Progress www.ptrgv.com
Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.
20% Precip.
Friday, October 19, 2018
INSIDE
Fundraising walk draws crowds in Mission
The inaugural Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk was held for the first time in the RGV last Saturday at the Mission Event Center. Jamie Treviño reports on the event, inside.
See Pg. 5
Palmview makes plans without Agua SUD
The City of Palmview is looking to provide wastewater services without Agua SUD, calling it a relationship that has been hindering the city for 25 years. Jose De Leon III has the latest information on the city and utility district.
See Pg. 7
SPORTS
Game of the Week
VS.
The Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks are facing off against the SHS Rattlers this Friday. This is the fifth iteration of the “Snakeskin Classic,” with details about the game coming from Bryan Ramos.
See Pg. 9
WEATHER 5 DAYS FORECAST Oct. 20 H 79 L65
90% Precip.
Oct. 21
H 72 L62
Oct. 22
H60% 71Precip. L62
Oct. 23 Oct. 24
60% Precip.
H20% 80Precip. L66 H40% 77Precip. L66
INDEX Lifestyle................... pg. 2 Entertainment...... pg. 6 Sports....................... pg. 8 Obituaries............pg. 13 Classifieds..............pg.15
2018
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DPS holds groundbreaking ceremony for new La Joya office by Dave Hendricks The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to open a La Joya office by June 2019. Cmdr. Jose C. Rodriguez III hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the project Tuesday afternoon. The office — located on Palm Shores Boulevard between Whataburger and the city library — will provide space for 40 state troopers. Amenities include a conference room, a classroom that doubles as an emergency operations center and a gym. “We wanted a kitchen in this facility,” Rodriguez joked during the groundbreaking ceremony. “They did the next best thing: They put a Whataburger right here.” State troopers flooded western Hidalgo County in June 2014, when thousands of migrant families started crossing the Rio Grande. Texas responded with a border security program called Operation Strong Safety, which rotated state troopers through the Rio Grande Valley. Dozens patrolled U.S. 83 between Mis-
From left to right: Peñitas police Chief Roel Bermea, U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Manuel Padilla, La Joya Independent School District police Chief Raul Gonzalez, state Rep. Oscar Longoria, Texas Public Safety Commissioner A. Cynthia "Cindy" Leon, Department of Public Safety Region 3 Cmdr. Jose C. Rodriguez III, La Joya police Chief Adolfo Arriaga, state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra, La Joya Mayor Jose A. "Fito" Salinas, Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez, Texas Highway Patrol Capt. Fred Whisenant and Texas Highway Patrol Maj. Bruce James. Photo by Dave Hendricks. sion and Rio Grande City. Troopers looking for a bathroom or a place to write reports stopped at state Rep. Oscar Longoria’s office near the intersection of Military Road and South Main Street in Peñitas. “I started thinking about it and saying ‘You know what,
we also need a presence of the department in the western Hidalgo County community,” said Longoria, who spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony. Longoria, the vice chairman of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, secured $3.2 million for the
Two slates vie for seats in the Palmview City Council By Jose De Leon III With early voting for the Nov. 6 general election set to begin Monday, the Progress Times reached out to the five candidates in contention for three seats in the Palmview City Council. The five are split into two separate slates: Palmview Strong which has mayor-elect Ricardo “Ricky” Villarreal, City Councilman Joselito “Hoss” Hernandez and retired school teacher Arturo “Art” Alaniz. The second slate, Palmv1ew Proud, is made up of La Joya ISD teachers Jose Luis Perez and Anthony Uresti. Palmview Strong With three candidates in this slate, only two of them
are competing for a seat on the city council as mayoral candidate “Ricky” Villarreal is running unopposed. As a Palmview resident for more than 40 years, Villarreal has been a part of this city since its inception. According to a bio sent to the Progress Times, Villarreal has been an educator at the La Joya school district for 25 years and advocates for civic duty. Ricardo has served
as city commissioner since 2010 and has been an intricate partner with local, county, state and federal entities to bring over $60 million in much needed projects to the city of Palmview and incorporated several surrounding communities. Ricardo plans to continue to bring infrastructure to the city, improve the parks and recreation for the city’s youth, lower the tax rate and reduce unsound spending. As the son of the late Eraclio Villarreal and mother Juanita Villarreal is also the father of three children. His mission, according to his bio, is simple and sound: making the quality of
See PALMVIEW COUNCIL Pg. 12
Meet the candidates for the LJISD Board of Trustees Nov. election By Jamie Treviño With early voting starting Monday, Oct. 22, the candidates vying for seats in the La Joya Independent School District Board of Trustees are engaged in a heated race. Place 1 Nereyda Cantu Running unopposed for Place 1 on the LJISD School Board, Cantu began her teaching career at La Joya, calling the district her “second home.” She had already received her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Early Childhood, and began pursuing her master’s degree while working for the district. Cantu received a Master of Education in Counseling and Guidance and began working as a counselor at
both elementary and secondary levels. After working with LJISD, she began her own learning center in Palmview called Imagination Express Learning Center, LLC in order to continue using her “passion for early childhood and for education.” The learning center is a community partner with LJISD, and Cantu maintained that in order to “ensure the success of early child-
hood initiatives.” As a parent of three children who are enrolled in the district, Cantu is an active member of the Site-Based Decision-Making Committee at both elementary and secondary levels, and has been a member of the Superintendent’s Round Table Committee and the School Health Advisory Council. Currently, Cantu is working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She believes “when schools, families, and communities work together to support student learning, students achieve more,” and hopes to “provide ongoing, collaborative support to teachers, counselors, school leaders,
See LJISD ELECTION Pg. 11
project. The Texas Facilities Commission solicited proposals in November 2017. Businessman Alonzo Cantu, the owner of Cantu Construction, owns the La Joya property. He submitted the low bid. The Texas Facilities Commission originally so-
licited proposals for a nearly 9,000-square-foot building. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Texas Highway Patrol Maj. Bruce James described a slightly larger building.
See DPS CEREMONY Pg.4
La Joya Housing Authority: Payments to former executive director ‘under investigation’ by Dave Hendricks The La Joya Housing Authority paid former Executive Director Frances Salinas thousands during the past nine months — and can’t explain all the payments. Bank statements released by the housing authority show Salinas received five checks worth $17,800 from March to August. Salinas withdrew another $5,500 from a housing authority account in August and September. Board Chairwoman Maricruz Sifuentes apparently signed two checks to Salinas, according to the bank records. Salinas wrote another three checks to herself. Bank records also show
Frances Salinas withdrawals from ATMs in San Antonio. “I do believe it will be investigated,” said Acting Executive Director Cristi LaJeunesse.
See LA JOYA HOUSING Pg.15
Businesswoman spends big on La Joya ISD election
by Dave Hendricks Businesswoman Mary T. Hernandez spent nearly $30,000 on her campaign for the La Joya school board during the past few months — significantly more than any other candidate. Hernandez, who is self-funding her campaign, spent nearly $30,000 from July 30 to Oct. 8, according to her campaign finance report. Her opponent, incumbent school board Trustee Johnn Alaniz, spent nearly $14,000. To boost her name recognition, Hernandez blanketed western Hidalgo County with campaign signs and push cards. She also hosted a slew of community events.
“Now they’re putting a face to the name,” said Hernandez, 52, of Palmview, who co-owns a trucking company with her husband, Benito. Hernandez said she’s concerned about how the La Joya Independent School District is managing taxpayer money. In September 2017, when the school board considered a proposal to replace air filters, Hernandez demanded to know why district employees couldn’t just change the filters themselves. Hernandez accused Alaniz of steering the contract
See BUSINESSWOMAN Pg. 15
lifestyle
October 19, 2018
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Speer Memorial Library 12th & Kika Loop Mission • 580-8750
BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS
By William Renner
Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Olguin (Anahí Cantú)
Cantú-Olguin nuptials held
Anahí Cantú became the bride of Antonio Olguin in a marriage ceremony held July 7 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Mission. Deacon Israel Sagredo officiated over the nuptial mass. Parents of the bride are Jesus and Maria E. Cantú of Mission. The groom’s parents are Ramiro and Dora E. Olguin, also of Mission. Attending the bride as maid of honor was Denise Gracia of Mission. Bridesmaids were Natalie Compean of Mission and Yermaine Garza of San Antonio. Flower girls included Haylee Cantú, Alaynah Torres, Bella Hernandez and Michelle Salinas. Train bearers were Reynaldo Mendoza III, son of Ray and Perla Mendoza of Edinburg, and Miranda Olguin, daughter of Ramiro and Erika Olguin of Mission. Ring bearers were Humberto Rodriguez Jr., son of Humberto and Brisa Rodri-
guez of Mission, and Rodrigo Mendoza, son of Ray and Perla Mendoza of Edinburg. Javier Hernandez of Mission stood with the groom as his best man. The reception following the ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace in Palmview. The bride is a 2010 graduate of Palmview High School. She became a licensed vocational nurse in 2014 after completing her studies at South Texas College and is now employed as a private nurse. The groom was also a 2010 Palmview High graduate. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2016 from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and is now employed with Nation’s Reliable Lending. Following a wedding trip to Punta Cana, Republica Dominicana, the couple is making their home in Edinburg.
Join in the book discussion at Speer Memorial Library, 12th and Kika de la Garza Loop in Mission, on Tuesday, Nov. 6, on “Big Little Lies” in the library’s Community Room at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish, and at 6:30 p.m. in English. Madeline, Jane, and Celeste are friends and mothers whose young children are starting kindergarten at the local public school. Each of the three has her story. Madeline, now remarried, is troubled that her oldest daughter, a teenager, is becoming close to her ex-husband’s new wife; also, the ex and his wife have a daughter starting kindergarten at the public school. Jane, new to town, is young and single, and evasive about the identity of her son’s father. Ce-
leste, beautiful and wealthy, has twin sons and a seemingly happy marriage. As their friendship grows and the three women become more involved in one another’s lives, events transpire that bring to light new facts connecting their pasts and exposing their secrets—secrets that they have kept hidden behind little lies. Written by Liane Moriarty, and first published in 2014, it is a novel of female friendships, children, families, and school politics, as seen in the context of bullying and domestic abuse. Copies of the book are available to those who sign up for the book discussion. Stop by the library or call at 956-580-8754. This title is also available as an eBook and eAudiobook at hidalgocotx.oneclickdigital.com.
