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Local medical care Court awards Laredo Medical Center clinic contract By MIKE HERRERA IV THE ZAPATA TIMES
During its Sept. 12 regular meeting, the Zapata County Commissioners’ Court settled the question of who would run the county’s medical clinic. The court awarded the contract to Laredo Medical Center.
470 pounds seized at Zapata residence
Representatives of Laredo Medical Center attended the meeting and spoke briefly about the organization’s proposal, according to Jose Vela, commissioner for Zapata County Precinct 1. Vela also said that, all things considered, LMC’s proposal was the best on the table. “LMC will actually being paying the
county $10,000 a month in rent for the facility,” Vela said. “We weren’t getting that with the clinic before. That’s new revenue.” Adding that LMC also agreed to pay utilities and maintenance costs — all of which was incurred by the county previously — Ve-
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ
See CLINIC PAGE 10A
WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS
THE ZAPATA TIMES
Federal authorities were tipped off to a Zapata home where they found more than 470 pounds of marijuana and arrested one man in connection with the case, court records released Friday state. Zapatan Lenny Salinas, 24, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. Border Patrol agents and Zapata County sheriff ’s deputies assisted Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during the enforcement action. “An ICE Homeland Security investigation led special agents to discover 79 bundles of marijuana at a residence in Zapata,” said ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda. On Wednesday, ICE agents received information indicating that a white Ford F-150 parked near the vicinity of Alamo and Brazos streets was loaded with an undetermined amount of narcotics. Agents approached the area to determine who owned the vehicle. A criminal complaint states agents were allowed to access to the vehicle. They recognized the odor of the marijuana coming from the pickup. “A Border Patrol canine was utilized to conduct an open-air, non-intrusive sniff on the suspected vehicle. The canine alerted to the odor of narcotics within the truck and a horse trailer parked several feet away,” states a criminal complaint. While agents attempted to get a search warrant, Salinas arrived at the location and claimed he was the owner of the Ford F150. Salinas told agents he was aware the truck and horse trailer had marijuana. “He stated he owned both the truck and horse trailer and he was responsible for the narcotics concealed within,” states the criminal complaint. In executing the search warrant, agents found 12 bundles containing marijuana in the backseat of the F150. Another 67 bundles were found concealed within a compartment in the horse trailer. All bundles together weighed approximately 477 pounds, states the criminal complaint. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
New fees for child care By ANDREW KREIGHBAUM THE ZAPATA TIMES
she’s still waiting for the attackers to be brought to justice. During a congressional field hearing on border security launched by Republican Rep. Ted Poe, Tiffany Hartley recounted how she and her hus-
The committee in charge of child care for Workforce Solutions South Texas voted to approve a new sliding fee scale for child care services Tuesday. Parents are currently charged based on a percentage of their gross incomes, but the new fee scale takes into account family size and the number of children receiving care. The full Workforce Solutions South Texas board will meet Thursday in Zapata and could vote then to give the new fee scale final approval. The change follows a state directive to local workforce agencies. Although Workforce Solutions expects to generate more revenue from the new plan, it will not mean across-the-board fee increases for parents. Bertha Millan, contract manager for child care services, said a single mother earning the minimum with two children could see her monthly payments decline from $94 to $70. However, those making more could see their payments rise. “It all depends how many members of the household there are,” she said. “There are some parents that are going to pay less, and there’s some that are going to pay more.” Millan said the group could not release the new fee scale until after the full board had approved it. Workforce Solutions South Texas serves Webb, Zapata and Jim Hogg counties. An average of 2,350 children a day are placed in child care centers that contract with the group. The group, which provides unemployment benefits and servic-
See FORUM PAGE 10A
See FEE PAGE 10A
Photo by Brad Doherty/Brownsville Herald | AP
Tiffany Hartley, widow of David Hartley, speaks during a news conference after the House Committee on the Judiciary held a Secure our Texas Border Forum at the University of Texas at Brownsville, with Rep. Blake Farenthold at left and Rep. Ted Poe, right, on Monday, in Brownsville.
CONGRESS LISTENS TO BORDER INSECURITY Hearing details regional problems By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
BROWNSVILLE — A Colorado woman who says her husband was shot and killed by drug cartel gunmen while they were boating on a U.S.Mexico border lake last year said Monday that
PAGE 2A
Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 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. 24 Carmen Tafolla will read and speak as part of Hispanic Heritage Month from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. today in the Laredo Public . The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mary L. Gonzales at the library at 795-2400, extension 2248, or mlgonzales@laredolibrary.org. A master class with one of the nation’s most well-regarded vocal performers will be provided today at Texas A&M International University by Song on the Rio Grande as part of its Rio Grande Vocal Series. Series offerings are free, and the public is welcome. Today’s master class begins at noon in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts’ Recital Hall. For more information, contact Dana Crabtree at 3263040 or dcrabtree@tamiu.edu or Suzanne Ramo-Gechter at 326-2654 or suzanne.ramo@tamiu.edu. The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium will show “The Little Star That Could” at 4 p.m., “Extreme Planets” at 5 p.m., “Star Signs” at 6 p.m. and “TechnoBeatZ” at 7 p.m. General admission is $5, $4 for children and TAMIU students, faculty, staff and alumni. Premium shows are $1 more. The University Interscholastic League will sponsor a basketball clinic from 9 a.m. to noon today in the L.J. Christen Middle School gym, 2001 Santa Maria Ave. All basketball officials are required to attend. Those interested in becoming officials are welcomeFor more information, call Juan Ortiz at 337-2982 after 3 p.m. The Rio Grande International Study Center will have its latest nature walk in the Loving Laredo Hike Series, the Lost Lakes, at 7:30 a.m. today. Walkers are to meet in the San Francisco Javier Church parking lot, 2502 Zaragoza St. For more information, call 956-721-5392.
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.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 TAMIU’s Small Business Development Center will open a satellite office for Zapata between 11:30 A.M. and 1:30 p.m. at 910 Hidalgo, Suite 2, in Zapata.
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 or check the website at www.basschamps.com.
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 or check the website at www.basschamps.com.
Photo by Tony Gutierrez| AP
In this Aug. 8 photo, Texas Park Ranger Brandon Dunham stands at an overlook point above Lake Meredith, near Fritch. The lake that measured 102 feet deep in 1973 now reaches a depth of slightly over 32 feet.
Texas: water is problem By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI ASSOCIATED PRESS
SANFORD — On paper, Texas is well-prepared to meet the water needs of its expanding population — even when Mother Nature lays down a harsh and lengthy drought. The price tag: $53 billion. State money allocated: $1.4 billion. If there were funds, Texas would be able to build the dams, reservoirs, pipelines, wells and other infrastructure that would ideally avoid tight water-use restrictions imposed on residents, farmers and ranchers during times of drought while also guaranteeing there would be enough water for the state’s population even in 2060. Instead, more than four years after the latest blueprint was published, deadlines have passed with some work barely begun, and many projects never started. Meanwhile,
lakes are shrinking, rivers are drying up and temperatures are rising. “The longer you delay implementation, the costs are going to go up,” said Carolyn Brittin, a planning official at the Texas Water Development Board, which must publish a revised plan by January. In Texas, which is experiencing one of its most severe droughts on record, officials know what to do to guarantee water for future generations — in fact, Texas spends $16 million every five years to plan ahead. When the most recent plan was published in 2007, officials estimated it would cost $31 billion to provide water to the population in 2060. That doesn’t include more than $140 billion needed for other water-related infrastructure, including flood control. In January, the board said the cost had jumped to $53 billion.
Man slain saving sister in Waco, boyfriend charged
Houston-area man arrested for 1982 killing
Woman dies in mobile home fire in Porter
WACO — Police say a man has died after being stabbed as he saved his sister from being strangled by her boyfriend. Waco police early Friday arrested 41-year-old Allan Story on a murder charge. Waco officers responded to a domestic dispute Thursday night and found the body of 25-year-old Zachary Davis on a sidewalk. His sister wasn’t hurt. Story was captured about four hours later.
HOUSTON — Authorities have charged a 63-year-old Houston-area man in the death of his girlfriend nearly 30 years ago. Sheriff ’s investigators said Friday that charges against Manuel Pena had originally been declined when he was first investigated over the 1982 death of 19year-old Sherri Strong. Earlier this year, the sheriff ’s office’s cold case unit reopened the investigation and Thursday Pena was taken into custody after he was charged with murder.
PORTER — Authorities say a mobile home fire in the Houston area has left a woman dead in a blaze allegedly linked to smoking. Porter Fire Department Chief Jody Binnion says the woman’s son was unharmed in the fire around 3:30 a.m. Friday. Binnion says the woman was dead at the scene. Her name wasn’t immediately released. An autopsy has been ordered.
Arson charge against homeless man dropped AUSTIN — Prosecutors have dismissed the case against a homeless man arrested and charged with starting an April wildfire that destroyed 11 homes and damaged 10 more in Austin. The Travis County district attorney’s office said there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue a court case.
Minor earthquake 40 miles south of Dallas WAXAHACHIE — Experts say a minor earthquake has been recorded in North Texas. The U.S. Geological Survey says the 2.5 magnitude quake happened at 11:21 p.m. Thursday and was centered about 3 miles northeast of Waxahachie The site is 24 miles south of Dallas.
Texas prisons end special last meals in executions HOUSTON — It’s a tradition with roots that can be traced far back in history: Before being put to death, a condemned prisoner can choose his last meal. Not so anymore in Texas. Officials who oversee the country’s busiest death chamber stopped the practice on Thursday. — Compiled from AP reports
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 or check the website at www.basschamps.com.
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.
AROUND THE NATION Obama’s L.A. campaign office smashed up LOS ANGELES — Police said Friday they are investigating what appears to be a politically motivated attack on a campaign office for President Barack Obama in Los Angeles, only days before he’s scheduled to arrive in Southern California. Several campaign staffers were in a room at the back of the office Thursday night when they heard the sound of smashing glass at the front and side of the building, said police. They found three front-door windows and a side glass door had been smashed.
