Friday, May 31, 2019_PT ISSUE

SHARYLAND ISD MISSION CISD Graduation Edition

CLASS OF 2019

CAMPUS CHRONICLE See Section C

See Section B

Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.

Progress times Vol. 47 - #40

Friday, May 31, 2019

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Judge dismisses felony assault charges against IDEA Public Schools principal

Jose Luis DeLeon

By Dave Hendricks A judge dismissed felony assault charges against an IDEA Public Schools principal last week.

State District Judge Fernando Mancias dismissed felony assault charges against IDEA Quest College Prep, which is located in northwest Edinburg, Principal Jose Luis DeLeon, 44, of Edcouch on May 23.

“In my opinion, it was clearly a case of misidentification,” said attorney Rick Salinas of Mission, who represented DeLeon.

McAllen Police Department investigators arrested DeLeon in June 2015 after a fight at Cursilerias, a bar and grill in north McAllen.

At about 2 a.m., an off-duty police officer attempted to stop a fight, according to McAllen Municipal Court records. When the off-duty-police officer intervened, DeLeon placed him in a chokehold and another man attacked him with a beer bottle.

The off-duty police officer suffered “a severe laceration above the right eye” and had blood running down his face when investigators arrived. A bouncer also suffered serious injuries, including a neck wound that required hospitalization.

DeLeon pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault on a public servant, a first-degree felony, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.

“Some of you may have heard a report on allegations that I was involved in an altercation with an off-duty police officer,” DeLeon wrote in an email to IDEA Quest employees after the arrest. “I write to inform you that I am innocent of all charges and allegations made against me, concerning this

See IDEA PRINCIPAL Pg. 4

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‘Not a politician’

Mission swears in Alberto Vela to City Council Place 4

By Jamie Treviño Alberto Vela is honored to serve the city he grew up in.

On Wednesday, Vela was sworn in to Place 4 of the Mission City Council. He is replacing new City Attorney Gus Martinez, who served as a council member for one year.

Vela will complete the remainder of Martinez’s term.

Judge Ramon Garcia administered the oath of office for Vela, who was surrounded by his family.

“I would like to thank Alberto and his family for allowing me the honor of participating in this ceremony, which I know is a wonderful thing,” Garcia said. “I’ve known the family for about 25 years, and I remember [Vela’s] dad - he was a wonderful human being and he really cared about his community.”

Garcia said it was a shame that Vela’s father, who has passed away, could not be there in person. After being sworn in, Vela dedicated the day to his father.

Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

(from left) Council member Jessica Ortega-Ochoa, council member Ruben Plata, Mayor Armando O’caña, council member Alberto Vela and City Manager Randy Perez following Vela’s swearing in ceremony on Wednesday.

“My mother Esther and my father, the late Lupe Vela, may he rest in peace, taught my sister Sara, my brother Carlos and I the importance of public service and civic responsibility,” Vela said.

“Today I dedicate this occasion to his memory.”

Vela said he would work with the mayor, city council, city manager and staff “to be fair, impartial and work for

the community by ensuring responsible management and oversight of city finances and resources.”

“I am not a politician,” Vela said. “I’m just like each and every one of you: a committed citizen who wants what is best for our community. I took this opportunity today because it’s going to take all of us to unite Mission and let it grow.”

Vela is a prominent pharmacist and business owner in the city of Mission. He said he opened his first pharmacy in the city, and thanked several people for the opportunity to serve.

“I am most honored and humbled to be here,” Vela said. “As most of you know I was born and raised in Mission, and I raised my family right here in the great city.

Mayor Armando O’caña said he was pleased to welcome Vela to the city council.

“It’s a great day for the city of Mission,” O’caña said. “He will be the balance of the business model that is being brought into the council on behalf of the citizens of Mission.”

‘Ready to make an impact’ Former Valley La Joya High School class of 2019 looks to the future athletes come close to DII Women’s College World Series Championship

By Jamie Treviño Three young women, all at different stages in their lives, helped make history last weekend.

The Texas A&M University Kingsville softball team came in second after making the Division II Women’s College World Series Championship, held in Denver, Colorado. According to the Javelinas, it was the furthest the program has ever gone in competition.

Roxy Chapa (a senior who recently graduated from TAMUK), Amber Reyes (a freshman) and Melina Sanchez (Graduate Assistant Coach) were all part of the team’s historic run, and all hail from different areas in the Rio Grande Valley. The camaraderie they formed with their fellow teammates initially drew them to the sport as young girls, and has kept them involved through

See WORLD SERIES Pg. 9

Photo courtesy of LJISD.

Members of the La Joya High School class of 2019 hold the Coyote sign up as they sing the school’s alma mater during their commencement ceremony on Tuesday.

By Jamie Treviño The 2019 graduates from La Joya High School celebrated their accomplishments surrounded by family and friends early Tuesday morning.

This week, La Joya High School graduated the class of 2019 at the State Farm Arena. Hundreds of families

filled the stadium seats as the students walked as one group for the last time.

Principal Antonio Cano served as the master of ceremonies, and introduced the speakers, administrators and board members present at the graduation.

“Whatever path you follow, wherever that takes you, you will always be a La Joya

Coyote from La Joya High School,” Cano said.

Caleb Andrew Guerrero, the third-ranking student, gave the welcoming remarks to his fellow graduates.

“This is the La Joya High School class of 2019: ready to make an impact, strive for

See LA JOYA HS Pg. 9

Judge denies motion to recuse herself in Weslaco water treatment plant bribery case

By Dave Hendricks

Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

(from left) Roxy Chapa, Melina Sanchez and Amber Reyes following the Division II Women’s World Series Championship last weekend.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez rejected a request to recuse herself from the Weslaco water treatment plant bribery case Wednesday.

Alvarez had filed a lawsuit against J-III Trucking Co. in 2015, when a truck

owned by the company totaled her car. J-III Trucking — which is owned by former Hidalgo County Commissioner Arturo “A.C.” Cuellar Jr. — settled the lawsuit and paid $60,000 to Alvarez, compensating her for injuries sustained during the crash.

Three years after the settlement, a federal grand jury

INSIDE La Joya News

Several things are going on in the city this week, including a refusal to approve the border wall survey, auditors looking at the Housing Authority and authorization to change banks. Dave Hendricks has the details.

See Pg. 5

indicted A.C. Cuellar on bribery and money laundering charges. Citing questions about her impartiality, the appearance of impropriety and a potential conflict of interest, A.C. Cuellar asked Alvarez to recuse herself.

See JUDGE DENIES Pg. 4

INDEX Mission News

The latest city council meeting included some changes to the guidelines for the Housing Assistance Program and more. For the latest going on in Mission, see our story inside.

See Pg. 10

Entertainment....pg. 2 Lifestyle...................pg. 3 Sports.......................pg. 6 Death Notices......pg. 8 Classifieds...............pg.9

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May 31, 2019

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Jennifer Lopez celebrates 50th birthday with tour EDINBURG – Turning 50 isn’t so bad as Jennifer Lopez celebrates the milestone with her “It’s My Party Tour.” Lopez takes her first U.S. headlining tour across the country to fans in 25 cities.

It kicks off June 7 in Los Angeles, Calif., and comes to the Rio Grande Valley and Bert Ogden Arena on Saturday, June 22, at 8 p.m. for one show only.

The celebration features a nonstop party mix of Lopez’s new and classic anthems,

show-stopping choreography and dancers, dazzling wardrobe, jaw-dropping technology and set design, and all of the glamour and wow-factor fans have come to expect of “Jenny from the Block.”

On stage that night, the show includes opening acts with World of Dance performers, Swing Latino, The Lab and Brian Nolet.

A wide range of ticket prices are available at livenation.com and ticketmaster. com.

Coming Attractions

May 31 & June 2 • The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Opera Theater will present “Carmen” in Spanish with English captions. The festival production features music and spoken dialogue in Spanish translation by Eduardo de Bray, with surtitles in English. The performances will be at 7 p.m. on May 29 and 30 at the Camille Playhouse in Brownsville and on June 2 at 2 p.m.at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg Campus. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for UTRGV faculty, students and youth.

For more information, contact the UTRGV School of Music at 956-665-3471 or email music@utrgv.edu.

June 8 • The next Sunset Live outdoor concert will be held at the McAllen Convention Center Oval Park, 700 Convention Center Boulevard. The free, family- and pet-friendly event opens at 5 p.m. and continues until 9 p.m. Music ranges in style from Indie to Blues and the event includes outdoor activities, food trucks, beverages, and local artisans. For more information, visit mcallenconventioncenter.net.

June 10 • The McAllen Society for the Performing Arts (MSPA) program Broadway in McAllen presents Kinky Boots at the McAllen Performing Arts Center. For general information, pricing and special membership features, go to LiveinMcAllenClub.com. For questions, contact the ticket hotline at 888200-4035, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 12-13 • Broadway in McAllen presents “Chicago: The Musical” at 7:30 p.m. both nights. Tickets are available at the MPAC box office, 801 Convention Center Blvd., and on ticketmaster.com. The box office is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 30 • Luis Miguel comes to Bert Ogden Arena at 4900 S. I-69C. Tickets are available at LiveNation.com. Call 956-562-7362 for information.

