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Zaffirini urges unity By JOE RUTLAND THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
State Sen.Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, is congratulated by 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez after her speech at the annual business meeting of the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at the Zapata Community Center on Thursday.Also pictured are Mario Garcia, foreground, and Jose F.“Paco”Mendoza Jr., executive director of the chamber.
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini encouraged the revitalized Zapata County Chamber of Commerce to continue working with other local organizations for the benefit of the community. Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who was the keynote speaker during the chamber’s annual business meeting earlier this week, said the chamber, Zapata County Economic Development Center, and Convention and Visitors Bureau can support the city’s vital business connections. “I strongly believe the leaders of Zapata know about the strength of working together,”
“We have plans to build the chamber and make it stronger, helping our community to move forward.” EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOSE F.‘PACO’ MENDOZA JR.
she told the gathering of local officials and business leaders at the Zapata County Community Center. “I especially like the fact that you reach out to your neighbors in Webb, Jim Hogg and Starr counties, among others.” Jose F. “Paco” Mendoza Jr., new executive director of the Zapata County Chamber of Com-
merce, told the crowd that “the chamber serves a vital role within the community. “We have plans to build the chamber and make it stronger, helping our community to move forward,” Mendoza said. Back in April, the then-board of directors made a call to close the Chamber of Commerce’s doors and lay off employees due
to lack of funds in the bank. Former Chamber of Commerce Chairman Boyd Carter said at the time that expenses connected to fishing tournaments on Falcon Lake had drained most of the organization’s finances. Hildegardo Flores, president of the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Center, said that the new board is ready to go to work. New board members include Flores, Yvonne Trapp, Sylvia Dodier, Aurelio Villarreal, David Schmidt, Rodney Cooper, John Rathmell, Norma Amaya and Avon Hatfield.
See CHAMBER | PAGE 13A
2 eye Pct. 4 board seat By TARYN WHITE THE ZAPATA TIMES
Diego Gonzalez, 54, is running against incumbent Zachary Garza, 58, for the precinct four position on the Zapata ISD school board. “I have been part of Zapata all my life and I care about the students and teachers in this district,” Gonzalez said. This is the only position in Zapata up for re-election where the incumbent is running opposed. According to Garza, that someone is running against him at all is a suprise. “I have been a school board
member for approximately 16 years, and this is the first time anyone has ever challenged me,” Garza said. Garza is from Roma and came to Zapata in 1974. He said he originally ran for school board as a favor to a friend, who, due to health reasons, could no longer serve on the board. All three of Garza’s children have graduated from the Zapata Independent School District. He said it is because of them and because of his love for the community that he wants to continue to
See ELECTIONS | PAGE 12A
Photos by Ulysses S. Romero | Laredo Morning Times
Auctioneer Gary Lovett searches for bidders during an auction by ConocoPhillips to benefit United Way on Wednesday morning at Zapata’s convention center.
A LAKE VIEW
HOT BIDDING AT AUCTION
Monterrey reader enlightens story A
By ZACH LINDSEY THE ZAPATA TIMES
Bustamante reader of this Zapata publication recently communicated with some border residents, providing an online narrative about a land recipient tied to Laredo area historical figure, Tomas Sanchez de la Barrera. Sanchez, given the rank of a military captain through the offices of the viceroy of Nueva España, is credited with founding the Villa de San Agustin de Laredo. Villa de San Agustin de Laredo was one of the last of 21 villages emerging out of the Revilla-Zapata region on the Rio Grande frontier. Sanchez was a contemporary of another commissioned captain, Jose Borrego, who settled Revilla (Villa del Señor San Ignacio de
onocoPhillips employees and contractors raised $248,000 for the United Way of Laredo earlier this week during the COP annual auction, held this year at the Zapata Community Center. United Way of Laredo assists several Zapata agencies, including Helping Hands Food Pantry, Communities and Schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Zapata, and programs offered here by SCAN. Among the items auctioned Wednesday were four-wheelers, big-screen TVs, hunting and fishing trips, San Antonio Spurs tickets and a pie that went for $2,000.
C
See AUCTION | PAGE 12A
ODIE ARAMBULA Loyola de Revilla, 1750, years later renamed Guerrero) years before Tomas Sanchez had any notions about Villa de San Agustin de Laredo. According to archived material discovered in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, the land grant cited by
See LAKE VIEW | PAGE 13A
San Ygnacio native marks 100 By ZACH LINDSEY THE ZAPATA TIMES
In his 100 years of living on the border, Ricardo Rodriguez has seen bandits attack and fought cancer, lived under the administration of 18 presidents, built highways and worked the railroads. Work has been his life. According to Rodriguez, it’s what got him through his first 100 years. “Quit your vices and put yourself to work like I have done,” the
still-active Rodriguez counseled in Spanish during an interview earlier this week. “Work honestly and eat well. I worked all my life.” The San Ygnacio native’s work record is a record of the history of the border and of the United States. He grew up working as a cowboy, building fences and rounding up cattle at ranches in and around Zapata County. In the 1930s, he worked for the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency that em-
ployed millions as part of relief aid to those affected by the Great Depression. He helped build U.S. 83, which connects Zapata and Laredo. Before the highway was built, Rodriguez said, the trip from San Ygnacio to Laredo took about a day and a half by horse. If the Arroyo Dolores was flooded, it would tack on another two or three days to the trip. In 1942, he moved to Laredo, where he lives today. He started working for H.B. Zachry at the Laredo Gunnery School. After
World War II, Rodriguez went back to ranch life, still working for Zachry. “I made good money,” Rodriguez recalled. And how much money was that? “I made 40 cents an hour, and our wages went up little by little,” he said proudly. In the 1950s, he began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, travelling around Texas. As Laredo modernized in the
See RODRIGUEZ | PAGE 12A
Courtesy photo
On Oct. 20, Ricardo Rodriguez, center, celebrated his centennial in the company of Mayor Raul Salinas,left,and the Laredo City Council,including Councilman Johnny Rendon,right.