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Pot busts worth $200KBy NICK GEORGIOU

LAREDO MORNING TIMES

Local law enforcement kicked off the newyear with a significant drug bust Monday inZapata and Webb counties, authorities said.

The drug seizure, coordinated by sheriff’sdeputies in both counties, netted a total ofabout 290 pounds of marijuana worth almost$200,000.

Martin Cuellar, Webb County sheriff, saidthe seizure happened after Zapata authori-ties received a report saying there were sus-picious men loading something into two ve-hicles.

Acting on the tip, Zapata sheriff’s deputies

went to the reported loca-tion in the 1200 block ofJuarez Street and spottedone of the suspect vehicles.

According to the offensereport, a deputy pulled overthe driver for a traffic viola-tion at about 3:40 p.m. Uponsearching the driver and ve-hicle, the deputy found 102

pounds of marijuana worth an estimated$30,000.

The driver, identified as MiguelDominguez, of the 400 block of Jackson Street,was arrested and charged with possession ofmarijuana between 50 pounds and 2,000

pounds, a second-degree felony. Cuellar said Zapata sheriff’s deputies were

then able to get information saying the othersuspect vehicle, a white Dodge pickup, washeading toward Laredo on U.S. 83.

At about 4:30 p.m., Webb County sheriff’sdeputies spotted the pickup about 3½ milesoutside Laredo city limits.

Maru De La Paz, Webb County Sheriff’sOffice spokeswoman, said deputies tried topull over the vehicle for a traffic violation, butthe driver refused to stop and sped off.

She said that shortly thereafter, the driverlost control of the vehicle and struck a tree.

CUELLAR

See BUST | PAGE 10A

Former BP agent faces prison, fine

By JASON BUCHLAREDO MORNING TIMES

A former Border Patrol agentwho was serving in Zapatapleaded guilty earlier this weekto accepting bribes in exchangefor escorting a load of cocainethrough Zapata County.

Leonel Morales, 30, was as-signed to the Zapata Stationwhen FBI agents arrested himin December.

Morales pleaded guiltyTuesday before a U.S. magis-trate judge to one count ofbribery. He faces up to 15 yearsin prison and a $250,000 fine.

FBI agents arrested Morales,who was stationed in Zapata, andhis cousin Salomon Ruiz, 34, aBorder Patrol agent in McAllen,on bribery and drug smugglingcharges Dec. 3, after prosecutorsin Houston unsealed an indict-ment against them.

Morales took $9,000 from aperson who is a cooperatingwitness in exchange for provid-ing counter surveillance for traf-

fickers moving a 20-kilogramload of cocaine while serving asa Border Patrol agent in August,according to testimony in Tues-day’s plea hearing.

Ruiz recruited Morales inJune to escort the coke for a traf-ficker who was actually cooper-ating with federal agents, ac-cording to a plea agreement readin court Tuesday by AssistantU.S. Attorney Michael Wright.

Texas Monthlynames El Paraiso

to a top-40 listBy JASON BUCH

THE ZAPATA TIMES

Juan Mercado’s El Paraisorestaurant does bustling busi-ness almost every day duringthe lunch hour, so it’s hard to be-lieve a top-40 listing in TexasMonthly magazine would makea huge impact.

But he says a couple drove inall the way from San Antonio totry the Paraiso Special featuredin the Texas Monthly article.

A buzzIt’s generated quite a buzz.“Since the article, we’ve got a

lot of new people,” he said of hisrestaurant, located on U.S. 83 onthe west side of town.

The magazine named ElParaiso one of the 40 best small-town cafes in its December is-sue.

The write-up featured a pho-to of the Paraiso Special andpraise for the restaurant’s al-ready famous, at least in SouthTexas, chicken fried steak.

“People come all the wayfrom Laredo for chicken friedsteak,” Mercado said. “When theValley schools come to play inLaredo, rather than eat in Lare-do (they stop at El Paraiso).”

As a testament to the restau-rant’s food, there are often peo-ple waiting for tables at peakhours.

“People don’t mind waitingfor good food,” Mercado said.

A family traditionMercado’s mother, Hortencia

Medina, opened the restaurantin 1974, he said. Twenty yearslater, they opened a larger loca-tion.

Mercado left Zapata to studyelementary education, but cameback to work at the restaurant,and eventually took over whenhis mom passed away in 2004.Her picture hangs on the wallbehind the café counter.

Good food and good servicehave always been the secret to ElParaiso’s success, Mercado said.

“Everyone who walksthrough here is a special cus-tomer,” he said. “We treat themthe best way possible.”

The woman who reviewedhis restaurant didn’t tell him shewas doing so for Texas Monthlyuntil a week after eating there,when she called him to inter-view him about the restaurant,Mercado said.

(To reach Jason Buch, e-mailjbuch@lmtonline.com)

Morales took$9,000 from a

person who is a cooperating witness

in exchange for providing counter

surveillance ...

See AGENT | PAGE 10A

Photo by Ulysses S. Romero | Laredo Morning TimesLeft to right Rio Bravo children Gustavo Quiroz, Eric Cantu and Alex Ramos enjoy a warm meal thanks to the hard work of South Texas Food Bank and programs likeKids Cafe at the Rio Bravo Community Center.

FOOD PROGRAMS HELP CHILDREN(Editor’s note: United Way

is funding 25 agencies in Lare-do and Zapata with its 2008-09campaign. This is the last in aseries about the agencies andthe people they help.)

By CHRISTINA ROSALESLAREDO MORNING TIMES

Children from all over ElCenizo walk to El Ceni-zo Community Center.

Some head to the indoor courtsto play basketball — perhaps afuture NBA star is among them.A few children make their wayto the computer lab. Maybe afuture Michael Dell is sitting atone of the desks.

For now, Ricardo Molina, di-rector of El Cenizo CommunityCenter, is concerned with giv-ing these children a safe andcomfortable environment to eat,learn and play, catalysts for fu-ture academic and career suc-cess.

“We’re trying to providesomething extra for the kidswhen they get out of school, alittle snack so they can go homeand be focused and happy,” saidMolina, who runs the RamonGalo and Zoe Benavides KidsCafé at the community center.

The Kids Café is a product ofthe South Texas Food Bank andthe Laredo Housing Authority.The first six cafes were foundedin 2000 in several Laredo com-munity centers. The food bankadded five more Kids Cafés, in-cluding the El Cenizo café in2006, with the help of localbenefactors.

Molina has worked withcommunity organizations for 11years and has been the center’sdirector for five years. He saidhe enjoys assisting families and

helping the communityprogress.

The director of the commu-nity center said the Kids Caféwould not be possible without acaring staff committed to fight-ing hunger.

“I have my staff that pro-vides a lot of help,” Molina said.“Then we have all of our spon-sors like John Galo and hiswife. They’re trying to help keepthe kids off the street and tryingto feed them, help them outwith whatever. We don’t havestarving kids. We do have kidsthat need a little bit of atten-tion.”

Molina said he encourageschildren to study hard and dotheir best in school. Tutoring,reading and computers are allavailable at the Kids Café.

During the summer, chil-dren who are members of the ElCenizo Boys & Girls Club atebreakfast and lunch and had asnack at the Kids Café.

“They go and enjoy theirfood,” said Maria del CarmenCisneros, director of the Boys &Girls Club of El Cenizo. “Theylike to have the Kids Café. Theydon’t have too many of thesekinds of programs in El Cenizoso this Kids Café helps the com-munity. The income is very lowhere, so it really helps the par-ents out.”

Most days, children receivehearty homemade meals,cooked by Molina’s secretary.

“My secretary usually cooksrice and envueltos and differentstuff, homemade, and the kidslove it,” he said.

While his secretary was onvacation, children still receivedfilling meals. Some days it washot pockets with lemonade andsmall bags of cookies, otherdays it was ham and cheesesandwiches with fruit andsoda.

“With the money from thecounty, we’re able to do this,”Molina said. “The food bankgives us the food at a bargainprice. Commissioner (Frank)Sciaraffa is the one that headedthis program and then carriedout these programs in otherplaces. It’s a good benefit for thekids.”

For more information aboutthe South Texas Food Bank orprograms such as the Kids Café,call 726-3120 or visithttp://southtexasfoodbank.org

Photo by Ricardo Segovia | Laredo Morning TimesJuan Garcia, left, watches as his friend Pedro Ramos calculates a shot at the Community Center at El Cenizo after theyenjoyed a meal at the Ramon Galo and Zoe Benavides Kids Café.

CCOONNTTAACCTT UUSS

Business Manager Dora Martinez.. . . . (956) 500-4748Chief Accountant, Thelma Aguero . . . . . . .728-2553Controller, Joe Vied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2502General Manager, Adriana Devally . . . . . . .728-2510Retail Adv. Manager, Alice Arce . . . . . . . . . .728-2511Classified Manager, Sandra Valderrama . .728-2525Adv. Billing Inquires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2531Circulation Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2550Creative Services Director, Raul Cruz . . . .728-2596MIS Director, Michael Castillo . . . . . . . . . . .728-2505Editor, Diana Fuentes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2581City Editor, Julie Daffern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2565Sports Editor, Dennis Silva II . . . . . . . . . . .728-2579Business Journal Editor, Joe Rutland . . . .728-2529A&E Editor, Kirsten Crow . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728-2543

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The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000households in Zapata County. For subscribers of LaredoMorning Times and those who buy LMT at newstands. The Zapata Times is inserted inside.

The Zapata Times is free.The Zapata Times is published by Laredo Morning

Times, a division of The Hearst Corporation, PO Box 2129,Laredo, Texas 78044. Phone (956)728-2500

The Zapata office is at 1309 N. US Highway 83 at14th Avenue, Suite 2; Zapata,TX, 78076. Call (956) 765-5113or e-mail thezapatatimes@att.net

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ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 2AZin brief SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

WWHHAATT’’SS GGOOIINNGG OONN

TTOODDAAYY IINN HHIISSTTOORRYY

AARROOUUNNDD TTHHEE WWOORRLLDD | IN BRIEF

AARROOUUNNDD TTHHEE NNAATTIIOONN | IN BRIEFAARROOUUNNDD TTEEXXAASS | IN BRIEFTUESDAY,JAN. 13

The Zapata County IndependentSchool District Board of Trustees meets at6 p.m. at the Professional DevelopmentCenter, 17th Avenue and Carla Street.Among the items on the agenda are evalu-ation of the superintendent and a resolu-tion supporting Laredo Community Col-lege’s efforts to seek funding sources forthe design and construction of South TexasAdvanced Technology Center.

WEDNESDAY,JAN. 14This is the final day to enter the FLW

Outdoors Forrest Wood Cup Tournamentat the Zapata County Boat Ramp.

THURSDAY, JAN. 15First day of the FLW Outdoors For-

rest Wood Cup Tournament on Falcon Lake.Weigh-in is at the Zapata County BoatRamp.

FRIDAY,JAN. 16FLW Outdoors Forrest Wood Cup

Tournament continues at Falcon Lake.Deadline for entering “Flavor of

South Texas” cook-off. For more informa-tion, call the Zapata Chamber of Commerceat 765-4871.

SATURDAY,JAN. 17Last day of the FLW Outdoors Forrest

Wood Cup Tournament on Falcon Lake.A local expo is scheduled at the Za-

pata County Community Center as part ofthe FLW Outdoors tournament. To have abooth at the expo, call the Zapata CountyChamber of Commerce at 765-4871.Thereis no fee for the booth.

Today is the “Flavor of South Texas”barbecue cook-off, sanctioned by the In-ternational Barbeque Cookers Association,at the Zapata County Community Center.Judging for beans is 10 a.m.; chicken, 11a.m.; ribs, noon; brisket, 2 p.m. For the non-IBCA categories, judging is 1 p.m. for pan decampo and 2 p.m. for chef’s choice. Formore information, call the Zapata Chamberof Commerce at 765-4871.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22The Washington’s Birthday Celebra-

tion will kick off today, and continuesthrough Feb. 22. For more informationabout events and schedules, visit www.wb-calaredo.org

FRIDAY,JAN. 23Today is the deadline for entering the

cook-off for fajitas, chicken, pork ribs, pande campo and beans for the Second Annu-al Sporting Clay Tournament, set for Jan. 31.Entry forms must be submitted by 5 p.m.For more information, call Mark Alvarengaat 251-2178 or Ricardo Ramirez at 251-0839.

SATURDAY,JAN. 24UETA Jamboozie is today, 4 p.m. –

midnight.

SATURDAY, JAN. 31Second Annual Sporting Clay

Tournament to benefit Boys and GirlsClub of Zapata is today. Check and reg-istration is from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.Mandatory safety meeting is at 8:30p.m. There are two flights at 9 a.m. and11 a.m. For more information, call MarkAlvarenga at 251-2178 or RicardoRamirez at 251-0839.

U.S. Air Force Band of the West per-forms at 7 p.m. at the Texas A&M Interna-tional University Center for the Fine andPerforming Arts. Sponsored by TAMIU andLaredo Morning Times. Admission is free,but tickets are required.

The 14th annual Crime StoppersMenudo Bowl is set for today at Laredo In-ternational Fair & Exposition Downs, onU.S. 59, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.Admission is$3 for adults and free for children 12 oryounger.

Stocks sharply down after rise in unemployment rate

By MADLEN READ and STEPHEN BERNARDASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — The first full week of2009 didn’t bring Wall Street any hugeshocks, but it didn’t bring much for in-vestors be happy about, either.

A jump in unemployment sent stockssharply lower Friday as investors fearedthat Americans won’t soon deviate fromtheir tightened budgets. The Dow Jonesindustrial average fell 143 points to endthe week down nearly 5 percent, its worstweek since November.

The Labor Department’s much-antici-pated report showed employers cut524,000 jobs in December, a smaller de-cline than the loss of 550,000 jobs econo-mists forecast. But the unemployment ratejumped to a 16-year high of 7.2 percent —more than the 7 percent economists pre-dicted — from 6.8 percent in November.

Lost jobs were not a shock to WallStreet, but the news still stung.

“People say that they know how badthe economy is. But they don’t know howit feels to have the reality hit home,” saidStu Schweitzer, global markets strategistat J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank. “It’s notthe facts — it’s how the facts feel. And it

feels terrible to have so many Americanslosing jobs, and so many more likely tofollow in the coming months.”

Rising unemployment tends to erodeconsumer spending, which accounts formore than two-thirds of U.S. economic ac-tivity. For all of 2008, the economy lost 2.6million jobs — the most since 1945. Retail-ers have been reporting dismal holidaysales figures, and Wall Street is concernedabout how long the economy will be suf-fering a pullback in consumer spending.

President-elect Barack Obama on Fri-day called December’s jobs loss “a starkreminder of how urgently action is need-ed” to revive the nation’s staggering econ-omy. Obama is planning on a stimuluspackage costing about $800 billion, con-sisting of tax cuts and other ways to try tohelp individuals and businesses.

But investors were nonetheless wor-ried about the prospects for the economy.Warnings from industry leaders duringthe week about business conditions un-derscored the economy’s troubles. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., chip maker Intel Corp.,aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. and mediacompany Time Warner Inc. all told WallStreet their results suffered in the fourthquarter.

Former President Bush visits namesake carrier

NORFOLK, Va. — FormerPresident George H.W. Bushmade an unexpected visit Fridayto his namesake aircraft carrieras thousands of crew membersput the finishing touches on the1,092-foot vessel the day beforeits commissioning.

Bush, 84, walked with a canebut moved briskly to greet thecommanding officer, Capt. KevinE. O’Flaherty, at the gangplank.

The $6.2 billion warship is the10th and final in the Nimitz classof nuclear-powered aircraft car-riers first launched in 1972.

Accident heightens pressure on agency

STEVENSON, Ala. — A reten-tion pond at a Tennessee ValleyAuthority coal-burning powerplant leaked waste into a north-east Alabama creek Friday,ramping up pressure on the util-ity that already is trying to cleanup last month’s major coal ashspill at a plant in Tennessee.

TVA officials said the latestdischarge — water laced with cal-cium sulfate, a component of amaterial known as gypsum —presented no danger to peopleor the environment. But envi-ronmentalists were quick to crit-icize.

Senator’s assault case provokes outrage

ALBANY, N.Y. — Women’sgroups are outraged a freshmanNew York state senator wassworn in this week while facingcharges that he slashed his girl-friend’s face with a piece of bro-ken glass.

Hiram Monserrate wascharged with assault andweapon possession after the Dec.19 incident at his New York Cityhome. The gash over her eye re-quired 25 stitches.

Marcia Pappas, head of thestate chapter of NOW, called theswearing in “a slap in the face.”

—Compiled from AP reports

Trial of judge for sex charges delayed

HOUSTON — The trial of afederal judge charged withfondling two female court em-ployees and trying to force theminto sexual acts is being delayedby a month.

Jury selection in the trial ofU.S. District Judge Samuel Kentwas moved Friday to Feb. 23. Itoriginally had been set for Jan.26.

The move came at the re-quest of Kent’s attorneys after agrand jury added three newcharges against the judge.

Kent is accused of makingunwanted sexual advances to-ward his former court case man-ager and of trying to force a sec-ond female court employee intoa sexual act and lying about it.

Kent has pleaded innocent toall the charges. He is free on hisown recognizance and remainson the bench.

Workers busted with 600 pounds of pot

McALLEN — Three con-struction workers for the com-pany building part of the borderfence and an international tradebridge to Mexico remained in aSouth Texas jail Friday afterthey were caught with nearly600 pounds of marijuana.

Alberto Montiel, Ruben Velaand Rolando Flores, all of east-ern Hidalgo County, were ar-rested Wednesday at a BurgerKing not far from the RioGrande.

Police received a tip that avan and an SUV were trans-porting drugs. A patrol spottedthe vehicles driving togetherand followed them into the park-ing lot. In total, the 12 bundlesweighed 596 pounds.

The drivers were wearing re-flective vests.

The men were arrested close

to the Anzalduas InternationalBridge project.

Chairman who quit had gambling debt

HOUSTON — The chairmanof a board that overseas invest-ments for the state teacher re-tirement fund resigned Friday,shortly before a newspaper re-ported he had a $110,000 judg-ment against him for an unpaidgambling debt at a Las Vegascasino.

Court records show BellagioInc. received a default judgmentagainst Teacher Retirement Sys-tem Board Chairman Jim Leelast June after he failed to re-spond to a lawsuit. The judg-ment was for $110,000 plus 18percent interest per year, withinterest starting on Oct. 8, 2005.

Lee said he only becameaware of the lawsuit in Decem-ber when the Bellagio hired aDallas lawyer to collect the debt.

Mourners pay tribute to slain officer

DALLAS — Music andprayers were part of the emo-tional funeral for a slain Dallaspolice officer.

Several thousand mourners,including hundreds of officersfrom around the country,turned out Friday for servicesfor 43-year-old Sr. Cpl. NormanSmith.

Smith, who was a member ofthe department’s gang unit, wasshot to death Tuesday nightwhile attempting to serve a war-rant. Charles Patrick Payne isjailed on a capital murdercharge in the killing.

The lid on Smith’s U.S. flag-draped coffin was closed by hiswife, Lt. Regina Smith, whowore her Dallas police uniformas she bid farewell to her hus-band of 18 years.

— Compiled from AP reports

Officers arrested for illegal wiretaps

LIMA, Peru — In anothertwist to Peru’s oil-kickbackscandal, police have arrestedfive people for allegedly record-ing the telephone conversationsthat revealed the scheme.

Attorney General GladysEchaiz on Thursday announcedthe arrest of two active andthree retired naval officers whoran a private security companythat allegedly ran a black mar-ket wiretapping service. A civil-ian woman who worked at thecompany, Business Track SAC,was also arrested.

Pirates get $3 mil for Saudi tanker

MOGADISHU, Somalia —After reportedly receiving a $3million ransom dropped byparachute, pirates said they re-leased a captured Saudi super-tanker Friday, ending a two-month drama that helpedgalvanize international effortsto fight piracy off Africa’s coast.

U.S. Navy photos showed aparachute, carrying what theydescribed as “an apparent pay-ment,” floating toward thetanker, which had been heldwith its 25-member since Nov.15.

— Compiled from AP reports

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Saturday, Jan. 10, the10th day of 2009. There are 355days left in the year.

TTooddaayy’’ss HHiigghhlliigghhtt iinn HHiissttoorryy:: On Jan. 10, 1776, Thomas

Paine anonymously publishedhis influential pamphlet, “Com-mon Sense.”

OOnn tthhiiss ddaattee:: In 1810, Napoleon I, Emperor

of the French, divorced his wife,Josephine.

In 1861, Florida seceded fromthe Union.

In 1870, John D. Rockefellerincorporated Standard Oil.

In 1920, the League of Nationswas established as the Treaty ofVersailles went into effect.

In 1946, the first General As-sembly of the United Nationsconvened in London.

In 1957, Harold Macmillan be-came prime minister of Britain,following the resignation of An-thony Eden.

In 1978, the Soviet Unionlaunched two cosmonautsaboard the Soyuz 27 capsule fora rendezvous with the Salyut 6space laboratory.

In 1984, the United States andthe Vatican established full diplo-

matic relations for the first timein more than a century.

In 1989, Cuba began with-drawing its troops from Angola,more than 13 years after its firstcontingents arrived.

TTeenn yyeeaarrss aaggoo: Republicansand Democrats disagreed overwhether to call witnesses in Pres-ident Bill Clinton’s impeachmenttrial, with Republicans pressingto hear testimony from MonicaLewinsky and others, and De-mocrats saying such testimonycould unnecessarily prolong theproceedings.

FFiivvee yyeeaarrss aaggoo:: North Koreasaid it had shown its “nuclear de-terrent” to an unofficial U.S. del-egation that visited the disputedYongbyon nuclear complex.Michelle Kwan won her seventhstraight title and eighth overall atthe U.S. Figure Skating Champi-onships in Atlanta; Johnny Weirskated to his first men’s title.

