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AUSTIN — When it comes toparties, ringing in the new yearhas nothing on the swearing-insoirees for governors across thecountry.

In Texas, organizers are hopingto raise $4 million to celebrate theincoming governor and are plan-ning a concert headlined by LadyAntebellum, a parade through thestate capital and a barbecue withfour tons of brisket. Supporters ofre-elected Wisconsin Gov. ScottWalker are scheduling a series ofevents that include a “black tie op-tional” gala funded in partthrough sponsorship packagescosting up to $30,000 each.

Inaugural activities celebratingthe newly elected Democratic gov-ernor in Pennsylvania will costdonors up to $50,000 apiece and in-clude an evening “Let’s Get Start-ed” bash, with “celebratory attire”recommended.

Eleven new governors are tak-ing office this month, and nearlytwo dozen others are renewingtheir oaths for second, third or —in the case of Iowa Gov. TerryBranstad — sixth terms. Manywill celebrate with chart-toppingbands and blowout balls, withmuch of the bill footed by thesame supporters who bankrolledtheir victorious campaigns.

In many states, corporate mon-ey that was banned before Elec-tion Day is allowed to cover thetab for inaugural parties.

Critics see the events as anothermeans for corporations and

GOVERNORS

Inauguralsfueled bydonors

Organizers hope toraise $4M for Abbott

By PAUL J. WEBERASSOCIATED PRESS

See INAUGURALS PAGE 9A

MEXICO CITY — The riverof illegal drugs rushing norththrough Central America andthe Caribbean tends to avoidone conspicuous hook-shapedobstacle.

Cuba is surrounded by coun-tries used as cartel way sta-tions. But it has distinguisheditself as a tough place to trafficdrugs — and as an unlikely be-hind-the-scenes partner with itsdecades-long rival, the UnitedStates.

While the U.S. and Cubangovernments have squared offover politics and the Americaneconomic embargo for genera-tions, they have also quietlycooperated on drug-enforce-ment issues, passing informa-tion on movements of suspecteddrug boats through the Carib-bean. As relations may bewarming between the UnitedStates and Cuba, and LatinAmerican drug flows to theUnited States are shifting awayfrom Mexico and toward the Ca-ribbean, the narcotics issuecould be a source of furthercooperation between the twocountries.

The drug trade is "starting tomove back into the Caribbean,and I think that is a call toarms. We need to work with theCubans in a far greater capac-ity," said Mike Vigil, a formerdirector of international oper-ations at the U.S. Drug Enforce-ment Administration (DEA)who also served as a special

agent in charge of the Carib-bean. "It’s insanity not to do so."

In the eyes of U.S. counter-narcotics officials, many ofAmerica’s closest neighborsregularly receive failing gradesfor their efforts to stop the drugtrade. Mexico, where 100,000people have died in drug-relatedviolence over the past eightyears, remains "a major transitand source country for illicitdrugs destined for the UnitedStates," according to a 2014State Department report. In Ja-

maica, drug-related corruptionis "entrenched" and "wide-spread," while in Guatemala,"transnational drug traffickingorganizations are able to movedrugs, precursor chemicals andbulk cash with little difficulty,"the International NarcoticsControl Strategy Report states.

But the same report offersrare praise for America’s long-time communist foe. At a timewhen other Latin American na-tions have increasingly ques-tioned the human and financial

costs of the drug war, Cuba hasemerged as one of Washington’smost reliable allies in unwa-vering opposition to the decri-minalization of narcotics.

"Despite its location betweensome of the largest exporters ofillegal drugs in the hemisphereand the U.S. market, Cuba isnot a major consumer, produceror transit point of illegal nar-cotics," the report states. "Traf-fickers typically attempt to

ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE

Cuba, US have been on same teamBy JOSHUA PARTLOW AND NICK MIROFF

THE WASHINGTON POST

U.S. Coast Guard members stand guard near bags containing cocaine estimated to be worth more than $23 million inMiami Beach. Despite other disagreements, the U.S. and Cuba have worked together to fight the narcotics trade.

Photo by Joe Raedle | Getty

See CUBA PAGE 11A

Two men who were hunting inZapata have been indicted in fed-eral court for illegally possessinga firearm, according to court re-cords obtained Monday.

The indictment identified thesuspects as Santos Hernandez-Hernandez and David Omar Bar-rera. Hernandez was chargedwith possession of firearm/ammoby undocumented person whileauthorities charged Barrera withpossession of firearm by convict-ed felon. Court records show thatBarrera has not been arrested.

Hernandez, who pleaded notguilty to the charge Dec. 31, re-mains in federal custody. If con-victed, both men could face 10years in prison, court documentsstate.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms and Explosives special

ZAPATA COUNTY

2 menindicted

forfirearms

One undocumented,other convicted felon

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZTHE ZAPATA TIMES

See INDICTED PAGE 9A

On Dec. 4, federalagents arrested a manin the Encinal areaand seized two pickupsin connection with theseizure of 1,170 poundsof marijuana and 1.65pounds of heroin.

Drug EnforcementAdministration specialagents also found workgloves and safety re-flective vests, amongother equipment, in-side the vehicles.

“The white FordF-150 and the whiteFord F-250 … appearedto be cloned pickuptrucks, which had vari-ous equipment utilizedto blend in with ranchand oilfield companyvehicles,” federalagents wrote in thecriminal complaint.

The Webb CountySheriff ’s Office andU.S. Border Patrol saidit is common to seecloned oilfield vehiclesin the area given theEagle Ford Shaleboom. Dan Ramos, as-sistant chief patrolagent, said transna-

DRUG SMUGGLING TRENDS

Disguised trucks

The Webb County Sheriff’s Office displays 1,000 pounds of marijuana it seized from a utility truck in August 2011.

Courtesy photo

Heroinfound incloned

vehiclesBy CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ

THE ZAPATA TIMES

This truck has been cloned to blend in with ranch and oil-field company vehicles.

Courtesy photo

This photo shows bundles of drugs confiscated from a dis-guised truck.

Courtesy photo

See TRUCKS PAGE 11A

PAGE 2A Zin brief WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015

WEDNESDAY, JAN 7

Mandatory WBCA orientationmeeting. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lare-do Civic Center Meeting Rooms 1, 2 &3. Contact Marissa Espinoza atwbca@wbcalaredo.org or visit the web-site http://wbcalaredo.org/home118/applications/3134-parade-applica-tions.html.

THURSDAY, JAN. 8

The Laredo Area Retired SchoolEmployees Association monthly meet-ing at 11 a.m. at Blessed SacramentParish Hall. Richard Raymond will bethe main speaker, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Blessed Sacrament, Parish Hall. Con-tact Marta B. Kinslow at mbkin-slow@aol.com.

The Elysian Social Club will behosting their regular monthly meeting.7 p.m. to TBA, Maria Bonita Restau-rant. All members are encouraged toattend.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9

The YFL Youth Camp, Jan. 9 to11. St. John Neumann Parish Center.Contact Hector and Leah Cayanan athectorcayanan@yahoo.com andleigh.cayanan@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, JAN. 10

Professional Bull Riders at 7p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena,6700 Arena Blvd.

United ISD 5K Run, Walk andHealth Fair at the SAC located at5208 Santa Claudia Lane. From 7:30to 8:30 a.m. with the race starting at9 a.m. Proceeds to benefit United ISDstudents with college scholarships. Formore information call 473-6283 or vis-it www.uisd.net.

SUNDAY, JAN. 11

Professional Bull Riders at 2p.m. at the Laredo Energy Arena,6700 Arena Blvd.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14

"Employment Law Update"sponsored by Laredo Association ofHuman Resource Management. From12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Embassy Suites.

Contact Bertha Solis at presi-dent@lahrm.com or visit the websiteLAHRM.COM.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24

STCE’s Comic Con at TAMIUStudent Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

20th Annual Crime StoppersMenudo Bowl at the LIFE Fairgroundson Highway 59. Gates open 11 a.m.Menudo cooking contest. Call 724-1876.

SUNDAY, JAN. 25

STCE’s Comic Con at TAMIUStudent Center from 10 a.m. to 5p.m.

MONDAY, JAN. 26

Chess Club. From 4 p.m. to 6p.m. LBV-Inner City Branch Library at202 W. Plum St. next to the InnerCity Pool. Contact John Hong atjohn@laredolibrary.org, or laredoli-brary.org/innercityevents.html or 795-2400 x2521.

THURSDAY, JAN. 29

Spanish Book Club from 6-8p.m. at the Laredo Public Library, Cal-ton Road. Contact Sylvia Reash at763-1810.

SATURDAY, FEB. 7

2nd Annual Krizia Lauren KeiserMemorial 5K Run/Walk & Kids Run atUni-Trade Stadium, 6320 Sinatra Pkwy.

(Submit calendar items atlmtonline.com/calendar/sub-mit or by emailing edito-rial@lmtonline.com with theevent’s name, date and time, lo-cation and purpose and contactinformation for a representa-tive. Items will run as space isavailable.)

CALENDARASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 7,the seventh day of 2015. Thereare 358 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in His-tory:

On Jan. 7, 1927, commercialtransatlantic telephone servicewas inaugurated between NewYork and London.

On this date:In 1610, astronomer Galileo

Galilei began observing threeof Jupiter’s moons (he spotteda fourth moon almost a weeklater).

In 1789, America held itsfirst presidential election asvoters chose electors who, amonth later, selected GeorgeWashington to be the nation’sfirst chief executive.

In 1894, one of the earliestmotion picture experimentstook place at the Thomas Edi-son studio in West Orange,New Jersey, as Fred Ott wasfilmed taking a pinch of snuffand sneezing.

In 1955, singer Marian An-derson made her debut withthe Metropolitan Opera inNew York, in Verdi’s “Un Bal-lo in Maschera.” The openingof the Canadian Parliament inOttawa was televised for thefirst time.

In 1979, Vietnamese forcescaptured the Cambodian capi-tal of Phnom Penh, overthrow-ing the Khmer Rouge govern-ment.

In 1989, Emperor Hirohitoof Japan died in Tokyo at age87; he was succeeded by hisson, Crown Prince Akihito.

In 1999, for the second timein history, an impeachedAmerican president went ontrial before the Senate. Presi-dent Bill Clinton faced chargesof perjury and obstruction ofjustice; he was acquitted.

Ten years ago: A militaryjury at Fort Hood, Texas, ac-quitted Army Sgt. 1st ClassTracy Perkins of involuntarymanslaughter in the allegeddrowning of an Iraqi civilian,but convicted him of assault inthe Jan. 2004 incident. (Per-kins was sentenced to sixmonths in prison.) Five yearsago: A worker for a transfor-mer-making company in St.Louis showed up at the plantand opened fire, killing threepeople and wounding five be-fore killing himself.

One year ago: Brutal polarair that made the Midwestshiver over the past few daysspread to the East and theDeep South, shattering re-cords that in some cases hadstood for more than a century.

Today’s Birthdays: Au-thor William Peter Blatty is 87.Magazine publisher JannWenner is 69. Singer KennyLoggins is 67. Singer-songwrit-er Marshall Chapman is 66.Latin pop singer Juan Gabrielis 65. Talk show host KatieCouric is 58. Sen. John Thune,R-S.D., is 54. Actress HallieTodd is 53. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is 51. Actor Nicolas Cageis 51. Actor Kevin Rahm is 44.Actor Jeremy Renner is 44.Country singer-musician JohnRich is 41. Actor Dustin Dia-mond is 38. Singer/rapperAloe Blacc is 36. Actress Lau-ren Cohan is 33. Actor BrettDalton (TV: “Marvel’s Agentsof S.H.I.E.L.D.”) is 32. ActorRobert Ri’chard is 32. ActorLiam Aiken is 25. ActressCamryn Grimes is 25. ActorMax Morrow is 24. Actor Mar-cus Scribner (TV: “black-ish”)is 15.

