VOL. I, NO. 4
MCALLEN REJECTS SB 4, WON’T JOIN LAWSUIT
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2017
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By: Davis Rankin
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Elderly activist rallied officials to pave Whalen Road
City 'firmly condemns' & looks at new parks HQ
The City of McAllen has condemned a new state law but will probably not join a lawsuit to stop it. Last week, McAllen city commissioners passed a resolution condemning what critics call the ‘show me your papers’ law, Senate Bill (SB) 4, passed earlier this year by the Texas Legislature and Tuesday, Mayor Jim Darling signed the resolution. Passing the resolution condemning SB 4, also known as the Sanctuary Cities Bill, came at the end of the long meeting, after their normal executive or closed session. City Attorney Kevin Pagan recommended, “based on the discussion” in executive session, they pass the resolution. It reads in part, “Whereas, SB 4 goes into effect on September 1, 2017 and requires local authorities to assist federal immigration enforcement without any additional funding,” and “Whereas elected or appointed officials are subject to forfeiture and removal from office for failure to enforce SB 4, thus chilling First Amendment rights by chilling policy dissent,” the City of McAllen “firmly condemns Senate Bill 4” and “supports all efforts to thwart the restrictions and unfunded mandates of the law, and opposes any efforts to further enforcement of this bill.” Darling said afterward that “I don’t
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For Alica Webber’s family, getting Whalen Road paved has been more than 40 years in the making. The elderly mother of 12 children and numerous grandchildren, finally took matters into her own hands to move the process forward. “I moved here more than 40 years ago right after we got married,” Webber explained. “It’s always been a dirt road, not even gravel, but a lot of people use it. There’s a lot of traffic on this road.” Over the years, the Webber family faced muddy roads during rains which often prevented even school buses from driving along to pick up kids. “Now that we have this warehouse (corner of Whale and Bus. 83), we have a lot of trucks driving up and down, which really creates a lot of dust covering everything,” Webber said. About 15 years ago, Webber decided it was time to get more involved in her
Alicia Webber, community activist.
community. She became an activist by helping to make other people aware of problems in her community. “Every time I had a chance to talk to elected officials, I would mention the conditions of this road.” “They used to call it a ‘no man’s road’ because no one wanted to claim it since it’s between two cities,” Eloy Pulido, Hidalgo County Judge from 1999 to 2003, explained. “Everyone wanted to use it, but no
one wanted to pay for paving it,” Webber said. “I’m glad everyone did their part in getting this done.” “Even though she doesn’t realize it, she played a big part in getting this done in getting elected officials to listen,” Pulido said. The final piece fell into place when Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner David L. Fuentes took office at the beginning of this year. Webber brought her concerns to the new county commissioner. Working with the cities of Alamo and Donna, Fuentes engineered a project that included all three entities in paving the dirt road. “The collaboration and partnership established with the cities is something that’s very important to me,” Fuentes said during the ground breaking ceremony. “It’s a great way for everyone to work together towards a common goal.” He thanked the two cities and county staff for their coordination and work in getting the project approved among the three entities. The construction of the road will improve travel along the heavily traveled road and is expected to cost $232,632. The cities will each contribute $47,026 for a total of $94,412 and Precinct 1 will contribute $185,606 in equipment and manpower to the project. The County also provide the engineering work needed for the construction. The project is expected to be completed by the end of October.
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017
OPINION
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HOW UNHINGED IS TRUMP?
