Helicopter ambulance service back in the Valley
Local flower shop celebrates 50 years
Thanks to a partnership with Hidalgo County EMS/South Texas Air Med, ambulance helicopter services are back in the Valley. This gives patients who are gravely injured the ability to go to the hospital at a drastically reduced amount of time. See Pg. 5
With three generations of the Guerra family working behind the counter at Mission’s City Flower Shop, owner Cynthia Guerra looks back at history of the store and how her family will ensure it remain open.
See Pg. 10
INDEX Entertainment....pg. 2 Lifestyle...................pg. 3 Death Notices......pg. 8 Classifieds..............pg. 9
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Vol. 47 - #46
Progress times Friday, July 12, 2019
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• LA JOYA
• MISSION
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• McALLEN
Mission Boys & Girls Club Advance to World Series La Joya Housing Authority board divided over candidates for interim executive director
Progress Times photo by Dave Hendricks.
Jury begins deliberations in bribery case against former Judge Rudy Delgado By Dave Hendricks
By Dave Hendricks The La Joya Housing Authority board interviewed candidates for interim executive director Wednesday but couldn’t reach a consensus and adjourned without making a decision. Members of the board spent more than two hours interviewing candidates and discussing the position. “First of all, I would like to thank all the applicants,” said board Chairman John Pena. “It’s been a pretty tough choice for us.” Vice Chairwoman Sylvia Garces Valdez motioned to select Elizabeth Hernandez, a former supervisor for the Edinburg Housing Authority, as interim executive director. Commissioner Jorge Bazan seconded the motion. It failed 3-2. Commissioner Jose Armando Salinas motioned to select Claudia M. Alcazar of Rio Grande City.
See LJ HOUSING Pg. 8
• ALTON
Progress Times photos by Jose De Leon III.
The Boys and Girls Club of Mission held a pep rally Tuesday to hype up the city All Star teams who will represent the city of Mission in the World Series in Louisiana this weekend. Teams included the Rangers 4U softball league who will compete in Deer Park in Houston, the Avengers 5&6 Boys who are heading to Youngsville, Louisiana, the 8U Softball Allstars who are going to Youngsville, Louisiana, and the 11 year olds STX Warriors team going to Deer Park in Houston. According to Mission Boys and Girls Club Director Juan Arevalo, last year two Mission leagues made it to the world series last year.
• MISSION
Play therapy room opens at Mission’s Children Advocacy Center By Jose De Leon III
By Jose De Leon III
See CRIME STOPPERS PROGAM Pg. 7
See RUDY DELGADO CASE Pg. 8
• MISSION
Alton creating crime stoppers program Commissioners for the city of Alton approved the creation of a local crime stoppers program at their latest meeting. On Tuesday, city commissioners met and named five local individuals to be appointed to the board of the Alton Crime Stoppers Program which will go into effect by next month, Alton police Chief Jonathan B. Flores said. “We are working on finalizing our phone line until the program is ready to go,” Flores said. “The board is already set up, city commissioners have approved the formation of the program and we’re very excited for it. It’s a tool for us to utilize to help deter criminals in our city, the overall goal is for us to protect the quality of life of everyone residing here.” The crime stoppers program is an organization independent from the city
Jury deliberations started Wednesday in the federal bribery case against former state District Judge Rudy Delgado. After testimony from nine witnesses, four days of trial and 90 minutes of closing arguments, the jury must decide whether or not Rodolfo “Rudy” Delgado, 66, of Edinburg — a fixture at the Hidalgo County courthouse for nearly 30 years — accepted bribes and obstructed justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Nothstein told the jury that Delgado accepted cash for courtroom favors. “This is a judge who takes bribes,” Nothstein said. To emphasize that point, prosecutors presented the jury with a familiar piece of evidence: A video that showed Delgado accept a thick, white envelope from Noe Perez, an attorney who became a federal informant. The envelope contained $5,500 cash. Prosecutors played the video during their opening statement. They played the video when Perez testified. And they played the video Wednesday, minutes before the jury started deliberations. “What did he do?” Nothstein said. “He accepted a bribe.” Nothstein prosecuted the case with Assistant U.S. Attorney Arthur “Rob” Jones and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Guerra. They argued that Perez had bribed Delgado from 2008 to 2016. According to Perez, who spent two days on the witness stand, the conspiracy started with a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado. Perez allowed Delgado to take the truck without paying. He also started buying firewood from Delgado for what prosecutors called “very inflated prices.” In 2016, when Perez suggested he could pay a judge for courtroom favors, the FBI started investigating. Perez became an informant. He recorded meetings with Delgado in December 2016, August 2017, November 2017 and January 2018. The recordings formed the basis for three bribery charges against Delgado.
Representatives with Ciudad Miguel Alemán, the city of Mission and Med Care EMS with the ambulance that is being donated to Ciudad Miguel Alemán. Courtesy photo.
Mission donates ambulance to sister city By Jose De Leon III As part of its ongoing relationship with its 22 sister cities, the city of Mission made an important donation to Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas, Mexico. During Monday’s city council meeting, the city donated an ambulance to the Mexican municipality with a population of nearly 30,000 located approximately 90 miles west of Mission. “We are honored to continue serving your city with your emergency services and hope we continue to do so, “city Councilwoman Jessica Ortega said to representatives of Ciudad Miguel Alemán. “We want to continue helping you save lives in your community and are happy to donate this ambulance.” The sister city agreement consists of a social agreement between towns, cities and counties,
in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties. Mission usually celebrates their sister cities in a “Mayor’s Brunch” ceremony held annually during the Mission Texas Citrus Fiesta celebration where representatives from all the sister cities attend. There’s a total of 22 sister cities in partnership alongside Mission with most of them from Mexico and three cities from Spain, Guatemala and Panama. According to Jesse Lerma, the city’s civil service director, typically mission assists these cities by donating surplus items from the area such as fire equipment, school buses and ambulances. “This is the second time we’ve donated to Ciudad Miguel Alemán, they’ve also requested
See SISTER CITY Pg. 8
Puppets, packages of PlayDoh, books and coloring supplies. For some kids, these are toys to pass the time. For the children at the Mission location of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo County, these items could change their lives. On Tuesday, the Mission CACHC held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their newly opened play therapy room, which was attended by members of the public. The therapy room will be used by the center’s younger patients to express themselves. “Play therapy is the way kids
express themselves,” Jose Salazar, a therapist at the center said. “That’s their actual language and how they interact with us and they have a chance to tell us their story. We do a lot of observation as they play, it tells us a lot about their behavior and then as we play along with them if they invite us which allows us to see where they’re at.” The non-profit organization opened its Mission location at 1116 N. Conway in 2017 and treats children from the ages of 2 to 17 who are either victims or witnesses of
See GRAND OPENNING Pg. 8 See SISTER CITY Pg. 7
Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
Members of the community at the grand opening of the play therapy room located inside the Mission location of the Children’s advocacy Center of Hidalgo County Tuesday, July 9, 2019.
