Karnes Co. TX - NEWS - March 2008 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Kimm Antell Copyright. All rights reserved. http://files.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com MAR 05, 2008 Wenk, Felux plan March wedding Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wenk of San Marcos, Texas, are proud to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Kandis Anne, to Gregory Wade Felux, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Felux of Floresville. Kandis is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Theodor Wenk of San Antonio and the late Maj. William P. and Dona Ann Dextraze. Gregory is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Pawelek of Panna Maria and Mrs. Lillian Felux of San Antonio and the late Mr. Isedor Felux. The bride-to-be is a 2003 graduate of Providence High School in San Antonio. She earned a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science in 2006 from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She is a financial associate for Smith Barney in San Antonio. The groom-elect is a 2001 graduate of Floresville High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 2005 from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He is a water quality analyst for the San Antonio River Authority. The couple plan to exchange wedding vows in late March. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com March 5, 2008 Galindo takes over at DPS Floresville FLORESVILLE — Sgt. Ruben Galindo is the new commanding officer at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrol Office inside the Wilson County Criminal Justice Center here. Galindo, who is now in his 17th year of law enforcement, will be based in Floresville, but will supervise a total of 10 troopers in both Wilson and Karnes counties. "One of the major duties is to handle administrative duties, such as weekly reports," Galindo said. "My field responsibilities include conducting performance evaluations, making sure the troopers are following departmental policies, and being there for the troopers when they have questions." According to its Web site, DPS’ highway patrol division is responsible for enforcing traffic laws on rural highways throughout the state. Troopers in this division investigate crashes, recover stolen vehicles, apprehend suspects wanted by DPS and other agencies, provide assistance to motorists, provide security at the state Capitol complex in Austin, and provide programs to promote traffic safety and public education activities related to crime prevention. Amid unpacking, Galindo has been attempting to figure out where the greatest majority of the area’s traffic collisions occur, so he can direct the department’s resources accordingly. But with no end in sight to the influx of people moving to the area from San Antonio and other areas, it has not been easy. "The biggest challenge is trying to cover all these roads and subdivisions," Galindo said. "In Wilson County, we only have six troopers here. We have four in Karnes City. Not all six are on at the same time. If we have two people on at any given time, we’re lucky. Trying to keep up with the rapid growth is a big challenge." During his career, Galindo has worked as a jailer in Edwards County and a sheriff’s deputy in both Culberson and Kimble counties. His stint with DPS began in Kerr County in 1998, where he worked before coming to Wilson County Feb. 18. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 5, 2008 Navarro gets 20-3 victory By Jason Chlapek NIXON — When the Navarro softball team puts the ball on the bat, there’s little the opposition can do to stop it. Nixon-Smiley was the latest victim of Navarro’s offensive onslaught as the Lady Panthers scored two or more runs in all five innings of play before posting a 20-3 victory Monday at Nixon-Smiley High School. The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule. Navarro (2-2, 1-1 in District 29-2A) has scored 20 or more runs in both of its victories this season. The Lady Panthers also beat Canyon Lake, 22-2, on Feb. 26. Navarro never trailed in Monday’s contest, either. The Lady Panthers scored five runs in the first inning, and never looked back despite giving up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Navarro scored two runs in the second and four in the third to take an 11-2 lead. After giving up a run in the bottom of the third, the Lady Panthers exploded for six runs in the fourth and three in the fifth for the final tally. Amber Carter was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Nicole Pollok was 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Leah Ripke went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Navarro will aim for its second district victory when the Lady Panthers host Kenedy at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Navarro High School. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 9, 2008 Herzog no-hits Kenedy By Jason Chlapek GERONIMO — Rachele Herzog didn’t give Kenedy much to work with at all on Friday. The pitcher of the Navarro softball team retired 12 of the 13 batters she faced and gave up just one walk in the Lady Panthers’ 15- 0 rout of Kenedy at Navarro High School The game was called in the bottom of the fourth inning because of the 15-run mercy rule, which goes into effect after the top of the third. The win also gave Navarro (3-2, 2-1 in District 29-2A) its first winning streak of the season, and put the Lady Panthers in a second- place tie with Stockdale and Yorktown. Navarro took a 2-0 lead after the first inning, and the score remained the same until the third when the Lady Panthers pushed eight runs across the plate to take a commanding 10-0 lead. Navarro scored five runs in the fourth to end the game via 15-run rule. As well as Herzog did in the circle, she also excelled at the plate as Navarro’s lone senior was 1-for-1 with a pair of walks, an RBI double and three runs scored. Other offensive gems for the Lady Panthers included Leah Ripke, who was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored; Samantha Nichols, who was 1-for-2 with a walk, four RBIs and two runs scored; and Nicole Pollok, who was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and three runs scored. Navarro visits Karnes City at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. ************************************************ From caller.com March 11, 2008 Another round of rain, tornadoes 20K lose power as storm drops penny-size hail By Jaime Powell Nasty weather whipped through the Coastal Bend on Monday, producing at least two confirmed tornadoes, several other funnel clouds and thunderstorms that brought heavy rain and high winds. In San Patricio County, a tornado ran an 18-wheeler off the road and into a field off State Highway 188 about 1:45 p.m. The driver was not seriously injured and the damage was limited to mostly downed power lines, telephone poles and traffic signs, said William "Ski" Zagorski, San Patricio County emergency management director. "We were lucky it was out in an open area, out in the fields," Zagorski said. A second tornado was spotted about the same time near Gregory, the National Weather Service reported. This is the second storm system in less than a week to produce tornadoes in the area. A tornado with winds of as much as 115 mph ripped through a central neighborhood Thursday, damaging about a dozen homes. Today, no rain is in the forecast and highs are expected to be in the low 70s. "It'll be gorgeous the rest of the week," meteorologist John Metz said. But on Monday, meteorologists said winds at the Corpus Christi International Airport reached as high as 60 mph. Winds at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi reached 68 mph. Those strong winds likely are what ripped the roof off Clear Channel radio offices in Corpus Christi, Metz said. Clear Channel General Manager John Richards said it felt more like a tornado. "It sounded just like a train," Richards said. Most of Clear Channel's staff still was working when part of the roof came off at about 2:30 p.m., landing on employees' vehicles. "I thought maybe one of the antennas fell on the building," said K- 99 disc jockey Frank Edwards. "It was like a big crash." Edwards said employees ran out of their offices and cubicles and stood in the hallway. The ceiling began to cave in and water started pouring down. The sales department had to move all the computers and files into a hallway before more of the ceiling came down. Richards estimated 50 percent of the building has water damage, although none of the six radio stations operated by the company lost service during the storm. No one was injured. Parts of the area received an inch or more of rain, though the gauges at the airport logged about 0.31 inches, meteorologists said. Penny-size hail briefly was sighted near the Bishop area, Metz said. The storm system also knocked out power to about 20,000 customers in the Corpus Christi area, said AEP Texas spokesman Andy Heines. As of late Monday about 3,000 customers still were without power. Extra crews were called in from Victoria, Kenedy and Alice to help restore power. Rain delayed some flights in and out of the Corpus Christi International Airport, said airport spokeswoman Amy Gazin. Corpus Christi police were quickly bombarded with weather-related calls after the line of storms moved into Nueces County. Police reported sightings of at least four funnel clouds in the city including one near North Port Avenue and Leopard Street at 2:35 p.m. and another at 3 p.m. near Airline Road and Yorktown Boulevard. Richards said insurance adjusters have been called and cleanup would start today. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 12, 2008 Seguin selects new economic director By Michael Cary SEGUIN — Terry Trevino was recently appointed as Seguin’s Director of Economic Development. In that position, Trevino also will serve as the executive director for the Seguin Economic Development Corporation. "I interviewed her and was impressed with her work experience in Karnes County’s Economic Development Corporation which represents five cities in that county. She works with retail recruitment, job retention and workforce development. She has done that for the past four years," Seguin City Manager Douglas Faseler, said Tuesday. Trevino obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the Incarnate Word in 1997 and completed a basic economic development course. She currently is working on coursework for a master’s degree. She has five years experience with CPS Energy in San Antonio as the Governmental Affairs and Community Account Manager in CPS’ Business Retention and Expansion Department. She most recently has served as the Executive Director of the Karnes County Economic and Community Development Corporation. Trevino is expected to assume her new position in Seguin on Tuesday, March 25. The Seguin economic director’s position opened in October after Ramon Lozano, the city’s director for six years, accepted a position with the department of economic development in Pearland. Lozano had come to Seguin after working for the now-defunct San Antonio Development Agency. Faseler narrowed the list of candidates in December after the city advertised the position in Austin and San Antonio and also on the Texas Economic Development Council’s Web site. The position was offered in December to Seguin resident Sandy Jenkins, Special Projects Manager of the Development Services Department for the City of San Antonio. Jenkins declined the position in late December. Faseler said he continued to advertise the position but received no onslaught of additional applicants. "There are a lot of economic development director positions open in the state, with more openings than applicants. It is very competitive to find the right candidate, and I feel fortunate to have hired Trevino and I look forward to her joining our staff," Faseler said. The job description for Seguin’s director of economic development includes directing and coordinating economic development "including redevelopment, business retention, expansion, retail, commercial and industrial recruitment and international trade." The economic director would oversee the office of economic development and would work closely with the SEDC board of directors. Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in public administration, marketing, finance or related field and five years professional experience in economic or industrial development, including procurement of state and federal grants to aid in development. Seguin’s economic director also should be able to speak publicly and make detailed presentations and reports. The salary is dependent upon qualifications of the chosen candidate. Seguin was among 25 Texas cities that were seeking to hire an economic development director, specialist, coordinator or other similar position on the Texas Economic Development Council’s web site in December. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com March 12, 2008 Precinct meetings prove interesting Julie Smith The line snaked out toward the highway. The skies were dark and the temperature was falling, but the excitement was palpable. The place was the Eagle Creek Volunteer Fire Department north of Floresville last Tuesday evening, and the event was the Democratic caucus. It was a rare opportunity to be involved in politics at the grass roots. However, the evening would not be without snags, as was also reported around the state. Newly anointed party chairmen did not know the best way to expedite the process. One Obama supporter behind me apparently expected to be done within a short time, and eventually left in frustration. He was not the only one who did. Progress at my local precinct meeting ground to a halt when the chairman determined that the official voting book would be needed before participants could sign in. Although many people had brought their stamped voting cards, we wound up waiting at least an hour before starting to sign in, which was a slow, unwieldy process. Close to 100 people waited in line for two hours to support their candidate. By the end of the evening, it was determined that Clinton would receive about 10 of the 17 delegates available from my precinct. While I was in line, a friend and I discussed the possibility of Republicans crossing over to vote in the Democratic primary, and even potentially staying for the precinct meetings. I know that in Karnes County, many hardcore Republicans did vote Democratic due to the local races, though the contested local races in Wilson County were all on the Republican side. Who did the crossovers voting Democratic select for president, I wonder? Sarita Jimenez, a longtime Democratic Party volunteer, reported that about 150 people went to the parish hall at Sacred Heart Catholic Church to participate in the precinct meeting there. Unlike at Eagle Creek, the indoor facility was large enough to accommodate the crowd. Jimenez, no doubt due to her long experience, did use people’s voting cards in the beginning to expedite the sign-in process. She reported that the entire process lasted from about 7:45 p.m. until 10 p.m., and people were lined up as early as 6 p.m. to participate. At the Sacred Heart location, the turnout was so high that they ran out of sign-in sheets. Of an estimated 150 people, 107 stayed throughout the evening to make sure their "second vote" for the presidential candidate counted. At that location, 94 voters signed in to support Clinton, and just 13 supported Obama. Jimenez was excited about the number of fresh faces, and hoped that some of them would become regular volunteers for the Democratic Party. It certainly was a historic night, one that perhaps will not be repeated in my lifetime, and I am glad I was there at my polling location to witness it. However, I am not a fan of the "Texas two-step," the nickname for this process, after finding out how time-consuming the precinct meetings were and how they cast doubt on the outcome of the primary. Shouldn’t the votes in the primary be enough? Furthermore, after all that effort by so many voters, it appears that Clinton and Obama will walk away with a virtual tie in Texas, each one unable to wrap up the nomination as a result. Surely that was not the desire of any Democrat. The Democratic Party’s procedure for proportional awarding of delegates is responsible for their neck-and-neck campaigns, and this system is not to the advantage of the Democrats. While McCain is the nominee for the Republican Party and can look ahead to November, attention has shifted to how much damage Obama and Clinton may inflict on one another in their efforts to capture the prize. Neither can focus on campaigning as the Democratic nominee and gathering a broad base of support while the nomination is still undecided. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com March 12, 2008 Kenedy woman dies in motorcycle wreck William J. Gibbs Jr. KENEDY — A father and three children are left to mourn in the wake of the death of a woman known to them as a wife and mother. Police said 46-year-old Virginia Guzman and her husband, Juan, 48, both of Kenedy, were riding their black Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound on U.S. 181 at approximately 7 p.m. March 5, when the motorcycle was struck by a blue Plymouth Neon as the car was exiting a nearby car wash. The impact caused both riders to be ejected from the motorcycle. According to the investigating officer, Sgt. Jeremy Stevens of the Kenedy Police Department, Trooper Steve Bailey from the Texas Department of Public Safety witnessed the crash and was first to respond. Despite the fact they were both wearing helmets, Stevens said, Virginia Guzman was pronounced dead at the scene. Juan Guzman was airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio, where a hospital spokesman said he was released March 8. None of the passengers in the Neon were injured, but the driver — Martha Vasquez, 19, of Kenedy — was cited for having an unsecured child in the vehicle and one count of criminally negligent homicide. The case has been referred to a grand jury, Stevens said. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 14, 2008 Treviño talks of economic development By Michael Cary SEGUIN — A Wal-Mart Supercenter, AutoZone, Pollok’s Sausage Plant and Deli and Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital all came to Karnes County. All of these businesses either set up new stores or expand existing facilities during the nearly four years that Terry Treviño has helped to develop new business as the economic development director for that county in South Texas. Treviño has accepted the position of Seguin Economic Development Director, and she is expected to be on the job by Tuesday, March 25. "I basically apply my work ethic with a lot of honesty, integrity and knowledge. I have always worked very hard, nobody ever gave me anything for free," the San Antonio native told the Seguin Gazette- Enterprise Wednesday. Treviño said she is very excited to be working with the professionals at City Hall in Seguin, especially with all of the economic changes the city faces in the future. "I got along very well with the staff, and had a very good sense of welcome. Everyone was very receptive and I know we can be a wonderful team with a common goal," Treviño said regarding her interview for the job. Steve Anderson, a member of the board of directors of the Seguin Economic Development Corporation, said he had an opportunity to meet Treviño during her interview with City Manager Douglas Faseler. "I was very impressed with her. She seemed to have a very good knowledge of economic development work, and I came away thinking she would be a very good representative of Seguin and the SEDC in working with economic prospects," Anderson said. During Treviño’s tenure with the Karnes County Economic Development Corp., which is a non-profit organization overseen by a 15-member board of directors, a Wal-Mart Supercenter and an AutoZone have set up shop in Kenedy, the largest town in Karnes County. Pollok’s meat market in Falls City also expanded with a new deli and sausage factory and the Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital in Kenedy also expanded while Treviño was on duty in Karnes County. "The oil and gas industry has also exploded in this county, and there has been a lot of business retention and expansion. We’ve also had retention and expansion of correctional facilities, which is something Karnes County has in its resources," Treviño said. Treviño, a graduate of the St. Francis Academy High School in San Antonio, graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of the Incarnate Word, and is completing coursework toward a master’s degree in business administration at The University of Texas at San Antonio and at UIW. She is married to Patrick Treviño, an electrical system operations supervisor for CPS Energy in San Antonio. She has three young children, Tristan, 5, Liberty, 4, and Lucas, a newborn. Currently, Treviño and her family reside outside Floresville in Wilson County, and she plans to commute to work in Seguin for the time being. "I just accepted the job within the last week, and my husband has been looking at real estate in the event that we should decide to move," Treviño said. Before she went to work in Karnes County, Treviño served as Governmental Affairs and Community Account Manager for CPS Energy’s Business Retention and Expansion Department. Treviño represented CPS Energy at San Antonio City Council meetings concerning issues related to utility services in her hometown. She also worked directly with city managers, mayors, city staff and engineers in all of the cities that CPS Energy serves in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area, and worked to retain electric and gas service customers in that region. She also worked as a certified loan officer for The Lending Resource Group and AmeriNet Mortgage in San Antonio, and as an employee benefits analyst for CPS Energy. Treviño also worked for Harlandale ISD as a bilingual professional, assisting bilingual teachers with classroom activities and working one-on-one with students in the district. Before that, she worked as an English as a Second Language teacher at Carvajal Elementary in the San Antonio ISD. Seguin’s new economic development director has completed a basic economic development course. She has been a member of the Texas Municipal League and the Texas Economic Development Council, and was Karnes County’s appointed board member of the Alamo Area Council of Governments’ Economic Development and Environmental Review Committee as well as the county’s representative on the San Antonio River Authority’s parks board. Treviño said her career ambition is inspired by her family. "I have three babies and a wonderful husband to wake up every morning to. That has been my strongest driving force," Treviño said. Kathy Nossaman, president of the SEDC board, said she has not met Treviño, but she heard a good report about her from Anderson. Nossaman said she has a lot of projects in mind for Treviño when she arrives in Seguin. "We do have a lot of projects in mind, there are several nice opportunities that could be coming our way. As State Highway 130 is developed in this area, there will be a whole lot more opportunities that we will have to pick and choose," Nossaman said. "Treviño will bring new ideas and a fresh vision to Seguin," she said. ************************************************ From radgeek.com March 15, 2008 Tyrannicide Day 2008 Happy Tyrannicide Day (observed)! Today, March 15th, commemorates the assassination of two tyrants. Today is the 2,051st anniversary — give or take the relevant calendar adjustments — of the death of Gaius Julius Caesar, the military dictator who butchered his way through Gaul, set fire to Alexandria, and, through years of conquest, perfidy, and proscription, battered and broke every barricade that republican institutions had put in the way of military and executive power, until he finally had himself proclaimed dictator perpetuus, the King of Rome in everything but name. On March 15th, 44 BCE, a group of republican conspirators, naming themselves the Liberatores, rose up and stabbed Caesar to death on the floor of the Senate. Meanwhile, Thursday, March 13th, was also the 127th anniversary (give or take the relevant calendar adjustments), of the death of Czar Alexander II Nikolaevitch, the self-styled Caesar of all the Russias. Alexander was killed by grenades thrown by a group of anarchist conspirators on March 13th, 1881 C.E., in an act of propaganda by the deed. In honor of the events, the Ministry of Culture in this secessionist republic of one has proclaimed March 15th Tyrannicide Day (observed), which is kind of like President’s Day, except cooler. Instead of another dull theo- nationalist hymn on the miraculous births of two of the canonized saints of the United States federal government, Tyrannicide Day gives us one day in which we can commemorate the deaths of two tyrants at the hands of their equals — men and women who defied the tyrants’ arbitrary claims to an unchecked authority that they had neither the wisdom, the virtue, nor the right to exercise. Men and women who saw themselves as exercising their equal right of self-defense, by striking down the would-be tyrants just like they would be entitled to strike down any other two-bit thug who tried to kill them, enslave them, or shake them down. It is worth remembering in these days that the State has always tried to pass off attacks against its own commanding and military forces (Czars, Kings, soldiers in the field, etc.) as acts of "terrorism." That is, in fact, what almost every so-called act of "terrorism" attributed to 19th century anarchists happened to be: direct attacks on the commanders of the State’s repressive forces. The linguistic bait-and-switch is a way of trying to get moral sympathy on the cheap, in which the combat deaths of trained fighters and commanders are fraudulently passed off, by a professionalized armed faction sanctimoniously playing the victim, as if they were just so many innocent bystanders killed out of the blue. Tyrannicide Day is a day to expose this for the cynical lie that it is. As many reasons as there are to criticize the strategy behind the assassinations of Czars, Princes, and Dictators Perpetual, the fact that the brutal absolute monarch of a monster State lay dead at the end is not among them. There are in fact lots of good reasons to rule out tyrannicide as a political tactic — after all, these two famous cases each ended a tyrant but not the tyrannical regime; Alexander II was replaced by the even more brutal Alexander III, and Julius Caesar was replaced by his former running-dogs, one of whom would emerge from the abattoir that followed as Augustus Caesar, to begin the long Imperial nightmare in earnest. But it’s important to recognize that these are strategic failures, not moral ones, and what should be celebrated on the Ides of March is not the tyrannicide as a strategy, but rather tyrannicide as a moral fact. Putting a diadem on your head and wrapping yourself in the blood-dyed robes of the State confers neither the virtue, the knowledge, nor the right to rule over anyone, anywhere, for even one second, any more than you had naked and alone. Tyranny is nothing more and nothing less than organized crime executed with a pompous sense of entitlement and a specious justification; the right to self-defense applies every bit as much against the person of some self-proclaimed "sovereign" as it does against any other two-bit punk who might attack you on the street. Every victory for human liberation in history — whether against the crowned heads of Europe, the cannibal-empires of modern Fascism and Bolshevism, or the age-old self-perpetuating oligarchies of race and sex — has had these moral insights at its core: the moral right to deal with the princes and potentates of the world as nothing more and nothing less than fellow human beings, to address them as such, to challenge them as such, and — if necessary — to resist them as such. I have been informed that March 15th is also commemorated as the International Day Against Police Brutality. Make of that what you will; what the Ministry of Culture will make of it is an excellent opportunity for a program of commemorative song. Our first piece is a skolion for the Athenian lovers Aristogeiton