ourier march 24, 20052005/03/24  · newsbriefs keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting...

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NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLO VOL. 32, No. 12 MARCH 24, 2005 n i n e t e e n s e v e n t y t h r e e t w o t h o u s a n d f i v e 3 2 YEARS Featured artist Horizon City artist Jim Munafo will be featured in a show of pencil drawings, col- ored pencil, watercolor, and pen and ink etched on ceramic tile by the Rising Art- ists of the Valley from March 21 to April 23 with a reception March 31 from 3-5 p.m. at 1155 N. 5th, in Anthony. The Ris- ing Artists group is seeking new artists that have not yet exhibited their work for ex- hibition. To inquire about scheduling a show or for other information contact Sharon Aggie Rhine, curator, at 505-882- 9419 or at [email protected]. New NJHS To recognize junior high school students’ high grades, hard work, positive attitudes, and consistent support and loyalty to their school, the National Junior Honor Soci- ety was created, and a chapter has been chartered at Tornillo Junior High School, according to Emily Baker. On Feb. 29 the new NJHS chapter held its first induction ceremony. Eighth graders inducted were Lucero Alvidrez, Carlos Moreno, Jissel Reyes, Manuel Reyes, Veronica Terrazas, Tracey Valdez, and Benjamin Valencia. Seventh grade honorees were Benito Aguirre, Linda Amaro, Yuriko Barrera, Leticia Carrillo, Christina Cortez, Lizeth Delgado, Ricardo Esparza, and Luz Rivera. All of the students inducted into NJHS had a grade average above an 85 and are excellent representatives of Tor- nillo Junior High. These students will be given opportunities to earn service hours by participating in a range of volunteer activities. Although the eighth grade stu- dents will move on to Tornillo High School next year, the recognition and honor will remain. The seventh graders inducted will further the goals of NJHS next year. In other news All El Paso Public Library facilities will be closed on Sunday, March 27 in ob- servance of Easter Sunday. All libraries will close again on Friday, April 1 for Staff Development Day. On April 1, library staff will participate in workshops and training designed to improve service to the com- munity. Regular business hours will ap- ply during all other days. For more infor- mation call 543-5468 of visit www.elpasolibrary.org. Children ages Pre-K to third grade are invited to attend Storytime at Horizon High School Community Library, 14651 Horizon Blvd., at 3 p.m. April 5, 26 and May 17. Stories and related activities are shared with the child, who must be accom- panied by an adult. Clint Methodist Church will have its annual Big Yard Sale on Sat. April 2, at 201 Mckinney Street from 8 a.m. until 5 EL PASO COUNTY — This week more than two million students are traveling to a party paradise on Spring Break and as many as 97 percent of those under legal age will use this break as an opportunity to drink, even binge, on alcohol, according to Laura Villarreal, Program Coordinator for Opera- tion BRIDGE (Bi-national Responsibility to Interrupt the Drinking Gateway Environ- ment). For six years, the Pacific Institute for Re- search and Evaluation has been sending a team of surveyors from San Diego to con- duct research on the Santa Fe Bridge. Their studies show that youth from Fabens, Canutillo, Anthony, San Elizario, Ysleta, Clint, Ruidoso, Dell City, Carlsbad, Truth or Consequences, Cloudcroft, Las Cruces, Deming, Silver City, and Alamogordo, drive to El Paso with the express intent of cross- ing the border and partying in Juarez, Mexico. The average male student on Spring Break will down almost 20 drinks a day, the aver- age female almost a dozen. Some will ex- ceed the average to a dangerous degree, those studies show. “Local and national media will focus on the tragic consequences that follow — inci- dents of alcohol poisoning; automobile crashes; public drunkenness and destruction of property; high-risk sexual behavior, in- cluding rape; and even the possibility of death,” Villarreal said. “According to the American Medical Association, 97 percent of college students under 21 are likely to drink during spring break and 80 percent of parents said they were concerned about stu- dents drinking alcohol during spring break. “Devastating consequences aside, the abuse of alcohol by underage drinkers will largely be met with a wink and a nod among public officials, and outright promotion by an industry that derives 20 percent of its income from illegal underage drinking,” she said. No beach parties here, but El Paso/Juarez is a spring break hot spot Every Texan owes it to his or her family to execute an advance medical directive and medical power of attorney, according to Bohn D. Allen, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association. “We are witnessing the anguish that follows when families face the question of what qual- ity of life is acceptable — what degree of medi- cal intervention is appropriate — when a loved one’s life is in balance,” Dr. Allen said. “All of this can be avoided if you, if I, if all of us, make the very simple effort to fill out two simple but critically important forms to designate who has the right to make that decision when we are unable to do so for ourselves, and to let that person know exactly what our wishes are.” The Texas Medical Association Web site has a link to the Medical Power of Attorney form and the Directive to Physicians at www.texmed.org/directive. The link also leads to information about the responsibilities of the person granted the power to make decision on your behalf, and responsibilities of medical professionals in carrying out those wishes. The most dramatic life-or-death cases make headlines, but sometimes health decisions that are serious, but not life-threatening need to be made, perhaps while a patient is under anes- thesia. “There is a chance in everyone’s lifetime of being seriously injured, ill, or otherwise un- able to make decisions regarding health care,” Dr. Allen said. “If this should happen, it would be helpful to have someone who knows your values and in whom you have trust to make such decisions for you. “Almost everyone is discussing with the people around us our wishes should we be in a condition where we cannot speak for our- selves,” Dr. Allen added. “Be clear, be very clear with your loved ones and the person you grant the power to make that decision on your behalf, exactly what you want. This includes deciding whether to donate your organs for the benefit of others after you die. “Don’t assume everyone knows what you Medical association advises taking control of your healthcare, life while you can By Pamela Baggett Special to the Courier want. Take the extra step to write out some scenarios that you might face, and state your wishes,” he said. • A spouse has a heart attack, oxygen is cut off to the brain for 10 or more minutes, and consciousness does not return for days. • A firefighter is burned so severely he loses fingers, toes, ears, and perhaps other limbs, and faces years of excruciating surgeries. • A young man is in an automobile accident and suffers severe brain trauma that alters not only physical abilities, but also limits ability to learn, to make safe decisions for him or others. • An elderly grandparent suffers a stroke leaving him unable to speak, swallow, or move one side, and there is no improvement months later. • A young mother is losing her struggle with cancer, although some hold hope of remission, beyond the opinion of treating medical profes- sionals. The Directive to Physicians form also can help one know what kind of decisions must be See CONTROL, Page 4 SAN ELIZARIO — The San Elizario High School Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program will once again send students to the state competition in Dal- las, set for April 6-9. SEHS seniors Cecy Martinez and Alonzo Rodriguez were among hundreds of participants in their respective cat- egories and each came away with first place finishes at the Area HOSA Competition held in El Paso in early March. In order for Martinez to advance to the skills portion of Category II Skills, Sports Medicine, she had to score among the top 20 percent in the written examination. Martinez then dem- onstrated outstanding technique in the ankle wrap. Ankles are a common area of injury among athletes. Rodriguez demonstrated strong interviewing and resume writing skills in Category III Job Seeking Skills. Rodriguez was required to write a letter of application, a resume, undergo an interview, and submit a letter of thanks. “I think it says a lot for our program in San Elizario,” said Mathilda Mirabal, HOSA coor- dinator at the campus. “It says a lot for the kids.” According to Mirabal, the HOSA program allows students to meet their potential, build- ing up their confidence and self-esteem. “It’s encouraging them to think about post- — Photo courtesy San Elizario ISD STATE IN SIGHT — Alonzo Rodriguez and Cecy Martinez were among hundreds of stu- dents entered in the Area HOSA Competi- tion earlier this month in El Paso. Both quali- fied for the state competition, April 6-9, 2005 in Dallas, Texas. By Phillip Cortez Special to the Courier SEHS HOSA students qualify for state secondary education, even if it’s not in the medical field.” For Martinez and Rodriguez, both would like to explore opportunities in the medical field as they decide which routes they will take after high school. As state-qualifying HOSA stu- dents, it looks like they have a nice head start. El Paso County will open its Courthouse doors again this year for its second annual cel- ebration of National County Government Week on April 13. “This is a great opportunity for El Pasoans of every age to learn what their County gov- ernment does and how it spends taxpayers’ money,” said Commissioner Betti Flores, who will be part of the welcoming committee dur- ing the event. “We’ll have booths, with dis- plays and exhibits, from every County depart- ment showcasing what they do and how they County Courthouse holds open house on April 13 benefit the community.” The doors from the County Courthouse will open for the festivities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 at 500 E. San Anto- nio, with members of Commissioners Court welcoming visitors. The entertainment will begin with the Cathedral High School Choir, followed by Bowie High School’s Los Osos Orgullosos Mariachi, folk dancing and more. Tours of the Courthouse and the individual See COURTHOUSE, Page 4

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Page 1: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

NEWSBRIEFS

Keeping a budget is an orderly way ofgetting through part of the month.