Thought for Today:“Nothing in science has anyvalue to society if it is notcommunicated, and scientistsare beginning to learn theirsocial obligations.” — AnneRoe Simpson, American psy-chologist (1904-1991).

TODAY IN HISTORY

SAN ANTONIO — Contractors have beenscurrying to prepare the 1896 Double-heightCourtroom of the Bexar County Courthousefor this week’s grand reopening, but there’salready a feeling of awe induced by the re-stored chamber.

Nearly 50 years ago, the spacious roomwas split into two levels for two courtrooms,obliterating many of the original refine-ments designed by architect James RielyGordon.

Now with a separate building for courts —the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center — thecounty has made the revived Double-heightCourtroom the centerpiece of a state-backed$26 million historic preservation effort at thered sandstone courthouse. The project, con-ceived in 2000, includes $6.3 million for the

courtroom restoration that will continue forseveral weeks.

The room was being used Tuesday for theinaugurations of County Judge Nelson Wolff,Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo andPrecinct 4-elect Commissioner Tommy Cal-vert. Calvert will make history when he be-comes the county’s first black commissioner,but the room decades ago saw other momen-tous occasions, including major trials.

After the trio is sworn in, the five-membercourt will convene its first meeting in thenew venue. Since 1992, the court has met incramped quarters on the first floor of thecourthouse.

Now the court will conduct twice-monthlysessions in the historic second-floor roomwith 25-foot-high coffered ceilings, adornedwith authentic refinements though ladenwith hidden technology.

AROUND TEXAS

Work continues at the Bexar County Courthouse double-height courtroom, Monday. The courtroom, on the second floor ofthe courthouse, is being renovated to its 1890’s look and is nearly completed. The Bexar County commissioners used thecourtroom for their swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.

Photo by Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News | AP

Courtroom restoredBy JOHN W. GONZALEZ

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

4 Dallas firefightersresponding to call hurtDALLAS — Four firefighters

are among five people beingtreated for injuries after a firetruck collided with a cementtruck at a Dallas intersection.

The collision occurred inSouth Dallas as the ladder truckresponded to a 911 call for astructure fire. The Dallas Morn-ing News reports that witnessessaid the fire truck had its emer-gency lights on and sirens blar-ing when the cement truck turn-ed in front of it.

Puppets from ‘Coraline,’‘The Boxtrolls’ auctioned

DALLAS — The stop-motionanimators behind films that in-clude “Coraline” and “The Box-trolls” will be auctioning pup-pets, models, props and sets fromits archives for the first time.

Dallas-based Heritage Auc-tions will offer the items fromLaika Studios on Feb. 12 in Be-verly Hills, California.

School bus hits woodenfence, 1 student hurt

LA VERNIA — One studenthas been hurt when a South Tex-as school bus veered off a roadand crashed into a wooden fenceduring its morning route.

Police Sgt. Danny Pitts saysthe bus carried the driver andfour students. One youngster suf-fered a minor injury and wastreated at the scene. Superintend-ent Jose Moreno says the bus op-erator remains on the payrollbut won’t be driving during theaccident investigation.

More Austin police to beat South By SouthwestAUSTIN — More Austin police

will be on patrol during the 2015South By Southwest festival ayear after four people were killedwhen a car went into a crowd.

The SXSW festival runsMarch 13-22 with interactive,film and music events.

About 60 more officers will bedowntown.

Retrial of man convictedin El Paso killings delayed

EL PASO — The third capitalmurder trial for a man chargedin the 1993 El Paso deaths of twoteens has been delayed for possi-bly a year in a dispute overphone calls.

The original 1994 trial of Da-niel Villegas ended with a hungjury. He was retried a year later,convicted and sentenced to life inprison. An appeals court in 2013threw out that conviction, citingineffective counsel.

Central Texas city workingon trapping feral hogsTAYLOR — A Central Texas

city is working on trapping atleast 20 feral hogs that are wan-dering on and tearing up parts ofa century-old cemetery. The dam-age so far has been limited to un-developed portions of the grave-yard. The city last week hired aprofessional hog trapper who’sbuilt and baited a trap. — Com-piled from AP reports

1 dead, several hurt afterschool buses collide

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Thedriver of a bus taking students toa Rochester elementary schoolTuesday morning apparently suf-fered a heart attack before thevehicle collided with anotherschool bus and a tree, sendingeight students and another adultto the hospital, officials said.

Rochester police and cityschool district officials say asmall school bus was takingeight students to Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. School No. 9 atabout 7 a.m. Tuesday when itsideswiped a full-sized First Stu-dent Transportation bus. Thesmall bus then slammed into atree, crumpling its front end.

David Bonacchi, MonroeTransportation’s vice presidentand general manager of MonroeTransportation, told the Demo-crat and Chronicle of Rochesterthe driver of the company’s smallschool bus possibly had a mas-

sive heart attack before the colli-sion.

Authorities said the driver ofthe small bus died at the scene.The bus company identified himas Edwin Rivera Dejesus, 30.

School district officials saideight elementary school students

between ages 8 and 11 were tak-en to Strong Memorial Hospital.Six were released and two otherswere being treated Tuesday af-ternoon for injuries that aren’tlife threatening, as was a busmonitor, officials said.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of school bus crash on Tuesday inRochester, N.Y. The driver of a bus taking students to a Rochester elementaryschool Tuesday morning apparently suffered a heart attack.

Photo by Tina Macintyre-Yee/Democrat & Chronicle | AP

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 State THE ZAPATA TIMES 3A

HOUSTON — Two teenagerssentenced to prison after stand-ing trial as adults are believedto have become the first in Tex-as to have their convictionsoverturned based on them notremaining in juvenile courts.

Juvenile justice advocates saythe cases show that it’s pasttime for Texas lawmakers to ex-amine how the state pushes de-fendants younger than 17 intothe adult criminal justice sys-tem. Under the law, defendants

ages 14 to 16 can be certified bya juvenile court judge to standtrial as adults, the HoustonChronicle reported Saturday.

Both the recently overturnedcases happened in Decemberand involved defendants fromHarris County.

“The whole certification pro-cess — and I’ve been saying thisfor several years — needs to bereviewed. It’s pretty arbitrary,”said Sen. John Whitmire, aHouston Democrat and chair ofthe Criminal Justice Committee.

The first decision came Dec.

10 when the Texas Court ofCriminal Appeals vacated theconviction of Cameron Moon, aDeer Park teenager. He was sen-tenced to 30 years for murder inthe 2008 shooting death of anoth-er teen when Moon was 16.

Fewer than two weeks later, athree-justice panel of the Hous-ton-based 14th Court of Appealsvacated the conviction of JorgeGuerrero, who was sentenced in2013 to eight years for an armedrobbery he committed at age 16.The panel sent his case back tothe juvenile court.

In both instances, the deci-sions noted the Harris Countyjuvenile court did not give suffi-cient evidence as to why theyouths should stand trial asadults, instead relying on a“form order” process that allowsjudges to check off boxes and fillin the blanks for each certifica-tion.

Juvenile defendants cannotappeal being certified until theyare found guilty — a processthat can often take months oryears.

Although the number of certi-

fications statewide has droppedin recent years — there were 209in 2013 — juvenile advocateshope the overturned convictionsmark the start of a change inhow Texas treats juvenile of-fenders.

“I hope it’s a tipping point. Iknow it’s a huge opinion, Moonis, for juvenile justice across thestate,” Harris County AssistantPublic Defender Cheri Duncansaid. “Whether it’s any kind of asignal of a shift in how we ap-proach juvenile crime, it’s tooearly to say yet.”

Teens tried as adults’ convictions overturnedASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — While promises tocut taxes and fight President Ba-rack Obama helped bring TexasRepublicans sweeping electionvictories, two symbols of conser-vatism in the state are now onpotentially shaky ground: tough-er abortion restrictions and pro-hibitions on gay marriage.

A busy week for two signatureTexas laws signed by outgoingRepublican Gov. Rick Perry be-gins today when the 5th CircuitCourt of Appeals in New Orleansconsiders whether the state canmaintain its ban on same-sexmarriage and impose rigid stan-dards on abortion providers.

Texas is coming off losses inboth cases. A federal judge inSan Antonio ruled last Februarythat the state’s ban on gay mar-riage was unconstitutional —but left the law in place pendingappeal. In the other case, dozensof abortion clinics forced to shut-ter under a 2013 law won a tem-porary reprieve in October fromthe U.S. Supreme Court.

Both gay-rights groups andabortion-rights organizationsare embracing that momentumbefore facing what is widely con-sidered to be among the mostconservative appeals courts inthe U.S.

“It’s not the best panel for us,”said Whole Woman’s Healthfounder Amy Hagstrom Miller,who operates three facilities in

Texas that provide abortions. “Ithink we’re really facing a refer-endum of undue burden. Howfar is too far for women to travelto exercise a constitutionalright?”

First up before the court areoral arguments today over stateabortion restrictions that re-quire clinics to meet hospital-level operating standards. OnFriday, the panel will then tacklethe gay marriage ban in Texas,which remains one of 14 stateswhere same-sex couple cannot

marry. Gov.-elect Greg Abbott, the

former attorney general, andother Republicans want thecourt to allow the state to en-force the new abortion restric-tions. A ruling supporting thelaws would leave only eightabortion providers in the na-tion’s second-most populousstate.

Seventeen abortion clinicscurrently operate in Texas, but ifthe law is upheld, more than halfwould close because those facil-

ities lack operating rooms orother costly additions. Texas hadmore than 40 abortion clinics in2012, but many closed under aseparate new requirement thatdoctors who perform abortionshave hospital admitting privileg-es.

Although last year saw a waveof federal judges strike downbans on same-sex marriageacross the U.S., conservativestates have been more successfulpreserving restrictions on abor-tion.

“Just counting the number oflaws passed by state legislatures,it’s been quite remarkable,” saidJoe Pojman, executive directorof the anti-abortion group TexasAlliance for Life. “And Texas hasbeen a very notable part of thattrend.”

On Monday, Florida becamethe latest state where same-sexmarriages are now legal. For-mer Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, apotential 2016 presidential candi-date whose son George P. Bushis now the new Texas state landcommissioner, said the ruling bya circuit court judge should berespected.

Texas leaders have so far beenmore defiant. But Mark Phariss,who is among the Texas couplessuing the state over its ban, saidhe is encouraged by what hesees as a change in the politicaltone.

Whereas the vast majority ofRepublican candidates toutedanti-abortion credentials whilecampaigning, opposition tosame-sex marriage was less of aheadline issue. Phariss is a for-mer law school friend of Abbottand said his remarks have beenrespectful, even as Perry’s suc-cessor has vowed to uphold theban on same-sex marriage.

But Phariss would more liketo see a court victory.

“I’m not going to say there’snot a little bit of envy,” Pharisssaid of states where same-sexmarriage is now legal. “There’sa lot of envy.”

Big week for abortion, gay marriage lawsBy PAUL J. WEBERASSOCIATED PRESS

In this Feb. 12, 2014 file photo, same-sex couples Cleopatra De Leon, left, and partner, Nicole Dimetman, second from left,and Victor Holmes and partner Mark Phariss, right, talk with the media after at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in San Antonio.

Photo by Eric Gay | AP file

PAGE 4A Zopinion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015

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

WASHINGTON —Speaking on the Senatefloor in July, Oklahoma’sJames Inhofe — soon tohead, once again, the Sen-ate’s Environment andPublic Works Committee— made a claim that hasbecome quite prevalentamong skeptics of climatechange skeptics.

