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West Texas County CourierPage 2The case against continued violence“No justice, no peace.” Surelywe have all heard that chant fordecades at various protests well, all but the most cloisteredin their white privilege. One candebate about the justificationfor violence in the wake of stillanother police murder of anAfrican American man, this timeGeorge Floyd. But there is, in thefinal analysis, one major reasonto go home and shut down therioting: the sheer numbers andarsenal that the power structurecan rely on for brute force.It is not worth more humansacrifice to make the point thatAfrican Americans, and thosewhites who support them onthe street, have had enough ofthe police state in which theylive. Certainly blacks have. Butseveral governors have alreadycalled in the National Guardto supplement heavily armedand armored law enforcementforces. Besides, the support fromAmericans of goodwill collapseswhen justified rage is overtakenby hooliganism.The answer is to leave thestreets and organize for theupcoming election. And then,in an overwhelming turnout,vote to remove the unvarnishedbigot who is president withclear instructions to Joe Biden.He must make it the priority aspresident to untangle the racismthat ties the United States ofAmerica in knots, starting withpolice reform that removesthe bigoted psychopaths in theranks. It is a country of brokenpromises for so many of ourcitizens, including the pretenseof “equal protection under thelaw.”President Donald Trump isshowing his true colors, whichare supremacist white, withhis series of tweets and otherpronouncements like, “When thelooting starts, the shooting starts.”If that sounds familiar, it waspart of the repertoire of GeorgeWallace the segregationist, andalso for a police chief in Miamiin the ‘60s who said, “We don’tmind being accused of policeSocorro Independent School DistrictPUBLIC NOTICEPublic Meeting to Review Federally Funded ProgramsThe Socorro Independent School District will conduct a meeting by teleconferenceto review the following 2020 – 2021 ESSA Federal Grants: Title I, Part A – Improving Basic Programs Title I, Part C – Migrant Education Program Title II, Part A – Preparing, Training and Recruiting High Quality Teachers,Principals or Other School Leaders Title III, Part A – Language Instruction for English Learners Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic EnrichmentThe next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees has been scheduled forTuesday, June 16, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will be held by teleconference.The teleconference audio can be accessed at the following toll free number:1-866-899-4679 using the access code 165-769-453 and through an audio feedlocated at https://youtu.be/pAtU7VRLwQk . Any member of the public wishingto comment on an agenda item can send the comments to the following emailaddress board-questions@sisd.net.S.I.S.D does not discriminate against any individual with regard to race, color,national origin, age, religion, sex, marital or veteran status, the presence of amedical condition, disability, or any other legally protected status. 42 U.S.C2000e-2(a); 20 U.S.C. 1681: Labor Code 21-051.Distrito Escolar Independiente de SocorroAVISO PUBLICOLa junta Pública para Revisar los Programas de Fondos FederalesEl Distrito Escolar Independiente de Socorro llevará a cabo una junta porteleconferencia para revisar los siguientes programas federales: Título I, Parte A – Mejorando Programas Básicos Título I, Parte C – Programa Educativo Migrante Título II, Parte A – La Preparación, la Capacitación y la Contratación de Maestros,Directores de Escuelas de Alta Capacidad u Otros Dirigentes Escolares Título III, Parte A – La Instrucción del Idioma Para Aprendices de Ingles Título IV, Parte A – Apoyo Estudiantil y Enriquecimiento AcadémicoLa junta ha sido programada para el martes, 16 de junio del 2020, a las 6:00 p.m.Esta reunión se llevar a cabo por teleconferencia. El audio de teleconferenciase puede acceder al siguiente número gratuito: 1-866-899-4679 utilizando elcódigo de acceso 165-769-453 y a través de una fuente de audio ubicadaen https://youtu.be/pAtU7VRLwQk. Cualquier miembro del público que deseacomentar un punto de la agenda puede enviar los comentarios a la siguientedirección de correo electrónico board-questions@sisd.net.S.I.S.D no descrimina a ningún individuo a causa de su raza, de su color, desu nacionalidad, de sus creencias religiosas, de su género, de su estado legal,o de veterano, ninguna condición médica o incapacidad, o ningún otro estadolegal. 