— Quips & Quotes

See BRIEFS, Page 5

SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLOVOL. 32, No. 12 MARCH 24, 2005

nineteenseventythree

tw o t h o u s a n d five

32YEARS

Featured artistHorizon City artist Jim Munafo will befeatured in a show of pencil drawings, col-ored pencil, watercolor, and pen and inketched on ceramic tile by the Rising Art-ists of the Valley from March 21 to April23 with a reception March 31 from 3-5p.m. at 1155 N. 5th, in Anthony. The Ris-ing Artists group is seeking new artists thathave not yet exhibited their work for ex-hibition. To inquire about scheduling ashow or for other information contactSharon Aggie Rhine, curator, at 505-882-9419 or at [email protected].

New NJHSTo recognize junior high school students’high grades, hard work, positive attitudes,and consistent support and loyalty to theirschool, the National Junior Honor Soci-ety was created, and a chapter has beenchartered at Tornillo Junior High School,according to Emily Baker. On Feb. 29 thenew NJHS chapter held its first inductionceremony. Eighth graders inducted wereLucero Alvidrez, Carlos Moreno, JisselReyes, Manuel Reyes, Veronica Terrazas,Tracey Valdez, and Benjamin Valencia.Seventh grade honorees were BenitoAguirre, Linda Amaro, Yuriko Barrera,Leticia Carrillo, Christina Cortez, LizethDelgado, Ricardo Esparza, and LuzRivera. All of the students inducted intoNJHS had a grade average above an 85and are excellent representatives of Tor-nillo Junior High. These students will begiven opportunities to earn service hoursby participating in a range of volunteeractivities. Although the eighth grade stu-dents will move on to Tornillo High Schoolnext year, the recognition and honor willremain. The seventh graders inducted willfurther the goals of NJHS next year.

In other news� All El Paso Public Library facilitieswill be closed on Sunday, March 27 in ob-servance of Easter Sunday. All librarieswill close again on Friday, April 1 for StaffDevelopment Day. On April 1, library staffwill participate in workshops and trainingdesigned to improve service to the com-munity. Regular business hours will ap-ply during all other days. For more infor-mation call 543-5468 of visitwww.elpasolibrary.org.

� Children ages Pre-K to third grade areinvited to attend Storytime at HorizonHigh School Community Library, 14651Horizon Blvd., at 3 p.m. April 5, 26 andMay 17. Stories and related activities areshared with the child, who must be accom-panied by an adult.

� Clint Methodist Church will have itsannual Big Yard Sale on Sat. April 2, at201 Mckinney Street from 8 a.m. until 5

EL PASO COUNTY — This week morethan two million students are traveling to aparty paradise on Spring Break and as manyas 97 percent of those under legal age willuse this break as an opportunity to drink,even binge, on alcohol, according to LauraVillarreal, Program Coordinator for Opera-tion BRIDGE (Bi-national Responsibility toInterrupt the Drinking Gateway Environ-ment).

For six years, the Pacific Institute for Re-search and Evaluation has been sending ateam of surveyors from San Diego to con-duct research on the Santa Fe Bridge. Theirstudies show that youth from Fabens,Canutillo, Anthony, San Elizario, Ysleta,Clint, Ruidoso, Dell City, Carlsbad, Truth orConsequences, Cloudcroft, Las Cruces,Deming, Silver City, and Alamogordo, driveto El Paso with the express intent of cross-ing the border and partying in Juarez,Mexico.

The average male student on Spring Breakwill down almost 20 drinks a day, the aver-age female almost a dozen. Some will ex-ceed the average to a dangerous degree, thosestudies show.

“Local and national media will focus onthe tragic consequences that follow — inci-dents of alcohol poisoning; automobilecrashes; public drunkenness and destructionof property; high-risk sexual behavior, in-cluding rape; and even the possibility ofdeath,” Villarreal said. “According to theAmerican Medical Association, 97 percentof college students under 21 are likely todrink during spring break and 80 percent ofparents said they were concerned about stu-dents drinking alcohol during spring break.“Devastating consequences aside, theabuse of alcohol by underage drinkers willlargely be met with a wink and a nodamong public officials, and outrightpromotion by an industry that derives 20percent of its income from illegal underagedrinking,” she said.

No beach parties here,but El Paso/Juarez isa spring break hot spot

Every Texan owes it to his or her family toexecute an advance medical directive andmedical power of attorney, according to BohnD. Allen, MD, president of the Texas MedicalAssociation.

“We are witnessing the anguish that followswhen families face the question of what qual-ity of life is acceptable — what degree of medi-cal intervention is appropriate — when a lovedone’s life is in balance,” Dr. Allen said. “All ofthis can be avoided if you, if I, if all of us, makethe very simple effort to fill out two simple butcritically important forms to designate who hasthe right to make that decision when we areunable to do so for ourselves, and to let thatperson know exactly what our wishes are.”

The Texas Medical Association Web site hasa link to the Medical Power of Attorney formand the Directive to Physicians atwww.texmed.org/directive. The link also leadsto information about the responsibilities of the

person granted the power to make decision onyour behalf, and responsibilities of medicalprofessionals in carrying out those wishes.

The most dramatic life-or-death cases makeheadlines, but sometimes health decisions thatare serious, but not life-threatening need to bemade, perhaps while a patient is under anes-thesia.

“There is a chance in everyone’s lifetime ofbeing seriously injured, ill, or otherwise un-able to make decisions regarding health care,”Dr. Allen said. “If this should happen, it wouldbe helpful to have someone who knows yourvalues and in whom you have trust to makesuch decisions for you.

“Almost everyone is discussing with thepeople around us our wishes should we be in acondition where we cannot speak for our-selves,” Dr. Allen added. “Be clear, be veryclear with your loved ones and the person yougrant the power to make that decision on yourbehalf, exactly what you want. This includesdeciding whether to donate your organs for thebenefit of others after you die.

“Don’t assume everyone knows what you

Medical association advises taking control of your healthcare, life while you canBy Pamela Baggett

Special to the Courier

want. Take the extra step to write out somescenarios that you might face, and state yourwishes,” he said.

• A spouse has a heart attack, oxygen is cutoff to the brain for 10 or more minutes, andconsciousness does not return for days.

• A firefighter is burned so severely he losesfingers, toes, ears, and perhaps other limbs, andfaces years of excruciating surgeries.

• A young man is in an automobile accidentand suffers severe brain trauma that alters notonly physical abilities, but also limits ability tolearn, to make safe decisions for him or others.

• An elderly grandparent suffers a strokeleaving him unable to speak, swallow, or moveone side, and there is no improvement monthslater.

• A young mother is losing her struggle withcancer, although some hold hope of remission,beyond the opinion of treating medical profes-sionals.

