicans for being spendthrifts during the last decade are condemning them as heartless budget-slashers who want to starve children and make grandma homeless. Republicans are damned, and rightfully so, when they go along with Democrats in looting the treasury. But they’re also damned, by Democrats, when they try to stop such intergenerational theft. President Obama is counting on the fact that, come November, the American people will ignore this little bit of hypocrisy. He’s also counting on the fact that they won’t notice a debt clock ticking toward $16 trillion, the weakest economic recovery in the 10 recessions since World War II and the longest stretch of high unemployment since the Great Depression.
COLUMN
The power of the text message
L
ast month, people of faith in the Diocese of Laredo joined millions of Catholics throughout the United States in partaking in the Fortnight for Freedom, an effort to raise awareness of religious liberty in our country. Here in our seven-county diocese, the Fortnight for Freedom began with a Mass at San Agustin Cathedral on June 22. In the days following the Mass, Cimarron “Cim” Gilson, an attorney and a current seminarian of Diocese of Laredo, spearheaded numerous activities during the Fortnight for Freedom that concluded July 4, U.S. Independence Day. Cim helped shed light on the religious liberty guaranteed to all Americans via the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The events began with prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
“
JAMES TAMAYO
Some fasted while others watched various faithbased movies with a similar religious liberty theme, such as “For Greater Glory.” There were peaceful rallies and PowerPoint presentations. There was also a dissemination of religious liberty information via www.dioceseoflaredo.org, Facebook, La Fe Magazine and KHOY 88.1 FM. And then there was the humble text message. Who would’ve thought that something so simple could have such a big impact? Well, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) did. Jayd Henricks, the USCCB director of Government Relations, recognized
the potential and power of the text message. The USCCB website describes Henrick’s department as representing, “the USCCB before the U.S. Congress on public policy issues of concern to the bishops. GR coordinates and directs the legislative activities of the USCCB staff and other church personnel to influence the actions of the Congress. A specific set of issues is assigned to each congressional liaison staff person, who in turn works in collaboration with particular policy departments at the USCCB.” In this case, Henrick and his staff were in charge of helping get the word out for the Fortnight for Freedom. I take great pride in congratulating Cim, the diocesan staff and all of you for accomplishing something special. According to Henrick, no one had more people
Monument battle not over yet?
A
USTIN — There was a Wednesday meeting — ”fairly confrontational at first,” I’m told — involving the folks who decided to take the South Vietnamese soldier off the planned Vietnam Veterans Monument at the Capitol and the folks who want it restored. The bottom line, it seems, is that despite declarations that the decision is final, the people who want the Vietnamese soldier restored — including some potentially influential ones — are not giving up. I’ve told you about the flak caused by the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument Committee’s decision to alter the original design by replacing a South Vietnamese Ranger
“
KEN HERMAN
with an Asian American U.S. soldier. Committee chair Robert Floyd said the change was made for diversity’s sake on the statue that also includes U.S. soldiers of other ethnicities. State Rep. Hubert Vo, DHouston, and other Vietnamese Americans are upset about the decision, saying the Vietnamese soldier is a reminder that U.S. soldiers were there to help the local people, not as an invasionary force. Removing the Vietnamese soldier, Vo told Floyd in a letter, removed ”an important sym-
bolic element concerning the suffering of the Vietnamese, the kindness and heroism of the Texans who came to their aid and the friendship between these two great peoples.” In response to Vo — and in advance of the Wednesday meeting — Floyd said the change came in July 2011 when the committee voted unanimously ”to change the focus of the monument from an emphasis on the Vietnam War to one that pays tribute to Texans who served in the fight for liberty and self-determination for the people of the Republic of Vietnam.” The change also came after some donors insisted on it. Floyd also told Vo in a
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY Laredo Morning 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. Laredo Morning Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. This space allows for public debate of the issues of the day. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Also, letters longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Via email, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
register and forward religious liberty text messages than Texas. Legend says that everything is bigger in Texas, and in this case, it’s true. You may think that a simple text message doesn’t mean much. But it does. This was an impressive accomplishment for our communication efforts and for helping others begin to understand what is at stake and what we are defending. This was possible because of your help and the help of our diocesan communications and technology personnel in sharing the bulletin announcements, emails and website postings about the text messaging campaign in parishes across the state. I extend my gratitude to you, the faithful of the Diocese of Laredo, on defending religious liberty, enlightening others and doing so — Todo Con Amor!
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
letter that the statue will include ”Vietnamese dragons surrounding the Lone Star on the front panel and a panel depicting Vietnamese civilians.” ”We have now actually begun the casting and final development process and with God’s blessing we hope to be able to dedicate the monument in November 2013,” Floyd told Vo. Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, Floyd told me, as he tells anyone who inquires, ”The monument process is moving forward at the foundry, and we are not changing our decision.” Nevertheless, after the Wednesday meeting, Floyd said he’ll bring the concerns of Vo and others to his full committee. Stay tuned.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Archery contest Doctor tracks West Nile virus spans two days By SHERRY JACOBSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The 2012 South Texas Archery Shootout will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, and Sunday, Sept. 23, at the Zapata 3-D Archery Course. Academy Sports and Outdoors and Zapata 3-D Archery have made some changes to the youth division in response to public demand. The fee for youth division will be $50 instead of $100, and there will be three sub-divisions for high school, middle school and elementary school. Awards will be presented for the top three scores in each division. The target distances will be adjusted for the youth and traditional divisions so that competitors will have a challenging shoot. Registration for all other divisions is $100 and will include an event Tshirt designating the wearer as a “competitor.” Each contestant will shoot five arrows per round, with two rounds per cycle and three cycles on Saturday. There will be one cycle on Sunday, for a total of 40 shots.
The four divisions are: youth, traditional, intermediate and expert. Tshirts and score cards may be picked up Saturday starting at 7 a.m., with the event beginning at 8:30 a.m. The last cycle will begin Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The prize package will include a trophy, cap and gift card from Academy. In-store registration will begin today at the McAllen Academy store at 3901 Expressway 83, McAllen, from noon to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Laredo store at 5720 San Bernardo Ave., from noon to 4 p.m. Registration forms are available at the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce office, 601 N. U.S. 83, or by email at gilgamez@sbcglobal.net. The deadline for registration is Sept. 17. For more information, call Gil Gámez at 512-426-4255. Zapata 3-D Archery is off Mesa Salinas Road. Mesa Salinas Road is approximately 3.5 miles south of the Veleño Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 83, and the tournament site is three miles west on the right side of the road.
TAKE THAT, PESKY HUMAN!
Photo by Christian Rodriguez/The Brownsville Herald | AP
Victoria Rhyne was surprised by a young camel at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville in the Small World petting area. Rhyne was not injured as a result of the incident and her skin was not broken.
DALLAS — As press briefings go, the one Dallas County Health and Human Services staged May 25 was a complete bust. It was supposed to signal the start of another mosquito season and the possible return of the West Nile virus. But nobody showed up to hear it. Dr. Wendy Chung, the county’s chief epidemiologist who tracks West Nile and other illnesses, understood the lack of media interest after two years of barely being able to detect the dreaded virus. “There were only two cases in two years. Maybe we got lucky,” she said. “Nobody could have predicted it would be as bad as it is this year.” From her quiet, orderly office on an upper floor of the health department, Chung keeps careful watch over the human dimension of the West Nile outbreak. A dozen thick binders stacked on a filing cabinet bear testimony to the epidemic’s scope. Each volume is packed with personal descriptions of the illnesses West Nile has unleashed here since June 20, the day the first human infection was confirmed. “We have talked to everyone who has tested positive for West Nile fever or neuroinvasive disease, unless they are too ill to talk or have died,” she said. “Then we talk to a family member about what happened.” Although each patient’s name and other identifying information remain confidential, the rest of the information is being processed quickly to guide the local fight against West Nile. So far, 319 West Nile cases have been confirmed in Dallas County. Most required hospitalization. The victims’ ages ranged from 3
Photo by AP
Dr. Wendy Chung, chief epidemiologist for the Dallas County Health and Human Services, stands in front of standing water, a possible breeding ground for mosquitoes, on Wednesday in Dallas. to 93. The hardest hit age group is in their 80s, comprising 7.5 percent of the local cases. But getting a handle on the size of the epidemic has not been as easy, Chung said. Under state law, laboratories and hospitals must report any blood test that’s positive for West Nile to health authorities within seven days. Doctors, however, aren’t required to order such tests because there is no known treatment for West Nile. Chung said the most accurate count of West Nile patients probably ends up being the sickest ones, who undergo more tests in a hospital setting. Those with less severe symptoms, such as headaches and fever, aren’t routinely tested, nor do they always seek treatment. “By the time you find these human cases, it can be weeks after the infections occurred,” she said. “That is why the government’s control measures are focused on getting rid of mosquitoes, not on finding more human infections.” So far in Dallas County,
62 percent of those infected have been white, 17 percent Hispanic, 10 percent black and 11 percent “other or unknown,” according to the data. In most of the 13 West Nile deaths, underlying health problems, possibly related to advanced age, have been a contributing factor. However, a Rowlett man in his 40s was the county’s most recent West Nile fatality. Chung, who trained in pediatrics and infectious diseases at UT Southwestern Medical Center and earned a public health degree from Harvard University, said she has tried to go beyond a simple demographic overview of the evolving outbreak. She is striving for a much deeper understanding of the trail of grief that West Nile often leaves behind. “I’d like to draw a picture that more accurately reflects what’s happening to residents of Dallas County,” she said. “My role as an epidemiologist is to report the facts like a cameraman on the front lines
of a war. “I’m not fighting the battle; I’m transmitting the pictures so that it’s not just a bunch of numbers at the end of the day. These are real people.” Her staff, along with a legion of volunteers, contacts every confirmed West Nile patient by phone, going through an expanded list of questions than has ever been asked. Chung said the data will give a much better understanding of the population at greatest risk not only of dying but of lingering illness from a West Nile infection. “For every death that’s reported, many others don’t die, but they also don’t go back to baseline, meaning they are never the same again,” she said. “They face lengthy rehabilitation, and the disease will impact their lives permanently.” Already, local physicians are latching on to the information. “The doctors here have been wonderful and very perceptive,” Chung said. “Ultimately, they are on the front lines.”