and Harmodius, who assassinated the tyrant Hipparchus in 514 BCE, using swords they had concealed in ceremonial myrtle wreaths. In the Athenian democracy, the couple were celebrated as martyrs for liberty, and often remembered in hymns and songs sung before banquets. This is Edgar Allan Poe’s 1827 translation of the most famous surviving Hymn to Aristogeiton and Harmodius; feel free to sing it at your Tyrannicide Day holiday dinner: Wreathed in myrtle, my sword I’ll conceal Like those champions devoted and brave, When they plunged in the tyrant their steel, And to Athens deliverance gave. Beloved heroes! your deathless souls roam In the joy breathing isles of the blest; Where the mighty of old have their home Where Achilles and Diomed rest In fresh myrtle my blade I’ll entwine, Like Harmodius, the gallant and good, When he made at the tutelar shrine A libation of Tyranny’s blood. Ye deliverers of Athens from shame! Ye avengers of Liberty’s wrongs! Endless ages shall cherish your fame, Embalmed in their echoing songs! —Hymn to Aristogeiton and Harmodius, trans. Edgar Allan Poe (1827) Our second piece, in honor of the combined occasions for the day, is one of the most famous outlaw corridos from the south Texas borderlands, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, a cowboy and small-time farmer in Karnes County, Texas, who became a legal cause celebre, and a folk hero for many Tejan@s, after he fought back against a racist sheriff in June 1901. Sheriff W. T. "Brack" Morris was interrogating Cortez and his brother, and accused them of horse-thieving — based on nothing more than the fact that they did have a horse, and Cortez met the description of the suspect in a recent horse-theft — a suspect who had been described only as a "middle-sized Mexican." Morris tried to arrest Cortez; Cortez told him off, and said that Morris had no reason to arrest him. The deputy who was translating mistakenly claimed that Cortez had said "No white man can arrest me;" that was enough for Morris, who pulled his gun and shot down Cortez’s brother. Cortez fired back, killing Morris, and then fled across the state on foot. He managed to elude capture for ten days, repeatedly making daring and close escapes when surrounded and outnumbered by sheriffs, posses, and the rinches (Texas Rangers). The cops threw his wife, his mother, and his children into jail. Anglo papers called for him to be lynched, and Anglo mobs rioted against Latin@s in Gonzales, Refugio, and Hayes counties. After Cortez was finally captured and put on trial for murder, his supporters organized legal defense campaigns, arguing that Cortez had killed only in to defend himself and his family; eventually they got all but one of the murder convictions reversed on appeal. In 1913, they convinced governor Oscar Colquitt to grant Cortez a conditional pardon. Meanwhile, his fame spread in the countryside through this ballad. Like all corridos, there as many different versions of Gregorio Cortez as there are performances of it. This version is stitched together from my favorite parts of some of the several variants transcribed by Américo Paredes; cf., for example Gregorio Cortez Trans. (2008) Charles Johnson. In the county of El Carmen, Look what’s gone down The Big Ol’ Sheriff is dead, Leaving Roman dying on the ground. They walked around asking questions and in half an hour or so they found out the man who did it was Gregorio Cortez. And so said Gregorio Cortez, with his pistol in his hand, I don’t feel sorry that I killed him; what I feel sorry about is my brother. They unleashed the hound dogs, to follow on his trail, but chasing after Cortez was like following a star. He tore off down toward Gonzales Not timid in the least; "Come after me, cowardly rinches; I am Gregorio Cortez." And in the county of Kiansis, They showed up to try and grab him, A bit more than three hundred There, and he jumped out of their corral. And so said Gregorio Cortez, With his pistol in his hand: "Man, look how many cowardly rinches For just one Mexican!" But when he jumped the corral, What they say around here is, The bullets started flying, And he killed them another sheriff. And so said Gregorio Cortez, With his soul burning bright, "I don’t feel sorry that I killed him. A man’s got a right to defend his life." Then Gregorio Cortez got away, got away down the way to Laredo; they wouldn’t have wanted to follow, Now he had them scared to. And so said Gregorio Cortez: "What’s the good of your plots? You can’t get your hands on me, Not even with those hound dogs." And so said the Americanos: "If we catch up to him, what can we do? If we go after him in a straight-up fight, There won’t be many coming back." Out there by El Encinal, What they say around here is, They got him in another corral And he killed them another sheriff. Then he met another Mexican, And he said with some arrogance, What’s the news? Tell me— I am Gregorio Cortez. "They say that because of me, They’re killing lots of folks So now I’ll turn myself in, because that ain’t fit at all." Down came all the rinches, Flying through the wind, Because they wanted to get ahold of Ten thousand pesos like they were offered. When they surrounded his house Cortez showed himself to say: "You’ll take me in by my own will, And not any other way." And so said the Big Ol’ Sheriff, like he was about to cry: "Cortez, hand over your guns, and you won’t have to die." And so said Gregorio Cortez, With a great big yell, "I’m not handing my guns over Until you’ve locked me in my cell." And so they took in Cortez, And that’s where it came to an end. His poor family Carry him in their hearts. And with that I’ll say my goodbye In the shade under a cypress; Here I’ll finish off the ballad Of Don Gregorio Cortez. Thus always to tyrants. Beware the State. Celebrate the Ides of March! ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 14, 2008 Navarro gets offensive in 16-5 rout By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise KARNES CITY — Bringing out the bats seems to be a way of life for the Navarro softball team as of late. For the third contest in a row, and fourth in the last five, the Lady Panthers scored 15 runs or more on Wednesday as they whipped Karnes City, 16-5, in five innings at Karnes City High School. The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule. Navarro (4-2, 3-1 in District 29-2A) won its third contest in a row, and is 4-0 when scoring in double digits. The Lady Panthers also beat Canyon Lake, 22-2; Nixon-Smiley, 20-3; and Kenedy, 15-0. Navarro has scored 80 runs in six games this season. The Lady Panthers never trailed on Wednesday, and the closest the Lady Badgers got was 2-1 after two innings of play. Neither team scored in the first inning, but Navarro got on the board twice in the top of the second, while Karnes City scored once in the bottom of the second to cut the lead in half, 2-1, entering the third. The Lady Panthers scored three times in the third to build a 5-1 lead, and eight times in the fourth to establish a 13-1 advantage. Despite giving up four runs in the bottom of the fourth, Navarro scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 16-5 lead, and pitcher Rachele Herzog shut down the Lady Badgers in the bottom of the fifth to finish the game for her team. Herzog improved to 2-1 in the circle as she struck out five while giving up five runs on two hits. She won for the second consecutive time as well. Offensive leaders for Navarro were Leah Ripke, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs; Amber Carter, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI; Madison Monaco, who was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI; and Lauren Walls, who drew three walks and scored three runs. The Lady Panthers host Stockdale at 4:30 p.m. today at Navarro High School. ************************************************ From chron.com March 17, 2008 3-week run = $81.6 million 17% of '07 total benefited youths, but group's main aim is to educate public By ALEXIS GRANT Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle With thousands of volunteers and an attendance of 1.8 million over just three weeks, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a cash cow in the nonprofit world. But even those who frequent the show may be surprised at how much money the organization roped in last year: $81.6 million. That's more than the $71.5 million raised by the United Way of Greater Houston last year, and most of the rodeo's revenue was collected during the show's three-week run. The main difference between the two groups, of course, is RodeoHouston sells entertainment. Nearly 40 percent of the show's 2007 revenue came from ticket sales for the rodeo competition and concerts, according to an audit of the show. Junior auctions brought in the second-greatest amount, about 13 percent, and donations accounted for another 13 percent. The show's expenditures, such as spending on lavish furniture, have sparked controversy in the past. Though the livestock show, rodeo competition and concert series eat nearly two-thirds of revenue, about 17 percent goes toward scholarships and youth programs, a percentage that has remained steady since 2003. Some critics have said that's not enough, noting that the show promotes itself as a charity with education as its mission. But show organizers say RodeoHouston wasn't created to provide scholarships. Rather, it was intended to educate about the livestock industry through competitions and hands-on activities. "When