The Directive to Physicians form also canhelp one know what kind of decisions must be

See CONTROL, Page 4

SAN ELIZARIO — The San Elizario HighSchool Health Occupations Students ofAmerica (HOSA) program will once againsend students to the state competition in Dal-las, set for April 6-9. SEHS seniors CecyMartinez and Alonzo Rodriguez were amonghundreds of participants in their respective cat-egories and each came away with first placefinishes at the Area HOSA Competition heldin El Paso in early March.

In order for Martinez to advance to the skillsportion of Category II Skills, Sports Medicine,she had to score among the top 20 percent inthe written examination. Martinez then dem-onstrated outstanding technique in the anklewrap. Ankles are a common area of injuryamong athletes.

Rodriguez demonstrated strong interviewingand resume writing skills in Category III JobSeeking Skills. Rodriguez was required to writea letter of application, a resume, undergo aninterview, and submit a letter of thanks.

“I think it says a lot for our program in SanElizario,” said Mathilda Mirabal, HOSA coor-dinator at the campus. “It says a lot for the kids.”

According to Mirabal, the HOSA programallows students to meet their potential, build-ing up their confidence and self-esteem.

“It’s encouraging them to think about post-

— Photo courtesy San Elizario ISD

STATE IN SIGHT — Alonzo Rodriguez andCecy Martinez were among hundreds of stu-dents entered in the Area HOSA Competi-tion earlier this month in El Paso. Both quali-fied for the state competition, April 6-9, 2005in Dallas, Texas.

By Phillip CortezSpecial to the Courier

SEHS HOSA students qualify for state

secondary education, even if it’s not in themedical field.”

For Martinez and Rodriguez, both would liketo explore opportunities in the medical field asthey decide which routes they will take afterhigh school. As state-qualifying HOSA stu-dents, it looks like they have a nice head start.

El Paso County will open its Courthousedoors again this year for its second annual cel-ebration of National County Government Weekon April 13.

“This is a great opportunity for El Pasoansof every age to learn what their County gov-ernment does and how it spends taxpayers’money,” said Commissioner Betti Flores, whowill be part of the welcoming committee dur-ing the event. “We’ll have booths, with dis-plays and exhibits, from every County depart-ment showcasing what they do and how they

County Courthouse holds open house on April 13benefit the community.”

The doors from the County Courthouse willopen for the festivities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.on Wednesday, April 13 at 500 E. San Anto-nio, with members of Commissioners Courtwelcoming visitors. The entertainment willbegin with the Cathedral High School Choir,followed by Bowie High School’s Los OsosOrgullosos Mariachi, folk dancing and more.Tours of the Courthouse and the individual

See COURTHOUSE, Page 4

Page 2: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIERPage 2 March 24, 2005

One perspectiveBy Francis Shrum

PUBLISHED:Published each Thursday byHomesteader News, Inc. Appreciationto our many contributors. Office openMonday through Thursday.

COPYRIGHT:Entire contents © 2005 HomesteaderNews, Inc. Individual authors retain allrights. Pictures, drawings and writtenmaterial appearing in the West TexasCounty Courier may not be used orreproduced without written permissionof Homesteader News, Inc.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:Letter must not be more than 250words in length. They should bedated, must be signed and have anaddress and daytime phone number.Only the name and city will be printedwith the letter. The Courier reservesthe right not to print letters to theeditor or other submitted materials itconsiders inappropriate.

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CLASSIFIED RATES$5 for 15 words, $10 for 35 words. Admust be in writing and pre-paid. TheCourier reserves the right not to printclassified advertising it considersinappropriate.

DISPLAY RATES:Open rate — $20 per column inch.Call for more information or to set anappointment. The Courier reservesthe right not to print advertising itconsiders inappropriate.

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ADDRESS:14200 AshfordHorizon City, TX 79928

Phone: 852-3235Fax: 852-0123

E-mail: [email protected]: wtccourier.com

PublisherRick Shrum

Business ManagerFrancis D. Shrum

ContributorsDon WoodyardSteve EscajedaArleen Beard

Member Texas CommunityNewspaper Association News, Inc.

HomesteaderEst. 1973

SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLO

nineteenseventythree

tw o t h o u s a n d five

32YEARS

Reyes Reports By U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes

There are alot of events I

enjoy but don’t go to as often as I’dlike. The symphony is one of them.

I wasn’t raised on classical music.It was sort of an acquired taste inadulthood. Like most genres of mu-sic, some of it is enjoyable, some ofit not. I’m not much on listening tothe heavy, dark stuff.

Last weekend was something of anexception though. You can alwayscount on Joseph Haydn’s composi-tions to be uplifting and relativelylighthearted, and the first half of theperformance held true to form. Thesecond half, however, took some-thing of a different turn, with a dark,moody piece by Dmitri Shostakovichabout the massacre of some 1,000unarmed workmen protesting duringthe Russian Revolution in 1905.

Now, I’m about as far from anykind of valid music critic as you canpossibly get. The responses evokedin my thought processes by sym-phony performances are about aslow-brow as they come, because, yousee, the thing I enjoy most about thesymphony isn’t the music.

It’s the musicians.There’s something mystical and

extraordinary about people who playmusic professionally, especially onthe level of symphony performance.The precision, the timing, the codewritten into tiny black symbols ofdots and squiggles, the ambiance ofwood, string, brass and black cloth-ing all combine for a most intriguingeffect. Like every other specializedsector of our society, it has it’s ownunique language, rules of conduct,dress code and patterns of behavior.

Therefore, to an incurable peoplewatcher, the people who participate inthis process are extremely interesting.

A smashingperformance

They come in all shapes and sizesof both sexes, of all ages. Some arebeautiful, some not; some havefriendly, smiling faces, others arescowling, or have arrogant or austereexpressions; some have unreadablefaces but expressive hands.

I love to sit way up high for effect,preferably in the balcony, but binocu-lars are a must to catch the reallygood stuff.

One thing I’ve noticed is that thelong, dark, dramatic performancesrequire a lot more people to make allthe special little sounds, so watchinga live performance is much more in-teresting than listening to a CD.

After the Haydn piece, which re-quired only enough musicians to fillabout half the seats on the stage, thecavalry arrived in force. They keptcoming until I was afraid therewouldn’t be room for the energeticlittle conductor, ChristopherZimmerman, to find his way from thewings back to the podium. But he wasjust as agile weaving his way past thepercussion section and dodging violabows as he was leading his musicaltroops through the crashing chords ofturn-of-the-century Russia.

A few folks were seated along thewalls who, at first, seemed to haveno purpose. They sat with foldedhands through most of the hour-longevent. But I’ve discovered that theyreward these patient ones by lettingthem make the biggest, most aston-ishing and outrageous noises, like thegong or the cymbals. The gong-lady,at the height of the massacre scene, waseven allowed to give what one of mycompanions called a “gong solo.”

I’ve never seen a more passionatecymbals man than the one on duty

It’s not of-ten that

CNN’s Lou Dobbs — best known forhis nightly “Broken Borders” segment— and the CEO of the National Coun-cil of La Raza, Janet Murguia, get to-gether to discuss illegal immigration.

However, a roundtable discussionI moderated at the Ninth AnnualU.S.-Mexico Border Issues Confer-ence last week brought together notonly Dobbs and Murguia, but Con-gressman David Dreier (R-CA) andCongressman Bob Menendez (D-NJ)— leaders in their respective parties— as well. I led this spirited discus-sion, which focused on one of themost emotionally charged issues fac-ing our nation today.

We didn’t create sweeping legis-lation to reform our broken federalimmigration system — yet we didsomething equally important that isunfortunately all too rare in Washing-ton. We held a bipartisan conversa-tion — as Republicans and Demo-crats, as policy leaders with differ-ing ideological persuasions — dur-ing which we shared our opinions,listened (yes, listened!) and learned.