By EUGENE ROBINSON WASHINGTON -- How unstable and divorced from reality is President Trump? We’ve reached the point where the nation has the right and the need to know. We’re not accustomed to asking such
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questions about our presidents. We old Heather Heyer -- on “many sides,” whose votes he needs if he is to get don’t know how to even begin inquir- Trump reversed course Monday and anything done -- are going to react? ing into a president’s mental health, specifically condemned neo-Nazis and I have spoken with people who so we rationalize aberrant behavior the Ku Klux Klan -- but looked like the have known Trump for decades and as being part of some subtle strategy. reluctant star of a hostage video. Then who say he has changed. He exhibits We say that Trump is less self-awareness, these cleverly playing to his longtime acquaintances Trump is showing signs of erratic base, or employing say, and less capacity for the “madman theory” sustained focus. Indeed, behavior and mental instability that place of foreign relations, it is instructive to comthe country in grave danger. pare television interviews or simply being unof Trump recorded years predictable to gain an advantage by keeping everyone off on Tuesday, Trump went back to blam- ago with those conducted now. To this balance. ing “both sides” in what can only be layman’s eyes and ears, there seems to have been deterioration. But if Trump were really playing called an angry, red-faced rant. I am not professionally qualified to three-dimensional chess, presumably We should assume that the ugliness he’d be getting things done. His ap- we heard from Trump about Charlot- assess the president’s mental health; proval ratings would be rising rather tesville reflects his true feelings. And psychiatrists and psychologists who than falling. Allies in Congress would we can conclude that he failed to have the proper credentials and expebe expressing admiration rather than grasp how jarring those sentiments rience to do so are silenced by ethical rules. The stakes are so high, however, increasing dismay. would sound to most Americans’ ears. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., hit a nerve Anyone can have a bad day. But ac- that the officials who work alongside Thursday when he said that Trump cording to many published reports, Trump and observe him closely bear a “has not yet been able to demonstrate Trump often erupts into rage -- es- tremendous responsibility. There is a the stability nor some of the compe- pecially when he sees something he huge difference between sounding as tence” needed in a president. That doesn’t like on the cable news shows unhinged as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and actually being that unstable. indictment was significant because he is said to watch compulsively. It is of some comfort that Trump is Corker, who chairs the Foreign RelaIn his Twitter postings, he increastions Committee, is a respected Capi- ingly lashes out in ways that are of- surrounded by levelheaded military tol Hill veteran who chooses his words ten counterproductive. I can see some men -- Defense Secretary James Matcarefully -- and who thus far has been method behind his incessant ranting tis, national security adviser H.R. Mcwilling to give Trump a chance. Cork- about “fake news,” which may actu- Master and chief of staff John Kelly -er said he feared that “our nation is ally help him with his political base. who are unlikely to do anything rash. going to go through great peril” and But why attack Senate Majority Lead- But no one elected them. It is uncomfortable to talk about the called for “radical change” at the er Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., whose help White House. the president needs if he is to get leg- president’s mental health. But at this Democrats have been slightly more islation passed or nominees approved? point it is irresponsible not to. plain-spoken. Rep. Adam Schiff told Why campaign against Sen. Jeff Flake, Eugene Robinson’s email address is CNN Sunday that “I certainly think R-Ariz., who has been a frequent critthat there’s an issue with the presi- ic but ended up supporting Trump on eugenerobinson@washpost.com. (c) dent’s capability.” And fellow Califor- health care? Is Trump unable to imag- 2017, Washington Post Writers Group nia Rep. Jackie Speier tweeted last ine how other GOP senators -- all of week that Trump “is showing signs of erratic behavior and mental instability that place the country in grave danger.” Speier went so far as to call for action under the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and the Cabinet to relieve the president of his “powers and duties” if he is unable to discharge them. Trump’s performance last week following the Charlottesville incident was indeed alarming, the problem being not just what he said but how he said it. After initially blaming the violence -- which led to the death of 32-year-
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COMMUNITY
A group of students look up at the solar eclipse on Monday at the McAllen Public Library as a crowd waits for the eclipse to reach its darkest point.
