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ZAPATA RISING
A flood of memories Residents recall city before dam By MATTHEW NELSON LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Zapata Rising, a three-day commemoration of the 1953 flood that destroyed Zapata and forced it to begin again, kicked off Thursday with the sharing of stories and memories from the time before the city was lost. “We gather to express our unending gratitude to the residents of old Zapata and old Guerrero for their personal sacrifices. They lost their homes, they lost their land — land that had been passed down for generations,” said Zapata County Judge Joseph Rathmell. “We will never forget that they did this for us to give us a better future.” Director of the Zapata County Museum of History Dr. Hildegardo Flores, who grew up in Zapa-
See ZAPATA RISING
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Photo by Danny Zaragoza | Laredo Morning Times
Mirayda Peña stands with Patricia Gonzalez as Gonzalez explains her family tree, recognizing ancestors from the 1800s on Thursday evening at the Zapata County Community Center during the opening ceremony for the Zapata Rising event.
SAN ANTONIO
COST OF LIVING
Rising food prices
Photo by Eric Gay/file | AP
Visitors walk past a custom case that will house William Barret Travis’ famed “Victory of Death” letter at the Alamo, in San Antonio. The Texas General Land Office approved a gun rights rally for today.
Gun rally to fill Alamo By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
McALLEN — This is how to make another gun rally in gun-friendly Texas stand out: Tell everybody to bring their rifles and shotguns to the Alamo, the state’s most popular attraction, which sits downtown in the country’s seventh-largest city. And be sure to invite the state’s gun-friendliest politician, who also happens to hold the keys to the historic site. When the organizers of “Come and Take It San Antonio!” made plans for a display of long guns today, this setting seemed ideal but the event is now drawing attention for breaking a century-long tradition against public demonstrations at the shrine of Texas liberty, where Col. William Travis and 200 Texas defenders famously died in a siege
with the Mexican army in 1836. Such public displays have usually been relegated to an adjacent plaza. Some are asking whether a pro-gun group has gone too far in extolling firearms rights, a feat considered near impossible in Texas. And whether a politician may have been too willing to accommodate them. “We certainly consider the Alamo our family cemetery,” said Lee Spencer White, president of the Alamo Defenders’ Descendants Association. “Our guys died there and we take it very seriously.” Inside the weathered stone mission church where the Texans made their last stand, “You instantly become reverent,” she said. “You feel the sacrifice and the emotions of those who died there. You can’t help but leave feeling moved and changed forever.”
But rally organizers say the site fits their cause, protesting a San Antonio local ordinance they say impinges on firearms rights. “We’re doing this to show that we’re not going to back down,” said Victoria Montgomery, a spokeswoman for Open Carry Texas, one of the groups behind the event. The gun groups organized the rally after a confrontation with San Antonio police two months ago. Police threatened to arrest several activists who were carrying their rifles outside a Starbucks. Texas law prohibits open carrying of handguns but has no similar restriction for long guns. The Texas penal code, however, does bar display of a “deadly weapon in a public place in a manner
See ALAMO
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Consumer demand drives chicken, red meat prices higher TEXAS FARM BUREAU
WACO — Texas shoppers will pay more for meat — especially chicken — according to the latest Texas Farm Bureau Groce-
ry Price Watch Survey. The total cost of the 16-item grocery bill rose slightly to $45.63, compared to $44.55 last quarter. “Football season means wings and demand for
chicken has exploded, both with consumers and the fast food service industry,” said TFB President Kenneth Dierschke. “This was
See FOOD
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Gov hopefuls speak to law enforcement group By WILL WEISSERT ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The top two Texans vying to become governor addressed the state’s largest law enforcement union Friday — but not at the same time. The appearances marked the first time both Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis and Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott were at
the same event since formally kicking off their gubernatorial campaigns, according to Abbott spokesman Matt Hirsch. But their paths never actually crossed. Davis accepted an award as the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas’ Legislative Crime Fighter of the Year before lunch at the group’s annual convention. Abbott, meanwhile,
gave a keynote address in the late afternoon. The highlight of his speech was when the group presented him a special Texas-edition Browning 410 shotgun. Known nationally for leading a 12-plus hour filibuster that temporarily blocked strict new limits on abortion from passing the state Legislature, Davis was honored for her
See GOVERNOR
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Zin brief CALENDAR
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
AROUND TEXAS
TODAY IN HISTORY
Saturday, Oct. 19
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas Computer Education Association’s iPad conference. 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Texas A&M International University. Interactive, hands-on activities based on a few key apps. Staff will model use of iPad for content creation and higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Teachers, librarians and administrators encouraged. $59 for members and $99 for non-members (includes TCEA membership). Visit tcea.org/convene/itcea for more information or call Dr. Patricia Abrego at 326-2302. TAMIU Planetarium shows: “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure” 2 p.m.; “Zula Patrol: Under the Weather” 3 p.m.; “Seven Wonders” 4 p.m.; and “Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Matinee shows $4 at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Call 326-3663. LBVESC Dia del Rio Trail Workday. 8 a.m. to noon (registration 7:30 a.m.). Paso del Indio Natural Trail at Laredo Community College’s Fort McIntosh Campus. T-shirts available on first-come, first-served basis. Call 7645701.
Today is Saturday, Oct. 19, the 292nd day of 2013. There are 73 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Oct. 19, 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points, or 22.6 percent in value, to close at 1,738.74. On this date: In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress, meeting in New York, drew up a declaration of rights and liberties. In 1781, British troops under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Va., as the American Revolution neared its end. In 1812, French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte began their retreat from Moscow. In 1864, Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early attacked Union forces at Cedar Creek, Va.; the Union troops were able to rally and defeat the Confederates. In 1936, H.R. Ekins of the New York World-Telegram beat out Dorothy Kilgallen of the New York Journal and Leo Kieran of The New York Times in a round-the-world race on commercial flights that lasted 18 1/2 days. In 1944, the play “I Remember Mama,” by John van Druten, opened at the Music Box Theater on Broadway. In 1951, President Harry S. Truman signed an act formally ending the state of war with Germany. In 1960, the United States began a limited embargo against Cuba covering all commodities except medical supplies and certain food products. In 1967, the U.S. space probe Mariner 5 flew past Venus. In 1977, the supersonic Concorde made its first landing in New York City. In 1982, automaker John Z. DeLorean was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, accused of conspiring to sell $24 million of cocaine to salvage his business. (DeLorean was acquitted at trial on grounds of entrapment.) In 1994, 22 people were killed as a terrorist bomb shattered a bus in the heart of Tel Aviv’s shopping district. Entertainer Martha Raye died in Los Angeles at age 78. Ten years ago: Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa during a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square. Five years ago: Retired Gen. Colin Powell, a Republican who was President George W. Bush’s first secretary of state, broke with the party and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president, calling him a “transformational figure” during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” One year ago: The Dow Jones industrial average had its worst day in four months, falling 205 points, or 1.5 percent, to 13,344. The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 24, or 1.7 percent, to 1,433. And the Nasdaq composite index dropped 67 points to 3,006. Today’s Birthdays: Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Robert S. Strauss is 95. Author John le Carre (luh kah-RAY’) is 82. Artist Peter Max is 76. Author and critic Renata Adler is 75. Actor Michael Gambon is 73. Actor John Lithgow (LIHTH’-goh) is 68. Feminist activist Patricia Ireland is 68. Singer Jeannie C. Riley is 68. Actress Gillian Jacobs is 31. Thought for Today: “To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something.” — Walker Percy, American author (1916-1990).
Sunday, Oct. 20 First United Methodist Church’s 12th Annual Pumpkin Patch. Noon to 7 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Proceeds go to Youth Ministries. Contact Sue Webber at 722-1674 or fumc_office@sbcglobal.net. Vuelta D’Laredo. First race starts 8 a.m. Intersection of Mines Road and Highway 255. Early registration fee $30. Regular registration $40. Register at Laredo Ciclomania, 611 Shiloh Rd., No. 2, or Pro Bike, 5603 San Dario Ave., No. 2. All proceeds benefit Makea-Wish. Call Eddie Rios at 326-8344.
Monday, Oct. 21 First United Methodist Church 12th Annual Pumpkin Patch. Open Monday-Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Proceeds go to Youth Ministries. Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589. Lulac Council No. 12’s Annual Tejano Achiever Awards Banquet. 7 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Admission $50 per person. Table for 10 is $500. Call Ed Bueno 763-2214.
Friday, Oct. 25 29th Annual Update in Medicine Conference. Noon to 6:15 p.m. UT Laredo Regional Campus, 1937 E. Bustamante St. Visit www.mrgbahec.org or call 712-0037. Movies on the Patio, featuring “Teatro del Crimen,” starring Ma. Antonieta Pons and Cesar del Campo. 7:30 p.m. Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. In Spanish with English subtitles. Entrance free and open to public. Call 727-0977 or visit webbheritage.org.
Saturday, Oct. 26 29th Annual Update in Medicine Conference. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. UT Laredo Regional Campus, 1937 E. Bustamante St. Visit www.mrgbahec.org or call 712-0037. TAMIU Planetarium shows: “Zula Patrol: Down to Earth” 2 p.m.; “Secrets of the Sun” 3 p.m.; “Planets Quest” 4 p.m.; and “Pink Floyd’s The Wall” 5 p.m. General admission $4 children and $5 adults. Premium shows $1 more. Matinee shows $4 at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Call 326-3663.
Photo by Tamir Kalifa | AP
Sarah Norris, conservator for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, points out a bullet hole in the blood-stained shirt worn by Texas Gov. John Connally on the day gunfire wounded him and killed President John F. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin on Tuesday. Texas state archivists are preparing the suit and shirt worn by Connally as the centerpiece for an exhibit to mark next month’s 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination.
Exhibit to observe event By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Your eyes instinctively seek the holes in the vintage 1960s black wool men’s business suit. The white cotton dress shirt with now-faded blood stains more vividly illustrates the horror of a half century ago. Emergency room staff at Dallas’ Parkland Memorial Hospital removed the clothing from seriously wounded Texas Gov. John Connally, in the rush to save his life from the same burst of gunfire that also had left President John Kennedy mortally wounded. Texas state archivists now have readied the suit and shirt worn by Connally that day as the centerpiece of an exhibit to mark next month’s 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination. It will be the first public display since 1964
for the clothing Connally wore Nov. 22, 1963, during Kennedy’s visit. Connally and his wife gave the clothing to the state archives. John Anderson, preservation officer at the archives, said the display tells an important aspect of a well-known story. “For Texans, this is something that maybe gets forgotten by some of the rest of the world, that Gov. Connally was shot at the same time,” he said, noting that Connally’s chest wound could have been fatal. The items will be displayed through Feb. 14 in the library lobby in a glass case that will allow visitors to see them from all sides. Connally and his wife were in the jump seat of the open convertible limousine, Kennedy and wife Jacqueline were in the back seat. Connally died in 1993. He was 75. His wife died in 2006 at age 87.
MD Anderson to use IBM’s ‘Watson’ to fight cancer
Texas 5th graders don mustaches against drugs
System maintenance to affect license sales
HOUSTON — The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is saying, “Come here, Watson. We need you.” The famed Houston cancer institute has announced that it has now employed IBM’s Watson cognitive computer system into its ongoing war on cancer. MD Anderson and IBM showcased a prototype on Friday afternoon at the Houston cancer institute.
AUSTIN — Fifth-graders want the eyes of Texas to be on their mustaches. More than 1,000 mustachioed fifth-graders were expected to attend the Red Ribbon Rally Thursday at the state Capitol. The rally was in support of antidrug efforts. The meaning of the mustache?: “I mustache you not to do drugs.”
AUSTIN — State officials say no hunting and fishing licenses will be available for purchase between 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. the following morning because the licensing system will be down for maintenance. Texas Parks and Wildlife announced Thursday that Texans hoping to hunt or fish Sunday should purchase their licenses before 9 p.m. today.
Some East Texas school employees now armed
Students, coaches hurt in school bus crash
LUFKIN — Some employees at an East Texas school district are now armed on campus. The Huntington Independent School District board passed the policy allowing some staff to carry arms in March. Superintendent Eric Wright says staff with concealed carry permits that want to bring their arms on campus underwent several training programs.
TROY — Several middle school football players and two coaches have been treated and released from hospitals after their school bus collided with an 18-wheeler. Troy police Chief Keith Reed said Friday that 11 players were treated along with the coaches. The bus was struck about 9 p.m. Thursday. — Compiled from AP reports
Double homicide suspect found dead SAN ANTONIO — The suspect in a double homicide has been found dead at the bottom of a cliff. San Marcos Police say they found the body Thursday of 23year-old Daniel Brewster Stillwell inside his car at the bottom of a road. Police had focused on Stillwell as a suspect in the shooting.