State
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
San Antonians want to honor Hispanic vets By JOHN W. GONZALEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN ANTONIO — For four years, West Side residents have dreamed of building a towering monument to Hispanic military veterans as a way of paying them back for being underappreciated by history. The proposed Hispanic Veterans Monument at Elmendorf Lake Park could become part of the ecosystem restoration planned there. But with an estimated construction cost of $2.25 million dependent on donations, the project also known as La Ofrenda (The Offering) has been slowmoving and faces challenges including public scrutiny. Professionally prepared
designs, which call for a 140-foot-tall tower laden with symbols including giant dog tags and Aztec eagles, must go through the city’s public art review process. Still, proponents gained momentum this month with a key endorsement from the Bexar County Commissioners Court. The decades-old notion of honoring Hispanic veterans reignited in 2008 when the PBS documentary “The War,” by Ken Burns, largely excluded their contributions in World War II. “This omission really was quite disappointing and really did serve as the catalyst for this monument,” said retired Marine Capt. Queta Marquez. She’s a leading advocate for the
“
It’s an offering from the perspective of the Hispanic community, to honor all veterans. It’s not racist. It’s not just about Hispanics.” FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER LOURDES GALVAN
project that her mother, former City Council member Lourdes Galvan, instigated after Burns’ snub. “It’s an offering from the perspective of the Hispanic community, to honor all veterans. It’s not racist. It’s not just about Hispanics,” Galvan said last week. Since 2008, proponents have worked with artists, designers, engineers, construction experts and oth-
ers to develop the plans for the steel structure that would sit partly on the lake’s main island and partly in water. Adorning the tower would be three stainless steel eagles perched on moons, representing vigilance and the Aztec deity Huitzilopochtli. Atop the monument, inspired by nine-step Mayan pyramids, would be a med-
alla, with tentative designs showing Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Michael on its two sides. The 6-by-12foot dog tags would bear the names of the five service branches. Project artist Jesse Treviño, a Vietnam veteran who lost an arm in combat, is beloved for his large public works, including the 93foot-tall “Spirit of Healing” on Christus Santa Rosa
downtown and the 40-foottall “La Veladora” at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. The structure would be about 50 feet shorter than the West Side’s tallest landmark, the nearby chapel at Our Lady of the Lake University. Features could change as the plan advances, said Gabriel Velasquez, vice chair of the Avenida Guadalupe Association who assisted in the design. In the meantime, the task for advocates is capitalizing on growing support in the community. “They’re committed to making it happen. Now we have to deal with the realities — there’s not a millionaire on the table,” Velasquez said. “It’s a tough process.”
SÁBADO 1 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2012
Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 1 DE SEPTIEMBRE First United Methodist Church invita a su venta de Libros Usados de 8:30 a.m. a 1 p.m. Programa de Lectura Dahlathon presenta la lectura del libro “The BFG” a la 1 p.m. en el Departamento Infantil de la Biblioteca Pública de Laredo, 1120 E. Calton Road. Gratuito y abierto para niños de 8 a 14 años de edad, acompañados de sus padres. Habrá discusiones, actividades, premios y más. NUEVO LAREDO, México — “Bazar de Arte” en Estación Palabra a las 12 p.m. en Estación Palabra. Entrada libre. NUEVO LAREDO, México — “Aniversario de Estación Palabra” con Talleres y Cuenta Cuentos, de 5 p.m. a 7 p.m. en “Paralibros” en Paseo Reforma. Entrada libre.
LUNES 3 DE SEPTIEMBRE El Torneo Clásico de Golf Bola Blanca de la Cámara es hoy de 7:30 a.m. a 2 p.m. en Laredo Country Club, 1415 Country Club Drive. Más información con Lupita Vogel en (956) 7229895.
Zfrontera
PÁGINA 7A
MÉXICO
Piden arresto “
POR OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO — Un juez mexicano ordenó el arresto del ex gobernador de un estado del norte del país acusado de fomentar el narcotráfico. La procuradora general de la república, Marisela Morales, dijo el miércoles que solicitó ayuda de Interpol para arrestar a Tomás Yarrington, quien de 1999 a 2005 fue gobernador del estado de Tamaulipas. “Hasta ahorita no tenemos información (sobre) dónde pudiera estar, pero la orden (de arresto) ya está vigente”, agregó. Las acusaciones en México siguen a las denuncias de fiscales estadounidenses de que cuando era gobernador, Yarrington recibió mi-
YARRINGTON
llones de dólares de narcotraficantes del cartel del Golfo y de los Zetas, en sobornos, y “por varias operaciones de extorsión o soborno”, e invirtió el dinero en bienes raíces en Te-
xas. En las demandas civiles que presentaron en mayo las autoridades federales estadounidenses, se afirma que Yarrington utilizó varios testaferros “para convertirse en inversionista de bienes raíces mediante diversos mecanismos de lavado de dinero”, según documentos entregados ante la corte en uno de los casos, en Corpus Cristi, Texas. El otro caso de confiscación fue presentado en San Antonio.
Esto no es más que un asunto meramente político”. JOEL ANDROPHY, ABOGADO DE YARRINGTON
Joel Androphy, abogado de Yarrington en Houston, Texas, dijo que las autoridades mexicanas van tras su cliente por motivos políticos. “Esto no es más que un asunto meramente político”, señaló Androphy. “Yarrington no ha cometido delito alguno y las autoridades lo saben, pero por razones políticas han sacado esto”, aseveró. Androphy señaló que está ente-
SALUD
TEXAS
ENFERMOS CON VIRUS DEL NILO
Cambios en mapas de votación
MARTES 4 DE SEPTIEMBRE La organización sin fines de lucro Gateway Gatos of Laredo tendrá su junta mensual de consejo a las 7 p.m. en el salón 2 de la Iglesia Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1700 avenida San Francisco. Se invita a participar a los interesados en cambiar la vida de los gatos en la comunidad. Más información con Birdie en el (956) 2867866. La Ciudad de Laredo sostendrá una Audiencia Pública sobre el Incremento a los Impuestos, a las 5:30 p.m. en la Sala de Cabildo, 1110 Houston. Se invita a la comunidad a asistir para que exprese sus puntos de vista. Baloncesto: Toros vs Fuerza Regia en Laredo Energy Arena a las 7:30 p.m. Más información en (956) 717-TORO.
MIÉRCOLES 5 DE SEPTIEMBRE Audiencia pública por el incremento propuesto a los impuestos, a las 9 a.m. en el Palacio de Justicia del Condado de Webb, 1000 calle Houston, segundo piso.
POR PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foto por Associated Press
Unos mosquitos son examinados en el laboratorio de Dallas, el jueves 16 de agosto de 2012. Las autoridades lanzaron un ataque areo contra la población de los mosquitos con la esperanza de acabar con la epidemia del Virus del Nilo.
Aumenta casos 40% en una semana POR MARILNN MARCHIONE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JUEVES 6 DE SEPTIEMBRE La Coalición Comunitaria SCAN del Condado de Webb invita a asistir a la lectura de la Proclamación del Mes Nacional de la Recuperación, a las 10 a.m. en la Sala de Cabildo de la Ciudad de Laredo, 1110 calle Houston. “Series Clásicas de Otoño” en Cinemark presenta “Doctor Zhivago” a las 2 p.m. y 7 p.m. en Cinemark Mall Del Norte. Baloncesto: Toros vs Lechugeros en Laredo Energy Arena a las 7:30 p.m. Más información en (956) 717-TORO.
rado de la orden de arresto pero no la ha discutido con su cliente y desconoce dónde se encuentra el mismo. El ex gobernador estuvo recientemente en Florida antes de que se presentara en mayo el primero de los casos de confiscación en Estados Unidos, pero las autoridades le solicitaron que abandonara el país porque había expirado su documentación, afirmó.