DKG hosts ‘Soiree en Rouge’ for first meeting
The Delta Kappa Gamma Epsilon Upsilon (DKG) chapter recently held their first meeting of the year with a Soiree en Rouge, an annual recruitment event. A French ambience prevailed in the fellowship hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Mission where it was held. Pamela Bond, president conducted the meeting and welcomed guests, including Rhonda Peña, the State Elementary Teacher of the Year, and the chapter’s 2018 recruitment grant recipient,
Sheena Onday. Ondoy was selected to receive the chapter’s $500 DKG recruitment grant. Originally from the Philippines, Ondoy moved to the Rio Grande Valley during her middle school years and graduated from Sharyland High School. She is pursuing a secondary education degree and is currently student teaching at Edinburg North High School. Awarding the recruitment
See DKG Pg.14
F PALMHURST POL YO ICE T I C
PALMHURST POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2018 5:30 PM - 10 PM
Games Rides
Mariachi
CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E MILE 3 RD PALMHURST, TX 78573
Free School Supplies
Talent Show
Food
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL PALMHURST CITY HALL AT (956) 583-8697
We look forward to seeing you at the 7th Annual Palmhurst National Night Out
Ramiro J. Rodriguez, Jr. Mayor
Roberto A. Salinas Mayor Pro-Tem
Jaime Aranda Councilman
Ruben De Leon Councilman
page 2
Israel Silva Councilman
www.cityofpalmhursttx.com
Ofelia Peña-Perez Councilwoman
EVENTS
CALENDAR
October 20 – Celebrate Texas Native Plant Week at Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center’s Prickly Pear Social from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. It includes an evening of cactus cooking demonstrations. Visit the “Cactus Club” for special prickly pear infused cocktails. Take home an art piece from the “Cactus Art Gallery” and enjoy “Sip-n-Painting” under the South Oak. Then visit the native plant sale and talk to the experts in the industry for how to create the perfect bird/butterfly/ hummingbird garden in home gardens. Advance tickets are required. Call Quinta Mazatlán, 600 Sunset in McAllen, at 956681-3370 for more information. October 20-21, 27-28 – Head to Frontera Audubon,1101 S. Texas Blvd., Weslaco, for a fall/Halloween portrait. Saturday sessions are 9 to 11 a.m. and Sunday sessions are 4 to 6:30 p.m. for $50 per group. Sessions last about 20 minutes. Sign up is required. To reserve a spot, call 956-968-3275 or email FronteraNature@gmail.com. October 23 – See what nocturnal creatures await along the Thicket Trail during a night tour at Frontera Audubon, 1101 S. Texas Blvd., Weslaco. Angelina Vasquez will lead the group by flashlight to look for spiders, scorpions, bats, frogs, toads, and nocturnal birds like pauraques and owls. Bring a flashlight, bug spray and wear closed-toe shoes. The event is $3 per person. To sign up, call 956-968-3275 or email FronteraNature@Gmail.com. October 25 – Stephanie Kasper discusses “Sustainable Agriculture of South Texas” at 6 p.m. at Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center, 600 Sunset in McAllen. With a nearly yearround growing season, agriculture plays a starring role in the story of the Rio Grande Valley, both past and present. Kasper studies agriculture, environmental and sustainability science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Admission is $3 per person. Call 956-681-3370 for more information. October 26 – The first Food Bank RGV Golf Classic will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m., at the Club at Cimarron, 1200 S. Shary Rd., Mission. Early bird tickets are available online at foodbankrgv.com/golf-classic-tournament until Oct. 19. Three-person team registration fees are $375 prior to Oct. 19 and $450 after that date and at the door. There will be a variety of prizes including a Hole-In-One prize for a 2019 Dodge Ram. Included in the registration is a light taco breakfast in the morning and barbecue dinner in the afternoon during the awards ceremony. For more information, contact Philip Farias by calling 956-904-4513, via email at pfarias@foodbankrgv. com or at foodbankrgv.com. October 27 – A chalupa bingo fundraiser will be held to benefit the Jeffrey T. Ortiz Memorial Scholarship Fund from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ric Brown Family Event Center, 621 E Griffin Parkway, Mission. Donation is $20 for three cards (bring your own cards). A snack bar will be available. Prizes will be awarded. October 27 – St Paul’s Lutheran Church, School & Childcare is hosting their 55th Annual Fall Festival, a family-friendly event. It will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. or the church grounds at 300 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen. Organizers are planning a Trunk or Treat, rides, games, costume contest, cake walk, food, vendors, and more. The public is invited, and entrance is free. For information, call 956-682-2345, email schoolsecretary@stpaulmcallen.org, or go to stpaulmcallen.org. October 31 – First Baptist Church at Conway and Griffin Parkway invites the public to their Trunk or Treat activity at 6 p.m. at the church. There will be games, activities, prizes and food. For information, call the church office at 956-585-1442. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)
MHS students earn AP Scholar Awards Mission High School had a total of 11 students earn AP Scholar recognition for their achievement on AP (Advanced Placement) exams. Alejandro Martinez, a member of the Class of 2018, qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction. This was achieved by receiving an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams. Alejandro Hernandez (junior) qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award. This is earned by receiving an average score of at least
3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams. Nine students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with grades of 3 or higher. They are Enrique Elizondo, Abigail Gonzalez (junior), Priscilla Quintero (junior), Vanessa Zavala (junior), and Diana Gamez (junior). The following AP Scholars are from the Class of 2018 are Ruben Cantu, Sebastian Carrillo, Xavian Flores and Alyssa M. Garza.
October 19, 2018
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www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
Department of Homeland Security moving forward with border wall construction
By Jose De Leon III
During a field trip to the Mission National Butterfly Center, second grade students from the McAllen Covenant Christian Academy learned about butterflies and the migration patterns of birds in the area. The center is home to over 100 species of butterflies and several endangered animals and plants. Jennifer Williams, a teacher chaperoning the field trip, watched as her students learned about the wildlife in the area and wondered if they’d be able to continue a similar field trip next year. “I imagine a wall would hinder the areas and all the schools coming here,” Williams said. “We’ve been having field trips at the center for the last three years and I honestly don’t know how the center will look like when the wall is constructed or how it will affect it.” Williams made these comments Friday, Oct. 12, the day after the Department of Homeland Security publicly released a six-page memo detailing plans to waive 28 federal laws to begin construction on 17 miles of new wall segments in the region as early as February. The Rio Grande Valley is an “area of high illegal entry,” the memo states. “For the last several years, the Rio Grande Valley Sector has seen more apprehensions of (undocumented immigrants) than any other sector of the United States Border Patrol,” DHS stated. “In fiscal year 2017 alone, Border Patrol apprehended over 137,000 (undocumented immigrants), seized approximately 260,000 pounds of marijuana and 1,200 pounds of cocaine. In order to satisfy the need for additional border infrastructure in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, DHS will take action to construct barriers and roads.” Among the 28 federal laws that will be waived are the Endangered Species Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Among the sections where construction is set to begin on the wall is the area that houses the Bentsen-Rio Grande Val-
ley State Park, National Butterfly Center, Anzalduas Park and La Lomita Chapel. For Marianna Treviño-Wright, executive director of the center, the memo was an action she’s been expecting for over a year. Wrights’s been a vocal opponent of the wall since she caught federal contractors trespassing along her property to clear area for construction of the wall July of last year. “I hope this affirms to everyone that it’s happening,” she said. “It’s no longer the ‘proposed’ wall. It’s coming. It’s a done deal pretty much that will do irrevocable harm to the city of Mission and its economy.” Wright filed a lawsuit last December against the federal government accusing them violating the Endangered Species and the National Environmental Policy Act over the construction of a border wall through the center. That lawsuit is currently in limbo, she said. “And now that the federal government is waiving the federal laws we were accusing them of violating, the lawsuit will probably be dismissed,” she said. “We imagine they are only going to seize the section of the land covered by the easement south of the levee where they plan to construct the wall, but we have no way of knowing what their intentions are toward us.” The City of Mission is known for several of its ecotourism attractions, attractions which would be damaged if the wall is constructed, Wright said. “The neighboring Bentsen State Park is the headquarters of the World Birding Center in an area that brings tens of thousands of visitors to the Walley every year and that could cease operations if the wall is built,” she said. “Our sustainability is very much tied to the tourism that is drawn to this area by the butterfly center, the state park, all of which would be walled off.” Attempts to reach the Texas Parks & Wildlife were unreturned as of press time Wednesday. Mayor Armando “Doc” O’caña said Wednesday he is ultimately disappointed with the advancement
of the border wall construction and agreed with Wright on the wall financially impacting the city. “These sites are important to the city due to the ecotourism revenue they bring in as well as the beauty they bring to the city. We will potentially lose that vital outdoor classroom experience,” O’caña said. According to O’caña, tourists and Winter Texans frequently visit those areas, and many have called him expressing a lack of desire to visit Mission should the wall be built. “It just won’t be a good attraction to put in a travel brochure instead of a natural site we’re known for,” he said. U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar also spoke out against the DHS memo. In a statement from his office, he called the wall, and the $5.5 billion in funding it needs, a “bad” policy. "This request for billions is a 14th century solution will do nothing to address this 21st century challenge,” Cuellar stated. “As a border resident, I can tell you firsthand that a wall will do nothing to curb the fact that 40 percent of the estimated 11.3 million undocumented population are visa overstays. Nor will it properly address the fact that a majority of drug smuggling occurs at our ports of entry. Furthermore, a wall will require substantial land grabs by the federal government and violate current land ownership rights, ranching operations, and environmentally protected areas including Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and National Butterfly Center located in my district.” Treviño-Wright also argued that the wall is unnecessary, adding that the construction of the wall has little to do with national security. “If it was intended to prevent illegal traffic, the security measures would involve gunboats on the river,” Treviño-Wright said. “This wall is being built two-miles inland from the Rio Grande to allow people to come and be slowed down by the wall so border patrol can apprehend them.” Scott Nicol, co-chair of the Sierra Club’s Borderlands
Campaign, said a protest is being planned on Sunday, Nov. 11 at an undetermined location. “It’s a grassroots protest to give residents a voice as the
federal government doesn’t seem the least bit interested in hearing what we have to say,” Nicol said. “It’s fundamentally disturbing that our tax dollars are being used to make the fed-
eral government free to violate the federal laws they waived designed to protect us.”
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October 19, 2018
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association
STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS
Panel hears about what’s being done to ‘harden’ school campuses
AUSTIN — The Texas House Committee on Appropriations met Oct. 9 to hear ideas on improving school safety in the aftermath of the May 18 Santa Fe High School shooting that left eight students and two teachers dead and 13 injured. “It’s an unbelievable reality that shootings in schools are occurring more frequently,” said state Rep. John Zerwas, chairman of the powerful, state budget-writing committee. “As a Legislature we must do what we can to ensure our schools are places of learning and not places of fear.” During the four-hour hearing, the committee heard invited testimony from representatives of the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Education Agency, the Office of the Governor, the Legislative Budget Board and others. Santa Fe Independent School District Superintendent Leigh Wall testified that federal and state grant funds are being spent in his district on items such as: — Architectural redesigns to accommodate metal detector units; — Panic buttons and automatic locks; — Mental health services; — Staff training; and — Adding security personnel. Safety grants are awarded Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on Oct. 8 announced the Texas Education Agency has received two federal grants under the Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act Both grants, worth $1 million each, will be used to support mental health training for Texas school districts, as well as establish effective campus threat assessment practices across the state.
“Texas remains committed to providing a safe learning environment for every student on every public school campus across our state,” Morath said. “By focusing on these two key areas of mental health and preventative measures, we strengthen our state’s ongoing commitment to school safety.” Anti-drug funds to come Drug deaths in Texas have been increasing and nearly half of them are attributed to opioid overdose, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. On Oct. 9, the DSHS announced the receipt of a $2.66 million grant to help fund the expansion of the state’s public health response to opioids over the next year. The grant comes from the Atlanta, Georgia-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funding will help local health departments and health care providers prevent overdose deaths, enhance the available data on opioid use in Texas and expand the prescriber network for medication-assisted treatment. The funds will improve the state health department’s ability to track opioid-related illnesses and other conditions being seen in emergency rooms around Texas. It will also provide researchers and the public with more information on opioid use and its consequences via the DSHS Texas Health Data website, allowing access to more data more quickly down to county and ZIP code levels. “Having more information on where opioids are being used and their effects on communities will let state agencies and our partners in cities and counties focus their efforts where the needs are most pressing,” said DSHS Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt. “Using data to better understand and
respond to the opioid crisis will ensure that resources provide the most benefit for the people of Texas.” Additional funds will be used to train public health personnel at the community level on when and how to properly administer naloxone, a drug that may be administered to prevent someone who has overdosed on an opioid from dying. Fraud unit makes arrests Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Oct. 12 announced that four individuals have been indicted on 30 felony counts of voter fraud and arrested following an investigation by his office’s Election Fraud Unit. The defendants, Paxton alleged, were paid to target elderly voters in certain north-side Fort Worth precincts in a scheme to generate a large number of mail ballots and then harvest those ballots for specific candidates in 2016. “Ballots by mail are intended to make it easier for Texas seniors to vote. The unfortunate downside is their extreme vulnerability to fraud,” Paxton said. “My office is committed to ensuring that paid vote harvesters who fraudulently generate mail ballots, stealing votes from seniors, are held accountable for their despicable actions and for the damage they inflict on the electoral process.” Tax revenue will be sent Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Oct. 10 announced he would send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts some $736 million in local sales tax allocations for the month of October. The amount, Hegar said, is 11.4 percent more than his office reported in October 2017. Allocations are based on sales made in August by businesses that report tax monthly, he added.
