The valley Times – August 30, 2017

VOL. I, NO. 5 South Texas College extends registration, fees deadline to Sept. 2 South Texas College has extended registration for the fall semester after severe weather threats prompted administrators to close campuses last week, which prevented students from registering ahead of the first day of class.

The college has announced that registratoin will be extended through this week, Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, including Saturday, Sept. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Students will be eligible for a 100 percent refund for courses dropped (drop or withdraw) through Sept. 3, 2017, and will be eligible for a 70 percent refund for courses dropped (drop or withdraw) from Sept. 4 to Sept. 18, 2017.

The Drop/Add fee of $25.00 will be waived from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, 2017. However the fee will be applicable beginning Sept. 4, 2017.

“I know you join me in keeping our friends, family, and colleagues impacted by Hurricane Harvey in our thoughts and prayers,” said STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed. “These efforts have been made to accommodate students who need additional assistance with payment plans for tuition and fees.”

The fall semester at STC officially began on Monday, Aug. 28.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

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Hidalgo Co. Rejects SB4, Won’t Join Lawsuit, Yet

Ramona Casas, ARISE representative, urged Hidalgo County Commissioners to vote for the anitSB 4 resolution.

The Hidalgo County Commissioners Court last week adopted a resolution in opposition to the implementation of Texas Senate Bill 4, which is slated to take effect Sept. 1. However, the resolution stopped short of having the county join a lawsuit against the state of Texas to prevent the enforcement of the new law.

According to Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia, the Commissioners will consider what legal action to take this week after consulting with their legal counsel, whether joining as a plaintiff or filing an amicus

(friend of the court) brief. The small Webb County community of El Cenizo filed the first lawsuit against the law’s implementation on May 8. Similar suits have been combined into one case in a San Antonio U.S. District Court.

SB 4 bans Texas cities from refusing to comply with federal immigration officials. It also allows state and local law enforcement officers to ask about the immigration status of anyone they detain or arrest. Local law enforcement officials would be at risk of misdemeanor charges if they do not comply

with federal agency directives to hold suspected undocumented immigrants.

The lawsuit asks the court to issue an injunction blocking the state from enforcing the law until the full case is heard and a final decision is issued on the law’s constitutionality. The injunction question is now in the hands of U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, the chief justice of the Western District of Texas, who was appointed to the post in 1994. He may issue a ruling this week prior to the law’s start date on Friday.

While a large group of an-

ti-SB 4 advocates filled the audience at the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court, there were also others who opposed the resolution.

Edinburg State Rep. Terry Canales, who opposed the law when it was being debated during this year’s regular legislative session, addressed the commissioners to express his continued opposition to the law and its implementation.

“I think people that were in favor of this now realize how detrimental it is, and that’s why we see a wave of counties now coming forward with resolutions against SB 4,” Canales said.

LUPE and ARISE, two community-based organizations that work in the colonias, brought in more than 35 supporters to voice their opposition to SB 4. Carrying signs against the new law, group members applauded as some came to the podium to speak in support of the resolution.

Several speakers spoke about the challenges they perceived the new will bring. Ana Maria Gonzalez told the Commissioners Court that “all immigrants in my community live with fear of the division of families.

They fear going to work, going

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OPINION

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Pay heed to what nature is telling us

By EUGENE ROBINSON WASHINGTON -- Pay attention to what happened to Houston. It is rare to be given such a vivid look at our collective future.

Climate change cannot be definitively blamed for Hurricane Harvey, but it likely did make the storm more powerful.

Global warming did not conjure the rains

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that flooded the nation’s fourth-largest city, but it likely did make them more torrential. The spectacle of rescue boats plying the streets of a major metropolis is something we surely will see again.

The question is how often.

The relationship between climate and weather is undeniable but never specific. Tropical cyclones do not batter Siberia’s arctic coast and heavy snowfalls do not blanket the beaches of Barbados because the climates are different. But no one blizzard or hurricane can be attributed to climate change beyond the shadow of a doubt -- which opens anyone who raises the subject at a time like this to the accusation of “politicizing” a disaster.

The science explaining climate change is clear, however, no matter what deniers such as President Trump choose to believe. And it will be political decisions that determine how often we witness scenes of devastation such as those in Houston.

Begin with the basic fact of a warming planet, due primarily to greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are unusually warm this summer -- between two degrees and three degrees above normal -- which gave Harvey extra energy and moisture.

