ACUÑA: Security checkpoints back BECOMING A BEARCAT

in place at city’s entrance Multi-sport athlete Pottard head-

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GRIDIRON: DEL RIO SAN FELIPE-DEL RIO CISD

Friday Night Lights School district

Upcoming football-themed movie partly inspired by the Rams, Del Rio
BY BRIAN ARGABRIGHT
brian.argabright
@delrionewsherald.com
An updated vision of the clas-
sic “Friday Night Lights” story is
headed to the big screen, and Del
Rio will play a major part.
The Del Rio High School Rams
football program and its 2015 sea-
son was the inspiration for the
story and eventually the script
that will serve as a reimagining
of the original story of the Odessa
Permian Panthers and Texas
high school football.
Very little publicly is known
about the film, which is current-
ly in development as “Friday
Night Lights.” Variety published
a story earlier this month that
attached director David Gor-
don Green, who directed the
Boston Marathon bombing film
“Stronger” and the stoner action
comedy “Pineapple Express,” to
the film, which is being produced
by Imagine Entertainment and
Universal Studios.
The script was written by Pulit-
zer Prize award winner and Tony
Award nominated screenwriter
Robert Schenkkan. This is Schen-
kkan’s first script since his work
on the Academy Award-nominat-
ed film “Hacksaw Ridge.”
Schenkkan could not com-
ment much on the project, but
he confirmed his script was
inspired by the Del Rio Rams. On
his Facebook page, Schenkkan
said principal photography on
the football film would begin in
September, but no other details
were announced.
The actual origins of the film
began in 2015 when writer and
filmmaker Davy Rothbart made a
visit to Del Rio in the fall to begin
collecting stories on Texas high
school football and the communi-
ties the sport impacts.
“I was working with producer
Brian Grazer and I knew his
company wanted to make a new
Pulitzer Prize-award winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, left, and his son
Joshua Schenkkan are decked out in Del Rio Rams football gear as they take
notes during Del Rio’s home game against Laredo LBJ in October 2017.
‘Friday Night Lights’ movie.
They approached me and said we
want a new book and we want
some new reporting. Basically
they wanted to learn about what
high school football in Texas is
like now, so they asked me to go
explore. They gave me almost no
instruction aside from just roam
the state of Texas for a football
season and see what you can
collect,” Rothbart said.
Rothbart had first visited Del
Rio in 1995 for spring break as he
mourns, alert after
Santa Fe shooting
School district reiter-
ates commitment to
student safety, cooper-
ation with law enforce-
ment
BY RUBÉN CANTÚ
ruben.cantu
@delrionewsherald.com
The San Felipe Del Rio
CISD mourned the tragic
loss of lives occurred Friday
morning in Santa Fe,
Texas, and reinforced
its security measures
in light of the mul-
tiple incidents
affecting
students and
schools nation-
wide.
Friday morning,
during the latest school
shooting — this one oc-
curring in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, near the Houston/
Galveston area — at least
10 people died while au-
thorities had detained two
suspects.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
File photos Brian Argabright
and his college friends were head-
ed toward Big Bend. He said they
spent about 24 hours in Del Rio
and Ciudad Acuña at the time
and remembered the people were
very nice and accommodating.
When the time for the research
came, Del Rio wasn’t the only
town on Rothbart’s radar. He had
plans to visit Texas high school
powerhouses like Austin West-
lake, Lake Travis and Southlake
See FOOTBALL Page 3A
Supervisor Dan Stanwick helps Jase Rodriguez in a Border Patrol
boat.
Friday afternoon, San
Felipe-Del Rio CISD issued
a statement recalling the
adoption of Santa Fe ISD in
September 2017, after the
district was affected by the
flood caused by Hurricane
Harvey.
“Today, we have learned
that Santa Fe ISD experi-
enced an incident involving
an active shooter earlier
this morning. SFDRCISD
is deeply saddened to hear
of this devastating news.
Our hearts, thoughts and
prayers are extended
to the students,
educators, first
responders and
their families,”
the local school
district said.
San Felipe-Del
Rio CISD said that
law enforcement offi-
cers have been placed
in district campuses while
administrators remain
alert, and will remain con-
stantly vigilant to ensure
See DISTRICT Page 3A
Photo by Megan Tackett

