The Zapata Times 12/5/2009

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ZAPATA

JOLLY ST. NICK HEADLINES ANNUAL PARADE

Hopefuls line up for primary County residents could see new Commissioners Court after election

By JULIE DAFFERN THE ZAPATA TIMES

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times

Steve Sanchez, potraying Santa Cluas at the annual Zapata Christmas Parade, waves to the crowd on a chilly Friday afternoon.

S

anta rode into Zapata in style Friday night, on a horse-drawn buckboard, a boat and even a flatbed with the image of Marines putting up the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. It was the annual Zapata County Christmas Parade, a delightful event that unfolded under sunny skies and a cold wind out of the north. It was a perfect South Texas “winter” day, enjoyed by adults and kids alike.

As candidates begin lining up for a place on the March primary ballot, the Zapata political scene is heating up, and with four seats on Commissioners Court up for grabs, the county could see an almost entirely new court.

Already, a new face has appeared at Commissioners Court after Pct. 3 Commissioner Joseph Rathmell resigned in early November for a run at the county judge seat. Eddie Martinez, a local certified public accountant, was sworn in as Rathmell’s replacement.

In 2010, the Precinct 2 and 4 seats are up for election, but because of Rathmell’s resignation, voters will also vote for his replacement in March. Martinez has said he plans to

run for the seat.

Two other Zapatans indicated they will seek the Pct. 3 commissioner seat when they filed paperwork appointing a campaign treasurer with the County Clerk’s office: Alan M. Montes and Karran M. Westerman. Every candidate must file a campaign treasurer appointment as well as periodic campaign finance reports with the County Clerk’s Office.

Rathmell has appointed his treasurer in the race for county judge. And Teresa Hein has also indicated her intention to run for the seat.

The race for the Pct. 2 commissioner looks like it will be hotly contested as four people have indicated their intent to run. Among those who have appointed a

See POLITICS PAGE 9A

SAN YGNACIO

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata Times

The annual Zapata Christmas Parade took place on Highway 83 on a cold Friday afternoon.

Annual tour is set for Sunday

UNITED WAY

Boys, girls enjoy Zapata club (Editor’s note: This is one of the 26 agencies funded by United Way. The 2009-2010 campaign is now underway.)

By ERIKA LAMBRETON THE ZAPATA TIMES

A humble dream of keeping boys off the streets and providing a healthy environment for them to grow, was born in 1860, and has since grown to become a nationwide phenomenon.

The Boys and Girls Club of Zapata continues this tradition of offering a wonderful place for children to call their own.

In the one year Ileana Thatcher has acted as program coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club of Zapata, she has seen countless children progress into young adults with bright futures as they develop

See UNITED WAY PAGE 9A

Pictures is the exterior of the new San Agustin Middle School on Friday afternoon.

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | The Zapata TImes

Riko Griffen, left, plays tetherball with Hollie Reynolds (with hands on ball) at the Boys and Girls Club of Zapata as part of summer camp activities.

By DIANA R. FUENTES THE ZAPATA TIMES

The sun has returned to South Texas, but the air is still chilly and Christmas is coming around the corner.

Perhaps the surest sign that the holiday season has begun is the arrival of the annual San Ygnacio House Tour, a festive fundraising event set for Sunday.

This year, the event will be preceded by the inauguration of the brand-new A.L. Benavides Elementary School, Zapata County’s first TEA Exemplary Campus.

“It’s just awesome,” enthused Principal Gerardo Montes, in his 14th year as an educator and second as principal of the high-performing school. “The new school has a front of river

stone in keeping with the style of the historic homes here, while offering stateof-the-art facilities for our students.”

The school will be officially opened at 11 a.m., with public tours following the ribbon-cutting ceremony. There will be refreshments and entertainment, followed by a benefit plate sale. For just $6 a plate, you can get luscious carne asada and a drink for lunch.

After that, it’s time for the elegant house tour, scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.

Marlen Guerra, librarian of A.L. Benavides Elementary, is one of the chief organizers of the event.

“We have four houses, a museum, church and the plaza on the tour,” she

See TOUR PAGE 6A

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Zin brief CALENDAR

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

AROUND TEXAS

TODAY IN HISTORY

Saturday, Dec. 5 Marine Corps League will be having a fill-the-helmet drive at Texas 16 and U.S. 83 from 9 a.m. to noon today to benefit the annual Toys for Tots drive, which provides toys for kids in Zapata and Webb counties. For more information, call Manuel Garcia at 337-4917.

Zapata Lady Hawks at the Alice tournament, through Saturday.

FLW Eastern Series fishing tournament, Tuesday, Jan. 26 through Saturday, Jan 30, at Falcon Lake. For more information contact the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce at (956) 7654871.

Sunday, Dec. 6 Benavides Elementary School will be having a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at 11 a.m. to inaugurate the new school. Following the ceremony, there will be public tours of the school and there will be a plate sale — $6 will get you a plate of delicious carne guisada and a drink. Proceeds benefit the school.

The annual holiday San Ygnacio House Tour to benefit Benavides Elementary School begins at 1:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $6 each and will be available at the school at the earlier inauguration event.

Photo by Jeff Gentner | AP

Malik Shabazz has spoken out against what he claims are mischaracterizations of his organization as a racist hate group.

Panther leader speaks

Thursday, Dec. 10

By LINDA STEWART BALL

Hawks and Lady Hawks basketball teams play in the San Diego tournament, through Saturday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Friday, Dec. 11 Today is the deadline for submitting wrapped shoeboxes filled with Christmas goodies for distribution to needy Zapata kids by the Texas A&M University Colonias Program. The lid and the box should be wrapped separately. Goodies can include candy, toys, books, crayons, gift cards, warm socks and other non-perishable items that fit in the box. For more information, call the Texas A&M Promotora Office at 765-9921.

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 486 will be having its annual fundraising fashion show at the American Legion Hall, 2213 N. U.S. 83. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. This year the event features the latest in styles from Steinmart. Tickets are $6 each.

Hawks and Lady Hawks basketball teams play in the San Diego tournament, through Saturday.

Saturday, Dec. 12 American Legion Auxiliary Unit 486 will be having Christmas Home Tours starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are $5 each.

Meet at the American Legion Building, 2213 N. U.S. 83, first to get refreshments and the map of the participating homes.

For more information, call 765-8546.

The fourth annual “Mission Give Laredo” donation drive will include a community telethon, live and on-site at Sames Motors in Laredo. The theme for the telethon is “sharing hope,” with the purpose of raising much-needed funds to support and maintain vital meal and shelter services that Bethany House has been providing for 27 years.

Hawks and Lady Hawks basketball teams play in the San Diego tournament, through today.

Sunday, Dec. 13 There will be a dance at the Community Center in Zapata, across from the County Courthouse, on the west side of U.S. 83 to benefit the local Toys for Tots drive. Music will be by Los Mizmos from Rio Grande City and Los Cinco de Zapata, among others. Tickets are $10 each at the door. For more information, call Manuel Garcia at 337-4917.

Monday, Dec. 14 Hawks basketball team hosts Martin High School.

The King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville will host its first Richard Mifflin Kleberg Jr. Family Lectureship on Equine Management from Monday through Thursday, Dec. 14-17. The meetings will be held on campus at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center, and the labs will be held at the J.K. Northway Exposition Center.

Transportation will be provided between the two locations. The cost of the lectureship is $500; deadline to register is Friday. For more information or to register, call 361-593-5401, or visit the institute’s Web site at http://krirm.tamuk.edu.

Tuesday, Dec. 15 Lady Hawks basketball team hosts Rio Hondo High School.

To submit an item for the daily calendar, send the name of the event, the date, time, location and a contact phone number to editorial@lmtonline.com

DALLAS — The U.S. Justice Department made the right call in dismissing a voter intimidation lawsuit against the New Black Panther Party and recent questions about that ruling are a “political witch hunt” to discredit Attorney General Eric Holder, the party’s leader said this week.

Malik Zulu Shabazz, national chairman of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, told The Associated Press the civil lawsuit filed by the federal government had “no merit” because the party doesn’t condone voter intimidation.

Shabazz said he was speaking publicly about the issue for the first time because he

wanted to set the record straight before the party began celebrating its 20th anniversary during a national three-day summit that started Friday in Dallas.

“I want everybody to take a second look,” Shabazz said. “I certainly would like black America and all the world to take a second look at the New Black Panther Party at this point and to understand that we’re sincerely trying to help our people and we don’t want our intentions to be misinterpreted.”

The Southern Law Poverty Center characterizes the New Black Panther Party as a hate group but Shabazz denied that, saying the party’s “pro-black” message is so strong it “tends to ruffle the feathers of white America” in a way that integrationist groups don’t.

Houston gets earliest snowfall on record

’Radio’s Tallest Singing Cowboy’ dies

Houston mayor jumps into gov’s race

HOUSTON — Houston had its earliest snowfall on record Friday, with several inches accumulating in counties southwest of the city.

The previous record for early snow in Houston was Dec. 10 in 1944 and again last year.

Snow is rare in the nation’s fourth largest city. In the past 15 years, it has snowed four times, Accumulations of 3 to 4 inches of snow were reported in counties southwest of Houston.

SAN ANTONIO — W.E. “Big Bill” Lister, who toured as one of Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys and was dubbed “Radio’s Tallest Singing Cowboy,” has died. He was 86.

He died Tuesday in San Antonio after a brief illness. His family said Lister was still performing a few months ago.

The 6-foot-7 cowboy, offered a drinking song to Hank Williams Jr. who used combined his voice with his father’s.

HOUSTON — Houston Mayor Bill White abandoned his campaign for U.S. Senate on Friday in favor of a run for Texas governor.

The Democrat immediately becomes his party’s strongest candidate with $4 million in his Senate campaign fund that he can transfer to a governor’s race fund. White, a wealthy attorney, chipped in more than $1 million himself.

-- Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION School’s racial tensions lead to fights PHILADELPHIA — Tensions between black and Asian students at a U.S. public high school erupted in a series of assaults over two days, leading to 10 suspensions and several students seeking medical treatment.

An official said at a news conference that two off-campus attacks and a lunchroom attack stem from bullying over cultural differences.

Report: Staff warned their families first BLACKSBURG, Va. — Some Virginia Tech administrators warned their families and ordered the president’s office locked well before the rest of the campus was notified a gunman was on the loose, according to a revised state report on the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S.

Photo by Rex Larsen/The Grand Rapids Press | AP

Aquinas College students Alicia Oliver, left, a senior, and Ailene Hicks, a freshman, walk through the campus in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Friday. history.

Drop in joblessness sparks optimism WASHINGTON — Two years

of steep job cuts all but ended last month, unexpectedly pulling down the unemployment rate.

Federal figures released Friday showed the rate fell from 10.2 percent in October to 10 percent.

-- Compiled from AP reports

WORLD BRIEFS Rehab center forced patients into slave labor MEXICO CITY — Kidnap victims freed from a rehab center in Mexico City said they were snatched from the streets and held in slave-like conditions — beaten, robbed and forced to work 16 hours a day making

Associated Press Today is Saturday, Dec. 5, the 339th day of 2009. There are 26 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 5, 1933, national Prohibition came to an end as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment.

On this date: In 1776, the first scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. In 1782, the eighth president of the United States, Martin Van Buren, was born in Kinderhook, N.Y., the first chief executive to be born after American independence.

In 1791, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna, Austria, at age 35.

In 1792, George Washington was re-elected president; John Adams was re-elected vice president.

In 1831, former President John Quincy Adams took his seat as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1848, President James K. Polk triggered the Gold Rush of ’49 by confirming that gold had been discovered in California.

In 1932, German physicist Albert Einstein was granted a visa, making it possible for him to travel to the United States.

In 1955, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFLCIO under its first president, George Meany.

In 1979, feminist Sonia Johnson was formally excommunicated by the Mormon Church because of her outspoken support for the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution.

In 1994, Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades.

Ten years ago: AFL-CIO chief John Sweeney welcomed the collapse of World Trade Organization talks in Seattle, asserting that “No deal is better than a bad deal.” Cuban President Fidel Castro demanded that the United States return 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez, who had been rescued at sea, to his father in Cuba within 72 hours.

Five years ago: Gunmen ambushed a bus carrying unarmed Iraqis to work at a U.S. ammo dump near Tikrit, killing 17. Egypt freed an Israeli Arab man convicted of spying in exchange for Israel’s release of six Egyptian students who were suspected of trying to kidnap Israeli soldiers.

Today’s Birthdays: Singer Little Richard is 77. Author Joan Didion is 75. Author Calvin Trillin is 74. Musician J.J. Cale is 71. Actor Jeroen Krabbe is 65. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 63. Pop singer Jim Messina is 62. College Football Hall of Famer Jim Plunkett is 62. World Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins is 60. Actress Morgan Brittany is 58. Actor Brian Backer is 53.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Monk is 52. Country singer Ty England is 46. Rock singer-musician John Rzeznik (The Goo Goo Dolls) is 44.

Thought for Today: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney (born this date in 1901, died 1966).

shopping bags and clothes pins.

Some of the 107 victims said Friday they were forbidden from talking for as long as a week at a time by guards.

Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy PERUGIA, Italy — A jury in

Italy convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years.

Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years.

Knox, 22, and 25-year-old Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher.

-- Compiled from AP reports

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

Zlocal

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ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VISIT

Mountains of snow Editor’s note: This week, Dora Martinez submits an original poem in the spirit of the holidays.

By DORA MARTINEZ Mountains of snow are here today Trees, brush and larks are going away; snow somehow will melt and make a beautiful spring and will be here to stay.

Snow

will

cover

the

COLUMN ground and suddenly this makes a very good sound: small animals will seek shelter while larger ones will make this worthwhile all around.

Look out, now, here comes Mr. Sun; highways and railroads are ready to run.

No more mountains of snow to see, just beautiful scenery of rivers and

streams.

Soon we will start to see the birds and hear them sing, the green trees and ferns start to show.

This means the mountains of snow will be a thing of the past, but for now – Oh! How they glow.

(Dora Martinez is a native of Zapata who was publisher of Hispanic News in San Antonio for 21 years. She can be reached at thezapatatimes@att.net)

Gift project is underway

By ERIKA LAMBRETON THE ZAPATA TIMES

For the first time in Zapata, the Texas A&M Colonias Program is sponsoring a Christmas shoebox project.

“We really wanted to get the community involved,” said Adriana Barrera, outreach worker with the Texas A&M Colonias Program.

The project is aimed at providing the less fortunate children of Zapata with a shoebox full of Christmas cheer.

Those interested are given the name, age, and gender of a needy child, and are encouraged to fill the shoebox with all kinds of gifts.

“We’re going to get to see a bunch of kids smiling when they get their gifts,”

said Barrera, adding that being able to provide a special Christmas for a child is priceless.

“We want to put a smile on their faces for Christmas.”

Suggested items arecandy, toys, books, crayons, pens, pencils, warm socks, gloves, gift cards and so on, as long as items fit inside the shoebox.

The colonias program, located inside the Zapata County Courthouse, has seen a great interest in the project, and officials expect an increase in donations.

“So far we have seen a good response from the community, and we already have several donations,’ said Barrera, adding even some of the court house employ-

ees have expressed a willingness to help.

The project is expected to raise awareness within the community of the less fortunate, and Barrera said she hopes it will start a new tradition that will see double the amount of boxes for next year.

“Our goal is to give these children a Christmas” they won’t soon forget, said Barrera.

The shoebox project will be collecting donations until Friday.

To participate in the Christmas Shoebox Project, or for more information, call 765-9921 or e-mail nanabarrera22@gmail.com.

(To reach Erika Lambreton, call 728-2567 or e-mail elambreton@lmtonline.com)

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Courtesy photo

Sgt. Jorge Martinez from the Army National Guard visited Zapata South Elementary, in October, for Red Ribbon Week with a message to stay drug free. He also spoke to students about careers in the military. Mrs. Magda Salina’s first grade glass is pictured here with Martinez. Back row: Jose Dario, Amanda Benitez, Maximiliano Gonzalez, Miguel Delgado, Jonathan Martinez, Belen Salinas, Mario Solis, Mark Sanchez and Damaris Chapa. Front row: Cody Rodriguez, Aaron Landa, Itzel Garza, Noelia Grimaldo, Kenya Arambula, Luis Guerra Jr., Lucero Castillo, Angeles Vasquez and Sarena Peña.

THE BLOTTER BURGLARY Police responded to a call about a burglary of habitation with intended sexual assault at 4:13 a.m. Thursday at a home on Texas 16. Upon arrival, deputies proceeded to check the premises and encountered a woman crying. Deputies were then advised that there was a male subject in the house. Condoms and pair of leather gloves were among the items reco-

vered from the home.

Police responded to a burglary of habitation call Nov. 28 in the 5300 block of Sean Lane. Subjects went into the residence and took some items.

The incident occurred between 12:52 a.m. and 2:04 a.m.

Police responded to a burglary of habitation call Nov. 27 in the 1700 block of Bravo Street. The complainants stated that entrance was obtained

through breaking the door window. No items were taken.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT Police responded to an aggravated assault call Nov. 28 at Rascal Pub & Grill. The victim stated that she had been physically assaulted. The victim also stated that that she tried to obtain a license plate number and during that time someone tried to run her over.

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Zopinion

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND YOUR SIGNED LETTER TO EDITORIAL@LMTONLINE.COM

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OTHER VIEWS

Faux security rife in DC

By LLEWELLYN KING HEARST NEWSPAPERS

W

ASHINGTON — There is a knot of people standing outside the Northwest Gate of the White House.

They are cold and unhappy, clutching driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.

Taking his turn, one man shouts into a communications box. He has an appointment, but he is made to feel as though he is a rascal after the silver.

There are no welcome mats at this or any other gate to the White House.

You feel under suspicion until you are cleared in —when you go from indignity to thrilling proximity to power.

There are no waiting rooms or seats at the gates to the White House.

There is no one posted at the gates to welcome visitors, from VIPs to those who deserve some courtesy.

ID required Things go badly for visitors who are not carrying ID. Some years ago singer Vic Damone and his wife, Rena Rowan Damone, showed up at the Northwest Gate. The couple had an appointment, but Mrs. Damone didn’t bring her purse and didn’t have any form of ID. Forget about name recognition. No ID, no entry.

The Damone tableau is played out frequently. The People’s House is not people-friendly.

Worse, because entry to the White House is badly organized, and often excessively restrictive, neither visitors nor guards respect the system — a clue as to how the Bonnie and Clyde of social-climbing, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, got in to President Obama’s first state dinner without an invitation, and even spoke to the president. (Were they climbing, or were they just giddy from past adventures on the social ramparts?)

The only thing to be said for the joylessness of being admitted to the White House is that the chilly reception has been bipartisan.

Complaints galore Security at the White House gates has grown since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Every subsequent administration has built on the excess security, and faux security, of the previous

one.

The guards are members of the uniformed unit of the Secret Service.

They complain about the job a lot. The problem seems to be pay; there is not enough of it, compared to other police work. Their beef contributes to the attitude faced by visitors to the White House.

The Salahi affair demonstrates how too much security results in a breachable wall.

But there is too much faux security in Washington, too.

Fake signatures Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a vast army of security people (rent-a-cops) has taken over corporate and government buildings in the nation’s capital. They sit at desks, or in glass cages, in the lobby of almost every office building, supposedly protecting workers from threats.