AROUND THE NATION
Tuesday, Oct. 29 Anti-“Boo”llying event, hosted by PILLAR. 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. UniTrade Stadium, 6320 Sinatra Parkway. Free and open to students from elementary to high school. Parents invited. Students receive 10 community services hours. Students with appropriate Halloween costume to be considered for prizes. Call 723-7457 or visit pillarstrong.org.
Thursday, Oct. 31 Los Amigos Duplicate Bridge Club. 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laredo Country Club. Call Beverly Cantu at 7270589.
Saturday, Nov. 2 First United Methodist Church will hold a used book sale, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1220 McClelland Ave. Hardback books are $1, paperback books 50 cents, and magazines and children’s books 25 cents.
Newtown: No events to mark anniversary NEWTOWN, Conn. — The leader of the board that governs Newtown, Conn., says it will not host any townwide events to mark the anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. First Selectman Pat Llodra (loh-DRAH’) says the community is choosing to remember and honor the victims in ways that are “quiet, personal and respectful.” A gunman killed 20 children and six women inside the school Dec. 14 before committing suicide.
Fire damages residential Los Angeles high-rise LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles firefighters have rescued two more victims from a residential high-rise after a midday fire. Fire Department spokesman
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A little blue heron catches a crayfish in the Shark Valley section of Everglades National Park on Thursday in Everglades National Park, Fla.
Brian Humphrey says a child and an adult were found. Two other residents were taken to hospitals earlier due to smoke exposure, and Humphrey says firefighters have encountered others in and outside the building with minor to moderate
respiratory complaints. The blaze was reported at 11:43 a.m. Friday in the 25-story Barrington Plaza on Wilshire Boulevard. The blaze was declared out in 71 minutes. — 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, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A
Man jailed, accused of In trouble over a ride having stolen property Woman accused of having 3 illegal immigrants in car By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ
By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ
THE ZAPATA TIMES
THE ZAPATA TIMES
A 21-year-old man accused of being in possession of stolen property was arrested Tuesday, sheriff ’s officials said Friday. On Wednesday, Seferino Saucedo Jr. was arrested and charged with theft in the 1700 block of Jackson Street after being served with a warrant. The alleged theft is a Class B misdemeanor, which could carry a punishment of up to 180 days in jail and/or a $2,000 fine. Saucedo posted a $1,500 at the Zapata Regional Jail on Thursday, according to custody records. Investigator Angel Garza Jr., of the Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office, said a burglary had been reported Sept. 8 in Zapata. He tracked down a stolen 32-inch flat screen television to Laredo. Authorities recovered the TV from a woman who had purchased the item at a Buffalo Pawn in South Laredo. The TV was valued at $300. Garza said though the burglary could
SEFERINO SAUCEDO JR.
not be proven, Saucedo was in possession of stolen property since the pawn ticket was made out to him. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
THE BLOTTER Burglary
Possession
Resisting arrest
A 53-year-old man reported at 10:58 p.m. Oct. 11 in the 1400 block of Falcon Avenue that someone burglarized his home. The suspect(s) made it out with a flat screen television and a DVD player. The property was valued at $800. Deputies responded to a burglary call at 8:50 a.m. Oct. 13 in the 200 block of Lake Shore Drive. Two electrical saws with a total value of $950 were stolen from a storage shed. A burglary of a vehicle was reported at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 in the 1800 block of Villa Avenue. A man reported that someone stole a stereo worth $200 from his 1996 Ford Mustang. A 78-year-old woman reported at 1:46 p.m. Monday in the 1300 block of Falcon Lane that someone broke into the residence and stole a 32-inch flat screen television worth $500.
Clarissa Villarreal, 26, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance at about 9:30 p.m. Oct. 11 by the intersection of U.S. 83 and Illinois Street. She had a $10,000 bond at the Zapata County Jail.
Miguel Andres Martinez, 33, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest at about 2 a.m. Oct. 12 in the 200 block of Kennedy Street. He had a $5,000 bond at the Zapata Regional Jail.
Public intoxication Leonardo Zuniga, 35, was arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 3:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in the intersection of 20th Street and Guerrero Avenue. Deputies also arrested Bruno E. Hernandez Solis, 17, and charged him with minor in possession of alcohol. Both people were released for future court appearance. Sergio Barragan, 32, and Fernando M. Rivera, 29, were arrested and charged with public intoxication at about 11:30 p.m. Oct. 13 along Cardinal Street in the Falcon Mesa neighborhood.
Theft A 50-year-old man reported Oct. 12 by the area of U.S. 83 and Alejandreñas Road that someone stole oilfield equipment from Chesapeake Energy. A 33-year-old man reported Oct. 13 in the 300 block of Gonzalez Street that someone stole a lawnmower worth $220. Energy Transfer representatives reported at 8:45 a.m. Thursday that someone stole 150 barrels of oil condensate from a yard located 24 miles east of U.S. 83 on FM 2687. Investigators are looking into the case.
LAREDO — A woman who claimed she was just giving a ride to three illegal immigrants was arrested on human smuggling charges Tuesday night near the Webb and Zapata County line, according to court documents. Ericka Hernandez was charged with transporting illegal immigrants with a motor vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday. Her preliminary examination and detention hearing is set for 10 a.m. Oct. 24 in Courtroom 3C. Hernandez remained in federal custody. At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, agents parked along U.S. 83 near Dolores Creek in Zapata County and observed a black Dodge Ram heading north. One agent recalled seeing the same vehicle traveling south at about 7 p.m. An agent followed the pickup for a closer observation. Once the agent got behind the Dodge Ram, the driver hit the brakes
The agent also asked the man in Spanish about his citizenship. … All three passengers suddenly admitted to being in the United States illegally. and slowed down. The driver began to swerve along the road, the complaint reads. Agents conducted an immigration inspection on the occupants of the Dodge Ram once it stopped about 1 mile north of the Webb and Zapata County line. The driver was identified as Hernandez, a U.S. citizen. A man who was the front passenger was asked in English for his citizenship but he did not respond. Hernandez turned to the man and asked him the same question but in Spanish. The agent also asked the man in Spanish about his citizenship. He replied Mexico. All three passengers suddenly admitted to be-
ing in the United States illegally. “(Hernandez) blurted out that she was just giving the subjects a ride,” a complaint reads. The four people were taken into custody and transported to the Zapata Border Patrol Station for processing. At the station, one immigrant said he and his brother had made arrangements with a young man in the Tamaulipas bordertown of Miguel Aleman in Mexico to be smuggled to San Antonio for about $1,200 each. They crossed the Rio Grande in a boat near Roma, according to court documents. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
PAGE 4A
Zopinion
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
No jobs in the age of disruption Jobs disappearing is the new threat to society By LLEWELLYN KING HEARST NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON — Disruption is in the air: disruption in Congress, disruption in the workplace, disruption in the well-being of the middle class. History may well term this the Age of Disruption. This need not be all bad. Disruption is only a problem if it is poorly managed, or if forces beyond control devastate existing order. Take the Russian Revolution or the recent tsunamis in Asia. Nowadays, we tend to think of disruption as being uniquely in the province of technology — and it is this disruption that harbors the most future shock. The most serious disruption now getting underway is the disappearance of jobs; not the replacement of old jobs, but the utter disappearance of jobs. Jobs that once were going into the ether or, call it what you will, to the cloud. Gone for good. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution was ushered in by the replacement of human and animal labor by shaft horsepower derived from a waterwheel or a steam engine, technology is subtracting jobs rather than adding them. This is a disruption that hurts. From Oxford University comes one of the most disquieting studies on the future yet to appear. Two researchers, Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne, predict that 47 percent of American jobs are at risk in the coming years from computerization. Their conclusions are stupefying: Nearly half the jobs in the United States could disappear in a few short years. Worse, according to the Oxford University researchers, these jobs will affect the great middle reaches of employment, from the white-collar jobs down to unskilled workers. The study “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerization?” should have every parent and every policy wonk asking: What should be done? What can we do to save half of the population from not being able to find a job at any level, of being driven to compete for minimum-wage employment? Until now, each leap forward in technology and its corresponding increase in productivity has had two effects: — The economic benefits have been shared with the workers. That has ended. — New prosperity from automation always led to new demand for more goods and services. This maybe ending. Depressed wages do not lead to new purchases. In turn, this history has led to a pervasive economic myth that the relationship between automation — even automation using advanced computers — will always lead to more jobs and more prosperity. Yet the market for labor is changing dramatically, and that lockstep has lasted pretty well since the first loom in England substituted shaft horsepower for human labor in the 18th century. That happy union may be broken. The Oxford researchers, in a National Public Radio interview, suggested that the only safe jobs might be those that require a high degree of education and interpersonal skills like the law, teaching and management consulting. My own daily reminder of the world of jobs that is changing is my Kindle. It reproves me. Its value is that I am never without a new book, and it is more portable than any but small pocket books. But I used to publish books and every time I open the electronic book, I think of the long chain of people who were involved in making a book years ago: typesetters, printers, binders, warehouse staff, book wholesalers and finally the clerks who took your money. All worthwhile jobs with dignity. Books and book stores are not worse hit than many other things, but they are suffering. When did you last speak to a person at your bank, airline, insurance company or utility? A nation that does all of its business online may be efficient in the short term until online leads to the bread line. Disruption is the new normal and we need to understand it. New industries need to be sought. An example of a newish industry that has flourished in recent decades is tourism. A century ago, a few rich people traveled. Now tourism is the world’s largest employer. Old remedies for new problems won’t do it. The jobs deficit won’t be fixed by what we seem to have on the table: lower corporate taxes and less unionism. Less general wealth is the wrong kind of disruption — and we are heading that way. (Contact Llewellyn King at lking@kingpublishing.com.)
COLUMN
Christianity needs vegetarianism By CHARLES C. CAMOSY THE SEATTLE TIMES
Most of us are totally disconnected from the process of food production. When taking a bite of pepperoni pizza, we don’t think about the fact that we are eating pig. When grabbing a burger, it seldom crosses our minds that we are about to bite into a piece of cow. As Christians, if someone confronts us with these uncomfortable facts, we justify our behavior by noting that God gave human beings “dominion” over animals in the Genesis creation stories. But those same stories also insist that God gives us plants to eat, not animals. God creates animals “because it is not good man should be alone.” Look it up. Furthermore, both Isaiah and Paul insist that all of creation will be redeemed such that both human and nonhuman animals will live together in a peaceable kingdom of nonviolent companionship. Sadly, that time seems a long ways off. Most of the meat we eat comes from huge corporations via monstrous factory farms, in which more than 100 million chickens are slaughtered each week in the United States alone. The lives of these chickens — like those of most animals in factory farms — are miserable, short and often terribly painful. They spend their pitiful lives in almost complete darkness and in only
If full-blown vegetarianism is too intimidating, perhaps we should return to the ancient practice of refusing to eat meat on Fridays and during the holy season of Lent. It would be an important first step toward meeting our serious moral obligations to nonhuman animals. about one-half of a square foot of living space. To ensure that they reach full size and move to slaughter quickly, chickens are now genetically altered so that they feel constant hunger and eat as much as they can as quickly as possible. The all-consuming goal of factory farms is to maximize protein-unit output per square foot of space. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church teaches that: 1. It is seriously wrong to cause animals to suffer and die without great need; 2. We owe animals kindness. Those who buy chickens and other animals from factory farms cooperate with a cruel evil and make a mockery of our duty to show animals kindness. Furthermore, virtually no one needs to eat factoryfarmed meat — especially given that we can get more than enough protein from eating relatively cheap lentils, peas, beans and nuts. Eating meat is also one of the major causes of cancer and heart disease; it is hard-
ly surprising that cultures that rarely eat meat have higher life expectancy than those that eat meat regularly. We also know that the methane produced by the excrement and other bodily emissions of the 50 billion factory-farmed animals killed each year does more to affect climate change than all the emissions of cars and planes combined. The easiest and most productive thing one could do to lower one’s carbon footprint — a solemn duty for Christians committed to protect God’s creation — is simply to stop eating meat from factory farms. Interestingly, from the very first Council at Jerusalem, concern about ethical meat-eating has been central for Christianity. The Middle Ages produced St. Francis, perhaps the greatest animallover of all time. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, just before he became Pope Benedict XVI, described the issue of factory farming as “very serious” and claimed that “degrading of living
creatures to a commodity” directly contradicts the Bible’s understanding of animals. Given that his predecessor spoke out about factory farming, might Pope Francis also speak out about it? Given both his namesake and his willingness to try new things, we shouldn’t be surprised if he does. But we need not wait to make good on our obligations to treat animals with kindness and resist the horrifically cruel practice of factory farming. Christians already have a long tradition of refusing to eat meat on holy days. If full-blown vegetarianism is too intimidating, perhaps we should return to the ancient practice of refusing to eat meat on Fridays and during the holy season of Lent. It would be an important first step toward meeting our serious moral obligations to nonhuman animals. Contact Professor Charles C. Camosy of Fordham University at camosy@fordham.edu.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A
Three in jail over pot incident By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
LAREDO — Three men accused of conspiring and transporting marijuana remained in federal custody, court records show. Elmer Oswaldo Campos, 36, Andrew James Escamilla, 34, and Juan Manuel Perez Jr., 38, face charges of conspiracy to distribute in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana, according to a criminal complaint filed Oct. 3. U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga set a $175,000 bond with a $3,500 deposit to Escamilla. He hasn’t posted bail. Though the charges on Escamilla are in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana, the government will likely seek charges of dealing in excess of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana because the amount of pot hauled by Escamilla’s trailer will be between 5,000 and 10,000 pounds of marijuana, according to court records.