(For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)

E

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STC summer camps begin next week

2020 FESTIBA garners $25K grant

The UTRGV FESTIBA 2020 Mariachi Festival has been awarded a $25,000 grant from Art Works, the National Endowment for the Arts’ principal grant-making program. The Mariachi Festival was selected from among 1,592 Art Works applications for this round of grant-making. The UTRGV award is part of $80 million in grants approved by NEA Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter in the endowment’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019.

Principal investigator on the grant is Dr. Dahlia Guerra, UTRGV assistant vice president of Public Art, who will administer the grant and oversee the mariachi festival.

She said the grant will help fund the mariachi workshop and competition.

The FESTIBA Mariachi Festival has a successful 14-year history of presenting workshops at UTRGV and legacy UTPA. The event draws mariachi directors from across Texas and other states in the southwest, based on the reputation of the UTRGV Mariachi Program and the nationally award-winning UTRGV Mariachi Aztlán.

The festival this year again brings renowned mariachi musicians to teach workshops on mariachi repertoire and history, perfor-

mance practices and stage presence. More than 700 public school mariachi music students from across Texas are expected to attend.

In addition, a competition to be held after the workshop will showcase the most outstanding mariachi programs from across Texas. This is the fifteenth year UTRGV, and the legacy UTPA, has offered this statewide competition, which features the best high school and college mariachi groups in Texas.

Gonzales said the success of the FESTIBA Mariachi Festival is based on the acclaim and accomplishments of the Mariachi Program at UTRGV. Guerra, founder and director of both FESTIBA and the Mariachi Program, is a classical pianist whose research and doctoral dissertation focus on the history of Mexican folk music and the works of Mexican pianist/composer Manuel M. Ponce.

The Mariachi Program is co-directed by Francisco Loera, who is on the faculty of the UTRGV School of Music. Through his efforts, Mariachi Aztlán is having a significant impact on children and young adults across the United States by presenting workshops.

For more information on the National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

EDINBURG – Registration is now open for the 14th Annual Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg. On Saturday, July 6, competitors will battle to cook the best rib-eye steak, pork spare ribs, chicken and brisket to take home one of the largest purses in Texas – $30,000.

It takes place at HEB Park, 1616 S. Raul Longoria Rd., in Edinburg.

Texas Cook’Em is the first and only IBCA and SCA-sanctioned steak cookoff in South Texas. Teams pay only $250 for all four categories in the competition.

The Grand Champion will be invited to compete at the

American Royal in September, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. alongside the best of the best in the competitive barbecue circuit. The Steak Champion will be invited to compete at the SCA U.S. Steak Championship with the best steak grillers in the circuit.

There will be free entertainment, vendors and a children’s play area. Fireworks will kick of a free concert by Los Lonely Boys.

To request a team registration form, email marketing@edinburg.com. To learn more about the event, go to edinburg.com or call 956383-4974.

Seeking grill masters for Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks

McALLEN – South Texas College is gearing up for summer camps that will enable students to engage in activities designed to be entertaining and interactive led by esteemed professionals in the field.June camps Beginning in June, visitors to STC’s Technology Campus and Pecan Plaza will choose from a variety of weeklong camps designed to keep minds sharp and learn new skills.

Aviation, Sewing, CyberPatriot, Mobile App Development, and Intro to Game Development are just some of the many hands-on camps available to participants.

At the aviation camp, students will utilize models and simulators to learn about the theory of flight, airplanes, control surfaces, and engines.

Through the CyberPa-

The aviation camp, CyberPatriot, game development, and mobile app development camps will take place at STC’s Pecan Campus in McAllen.

The sewing camp takes place at Pecan Plaza, 2621 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen, and will introduce participants to the basics of sewing, including sewing machine parts and setup.

Sessions begin June 3 and will take place every week throughout the summer.

Camps are open to grades 5th-12th. For more information about time, cost, or to register, visit southtexascollege.edu/summer-camps/ index.html.

July camps STC’s popular robotics camps begin in July. The 2019 Robotics and Automation Summer Camp takes place from July 1 to 19.

South Texas College is gearing up for summer camps that will enable students to engage in fun and interactive activities led by esteemed professionals in the field. triot program, students will be exposed to cybersecurity concepts including working with Windows 10, Linux, Ubuntu 16, virtual machines, basic graphical user interface security, and basic command line security.

The primary goal of the Intro to Game Development program is to bring the world of creating and developing games to students. The activities are designed to benefit 7th through 10th-grade students pursuing careers in mathematics, science and engineering.

Mobile App Development will be divided into two parts, an introductory course and an advanced course, that will have students work with the android mobile developer platform. Programs are designed to help students understand how mobile apps are created.

AREA'S BEST BUSINESS REVIEW

PRESENTED BY METRO NEWS ©2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1-918-234-7768 HOME DEPOT, located at 120 S Shary Rd in Mission, phone (956) 583-4194, has become known as the do-it-yourself headquarters in this community. Whatever your hardware requirement may be, you’ll find it here. They feature hand tools, electrical and plumbing fixtures, power tools, lawn and garden supplies and much more, all at very reasonable prices. At HOME DEPOT, the service is always courteous and you can count on their help in selecting the appropriate items for any application. Whether you’re building a cabinet or staining the backyard fence, their experienced personnel will assist you in selecting the proper tools and supplies. The management of this well- respected store likes to feel that its good reputation is based on person service as well as durable hardware items. Quality name brand products, sensible working man’s prices and superior service are three great reasons to rely on HOME DEPOT for all your hardware needs.

We, the editors of this 2019 Area’s Best Business Review, wish to take this opportunity to recommend this well established firm to all of our readers.

New for this year, the college’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (IAM) in cooperation with FIRST-RGV introduces drone pilot training for kids ages 13 to 17 in three weeklong camps from July 1-5, July 8-12, and July 15-19. This camp utilizes the current techniques and principles to pilot a recreational or industrial drone in a safe manner following the FAA regulations and air space limitations.

Cost for the drone camp is $135 and will take place at STC’s Technology Campus.

Those who are interested can call 956-872-6148 for more information.

This year’s First Tech Challenge also begins in July and will utilize the Robotics Build & Programming Principles of First Tech Challenge (FTC) to prepare students to compete in city and state meets. Drone Piloting Fundamentals training will also be given in addition to the FTC. Robotics camp will be made available for kids ages 12 to 17 in three weeklong camps from July 1-5, July 8-12, and July 15-19. Cost for the camp is $135 and will take place at STC’s Technology Campus. Those who are interested can call 956-8726148 for more information.

For a complete schedule of all camps, please visit southtexascollege.edu/summer-camps/index.html.

Wild West Summer Camp June 10-July 26, 2019 • Crafty Corral Kids • Rodeo Reading Room • Stagecoach Theater • Happy Trails Special Needs Activities

• This year’s camp will also feature an Overnight Campout on Friday July 5th!

Registration REGISTRATION Where: Alton Recreation Center Where: Alton Recreation Center When: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 4:30 pm When: Mon.-Fri. 8am - 4:30pm Ages: 5-12 A birth certificate is required Ages: 5-12 yrs (Birth Certificate Required) Cost: $100.00 per child

Cost:

$100 per child

Summer Camp Hours SUMMER CAMP HOURS

Mon-Fri 8:008am am to pm Mon.-Fri. to4:30 4:30pm Alton Recreation Center at the Alton Recreation Center Kids will enjoy a variety of camp activities!

Breakfast and lunch provided by MCISD

Breakfast and lunch provided by MCISD

Parent night : Meet the Camp Staff June 6th from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

May 31, 2019

McAllen I.S.D. picks 62 sites for summer meal program

McALLEN – McAllen ISD’s annual Summer Feeding Program will serve free, nutritious meals at participating feeding sites to children 18 years of age and under this summer. Meals will be provided at 62 sites, many of them twice per day. More sites could possibly be added as the summer goes on. The school district is teaming with the City of McAllen to announce this project.

The program will begin on Monday, June 3, at many locations. Meals will be prepared in the district’s central kitchen. Each site will serve meals twice per day but children have the opportunity for up to four meals per day by visiting sites throughout the city. This includes breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner.

The list of sites includes 20 bus routes that take meals into neighborhoods.

It’s called Meals on Wheels.

These are school buses packed with nutritious food that visit neighborhoods.

This will be the fourth year the district has included Meals on Wheels as part of

the Summer Feeding Program.

The federal government funds the program through the Texas Department of Agriculture. The school district is reimbursed for the meals it serves. The district served 178,668 meals in summer 2018.

