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NUEVO LAREDO — A wom-an was injured in a crash result-ing from a chase on city streetshere Wednesday, while 20 peoplewere rescued by soldiers Mon-day and Tuesday in continuingoperations by the Mexican Ar-my along the U.S.-Mexico bor-der.

Mexico’s national Depart-

ment of Defense, known as SED-ENA, issued a news release re-counting the rescue of the 20people in four Tamaulipas cities:Nuevo Laredo, Ciudad Mier, Ci-udad Madero and Altamira.

Soldiers rescued five menfrom a house at the intersectionof Cesáreo García and IgnacioTreviño in Nuevo Laredo on

MEXICO

Troops rescue20 hostages in four cities

THE ZAPATA TIMES

See MEXICO PAGE 12A

Federal authorities continued Operation FallenHero-Operation Bombardier on Friday in Webb andZapata counties, sending a clear message to drugtrafficking organizations that their actions will notbe tolerated.

Several raids were conducted in the area Thurs-day as part of a nationwide sweep that startedWednesday night. Authorities said it’s a “direct re-sponse” to the killing of ICE Special Agent Jaime Za-pata last week. ICE Special Agent Victor Avila alsowas wounded in the attack that occurred in SanLuis Potosi, as the two men were traveling to Mex-

ico City.“This is personal,” Louie Garcia, deputy special

agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforce-ment, told The Associated Press on Thursday. “Welost an agent, we lost a good agent. And we have torespond.”

More than 200 people were arrested Thursday, andofficials said at least $8 million in cash was confis-cated along with millions in illegal drugs. Law en-forcement agencies in Brazil, El Salvador, Panama,Colombia and Mexico also conducted sweeps in con-junction with the U.S. operation.

There were no official details issued about the re-

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Fed round-upHunt continues for suspected traffickers

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES

See HUNT PAGE 12A

Zapata royalty will fill the Za-pata High School auditorium Sun-day for the annual crowning ofthe Zapata County Fair Queen.

The 2011queen eventbegins at 2p.m. Fouryoung womenare competingfor the honorof the crownand sash.

The contestfor the crown has been a part ofZapata’s rich history for the past34 years, having been initiated on-ly a few years after the ZapataCounty Fair began.

“As a matter of fact, some ofthe past queens have been daugh-ters (of queens) … It’s a reallynice experience,” said MarissaMoya, assistant to Zapata CountyFair Queen organizer Paco Men-doza.

This year’s contestants are Ma-ryjo Sanchez, Jacy Clifton, Cas-sandra Gutierrez and Paola Jasso.Those competing have to be en-rolled in high school to partici-pate in the contest. Each candi-date’s academic performance istaken into account; the winnermust excel in all areas.

At the contest, the women willfirst perform an opening numberwith last year’s queen, and thenproceed to participate in a west-ern wear competition, a talentcompetition and an evening wearcompetition.

The candidates are judged on

ZAPATA COUNTY FAIR

Queento be

namedSunday

By ERICA MATOSTHE ZAPATA TIMES

INSIDEENTERTAINMENT:Fair to feature musicby La Mafia, DavidLee Garza, and Ra-món Ayala. Page 8A

See QUEEN PAGE 12A

Zapata County ISD boardmembers discussed possible op-tions for what’s expected to be atight budget for the 2011-12school year at the board’smonthly meeting earlier thisweek.

Board members considered ahiring freeze for this year in aneffort to stem the growing con-cern over the state budgetshortfall, which could mean los-ing millions of dollars in stateaid.

ZCISD Superintendent Nor-ma Garcia, Ph.D., said boardmembers are participating inworkshops to determine the pa-rameters of potential budgetshortfalls locally.

“At this time we are workingwith preliminary amounts andwon’t know exact numbers un-til June,” Garcia said.

Garcia confirmed three spe-cific concerns: an anticipated37 percent decline in propertytaxes, a possible state cut of $8.1million, and a $5 million recap-ture, which requires the dis-trict, which is considered prop-erty wealthy, to contributefunding that is shared by prop-erty-poor districts.

“This means that our overallbudget cuts could be as muchas 26.1 percent,” Garcia stated.“At this time we are putting to-gether an exigency plan de-scribing possible cut areas.”

EDUCATION

Budgetgets agoingover

See FUNDS PAGE 12A

Trustees eye ways tocover a possible 26%

loss of fundsBy ERICA MATOS

THE ZAPATA TIMES

IT’S HOG HEAVEN AT LIFE

Esteban Alfaro tries to control two curious hogs at the 2011 LIFE Fair on Wednesday morning, in Laredo.

Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times

PAGE 2A Zin brief SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

SATURDAY, FEB. 26The Texas A&M International

University Lamar Bruni Vergara Plane-tarium will show “Star Signs” at 5p.m., “IBMX-Search for the Edge of theSolar System” at 6 p.m. and “PinkFloyd’s Dark Side of the Moon” at 7p.m.. General admission is $5, $4 forchildren and TAMIU students, faculty,staff and alumni. Premium shows are$1 more. For upcoming events, call(956) 326-DOME.

Texas A&M International Univer-sity’s baseball team plays Newman Uni-versity at 12 p.m. General admissiontickets are $5, $3 for students, andfree for anyone with a TAMIU I.D. Formore information, call (956) 326-2891or visit GoDustdevils.com.

A one-day SAT workshop for highschool students is from 7:45 a.m. tonoon today in the DD Hachar Buildingat the University of Texas Health Sci-ence Center at San Antonio, LaredoCampus Extension, 1937 E. BustamanteSt. It offers guidance and instructionon the verbal and mathematical sec-tions of the SAT.

The Texican CattleWomen willhave a Beef Brisket Cook-off at noontoday at LIFE Downs. Cash prizes willbe awarded. There will be a limit of 25teams. For more information or appli-cations, e-mail the Texican CattleWo-men at texicancattlewomen@gmail.comor call Jessica at the Walker Plaza,5810 San Bernardo Ave., Suite 490, at723-7151.

A Silva Life Systems seminar willbe held today and Sunday at 112 DelCourt, Suite A. Diana Silva Mendez andBelinda Lozano of Silva Internationalwill be the instructors for this uniqueprogram for mind development andmemory improvement. Call 1-800-545-6463 or 956-722-6391 for additionalinformation.

SUNDAY, FEB. 27“College Goal Sunday” is a

chance to get financial aid questionsand concerns addressed, held at 2p.m. at Texas A&M International Uni-versity’s Pellegrino Hall, room 211. Thisevent is free and open to the public.Parents and their students shouldbring 2010 tax returns and W2s. As-sistance will be available in English andSpanish. Participants will also be eligi-ble for a chance to win $250 for theircollege textbooks. For more informationabout College Goal Sunday, go tohttp://financialaid.tamu.edu/cgs. Formore on financial aid at TAMIU, con-tact the Office of Financial Aid at(956) 326-2225, e-mail financia-laid@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu/af-fairs/financial or visit offices in theUniversity Success Center 214.

The Texas A&M InternationalUniversity 2010-2011 Organ Recital Se-ries continues with organist Ken Cowanfrom 4-5:30 p.m. in the Center for theFine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.The event is free and open to the pub-lic. For more information, please con-tact the Department for the Fine andPerforming Arts at (956) 326-2654.For a list of upcoming fine arts events,call (956) 326-ARTS or visit tamiu.edu/coas/fpa/coe.

A Silva Life Systems seminar willbe held today at 112 Del Court, SuiteA. Diana Silva Mendez and Belinda Lo-zano of Silva International will be theinstructors for this unique program formind development and memory im-provement. Call 1-800-545-6463 or956-722-6391 for additional informa-tion.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1Les Amis will have its monthly

luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the HolidayInn at 800 Garden St. The honoree isAlicia Zuñiga. The hostesses are AliciaV. Laurel, Irma Velasquez, Viola Gonza-lez and Rebecca Martinez.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2The Border Counseling Associ-

ation will host “Prescription DrugAbuse: A Growing Trend in Today’sYouth” from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. today inthe Teachers Credit Union, 7114McPherson Road. Continuing educationunits will be offered for attendance. Formore information, call Esther Limon at286-7216.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3Representatives from Laredo

Community College’s financial aid de-partment will answer questions on howto use financial aid while in college atthe Cigarroa Science Building, Room126, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

To submit an item for thecalendar, send the name of theevent, the date, time, locationand contact phone number toeditorial@lmtonline.com

CALENDARASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Saturday, Feb. 26,the 57th day of 2011. There are308 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in His-tory:

On Feb. 26, 1861, Vassar Col-lege in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., re-ceived its initial funding fromits namesake, businessmanMatthew Vassar, who present-ed the newly formed Board ofTrustees with more than$400,000 in securities. (Al-though created exclusively forwomen, Vassar went co-educa-tional in 1969.)

On this date: In 1815, Napoleon Bona-

parte escaped from exile onthe Island of Elba.

In 1870, an experimental air-driven subway, the BeachPneumatic Transit, opened inNew York City for public dem-onstrations.

In 1919, President WoodrowWilson signed a measure es-tablishing Grand Canyon Na-tional Park in Arizona.

In 1929, President CalvinCoolidge signed a measure es-tablishing Grand Teton Na-tional Park in Wyoming.

In 1940, the United StatesAir Defense Command wascreated.

In 1945, a midnight curfewon night clubs, bars and otherplaces of entertainment wasset to go into effect across thenation.

In 1952, Prime MinisterWinston Churchill announcedthat Britain had developed itsown atomic bomb.

In 1970, National Public Ra-dio was incorporated.

In 1987, the Tower Commis-sion, which probed the Iran-Contra affair, issued its report,which rebuked President Ro-nald Reagan for failing to con-trol his national security staff.

In 1993, a bomb built by Is-lamic extremists exploded inthe parking garage of NewYork’s World Trade Center,killing six people and injuringmore than 1,000 others.

Ten years ago: A U.N. tri-bunal convicted a BosnianCroat political leader (DarioKordic) and a military com-mander (Mario Cerkez) of warcrimes for ordering the sys-tematic murder and persecu-tion of Muslim civilians dur-ing the Bosnian war.

Five years ago: On the fi-nal day of the Turin WinterOlympics, Sweden beat Fin-land 3-2 to win the men’s hock-ey gold. Germany finishedfirst in overall medals with 29and golds with eleven, whilethe Americans won 25 medalsoverall, nine of them gold.Drew Lachey leaped to victorywith professional partner Che-ryl Burke on ABC’s “Dancingwith the Stars.”

One year ago: New YorkGov. David Paterson an-nounced he wouldn’t seek re-election amid a criminal in-vestigation over his handlingof a domestic violence com-plaint against a top aide. (In-vestigators found no evidenceof witness tampering.) To-day’s Birthdays: Singer FatsDomino is 83. Country-rockmusician Paul Cotton (Poco) is68. Singer Mitch Ryder is 66.Democratic National Chair-man Tim Kaine is 53. SingerErykah (EHR’-ih-kah) Badu is40.

Thought for Today: “Onlythe mediocrities of life hidebehind the alibi ’in confer-ence.’ The great of this earthare not only simple but acces-sible.” — Isaac Frederick Mar-cosson, American journalist(1876-1961).

TODAY IN HISTORY

HOUSTON — The father of a toddler whowas among three children killed and four in-jured in a Houston day care fire said Fridaythat he was in shock and trying to cope asinvestigations by fire and state licensing offi-cials continued.

“It’s something that we never expected tohappen,” Emmanuel Kojah told The Associ-ated Press from his home in Cypress, aHouston suburb. “It’s very difficult.”

Kojah said he and his family had no ideahow to plan a funeral for a baby, 20-month-old Elizabeth Kojah, and had not yet decidedhow to share the news with his 5-year-olddaughter, who was staying with a friend.

The fire apparently started in the kitchenof Jackie’s Child Care, which was operatingout of a one-story Houston home. The smoke

was so thick firefighters had to use thermalimaging cameras to locate some of theyoungsters trapped inside. They cradled thechildren in their arms as they carried themout and performed CPR on the tots in theyard or rushed them to ambulances on thecrowded streets.

The Texas Department of Family and Pro-tective Services, which licenses day care cen-ters, has started an investigation into severalmatters, such as whether the children wereleft alone at any point before the fire beganand whether the number of preschool chil-dren in the home exceeded the state limit,spokeswoman Gwen Carter said.

State regulations allow no more than sixchildren under preschool age to be cared forin any 24-hour period in registered child-care homes. Preschool age is generally de-fined as 5 or younger, Carter said.