"For the past 15 years,"Inhofe said, "temperaturesacross the globe have notincreased."

Inhofe was offering oneof the favorite argumentsof skeptics, namely, thatglobal warming paused orslowed down since the ve-ry hot year of 1998.

But the argument hasone big problem. Accord-ing to a preliminary as-sessment by the Japan Me-teorological Agency(JMA), 2014 was the hot-test year on record for theglobe. That surpasses theyear 1998 (now in 2ndplace in the JMA dataset)and 2013 and 2010 (nowtied for 3rd).

The upward trend isquite clear, and the decadeof the 2000s is plainlywarmer than the decade ofthe 1990s. So much for any"pause" in global warming.

Japan’s is the first ma-jor meteorological outlet topronounce on how 2014ranks for temperatures.But if others — the Nation-al Oceanic and Atmospher-ic Administration, NASA,and the UK Met Office’sHadley Center — concurwith the agency, it could bea serious blow to the"pause" argument.

The strange idea that

global warming haspaused:

Let’s first consider the"pause" notion itself. Itwent truly mainstream in2013, when the U.N.’s Inter-governmental Panel on Cli-mate Change released thefirst part of its muchawaited Fifth AssessmentReport.

In a poorly worded state-ment, a leaked draft of theIPCC’s report observedthat the rate of global tem-perature increase, duringthe 15-year period from1998 to 2012, was somewhatless than the rate of in-crease from 1951 to 2012. Inother words, while theIPCC didn’t say the globehad stopped warming, itdid suggest a situation thatis a bit like a driver easingoff the accelerator in amoving car.

This led to voluminousmedia coverage of the so-called "pause" and howmuch it allegedly under-mined arguments aboutglobal warming — an anal-ysis by Media Matters ofcoverage of the IPCC re-port release found that 41percent of stories cited the"pause."

But as it turned out, thiswas all much ado aboutnothing. The IPCC wouldlater emphasize, in its fin-ished report, that "trendsbased on short records arevery sensitive to the begin-ning and end dates and donot in general reflect long-term climate trends." Thefact remains that the 2000swere considerably hotterthan the 1990s. At least forsome expert agencies, 2014is looking more and morelike it will surpass 1998and all other contenders.

COLUMN

Globalwarming is

not overBy CHRIS MOONEY

THE WASHINGTON POST

OTHER VIEWS

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

Not long ago, a friendsent me a speech that thegreat civic leader JohnGardner gave to the Stan-ford Alumni Association61 years after he gradu-ated from that college.The speech is chock-full ofpractical wisdom. I espe-cially liked this passage:

"The things you learnin maturity aren’t simplethings such as acquiringinformation and skills.You learn not to engage inself-destructive behavior.You learn not to burn upenergy in anxiety. You dis-cover how to manage yourtensions. You learn thatself-pity and resentmentare among the most toxicof drugs. You find that theworld loves talent butpays off on character.

"You come to under-stand that most people areneither for you noragainst you; they arethinking about them-selves. You learn that nomatter how hard you tryto please, some people inthis world are not going tolove you, a lesson that isat first troubling and thenreally quite relaxing."

Gardner goes on in thiswise way. And then, at theend, he goes into a perora-tion about leading a mea-ningful life. "Meaning issomething you build intoyour life. You build it outof your own past, out ofyour affections and loyal-ties, out of the experienceof humankind as it ispassed on to you. ... Youare the only one who canput them together intothat unique pattern thatwill be your life."

Gardner puts "mean-ing" at the apogee of hu-man existence. His speechreminded me how oftenwe’ve heard that wordover the past decades. Asmy Times colleague AprilLawson puts it, "meaning"has become the stand-inconcept for everything thesoul yearns for and seeks.It is one of the few phras-es acceptable in modernparlance to describe a fun-damentally spiritual need.

Yet what do we meanwhen we use the wordmeaning?

The first thing we meanis that life should beabout more than materialsuccess. The person lead-ing a meaningful life hasfound some way of serv-ing others that leads to afeeling of significance.

Second, a meaningfullife is more satisfyingthan a merely happy life.Happiness is about enjoy-ing the present; meaningis about dedicating one-self to the future. Happi-ness is about receiving;meaningfulness is aboutgiving. Happiness is aboutupbeat moods and nice ex-periences. People leadingmeaningful lives experi-ence a deeper sense of sat-isfaction.

In this way, meaning isan uplifting state of con-sciousness. It’s what you

feel when you’re servingthings beyond self.

Yet it has to be said, ascommonly used today, theword is flabby and vacu-ous, the product of a cul-ture that has grown inar-ticulate about inner life.

Let me put it this way:If we look at the people inhistory who achievedgreat things — like Nel-son Mandela or AlbertSchweitzer or AbrahamLincoln — it wasn’t be-cause they wanted tobathe luxuriously in theirown sense of meaningful-ness. They had objectiveand eternally true stan-dards of justice and injus-tice. They were indignantwhen those eternal stan-dards were violated. Theysubscribed to moral sys-tems — whether secularor religious — that recom-mended specific ways ofbeing, and had specificstructures of what is rightand wrong, and had spe-cific disciplines abouthow you might get betterover time.

Meaningfulness tries toreplace structures, stan-dards and disciplines withself-regarding emotion.The ultimate authority ofmeaningful is the warmtingling we get when wefeel significant and mea-ningful. Meaningfulnesstries to replace moral sys-tems with the emotionalcorona that surroundsacts of charity.

It’s a paltry substitute.Because meaningfulnessis built solely on an emo-tion, it is contentless andirreducible. Because it isbuilt solely on emotion,

it’s subjective and relati-vistic. You get meaningone way. I get meaning an-other way. Who is any ofus to judge another’s emo-tion?

Because it’s based sole-ly on sentiment, it is use-less. There are no criteriato determine what kind ofmeaningfulness is higher.There’s no practicalmanual that would helpguide each of us as wemove from shallowerforms of service to deeperones. There is no hierar-chy of values that wouldhelp us select, fromamong all the things wemight do, that activitywhich is highest and bestto do.

Because it’s based sole-ly on emotion, it’s fleet-ing. When the sensationsof meaningful go awaythen the cause that oncearoused them getsdropped, too. Ennui floodsin. Personal crisis follows.There’s no reliableground.

The philosophy of mea-ningfulness emerges in aculture in which there isno common moral vocabu-lary or framework. Itemerges amid radical plu-ralism, when people don’twant to judge each other.Meaningfulness emergeswhen the fundamentalquestion is, do we feelgood?

Real moral systems arebased on a balance of in-tellectual rigor andaroused moral sentiments.Meaningfulness is pureand self-regarding feeling,the NutraSweet of the in-ner life.

COLUMN

The problem with meaning“DAVID BROOKS

Republicans howled inNovember when Presi-dent Obama used his ex-ecutive powers to shieldmillions of illegal immi-grants from deportation,accusing him of usurpingCongress’ powers. Yet asthe GOP lays out its agen-da for the new Congress,Republicans have hadnothing useful to sayabout their own plans foraddressing the problem ofthe 11 million immigrantswho lack documentation.

Like the Republicans,we worry that Mr. Oba-ma’s executive order at-tempts to accomplishwhat should be donethrough legislation. Yetwe also recognize that heacted to fill a policy vac-uum created largely byRepublican intransigenceand inertia. If the Repub-licans want to lend weightto Mr. Obama’s justifica-tion for his actions, theyare doing a fine job.

In announcing his exec-utive action, Mr. Obamathrew down a gauntlet toRepublican leaders, dar-ing them to seize the ini-tiative, enact legislation toaddress the problem of il-legal immigration and ne-gate his unilateral move.Rather than take the chal-lenge, Republicans nowappear intent on confirm-

ing their image as theparty of no solution to theimmigration dilemma.

Perhaps in the newCongress the GOP will en-act a bill allowing holdersof foreign passports to re-main in this countrymore easily after graduat-ing with advanced de-grees from U.S. universi-ties. Such a measurewould make sense as ameans to limit the braindrain of U.S.-educated sci-entists, engineers, mathe-maticians and high-techworkers.

Perhaps Republicanswill vote for further man-power and technology totighten security on theSouthwestern border, al-though it is already moretightly controlled than atany time in decades.

But no one can claim tohave dealt with America’sbroken immigration sys-tem without reckoningwith the reality of 11 mil-lion unauthorized people.The country needs theirlabor but refuses to allowthem and their familiesany way out of the legalshadows.

Rather than fashioninga solution, Republicansremain in a protractedtemper tantrum over Mr.Obama’s unilateralism. Inan attempt to punish him,they funded the DHS onlythrough February.

EDITORIAL

GOP has noimmigration

solutionTHE WASHINGTON POST

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 Nation THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A

WASHINGTON — In ablend of pageantry and pol-itics, Republicans tookcomplete control of Con-gress for the first time ineight years Tuesday, thenran straight into a WhiteHouse veto threat againsttheir top-priority legisla-tion to build the KeystoneXL oil pipeline.

Republicans condemnedthe unexpected announce-ment, which came at thesame time they were savor-ing the fruits of last fall’selections and speakingbrightly about possible bi-partisan compromises inthe two years ahead.

“I’m really optimisticabout what we can accom-plish,” said Kentucky Sen.Mitch McConnell, momentsafter he was recognized asleader of the new Republi-can majority on one side ofthe Capitol.

At the other end of themajestic building, Rep.John Boehner of Ohio eas-ily won a third term asHouse speaker despite at-tempts by tea party-backeddissidents to topple him.He said the 114th Congresswould begin by passing leg-islation to “develop moreNorth American energy”among top priorities, add-ing “We invite the presi-dent to support and signthese bipartisan initiativesinto law.”

It was an offer the WhiteHouse could and did refuse— in advance. “If this billpasses Congress, the presi-dent wouldn’t sign it,” pres-idential press secretaryJosh Earnest said beforeBoehner spoke. He said themeasure would underminea review process underwayby the administration.

The events spilled outrapidly on a day that of-fered a glimpse of the polit-ical forces at work in anera of divided government— the intraparty struggleamong House Republicans,the coordination that GOPleaders in both houses

showed in pursuing a con-servative agenda and theblocking power of a Demo-cratic president.

There was well choreo-graphed pageantry as wellon a day Republicans in-stalled a 54-46 majority inthe Senate and took 246 ofthe 435 seats in the House,the most in more than 60years.

Vice President Joe Bidenpresided over swearing-inceremonies in the Senate,leading new senators andre-elected veterans alike inan age-old oath to “supportand defend the Constitu-tion of the United States.”He reserved his warmestgreeting for former VicePresident and Sen. WalterF. Mondale, 87, who accom-panied Minnesota Sen. AlFranken down the cham-ber’s carpeted center aisleto an oath-taking.

The House played host toa younger crowd as law-makers were sworn in fortwo-year terms — childrenin their best clothes, babiesin their parents’ arms.“Mommy, mommy,” yelledout one girl, no longer con-tent to sit in the lap of hercongressman-father.

One powerful player wasabsent but eager to showhe would be back soon.Democratic Sen. HarryReid of Nevada, now theminority leader, issued astatement saying his doc-tors ordered him to stayaway from his office so in-juries suffered last week

when a piece of exerciseequipment broke “can con-tinue to heal.” The state-ment disclosed for the firsttime that the 75-year-oldlawmaker had suffered aconcussion as well as bro-ken facial bones and ribs.

Republicans were eagerto turn to an agenda tai-lored to suit conservatives.They have signaled plansto write a budget that elim-inates federal deficits in 10years or less and to pass anoverhaul of the tax code aswell as try and reduce fed-eral regulations they sayare stifling job creation.