No documents or proof of income are required. Children can simply show up to any one of the locations throughout the city of McAllen, including schools, City of McAllen facilities, splash pads and parks, and even, places of worship, and a hot meal will be provided.

To find summer feeding locations, go online to mcallenisd.org or mcallen.net or dial the state hotline number (2-1-1) to find the closest locations. Or, send a text by typing the word “Foodtx” and send to 877-877.

For more information on the program, contact the McAllen ISD Child Nutrition Department at 956-6323226.

Keep pets safe year round from mosquitos

COLLEGE STATION – Fleas and ticks are not the only parasites that can cause problems for dogs, cats, and other pets. Mosquitos are the number one vector of diseases and pathogens worldwide, but preventative medicine can make a big impact in reducing infection.

With summer comes an increase in mosquitos. Dr. Guilherme Verocai, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology and director of the Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, offers advice for combatting the most common mosquito-borne diseases, including heartworms, the most significant parasite of dogs in the U.S. Heartworms are most frequently found in dogs,

but they can also infect cats, ferrets, and even wild canids like coyotes.

“Adult worms live in the heart and pulmonary arteries,” Verocai said. “The larval worms, also known as microfilariae, are found in the bloodstream and are picked up by mosquitoes during a blood meal. The larvae will develop inside the mosquito and pass to another dog during a subsequent blood meal.”

The symptoms of heartworms include coughing and abnormal lung sounds, followed by heart, lung, liver, or kidney damage.

Verocai said early treatment is vital for heartworms, but the best option is to use preventative medications to stop infection before it occurs.

The American Heartworm Society recommends

Aleyda Longoria, all of Mission, and the husband of Valeria Zamora of Brownsville. He is a 2016 graduate of Thelma R. Salinas STEM Early College High School, La Joya, and earned an associate’s degree in 2016 from South Texas College, McAllen.

DKG Chapter celebrates Founder’s Day

EVENTS

CALENDAR

June 8 – Register for the Gladys Porter Zoo Ridley Rush 1 Mile Walk/Run. It begins at 9 a.m. on the zoo grounds, 500 Ringgold in Brownsville. All proceeds of this family-friendly walk/run will benefit the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Project. The cost to participate is $15 for adults and children and covers zoo entrance, a race bib, medal and entrance to the post-race festival celebrating World Oceans Day. For more information or to register, call 956-548-9453 or e-mail educ@gpz.org.

June 11-13 – Our Savior Lutheran Church (OSLC) in McAllen is hosting a Christian Summer Camp from 6 to 8:15 p.m. each night from June 11 to 13. OSLC is located at 1105 West Fern Avenue in McAllen. Youths ages 5 to 12 are invited to sign up. Each evening will begin with a meal, singing and prayer, followed by the day’s scheduled group events, including games, mission/service projects and movie night.

For more information and to register, call OSLC at 956-6316121 or visit oursaviormcallen.org.

June 15 – The next Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center toddler play date for children ages 18 months to four years old will be a “Splash Party” and held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by optional free play. The fee per toddler is $2 (with one free guardian). Additional visiting family members must pay regular EWBC admission. Registration is required. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For more information or to register, call 956381-9922 or visit edinburgwbc.org.

June 25 – The public is invited to Speer Memorial Library in Mission at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion of the book Apollo 13, to take place in the library’s Community Room. Copies of the book available for check out. Stop by the reference desk, email reference@missiontexas.us, or call at 580-8754 to obtain a copy or for more information. Speer Memorial is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission.

(For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)

(For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.) testing annually for heartworm antigens and microfilariae in addition to keeping pets on preventative products all 12 months of the year. These products kill heartworm larvae once they enter the pet’s body and may also work against gastrointestinal worms, fleas, ticks, and mites.

Verocai said topical products can be used as an additional measure to repel mosquitos, but these products only reduce the animal’s chance of getting heartworms rather than eliminate the risk altogether.

“There are several topical products for dogs that contain repellents and insecticide drugs that have label claims against mosquitoes and are effective for up to a month,” he said. “There are

Completes USAF basics

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Eli Zamora graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland after an eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies.

He is the son of Rosendo and Imelda Zamora and

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For the latest news and updates

no labeled products to control mosquitos in cats that are effective for an entire month, but there are overthe-counter products that have repellency activity for shorter periods of time.”

Besides spreading heartworms to pets, mosquitos can also transmit several viruses to other animal species and people, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and Zika virus.

Various forms of encephalitis can also be spread to horses through mosquito bites, but vaccines are usually able to prevent infection. For horses, cows, and members of the deer family, mosquitos can transmit roundworms that live in the host’s body but rarely cause disease.

The DKG – Epsilon Upsilon Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (DKG) met this month at Renee’s at Sharyland for their annual Founder’s Day gathering. Celebrating with a garden party the DKG sisters donned their favorite floral attire, including hats, to celebrate the 90-year anniversary of the sorority’s beginnings.

On May 11, 1929, Dr. Annie Webb Blanton along with other founding members first met on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin. Today, with over 65,000 members across 17 countries and 78 state organizations DKG promotes professional and personal growth of wom-

en educators furthering excellence in education. Epsilon Upsilon Chapter is made up of teachers working in all types of educational settings and offers several types of membership opportunities including a collegiate level.

DKG – Epsilon Upsilon meets once a month at different locations in the McAllen and Mission area, but take a June to August summer break. A social event is included each month at Chile’s in Sharyland and may continue through the summer months. For more information about the organization and membership, contact Pamela Bond at owlsfor207@ att.net or Terry Dreibelbis at Driveabus1@aol.com.

DKG Epsilon Upsilon Chapter members recently attended the organization’s annual Founder’s Day event this month.

Seated, left to right, are Olivia Acevedo, Betty Lou Allison Vitek and Kathy Campbell. Standing, same order, are Terry Dreibelbis, Jane Hauk Garza and Rachael Loman.

Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi

SAN ANGELO – Angelo State University’s chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) national honor society inducted 53 students, including Beatriz Garza-Alvarez of Mission, a guidance and counseling major, during a special initiation ceremony on April 16 in the Houston Harte University Center.

PKP is an academic honor society for students in all academic disciplines. Invitations to join PKP are extended to juniors in the top 7.5 percent of their class and to seniors and graduate students in the top 10 percent of their class.

Named to Dean’s List

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Elijah Mendoza of Mission was named to the dean’s list at Olivet Nazarene University for the spring 2019 semester. To qualify for inclusion on the dean’s list, a student

must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale.

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May 31, 2019

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State lawmakers switch Agua SUD board to single-member districts, address conflicts of interest A bill designed to address a smorgasbord of complaints about the Agua Special Utility District will become law Sept. 1.

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa authored Senate Bill 2552, which targets potential conflicts of interest and switches the utility board from at-large seats to single-member districts.

“It’s a very strong bill,” Hinojosa said. “It’s almost a model for all small utility districts and water districts.”

The bill includes a laundry list of prohibited behavior, which ranges from accepting inappropriate gifts

to profiting from utility district contracts. It also places new restrictions on elected officials and employees, attempting to stop conflicts of interest before they start.

For example, any person “who serves as a corporate officer or member of the board of directors of a business entity or other organization that receives money from the district” may not serve on the utility board.

The same prohibition applies to people with relatives who fall within the “third degree of consanguinity or affinity” — how state law describes family members that range from children and parents to nieces and aunts.

Along with higher ethical standards, the bill includes provisions designed to make conflicts of interest easier to detect.

The bill requires all members of the utility board to file personal financial statements with the Texas Ethics Commission by Jan. 1, disclosing information about income, debt, property and investments.

Any member of the board who fails to file the report could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor.

Perhaps the most ambitious part of the bill involves a searchable database of utility district expenditures.

“The database must in-

greatness and live the American dream,” Guerrero said.

“I pretty much speak for all of us when I say thank you to every family member, teacher and administrator for all you have done to get us to where we are now.”

Guerrero told his peers that they are all facing a pivotal moment in their lives.

“We all have our own choices, we all have our own path,” Guerrero said. “Wherever life may lead us, always remember where you come from.”

This sentiment was echoed by salutatorian Rodolfo Peña, Jr., who said that the bonds they all formed during their years at La Joya High School will live on in their memories and lasting friendships.

“Just remember you’re never alone,” Peña said.

“Everyone in this graduating class today is a family, and will forever be a Coyote.”

Peña said that despite all the hardships students go through, they persevered and made it to the finish. He encouraged everyone not to be afraid of what is to come, but to embrace it.

“Although we have accomplished something great,

I want to take this time to remind each and every single one of you that this isn’t the end, this is only the beginning,” Peña said. “We are about to venture into uncharted waters and experience life without limitations.

Each of us has the potential to do something amazing with our lives.”

Peña thanked his friends, teachers and parents for their continued support through his high school career. He wished the best for all the class of 2019.

Valedictorian Josiah Jonathan Garza gave his valedictory address during the ceremony, and said he represents hundreds of remarkable individuals that make up the class of 2019, their parents and teachers.