Los casos de estadounidenses con el virus del Oeste del Nilo han aumentado un 40% desde la semana pasada y podrían rivalizar con los registrados en los años récord de 2002 y 2003, advirtieron el miércoles funcionarios federales de salud. En lo que va del año, se han reportado a los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de Estados Unidos (CDC por sus siglas en inglés) 1.590 casos de esa enfermedad transmitida por mosquitos y 66 muertes. Aproximadamente la mitad de los casos son enfermedades serias y los CDC las consideran como el mejor indicador de la actividad del virus del Nilo
debido a que muchos casos leves no se reportan y sus síntomas podrían no ser reconocidos. Los síntomas típicos son fiebre, jaqueca y dolores corporales. La mayoría de los enfermos mejoran de por sí en unos pocos días. Menos del 1% desarrolla síntomas neurológicos, como rigidez en el cuello e incluso coma y parálisis. Con base en informes en lo que va del año, “creemos que las cifras podrían acercarse” a las de 2002 y 2003, cuando se produjeron casi 3.000 casos graves y más de 260 muertes por año, dijo el principal experto de los CDC sobre la enfermedad, el doctor Lyle Petersen. Las autoridades de salud creen que la actividad del virus del Oeste del Nilo llega a
su máximo nivel entre mediados y fines de agosto, aunque posiblemente continúe hasta octubre. Como puede que los síntomas tarden dos semanas en manifestarse, el reporte de los casos está atrasado con respecto a las infecciones. La enfermedad apareció por primera vez en Estados Unidos en 1999. Las autoridades dicen que la primavera prematura y el verano caluroso pueden haber contribuido al aumento de casos. Los mosquitos reciben el virus al alimentarse de aves infestadas y después transmiten el virus a seres humanos. Todos los estados, excepto Alaska y Hawai, han hallado el virus en seres humanos, aves o mosquitos este año. El más afectado ha sido Texas, con la mitad de los casos reportados hasta ahora.
SAN ANTONIO — Un tribunal federal dictaminó el martes que encontró evidencia de discriminación en los nuevos mapas de votación que elaboró y aprobó en 2011 la Legislatura estatal de mayoría republicana. La Corte Federal de Distrito en Washington manifestó en un dictamen de 154 páginas que los mapas no se ajustan a la ley federal de Derecho del Voto porque los fiscales no demostraron que los legisladores de Texas no distribuyeron los distritos electorales para la Cámara de Representantes federal y el Senado estatal “sin propósitos discriminatorios”. El fallo es aplicable a los mapas que elaboró originalmente la Legislatura en 2011 y no a los mapas provisionales de una corte federal de San Antonio que serán utilizados en las próximas elecciones de noviembre. Luis Vera, abogado de la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos Unidos, se refirió al fallo como “mejor tarde que nunca” y dijo que era una victoria para los grupos que representa y para otros que defienden los derechos de las minorías y que demandaron al estado a causa de los mapas. “El panel de tres jueces encontró unánimemente discriminación intencional en todo el estado. No hay excusas ni salvedades”, afirmó Vera. El procurador general de Texas, Greg Abbott, anunció de inmediato que apelaría la decisión ante la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos. “La decisión de hoy amplía la Ley de Derecho del Voto más allá de los límites que había concebido el Congreso y rebasa los linderos que había impuesto la Constitución”, señaló Abbot en un comunicado. La manera como Texas reelaboró sus nuevas demarcaciones políticas fue observada muy de cerca después de que se concedieran al estado cuatro bancas adicionales a la Cámara de Representantes federal con base al aumento de la población, impulsado principalmente por las minorías. Los cuatro escaños fueron repartidos en dos distritos de afinidad republicana y dos de afinidad demócrata.
VIERNES 7 DE SEPTIEMBRE Exhibición “Las Bodas de Nuestros Antepasados” es hoy de 7 p.m. a 10 p.m. en Gallery 201, patrocinada por la Sociedad Genealógica The Villa San Agustine de Laredo. Habrá cuadros de Bodas de Laredo a inicio del 1900. Voz de Niños invita al casting para participar en un anuncio de servicio público que ayude a reclutar más voluntarios CASA. Se busca al ‘All-American Dad’. Interesados deben tener entre 3040 años, ser cómico, jovial, afable y sentirse cómodo trabajando con niños. El casting será de 6:30 p.m. a 9:30 p.m. en Voz de Niños.
DEEPORTES
Empiezan inscripciones para torneo ESPECIAL PARA FRONTERA
El 2012 South Texas Archery Shootout será realizado el sábado 22 de septiembre y el domingo 23 en Zapata, Texas en el Zapata 3-D Archery Course, localizado en Mesa Salinas Road. Mesa Salinas Road se encuentra aproximadamente a 3.5 millas al sur del PuenteVeleño Creek en la carretera US Hwy 83 y el sitio del torneo está a 3 millas al oeste en lado derecho del
camino. Academy Sports + Outdoors y Zapata 3-D Archery han hecho algunos cambios a la División Juvenil en respuesta a la demanda del público. La cuota para la División Juvenil será de 50 dólares en lugar de 100 y habrá tres subdivisiones basado en el grado escolar: Preparatoria, Secundaria y Primaria. Se entregaran premios para los primero tres lugares en cada división. Las distancias de los
objetivos serán ajustadas para la División Juvenil y la Tradicional para que los competidores tenga un realmente un reto. La cuota de inscripción para todas las demás divisiones es de 100 dólares e incluye una camiseta del evento que designa al que la porta como “Competidor”. Cada concursante disparará cinco flechas por vuelta y son dos vueltas por ciclo, tres ciclos el sábado y uno el domingo, su-
mando un total de 40 oportunidades de disparar. Las cuatro divisiones son: Juvenil, Tradicional, Intermedio y Experto. Las camisetas y tarjetas de puntuación pueden ser recogidas el sábado empezando a las 7 a.m. el evento empieza a las 8:30. El último ciclo empezara el domingo a las 8:30 a.m. El paquete ganador incluye un trofeo del evento, una gorra y una tarjeta de regalo de Academy Sports
+ Outdoors. Las inscripciones adentro de la tienda empezaran el día de hoy en McAllen Academy Sports + Outdoors localizada en 3901 Expressway 83, de 12 p.m. a 4 p.m. y el sábado 8 de septiembre en la tienda de Laredo localizada en 5720 San Bernardo de 12:00 p.m. a 4 p.m. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 17 de septiembre. Para más información llamar a Gil Gámez en 512-426-4255.
State
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Historian highlights black Civil War vets By BETTY WATERS ASSOCIATED PRESS
TYLER — Blacks fought in the Civil War, surprisingly on the side of the Confederacy, many of them from Texas, Palestine historian Norris White Jr. said his research shows. They are the “black forgotten Confederates,” White said, who has extensively researched the role of blacks in the Confederate Army for a book he is writing that will be titled “Black Texans Who Served in the Confederate Army.” Much attention has been given in movies such as “Glory” and in books and articles written by prominent U.S. military and Civil War era historians to the exploits and heroics of black soldiers serving in the Union forces, White said, but he added that “very little observance, if any, has been given to their counterparts in the Confederate Army.” “Their voices have been omitted from the pages of history,” White said. Traditionally, the consensus has been that the Civil War was a battle among white men, White said. “That’s pretty accurate, but it’s not complete, and I’m finding out that many different, diverse ethnic groups participated for the Union cause and the Southern cause,” he said. His research has uncovered that blacks, Latinos and Native Americans served in the Confederate Army. “I approached this as a historical topic that needs great attention,” White said. Since it’s well documented that blacks fought for the Union forces, White said, he likes to take in his research the road that has been traveled. He found that black Texans served in the Confederate Army in many diverse
capacities, such as infantrymen on the battlefield, personal body servants, teamsters or laborers. For the past 150 years, historians have documented just about every aspect of the Civil War, some topics more so than others, but this is one area that has been neglected by everyone, White said. The topic caught White’s attention while he was working on his thesis on the Buffalo soldiers, the first regular black soldiers in the U.S. military, as he pursues a master’s degree in history from Stephen F. Austin State University. White found that several Buffalo soldiers had prior service in the Confederate Army and said the thought occurred to him that they are a category that has not really been explored. White expects to receive his degree next summer, and then he plans to begin composing his book about blacks in the Confederate Army. “When I first began my research, I was somewhat ridiculed that I’m chasing a mystical category,” White said. “But three years later, I can show you evidence that indicates at least over 7.500 black Texans participated in the Confederate Army,” he said. That’s the number of “forgotten Confederates” he said he has personally documented in his research, but White estimates the number of black Texans who participated in the Confederate Army in the War Between the States may have been as high as 50,000. “The goals of my research are to historically recognize and acknowledge black Texans who served in the Confederate Army,” White said, a board member for the Museum for East Texas Culture in Palestine and a preservation
fellow for the Texas Historical Commission. Since this is a country that honors its veterans, it should acknowledge, recognize and honor all of its veterans, including blacks who fought for the South, White asserted. “My issue is simply I’d like to recognize the service of veterans — in this case, they are black Texans who fought on behalf of the Confederacy,” he said. Many families are proud and honored when he shows them evidence that their ancestors are Confederate veterans, White said. White is still in the investigation process, which he undertook three years ago. He says several publishers have expressed interest in his book, which he hopes to publish in 2014. “A lot of folks may wonder why blacks fought for the Confederacy or what may have motivated them” White said. “My work is not to answer that; my work is to validate that they did serve in some capacity. That’s the basis of my research - just to acknowledge the fact they are Confederate veterans.” His research is based on what he calls “primary sources that indicate black Texans served in the Confederate Army.” Primary sources, White said, are “100 percent irrefutable evidence — letters, diaries, pension applications, photographs, newspaper accounts, county commission records and other evidence that give primary insight” that blacks were in the Confederate Army. For example, White found a Texas historical marker in Wise County that states Randolph Vesey was a respected Negro citizen and homeowner who served during the Civil War as body servant and voluntary battle aid to Gen-
Photo by Betty Waters | AP
This undated photo shows historian Norris White Jr. Blacks fought in the Civil War, surprisingly on the side of the Confederacy, many of them Texans, White said. His research will be outlined in a book he hopes to publish in 2014. eral W.L. Cabel of the Confederate Army. “If the Texas Historical Commission, the leading authority in preserving our history recognized the fact that there were black Texans who participated and served in the Confederate Army, then why can’t we as a society?” White said. White said he had traveled more than 30,000 miles crisscrossing the state searching for primary sources validating that
blacks served in the Confederate Army. “I’ve been all over the state of Texas and back again and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’m still looking for sources,” White said. “What I’m finding out is black Texans for a variety of reasons served in the Confederate Army, some as slaves, some as free men, some were conscripted and paid for their service, some as body servants .” White
said. “There is no one category fits all.” It’s both black history and Confederate history, White said, calling the two interconnected and entwined. White said he is able to do the research because of the foundation he received from his mentors in the Texas Historical Commission and his studies at Stephen F. Austin State University and at The University of Texas at Tyler.
