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WAR ON DRUGS
FUTURE OF TEXAS AWARD
Mexico seizes pot, guns
Awarding hard work
Army kills 6 presumed criminals along border THE ZAPATA TIMES
Mexican government officials announced Monday soldiers and federal agents have confiscated 21 tons of marijuana in addition to firearms and cash, and killed six presumed criminals in an area ranging from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to Matamoros. The Attorney General of the Republic and the Federal Security Police said the actions resulting in the confiscations are a result of the fight against narcotics trafficking. In a press release issued by the fourth military region, which covers the northern Tamaulipas state border, the six deaths on Sept. 5-9 came as a result of armed confrontations between gunmen, presumed to be members of the Gulf Cartel, and soldiers. In addition, 25 people were arrested and nine kidnapping victims were freed. Soldiers and federal agents confiscated more than 12.7 tons of marijuana with an estimated street value of 638 million pesos (or $49.57 million in U.S. dollars), as well as 137 assault rifles, 43 pistols, two grenade launchers, one rocket launcher, nine hand grenades, 18,000 rounds of ammunition and 825 clips of ammunition. After Friday’s battle in front of Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas in Nuevo Laredo, officials announced three federal agents were wounded and three gunmen were killed. According to authorities, the three gunmen were members of Los Zetas criminal organiza-
See MEXICO PAGE 10A
Zapata banker, 3 others noted for accomplishments By MIKE HERRERA IV THE ZAPATA TIMES
The historic Martin House served as the venue for Tuesday’s announcement of the 2011 Future of Texas Award recipients. Established by state Rep. Richard Peña Ray-
mond in 2009, the award aims to recognize people who have planted the seeds for a positive future through contributions to the community and their fields. “This award is meant to recognize people who’ve accomplished much in life but have not simply enjoyed the fruits of their
labor,” Raymond said. Honored this year are Renato Ramirez, chairman and CEO of International Bank of Commerce, Zapata; Nancy de Anda, longtime advocate for the Laredo Women’s
HISTORY COMES ALIVE
Photo by Cuate Santos | The Zapata Times
Hector Benavides portrays Antonio Zapata, the Spaniard after whom Zapata County and the City of Zapata are named, as he and a group of actors perform at the Epoca de Oro Adult Day Care Center in Rio Bravo on Friday morning.
ONE-VEHICLE ROLLOVER Zapata County sheriff’s deputies investigated a one-vehicle rollover on Sept. 12 less than one mile north of Zapata. Herbert R. Watkins, 61, of Zapata, escaped injury when his 2001 Ford truck struck a guardrail. Watkins requested no medical attention at the scene.
See AWARDS PAGE 10A
U.S. AIR FORCE
Officials: Lockdown at air base over ASSOCIATED PRESS
Courtesy photo
TUCSON, Ariz. — A barricade situation had ended at an Air Force base in southern Arizona, but authorities aren’t immediately releasing any details Friday. A military official said earlier that a man with a gun was holed up in a building at the
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on the outskirts of Tucson and that the base was locked down for several hours. The base issued a statement saying that its response to the situation had ended, but provided no details on how it was resolved. A press conference on
See AIR FORCE PAGE 10A
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
SEPTEMBER, ALL MONTH
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Zapata County Judge Joseph Rathmell signed a proclamation stating that September is National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Addiction Recovery Month for Zapata County.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 The first day of the two-day South Texas Archery Shootout takes place today. This will be a 3D pop-up tournament. For more information or to register, call Gil Gamez at 512-4264255. The Isabella the Catholic Court No. 683 will celebrate its 90th anniversary today with a Mass at noon at San Agustín Cathedral and a luncheon at La Posada Hotel Ballroom. Attendance costs $30. The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will have “Noche en Español” today and show “Un Mundo, Un Cielo: La Aventura de Big Bird” at 4 p.m., “Violent Universe: Catastrophes of the Cosmos” at 5 p.m., “Estrellas de los Faraones” at 6 p.m. and Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” at 7 p.m. Admission is $5, $4 for children and TAMIU students, faculty, staff and alumni. Premium shows are $1 more. For additional show times, call 326-DOME or visit tamiu.edu/planetarium. Eat Well, Play Well, at the Imaginarium of South Texas, 5300 San Dario Ave., will be on display today through December during regular museum hours. The exhibit opens from noon to 5 p.m. today with a health fair and. Admission is $4.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 The second day of the two-day South Texas Archery Shootout takes place today. This will be a 3D pop-up tournament. For more information or to register, call Gil Gamez at 512-4264255.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 21 The 18th Annual Logistics and Manufacturing Association’s Symposium takes place today, tomorrow and Friday at Texas A&M International University. The theme, entitled “Mexico’s Top Manufacturing and Consuming Regions Utilizing Port Laredo,” will focus on the ability for transportation and communications infrastructure, port and border administration, market access, and the overall business environment to govern a port’s ability to become a leader in facilitating global supply chains. For more information, contact Joseph Mendiola at info@ldfonline.org.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 27 The “Anatomy of a Business Plan Workshop in Zapata” is set for 9:30 a.m. through noon at the Zapata County Courthouse, suite 248. The fee for the workshop is $20
FRIDAY, OCT 7 The first day of the three-day Bass Champs tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 817-439-3274.
SATURDAY, OCT. 8 The first day of the three-day Bass Champs tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 817-439-3274.
Photo by LM Otero | AP
Gene Wilde, left, a Texas Tech professor of aquatic biology, lifts a net with the help of research assistants Doug Knabe, right, and Aaron Urbanczyk while collecting endangered fish from the Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos River in a rural area just west of Sagerton on Friday.
Rare minnows rescued By ANGELA K. BROWN AND BETSY BLANEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT WORTH — Wading through a muddy river bed to reach shallow pools of water, biologists scooped up hundreds of minnows Friday in one of the first rescues of fish threatened by the state’s worst drought in decades. The scientists collected smalleye shiners and sharpnose shiners from the Brazos River — about 2,300 on Thursday and 800 Friday. The fish, which are found only in the Brazos, are both candidates to be listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. They will be taken to the state’s fish hatchery near Possum Kingdom Lake but returned to the river when the drought abates. Scientists scooped up dozens of fish at a time Friday morning near Sagerton, about
150 miles west of Fort Worth. Both types of minnow are shiny and have other distinctive features, making them easy for scientists to spot and put in buckets, said Kevin Mayes, an aquatic biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. With the water drying up in the drought, the minnows don’t have the 100 miles of river they need to reproduce. And, their life span is just two years, Mayes said A team rescued 110 federally threatened Arkansas River shiners and 60 peppered chubs from the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle near the New Mexico border last week and took them to a federal fish hatchery in Oklahoma. Gene Wilde, a Texas Tech University fish ecology professor who led the team, said he believes that effort was the first fish rescue in Texas during this severe drought.
Houston mayor bans smoking in city parks
Ex-constable charged with attempted sex assault
Man who allegedly faked cancer caught in Austin
HOUSTON — Mayor Annise Parker is ordering a temporary ban on smoking at city parks because of the drought and threat of wildfire. The smoking ban, announced Friday, is part of an order that extends the city’s temporary burn ban.
COLLEGE STATION — A Brazos County deputy constable who quit last week after being charged with kidnapping has been accused of trying to rape another female. College Station police say the second young woman came forward after hearing news reports about the first case. Augustin Rubio was arrested Friday on a charge of attempted sexual assault, with bond set at $25,000.
KILLEEN — A Central Texas man accused of lying about having terminal cancer and keeping more than $1,500 in donations has been caught in Austin. Killeen police on Friday announced the arrest of 32-year-old Brian Jeffrey Bonniwell of Austin, who’s also known as Brian Fisher.
Texas unemployment rate up slightly to 8.5 percent
HOUSTON — The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the conviction and death sentence of a 30-year-old man condemned for participating in the shooting deaths of four people in a McKinney home seven years ago. Thirty-year-old Raul Cortez testified at his trial in 2009 that he had nothing to do with the worst mass murder in Collin County history. — Compiled from AP reports
Execution halted amid Supreme Court review HUNTSVILLE — A man convicted of a double murder 16 years ago was at least temporarily spared from lethal injection when the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review his lawyers’ claims that race played an improper role in his sentencing. The court on Thursday halted the execution for Duane Buck, 48. Buck was sentenced to death for the fatal shootings of his exgirlfriend and a man in her apartment in July 1995.
AUSTIN — The Texas unemployment rate edged up slightly to 8.5 percent for August, and the job count fell for the first time in almost a year, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday. It was 8.4 percent in July. The preliminary jobless rate for August for Laredo was 8.5 percent.
Man condemned for slayings of 4 loses appeal
SUNDAY, OCT. 9 The first day of the three-day Bass Champs tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 817-439-3274.
FRIDAY, OCT. 28 The first day of the three-day 2011 Pro/Am Event sponsored by the Couples Association of Sport Tournaments fishing tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 281-796-7486 or check the website at www.fishcast.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 29 The second day of the three-day 2011 Pro/Am Event sponsored by the Couples Association of Sport Tournaments fishing tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 281-796-7486 or check the website at www.fishcast.com.
SUNDAY, OCT. 30 The third day of the three-day 2011 Pro/Am Event sponsored by the Couples Association of Sport Tournaments fishing tournament takes place today. For more information or to register, call 281-796-7486.
AROUND THE NATION Prosecutors want more treatment for Loughner TUCSON, Ariz. — Prosecutors say the suspect in the deadly Tucson shooting rampage needs another eight months of mental health treatment at a federal prison facility in Missouri. Authorities also want Jared Lee Loughner to appear in person Wednesday at U.S. District Court in Tucson for a hearing on the extended treatment Loughner has been in Springfield, Mo., since May 27 after being declared mentally unfit to stand trial. Loughner’s evaluation period at the prison is scheduled to end Sept. 26.