entertainment
Get the party started with ‘Move to the Music’ McALLEN – Kids and their families can sing, clap, dance, and move to the music with all kids’ favorite Nick Jr. friends in the “Move to the Music” tour, an all-new adventure of Nick, Jr. characters. Families can make memories together at one of the three McAllen Performing Arts Center performances taking place Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. and Nov. 6 at 2 and 6 p.m. For the first time on stage together, this musical spectacular features characters from multiple Nick Jr. hit animated series, including Bubble Guppies, PAW Patrol (produced by Spin Master Entertainment), Dora The Explorer; Shimmer and Shine, Blue’s Clues and You, Blaze and the Monster Machines, and Top Wing. Nick Jr. Live! “Move to the Music” follows Dora and her PAW co-hosts, Marshall and Rubble, as they invite their Nick Jr. friends to come together for a music-filled production. Bubble Guppies’ Molly and Gil, Rod and Penny from Top Wing, Shimmer and Shine, and even Blue from the new Blue’s Clues &You! are throwing a Nick
Jr. celebration. Audiences will be transported to familiar Nick Jr. locations, including Bubbletucky and Zahramay Falls. The unforgettable celebration will feature live appearances, special on-screen guests and audience participation to engage the whole family. With innovative costuming and a Broadway style set, Nick Jr. Live! is split into two acts with an intermission and will include original music as well as familiar tunes from Nick Jr. shows. A limited number of V.I.P. packages are available for each performance and feature premium show seating, VIP merchandise item, an exclusive photo opportunity with Blaze from Blaze and the Monster Machines, as well as a post-show Meet & Greet party with Dora the Explorer and Rubble from PAW Patrol. Tickets start at $17 and are available at the MPAC box office, located at 801 Convention Center Blvd. in McAllen, online at ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800745-3000.
July 12, 2019
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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Coming Attractions
July 13 • Ten murals by international artist, Erica Daborn, “Dialogues with Mother Earth,” go on display at the International Museum of Art & Science, 1900 W. Nolana in McAllen. An opening reception and lecture will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. The murals will remain on display through Jan. 5, 2020. For more information, call 956-681-2800. July 20 • Legendary 70’s soft-rock band Air Supply of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock will perform all of their greatest hits at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. VIP packages are available and include one premium seat in the first 12 rows, access to an exclusive sound check followed by a meet-n-greet, and a VIP swag bag. For more information, go to bertogdenarena.com or call 956-562-7362. July 28 • Five world-class illusionists make up the Champions of Magic and bring their show to State Farm Hidalgo Arena. The show features illusionists Young & Strange (Richard Young/Sam Strange), mind reader Alex McAleer, escapologist Fernando Velasco and close-up magician Kayla Drescher. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at hidalgoarena.com. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)
New exhibit to open at UVAL
“Our Day in the Sun,” an art exhibit comprised of works by eight art teachers within the McAllen I.S.D. (MISD), will open Saturday, July 13, at the Upper Valley Art League in Mission with a reception. The exhibition will be on display through the first week of August. The public is invited. Snacks and beverages will be served. Shown above is Blue Meditation by Wendy Gilbert.
UTRGV student first to earn national ADDY EDINBURG – UTRGV graduate student Monica Lugo recently made UTRGV history at the 2019 American Advertising Awards competition by becoming the first UTRGV student to advance to nationals and to receive
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an award at that level. The national ceremony was in Hollywood, Fla., where Lugo found out she had won the national award. In the three-tier competition, Lugo competed in the Illustration Campaign category, Student Division. The ADDY Awards attracts nearly 35,000 professional and student entries annually. In the national tier, 68 Gold and Silver awards were granted in the student division, and Lugo was one of 39 students in the country awarded a Silver. Her series, Primitive, consisted of four pieces featuring abstract shapes and modern hieroglyphics, which were part of a 14-piece series – one semester of work for her graduate school project.
Monica Lugo “The fact that it was received so well was very encouraging,” Lugo said. “I was honored to win it for our school...and for the designing School of Art.” She was entered in the lo-
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cal tier by Ping Xu, UTRGV assistant professor of Graphic Design, and earned a Gold Award, as well as a Judges Award, a higher level of honor, ranking above the Gold Award. She then advanced to the regional tier, where she once again took the Gold, which meant she could advance to the national leg of the competition. That made her the first UTRGV student to be able to compete at nationals.
Teen acting workshop begins July 17 PHARR – Improvisations, scenes, skits, acting exercises, games, and building confidence to perform are some of the essentials that will be learned in a six-day workshop for teens at the Pharr Community Theater (PCT). Danilo Zepeda, who holds a bachelor’s in theater performance from UTRGV will be the instructor for the workshop. The workshop will run from July 17-20, 23 and 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the new Development and Research Center, 850 W. Dicker Rd. in south Pharr. The $90 tuition has been reduced to only $45 and is being co-sponsored by the Pharr Memorial Library. Register by texting or calling 956-655-9308 and receive a class schedule, an instructor bio and a class syllabus. Class size is limited to the first 10 to sign up.
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UTRGV offers new social work certificate
EVENTS
CALENDAR
Adriana Palacios, Special Operations Supervisor for Rio Grande City Station, was among the law enforcement community who attended STC’s President’s Advisory Council meeting on June 27.
STC taking the lead in law enforcement training
MCALLEN – More than 900 law enforcement officers have participated in training at South Texas College’s new Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence (RCPSE) since January, 2019, according to RCPSE Chief Administrator Paul Varville who spoke at STC’s President’s Advisory Council Committee June 27. “What we are working towards is more educational opportunities for law enforcement officers in the Rio Grande Valley, providing them with advanced skills and knowledge of techniques to combat cybercrime and other evolving threats to our community,” Varville said. STC is the first border community college in the nation to establish integrative training for local, state and federal professionals in law enforcement, public safety, fire safety and homeland security along with the US/ Mexico border. The President’s Advisory Council meeting was organized to identify strategies that will be used in the development of the college’s 2020 RCPSE training implementation plan. The Council serves as the principal means to develop advanced training programs at the RCPSE and to ensure that those programs remain current with evolving technology. Current goals of the RCPSE include prioritizing the most sought after instruction required by federal, state, county, municipal, and school district law enforcement, further developing partnerships with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), and assisting agencies in recruiting future law enforcement officers. In 2018, STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed extended an invitation to regional leaders in the law enforcement community to participate on the Advisory Council
in order to provide recommendations for professional continuing education and college degree programs. The $71.28 million longrange master plan is on a 64-acre site in Pharr, with additional acres available for future expansion. The Master Plan includes 534,385 square feet of buildings, target range, emergency vehicles operational course, and fire science structures to be completed in three phases over the next decade. “It’s important that we develop partnerships to be able to respond to law enforcement needs,” said Wanda Garza, STC Director of External Affairs. “This is about access to facilities and equipment and asking ‘how can we do this?’” The next training on the calendar is an eight-hour course on cellphone investigative techniques hosted by the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office on July 16.
