First Person

National City Shooting: “I imagined a bullet hitting me in the face.”

By Heriberto Escamilla

On Sunday August 14 the sun came up and shone on Armando Lazos’ face for the last time. At noon of that same day, Armando was laying face down on the ground, beside his gray Toyota Forerunner, his face pulverized by a hail of police gunfire. His world had suddenly gone dark.

My family and I witnessed many of the events that led up to his death. At about 8:30 in the morning my wife, granddaughter and I went to the corner store for tortillas and eggs. As we approached the corner of Ridgeway and Granger, we heard the wail of approaching sirens. We saw a gray SUV turning right at the corner toward Euclid Avenue. Two police units followed close behind. A third police car, trailing a few yards away turned in the same direction on Fenton Street. A few minutes later, as we were on our way back home, the same car, now with all three police cars, in close pursuit, raced back up the same street in the opposite direction. They were chasing, but not very fast.

Back at home and for the rest of the morning, the sirens continued to cut the air around us. For this day and age, this was not unusual. We’ve grown familiar to these reminders of our troubled lives. The loudspeaker that followed was a little more unusual. “You in the 7-Eleven, stay in the store”. Something was definitely amiss, but at that point, we did not know that it was the same guy in the gray SUV. My son-in-law who happened to be at the golf course on Sweetwater Road calls to tell us that he heard there was a shooting, a double murder near the Sweetwater Inn.

I immediately accessed the Internet and learned that an armed man was indeed barricading himself in his car, his gray SUV, but he wasn’t a murder suspect. So we get information and sometimes it’s wrong. It was the same guy, I thought to myself, and now about three hours later after we had first seen him eluding the police, things begin to move more quickly. A helicopter circled the cemetery directly behind our home. Through our kitchen door, we saw police cars, at least three of them positioning themselves near the rear entrance of the cemetery. Other units parked on Granger and Wilma Streets, and behind the police tape, reporters jockeyed for positions. Residents started to gather. A voice from the helicopter orders people visiting their departed loved ones in the cemetery to leave. We see them running out, with surprised, frightened and confused looks on their faces. The white haired woman that lives across the street and a younger companion are talking and then pleading with some of the officers. “Please don’t shoot him, don’t hurt him”. The pleading turns to tears as the officers herd them back away from the cemetery entrance. We learned later, the woman was his girlfriend.

Compañía Cardinal Health arruina la vida de sus trabajadoras en Tijuana
Para mejorar la salud de los pacientes en Estados Unidos, se superexplota a cientos de trabajadoras y trabajadores en México
Por Enrique Davalos
Sorrento Valley, San Diego, 12 agosto de 2005. Un grupo de más de veinte personas protestan en las oficinas de la empresa médica Cardinal Health frente a sus oficinas en Sorrento Valley, San Diego. El grupo protesta porque la empresa no cumple sus responsabilidades con sus tra-bajadoras en Tijuana. De hecho, 11 trabajadoras demandaron a la compañía (antes llamada Alaris) en agosto de 2004.

Stories

Salvando al deporte local en Tijuana: Deportistas se oponen al futbol profesional en el centro deportivo CREA
Por Luis Alonso Pérez
“Hank entiende, el CREA no se vende” entonaban los más de cien usuarios del centro deportivo, que el pasado viernes 12 de agosto tomaron por cuarta ocasión las calles de la ciudad y la explanada del palacio municipal para manifestarse en contra de las remodelaciones que se están realizando en el CREA, con el fin de hospedar al nuevo equipo de futbol soccer profesional Club Tijuana.

Bill Richardson Touches Off A Firestorm in Mexico
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s August 12 declaration of a state of emergency along the Mexican border with his state provoked sharp reactions in Mexico. Almost immediately, national Mexican newspapers posted stories about the declaration on their front pages, while the federal Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) and Interior Ministry issued a joint statement deploring the move. Leonel Cota, the national president of the opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution, called on Mexico’s federal government to not be pressured and reject the emergency declaration.

El primer sacerdote mexicano en el Congreso Mexicano, reflexiona sobre el Legado Humanista de Juan Pablo II
Por: Luis de la Teja
El Padre José de Jesús Aguilar Valdés, subdirector de Radio y Televisión de la Arquidiócesis de México, es el primer sacerdote católico en hacer uso de la palabra en el Congreso Mexicano, durante el marco del “Foro de Análisis del Legado Humanista de Juan Pablo II”, celebrado por la Comisión de Participación Ciudadana en la Cámara de Diputados.

