2018 HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT 30-6A
DISTRICT 16-5A DIV.I
DISTRICT 16-5A DIV. II
SPORTS PREVIEW 2018 Fall Edition
Progress www.ptrgv.com
H 96 L80 20% Precip.
Friday, September 21, 2018
INSIDE
New Agua SUD booster tanks
Because of low water pressure for Agua SUD customers north of Peñitas and near Juarez-Lincoln High School, the utility district is building two booster tanks. Jose De Leon III has the latest.
See Pg. 10
Mission recieves SAFER grant
AUSTIN - The honors for Bryan Elementary School teacher, Rhonda Peña began in January when she was selected as the Bryan Elementary School Teacher of the Year. In May, Peña was honored as the Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) Elementary Teacher of the Year. In early August, she was selected as the Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year. Later in August Peña learned she was one of six finalists for Texas Teacher of the Year which is facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). During a special luncheon in Austin today, Peña was named the 2019 Elementary Teacher of the Year. The honor of representing Texas in the National Teacher of the Year went to the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year, Jeff Wheatcraft from Alamo Heights Independent
School District. This makes Peña the top elementary school teacher in Texas for this year’s statewide contest. Peña is a fifth grade math and science teacher at Bryan Elementary School. She has been at the campus for 25 years and has a total of 28 years in education. She has been chosen as Bryan Elementary Teacher of the Year twice: 2018 and 2012. In 2017, she received the prestigious H-E-B Excellence in Education Lifetime Achievement Award. In her Teacher of the Year application Peña said, “If I were chosen as the 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year, my message to other educators and the public would be, “Building Relationships Will Build Respect and Success,” she said. “Our students are our future. They deserve to have every ounce of our efforts to help guide them toward a productive life. By
See Pg. 11
SPORTS
The game of the week is Pioneer Diamondbacks vs. the Brownsville Rivera Raiders. Pioneer is looking to win big before district games begins. Bryan Ramos brings some insight about the teams.
See Pg. 7
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INDEX Entertainment...... pg. 2 Sports....................... pg. 6 Lifestyle................... pg. 8 Obituaries.............. pg. 9 Classifieds..............pg.11
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La Lomita Chapel Mission, Texas
building a relationship with each of our students, we are also building the respect that they will have for us, for each other, and for themselves, and we are setting the path towards a successful life.” As Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year this year, Peña was among 40 outstanding Texas educators eligible for consideration for Texas Teacher of the Year. A panel of judges composed of representatives of Texas teacher associations and the 2018 Texas Teacher of the Year finalists chose her and five other Regional Teachers of the Year-three elementary and three secondary- as state finalists. “Words cannot really express just how proud of Ms. Peña we are in Mission CISD,” said Dr. Carol G. Perez, Mission CISD super-
See MCISD TEACHER Pg. 9
Norberto “Beto” Salinas By Dave Hendricks When former Mission Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas filed a lawsuit against his successor, he didn’t pull any punches. Beto Salinas claimed fraud — bribery, mail-in ballot shenanigans and illegal voting — marred the mayoral runoff in June. “These allegations are salacious. They are devastating,” according to the lawsuit filed by attorney Rick Salinas, the mayor’s son. “And, they will be proven true.” That proof may emerge Monday, when the trial is scheduled to start. State District Judge J. Bonner Dorsey of Corpus Christi, a well-respected jurist who retired from the 13th Court of Appeals, will preside over the case. Mayor Armando “Doc” O’caña won about 51 percent of nearly 6,800 ballots cast during the runoff, according to Hidalgo County Elections Department records. To force a new election, attorneys for Beto Salinas must convince the judge to void 158 votes. “They got a tough row to hoe,” said attorney Ric Gonzalez of Edinburg, who han-
THE BIG 7
Armando O’caña
dled several election lawsuits in Hidalgo. The litigants, not the attorneys, often make or break an election lawsuit. They guide the attorneys, identifying people who voted illegally or broke state law by harvesting mail-in ballots. “Usually the big issue is whether someone lives in your community,” Gonzalez said. However, identifying questionable votes is just half the battle. Tracking voters down, serving them with subpoenas and forcing them to appear in court is a logistical nightmare. “Even if you serve them, a lot of them don’t show up,” Gonzalez said. The margin of victory in Mission makes the case especially difficult. “They have to specifically prove by clear and convincing evidence that a person voted illegally,” said attorney Gilberto Hinojosa of Brownsville, who represents O’caña. “And that’s a high standard.” Hinojosa said he’s still waiting to see the evidence. Attempts to schedule an
Rhonda Pena (right) with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath (left) after he presented her with her award for Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Photo courtesy of MCISD Public Relations and Marketing.
Buckner Missions and Wells Fargo build home for family in Peñitas By Jamie Treviño
The federal grant will be used to hire nine new firefighters for the City of Mission. More details about the grant, and the special meeting held at city hall last Friday, see inside.
GAME WEEK
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Mission CISD teacher selected Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
Mission election lawsuit heads to trial Monday
Diamondbacks vs. Raiders
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Vol. 47 - #5
Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.
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For Buckner International and Wells Fargo, strengthening local families is the most effective way to strengthen the Rio Grande Valley. Currently in construction of the fourth home sponsored by the bank, Buckner and Wells Fargo held their final volunteer day for the new Garcia family home on Wednesday. The house is located in Peñitas, and is being paid for by a grant from Wells Fargo and Buckner Missions. Buckner International is a non-profit organization that specializes in helping families and children in need.
Bankers, tellers and managers alike have helped in the building of the home, and are glad to see the community
giving back. Monica Skrzypinski, the
See PEÑITAS HOME Pg. 3
Wells Fargo volunteers working on the exterior of a new home for a family in Peñitas. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
Palmview becomes first city in western Hidalgo County to post meeting packets online
by Dave Hendricks
As part of a push to make Palmview more transparent, the City Council plans to post meeting videos on YouTube. Palmview recorded the City Council meeting on
Sept. 4 and posted the video on YouTube two days later. Perhaps more important — although far less flashy — Palmview also started posting City Council meeting packets online. “When you have nothing to hide, why keep the infor-
See ELECTION LAWSUIT A screenshot from the meeting video. (Courtesy of Pg.3 the city of Palmview)
THE
BIG7 SCHOOLS
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Check Out Our Players of the Week on pages 6 & 7
mation from the community?” said City Councilwoman Linda Sarabia. Both initiatives remain works in progress. Palmview recorded the Sept. 4 meeting with a GoPro camera mounted above the podium, which left viewers looking down on the City Council from an awkward angle. Palmview posted the City Council meeting packet for Sept. 11, but canceled the meeting for lack of quorum. And days after the special City Council meeting on Sept. 14, nothing but the agenda is available online. If Palmview pushes forward, though, it will become the first city in western Hidalgo County to publish
See CITY OF PALMVIEW Pg.10
entertainment
September 21, 2018
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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Music, animals, ancient dances highlight Fiesta de Palmas Celebration
McALLEN – It’s a one-step cultural experience of animal ambassadors, tribute bands, indigenous dancers and more at McAllen’s Fiesta de Palmas this weekend. The festival, scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22 and 23, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center and McAllen Performing Arts Center, will offer a wide variety of international cuisine with European, Middle Eastern and Latin American in-
fluences. Guests can explore an on-site artisan market and other entertainment such as games, carnival rides, and a beer garden for attendees 21 and over. Fiesta de Palmas visitors will be treated to “The Danza de los Voladores,” or the Dance of the Flyers, a centuries-old, dance in the sky. The dance is performed by indigenous groups of Mexico and other South American countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
Coming Attractions
All Month • The Mission Historical Museum (MHM) exhibition, “Mexico: Splendors of Thirty Centuries,” will be open to the public through Sept. 29. For more information, or to arrange group visits, call 956-580-8646. September 21-23 • Fiesta de Palmas from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the McAllen Convention Center. It begins with a Grito celebration, the traditional event that celebrates Mexico’s Independence Day. There is free admission before 5 p.m. and $5 for anyone ages 12 and up after 5 p.m. It is an international cultural celebration featuring the Asian, European, Middle Eastern and Latin American cultural influences with live music and entertainment on different stages, authentic foods, shopping and activities. The Budweiser Texas Bike Fest kicks off on Friday night with a Tacos & Tequila celebration. The next morning, motorcyclists will ride to Progresso, returning for a Poker Run and other activities and culminating with a rock band that night. The cost to participate in the entire package of bike events is $25. For more information, visit texasbikefest.com. September 23 • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents Dr. Shoko Kinsella in a piano recital is at 3 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg campus. Dr. Kinsella features solo piano works by J. S. Bach, Beethoven and Takemitsu. Admission is free. For information or special accommodations, call 956-665-3881. September 28 • The Valley Symphony Orchestra opens the 2018-19 season of “Symphony: That’s Entertainment,” with Concert I – “A Night in Paris.” It will be held at the McAllen Performing Arts Center, 801 Convention Center Blvd. from 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets range in price for the full, five-concert season from $190 for back of the house, front of the house at $240 and orchestra at $290. Purchase season tickets directly from the McAllen Convention Center Box Office, online to valleyorchestra.org or ticketmaster.com. For questions about seating locations and availability, call the VSO Box Office to 956-661-1615. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)
The sights and sounds of local and international music and dance acts will offer over 100 performances on stages throughout the twoday event. These include Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, La Sonora Arrasadora, Los Cadetes de Linares de Rosendo Cantu and Estruendo. Tribute acts such as the Jimmy Gonzalez Tribute Band, “Earth to Mars, a Bruno Mars Tribute” and “Majesty of Rock” honoring the music of classic rock bands Journey and Styx, will also perform onstage throughout the weekend. Festival organizers have created ECO-RIO, an indoors adventure where visitors can take in over 30 hands-on educational booths, and children can win a prize with their ECO-RIO Passport to Nature. ECO-RIO also offers STEAM activities for children with science, technology, engineering arts, and math booths.