First and ten

Law enforcement agencies
n The 2004 film Friday Night Lights, directed by Peter Berg, follows
hold annual expo in Del Rio
the coach and players of a high school football team in Odessa,
Texas. BY MEGAN TACKETT
n The book on which the film is based, Friday Night Lights: A Town,
megan.tackett
a Team, and a Dream (1990) by H. G. Bissinger, depicts the story of @delrionewsherald.com
the 1988 Permian High School Panthers football team.
n A television series of the same name premiered on October 3,
Local law enforcement
2006 on NBC. agencies organized an expo-
sition at the Del Rio Civic
n An updated vision of the classic, written by Pulitzer Prize award Center Thursday afternoon,
winner and Tony Award nominated screenwriter Robert Schenkkan
found inspiration in the City of Del Rio and the Del Rio High School. in an effort to communicate
with the public in a positive
manner and spark interest
in the city’s youth popula-
tion.
The 2018 Law Enforce-
ment Expo featured vehicle
displays, tactic demonstra-
tions and personnel interac-
tions with members of sev-
eral agencies. The event has
occurred each year since
2011, according to Border
Patrol agent Alexandre J.H.
Allemand.
“This is an opportunity
See EXPO Page 3A

WEATHER OBITUARIES THE NEWS-HERALD ONLINE

Del Rio
Vol. 88 No. 99
Copyright 2018
SUN. MON. TUE. Maria M. Carrillo, 104 The City of Del Rio will be under new leader- Del Rio News-Herald
Ruben O. ‘Cuate’ Fuentes ship, with at least three new members in its
Campos, 69 City Council. What do you expect from the new
Max Calk, 76 council? Visit our website at delrionewsherald.
com and vote!
94° 71° 90° 72° 94° 72°

Page Two 2A Opinion 4A Sports 5A Acuña 6A Entertainment 7A Comics 8A Classifieds 12&13A

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2018
FROM PAGE 1A DEL RIO NEWS-HERALD | 3A

EXPO more law enforcement

From Page 1A
for the public to talk face to
face with law enforcement
to see there’s a human
element to the badge,” Alle-
mand said.
Allemand, a member of
the agency’s Strategic Com-
munications Branch, said
this year’s expo featured
vehicles, which drew larger
crowds.
“It’s refreshing to deal
with every day people, law
abiding citizens,” Allemand
said. “It’s a rewarding
experience to foster and
promote the interest in our
youth.”
Participating agencies
included Val Verde Sher-
iff’s Office, Del Rio Police
Department, Customs and
Border Protection, U.S. Air
Force 47th Security Forces
Squadron, GEO Correction-
al Facilities, Department
of Public Safety, San Felipe
Del Rio CISD Police De-
partment, U.S. Marshals,
Drug Enforcement Admin-
istration, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department and
Homeland Security Investi-
gations.

Photos by Megan Tackett

LEFT: U.S. Marshals Deputy Jo-
seph Sorge puts Rogelio Rosas in
official U.S. Marshals gear.