LJISD board of trustees passes individual choice referendum election for Medicare 38 staff members at LJISD got good news during this week’s board meeting. The La Joya Independent School District Board of Trustees held a regular meeting this Wednesday, and passed an individual choice referendum election for Medicare coverage of 38 employees. “It’s an individual choice,” said Dr. Alda Benavides, Superintendent of Schools. “That means we’ll have a referendum election for these 38 members and only these 38 members will get to vote.” Medicare started in April 1986, and anyone that was already employed by the district has not been paying into Medicare. “This item will allow for those 38 people to decide individually if they want to contribute to Medicare,” Benavides said. “So they get to vote. The district will pay 1.45 percent of their salary for those 38 employees, and the employees will pay the other 1.45.” A group of people erupted into cheers when the motion was passed by the board. “We’re very excited to bring this forth to La Joya ISD,” said Board President Armin Garza. “It’s for a very special population, these are our administrators and our teachers who have been with La Joya ISD for a number of years, the majority over 30 years. I think it’s very beneficial to all of them.” The employees will get to vote on whether they want Medicare coverage. Three principals presented their plans for improving the overall letter grades and distinction designations for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) 2019 ratings and distinctions. This year, LJISD received an overall letter grade of a “B” from TEA. The board has listened to other principals speak on how they intend to bring up their scores. During this meeting, Jose Garcia, the principal at Domingo Treviño Middle School, Maria Flores-Guerra, the principal at Evangelina Garza Elementary School and Carly Salinas, the principal at Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School
presented their plans and courses of action. Garcia said Treviño Middle School hopes to move from a “C” rating to an “A” rating during the course of this year. “We’re building relationships with community members, with parents, with students, with our teachers and staff,” Garcia said. “We are celebrating a welcoming culture at our school and our commitment, of course, is to all stakeholders.” In addition, his campus aims to increase the rigor of the programs offered and motivate students to achieve. “We have high expectations,” Garcia said. “Since day one, we set goals, we communicate that to our teachers, we sit together, we plan. Our goal is to earn all distinctions, and most important is to help La Joya ISD earn a post-secondary distinction, which we deserve.” Flores-Guerra also said that their goal is to change their letter grade from a “C” to an “A” rating, and they aspire to achieve all distinctions from TEA. “We are delivering more rigorous lessons, we have focused data conversations, we have class visits where we focus feedback not only to teachers, but to the kids as well,” Flores-Guerra said, explaining what the school has already begun doing. “We also have many campus-wide activities.” One of the focuses at Garza Elementary is reading, and they have been promoting that with their students. “Reading is fundamental,” Flores-Guerra said. “Our challenge is to make sure that every child is reading. On a daily basis we are making sure that the kids are reading and testing on at least one book on Reading Renaissance.” Salinas has a two-year plan to change her campus score from a “C” to an “A” rating. “The big message that I’m sharing with our staff and that our team is sharing with our staff is that we are unlocking the potential,” Salinas said. “I want you to be assured that you have a team at Dr. Saenz Middle School that believes in our students
and believes that the potential is there to rise.” The first thing that they have focused on at Dr. Saenz is attendance. Salinas said they have been going over the data and that’s one of the first areas to be addressed. “Attendance is very important,” Salinas said. “We do visuals, we do daily announcements, we are making phone calls to parents. We are having three weeks incentives.” The board expressed that all principals and staff have their full support, and they hope to see the schools improve over the next year. The meeting included the retirement of the LJISD Police Department K9 Lobo, who has served the district for 10 years. The board passed a motion to accept a new canine detection dog named Ace, who was found as a stray and trained to work for the PD. There were several recognitions given during the board meeting. The board recognized campuses that TEA said met standard and earned distinction designations in performance areas. Principals from each campus were called forward and given an award for their efforts in leading their students and staff to do well in the 2017-2018 school year. Cesar Chavez Middle School, Ann Richards Middle School, John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Elodia R. Chapa Elementary School met all the standards and received all distinctions set by TEA. The board of trustees also recognized 23 teachers who had perfect attendance for the 2017-2018 school year. “This is a big, big accomplishment, and we’re very proud,” Benavides said. “And how they did it, I don’t know, but we’re really proud.” “We know that as educators, teacher attendance is invaluable for student success,” Dr. Anysia Treviño, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources added as she presented the teachers who achieved perfect attendance. “For no one can replace a classroom teacher.”
Scheduled for completion in June 2019, the nearly 11,000-square-foot building will provide space for 40 state troopers, four sergeants, a lieutenant and the Texas Rangers.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the office will provide a permanent base of operations in western Hidalgo County, which remains a hotspot for drug smuggling and human trafficking.
“Many times our law enforcement gets swamped and overwhelmed with families coming in from Central America,” said state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony. “They take up all of our time in terms of Border Patrol. When that happens, what happens is we leave gaps along the border where DPS comes in and fills in those gaps, working with our other law enforcement agencies.” Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas said La Joya welcomes state troopers and wants them to become part of the community. “I want to thank the DPS for starting the evolution, really, in the city of La Joya,” Salinas said. Developers plan to build more than 70 townhouses on the west side of La Joya and more than 40 homes on Walker Lake, Salinas said. La Joya also renovated the old First National Bank building, which will become the new City Hall. “I do want to encourage our troopers and anybody else coming to La Joya, we have beautiful homes for you,” Salinas said. “You can either rent or you can buy.”
By Jamie Treviño
from pg 1
DPS CEREMONY
October 19, 2018
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ACS holds first breast cancer awareness walk in Mission By Jamie Treviño
For the survivors, friends and families present on Saturday, raising awareness and money to contribute to the fight against breast cancer was the main goal of the morning. Last Saturday, residents from all over the Valley gathered at the Mission Event Center for the inaugural American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Fundraising Walk. 750 people participated in the walk itself and as of Wednesday of this week, they have raised $18,342. Fundraising is still ongoing for October, and people are working toward donating $50,000 from the Rio Grande Valley area. The walk started at the Mission Event Center at 8:30 a.m., and was about the length of a 5K. Registering was free, and people could make donations voluntarily. Sponsors of the walk in Mission, such as H-E-B, Chick-fil-A, Avon and Kendra Scott all had booths set up in order to offer prizes,
food and opportunities to donate. This was the first Making Strides event in the area, with the closest one happening annually in Corpus Christi. April Chapa, the Senior Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society in Mission, said that the event was a moving example of how people united can make huge progress toward a world without breast cancer. “I really thought that the Rio Grande Valley needed a big breast cancer awareness walk,” Chapa said. “I wanted people to come out and celebrate that they’re a survivor, remember those that we’ve lost and let people know more about this disease.” Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is considered the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. According to a press release from the American Cancer Society citing their Cancer Facts and Figures 2018, “more than 266,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast can-
cer and more than 40,000 will die from the disease this year.” “I hope that it [the fundraising walk] has a big impact and that people see what the American Cancer Society is doing in our community,” Chapa said. “We put in a lot of money towards research for breast cancer, towards our community for wigs, free rides to treatments for patients and all the free services people don’t know about.” Mission City Council member Ruben Plata was present at the event, and spoke on behalf of the city before it began. “We are here on behalf of the city to thank you and show our support,” Plata said. “This is what Mission is all about, this is great for our community and we truly support the American Cancer Society.” Jennifer Hernandez, a member of the Kappa Delta Chi sorority at UTRGV, took part in the walk as part of the group’s philanthropic efforts in the community. She found it to be an important event to participate in. “It shows support,” Her-
nandez said. “I’m a caregiver for a mom who had breast cancer for about seven years. It shows a lot of support and brings a lot of awareness, that way people can get aware as to what is going on and who can be affected.” Rosalinda Mendez and Dora Rodriguez-Jimenez, two survivors of breast cancer, were there primarily to increase awareness and encourage people to get screened and checked regularly. “It’s very important that you get your annual mammograms,” Mendez said. “Even though a lot of people don’t think that they’re important and they don’t always find the cancer, that’s one preventative measure that you can go to, and you’ll have a better chance of getting it caught earlier.” “I’m here to support everybody,” Rodri-
guez-Jimenez added, noting that one of her sister-in-laws passed due to breast cancer, and that one of her sisters is a survivor, like her. “I’m here for all of my family. We need more awareness, so that maybe we can save more people.” Vicky Johnson, a friend of the two ladies, was also a participant, along with her dog, Ms. Bentley. She thought it was important to be supportive and stand up to help in the fight against breast cancer. “I also have a sister that is a two-time breast cancer survivor,” Johnson said. “She lives in Austin, but I’m here supporting her. It’s very important to gain awareness about breast cancer.” The ladies said that these kinds of events were needed all over the Rio Grande Valley. “There’s a lot of cancer
everywhere,” Mendez said. “Especially here in the Valley, we have such a variety of cultures that we need to bring awareness to.” “A lot of people, especially our older people, are not used to getting mammograms and things like that, so we need to bring awareness to that,” Mendez added. “Getting it detected early makes the difference between how much chemo[therapy], how much radiation and the treatments and everything that’s needed.” For more information on how to contribute or make a donation to the walk in the RGV, their website is MakingStridesWalk.org/ RioGrandeTx. For free breast cancer information and resources, the American Cancer Society can be visited online at cancer.org or called at 1-800-227-2345.
1 ER A N I V E R S A R I O L U C T O S O
Eliud Reyna
DIC. 10, 1973 † OCT. 21, 2017 Aun después de un año que no estás podemos sentir un gran dolor en nuestros corazónes. A veces pensamos que la vida es injusta y se lleva a las personas buenas pero ante eso nada podemos hacer. Nos queda como consuelo saber que tuviste una vida llena de alegrías, cumpliste muchos sueños, dejaste un gran ejemplo entre nosotros y muchas cosas más. Quiero que sepas eres un gran orgullo para nosotros.