They are there to get visitors to sign in and to show the dreaded ID. But you can sign in as almost anyone — for fun, try Adolph Hitler or Nelson Mandela — and nothing happens. Any name is good enough in the world of faux security, where the incompetent and the officious blend.

The trouble with faux security, like excessive classification, is that it defeats its purpose by reducing respect for the whole idea of security.

Watch how the wind blows

By VERLYN KLINKENBORG NEW YORK TIMES

T

his farm lies on an eastward-facing slope, which rises gradually to a thickly wooded ridge in the west. I can feel the mass of that hill whenever the sun goes down, and yet, where wind is concerned, there’s very little lee to it.

Last week, the wind came ripping over the crest, knocking down a couple of fence sections and gnawing at the trees with a suctioning, siphoning sound. All day long, the air boomed and roared.

By evening, even the horses were weary. They had been blown about all day as though they weighed a few ounces instead of a thousand pounds apiece.

A tree cracks in the distance and they trot, alarmed, across the pasture. A whirlwind of leaves twists past, and they race away from it. The corner of a tarp gets loose, and off they go.

They transmit this anxious energy to me, undiluted. I prefer the way the pigs and chickens react. In a high wind, the pigs snooze together at the back of their house, straw pulled

over their heads. The chickens sit on their perches, knitting and doing their accounts.

Some time during the night the wind dropped and the next morning was nearly still, smoke rising almost straight up from my chimney and from those down the valley.

There was a strange sense of propriety about, a primness in the way every tree had relaxed and, at the same time, come back to attention.

In this new silence, the horses seemed enveloped in stillness.

They were no longer

bracing themselves. Their bones and sinews had relaxed.

And I relaxed, too. I stood in the sun feeling the strength of its rays now that the wind wasn’t scattering them.

When the wind blows, the horses always stand with their heads facing away from it.

In the quiet of the morning, they were no longer magnetized.

Without a wind, they were free to face in any direction they chose.

Without a wind, the day could go any way it wanted.

Waste of time Every week I go to a particular radio studio, where I have to sign in and wait for one of the producers to escort me.

The busy producers have to leave their consoles. The guards know this is a waste of time and effort. Everyone despises the charade and, therefore, disrespects the system.

At Voice of America headquarters, a press pass won’t do. You have to produce a driver’s license and have your picture taken each time you enter the building.

Believe it or not, there are Americans who don’t drive. Interestingly, Voice of America requires a picture of its visitors, but the White House does not.

So which national secrets is Voice of America hiding that the White House is not?

(Reach Llewellyn King, host of television’s “White House Chronicle,” at lking@kingpublishing.com)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Zapata Times does not publish anonymous letters.

To be published, letters must include the writer’s first and last names as well as a phone number to verify identity; the phone number IS NOT published; it is used solely to verify identity and to clarify content, if necessary.

The identity of the letter writer must be verified before publication.

The Zapata Times does not publish letters with just an initial and a last name.

People who want to air their opinions publicly must do so openly.

We want to assure our readers that a letter is written by the person who signs the letter. The Zapata Times does not allow

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the use of pseudonyms.

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This space allows for the public debate of the issues of the day. Thank-you letters are published, but due to limited space, we ask writers to list no more than 10 names in such letters.

Letters can be mailed to Letters to the Editor; 111 Esperanza Driver; Laredo, Texas 78041. Via email, send your letter to editorial@lmtonline.com Letters sent via e-mail should be sent as a Word document or as text in the body of the e-mail itself.

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Democrats help rural Texans

By BOYD RICHIE SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

I

’m a born and bred Texan, and one of the things I know about Texans is that we have the courage to tackle tough problems.

When a fence is down, we mend it. When family members are in need, we take care of them. We take responsibility and meet challenges head-on.

Tough choices I have lived in small town Texas all my life and was elected to serve as a rural prosecutor. I’ve always believed we have the right to expect those we elect to represent us to make the tough choices the same way everyday Texans approach challenges in our own lives.

Sam Houston put it this way: “A leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people or improve the system they live under.”

The Republicans who have been running things in Austin for years haven’t stepped up to the plate to meet our state’s challenges.

Instead, they always blame

someone else, blame Washington, and blame one another – all excuses about why they can’t get the job done.

On issue after issue, these so-called “leaders” have not done right by rural Texas.

Texas Republicans tried to take 600,000 acres of our farmland for Rick Perry’s Trans Texas Corridor toll road system that was set to be run by a foreign company. Texas Democrats want to fix our existing highways and improve our farm to market roads.

Following this year’s legislative session, Rick Perry vetoed legislation that would have helped rural hospitals hire doctors – an important state effort to provide better health care for 114 medically underserved Texas counties and 27 West Texas counties that lack even one physician.

Medical service By contrast, Democrats have always worked to support rural hospitals, recruit more doctors and invest in telemedicine – an important

tool in delivering top-notch medical services to rural areas.

State Republicans have failed to develop a plan that will meet both the regional and statewide water needs of our state. Democrats will work to ensure that rural Texas’s long term water resources are not sold off to the highest bidder.

Raise taxes Perry and the Republican legislature have enacted tax policy that raised state taxes on many small businesses and lined the pockets of their big business campaign donors. Texas Democrats support the small businesses entrepreneurs, ranchers and farmers that are the backbone of our rural economy.

For years, the Texas GOP tried to pass a billion dollar private school voucher scheme that would rob our local schools by shipping our public school dollars off to pay for kids to attend big city private schools. Democrats want to keep our education dollars working for the rural schools that are so

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

important to our communities and to our children. A child in rural Texas deserves the same opportunity to get the first rate education needed to get good jobs in the 21st Century economy.

Texans are proud, independent people who don’t back down. Like all Americans, Texans are fed up with today’s self-serving politicians. In Texas, Republicans have run the show for the past decade, and their failed partisan leadership has divided Texans, threatened our progress, and kept Texans from fulfilling our true potential.

Fight for Texas Like Sam Houston, Texas Democrats don’t cotton to talk about secession and we don’t look down on others, but we’ll fight for the Texas we love and do our best to build a better rural Texas for generations to come.

(Boyd Richie is Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. He lives in Graham, where he served as both District Attorney and County Attorney.)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

Zentertainment

PAGE 5A

Lil’ Wayne goes on stage at the 9th Annual BET Awards on Sunday, June 28, 2009, in Los Angeles.

Philanthropy and fashion

By KIRSTEN CROW LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Between the new nip in the air and the spirit of giving the season suggests, there may be no better backdrop for an evening to focus on philanthropy, fashion and luxe fur than when the Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center and Joe Brand department store join forces for a 50th anniversary gala in honor of the nonprofit.

To include a “diamonds and fur” showing on the runway, a delicious dinner and the talents of Las Vegas Frank Sinatra impersonator, Henry Prego, it’s sure to be an evening to cherish — as well as give.

Set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Laredo Country Club, the event will showcase the latest in winter fashions, as well as honor those who founded and have supported the Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center, which has been providing integral services to the community for a half-century.

The fashion The flashiest portion of the evening will, no doubt, be the “diamonds and fur” showing by Joe Brand.

Featuring nearly two dozen models, the runway will be packed with the latest — and most luxurious — winter offerings by the department store, including plenty of furs created by the store’s in-house furrier and the exotic, dramatic jewelry of Fai Milo.

The jewelry, which is notable in its fine curves, craftsmanship, imagination and beauty, is “like wearing a piece of art,” said Terri Deutsch, of Joe Brand.

“They have pretty stones and unique combinations,”

Photo by Chris Pizzello | AP

Lil’ Wayne expected to bring record number to LEC

By EMILIO RABAGO III

Photo by Ricardo Segovia | Laredo Morning Times

Chelsea Morgensen wears a bolero jacket made of chinchilla fur. she said. “They do classic pieces, but they are known a lot for their artistry. They win a lot of awards from around the world.”

The store will be donating several of the highlysought jewelry pieces for the giveaway that evening.

Also starring on the runway will be furs from around the world designed

by Joe Brand’s in-house furrier, including chinchilla, silver fox, raccoon and rabbit furs, each used artfully in timeless or trendy designs, from shawls to coats to bolero jackets.

The cause Providing more than 74,000 therapy visits in the last year alone, the Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center has a 50-year history of ser-

vice to the community, providing occupational therapy, wound care, speech therapy and physical therapy, as well as additional services, to those who may have suffered a traumatic injury or disease.

“We help (patients) get back on their feet and back to a life that at one time, they enjoyed,” explained Julie Bazan, executive director.

Making an appearance The gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the Laredo Country Club. Individual tickets are $150, or a table for 10 for $1,500. Sponsor tables are $2,500.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit the center’s programs and services.

For more information and reservations, call 7222431.

LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Lil’ who?

Jay-Z may call himself “The Best Rapper Alive,” but Lil’ Wayne is arguably “The Best Rapper on Earth.”

And to Laredo, he may be “The-Best-Rapper-AliveTo-Ever-Perform-At-TheLEC.” Period.

“This is … wow!” said Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas at a Monday press conference at the Laredo Entertainment Center. “This is what people want in Laredo.”

According to concert promoter Paul Magee of Global Groove London, the mayor is correct.

He cited an unscientific online poll in which 77 percent out of 5,000 people answered they wanted to see Lil’ Wayne at the LEC. But for an artist of this caliber, you don’t need all the stats.

Last week, the streets were already buzzing about the possibility of having a multi-Grammy Award-winner in concert. Rumors abounded and the show was finally confirmed Monday.

“You asked, we delivered,” Magee said.

Even if you don’t listen to radio, you know who Lil’ Wayne — born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., and also known as Weezy — is. He’s the hottest rap artist on the planet, and featured in virtually every song out there.

He’s taken the country by storm in the last two years with his raspy, egotistic, metaphoric verses that seem dumbed-down, but stick. His silly antics — such as giggling in a song — magnify his presence whether it is at a concert, on a record or even within his inner circle.

