TRICENTENNIAL SPORTS WORLD Bernardo de Rudy Gay Iceberg the Gálvez hero ready for size of a state

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS of American a new start splits from S.A. TRICENTENNIAL Revolution with Spurs Antarctica 1718-2018 Page A8 Page C1 Page A7 John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News

EXPRESSNEWS.COM AND MYSA.COM | Thursday, July 13, 2017 | THE VOICE OF SOUTH TEXAS SINCE 1865 CBP faces lawsuit claiming that agents wouldn’t listen to pleas for asylum Nominee vows to keep FBI impartial Wray says no one asked for his loyalty

By Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON — Christo- pher Wray, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be FBI director, sought at his confir- mation hearing Wednesday to show lawmakers he could pro- tect the bureau’s independence and resist White House pres- sure. Christopher On a day when Trump again Wray’s called the Russia investigation expected “a witch hunt,” Wray said he confirmation Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News disagreed, told senators no one is seen as a Alejandra Flores from Honduras huddles with sons Alexande Josue Romero, 3, and Brision Josue Romero, 10, on at the White House had asked chance to the Hidalgo International Bridge, hoping that they will be let into the United States. him to pledge loyalty to the stabilize the president and vowed to resign bureau. should the president ask him to do anything illegal. Barred at the border Wray’s expected confirma- Health care: tion is seen by many FBI agents Trump says as a chance to stabilize an in- he’ll be miffed By Aaron Nelsen said U.S. immigration officials in It was federal law and international stitution shaken by the events if bill fails. A12 RIO GRANDE VALLEY BUREAU Hidalgo told her to leave, with- treaties, immigration advocates FBI continues on A12 out reviewing her case. She was alleged have been charging since last In late December, Celinda denied twice more the next day. that year. Aracely Rodriguez hobbled And in yet another case, a Tuesday, six immigrants and across the international bridge Customs and Border Protection agents a nonprofit legal organization to request asylum in Hidalgo in officer in early April told a wouldn’t took their complaints to court, Gov ready the Rio Grande Valley. group of Cubans requesting filing a federal lawsuit in Cali- Immigration officers sent the asylum in Laredo that “the law listen to fornia against U.S. Customs and to launch Guatemalan native back to Rey- has changed, you have to go asylum Border Protection, alleging the nosa, where she was snatched back” before escorting them to agency's officers refused to hear campaign claims in by a smuggler, her mother said. the Mexican side of the Gateway asylum claims at border cross- Gov. Greg Abbott is Alejandra Flores sat on the to the Americas International Texas, ings in Texas, Arizona and Cali- same bridge on a frigid Decem- Bridge. fornia. expected to announce ber morning with her two sons, Those are just a few of the other Al Otro Lado, a nonprofit that his re-election effort ages 3 and 10, in her lap. She’d countless immigrants who have places. serves deportees, migrants and in S.A. Metro, A3 fled violence in Honduras, but been turned back in violation of Suit continues on A9

Jim Acosta is CNN’s being honored Spacecraft by the San Acosta to Antonio Association of examines Hispanic get award Journalists. Jupiter’s in S.A. Journalists’ 19th annual Schol- arship & Awards Gala. red spot By John MacCormack Acosta will receive the “Cora- STAFF WRITER zón de Oro” award, given to figures who have “reached ma- By Bruce Selcraig Reviled by the Trump admin- jor achievements nationally STAFF WRITER istration and conservatives, while addressing issues of im- cable news journalist Jim Acosta portance to Latino audiences.” For about 350 years, astrono- has become a hero to others for Past winners include Vicki Carr, mers have used telescopes to his aggressive reporting and Little Joe Hernandez and film- observe Jupiter’s mysterious NASA / SwRI / MSSS unyielding defense of a free maker Robert Rodriguez. Great Red Spot, an enormous press. Also to be honored are for- cosmic storm. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is an exceptionally dense storm, 10,159 On Saturday night, CNN’s mer San Antonio Express-News It’s the largest of its kind in miles wide, whose counterclockwise winds can reach 400 mph. senior White House correspon- reporter John W. Gonzalez, who the solar system — wider than dent will break away from his will receive the Henry Guerra the Earth’s diameter and 10 billion Juno mission, led by the in all its stunning turbulence. frontline post in the ongoing Lifetime Achievement Award, times as wide as Earth’s largest Southwest Research Institute’s The images came from Juno’s “fake news” wars in Washing- and RAICES, the Refugee & hurricane. Scott Bolton, scientists finally closest flyby ever — last Mon- ton to be honored at the San Immigrant Center for Education But on Wednesday, with got an intimate look at the col- day, at about 2,200 miles from Antonio Association of Hispanic Acosta continues on A9 fresh images from NASA’s $1.1 orful gas giant’s famous storm Red spot continues on A9

