February 16, 2018 - PT ISSUE by Progress Times

EARLY VOTING Feb. 20th - Mar. 3rd

TEAM L1BERTY

Armando Marroquin

Norma Ramirez

Richard Cortez

Ricardo Rodriguez

JJ Peña

Patty O’Caña Olivarez

JoAnne Garcia

ELECTION DAY March 6th

Arturo Guajardo

Political Advertisement Paid For by Team L1berty

Friday, February 16, 2018

Eloy Avila

Ray Thomas

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Vol. 46 No. 27

Mayor Norberto Salinas Seeks Re-election

Norberto Salinas Special to the Progress Times “I believe that I have demonstrated my commitment to Mission and have focused on reducing property taxes, improving the city’s infrastructure, creating jobs and bringing in new businesses into our community. I have also put great emphasis on improving the quality of life in Mission and dedicated over $400,000 for improvements to our local parks last year…all while reducing property taxes for our residents,” said Salinas when asked why he’s seeking re-election. Substantial changes have been made or new amenities have been added in every

quadrant of the city to the park facilities. The Arnulfo “Tatan” Rodriguez, Jr. Park was completed with walking trails, playground area, splash pad and much more. The city also made improvements to the Rolando Barrera Skate Park this past year. “It’s great to see and to hear from our citizens that they are using the parks with their families and how much they appreciate the improvements,” said Mayor Salinas. These improvements were steadfast due to the creation of the “strike” team which consisted of hiring five new employees specifically in charge of park renovations and new amenity additions. Additionally, the city completed a ten-year park masterplan which lead to the design for the future tennis center at Birdwell Park and two dog parks which have been approved and budgeted. “Receiving the positive comments as well as the opportunities for improvements from my constituents is why I’m officially announcing my candidacy for re-election as Mayor. It is my pleasure and truly an honor to serve this community every day,” he added.

See RE-ELECTION Pg. 10

McAllen firm to assist in funding of Madero International Bridge By Jose De Leon III The city of Mission is much closer to begin construction of the much-anticipated Madero International Bridge following a Tuesday, Jan. 30 special meeting for the Mission Economic Development Corporation. At that meeting, MEDC Chief Executive Officer Alex Meade announced the hiring of Pathfinder Public Affairs, a McAllen-based government affairs consulting firm, to help move the project along. The Madero International Bridge, which would be built west of Conway and Inspiration roads, is meant to also be

a rail bridge and will mainly be used for commercial vehicles. The presidential permit for the project states construction must begin by no later than 2021, or the city risks losing federal funding for the project. Richard Perez, a liaison for Pathfinder – a company that consulted on the Anzalduas International Bridge - says the next step for the project is getting it onto TxDot’s Border Master Plan list so TxDot can fund the project. “It’s the only rail project between Laredo and Brownsville,” Perez said of the proposed international

See MADERO BRIDGE Pg. 13

Winter Texans arrive and wait for the musical acts to start performing. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

Mission Welcomes Winter Texans

with Fiesta and Artesano Market Days By Jamie Treviño Winter Texans from across the Valley spent last Friday and Saturday at two major events: the Mega Winter Texan Fiesta, presented by the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce and Discover Mission, and Mission Historical Museum’s Fifth Annual Artesano Market Days. With vendors from the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico, local businesses, and school districts, as well as musical performances and

freshly made food, the events drew quite a large crowd. David and Diane Longacre, from Hot Springs, South Dakota, have been Winter Texans in the RGV for five years. They spoke about their time in the Valley and why they return every year. “The weather, and the citrus bring us back,” said Diane. “And the food, we love Mexican food.” David said that people from the RGV are also major contributing factors for making the journey south for the

winter season. “We come back for the people, and not just the Winter Texans, but the Texans,” David said. “People say ‘What do you do on that border with all those Mexicans?’ I’m telling you, and we say ‘What?’ because the people we meet are family-oriented, and they’re good. People treat us great, we have no problems when we come down here, so all that, that other people say, is wrong thinking.” The Longacres stressed that they’ve heard of the ste-

reotypes about people and the cities close to the border, but they have had nothing but good experiences. They expressed that the notion that the area is dangerous is unfounded. “People sometimes think ‘Oh, you’re near the border, aren’t you scared?’” Diane said. “But we’re not scared.” The couple has been attending the Mega Winter Texan Fiesta and Artesano Market Days for three years, and have enjoyed everything

$376,319.49. A bid was awarded to Southern Trenchless Solutions for rehabilitation of four sanitary life stations at a cost of $124,000. Authorization to engage Melden and Hunt for engineering services to renew the Waste Water Treatment Plant permits was approved in the amount of $20,000. According to Fred Kurth, the permit must be renewed by June 1 by the Texas Commission on Water Quality. Brad Bentsen, director of Parks and Recreation was granted permission to submit a bid to National Parks

and Recreation Association and Disney’s Meet Me at the Park matching grant program for a new play rocket structure at Astroland Park. Authorization was granted to amend the contract to D. Wilson Construction Company to allow value engineering items, alternatives and allowance for the reconstruction project now going on at Leo Pena “La Placita” Park Mobility Improvement Project bringing the total cost to $1,444,803. A bid for new dog parks at Bannworth and Bentsen Palm Community Parks was awarded to Excellent Fence

in the amount of $43,546.45. The maximum cost to the city, if approved will be $35,000. A contract with Hidalgo County Emergency Medical Services will allow EMS units to be housed at Central Fire Station No 1 on 415 W. Tom Landry St., Fire Station No. 3 on 1804 N. Shary Road, and Fire Station No. 4 at 3408 N. Inspiration Road. This is a backup to the city services when unavailable and will provide shorter routes to county locations.

Mission City Council approves special election, continued improvements for the city By Kathy Olivarez

In the Monday, Feb. 12 meeting of the Mission City Council the Council approved approximately $458,000 in improvements to Kika de la Garza Loop. Improvements to be made include the area from Conway Avenue east to Tom Landry Avenue. The bid was awarded to RDH Site & Construction LLC. The Citizen’s Advisory Committee approved reconstruction of six homes through the Community Development Block Grant program at an estimated cost of

INSIDE

Former Sharyland Teacher Arrested

INDEX

See FIESTA Pg. 15

New La Joya Police Chief

SHS Swimmers Going to State

Accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student, former teacher and cheerleading coach Vanessa McManness was arrested on Monday. Dave Hendricks has more on this story.

Breaking records on the way there, four Sharyland Rattlers from the boys swimming team have qualified for the state competition to be held this weekend in Austin. Luciano Guerra brings us more details.

After less than five years in law enforcement, 28-yearold Adolfo Arriaga is now police chief for the city of La Joya, creating a stir in the department. Dave Hendricks has the story, inside.

See Pg. 4

See Pg. 7

See Pg. 12

Entertainment | pg.2

Lifestyle | pg.3

Sports | pg. 6

Obituaries | pg. 13

Classifieds | pg. 15

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February 16, 2018

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Palmview Los Lobos and Ozomatli present ‘Herencia Hispana’

La Joya Palmview High School’s Mariachi “Los Lobos” and Grupo Folklorico Ozomatli present their Spring 2018 concert, “Herencia Hispana,” on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 and 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, at the Alejando H. Saenz Performing Arts Center (Saenz PAC), 604 Coyote Blvd. in La Joya. The award winning Palmview High School Mariachi “Los Lobos” perform cultural songs from Mexico, and the Ballet Folklorico “Ozomatli” will feature dynamic dances from Spain, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. Both groups were chosen to be the official representatives for the State of Texas in the 2018 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. in May. The show will help the students to raise funds for scholarships and the upcoming trip. Tickets are $8 and available at the Saenz PAC box office from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or at the door before each performance. For information, call 956-323-2895 or 956-323-2880, Ext. 4724. (Magallon Photograpy)

STC Theatre presents ‘The Illusion’

Coming Attractions

February 16 • The Mission Historical Museum 12th Annual Quilt Show awards reception and “Turning of the Quilts” program will take place at 2 p.m. The quilts will remain on display through March 17. The museum is located at 900 Doherty in Mission. Admission is free. For information, call 956-580-8646. February 16-18 & March 8 • The Ballet Folklórico UTRGV presents Alegría 2018 in eight shows. Performances are Feb. 2, 3, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Feb. 4, 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg campus and, finally, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Brownsville TSC Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and students; and $5 for children. For advance ticket information, visit utrgv.link/alegria or call the Dance Program office at 956-665-2230. Tickets will be available at the PAC Box Office one hour prior to the event. February 17 • In a “Wine and Masterpiece” workshop, Joyce Capen will guide class members through the process of creating a Monarch butterfly watercolor using plastic food wrap and salt in the Upper Valley Art League annex from 2 to 5 p.m. Cost is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Class size is limited to 15. Art supplies will be furnished, but students should bring their own beverage and snack. Classes must be paid at the time of registration. Register at the UVAL gallery at 921 E. 12th St. in Mission. Call 956-583-2787 for information. February 17 • The public is invited to the annual Iwo Jima parade at 10 a.m. at the Marine Military Academy parade ground in Harlingen. This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. There will be special reserved seating for Iwo Jima survivors in front of the parade stand, which directly faces the historic Iwo Jima Monument. During the parade, the Iwo Jima survivors will join the MMA superintendent for the ceremonial pass in review. For more information, call 956-421-9225 or e-mail atkinson@MMATX.org.

HWS People’s Choice winner

The public spoke and Dee Tunseth’s “Red Umbrellas” was the winner of the People’s Choice Award for the 2018 Hidalgo Watercolor Society Exhibition. The opening reception, when votes were cast, was held in January in the Upper Valley Art League gallery at the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center in Mission.

February 23-25, March 2-4 • The Harlingen Community Theatre brings Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man to the stage for six performances. Directed by T.J. Farver and Mike Ensign, show times are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students under age 18. Tickets are sold one hour before show time, and seating begins 30 minutes prior to the curtain time. The theater is located at 1209 Fair Park Blvd. Call 956-412-7529 for information or email playhousefairpark97@gmail.com. February 24, March 3 & 10 • In a three-session workshop, learn how to make a short comic strip using programs with Photoshop, InDesign or other digital programs with instructor Francisco Rodriguez. Classes run from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost to UVAL members is $40 and $50 for nonmembers. Participants should bring a laptop computer with Photoshop or another digital drawing program. Classes will be held at the UVAL gallery in the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 912 E. 12th St. in Mission. For more information, call 956-583-2787. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)

MCALLEN – The South Texas College (STC) Theatre will present Tony Kushner’s “The Illusion,” freely adapted from Pierre Corneille’s “L’Illusion Comique.” The production will run from Feb. 22 to 24 at 8 p.m. and will include a matinee at 2 p.m. on Feb. 25. Performances will take place at STC’s Cooper Center Main Stage Theatre at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. Pridamant, a proud but aging desperate father, journeys to the cave of the wizard Alcandre seeking information on the location of his runaway son. Alcandre grants Pridamant’s wish but the reality is more complex than fantasy. Through illusions, the performance ex-

plores and relates to themes of love, humor, betrayal and death. General admission tickets are $10. Tickets for students, faculty, military and senior citizens are $5. Ticket sales from the Feb. 22 production benefit the Dr. John F. Carroll Drama Scholarship. The Feb. 25 matinee production will be interpreted in American Sign Language. Ticket cash purchases can be purchased one hour before the performance at the box office, or in advance online at goo.gl/vAVsNA. For additional information or for group rates, call 956-872-2301 or email drodri72@southtexascollege. edu or jrodriguez@southtexascollege.edu.