OOnnee yyeeaarr aaggoo:: The UnitedStates on Thursday lodged a for-mal diplomatic protest with Iranover an incident in which Iranianspeedboats harassed U.S. warshipsin the Persian Gulf. PresidentGeorge W. Bush, visiting Israeland the Palestinian West Bank,said a Mideast peace pact would

require “painful political conces-sions by both sides.” John Kerry,the 2004 Democratic presidentialnominee, endorsed Barack Oba-ma’s White House bid.

TTooddaayy’’ss BBiirrtthhddaayyss:: Operasinger Sherrill Milnes is 74. Bluesartist Eddy Clearwater is 74. Rocksinger-musician Ronnie Hawkinsis 74. Baseball Hall-of-FamerWillie McCovey is 71. SingerScott McKenzie is 70. Movie di-rector Walter Hill is 69. SingerFrank Sinatra Jr. is 65. SingerRod Stewart is 64. Rock singer-musician Donald Fagen (SteelyDan) is 61. Actor William Sander-son is 61. Boxer George Foremanis 60. Roots rock singer AlejandroEscovedo is 58. Rock musicianScott Thurston (Tom Petty andthe Heartbreakers) is 57. SingerPat Benatar is 56. Rock musicianMichael Schenker is 54. SingerShawn Colvin is 53. Rock musi-cian Matt Roberts (3 DoorsDown) is 31. Rock singer BrentSmith (Shinedown) is 31. RapperChris Smith (Kris Kross) is 30.

TThhoouugghhtt ffoorr TTooddaayy:: “Sex isthe Tabasco sauce which an ado-lescent national palate sprinkleson every course in the menu.” —Mary Day Winn, Americanwriter (1888-1965).

OLD BUTTON

Photo by Winslow Townson | APTom Lucet of Beverly, Mass. sits alone outside Steve & Barrys at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, Mass. The cutback in con-sumer spending has been a result of the deteriorating job market.

The Zapata Times

Photo by Alann Schmidt/National Park Service | APThis Dec. 2 photo provided by the National Park Service shows a button that wasfound next to the bones of a Union soldier from New York state that recently sur-faced at the Antietam National Battlefield in Sharspburg, Md. Many of the remainsof the soldiers killed after the pivotal 1862 Battle of Antietam had been buried ina nearby cemetery, but his were somehow overlooked.

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 3AZlocal SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

Courtesy photo | Special to the TimesZapata North Early Childhood Center recently recognized its kindergarten Students of the Week for Jan. 5-9. Shown above are Jorge Garcia Jr., Arturo Gonzalez,Jasmin Grimaldo, Giselle Ubalde, Noe Martinez, Rebekah Salinas, Justice Lofton, Luis Villafuerte, Liliana Castillo, Mayeli Landa, Jonathan Ayala, Xitlali Mejia andMarianna Robles.

Subscribe to Laredo Morning Times at (956) 728-2550

Secretary of Agriculture to be in Laredo on Monday

Buggy, trailer is prize at clay shoot

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

A badboy buggie with withtrailer is a featured prize at theSecond Annual Sporting ClayTournament and Cookoff on Sat-urday, Jan. 31.

Tickets are on sale for $50each, or five for $200. Proceedswill benefit the Boys & Girls Clubof Zapata.

Entry fee for shooters are $100per shooter on five-man teams.The tournament is limited to the

first 40 teams to enter.The Lewis Class Scoring Sys-

tem will be in place, and ATVsand golf carts are highly recom-mended.

The top shooter overall will re-ceive a shotgun and a plaque, andthe top shooters for each class willreceive a plaque, as will high over-all teams and runner-up teams.

The buggy and other doorprizes will be awarded, also.

Entry deadline is Friday,Jan. 23.

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

U.S. Secretary of AgricultureEd Schafer will be in Laredo onMonday to host a fever tickstakeholder meeting.

The goal of the meeting is toinform the secretary about theimportance of the fever tick is-sue and urge the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture to commitmore federal dollars to the fever

tick fight. Texas and Southwestern

Cattle Raisers Associationmembers are encouraged toattend.

The event will begin at 11a.m. and take place at the FSISCold Storage Facility, 5601Mann Circle, in Laredo.

For more information, callCounty Extension Agent GeorgeGonzales at 721-2626.

Faithful planning annual Jalisco trip

BY DORA MARTINEZ

A charter bus full of peopleare making preparations to de-part on the second day of Febru-ary for the annual visit to NuestraSeñora del Plataner in the Mexi-can state of Jalisco.

Before the departure, however,the annual festivities surround-ing the trip will take place atSeñora del Refugio CatholicChurch in San Ygnacio, startingwith a rosary at 6 p.m. There willbe a tamalada, including the sa-vory treats and drinks, for the in-vited guests prior to starting theirjourney to Mexico.

Sponsors include philanthro-pist Adrian Martinez as well asDora Olga and Henry Martinez.

A replica of Nuestra Señora delPlataner will travel with the faith-ful to Jalisco. The icon, known as“La Tejanita,” wears a western hatand a beautiful silk dress adornedwith rhinestones, this year donat-ed by Nora Ramirez, owner of RexTortilleria. Nuestra Señora will bedressed elegantly, thanks to dress-maker Lola Lozano. The icon hasbeen baptized and her godparentsare Efren and Mario Refugio Guz-man.

Upon the group’s arrival inJalisco, the replica will be placedon a float and the 50 faithful ac-companying her follow in the pro-cession. These families are treat-ed like gold because they havebeen visiting 20 years. It’s like asecond home to them.

Supporters of Nuestra Señoradel Plataner claim that miracleshave happened to them duringthese visits, such as Dora Olga,who had suffered from an ailmentand had faith that she would be

healed. The ailment disappearedbecause of the faith she has in herSeñora.

Others say that while theywere walking in the procession,they came across some miracu-lous waters that sprang from theMezon by itself. While they werewalking, they crossed a bridgeand it started to rain. It rained forabout 20 minutes, and everyonewas all soaking wet and in a sec-ond they were bone-dry, as if amiracle had been performed. Lat-er, they saw a woman in a wheel-chair and, of course, all the fol-lowers out of generosity startedhanding her donations of all de-nominations. Soon after, a womannamed Violeta Lerma spoke andsaid she came to pray to the Vir-gen for help and her wish cametrue, saying that now she had themoney for her operation. “So mymiracle happened,” she said.

Those are only a few of themiracles accomplished.

The annual tour lasts 9 daysand during that time, the groupvisits other parts of Mexico, in-cluding Manzanio, San Luis andthen San Juan to see the Virgende San Popa. They see peoplecoming from all parts of the Unit-ed States

Next year, with our Lord’shelp, I will be one of those peoplegoing. I have heard and almostseen what it is to be there. It’ssomething not to be missed.

(Dora Martinez is a native ofZapata who was publisher of His-panic News in San Antonio for21 years. She can be reached atthezapatatimes@att.net)

COLUMN

NEW YORK TIMES

Until recently, astronomersbelieved that from wherewe sit — some 28,000 light-

years out — we were spinningaround the center of the MilkyWay at about half a million milesper hour.

New observations suggest thatwe’re traveling much faster —about 600,000 mph — and thatthe Milky Way is actually broaderand has 50 percent more massthan was previously thought. As-tronomers also have recentlyfound evidence of a second majorarm of stars spiraling outwardfrom the Milky Way’s central disk.

This is one of the wonderfulthings about astronomy. Our un-derstanding of the galaxy aroundus undergoes a significant shift,and the only real change is thenew terrain that opens up insideour heads. We don’t experience aphysical lurch, because we’re trav-eling exactly as fast around thecenter of the Milky Way as we al-

ways were. The lurch we experi-ence is our minds catching up toour actual physical speed. We areso exquisitely attuned to our ce-lestial motions that we seem, toourselves, to be standing still, nomatter how our understanding ofthe universe changes.

These new observations alsoremind us of a basic problem inunderstanding the galaxy that welive in. We cannot get a view fromoutside it. We are essentiallyblinded to the structure and mo-tions of the Milky Way by the factthat we live within it. We can seehow the neighbors live over inAndromeda — the galaxy withwhich we’ll one day collide — be-cause we can see the wholegalaxy in the distance, even withthe naked eye on a dark, clearnight.

There is no looking back at theMilky Way from some point be-yond, certainly not in the foresee-able future. We can only guess atourselves by observation, extrap-olation and analogy.

OTHER VIEWS

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

Study of starsopens the mind

EDITORIAL

COLUMN

Obama’s economicplans not enough“Idon’t believe it’s too

late to change course,but it will be if we don’t

take dramatic action as soon aspossible. If nothing is done, thisrecession could linger for years.”

So declared President-electBarack Obama on Thursday, ex-plaining why America needs anextremely aggressive governmentresponse to the economic down-turn.

He’s right. This is the mostdangerous economic crisis sincethe Great Depression, and it couldall too easily turn into a prolongedslump.

But Obama’s prescriptiondoesn’t live up to his diagnosis.The economic plan he’s offeringisn’t as strong as his languageabout the economic threat. In fact,it falls well short of what’s needed.

Bear in mind just how big theU.S. economy is. Given sufficientdemand for its output, Americawould produce more than $30trillion worth of goods and serv-ices over the next two years. Butwith both consumer spendingand business investment plung-ing, a huge gap is opening up be-tween what the U.S. economy canproduce and what it’s able to sell.

And the Obama plan isnowhere near big enough to fillthis “output gap.”

Earlier this week, the Con-gressional Budget Office came outwith its latest analysis of thebudget and economic outlook.The budget office says that in theabsence of a stimulus plan, theunemployment rate would riseabove 9 percent by early 2010, andstay high for years to come.

Grim as this projection is, bythe way, it’s actually optimisticcompared with some independ-ent forecasts. Obama himself hasbeen saying that without a stimu-lus plan, the unemployment ratecould go into double digits.

Even the CBO says, however,that “economic output over thenext two years will average 6.8percent below its potential.” Thistranslates into $2.1 trillion of lostproduction. “Our economy couldfall $1 trillion short of its full ca-pacity,” declared Obama onThursday. Well, he was actuallyunderstating things.

To close a gap of more than $2trillion — possibly a lot more, ifthe budget office projections turnout to be too optimistic — Obamaoffers a $775 billion plan. Andthat’s not enough.

Now, fiscal stimulus can some-times have a “multiplier” effect: Inaddition to the direct effects of, say,investment in infrastructure on de-mand, there can be a further indi-rect effect as higher incomes leadto higher consumer spending.Standard estimates suggest that adollar of public spending raisesGDP by around $1.50.

But only about 60 percent ofthe Obama plan consists of publicspending. The rest consists of taxcuts — and many economists areskeptical about how much thesetax cuts, especially the tax breaks

for business, will actually do toboost spending. (A number ofSenate Democrats apparentlyshare these doubts.)

Howard Gleckman of the non-partisan Tax Policy Centersummed it up in the title of a re-cent blog posting: “lots of buck,not much bang.”

Only half the job The bottom line is that the Oba-

ma plan is unlikely to close morethan half of the looming outputgap, and could easily end up doingless than a third of the job.

Why isn’t Obama trying to domore?

Is the plan being limited byfear of debt? There are dangersassociated with large-scale gov-ernment borrowing — and thisweek’s CBO report projected a$1.2 trillion deficit for this year.

But it would be even moredangerous to fall short in rescuingthe economy. The president-electspoke eloquently and accuratelyon Thursday about the conse-quences of failing to act — there’sa real risk that we’ll slide into aprolonged, Japanese-style defla-tionary trap — but the conse-quences of failing to act ade-quately aren’t much better.

Is the plan being limited by alack of spending opportunities?There are only a limited numberof “shovel-ready” public invest-ment projects — that is, projectsthat can be started quicklyenough to help the economy inthe near term. But there are oth-er forms of public spending, es-pecially on health care, that coulddo good while aiding the economyin its hour of need.

Or is the plan being limited bypolitical caution? Press reports inDecember indicated that Obamaaides were anxious to keep the fi-nal price tag on the plan below thepolitically sensitive trillion-dollarmark. There also have been sug-gestions that the plan’s inclusion oflarge business tax cuts, which addto its cost but will do little for theeconomy, is an attempt to win Re-publican votes in Congress.

Whatever the explanation, theObama plan just doesn’t look ad-equate to the economy’s need. Tobe sure, a third of a loaf is betterthan none.

But right now, we seem to befacing two major economic gaps:the gap between the economy’spotential and its likely perform-ance, and the gap between Oba-ma’s stern economic rhetoric andhis somewhat disappointing eco-nomic plan.

EDITORIAL

NEW YORK TIMES

The main thing we learnedfrom Tom Daschle’s con-firmation hearing in the

Senate on Thursday was thatPresident-elect Barack Obamasure picked the right man tostage-manage his health care re-forms as secretary of health andhuman services and as healthczar at the White House.

The hearing before a Senatehealth committee was mostly alove-fest as senators from bothparties expressed admiration fortheir former Senate colleagueand signaled a willingness towork collaboratively with him onthe daunting task of improvingthe costly, dysfunctional healthcare system.

Unfortunately, the hearingdid not tell us much at all abouthow the incoming Obama ad-ministration intends to pay forits emerging health care pro-grams .

Or how, for all of his smooth-ness at the hearing, Daschle will

deal with the very real and verybig differences his team has withRepublicans on this and other vi-tal issues.

Instead, the senators avoid-ed asking such tough questions,and Daschle bent over backwardto reassure Republicans that hewould not try to ram anythingtoo unpalatable down theirthroats. He pledged to cooper-ate with Congress on an aggres-sive, open reform effort thatwould be guided by evidence,not ideology.

When Sen. Mike Enzi, theranking Republican on the com-mittee, asked if Daschle wouldshare information with membersof both parties and respond rap-idly to their requests (somethingthe Bush administration rarelydid), Daschle answered unequiv-ocally, “yes.”

More telling, when Enzi askedif Daschle would discourage theuse of budget reconciliation, aprocess that prevents filibustersand would allow a simple major-ity to approve health reform leg-

islation, Daschle again said, “yes.” That seemed to indicate that

the Democrats will be pushingfor reforms that can commandsupport from large bipartisanmajorities in Congress. Yet theseeds of partisan conflict are al-ready being planted.

Enzi issued a news releasewarning against expanding in-surance coverage through gov-ernment-run bureaucracies likeMedicaid and asserting that anynew coverage must comethrough private health insur-ance plans.

If he meant that literally, hewould have to oppose major el-ements of the Obama healthplans, which envisage expand-ing existing public programsand probably adding a new pub-lic program to compete with pri-vate plans.

Of course, if the Republicansbecome too obstinate in blockingmajor elements they don’t like,Democratic leaders in the Sen-ate could choose to close off de-bate no matter what Daschle has

recommended. There were few if any sur-

prises in Daschle’s broad-brushstatements on policy. He wantswider insurance coverage, lowercosts, higher quality care, morepreventive care, an emphasis onkeeping people well, greater useof information technology, moremoney for community healthcenters, a stronger Food andDrug Administration and speed-ier approval of low-cost genericdrugs, among other issues.

He gave no indication of howto pay for all this or how to rein inthe escalating costs of entitle-ment programs, and he was notasked such probing questions bya committee that seems certain torecommend his confirmation.

Daschle may face tougherquestions at a second confirma-tion hearing before the SenateFinance Committee, which hasjurisdiction over Medicare andMedicaid, but the real struggleswill begin when a detailed plan isput forward by the Obama ad-ministration.

Details still few on health care reform

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 4AZopinion SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Zapata Chamber of Commerce offers warm welcome to visitors

YOUR OPINION

The Zapata Times does notpublish anonymous letters. To bepublished, letters must includethe writer’s first and last namesas well as a phone number to ver-ify identity. The phone number ISNOT published; it is used solelyto verify identity and to clarifycontent, if necessary.

The identity of the letterwriter must be verified beforepublication.

The Zapata Times no longer

publishes letters with just an ini-tial and a last name. People whowant to air their opinions pub-licly must do so openly.

We want to assure our read-ers that a letter is written by theperson who signs the letter; TheZapata Times does not allow theuse of pseudonyms.

Letters are edited for style,grammar, length and civility. Noname-calling or gratuitous abuseis allowed.

This space allows for publicdebate of the issues of the day.We do publish “thank you” let-ters, but due to limited space, weask writers to list no more than10 names in such letters. Letterswith more than 10 names willnot be published.

To send letters via e-mail, in-clude a phone number to verifyidentity, and send to this address:editorial@lmtonline.com

Or mail them to Letters to the

Editor; 111 Esperanza Drive;Laredo, TX 78041.

Letters also may be droppedoff at The Zapata Times office,1309 N. US Highway 83 at 14thAvenue, Suite 2, in Zapata.

Letters that are provided inhard copy must be hand-signed.Letters sent by e-mail don’t re-quire a signature, but the firstand last names of the letterwriter must be included alongwith a contact phone number.

PAUL KRUGMAN

TToo tthhee eeddiittoorr::On behalf of the Zapata

County Chamber of Commerce,our business members andpartners, I would like to wel-come everyone here for theFLW Outdoor Stren-SeriesTournament you to Zapata,home of Falcon Reservoir, aworld class bass fishery!

Zapata is much more thanan incredible bass fishery.

Anglers, outdoor enthusi-

asts and visitors can expectgreat people, a festive welcome,a choice of 11 lodging proper-ties for a range of accommoda-tions, and the best food on theborder!

And while you are in Zapata,be sure to take advantage of allof the great things to do and ex-perience in our area from worldclass hunting, bird watching,rock hunting, water recreationand hang gliding in one of the

most unique historical villagesin existence.

I hope you have the time toenjoy our local business com-munity offering a great varietyof unique shops, services andshopping opportunities for allof your needs and recreationalactivities.

We are pleased that wehave the opportunity to wel-come you and wish you muchsuccess. I also hope that you

get the chance to enjoy all thatZapata County has to offer andlearn firsthand why “Fishingon Falcon Lake offers some ofthe best bass action in theworld.”

SSiiggnneedd,, Jose F. “Paco” Mendoza Jr. Executive Director Zapata County Chamber of

Commerce Convention & Visitor’s Cen-

ter

By KIRSTEN CROWLAREDO MORNING TIMES

WHITE SANDS, N.M. —The austere beauty ofthe desert, set against a

sky alight with the dying rays of asetting sun, is a sight like noneother.

Between sloping, snow-whitedunes and the stark lines of theSoaptree yucca plants against avast sky, there is a hardfound tran-quility here that resides some-where between the atmosphereand the soft curves of the hori-zon, juxtaposed against the moun-tain ranges’ jagged demarcation. Itis possible to believe, howeverbriefly, that even your very breath-ing is a cacophony of sound inthis eerily still landscape. Nearlyparadoxically, the sheer awe ofthis scene can twist even the mostegotistical into feeling insignifi-cant in contrast to such landscape.

An arid atmosphere lends it-self to ethereal lighting, turningthe edges of midday clouds to asilvery, surreal gold, while thebrilliant evening sunsets make thesky virtually bleed magenta, burnt

umber, violet and liquid gold asthe rays paint the landscape invivid watercolors.

White Sands National Monu-ment is a must-see attraction forany nature lover, photographer,artist or merely someone with anappreciation for aesthetics. It’s aperfect storm of silence, texturesand contrast that can border on amystical — or spiritual — experi-ence.

About the parkAccording to the Web site,

www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm,the dunes encompass 275 squaremiles of gypsum sand and holdsthe title as the “world’s largestgypsum dune field.” Of those, 115miles are considered White SandsNational Monument.

The atypical sand type isn’t ex-clusive to the area, but its rareform requires some explanation.

“The pure gypsum (hydrous cal-cium sulfate) that forms these un-usual dunes originates in the west-ern portion of the monument froman ephemeral lake or playa with avery high mineral content,” states

the Web site. “As the water evapo-rates … the minerals are left be-hind to form gypsum deposits thateventually are wind-transported toform these white sand dunes.”

Inhabited by lizards, mice, fox-es, rabbits, birds, coyotes, deer, tur-tles, snakes and plenty of uniqueinsects, the solitude and silencebelies a desert thriving with life.

Admission is $3 for adults andfree for children 15 and younger,making for a highly affordable daytrip for the enterprising traveler ofthe Southwest.

RecreationWhite Sands is not all quiet, if

beautiful, scenery.There are numerous ways to

tour the park, from guided tours

and biking to hiking and Fridaynight astronomy lectures.

Also, hailing back to a populartradition of the 1960s, some visi-tors still sandboard in the area.For those unfamiliar with sand-boarding, it is an accurate handle— the semi-sport is akin to snow-boarding, but in the sand. Using aboard similar to a skateboardwithout wheels — it really took offas a fad in the midst of the WestCoast surfing explosion — sand-boarders slick down the bottomsof their boards with wax and at-tempt to glide effortlessly downthe dunes.

Another popular activity that

doesn’t require nearly as muchcoordination is what the Web siterefers to as “sledding,” or using aplastic snow saucer and waxing itdown, then gliding down thedunes. They are also available inthe park’s gift shop for the forget-ful visitor.

LodgingLikely the most popular locale

to stay is the small town of LasCruces, located within MesillaValley and positioned at the foot ofthe Organ Mountains — namedsuch because of their resemblanceto the musical instrument.

Located about 52 miles outfrom White Sands, the drive fea-tures gorgeous scenery andmakes for a pleasant drive. Thetown itself, while small, is a youth-ful area and home to New MexicoState University. Traditional NewMexican dining — especially thefamous green chile dishes —abound.

Another option is Alamogor-do, which is located about 13 milesfrom the national park; and forthe more adventurous, there are anumber of campsites in the areato set up shop for the night.

Las Cruces is about a 13-hourcar drive from Laredo, dependingon the driver’s ilk for speed.

The easiest route is to headnorth on I-35 to San Antonio, thenhang a left, careening west on I-10.

Visiting hours range depend-ing on the season, so checkingahead of time is a good idea. TheWeb site, www.nps.gov/whsa/in-dex.htm, is a great resource.

