INDEX
GAME OF THE WEEK
MISSION NEWS UPDATE
The Sharyland High School Rattlers will be facing off against the Roma High School Gladiators in the game of the week! See our sports section for the latest in Big 7 sports and more.
The city of Mission held a workshop this week discussing a proposed bond election in 2020, which would be for $84 million worth of projects. Jamie Treviño has the details, inside.
See Pg. 4
See Pg. 7
Entertainment....pg. 2 Lifestyle...................pg. 3 Sports.......................pg. 6 Death Notices......pg. 9 Classifieds...........pg. 11
Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.
Progress times www.ptrgv.com
Vol. 48 - #7
50¢ cents
Friday, October 4, 2019
• SOUTH TEXAS
• PALMVIEW
• McALLEN
Texas, Tamaulipas officials announce new targets for ‘Se Busca’ program
Making a splash
Palmview finance director abruptly resigns By Dave Hendricks
in RGV rehabilitation
By Dave Hendricks The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the governor of Tamaulipas announced 10 new targets on Tuesday for the Se Busca Informacion program. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Tamaulipas Gov. Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca joined law enforcement officers at the Hidalgo-Reynosa bridge Tuesday morning to make the announcement. “The message that we’re sending right now is that the criminals are not going to be able to hide, even though they cross the border,” Cabeza de Vaca said. DHS Joint Task Force-West Director Manuel Padilla Jr. created the Se Busca Informacion program in 2016, when he served as chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector. The program started with photos of local smugglers, which Border Patrol displayed on billboards throughout South Texas. Border Patrol slowly expanded the program to individual stations and other sectors. It also partnered with Tamaulipas, creating a cross-border version of the program that targeted drug kingpins and other criminals. “We had a situation where the public in Reynosa was not comfortable with calling the local authorities. There was some distrust there,” Padilla said. “So we said: ‘Hey, how can we get that information and provide that information to the right authorities to go after these criminals that are impacting both sides of the border?’” The program accepts tips through a hotline and a WhatsApp number. Border Patrol analyzes the tips and provides the information to law enforcement. Agents received 310 calls and text messages through the program, which resulted in seven arrests last year, said Austin Skero, deputy chief patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley Sector.
See SE BUSCA Pg. 9
Progress Times photo by Dave Hendricks.
Officials unveiled the new Se Busca Informacion billboard Tuesday at the Hidalgo-Reynosa bridge.
Photo courtesy of DHR Health.
The staff at the DHR Health Aquatic Therapy Institute at the facility’s grand opening last Thurs. Sept. 26, 2019.
DHR unveils new Aquatic Therapy Institute By Jamie Treviño DHR Health is aiming to expand the range of people who can benefit from physical therapy. Last Thursday, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance held an official opening of their new Aquatic Therapy Institute, located at 2001 S. Cynthia St. in McAllen. According to the institute's director, Dr. Amir Esmaeili, the community will be “witness to a new wave of rehabilitation in the Rio Grande Valley.” DHR Health noted that the advantage of rehabilitation in water will meet the needs of clients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders, and aquatic therapy “utilizes the warmth, buoyancy and resistive properties of water to manage pain, reduce stiffness, increase joint mobility and optimize strength.” Chief Physician Executive Dr. Robert Martinez, who was recently reappointed to the Texas Medical Board by Governor Greg Abbott, spoke on the benefits of aquatic physical therapy. The hospital had begun to notice a higher number of younger people in the Valley with issues like back pain, knee pain, degenerative joint disease and obesity. “All of those things kind of contributed to finding a solution that better worked for the population here in South Texas,” Martinez said. “It’s just providing a better alternative to those folks.” Martinez said that incorporating aquatic therapy into DHR Health will allow for a broader scope of people to access physical therapy and rehabilitation without hurting
themselves in the process. “It allows your weight to not be a barrier to getting good, appropriate physical therapy,” Martinez said. “It allows you more rigorous exercise - in the same amount of time - that you would get on land, with less pain.” Land-based physical therapy operates under the force of gravity, which means a person has to bear the weight of their body while rehabilitating. Aquatic-based physical therapy means a person in the water is lighter, and joints are less affected. “You’re able to manage a lot more resistance in the water, with less weight bearing,” Martinez said. “So patients that are in chronic pain don’t have that chronic pain [during aquatic physical therapy] because they’re not having to bear their weight that they usually are on land.”