UVAL hosts encaustic workshop The Upper Valley Art League will host a beginner’s encaustic workshop with instructor Jan Kreut in the UVAL art annex of the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 912 E. 12th St. in Mission. It is planned for Feb. 26 and 27 and runs 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Cost is $50 for members for both days and $60 for

nonmembers. An additional fee of $20 is required to pay for the wax – payable to Jan Kreut. All materials will be provided. Bring an apron to the class or wear old clothes, and bring a sack lunch for the Tuesday class. For more information, call 956-5832787.

February 16, 2018

Speer Memorial Library 12th & Kika Loop Mission â&#x20AC;˘ 580-8750

BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS

By William Renner

Visitors can take at turn churning butter and checking out other pioneer crafts at the Museum of South Texas Historyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 28th Pioneer & Ranching Crafts Day this Saturday.

Annual pioneer, ranching day highlights boot makers

EDINBURG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The staff at the Museum of South Texas History invites the public to the 28th Pioneer & Ranching Crafts Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the museum at 200 N. Closner Blvd. The event is included in the regular museum admission. It showcases pioneer, ranching and indigenous heritage and culture. The Rio Grande Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boot industry heritage will be featured this year with displays from RGV boot makers. The performance tent will be swaying as live bands, folklĂłrico dancers and other talents perform. Edinburg North High School Mariachi Oro will kick off the festivities, followed by music legend Josie Lozano and then the Rio Grande Valley GITR-DONE Bluegrass Band. Local folklĂłrico groups will liven the day with dance routines by Conceptos Entidad DancĂstica, Grupo FolklĂłrico JuvenĂl de Palmview and the revered Edinburg FolklĂłrico Dance Team. Then the public can take a turn on the dance floor, South Texas style, with a free lesson by Rollieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country Dance before cutting the rug to the musical stylings of the Texas Sweethearts and Pepe Maldonado y su Conjunto. New this year, the Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Qâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;in It Up Cook-Off will be held in the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s north parking lot where the next generation of pit masters will compete for trophies and prizes. Visitors to the museum that day will be randomly asked to serve as judges, and the award ceremony that will

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take place on the main stage. The grand finale will be a pie eating contest. Food vendors will be selling everything from fajita tacos and pulled pork sliders to roasted corn, breads, desserts and drinks. Others will offer homemade soaps, jewelry and accessories and face painting. The backbone of Pioneer & Ranching Crafts Day is the demonstrators, family activities and vendors demonstrating traditional homestead skills. Free activities this year include an animal track matching game, event scavenger hunt, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper crafts, butter churning, costumed re-enactors, roping, coffee grinding, cotton gin, knot tying, pony rides, cowboy cooking, sewing and rock petroglyph painting. Discover native animals from the Gladys Porter Zoo, survivalist skills, native plants from the Texas Master Naturalist program and settle in for the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book readings by author Patty York Raymond. Guests exploring the museum will see demonstrations of beeswax candle making, knitting, leather crafts, wood carving, wood burning, basket weaving, cro-hooking, English paper piecing, native flutes, clay plot throwing, rĂłtulo painting, traditional healing methods, miniature models, homemade soaps, loom weaving, drop spindle spinning, treadle spinning, cotton carding, shearing and weaving. Call 956-383-6911 for more information.

Speer library plans health, fitness expo

Speer Memorial Library is turning the good intetntions of New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolutions into reality with a Health and Fitness Expo this weekend. It will be held this Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the library, located at 12th St. and Kika de la Garza Loop in Mission. CrossFit training, yoga,

Zumba and cooking sessions will be available free for the public. There will also be healthy prep meals food samples, supplement sources, personal trainers, medical professionals and other health and fitness vendors sharing information. For more information, call 956-580-8750.

SAN JUAN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Deep South Texas Master Gardeners will host a free workshop on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spring Vegetable Plantingâ&#x20AC;? on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. The workshop will be held at their educational garden located at North San Juan Park, 509 E. Earling Rd. (Nolana Loop). Workshop participants will assist the master gardeners in planting vegetable seedlings in raised beds and

learn about soils, the best vegetable varieties, general information on pests and diseases, the types of raised vegetable garden beds and more. Bring garden gloves, a sun hat and dress for the task at hand. All supplies will be provided. Space is limited. Register in advance with the Hidalgo county Extension office at 956-383-1026.

Hosting vegetable gardening workshop

The public is invited to join in the next book discussion at Speer Memorial Library in Mission, on Tuesday, March 6. Ways of Going Home will be reviewed by the gourp in the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Room at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish and at 6:30 p.m. in English. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discussion is part of the Big Read program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The NEA has donated copies of the book, which will be made available, while supplies last, to people who sign up for the discussion. A novel about writing a novel, Ways of Going Home is the story of a boy who tells of his childhood, growing up in the 1980s in a suburb of Santiago, Chile, during the Pinochet dictatorship. And, it is the story of the novelist who is writing the boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story, as he reflects on the similar circumstances of his own childhood in Chile and tries to come to terms with his past.

A story within a story, the boy becomes aware of the larger story of politics, repression and fear that surrounds and seeps into his childhood world of friends, school, fun and games. The novelist who is writing the boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story is also part of that larger storyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as he had a similar upbringingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and finds himself still affected by it. Written by Alejandro Zambra, and first published in 2011, it is a work of historical fiction, set in the time of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet and Chileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s devastating 1985 earthquake. Arranged in narratives that alternate between the boy and the novelist writing the boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story, it shows the many ways of reconciling memories and past relationshipsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the many ways of going home. For more information, or to sign up for the book discussion, call William Renner or Rose Alvarez at 580-8754 or 580-8750, or email the library at reference@missiontexas.us. Speer Memorial Library is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission.

Duo Aldebaran performance spans the globe

EDINBURG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Duo Aldebaran, with Krista Jobson on the flute and Hector Rodriguez, guitar, take their audience on a world tour in a free concert at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex in Edinburg. The performance begins at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19. It begins in the Mediterranean with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three Balkan Dancesâ&#x20AC;? of Clarice Assad, then heads to South America for Sergio Assadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masterpiece â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jobiniana No. 2,â&#x20AC;? and closes the first half of the tour in Mexico for Eduardo Anguloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Toccata.â&#x20AC;? The second half will begin at the foot of the Swiss

Alps with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bellinzonaâ&#x20AC;? written by Roland Dyens, then travels to Japan for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Haru no Umiâ&#x20AC;? (The Sea in Springtime) by Michio Miyagi. The last stop returns to South America, in Buenos Aires, for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tango Etudesâ&#x20AC;? written by the Argentine master of nuevo tango, Ă&#x2026;stor Piazzolla, and with guitar parts arranged by Sergio Assad. Duo Aldebaran has given numerous performances encompassing many of the newer works for the flute and guitar and has had the opportunity to study with the world-renowned artists Cavatina Duo in Chicago.

PTC offers acting workshops

PHARR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pharr Community Theater (PCT), 213 W. Newcombe Ave., will offer a six-week acting workshops for kids, youth and adults, running Feb. 20 through March 31. Kids and adolescents will attend twice a week and adults will attend once a week for $75. Classes will

be divided by the three age groups and will be taught by Juan Guerra, Maria Dolores Alvarado and Pedro Garcia. The minimum class size will be six students and a maximum of 10.. To register, or for more information, call 956-2390412 or 956-655-9308.

PEĂ&#x2018;ITAS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Carson & Barnes Circus presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;Circus Saurusâ&#x20AC;? where dinosaurs come alive with the dawn of a new era under the circus big top. The circus big top will be set up on next to the Walmart in PeĂąitas at 1705 E. Expressway 83 on Feb. 26 and 27. Show times are 5 and 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Once extinct dinosaurs will re-emerge and dinosaurs, such as the legendary Wooly Mammoth, Tyrannosauruses, Deinoychus and Asian Elephants, will come together to captivate the audience. Purchase discount tickets in advance at bigtop-

show.com. For more information, call 580-743-7292.

Dinosaurs come alive under the big top

Welcome to the the Welcome to 22nd Annual 21stto the Annual Welcome 22nd Annual

SPI MARKET DAYS

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER

History comes alive at MHM on Feb. 24 On Saturday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m., the Mission Historical Museum hosts a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living Historyâ&#x20AC;? presentation by local history enthusiast and educator Jaime Hernandez, and accompanied by Jack Ayoub, as they present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Palo Alto and the Mexican War: 1846 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1848.â&#x20AC;? Admission is free to the public. The lecture will focus on the cause of the Mexican War from Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view, including how they were prepared to fight a protracted war. They will also discuss uniforms worn by the soldiers and the equipment and weapons used in the war. These living history actors will be dressed in authentic uniforms and will fire authentic Mexican/ American wartime weapons. Hernandez has lived in the Rio Grande Valley his

entire life. He served three years in Europe as an infantryman in the U.S. Army. He received his bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in history and a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in education and taught history for 29 years before retiring. He now does Living History at Palo Alto National Park and belongs to the Veterans group Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Patrol. Ayoub is pharmacist who received his education at the University of Texas at Austin. He spends his free time participating with the Living History at Palo Alto and focusing his research on Tejano history. MHM is located at 900 Doherty Ave. in Mission. Call the museum office at 956-580-8646 for more information or go to missionmuseum.org.