By day’s end, they alsowon approval to make surethat smaller businessesthat hire veterans don’ttrigger a requirement inthe health care law requir-ing coverage for employees.The vote was 412-0.

Hoping to smooth theirpath for future measures,House Republicans passeda rules change permittingcongressional scorekeepersto assume that tax cuts in-crease revenue to the gov-ernment rather than re-duce it. That would make iteasier to show a balancedbudget with fewer painfulspending cuts. The concept,known as “dynamic scor-ing,” has been an article offaith among conservativessince the Reagan era threedecades ago.

Democratic complaintsabout the change vied withthe Republican reaction tothe Keystone veto threat.

GOP takes chargeBy DAVID ESPO

ASSOCIATED PRESS

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio administers a re-enactmentof the House oath to Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., Tuesday.

Photo by Jacquelyn Martin | AP

SALT LAKE CITY —Mia Love of Utah on Tues-day became the first blackfemale Republican in Con-gress as she was sworn inalong with 57 other fresh-men members of the U.S.House.

Love, 39, a former mayorof Saratoga Springs, waselected in November inUtah’s 4th District.

She already has startedmaking appearances on ca-ble news channels andSunday talk shows, mostrecently as a guest onABC’s “This Week.”

Love acknowledged theattention in a statementTuesday but added, “I as-sure the voters of Utah, I’mnot going to forget where Ilive.”

She also said Tuesdaywas a thrilling day for herand her family.

“I’m excited to get start-ed,” Love said. “I feel

Utah’s delegation is in thestrongest position yet torepresent Utah.”

The new congresswo-man also said she’s honor-ed be serving on the HouseFinancial Services Com-mittee.

Love didn’t emphasizeher race during her cam-paign in 2014 and an unsuc-cessful bid in 2012, but sheacknowledged the signifi-cance of her election afterher victory in November.

Love said her win defiednaysayers who suggested a

black, Republican, Mor-mon woman could not beelected to Congress fromUtah.

Love has joined the Con-gressional Black Caucusand is part of a small groupof black Republicans in thenew Congress.

In addition to beingsworn in Tuesday with oth-er new House members,Love participated in an in-dividual ceremonial swear-ing-in with House SpeakerJohn Boehner later in theday.

Senator makes historyBy MICHELLE L. PRICE

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rep.-elect Mia Love R-Utah, greets House Speaker John Boehnerof Ohio, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday.

Photo by J. Scott Applewhite | AP

6A THE ZAPATA TIMES Nation WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015

COLORADO SPRINGS,Colo. — Authorities arelooking for a man whomay have informationabout a homemade explo-sive that someone set offnear the Colorado Springschapter of the NAACP.

The blast happenedTuesday outside a barbershop next door to thegroup’s building, which isabout an hour south ofDenver. There were no in-juries and only minordamage, police said.

An improvised explo-sive device was detonatedagainst the building, but itwas too soon to knowwhether the nation’s old-est civil rights organiza-tion was the target, FBIspokeswoman Amy Sand-ers said. The agency sentmembers of its Joint Ter-rorism Task Force to helpinvestigate.

Sanders said investiga-tors were looking for abalding white man in his40s who may be driving adirty pickup truck. Itcould have an open tail-gate or a missing or cov-ered license plate.

Investigators Tuesdaywere examining a red gas-oline canister with a yel-low nozzle that had beenplaced next to the explo-sive device but did not ig-nite. They also werechecking pieces of ducttape and metal lying 40 to50 feet away from the ex-plosion site.

Residents living nearbysaid they heard a single,loud “boom” but saw nofire. One neighbor, Grego-ry Alan Johnson, said hewas unaware of priorproblems near the NAACPbuilding.

Chapter President Hen-ry Allen Jr. told The Col-orado Springs Gazette theblast was strong enough toknock items off the walls.He said he was hesitant tocall the explosion a hatecrime without more infor-mation but said the organ-ization will move on.

“This won’t deter usfrom doing the job wewant to do in the commu-nity,” Allen said.

The organization’s na-tional office issued a state-ment saying it was look-ing forward to a full andthorough investigation.

A bomb squad member comes down from the roof as ColoradoSprings police officers investigate the scene of an explosion Tues-day at Mr. G’s Hair Salon in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Photo by Christian Murdock/The Gazette | AP

FBI seeks manafter explosion

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Snow followed by a waveof frigid air is ploddingeastward, bringing warn-ings well ahead of time forpeople to take precautionsand stay warm. The stormsnarled traffic across muchof the country and isthreatening to bring windchills into the single digitseven to the Deep Southover the next few days.

Here’s a look at how thewinter weather plaguingalmost two-thirds of thecountry is playing out. (Itturns out, even Hawaiiisn’t immune.)

Shoveling AndShivering In Midwest

Just this past weekend,Ohio residents walkedaround in light jackets, en-joying temperatures in the50s. Now, they and theirneighbors across the GreatLakes are bundling up asfrigid air follows severalinches of snow.

Actual air temperaturesin Ohio are expected to fol-low the example of Mon-day’s single-digit windchills — a calculation ofhow cold the air feels to ex-posed skin when wind isfactored in — later in theweek.

Illinois has it evenworse. Wind chills as lowas minus 30 are forecast tomove in behind the storm,which dropped as much as6 inches of snow on partsof the state. It was stillsnowing in parts of north-east Ohio along Lake Erie,where as much as 20 inch-es could drop by tonight.

The snow snarled travelthroughout the regionMonday and Tuesday. Morethan 130 flights in and outof Chicago’s two airportswere canceled. Manyschool districts delayed orcanceled classes, includingin Columbus, Ohio’s large-

st city. School delays andtraffic accidents plaguedpart of Indiana. Trafficcrashes in Michigan killedat least five people.

The cold put wheatcrops in danger in parts ofNebraska, Iowa, Missouri,Illinois, Indiana, Ohio andKansas. The few inches ofsnow that fell in the Dako-tas — well used to snowand cold — nonethelesscaused crashes and closeddozens of schools. In SiouxFalls, even outdoor ice-skating rinks closed Mon-day.

Al-Joe’s Pet and GardenCenter in Hamilton, Ohio,has been selling more bed-ding for outside dogs andcats and receiving morecalls for snow removal,owner Gary Grollmus said.

“They want to get it offbefore it turns into a solidsheet of ice,” he said.

Chaos In The CapitalMore snow and colder-

than-expected weather sur-prised officials and resi-dents in and around the

nation’s capital, leading tofrustrating commutes, aircancellations and apologiesfrom school districts thathad decided — unwisely —to remain open.

A couple of inches ofsnow that hit just beforeTuesday’s rush hour creat-ed difficulties for schoolbuses. Twitter users round-ly panned decisions byFairfax and Loudoun, Vir-ginia, county schools tostay open.

The hashtags #close-FCPS and #Wayde — a ref-erence to school systemspokesman Wayde Byard,who delivers the newswhen closures are imple-mented — made the world-wide list of trending topics.

Later Tuesday, Fairfax,Loudoun, Prince Williamand Arlington countyschools apologized to par-ents for the difficulties.They said they decided toopen using the best infor-mation available to themin the early morning.

Maryland reported doz-ens of accidents, includingone that put a 17-year-oldgirl in critical condition.

More than two dozenflights were canceled atReagan National Airport.

The day was expected tobring 4 inches of snow toparts of the area. Federalofficers remained open, butworkers had the option totelecommute or take un-scheduled leave.

Meanwhile, In TheS-S-South ...

The coldest weather inabout a year is expected toreach deep into Georgia byearly Thursday. In metroAtlanta, famously broughtto a standstill last winterby a few inches of snow,wind chills below 5 degreesare expected (but no snowis forecast). Even in Cor-dele in south Georgia, thewind chill could hit 8 de-grees.

Atlanta officials saythey’ll open an emergencywarming center that canhold 100 people. In northAlabama, gusty windscould make temperaturesin the single digits feel likeit’s below zero.

Winter gets down to business ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sean Locke, a maintenance worker at the Springfield, Ohio YMCA, shovels snow off the sidewalk infront of the buidling’s mural on Tuesday.

Photo by Bill Lackey/The Dayton Daily News | AP

NEW YORK — Despiteefforts by New York City of-ficials to tout a dip in seri-ous crime, another statisticis getting more attention —a steep decline in the num-ber of arrests across all fiveboroughs in the two weekssince two police officerswere shot dead in their pa-trol car.

The totals suggest that arumored work slowdownhas taken hold amid discordbetween the rank and fileand Mayor Bill de Blasio,and raise questions aboutwhat impact it could haveon the city’s crime rate.

Patrick Lynch, head ofthe powerful Patrolmen’sBenevolent Association, in-sisted Tuesday that theunion was not sanctioning a

labor action. He pointed to ashootout during an armedholdup late Monday that lefttwo plainclothes officerswounded as proof that itwas business as usual at thenation’s largest police de-partment.

Officers, who are workingwithout a contract, are “put-ting themselves in danger tokeep this city safe just asthey always do,” Lynchsaid.

But the enforcement sta-tistics strongly indicate thatthe slowdown is real, even ifit was initiated at the grass-roots level.

Last week, the number ofsummonses for minor crim-inal offenses and traffic andparking violations de-creased by more than 90percent compared with thesame week a year earlier,statistics show. For example,

summonses for urinating inpublic were down to 347from more than 4,077 lastyear.

Arrests citywide lastweek for more serious of-fenses were down 55 per-cent. In midtown Manhat-tan alone, they fell to 112from 348.

Thomas Reppetto, a po-lice expert and author whohas written extensivelyabout the New York PoliceDepartment, called the re-sults too “overwhelming” tobe coincidental and saidthere could be real-life con-sequences for the public ifleft to fester for too long.

“If the law is not beingenforced in the street, we’reall in danger,” Reppettosaid. “The criminals taketheir cue and run wild.”

The figures first plum-meted in the week after the

two officers were killed onDec. 20 in a brazen daytimeambush by a fugitive whohad ranted on social mediathat he wanted to avengethe police killings of Mi-chael Brown and Eric Gar-ner. The patrolmen’s deathsexacerbated tensions be-tween de Blasio and policeofficers already upset by themayor’s remark sympathiz-ing with protesters whoclaim a pattern of excessiveforce in minority communi-ties.

The potential for a slow-down was evident the dayafter the killings, whenword began circulatingamong officers that theyshould wait to respond toevery radio call with twocars and not make arrests“unless absolutely neces-sary.” A recent online post-ing on a site popular with

police officers referred tothe stance as “OperationStand-down, Protect Your-self, Do Nothing.”

Sgt. Ed Mullins, head ofthe Sergeants BenevolentAssociation, argued that inthe current climate, itwould only make sense thatpolice officers would takeextra precautions that couldresult in fewer arrests.

“You have protests, youhave broken morale,” Mul-lins said. “You also have theassassination of two policeofficers. The threat of assas-sination is real — it has al-ready happened.”

The apparent slowdownthreatened to hamper deBlasio’s efforts to assureNew Yorkers that historical-ly low crime numbers —even as the NYPD drastical-ly scaled back intrusivestreet stops — showed that

it was possible to create a“safer city” and a “fairercity.” Overall crime wasdown 4 percent and therewere 332 homicides, downfrom 335 last year — a trendthat continued into the NewYear, despite the arrestdrop-off.

Police Commissioner Wil-liam Bratton attributed thedecline in arrests to astressful month filled withwidespread protests, policefunerals and other discordthat distracted legions of of-ficers from normal duties.But he also warned that ifnecessary, he would takemeasures to make sure thenumbers return to normal.