AROUND TEXAS

Emergency personnel respond to the location where a fire broke out at a day care operated by Jessica Tata, killing threechildren and injuring four others on Thursday in Houston.

Photo by Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle | AP

Dad trying to copeBy ANGELA K. BROWN AND JUAN A. LOZANO

ASSOCIATED PRESS

UT chancellor concernedover handgun proposalAUSTIN — University of Tex-

as System Chancellor FranciscoCigarroa said students, facultyand administrators worry thatproposals to allow concealedhandguns on Texas college cam-puses will make schools moredangerous.

Cigarroa expressed his con-cerns to Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov.David Dewhurst and state law-makers in a letter dated Thurs-day.

Former Dallas mayorenters Senate race

AUSTIN, Texas — Former Dal-las Mayor Tom Leppert is run-ning for the U. S. Senate.

Leppert, who stepped down asmayor this week, announced Fri-day he had formed a federal com-mittee to run for the seat cur-rently held by longtime incum-bent U.S. Sen. Kay BaileyHutchison, who says she is leav-ing office in 2012.

Group pushes for toughercomputer recycling rules

AUSTIN — In 2010, manufac-turers collected about 24 millionpounds of computer equipmentin Texas for reuse or recycling.

But Texas Campaign for theEnvironment, an environmentalgroup, says that more than 90percent of the electronic wastecollected in 2010 was collected byonly four manufacturers.

No discipline for CIApsychologist

DALLAS — A state agencyhas dismissed a complaintagainst a psychologist who was afigure in the CIA’s post-Sept. 11interrogation practices.

Documents obtained Friday byThe Associated Press show thatthe Texas State Board of Exam-iners of Psychologists dismissedthe complaint against Jim Mitch-ell at a meeting Feb. 10.

The board said there was in-sufficient evidence to substan-tiate a violation of its rules.

Scholarships offered forwhite males

SAN MARCOS — Colby Bo-hannan said that when he firstapplied to college, he foundmany scholarships for womenand minorities, but none aimedat people like him: white men.

“I felt excluded,” said Bohan-nan, a Texas State Universitystudent. So Bohannan and othersformed the Former Majority As-sociation for Equality — a SanMarcos-based nonprofit groupthat is offering five $500 scholar-ships exclusively to white malestudents.

Texas burglary suspectdrives into bank lobbySAN MARCOS, Texas — A

burglary suspect in Central Tex-as allegedly created his owndrive-thru lane at a bank.

San Marcos police say a manearly Friday crashed his car intoa closed Bank of America branchand then drove away.

— Compiled from AP reports

Phil Spector won’t appearin person at civil trial

LOS ANGELES — Prison offi-cials won’t allow music producerand convicted murderer PhilSpector to attend a civil trial inwhich he is trying to recoup $1million paid to attorney RobertShapiro, a lawyer told a judge onFriday.

Spector will still be a witnessin the case but will instead ap-pear via a videotaped deposition.

His attorney Michael Demp-sey said he expects the footage tobe shown near the conclusion ofSpector’s civil case claimingbreach of contract against Shapi-ro.

Dempsey said at a pretrialhearing that he was advised byprison officials that his clientwould not be moved for the trialscheduled to begin March 7.

Spector was convicted of themurder of actress Lana Clarksonand is serving a sentence of 19years to life.

Panel’s findings on oilspill to be delayed againNEW ORLEANS — A federal

panel investigating the Deepwa-ter Horizon explosion and oil

spill won’t finish its final reportby the anniversary of the disas-ter as it had hoped.

Its final report was due inMarch. Instead, the panel nowhas until July.

— Compiled from AP reports

AROUND THE NATION

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, center, flanked by other governors, speaks toreporters outside the White House in Washington on Friday after Democratic gov-ernors met with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Photo by Charles Dharapak | AP

Publisher, William B. Green........................728-2501Business Manager, Dora Martinez ...... (956) 324-1226Chief Accountant, Thelma Aguero .............. 728-2553General Manager, Adriana Devally ...............728-2510Retail Adv. Manager, Raul Cruz................... 728-2511Classified Manager, Jesse Vicharreli ........... 728-2525Adv. Billing Inquiries ................................. 728-2531Circulation Director ................................. 728-2559MIS Director, Michael Castillo.................... 728-2505Editor, Diana Fuentes ................................ 728-2581City Editor, Mary Nell Sanchez .................. 728-2543Sports Editor, Dennis Silva II......................728-2579Business Journal Editor, Sean Bowlin.......... 728-2529Entertainment Editor, Emilio Rábago III ....... 728-2564Online Editor, Julie Daffern ....................... 728-2565

SUBSCRIPTIONS/DELIVERY(956) 728-2555

The Zapata Times is distributed on Saturdays to 4,000households in Zapata County. For subscribers of the LaredoMorning Times and for those who buy the Laredo MorningTimes at newsstands, the Zapata Times is inserted.

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

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

The Zapata office is at 1309 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 at 14th Ave-nue, Suite 2, Zapata, TX 78076. Call (956) 765-5113 or e-mailthezapatatimes.net

CONTACT US

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011 Zlocal PAGE 3A

Three men were arrest-ed and accused of plottingto break into a residenceand steal a video gameconsole early Monday inthe 1000 block of LaredoAvenue.

Jose Eduardo Barron, 19and Juan Carlos Salinas,21, were arrested andcharged with burglary of ahabitation and engagingin organized criminal ac-tivity. Deputies also arrest-ed Angel Dagoberto Villar-real, 20, and charged himwith engaging in orga-nized criminal activity.

The three men were tak-en to Zapata Regional Jail.Barron and Salinas wereheld in lieu of a combinedbond of $70,000 each. Vil-

larreal had a bond of$40,000.

Deputies responded to aburglary in progress callat 1:06 a.m. at a residenceon Laredo Avenue.

“Barron and Salinaswent inside the residencewhile the victim was in-side the residence,” saidSgt. Mario Elizondo.

“They forced upon thefront door and took a Play-Station 3.”

Deputies received infor-mation about the two menleaving the scene in a 2003Pontiac Grand Am. Mo-ments later, authorities pa-trolling the vicinity of Ala-mo Street and Bravo Ave-nue spotted a vehiclematching the description.

Deputies pulled over thecar and identified the menas Barron, Salinas and Vil-larreal. Elizondo said offi-cials noticed the stolenPlayStation 3 in the backseat of the vehicle. All menwere arrested and taken tothe county jail.

A PlayStation 3 could beworth up to $400.

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

Three men arrested, jailed afterPlayStation 3 found in car

By CÉSAR G. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES

JOSE EDUARDO BAR-RON: Jailed in lieuof combined bondof $70,000.

JUAN CARLOS SALI-NAS: Jailed in lieuof combined bondof $70,000.

ANGEL DAGOBERTOVILLARREAL: Jailedin lieu of $40,000bond.

Guidance counselors atZapata High School havescheduled Financial AidNight on Monday from 5:30to 7:30 p.m. at the highschool library.

The counselors, in con-junction with Laredo Com-munity College and TexasA&M International Univer-sity, will “ensure all stu-dents have the opportunityto apply and qualify for asmuch financial aid as pos-sible,” according to a pressrelease.

Students should bring aparent to the session in or-der to complete the finan-cial aid form, the press re-lease states.

Parents must bring prop-er 2010 tax documentation.Seniors will be given aform with the documenta-tion required for complet-

ing the FAFSA.

Documents neededDocuments needed in-

clude records of incomeearned in the year prior towhen students will starthigher education, includingrecords of parents’ incomeinformation for a depend-ent student.

For the 2011-2012 schoolyear bring financial infor-mation from 2010. This in-formation can include:

Social Security card Driver’s license (if

any) 2010 W-2 forms and

other records of moneyearned

A 2010 Federal IncomeTax Return (and spouse’s,if married).

IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ

Parents’ 2010 FederalIncome Tax Return (for adependent student)

Your 2010 untaxed in-come records

Current bank state-ments

Current business andinvestment mortgage infor-mation, business and farmrecords, stock, bond andother investment records

Alien registration orpermanent resident card (ifnot a U.S. citizen).

One can also present aforeign tax return, or a taxreturn for Puerto Rico,Guam, American Samoa,the U.S. Virgin Islands, theMarshall Islands, the Fed-eral States of Micronesia orPalau.

To organize information,print and complete a FAF-SA on the Web Worksheetbefore entering informa-tion online. However, one is

not required to do so. FAF-SA on the Web guides onethrough the questions to beanswered, and one can savean application and return

to it later.For more information

contact the high schoolcounselor’s office at 765-0280.

High school to hold Financial Aid NightSPECIAL TO THE TIMES

PAGE 4A Zopinion SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

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

An apocryphal storyholds that FranklinRoosevelt once said

of Nicaraguan dictatorAnastasio Somoza, “He’san S.O.B., but he’s ourS.O.B.”

Variations of this quotehave also been attributedto Roosevelt with regard toDominican strongman Ra-fael Trujillo and to CIA di-rector Bill Casey describ-ing Panamanian caudilloManuel Noriega.

While the history be-hind the purported state-ment is murky, the conceptit animates isn’t. Theworld is populated with allsorts of unsavory leaderswho sit atop governmentsof questionable legitimacy.When the free world wasstanding up against Ger-man Nazism or SovietCommunism, it was farbetter for the United Statesto have some influence onthose governments than tohave none at all.

Jeanne Kirkpatrick,who became a foreign pol-icy adviser to Ronald Rea-gan, formulated a ColdWar doctrine around thisnotion. The totalitarian re-gimes of the Soviet blocwere brutally efficient atmaintaining power, whilethe dictatorships the Unit-ed States supported tendedto ameliorate over time.

In Latin America, So-moza, Trujillo and Norie-ga are all gone. Democrat-ic governments of varyingquality have succeededthem. Meanwhile, the Cas-tro brothers maintain theiron grip of one-party rulein Cuba.

There’s even an echo ofthe Kirkpatrick Doctrinetoday in the Middle East.Zine El Abidine Ben Ali inTunisia and Hosni Mubar-ak in Egypt departed theirdecades-long dominionswith relatively little vio-lence. Moammar Gadhafiis defending his 42-yeardictatorship to the last bul-let.

What accounts for thedifference? American aidand close ties between theU.S. military and the offi-cer corps in Tunisia andEgypt made it possible forthe United States to exert amoderating influence andprevent the Ben Ali andMubarak regimes fromturning their guns on theprotesters. Gadhafi, withweapons from Russia and,pathetically, Western Euro-

pean nations, is bombinghis own cities.

Gadhafi is a bastard.Ben Ali and Mubarakwere our bastards. Butwhy, in 2011, does the Unit-ed States have any bas-tards at all?

Up through the fall ofthe Berlin Wall in 1989, areasonable argument couldbe made that in foreign af-fairs the United States of-ten had to choose unpalat-ably between the lesser oftwo evils. And as Kirkpa-trick correctly surmised incountries as diverse asChile, South Korea and thePhilippines, American in-fluence eventually encour-aged those lesser author-itarian evils to evolve intogreater democratic goods.

Occasionally, today, thatargument can be made tosound barely plausible inplaces such as Afghanistanand Pakistan. But in aglobal sense, there’s nothreat to freedom andprosperity so great that itrequires the United States— a nation founded on theprinciples of individual lib-erty and the consent of thegoverned — to sully itselfwith unquestioning sup-port of absolute monarchsand tin-pot dictators.

The events of the lastmonth have demonstratedthat the choice betweenstability and liberty is afalse one. The real choicenow for the United Statesis whether it will be a de-fender of bastard regimesin the Middle East and be-yond or be an advocate fordemocratic change.

Rarely in internationalrelations do interests andprinciples perfectly align.They didn’t during WorldWar II, when the UnitedStates had to sidle up toJosef Stalin — anothermurderous S.O.B. — topartly liberate Europe.They didn’t during theCold War, when the UnitedStates temporized with dic-tators.

Today, those interestsand principles align prettywell. Brave democratic re-formers from Benghazi toBeijing who peacefullychallenge illegitimate ty-rants should know theUnited States has an inter-est in seeing them succeed.The tyrants, friend or foe,should know that as aprinciple the United Stateswill no longer sufferS.O.B.s.

COLUMN

No moreallies who

are dictators

OTHER VIEWS

DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU

The 82nd LegislativeSession waslaunched last month

in the midst of a budgethole that’s almost threetimes larger than it’s everbeen.

Based on the statecomptroller’s revenue esti-mate, Texas will have $15billion less for the nextbiennium than theamount needed to upholdcurrent state services. Butbecause Texas grew byabout a million residentsin the last biennium, thenumber of Texans en-rolled in public schools, inMedicaid and other enti-tlements also grew. Whengrowth is included, thestate is $26.8 billion short.