MCALLEN REJECTS SB 4, WON’T JOIN LAWSUIT From Pg 1 think it’s (the bill) necessary. We’ve always cooperated with” immigration officers. “We’ve been thinking about it for awhile,” Darling said about the resolution. “I think some of us have people asking why McAllen hasn’t taken a position so it was an appropriate time to do that.” “Like I say,” he continued, “we’re 82 percent Hispanic and I think people perceive this as an affront to Hispanic people.” Darling added that the city is conducting an advertising campaign in Mexico called, Siempre Amigos (Always Friends) to reinforce the idea that Mexicans and Mexican shoppers are welcome here. “The person in Mexico is sophisticated enough to ask where’s McAllen in this?” Darling said later in the week that he does not believe the city will join a lawsuit to stop SB 4. The bill goes into effect Sept. 1. At last week’s meeting, commissioners took a step toward borrowing the money to build both a new parks headquarters and a central city fire station During their 4 pm workshop commissioners and city staffers talked about the financing of a new parks & recreation office as well as rebuilding fire station #2 on North Main Street, just north of Pecan. The cost for both is put at $6 million, not counting land for the new parks building. In their regular meeting, commis-
sioners voted unanimously to allow city staffers to work with McAllen’s financial advisor and bond counsel on the details necessary for McAllen to issue $6 million in Certificates of Obligation to pay for both projects. As new Commissioner J.J. Zamora made clear in a question, all that commissioners agreed to Monday night is for staffers and advisors to come up with a finance plan and bring it back to commissioners for final approval. City Manager Roy Rodriguez said after the meeting that they will still need to find and buy the property for the new parks building and Rodriguez did not say whether or not he has a site in mind. Rodriguez explained that they would also like to build an almost 10,000 square foot warehouse that would do triple duty: store parks equipment, store city buses and floats used in the annual Christmas parade. There’s a big ‘if’, Rodriguez cautioned. If the Federal Transit Authority approves the bus storage portion, the FTA will pay for 90% of it. “If they’re going to pay for 90 percent, then I’m recommending (building) it,” he explained. “If not, we’re not building it.” The new parks building was part of a $30 million bond project Rodriguez recommended to commissioners earlier this summer but commissioners quickly decided it all needs “more study.” The existing parks HQ is on South Ware Road at West Side Park, and is said to be in bad condition
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Hidalgo County eyes tax rate reduction
Last week’s Hidalgo County Commissioners Court meeting moved closer settling on next year’s budget while contemplating a reduction in the tax rate. They also took another step in the long process of building a new courthouse. Hidalgo County Budget Officer Sergio Cruz gave the court a preliminary overview of the 2018 budget. The third budget workshop moved the county closer to finalizing its goal to present a balanced budget and a possible tax rate reduction. Cruz reported that the county can expect roughly $5 million in additional tax revenues for the 2018 budget, but there is about $14 million in budget issues that are being evaluated. “We did have roughly about $14 million in budget issues, not including personnel,” Cruz said. “We will review them internally and, if we feel it is critical to the county, I’ll review them with H.R. and the Executive Office and present them to the Court at a future workshop.” Meantime, Cruz recommended that Commissioners Court approve increases to the juvenile system, jail, and public defense. “We have the base budget sheet and some proposals we’ve discussed with the court during the last workshop and things we’ve discussed with the individual court members,” Cruz said. While there are some gaps between the needs and the amount funded, Cruz expects that budget sweeps will assist in covering them. Other recommendations include no salaries increases for elected officials 2018. Cruz said he would not recommend a two percent cost of living increase for employees at this time. If the tax rate is lowered, the county would have to dip into its reserve fund to provide employees a cost of living increase. If the -Judge Commissioners Court Ramon Garcia reduces taxes to 58 cents in 2018, the budget will be reduced by nearly $3 million. “This year we’re going to take care of the taxpayers,” Judge Ramon Garcia said. The final budget will be adopted on Sept. 26.
This year we’re going to take care of the taxpayers
COMMUNITY
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County Commissioners move on courthouse
The planned design for the new Hidalgo County Courthouse.
County finally selects courthouse architectural firm Hidalgo County Commissioners Court last week finally selected HDR as the architectural firm of record for the new proposed Hidalgo County courthouse construction project. Selection of an architectural firm had been delayed the previous week after the existing method for ranking service firms resulted in a tie between the HDR and HOK firms. After a lengthy deliberation, HDR was selected to proceed to negotiate a contract with the county. Commissioners Court accepted legal counsel Steve Crain’s recommendation to use the individual scores provided by the Commissioners Court members on their ranking sheets, rather than using the average score discussed at the Aug. 8 meeting, which resulted in a tie. “What happened (at the previous meeting) is there was an average score taken from each of the evaluators and that average score, as was announced last week, did result in a tie,” said Crain. “However, that average score is not the determining factor of what the ranking is; the determining factor is the individual ranking by each evaluator – the evaluators being the Judge and each of the Commissioners – so, what we will proceed to do now, with the Court’s consent, is to have each evaluator read their respective scores that they gave to each firm.”