Hurricanes usually weaken when they approach a coastline, but Harvey was able to gain strength, making landfall as a Category 4 storm. According to Penn State University professor Michael Mann, one of the world’s leading experts on climate change, Harvey’s unprecedented rainfall totals were likely boosted by global warming in at least two ways. Higher atmospheric and ocean temperatures mean more evaporation, he wrote in The Guardian, which means more precipitation. And the fact that the storm parked itself so stubbornly over Houston is due to a jet-stream pattern predicted in scientists’ climate-change models.

Since 2005, we’ve had Katrina, Sandy and now Harvey. The flood next time could come in Corpus Christi, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa Bay, Naples, Miami, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston -no one knows where. But there is no

doubt that it will come.

Humankind has boosted the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by a shocking 40 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when we started burning fossil fuels on a large scale. Even if carbon emissions were magically ended tomorrow, warming would continue for many years. But we can -- if we choose -- keep climate change from getting catastrophically out of hand.

The rest of the industrialized world has decided to move toward a clean-energy future -- and reap the economic benefits such a shift can entail. I’m betting that Trump’s successor, whether a Democrat or a Republican, will reverse

destroyed. Since low-lying coastal cities are not likely to pick up and move inland, they are going to need new natural or artificial barriers to protect against storm surge (which might have been the big problem with Harvey, but wasn’t) and high-capacity drainage systems to alleviate flooding (which was).

Such projects are hugely expensive -but cheaper than repairing the damage from a citywide flood.

Also, the nation needs a sustainable way of providing flood insurance to those living in vulnerable areas. The current National Flood Insurance Program charges rates that do not nearly cover its outlays, and for years it relied on out-of-date maps that did not accu-

Folks, nature is telling us something. How many “100-year” storms or “1,000-year” floods will it take for us to listen? his shortsighted, self-defeating decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

But in addition to mitigating climate change, we must adapt to the warming we have made inevitable. Houston officials at least tried to learn one lesson: In 2005, as Hurricane Rita approached, officials ordered an evacuation that turned freeways into parking lots; about 100 people died in the chaos. This time, residents were advised to stay put -and, from what we know so far, there appears to have been much less loss of life.

But billions of dollars’ worth of private and public infrastructure is being

rately show flood risks.

Buildings, meanwhile, can be made more flood-proof. President Obama signed an executive order requiring builders who receive federal funds for a project to account for the risk of flooding in their construction plans. Trump rescinded the measure, saying it was “job-killing.” How many people went to work in Houston today?

Folks, nature is telling us something.

How many “100-year” storms or “1,000year” floods will it take for us to listen?

Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com. (c) 2017, Washington Post Writers Group

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

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First cohort of promotores graduate via training network

South Texas College joined the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M University and United Healthcare to celebrate the first cohort of community healthcare workers who will be on the frontlines in some of the hardest hit areas of the Rio Grande Valley.

The students are recent graduates from the South Texas Community Health Worker Training Network, a collaboration between the institutions and the National Rural Health Association to offer training to people who want to serve their neighborhoods as promotores, individuals who serve as liaisons between their communities and healthcare providers.

“We started this three years ago, Dr. Fernandez and I, and we wanted to develop a sustainable model of care in the colonias,” said Dr. Eron G. Manusov, Assistant Dean of Medical Education at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. “We wanted to provide medical care and all the things that contribute to health including education, clean wa-

Graduates from the South Texas Community Health Worker Training Network promoters program pose with the ceremony speakers.

ter, and jobs. The idea was to develop a program that we spread across the entire Valley.”

The training program is part of the UTRGV School of Medicine’s South Texas Interprofessional Team Collaborative for Health (STITCH). STITCH is a collaboration between county health departments, hospitals, nonprofit groups, promotores and educational institutions to

provide care to communities.

“You have heard the term ‘helping people lead healthier lives’, well that is the core of what we stand for,” said Darryl Chapman, Vice President of United Healthcare. “This is what we live for every day, and there are many ways we do that; through work like this through the Foundation, and the work that everyone is doing

here. I admire all of your work.”

Community Health Workers (promotoras) are regarded as trusted and knowledgeable frontline personnel who typically come from the communities they serve. They serve to bridge cultural and linguistic barriers, and expand access to care in some of the hardest hit areas of the Rio Grande Valley.

“This comes from a collabo-

Hidalgo Co. Rejects SB4, Won’t Join Lawsuit, Yet From Pg 1

to school. This puts at risk their hopes and dreams.” Ramona Casas pointed out the harsh impact it would have on undocumented university students.