42 U.S.C 2000e-2(a); 20 U.S.C. 1681: Labor Code 21-051.WTCC: 06-11-20brutality.”But back to the Trumpster’sgarbage . he was takenfrightened, to his bunker, allthe while taunting on Twitterdemonstrators at the WhiteHouse, that if breached the gates,they’d be met with “viciousdogs” and “ominous weapons.” Itcouldn’t have been an accidentalreferencetoBirmingham,Alabama, Commissioner ofPublic Safety “Bull” Connor,who turned attack dogs loose oncivil rights activists in the JimCrow convulsions of the ‘60s.But it’s Donald Trump, aspresident, who has made bigotrya staple of his administration.Along with incompetence andself-serving politics to answera crisis. Look no further thanthecoronaviruspandemic,where blunders by Trump andhis gang have accounted forthousands of deaths that couldhave been avoided, shortagesJune 11, 2020in the equipment necessary tofight it and an economic disasterwhere the jobless rate rivals thedepression of the 1930s.In particular, blacks andother people of color havebeen victimized because of thenation’s racism, which consignsthem to second class citizenship.Not only that, but to save hispolitical skin, he has panickedand egged on a “reopening” thatis premature, already resulting inmore COVID deaths.Anyone of good will – black,white or other hues – who is sickof his mess and the dirty tricks ofTrump supporters must turn outto cast a ballot this November.Not doing so is, in effect, votingto re-elect Donald Trump, and notvoting for any hope of justice.(c)2020BobFranken.Distributed by King FeaturesSyndicate, Inc.Food for thought By John GrimaldiFledgling U.S. Space Force is off toan impressive, if not mysterious startOff they go beyond “thewild blue yonder” – the menand women of the U.S. SpaceForce, the newest branch of theAmerican armed forces.The U.S.S.F. officially beganits mission on December 20,2019. The new branch of serviceis the successor to the U.S. AirForce Space Command, whichwas established in 1982. It istasked with protecting “U.S. andallied interests in space and toprovide space capabilities to thejoint force.” But, there’s much47more to it than that, accordingto the Association of MatureAmerican Citizens (AMAC).Rebecca Weber, AMAC’sCEO, notes that beyond themilitary aspects of the SpaceForce, there are life enhancingbenefits to be had. It’s an aspectthat is clearly reflected in themessage in its first recruitmenteffort – a 30-second video withthis compelling narration:“Some people look to the starsSee USSF, Page 71973Years2020SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLOPUBLISHED:Published each Thursday (minimum50 issues) by Homesteader News,Inc. Office open Monday throughThursday.COPYRIGHT:Entire contents 2020 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:Letters must not be more than 250words in length. They should be dated,must be signed and have an addressand daytime phone number. Only thename and city will be printed with theletter. The West Texas County Courierreserves the right to edit or reject lettersto the editor or other submitted materialit considers inappropriate.AD DEADLINE:Friday 4 p.m. for the next Thursday.CLASSIFIED RATES 15 for 25 words, 20 for 40 words. Admust be in writing and pre-paid. TheWest Texas County Courier reservesthe right not to publish advertising itconsiders inappropriate.DISPLAY RATES:Open rate — 30 per column inch.Call for more information or to setan appointment. The West TexasCounty Courier reserves the rightnot to publish advertising it considersinappropriate.MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS:Minimum 50 issues for 50.Delivery via 1st class mail.MAIL:15344 Werling Ct.Horizon City, TX 79928Phone: 852-3235E-mail: wtxcc@wtxcc.comWebsite: wtxcc.comHPublisherRick ShrumContributorsAlfredo VasquezSteve EscajedaHomesteaderEst. 1973News, Inc.