Campos is pending a detention hearing. Quiroga, however, ordered Perez to be detained pending trial, according to court documents. A detention order states Perez has dual residence in McAllen and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Perez is a handyman with minimal financial assets and ties. Court documents allege Perez has a prior marijuana possession conviction for he which he served a 30-month sentence for trying to distribute 524 kilograms of pot. Perez received an eight-year probation sentence October 2009 for a state jail felony possession of marijuana. Campos, Escamilla and Perez were arrested Oct. 2 after “agents searched the trailer and determined there to be an excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana,” a complaint reads. It’s alleged the men traveled between Zapata and San Ygnacio. (César G. Rodriguez may be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmtonline.com)
Sheriff’s office to launch website THE ZAPATA TIMES
Sheriff Alonso Lopez’s office will be launching a new website Monday to provide county residents with a comprehensive guide to the Sheriff ’s Office, at zapatasheriff.com. Users will be able to find information regarding Lopez, the office’s administration, the county jail and much more. A highlight of the site includes a section, called ACT, allows residents to get involved in promoting everyday life security measures. ACT is a suspicious activity online reporting system that al-
lows citizens to share information concerning activities or incidents the reporting individual finds to be outside of normal behavior. Users will be able to submit an anonymous report on activities or incidents they believe could be a risk or threat to public safety. Users do not have to identify themselves. The ACT form can be found at zapatasheriff.com/act/ The Sheriff ’s Office is open to comments and suggestions on how to better improve the site. For more information or comments contact 765-9960, via fax: 765-9941 or by email: info@zapatacountytx.gov.
Biz school highly ranked SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
The Texas A&M International University A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business was ranked third in the nation for “Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students,” and named to the Best Business Schools West listing among the nation’s 295 most outstanding business schools by the education services company, The Princeton Review. TAMIU’s dean of the Sanchez School of Business Steve Sears said the review’s positive appraisal of TAMIU is exciting. “Our faculty and administration are excited to see their collective energies dedicated to Sanchez School of Business students recognized in this very powerful way. This is an endorsement not only of our school’s business programs, but of our universi-
ty’s founding mission,” Sears said. The Princeton Review surveys 20,300 students attending the 295 business schools profiled in the book. Conducted during the 2012-13, 2011-12, and 2010-11 academic years, the student surveys were completed online. Student respondents described TAMIU’s campus life as “very diverse” and said the Sanchez School of Business maintains “a strong international business focus in all offerings and a friendly feel…” and is “located in an area with a strong international trade industry.” The publication noted TAMIU’s student/faculty ratio is 23:1 and both traditional and online programs are offered, providing students with a flexible academic experience. They also observed that 76 percent of facul-
ty are minorities. The school also has the distinction of offering an accredited online MBA program delivered in Spanish. “The Best 295 Business Schools” is one of more than 150 Princeton Review books published by Random House. The line includes “The Best 169 Law Schools” — also published in October 2013. Other Princeton Review books include “The Best 167 Medical Schools,” plus guides to graduate school admission exams and application essays. The Princeton Review is also known for its guides to colleges and to standardized tests, its classroom and online test-prep courses, tutoring, and other education services. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, it is not affiliated with Princeton University, and it is not a magazine.
Library adds resources SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Students who spent their time leading up to midterms in the Texas A&M International University Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library may have noticed there are additional study resources available to them as well as a bit of a makeover for the furniture in the Great Room. “The Killam Library is in permanent transformation, always seeking to provide innovative services and academic content to satisfy the changing information and research needs of TAMIU students and faculty,” said Rogelio Hinojosa, acquisitions librarian. One of those services now includes the use of an off-campus library. TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Science students will benefit from a new interagency cooperation contract with the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. The agreement allows the Killam Library to staff the Laredo Regional Campus Library \at 1937 Bus-
tamante Street and gives TAMIU students and Laredo residents full access to the electronic resources licensed by the UTHSC Libraries at San Antonio. It also includes use of print books and journals for use in the Library. Laredo Regional Campus Library hours are Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.–noon. It is closed Saturday and Sunday. “The library also added approximately 5,835 Springer eBooks published in 2013 to its already substantial collection of electronic books. The additional books means students have access to more than 200,000 eBooks in all disciplines. Most are downloadable to portable devices. Titles are discoverable through the Killam Library Catalog and WorldCat Local,” said Hinojosa. Additional eAudiobooks and eBooks are being added through Baker and Taylor’s Axis360 Digital Media Library, which includes a unique system for circulation of digital books and audiobooks. Popular titles, fiction, non-fiction and children’s and
teen titles are available at http:// tamiulib.axis360.baker-taylor.com/ The library’s Web-based research guides expanded the areas covered by an additional 16 new subjects. Anyone doing research on a variety of subjects can find a considerable amount of information including links to books, periodicals, videos, professional organizations, journals, “hot topics,” research tips, and other reference materials. Subjects available are: communication, criminal justice, dance, disability and special education; education; GIS—geographic information systems and maps; government documents; Hispanic studies; international sources; language and literature; military science; music; political science and administration; sociology, geography, anthropology, women and gender studies; psychology; and theater. The guides are available at tamiu.libguides.com/ “Electronic resources for teaching and research were also added this Fall,” Hinojosa said.
National
6A THE ZAPATA TIMES
NJ OKs same-sex marriage By GEOFF MULVIHILL Same-sex marriages can begin within days in New Jersey after the state’s highest court ruled unanimously Friday to uphold an order that they must start Monday and to deny a delay that had been sought by Gov. Chris Christie’s administration. The ruling puts New Jersey on the cusp of becoming the 14th state — and the third most populous among them — to allow same-sex marriage. The advocacy group Freedom to Marry said that as of Monday, one-third of Americans will live in a place where same-sex marriage is legal. “The state has advanced a number of arguments, but none of them overcome this reality: Samesex couples who cannot marry are not treated equally under the law today,” the court said in an opinion by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. “The harm to them is real, not abstract or speculative.” A judge on a lower court had ruled last month that New Jersey must recognize same-sex marriage and set Monday as the date to allow weddings. Christie, a Republican who is considered a possible 2016 presidential candidate, appealed the decision and asked for the start date to be put on hold while the state appeals. A spokesman for Christie said that he will comply with the ruling, though he doesn’t like it. “While the governor firmly believes that this determination should be made by all the people of the State of New Jersey, he has instructed the Department of Health to cooperate with all municipalities in effectuating the order,” spokesman Michael Drew-
By BILL DRAPER ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Julio Cortez/file | AP
Cindy Meneghin, left, kisses her partner Maureen Kilian, both from Butler, N.J., during a news conference at Garden State Equality in Montclair, N.J., on Sept. 27. niak said in a statement. Same-sex marriage is being debated elsewhere. Oregon has begun recognizing same-sex weddings performed out of state, and it is likely that voters will get a chance next year to repeal the state’s constitutional ban on gay marriage. The Hawaii Legislature also soon could take up a bill to legalize same-sex unions, while a similar measure has passed the Illinois Senate but not the House. Lawsuits challenging gay marriage bans also are pending in several states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia. New Jersey’s top court agreed last week to take up the appeal of the lower-court ruling. Oral arguments are expected Jan. 6 or 7. In Friday’s opinion, Rabner wrote that the state has not shown that it is likely to prevail in the case. “But when a party presents a
clear case of unequal treatment, and asks the court to vindicate constitutionally protected rights, a court may not sidestep its obligation to rule for an indefinite amount of time,” he wrote. “Under these circumstances, courts do not have the option to defer.” Rabner also rejected the state’s argument that it was in the public interest not to allow marriages until the court has had more time to rule fully on the issue. “We can find no public interest in depriving a group of New Jersey residents of their constitutional right to equal protection while the appeals process unfolds,” he wrote. For those opposed to gay marriage, denying the request to delay was troubling. On Thursday, some communities started accepting applications for marriage licenses from samesex couples.
Photo by Al Hartmann/pool/The Salt Lake Tribune | AP
Kristi Daniels leans over a bathtub to describe Michele MacNeill’s body position when she was called to the home for help in 2007 during the trial of Martin MacNeill in Judge Derek Pullan’s 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, on Friday. MacNeill is accused of killing his wife, Michele.
Bathtub part of trial By PAUL FOY PROVO, Utah — Using a bathtub brought into court by prosecutors, neighbors of a former Utah doctor charged with murder in his wife’s death demonstrated Friday how they found the woman’s body. They also described frantic moments at the home after they were summoned for help by a daughter of defendant Martin MacNeill. They recalled finding MacNeill in a lab coat, blaming his wife for her condition while asking for help lifting and trying to resuscitate her. “She looked lifeless and collapsed,” testified Doug Daniels, MacNeill’s nextdoor neighbor at the time. MacNeill is accused of killing his wife, Michele, by giving her a lethal combination of prescription drugs after persuading her to get a face-lift. Prosecutors say he had helped her into the tub. Defense lawyers have claimed that Michele MacNeill had a heart attack and fell into the tub after drawing water for a bath. On the day she died, Martin MacNeill was yelling, “’Why did you do this? All because of a stupid surgery,”’ Doug Daniels recalled. “He would have a bit of outburst, then he would tell me very calmly, ‘OK, continue”’ resuscitation efforts. Ray Ormond, a Pleasant Grove police officer at the time, said he found MacNeill’s behavior threaten-
Very personal Teen writes 1st-person account of rape
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
ing — “very loud, very agitated” — while accusing his unconscious wife of having taken too much medication. “It made me feel uncomfortable,” Ormond said. The neighbors also testified that MacNeill previously told them he was dying of cancer. Prosecutors have alleged that he was lying to deflect any suspicion in his wife’s death. Prosecutor Chad Grunander said he bought a small, round bathtub for the demonstration on Friday, the second day of testimony. The tub was similar to the size of the one where Michele MacNeill was found. Investigators have said Martin MacNeill plotted his wife’s death to carry on an affair with his mistress, Gypsy Willis, who the doctor invited to his wife’s funeral and asked to marry him weeks later. They said he had pressed a plastic surgeon for drugs that his wife — a former beauty queen — didn’t need then gave her the fatal dose. Medical examiners couldn’t determine exactly how the 50-year-old woman died. A doctor who examined her before the face-lift testified she was generally healthy. MacNeill, 57, was charged in August 2012, nearly five years after his wife was found in the couple’s Pleasant Grove home. The case shocked the Mormon community of Provo, 45 miles south of Salt Lake City, because the suspect was a doctor and had been a church leader.
The drugs his wife was taking weren’t necessary for most people getting a facelift, the surgeon, Dr. Scott Thomson, testified Thursday. He said he would not normally prescribe Valium or Oxycodone, among other painkillers and sleeping pills, for recovery, but did so because MacNeill was a physician and asked for the prescriptions. Michele MacNeill required only antibiotics, and he advised her to use painkillers sparingly, Thomson said. Von Welch, another doctor who examined Michele MacNeill before cosmetic surgery, said her husband was eager to “get things going.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri teen who says she was raped by an older boy at her high school and left passed out on her porch wrote in an online woman’s magazine that the incident sent her into a spiral and she twice tried to commit suicide. Daisy Coleman, who was 14 when she says a 17-yearold Maryville High School student plied her with alcohol and had sex with her while she was incapacitated, told her story in a first-person article posted Friday on xojane.com. In the article, she wrote about how she and her friend, a 13-year-old, were picked up at her house on Jan. 8, 2012, by the 17year-old, who she says sexually assaulted her in his basement after she drank a clear liquid he provided her. “Then it was like I fell into a dark abyss,” she wrote. “No light anywhere. Just dark, dense silence — and cold. That’s all I could ever remember from that night.” Mandy Stadtmiller, deputy editor for the website, said she asked Daisy, now 16, to provide the first-person account after reading about her story. “I thought the article was heartbreaking and very powerful in its innocence, and in its shattered innocence,” Stadtmiller said.