See GRAND OPENING Pg. 10
Photo courtesy of DHR Health.
Dr. Robert Martinez and Dr. Ted E. Bear
• LA JOYA
La Joya Housing Authority opens food pantry By Jose De Leon III With one in every other child going to bed hungry in rural areas, the La Joya Housing Authority is partnering up with the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley to address this need. On Wednesday, the La Joya Housing Authority held a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the doors to its food pantry; the first for the housing authority and the largest for the city. “We’re cutting a ribbon for the families and the nutrition and the opportunities people don’t have,” housing authority Executive Director Ruben Villarreal said. “When you feed families, you feed their soul. This is a sample
See FOOD PANTRY Pg. 4
Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
Members of the La Joya Housing Authority and the city of La Joya at the red ribbon cutting ceremony for the La Joya Housing Authority Food Pantry Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
Palmview Finance Director Rachel Chapa abruptly resigned last month. The City Council accepted her resignation Monday, when the meeting agenda included “Discussion and Possible Action in regard to the Finance Director position.” Basic details about her resignation — including the date and reason — remain unclear. “She was a good person,” said Mayor Rick Villarreal. “She always tried to do what was good and in the best interest of the city. At least as far as I could see.” Asked why she resigned, Chapa declined to comment. The Progress Times submitted a public information request for Chapa’s resignation letter and other personnel records on Sept. 25. Texas law requires Palmview to release the documents “as soon as possible under the circumstances” but allows the city a maximum of 10 business days to respond. By Wednesday, the Progress Times print deadline, the city hadn’t released any records. Chapa accepted the job after the November 2016 election, when Joel Garcia, Linda Sarabia and Javier Ramirez joined the City Council. They asked Chapa and then-Interim City Manager Leo Olivares to investigate the prior administration. “When I came onboard, it was a whirlwind of things that needed to be done,” Chapa said during an April 2018 interview. Chapa determined the police department improperly spent federal asset forfeiture money. Palmview self-reported the problem, which prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to suspend the city from the program.
See DIRECTOR RESIGNS Pg. 9
• MISSION
Mission non-profit hosting pet fair By Jose De Leon III Pet lovers across the Valley are invited to a local event to celebrate their furry best friends. Tomorrow, the Mission Pawsible program will host their first ever Barktober Community Pet Fair, an event to bring the community and their pets together. “It’s so we can all have a little fun and educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets to help control the local population,” Mission Pawsible board member Homer Garza said. The event, being held Saturday, October 5 at the Leo Peña Placita Park from 6 p.m. through 10 p.m., will have vendors selling pet related products, local food vendors, live music and rides for people. Pets meanwhile can enjoy the luxuries from a grooming station, vaccine clinic and a pet parade. Animals from the city of Mission’s Animal Shelter will also be available for adoption, Garza added. “We’ve seen how the city has a lot of events, but nothing catered to pets so the Mission Pawsible board thought this would be a great way to be innovative and educate the community,” Garza said. The pet fair will include a screening of the movie “Susie’s Hope,” based on the true story of Donna Smith Lawrence, a North Carolina woman who adopts an abused pit bull after being attacked by one. Lawrence’s story led to the creation of “Susie’s Law,” a North Carolina law that punishes animal abusers with jail time. Lawrence recorded a video message for residents of the city of Mission that will be played prior to the movie, Gaza said. The Mission Pawsible program was created two years ago to help stray dogs and cats in the Mission and Alton areas find a
See PET FAIR Pg. 9
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LA JOYA • PALMVIEW
page 2