His last album, “The Carter III,” spawned multiple hits, including “A Milli,” “Lollipop,” “Mrs. Officer” and “Got Money.”

“The Carter III” sold 1 million records in a week, making Lil’ Wayne the top dog.

The record went on to sell 2.88 million copies, the most of any in the United States, according to Billboard. He was on top of the charts for seemingly most of the year — songs, records, ringtones, everything.

He’ll be here just three days (if the release is not

pushed back again) before his new album, “Rebirth,” is out. On Monday, he became the father of another boy, nearly three months after having one on Sept. 9.

It’s also possible that he may be reporting to prison in February for a one-year stint after pleading guilty to an illegal weapons charge in November, according to the Associated Press.

Show details This concert has been in the works for almost a year, following the success of the T.I. concert. It is being copromoted by Global Groove and the Laredo Entertainment Center.

Tickets for the Dec. 18 concert are $22, $42, $62 and $82, plus facility fee, and will go on sale today at 10 a.m.

The LEC is expecting such a huge demand that they are allowing overnight camping Friday night, complete with security and food from sponsors Chick-Fil-A and Tacolare.

The arena is expecting to sell out its seats for the high-energy performance.

6A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

‘A HAPPY SCARECROW’

ACCELERATED READING WINNERS Villarreal Elementary recently hosted an Accelerated Reader Family Night. Door prizes were given. Everyone who attended the reading night had a chance to win a turkey. The following students were the winners of the Thanksgiving turkeys. Pictured are Lesly Alvarez (third grade), Rebecca Salinas (fifth grade), Everth Perez (first grade) and Luis Martinez (fourth grade). Not pictured, Nikole Lopez.

Courtesy photo Courtesy photo

Zapata South Elementary School students attended "A Happy Scarecrow," a play by the ZHS Drama Department. Pictured here are first grade students from Mrs. Laura Zapata’s class: L to R (front) Martin Presas III, Yahir Cruz, Kively Salinas, Luis Omar Lopez, Joe Chick Jr. and Sara Lee Davila. Cast: Back Marlowe Bigler, Marco Regalado, Eloy Martinez, Jr. Eddie Martin, Adam Escamilla. Middle: Sofia Regalado, Jessica Martin, Bobby Garcia, Shelby Bigler, Rebecca Gonzalez and Ediel Bernal.

TOUR Continued from Page 1A said. “The homes are dressed up for the holidays. These are beautiful homes that are carefully tended with a lot of love and pride. We’re thankful to the families who open up their homes for this tour.”

Among the stalwarts are local philanthropist Adrian Martinez, who once again will be showcasing his home and the family museum, and the Maria Eva Uribe family, who will be opening the doors to her parents’ home. Fort Treviño also will be visited on the tour.

The Vergara homestead and the Blas Maria Uribe home won’t be shown this year because they’re undergoing renovations, Guerra said.

But this year’s tour participants will get a unique opportunity for a close-up look at the new school, which features one-of-akind architecture, a gym, computer labs and library, among other benefits for the 115 students who attend the school.

“Just coming into the lobby is amazing,” Montes said. “I’m happy that the community has this beautiful, well-deserved institution of learning. They take education to heart and are very supportive.”

The annual house tour is the school’s primary fundraiser. Tickets are $6 each and will be available at the school the day of the event.

“We invite everyone to come out and join us for

the inauguration of the school and the house tour,” Guerra said. “It’s a perfect opportunity to see these beautiful homes and help the students.”

Some drivers may be concerned about the state of the roads because several streets are under construction. To avoid any problems, Montes said, visitors should park at the Community Center in San Ygnacio or at Lozano’s store. People will be picked up there by buses, which will be going back and forth from the parking lots to the school starting at 9:30 a.m.

(To reach Diana R. Fuentes, call 728-2581 or email dfuentes@lmtonline.com)

“I’ve spent the last 14 years in wonderful health with the people I love.

Thank you, LMC!” Jorge De La Garza Open Heart Surgery Success

“It’s been 14 years now. As you can see, my open heart surgery at Laredo Medical Center was a total success. No other hospital in this area has more skill* or experience in caring for hearts. It was a job well done. I was back at work just six days later and am still in very good health today. Thank you, LMC.” Visit us online at laredomedical.com/changinglives to learn more about how Laredo Medical Center’s comprehensive cardiovascular care helps people like Jorge every day.

Quality Care. Close to Home.

Patient results may vary. Consult your physician about the benefits and risks of cardiac surgery.

1700 E. Saunders U (956) 796-5000 *Laredo’s only open heart surgery program.

SÁBADO 5 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2009

Agenda en Breve SÁBADO 5 DE DICIEMBRE LAREDO - Hoy abre al público el Centro de Ciencias Ambientales del Laredo Community Collage en el Campus Fort McIntosh de 8 a.m. a 2 p.m.

LAREDO - El quinto Holiday Bowl Anual de H-E-B es hoy a las 11 a.m. en el SAC de UISD. Se buscan porristas y grupos de danza que deseen ayudar a recolectar juguetes para niños necesitados. Los interesados en participar pueden llamar al 791-7461 ó escribir a Xochitl Mora a lmora@ci.laredo.tx.us.

NUEVO LAREDO – Hoy es el Festival Navideño donde se conocerán las mejores historias de navidad. El evento es en la Sala de Lectura Infantil de Estación Palabra, a las 2 p.m.

LAREDO - La Ciudad de Laredo, el Laredo Center for the Arts, La Posada Hotel, Main Streets Laredo y la Oficina del Consulado Mexicano invitan al Desfile de NavidadFest el día de hoy a las 5 p.m. El desfile iniciará en Houston y Flores (St. Peter’s Plaza) al Mercadito Plaza.

El Center for the Fine and Performing Arts de TAMIU presenta Concierto Las Posadas 2009 del Ballet Folklórico a las 7 p.m. en el CFPA. La entrada es de 5 dólares por persona. Niños menores de 10 años entran gratis. El evento es la reconstrucción de la procesión de José y María hacia Belén.

DOMINGO 6 DE NOVIEMBRE NUEVO LAREDO – En el marco del Domingo Familiar en el Museo hoy se presenta “Cuantacuentos Navideño y Decorando el Árbol del Museo” en el Museo Reyes Meza de 4 p.m. a 6 p.m.

LAREDO - El Center for the Fine and Performing Arts de TAMIU será anfitrión de un Recital de Estudio de Cuerdas hoy de 3 p.m. a 5 p.m. en el CFPA Recital Hall.

El evento es gratuito y abierto al público.

NUEVO LAREDO – Hoy es el evento “Ayer, hoy y siempre” en el marco del 40 Aniversario del Grupo de Danza Mextli en el Teatro Principal del Centro Cultural a las 7 p.m.

LUNES 7 DE DICIEMBRE CIUDAD MIER - El Alcalde de esta Ciudad, José Iván Mancías Hinojosa rinde hoy su II Informe de Gobierno en el Casino Argüelles a las 7 p.m.

JUEVES 10 DE DICIEMBRE El Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center celebrará su 50 Aniversario con un Desfile de Modas de Gala de Piel Joe Brand programado para hoy en el Laredo Country Club a las 6:30 p.m. El evento ofrece varios niveles de patrocinio incluyendo mesas por 1.500 y 2.500 dólares. Las ganancias del evento se destinarán a continuar el trabajo que el centro realiza para ayudar a muchos clientes necesitados de Laredo y áreas circunvecinas.

Los asistentes disfrutarán una cena y entretenimiento.

Información adicional en el 722-2431.

Hoy se presenta la dramatización “The 99” en el Laredo Entertainment Center de 7 p.m. a 11 p.m.

La producción está diseñada para mostrar a los jóvenes el resultado de malas elecciones y relaciones equivocadas.

Zfrontera

Tamaulipas ataca obesidad infantil ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

CD. VICTORIA - Con el propósito de crear una cultura alimenticia entre estudiantes, la Secretaría de Educación en Tamaulipas está desarrollando en escuelas primarias de la localidad y en los primeros grados del nivel secundaria el Programa “Crece Sano” a fin de mantener el Control Nutricional y el Combate a la Obesidad Infantil, implantando nuevos esquemas al enseñar al alumno a proteger el control de su cuerpo y a los padres de familia para que tomen decisiones adecuadas con la nutrición y el ejercicio.

El Secretario de Educación José Manuel Assad Montelongo destacó que se toma la talla, peso y estatura (de los alumnos) para buscar las estrategias adecuadas en aquellos casos que se detecten a alumnos con sobrepeso.

“Asimismo se les proporcionó a los maestros y alumnos material didáctico conteniendo orientación

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

El programa “Crece Sano” es implementado, cuando el clima lo permite, en escuelas primarias de Tamaulipas a fin de mantener el Control Nutricional y el Combate a la Obesidad Infantil. nutricional y así realizar las actividades que vienen en el libro relacionadas al tema para promover los hábitos de la alimentación, además se les brinda a la semana la clase de Educación Física”, dijo

Assad.

También existe una propuesta para que en las cooperativas escolares se vengan exclusivamente alimentos propuestos por la Secretaría de Salud con la finalidad de

ofrecer insumos más saludables y energéticos que cumplan con las necesidades propicias de la etapa de vida.

“Crece Sano” busca que los alumnos aprendan a comer sanamente y llevar una vida de actividad física mediante el juego, obteniendo mejores resultados en nutrición y esto ayude a lograr el peso ideal en su vida presente y futura.

“Crece Sano” realiza pláticas y conferencias de sensibilización a padres de familia, alumnos y profesores con apoyo de nutriólogos por parte de la Secretaría de Salud para dar a conocer las dietas alimenticias que los educandos deben consumir, evitando así el sobrepeso mediante el consumo de una alimentación balanceada.