The case has generated new attention and an outpouring of responses on social media following a Kansas City Star investigation describing how Nodaway County prosecutor Robert Rice dismissed felony charges against the 17-year-old and another teen boy accused of recording the incident on his cellphone. The Colemans also spoke out earlier this summer to Kansas City radio station KCUR. On Wednesday, Rice announced he was asking the court to appoint a special prosecutor to examine the evidence and decide whether charges are warranted. The Associated Press does not generally name victims of sexual assault but is naming the Colemans because they have been granting public interviews about the case. The AP is not naming the accused boys because there are no active charges against them. Melinda Coleman didn’t immediately respond to requests Friday seeking comment about the online article. In the xojane.com article, Daisy said the reason she chose to talk publicly is because she refuses “to be a victim of cruelty any longer.” “I not only survived, I didn’t give up. I’ve been told that a special prosecutor is going to reopen the case now. This is a victory, not just for me, but for every girl,” she wrote.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 7A
PÁGINA 8A
Zfrontera
Agenda en Breve LAREDO 10/19—El Centro de Laredo Farmers Market estará en la Plaza Jarvis, a partir de las 9 a.m. y hasta la 1 p.m. El evento es gratuito y abierto al público. 10/19—XIV Concurso de Bandas de Marcha de Preparatoria UIL 4A/5A, donde participa LISD, a partir de las 10 a.m. en el Shirley Field, 2400 San Bernardo. 10/19—Exhibición de Ilustraciones “Depleted” por Olivia Cotton, de 8 p.m. a 10 p.m. en Caffe Dolce, 1708 Victoria. Músicos invitados son Haydee Michelle Becerra y Archer Crab. 10/19—Teatro Chicano presenta “Isaura and the Virgin” a las 8 p.m. en el Laredo Little Theatre, 4802 avenida Thomas. Costo: 20 dólares. Otra presentación elo 20 de octubre a las 3 p.m. 10/19—‘Sasha, Benny y Erik’ se presentan en concierto en Laredo Energy Arena, 6700 Arena Blvd., a las 8 p.m. 10/24—“Young Frankestein”, un musical de Mel Brooks, se presenta a las 7:30 p.m. en el Teatro del Guadalupe & Lilia Martínez Fine Arts Center del Campus Fort McIntosh de Laredo Community College. Costo: 10 dólares. Otra presentación el 25 de octubre a la misma hora. 10/25—“Ex alumnos de las generaciones 1963-1984 de United High School tendrán una reunión por 50 aniversario de la escuela (1963-2013) de 1 p.m. a 3:30 p.m. en 700 E. Del Mar Blvd. Habrá visita a la escuela, 700 E. Del Mar Blvd., y un Pep Rally (gimnasio en escuela ubicada en 2811 avenida United). Reserve su lugar escribiendo a dholstine@uisd.net o en vcantu1@uisd.net. 10/25—“Movies on the Patio” presenta la película mexicana “Teatro del Crimen” (1957) a las 7:30 p.m. en el patio del Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, 810 calle Zaragoza St. Entrada gratuita, aunque se aceptarán donaciones. 10/25—“La Juerga Flamenco Ensemble presenta “Bohemio! Bold, Daring & Gutsy, presentando a la laredense Illeana Gómez y otros reconocidos bailarines, a las 8 p.m. en Laredo Little Theatre, 4802 avenida Thomas. Costo: 35 dólares. Reserve su lugar llamando al (956) 267-6190.
NUEVO LAREDO, MÉXICO 10/19—Estación Palabra, César López de Lara 1020, presenta: Bazar de Arte a las 12 p.m.; Festival Infantil con el tema “Otoño a través del mundo” (Cuenta cuentos) a las 2 p.m.; y, Coloquio sobre el guión (Charla con comunicólogos sobre la estructura del guión) a las 3 p.m. 10/19—II Festival de Teatro Vértices presenta “Ana, ¿Verdad?” a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS, Reynosa y Belden. Entrada Libre. 10/20—El grupo de Teatro Laberintus presenta la obra de teatro infantil “Hansel y Gretel” a las 12 p.m. en el teatro del IMSS, en el sector centro (entre las calles Reynosa y Belden). Costo 20 pesos. 10/20—Domingo de Teatro Universitario presenta ‘El Mago de Oz’ a las 5 p.m en el Teatro Lucio Blanco de Casa de la Cultura. Entrada gratuita. 10/22—Laberintus Arte y Cultura A.C. presenta “Arrojados al Mundo sin Cobertor de Lana” a las 7 p.m. en el Teatro del IMSS (esquina de Reynosa y Belden). 10/23—Cine Club Carmen González presenta “Nueva York Te Amo” a las 6 p.m. en Estación Palabra, César López de Lara 1020.
SÁBADO 19 DE OCTUBRE DE 2013
ELEGIRÁN JURADO A PARTIR DEL 4 DE NOVIEMBRE
Caso Briones a juicio POR MATTHEW NELSON TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
El juicio de un hombre que enfrenta cargos por homicidio agravado por la muerte de un menor de 6 meses de edad, está programado para inicial el 4 de noviembre, en el Condado de Zapata. Gabriel Álvarez-Briones, un ciudadano mexicano de 38 años de edad, está acusado de causar la muerte de Carlos Eduardo González, en Zapata, al golpear la cabeza del menor con su mano, el 29 de marzo del 2010. Fue arrestado dos días después. Desde su arresto el 31 de marzo del 2010, Álvarez-Briones ha permanecido aislado de otros internos en la Cárcel Regional de Zapata. “Muchas veces, cuando las víctimas de un crimen son niños, especialmente homicidio, los demás internos físicamente agreden al pre-
sunto victimario”, dijo el abogado de la defensa José Eduardo Peña. El 4 de noviembre se tiene considerado iniciar con la selecBRIONES ción del jurado. “Estamos tratando de seleccionar un jurado compuesto de miembros que entiendan que los agentes, algunas veces, son demasiado apasionados con su trabajo y que algunas veces coaccionan a las personas para hacer falsas declaraciones. Las confesiones falsas son la segunda razón por lo que la gente es sentenciada en forma equivocada”, dijo Peña. El investigador a cargo, sargento Greg Gutiérrez, de la oficina del alguacil del Condado de Zapata, declinó hacer comentarios, citando la proximidad del juicio. Dijo que la defensa lo requirió como testigo.
Durante un interrogatorio grabado, Álvarez-Briones confesó, pero posteriormente denunció que fue amenazado con la pena de muerte, a menos que confesara. La confesión grabada tiene un espacio en blanco, de aproximadamente dos horas y 20 minutos, durante los cuales, Álvarez-Briones reclama que fue obligado a confesar. “Él sostiene que los investigadores en Zapata lo amenazaron para implicar a su esposa y arrestarla por el mismo delito, y también amenazaron con que los Servicios de Protección al Menor (CPS por sus siglas en inglés), se harían cargo de sus niños. Esa es la razón por la que dice que hizo una confesión falsa”, dijo Peña. El equipo de la defensa presentó una moción para suprimir la confesión en mayo de 2012, pero fue negada por el juez Joe López, de la
Corte de Distrito 49. La madre Celia González, de 22 años de edad, después se retractó de su confesión durante una declaración grabada. Ella se había ido a México ya que era inmigrante ilegal. El menor supuestamente sufrió las lesiones mortales mientras la esposa de Álvarez-Briones llevaba a la madre del niño a trabajar en un restaurante. “El niño no reaccionaba y estaba aletargado. No se despertaba”, dijo Peña. “Falleció un par de días después de lo que fue descrito como un trauma contuso en la cabeza”, dijo Peña. Álvarez-Briones estaría enfrentando cadena perpetua, sin la posibilidad de libertad condicional, si es hallado culpable. (Localice a Matthew Nelson en el (956) 728-2567)
HISTORIA
INFRAESTRUCTURA
AYER Y HOY
Buscan reparar US-83
Descendientes recuerdan lo mejor y lo peor POR MATTHEW NELSON TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Z
apata Rising, una conmemoración de tres días de la inundación de 1953 que destruyó Zapata y los obligó a iniciar de nuevo, arrancó el jueves con un momento para compartir historias y recuerdos de antes de que la ciudad desapareciera. “Nos reunimos para expresar nuestra eterna gratitud para los residentes del Antiguo Zapata y el Antiguo Guerrero, por sus sacrificios personales. Ellos perdieron sus recuerdos, ellos perdieron su tierra — tierra que había sido heredada por generaciones”, dijo el Juez del Condado de Zapata, Joseph Rathmell. “Nunca olvidaremos que ellos hicieron esto por nosotros para darnos un mejor futuro”. El Director del Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata, Hildegardo Flores, quien se crió en Zapata antes de la inundación, calificó a los años antes de la inundación “los mejores tiempos y los peores tiempos”. Durante las tardes antes de la reubicación, dijo, la mayoría de las personas visitaban a los vecinos o familiares que vivían cerca. “Había esta sensación de familia, sin importar si eras familiar o no”, dijo. En 1950, inició la construcción de la Presa Falcón y el área fue declarada derecho de expropiación por el gobierno de EU, lo que permitió al gobierno incautar legalmente propiedades privadas para uso público. La intención era incrementar el control de inundaciones, riego, suministro de agua y turismo recreativo para las áreas circunvecinas. El gobierno ofreció dinero para comprar la tierra a los residentes de Zapata. Tasadores arribaron desde San Antonio y Austin, pero el valor de la propiedad que propusieron fue un gran punto de disputa entre los residentes de Zapata. “(Los tasadores) llegaron y deseaban valuar nuestras casas con un valor de mercado, pero nosotros deseábamos valor de sustitución”, dijo Jaime González, maestro de escuela y originario de Zapata. “Surgieron muchos problemas. Las personas no aceptaron las tasaciones”. El gobierno también ofreció cambiar las casas por medio de colocarlas sobre amplios travesaños de madera o metal, colocados sobre ruedas para llevarlos a terrenos más altos. Sin embargo, muchas de las casas estaban hechas de arenisca, y no podían moverse. Otras, hechas de madera, colapsaron durante el cambio, dejando al propietario con un revoltijo de madera quebrada. “Esto causó mucho resentimiento hacia nuestro gobierno”,
POR ALDO AMATO TIEMPO DE ZAPATA
Foto por Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times
Fotografías antiguas y álbumes son vistos en primer plano mientras descendientes de la familia González-Buentello dialogan y observan documentos de su árbol genealógico, el jueves por la tarde, en el Centro Comunitario del Condado de Zapata durante el evento Zapata Rising. dijo González. “Las personas nunca estuvieron realmente satisfechas con la manera en que el gobierno nos trató. Desafortunadamente, algunos de nosotros aún resentimos la manera en la que actuó el gobierno y como nos hicieron vender nuestras tierras cuando nuestras propiedades no estaban a la venta”. La fecha límite para que los residentes se cambiaran era octubre de 1953, pero el pueblo no se inundó sino hasta agosto de 1954, dijo Flores. Cuando se llegó la fecha límite de octubre, no pasó mucho con sus tierras, así que muchas personas decidieron regresar, principalmente para escarbar, dijo. En respuestas a los pepenadores, el gobierno de EU ordenó que se demolieran los edificios abandonados en el Antiguo Zapata, a fin de evitar que las personas visitaran el área. “El gobierno ordenó que todas las residencias históricas fueran derribadas porque las personas iban ahí y a robar”, dijo Flores. Entonces el área fue azotada por un huracán que inundó Chihuahua, México, creando un oleaje que llegó a Zapata, resultando en la inundación. “De pronto Zapata no estaba más. Realmente empezó a inundarse, sin que pudiera haber un punto de regreso. Las tierras se perdieron para siempre. Las viviendas donde las personas habían vivido por 200 años, ya no estaban. Fue realmente triste”, dijo Flores. El gobierno trató a las personas de Zapata “como hijos ilegítimos”, dijo González. “El gobierno de Estados Unidos… inundó Zapata en nombre del progreso”, dijo. “Ellos solían pensar que nosotros, los ciuda-
danos de Zapata, estábamos en contra del progreso porque tuvimos una gran pelea con nuestro gobierno. Realmente no estábamos en contra del progreso, pero estábamos en contra de que alguien progresara a nuestras expensas. Eso es lo que lo hizo muy difícil para nosotros”. González se cuestiona los beneficios que la presa brinda al área de Zapata, citando que la mayoría de las ganancias de Zapata son resultado de los hidrocarburos. Flores dijo que Zapata depende tanto de los hidrocarburos que la reciente caída de precios de estos recursos han resultado en pérdida de ganancia para el área, causando que Zapata tenga que desarrollar nuevos acercamientos para atraer más negocios. Fue formado un grupo de planeación estratégica, denominado “The Dream Team”, que busca mejorar la calidad de vida y, en consecuencia, atraer más negocios para el área. Flores visualiza el futuro de Zapata como un tipo de Silicon Valley donde las preparatorias enseñan programación de computadoras o desarrollo de video juegos para atraer negocios e interés hacia la región. Un intento para alcanzar un récord mundial para la reunión familiar más grande será el sábado por la mañana cerca de la Iglesia Católica de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, seguido por una ceremonia para una cápsula del tiempo en el palacio de justicia. Una agenda completa del evento pueden conocerse en la página de Zapata Rising o en la página del Zapata County Chamber of Commerce. (Localice a Matthew Nelson en el (956)728-2567 o en mnelson@lmtonline.com)
El Condado de Webb podría recibir fondos adicionales para aumentar su infraestructura en Eagle Ford Shale después de que esta semana se realizara una propuesta por parte del Select Committee on Transportation Funding (Comité de Selección para Fondos en Transporte). Los fondos se destinarían a 70 proyectos de mantenimiento y reparación en todo el estado, incluyendo a los condados de Atascosa, Duval, Guadalupe, Karnes, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Wilson y Webb. La Senadora JuZAFFIRINI dith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, y su oficina dijeron que TxDOT está dispuesto a aportar los fondos si la Junta de Presupuesto Legislativo lo aprueba el 5 de noviembre. Si se aprueba el financiamiento, las reparaciones serían realizadas sobre la milla 4.5 de U.S. 83 entre I-35 y el Camino de Cuota Colombia. “Estoy emocionada de que TxDOT del Distrito de Laredo pudiera recibir los fondos adicionales para el mantenimiento de seis carreteras que están en condiciones críticas, incluyendo un proyecto en el Condado de Webb”, dijo Zaffirini en una declaración el jueves. “U.S. 83 es una vía fundamental no solo para el tráfico del sector, sino también para las personas que viven o trabajan en el área de Botines o en ranchos al noreste del Condado de Webb. La carretera también presenta importante tráfico regional e internacional, ya que es una de las carreteras más largas de norte a sur en el país, funcionando desde la frontera con Canadá en Dakota del Norte hasta el puente internacional de Brownsville”. El mes pasado, Zaffirini, celebró una reunión con el Ayuntamiento en Cotulla, donde los residentes pudieron expresar sus preocupaciones acerca de las condiciones de la carretera. Zaffirini y Phil Wilson, director ejecutivo de TxDOT, discutieron la decisión del departamento de convertir los caminos pavimentados a carreteras de grava. “A muchos de nosotros nos preocupaba que TxDOT convirtiera más carreteras pavimentadas a caminos sin pavimentar de manera inmediata”, dijo Zaffirini. “La ampliación de la moratoria sería dar a las comunidades más tiempo de buscar alternativas, entre las que se incluyen la negociación de las donaciones de los depositarios y la obtención de fondos de subvenciones a través de las áreas de reinvención del transporte de energía del condado”. 250 millones son los ingresos del presupuesto de TXDOT y además habrá un adicional de hasta 225 millones para los 39 proyectos que la Legislatura de Texas aprobó durante Sesión Legislativa 83. “Creo que es muy importante que tengamos estos recursos”, dijo el Comisionado del Condado de Webb, Jaime Canales. “Nuestro trabajo es asegurarnos de seguir recibiendo estos fondos y distribuirlos” .