2019 Planta Nativa celebrates all things mesquite McALLEN – Celebrate Texas Native Plant Week at the Planta Nativa 2019 Social on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Quinta Mazatlán. The mesquite was chosen as the tree of the year inspiring everything at the event. At Planta Nativa there
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will be fun, food, spirits, entertainment, art and keynote speaker. This event will feature live music by country star Lauren Corzine. Guests can sample mesquite-inspired tapas, plus desserts and beverages. There will be a cooking demo
with Chef Adam of Bodega and a demo by The Cappadona Ranch. Native plant growers will be share information and sell plants. The evening finale is the keynote speaker Christine Ten Eyck, landscape architect from Austin. Ten Eyck is recognized for her native landscape design approach, aesthetic beauty, and innovation in the realm of sustainability. Ten Eyck will be presenting her talk, “Return of the Natives,” on the large outdoor LED screen under the stars at Quinta Mazatlán. The event is all-inclusive and advance tickets of $15 available on ticketmaster.com under the search “Planta Nativa.” Space is limited. Visit online at quintamazatlan.com The Planta Nativa social at Quinta Mazatlán this for more information. year will feature mesquite-inspired tapas, beverages, art, music, native plants and keynote speaker Christine Ten Eyck.
UVAL 2019 Members Open exhibition is Oct. 12
The UVAL 2019 Members Open annual exhibition, featuring art created by the Upper Valley Art League’s talented members, will go on display in the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center gallery on Oct. 12 with an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. The gallery is located at 921 East 12th Street in Mission. The event is free and the public is invited to attend this exhibit showcasing an impressive array of artworks
in a variety of media. Their works will be on display through Nov. 2. Open exhibits are not limited by theme, medium, process, or content. Paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media, digital art, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and fiber arts, all handcrafted by student and professional artists will be on display. The Upper Valley Art League is one of the oldest non-profit organizations
in the Rio Grande Valley. Since its beginning in 1935, the Upper Valley Art League has been dedicated to serving the artistic needs of the Rio Grande Valley by providing art instruction, art exhibitions and a forum for artists to gather. For additional information about UVAL, its classes, membership, events and gallery hours, visit the website at uppervalleyartleague.org or call 956-583-2787.
Calling for artist submissions
McALLEN – Keep McAllen Beautiful is working to give public art a stronger presence in the city, to promote the Rio Grande Valley natural landscape, ecology, species and heritage and to give experienced artists a chance to get exposure of their work. The call for artists’ submissions will eventually be painted on the irrigation pipes in McAl-
len. The submission deadline is Friday, Oct. 25. According to Chris Lash, program coordinator for Keep McAllen Beautiful, the irrigation pipes standing vigil along the City of McAllen’s hike and bike trails along Bicentennial Boulevard and 2nd Street are a part of the city’s agricultural history and have long been eyed as a promis-
Coming Attractions
October 4-5 • Dr. Robert Bradley, professor at UTRGV School of Art, invites the public to attend the Maya Art History Glyph Workshop. It will be held at the new UTRGV Center for Latin American Arts on the 2nd floor of the University Library on the Edinburg campus, 1201 W. University Drive. The workshops run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with one hour lunch break. For more information contact Dr. Bradley at 956-665-2484 or robert.bradley@utrgv.edu. October 5 • Zoofari 2019, the Gladys Porter Zoo’s biggest fundraiser of the year, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Proceeds from this year’s Zoofari will benefit the new OtterBahn exhibit, featuring playful river otters. It kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with the cocktail reception and silent auction. Dinner will be catered by Gourmet Central at 7:30 p.m. The live auction begins at 8 p.m. Buy tickets online at tinyurl. com/zoofari2019 or call the zoo at 956-546-7187. • Classical guitarist Maurizio Agró will perform at 7 p.m. at the TSC Performing Arts Center, 90 Taylor Ave. in Brownsville. Admission is free. For special