EVENTS

CALENDAR

February 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Mission Historical Museum (MHM) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Turning of the Quiltsâ&#x20AC;? program and awards ceremony for the 12th Annual Mission Quilt Show will be held at 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. MHM is located at 900 Doherty and 200 E. Tom Landry in Mission. For more information, call 956580-8646. February 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Museum of South Texas History celebrates Pioneer & Ranching Crafts Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a day of entertainment and demonstrations that illustrate the crafts and traditions of early farming and ranching in South Texas and northeastern Mexico. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme celebrates the multitude of bootmakers in the Rio Grande Valley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some for multiple generations. For the latest updates visit mosthistory.org/events or call 956-383-6911. The event is included in regular museum admission. MOSTHistory is located at 200 N. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg. February 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Take the family on a photography scavenger hunt at 9:30 a.m. through the gardens of the Edinburg World Birding Center, 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd., with Texas Master Naturalist and adventure guide Neil Cassady. Cameras will be provided, but families are encouraged to bring their own. Participation is included in the regular admission. For more information, call 956381-9922. February 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Workshops on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gardening in South Texasâ&#x20AC;? will be hosted by the Deep South Texas Master Gardeners, in conjunction with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Both sessions will be held at the Hidalgo County Multipurpose Center for Precinct 2, 509 E. Earling Rd. Registration is $35 per person. Each registration includes lunch, a handbook and flash drive. Additional books are $20, and the flash drive is $10. To register, or for more information, call 956-383-1026 or 800-638-8239. Feburary 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The next Gladys Porter Zoo Saturday Safari, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incredible Hawk,â&#x20AC;? runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Children and their parents can meet some of the zooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birds of prey up close and personal. A zoo tour, arts and crafts, animal encounter and snacks are included in each class. Cost is $15 per child or adult. Pre-registration is required. The zoo is located at 500 Ringgold in Brownsville. For additional information, call 956-546-7187. February 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The next Gladys Porter Zoo Saturday Safari, â&#x20AC;&#x153;River Giants,â&#x20AC;? runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Learn about the river giants lurking in local fresh waters. A zoo tour, arts and crafts, animal encounter and snacks are included in each class. Cost is $15 per child or adult. Pre-registration is required. The zoo is located at 500 Ringgold in Brownsville. For additional information, call 956-546-7187. February 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Learn quilting/sewing at the Edinburg World Birding Center, 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. It will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Registration is required at least two days prior to each class. For more information, or to register, call 956-3819922. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)

El Paseo Arts Foundation Presents

Timeless Tuesdays A Classic Film Festival Tuesday, January 10, 2017 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,

Directed by Sergio Leone Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to discover a fortune of gold buried in a remote cemetery. Regarded as a highly influential example of the Western Film genre, it is acclaimed as one of the greatest films of all time.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 It Happened One Night

Directed by Frank Capra Starring: Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert Regarded as one of the best romantic comedies ever made, this was the first film ever to sweep the Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing and Best Actor and Actress awards for the stars. A spoiled heiress, trying to run away from her controlling parents, is helped on her journey by a man who is really a reporter in need of a big story.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 Love Story

SHOW Dates: DATES Show Jan 5, 14 6, & Jan 13, &715

Feb. 23, 24 & TREASURES Feb 23, & 25 25 Feb 24, 24, 25 & 26 Friday and Saturday Fri & Sat 9am 5pm FROM ALL OVER 9am to 5 pm Sunday 10am-4pm Sun 10am - 4pm THE WORLD!!! Premiere Gifts:

SHOP

* " $ ' ") * # $ * # $ # " " $ # * " $ !% "$ " $# * %" $ " $# $ " % $# * ( %# & " $ # * % "

Directed by Arthur Hiller Starring: Ryan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal and Ali MacGraw The film is the love story of a wealthy, upper-class Harvard law student who falls in love and marries a bright, talented but lower class Radcliffe student. This romantic drama is tragedy that is considered one of the most romantic films of all time. This film also spawned dozens of imitations. It remains, today, one of the top 100 films on the American Film Institute list of the top 100 list for love stories.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Some Like It Hot

Directed by Billy Wilder Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon The filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plot is based on the story of two male musicians who witness the Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Massacre and flee Chicago. They take a job in an allfemale band that is heading to Florida and disguise themselves as women. This film was one of the first 25 films inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry.

Opening Night Tickets Start at $15! Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply. Subject to availability.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 Singinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the Rain

STATE FARM ARENA FEB 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 25

Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor This film is often regarded as the best movie musical ever made. The plot of the film follows the trials and tribulations of a silent film production company trying to make a very difficult transition to sound. The film tops AFIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greatest Movie Musical list.

Competitors shown are subject to change. ÂŠ 2017 Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

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February 16, 2018

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By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

This letter is in response to a story that was published Tuesday, February 13, after Mayoral Candidate Armando O’Cana’s residency was questioned during public comments at the Mission City Council meeting held the previous evening. This is not an attempt to censor your story but to clarify. Sorry but I am disappointed with your choice of words on your title...”best kept secret” and some of the non facts. My primary residence is at 927 Greenlawn and has been for more than 10 years and it is no secret. I have been at this residence raising three sons for over 30 years to include the years I served

as the Fire Chief and will continue to be there for the next ten years. My development and expansion of a secondary residence was in 2007. My intentions were to build a place that gives us space to increase more family gathering spaces due to family growth both by the Ocana and Ortega Family...the dream was at the time to have a place for the grand kids, sons and other relatives to have a place to be during holidays, weekends and special events such as tonight Feb 14. I feel using “best kept secret” implies bias that I did move out and I have not been staying at 927 Greenlawn. I would like to clarify I have

not moved out but expanded a secondary family site just like the Mayor’s ranch house outside the city ...his intent is ranching and my intent is to promote the family unit. I hope you understand in my disappointment. Also please correct that it is not located at Palmhurst...it is located at 3 1/2 Mile North Schuebach approximately 1000 feet from the Mission City limits and that is because the Mayor stopped my filed affidavit requesting voluntary annexation of this property when I subdivided. Thank you for listening. Armando O’Caña Mission Mayoral Candidate

Reporter’s notes: 1). The use of the term “best kept secret” was a direct quote from Tomas Tijerina who brought the matter before the Council on Monday. It is up to the individual to decide who they believe. 2). I recall there was an attempt to annex a block of land in that area several years ago. However, when the matter came before the council there was a large group of residents from the area to be annexed who were represented by a young man who spoke to the council, telling them the people did not want to be annexed. They lived in the county because they did not want to pay city taxes. Most of the families were very poor and could barely afford to pay the taxes they already had. Annexing them into the city and forcing them to pay city taxes on top of what they already had might result in some of them losing their homes. After the presentation, the council voted not to annex the area. This is the only situation I am aware of where the mayor or council members stopped an annexation.

Former Sharyland teacher accused of sexually assaulting 14-year-old student By Dave Hendricks

Officers on Monday arrested a former Sharyland teacher accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student. The case started in January, when a McAllen Police Department investigator met with the boy — assigned the pseudonym “Michael” to preserve his anonymity — and his mother. They said Michael’s teacher, 31-year-old Vanessa Sarai McManness of McAllen, became friends with him on Snapchat, according to the criminal complaint. They also provided a photo of Michael and McManness together. Michael said McManness invited him to her home twice during July 2017. During the first visit, McManness offered him beer, according to the criminal complaint. During the sec-

Vanessa Sarai McManness

ond visit, she offered him 10 to 15 drinks of Malibu-brand rum. After Michael drank the rum, McManness pulled down his shorts and sexually assaulted him, according to the criminal complaint. McManness refused to speak with investigators, according to the criminal complaint. The attorney who bonded her out of jail didn’t respond to requests for com-

ment. Officers executed a search warrant at McManness’ home on Jan. 30. They found a chair and other items that matched Michael’s description of the home. McManness, who worked as a teacher and junior high cheerleading coach, is no longer employed by the Sharyland Independent School District. A district spokeswoman declined to comment further, citing a policy against releasing information about personnel matters. When McManness stopped working for the school district and under what circumstances remain unclear. McManness is charged with improper relationship between an educator and a student, a second-degree felony, and indecency with a child-sexual contact, a second-degree felony.

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Legislation passed by Congress includes hurricane relief funds AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 9 lauded Congress’ passage of budget legislation that contains nearly $90 billion in hurricane and wildfire disaster relief funding for Texas, Florida, California and Puerto Rico. Hurricane Harvey pounded Texas from Aug. 25-31, resulting in disaster status for some 60 counties. The federal Office of Coastal Management has estimated the total cost of Harvey at $125 billion. Cost estimates by various other organizations have reached as high as $200 billion. “Today’s passage of disaster funding marks another crucial step forward as Texans continue to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of Harvey, and I thank the Texas delegation and leaders in Congress for taking action to pass this critical recovery package,” Abbott said. “The much-needed funding included in the bill for flood mitigation projects, housing and infrastructure repairs will provide a meaningful benefit to Texas. While Texans will continue to struggle in Harvey’s wake long after today’s vote, our resilient spirit remains strong, and we will continue working at the federal, state and local levels to ensure we emerge from this disaster stronger than ever,” Abbott added. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, commented, saying: “While long overdue, this bill is a big step forward for Texans impacted by Hurricane Harvey up and down our coast. We know the recovery process is far from over, but these resources will go a long way for Texas families, small businesses and communities who are still rebuilding. I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Gov. Abbott and our congressional delegation to ensure Texans impacted by this once-in-a-lifetime storm aren’t left behind.” Cornyn said the disaster

relief part of the Bipartisan Budget Act: — Ensures Texas will have increased access to Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds; — Ensures that $15 billion of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding will go directly toward construction in high-priority areas impacted by flooding; — Provides flexibility to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow them to carry out necessary projects in Texas; — Includes funding to help Texas address lingering transportation issues resulting from Hurricane Harvey; — Allows the Federal Transit Administration to distribute formula money using 2000 Census data for areas that temporarily fell below a population of 50,000 as a result of a major disaster (this applies to Galveston); and — Authorizes $10 million for the Ready Reserve Fleet port facility in Beaumont damaged by Hurricane Harvey. On Feb. 8, Texas’ junior U.S. senator, Republican Ted Cruz, commented: “After much consideration, I will reluctantly vote for this legislation. This bill contains major victories; if hurricane relief and restoring vital defense spending were the only elements of this bill, I would be supporting it energetically and enthusiastically. Unfortunately, in addition to funding those critical priorities, this bill also unnecessarily balloons the deficit.” Comptroller to send revenue Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Feb. 7 announced he would send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $911.9 million in local sales tax allocations for the month of February. The amount is 6.2 percent more than was distributed in February 2017. The al-

locations are based on sales made in December by businesses that report tax monthly; October, November and December sales by quarterly filers; and 2017 sales by businesses that report tax annually, Hegar said. AG seeks election safeguards Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Feb. 5 sent a letter to state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, chair of the Senate Select Committee on Election Integrity, announcing a voter-fraud initiative. The letter mentions the Office of the Attorney General’s “brief investigative survey” of four counties where “165 unlawfully registered non-citizens had been removed from the voter rolls after casting 100 illegal votes in Texas elections in the last two years.” And, after stating that the Office of the Attorney General “is unable to determine the scope of non-citizens voting across Texas,” Paxton refers to “the lack of safeguards in the voting system to detect ineligible voters.” He suggests additional measures to address mail-in ballot fraud and the use of public funds for political activity. Accreditations are released The Texas Education Agency on Feb. 9 released accreditation statuses for school districts and charter schools across the state. These statuses are based on state academic accountability ratings, the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, data reporting, special program effectiveness and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. Statuses for the 20172018 school year for 1,201 Texas school districts and charter schools are as follows: Accredited (1,185); Accredited-Warned (9); Accredited-Probation (2); Not Accredited-Revoked (4); and Pending (1).

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1217 N. Conway • Mission, TX (956) 585-4893 MEMBER 2018

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

The Progress Times (USPS 971-420; ISSN 0890-2666) is published each Friday by Savy Publishing, LLC, 1217 N. Conway, Mission, Texas 78572, (956) 585-4893. Subscriptions $20 annual in Hidalgo County; $30 outside of Hidalgo County. Second class postage paid in Mission, Texas 78572. ©2018 Savy Publishing, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the PROGRESS TIMES, P.O. Box 399, Mission Texas 78573.