In fact, education and conversation

U.S.-Mexico border regionis focus of conference

was the goal of the entire conference— one I think we achieved. I haveplayed a leadership role in this con-ference, which is sponsored by theU.S.-Mexico Chamber of Com-merce, for the past nine years. We aimto educate federal policymakersabout the issues plaguing the borderregion — issues that have the poten-tial to affect our country as a whole.For example, as a nation, we cannotafford to continually underfund bor-der security or reimbursements forhealthcare providers in the borderregion who provide care for undocu-mented individuals. Moreover, wecan no longer abide by a broken fed-eral immigration policy.

In this day-long program, officialsand experts from both the U.S. andMexico addressed an audience of bi-partisan members of Congress, Con-gressional staffers, and other inter-ested individuals. We held two paneldiscussions — the morning panelfocused on water scarcity and healthand included panelists such as the ElPaso Water Utilities’ CEO EdArchuleta and leaders of the PanAmerican Health Organization andthe United States-Mexico Foundation

for Science.El Paso native Al Martinez-Fonts,

who is the Private Sector Liaison atthe Department of Homeland Secu-rity, gave the keynote address duringthe luncheon. The afternoon panelfollowed the ImmigrationRoundtable with Rep. Dreier, Rep.Menendez, Dobbs and Murgia. Thispanel focused on the need to strike abalance between security and the freeflow of trade at our ports of entry.Individuals testifying included ex-perts with the Department of Home-land Security’s US-VISIT programand the International Bank of Com-merce. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)wrapped up the day as the keynotespeaker at our closing reception,stressing the need to create a fair andstrong federal immigration policy.

For the ninth year in a row, this con-ference has educated policymakersabout the U.S.-Mexico border region— something I have worked hard todo throughout my career in Congress.With a dialogue that was both spiritedand insightful, we presented ideas andsuggestions that will help shape fed-eral policies affecting both our regionand the nation.

See SMASHING, Page 6

Page 3: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

March 24, 2005 WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIER Page 3

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Punch

#4

I had a meeting the other day withsome folks from the Texas Farm Bu-reau. They’re a great group of peopleand I always look forward to talkingwith them. In our meetings, we dis-cuss everything from the price oflivestock to the latest cotton regula-tions to foot and mouth disease. Aninteresting point was brought up inour last discussion. Does the Ameri-can public realize how often agricul-ture touches their daily lives?

It’s not something we think aboutevery day. You probably don’t get upin the morning, put on your clothes,and consider who raised the sheepfor your wool pants or who grew thecotton for your shirt. When we getto the breakfast table, we often for-get about the corn that was harvestedfor our morning bowl of cereal or thecows milked for our tall glass of cal-cium. When our children arrive atschool, we seldom think about theschool lunch program they are pro-vided each day. Nor do we thinkabout the vaccinations that keepthem safe from disease. And whenwe stop at the grocery store on our

The touch of agricultureway home, how often do we take forgranted the high quality of the prod-ucts we purchase. The produce andmeat are fresh, and the aisles packedwith availability and variety. Notmany countries have this type ofluxury.

I make this point because it’s im-portant we understand how fortunatewe are to have a safe and successfulagriculture industry. Agriculture af-fects so many aspects of our lives.Beyond food and clothing, the agri-culture industry accounts for one inevery six U.S. jobs. Farmers andranchers are not the only peopleworking for this huge industry. Agri-culture supports your neighbor whoworks at the clothing productionplant, your friend who manages thelocal grocery store and even yourfamily pharmacist.

No doubt about it — agriculturefuels our economy. The agricultureindustry accounts for two percent ofour nation’s gross domestic product.It also accounts for $50 billion inexports each year. Let’s not forgetthat farmers pay incredible sums of

money tocover theirbusiness ex-penses. In re-cent years,farmers paid as much as $73 billionin purchases and over $25 billion inemployee wages.

When you add up the products, thejobs and the economic advantagesyou can come to just one conclusion:the agriculture industry is literally thebackbone of our country. This wastrue when the founding fathers metin Philadelphia, it was true during theindustrial revolution of the 1800s,and it is still true today.

So the next time you’re in the gro-cery story picking out apples or at adepartment store selecting a newshirt, think about the time and energyinvested in every product you see. Wemay take these things for granted, butfor thousands of people nation-widethese items are truly a necessity oflife. Let’s be thankful for our agri-culture industry and for the men andwomen who work hard every day tokeep it strong.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 852-3235

Dear Editor:I would like to thank everyone who

donated to the Friends of the Library(El Paso County Library in Fabens).I am not able to describe into wordsmy absolute gratitude. On behalf ofall the Friends group members andmyself, thank you very much!

We are currently looking for newmembers. If you would like more in-formation, please contact me at 526-3787 or Elena Slape at 764-3747.

The next meeting is scheduled forMarch 31, 2005 at 4 p.m. in the El

Paso County Library meeting room.Aurora Avila

Fabens

Dear Editor:Wencho and Ofelia Bosquez and

family wish to thank friends, relativesand the community for the expres-sions of comfort and support, andespecially for their prayers, in the lossof their daughter, Angela, on Feb. 26,2005.

Wencho and Ofelia BosquezTornillo

Write stuff

Page 4: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIERPage 4 March 24, 2005

WTCC: 03/24/05

Public NoticeDo You Want to be Involved in Spending Over$500 Million of YOUR Tax Dollars?

WHO, WHAT?The El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)is affording an opportunity to all residents of El PasoCounty and the City of Sunland Park NM (MPO studyarea) to review, comment and/or offer ideas on spend-ing over $500 million dollars on transportation projects.The 2006-2010 Transportation Improvement Program(TIP) is being presented for public review, and is a docu-ment that describes projects that will be implementedin 5 years in the El Paso MPO study area. Projectsinclude construction and maintenance of highways aswell as improvements to transit service and facilities.The 30-day comment period will begin on March 24,2005 and will end on April 22, 2005.

WHY?All residents have the RIGHT to be informed and toparticipate in this transportation decision-making pro-cess. Your opinion is important and it counts. The TIPis a document that uses your tax dollars for regionaltransportation projects.

WHERE?The El Paso MPO is hosting Public Meetings dur-ing a 30-day public comment period to inform residentsabout the 2006-2010 TIP; to encourage discussionsand comments about the TIP and where the documentwill be available. MPO staff will be present to receivecomments and answer questions. The public meetingsare scheduled as follows:

The 2006-2010 TIP is available at the Public Librarybranches, and at the following locations:

For more information and/or to view the TIP, pleasecontact Roger Williams at the El Paso MPO Office,10767 Gateway Blvd. W., Suite 605, El Paso, TX.; (915)591-9735, Ext. 24 or log on to www.elpasompo.orgto make comments on the TIP.

Aviso PúblicoQuiere opinar sobre como se deben invertir$500 Millones de dólares de sus impuestos?

QUE, QUIEN?La Organización Metropolitana de Planeación (MPO)de El Paso anuncia el inicio del período de 30 díaspara recibir comentarios de los habitantes de la zonade estudio de la MPO, que incluye al Condado de ElPaso y la Ciudad de Sunland Park, Nuevo Mexico,sobre el Programa para el Mejoramiento delTransporte (TIP) 2006-2010. Este documentoprograma los proyectos de transporte que seimplementarán en el area metroplitanan de El Pasodurante los próximos 5 años, que incluyen laconstrucción y el manteninmiento de carreteras, y lasmejoras al servicio e infraestructura del servicio detransporte público. El período de 30 días comenzaráel 24 de marzo de 2005 y finalizará el 22 deabril de 2005.

PORQUE?Toda persona que vive en la zona de estudio de laMPO tiene el derecho de estar informado y de participaren el proceso de toma de decisiones sobre losproyectos y planes de transporte. Su opinión esimportante y cuenta.