And to make matterseven worse, the currentbiennial budget lacks $4.3billion to get the statethrough to the end of thefiscal year. That brings thetally to just over $31 bil-lion.

How we got hereThe state’s budget hole

is due in part to a reces-sion that’s caused tax rev-enue to fall dramatically— a drop for 14 straightmonths. A “structural”deficit created in 2006 bycutting school propertytaxes while expanding thebusiness tax is also toblame for the currentshortfall. The newly struc-tured business tax bringsin $9 billion less than theproperty tax did.

For as long as therehave been taxes, therehave been tax exemptionsfor everything under thekitchen sink.

Missing moniesAnd every time an ex-

emption is passed — often— it represents millions— sometimes billions —in lost revenue to Texas.

Yet another part of theshortfall can be attributedto using “one time” feder-al stimulus money to bal-ance the previous budget.Had the shortfall been ad-dressed without using“one time” dollars, thehole Texas finds itself inwouldn’t be so large.

So there are two waysout of this predicament —massive cuts or new reve-nue.

Difficult choicesFacing a $10 billion

shortfall in 2003, the newRepublican majority usedcuts and fee hikes to bal-ance the budget. Accord-ing to Republican stateleaders, the same cuttingpractices should be usedagain this session. But thecuts-only budget approachthat they’ve proposed hasenraged Democrats andalarmed Texans fromacross the state. The pro-posed cuts are so deep,they’ll adversely affectpublic education, publichealth, public safety andeconomic recovery in Tex-as.

Using savingsOne option to lower the

shortfall is to use the $9.4billion Rainy Day fundwhich was created to helpweather tough fiscaltimes. Another is casinogambling, estimated to

raise $1 billion. But asidefrom the moral objections,there’s infighting amongindustry groups overwhich industry — race-tracks or destination re-sort casinos — gets theleg-up in the lawmakingprocess.

Estimated to raise $7billion, some economistsargue that a personal in-come tax is the only wayto grow revenue over time.But if you ask any politi-cal observer, they’d proba-bly say it’ll never happenin Texas.

Other tax hikes thatcould be considered are a½-cent sales tax increase,a 0.25 percent franchisetax hike, a ½-cent gas taxincrease, a .59-cent ciga-rette tax increase, an In-ternet purchase sales tax,a 0.5 percent motor vehi-cle sales tax increase, a 1-cent beer tax and a 1 per-cent soda tax to raise acombined $9 billion.

Eliminating tax exemp-tions/discounts such assales taxes on business/professional services,high-cost-natural-gas ex-emption, optimal percent-age homestead exemption,school property tax abate-ment, freeport propertytax exemption, 10 percentproperty appraisal cap,sales tax timely filer/pre-payment discount, salestax holiday, ineffective taxexemptions, gas tax collec-tion allowance and CAP-CO tax credit would col-lectively raise $11.5 bil-lion.

Political realitiesThe fact is that Texas’

population is growing fas-ter than its tax revenue —more than three times asfast over the past 10 years.And people living in pov-

erty — those who relymost on state services —grew twice as much asTexas’ population. But themost staggering statisticis that although Texas hasgrown by 20 percent in thelast decade, spending hasalmost doubled.

So even if this Legisla-ture were to implementcasino gambling, a stateincome tax and all the taxhikes I listed and elimi-nate all the fee exemptionslisted above, Texas wouldstill be short of the $31 bil-lion needed to continuewith business as usual.

But Republican stateleaders, who have a Housesupermajority, a Senatemajority and every state-wide office, have vowed tobalance the budgetthrough cuts without raid-ing the Rainy Day fund,without raising fees andwithout raising taxes —something they contendTexans endorsed whenthey swept the 2010 gener-al elections last fall.

PromisesMy fellow Democrats

and I understand theseodds, but more important-ly, we understand what’sat stake for the people werepresent. And although Ibelieve we must hold theline on spending and keepfrom overburdening tax-payers, I also believe wemust do good by the com-mitments we’ve made andstand by the goals we havefor Texas. And that causeis worth fighting for.

But when you spend toomuch and raise too little,something’s gotta give.

(State Rep. Ryan Guil-len, D- Rio Grande City,represents Duval, Starr,Webb and Zapata coun-ties.)

COLUMN

The challenge of filling a hole

“REP. RYAN GUILLEN

Food prices are soar-ing to record levels,threatening many

developing countries withhunger and political insta-bility.

Food prices are nowhigher than their 2008peak, driven by rising de-mand in developing coun-tries and volatile weather,including drought in Rus-sia and Ukraine and a dryspell in North China thatthreatens the crop of theworld’s largest wheat pro-ducer. The World Banksays the spike has pushed44 million people into pov-erty just since June.

In 2008, 30 countrieshad food riots. That hasnot happened, at least notyet. Sub-Saharan Africa,in particular, has benefit-ed from improved agricul-

tural productivity. Misguided government

policies could make mat-ters worse. Some coun-tries are stockpiling food.When India did that lastyear, food ended up rot-ting. Others are imposingagricultural export bans,which discourages invest-ment in production.

The Obama administra-tion has pledged $3.5 bil-lion to G-20, the world’sindustrial nations. So far,it has delivered $66.6 mil-lion.

It is now asking for$408 million for the fund— part of a $1.64 billionrequest for its Feed theFuture initiative, whichaims to bolster food pro-duction capabilities.

This isn’t a question ofcharity. It is an issue oflife or death for millionsof people.

EDITORIAL

Poor countriesneed food help

NEW YORK TIMES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011 THE ZAPATA TIMES 5A

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LYFORD — Jorge IsaacTorres not only runs onthe Lyford High SchoolBulldogs track team, the18-year-old also is runningfor mayor of his home-town.

A very serious youngman, Torres plans to builda career of public service,he said. Getting electedmayor would be a step-pingstone toward his goalof someday being governorof Texas, he said.

Although he’s in his se-nior year of high school,he’s also a college studentthrough a dual enrollmentprogram, Torres said.

“It’s a big head start,”he said of the chance totake college speech andgovernment classes in highschool.

Whether he’s electedmayor or not, more collegeis in his plans, he said.

“If I win, I’ll go to theUniversity of Texas-PanAmerican. If I lose, I’ll goto Texas A&M UniversityKingsville,” he said. He al-so plans to eventually go tolaw school.

The idea of running formayor of Lyford occurredto him last summer whenhe went to Texas Boys’State, Torres said.

“They were getting usprepared to be volunteers,to serve in our communi-ty,” he said. “They made usrun for political office,” hesaid of mock elections atBoys’ State.

“I ran for attorney gen-eral,” he said.

The Texas Election Codeallows someone 18 yearsold or older to run for of-fice in a Class A GeneralLaw city such as Lyford, aspokesman for the TexasSecretary of State’s officesaid.

Home rule cities such asHarlingen or Brownsvillerequire candidates to be atleast 21, the Texas ElectionCode states.

If elected, Torres willserve a two-year term asmayor of the town of 2,611people.

He said he plans to workclosely with the police de-partment to improve safetyand security, he said. Mostcrime comes from express-way traffic, but so wouldprosperity, he said.

“My parents are verysupportive and they thinkit’s a big step,” he said. Butno one in his family hasever run for elected office.

“I’ll be the first,” hesaid. “It’s straight from theheart.”

Teen eyesmayor’soffice inLyford

By ALLEN ESSEXVALLEY MORNING STAR

AUSTIN — University ofTexas System ChancellorFrancisco Cigarroa saidstudents, faculty and ad-ministrators worry thatproposals to allow con-cealed handguns on Texascollege campuses will makeschools more dangerous.

Cigarroa expressed hisconcerns to Gov. Rick Per-ry, Lt. Gov. David Dew-hurst and state lawmak-ers in a letter datedThursday. The Legislatureis considering bills thatwould allow anyone witha concealed handgun li-cense, which would in-clude some students, fac-ulty and staff, to carry

their weapons into campusbuildings.

“I would be remiss in myduties as chancellor of thestate’s largest university sys-tem, if I did not convey myconcerns regarding this is-sue,” Cigarroa wrote.

The UT system has nineuniversity campuses and sev-eral more health science andmedical school facilities.

Texas enacted its con-cealed handgun law in 1995,allowing people 21 or olderto carry weapons if theypass a training course anda background check. Busi-nesses, schools and church-es can set rules banningguns on their on theirpremises. On campuses,guns are prohibited inbuildings, dorms and cer-

tain grounds around them. The state had 461,724 li-

cense holders as of Dec. 31. Texas has become a bat-

tleground for a movementto prevent schools frombanning concealed weap-ons. The Senate passed abill in 2009, and more thanhalf the members of theHouse have signed on to asimilar bill this year.

UT chancellor mulls handgun proposalBy JIM VERTUNO

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAPE CANAVERAL,Fla. — The six astronautson Discovery’s final flightare making space shuttlehistory. One never expect-ed to be on board.

Astronaut Stephen Bow-en was added to the crewjust last month, replacinglead spacewalker TimothyKopra, who was hurt in abicycle wreck. There’s nev-er been a shuttle crewshake-up so close to flight.

Kopra helped train himfor spacewalks at the In-ternational Space Station.

“We’re all disappointedthat he’s not going to behere,” said commanderSteven Lindsey.

——— Commander Steven

Lindsey admits it’s “reallycool” being the last personto skipper Discovery. Atthe same time, it will besad when it comes time forhim to call “wheels stop”at the end of the flight.

He quickly ticks off allof Discovery’s accomplish-ments: returning the shut-tle fleet to flight followingtwo disasters, deliveringobservatories, traveling to

the space station. ———Pilot Eric Boe considers

his life part science fiction. “I look at the space

shuttle and to me, there’snothing cooler from a sci-ence fiction perspectivethan to see real science fic-tion,” he said.

The 46-year-old AirForce colonel would likenothing more than to flywhatever spacecraft replac-es the shuttle.

——— Navy Capt. Stephen

Bowen is closing out hisspace shuttle-flying careerwith an extra mission.

NASA tapped Bowen tofill in for the mission’slead spacewalker, TimothyKopra, who had to bow outfollowing a bicycle wrecknear his Houston-areahome in mid-January.Bowen was a naturalchoice: He’d flown to thespace station on the previ-ous shuttle mission andperformed two spacewalks.

——— Benjamin Alvin “Al”

Drew Jr. can rememberwanting to be a pilot asyoung as 4.

He was 51/2 when heasked his father whether it

was a better career moveto become a pilot or an as-tronaut. “I didn’t want togive up either of them,” herecalled. The elder Drewadvised his son to becomea pilot since most astro-nauts were pilots.

——— Dr. Michael Barratt nev-

er thought he’d ride on thespace shuttle before theprogram ended. So hetossed his shuttle trainingnotes into the recyclingbin before leaving for Rus-sia in 2009 to hitch a rideon a Soyuz rocket to thespace station.

What a mistake. He wasexercising at the space sta-tion when he learned he’dbe returning to orbit. He’lloperate the robot arm.

——— Nicole Stott learned via

e-mail that she was gettingone more shuttle ride.

She was at the space sta-tion in 2009 when her boss-es informed her that she’dbeen assigned to Discov-ery’s last flight. She imme-diately called husbandChristopher, even thoughit was 2 in the morning.

“Are you willing to gofor this kind of thing?” sheasked. He was all for it.

Last crew all experienced space fliersBy MARCIA DUNNASSOCIATED PRESS

Members of NASA’s management watch the launch of space shut-tle Discovery from the firing room at Kennedy Space Center onThursday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA | AP

BURGLARYAlejandro Gutierrez-Garza, 27,

was arrested and charged withburglary of a habitation and theftat about 5:45 p.m. Feb. 20 in the1500 block of Zapata Avenue. Dep-uties took him to the Zapata Re-gional Jail, where he was held inlieu of $40,000 combined bond.

Deputies responded to aburglary call at 10:14 a.m. Tuesdayat a ranch located in the vicinityof Third and Carla streets, wherethe victim told deputies thatsomeone burglarized a trailer andstole 10 small boxes of .22-caliberammunition.

A burglary of a habitationwas reported at 9:28 a.m. Tuesday

in the 5200 block of North SiestaLane in the Siesta Shores subdivi-sion.

MARIJUANA

Deputies responded to an in-cident call at 10:10 a.m. Feb. 19 inthe 200 block of Matamoros Ave-nue in San Ygnacio. The complai-nant told deputies that she found

two pounds of marijuana, worth$885, inside a room she rentedout to some people. The ZapataCounty Sheriff’s Office has anopen investigation of the case.