West Texas County CourierJune 11, 2020Yes, meet rioters with overwhelming forceRestoring order to America’scities isn’t a complicatedproposition.All it requires is resourcesand determination, and a firmrejection of the longstandingprogressive fallacy that anoverwhelming police presence is“provocative” and “escalatory”and must be avoided.Out-of-control looting is almostalways a failure of municipalresolve or police tactics, and wehave seen plenty of just suchcowardice and foolishness lately,most notably in Minneapolis,ground zero for this spasm ofurban disorder.In a display of sloppy wishfulthinking at the worst possibletime, the city’s leaders decidedto vacate the 3rd police precinct.Mayor Jacob Frey explained thatthey believed this would be “away to both help de-escalate andprevent hand-to-hand combat.”Instead, it allowed for a majorescalation, as protestors gleefullytorched the police building, inthe worst symbol of officialabdication of this crisis so far.During the first couple of nightsof violence, Minneapolis barelymanaged to arrest anyone.For his part, Gov. Tim Walz ofMinnesota hesitated to mobilizethe National Guard lest he seem“oppressive,” apparently unawarethat his target audience wasn’t asocial justice seminar at OberlinCollege, but provocateurs andnihilists who were going to takeevery inch they were given andmake it a mile of broken glassand looted goods.President Donald Trumphas been a steady fount ofinflammatoryandcrudestatements lately, but whenhe blasted the “total lack ofleadership” in Minneapolis, hewasn’t wrong.All state and municipal leadersneed to know about controllingriots is obvious from a cursoryreview of the history.Consider the worst disturbancein recent times, the L.A. riots.They began when about twodozen cops retreated before anangry crowd after the RodneyKing verdicts, some of themliterally running away. The mobdescended on the intersection ofFlorence and Normandie, andbegan beating Anglo and Latinomotorists, completely unmolestedby the authorities for hours. Somepolice reported being ordered toleave the area – and then beingordered not to return.The rest is history – days ofviolence, more than 60 peoplekilled and 2,000 injured, and inexcess of 1 billion in propertydamage. By the end, thousands offederal troops were in the city.Back in 1970, in his classicbook on domestic unrest, “TheRiotmakers,” Eugene Methvinidentified police absence orpullback as the accelerant onriots. It was a huge factor in thePage 3Watts riots in 1965. The samedynamic held in a Philadelphiariot the year before. In Detroitin 1967, cops retreated and theauthorities underestimated theforces they needed as a riotdevastated the city.It is simply not true that rioterswill be quickly sated if they areallowed to break and burn thingsfreely. Disorder feeds on itself.Looting one store, overturningone police car is never enough.There is no alternative toimposing curfews, zealouslyenforcingthem,arrestingviolators and calling out theNational Guard if there’s notenough police manpower for thejob. This doesn’t escalate theviolence, it stops it.Over the weekend [Mar. 3031], Minneapolis finally got moreserious about policing itself andsaw a drastic diminishment ofdestruction. Anyone who doesn’twant American cities to burnshould take note.Rich Lowry is editor of theNational Review. (c) 2020 byKing Features Synd., Inc.

West Texas County CourierPage 4SEISDFrom Page 1were distributed at each campusthroughout the district. Inaddition, with the approval of 141,130.00 by the SEISD Boardof Trustees on April 8, 2020,hotspots were purchased andnow provide internet services toapproximately 500 students.Dr. Rogelio Segovia, assistantsuperintendent for SEISD said,“The COVID-19 emergencyclosure definitely created a senseof urgency to not only transitionfrom a traditional face-to-faceinstructional delivery approach,to a full online approach thatallowed students to access theBriefsFrom Page 1a 2020 Credit Card Debt Studyfrom the personal-financewebsite WalletHub. The studyfound that consumers paid offa record 60 billion of theirroughly 1 trillion in credit carddebt during the first quarter of2020. El Paso rated in the 68thpercentile of debt repayment,with one percent being theleast debt repayment and 99percent being the most. Withunemployment now at recordhighs, however, WalletHubprojects that U.S. consumerswill rack up more than 140billion throughout the rest of2020, ending the year with a netincrease of 80 billion in creditcard debt. The debt pictureis worrisome nationwide,but some areas have biggerpayment problems than others.WalletHub compared morethan 2,500 cities based on howmuch residents owe to creditcard companies – specifically,how those balances changed inQ1.Q&A with WalletHubHow did consumer creditcard debt fall when so manypeople are out of work?“The latest credit card figuresare for the first quarter of2020, before the coronaviruspandemic began to really wreakhavoc in the U.S.,” said JillGonzalez, WalletHub analyst.