DONDE?La MPO ha programado una serie de reunionespúblicas durante el período de 30 días para presentarel TIP 2006-2010 a la comunidad y para recibircomentarios y sugerencias. Personal de la MPO estarápresentes para hacer las presentaciones y para aclararcualquier duda. Las reuniones están programadascomo sigue:

El TIP 2006-2010 estará disponibles al público durantela juntas públicas, en todas la sucursales de laBiblioteca Pública y en los siguientes lugares:

Los documentos también se pueden accesar a travésde la pagina web de la MPO www.elpasompo.orgdonde se pueden hacer comentarios y sugerencias.Para mayor información, favor contactar a RogerWilliams en la oficina de la MPO al (915) 591-9735,Ext. 24.

Monday, March 28, 2005 Tuesday, March 29, 2005 Wednesday, March 30, 2005Lunes, Marzo 28 de 2005 Martes, Marzo 29 de 2005 Miercoles, Marzo 30 de 2005San Martin de Porras Catholic Church Guillen Middle School Northeast Regional Command Center1885 McNutt Road 900 S. Cotton St. 9600 DyerSunland Park, NM 88063 El Paso, TX 79901 El Paso, TX 799245:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

Village of Vinton Town Hall Texas Department of Transportation City of El Paso Planning Dept.436 Vinton Rd Advanced Transportation Planning City Hall - Second FloorVinton, TX 79821 13301 Gateway Blvd. West 2 Civic Center Plaza

El Paso, TX 79928 El Paso, TX 79901

Town of Horizon City Town Hall Sun Metro City of Sunland Park Town Hall14999 Darrington Road 700 San Francisco 1000 McNutt RoadHorizon City, TX 79928 El Paso, TX 79901 Sunland Park, NM 88063

Town of Clint Town Hall Town of Anthony Town Hall City of Socorro City Hall200 N. San Elizario Road 401 Oak St. 124 S. Horizon Blvd.Clint, TX 79836 Anthony, TX 79835 Socorro, TX 79927

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Relax. Unwind.And let yourimagination runfree. At TheBishop’s Lodge,all of your sensesare indulged.Whether it’s ahorseback ridethrough theSangre de Cristomountains or anative stonemassage at ouraward-winningSháNah Spa, you’llfind that peace ofmind comesnaturally here.

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made. But just filling out the form isnot enough, Dr. Allen said. The formand your decisions should be dis-cussed with your physician and in-cluded in your medical record. Andthe person who will represent you inthose decisions also needs a copy ofthe form.

A third form is helpful for individu-als in nursing homes, assisted living,or at home. It is called the Do-Not-Resuscitate Out-of-Hospital form.This is critical if one does not wantextraordinary measures being usedby paramedics responding to anemergency call.

“Other situations fall to parents tomake decisions for their minor chil-dren,” Dr. Allen noted. “Such as thoseborn with birth defects so severe theinfant will never survive without con-

tinuous medical intervention. Or anyof the accidents that children andteenagers suffer that can be so criti-cal as to be life threatening.”

To read more about all three formsand to download them, go towww.texmed.org/directive. “Printout the information, read it, study it,discuss it with your family, and fillout the forms,” Dr. Allen said. “Prom-ise yourself, and your family, that youwill fulfill this responsibility withina week. Why on earth wouldn’t you?”

ControlFrom Page 1______________________

CourthouseFrom Page 1______________________

courtrooms will be offered, includ-ing a historical description of theCourthouse mural by artist CarlosCallejo.

Every County department will havea display or exhibit of the work it per-forms, including the Medical Exam-iner, Elections, Public Defender, ChildAdvocacy, Child Welfare, Sheriff’s,County Attorney, District Attorney,

Parks and Recreation, CommunityDevelopment, Sports Commission andmore. Every booth will have give-aways, including pens, key chains,cookies, candies and other goodies.Some departments will hold raffles,such as the Purchasing Department,which will raffle off an Epson 850printer, a Dell jukebox and a personalorganizer, calculators and more.

Ben Murillo, a teacher at TornilloHigh School, who attended lastyear’s Open House along with 30 ofhis senior government students, de-scribed the event as “critical for

young people to understand how theirCounty government works.”

“Government teachers don’t havethat much time to teach their studentsabout city or county government,”Murillo said. “We mainly concentrateon federal government and state. Bycoming to the Open House they wereable to learn volumes about theCounty in one day.”

El Paso County’s Open House cel-ebration is free to the public and ev-erybody is invited.

For information call 834-8235.— Contributed by Guadalupe Silva

Fabens trustees attend TASB seminarCORPUS CHRISTI — Fabens

ISD Board of Trustee members GregSpence, board president; PepeRamirez, vice president; AdanEscobar, secretary; and DannySalcido, member, joined more than

400 local trustees from across thestate at the Texas Association ofSchool Boards’ (TASB) Winter Gov-ernance and Legal Seminar Feb. 17-19 in Corpus Christi.

The seminar offered practical con-

tinuing education on key issues fac-ing local districts, including school fi-nance, federal and state accountabilitysystems, student readiness for highereducation and the workforce, and

trends in personnel, financial manage-ment, and school district efficiencies.Participants also explored legal updateson personnel, student, and governanceissues, district planning and budgeting,

student speech at school, avoiding con-flicts of interest, successful bond elec-tions, open meetings and fair laborstandards acts, building leadershipteams, and superintendent evaluations.

Page 5: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

March 24, 2005 WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIER Page 5

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Notice of Public HearingTown of Clint, Texas

Project Completion and CloseoutTexas Community Development Program

STEP Project #722056

The Town of Clint will conduct a public hearing to solicitthe input and participation of all its residents in its TexasCommunity Development Program project. Please attendthis meeting and voice your opinion concerning thecompletion of the TCDP-assisted improvements tothe water system.

The hearing will include discussion of the completedactivities of the TCDP-funded project and the Town’sperformance in implementing the project, includinglocation, general cost, and project benefits.

DATE OF THE HEARING: Tuesday, March 29, 2005

HEARING LOCATION: Clint Community CenterTIME OF HEARING: 6:00 p.m.

The Town of Clint has a Citizen Participation Plan thatprovides for and encourages citizen participation at allstages of the Community Development Program; cop-ies are available by request. Persons unable to attend thispublic hearing may submit their views regarding comple-tion of the project at the Town Hall in Clint, Texas.

Accommodations for handicapped persons will be avail-able; handicapped persons in need of special assistancefor attending the hearing are encouraged to contact theTown Clerk at (915) 851-3146.

El publico en general está invitado a asistir a esta audiencia.La presentación y discusión del Programa de Desarrollo de laComunidad del Estado de Texas se haran en español paraaquellas personas que asi lo deseen.

Dale Reinhardt, Mayor Date Published:Town of Clint, Texas 03/24/05

p.m. If the weather is bad, it willbe in the fellowship hall. ContactJulie Jones at 851-2702 for fur-ther information.

� St. Brendan’s EpiscopalChurch is sponsoring an EasterEgg Hunt in the Horizon CityPark, adjacent to the Oz Glaze Se-nior Citizen’s Center on Saturday,March 26, at 10 a.m. The egg huntis for children of eight years oryounger, however, free hot dogsand drinks will be offered for ev-eryone. The event is open to thecommunity.

� Navy Seaman ApprenticeChristopher J. Arzaga, stepson ofJuan Barrera and son of Bertha A.Arzaga of El Paso, recently com-pleted U.S. Navy basic trainingat Recruit Training Command,Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program, Arzaga completeda variety of training which in-cluded classroom study and prac-tical instruction on naval customs,first aid, firefighting, water safetyand survival, and shipboard andaircraft safety, with emphasis onphysical fitness. Arzaga is a 2003graduate of Clint High School.