accommodations, call 956-882-7025. October 5-6 • The UTRGV Department of Theatre presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Albert L. Jeffers Theater in Edinburg. Admission is $10 and $5 for students, faculty and staff with UTRGV I.D. For tickets, go to patron. utrgv.edu. October 6 • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents Rebecca Coberly, soprano, with Stacy Kwak, pianist, in a performance with the Faculty Artist Series. It begins at 3 p.m. in the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg. Admission is free. October 9 • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents the Wind Orchestra & Symphonic Winds with the Student Ensemble Series at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg. General admission is $5. Go to patron.utrgv.edu for tickets and information. October 12 • Guns 4 Roses headlines the Fourth Annual University DraftHouse Beer Fest from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Edinburg City Hall courtyard. The evening of live music, interactive games, a wine garden, food from local restaurants and more benefits is for ages 21 and over. Pre-sale tickets are $60, or $65 at the door available at universitydrafthousebeerfest.com, or stop by University DraftHouse, the Edinburg Chamber, or The Dustin Martin Sekula Memorial Library in Edinburg. For more information or special accommodations, call 956-383-4974. • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents NoviTrio in the Faculty Artist Series at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg. Admission is free. Formed in 2016, NoviTrio is a collaboration of three UTRGV colleagues with Krista Jobson, flute; Joel Pagán, viola; and Héctor Javier Rodriguez, guitar. The ensemble bridges the musical traditions and practice of Europe and the Americas with their repertoire. For special accommodations, call 956-665-3881. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)
ing place for public murals. “We would like to make that idea a reality, and that’s where artists from throughout the Rio Grande Valley come in,” Lash said. “We want to recruit artists of the Rio Grande Valley, including Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron counties, to design and create beautiful artwork for one or more of these irrigation pipes.” Keep McAllen Beautiful is seeking design concepts that must be wrap-around colorful painting, focusing on the following themes: McAllen/ Rio Grande Valley history and heritage; native ecology and species, such as birds, bugs, plants, or mammals; or any combination of those. Design concept should be submitted to Keep McAllen Beautiful with artist’s portfolio or previous works. All submissions of design concepts and portfolios should be via mail to Keep McAllen Beautiful Inc., P.O. Box 220, McAllen, TX 78505; or via e-mail at kmb@mcallen. net. To drop off a hard copy, visit Keep McAllen Beautiful, 4101 N. Bentsen Rd. in McAllen. For questions, call 956-681-4562. Organizers of the contest will contact all entrants after the selection process by no later than Nov. 1 to let them know if their concept was selected. Standpipe dimensions vary. If the design is accepted, Keep McAllen Beautiful will work on assigning an appropriate irrigation pipe. Initial scope of the project locations will encompass Col. Rowe Boulevard/2nd Street from Trenton Ave. to Houston Ave. Keep McAllen Beautiful will pay for project materials and provide a small stipend to the artist. If requested, Keep McAllen Beautiful can also coordinate volunteers to help with prep work once the artist is ready to paint the irrigation pipe.
For the latest news and updates
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Sign up now for Food Bank Golf Classic
MISSION – The Second Annual Food Bank RGV Golf Classic will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, at The Club at Cimarron, 1200 S. Shary Rd., Mission. Registration is underway for three-person teams, and tickets are available online atfoodbankrgv.com or by calling 956-904-4513. There will be a variety of prizes including a Hole-InOne prize for a truck sponsored by Burns Motors at a
value of over 240,000 meals. Three-person teams are $450 prior to Oct. 7 and $500 after and at the door. There will be a light breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon during awards ceremony. Drawings and mulligans are also planned. For more information, contact Philip Farias at 956904-4513 or pfarias@foodbankrgv.com.