Te extrañamos y queremos
Tu esposa Jessica Reyna, Hijos: Jessica, Eliud Jr., y Jimena. Tus hermanos: Joel, Yolanda, Mario y Carlos y Familia Acevedo. Participants in the inaugural American Cancer Society ‘Making Strides Se llevara acabo una Misa el domingo 21 de Octubre, 2018 a las 10:00 a.m. Against Breast Cancer’ Fundraising Walk starting to move outside of theT:10.5” en la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Santo Rosario en Mission, Tx. Mission Event Center on Saturday. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
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Find a branch near you: wellsfargo.com/locator *Important things to know about this offer: Checking and Savings Bonus Eligibility: Only certain consumer checking accounts are eligible for this offer, including non-interest bearing checking accounts. Ask a personal banker for details. Teen Checking, SM Greenhouse by Wells Fargo, and the prepaid Wells Fargo EasyPay® Card are not eligible for this offer. All consumer savings accounts are eligible for this offer, excluding Time Accounts (CDs). This is an exclusive, non-transferable offer. A valid bonus offer code will be provided to each customer while meeting with a banker. You cannot be: a current owner on a Wells Fargo consumer checking or savings account, a Wells Fargo team member, or a recipient of a consumer checking or savings bonus in the past 12 months (limit one bonus per customer). Offer is only available to customers in the following states: AK, DC, ID, MN, NJ, NE, TX, WY. Bonus Qualifications: To receive a $500 bonus: 1. Open a new, eligible consumer checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $25 by November 16, 2018. Within 150 days of account opening, set up and receive at least three consecutive monthly qualifying direct deposits of at least $500 each month. During this time, your account balance must be at least $1.00 or more. A qualifying direct deposit is the customer’s salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular monthly income of an accumulated $500 or more, electronically deposited through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to this checking account by your employer, or an outside agency. A non-qualifying direct deposit is a transfer from one account to another, or deposits made at a Wells Fargo branch or ATM. AND 2. 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If you wish to take advantage of another consumer deposit offer requiring a minimum new money deposit, you will be required to do so with another new money deposit as stated in that offer’s requirements and qualifications. Those who take advantage of this Savings bonus offer cannot also take advantage of any New Dollar promotional interest rate offer during the same promotional period. Offer cannot be reproduced, purchased, sold, transferred, or traded. Bonus Payment: We will deposit the $500 bonus into your new consumer checking account within 45 days after eligibility and qualifications have been met. Checking account must remain open in order to receive the bonus payment. You are responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes due on your bonus, and we will report as income to the tax authorities if required by applicable law. Consult your tax advisor. New account open subject to approval. 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entertainment
STC Theatre opens season with ‘Miss Holmes’
MCALLEN – South Texas College (STC) Theatre kicks off its 2018-2019 season this month with Christopher M. Walsh’s play, “Miss Holmes,” inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Performances will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19 and 20, at 8 p.m., and will include a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21. It takes place at STC’s Cooper Center Black Box Studio Theatre located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. “Miss Holmes” is a “fan fiction” which re-examines the Victorian world of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Watson by exploring the added obstacles that would be faced if the two iconic characters happened to be women. When an anonymous note sends a newlywed wife look-
ing for help, Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson work to uncover the secrets surrounding a corrupt police inspector, but this Holmes and Watson face far greater challenges than bringing the criminal to justice. Miss Holmes possesses one of the greatest deductive minds of her generation, but she chafes at the restraints imposed upon her by society. Dr. Watson struggles to make a difference at the only hospital in London that will hire female doctors. General admission tickets cost $5. Tickets can be purchased one hour before the performance at the box office. For additional information, or for group rates, call 956-872-2301 or email drodri72@southtexascollege.edu or jrodriguez@ southtexascollege.edu.
IMAS hosts Latino List exhibition McALLEN – On loan and organized by the San Antonio Museum of Art, “The Latino List: Photographs by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders” is on display at the International Museum of Art & Science, 1900 Nolana in McAllen. The Latino List is the major fall exhibition for the International Museum of Art & Science and will be on view through Jan. 6, 2019. It presents thirty-one portraits of influential Latinos who span the worlds of culture, business, politics, and sports. From professional golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez to rapper Pitbull to Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, renowned photographer and director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders documents the vibrant culture of Hispanic America.
The Latino List Volume 1, a documentary directed by Greenfield-Sanders, that originally aired on HBO, will also be shown in the exhibition. The documentary presents a series of video portraits of Latinos in America reflecting upon their backgrounds, their philosophies and their experiences living in a society where new opportunities abound but challenges still exist. Greenfield-Sanders’ portraits are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum, The Whitney Museum and The National Portrait Gallery among others. The exhibition is included in the IMAS general admission. Call 956-681-2800 for more information.
Coming Attractions
October 20 • Quinta Mazatlán’s Prickly Pear Social celebrates Native Plant Month from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. where nature lovers can enjoy cactus inspired art, prickly pear infused cocktails, sip and painting sessions, cooking demos, local vendors, tapas cuisine, live music, a native plant sale and more. Advanced tickets are required. Call Quinta Mazatlán at 965-681-3370 for more information and tickets. • Award-winning and multi-platinum Latin recording artist Romeo Santos comes to South Texas performing at the Bert Ogden Arena, 4900 S. I-69 in Edinburg, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at bertogdenarena.com and at the H-E-B Park box office. Call 956-562-7362 for information. • Flutist Kate Flum performs at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex in Edinburg. Admission is $10 and $5 for seniors and students, available at patron.utrgv.edu. For special accommodations, call 956-882-7025. October 20-27 • The Brownsville Heritage Museum presents the Murder, Mystery, Mayhem Tour from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the museum, 1325 E. Washington St. The group will explore the Old City Cemetery, where inhabitants will come alive and share their stories of love, deceit and horror during this night of haunting histories and surprises. Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5 for members. There is a 25-person limit per tour. Call 956-548-1313 to register. October 23 • The Master Chorale Fall Concert, part of the UTRGV Student Ensemble Series, begins at 7 p.m. at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. The Master Chorale and Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. Sean Taylor, present Benjamin Britten’s a cappella masterpiece “A Hymn to St. Cecilia” and Henry Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” in concert, featuring guest faculty and alumni artists. Admission is $5 per person. For special accommodations, call 956882-7025. October 24 • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents guest artist trombonist Benjamin McIlwain at 7 p.m. at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. Admission is $10 and $5 for seniors and students. For tickets, go to siteline.vendini.com/site/patron.utrgv.edu/. October 26 • Lucero & the Giants, a UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences play, and will be performed at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg campus on Oct. 12 and again at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Oct. 26. Written and directed by Eric Wiley, the comic play features over 20 performers and includes giant, Mexican-styled, 11-foot tall puppets, called mojigangas. Admission is $5 per person. The box office opens one hour prior to each performance. All performances are subject to change. For information or special accommodations, call 956-665-3581 or visit UTRGV.edu/theatre. October 27 • The Hallo Flute Concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex in Edinburg General admission is $5 per person. For tickets, go to siteline.vendini.com/site/patron.utrgv.edu/. For special accommodations, call 956-665-3881. • Actor and stand-up comedian George Lopez brings his tour to Bert Ogden Arena, 4900 S. I-69 in Edinburg at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at bertogdenarena.com and at the H-E-B Park box office. Call 956-562-7362 for information. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)
October 19, 2018
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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Save the date for MHM Dia de Los Muertos
The Mission Historical Museum presents their annual Dia de Los Muertos Family Festival Saturday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the museum. The public is invited to join in the festivities celebrate this traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to remembering and commemorating ancestors – honoring both death and the cycle of life. This vibrant celebration of Dia de Los Muertos will feature live entertainment, a variety of food and craft vendors, a special community
curated altar exhibit, original artwork, face painting, and children’s activities. Admission to the festival is free. The Mission Historical Museum will also feature a special altar contest and invites the public to participate. Altar contest applications may be picked up at the museum. Located at 900 Doherty Avenue, the museum is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 956-5808646.
Christmas tree forest entry deadline nears
McALLEN – It’s time to register to enter the annual Christmas Tree Forest competition at the International Museum of Art & Science held at the museum at 1900 Nolana in McAllen. Entries are due by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28. The theme for 2018 is “Christmas in the Future.” Organized by the IMAS Guild, the Christmas Tree Forest exhibition showcases the craftsmanship of local citizens in various age categories. The age categories are grades Pre-K to 2nd, 3rd
to 5th, 6th to 8th and 9th to 12th, and adult organizations and individual families. There are $150, $75 and $50 prizes for first, second and third place in each category. Set up is Nov. 15 to 17, with judging on Nov. 18, with an awards reception to be held Dec. 2. The Christmas tree forest will be on display to the public until the first of January. Contact Yerenett Ceballos at 956-681-2800 or yceballos@theimasonline.com to sign up and for more information or entry guidelines.
VSO presents ‘Harry Potter’ spooktacular concert
McALLEN – Join the Valley Symphony Orchestra for a “spooktacular” symphonic journey of Halloween fun for the all ages. Maestro Peter Dabrowski conducts A Harry Potter Halloween - VSO Concert II on Friday, Oct. 26, at the McAllen Performing Arts Center, 801 Convention Center Blvd., at 8 p.m. Families are encouraged to dress in their favorite costumes and experience the music of the Halloween
season. Be prepared to feel the pounding of the percussion, the whistling of the flutes, and the intensity of the strings as the Orchestra creates a soundscape of eerie delights. To purchase tickets, go to valleyorchestra.org, purchase in person at the McAllen Convention Center Box Office, Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., or call 956-681-3800.
HALLOWEEN
SAFETY FAIR
Thursday October 25, 2018 5:30PM - 7:30PM
Join us for this fun, family-oriented event with MUSIC, CANDY, GAMES and PRIZES! FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION will be available to the first 500 children by Mission Police Department Participate in our Costume Constests! ONLY 25 ENTRIES PER AGE CATEGORY: Infants (0-2 years old) Toddlers (3-5 years old)
Tweens (6-12 years old) Teens (13-16 years old)
900 S. Bryan Rd. Mission Texas
October 19, 2018
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Palmview looking to provide wastewater services without Agua SUD have the right to provide service to the area.” Palmview City Councilwoman Linda Sarabia said the lawsuit from the utility district was another example of a rocky relationship between both entities. “This has everything to do with our sewer project,” Sarabia said. “This is our last resort, they’ve been slow to service the area, and they have several management issues and other negligent decisions that show we cannot continue to rely on Agua to service our community. Some people will say we’re spending too much money on legal fees, but I believe this community has been overlooked for over 25 years, this is an investment for the community that will pay off in the long run. It’s a bold but necessary move.” According to Olivares, besides legal fees the city wouldn’t have to make
any payments in receiving the wastewater rights. A decision on the CCN and the Agua lawsuit is expected within a year, Olivares said. In other business, Olivares also announced during Tuesday’s meeting an update in the lawsuit against the city filed by former City Manager Ramon Segovia. Segovia was fired by the city council last year following a management review that highlighted several departmental deficiencies due to Segovia’s inexperience. He later filed a lawsuit against the city citing a breach of contract. Olivares said in response to the lawsuit, which is currently in mediation, the city is filing a crossclaim to bring Segovia’s predecessor, Johnn Alaniz, as a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit. “We believe there were some problems in terms of
the debt Alaniz assumed as city manager,” Olivares said, explaining that the city accrued $2 million in debt under Alaniz, leading the city to operate in a deficit. “That’s a violation of the city charter, making him personally liable for any violations,” Olivares said. Alaniz could not be reached for comment.
PT
progresstimes
progresstimes
The decision to apply for a CCN comes months after a state judge ordered the city to cease construction on a nearly $600,000 sewer project that would have serviced the Expressway 83 frontage road between La Homa and Breyfogle Roads. The sewer project, seperate from the $42 million sewer system Agua is constructing for Palmview, began construction without properly filing an application to service the area within the utility district. This led to Agua filing a lawsuit against the city requesting they cease construction. “Agua is alleging the city is operating a wastewater utility and we have no right to do that. Our position is, we are not operating a utility, we’re constructing one so therefore we’re not violating any state laws,” Olivares said. “We want to make it clear Palmview wants to
progresstimes
Citing what they say is a relationship that has hindered the city for 25 years, the city of Palmview announced Tuesday they are seeking to sever ties with the Agua Special Utility District to provide wastewater services to their city. During their Tuesday city council meeting, interim City Manager Leo Olivares said the city will begin applying for a Wastewater Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) which would grant the city wastewater service rights for the area. Agua, which provides water services to 15,000 residents across western Hidalgo County, currently has wastewater and water rights to service the area. According to Olivares, the city previously held the CCN for the city before transferring it to the La Joya Water Supply
Corporation in the 1990s. Under that agreement, the utility district would provide wastewater services for the city. “That has stymied development all this time,” Olivares said. “We’ve essentially waited an entire generation for Agua to deliver on services that are still not here. Several businesses have turned down coming here after finding out they need to build a septic tank for their place of business. We have the highest cases of waterborne diseases in the valley and are the largest suburban area in the state without a wastewater collection system. This is a basic infrastructure we are lacking and have been promised it would be here. All we have is 25 years of arrested economic development.” Representatives from Agua SUD did not answer requests for comment as of press time.