July 14 – The Museum of South Texas History will host Mauro Sierra III giving a presentation on “Los Aleluyas: A Socio-Cultural History of the Apostolic (Pentecostal) Movement in the Rio Grande Valley” at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Courtyard Gallery. The program is included in the regular museum admission. The museum is located at 200 N. Closner Blvd. Call 956-383-6911 for more information. July 15-19 – South Texas College is offering drone pilot training fundamentals for ages 18 and older with the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (IAM). The campers learn to pilot a recreational or industrial drone following the FAA regulations and air space limitations with instruction by aviation experts. A choice of morning or afternoon sessions will be offered from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 to 5 p.m. at STC’s Technology Campus. Cost is $135. For information, call 956-8726148. For a complete schedule, visit southtexascollege.edu/ summer-camps/index.html. July 16-19 – The Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) will hold the Naturally Creative Camp for children ages 5-8 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. each day. From building forts to painting with mud, this camp is all about creativity and fun through interactive play. The fee is $28 for EWBC members and $32 for non-members. Registration is required; space is limited. Registration deadline is one week prior and full payment is due two days prior. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For more information call 956-381-9922. July 22-26 – Children ages 9 to 13 can join the Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) Nature Photo Camp led by professional nature photographer Ruth Hoyt. Campers will learn the basics of cameras and photography, including focusing, lighting and composition. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Cameras will be provided for use during the camp. The fee is $150. Registration is required; space is limited. Registration deadline is one week prior and full payment is due two days prior. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For more information call 956-381-9922. July 30 – Staff at Speer Memorial Library in Mission will hold a book discussion of Murder on the Orient Express in the library’s Community Room at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish and at 6:30 p.m. in English. The public is invited. The library has copies of the book available for those who sign up for the discussion. Stop by the library or call at 580-8754 to obtain or reserve a copy or for more information. Speer Memorial Library is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission. July 30-Aug. 2 – The Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) will hold Aquanauts camp for children ages 8 to 12. Participants will get wet while learning about wetland critters and coastal ecology. This camp includes a day trip to South Padre Island to visit the Coastal Studies Lab and Sea Turtle, Inc. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day. The fee is $70 for EWBC members and $78 for non-members. Registration is required; space is limited. Registration deadline is one week prior and full payment is due two days prior. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For more information call 956-381-9922. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)
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EDINBURG – UTRGV will offer a new graduate certificate in the School of Social Work aimed at enhancing sustainable community health in the field. This certificate will be available starting with the 2019 Summer II semester. The 12-credit hour graduate certificate consists of four courses in social work – three core courses required of all social work graduate students, and students have the choice of one elective to complete their certificate program. The approved course options are Advanced Macro Assessment, Advanced Social Work Practice with Organization, Advanced Social
Work Practice with Communities, Natural Environment and Human Well-Being and Community-Based Participatory Research. Dr. Catherine Faver, UTRGV professor of social work, said the certificate is aimed at any social work graduate students looking to expand their skills in advancing social, economic and environmental justice. “This certificate maps perfectly with the sustainability model because it focuses on economic security, social equity and environmental health,” Faver said. “It fits perfectly with what social workers do and what our School of Social Work is mandated to teach.”
KINGSVILLE – Texas A&M University-Kingsville has released the names of the students who made the President’s List, Dean’s List and Honor Roll for the spring 2019 semester from Mission and the surrounding communities. In order to qualify for the prestigious President’s List, a student must be enrolled in at least 15 semester hours and have a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester. For the Dean’s List, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.65 on all work attempted for the semester with a minimum of 13 semester hours completed. Honor roll designation requires a grade point average of 3.5 while taking at least 12 semester hours. Students named to the President’s List, from Mission, were Estrella Berenice Acuna, Rosamaria Yvette Moreno, Victoria Theresa Mossman-Fuentes, Celeste
Rangel and Marco Antonio Urive; and Palmhurst – Lauren Alexandria Esqueda. Making it on the Dean’s List were Alton – Edna Trevino; Mission – Sergio Alan Arciniega, Diana Guadalupe Bustos Torres, Megan Davis, Bianca A. Meyer, Sofia Reyes and Donaldo Rodriguez; and Peñitas – Monica Itzel Armendariz Galvan. On the roll are Alton – Jocelinne Benavidez and Raul Armando Gonzalez; Mission – Juan Daniel Alonso, Angel E. Castillo, Dulce Carissia De Los Santos, Amanda Delgadillo, Aryssa Ruby Enriquez, Bertha Helena Espinosa, Isabella Anis Farias, Jennifer Flores, Estrella Pina, Javier Angel Sanchez, Barbara Esmeralda Segura and Nayele Nataly Tello; Palmivew – Bianca Genoveva Silerio; Peñitas – Kimberly Cortez and Alejandro Muniz; and Sullivan City – Emilia Chavero.
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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.
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July 12, 2019
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FINANCIAL FOCUS
(956) 585-5390 joe.califa@edwardjones.com
By Joe Califa
Life Events Can Lead You to See a Financial Advisor Article 11 – July 15, 2019 Over the years, you’ll experience many personal and professional milestones. Each of these can be satisfying, but they may also bring challenges – especially financial ones. That’s why you may want to seek the guidance of a financial professional. Here are some of the key life events you may encounter, along with the
help a financial advisor can provide: • New job – When you start a new job, especially if it’s your first “career-type” one, you may find that you have several questions about planning for your financial future, including your retirement. You may have questions about how much you should contribute to your
employer-sponsored retirement plan. What investments should you choose? When should you increase your contributions or adjust your investment mix? A financial advisor can recommend an investment strategy that’s appropriate for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. • Marriage – Newlyweds often discover they bring
By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association
STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS
Lieutenant governor names members to redistricting panel AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on June 28 released the names of his appointees to the Texas Legislature’s 2021 Redistricting Committee. Patrick, who presides over the 31-member state Senate, named Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, as chair of the committee, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, as vice chair. He also named 13 more Senate members to the committee, including Sens. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston; Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston; Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway; Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels; Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton; Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills; Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola; Ed-
die Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville; Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio; Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville; Angela Paxton, R-McKinney; Charles Perry, R-Lubbock; Kirk Watson, D-Austin; Royce West, D-Dallas; and John Whitmire, D-Houston. In January, Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, named 15 members to the House Redistricting Committee, with jurisdiction that includes preparations for the redistricting process. Those members include: Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, chair; Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, vice chair; and Reps. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin; Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth; Lyle
Larson, R-San Antonio; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; Ben Leman, R-Brenham; Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio; Joe Moody, D-El Paso; Chris Paddie, R-Marshall; “Four” Price, R-Amarillo; Toni Rose, D-Dallas; Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston; Armando Walle, D-Houston; and James White, R-Hillister. Patrick and Bonnen have not set a date or dates for the committees to meet jointly or separately. New census will be key When the redistricting work begins, committee members will use population figures from the yet-to-be conducted 2020 decennial U.S. Census to redraw the boundaries of U.S. congres-
different financial habits to a marriage. For example, one spouse may be more of a saver, while the other is more prone to spending. And this holds true for investment styles – one spouse might be more risk-averse, while the other is more aggressive. A financial advisor can help recommend ways for you and your spouse to find some common ground in your saving and investment strategies, enabling you to move forward toward your mutual goals. • New child – When you have a child, you will need to consider a variety of financial issues. Will you be able to help the child someday go to college? And what might happen to your child, or children, if you were no longer around? A financial advisor can present you with some college-savings options, such as an education savings plan, as well as ways to pro-
tect your family, such as life insurance. • Career change – You may change jobs several times, and each time you do, you’ll need to make some choices about your employer-sponsored retirement plan. Should you move it to your new employer’s plan, if transfers are allowed? Or, if permitted, should you keep the assets in your old employer’s plan? Or perhaps you should roll over the money into an IRA? A financial advisor can help you explore these options to determine which one is most appropriate for your needs. • Death of a spouse – Obviously, the death of a spouse is a huge emotional blow, but it does not have to be a financial one – especially if you’ve prepared by having the correct beneficiary named on retirement accounts and life insurance policies. Your financial advi-
sor can help ensure you have taken these steps. • Retirement – Even after you retire, you’ll have some important investment decisions to make. For one thing, you’ll need to establish a suitable withdrawal strategy so you don’t deplete your retirement accounts too soon. Also, you still need to balance your investment mix in a way that provides at least enough growth potential to keep you ahead of inflation. Again, a financial advisor can help you in these areas. No matter where you are on your journey through life, you will need to address important financial and investment questions, but you don’t have to go it alone – a financial professional can help you find the answers you need.