“The people that gave us the pieces that we are made of are always going to be in our hearts,” Garza said.

“Remember class of 2019, that our homes are where we heal and find the rest needed to get ourselves through the obstacles we face.”

Garza thanked his mother, family and friends for giving him comfort and strength throughout his life. He said that if the students remember

anything from his speech, it is that they always need to remember to find their way home.

“Our faith is one of the strongest tools we can bring to any situation,” Garza said.

“Because each and every one of us in attendance today has overcome trials and tribulations with determination, a whole lot of faith and with the journey home on the back of our minds.”

Superintendent Dr. Gisela Sáenz officially certified the graduates. They each took the stage and were awarded their diplomas by all the members of the board of trustees.

The closing remarks were given by Student Council President Joshua Baldomero Loya, who congratulated the class of 2019.

“We have prepared ourselves for the obstacles that are yet to come, and have found the necessary foundation for prosperity,” Loya said. “We have each encountered adversities which has planted the seed that defines who we are, and has also provided the inspiration to continue to strive for tomorrow, our progress and growth.”

By Dave Hendricks

from pg. 1

LA JOYA HS

clude the amount, date, description, payor and payee of the expenditures, and, if applicable, parties to the contract,” according to the bill.

Employee salary data is the only category of information exempted from the database requirement. Members of the public may still request that data under the Texas Public Information Act. The bill also switches the utility board from at-large seats to single-member districts.

When state lawmakers created the utility district, they dictated how the board would represent western Hidalgo County residents.

Lawmakers set aside three seats for rural Hidalgo County customers. The remaining seats were reserved for Mission, Palmview, Peñitas and Sullivan City. La Joya, which is served by a city-

from pg. 1

owned utility, didn’t initially receive a seat on the board.

The arrangement left customers with unequal representation.

Mission, where the utility district provides water to just a few neighborhoods, had the same representation as Sullivan City, where the utility district provides water and sewer to all residents.

Rural customers lost a seat in 2018, when La Joya received representation on the board.

The bill addresses complaints about unequal representation by switching the utility board to single-member districts.

Assisted by attorneys and redistricting experts, the utility board will draw seven districts with roughly equal populations.

Three district seats will appear on the May 2020 ballot. The remaining four seats

will appear on the May 2022 ballot.

Board President Esequiel “Zeke” Ortiz Jr. thanked Hinojosa for working closely with the utility district throughout the legislative process.

“We look forward to implementing the new legislation which will provide a more equitable representation of all rate payers with the creation and election of the seven single member district director positions,” Ortiz said in a statement.

“We want to reassure the community that we will continue working with Senator Hinojosa as we continue the successful operation of Agua SUD. Once the legislation clears the Governor’s desk, the Board of Directors will begin the process of implementing the provisions of this legislation.”

JUDGE DENIES

Alvarez refused.

“The prior state civil lawsuit, a civil action completely unrelated to the instant federal criminal case, has been resolved for over three years. Resolution is the opposite of conflict,” Alvarez wrote Wednesday, when she denied the request. “Considering Judge Alvarez and J-III reached a settlement, any inclination of antagonism on Judge Alvarez’s part against Defendant Cuellar is misplaced. Certainly, a settlement does not equate to ‘personal bias.’ Even if ‘personal bias’ existed, such would not have been directed at Defendant Cuellar and any ‘stain’ of ‘personal bias’ would have ‘washed away’ by this time.”

A.C. Cuellar is accused of participating in a bribery scheme that brought together corrupt engineers and politicians. In exchange for cash, the corrupt politicians convinced the Weslaco City Commission award lucrative contracts, including work on the water treatment plant, to specific engineers.

The FBI and the Criminal Investigation division of the IRS spent years investigating the bribery scheme.

Agents collected more

than 100,000 pages of documents, hundreds of audio and video recordings and 12 boxes of records, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto “Bobby” Lopez Jr. said Wednesday during a motion hearing.

The evidence includes conversations recorded by at least one government informant, along with thousands of documents from City Commission meetings.

Prosecutors charged a slew of politicians, including former Rio Grande City Municipal Judge Leonel Lopez Jr., Rio Grande City school board Trustee Daniel J. Garcia, former Weslaco City Commissioner John F. Cuellar and former Weslaco City Commissioner Gerardo “Jerry” Tafolla, with participating in the conspiracy.

According to court records, the engineers paid more than $4 million in bribes to Lopez. He passed the money to A.C. Cuellar and Weslaco businessman Ricardo “Rick” Quintanilla, who paid members of the City Commission.

Tafolla and Lopez pleaded guilty. Charges against the remaining defendants, who pleaded not guilty, remain pending.

About a month after his

arrest, A.C. Cuellar filed a motion to recuse Alvarez.

“In this case, the Court has a conflict of interest or at a minimum the appearance of partiality,” according to the motion. “Eventually, this case will head to a Jury where a Court will be called to make rulings of law.

Based on the circumstances of these facts and the law as applied to them, there is no other alternative but for this Court to recuse itself and allow for the normal course of reassignment of the cause at the bar in its entirety.”

Prosecutors disagreed, calling the lawsuit “an unremarkable situation and a routine civil settlement.”

“The defendant fails to identify any instances of animosity or bias by Judge Alvarez, and does not allege any contact between Judge Alvarez and himself, either during or after the litigation,” according to the reply filed by prosecutors. “The motion is baseless and should be denied.”

Alvarez denied the motion Wednesday, hours before a hearing on the matter.

Trial is tentatively scheduled for December.

from pg. 1

IDEA PRINCIPAL

incident which took place off school grounds. When the truth comes out, I am confident that my name will be restored.”

Delays plagued the case from the beginning. Public corruption charges against a judge and the off-duty officer further derailed the proceedings last year.

In February 2018, federal agents charged state District Judge Rudy Delgado, who presided over the case, with bribery. He resigned April 30.

Less than two weeks later, federal agents arrested Donna school district police Officer Juan Fernando Mata — the off-duty police officer that DeLeon had been charged with assaulting — on drug trafficking charges.

A federal judge sentenced Mata to nearly 11 years in prison.

“It kind of put us in a more difficult position,” said Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez.

Prosecutors filed motions to dismiss, which the judge signed on May 23.

“There was never an issue that he was innocent,” Salinas said.

May 31, 2019

La Joya City Commission switches banks

By Dave Hendricks The city of La Joya switched banks Wednesday.

After meeting in executive session, Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas and the City Commission authorized the move without any public discussion.

La Joya will switch from Birmingham, Alabama-based BBVA Compass to Lone Star National Bank of Edinburg.

“I think they want to go away from small municipalities,” said City Attorney Kennedy Salinas, referring to BBVA Compass.

Kennedy Salinas said he believed BBVA Compass wanted to shift away from

small city governments. As a result, La Joya needed to switch banks.

La Joya had nearly $5.8 million in BBVA Compass accounts on Sept. 30, according to information provided by the city. The La Joya Economic Development Corp. had another $138,000.

Along with the general fund and utility fund, La Joya maintains accounts for funds with special restrictions, including civil forfeiture funds and the local Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.

The city published a public notice on May 18, soliciting proposals for bank depository services. La Joya requested paper statements every month, employee direct deposit and armored car

services.

The public notice asked banks to submit proposals by noon Tuesday.

La Joya planned to score the proposals based on interest rates, cost of service, availability of service and the bank’s financial health.

How many banks submitted proposals and how they scored remains unclear. The City Commission packet didn’t include copies of the proposals or score sheets.

After about 90 minutes in executive session, the City Commission approved the switch to Lone Star National Bank.

Asked about the move, Mayor Salinas declined to comment.

La Joya City Commission refuses to approve border wall survey, prepares for lawsuit

By Dave Hendricks Snubbed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the La Joya City Commission responded in kind Wednesday.

After reviewing a letter from Customs and Border Protection — which requested permission to survey city property but refused to discuss the matter during a City Commission meeting — commissioners tabled the request.

Told that Customs and Border Protection may respond with a lawsuit, Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas appeared unfazed. He turned to City Attorney Kennedy Salinas.

“So, Kennedy, get ready,” Mayor Salinas said.

The dispute pits La Joya, which owns about 16 acres of land near the intersection of Military Highway and Garza Avenue, against Customs and Border Protection, which wants to survey the property.

“CBP anticipates that the FY19 appropriation will fund border wall system in this location,” according to a statement released by Customs and Border Protection, which referenced federal Fiscal Year 2019. “The border wall system is planned to include steel bollard wall, patrol road, and associated technology. Planning is currently underway. CBP will consult with the impacted stakeholders on the final alignment and design.”

Customs and Border Protection sent the city a “Rightof-Entry For Survey and Site Assessment,” asking for permission to survey the property. Along with the form, Customs and Border Protection sent La Joya a map showing a 2.42-acre tract labeled “RGV-MCS-1302.”

The tract runs parallel to Military Highway and appears to show where Cus-

page 5

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com

toms and Border Protection plans to build the border wall.