� The 14th Annual AlbuquerqueAntiquarian Book Fair will beheld on April 1-2 at the Univer-sity of New Mexico’s ContinuingEducation Center , 1634 Univer-sity Blvd. in Albuquerque. Thisis New Mexico’s oldest and larg-

est antiquarian event, with 30 deal-ers of used, out-of-print, and rarematerials from across the South-west gathered in one location. Foradditional information call (505)291-9653 or log on atwww.unm.edu/~alshal/aabf.html.The event is sponsored by theMaxwell Museum Association.

� $300 million in defense fund-ing is heading to Fort Bliss and ElPaso following a recent vote on thefiscal year 2005 EmergencySupplemental Bill. CongressmanSilvestre Reyes voted in favor ofthe $81.4 billion bill, which inlarge part funds the Department ofDefense for the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan. Funding is also in-cluded to assist in reconstructionefforts in regions of South Asiadevastated by last year’s tsunami.The Emergency Supplemental in-cludes:• $22 million for a new barracksfor soldiers who are mobilizing anddemobilizing out of Fort Bliss forOperation Iraqi Freedom and Op-eration Enduring Freedom;• $47 million for site preparationand utility work at Biggs ArmyAirfield (roads, water, sewers, andelectricity) for the 3,800 new sol-diers coming to Fort Bliss, manyof whom will be returning fromIraq beginning in April.;• $134 million for the constructionand procurement of temporarybuildings at Biggs Army Airfield toaccommodate the new soldiers; and• $91 million for 90 Army TacticalMissile System (ATACMS) mis-siles, which are assembled at theLockheed Martin plant in HorizonCity. These will replace missiles

used in Iraq.“Fort Bliss and El Paso are an-ticipating up to 10,000 newpeople with this new influx ofsoldiers,” said Reyes. “Moreover,these soldiers will start arrivingbeginning in April and next year’sfunds will not be available soonenough to meet El Paso’s impend-ing needs.”

� The Business Express LoanFair, March 30, will help smallbusiness owners learn about andapply for unsecured businessloans from $5,000 to $25,000.The SBA’s Community ExpressLoan Program was designed toprovide financial and criticaltechnical assistance to the smallbusiness market to make growthcapital more available. The fairbegins at 4 p.m. at the Center forWorkforce Preparedness Buildinglocated at 1359 Lomaland Drive,El Paso, Texas. Interested indi-viduals can meet with represen-tatives on a one-on-one, come andgo basis.

� There is a need for host fami-lies in the El Paso County area forinternational exchange students,ages 15 to 18, for the upcomingsemester or school year. From avariety of countries and cultures,these students are English-speak-ing, have own spending moneyand health insurance. To learnmore about these programs or toschedule an interview with a rep-resentative, call Pacific Intercul-tural Exchange at 1-800-631-1818 or ASSE international Stu-dent Exchange Program at 1-800-473-0696.

BriefsFrom Page 1______________________

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Research back issues • www.wtccourier.com • Submit news or classified ads

Page 6: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIERPage 6 March 24, 2005

Classified Ads

By Steve EscajedaSpecial to the Courier

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I must admit it was riveting television, butat the same time it was very difficult to watch.

One of the most anticipated sights in all ofsports over the last 10 years has been watch-ing baseball slugger Mark McGwire step intothe batter’s box and wave that huge piece oflumber at an opposing pitcher.

All of us stopped what we were doing forthose two or three minutes until Big Mac eitherstruck out, flied out, or hit it about 450 feetinto the stands. We’d stare at the ball as it con-tinued on its flight with our mouths open won-dering where he got the power to hit it that far.

Last week, we found out.It was very difficult for many people to watch

McGwire do everything, but invoke his FifthAmendment rights, in an attempt to avoid an-swering questions from a congressional committeeconcerning steroid use in Major League Baseball.

While Rafael Palmeiro defiantly pointed hisfinger at the group saying he had never taken

McGwire’s performance before Congress anything but Major Leaguesteroids or any other kind of human growthsupplements, McGwire simply took thecoward’s way out and refused to answer thequestion — looking more like a guilty mortalthan an American hero.

I have very few heroes in professional sportsanymore, but I must admit that of the few,McGwire was one — and I must say it again— he was one.

I have absolutely no doubt that he is sincerewhen he talks about wanting to be involved intrying to fix the problem for the many youngmen and women out there who believe a betterbody through chemistry is the only way tomake it to the big time.

I do believe that a person who has a certainproblem can sometimes be the best qualifiedto help others with that same problem. But howcan McGwire help others if he isn’t even will-ing to come clean about his own involvement?

A lot of people lost a lot of respect forMcGwire last week. It doesn’t mean he can’tget it back, but it starts with being a man andbeing honest. Americans respect a man whomakes a mistake and then admits it, takes re-

sponsibility for it, and then goes out and doeswhatever he can to fix it.

What Americans despise are lawyers, poli-ticians, business owners and baseball playerswho dance around the question because theythink the ample amount of money in their pock-ets allows them certain law-breaking privilegesthe rest of us lack.

At one point in the questioning, a commit-tee member asked McGwire if he thought tak-ing steroids was cheating. McGwire, whofielded the question as well as Canseco oncefielded a fly ball off his head, actually an-swered, “that’s not for me to determine.”

Excuse me? McGwire couldn’t even admitthat taking steroids is cheating? He started hisday in front of the committee with an openingstatement that talked about how he was con-cerned with kids getting involved with steroids.

And now he can’t even tell America’s chil-dren that using steroids is cheating. How in-credibly sad this one-time hero now is.

Hear that whistling sound? That’s the soundof more McGwire respect escaping into thin air.

And while McGwire performed dreadfully,

damaging his reputation beyond repair, hewasn’t the only person who left the hearingsmelling like Martha Stewart.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig and player repre-sentative Donald Fehr looked just as foolish, tryingto double-speak their way through the verbalminefields set up by the committee members.

Selig told the committee he didn’t think theproblem was as big as they were making it outto be. Fehr, when asked if it was true that un-der the current agreement players could breakthe law (take steroids) four times before re-ceiving a lifetime ban, answered “yes.”

The amazing thing is that these two men hadabsolutely no clue how ridiculous they looked,and it wasn’t difficult to see that they didn’teven care.

It wasn’t very hard to see that Mark McGwirewas the biggest loser in these hearings. Butprofessional baseball wasn’t far behind.

In the end, what did we learn from the hear-ings? We learned that MLB is dishonest, dis-reputable and extremely arrogant.

We learned one other thing, we now knowhow Big Mac got super-sized.

LEGAL

SOCORROINDEPENDENT

SCHOOLDISTRICT

Invitation toBid/Respond:

Sealed bids/pro-posals/CSP to fur-nish the District withthe following prod-ucts and/or ser-vices will be ac-cepted at the fol-lowing times:

THURSDAY,MARCH 31, 2005

SECONDLANGUAGELEARNING

CURRICULUMCSP NO.

199-0331-0596ACCEPTED

UNTIL 2 P.M.

NOVELTYAWARDSCSP NO.

199-0331-0562ACCEPTED

UNTIL2:30 P.M.

MEDICAID

SERVICESCSP NO.

199-0331-0561ACCEPTED

UNTIL 3 P.M.