LETTER GUIDELINES

Letters to the Editor are welcome but must conform to certain guidelines. All letters must be original, dated, signed and bear the complete name, address and phone number of the writer/signer. No photo copied letters will be printed. No letters addressed to others will be printed. Letter content must be relevant to concerns and interests of Mission and the surrounding area. Relevance is determined by the editor. Anonymous cards or letters are neither read nor printed. Letters may be submitted by e-mail to letters@progresstimes.net, but must include the author’s name and daytime phone number.

February 16, 2018

page 5

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La Joya ISD recognizes student achievement Lita L. Leo Announces Candidacy for County Treasurer: Building Fiscal Accountability for Hidalgo County in chess and classical guitar By Jamie Treviño Unlike most quiet school board meetings, this week in La Joya there was actual music to be heard. At the La Joya ISD board meeting on Monday, Ann Richards Middle School’s 8th grade Varsity Classical Guitar Ensemble played a medley of songs for all those in attendance. The group, under the direction of Luis Ramos, was recognized toward the beginning of the meeting, and in the middle of the meeting performed various classical guitar pieces - two Mexican Revolutionary selections and two Venezuelan Waltz selections - for the board and the public in the room. “We could not think of a better way to close off School Board Recognition Month,” Superintendent Alda Benavides said. “They did an amazing job.” Along with the guitar group, the board also honored student volunteers and chess teams who participated in the Regional Chess Tournament that took place on Jan. 20 and 21 at La Joya High School. J.J. Guajardo Jr., from La Joya’s Thelma R. Salinas T-STEM Early College High School, spoke about the students and the work that went into the tournament and that goes into competing in chess. “La Joya ISD’s three high school chess teams took the top honors at the Region 10 Regional Chess Tournament,” Guajardo said. “Since their inception three years ago, these three teams have placed in every tournament they have competed in, earning over 25 team trophies and numerous individual trophies as well.” All the teams recognized have qualified for the state competition, which will be held in Edinburg on March 3 and 4. Guajardo, who prides in the fact that his family has

been active in the chess community all over the Valley for decades, applauded La Joya’s students for their dedication and consistent effort. “Right now more people play chess population density-wise in the Rio Grande Valley than anywhere else in the world,” Guajardo said. “La Joya ISD is part of that movement. It pleases me that I am part of that movement in La Joya, and I know it will become a powerhouse in the upcoming years.” Along with the chess teams, student and adult volunteers for the tournament that was held in La Joya were also recognized and thanked for their efforts. “I’ve gone to 25 regional tournaments, and this was the best-run tournament,” Guajardo said. “And part of that reason was because of the kids we had. It was amazing.” Trustees also got an update on their ongoing LED Lights project and listened to a presentation to consider hiring a consulting firm for government and educational affairs. The LED Lights project involves replacing the lighting for interiors, exteriors, and parking lots in the La Joya school district. The update was presented by Cody Glover from Performance Services, the company installing the lights. “With the exteriors, we are 100 percent complete,” Glover said. “Parking lots are at 75 percent, and we pretty much just finished our interior work as well.” The presentation involved photographs depicting various locations at schools in the La Joya district before and after the LED lights were installed, and there was a visible difference between them. After that, Gus Garcia from Shepherd Government Affairs gave a presentation detailing how his firm

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would help the district apply for more grants and federal funding. The certified economic developer said this money would be used to ensure students are more likely and willing to pursue a higher education after college and contribute back to the economy in La Joya. “At the state level we would help La Joya ISD get grants, drive or create programs that would help students achieve career opportunities and get certified,” Garcia said. “We’d work in tandem with your grant writer or grant writing program, and we’d also work with local cities and local industry and different programs throughout the city, throughout Hidalgo County and universities to help develop programs that would help strengthen students.” The superintendent said that the district had looked up TEA Certifications that the Texas Education Agency was going to give La Joya credit for this year, and the presentation was to determine if expansion in other certifications was possible. “We’d like to expand in trucking technician area, in certified networking area, in clinical, which includes the certified medical assistant and the certified dental assistant, medical laboratory assistant, and the emergency medical technician, and wastewater collections and water operators,” Benavides said. “These are the ones where we see a need based on student interest, and the presentation today is to see whether we would like to engage in services with Mr. Garcia to help us see if there is funding available to expand these programs.” The board of trustees listened to the presentation, and no word has been made yet as to whether or not La Joya will be utilizing Garcia and Shepherd Government Affairs.

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MCALLEN — Touting her business management experience, years in Washington, D.C. working with elected officials from all over the country, and tenure at the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency providing counsel and technical assistance to individuals seeking to transition from social assistance to financial independence, Lita L. Leo announced her campaign for Hidalgo County Treasurer. “This is an exciting time for Hidalgo County with a growing, young population and thriving economic development opportunities,” said Lita Leo, candidate for Hidalgo County Treasurer. “These drivers mean increased county revenues and a stronger need for accountability from the treasury to ensure all accounts receivables are properly managed, reconciled and available for county leaders to meet the needs of the citizens of Hidalgo County. It is a job that I am aptly suited to execute.” Prior to her candidacy,

Lita worked as a Case Manager advising clients on a wide range of strategies to gain self-sufficiency from financial literacy such as balancing a checkbook and budgeting, to job training and educational development to maintaining gainful employment. Before joining the county, Leo served as General Manager of WFLeo Enterprises managing three small businesses as well as multiple real estate properties and commercial accounts. Lita’s history of public service has deep roots. She worked as regional director

Three students from the Veterans Memorial High School Business Professionals of America (BPA) will be making a trip to the state competition in March. The students earned their way to state competition through their performance at the re-

cent Regional Leadership conference. Michael Iglesias placed first in JAVA programming, Cristian Sanchez advanced in SQL database after placing first at regionals, and Karina Peña placed fourth in medical office procedures.

The parliamentary procedure team placed third and will serve as state alternates. Those team members are: Alyssa Ramirez, Jonatan Andrade, Samantha Gomez, Genesis Gonzalez.

The Mission High School (MHS) DECA Chapter will be sending almost two dozen of its students to state competition at the Texas DECA Career Development Conference when it is held later this spring. The students advance to state based on their performance at the recent District 1 Career Development Conference. The students advancing include: Hospitality and tourism operations research

– Joselyne De La Cruz, Donica Cuellar, Bianca De La Rosa, Emily Gonzalez, Yarah Garcia, Joana Juarez, Emily Barragan and Javier Sanchez; Advertising campaign – Krystal Gonzalez, Sebastian Rodriguez and Maielah Davis; Entrepreneurship start-up business – Daniela Ale Lopez and Gilbert Pena; and Entrepreneurship independent business plan – Makayla Trevino. Also, Buying and Mer-

chandising operations research – Jessica Marquez, Daniela Perea and Kaylee Reyes; Community service project – Alexis Gonzalez, Juan Valadez; Learn and earn – Luciano Sandoval and Itzel Vasquez; Sports and entertainment operations research – Rochelle Saenz and Roberto Ramirez; and Sports and entertainment series individual – Lisa Montes.

Lita L. Leo

to engage Latino youths in the South Texas area to register to vote; served as a Commissioner on the Housing Authority of Hidalgo County; as a Precinct Chair for the Hidalgo County Democratic Party and is current chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee in the City of La Joya. Her service also consists of time in Washington, D.C. as a government service manager for the National League of Cities (NLC). In that capacity, Lita served as the chief liaison for various caucus groups, that included Latino officials from municipalities from California to New Jersey and Puerto Rico and provided counsel, event support and technical assistance on behalf of NLC. She is a proud graduate of La Joya High School and Texas Tech University. She is the daughter of political activist, former Mayor of La Joya and Hidalgo County Clerk William “Billy” Leo and Filomena Leo, a former superintendent of schools.

VMHS BPA going to state

MHS DECA students advance in competitions

THE

February 16, 2018

Sports week

BIG7 SCHOOLS

page 6

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Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports

Lady Patriots punch second-round playoff ticket Mission Veterans Memorial set to take on Flour Bluff tonight

By Bryan Ramos It was a scene straight out of a movie Monday night as the Mission Veterans Me-

morial Lady Patriots cut down the nets after picking up a playoff win and being crowned bi-district champions.

“I’ve never actually cut down a net,” said junior post Jackie Howell after her team’s 53-27 first-round victory over Donna High. “You

Mission Veterans sophomore Ronnie Cantu goes up for a layup during the fourth quarter of the Lady Patriots’ 53-27 Bi-District round playoff game win against the Donna Bravettes Monday night. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

see it in the movies, in the big leagues, so to cut down this net with this team, it makes me feel proud we’ve got this far and we worked hard.” The Lady Patriots returned to the 5A state playoffs with a bang after missing out on the postseason last year. Head Coach Rafael Cantu Jr.’s group came out excited early, but eventually settled down and found their groove midway through the first quarter and never looked back after a 7-7 tie. “We played together, which is what we need to do,” Cantu Jr. said. “We really played like a team tonight. When we’re moving, sharing the ball, looking for the best available shot, we’re a tough team because we have players that can play.” It was a complete effort on the defensive end from the Lady Patriots who put an emphasis on shutting down Donna’s driving offense, making them feel uncomfortable and forced into difficult shots. Sophomore point guard Ronnie Cantu, who is crafty with the ball in her hands and makes difficult passes seem easy, said the team was focused on playing lockdown defense in front of the big crowd. “That’s what we needed to do tonight,” Cantu said. “We knew that Donna was a driving team, not so much shooting, so we need to go in and play lockdown defense and just play hard together. You’re in front of a big crowd, the competition is a thrill and I’m just excited to be here with my team and get this win.” Sophomore Kaylee Flores led the Lady Patriots with 18 points, while fellow sophomore Cantu contributed

seven points, four assists, one block, one steal, and a number of tremendous passes. Howell posted a double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, six steals, two blocks and two assists. “Our team really came through and we all worked together and that’s what was most important,” Flores said. “ Now, we have to hit the gym first thing in the morning. We need to focus and come out strong, stronger than today.” Awaiting the Lady Patriots in the area round of the playoffs is the Flour Bluff Lady Hornets, who a season ago, advanced to the 5A state tournament as one of the final four teams standing. The Lady Hornets were crowned 30-5A champions of their 11-team district and picked up a big bi-district win of their own, knocking off Corpus Christi Winn High 55-20 Monday night.

Palmview baseball, softball registration underway PALMVIEW – The 2018 spring baseball and softball registration is underway with the Palmview Parks & Recreation program. Registration will continue through Feb. 28. Registration is taking place at the Parks & Rec department, 406 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, during regular office hours. Kids ages 3 to 14, and who will reach that age by Aug. 31 of this year, will compete in their respective age bracket for the baseball league. Softball players, ages 4 to 14, must have

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Cantu Jr. knows the challenge Flour Bluff presents is a tough one but believes the Lady Patriots will come out with the same intensity they had Monday night. “That’s the most important thing for us, is bringing that energy and that intensity,” he said. “The game can’t be played any other way. When we’re small like we are, we don’t have overall team size, you have to have more intensity than your opponent and your competitive drive has to be better. We’re going to play a really good team but I know the girls will step up and I know they’ll bring the same intensity and fight on Friday.” The second-round playoff game between the Mission Veterans Memorial Lady Patriots and the Flour Bluff Lady Hornets is set for tonight at 7 inside the Texas A&M University-Kingsville gymnasium in Kingsville.

reached the age for their respective bracket by this past Jan. 1. The registration fee is $50, payable by cash, check, money orders and credit cards. Parents must present a copy of the child’s birth certificate at the time of registration. League games begin March 26 and run through May 19. Anyone interested in coaching a team, or for other information, contact Robert Lugo at 956-907-0105 or 956-432-0310.