La Joya may build a sewer plant on the property, Mayor Salinas said, adding that he wanted someone from Customs and Border Protection to discuss the matter during a City Commission meeting.

“The Border Patrol stands ready to meet with you and other city officials as part of their outreach program, but a public forum such as a city council meeting is not the venue by which they would conduct their outreach,” Hyla Head, a realty specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, wrote to Mayor Salinas on May 17.

Three days later, Customs and Border Protection sent a final warning to La Joya.

“As of April 2, 2019, we have not received your permission to access the property, and because the Government has an immediate need to enter your property to conduct the necessary surveys, we have determined that it will be necessary to file an action in federal district court to allow us to enter for these purposes for a limited period of 12 Months,” according to the letter dated May 20 and signed by Loren Flossman, who is described as the Wall Program Portfolio Manager for the U.S. Border Patrol Program Management Office Directorate. “We anticipate seeking this temporary right of entry within the next 90 days in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Texas.”

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Auditors find political favors, suspicious transactions at La Joya Housing Authority

By Dave Hendricks The La Joya Housing Authority allowed people with political connections to skip the waiting list last year, according to a damning audit report approved by the board Wednesday.

Auditors also flagged inappropriate expenses, poor recordkeeping and suspicious transactions between housing authority bank accounts.

“When the auditor was here and did our audit for 2018, he basically — and you’ll see it in all the bank statements if you guys take the time to review them — you will see transfers that were made from the low rent and the Section 8 account into the nonprofit,” said Executive Director Cristi LaJeunesse, who took the job in October. “He made the suggestion that charges be brought against the previous director for laundering money. And he said that the money in the nonprofit should be paid back to the accounts that it was owed to, the low rent and the Section 8 account.”

The housing authority board fired her predecessor, Interim Executive Director Frances A. Salinas, in November after a nasty legal battle.

Asked about the audit report, Frances Salinas responded with a text message.

“Cristi LaJeunesse has habitually lied under oath in Court and on Housing Authority Meeting Records, Manipulated Documents, the System and insulted our

La Joya Community by stating our City and tenants are beneath her,” Frances Salinas said in the text message.

“She and David Pohler are Racists of the highest caliber! They are hell bent on another smear campaign and you’re their little lap dog, just looking for scraps.”

David Pohler heads the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development office in San Antonio, which oversees the housing authority.

Smith Marion & Co. of Brentwood, Tennessee, audited the housing authority and prepared the 51-page report.

Auditors flagged a wide variety of problems, which ranged from poor recordkeeping to political favors that violated housing authority policy.

“During the course of the audit, we were informed of fraudulent activity that involved several Public Housing Tenants who were selected from the wait list out of order as ‘political favors,’” according to the audit, which doesn’t name the tenants.

LaJeunesse said she believed several people who skipped the waiting list were related to Frances Salinas and her parents, Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas and City Commissioner Mary Salinas.

Other findings included housing authority spending on meals and alcohol for board members.

“Specific items that we deemed unallowable were alcohol beverages reimbursed by federal program to employee/board members,”

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according to the audit. “Specific items that we deemed unreasonable, and areas of waste and/or abuse, occurred when several meals were on a receipt that was reimbursed to a single board member with no documentation on who the other meals were for, it was unclear if it was another board member or family members or spouses.

In addition, these individuals received per diem amounts for attending conference with no documented plan.”

LaJeunesse said the findings represented a systemic problem with the housing authority board.

“It’s sad,” LaJeunesse said. “Until they have an ethical person in there with an ethical board it’s going to be a continuing issue.”

Along with specific incidents that violated housing authority policy, the audit revealed big-picture problems.

The housing authority recorded a $150,000 operating deficit, according to the audit. It actually represented a significant improvement from 2017, when the housing authority recorded a $244,000 operating deficit.

Both operating deficits included estimated depreciation costs.

Board Chairwoman Sylvia Garces Valdez said she’s optimistic the housing authority will perform better in 2019.

“We pray that we continue to see progress,” Garces Valdez said. “And we’ll work hard for our tenants and our community.”

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Sports week

Luciano Guerra Sports Editor

BIG7 SCHOOLS

page 6

www.ptrgv.com/sports

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

Rattlers on the verge of making history

By Luciano Guerra Going into this season, the Sharyland Rattlers’ baseball team was not expected to accomplish anything special. Sure they were coming off a season in which they were the District 31-5A runner-ups and yes they did go on to win a bi-district championship, but while they were expected to contend for one of the district’s four playoff spots this year, they really weren’t considered to be district champions or post second round playoff material.

Much to everybody’s surprise, not only did the Rattlers take the district championship but they now find themselves just two wins away from qualifying for the state’s final four for the first time in school history. While those two wins will have to come against the Pioneer Diamondbacks, who are not only cross-town rivals but are also coached by Rattlers’ head coach Bart Bickerton’s former assistant Casey Smith, the Rattlers’ players and coaches know that they might never again have such a great opportunity to win a state championship so it’s on for this best-of-three series.

But before we take a look at this unprecedented, and highly unlikely, matchup between the Rattlers and the Diamondbacks, let’s take a look back at how the Rattlers overcame the odds to get to where they are today.

Non-district Schedule While non-district games do not factor into district standings or playoff seedings, they do go a long way towards helping teams prepare for district play. In addition, for those teams that do qualify for the state’s final four, their overall record, which includes non-district games’ results, does determine the four teams’ seeding.

Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra.

Sharyland Rattlers players and coaches celebrate their team’s regional semifinal round championship against Kerrville Tivy after their 4-3 victory in the third game of the best-of-three series.

While I’m sure that final four seeding was the last thing on Bickerton’s mind when he and his Rattlers went up against their non-district opponents, they did put together an impressive 15-2 record most of which was in tournament play.

District 31-5A Schedule After early losses to Palmview and Pioneer, the Rattlers seemed to be on the track to mediocrity as they got off to a rather unimpressive 3-2 start in District 315A play. However, they then proceeded to string together nine straight wins to not only finish district play with a 12-2 record but also to claim the district title. While the Rattlers did split their two

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game series against Palmview and Pioneer, the fact that they took both games against preseason favorite Rio Grande City was what put them over the top and allowed them to begin what

has become a story book season like none other in Valley high school baseball history.

Bi-district Round In the bi-district round of the playoffs, the Rattlers and the 7-7 (12-19 overall) Ed-

couch Elsa Yellow Jackets faced off in a one game, winner-take all, matchup. In that game the Rattlers put eight runs on the scoreboard in the first inning and went on to defeat the Yellow Jackets by

a score of 17-0.

Area Round Having claimed their second consecutive bi-district championship, both against Edcouch Elsa, the Rattlers’ area round opponent was a team many considered to be one of the state’s preseason favorites, the 12-4 (26-8-1 overall) Corpus Christi King Mustangs. In that best-ofthree series, the Rattlers wasted no time taking game No. 1 by a score of 6-3 and game No. 2 by a score of 2-0 to earn the Rattlers their first area championship since the 2013 season.

Regional Quarterfinal Round With the four District 31-5A playoff teams having swept the Corpus Christi area teams in the area round of the UIL state playoffs, the Rattlers found themselves matched up against a district opponent, the 9-5 (21-11 overall) Palmview Lobos, in the regional quarterfinal round. In game No. 1, the Lobos handed the Rattlers a 1-0 loss in nine innings. However, the Rattlers bounced back to take game No. 2 by a score of 5-3 and game No. 3 by a score of 2-1 to take the bestof-three series two games to one and move on into the regional semifinal round.

See SHARYLAND BASEBALL Pg. 8

Teammates in high school, teammates in college

By Jose De Leon III After playing soccer together all throughout high school, three Sharyland High School seniors will continue playing together at the collegiate level.

Gabriel Tamez, Alejandro Castello, and Alberto Martinez signed letters of intent Monday in a triple signing ceremony to participate in Men’s Soccer for the Univer-

sity of Houston-Victoria, an NAIA Division I university.

The Jaguars compete in the Red River Athletic Conference.

Tamez is a 3-year letter winner and starter in soccer.

He was the 31-5A Newcomer of the Year in 2017, 31-5A Goalie of the Year in 2018, and was recently honored as a TASCO Academic AllState recipient in 2019.

Tamez said he plans to

major in finance at UH-Victoria, and credits Sharyland high School for preparing him to compete in college.

“Sharyland is the top athletic school in the Valley because it taught all of us to compete and always play at the top of our game,” Tamez said. “I’m excited to further my academic and athletic career throughout college, it’s just a very exciting time.”

Costello is a 2-year letter

winner and starter in soccer.

He was the 31-5A Newcomer of the Year in 2018, 31-5A Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 and is a TASCO 1st Team All-State honoree in 2019.

He plans to major in finance at UH-Victoria. He said he is looking forward to continuing to play with his teammates.

See TEAMMATES Pg. 8

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Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.