152nd year, No. 286. WEATHER Subscriber bonus: Virtual 114 pages, © 2017 San Antonio Express-News HIGH LOW reality goes to the ballpark Omelet taco with ham and sausage from Afternoon rain Ruthie’s. ExpressNews.com/Tacos 95 75 Full report, C12 1 ONLINE E-EDITION, PAGE EE1 D Bad Ape Steve Zahn explains the physical and computer aspects of his role. 1 D2

ExpressNews.com mySA.com

Thursday, July 13, 2017 | SECTION D | SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News After each early morning workout, the Rise N Grind survivors gather for a group photo, which Helen Costa-Giles posts on her webpage THE 4 A.M. FITNESS CALL S.A. woman’s weight loss journey helps others at pre-dawn boot camp

By Richard A. Marini STAFF WRITER

Although Helen Costa-Giles’ job as an auto parts distribu- tion company supervisor re- quired her to undergo an annu- al checkup, for years she ig- nored the doctor’s admonition to lose weight. “They’d tell me to eat 1,000 calories a day and prescribe me weight-loss pills,” recalled Costa-Giles, 38. “I’d do it for a while, lose weight, stop and then gain it all back again.” Then, in 2013, they called her Courtesy photo back to tell her that if she didn’t Costa-Giles is seen with her change her ways, she was on two sons in late 2013, before the path to chronic disease — she began her fitness journey. or worse. “My numbers were off the chart,” said the mother of two changes and began a journey young sons. “I had high choles- that today finds her 90 pounds terol, high blood pressure, and lighter, the leader of a thrice- they said I was at risk for dia- weekly boot camp that starts at betes. Something snapped. I got 4 a.m., and an online exercise Courtesy photo frightened.” guru with an audience that Costa-Giles is seen with her two sons after she lost 90 pounds She went home, told her stretches from San Antonio to and got in shape as the leader of a thrice-weekly boot camp that husband there were going to be 4 a.m. continues on D6 starts at 4 a.m.

UT-Austin acquires KKK paintings

A detail from 2 large-scale “The City I” works by Valdez shows Ku Klux Kan going to museum members whispering in a huddle. The By Elda Silva painting was recently STAFF WRITER acquired by the Blanton The Blanton Museum of Art Art Museum at the University of Texas at at the Unive- Austin has acquired two large- rsity of Texas scale works by artist Vincent in Austin. Valdez. Painted in black and white, “The City II” depicts a trash attention when a column about “The City” depicts a gathering of heap topped by soiled mattress- the piece by Lawrence Downes Photos by Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-News Ku Klux Klan members, in- es with a barrel fire burning in appeared in the New York Vincent Valdez sits in his studio by his painting which depicts a cluding men, women and chil- the foreground. Times last year. The writer de- Ku Klux Klan gathering. dren, on a rutted rural road. “The City I” received national Valdez continues on D6 D6 | Thursday, July 13, 2017 | SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS AND MYSA.COM mySA

Photos by John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News Up to 30 women (and a couple of men) attend Helen Costa-Giles’ thrice-weekly early morning workouts. A Saturday session is geared to families.