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Four Rattlers swimmers headed to state

Sharyland High swimmers Javier Suarez, Brandon McCormick, Luciano Farias Ramirez and Alvaro Garza (L-R) have qualified for the UIL State Swimming and Diving Meet in Austin this weekend. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

By Luciano Guerra Four members of the Sharyland Rattlers’ boys swimming team are among the eight Big 7 schools’ swimmers or divers to qualify for the UIL State Swimming and Diving Meet being held this weekend at the University of Texas at Austin. The four are Luciano Farias Ramirez, Javier Suarez, Alvaro Garza and Brandon McCormick. Suarez, Garza and McCormick earned this by being part of the Rattlers’ 200 yard medley and 200 yard freestyle relay teams, both of which placed second at the UIL Region VIII-5A Swimming and Diving meet held two weeks ago at the Corpus Christi ISD Natatorium. As for Ramirez, he is a member of the two relay teams as well, however he also qualified in two individual events; making him a rarely seen four event state qualifier. With only the top two finishers in each event at the Regional meet qualifying for state, it took a complete team effort for the Rattlers to qualify in two of the three relay events.

“We broke the school record in the medley relay,” Ramirez said. “I was the fastest split in the region by about a second. Alvaro, our sophomore, also had a very impressive time to really help the team out. Javi also helped out a lot and McCormack was able to anchor us out fairly strong. It got close towards the end because the other schools had very good swimmers but we were able to close it off and earn our spot at state.” “As for the 200 freestyle relay, it’s the fastest relay that there is and it was very close until the end,” the Sharyland senior added. “I anchored it off and I hit a personal best of 21.54. I couldn’t gain ground on Flour Bluff, but they were way ahead by that point. I did fight for second place and I was able to get it. That got us the last spot at state.” In addition to the two relay teams, Ramirez will be competing in the 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard backstroke this weekend. He is currently seeded fourth in the butterfly and eighth in the backstroke. Should he medal in either event, he will be the

first Sharyland High swimmer to do so at the state meet level. Fellow Sharyland senior, Javier Suarez, competed in the 50 freestyle, the 100 breaststroke and was a member of the two state qualifying teams at the Regional meet. “In the 50 freestyle I placed sixth and in the 100 breast I PR’d (personal record) so I thought it was a pretty good job,” Suarez said. “My goal was to PR and that’s what I did.” Suarez, who will be swimming the breaststroke for the Rattlers in the 200 medley relay this weekend, was a member of the two Sharyland relay teams that qualified for state last year as well. When asked what it would mean to him if either of the two relay teams medaled at state, Suarez said. “It would mean the world to me. Finishing my senior year going to state and having our relay win a medal and standing on the podium, that would be probably the best feeling of my swimming career.” As the only non-senior on the Rattlers’ two state-qualifying relay teams, sopho-

more Alvaro Garza is hoping to help his teammates finish off their high school swimming careers on a high note and possibly even return with one of the highly coveted state medals. “I’m hoping that I give these three guys a good senior year and I don’t blow it for them,” Garza said. “I want to succeed individually but I consider it to be an honor for me to compete with these guys. But if we were to win a medal, that would mean a lot. Considering that we’d have to get first, second or third place at state to do that, it would be pretty amazing.” The fourth member of the Rattlers’ two relay teams, Brandon McCormick, is no stranger to competing at the state level. However, his previous experiences at state were as a member of a club

swimming team. McCormick, who will be swimming the anchor leg of the Rattlers’ medley relay team, shared what goes through his head as he watches his teammates swim ahead of him. “When we have a lead, I just say to myself that I’ve got to keep it,” McCormick said. “I’ve got to go all out and try to keep the lead.” When asked what he’s looking forward to the most about the state meet, McCormick said, “I’m looking forward to hanging out with my teammates and watching all the races.” Sharyland Pioneer swimmer Andrew Adkins is the only member of the Diamondbacks’ 31-5A district championship team to qualify for the state meet. He did so by finishing second in the 100 yard breaststroke at the regional meet with a time of

1:01.62. In addition to the five Big 7 schools’ swimmers that qualified for the state meet, three other divers qualified as well. Mission Veterans’ Victoria Bonilla and La Joya High’s Eddie Barrera and Jose Rios will all be competing against the best-of-thebest across the state of Texas at Austin this weekend. As a team, the Diamondbacks’ boys placed third at the Region VIII meet in Corpus Christi. Despite having more state qualifiers, the Rattlers’ boys placed fifth, two spots behind Pioneer. The Mission Veterans boys placed ninth. Among the Big 7 girls teams, Mission Veterans placed third, Pioneer placed seventh and Sharyland placed ninth at the Regional meet.

Tickets still available for VSO Gala McALLEN – The Valley Symphony Orchestra (VSP) Gala, their only major fundraising event of the year, is just around the corner and tickets are still available. This year’s event is set for Thursday, March 8, at the McAllen Convention Center Ballroom, 700 Convention Center Blvd., from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Guests will receive complimentary champagne and wine throughout the eve-

ning, followed by a dinner, an awards presentation and the evening’s entertainemt. Guest harpist Iraida Poberezhnaya and her husband, Ildar Khannanov, on piano, will perform. Poberezhnaya is a concert harpist with a broad repertoire, and in 2012 was awarded with a special certificate from Arts and Science Centre, Russian Consulate, Washington, D.C., in recognition for building cultural bridges between two

countries. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the VSO live classical performances and music education programs. Sponsorships begin at $1,250 and individual tickets are $175. To become a sponsor or to purchase tickets, go to valleyorchestra.org or call Vivian Vargas, marketing manager at 956-661-1615.

Named to SFA President’s List

On Austin College Dean’s List

Baylor Dean’s List

NACOGDOCHES – Andrea Flores, of Mission, has been named to the President’s List at Stephen F. Austin State University for the fall semester. Flores is majoring in theatre. To be eligible for this honor, a student must be enrolled in 12 or more semester hours and maintain a grade-point average of 4.0.

SHERMAN – Alan Guerra, a graduate of Juan Diego Academy, and the son of Manuel Guerra of Mission and Ana Gaxiola of McAllen, has been named to the Austin College Dean’s List for Fall, 2017. The list recognizes the top 20 percent of students taking a minimum of three graded, full-credit courses.

WACO – Valeria Laddaga Gavidia of Mission was one of more than 4,240 Baylor University students named to the Dean’s Academic Honor Roll for the 2017 fall semester. Students on the list are undergraduates with a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 while enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours.

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2018 Pony Baseball /Softball League Registration 406 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, TX 78572 Registration: January 22 - February 28, 2018 Baseball: 3·4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11· 12, 13-14 Age as of August 31, 2018 Softball: 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 Age as of January 1, 2018 League Games: March 26 - May 19, 2018 Method Of Payment - Cash, Check, Money Orders, Credit Cards - Fee: $50.00 Copy Of Birth Certificate Must Be Presented At Time Of Registration Those interested in coaching a team, or for more information contact Robert Lugo (956) 907-0105 - (956) 432-0311- (956) 432-0310

2018

www.cityofpalmview.com (956) 432-0300 /cityofpalmview

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February 16, 2018

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Mission EDC to hold first Innovation Summit By Jose De Leon III Residents interested in changing the world through technology and exchanging ideas can do so next week in the city of Mission. The Mission Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with the San Antonio-based company Cityflag, will host the city’s first ever Civic Innovation Summit Thursday, Feb. 22. The all-day event, which will be housed at the Mission Center for Education and Economic Development at 801 N. Bryan Rd., is a conference that will focus on how civic engagement, economic development, technology and education can push progress in the region, Mission EDC Program Director Cristina Garza said. “It is a conference for people who care about the future of the Rio Grande Valley,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for people to hear from renowned speakers from all over the country and to have a space to exchange ideas. We can look at new models for economic development, see new ways in which other cities have implemented technology to make communication with their citizens easier, learn about different models in which people are using technology like virtual reality to attract tourism and more.” Mission EDC Chief Executive Officer Alex Meade said the summit provides a forum for new civic ideas and discussing technology-based solutions, which is the kind of pioneering conference the Mission EDC wants to be involved in. “Technology has claimed a position in almost every corner of society, and we would be remised not to include it in our approach to solve civic challenges and improve our lives,” said Me-

ade. “We need conferences like these to bring people and ideas together, and we are happy to team up with Cityflag to offer the RGV a unique conference that will have something for everyone.” Among the speakers set for the event are Mark Madrid, the head of Latino entrepreneurship at Stanford Business School, Chelsea Collier, founder of the smart city technology policy platform Digi.City, Lorenzo Gomez, chairman of the San Antonio-based coworking space Geekdom, Michael Henderson, project manager at the City of Austin Innovation Office, Daniel Lucio, community impact manager at Google Fiber, Natalie Campos Goodman, Co-founder green projects database Green Money Search. Also included is Mission native Alberto Altamirano, Cityflag’s CEO whose company is currently Mission EDC’s expert-in-residence. Last fall, the 28-year-old was listed as one of Forbe’s “30 under 30” social entrepreneurs. In a statement, Altamirano said a civic innovation revolution is taking place in Texas cities and elsewhere. “That means using new technologies and design methods to bring efficiency to government and power to citizens,” Altamirano said. “The Mission EDC Civic Innovation Summit is about bringing together forward thinkers and creative minds to discuss solutions to the 21st century challenges. Cityflag is excited to participate as a collaborator of the event.” Tickets to the event are currently $175, but Garza argues that price is a bargain. “Similar summits in bigger cities like in Silicon Valley or Austin’s South by Southwest charge up to

$1,200 to attend a summit like this,” she explained. “What we’re offering is the same type of caliber of speakers to the Valley so anyone can meet and interact with them at a much lower cost.” For Garza, the summit is a way to support the area as residents will benefit from the ideas shared there. “We’ve always invested in the professional development of our residents and that means giving them an opportunity to learn about what other people are doing,” she said. “It’s why people attend conferences, to be inspired by what’s happening in the country. In order for us to move forward, we need to rustle up some feathers and throw some ideas out there that haven’t been heard in the Valley and that can only be done in spaces like this. We can’t expect people in the Rio Grande Valley to create change if we’re not there to support them.” A schedule of the event, as well as tickets and registration information for the all-day Civic Innovation Summit can be found at http://www.civicinnovationsummit.com.