Gabriel Tamez, Alejandro Castello and Alberto Martinez and their teammates at their signing ceremony to play soccer at the University of Houston-Victoria Monday, May 20, 2019.

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page 7

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Diamondbacks’ road to history

By Luciano Guerra It’s been a historical season for the Pioneer Diamondbacks’ baseball team and if head coach Casey Smith and his players have anything to say about it, there’s plenty more history to be made before this season is over. Their two-game-to-one regional semifinal round series win over Boerne Champion last weekend was just the latest chapter in their epic story which began way back on February 18 with their first non-district game, continued March 12 when they took on their first District 31-5A opponent and was extended even further May 3 when they began what is now their historically deep run in the UIL state playoffs.

Prior to this season, the deepest a Diamondbacks’ baseball team had advanced into the state playoffs was the area round. Their fourth round, or sweet 16, series win over Boerne Champion last week now has Pioneer in the regional finals, three rounds deeper than their previous high watermark.

Now it’s time for our Pioneer baseball history lesson.

Let’s look back at each of the previously mentioned steps the Diamondbacks have taken along this fantastic journey into the Pioneer High School record books.

Non-district Schedule The majority of the Diamondbacks’ non-district games were tournament games. While non-district

games are generally considered to be warm-ups for the district schedule, how a team fares during non-district play is usually a very good indicator of how that team will fare against their district opponents. So how did the Diamondbacks do against their non-district opponents? They did extremely well, winning 14 of those 16 games with their only two losses coming against the Corpus Christi Calallen Wildcats.

District 31-5A Schedule The Diamondbacks put together an impressive 11-3 District 31-5A record this season, with their three losses coming at the hands of eventual playoff teams; Palmview Lobos (2-1), Sharyland Rattlers (4-3) and Rio Grande City Rattlers (7-5). However, the Diamondbacks avenged each of these losses by defeating these same three playoff-qualifying teams once each in district play by scores of 2-1, 7-6 and 6-5 respectively.

While the Diamondbacks fell one game short of sharing the district championship with Sharyland, their second place finish set a new high in team history with their previous high being last year’s fourth place finish.

Bi-district Round As the district’s second seed, the Diamondbacks took on District 32-5A’s third place team, the 9-5 Brownsville Lopez Lobos, in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

Their one game winner-takeall playoff only went five innings as the Diamondbacks

Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra.

Pioneer second baseman Juan Rivera tags a Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial base runner out for the final out of the game as the Diamondbacks defeated the #2 ranked Eagles by a score of 7-2 in the third and deciding game of their Area round playoff series. cruised to a 10-0 victory over the Lobos to claim their second consecutive bi-district championship.

Area Round In the area round, Pioneer took on the state’s No. 2 ranked team, the 15-1 (323-1 overall) Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles.

SHS student athlete signs to play at Concordia University

By Jose De Leon III A Sharyland High School senior, who has found success on and off the field, will play tennis for the Concordia Tornadoes Michael Davis signed a letter of intent Thursday, May 23, to attend Concordia University-a Division III schoolin the fall to participate in their men’s tennis team.

Davis is a 3-year letter winner in SHS’ Men’s Tennis, a 3-time District Champion, a

3-time Regional Qualifier, a Mixed Doubles Regional Finalist and a State Qualifier in Mixed Doubles.

Academically, Davis has maintained a 3.56 GPA on a 4.0 scale and will be graduating in the top 15% of his graduating class.

He is a good example of what a student athlete is, head coach Michael Salinas said.

“It was a pleasure having Mike play for us,” Salinas said. “He made the rest of our teammates play better, that

was something he did for us.

He’s been successful since he started playing for us and has been a hard worker on the court and in the classroom.”

Davis thanked those in attendance and credited Sharyland for his success.

“This school gives us the base of what we need to be able to play collegiate sports and improve,” Davis said.

“It’s only a matter of us taking time to take that chance.”

Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.

Michael Davis (center) at his signing ceremony surrounded by family and coaches to play tennis at Concordia University in Austin Thursday, May 23, 2019.

Seeing as how Valley teams are supposed to lose to Corpus Christi teams in the playoffs and how the state’s No. 2 ranked team is supposed to beat unranked teams, the Diamondbacks were not given much of a chance of upsetting the Eagles. However, somebody must’ve forgotten to tell the Diamondbacks this because after losing the first game of their best-of-three series by the lopsided score of 11-1, Pioneer bounced back to take games two and three by scores of 2-1 and 7-2 respectively.

Regional Quarterfinal Round In the third round of the playoffs, the Diamondbacks went up against a familiar opponent, the 10-4 (24-101 overall) Rio Grande City Rattlers. The fact that all four District 31-5A playoff teams advanced into the third round resulted in head-tohead matchups between the four teams. Having split their two regular season matchups against each other, the Diamondbacks and the Rattlers did the same with the first two games of their best-of-three series. Therefore, it all came down to the third game which despite a three-run, seventh inning by the Rattlers, Pioneer took by a score of 5-4.

Regional Semifinal Round Having already upset a No. 2 ranked team, the Diamondbacks found themselves in the unenviable position of being matched up against the team that took over that exact same spot in the rankings, and one of the hottest teams in the state of Texas, the 16-0 (34-5 overall) Boerne Champion Chargers in the regional semifinal round. Not only had the Chargers gone undefeated since March 9, they swept their three previous playoff series in straight games and outscored their playoff opponents by a combined total of 63-3.

Much to everybody’s surprise, except the Diamondbacks and their fans of course, Pioneer proceeded to not only take two out of three games from another No. 2 ranked team, but they scored a total of 23 runs against a pitching staff that had only given up a total of three runs in their previous six playoff games!

Regional Final Round Now that we’ve looked back at the Diamondbacks’ historic path to the regional finals, or Elite 8, let’s take a look at their matchup against the Sharyland Rattlers from Coach Casey Smith’s perspective.

As a former assistant at Sharyland High under Rattlers’ head coach Bart Bickerton, Smith is not exactly

looking forward to going up against his mentor.

“I was his assistant for I believe six or seven years,” Smith said about Bickerton.

“I really don’t enjoy playing against him and I don’t think he enjoys playing against me.

I did talk to him about this and one of the things we talked about is how special this is. I’m approaching this from the standpoint of coaching to the best of my ability and having fun doing it. He and I talked about just enjoying the moment so I think this is going to be fun.”

One of the strange things about this matchup is the fact that Smith predicted it

See PIONEER BASEBALL Pg. 8

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TEAMMATES

“We’ve been playing together for 10 years, it gives us confidence being together,” Costello explained. “It’s a lot of chemistry, our friendship goes past the field. We grew up together and when we came to high school and played it became stronger.

We support each other.”

Martinez is a 4-year letter winner and starter in soccer.

from pg. 7

May 31, 2019

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com He is a 2-time 1st Team All District honoree in 31-5A and is the 31-5A Most Valuable Player in 2019. He plans to study international business in college.

“Sharyland High School prepares you to be at your top form and competing with my teammates in college makes it that much better,” Martinez said. “Going here

prepared us all to compete at UH-Victoria.”

All three student athletes played a key role in this years’ District, Bi-District and Area Championships that the Sharyland High School boys soccer team won this season. All three have also excelled in the classroom and are great examples of what a student athlete should

be, Sharyland High School Athletic Coordinator Ron Adame said.

“They’ve been a key part to our success at school and in the soccer program,” Adame said. “We anticipate having the same type of success academically and athletically in school.”

and continually over and over again, so I knew that it was something obviously beyond us. That’s about the only way I can explain it.”

“I knew it and I even went so far as to send him a text on that,” Smith added. ”Even when he was playing that last game against Tivy, I wasn’t worried about him losing because I knew he was going to win. It was foretold to me and that made it kind of special.”

With the rivalry that has developed between the two schools over the years, and with so much on the line, there’s no telling how the players and the fans will react to such a huge matchup

between two teams from the same community. However, Smith is not at all concerned about things getting out of control.

“I guess it’s a rivalry but we’re different as rivals because we respect the hell out of each other,” Smith said.

“I’ve got tons of respect for him (Bickerton) and I know he has respect for us. We respect how they do things.

Their kids do things right.

They’re well behaved and of high character. And we feel the same about our kids.”

“So while we are rivals, because we’re from the same district and we play each other, we’re happy for their

success which is a rarity in today’s society. And what it comes down to is that we have a relationship that goes way beyond whatever happens on the baseball field,” added Smith.

The best-of-three regional finals series between the Diamondbacks and the Rattlers is being played at the UTRGV baseball stadium in Edinburg.

Game No. 1 was scheduled to be played last night at 7 pm.

Game No. 2 is scheduled to be played tonight, also at 7 pm, and game No. 3 (if necessary) is scheduled to be played tomorrow at 2 pm.

Center.

Carmen Garza LA JOYA – Carmen Garza, 91, passed away on Monday, May 27, 2019, at Grand Terrace Rehabilitation and Healthcare in McAllen.