Dr. Kevin Peek, a professor at South Texas College, pointed out the potential economic impacts of the law. Dr. Peek noted that the implementation could lead to dislocation in the labor market if large numbers of workers are detained and deported. Depending on the number of workers taken out of the labor market, Peek said it could lead to labor shortages and great difficulty for some industries to fill the positions, even as wages rise. Other complications would lead to an economic slowdown,

which could become a cycle of contraction and slowdown. This could also result in a reduction in the tax base as the economy slows.

On the other side of the debate, Miriam Cepeda of Emp o w e r Texas, a nonprofit group focused on fiscal responsibility, questioned the OWLS Member reasoning Fern McClaugherty behind the resolution. She noted that the County was asking for more than $330,000 in state assistance for border security and safety. “SB 4 is not mandating police officers to ask for peo-

ple’s status,” Cepeda stated. She added that the law was written as a public safety measure.

Cepeda also criticized what she termed the “fear rhetoric” promoted by opponents of the law.

Fern McClaugherty, representing the OWLS (Objective Watchers of the Legal System) urged commissioners to reject the resolution.

“First thing I’d like to ask, ‘Which law can I break? I don’t think the feds would be very happy if I robbed a bank. Speeding? Everyone of these officers back here (rear section of the meeting room) would be thrilled to death to give me a ticket. I want to know which law I can break which would be okay and ya’ll are gonna pass a resolution that you’re gonna back that

one,” McClaugherty asked the Commissioners. “If you want to do something for the people of this county, work on some of these issues (poverty, education, and colonias). Why aren’t you all concerned about this? If you can tell one group of people ‘you don’t have to follow the law of the state County Judge Ramon Garcia of Texas or of the country,’ I want a law that the rest of us don’t have to follow.”

“There are numerous reasons to oppose Senate Bill 4, not the least being that it’s the right

rative healthcare initiative in South Texas, which invited STC to be part of a network to provide educational services and outreach opportunities to our communities,” said Lori Trevino, Operations Officer with CPWE at South Texas College.

“The South Texas Community Training Health Worker Network. “These graduates are the ones who reach to people in the colonias, and inform them of different avenues or alternatives for everything from diabetes awareness to nutrition and everything in between.”

Speakers at the graduation included Dr. Eron G. Manusov, Assistant Dean of Medical Education at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine; Dr. Francisco Fernandez, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Neurology and Nuerosciences-UTRGV School of Medicine; Darryl Chapman, Vice President of United Healthcare; Tina Guel, Community Healthcare Worker for Texas A&M Training Center; and Daniel Montez, Administrator at STC’s Mid-Valley Campus.

thing to do,” said County Judge Ramon Garcia.

“The ‘show me your papers’ style law is troubling on many fronts and we cannot sit idly by as our elected leaders enact laws that target particular groups and individuals; especially when we know the adverse impact that this law will have on tens of thousands of families that are legal residents of our county.”

The resolution reads, in part, “Senate Bill 4 will create a negative perception of government entities, incite fear in our community and inhibit fruitful relationships between constituents and the county from developing.”

In the end, the Court approved the resolution 4-0, with Pct. 3 Commissioner Joe Flores not present.

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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

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Free CCNA Study Group to Train For Hi-tech Jobs

Elsa VFW Post 7373 members received their most recent All-State honor. Pictured are, from left, Eloy Salinas, Jr. Vice Commander; Arturo Trevino, Quartermaster; Lupita M. Perez, commander; and Efrain Solis Sr., Vice commander.

Elsa VFW Only Valley Post to Earn 3-Time National Distinction

It is one of the smallest communities in South Texas, but Elsa is a national powerhouse in the world of Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts. The Sgt. Benito Alaniz VFW Post 7373 is the only post in the Rio Grande Valley to earn All State and All American VFW Post designations three years in a row.

The distinction is particularly difficult to achieve. Earning All State honors requires a year of work in completing a list of requirements, including significantly increasing membership, fulfilling numerous post assignments and community service. Once a Post earns All State honors, the state board goes through all the qualified Posts and recommends a few for consideration for All American honors by the national board.

Reaching that level requires even more work.

Lupita M. Perez, Commander of Post 7373, said the honor bestowed on the Elsa group was unmatched by any other Post in South Texas. “There are a few Posts in the Valley that have earned All State and a couple have earned All American as well. But none of them have done it three years in a row.

Only the Else Post has achieved

that in the Valley.” There are 11 other Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts from Roma to Brownsville.