sional districts and Texas House and Senate districts. Article III, Section 28, of the Texas Constitution requires the Legislature to complete the redistricting job at its first regular session after publication of the federal decennial census. If the Legislature fails to adopt a redistricting plan by the end of the 2021 legislative session, a Legislative Redistricting Board consisting of the lieutenant governor, comptroller, House speaker, attorney general and land commissioner, shall convene within 90 days of adjournment and adopt a plan within 60 days. In addition to redrawing Texas House, Texas Senate and U.S. congressional districts, the Legislature also is required to review the 15 State Board of Education districts for any necessary redrawing of district boundaries. SCOTUS ruling in play As Texas’ bipartisan 2021 Redistricting Committee goes about its work, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling released June 25 is sure to stimulate discussion during the process. In the ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts, in writing the majority opinion, remarked that federal courts are unable
to decide cases of partisan gerrymandering. “We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts. Federal judges have no license to reallocate political power between two major political parties, with no plausible grant of authority in the Constitution, and no legal standards to limit and direct their decisions,” Roberts wrote. So, with the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts no longer the court of last resort for plaintiffs with voting rights appeals based on allegations of partisan gerrymandering, the weight of the job of the redistricting committee increases. Solicitor general testifies In other news related to redistricting and voting, Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins on June 25 testified in Washington, D.C., before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The panel heard testimony on continuing constitutional problems with the U.S. Voting Rights Act since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2013 ruling in a case alleging racial gerrymandering. The high court’s ruling in the case,
Shelby County (Alabama) v. Holder, struck down a provision in the act that required Texas and certain other states to seek preclearance from the U.S. Justice Department or a federal court before making changes to voting laws. In concluding his testimony, Hawkins said, “As Congress revisits the Voting Rights Act, it must adhere to the constitutional principles the Supreme Court articulated in Shelby County that limit the power of the federal government to impede on fundamental principles of federalism and disturb the coequal sovereignty of the states.” Revenue total comes in Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on July 2 announced state sales tax revenue totaled $2.86 billion in June, an amount 3.3 percent more than the amount reported for the month of June 2018. Also, total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in June 2019 was up 5.1 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 57 percent of all tax collections, Hegar said.
Mission signs MOU with CBP By Jose De Leon III Mission firefighters looking to receive their Emergency Medical Technician certification will soon train with border patrol agents. During Monday’s city council meeting, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rio Grande Valley sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for Mission firefighters and Border Patrol agents receive the training needed to become EMT certified. The Mission City Council passed the MOU without discussing it. “Our fire department is getting our personnel EMT certified and this is a way to have some Border Patrol agents also certified,” Mission fire Chief Gilbert Sanchez said. “We will house some of their students along with four of ours at the CEED Building. It’s the first agreement of its kind with the department. Both our entities need these kinds of certifications and Border Patrol came to us to see if we could
work something out. They knew that one of the goals of a city is to get our firefighters certified as EMTs.” Four Mission firefighters and a yet undefined number of CBP agents will receive EMT training at a Monday through Friday class that will run from 8 am through 5 pm for two months. Meanwhile 11 mission firefighters will receive training in night classes held every Tuesdays and Thursdays for four months. “The general point is to serve the public with better knowledge to assist when needed,” Sanchez said, adding that the city has a “great” relationship with CBP as they routinely assist them with any local incidents. “With Border Patrol, they’re on the frontlines with the border, at times they have to assist the people crossing over with the medical assistance, this is a way for them to gain more to better assist.” Mission Mayor Armando O’cana said after the meeting that this agreement will lead to better things for Mission firefighters.
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Rio Grande Valley Levee/Border Wall System Construction Projects U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking public input on the location and potential impacts of border barrier projects within Rio Grande Valley, including the design and construction of: (1) approximately 52 miles of border wall system in Starr County, Texas; (2) approximately 24 miles of levee wall system in Hidalgo County, Texas; and (3) approximately 19 miles of levee/border wall system in Cameron County, Texas.
“This opens the door to send our first responders to train at their facilities,” O’cana said. After the meeting, O’cana briefly mentioned the controversies surrounding CBP in the last few weeks. Earlier this month it was reported in national outlets that multiple secret Facebook groups filled with CBP agents contained sexist posts and racist memes, including jokes about migrant deaths and doctored pictures of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). There has also been a national outcry regarding the holding facilities CBP is housing migrants in, with many of them reportedly overcrowded and dangerous conditions were described as “a ticking time bomb”, according to an inspector general’s report released last week. Despite the controversies, O’cana said they are moving forward with the agreement and said that if they see CBP agents doing “negative things, “they will report it to the proper authorities. “But right now, our philosophy is we are on the border and homeland security supersedes our emotions and we have to protect America, and that means protecting it together as far as we’re concerned,” O’cana said. “The council approved a policy last year to upgrade our firefighters to EMTs. This is a means to get there. It’s available and cost effective to the city. We have to divorce ourselves from the emotions.”
Comments and information will be accepted until Monday, August 26, 2019 through www.regulations.gov by searching USCBP-2019-0018 or mailed to: U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. 6.5E Mail Stop 1039 Washington, DC 20229-1100 Please reference “FY19 RGV Border Construction Projects” in any response. For project updates and Spanish-language materials, please visit: www.cbp.gov/about/environmental-cultural-stewardship/nepa-documents/docs-review Información adicional de los proyectos, así como materiales en español se encuentran disponibles en el siguiente sitio web: www.cbp.gov/about/environmental-cultural-stewardship/nepa-documents/docs-review Questions can also be emailed to CBP at commentsenv@cbp.dhs.gov.