Nation
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Publisher of SEAL book won’t back down By ROBERT BURNS
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Scrapping pensions would cost state THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The publisher of an insider account of the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden said Friday it will begin public sales next week despite a Pentagon warning of possible legal action against the book’s author and unspecified associates. “At this time, we see no reason to change our plans,” Christine Ball, a spokeswoman for the publisher, Penguin Group (USA)’s Dutton imprint, said in a statement. Before the Pentagon’s warning, Dutton had moved up publication to Sept. 4 from Sept. 11, saying that it was “important to put ‘No Easy Day’ on sale and let the book speak for itself.” Pre-orders for the book have catapulted it to No. 1 on Amazon’s best-seller list.” An initial print run of 200,000 has been increased to 575,000 copies. It was unlikely that the government would try to halt publication of the book itself, considering that a limited number of advance copies are already in the public domain and media reports have summarized the book’s contents. Pentagon press secretary George Little said the book’s author, ex-SEAL Matt Bissonnette, was in violation of two nondisclosure agreements that he signed in 2007 by failing to submit the book for an official security review before it was published. Bissonnette’s lawyer disputed this Friday, saying he believes the decorated former SEAL has “earned the right to tell his story.” Little would not say what legal options the Pentagon is considering or when it might take action. Little suggested that the Pentagon might be satisfied
AUSTIN — A new study finds that it would be costly to scrap the guaranteed pension benefit for Texas’ future school employees and likely mean reduced benefits for retirees. The Austin American Statesman reported Friday that an analysis by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas says the $110 billion teacher fund can pay the benefits it owes through 2075. But it will need additional state or member contributions to erase a $24 billion longterm funding liability. That liability would increase, though, to $36 billion if new employees were closed out of the pension and instead received a retirement benefit similar to a 401 (k)style plan. The state then
Photo by Dutton | AP
This book cover image released by Dutton shows “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden,” by Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer. The Pentagon says the Navy Seal who wrote the book has violated military non-disclosure agreements.
would need to find some way other than member contributions to pay off that liability, Brian Guthrie, the retirement system’s executive director, told the Statesman. The study was mandated by state lawmakers last year. Despite its results, those opposing public pensions say they will press for changing the pension system during next year’s Texas Legislature session, which begins in January. “There is a high likelihood that changes will be made,” Talmadge Heflin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Austin, told the newspaper. Ted Melina Raab, legislative director of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, told the Statesman
Voting maps won’t be altered before November By PAUL J. WEBER
if Bissonnette were to stop the book’s official release. The Pentagon obtained an advance copy last week and has since been reviewing it for any classified information and to determine what, if any, legal action should be taken, Little said. “The onus is on the author,” Little said, while declining to spell out what the author must do. Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s top lawyer, notified Bissonnette on Thursday that the Pentagon believes he is in “material breach and violation” of two nondisclosure agreements and of a related document he signed upon leaving active duty in April 2012.
In a letter faxed to Bissonnette through his publisher, he was advised by Johnson that “further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements.” Johnson said the Pentagon is “considering pursuing against you, and all those acting in concert with you, all remedies legally available to us in light of this situation.” In response, Robert D. Luskin of the law firm Patton Boggs wrote to Johnson on Friday that his firm is representing Bissonnette and asserting that he is not in breach of his nondisclosure agreements.
the facts don’t support abandoning the current retirement structure but that he still expects a major fight next year. He said the Teacher Retirement System and its pension plan are efficient and deliver good benefits at low costs. He said any move away from it “is one that is based on ideology and politics.” While Texas’ pension plan is in reasonably good shape, the high cost of maintaining other plans in places like California have Texas lawmakers examining ways to reduce state liabilities. Eliminating the pension benefit would mean most future school retirees would have no guaranteed retirement income because very few Texas school districts participate in Social Security, the Statesman reported.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN ANTONIO — Interim voting maps in Texas won’t be altered before the November elections, following a federal court rejecting the state’s original Republican-drawn maps as discriminatory. A three-judge federal panel Friday declined to consider tweaking the boundaries of three congressional districts before Election Day. Some minority rights groups sought immediate
changes after another federal court this week found the state’s original maps in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Those original maps were never enacted. Texas will instead use the same court-drawn interim maps in November that were installed for the May primaries. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed notice Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court that the state will appeal the thrown-out maps. The state also had its voter ID law rejected this week under federal voting rights laws.
National
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Now it’s Obama’s turn to make his case By BEN FELLER & MATTHEW DALY ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT BLISS — His convention turn coming fast, President Barack Obama on Friday began sprinting toward one of his last, best shots to win over voters, ready to promise better days even for those who do not feel better off. Rival Mitt Romney, flush with confidence after his party’s convention, declared: “We love this country and we’re taking it back.” Both angling for the aura of leadership, Romney swooped in on raindrenched Louisiana, while Obama stood with troops in Texas and reminded the nation that he ended the war in Iraq. Obama, too, will visit storm-battered Louisiana on Monday, a move the White House said was decided before Romney revealed his plans. The race for the White House suddenly felt more urgent, a final heated day of August giving way to a two-month stretch in which many voters will get serious about making their choices — or even voting for one in the states that allow early balloting. The political buzz fol-
lowed Romney, hours after a convention speech in which he introduced himself to America and asked on-the-fence voters to let go of a president who “has disappointed America.” A rambling, surprising and strange appearance by movie legend Clint Eastwood at the GOP event still had people talking, too. But attention was shifting for the moment to Obama, the incumbent who gets the last shot at making a lasting impression before the October debates. His party’s national convention, which starts Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., will dwell less on how life is now and more on where voters want their lives to be. Obama inherited an economy in the midst of a monster recession, and the pace of the stable, sluggish recovery is perhaps Obama’s greatest burden to reelection. The coming days, capped by Obama’s speech on Thursday night, will crystalize his re-election pitch: An economy built on ending tax cuts for the rich and putting more effort into education, energy, tax reform and debt reduction. He will call Romney a ped-
Photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
President Barack Obama speaks to troops, service members and military families at the 1st Aviation Support Battalion Hangar at Fort Bliss on Friday in El Paso. dler of failed trickle-down ideas that will hurt the middle class and the needy. Building by the day, the convention roll-in for Obama will take him through the battleground states of Iowa, Colorado, Ohio and Virginia. At the event itself, first lady Michelle Obama will command the stage one night, followed the next by Bill Clinton, who will ask voters to remember the
Waters recede in La. By STACEY PLAISANCE & VICKI SMITH ASSOCIATED PRESS
BELLE CHASE, La. — Floodwaters from Isaac receded, power came on and businesses opened Friday ahead of the holiday weekend, the beginning of what is certain to be a slow recovery for Louisiana. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited flood-ravaged communities, and President Barack Obama said he would arrive Monday, appearances this part of the country is familiar with after Katrina and the Gulf oil spill. Meanwhile, the leftovers from the storm pushed into the drought-stricken Midwest, knocking out power to thousands of people in Arkansas. At least six people were killed in the storm in Mississippi and Louisiana. In Lafitte, a fishing village south of New Orleans, Romney saw soaked homes, roads covered with brown water and debris-littered neighborhoods. The GOP-friendly community is outside of the federal levee system that spared New Orleans and it lay on an exposed stretch of land near the Gulf. Romney met along a highway with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and they talked about challenges facing the stricken area, which relies on fishing for its livelihood. He also spoke to town officials and emergency workers. “I’m here to learn and obviously to draw some attention to what’s going on here,” Romney told the governor. “So that people around the country know that people down here need help.” At one point, Romney and Jindal talked to a man a neon yellow “Mitt Is Our
good times and pledge Obama can return them. To put a face on the election message, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be joined on political stops by what their campaign calls “American Heroes,” such as a student or teacher or veteran whose life story reflects Obama’s agenda. The Democratic National Convention will also feature them.