LEFT BELOW: Alex and Sebas-

tian Dominguez hang out in a Tex-
as Parks and Wildlife Department
Writer and filmmaker Davy Rothbart, left, interviews Marcus Braswell during Rothbart’s visit to Del
game warden boat.
Rio in October 2015. Rothbart’s stories he collected about the football program and the people in
the community he met during that and several subsequent visits are the basis and inspiration for a
BELOW: Border Patrol agent Tyson
new movie in development that is described as a reimagining of “Friday Night Lights.”
Lee feeds a mustang, Oscar, at the
Law Enforcement Expo.
FOOTBALL
From Page 1A
Carroll, but Del Rio was still
on the list.
Rothbart made his initial
visit in October 2015 and
spent town interviewing
regular citizens as well as
Rams head coach Frenchey
McCrea Jr. and players
Walter Ashley, Bradley and
Brian Beto, Cesar Escajeda,
Marcus Braswell and Felipe
Garza.
“Everyone was just
so open and candid and
friendly,” Rothbart said. “I
realized then that there was
a great potential for stories
out of this area.”
The 2015 season was a
wild ride for the Rams that
ended with a loss to Cibolo
Steele in the regional semi-
finals at Bobcat Stadium
at Texas State University.
DISTRICT Sheriff’s Department, the
Texas Department of Public
assistance from our com-
munity’s law enforcement
Rothbart was there for that
game and saw the way the
From Page 1A Safety and other entities.” agencies.” team played, heard the
As an added precaution, “SFDRCISD continues to words of McCrea after the
all emergency management San Felipe Del Rio CISD remain committed to the game and saw the stands
protocols are followed. said, these law enforce- safety of its students, staff filled with Del Rio fans,
“This includes sharing the ment agencies will monitor and property. We ask for cheering on their team
information with our local schools for any suspicious your continued support and in the cold and constant
law enforcement agencies outside activity. cooperation; and prayers light rain that never really
including the Del Rio Police “We are appreciative for for our friends in the Santa seemed to go away.
Department, Val Verde the continued support and Fe, Texas community.” “It was one of the most
File photo by Brian Argabright
hard fought performances
I’d seen. The Rams fought
with passion and resil-
ience and grit. It was really
David going toe-to-toe with
Goliath,” Rothbart said. “I
believe there can be victory
in defeat and I saw that very
plainly that night.”
Rothbart took the stories
he’d collected from Del Rio
and the other Texas towns
he visited and compiled a
150-page book to present to
Grazer, who shared it with
Schenkkan. Rothbart said
he was so enamored by
what he found in Del Rio
that he devoted most of the
book, about 100 pages he
said, to those stories.
“They got it and they
understood,” Rothbart
said. “When it was shared
with Robert Schenkkan, he
immediately gravitated to-
wards it. He was great about
coming down and learning
for himself about this place
and incorporating those sto-
ries and gathering stories of
his own.”
Rothbart said it was
Schenkkan’s experiences
in Del Rio that really sold
the community as being the
inspiration for the script
and the film. Schenkkan
also attended a pair of Rams
games in the 2017-18 season
and brought along Tyler
Mitchell, an executive with
Universal, and his son,
Josh, who is also a writer, to
help document the experi-
ence.
“About six months passed
from my first visit to learn-
ing that Del Rio would be
the focus of the film. I think
what made the difference
was when Robert read the
book and he fell in love with
Del Rio like I did,” Rothbart
said.
While there is currently
no public announcement
regarding a timeline for the
film, such as its release date
or even which stars have
committed to the project,
Rothbart said he hopes
the film gives the world a
chance to fall in love with
Del Rio like he did.
“I want people to know
that I found something
special in Del Rio. I found a
community and a group of
people that I found inspiring
and cool … and here in the
next year or two, the rest
of America is going to be
introduced to Del Rio and
they will be inspired and fall
in love with the spirit and
people of Del Rio,” Rothbart
said.

It’s Time oing the RIGHT

LEWIS G.
d

th
Just

ing
!

OWENS JR. CO
MM
ITMEN
T

for COUNTY JUDGE

The candidate that provides fair representation for ALL
constituents; he shows you what he has accomplished as
commissioner and provides you with a plan for the future.

“Lewis has served my precinct and our entire county with integrity, honesty, and with an intensity that
is rarely seen but desperately needed. I hope you will join me in voting for Lewis Owens, Jr. for County
judge…. We can’t afford to take a chance, with Lewis Owens you get real service not just lip service!”
-Dr. Antonio Cadena, Jr.

Democratic Primary Run-Off Election Day Polling Sites

May 22nd, 2018
7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Precinct 10 Old County Court-at-Law
207B East Losoya Street

Precinct 11 & 13 Joe Ramos Facility

1105 East De La Rosa Street

Precinct 12 & 24 Val Verde County Fire Station

Hamilton Lane

Precinct 20, 21, 22 & 23

[Voters previously voting at Loaves & Fishes now voting at] Del Rio Civic Center
1915 Veterans Blvd

Precinct 30, 31, 32, 33, 42 & 43 Northside Baptist Church

We humbly ask for your VOTE for the candidate that can move us 1100 Amistad Blvd & Echo Valley
beyond business as usual. Together we can make a difference! Precinct 40 & 41
VOTE OWENS [Voters previously voting at VV Community Center St. Joseph’s Church Parish Hall
now voting at] 510 Wernett Street
Humildemente les pidemos su voto por el candidato que nos Complimentary transportation will be available to all polling places.
puede ayudar a movernos mas alla del negocio usualmente. Please call 830-313-8505 or 830-734-0575 to make arrangements.
Juntos lograremos hacer la diferencia! Estaremos ofreciendo transporte a todos los lugares para ir a votar.
VOTE OWENS Favor de llamar al 830-313-8505 o 830-734-0575 para hacer arreglos.
Pd. political advertisement by Lewis G. Owens, Jr. campaign fund - Lewis G. Owens Jr. Treasurer, 219 Chisolm Trail, Del Rio, TX 78840