US stocks mixed after brutal week of selling A brutal week for the stock market ended on a quiet note Friday, but worries about the global economy continued to pound copper, gold and other
Today is Saturday, Sept. 24, the 267th day of 2011. There are 98 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 24, 1789, Congress passed a Judiciary Act which provided for an Attorney General and a Supreme Court. On this date: In 1869, thousands of businessmen were ruined in a Wall Street panic known as “Black Friday” after financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market. In 1911, future Soviet leader Konstantin U. Chernenko was born in Siberia. In 1929, Lt. James H. Doolittle guided a Consolidated NY-2 Biplane over Mitchel Field in New York in the first all-instrument flight. In 1948, Mildred Gillars, accused of being Nazi wartime radio propagandist “Axis Sally,” pleaded not guilty in Washington, D.C., to charges of treason. (Gillars, later convicted, ended up serving 12 years in prison.) In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on vacation in Denver. In 1961, “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” premiered on NBC (it succeeded Disney’s anthology series on ABC). In 1963, the U.S. Senate ratified a treaty with Britain and the Soviet Union limiting nuclear testing. In 1976, former hostage Patricia Hearst was sentenced to seven years in prison for her part in a 1974 bank robbery in San Francisco carried out by the Symbionese Liberation Army. (Hearst was released after 22 months after receiving clemency from President Jimmy Carter.) In 1981, four Armenian gunmen seized the Turkish consulate in Paris, killing a guard and holding 56 hostages for 15 hours before surrendering. In 1991, kidnappers in Lebanon freed British hostage Jack Mann after holding him captive for more than two years. Children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel (GY’-zul), better known as “Dr. Seuss,” died in La Jolla, California, at age 87. Ten years ago: President George W. Bush ordered a freeze on the assets of 27 people and organizations with suspected links to terrorism, including Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, and urged other nations to do likewise. Today’s Birthdays: Actorsinger Herb Jeffries is 100. Actress Sheila MacRae is 87. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sonny Turner (The Platters) is 72. Singer Barbara Allbut (The Angels) is 71. Singer Phyllis “Jiggs” Allbut (The Angels) is 69. Singer Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers) is 69. News anchor Lou Dobbs is 66. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Joe Greene is 65. Actor Gordon Clapp is 63. Former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, D-Mass., is 59. Actor Kevin Sorbo is 53. Actresswriter Nia Vardalos is 49. Singer-musician Marty Cintron (No Mercy) is 40. Actor Justin Bruening is 32. Olympic gold medal gymnast Paul Hamm is 29. Actor Kyle Sullivan is 23. Thought for Today: “Do not weep; do not wax indignant. Understand.” — Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher (1632-1677).
CONTACT US Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501 Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226 General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510 Retail Adv. Manager, Raul Cruz................... 728-2511 Classified Manager, Jesse Vicharreli ........... 728-2525 Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531 Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559 MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505 Managing Editor, Julie Silva ...................... 728-2565 City Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez .................. 728-2543 Sports Editor, Dennis Silva II......................728-2579 Entertainment Editor, Emilio Rábago III ....... 728-2564 Spanish Editor, Melva Lavín-Castillo............ 728-2569 Photo by Ken Steinhardt/Orange County Register | AP
Student defendants listen during a huddle with their attorneys after the jury found the 10 Muslim students guilty in Santa Ana, Calif., on Friday of disrupting the Israeli ambassador’s university speech about U.S.-Israel relations. commodities.Fears about Europe’s debt were stoked early Friday by news that Moody’s Investors Service had downgraded its ratings of eight Greek banks by two notches. Europe’s problems helped feed the heavy selling this week. But
the chief worry was that the U.S. is headed for another recession and that policy makers are running out of ways to fight it. Congress was in another standoff over spending that could force the government to shut down. — Compiled from AP reports
SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY (956) 728-2555 The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000 households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the Laredo Morning Times and for those who buy the Laredo Morning Times at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted. The Zapata Times is free. The Zapata Times is published by the Laredo Morning Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, P.O. Box 2129, Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956) 728-2500. The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Avenue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mail thezapatatimes.net
Local
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR
Courtesy photo
AAH Smile Dental, under Dr. Johnny Cavazos, presented Fidel & Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary with a banner to wish students and staff the best of luck for the 2011-2012 school year. Among those pictured are Annabel Alvarez, librarian; Claudia Garza, counselor; Keyiris Garcia, Rebecka Flores, Maricela Falcon, Dr. Johnny Cavazos, Minerva Salazar and Imelda Garcia.
New office to open TAMIU center to serve businesses SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The Texas A&M International University Small Business Development Center will celebrate the grand opening of a new satellite office in Zapata on Thursday. Open to the public, it will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 910 Hidalgo, Suite 2, in Zapata. Under the leadership of TAMIU SBDC interim director Mercurio Martinez Jr., the SBDC program serves the small businesses in Webb, Zapata, and Jim Hogg counties. The TAMIU-SBDC ribbon-cutting ceremony will acknowledge the significant investment of resources designed to help Zapata County residents. A certified rural business advisor will be available to help community members with business planning, financial proposals, computerized bookkeeping, marketing, and other important management topics. SBDC busi-
ness consulting services will be completely confidential and are available free of charge. Training classes will teach solid management solutions in a classroom environment and will also be available online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The TAMIU SBDC is funded in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and Texas A&M Interna-
tional University. The SBDC would like to encourage all Zapata County residents to be part of this momentous event. This will be a great opportunity for the public to meet community leaders, the SBDC team, and business owners. For more information, contact TAMIU-SBDC at 956-326-2827 or visit the Zapata offices at 910 Hidalgo, Suite 2, Zapata, Texas 78076.
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
It’s time for the amateur ideal to end By DAVID BROOKS NEW YORK TIMES
T
he 1910s and 1920s were the golden age of the amateur ideal. On the golf courses, Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, won a string of major championships. He served as a moral exemplar as well. In the 1925 U.S. Open, he accidentally nudged his ball while setting up for a shot. He asked the marshals and members of the gallery if they had noticed. None had. Nevertheless, he assigned himself a two-stroke penalty, which cost him the tournament as he lost by one stroke. When complimented for his sense of fairness, Jones replied, “You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank.” At Princeton, Hobey Baker was the glittering star of college sports, dominating in both football and hockey. He was also famous for his sportsmanship. He had only one penalty called on him his entire college hockey career. After each game, he went to the opposing locker room to thank his opponents for a good match. He was acutely modest when people spoke of his triumphs. There were two sides to the amateur ideal. On the one hand, it was meant to serve as a restraint on some of the more brutal forces of the day. Social Darwinism was in full flower, with its emphasis on ruthless competition and survival of the fittest. Capitalism was rough and raw. The amateur ideal was a restraining code that emphasized fair play and honor. It held that those blessed with special gifts have a special responsibility to hue to a chivalric code. The idea was to make sport a part of the nation’s moral education. On the other hand, the amateur code was elitist. It was designed to separate the affluent sports from the working-class sports, to create a refined arena that only the wellbred and well-born could enter. Today’s left-leaning historians generally excoriate the amateur ideal for its snobbery and the hypocrisy it engendered. The movie “Chariots of Fire” popularized their critique. In the film, the upholders of the amateur ideal are snobbish, antiSemitic reactionaries. The heroes are unabashedly commercial and practical. Modern and free-thinking, they pay people so they can win. Thus did the left-wing critique welcome the corporate domination of sport. Over the decades, the word amateur changed its
meaning. It used to convey a moral sensibility, but now it conveys an economic one: not getting paid. As many universities have lost confidence in their ability to instill character, the moral mission of the university has withered.
Filling the hole Commercialism and professionalism have filled the void. Taylor Branch’s superb cover article in the current issue of The Atlantic, “The Shame of College Sports,” shows how financial concerns have come to dominate college athletics. Everybody makes money except the players. College football coaches at public universities make more than $2 million on average, according to the article, and even assistant coaches sometimes make nearly $1 million. Quarterback Cam Newton was investigated for violating the amateur rules. Meanwhile, there were at least 15 corporate logos on the uniform he wore every week. A.J. Green, a wide receiver, was punished for selling his jersey. While he was serving his suspension, the school continued selling replicas of his No. 8 jersey for $39.95 and up. Branch shows the brutal ways the NCAA and its member schools protect and advance their financial interests. For example, one of the reasons schools fight to keep the student-athlete tag on their players is to keep from having to pay workman’s compensation if they get hurt. Kent Waldrep, a running back, was paralyzed while playing for Texas Christian. He sued to get some compensation for his sacrifice for the university. TCU fought him in court and won. Branch concludes it is time to give up on the amateur code. Pay the players and get over it. The amateur ideal, though faded and worn, still imposes some restraints. It forces athletes, seduced by Michael Jordan fantasies, to at least think of themselves partially as students. It forces coaches, an obsessively competitive group, to pay homage to academic pursuits. College basketball is more thrilling than pro basketball because the game is still animated by amateur passions, not coldly calculating professional interests. The commercial spirit is strong these days. But people seem to do best when they have to wrestle between commercial interests and value systems that counteract them. The lingering vestiges of the amateur ideal are worth preserving.
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 namecalling 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
The etiquette of class warfare By LLEWELLYN KING HEARST NEWSPAPERS
W
ASHINGTON — So it’s come to this then: war, class war. The House Republicans and their allies, who live at the best addresses on earth, have a casus belli: President Obama’s assault on their class by suggesting that they pay more tax. The Good Lord alone knows where it will end or how many of the aristocrats, the oligarchs, will be forced into exile in hostile extremes like Liechtenstein, Monaco, Geneva and Bermuda. Oh, the coming horror! Families torn apart as rich brother faces off against poor brother, taxpaying daughter in love with taxexempt heir, children who have scored in Silicon Valley bitterly divided from their parents over Social Security and Medicare. Even now, the battle lines are being drawn. In Aspen, the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard and Palm Beach. Surreptitiously, Perrier and Champagne are being stockpiled. And safe havens are being construct-
ed for tax-shelter preparers, who fear the arrival of the middle-class mob — that frenzied and irrational mass that wants the American Dream back. Fools! Why can they not see that a higher power has chosen who should be rich and who should be in debt? And, besides, it’s the rich who create jobs. Who do the Democrats think hires the chauffeurs, private jet pilots, butlers, maids, caterers and house contractors (who tear down lovely homes and build big, ugly ones)? It’s the rich who are holding together what’s left of the housing market. What Keynesian, pinko, Europhile can afford six houses? Members of the wretched middle class can hardly hold onto the houses they have, let alone boost the economy by buying a $23-million triplex on Park Avenue. The trouble is, I’m not sure we know how to run a class war. But as a BritAmerican, I regard myself as something of an expert. So, fellow Americans, here are a few tips: Sadly for House Speaker John Boehner, it’s not just
about money. Those who have ”class” know what it is, and they censure those who don’t. Money is important, but only if it was obtained under questionable circumstances and/or made by an ancestor at least three generations ago. Money — even billions — made in your lifetime, or that of a parent, is a no-no. It will have you limited by the dreadful appellation ”nouveau riche.” This is a state worse than being broke, in class terms. To get into the upper class (assuming you don’t have a hereditary title that is at least five generations old), you must have attended the right school: Eton for boys and Roedean for girls. If neither of these desirable qualifications is yours, you must speak the ”Queen’s” English, affect a passion for cricket and polo, and revere the undefined qualities of breeding, refinement and the rituals of marriage. The latter means that you can sleep with almost anyone, so long as you marry someone just like you and raise children just like
you. Then you are ready for the ruling class, and to be ridiculed in the popular press as ”bosses.” Well, clearly that kind of class clash is not for the Republicans. Our class-war model is cleaner and simpler: Money is akin to divinity and should not be adulterated by taxation and the middle class, whose moral responsibility is to take up the tax burden and tug at a grateful forelock. The working class, you say, where are they? Don’t be silly, vote-hungry politicians promoted them into the middle class years ago. Anyway, now everyone thinks the workers all come from some other country. Prepare for the worst: Secession by Martha’s Vineyard, barricades on the Upper East Side, Michigan Avenue and Palm Beach. Only in Malibu and Beverly Hills can we expect handto-hand fighting. Sockless actors in loafers standing with their bankers, while their wives fret about what to wear to the class war. They’re tricky, class war uniforms. (Contact Llewellyn King at lking@kingpublishing.com.)