Visit the Texas Zoo’s animal ambassadors from 12 to 8 p.m., including the ocelot, Coati, javelina, and Great Horned Owl. Then check out Sky Kings Falconry and the raptor ambassadors and head to the reptiles show with professional Alejandro Millan. The live animals at “Eco Rio” cannot be released back into the wild for health
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The event cost is $5 on Saturday for adults and free for children under age 12. Sunday is free for all ages between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and regular admission applies after 5 p.m. The McAllen Convention Center is located at 700 Convention Center Blvd in McAllen. For more information, call 956681-3801.
Visit the ECO-RIO exhibits this weekend and experience more than 30 nature education booths and meet the small and agile ocelot and other animal wildlife ambassadors at Fiesta de Palmas this weekend. Then take in the high-flying act of “The Danza de los Voladores,” or the Dance of the Flyers, and other performers and music acts throughout the two-day event.
Auditions open for Tejano Christmas Carol
Balladeer shares songs, tales of South Texas
McALLEN – Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center presents Jorge Trujillo with his musical program, “Jorge the Balladeer: Cultural Songs & Tales of South Texas,” on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. The program is included in the $3 admission. Trujillo will take the audience on a journey of the Rio Grande Valley’s colorful past and legends as he plays an assortment of native cultural instruments. He shares tales that shed light onto the animals of the thorn forest and the cultures of people who lived in this area previously. Trujillo aspires to communicate important issues affecting society through environmental sciences. He is an outdoors enthusiast and has traveled the world visit-
and wellness reasons and are used to educate the public about the importance of conservation. The Native American Bear Clan will also present artifacts, display an authentic teepee, and hold native dances. Stay and listen to the Native American stories (bilingual) and to take in the rich tradition of storytelling.
Jorge Trujillo
ing botanical gardens and national parks from Germany to South Africa. A graduate in molecular genetics from University of Texas Pan America (UTPA), Trujillo is now lecturing in biology at UT-Rio Grande Valley. Quinta Mazatlan is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen. For more information, call 956-681-3370.
PHARR – Auditions have been announced for roles in the upcoming “A Tejano Christmas Carol” with the Pharr Community Theater. Auditions will be cold reading from the script and held first come, first served on Monday, Sept. 24, and Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the theater, 213 W. Newcombe Ave. No appointment is necessary. Anyone interested invited to try out. Needed for the cast are six men between ages 18 and 85, six women between ages 18 and 85, and six children between ages 8 and 14. Young adult and youth dancers and singers are encouraged to try out as well. It will run Nov. 28 through Dec. 20 in Pharr and will include all English versions at several Winter Texan Parks. The play will be directed by Seres Jaime Magaña.
Adapted by Pedro Garcia from the Charles Dickens story, the humorous and dramatic bilingual play is performed in English and Spanish with song and dance. In this version the wellknown Ebenezer Scrooge becomes Ezequiel Codos (Codos translates to “stingy” in Spanish), the most powerful attorney in the region and an influential water broker and land owner. His greed causes the drying up of the most powerful water resource in the Rio Grande Valley’s primary water source, the Rio Grande, and produces catastrophic consequences for the future. In this version of the story, Codos is visited by three ghosts who reflect authentic Rio Grande Valley flavor through characters, music, singing and a flare of RGV Christmas excitement. For more details, call 956239-0412.
September 21, 2018 from pg. 1
ELECTION LAWSUIT
interview with Rick Salinas were unsuccessful. During a hearing last month, he said the case may involve dozens of audio recordings, hundreds of witnesses and thousands of documents. “We’re just waiting to see what the heck they got,” Hinojosa said. Before the trial begins, though, the attorneys will argue over whether or not to exclude testimony from an expert witness. Hinojosa filed a motion to block George J. Korbel, an expert witness hired by Beto Salinas to analyze the election results, from testifying. After reviewing the runoff election results and information provided by the Beto Salinas campaign, Korbel produced an 18-page report. Korbel said two facts about the runoff struck him as suspicious: high turnout and Salinas losing, despite coming so close to victory during the first round of voting. “The likely explanation I see for both the increase in turnout and the reversal of likely political outcome is the acceptance of illegal votes,” according to Korbel’s report. Korbel also claims the stamps on a bevy of mail-in ballots provide convincing evidence of fraud. Many envelopes that contained mail-in ballots had
from pg. 1
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com 2018 Forever stamps with perforations on both the right and left side. After researching the stamps, Korbel concluded they likely came from a roll. “In my view it is likely that these ballots were harvested. The question, then, is how many mail-in ballots were harvested in this manner. 357 carrier envelopes have the same stamp and most, if not all, appear to have left and right side perforations,” according to Korbel’s report. “It is possible perhaps even likely that every single one of the carrier envelopes with a 2018 Forever stamp with left and right side perforations was a harvested ballot from the O’Cana campaign.” Hinojosa wants the judge to exclude Korbel’s testimony, arguing he simply doesn’t possess the knowledge, skill or training to be considered an expert. “Finally, Mr. Korbel’s opinions are not based upon the underlying facts or data in this case,” according to Hinojosa. “It is based upon unreliable information, and by his own admission, on information or hearsay statements provided to him by Contestant’s lawyers and campaign workers that are not admissible in court.” The trial is scheduled to start 10 a.m. Monday in the 93rd state District Court.
PEÑITAS HOME
Development Officer and Gift Officer with the Buckner Foundation, spoke about how the Garcia family was selected to receive this new home. “They work really hard to make points [with Buckner],” Skrzypinski said. “They attend classes, they need to have a job.” After amassing so many points, families are put on a list, where they are then selected for the new home. The non-profit organization builds about 11 homes per year with different organizations. Bucker’s mission includes motivating and giving families the resources and opportunities to be self-sustainable and successful. Although the home itself is free, families who are gifted them must be able to pay for the lot and the utility bills once it is complete. “We just want to make sure that we are not doing a disservice for them by giving them a home that will now have water and electricity and other payments that maybe for some of the families were not constant every month in the past,” Skrzypinski said. “We want to make sure that they are able to make those payments and not lose the lot.” The Buckner Family Hope Center in Peñitas (located at 39210 Mile 7 Rd. in Peñitas) offers residents classes, case managers and services designed to empower parents who are struggling in order to build up the family. Operating through Buckner Missions on home builds and other projects, Buckner is present all over the RGV. “We have many classes, our case managers work with them really closely to make sure that they are self-sustainable,” Skrzypinski said. “I think that is the key: make the family self-sustainable.” Skrzypinski said that for families, this opportunity means the world. “It means a new beginning, it means a new start and it means a jump forward for the families we work with,” Skrzypinski said. “We have to obviously give them credit, they work really hard.” Skrzypinski was grateful for Wells Fargo offering grants at the local level and also supplying them with hardworking volunteers. “Not only are they giving back financially, but this is the fifth day they have been sending volunteers,” Skrzypinski said. “They are also going to be doing financial literacy classes at our Family Hope Center. That tells you how Wells Fargo just wants to give back.” Kay Garza, who works for Wells Fargo and was painting the new home on Wednesday, has worked on three homes for the bank now. She sees the work as
fulfilling and necessary for the RGV. “I’m very fortunate to work with a company that supports giving back to our community,” Garza said. “That’s something that I’ve always been passionate about.” Before working with Wells Fargo, Garza did volunteer work on her own and said she was shocked to see how some people lived in the area. “Since then, I’ve just done everything that I can to make sure that I am very supportive of the community, that I give back,” Garza said. “I’m very blessed, and it’s very important to me to make sure that I pay it forward.” Alma Ortega Johnson, the Regional Bank President of Wells Fargo for South Texas and El Paso, was able to visit the build site as well. She said charitable work in the community lines up with the vision, values and goals of Wells Fargo, who has been working on this region with Buckner since 2015. “This is one of the many ways we support,” Ortega Johnson said. “The families supported by Buckner go through really hard situations. They really want to be sure the families are going to be able to continue improving their lives from there. It is so critical.” Wells Fargo donated $20,000 and more than 300 volunteer hours this year toward the construction, making this the fourth home they have built in the Valley in partnership with Buckner. According to Ortega Johnson, they hope to see these projects grow and improve the quality of life overall in the community. “It is a part of our social responsibility,” Ortega Johnson said. “We have to help our people have a better life and improve their quality of life.” Jorge Rodriguez, who works with Buckner Missions, was present at the home build for the Garcia family. Giving back to the marginalized lines up with the mission he tries to follow on a daily basis. “These families have tremendous talent and genius and resilience, but they don’t always have the opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “It helps me to connect to the mission I have to give opportunities to families - to have a safe home, make it more resilient for them, for their children, and lead to better health.” For more information on how to get involved with the Buckner Foundation, offer services or donate, Monica Skrzypinski can be reached at 956-585-4847 (ext. 227) or via email at mskrzypinski@buckner.org.