There are also lists of averagetemperatures on the site. Becausethe desert is one of the few re-gions that may boast staggeringlyhot temperatures during the daywith a bone-chilling drop inFahrenheit in the evening, it’s usu-ally best to dress in easily remov-able and replaceable layers.

It will make the trip far morecomfortable and worthwhile.

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 5ASATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009Zlife

Photos by Kirsten Crow | Laredo Morning TimesThe expanse of White Sands National Monument is stretched over 115 miles. It’s a lonely, beautiful landscape, a unique creation of nature, with sand dunes that are a sparkling white, a sometimes blinding white as the hot New Mexico sun beats down.

Barren beauty: White Sands’ gypsum dunes a wonderWhite Sands National Monument is a

must-see attraction for any nature lover,photographer, artist or merely someone

with an appreciation for aesthetics.

Footprints in the dunesat White Sands

create a hauntinglypoetic image, albeit

a temporary one.Winds will soon blur

and then erase themarks of those

who passedthis way.

6A | THE ZAPATA TIMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

MALDCOL6 X 10.75

MISS MANNERS | BY JUDITH MARTIN

DEAR MISS MANNERS —I recall reading in one of yourworks about the system ladiesused to use when paying social

calls — thatafter a while,because itwas boring,people wouldjust leavetheir cards,and had asystem ofbending thecorners to

signal various things. Well, I am not in a position

to revive the custom, but I ama biomedical informatics stu-dent designing a software pro-gram that involves boxes usedto give information and forwhich a corner-based way ofsignaling various thingswould be very useful. (This ispart of my PhD dissertationwork.)

I’ve found that informationsystems that humans developover time and experience canbe better than things that a sin-gle person just dreamed up, soI was wondering if you wouldbe willing to describe the oldsystem.

GENTLE READER — It is arelief to Miss Manners that youdo not intend to revive the sys-tem of social calls. It was enor-mously time-consuming, forboth the callers and the horses,and thank goodness someonefinally invented the telephone.

That was a nuisance in itsown way, and thank goodnesssomeone finally invented e-mail.

It really is necessary tokeep in touch with one’s ac-quaintance, however, so weuse available tools. Dealingwith the daily e-mail frompeople who want to keep intouch by sharing rumors,jokes, wedding pictures,health scares, baby pictures,wish lists, political diatribesand party pictures is proba-bly not much more time-con-

suming than ordering the car-riage and driving around,scattering cards at people’shouses.

The original system consist-ed of actual calls paid in thelate afternoon for not morethan a quarter of an hour each.

In addition to next-day callsto one’s hostess of the night be-fore, there were obligatory callsto congratulate, to console, tosay goodbye when one wasleaving town, to meet the newneighbors and so on.

As they all had to be re-turned, you can imagine howsick of one another people be-came.

So the custom was abbre-viated, as you noted, to leavingcards — inquiring whethersomeone was home, being toldshe was not and escaping im-mediately, leaving behind apasteboard card with one’sname for proof of intention.

The sentiment once con-veyed directly was reduced tothe symbol of the bent cardedge: The upper left indicatedthat you were just paying avisit, the upper right that youoffered congratulations, thelower right that you offeredcondolences and the lowerleft that you were takingleave.

How fortunate we are thatwe have a range of tools for dif-ferent situations.

We can offer serious thanksand congratulations withhandwritten letters and trivialones by e-mail. Condolencesstill require a visit from inti-mates and a letter from otheracquaintances, but movingaway requires electronic noti-fication so that new addressesmay be entered into the com-puter. Unless, of course, youare moving away from a ro-mance. That still requires avisit, or at least an attemptedvisit.

Miss Manners hopes thishas contributed to your schol-arship.

MARTIN

Calling-card time-consuming

Saving energy can cost nothingBy MEGAN K. SCOTTASSOCIATED PRESS

Here are some things you can do to slash yourenergy bill this winter; some take only a minuteand don’t require any upfront investment:

Lower the water heatertemperature

You can change the temperature on bothelectric and gas water heaters, according toBruce Harley’s “Cut Your Energy Bills Now:150 Smart Ways to Save Money & Make YourHome More Comfortable & Green.” He sug-gests setting the temperature on the lowest set-ting comfortable — no lower than 120 degrees.

Upgrade your refrigeratorEnergy Star models require about half as

much energy as models manufactured before1993. Consider a new fridge if you purchasedyours before 1990, says Harley, an engineerand technical director of Conservation Ser-vices Group, a national, non-profit energyservices firm based in Westborough, Mass.

The firm provides energy saving strategies toconsumers and businesses, among otherthings. He suggests looking for a model with atop freezer, which uses 10 percent to 15 percentless energy than one with side-by-side doors.Avoid energy-wasting features like through-door ice and water dispensers.

Don’t use the fireplaceFireplaces are less efficient at heating

homes than furnaces and produce a fairamount of pollution, according to Harley. Useit occasionally for the mood, he says. Thenmake sure it’s shut down when you are not us-ing it. Make sure the damper is closed whenthe fireplace is not in use and that it’s a tightseal, says David Lupberger, home improve-ment expert for ServiceMagic.com, a freeservice to connect homeowners with pre-screened contractors. You don’t want the heatin the house to escape through the chimney,he says.

Replace old equipmentCheck the manufacturing date of heating,

water heating and air conditioning equipment,

says Harley. If it’s older than 15 years, consid-er replacing it. Better to do it now than waituntil it breaks down, he says. Replace it withthe most energy efficient unit you can find.

Change the light bulbsGet rid of standard incandescent bulbs and

replace them with compact fluorescent lightbulbs, said Lauri Ward, president of Use WhatYou Have Interiors. Energy Star qualifiedCFLs use about 75 percent less energy thanstandard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10times longer, according to Energy Star.

Get a home energy assessmentAn assessment will identify things like air

leaks, missing insulation and leaky duct work,says Harley. He recommends looking forsomeone with a RESNET (Residential Ener-gy Services Network) or BPI (Building Per-formance Institute) certification. RESNET cer-tifies home energy raters. BPI certifiesbuilding analysts. Consumers should alsocheck with their local utility company to seeif it offers significant technical support orhelp paying for the work, says Harley.

A pasta dish with a hint of wineASSOCIATED PRESS

Don’t be turned off by the thought of grapesand sausage with your pasta. It’s a dish fromAndrew Carmellini’s new cookbook, “UrbanItalian,” and it makes complete sense.

“These are, in fact, all the flavors of theItalian grape harvest time: sage, meaty spicysausage, and, of course, sweet young grapejuice,” he writes in the book. “I’ve just put it alltogether. It’s totally delicious. Trust me.”

If you can’t find strozzapreti pasta, whichresembles small, twisted strands of rope, anysmall, thin pasta will do.

SSttrroozzzzaapprreettii wwiitthh ssaauussaaggee,, ggrraappeess aanndd rreedd wwiinnee

Start to finish: 30 minutes (plus overnight)Servings: 4 to 61 cup seedless red grapes (not Thompson),

halved lengthwise1 cup dry red wine1/4 cup sugar2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 pound dried strozzapreti pasta (or other

small, thin pasta)3 tablespoons olive oil1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (about 4 links,

2 spicy and 2 sweet), casings removed andmeat roughly chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1cup)

10 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped2 tablespoons butter1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese, plus extra

for sprinkling1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsleyIn an medium bow, combine the grapes,

wine, sugar and vinegar. Cover tightly withplastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 8hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, bring a largesaucepan of salted water to a boil.

While the water heats, transfer the grapemixture to a medium saucepan over high heat.Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has re-duced by half, about 10 minutes.

When the water has boiled, add the pastaand cook until just al dente (about 1 minuteless than the suggested cooking time on thepasta packaging).

While the pasta cooks, in a large saucepanover medium, heat the olive oil. Add the meatand saute until it just starts to brown, about 3to 4 minutes, stirring and breaking up themeat as you go.

Add the onion and continue cooking, stir-ring well, until the sausage and onion havecooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add thesage and stir to combine.

Add the grape mixture and stir well.When the pasta is cooked, drain it, but do

not rinse it. Add the pasta to the pot with thegrape and sausage mixture. Place over medi-um heat for about 1 1/2 minutes to allow theflavors to blend and the pasta to cook a bitmore.

Remove the pan from the heat and add thebutter, cheese, black pepper and parsley. Sprin-kle with more cheese and serve immediately.

Photo by Larry Crowe | APStrozzapreti with sausage, grapes and red wine is seenin this Sunday, Dec. 7, photo. The flavors from grapeharvest time in Italy are combined in this dish.

MALDCOL26 X 10.75

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 7AZentertainment SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

Cheech and Chong to light up the LEC

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

After reuniting for the firsttime in 25 long years, comedy duoCheech and Chong are bringingtheir “Light Up America” tour tothe Laredo Entertainment Centeron Sunday at 7:30 p.m. for one ex-plosive night of laugh-out-loudcomedy.

Tommy Chong and CheechMarin have enjoyed incrediblesuccess since their 1978 hit movie“Up in Smoke,” where both menplayed out-of-work and in-debtcharacters trying to make a buckand breaking a few laws along theway.

Since then, Cheech and Chonghave starred in 10 films, and theirpopularity continues with theirmost recent album release in2002, “Where There’s SmokeThere’s Cheech and Chong.”

With nine albums releasedfrom 1972 through 1985, the duohas been nominated for fourGrammy Awards, winning theGrammy Award for Best ComedyAlbum with their third album,“Los Cochinos,” released in 1973.“Big Bambú,” their second album,was the biggest-selling comedyrecord of all time in 1972 and re-mained so for many years.

Tickets to see Cheech andChong live at LEC are availablefor $25, $38.50, $48.50 and $58.50at the LEC box office, all Ticket-master outlets, www.ticketmas-ter.com and 712-1566.

Cheech MarinBest known as half of the hi-

lariously irreverent, satirical,counter-culture, no-holds-barredduo Cheech and Chong, Marin isa paradox in the world of enter-tainment. Marin is an actor, di-rector, writer, musician, art col-lector and humanitarian, a man

who has enough talent, humorand intelligence to do just aboutanything. He is truly a multigen-erational star — or, as he jests,“People know me from the wombto the tomb.”

To this day, Cheech and Chongfilms remain the No. 1 weekendvideo rentals, and Marin is wide-ly acknowledged as a culturalicon.

Cheech (real name Richard)Marin was born on July 13, 1946,in South Central Los Angeles andraised in Granada Hills, a suburbin the San Fernando Valley. Hehas always loved music.

“As a little kid, I was a singerand made records. I was always inbands — you name it, I sang it —R&B, jazz, funk, I did it all,” hesaid.

After attending CaliforniaState University, Northridge tostudy English, he left — eight cred-its short of a degree — to “pursuepottery and avoid the draft.” How-ever, in 2004, he received a Dis-tinguished Alumni Award fromthe university.

Moving to Vancouver, BritishColumbia, as a political refugee,Marin soon met Chong, whoowned a topless club. He workedthere for nine months, combiningmusic and improvisational come-dy in a troupe called City Works.

“It was great — you could call ita hippie burlesque,” he said.

Eventually, Marin and Chong

teamed up and moved back to LosAngeles. They performed theirstand-up/music act at clubs allover Los Angeles until they werediscovered at the Troubadour bymusic industry magnate LouAdler.

“The rest,” Marin said, “is his-tory.”

Between 1972 and 1985, theyreleased nine albums: “Cheechand Chong” in 1972, “Big Bam-bú” in 1972, “Los Cochinos” in1973, “Cheech and Chong Wed-ding Album” in 1974, “SleepingBeauty” in 1976, “Up In Smoke” in1979, “Let’s Make a New DopeDeal” in 1980, “Cheech andChong’s Greatest Hits” in 1981 and“Get Out of My Room” in 1985.“Big Bambú” became the largest-selling comedy recording of alltime, retaining that distinction formany years.

The critically acclaimed duomade a fluid transition to films,starring in eight features together.The first, “Up In Smoke,” was thehighest-grossing comedy of 1978,topping $100 million at the boxoffice. Others were “Cheech andChong’s Next Movie” in 1980,“Nice Dreams” in 1981, “ThingsAre Tough All Over” in 1982,“Cheech and Chong: Still Smok-ing” in 1983 and “The CorsicanBrothers” in 1984. They co-wroteall of the films, with Chong re-ceiving sole directing credit forseveral, despite Marin’s uncredit-

ed co-direction. After splitting with Chong,

Marin wrote, directed and starredin Universal’s hit comedy “Born inEast L.A.,” which in 1987 won theGlauber Rocha International Crit-ics Award and Grand Coral Prizefor Best Picture, as well as BestScreenplay at the Havana FilmFestival.

A third-generation MexicanAmerican, Marin has been recog-nized for his work on behalf ofLatinos by the Imagen Founda-tion with its 2000 CreativeAchievement Award and by theNational Council of La Raza andKraft Foods with the 1999 ALMACommunity Service Award.

Tommy ChongGrammy Award-winning co-

median Chong is legendary forhis invaluable contribution toAmerican counterculture as partof the iconic comedy duo Cheechand Chong.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta,Canada, Chong began his enter-tainment career as a musician ina Canadian-based rhythm and

blues band. Eventually, he landeda gig with the Vancouvers and co-wrote the band’s 1960s hit, “DoesYour Mama Know About Me.”

From there, Chong eventuallyturned toward the life as an actor.The first step was forming CityWorks, an improvisational groupwhere he consequently met hisfuture comedic partner, Richard“Cheech” Marin. Throughout the1970s, Marin and Chong earned amassive following until eventual-ly, the duo had run its lengthy andprosperous course, and they bothembarked on solo careers.

After the Marin and Chongsplit, Chong teamed up with hiswife, Shelby, and toured comedyclubs for 12 years. Shelby Chong isknown as Chong’s favorite co-staron the big screen and in live stageperformances. Fans rememberher as the sexy French Fifi in“Things Are Tough All Over,” thePrincess in “The Corsican Broth-ers” and the blonde bodybuilderMarin got choked up over in “NiceDreams.”

She went on to appear in sev-eral other feature films, televisionshows and theatrical productions

such as “Tripwire,” “The Spirit of’76,” “Far Out Man!” and “Gener-al Hospital.” She has been seenon HBO, Comedy Central and“The Howard Stern Show.” Shestepped onto the comedy stage in1996 during Chong’s world touras a show opener and has touredwith him every year since.

Chong has also starred, mostnotably, as “Leo” on Fox’s “That’70s Show,” and has guest starredon ABC’s “Dharma and Greg” and“The George Lopez Show.”

Chong recently released hisnew book, “Cheech and Chong:The Unauthorized Autobiogra-phy,” about the exploits of the in-famous duo’s smoke-filled world.This book serves as a follow-up tohis New York Times bestseller,“The I Chong: Meditations fromthe Joint,” which chroniclesChong’s arrest for shipping bongsacross the country, as well as hisdays in jail and the humorous en-counters of his nine-month prisonstint.

Earlier this year, the highly an-ticipated, award-winning docu-mentary “A/K/A Tommy Chong,”which was released worldwide.

Courtesy photoRichard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, better known as Cheech and Chong, are bringing their “Light Up America” tour to theLaredo Entertainment Center on Sunday.

Tickets to see Cheech and Chong live atLEC are available for $25, $38.50, $48.50

and $58.50 at the LEC box office, all Ticketmaster outlets,

www.ticketmaster.com and 712-1566.

SERVICIO SOCIALLAREDO — El domingo 11 de en-

ero se llevará a cabo una campaña dedonación de sangre de 3:30 p.m. a 6:30p.m. en la Lyndon B. Johnson HighSchool, 5626 Cielito Lindo Blvd., AulaI104. Donadores deben presentar iden-tificación. Se recomienda comer y beberlíquidos antes y después de donar.Conozca más acerca del donar sangreen www.southtexasblood.org. El lunes12 de enero la campaña continuará ahímismo de 9 a.m. a 4 p.m.

LAREDO — El lunes 12 de enerose llevará a cabo una campaña dedonación de sangre de 3 p.m. a 6 p.m.en el 109 Shiloh Drive No. 200, en lasala de conferencias. Refrigerios y unmini examen físico se ofrecerá a cadapersona donante. Otra campaña másserá el jueves 15 de enero de 9 a.m. a3:30 p.m. en St. Augustine Schools,1300 Galveston St.,Aula 121. Donadoresdeben presentar identificación. Se re-comienda comer y beber líquidos antesy después de donar. Conozca más ac-erca del donar sangre en www.south-texasblood.org. Una campaña más seráel viernes 16 de enero de 8:30 a.m. a3:30 p.m. en el Classroom H101 de la Dr.Dennis D. Cantu Health Science MagnetSchool, 2002 San Bernardo Ave.; y esemismo viernes de 9 a.m. a 4 p.m. en laentrada principal del Departamento dePolicía de Laredo, 4712 Maher Ave.

LAREDO — El Ruthe B. Cowl Re-habilitation Center realizará una clínicade Ortopedia Pediátrica el martes 20 deenero de 8 a.m. a 1 p.m. para pacientesnecesitando consultar con un especial-ista. Si está interesado en consultar conDr. J. Edeen, llame al (956) 722-2431.

LAREDO — La Novena Conferen-cia Annual sobre el Autismo será eljueves 15 y viernes 16 de enero en elLaredo Civic Center, 2400 San Bernar-do Ave., de 8:30 a.m a 3:30 p.m. Más in-formación llamando al 763-6044.

LAREDO — El Departamento deSalud de la Ciudad de Laredo recuerdaa dueños de mascotas que deben vacu-narlas contra la rabia. Una clínica se re-alizará el miércoles 21 de enero de 6:30p.m. a 7:30 p.m. en el Departamentode Salud de la Ciudad de Laredo (2600Cedar) lado oeste del estacionamientosobre Maryland Ave. El costo por vacu-na es de 12.00 dólares/por mascota.Favor de traer a su perro con correa, asus gatos en una funda de almohada yse recomienda dejar a sus hijos en casa.Más información llamando al progra-ma de control animal en el (956) 795-4902 ó (956) 795-2485.

ENTRETENIMIENTOLAREDO — En el escenario del

Laredo Entertainment Center se pre-sentan el domingo 11 de enero “Cheech& Chong” a las 7:30 p.m.

LAREDO — El jueves 22 de eneroinicia la Washington’s Birthday Cele-bration que continuará hasta el 22 defebrero. Más información sobre eventosy para conocer horarios visite www.wb-calaredo.org.

LAREDO — El viernes 23 de eneroes la primera presentación del FreestyleMotocross en el Laredo EntertainmentCenter a las 7:30 p.m.Habrá otra funciónel sábado 24 de enero a la misma hora.

EDUCACIÓNLAREDO — Habrá una audiencia

pública relacionada a incrementospropuestos para tutorías y cuotas enTexas A&M International University. Laaudiencia es el viernes 16 de enero almediodía en la rotonda del StudentCenter. Las audiencias informarán a es-tudiantes de los cambios propuestos atutorías y cuotas y las razones de talescambios. Los incrementos se están pro-poniendo en varios aspectos. Si esaprobado por la Legislatura entraría envigor el otoño del 2009. Más informa-ción llamando al 326.2180

LAREDO — El viernes 16 de eneroes el último día para inscribirse en TexasA&M International University. El calen-dario de la primavera 2009 puede servisto en schedule.tamiu.edu. Más infor-mación llamando a la oficina de in-scripciones en el 326-2250.

CULTURALAREDO — La Serie de Recitales

Steinway de Texas A&M InternationalUniversity continúan el viernes 16 deenero con la actuación de Mieun Lee,una pianista de TAMIU ganadora depremios, a las 7 p.m. en el Center for theFine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. Laactuación incluirá obras de JosephHaydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, y RobertSchumann. El evento es gratuito yabierto al público. Más información lla-mando a Friedrich Gechter en el 326-2639 ó escribiendo afgechter@tamiu.edu

EN INTERNET: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 8ASÁBADO 10 DE ENERO DE 2009ZFronteraAGENDA EN BREVE

Para informar acerca de eventos yactividades envíe el nombre, fecha,hora y dirección, y un número de con-tacto a tiempo@lmtonline.com

Llama SEDENA a conscriptos de la Clase 1990TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

MIGUEL ALEMÁN — Losjóvenes conscriptos de la clase1990, anticipados y remisos, queen este 2009 deberán cumplir consu Servicio Militar Nacional, yapueden pasar a tramitar su Car-tilla en la Junta Municipal de Re-clutamiento.

La Secretaría de la DefensaNacional (SEDENA, por sus si-glas) emitió un comunicado en elque se indican los días que la Jun-ta Municipal de Reclutamientomantendrá abierto su período derecepción de Cartillas.

Los días son: 10, 11, 17, 18, 24,25 y 31 de enero.

Por tal motivo, todos losjóvenes conscriptos de la clase1990, anticipados y remisos, de-berán acudir a tramitar este im-portante documento y cumplircon su Servicio Militar Nacional.

La Junta Municipal de Reclu-tamiento está instalada en las ofic-inas de la Secretaría del Ayun-tamiento, ubicadas en la plantaalta del edificio de la PresidenciaMunicipal de Miguel Alemán.

Nuevo LaredoLa Secretaría de la Defensa

Nacional, a través de la Coman-dancia de la Octava Zona Militar,invitó también a los jóvenes que

deberán cumplir con su serviciomilitar este año, a entregar lascartillas militares para su respec-tivo procesamiento.

La recepción de cartillas es elsábado 10 y el domingo 11 de en-ero; así como los fines de semanadel 17 y 18 de enero, 24 y 25 de en-ero y 31 de enero.

Se trata de jóvenes conscriptosde la Clase 1990, anticipados yremisos. Las cartillas pueden en-tregarse en las instalaciones delCuartel Militar “Macario Zamo-ra”, al poniente de Nuevo Laredo

Las fechas citadas tambiéncomprenden a los municipios deGuerrero, Mier, Camargo y DíazOrdaz.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Miguel AlemánLos jóvenes conscriptos de la clase 1990, anticipados y remisos, pueden acudir estefin de semana a la entrega de recepción de cartillas militares.