THE BLOTTER

SÁBADO 26 DE FEBREROLAREDO — El equipo

de béisbol de TAMIU recibea Newman University a las12 p.m. Boleto de entrada a5 dólares.

LAREDO — Pase latarde en el Planetario LamarBruni Vergara de TAMIU yexplore “Star Signs” a las 5p.m., “IBEX: Search for theEdge of the Solar System” alas 6 p.m., y Pink Floyd’s”Dark Side of the Moon” alas 7 p.m. Entrada generales de 5 dólares.

NUEVO LAREDO —Rudy García ofrecerá un Ta-ller de Fotografía Digital Ur-bana Artística hoy de 11:30a.m. a 12:30 p.m. para per-sonas mayores de 15 añoscon cámara propia en Ma-quila Creativa, Espacio deArtes y Oficios, Eva Sámano1501, Colonia 20 de Noviem-bre. Más información enphotos.n.designs@gmail.com

NUEVO LAREDO — ElMuseo Para niños presentaGrupo de Teatro Ambulante(percusión y teatro) en laSala de Servicios Educativosdel Museo Reyes Meza delCentro Cultural Nuevo Lare-do a las 4 p.m. Entrada li-bre.

SAN ANTONIO — Den-tro del Ciclo de Cine Mexica-no se presenta “Escuela deMúsica” (español con subtí-tulos en inglés) con las ac-tuaciones de Pedro Infante yLibertad Lamarque, a las 5p.m. en el Auditorio del Ins-tituto Cultural de México,600 Hemisfair Park. Reservesu espacio a (210) 2270123.

DOMINGO 27 DE FEBREROLAREDO — En la Serie

de Recitales de Órgano2010-2011 hoy se presentael organista Ken Cowan a las4 p.m. en el Center for theFine and Performing ArtsRecital Hall de TAMIU. Elevento es gratuito y abiertoal público en general.

LAREDO — Juego deHockey, los Laredo Bucks re-ciben a Arizona Sundogs alas 4 p.m. en Laredo EnergyArena.

AUSTIN: Fox Elipsusse presenta hoy en BordersBooks (Basse Rd.) a las 7p.m. El evento es gratuito.Elipsus presentará su disco“The Road”.

MARTES 1 DE MARZOLAREDO — Fox Elipsus

se presenta hoy en Fuddruc-kers, 711 Hillside Road, a las7 p.m. El evento es gratuito.Elipsus presentará su disco“The Road”.

LAREDO — Juego deHockey, los Laredo Bucks re-ciben a Allen Americans alas 7 p.m. en Laredo EnergyArena.

MIÉRCOLES 2 DE MARZOLAREDO — La Border

Counseling Association invitaal evento “Prescription DrugAbuse: A Growing Trend inToday’s Youth” a partir delas 6 p.m. en el TeachersCredit Union, 7114 McPher-son Road.

MCALLEN: Fox Elipsusse presenta hoy en Star-bucks a las 7 p.m. El eventoes gratuito. Elipsus presenta-rá su disco “The Road”.

JUEVES 3 DE MARZONUEVO LAREDO —

Hoy a las 8 p.m. se presentala obra “Papá Querido” en elTeatro Lucio Blanco de Casade la Cultura. Otras funcio-nes el 10, 17, 24 y 31 demarzo.

VIERNES 4 DE MARZONUEVO LAREDO —

Hoy se presenta la obra“Más pequeños que el Gug-genheim” en el Teatro delIMSS a las 8 p.m. Entradageneral 50 pesos. Estudian-tes al 2x1.

— Compilado por Tiempo de Laredo

Agendaen Breve

Zfrontera PÁGINA 7ASABÁDO 26 DE FEBRERO DE 2011

Entre el 21 y 22 de febrero,elementos de la Secretaría de laDefensa Nacional (Sedena)aseguraron casi tres toneladasde marihuana y liberaron a 20personas en operativos llevadosa cabo en Tamaulipas. Ademásde incautar vehículos, armas,granadas, municiones, chalecosantibalas y fornituras.

A continuación los reportesde prensa emitidos por Sedenaal respecto:

Ciudad MierEl 21 de febrero fueron agre-

didos con disparos de arma defuego “por integrantes de la de-lincuencia organizada”. Al re-peler la agresión aseguraronocho armas largas, un adita-mento lanza granadas, 37 car-gadores, 700 cartuchos de dife-rentes calibres y un cañón ame-trallador calibre .30”.

Posteriormente, en el ranchoEl Troncón, se logró la liber-ación de dos personas. Tambiénfueron asegurados dos vehícu-los, dos armas largas, 30 carga-dores y 1,260 cartuchos de dife-rentes calibres.

CamargoEl 21 de febrero en la pobla-

ción de López y Nuevo Caudillofue localizado un depósito sub-terráneo cubierto con tierraentre la vegetación y en el inte-rior 461 paquetes de marihuanacon un peso aproximado de

2,633 kilogramos.

Nuevo LaredoEl 21 de febrero sobre Boule-

vard Colosio y el Río Bravo, ala altura del Parque IndustrialFinsa, fueron localizados ocul-tos entre la maleza ocho pa-quetes de marihuana con unpeso aproximado de 238.4 kilo-gramos.

Ese mismo día, en recorridopor calle Ignacio Treviño y Ce-sáreo García, de la colonia 150Aniversario, se logró la liber-ación de cinco personas y ase-guró dos vehículos, una grana-da de mano, cuatro armas lar-gas, 56 cargadores, 1,005cartuchos de diferentes cali-bres, dos chalecos antibala yseis fornituras.

AltamiraTras denuncia ciudadana,

fue liberada una persona enuna casa ubicada por calle Vio-leta de la colonia Luis DonaldoColosio.

Díaz OrdazEl 21 de febrero en el poblado

El Azúcar, personal militar lo-calizó enterrado cubierto conuna manta cuatro armas lar-gas, 47 cargadores y 1,222 cartu-chos de diferentes calibres.

Sur del estadoEl 21 de febrero, en Ciudad

Victoria, fueron aseguradas 12dosis de marihuana, 140 capsu-

las de 30 MG. de Clobenzorex,82 pastillas de tlamina clorhi-drato, nueve ampolletas de he-matina de 10 M.L., 700 pesos yuna mochila;

El 22 de febrero, tras respon-der a denuncia ciudadana en lacolonia Adriana González deMadero, 0se logró la liberaciónde 12 personas y el asegura-miento de dos armas largas, 239cartuchos 2.23 y 12 cargadorespara cartuchos 2.23.

Noreste del estadoEl 21 Feb. 2011 en Matamo-

ros, personal militar aseguróun tractocamión con una cis-terna con capacidad de 42,000Lts. conteniendo aproximada-mente 8,000 litros de gasolina,una cisterna con capacidad de30,000 Lts. conteniendo aproxi-madamente 27,000 litros de ga-solina, una cisterna con capaci-dad de 30,000 Lts. conteniendoaproximadamente 27,000 litrosde gasolina y dos vehículos; y,en un puesto de control en laGarita del kilómetro 26 carrete-ra federal Reynosa-San Fernan-do y en coordinación con losagentes aduanales se logró ladetención de dos personas y elaseguramiento de un vehículo,77,020 dólares americanos y2.190 pesos.

De estos hechos las autori-dades correspondientes dieronfe de la liberación de 20 presun-tos secuestrados y de la deten-ción de dos personas, quedandoa su disposición lo asegurado, afin de que se integre la averi-guación previa respectiva.

SEDENA REPORTA RESULTADOS POR OPERATIVOS

Liberan a 20 TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

CIUDAD VICTORIA, México — Todoestá listo para que del 5 al 24 de marzo serealice la 52 Muestra Internacional deCine en esta ciudad.

El Gobierno de Tamaulipas, a travésdel Instituto Tamaulipeco para la Culturay las Artes (ITCA), lanzó una invitación alos amantes del séptimo arte para queacudan a la muestra de cine que se real-izará en la Cineteca del Centro CulturalTamaulipas.

La Directora del ITCA, Libertad GarcíaCabriales, dijo que dando continuidad alos acuerdos interinstitucionales como elque existe con la Cineteca Nacional, sepresentarán filmes nacionales e interna-cionales.

“Algunos países participantes son Espa-ña, Portugal, Canadá, Bélgica, Corea delSur, Francia e Italia”, dijo García. “En to-tal serán 20 películas que los asistentes ala Cineteca podrán apreciar”.

En ella se podrán apreciar filmes de di-versas épocas, como la película mexicana“Los Olvidados” de Luis Buñuel, hastaproducciones más recientes de diversoscineastas y coproducciones de grandes di-rectores.

Los géneros también son variados, perotodos con temáticas importantes en elmundo actual. Las películas se presenta-rán a las 7 p.m.

Previamente, el jueves 3 de marzo ha-brá una sesión informativa con los me-dios de comunicación para dar mayoresdetalles de la muestra.

CULTURA

Invitan aMuestra de cine

en capitalPresentarán 20 cintas del

5 al 24 de marzoTIEMPO DE ZAPATA

CIUDAD VICTORIA,México — El Gobierno deTamaulipas, a través de laSubsecretaría del Trans-porte Público, inició unaserie de acercamientos condependencias federales einstituciones financierasnacionales para tratar deconseguir recursos quepermitan la modernizacióndel transporte público enTamaulipas.

En representación delSecretario de DesarrolloUrbano y Medio Ambiente,Homero de la Garza Ta-

mez, el Subsecretario delTransporte, Ramiro RamosSalinas, se reunió en la Ci-udad de México con funcio-narios del Fondo Nacionalde Infraestructura (FONA-DIN).

“Estamos buscandoabrir las oportunidades definanciamiento para quelos concesionarios puedanrenovar sus unidades. Ade-más buscamos recursosque nos permitan desarrol-lar proyectos a mediano ylargo plazo que den comoresultado un transporte pú-blico más eficiente y com-petitivo”, dijo Ramos.

El Subsecretario delTransporte Público entregóa Francisco Quiñones y aCarlos Mier y Terán, repre-sentantes del FONADIN, lacarta de intención para in-iciar el camino hacia crédi-tos federales para mejorarel transporte de Tamauli-pas.

Indicó que al menos unaempresa privada está inte-resada en ofrecer créditospara la compra de uni-dades a los concesionariosy en el corto plazo se espe-ra que otras empresas en-víen sus propuestas de fi-nanciamiento.

TAMAULIPAS

Esperan modernizar transporte ESPECIAL PARA TIEMPO DE ZAPATA Tamauli-

pas buscainstitu-cionesque de-seen in-vertir enla mod-ernizacióndel trans-porte pú-blico.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Tamaulipas

En Nuevo Laredo, más de 300deportistas de Tamaulipasparticiparon esta semana

en el XII Encuentro Regional De-portivo Cultural de las Universi-dades Tecnológicas Nuevo Laredo2011, en el Gimnasio de la NuevaCiudad Deportiva.

En busca de adjudicarse la Co-pa UT, el 23 de febrero inició la lajusta cultural y deportiva, con laparticipación de atletas, estu-diantes de las UT de Altamira,Matamoros, Reynosa, Escobedo yla anfitriona, Universidad Tecno-lógica de Nuevo Laredo.

“El béisbol es similar a lo quevivimos en nuestras vidas, el jue-go no se acaba hasta que se aca-ba”, dijo en el mensaje inauguralel Presidente Muncipal BenjamínGalván Gómez. “Por eso hay quehacer el mejor de los esfuerzos”.

Agregó que el fútbol no sólocuenta el delantero que metegoles, también se debe tener unbuen portero para atajar los prob-lemas.

US Tae Kwon Do OpenEl victorense Romualdo Andrés

Salazar Dragustinovis se coronócampeón de la categoría junior(14-17 años) en el Abierto Nortea-mericano de Taekwondo (USOpen) celebrado en Austin, Texas.

Salazar, actual campeón nacion-al y medallista de oro de la Olim-piada 2010, se alzó con el título de

la división Fly (48 kilogramos)tras vencer en la primera ronda alestadounidense Jonas Miguel Ta-but por marcador de 1-0 paraavanzar a octavos de final, dondeenfrentó al también estadouni-dense Gennaro Couma, al quevenció por 4-1.

En la ronda de los cuartos de fi-nal venció al noruego Joakim El-lingsen por 13 puntos a 1 para ac-

ceder a la semifinal, donde derro-tó a Martin Hoang, de Dinamarcapor 6-0. La gran final fue ante elmexicano Daniel Gómez, a quienvenció por 6-1 para quedarse conel campeonato.