Connecticut GOP says state is ‘battleground’ By NEIL VIGDOR ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by David J. Phillip | AP
Utility trucks stage outside New Orleans as recovery efforts after Hurricane Isaac continue on Friday. Isaac is now a tropical depression and the center was on track to cross Arkansas. Man” handwritten sign. The man complained about the area’s lack of protection from flooding. The town is located just outside a region that is protected by levees and other flood protection measures built after Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans in 2005. The Army Corps of Engineers spent about $13 billion on the system. Richard Riley rode out the storm in his home. Even though the water was receding Friday, he decided it was time to leave. He walked about a mile and found rescuers, who took him to family members. Riley said he favored building new flood protection for the area, especially after Isaac brought in a surprising amount of water. Riley, a Republican, welcomed visits from Romney and the president. He said he wanted Obama to help make that happen. “He needs to see the devastation and allocate the money that’s needed to build new levees or do whatever is needed to protect us,” Riley said.
Romney kept up a campaign pace out of his convention, with plans for stops in Ohio and Florida on Saturday before a quieter stretch into Labor Day. Friday was a pivot point, but hardly a breather in the window between the two conventions. Before heading separately out of Tampa, Romney and running mate Paul Ryan wooed the voters of
powerful Florida, which went for Obama in 2008. “Hold us accountable. Listen to what we have to say,” Romney said. “I plan on winning in Florida. We love this country and we’re taking it back.” Romney shook up his itinerary, as he had hinted, to get to Louisiana and inspect Hurricane Isaac’s damage. It was the kind of trip better associated with a president than a presidential candidate — Romney has no authority to direct help — but he did draw attention to the plight of victims there. The White House offered no complaints. In the town of Jean Lafitte, Romney’s motorcade plowed through water that at some points was a foot or deeper, passing flooded homes, lawns and businesses. Residents stood in the water and watched the presidential candidate’s caravan pass. Romney spoke with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and explained that he had come down to listen, learn, lure some media coverage and make sure “the people around the country know that people down here need help.”
TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — There is no time for a convention hangover. Not for the man trying to convince the Republican National Committee that Connecticut is worthy of finite resources such as battleground ads, additional staff and visits from the party’s standard bearers. State GOP Chairman Jerry Labriola Jr. attended an RNC debriefing Friday at the Hyatt Regency Tampa, along with his counterparts from other states. There, he pleaded his case that Connecticut could be the unlikeliest of battleground states. “I realize they have to execute a nationwide strategy,” Labriola said. “But there is much to be gained by playing in Connecticut, even if only to divert some scarce Obama resources.” A Quinnipiac University poll released Aug. 28, the opening day of the GOP national convention, showed President Obama’s lead over Mitt Romney down to 7 percentage points in Con-
necticut, 52 to 45. Obama won Connecticut by 22 points over John McCain four years ago. In the same poll, the president enjoyed a 51 percent approval rating, compared to a 46 percent unfavorable rating among likely voters. Romney’s unfavorables topped his favorables, 44 to 41 percent. State Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo was blase about the talk of the GOP targeting Connecticut. “No, I’m not concerned,” DiNardo said by phone Friday while en route to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Fewer in GOP Republicans account for the smallest of the three major voter blocs in Connecticut, totaling 412,509, compared to 723,035 Demo-
crats and 818,703 unaffiliated voters. When the prevailing political winds around the country were at the backs of Republicans in the 2010 midterm elections, GOP candidates failed to win a single statewide office or federal race in Connecticut. “I have always felt that the people of Connecticut are educated voters,” DiNardo said. “They are not going to fall for the lies and deception that Mitt Romney and the Republicans are advocating.” A message seeking comment from the RNC was not immediately returned by the press office in Washington, D.C.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
DRUNK Continued from Page 1A would implement signs inside Laredo bars reminding drivers to call a cab or get help from a sober friend or family member. “What we need to do is a community-wide effort,” Salinas said. According to TxDOT, most alcohol-related crashes occur between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturdays, and 34 percent of
fatal alcohol crashes occur between May and August. Lt. Montemayor said if an erratic driver is encountered on the road, the witness should call 91-1 immediately with a vehicle description and direction of travel. ( Mikaela Rodriguez may be reached at 956728-2567 or mrodriguez@lmtonline.com)
COUNTY Continued from Page 1A a bit of wiggle room to keep staff on the payroll, said County Judge Joe Rathmell. “On the fairness issue, I felt these employees deserved a little bit more notice than 30 days (before being let go),” Rathmell said. “I was glad to see that we were able to at least allow them to keep their jobs for a little while longer,” he added, noting that next year’s budget process could call for layoffs. Sixteen vacant positions will be removed, however. That total encompasses all of the vacancies at the county, the judge said. Among the departments
affected by the vacancy removals are the sheriff ’s office, road and bridge, parks, environmental health services and the nutrition center. “It’s across the board,” he said. “More or less, every department is affected.” Alonso Lopez, currently Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez’s assistant, was elected sheriff in May and will assume that post in January. Whomever Lopez promotes to be his right-hand man will leave a vacancy that will be cut from the budget, said Rathmell. Rathmell said the cuts save the county more than $1 million in payroll ex-
penditures. The county tax rate was adopted as proposed. Residents will pay a little more than a penny extra in taxes. That amounts to an additional $30 in taxes for an owner of a $100,000 home. The budget had originally proposed reduction of the transportation department by half, Rathmell said. But students who get bussed to Laredo for education purposes agreed to an increase in fare from $1 round-trip to $5. Rathmell said the price hike will generate about $30,000 in revenue. The service — which bussed about 30 students daily for eight months of
the year to Laredo Community College and Texas A&M International University, among other schools — will continue operating with the same amount of resources, thanks to the increased fee. Rathmell thanked the Commissioners Court for working to keep active employees on the payroll but cautioned that the county is likely to face the same challenges while drafting its budget for 2013-14. “Hopefully things will turn around for us this coming year, but it’s a difficult process,” he said. (JJ Velasquez may be reached at 728-2579 or jjvelasquez@lmtonline.com)
VOTE Continued from Page 1A
Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times
Ashley Ibarra fishes during the Second Annual Whiskers and Tails Children’s Fishing Tournament on Saturday morning.