Com. Perez first joined the Elsa Post in 2005 after returning from service in Iraq. She was elected as Post Commander in 2014, the first female Commander in the post’s then 46year history. The Commander is elected by the Post members.

“No one does more for vets than the VFW. We help with services, transition into civilian life, housing, getting their VA benefits, medications, rides to appointments, anything they need help with.”

Post 7473 is named after Sgt. Benito Alaniz, a Vietnam casualty from Elsa. When Perez first joined the Post, it had 68 active members. It has doubled to 137 through this year.

“I joined the VFW because it’s all about vets helping vets.

People think a VFW Post is just

a bar where vets go to tell their war stories. Many Posts like ours don’t even have a social club.

That’s not what we’re about,” Perez explained. “No one does more for vets than the VFW. We help with services, transition into civilian life, housing, getting their VA benefits, medications, rides to appointments, anything they need help with.”

Along with basic veterans’ services, all VFW Posts are charged with providing community services, including scholarships, teaching youth about patriotism and Americanism, and other community programs.

“Once I started getting involved in my Post, I started going to trainings put on by the state VFW and learned everything the Post is supposed to do. The State office is very good about letting us know what our duties are,” Perez said.

Once she assumed the Commander position in 2014, Perez and her fellow Post officers looked for a goal to get the entire membership motivated and active in the community. They started working on the long list of requirements needed to meet the All State designation for the

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With jobs starting out at $60,000 per year and more than 480 current openings in Texas alone, a free study group for those seeking to earn the entry level certificate for those jobs has attracted a lot of attention for a free study group being hosted by CodeRGV. Scheduled to start September 7, the CCNA study group is filling up quickly with limited spots available. The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is an information technology (IT) certification from Cisco Systems. Cisco is the largest networking company in the world.

The CCNA, a certification issued by Cisco Systems, can help a person enter a job with a salary starting around $60,000 per year. There are more than 7,000 CCNA-level open job listings in the United States. It is one of the most popular credentials in the industry. Bootcamps and study courses for this certification can often cost tens of thousands of dollars.

CodeRGV, a local nonprofit that creates tech entrepreneurs and skilled professionals for local jobs by educating, promoting, and certifying professionals, hosts the study group. They strive to promote community participation and collaboration to invigorate creativity, innovation, and the local economy.

The study group will give students the opportunity to

learn, network, and prepare to pass the CCNA. This study group will take place weekly, on Thursdays from 6-8 pm at the McAllen Creative Incubator’s TechPlace for 10 weeks, beginning September 7.

Students will have to purchase the study guide and a subscription to the videos. Once accepted into the group, students will get an outline to study with. The guide will list specific chapters to watch and videos to watch. The group will meet once a week to discuss the objective of the week, answer questions, get insight, have lab time, and get to know each other. Students will have to study on their own time.

Food and snacks for the Thursday study sessions will be provided by local restaurants and Cisco Gold Partner NetSync Network Solutions. A full lab setup will be available thanks to the City of McAllen I.T. Department allowing you to get hands-on with the equipment.

Knowledgeable, certified, and friendly mentors will be there to help guide students. The study guide is available for $49 study guide and an online video course is also available for $49.

Due to tremendous interest in the course, there will be a limit on the number of participants.

Anyone interested in the course should visit: www.codergv.org.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

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MCALLEN HOLDS HEARING ON SMOKING BAN TODAY

Commissioner Joseph Palacios addresses the Texas Water Development Board during their meeting in Austin.

TWDB Awards Hidalgo County $4.5 Million for Raymondville Drain Flood Control Project Hidalgo County was awarded $4.5 million from the Texas Water Development Board for the Raymondville Drain flood control project during last week’s board meeting in Austin.

The funding will go towards the construction Faysville Drain segment of the project, which will connect to the South Main Drain, and provide an outfall for flood waters in Hidalgo County’s Precinct 4.

This is the second TWDB grant received for the Raymondville Project. In 2015, the TWDB allocated $5.6 million for the project. The latest funding is a direct result of joint efforts from Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who serves as vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Precinct 4 Commissioner Joseph Palacios, and Hidalgo County Drainage District #1. Hinojosa was instrumental in authoring and securing a budget rider, to allocate unspent funds for water projects from the previous fiscal year to the Raymondville Drain Project, during this legislative session as well as in 2015.

Palacios and Drainage District #1 have committed to supply labor and equipment for the project to maximize grant funds.

“We continue to advocate for drainage infrastructure to assure the burden comes from the state and federal level and not from the taxpayer,” said Palacios.