EDITORIAL
Finally, freedom for US hikers MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
T
he hikers are free. Finally. After more than two years in captivity, Americans Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal have been released from Iran’s notorious Evin prison. Let their journey back to the United States and their long-suffering families be a safe one, and their homecoming joyous. The two men, and a
third American, Sarah Shourd, were arrested on July 31, 2009, during a vacation along a poorly marked area on the border between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran.
Spy accusation Iranians accused the trio of crossing the border illegally and spying. Last month, the two men were convicted and sentenced to
eight years. Shourd was released last year on humanitarian grounds, after $500,000 bail — ransom, really — was posted. A similar amount was required for both Bauer and Fattal. The money came from Oman, which facilitated all three releases. Officials there deserve our nation’s thanks. But hold the applause for the thugs who run Iran, one of the world’s leading sponsors of terror-
DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
ism, and especially their preening joke of a president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He had hoped to have the hostages freed this week in time for a victory lap around the U.N. General Assembly. Instead, let the United Nations and its members open this week’s session by condemning in the strongest possible terms the hostage-taking regularly practiced by this ruthless regime.
Local
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
MAN SEEMS ALRIGHT AFTER ROLLOVER
Smuggling charges levied against two
Woman faces multiple charges By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
In apparently unrelated cases, two women riding on a commercial bus attempted to smuggle more than $100,000 into Mexico, according to a news release from the Procuraduría General de la República, Mexico’s attorney general. On Sept. 16, a commercial bus approached Mexican customs assigned to the Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, station. A passenger identified as María de Jesús López Parra walked through an inspection area called “Turismo.” Mexican officers found two boxes containing a DVD player each, a PGR report states. Officers suspected the boxes weighed more than normal. An X-ray scan of the merchandise showed abnormalities. Inside the boxes, officers found $51,609, 5 Canadian dollars
and Italian, Guatemalan and Mexican currency. López Parra is being charged with smuggling money into Mexico. A second commercial bus originating from the United States approached the inspection point with Mexican customs in Nuevo Laredo. A passenger stepped out of the bus and stated she did not have anything to declare. The passenger was identified as Sara Balderas Reyes. Inside her luggage, officials found clothing and a box with a VHS/DVD player. An X-ray scan pointed out several irregularities inside the box. Customs officers opened up the box and found five small bundles containing $54,300. Balderas Reyes is facing federal charges in the case. Mexican federal authorities are investigating both smuggling attempts. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Sheriff’s officials say a woman driving at a high speed disregard stop signs and resisted arrest last weekend in the Medina Addition. At the jail, the defendant assaulted correctional officers, the officials said.
GABRIELA SANCHEZ: Faces reckless driving, other charges.
Courtesy photo
A Roma man, Gustavo Garza Jr., 19, was traveling Tuesday southbound on U.S. Highway 83 when he claimed to have steering problems and lost control of the vehicle near mile marker 766, at 4:06 p.m. Deputies said Garza collided with a utility pole and barbed wire fence, rolled over at least once and ended up next to a tree in the brush. Garza suffered minor injuries, but refused medical treatment. Deputies said a witness claimed the vehicle suddenly veered to the left.
THE BLOTTER ASSAULT A sexual assault was reported at about 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in northwestern Zapata County near the Dolores Creek Area. The complainant stated that she was sexually assaulted by a man who was bringing a group of people across the border. An assault was reported at 9:23 p.m. Sept. 17 in the 100 block of Tepozan Road. An assault family violence incident was reported at 10:07 p.m. Tuesday in the 1600 block of Lincoln Street.
Simon Martinez was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct at about 11 p.m. Sept. 17 at a community center near Seventh Street and U.S. 83. He was taken to Zapata Regional Jail. Luis Antonio Garcia was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after midnight Sept. 18 at the Zapata Community Center, 605 U.S. 83. An incident report states the man was intoxicated and causing a disturbance at the community center during a quinceañera. The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.
Mario Enrique Murillo-Hernandez was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 4 a.m. Sept. 16 near the post office in San Ygnacio. An incident report states Murillo-Hernandez was found asleep inside his vehicle in the southbound lane of U.S. 83. The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail. Mario Alberto Garza was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated at about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 18 in the 700 block of Miraflores Avenue. The man was taken to the Zapata Regional Jail.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
DWI
HIT AND RUN
A hit and run was reported at 2:09 a.m. Sept. 18 at the Aqua Bar parking lot, 178 S. U.S. 83. A blue Dodge hit a Ford Focus and fled from the scene.
THEFT Deputies responded to a theft call at 7:32 p.m. Sept. 18 in the 200 block of Hidalgo Boulevard. The complainant stated that someone stole the state vehicle inspection sticker from two utility trailers. A black battery charger was reported stolen at 7:13 p.m. Tuesday in the 700 block of Ramireño Avenue.
Gabriela Sanchez, 27, was arrested and charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest and assault of a public servant. According to reports, Sanchez was traveling at 60 miles per hour in a 30mile per hour zone. Allegedly, she also disregarded stop signs. At about 4 a.m. Sept, 16, a deputy initiated a traffic stop near Fourth Street and Zapata Boulevard. When asked for driver’s license and insurance, Sanchez said she did not have any. She exited the vehicle and began crying when being taken into custody for reckless driving. She resisted arrest by not getting inside the sheriff’s squad car, according to sheriff’s officials. Once en route to Zapata County Jail, Sanchez allegedly started kicking the windows and cage. At the county jail, she assaulted two detention officers. She was held on a combined bond of $37,000. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
Another Netflix attack A Blockbuster shot at video firm By MICHAEL LIEDTKE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — The Blockbuster video store chain is seeking some revenge against old nemesis Netflix by offering a less expensive way to watch videos online and rent DVDs through the mail. The attack announced Friday is being mounted by satellite-TV provider Dish Network, which bought Blockbuster out of bankruptcy court for $234 million five months ago. Blockbuster, once the video rental king, had filed for bankruptcy when it couldn’t counter the threat posed by Netflix Inc., whose DVD-by-mail service and subsequent expansion into Internet video streaming revolutionized home entertainment. Netflix now reigns as the largest U.S. video subscription service with about 24 million customers, but it’s in a weakened position after raising prices as much as 60 percent and announcing the spinoff of its DVD-by-mail service as “Qwikster.” Those moves, made in the past two months, have triggered a Netflix customer rebellion that Blockbuster and Dish Network Corp. are preying upon. The lure: a DVD-by-mail and Internet video package that Blockbuster and Dish Network are selling for as low as $10 per month. That’s the same price Netflix charged until it split its streaming service from DVDs. But there’s a big catch. To get Blockbuster’s new “Movie Pass,” you have to subscribe to Dish Network’s pay-TV service. Dish Network currently has about 14 million subscribers, but only half have the right set-top box to stream video, said Ira Bahr, the company’s chief marketing officer.
Photo by Jeff Chiu | AP
Joe Clayton, CEO of Dish Network, speaks at a news conference in San Francisco, on Friday. The Blockbuster video store chain and new owner Dish Network are ganging up on Netflix with a cheaper way to watch Internet video and rent DVDs through the mail. In an attempt to widen its audience, Dish Network is dangling a one-year offer for $40 a month that will include more than 200 TV channels and the Blockbuster Movie Pass. The company eventually plans to offer Movie Pass to non-Dish subscribers, but it provided no details Friday. Movie Pass will roll out to Dish subscribers Oct. 1, accompanied by a marketing blitz. It appears to be an ideal time to introduce the service because so many Netflix customers have been canceling their subscriptions and exploring other options. Netflix expects to have 600,000 fewer U.S. subscribers at the end of this month than it did at the end of June, only the second time in its history that it has lost customers from one quarter to the next. The only other time that happened was in 2007 when Netflix and Blockbuster were locked in a fierce price war. Blockbuster eventually retreated, buried in huge losses. Dish Network executives described the timing of the new Blockbuster service as serendipitous. The companies, the execu-
tives said, had been drawing up their plans well before Netflix enraged customers with its mid-July announcement about the price increases. “No amount of planning can replace good luck,” Dish Network CEO Joe Clayton said. “We will take all the luck we can get.” Netflix still sees its service as a better bargain because it doesn’t require a satellite-TV subscription. “We don’t require a cover charge,” Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey said. “That (Movie Pass) isn’t a good value.” J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth wasn’t impressed with Movie Pass either. Although the Movie Pass will compete against other pay-TV and streaming services, Netflix is clearly the main target. As if to accentuate that point, Movie Pass was unveiled at a press conference in San Francisco, about 50 miles north of Netflix’s headquarters in Los Gatos. Netflix, meanwhile, must also fend off other new competition, including streaming services from Hulu.com and Amazon.com Inc. and $1-perday DVD rentals from Redbox kiosks.
Photo by Charles Sykes | AP
Fans gather to watch the final episode of the soap opera “All My Children at Blondies Sports restaurant in New York, on Friday. “All My Children” signed off from ABC after more than 40 years.
A cliffhanger of a show Ending leaves ‘Children’ alive By DAVID BAUDER ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Tissues were on hand but there were few tears among two dozen soap opera fans gathered to watch “All My Children” sign off from ABC on Friday after more than 40 years. That’s because the screen faded to black with a gunshot and a cliffhanger — an indication that the story may not be dead, even if the television series is. ABC has licensed the story to a production company that is hoping to keep “All My Children” going online after the first of next year. Carolyn Hinsey, author of “Afternoon Delight: Why Soaps Still Matter,” organized a watching party at a Manhattan sports bar as a message to television executives who apparently think soap operas don’t matter anymore. Two of ABC’s three
daytime dramas, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” were canceled this year. That leaves only four soaps on network television, with “General Hospital” the only one on ABC when “One Life to Live” leaves in a few months. TV executives consider soaps a losing cause, more expensive to produce than talk or reality shows and with a dwindling audience as more women work and their tastes change — even though the ratings for ABC’s two canceled programs have jumped in recent months. “The soap fans are still there,” said Marie White, who drove in from Baltimore for the party. “It’s just that Nielsen doesn’t count them.” Nielsen, the television ratings company, doesn’t count White. She keeps up with her favorites online these days. Partygoers booed loudly when ABC ran a commercial for “The Chew,” the cooking show that will replace “All My Chil-
dren” next week. They saved their loudest cheer for when Erica Kane, the soap’s most memorable character, portrayed by Susan Lucci, learned she would not get married again — at least not yet. She saved her final words on television for a promise to keep pursuing her beau even after he told her to have a nice life — without him. The soap has been tying up loose ends for much of its final week. But the prospect that it could continue led to some last-minute script changes, Hinsey said. The final episode ended with most of the show’s characters gathered at the Chandler house in fictional Pine Valley, Pa., for a party — celebrating engagements, a pregnancy and some miracle medical revivals. Yet the character J.R., riled because he lost his business and fortune and because his wife left to raise their baby son with a lesbian, lurked outside with a gun. The series ended as he fired.