Foto por Miguel Timoshenkov | The Zapata TimesVarias horas debieron de esperar para realizar cambios en su credencial los ciudadanos que estarían cumpliendo con lostérminos del IFE para votar el 5 de julio, el miércoles, en Nuevo Laredo.

Tramitan credencial de elector para poder votar en julio

Por MIGUEL TIMOSHENKOVTIEMPO DE ZAPATA

NUEVO LAREDO — Cientos deciudadanos están tomando tiempopara renovar su credencial de elec-tor y poder ejercer su voto en laselecciones federales del 5 de julio.

La fecha límite para cualquieractualización es el 15 de enero.

Margarita Ramos empezó ahacer fila a las 12:30 p.m. delmiércoles.

“Si quiero votar en la próximaelección debo cambiar mi creden-cial. La reposición la estoy ha-ciendo porque me cambié dedomicilio”, dijo Ramos. “Desdehace 15 años que vivo en NuevoLaredo, (y) siempre salgo a votar”.

Manuel Moncada Fuentes, Vo-cal Ejecutivo del Instituto FederalElectoral (IFE, por sus siglas) dijoque están procesando a 500 per-sonas diariamente.

“El 67 por ciento de las reposi-ciones de credencial obedecen a

cambios de domicilio”, dijo Mon-cada. “Otros están buscando porprimera vez registrarse”.

La credencial de elector es eldocumento oficial con el que lapersona puede identificarse.

Un incremento en la demandaciudadana por el documento seapreció desde el lunes.

Moncada dijo que estarán tra-bajando los fines de semana enhorario normal para ampliar lacantidad de votantes registradosen la próxima elección.

Es importante que si los ciu-dadanos acuden a realizar algúntrámite al IFE, presenten su actade nacimiento, comprobante dedomicilio e identificación con foto.

Como identificación con fotose admite el pasaporte, credencialde empleo, licencia de conducir,hasta una identificación escolar.

“Sin estos documentos no sepodrá desarrollar el trámite”, dijoMoncada.

El padrón electoral de Nuevo

Laredo es de 285 mil registrados.Con los nuevos ingresos podríallegar hasta 300 mil.

El primer Distrito Electoral deTamaulipas tiene como cabecera aNuevo Laredo, e incluye CiudadGuerrero, Ciudad Mier, MiguelAlemán y Camargo. Actualmentese mantiene un padrón de 330mil electores, que podría alcanzara 340 mil ó más al cierre del reg-istro y reposición de credenciales.

“La razón de actualizar la cre-dencial es para que puedan votaren julio en la casilla que les corre-spondería donde actualmente viv-en”, dijo Moncada. “De lo contrariodeberán votar en la casilla dondeestá actualmente su credencial, consu domicilio anterior”.

Las credenciales serán entre-gadas como fecha final hasta el 15de marzo.

(Puede localizar a Miguel Tim-oshenkov llamando al (956) 728-2583 o escribiendo a timo1@lm-tonline.com)

Gobierno pide cuidar el dineroTIEMPO DE ZAPATA

CIUDAD VICTORIA, México— El Gobernador del Estado, Eu-genio Hernández Flores se reunióen Casa de Gobierno con los al-caldes de los 43 ayuntamientos,donde los secretarios de su Gabi-nete expusieron la dinámica detrabajo, avances y proyeccionesde los programas de interés colec-tivo para el 2009.

“Todos y cada uno de los fun-cionarios estatales tienen la in-

strucción precisa de atenderlos,ayudarlos y trabajar conjunta-mente con ustedes”, explicó, so-bre todo en esta época de retoseconómicos.

En el marco del Acuerdo Na-cional a favor de la EconomíaFamiliar y el Empleo que signócon el Presidente FelipeCalderón, mandatarios estatalesy sectores de la sociedad, el Gob-ernador extendió la invitación alos alcaldes para firmar en estetenor el Acuerdo Estatal para la

Protección del Empleo y la Plan-ta Productiva, acto que se lle-vará a cabo en próximo lunes 12de enero en Reynosa.

Señaló que hay mucho trabajoy retos a vencer, pero “con pocotiempo y dinero limitado”.

Hernándes Flores convocó acuidar las finanzas, eficientarel gasto y trabajar duro, porquees una gran oportunidad paraconsolidar esta alianza y quele vaya bien a Tamaulipas y asus municipios.

Anuncian recorte de personal

ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

MIGUEL ALEMÁN — A raízde la situación económica gen-eralizada en el país y en el afánde proteger y ampliar las par-tidas presupuestales destinadasa las obras públicas y alotorgamiento de becas educati-vas a alumnos de escasos re-cursos, el Gobierno Municipalhará un nuevo recorte de per-sonal y reducirá aún más el gas-to en cumplimiento al Punto deAcuerdo emitido por el Congre-so del Estado y en apego a losmecanismos de ahorro imple-mentados en Tamaulipas por elgobernador, Eugenio Hernán-dez Flores.

El presidente municipal,Servando López Moreno,hizo público el anunció de unnuevo recorte de personal yla reducción rigurosa del gas-to corriente.

A partirdel últimotrimestre del2008, el Gob-ierno Munici-pal endurecióla adminis-tración de suhaciendapública; sin

embargo, el difícil panoramaeconómico que se vislumbrapara este 2009 ha obligado aque los recursos sean admin-istrados con mayor respons-abilidad, indica un comunicadode prensa.

“Con este nuevo recorte yreducción de gastos no vamos adescuidar la obra pública ni losprogramas sociales, como en elcaso de las becas a alumnos deescasos recursos, las cuales au-mentaremos este año para ben-eficiar a un mayor número defamilias”, dijo López.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo LaredoEl jefe de gobierno de Nuevo Laredo, Ramón Garza Barrios, a la izquierda, en-trega su pago de impuesto predial a Cecilia Hernández, cajera en las oficinas,el miércoles. Observa Martín de la Garza Chapa, director del Predial por partedel Municipio, a la derecha, y el Síndico César Valdez, al centro.

Conminan a pagar predial en enero

ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

NUEVO LAREDO — Al pa-gar su predial correspondienteal presente año, el alcaldeRamón Garza Barrios convocóa los contribuyentes de NuevoLaredo cumplir con el pago deeste impuesto “porque a mayorrecaudación por este concepto,mayores recursos federalespara aplicarse en obras quenecesita la ciudad”.

El alcalde hizo su pago en lacaja 5 ubicada en el anexo delCentro Cívico Carlos EnriqueCantú Rosas, el miércoles. Aten-dido por Cecilia Hernández ytras una espera de cinco minu-tos, de acuerdo a la numeraciónque le tocó, cubrió el impuestopredial del 2009.

“Les agradezco a todos ust-edes que estén aquí cumpliendocon Nuevo Laredo, porque supago es para traer mayores ben-eficios”, les dijo Garza Barrios aquienes estaban esperandoturno para pagar el predial.

Por su parte Martín de laGarza Chapa, director del Pre-dial por parte del Municipio,dijo que hasta el miércoles yasumaban seis mil 208 cuentasliquidadas hasta las 11 a.m.

El cobro del predial se haceen las cajas recaudadoras insta-ladas en el Centro Cívico, en lasventanillas de cobro ubicadasen las oficinas de Comapa, en eledificio de Seguridad Vial y en

las oficinas de Reservas Terri-toriales.

De la Garza Chapa atribuyóesta respuesta a que la genteestá viendo reflejados sus im-puestos en obras que elevan sucalidad de vida y al descuentode 15 por ciento por pago antic-ipado del predial 2009.

En el padrón de con-tribuyentes están inscritas 169mil cuentas, de las cuales en elaño pasado se cubrieron 52.5por ciento, equivalente a 86 mil.

“Para este año, si la ciu-dadanía nos ayuda, tenemosuna meta de llegar a las 100mil o si es posible, al cien porciento del padrón”, dijo De laGarza Chapa.

El cobro de este impuestose ve proyectado en obras depavimentación, escuelas y enseguridad pública, pero sobretodo en las participacionesfederales que llegan a la ciu-dad, indica un comunicado deprensa.

Las familias, al acudir al re-modelado Centro Cívico CarlosEnrique Cantú Rosas, tienenmás comodidad y no sufren lasinclemencias del clima.

El comunicado de prensa in-dica que la atención que ofrecenlas ocho cajas registradoras esrápida y tan sólo dos minutosrequieren para pagar.

Los pagos se reciben en efec-tivo, en cheques o por tarjeta dedébito o crédito.

LÓPEZ

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 9AZbusiness SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

Monday is decision on Madoff bailBy TOM HAYS and LARRY NEUMEISTER

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — A judge delayed a decision un-til Monday on whether Bernard Madoff shouldbe sent to jail for sending more than $1 millionworth of jewelry to family and friends over theholidays.

The postponement came as prosecutors re-ceived a 30-day extension to bring an indictmentagainst Madoff, according to a person familiarwith the investigation who spoke on condition ofanonymity because the decision had not been an-nounced.

Prosecutors originally had a Monday deadlineto bring an indictment.

Prosecutors want Madoff ’s bail revoked be-cause they claim he has been trying to protecthis assets from investors burned by a $50 billionfraud. In addition to the jewelry, they say hewas ready to send 100 signed checks worth $173million to family and friends right before his ar-rest.

The defense says the sending of the gifts was aninnocent mistake, and believe he should be free onbail. They don’t believe he poses a threat to thecommunity or is a risk to flee — the two main con-siderations in bail decisions.

The fact that he has been able to spend his daysin his luxury apartment — and not jail — has stirredup outrage among investors who lost billions in hisalleged fraud.

Latin American stocks dip on U.S. jobs, Mexico

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Latin American stocksslipped Friday as unemployment reached a 16-yearhigh in the U.S., one of the region’s top trading part-ners, and Mexico inched closer toward recession.

Brazil’s benchmark Ibovespa index dipped 1 per-cent to 41,583, reversing morning gains that saw stocksrise 1 percent on hopes that a $1.8 billion deal betweentwo of Brazil’s top banks could ease lending. State-owned Banco do Brasil SA said it would buy a 50 per-cent share in Banco Votorantim SA, a major providerof car loans and credit to businesses.

Gains were pared as the U.S. Labor Departmentannounced 7.2 percent unemployment for Decem-ber, suggesting that demand for exports from LatinAmerica would continue to slide. The Dow Jones In-dustrial Average fell 1.6 percent to 8,599 in NewYork.

Mexico’s IPC index meanwhile dropped 1 percentto 21,741. Treasury Secretary Agustin Carstens said thenation’s economy may be headed for a recession in2009, amid slowing foreign investment and decreaseddemand for exports in its biggest market, the U.S.

Central Bank president Guillermo Ortiz pre-dicted that inflation, which hit a seven-year high inDecember, would slow this month in Mexico as thegovernment slashes energy costs — giving the centralbank room to cut its lending rate.

The peso weakened slightly to trade at 13.7 to theU.S. dollar on the news, suggesting that investorswould be less likely to buy Mexican bonds should theinterest rate spread with U.S. Treasuries narrow ona rate cut.

In Argentina, the Merval index fell 1.1 percent to1,180, while Peru’s IGBVL slid 0.3 percent to 7,185.Colombia’s IGBC gained 0.6 percent to 7,766 andChile’s IPSA advanced 0.6 percent to 2,500.

Live a healthy life - read Saludonly in The Zapata Times

Similar charges are pendingagainst Ruiz.

Federal agents recordedMorales and Ruiz meeting withthe cooperating witness duringJune, July and August last year,Wright said. In early meetings,Morales and Ruiz discussed pay-ment: $4,000 up front, and $5,000after the drugs made it safelythrough Zapata, according to anews release issued by the U.S.Attorney’s office.

In later meetings, Morales dis-cussed the route the cocaine traf-ficker would take, Border Patrolsensors in the area and howMorales would ensure law en-forcement was not in the area thetrafficker would be passingthrough, Wright said.

Morales, who had been withthe Border Patrol less than twoyears at the time of his arrest,

said in court Tuesday that hiswife was pregnant and was notemployed when he agreed to helpthe trafficker.

“I needed the money for myfamily,” he said.

Morales remains in federalcustody, held without bond pend-ing his sentencing. That sentenc-ing is scheduled for March 18 be-fore U.S. District Judge MicaelaAlvarez.

His employment with BorderPatrol was terminated followinghis arrest, authorities said.

(Jason Buch may be reachedat 728-2547 or jbuch@lmton-line.com)

10A | THE ZAPATA TIMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

The driver and passengerabandoned the vehicle, fled onfoot and escaped into the brush,she said.

As deputies searched the pick-up, they found 17 bundles con-taining a total of about 186pounds of marijuana worth ap-proximately $60,000.

Cuellar, who has known Zap-ata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gon-zalez for many years, praised thecooperation between the two lawenforcement organizations, say-ing the drug seizure was a “bigvictory and a great way to get thenew year started.”

“This is only the beginning ofa new era at the Webb CountySheriff’s Office,” Cuellar statedin a news release. “We will con-tinue working cooperatively withother law enforcement agenciesto take drugs off the street.”

(Nick Georgiou may bereached at 728-2582 ornickg@lmtonline.com)

Continued from Page 1A

BUST

AGENT | Continued from Page 1A

BURGLARY OF A HABIATATIONA residence on 7th Street, near Highway 16, was re-

ported burglarized Jan. 1.The male complainant, Eduardo Amador Sanchez,

who was arrested on drug charges earlier that day atabout 2 a.m., told deputies several firearms were stolenfrom the residence.

In the offense report, deputies name four suspectswanted for the theft, which was reported at about 5:30p.m.

POSSESSION OF ACONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

Two men were charged with possession of cocaineand assault at about 2 a.m. Jan. 1 after police respondedto a domestic disturbance at the El Tigre Food Store nearthe intersection of 7th and Miraflores streets.

Juan Manuel Esquivel Jr. and Amador EduardoSanchez, both of the 600 block of Miraflores, were bookedand later taken to Zapata County jail.

According to the offense report, deputies recovered 29pieces of aluminum foil containing crack cocaine.

Deputies arrested a man at about 11:30 p.m. Dec.31 on the charge of possession of less than 2 ounces ofmarijuana, a Class-B misdemeanor.

Juan Domingo Gutierrez IV, of the 5200 block of PeñaLane, was booked and later taken to Zapata County jail.

According to the offense report, deputies found themarijuana in Gutierrez’s possession after pulling him overnear the intersection of Zapata Avenue and 7th Street.

A man was charged with possession of cocaine af-ter being pulled over at about 2 a.m. Monday on U.S. 83.

Tomas Villarreal Jr., of the 5400 block of Pascual Lane,

was booked and taken to Zapata County jail.According to the offense report, a deputy searched Vil-

larreal and the vehicle following the traffic stop and foundtwo foils containing a substance believed to be crack co-caine.

Two students were arrested at Zapata Middle Schoolat about 10:30 p.m. Monday.

The two girls were charged with possession of lessthan 2 ounces of marijuana in a drug-free zone, a Class-Amisdemeanor.

According to the offense report, the girls were arrest-ed after a school employee called the sheriff’s office.

Also, deputies recovered a cigarette allegedly con-taining marijuana.

EVADING ARRESTWITH A MOTOR VEHICLE

Two men were arrested at about 11 p.m. Dec. 30 af-ter allegedly leading deputies on a brief pursuit on U.S. 83.

Leobardo Garza Jr., of the 1500 block of Lincoln Street,and Daniel Enrique Presas, of the 400 block of KennedyStreet, were charged with evading arrest with a motor ve-hicle, a state jail felony.

Both were later taken to Zapata County jail.According to the offense report, the pursuit happened

after a deputy tried to pull them over for traveling 73 mphin a 45 mph zone on South U.S. 83.

However, the two men, riding motorcycles, refused tostop, the report states.

They later pulled over without incident, deputies said.

ASSAULTVAn assault report was taken at about 11 p.m. Dec. 30

at the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office.According to the offense report, the complainant, of

the 100 block of Trinity Lane, told police that her boyfriendassaulted her, but that she did not wish to file charges be-cause she feared him.

Sheriff’s deputies later issued a warrant for theboyfriend’s arrest, charging him with assault causing bod-ily injury (family violence), a Class-A misdemeanor.

Deputies arrested a man at about 12:30 a.m. Jan.1 after he was allegedly verbally aggressive toward familymembers and attempting to start a fight with his brother.

David Garcia was detained at his residence in 500block of Ramireno Street and charged with assault (fam-ily violence), a Class-A misdemeanor.

He was later taken to Zapata County jail.Deputies arrested a man Sunday at Salinas Ranch

off U.S. 83 after he allegedly broke into a residence and be-gan pushing and shoving his wife.

Dominique Mendiola III, of the 200 block of Murcia Dri-ve, was charged with Class-C misdemeanor assault andtaken to Zapata County jail.

According to the offense report, deputies respondedto the ranch following a domestic disturbance report atabout 2:30 a.m.

AUTO THEFTA vehicle was reported stolen Jan. 1 from the 5200

block of Cuellar Lane.The male complainant told police about the theft at ap-

proximately 11 p.m.A vehicle was reported stolen Sunday from the

2400 block of Elm Street.The female complainant told police about the theft at

approximately 2 a.m.

THE BLOTTER

By RUSSELL CONTRERASASSOCIATED PRESS

BOSTON — A Boston FireDepartment ladder truck com-ing down a hill plowed throughan intersection Friday andcrashed into a high-rise apart-ment building, killing one fire-fighter and seriously injuring asecond.

Dozens firefighters bowedtheir heads and held their hel-mets over their hearts as theycreated a pathway for the bodyof one firefighter — covered ina black body bag on a stretch-er — to be carried from thewreckage and put into an am-bulance.

The truck was returning froma medical call when it barreleddown the steep Parker Hill Av-

enue, went through the intersec-tion at Huntington Avenue andslammed into the building, saidFire Department spokesmanSteve MacDonald.

Lt. Kevin Kelley, 52, of Quincy,a 30-year veteran supervisor rid-ing in the truck’s front seat, diedat the scene, MacDonald said.Another firefighter aboard had abroken leg and two others hadminor injuries. He said anotherfirefighter helping at the scenesuffered a broken ankle.

Kelley was one of the fire-fighters featured on the Discov-ery Channel’s 2005 “FirehouseUSA-Boston” shows, followingLadder 26.

The truck hit a section of thebuilding where children wereworking in a computer learningcenter. MacDonald said four

children were taken to hospitalswith minor injuries.

Three firefighters taken toBeth Israel Deaconess MedicalCenter were in good condition,said spokeswoman Zineb Mar-choudi.

Mehigan said five people notinvolved in the crash were takento hospitals to be checked be-cause of anxiety-related symp-toms.

MacDonald declined to com-ment on the cause of the crash.He said the truck’s maintenancerecords will be part of the inves-tigation.

The accident closed part ofHuntington Avenue — a majorthoroughfare near NortheasternUniversity and several of thecity’s major medical centers.

The truck struck two parked

cars and a brick wall before be-coming lodged in the building.

Danyelle Jones, 24, said shewas throwing away trash on theeighth floor when she was near-ly knocked over by the collision.

“I heard a loud boom and myback got all twisted up,” she said.

The tall red brick structure isowned by the nonprofit RoxburyTenants of Harvard, a housingand human service organizationthat was founded by residents ofthe neighborhood in 1969.

WHDH-TV and The BostonGlobe reported the same laddertruck involved in Friday’s acci-dent was involved in a minor ac-cident on Dec. 10, when the truckrear-ended a car at the intersec-tion of Huntington and Long-wood Avenues, causing minordamage and no injuries. The

Firefighter dies as truck hits buildingFUTURE ADMINISTRATORS

Courtesy photo/Villarreal Elementary | Special to the TimesFour Villarreal Elementary teachers received master’s degrees in educational ad-ministration from Texas A&M International University in a ceremony Dec. 12. Shown,left to right, are Vicky Martinez, Lydia Garza, Teresa Collett (Villarreal) and ElizabethCruz. Martinez, Garza and Collett Villarreal are graduates of Zapata High School.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009 THE ZAPATA TIMES | 11ASTATE

DHS ready if Mexico violence spills over

By ALICIA A. CALDWELLand EILEEN SULLIVAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS

EL PASO — If Mexican drugviolence spills across the U.S.border, Homeland Security offi-cials say they have a contin-gency plan to help border areasfight it.

“It’s a common sense exten-sion of our continued work withour state, local, and tribal part-ners in securing the southwestborder,” DHS spokeswomanAmy Kudwa said Friday.

Homeland Security Secre-tary Michael Chertoff, who de-scribed the contingency plan inan interview with The New YorkTimes this week, said he or-dered specific plans to be drawnup this summer as violence inMexico continued to mount.

The plan includes federalhomeland security agents help-ing local authorities and maybeeven military assistance fromthe Department of Defense, pos-sibly including aircraft, armoredvehicles and special teams to goto areas overwhelmed with vio-lence, authorities said.

Kudwa would not givespecifics on the so-called “surge”plan because it is marked “forofficial use only.” But she saidthe plan does not create any newauthorities.

In the last year, more than5,000 people have been killedand police and military officialshave become common targetsfor violent drug cartels who arefighting with each other and thegovernment for control of lucra-tive drug and human smugglingroutes across Mexico.

More than one-fifth of thedeaths have occurred in CiudadJuarez, the hardscrabble bordercity just across the Rio Grandefrom El Paso.

Officials in Mexico reportedabout 1,600 homicides in Juarezin 2007 and at least 20 peoplehave been killed in the first ninedays of this year.

To date, there has been nosignificant violent spilloverfrom the drug war in Mexico,but U.S. authorities have spent atense year watching and wait-ing.

In October, Hidalgo Countyofficials issued fully automatic

weapons to deputies patrollingthe river in the Rio Grande Val-ley. Sheriff Lupe Treviño alsoauthorized his deputies to re-turn fire across the border ifsmugglers or other criminalstook aim at them.

In El Paso, the country’slargest border community andone of the safest metropolitanareas in the nation, SheriffRichard Wiles said that whilehe doesn’t anticipate the city orcounty being overwhelmed byborder violence he applaudedthe DHS plan to quickly respondif the worst should happen.