In addition to the TWDB funding, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announced this spring, that it

would award $7 million for the Raymondville Drain from the Texas RESTORE Act. “To date, we have secured $17.1 million in funding for the Raymondville Drain,” said Hinojosa. “The project is a huge undertaking that will provide storm water management to our entire region and will continue the economic growth of our communities.”

The 63 mile drainage project will stretch through Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron counties, impacting 1.3 million residents in the Rio Grande Valley.

“This project will serve as the major arterial to flood water,” said Palacios.

“When completed, flood waters will be diverted directly into the Gulf of Mexico.”

Flooding has been a major concern for residents of Hidalgo County for decades. Even areas that do not suffer rain events, can experience flooding due to the topography of the area. In some areas there is a 250-foot elevation difference from the northwest to the eastern portion of the county.

Destruction of roads, property damage and safety hazards are just some of the hardships residents suffer from flooding.

“The Raymondville Drain will alleviate a lot of the issues and will promote future residential and commercial development,” Palacios said.

The county expects to break ground on the Faysville Drain segment of the project in October.

The City of McAllen is asking for public opinion on a comprehensive smoking ban in the city. The public hearing is set for today at 5:30 pm at the McAllen City Commission Chambers at 1300 W. Houston Ave. The public hearing is open to the public.

McAllen is one of the few remaining cities in the county without a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance. In October 2007, the city approved an ordinance that banned smoking in restaurants and night clubs, as well as playgrounds, athletic fields, the airport and a 25-foot area around the entrances to all public buildings. However, the city commission later rolled back some of the provisions. The amended ordinance exempted tobacco shops, bars that have at least 70% of their sales in alcohol, and private clubs.

The Texas Restaurant Association has joined other groups in supporting a statewide smoking ban if it provides no

exemptions to individual cities or certain types of establishments. According to the Texas Department of Health Services, smoking bans in Texas cities have caused no major economic impact on bar and restaurant owners over the long term.

Promoters of the ban have argued that smoking in bars and restaurants puts the lives of workers at risk.

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e-Library Offers Free Digital Books to Hidalgo County Residents

Edinburg CISD parents learn how to effectively use technology during the 6th Annual Innovation Conference at Vela High School in Edinburg.

ECISD Innovation Conference Trains Parents in Technology Integration In the eternal technology struggle between parents and teenagers, some parents at Edinburg CISD attended a boot camp of sort that helped them even the field.

Several parents took part in the first Edinburg CISD Parental Engagement Academy and learned to integrate technology into their homes during the 6th Annual Innovation Conference at Vela High School.

“I came to the conference, because it’s important for us to be updated on technology devices to be able to help our children with their homework,” said Sandra Meza, an ECISD parent.

“They are a bit advanced when it comes to technology and we can’t stay behind them. There are things I didn’t know how to do, and that’s why I came. So, I could learn.”

Meza said she learned how to get better acquainted with the program the District has in place to keep tabs on her children’s grades and their homework.

“When students take their studies home, they are going to have to use their laptops, iPads, or some kind of technology device,” ECISD Superintendent Dr. René Gutiérrez said. “We’re hoping that, by participating in the program, parents will also be able to learn how to use technology devices.”

ECISD parents were offered free classes on cyber security, computer 101, online educational resources and how to use technology as a teaching tool at home.

“We need to move up there with the kids and also to learn a little bit more on technology. They go home, and

we’re not able to help them because we don’t understand a lot of the stuff they’re doing in school,” said Sara Cedillo, an ECISD parent. “I learned a lot on Skyward. You could actually check if they are in class on time, and you could send emails (to teachers and administrators).”

More than 1,400 people attended the two-day conference, which is typically open to teachers, librarians, paraprofessionals and administrators at the District.

“Edinburg CISD always has a technology conference prior to starting the school year, so that we can show our teachers and our staff all the changes in technology, and how we can incorporate technology in the classroom,” Gutiérrez said.

Those in attendance were able to select from more than 60 technology workshops daily, including sessions on digital storytelling, robotics, Google Apps, virtual reality with Google Cardboard, 3-D printing and how to use apps in the classroom.

Hidalgo County residents will soon have the option to order books, audio books, magazines and comic books directly to their smart devices at no charge thanks to the new e-Library system, which will be launched with a kick-off event tomorrow at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 in the Hidalgo County Commissioners Courtroom.

The e-Library is funded by Hidalgo County and hosted and operated by the Hidalgo County Library System (HCLS).