“Durante el ciclo escolar se dará seguimiento con una evaluación continua y permanente en las instituciones escolares, promovidas y supervisadas por la Secretaría de Salud”, dijo Assad.

Gobernador reporta avances en Tamaulipas TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

CD. VICTORIA – “¡Qué honor servir a Tamaulipas!” dijo el Gobernador de Tamaulipas Eugenio Hernández Flores durante la lectura de su V Informe de actividades el miércoles.

Su deseo, dijo, es que la transformación actual de la entidad trascienda a las nuevas generaciones.

Ante más de seis mil personas congregadas para escucharlo en el Polyforum de esta capital, dijo que el gobierno toma iniciativas y propone soluciones, con un gobierno que facilita, proyecta, construye, gestiona e incluye.

Como testigos del mensaje escuchaban catorce gobernadores, presidentes de partidos políticos, líderes laborales, empresariales y camarales, autoridades militares y federales y la sociedad en general representada por sus organismos cupulares y sus más destacados académicos, profesionales, comunicadores y artistas.

Suma de esfuerzos En la lectura del informe, Hernández destacó el Programa Estatal de Infraestructura 2008-2010, las políticas de austeridad y acuerdos con empresarios y trabajadores para defender el empleo.

El Programa Estatal de Infraestructura ha canalizado 48 mil millones de pesos a obras estratégicas en los 43 municipios.

“Es esta una suma de esfuerzos de los tres ór-

denes de gobierno y de la iniciativa privada, que permite hasta ahora haber concluido acciones por 15 mil 960 millones de pesos, que están en construcción obras por 14 mil 600 millones y que estén en licitación para realizarse en 2010, acciones por 13 mil 177 millones más”, explicó Hernández.

Carreteras En materia de infraestructura carretera, durante el presente año se destinaron junto a la Federación mil 960 millones de pesos para cristalizar obras como el libramiento sur de Reynosa y sus entronques, el corredor industrial Reynosa-Pharr, el inicio de puentes vehiculares en Matamoros, y el segundo cuerpo del Libramiento Mex 2 en Nuevo Laredo. En Tamaulipas actualmente hay 1,400 kilómetros de carretera.

Educación En educación, con una inversión superior a los 665 millones de pesos, se fortaleció el sistema estatal de becas y estímulos educativos en beneficio de 220 mil estudiantes con obras de ampliación y mantenimiento en más de 3 mil 600 planteles. En la educación media superior se ha destinado más de 730 millones de pesos.

Hernández dijo que el programa de inglés, que busca que Tamaulipas sea el primer estado bilingüe de México, llega ya a todos

II INFORME DE GOBIERNO

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

El Gobernador de Tamaulipas Eugenio Hernández Flores aparece en la pantalla gigante durante la lectura de su V Informe de Gobierno, el miércoles, en Ciudad Victoria. los niños de escuelas públicas.

Sistema DIF Dentro del DIF, habló del programa “Vive Diferente” que consta de la entrega de paquetes alimenticios, servicios de consulta, medicamentos gratuitos y orientación preventiva.

Otros programas destacables, dijo, son mejoramiento de vivienda, Desayunos Escolares, Centros Mejores Familias, Lánzate, Adopta un Abuelito (con 14 mil apadrinados), Fondo de Co-inversión social y Avanzamos Juntos.

Salud En materia de salud, en cinco años del gobierno actual, y de forma conjunta con la federación, se ha destinado más de dos mil 800 millones de pesos para beneficio de más de 340 mil familias a través de la construcción de infraestructura y el Seguro Popular, a lo que se agrega

“

Es esta una suma de esfuerzos de los tres órdenes de gobierno y de la iniciativa privada”.

EUGENIO HERNÁNDES FLOREZ, GOBERNADOR DE TAMAULIPAS

también la edificación de 55 nuevos centros de salud y la adecuación y remodelación de 237 centros más.

Campo En el 2009, sostuvo Hernández, en el campo tamaulipeco se ha destinado, junto a la federación, más de 4 mil 300 millones de pesos.

“Tamaulipas se mantiene por tercer año consecutivo, como la entidad en la que convergen más recursos públicos para la producción agropecuaria, forestal y pesquera”, dijo Hernández.

Como parte de estos avances, mencionó el in-

cremento a la superficie mecanizada en 49 mil hectáreas, con más de tres mil tractores e implementos agrícolas especializados, el fortalecimiento de los esquemas de comercialización a través de la construcción de 14 centros de acopio, el arranque de la operación del parque agroindustrial de invernaderos en Tula, la construcción de viveros tecnificados, el apoyo a 638 unidades de producción pecuaria, con obras de infraestructura y equipamiento y el impulso al Programa Caminos del Campo, donde se han invertido más de mil millones de pesos, entre otras acciones.

Garantizan desayuno a abuelitos en Cd. Mier POR YAJAIRA L. ZAMBRANO ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

VIERNES 11 DE DICIEMBRE RIO BRAVO – La Ciudad de Rio Bravo invita a su Feria del Tamal y Buñuelo a partir de hoy y hasta el 13 de diciembre. Hoy abre el carnaval con la develación de una barda.

PÁGINA 7A

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Ciudad Mier

El Alcalde de Ciudad Mier José Iván Mancías Hinojosa rendirá su II Informe de Gobierno el lunes 7 de diciembre a las 7 p.m. en el Casino Argüelles, junto al edificio de la Presidencia Municipal.

Se invita a los residentes del Municipio a asistir para escuchar el avance de las obras en la ciudad.

CIUDAD MIER – Personal del Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) cada mañana brinda desayunos para más de 50 adultos mayores de escasos recursos económicos que viven en esta Municipio.

La Presidenta del Sistema DIF Isabel Cristian Treviño Ruiz dijo que los “consentidos del gobierno son los abuelitos”.

La encargada de la cocina Rosa Meliá Treviño, así como María Guadalupe Ubaldo y Gloria Guillermina de León tienen la responsabilidad diaria de preparar los alimentos.

El jueves, por ejemplo, se cocinaron los tradicionales

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Ciudad Mier

Trabajadoras de la cocina del Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia en Ciudad Mier cocinan los tradicionales buñuelos para unos 50 adultos mayores, el jueves. buñuelos y champurrado para consentir a los adultos mayores.

Los ‘abuelitos’ agradecieron el detalle propio de las fiestas decembrinas.

“Buscamos que tengan

la oportunidad de que diariamente cuenten con un desayuno”, dijo Treviño, a manera de conclusión.

(Yahaira L. Zambrano es Directora de Comunicación Social de Ciudad Mier).

8A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ZCISD P.O. BOX 158 ZAPATA, TEXAS 78076 (956)765-6546 Zapata County I.S.D. will be accepting proposals for the TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INTERNET ACCESS, INTERNAL CONNECTIONS AND BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS. Below are specifications of the services/materials being requested: Telecommunication Services Basic Telephone Service T1 Service Cellular Service Alarm Telephone Lines Directory Assistance Charges Fax Machine Lines Long Distance Services Digital Transmission Services

69 lines 1 T1 90 Phones/lines 7 lines 7 buildings 22 lines 56 lines Wireless District Wide

Internet Access Internet Access Email service Miscellaneous fees

District Wide District Wide District Wide

Internal Connections Smart UPS RT 300VA Rack mountable Smart UPS RT 1500va Access switch control server Video Distribution System and associated hardware and software 48 Port 10/100/1000 w/PoE and up tp 4 MINI GBICS 160 port 10/100/1000 w/PoE and up to 8 MINI GBICS and redundant power supply CODECS 24 port 10/10/1000 Access switch w/PoE 8 port unmanaged switches 5 port unmanaged switches Basic Maintenance on Internal Connections Basic Local Network Maintenance Basic Maintenance on PBX

44 Units 19 Units 4 Units District Wide 9 Units

4 Units 6 Units District Wide 50 Units 50 Units

District Wide District Wide

District Technology Assessment Desktop communications software has been purchased.

Electrical Systems are adequate for the capacity being requested.

A sufficient quantity of computers has been purchased.

Computer hardware maintenance adequate arrangements have been made.

Staff development: All staff has had an appropriate level of training/additional training has already been scheduled.

Zapata County I.S.D. will accept proposals marked TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INTERNET ACCESS, INTERNAL CONNECTIONS AND BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS FOR ZAPATA COUNTY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ENTITY NUMBER 141503 only by submission through Universal Service Administrative Company website, www.usac.org. Please feel free to call, Patricia Gonzalez, @ (956)765-6546 ext 2010, or Rogelio Gonzalez (956) 765-3823 ext 2508 for specifications or any assistance.

The Zapata County Independent School District will post a Form 470 on the Universal Service Administrative Company website, www.usac.org in the month of December 2009. The Zapata County I.S.D. reserves the right to accept or reject any or all quotes and pricing, and the right to accept the quote and pricing most advantageous to the district.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

POLITICS Continued from Page 1A treasurer is incumbent Gabriel Villarreal. The filers who would be contesting Villarreal are Manuel Uribe, Sylvia Ramirez Mendoza and Nicolas I. Gutierrez.

Incumbent Norberto Garza is the only one who has indicated he will run for the Pct. 4 seat.

Also, current County Clerk Mary Jayne Villarreal-Bonoan, County Treasurer Romeo Salinas, Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Fernando Muñoz, Democratic Party Chair Doroteo N. Garza and District Clerk Dora Martinez Ramos are the only ones to appoint a treasurer for their respective offices.

Four potential candidates indicated a run for Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace: incumbent Anna M. Guerra, Amy

Carmen Ramirez - Rathmell, D.D.S.

“Let your smile be a sign of happiness & good health” 1520 Corpus Christi Street Telephone (956) 726-0160

Salinas, San Juanita Sanchez and Jacinto “Jachi” Reyes.

Two people have indicated a challenge to incumbent Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Jose Clemente Gutierrez.

Rosa Elena Martinez and Ricardo Perez have also appointed a treasurer.