“I think it’s appropriate forthe federal government to have acontingency plan all the way upto the worst case scenario,”Wiles said.

The contingency plan wasnews to most border states.

“At this point, DHS has notcontacted the California Na-tional Guard to bring any forces... to support first responders,i.e. (U.S.) Border Patrol, at theborder in California,” CaliforniaNational Guard spokesmanJonathan Guibord said Friday.

He said National Guard offi-cials in California know only“what’s been publicized” aboutthe plan, but added that statemilitary officials routinely trainand prepare to respond to anyorder from Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger or the presi-dent.

Katherine Cesinger, aspokeswoman for Texas Gov.Rick Perry, said Texas officialswere briefed on the plan butwere not consulted beforehandabout a plan to fight Mexicandrug cartels on the 2,000-mileU.S. border, more than half ofwhich is in Texas.

Cesinger said the state hasits own specific security plansfor each area of the Texas bordershould violence from Mexico be-come an issue. She declined togive specifics of those plans.

Officials with New Mexico’sDepartment of Homeland Se-curity and Emergency Man-agement said they are in con-stant contact with federalHomeland Security officialsbut weren’t aware of any spe-cific security plan that couldinclude Department of De-fense assets.

Legislature mulls college

tuition capBy JAY ROOT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN — Hit with middle-class concerns about the risingcosts of a college education, Texaslawmakers soon will consider leg-islation that would temporarilyfreeze tuition at state universities.But higher education leaders arewarning the move could blow ahole in their budgets and lowerthe value of a Texas diploma.

Six years ago, facing a $10 bil-lion budget shortfall, the Legisla-ture gave universities broad lati-tude in setting tuition rates. Thathelped spark a steady climb in col-lege costs — including a 53 percentrise for tuition and fees at state uni-versities, state figures show.

“We’re really pricing out a lotof students from college educa-tion,” said Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hi-nojosa, D-McAllen, who has fileda bill that would put a two-yearmoratorium on tuition hikes atpublic universities. “There is alot more pressure building ... totry to find a way to rein in thehigh costs of a college education.”

Hinojosa’s Senate Bill 105has drawn eight co-sponsors inthe 31-member Senate, includ-ing four senators who voted infavor of the 2003 legislation thattriggered the increases. Besidesthe two-year tuition moratori-um, the bill would peg future in-creases to the cost of living andrequire that most fee hikes beapproved by a majority of stu-dents. While the idea of collegeaffordability has broad appealamong lawmakers, some warn itcould spark potentially devas-tating cuts at universities andreduce the value of a degreefrom Texas public colleges.

Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Vic-toria, sponsored the 2003 legis-lation that allowed universitiesto set their own tuition rates. Shesaid it would be a mistake to forcetuition lower over time withoutoffsetting the losses in revenue.

“It’s very easy to say we wantto lower what the tuition is,” saidMorrison, who has served as thechair of the House higher educa-tion committee in recent years.

Spain wants to restore Nina

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CORPUS CHRISTI — Spain’sconsulate is floating a proposal torestore a replica of ChristopherColumbus’ ship the Nina.

The wooden vessel, originallypart of the replica fleet along withthe Pinta and Santa Maria,docked in Corpus Christi in 1993.The other two were badly dam-aged in a barge crash the follow-ing year.

In return for sharing the costsof the restoration with CorpusChristi, financiers would tow theNina to Kemah on Galveston Bayto display during a sailing race inMay, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported in Friday’s edi-tions.

The city would pay the cost ofthe wood and iron, while the un-named financiers would cover thecost of the repairs, according tothe proposal, which also calls for$10,000 from local museum sup-porters. It was unclear what thecost of restoration would be.

The proposal is under consid-eration by City Manager AngelEscobar.

Photo by Rachel Denny Clow/Corpus Christie Caller-Times | APIn this Feb. 22, 2007, photo a replica of Columbus’s ship the Nina arrives in Little Bay in Rockport. Spain’s consulate is floating a proposal to restore the replica. The wood-en vessel, originally part of the replica fleet with the Pinta and Santa Maria, docked in Corpus Christi in 1993. The other two were badly damaged in a barge crash the fol-lowing year.

12A | THE ZAPATA TIMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

COLORFUL STROKES

Photo by Ronda Churchill | APPaul Ledak, of Austin, plays the newly-launched Gibson Dark Fire guitar at an interactive display at the Gibson booth during theInternational Consumer Electronics Show on Friday, in Las Vegas.

Fatal fire shows no safety checksBy DANNY ROBBINSASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS — Investigators prob-ing a fatal fire at an East Texashomeless shelter have been un-able to find evidence it was in-spected for fire safety in recentyears, according to local officials.

While still early in the investi-gation into Monday’s fire thatripped through the aging build-ing, killing five, records indicate itwas last inspected in 2004, firechief Ronnie Grooms told The As-sociated Press.

Homeless shelters in Texasaren’t licensed by the state, soregular fire inspections are notrequired. Grooms said his smalldepartment, which has only twoinspectors, focuses mostly onstate-licensed facilities where in-spections are mandated.

“Sometimes things fallthrough the cracks,” he said.

“That’s no excuse, really. That’sjust the way it is.”

The victims, who have yet to beidentified, were among 28 mensleeping in cubicles in the ware-house-like building, which haslong served as both a homelessshelter and a collection point fordonated clothes and other items.

The cause of the fire has yet tobe determined. However, investi-gators have determined the shel-ter had no sprinkler system, firealarms or smoke detectors,Grooms said.

The facility is owned and op-erated by a local nonprofit group,Seed Sowers Christians in Action.The group’s founder, Don Walker,declined comment on issues re-lating to building codes or in-spections.

“All I know is I tried to takecare of people,” he said.

The Paris fire is the latest ofat least a dozen at homeless

shelters across the U.S. in thelast two years, according tonews accounts.

Conditions at homeless shel-ters have improved dramaticallyover the last 20 years, but someremain inadequate for housingpeople overnight, said MichaelStoops, executive director of theNational Coalition for the Home-less. Because city ordinances arethe only form of oversight formost shelters, it’s critical that theybe inspected regularly, he said.

“That (shelter), if they werehaving people sleep there at night,it needed to be inspected and keptup to code,” he said.

Fire officials in Dallas andDenton have closed homelessshelters in the past year becauseof code violations. In both in-stances, the fire marshals saidthey felt conflicted about the de-cisions, but the violations weretoo serious to ignore.

Sports&OutdoorsThe Zapata Times

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COMSATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

Is Philadelphia this year’s Giants?By DAVE GOLDBERGASSOCIATED PRESS

Justin Tuck chuckled when he was asked ifthe Philadelphia Eagles are this year’s ver-sion of the New York Giants, a low-seededwild-card team that can go allthe way.

“The Giants from last yearare in that locker room overthere,” New York’s Pro Bowldefensive end said, noddingtoward the large space 100yards or so down the hall from the room at Gi-ants Stadium where he was talking.

“The team in Philadelphia,” Tuck said, “isthe Eagles of this year.”

The scene sets a compelling second-round

NFL playoff matchup, the third meeting of theseason between the defending champions andtheir NFC East rivals from 90 miles down theNew Jersey Turnpike.

As Philadelphia is trying to do this year,New York had to win three road games before

upsetting unbeaten New Eng-land 17-14 in Arizona in the Su-per Bowl.

The Eagles and Giants, whowill play at 1 p.m. EST on Sun-day, split their two games thisseason with Philadelphia hand-

ing New York its only home loss, 20-14 on Dec.7. It was a game that some of the Eagles thinkwas their best this season, and the Giants con-sider one of their worst. It came the week af-ter Plaxico Burress, the Giants’ main receiving

threat, shot himself accidentally in the leg andwas suspended by the team for the rest of theseason.

What also makes it compelling is the na-ture of the NFC East, probably the consistent-ly best division in the NFL for the last 25 years.It has had eight teams in the playoffs the lastthree seasons and, from 1990-1992, had threeteams win Super Bowls: the Giants, Washing-ton and Dallas.

Philadelphia is the only division team with-out a Super Bowl victory — Dallas has five andNew York and Washington three each. But formost of this decade, with Donovan McNabb atquarterback, the Eagles have been consistent-ly good — losing to New England by three

Photo by Bill Kostroun | APA worker spreads rock salt Friday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. in antic-ipation of a snow storm before the New York Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles onSunday, in an NFL divisional playoff football game.

Coach says boys ready for district

By NINO CARDENASLAREDO MORNING TIMES

The Zapata Hawks are 2-0 inDistrict 32-3A play, 9-10 overall,not including Friday’s late gameat Port Isabel.

The Hawks will play Progresoon Tuesday and Hidalgo on Fri-day, so coach Juan Villarreal’sclub knows the importance of tak-ing care of its home contests tostart district play.

Overall, four of their next sev-en games are on the road.

“There was a point at the be-ginning of the season where wewanted to make sure we won ourhome games,” Villarreal said pri-or to Friday’s contest. “In the lasttwo district games, we’ve put up agood fight. The difference in thelast game was the free throws(made 15-21).”

Sophomore Andrew Magee ledZapata in its 54-49 win over Ray-mondville on Friday night.

He made eight free throws inthe fourth quarter to help theHawks pull away with the win.

“He came through in theclutch,” Villarreal said. “He’sshowing a lot of poise and didn’tseem rattled at all.”

Even with Rene Garcia hav-ing an off game, the Hawks werestill able to pull away due to Meli-ton Trejo’s 14 points.

“We don’t key on one player,”Villarreal said. “We need some-one to step up every single game.Rene was off, but Meliton stepped

it up nicely.”Villarreal refers to Trejo as his

“little general.”“He does well in getting the

guys focused and making surethey pay attention to detail,” hesaid.

With huge games loomingagainst Hidalgo and Rio Hondo,the district champ the last threeyears, next week, in the comingweeks, Villarreal has managed tokeep the mood light.

He allows the players to listento music while practicing, but em-phasizes the need to rememberthe goal at hand.

“The goal right now is trying tokeep everything fun but to be fo-cused,” Villarreal said. “We wantto keep working hard and beinghumble.

“I tell them we’re not going toblow anybody out. We have tofight hard every game in order tocome away with a win.”

Photo by Mark Humphrey | APFlorida head coach Urban Meyer lifts the the BCS Coaches’Trophy following Florida’svictory in the BCS Championship NCAA college football game in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,on Friday. Florida defeated Oklahoma 24-14.

WINNING COACH

“We need someoneto step up every

single game. Rene was off, butMeliton stepped

it up nicely.”COACH JUAN VILLARREAL

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The $6.5 million Stren Series is headed toZapata’s Falcon Lake on Jan. 15-17 for a$275,225 bass tournament.

As many as 400 pros and co-anglers from21 states will be competing in the first TexasDivision tournament of the season for topawards of $65,000 and $35,000, respectively.

“I am really looking forward to fishingFalcon Lake again,” said pro Jeremy Guidryof Opelousas, La., who won the 2008 StrenSeries Texas Division event on Falcon Lake.“I look for the weights to be similar to lastyear. With the high water and the fish movingup to spawn the fish will likely be spreadout. Some anglers will really be on the fishand other anglers will struggle.

“The fish won’t be grouped up like theywere at the FLW Series tournament in No-

vember, which will make it a little more dif-ficult.”

Guidry caught his bass in the 2008 eventthrowing a ChatterBait and flipping a crea-ture bait and plans to start off using the samebaits.

“It would be nice to get on a good flippingbite this time around,” he said. “It is so hardto get the big fish out of the bushes and trees.I would rather be catching them on a heavy

line and a flipping bait.”Guidry is not sure that the two locations

he fished last year will be the same with thehigh water.

“I fished two locations during the 2008tournament,” he said. “My primary spot wasin a small creek on the Mexico side of thelake, approximately four miles south of theBeacon Lodge and my secondary area was ina larger creek on the Mexico side, west of themarina.”

“No matter what happens, it is always areal treat to fish Falcon Lake. There aren’tmany lakes in the country where you cancatch so many 7 to 10 pound fish.”

Guidry set a FLW Outdoors record of 20bass weighing 110-02 in the 2008 Stren SeriesTexas Division Falcon Lake event.

Stren Series to host event at Falcon Lake“I am really looking

forward to fishing FalconLake again.”PRO JEREMY GUIDRY

CONTINUING THE TRADITIONLady Hawks juniors hoping to hang up another banner

Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning TimesThe Zapata Lady Hawks’ juniors are hoping start a new tradition of playoff success for the girls’ basketball program. From left to right are Clarissa Solis,

Adriana Peña, Ashley Martinez, Maritza Garcia and Melissa Martinez.

By CLARA SANDOVALSPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The Lady Hawks (2-3 District 32-3A,10-13), who are coming off their 56-32 win over Port Isabel on Friday,

are looking to their juniors, who havefound success early on in their basketballcareers, to add another banner to therafters at the Zapata gymnasium.

Last year, they were part of history asthe team that broke all barriers whenthey won the first playoff game in the pro-gram’s history.

They then beat a heavily favored PortIsabel team, 53-51, to claim the school’sfirst bi-district championship.

In the area championship game, theyran into a powerful West Oso team, whichwas ranked No. 1 in the state last year.

Maritza Garcia, Clary Solis, AdrianaPeña, Mela Martinez and Ashley Mar-tinez were sophomores then.

They had a taste of success and hope tocontinue a new Lady Hawk tradition –being part of the postseason.

“Last year, winning bi-district was a

big accomplishment for us,” Solis said.“We were sophomores and everyone gotto play in the game. It is something thatwe are very proud of because we brokethat barrier.”

Garcia is a multi-sport athlete whodraws from her success on the cross-coun-try course to help the basketball team.

This past year, the girls cross-countryteam captured the regional championshipand made a trip to the state meet withGarcia leading the pack.

She is one of Zapata’s main offensivethreats from 3-point range.

Solis is a speedy guard who loves play-

ing defense and pushing the ball up thecourt on a fast break.

She is also a track star, and the de-fending 100- and 200-meter champion.

“Clary is a very humble athlete thathas really improved her ballhandlingskills,” Zapata coach Clyde Guerra, Jr.said. “Her speed helps us in our transi-tional offense.”

Peña compliments Solis in the transi-tional offense.

The majority of the time she is the re-cipient of Solis’ pass on the fast break, asshe can dance her way through trafficand finish a layup on the break.

“As a sophomore, she was instrumen-tal in our team’s success. She is a greatathlete,” Guerra said.

Mela Martinez is the Lady Hawks’ de-fensive stopper underneath the basketthat loves to dive for any loose balls on thebasketball court.

“Mela gives us quality minutes whenshe is on the court. She is slowly startingto come along for us,” Guerra said.

“It is something that weare very proud

of because we broke that barrier.”

CLARY SOLIS

See PHILY | PAGE 2B

See SERIES | PAGE 2B

See LADY | PAGE 2B

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM 2BZscores SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

CCHHLLNNoorrtthheerrnn CCoonnffeerreenncceeNNoorrtthheeaasstt DDiivviissiioonn

WW LL OOTTLL PPttss GGFF GGAA

Oklahoma City 19 9 5 43 99 77Bossier-Shreveport20 11 2 42 104 87Mississippi 20 12 0 40 112 86Tulsa 9 18 4 22 86 135

NNoorrtthhwweesstt DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTTLL PPttss GGFF GGAA

Colorado 25 6 1 51 138 96Rocky Mountain 16 14 3 35 101 114Rapid City 11 14 7 29 94 116Wichita 11 19 2 24 86 106

SSoouutthheerrnn CCoonnffeerreenncceeSSoouutthheeaasstt DDiivviissiioonn

WW LL OOTTLL PPttss GGFF GGAA

Texas 22 9 3 47 117 94Laredo 19 10 3 41 110 89Rio Grande Valley14 15 3 31 112 117Corpus Christi 13 15 4 30 100 109

SSoouutthhwweesstt DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTTLL PPttss GGFF GGAA

Odessa 22 9 3 47 137 99Arizona 17 17 1 35 128 133New Mexico 12 19 2 26 113 139Amarillo 10 20 0 20 89 129

SSaattuurrddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

New Mexico at AmarilloTulsa at MississippiBossier-Shreveport at LaredoCorpus Christi at Rio Grande ValleyOdessa at ArizonaRocky Mountain at ColoradoWichita at Rapid City

SSuunnddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Mississippi at Oklahoma CityNew Mexico at Amarillo

NNFFLL PPllaayyooffff GGllaanncceeAAllll TTiimmeess EESSTT

WWiilldd--ccaarrdd PPllaayyooffffssSSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 33

Arizona 30, Atlanta 24San Diego 23, Indianapolis 17, OT

SSuunnddaayy,, JJaann.. 44

Baltimore 27, Miami 9Philadelphia 26, Minnesota 14

DDiivviissiioonnaall PPllaayyooffffssSSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 1100

Baltimore at Tennessee, 4:30 p.m. (CBS)Arizona at Carolina, 8:15 p.m. (FOX)

SSuunnddaayy,, JJaann.. 1111

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. (FOX)San Diego at Pittsburgh, 4:45 p.m. (CBS)

CCoonnffeerreennccee CChhaammppiioonnsshhiippssSSuunnddaayy,, JJaann.. 1188

NNFFCC

Arizona-Carolina winner vs. Philadelphia-N.Y. Giants win-ner (FOX), 3 p.m.

AAFFCC

Baltimore-Tennessee winner vs. San Diego-Pittsburgh win-ner (CBS), 6:30 p.m.

SSuuppeerr BBoowwllSSuunnddaayy,, FFeebb.. 11TTaammppaa,, FFllaa..

AFC vs. NFC, 6 p.m. (NBC)PPrroo BBoowwll

SSuunnddaayy,, FFeebb.. 88AAtt HHoonnoolluulluu

AFC vs. NFC, 4:30 p.m. (NBC)IInnjjuurryy RReeppoorrtt

NEW YORK — The updated National Football League in-jury report, as provided by the league:

SSAATTUURRDDAAYY

BALTIMORE RAVENS at TENNESSEE TITANS —RAVENS: OUT: LB Antwan Barnes (chest). QUESTION-ABLE: DT Justin Bannan (foot), TE Todd Heap (back), LB Jar-ret Johnson (calf), WR Derrick Mason (shoulder), S Ed Reed(knee, illness), CB Samari Rolle (thigh), K Matt Stover (rightankle), CB Fabian Washington (neck). TITANS: OUT: DEDave Ball (back), C Kevin Mawae (elbow). QUESTIONABLE:S Tuff Harris (calf). PROBABLE: CB Nicholas Harper (groin),DT Albert Haynesworth (knee), TE Bo Scaife (illness), LBDavid Thornton (hip), DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin).

ARIZONA CARDINALS at CAROLINA PANTHERS —CARDINALS: QUESTIONABLE: WR Anquan Boldin (ham-string), DE Travis LaBoy (ankle), TE Ben Patrick (knee).PROBABLE: TE Leonard Pope (knee). PANTHERS: QUES-TIONABLE: C Geoff Hangartner (ankle). PROBABLE: DTMa’ake Kemoeatu (ankle), DT Damione Lewis (shoulder), TJeff Otah (toe).

SSUUNNDDAAYY

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at NEW YORK GIANTS — EA-GLES: OUT: G Shawn Andrews (back). DOUBTFUL: RB DanKlecko (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: T Jon Runyan (knee).PROBABLE: DE Victor Abiamiri (foot), LB Stewart Bradley(rib), S Brian Dawkins (back), S Quintin Demps (quadricep), GTodd Herremans (shoulder), CB Asante Samuel (hip), TE L.J.Smith (shoulder), RB Brian Westbrook (knee). NEW YORK:PROBABLE: LB Zak DeOssie (back), DE Justin Tuck (lowerleg, knee).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS —CHARGERS: DOUBTFUL: RB LaDainian Tomlinson (groin).QUESTIONABLE: TE Antonio Gates (ankle, achilles). PROB-ABLE: K Nate Kaeding (right groin), LB Brandon Siler (foot).STEELERS: PROBABLE: QB Ben Roethlisberger (concus-sion).

NNBBAAEEAASSTTEERRNN CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEE

AAttllaannttiicc

WW LL PPcctt GGBB

Boston 29 8 .784 —New Jersey 18 18 .500 10½Philadelphia 15 20 .429 13Toronto 15 21 .417 13½New York 13 21 .382 14½

SSoouutthheeaasstt WW LL PPcctt GGBB

Orlando 28 8 .778 —Atlanta 22 12 .647 5Miami 18 16 .529 9Charlotte 13 23 .361 15Washington 7 27 .206 20

CCeennttrraallWW LL PPcctt GGBB

Cleveland 28 6 .824 —Detroit 21 12 .636 6½Milwaukee 17 20 .459 12½Chicago 15 20 .429 13½Indiana 13 22 .371 15½

WWEESSTTEERRNN CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEESSoouutthhwweesstt

WW LL PPcctt GGBB

San Antonio 24 11 .686 —New Orleans 21 11 .656 1½Dallas 22 13 .629 2Houston 22 15 .595 3Memphis 11 25 .306 13½

NNoorrtthhwweesstt WW LL PPcctt GGBB

Denver 25 12 .676 —Portland 21 14 .600 3Utah 21 15 .583 3½Minnesota 10 25 .286 14Oklahoma City 5 31 .139 19½

PPaacciiffiiccWW LL PPcctt GGBB

L.A. Lakers 28 6 .824 —Phoenix 19 13 .594 8Golden State 10 27 .270 19½L.A. Clippers 8 27 .229 20½Sacramento 8 28 .222 21

WWeeddnneessddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Orlando 106, Atlanta 102Toronto 99, Washington 93Cleveland 111, Charlotte 81New Jersey 100, Memphis 89Houston 89, Boston 85Philadelphia 110, Milwaukee 105Minnesota 129, Oklahoma City 87Denver 108, Miami 97Indiana 113, Phoenix 110Utah 116, New Orleans 90Portland 84, Detroit 83L.A. Lakers 114, Golden State 106

TThhuurrssddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Dallas 99, New York 94San Antonio 106, L.A. Clippers 84

FFrriiddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Atlanta at Orlando, 7 p.m.Memphis at Toronto, 7 p.m.Charlotte at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.Boston at Cleveland, 8 p.m.Houston at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.L.A. Clippers at New Orleans, 8 p.m.Washington at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.New Jersey at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m.Detroit at Denver, 9 p.m.Miami at Sacramento, 10 p.m.Dallas at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m.Indiana at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

SSaattuurrddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Charlotte at Washington, 7 p.m.Milwaukee at Minnesota, 8 p.m.New York at Houston, 8:30 p.m.Oklahoma City at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.Detroit at Utah, 9 p.m.Golden State at Portland, 10 p.m.

SSuunnddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Boston at Toronto, 12:30 p.m.Philadelphia at Atlanta, 2 p.m.Phoenix at L.A. Clippers, 3:30 p.m.Orlando at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.Dallas at Sacramento, 9 p.m.Indiana at Golden State, 9 p.m.Miami at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

NNHHLLAAllll TTiimmeess EESSTT

EEAASSTTEERRNN CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEEAAttllaannttiicc DDiivviissiioonn

WW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

Philadelphia 22 10 9 53 136 123N.Y. Rangers 24 15 3 51 115 115New Jersey 23 14 3 49 119 105Pittsburgh 20 18 4 44 127 130N.Y. Islanders 12 26 4 28 109 154

NNoorrtthheeaasstt DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

Boston 30 7 4 64 149 93Montreal 24 10 6 54 127 105Buffalo 20 15 5 45 117 113Toronto 16 19 6 38 123 148Ottawa 13 20 6 32 93 117

SSoouutthheeaasstt DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

Washington 27 11 3 57 135 117Carolina 21 16 5 47 110 122Florida 19 16 6 44 112 115Atlanta 14 23 5 33 120 149Tampa Bay 11 19 10 32 97 124

WWEESSTTEERRNN CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEECCeennttrraall DDiivviissiioonn

WW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

Detroit 28 7 5 61 150 112Chicago 22 9 7 51 139 98Columbus 18 18 4 40 104 112Nashville 18 19 3 39 99 117St. Louis 15 21 3 33 112 132

NNoorrtthhwweesstt DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

Calgary 25 12 4 54 130 121Vancouver 22 15 5 49 121 110Colorado 21 19 1 43 108 117Minnesota 20 17 3 43 98 90Edmonton 19 17 3 41 110 118

PPaacciiffiicc DDiivviissiioonnWW LL OOTT PPttss GGFF GGAA

San Jose 29 5 5 63 135 95Anaheim 21 16 5 47 119 117Phoenix 20 17 5 45 105 120Los Angeles 17 17 6 40 102 109Dallas 17 17 5 39 112 135

FFrriiddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Columbus at Washington, 7 p.m.N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.San Jose at Edmonton, 9 p.m.Tampa Bay at Anaheim, 10 p.m.St. Louis at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

SSaattuurrddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Carolina at Boston, 1 p.m.Atlanta at Florida, 1 p.m.Pittsburgh at Colorado, 3 p.m.Buffalo at Detroit, 7 p.m.N.Y. Rangers at Ottawa, 7 p.m.Washington at Montreal, 7 p.m.Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m.Toronto at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.Chicago at Nashville, 8:30 p.m.Dallas at Phoenix, 9 p.m.San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m.New Jersey at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

SSuunnddaayy’’ss GGaammeess

Nashville at Chicago, 7 p.m.New Jersey at Anaheim, 8 p.m.St. Louis at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

NNCCAAAA FFoooottbbaallll BBoowwll GGllaannccee

AAllll TTiimmeess EESSTT((SSuubbjjeecctt ttoo cchhaannggee))SSaattuurrddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2200EEaagglleeBBaannkk BBoowwllAAtt WWaasshhiinnggttoonn

PPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Wake Forest 29, Navy 19NNeeww MMeexxiiccoo BBoowwllAAtt AAllbbuuqquueerrqquueePPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Colorado State 40, Fresno State 35SStt.. PPeetteerrssbbuurrgg ((FFllaa..)) BBoowwll

PPaayyoouutt:: $$11 mmiilllliioonn

South Florida 41, Memphis 14LLaass VVeeggaass BBoowwll

PPaayyoouutt:: $$11 mmiilllliioonn

Arizona 31, BYU 21SSuunnddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2211

NNeeww OOrrlleeaannss BBoowwllPPaayyoouutt:: $$332255,,000000

Southern Mississippi 30, Troy 27, OTTTuueessddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2233PPooiinnsseettttiiaa BBoowwll

AAtt SSaann DDiieeggooPPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

TCU 17, Boise State 16WWeeddnneessddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2244

HHaawwaaiiii BBoowwllAAtt HHoonnoolluulluu

PPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21FFrriiddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2266MMoottoorr CCiittyy BBoowwll

AAtt DDeettrrooiittPPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Florida Atlantic 24, Central Michigan 21SSaattuurrddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2277

MMeeiinneekkee BBoowwllAAtt CChhaarrlloottttee,, NN..CC..PPaayyoouutt:: $$11 mmiilllliioonn

West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30CChhaammppss SSppoorrttss BBoowwll

AAtt OOrrllaannddoo,, FFllaa..PPaayyoouutt:: $$22..112255 mmiilllliioonn

Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13EEmmeerraalldd BBoowwll

AAtt SSaann FFrraanncciissccooPPaayyoouutt:: AACCCC:: $$775500,,000000 PPaacc--1100:: $$885500,,000000

California 24, Miami 17SSuunnddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2288

IInnddeeppeennddeennccee BBoowwllAAtt SShhrreevveeppoorrtt,, LLaa..PPaayyoouutt:: $$11..11 mmiilllliioonn

Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10MMoonnddaayy,, DDeecc.. 2299

PPaappaaJJoohhnnss..ccoomm BBoowwllAAtt BBiirrmmiinngghhaamm,, AAllaa..

PPaayyoouutt:: $$330000,,000000

Rutgers 29, North Carolina State 23AAllaammoo BBoowwll

AAtt SSaann AAnnttoonniiooPPaayyoouutt:: $$22..2255 mmiilllliioonn

Missouri 30, Northwestern 23, OTTTuueessddaayy,, DDeecc.. 3300

HHuummaanniittaarriiaann BBoowwllAAtt BBooiissee,, IIddaahhooPPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Maryland 42, Nevada 35

HHoolliiddaayy BBoowwllAAtt SSaann DDiieeggoo

PPaayyoouutt:: $$22..33 mmiilllliioonn

Oregon 42, Oklahoma St. 31TTeexxaass BBoowwllAAtt HHoouussttoonn

PPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Rice 38, Western Michigan 14WWeeddnneessddaayy,, DDeecc.. 3311AArrmmeedd FFoorrcceess BBoowwll

AAtt FFoorrtt WWoorrtthh,, TTeexxaassPPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Houston 34, Air Force 28SSuunn BBoowwll

AAtt EEll PPaassoo,, TTeexxaassPPaayyoouutt:: $$11..99 mmiilllliioonn

Oregon State 3, Pittsburgh 0MMuussiicc CCiittyy BBoowwll

AAtt NNaasshhvviillllee,, TTeennnn..PPaayyoouutt:: $$11..77 mmiilllliioonn

Vanderbilt 16, Boston College 14IInnssiigghhtt BBoowwll

AAtt TTeemmppee,, AArriizz..PPaayyoouutt:: $$11..22 mmiilllliioonn

Kansas 42, Minnesota 21CChhiicckk--ffiill--AA BBoowwll

AAtt AAttllaannttaaPPaayyoouutt:: $$33 mmiilllliioonn

LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3TThhuurrssddaayy,, JJaann.. 11OOuuttbbaacckk BBoowwll

AAtt TTaammppaa,, FFllaa..PPaayyoouutt:: $$33..22 mmiilllliioonn

Iowa 31, South Carolina 10CCaappiittaall OOnnee BBoowwllAAtt OOrrllaannddoo,, FFllaa..

PPaayyoouutt:: $$44..2255 mmiilllliioonn

Georgia 24, Michigan State 12GGaattoorr BBoowwll

AAtt JJaacckkssoonnvviillllee,, FFllaa..PPaayyoouutt:: $$22..55 mmiilllliioonn

Nebraska 26, Clemson 21RRoossee BBoowwll

AAtt PPaassaaddeennaa,, CCaalliiff..PPaayyoouutt:: $$1177 mmiilllliioonn

Southern Cal 38, Penn State 24OOrraannggee BBoowwll

AAtt MMiiaammiiPPaayyoouutt:: $$1177 mmiilllliioonn

Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7FFrriiddaayy,, JJaann.. 22CCoottttoonn BBoowwllAAtt DDaallllaass

PPaayyoouutt:: $$33 mmiilllliioonn

Mississippi 47, Texas Tech 34LLiibbeerrttyy BBoowwll

AAtt MMeemmpphhiiss,, TTeennnn..PPaayyoouutt:: $$11..88 mmiilllliioonn

Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19SSuuggaarr BBoowwll

AAtt NNeeww OOrrlleeaannssPPaayyoouutt:: $$1177 mmiilllliioonn

Utah 31, Alabama 17SSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 33

IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall BBoowwllAAtt TToorroonnttoo

PPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Connecticut 38, Buffalo 20MMoonnddaayy,, JJaann.. 55

FFiieessttaa BBoowwllAAtt GGlleennddaallee,, AArriizz..

PPaayyoouutt:: $$1177 mmiilllliioonn

Texas 24, Ohio State 21TTuueessddaayy,, JJaann.. 66

GGMMAACC BBoowwllMMoobbiillee,, AAllaa..

PPaayyoouutt:: $$775500,,000000

Tulsa 45, Ball State 13TThhuurrssddaayy,, JJaann.. 88

BBCCSS NNaattiioonnaall CChhaammppiioonnsshhiippAAtt MMiiaammii

PPaayyoouutt:: $$1177 mmiilllliioonn

Florida 24, Oklahoma 14SSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 1177

EEaasstt--WWeesstt SShhrriinnee CCllaassssiiccAAtt HHoouussttoonn

West vs. East, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)SSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 2244

SSeenniioorr BBoowwllAAtt MMoobbiillee,, AAllaa..

South vs. North, 7 p.m. (NFLN)SSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 3311

TTeexxaass vvss.. TThhee NNaattiioonn AAllll--SSttaarr CChhaalllleennggeeAAtt EEll PPaassoo,, TTeexxaass

Texas vs. Nation, 1 p.m.

NNCCAAAA MMeenn’’ss BBaasskkeettbbaallllSScchheedduullee

AAllll TTiimmeess EESSTTSSaattuurrddaayy,, JJaann.. 1100

EEAASSTT

Louisville at Villanova, NoonProvidence at Georgetown, 1 p.m.Lehigh at American U., 2 p.m.Richmond at George Washington, 2 p.m.St. Francis, Pa. at Quinnipiac, 2 p.m.Rhode Island vs. Saint Joseph’s at the Palestra, 2 p.m.Hartford at Yale, 2 p.m.Towson at Northeastern, 3 p.m.Lafayette at Holy Cross, 3:30 p.m.Colgate at Army, 4 p.m.Bryant at Brown, 4 p.m.Dayton vs. Massachusetts at MassMutual Center, Spring-

field, Mass., 4 p.m.Robert Morris at Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.Duquesne at St. Bonaventure, 4 p.m.Mount St. Mary’s, Md. at St. Francis, NY, 4:30 p.m.Bucknell at Navy, 5 p.m.Miami at Boston College, 7 p.m.Harvard at Dartmouth, 7 p.m.Cent. Connecticut St. at Fairleigh Dickinson, 7 p.m.Long Island U. at Wagner, 7 p.m.Maine at UMBC, 7:05 p.m.Syracuse at Rutgers, 7:30 p.m.

SSOOUUTTHH

N.C. State at Clemson, NoonTennessee at Georgia, NoonGeorgia Tech at Maryland, NoonHofstra at Va. Commonwealth, NoonCoastal Carolina at VMI, 1 p.m.S.C.-Upstate at Florida Gulf Coast, 2 p.m.Duke at Florida St., 2 p.m.Old Dominion at George Mason, 2 p.m.Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 2 p.m.ETSU at Stetson, 2 p.m.Nevada at Louisiana Tech, 3 p.m.East Carolina at Marshall, 3 p.m.Austin Peay at Murray St., 3 p.m.Wofford at Samford, 3 p.m.Rice at Tulane, 3 p.m.UNC Greensboro at App. St., 3:30 p.m.IPFW at Centenary, 3:30 p.m.Hampton at Bethune-Cookman, 4 p.m.Ga. Southern at Coll. of Charleston, 4 p.m.

Norfolk St. at Coppin St., 4 p.m.S. Carolina St. at Delaware St., 4 p.m.Howard at Florida A&M, 4 p.m.Drexel at Georgia St., 4 p.m.Winston-Salem at Md.-Eastern Shore, 4 p.m.

N. Carolina A&T at Morgan St., 4 p.m.Virginia at Virginia Tech, 4 p.m.Jacksonville St. at Morehead St., 4:15 p.m.

Nicholls St. at Northwestern St., 5 p.m.Memphis at UCF, 5 p.m.Mississippi at Florida, 6 p.m.Alcorn St. at Jackson St., 6:30 p.m.Tulsa at Charlotte, 7 p.m.Furman at Chattanooga, 7 p.m.Tennessee Tech at E. Kentucky, 7 p.m.W. Kentucky at Florida Atlantic, 7 p.m.Gardner-Webb at High Point, 7 p.m.Charleston Southern at Liberty, 7 p.m.Winthrop at Presbyterian, 7 p.m.UNC Asheville at Radford, 7 p.m.Auburn at South Carolina, 7 p.m.Tennessee St. at Tenn.-Martin, 7 p.m.Delaware at UNC Wilmington, 7 p.m.Elon at W. Carolina, 7 p.m.James Madison at William & Mary, 7 p.m.

Davidson at The Citadel, 7:05 p.m.Chicago St. at N.C. Central, 7:30 p.m.Fla. International at Middle Tenn., 8 p.m.Ark.-Little Rock at New Orleans, 8 p.m.Campbell at Belmont, 8:15 p.m.Southern U. at Grambling St., 8:30 p.m.Alabama A&M at MVSU, 8:30 p.m.Louisiana-Lafayette at Troy, 8:30 p.m.

MMIIDDWWEESSTT

West Virginia at Marquette, Noon

Kansas at Michigan St., 1 p.m.

Oklahoma at Kansas St., 1:30 p.m.

Buffalo at Bowling Green, 2 p.m.

Detroit at Butler, 2 p.m.

South Florida at DePaul, 2 p.m.

Missouri at Nebraska, 2 p.m.

Seton Hall at Notre Dame, 2 p.m.

Indiana at Illinois, 3 p.m.

Toledo at N. Illinois, 3 p.m.

Ball St. at E. Michigan, 4 p.m.

Akron at Miami (Ohio), 4 p.m.

Connecticut at Cincinnati, 4:30 p.m.

Illinois St. at Indiana St., 7 p.m.

Loyola of Chicago at Youngstown St., 7:05 p.m.

Ill.-Chicago at Cleveland St., 7:30 p.m.

W. Illinois at N. Dakota St., 8 p.m.

Creighton at Bradley, 8:05 p.m.

Missouri St. at N. Iowa, 8:05 p.m.

Evansville at S. Illinois, 8:05 p.m.

S. Utah at UMKC, 8:05 p.m.

Wright St. at Valparaiso, 8:05 p.m.

IUPUI at S. Dakota St., 8:30 p.m.

E. Illinois at SE Missouri, 8:45 p.m.

SSOOUUTTHHWWEESSTT

Texas Tech at Baylor, 1:45 p.m.Sam Houston St. at Stephen F.Austin, 3 p.m.

Iowa St. at Texas, 4 p.m.

Texas-Arlington at Texas St., 5 p.m.

UNLV at TCU, 5:30 p.m.

Alabama St. at Ark.-Pine Bluff, 8 p.m.

UAB at Houston, 8 p.m.

Arkansas St. at North Texas, 8 p.m.

UTEP at SMU, 8 p.m.

Cent. Arkansas at Texas A&M-CC, 8 p.m.

McNeese St. at Texas-San Antonio, 8 p.m.

Mississippi St. at Arkansas, 8:05 p.m.

SE Louisiana at Lamar, 8:05 p.m.

Oakland, Mich. at Oral Roberts, 8:05 p.m.

Texas Southern at Prairie View, 8:30 p.m.

Texas A&M at Oklahoma St., 9 p.m.

FFAARR WWEESSTT

Oregon at Arizona St., 2 p.m.

BYU at Colorado St., 3 p.m.

Oregon St. at Arizona, 4 p.m.

Utah at San Diego St., 4 p.m.

California at Washington, 6 p.m.

Portland at Gonzaga, 8 p.m.

Sacramento St. at Montana, 9 p.m.

Binghamton at Utah Valley St., 9 p.m.

Hawaii at Boise St., 9:05 p.m.

N. Arizona at Montana St., 9:05 p.m.

Utah St. at New Mexico St., 9:05 p.m.

Air Force at New Mexico, 9:30 p.m.

UC Irvine at Cal Poly, 10 p.m.

San Jose St. at Fresno St., 10 p.m.

UC Riverside at Pacific, 10 p.m.

Long Beach St. at UC Davis, 10 p.m.

Cal St.-Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara, 10 p.m.

Stanford at Washington St., 10 p.m.

Idaho St. at Portland St., 10:05 p.m.

Loyola Marymount at Pepperdine, 11 p.m.

SSuunnddaayy,, JJaann.. 1111

EEAASSTT

St. John’s at Pittsburgh, Noon

New Hampshire at Boston U., 1 p.m.

Xavier at Fordham, 1 p.m.

Temple at La Salle, 2 p.m.

Iona at Rider, 2 p.m.

Loyola, Md. at St. Peter’s, 2 p.m.

Canisius at Fairfield, 3:30 p.m.

Siena at Manhattan, 4 p.m.

Niagara at Marist, 4 p.m.

Albany, N.Y. at Vermont, 4 p.m.

SSOOUUTTHH

LSU at Alabama, 1:30 p.m.

Mercer at North Florida, 2 p.m.

Kennesaw St. at Jacksonville, 3 p.m.

North Carolina at Wake Forest, 8 p.m.

MMIIDDWWEESSTT

Iowa at Michigan, 11:30 a.m.

Wisconsin at Purdue, 1:30 p.m.

Kent St. at Ohio, 2 p.m.

Penn St. at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m.

W. Michigan at Cent. Michigan, 6 p.m.

Wichita St. at Drake, 7 p.m.

FFAARR WWEESSTT

Louisiana-Monroe at Denver, 3 p.m.

Weber St. at E. Washington, 4:05 p.m.

San Diego at Santa Clara, 5 p.m.Saint Mary’s, Calif. at San Francisco, 10 p.m.

UCLA at Southern Cal, 10:30 p.m.

TTrraannssaaccttiioonnssBBAASSEEBBAALLLL

AAmmeerriiccaann LLeeaagguuee

BOSTON RED SOX—Agreed to terms with RHP Brad Pen-

ny on a one-year contract. Assigned RHP Charlie Zink outright

to Pawtucket (IL).

KANSAS CITY ROYALS—Agreed to terms with INF-OF

Willie Bloomquist to a two-year contract and RHP Kyle Davies

to a one-year contract.

TAMPA BAY RAYS—Claimed RHP Dewon Day off

waivers from Boston.

NNaattiioonnaall LLeeaagguuee

SAN DIEGO PADRES—Claimed RHP Virgil Vasquez off

waivers from Boston.

AAmmeerriiccaann AAssssoocciiaattiioonn

ST. PAUL SAINTS—Signed INF Ron Fenwick.

SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CAPTAINS—Signed RHP Luke

Massetti, OF Dwayne White, LHP Aaron Cunningham, LHP

Logan Williamson and RHP Tony Pierce.

SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS—Signed 1B Walter Young.

NNoorrtthheerrnn LLeeaagguuee

GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS—Agreed to terms with C

Jordan Comadena.

BBAASSKKEETTBBAALLLL

WWoommeenn’’ss NNaattiioonnaall BBaasskkeettbbaallll AAssssoocciiaattiioonn

INDIANA FEVER—Waived F Kristen Mann.

HHOOCCKKEEYY

NNaattiioonnaall HHoocckkeeyy LLeeaagguuee

NHL—Suspended Toronto F Mikhail Grabovski for three

games, without pay, for shoving an official during a game on

Jan. 8.

OTTAWA SENATORS—Recalled G Brian Elliott from Bing-

hamton (AHL). Assigned D Matt Carkner to Binghamton.

SSOOCCCCEERR

MMaajjoorr LLeeaagguuee SSoocccceerr

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC—Named David Tenney fitness

coach.CCOOLLLLEEGGEE

ARMY—Named Ian Shields offensive coordinator; Payam

Saadat and Chris Smeland co-defensive coordinators; John

Mumford, Tucker Waugh, Tony Coaxum, Robert Lyles, Capt.

Clarence Holmes, Gene McKeehan, Bill Tripp and Andy Guyad-

er assistant football coaches.

CAL POLY—Named Tim Walsh football coach.

ILLINOIS STATE—Named Taylor Stubblefield wide re-

ceivers coach.

LSU—Named Brick Haley defensive line coach.

MASSACHUSETTS—Announced the resignation of football

coach Don Brown to become the defensive coordinator at

Maryland.

MINNESOTA—Named Kevin Cosgrove and Ronnie Lee co-

defensive coordinators.

MISSOURI—Announced WR Jeremy Maclin will enter the

NFL draft.

MONTANA STATE-NORTHERN—Named Bill Huebsch

women’s volleyball coach.

NORTHWESTERN STATE—Named Shawn Quinn co-de-

fensive coordinator and defensive line coach, Brendan Farrell

tight ends and special teams coach and Darren Drago line-

backers coach and recruiting coordinator.