Palmview lift station raises concerns By Jose De Leon III The Palmview Wastewater System calls for the construction of four lift stations with a capacity to hold 2 million gallons of water each. However, at their latest meeting the Agua board of directors addressed rumors that the city of Palmview is moving forward with plans to build their own lift station, which the Agua interim general manager says is a violation of Agua’s rules. Interim General Manager Jose “Eddie” Saenz said at that meeting the city has yet to turn in an application for the project, which he said is grounds to stop the project. “No application has been submitted. It’s standard rules of Agua since you all are the utility service that provides water and service within this region,” Saenz told the board. “Palmview not handing in anything presents a dilemma as they do not have legal authority to do the lift station. I can’t speak for the city as to why they’re doing it but that is in violation of your rules.” The discussion came after the Jan. 17 workshop between the city of Palmview and Agua to discuss the Palmview Sewer Collection Project and the interlocal agreements needed for the project.

When reached by the Progress Times, Olivares said Wednesday the city hasn’t sent an application because Agua no longer wants an application from the city but rather from the property owner. Sanz, however said that the city still needs to turn in an application if they are the developer of the project. “We want an application from whoever is the developer. If its the owner of the property, then that’s who we get it from. If it’s the city, which we were told they were, and if they have an agreement with the owner of the property, then we need an application from them,” Saenz said. “Bottom line we don’t have an application.” When asked for a comment, Palmview interim city Manager Leo Olivares said the city has only started on construction on collection lines to the lift station, not on building the actual lift station. “This is not part of the $42 million wastewater project, it’s kind of a side project predating my arrival here,” he said. “The project is to provide wastewater collection services in the area east of La Homa and Frontage Roads and is being financed by the Palmview Municipal Development District with a budget of $600K. As the

wastewater project is expected to be completed within two years, we’re looking to use this lift station and collection line to expedite development in that area before then.” According to Olivares, the plan is for the city to only finance construction of the lift station and gift it to Agua and Mission’s Wastewater Treatment Plant so they can operate it. Because of that, the city doesn’t need a certificate of convenience and necessity for the water rights, which are exclusively held by Agua. Saenz however, expressed dismay at the lift station, especially since without the application, Agua cannot determine how much it would cost to keep it operational. “There basically isn’t a project without a application to determine the demand for the construction,” Saenz said. “With the application we determine the demand for what type of meter would serve the development, it’s why we’ve been asking for that application since the workshop. It’s not OK they did this without an application. We need to learn what design this city will serve so we can determine how much work Agua will be required of to serve the property. It’s the city’s part to get that paper to us .”

Weeks after sending bizarre messages, Peñitas firefighter released from jail By Dave Hendricks The Hidalgo County jail released a volunteer firefighter Wednesday, two weeks after he made bizarre threats involving the Peñitas Volunteer Fire Department and brought a gun to work. Hidalgo County Court at Law Judge Omar Maldonado reduced bond for Marlowe Raymond Munoz, 39, of Mission from $150,000 to $9,000, according to court records. The $9,000 personal recognizance bond requires

no cash deposit. “He’s not a flight risk,” said his attorney, Samuel Reyes of Mission. “He’s not a danger to the community.” Officers arrested Munoz on Jan. 24, when he recorded a series of bizarre video and audio messages, according to the criminal complaints against him. Munoz recorded several videos of himself standing outside Peñitas City Manager Omar Romero’s home in McAllen. In the videos, Munoz says someone damaged his truck and comments on

how the city manager’s truck doesn’t have any dents. “It’s ok. Accidents happen,” Munoz said. “But I’d hate for another accident to happen.” Munoz sent the videos to a group chat for Peñitas firefighters. He also sent a disturbing audio message to the deputy fire chief. “Well, chief, you are the chief. Well, if you’re going to shoot me, you better be ready to shoot me on Saturday ‘cause I told everybody I’ll be there on Saturday. And I will be there,” Munoz

said in the audio recording. “Maybe I should bring some extra friends wearing the same body armor I will.” Officers arrested Munoz at the fire department, where they found him intoxicated and carrying a .40-caliber pistol, according to the criminal complaint against him. Munoz is charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor; criminal trespass, a Class B misdemeanor; and making a terroristic threat, a Class B misdemeanor.

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Public safety has always been of utmost importance for city officials and they continue to work hard to protect the citizens of Mission. Over the years, the city has increased personnel for both Fire and Police Departments but has made significant capital improvements and has provided comparable if not the best wages and incentive packages for public safety personnel. Our Public Safety team is getting ready to implement the state of art P25 Motorola Radio System. This is going to offer regional interoperability radio communications which translates to faster response times for our citizens. Mission Police has just launched body cameras for each individual officer out in the field that augments the transparency of their every-day operations. The Mission Police Department was the recipient of a $1M grant that has al-

February 16, 2018

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com lowed for the creation of the Community Oriented Policing (C.O.P.) program which brings neighborhood watches into residential areas, the Explorer Program for local youth as well as outreach to schools and civic organizations. The newest addition to the Mission Fire Department fleet is a 2018 Spartan/Toyne Pumper Apparatus costing the City over $500,000. The recent improvement to the former central fire station allowed the City of Mission to continue the strong relationship with the Texas Department of Public Safety which has added more public safety officers in our area. “I am proud to say that we have a work force that is very experienced and dedicated here in the City of Mission and I value their hard work and dedication. They are out there every day working hard to provide the best services possible to our residents and visitors,” said Mayor.

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“What I’m not proud of and actually am appalled at is that Councilmember Dr. Armando O’Cana recently stated in an article (The Monitor – Sunday, February 12) that our community is stagnant. Look around - Mission is not stagnant! We are a thriving community and there is still a lot to be done that will have a great economic impact in our community. I have many projects still under works and I’d like the opportunity to complete them,” Mayor added. “Since 1999, we have provided some form of housing assistance to 425 families - $10,933,815 has been spent to date,” Salinas said. Each year, approximately 75% of the funds allocated to the City from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are strictly dedicated for the use of reconstructing or rehabilitating homes for low-income

families. “We have a lot of families that need help,” he said. Most recently, the City of Mission established two homes that are used for temporary shelter for families that have been displaced from their homes due to emergencies or severe hardship circumstances. “No other city in the Valley has this,” says Mayor Salinas. “We take care of our people.” The newly renovated CWV Building is now the home of the City’s Food Pantry which serves many families each month with needed resources. Adjacent is the Social Center which is ideal for small gatherings both social and business related. Mission completed the $2.6 million Streetscape project which included the redesign of the downtown sidewalks on Conway from First to 14th Street adding pavers, planters, trees, trash bins, benches, bicycle stands and decorative lighting. Additionally, MEDC still has

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the Downtown Façade Improvement Program that promises to help fund a “facelift” to any building in downtown Mission by providing its owner a $3,000 free grant or up to $10,000 in matching funds. “We want to drive more business to our downtown merchants,” said Salinas. “Our downtown looks great,” he added. Next year when our Winter Texans come back, they are going to be very happy when they see the Leo Pena Placita Park transformation.” The Placita Park is being completely re-done and will be the ideal location for the annual Winter Texan activities among other community events. Total cost of this project is approximately $1.4 million. “These efforts have been as a result of great working relationships with LRGVDC, MEDC and the TIRZ boards,” commented Salinas. The City of Mission hired five new employees to establish a second “strike” team

that has strictly focused on street improvements and overlays. The city has invested over $3,7M on overlay/street improvements these past four years. “The City of Mission was bound to a long-term contract for sanitation services with a private company and I was always getting calls about the poor service that they provided. People complained day after day, so I thought it was time for us to provide our own service. We have done extremely well with this department. So well that we now have the reserves to purchase our own commercial sanitation fleet without needing to take out any loans. Commercial collection is set to begin April of 2019,” said Mayor. The city has also purchased an incinerator for the burning of brush which will reduce the cost of dumping at the landfill and overall benefit the

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residents. Nearing completion is the new Mission’s Event Center! Doors are expected to open April 1st with the first event and thereafter, many events have already been booked. The 40,000 sq. ft. facility is ideal for both social and business events. The Event Center will serve as the anchor to bring more economic development into the area. With the Event Center, also comes the surrounding nine-acre tract development which will bring in more retail and restaurants. “There is a lot of development coming to Mission that I’m excited about. We are working with developers to bring in another retail center into a 26-acre tract located at Inspiration Rd. and Expressway 83. Also, the old Carl’s building is a prime project in the works for more retail and restaurants,” said Salinas. Both these projects are located in the western part of the city. The city is also working with the new owners and developers of the property located on the corner of Bry-

an Rd. & Expressway 83 for additional retail and eateries. The city has invested and completed several utility infrastructure projects that include – Melba Carter Drainage Project, Oleander Sewer Line Improvement, Perkins Drainage Improvement, among others. Overall, the city has invested $9.9M for current water/sewer line and drainage improvements. The largest project currently in the works and which will have a strong economic impact in Mission is the Madero International Bridge. Mayor Salinas has been able to bring a partnership together with the Cities of Hidalgo, McAllen and the Anzalduas Bridge Board to work on the necessary steps to get the project done. There is currently an inter-local agreement in place with these entities and engineers are finalizing the required study. “Our counterparts in Mexico have completed 95% of the study,” said Mayor. Furthermore, Mayor Salinas has been able to obtain state and federal funds total-

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ing $19.1M from the MPO to expand Military Rd. and South Inspiration which will prepare the area for the port of entry. In preparation for future developments in the western part of the city, two projects have been completed which are 2 Mile Line from Conway to La Homa Rd. and Inspiration Rd. between Expressway and 3 Mile Line. The city has already begun its acquisition process for the Taylor Rd. expansion project between Expressway 83 and 2 Mile Line. This is a shared-cost project between the City of Mission, the City of McAllen, MPO and the County. This July, the City of Mission will finalize the expansion of the waste water treatment plant from a 9.5 mgd to 13.5 mgd. This expansion will add capacity for new customers and anticipated developments. The project includes a re-useable water system that will be sold to our industrial businesses and will be utilized for our city park irrigation systems.

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February 16, 2018

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La Joya hires new police chief By: Dave Hendricks La Joya hired a new police chief last month — a former McDonald’s manager with fewer than five years of full-time law enforcement experience. The City Commission promoted Adolfo Arriaga, 28, of La Joya from sergeant to police chief on Jan. 31. “I believe he’s going to be a big asset to our city,” said Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas. Arriaga worked at McDonald’s while attending La Joya High School, according to city records. After graduation, McDonald’s promoted him to assistant manager. Officers often stopped by during breaks. “And he always had questions about police work,” said former Chief Ramon Gonzalez.

