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Sheriff knocks jail plan Man fondly By ZACH LINDSEY THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata County commissioners are looking to hand management of the regional jail over to a private company in an effort to save money, but Sheriff Sigifredo “Sigi” Gonzalez Jr. doesn’t think that’s such a good idea. An item on the December Commissioners Court agenda sought a motion to contract the regional jail to Corrections Corporation of America, but the court was informed at the meeting the company is interested only in jails with 1,000 beds or more.
Despite the news, the matter spawned a lengthy debate between the court and the sheriff, who said he was unGONZALEZ aware of the court’s plans prior to seeing the agenda. “The cost of the regional jail keeps going up year after year,” County Commissioner Joseph Rathmell said. “We’re stuck with a $900,000 loan payment over the next 20 years, and I think we need to pursue any options that might
save the taxpayer funds.” The population of the jail is about 170, which nears the legal limit of 90 percent capacity. Gonzalez responded many private jails have come under fire for the treatment of their inmates. “We’ve never had any escapes,” Gonzalez said. “These private jails have escapes all the time. As a matter of fact, very dangerous inmates have escaped from these facilities. We have to have one guard for every 48 inmates; these facilities have to have one guard for every 100-120 inmates. We have to feed proper food to the inmates; we’re all human beings and I
agree with that. These facilities feed them whatever they want.” The private facilities have a high rate of suicides as well as homicides by other inmates, the sheriff added. There have not been any suicides or murders in Zapata’s facility, he said. The private prisons also have another unexpected side effect, according to Gonzalez. Although money will be saved by not having to pay for salaries for detention workers, more deputy sheriffs may have to be hired. “Local law enforcement has to
See JAIL | PAGE 10A
remembered By NICK GEORGIOU THE ZAPATA TIMES
Friends and family filled a Hebbronville funeral home Friday night for a rosary for Rolando Gonzalez Jr., who died in an oilfield accident earlier this week. “He was a devoted and loving husband,” said Palmyra Benavides, one of Gonzalez’s cousins, in a telephone interview shortly before the rosary. “I can’t even describe the father he was to his kids, and he was a spectacular son to his mother and father.” Gonzalez, 43, was killed in an oilfield off Texas 16 near Bustamante on Monday, Dec. 22. Officials said Gonzalez, a self-
employed contract gauger, was working on a piece of equipment at Bustamante Land Treatment Inc. GONZALEZ when the muffler exploded. He died instantly from injuries to the head, said Dr. Corinne Stern, Webb County medical examiner, who conducted the autopsy. The Zapata County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department responded to the emergency call at the oilfield at about 1 p.m. Monday.
See REMEMBERED | PAGE 10A
County gets wildfire grant By NICK GEORGIOU LAREDO MORNING TIMES
More than 900 fire departments statewide recently received some compensation for combating wildfires that tore through large portions of Texas nearly three years ago. The Zapata County Fire Department was among those beneficiaries to get a piece of the $5.7 million grant. “It was as much a surprise to me as it was to (everyone else),” said Fire Chief Juan J. Meza, who recently arrived at work to find a $3,500 check from the Texas Forest Service on his desk. According to TFS, the agency
distributed the money through a legislative grant to fire departments affected by the wildfire season that ran from Dec. 1, 2005 to Sept. 18, 2006. During that time period, wildfires scorched 2.25 million acres statewide, destroyed more than 730 homes and killed 20 people, including two firefighters. “I believe it was an odd year,” Meza said. “These wildfires were going on all over the state and nation. I guess they thought we needed some help. “Anything is good to help out.”
See GRANT | PAGE 10A
Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | Laredo Morning Times
Wendy Escobedo, a therapist at SCAN, talks to a parent during a counseling session.
THE ZAPATA TIMES
apatans are banned from celebrating the New Year using fireworks, according to Fire Chief Juan Meza. He said the county commissioners have instituted a fireworks ban due to dry conditions. In addition, another ordinance permanently bans the use of aerial fireworks, Meza said. According to the National Weather Service’s Web site for the Zapata area, the area is under the threat of an increased fire risk through New Year’s Day. “Ongoing dry weather conditions over the past few months have resulted in cured fuels across deep South Texas. Cured fuels are dry and dormant vegetation. Under these conditions, the use of fireworks often results in an increased risk for accidental fires,” the NWS site states.
Z
“Under these conditions, the use of fireworks often results in an increased risk for accidental fires.” NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATEMENT
However, there is a limited chance of rain next week, according to the National Weather Service. Tuesday, the forecast calls for a 20 percent chance of showers and mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Southeast wind should be between 5- and 10-mph. Tuesday night should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
Then Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, partly sunny, with a high near 75, followed by a low around 59. On New Year’s Day, the forecast calls for sunny skies, with a high near 68. Many areas across the state are in danger of accidental wildfires this month as some celebrate the end of the year with fireworks. Fireworks are commonly linked to Christmas and New Year festivities, but the Texas Forest Service warns the outcome can be disastrous if proper safety precautions are not taken. “Many Texans will be using fireworks to celebrate Christmas and the New Year,” Texas Forest Service Fire Operations Chief Mark Stanford said. “TFS wants Texans to use fireworks safely in order to protect themselves and to avoid accidentally starting wildfires.” Under Texas law, county government
See FIREWORKS | PAGE 10A
Therapy, more offered by SCAN (Editor’s note: United Way is funding 25 agencies in Laredo and Zapata with its 2008-09 campaign. This is one in a series about the agencies and the people they help.)
By CHRISTINA ROSALES LAREDO MORNING TIMES
A mother and her two young sons sit together watching a cartoon in the SCAN lobby. Both boys are right next to their mother, tranquil and content — until the 3- and 4-year-olds’ attention spans are shortened by the Legos scattered on the floor. About a year ago, the boys would not have been as easy to take on an outing, said the moth-
er, whose name is not used to protect the boys’ identities. “Now they’re calmer,” she said in Spanish. “I can talk to them and express myself with them. They understand me. This therapy is what has helped us the most.” The older boy was sexually assaulted by a neighbor, an older child, and the younger boy witnessed the assault. Due to the trauma, the younger boy began having emotional disruptions
See SCAN | PAGE 10A