SÁBADO 24 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2011
Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 24 DE SEPTIEMBRE CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Leyendas Luna Nueva a las 7 p.m. CAMARGO, México — FIT 2011 presenta “Ballet Folklórico de la Casa Cultura Rio Bravo” a las 7 p.m. DÍAZ ORDAZ, México — FIT 2011 presenta “Exposición Arte Sin Límites” hasta el 15 de octubre en la Presidencia Municipal.
DOMINGO 25 DE SEPTIEMBRE NUEVA CIUDAD GUERRERO, México —FIT 2011 presenta: Concierto Didáctico Infantil “Paseo por África” a las 4 p.m. CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Concierto Diáctico Infantil “Paseo por África” a las 4 p.m. CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Camerata Sonorus de Michoacán con el solista Emanuel Miranda en el clarinete a las 7 p.m. en la Parroquia.
Zfrontera
PÁGINA 7A
SECRETARÍA DE SALUD EXPONE URGENCIA DE LUCHAR CONTRA OBESIDAD
Pandemia del Siglo XXI TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Una de las principales preocupaciones en cuestiones de salud en Tamaulipas, es la cantidad de casos de personas con obesidad. El Secretario de Salud de Tamaulipas, Norberto Treviño GarcíaManzo, hizo un llamado urgente a la comunidad médica, instituciones públicas y privadas a ganarle la partida a la obesidad haciendo un frente común contra esta pandemia. También dijo que se debe predicar con el ejemplo por lo que dijo que serán “los primeros en activarse, hacer ejercicio y llevar una dieta sana que cambie el rumbo al fenómeno evolutivo que representa en el desarrollo humano”. Treviño calificó a la obesidad como un reto. “Estamos decididos a darle una lucha frontal, con programas y estrategias definidos”, apuntó.
Los municipios donde se concentra el mayor número de casos son Mier, Tampico, El Mante, Ciudad Madero y Victoria. Una de las acciones es la implementación de la estrategia 5 Pasos por tu Salud que pretende educar a la población a través de motivar el activarse, tomar agua, comer verduras y frutas, medirse y compartir. En el marco del Primer Simposium de Obesidad “Pandemia del Siglo XXI”, organizado por el Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ciudad Victoria “Bicentenario 2010”, donde presentó la ponencia magistral “Perspectiva epidemiológica de la obesidad en Tamaulipas”, Treviño que la obesidad y su prevalencia no deben interpretarse como un signo de la transición del desarrollo ni como un desequilibrio energético, sino como una alteración nutricional que requiere la formu-
lación de políticas públicas de salud y la toma enérgica de decisiones. Agregó que a nivel global la obesidad es un grave problema de salud pública, ya que cifras de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) estiman que en el mundo existen más de mil millones de personas con este padecimiento. En Tamaulipas al menos un tercio de los niños en edad escolar tienen esta enfermedad, el 40 % de los adolescentes presenta algún grado de obesidad y siete de cada diez tamaulipecos son portadores de ella. Los municipios donde se concentra el mayor número de casos son Mier, Tampico, El Mante, Ciudad Madero y Victoria, según datos de la Secretaría de Salud.
Treviño agregó que la obesidad tiene consecuencias en muchos órganos y sistemas, y representa un riesgo para padecer, entre otras, las siguientes enfermedades: diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial, enfermedad cerebro-vascular, infarto al miocardio, cáncer cérvico uterino, de mama y de colon. Otros programas que el Gobierno de Tamaulipas ha implementado para atacar a la obesidad son: la instalación del Consejo Estatal de Nutrición, el Acuerdo Estatal de Salud Alimentaria, el levantamiento de peso y talla en instituciones educativas, ferias de la salud, activación física, centros de atención nutricional, campamentos de verano, Sábados Deportivos, entre otros.
LUNES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE NUEVA CIUDAD GUERRERO, México —FIT 2011 presenta: Leyendas “De Puro Corazón” a las 4 p.m. MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2011 presenta Concierto Didáctico Infantil “Paseo por África” a las 10 a.m. MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2011 presenta Conjunto Típico Tamaulipeco a las 4 p.m. CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Conjunto Típico Tamaulipeco a las 7 p.m. en la Explanada de la Plaza. CAMARGO, México — FIT 2011 presenta “Concierto Didáctico Infantil Paseo por África” a las 4 p.m.
Residentes de Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, México, caminaron por calles del Municipio celebrando el Día Internacional de la Paz. Salieron del Jardín de Niños Herlinda Treviño de Balboa y concluyeron frente a las oficinas del Ayuntamiento local.
MARTES 27 DE SEPTIEMBRE DÍAZ ORDAZ, México — FIT 2011 presenta Concierto Didáctico Infantil Paseo por África”a las 10 a.m. ZAPATA — Taller “Anatomy of a Business Plan Workshop” de 9:30 a.m. a las 12 p.m. en el Palacio de Justicia de la Corte de Zapata, salón 248. Cuota de 20 dólares. Cada participante recibirá el texto “Anatomy of a Business Plan: a Step-byStep Guide to Building a Business and Securing your Company’s Future”, de Linda Pinzon. La instructora será Yael Rodríguez, asesora certificada en negocios de SBDC.
POR UN MÉXICO EN PAZ Fotos de cortesía | Municipio de Guerrero
Vestidos de blanco, residentes de Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, México, caminaron celebrando el Día Internacional de la Paz, el 21 de septiembre. Encabezó el evento el Presidente Municipal Luis Gerardo Ramos Gómez.
MIÉRCOLES 28 DE SEPTIEMBRE DÍAZ ORDAZ, México — FIT 2011 presenta “Exposición Arte Sin Límites” hasta el 15 de octubre en la Presidencia Municipal. DÍAZ ORDAZ, México — FIT 2011 presenta Leyendas “De Puro Corazón”a las 4 p.m.
Orientarán a pequeñas empresas en nuevas oficinas POR STEVE HARMON ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
JUEVES 29 DE SEPTIEMBRE CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Música “Curva Peligrosa” a las 7 p.m.
VIERNES 30 DE SEPTIEMBRE MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2011 presenta “Exposición Arte Sin Límites” hasta el 15 de octubre en la Presidencia Municipal. MIGUEL ALEMÁN, México — FIT 2011 presenta música fusión “Fishtank” desde EU a las 7 p.m. CIUDAD MIER, México — FIT 2011 presenta Exposición Fotográfica “Michoacán, Un Paisaje de Visiones” a partir de hoy y hasta el 15 de octubre. — Tiempo de Zapata
El Centro de Desarrollo para Pequeñas Empresas de Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) celebrará la apertura de una nueva oficina satelital en Zapata el jueves 29 de septiembre. La ceremonia tendrá lugar de 11:30 a.m. a 1:30 p.m. en el 910 Hidalgo, Suite 2. Bajo el liderazgo del director interino de TAMIU SBDC, Mercurio Martinez Jr., el programa SBDC atiende las pequeñas empresas en los condados de Webb, Zapata y Jim Hogg. La ceremonia de corte de listón reconocerá la inversión de recursos diseñada para ayudar a los residentes del condado de Zapata. Un asesor certificado de empresas rurales estará disponible para ayudar a la comunidad con la planeación de negocios, propuestas financieras, contabilidad com-
putarizada, mercadotecnia y otros temas de administración básicos. Los servicios de consultoría empresarial de SBDC serán confidenciales y gratuitos. Las clases de entrenamiento enseñarán soluciones sólidas de administración en un ambiente de aula de clases y también estarán disponibles las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana. El TAMIU SBDC es auspiciado en parte con la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas de EU (SBA), la University of Texas en San Antonio (UTSA), y Texas A&M International University. SBDC desea conminar a los residentes del condado de Zapata a ser parte de este evento. Los organizadores consideran que es una oportunidad apropiada para que el público conozca a líderes comunitarios, el equipo de SBDC y a empresarios..
TAMAULIPAS
Podrán adquirir 1,500 sementales TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Productores pecuarios de Tamaulipas podrán adquirir 1,500 sementales bovinos, ovinos y caprinos dentro del programa Comercialización de Sementales de Registro. El Gobierno del Estado y el Federal realizaron una inversión de 21 millones de pesos para apoyar a los productores. “Los recursos asignados, que ascienden a 21 millones de pesos, provienen del Programa de Apoyo a la Inversión en Equipamiento e Infraestructura y Componente Ganadero, dentro del ramo de Comercialización de Sementales de Registro”, dijo el Secretario de Desarrollo Rural del
JORGE REYES: Anuncia que 2011 es positivo para ganadería. Gobierno del Estado, Jorge Alberto Reyes Moreno. En comunicado de prensa, Reyes sostuvo que el Gobierno de Tamaulipas trabaja en conjunto con dependencias federales y asociaciones ganaderas en el mejoramiento de esta actividad considerada uno de los pilares económicos más importantes del campo estatal. “Este será un año muy productivo para la ganadería tamaulipeca, principalmente en lo que corresponde a la calidad genética del ganado”, dijo Reyes. “Nuestro Estado se distingue
por su estatus de excelencia en los ámbitos nacional e internacional”. Precisó que los recursos naturales de Tamaulipas determinan un amplio mosaico de suelos y climas que permiten desarrollar una ganadería diversificada, principalmente con sistemas de explotación extensivos donde los productores han impulsado sus ranchos a un nivel genético competitivo. “Tamaulipas se distingue por la cría de ganado con excelente calidad genética, que al trabajar en sus ranchos mejora la producción y calidad de la carne que hace más competitiva esta actividad en los mercados nacionales e internacionales”, concluyó Reyes.