EVENTS
CALENDAR October 5 – The First Annual Barktober Community Pet Fair will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Hosted by Mission Pawsible, the event will be located at Leo Pena Placita Park in Mission. October 5 – Persons of all ages can join with University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine students for the monthly Walk with a Future Doc (WWAFD). It begins at 9 a.m. at the Bronc Trail, 1214 W. Schunior St., Edinburg, near the parking lot on the west side of the medical school. The event is free, and preregistration is not required. For more information, go to walkwithadoc.org. October 6 – A Barktoberfest will be hosted by 5x5 Brewing Co. and Yaqui Animal Rescue, from 4 to 10 p.m. at 801 N. Bryan Rd., Ste. 174, in Mission. October 8 – Dr. Richard Kline, assistant professor in the UTRGV School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, will speak at the next Rio Grande Valley Chapter Texas Master Naturalist chapter meeting at 7 p.m. The social begins at 6:30 p.m. He will discuss his research into artificial reefs, including the recently constructed RGV REEF off of South Padre Island. The meeting is at the Cameron County Annex Building, 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito. The public is invited. October 12 – The 10th Annual Mission Pink Brest Cancer Awareness 5k Walk/Run will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Mission Regional Medical Center. October 13 – The Dreaming Tree Dave Matthew’s Tribute Band will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. and is hosted by 5x5 Brewing Co. and OATH at 801 N. Bryan Rd., Ste. 174, in Mission. October 12 – CMV Media Production and Outta Town Dance will hold the RGV BarbacoaFest 2019 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 204 Elida St. in Mission. October 17 – The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce will host their annual awards gala. The VIP cocktail reception, by invitation only, begins at 5:30 p.m., and doors open for all ticket holders at 6:30 p.m. The dinner and awards program runs from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by live music. Dress for the evening is cocktail attire. There will also be complementary valet parking. For tickets and information, call 956-585-2727 or email events@missionchamber.com. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)
Speer Memorial Library 12th & Kika Loop Mission • 580-8750
BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS
By William Renner The public is invited to Speer Memorial Library in Mission on Tuesday, Oct. 15, for a discussion of the book Orphan Train. It will take place in the library’s Community Room at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish and at 6:30 p.m. in English. Spruce Harbor, Maine, 2011: 17-year-old Molly Ayer has had a tough life. After her father died when she was eight, her mother was unable to care for her, so she was placed in foster care. Now, on the verge of being kicked out of her latest foster family, the only thing standing between her and juvenile detention is a community service project helping an elderly woman, Vivian Daly, clean out her attic. As Molly gets to know Vivian, and helps her sort all the memories and treasures hidden in her attic, Molly discovers that Vivian, too,
had been a child of foster care—and that she had been a long-ago passenger on an orphan train. Written by Christina Baker Kline, and first published in 2013, Orphan Train is a novel based on the very real experiences of orphaned and abandoned children—a powerful story about hope and resilience in the face of despair, and about unexpected friendship and connection in a world of strangers. Copies of the book will be available to check out for those who sign up for the book discussion. Stop by the library or call at 580-8754. The title is also available as an eBook at hidalgocotx.rbdigital.com. For more information, call William Renner at 5808754. Speer Memorial Library is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission.
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Summit organizers seek student entries
BROWNSVILLE – The Valley Environmental Coalition will be hosting the 10th Annual Valley Environmental Summit on Friday, Oct. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year’s summit Together We Can Positively Impact Our Environment will be held at the Brownsville Events Center, located at 1 Events Center Blvd., Brownsville. A call for video and art entries is being made to students across the Rio Grande Valley. The video film contest is open to all high school students and the art contest to students from Pre-K to 8th grade. The themes for this year’s competitions are “Marine Debris” and “Plastic Waste Reduction.” Cash prizes will be awarded for the video and art contest winners. Contest entry forms and rules can be obtained through www. valleyes.us. Deadline to enter is Oct. 11. Texas State Representative Eddie Lucio III will be on hand to award the winners of the video film and art contests during the
summit. The Summit will feature legislative education updates; environmental topics about the impact of debris in our oceans and waterways; sustainability of resources and moving towards renewable energy sources will be presented. This year’s event will also include a “trashion” show presenting beautifully designed clothing made out of recyclables and other discarded materials created by students from Brownsville’s Special Expression. The summit culminates with a beach clean-up at Clayton’s on South Padre Island on Saturday, Oct. 19, starting at 8:30 a.m. Online registration for the beach clean-up is required. The event is free; however, seating is limited. Registration is required and will remain open until Oct. 13. For more information, or to register to attend the Summit or beach cleanup, go to www.valleyes.us or call 956542-2800.