people look at us, they think of us as a scholarship generator," said Skip Wagner, the show's president and chief executive officer. "That never was our purpose. That's a byproduct of what we do. We wish that the public would look at the whole package that we're putting on and the broader charitable purpose." More than one-third of the $13.5 million the group spent on scholarships and youth programs last year went directly to junior show exhibitors. The steer contest winner, which receives the most money of all junior competitors, took home $85,000, and the second- place winner received $45,000. Livestock show winners are encouraged but not required to put that money toward education. Scholarship winners, however, must use the award to attend a college or university in Texas. Most are not required to study agriculture. This year, the show will award about the same number of scholarships as last year, 534, but increase the amount for each to $15,000 from $12,000. Much of the scholarship money is raised by the junior auctions, when generous rodeo supporters shell out tens of thousands of dollars for prize animals. Those contributions go directly to the show's scholarship fund instead of the general revenue stream. "That's absolutely why our steers will sell for $300,000," Wagner said. "It makes a big difference to those who are giving." And the donations make a big difference for students. Dr. Ray DuBois, who won a scholarship about 35 years ago, said he couldn't have afforded college without it. After earning an undergraduate degree in biochemistry at Texas A&M University, he earned a doctorate in the same subject, plus a medical degree. He practiced medicine for years in Nashville and returned to Houston last year to serve as provost and executive vice president of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The scholarship did more than help fund his education, said DuBois, who grew up in Runge, west of Victoria. "It really helped boost my confidence," he said. "(Since) somebody was willing to put this much money on the table, maybe there was a shot for me to be able to complete the undergraduate degree." RodeoHouson meets the Better Business Bureau's standard for nonprofit organizations, including investing at least 65 percent of revenue in its mission, says Dan Parsons, president of the group's Houston chapter. Only one of the show's 91 full-time employees, Wagner, makes more than $300,000. Two other employees, Chief Operating Officer Leroy Shafer and Chief Information Officer Andrew Sloan, make more than $200,000. Those salaries are comparable to others in Houston's nonprofit sector, Parsons said. The show also employs about 415 seasonal workers. RodeoHouston's revenue has increased steadily over the past six years, but so has its expenses, audit reports show. During the event's past five years, revenue rose to $81.6 million from $65.8 million. Expenses increased to $73.8 million from $65.1 million. The difference between revenue and expenses is put aside for several purposes: show emergencies and upcoming building projects, a fund that reached $70.5 million last year, and educational endowment, which stands at $63.8 million. This year's concert lineup cost the show about $7.3 million, including entertainers who perform at Reliant Stadium and on smaller stages such as The Hideout in Reliant Astrodome, Shafer said. The show does not disclose how much it pays individual performers. RodeoHouston also pays the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation $1.5 million annually to rent Reliant Stadium. ************************************************ From kxan.com March 18, 2008 Wind Advisory In Effect For Central Texas The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for South-Central Texas for the rest of Tuesday afternoon and through the evening. Tuesday is expected to be mostly cloudy and breezy, with scattered showers and thunderstorms moving northeast at 35 mph, through 6 p.m. There will be frequent lightning and westward wind gusts of 25 to 50 mph. Some hail and locally heavy rain is expected with the stronger thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts of one-tenth to one-half of an inch are possible. Use caution when driving on wet, slippery roads and highways. A wind advisory is in effect until midnight Tuesday, and affected counties include Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop, Llano, Burnet, Val Verde, Edwards, Real, Kerr, Bandera, Gillespie, Kendall, Blanco, Lee, Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Caldwell, Fayette, Maverick, Zavala, Frio, Atascosa, Wilson, Karnes, Gonzales, De Witt, Lavaca and Dimmit. A red flag warning is in effect through 7 p.m. Tuesday across western portions of the region. A strong cold front will usher in gusty winds and lower humidity in the afternoon and evening, resulting in the need for a wind advisory across the entire area and a red flag warning along the Rio Grande plains. ************************************************ From bizjournals.com March 18, 2008 Abraxas Petroleum finishes 2007 with strong earnings, zero debt A pre-tax gain of $59.4 million significantly boosted Abraxas Petroleum Corp.'s earnings for 2007, the company said Tuesday. San Antonio-based Abraxas (AMEX: ABP) reported net income of $56.7 million, or $1.22 per share, on revenues of $50.2 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007. This compares to net income of $700,000, or 2 cents per share, on revenues $51.6 million for 2006. Abraxas sold assets on May 25, 2007, to generate the pre-tax gain. The company also recorded an unrealized hedge loss in the amount of $6.3 million as a non-cash item. During 2007, the company also formed Abraxas Energy Partners LP and sold off 53 percent of the company to institutional investors. This transaction allowed the company to reduce its debt to zero, President and CEO Bob Watson says. Abraxas is also in a position to capitalize on a number of planned projects in 2008 with a capital expenditure budget of $55 million, Watson says. The company ended the year with an oil and natural gas production amount of 6.8 billion cubic feet equivalent. In South Texas, the company drilled the Gisler #1 well in Karnes County targeting the Wilcox formation. Abraxas drilled the well at a total depth of 13,000 feet and it is currently being completed. Abraxas owns a 63 percent working interest in the well. In Lavaca County, Abraxas is currently drilling the Henson #3H horizontal development well targeting the Edwards formation. The well is being drilled to a measured depth of 14,300 feet. Abraxas owns 75 percent of this well. In DeWitt County, the company will begin development on the Nordheim #1H horizontal development well targeting the Edwards formation after the Henson #3H reaches its total depth. Abraxas owns a 100 percent working interest in this well. In West Texas, the company is planning to commence drilling on the Beulah Coleman #3 development well targeting the Devonian and Spraberry formations. The well will be drilled at a depth of 11,700 feet during the second quarter of 2008. Abraxas owns a 100 percent working interest in the well. In Wyoming, Abraxas is awaiting approval on drilling permits on well projects slated for the second quarter of 2008. The company has to wait to see whether its proposed drilling sites are located within breeding and nesting sites of protected wildlife species before it can proceed. Abraxas is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Texas and Wyoming. ************************************************ From sanmarcosrecord.com March 20, 2008 Turkeys were scarce, but we still had fun Outdoors By Jim Darnell Daily Record Columnist My hunting and fishing pal, Mike Mosel of Kyle, arrived at my house before 5 a.m. Hurriedly we pitched his shotgun, .22 rifle, cook stove, camo coat and other gear into my truck and took off for our turkey lease on Cibolo Creek near Panna Maria. Mike had to work on the opening weekend March 15-16 and I was in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Yesterday was our first opportunity to chase Rio Grande gobblers in the Texas spring turkey season. When we arrived in the pre-dawn darkness it became obvious that two major factors had stacked the deck against us. One factor was weather. The wind was howling out of the north. It would be very difficult to hear a bird gobble on the roost. The other factor was worse yet. A crew was drilling a gas or oil well on our lease. The area is very marginal for gas and oil production but at over $100 per barrel even poor wells are worth the investment. The roar of the drill motor, clanging tools and roaring chainsaws probably changed the habits of our turkeys. We know that lots of turkeys inhabit the area that we hunt along Cibolo Creek. We saw several groups of 30 to 40 birds during the fall and winter dove seasons. There was no reason for them to move until now. Mike and I grabbed our gear and took off to the opposite end of the lease from the drilling rig. But it was still noisy. No gobblers responded to my crow call. A gobbler on the roost, especially during the breeding season, will answer an owl hoot, crow call or a car door slamming. They can be quite aggressive. But not this day. We never heard a turkey gobble. So we split up and hid along the creek hoping to maybe ambush a silent gobbler, a feral hog or a coyote. We saw nothing but the melodious songs of brilliant red cardinals were like listening to a choir in the bush. After our