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Progreso police officer charged with sexual assault By Dave Hendricks Investigators arrested a former Progreso police officer Tuesday after a man accused him of sexual assault. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office arrested former Progreso police Officer Matthew Sepulveda on charges of sexual assault and improper sexual activity with a person in custody. “This is an ongoing investigation,” police Chief Alberto Rodriguez said July 5 during an interview at the Progreso Police Department. Sepulveda stopped a 20-year-old Mercedes man on June 28 for driving without a license or insurance. Sepulveda arrested the man and warned he would be deported. “The officer also told him that he could not let him go just like that and that he had to do something,” according to the criminal complaint. Sepulveda transferred the man from the Progreso city jail to another room. “The officer then told him to lower his shorts because he was going to perform oral sex on him,” according to the criminal complaint. After the sexual assault, Sepulveda released the man without any charges, according to the criminal complaint. The man contacted the Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the case with assistance from the FBI. “On July 1, 2019, Sheriff’s Investigators met with Matthew Sepulveda and obtained a statement of accused after waiving his Miranda Rights,” according to the criminal complaint. “Matthew stated that he escorted (the 20-year-old Mercedes man) to an office outside of the jail because he was having an anxiety attack. Sheriff’s Investigators reviewed the video footage and observed (the 20-year-old Mercedes man) to appear calm and to be walking with his hands in his pocket shorts.” Investigators charged Matthew Lee Sepulveda, 24, of San Juan with sexual assault, a second-degree felony, and improper sexual activity with a person in custody, a state jail felony. He remained at the Hidalgo County jail Wednesday and couldn’t be reached for comment. Sepulveda worked in Progreso from April 17 to July 2, when the police department terminated him, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records. Rodriguez, the police chief, said he fired Sepulveda because of the investigation. He declined to comment further. Before he joined the police department, Sepulveda worked at the Hidalgo County jail. He started working at the jail, which is part of the Sheriff’s Office, in February 2014. He received a promotion to detention sergeant in November 2017. Sepulveda resigned on Oct. 21, 2018, amid an internal investigation. The Sheriff’s Office investigated whether or not Sepulveda recorded a super-
Matthew Sepulveda visory counseling session without permission. “The internal investigation produced a preponderance of evidence to prove an incident of officer misconduct occurred,” according to a copy of the Internal Affairs report. “However, prior to Sgt. Sepulveda being served with the Internal Investigation notification, he resigned.” After he resigned, the Sheriff’s Office investigated whether or not Sepulveda and a detention corporal provided drugs to members of the Valluco prison gang. The Sheriff’s Office deemed the allegation against the corporal “not sustained.” However, the investigation revealed other misconduct that prompted the Sheriff’s Office to issue a written reprimand and remove the corporal from his position. During the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office reviewed phone conversations where inmates discussed drug transactions and referred to Sepulveda as “the guy, el vato, jura, Sergeant,” according to the Internal Affairs report. The Internal Affairs records also summarize phone calls that link Sepulveda to drug transactions. In one conversation summarized in Internal Affairs records, an inmate calls a contact who states “that he had delivered the drugs to Sepulveda at the HEB on Veterans Road, San Juan Texas.” Sepulveda wasn’t arrested or charged with any crime related to drug transactions at the jail.
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Air ambulance services return to Hidalgo County By Jose De Leon III Hidalgo County EMS is celebrating one month of providing air supported emergency service in Hidalgo County after it ceased for nearly six months. After the Missouri-based Air Evac Lifeteam immediately halted operations last January, rotor ambulance service returned to the Valley last month by the privately-owned Hidalgo County EMS/South Texas Air Med with the Bell 407 GX rotor ambulance-a helicopter that can fly up to 140 miles per hour-drastically reducing hospital arrival times.\ “It will allow us to get to the scene and launch to the hospital at a much faster pace than on the ground,” Paul Vazaldua, a representative with Hidalgo County
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EMS said. “It’s the latest tool offering state of the art technology and lifesaving equipment for the county.” According to Vazaldua, the county has facilities such as McAllen Medical Center and Doctors Hospital at Renaissance that are trauma centers-equipped to provide the highest level of surgical care for trauma patients. “They also already had helipads for us to use,” Vazaldua said. “It is imperative that a rotor service is providing the volume that those centers require to keep those trauma level certifications.” The helicopter will be staffed 24/7 with a pilot, a
flight medic and maintenance crew. It will be housed at McAllen’s McCreery Aviation Co. and the South Texas International Airport at Edinburg. “In the days after our rotos services returned, we’ve received calls as far as San Isidro and Lin San Manuel where we were able to deliver them to the hospital in minutes,” Vazaldua said. “Historically Air Evac saw on average 50 calls per month. at the rate we are going, that number will increase.” “It’s a fantastic opportunity,” Robert D. Martínez chief medical officer for DHR said. “We have had a helicopter
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STC and Starr County announce Economic Development Summit: Shaping the Future STARR COUNTY, TEXAS (July 8, 2019) The Starr County Industrial Foundation (SCIF) in partnership with South Texas College (STC) will host a strategic planning summit which will focus on developing a roadmap for Starr County that allows for economic and community development that is driven, transparent, adaptable and whose shared success is measurable. In late 2018 STC and the SCIF received a $100,000 federal planning grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), a bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce to assist in updating the County’s strategic plan. This summit is a culmination of community forums conducted by the SCIF that collected vital data related to our area’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. “We learned so much about the issues affecting our community and this information will allow us to continue to expand our eco-
nomic development efforts for continued coordinated growth,” said Starr County Judge Eloy Vera. The data will be used to
improve recruitment and expansion opportunities in the region. “While recent economic indicators confirm significant progress in
The Starr County Industrial Foundation will host an Economic Development Summit at STC’s Starr County campus; the event will focus on strategic planning initiatives for the area.