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September 21, 2018
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LJISD approves Optional Flexible School Day Program
With major development on the horizon, Sullivan City approves subdivision regulations
in the program. Gonzalez added that all eight middle schools are in the program, each with up to 50 students participating, and all 23 elementary schools are as well, each with 50 students participating. “The purpose of the program is to offer flexible schedules to qualified students,” Gonzalez said. “Our goals are to improve student attendance, academic achievement and the graduation rate.” Gonzalez presented the statistics of the program for the 2017-2018 school year. LJISD had 1,698 participants, recovering a total of 136,809 instructional days “through extended daily and weekend classes.” Last year, OFSDP also included 112 graduates from the high schools. “We had an average daily attendance as a result of this program of 94.3 percent,” said Superintendent Benavides. The board approved the Optional Flexible School Day Program for the 20182019 school year during the board meeting following the public hearing. During the school board meeting, there was discussion on school plans to improve the overall letter grade and distinction designations in the Texas Education Agency (TEA) 2019 ratings and distinctions. LJISD scored a B in this year’s district accountability ratings by TEA. Benavides said the district was projected to earn a D score, but through hard work and plans, all schools met standard and LJISD scored a B. “What we’re going to do, as part of the requirement of Senate Bill 1566 is that we
The Sullivan City Commission approved subdivision regulations Tuesday, part of a long-term strategy to spur development. Several developers — who own about 250 acres between them — approached the city during the past year with questions about streets, drainage and sidewalks. Mayor Leo Garcia said the questions prompted discussion about subdivision regulations. “I’m really excited,” Garcia said, adding that Sullivan City needed commonsense regulations and a process for reviewing subdivisions. “I don’t want to push the developers out by putting too many restrictions.” Without any regulations, Sullivan City handled development projects on a case-by-case basis. The Hidalgo County Planning Department occasionally performed courtesy reviews for the city but didn’t provide day-to-day oversight. That approach created uncertainty for developers, which made them hesitant to buy land and borrow money. Garcia said he hopes the subdivision regulations will assuage any concerns. “Think of this, guys, as a foundation that you will continue to build upon,” said City Attorney Armando Marroquin. Drafted by City Engineer Craig Gonzalez of Donna-based Urban Infrastructure Group, the subdivision regulations cover everything from street names to lot siz-
For example: > The regulations require sidewalks on both sides of every new street. Sidewalks in multi-family developments and commercial areas must be 5 feet wide. > The regulations set the minimum lot size for a new, single-family home at 5,000 square feet. A single-family home must include parking for at least two vehicles. Homes with more than four bedrooms must include additional parking. > Alleys in new neighborhoods must be owned and maintained by the local homeowners association. Alleys must be at least 50 feet wide; half-alleys aren’t allowed. After approving the regulations, the City Commission discussed a development agreement with Bazbar LLC, which wants to build several subdivisions. The company, which is owned by the Bazan Barrera family of Mission, wants to develop about 140 acres on the north side of Sullivan City. Company representatives didn’t attend the meeting and couldn’t be reached for comment. Bazbar bought a large, L-shaped property north of U.S. 83 between El Pinto Road and El Faro Road last year, according to Hidalgo County Appraisal District records. The family owned company previously handled small jobs, including brush-clearing and utility work, for the city of Peñitas and the La Joya Independent School
MISSION –Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) released the following statement on working to protect Agricultural workers through the Ag and Legal Workforce Act: “My parents were migrant workers and worked in the agricultural fields. I appreciate the hard work these jobs require and I will always work to protect laborers’ rights. Through my work on the Appropriations Committee, I helped secure provisions that ensure the USDA (U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture) work with agricultural laborers when implementing its worker protection standards (language).” “U.S. Agriculture is at a crisis point and faces a critical labor shortage. Instability in the agricultural workforce places domestic food production and the U.S. economy at risk. I am a co-sponsor of the Ag and Legal Workforce Act because I strongly believe securing a reliable and competent agriculture workforce is crucial to agriculture, our economy, and our national food security.”
By Jamie Treviño Aiming to maintain and increase the 94.3 percent daily attendance average for students, the La Joya Independent School District is continuing a program that saw success in the last year of implementation. LJISD held a public hearing before a special called meeting this Monday, where Sandra Gonzalez, the director of the program, presented the Optional Flexible School Day Program to Superintendent Alda T. Benavides and the board of trustees. According to Gonzaleaz, OFSDP is a program that a district may offer to provide flexible hours and days of attendance for students in grades K through 12 who meet certain criteria. “A student may participate if the student has dropped out of school, or the student is at risk of dropping out, as a result of attendance requirements under the 90 percent rule, the student will be denied credit for one of our classes in which the student has been enrolled, the student is attending a school with an approved early college high school program,” Gonzalez said. “Participating campuses for the school year include all three comprehensive high schools, each with 350 participants, and that includes students from CCC [College and Career Center], Health Science Professions, La Joya Early College and the academies.” The Hope Academy, Jimmy Carter Early College High School and Thelma Salinas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Early College High School can each have up to 50 students participate
should look at our agendas and they should be more student/academic oriented,” Benavides said. “That’s part of the requirement that the state is doing,” The board heard some plans of action from principals from three schools: Jackie Escobedo from Guillermo Flores Elementary, Donna Martinez from Rosendo Benavides Elementary and Dr. Sandra Cerda from Juan N. Seguin Elementary. LJISD hopes to receive an A from TEA in 2019. After calculating the averages of each individual campus in the district, and comparing the scores to other districts in the state and local level, nine LJISD schools scored an A overall. Jimmy Carter ECHS, Thelma Salinas STEM ECHS, John F. Kennedy Elementary, Elodia R. Chapa Elementary, Jose De Escandon Elementary, Lloyd M. Bentsen Elementary, Enrique Camarena Elementary, Americo Paredes Elementary and William J. Clinton Elementary were recognized at the board meeting for this achievement. “We’re very proud of these principals,” Benavides said. “They’re lighthouses in our district that are going to help us get all the campuses at our district at an A and our district at an A also.” The LJISD board of trustees additionally terminated an existing contract with O’Hanlon, McCollom and Demerath for legal services for special education. Legal counsel for the district stated that they were not ending the services with the firm completely, just rolling the special education services to another contract with the firm that already exists with LJISD.
By Dave Hendricks
es.
District. Garcia, who co-owned a business with a member of the Bazan Barrera family, briefly considered recusing himself from the discussion. “He’s a good friend of mine,” Garcia said. “So, at this point, I don’t know if it would be a good idea for me — I don’t vote anyway, so it doesn’t matter.” Bazbar wants to build large ranch homes on part of the property, said police Chief Richard Ozuna, who doubles as the interim city manager. The ranch homes would sit on 5.01-acre tracts, which would exempt them from some regulations. That part of the development may be gated, Ozuna said. Bazbar would build several neighborhoods with standard single-family homes on the remaining land. After the discussion, the City Commission voted to approve a “builder’s developer agreement” with Bazbar, but didn’t actually discuss the terms or review a written agreement. The City Commission may discuss the details at a future meeting. “And if this happens, I really see the infrastructure coming up, properties being sold, taxes being collected,” Ozuna said, adding that the subdivision represented a major opportunity for the city. “Anybody that comes in to try to develop something, whether it’s business or residential, it’s future growth for Sullivan.”
Ensuring Greatest Pay for Ag Laborers “The claim that the Ag and Legal Workforce Act will decrease wages by $3 per hour across Texas is false. Today, most H-2A laborers receive $11.87 per hour in Texas. This legislation would require employers to pay agricultural guest workers the greatest of the following: ‘‘(i) the applicable State or local minimum wage; (ii) 115 percent of the Federal minimum wage; (iii) the actual wage level paid by the employer to all other individuals in the job.” In other words, the greatest of these options is the minimum that an employer must pay; if an employer wants to pay its employees more, it may do so. There would be no three dollar cut, as some people are claiming. This means that workers making $11.87 per hour wages today will continue to make that amount, and new H-2C workers will be entitled to earn the same, provided they are working the same job. As a Representative, I remain committed to finding bipartisan measures and am open to any additional legislative language to address this issue.” Putting American Workers First “We need to put American workers first. The guest worker program under this bill requires that an employer seek American workers before hiring foreign labor. By addressing the shortage of workers in the agricultural industry we will help people, in Texas and across the nation, offer improvements to the existing H-2A guest worker program.”
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Local city secretary association assisting others By Jose De Leon III Citing a need to help local city secretaries be up-todate with the latest information necessary for them, the Lower Rio Grande Valley City Secretary’s Association has been meeting monthly to provide them with that information. At their latest meeting
Wednesday at the Alton recreational Center, Robert M. Sumners, director of government filings for Office of the Secretary of State, spoke to city secretaries from the cities of Alton, Peñitas, McAllen and more on the latest happening for Texas Notaries. “There are approximately 434,000 notaries in Texas,
they are critical to the business community,” Sumners said. “They function to promote commerce. Deeds need to be notarized, as do wills, contracts and other forms that makes commerce function.” The two hour workshop
See CITY SECRETARY Pg.11
Members of La Union del Pueblo Entero and officials with the city of Alton at the red-ribbon cutting ceremony for LUPE’s new location in the city of Alton Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. Progress Times photo b Jose De Leon III.