Fue un evento oficial para laFederación Mexicana de Taek-wondo.Esta fue una competenciade preparación en el marco de laOlimpiada Nacional 2011.

DEPORTES

UT REALIZA EVENTO ESTATALSe reúnen en

NuevoLaredo 300deportistas

TIEMPO DE ZAPATA

El Presidente Municipal de Nuevo Laredo Benjamín Galván Gómez sonríe junto con estudiantes de Universidades Tecnológicas detodo Tamaulipas.

Foto de cortesía | Gobierno de Nuevo Laredo

PAGE 8A Zentertainment SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

sic, plus the carnival — funfor the entire family.

On Thursday, March 10,the fair continues with thejudging for rabbits, steers,goats and lambs and thejudging of arts, crafts, andphotography, followed by abattle of the bands from 7p.m. to midnight.

Big weekendFriday’s events will fea-

ture street dances by Zapa-ta school groups beginningat 4 p.m. A street concertbegins at 5 p.m. with GrupoKalibre followed by GrupoNexxo. Popular band LaCostumbre plays at 7 p.m.,and will be followed by the“Tight Jean” contest at 8:30p.m. Music picks up at 9p.m. with the HometownBoys. Houston’s La Mafiacloses out Friday’s enter-tainment with a set from10:30 p.m. to midnight.

The biggest day is Satur-day, which starts with theZapata County Parade at 10a.m.; roping and folkloricdancing at 1 p.m.; a live-stock auction at 4 p.m.; and

“The Biggest Little TownFair in Texas” returns nextSaturday and the entertain-ment lineup will featuresome of the best regionaland Tejano bands.

The Zapata County Fairopens with the tradionaltrail ride, annual fajita coo-koff and the ABKC-sanc-tioned Pitbull exhibit nextSaturday at the ZapataCounty Fair Grounds. Theprelude events attract hun-dreds of people from as faraway as Austin, CorpusChristi and the Rio GrandeValley.

The breakfast trail ridebegins at 7 a.m. Saturday,followed by the trail ridethat starts at the Busta-mante Roping Arena.

At noon, the doors openfor the fajita cookoff anddog show. Music begins at 2p.m. with the South TexasDrifters Country Band. Anawards presentation is setfor 3:30 p.m.

The Zapata County Fairwill feature, of course, a va-riety of foods, fun and mu-

a jalapeño eating contest at7:30 p.m. Street concertsare planned and will fea-ture music by the first-place winner of the battleof the bands at 5 p.m., Gru-po Retonio at 6 p.m., LosZamorales at 8 p.m., DavidLee Garza y Los Musicalesat 10 p.m. and legendary ac-cordionist Ramón Ayalafrom 11:30 to 1 a.m.

For more information,visit www.zapatacountyfai-ronline.com.

(Emilio Rábago III maybe reached at 728-2564 orerabago@lmtonline.com)

Are you ready for the Fair?Zapata County Fair begins Thursday;

Concerts feature La Mafia, Ramón AyalaBy EMILIO RÁBAGO III

THE ZAPATA TIMES

Latin Grammy award winning La Mafia headlines Friday’s entertainment, with a concert from 10:30 p.m. tomidnight. Tickets to both nights are available at the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce, 601 N. US-83.

San Antonio Express-News file photos

Ramon Ayala, a legendary figurein the norteño/regional genre,will headline at the Fair’s. Heplays Saturday, March 12 at11:30 p.m.

Put on your best dancingshoes and hit the floor thisweekend for “The Art ofSalsa” — a hip-swaying, toe-tapping, learning experi-ence in the art of Latindance.

It’s an excellent opportu-nity to learn from a masterhow to handle the seductivemoves that those Miami-style beats and rhythms de-mand.

“The Art of Salsa” danc-ing workshop takes placeSaturday at Paseo Real, 2335Endeavor, near the LaredoEnergy Arena.

The event will feature aspecial instructor — JorjetAlcocer, who is known inthe dancing world as the“Salsa MVP” for her versa-tility on the floor. She teach-es most Latin genres, in-cluding bachata, merengueand cha-cha as well as salsa,among others.

The workshop begins at 1p.m. with a special Zumbaworkout as a warmup andends at 4 p.m. Zumba is arelatively new style of work-ing out while dancing and

having fun, Elizondo said.Paty de Leon will lead theZumba portion.

Joel Cotton is the work-shop’s director; Elizondo isassisting. Elizondo’s interestin salsa began when shewas 15. She started as Cot-ton’s student, then becamehis dancing partner and hasnow graduated to instructor.“It’s fun. It’s a stress reliev-er,” said Elizondo, who hasbeen honing her skills for

three years. “It gets you outof your usual routine. It’sfun. It’s excitement, it’ssomething different.”

People interested inlearning “The Art of Salsa”can sign up for $40 by call-ing Elizondo at 235-1186 orpaying at the door.

At night, the group plansto have a social event.

(Emilio Rábago III maybe reached at 728-2564 or era-bago@lmtonline.com)

Learn to salsa from prosBy EMILIO RÁBAGO III

THE ZAPATA TIMES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011 THE ZAPATA TIMES 9A

10A THE ZAPATA TIMES International SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

MEXICO CITY — Mexican police on Friday dis-covered the bodies of three people related to a hu-man rights activist who was killed last year in thevolatile northern border state of Chihuahua.

The bodies of a sister and a brother of JosefinaReyes and her sister-in-law were found in the des-ert outside Guadalupe Distrito Bravos, southeastof Ciudad Juarez, said Carlos Gonzalez, spokes-man for the state prosecutor’s office.

The three had been missing since Feb. 7, whenwitnesses reported that armed men forced the triofrom a vehicle.

The bodies of Maria Magdalena Reyes Salazar,Elias Reyes Salazar and his wife, Luisa Ornelas,were found with messages alluding to organizedcrime, according to Gonzalez, who did not imme-diately release details.

The discovery led surviving relatives to demandjustice, urging Mexican President Felipe Calderonto act with the same determination used to pursuethe killers of Jaime Zapata, a U.S. Immigrationand Customs Enforcement agent who was fatallyshot in northern Mexico on Feb. 15.

The Mexican army on Wednesday detained al-leged drug trafficker Julian Zapata Espinoza andtwo other men in connection with the shooting,which also wounded another ICE agent, VictorAvila.

“Just as they have solved the crime against Za-pata, I want them to solve the crime against mysiblings,” Claudia Reyes, a sister of the victims,told reporters at a protest site set up in front ofthe Senate in Mexico City.

The family said they will continue to protest forjustice despite concern for their safety.

Congresswoman Leticia Quezada, an oppositionparty member who sat with the family during thenews conference, said Calderon and other officialswould be held responsible “if anything else hap-pens to the Reyes Salazar family.”

Josefina Reyes was slain a year ago in CiudadJuarez. She had led protests against alleged abus-es by Mexican soldiers here.

Last August, unknown assailants killed herbrother Ruben. Earlier this month, the home ofReyes’ mother, Sara Salazar, was set on fire whileshe was protesting the crimes against her family.

“The Reyes Salazar family, since the death of Jo-sefina in 2010, has been the victim of a brutal ha-rassment, partly by the state and partly by crimi-nality,” a spokesman for the family, AdrianFuentes, told MVS Radio. “The demand for justicewill not stop.”

The Reyes family’s case has led organizationssuch as Amnesty International to urge Mexico toprotect the safety of human rights activists.

Ciudad Juarez has been the scene of bloodydrug cartel turf battles that have killed more than6,000 people the past two years.

Three relativesof slain activist

found deadASSOCIATED PRESS

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico —Gunmen opened fire on six chil-dren playing in the yard of ahome in the border city of Ciu-dad Juarez, killing three girlsaged 12, 14 and 15, prosecutorssaid Thursday.

Three other children in theyard were not hit by the bulletsin the Wednesday attack. Somewere as young as 8.

Ciudad Juarez, in northernChihuahua state across the bor-der from El Paso, has been thescene of bloody drug cartel turfbattles that have killed morethan 6,000 people the past twoyears. In several instances,youths have been killed just be-cause they were in the samehome as the gunmen’s intendedtargets.

The Chihuahua state prosecu-tors’ office said in a statementthat the gunmen in the Wednes-day attack were apparently tar-geting the father of two of thedead girls in a dispute that mayhave involved low-level drugdealing.

Two of the dead girls were sis-ters, and the third victim wastheir friend.

Mexico’s human rights com-mission said it had launched aninvestigation into the shootings.

Three other youths, whose ag-es ranged from 13 to 15, werewounded in a shooting attack inCiudad Juarez on a vehicle.State prosecutors said threeadults in the vehicle were killedin that attack.

Also Thursday, gunmen killedthe head of a state police agencythat prosecutes car thieves inthe western state of Jalisco.

The Jalisco attorney general’soffice said Jesus Quirarte Ruval-caba and his wife, Maria Guada-lupe Aldrete Rosales, were killedin the city of Zapopan, justnorth of the state capital of Gua-dalajara.

Quirarte, 51, and Aldrete, 49,were traveling in a state-ownedDodge Ram, apparently en routeto their jobs, when gunmen firedon them.

3 young girlsplaying at

home killedby gunfire

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011 THE ZAPATA TIMES 11A

HOUSTON — With hipbones connected to thighbones and leg bones con-nected to ankle bones, theHouston Museum of Natu-ral Science’s planned foot-ball field-size paleontologyhall — part of an $85 mil-lion expansion set to openin summer 2012 — is anodds-on favorite to becomethe liveliest boneyard intown.

Denizens of the hall willinclude favorites such asthe menacing Tyrannosau-rus rex, the 42-foot-long, 7½-ton Cretaceous periodpredator, and the birdlikereptile, Quetzalcoatlusnorthropi, whose skin-cov-ered wings reached a spanin excess of 30 feet.

All told, the hall will fea-ture 26 dinosaurs among 61major mounted skeletons,assistant paleontology di-rector David Temple said.Those exhibits will be com-plemented by smaller skele-tons, a veritable petrifiedforest, fossils and artisticrenderings of prehistoricanimals in action.

While the Houston mu-seum’s collection may notrival that of New York’sAmerican Museum of Nat-ural History, said museumdirector Joel Bartsch, itspresentation arguably willbe the nation’s most dy-namic.

“This will not be oldschool,” he said. “We’re notrenovating a historic spaceon the classic idea of dis-playing skeletons in a row.We’re building a new struc-ture. It will have 21st centu-ry interactivity.”

One of the nation’s mostpopular science museumswith approximately half amillion school kids passingthrough its galleries an-nually, the museum willmeld academics with enter-

tainment in an effort toconvey how the hall’s an-cient occupants lived anddied.

“All the mounts will bein action,” Bartsch said.“Everything will be chas-ing something; everythingwill be eating something.”

Bartsch said the 200,000-square-foot addition, theseventh expansion of the102-year-old museum sinceits current facility openedin the 1960s, will roughlydouble exhibition spaceand triple classroom space.The four-story building willinclude galleries to accom-modate traveling exhibits.

Faced with severe spacelimitations in its currentbuilding, the science mu-seum has held much of itscollection out of sight instorage. With the new hall’sopening, the public for thefirst time will see the bulkof the museum’s 130-speci-men Herb and Joan Zuhlpetrified wood collection.

Prehistoric skeletons willbe hauled from storage tojoin new acquisitions suchas “Willie,” a nearly com-plete Dimetrodon loomisis-keleton currently being ex-cavated by the museum inTexas’ Permian Basin. Afearsome Permian periodcarnivore, the sail-backedanimal lived between 280-265 million years ago.

New, too, will be a re-markably well-preservedTriceratops, a three-horned

plant-eating dinosaur thatlived about 65 million yearsago.

The specimen is a doublerarity, Temple said. “Yousee a lot of skulls,” he said,but only occasionally is acomplete animal found.

Fossils, including a 100-plus-specimen trilobite col-lection, also will be dis-played. Trilobites, ammo-nites and other inverte-brate marine animals willbe clustered around videoviewing stations screeninganimated recreations of theancient creatures scurryingacross the ocean floor.

Museum officials de-scribed the new paleontolo-gy hall as a “paleo safari,”but Temple called it a“fight club.”

The realistic juxtaposi-tioning of the animals —many poised to eat or beeaten by their displaymates — will be the newhall’s defining characteris-tic.

Typical of the displays —augmented by dozens ofartistic renderings of pre-historic life — will be theskeletal remains of a juve-nile Tyrannosaurus rex at-tempting to raid a Quetzal-coaltus nest. In a dioramaaccompanying the display,the T rex has succeeded inmunching an egg. But, con-fronted by several of theLate Cretaceous pterosaurs,its ultimate success is any-thing but assured.

