SAN ANTONIO - A federal court conference on Texas's redistricting plan was moved up to Jan. 27 after state Attorney General Greg Abbott said the previous schedule didn't allow time for the primary election to be held April 3.

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio today said representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties should be present at the status conference set for the end of this week.

"If all the parties wish to maintain the current election schedule, they should confer and submit agreed-upon interim maps for this court's consideration by Feb. 6," Garcia said in a written order. "This court would not be bound by any such agreement but would take it into careful consideration in announcing interim plans."

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 20 threw out judge-drawn voting districts for this year's state and federal elections in Texas in a ruling that may help Republicans keep control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The justices unanimously told a lower court panel comprised of Garcia and two other judges to create maps more similar to the Republican-controlled state Legislature's plan.

Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican, asked the panel to speed up its re-consideration to avoid "further delay of Texas's primary elections," according to Abbott's filing today, which noted that the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled on the issue in just 11 days. The only explanation for the high court's "quick ruling is that it wanted this court to have the opportunity to create new interim maps before February 1, 2012, in order to avoid further delays in the primary elections," Perry's lawyers said. "There is no reason this court cannot complete that task in time."

Interim Maps

Garcia said in today's order that, if the parties cannot agree on interim maps, they should indicate which districts on the Legislature's enacted maps they no longer object to in light of the Supreme Court's decision. The judge also said he will again consider the possibility of splitting the primary, with the Republican presidential contest on April 3 and state races at a later date.

In December, the judge ordered that all primary elections would be held April 3, rather than on March 6, Super Tuesday, after state Republicans and Democrats struck a deal to avoid multiple primaries.

2010 Census

The dispute stems from maps drawn last year by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature after the 2010 census. Perry, until last week a candidate for president, signed the maps into law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Jan. 20 that federal judges in Texas overstepped their authority by drawing up interim voting plans.

"The court understands that the attorney general and lieutenant governor and other representatives of the state Legislature would like to have a unified primary on April 3," Mike Walz, a spokesman for Lieutentant Governor David Dewhurst, said in a phone interview.

The case is Perez v. Perry, 5:11-cv-00360, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (San Antonio).

EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - Este pasado viernes por la tarde se registró un accidente automovilistico sobre la avenida Bibb, de acuerdo al reporte de la Policia. Una mujer abordo de un vehiculo marca Mercedes, color gris y de reciente modelo se impactó en contra de una camioneta Nissan X-terra, color blanca que era conducido por una mujer. 

De acuerdo al reporte policiaco, la chofer del carro mercedes tuvo que ser llevada de inmediata al hospital Fort Duncan luego de sufrir lesiones de consideracion.  

EAGLE PASS, TEXAS --- Jose Regalado, oficial del Departamento de Policía y representante del programa D.A.R.E en Eagle Pass anuncio que estará registrando su candidatura para el puesto de contestable del precinto numero 4.

El oficial dijo que hará oficial su aspiración política en los proximos días, y es que de acuerdo al presidente del partido demócrata de esta ciudad, se abrirá de nueva cuenta el periodo de registro para ocupar un puesto político en la elección primaria.

José Regalado es un elemento policíaco ampliamente conocido, destacado y querido por muchos, ya que a lo largo de los años ha guiado a cientos de niños y jóvenes locales por un camino libre de drogas, vandalismo y problemas.

Regalado estará buscando el puesto que actualmente ocupa Gerardo Chacon.

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 285 ammunition magazines and more than half a ton of marijuana in the past week.

The most noteworthy seizure occurred on Tuesday, when Eagle Pass South agents discovered three abandoned military-style duffel bags containing a total of 285 ammunition magazines. The magazines were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. That same day, agents observed seven subjects illegally crossing the Rio Grande River into the United States carrying large duffel bags. When agents arrived, the subjects dropped what they carrying and absconded back to Mexico. A total of five abandoned military-style duffel bags containing 401 pounds of marijuana were found. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $320,800.

Friday, Jan. 13, Eagle Pass North agents observed several individuals attempting to hide along a fence-line. As agents approached the individuals, they fled and absconded back into Mexico. A thorough search of the area led to the discovery of two green military-style duffel bags containing more than 125 pounds of marijuana worth over $100,600.

Saturday, Jan. 14, Eagle Pass South agents working in an area ranch, encountered footprints that led to five abandoned military-style duffel bags hidden in the brush. A total of 305.46 pounds of marijuana worth $244,368 were found inside the bags.

Monday, Jan. 16, Eagle Pass North agents observed four individuals walking away from the Rio Grande River carrying large military-style duffel bags. As agents approached, the individuals dropped their packs and absconded back into Mexico. The duffel bags contained 166.2 pounds of marijuana worth $132,960.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, Comstock agents observed four individuals traveling away from the Rio Grande River. While tracking the individuals, agents encountered three sugar sacks containing 116.7 pounds of marijuana worth $93,360. A thorough search of the area led to no further discoveries.

Thursday, Jan. 19, Eagle Pass South agents assisted a CBP Office of Air and Marine helicopter pilot that spotted several abandoned military-style duffel bags hidden in the brush at an area ranch near El Indio, Texas. A total of four duffel bags containing more than 176 pounds of marijuana worth over $141,000 were recovered.

All narcotics cases were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

PRESS RELEASE -- On January 19, 2012, investigators and deputies of the Maverick County Sheriff's Office under the direction of Sheriff Tomas S. Herrera assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with the execution of a Federal Search Warrant in the Las Quintas Subdivision.

The search warrant was a success, but the case remains active and continues to be investigated by the FBI.

These coordinated actions shows that the Maverick County Sheriff's Office, is able and willing to support our local, state, and federal partners with their investigations.

On Saturday afternoon, U.S. Border Patrol agents, patrolling a rural highway near Eagle Pass, detained a Mexican national who was found to be in the country illegally.

During processing at Eagle Pass North Station, a check of government databases revealed that the subject, Francisco Arazate-Avalos, 36, was wanted in Harris County on an active warrant for capital murder.

Arazate-Avalos was transferred to the Val Verde County Jail pending extradition to Harris County.