LUPE opens new Alton location By Jose De Leon III
The Alton local non-profit La Union del Pueblo Entero has moved to a new location that will benefit the community. The city and LUPE held a red-ribbon cutting ceremony last Friday, Sept. 14, to commemorate their new office and the relationship between Alton and LUPE. The new Alton LUPE location is housed in the offices of the Alton Regional Training Center at 416 S. Alton Blvd, a departure from the previous location which was housed inside two elementary school portables behind city hall. “We always knew the city would provide something better for us and now we’re here,” LUPE Office Manager Claudia Garcia said. “We’ve been in those portables since 2013 and it was crowded. We couldn’t provide all the services we normally can for our members at that location. Now we can literally stretch our arms out to the community.” LUPE is an organization founded by activists Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to support colonia residents. LUPE, which also has offices in Mercedes, San Juan and San Benito, provides services such as citizenship and English classes for members at a fee of $40 per year, or $20 for students according to Garcia. At their new location, LUPE will have access to
classrooms and office space available at the Alton Regional Center, this will provide better opportunities to LUPE members, Garcia said. Thanks to the space, LUPE will also be able to offer GED classes which their other locations provided. “I’m from the area and know how important it is for people to feel comfortable regardless of their economic status,” she said. “Services will improve, we now have the full space to provide the full services.” Among the attendees at the ceremony was Martha Sanchez, LUPE’s coordinator for their organizing team. Sanchez worked at the original Alton location when they were housed in a small office space near 5 mile and Mayberry Road before they moved to the Alton’s original city hall on the corner of Conway Avenue and 5 Mile Line in 2006. They then moved to their previous site in 2013. Sanchez took time to reflect on how LUPE has grown since them. “In the beginning, when we started working with Alton it was a small city of 10,000 people and we started working on projects together,” Sanchez said, noting that the first time the two partnered up was during a Christmas toy drive in 2006. “LUPE wanted to be an asset to the city. We wanted them to know we were here to see the city grow and improve the services. We entered this
partnership understanding that we needed each other. After that toy drive, they noticed we were an asset and wanted to be partners.” Over time, LUPE witnessed the population of Alton grow to over 16,000 residents. LUPE has been helping several of those residents improving their lives either through teaching them English, teaching them about their basic rights and helping them attain citizenship. This is all with full support from the city, Sanchez said. “We create citizens and provide services to residents in the colonias and Alton knows how much of an asset we are to the city, and that’s evident because of this building,” Sanchez said. “Our new location is a palace compared to where we used to be. There’s more space compared to the old building where we couldn’t even hold community meetings. Now we can offer more so the entire community can benefit.” Alton Mayor Salvador Vela praised the work LUPE has been doing since they’ve been in the city. “These people fight for the rights of others, they’re good for the area,” Vela said. “This space will benefit them. We work with them because it’s for the benefit of the community, to help them. This keeps the people anchored and provides incentives for people to become citizens; that’s what I want.”
Robert M. Sumners, center, with officials from the city of Alton and Lower Rio Grande Valley City Secretary’s Association. Courtesy photo.
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September 21, 2018
Sports week
BIG7 SCHOOLS
page 6
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Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports
Eagles and Coyotes still perfect Rattlers taking on Brownsville Hanna
By Luciano Guerra
Week Three of Valley high school football has come and gone and the seven teams from the Mission, Sharyland and La Joya school districts, the Big 7, have posted a combined record of 12-9 on the season. Of those twelve wins, six of them have been posted by two teams that have yet to taste the agony of defeat; the Mission Eagles and the La Joya Coyotes. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Especially when you take into account the fact that last year the Coyotes swept their final three District 30-6A games to punch their ticket into the UIL State playoffs, and giving them what is now a six game winning streak against Valley teams. As for the Eagles, who are coming off a 4-6 2017 record, they are in their third season under the coaching of former NFL quarterback Koy Detmer, making this the first season in which every player on the varsity roster has been part of the Detmer system exclusively. And from the looks of it, that system is paying dividends. While the Coyotes and the Eagles are off to the best starts of any of the Big 7 teams, there are two others with winning records, the 2-1 Palmview Lobos and the 2-1 Mission Veterans Patriots. While both these teams have lost a game, those losses were against non-district opponents making them both undefeated in District 165A-1 play with identical 2-0 records. The remaining Big 7 teams are off to rather sluggish starts; especially the 0-3 Juarez-Lincoln Huskies, who just one year ago were at 3-0
going into Week Four. That leaves the Pioneer Diamondbacks and the Sharyland Rattlers who are both 1-2 on the season. Fortunately for these three teams, they have yet to face a district opponent. As a result, they still have time to get their acts together without their slow starts having any adverse effect at all on their chances of qualifying for the playoffs, or even of competing for a district championship. Now that Week Four is upon us, the 30-6A teams are all enjoying a bye week. For the undefeated Eagles and Coyotes, this may not be the best timing in the world since they are on a roll and are running the risk of losing their momentum. As for the other Big 7 team with a bye this week, the winless Huskies, a week off may be just the ticket they need to work
out the kinks and figure out what they need to do to chalk up their first victory of the season. While the remaining four Big 7 teams do have games this weekend, two of them, the Patriots and the Lobos, played their Week Four games last night; the Patriots at the 1-2 Rio Grande City Rattlers and the Lobos at the 2-1 Donna Redskins. That leaves only two games featuring Big 7 teams on tonight’s schedule, Brownsville Rivera at Sharyland Pioneer and the Sharyland Rattlers at Brownsville Hanna. With the Rivera at Pioneer game being our Game of the Week, it is being previewed separately. That leaves just one game for us to look at here, the Rattlers at Hanna game.
Sharyland Rattlers at Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles Before we take a look at tonight’s non-district matchup between the Sharyland Rattlers and the Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles, let’s look back at last week’s Rattlers’ loss to the La Joya Coyotes. For those of you that might be wondering how the Coyotes managed to pull off a 31-7 win over the Rattlers. Sharyland head coach Ron Adame offered the following explanation. “Credit needs to be given to La Joya,” Adame said. “They’ve got a strong team. Some people might say that they haven’t played anybody yet but Friday they showed that they’re a contender for their district championship.” “They played well in all three phases,” added Adame. “Offensively they played
keep-away with their ground control game and when they did throw the ball they did it effectively. They have a very athletic, quick and aggressive defense that forced some punts. And on special teams, after we stopped them on their opening possession and they punted to us, we had a muff and I believe it was their deep-snapper that recovered the ball. So we had stopped them, but then we gave them the ball with excellent field position.” Adame went on to credit the coaching staff that Coyotes head Coach Reuben Farias has put together for turning La Joya into a contender. “Coach Farias has some coaches on that staff that are holdovers from last year, but he also added Coach Carlos Longoria to his offensive staff,” Adame said. “He’s
Rattler Emilio Chaves #67 blocks Coyote Luis Gara #66 to open a hole for Danny Escalera, #30 RB of Sharyland. Progress Times photo by Mario Magallon.
got some coaches that have been in the La Joya ISD for a while so they understand what the tradition of Coyote football is. And the fact that his offensive and defensive coordinators are both former head coaches is a plus as well. What it comes down to is that we got beat by a better team that night.” If the Rattlers are going to even up their record at 2-2 tonight, they will have to get by a Brownsville Hanna team that not only defeated McAllen Memorial in Week One, but that also played the Valley’s top ranked team, Edinburg Vela, tough in Week Two. “Hanna defeated Memorial convincingly,” Adame said. “They’re a very athletic team. They lost their last game against Vela but they played them tough. They battled Vela and that game was close. They’re a senior dominant team that saw a lot of success last year. Just like La Joya, they’re very well coached and they’re sound on offense, on defense and on special teams.” With the Rattlers facing the possibility of going 1-3 in non-district play, Adame shared why he would not be too concerned if they did just that when he said, “We want to win every time we take the field, but when you factor in the level of competition we’ve gone up against you’re not going to win them all. These teams are all going to make the playoffs, if not win, or at least contend, for their district championships. So you need to look at the bigger picture and the fact that the quality of opposition that our boys are facing is going to help us in the long run come district time.”
THE BIG 7 PLAYERS OF THE WE OFFENSE
LA JOYA COYOTES DEFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS
#27 Eddie Villarreal
#18 Irvin Zamora
#82 Sergio Jimenez
JUAREZ-LINCOLN HUSKIES DEFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS
OFFENSE
#88 Luis Flores
#90 Xavier Monreal
#3 Rolando Garcia
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September 21, 2018
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GAME WEEK Pioneer hosts Brownsville Rivera in final non-district tuneup
Diamondbacks looking for big win before district begins 2018
FOOTBALL
CONTEST
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Mission Veterans Thurs. 7PM
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Brownsville Rivera
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WINNER Week #2
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oneer Diamondbacks and Brownsville Rivera Raiders is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.
2018 Football Scoreboard PATRIOTS
PALMVIEW LOBOS DEFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS
the board,” he said. “Getting a win and a dominating win would be a big confidence booster going into district play.” Kickoff between the Pi-
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WEEK 2
they’re 0-3 and they want to get a win before their district season starts,” Lee said. “We got to play a good first half and get after it. We know Rivera is going to come out swinging and give us their best punch, but if we can come out and do what we’re supposed to do, we’ll be successful this week.” Lee feels the Diamondbacks have gotten better each week in all three phases of the game and hopes to improve to .500 before starting district in two weeks. “We got to get to 2-2,” he said. “We have an open week before Mercedes, so we don’t want to be going into our open week with a loss being 1-3 and getting ready for district.” Rosales is motivated to put on a show against Rivera and prove the Diamondbacks are going to be a problem for opponents entering district play. “Even though we’re 1-2, after this we’ll show what we can do and put points on
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EEK
and it’s making us a better football team.” Now, Pioneer turns its focus to the final non-district test of the season, a Friday night matchup against the 6A Brownsville Rivera Raiders. Senior safety Aaron Cuevas, who is back playing football for the first time in two years after focusing on basketball, said competing against their non-district opponents has shown them the potential this Pioneer team has. “I feel like we have a lot of talent and we have a lot of potential to get better,” I think we’re doing pretty well competing against these 6A teams.” The Raiders sit at 0-3, and they haven’t been close either. After losses to Brownsville Veterans Memorial (5013), Edinburg High (44-12), and Valley View (35-3), the Raiders are hungry for their first win of the season as they head into their matchup with Pioneer. “Rivera is hungry too;
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Through three weeks, the Pioneer Diamondbacks have experienced their share of ups and downs. First year Pioneer Head Coach Tom Lee scheduled four 6A opponents for non-district play, and the results have varied. After a Week 1 blowout loss to Harlingen, the Diamondbacks responded with a comeback win over Juarez-Lincoln to pick up their first of the season and first under Lee’s tenure. Last week, Pioneer went down to the wire with the unbeaten Mission Eagles before falling 21-17 in a game where the Diamondbacks had an opportunity to pull out the win late. While Pioneer fell to 1-2 on the year, senior quarterback Jacob Rosales believes the Diamondbacks are coming into their own. “I just saw a lot of people grew up that game,” Rosales said. “I’m just liking that
we’re able to use everyone on the football field. A lot of people are starting to step into the roles we need them to play.” The biggest role on the offense is the quarterback position and the Diamondbacks are fortunate enough to have two solid options. When Rosales went down with an injury in the third quarter against Mission, sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger, who has rotated series with Rosales, stepped up to finish the game and nearly led Pioneer to their second victory of 2018. Through three games, the two quarterbacks have combined for 831 passing yards and eight touchdown passes. Lee said to expect more of the same as both guys will have the opportunity to lead the Diamondbacks to success. “Eddie and Jacob are getting better each week,” Lee said. “Both of our quarterbacks are doing a great job and feeding off each other
sharylandtimess
By Bryan Ramos
Friday 7:30 PM
Brownsville Hanna
EAGLES
Season 3-0 District 0-0
Last Week Games Week #2
Brown. Mem. Mission Vets Brown. Porter Palmview La Joya Sharyland Edinburg Juarez-Linc. Pioneer Mission
LA JOYA
Season 3-0 District 0-0
24 45 27 35 31 7 22 13 17 21
MISSION
Season 2-1 District 2-0
PALMVIEW Season 2-1 District 2-0
MISSION MEM. Season 1-2 District 0-0
SHARYLAND Season 1-2 District 0-0
PIONEER Season 0-3 District 0-0
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lifestyle There will be food and entertainment for the entire family, including free school supplies, a kid’s carnival with free rides and free haircuts for the kids. Local school groups will perform, along with an “Enchanted Show” performance with Disney characters, and food vendors will be on site selling a variety of delectables. For more information, contact Cpl. Rodriguez at 956-648-9326 or via email at rrodriguez0270@missionpolice.org.