The scores and the rank for each of the two firms vying for the project, were read aloud by the Commissioners Court members present, with Purchasing Agent Martha L. Salazar reading the score on behalf of Precinct 3 Commissioner Joe M. Flores. The result was all four Commissioners ranked HDR first and HOK second. Judge Garcia ranked HOK first and HDR second. Commissioners Court voted three to one to accept the ranking and commence the negotiation process. If negotiations with HDR are not successful, the Court has the option to proceed with the second ranked firm of HOK. Planning presents workshop on subdivision regulations Hidalgo County Director of Planning T.J. Arredondo presented a workshop at Commissioners Court on proposed amendments to county subdivision rules. A workshop showing a quick summary of the steps that are taken from a subdivision platform from beginning to end was presented by Planning Director T.J. Arredondo. The workshop included proposals, amendments and additions of county subdivision rules, all designed to ensure that new neighborhoods have the proper infrastructure. “We are proposing to discuss any possible changes to county subdivision rules,” said Arredondo. “I’m hoping to meet with the county advisory board next month to finalize the proposals and then bring them to court.”
Countywide polling approved for Nov. Constitutional Amendment Election; polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Edinburg and Weslaco city elections will go on with extended hours as in previous years as the Texas Secretary of State approved Hidalgo County’s application to implement countywide polls for the November 7 Constitutional Amendment Election. Hidalgo County Election Administrator Yvonne Ramon reported that the Secretary of State approved extending voting hours at all poll locations. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during early voting and on Election Day. Extending the hours comes at a cost of nearly $121,000, and, although the cities of Edinburg and Weslaco had said they would help cover the added expense for polls in their cities, Commissioners Court voted to cover the entire cost. “I don’t think it would be fair to penalize the City of Edinburg simply because they pointed out the issue,” said Judge Ramon Garcia. “I fully believe we should just approve the $120,888 amount and allow our voters every opportunity to cast a ballot at the poll location of their choice.” At the Commissioners Court meeting held Tuesday, Aug. 8, Edinburg city leaders had called attention to plans to have some polls open longer than others, based on past voting trends,.
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COMMUNITY
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
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Leadership Edinburg accepting applications for Class XXIX
Pictured during the Leadership Edinburg Class 28 graduation is guest speaker and community leader Byron J. Lewis (EdwardsAbstract & Title Co. – Chief Executive Officer). Front Row (L to R): Diana Munoz(Town Place Suites by Marriott), Alice Roman(Legacy Chapels), Veronica Moreno(Memorial Funeral Home), John Garza(DHR) and Sergio Molina(Pointer Realty). Back Row: Ryan Yoder(HaciendaFord), Daniel DeLeon(Senior Care of Edinburg), Byron J. Lewis, Max Campuzano(Express Employment Professionals) and Travis McAlpinne(DHR). Not Pictured are George Garcia(RGV Mobile X-Rays) and Cristina Castillo(UTRGV).
County Commissioners move on courthouse From Pg 4
Precinct 4 Commissioner Joseph Palacios pointed out that, with countywide polls, voters in one voting precinct, may not necessarily be residents of that city and would not be voting in that city’s elections. “Although the Edinburg Annex is located in the City of Edinburg – voters casting their votes in that location are coming from all areas of the county,” Palacios said. “There’s some ambiguity in that.” In past elections, voters have been able to cast their ballots at the poll most con-
venient to them during early voting, but must go to their assigned poll location on Election Day. With the countywide pilot program, voters will be able to cast their ballot at the poll most convenient to them on Election Day as well as during early voting, Judge Ramon explained. “This proved to be very favorable for Hidalgo County voters because in addition to being able to vote at any polling location on Election Day; during early voting, they will also have an additional three hours every day to cast their ballot,” said Ramon.