“It’s common for consumersto pay down credit card debtduring the first few months ofthe year, as this is when manypeople receive annual salarybonuses and tax refunds. Thisyear’s first-quarter paydowntechnology devices and aneffective instructional deliverythey deserve.” Technologynot only impacted learningfor students, it also causedteachers to make immediateturn around decisions on howto better connect with students.AccordingtoHernandez,“Since the pandemic hit usduring Spring Break, the districthas adopted Google Suite toaccomplish our distance learninggoal. This included applicationslike Google Classroom, GoogleDocs, and Google Meets.”Thetechnologyandinstructional teams intensifiedthe collaboration by providingteachers training to prepare toteach and reconnect with studentswas just a lot bigger than normal– at least 50 percent higher thananything we’ve seen in the past20 years, which is what makesit so tantalizing in the contextof what we all know came afterthat.”How has the Q1 2020 creditcard debt paydown affectedpeople’s ability to withstandthe coronavirus shutdown?“People with credit card debtmade the rest of the year muchsimpler for themselves byrepaying a total of more than 60 billion in amounts owedduring the first quarter of theyear. Less debt means lessstress, which is key at a timewhen our mental and physicalhealth are already underunique strain. Debt is also abarrier to economic recovery.Having 60 billion less incredit card debt waiting for usmeans we’re 60 billion closerto having a thriving economyagain,” said Gonzalez.What can we expect fromcredit card debt levels duringthe rest of the year?“Credit card debt will increase by 140 billion from April throughDecember, leaving us with a netincrease of 80 billion for theyear. Those are big numbers, butit could be a lot worse, had it notbeen for Q1’s strong economy,”said Gonzalez. “Credit carddebt levels may not rise quiteas sharply as some peoplethink given the near-recordunemployment rate becausecredit card companies havetightened their underwritingconsiderably in the face of somuch uncertainty regardingconsumers’ ability to pay.”– Diana PolkJune 11, 2020online. Segovia said,“Fortunately,wehave an awesometeam of educators,like our instructionalofficers, instructionalspecialists, coordinatorofinstructionalprograms, instructionaltechnology director,campus leaders andteachers,among– Photos courtesy San Elizario ISDothers, that have madeHoracioHernandezRogelio Segoviait happen.”In terms of hardware, the IT personnel assisting in gettingtechnology department worked ready and distributing mobileto expedite repairs on teacher devices to the board of trusteeslaptops.Hernandezsaid, and leadership supporting the“COVID-19disruptedthe purchase of hotspots to provide‘normal’ way of operating within students internet connection;the district; we had to adapt and everybody coming together toadopt to the different needs due provide our teachers and studentsto the new norm of distance the best tools possible.”learning and we had to purchaseAs the year comes to ansoftware and hardware to better end and we continue in thissupport staff, teachers, students, pandemic situation, Hernandezand parents remotely. We also had said, “The only way is to keepto embrace the at home concept evolving. Technology changesand think different in ways of rapidly and as it changes, it isproviding day-to-day support.” our responsibility here in ITLooking back, he adds, “I am to adapt at the same speed tomost proud of the support and keep providing the best toolsunity. From principals, assistant and resources available to ourprincipals, administrators, and district users.”CARESeconomic shutdown and recordunemployment.From Page 1The SBDC, housed at EPCC inpartnership with the United StatesSmall Business Administration (SBA), is providing vital servicesand support to small businesses during this critical time. So far,the SBDC has helped more than 25 local businesses in receivingover 1,500,000 emergency funding through the CARES Act, andthey’re continuing to help others. The El Paso SBDC is a fieldoffice of the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network. The leadoffice is located at the University of Texas at San Antonio.The EPCC Center received an additional SBA grant under theCOVID-19 CARES Act in the amount of 237,000. The moneywill be dedicated to provide confidential no-cost consulting infinance, human resources, operations, marketing, and businessand strategic planning with the goal of winning back and findingnew customers. The Center will also provide weekly on-lineworkshops on various topics that are relevant to the future successof small business. We expect to be able to assist over 500 smallbusinesses in the recovery effort. Those businesses that choose toaccept SBDC assistance should be able to be more sustainable andresilient for years to come.The CARES Act is a federal program offered by the SmallBusiness Administration with support from the Department ofthe Treasury. The program offers small businesses assistancein paying employee payroll and interest on mortgages, rentand utilities. Accessing this program has become vital to smallbusinesses trying to survive during the Coronavirus pandemic; theSBDC has been integral in helping their local business clients toapply for it.Joe Ferguson, Director of the SBDC, explains: “The SBDCis the largest management and technical assistance program forsmall businesses in the United States. Our purpose is to helpsmall businesses be successful. Now, more than ever, the supportwe offer is vital in helping small