So far, no one has indicated a run against 49th District Judge Joe Lopez.

Candidates were able to begin applying for a place on the 2010 ballot Thursday.

Democratic Party Chair Doroteo Garza said Friday afternoon three people had

already applied for a spot: Anna Muñoz Guerra, Ricardo Perez and Dora Martinez Ramos.

Candidates have until Jan. 4 at 5 p.m. to submit their application. For more information on applying, call Garza at 765-9910.

For more information on appointing a treasurer, stop by the County’s Clerk’s Office.

The primary is scheduled for March 2 and the runoff is scheduled for April 13.

(Julie Daffern may be reached at 728-2565 or jdaffern@lmtonline.com)

UNITED WAY Continued from Page 1A positive values.

During the summer, children participate in not only athletic programs, but also educational ones available through the library, including a summer reading program.

"It has been a great summer," said Thatcher, referring to the new programs that were made available, such as the addition of a soccer program, among others.

As the summer ended, Thatcher believes that the club will see an increase of participation levels during the coming months.

The club has several activities in the works for the fall, including Halloween celebrations and Christmas activities for not only the children but their fam-

ilies as well.

"Right now we have a total of 268 children enrolled in our program," Thatcher said.

The Boys and Girls Club of Zapata provides children with a healthy learning environment, complete with tutors who create a family-like atmosphere.

"We provide a classroom setting for the children in order to help them with their homework," said Thatcher.

More and more, parents are beginning to get involved, making the program a bonding experience for families.

For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Zapata County, call 765-3892.

10A THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

Sports&Outdoors Racking up non-district wins Lady Hawks’ success continues despite their offensive struggles in game against Lady Jerseys on Tuesday

By CLARA SANDOVAL SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Zapata Lady Hawks continued to rack up the wins as they hosted the Falfurrias Lady Jerseys on Tuesday night.

Leading the way The Lady Hawks squeaked out a 38-36 victory over the Lady Jer-

seys.

Zapata (3-3) was led by senior Ashley Martinez with 10 points and Adriana Peña with eight.

Slow scoring After putting up 63 points against the LBJ Lady Wolves in a losing cause, the Lady Hawks had a hard time finding the basket against Falfurrias scoring only 38

WCup draws released

points.

“We did not shoot the ball well,” Zapata coach Clyde Guerra Jr. said. “It became a defensive effort for us. Any time that we play Falfurrias, it’s always a very physical game.”

Going to work The Lady Hawks were 4-of-39 in 2-point field goals and 4-of-16 from

the 3-point line for the night.

Martinez and company went to work on the court keep the Lady Jerseys within striking distance despite having a hard time on offense in the first quarter.

After trading baskets, Falfurrias took the lead on Makayla Villarreal’s basket to end the quarter at 8-6.

Zapata could not find an answer for Villarreal, who stands 6-foot-3 and had 14 points by halftime.

The Lady Jerseys took a 23-16 lead into the locker room despite the Lady Hawks’ offensive out put of 10 points.

Halftime concerns During his halftime speech, Guerra reminded his team the importance of minimizing their

See BASKETBALL PAGE 2B

ALL-STATE RECOGNITION

By ROBERT MILLWARD ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The United States will face England at the World Cup for the first time since a famous upset 60 years ago, then play Slovenia and Algeria in the first round of next year’s tournament.

The U.S. opens against England in Rustenburg on June 12, the teams’ first World Cup matchup since the Americans’ 1-0 victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.

The United States then meets Slovenia at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park on June 18 and completes the first round on June 23 against Algeria in Pretoria. The U.S. has never played either nation.

“This is the best draw we’ve ever had in any World Cup,” said former U.S. forward Eric Wynalda, now an analyst for the Fox Soccer Channel.

“No disrespect to England, but this is an ideal group for us.”

Courtesy photos

Zapata senior cross country runner Marlena Garcia, who led the Lady Hawks with her 20th-place finish at the state meet, has been named to the Class 3A all-state team.

Marlena, Michelle Garcia earn prestigious cross country honor

Premier ties

By CLARA SANDOVAL SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Several U.S. players are well known to England because they play in the Premier League, including goalkeeper Tim Howard (Everton), midfielder Clint Dempsey (Fulham), defenders Jonathan Spector (West Ham) and Jay DeMerit (Watford) and forward Jozy Altidore (Hull). U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra played for Fulham.

“It will be like a Premier League game,” Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. “The USA is like a team you meet every week. It’s better than meeting North Korea and a style of play you’re not used to.”

The game could feature a matchup of Los Angeles Galaxy teammates Landon Donovan playing for the U.S. against England midfielder David Beckham. Donovan shrugged his shoulders when the U.S. was picked to

See WORLD CUP PAGE 2B

T

he Texas Girls Coaches Association recently released the allstate cross country team for the 3A division.

Zapata seniors Marlena Garcia and Michelle Garcia were named to the all-state cross country team for the 2009 season.

Only 15 female athletes from the entire state of Texas are named to this prestigious team.

“It is a great honor for Marlena and Michelle,” Zapata coach Mike Villarreal said. “To have one athlete on the all-state team is great, but to have two runners on the team is a great day for Zapata.”

Rare honor Marlena and Michelle join a short list of cross country runners to be named allstate runners under Villarreal.

The last athlete to be named to the allstate team was Jessica Martinez, who ran for Villarreal from 2004-200(05-07).

Martinez now runs for Texas A&M Kingsville University and is the No. 2 runner on the Javelina women’s cross country team.

Villarreal, who is a member of the TGCA, nominated Marlena and Michelle after the state meet.

“It’s a long application process because they want to make sure that the team they pick is deserving of that honor,” Villarreal said.

Marlena and Michelle were the only two athletes from Region IV to be named to the all-state team.

Narrowing down They were put through a rigorous application process that emphasized three important points: performance on the course, education and community ser-

Zapata senior cross country runner Michelle Garcia was named to the Class 3A all-state team despite missing part of the Lady Hawks’ season with an injury. vice.

After the application process, TGCA narrowed down the search to 20 athletes and then started to eliminate athletes after doing background searches on them.

“Once they had their 20 athletes, they went through the applications to make sure that everything that was written was true. They checked their GPAs and so on,” Villarreal said.

The committee, which consists of fellow high school coaches from across the state of Texas, voted Marlena and Michelle to the team out of 60 nominees.

Individual efforts Marlena, who captured first place at the district and regional meet individual titles maintains a high grade point average and is very active member of her church.

She also placed 20th at the state meet,

See XC PAGE 2B

Ready for a rematch Cowboys still looking to avenge heartbreaking playoff loss in 2008 as they take on the New York Giants this Sunday

By BARRY WILNER ASSOCIATED PRESS

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bradie James reached into the past for a little inspiration as the Dallas Cowboys head into their most uncertain time of year: December.

The linebacker spoke with Tony Dorsett, the Hall of Fame running back who was part of the first wave of Dallas glory days.

The kind of days James and his teammates are trying to relive.

“He was talking about one mystique they had when he was here was

that when they put on the blue jerseys, they would lose,” James said of Dorsett, who won a Super Bowl with Dallas in his rookie season, 1977. “The only way that they could right that wrong was to go out there and kick people’s tails in the blue jerseys.

“So for us, in December, the only way we can get through December is to win. Point-blank. Simple.”

Not so simple.

Late-season issues Heading into Sunday’s game at the Meadowlands

with the Giants, the Cowboys are 5-10 after Thanksgiving with Tony Romo as quarterback.

That includes some January games, regular season and postseason.

Plus, the Cowboys last won a playoff game in the 1996 season. No, not quite as far back as Dorsett’s tenure, but certainly a long drought.

Romo doesn’t want to hear any of that. He knows the Cowboys lead the NFC East at 8-3, the Giants are two games back, and handing them a sixth loss Sunday pretty much would make the Giants an after-

Photo by Jerry Lara | San Antonio Express-News

In this Jan. 13, 2008, file photo, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton, left, and tackle Flozell Adams leaves the field after losing a divisional playoff game to the New York Giants at Texas Stadium in Irving. The Cowboys are still looking for revenge from that loss as they face the Giants on Sunday. thought in the division.

“We don’t look at other seasons,” Romo said. “This is this season, it’s a brand new football team. Noth-

ing that happened in 1999 and 2004 or 2008 has any bearing on what is going to happen this December.”

What the Giants need to

happen this December is a turnaround. A quick one, too, because they host Phi-

See COWBOYS PAGE 2B

Zscores

PAGE 2B FOOTBALL

NFL Glance AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct Patriots ............. 7 4 0 .636 Jets .................... 6 6 0 .500 Dolphins ........... 5 6 0 .455 Bills .................... 4 8 0 .333 South W L T Pct x-Colts ............ 11 0 0 1.000 Jaguars .......... 6 5 0 .545 Titans ............. 5 6 0 .455 TEXANS .......... 5 6 0 .455 North W L T Pct Bengals ............ 8 3 0 .727 Ravens ............. 6 5 0 .545 Steelers ........... 6 5 0 .545 Browns ............. 1 10 0 .091 West W L T Pct Chargers ............ 8 3 0 .727 Broncos ............. 7 4 0 .636 Chiefs ................. 3 8 0 .273 Raiders .............. 3 8 0 .273 NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct

PF 307 249 256 199 PF 304 202 229 259 PF 231 257 248 122 PF 312 196 183 115

PA 202 208 275 261 PA 184 255 289 243 PA 174 188 204 279 PA 219 189 282 258

PF

PA

COWBOYS ............ 8 3 Eagles ................... 7 4 Giants ................... 6 5 Redskins .............. 3 8 South W L Saints .................... 11 0 Falcons .................. 6 5 Panthers ............... 4 7 Buccaneers .......... 1 10 North W L Vikings ............ 10 1 Packers ........... 7 4 Bears ............... 4 7 Lions ................ 2 9 West W L Cardinals ............. 7 4 49ers .................... 5 6 Seahawks ............ 4 7 Rams .................... 1 10

0 0 0 0 T 0 0 0 0 T 0 0 0 0 T 0 0 0 0

.727 255 .636 293 .545 272 .273 170 Pct PF 1.000 407 .545 272 .364 199 .091 181 Pct PF .909 342 .636 296 .364 216 .182 193 Pct PF .636 267 .455 228 .364 223 .091 130

182 228 261 205 PA 221 245 256 314 PA 203 215 261 335 PA 217 213 250 297

Thursday’s games Jets 19, Buffalo 13 Sunday’s games Rams at Bears, noon Raiders at Steelers, noon Broncos at Chiefs, noon Eagles at Falcons, noon Lions at Bengals, noon Patriots at Dolphins, noon

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

Saints at Redskins, noon Titans at Colts, noon Buccaneers at Panthers, noon TEXANS at Jaguars, noon Chargers at Browns, 3:05 p.m.