unproductive stakeout we returned to the truck and Mike fired up his propane stove. Hunting is always fun but when it involves a cookout the fun factor rises. Grilled venison sausage and sautéed onions wrapped in a flour tortilla loaded with mustard tasted like a king’s feast. Then we put away the shotguns and loaded our .22 rifles. As we took off on a two mile hike Mike said, "There's something about a .22 that brings the kid out in me." I agreed. Childhood memories of walking in the woods, ambling along drainage ditches, and tracking across marshes in Southeast Texas with a .22 in hand always flood into my mind. Shooting nutria rats in the coastal marshes to sell to the dog food factory was one of my unprofitable boyhood business ventures. Squirrels, cottonmouth moccasins and high circling buzzards — nothing was exempt from our .22 fire power. Returning from our hike a floating Clorox bottle on the farm tank became the object of our fire power. After several hits it sank like the Bismarck. Cheers went up as the mighty ship slipped under the surface. On the way home it became obvious that recent rains did wonders for the wildflowers. Huge fields of yellow mixed with big stands of purple-pink phlox and orange bottlebrushes made the trip home very colorful. Even though our hunt was unproductive concerning the turkeys, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are predicting a great season based on their field reports. "I have been getting reports from many of our field biologists and they all agreed that this is going to be a good season in Rio Grande turkey country due to the 2007 spring and summer rains and mild temperatures," said Jason Hardin, TPWD turkey program coordinator. TPWD harvest surveys estimate nearly 88,000 hunters take part in Texas’ spring turkey season and take about 23,000 gobblers. Most of the state’s spring turkey hunting activity occurs in South Texas and in the Hill Country, where Hardin noted timely rainfall could give the bird population a boost. Even if you don’t bring home a big colorful gobbler on your first outing you will still have lots of fun like Mike and I did. And it’s a long season (ends April 27). Jim Darnell is an ordained minister and host/producer of the syndicated outdoors show God’s Great Outdoors. His column appears every Thursday in the Daily Record. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 23, 2008 Navarro uses bats to beat Yorktown By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise YORKTOWN — Although the Navarro baseball team did not score 25 runs for the first time in four games, the Panthers still scored enough to stay unbeaten in District 29-2A on Thursday. Navarro scored 11 runs on 14 hits and never trailed during an 11-7 victory over Yorktown at Yorktown High School. Navarro (12-2, 5-0 in 29-2A) was led by Will Valdez at the plate, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Zach Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a walk. Valdez and Hernandez hit Nos. 5 and 6 in the Panthers’ batting lineup, respectively. "The middle third of our lineup is doing pretty well right now," said Navarro coach Tommy Knox. "As a team, we’ve been swinging the bat pretty well, and we’ve been scoring lots of runs, too. I feel that we have a pretty solid lineup from top to bottom, and the key for us is to make sure we have runners on base each inning." In addition to Valdez and Hernandez, pitcher/designated hitter Justin Meyer also hits in the middle third of the lineup. He is the No. 4 hitter. In the last four contests, Navarro has scored 71 runs, including 25 each against Nixon-Smiley and Stockdale. The only district contest which the Panthers have not scored in double digits was a 2-1, nine-inning victory at Poth. Caleb Brawner went the distance on Thursday, giving up seven runs on six hits, while striking out seven. In addition to his batting lineup, Knox also feels confident about his four-man pitching rotation, which consists of Brawner, Meyer, Cole Allison and Clayton Warren. "It’s great to have four guys who can throw strikes and don’t walk too many people," Knox said. "I feel comfortable with any of these guys throwing for me." Navarro has a one-game lead on Stockdale (10-3, 4-1 in 29-2A) and two-game leads on Karnes City (3-2 in 29-2A) and Poth (3-2 in 29-2A). Karnes City beat Poth, 5-3, on Thursday to shake things up in the standings. The Panthers hit the road on Tuesday when they visit Randolph at 7 p.m. at Randolph High School. ************************************************ From gainesvilleregister.com March 24, 2008 Tradition brings new coach to Gainesville By MARVIN HOGAN, Sports Editor Tradition is what brought newly hired Gainesville Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Ricky Lock to North Central Texas. Lock, who has 20 years of coaching experience and 12 years of head coaching experience, comes to Gainesville from Gonzales. Last year he led Gonzales, which is south of Austin, to the Class 3A quarterfinals. Before Gonzales, Lock spent 3 years in Woodville, 5 in Elgin and 3 in Runge. Last year, Gonzales’ Apaches were picked by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine to finish fourth in District 29-3A. The Apaches were picked behind Cuero, Palacios and Yoakum. However, Lock said he was fortunate to have a very good athlete at quarterback (Jacob Bird). "We threw for more than 3,000 yards last season," Lock said. "Our offense did really well." Though Lock said he likes to have one of his best athletes at the quarterback position, he said his offensive style is flexible enough to use the talent on hand. "Last year," he said, "we threw for all those yards. The year before that, I had a really good running back and we were a running team." The new Gainesville head coach said the first thing he needs to do is evaluate the talent on the team. "I need to see what was done before," he said, "and where the players are and what the talent level is." Lock said one thing he needs to get over to the players is that there is no easy way to build a winning program. "There are no short cuts," he said, "I need to get the players, and coaching staff, to realize that. It is going to take a lot of hard work." It was not only the great tradition that attracted Lock to Gainesville, but the new facilities. "We are going to have a really nice new high school and that is one thing that attracted me to the job," he said. When talking about why he wanted to hire Lock, GISD Superintendent Bill Gravitt said he was impressed with how the new AD made all the sports better. "I was really impressed with how much work he put into making the girls program better," Gravitt told a crowd of 30 people at the special meeting of the GISD school board Tuesday morning. "I think you will see our girls programs get a lot better," Gravitt said. GISD school board President Lisa Bellows said she knows Lock will be involved in the Gainesville community. "His children will attend school here," she said Tuesday morning, "he and his family will live here and be involved in the community." Lock and his wife, Kiana, have three children. Their oldest daughter, Lauren is a freshman at Texas A&M. "I hope it is ok to say that," Lock joked at the special meeting. He said he already knew that there are strong ties to Texas Tech in the community. The Lock’s son, Landon will be a freshman next year and their youngest daughter, Laci will be in the eighth grade. "I want a place where all my children can go to one school," Lock told the crowd at the meeting. "I want a place where they can graduate from that one school. "So, hopefully we can get the program turned around and I will be here a long time." ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com MAR 24, 2008 Kotara, Potter to wed Francis and Pam Kotara of Adkins, Texas, are proud to announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Kristen Rachelle, to Michael David Potter, the son of David Potter of Granbury and Pam Potter of Edinburg, formerly of Kenedy. Kristen is the granddaughter of Emma Kotara of Falls City and the late Leonard Kotara, and Vincent and Joyce Liska of Karnes City. She is also the great-granddaughter of the late Irma Braune Heinen, formerly of Three Rivers. Michael is the grandson of the late Glenn and Matilda Potter, formerly of Galion, Ohio, and the late Gene and Alice Hammond, formerly of Pine Bluff, Ark. The couple plan to unite in holy matrimony in the St. John Neumann Catholic Church in San Antonio Saturday, April 19, 2008, followed by a reception of celebration with family and friends. The newlyweds plan to reside in Austin. ************************************************ From stmarytx.edu 03/24/2008 Marianist Hertiage Awards Recognize Charism and Leadership Each year in January, the University community observes its Marianist heritage through a week of activities that includes presentations, a day of service, a Eucharistic Celebration on the Feast Day of the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, and an awards ceremony where those faculty, staff and students who best exemplify the Marianist charism in their lives are recognized. This year’s Marianist Heritage Award recipients were Steven Neiheisel, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, and Patricia J. Helton – fondly referred to as "The Plant Lady" – Grounds Crew Leader in the Physical Plant Department. Students recognized with the Marianist Student Leadership Award included Sarah Ingram, a senior international business major from Alvin, Rachel Kellar, a senior biochemistry major from Dallas, and Andria Brannon, a third-year law student from Vernon. Daniel McCarthy, a junior from Haslet, Annie Alejos, a senior from Kenedy, and Kelly Ochoa, a senior from Yorktown, were awarded the Carl Fitzgerald Award during the ceremony. The scholarship is named in memory of former student Carl Fitzgerald who died in 1983. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 25, 2008 Area teams compete in district play By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise GUADALUPE COUNTY — The games count now for the three area high school baseball teams as Seguin, Marion and Navarro are all competing in district play. All three teams will be in action today as Seguin (6-12, 2-2 in District 25-5A) hosts district co-leader Westlake (3-1 in 25-5A) at 7 p.m. at "Smokey" Joe Williams Field at Fairgrounds Park, Marion (11- 6, 0-1 in 26-3A) visits West Campus at 4:30 p.m. at South San High School, and Navarro (12-2, 5-0 in 29-2A) travels to Randolph (1-4 in 29-2A) for a 7 p.m. matchup. After four games, the 25-5A race is still a bottleneck as all eight teams are within two games of each other. Bowie and Westlake share the district lead at 3-1, while Akins, Austin and Seguin are tied for third at 2-2, and Anderson, Bastrop and San Marcos are tied for sixth at 1-3. The Matadors have beaten Bastrop and San Marcos, but lost to third- place comrades Akins and Austin. The Maroons beat Seguin, 7-2, on Thursday. Josh Greinke, who hurled complete games against Bastrop and San Marcos, will likely earn the start against Westlake tonight. The Chaparrals are coming off of a 10-inning, 1-0 victory over Bowie on Thursday. The four teams that make up 26-3A just began district play last week, and defending champion Marion already finds itself with its back against the wall. The Bulldogs lost to Luling, 9-0, in Thursday’s district opener, and will look to claim its first 26-3A win when they visit West Campus today. In all three meetings involving Marion and West Campus, the games will start at 4:30 p.m. because West Campus does not field a junior varsity team. The winner of today’s game will put itself in a second-place tie with the La Vernia-Luling loser. Those teams face each other today as well. Navarro is in first place in the 29-2A standings, and the Panthers might be in cruise control as they close out the first half of district play against two teams near the bottom of the standings. Randolph has beaten just Nixon-Smiley in district play, a team Navarro whipped, 25-1, on March 14. The Panthers close out the first half of 29-2A play against Kenedy at 10 a.m. Saturday at Navarro High School. Kenedy’s lone district victory was against Randolph. Softball GUADALUPE COUNTY — The three area high school softball teams also are in the heat of their respective district races. Seguin (2-24, 1-5 in 25-5A) completes the first half of district play tonight when the Lady Matadors host defending district champion Bowie (6-0 in 25-5A) at 7:30 p.m. at Seguin High School. Having lost five of its first six 25-5A contests, the margin of error is very slim for Seguin if it plans on qualifying for the postseason for the third consecutive season. The Lady Matadors will likely have to finish 7-1 or 6-2 in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. Seguin is coming off of a 9-2 loss to Anderson on Thursday. Despite the loss, the Lady Matadors ended a three-game streak of being shutout. Just as Seguin is finishing the first half of its district slate, Marion (8-13, 1-1 in 26-3A) is finishing the first third of its. The Bulldogs close out the first third of district play when they visit West Campus at 7 p.m. today at South San High School. After struggling to a 6-12 start, Marion has won two of its last three contests, including a 9-4 victory over Luling on Wednesday. A win today will keep the Bulldogs in second place with a La Vernia win over Luling, or move them into a three-way tie for first with a Luling win over La Vernia. Navarro (5-3, 4-2 in 29-2A) already completed the first half of its district slate, and the Lady Panthers seek revenge tonight when they visit Yorktown (5-1 in 29-2A) at 7 p.m. at Yorktown High School. The last time Navarro and Yorktown met, the Lady Wildcats won, 8-4, in eight innings. It would’ve been a Lady Panthers’ victory had Samantha Nichols’ seventh-inning hit which rolled to the fence not rolled under the fence. Because of that bizarre circumstance, Nichols was awarded a ground- rule double, which also prevented Leah Ripke from scoring the game- winning run from first base. Navarro never got Ripke across the plate, and Yorktown responded with four runs in the top of the eighth before retiring the side to clinch the victory. That game allowed Yorktown, not Navarro, to finish the first half of 29-2A play in second place behind district leader Poth (6-0 in 29- 2A). Navarro is in third place, one game ahead of Stockdale (3-3 in 29-2A). A Navarro win tonight puts them in a second-place tie with Yorktown. ************************************************ From bizjournals.com March 26, 2008 Seguin hires new economic development directorSan Antonio Business Journal Developers and site-selection consultants interested in working on economic development projects in Seguin will have to recognize a new face. Seguin City Manager Douglas Faseler hired Terry Trevino as the city's new director of economic development. She will also serve the dual role of being executive director of the Seguin Economic Development Corp. She is replacing former economic development director Ramon Lozano, who accepted a position with the City of Pearland in the Houston area. Trevino has five years experience with CPS Energy as the governmental affairs and community account manager in the business retention and expansion department. Most recently, she was the executive director of the Karnes County Economic and Community Development Corp. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 27, 2008 Warren gets perfection for Panthers By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise UNIVERSAL CITY — Tuesday night belonged to Clayton Warren. The Navarro pitcher faced 15 batters, and retired all 15 to earn his first career perfect game in the Panthers’ 10-0 whipping of Randolph at Randolph High School. The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule. "Clayton threw very well," said Navarro coach Tommy Knox. "He threw hard, had an excellent change-up and hit his spots." Of the 15 batters Warren faced, 12 were strikeout victims. Despite the dominating performance, Warren isn’t about to rest on his laurels. "It was great to get that perfect game, it’s a great feeling, but I can’t afford to get complacent," Warren said. "We have to stay focused on the tasks at hand, and regain our killer instinct." Warren did think Tuesday’s performance was the perfect remedy for his outing against Stockdale on March 19. Although Navarro (13-2, 6-0 in District 29-2A) beat the Brahmas, 25-15, that day, Warren felt he could’ve pitched better. "I threw too many pitches that day, and gave up too many hits," he said. "To follow up a bad outing with a perfect game is a great equalizer." Of course, there is one thing Warren wants to do more than throw another perfect game. "We need to beat Poth [on Tuesday]," he said. "They’re a tough team, and any win over them is a good win." Warren would know — he struck out 13 and gave up one hit in the Panthers’ 2-1 eight-inning victory over the Pirates on March 7. Before Navarro and Poth square off on Tuesday — a game which Warren is projected to start — the Panthers host Kenedy at 10 a.m. on Saturday. ************************************************ From nytimes.com March 29, 2008 Gang Fights in Prison Injure 22 and Kill One By RALPH BLUMENTHAL HOUSTON — A federal prison in Texas erupted in violence early Friday when two gang-related fights broke out almost simultaneously in facing housing units. One inmate was killed, and 22 were injured, officials said. It was the second outbreak of fighting in a federal lockup in Texas in three weeks. The prison, the Federal Correctional Institution in Three Rivers, was locked down as F.B.I. agents began an inquiry, the Bureau of Prisons announced. The prison, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, houses 1,160 men. The fights, which broke out about 6:20 a.m., were quelled with the help of 10 nonguards — plumbers, electricians, secretaries and other workers — who happened to be reporting early, said Richard Wechsler, local president of the American Federation of Government Employees, a supervisor and a former guard at the prison. The employees, like the guards, were unarmed according to practice, Mr. Wechsler said, “but they could start yelling, using their radios and grabbing inmates.” The dead inmate was identified as Servando Rodríguez, 38, an illegal immigrant serving 54 months for marijuana and parole violations. Investigators said he was stabbed and bludgeoned and died at the scene, but they gave no other details. Fifteen inmates, with two listed in critical condition, went to hospitals; three were returned to the prison. Seven others with minor injuries were treated at the prison. No prison employees were reported hurt. Union leaders said understaffing and increasingly violent inmates contributed to the disturbances at Three Rivers and at the Federal Detention Center in Houston. In Houston, a gang-related brawl on March 11 involved up to 80 prisoners, injuring 9 inmates