business owners navigate theunprecedented difficulties their facing in light of COVID-19. Indoing so, we aren’t just supporting them, but we are also helpingour local economy. Our COVID related services are at no-cost.”CryptoQuipAnswerIf a judge is buyingshampoo and toothpaste,maybe he’ll just prefertrial-size tubes.By Lucie Winborne The first sunglasses wereinvented in 12th-centuryChina and made from smokedquartz. While providing noprotection against harmfulUV rays, they did givesome relief from the sun’sglare and also served as avaluable tool for Chinesejudges, allowing them toseem emotionally detachedduring interrogations. English Romantic poetSamuel Taylor Coleridge(1772-1834) is credited withthe first printed use of the words“selfless,” “psychosomatic,”“bipolar” and “bisexual.” A study by neurologistsshowed that some patientssuffering from brain traumaand damage on the righthand side of their brain havea compulsive obsession totell jokes they find hilarious,while not finding otherpeoples’ jokes funny at all. ThehackergroupAnonymousoncesentthousands of all-black faxesto the Church of Scientologyto deplete all of their inkcartridges. Sierra Leone is the world’sroundest country and sitsnot too far from Egypt – theworld’s squarest country. Nearly 3% of the icein Antarctic glaciers iscomposedofpenguinurine. Due to the subzerotemperature in that area, itcan’t evaporate. Think you hate going to thedentist? A 12-year-old Frenchboy once faked his ownkidnapping to get out of it! Afterbeing located in a village 100miles from his home, the ladlied to police, even describinghis kidnapper’s distinctivecheek scar. Only after theyhad searched for a month andre-questioned him did the boyconfess. We can thank beloved19th-century English novelistCharles Dickens for thecolorful phrase “eat my hat.”Thought for the Day: “A cleverperson solves a problem. Awise person avoids it.”– Albert Einstein(c) 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

West Texas County CourierJune 11, 2020a sensitive boy, Elliott, to getback home. On June 8, 1949, GeorgeOrwell’s novel of a dystopianfuture, “1984,” is published.The novel’s all-seeing leader,known as “Big Brother,”becomes a universal symbolfor intrusive government andoppressive bureaucracy. On June 9, 1973, with avictory at the Belmont Stakes,Secretariat becomes the firsthorse since Citation in 1948to win America’s covetedTriple Crown. Secretariat wonthe Belmont by a record 31lengths. On June 12, 1994, NicoleBrown Simpson, ex-wife offootball player O.J. Simpson,and her friend Ron Goldmanare brutally stabbed to deathoutside her Los Angelescondominium.Simpsonbecame the chief suspect.Although the evidence againsthim was extensive, a juryacquitted Simpson on twocounts of murder in trial thatlasted 11 months. On June 13, 1966, theSupreme Court hands down itsdecision in Miranda v. Arizona,establishing the principle thatall criminal suspects must beadvised of their rights whenin custody and about to be On June 10, 1935, in Akron, interrogated.Ohio, Bill Wilson and Dr.Robert Smith, two recovering On June 14, 1789, Englishalcoholics, found Alcoholics Captain William Bligh and 18Anonymous (A.A.), a 12-step others, cast adrift from thealcohol rehabilitation program. HMS Bounty seven weeksToday there are more than before, reach the East Indies80,000 local groups in the after traveling nearly 4,000miles in a small open boat. OnU.S.April 28, they were set adrift On June 11, 1982, the with 25 gallons of water, 150science-fiction classic “E.T.: the pounds of bread, 30 pounds ofExtra-Terrestrial” is released. pork, six quarts of rum and sixThe film captures the story of bottles of wine.the wise, kind and cuddly alien(c) 2020 Hearst Communications,botanist who is stranded onInc. All Rights Reserved.Earth and needs the help ofTaborFrom Page 1students for success in life andcareer.”According to Tabor, since2009, the percentage of womencomputer science undergraduatesin the United States has declinedfrom 20.7% to 18.7%. The TexasAdvanced Computing Center atthe University of Texas at Austinprofiles students in computerscience across the state. In a 2018study, the Center found that onlyabout 24% of students enrolledin computer science courses arefemale. But, female computerscience students at Northwest arebucking the trend at about 52%.In a statement to NCWIT,Tabor said that in her fiveyears of teaching at Northwest,Computer Science educationhas expanded from zero classesto multiple courses, two clubsand an Honor Society. Sincereceiving her dual creditcertification, she also teachescollege level, credit bearing CSPage 5courses to her majority nonwhite and predominantly Latinxhigh school students.“I am lucky that my schoolhas decided to dedicate an entireposition to Computer Science,”Tabor told NCWIT. “While Iused to be torn between threedisciplines, I am now able toteach all Computer Science.”At Northwest, Tabor sponsorsextracurricular opportunities forwomen

Community College (EPCC) Culinary Arts Graduates Chef Chris Morrill and Chef Santiago Reyes were doing well with their catering business, Around the World, and their high-end Gallery 3 Kitchen, so they decided to expand with another restaurant: TACO SHOP. After celebrating TACO SHOP's opening on March 5, 2020, Morrill and Reyes found