México del Norte
Por Jorge Mújica Murias
¡En Español Por Favor, Que Están en América!
Paul Rodríguez tiene montado un pequeño acto en que se sube a un elevador en Los Angeles con cuatro chinos que, obviamente, hablan en chino, y Rodríguez sospecha que hablan mal de él, hasta que furioso les demanda “¡hablar en español, porque están en América!”

LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Ricardo J. Galarza
Democracia no es sólo votar
El pasado mes de junio, el Congreso mexicano aprobó finalmente una ley que permite el voto en el exterior con miras a las elecciones del 2 de julio del año entrante. Un gran logro de la Coalición por los Derechos Políticos de los Mexicanos en el Extranjero —y de todas las organizaciones que en ella se agrupan—, tras años de lucha para que los migrantes mexicanos también pudieran ejercer su derecho al sufragio. Algo que, sin duda, debe ser celebrado y aplaudido.

Change Through Music
By Katia Lopez-Hodoyan
Making a difference is the goal, but the road is bumpy. Even so, the show must go on. Literally. Waving flamenco skirts, penetrating voices and the echo of sharp guitar chords is a good way to get started. Creating social consciousness is no easy task, but this innovative attempt to help foster children’s transition into the workforce is admirable.

Registration and Health Information for Students in San Diego City Schools
District-wide school registration for students who are new to San Diego City Schools or attending a different district school than last year will be held on Thursday, August 25, at the new school to be attended.

Conferencia del Regreso a La Escuela New ERAA 2005
Todos dedicándose al logro académico
El Jackie Robinson Family YMCA en colaboración con el regidor del 4to distrito de San Diego Tony Young, y del miembro del Consejo del Distrito E de las escuelas de la ciudad de San Diego Sheila Jackson, y de otras agencias de soporte se unirán para presentar la conferencia y festival New  ERAA de regreso a la escuela.

Editorials

Editorial:
San Diego No Longer the Bastion for the Right Wing
It used to be that San Diego County could be counted upon to support everything right wing, Carte-Blanc. It appears now that there are winds of change blowing across this vast Republican strong hold. It has the Republicans a bit perturbed.

Commentary:
Former San Diego Police Chief Jerry Sanders Unfit to be Mayor
By Daniel L. Muñoz
It is difficult to accept that Jerry Sanders believes that the Mexican American population, of the City of San Diego, could ever forget or forgive his role in the massacre that was carried out by James Oliver Huberty, at four O’clock in the afternoon, on the 18th of July 1984, at the San Ysidro McDonalds restaurant in San Ysidro. When the violence and smoke had cleared, on that day, 22 victims lay dead, and 15 others lay seriously wounded! The majority of the victims were Mexican American children, their mothers, younger brothers and sisters and a few Grandmothers. Jerry Sanders, on that day, was the commander of the San Diego Police Departments SWAT team!

Commentary:
Environmental Health Coalition:
Working for Environmental Justice in South Bay communities since 1990
As one of the nation’s oldest and most effective environmental justice organizations, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) has been working in South Bay communities and Tijuana for over 25 years. A recent commentary in your paper revealed that, in spite of a long history in the South Bay, some may not be aware of EHC history and accomplishments in the region. We are members of EHC who live in Chula Vista and represent EHC’s community leadership. We would like to take this opportunity to acquaint your readers on EHC’s past achievements in the South Bay and outline some of our current efforts in Chula Vista.

Comentario:
Los Hispanos, Esperanza Colectiva Para Estados Unidos
Por Manuel R. Villacorta O.
Se ha llegado a convertir en doctrina: “Estados Unidos es un país de inmigrantes”. Verdad tan evidente y aceptada que fija el carácter nacional de esta gran nación.

TEZOZOMOC SPEAKS:
La Ciudad de San Diego is on the brink of bankruptcy not to worry, the whole City Council and the City Manager don’t seem to be worried about it! They took off for a whole month!!! No wonder City Attorney Aguirre is acting like the Mayor and the City Council – somebody has to! No one else cares! And, we elected these folks to run our City??