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CRIME STOPPER PROGRAM
that raises funds through sponsors and fundraisers to provide rewards for citizens anonymously reporting information on a crime in the area. The five people that were appointed to the board included two city employeesSamm Mercado and Janie Gaitan, two local police dispatchers-Vicky Rueda and Nidia Ybarra, and local citizen Ariel Gonzalez. Before city commissioners approved the formation of the city crime stoppers program, City Manager Jeff Underwood included an addendum to the resolution that let the city have control of the name. “If the Alton commission decides at any time that they don’t like the direction or the way their name is being used in the program, they can pull their name from the program and detach themselves from it,” Underwood said, telling commissioners that the addendum was created over concerns based on “lessons we’ve learned via what other cities have experienced.” Though Underwood
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www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com didn’t elaborate on his comment, the city of Palmview-which Alton entered in an agreement with for ambulance services last spring-is in the process of attempting to overhaul the Palmview Crime Stoppers Program. During a Palmview city council meeting last March, council members voted to begin the process of looking into creating a new Palmview Crime Stoppers Program following a yearlong standoff between both organizations after the city accused the program of several management issues and a lack of transparency. Since the Palmview Crime Stoppers Program doesn’t have an agreement with the city, the program is not obligated to report to council members and remains independent from them, Palmview Crime Stoppers Board Member Arnaldo Nacianceno said last March. “Our concern is that if we want to prevent what happened in other cities, we need to find a way to have an agreement to where the city would be in control,”
Underwood said. “It’s the Alton Crime Stoppers Program so we want to make sure that anything the city is attached to is something we have some control over what’s happening with it and look at their books and audits to make sure these funds are being used for their intended purposes.” Though the crime rate in the city of Alton is low, Flores said the crime stoppers program is still an important tool for any city to have. “You see crime stoppers programs all over the nation and they are successful,” Flores said. “We want to bring that to the city of Alton and make our agency more effective to deter the criminal elements that seek to disrupt and destroy the quality of life we work so hard to provide to the community. The step we took tonight works toward that goal of making sure any issues faced by any crime stoppers program in the country doesn’t happen in Alton.”
Hidalgo County man sentenced to 17 years for sexual assault of a child EDINBURG – A Hidalgo County man will serve 17 years in prison for sexual abuse of a child. Alejandro Duran Chavez, 34, was sentenced to 17 years for each count - count one Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child (1st degree felony) and count two Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child (1st degree felony). The sentences will run concurrently. Chavez was arrested on January 24, 2019 by the McAllen Police Department. The victim was 12 and 13 years old at the time of the
assault. “Bringing justice to victims of child abuse is a top priority for our office,” said Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez. “I commend Assistant District Attorney Denise Santa Ana who prosecuted the case for her exemplary work.” His sentencing was handed down on June 24, 2019 by Judge Letty Lopez in the 389th District Court. If you suspect child abuse please report by calling 1-800-252-5400. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
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“I motion Claudia M. Alcazar,” Salinas said. “I select her because I have a feeling that she’s very professional and she has a lot of experience. She has a lot to offer to our community. She’s been around this community for a very long time. She comes from a very professional family. She has worked in many government agencies. And I make a motion to select her.” Nobody seconded the motion, which died. Commissioner German Reyna motioned to select former Sullivan City Manager Juan Cedillo, citing his experience and qualifications. Pena, the board chairman, seconded the motion. It failed 3-2. “So what does the attorney recommend?” Pena said. Mark Anthony Sanchez of San Antonio, who represents the housing authority, stood and answered the question. “You haven’t selected a candidate,” Sanchez said.
“So the position remains vacant until the board votes, in a majority, for a particular candidate.” Pena asked whether or not the candidates would be required to reapply. “The board’s options are to set another meeting to open up the application process again to solicit the same or additional candidates, and address this question at another meeting,” Sanchez said. “All motions have died. Unless you have another candidate that someone wants to put forward by motion. That applied, that is.” Amanda Valdez of La Joya, the housing authority program manager, also interviewed for the job. Members of the housing authority board interviewed the candidates and discussed the position in executive session. State law allows the board to meet privately about personnel matters. The board, however, met in a room with
Death Notices Ramona Ayala MISSION – Ramona Ayala, 86, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019, at her home in Mission. Jesus De La Cruz Sr. LA JOYA – Jesus Armando De La Cruz Sr., 56, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019, in San Antonio. Esther Farias MISSION – Esther R. Farias, 89, passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2019, in Mission. Raul Garcia LA JOYA – Raul Cantu Garcia, 87, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019, at Mission Valley Nursing and Transitional Care. Viviana Garcia MISSION – Viviana Garcia, 23, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019, in Comal. Edgar Gonzalez MISSION – Edgar Gonzalez, 47, passed away on Monday, July 1, 2019, at Edinburg Regional Medical Center. Albesa Guerra MISSION – Albesa Bessie Guerra, 87, passed away on
Sunday, July 7, 2019, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Maria Longoria MISSION – Maria E. Longoria, 69, passed away on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Amalia Ortiz MISSION – Amalia M. Ortiz, 90, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2019, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Marcus Peña PALMVIEW – Marcus Lee Peña, 5-day-old infant, passed away on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at his home in Palmview. San Juanita Ramirez LA JOYA – San Juanita Ramirez, 64, passed away on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen Maria Resendez MISSION – Maria Saenz Resendez, 78, passed away on Sunday, July 4, 2019, at her home in Mission.
very thin walls. As a result, housing authority employees, job candidates and reporters who attended the meeting could hear much of what the board discussed just a few yards away. While the board interviewed job candidates, people who attended the meeting could hear the questions they asked and how the job candidates responded. People who attended the meeting also discussed comments made by members of the board in executive session. In one instance, a member of the board asked a job candidate about former Executive Director Cristi LaJeunesse, who the job candidate had listed as a reference. The Progress Times reporter who attended the meeting heard Garces Valdez, the board vice chairwoman, express interest in the interim executive director position. The U.S. Department of
from pg. 1
Housing and Urban Development prohibits members of the board from resigning to work for the housing authority. “Any present or former member or officer of the governing body of the housing authority may not enter into a contract or arrangement, direct or indirect, during his or her tenure or for one year thereafter,” according to the annual contributions contract between HUD and the housing authority. Garces Valdez mentioned the waiver process and said she would be willing to serve as interim executive director without pay. “That money will stay here,” Garces Valdez said in executive session. When the Progress Times reporter asked Garces Valdez about the discussion, Sanchez advised her not to comment on matters discussed in executive session.
GRAND OPENING
abuse. At the center, children can meet with behavioral and forensic therapists to help them deal with their trauma and be interviewed on their experiences. With the play center, made possible through a $6,500 grant from the local alumnae chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority, children have many items such as a play kitchen set, books, toys, art supplies and a sand tray for sand therapy. FILLING A NEED The CACHC has two other locations in Edinburg and Starr County. According to CACHC Executive Director Jesus Sanchez, the Mission location opened due to a lack of space in the Edinburg location and after realizing that one third of the center’s clients come from the Mission area. “We opened this location because of accessibility,” Sanchez said. “The same goes for this therapy room which was only available in Edinburg. Previously if we wanted play therapy for the kids, they’d either go to Ed-
inburg or the therapists here would use toys they had on hand. Now there’s a new outlet here for them.” According to Sanchez, the center last year saw 1,618 kids across its three locations. This year, CACHC has treated 1,533 children so far. Approximately 67 percent of cases involve sexual abuse and 19 percent of cases involve physical abuse. 45 percent of the child abuse victims served by the CACHC are between the ages of 2 through 12, the center stated in a news release. “We usually do trauma focused behavioral therapy that isn’t conducive to young children that aren’t verbal enough or can fully comprehend what they experienced,” Sanchez explained. “Play therapy is a better way for them to let them express themselves.” Sanchez said he plans to have the center expand its mission location to include a mental health wing and to include a play therapy room at its Starr County location.