Thomas says court needs geographic diversity LINCOLN, Neb. — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says the nation’s highest court would benefit from more geographic diversity among its
Today is Saturday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2011. There are 105 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 17, 1911, Calbraith P. Rodgers set off from Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., aboard a Wright biplane in an attempt to become the first flier to travel the width of the United States. (The 49-day journey required 69 stops before Rodgers arrived in Pasadena, Calif., on Nov. 5.) On this date: In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. In 1862, Union forces fought Confederate invaders in the Civil War Battle of Antietam (an-TEE’-tum) in Maryland; more than 3,600 men were killed. In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault. In 1947, James V. Forrestal was sworn in as the first U.S. Secretary of Defense. In 1961, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706, a Lockheed Electra, crashed after takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, killing all 37 people on board. situation comedy “Car 54, Where Are You?” premiered on NBC. In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH’-kem BAY’-gihn) and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty. In 1986, the Senate confirmed the nomination of William H. Rehnquist to become the 16th chief justice of the United States. In 1991, the U.N. General Assembly opened its 46th session, welcoming new members Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North and South Korea, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. Ten years ago: Six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flagwaving reopening of Wall Street; the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 684.81 at 8,920.70. President George W. Bush visited a mosque in Washington as he appealed to Americans to get back to everyday business and not turn against their Muslim neighbors. Today’s Birthdays: Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 78. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 72. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 76. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni (ret.) is 68. Actress Cassandra Peterson (“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”) is 60. Comedian Rita Rudner is 58. Rhythm-andblues singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 38. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 36. Rock musician Jon Walker is 26. Thought for Today: “Any man is liable to err, only a fool persists in error.” — Cicero, Roman scholar (106-43 B.C.).
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Connie Andrews wears a trash bag, gloves and a mask cleaning up her home on Friday in West Pittston, Pa. The area was damaged by waters from the Susquehanna River after the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee came through. justices and should hold some sessions outside of Washington, D.C. Thomas’ comments came in a speech to University of Nebraska-Lincoln law students Thursday Thomas, a Georgia native who has worked in Washington,
D.C., since 1993, said the court would benefit from a more balanced geographical mix that “reflects the fact this is a big country, not just the Northeast. "There’s nobody from the Heartland,” said Thomas. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
Zlocal
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INVESTIGATING A MINOR ACCIDENT
Deputies nab two after house search By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Courtesy photo
Sheriff’s Investigator Greg Gutierrez, right, and Deputy Ricardo Garza investigate a two-vehicle accident at the corner of 21st Avenue and U.S. Highway 83 in Zapata on Monday, Sept. 12, at 9:24 a.m. Neither of the male drivers were injured.
THE BLOTTER BURGLARY OF A HABITATION A woman in her 80s reported to authorities Monday at around 10 a.m. that someone had burglarized her home in the 5400 block of Peña Lane and taken several items while she was out of town. A 42-inch television set and jewelry, with a total value of $3,400, were reported stolen.
STOLEN VEHICLE Samuel Herrera Jr., 27, was arrested Sunday at about 6 a.m. and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, a state jail felony,
and resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor. Herrera is accused of stealing a 2003 Ford F-150 from the 1500 block of Jackson St.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF A woman reported to authorities on Saturday, Sept. 10, at about 2 a.m. that a window had been broken on her vehicle in the 1200 block of Siesta Lane, causing about $250 in damage. A report lists a rock as a weapon.
MINOR IN POSSESSION
Deputies stopped a car that was reportedly being driven recklessly on Friday, Sept. 9, just before midnight. Luis Daniel Peña, 17; Luis Alberto Saenz, 17; Joanna Camarillo, 20; and Marlen Valadez, 17, were all charged with minor in possession of an alcoholic beverage, a Class C misdemeanor.
INCIDENT A 61-year-old man reported to authorities Thursday, Sept. 8, at about 1:30 p.m. that he had been threatened over the telephone by a man he knows.
The Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office task force and sheriff ’s investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in the 400 block of Ramireno Avenue in Medina Addition on Wednesday at about 10:30 p.m. Investigators seized more than 100 baggies containing cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as $894.15 in U.S. currency. Two men were arrested and identified as Edgar Alaniz, age 24, and Eloy Zapata Alaniz, age 58. Both were charged with possession of a controlled substance, a second degree felony, and possession of marijuana, a
EDGAR ALANIZ: Possession of a controlled substance charge. ELOY ZAPATA ALANIZ: One of two arrested by deputies. Class A misdemeanor. Justice of the Peace Fernando Muñoz set bonds totaling $65,000 for Edgar Alaniz; Eloy Zapata Alaniz’s bonds totaled $36,000. The drugs seized totaled more that 100 grams in weight with a street value of over $3,000.
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Zopinion
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Presidential politics burns retirement By BILL KING HOUSTON CHRONICLE
T
exas Gov. Rick Perry set off a political firestorm worse than those currently burning in central Texas when he recently referred to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme” and a “monstrous lie.” The political stakes could not be higher. Americans have very strong feelings, but not totally consistent views, on Social Security. Polls show very high levels of support for the program across all age groups. But in a recent CNN poll, 81 percent of respondents believed that Social Security would face financial difficulties if the program was not changed. Are Perry’s rhetoric and the public’s concerns about Social Security justified?
Two programs Social Security generally refers to two programs. The Old Age & Survivors Insurance (OASI) pays pension benefits to older Americans. The Disability Insurance (DI) pays benefits to disabled Americans. At the end of 2010, about 44 million Americans were receiving benefits from OASI and about 10 million from DI. The total expenditures for the program, including benefits and administrative costs, for 2010 were $713 billion, or about 20 percent of all federal government expenditures. Social Security benefits are mainly financed by a payroll tax. When Social Security was first implemented in 1937, the payroll tax rate was 2 percent and applied to only the first $3,000 of income annually. It has risen steadily since that time to the current rate of 12.4 percent of a person’s wages or salary up to a maximum of $106,800. As a bookkeeping matter, we say that half of the tax (6.2 percent) is paid by the employer and the other half by the employee. Economists, however, will tell you that the employee really pays 100 percent of the cost because without the tax, wages would rise by that amount. The income that Social Security has received in excess of its expenses has been placed into separate trust funds for the payment of pensions and disability benefits. At the end of 2010, there was about $2.4 trillion in the OASI trust fund and $179 billion in the DI trust fund. In addition to the income that Social Security receives from the payroll tax, it also earns interest on the investment of these trust funds. In 2010, Social Security earned $117 billion in interest payments. Part of the controversy surrounding Social Securi-
ty is how these trust funds are invested. In regular pension plans, the income would be invested in a variety of stocks and bonds to both diversify the risk and maximize the return. However, all of Social Security’s income is invested in U.S. securities. So the federal government is collecting the payroll tax and then loaning itself the excess. You may have heard critics of Social Security allege that there is no money in the Social Security trust fund and that Congress has already spent all of the money paid into the system. Since the federal government has used the proceeds to finance its ongoing expenditures, the criticism is in some sense true. But on the other hand, U.S. securities are recognized as one of the safest investments in the world by the market. In a classic Ponzi scheme, the promoter sells some kind of investment units to the victims. Instead of investing the money as promised, the promoter uses a portion of the money to pay phony returns to the investors and pockets the rest. To pay the next round of returns the promoter must bring in additional investors. As the scheme grows, mathematics dictates that the number of investors needed to pay the previous investors will grow geometrically, hence the scheme is also frequently referred to as a pyramid scheme. The key element to a Ponzi scheme is that the promoter is lying to the investors about how their money is being used. The result of a Ponzi scheme is that it will fail because eventually the number of new investors needed to continue to fund the scheme will be unsustainable. To fairly call Social Security a Ponzi scheme, one would have to conclude that the federal government is not using the contributions as it has promised and that the system is growing geometrically and is, therefore, unsustainable over time. There is no question that Social Security’s income is first used to pay benefits and that the balance is invested in U.S. securities. So unless one is prepared to argue that U.S. securities are not a legitimate investment, it is hard to argue that the federal government is not using the funds as represented to the participants in Social Security. And in that sense, Social Security is clearly not a classic Ponzi scheme. However, if the comparison of Social Security to a Ponzi scheme is made for the purpose of arguing that it is unsustainable over time, that may be a more accurate criticism. And one that I will examine in greater detail later.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters. To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity. The phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary. Identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication. We want to assure our
readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow the use of pseudonyms. Letters are edited for style, grammar, length and civility. No name-calling or gratuitous abuse is allowed. Via e-mail, send letters to editorial@lmtonline.com or mail them to Letters to the Editor, 111 Esperanza Drive, Laredo, TX 78041.
COLUMN
‘Do this in memory of me’ By now, just about everyone has been in cruise control school mode. The chaos of scouring shelves for school supplies, going through mounds of paperwork and attempting to coordinate the different extra-curricular schedules by parents, guardians, students, teachers and administrators has finally subsided. However, school isn’t the only thing back in full swing. Tomorrow, the Catholic Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday, focusing on the theme “Do This in Memory of Me.” Tomorrow catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministries. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith. This ministry of the Word is a fundamental element of evangelization through all its stages, because it involves the proclamation of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God. Tomorrow marks the beginning of religious education courses offered in every parish and mission throughout the Diocese of Laredo to foster a deeper understanding of our faith and to
“
JAMES TAMAYO
assist in preparation to receive the Sacraments. CCD classes, as they are commonly known, stress the importance of living one’s faith and being an authentic witness to Christ in the world. Think about how often we say the words, “I am an athlete, I am in band, I am a dancer, I am a volunteer, I am a friend, etc.” But how often do we tell others, “I am a Catholic.” This year’s catechetical theme “Do This in Memory of Me” reminds me of the passage in the Gospel of Luke (24:13-35) that tells us of the two disciples, full of grief after the death of Jesus, fleeing Jerusalem and the tragic events of Good Friday. On the road to Emmaus, the risen Lord meets them and explains the Scriptures. However, they do not recognize him until “the breaking of the bread.” This scripture passage describes the encounter with the resurrected Christ who is present Himself to us at every Mass.