The Public Forum . . . El Foro Público
National City Puppets
The National City Mayor Inzunza has a handful of puppets. Ron Morrison you are so right in stating that. Some of us are keeping our eyes open not on San Diego but in our own National City Council. It is also apparent that these council members are painting with the same brush. Mr. Natividad should know that when people make jokes about improper spending and accepting campaign contributions from tribes, there is truth behind those jokes.

Etc. Etc. Etc.
Entertainment, Reviews, Sporting news, and other tid bits

La justicia al aire
Los talk-shows latinos en las estaciones de radio de San Diego tienen un lugar importante entre nuestra comunidad
Por Pablo Jaime Sainz
Usted ya los conoce. Cuando está en la ‘chamba’ los escucha. Cuando está esperando cruzar la frontera, del estereo de su auto salen sus voces. Cuando necesita conocer más de alguna nueva ley o necesita saber sobre algún dato de inmigración, usted sabe que puede contar con ellos. Cuando está llegando a casa después del trabajo, usted corre al teléfono, marca el número de la estación, y da su opinión al aire.

Justice is on the air
Latino talk-shows on San Diego’s radio stations play an important role in our community.
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
You already know them. When you’re at work you listen to them. When you’re waiting in line to cross the border, from your car’s stereo system. When you need to learn about a new law or about an immigration issue, you know you can count on them. When you’re getting home from work, you run to the phone, dial the number and give your opinion on the air.

Hispanic Arts Theater opens in San Diego
By Geneva Gamez
There is a new arts theater in town! What once used to be the Hispanic Theater of San Diego now re-opens under a new name and president. With a unique vision and passion to bring the best multi-cultural performances to the community, Carlos Mendoza, President of the new Hispanic Arts Theater, steps in with a full agenda.

Cultura y Arte Vinculadas en una Sola Expresión “La Lectura”
Por: Paco Zavala
México, es un país maravilloso, que debido a más de cien años de guerras intestinas y a un sístema político corrupto, desde que se tiene memoria ha ido frenando su desarrollo pleno, nunca ha podido emprender una marcha franca y de progreso, en esto también ha influenciado la analfabetización del país, que es muy alta, de acuerdo con estadísticas actuales un sector altísimo de la población, es analfabeta.

SWC Mariachi Returns to Land of Mariachi
Mariachi Garibaldi to Perform at 12th Annual International Mariachi and Charrería Festival in Guadalajara, México
Chula Vista—For the third consecutive year, the Southwestern College (SWC) Mariachi Garibaldi will be performing at the world-renowned International Mariachi and Charrería Festival in Guadalajara, México. To help pay for their trip to Mexico, Mariachi Garibaldi will be giving a special presentation Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. in Mayan Hall Theatre*.

VAMOS AL CINE
Miedo a estrellarse
Red Eye sublima el sentimiento común de muchos americanos
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Una de las maravillosas ventajas del cine como medio de expresión artística es su capacidad de explicar las emociones de la audiencia a través de situaciones emblemáticas en su trama. De ésta forma, personajes se convierten en símbolos de ideas o naciones enteras, secuencias atrapan el contenido visual o emotivo de un sentimiento colectivo de la audiencia.

Chargers Linebacker Inspires On and Off the Field
By John Philip Wyllie
Stellar San Diego Chargers linebacker, Donnie Edwards, doesn’t like to dwell on the past, but that doesn’t mean that he has forgotten his roots. Growing up in one of the rougher sections of National City as one of nine children to a Hispanic mother and an African-American father, Edward’s childhood was one of poverty, struggle and desperation. Abandoned by his father, Edwards had to grow up in a hurry and learn to fend for himself. His rags to riches story has been told and retold many times. It is a testament to what can be accomplished through hard work, determination and an iron will. Not content to simply lift himself out of poverty, Edwards has become involved in countless projects and causes aimed at helping those around him and the community that spawned him.

The sons of great fighters making their dads proud
By John Whisler
We still don’t really know if Julio César Chávez Jr. can fight.

Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
Light Crowd Watches ‘Day of Youth’ in Tijuana
Tijuana Correspondent Gary Sloan reports that on Sunday, Aug 14, in El Toreo de Tijuana, a crowd of some 2000 showed up to see La Corrida de Juventud, three South American youngsters, making their Tijuana debuts. Omar Villaseñor, Juan Carlos Cubas, and Ishmael Rodriquez faced a serious herd of mature bulls from “Real de Saltillo”

Return to Archieves Page