Twenty-nine years ago a group of Edinburg citizens involved in the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce decided leadership would improve if potential and emerging leaders had an opportunity to interact with one another and learn about the problems and issues facing the community. The Leadership Edinburg steering committee is currently accepting applications for Leadership Edinburg Class XXIX. All interested applicants should call the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce at 956-383-4974 to register. Leadership Edinburg (LE) is a 9-month program that gives its class members the opportunity to practice their leadership skills and brush up on different community topics that include history, education, healthcare, politics, and quality of life. Class members also complete several events including a two day leadership retreat. Through the foundation of the program’s sessions, the class sets a goal
in which all members of LE willingly develop and complete a project that helps give back to the community. Over 465 graduates have taken the Leadership Edinburg Challenge. If you are interested in learning more about Leadership Edinburg please contact the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce at 956-383-4974 or visit us online at www.edinburg.com.
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BUILDrgv Hosts Downtown Edinburg, Historic Citrus Theater Tour BUILDrgv, a local historic preservation organization, will host a tour of the downtown Edinburg area and the Citrus Theater to interested residents this Saturday, August 26, from 8:00 am to 11:30 am. Downtown Edinburg is the site of the Hidalgo County Courthouse Seat. It has been the subject of a downtown revitalization effort with several different visions, the last being in 2010 when the City of Edinburg created the Downtown Master Plan Vision Document. Now that the County of Hidalgo has selected an architect to carry out the planned courthouse expansion, there still looms the question: “What is YOUR Vision for Downtown”. In exploring that vision, BUILDrgv organizer Pedro G. Ayala asks: What do current property owners want? What do the stakeholders need? What will the newly planned courthouse bring to downtown? Will downtown be more walkable? Will it be more of a destination downtown or more of the same? Do we need more green space? More eateries? More cultural and entertainment choices? More cafés? More mixed use/high density? More downtown living? What’s next? The tour will be led by Ayala, start-
ing at 8 am at My Place Café, Cafe 308 N. Closner Blvd., with free breakfast for those who register online and answer a few survey questions. Tickets will include breakfast, presentation and discussion of historical photographs of downtown Edinburg. The group will walk to the 1910 Jail Restoration at the Museum of South Texas History and learn about the progress and plans. After that, the group will walk to the Citrus Theater and tour the inside. Owners have not opened it up to the public in many years. Goodie bags will be distributed. The group will walk to the Buzbee and JC Penney building, walk by the Old Boxing Gym building currently being renovated and then walk to the County Courthouse for a discussion. Ultimately the tour will end with a free entrance to the Museum, Raffle of Pedro Ayala’s framed photographs of historic buildings in Edinburg and cool off in the Museum courtyard room while engaging in a discussion of “What is YOUR Vision for Downtown” with city leaders. Tickets and/or suggested donations at the door will be $25.00. The tour is free for the first 100 who register online: http://bit.ly/2tGUMkC
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STC Theatre to hold auditions for The Turn Of The Screw.
South Texas College (STC) Theatre will hold auditions for its first show of the fall semester, The Turn of the Screw, based on the short story by Henry James – adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. Auditions will be held Tuesday Aug. 29 and Wednesday Aug. 30 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm at the STC Cooper Center for Communication Arts - Black Box Studio, located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. All STC and Rio Grande Valley community members, ages 18 and over, are welcome to audition. A ghost story, Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw tells the tale of an apparition appearing to a child. A young governess relays this chilling tale of terror, horror and death through the words in her diary. Director, Marcela Garza, seeks only 2 actors, one female and one male. The male actor must be able to portray several characters including an older woman and a young child. Both actors must be able to execute a British dialect (accent). The Turn of the Screw is sched-
uled for performance at the STC Cooper Center for Communication Arts Black Box Studio Oct. 19-22, 2017. For more information, call (956) 8722639 or email jrodriguez@southtexascollege.edu or mgarza_0080@southtexascollege.edu.