works out at their own pace, 4A.M. making whatever modifications From page D1 they deem necessary to accom- modate age, fitness level and Japan and Qatar. balky knees, backs, shoulders Her weight-loss story was and other body parts. Whenev- featured in a People Online er it came time to do 20 push- article. ups, first-timer Cherrica Dred- Growing up in Ontario, Can- den did them on her knees, but ada, Costa-Giles was a high she did each and every one. school athlete who played vol- “I enjoyed it, it was challeng- leyball, basketball and track ing,” she said once the workout and field. But after graduation was done. She explained that she began, in her words, to let she’d gained weight after the herself go, eating and drinking birth of her son, now 11months, more than she should have. and that it was “a slow climb “Hey, I’m Canadian,” she back” to lose it. “But I’ll be back said by way of explanation. on Wednesday,” she vowed. Things got worse when she Cassandra Ruiz has been and her husband Gary moved exercising with the group since to San Antonio in 2017. the earliest days. She also runs “That’s when we discovered (and is training for the Rock ’n’ Mexican food.” Roll Marathon in December), Eventually, she tipped the and it has helped her lose 90 scale at 220 pounds. pounds and drop from a size 22 After her come-to-Jesus to an 8. But that’s not the main meeting with the doctor, she reason she rises at 4 in the did a pantry purge, tossing any morning to sweat it out with food that was overly processed Soon after she began exercising regularly, Helen Costa-Giles (center) began seeing changes in her the other participants. and/or contained artificial in- body. “Once I started getting some definition, I became obsessed,” she said. “The No. 1 reason is the com- gredients. munity of women — and some “My kitchen was pretty emp- Costa-Giles The first morning one neigh- men,” she said. “I love how, in ty by the time I was done,” she pauses bor showed up. The next work- addition to the Monday, Wed- said. “We had to go to the su- during a out there were three. The num- nesday and Friday workouts, permarket to buy all new food.” recent ber kept increasing until, one on Saturdays, families are in- She did some research on workout at recent Monday morning, 30 vited and we all get to work out clean eating and hired an on- Boldt women of various sizes, shapes with our kids.” line consultant to create a meal Elementary and fitness levels gathered at After each workout Costa- plan for her and her family. School. What Boldt Elementary School on the Giles makes a video of herself Later, she began preparing a began with far West Side to do 45 minutes explaining that day’s exercises. week’s worth of meals every her asking of calisthenics, including jump- She posts the video to her NME some Sunday evening, a habit she ing jacks, mountain climbers, Lifestyle website, neighbors to nmelifestyle.com, where, for a continues to this day. join her in burpees and planks. In six months she dropped her exercise She calls the 45-minute boot $25 membership fee, she coun- 55 pounds but still, she said, “I routine has camp No More Excuses (NME) sels her 400 or so members looked like Gumby. Everything evolved to the Rise N Grind, adding the face- worldwide on fitness, nutrition, was just so straight.” No More tious tagline “But did you die?” mindset and the importance of That’s when she decided to Excuses to the workout shirts, coffee community support. add exercise to the mix. And (NME) Rise N mugs and other paraphernalia Workouts begin a 4 a.m. that’s when things really start- Grind she had made for the group. sharp at Boldt Elementary, 310 ed to pop. program, Costa-Giles attributes a lot of Hollimon Parkway. “When I joined a gym and which she her success to Carol Elizabeth, “My plan,” she said, “is to hired a coach, I started to see also makes the woman behind the online make NME Rise N Grind a my lean muscle develop,” she available support group she joined when global movement of communi- said. “Once I started getting online. she was just getting started ties moving together in a non- some definition, I became ob- living a more healthy lifestyle. judgmental and free environ- sessed.” “Carol believed in me before ment.” When the coach suggested I believed in myself,” she said. And the good news for her she start doing circuit training “By leading Rise N Grind, I feel online members is, they don’t — a form of high-intensity she sent an email to some “Because that’s the only time like I’m paying it forward and have to get up at 4 in the morn- aerobics to build strength and friends asking if they wanted to I could exercise and still get to doing for the women in my ing to do the workout. endurance — she knew she’d meet at her house at 4 a.m. to work on time,” she explained, group what Carol did for me.” never be able to keep it up on work out together. as if it was the most obvious The workouts are free, every- [email protected] her own. So in January 2016, Why the ungodly hour? thing in the world. one is welcome and everyone : @RichardMarini

Vincent VALDEZ Valdez sorts From page D1 through painted scribed the haunting image as “a panels, in his selfie for 21st-century America.” San Antonio A San Antonio native, Valdez studio in currently lives in Houston. Both 2016. The the San Antonio Museum of Art artist and the McNay Art Museum currently lives in own works by him. Houston. “ ‘The City’ makes an attempt at revealing a number of societal threats that transcend the arena of white supremacy. These fac- tors are deeply embedded in our American way of life, in more ways than we think or see,” Valdez said via email. “Ultimate- ly, my aim is to depict and trans- late what I see around me, to get up and speak up. The words of Dante are forever stuck in my head, ‘The hottest places in hell Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-News are reserved for those who, in the Blanton to see the exhibit home, anxious to begin working is a defining moment of comple- Gallery in Houston last year, times of moral crisis, preserve ‘Witness: Art and Civil Rights in on this idea that I had mentally tion. Inscribed into the lower left will be on view at the Blanton their neutrality.’ ” the Sixties.’ In the exhibition, I stored away for several years. It corner of the painting is my from July 22 through Dec. 30. With the paintings going to encountered Philip Gustons’ was time. gratitude and respect for Gus- News of the acquisitions was the Blanton, Valdez’s work is, in ‘City Limits’ (1969) on loan from “Two years later, placing this ton: ‘For P.G.’ ” first reported on glasstire.com. a sense, coming full circle. (the Museum of Modern Art). I work into the same space that The works, which were first “In 2015, I took my parents to was floored,” he said. “I raced sparked an entire year of effort shown at the David Shelton [email protected]