8A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
Prisons end last meal requests San Ygnacio By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — It’s a tradition with roots that can be traced far back in history: Before being put to death, a condemned prisoner can choose his last meal. Not so anymore in Texas. Officials who oversee the country’s busiest death chamber stopped the practice on Thursday after a prominent state senator complained about a hefty request from a man executed for his role in a notorious dragging death. Now, inmates get to eat only what the kitchen serves. The controversy began after Lawrence Russell Brewer, who was executed on Wednesday for the hate crime slaying of James Byrd Jr. more than a decade ago, asked for two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound of barbecue, three fajitas, a meat lover’s pizza, a pint of ice cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts. Prison officials said Brewer didn’t eat any of it. “It is extremely inappropriate to give a person sentenced to death such a privilege,” Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, wrote in a letter Thursday to Brad Livingston, the executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Within hours, Livingston said the senator’s concerns were valid and the practice of allowing death row offenders to choose their final meals was history. “Effective immediately, no such accommodations
Photo by David J. Phillip | AP
Ricky Jason wears a photograph of James Byrd Jr. outside the Huntsville Unit before the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer on Wednesday, in Huntsville. Officials stopped last meal requests Thursday after a state senator complained about Brewer’s hefty last meal request. will be made,” Livingston said. “They will receive the same meal served to other offenders on the unit.” That had been the suggestion from Whitmire, who called the traditional request “ridiculous.” “It’s long overdue,” the Houston Democrat told The Associated Press. “This old boy last night, enough is enough. We’re fixing to execute the guy and maybe it makes the system feel good about what they’re fixing to do. Kind of hypocritical, you reckon? “Mr. Byrd didn’t get to
choose his last meal. The whole deal is so illogical.” Brewer, a white supremacist gang member, was convicted of chaining Byrd, 49, to the back of a pickup truck and dragging him to his death along a bumpy road in a case that shocked the nation for its brutality. It was not immediately clear whether other states have made similar moves. Some limit the final meal cost — Florida’s ceiling is $40, according to the Department of Corrections website, with food to be purchased locally. Others,
like Texas, which never had a designated dollar limit, mandate meals be prison-made. Some states require the meal within a specific time period, allow multiple “final” meals, restrict it to one or impose “a vast number of conditions,” he said. Historical references to a condemned person’s last meal go as far back as ancient Greece, China and Rome, Hayes said. Since Texas resumed carrying out executions in 1982, the state corrections agency’s practice has been to fill a condemned inmate’s request as long as the items, or food similar to what was requested, were readily available from the prison kitchen supplies. While extensive, Brewer’s request was far from the largest or most bizarre among the 475 Texas inmates put to death. On Tuesday, prisoner Cleve Foster’s request included two fried chickens, French fries and a five-gallon bucket of peaches. He received a reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court but none of his requested meal. He was on his way back to death row, at a prison about 45 miles east of Huntsville, at the time when his feast would have been served. Last week, inmate Steven Woods’ request included two pounds of bacon, a large four-meat pizza, four fried chicken breasts, two drinks each of Mountain Dew, Pepsi, root beer and sweet tea, ice cream, five chicken fried steaks, two hamburgers with bacon, fries and a dozen garlic bread sticks with marinara on the side. Two hours later, he was executed.
man’s trial to begin By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Jury selection and opening statements are expected to take place Monday in the 49th District Court for a case involving a man from San Ygnacio who allegedly touched a girl’s genitals. Samuel Herrera, 52, is being charged with child indecency, a second-degree felony. If convicted, his punishment could BE from two to 20 years in prison. The girl, 10 years old at the time, cried out August 2010 when the incident was reported in the 900 block of Guerrero Street. Prosecutors are alleging Herrera encountered the girl when both were at a home. He allegedly found her alone and away from the other adults in the home and reached up her skirt to touch her genitals. Zapata County sheriff ’s investigators opened up a case and followed up. Officials transported the girl to the Children’s Advocacy Center in Laredo for forensic inter-
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By STEVE PEOPLES AND THOMAS BEAUMONT ASSOCIATED PRESS
EXETER, N.H. — Rick Perry is struggling. Republicans in early voting states, once excited about the Texas governor’s presidential bid, are openly questioning the strength of his candidacy. High expectations have been met by the sudden national scrutiny that comes with the front-runner bull’s-eye. Perry is leading national polls, but he is also facing intensifying criticism from the right and the left. Some Republicans in Iowa and New Hampshire are expressing doubts. One national immigration group says Perry is finished. Conservatives are slamming his support of education benefits for illegal immigrants. The campaign dismisses the criticism. After all, supporters say, he entered the presidential race just six weeks ago. Things looked rosier then. Perry arrived to great fanfare and seemed poised to steal significant support from his top rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Many influential GOP activists saw Perry, with his executive experience and good jobs record, as an attractive alternative to Romney. Since then, the Texan has campaigned repeatedly in New Hampshire and Iowa, states that host the nation’s first presidential voting contests in roughly four months. And unaligned Republicans in those states — including some who backed Romney four years ago and are looking for an alternative — have watched Perry closely this month to see if the early buzz would become lasting campaign strength. But his debate performances, including bobbled attempts Thursday night in Florida at painting Romney as a flip-flopper, did not impress some influential activists. “Perry has been doing damage to himself over the last couple weeks,” said Jamie Burnett, a New Hampshire-based Republican who led Romney’s political operation here four years ago but is unaligned this year. “Perry’s on shaky
Photo by Joe Burbank/pool | AP
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry responds to cheering supporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on Friday. ground, but I’m not willing to say there’s no path to victory. But he’s definitely not in the place he was during the first two weeks of his campaign.” In Thursday night’s debate, Perry went after Romney. But it didn’t always go smoothly. “I think Americans just don’t know sometimes which Mitt Romney they’re dealing with,” Perry said then. “Is it the Mitt Romney that was on the side of — against the Second Amendment before he was for the Second Amendment? Was it — was before — he was before the social
programs from the standpoint of — he was for standing up for Roe versus Wade before he was against first — Roe versus Wade?” He also suggested that those who oppose Texas’ immigration law are heartless and he gave a wobbly response to a question on Pakistan. “The guy just isn’t ready for prime time. It’s not the issues themselves. It’s how he handles them,” said Doug Gross, a lawyer who was Romney’s Iowa cochairman in 2008 but isn’t backing any one candidate yet this year. “He doesn’t look like a president.”
views and evaluations. District attorney officials say after gathering evidence, including documentation from a child psychologist, the CAC multi-disciplinary team reviewed the evidence and determined that it was sufficient to issue an arrest warrant for Herrera. He was taken into custody Oct. 14 and remains in custody. The case is expected to wrap up by Wednesday. Prosecutors plan to put five witnesses on the stand. Zapata’s chief prosecutor, Pedro “Pete” Garza, is leading the case. Ramon A. Villafranca Jr., the chief prosecutor of the special victims unit, is the co-prosecutor in the case. Herrera’s defense lawyer, Gustavo Acevedo, preferred not to comment. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 7282568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Domestic benefits prompts recall vote By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA
Some doubting Perry’s candidacy
SAMUEL HERRERA: Facing charges of child indecency.
EL PASO — El Paso Mayor John Cook and two members of the City Council are facing a recall election for their role in overturning a voter-approved measure to terminate health care benefits for gay and unmarried partners of city employees. The city clerk on Thursday certified 9,556 signatures, about 3,400 more than needed, to prompt a May recall election for Cook. The mayor of the West Texas border city of more than 800,000 residents is challenging the recall in court. The recall election signature drive was organized by evangelist Tom Brown, pastor of the Word of Life Church in El Paso. He also pushed the November 2010 vote to ask residents whether the city should limit health benefits to legal spouses and dependent children of city employees. The mayor has challenged the petitions because he believes some of
the signatures were obtained in violation of a Texas law that bans corporations, including churches, from participating in recall elections. Cook broke a 4-4 tie in June, voting to throw out the ordinance passed last November. The two other council members, Beto O’Rourke and Rachel Quintana, who voted to eliminate it are not being recalled because their terms already ended. “I predict a landslide. ... People want their votes to be respected,” Brown told The Associated Press on Friday. In June, Brown announced that he would defend the will of the voters either by asking city representatives who sympathize with his cause to reintroduce the vote in the council or by pushing for a recall election. Byrd, who is halfway through her second term, said this is an opportunity for her to explain why she voted to restore benefits to gay and unwed couples. She said the issue “is absolutely about gays and how the community chooses to treat them.”
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Trying to calm fears Global leaders fight debt crisis that threatens another recession By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AND CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The world’s economic powers struggled on Friday to get on top of a European debt crisis that is threatening to dump the global economy back into recession. Officials gathered for three days of discussion pledged to push forward to fulfill the goals of a program in which the Group of 20 major economies promised stronger cooperation to jump-start global growth and help Greece avoid a destabilizing default. But private economists questioned whether the latest action plan unveiled by the G-20 countries Thursday night went far enough to deal with market concerns that a Greek default is a virtual certainty that threatens to destabilize other highly indebted European countries. All of the discussions about European debt were occurring around the annual meetings of the 187-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank. In advance of those talks, the G-20 finance officials, including Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, pledged a bold effort to deal with the debt crisis and encouraged Europe to move quickly to implement its promises to help Greece. The G-20 statement had little initial impact on the market’s sour mood, with stocks continuing to tumble in Asia. Europe, which had suffered big losses on Thursday, stabilized and managed to eke out small gains on Friday, as did Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.1 percent to 10,745 while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 0.5 percent to 1,134. Private analysts, however, predicted more down days for stocks in coming weeks as investors continue to fear the consequences of a Greek debt default. Jay Bryson, global economist at Wells Fargo Securities, contrasted the G-20 statement Thursday with the bold program the G-20 put forward in London in April 2009 at the height of that financial crisis with billions of dollars of support put forward to boost economic growth and provide a financial backstop for the IMF to rescue countries in trouble. “You’ve got to back up words with actions,” Bryson said of Thursday’s statement, which he said was an example of “political paralysis.” Sung Won Sohn, an economics professor at California State University’s Martin Smith School of Business, said the great concern is that if Greece doesn’t make further painful cuts in government spending and ends up defaulting on its debt, the shock waves will rock big banks in France and Europe with heavy exposure to Greek debt and will cause fearful investors to flee the bonds of other heavily indebted countries such as Italy and Spain, countries with much bigger economies. “The fear in the markets is that the problem will spread to much bigger economies such as Spain and Italy. Europe would not have the resources to handle a crisis of that magnitude,” Sohn said.
JULIETA G. MARTINEZ Julieta G. Martinez, 92, went to be with our Heavenly Father on Sept. 18, 2011. Born on March 10, 1919, in Star County, she lived in Ramireño before becoming a lifelong resident of Laredo. Mrs. Martinez is preceded in death by her husband, Mr. Jose Maria Martinez. She is survived by her children: Blanca (Agustin) Garcia, Maria Alba (Imeldo) Palacios, Dora Elba Martinez, Jose Maria (Filomena) Martinez Jr., Luis Eduardo (Irma) Martinez, Mario Alberto Martinez, Rosalinda (Juan Cesar) Palacios, and Ricardo Javier (Sara) Martinez; and 30 grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. A rosary was recited Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, at 7 p.m. in the Hillside Funeral Home chapel. A visitation was held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. Interment followed in the family plot at the Zapata Cemetery in Zapata. The family thanks everybody who attended the services.