We need to learn first, before we can live like Christ. Everyday, we should make the conscious and deliberate choice to live as a follower of Jesus, being true to His teachings and imitating His actions. Our decisions are important. Let us make thoughtful and wise choices each day so we can be faithful to the commitments we have made in life, and help others come to know Christ’s love. This is why I encourage all parents and guardians to enroll their children in religious education courses at their parishes or missions. Religious education classes are also available for the adults so they can continue learning and growing in the knowledge of their faith. Remember, parents and guardians are the first teachers of the faith. Prepare your children for CCD classes by talking about our faith at the dinner table when you are breaking bread at home. For those who have never done this, it may feel awkward at first, but the more you discuss the life of our risen Lord, the more you’ll find in His teachings, the way, the truth and the life. It is my hope that we go out into the world ready to witness to the life and teachings of Christ, Todo Con Amor.
COLUMN
Debt panel and employment By GREG SARGENT THE WASHINGTON POST
Can it be? Will top Democrats on the deficit supercommittee support a new proposal to force an independent effort to evaluate how their proposals will impact jobs? Yes, it’s possible. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., is pushing a plan for the Congressional Budget Office to “score” the supercommittee’s proposals for their impact on unemployment and
the labor market. And an aide to one of the panel’s Democrats told me that the Democratic members have privately discussed the idea — some Democrats are supportive, while several have not signaled support. There’s no consensus yet, but it’s a start. Merkley’s proposal — he hopes the committee will build into its debt-reduction process a mechanism to discourage austerity measures that harm the economy — may be our
last realistic hope for having the supercommittee at least consider the impact its package would have on jobs. As Ezra Klein explained: “It wouldn’t require anyone to come to any new ideological epiphanies, or strike any grand new bargains. It would just force them to think hard about the impact their proposals will have on the labor market, and submit their conclusions to the independent analysis of the CBO.”
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
Republicans are all but certain to oppose the idea, because they are proceeding from the stated assumption that spending cuts automatically produce economic growth. No need for any CBO score, then! But perhaps Democrats will decide that supporting this idea would be a good way to make the case that Republicans are prioritizing shrinking government while opposing any independent effort to evaluate its impact on jobs.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Rosh Hashana great for seasonal eating By JIM ROMANOFF FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
You may not think of Jewish cooking as trendsetting, but truth is it has been focused on seasonal recipes sporting local ingredients since long before farmers markets became the darling of the foodie scene. And the Jewish New Year meal, served at Rosh Hashana, is a perfect example of this unintended hipness. While the foods of this holiday are most often acknowledged for their emblematic value — think apples and honey to represent a sweet year to come — they also are intentionally seasonal for both the symbolic and practical reasons of wanting to celebrate the hope of new beginnings by using what you have on hand in late summer and early fall. So Rosh Hashana turns out to be the perfect opportunity to serve a local, in-season meal while fully embracing the spirit of the holiday. Traditionally, foods are chosen that are both sweet and round. Round foods represent the circle of life that continues with the new year, says Leah Koenig, a Brooklyn, N.Y., resident and author of “The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook.” Jewish cooks wrap that symbolism around foods that are available to them during the autumn harvest season, such as squash, beets and apples, she said. Certain foods, such as sour and bitter ingredients like vinegars or even certain kinds of nuts, are avoided so as not to let these harsh flavors characterize the coming year. Laura Frankel, author of various cookbooks including “Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes,” is taking a local, seasonal holiday meal even further. She is holding a “Rosh Hashana Boot Camp” cooking class in Chicago at Spertus, a Jewish culture and learning center, where she is the executive chef. “I just want to get people out of the rut of making the standard brisket and honey cake for the holidays,” she says. “There’s so much available at this time of year that you can tie in with the symbolism of Rosh Hashana,” says Frankel, who uses the arrival of pomegranates in the market to tell her when she needs to start planning her menus for the holidays.
Photo by Matthew Mead | AP
This Sept. 8 photo shows honey-thyme glazed chickens with cider gravy and baby spinach salad in Concord, N.H. This recipe has a sweet autumnal flavor that can be tailored to Rio Grande Valley tastes by using a local wildflower honey and a cider made with heirloom apples. This year Frankel is doing some culinary riffing with local Concord grapes. When Jews came to this country, they needed to make ceremonial wine, so they started to use Concord grapes, an exclusively American variety. She points out that they would harvest the grapes in the fall to make wine that would be ready for Passover in the spring. Instead, she takes the fresh grapes, which she gets from local farms, and infuses them into her harvest-themed Rosh Hashana menus. “They’re seedy, so people tend not to eat them as a table grape, but they have an incredibly delicious, musty flavor that’s great to cook with.” She’ll be showing boot camp attendees how to make chicken and turkey with a Concord grape and honey glaze, a beautiful purple sorbet infused with honey and lemon zest and a festive spritzer made by blending a sparkling
white wine with Concord grapes muddled with fresh mint and lemon zest (recipes available on Cheflauraskosher.com). We’ve created two seasonal dishes, a main course and a salad, which can easily be shopped for at your local farmers market. Honey-thyme glazed chickens with cider gravy have a sweet autumnal flavor that can be tailored to your region by using a local wildflower honey and a cider made with heirloom apples. Our baby spinach salad features a dressing made with pomegranate molasses, which can usually be found in the international (Middle Eastern) section of many larger markets. Alternatively, boil down pomegranate juice until it becomes a honey-like syrup. Baby spinach continues to be harvested well into the fall and you can add more local flavor by using goat or any crumbly cheese from a farm in your area. ———
HONEY-THYME GLAZED CHICKENS WITH CIDER GRAVY Start to finish: 2 hours 15 minutes (30 minutes active) Servings: 10 2 whole chickens (4 to 5 pounds each), giblets discarded 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Ground black pepper, to taste 4 teaspoons dried thyme, divided 1 large yellow onion, quartered 3/4 cup dry white wine 3/4 cup water 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 1/2 cup honey 1 1/2 cups apple cider, divided 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided 2 cups chicken broth 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour Heat the oven to 425 F and set the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. Pat the chickens dry with paper towels and rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over the outside of each. Sprinkle the inside and outside of the chickens with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon each of the thyme. Stuff each chicken with 2 onion quarters. Tuck the wings behind the back and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Arrange the chickens, breast side down, on a V-rack set inside a roasting pan. Roast until the chickens are golden, about 45 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully, using paper towels, flip the chickens so that they are breast side up. Raise the oven temperature to 450 F. Pour the wine and water into the roasting pan. Return the roasting pan to the oven and roast until the thigh meat registers 165 to 170 degrees, about 1 hour. If the pan dries out, add more water 1/2 cup at a time. Meanwhile, to make the glaze, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme. Melt the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the honey and 1/2 cup of the apple cider, then simmer until the glaze has thickened and reduced a bit, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and set aside. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and brush the chickens evenly with a thick layer of the glaze (you’ll have some remaining to brush on later) and continue to roast until the glaze is golden
brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chickens to a cutting board, brush with the remaining glaze and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting (do not clean the roasting pan). To make the cider gravy, whisk 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners on medium-high heat. Add the remaining cider and bring to a boil. Cook, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth. Increase the heat to high and return to a boil, whisking often. Boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk the reserved flour-broth mixture into the pan. Boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup (discard the solids). Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the chicken with cider gravy for passing. ——— BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH POMEGRANATE DRESSING Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 10 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 1/4 teaspoon chopped lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 10 ounces baby spinach, large stems removed 2 small Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced 2 small red onions, sliced into very thin rings 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese Seeds of 1 pomegranate (optional) In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon zest, lemon juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside. Divide the spinach evenly between 10 salad plates. Arrange the avocado slices and red onion rings over each salad. Sprinkle each with goat cheese. Whisk the dressing to recombine and drizzle over each salad. Top with pomegranate seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
Judge eyes pot charge dismissal
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
Unvaccinated Calif. students turned away
SEARCH FOR MISSING MOTHER CONTINUES
By KEN RITTER ASSOCIATED PRESS
By MARCUS WOHLSEN AND SHEILA V KUMAR
LAS VEGAS — A Nevada judge said Friday he needed time to review grand jury transcripts before he decides whether the state’s medical marijuana laws are too vague to allow charges to stand against six people arrested when police raided a Las Vegas storefront marijuana dispensary last November. Clark County District Court Judge Doug Smith told lawyers for Jolly Green Meds owners Daniel Kinshella and Sean Kinshella and four co-defendants that he wanted to focus on whether the evidence leading to the indictments handed up in May was “fair and proper.” “It all goes to the intent of the people running the store,” the judge said. Attorney Marc Saggese, representing Sean Kinshella, candidly noted that Smith’s ruling could create a “domino effect” for people who want the state Legislature to address what medical marijuana proponents call inconsistencies in state law. On Monday, another Clark County District Court judge, Donald Mosley, threw out charges in a separate but similar medical marijuana criminal case. Mosley declared that he couldn’t make sense of Nevada’s medical marijuana laws. Voters in 2000 passed a state constitutional amendment letting medical cardholders grow small amounts of marijuana. Prosecutors on Wednesday obtained new indictments in that case, charging Sin City Co-Op owners Nathan Hamilton and Leonard Schwingdorf with multiple counts of sale of marijuana and trafficking in a controlled substance. Attorney Michael Cristalli pleaded Friday with Smith to also tell the Legislature the law was “overbroad and vague.” Smith said he wouldn’t be guided by Mosley’s ruling. Charges in the multicount indictments against Daniel Kinshella, Sean Kinshella and Christine Kinshella, Kimberly Simons, Jesse Moffett and Ryan Bondhus include felony conspiracy, sale of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Prosecutor Tina Sedlock told Smith that state law is clear that selling marijuana is prohibited. She characterized Jolly Green Meds as “a drug trafficking organization.” Lawyer Robert Draskovich, who represents co-defendant Simons in the Jolly Green Meds case and Hamilton and Schwingdorf in the Sin City Co-Op case, said the storefront dispensaries accepted donations but didn’t require payment.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — Some California schools are turning away middle and high school students who have not received a required whooping cough vaccine while others are defying a law passed last year after a historic spike in cases of the potentially fatal disease. The law approved last September initially required all students entering grades seven through 12 to get vaccinated by the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Lawmakers passed a 30-day extension this summer as districts worried many students wouldn’t meet the deadline. Under California law, students also can still attend if their parents file a form saying they oppose vaccines. No statewide estimates of the number of students turned away is available because districts are not required to report final vaccination tallies until December, education and health officials said. But anecdotal reports from individual districts indicate the percentage of students meeting the requirement varied widely, from about half of students to nearly all. “We’ve done a tremendous amount of outreach with the schools trying to let them know,” said Linda Davis-Alldritt, a consultant for the education department. On Thursday, San Francisco Unified School District began sending home students who arrived without proof of vaccination or a parental personal belief exemption. District spokeswoman Heidi Anderson said the district estimates about 2,000 students, or 10 percent of the student body, are still unvaccinated. The district held a free vaccination clinic at its offices Thursday and was providing shots at individual schools on Friday. District officials were optimistic that most students would be able to re-
turn to class soon. “We’re getting down to it,” Anderson said. The Folsom Cordova Unified School District hit the extended deadline Friday for having all students immunized. Mary Ann Delleney, director of health programs for the district, said about 2,250 students who have yet to get vaccinated won’t be turned away. “We will not withhold education for students, but we will make every effort that we possibly can to be in compliance with state law,” she said. The district had 70 whooping cough cases last year. Education officials said allowing unvaccinated students on school premises at all broke state law, but that the education department had no power to sanction defiant districts. Schools in California lose money for each absence. Allowing unvaccinated students to come to school also puts the students themselves and others exempted from the vaccine for medical or personal reasons at greater risk, said John Talarico, chief of immunization for the California Department of Public Health. “If one of them gets it and they’re all together, you now have a whole pool of susceptible people,” Talarico said. San Diego Republican Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, a co-author of the law, said students who haven’t been vaccinated shouldn’t be at school at all. “This is not an academic or philosophical discussion. Children have died as a result of this. We took very seriously out obligation to protect children, so I think school districts need to take seriously the obligations to comply with it,” he said. The vaccination mandate covers about 3 million public and private school students who public health officials say have lost much of their immunity since receiving their original immunization against whooping cough before entering kindergarten.