McDonald’s offered decent pay and opportunities for promotion. Arriaga, though, always wanted to join the police department. “Ever since I was a kid, that’s what my dream has been,” Arriaga said. While working at the restaurant, Arriaga attended the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council police academy. He graduated in January 2012. Arriaga quickly joined the La Joya Police Department, which made him a reserve officer that February, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Records. The unpaid, part-time position allowed Arriaga to ride along with other officers. After he started volunteering, Arriaga left McDonald’s, according to city records. He took a job with Irving-based Power Line

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Services, waiting for La Joya to start hiring again. In October 2013, a job opened in La Joya. Arriaga finally became a full-time policeman. He worked hard, volunteered for extra shifts and developed a reputation for making drug busts. Arriaga routinely stopped smugglers on U.S. 83, seizing nearly 10,000 pounds of marijuana during 2014. When the department needed a new sergeant, Gonzalez promoted Arriaga. “At first, it was good,” Gonzalez said, but Arriaga quickly developed a bad reputation. Officers started calling Arriaga “Happy Meal” and “McNugget” when he wasn’t around, according to five current and former coworkers, who spoke with the Progress Times on the condition of anonymity. They said Arriaga destroyed morale at the department and treated subordinates unfairly. “Pretty much from the get-go, I noticed that he never got that respect,” Gonzalez said. Arriaga punished officers for minor mistakes, placing write-ups in their personnel files. Gonzalez said he attempted to mentor Arriaga and encouraged him to adopt a less authoritarian management style. “At times he did try it,” Gonzalez said. “But he would always revert back to his authoritarian-ness.” Three people sent anonymous letters to La Joya, complaining about Arriaga’s lack of leadership and poor management skills. Gonzalez said he attempted to investigate the complaints, but nobody admitted to writing the letters. Supervisors must sometimes make unpopular decisions, Arriaga said, adding that he treated everyone fairly. “That’s part of management,” Arriaga said.

Gonzalez said he trusted Arriaga, but the complaints troubled him. He started keeping a closer eye on Arriaga. “Later on, I did find out that the truth that he was saying was distorted or stretched out or was missing parts,” Gonzalez said. He wasn’t the only person concerned about Arriaga’s integrity. In July 2017, reserve Officer Jose Chapa filed a formal complaint against Arriaga. Chapa alleged that Arriaga fabricated parts of a background check for a female police applicant, which cost her the job. The complaint triggered a formal internal investigation, which uncovered allegations of sexism against Arriaga. Officer Jennifer Garza and Officer Lorie Garcia accused Arriaga of treating them differently from male coworkers and targeting them for write-ups. Sgt. Pablo Alegria, who conducted the investigation, submitted a three-page report documenting the allegations. “I can assure you that I was fair and impartial to those individuals,” Arriaga said, adding that the allegations were without merit and La Joya didn’t take any disciplinary action against him. Arriaga also had a run-in with the Peñitas Police Department. Peñitas police Chief Roel Bermea filed an affidavit with La Joya during May 2017 after witnessing a La Joya police car “traveling at speeds close to 100 mph” without lights or sirens. “I called our Dispatch and asked if La Joya PD had any emergency or anything going on,” Bermea wrote. “And our Dispatcher stated that she had just called La Joya PD because one of our patrol officers had called out on the radio with the same question.” Bermea contacted Gonzalez, who determined Arriaga

Adolfo Arriaga had been driving the La Joya police car. “At first, I was going to give him a three-day suspension,” Gonzalez said. City Administrator Mike Alaniz decided that Arriaga should receive a written reprimand because personnel records didn’t show any prior discipline, Gonzalez said. Exactly how fast Arriaga went and why remain unclear. “There were witnesses that saw him going well over 80 mph,” Gonzalez said, adding that he reviewed video from the incident. “He passed a unit from our neighboring city. No lights. No siren.” Asked about the incident, Arriaga denied that he received a reprimand. However, the Progress Times obtained a copy of the two-page document, which shows La Joya formally reprimanded Arriaga for violating city policies. Alaniz and Gonzalez signed the reprimand. Arriaga refused to sign, according to a handwritten note where

his signature would appear. “This will not be tolerate (sic) and as a supervisor you must set the example to the department’s officers, as well as outside agencies,” according to the document. “Let this reprimand serve as a reminder that if another incident like this occurs, disciplinary action will be taken against you.” La Joya fired Gonzalez without an explanation in December. The city also fired Alegria, the sergeant who investigated the complaint against Arriaga, during January or February. Arriaga declined to comment on why the city fired Alegria, who didn’t respond to requests for comment. Concerns about Arriaga apparently never reached the City Commission, which holds him in high esteem. “He comes from a very respectable family here in La Joya,” said Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas. “And all I’ve heard from the community, and even the officers and the dispatchers, is nothing but positive things about him.”

February 16, 2018

MADERO BRIDGE

bridge, which was initially approved in 1978. “It’s unusual that the city has had the permit for 30 some years and not done anything with it. There’s a degree of urgency to it, we need to move on. As Alex said, there’s 36 months left to get on that list to be prioritized by TxDOT or else we’ll risk being behind on the project.” Mission City Manager Martin Garza agreed. “If we do not have our name on that list in the Transportation Department form, then we don’t get any funding from TxDot regarding that project,” Garza said. “Right now, we’re not in there, and there’s already people on that list. So, we got to somehow get our way in

and then, hopefully, gradually move up.” Meade pointed out that getting on that list will be a “very long, very lengthy process” that will most likely spill over into the next legislative session. In the meantime, the city is tackling items on their end. The purchase of 100 acres near Madero for the General Services Administration is planned in the coming months. Garza said that at the next Anzalduas International Bridge Board meeting, it will be discussed as to what entity – the board or city – will make the required acquisition. Last November the Mission Redevelopment Authority approved a $46 mil-

obituaries David Garza MISSION – David Garza, 86, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. Mr. Garza was born July 19, 1931, to Napoleon and Francisca Garza. In 1994, he retired after working 28 years for Mission Paving Company as a road construction foreman. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the Catholic War Veterans Post #1065, American Legion Post #93 and the Knights of Columbus #14261. He was a member and active serving in various capacities at Our Lady of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Mission. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Tomasa Limon Garza; children, Felipe of Brazoria, Susana of Mission, Fernando of San Juan, Dario of Harlingen, Veronica Almendarez of Mission and Patricia Almendarez of Mission; sisters, Aurora Garcia of Mission and Margarita

Perez of California; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, David Jr.; and siblings, Miguel, Napoleon, Isidro, Daniel and Florencia. A funeral mass was held on Feb. 9 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. Burial followed at Catholic Cemetery in Mission. Military honors were conducted by American Legion Post #93. Felix Garza ALTON – Felix Garza, 82, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Doctor’s Hospital in Edinburg. Survivors include his wife, Gertrudes E. Garza of Alton; children, Felix Garza Jr. of Louisville, Ky., Norma Garza of McAllen and Ricardo Garza and Belinda Carranza of Alton; siblings, Rosa Noyola, Francisca Garza, Marta Garza and Carlos Garza of Reynosa, Tamps., Mexico; and 13 grandchildren. A funeral mass was held

from pg 1

lion project to widen about 6.8 miles of roads that will eventually connect with the planned bridge. Inspiration Road from Expressway 83 south to Military Road would be widened to five lanes. The project also includes construction of a “loop road” connecting Los Ebanos Road with Conway Avenue. The city of Mission’s portion of the project is about $8 million or 18-percent of the total cost. Garza said the city has already spent $1.3 million of its $8 million share of the project on preliminary feasibility studies they hope to be completed by this coming June. He said the Hidalgo County MPO has dedicated $19.1 million to the project, and with the city’s $8 milon Feb. 14 at San Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Alton. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in McAllen. Abraham Hernandez Sr. MISSION – Abraham Diego Hernandez Sr., 76, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Mr. Hernandez was born on Feb. 15, 1941, to Jesus and Paula Cerda Hernandez in Mission. He was a 1958 graduate of La Joya High School. He worked at Sears in Los Angeles, Calif., with Customs/TABC at the Hidalgo International Bridge and at John Deere. He was preceded in death by his wife, Corina Garcia Hernandez; his parents; and sister, Paula Hernandez. Survivors include his children, Guadalupe Hernandez Sr., Abraham Hernandez, Victoria Armanii and Paula Hernandez; siblings, Maria Hernandez and Jose Hernandez; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A funeral mass was held on Feb. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission with Rev. Roy Snipes officiating. Burial followed at the Catholic Cemetery in Mission.

lion, the project still is lacking approximately $19 million in funding. The Anzalduas International Bridge Board contracted S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd. to conduct the feasibility study, with city officials confident it will show the need for a second bridge in the area, Garza said. “We feel very strong that if we have a positive study, that if we get on the Border Master Plan, and if we have acquired the 100 acres we need for the GSA, and that we have an environmental study that is positive – if we have all those components – we feel very strong that the Department of State will provide an extension to the project.” Serving as pallbearers were Jose Hernandez, Manuel Garcia, Roel Cazares, Robert Cazares, J. R. Hernandez and Abe Hernandez. Honorary pallbearers were Gilbert Salazar, Marcos Salazar, Jerry Gonzalez, Christopher Gonzalez, Baldemar Garcia Jr. and Gilbert Salazar. Joaquin Hernandez MISSION – Joaquin Hernandez, 95, passed away on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, at Mission Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Hernandez was born on March 20, 1922, to Juan Hernandez and Eloisa Perez in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Survivors include his wife; Angelina Hernandez; children, Raul Hernandez, Evangelina Casas, San Juana Peña, Magdalena Tavares, Maria De Jesus Danner, Jose Hernandez, Norma Rios, Sylvia Rios, Joaquin Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez and Javier Hernandez; sister, Dolores Mireles; and 40 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. His remains were cremated.

ChurCh DireCtory BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411 CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 2Mile & Bryan Rd Mission. CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413 EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617 EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule.

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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665 FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 11809 N. Shary Rd. • 584-3112 GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission HERITAGE BAPTIST MCALLEN 2549 Lindbergh Ave. McAllen • 451-6358 IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008 IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688 IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332 IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898

IGLESIA PENTECOSTES NUEVA VIDA A/G 211 W. Mile 3 Road Palmhurst • 956-342-9711 Rev. Candelario Banda

LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787 MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683 NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 369-3603 NORTH MISSION CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E. Mile 3 Rd. • 585-0146 Palmhurst NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln. ONLY THRU JESUS 1511 E. Mile 2 Rd. Mission • 918-760-1625 OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223 OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623 OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193 PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy. 585-3203 PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236 PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711

PROMISE LAND CHURCH 2300 E. Palm Circle (Corner of 495) Mission, TX 78572 • 624-9307 RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838 SAN CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH

3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5

Mission • 580-4551

SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002 SPIRIT OF PEACE EV. LUTHERAN CHUCH 3104 Los Milagros Mission • 581-1822 ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325 ST. PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005 SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH 6 1/8 N. Doffing Rd. (FM 492) 580-4078 TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway 581-4981or 585-3831 TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3905 W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261 VALLEY FELLOWSHIP 1708 E. Griffin Parkway Mission • 424-7200

PRIMERA IGLESIA DEL VALLE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 210 N. St. Marie. • 585-8651

KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW

DAVID H. GUERRA

DARRELL DAVIS

301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622

MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA

ER MAE EPQOU IW PMENT

Commercial Lawn Equipment “Since 1954”

915 West Bus. 83 • Mission, tX 78572 • (956) 581-7433

Heading to state for first time The Mariachi Aguilas at Mission High School (MHS) is making school musical history as the first mariachi group at MHS to advance to the state UIL mariachi competition that will be held February 23-24 at The University of Texas-RGV where they received a Superior 1st Division rating. Mariachi Aguilas members are, left to right, Kevin Martinez, Farith Elvira, Jaime Patiño (Mission Collegiate High School), Yssa Garcia, Marie De Leon, Rocio Romero, Monica Garcia, Daniela Gaona-Vento (director), Angela Garza, Jorge Ramos, Angel Alanis, Humberto Maldonado, Daniel Olea and Arif Aguilera.