This life restoration by Francisco Gasco provided Feb. 23 by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Nat-ural History shows adult and juvenile Brontomerus Mcintoshi.

Image by Francisco Gasco/Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History | AP

Bones of 26 dinosaurscoming to Houston

By ALLAN TURNERHOUSTON CHRONICLE Trilobites, ammonites and other

invertebrate marine animals willbe clustered around video viewingstations screening animatedrecreations of the ancientcreatures scurrying across theocean floor.

GEORGETOWN — Ma-jor usually barks whenhe’s sniffed out what helooking for. Ana scratchesand claws at the ground.

And for most of thepast three years, theseBelgian Malinois bravedsandstorms and the occa-sional threat of sniperfire with Joe Worsham, aGeorgetown dog trainerhired to search for thebodies of fallen soldiersin Iraq and Afghanistanfor the U.S. military.

Worsham, a formerreal estate broker with nomilitary or law enforce-ment background, hastrained dogs in someform for most of his life,learning the skill fromhis grandfather as a boygrowing up in the Dallasarea. In 2008, his workhelping law enforcementagencies search for bod-ies in homicide investiga-tions led to him becomingone of three handlers ofhuman remains detectiondogs in Iraq and Afghani-stan.

He stayed for threeyears — taking only two30-day breaks — after herealized the importanceof the work, he said.

“When you live that forthree years and see whatthey’ve sacrificed, it be-comes a lot more person-al,” Worsham said. “It’sabout bringing an indi-vidual home that haspaid the ultimate sacri-fice for our freedoms.”

A few months ago,Worsham returned to hishome on 8 acres in a ru-ral part of Georgetown.His dogs are back in theirkennels when they’re notin training or searchingfor tennis balls in the tallgrass on his land.

Worsham, who gradu-ated from college with adegree in industrial arts,followed the real estateboom to Georgetownaround 1983. Eventually,he opened his own realestate business and alsobecame a homebuilder.

At the same time, Wor-sham took what he’dlearned from his grandfa-ther and trained Englishpointers for hunting andcompetitions, he said.

Then, about 13 yearsago, Worsham said, hesaw a TV program aboutcadaver dogs and washooked.

Worsham said he readeverything he could findabout training cadaverdogs, then tried to train acouple of dogs, using apowder that mimics theodor of decomposed hu-man remains.

After a couple of mis-fires, he said, he pesteredlocal law enforcement dogtrainers into allowinghim to work with themduring training to gainmore experience.

Eventually, Worsham’sdogs were good enough tohelp law enforcementagencies search for hu-man remains. Worshamhas been called to sitesacross the state, travelingon his own dime tosearch for bodies and testthe limits of his dogs.

“I was interested intwo things: (first) in thehunt, to see if my K-9

could accomplish what Ihad trained him to do,”Worsham said. “The sec-ond was to possibly givesome closure to a family.”

He said he also likedthe idea of helping put abad guy in jail, eventhough he doesn’t followcases through the courtsystem and sometimesisn’t told who he’s look-ing for.

Worsham said he re-ceived a call in 2008 fromFlorida-based AmericanK-9 Detection Services, acompany that had landeda contract with the mili-tary to provide human re-mains detection dogs andhandlers in Iraq.

“I thought it would beinteresting,” he said. “Ithought there was an op-portunity there to getpaid while I did some-thing that I had a strongpassion for.”

Worsham’s son, Brian,said he wasn’t surprisedhis father decided to headto Iraq.

“He’s always been anoutdoorsman,” BrianWorsham said. “He’s beenaround weapons andknows how to take care ofhimself.”

Worsham said he andthe other handlers werestationed at Camp Victo-ry outside Baghdad.

Typically, a mission be-gan after the military hadreceived intelligence thata person’s body might bein a certain location, hesaid.

When Worsham waspicked for a mission, heand Major, who spent twoyears overseas, headedout with a platoon, typi-cally under cover of dark-ness, to search an area,he said.

In this Feb. 11 photo, Joe Worsham poses for a portrait with his dogs, Major and Ana, in his kennel athis home in Georgetown. Worsham spent three years in Iraq and Afghanistan working with his dogsto search for the bodies of fallen soldiers.

Photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez/Austin American-Statesman | AP

Dogs on a missionTexas handler

helps military findfallen soldiers

By MIGUEL LISCANOAUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN

12A THE ZAPATA TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

sults of the sweeps in Za-pata and Webb counties,but sources familiar withthe investigation whoasked not to be identifiedsaid at least two wereconducted in San Ygna-cio and several residenc-es in Zapata were visitedby federal agents.

No arrests were report-ed in Zapata County.

In Webb County, raidsoccurred in the MinesRoad area and along Gua-dalupe Street in Laredo,yielding arrests and mar-ijuana seizures. Nonames were released andno other information wasavailable Friday.

“All it is, is harassingthe Zeta members,” thesource said. “All placesare places where Zeta as-sociates live.”

Sources say the partici-pating agencies executingthe operation were theU.S. Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives; Immigrationand Customs Enforce-ment; and the Drug En-forcement Administra-tion, accompanied by lo-cal authorities.

Federal authoritiessaid the operation is notretaliation, but a coordi-nated effort to show thatZapata will not be forgot-ten.

Mexico’s national De-partment of Defense an-nounced the arrest of halfa dozen suspects in theattack on the ICE agents;Mexican authorities sayZetas were responsiblefor the deadly assault onthe agents.

HUNTContinued from Page 1AMonday.

“We (Mexican Army sol-diers) were patrollingthrough Colonia 150 Aniver-sario when we noticed menrunning from the scene,”the release states.

The five men were foundblindfolded and tied up. Noarrests were made, but sol-diers confiscated several ri-fles, two vehicles, loadersand 1,005 rounds of 2.23-cali-ber ammunition.

Farther south, at El Tron-cón in Ciudad Mier, twopeople were freed from anundisclosed location. Sol-diers confiscated several as-sault weapons, two vehicles,30 loaders and 1,260 roundsof ammunition.

A citizen report led to therelease of another kidnapvictim in the Colonia LuisDonaldo Colosio in Altami-ra. Yet another anonymous

citizen report received Tues-day resulted in the discov-ery of 12 people being heldblindfolded and tied up at ahouse in the Adriana Gon-zalez neighborhood in Ciu-dad Madero, south of Ta-maulipas.

In other action, soldiersconfronted several groups ofarmed men in separate inci-dents in Ciudad Victoria,Camargo, Altamira andDiaz Ordaz on Monday. Theresult was the seizure ofnearly 3 tons of marijuana,seven vehicles, 20 assaultweapons, 3,166 rounds ofammunition, 183 loadersand an unspecified amountof cash in U.S. dollars andMexican pesos.

In addition, soldiers reco-vered about 16,300 gallons ofgasoline.

“The gasoline was foundinside a tank, and it’s be-

lieve that it was extracted il-legally,” the release states.“They were committing afederal crime.”

As for the woman whowas injured, that occurredwhile federal officers werechasing a pickup believed tobe headed toward HospitalGeneral to break out a pa-tient under federal guard.

At the intersection ofLeandro Valle and AvenidaPerú, at about 10 a.m.Wednesday, the pickup rana stop sign and broadsidedanother pickup, in whichthe woman was riding.

Officials said two armedmen were in the pickup thatwas being pursued; oneman was injured in thecrash and another madegood his escape on foot.

The woman and the sus-pect were taken to the hos-pital, where they were treat-

ed. Their conditions werenot known.

A federal source agreedto speak about the incidenton the condition that he notbe identified.

“It’s believed that theywere trying to rescue an in-jured man who has been inthe hospital for several daysunder federal guard,” thesource said.

After the crash, more fed-eral agents were seen pa-trolling the streets near thehospital.

The gunbattle and subse-quent wreck caused bystan-ders to scurry for cover.

“I don’t know what hap-pened,” said a street foodvendor near the hospital.“We just heard gunshotsand everyone ran to hide.We saw blue trucks andmen dressed in black orblue. On their backs were

the words, ‘Policia Feder-al.’”

Other witnesses said thatafter the gunshots came thesound of screeching tires,then more gunshots.

“I saw the wreck — itmade an impression,” saida woman standing near thehospital at the time. “Theywere coming very fast.There was shooting, and (I)tried to hide inside thedoorway of a house.”

After the wreck, two hel-icopters were seen hoveringover the neighborhood.They appeared to belong tothe Mexican Army, witness-es said.

At the hospital onWednesday, a security guardsaid no one would be al-lowed to enter. Calls to Hos-pital General’s administra-tion had not been returnedas of Friday.

MEXICO Continued from Page 1A

poise and originality.Lastly, the candidates

are each asked to answeran impromptu question.

The Zapata CountyFair Queen will attend asocial gathering immedi-ately following the crown-ing.

“There will be a socialat the Holiday Restaurantfor the winner, for theboard of directors andpeople that are involvedwith the fair and the par-ents,” Moya said.

Tickets to the pageantare available for $10, pre-sale only. For more infor-mation, call Moya at 847-6222.

The queen event movesthe community one stepcloser to the big event:the trail ride begins at 7a.m. on March 5 withlivestock moving into thefairgrounds on Thursday,March 10. Baking judgingwill be Friday morning,March 11, with streetdancing and other eventsat the fairgrounds Fridaynight. The big parade isscheduled for Saturday,March 12, kicking off a

full day of fair events andstreet dancing.

“There is much to see anddo during this (three)-week-end fair,” wrote Rosendo“Lupe” Canales, fair presi-dent, in a welcome letter onthe fair’s website. “And mostimportantly — don’t forget,there’ll be plenty of your fa-vorite fair foods!”

Fair program books areavailable in restaurants andconvenience stores in Freer,Hebbronville, Zapata, Romaand Laredo and at the Zapa-ta Chambers of Commerceoffice.

(To reach Erica Matos, call728-2567 or e-mail ema-tos@lmtonline.com)

QUEEN Continued from Page 1A

According to a reportfrom Moak, Casey andAssociates, ZCISD couldlose between $4.9 mil-lion and $8.5 millioneach year during the2012-13 biennium andup to 15 percent offunds — worrisome fig-ures for Zapata.

Moak, Casey and As-sociates concluded intheir report that thebest case scenario pro-jects a 7 to 8 percentloss of funds.

State Rep. Ryan Guil-len, D-Rio Grande City,has said he is preparingan analysis of how ex-actly school districts inthe counties he repre-sents, including Zapata,will be affected.

Garcia could not bereached for commentregarding the proposedhiring freeze or othertopics discussed atTuesday’s school boardmeeting.

(To reach Erica Matos,call 728-2567 or e-mailematos@lmtonline.com)

FUNDSContinued from Page 1A

HITCHING RIDES TO WORK

Photo by Rafiq Maqbool | AP

Commuters change trains as they travel to work in Mumbai, India,on Friday. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced incentivesfor states with low accident rates in her railway budget for 2011-12presented Friday,

Sports&OutdoorsSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011 ON THE WEB: THEZAPATATIMES.COM

SURPRISE, Ariz. — New Tex-as Rangers third basemanAdrian Beltre will miss at leastthe first week of spring traininggames, and likely more afterthat, because of a bothersomeright calf strain.

The Rangers want to be cau-tious with their key offseason ac-quisition after an MRI showedan overstretching muscle but notear. Beltre had never had any is-sues with his calf.

“I think we’re handling this ina very responsible and conserva-tive matter considering wherewe are in the spring and the na-ture of who the player is,” assist-ant general manager Thad Le-vine said Friday.

Levine said Beltre wouldn’tplay in a game for at least 10-14days, though the third basemanis expected to be ready for theregular season opener April 1against Boston. The spring train-ing opener is Sunday.

MLB

Texas Rangers players run while participating in spring trainingon Friday in Sur-prise, Ariz.

Photo by Charlie Riedel | AP

Below the Beltre

Rangers’ baseman outwith right calf strainBy STEPHEN HAWKINS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

See BELTRE PAGE 2B

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Hus-tling between drills in his highsocks and tight cap, HunterPence gives the young HoustonAstros an old-school look.

And that works just fine forthe 27-year-old right fielder,who has become a model ofstability during four majorleague seasons. He has put upremarkably similar statisticsin each of his three full sea-sons, including exactly 25home runs in three straightyears.

Fresh from winning a $6.9million salary in arbitration,Pence has become a leader byexample.