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STATE Special session delivers half of Abbot’s agenda Wednesday, August 23, 2017
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After the dust settled, Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for a special session resulted half of his list of emergency items surviving the ordeal known as the Texas legislature to reach his desk for approval. Abbot initially asked lawmakers to pass legislation needed to keep five state agencies in operation. The governor expanded the agenda to 20 issues for consideration; here’s a look at what happened with these issues during the special session. Teacher retirement benefits and increasing teacher pay were treated as one item on Abbott’s agenda, hence our count of 21 issues on this list.
PASSED 1. School finance reform Abbott first charged legislators with creating a commission to study school finance. He later added immediate additional school funding to address immediate needs. On the last day of the special session, the House reluctantly agreed to the Senate’s version of House Bill 21, which put $351 million into public schools. That funding includes a $150
million transitional grant for small, rural districts to offset the upcoming loss of a state aid program, $120 million for charter schools and traditional schools to pay for new facilities, $41 million to remove an existing financial penalty for small districts and $40 million for an autism and dyslexia grant program for public schools. The bill also tasks a commission with studying future reform to the school finance system. 2. Limits on local tree regulations Abbott wanted legislation to abolish local ordinances limiting how property owners can cut down their trees. While the Senate originally advocated for a more restrictive measure, it eventually agreed to a House proposal that was very similar to a bill Abbott vetoed in May that would allow property owners to plant new trees to offset municipal fees for tree removal on their land. 3. Abortion insurance The Legislature approved a measure requiring Texas women to pay a separate health insurance premium if they want their health plans to cover abortions per-
New Texas Laws Going Into Effect In nine days, a slew of new laws will go into effect in Texas. While the Texas legislature pass numerous new laws and regulations during the regular and recent special session, many are mundane, focused changes to the state’s labyrinth of laws. However, a few deserve special attention. Most of the laws will start September 1, 2017, but a few have already taken effect. Texas will become the 47th state to have a statewide ban on texting while driving. Motorists will not be allowed to “read, write, or send an electronic message while operating a motor vehicle unless the vehicle is stopped.” Violators face a fine of $25 to $99 for a first offense. However, a driver can use a phone to control a car’s stereo system and to access a mapping app. One of the most contentious laws to into is a statewide ban on “sanctuary cities,” a term used to describe cities and counties that do not fully comply with requests from federal immigration authorities in all cases. SB4 allows local police officers to inquire about the immigration status of people they legally detain or
arrest. The law also impacts local elected officials who might not honor every request from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to hold a person until their status can be investigated. A number of cities are currently challenging the law. You will be able to carry bowie knives, swords and spears in public. However, big blades will be banned in bars that get most of their income from alcohol sales, along with schools, colleges, sporting events, polling places, race parks, correctional facilities, health care and nursing facilities, amusement parks and places of worship. Those under 18 years old are
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Governor Greg Abbott called the Texas legislature for a special session in July.
formed outside of medical emergencies. 4. Abortion reporting The Legislature sent two bills to the governor on this issue. House Bill 13 requires physicians and facilities to report more details about abortion complications — and fine those who do not comply. Another measure, House Bill 215, requires additional reporting from
doctors on whether minors seeking abortions did so because of a medical emergency and whether they obtained parental consent or a judicial bypass. 5. Do-not-resuscitate protections The governor asked lawmakers to ensure that doctors couldn’t issue a
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017
HEALTH
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Doctors Hospital at Renaissance welcomes plastic and reconstructive surgeon Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System this week welcomed Dr. Mauricio De La Garza, a specialty-trained, board eligible plastic and reconstructive surgeon, who joins the Breast Center of Excellence at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR) and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Institute at Renaissance. A native of Monterrey, Mexico. De La Garza trained in General Surgery at Northwestern University in Illinois, at Michigan State University, and at the University of Massachusetts. He then completed an integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at Southern Illinois University Institute for Plastic Surgery. De La Garza brings extensive experience in breast reconstruction, microsurgery, reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, aesthetic