and 3 employees.Investigators said they had no evidence that the two incidents were related beyond antagonisms between powerful Mexican and Texas prison gangs. But the investigators were checking a report that the fights at Three Rivers were retaliation for an attack in California by a gang called Pisa against another called the Mexican Mafia. The brawl in Houston, a detention center for 1,000 people with fewer amenities than prisons, began with a gang-related fistfight, investigators said, and was put down by police officers, firefighters and guards with the help of a stun grenade. Kent A. Schaffer, a lawyer specializing in federal criminal defense who said he had a client who was beaten in the Houston melee, said such fights were often rooted in Mexican-American prisoners’ efforts to lord it over their Mexican counterparts. “The whole complex of federal prisons is changing,” Mr. Schaffer said. “They were traditionally nonviolent, as nice as a prison could be.” Over the last decade, he added, with federal crackdowns on crime, “a lot more violent activity is prosecuted federally.” Younger prisoners feel compelled to join prison gangs for protection, he said, and prisoners facing long sentences feel less impelled to hasten their departures with good behavior. “They’re there for decades, so good time is meaningless,” Mr. Schaffer said. “What does it matter if I fight?” The Three Rivers fights appeared coordinated, Mr. Wechsler said. They broke out about the same time at two of the housing units, each holding 150 inmates, with one night guard in charge of both where there used to be two. The prison, he said, had lost 15 of its 125 guards to cutbacks over the last five years. Bryan Lowry, president of the council of prison locals of the government employees federation, said staffing nationwide had declined almost 8 percent in the last few years, as the federal prison population increased, to 200,910 from 146,494 in January 2001. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 30, 2008 Navarro stays unbeaten in 29-2A play By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise GERONIMO — Seven down, seven to go. That’s how many more games the Navarro baseball team now needs to win in order for the Panthers to run the table in District 29-2A. Navarro’s latest victim was Kenedy, whom the Panthers beat, 17-7, in six innings on Saturday morning at Navarro High School. The win improved Navarro to 7-0 in 29-2A with a 14-2 record overall. “It’s time to crank it up again for the second half of district play,” said Navarro coach Tommy Knox. “We need to continue to hit the ball well and receive good pitching if we want to run the table.” The Panthers haven’t lost a district contest since 2006, when they finished in third place to Blanco and Comfort, respectively, in the old 27-2A. Navarro was 13-0-1 in 2007 with its only blemish being a 7- 7 tie with Poth in the opener. The Panthers host Poth at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Navarro High School. The Panthers beat the Pirates, 2-1, in eight innings on March 7, at Poth in a contest where Clayton Warren threw a one-hitter and struck out 13. Warren, who also pitched a perfect game with 12 strikeouts in Navarro’s 10-0 victory over Randolph last Tuesday, is expected to start against Poth this Tuesday. The Panthers scored one run in the bottom of the first inning when Justin Meyer drove Cole Allison across the plate with a double, but that was just a prelude of things to come. Navarro exploded for eight runs in the second to turn their 1-0 lead into a 9-0 advantage. During that frame, Allison hit an RBI triple, Clayton Holtkamp had an RBI double, Warren had a two-run triple and Meyer had another RBI double. The Panthers added a run in the third to take a 10-0 lead before Kenedy got on track with a five-run fourth to cut the Navarro lead in half, 10-5. The Panthers answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up nine, 14-5, behind an RBI double from Wesley Ply, RBI singles from John Bormann and Allison and an RBI triple from Warren. Neither team scored in the fifth, and the Lions scored two more runs in the top of the sixth to once again cut the Navarro lead in half, 14-7. But the Panthers ended the game with two outs in the bottom of the sixth behind Warren’s fourth triple of the day, which drove in Holtkamp, Meyer’s second RBI double of the day to drive in Warren, and a Zach Hernandez single to drive in Travis Korn, Meyer’s courtesy runner, for the final run of the contest. Warren led Navarro at the plate as he went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs scored. All four of Warren’s hits were triples. Meyer was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two doubles, while Holtkamp was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, a double and three runs scored. Allison went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, a triple and three runs scored, and Ply was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of doubles. Eleven of the Panthers’ 18 hits went for extra bases on the day. Meyer also picked up the win on the mound as he gave up seven runs on five hits, while striking out six. Despite what some would consider to be a dominating performance, Knox still believes his team has a lot of work to do. “We didn’t play bad, but we let Kenedy hang around longer than I would’ve liked,” he said. “We have to go for the kill earlier, and not let teams hang around too long. But overall, I’m pleased with the fact that we won our first seven district games, and we’re going to work hard to win the next seven as well.” ************************************************ From seguingazette.com March 30, 2008 Navarro coasts to 19-2 win By Jason Chlapek The Gazette-Enterprise GERONIMO — After being shutout in consecutive games, the Navarro softball team was looking for some offensive production on Saturday morning. And Nixon-Smiley provided the Lady Panthers with plenty of opportunities to do so. Navarro exploded for 19 runs on 14 hits and four Nixon-Smiley errors as the Lady Panthers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 19-2 pounding of the Lady Mustangs at Navarro High School. The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning because of the 15-run rule. Navarro coach Darrell Harborth was pleased with his team’s efforts on Saturday, particularly on the offensive end. “We hit the ball well,” Harborth said. “Games like these definitely help you get into an offensive rhythm, and helps boost confidence. We worked on hitting a lot this week during practice as well.” Navarro (6-4, 5-3 in District 29-2A) remained in third place with the victory, and can clinch the third-place playoff berth out of the district with wins in three of their next four contests. The Lady Panthers visit Kenedy at 7 p.m. Tuesday in their next contest. It didn’t take Navarro long to get going offensively as the Lady Panthers pushed 11 runs across the plate in the bottom of the first. Highlights in the first included an RBI triple by Nicole Pollok and a two-run home run by Samantha Nichols. Nichols added an RBI double in the third and concluded the game with a two-out, three-run home run in the fourth. She finished her day at the plate with a 3-for-4, six RBIs performance, and her two home runs gave her three on the season. To top it all off, Nichols also earned the win on the mound by surrendering just one hit and striking out six batters. Other standouts for the Lady Panthers included Rachele Herzog (3-for- 3, RBI, four stolen bases), Pollok (2-for-4, RBI, stolen base, triple), Leah Ripke (1-for-2, two walks, RBI) and Lauren Walls (2-for- 3, two RBIs). “If we continue to hit the ball the way we did [Saturday] and play good defense, we’ll be alright,” Harborth said. ************************************************ From bizjournals.com March 31, 2008 Electric coop receives strong credit rating on power-plant expansion effort South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC) has earned a long-term issuer rating of 'A-' from Fitch Ratings on its expansion plans. This is the power company's initial rating from the agency. The rating outlook is stable. Founded in 1944, STEC is a generation and transmission wholesale provider to the Karnes, Wharton County, Victoria, Jackson, San Patricio, Nueces, Magic Valley and Medina electric cooperatives. STEC already has $312 million in outstanding debt. However, the company is adding another $1 billion to its debt-load. The cooperative is implementing a $1.2 billion capital plan to address all of the projected growth of the service territory. STEC is working to diversify its fuel portfolio by developing coal and wind generation to reduce its dependence upon natural gas. STEC is forming a partnership with International Power in order to develop Coleto Creek 2, a 700 megawatt coal-fired plant. STEC will own 343 megawatts of power, or 49 percent of the total generating load. Fitch officials note that overall, the members' service territory is projected to increase 4.7 percent annually. One of the South Texas Electric Cooperative's newest members, Magic Valley, already accounts for 47 percent of the cooperative's customers. It is expected to experience the greatest amount of customer growth at 6.6 percent annually. The member cooperatives STEC serves collectively provide electricity to more than 150,000 customers in 42 counties outside of San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. ************************************************