BASS Continued from Page 1A A 2012 ZCEDC community demographics study showed a steady increase in consumer spending since 2004, with a spike of about $18 million in revenue during the first Bassmaster tournament in 2008. Money has continued to pour in at a relatively steady pace, with visitors bringing about $16 million to the county last year. “Our strategy was to go from good to great,” Moffett said of the upcoming year. Moffett said initial preparations for the 2013 Elite Series involve making sure proper infrastructure, such as boat ramps, are in place, as well as making sure local businesses are prepared to deliver goods and services at the high volume the influx of visitors will demand. “Working together as a community, we can focus entities to get the true benefit of the event,” Moffett said. “We’re seeing where we missed opportunities in 2008 and where we can advance — we’re shooting for setting new (economic) records in 2013.” Falcon Lake was voted No. 1 in Bassmaster magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes poll, mostly, Mulone said, because of quality of fishery, lake size and boat accessibility. “Right now we’re con-
cerned about the water level — that is something we’re keeping our eye on,” Mulone said. Low water levels render some boat ramps unusable, which could be a hindrance for anglers during the competition. Paco Mendoza, president of the Zapata Chamber of Commerce, said he’s confident the water level will rise by March. “Of course the water is very low at this point, but it’s not the lowest that we’ve seen it,” Mendoza said. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing for fisherman … but it would be a lot nicer for ESPN to showcase a beautiful lake full of water.” The chamber is the official host of the event, and Mendoza said it will work closely with local businesses, such as hotels, to bring them up to optimum capacity in order for dollars to be spent in Zapata. “Unfortunately, we don’t have enough rooms — I’m pretty sure we’re going to have some people stay out of town,” Mendoza said. He said anglers, apparently, have passed around a catch phrase to describe Zapata: “Where the people are friendly and the fish are mean.” (Mikaela Rodriguez may be reached at 956-728-2567 or mrodriguez@lmtonline.com)
of vote-buying and other grave violations of the constitution and the law.” Lopez Obrador, a popular former mayor of Mexico City, was able to call hundreds of thousands into the streets for campaign rallies, and he retains a large and fervent base of support in the capital. But Peña Nieto’s margin of more than 3 million votes was far wider than the few hundred thousand votes that cost Lopez Obrador the last presidential vote, and many opponents’ outrage at Peña Nieto’s win appears to have largely faded since the July 1 vote. He said he wants the protest to respect the law, and he did not indicate that there would be a repeat of the blockades he launched in 2006. By Friday afternoon, there were a few scattered protests around the capital by Lopez Obrador sympathizers, including a brief blockage of highway toll booths by a group of students, but little evidence of widespread mobilization. Confirmation of the PRI’s victory returns the party to Mexico’s highest office, which it held without interruption from 1929 to 2000. In past decades, the party engaged in widespread coercion of its opponents, monopolizing virtually every institution in the country. The party says it has reformed and handed control to a new generation of democratically minded young technocrats with a vision of modernizing Mexico. Peña Nieto was expected to formally accept the status of president-elect within hours, officially beginning the country’s transition to an administration that has promised to focus on fiscal reform, infrastructure improvements and a new emphasis on preventing violence from affecting ordinary Mexi-
Photo by Alexandre Meneghini | AP
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, presidential candidate for the Democratic Revolution Party, speaks during a news conference in Mexico City on Friday. Lopez Obrador said that he is refusing to recognize the results of Mexico’s presidential election, raising the question of whether he will launch protests like after he lost the 2006 vote. cans as a result of the country’s six-year militarized offensive against drug cartels. For much of his campaign, Lopez Obrador tried to move away from the angry, combative image that many Mexicans held of him after his supporters blockaded much of downtown Mexico City for weeks after his narrow loss in 2006. He adopted the slogan “Abrazos, No Balazos,” or “Hugs, Not Bullets,” put forth a warmer persona, a more business-friendly platform and an anti-crime program that relies largely on increased jobs and education programs. Lopez Obrador did surprisingly well, gaining 31 percent of the vote to Peña
Nieto’s 38 percent after months of polls showed the PRI candidate with a lead as wide as 20 percentage points. The unexpected closeness of the race helped fuel Lopez Obrador’s lengthy post-election fight to invalidate the results, with him and his backers accusing the PRI camp of a range of violations including votebuying with both gift cards and, in rural areas, farm animals, and participating in an international campaign finance money-laundering scheme. The accusations centered on hundreds and possibly thousands of pre-paid gift cards that shoppers at a Mexican grocery store chain said they were given by Peña Nieto’s party be-
fore the election. Lopez Obrador’s Democratic Revolution Party showed reporters thousands of such gift cards, but never publicly demonstrated convincing evidence that millions of votes had actually been swayed by corrupt practices. The PRI said in a statement Friday morning that the ruling “has ended the contentious and combative phase of the federal electoral process and has fully demonstrated the legitimacy of Enrique Peña Nieto’s victory at the ballot box.” Peña Nieto commented in his Twitter account that “now is the time to start a new stage of work, for the good of Mexico.” The electoral justices said some of the evidence submitted was hearsay, or unclear. For example, they said the evidence included gifts allegedly given out by the PRI, without proof that was where they came from or that the gifts had been given to influence votes. “The evidence absolutely didn’t support annulling an election with a difference of three million votes between first and second place,” said Jose Antonio Crespo, an analyst at the Center for Economic Studies. “The left wants to be able to annul an election because of any irregularity. Rather, they want to where they lost, because in Mexico City and the legislature, where they did well, they don’t want to, and it was the same election.” Ivan Garcia Garate, a law professor at Iberoamerican University in Mexico City, said, however, that the electoral tribunal had adopted a very narrow view of its mandate and failed to conduct its own investigation of the charges, relying entirely on evidence presented by the left, and then declaring it insufficient.
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors VOLLEYBALL
Leading on the line
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
The Lady Longhorns’ Amabeli Fernandez (10) defends as Zapata’s Kristina De Leon (11) spikes the ball in the second game of their match Friday afternoon at the UISD Lady Longhorn volleyball invitational.
Hawks win 1 of 2 Friday
Martinez eager to guide Zapata back to the postseason By CLARA SANDOVAL LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Last year, at the end of Zapata’s football season, the Hawks were left with a bitter taste in their mouth. A loss to Rio Grande City La Grulla knocked them out of the postseason, a place they were so used to going every year. The pain of the disappointment propelled them through the offseason. “Last year, it bothered me a lot not going to the playoffs,” said senior defensive tackle Joey Martinez. “I pushed myself every single day (and) came to both conditioning sessions to be ready for the season.” Now, Zapata is ready to get back to a place that had become an expectation for the Hawks ever since Mario Arce took over the football program. Last year’s realignment threw the Hawks into District 32-3A alongside Kingsville and Raymondville, a pair of formidable opponents predicted to be the top two teams in the district. At least one Hawk has already distinguished himself in the eyes of his coaching staff thanks to the offseason effort he made in the weight room. Martinez, the strong tackle on the defense who stars on both sides of the ball, is ready to lead the charge to the playoffs.
By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
ing up with eight weeks of pep rallies. Every senior in the school wanted to go because, “It’s you senior year,” as they all would tell each other. They wanted to be at the events so badly that sometimes they would muscle tickets out of the freshmen. The pep rallies pitted each class against each other in a series of cheers — a game to see who had the most spirit.
LAREDO — The Zapata volleyball team headed to Laredo this weekend to play at the UISD Lady Longhorn volleyball invitational tournament at United High and faced a slew of teams. In the opening day of competition, the Lady Hawks opened with victories over Eagle Pass C.C. Winn 25-15 and 25-23 on Friday morning. “The girls came out to play and were communicating with each other,” Zapata coach Rosie Villarreal said. “We had some very good passing that helped the setter give the hitters some good sets.” Senior Kristina De Leon put up some big numbers for Zapata, recording 13 attack kills against the Lady Mavericks as C.C. Winn had a hard time containing her at the net. Teammate Vanessa Martinez added two kills. Setter Sessy Mata was able to control the flow of the offense and get the ball to her hitters, especially De Leon, who was able to hit the ball from any part of the court and had a few attack kills from the back row. The defense came up big for Zapata (8-0), withstand-
See SANDOVAL PAGE 2B
See VOLLEYBALL PAGE 2B
Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times
Joey Martinez, a two-way lineman for the Zapata Hawks, put in a long offseason of hard work after missing the playoffs last year.
See FOOTBALL PAGE 2B
Season’s greetings, football is back
F
ootball is upon us and everything is great with the world. I absolutely love watching football at any level from the professionals to the peewee leagues, but it is high school football that captures my heart. There is something magical about Friday’s and excitement in the air. You can taste it, walking into any high school across the state. Kids are all geared up, ready to go to the pep rallies to cheer on
“
CLARA SANDOVAL OVAL
the team. Cheerleaders cheer, sending the football team off on the right note. In my former life, when I was a high school teacher, Friday’s were electric during football season. The air was filled with school pride, just as it is in Zapata, when
everyone heads out to the pep rally.It was hard to keep the student’s attention on the task as hand every Friday, as the time to head out to the pep rally ticked closer with each passing minute. Since the school I worked at had over 1,000 students, not everyone was allowed to attend — it was a fire hazard to have that many students in the gym — so tickets were sold for $1. Only 800 tickets could be sold, so the school made $800 dollars every Friday, and that started add-
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
Lady Hawks place fourth at LISD Invitational By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — Zapata’s visit to the Gateway City to run at the LISD Invitational was not met with the warm welcome they expected. The Lady Hawks were tested thoroughly by the field, headlined by 5A powerhouse Laredo Alexander — the defending Regional IV champions. Zapata also had to adjust to running beyond the two-mile mark during competition since the 5A’s and the 4A’s are now running three mile races at their meets. The Lady Hawks took fourth place with a score of 83.50 behind Alexander (24 points), Eagle Pass (58) and Laredo United South (75.50). “There are always pros and cons that you take from a race and that day was no different,” said Zapata coach Mike Villarreal. “We had set a couple of goals coming out here and one goal was our gap. Our gap last week was a 1.75 course with a lot
See LADY HAWKS PAGE 2B
Photo by Clara Sandoval | Laredo Morning Times
Jazmine Garcia, of the Zapata Hawks, placed sixth at the LISD invitational.
Garza collects golds By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — Zapata’s Luis Garza started of the cross country season determined to put his best effort forward. So far, everything is going as planned. “The first meet was easy, it was 2.25 miles and there was not that much competition,” Garza said of the South Texas Stampede, where he captured gold. “I took the lead and not many people followed and I just kept it going and finished strong, like I always have.” The competition at Garza’s second meet, the LISD Invitational on Aug. 25, was made of stiffer stuff. The meet featured 5A powerhouse Eagle Pass, a program that frequently
See GARZA PAGE 2B
Photo by Clara Sandoval | Laredo Morning Times
Luis Garza (1960), of the Zapata Hawks cross country team, struck gold at the South Texas Stampede and LISD Invitational to open the year.