surgery, and treatment for extensive burns and problem wounds. For severely injured patients whose problems cannot be solved by traditional care, reconstructive plastic surgery provides a new outlook on life. Specialized operating tools, precise instrumentation, and superior attention to detail are used to perform intricate operations on even the tiniest of structures. Through such precise surgery, Dr. De La Garza strives to restore function and appearance for patients who suffer from trauma, infection, burns, disease, tumors, disease or birth defects. Other surgical services De La Garza will provide include: • Critical care management • Cosmetic surgery – facial, breast, and body contouring surgery • Head and neck cancer reconstruction • Hernia reconstruction • Maxillofacial trauma • Post-bariatric reconstructive surgery • Skin cancer and reconstruction • Trunk and lower extremity wound reconstruction Dr. Mauricio De La Garza plays a pivotal role in the comprehensive Breast Center of Excellence program at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. Using a well-planned, multi-step process, surgical techniques are aimed at reducing scarring and maintaining as much of the breast tissue as possible while removing the cancerous or diseased portion. Each treatment plan is unique and individual-
Dr. Mauricio De La Garza
ly tailored to the patient. The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons, granted the Breast Center at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance a three-year full accreditation designation in 2016. The Breast Center at DHR is a comprehensive program that incorporates the skills of highly trained physicians in the fields of breast disease, breast cancer, surgery, radiology with the latest technology available used to detect and diagnose breast cancers and diseases. As the only accredited breast center in the Rio Grande Valley, the Breast Center at DHR offers world-class, patient-centered medical care for those who are diagnosed with breast cancer or a breast disease. Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. During the survey process, the center must demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. The standards include proficiency in the areas of: center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease.
New Texas Laws Going Into Effect From Pg 7
barred from carrying long knives in public unless they are under the supervision of a parent. Ridesharing companies (Uber, Lyft, etc.) are now free from most local city regulations, but drivers now have to provide electronic receipts to passengers, provide “all necessary information to the consumer before each ride” and follow a “zero-tolerance intoxication standard for drivers.” This law is already in effect. The fees for carrying a gun in Texas will be cheaper. A new law lowers fees for a first-time license to carry a handgun to $40 from $140. The renewal fee is also reduced to $40 from $70. David’s Law was launched to counter school bullying by making it a Class A misdemeanor to harass someone under age 18 through text messages, social media, websites or other electronic venues with the intent to cause them to harm themselves and commit suicide. It would
permit people to obtain temporary restraining orders against social media accounts used to harass or bully children. Voter ID changes are also coming in. Voters without the currently approved list of voter IDs will be allowed to cast their ballots if they show some other documentation with their name and home address, such as a bank statement or utility bill, plus signing an affidavit attesting to having a “reasonable impediment” to obtaining a valid photo ID. Schools will no longer be permitted suspend students below third grade. In place of both in-school or out-of-school suspensions, school districts must instead find alternative age-appropriate disciplinary plans for students that are research-based and provide models for positive behavior. Exceptions include students who bring a weapon, certain drugs or alcohol to school. This law is already in place. ‘Second chances’ for non-violent offenders will be available for those convicted of one low-level offense, such as a DWI with a blood alcohol level under
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017
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Special session delivers half of Abbot’s agenda From Pg 7 do-not-resuscitate order until a patient or legal guardian consented to it. Senate Bill 11 creates both a criminal penalty for doctors who willfully violate a patient’s do-not resuscitate wishes and an exception to that penalty for doctors who err “in good faith.” 6. Mail-in ballot fraud Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 5, which widens the definition of mail-in voter fraud and increase penalties for those who commit it. 7. Maternal mortality In 2013, lawmakers created The Task Force on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity to examine why so many Texas mothers die within a year after their pregnancies end. There was bipartisan support behind extending the task force until 2023 to continue its work. 8. Municipal annexation Both chambers passed Senate BIll 6, which allows homeowners targeted by a city for annexation to vote on the proposal and includes a five-mile buffer around military zones. 9. Sunset legislation “Sunset” legislation was needed to prevent some state agencies from closing. After some back and forth between the two chambers, the House eventually passed the Senate’s bills in the last week of the special session.