Nation
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A
Family faces more charges Stepdaughter accused of felony after allegedly bullying girl By TAMARA LUSH ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo by Bebeto Matthews | AP
Carvers Chris Vierra, left, and Ray Villafane eye what is to become the head of a “carnivorous creature” they carved from a giant pumpkin on Friday.
Fruit gets spooky By JENNIFER PELTZ ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Call it Gourd Central Terminal. Giant pumpkins as big as 1,500 pounds were being carved Friday into fanged jaws and other eerie shapes before passers-by at New York’s Grand Central Terminal. The event kicked off a weekend of giantpumpkin carving at the New York Botanical Garden. Big or small, pumpkin is “a great material to work from,” master carver Ray Villafane said as he and fellow carvers worked on their spooky Halloween tableau. “When you carve a face or something into it, it’s neat to see that little fruit come alive.” Little fruit was in short supply at Friday’s event, though. One of the pumpkins Villafane and the others sculpted was 1,496-pounder grown in Edinburg, Pa. It was being shaped into a “carnivorous creature”
with batteries of fearsome teeth. And there are still bigger gourds on the botanical garden’s Bronx grounds, including a 2,032-pound pumpkin from Napa, Calif. The garden is featuring more than 500 handcarved pumpkin sculptures in an exhibit that extends through, naturally, Halloween. Based in Surprise, Ariz., Villafane is well-known for his pumpkin-shaping prowess. He’s appeared on the Food Network’s “Halloween Wars” and other shows, shaping the squash into zombies, gargoyles, and other far-out forms. “As pretty as a pumpkin might look, as soon as you cut it open, it’s a whole different story,” he said as he worked Friday. Some are too dry. Others, too thin. As for his advice to the everyday pumpkin carver: Pick one with some girth to it — and don’t take it too seriously. “Have fun,” he said.
The stepmother of a 14-yearold accused of bullying a Florida girl prior to her suicide was arrested and charged with child abuse after a video depicting the woman beating a boy was posted on Facebook, a sheriff said Friday. During a news conference, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the arrest of 30-year-old Vivian Vosburg on two counts of child abuse with bodily harm and four counts of child neglect is a shocking chapter in a months-long tragic story in Central Florida. Judd said Vosburg is the stepmother of one of two girls charged with felony aggravated stalking earlier in the week. Officials say the girls, 14 and 12, bullied and harassed 14-year-old Rebecca Sedwick before she climbed a tower at an abandoned concrete plant and hurled herself to her death Sept. 9. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Judd said of the accused girl. It was a Facebook comment over the weekend that Judd said led him to arrest the girls. He repeated the online post from the older girl almost word for word at a news conference last week. “‘Yes, I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself but I don’t give a ...’ and you can add the last word yourself,” Judd said He identified the girls and showed their mug shots during the news conference, but AP generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes. Vosburg identified herself as the teen’s mother when she appeared on CNN and ABC to say the girl didn’t bully Rebecca and that she checked her stepdaughter’s Facebook every night. Vosburg was booked into the Polk County Jail Friday evening
Associated Press
Rebecca Sedwick, 14, is seen in this undated photo. She jumped off a tower to her death Sept. 9, after being continuously bullied by two girls. and it’s unclear whether she has retained an attorney. A voicemail message left on her home phone wasn’t immediately returned. Judd said that after detectives arrested Vosburg’s stepdaughter, people from the community saw her on TV — then sent tips to the law enforcement agency, urging them to look at the Facebook page of another of Vosburg’s children. Detectives discovered a video posted in July 2013. According to the arrest affidavit, the video shows two boys fighting on a bed, then Vosberg steps in and begins punching and hitting the boys. One of the boys falls off the bed and appears to not move. Judd said none of the children were injured. Judd, who showed the chaotic, minute-long video during the
news conference, said there were four other children in the home at the time. “This clearly indicates to us that this appears to be a normal way of life,” he said. “They’re laughing and cussing and throwing the F bomb around. Then they’re posting that conduct for all to see.” Judd did not release the names of the victims or their relationship to Vosburg, stating only that “these are children she has access to. Vivian in this context was in charge of their well-being.” The video was up on the family member’s Facebook site as recently as Friday morning, Judd said. He questioned why no one took it down during the bullying investigation. Child welfare authorities have been called to investigate.
10A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
Shoeless boys win hoops title By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — A team of Trique Indian boys swept through a youth basketball tournament despite their generally short stature and the fact that most play barefoot, earning acclaim in Mexico and abroad. The team from the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca won all six of its games to become this year’s champions at the International Festival of Mini-Basketball held recently in Argentina. Other teams in the tournament dubbed the boys the “the barefoot mice from Mexico” because they are smaller than the other competitors, said Ernesto Merino, one of the team’s coaches and a Trique Indian. He said they compensate for their short stature with “strength, speed and resistance.” Children are given tennis shoes when they join the team, but many don’t wear the sneakers because they are accustomed to going barefoot, Merino said. Merino said they grow up in large, poor families who struggle to find the money to buy clothes and shoes. “For them it’s normal to not have shoes, to walk barefoot,” he said. The team’s performance won it a minute of applause Wednesday on the floor of Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies, as well as accolades from Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and basketball experts. “The victories of the Trique Indian team from Oaxaca’s Academy of Indigenous Basketball make Mexicans proud,” Peña Nieto said in a tweet. Horacio Muratore, president of the International Basketball FederationAmericas, which organizes the annual tournament, said the boys were the best players. “These boys deserved (the championship) more than anyone,” Muratore wrote on the organization’s website. The boys’ achievement has come at a particularly sensitive time for Mex-
Photo by Rob Carr/file | AP
Harper Lee, author of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” is at odds with a museum over use of the title of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
Author sues museum in hometown Photo by Luis Alberto Cruz Hernandez | AP
Members of the Trique Indian boys basketball team practice in the town of Santa Maria El Tule, Mexico, on Friday. The boys became famous after winning a championship recently. ico, which is agonizing over the poor performance of its once well-regarded national soccer team. The Tri, as it’s known, has barely kept its hopes alive for qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Merino said the boys who played at the tournament held in Cordoba, Argentina, are part of a basketball program designed to help poor children in Oaxaca, which is one of Mexico’s poorest and most marginalized areas. The Oaxaca state government
gives them tennis shoes, uniforms and a monthly $46 stipend. “We see a basketball as an opportunity to grow in life,” Merino said. The program was started three years ago and it currently has 40 children enrolled, including five girls. To enter the program, children must have good grades in school, speak their native tongue and help with chores at home. “We want them to be prepared in life,” Merino said.
Alaskan fishery featured in ‘Deadliest Catch’ underway By RACHEL D’ORO ASSOCIATED PRESS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska’s red king crab fishery, made famous by the Discovery Channel reality show “Deadliest Catch,” was finally moving into to full swing Friday after returning furloughed federal workers issued the necessary permits. Some boats began heading into the Bering Sea from Alaska’s Dutch Harbor on Thursday night, said Mark Gleason, executive director of the Seattle-based trade association Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, which represents 70 percent of the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery. “Relief is the biggest thing in my mind right now,” Gleason said. “I’m
just relieved that the Congress has put aside its squabbles temporarily.” Alaska’s red king crab season opened Tuesday, but most of the participating boats had remained at dock. That’s because the federal managers who set their individual quotas for the fishery were among those furloughed in the government’s partial shutdown. Those National Marine Fisheries Service employees returned to their jobs Thursday and went right to work processing the individual fishing quota permits, issuing them the same day. The quota permits were issued faster than some expected. Gleason said federal officials earlier estimated it would take three to five
days. Julie Speegle, a spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said Friday that processing of all necessary permits for the fishery has been completed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oversees the Fisheries Service. “I think it speaks to the professionalism of our federal employees that we were able to implement the plan to get the permits out to the crabbers so that the fishing can begin,” she said. In Tuesday’s red king crab fishery opening, only boats representing a tiny fraction of the total haul were allowed to head out on time because those quotas were assigned by the state.
Those affected by the 16day shutdown were crabbers on 80 other boats involved in the much larger harvest. Crabbers have been anxiously waiting to head out, saying a late opening could severely cut into their profits domestically and from the lucrative holiday market in Japan. In a statement issued Friday afternoon, the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers praised federal workers for a rapid post-shutdown response, saying that would help minimize any market impacts from a further delay. “What could have become a marketplace catastrophe will now be nothing more than a late start, similar to that of a weather delay,” the statement says.
By PHILLIP RAWLS ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee is suing a museum in her hometown of Monroeville to stop it from selling souvenirs with her name and the title of her Pulitzer Prize-winning book. The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court in Mobile, said the Monroe County Heritage Museum has traded on Lee’s fame without her approval and without compensating her. It seeks an unspecified amount in damages. “Every single statement in the lawsuit is either false, meritless, or both,” museum attorney Matt Goforth said Friday in an email. The lawsuit comes after Lee sought a federal trademark for the title of her book when it’s used on clothing. The museum opposed her application, saying its souvenir sales are vital to its continued operation. A ruling is over a year away. Lee’s book is set in fictional Maycomb County, but her suit says the setting was inspired by the real Monroe County where she lives in south Alabama. The museum in Monroeville has displays honoring her and presents the play “To Kill a Mockingbird” each summer in the old county courthouse courtroom, which served as a model for the movie’s courtroom. The museum pays royalties for using the play, and that is not an issue in the suit.
The suit contends the museum has profited from the unauthorized use of Lee’s name and book title through the sale of clothing and a variety of souvenirs. Its website also uses the title without any compensation, the suit says. “Ms. Lee has suffered a stroke and is in ill health. The defendant apparently believes that she lacks the desire to police her trademarks, and therefore seeks to take advantage of Ms. Lee’s condition and property. The defendant is mistaken,” the suit says. The suit says that in August, the museum refused an offer from Lee to sell it merchandise she had authorized. Clay Rankin, the Mobile attorney representing the 87-year-old author, did not respond to requests for comment Friday. The museum’s Birmingham attorney said the tourist attraction is within its rights to educate the public and preserve the area’s history. “It’s sad that Harper Lee’s handlers have seen fit to attack the nonprofit museum in her hometown that has been honoring her and the town’s rich history associated with that legacy for over 20 years,” Goforth said. The suit says the museum took in more than $500,000 in revenue in 2012. Goforth said the museum earned $28,566 from merchandise sales in 2012. U.S. District Judge William Steele has not scheduled any hearings in the case.