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Sub-varsity running hot By CLARA SANDOVAL LAREDO MORNING TIMES
LAREDO — The subvarsity girls’ cross country teams continue to impress with each passing week, recently capturing team titles in the junior varsity and freshman divisions of the LISD Invitational meet at Slaughter Park in Laredo. Zapata swept the girls’ individual JV and freshman titles thanks to medalworthy performances from
Raquel Almaguer and Alondra Lara. Almaguer claimed her second individual title of the season, adding to the gold she collected at the South Texas Stampede. Lara captured her first individual title of the year when she grabbed the top spot in the freshman division. The Zapata junior varsity team dominated the large field of 5A and 4A competition. The Lady Hawks scored 23 points to
Gillispie hospitalized, team revolts ASSOCIATED PRESS
LUBBOCK — Texas Tech coach Billy Gillispie was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical issue Friday, the same day the university announced it was scrutinizing his leadership of the struggling program. Athletic department spokesman Blayne Beal said Gillispie, 52, was admitted to University Medical Center early Friday but declined to provide further details. Hospital spokesman Eric Finley said Gillispie was in satisfactory condition and likely to be held overnight. Finley said he had no other details on why Gillispie was admitted. Gillispie was hospitalized on the same day that Beal said the university is looking into matters stemming from the coach’s dealings with his players. “We are looking into some concerns within the leadership of our men’s basketball program,” Beal said, reading from a prepared statement. “Studentathlete well-being is some-
Zapata vs. Mission
By BARRY WILNER ASSOCIATED PRESS
thing that is our top priority. We take that very seriously at Texas Tech. We are devoting our full resources into looking into this matter.” Beal confirmed that members of the team had met with Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt but declined to say when the meeting occurred or what issues were discussed. The meeting was first reported by ESPN.com. Gillispie is entering his second year as coach of the Red Raiders. His first Texas Tech team finished 8-23 and won only one game in the Big 12. When Gillispie was hired by Texas Tech, he had been out of coaching for two years after being fired at Kentucky after just two seasons. He was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in his first season, but his second team failed to reach the NCAA tournament. Six months after his firing, Gillispie sought treatment at John Lucas substance-abuse program in Houston.
eight in the game. Aguilar had another solid game in the back row, recording 18 digs. De Leon had 11. Martinez was able to get two blocks at the net, but couldn’t stop Mission.
Backup quarterbacks were prominent among players cut early Friday as team’s needed to get down to the 53-man roster limit. Nine-year veteran Seneca Wallace was beaten out by Colt McCoy in Cleveland, Mike Kafka fell to rookie Nick Foles and journeyman Trent Edwards in Philadelphia, Brian Hoyer got axed in New England, and Josh McCown was released by Chicago. Other veterans released as team’s prepare for the regular season, which begins Wednesday night with Dallas at the New York Giants, included 2005 Super Bowl MVP receiver Deion Branch and center Dan Koppen in New England; defensive backs Joselio Hanson and O.J. Atogwe in Philadelphia; Pittsburgh offensive lineman Trai Essex and punter Jeremy Kapinos, who were waived injured; Buffalo DT Dwan Edwards; and Giants running back D.J. Ware, who won two Super Bowls with the team. All teams must reach the 53-man maximum by 9 p.m. EDT Friday. The 31-year-old Wallace spent
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There was great competition at the quarterback position.” EAGLES COACH ANDY REID
two seasons with the Browns, who acquired him in a 2011 trade from Seattle, where he played for Browns President Mike Holmgren. Wallace started seven games for Cleveland. Kafka, a fourth-round pick in 2010, appeared in four games last year. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 107 yards with two interceptions. Kafka played in one preseason game this summer before breaking his non-throwing hand. “There was great competition at the quarterback position,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “That’s what football and training camp is all about. In the end, we had to make the difficult decision to let Mike Kafka go. Mike is a class act, a student of the game and a great person and I think he’ll have no problem finding a job in the National Football League very soon.”
Hoyer was Tom Brady’s backup the last three years, but lost the job to Troy Mallette. Branch tweeted: “Truly thankful for all the support from everybody. I Love You guys (hash)LovePeaceandHappiness.” He won two rings with the Patriots and tied a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards against Philadelphia when he was voted MVP in 2005. He was the first receiver to win the honor since San Francisco’s Jerry Rice in 1989. McCown was coaching quarterbacks at a North Carolina high school and hadn’t taken an NFL snap since 2009 when the Bears signed him last November with Jay Cutler sidelined by a broken right thumb. McCown appeared in three games, starting two, but the Bears have Jason Campbell as their No. 2 QB.
GARZA Continued from Page 1B competes at state, and also 4A juggernaut Corpus Christi Moody. Garza had his hands full. In the face of adversity, Garza stepped up his game. He ran a smart race and captured the individual boys’ title for his second gold of the season. “I was kind of nervous coming into this race and I really wanted to run smart, since I ran against these guys before and they had beaten me,” he said. “I stepped up a little and ran more this (offseason and)
summer, and gave it all I could. “I had to be more conservative because these guys are really fast and have a lot of talent.” Heading into the meet, Garza had a game plan he stuck to throughout the race. He waited for the right moment to break away from the pack and assert his tempo. That moment came at the end of the second mile, when Garza picked up the pace to a level nobody else could maintain.
“I felt that I was in control of the race and I was just sitting behind them and when I could I picked it (up) and challenged them,” Garza said. “I took the lead and brought it home.” While Garza raced toward victory, his teammates were slower to trickle across the finish line. Zapata was unable to take home the team trophy it had hoped to capture. Eagle Pass placed all seven runners in the top 10 and ran away with the
team title followed by Corpus Christi Moody. Zapata came in third. “Luis did a great job, but as a team, our gap is still too wide,” Zapata coach Roel Ibañez said. “Some of our kids got stuck behind and they need to make a move but they ran out of gas. “As a team, we did pretty well, but we still have a lot of work to do. This is just one of our practice meets and we still have to get ready for district to make it to regionals.”
Zapata vs. Hebbronville
The Lady Hawks could not duplicate the morning’s results against Mission, dropping a hard fought game 21-25 and 21-25 for their first loss of the tournament. “We played well,” Villarreal said. “We held our ground and fought all the way to the end. I was happy with the way they played, but we still need to work on our defense.” De Leon notched 12 kills and Jeana Jasso added four attack kills. Mata recorded ten assists and Gabby Gutierrez had
The Lady Hawks defeated Hebbronville Tuesday night 25-27, 22-25, 25-23, 25-10 and 15-10.
Port Isabel Tournament Results Zapata lost in pool play to Brownsville Hanna, Edinburg North and Harlingen South to head to the silver division in the Aug. 25 tournament. Zapata defeated West Oso 25-19, 25-27 and 25-12 to win the silver division.
LADY HAWKS Continued from Page 1B of obstacles with a minute and 16 seconds, and our goal was to keep at that, but we did not accomplish that goal.” Villarreal was very optimist about the race and pointed out the distance of the course that was a factor in the team’s fourth place performance. On the same token, however, he noted the team was able to overcome the distance. “We did see a lot of things on the course,” he said. “It was 2.1 miles according to our GPS and it is almost 400 meters more than what we are used to running and half a mile
more than last week’s race. Knowing that, the time can just be thrown out the window. We saw a lot of good things, girls trying to run with their teammates. “Two through six, we did really a good job with the gap, but we just have to get closer to Jazmine (Garcia) if we expect to be at state.” Garcia managed a sixth place finish overall with a time of 14:06. Alexander’s Rebekah Hernandez took the individual title with a time of 12:55. Jannet Chapa placed 15th overall and was followed by Erica Hernan-
FOOTBALL Continued from Page 1B “He is a tremendous athlete that stands 6 foot 4 and is 265 pounds,” Arce said. “Joey will be starting on both offense and defense. Right now he is in unbelievable shape because he did a lot of extra work during the summer on his own.” Martinez is inked to play offensive and defensive line and is expected to contribute greatly to both during the season. “Not making the playoffs motivated us,” Martinez said. “This year, we lost everybody, but hopefully this year we do better. “Even though we have underclassman, I am
Courtesy photo
Zapata’s Raquel Amaguer captured her second individual title of the season at the recent LISD Invitational to earn a place on the Lady Hawks’ varsity team.