Lawsuits allege men left behind By JUAN A. LOZANO ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Jose Luis Magana | AP
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks at IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings Plenary in Washington, on Friday. The finance ministers at the Washington meetings said they believed that the 17 nations that use the common euro currency were getting the message that they needed to move much more quickly to reform their surveillance procedures and boost their economic support. “The leading lights of the eurozone are aware that time is running out,” British Finance Minister George Osborne told reporters on Friday. “There is a far greater sense than there was three weeks ago about the necessity for the eurozone to address its problems.” Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said that he had stressed during the G-20 discussions that “Europe will need an exercise of political will. We need decisiveness and we need clarity.” Investors are worried that Europe’s debt crisis could destabilize the global economy at a time when growth has already slowed significantly due to a jump in oil prices earlier in the year and a pronounced slowdown in the United States, the world’s largest economy. Greece could default on its debt next month unless it receives a $10.9 billion installment from other eurozone countries and the IMF. Antonio Borges, the head of the IMF’s European department, told reporters Friday if Greece continues with the austerity measures it has pledged to put in place, then rescue
funds will continue to be provided. “They can count on full support if they are on track,” he said at an IMF briefing. “If they are not on track, then I think they will see the support evaporate very quickly.” A Greek default could destabilize other financially troubled European countries, such as Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy. It would also deal a blow to many European banks, which are large holders of Greek government bonds. The concern is that the shock could result in a replay of what occurred when Lehman Brothers fell in September 2009, sending waves of fear throughout the global financial system that caused credit to freeze as banks stopped lending to each other. Geithner has said the United States has a huge stake in seeing Europe succeed. The G-20 group discussed proposals Thursday that he has raised to expand the resources of the European bailout fund. The G-20 communique spoke of trying to increase the flexibility of the rescue fund and maximize its resources but spelled out no specific ways to accomplish those goals. The joint statement also said the G-20 nations planned to produce a “collective and bold action plan” to boost global growth and deal with high government debt that will be put together in time for a G-20 leaders’ summit in Cannes, France, on Nov. 3-4.
HOUSTON — Two oil workers who survived days floating on a life raft in the Gulf of Mexico after they evacuated their disabled vessel during a tropical storm have filed lawsuits claiming the workers were abandoned by another ship that could have taken them to safety. The family of a third worker who died during the ordeal has also sued. The three men were among 10 oil workers on a liftboat in the Bay of Campeche who had to abandon the vessel on Sept. 8 after it was crippled by Tropical Storm Nate. The workers’ attorney, Francis Spagnoletti, said Friday that the men all suffered a harrowing ordeal that could have been prevented. Among other things, Spagnoletti said the workers had to float in shark-infested waters. The lawsuits were filed earlier this week in federal court in Galveston, southeast of Houston, by Ted Derise Jr. and Jeremy Parfait, two of the surviving workers, along with the family of Craig Myers. The suits were filed against Geokinetics Inc., a Houston-based company that provides seismic data to the oil and gas industry; Trinity Liftboat Services, a Louisiana-based company that operated a liftboat, a type of vessel used by the workers and contracted by Geokinetics; and Mermaid Marine Australia Ltd., an Australian company that
owns a standby vessel that operated near the liftboat. Derise, Parfait and Meyers worked for Trinity and are from Louisiana. Trinity Lifeboat Services declined to comment. Geokinetics and Mermaid Marine did not immediately return calls. However, during a conference call last week, Richard Miles, Geokinetics’ CEO, said “safety is paramount” at his company. “We have been primarily focusing our extensive efforts on our employees and on our partners’ employees, which have been our first and foremost concern,” Miles said. Spagnoletti alleges that a standby ship that was in place to take the workers away in case of trouble left without them, knowing the liftboat had been crippled by the storm and the workers had already called for help. He said the standby ship was still in the area when the workers went into the water. “The vessel didn’t stand by. It just took off,” he said, adding the workers should have been evacuated ahead of the storm. Spagnoletti said the standby vessel left because its crew was getting seasick and wanted to go back to shore. The men tried to open several inflatable rafts, he said, but high winds blew them away. The workers ended up with only one raft, which the attorney described as a “big life preserver” because it had an opening in the middle covered by netting.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
Perry challenged on immigration By PHILIP ELLIOTT ASSOCIATED PRESS
ORLANDO, Fla. — Keeping the heat on Rick Perry, rivals Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann on Friday challenged his suggestion that people are heartless if they don’t support his Texas law that gives some illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates at universities. “If you’re opposed to illegal immigration, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a heart,” Romney told a gathering of conservatives in Florida, which has a sizable immigrant population. “It means that you have a heart and a brain.” In her speech, Bachmann said: “We will not have taxpayer-subsidized benefits for illegal immigrants or their children.” She pledged to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, a move that Perry opposes. One day after a debate that underscored the 2012 GOP front-runner’s vulnerability on illegal immigration, his main rivals sought to paint the Texas governor as weak and wrong on an issue that’s a priority for conservatives. Refusing to yield, Perry returned the criticism and brushed off his shaky debate performance a night
before. “It’s not who is the slickest candidate or who is the smoothest debater that we need to elect. We need to elect the candidate with the best record and the best vision for this country,” Perry said. “Remember President Clinton? Man, he could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. And then the next day, he’d be against ice cubes.” It was a rap against Romney, who has reversed his position on touchstone subjects. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, was looking to derail Perry, his biggest threat for the nomination. Bachmann, a Minnesota congresswoman, worked to claw back into the top tier of candidates after being eclipsed by Perry’s sudden rise over the past month. Both see opportunity by assailing Perry for signing a bill that grants in-state tuition to illegal immigrants who have lived in Texas for three years and sign an affidavit stating they will apply for permanent residency as soon as possible. Perry defended the plan during the debate Thursday night despite its unpopularity among conservatives.
FEE Continued from Page 1A es related to employment, is an agency of the state workforce commission. The state cut the local agency’s budget for child care services for this year by $200,000, Millan said. She said the new fee formula will not produce significant new revenue but would help offset the funding gap. “The goal is to make sure that we do not fall into
a negative, budget-wise,” she said. The new fee scale would take effect Oct. 1 if approved. Families already participating in the program would be grandfathered in to the new fees as they are recertified every three to six months (Andrew Kreighbaum may be reached at 728-2538 or akreighbaum@lmtonline.com)
CLINIC Continued from Page 1A la said the terms of the agreement allow the county more wiggle room. “Under this contract, we are under no long-term commitment to LMC. Not that we think we won’t be satisfied, but in the event we are not, as long as we give 60 days notice, we can get out,” he said. In total the court considered four proposals, three of them submitted by individuals. As the only proposal submitted by a hospital and medical care system, the LMC proposal comes with obvious benefits, according to Precinct 3 Commissioner Eddie Martinez. “Because they are a hospital,” said Martinez, “they allow the county to benefit
from the UPL program.” UPL stands for Upper Payment Limit. A provision of Medicare, the UPL reimburses a hospital for the cost of care and then some. “For every one dollar spent by the county for certain types of care at the clinic,” explained Martinez, “UPL reimburses one dollar and thirty-nine cents.” To enter the UPL program, the county has to commit eight percent of its general revenue from property taxes to indigent care. Money paid by the county for indigent care goes, not to the provider, but to the state, according to Martinez. Reimbursement in excess of the cost then comes
from the federal government. “Obviously, we’re going to have a little more funding to work with,” Martinez said. LMC Marketing Director Priscilla Martinez said county residents will receive 24-hour care seven days a week. “We will continue to provide primary care services as well,” she said. Commissioners Martinez and Vela both stated that one of the individuals who submitted a proposal to run he clinic, Dr. Edmundo O. Garcia, is now in talks with LMC to continue working for the clinic, possibly in an administrative capacity. As of Friday, LMC’s Martinez could not
confirm this. If Garcia, who is also the previous clinic operator, is going to remain in some capacity, that suits Martinez just fine. “It would be my hope that he stays on,” Martinez said. Zapata County spent $1.7 million dollars per year over the last two years on the clinic. As the county enters the new fiscal year under its new budget, that figure was expected to drop to $1 million a year, Vela told The Zapata Times earlier this month. LMC also runs the Zapata Medical Center, a non-county private health care provider. (Mike Herrera IV can be reached at (956) 728-2567 or mehrrera@lmtonline.com.)
FORUM Continued from Page 1A band, David Hartley, had visited a church on the Mexican side of Falcon Lake and how gunman began shooting at them from a boat, hitting her husband in the head. “It’s only by the grace of God that I’m here today,” Hartley said. Poe, whose district stretches north and east of Houston, called the hearing in the hopes that it would send a message to Washington that the drug violence plaguing Mexico can bleed over into the U.S. Poe criticized the Obama administration’s border security efforts, including a failed operation in which agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allowed weapons to be smuggled into Mexico to try to determine who was buying them. Turning to Janice Ayala, the assistant director for domestic operations homeland security investigations, who attended the hearing, Poe asked: “Has anyone in the federal government at any level been prosecuted for smuggling those weapons to Mexico?” Ayala said she could not address that. “There are some in the federal bureaucracy who would have us believe that the violence is all in Mexico,” Poe said. “These individuals know firsthand the violence is not confined to Mexico.” Poe also repeated the figure Border
“
There are some in the federal bureaucracy who would have us believe that the violence is all in Mexico . . . These individuals know firsthand the violence is not confined to Mexico.” REPUBLICAN REP. TED POE
Patrol shared earlier this year that approximately 44 percent of the southwest border was under “operational control.” “I do not think 44 percent operational control of the southern border is anything we should be bragging about,” Poe said. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute public-policy conference that the southwest border was “as secure as it has even been.” Obama said as much when he visited El Paso this spring to urge Congress to work toward comprehensive immigration reform. “This is not the testimony of those farmers and ranchers who live on the border,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. “It is a crisis in the very real sense of the
term.” Staples said the resources the border has received are appreciated but more are needed. The last time a Republican congressman held a field hearing on border security in Brownsville was during the construction of the controversial border fence. Then U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado stunned the audience by saying “I suggest that you build this fence around the northern part of your city.” Monday’s crowd at the University of Texas-Brownsville was considerably smaller. The only other congressman present was U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, a Republican whose district includes Brownsville. U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner was also supposed to participate was not able to get out of Milwaukee on Sunday night, Poe said.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Gliding into round two The Zapata seniors have helped lead the team to a flawless 32-3A record.
Zapata volleyballers roll into more district games By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Clara Sandoval | The Zapata Times
The Lady Hawks’ volleyball team finishes out the first round of district play today against Rio Grande City-La Grulla at home. Freshmen play at 1 p.m., junior varsity at 2 p.m. and the varsity finishes the day and
starts at 3 p.m. Zapata (5-0 District 32-3A, 11-7) faced one of its most daunting opponents in the La Feria Lionettes this past Tuesday. Behind the sensational play of junior Kristina De Leon, Zapata came away with a four-set win, 25-21, 23-25, 25-18, 27-25 to stay
See VOLLEYBALL PAGE 2B
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
The lost art of character Sportsmanship is quickly becoming a dying art. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalties have made their presence known so many times during high school and professional football games this year alone. Last week, I sat through a high school football game where the yellow hanky came out so many times that it looked like fireworks were coming out of the referee. Katy Perry could have used him for her “Fireworks” video and the referee would have blended in with the rest of the crowd because of the yellow flag. Sportsmanship is taught early on, but some coaches have this “win at all costs attitude” that sportsmanship many times takes a backseat to winning. All you have to do is look at how many athletes get caught breaking the rules in high school, college and the professional ranks. Reggie Bush had to give back his Heisman trophy because of irregularities during his playing days at USC. The Miami football program is in hot water because a former booster said that he provided many amenities that are not allowed by the NCAA. Even squeaky clean Mike Krzyzewski, head coach of the Duke men’s basketball program, had some recent allegations of misconduct this year. At the professional level, Major League Baseball has been stained with the steroid scandal of the 90’s which it might never recover from. So youngsters are taught that it is okay to cheat as long as you can get away with it and coaches sometimes are the ones leading the charge. Other times, coaches encourage a late hit or the athlete takes it upon themselves to kick their opponent when they are getting up from a pile after a tackle in football. When the officials are not looking, some athletes find that this is the time to play dirty. About two years ago, a female soccer player named Elizabeth Lambert of the New Mexico soccer team was videotaped taking a cheap shot at BYU forward Kassidy Shumway when the official was not looking.