Public tours of White House to resume Nov. 5 By DARLENE SUPERVILLE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Public tours of the White House, canceled earlier this year because of budget cuts, are resuming next month on a limited basis, officials said Friday in a welcome announcement for the many who found themselves locked out of “the people’s house.” The self-guided tours of the ground floor, first floor and East Wing of the White House are to resume Nov. 5 and continue through Jan. 15. Tours will be allowed an average of three days a week, down from five, said the Secret Service, which is responsible for White House security. Separately, the White House said its gardens and grounds will be open to the public on the weekend of Oct. 26-27. The White House scrapped the tours after mandatory budget cuts took effect in March. The cuts, known as sequestration, trimmed the budget for the Secret Service, which told the White House its options included cutting the tours or furloughing officers as a result. Uniformed Secret Service officers are stationed in rooms along the tour to provide security and help tourists.
The Secret Service said Friday that the tours can resume at a reduced pace under a temporary funding bill President Barack Obama signed early Thursday for the budget year that began Oct. 1. The bill fully reopened the government after a 16-day partial shutdown brought on by a spending impasse between the Obama administration and Congress. That funding runs out Jan. 15, same as the tours, which raises the possibility that the tours could be reduced or canceled again if Obama and lawmakers can’t agree on spending for the remainder of the budget year. “Last year’s sequestration came midway through the fiscal year, and we were unable to adjust or reallocate remaining funding to continue tours while still ensuring enough funding remained to meet all operational needs and avoid furloughing our employees,” said Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie. In light of the new fiscal year, Ogilvie said the agency was confident that the tours can operate at a reduced level while still meeting operational requirements. Republicans, led by House Speaker John Boehner, had needled the White House over its decision to cancel the tours. Boehner said alternative spending cuts
Photo by Susan Walsh | AP
Public tours of the White House are back on the schedule, though on a limited basis, starting in November. The schedule will be reduced from five days a week, to an average of three days a week, starting Nov. 5 and continuing through Jan. 15. helped keep the Capitol open to the public and he wished the White House had figured out how to do the same. House Republicans also produced a video of stops on the Capitol tour that ended with this line: “This is your house. Tour it.” Members of the public who
want free tickets for public tours of the White House should contact their representatives in Congress. The green, red and blue rooms, the State Dining Room and the East Room are among the stops on that tour. Free tickets for the White House garden tours at the end of
October will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis each morning of the tour at the visitor pavilion on the Ellipse near the White House. Visitors will be able to visit the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, the Rose Garden, the South Lawn and first lady Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A
ZAPATA RISING ta before the flood, called the years before the relocation “the best of times and the worst of times.” In the evenings before the relocation, he said, most people visited with their neighbors or relatives nearby. “There was this feeling of family, regardless of whether you were related or not,” he said. In 1950, construction of Falcon Dam began and the area was declared an eminent domain by the U.S. government, which allowed the government to legally seize private property for public use. The intention was to increase flood control, irrigation, water supply and recreational tourism for the surrounding areas. The government offered money to buy the land from the residents of Zapata. Appraisers from San Antonio and Austin arrived, but the valuation they proposed was a great point of contention among the residents of Zapata. “(The appraisers) came over and wanted to value our homes with a market value, but we wanted replacement value,” said Jaime Gonzalez, school teacher and Zapata native. “It created a lot of problems. People did not accept the values.” The government also offered to move the homes by placing them on large wooden or metal beams propped up by wheels to roll them to higher ground. Many of the homes were made of sandstone, however, and could not be trans-
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | Laredo Morning Times
Old photos and albums of the Gonzalez-Buentello family sit in the foreground as family members discuss memories of their family tree Thursday afternoon at the Zapata County Community Center during the Zapata Rising event. ported. Others, made of wood, collapsed during the move, leaving the owner with a jumble of broken wood. “This caused a lot of resentment towards our own government,” Gonzalez said. “The people were never really satisfied with the way the government treated us. Unfortunately, some of us still resent the way that the government acted and made us sell our lands when our lands were not for sale.” Deadline for residents to move was Oct. 1953, but the town did not flood until Aug. of 1954, Flores said. When the Oct. deadline came along, nothing much had hap-
GOVERNOR Continued from Page 1A work helping to eliminate backlogs of untested rape kits. In a brief speech, she stressed her work passing legislation that helped clear the backlog and also supporting measures that increased penalties for hit-and-run drivers and drunk drivers whose blood alcohol levels test more than double the legal-limit. She didn’t mention Abbott. “Politicians in Austin are not the ones who built this state into the great state it is. Instead it was everyday, hardworking Texans like you,” Davis said. “We simply ask that your political leaders recognize your hard work, respect your work and of course do our job, take care of you if you’re injured in the line of serving us.” She said she had worked in a bipartisan manner to “cut through government red tape” and ensure police officers wounded while on duty get access to benefits more quickly. “All of the potential, all of the things that we can achieve together will not happen without the right leadership in Austin,” she said. “I’m very proud of my record on law enforcement because if I can help you do your job, Texans get to do theirs safe and free from fear.” Davis is the only Democratic candidate running in next year’s race to replace Gov. Rick Perry when he retires in 2015. Abbott faces two long-shot challengers for the Republican nomination. Abbott has been attorney
Continued from Page 1A
general since December 2002 and, like Davis, has a strong record on law enforcement issues. The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas has 18,500 members across the state and provides legal, lobbying and collective bargaining services to members. Its convention gave Abbott a standing ovation. The group meant for him to keep the shotgun, but Abbott couldn’t accept because it was too valuable to take as a gift under Texas ethics rules. Instead, it will be raffled off, with the proceeds going to a police officers’ memorial fund. “I can’t tell you how honored I am to have someone even suggest that they would offer me a gun like this,” said Abbott, who slung the shotgun over his shoulder and posed for dozens of pictures with audience members when his speech was over. He added that he and his grown daughter Audrey were such avid hunters that she’s “maybe a better shot than some of the people in this room.” That drew scattered, skeptical chuckles. Abbott also promised to put “more boots on the ground” in terms of police officers and to better use technology to improve communication between law enforcement agencies battling international drug gangs. He said smugglers are teaming up with local gangs and “increasingly invading the streets of our great state.”
pened to their land, so a lot of people were going back, primarily to scavenge, he said. In response to the scavengers, the U.S. government ordered the abandoned buildings in Old Zapata demolished to keep people from visiting the area. “The government ordered all of the historic homes to be bulldozed because people were going there and pilfering,” Flores said. Then the area was slammed by runoff from a hurricane that flooded Chihuahua, Mexico, creating a surge that made its way to Zapata, resulting in the flood. “All of a sudden Zapata was
ALAMO calculated to alarm.” A San Antonio ordinance restricts firearms in public parks or at political rallies. “We are going to fight for our rights, and it’s not OK for police to just say whatever they want and make up the rules as they go along,” said Montgomery. In late September, the gun rights groups got permission to use the Alamo from the Texas Land Commission. The four-acre historical site downtown includes the small mission church, whose foundation was laid by the Spanish in 1744, other surviving buildings and artifacts including Davy Crockett’s desk. About 2.5 million people visit every year. From 1905 to 2011, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas organization kept the church sacrosanct from events deemed inappropriate. But the state took control after allegations of mismanagement by the Daughters. The decision on the long gun protest rested with Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who as a legislator was known for carrying a pistol in his boot. The Marine veteran is running for lieutenant governor largely on a single-barrel platform of gun rights. Patterson acknowledged his office had not developed rules on use of the mission. But he said he doesn’t think the restrictions should be extensive. “Citizens who want to gather and exercise their First
gone. It really began to sink in that there was no going back. The lands were lost forever. The homes that people had lived in for 200 years, gone. It was really sad,” Flores said. The government treated the people of Zapata “like illegitimate children,” Gonzalez said. “The United States government … drowned Zapata in the name of progress,” he said. “They used to think that we, the citizens of Zapata, were against progress because we had a big fight with our government. Really, we were not against progress, but we were against somebody else’s progress
Continued from Page 1A Amendment rights, who behave in a lawful manner, I’m not sure we have the lawful authority to say no, even if we wanted to,” he said Wednesday. As for the long gun rally, Patterson, who as a senator wrote the state’s concealed handgun law, says he plans to explain to San Antonio city attorney afterward that the city’s ordinance is unconstitutional. San Antonio officials disagree but say they anticipate no problems today. “We are expecting it to be a peaceful gathering and within the limits of the law,” Police Chief William McManus said in an emailed statement. Not all Alamo devotees object to the gun extravaganza. Stephen Hardin, a professor of history at McMurry University in Abilene, who has written extensively on the Alamo and spoke recently at a symposium sponsored by Patterson’s office, said the site is a natural rallying place. “Free speech was one of the rights the defenders fought and died for,” Hardin wrote in an email. “Can you think of a better place for Texans to exercise their rights?” But White, a descendant of George C. Jennings, who manned a cannon in the siege against Mexican General Santa Anna’s forces, sees this as an ominous step. “You’re setting a precedent here,” she said. “Today it’s a gun rally. What is it going to be next month, next year?”
at our expense. That is what made it very difficult for us.” Gonzalez questions the benefits the dam affords the Zapata area, citing that most of Zapata’s revenue comes from oil and gas. Flores said Zapata depends so much on oil and gas that the recent price drops of these resources have resulted in lower revenue for the area, causing Zapata to develop new approaches to attract more business. A strategic planning group, dubbed “The Dream Team,” was formed to improve the quality of life and, in turn, lure more business to the area. Flores envisions Zapata’s future as a kind of Silicon Valley where high schools teach computer programming or video game development to draw business and interest into the region. Falcon Lake was named the best bass lake in the country by Bassmaster in 2012, and the World Fishing Network has named it as one of the Ultimate Top 20 Fishing Towns in the U.S. An attempt to set the world record for largest family reunion will be made today near Our Lady of Catholic Church, followed by the filling of a time capsule ceremony at the courthouse. The full schedule can be found on the Zapata Rising webpage or the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce webpage. (Matthew Nelson may be reached at 728-2567 or mnelson@lmtonline.com)
FOOD Continued from Page 1A reflected in a hefty increase in chicken prices.” The survey showed prices for boneless, skinless chicken breasts rising to $3.55 per pound from $3.07 last quarter. Smaller increases were registered for beef sirloin, hamburger and pork. Prices for a pound of sliced turkey fell 10 cents to $4.21 this quarter. “Due to the drought and other factors, the cattle herd in Texas is now the smallest it has ever been,” said Dierschke. “This has caused the price of beef to rise, and bargain shoppers are looking at cheaper proteins like chicken and pork. This has driven demand up, which has led to corresponding price increases.” Of the 16 items surveyed, five items decreased in price from last quarter: grapefruit, vanilla cake mix, milk, sliced turkey and vanilla ice cream. The prices of lettuce, fresh tomatoes, white bread, corn flakes, rice, pinto beans, cheddar cheese, lean ground beef, chicken breasts, steak and pork chops increased in price from the last quarterly survey. The TFB Grocery Price Watch is conducted quarterly by volunteer shoppers at grocery stores across the state of Texas. The current survey data was collected by 38 shoppers from Sept. 113, 2013. TFB has monitored Texas food prices through its Grocery Price Watch survey since March 2009.
12A THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM
Sports&Outdoors NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
Randle to start Dallas rookie to start at running back By CARLOS MENDEZ MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Joseph Randle will start at running back against the Eagles. When Joseph Randle’s name comes up, Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett sometimes has to hold back a bit of a smile. The thought of the rookie makes him shake his head. "That’s Randle," Garrett said in training camp. What’s Randle? A 21-year-old from Oklahoma State, whose confidence in his football skills but baffling inability to remember the words to a song amuses Garrett, and who most likely will be the Cowboys’ featured back on Sunday in a game for the NFC East Division lead at Philadelphia.
File photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
Quarterback Case Keenum will start for the Texans on Sunday with Matt Schaub out with an injury.
Photo by Tim Sharp | AP
Dallas rookie running back Joseph Randle (21) will start this week against the Eagles with DeMarco Murray out with a strained left knee. That’s Randle. "He’s a really good kid," fellow rookie Travis Frederick said. "He’s a funny kid. He’s kind of light-hearted, but he comes in and he works. So I can see where Coach Garrett gets some-
thing like that." But the funny kid is going to be relied on for serious work in place of DeMarco Murray, who is expected to
ASSOCIATED PRESS
fense in spurts this season, but are looking to put together a complete game as they prepare for Saturday’s game against No. 24 Auburn.