‘That ’70s Show’ actor kicks off UTRGV speaker series
EDINBURG – Best known for his role as exchange student “Fez” on the hit TV comedy, “That ’70s Show,” Wilmer Valderrama will bring his passion, charisma and humor as the first speaker of this year’s UTRGV Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) on Thursday, Sept. 27, at the UTRGV Performing Arts complex on the Edinburg campus. Valderrama, an actor, producer and activist, will share his personal journey from a childhood spent mostly in Venezuela to his return at age 13 to the United States – unable to speak English – and his subsequent meteoric rise within five years to television network stardom. A prominent voice for Latino representation, voting and fair immigration policies, Valderrama serves on the board of Voto Latino and as the spokesperson for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Ready 2 Lead program, which works to educate and empower Latino youth. Most recently, he co-founded HARNESS, a group dedicated to connecting communities to inspire action and power change. He currently stars on the
Wilmer Valderrama
TV drama “NCIS,” and was the voice of Manny on Disney’s popular animated children’s show, “Handy Manny.” The next DSS speaker will be George Takei, best known for his role in the acclaimed TV series “Star Trek,” and for being one of the country’s leading figures in the fight for social justice, LGBTQ rights and marriage equality. He is scheduled to speak at UTRGV on Jan. 28, 2019, in Brownsville. DSS is free and open to the public. UTRGV students, faculty and staff must present an I.D. For more information or to arrange for special accommodations, call 956-665-7364.
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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
MCISD schools receive Healthiest Schools honors
EVENTS
CALENDAR September 22 – The American Cancer Society’s 2018 Rio Grande Valley Cattle Barons Ball, “Life’s a Dance,” will be held at the Boggus Ford Events Center, 3000 N. Cage Blvd. in Pharr. Headlining the entertainment is Sawyer Brown. Guests will enjoy a gourmet Tex-Mex dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions, midway gagmes, mechanical bull riding and more. For tickets, go to acshped.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2018RioGrandeValleyCattleBaronsBall. For additional information, contact Clara Chapa with the American Cancer Society at 956-682-8329 or email clara.chapa@cancer.org. September 22 – The teeth of an animal say a lot about their diet. Sharp teeth are needed to eat meat while flat teeth are best for grinding plant leaves and stems. Learn the difference between “Herbivores vs. Carnivores” at 1 p.m. at the Saturday Safari at Gladys Porter Zoo, 500 Ringgold, Brownsville. A tour, arts and crafts, animal encounter and snacks are included. Cost is $15 per child or adult. Pre-registration is required. Call 956-548-9453 to register or for more information or e-mail educ@gpz.org. September 28 – South Texas College’s 2018 New Innovations, New Opportunities Conference (INNO) will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the STC Pecan campus in the Building U ballroom, 3201 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen. Co-hosted by the Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores, the conference will focus on preparing the local workforce for jobs of the future. The conference is $20 for the general public and $5 for students. For more information or to register, go to southtexascollege.edu/info/inno/. September 29 – In “Primarily Primates,” the next Gladys Porter Zoo (GPZ) Saturday Safari at 1 p.m., learn more about some of the GPZ’s most charismatic and inquisitive animals. A tour, arts and crafts, animal encounter and snacks are included. Cost is $15 per child or adult. Pre-registration is required. Call 956-548-9453 to register or for more information or e-mail educ@gpz.org. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)
EWBC plans ‘Spectacular’ line-up
EDINBURG – The Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC), 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd., invites the public to come out for free family fun during the monthly Spectacular Saturday Series. On the last Saturday of each month, the entry fee is waived for all visitors from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Spectacular Saturday visitors can enjoy indoor crafts or activities, or a walk in the gardens. Monthly themes include Outdoor Nature Play (September and February), Creature Masks (October),
Puzzles and Games (November and January), and Puppet Play (December). Outdoor Nature Play will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., and all other Spectacular Saturday activities will be available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children can also read a book at the mini children’s library or color a favorite animal at the Center’s coloring tables. Families with children are invited to rent a Junior Ranger Field Pack or Children’s Garden Play Set to use while on the grounds. Ranger Packs and Garden Play Set rentals are free; however, a valid picture ID is required for the loan. Also available on Spectacular Saturdays in September, December, and February is a Nature Exchange from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bring in interesting “found” nature items, like an interesting rock or snake skin, and earn points and trade them for other nature items. For more information about the kinds of items that can be traded, or about the Spectacular Saturday events, call 956-3819922.
The extra focus on providing a healthy learning environment for students is resulting in improved ratings for many Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD) campuses as a part of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Alliance). The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is an organization founded by the American Heart Association and Clinton Foundation, working to empower kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits. Seventeen Mission CISD schools received new ratings. Nine of those also improved their ratings going from a bronze to silver: Bryan Elementary, Cantu Elementary, Waitz Elementary, Escobar-Rios Elementary, Midkiff Elementary, K. White Jr. High, Leal Elementary, Mims Elementary, and Sali-
nas Elementary. Alton Elementary maintained its silver status. The following schools maintained their bronze ratings: Alton Memorial Jr. High, Mission High, Mission Jr. High, O’Grady Elementary, Pearson Elementary, R. Cantu Jr. High and Veterans Memorial High. Four traditional Mission CISD schools won’t be rated again until next year. They keep their ratings earned in 2017. They include Marcell Elementary which earned the highest rating possible in 2017, a gold. Capt. J. Castro Elementary, Cavazos Elementary, and Mission Collegiate High earned silver ratings last year. This means all MCISD traditional schools continue to be considered among the healthiest in America by the Alliance.
UTRGV adds accelerated Master of Accountancy
EDINBURG – A new online Master of Accountancy (MACC) program has been added to the list of UTRGV’s Accelerated Online Graduate Programs in the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship. The MACC program is designed to give accounting professionals the skills and knowledge they need to advance into a leadership role and to enable students to satisfy the 150-hour requirement of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to sit for the Certified Public Accountant examination. “The online accelerated MACC program offers students the same courses,
degree plan and instructors as does our face-toface program, but allows for a flexible entry enrollment five times a year with courses lasting seven weeks each,” said Dr. Penny Simpson, interim director for the UTRGV School of Accountancy. The online MACC is one of few master’s in accountancy programs in the nation to offer courses in the accelerated format and to follow Quality Matters certification guidelines. For more information on the program, email MACC@ utrgv.edu.
Boy Scouts can earn Bird Study badge at EWBC
EDINBURG – The Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) invites Boy Scouts to earn their Bird Study merit badge at the EWBC on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Road. The program will include educational, hands-on activities that Boy Scouts will need to earn their Bird Study Merit Badge. Scouts will learn the basics of birding, how to use binoculars and field guides, and learn to identify birds while discovering what makes the Rio Grande Valley
a world-renowned birding area. Badges are not included, but scouts will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program. The fee for the program is $6 per participant. Parents, guardians, and other non-participants may attend with the Scouts and pay the regular admission fee. Registration and payment are required by Oct. 11. For more information, or to register, call 956-381-9922. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Road.
2019
Mission/Sharyland Duchess
2019 Mission/Sharyland Duchess Contest Thursday, September 27, 2018 5 pm @ Texas Citrus Fiesta Office
220 E. 9th • Mission, TX Application Deadline: Friday, September 21, 2018 Application Fee: $100
Must be 16-19 years of age on or before January 31, 2019 and must be a resident of Mission or attend the Mission or Sharyland school districts.
Call Texas Citrus Fiesta For Information About These Events
(956)585-9724
PT
For the latest news and updates
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A new date has been announced for the City of Mission’s 23rd Annual National Night Out, according to Cpl. Robert Rodriguez with the Mission Police Department. It was cancelled from its original date in September due to conditions created by wet weather. Hosted by the Mission Crime Stoppers, the event will now be staged Thursday, Oct. 4, beginning at 6 p.m. at Leo Peña Placita Park at the corner of Conway and Business 83.