COWBOYS at Giants, 3:15 p.m.

49ers at Seahawks, 3:15 p.m.

Vikings at Cardinals, 7:20 p.m.

Monday’s game Ravens at Packers, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 10 Steelers at Browns, 7:20 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13 Seahawks at TEXANS, noon Packers at Bears, noon Lions at Ravens, noon Saints at Falcons, noon Bills at Chiefs, noon Broncos at Colts, noon Panthers at Patriots, noon Jets at Buccaneers, noon Dolphins at Jaguars, noon Bengals at Vikings, noon Rams at Titans, 3:05 p.m.

Redskins at Raiders, 3:05 p.m.

Chargers at COWBOYS, 3:15 p.m.

Eagles at Giants, 7:20 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 14 Cardinals at 49ers, 7:30 p.m.

BASKETBALL NBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Div. W L Pct GB Boston .......................... 15 4 .789 — Toronto ......................... 7 13 .350 81/2 Philadelphia ................ 5 14 .263 10 New York ..................... 4 15 .211 11 New Jersey .................. 0 18 .000 141/2 Southeast Div. W L Pct GB Orlando ............................ 15 4 .789 — Atlanta ............................. 13 5 .722 11/2 Miami ............................... 10 8 .556 41/2 Charlotte ......................... 7 10 .412 7 Washington ..................... 7 10 .412 7 Central Div. W L Pct GB Cleveland .................... 13 5 .722 — Milwaukee ..................

9 8 .529 31/2 Chicago .......................

7 9 .438 5 Indiana ........................

6 10 .375 6 Detroit .......................... 6 12 .333 7 Southwest Div. W L Pct GB Dallas ................................ 14 5 .737 — Houston ............................ 11 8 .579 3

San Antonio ..................... 9 7 .563 31/2 New Orleans .................... 7 11 .389 61/2 Memphis .......................... 7 12 .368 7 Northwest Div. W L Pct GB Denver ............................. 14 5 .737 — Portland ........................... 12 8 .600 21/2 Utah .................................. 10 7 .588 3 Oklahoma City ............... 10 8 .556 31/2 Minnesota ....................... 2 16 .111 111/2 Pacific Div. W L Pct GB L.A. Lakers ..................... 14 3 .824 — Phoenix ........................... 14 5 .737 1 Sacramento ................... 9 8 .529 5 L.A. Clippers .................. 8 11 .421 7 Golden State ................. 6 12 .333 81/2 Thursday’s games Boston 90, San Antonio 83 Houston 111, Golden State 109 Denver 114, Miami 96 Friday’s games Toronto at Washington, 6 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.

Dallas at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Charlotte at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Boston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Minnesota at New Orleans, 7 p.m.

Milwaukee at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Miami at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

TRANSACTIONS BASEBALL American League BOSTON RED SOX: Agreed to terms with SS Marco Scutaro on a two-year contract.

TEXAS RANGERS: Claimed INF Joe Inglett off waivers from Toronto.

National League ATLANTA BRAVES: Named Garey Ingram hitting coach for Mississippi (SL) and Kent Willis pitching coach for Myrtle Beach (Carolina).

MILWAUKEE BREWERS: Agreed to terms with C Gregg Zaun on a one-year contract. Signed OF Trent Oeltjen to a minor-league contract.

HOCKEY NHL NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Recalled C Cal OReilly from Milwaukee (AHL). Reassigned F Mike Santorelli to Milwaukee.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: Recalled C Blair Jones from Norfolk (AHL).

AHL PROVIDENCE BRUINS: Recalled D Scott Fletcher from Reading (ECHL).

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE: Signed D Anders Eriksson.

Photo by Schalk van Zuydam | AP

Photo by Denis Farrell | AP

United States coach Bob Bradley speaks to reporters at the end of the 2010 World Cup draw ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, left, is interviewed after the 2010 World Cup draw in Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday. Mexico was drawn Friday to meet South Africa in the tournament opener on June 11 in Johannesburg at Soccer City, where the final will also be played.

WORLD CUP Continued from Page 1B play England. “It never ends,” he said — apparent reference to his connection to the English star.

“This is going to be awesome,” Donovan said. “I can’t wait. This is going to be great.”

Matchup history The U.S. has beaten England twice and lost seven times in nine meetings. The other victory was 2-0 in a 1993 exhibition at Foxborough, Mass. In the most recent matchups, England won 2-1 at Chicago’s Solider Field in 2005 and 2-0 at Wembley last year.

The only official match between

the teams was at the 1950 World Cup. “I think it will be not an easy game,” England coach Fabio Capello said. “It’s good. USA plays good and the Premier League is the best championship in the world. If you are playing in England, you are a really good player.

Like basketball, if you are a European playing in the NBA, you are a good player.”

Mexico was drawn Friday to meet South Africa in the tournament opener on June 11 in Johannesburg at Soccer City, which also is where the final will be played July 11. El Tri then plays France, which qualified with the help of

Thierry Henry’s hand ball against Ireland, and Uruguay in Group A.

Group H: Chile, Honduras, Spain, Switzerland.

Other groups

Tough draws

In the other groups it was: Group B: Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, South Korea; Group C: Algeria, England, Slovenia, United States; Group D: Australia, Germany, Ghana, Serbia; Group E: Cameroon, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands; Group F: Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Slovakia; Group G: Brazil, Ivory Coast, North Korea, Portugal;

Brazil, a five-time champion, wound up in the toughest group and will face two nations in the top 16 of the world rankings: Portugal, which is led by Cristiano Ronaldo, the reigning world player of the year; and Ivory Coast, which has Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, who is tied for the Premier League scoring lead with 11 goals.

European champion Spain, which has never won the World Cup, will be a heavy favorite to

make it through to the knockout phase.

Germany has won the title three times, but drew a challenging group. Defending champion Italy, trying to match Brazil’s record of five titles, should be confident of reaching the next stage.

The Netherlands, which won all its qualifying games, should be favored to make it through to the second round. Argentina is in among the more difficult groups and pressure will be on coach Diego Maradona, whose team struggled throughout qualifying to get the best out of talented stars such as Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez.

BASKETBALL Continued from Page 1B turnovers.

“We needed to take care of the ball, and that is what I told them to halftime,” he said. “We work hard to get a rebound or steal and then give the ball right back to them.”

Turning around His players took his speech to heart, as they had one of the best defensive efforts in the third quarter,

holding Falfurrias to one free throw and no field goals while scoring 10 points.

Zapata hit three field goals from the 3-point line to take the lead.

Martinez hit two from beyond the arc while Peña canned the other 3-pointer.

The quarter proved to be the turning point for the Lady Hawks.

Zapata also did an excellent job of guarding Falfurrias’ main offensive weap-

on, Villarreal, as they kept the ball out of her hands.

Villarreal was held to one point in the second half after burning the Lady Hawks for 14 points in the first half.

“Shelby Bigler and Selina Mata did a great job guarding her,” Guerra said.

Back and forth Zapata also proved to be steady from the free throw line in the final quarter, hit-

ting 9-of-17 free throws.

As a team they were 18of-40 for the night.

With less than two minutes to go in the game, the score seesawed back and forth but the vital moment came when Estella Molina hit a 3-pointer to give the Lady Hawks the lead.

The Lady Jerseys came down the floor and tied up the game on a layup.

Maritza Garcia went 3of-4 from the charity stripe to seal the victory as the

clock was winding down.

“Maritza, Ashley and Cathy Quintanilla played well down the stretch,” Guerra said.

Getting ready Guerra also has seen his team starting to gel and find that cohesiveness that is going to be important during district play if they hope to make a return trip to the post season.

“The past couple of games I see the cohesiveness with the team as a lot better,” he said. “They are learning to play with each other, and I see that everyday in practice.”

Zapata will travel to Alice for the Lady Coyote tournament this weekend to face some quality teams.

“We want to play quality teams, and that is why you go to a tournament like Alice,” Guerra said. “This will prepare us for district.”

COWBOYS Continued from Page 1B ladelphia and visit Washington in the next two weeks. A sweep would put them in position to win the division, or at the least be solidly in the wild-card mix.

Tough to succeed But winning lately has not been so simple for New York. After starting 5-0, including a victory at Dallas in the regular-season opener for Cowboys Stadium, the Giants have gone 1-5, with the victory coming in overtime against Atlanta. Quality opponents New Orleans, San Diego, Arizona, Denver and Philly beat them.

If ever there was a time to recapture what worked for the first five games, it’s now. In fact, if it doesn’t happen now, the Giants won’t be making any playoff appearances.

“Every game from now on is like a playoff game,” linebacker

Chase Blackburn said. “We have to win them to get to the playoffs. We’ve got to make our run right now. It’s a five-game season.”

Dallas still has San Diego and New Orleans on tap, along with the Redskins and Eagles. The Giants’ final two games are against Carolina and at Minnesota. Neither of those schedules is easy.