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are allowing the fewest yards in the NFL and gaining the seventh most. So why are they 2-4? Simple. Houston has the second-worst turnover margin in the NFL and has the most penalty yards. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison is at a loss to explain why the team is struggling so much in the two areas this season. “We can beat our head against the wall because that’s what we’re doing right now,” he said of the coaching staff. “Mistakes are really driving us nuts. We emphasize it every week; we’re doing more to emphasize it.” Coach Gary Kubiak is searching for ways to get his team to clean up its play before Sunday’s trip to undefeated Kansas City. He added a couple of new drills in practice this week in an attempt to solve the turnover problem. “We’re just talking about some different things we think can help us play some mistakefree football for a change,” Kubiak said. “You don’t stay the same. If it continues, you’ve got to continue to search for something each week. That’s what we’re trying to do this week by changing things up and trying to get it to go away.” Houston has 12 more turnovers than its opponents and 46 penalties for 459 yards this season. Veteran left tackle Duane Brown, who has been virtually penalty-free in the past, has contributed to the problem this season. He knows the Texans have to eliminate their mistakes if they hope to beat the Chiefs. “Everyone just needs to focus on themselves and doing their job and being accountable,” he said. Quarterback Matt Schaub said it hasn’t just been the penalties that have been frustrating, but when the team is committing them. Houston had a third-and-4 at the St. Louis 4 on Sunday when right tackle Derek Newton was flagged for a false start. Schaub’s pass on third down was 2 yards short and the Texans had to settle for a field goal. “Those things hurt you, especially when you have a manageable situation to begin with,” Schaub said. Houston had four turnovers in Sunday’s loss, and could have to face Kansas City with an in-
See AGGIES PAGE 2B
See TEXANS PAGE 2B
AGGIES HOST AUBURN
Photo by Austin McAfee | AP
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and the Aggies are excelling on offense, but the defense is struggling with 32 points and 474 yards allowed per game.
A&M looks to improve on defense against Tigers ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLLEGE STATION — No. 7 Texas A&M’s offense is rolling as usual this season behind another stellar season
from Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. The same couldn’t be said for the defense. Texas A&M is allowing 32 points and more than 474 yards a game. The Aggies have been good on de-
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
See COWBOYS PAGE 2B
NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS A&M
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Mistakes cost Texans
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER
Spurs face Miami
Mexico changes coach
By TIM REYNOLDS ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — It’s certainly not the NBA Finals, it’s not even the regular season and the result will quickly be forgotten. But after last season, any meeting between San Antonio and Miami means something. The Spurs visit the Heat in a preseason game on Saturday night, the first time the teams will be seeing each other since playing Game 7 of what was an epic championship series that wrapped up four
months ago. And while the mindset now doesn’t compare to what they were going through this past June, both sides know that the memories of that title series will come flooding back. “It doesn’t change any of the process of what you’re trying to do,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “Thoughts will go through our heads, I’m sure.” With that, he was even able to laugh a little bit. The pain of losing last season’s title series surely lingers in San Antonio, but
Popovich doesn’t sound like he’s dreading a return to the court where his club lost Games 6 and 7 to see the title slip from its grasp. “We’ll say ’Hey, we’ve been here before,”’ Popovich said. “All that stuff is going to happen, but it’s not going to change what we try to do on the court or any of that stuff.” There’s no championship banner or anything like that for the Spurs to see — the only cosmetic change Miami has made in that regard is simply add-
See SPURS PAGE 2B
Miguel Herrera hired to replace Victor Manuel Vucetich By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEXICO CITY — Miguel Herrera was hired as the new Mexico coach on Friday for two playoff games next month against New Zealand, with the winning team advancing to next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Herrera replaces Victor Manuel Vucetich, who coached only two matches. The last was a 2-1 loss on Tuesday against Costa
Rica. Herrera, who is leaving as coach of Mexican club America, is Mexico’s fourth coach in just under two months as the team struggles to reach its sixth straight World Cup. Mexican federation officials said they would evaluate after the two matches to decide if Herrera will continue. “This is a crisis situation we are going through,” said Justino
Compean, president of the Mexican football federation. “Nobody planned for this and nobody likes it. We are sorry for our fans, we are saddened along with our club owners, and we are sorry for our sponsors.” Mexico was lucky to reach the playoff. Panama missed out when it lost to the United States 3-2 on Tuesday after two stoppage-time goals. Panama
See MEXICO PAGE 2B
Sports
2B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SPURS Continued from Page 1B
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B miss the game this week with a sprained left knee. The Cowboys drafted Randle for just this purpose, to provide insurance in case Murray had to miss games because of injury for a third consecutive season. "He’s a guy that’s played in big games at the college level," Garrett said. "He’s had success. And he’s come in here, and he’s worked very hard to understand what we’re asking him to do, and he’s done a good job with each of the opportunities we’ve given him." This will be the biggest opportunity yet. Randle got the first 11 carries of his NFL career last week. The Cowboys had planned to get him some action, regardless. But Murray’s injury accelerated things. "He did some positive things," Garrett said. "He was strong running the football, but he took care of the ball well. He was in some of those situations at the end of the game where it’s difficult. They have eight- and nine- and 10-man fronts up there, trying to get the ball back. I thought he handled himself well there. It didn’t seem too big for him." Why would it? Randle smiled at the idea. "Playing running back is something I’ve been doing for a long time," he said with a smile to the reporters who crowded around his locker this week. "Football is football. Once I got here, I was like, ’Dang, this is still football.’ "It’s really no different. It’s still football. I’m comfortable playing football." Stage fright? Yeah, right. "The only time I’ve seen him get stage fright is when he had to get up in front of the group and sing," Frederick said and smiled, remembering the rookie initiations from training camp. "He didn’t do so well there. But I can’t really talk because I didn’t do so well, either. But I
think that’s the only time." So he can’t sing very well. Hey, not every rookie can. But most rookies can at least remember the words to their college fight song, or any song, even one of their choice. The rookies can sing anything they want for the veterans, but Randle never could get the handle on any song. Garrett laughs at that story, and his other Randle story - the one about the time the team went down to the beach in California during training camp and Randle, who Garrett figures must have never been in the ocean, jumped in like it was a swimming pool. "The water could not have been more than 12 inches deep, and he jumps up and goes bang," Garrett said, relating the story the next day at camp. "It’s rocks. It’s sand. It ain’t deep. He kind of played it off and got going again, but I am not so sure he knew what he was getting into." Smiling big, Garrett said, "Typical Randle." Then, "I say that with affection." Maybe not knowing what you’re getting into can work for Randle. The experience in Philadelphia will also be an unknown for him. "I honestly don’t know much about Philly, besides the preparation that we’ve been doing this week," he said. "I didn’t really follow Philly as a kid. They told me that they’re going to play Rocky and stuff. Coach Garrett said that. Other than that, I really don’t know much about that atmosphere." So has he seen the Rocky movies? "I’ve seen every Rocky movie," he said. "I might watch them tonight because you all brought that up." That got a laugh from reporters. They followed up: what’s your favorite? "When they go to Russia. That’s probably my favorite one." That’s Rocky IV. That’s Randle.
TEXANS Continued from Page 1B Photo by Lynne Sladky | AP
Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs face the Miami Heat on Friday in the preseason in a remacth of the 2013 NBA Finals. ing “2012-13” to its list of divisional-title years. Still, there will be plenty of reminders. The spot in the corner where Miami’s Ray Allen hit the unforgettable 3-pointer that capped a wild rally and sent Game 6 into overtime. The spot where Heat center Chris Bosh snuffed out Danny Green’s 3-point try for San Antonio at the end of that game, right by the Spurs’ bench in Miami. The same locker room to where the Spurs retreated after Game 7, as confetti rained down on Miami in a championship celebration. Spurs guard Tony Parker is expecting the flashbacks. “A little bit. A little bit,” Parker said. “But you can’t let it bother you. It’s a new season. Use it as motivation.” For their part, the Heat say they have no idea what to expect. “This is new to play a team you just played in a finals in preseason,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. “It’s kind
“
Obviously we are three months removed from playing those guys. It will come back but definitely the intensity is different. - LeBron James
of new for us, so I have no experience on it. I don’t know at all. Obviously we played them (four) months ago, so we’re familiar with them, they’re familiar with us.” Wade is expected to play, given that he’s been alternating games-played and games-sat during the preseason, and wasn’t on the floor for Miami’s exhibition at Brooklyn on Sat-
urday night. Heat star LeBron James said he won’t mind getting back into a championship state-ofmind. “Obviously we are three months removed from playing those guys,” said James, the league’s two-time reigning MVP. “It will come back but definitely the intensity is different.”
MEXICO Continued from Page 1B
Photo by Eduardo Verdugo | AP
Jorge Vergara, left, Justino Compean, center, and Hector Gonzalez announce that Miguel Herrera was hired as the new Mexico coach at a pres conference on Friday. was leading 2-1 after an 83rdminute goal, a result that would have eliminated Mexico from the playoff. Once the regional football power, Mexico had a poor World Cup qualifying campaign and managed only 11 points in 10 matches. It also played badly four months ago in the Confederations Cup, a warm-up for the World Cup. The United States, Costa Ri-
ca and Honduras claimed the three automatic qualifying berths from the CONCACAF region, which takes in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Herrera is the eighth coach in the last seven years, a sign of the instability surrounding Mexico’s national sport. Jose Manuel De la Torre was fired in early September and replaced with interim
coach Luis Fernando Tena. He was replaced by Vuectich. “Of course this is not ideal, and nobody likes to keep changing coaches,” Compean said. “When we hired De la Torre, we did it with the intention that he would stay with us through the World Cup cycle. But the results weren’t there, and when the results aren’t there you have to make decisions.”
experienced quarterback. The Chiefs lead the NFL with a plus-12 turnover margin. Schaub injured his right ankle and foot and missed practice on Wednesday. Schaub has swelling and his status for Sunday’s game won’t be determined until late in the week. If he can’t play, Kubiak will have to decide between backups T.J. Yates and Case Keenum. The two split time with the first team on Wednesday and will continue to do so until Schaub comes back. “I believe in both of them,” Kubiak said. “I think they both move (well). They both understand our offense. I’ve got to see what I think is best for our football team.” Yates led Houston to its first playoff win two years ago when Schaub was hurt, but struggled after Schaub was hurt on Sunday. He threw two interceptions, and the first one was returned 98 yards for a touchdown.
Keenum had a record-setting career at the University of Houston before spending last season on the practice squad. He has never been active for an NFL game. Receiver Andre Johnson said the Texans have to figure out a way to get back on track regardless of who plays quarterback on Sunday. The good news, he says, is that everyone seems focused and optimistic. “Everybody is just talking about getting out of this funk. That’s a great thing,” he said. “Guys are still able to keep positive energy around here. Even at practice (Wednesday) the energy was very positive ... guys were just talking about what we need to do to get things back right.” Despite their recent slump, the Texans know that negative thinking won’t help anything. “I don’t even want to talk about what will happen if we lose this game,” Brown said. “Us winning this game will mean everything.”