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Mission National Night Out re-set for Oct. 4
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MCISD TEACHER
intendent. “The tremendous heart and passion that she pours into her work each and every day is done with the sole focus of helping her students, not to bring attention to herself. So for Ms. Peña to earn this statewide award, it means so much more.” “I congratulate Rhonda and Jeff on this achievement. Texas Teacher of the Year is the highest honor our state bestows upon its teachers,” said Kevin Brown, executive director of TASA. “They have distinguished themselves among thousands of outstanding, dedicated teachers across our state and nation have who have answered the call to serve others.” The announcement was made at the Texas Teacher of the Year awards luncheon at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Both state-level winners will
receive a cash award and a commemorative trophy. Also honored during the luncheon were the Regional Teachers of the Year and the finalists for Texas Teacher of the Year: Karyn Ard, Troup ISD; Andrea Greimel, San Antonio ISD; Megan Holden, Lake Travis ISD; and Joe Parthemore, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. The Texas Teacher of the Year program has honored excellence in classroom education since 1969 and continues to annually recognize and reward teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching. The quality of Mission CISD teachers and their applications have caught the eye of the state judges and Region One judges several times over the years. In 2008 Iris Hines, who worked at Roosevelt Alternative
obituaries Doroteo Acevedo PALMVIEW – Doroteo Acevedo, 82, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Mr. Acevedo was born on July 10, 1936, in El Poblado Tepehuaje, Tamps., Mexico, to Santos and Ignacio Acevedo. Survivors include his wife, Olivia Acevedo; children, Ludivina Chavero, Lorena Acevedo, Yvonne Martinez and Adrian Acevedo; siblings, Augusto Acevedo, Lydia Hernandez and Hector Acevedo; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Jesus Acevedo, Alonzo Acevedo, Martina Garza and Yolanda Acevedo. A funeral mass was held on Sept. 19 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Peñitas. Burial followed at Lord and I
Cemetery in Palmview, Billye Birdwell MISSION – Billye Hittson Birdwell, 97, passed away on Tuesday, Sept.11, 2018, at Waterford Gardens in Mission. A fourth generation Texan, she was a longtime resident of Mission and taught at Marcell Elementary School for 24 years. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Survivors include her son, Donald Roy, and two grandsons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Birdwell, and parents, William and Minna Hittson. A graveside service will be held on Friday, Oct. 5, at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Mission. The family suggested memorial contributions to be made in her honor to Waterford Gardens Senior Living,
School was a state finalist. Previous Region One Teachers of the Year from Mission CISD have included: Julia Otken, Mims Elementary School, 2017; Jesus Razo, Mission Jr. High School, 2014; Rosbel Peña, Alton Memorial Jr. High School, 2013; Yvette Nevarez, Alton Memorial Jr. High School, 2012; Dolores Reyna, Alton Elementary School, 2010. TASA is the professional association for Texas school administrators, providing professional learning and networking opportunities, legislative advocacy, and targeted communications to support the work of superintendents and other school leaders. TASA’s mission is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students. 1522 E. Griffin Pkwy., Mission.
Mario Martinez MISSION – Mario Martinez, 95, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Mr. Martinez was born on Dec. 22, 1922, in Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Matias and Maria Perez. Survivors include his wife, Maria G. Martinez; children, Rita Martinez, Esperanza Martinez, Maria de Hoyos, Guadalupe Martinez and Antonio Martinez; brother, Rafael Martinez; and numerous grandchildren
and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and four children. A funeral service was held on Sept. 20 Rivera Funeral Home in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission. Alberto Sanchez MISSION – Alberto “Beto” Sanchez, 90, passed away on Thursday, Sept.13, 2018. Mr. Sanchez was born on Oct. 16, 1927, in Chihuahua to Jose Sanchez and Maria Guzman. He helped to work the family farm and migrated throughout Texas picking cotton and working at other farms. He retired as a bus driver from the La Joya I.S.D. and was a member of La Joya Mennonite Brethren Church. Survivors include his wife, Andrea M. Moreno Sanchez; children, Jose Sanchez, Patricio Sanchez, Arnoldo Sanchez, Belia Garcia, Carlos Sanchez, Eva Gonzalez, Alberto Sanchez Jr., Clay Sanchez, Rudy Sanchez, Dario Sanchez and Marcos
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
Lee Sanchez; siblings, Jose Date, Issac Date, Josefina Garza and Maria Edwards; and 21 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ofelia Ozuna Sanchez; parents; children, Adan Sanchez and Isabel Martinez; stepfather, Isao Date; siblings, Armando Vela, Arnoldo Vela, Adan Date and Susie Date; and a grandson. A memorial service was held on Sept.16 at La Joya Mennonite Brethren Church. Burial followed at San Jose Cemetery in Abram. Serving as pallbearers were Solomon Garcia, Ruben Gonzalez, Eric Sanchez, Stephen Sanchez, Jacob Sanchez, Able Sanchez, A. J. Nieto, Andre Garcia and Adrian Garcia.
Notices
Roberto Cordova MISSION – Roberto Cordova, 54, passed away on Thursday, Sept.6, 2018, at Doctor’s Hospital in Edin-
burg.
Aaron Garza MISSION – Aaron Garza, 63, passed away on Monday, Sept.17, 2018, in Valadecez, Tamps., Mexico. Maria Herrera MISSION – Maria De Jesus Herrera, 97, passed away on Wednesday, Sept.12, 2018, at Mission Valley Nursing Home. Maria Mendoza MISSION – Maria De La Luz Mendoza, 85, passed away on Sunday, Sept.16, 2018, in Sullivan City. Ricardo Montalvo MISSION – Ricardo Montalvo, 70, passed away on Sunday, Sept.16, 2018, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. William Robinson MISSION – William L. Robinson, 85, passed away on Monday, Sept.10, 2018, at The Bridges in Edinburg. Beverly Thorsen MISSION – Beverly Thorsen, 75, passed away on Monday, Sept.17, 2018, at her home.
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CITY OF PALMVIEW
meeting videos and meeting packets online. Mission, Palmhurst, Alton, Peñitas and Sullivan City post meeting agendas on their websites, but they don’t publish the meeting packet. La Joya doesn’t post anything at all on the city website, which hasn’t been updated in years, despite paying a public relations consultant $2,000 per month. The push to make Palmview more transparent started roughly two years ago, when the Progress for Palmview candidates — Sarabia, Joel Garcia and Javier Ramirez — campaigned for City Council. They pledged to stream city meetings online, allowing anyone to watch or listen live; post meeting agendas and other documents, allowing residents to stay abreast of city business; and create a web forum, allowing people to provide feedback on city services. Just posting the meeting packets proved to be a major challenge. They quickly discovered why Palmview didn’t post meeting packets online: staff didn’t provide the City Council with a proper packet, Sarabia said. During the past two years, the City Council hired a new management team and started
demanding the packet before meetings. The new team included former Weslaco City Manager Leo Olivares and former McAllen City Secretary Annette Villarreal. “From there, we started getting really good packages,” Sarabia said. They had the information, but Palmview needed somewhere to post it. The city website, which had been infected with malware, needed work. The revamped website now includes dozens of documents, ranging from meeting agendas and minutes to old budgets and audit reports. For now, Palmview plans to post the meeting packet at noon the day before regular meetings, Villarreal said. The city will post packets for special meetings on a case-bycase basis. Palmview will also work on recording meetings, adjusting the camera and audio as needed. Without a media or public relations staff, Palmview depends on police Sgt. Arnold Sepulveda to handle the video. “It’s a good feeling to know that people out there are informed,” Garcia said. “If they want to find out, it’s right there.”
Agua SUD negotiates contract with interim general manager
By Dave Hendricks The Agua Special Utility District spent the past week negotiating a new contract with Interim General Manager Jose E. “Eddie” Saenz. Under the new contract, Saenz will become the permanent general manager and complete pending engineering projects before transitioning to an administrative role. “He’s done a hell of a job,” said Director Lloyd Loya, who represents Peñitas on the seven-member utility board. Negotiations between the utility district and Saenz remained ongoing when the Progress Times went to press. Details about the draft contract weren’t available. Saenz took the top job in December 2017, when Interim General Manager Richard LeFevre abruptly resigned citing an unspecified “genetic medical condition.” The job came with a $11,000 monthly salary, which board
President Roger Hernandez approved in January. It also came with responsibility. The utility district provides water to more than 15,000 people in western Hidalgo County and a small part of Starr County. Sullivan City residents depend on the utility district for sewer. And the utility remains in the midst of a $42.2 million sewer project in Palmview, which requires constant communication with the Texas Water Development Board. Along with addressing customer concerns, the general manager supervises about 60 employees and controls a $10 million budget. Turnover at the top bedeviled the utility district for the past two years. Executive Director Julio Cerda resigned in September 2016, when the utility board started making major changes. Members replaced him with Executive Director Oscar Cancino, who resigned in
September 2017. Both Cerda and Cancino offered to stick around and provide a smooth transition. The board rejected both offers, accepting their resignations effective immediately. After Cancino left, the board eliminated the executive director position and returned to a general manager model. Members appointed Richard LeFevre, the owner of LeFevre Engineering & Management Consulting, to the new position. He lasted less than three months. The turnover prompted state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa to write a sternly worded letter to the board in December 2017. “The TWDB is very concerned that they have $45 million in projects invested in Agua SUD, yet there is a clear lack of leadership and confusion about who is making decisions on the management of these projects,” Hinojosa wrote on Dec. 19, referring to the Texas Water
Development Board. All seven members of the utility board signed a response in February, informing the senator they already had an interim general manager in place and planned to recruit highly qualified applicants for the permanent position. It’s unclear how hard they looked. At least a dozen people applied for the job, including former General Manager Francisco R. Flores, Hidalgo City Manager Julian Gonzalez and former Sullivan City Manager Juan Cedillo. Within a few months, the utility board had settled on Saenz. “He’s done a great job. He’s always at the office,” said Director Homer Tijerina, who represents rural Hidalgo County residents. “The district is moving in the right direction on projects and what needs to be done to serve our customers.”