“We will take a look atmaybe who is not doing thework we expect of them,” hesaid. “And we will deal withit very appropriately if wehave to.”

Arrest statistics point to NYPD slowdownBy TOM HAYS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

RICHMOND, Va. — Fam-ily members and friendswept softly as former Vir-ginia Gov. Bob McDonnelltold the judge at his sen-tencing hearing that hecouldn’t “fathom any deep-er humiliation” for takingbribes from a wealthy busi-nessman to promote a die-tary supplement.

Then, the tears mostlystopped. Some even turnedto smiles when the judgesentenced McDonnell totwo years in prison — farbelow the 10 years prosecu-tors originally wanted forthe Republican, who wasonce on the short list to beMitt Romney’s vice presi-dential running mate.

McDonnell, who held hishead in his hands andsobbed when he was con-victed in September on 11counts of corruption, wasstoic as U.S. District JudgeJames Spencer deliveredthe sentence in a court-room packed with the for-mer governor’s supporters.

McDonnell had asked for

no jail time, only communi-ty service. In a strong butsomber voice, McDonnelltold the judge he was “aheartbroken and humbledman” and that he holdshimself accountable.

“I allowed my life to getway out of balance,” hesaid. “I cannot fathom anydeeper humiliation for meor my family.”

The judge noted the out-pouring of support forMcDonnell — more than400 people wrote letters —and concluded that “he is agood and decent man whohas done a lot of good inthe public area.”

“It breaks my heart, butI have a duty I can’t avoid,”the judge said.

A jury in Septemberfound McDonnell and hiswife, Maureen, guilty ofpublic corruption. The cou-ple accepted gifts includinga $6,500 engraved Rolexwatch, $20,000 in designerclothing and accessories,and free family vacationsin exchange for promotinga purported miracle curemade by Star Scientific Inc.

Maureen McDonnell,who attended Tuesday’s

hearing, will be sentencedFeb. 20 on eight counts.

The company’s formerCEO, Jonnie Williams, tes-tified under immunity asthe prosecution’s star wit-ness in a case that exposedthe details of the McDon-nells’ shaky finances andtroubled marriage.

Outside the courthouse,McDonnell thanked thejudge for mercy and vowedto fight his convictions onappeal.

“I’ve hurt myself, myfamily and my beloved peo-ple of Virginia and for that

I am deeply, deeply sorry.But I will also say to thegreat people of Virginiathat I have never, ever be-trayed my sacred oath of of-fice in any way while Iserved as the governor ofthis great commonwealth,”McDonnell told reporters.

Law enforcement offi-cials said that the prisonsentence delivered a mess-age.

“No elected official, irre-spective of their popularityor the power they wield, isabove the law,” FBI agentAdam S. Lee said.

Before sentencing, de-fense lawyers called a pa-rade of character witnessesto enumerate McDonnell’sgood qualities — his integ-rity and compassion for theless fortunate in particular— and good deeds in bothpublic and private life.

Several witnesses said alenient sentence was war-ranted because McDonnellhad already suffered signif-icantly from the fallout of ahighly public and embar-rassing investigation andtrial. Former DemocraticVirginia Gov. L. DouglasWilder said that if not forMcDonnell’s legal troubles,he would be rememberedas one of Virginia’s finestgovernors and would be astrong candidate for presi-dent.

“He’s been punished,been punished indelibly,”said Wilder.

Wilder received a loudround of applause aftersparring with prosecutorMichael Dry and pointingout that Williams “walkedaway clean.”

Dry said Williams was ina different category.

“The Mr. Williamses of

the world are a dime a doz-en. Corrupt governors arenot,” Dry said.

At trial, McDonnell ac-knowledged he acceptedWilliams’ largesse but saidhe did nothing for him inreturn other than extendroutine political courtesies.

McDonnell is the firstVirginia governor, and the12th nationally, convicted ofcorruption, federal officialssaid. Others include RodBlagojevich of Illinois, whois serving 14 years for ascheme to sell PresidentBarack Obama’s formerU.S. Senate seat; Edwin Ed-wards of Louisiana, whowas sentenced to 10 yearsfor extorting money fromcasino license applicants;and Arch Moore of WestVirginia, who got nearly sixyears for extorting moneyfrom a coal operator andother offenses. Some haveescaped jail time altogether.

The public corruptioncase in Virginia promptedthe General Assembly totighten the state’s murkyethics laws, and some Vir-ginia elected officials havevoluntarily limited the val-ue of gifts they will accept.

Ex-Virginia Gov. gets 2 years for corruptionBy LARRY O’DELL AND ALAN

SUDERMANASSOCIATED PRESS

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, center, hugs his daughtersCailin Young, left, and Jeanine McDonnell Zubowsky, right.

Photo by Steve Helber | AP

Sports&OutdoorsWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

NEW YORK — Randy Johnson,Pedro Martinez and John Smoltzdominated in an era of offense,each in their own way.

The 6-foot-10 Big Unit becamethe tallest of 215 players elected tobaseball’s Hall of Fame and the 5-foot-11 Martinez the shortest pitch-er picked for Cooperstown sinceWhitey Ford in 1974.

Smoltz, who found unusual suc-cess both as a starting pitcher anda reliever, also was voted in Tues-

day along with Craig Biggio, thefirst time since 1955 writers pickeda quartet of players in one year.

For many, the election of John-son and Martinez was the long andshort of it.

“You’re talking about freakishtalent,” Smoltz said. “I’ve neverseen at each person’s height any-body come close to what they wereable to do.”

Johnson, Martinez and Smoltzwere crowned by big margins ontheir first tries, and Biggio made iton his third attempt after fallingtwo votes shy last year.

Steroids-tainted stars RogerClemens, Barry Bonds, MarkMcGwire and Sammy Sosa againfell far short of half of the votesand appear to have little chance ofreaching the necessary 75 percentduring their remaining time on theBaseball Writers’ Association ofAmerica ballot.

“It’s actually sad, to be honest.It’s sad,” Martinez said. “People Iadmired are not going in with me.”

The quartet will be inducted inCooperstown on July 26. TheBBWAA had not voted in four play-ers together since 60 years earlier.

Mike Piazza fell 28 votes shortbut increased his percentage to 69.9from 57.8 in 2013 and 62.2 last year.

Both making their third appear-ances, Clemens received 37.5 per-cent and Bonds 36.8 percent. In hisninth and next-to-last year of eligi-bility, McGwire got 10 percent —less than half his peak of 23.6 per-cent in 2008. Sosa was on 6.6 per-cent of the ballots, just above the 5percent threshold for remaining onnext year’s list.

Don Mattingly received 9.1 per-cent in his 15th and final appear-ance on the ballot.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: HALL OF FAME

4 to join Hall of FameBiggio, Martinez, Johnson, Smoltz to be enshrined

Former Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, joins former pitchers Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and John Smoltz as the MLB’s Hall of Fame class for 2015. It was thefirst time since 1955 that the writers selected four players in one year.

File photo by AP

By RONALD BLUMASSOCIATED PRESS

The Hawks basketballteam opened the District32-4A season in dramaticfashion and beat rival RioGrande La Grulla 47-44 astime expired Friday night.

Zapata’s Carlos Gutier-rez only scored five points,but his biggest basket camein the fourth quarter withthe score knotted up at 44and less than 10 seconds re-maining in the game. Headcoach Rene Chapa called atimeout to set up the play,putting the ball in thehands of Gutierrez. Aftercoming off a screen, Gu-tierrez let it fly behind the3-point line as the hornsounded as the balldropped through the hoopfor a Hawk victory.

Zapata was trailing theentire game and did nottake the lead until Gutier-rez’s dramatic basket at theend of the night. They fellbehind early and playedcatch up in first half, mis-sing nine different shotsunder the basket and giv-ing RGC-La Grulla controlof the game and a 15-pointcushion.

Chapa made some half-time adjustments that werebeneficial to the team inthe second half. Zapata un-leashed a full-court pressthat took away the freedomof ball movement for theGators and changed themomentum of the game.The Hawks started chip-ping away at the lead asthe hot hand of Javi Lopezstarted to come alive. Lopezled the way on offense andon the boards as the seniorpoured in 14 points with 13rebounds and two blocks.

Jake Gutierrez addedeight points but did a lot ofhis damage on the defen-sive side, picking up foursteals. Clyde Guerra III wasa workhorse in the paintand came up with 10 re-bounds while chipping inwith seven points.

The Hawks were able toknot up the score early inthe fourth quarter, but theGators stayed ahead with apair of baskets. Zapata tookthe lead when it counted,however, as Gutierrez sankthe game winner.

The junior varsity team(4-1) beat RGC-La Grulla 54-51 while the freshman team(3-2) lost 61-39.

HS BASKETBALL

Hawkswin atbuzzer

By CLARA SANDOVALTHE ZAPATA TIMES

AFLUENCIA TURÍSTICADel 19 de diciembre

de 2014 al 4 de enero de2015, la afluencia de visitan-tes a los sitios turísticos delestado superó los 887.000 vi-sitantes al Estado de Tamau-lipas, lo que representa unincrementó el 6.9 por cientocon respecto al año anteriorseñaló Mónica González Gar-cía, Secretaria de DesarrolloEconómico y Turismo.

El año que finalizó marcóuna cifra récord de visitantesa las diversas regiones delestado, contabilizando4.795.000 personas, lo querepresenta un incremento del8.9 por ciento en relación al2013 que fue de 4.404.000.

La ocupación hotelerapromedio estatal fue del 60por ciento, 9 puntos porcen-tuales más que en el mismoperiodo del año anterior, indi-cando que los municipios deTula, Abasolo y Aldama regis-traron los promedios más al-tos en todo el periodo de-cembrino.

Del mismo modo los mu-nicipios de Nuevo Laredo,México, Reynosa, México y lazona conurbada del sur de laentidad, registraron una altaocupación.

Se registró una derramaeconómica de más de 500millones de pesos, y se con-tabilizaron en este periodovacacional la entrada de casi144.000 vehículos, los cualesReynosa concentró más del19 por ciento y Nuevo Laredoel 16.6 por ciento.

RECURSOS PARA EL CAMPOEl Gobierno Federal

destinará al campo tamauli-peco un monto superior alos 300 millones de pesos,para que se apliquen a pro-gramas y acciones, con el finde elevar la productividad,rentabilidad y competitividaddel campo, recursos que sesuman a los que el Estadoasigna a este rubro, señalaun comunicado de prensa delEstado.

El presupuesto será ejerci-do por la Secretaría de Agri-cultura, Ganadería, DesarrolloRural, Pesca y Alimentación(Sagarpa), para el 2015, paraapoyar al campo mexicano,por un monto superior a los353 mil millones de pesos,recurso que se destinará alas entidades federativas através del Programa EspecialConcurrente para el Desarro-llo Rural (PEC).

Recientemente el Congre-so de la Unión, aprobó unpresupuesto para este sector,asignando más de 92 mil 141millones de pesos, particular-mente a la SAGARPA, recur-sos que representan un in-cremento de 7.5 por ciento,en términos reales respectoa 2014.

Los recursos para el 2015,se aplicaran a los ocho pro-gramas que opera SAGARPA,en el estado, entre ellos:Concurrencia con EntidadesFederativas, Extensión e Inno-vación Productiva, SistemasProducto Agrícolas y Pecua-rios, Conservación de Uso deSuelo y Agua (COUSSA), Pro-grama Estratégico de Seguri-dad Alimentaria (PESA), In-formación Estadística y Estu-dios (SNIDRUS), Sanidad eInocuidad Agroalimentaria.