Photo by George Frey | AP
Police officers gather around and start excavating a site at the base of Topaz Mountain where search dogs looking for missing Utah mother Susan Powell located human remains on Thursday, about 50 miles northwest of Delta, Utah. Powell disappeared from her West Valley City home in December 2009 and hasn’t been seen since.
Panel finds airport security remains weak By BOB SALSBERG ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — U.S. aviation security has dramatically improved in the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks, but leaders of a congressional panel said Friday that weaknesses remain in the system, including passenger screening techniques and the protection of airport perimeters. Days following the tenth anniversary of the attacks, Rep. Michael McCaul, RTexas, chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management, and the panel’s ranking Democrat, Rep. William Keating of Massachusetts, held a field hearing at Boston’s Logan International Airport. Two planes hi-
jacked from Logan were flown into the World Trade Center on 9/11, but the airport has since earned praise as a leader for implementing innovative security procedures. Logan was the first U.S. airport to meet a federal deadline for screening 100 percent of checked baggage and in 2003 pioneered a behavioral observation program to identify potentially dangerous passengers that has since been expanded to 160 airports and resulted in hundreds of arrests, though none directly linked to terrorism. The Transportation Security Administration recently began experimenting with a new technique at the airport in which officers engage in brief, casual conversations with
passengers and listen for any hints of suspicious behavior. The program is modeled after an approach that has long been used by Israeli security officials, but does not employ profiling, TSA officials said. The Department of Homeland Security is still assessing the scientific validity of the approach before deciding whether to expand its use. McCaul said the socalled “chat-downs” are preferable to the patdowns that airline passengers have become accustomed to since 9/11. “I’d like to see it more rapidly deployed in all the airports, so we can get past this kind of nonsense of patdowns of World War II veterans, grandmothers and kids,” said McCaul.
SÁBADO 17 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2011
Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 17 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — El Mercado Agrícola El Centro de Laredo invita al Festival del Cilantro de 9 a.m. a 2 p.m. en la Plaza Jarvis. LAREDO — Shrine Circus se presenta en Laredo Energy Arena. La entrada para el show de hoy a las 11 a.m. es de 9 dólares. La función de las 4:30 p.m. y 7:30 p.m. tiene costo de 20 dólares general; 14 dólares para niños y 27 dólares en lugares VIP. LAREDO — Pase la tarde en el Planetario Lamar Bruni Vergara de TAMIU y explora una “Noche en Español” con los programas: “Un Mundo, Un Cielo: La Aventura de Big Bird” a las 4 p.m., “Violent Universe: Catastrophes of the Cosmos” a las 5 p.m., “Estrellas de los Faraones” a las 6 p.m. y Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” a las 7 p.m. Costo: 5 dólares; niños a 4 dólares. LAREDO — Grupo Fantasma y Umano Aché se presentan esta noche en Average Joe’s. Boletos en preventa a 10 dólares; menores de edad a 15 dólares. Cupo limitado. NUEVO LAREDO, México — Bazar de Arte en Estación Palabra de 12 p.m. a 5 p.m. Gratuito. NUEVO LAREDO, México — Festival Infantil “Gabriel García Márquez” presenta “Cuentos y actividades referentes a la vida de Gabriel García Márquez” en el área infantil de Estación Palabra a las 2 p.m. Gratuito. NUEVO LAREDO, México — Charla “La excomunión de Hidalgo” con el sociólogo Heriberto Galván en el Auditorio de Estación Palabra a las 2 p.m. Evento gratuito exclusivo para adolescentes y adultos. NUEVO LAREDO, México — Museo para niños presenta “Naturaleza Muerta” en la Sala de Servicios Educativos del Museo Reyes Mesa a las 4 p.m. Gratuito.
Zfrontera
PÁGINA 7A
VISITA GOBERNADOR DE TAMAULIPAS A MIGUEL ALEMÁN Y CAMARGO
Atención a Ribereña TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Demostrando que las ciudades de la Ribereña están saliendo adelante, pese a pruebas que han tenido sobre todo en el marco de la inseguridad, los gobiernos municipales de Miguel Alemán y Camargo recibieron al Gobernador de Tamaulipas. Edigio Torre Cantú realizó una gira de trabajo donde en Miguel Alemán entregó escrituras del ITAVU y puso en marchas programas de saneamiento y vialidades; en tanto que en Camargo se comprometió a evaluar la probabilidad de construir un teatro municipal. “A Miguel Alemán vengo con todo gusto y ojalá pudiera venir más seguido”, expresó Torre. “Miguel Alemán ya es más grande, pero lo es por su gente, como lo es Tamaulipas”. Con las escrituras del In-
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
El Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Egidio Torre Cantú habla ante familias de Camargo, México, durante una gira de trabajo. El mismo día, Torre estuvo también en Miguel Alemán. stituto Tamaulipeco de Urbanización y Vivienda (ITAVU) se benefició a 163 familias de 10 colonias. El Presidente Municipal de Miguel Alemán, Ramón Edmundo Rodríguez Garza recalcó que en la ciudad se tienen “más habitantes,
más hombres y mujeres trabajando para hacer de este municipio una comunidad fuerte”. De igual forma, el director general de la Comisión Estatal del Agua de Tamaulipas (CEAT), Jaime Cano Pérez, hizo una exposición
del proyecto integral de saneamiento consistente en 8,903 metros lineales de drenaje sanitario con inversión de 12 millones 523,639 pesos. En cuanto al proyecto “Ampliación de Vialidades” a la salida de la carretera que conecta a Miguel Ale-
“
“Mexicanos y tamaulipecos: ¡Viva la Independencia Nacional!.. ¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron patria y libertad!.. ¡Viva Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla!.. ¡Viva José María Morelos y Pavón!.. ¡Viva Ignacio Allende!.. ¡Viva Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez!.. ¡Viva Guadalupe Victoria!.. ¡Viva Vicente Guerrero!.. ¡Viva Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara!.. ¡Viva Tamaulipas!.. ¡Viva México!.. ¡Viva México!.. ¡Viva México!”. GOBERNADOR DE TAMAULIPAS, EGIDIO TORRE CANTÚ
DOMINGO 18 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — Shrine Circus inicia sus presentaciones en Laredo Energy Arena. Show el día de hoy a las 2 p.m. y 6 p.m. Costo de 20 dólares general; 14 dólares para niños y 27 dólares en lugares VIP.
LUNES 19 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — El CFPA de TAMIU presenta la exhibición “Mark Anthony Polizzi Show” en horario de lunes a jueves de 12 p.m. a 5 p.m. Entrada gratuita.
mán con Monterrey, se informó que el mismo consiste en ampliar 2,394 metros cuadrados de carpeta asfáltica y recarpetear otros 7,412 metros cuadrados con inversión total de 3 millones 899,829 pesos. En Camargo, Torre Cantú fue recibido por la alcaldesa María del Carmen Rocha Hernández. Ahí se realizó la petición para que se construya un teatro para el cual ya se cuenta con el terreno, así como la construcción de un asilo. De la misma forma se puso en marcha “Comunidades Fuertes para Todos” que ofrece empleo temporal por tres meses, con la posibilidad de ampliarse hasta seis. Como cierre, Torre Cantú escuchó al grupo “Juventud Norteña”, del ejido Santa Rosalía, interpretando un corrido compuesto en su honor.
Foto de cortesía | Miguel Alemán
TAMAULIPAS CELEBRA LIBERTAD
MIÉRCOLES 21 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — César Lozano presenta su conferencia “Mujeres Difíciles, Hombres Complicados” a las 7 p.m. en el Laredo Civic Center.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo
JUEVES 22 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — El equipo de volibón de TAMIU recibe a Oklahoma Panhandle State University a las 7 p.m. Entrada general: 5 dólares. LAREDO — El CFPA de TAMIU invita al Recital de Joel Bazan-Gomez, a las 7:30 p.m. en el CFPA Recital Hall. Evento gratuito y abierto al público en general.
Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas
TEXAS
Hispanos exigen continuar en mapa electoral POR APRIL CASTRO ASSOCIATED PRESS
VIERNES 23 DE SEPTIEMBRE LAREDO — El equipo varonil de fútbol soccer de TAMIU recibe a University of Incarnate Word a las 8 p.m. Entrada general 5 dólares. NUEVO LAREDO, México — Teletón 2011 invita al congreso “El Control de tu Vida” hoy a las 9 a.m. en Hotel Camino Real.
ARRIBA: El Presidente Municipal de Nuevo Laredo, México, Benjamín Galván Gómez, encabezó la ceremonia del Grito de Independencia en la Plaza Cívica de la Independencia, frente al Palacio Federal, ante 35,000 neolaredenses. Junto a él, el General Carlos García López, Comandante de la Guarnición Militar de la Plaza; su esposa Martha Alicia Aldapa de Galván, y su hija Martita. SUPERIOR: El Presidente Municipal de Miguel Alemán, México, Ramón Edmundo Rodríguez Garza, encabezó el Desfile conmemorativo a la Independencia de México, el viernes por la mañana. IZQUIERDA: El Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Egidio Torre Cantú, su esposa, María del Pilar González, y su padre, Egidio Torre López, durante la celebración de la Noche del Grito de Independencia, en Ciudad Victoria, México.
SAN ANTONIO — Grupos minoritarios ejercieron presión de nuevo el jueves para que sean rechazados los nuevos mapas distritales, al argumentar que las nuevas líneas electorales violan la ley federal al disminuir la fuerza electoral de los hispanos y no reconocen un aumento en su población en la última década en Texas. Durante los argumentos de cierre ante un panel de tres jueces federales, los demandantes dijeron que los nuevos distritos electorales tra-
zados por los republicanos en Texas deben diseñarse nuevamente porque los mapas meten a los hispanos en distritos de blancos, diluyendo ilegalmente su poder electoral. Los grupos también quieren más distritos en los que latinos tengan suficiente fuerza electoral para elegir a los candidatos de su elección. “Los latinos votarán por candidatos que apelen a sus valores y preocupaciones”, dijo Nina Perales, abogada del Fondo México Americano de Educación y Defensa Legal. “Los latinos merecen la oportunidad de elegir un candidato de su elección para tener aspirantes de todos los
partidos compitiendo por sus votos”. El estado presentará su argumento de cierre el viernes por la mañana. No se espera que la corte emita un fallo hasta dentro de varias semanas. El nuevo mapa legislativo aprobado en el verano por la legislatura de Texas, controlada por los republicanos, fue trazado con el objetivo de proteger y posiblemente expandir la mayoría republicana (23-9) del estado en Washington. La fiscalía general de Texas informó que el mapa no fue trazado con prejuicios y mantiene el poder
de voto de las minorías. Durante el juicio de nueve días, los republicanos testificaron que las alternativas de los grupos minoritarios fueron diseñadas de una forma que violaban la ley de Texas al dividir condados. En los argumentos de cierre, Perales argumentó que los bloques tradicionales de electores hispanos fueron debilitados intencionalmente en los condados de Nueces, Cameron, Hidalgo y El Paso. Perales dijo que para caso hay suficiente población hispana como para crear nuevas oportunidades de distritos hispanos.
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
Navy clears gay WWII vet He was discharged as ‘undesirable’
Election districts trial finishes By APRIL CASTRO
By JULIE WATSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN DIEGO — Nearly 70 years after expelling Melvin Dwork for being gay, the Navy is changing his discharge from “undesirable” to “honorable” — marking what is believed to be the first time the Pentagon has taken such a step on behalf of a World War II veteran since the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The Navy notified the 89year-old former corpsman last month that he will now be eligible for the benefits he had long been denied, including medical care and a military burial. Dwork spent decades fighting to remove the blot on his record. “I resented that word ‘undesirable,”’ said Dwork, who was expelled in 1944, at the height of the war, and is now a successful interior designer in New York. “That word really stuck in my craw. To me it was a terrible insult. It had to be righted. It’s really worse than ‘dishonorable.’ I think it was the worst word they could have used.” For Dwork, victory came with a heartbreaking truth: Last year, when the Navy finally released his records, he learned that his name had been given up by his own boyfriend at the time. The decision to amend his discharge papers was made by the Board for Corrections of Naval Records in Washington. In its Aug. 17 proceedings, obtained by The Associated Press, the board noted that the Navy has undergone a “radical departure” from the outright ban on gays that was in place in 1944. The board pointed out Dwork’s “exemplary period of active duty” and said that changing the terms of his discharge was
Photo by Seth Wenig | AP
Photographs of Melvin Dwork, taken in 1943 when he was in the Navy, lie on display at his home in New York. Nearly 70 years after Dwork was expelled from the Navy for being gay, the military is changing his discharge from “undesirable” to “honorable,” marking what is believed to be the first time the Pentagon has taken such a step on behalf of a World War II veteran. done “in the interest of justice.” Navy officials declined to discuss Dwork’s case, citing privacy reasons. “I think that with the end of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ there is a growing realization within the military that not only gays be allowed to serve openly now, but this was probably the wrong policy all along,” said Aaron Belkin, an expert on gays in the U.S. military at the University of California, Los Angeles. He added: “This illustrates, at least in the case of one person, that the military is trying to set things right.” About 100,000 troops were discharged between World War II and 1993 for being gay and lost their benefits as a result, Belkin said. Under the more relaxed “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which allowed gays to serve as long as they kept their sexual orientation to themselves, about 14,000 troops were forced
out, but most were given honorable discharges that allowed them to draw benefits. The repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” officially takes effect Tuesday. Since Congress voted last year to repeal the Clinton-era law, dozens of gay veterans who were given undesirable, dishonorable or less-than-honorable discharges before 1993 have stepped forward, seeking to have the stain removed from their records, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. The SLDN, which provides free legal representation to gays in the military, said Dwork is the first World War II veteran they know of to succeed in getting his records changed. Many of the other cases involve veterans from the Gulf War era of the early 1990s. Next to Dwork, the oldest veteran is from the Vietnam era, the SLDN said. Navy officials said that legally, they could have
amended the discharge records of gay veterans even during the “don’t ask, don’t tell” era. But they could not say for certain whether that was ever done. And the SLDN said it could not recall any such cases. “As the military progresses and the culture progresses, people should not be left with the inaccurate characteristic of their service with words like ‘unfitness’ or ‘undesirable’ on their paperwork,” said David McKean, SLDN legal director and Dwork’s attorney. “That paperwork has consequences for people throughout their lives.” Dwork was not allowed to draw GI benefits to continue his studies as a young man and was denied medical care in his later years. He said he needs a hearing aid that he cannot afford. Over the years, he filed countless requests with the Navy, traveled to Washington, lobbied lawmakers and hired a law firm to help.
SAN ANTONIO — Attorneys for the state on Friday defended new election districts drawn by the Republican-led legislature, saying they were designed within the law, with more consideration given to county lines and politics than race and ethnicity. The Texas attorney general’s office wrapped up the 10-day trial with closing arguments before a panel of three federal judges, who indicated before adjourning that they would wait for the Justice Department to weigh in on the new Texas redistricting maps before issuing a ruling. Several minority and Democratic groups filed a lawsuit over the redistricting maps approved during the summer, alleging new voting district lines are illegally discriminatory because they camouflage a statewide surge in Hispanic growth during the past decade. They argue the growth warrants the creation of districts in which Hispanics have enough voting strength to elect the candidate of their choice. The state’s attorney says the maps weren’t drawn with prejudice and preserve the voting power of minorities. “The basis we have here for any race-based redistricting just doesn’t exist,” said state attorney David Schenck. Texas received four new seats in the U.S. House based on the most recent census population count. That was more than any other state and came in the wake of a population boom overwhelmingly driven by Hispanics.
Plaintiffs argued the surge in Hispanic growth warranted those residents getting more representation in new districts, yet the Republican plan splits Hispanic and black communities so conservative white residents would be more likely to win seats in Congress. The plaintiffs, including minority groups and Democrats, targeted the design of a handful of districts, including a sweeping West Texas district currently represented by freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Quico Canseco. Critics contend Hispanic-dominated precincts with low turnouts were moved into the district to meet the constitutional requirements while maintaining its GOP dominance. Hispanic voters have traditionally supported Democratic candidates. “These voters who happen to be Hispanic who live in the area from Central Texas, out west, are simply not voting cohesively or turning out to vote in the numbers people would expect,” Schenck said. “We can’t throw out traditional voting principals and just lard up the district with enough Democrats as possible to ensure a Democrat gets elected there.” The Texas NAACP, also among the plaintiffs, has argued growth in Texas’ black population merits at least one new district with a largely black population on the congressional map. The new congressional map, signed this summer by Republican Gov. Rick Perry, was drawn with the goal of protecting and expanding the state’s 23-9 GOP majority in Washington. The state House map also was part of the lawsuits.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
CLEMENTE ‘EL NUNE’ GUARDIAN JR. Clemente “El Nune” Guardian Jr., 23, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo, Texas. Clemente is preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Maria E. Alaniz. Clemente is survived by his wife, Erika E. Guardian; sons: Clemente Guardian III, Javier Guardian and Ricardo Guardian; father, Clemente (Veronica) Guardian; mother, Rosalinda Guardian; brothers: Luis F. Guardian, Gerardo
Guardian, Manuel Guardian, Daniel C. Guardian, Ismael Muñoz and Hector
Solis; sisters: Rosalinda (Joe) Ceja, Jessica Guardian, Itzamari Guardian and Selena Solis; maternal grandfather, Cenovio Lara; paternal grandfather, Idelfonso (Josefa) Guardian; paternal grandmother, Rosa Maria Guardian; and by numerous other relatives and friends. Visitation hours were Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a wake at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. A chapel service was
ROSSY MENDOZA held Friday, Sept. 16, 2011, at 10 a.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata, TX.