Marian Gautier MISSION – Marian “Mimi” Gautier, 76, passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2019, at The Bridges in Mission.

Ernestina Nieto PALMVIEW – Ernestina Nieto, 86, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at her home in Palmview.

Anna Orosco MISSION – Anna Marie Orosco, 81, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at McAllen Heart Hospital.

Marco Peña MISSION – Marco Alan Peña, 15, passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2019, at Doctors Hospital in Edinburg.

Herlinda H. Perez MISSION – Herlinda H. Perez, 68, passed away on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at Doctors Hospital in Edinburg.

Salvador Rios PALMVIEW – Salvador Lopez Rios, 79, passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2019, at his home in Palmview.

Margarita Tijerina MISSION – Margarita Tijerina, 74, passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at her home in Mission.

Eudelia Torres-Saldana MISSION – Eudelia Torres-Saldana, 88, passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at Briarcliff Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in McAllen.

PIONEER BASEBALL

to Bickerton long before the playoffs started. Smith even sent Bickerton a text stating that their two teams would meet again in the regional final round and he told Bickerton to take a photo of the text so that he would be sure to have it when it came true.

How did Smith predict such an unlikely scenario long before it happened?

Simply put, it was divine intervention.

“I just knew,” Smith said.

“It was told to me in my prayer life. I don’t know what your beliefs are or how you feel about faith, but it’s just something that was revealed to me. Very, very strongly

Notices Olivia Bentura MISSION – Olivia G. Bentura, 81, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at Senior Care in Edinburg.

Maria Chavarria ALTON – Maria Chavarria, 72, passed away on Monday, May 27, 2019, at Doctor’s Hospital in Edinburg.

Cesar Galarza SULLIVAN CITY – Cesar Martinez Galarza, 75, passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at McAllen Medical

SHARYLAND BASEBALL

Regional Semifinal Round With four championships under their belt, the Sharyland Rattlers were still hungry for more. However, in order to claim championship No. 5, they would have to get past the 12-2 (30-13 overall) Kerrville Tivy Antlers in a best-of-three series.

Game No. 1 of this series was played in Victoria, Texas and despite having a 3-1 lead going into the seventh inning the Rattlers fell to the Antlers by a score of 4-3. Games No. 2 and 3 were then moved to Cabaniss Field in Corpus Christi. That was where the Rattlers did indeed claim their fifth championship of the season with 7-3 and 4-3 (in extra innings) victories.

Regional Final Round Having completed our look back at how the Rattlers reached the regional final round of the UIL state playoffs for only the second time in school history let’s take a look at their matchup against the Pioneer Diamondbacks from Coach Bickerton’s perspective.

When asked what going up against a sister school’s team with so much at stake in this series means to him, Bickerton said, “It’s become a huge rivalry between our schools; in everything like basketball, football and everything else.

Which is good, and that’s the way it should be. But it definitely adds a whole different element to this series which is something that we’ve never been through before. It’s almost like playing another district game for all the marbles. It’s strange to me to be in this situation.”

“Just take a look at the fact that Pioneer was down to their last strike against Corpus Christi Vets, a team that went to the state tournament last year, and the team that we beat, Kerrville Tivy, was in the regional finals last year,” added Bickerton. “So we’ve beat some good teams to get where we are today. Teams with plenty of playoff experience and teams that have gone the distance.”

The fact that Pioneer head coach Casey Smith was once an assistant to Bickerton adds another level of intrigue to

this series. However, what Bickerton can’t get over is the fact the Smith predicted this matchup long ago.

“The strangest thing about this series is that Coach Smith predicted that we were going to meet in the regional finals way back after we played our second district game against each other, “ Bickerton said.

“I laughed it off several times but what really got me is when he texted me his prediction and told me to take a picture of it because he had no doubt that we were going to meet in the regional finals.

So I took a picture of it and I still have it. And now it’s come true. It’s just bizarre.”

As for what it’s like for him to go up against a former assistant, and a close friend, like Smith, Bickerton said, “Really, I can’t stand it. We both hate playing each other because not only do we each not like seeing each other lose, but we have to change everything we do when we play each other. With him coming up through our system, he knows exactly what we’re trying to do. So we have to change to wrist bands and that really changes the way we play. It’s a strange situation.”

The fact that his team is not made up of any superstars is something that Bickerton takes a lot of pride in.

“Both of our teams have played very well to get to this point, but they have some superstars and some D1 (Division 1) kids and we don’t have anything,” Bickerton said. “We don’t even have a kid that’s been signed, even to a junior college. But if you play defense and throw strikes, you can beat anybody. And both teams have done that.”

The best-of-three regional finals series between the Diamondbacks and the Rattlers is being played at the UTRGV baseball stadium in Edinburg.

Game No. 1 was scheduled to be played last night at 7 pm.

Game No. 2 is scheduled to be played tonight, also at 7 pm, and game No. 3 (if necessary) is scheduled to be played tomorrow at 2 pm.

May 31, 2019

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RGV cities suspending AEP Texas’ rate increase

By Jose De Leon III 40 cities across the state, many from the Rio Grande Valley, have signed resolutions to suspend a rate increase proposed by AEP Texas that was supposed to go into effect next week.

On May 1, AEP Texas announced to its more than 1 million customers across the state of a proposed rate increase submitted to the Public Utility Commission of Texas that would affect customers starting June 5.

Since the announcement from AEP, cities such as McAllen, Edinburg, Palmview, Alton, Harlingen, San Benito and more have signed

from pg. 1

resolutions earlier this month to suspend the rate increase.

Under this rate change, residential customers in south and central Texas would see an increase of $4.75 a month per 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month. However, the power company is also proposing to decrease its rates by $5.01 for customers in the northern region of the state.

“South Texas is still growing, and we may have to invest in infrastructure to support that growth,” Lee Jones, a local spokesman with AEP Texas said of the proposed rate increase. “No one likes prices going up but it’s just to keep up with the state and

WORLD SERIES

their collegiate careers.

Chapa, who graduated from Sharyland High School, recently graduated from TAMUK with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Originally a soccer player in her younger years, she said her team all moved to softball and grew from there.

“It was just good to stick with that little group,” Chapa said. “We’re all friends.”

Sanchez, who graduated from Edinburg North High School, is in the graduate program studying Education Administration at TAMUK. She said the sport builds the character of those who participate in it.

“I think softball and athletics in general offers a lot of useful life lessons like hard work, determination and passion,” Sanchez said.

“I think a lot of good things can come out of it.”

Reyes, a freshman majoring in Kinesiology, graduated from Edinburg High School. She has been playing softball since she was 4 years old, and found a second family with the Javelinas.

“I guess growing up and playing it, you become more competitive,” Reyes said.

“And then you meet a lot of people throughout the years of playing and they become your best friends.”

The Javelinas softball team travelled to Colorado for the final stretch after several successful games (finishing the season at 52-10), and they faced off against the Augustana University Vikings from South Dakota.

After winning the first game, the Javelinas played hard but came up short in the final two, becoming the National Runner-Up and completing the best campaign in the program’s history.

provide with the reliability of the grid. That costs money.”

The rate request reflects the amounts that are charged to retail electric providers for the delivery of electricity over AEP Texas’ transmission and distribution lines, a news release from the company stated. With this rate increase, the company is seeking approval of a $38.3 million increase in base rate revenues.

The cities opposing the rate increase hired the law offices of the Austin-based firm Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C. to study the proposed rate increase and its effect on customers.

“We want to make sure

customers don’t pay any costs that are unreasonable or that violate commission rules,” Thomas Brocato, an attorney at Gosselink said “[AEP] states the main driver of this increase relates to growth on their system as well as significant investments they’ve made to upgrade and maintain the existing infrastructure and expansions in the oil and gas business. Of course those factors also result in greater revenues to the utility so it balances out the need for a rate increase.”

Brocato said the “disparity” between the rates in the south and north was a cause for concern as customers in

south Texas will use more 1,000-kilowatt hours per month due to the heat and air conditioners being used nonstop.

“There’s a difference in the numbers between customers in the north and in south Texas and in the costs to serve them,” Brocato said. “It’s a different impact, we want to make sure everything is done properly so customers in south Texas are not paying an inordinate share. We represent cities in both areas and are making sure it’s allocated properly.”

AEP has not gone before the Texas PUC for a proposed rate increase in 12 years, the release stated.

Brocato said that a hearing on the case is set for Aug. 20 with a deadline for action to be taken by Nov. 5.

Jones said the rate increase will have to go before the PUC and said the decrease for customers in the northern region of the state reflects the number of customers there and that commercial and industrial customers are facing a rate increase there.

“We have kept our rate flat for the past 12 years but like everything else, expenses go up,” Jones said.

The road to the championship was a long and difficult one, according to the athletes. While everyone was happy to return, they were disappointed with the final result of the game.