from pg. 1
DELGADO CASE
Along with bribery, Delgado is accused of obstructing justice. Rumors about the federal investigation reached Delgado in January 2018. He sent a text message to Perez, calling the $5,500 payment a “campaign contribution.” “He tried to cover his tracks,” said Jones, the federal prosecutor. Attorney Terry Wayne Shamsie of Corpus Christi and attorney Michael McCrum of San Antonio, who represented Delgado, attempted to rip the case apart. McCrum walked the jury through instructions provided by the court, which listed the elements of every crime. “We can’t add to the government’s evidence with suspicion or speculation,” McCrum said, imploring the jury to follow the law. McCrum acknowledged that Delgado made off-color and offensive remarks during the recorded conversations. He also acknowledged that Delgado held improper conversations with Perez about pending cases. “Frankly, some of it bothered me. A lot of it did,” McCrum said. “But it wasn’t related to the crimes of bribery.” McCrum accused the FBI of weaving together conversations about pending cases and money. He also accused Perez of setting up Delgado
to save himself. “That ain’t right,” McCrum said. “But that’s the reality of it.” Perez purchased firewood from Delgado and made a campaign contribution while discussing cases, McCrum said, but what matters is how Delgado perceived the payments. McCrum noted that instructions provided by the court required jurors to find that Delgado acted corruptly. “The recordings are not clear,” McCrum said, adding that evidence never established an explicit agreement between Perez and Delgado. Just because jurors may believe that Delgado should know better doesn’t mean he committed bribery, McCrum said. The law requires that jurors consider intent. “‘Shoulda known’ isn’t enough to find somebody guilty,” McCrum said. Delgado never agreed to swap cash for courtroom favors, McCrum said, and not a single piece of evidence introduced by the government established that fact. “He’s not guilty,” McCrum said. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett sent the jurors home at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and resumed deliberations Thursday morning. N verdict had been delivered as of press time.
school bus and we’re waiting to hear back from local school districts to see if they have one in surplus they’d be willing to donate,” Lerma said. The $11,000 ambulance was donated to the city by Med Care EMS, which provides emergency medical services to the city, Lerma said, adding that they’ve donated three other ambulances to three other cities in the past. “And in exchange for the goods we provide to our sister cities, they pay us back with their cultural art,” Lerma said. “In the past we’ve
received their artists so we can get a feel of their culture while they put the items they’ve donated to good use.” In attendance for Monday’s meeting was Servando Lopez Moreno, mayor of Ciudad Miguel Alemán. He thanked the city for their assistance. “It’s an important donation since municipalities in Mexico need help and support,” Moreno said. “It’s hard economically and this donation will help our entire region. It’s a pleasure and we feel grateful having this.”
from pg. 1
SISTER CITY
July 12, 2019
page 9
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
BUY • SELL • TRADE • RENT • HIRE
THE CLASSIFIEDS
CLASSIFIED RATE: 1 Week = $7 Make it happen, we’re located at 1217 N. Conway in Mission, TX Come on in! Our hours of operation are 2 Weeks = $10 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 4 Weeks = $14 by phone 585-4893. The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 5 p.m.
For Rent RENTO CASA 2 recámaras/ 2 baños, sala, cocina, comedor, aire central, estufa, refrigerador, conección para secadora y lavadora, Keralum
#1023 en Mission, para mas detalles llame 956-4004293. SE RENTA APARTAMENTOS/ aceptamos Housing, 2 recamaras, 1.5 banos, 3304 Moorefield Rd. in Mission, $650
renta/ $375 deposito, limpio y seguro, llame 956-4102581. For Sale FURNITURE SALE: SOFA bed couch, Cherry wood 4 poster queen bed (complete w/mat-
tress set), matching dresser w/ mirror, night stand & matching desk. Twin bed w/mattress set and 2 vanity chairs. Call (956) 566-1702. 2 CEMETERY PLOTS at Valley Memorial Gardens,
adjacent corner plots, Section S, Lot 82, plots A4 & B1, call 956-335-3555 for more details. USE SKIN BALM to treat dogs & cats for “hot spots” & skin allergies without steroids, Southwest Hay &
Feed, 956-5801717(www.fleabeacon.com). USE KENNEL DIP to treat fleas, ticks, mange, stable flies & mosquitoes where they breed, El Pase Feed Store, (956) 581-0591(www. fleabeacon.com).
USE DD-33 spray to control fleas & ticks on dogs & CATS!!! Mission Feed & Hardware. (956) 581--2153 (www. kennelvax.com). Services
sell coins and coin collections, gold and silver, please call Rene De La Gar wza at 956780-8411 for an appointment and for more details.
RED VALLEY COINS, we buy and
ORDINANCE NO. 4803
ORDINANCE NO. 4799
ORDINANCE NO. 4800
ORDINANCE NO. 4801
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.780 DESIGNATING PLACES WHERE BEER AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MISSION TO INCLUDE THE PREMISES LOCATED AT 1931 NORTH CONWAY, RE-SUBD. LOT 1 MISSION CENTER, APAPUCHI DRIVE THRU READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING BEING THE NORTH 194.79’ OUT OF THE SOUTH 854.79’ OUT OF THE EAST 223.63’ OF LOT 186, JOHN H. SHARY SUBDIVISION, FROM (AO-I) AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM TO (R-1T) TOWNHOUSE RESIDENTIAL READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL FOR A DRIVETHRU SERVICE WINDOW – DAK’S SNACKS, 810 N. SCHUERBACH RD., STE. “D”, LOT 1, SYLVIA PLAZA SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL FOR A DRIVE-THRU SERVICE WINDOW – SHIPLEY DONUTS, 2575 E. GRIFFIN PARKWAY, STE. 1, LOT 1, TRES PICOS PHASE I SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019.
Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
EscalEra WrEckEr Inc.