“I don’t use any numbers asstandards or goals,” he said.“Baseball is a daily basisthing, it’s a process. To me it’sa long, focused effort and ulti-mately there are no individualnumbers that can accomplishwhat I want to accomplish.That’s to be a part of a win-ning team. Ultimately if you’rewinning, then everyone’s goingto prosper.”

Even on a team that used 11rookies last season, Pence issomewhat reluctant to think ofhimself as a leader. He saidbringing teammates “together”is just one of his duties.

Manager Brad Mills callshim a treat.

“That leadership comesfrom how he plays the gamemore than anything else, andthat will probably increasewith each year,” Mills said.

Pence was “very relieved” tohave his arbitration mattersettled Saturday.

“I came (to camp) early, butthat’s basically like your off-season program because theycan’t have it organized. You hit

a little bit, you work out,” hesaid Thursday. “When every-one comes together is whenyou can really get into it. Base-ball is a team sport so youstart getting that team stuff go-ing on.”

VETERAN HUNTER

Houston Astros right fielder Hunter Pence throws during a spring training work-out on Feb. 16 in Kissimmee, Fla.

Photo by David J. Phillip | AP

Astrosoutfielder a

model ofstability

ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLLEGE STATION — As a junior col-lege center, Danielle Adams was unstoppable.She punished opponents inside, took Jeffer-son College to the JUCO national title gamein 2009 and won player of the year honorsalong the way.

Despite that success, very few Division Ischools showed interest in her.

The reason, according to the Texas A&Mstar, was simple: her weight.

It’s a touchy topic in women’s basketball,one that’s rarely talked about. For example,men’s college basketball rosters list playerweights, while women’s rosters almost neverdo.

Adams? She loves to tell people about the40 pounds she’s lost and the success she’shad since slimming down. The 6-foot-1 center,who weighed more than 280 pounds whenshe came to Texas A&M, has gone from be-ing a good player on the fifth-ranked team inthe nation to one of the top players in thecountry this year.

"I don’t mind talking about it because I’vebeen through so much," she said. "Just tolose it has been an honor to me."

While struggling to shed the weight andbuild endurance last season, she played just23.4 minutes a game, but still averaged 16.3points and was named the Big 12 newcomerof the year. Now she’s playing almost 30 min-utes and averaging a Big 12-best 23.3 points.

She’s the only player to be named Big 12player of the week four times, scored aschool-record 40 points in a win over Kansasand was recently named to the Naismithmidseason list of the top 30 women’s basket-ball players in the nation.

She was always a punishing physical pres-ence inside, but now that she can play longershe has improved on defense and has been afactor in A&M’s transition game. Adams hasbeen so dominant this season that OklahomaState coach Kurt Budke said he consideredlimiting her to just 24 points against his

team a "good night."Texas A&M coach Gary Blair knows her

weight loss has been one of the biggest fac-tors in her improvement this season.

"I just think you’re looking at one of theall-time best players to play here," he said.

Adams isn’t sensitive about her weight,but admits that the lack of interest she re-ceived coming out of junior college stung abit. She used it as motivation.

"Most people thought that I wasn’t goingto lose the weight or that I was too big to get

Adams sheds weighton way to stardom

By KRISTIE RIEKENASSOCIATED PRESS

Texas A&M’s Danielle Adams (23) goes to the bas-ket over Texas Tech defender Monique Smalls (23)during the first half of a basketball game on Tues-day in College Station.

Photo by Jon Eilts | AP

See A&M PAGE 2B

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Kirby Ho-cutt resigned as Miami’s athletic direc-tor to take the same job at Texas Tech,barely two months after hiring a newfootball coach and speaking about hisdesire to see the Hurricanes chase na-tional prominence in all sports.

Hocutt told Miami officials of the de-cision Friday. University President Don-na Shalala announced the move in aone-paragraph statement, doing so evenbefore Texas Tech officials or Hocutthimself chose to make the decision pub-lic.

“I am deeply disappointed,” Shalalasaid.

Texas Tech later said shortly afterShalala released her statement that ithas an “agreement in principle” withHocutt, noting that some small detailsstill need to be worked out. At TexasTech, he’ll replace the retiring Gerald

Myers. Hocutt, 38, was at Miami for 21/2

years, and has been considered one ofthe rising administrators in college ath-letics. He was selected last year as partof the “40 Under 40” top sports execu-tives by SportsBusiness Journal.

“We are excited about the future ofour athletics program and look forwardto his leadership,” Texas Tech PresidentDr. Guy Bailey said in a release. “This isa great day for Texas Tech athletics.”

For Hocutt, it’s a chance to return tohis roots.

He’s a Texas native, still has familythere, worked at Oklahoma and playedcollege football at Kansas State — bothconference rivals of the Red Raiders. Hewas approached by officials from Kan-sas to discuss their athletic directoropening several weeks ago, turningdown those overtures.

On Feb. 12, Hocutt told The Associat-

Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt discusses the firing of the school’s head football coach dur-ing a news conference in Coral Gables, Fla., on Nov 28. 2010. Hocutt has resigned as Miami’sathletic director to take the same job at Texas Tech.

Photo by Lynne Sladky | AP

Texas Tech finds newAthletics Director

By TIM REYNOLDSASSOCIATED PRESS

See TECH PAGE 2B

PAGE 2B Zscores SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

“Nobody wants to behurt, especially coming in-to spring training. But youwant to look at the positiveside, it’s better to happennow than the season,”Beltre said. “Now isenough time to get healthy100 percent and be ready tobreak camp healthy 100percent.”

Beltre got a guaranteed$80 million, five-year con-tract last month that alsoincludes a vesting optionfor a sixth year and $16million more. That freeagent signing prompted theRangers to make six-timeAll-Star Michael Young,who played third base thelast two seasons, their pri-mary designated hitter and

utility infielder. Young was away from

camp for the second day onFriday tending to a person-al family matter, but wasexpected back Saturday.

Manager Ron Washing-ton said he isn’t planningfor Young to be the every-day third baseman duringBeltre’s absence.

“I’m still going to move(Young) around down herein the spring,” Washingtonsaid. “We have to get himversatile because we expectBeltre to be ready openingday. So Michael is going toplay third, he’s going toplay at second, he’s goingto play at first, going toDH.”

Beltre said he initially

felt discomfort in his calfafter working out on atreadmill at home about aweek before reporting tospring training.

“I didn’t feel a tweak,didn’t feel anything unusu-al,” Beltre said. “It startedfeeling sore after I wasrunning.”

The Rangers held himout of running drills andan intrasquad game thisweek. Beltre had the MRIon Thursday after feelingmore pain while takinggroundballs.

“When it first happened,it was nothing serious. Iwas able to do everythingelse but running,” Beltresaid. “Taking groundballs,it started being back to the

first time it happened. Itwas sore.”

Levine said doctors de-termined Beltre has agrade 1 strain, the mildestkind.

Beltre insisted he couldstill hit and play catch. Hesaid he would do what hefelt comfortable doing andincrease his activity as hefeels better.

Levine said the Rangerswant Beltre to take it easyover the weekend. Wash-ington said there is plentyof time for Beltre to getready for the start of theregular season.

“We’ve had the conversa-tion with Adrian to makehim understand that thefinish line is,” Washington

said. “The finish line isApril 1, not Feb. 25.”

In the Rangers’ secondintrasquad game Friday,Chris Davis played thirdbase for the lineup madeup of the expected starters.Davis also was in that roleThursday.

Beltre, a two-time GoldGlove winner, hit .321 with28 homers, 102 RBIs and 49doubles in 154 games lastyear in his only seasonwith Boston and was anAll-Star for the first timein his 13-season career. Hebecame a free agent afterturning down a $10 millionplayer option.

In 1,835 games for theLos Angeles Dodgers (1998-04), Seattle (2005-09) and

Boston, Beltre is a .275 ca-reer hitter. Since playing 77games as a 19-year-old roo-kie, Beltre has averaged147 games per season.

Young last month re-quested a trade from theRangers, who tried unsuc-cessfully to accommodatehis request even thoughthey preferred keeping himin his new role. Young re-ported to camp on timeand said he was ready toprepare for the season, acomforting fact for Wash-ington.

“Without a doubt, with-out a doubt,” Washingtonsaid. “That’s our depthright now, that’s why wehave all the versatility wehave.”

BELTRE Continued from Page 1B

ed Press that he was “not acandidate” at Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders persist-ed, and eventually, thingschanged.

“As a former student-ath-lete and administrator, I amvery familiar with the Big12 Conference and look for-ward to returning to myhome state of Texas,” Ho-cutt said in a statement re-leased by Texas Tech.

Texas Tech formally pre-sented Hocutt an offer earli-er this week. Hocutt flewback to South Florida onThursday, and told somestaff of his decision —which he said to have an-guished over — on Friday.

“We did everything wecould to convince him tostay, but in the end it wasan intensely personal deci-sion,” Shalala said. “I thankKirby for his integrity, lead-ership, and dedication to theuniversity.”

Shalala’s statement didnot discuss how the Hurri-canes will search for a newathletic director, specify ifan interim will be chosen orhow long the university ex-pects to spend on that pro-cess.

However, some names are

circulating as possible can-didates for the job, includ-ing Florida Atlantic’s CraigAngelos and Western Ken-tucky’s Ross Bjork, who wasMiami’s Associate AthleticDirector for External Oper-ations from 2003 through2005.

Shalala said Hocutt had“a very successful tenure,”but the move comes at a cu-rious time for Miami.

Hocutt made the decisionin late November to firefootball coach Randy Shan-non, then led the searchthat resulted in the hiringtwo weeks later of Al Gold-en — who will ultimatelyreport to someone else be-fore he coaches his firstgame for the Hurricanes.Hocutt also said this monththat men’s basketball coachFrank Haith was safe for

the 2011-12 season. Haith would be owed $3

million for the final twoyears of his deal, and for aprivate university withoutdeep athletic pockets likeMiami, that’s a colossal sum— especially on top of themoney Shannon is owed forthe final four years of hisnow-ended contract.

Hocutt also helped securethe largest gift in Miami’sathletic history late lastyear, a $5 million donationfrom the Ted & ToddSchwartz Family Founda-tion to help provide a newacademic center for mem-bers of Hurricane sportsteams, a larger sports med-icine facility, a new footballlocker room and a gallery ofchampions. Texas Tech hasnot said when Hocutt willbe formally introduced.

TECH Continued from Page 1B

“We are excited about the future ofour athletics program and lookforward to his leadership,”

TEXAS TECHPRESIDENT DR. GUY BAILEY

up and down the floor," shesaid. "I just knew I hadsomething to prove to ev-erybody and A&M believedin me so I knew I had togive it my all. So that’swhat I did. I just wanted toprove to the country that Icould lose the weight."

Adams lost weight in ahealthy way, working witha nutritionist to develop aneating plan and the team’sstrength and conditioningcoach to identify workoutsbest suited to her bodytype.

Blair is quick to pointout that he didn’t get in-volved in Adams’ weightloss plan, leaving it to thenutritionist and strengthand conditioning coach toemphasize the benefits oflooking and feeling healthy.

"So generally I don’thave to be the bad guy," hesaid.

Toni Torres-McGehee, anathletic trainer and profes-sor at South Carolina whohas done research on bodyimage and eating disordersin athletes, said it’s crucialthat those who advise ath-letes about their weighthave the proper qualifica-tions and experience.

"You can’t just go offweight," she said. "Youhave to look at their bodycomposition. You have tolook at a lot of other fac-tors that tie into why theymay or may not be gainingor losing the weight. Youreally need somebody withexpertise to make ...healthy recommendationsfor any particular athlete."

South Carolina is work-ing on a policy that saysconversations about weightmust go through the athlet-ic trainer. Torres-McGeheesaid most of the depart-ment already follows thatpolicy.

"Everything that we doand things that we recom-mend, we always do it for ahealth purpose or a medi-cal purpose," she said. "Weimplement what is called amedical weight manage-ment program just so itdoesn’t lead to any moredetrimental issues such asdisordered eating or bodydissatisfaction or depres-sion or any of these otherthings for these athletes."

Texas Tech coach KristyCurry said her programfollows a similar policy.Curry said there are over-

weight players — andthose who don’t weighenough.

"When you talk aboutweight, you’re talkingabout players that maybeneed to drop some weight,but we’re just as con-cerned on the other end ofthings as far as makingsure that our kids haveenough fuel every day,enough nutrients, thatthey’re doing things theright way," Curry said."Just healthy, smart-eatinghabits and right sleep hab-its."

Arkansas coach TomCollen said he leavesweight issues to a nutri-tionist, and is very carefulabout being sensitive whenspeaking to his playersabout anything related toweight.