DESTINO TURÍSTICOAutoridades tamauli-

pecas invitan a los turistasque buscan acercarse a lanaturaleza, a visitar la Reser-va de la Biosfera del Cielo,donde se imparten activida-des senderismo, rappel, ka-yak, 4×4, fotografía, ciclismo,tirolesa, campismo, observa-ción de aves, entre muchasmás, en las que se aprecianlas bellezas y riquezas de Ta-maulipas.

El turismo de El Cielo seha convertido en una vía desustento para los pobladoresde la zona.

— Con información de tamaulipas.gob.mx

Ribereñaen Breve

WASHINGTON— El programade drones para la vigilancia fron-teriza del Departamento de Segu-ridad Interna de Estados Unidoscuesta mucho más que lo que cal-cula el gobierno, sólo ha ayudadoa arrestar una fracción de la can-tidad de personas que tratan decruzar ilegalmente la fronteracon México y los aparatos vuelanmuchas menos horas de las queafirman las autoridades, revelóun organismo de control interno.

En un informe publicado elmartes, el inspector general JohnRoth dijo que las aeronaves notripuladas Predator B que sonutilizadas a lo largo de la fronterapor la agencia de Aduanas y Pro-tección Fronteriza son “cumplido-res dudosos”.

La agencia de Aduanas y Pro-tección Fronteriza (CBP por sus

iniciales en inglés) no tiene for-mas de medir el rendimiento delprograma, por lo que el organis-mo no puede demostrar que eseficaz, agregó. La CBP no respon-dió de inmediato a una solicitudde correo electrónico para hacercomentarios.

Aduanas y Protección Fronteri-za planeaba operar cuatro patru-llas de aviones no tripulados de16 horas al día cada uno, para untotal de 23.290 horas de vuelo du-rante el ejercicio presupuestariode 2013 que terminó el 30 de sep-tiembre de 2013. Sin embargo, laauditoría de Roth encontró quelos aviones realmente estuvieronen el aire por unas 5.100 horas,aproximadamente el 22% deltiempo de vuelo previsto.

Los drones también han permi-tido relativamente pocas deten-ciones de personas que cruzan lafrontera ilegalmente. En los dossectores de más actividad de la

Patrulla Fronteriza —Tucson,Arizona, y el Valle de Río Grande,en Texas— los drones sólo repre-sentaron 2.270 de las más de275.000 aprehensiones en 2013.

La CBP tiene nueve avionesque vuelan a lo largo de las fron-teras de México y Canadá, así co-mo las costas de Florida, Texas yel sur de California.

Un décimo avión no tripuladose desplomó en el Océano Pacíficoel año pasado después de sufrirproblemas técnicos. La agenciaesperaba agregar unos 14 avionesen los próximos años, pero la au-ditoría de Roth llegó a la conclu-sión de que los 443 millones dedólares que la agencia planea in-vertir en la ampliación de la flotapodrían gastarse mejor en avio-nes tripulados y vigilancia terres-tre.

La flota de drones no patrullatoda la frontera suroeste de Esta-dos Unidos, como Seguridad Na-

cional había informado anterior-mente, según encontró Roth. Encambio, las operaciones con avio-nes no tripulados están enfocadasen unas 100 millas (160 kilóme-tros) de frontera en Arizona yunas 70 millas (100km) de la fron-tera en Texas.

La revisión del programa porparte de Roth también encontródiferencias significativas en lasestimaciones de costos. Los audi-tores concluyeron que el progra-ma de aviones no tripulados costóaproximadamente 62,5 millonesde dólares, o alrededor de 12.255dólares por hora, en 2013. La CBPestima un costo de 2.468 dólarespor hora de vuelo, pero ese preciono incluye los costes de opera-ción, incluidos los pilotos, losequipos y los gastos generales.

Roth recomendó, entre otrascosas, que el departamento recon-sidere la ampliación del progra-ma de aviones no tripulados.

FRONTERA

Analizan efectosPOR ALICIA A. CALDWELL

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PÁGINA 8A Zfrontera MIÉRCOLES 07 DE ENERO DE 2015

A partir del 7 de enero se registraráun descenso en la temperatura, con mí-nimas de 2 grados Centígrados (35o F) ysensación térmica de -4o C ( 24o F).

Ante el clima gélido que prevalecerádurante esta semana, la Dirección deProtección Civil y Bomberos de NuevoLaredo, México, exhortó a la poblacióna extremar los cuidados hacia los meno-res de edad y adultos mayores, para evi-tar enfermedades respiratorias.

El reporte meteorológico marca entre2 y 8 grados centígrados como mínimas(35o F a 46o F), y máximas de 7 a 14 gra-dos (44o F a 57o F) del 7 de enero al do-mingo 11, por lo que es recomendablesalir solo en casos necesarios, y hacerlodebidamente abrigados. Si se permane-ce en casa la petición es tener precau-ción con el uso de calentadores, anafreso cualquier otro método para mitigar elfrío, dijo el Director de PCyB, Juan Uli-ses Ochoa.

“El operativo Carrusel se realizacuando estamos abajo de 8 grados centí-grados (46o F), se recorre el primer cua-dro de la ciudad, la periferia del río Bra-vo, las colonias del poniente y los kiló-metros, para que a las personas másvulnerables se les pueda llevar a estosalbergues”, comentó Ochoa.

En lo que va de la temporada inver-nal, cada refugio ha tenido una ocupa-ción del 75 por ciento, es decir entre 60y 70 personas en el albergue municipalubicado en la calle Madero 3014; la Casadel Migrante Nazareth, de la calle Ma-dero y bulevar Luis Donaldo Colosio, yla Casa Amar Laredo, en la avenida Fe-lipe Ángeles y Canales.

En un comunicado de prensa del Go-bierno de Nuevo Laredo, se exhortó a lapoblación a abrigarse bien y mantener-se atenta a los menores de edad y adul-tos mayores, y que al salir lo hagan bienabrigados, a fin de evitar contraer enfer-medades de tipo respiratorio.

CLIMA

Reporte:Llega

frente fríoTIEMPO DE ZAPATA

El Guadalupe CulturalArts Center de San Anto-nio dio a conocer la invita-ción para participar en larealización del cartel delTejano Conjunto Festival2015.

Se invita a que artistasvisuales, diseñadores gráfi-cos y estudiantes envíensus diseños.

El Tejano Conjunto Fes-tival 2015 celebrará 34 añosde realizarse y está progra-mado para el segundo finde semana de mayo en Ro-sedale Park de San Anto-nio.

El evento contará conmás de 25 actuaciones este-lares por ganadores del Sa-

lón de la Fama de la Músi-ca de Conjunto al igual queconjuntos de músicos na-cionales e internacionales,presentándose, de acuerdoal sitio de Internet del or-ganismo.

El centro se localiza enel área oeste de San Anto-nio y es una de las másgrandes organizaciones delos Estados Unidos que esmultidisciplinaria y con ba-se en la comunidad.

Los participantes seránsujetos de clasificación endiferentes categorías.

El ganador del concursoobtendrá un premio enefectivo de 1.000 dólares ysu trabajo se convertirá enel cartel oficial para el Te-jano Conjunto Festival enSan Antonio 2015.

El tema del cartel está li-mitado a la música de con-junto, un género tradicio-nal nacido en el sur de Te-xas con un ensamble deinstrumentos que incluyeacordeón, bajo sexto, bajo ybatería, según se lee en elcomunicado.

Los trabajos deberán en-viarse antes de las 5 p.m. elviernes 7 de febrero del2015, ya sea en línea o alCentro de Artes CulturalesGuadalupe en 723 S.BrazosSt., San Antonio, Texas78207.

Para obtener las basesdel concurso puede llamaral (210) 271-3151, o visitehttp://www.guadalupecul-turalarts.org/tejanoconjun-to-festival/ y dé click enTCF Poster Contest.

CULTURA

Centro invita a concurso

El Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center de San Antonio invita a los art-istas locales y de la región a participar en la realización del carteldel Tejano Conjunto Festival 2015. En la imagen el cartel ganadordel concurso en 2012.

Foto de cortesía

POR MALENA CHARURTIEMPO DE ZAPATA

Del 28 de noviembre al 25de enero está vigente latemporada de caza delvenado cola blanca, y a

la fecha la Dirección de Turismotiene registrada la presencia de2.290 turistas cinegéticos nacio-nales y extranjeros en los ran-chos de la región.

La temporada pasada se entre-garon 2.253 cintillos, informó elDirector de Turismo, Samuel Lo-zano Molina.

“Esperamos que el número devisitantes se incremente aún másdebido a que todavía falta para

que concluya la temporada, nosestá yendo muy bien, el hechoque hayamos rebasado el númerode cazadores es una buena señalpara Nuevo Laredo (México)”, ex-presó Lozano Molina.

La mayoría de los cazadoresprovienen de Texas, pero igual-mente visitan de ciudades mexi-canas como Monterrey, Guadala-jara, Aguascalientes y el DistritoFederal.

“Afortunadamente hasta elmomento no se han presentadoincidentes, ha estado muy tran-quilo, se han dado todas las faci-lidades para el acceso de los caza-dores de origen extranjero, así

como a los cazadores nacionalespara que lleven a cabo sus activi-dades de manera tranquila”, dijoLozano Molina.

Esta actividad beneficia a dife-rentes comercios, ya que los ca-zadores gastan en combustible,estancia y alimentos, entre otrosservicios.

“Hay un estudio de EstadosUnidos donde dice que cada caza-dor gasta un aproximado de 3.500dólares durante la temporada, es-peramos que con este incrementoen el número de visitantes, la de-rrama económica de Nuevo Lare-do mejore”, refirió Lozano Moli-na.

TAMAULIPAS

ÉPOCA DE CAZA

Durante la temporada de caza la Dirección de Turismo tiene registrada la presencia de 2.290 turistas cinegéticos nacion-ales y extranjeros en los ranchos de la región de los Dos Laredos.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo

Sube porcentaje de turismo cinegético TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

wealthy individuals to cur-ry political favor with thestate’s highest office, andin many cases without thetransparency required byusual campaign financelaws.

“It’s all part of the sys-tem of cronyism,” saidCraig McDonald, executivedirector of the left-leaningwatchdog group Texans forPublic Justice. “It’s moreunsettling than campaignsbecause the rules aremuch looser. It allows cor-porations and others tospend more money.”

Not all governors aretossing fancy parties.

New York Gov. AndrewCuomo, a Democrat, beganhis second term with asimple swearing-in andspeech at One World TradeCenter. Arizona Gov. DougDucey, a Republican whowill take office with hisstate facing a $1.5 billionbudget shortfall, also is go-ing low-key, with a modestreception at the Capitol.

Other governors aremaking the most of the oc-casion and, in the process,soliciting donations fromthe types of people andbusiness entities that typi-cally seek to influence leg-islation and state regula-tions.

Organizers behind thecelebrations for TexasGov.-elect Greg Abbott, aRepublican, are trying toraise $4 million, a recordamount for a gubernato-rial inauguration in thestate. Leading up to the fi-nale by country superstargroup Lady Antebellum isa downtown parade andthe same barbecue special-ists that catered both ofGeorge W. Bush’s presiden-tial inaugurations.

Owners of the San Anto-nio Spurs and HoustonTexans, as well as Walmartheiress Alice Walton, areamong those steering Ab-bott’s inaugural commit-tee. They also gave to hiscampaign.

Like most states, Texasdoes not require public dis-closure of the contributorsto inaugural festivities. Fi-nancial limits that keepbig money in check duringcampaigns typically do notapply.

In states where donorsare disclosed, either be-cause of state reporting re-quirements or voluntaryreleases by the governor,corporations are shown toplay a major role.