Commissioners Court initially invested $400,000 toward the effort to promote reading in 2017 and plans to contribute $70,000 for additional books and resources in the 2018 budget.

“Hidalgo County Librarians are grateful for the generous investment by Commissioners Court in the e-Library. We think that the e-Library will rival electronic libraries in bigger metropolitan areas like Houston, Austin, and San Antonio,” said HCLS board Secretary Arnoldo Becho.

The new app will be available for download through the Apple and Google Play apps stores.

Hidalgo County Library System Board Secretary Arnoldo Becho spoke at the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court meeting to announce the kick-off and launch event introducing the new e-Library.

Becho invited the public present and viewing online to the Aug. 31 event.

“We will be giving away four tablet computers and hope to see you all there,” said Becho.

Created in an effort to combat illiteracy, the app will connect readers to a multitude of literary material, and improve the literacy level of readers of all ages by encouraging enhanced readership.

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IDEA Will Open Four New Schools in Elsa, Pharr by 2018

IDEA Public Schools announced plans to open four new schools in Elsa and Pharr in August 2018. The two new campuses, IDEA Academy and College Prep Elsa and IDEA Owassa Academy and College Prep, will collectively serve nearly 1,300 students in the Rio Grande Valley in their first year.

IDEA Elsa will be the first campus in the city, and will serve over 650 students in Pre-K through 1st and 6th grade. The campus will add a grade level until it serves Pre-K to 12th grade by 2024.

“IDEA Public Schools is honored to join the community of Elsa,” said Jill Dominguez executive director of schools in the Lower Valley. “We believe in providing high-quality education options for all families and we can’t wait to start making an impact here.”

IDEA Owassa will be the 2nd IDEA campus in Pharr, Texas. The campus will also serve over 650 students in Pre-K through 1st and 6th grade its opening year.

“We are thrilled to continue to serve

more students and their families in Pharr in 2018,” said Lisa Garza, executive director of schools in the Upper Valley. “Last year, six IDEA high schools ranked among the top 21 Most Challenging High Schools in America by the Washington Post. We can’t wait to bring these types of educational results to the community ofnorth Pharr.”

Starting September 1, parents can visit www.ideapublicschools.org/apply to submit an application for the 2018-19 school year. Additionally, IDEA will host a student lottery in January to randomly select who will fill spots at IDEA campuses for the 2018-19 school year. The selection process is done randomly to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to attend an IDEA school.

IDEA is the fastest-growing, highest-achieving charter school network in the country, with 61 schools serving 36,000 students. Since 2001, IDEA has grown to serve over 23,600 students at 18 campuses in the Rio Grande Valley.

Hidalgo County Local Law Enforcement Agencies Run “No Refusal” Weekend Drivers beware. Starting Thursday, law enforcement agencies from across Hidalgo County will kick-off a five-day “no refusal” crack down on drunk driving.

Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez Jr. and Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra this week will launch the third annual “No Refusal” Labor Day weekend crackdown on drunk driving.

“Anyone who refuses to provide a breath sample is subject to blood testing at the scene, a medical facility, or nearest jail facility,” Rodriguez said. “No exceptions. We want the public to be aware that their chances of being arrested and convicted will increase.”

Rodriguez said people have the right to travel safely, free from dangerous drivers, so preventing drunk driving accidents is a top priority.

“Our goal is to prevent injuries and fatalities related to drunk driving, so, along with the crackdown, we strive to educate the public on the dangers of drinking and driving,” said Rodriguez.

Hidalgo County DA Ricardo Rodriguez, Jr. speaks about the Labor Day No Refusal drive,

The crackdown by municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies will run Thur., Aug. 31-Sept. 4, Labor Day. Cities joining in the “no refusal” crackdown include Alamo, Alton, Donna, Edcouch, Edinburg, Elsa, Hidalgo, La Joya, La Villa, McAllen, Mercedes, Mission, Palmhurst, Palmview, Peñitas, Pharr, Progresso, San Juan, Sullivan City, and Weslaco.

The County Constables will also participate in the county-wife effort.

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STC Theatre 2017-18 Season Pass filled with Suspense, Conflict, Other Worlds, and History

South Texas College Theatre returns for its eighth year with a full lineup of productions for the 2017-18 season filled with hauntings, conflict, other worlds, and history.

The Theatre invites the community to become a Season Pass subscriber for another year of fun and quality entertainment. All productions will be held at STC’s Cooper Center for Communication Arts, located at the Pecan Campus, 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen.