"I think it’s a touchything with women in par-ticular," he said. "I thinkthe day and age we live inright now, as a coach, youmake the observations andthen you present thosethings to your strengthcoach and to your nutri-tionist and you let themdeal with them for thatreason."

A&M Continued from Page 1B

SAN DIEGO — Satur-day’s Top 10 showdown be-tween BYU and San DiegoState won’t begin until“The Show” begins.

Minutes before the 11a.m. PST tipoff, on cuefrom SDSU running backRonnie Hillman, a fewthousand students will be-gin chanting “I believe thatwe will win” while jump-ing up and down in a sortof vertical mosh pitstretching from the frontrow behind the east base-line to the top row of Vie-jas Arena. There will be agecko, a Spider-Man, an elf,a 12-year-old kid dressed asa banana — his dad’s abooster — and others inwacky costumes.

They’ll continue makingnoise of some sort duringthe nationally televisedgame, until the No. 6 Az-tecs have either gained re-venge for their only loss or

been foiled again by Jim-mer Fredette and the No. 7Cougars.

The 27-1 record and No.6 ranking aren’t the onlyindications that Steve Fish-er’s once-lowly Aztecs havehit the big time in collegebasketball.

Conveniently locatednear the visitors’ bench,the ever-expanding studentsection has given the Az-tecs a formidable home-court advantage in the12,414-seat arena, whichhas been sold out for mostof this breakout season.The Aztecs have gone 13-0while feeding off “TheShow.” Opposing coacheshave lauded it. Fredettehas noticed it before.

While school officialskeep their fingers crossedthat “The Show” won’tpush the limits of decency,as some felt it did last yearagainst BYU, the noisecould be earsplitting onSaturday.

“I don’t know if the an-

ticipation can get any big-ger than it already is,” saidsixth-year senior MattBishop, one of the coremembers of “The Show.”

Bishop recalls past sea-sons when he could buy aticket 15 minutes before ti-poff and still get a front-row seat. This week, hehad to camp out overnightto get tickets, just like therest of the students did.That was supposed to besomething that went on atDuke and other blue bloodbasketball schools, not atSDSU. But that’s how hotof a ticket the Aztecs havebecome.

“It’s a really good prob-lem to have. We love it. It’sawesome,” Bishop said.“We’re not a Pac-10 schooland we don’t have thatmuch basketball tradition.We’re just living the mo-ment.”

After games, SDSU play-ers walk over to high-fivestudents.

“’The Show’ is, to me,

the best student sectionI’ve seen in college basket-ball,” senior forward Mal-colm Thomas said. “Ifwe’re not executing, theyjust cheer and give us allsorts of energy. I knowthey’re hyped for thisgame, and they’ll help alot.”

Last year, as Cougarsfans began chanting “BYU!BYU!” at the end of a 71-69win over the Aztecs, somein the SDSU student sec-tion responded with chantsof “You’re still Mormon!”

SDSU officials felt thatwas out-of-bounds. Earlierthis week, Fisher sent ane-mail to students, askingthem to keep it classy andnot cross the line by mak-ing fun of someone else’sreligion.

“A lot of that comesfrom 30 rows out,” Bishopsaid. “It’s tough to regulatewhat a drunk frat boystarts chanting. We don’tparticipate in that. We tryto regulate that.”

San Diego State students have been camping out for days to get tickets to the SDSU-BYU game that is on Saturday.

Photo by K.C. Alfred/San Diego Union-Tribune | AP

SDSU amped for revengeBy BERNIE WILSONASSOCIATED PRESS

INDIANAPOLIS —Much of the buzz at theNFL Combine has sur-rounded Auburn quarter-back Cam Newton’s unusu-al decision to perform thecomplete battery of work-outs this weekend.

Missouri’s Blaine Gab-bert isn’t conceding any-thing to him.

Newton won the Heis-man Trophy and a nationalchampionship, then de-clared himself eligible forthe NFL draft a year early.

Gabbert said he, Wash-ington’s Jake Locker andArkansas’ Ryan Mallett allare competing with New-ton to be the first quarter-back chosen. Gabbert, whowill wait until his pro dayon March 17 to throw, saidhe expects the battleamong the top quarterback

prospects to continue untilthe late April draft no mat-ter how well Newton per-forms at the combine.

“He may move up on thedraft boards in your eyes,but I’m still going to go outand have a great pro dayand still work my tail off,”Gabbert said. “Nobodyknows what’s going to hap-pen until draft day.”

Gabbert said he’ll have aformal interview with theCarolina Panthers, whohave the No. 1 pick, on Sat-urday.

Aware that there werequestions about his me-chanics and ability tothrive in a pro-style sys-tem, Newton worked outfor the media earlier thismonth in San Diego. Now,in his quest to prove he’sthe best quarterback avail-able, he’s putting his repu-tation on the line again atthe combine.

Texas Christian wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, left, and Fresno Statewide receiver Jamel Hamler walk to interviews during the scoutingcombine in Indianapolis on Friday.

Photo by Darron Cummings | AP

QBs on the blockat NFL combine

By CLIFF BRUNTASSOCIATED PRESS

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Dear Readers: Friendlydogs are just that, and UN-FRIENDLY DOGS can bite!According to the Centers forDisease Control and Preven-tion, more than 4 milliondog bites are reported an-nually. Many of these bitesrequire medical care or evenreconstructive surgery. Sad-ly, children 5 to 9 years oldare at the highest risk!

What can you do to teachyour children about dogs,their behavior and the factthat some bite? If a doggrowls or doesn’t seem nice,it probably isn’t.

When children come incontact with strange dogs,here are some safety hintsthey should know and fol-low. Teach them these hints,and practice and stress thesepoints every so often:

Don’t walk right up toor try to pet a strange dog,even if it is tied up.

Don’t stare directly intoa strange dog’s eyes -- thiscould mean a challenge tothe dog.

If a strange dog comestoward you, stay still! Don’tmove, yell or run. Thisseems counter to your in-stinct, but it’s what the ex-perts say. The dog may thinkthat you are prey or that it’sa game if you move.

* Teach young childrenthat if a dog bites them, theyshould tell an adult whathappened and what the doglooks like ASAP.

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won’t be bitten. -- HeloiseA BALL FOR BO Dear Heloise: I have a

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BEST PETDear Readers: When get-

ting a pet, research carefullythe kind that you’re interest-ed in. Each pet has plusesand minuses. For example,dogs are great companions,but there are different exer-cise requirements amongbreeds. Labs, golden retriev-ers and border collies re-quire a lot of exercise. Pugs,Pekingese, and Chihuahuasneed little.

Most cats are independ-ent, don’t play fetch, andmost likely won’t want to gofor a run! -- Heloise

HINTS BY | HELOISE

“HELOISE

4B THE ZAPATA TIMES Sports SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS — TheNFL Players Associationdoesn’t want a lockout. Itwants a deal.

On Friday, union execu-tive director DeMauriceSmith and four of theleague’s most prominentagents put on a unifiedfront at the league’s annualscouting combine. Thehope is the union and theNFL can agree on a newcollective bargainingagreement before the cur-rent one expires nextweek.

If they can’t, a lockoutcould begin next Friday.

“We want a deal and ourhope is it will get done asquickly as possible,” Smithsaid before entering the af-ternoon session of a day-long meeting with playeragents.

When asked to charac-terize the last seven days ofnegotiations with a federalmediator, Smith declined toanswer. He said “thanks”and briskly walked away.

Both sides have abidedby mediator George Co-hen’s request to keep quietabout negotiations, even asthe league and union havespent the past two days go-ing over contingency plansand possible lockout rules.

The union took the un-usual step of putting TomCondon, Ben Dogra, DrewRosenhaus and Joel Segalside-by-side in a show ofsupport for the players.The agents represent someof the league’s biggestnames, including brothersPeyton and Eli Manning,Michael Vick, Drew Breesand Terrell Owens.

“The agents are unified.We are 100 percent behindDee Smith and my clientsare 100 percent behind DeeSmith,” Rosenhaus said.“He’s doing everything hecan to get a fair deal with

the owners.” It’s been a strange week

at the combine, one of theleague’s biggest and busi-est offseason events.

Three blocks away fromthe opening workouts atLucas Oil Stadium, homeof the Indianapolis Coltsand next year’s SuperBowl, Smith was talking toagents about how to han-dle a lockout.

On Thursday, the sameday the Super Bowl hostcommittee unveiled its lo-go, NFL officials were dis-cussing contingency planswith coaches and generalmanagers in a local hotel.Jacksonville Jaguars coachJack Del Rio called it aninformational session.

“We know we’re goingto play football in 2011, soour preparation has notchanged one bit,” HoustonTexans coach Gary Kubiaksaid Friday. “Like everyoneelse, if (a lockout) does takeplace, we’ll adjust and beable to handle it.”

And then there are theNFL prospects showing offtheir talents for interestedteams.

During Smith’s speech,some agents at the closed-door meeting began tweet-ing that a lockout wouldprevent draft prospectsfrom speaking with team

representatives during pre-draft workouts on their col-lege campuses. NFLPAspokesman George Atallahand the four agents quick-ly quashed those reports.

“With draft-eligible play-ers, we will continue on aswe have in the past,” Con-don said. “We anticipatethey will work out here,they will do their pro daysand they will have visitswith those teams.”

The future pros, whoaren’t in the union yet,didn’t know it was an is-sue.

“I haven’t heard any ofthat,” Nebraska receiverNiles Paul said. “Honestly,as of right now, I’m not fo-cused on that. I’m only do-ing what I can control. I’mconfident they’ll get a dealdone, but I’m here for thecombine and trying to putmyself in the best positionto be drafted.”

Players and teams willhave to deal with plenty ofother obstacles, though.

Without a CBA, theagents said, free agencywould be delayed and theplayers selected in April’sdraft would not be able tosign contracts. Teams, theybelieve, also would not bepermitted to cut players orsign undrafted free agentsimmediately after the

draft. “I’m optimistic,” Rosen-

haus said. “Things havenever been better in theleague, and I think thisdeal has been extremelyfair and that they (the own-ers) could hurt the gamedramatically by locking theplayers out.”

The most recent CBAwas signed in 2006, butowners exercised an opt-out clause in 2008.

Owners want a greaterpercentage of the roughly$9 billion in annual reve-nue that is shared with theplayers. Among the othersignificant topics in nego-tiations: a rookie wagescale; the owners’ push toexpand the regular seasonfrom 16 games to 18 whilereducing the preseason bytwo games; and benefits forretired players.

The threat of a lockouthas sped up the pace of ne-gotiations.

After months of infre-quent and sometimes con-tentious talks, the sideswent more than twomonths without any for-mal bargaining until Feb.5, the day before the SuperBowl. The sides met againonce the next week, thencalled off a second meetingthat had been scheduledfor the following day.

Lockout one week awayNFLPA hopes dealgets done before

CBA expiresBy MICHAEL MAROTASSOCIATED PRESS

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith arrives for labor talks with NFL repre-sentatives on Wednesday in Washington.

Photo by Evan Vucci | AP

AVONDALE, Ariz. —Daytona 500 winner TrevorBayne is still working onfinding sponsors for hisSprint Cup and Nationwidecars.

The 20-year-old driversays he’d like to add bothraces at Talladega, butdoesn’t have anything linedup. He also says Friday hiscar would have a lot of openspaces on it this weekend atPhoenix International Race-way because the WoodBrothers are still trying toline up more sponsors.

Bayne is scheduled for 18Sprint Cup races, but wouldlike a full season. His Na-tionwide car doesn’t have asponsor.

The youngest driver towin the Daytona 500, Baynesays he’s had a chaoticweek, including calls fromPresident Barack Obamaand Vice President Joe Bi-den, TV appearances andmeeting actress Pamela An-derson, who told him he re-minded her of her son.

Bayne’s first post-Dayto-na weekend didn’t start offwell.

Early in Friday’s practicesession at Phoenix, thefront end of his No. 21 carlocked up, sending him ca-reening into the wall offTurn 3. The practice ses-sion was red-flagged as atow truck came out to takeBayne’s car off the track,and the team pulled out hisbackup from the hauler.

Driver Trevor Bayne, middle, winner of the Daytona 500 last week,talks about his practice lap wreck with the garage crew, as othercrew members move quickly to get another car ready during prac-tice in preparation for a NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at PhoenixInternational Raceway on Friday in Avondale, Ariz.

Photo by Ross D. Franklin | AP

Bayne trying tofind sponsors forTalladega races

ASSOCIATED PRESS