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October 19, 2018
Sports week
BIG7 SCHOOLS
page 8
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Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports
Big 7 teams have perfect week
by Luciano Guerra ed 2-3 (2-4 overall) PSJA Reuben Farias’ Coyotes conWeek Seven of Valley high school football couldn’t have gone any better for the seven teams from the Mission, Sharyland and La Joya school districts, the Big 7. That’s because the five of these teams that faced off against non-Big 7 opponents all won their games. As for the other two, they went head-to-head against each other. That made it a given that, barring a tie, one would win and one would lose, which is what happened, resulting in a week in which six of the seven Big 7 teams emerged victorious. While having a perfect week like that is hard to top, the fact that going into their Week Eight games, the top six Big 7 teams all have winning records, both overall and against their district opponents, could very well be unprecedented. Furthermore, those same six teams have won 17 of their 21 district match-ups! That, is an absolutely amazing record! While three of the Big 7 teams are undefeated in district play, the Mission Veterans Patriots are the only 5-0 team at this point in the season. That is partly due to the fact that they are one of only two Big 7 teams that have played five district games thus far. The Patriots are also the only Big 7 team to have already played their Week Eight game as they host-
Southwest last night. That leaves four games involving Big 7 teams on tonight’s schedule. With the Sharyland Rattlers at Pioneer Diamondbacks game being previewed separately as our game of the week, we will take a look at the remaining three games here. Juarez-Lincoln Huskies at La Joya Coyotes The 0-3 (0-6 overall) Juarez-Lincoln Huskies are the only Big 7 team with a losing record. However, they played the Mission Eagles extremely tough last week, losing by only two points, 16-14. In that game, there was a controversial call that Juarez-Lincoln head coach Tomas Garcia blames for the loss. According to Garcia, the officials threw a flag, picked it up then changed their mind after the Huskies had apparently forced a turnover on downs on a 4th-down incompletion for the Eagles. As for the 2-1 (5-1 overall) Coyotes, they’re coming off a 28-0 win over the McAllen High Bulldogs. However, their one point win over McAllen Memorial in Week Six, the Mustangs first district loss in over four years, has the Coyotes in the thick of the District 30-6A race as they find themselves in a four-way tie for second place behind the 3-0 PSJA Bears. The fact that they have yet to play the three teams they’re tied with means that Coach
trol their own playoff destiny as they head into the home stretch of their season. PSJA North Raiders at Mission Eagles Having survived a scare against the winless Juarez-Lincoln Huskies last week in which they needed a last second field goal to secure their 16-14 come-frombehind victory, the 2-1 (5-1 overall) Mission Eagles will be hosting the 2-1 (3-3 overall) PSJA North Raiders tonight at Tom Landry Hall of Fame Stadium. The Raiders, who are coming off a 38-22 win over the Nikki Rowe Warriors last week, are one of the three teams the Eagles are in a four-way tie for second place in District 30-6A with. In last week’s game, Mission starting quarterback Damian Gomez had to be taken off the field in a stretcher and put into an ambulance as he suffered a broken collar bone. As a result, freshman Jeremy Duran was called on to lead the Eagles offense the rest of the way against the Huskies. Duran completed eight of 13 passes for 51 yards, and while he led the Eagles on the drive that resulted in the game winning field goal with only 14 seconds remaining in the game, those were the only points the Mission offense was able to put on the board after Gomez’s departure. How long Gomez will be
out as a result of his injury is not known at this time but Duran will most likely be the Eagles’ starting quarterback until then, according to Mission Eagles’ head football coach Koy Detmer. Palmview Lobos at PSJA Memorial Wolverines The 3-2 (3-3 overall) Palmview Lobos will be traveling to PSJA Stadium tonight to play the 1-4 (1-5 overall) PSJA Memorial Wolverines. The Lobos are coming off a bye week so they’ve had two weeks to recover from their 35-14 loss to the 5-0 (5-1 overall) Brownsville Pace Vikings. In that game, the Lobos’ defense gave up 250 rushing yards on 39 carries for a 6.4 yard per carry average. As for the Wolverines, they are coming off their only win of the season, a 2117 victory over the 1-4 (1-5 overall) Rio Grande City Rattlers. Going into tonight’s game, the Lobos are tied with the Donna Redskins for fourth place in the ten-team District 16-5A-1. Having lost their head-to-head game against the Redskins, and with the 5-0 Mission Veterans Patriots and the 4-1 Brownsville Veterans Chargers still ahead on their schedule, tonight’s game against the Wolverines is a must-win for the Lobos if they are going to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Alberto Batres, #30, unsuccessfully attempts to intercept a pass to Marco Estrada, #15; Estrada comes down for a TD. Progress Times Photo by Mario Magallon.
THE BIG 7 PLAYERS OF THE WE SHARYLAND RATTLERS
OFFENSE & SPECIAL TEAMS
#12 Oscar Valdez
PIONEER DIAMONDBACKS
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
#10 Javo Lopez
#15 Tristan Castillo
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LA JOYA COYOTES SPECIAL TEAMS DEFENSE
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Good Luck to All Sharyland Teams!
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OFFENSE
ENTIRE DEFENSE TEAM #27 Eddie Villarreal
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October 19, 2018
page 9
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GAME OF THE WEEK Follow Us on Facebook for Friday Night Football Scores and Updates
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Game of the Week: Diamondbacks, Rattlers ready for 5th edition of the Snakeskin Classic
Pioneer and Sharyland clash with district lead on the line and are set to clash Friday night at Richard Thompson Stadium in the fifth edition of the Snakeskin Classic. On the line? Pride and the inside track to a district title. “Playing Pioneer this year, it’s a big opportunity
to show what we’re made of,” said Sharyland’s leading tackler Javo Lopez. “They’re undefeated in district and so are we. We know they have a lot to prove too, we just got to go in there and do what we’re supposed to do and
Lady Patriots and the pursuit of perfection
Mission Veterans volleyball chasing 4th straight unbeaten district season by Bryan Ramos
The Lady Patriots have been the definition of perfect in district play over the last four years. No, seriously, perfect. Seniors Jacqueline Howell and Makenzie Gerlach have been on varsity since their freshman seasons in 2015. Fast-forward four years later and the senior pair of Lady Patriots have amassed a 56-0 record in district play, and with two game’s left, they can become the first in program history to go undefeated in district play in four consecutive years. “It’s really important because Jackie and I would be the first ones to go completely undefeated in district,” Gerlach said. “It’d be pretty cool to be remembered as the group that went undefeated for four years. It’s my senior season and one of the best
2018
CONTEST WINNER Week #6
Rosa Pedroza
PT
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OFFENSE
See GAME OF THE WEEK Pg.14
Jacqueline Howell, #3 of Veterans Memorial, attacking the ball and Sharyland defenders attempting to block. Progress Times Photo by Mario Magallon.
WEEK 6
st
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EEK
“We realize it’s a big game for the community and I realize we’re now 1-3 against Sharyland,” Lee said. “They know what to expect from us, we know what to expect from them. We expect a big crowd, a huge game, we expect both teams to go out there and compete at a level they probably haven’t competed at this year. That’s what a rivalry game does, it brings out the best in everybody. For us, we’re just trying to treat it as the next game for our opportunity to win a district championship.”
FOOTBALL
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defend that district title because they’re trying to take that from us.” The now five-year-old rivalry has seen the Rattlers jump out to a 3-1 series lead on the Diamondbacks, and after Sharyland’s 56-49 shootout win in 2017, this year’s game sets up to be another 48-minutes of non-stop action between the two sister schools. Diamondback Head Coach Tom Lee will be coaching in his first Snakeskin Classic against the Rattlers and Ron Adame, who he coached under prior to Pioneer’s opening.
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After district realignment in February when football teams found out who they’d be battling against in the fall, one thing was clear: the Sharyland Rattlers and Pi-
oneer Diamondbacks were on a collision course in the chase of the 16-5A DII championship. Now, in Week 8, both the Rattlers (4-3, 3-0) and Diamondbacks (4-2, 2-0) boast unblemished district records
sharylandtimes
by Bryan Ramos
ENTER ONLINE TO WIN! www.ptrgv.com
THIS WEEK’S GAMES - WEEK #7 AT
AT
MISSION EAGLESSPECIAL TEAMS DEFENSE
PSJA Southwest
Thurs. 7:00 pm
JAVALINAS
Mission Vet.
PATRIOTS
Juarez-Lincoln
HUSKIES
AT
PSJA North
Friday 7:30 pm
RAIDERS #9 Horacio Moranta
#20 Ivan Chavez
#14 Rene Rodriguez
Mission
EAGLES
Palmview
LOBOS
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
COYOTES
Friday 7:30 pm
PSJA Memorial
WOLVERINES
2018 Football Scoreboard 16 14 28 0
OFFENSE
La Joya
AT
Last Week Games Week #6
VETERANS MEMORIAL PATRIOTS
Friday 7:30 pm
21 47 56 28
Season 5-1 District 5-0
MISSION MEM. Season 5-1 District 2-1
LA JOYA
Season 5-1 District 2-1
MISSION
Season 4-3 District 3-0
SHARYLAND Season 4-2 District 2-0
PIONEER Season 3-3 District 3-2
#12 Landry Gilpin
#2 Mike Rodriguez
#10 John Aguilar
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October 19, 2018
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FOOTBALL
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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
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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.