See SANDOVAL PAGE 2B
Courtesy Photo
Zapata’s Jazmine Garcia has been a stellar comeptitor for the Lady Hawks and was a success at last weekend’s UTSA meet.
RUNNING WITH OBSTACLES Lady Hawks face new challenges without top rankings By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Lady Hawks’ cross country team has enjoyed a great deal of success the past few years, including being ranked in the state and multiple of trips to the regional and state meets. This year, however, has been a whole new experience for the Lady Hawks, who are treading into uncharted waters of not being ranked in state for the first time in a long while.
“The team has not been in this situation in quite sometime, but has taken on the challenge full steam ahead,” Zapata coach Mike Villarreal said. The reality of not being at the top finally set in at the Ricardo Romo Invitational at UTSA last weekend when the Lady Hawks got a glimpse of the regional competition and they went home with a disappointing fourth place finish in a field of more than 25 teams. “They realized they weren’t top dogs as before,” Villarreal said. “The Ricardo Romo Invitational provided the opportunity to get a
feel for what our region had to offer in 2011. “Being on top for so long comes with its advantages, but also brings out many extra pressures and anxieties. We now know exactly where we stand in the quest for another state berth in November.” The Lady Hawks took on a field that included more than 250 runners and did well for an “off ” year as they registered competitive times at the meet. Continuing to turn in another stellar per-
See GIRLS PAGE 2B
Hawks take off with high ranking By CLARA SANDOVAL THE ZAPATA TIMES
The Hawks’ boys’ cross country team has not let its secondplace ranking in the state hinder its progress on the course. There is still a greater goal in mind: make it to state. “We’re ranked second in state,
but my boys are aware that the true rankings are the results at state. Competition is on the course, not on paper,” Zapata coach Luis Escamilla said. Zapata got a glimpse of the regional competition when it ran at the Ricardo Romo Invitational last weekend at UTSA. Due to unforeseen injuries, the
Hawks finished second behind Liberty Hill. “Absolutely not,” Escamilla said about being happy with the team’s second-place finish. “Running is my religion and I will find a way to meet our goals in the postseason. “Finishing second is promising to qualify to state, but in a
way, it’s better to chase than to have a big target on our back. Many people may believe second place is the first loser; we see it as room for improvement and it lowers the pressure at the starting line.” During the early part of the
See CROSS COUNTRY PAGE 2B
PAGE 2B
Zscores
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
Big changes face Big 12 By JIM VERTUNO ASSOCIATED PRESS
There was talk of solidarity, plans for stability, expressions of encouragement. And then there was a step toward forced confinement from the Big 12 as it sought to prevent any more departures following a topsy-turvy year in which it lost Nebraska and Colorado and learned it will lose Texas A&M soon enough. The Big 12 dumped embattled Commissioner Dan Beebe on Thursday and announced a plan to bind nine member schools together by holding a huge financial hammer — their TV rights for the next six years — over their heads. The plan is far from a done deal, since it must be approved by some if not all the schools’ governing bodies. But if it sticks, any school that considers leaving the Big 12 would have to leave their TV rights — and millions of dollars — behind in a blow much more punishing than a typical exit fee. “These are very strong handcuffs,” Oklahoma President David Boren said after Big 12 university leaders met for more than an hour by telephone. “The grant of rights really does bind the conference together and it shows that we fully intend to stay together. Handcuffs. That’s what it has come to in a fractured league that seemed ready to split apart on Monday. And there are still signs the Big 12 has a lot of healing to do. Oklahoma, which was trying to leave the Big 12 for the Pac-12 just a few days ago, and Missouri, which wanted to leave for the Big Ten in 2010, even staged competing news conferences to start spreading the new message of goodwill and stability in the Big 12. Texas officials, often portrayed as the Big 12 bullies, chose not to say anything at all. Still not addressed was whether the Big 12 wants to do something about Texas’ lucrative Longhorn Network agreement with ESPN that casts an ominous shadow over the rest of the league. Beebe is gone after five upand-down years that included securing a 13-year, $1.2 billion contract with Fox Sports but sharp criticism for failing to keep Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) from leaving over the summer. Texas A&M plans to leave by July for the Southeastern Conference. Former Big Eight Commissioner Chuck Neinas will serve as interim commissioner. Bo-
Photo by Reinhold Matay | AP
This Dec. 7, 2006, file photo shows Chuck Neinas during the Home Depot College Football Sports Awards, in Lake Buena Vista Fla. The former Big Eight Commissioner, Neinas, says he’s been contacted by the Big 12 about being the conferences’ interim commissioner.
ren said Neinas will not be a candidate to take the job permanently. Revenue sharing and a change of leadership were considered by some schools, notably Oklahoma, as the top issues to address to save the league in the latest round of conference realignment. The Big 12 splits revenue from its Fox Sports contract evenly, but only half of the money from its top-tier deal with ABC goes into equal shares. The rest is weighted toward the programs that play on the network more frequently. Boren said all nine remaining schools — all those except for Texas A&M — “agreed” to give a six-year grant of their first- and second-tier television rights to the Big 12. The six-year term runs past the next negotiating period for the top-tier contract, currently with ABC/ESPN, in a bid to keep the nine schools together for the next contract. “If you wanted to talk about one important action that really does demonstrate that this conference is going to be stable, that we’re not going to have year-to-year dramas like we have had, I think that grant of rights is a very essential item,”
Boren said. Texas Tech President Guy Bailey agreed. “Not everybody in the past has been willing to do that,” Bailey said. Texas has proposed equal revenue sharing of top-level television rights but also said it won’t make changes to its controversial 20-year, $300 million contract with ESPN for the Longhorn Network. Boren said any changes to the Longhorn Network would have to be considered by a special panel to be appointed by Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton, Missouri’s chancellor. Boren said that panel would likely be chosen by Friday. Texas officials were not available for comment Thursday night. Thursday’s conference call came after a whirlwind month when the league appeared — again — to be on the verge of breaking apart. The league nearly split when Nebraska and Colorado left. The Big 12 appeared to be set as a 10-team league until Texas A&M announced earlier this month it will leave in 2012 to seek membership in the Southeastern Conference. That started a new round of
CROSS COUNTRY Continued from Page 1B race, Carlos Rodriguez, the Hawks’ No. 2 runner, hyper extended his ankle. “When your No. 2 runner has to drop out due to hyper extending his ankle at the start, it’s tough to win the meet,” Escamilla said. “However, I alerted the team of the incident during the race and everyone responded. The entire team improved their performances and we still had two guys in the top 10. “When we put Carlos into the lineup, we will be
more competitive against Liberty Hill.” The Hawks have been led by team captain Rafael Benavidez and seniors Juan Rangel, Tony Mendoza and Edgar Hernandez. “They are running with a lot of heart,” Escamilla said. “These guys are the leaders and set the tone every day.” The Hawks’ top runner is sophomore Luis Garza, who has had first, sixth and 10th place finishes this year.
“We are actually ahead of last year’s pace,” Escamilla said. “The way you perform in November is what counts. We have two meets (Carrizo Springs and Laredo UISD) left on the schedule before the championship phase starts. “These next two meets will prepare us to where we need to be to be winners for the postseason.” (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com)
SANDOVAL Continued from Page 1B The university suspended Lambert even after she issued an apology following the incident. How about the French soccer’s Zinedine Zidane’s infamous head butt in the 2006 World Cup? Just this past week, Floyd Mayweather Jr. took a cheap shot at Victor Ortiz to win a fight. Young and impressionable athletes watch all this and they think it’s okay, because they see those they look up to displaying unsportsmanlike conduct. Even shaking an opponent’s hand after games has become a sore spot. What happened to the days of playing hard, and if your team came up short you still shook hands at the end of the
game? I have witnessed athletes slap their opponent’s hand viciously after games because they were so upset that they lost. Coaches sometimes turn away from what their athletes are doing because they want to win so badly. Ohio football coach Jim Tressel was forced to resign this past year because he turned away from the facts that his players were violating NCAA rules and he even utilized an illegal player during the 2010 season. Sportsmanship needs to make its way back to all levels of sports because it is tearing at the integrity of the sports world. Sportsmanship starts by being taught at home and
reinforced by coaches and the school systems. Coaches who cheat should never be allowed to coach again until they take classes on integrity and sportsmanship before they are hired at any other job. Coaches who break the rules should be forced to sit out at least two years before getting hired again by any institution. NFL players who were caught breaking an NCAA rule in college should be forced to pay back their full cost of their college education. All these things would be avoided if we just had good sportsmanship. (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara @gmail.com).
maneuvering and Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech all were considering a potential move to the Pac-12 until it announced Tuesday that it would not expand. The 54-year-old Beebe became an easy target for schools upset about instability in the league. “I have no negative personal feelings toward our previous commissioner, but I’m alarmed by the fact that in 15 months we lost three teams and I’m aware in detail in how of some of those situations played out,” Boren said. “I don’t feel it was inevitable that we lost those three teams.” Critics portrayed Beebe as constantly being outmaneuvered by other league commissioners who were picking off his teams one by one and as someone beholden to Texas, the Big 12’s biggest and wealthiest member. Last fall, Beebe was granted a three-year extension on his contract through 2015. When the extension was announced, Deaton said Beebe had been “an outstanding leader” during challenging times. Now, he’s gone. “I put all my effort into doing what was best for the Big 12. With great fondness, I wish the Big 12 Conference a long and prosperous future,” Beebe said in a statement released by the Big 12. That future includes finding a replacement for Texas A&M. Boren said an expansion committee within the Big 12 had been restarted, but offered no timeline. Texas has said it wants the Big 12 to stay at 10 teams. Others may want to go back to 12. As for the Aggies? Texas A&M’s president, R. Bowen Loftin, participated in the call as a voting member but Boren said “no one should take that as a signal that they have changed their minds.” Boren said the other nine members did nothing to remove the threat of legal action that has kept A&M’s departure from being finalized. “I think that it’s highly likely that they will go to the SEC,” Boren said. “They’re so far down the line, I think, with the SEC that I don’t think they are likely to change their mind.” Texas A&M spokesman Jason Cook said the school is not sticking around. “Another key to the (Big 12’s) stability will be for the league to assist Texas A&M with our departure. The events of this week were positive in that regard,” Cook said.