Escobar/Rios Elementary earns national recognition
The United States Department of Education (USDE) has named Escobar/Rios Elementary School a winner of the 2019 Blue Ribbon Schools Award. Escobar/
Rios Elementary is one of a select group in the State of Texas to earn this national recognition this year. “This is outstanding news,” said Dr. Carol G. Pe-
Pictured are members of the Escobar/Rios Elementary School staff and Mission C.I.S.D. administration after learning the campus was officially named a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School.
rez, Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD) superintendent. “This reflects the hard work and dedication of the students and staff at Escobar/ Rios. Going through the nomination process can be a very daunting task. I am proud they stuck with it.” The Blue Ribbon Schools Award Program recognizes outstanding public and private schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at very high levels. Escobar/ Rios is recognized for showing significant improvement in closing achievement gaps. For 37 years the Education Department has bestowed this coveted award on more than 9,000 American schools. A total of 312 public schools and 50 non-public
schools are being honored this year. National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools: public schools, including charter schools, magnet/choice schools, Title I schools, and non-public schools, including parochial and independent schools. Escobar/Rios Elementary School was one of 26 schools in Texas nominated for National Blue Ribbon School honors in January of this year by the Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. Nominated schools then complete a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education. The campus will be recognized at the Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in mid-November.
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Mission looking at $84 million bond election in 2020
FOOD PANTRY
of what they’re all about.” The food pantry will be housed inside the housing authority and contains non-perishable goods such as canned items, juices and pasta. Villarreal said he started formulating a plan to open a food pantry hours after being hired as the new executive director last month. “I needed something that I knew didn’t require federal government sources and endless red tape that comes with installing a program in a government structure,” Villarreal said. “I’ve volunteered at the food bank before and had some connection and after discussing with them we turned this around in less than 10 days. It came from a sense of what we can do with limited resources and a lot of creativity and heart.” Villarreal added that though the housing authority is still deciding how to disperse the food, they are considering opening it twice a month starting in a few weeks so housing authority tenants can pick up food. At the red ribbon cutting, Villarreal and speakers such as city Mayor Jose “Fito” Salinas and housing authority board Chairman John Pena recalled often having to go to bed hungry most nights as children. “When I was young in high school, we hardly had anything to eat,” Salinas said. “My father would send me out with a hunting rifle to hunt and bring back rabbits to cook.” Libby Salinas, chief program officer at the Food Bank of the RGV, said Salinas’ story is similar to that of people in rural areas. “In the Valley, one in every four children go to bed hungry or have food insecurity as to when their next meal will come. In rural areas such as La Joya, that amount is one in every other child,” Libby explained. “I grew up in Monte Alto, poor and struggling so the food bank is dear to me not just because of my job but because it’s an honor to bring this to much needed areas.” The food bank serves 64,000 individuals per week and will be providing the food for the housing authority pantry for its first year. The housing authority will be responsible for documenting how much food is dispersed from the pantry for the food bank. “This looks simple, but it takes the food bank a lot of work to come here to help the people that need it the most,” Libby said. “It takes a community to have a food pantry and make it work. A lot of times we see a food pantry start up but then there’s not enough backbone to support it, but I can tell this will continue forever.” Sponsors at the event included local businesswomen Bonnie Ortiz and Priscilla Cavazos who work with Villareal’s wife-Giselle Dominique Mascarenhas-Villarreal-as members of her female-led organization Femcity. His wife, Villarreal said, is who contacted the food bank to begin this partnership. “It was her connections, not mine, that got this started,” Villarreal said. Though the food pantry will be at the housing authority, Villarreal said that non-tenants can take advantage of the pantry.