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October 19, 2018 from pg. 1
LJISD ELECTION
and all school employees” and “assist school leaders to ensure the safety of all children.” Place 2 Frances Salinas Frances Salinas could not be reached by the Progress Times by print day. Esperanza “Espie” Ochoa Esperanza “Espie” Ochoa is running for Place 2 on the LJISD Board of Trustees, after previously serving on the board from 2007-2016. She has been working in education for 25 years. Ochoa spent 13 years in elementary schools, three years as a Central Office administrator and 12 years working in higher education. Currently, she is “supporting the implementation of a pilot and research study where she is training, modeling and coaching administrators, teachers and parents.” Ochoa received her Master of Education and Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Texas Pan-American. Ochoa intends to “put children first in all board decisions, advocate for all La Joya ISD district employees, support and encourage parental involvement in all schools and oversee the management of all expenditures with prudence and an awareness of taxpayer burden” if elected back on to the school board. “I am running for Place 2 seat because I am committed to making the education and achievement opportunities for La Joya students (from early childhood to post-secondary levels) a life-lasting experience that will enable them to become successful in all they do,” said Ochoa. “My education and professional experience as an educator give me the skills to connect and identify the needs of all students and staff.” Pamela Flores Pamela Flores began her teaching and coaching career in 1989 as a boys baseball
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www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com coach for the Mission Boys and Girls Club. Soon after that she and a few other individuals began a baseball league for Palmview, registering over 300 children to participate. Flores pursued her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Political Science, stating that her father Lucrecio Flores was her biggest influence and motivation to pursuing her passions. Lucrecio served as part of the LJISD Board of Trustees as well and his daughter “has always shared the same vision as her father.” According to her, the qualities passed down from her father such as “confidence, honesty, strong moral values, integrity and commitment” are what qualifies her to serve on the LJISD school board. Flores currently works as the Mission Junior High Physical Education teacher and Girls Athletic Coordinator, and has been in this position for 11 years. Prior to working in Mission, Flores was the Head Girls Track and Field and Cross Country coach at La Joya High School. As a parent, Flores said she understands the responsibilities that come with serving on the school board, and “is more than ready to step in and be the voice for the many children and families that feel that because they are not a part of the entitled inner circle that their voice will never be heard.” She hopes to restore hope and transparency in the school system. Place 3 Johnn Alaniz Johnn Alaniz is a graduate of La Joya High School, and graduated from the University of Texas Pan-American in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Finance. While he currently works as the Chief Executive Officer at the La Joya Credit Union (after serving as the vice
president), Alaniz has also served as the director of the Palmview Boys and Girls Club for three years and the Palmview City Manager for 11 years. Alaniz has served on the LJISD Board of Trustees since May 2006, “proudly following in his father’s footsteps.” According to him, he enjoys and appreciates the opportunity to serve the community and school district as a board member. He considers LJISD an amazing and unique school district that has shown “caring, innovation and resilience.” Alaniz is proud to say that during his time as a board member, the district has implemented “all day Pre-K, buses returned for all students, offers the highest paid salaries for teachers in the valley, a La Joya ISD Free Employee Clinic and an STC Campus in La Joya
ISD.” The LJISD Sports & Learning Complex was also built in this time, and the district began including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses at the elementary and middle school levels. Alaniz intends to “advocate for the safety of the children” and supports the La Joya ISD Police Dept. by hoping to enhance security for students and staff. Mary Hernandez Mary Hernandez graduated from McAllen High School and began working as the Purchasing and Marketing Director at Wickes Lumber for 12 years. After that, she successfully began running BH Trucking for the last 15 years. She has been part of LJISD since she moved to Palmview with her husband and they began their fami-
ly. All three of her children graduated from the district, where she has remained involved throughout their school years. She remained active on a volunteer basis and dedicated “countless hours which enabled her to see firsthand what students, educators and staff needs are.” Hernandez considers herself to be an advocate for students and educators rights. Hernandez said that she believes being a parent and businesswoman is what most qualifies her to serve on the LJISD Board of Trustees. “As a parent, one’s focus is primarily on the children and their well being,” Hernandez said. “If the teachers are provided the resources and support to teach, everything else falls into place. Educators also need an environment where they can thrive and their morale is not
constantly crushed by cronyism.” She thinks that her business experience will help to eliminate cronyism, or the hiring of friends and associates to work in positions of authority. Hernandez hopes her career will also be “valuable to her participation on the school board in that she is financially savvy and can ensure that the district is fiscally responsible.” Hernandez hopes to cause change in the school board, and felt disappointed after she supported different candidates “who pledged to change things once elected and never did.” She said she wants to be part of the solution. Early voting will run from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2, and election day is Nov. 6.
Pamela Flores
Nereyda Cantu
Mary Hernandez
Frances Salinas
Johnn Alaniz
Espie Ochoa
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PALMVIEW COUNCIL
Alaniz previously worked as a Migrant Outreach Representative at the Texas Workforce Commission helping migrants and seasonal farm workers find employment. Coming from a long line of veterans, Alaniz enlisted in the U.S. Army where under his leadership, his Fire Support Team was always the best in the Regiment, to represent his squadron during Desert Storm, and was on duty at the East-West German Border during the collapse of communism and the Berlin Wall. During available time, Alaniz would help his soldiers write resumes, take distance-learning college courses, and even tutored them on math and science subjects according to a bio submitted from him. After serving in the military, Alaniz served as a math and science teacher for school districts of La Grulla, La Joya and most recently, Sharyland. As the father of two children and husband of Perla Alaniz, Alaniz said in his bio he has decided that instead of complaining about local politics he needs to get involved and offer his knowledge and experience to the city administration. Palmv1ew Proud Making up half of the slate opposing Palmview Strong, math Instructor Jose Luis Perez is facing Hernandez for the Place
Arturo Alaniz
2 seat on the city Council. Jose Luis Perez is one of seven children born to Domingo and Micaela Perez. He grew up in Palmview where he graduated from La Joya High School in 1988. Of the seven brothers and sisters, Jose Luis went on to pursue a college education and he enrolled at the University of Texas - Pan American. In 1992, Jose Luis graduated from UTPA with a bachelor’s in business administration before embarking on a teaching career. In 1999, he began teaching math and science at Ann Richards Middle School and coached and mentored his student athletes for sixteen years before becoming the math department chair in 2005. His civic involvement includes being part of the Palmview Zoning Board of Adjustments, which approves additional construction to Palmview residents, according to his bio. As a teacher, Perez is trusted in making decisions for student’s education. As a Zoning board member, he is involved in decision making that impacts the residents of Palmview. If elected, he would continue to provide his expertise in the decision-making process that will now impact the growth of the City of Palmview. Perez has been married to Ana Maria Perez for 17 years and has five children with her. Anthony Uresti will face off
against Alaniz for the Place 4 seat on the city council. Uresti is the recipient of a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and holds a Generalist Teacher certificate and a Principalship certificate. Uresti is a teacher and athletic coach at Irene Garcia Middle School and assists with Palmview Varsity Football games after his middle school practices are over, according to his bio. For Uresti, his interests in serving students is to ensure values and morals are encouraged so they may one day become great leaders and resume a civic responsibility to the community, his bio states. He also currently serves on the Zoning Board of Adjustments for the City of Palmview and is married to Lorena Garza Uresti and they have a daughter. According to his bio, Uresti values diversity, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. “It is my goal to move the City of Palmview forward in a way that is all inclusive in order to promote great growth,” he states in his bio. “We could have a bright future here in the City of Palmview, but we need everyone to be actively involved not just a selected few.”
LA JOYA ISD PRESENTS
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Anthony Uresti
Jose Luis Perez
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life for his citizens the best it can be. Joselito “Hoss” Hernandez is the only candidate filing for re-election on the Place 2 seat. Hernandez is a family man who has been living in Palmview for 26 years and married for 28 years to Isabel P. Hernandez and has three children and two grandchildren. Hernandez is a graduate of La Joya High School and serves the district as a bus parts manager and has done so for the past 18 years. Hernandez's parents ingrained in him a sense of loyalty to his family, friends, and his community. From a young age he was taught to work hard, value his job, and strive for success. According to his bio, the community of Palmview is more than a name on a map to Hernandez, it is his home as well as his children’s and grandchildren’s home. If re-elected as a city councilman, Hernandez says he will continue to be a public servant to serve the community he loves being part of. Joselito’s home does not stop at the end of his driveway, it is the entire city. He wants to ensure that the future of his family and everybody else's is safe and secure. As a candidate for the Place 4 seat on the council, “Art” Alaniz is a self-described political novice with a lifetime of public service.
Joselito Hernandez
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Ricardo Villarreal
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September 14, 2018 October 19, 2018 page 5
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Texas Statewide Poll Projects Huge Victory & Significant Historical Achievement For Governor Greg Abbott in 2018 November Election
History in the making for Governor Abbott Based on election prediction modeling, the survey then analyzed the undecided voters in the Governor’s race and projected Governor Abbott winning in November with 62.2% of the statewide vote. In 2014, the September TIC poll correctly predicted the outcome of the Texas governor’s race by .39 of one percent. If Governor Abbott does surpass the 60% vote mark, the Texas Interested Citizens
Survey project says Abbott will become the first Texas elected official (from nationhood to statehood) who has held three different statewide offices and received 60% or higher voter support for each office. According to the TIC project, the group of Texas leaders who have held three statewide offices is small and includes among others Sam Houston (Texas first President and later a Texas US Senator and Governor), Rick Perry (Texas Agriculture
obituaries Eugenio Garcia MISSION – Eugenio Jose Garcia passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, at his home in Mission. Mr. Garcia was born on Dec. 22, 1935, in Holguin, Cuba, and served in the United States Army. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Martha Zayas de Garcia; children, Pedro Garcia, Myra Garcia, and Martha Jarvis; siblings, Maria Eugenia Alvarez and Agnes LaLonde; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ramon and Josepha Garcia; and brother, Jose Garcia. A funeral mass was held on Oct. 13 at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in McAllen. Juanita Garza MISSION – Juanita Garza, 63, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, at Amara Hospice in Edinburg. Survivors include her husband, Ricardo Garza Sr.; children, Erica Garza and Ricardo Garza Jr.; and three grandchildren. A funeral mass was held on Oct. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Cremation followed. Doris J. West OELWEIN, IA – Doris J. West, 87, of Oelwein, formerly of Mission and Randalia, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 at Mercy Living Plus in Oelwein.
A graveside service was held on Oct. 20 with inurnment at Alpha Cemetery in Alpha, Iowa. Rev. Dennis Frank officiated.
Commissioner, Lt. Governor and Governor), John Cornyn (Supreme Court Justice, Texas Attorney General and US Senator) and Greg Abbott (Texas Supreme Court Justice, Texas Attorney General and Texas Governor). Breakdown of Survey Results on 2018 Texas Governor’s race Abbott winning in all regions of the state (including historically DEM regions) West Texas/PH: 74% Abbott vs. 12% Valdez vs. 9% Tippetts vs. 5% Undecided Central Texas: 68% Abbott vs. 23% Valdez vs. 2% Tippetts vs. 8% Undecided East Texas: 67% Abbott vs. 22% Valdez vs. 3% Tippetts vs. 9% Undecided Gulf Coast: 64% Abbott vs. 27% Valdez vs. 0% Tippetts vs. 9% Undecided
Pablo “Paul” Villarreal, Jr. Hidalgo County Tax Assessor
Tax Assessor-Collector reports the 2018 Consolidated Taxes are available online and will soon be mailed to Hidalgo County property owners. EDINBURG – Tax Assessor-Collector Pablo “Paul” Villarreal Jr. announced the 2018 Consolidated Taxes have been assessed and are available online. The new 2018 Assessment include taxes for the following entities: •HIDALGO COUNTY •DRAINAGE DIST #1 •EMS DISTRICT # 1 •EMS DISTRICT #2 •EMS DISTRICT #3
•EMS DISTRICT #4 •SOUTH TEXAS ISD •SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE •RED SANDS GROUND-WATER CONSERVATION •CITY OF ALAMO •CITY OF ALTON •CITY OF EDCOUCH •CITY OF EDINBURG •CITY OF ELSA •CITY OF GRANJENO •CITY OF HIDALGO •CITY OF LA JOYA •CITY OF LA VILLA •CITY OF MERCEDES •CITY OF MISSION •CITY OF PALMVIEW •CITY OF PENITAS •CITY OF PHARR •CITY OF PROGRESO •CITY OF SAN JUAN •CITY OF SULLIVAN •CITY OF WESLACO •DONNA ISD •EDCOUCH-ELSA ISD •EDINBURG CISD •HIDALO ISD •LA JOYA ISD •LA VILLA ISD •MCALLEN ISD •MERCEDES CISD •MISSION CISD •MONTE ALTO ISD •PSJA ISD •PROGRESO ISD •SHARYLAND ISD •VALLEY VIEW ISD
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.