Notices Andres Alvarado MISSION – Andres Piedra Alvarado, 78, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at his home in Mission. Roger Barthel MISSION – Roger Norbert Barthel, 71, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at McAllen Medical Center. Jose Botello Sr. MISSION – Jose Israel Botello Sr., 67, passed away on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, at Amara House in Edinburg. Sylvia Buentello MISSION – Sylvia Buentello, 42, passed away on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, at Doctors Hospital in Edinburg. Juan Cantu MISSION – Juan A. Cantu, 48, passed away on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Oscar Cuevas MISSION – Oscar Mario Cuevas, 55, passed away on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Matias Garcia Jr. MISSION – Matias Garcia Jr., 55, passed away on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in McAllen.

Adela Garza PALMVIEW – Adela G. Garza, 73, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Ventura Gonzalez MISSION – Ventura Gonzalez, 80, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, at his home in Mission. Jose Lopez PALMVIEW – Jose De La Luz Lopez, 65, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Alicia Mangin MISSION – Alicia Pola Mangin, 85, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2018, in Mission. Luis Patiño MISSION – Luis Patiño, 69, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Eventino Rendon MISSION - Eventino Rendon, 88, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, at Village Healthcare and Rehabilitation in McAllen. Juan Sifuentes LA JOYA – Juan F. Sifuentes, 78, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, at Edinburg Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

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February 16, 2018

would like to say a big

Thank You

to all of our sponsors, entertainers, volunteers & attendees

that made this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event an extraordinary success...

See You All Next Year!!!

February 16, 2018

MetalHawks heading to state competition – again

The Kenneth White Jr. High MetalHawks defended their first place Intermediate Inventions title at the annual Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Area 1 Robotics Competition. It has now qualified them for the State competition and will be the fifth consecutive year the MetalHawks have qualified for that competition. Additionally, the Tango and Alpha teams were awarded third in Advanced Inventions and fourth in Advanced Arena, respectively. The Sierra team is composed of Jonathan Salinas (captain), Hugo Mireles, Camila Urquizo, Valerie Compean and Ricardo Ochoa. Tango members are Maritza Moreno (captain), Alma Gomez, Danilee Alaniz and Carlos Wong. Alpha team members are Jorge Salinas (captain), Gabriel Cordova and Jaclyn Ornelas. Coaches for the MetalHawks are J. Sanchez, S. Silva, A. Chapa and D. Garcia.

FIESTA

the city has to offer. “We love it down here,” David said. “We just can’t stand your summers, your summers we can’t take. But we’re appreciative of the people who put this on, because it’s a lot of work, so we’re thankful for this. You can’t pass this up, it’s free, and Winter Texans never pass up a free meal, and that’s a true statement.” With over 4,000 people from all over the United States present, the events covered most of the parking lot in front of the Mission CEED Building, as well as the interior and exterior of Mission’s Parks and Recreation building. The annual events are put on to thank and celebrate Winter Texans. Mary Rosales, who had her empanada stand up and

The Kenneth White Junior High MetalHawks-Sierra team members, Hugo Mireles, Ricardo Ochoa, Jonathan Salinas (Captain), Valerie Compean and Camila Urquizo, have qualified for the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Area 1 Robotics Competition.

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to see, located in Mission, TX. 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER Mini Van, 182K miles, clean title, $3,200, call 956-803-6924. 2007 JEEP COMMANDER 4WD, 108K miles, salvaged title, $5,500, call 956-803-6924. 2012 JETTA, LEATHER interior, automatic, 81K

ORDINANCE NO. 4593 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING LOTS 1 & 2, DOLLAR GENERAL MISSION (MILE 3) SUBDIVISION, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) TO C-3 (GENERAL BUSINESS) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4599 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT A NEW 100’ WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER ON PROPERTY ZONED AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) FOR T-MOBILE, 2108 W. GRIFFIN PARKWAY, 50’ X 50’ LEASED AREA OF 2.52 ACRES OUT OF LOT D, B.L. MILLERS SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4600 AN ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION IN MISSION, TEXAS PROVIDING FOR THE ELECTION OF A COUNCILMEMBER FOR PLACE FOUR; PROVIDING FOR POLLING PLACES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO SAID ELECTION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDENANZA NO. 4600 APROBACIÓN DE LA ORDENANZA CONVOCATORIA PARA LLAMAR A VOTACIONES ESPECIALES EN LA CIUDAD DE MISSION TEXAS PARA LA ELECCIÓN DE MIEMBRO DEL CONCILIO PARA EL PUESTO CUATRO. SITIOS DE VOTACIÓN Y OTRAS CUESTIONES RELATIVAS A ESA ELECCIÓN READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

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call 956-580-0377. For Sale

ORDINANCE NO. 4595 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.780 DESIGNATING PLACES WHERE BEER AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MISSION TO INCLUDE THE PREMISES LOCATED AT 2306 E. EXPRESSWAY 83, SUITE 5, LOT 1, CIMARRON CROSSING PH. I SUBDIVISION, BONITA RESTAURANT READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4596 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE SALE & ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – MARCO’S BURGERS & MORE, 2507 & 2509 E. GRIFFIN PARKWAY, LOTS 3 & 4, BLOCK 2, TIERRA GRANDE COMMERCIAL PLAZA SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

NOTICE TO SELECT CITY DEPOSITORY FOR THE CITY OF PENITAS The City of Penitas is accepting sealed applications for the selection of a City depository as required by the provisions of Article 2559 and 2560 of the Texas Statutes. Detailed specifications may be obtained at the City of Penitas, City Secretary’s Office, 1111 S Main, Penitas, Texas 78576, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling 956-581-3345, or email: citysecretary@cityofpenitas.com. Sealed applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. Please mark your bid “BANK DEPOSITORY BID.” The City of Penitas reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to accept that deemed most advantageous to the City.

Ana M. Valdez, City Secretary

from pg 1

monitoring. Mission High School’s HOSA group, for future health professionals, was also present at the Mega Winter Texan Fiesta, and had a stand giving away various goodies to the Winter Texans who stopped by. Their advisor, Nancy Turchi, said they had 12 students volunteer to run the stand throughout the day. “For the Winter Texans who are here, we’re here to provide them thanks,” Turchi said. “We want to give that thanks and gratitude for them coming and spending time with us in Mission during the time they have in the winter months. I feel the things we provide them just show a small token of our appreciation here in Mission and the Rio Grande Valley.”

ProgressTimes

Classified Rate:

miles, salvaged title, $6,750, call 956803-6924.

running for the Artesano Market Days, also shared her reasoning for returning to the event every year. Rosales has been part of the event for three years and says the interactions with people from all over are always interesting. “Connecting with the customers is the most rewarding part,” Rosales said. “It’s fun, I like to meet and see different people. I love to make them my empanadas.” The events lasted half a day on Friday and all day Saturday, and the weather cleared up just in time for the sunny environment that attracts the Winter Texans to the area. The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce provided free meals and the Mission Police Department was present to help with directions, parking, and overall

$600, lift/ carrier for scooter, silver spring, electric powered, $600, both scooter and carrier together $1,150, call 417299-1617. Garage Sale RUMMAGE SALE AT Tropical Valley

Make it happen, we’re located at 1217 N. Conway in Mission, TX Come on in! Our hours of operation are Mon. - Fri. 8 - 5 p.m. If you can’t drop by, mail it! P.O. Box 399, Mission, TX 78573 Submit by email or pay by phone 585-4893.The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 5 p.m. Acres, 1240 E. Bus 83 in Mission, with breakfast and lunch, bake sale and raffle, Friday, February 17, 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. TWIN LAKES RV Park, 301 N. Shary Rd, Mission, will be having a park sale Saturday February 24 from 8am-12pm, coffee and donuts

ORDINANCE NO. 4592 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING OF LOT 1, TEX-MART NO. 43 SUBDIVISION, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) TO C-3 (GENERAL BUSINESS) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4594 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE SALE & ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – BONITA RESTAURANT, 2306 E. EXPRESSWAY 83, SUITE 5, LOT 1, CIMARRON CROSSING PH. I SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

available. GARAGE SALE, 923 ADAMS, Mission, Friday, February 16 from 9am5pm and Saturday, February 17 from

9am-4pm, household items, furniture and 2002 King Ranch bed cover.

ORDINANCE NO. 4598 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR DRIVE-THRU SERVICE WINDOW – BANANA LEAF JAROCHO’S RESTAURANT, 3604 N. CONWAY AVENUE, BEING .63 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF LOT 30-7, WEST ADDITION TO SHARYLAND SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4597 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.780 DESIGNATING PLACES WHERE BEER AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MISSION TO INCLUDE THE PREMISES LOCATED AT 2507 & 2509 E. GRIFFIN PARKWAY, LOTS 3 & 4, BLOCK 2, TIERRA GRANDE COMMERCIAL PLAZA SUBDIVISION, C-3 MARCO’ S BURGERS & MORE READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2018. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

THE STATE OF TEXAS NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: “You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next following the expiration of forty two days after you were served this citation and petition, a default judgment may be taken against you.” To: RAYMOND MANNING, MICHAEL MANNING, and THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF RAYMOND MANNING, and THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF MICHAEL MANNING, Defendants Greeting: You are hereby commanded to appear by filing a written answer to the Plaintiff’s petition at or before 10:00 o’clock a.m. of the first Monday after the expiration of 42 days from the date of issuance of this citation, the same being Monday the 26th day of March, 2018 at or before 10 o’clock a.m., before the 275th District Court of Hidalgo County, at the Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas. Said Plaintiff’s Petition was filed on January 23, 2018 in this case, numbered C-0258-18-E on the docket of said court. An amended original petition was filed January 29, 2018. The names of the parties to the cause are as follows: HERITAGE SQUARE RECREATION, INC., Plaintiff and RAYMOND MANNING, MICHAEL MANNING, and THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF RAYMOND MANNING, and THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF MICHAEL MANNING, Defendants. A brief statement of the nature of the suit is as follows, to-wit: The suit seeks to have judgment against the Defendants and to foreclose on the lien held by the Plaintiff for unpaid and delinquent assessments assessed against the property that belongs to or may belong to the Defendant, being Lot 7, Block 1, Heritage Square Subdivision Unit 2, and addition to the City of Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas. An order of sale of the property is requested in the Plaintiff’s Petition. If this citation is not served within ninety days after the date of its issuance, it shall be returned unserved. The officer executing this writ shall promptly served the same according to requirements of law, and the mandates thereof, and make due return as the law directs. Issued and given under my hand and the Seal of said court at office in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas, on this FEBRUARY 8, 2018.

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