Jurors: Blogger not guilty By DAVE COLLINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARTFORD, Conn. — A blogger was acquitted Friday of charges that he threatened state officials when he urged readers to “take up arms” and suggested that government leaders “obey the Constitution or die.” Harold “Hal” Turner, of North Bergen, N.J., was found not guilty of felony inciting injury to people and misdemeanor threatening by a Hartford jury that deliberated less than three hours. He could have faced a decade in prison if convicted of the felony charge. Turner, who will be returned to a federal prison in Indiana to complete a nearly three-year sentence for threatening judges in Illinois, hugged family members after the verdict was announced. “I am very pleased,” he said, as he was led away by corrections officers. Turner, who represented himself, argued that no one was hurt and there was no evidence that his words led to any violence. He also cited his First Amendment right to free speech. Turner wrote a blog posting in June 2009 in response to state legislation, withdrawn three months earlier, that would have given lay people of Roman Catholic churches more control over parish finances. Turner, 49, believed the legislation flew in the face of the constitutional doctrine of separation of church and state. He suggested that Catholics “take up arms and put down this tyranny by force,” said government leaders should “obey the Constitution or die” and said he would post officials’ home addresses. He also wrote that if authorities tried to stop his cause, “I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down too.” Three of the six jurors said in interviews after the verdict that they didn’t like what Turner did. They said his words were “outrageous” and wrong but they had to focus on the specifics of state law and didn’t believe the prosecution proved
Photo by Tyson Trish/pool | AP
Hal Turner, of North Bergen, N.J., enters a courtroom in Hartford, Conn., Superior Court on Thursday, where jurors acquitted him of charges that he threatened state officials. all the elements of the charges. “We all felt he was guilty of certain aspects,” juror Ann Parise said. “Although we found him not guilty, we don’t feel he was innocent.” Prosecutor Thomas Garcia said he was disappointed with the verdict and declined further comment. Two state officials testified that they had received unrelated threats before because of their jobs, but they said Turner’s comments went above and beyond those previous remarks. The trial began Thursday morning, and both sides rested their cases Thursday afternoon. Turner didn’t testify or present any witnesses, saying the state hadn’t proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Turner’s mother, Kathy Diamond, said she was grateful and happy for the acquittal. “I think the state of Connecticut ought to be ashamed of themselves, and this was nothing but a political witch hunt,” she said. During his closing argument Friday, Turner said,
“Ladies and gentlemen, this case is a fraud.” “I said some nasty things about politicians, and they’re trying to use the power of the state to throw me in jail,” he said. “These are the kinds of things we heard about in the former Soviet Union.” But Garcia said Turner’s targets testified that they were truly concerned about their safety and Turner’s words were meant to incite violence. “Words have power. We know that from our daily lives,” Garcia said. “They can have the power to inspire people to do good. They also have the power to incite others to violence. That’s the central issue and in many ways the only issue in this case.” He accused Turner of twisting the facts and putting on a “performance” for the jury. He also reminded the jury of random acts of violence on public officials without mentioning any names. “This isn’t a battle between big, bad government and poor, little Hal Turner,”
Garcia told the jury. “Hal Turner’s the bully here.” On Thursday, Andrew McDonald, who was a state senator at the time of the blog post, told the jury Turner’s posting “was an extraordinary document that far exceeded any other threat I had ever received.” McDonald said Friday that he respected the jury’s verdict but didn’t agree with it. “I try not to dwell on Mr. Turner,” he said. “Somebody who is filled with that kind of rage is not somebody I’m going to preoccupy myself with. He seems to be erratic, and I hope he will use his remaining time in prison to deal with his aggressive predisposition.” State Ethics Enforcement Officer Thomas Jones added in his testimony, “I interpreted this as people were going to be coming to my house within 24 hours with bullets and guns. ... This was real. This was tangible. This was electric.” State Capitol Police said Turner’s targets were McDonald, Jones and Michael Lawlor, a state representative at the time who is now the governor’s undersecretary for criminal justice planning. McDonald and Lawlor were co-chairmen of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee, which proposed the legislation but later withdrew it amid public opposition. Turner alleged during the trial that McDonald used the church finances bill to retaliate against the church for opposing gay marriage rights, which McDonald denied. Prosecutors say Jones was targeted because he had written to Catholic Church officials, saying some of their activities at the state Capitol could possibly be considered lobbying and they weren’t registered as lobbyists. The federal case for which Turner is serving a sentence stemmed from his online criticism after a 2009 ruling in which a federal appeals court dismissed lawsuits challenging handgun bans in Chicago and Oak Park, Ill. Turner said: “These judges must die.”
Rossy Mendoza, 35, passed away Monday, Sept. 12, 2011. Ms. Mendoza is preceded in death by her husband, Rolando Mendoza; and her mother, Alicia Navarro. Ms. Mendoza is survived by her sons: Rolando Mendoza Jr. (Roxanna Flores), Brandon Mendoza (Stephanie Flores), Billy Mendoza and Sam Anthony Mendoza; daughter, Ashley Mendoza; grandson, Rolando Mendoza III; father, Raul (Maria) Navarro; brothers: Jose Antonio Navarro, Gregorio Raul (Myrna) Navarro, Jorge Luis (Elena) Navarro, Juan Manuel (Griselda) Navarro, Dagoberto (Antonia) Navarro, Jesus Guadalupe Navarro and Noe Navarro; sister, Dora Alicia (Miguel) Torres; and by numerous other relatives and friends. Visitation hours were held Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at 1:30 p.m. with a
chapel service at 3:30 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. Committal services followed at Zapata County Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata, TX.
LAURO RAMIREZ FALCON — Lauro Ramirez, 88, passed away Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at his residence in Falcon, Texas. Mr. Ramirez is preceded in death by his parents: Isidro and Francisca Ramirez; brother, Alonso Ramirez; and a sister, Idolina Ramirez. Mr. Ramirez is survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends. Visitation hours were Monday, Sept. 12, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Rose Garden Funeral Home. The funeral procession departed Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Mission Santa Anna in Falcon, Texas. Committal services followed at Falcon Cemetery, including full military honors by the American
Legion Post 486 Color Guard. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rose Garden Funeral Home, Daniel A. Gonzalez, funeral director, 2102 Highway 83, Zapata, TX.
MAN SETS SELF ON FIRE
Photo by Nontas Stlianidis | AP
A man sets himself on fire outside a branch of Piraeus bank in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday . The former small business owner says he was ruined after taking a series of bank loans. The 56-year-old was hospitalized with chest burns.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
AWARDS Continued from Page 1A City Club; Eduardo A. Garza Robles, founder of Unitrade Forwarding and Unitrade Brokers in Laredo; and Juan Francisco Ochoa, founder and owner of Taco Palenque. “I want him to open a restaurant in Austin,” Raymond joked when he recognized Ochoa. Raymond also highlighted the importance of Ochoa and Robles as businessmen and job creators, and when introducing Ramirez, he emphasized one of the IBC chair’s most passionate projects: the Tejano Monument in
For de Anda, retired from the clothing business, the award itself was not as touching as being selected by Raymond. Austin. “We also want to establish an educational program that will talk about Tejanos’ contributions to Texas,” Ramirez said.
The honorees For de Anda, retired from the
clothing business, the award itself was not as touching as being selected by Raymond. “It’s very rewarding because I have very much respect for him,” she said. “It’s also an honor to be among the other persons (receiving the award).” Robles called the award an “important distinction” and
said anyone who has a lot is obliged to attempt to provide opportunities to the community, particularly with scholarships. “I believe in giving opportunity to the youth so that they may give (opportunities) when they become successful,” Robles said in Spanish. The news conference conclud-
TRYING TO KEEP TOURISTS OUT
ed with Ochoa recalling the day, about 25 years ago, he came to Laredo from Mexico to start a restaurant. “I knew there was a lot of competition,” Ochoa said in Spanish. “But I was bringing authentic recipes. Since then, Taco Palenque’s kept growing.” The four honorees will be formerly recognized at a reception Oct. 26 at the Monte Carlo Ballroom. (Mike Herrera IV can be reached at 728-2567 or mherrera@lmtonline.com)
AIR FORCE Continued from Page 1A the incident was scheduled for later Friday.
Police not needed Sgt. Maria Hawke, a Tucson police spokeswoman, said base officials told the police department that the department’s SWAT, bomb and hostage negotiation squads were no longer needed at the scene. Hawke didn’t know how the situation was resolved or whether any arrests were made. The lockdown at the sprawling facility was prompted by reports of someone with something that looked like a weapon, said Tech Sgt. Russ Martin. The reports prompted a frenzy of activity at the base and in the news media amid unsubstantiated reports that someone had been shot. No one was shot or hurt, but the base took extra precaution by locking the facility down and
keeping children inside its schools. Students were eventually released around 4:30 p.m. Davis-Monthan is near the Pima Air & Space Museum and the “boneyard” for old military and government airplanes that is a popular destination for aviation enthusiasts. The base is the home of the 355th Fighter Wing, and provides attack airpower, combat support and medical forces, according to the base’s Facebook page. Security at military bases has gained more attention in the last two years since an Army major went on a rampage at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009. Maj. Nidal Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the shooting spree. Investigators have foiled other plots against military bases in other parts of the country since Sept. 11.
MEXICO Continued from Page 1A Photo by Ng Han Guan | AP
In this photo taken Thursday, Sept. 1, a North Korean guide poses for photos among the peaks of Mount Kumgang resort, also known as Diamond Mountain, in North Korea. South Korea is asking foreign governments to ignore North Korea’s push to open the tourist resort the Koreas once ran jointly to international investors.
tion. Also, authorities announced in the town of Anzaldua, close to Reynosa, the confiscation of about 8.8 tons of marijuana as well as 51 assault ri-
fles, clips of ammunition, communication equipment and vehicle license plates. No one has been detained in the case, authorities said.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Molina sets it up Estella Molina has paid her dues and is now thriving as the Lady Hawks’ setter.
Zapata senior takes advantage of role for district-perfect Lady Hawks By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Lady Hawks’ volleyball team is walking around Zapata sporting a perfect 4-0 District 32-3A record thanks to the effort of senior setter Estella Molina, who has made the offense flourish the past two years. Molina, a two-year letterman, was given the reigns to the team last year and she never looked back and took advantage of Zapata’s offensive weapons. “Estella is a very good leader.