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
Hispanic Voters: 41% Abbott vs. 45% Valdez vs. 4% Tippetts vs. 10% Undecided Black Voters: 21% Abbott vs. 64% Valdez vs. 2% Tippetts vs. 14% Undecided Abbott winning decisively with male and female voters Female Voters: 54% Abbott vs. 31% Valdez vs. 3% Tippetts vs. 12% Undecided Male Voters: 62% Abbott vs. 27% Valdez vs. 3% Tippetts vs. 8% Undecided Abbott winning 3:1 among Independent Texas voters Republican Voters: 94% Abbott vs. 2% Valdez vs. 1% Tippetts vs. 3% Undecided Democrat Voters: 15% Abbott vs. 69% Valdez vs. 5% Tippetts vs. 11% Undecided Independent Voters: 52% Abbott vs. 17% Valdez vs. 5% Tippetts vs 26% Unde-
cided The 1,200 voters interviewed by the 2018 Texas Interested Citizens Survey project reside in 150 of Texas’ 254 counties and voted in either the 2014 or 2016 General Elections, or they were a new voter who participated in either the 2018 Democrat or Republican Primaries. The survey’s margin of error is +2.9 percent at a 95% level of confidence. Co-Sponsors of the 2018 TIC project includes the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Medical Association and Texas Society of Anesthesiologists. Since 1989, the TIC survey project has been conducted by The Eppstein Group, a 36-year old Texas based public affairs and survey research firm with offices in Austin and Fort Worth.
2018 Consolidated Tax Reports available online
Notices Evangelina Acosta MISSION – Evangelina Acosta, 84, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at her home in Mission. Teodosia Garcia MISSION – Teodosia Garcia Garcia, 84, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, at her home in Mission. Rodolfo Garza Sr. MISSION – Rodolfo Miguel Garza Sr., 75, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston. Ricardo Peña MISSION – Ricardo Peña, 84, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at his home. Elva Quezada MISSION – Elva Salazar Quezada, 65, passed away on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Amadeo Reyna MISSION – Amadeo Reyna, 68, passed away on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, at Doctor’s Hospital in Edinburg. Silvia Vela MISSION – Silvia Vela, 54, passed away on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at Mission Valley Nursing and Transition Care.
Metroplex West: 63% Abbott vs. 26% Valdez vs. 5% Tippetts vs. 7% Undecided Greater San Antonio: 59% Abbott vs. 31% Valdez vs. 2% Tippetts vs. 9% Undecided Greater Houston: 55% Abbott vs. 30% Valdez vs. 2% Tippetts vs. 14% Undecided El Paso/The Border: 55% Abbott vs. 38% Valdez vs. 3% Tippetts vs. 5% Undecided Metroplex East: 49% Abbott vs. 38% Valdez vs. 4% Tippetts vs. 9% Undecided Greater Austin: 45% Abbott vs. 35% Valdez vs. 5% Tippetts vs. 15% Undecided Abbott in near dead-heat with Hispanic opponent among Hispanic voters Anglo Voters: 68% Abbott vs. 22% Valdez vs. 2% Tippetts vs. 8% Undecided
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
•WESLACO ISD
Statements for Hidalgo County property owners are available to print from the tax office website at www. hidalgocountytax.org or call (956) 318-2157 (Edinburg Main Office) for a balance. The Tax Assessor-Collector Office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations: EDINBURG MAIN OFFICE 2804 S. Business 281 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 318-2157 ALAMO SUB-STATION 1429 S. Tower Rd. Alamo, Texas 78516 (956) 784-8688 ELSA SUB-STATION 708 Edinburg Ave., Ste. B Elsa, Texas 78543 (956) 292-7622 McALLEN SUB-STATION 300 E. Hackberry Ave., Ste. 3 McAllen, Texas 78501 (956) 686-7424 McALLEN SUB-STATION 300 E. Hackberry Ave.,
Ste. 3 McAllen, Texas 78501 (956) 686-7424 MISSION SUB-STATION 722 N. Breyfogle Rd. Mission, Texas 78574 (956) 205-7050
PHARR SUB-STATION 300 W. Hall Acres Rd., Ste. C Pharr, Texas 78577 (956) 784-3560 SAN JUAN SUB-STATION 509 E. Earling Rd. San Juan, Texas 78589 (956) 283-1645
The 2018 Consolidated Tax Statements will be mailed no later than November 1, 2018. Taxes may be paid online with Credit/Debit Card or E-Check at www. hidalgocountytax.org. Taxpayers may also pay with cash or check at all Lone Star National Bank locations within Hidalgo County; however, the original green statement or a copy of the online statement is required when paying at the bank.
page 14 from pg. 9
LADY PATRIOTS
teams I’ve played on all four years that I’ve been here.” Head Coach Diana Lerma and her girls set the bar high at the beginning of the season and have followed through in accomplishing most of their goals, but now there’s just two left: finish district play unbeaten and to push the Lady Patriots (34-3, 12-0) in the playoffs further than they’ve gone before. “These girls are very goal-oriented,” Lerma said. “Jack and Mak will go not just four years winning district titles, but four years undefeated. One of the senior groups before went 52-
from pg. 9
October 19, 2018
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com 1, they lost one game their freshman year; these girls want to finish the season perfect.” With playoffs around the corner, the Lady Patriots are playing their best ball, and the rankings prove it. Mission Veterans is ranked No. 3 in the 5A Texas Girls Coaches Association Poll and No. 14 according to MaxPreps. The Lady Patriots aren’t just earning team recognition either. Howell, the 5A leader in kills (618), recently earned MaxPreps/ AVCA Player of the Week Honors in Texas for the week of Oct. 1 through Oct. 7 after compiling 48 kills, 31 digs,
16 receptions, three aces and one block in just three games. “When I found out, I was waking up about to get ready for practice, and my friend showed me and I reread it and reread it, and I was like no way, for all of Texas? Honestly, I almost cried when I saw that, to get recognized in the whole state of Texas because there’s lots of good players,” Howell said. And if opponents think by stopping Howell they’ll stop Mission Veterans, they’re sorely mistaken. The Lady Patriots have a three-headed monster at the net as Howell (.502),
“Friday night, you’re going to have four quarterbacks that can lead either one of their teams, two on our sideline, two on their sideline. Their speed and athleticism is something that we’re going to have to be able to contend with.” Pioneer is fresh off handing Valley View their first loss of the year as they topped the previously unbeaten Tigers 35-27 in a fight til the end. The Diamondbacks used a 343-yard rushing performance on the ground on their way to victory, a team-high through six games. Former receiver Tristan Castillo seems to have found a home in the Pioneer backfield as the sophomore eclipsed 100-yards on the ground with two touchdowns, adding another element to the Diamondback offense. One Diamondbacks who made his presence felt in the win against Valley View was Roel Cajero. The senior receiver had his biggest game of the year with six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown against VV, and he’s looking for another big day against Sharyland, just like he had last year with a nine catch, 198-yard, two touchdown performance. “We know we’re going to
Oct. 20 at PSJA Memorial and Tuesday, Oct. 23 at home against Roma. Mission Veterans swept both opponents earlier this year in their first meetings, giving the Lady Patriots a good shot at finishing unbeaten in district while extending their state-leading 30 game winning streak. “I’m excited, I’m motivated to finish and know that we’re going to go undefeated for another year,” said Howell. “We’ll be the first girls to go through the program all four years, and if we get to do that we’ll be real proud. And playoffs too, we have our playoff bracket already set up in our locker room, so we’re ready.”
Coach Lerma is confident the team will finish district perfect, but she’s always wanted her girls to aim higher. With arguably the strongest team in Mission Veterans volleyball history, they’re aiming at a state championship. “They have to be not afraid to say going to state, because I think they’ve done everything else,” she said. “They’ve gone through the bonding, the chemistry is all there, all that’s left is to follow through and set their goals so we can follow the next year and the next year. They’ve left their mark.”
Bringing students back – one knock at a time
GAME OF THE WEEK
In last year’s shootout, Sharyland quarterback Edgar Longoria and Pioneer quarterback Jacob Rosales scored six touchdowns apiece for their team and both are back for one more go, but this year, they’ll each have another gunslinger ready to provide instant offense when called upon. Both the Rattlers and Diamondbacks offenses have two starting-caliber quarterbacks that have proven they can lead their team to points and victories. Sharyland splits time at the quarterback position between two seniors, Longoria (536 pass yards, 4 pass TD, 280 rush yards, 7 rush TD) and Oscar Valdez (506 pass yards, 5 pass TD, 4 rush TD). The Diamondbacks rotate between Rosales (657 pass yards, 347 rush yards, 10 total TD) and sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger (748 pass yards, 154 rush yards, 10 total TD), and we could see them all light up the scoreboard as this one’s shaping out to be another high-scoring affair. Sharyland Head Coach Ron Adame expects to see all four quarterbacks lead their teams Friday night. “They’re a team that has two field generals that can lead them at any point, just like we do,” Adame said.
Gerlach (.396), and Kassandra Lerma (.396), Coach Lerma’s daughter, all rank inside the top 8 in 5A hitting across the state of Texas. “Most teams have one big hitter, but we have three big hitters in the Top 7 or 8,” Howell said. “We’re like a three-headed beast coming at you. And for us to have that many kills to be ranked that high, we only go three sets with everyone, other teams go five sets. We’re sweeping and to still have three girls up there ranked, that’s unheard of.” Now, just two games stand between the Lady Patriots and their fourth-straight perfect district season: Saturday,
have to score everytime we have the ball,” Cajero said. “We have a great defense, but I truly believe it’s going to be another shootout. We have to come out strong and hungry.” As for Sharyland, the Rattlers tested themselves early and are starting to reap the rewards. After a 1-3 start with games against Pace, Memorial, La Joya, and Hanna, the Rattlers have won three straight and seem to be clicking in all three phases of the game. Now owners of a 3-0 district record, the Rattlers are playing well but know the brunt of their schedule begins this week against Pioneer. “We’re expecting a battle,” said Sharyland running back Danny Escalera. “We know what they can do, we know what we can do. We respect them, but that does not mean we fear them. The game is sentimental, but like the coaches say, don’t let it get to your head, it’s just another game that’s on the way to a district championship.” Kickoff between the Pioneer Diamondbacks and Sharyland Rattlers is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Richard Thompson Stadium with the Diamondbacks serving as the home team.
At this rate you can afford to start renovations today!
LA JOYA – Every year, more than a million children across the country will leave school without earning a high school diploma at the rate of approximately 7,000 students, daily, during the academic year. Recently, La Joya Independent School District takes (LJISD) administrators and groups of educators literally took to the streets in search of students who have dropped out, with a mission to persuade them to come back into the classroom. “It is great to see the ef-
fort from everyone in the district and their dedication as they speak to parents and leavers during this community walk,” said Bertha Perez, LJISD Dropout Prevention coordinator. “We are all working towards one common goal – which is to bring every leaver back into our schools and graduate.” Each situation is different and unique, but the decision to drop out of school usually revolves around conflicting life pressures, the need to help support family financially, or the demand of
caring for siblings or their own child. The Saturday community walk is also an opportunity for school district leaders to gain a better understanding of the issues and obstructions the students face who have left school. This school year, a total of 53 students were enrolled back into school during the month of September – a significant increase from 2018. During the visits, administrators help to address the issues that keep students from coming back to school, and try to remove those barriers.
La Joya ISD personnel took to the streets in September to find the lost students who have slipped through the cracks of life and been knocked off the track of finishing their public school education.
from pg. 2
DKG
grant began in 1986 and has had several evolutions since that time. Most recently, member Lou Allison-Vitek became a driving force behind raising monies, outside of the chapter’s budget, to fund the annual award. In her honor, the chapter has permanently named it in her honor. The soiree began with a presentation by four Mission High School art students who completed an AP art course in 2018. Each artist discussed the works they exhibited, and course instructor Marisol Karam explained the requirements of the class.