OHIO DOMINICAN—Named Brian Foos football offensive

coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

Ashley Martinez has not been able toget on the court this season since shebroke her collarbone.

She is expected to return sometimethis week.

With their juniors as a force, the LadyHawks will rely on their athleticism and

speed to win in one of the most competi-tive 3A districts in South Texas.

“We all have speed and have to use itto our advantage,” Peña said. “It reallybenefits our transitional offense.”

The Lady Hawks will continue to uti-lize their transitional offense and a 1-3-1-

halfcourt defense.“Using the 1-3-1 sets us up well for

our offense,” Guerra said.In four district games, the Lady Hawks

are averaging 47 points per game whileholding opponents to 46.5.

The Lady Hawks are currently 1-3 in

district, but that does not deter Guerra’sexpectations.

“They are always looking to improve,”he said. “If you were at practice, you couldnot tell we were 1-3 in district.

“With 10 games left, anything can hap-pen.”

The Lady Hawks have dropped dis-trict games to three powerful programs:Rio Hondo (37-32), La Feria (58-49) andRaymondville (72-53).

Zapata (9-13, 1-3 32-3A) demolishedLyford (54-19) to claim its only districtwin.

LADY | Continued from Page 1B

His catch shattered the previousrecord of 105 pounds, 8 ounces set byDavid Mauldin of Tomball, Texas, duringthe 2006 Stren Series tournament onLake Amistad.

Anglers will take off from the ZapataCounty Boat Ramp located at 1 CountyRoad in Zapata at 7:30 each morning.

Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins willbe held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m.

Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at theZapata County Community Center, lo-cated at 601 N. US Hwy 83 in Zapata, be-ginning at 4 p.m.

Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free andopen to the public.

The Falcon Lake Stren Series tourna-ment is hosted by the Zapata County

Chamber of Commerce. Pros will fish for a top award of

$25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger powered byan Evinrude or Yamaha outboard andequipped with a Minn Kota trolling motorand Lowrance electronics if Ranger Cupguidelines are met.

If the winner is not a Ranger Cup par-ticipant, Ranger will award $7,500 to thehighest-finishing Ranger Cup participantin the contingency program.

Co-anglers will cast for a top award ofa 177TR Ranger powered by an Evinrudeor Yamaha outboard and trailer.

If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cupguidelines, they will earn an additional$5,000.

If the winner is not a Ranger Cup par-

ticipant, Ranger will award $2,500 to thehighest-finishing Ranger Cup participantin the contingency program.

Competitors will also be vying forvaluable points that could earn them atrip to the Stren Series Championship onPickwick Lake in Florence, Ala., on Nov.5-7 for a shot at $150,000 in the Pro Divi-sion and $60,000 in the Co-angler Divi-sion.

After four qualifying events are com-plete in each Stren Series division – Cen-tral, Northern, Southeast, Texas and West-ern – the top 40 pros and 40 co-anglersbased on the points standings from eachdivision will advance to the champi-onship.

The top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers from

each division will also qualify for the2010 Walmart FLW Tour and WalmartFLW Series, bass fishing’s top profes-sional circuits.

The highest-finishing pro and co-an-gler from each division at the Stren SeriesChampionship will also qualify for the$2.5 million 2010 Forrest Wood Cup,where anglers will compete for the $1million grand prize – the most lucrativeaward in bass fishing.

In Stren Series competition, pros sup-ply the boats, fish from the front deckagainst other pros and control boat move-ment.

Co-anglers fish from the back deckand compete against other co-anglers.

Every angler who receives weight

credit in a tournament earns points thatdetermine angler standings.

Two hundred points are awarded tothe winner, 199 points for second, 198points for third, and so on.

The full field competes on days one,two and three, with the top 10 pros and 10co-anglers advancing to day four based ontheir three-day accumulated weight.

Winners are determined by the heav-iest accumulated weight from all fourdays.

Total awards are based on a full fieldof 200 boats in every tournament.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L.Wood, the legendary founder of RangerBoats, is the largest fishing tournamentorganization in the world.

SERIES | Continued from Page 1B

points in the 2004 title game,reaching four conference cham-pionship games and missing thepostseason just twice.

The Eagles (10-6-1) enter hav-ing won five of six, including lastweek’s 26-14 first-round victoryin Minnesota. New York, by con-trast, finished 1-3 after an 11-1start, although its only Decembervictory — over second-seeded Car-olina — clinched home-field ad-vantage for the playoffs.

In any case, the familiaritymakes this a chess match betweenReid and Giants coach TomCoughlin as well as the tacticians:offensive coordinators KevinGilbride of the Giants and MartyMornhinweg of the Eagles and de-fensive coordinators Jim Johnsonof Philadelphia and Steve Spagn-uolo of New York, who honed hisskills as the Eagles’ linebackerscoach for eight years.

But expect something new. “The guys all know each other

and everybody knows each oth-er’s jersey number and all thatbit,” says Reid, whose team lost36-31 to New York in Philadelphiaon Nov. 9. “But every game is dif-ferent and if you come in sayingyou know the New York Giants, Ithink you make a huge mistake. ...Every game there is a little differ-

ent and Spags will have some-thing different for us and we willhave a little something for himand Gilbride and Jim, the wholedeal.”

“There is always that little ex-tra change you put in.”

The other games are rematch-es, too: Baltimore at Tennessee tostart the weekend late Saturdayafternoon followed at night by Ari-zona at Carolina. After the Eaglesand Giants square off Sunday, SanDiego will be at Pittsburgh.

BBaallttiimmoorree ((1122--55)) aatt TTeennnneesssseeee ((1133--33))

Look for a low-scoring gamebetween teams who emphasizedefense and running.

The Titans beat the Ravens 13-10 on Oct. 5 with Kerry Collins en-gineering a late 80-yard drive forTennessee’s only touchdown thatwas sustained by a dubious blow-to- the-head penalty on Balti-more’s Terrell Suggs.

That was the third straight lossfor the Ravens, who were 5-11 lastseason. But Baltimore has won 10of 12 since as rookie QB Joe Flac-co has matured, 260-poundLe’Ron McClain has emerged as apower running back and the de-fense, led by Ed Reed, has becomean offensive force.

Defense? Baltimore had fivetakeaways last week against a Mi-ami team that tied for the leaguelead with just 13 giveaways. Oneof the TDs came on a 64-yard in-terception return by Reed, whohas four scores on defense thisseason.

“It’s just natural at this point,”Reed said. “You want to score. Wetalk about it on defense, we do it inpractice.”

Collins has been careful withthe ball, too, and it’s one of thereasons he’s starting ahead ofVince Young, the NFL’s Rookie ofthe Year in 2006. He threw justseven interceptions, only threemore than he had against theRavens in the 2001 Super Bowlwhen he was with the Giants.

It helps that the Titans haverun so well. They’re sixth in theleague in yards rushing behindthe tandem of Chris Johnson, theonly rookie to make the Pro Bowl,and LenDale White.

“They’re both really good,”Ravens coach John Harbaughsaid. “Each has a unique strength.Everybody wants to talk abouthow one guy runs outside and oneguy runs inside, but when youwatch the tape and you findthey’re both capable of really car-rying the full load of their offense

in kind of a similar way.” SSaann DDiieeggoo ((99--88))

aatt PPiittttssbbuurrgghh ((1122--44))Despite the eight losses, the

Chargers are legitimate. They were 4-8 and all but out

of it when they started playinglike the team that went to the AFCtitle game last season and was oneof the preseason favorites in theconference.

Four straight wins combinedwith three straight losses by Den-ver at the end of the season gavethem the AFC West title. And thenthey beat Indianapolis 23-17 inovertime, their fourth victory intheir last five meetings with theColts.

But they’ve always had troubleon the East Coast, including an 11-10 defeat in Pittsburgh in Novem-ber, the only game with that scorein the NFL’s 89 seasons.

“It’s a late game,” coach NorvTurner said, a reference to thestruggles of West Coast teams in 1p.m. East Coast starts. “When Iwent back and looked at the firstPittsburgh game, we were on theEast Coast and there were a lot ofgood things that we did in thatgame.”

San Diego may not haveLaDainian Tomlinson, who has atorn tendon in his groin, but it

will have Darren Sproles, who had328 all-purpose yards against theColts.

The Steelers, on the otherhand, will have Ben Roethlis-berger, who was carried off with aconcussion in the final regular-season game but has been prac-ticing all week. The key may behow well he’s protected by an of-fensive line that has been Pitts-burgh’s weak link all season.

It hasn’t been a good seasonfor Roethlisberger. A year afterthrowing 32 touchdown passesand 11 interceptions, he has hadjust 17 TDs and 15 INTs. In thatwacky win over San Diego, hethrew for 308 yards, yet the of-fense got only three field goals.

“The big thing is we can driveup and down the field, but wehave to be able to put the ball inwhen we get down there,” he said.

AArriizzoonnaa ((1100--77)) aatt CCaarroolliinnaa((1122--44))

The Cardinals are the onlyteam that wasn’t supposed to behere, 4-7 outside the weak NFCWest and 0-5 in the Eastern timezone.

But they upset Atlanta lastweek because Kurt Warnermade fewer mistakes and morebig plays than Offensive Rookie

of the Year Matt Ryan, and theirdefense was unusually stout.

The turning point was DarnellDockett’s disruption of a handoffearly in the second half thatpopped the ball into the hands ofAntrel Rolle, who returned it for atouchdown in a 30-24 win.

“Instead of having guys tryingto individually make plays, wehad a bunch of guys that were fo-cused on playing team defense,”coach Ken Whisenhunt said.“That’s what we’ve talked about.”

The Cardinals’ offense willhave to be at full throttle if Ari-zona hopes to beat Carolina.Warner, who threw for 381 yardsin a 23-17 loss in Charlotte, hasthe best receiving trio in the NFL:Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldinand Steve Breaston. Boldin, how-ever, is nursing a hamstring hepulled on a 71-yard touchdowncatch last week and will possiblyhave to play on a slippery field.There’s a 40 percent chance ofshowers in Charlotte on Satur-day.

Carolina took advantage of itsbye week to heal up. Starting de-fensive tackles Maake Kemoeatuand Damione Lewis should beback and so should rookie JeffOtah, the starting right tackle onoffense.

PHILY | Continued from Page 2B

American DispatchInc. of Laredo

Solicita el Siguiente personal

• Receptionista Interesados aplicar en302 Quivira Dr. Tel:

956-791-8300

TRUCKS FOR SALE 19804 Nissan Titan, 5.4 Liter, Auto,

New Tires, Custom SoundSystem, 52K Miles, Great Con-

dition, $16,000 OBO. Call 744-2705

2000 GMC Sierra, sing. cab, 84,900 mi., excel. cond.,

$5,000. Call:(956)791-58782005 350 XLT Ford 4-wheel

Drive, Diesel, 58K miles, Excel-lent Condition, $21,500 Call

236-1486‘04 Suburban LT, Sunroof,

Leather Int, DVD System, Ex-cel. Cond. $14,000 206-5018

‘99 Ford F150 wht pu, A/C Sin-gle cab, std trans, 6cyl. Good

Cond $4500 206-5018

Jeep Liberty ‘04, V6, Cd, PW80K Miles, $6,500(956) 771-7047

Chevy Full size Blazer 1993, 4x4, Auto, A/C, CD, New Tires V8 Engine. $3,200. Ask for Joe

237-4362Classic Jeep CJ7 1977, v8, Rebuilt ! All new parts! New rims & tires, auto, 4x4, blue,

$12,000 obo. 744-2705Dodge Caravan ‘06, $9,500

obo. Call:(956)727-0633.Ford F-100 XL ‘82, long bed, 8cyl., runs, needs work. $500

obo. Call:(956)334-5777Ford F-150 ‘98, ext. cab, 8cyl., 33k mi., excellent conditions,

$7,000. Call:722-4209Ford pick up F-150 ‘99, 8cyl1.5 cab, color blue, a/c-heat$4,000 Call:(956)231-9217

Ford Windstar ‘01, $3,500.Call:(956)333-6001

Jeep Cherokee Sport‘99, 6cyl., a/c, auto,

44k mi., $3,700. Call: (956)236-6650.

Nissan Xterra ‘00, good conditions, white, auto., $5,000

includes TTL. 568-4673

CARS FOR SALE 200

‘04 Hyundai Tiburon all power, moon roof, Low Mileage $7900 OBO

Call 220-2380‘51 Chevy 12,800mil.,Perfect body & engine.$14,500 Call 728-1565

‘87 Firebird Formula, V8 305, auto, rebuilt eng/trans, A/C $3800 OBO 956-286-2399

Honda Accord ‘05, hybrid, grey, lthr. int., navigation system,

Honda care pkg., $19,500 obo.Call:(956)740-1271.

Honda Civic LX ‘95, $1,200 obo. Call:(956)326-0733.

Lexus ES 350 ‘07, red, 23,000miles, beautiful car, $30,000

Call:(956)237-3090Toyota Camry ‘93, 4 door, 6

cyl., 95,000 miles, one owner.Call:(956)237-3090

Volkswagon Jetta GLS ‘03 Leather seats, sunroof, $4,850

Call 324-5192; 145*3*9059

ARTICLES FOR SALE136G.E. Electric stove, $60.00

Call:(956)722-7711King size waterbed frame,

wooden w/ storage drawers.$150 Call:(956)763-2594

Leather office chair, Like new! $60 cash. Call 723-2209

Panosonic stereo 100W, 5 CD changer, 2 tape decks and re-mote $100Call:(956)251-1755

Sony Playstation 2, two remotes and over 50 games

$70 Call:(956)251-1755Venta de Dulce de leche mexi-

cano GLORIAS DE LECHE CON NUEZ caja c/150 pzs.

$48 (956) 299-7495Nextel 135*131352*9

Venta de Dulce de Leche Mexi-cano MINI BOLICAJETA caja

c/420 pzs. $97. (956)299-7495, Nextel 135*131352*9

Venta de Dulce de Leche Mexi-cano MINI OBLEA DE CAJETA

caja c/400 pzs. $40.(956) 299-7495,

Nextel 135*131352*9Warehouse Sale

Brand New Power EquipmentMaker: Titan Indust.Products

6500 Diesel Generator8500 RC Gas Generator2200 PSI Pressure Water

1965 Red Mustang W/rebuilt 289 Engine

1928 Ford Model a with original engine, Jetski, Go-Cart, Res-

taurant & Bar EquipmentItems can be seen at 5103 Maher Ste 100, Laredo, TX

Monday-Friday10am-5pm

Weider Platinum 250LB Home Gym, Resistance Trainer with Bench. $200 OBO 740-8934

Whirlpool, gas stove,white, 3 mo. old, $225.

Call:(956)763-2594

MUSICAL INSTRU-MENTS 138

Piano for sale in very good condition, Henry F. Miller, $700

neg. Call:(956)286-3513

TRANSPORTATION

CAMPERS & RV’S 191‘99 Travel trailer, 8x32, a/c,

queen bed, frig., microwave, great condition, current plates, blue title. $6,200 obo.285-5654

HEAVY EQUIPMENT 192International, 2001, 160,000

miles, 24ft. box, $13,000.Call:(972)489-9021

MOTORCYCLES 1962005 Harley Davidson Heritage 3600 miles, like new, $14,500 OBO 286-3730, Many Extras!2005 Kawasaki, One owner, good condition, $1500 OBO Call 791-4297 Between 9-5

TRUCKS FOR SALE 198‘00 Dodge Ram 1500, 6cyl, sin-gle cab, $6500 Blue Title, new

tires, Call 763-839402 Voyager, 4cyl, 62K miles, Perfect Condition. $4,500. Call 285-3335

LIVESTOCK & SUPPLIES130

Beautiful, Gentle RegisteredPaint horse stallion for sale.

8 mths old w/perfect conformation. $1,000

Call 722-8187 or 645-1655

Registered Paint Horse Stallion for sale. 1.5yrs old,sorrel overo w/ blue eyes. Very gentle and

halter broken. Champion blood lines, $2000 Call 722-8187 or

645-1655

FARM & RANCH SUP-PLIES 132

Hay For Sale,large net wrapped,Round Bales,located in Alice, $40 and up.Delivery

available.(361)219-4545

MISCELLANEOUS

GARAGE SALES 134Huge Garage Sale Sat &

Sun,8am-?, 2107 Santa Clara, Clothes, TV’s, TwinBeds, dressers, shoes & toys

Saturday & Sunday, 9am-2pm. 8709 Puerto

Isabel. NO EARLY BIRDS!

ARTICLES FOR SALE136

* Dell Laptop, Windows XP, wireless internet ready

$275 Call: 220-9654* Mesquite Firewood leña, Full

pick up load (apx cord)San Ygnacio $125 Call 763-1320

*Dell Desktop, Windows XP Pro PC, internet ready

$160 Call: 220-96542003 Kawasaki STX 1100 Jet

ski, $4800, 33 hrs of use,Call 236-6909

27” Magnavox T.V. w/remote, excellent condition, $60.

Call:(956)251-1755

27” Magnavox T.V. w/remote, excellent condition, $60.

Call:(956)251-1755

Canon Pixma MP830 photo printer, retails for $300, asking

$150. Call:(956)251-1755

Commercial Conventional Oven, Fits 6 oven shelves at a time. Good Condition, $1700.

Call 771-5488

Display cases w/light semi-circle, mostradores/ vit-

rinas $65ea-c/u OBO 324-1738

Electric stove, Frigidaire, black & beige, $250. Call:324-7592

Elegant Italian chrys., chande-liers, glass & Cantera dining ta-

ble & 8 chairs, grandfather clock, china cabinet, Henrydon 5 pc massive bedroom set, 72

gal. aquarium. $350 & up.Call:(956)791-5878

Genuine beads,pearls, brass, some silver. etc.

Lots of variety. Must sacrifice $400. Call:(956)645-0720

OUT OF TOWN PROPER-TY 88

* Waterfront,1/4 acre, in San Ygnacio,(land locked)/use of boat ramp.$12,000. 763-1320

RENTALS

COMMERCIAL RENTALS120

Beauty salon, furnished, $950mo., 27’x80’, remodeled, 4100 San Bernardo 237-5946

PETS & SUPPLIES

PETS & SUPPLIES 128* Parakeets, Cockatoos, love

birds, finches, canaries, loros/red & yellow heads, quak-

ers, palomas. Inc: Cage & Food. $12 & up Call 857-2408

* Pure Breed Adult Boxers 1M/1F (pregnat), 1 & 2yrs

old $225, All shots. Schnau-zers, Serious Inq. Only Call

857-2408; 231-9983*Snakes, Ball python, iguanas, corn snake, large, small, $100

& up. 231-9983; 857-2408

*T-cup, tiny ChihuahuaPuppies M/F $395 Call

857-2408

Beagle AKC Champion Bloodline, Male, 6mths old,

$300 Call 791-8582 or 337-8981

Belgain Malinois 4 wks w/shots $300 Call 237-1333

Pitbull blue nose, registered,1 1/2 months, $300.00 214 Century Blvd.Ph. 727-1953.

Pitbulls for sale, 4m, 2f, $120 & up.Call:(956)726-5329.

Red nose Pit Bulls for sale, 2.5 mo.,3m/3f, parents on site.

$110 obo. Call:(956)568-0996HELP WANTED 122

MOBILE HOMES FORSALE 67

ZAPATACentro, 1 1/2 blk. off hwy. 83, 3 blks. from lake. 900 sqft. re-modeled 2bdrm./2 ba. M.H.,

900 sqft. garage, fenced.$39,000.00 OWNER CARRY

w/ 15% down. $402.20mo.Call:(956)763-1110

LOTS FOR SALE 70

lots in Los Presidentes & Century City, 55x110 &

82x120, $5.50sqft.Call 401-5178

North Laredo. 1.3 Acres on Loop 20 near TAMIU, next to Khaledi Heights on Blue Quail St. $12.50 Per SqFt

Neg. Call Dr. Rendon 011-52-867-714-1502 or

011-52-867-715-0118

ACREAGE FOR SALE 76

1.8ac App $345p/m $0 down, Owner Finance 35mi. So.

Laredo Call 849-5471

5 acre tract, frontageon Casa Verde Rd.

$200,000 per acre. Contact (956)725-6641

42 acres mile 60 HWY35 6 blks from HWY. $2700 p/ac We Finance. Call 722-4447

40acs. for Sale. 10mil.from Freer, TX. $70,000

Call 956-220-0232

COMMERCIAL INVEST-MENT 79

36 Apts for sale $1.3 million OBO. Call

722-4447, 220-3450. We Finance!

BUSINESS OPPORTUNI-TY 82

Transferring Established Bak-ery fully equipped ready to

work with. Located at Mines Rd & Bristol Rd. $30,000

Call 771-5488

HOMES FOR SALE 61

4bd/2ba Large Lot, blocked fenced w/gate, 1500 sqft, 6326 sft lot $147,000 Call 286-5015

For sale or lease,1311 Hibiscus,

3bd/2ba, pool, $165,000.Owner financing

available.Call:(956)237-3792.

For sale or rent, 3/2.5/1cp, 1,600 sqft., 2 story stucco,new paint, huge backyard,

wool insulation, Concord Hills.$147,000. Call:(210)559-9457.

Shiloh Area - 1409 Longhorn Dr. 2700sqft LA, 10,000sqft Lot 4bd/4ba Spacious yard, sprinkler system. Reduced

$155,000 OBO Call 763-9740

CONDOS FOR SALE 64

1 Condo $60,000.Must Sell, Moving Out, negotia-

ble, 2bd/1.5ba, 2803 Bayard.Brand new, south Laredo. For

sale by owner.Call Dr. Rendon

011-52-867-714-1502 or 011-52-867-715-011

North Laredo 2 story, 3/3, den, gated area, 1402 sqft,

corner condo, pool, $123,500. Seller will pay $2000 of Closing Cost

Call:(956)763-7097

HOMES FOR SALE 61

1316 O’Kane 2Bd/1Ba, $54,000 including trailer in

backyard. 251-0071 727-7843

4 bedroom 2 bath approx.1,500 sq.ft. home on a

10,000 sq.ft. lot for only$117,990 I will also help youwith your closing costs let

me worry about your credit.Call Luis Calderon

@956-725-1965 or @ my cell 956-645-8977

PORQUE RENTARcuando puede tener casapropia y al mismo tiempocalificar para un prestamo

de hast $7,500.00 dlls,casas al norte y sur de

laredo hableme para masinformacion, De Hoyos

956-635-6702HELP WANTED 122

HOMES FOR SALE 61

Has your family outgrownyour home? Good news!Your dream home is just

a trade away!Call me, Eddie Rendon

(956) 763-8207

Let me help you by putting you in your newhome like if you are paying rent. You canchoose a home from 3, 4 & 5 bedrooms.