Blue Cross Blue Shieldand shoe maker New Bal-ance each have given$25,000 toward the inaugu-ral celebration of Massa-chusetts Gov.-elect CharlieBaker, a Republican.

The inaugural commit-tee established for anotherRepublican, South Caroli-na Gov. Nikki Haley, tookcontributions rangingfrom $5,000 to $25,000 eachfrom such companies asDuke Energy, Blue CrossBlue Shield and Altria, thenation’s largest cigarettemaker, for her 2011 swear-ing-in festivities. Her cam-paign manager, Tim Pear-son, says Haley’s support-ers are seeking donationsin the same range forevents surrounding thisyear’s inauguration onJan. 14.

In Florida, where re-elected Gov. Rick Scottscaled back from the inau-guration festivities he heldfour years ago, the com-mittee overseeing his inau-gural activities this time isstill raising nearly

$800,000. That includes$100,000 from the FloridaInsurance Council and oth-ers with interests beforethe state.

New Mexico Gov. SusanaMartinez, a Republican,celebrated her inaugura-tion on New Year’s Daywith a ball headlined bycountry music group Lone-star. Danny Diaz, a Marti-nez campaign spokesman,said the ball was beingfunded entirely by privatedonations and that theamounts would be dis-closed later.

Many inaugural fund-raising committees ulti-mately make at least somefinancial information pub-lic, even if it’s incomplete.

Aides to Georgia Gov.Nathan Deal said heplanned to disclose the do-nors to his swearing-in ac-tivities. His inaugurationincludes a concert fromcountry star Alan Jacksonand Atlanta-based CocaCola producing a specialbottle.

Deal, a Republican, wascriticized in 2011 for notdetailing how his inaugu-ral money was spent, buthe did disclose donornames afterward. AT&Tand Cigna, a health in-surer, were among thosemaking contributions.

He and other governorsthrowing big parties rejectsuggestions of influence-buying and say private do-nors are buying nothingmore than a good time foreveryone.

“This privately-fundedgala celebration is a way tothank Georgians in everycorner of their state fortheir support of the gover-nor and the rest of ourstatewide elected officials,”Deal spokeswoman Jennif-er Talaber said.

Washington is amongthe few states that havetaken steps to curb the po-tential for influence-buy-ing in inaugural celebra-tions.

Its inaugural balls areplanned by a non-partisancommittee of citizen volun-teers, with all costs cov-ered by the price of admis-sion. Corporate sponsorssuch as Microsoft or Bankof America sometimes payfor their own receptionsbeforehand for VIP-attend-ees, said Dan Neuhauser,president of the Governor’sInaugural Ball Committee.

“We don’t take any mon-ey from political groups,”he said. “Everybody cancome together withouthaving a cause on theirshoulder. They can justhave a good time.”

INAUGURALS Continued from Page 1A

agents said the casedates back to Dec. 3. Onthat day, Zapata Countydispatch contacted U.S.Border Patrol for assist-ance on a vehicle stopconducted by TexasParks and Wildlife De-partment game wardenson U.S. 83, south of Zapa-ta.

Federal authoritieslearned from the gamewardens that three peo-ple were hunting with-out a license. Two of thethree occupants couldnot provide identifica-tion and spoke no Eng-

lish, the complaintstates.

Border Patrol deter-mined that Hernandezwas in the country ille-gally. Authorities said hethen admitted to shoot-ing a deer using a .243caliber Remington Model779, according to courtrecords. An investigationalso revealed that Barre-ra had been convicted ofa crime, the indictmentstates.

(César G. Rodriguezmay be reached at 728-2568 or cesar@lmton-line.com)

INDICTEDContinued from Page 1A

VERACRUZ, Mexico— State prosecutors de-tained a town’s policeforce Tuesday followingthe disappearance of ajournalist in the south-ern state of Veracruz.

Thirty-six members ofthe Medellin de Bravopolice department werebrought in to give state-ments, according to astatement from the Vera-cruz state prosecutor’soffice. Authorities de-tained three police offi-cers there Monday.

Prosecutors said theinvestigation is in an ad-vanced stage and one ofthe lines of investigationis looking at the socialactivism of journalistMoises Sanchez Cerezo,some of which wasaimed at Medellin MayorOmar Cruz.

Sanchez’s brotherJuan Carlos Sanchezsaid Monday that hisbrother had been threat-ened by Cruz. Cruz de-nied any involvement ata news conference Mon-day.

A group of nine armedmen took Sanchez fromhis home on Fridayalong with his computer,

camera and telephones.Sanchez publishes a

local weekly, “LaUnion,” which he hassupported with hiswork as a cab driver.According to a report-ers’ group, Sanchezwrote principally aboutlocal government cor-ruption and violentdeaths and publishedcitizen complaints.

The Inter AmericanPress Association saidthat Sanchez wasthreatened severaltimes last year “by themayor and by people hewas not able to identi-fy.”

Veracruz is one ofthe most dangerousstates in Mexico forjournalists, accordingto the New York-basedCommittee to ProtectJournalists. Since 2011,at least three journal-ists have been killed fortheir work. The organi-zation continues inves-tigating the murders ofat least six more inmurky circumstances.

Veracruz Gov. JavierDuarte de Ochoa, whoentered office in 2010,has tried to minimizeany link between thejournalists’ deaths andtheir work.

Police force heldin reporter’s

disappearanceASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Mexi-co’s president, Enrique Pe-ña Nieto, on Tuesdaypraised President BarackObama’s actions to shieldmillions of unauthorizedimmigrants from deporta-tion, describing them as "anact of justice" after meetingwith Obama at the WhiteHouse.

In his own remarks, Oba-ma thanked Peña Nieto forhelping to inform Mexicansthat the protections he out-lined as part of an execu-tive action on immigrationlast year would be grantedonly to those who havebeen in the United Statesfor years.

"We’re also going to bemuch more aggressive atthe border in ensuring thatpeople come through thesystem legally," Obamasaid, adding that the "Mex-ican government’s been ve-ry helpful" in making thatclear.

Obama also thanked Pe-ña Nieto for helping to stemthe flow of migrant chil-dren into the U.S. from Cen-tral America last summer,saying that "at the southernborder we’ve seen thosenumbers reduced dramat-ically to much more man-

ageable levels."Peña Nieto’s visit to

Washington coincides withincreased cooperation be-tween the U.S. and Mexico.

Mexico has respondedenthusiastically to Obama’smove to regularize the legalstatus of people who are inthe U.S. illegally, a majorityof them from Mexico, andto normalize relations withCuba, at a time when Mex-ico itself is seeking to re-pair frayed relations withthat country.

At the same time, U.S.law enforcement agencieshave played major roles inthe arrests last year of

high-profile drug cartelleaders, including JoaquínGuzmán Loera, known asEl Chapo, though Mexicanofficials tend to play downthat cooperation.

"In these recent years, alevel of mature and friendlyrelations has been con-structed, first between thepresidents and the govern-ments," Sergio Alcocer,Mexico’s top diplomat forNorth America, told report-ers before Peña Nieto leftMexico for Washington."This has allowed us tochange the architecture ofthe relationship."

Still, Peña Nieto may

need this trip more thanObama. For a day, Peña Nie-to escapes a political andsecurity crisis back home.

Economic growth hasslowed, the peso is fallingin value against the dollar,and changes to allow for-eign participation in the oilindustry and other moveshave yet to put more moneyin Mexicans’ wallets. In ad-dition, the past severalmonths have been dominat-ed by a string of securitycrises, including the abduc-tion and presumed murderof 43 teachers college stu-dents in southern Mexicoin September.

Peña Nieto praises ObamaBy MICHAEL D. SHEAR AND RANDAL

C. ARCHIBOLDNEW YORK TIMES

President Barack Obama observes President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico, during an Oval Office meet-ing, at the White House in Washington, Jan. 6.

Photo by Doug Mills | New York Times

MEXICO CITY — Fed-eral troops and police en-gaged in two clashes witharmed civilians in a west-ern Mexico city Tuesday,and nine civilians werekilled, the federal securitycommissioner for Michoa-can state said.

Commissioner AlfredoCastillo said the confron-tations in Apatzingan be-gan Tuesday morningwhen federal forces movedin to take control of cityhall, which had been heldfor days by civilianswhose demands and iden-tities were unclear.

Castillo said a civilianwas killed when he was

run over while trying toflee and two federal policeofficers were injured dur-ing the operation. He saidauthorities detained 44people with 13 rifles orshotguns and seized 23 ve-hicles.

The second clash camewhen gunmen attackedsoldiers who were trans-porting the seized vehi-cles to an impound lot,Castillo said. Eight civil-ians died and two werewounded, he said.

The army said itstroops suffered no casual-ties in the clash. It is thekind of lopsided death tollthat has drawn suspicionsin past battles, and Castil-lo said that “we have toverify (the army’s ver-

sion) and get witnessstatements.”

The identities ofthose who had takenover the city hall, pre-sumably members ofthe same group involvedin the second clash, re-main a mystery. Civicgroups demanding thearrest of drug cartelleaders have sometimestaken over the Apatzin-gan city hall or blockad-ed it.

Michoacan is a patch-work of drug gang mem-bers and self-defensevigilante groups thatrose up in 2013 to fightthe dominant KnightsTemplar cartel. Therehave been accusationsthat former cartel gun-

men have infiltrated vig-ilante groups, many ofwhich have been recruit-ed into a government-sponsored “rural police”force.

Former vigilantes havealso fought among them-selves. On Dec. 16, 11 mendied in a clash betweentwo groups of vigilantesin the township of Buena-vista near Apatzingan.About three dozen mem-bers of each side andtheir leaders are now inprison awaiting trial forthat clash.

Castillo said the Decem-ber battle on a rural road“was a problem of brava-do — I won’t let you pass,and you won’t let mepass.”

9 die in confrontations with forces in MichoacanBy ALBERTO ARCEASSOCIATED PRESS

In this May 19, 2013 file photo, Hipolito Mora, leader of a local self-defense movement, stands with a side-arm as residents protest.

Photo by Marco Ugarte | AP

PAGE 10A Zentertainment WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015

BERKELEY, Calif. — Mi-chele Serros, a short storywriter, essayist and poetwhose wry and witty obser-vations on growing up Mex-ican-American in SouthernCalifornia became requiredreading in many ethnicstudies courses, has died atage 48.

Serros died Sunday ather home in Berkeley, Cali-fornia, after a 20-month bat-tle with a rare form of oralcancer, her husband, Anto-nio Magana, said.

Serros was a communitycollege student when sheburst on the literary scenein 1994 with the publicationof “Chicana Falsa and Oth-er Stories of Death, Identityand Oxnard,” a collection ofstories and poems inspiredby her family life and child-hood in a majority Hispaniccoastal community. Afourth-generation Califor-

nian who didnot learn tospeak Span-ish well untilshe was anadult, shegave voice tothe strugglefor belonging

girls like her faced whilestraddling cultures.

“A white person gets en-couragement, praise, forweak attempts at a secondlanguage,” Serros wrote inthe poem “Mi Problema.”“My earnest attempts makeme look bad, dumb.”

“Chicana Falsa” led Ser-ros to be one of 12 poetswho were invited to tourwith the Lollapalooza musicfestival. The book was reis-sued in 1998 and with thepublication two years laterof another autobiographicalcollection of fiction, “How toBe a Chicana Role Model,”Serros joined Gloria Anzal-dóa, Sandra Cisneros and

Ana Castillo in contributingto the growing canon of Chi-cana feminist literature.

“She opened the doors formany of us to look at whatit means to be Chicana in adifferent way,” said JennieLuna, an assistant professorof Chicana and ChicanoStudies at a California StateUniversity, Channel Islands,who knew Serros for 14years. “She liked to do surf-ing, she liked to do skate-boarding ... She didn’t feelconstrained to living lifeone way as a Chicano in theworld. She was reallyboundless.”