10. Teacher retirement benefits Abbott wanted more money put into the Teacher Retirement System to address concerns that retired teachers would no longer be able to afford their medication amid rising health insurance premiums and health care costs. House Bill 21 puts $212 million into the system and defers an upcoming payment to health care companies that provide Medicaid to cover the additional funds. FAILED 1. Increasing teacher pay Abbott asked lawmakers to require school districts to rearrange their budgets to increase teacher salaries by an average of $1,000, a measure educators vehemently opposed and criticized as an “unfunded mandate.” 2. “Private school choice” for kids with disabilities During the regular session, the Senate passed a measure to subsidize private school tuition using state funding. But school-choice proposals have long faced significant opposition in the House, particularly from Democrats and rural Republicans. 3. Property taxes There’s a constitutional prohibition on the state levying a property tax, but property taxes are a major source of revenue that keeps cities, counties and special-purpose districts operating. Amid Texans’ complaints about rising property tax bills, often driven by rising property values. Differences between the two chambers on how to achieve that goal ultimately doomed the various measures. 4. Caps on state government spending Under the Texas Constitution, state spending cannot grow faster than the state’s economy. Abbott asked lawmakers to require future legislatures to limit how much state spending can grow to the estimated combined growth in population and inflation, a figure that is often lower than the one lawmakers currently use.
5. Caps on local government spending Abbott asked lawmakers to cap how much additional money local governments could spend each year without an election, drawing immediate criticism from city and county officials. They say such a limit would make it difficult to develop long-term financial plans and fund maintenance and services that residents want from their local governments. 6. Speeding local government permitting Lawmakers considered measures. Abbott wanted to make it easier for developers to get approval for projects in cities so that permits would be approved automatically if cities didn’t respond to them fast enough. 7. Preventing local rule changes on already acquired properties Advocates had hoped for a new state law that would have prohibited cities and towns from enforcing any local regulation on a property that was not in place when that property was purchased. 8. Texting while driving While Texans will be under a statewide texting-while-driving ban starting Sept. 1, Abbott wanted to effectively pre-empt local ordinances in more than 40 Texas cities that are stricter than the statewide ban. 9. Bathroom Bill This had been one of Abbott’s priority and remains the most contentious issue. Proposals to bar transgender men, women and children from restrooms that do not match their biological sex passed in the Senate but never received a vote on the floor of the Texas House. 10. Union dues deduction The proposed measure would have ended the practice of collecting membership dues automatically from the paychecks of certain public employees who are in labor unions or other associations. The proposal would have applied to public school teachers, corrections officers and other government employees, but firefighters, police officers, emergency first responders and charitable organizations would have been exempt. 11. Taxpayer funding for abortion State and federal law already prohibit using tax dollars to pay for abortions, but Abbott wanted the Legislature to broaden that ban to block local and state government agencies from entering into any financial contracts, including lease agreements, with clinics that are affiliated with abortion providers, even if those clinics don’t perform abortions.
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New Texas Laws Going Into Effect From Pg 8
0.14 or nonviolent Class C misdemeanors. They will be allowed to request an order of nondisclosure from a court after they pay restitution and serve their sentence. This would seal their criminal records from public view, but it will permit law enforcement agencies and a few others to view the records when necessary. Military personnel and their families overseas will have more time to cast their ballots by mail, up to six days after the date of the election. If that date falls on a weekend or holiday, then the deadline is extended to the next regular business day. Texas lawmakers passed a bill that would require the burial of fetal remains, such as from abortions or miscarriages. While patients will not be required to decide how they want the remains disposed, their doctors will have to make arrangements to store and ensure the tissue is disposed of in accordance to the law. This law is also in the courts for review. Parents will have more time to pay their children’s school lunch debt before the cafeteria worker stops serving hot lunches. The law creates a grace period for students who show up without money to continue eating hot lunches before they are “lunch shamed” by being given cold sandwiches. Drones and other unmanned aircraft like drones are banned from operating over correctional and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities and large sports venues, except for law enforcement use or with permission from the operator of a sports venue. An alternative path to a diploma will provided to high school seniors who fail one or two end-of-course exams required for graduation could get their diploma, anyway. Individual graduation committees can weigh whether the student should graduate based on factors like grades in relevant subjects, attendance and other measures.