Proposals will bereceived at Busi-ness ServicesDept., 12300Eastlake Drive, ElPaso, Texas 79928until the specifiedtimes. Detailedspecifications areavailable from theabove office be-tween 8 a.m. and 4p.m. Mondaysthrough Fridaysand on the SocorroI n d e p e n d e n tSchool District’sw e b s i t e :www.sisd.net.WTCC-03/24/05________________________

Texas Boll WeevilEradicationFoundation

Texas Boll WeevilEradication Foun-dation, Inc. is solic-iting bids for themanual applicationof pink bollwormpheromone ropes.Ropes will be tied to

cotton plants at anapproximate rate of200 ropes per acreat certain stages ofgrowth. A minimumof 20-30 peopleover a two to four-week period will beneeded for this ac-tivity. Applicationsof ropes in the ElPaso and TransPecos areas willbegin in late May orearly June. Biddersmust furnish theFoundation, Work-ers Compensationcoverage prior tocontract approval.Bids will be ac-cepted throughMarch 31, 2005.For more informa-tion and detailed in-structions, pleasecontact the localFoundation office at(877) 765-2139, orthe FoundationHeadquarters officeat (800) 687-1212Ext. 3124.WTCC: 03/24/05________________________

PUBLICNOTICE

As per Article V,Sec. 5.05(a), allowners andlienholders haveten (10) days fromthis date to reclaimtheir vehicles atS o u t h w e s tWrecker, 1401Darrington Rd.,855-1900, 851-2091-fax, or it willbe sold at publicauction for charges:VIN -IFTEFI5Y3TLA27530,

1996 Ford F-150pickup truck, NewMexico license FTJ547WTCC-03/24/05________________________

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764-3892that night. His diminutive, benignframe exploded with energy andforce each time he smashed thosethings together, rattling his arms, histeeth and the floor. I was envious.

But the one fellow who kept methe most curious was seated at the farright front of the stage. He didn’tparticipate at all — other than toscratch his nose and bob his head to

the music — for so long that I decidedhe must be security. Until the finale.

As the cymbals clashed, the brassscreamed, the harp throbbed, thedrums rolled, the gong thundered, theviolas wept, and the cellos roared, herose to do his part.

Standing almost unnoticed near thefront edge of the stage was a narrowrack hung with chimes almost as tallas he was. He stood in front of themand, with authority and gusto, struckthem resoundingly with a mallet ineach hand. The chimes reverberatedinto the crescendo with each blow.

He struck again, three times, four, andthen…

I watched in amazement as therack, moved by the force of eachblow, simply took a nose dive, rightoff the stage, crashing into the emptychairs directly below, striking someunplanned and unanticipated chords.

Our man was cool to the end,though. After the initial shocked ex-pression, he simply clasped his handsover his mallets and stood waiting forthe end to come.

All in all, I thought it was a smash-ing performance.

SmashingFrom Page 2______________________

Page 7: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

March 24, 2005 WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIER Page 7

Comix

King Super Crossword

OUT ON A LIMB By Gary Kopervas

AMBER WAVES By Dave T. Phipps

THE SPATS By Jeff Pickering

R.F.D. By Mike Marland

By Don FloodWhile Martha Stewart’s recent

stay in the Big House has provento be a public-relations bonanza,experts warn that success in thebusiness world isn’t as simple assaying, “I have a prison record.”

Stewart was found guilty lastyear of obstruction of justice andlying to investigators in a case in-volving insider trading. Instead offiling appeals, Stewart elected tobegin serving her term, the result,naturally, being a big boost to herimage and to her home-decoratingempire.

The key here is insider trading,which is a high-class crime, as isobvious from the name itself. Aperson guilty of insider tradingmust be an “insider,” and thereforea good candidate to lead a majorcorporation.

But others hoping to emulateStewart’s success should remem-ber that not all crimes are “career-builders.”

Good: Defrauding thousands ofshareholders.

Bad: Knocking over a 7-Eleven.But what of the person just start-

ing out, someone who hasn’t hadthe opportunities to engage in high-level crimes?

According to experts, it’s a ques-tion of putting your worst foot for-ward.

When asked the common inter-view question, “What do you ex-pect to be doing five years fromnow?” for example, the alert jobcandidate can smoothly reply, “Ihope to be behind bars.”

Another way to hide a cleanrecord is to lie. Job applicationsusually ask if the person has beenconvicted of a crime in the pastseven years. Simply answer “yes.”

Surprisingly, many employerswill not even bother to check.They’ll take you at your word, al-lowing you to invent an impres-sive, if false, life of crime.

The beauty of this ploy is youcan make it work for you even ifyou are found out.

EMPLOYER: I’m sorry, but welooked into your background andfound no evidence of any criminalrecord.

JOB APPLICANT: Of course. Ilied. In fact, that whole job appli-cation is nothing but a pack of lies.

Not as impressive as a realcrime, perhaps, but it shows theright attitude.

Special note: These tips do notapply to all careers.

A successful country musicsinger, for example, requires acriminal record, but the bar is setmuch lower. In fact, the moreaimless and pathetic the crimethe better.

Good: Slashing the tires of ex-girlfriend.

Bad: Stealing famous paintings.In the absence of a criminal

record, aspiring country musicsingers may, as a fallback, checkthemselves into a rehab center,whether or not they actually havedrug or alcohol problems.

Likewise, ambitious young rapsingers should be sure to have drugand gang activity as part of theirresume, with gun-related crimes amajor plus.

Rumors of having shot or mur-dered people are good for streetcred, but potential rappers shouldbe aware of the challenge of pur-suing a music career while serv-ing a long-term prison sentence.

Public-relations experts recom-mend a five- or six-month term,such as Martha Stewart’s —enough to generate maximum pub-licity but not so long as to risk be-ing forgotten.

And remember, it’s not yourfault you came from a good back-ground, but it is your fault if youdon’t do anything about it.______________________________________________________(c) 2005 King Features Synd., Inc.

Making sure crime pays

ART WORKACROSS

1 Mushroom part 4 Demonic 8 Vatican-related 13 Heiss on the ice 18 Hasten 19 Pianist Lupu 20 Venus’ sister 21 Speak one’s mind 22 Art Carney role 24 Art Tatumrecording of ’49 26 Paper quantity 27 _ the Hyena(Capp character) 29 Two _ kind 30 Organ ofequilibrium 31 South Americancapital 34 Laotian native 38 Wholly 41 Art Rooney’s team 46 Palindromicdictator 47 Wing-ding 48 Croquet arena? 49 Model Carre 52 Pub orders 54 Flask 57 Zimbabwe,formerly 61 Celebratory suffix 62 Alliance 63 Tiriac of tennis 64 61, to Cicero 65 Hosp. areas

67 Stable youngster 70 Casino worker 73 Italian statesmanAldo 75 Art Garfunkel’spartner 78 Travelers’ aids 79 Food fish 81 Lhasa _ 82 Drink like 81Across 83 Business abbr. 84 Conger or moray 85 “Jeepers!” 88 “Back in the _”(’68 song) 92 Composer Verdi 95 Ms. Van Tassel 97 Yearn 98 “Hook” heavy 99 Chutzpah101 Watch pts.103 “Bali _”104 Art Malik series110 Annoying113 Depart114 Tabriz currency115 Society columnword116 Claire or Balin118 Bouquet121 Kite part124 Art Sansomcartoon130 Art Fleming hostedit133 Arrested134 Hire

135 Mine feature136 SportscasterBerman137 Stout138 Boca _, FL139 Kansas city140 TV chef Martin

DOWN 1 “Dark Lady” singer 2 Helper 3 Gridiron calls 4 Drop a brick 5 Tub 6 Superstar 7 Debussy’s “Clairde _” 8 Schoolboy’s shot 9 Joan Van _ 10 Mile High Centerarchitect 11 Part of A.D. 12 Permissible 13 Dovecote sound 14 Mil. address 15 More mature 16 Actor Patrick 17 Suspicious (of) 20 Reduce tosmithereens 23 Skip 25 Abominate 28 Say please toooften? 32 Flavor enhancer 33 Problem solver? 35 Tropical spot 36 _ impasse

37 Fresh 39 Walked 40 Ferrara first family 41 Chanteuse Edith 42 Eric of “Nuns onthe Run” 43 _ Bator 44 Rampur royalty 45 Fermi or Caruso 50 Long Island resort 51 At _ and sevens 53 Baby bird? 55 Soybean product 56 “_ Gay” 58 It holds plenty! 59 Lennon’s widow 60 Tune 66 Caviar 68 Nile slitherer 69 Composer Franz 71 Actress Thurman 72 _ New Guinea 73 Frenzied 74 Take place 75 Nest noise 76 Accuse tentatively 77 “WutheringHeights” setting 79 Russian jet 80 Agt. 82 Head 86 Fade, as a flower 87 Move likemolasses 89 Academic 90 “The Young Lions”author 91 Harness part

93 Tipplers 94 Canyon sound 95 Swiss artist 96 _ breve100 Shoemaker’s tool102 Biol. or chem.105 Mideastern title106 Decathlete Bruce107 Tower material?108 “Waking _ Devine”(’98 film)109 Pro _ (proportion-ately)110 Foreword, forshort111 Change for thebetter112 New Hampshirecity117 Soprano Gluck119 California resort120 Try again122 Concept123 Actress Fontanne125 Encoreexclamation126 “_ Bad Apple” (’71song)127 Select, with “for”128 _ -mo129 Tons of time131 Garage supply132 Child welfare org.