I saw that in her last year as a junior,” Zapata coach Rosie Villarreal said. “I consider the setter as the quarterback of the team, to have the confidence and ability to set in tight situations and don’t think about it twice. “Estella is not afraid at all.” Molina took the team all the way to the top of the district standings with her ability to distribute the ball to the team’s big hitter, Brandi King. Now Molina is finding the arms of this year’s offensive leaders in Kristina De Leon and
Shelby Bigler. Molina was first introduced to the setter position at Zapata Middle School, but did not comprehend the importance of the position. “I did enjoy being the setter, but it really did not mean much to me,” she said. “It was not until I got to high school that I understood the importance of being a setter.” Molina worked her way up through the ranks, starting out a Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times
See MOLINA PAGE 2B
ZAPATA GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY
The love of the game I have always loved basketball, since my days at L.C. Smith Elementary so many years ago. Basketball was a sport invented for me and it quickly became an affair that has lasted over 20 years. I have played the sport, coached it and now write about it, so it has been disheartening to hear that the NBA lockout that is still in full gear despite the start of training camp looming around the corner. What professional teams do not understand is that the fans are the ones that lose out. Not the players. Not the owners. The lockouts are usually over money….well, they are always about money. The salary cap is under attack again, with both sides attempting to negotiate for the betterment of the league, but everyone knows that each side is laying their cards on the line to see who will blink first. I really don’t care which side caves in as long as we get the players to training camp on Oct. 3 and on to games soon after. The players want the current salary cap while the owners want to negotiate a new one. I am upset that players don’t think they get enough money. Don’t tell that to the American citizen who earns way below what they get in a month’s salary. Come on, how many more millions do these players need to “survive” in today’s economy? I do recall the famous words of Latrell Sprewell when he said that he needed to feed his family and $26 million was not going to cut it. Well, my question is how many family members does he have around the world and why did he spread his love too many times? Is $26 million not enough to feed his family? Really?
See SANDOVAL PAGE 2B
Courtesy Photo
The Zapata girls’ varsity cross country team has all eyes focused on a state run.
MAKING THEIR RUN Surging Zapata girls’ XC has eyes on state meet By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
T
he Zapata girls’ cross country team is getting very comfortable running around golf courses for a second week in a row. The Lady Hawks made their presence felt at the 47th annual Falfurrias Invitational and came home with an abundance of hardware as they continue to climb toward their
goal of reaching a state berth. The Zapata varsity team grabbed third place behind two 5A schools. State qualifier Jazmine Garcia blazed the competition and put the field away early in the race as she ran away with the individual girls’ title. Garcia, who was pushing the pace on the course, ran so fast that she even lost her shoe at the mile mark and ran the rest of the race with only one shoe.
“This marks the third time she has lost her shoe during a race, at the UTSA meet, Border Olympics and now Falfurrias,” Zapata coach Mike Villarreal said. Also taking home some hardware and placing in the top 20 were Cassie Pena with her 11th place finish and Erika Hernandez, who turned in a 14th place performance. “Each turned in solid performances,
See GIRLS PAGE 2B
ZAPATA BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY
Zapata varsity B team earns medals By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Zapata Hawks boys’ cross country varsity team took a week off, but it did not stop the varsity B team from competing. Zapata came home with some medals and two runner-up trophies.
The Hawks captured second in the varsity and freshman divisions at the 47th annual Falfurrias Invitational. Zapata was paced by Edgar Hernandez, who came in second place overall. Romy Morales came in fifth place, followed by Jose Resendez (sixth place) and Luis Lerma
(16th place), who all received medals for their top 20 finishes. On the freshman team, Alex Martinez, Jose Hernandez, Hector Leduc and Daniel Hinojosa all earned medals as well for their work on the course. The Hawks will be at the UTSA Ricardo Romo Invitational this morning, as they will get a
glimpse of the rest of the region. “UTSA is a big challenge for us,” Zapata coach Luis Escamilla said. “The expectation is high. Winning the 3A division clearly puts us first in the region with our second state rank, which we have maintained since mid-Au-
See BOYS PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
Photo by Lee Jin-man | AP
Jack Nicklaus speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, South Korea, Friday. Nicklaus said Tiger Woods can still beat his record total of 18 major championships provided he gets control of his mental game.
Nicklaus: Tiger can still beat record By KELLY OLSEN ASSOCIATED PRESS
INCHEON, South Korea — Jack Nicklaus said Tiger Woods can still beat his record of 18 major championships — provided he can stay in control of his mental game. Nicklaus said Woods can achieve the feat “if he gets the five inches between his ears squared out.” “I mean Tiger has a great work ethic, he’s a great competitor, the most talented kid on the planet right now,” Nicklaus told The Associated Press in an interview Friday. “He’s not going to go away.” The 35-year-old Woods has 14 major titles, but has not won any tournament since revelations of infidelities in 2009 led to the collapse of his marriage and a break from the sport. This season has been partly derailed by injuries, but Nicklaus also praised the decision by U.S. captain Fred Couples to include Woods in the 12-member Presidents Cup team that will take on non-European players in Australia in November. “How could you not pick him,”
Golf is returning to the Olympics as a sport for the first time since 1904, with the tournament held in the seaside region of Barra. Nicklaus said. “I mean he’s Tiger Woods, he’s the best player in the game. He may not be playing his best today, but he’s still Tiger Woods.”
Crucial for golf Nicklaus made the comments while in South Korea to attend a Champions Tour event played on a course he designed. He also said it is crucial for golf to stage a successful tournament at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to help the game grow internationally. “Golf is now an Olympic sport,” Nicklaus said. “And we’ve got to keep it in the Olympics. We’ve got one shot in 2016.” However, Nicklaus expressed concern about the slow progress in constructing the facilities for
the event, but remained hopeful that he will be awarded the task of designing the course with former women’s great Annika Sorenstam. Golf is returning to the Olympics as a sport for the first time since 1904, with the tournament held in the seaside region of Barra. A course needs to be built by 2015 for test events. “I’ve led my game and (Sorenstam) has led the women’s game, and I think we both have the ability more so than anybody else to put something together that would fit what they need,” he said. Others who have expressed interest in designing the course include Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman, who would team up with Lorena Ochoa.
GIRLS Continued from Page 1B leaps and bounds ahead of their times last year at this point,” Villarreal said. Sara Pena, who has been the solid fourth runner, was followed closely behind by Maria Rodriguez, Angela Darnell, Brianna Gonzalez and Janet Chapa, who were all separated by a mere 15 seconds. “There are five other girls who are just 30 seconds from that top group,” Villarreal said. “The girls are competing to make the varsity squad, but are learning the importance of hard work and the benefits of challenging yourself and what that can bring to a person. “Our times are not close to where we need to be, but with this type of
effort, hard work and a little grit, the Lady Hawks will be able to position themselves to make a run at the state meet.” The junior varsity team held its own with three outstanding performances by Daniela Vela, Bianca Ponce and Joyce Garcia that put them in the same breath as some of the varsity runners. Vela came from behind to pull out a huge victory over 5A and 4A runners from the Costal Bend area. She had a personal record along with fourthplace finisher Ponce, who is new to the world of cross country. It was Ponce’s second full meet. Garcia, who held on to second place for the ma-
jority of the race, finished a solid fifth place in a field of more than 55 runners. Also making a strong showing at the meet were Kassy Galvan, Norma Cepeda and Alma Perez. The Lady Hawks took home the first place trophy in the junior varsity division to end the meet on a high note. The varsity team competes this morning at the annual Ricardo Romo Invitational hosted by UTSA. “I hope to get a good idea where they stand within our region,” Villarreal said. “Although the victories have not come our way, we have had great opportunities to improve as a team. “It counts in November.”
BOYS Continued from Page 1B gust.” The Hawks will run at 12:40 p.m. against the region’s best 3A teams to feel out their competition early in the season. Escamilla’s plan for the team continues to unfold with each passing week and this past week was no exception. “We had a tough week as far as volume. The boys
are continuing logging countless miles and ran a great staple workout last Friday,” he said. “On Tuesday, we ran a workout that I believe put some hairs on their chest. It’s all about running fast when the body fatigues; that’s what we’ve been doing lately in practice.” Hernandez has made a push to be on the varsity
team and his performance at the Falfurrias meet this past week help earn him a spot there today. “Edgar is a senior who is finally coming around,” Escamilla said. “Last week he placed second in a lowkey meet in Falfurrias. “It’s going to be interesting when I toe him on the line this weekend with the varsity.”
Olympics a big deal Nicklaus stressed that the Olympics will be the biggest golf event organized in Brazil, and officials must realize they’re facing a tight deadline. “You’ve got to get ready for it, prepare for it. And to get people to understand the sense of urgency is very difficult,” he said. “And the sense of urgency needs to be there, otherwise the success of an event is in jeopardy.” Regarding the state of the game in the United States, Nicklaus said the economic slump has taken a harsh toll. “It’s absolutely just murdered the game in the United States,” he said. “Clubs are all having trouble, people don’t have spendable income, too many people are out of work, we have all of the problems you have with a bad econo-
my.” Nicklaus said much needs to be done to help grow the sport in the U.S. That includes making it more attractive to youngsters, who in the age of video games tend to have shorter attention spans. “The game of golf takes a long time and that’s part of the problem,” he said, referring to the four or five hours needed to play.
An easier game Nicklaus advocates making the game easier for young people at an early stage. Other sports allow children to play with modified equipment and rules, such as smaller balls and lower baskets. “Kids have gotta have some success, they have success early in these other sports, but they don’t get this success early in golf,” he said. Nicklaus’ many course designs around the world are part of the legacy he’s leaving to the sport. He added he’s working on developing equipment to help make it easier for young people to play in public parks.