for the district’s physical plant operations, the low water pressure is affecting Juarez-Lincoln High School, the district’s transportation facility and other nearby campuses. “We’re experiencing water pressure so low that the AC chillers shut off, water fountains don’t work and our toilets get backed up and we can’t flush them,” Mendoza told the board at the meeting. “We have to haul water for the custodians to manually flush restrooms and carry 40 cases of water everyday so the kids can have drinking water throughout the day.” This issue is new to the district, Garza said. Agua interim General Manager “Jose E. “Eddie” Saenz said between 3,000 to 5,000 of their customers are affected by low water pressure in that area. As many as 3,000 students attend Juarez-Lincoln High School, he said. “These hotspots of low water pressure are based on
the current needs and projected growth of the area,” Saenz said. “We’re getting more developments there and it’s growing much faster than we anticipated. We’re just trying to catch up.” The booster tanks would improve water pressure in those surrounding areas and be built through a design– build method, a project delivery system used in the construction industry on an emergency basis according to Garza. “You [Agua SUD] acquired these tanks and now you can install them without going out in the market to buy them and then install them. You can legally do it on an emergency basis and I think this meets that requirement given there is health, safety and welfare concern for students and community,” Garza said. “Since the current tank is not being filled with water, these booster tanks would be designed precisely for that.” One of the tanks will be
built near 5 Mile and Tom Gill Road while the second one would be built in the vicinity of Dr. Maria Palmira Mendiola Elementary School, located on 6401 Abram Rd. To build there, Garza said the La Joya school district would need to give the water board easement to that property, something the school board did at their regular meeting later that day without any discussion. “They see the importance and urgency of this and are willing to work with us,” Garza said of the school board. Saenz estimated installation of the water boosters would cost around half a million dollars and said the utility district hopes to begin construction sooner rather than later. “It’s not just a school issue, it’s a community issue,” he said.
Low water pressure to be addressed by Agua SUD By Jose De Leon III
To address low water pressure affecting nearly 5,000 of their customers north of Peñitas and near the Juarez-Lincoln High School, the Agua Special Utility District declared an emergency and will build two booster tanks in those areas. During Monday’s special meeting for the Agua board, the board voted 6-0 for the Edinburg based engineering firm CSJ Group to build and install two booster tanks in those areas while M2 Engineering, an Alberta, Canada-based company will oversee the installations. The tanks, which the water district already owns, will help residents deal with low water pressure in the area. Agua Attorney Frank Garza said this issue is creating a health and public safety concern for residents, especially for the La Joya school district campuses in the area. According to Luigi Mendoza, the assistant director
September 21, 2018
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Mission receives SAFER grant for nine additional firefighters
By Jamie Treviño At a special meeting held last Friday, the City of Mission accepted the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The federal grant is worth $1,022,828, and it will be utilized to hire nine new firefighters for Mission. This is the first time the city has received the SAFER grant with the fire department in mind, Mission has received it for the police department in the past. Mayor Armando O’caña and City Manager Martin Garza were excited to see how the grant will impact and encourage city growth. “We really appreciate the federal government boosting us up,” O’caña said. “We want to increase the firefighters, so it’s a win-win situation for everybody.” The grant comes in a fouryear plan, with the first two years of additional service members being funded 75 percent by a federal share and 25 percent by the local share. It will cost the federal government $414,660 and the re-
maining $138,219 will come from local city share funds. In year three of the plan, 35 percent of the funds will come from the federal level ($359,371) and 65 percent will come from Mission ($193,508). Eventually, the city will be equipped to take on 100 percent of the costs. “At the end we’ll have to sustain it, but we were going to do that anyway,” O’caña said. “It’s savings for the taxpayers in two and a half years.” The grant does not include the costs of benefits and equipment. “This year be budgeted $182,000 that encompasses the nine firefighters pay,” Garza said. “But that also includes their protective gear to be able to conduct daily operations and their responsibilities.” The city has already met with Fire Chief Gilbert Sanchez and have given him the green light to begin the hiring process for the nine new firefighters. “We are civil servants, there’s already a pre-list in place,” O’caña said. “We already have a list to select from.”
The SAFER grant is competitive, and offered every two years. “We have been constantly applying for it,” O’caña said. “We finally hit it. It is extremely important, as far as keeping up with city growth and keep us from raising taxes.” During the special meeting, city council also froze the tax rate for Mission at 0.4862, and adopted the annual budget for fiscal year 2018-2019. “In my campaign platform, I was going to freeze the tax rate,” O’caña said, referring to his first 100 day plan. “Thanks to the city council, who felt the same way, that it’s the best thing for the city not to lower taxes and not to raise taxes.” The budget for Mission can be accessed at the city website. City council passed four ordinances recognizing classified positions, base salaries and incentive packages for both the fire and police departments. Once the budget is approved, the city must ratify and verify that the base salaries and incentives that were already in the package either
theclassifieds
remain the same or identified in a new ordinance if any changes were made. “We’re not making any changes right now,” O’caña said. “Except for the one deputy fire chief position that was added to the classified positions,” Garza added. “We had three this past year, and we added one, to total four.” The nine new firefighters were included in the ordinance, so the city now employs 33 firefighters in the civil service division. A workshop addressing drainage issues in the city will take place at city hall Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. The Hidalgo County Drainage District is proposing a bond election, to be held in November, and the workshop will include a presentation by Raul Sesin from the drainage district. “They’re going throughout the county of Hidalgo and talking to city councils and doing presentations,” Garza said. “We went ahead and set up a meeting, and the purpose of that workshop is to give the county the opportunity to explain the bond election - what does is consist of, how does it affect our Mission residents,
this page is your oyster opening up to a world of opportunity
LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for an On Premise Beer and Wine Permit by Steven Mendoza DBA Brisas del Mar, to be located at 1505 N. Conway Ave, Mission, TX 78572, Hidalgo County. Officers of said Limited Liability Company are Steven Mendoza, owner.
Help Wanted HIRING COOKS, WAITSTAFF, cashiers, taqueros, and tortillera, apply in person/ aplique en persona, 6300 N. Ware Rd, Mcallen, TX (956)8675658. FALCON BANK IS now hiring loan assistant and part time tellers, visit www. falconbank.com for job requirements and application, for
more information call Gabriela Garcia at 956-661-1757. Wanted PAY IT FORWARD 316, Nonprofit charity organization 501(c) (3) is needing a car and/ or minivan for children’s home in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, also asking for twin & full size beds, tables, Ipads, & volunteers, please call 512-787-0241.
JOB OPENING HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR HCID#6 is seeking to hire a Heavy Equipment Operator with approx. 3-5 years’ experience. This is a 6-month temporary with possible permanent position. Knowledge on operating a Motor Grader, Excavator and a Backhoe. Valid D.L. required. Applications may be picked up at 3735 N FM 492 MonFri from 8-5, contact Joe Aguilar or Martha Salinas at 956-585-8389. HCID#6 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Order of Sale NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That by virtue of a certain Order of Sale in Cause No. CL-15-0012-A issued out of the Honorable County Court at Law #1 of Hidalgo County, Texas on the 17th day of July 2018 and styled PALAZZO HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Plaintiff(s), whereas on the 27th day of July 2016 recovered a foreclosure judgment, against ROSE MARIE VALDEZ AND LUIS H. CANTU ZARATE, Defendant(s) for the sum of NINE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIFTEEN DOLLARS, THIRTY TWO CENTS ($9,915.32) with interest from the date at the rate of five percent per year (5%) until paid, and futher amount of EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS, NO CENTS ($8,550.00) cost of suit, together with the Sheriff’s fees, under Judgment in favor of PALAZZO HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. and placed in my hand for service on July 30, 2018. I, J.E. “Eddie” Guerra, as Sheriff of Hidalgo County, Texas, did on the 2nd day of August 2018, did levy pursuant to the Order of Sale on a default judgment on certain Real Property, situated in Hidalgo County, Texas, described as follows, to-wit: LOT 16, PALAZZO AT CIMARRON, AN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF MISSION, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS ACCORDING TO THE MAP AND PLAT RECORDED IN VOLUME 33, PAGE 40 IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK FOR HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS AND MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1703 PALAZZO, MISSION, TEXAS 78572. And on the first Tuesday in the month of October 2018 the same being the 2nd day of said month at the front door steps of the Hidalgo County Clerk Records Management Facility, 317 North Closner, Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by virtue of said levy and said Order of Sale, I will sell said above real estate at public venue, for cash, to the highest bidder as the property of MARIE VALDEZ AND LUIS H. CANTU ZARATE, and in compliance with the law, I give this notice by publication, in the English Language, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks immediately proceeding said day of sale, in The Progress Times a Newspaper in Hidalgo County, Texas. Witness my hand on this 27th day of August 2018
progresstimes
631-2775 or 707398-8539.
progresstimes
PATENTED FLEABEACON CONTROLS fleas in the home without toxic chemicals or costly exterminators, results overnight, El Pase Feed Store-(www.fleabeacon. com). 3 CEMETERY PLOTS located at Valley Memorial Gardens, $2,000 each, for more details call 956-279-8969 USE HAPPY JACK Kennel Dip II to control fleas, ticks, mange mites, stable flies, & mosquitos where they breed, at Tractor Supply, ( w w w. k e n n e l v a x .
com). 2 CEMETERY PLOTS at Valley Memorial Gardens, adjacent corner plots, Section S, Lot 82, plots A4 & B1, call 956-519-3055 for more details. PATENTED FLEABEACON CONTROLS fleas in the home without toxic chemicals or costly exterminators, results overnight, Mission Feed & Hardware, 956-5812153, (www.fleabeacon.com). BEACHFRONT TIMESHARE FOR sale, 2 unit condo, fully furnished, $5,000, for more details call 707-
PT
progresstimes
progresstimes
For Sale
Classified Rate: 1 Week = $7.00 2 Weeks = $10.00 4 Weeks = $14.00
from pg. 5
National Night Out has been rescheduled for Thurs., Oct. 4 at Leo Peña Placita Park, located at the corner of Business 83 and Conway Avenue. A ribbon cutting for the newly-renovated park will be held that same morning. “We’re very pleased with the project,” Garza said. “We’re very pleased with the construction of the renovation, and we’re excited to share that with the general public.”