STC Theatre opens the season on Oct. 19, 2017 with Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Henry James’ story The Turn Of The Screw. The opening production runs through Oct. 22 and is followed by Israel Horovitz’s play The Indian Wants The Bronx, from Nov. 16-19.

In the spring, the STC Theatre will let art take center stage with Tony Kushner’s The Illusion, Feb. 22-25. The 2017-18 sea-

son wraps up with Bernard Pomerance’s drama The Elephant Man that runs April 26 – 29.

All Sunday matinee productions are ASL interpreted by student interns from STC’s Interpreters Training Program.

Individual ticket prices for Main Stage productions are $5 for students/faculty/ senior citizens/military and $10 general admission. Studio productions cost $5 general admission.

Season passes are also available, allowing patrons to attend all the productions and choose between general or reserved seating. All subscribers also receive special deals for any additional guest performances.

General season passes are $15 for students/faculty/senior citizens/military and $25 for the community. Reserved seating season subscriptions are $25 for students/ faculty/senior citizens/military and $35 for the community. Season Passes can be purchased online at https://kioskportal. southtexascollege.edu/marketplace.aspx .

For more information about STC Theatre, call (956) 872-2301.

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South Texas Health System Begins Demolition to Make Way For New ER

Jennifer Garza, CEO of Edinburg Children’s Hospital and Edinburg Regional Medical Center, swings a sledge hammer as South Texas Health Systems officials take part in “Demolition Day” for a new Emergency Room facility in Edinburg.

While the sledgehammers did little damage last week during “Demo Day” at a now-closed surgery center, the walls finally came down this week to make way for another South Texas Health System emergency room facility. During the celebration, community leaders, hospital representatives, and elected officials took turns swinging sledgehammers into an exterior wall of the vacant North Point Surgery Center.

The STHS ER located on McColl just south of Trenton Rd. will be the fourth satellite ER for the growing health system, and will bring the number of emergency rooms operated by South Texas Health System to eight. The STHS ER at Weslaco and the STHS ER at Mission opened in early 2015, and the STHS ER at Edinburg will be open for service by January 2018. The STHS ER at McColl will be open by February or March 2018.

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Approximately 25 new jobs will be created.

Similar in scope and appearance to the STHS ER at Edinburg, the STHS ER at McColl will be constructed using a modular approach. The facility will feature nine treatment spaces, including six examination rooms, three rapid assessment bays, as well as an internal waiting area, advanced imaging services such as computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, X-ray, and digital radiography, and an on-site laboratory. The facility will link up to the Cerner FirstNet electronic medical record system that is compatible with all other South Texas Health System facilities and allows patients to access their private health information online, allowing the seamless transition of health information from facility to facility.

All of South Texas Health System’s satellite ERs treat general emergency cases on an outpatient basis, and are equipped to handle trauma and observation care up to 24 hours. Patients requiring surgical intervention, a higher level of care, or an overnight hospital stay are stabi-

lized and transferred to a local hospital.

“The ultimate goal with the expansion of satellite ERs is to improve the patient experience. Our ERs are known for convenience, speed of care, and high levels of service and standards. Like the other satellite ERs we have successfully built in Hidalgo County, the STHS ER at McColl will help to lessen wait times to see a provider,” said Douglas Matney, Regional Vice President for Central Region of Universal Health Services, Inc. “Whether we are saving a life or simply lessening the wait time for a minor emergency, we know patients appreciate accessibility of care. We differ from urgent care in that we have a physician onsite at all times and are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The STHS ERs differ from independently owned emergency centers in that the facilities meet all of the standards you would expect to see in an actual hospital, and all of the insurances accepted at the hospital, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and veterans health insurance (TRICARE), are also accepted at our hospital-affiliated emergency rooms.”

Elsa VFW Only Valley Post to Earn 3-Time National Distinction From Pg 4

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2014-2015 year. They celebrated special military days, including Pearl Harbor Day and the March to Bataan, and other events. They sponsored community programs for area youth, flag ceremonies, attended veterans’ funerals, provided the playing of Taps, and 21-gun salutes.

“That first year was difficult. The entire Post worked hard to get all these things done. We didn’t know it was going to be hard when we first started, but we did it anyway. We blew everyone out of the water with what we achieved. They were surprised that this little town of Elsa had done so much,” she added.

“Once we received the All State designation, we just kept going. To get the All American designation, you have to do even more things. And that’s just what we did. That first year, we ended up seventh in the world in our division,” Perez said.