NBA cans camps, preseason games By BRIAN MAHONEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — The NBA postponed training camps indefinitely and canceled 43 preseason games Friday because it has not reached a new labor deal with players. All games from Oct. 9-15 are off, the league said. Camps were expected to open Oct. 3. “We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time and need to cancel the first week of preseason games,” Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “We will make further decisions as warranted.” NBA.com’s schedule page, which has a banner across the top listing the number of games on each day, was changed Friday morning to read “0 Games” for each date until Oct. 16, when there are four games. Those could be in jeopardy, too, without an agreement by the end of this month or very early October. The league scrapped the remainder of its preseason schedule on Oct. 6 in 1998, when the regular season was reduced to 50 games. That remains the only time the NBA has lost games to a work stoppage. The cancellations were inevitable after the latest meeting between owners and players Thursday ended without a collective bargaining agreement. Both sides still hope the entire regular season, scheduled to begin Nov. 1, can be saved. The league locked out the players on July 1 after the expiration of the old labor agreement. Owners and players still haven’t agreed on how to divide revenues — players were guaranteed 57 percent under the previous deal — or the structure of the salary cap. The next talks aren’t scheduled, but both sides said Thursday they hope to meet again next week. They probably need a deal by the middle of October to avoid canceling real games. Asked Thursday if he thought things were far enough along to still believe that was possible, Commissioner David Stern said: “I don’t have any response to that. I just don’t. I don’t know the answer.”
GIRLS Continued from Page 1B formance and have a banner year was sophomore state medallist Jazmine Garcia, who captured second place overall with a time of 11:44. Garcia was only six seconds behind eventual winner and state runner-up, Liberty Hill’s Susan Kemper. Seven of Garcia’s teammates had personal records as the Lady Hawks continued to drop their times.
The top seven runners for the varsity were Garcia, Cassie Pena, Erica Hernandez, Sara Pena, Angela Darnell, Janet Chapa and Maria Rodriguez. “The face of the varsity has changed week in and week out, as a group of 10 girls do battle to earn a right to represent Zapata at district, regionals and the state (meet),” Villarreal said. “The battle lines have been drawn. Battle plans
have been made and are being executed day in and day out, as we look to defend the tradition of excellence and high expectations this program demands. They will continue to work hard and make Zapata proud every time they toe the line.” The junior varsity team also made the trip and placed 14th out of 29 teams. (Clara Sandoval can be reached at sandoval.clara@gmail.com)
VOLLEYBALL Continued from Page 1B atop the district. “We are really starting to come together,” Zapata coach Rosie Villarreal said. “We are where we should be and getting ready for the second round of district.” De Leon put on one of the best performances of the season with her 24kill effort that kept Zapata on pace with La Feria. Also getting into the offensive flow was senior Shelby Bigler, who backed De Leon’s performance with 19 kills of her own. Controlling the offense and dishing out the ball to De Leon and Bigler was setter Estella Molina, who finished the night with 34 assists. “Estella has made the difference since we went to one setter instead of
two,” Villarreal said. “She has really picked up the play of everyone and is always aware of her hitters.” The defense was aggressive and ambitious to keep the ball off the floor, with great diving plays that gave Zapata the edge over La Feria. No one was more visible in the back row than libero Abby Aguilar, who had 30 digs to lead all players. De Leon contributed 11. One aspect of Zapata’s dominance in the game was the weak service receive that La Feria displayed, as the Lionettes were picked apart with seven aces, with De Leon leading the charge with three. Bigler and Gaby Gutierrez had two apiece.
The Lady Hawks also welcomed back Jackie Salinas, who had been out with an injury for a month. “Jackie is slowly getting back to her spot to help us take the victory,” Villarreal said. “She was out for a long time but is coming around.” The win over La Feria will help when the Lady Hawks as they meet another one of their nemesis on Tuesday in Port Isabel. “The win over La Feria has given the girls the confidence that they can do this (win a consecutive district title),” Villarreal said. “I feel that we needed that type of game to give the team the motivation going into the second round.”
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS BY | HELOISE Dear Readers: Fifty years of Hints From Heloise in newspapers around the world! This week marks the ANNIVERSARY of this column’s very first week of newspaper syndication by King Features Syndicate. My mother, the original Heloise (1919-1977), started writing her column in Hawaii when my father (and our family) was stationed there (1958-1962) with the Air Force. I thought it would be fun to revisit some hints printed in that first year to see how they hold up today. The following hint is one that I just love! Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for more! — Heloise (the daughter, 2011)
TWO IDEAS Dear Heloise: One of my favorite ideas: If two people each had a dollar and exchanged them ... they would still have only a dollar each. On the other hand, if they exchanged ideas, they would have TWO ideas! — Doris Bond (1961)
PET PAL Dear Readers: Joleen V. of Keizer, Ore., sent a picture of her adorable Shih Tzu, Cuddles, who is 5 years old and a bit tired after playing with her new birthday toy, a stuffed cupcake. To see Cuddles and our other Pet Pals, go to www.Heloise.com and click on “Pets.” — Heloise
DRY TOWELS Dear Heloise: I use a standing tree-style coat rack in my guest bathroom for overnight guests and their towels. Long ago, I sewed loops on my towels at the middle, along their lengths, for when I use them at the gym. These loops will ensure that the towels don’t hit the floor, and they will air out more quickly. — Laura G., Springfield, Mo.
HELP! Dear Heloise: Almost all
“
HELOISE
men think your column is only for women. Wake up, guys! I’ve been reading the paper for many years. I am 57 years old and married. I do the shopping, cleaning, cooking, etc. I’ve learned so much from your columns! Just a sample: Years ago, I had trouble opening the plastic bags in the produce section. Your column said, “Lick your fingers.” Same can be done with trash bags. Start reading the column, guys. You know, if you help your wives in the house, then Heloise Hints will make it a lot easier on you. Your wife will be surprised at your knowledge! — John S. from Florida Thanks for the endorsement, John. However, a lot of my readers are male! Lifestyle helpful hints are genderless. — Heloise
SAFETY FIRST Dear Heloise: When backing out of a parking lot, it is not always possible to see clearly oncoming traffic because of the car next to you. I touch the emergency flashing-light button and slowly ease my way out. It is the best warning signal you can give. — Dick in Rogers, Ark.
POTTED-PLANT PROBLEM Dear Heloise: Have a pot with a hole in the bottom that causes dirt to fall through? Use mesh drywall tape. It keeps dirt in, and water can pass through. For larger holes, crisscross two pieces. — Carol in San Antonio 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(at)Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
FAMILY CIRCUS
DENNIS THE MENACE
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4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
Tate blooms with ball Rookie RB’s start ranks with elite By CHRIS DUNCAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Two games into his NFL career, Ben Tate isn’t thinking much about the elite group he’s already joined. The Houston Texans’ running back is the 11th player in league history to open his career with backto-back 100-yard games, a list that includes Earl Campbell, Billy Sims, Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams is the only running back to reach 100 yards rushing in his first three games. Tate will probably have a chance to match Williams on Sunday when Houston (2-0) plays at New Orleans (1-1), because 2010 NFL leading rusher Arian Foster is still limited by a left hamstring strain. Despite Tate’s fast start, Houston coach Gary Kubiak said Foster will regain his starting role when he’s fit enough to play. Foster took some snaps in Friday’s practice, and will be re-evaluated Saturday. “It’s tough,” Foster said. “I think it’s more mental than it is anything because like I said before, it’s not something you can really push through. It’s not something that you can play with at 100 percent, so you just got to be patient with it. It’s just got to work that way.” Tate can relate to Foster’s frustration. The former Auburn star was a second-round pick by the Texans in 2010, then broke his right ankle in Houston’s first preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. And like Foster, Tate was hampered by a hamstring injury during training camp this year. Kubiak became concerned
Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez | AP
Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo (9) hopes to lead the Cowboys on MNF against the Redskins, but injuries may stop him.
Romo isn’t ruled out Photo by Hans Deryk | AP
Houston Texans running back Ben Tate (44) runs during the second half of a game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Miami.
Injuries may ruin Dallas’ MNF debut By JAIME ARON ASSOCIATED PRESS
with how much practice time Tate was missing, but Tate has proven to be a quick learner. Tate saw his first live action in more than a year in Houston’s third preseason game, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown in a 27-14 win over New Orleans. Foster was inactive for the Texans’ season-opening win over Indianapolis, and when backup Derrick Ward left the game with a sprained right ankle, Tate made the most of his longdelayed opportunity, rushing 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 103 yards in a 23-13 win in Miami last week, helping the Texans keep the clock moving late with 13 carries in the fourth quarter. Tate expects to have some challenging blocking assignments on Sunday
against the Saints’ blitzheavy defense. But Tate downplays the difficulty of the transition from college, and says he’s confident that he can handle pro-level pass protection as well as he’s handled his rushes. Eventually, Foster will get his job back, and Tate will be relegated to a reserve role once again. For now, Tate isn’t fazed by that. Notes: Kubiak was optimistic that WRs Jacoby Jones (bruised left knee) and Kevin Walter (bruised right shoulder) will be ready to play by Sunday, even though Jones has sat out team drills this week. ... Seventh-round draft pick Derek Newton will move into backup tackle Rashad Butler’s spot on the depth chart. Butler was placed on injured reserve this week with an elbow injury.
IRVING — Tony Romo is still sleeping in a recliner, still not practicing and still not certain whether he’ll be able to play against the Redskins on Monday night. He’s also not ruling himself out. While tests show his punctured lung has healed, his broken rib hurts plenty, especially when he moves the wrong way. How much he can play through that pain — not just tolerate it, but throw the ball accurately, even after getting hit and rising from the turf — will determine whether he starts in the Cowboys’ home opener. Romo has been fitted for a protective vest, and done some light throwing. He’s been in meetings and is studying the playbook to
make sure he’s ready, if everything checks out OK. He said he’s getting up to five hours of treatment each day. There are certain movements and throws he needs to be able to make before he knows he can play. However, he’s not even sure when he will test himself. Dallas practices again Saturday and has a walkthrough Sunday. He also could wait all the way until pregame warm-ups. Garrett said Romo has been cleared medically. Romo said doctors could still rule him out. Romo understands the medical details of what happened and what could happen if he plays again. This isn’t the kind of injury that could get worse if he plays, but playing wouldn’t help it get better any sooner. Romo was hurt on the third play against San Francisco on Sunday, yet stayed in throughout the first half. He missed part of the third quarter, then
returned and led the Cowboys to a comeback victory in overtime. His performance, especially considering the circumstances, earned him the NFC offensive player of the week award. It’s also helped douse the talk that he can’t come through when it matters most, which was all the talk last week, following his flop at the finish of the opener, turning a late lead against the Jets into a loss. Jon Kitna would start if Romo can’t. Dallas also is likely to activate thirdstringer Stephen McGee. The Cowboys took the risk of being without a third quarterback the first two games. Dallas (1-1) could use a win over Washington (2-0) to distance itself from the ugly 1-7 start last season. Even if Romo plays, the Cowboys could be without several other key players, or with many of them at less than full strength. That includes his center and left guard.