Must-win game So if you want to drag out the old must-win description, go ahead.

“People have been saying that this is their season, what they’re playing for,” James noted. “This is our season, too, because if we go in and beat these guys, we don’t have to worry about them coming back to haunt us.”

The Giants haunted the Cowboys two years ago on their way

“

When you lose, you learn from it. When you win, you learn from it and improve on it. That is what this team has been able to do is put blinders on and continue to go forward.”

COWBOYS LINEBACKER BRADIE JAMES

to winning the Super Bowl as a wild card. Oddly, it’s the only late-season game Romo has lost to New York; he’s 2-0 against New York in December.

“We don’t talk about that stuff,” he said. “When you lose, you learn from it. When you win, you learn from it and improve on it. That is what this team has been able to do is put blinders on and continue to go

forward. And we are going to keep doing the same thing.”

Contrast and compare In contrast to the Giants, who can’t keep doing the same thing.

They’re also banged-up in the backfield, with only starter Brandon Jacobs and rookie Gartrell Johnson healthy at running

back. Eli Manning’s performances have been spotty since he sustained a foot injury, and he now has a stress reaction that developed from the first problem.

New York also is without defensive leader Antonio Pierce.

The middle linebacker was placed on injured reserve this week.

That doesn’t bode well against Dallas, which has a formidable running back trio of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, and one of the league’s best tight ends, Jason Witten, although he’s battling a foot problem.

Do such matchup woes worry the Giants?

“There’s no fear at all,” linebacker Michael Boley said. “You can’t play the game with fear. In every aspect of the game, you get hit, you’ve got to get right back up.”

And right away, because time is running out on his team.

XC Continued from Page 1B the highest finish of any Lady Hawks.

Michelle is part of the Strutters, National Honor

Society, and ran for the county fair queen.

As a junior, she captured the individual district title

but this past year she was slowed down by injuries and was out for six weeks.

Both of the runners are

four-year lettermen.

Villarreal was send an email Monday morning by TGCA and tracked down

Marlena and Michelle to inform them of the good news.

“I was sent an email by

TGCA, and I was very excited because they are very hard-working individuals,” he said.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

THE ZAPATA TIMES | 3B

HINTS BY HELOISE Dear Heloise: I love your Pet of the Week photos. I have a 6month-old white Malti-poo, Chula, and I am having lots of trouble keeping the AREA AROUND HER EYES clean and stain-free. Can you provide a simple hint for keeping it clean?

-- Alma Sepulveda, via e-mail Alma, this is a common problem, especially on light-colored dogs. Here’s an easy hint: Use a solution of one part plain baby shampoo to 10 parts warm water. Mix the solution and, using a cotton ball, gently wipe the area until the stain is gone. Then wipe with warm tap water. If the dog has an excessive amount of eye discharge, you should have your vet check it out to make sure there is not a more serious issue going on. -Heloise P.S.: We clean our Cabbie’s eyes with this solution. Of course, she always gets a treat afterward!

BRUSH, BRUSH, BRUSH Dear Heloise: My golden retrievers seem to have a really serious shedding problem. I love my dogs dearly, but is there anything I can do or buy to minimize the shedding all over my house? -- Sue, via e-mail

“

HELOISE

Well, these big, beautiful dogs do shed. We had a lovable one named J.D. who adopted us.

When I would brush him outside, the birds were happy with all of the "fluff" to put in their nest. You can buy a special brush called an undercoat rake, sold at pet-supply and feed stores. Go OUTSIDE in your backyard or on a patio and brush the rake deeply through your dogs’ coats. You will be amazed at how much hair comes off. -- Heloise PET PAL Dear Readers: Donald Tuttle of Augusta, Maine, sent a photo of his white cat, Virus, eating corn on the cob. Donald says: "Virus just loves corn on the cob. She holds the cob down with her paws and pulls the kernels out of the cob. It is so funny to watch her, and she’ll eat a whole ear of corn!"

To see this cat on the cob, visit www.Heloise.com. -- Heloise

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NCAA Football

4B THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

’Horns looking for redemption No. 18 Cougars No. 3 Texas can earn spot in national title game with Big 12 championship win

set for Pirates

By JAIME ARON

By AARON BEARD

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARLINGTON — This is it for the Texas Longhorns, the chance they’ve been waiting for since last December.

There are no tiebreakers or computer formulas in their way.

All Colt McCoy and the No. 3 Longhorns have to do is beat No. 21 Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game tonight and they will be playing for the national championship.

Texas coach Mack Brown spent the past 12 months reminding his players they were spit out by the system last year. He challenged them to “take it away from the system” by winning all their games and, so far, they have.

Do it once more and the Longhorns (12-0) will clinch a spot in the BCS championship game Jan. 7 against the winner of the SEC championship game between No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama.

“This is a team that started out in the top two or three in the country, and if we had not been in this game a lot of people would have felt like the team had not lived up to the standards,” Brown said Friday.

“So they’ve had pressure every game. There’s been speculation about a lot of things every week and I don’t think it affects them very much. They just keep playing.”

The Cornhuskers (9-3) can force their way into a BCS bowl with an upset.

It would be quite a coup for second-year coach Bo Pelini — and terrific payback for Nebraska, which was No. 3 and eyeing a national championship when Texas, a 20-point underdog, won the inaugural Big 12 title game in 1996.

If Pelini is using things like getting revenge and

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Scotty Robinson can’t do anything around East Carolina’s campus without hearing people weigh in on today’s matchup with No. 18 Houston in the Conference USA championship game.

“It’s been buzzing all week,” the senior defensive end said. “I’ve got people calling me from everywhere to get tickets.

There’s been pep rallies all over campus. Every class I go to, people are saying, ‘You’ve got to get this one.”’

The Pirates (8-4, 7-1 CUSA) are the defending champions and hosting the game for the first time after winning the East Division with the best overall league record. East Carolina can become the first repeat winner since the league went to a divisional format in 2005.

But the Cougars (10-2, 6-2) are the favorite, boasting an offense that East Carolina coach Skip Holtz jokes puts up “video game-type numbers” behind quarterback Case Keenum.

It’s also a team that pounded the Pirates in last season’s meeting at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, rolling up 621 total yards in a 41-24 victory.

It’s a memory that lingers with the Pirates, if for no other reason than it gave them an up-close look at the Keenum-led attack that has scored 128 points in the past two games and left the Pirates gasping for air last season. And because East Carolina’s secondary has allowed six touchdown passes of 43 yards or more — including scores of 80 and 96 yards — Holtz said his team’s oft-criticized offense will have to shoul-

Photo by L.M. Otero | AP

In this Nov. 1, 2008, file photo, Texas defensive end Lamarr Houston (33) puts his head on the turf after Texas Tech scored with one second left to defeat the Longhorns and end their hopes for a national title. Today, they’ll get another chance at their dream in the Big 12 championship game. playing spoiler as motivation, he’s not saying. At a news conference Friday, he insisted the focus is merely on Nebraska continuing the roll it’s been on since back-to-back home losses in October.

“Everyone’s going to have their different motivations,” he said. “Ours is strictly (being) motivated by what it does for us and our football team.”

Hulking tackle Ndamukong Suh, the Big 12 defensive player of the year, and his mates might be able to keep McCoy and the Longhorns below their average of 43 points per game. The bigger question is how many points quarterback Zac Lee and running backs Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead can put up against a Texas defense that is No. 1 in the country against the run, allowing 61.8 yards per

game.

“Their stats and the things they’ve been able to do defensively speaks for itself as far as what we’re facing,” Pelini said. “But it’s 60 minutes. ... I believe our offense, I like our plan.

I like who is executing it, and we look forward to it.”

McCoy has won 44 games, the most by any quarterback in NCAA history. He needs one more for his senior class to match the most wins by a fouryear class at Texas, a mark held by predecessor Vince Young and the team that won the national championship in 2005. Winning the title obviously would give this group the record all to themselves. It would mean even more to McCoy and three other fifth-year seniors who were along for the ride in ’05 as true freshmen taking their redshirt

seasons.

Yet another dangling carrot for McCoy is the Heisman Trophy. He’s already likely done enough to be a finalist for the second straight year, but a shaky start to this season may have him playing catch-up with one game to go.

Had the Longhorns kept Texas Tech from scoring on the final play, they would have been in the Big 12 championship game, playing for a spot in the national championship game. Instead, the loss left them in a three-way tie for first place in the South Division.

Oklahoma — a team Texas beat 45-35 on a neutral field — went to the conference championship, then played for the national title.

How often has Brown reminded them?

“Eight times a day,” he said, smiling.

der a significant burden to help the defense.

That means efficient passing from sixth-year quarterback Patrick Pinkney, who will look to get to the ball to big-play threat Dwayne Harris, and a strong dose of Dominique Lindsay carrying the football.

“You can’t just go threeand-out, but you can’t just sit on the ball and run quarterback sneaks and try to inch it out and eat up the clock,” Holtz said.

“It can’t be your only goal. You have to try to score points, but the offense is going to have to try to protect the defense some in this game.”

Regardless, hosting the championship game is another step forward for the Pirates under their fifthyear coach.

East Carolina has won seven straight home games against league opponents since, including last week’s 25-20 win against a Southern Mississippi team that had taken 15 of 17 meetings against the Pirates in Greenville coming in.

Houston has tied the program record for singleseason wins, though the Cougars were so dominant in a 55-14 win against Memphis and a 73-14 win last week against Rice that key players have been able to rest during the second half.

But receiver Tyron Carrier said he didn’t think it would prevent the Cougars from coming out sharp Saturday.

“It can help us in most ways seeing that we’re fresh. But it could also harm us because we haven’t played a full game in a while,” Carrier said.

“But wins like that really don’t do anything but help you, it keeps everybody confident. I like winning like that.”