HOME EQUITY LOANS
Lou Allison-Vitek, left, and Sheena Onday were recently honored at the first meeting of the year for the Delta Kappa Gamma Epsilon Upsilon chapter. Onday received an award which has been named in Allison-Vitek’s honor.
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October 19, 2018 from pg 1 LA JOYA HOUSING
$10,944.51 in the account, according to the bank statements and city records. With funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the housing authority made a payment in lieu of property taxes to the city of La Joya. In some instances, cities refund that money as a courtesy. When that money returns to a housing authority, it’s no longer considered federal money — and comes with far fewer restrictions. Three days later, Sifuentes, the board chairwoman, apparently signed a $10,000 check to Salinas. The memo line read “Aug ‘17 - March ‘18.” “I have no knowledge of that,” Sifuentes said, adding that she didn’t remember signing any checks to Salinas. LaJeunesse said she believed the housing authority board approved the $10,000 check to Salinas as compensation for serving as executive director. Sifuentes signed a $3,000 check to Salinas on July 3, according to bank records. Just six days later, Salinas signed a $2,000 check to herself. Salinas signed another check to herself for $2,500 on July 27 and a third check for $300 on Aug. 15. While signing a check to yourself isn’t what auditors would consider a “best practice,” housing authority
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2 CEMETERY PLOTS at Valley Memorial Gardens, adjacent corner plots, Section S, Lot 82, plots A4 & B1, call 956-519-3055 for more details.
Garage Sales
5 FAMILY GARAGE sale, Sunday, October 21 at 724 N. Francisco in Mission, furniture, dishes, clothes and many more items.
Homes For Sale
2 MILE LINE & Los Ebanos Rd, 3201 Truman St. in Mission, 4 bedroom/2 1/2 baths, 2,100 living area, asking $169,000, for more details call 707 -631-2775 or 707 -398-8539.
Lots For Sale
BUSINESSWOMAN
to a company called Dezvia from Austin-based law firm LLC, which is co-owned by Linebarger Goggan Blair & former Palmview City Man- Sampson, which collects deager Ramon Segovia. linquent property taxes. A riAfter she confronted the val law firm, Amarillo-based school board during public Perdue Brandon Fielder Colcomment, the district con- lins & Mott, donated $2,500 ducted a leak investigation apiece to Alaniz and Ochoa. and restricted access to pubOther supporters of the lic records. Un1ted for Education candi“They still have all these dates include attorney Jaime consultants,” Hernandez “Jerry” Muñoz, who donated said, adding that Dezvia do- $7,000; RGV Redlight LLC, nated to Alaniz’s campaign. a company owned by Peñitas “There’s no need for that.” Chief of Staff Andy Morales, Alaniz is running with which donated $7,000; and former school board Trustee Absolute Business ConEspie Ochoa and political sulting Group, a company newcomer Nereyda Cantu, owned by public relations the sister-in-law of school executive Karina Cardoza, board Trustee Alex Cantu, as which donated $5,000. “Un1ted for Education.” All three work for the For Sale They spent about $23,000 school district. 2 CEMETERY PLOTS at “I support Valley candidates that from Aug. 13 to Oct. 9, acMemorial Gardens, cording to campaign finance I believe are the best choice adjacent corner plots, Section S,job,” Lot Morales said in reports filed with the district. for the 82, plots A4 & B1, “Pretty much over call here a statement. 956-519-3055 for “I believe that more people know who I am,”details. the Un1ted candidates are said Alaniz, who joined Garage the the Sales most qualified, highly school board in May 2006. educated, 5 FAMILY GARAGEand best candiFor Sale sale, Sunday, “People know who Espie is.” dates to effectively represent October 21 at 724 N. 2 The Un1ted CEMETERY for Education our students Francisco in Mission, and our commuPLOTS at Valley furniture, Memorial candidates Gardens, spent most of the nity.”dishes, clothes and many adjacent corner money on signs cam-items. Not all candidates filed plots, Section S, Lotand more 82, plots A4 & B1, paign literature. call 956-519-3055 for Homescampaign For Salefinance reports by more details. really only done the Oct. 9 deadline. “We’ve 2said. MILE LINE & Los Frances Salinas, one big event,” Trustee Rd, 3201 Garage SalesAlanizEbanos Truman St. running in “And a lot of stuff was do- who’s for re-elecMission, 5nated.” FAMILY GARAGE tion, filed 4her campaign fibedroom/2 1/2 baths, sale, Sunday, area, six days late. October 21 atreported 724 N. a 2,100 Alaniz near- living nance report asking $169,000, for Francisco in Mission, ly $5,000 in-kind more detailsFrances call 707 Salinas reported furniture, dishes, donation clothes and more items.
volved bank fees. The bank statement for September also shows a $7.55 charge for an Uber trip. “Frances is the only one that I know of that had cards to the account,” LaJeunesse said.
many
Homes For Sale
2 MILE LINE & Los Ebanos Rd, 3201 Truman St. in Mission, 4 bedroom/2 1/2 baths, 2,100 living area, asking $169,000, for more details call 707 -631-2775 or 707 -398-8539.
Lots For Sale
-631-2775 or -398-8539.
707
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LEGAL NOTICE
7 ACRES, 2 irrigation gates, Glasscock Rd in front of Sharyland Pioneer High School to the east, $400,000 or best offer, currently under agriculture status, for more details call 956-655 -1309.
7 ACRES, 2 irrigation gates, Glasscock Rd in front of Sharyland Pioneer the latestto news HighForSchool theand updates east, $400,000 or best offer, currently under agriculture status, for more details call 956-655 -1309.
$4,500 in campaign donations and nearly $9,000 in campaign spending from Aug. 1 to Oct. 10. Her report, however, didn’t include required disclosures about individual donors and campaign expenditures. The Progress Times counted more than 40 campaign signs for Frances Salinas in La Joya, along with smaller yard signs and a billboard on U.S. 83. No information about the signs appears on her incomplete campaign finance report. Frances Salinas didn’t respond to requests for comment. Her father and campaign treasurer, La Joya Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas, said he didn’t receive the additional pages required to file the report. Mayor Salinas also served as campaign treasurer for his wife, City Commissioner Mary Salinas, who filed incomplete reports when she ran for re-election in November 2017. Pamela Flores, a teacher who’s running against Frances Salinas and Espie Ochoa for Place 2, failed to file a campaign finance report by the deadline. She couldn’t be reached for comment. Early voting starts Oct. 22. Election Day is Nov. 6.
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Mixed Beverage and Late Hours Permit by Steven Alaniz dba Brick Fire Pizza & More, to be located at 704 E. Griffing progresstimes Parkway, Suite 130, Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas. Officers of File: 10-19-2018 said Limited Liability Company are 10/17/2018 - 1:17:46 PM Steven Alaniz, owner and Joseph Total Sales: $42 owner. Guerra,
PT
progresstimes
Make it happen, we’re located at 1217 N. Conway in Mission, TX Come on in! Our hours of operation are Mon. - Fri. 8 - 5 p.m. If you can’t drop by, mail it! P.O. Box 399, Mission, TX 78573 Submit by email or pay by phone 585-4893. The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 5 p.m.
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employment and reputation within the community she loves dearly,” according to the statement. “The continued attempt to have ‘emergency’ meetings and release information to the media by the LJHA seems retaliatory and malicious in nature. Ms. Salinas looks forward to her upcoming court hearing and is confident those responsible for this will be held accountable for their actions.” Major questions about the payments to Salinas and other transactions remain unanswered. When auditors asked the housing authority for meeting minutes, which may explain the transactions, they were told all minutes since Jan. 1, 2017, were lost when a computer crashed. The Progress Times spent months asking for the records. On Aug. 28, the Progress Times submitted a public information request asking for all records showing all payments to Salinas. When the housing authority didn’t respond, the Progress Times filed a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. That complaint remains pending. The housing authority released 17 pages of bank statements on Tuesday. Labeled “La Joya Housing Non-Profit Corporation,” the bank statements show transactions involving non-federal funds. On March 19, 2018, the city of La Joya deposited
account, which apparently started in September. Bank records show a $500 withdrawal from an ATM in La Joya on Sept. 17, a $500 withdrawal from an ATM in San Antonio on Sept. 24 and a $400 withdrawal at an ATM in San Antonio on Sept. 25. All three withdrawals in-
policy didn’t prohibit it, LaJeunesse said. Along with the checks, bank records show a $10,000 deposit on Sept. 10 and a series of unexplained ATM withdrawals. Neither Sifuentes nor LaJeunesse could explain ATM withdrawals from the
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The board fired Salinas on Oct. 10. Asked about the transactions, her attorney sent a statement to the Progress Times. “Frances Salinas has served as the Interim Executive Director of the La Joya Housing Authority (‘LJHA’) for the past two years. During this time, Ms. Salinas has worked tirelessly to ensure that the LJHA could serve its residents and the community. Ms. Salinas has been in constant communication with the LJHA’s commissioners, staff and HUD to ensure a seamless transition during this time,” according to the statement from attorney Dennis Ramirez of Donna, who represents Salinas in a lawsuit against the housing authority. “The bank statements in question reflect Board approved payments to Ms. Salinas representing her salary under the terms of the contract between the LJHA and Ms. Salinas. Any suspicion, speculation or insinuation otherwise is a mischaracterization of the facts as understood by all parties involved. “During Ms. Salinas’ tenure as the Interim Executive Director, she was never reprimanded or disciplined for any reason and her employment record with the LJHA is unblemished. Therefore, the current actions by the LJHA’s commissioners is highly questionable and has forced Ms. Salinas to initiate litigation in order to protect and preserve her
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File: 10-19-2018 10/17/2018 - 1:17:46 PM Total Sales: $42
7 ACRES, 2 irrigation gates, Glasscock Rd in front of Sharyland Pioneer High School to the east, $400,000 or best offer, currently under agriculture status, for more details call 956-655 -1309.
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File: 10-19-2018 10/17/2018 - 1:17:46 PM Total Sales: $42
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October 19, 2018
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At La Joya ISD, All 4th Graders Learn to Swim!
La Joya, TX - With the opening of the new Sports & Learning Complex natatorium facility, now all 1,992 fourth graders at La Joya ISD will have the opportunity to learn how to swim! For much of this community, the chance to teach children a potential life-saving skill, both for the child themselves and for others, can only be made possible through school programs such as the one now being offered. “The district’s goal is to teach children to survive in the water and/or build on existing skills,” said Mr. Victor Garza, LJISD Sports & Learning Complex Director. “Students will not only learn HOW to swim, but they will also gain life-long safety abilities such as how to tread in the water, call for help, identify danger and recognize an
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emergency,” Garza added. “… within the next 8 years, we expect to have every La Joya ISD student to have undergone the Learn to Swim program, and that will be a great accomplishment for our district.” The swimming program follows the American Red Cross curriculum and each of the 23 elementary school’s 4th grade students will visit the pool for one full hour, for one full week. Trips are scheduled through the elementary Physical Education classes and swimming lesson sizes range from 45-70 students per school, with a lifeguard to student ratio of 7-1. To prepare for this new district initiative, LJISD Sports & Learning Complex staff visited the campuses prior to their scheduled visits to review important safety rules, expectations, and to deliver
parent permission slips. The classes will run through December and students will earn a “Learn to Swim” Achievement Card as proof of their training and their mastering of skills. Sports & Learning Complex specialist, Nelly Garcia stated, “This program aims to provide skills that students will carry with them outside the classroom – for life. La Joya ISD is really serving the children in our community and surpassing other school districts in offering these types of courses that can be life-changing, and we are extremely proud to be a part of this initiative.” La Joya ISD is one of only 3 districts in the entire Rio Grande Valley to provide these lifesaving skills to its students.