“I didn’t know what a big deal it was.”

Four Elsa Post members attended the national presentation in Pittsburg where

Texas VFW representatives present Elsa Post 7373 with the Community Service Award.

they were presented with the honor by then-President Barak Obama. “We were representing our little city and we get to shake hands with the President of the United States and the Secretary of State.

It was very humbling and scary and emotional. It was an emotional rollercoaster for us,” Perez recalled.

The Post repeated the double honor in 2015-2016, earning second in state and fourth at the national level.

“We were told that we couldn’t do it a third time. It’s never been done in the Rio Grande Valley, but we decided we were going to do our very best. We hit the year

Continue -- pg. 9

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

TexPREP Program Concludes Its Ninth Year WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

South Texas College, in conjunction with school districts across the Valley, achieved a record number of students participating in the college’s summer-long Texas Prefreshman Engineering Program dedicated to promoting future careers in STEM among middle and high school students across the region.

TexPREP is an agreement between South Texas College, The University of Texas at San Antonio and participating school districts that offers an academically intense, mathematics-based summer program stressing the development of abstract reasoning and problem solving skills.

The purpose of the program is to identify high achieving students with an interest in science, technology, engineering and other mathematics-related areas and to increase their potential for careers in these fields.

More than 313 students from various school districts including Roma, PSJA, Hidalgo and Weslaco participated in the summer program held at STC’s Mid Valley, Pecan and Starr County Campuses.

STC hosted the seven-week program in June and July. Closing Ceremonies

were held on the last day, July 27, 2017 at each of the participating sites.

“This summer marks our ninth year of the TexPREP Program,” said Dr. Rebecca De Leon, Director of Academies and High School Projects at STC. “Each year we recruit rising seventh grade students from partnering school districts who commit four summers to participate in our program. For each summer successfully completed, students receive a high school elective credit. The STEM-based program provides students with the opportunity to increase their knowledge through hands-on projects and weekly career awareness speakers.”

“Everything is a partnership,” said Hidalgo Superintendent of Schools Xavier Salinas. “As stakeholders in the education of all our kids, it’s important that the teachers working with the professors make sure we produce productive community members in the future. That’s our role.

“We are college ready, and we want the kids to be engaged and achieve whatever dreams they set out to do in the future,” Salinas said.

STC’s High School Programs Depart-

9

High school students during the end of the TexPREP Summer Program.

ment started the TexPREP Program during Summer 2009. The mathematics-based program, approximately seven weeks in length, is presented over the course of four summers to students in the seventh through the tenth grades.

The STEM Program is held each summer, and enables students to become exposed to hands-on projects and field trips across the Rio Grande Valley.

Elsa VFW Only Valley Post to Earn 3-Time National Distinction From Pg 8 running, working on all our assignments.

It was difficult because I had been voted in as the Membership director for the entire state and had to do a lot of travel.

We were ecstatic when we found out we had made All State for the third time. We really focused on community service in shooting for the national level.” Perez said.

One particular effort stood out. A veteran from La Feria lost his house in a fire. The Elsa Post raised money to buy a mobile home from another veteran in Killeen. They also managed to get someone to donate the towing of the house down to the Valley, raised money to furnish the house and even bought dishes and other necessities. They were able to set up the home and even helped another single vet live in the house as well.

For the 2016-2017 year, not only did the Post earn All State honors, but out of the more than 79,000 Texas VFW mem-

“This whole TexPREP experience has been really beneficial for me,” said Linda Perez, a Hidalgo ISD high school sophomore who plans to pursue a career as a pediatrician. “Early on, I struggled a lot in math but TexPREP really gave me that push to advance, and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am in all of my classes without them. I’m really thankful for that. bers, Perez earned the state’s leadership award. The Post’s record finally earned them the third All American honor.

“I cried so much when we received word that we were going to get the national award for community service. I couldn’t believe it, us in a tiny little town, got this award,” Perez said After serving as Post Commander for three years, Perez will step down. However, she takes on a position with the national board. After she was recognized by the state commander, the national commander appointed her to a national legislative committee. Perez is planning a trip to Washington, D. C., in September to start her service on the national committee dealing with Congress on veterans’ issues and benefits. Perez, who is completely disabled because of her military service also needs to focus on her health.

“Others are now able to take over.

Commanders take award for the post not for themselves. I want to give someone else an opportunity to take over. It’s a lot of work, a labor of love. We’re all volunteers. If you do it, it’s because it made a different in your live. It really saved my life when I came back from Iraq.”