ORDINANCE NO. 4802
1515 W. 3 MIlE rd. MIssIon, TExas 78573
(956) 585-8245 • Fax 581-6668 • Tdlr VsF lIc. no. 0548371 PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN RULE 85.703. SUBCHAPTER F, FROM CHAPTER 85, PART 4 OF TITLE 16 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOTIFYING YOU THAT THE BELOW DESCRIBED MOTOR VEHICLES HELD IN OUR CUSTODY ARE TO BE PICKED UP, REMOVED AND ALL CHARGES PAID WITHIN (45) DAYS OR THESE VEHICLES WILL BE DECLARED ABANDONED ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW. YEAR 2013
MAKE UTILITY
MODEL TRAILER MFG
VIN# 1UYVS2532DU523020
BALANCE $750.00
TOTAL CHARGES CANNOT BE COMPUTED UNTIL VEHICLE IS CLAIMED. STORAGE CHARGES WILL ACCRUE DAILY UNTIL VEHICLE IS RELEASED. PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN RULE 85.704. SUBCHAPTER D, FROM CHAPTER 85, PART 4 OF TITLE 16 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOTIFYING YOU THAT THE BELOW DESCRIBED MOTOR VEHICLE(S) HELD IN OUR CUSTODY ARE TO BE PICKED UP, REMOVED AND ALL CHARGES PAID WITHIN (30) DAYS. FAILURE OF THE OWNER OR LIENHOLDER TO CLAIM VEHICLE(S) BEFORE THE DATE OF SALE IS A WAIVER OF ALL RIGHT, TITLE, AND INTEREST OF VEHICLE(S). AND ALSO A CONSENT TO THE SALE OF THE VEHICLE IN PUBLIC SALE ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW. 2nd Notice YEAR 2002
MAKE FORD
MODEL MUSTANG
VIN# 1FAFP44402F224420
BALANCE $7,480.00
TOTAL CHARGES CANNOT BE COMPUTED UNTIL VEHICLE IS CLAIMED. STORAGE CHARGES WILL ACCRUE DAILY UNTIL VEHICLE IS RELEASED.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL FOR TO KEEP A MOBILE HOME “TEMPORARY” TO CARE FOR HEALTH STRICKEN PARENT, 127 S. BRYAN ROAD, A 1.67 TRACT OUT OF LOT 18-11, WEST ADDITION TO SHARYLAND SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019.
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Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
ORDINANCE NO. 4804 AN ORDINANCE CREATING A BEST COMMITTEE; “BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SHOWS, TOURISM” SPECIFYING THE TERMS OF OFFICE; SPECIFYING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP; AND ORDAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MATTER THEREOF. READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JULY, 2019. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
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July 12, 2019
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BUY HERE
PAY HERE
“Our prices are competitive, but our service is unbeatable”
FRIENDLY SERVICE
In House Financing with
Beto Salinas
(Owner/Operator)
Office: 956-800-9911 Cell.: 956-360-3757
520 E. 9th St. Mission, TX 78572 Raul Cruz -General Manager
Local flower shop remains family owned after 50 years By Jose De Leon III Despite the loss of its founder 15 years ago, Mission’s City Flower Shop is still thriving, especially with three generations of family members running it. When the City Flower Shop and Wholesale was created in 1969 by Hilda C. Guerra, it was an opportunity for her to express herself creatively, her daughter Gloria said. “My mother liked to create things,” Gloria explained. “She did wedding gowns, flowers, cakes, catering, she
did it all. Everyone knows this place as ‘City Bridal and Flower Shop’ that was the original name and she took care of the bridal side. But with time she passed and we removed the bridal business. We just stayed with the flower shop.” City Flower Shop provides flowers to Junior’s Supermarket, Walmart, HEB, and funeral homes, Gloria said. Located at 100 S Conway Ave., carries all different types of cut flowers from carnations to roses and even offers bears, chocolates and floral arrangements for
homes and funerals, which Gloria said make up 60 percent of their business. The shop was among the first vendors in the Valley that sold flowers in a traveling thermal truck driven by Hilda’s husband, Pablo S. Guerra. “It grew to three trucks that delivered and sold flowers from Laredo to South Padre Island, and then my mom got sick and passed away from a stroke in 2004 when she was 66,” Gloria said. “My sister, Dora, and I kept operating it with me taking over the wholesale
Athletic Physicals No Appointment Necessary Middle school and high school students are welcome to come in for their athletic physicals for just $10. No appointment necessary. Bring your schoolrequired athletic forms.
To preregister, call 956-388-2190
Residency Clinic Open Mon. - Thurs. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Friday, 8 a.m. - noon
Freestanding Emergency Departments South Texas Health System ER ALAMO 140 E. Frontage Road • Alamo, TX 78516 sthseralamo.com South Texas Health System ER McCOLL 4702 S. McColl Road • Edinburg, TX 78539 sthsermccoll.com
Sunand Kallumadanda, MD Charles Austin, MD Heidi Pareja, MD
South Texas Health System ER MISSION 900 E. Expressway 83 • Mission, TX 78572 sthsermission.com
Bring your schoolrequired athletic forms.
side of the business and Dora taking over the flower shop. Then Dora passed away from cancer in 2010 when she was 51.” With Pablo stepping down from fully working at the store due to his health, Gloria became the sole remaining family member running the shop and decided to close the wholesale side of City Flower Shop. “Then people started coming here, looking for us hoping to buy flowers,” Gloria said. We received encouragement from the community to keep the wholesale side alive. That’s when I started pushing the kids to start coming here.” As a family business, all the employees at City Flow-
er shop are relatives of Gloria. These include Gloria’s son-Jonathon-who graduated from Mission High School in 2017 and took over the wholesale business. Three of Gloria’s nieces also work at the shop, she said. “With Jonathan at the wholesale section, sales have been increasing. I am very proud of the work he and his cousins are putting into the store,” Gloria said. “I have a 15-year-old niece who comes straight here after school to mop and sweep. That’s how I started here. We are teaching them the value of working to be proud and earning a living. The plan is that these kids will eventually take over the business.”
Though the staff for City Flower Shop is small, Gloria said that the work put in by her family is more than enough to keep the business alive. Even Pablo, who is wheelchair-bound, contributes by spending most of his day in a corner of the shop observing customers and employees in action, Gloria said. “We were raised in the business and I don’t think we know how to do anything else,” Gloria said. “I feel proud of what we’ve done for us. This is a small business that has been with the community for a very long time. How many small businesses can say ‘I’m still open after 50 years.’”
Mon. - Sat. 7 a.m. - 11 a.m.
McAllen Family Medicine Residency Clinic 205 E. Toronto Avenue McAllen, TX 78503 mcallenmedicalcenter.com
Available March 1 — August 31
Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
Jonathan Guerra, Pablo S. Guerra and Gloria Guerra at City Flower Shop.
South Texas Health System ER MONTE CRISTO 3615 N. Interstate 69C • Edinburg, TX 78541 sthsermontecristo.com South Texas Health System ER WARE ROAD 3700 W. Nolana Avenue • McAllen, TX 78504 sthserwareroad.com South Texas Health System ER WESLACO 330 W. Expressway 83 • Weslaco, TX 78596 sthserweslaco.com
Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The system shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 191544-1627 3/19
Summer Learn to Swim Camp Cost: $40 per Student for 8 class days. Class Dates Week 1: Monday-Thursday Week 2: Monday-Thursday Sessions Session 3 July 1 – July 11 Session 4 July 15 – July 25 Session 5 July 29 – August 8 Our July 29 Session will limit spaces to less students in order to accommodate more Special Needs Students. Class times 8:00am – 8:45am 9:00am – 9:45am 10:00 am – 10:45am 6:00pm – 6:45 pm
Adult Learn to Swim Classes available during the 6pm class!!! Registration will remain open until all spots are filled.
Register On-Site at our LJISD Aquatic Center During Operation Hours For more information contact Virginia Rodriguez, Aquatic Center Manager
1801 Western Rd • Mission, TX 78572
(956) 323-2162