Answer Page 6

Page 8: OURIER March 24, 20052005/03/24  · NEWSBRIEFS Keeping a budget is an orderly way of getting through part of the month. — Quips & Quotes See BRIEFS, Page 5 VOL. 32, No. 12 SERVING

WEST TEXAS COUNTY COURIERPage 8 March 24, 2005

Social Security Q&A By Ray Vigil

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Q: My company’s pension plan ben-efits are based on my last five yearsof earnings. Are my Social Securitybenefits figured the same way?

A: No. Retirement benefit calcula-tions are based on your average earn-ings during a lifetime of work underthe Social Security system. For mostcurrent and future retirees, we willaverage your 35 highest years ofearnings. Years in which you havelow earnings or no earnings maybe counted to bring the total years

of earnings up to 35.

Q: I stopped work at the end of lastyear, when I was 52. I don’t expect towork again, and will probably file forSocial Security retirement benefitswhen I turn 62. Will I still get thesame benefit amount that is shownon the Social Security Statement thatI recently received?

A: Probably not. When Social Secu-rity calculated your 35 highest yearsof earnings to estimate your future

benefits on your Statement, there wasan assumption that you would con-tinue to work until age 62, makingthe same earnings you made last year.If, instead, you have zero earningseach year over the next 10 years, youraverage earnings will probably beless and so will your benefit.

Q: The Internal Revenue Service hassent me a letter saying money foroverdue taxes may be taken from mySocial Security payments. Does So-cial Security allow that?

A: If you owe overdue taxes to theIRS, money can be taken from your

Social Security payments, reducingyour payments by as much as 15 per-cent a month. However, before thiswould happen, you would get a let-ter from Social Security explaininghow and why your benefits are be-ing reduced.

Q: My insurance agent told me thatI should consider buying disabil-ity insurance. But I rememberhearing that I already have somedisability insurance protectionthrough Social Security. Would aprivate policy offset any of the So-cial Security disability benefit Iwould be eligible for?

A: No. Neither your eligibility for,nor the amount of your Social Secu-rity disability payments, is affectedby any private insurance you maybuy. But worker’s compensation andsome public disability payments mayaffect your Social Security benefit.

______________________________________________________For more information visit your lo-cal Security office, see www.ssa.govor call us at 1-800-772-1213. If youhave any questions that you wouldlike to have answered, please mailthem to the Social Security Office,11111 Gateway West, Attn: Ray Vigil,El Paso, Texas 79935.

THURSDAY

Sunshine andpatchy clouds.

72°� �

THUR. NIGHT

Mostly cloudy andwindy.

FRIDAY

Times of cloudsand sun; maybe a

shower.

68°� 46°�

SATURDAY

Mostly sunny.

64°� 41°�

SUNDAY

A good deal ofsunshine.

66°� 44°�

MONDAY

Mainly sunny.

72°� 51°�

TUESDAY

Sunny to partlycloudy.

74°� 51°�

WEDNESDAY

Abundantsunshine.

78°� 54°�

WEATHER AccuWeather.com

SEVEN-DAY FORECAST FOR EL PASO

TEXAS WEATHER TRAVELERS CITIESUV INDEX

REAL FEEL TEMP®

AGRICULTURE

Statistics for noon.

Thursday ............ 9 ............Very HighFriday ................ 7 ....................HighSaturday ............ 9 ............Very HighSunday .............. 9 ............Very HighMonday .............. 9 ............Very HighTuesday .............. 9 ............Very HighWednesday ........ 9 ............Very High

The higher the UV Index, the greaterthe need for eye and skin protection.

Albuquerque 58/38/sh 54/36/sh 58/34/sh 60/39/s 68/43/pcAtlanta 68/51/s 76/56/pc 77/54/t 67/47/t 65/46/pcAtlantic City 45/33/r 52/37/r 54/40/r 50/43/r 57/39/shAustin/San Antonio 80/54/pc 82/57/t 80/46/pc 60/44/pc 72/50/sBaltimore 49/36/r 56/38/r 55/40/r 55/38/r 59/40/pcBoston 43/34/sf 48/34/r 46/34/r 42/39/r 50/39/cChicago 46/36/pc 44/36/r 44/28/c 46/32/pc 53/36/pcDallas/Ft. Worth 76/55/pc 79/58/t 64/45/t 57/44/pc 69/51/sDenver 52/30/pc 50/28/c 46/26/r 55/35/s 65/32/cFlagstaff 38/30/sf 38/20/sn 43/22/sf 49/26/s 56/28/pcHouston 80/60/t 82/62/t 80/58/t 68/50/sh 74/55/sKansas City 60/36/t 57/39/c 54/36/r 55/37/pc 61/43/pcLas Vegas 64/49/c 66/44/pc 68/45/pc 70/51/s 75/49/pcMiami 84/74/t 86/74/s 86/72/pc 86/68/pc 84/64/pcMinneapolis 39/26/sn 36/22/sf 40/26/pc 46/31/pc 49/37/cNew Orleans 75/63/pc 80/65/pc 81/60/t 74/50/t 68/55/sNew York City 46/39/r 50/38/r 49/42/r 49/44/r 54/43/cPhiladelphia 48/34/r 52/40/r 50/40/r 50/38/r 58/42/cPhoenix 68/50/pc 65/48/sh 70/53/pc 74/56/s 80/57/sPortland 54/40/sh 56/44/pc 54/46/r 54/46/r 57/37/rSan Francisco 59/47/sh 61/47/pc 62/51/pc 64/51/c 64/48/rSeattle 54/40/sh 52/44/pc 52/46/r 52/46/r 54/37/rTucson 66/50/pc 64/42/sh 70/42/pc 72/48/s 78/52/sWashington, DC 48/38/r 58/42/r 58/42/r 51/47/r 60/44/pc

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/WThur. Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon.

High pressure will control the weather Thursday and bring sunshine along with mild temperatures. An upper-level disturbance willcross the area Friday and may bring a brief shower, but any rain will be under 0.20 of an inch. Sunny and windy conditions will be therule for Saturday. Expect a gradual warming trend early next week. Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms,

r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

Thursday .................................... 71°Friday .......................................... 62°Saturday ...................................... 58°Sunday ........................................ 62°Monday ........................................ 77°Tuesday ...................................... 72°Wednesday ................................ 81°

The exclusive AccuWeather composite index ofeffective temperature based on eight weatherfactors.

Shown is Thursday’sweather.Temperatures areThursday’s highs andThursday night’s lows.

All forecasts and maps provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2005

Anthony 71 49

Canutillo 71 50

Fabens 71 50

Clint 72 50

E. Montana 72 52

Socorro 71 51

Horizon 73 52

San Elizario 69 49

Tornillo 71 50

Vinton 71 50El Paso72/52

Santa Fe54/31

Albuquerque58/38

Alamogordo68/46

Las Cruces68/45

Deming67/41 Carlsbad

80/49

Amarillo68/39

Lubbock76/42

Alpine77/44

Odessa80/51

Lajitas88/53

Ruidoso58/38

Cloudcroft55/32

CiudadJuárez72/51

52°

Mexico