SANDOVAL Continued from Page 1B Try telling that to the regular Joe who has a real job and works 40 hours a week earning minimum wage. I guess the NBA players, just like the owners, have lost sight of what really is important: the fans. They forget that watching NBA games takes people away from their everyday problems. For those few minutes, those problems are on the backburner and they can
enjoy the game that is unfolding before them with great enthusiasm, if your team is winning, or in great disbelief if they are losing. People are just passionate about basketball and anyone around these parts just has to look around to see that there are a lot of Spurs fans at every town. I myself do not root for any one particular team, but love to watch a good matchup. I especially love
a tight game, with the game tied and time running down. Now the notion is setting in that I might not be watching any NBA games for a few weeks that can quickly turn into months. So now what do I do with my free time? Well … There is always college basketball! (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com)
MOLINA Continued from Page 1B freshman and junior varsity setter before being given the nod by Villarreal last year. “Estella has really developed into a great setter. She worked her way up and really came into her game last year,” Villarreal said. Molina enjoyed giving the ball to King and the Lady Hawks enjoyed a great year. “She was a great hitter and it was a pleasure to set for her,” Molina said. This year, Molina has two hitters in De Leon and Bigler who have torn apart defenses throughout the district. The most important thing for a setter is to know their hitters and where they like the ball,
which has become a strong attribute of Molina’s. “As a setter, you have to know where your hitters are all the time and where they like their sets,” Molina said. “I have set the ball, no matter if it’s a bad or a good pass, to where ever they are on the court. “Kristina and Shelby are great hitters. They just spike everything and can adjust to everything.” In her year and a half at the reigns, Zapata has experienced success with a district title. Now Zapata and Molina are vying to build on that success and are looking for their second district title in a row, something that has not been done in Zapata’s history.
“Right now we are 4-0 and want to keep playing hard,” Molina said. “Our goal is to win district and go undefeated. It is going to take the whole team to accomplish that and we have all put our part in.” Zapata has a bye today and returns to the court on Tuesday as it hits the road to take on one of its biggest nemesis, La Feria. The Lionettes (3-1) are one game behind Zapata and the game could have implications down the road. “It is going to be a key game,” Villarreal said. “Everybody is going to have to play their part.” (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS BY | HELOISE Dear Heloise: Long ago, when your mother started her column, I was a young bride with a lot to learn. We lived hundreds of miles from family, so who did I look to for answers to the everyday problems? Your mother, of course! Her “Hint” books are still within easy reach. A reader sent in a CLEANING HINT that I can remember only in part, but the gist of it was: Don’t save some cleaning tasks for just a few times a year and have it become a big job, but combine tasks on a regular basis and then you don’t have a big, many-hours project. An example: Once or twice a week, after sweeping the kitchen floor, she’d sweep the garage. Not much time involved when done regularly. After making the bed, she’d straighten a drawer or two. Thanks for all your help for so many years. I read you all the time and am still learning. — Mary in Fort Smith, Ark. Mary, what a nice thought. Yep, my mother taught me to break big jobs into smaller ones, and I do the same things she did. I may dust only one or two shelves, but it makes a dent. — Heloise
PET PAL Dear Readers: Kathleen L. of Warren, Ohio, sent in a picture of Lenny, her short-haired yellow cat, “hugging” his favorite toy, a fly swatter. To see Lenny and our other Pet Pals, go to www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.” — Heloise
KEEP COOL FOR SCHOOL Dear Heloise: Come the start of the school year, dress your kids in cooler summer clothing the first couple of weeks, instead of the newer fall things. They get so hot, especially in northern areas, where many schools do not have air conditioning. Buying school clothing can be expensive. Get just two or three outfits before
“
HELOISE
school starts, and then get more when they go on sale a while after school starts. — Linda in Groves, Texas
EASY CLEAN Dear Heloise: I recently was in a pinch, with company on the way, and I discovered by accident that a used dryer sheet from my laundry basket cleaned the bathroom mirror spotlessly and without streaks. Ever since, I find my used dryer sheets are great to clean my glass doors, windows and even my stainless-steel appliances. And best of all, it saves me money on paper towels and cleaning supplies! — Jill in Kentucky
FREEZING ONIONS Dear Heloise: I had more onions than I could use. After peeling, I cut them into rings and then diced each one. I put the diced onion in a zippered bag, which made 1 cup, and I froze them. I ended up with six 1-cup bags of diced onions for soups or stews. I also put water in a large mug and rinsed my knife off every once in a while, and I had no runny eyes from the onions. I hope this helps other onion lovers. — Lillian of Missouri Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column. Photo caption: Kathleen L. of Warren, Ohio, sent this picture of Lenny, her short-haired yellow cat, “hugging” his favorite toy, a fly swatter.
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
FAMILY CIRCUS
DENNIS THE MENACE
Sports
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
Remembering the best of the best By RALPH D. RUSSO ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michigan’s miraculous comeback against Notre Dame will go down as one of the most memorable games in college football history. But it seems that we’ve been saying that a lot over the past few seasons. Rarely does a week go by when there isn’t at least one great game. With that in mind, here are the 10 most memorable regular-season games from the last five seasons: 1) Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32 (Sept. 1, 2007) The Wolverines came into the season ranked fifth in the country, with a team that included Mike Hart, Jake Long and Chad Henne. Appalachian State was (and still is) one of the top FCS programs, but nobody thought the Mountaineers had a chance at the Big House on the first Saturday of the season. Not only was it a great upset, it was a wild game. Michigan took the lead with 4:36 remaining. Armanti Edwards and App State came back to go ahead on a field goal with 26 seconds left. Then Corey Lynch sealed it for the Mountaineers by blocking Michigan’s last-play field goal attempt. ——— 2) Auburn 28, Alabama 27 (Nov. 26, 2010) Auburn was undefeated, Cam Newton’s recruitment was being investigated by the NCAA and Alabama was the defending national champion. The Iron Bowl is always huge, but this one was bursting at the seams even before it started. The Tide jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first half, but Newton led Auburn to the greatest comeback in school history. If that wasn’t enough to make this game go down in history, Auburn’s famous oak trees at Toomer’s Corner were poisoned not long after this game. ——— 3) Michigan 35, Notre Dame 31 (Sept. 10, 2011) The first night game at the Big House provided a mesmerizing setting to a wildly sloppy game
AP Photo
In this Nov. 1, 2008, file photo, Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree steps into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown as UT defender Curtis Brown trails the play in Lubbock. The game is regarded as one of the best in the last few years. between two of the most storied programs in history. Denard Robinson and Michigan erased a 24-7 fourth-quarter deficit, and the teams combined for three scores in the last 1:12, capped by a Robinson’s TD pass to Roy Roundtree with 2 seconds left. ——— 4) Nevada 34, Boise State 31 (Nov. 26, 2010) Kellen Moore and unbeaten Boise State jumped out to a 24-7 halftime lead against their WAC rivals and seemed on their way to another BCS bid. But Colin Kaepernick and the Wolf Pack’s pistol offense tied the game at 31all with 13 seconds left. Moore hit Titus Young with a 54-yard bomb to set up a 26-yard field goal to win the game. But Kyle Brotzman missed it. He missed another short one in OT, and Nevada made its kick to knock the Broncos out of the BCS mix. ——— 5) Texas Tech 39, Texas 33 (Nov. 1,
2008) Maybe the greatest game in the history of Texas Tech football. Mike Leach’s Red Raiders jumped out to a 19-0 lead in the first half against top-ranked Longhorns and led 29-13 in the third. But Colt McCoy led Texas back, and the ’Horns took a 33-32 lead with 1:29 to play. In range for a potential winning field goal, Graham Harrell fired to Michael Crabtree near the sideline. The All-America receiver brushed off a tackler, stayed in bounds and score the winning touchdown with a second left. It was Texas’ only loss of the season and kept the Longhorns out of the Big 12 and BCS title games. ——— 6) Stanford 24, USC 23 (Oct. 6, 2007) As big an upset as Appalachian State over Michigan was, this one was even more unlikely. The mighty Trojans had won
35 straight home games and Stanford was a 41-point underdog, starting backup quarterback Tavita Pritchard. Pritchard converted a fourthand-20 before tossing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradford on fourth-and-goal with 49 seconds left. And with that, Jim Harbaugh’s turnaround of the Cardinal had begun. ——— 7) Pitt 13, West Virginia 9 (Dec. 1, 2007) All Rich Rodriguez’s Mountaineers needed to do was beat their floundering rivals to play for the national championship. The Panthers came into the 100th Backyard Brawl 4-7, having been pounded by Pat White and Steve Slaton each of the past two seasons. But suddenly on a cold night in Morgantown, West Virginia’s offense disappeared. Pitt pulled the last, and considering what was at stake, maybe the most stunning upset of a sea-
son filled with them and Rodriguez soon after left for Michigan. ——— 8) Arkansas 50, LSU 48 (Nov. 23, 2007) The Tigers needed a victory to keep their chances to play in the BCS title game alive — or so it seemed. With a banged up defense, LSU couldn’t stop Darren McFadden and the Razorbacks. The Heisman candidate ran for 206 yards and three touchdowns, but LSU forced overtime with a touchdown with 22 seconds left. All six overtime possessions resulted in touchdowns, but LSU’s 2-point conversion attempt failed on the last one and the Tigers lost for the second time that season. Of course in this weird season, LSU went on to become the only team to lose twice and win a national championship. ——— 9) Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 31, OT (Sept. 18, 2010) Little Giants. That was the name of the play called by the Spartans down by three in overtime. Instead of trying a 46-yard field goal to tie it on fourth-and-14, holder Aaron Bates took the snap, stood up and waited for Charlie Gantt to come open downfield. The stunning fake worked to perfection, and Gantt’s 29-yard touchdown catch. After the game, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio was hospitalized because of a heart attack. ——— 10) LSU 16, Tennessee 14 (Oct. 2, 2010) Sheer madness can be very entertaining. It looked as if the game would end on a mishandled snap by LSU with Tennessee winning. Not so fast. As LSU wasted time by substituting players, Tennessee ran players on the field, too. Too many players. Tennessee was flagged for too many men on the field, and, given another chance, LSU scored the game-winning TD on Stevan Ridley’s 1-yard run. For LSU coach Les Miles and Tennessee coach Derek Dooley, this was not one for the clinic tape.