“Coming in second place is kind of hard, and it’s not what we wanted,” Sanchez said. “It just sucks knowing you were so close, but it’s always good to be home.”

Several fans have been keeping up with the team’s journey to the championship.

“We’ve seen a lot of people on social media following and keeping up with everything,” Chapa said. “It’s exciting to be able to come back to that.”

Her first year as a college athlete showed Reyes that it takes a bit of time to adjust to the travel lifestyle, so she was glad to be home, albeit disappointed.

“It kind of sucked losing

and coming in second and having the season end because I know that the team that I was on, we should have taken it,” Reyes said. “There was so much more we could have done, but it’s over now.

I’m happy we made it that far, because it was a good run for us. We accomplished a lot.”

Reyes found the transition into college life easy at first, meeting plenty of people early on.

“The hardest part was managing my time between softball and school and learning to be my myself,” Reyes said. “It got easier in the second semester because I got closer to the girls and I knew there was more help for me.”

Chapa, happy to have graduated, agreed that time management was one of the biggest lessons she learned in her college experience.

“I had to make time for everything but also not neglect other stuff,” Chapa said. “And now I’m going to be an intern at the Baptist Student Ministry [at TAMUK].”

Sanchez was proud to see the team go so far this year, and said the biggest factor that contributed to their success is the team sticking together.

“As a group and as a family, we stuck together really well and responded,” Sanchez said. “We were there for each other, we fought for each other and even when things didn’t go our way or things were off, we just came together as a group and said ‘we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do the best we can.’”

The Javelinas are considered a young team, with a majority of their players being freshmen and sopho-

mores.

“It was more about gelling together and learning how each one of us plays a part on the team,” Reyes said. “It was about getting to know one another.”

Chapa agreed, saying that because so many members of the team are new everyone had to adjust.

“At the beginning I had a hard time remembering everyone’s name,” Chapa said. “It’s a big team, so we also had to be okay with not being close to everyone, but getting along and working together as a team.”

Sanchez said that part of that has to do with understanding the many personalities that make up the Javelinas.

“We overcame adversity,” Sanchez said. “While all of those things were hard to get through, I think we did a really good job with it.”

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LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Wine and Beer Retailer’s off-premise permit by Circle K Licensing Company, Inc. dba Circle K Store # 2704591, to be located at 1900 W 3 Mile Rd., Mission, Hidalgo County, TX 78573.

Officers are Larry A StocktonPresident/Secretary.

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1100 S. Stewart Blvd. • Alton, TX 78573 (956) 580-6933

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http:/www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint)_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program. intake@usda.gov.

page 10

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Mission man writes on ‘Being your own bodyguard’

By Jose De Leon III A book written by a Mission man aims to provide better security through knowledge by teaching readers the best way to stay vigilant prior to any potential attack.

Rich Roth, who has worked as a Secret Service agent and is the executive director of the security consulting firm Counter Technology Incorporated, self-published his novel “Being your Own Bodyguard” earlier this year.

The nearly 200-page long book features personal stories based on Roth’s experiences in his line of work, and tips on how to remain safe in a potentially violent confrontation.

Roth has worked in counterintelligence for 35 years, he said.

“An important lesson I’ve learned is that a good bodyguard never ever gets into a gun fight or a fight of any kind, you try to stay away from those fights,” Roth

explained. “So that’s what we’re looking for, a way we can look out for ourselves ahead of time and pick out the potential problems before they cause one.”

Roth’s career started in 1976 as a secret service agent before leaving eight years later and created CTI afterward where he put into use all the information he gained as a secret service agent.

The first chapter in the book features Roth writing about the time he worked as a bodyguard for a group of bank employees picking the next CEO after the previous one was killed in a bomb blast.

“I created a routine and scouted the area,” Roth said of his methods. “When you go to a new place, you always want to see what’s normal in that place so you lay low and observe and see what’s ordinary there. After a few days or hours of seeing that and once you see something that sticks out, you

know you should not let your guard down.”

This advice, Roth said, can prevent any kind of attack ranging from shootings, bombings and kidnappings.

Through the Maryland-based CTI, Roth teaches security classes all over the country, he said. Roth believes that in today’s day and age, the lessons in his book are more relevant than ever.

“Crime isn’t really dropping and crime in the United States is a pretty prevalent threat that keeps rising,” Roth said. “Nowadays there’s so many threats from cartel gang members and ISIS members and their followers.

In my line of work, whenever there is a threat I keep getting work. I’ve never been out of work in 36 years.”

“Being your own bodyguard” is available on the Amazon website in paperback and Kindle formats for $12.

Mission amends Housing Assistance Program guidelines

By Jamie Treviño Mission made a few changes to the eligibility guidelines for the Housing Assistance Program.

During this week’s city council meeting, Community Development Director Jo Anne Longoria presented an item listing the amended guidelines for the Housing Assistance Program. The citizens advisory committee approved the staff’s recommendation to amend the guidelines.

For hardship cases, they have set a time period of up to three years to apply for assistance for damages caused by natural disasters or accidental losses (subject to funding availability). For change orders, they must follow the city’s process to approve and present the proposal to city council.

The Housing Assistance Program will also be increasing the minimum time an applicant owns/resides in the home to apply for assistance from three to five years, and

previously assisted applicants will not be allowed to re-apply for assistance in order to prevent a duplication of benefits. In addition, they will decrease the maximum allowable bid to be awarded to 5 percent of staff’s cost estimate.

Mission city council approved an interlocal agreement between the city and the city of Granjeno, Texas for animal control services.

Mission agreed to catch and transport loose and stray cats and dogs within the Granjeno city limits in order to “protect the public health and welfare of the citizens.”

The agreement is for one year with an automatic one year extension. Mission will be charging $45 per animal.

Residents of the Summer Breeze subdivision gathered at city hall once again to dispute the creation of a restaurant adjacent to their residential lots. This time the applicant, Jorge Ancer, requested the council come to a decision on the issue due to the time constraints on po-

tential leases.

Acting City Attorney Alex Benavides recommended the council table the item, as a petition against the creation of a restaurant was presented to Planning and Zoning that day. It did not follow the proper channels, but the residents still have two days to file, which they said they intend to.

As previously reported by the Progress Times, the residents of Summer Breeze brought their complaints to council in late January this year, when the applicant was attempting to get a conditional use permit for a restaurant with a drive-thru window.

New plans for the location are still for a restaurant, but not one with the drive-thru.

Benavides said that the city should give the residents the opportunity to file the petition and present it, and council agreed. They tabled the item, which will be reviewed again and brought back to council at the next meeting.

PSJA North ECHS senior signs letter of intent to work for city

Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

Evelyn Rocha signing a letter of intent to work for the city of Pharr in August upon her graduation and turning 18 years old.

By Jamie Treviño Evelyn Rocha committed to the city of Pharr.

Last Thursday during the city commissioners meeting, Rocha signed a letter of intent to work for the city of Pharr as a telecommunications officer within the Public Safety Communications Department. She plans on balancing her new position with her studies as she also pursues a college degree.

Rocha, a senior at PSJA North Early College High School, is part of the school district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program. The program has been partnered with the city for 10 years, according to Pharr Communications Director/Deputy EMC Daniel Ramirez.

“We’ve brought students in, and they go through training and they get their certification at the end of the school year,” Ramirez said.

“This year we have a young lady who is one of the primary providers for her family.”

Ramirez said that Rocha would go to school all day, work in the evening and did her homework when she got home.

Rocha, who is not yet 18

years old, signed a commitment letter with the city. The city will hold a position as a telecommunications officer for her until she is eligible in August.

Dr. Daniel P. King, Superintendent of Schools for the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, said the CTE program is beneficial for students and cities alike.

“For a number of years now the city has been a great partner with us for helping our students prepare for their future careers,” King said.

“The experience that these students get really prepares them in a number of ways: for responsibility, for getting a feel of what a career is like and whether it fits them or doesn’t fit them.”

Julian Alvarez, Texas Workforce Commissioner representing Labor, attended the signing, and said that CTE programs and partnerships expand economic and socioeconomic opportunities for communities and families alike.

“What a great day for not only Pharr, but this great state of Texas,” Alvarez said.

“In Pharr, we prepare people not just for a job, but a long-lasting career where she

can provide not only for her family, but for herself. And at the end of the day, that’s what we want.”

Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez and city officials congratulated Rocha for her dedication and work ethic through the program.

“This is what great partnerships do,” Hernandez said. “We’re able to help all our youth, and that’s exactly what we should be doing: putting them first.”

Rocha took the time to thank the countless teachers and administrators for their guidance throughout her high school career leading up to now.

“I want to thank Mayor Hernandez, the City of Pharr, City Officials, Dr. King, PSJA ISD, and the Pharr Communications Department for providing these CTE opportunities for students like myself and allowing us the opportunity to receive training and internship experiences that have a positive impact on our future and career pathways,” said Evelyn Rocha. “The city gives back to the community by allowing students real-world experiences.”