CITY SECRETARY
included information on general notary laws and information on how notaries function, something that city secretaries do in their capacity. Anna Valdez, president of the Lower Rio Grande Valley City Secretary’s Association and city secretary for Peñitas said the organization routinely brings speakers down to the Valley to make it easier for city secretaries from smaller cities. “Sometimes we can’t go out of town for trainings and workshops that occur in Austin or other places so we reach out to speakers so they
can come down here instead,” Valdez said. “These workshops are open to everyone in the Valley, not just city secretaries and we have speakers who educate us in topics that would be beneficial to us as clerks for the cities.” Speakers from previous presentations have spoken about topics such as the open meetings act, public information request and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. For more information on this organization, go to their Facebook page at.facebook.com/lrgvsecretaries.
Local Notice as Part of the Environmental Notification Process for the Registration of Antenna Structures
buy • sell • trade • rent • hire
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 to info@progresstimes.net or pay by phone 956-585-4893. The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 5 p.m.
how much they’re looking to introduce and propose and what areas of Mission will be effected, and by that I mean improvements on drainage, if in case that bond issuance does take place.” Garza said the workshop is an opportunity for the public to come and see what is happening and educate themselves so they can be exactly aware of what they’re voting for or against.
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Train yourself to find the blessing in everything.
All interested persons are invited to review and request further environmental processing of an FCC application for Vertical Bridge Development, LLC proposing the following telecommunications antenna structure at approximately 11115 N La Homa Rd Mission, TX. FCC filing number A1114963 proposes a 170 ft. monopole communications tower with no lighting. This application may be reviewed by entering the above file number at this website: www.fcc.gov/ asr/applications. Interested persons may raise environmental concerns by filing a “Request for Environmental Review” with the FCC within 30 days of this posting. Instructions for filing requests are contained on the following website: www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest. The FCC strongly encourages requests to be filed online; however, written requests may also be sent by mail to the following address: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Notice of Initiation of the Section 106 Process-Public Participation in accordance with the FCC’s Nationwide Programmatic Agreement. Parties interested in providing comment on the proposed undertaking, as described above, relative to potential effects on cultural or historic properties should contact GSS, Inc., 1904 Industrial Blvd Colleyville, TX 76034. Ph. 682-651-0034 (GSS D18184)
NOTICE OF 2018 TAX YEAR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR CITY OF PALMVIEW A tax rate of $0.5001 per $100 valuation has been proposed for adoption by the governing body of City of Palmview. This rate exceeds the lower of the effective or rollback tax rate, and state law requires that two public hearings be held by the governing body before adopting the proposed tax rate. The governing body of City of Palmview proposes to use revenue attributable to the tax rate increase for the purpose of provide funds for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and expand the level of services and general welfare of all residents.
PROPOSED TAX RATE PRECEDING YEAR’S TAX RATE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE ROLLBACK TAX RATE
$0.5001 per $100 $0.5001 per $100 $0.4795 per $100 $0.6163 per $100
The effective tax rate is the total tax rate needed to raise the same amount of property tax revenue for City of Palmview from the same properties in both the 2017 tax year and the 2018 tax year. The rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate that City of Palmview may adopt before voters are entitled to petition for an election to limit the rate that may be approved to the rollback rate. YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE ABOVE RATES CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS: property tax amount = (rate) x (taxable value of your property)/100 For assistance or detailed information about tax calculations, please contact: Pablo (Paul) Villarreal Jr. Hidalgo County Tax Assessor-Collector 2804 S. Business Hwy 281 Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 318-2157 propertytax@hidalgocountytax.org http://www.hidalgocountytax.org You are urged to attend and express your views at the following public hearings on the proposed tax rate: First Hearing: September 4, 2018 at 6:00 PM at Palmview City Hall, 400 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, Texas. Second Hearing: September 26, 2018 at 6:00 PM at Palmview City Hall, 400 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, Texas.
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2018
FOOTBALL
THE
BIG7
CONTEST
DISTRICT 30-6A
DISTRICT 16-5A DIV.I
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DISTRICT 16-5A DIV. II
$50 WEEKLY PRIZE & $200 BOOSTER CLUB GRAND PRIZE
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Booster Club Grand Prize
WIN $200
For Your School’s Athletic Booster Club
Check your school or favorite team below. The team with the most entries at the end of the season will win $200 for the school’s Athletic Booster Club. ❑ Sharyland Rattlers ❑ Pioneer Diamondbacks
❑ Juarez-Lincoln Huskies ❑ La Joya Coyotes
❑ Mission Eagles ❑ Veterans Memorial Patriots
Check the box next to the team you think will win from each of the games below
❑ Palmview Lobos
Name: _____________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________________________________ Phone & Alt Phone:_______________________ Email:__________________________ I am age 18 or older. Yes, I would like to receive the newsletter and promotional emails from the Progress Times. We will NEVER share your email address with anyone else.
High School Football Contest Rules A $50 cash prize will be awarded each week for the winning entry. The entry coming closest to calling all the games correctly wins. In event of a tie, the tying entry that comes closest to the score of Tie Breaker #1 wins. If a tie remains, the tying entry that comes closest to the score of Tie Breaker #2 wins. If a tie still remains, the $50 prize will be divided evenly among the winning entries. Booster Club Grand Prize: At the end of the regular football season, the total number of complete, qualified entries will be tallied for each team with the team’s check box marked. The $200 Grand Prize will be awarded to the Athletic Booster Club of the team with the most entries submitted. No Purchase necessary. Limit one entry per household each week of the contest period. Must be age 18 or older to enter the contest. HOW TO ENTER: Check the box next to the team’s name that you predict to win each high school game. Next, for the tie breakers, predict the total points scored by the winning team in the Tie Breaker #1 game, and the total points scored by the winning team in the Tie Breaker #2 game. Fill in your name, address, phone number (This is how we notify the winners!), and email address. Check the box to receive the FREE Progress Times weekly newsletter and mail or drop off your entry form at Progress Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, TX 78572. Or submit your entry online at www.progresstimes.net. All entries must be received by the Progress Times no later than 2 p.m., Thursday preceding the listed games. All entries must be submitted on the Official Entry Form printed in the Progress Times or Sharyland Times, a photocopy of the entry form, or submitted electronically from our official website submission form. Only one entry per household per week. Previous winners and all members of the same household are ineligible for subsequent weeks of the contest. Prizes must be claimed within 7 days of notification or announcement in the Progress Times. Decisions made by the Progress Times staff are final. The winners agree to allow the Progress Times to use their names and photographs to announce the winners and for promotional purposes online and in print. Employees of the Progress Times and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.
Rio Script Pharmacy
Apple Pharmacy #1 2501 N 23rd St B, McAllen 956-627-6652
RioScript Pharmacy
909 Buss. Park Dr, Mission 956-424-6268
Mon.-Fri. 8am-8pm • Sat. 9am-1pm
(formerly Paloma’s Pharmacy)
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LA JOYA PALMVIEW JUAREZ- LINCOLN MISSION HIGH VETERANS MEMORIAL SHARYLAND HIGH EDINBURG VELA Tie Breaker 1
Enter the number of points scored by the winning team of the following game:
La Joya vs. PSJA High
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PSJA HIGH PSJA SOUTHWEST PSJA NORTH MCALLEN MEMORIAL BROWNSVILLE PORTER LAREDO CIGARROA EDINBURG NORTH Tie Breaker 2
Enter the number of points scored by the winning team of the following game:
Edinburg Vela vs. Edinburg North
METALS
Apple Pharmacy #2
810 E Veterans Dr. Palmview 956-352-6485
Apple Pharmacy #3
WEEK #4 - SEPT. 27 - SEPT. 29, 2018
Breakfast Tacos 99¢* *Except meat tacos
Lunch Tacos $2.29* *Additional ingredients extra
Mission
Palmview
1800 W. Griffin Pkwy. 304 N. La Homa Rd. 584-3441 585-0323 McAllen 4524 S. Ware Rd. 994-0060 Mission Mission 1901 W. Mile 3 Rd. 2201 W. Expressway 83 585-8411 583-9898
Good Luck to All Sharyland Teams!
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YOUR HOME TOWN INDEPENDENT AGENT
Serving the Rio Grande Valley Since 1911 220 E. Tom Landry
INSURANCE AGENCY
300 W. Exp. 83 • Mission, TX 78572
Phone: 581-2183
MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA
Timothy W. Brann Richard A. Young D.D.S. D.D.S.
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1954-2018 A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS SINCE 1954
In 1954, Mission businessman Ben Cavazos opened Mission Auto Electric, Inc. Now, M.A.E. Power Equipment, we have a reputation for selling top quality products and having excellent service. M.A.E. Power Equipment is an Onan, and Generac generator service center. CERTIFIED ONAN R/V GENERATOR SERVICE
1713 Diamond Ave. • Peñitas, TX
956-519-4140
DAYCARE • PRE-SCHOOL AFTERSCHOOL
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14 SEER
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*12 mo. no interest*
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Hours: 6:30am - 6pm • Mon.-Fri.
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915 West Business 83 • Mission (956) 581-7433 Mon-Fri • 8am-5:30pm – Sat • 8am-1pm
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No Insurance Need • Open Evening & Weekends Walk-Ins Welcome
Sharyland
Corner of Shary Rd. & Expressway 83 2401 E. Exp. 83 #300 (956) 584-3311
Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 7:00PM Saturday: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
*Offer valid for first visit only. Initial visit includes consultation, exam and adjustment. Please present offer at time of redemption.