Serros spent a season asa staff writer for “TheGeorge Lopez Show” andwrote two young adult nov-els, “Honey Blonde Chica”and its sequel, “¡Scandalo-sa!” She also was a regularcommentary contributor forNational Public Radio.

Throughout her writingcareer, Serros gave speeches

and book readings at colleg-es and universities, a prac-tice she continued in thelast months of her life. Oneof her final projects washelping to organize a Ventu-ra County Museum of Artexhibit in October that wasdesigned to counter the ex-clusion of Latino writersfrom an essay series spon-sored by the Chipotle Mex-ican Grill chain.

“For Michele, life was nota fight that was to be wonor lost, but enjoyed as awonderful journey and tobe experienced with a firmsense of purpose, curiosity,tenacity, hard work and nev-er-failing courage,” her hus-band said. A private memo-rial service is planned, butSerros’ family is asking heradmirers to organize localreadings of her work.

Author Serros dies at age 48ASSOCIATED PRESS

SERROS

‘THE INTERVIEW’ GROSSES $31M

Photo by Sony/Columbia Pictures | AP

Sony Pictures’ “The Interview” has made more than $31 millionfrom its online and on-demand release, according to the studio.However, it stood to make more in a wide theatrical release —about $30 million in its opening weekend alone.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A

Fred L. Doane, 70,passed away on Friday,January 2, 2015 at Doc-tor’s Hospital in Laredo,Texas.

Mr. Doane is precededin death by his parents,Kermit C. Doane and Al-ice F. Doane; brother,Mark A. Doane and a sis-ter, baby Carol JeanDoane.

Mr. Doane is survivedby his wife, Joyce B.Doane; sons, Nerak A.Doane, Forest Ryan (Ke-zia) Doane; daughters, Me-lissia S. Umphres, Mi-chelle C. (Kelly) Thur;grandchildren, Heather(Danny) Montalvo, GarretA. Umphres, Collyn R.Thur, brothers, Carl Mi-chael (Maryanne) Doane,James Lee (Rachel)Doane, sister, Marie A.Hofmeyer; additional fam-ily, Allen A. Umphres; andby numerous nephews,nieces and friends.

Visitation hours wereheld on Tuesday, January6, 2015, at 12:30 p.m. with achapel service at 2 p.m. atRose Garden Funeral

Home.Committal services fol-

lowed at Zapata CountyCemetery.

Funeral arrangementsare under the direction ofRose Garden FuneralHome Daniel A. Gonzalez,Funeral Director, 2102 N.U.S. Hwy 83 Zapata, Tex-as.

FRED L. DOANE

Aug.18, 1944 – Jan. 2, 2015

Elvia B. Valadez, 85,passed away on Thursday,January 1, 2015 at LaredoMedical Center in Laredo,Texas.

Mrs. Valadez is preced-ed in death by her son,Mario Cesar Valadez;grandson, Carlitos Vala-dez, Jr.; brothers, Rodolfo(Criselia) Bustamante,Alonso Bustamante, Ro-berto Bustamante, Jr.; sis-ters, Maria B. (Juan) Velaand Benilde B. (Fernando)Rivera.

Mrs. Valadez is sur-vived by her husband,Jose Manuel Valadez;sons, Jose Renato Valadez,Juan Manuel (Norma) Va-ladez, Carlos H. (Edith)Valadez; daughters, Ene-delia B. (Manuel) Garcia,Alma Rosa (Florencio)Ibarra, Martha (+Elias)Bolaños, Enelda (Eloy)Cuellar; twenty-onegrandchildren; twenty-onegreat-grandchildren;brother, Adolio (Elvira)Bustamante; sister, Isabel(Ramiro) Guajardo and bynumerous nephews, niec-es, other family membersand friends.

Visitation hours wereheld on Sunday, January4, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 9p.m. with a rosary at 7p.m. at Rose Garden Fu-

neral Home.The funeral procession

departed on Monday, Jan-uary 5, 2015, at 9:30 a.m.for a 10 a.m. funeral Massat Our Lady of LourdesCatholic Church.

Committal services fol-lowed at Zapata CountyCemetery.

Funeral arrangementswere under the directionof Rose Garden FuneralHome Daniel A. Gonzalez,Funeral Director, 2102 N.U.S. Hwy 83 Zapata, Tex-as.

ELVIA B. VALADEZ

Nov. 29, 1929 – Jan. 1, 2015

avoid Cuba and U.S. coun-ternarcotics patrol vesselsand aircraft by skirtingCuba’s territorial waters."

Cuba’s reputation — ofomnipresent police, strictpunishment for drugcrimes and low demandfrom users - contrastssharply with its pre-revo-lution heyday. Before theCastros came to power,Havana’s nightclubs andcasinos had the full rangeof illicit substances, andopium dens were a fixtureof the city’s once-bustlingChinatown. Soon aftertaking over in 1959, FidelCastro and his rebel armyshut down the casinos, im-posed draconian druglaws, and sent addicts andothers to Marxist reeduca-tion camps for hard labor.While American hippiesgrew their hair long andindulged in pot-fueledpaeans to Che Guevara,the real communists inCuba came to associaterecreational drug use withideological deviation andother political taboos.

Even today, the merepossession of a smallamount of marijuana inCuba can result in a pris-on term. Harder drugsbring even harder time.

While small amounts ofmarijuana are grown inCuban closets and the hid-den corners of mountain-top farms, most of thedrugs that reach the is-land are thought to bewashed-up packagesdumped by traffickers enroute to Florida. Drug-

sniffing dogs are a fixtureof the baggage claims atCuba’s international air-ports. Police officers areubiquitous on Havana’sstreets - and those are on-ly the ones wearing uni-forms. After decades ofkeeping political oppo-nents under close watch,Cuba’s security serviceshave an extensive surveil-lance system that makeslocal drug dealing ex-tremely risky, if not down-right foolish.

"Cuba’s a police state,and I don’t believe the Cu-ban government wants tobe a hub for drug smug-glers," said Barry McCaf-frey, a retired general whoserved as the White Housedrug czar during the Clin-ton administration and isa former commander ofthe U.S. military’s South-ern Command, which fo-cuses on Latin America."They saw it as a threat totheir children, the workforce, their economy, theirgovernment."

McCaffrey said therewere "all sorts of directcommunications" betweenthe U.S. and Cuban gov-ernments during his ten-ure, including radio com-munication between theCoast Guard and Cubanauthorities, although "I’mnot sure we thought it wasa perfect cooperation."

"I thought they believedthat the drug issue was agood way to regain con-tact" with the U.S. govern-ment, he added.

In 2013, Cuban courts

sanctioned 628 individualson drug-related charges,273 of whom received jailsentences ranging fromsix to 10 years, accordingto the U.S. report. The Cu-bans make phone callsand send emails to U.S.authorities - sometimesincluding photographs —about suspected drugboats.

"Cuba continues toshare vessel informationwith neighboring coun-tries, including the UnitedStates, and has had in-creasing success in inter-dicting ’go-fast’ vesselsunilaterally and in coordi-nation with other na-tions," the U.S. reportstates, adding that the Cu-ban government notifiedthe U.S. Coast Guard 27times in 2013 about thepresence of suspiciousvessels in "real time."

Over the years, coopera-tion on drug enforcementhas been strained by thehostile politics betweenthe countries. The U.S. In-terests Section in Havanahas a Coast Guard attachewho serves as "drug inter-diction specialist," but ithas no DEA officers.

Vicki Huddleston, thechief of mission therefrom 1999 to 2002, said thateven though the Cubanswould send radio messag-es about passing narcoticsspeedboats, U.S. policy atthe time was not to an-swer.

"We were prohibitedfrom saying in return,‘Thank you, we’ve got it,’"

Huddleston said. "So theyjust kept repeating it."

Still, a notorious drug-trafficking case remainsone of the darkest epi-sodes in the Castro era. In1989, one of Cuba’s high-est-ranking military com-manders, Gen. ArnoldoOchoa, was sent to the fir-ing squad along withthree others snared in adrug-smuggling scandal.Stunned Cubans watchedhis trial on television, andhe and other high-rankingmilitary and intelligencefigures were found guiltyof taking bribes from Col-ombian cocaine traffick-ers.

The incident remainsan ugly scar on the Castrolegacy, marking one of thefirst times that Cubanssaw the curtain pulledback on the shadowy deal-ings of supposedly infalli-ble communist officials.But it was also used tosend a zero-tolerancestatement to anyone elsein the government aboutthe temptations of drugriches.

Cubans now fear thatmessage will fade as moreand more tourists arrive,including from the UnitedStates, potentially boost-ing local drug demand.

In a country where gov-ernment officials and po-lice survive on salaries of$50 a month or even less,they wonder how author-ities will keep the corrupt-ing powers of drug traf-fickers at bay once theCastros are gone.

CUBA Continued from Page 1A

tional criminal organiza-tions are immersed in anongoing cycle to getahead of law enforce-ment.

Federal authoritiessaid they have kept awatchful eye since theEagle Ford Shale boomstarted in 2007. Ramossaid criminal organiza-tions try to take advan-tage of the pipeline andaccess roads used by oiland gas industries tomove their illicit sub-stances through the area.

“One thing for sure isthat the drug trade willfind every type of ele-ment … to do conceal-ments. It’ll come fromcloning vehicles to makethem look like oilfield ve-hicles. Even the person-nel (driving), might beemployed by the oilfield.It may not. But still, thetrend is there,” said Sher-iff ’s Office Chief FredGarza.

Cmdr. Julio Gonzalez,of the Sheriff ’s Office pa-trol division, said thetrend of using oilfield-type vehicles to smugglenarcotics comes and goes.He then showed the Lare-do Morning Times pic-tures of marijuana sei-

zures from the 1990s. Butan increase of smugglingattempts was recorded re-cently due to the EagleFord Shale.

Once law enforcementpicks up on a trend,smugglers explore othervenues to keep movingtheir narcotics, accordingto Gonzalez. Patrol depu-ties are being trained tolook for these types oftrends.

“It’s sad to say we’ve

been fighting this war ondrugs for such a longtime. We haven’t foundthe perfect formula tostop (the drugs) fromcoming over. But we willcontinue to work it,” Gar-za said.

Ramos said agents haveencountered cloned pum-per trucks, frackingtrucks and utility trucks,among other vehicles.Agents have caught peo-ple wearing actual oil-

field uniforms driving ve-hicles that may seem le-git.

Law enforcement un-dergoes training to detectcloned vehicles. Supervi-sory Border Patrol AgentBerin Salas, of the BorderCommunity Liaison, saidthe agency takes mea-sures to educate them-selves about the oil andgas industry. For exam-ple, agents learn aboutthe type of emblems or lo-gos used by companies orsequence numbers ontheir decals.

In 2012, the South Tex-as Integrated FrontlineResource Allocation Cam-paign was created withinthe U.S. Customs and Bor-der Protection South Tex-as Campaign. The inte-grated frontline is com-prised of CBP, privateentities, federal, local andstate law enforcementalong with oil and gasstakeholders.

With this frontline, oil-field personnel can call insuspicious activity at 1-855-553-7902. People canalso report suspicious ac-tivity to 1-800-343-1994.

(César G. Rodriguezmay be reached at 728-2568or cesar@lmtonline.com)

TRUCKS Continued from Page 1A

To smuggle drugs, criminal organizations have long used utilitytrucks that look like they belong to an oil and gas company.

Courtesy photo

12A THE ZAPATA TIMES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015