AGGIES Continued from Page 1B “That’s what we keep talking to these guys about: consistency,” defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said. “Let’s play an entire game.” A major problem for Texas A&M this season has been giving up big plays. The Aggies allowed touchdown passes of 50 and 70 yards in their win over Mississippi last week. “The thing that you see in some of the explosive plays is that guys are pressing a little bit,” Snyder said. “We’re running pretty well, so keep playing well. There’s no need to press. What we’re doing is working ... let’s not give up the explosives and let people back into the game. That will be a learning lesson taken from this game.” Now they face an offense built around a strong running game. Auburn is averaging 287 yards rushing, which leads the Southeastern Conference and is seventh in the nation. The Aggies rank 104th by allowing 201.2 yards rushing a game. The Tigers have used a diverse rushing attack and are one of only four teams in the country to have four different 100-yard rushers this season. Five things to know about the Auburn-Texas A&M game: MAKING A STATEMENT Saturday is the fourth meeting in this series, and the Aggies have won the first three — including a 63-21 win last season in Auburn. The Tigers are focused on erasing the memories of last year’s lopsided loss and showing that they are a muchimproved team this season. “This is a big game that we can really make a statement to the world and make Auburn how it used to be,” running back Corey Grant said. LABHART’S LEAP Texas A&M receiver Travis Labhart has made the leap from playing on the school’s women’s basketball
practice team as a freshman to walking on the football team and finally earning a football scholarship this season as a senior. Labhart had just three career receptions before a breakout game last week against Mississippi where he had eight receptions for 97 yards. MARSHALL’S BACK Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall will return after missing last week’s win over Western Carolina to rest a knee he injured Oct. 5 against Mississippi. Coach Gus Malzahn isn’t worried about Marshall being rusty after sitting out a week. “He was locked in during practice last week,” Malzahn said. “We are past the midway point. If it was early in the season I would be concerned, but I am not too concerned now.” LAMBO’S LEG Walk-on kicker Josh Lambo gained the kicking job at A&M after early-season struggles by Taylor Bertolet. Lambo is a former soccer player who was drafted by FC Dallas in the first round in 2008. When Lambo’s soccer career ended in 2012, he enrolled at Texas A&M and joined the football team. On Saturday his 33-yard field goal as time expired gave A&M the 41-38 win over Ole Miss. It was the first game-winning field goal as time expired for the Aggies since 1992. EVEN EVANS Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans has at least one 20-yard reception in 17 of his 19 career games and he has had at least two receptions in every game. He leads the SEC and is sixth in the nation with 122.8 yards receiving a game. He has five touchdowns this season to match his total from last year. He had 279 yards receiving against Alabama to break a school-record that had stood since 1965. The sophomore already ranks fifth in school history for career yards receiving with 1,842 yards.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
THE ZAPATA TIMES 3B
HINTS | BY HELOISE Dear Readers: How do you get the last bit of TOOTHPASTE OUT OF THE TUBE? This seems to be a hint readers ask about or share to help save money. Try these helpful hints: Slide the flat edge of a comb from the bottom of the tube to force the paste into the cap end. Hold both ends of the tube in your hands. Drag the tube against a sharp counter edge from bottom to cap to push the toothpaste to the top. Cut the tube about an inch from the cap. All of the toothpaste is still inside, and you can scoop it out with your toothbrush. Store the tube in a selfsealing plastic bag so it doesn’t dry out. — Heloise PET PAL Dear Readers: Lucille Friscia of Staten Island, N.Y., sent in a picture of her Shih Tzu, Bobby. Bobby’s favorite way to relax and cool off on a hot day is to float in the pool. To see Bobby’s photo, visit my website, www.Heloise-
.com, and click on "Pets." — Heloise HANDY WASHCLOTH Dear Heloise: I used to take tissue into the yard when I was working outside. When I did laundry, I would forget that there was tissue in the pockets. My solution: Take an old washcloth with me. I use it to wipe off sweat, as a handkerchief or to wipe off my hands. If I forget it in the pocket, I will not have pieces of tissue in the washer and dryer. I hope that this is useful for others. — Bobbie K., Springfield, Ill. NO MORE WATER SPOTS Dear Heloise: I learned a simple step to prevent unsightly hard-water scale from accumulating around the base of faucets and drains: Keep a dedicated rag or towel to wipe up the water left after using the sink. I have one for the countertop and another for the basin. I change these out every two to three days for sanitary purposes. — Valerie D., Lake Barrington, Ill.
DENNIS THE MENACE
FAMILY CIRCUS
PEANUTS
GARFIELD
DAILY CRYPTOQUOTES — Here’s how to work it:
DILBERT
Sports
4B THE ZAPATA TIMES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
Baylor faces Iowa State By STEPHEN HAWKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS
WACO — When Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads watched film of Baylor’s offense, there was more that impressed him than just all the big numbers. “They do it so easy. There’s just a relative ease that they accomplish all these absurd numbers, yardage, points, and the speed with what they’re doing it,” Rhoads said. “They’re not complicated. ... They just line up and play fast with fast players. It’s exciting to watch them.” Rhoads might not feel the same way when he gets an up-close view Saturday night. The Cyclones (1-4, 0-2 Big 12) will be the homecoming opponent for the 12th-ranked Bears (5-0, 2-0). Baylor is the nation’s most productive offense, with 715 total yards and 63 points a game. And those are updated numbers after being held to 451 yards and having to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 35-25 at Kansas State. That was 241 yards and 34 points below the Bears’ previous season-low totals. That game at K-State was the Bears’ first on the road. They passed the test. “I definitely think that it was a confidence booster,” said running back Glasco Martin, whose late TD run clinched the KState victory. “Just to see
Photo by Orlin Wagner | AP
Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk and the Bears face Iowa State on Saturday. our team come together and mature was really a big thing for us that we could step up and win on the road.” Now the Bears are back at Floyd Casey Stadium, where they have averaged 779.5 yards and 70.5 points in four games this season. They have won 16 of their last 17 home games, and nine in a row overall. Even so, Rhoads wasn’t tempted to watch only the K-State film to see what the Wildcats did to slow down Baylor. “You’ve got to look at the whole body of work,” Rhoads said. “Everywhere
you look, they deserve their No. 12 ranking in the country.” GOING FOR 10 Baylor has the Big 12’s longest winning streak at nine games in a row. With one more the Bears will match the school record of 10 that has stood since 1937. The Bears also had a nine-game winning streak through three games in 2012, but the only other time they did was 1915-16. Only No. 4 Ohio State (18) and top-ranked Alabama (10) have longer active winning streaks. SERIES LEADER While Baylor is favored
by more than four touchdowns, Iowa State won 3521 in last year’s game at Ames. The Cyclones have won six of 11 in the series that had only one game before they became Big 12 foes in 1996. “They’re willing to take a chance. They play like they have nothing to lose,” Baylor safety Ahmad Dixon said. “When you go up against a team like that, you have to know that they will be giving out the same shots as us. We are expecting our kind of trick plays and deep routes.” OH SO CLOSE Iowa State is scoring more than it has in Rhoads’ first four seasons at 29 points a game, and is plus-six in turnover margin. But that isn’t translating into wins. The Cyclones’ four losses are by a combined 22 points. Quarterback Sam B. Richardson is playing with a bum ankle. “He hasn’t been great and he certainly hasn’t been bad,” Rhoads said. TACKLING DUO Linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein have moved on after being the heart of the Iowa State defense for several seasons. But the Cyclones still have the Big 12’s top two tacklers. Linebacker Jeremiah George, whose 31 consecutive starts are the most on the team, is the Big 12 leader with 10.2 tackles per game. Second in the league is ISU safety Jacques Washington with 10.0 per game.
Red Raiders face WVU By JOHN RABY ASSOCIATED PRESS
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Keeping quarterbacks healthy has been a challenge so far this season for No. 16 Texas Tech and West Virginia. Neither team’s coach has yet to disclose which signal caller will start when the Red Raiders (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) play the Mountaineers (3-3, 1-2) for the first time in Morgantown on Saturday. The Red Raiders’ Kliff Kingsbury hasn’t indicated whether Davis Webb will get his second start or if Baker Mayfield will return from injury. Both are freshmen. West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen said he’ll make a game-time decision Saturday on his starter. Florida State transfer Clint Trickett started the last two games but had been bothered by a sore throwing shoulder. The Mountaineers are coming off a bye week after stumbling at No. 12 Baylor 73-42 two weeks ago. During the break, Trickett was healthy enough to go dove and quail hunting last weekend in Tallahassee, Fla. Paul Millard and Ford Childress also have started two games apiece. Millard is available, but Holgorsen
File photo by Scott MacWatters | AP
In this Oct. 13, 2012, file photo, Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro is hit by West Virginia’s Darwin Cook (25) and Josh Francis in Lubbock, Texas. said Childress is out indefinitely with a torn pectoral muscle. Mayfield, who’s averaging 298 yards passing per game, twisted his right knee two weeks ago in a win at Kansas. Webb threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns in his starting debut, a 42-35 win over Iowa State last week. Also in the mix is redshirt sophomore Michael Brewer, who’s played one game and has yet to attempt a pass. “We’ll see if we have all
three available this week,” Kingsbury said. “We’ll get as many reps to each guy as we can, and play the one that we feel gives us the best chance to win a game every week.” While Mayfield and Webb have thrived, none of West Virginia’s quarterbacks have consistently moved the offense in the post-Geno Smith era. But they could use some help. “We are still trying to figure out how to do things well, instead of getting to a point offensively where
you’re trying to focus on what the defense is doing and how to attack it successfully,” Holgorsen said. COACH vs. COACH Kingsbury and Holgorsen are going head-to-head for the first time as coaches. Kingsbury was the Red Raiders’ quarterback from 1999-02. Holgorsen was the team’s wide receivers coach from 2000-04 and added offensive coordinator duties from 2005-07. They were assistant coaches under Kevin Sumlin at Houston.
Photo by Tony Gutierrez | AP
TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin leads the Horned Frogs against No. 21 Oklahoma today on the road.
Horned Frogs aim to upset By JOHN TRANCHINA ASSOCIATED PRESS
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State has already lost to a supposedly inferior opponent coming out of a bye week and is determined not to let it happen again. Following their second break in a month, the No. 21 Cowboys (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) hope to avoid the inconsistency that plagued their 3021 defeat at West Virginia Sept. 28 when TCU (3-3, 1-2) visits on Saturday during homecoming weekend. But while the Horned Frogs’ record looks average, it is misleading, as they’ve already played three teams ranked in the top 25 and their stellar defense hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game since their season-opening loss to LSU. “I don’t think their record exemplifies the type of team they are,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said of TCU. “They are playing real well on defense. They are trying to run the football and spread you out to throw it a little bit on offense and they have a good return game. We definitely have our work cut out for us.” TCU coach Gary Patterson considers Oklahoma State a stiff challenge, noting that the Cowboys have also been performing well defensively, ranking 19th in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.69), while the Frogs are 18th (4.65). “They’re playing very well on defense, they’ve been doing enough to win a lot more games than they’ve lost,” Patterson said. “A couple of plays here and there for us, and instead of us being 3-3, we could be 5-1. You’ve just got to find a way to make those five or six plays, and right now, Oklahoma State’s
been able to do that in key situations and we haven’t.” Five things to watch as Oklahoma State tries to win its 21st straight game at home against an unranked opponent: SLOW-STARTING FROGS TCU has led at halftime only once in its first six games, and was tied one other time. The Frogs have scored 44 points total in the first half, while scoring 58 points in the third quarter of games and 65 points in the fourth. “We’ve got to play the first half like we play the second half,” Patterson said. WELCOME BACK FROGS This is the second straight year TCU, in its second Big 12 season, is visiting Stillwater because they inherited Texas A&M’s conference schedule. FRESH TURNOVERS The turnover battle, as usual, will be crucial to the outcome. After turning the ball over three times at West Virginia, the Cowboys lost the ball just once in their last game, a 33-29 win over Kansas State, while generating five takeaways themselves. “That’s the key thing for our defense,” OSU linebacker Shaun Lewis said. “We want to go out, force turnovers and give our offense the ball.” JUST CHILL OUT Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin won three Big 12 road games as a freshman starter last season, but is 0-2 in those games this year. KICK START After connecting on just one field goal in four attempts through Oklahoma State’s first four games, including two crucial misses in the West Virginia loss, freshman kicker Ben Grogan booted four field goals against K-State, while the only one he missed was blocked.
Houston looks to reach 6-0 By JEREMY RAKES ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Undefeated Houston is about to face its toughest stretch of the season. Houston has won five straight to open the season for the second time in three years. But the five opponents are a combined 10-19 this season, with only Rice (4-2) and Southern (3-3) posting .500 or better records. After BYU this Saturday, Houston will go on the road for three of its next four games: Visits to Rutgers, Central Florida and Louisville are sandwiched around a home game against South Florida. Despite the difficult upcoming schedule, Houston coach Tony Levine said his players won’t look ahead and are focused on BYU. “The things that have gotten us to this point in terms of winning our first five games is what we have to continue to do: take care of the football on offense, creating turnovers on defense and we’ve got to tackle,” Levine
said. “They’re going to be bigger and more physical (than) guys we’ve been tackling. Those are the things we have to do though, we have to cut down on penalties, put a game plan together and execute on all three sides of the ball.” BYU has won three in a row and Houston has already matched its win total from last year’s disappointing season. BYU CAN RUN BYU is 13th in the nation in rushing offense led by quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams. Both rank in the top 20 nationally in yards rushing a game. BYU averages 263 yards rushing a game, and has rushed for at least 150 yards in every game this season. They’ve had two games with more than 300 yards rushing this season — 309 yards against Middle Tennessee State and 550 yards against Texas. TURNOVER TIME Under first-year defensive coordinator David Gibbs, Houston has forced 18 turnovers this season, including 10 fumbles. Hous-
ton leads the nation with a plus-14 turnover margin. Leading the charge on defense is Trevon Stewart, who has three fumble recoveries, while Thomas Bates and Efrem Oliphant each have two. DON’T FORGET ABOUT BYU ’D’ BYU has held opponents to less than 21 points in 12 straight games dating to last season. BYU’s defense can also score, having put points on the board in each of the last three games, with a safety against Middle Tennessee State and interceptions returned for touchdowns against Utah State and Georgia Tech. Senior Kyle Van Noy leads the defense with 26 career sacks, including four this season. HOUSTON’S OFFENSE Freshman John O’Korn is the starter at quarterback after junior David Piland’s career ended because of concussions earlier this season. O’Korn has responded by throwing for 1,131 yards and 11 touchdowns, while completing more than 59 percent of his passes and throwing just one interception.
Photo by Dave Einsel | AP
Efra Oliphant (50) and the Cougars face BYU today looking to improve to 6-0 overall.