You can even choose the area where you wantyour family to grow up.

Call Javier Garcia today @ 956-235-4641

REAL ESTATE

HOMES FOR SALE 61***Water Front 4/2 Fixer Up-

per San Ygnacio 30 min Screen Sundeck, Boat Ramp

used, $73K Cash 956-763-1320 Very Relaxing

Norte, Central y Sur de Laredo CasasDisponibles de 3 a 5 recamaras para

mudarse el dia de HOY. Facil deCalificar. Financiamiento Disponible.

Llame HOY, al 956-237-2041 O a 956-717-0958

Con Adriana Moya Tijeriana

Great Location-New Spacious Homes3 Bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage

approx. 1400 sq.ft. paying closingcost. Monthly payment $1100.00Call Jesus @ cell 956-740-2542

office 956-724-9756

2 NEW SUBDIVISION INNORTH LAREDO FROM

THE $150’S & UP.RESERVE YOUR HOME-SITE TODAY WITH ONLY

$500.00 IN HOUSEFINANCING AVAILABLE.FOR MORE INFO. CALLANTHONY CARABALLO

@ 333-3844

Beautiful House on exclu-sive JSJ Estates Subd.6/3.5/2 REDUCED to

$370,000 (Appraisal value $420,000) Owner Finance

w/ 10% down Call 645-6724

Now you canmake the

news come toyou.

Start your subscription

now by calling 728-2555

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009 THE ZAPATA TIMES | 3B

AARRIIEESS ((MMaarrcchh 2211 ttoo AApprriill 1199))You feel pulled between thedemands of home and fam-ily and the demands of your

job or your external world. Don’ttry to solve everything. (This is dueto today’s Full Moon.)

TTAAUURRUUSS ((AApprriill 2200 ttoo MMaayy 2200))This particular FullMoon is an accident-prone day for you be-

cause it sets up tension within youand makes you distracted. There-fore, slow down and do things care-fully.

GGEEMMIINNII ((MMaayy 2211 ttoo JJuunnee 2200))Today’s Full Moon makesyou feel pulled betweenprotecting or earning your

own money versus dealing withthe funds of others. You can’t ig-nore your responsibility to others.

CCAANNCCEERR ((JJuunnee 2211 ttoo JJuullyy 2222))This is the only FullMoon in your sign allyear. That’s why you feelincreased tension when

dealing with partners and closefriends. Stay frosty.

LLEEOO ((JJuullyy 2233 ttoo AAuugg.. 2222)) Be pa-tient with co-workers today,because people are extratense due to today’s FullMoon. Don’t say the first

thing that comes to mind. Thinkbefore you speak.

VVIIRRGGOO ((AAuugg.. 2233 ttoo SSeepptt.. 2222)) To-day’s Full Moon mightmake you quick to criticizeor oppose friends andgroups. You’re not sure

which side of the fence to be on. LLIIBBRRAA ((SSeepptt.. 2233 ttoo OOcctt.. 2222))

This is a poor day to dealwith bosses, parents,teachers, VIPs and thepolice. You won’t be able

to keep everyone happy. Becool.

SSCCOORRPPIIOO ((OOcctt.. 2233 ttoo NNoovv.. 2211))Be careful. This is an acci-dent-prone day because ofthe Full Moon. If you slowdown and are aware of

what you say and do, nothing hasto happen.

SSAAGGIITTTTAARRIIUUSS ((NNoovv.. 2222 ttooDDeecc.. 2211)) Tension aboutfinances or cash flowcould arise because oftoday’s Full Moon. If

you can postpone a decisionabout money and possessions,do so.

CCAAPPRRIICCOORRNN ((DDeecc.. 2222 ttoo JJaann..1199)) Today is the onlyFull Moon oppositeyour sign all year. In

fact, you’re part of the formula!This means you have to be extrapatient at work, with loved onesand partners.

AAQQUUAARRIIUUSS ((JJaann.. 2200 ttoo FFeebb..1188)) Because you’re rest-less and impatient today,your dealings with co-

workers or medical people couldgo awry or be misunderstood. Re-lax; just cool your jets and keepsmiling.

PPIISSCCEESS ((FFeebb.. 1199 ttoo MMaarrcchh 2200))Tension with groups orcasual acquaintancesand friends might arise

because of today’s Full Moon. Askyourself: Am I part of the problemor part of the solution?

YYOOUU BBOORRNN TTOODDAAYY You’reamazingly tough and resilient.When others have long given up,you continue to persevere andsucceed in attaining your goals.You’re a practical realist. Youdon’t kid yourself. You do yourhomework. You easily assumeleadership or you can work inpartnership with others. You of-ten hide your true feelings be-hind a mask. This year you workhard to build or construct some-thing important.

BBiirrtthhddaattee ooff:: Rod Stewart,singer; George Foreman, boxer;Jim Croce, singer/songwriter.

HOROSCOPES | BY FRANCIS DRAKE

Dear Readers: Here are a fewhints on keeping your CAT SAFE:

Be sure your cat alwayswears an ID outdoors and indoors

(in case your catscoots out thedoor).

Store allhousehold poi-sons and clean-ing productssafely so a curi-ous cat or childwon’t get introuble!

Many human medications arelethal to cats, so don’t administerwithout a veterinarian’s directions.

Please follow the directionsfor flea products carefully, andcall your vet or the manufacturerif you have any questions.

Recognize the signs of poi-soning: bumping into thingsdue to blindness, not eating,seizures, vomiting, dizzy anduncoordinated, constipation ordiarrhea. Get your cat to the vetor emergency clinic ASAP.

Car fluids such as gas andoil are harmful, and antifreezecan be lethal!

— Heloise PET PAL

Dear Readers: FlorenceMcInerney of Hazlet, N.J., sent aphoto of her grandson’s boxer,Sydney, carrying her green-and-white purse and ready to tagalong and shop. If you wouldlike to see Sydney, just visitwww.Heloise.com. — Heloise

FRIENDLY FISH Dear Heloise: Our daughter

wanted an aquarium, so we select-ed different varieties of fish, thenwent home and set up the new tank.In the morning, only a few fish wereswimming in the aquarium!

We learned we had mixed ag-gressive and nonaggressive fish!Before buying replacements, weasked the experts at the pet storeand learned a lot. Now everyoneis the same temperament andhappy. — S.K.G., via e-mail

Do your homework beforebringing any animal - four-

legged, two-legged or one-tailed —into your home. — Heloise

DOG VERSUS FLOUR Dear Heloise: My dog got into

a bag of flour! I decided to keepthe bag of flour just in case mydog got sick. I would know howmuch she ingested (it was only alittle bit). This would work forany item your dog decides tosnack on. — M.C., via e-mail

BIG SNAKES Dear Heloise: For your read-

ers who may be thinking aboutgetting a snake as a pet, snakescan be long-lived! Many will con-tinue to grow throughout theirlives. Certain species of pythonsand boa constrictors can grow toover 20 feet and live more than 30years. Zoos and reptile housesdon’t always have the room ormeans to take in any more snakesthat have outgrown their owners.Be sure you are prepared to takeon the responsibility of these spe-cial exotic pets for the long haulbefore committing to one. — A.B.in New Jersey

HELOISE

HINTS BY HELOISE

ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM Zclassified BY PHONE: (956) 728-2527

4B | THE ZAPATA TIMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009

<DATE> LAREDO MORNING TIMES | 1B

The ZapataTimes

American DispatchInc. of Laredo

Solicita el Siguiente personal

• Receptionista Interesados aplicar en302 Quivira Dr. Tel:

956-791-8300

TRUCKS FOR SALE 19804 Nissan Titan, 5.4 Liter, Auto,

New Tires, Custom SoundSystem, 52K Miles, Great Con-

dition, $16,000 OBO. Call 744-2705

2000 GMC Sierra, sing. cab, 84,900 mi., excel. cond.,

$5,000. Call:(956)791-58782005 350 XLT Ford 4-wheel

Drive, Diesel, 58K miles, Excel-lent Condition, $21,500 Call

236-1486‘04 Suburban LT, Sunroof,

Leather Int, DVD System, Ex-cel. Cond. $14,000 206-5018

‘99 Ford F150 wht pu, A/C Sin-gle cab, std trans, 6cyl. Good

Cond $4500 206-5018

Jeep Liberty ‘04, V6, Cd, PW,80K Miles, $6,500(956) 771-7047

Chevy Full size Blazer 1993, 4x4, Auto, A/C, CD, New Tires V8 Engine. $3,200. Ask for Joe

237-4362Classic Jeep CJ7 1977, v8, Rebuilt ! All new parts! New rims & tires, auto, 4x4, blue,

$12,000 obo. 744-2705Dodge Caravan ‘06, $9,500

obo. Call:(956)727-0633.Ford F-100 XL ‘82, long bed, 8cyl., runs, needs work. $500

obo. Call:(956)334-5777Ford F-150 ‘98, ext. cab, 8cyl., 33k mi., excellent conditions,

$7,000. Call:722-4209Ford pick up F-150 ‘99, 8cyl., 1.5 cab, color blue, a/c-heat, $4,000 Call:(956)231-9217

Ford Windstar ‘01, $3,500.Call:(956)333-6001

Jeep Cherokee Sport‘99, 6cyl., a/c, auto,

44k mi., $3,700. Call: (956)236-6650.

Nissan Xterra ‘00, good conditions, white, auto., $5,000

includes TTL. 568-4673

CARS FOR SALE 200

‘04 Hyundai Tiburon all power, moon roof, Low Mileage $7900 OBO

Call 220-2380‘51 Chevy 12,800mil.,Perfect body & engine.$14,500 Call 728-1565

‘87 Firebird Formula, V8 305, auto, rebuilt eng/trans, A/C $3800 OBO 956-286-2399

Honda Accord ‘05, hybrid, grey, lthr. int., navigation system,

Honda care pkg., $19,500 obo.Call:(956)740-1271.

Honda Civic LX ‘95, $1,200 obo. Call:(956)326-0733.

Lexus ES 350 ‘07, red, 23,000 miles, beautiful car, $30,000

Call:(956)237-3090Toyota Camry ‘93, 4 door, 6

cyl., 95,000 miles, one owner.Call:(956)237-3090

Volkswagon Jetta GLS ‘03 Leather seats, sunroof, $4,850

Call 324-5192; 145*3*9059

ARTICLES FOR SALE136G.E. Electric stove, $60.00

Call:(956)722-7711King size waterbed frame,

wooden w/ storage drawers.$150 Call:(956)763-2594

Leather office chair, Like new! $60 cash. Call 723-2209

Panosonic stereo 100W, 5 CD changer, 2 tape decks and re-mote $100Call:(956)251-1755

Sony Playstation 2, two remotes and over 50 games

$70 Call:(956)251-1755Venta de Dulce de leche mexi-

cano GLORIAS DE LECHE CON NUEZ caja c/150 pzs.

$48 (956) 299-7495Nextel 135*131352*9

Venta de Dulce de Leche Mexi-cano MINI BOLICAJETA caja

c/420 pzs. $97. (956)299-7495, Nextel 135*131352*9

Venta de Dulce de Leche Mexi-cano MINI OBLEA DE CAJETA

caja c/400 pzs. $40.(956) 299-7495,

Nextel 135*131352*9Warehouse Sale

Brand New Power EquipmentMaker: Titan Indust.Products

6500 Diesel Generator8500 RC Gas Generator2200 PSI Pressure Water

1965 Red Mustang W/rebuilt 289 Engine

1928 Ford Model a with original engine, Jetski, Go-Cart, Res-

taurant & Bar EquipmentItems can be seen at 5103 Maher Ste 100, Laredo, TX

Monday-Friday10am-5pm

Weider Platinum 250LB Home Gym, Resistance Trainer with Bench. $200 OBO 740-8934

Whirlpool, gas stove,white, 3 mo. old, $225.

Call:(956)763-2594

MUSICAL INSTRU-MENTS 138

Piano for sale in very good condition, Henry F. Miller, $700

neg. Call:(956)286-3513

TTRRAANNSSPPOORRTTAATTIIOONN

CAMPERS & RV’S 191‘99 Travel trailer, 8x32, a/c,

queen bed, frig., microwave, great condition, current plates, blue title. $6,200 obo.285-5654

HEAVY EQUIPMENT 192International, 2001, 160,000

miles, 24ft. box, $13,000.Call:(972)489-9021

MOTORCYCLES 1962005 Harley Davidson Heritage 3600 miles, like new, $14,500 OBO 286-3730, Many Extras!2005 Kawasaki, One owner, good condition, $1500 OBO Call 791-4297 Between 9-5

TRUCKS FOR SALE 198‘00 Dodge Ram 1500, 6cyl, sin-gle cab, $6500 Blue Title, new

tires, Call 763-839402 Voyager, 4cyl, 62K miles, Perfect Condition. $4,500. Call 285-3335

LIVESTOCK & SUPPLIES130

Beautiful, Gentle RegisteredPaint horse stallion for sale.

8 mths old w/perfect conformation. $1,000

Call 722-8187 or 645-1655

Registered Paint Horse Stallion for sale. 1.5yrs old,sorrel overo w/ blue eyes. Very gentle and

halter broken. Champion blood lines, $2000 Call 722-8187 or

645-1655

FARM & RANCH SUP-PLIES 132

Hay For Sale,large net wrapped,Round Bales,located in Alice, $40 and up.Delivery

available.(361)219-4545

MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS

GARAGE SALES 134Huge Garage Sale Sat &

Sun,8am-?, 2107 Santa Clara, Clothes, TV’s, TwinBeds, dressers, shoes & toys

Saturday & Sunday, 9am-2pm. 8709 Puerto

Isabel. NO EARLY BIRDS!

ARTICLES FOR SALE136

* Dell Laptop, Windows XP, wireless internet ready

$275 Call: 220-9654* Mesquite Firewood leña, Full

pick up load (apx cord)San Ygnacio $125 Call 763-1320

*Dell Desktop, Windows XP Pro PC, internet ready

$160 Call: 220-96542003 Kawasaki STX 1100 Jet

ski, $4800, 33 hrs of use,Call 236-6909

27” Magnavox T.V. w/remote, excellent condition, $60.

Call:(956)251-1755

27” Magnavox T.V. w/remote, excellent condition, $60.

Call:(956)251-1755

Canon Pixma MP830 photo printer, retails for $300, asking

$150. Call:(956)251-1755

Commercial Conventional Oven, Fits 6 oven shelves at a time. Good Condition, $1700.

Call 771-5488

Display cases w/light semi-circle, mostradores/ vit-

rinas $65ea-c/u OBO 324-1738

Electric stove, Frigidaire, black & beige, $250. Call:324-7592

Elegant Italian chrys., chande-liers, glass & Cantera dining ta-

ble & 8 chairs, grandfather clock, china cabinet, Henrydon 5 pc massive bedroom set, 72

gal. aquarium. $350 & up.Call:(956)791-5878

Genuine beads,pearls, brass, some silver. etc.

Lots of variety. Must sacrifice $400. Call:(956)645-0720

OUT OF TOWN PROPER-TY 88

* Waterfront,1/4 acre, in San Ygnacio,(land locked)/use of boat ramp.$12,000. 763-1320

RREENNTTAALLSS

COMMERCIAL RENTALS120

Beauty salon, furnished, $950mo., 27’x80’, remodeled, 4100 San Bernardo 237-5946

PPEETTSS && SSUUPPPPLLIIEESS

PETS & SUPPLIES 128* Parakeets, Cockatoos, love

birds, finches, canaries, loros/red & yellow heads, quak-

ers, palomas. Inc: Cage & Food. $12 & up Call 857-2408

* Pure Breed Adult Boxers 1M/1F (pregnat), 1 & 2yrs

old $225, All shots. Schnau-zers, Serious Inq. Only Call

857-2408; 231-9983*Snakes, Ball python, iguanas, corn snake, large, small, $100

& up. 231-9983; 857-2408

*T-cup, tiny ChihuahuaPuppies M/F $395 Call

857-2408

Beagle AKC Champion Bloodline, Male, 6mths old,

$300 Call 791-8582 or 337-8981

Belgain Malinois 4 wks w/shots $300 Call 237-1333

Pitbull blue nose, registered,1 1/2 months, $300.00 214 Century Blvd.Ph. 727-1953.

Pitbulls for sale, 4m, 2f, $120 & up.Call:(956)726-5329.

Red nose Pit Bulls for sale, 2.5 mo.,3m/3f, parents on site.

$110 obo. Call:(956)568-0996HELP WANTED 122

MOBILE HOMES FORSALE 67

ZAPATACentro, 1 1/2 blk. off hwy. 83, 3 blks. from lake. 900 sqft. re-modeled 2bdrm./2 ba. M.H.,

900 sqft. garage, fenced.$39,000.00 OWNER CARRY

w/ 15% down. $402.20mo.Call:(956)763-1110

LOTS FOR SALE 70

lots in Los Presidentes & Century City, 55x110 &

82x120, $5.50sqft.Call 401-5178

North Laredo. 1.3 Acres on Loop 20 near TAMIU, next to Khaledi Heights on Blue Quail St. $12.50 Per SqFt

Neg. Call Dr. Rendon 011-52-867-714-1502 or

011-52-867-715-0118

ACREAGE FOR SALE 76

1.8ac App $345p/m $0 down, Owner Finance 35mi. So.

Laredo Call 849-5471

5 acre tract, frontageon Casa Verde Rd.

$200,000 per acre. Contact (956)725-6641

42 acres mile 60 HWY35 6 blks from HWY. $2700 p/ac We Finance. Call 722-4447

40acs. for Sale. 10mil.from Freer, TX. $70,000

Call 956-220-0232

COMMERCIAL INVEST-MENT 79

36 Apts for sale $1.3 million OBO. Call

722-4447, 220-3450. We Finance!

BUSINESS OPPORTUNI-TY 82

Transferring Established Bak-ery fully equipped ready to

work with. Located at Mines Rd & Bristol Rd. $30,000

Call 771-5488

HOMES FOR SALE 61

4bd/2ba Large Lot, blocked fenced w/gate, 1500 sqft, 6326 sft lot $147,000 Call 286-5015

For sale or lease,1311 Hibiscus,

3bd/2ba, pool, $165,000.Owner financing

available.Call:(956)237-3792.

For sale or rent, 3/2.5/1cp, 1,600 sqft., 2 story stucco,new paint, huge backyard,

wool insulation, Concord Hills.$147,000. Call:(210)559-9457.

Shiloh Area - 1409 Longhorn Dr. 2700sqft LA, 10,000sqft Lot 4bd/4ba Spacious yard, sprinkler system. Reduced

$155,000 OBO Call 763-9740

CONDOS FOR SALE 64

1 Condo $60,000.Must Sell, Moving Out, negotia-

ble, 2bd/1.5ba, 2803 Bayard.Brand new, south Laredo. For

sale by owner.Call Dr. Rendon

011-52-867-714-1502 or 011-52-867-715-011

North Laredo 2 story, 3/3, den, gated area, 1402 sqft,

corner condo, pool, $123,500. Seller will pay $2000 of Closing Cost

Call:(956)763-7097

HOMES FOR SALE 61

1316 O’Kane 2Bd/1Ba, $54,000 including trailer in

backyard. 251-0071 727-7843

4 bedroom 2 bath approx.1,500 sq.ft. home on a

10,000 sq.ft. lot for only$117,990 I will also help youwith your closing costs let

me worry about your credit.Call Luis Calderon

@956-725-1965 or @ my cell 956-645-8977

PORQUE RENTARcuando puede tener casapropia y al mismo tiempocalificar para un prestamo

de hast $7,500.00 dlls,casas al norte y sur de

laredo hableme para masinformacion, De Hoyos

956-635-6702HELP WANTED 122

HOMES FOR SALE 61

Has your family outgrownyour home? Good news!Your dream home is just

a trade away!Call me, Eddie Rendon

(956) 763-8207

Let me help you by putting you in your newhome like if you are paying rent. You canchoose a home from 3, 4 & 5 bedrooms.

You can even choose the area where you wantyour family to grow up.

Call Javier Garcia today @ 956-235-4641

RREEAALL EESSTTAATTEE

HOMES FOR SALE 61***Water Front 4/2 Fixer Up-

per San Ygnacio 30 min Screen Sundeck, Boat Ramp

used, $73K Cash 956-763-1320 Very Relaxing

Norte, Central y Sur de Laredo CasasDisponibles de 3 a 5 recamaras para

mudarse el dia de HOY. Facil deCalificar. Financiamiento Disponible.

Llame HOY, al 956-237-2041 O a 956-717-0958

Con Adriana Moya Tijeriana

Great Location-New Spacious Homes3 Bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage

approx. 1400 sq.ft. paying closingcost. Monthly payment $1100.00Call Jesus @ cell 956-740-2542

office 956-724-9756

2 NEW SUBDIVISION INNORTH LAREDO FROM

THE $150’S & UP.RESERVE YOUR HOME-SITE TODAY WITH ONLY

$500.00 IN HOUSEFINANCING AVAILABLE.FOR MORE INFO. CALLANTHONY CARABALLO

@ 333-3844

Beautiful House on exclu-sive JSJ Estates Subd.6/3.5/2 REDUCED to

$370,000 (Appraisal value $420,000) Owner Finance

w/ 10% down Call 645-6724

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