NFL teams make final cuts
VOLLEYBALL Continued from Page 1B ing C.C. Winn’s attack during both sets. Abby Aguilar — the anchor of the defense — was able to pick up 17 digs and get the ball to the setter to ignite the offense.
add another dimension to the Lady Hawks’ on the course. Joyce Garcia, Bianca Ponce, Maria Rodriguez, Daniela Vela, Corina Martinez and Kassy Galvan all chipped in for the win. The freshman or bronze division also strutted their stuff with a narrow victory. Alma Perez and Andrea Reyes joined Lara as medalist for the division. Casey Hinojosa, Kaloni Kafusi and Kayla Hinojosa completed the winning team.
take home the team title. Second place was well over 100 points and nowhere near the Lady Hawks in the standings. Norma Ramirez picked up her second silver medal in a row as she was paced by her teammate. Ramirez and Almaguer earned the right to move up to the varsity squad with the performance. Both recorded times good enough to place them in the top 7 of the varsity team and the duo should
pretty sure that everyone will step up when it comes to it to it.” Zapata will also test out new quarterback Alonzo Gutierrez, who will take the snaps for the Hawks after the graduation of fleet-footed quarterback Manuel Salinas. “I have been trying really hard and want to follow in his footsteps,” Gutierrez said. “He ran the ball very well and I want to run the ball as well and add some passing. “Last year, we did not make it (playoffs) and missed it, barely. This year, we are trying to go to the playoffs and get past round one at least.”
Also catching Arce’s eye was Damien Guajardo, who played middle linebacker for the Hawks. “He is doing a good job for us and picked up where he left off,” Arce said. “He is able to make some of the reads when he is out there and is like another coach because he will change thing up when he see something that the offense is doing.” Zapata returns four players on offense and seven players on defense and is hard at work in filling the other spots. Returning on offense are running back Mike Alvarez, slot back Al-
dez (14:58). Cassandra Peña placed 23rd and Sara Peña came in 28th. Garcia stayed close to the early leaders, Hernandez and Alexander’s Brandie Garcia, through the first mile and a half, but fell behind as the race ran its distance and never made a move on the top three again. “The varsity team is improving in many areas, but will be looking for a bust out meet in Falfurrias in two weeks,” Villarreal said. “The cross country teams will be off from competition this Saturday, but will practice to become better and represent Zapata and ZHS with pride.”
SANDOVAL Continued from Page 1B fonso Gutierrez, tight end Cesar Ramos and Martinez. On the defensive end, the Hawks return Martinez, Guajardo, Epi Martinez, Danny Martinez, Andy Gonzalez, Ramiro Garcia, and Johnny Fernandez. Gonzalez, who plays cornerback for Zapata, knows he will be tested when the Hawks go up against Laredo schools, during non-district play, especially Alexander, which is known for airing out ball. “We were able to play against the Laredo schools in the summer 7-on-7 league, so it has prepared us in what to expect,” he said.
Administrators seemed to always determine the senior class had the most spirit and awarded them with some sort of spirit stick. But none of these pregame rituals match the excitement of the night itself once the stadium fills with those there to cheer on the team. I usually like to go out to the game early because I want to get the full effect and enjoy watching the teams warm up — I guess that’s the old coach in me. The sounds of the stadium would grow with each minute as the band, cheerleaders and ROTC went to their designated area of the stadium. I love when the band starts playing. It just adds all the excitement to the game. I have been to games where the band
did not make the trip and it’s always a different feeling in the air. While all these pieces are vital to the game experience, nothing replaces the actual game itself. The sound of the first kickoff signals the start of the game and the crowd roars with excitement. I enjoy watching great plays along with some great hits on defense. When the Hawks started their season Friday against Laredo Cigarroa, all these elements were present at the game. Next Friday, we get to do it all over again, so I’ll be sure to see you at the stadium. (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE Dear Heloise: Please remind people that STANDING MIXERS are powerful tools and can be dangerous! My 6-year-old granddaughter and I were making cookies when she got her face too close to the mixing bowl and her long hair got caught in the mixer, pulling part of her hair out and twisting it on the paddle. I had turned my back to get a measuring cup. This happened so fast! She immediately started screaming, and I pulled the plug as fast as I could. I had to cut her hair off the paddle, and it had already pulled out a chunk of her hair. — Jan, via email Jan, this is frightening! Thank you for taking the time to share this cautionary tale. No loose clothing, hair or jewelry around the mixer or anything with fast-moving mechanical parts! It’s also a reminder that when little ones are around, a lot can happen in a few seconds. — Heloise PET PAL Dear Readers: Kelly in New Braunfels, Texas, sent a picture of her miniature rat terrier, Rambo, riding the exercise bike! Kelly’s husband, Frank, is on the
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HELOISE
bike, too, but you can only see Rambo. To see Rambo and our other Pet Pals, go to www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.” — Heloise LESS DUST Dear Heloise: I just moved our litter box into a place where the sun shines, and I can see how much dusts floats into the air when the cat uses the litter box, when I scoop the litter and when I pour the litter into the box. No. 1: Is there a type of litter that has no dust or at least a minimum amount of dust for the cat? No. 2: If not, is there a way to get the litter from the container into the litter box without polluting the air around it so badly? — Willie B., via email Willie, thanks for writing. Try a CLUMPING cat litter. It is manufactured to limit the amount of dust. Or, rather than pouring the litter from the container, scoop it out using a scoop or plastic cup, etc. — Heloise
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Sports
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Photo by Brett Coomer | AP
Houston police investigate the scene of a fatal accident at Reliant Stadium on Thursday night. A fan fell from an escalator while attending a preseason game between the Houston Texans and the Minnesota Vikings earlier that evening.
Photo by Tom Reel | San Antonio Express-News
The Longhorn Network, a controversial collaboration between the University of Texas and ESPN, found it’s first major television provider this week, more than a year after launching.
Fan falls to death at Reliant stadium By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI AND KRISTIE RIEKEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Longhorn Network picked up ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — The Longhorn Network has added a major television provider just in time for its second season of Texas football. AT&T Inc. said Friday it was carrying the network with its U-verse TV service. The company said customers would have the network in time for Saturday night’s season opener against Wyoming.
The Longhorn Network is also carrying the Longhorns’ second game Sept. 8 at home against New Mexico. It isn’t known whether the network will get more games this season. AT&T said the network would be available on computers and mobile devices at a later date. Financial terms of AT&T’s deal weren’t disclosed. The Longhorn Network is a 20-year, $300 million partnership between ESPN and Texas athletics.
Robson shocking U.S. Open By RACHEL COHEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Laura Robson dissolved into giggles at a reference to British boy band One Direction. Yes, she’s definitely 18. She also has beaten two former Grand Slam champions at the U.S. Open, and will face another in her next match. The British teen beat 2011 French Open winner Li Na in the third round Friday, two days after she ended the career of four-time major champ Kim Clijsters. Next up: Sam Stosur,
who happens to be the defending champion. “I have had a fairly tough draw, haven’t I?” Robson said with the smile of a player racking up confidence. Ranked 89th, Robson had never been past the second round of a major tournament or knocked off a top 10 opponent before this year’s Open. Now she’s done both, after eliminating the ninth-seeded Li 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Robson put her hands to her head in I-can’t-believe-this joy after the Chinese star returned her serve long on the final point.
“I have had lots of tough matches against some very experienced opponents, so the way that I see it, it was time to start winning a few of them,” Robson said. Stretching before the match, Robson noticed a tweet from English soccer star Wayne Rooney wishing her luck. Except he called her “Laura Robinson.” Rooney later faulted predictive text for the gaffe, which didn’t seem to dent Robson’s self-assurance. “Can you blame that on predictive text, though?” she joked. “I’m not so sure.”
HOUSTON — A 25-year-old fan died after tumbling about 60 feet from a fifth-floor escalator at Reliant Stadium during a preseason Houston Texans game, officials said Friday. The man fell to the ground floor during Thursday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, and frantic witnesses called police to report where his body had landed, police spokesman John Cannon said. The fall appeared to be an accident, police said. The fan’s name was not released because police were working to notify his family. The man was traveling down from the fifth floor when he fell to the ground, said Mark Miller, the general manager of SMG-Reliant Park. Two medical teams working at the stadium treated the man at the scene before he was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died, he said. Staffers monitor fan safety at each escalator landing, Miller said. “We make sure they’re not overloaded and we try to operate them in the safest possible manner,” Miller said. The bank of elevators in the northeast corner of the stadium where the fall occurred has been closed for inspections and Reliant
Park officials are reassessing safety procedures, he said. But Texans’ president Jamey Rootes indicated that security and safety changes were unlikely because of the fatal fall. “We have our procedures in place, the league has a whole comprehensive set of best practices relative to fan behavior and stadium security,” Rootes said. “We’ve always been rated at the very highest level ... I don’t know that anything changes.” The Texans open the regular season Sept. 9 with a home game against the Miami Dolphins. The fall wasn’t the only fatal incident at a Texas sport venue in recent years. In 2011, a firefighter attending a Texas Rangers game in Arlington died when he fell from the left field stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton. Shannon Stone fell about 20 feet onto concrete when he tumbled over the left-field railing after catching the ball and falling into an area out of sight from the field as the Rangers faced Oakland. Cooper Stone, his 9-year-old son, witnessed the fall during the second inning. In April, a statue of Stone and his son was dedicated to Rangers fans in front of the home plate gate at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Railings also were raised throughout the ballpark before this season.