By Jamie Treviño The city of Mission held a workshop this Wed. Oct. 2, 2019 to discuss potential city projects that would be funded by a bond election in 2020. Mayor Armando O’caña and City Manager Randy Perez presented several projects to the council members who attended the workshop, Beto Vela and Jessica Ortega-Ochoa. City Attorney Gus Martinez, as well as the deputy city managers and some of the city department heads were also present. Originally, O’caña presented 18 projects, totalling at a cost of $77 million up during the proposed bond election. Martinez said they were expecting to announce the official bond election and present the ordinance for the election in the first week of Jan. 2020. The proposition the city makes will be published in a newspaper for consecutive weeks prior to the election. O’caña stated that he preferred for each project to be a separate line item in the election, meaning voters would vote yes or no to each individual project. Ortega-Ochoa asked why the city doesn’t group certain projects together, so voters could vote in clusters. O’caña said voters would be less likely to vote on grouped projects because on the surface, each cluster would cost more. “My understanding is now - after this legislative session - we have to have the citizens vote on each item,” O’caña said. “That does me a big favor, because the citizens will tell us yes or no to each of the items.” The initial proposed projects included drainage improvements, several public
safety projects (including wasted. “It looks beautiful, a relocation of Fire Station but it is not functional.” O’caña said that Mission #2 and a creation of a second police station, a Public wanted to avoid the debacle at Safety Training Center and the Sept. 18, 2019 Mercedes technology improvements), a City Commission meeting in new library and two satellite which several residents were libraries, park improvements removed from the premises or and street improvements. A barred from entering because complete chart of the final of the size of the hall and the proposed projects and their nature of the fire safety codes. estimated costs can be found He brought up several examples of when the city hall in below. The most expensive pro- Mission has been over capacposed project would be the ity in the past, and that growconstruction of a new city ing pains are not easy. After going over the inihall, which the city estimates to cost $15 million (as com- tial figures presented, Ortepared to the Mission Event ga-Ochoa asked at first for Center, which cost about $16 a redistribution of certain funds. O’caña said she could million). 20191004_MissionWorkshop_JT “It’s time for us to look not cut any standing proj20191004_MissionWorkshop_JT 587O’caña ect cost estimations, but she at Word future Count: forecasts,” Word Count: said, noting that the587 space on could add more if she felt a ART: n/a theART: city hall n/aproperty is being project needed more.
She requested an increase of park improvement funds in the proposed election (from $2 million to $5 million) and an implementation of $2 million toward sidewalks for school zones in particular. Ortega-Ochoa also asked that rather than limiting technology improvements to public safety, raise the cost proposed in order to cover an improvement of all city tech, including public safety and city hall. O’caña stressed that the proposed bond election should not and would not stop the staff from writing grants and obtaining additional funding that way. The city council plans to meet again to further discuss the proposed projects, which will be presented by staff at a future workshop.
Proposed 2020 Bond Election
(projects proposed following 10/2/19 Workshop)
PROJECTS PROJECTS Drainage Improvements Drainage Improvements City Hall City Hall Boys & Girls Club Facility Boys & Girls Club Facility Relocation of Fire/Police Station #2 Relocation of Fire/Police Station #2 Relocation of New Animal Center Relocation of New Animal Center Two Satellite Libraries Two Satellite Libraries Swimming Pool Facility - West side Swimming Pool Facility - West side Public Safety Training Center Public Safety Training Center Downtown Parking Improvements Downtown Parking Improvements Museum Improvements Museum Improvements Park Improvements Park Improvements Remodelling City Facilities Remodelling City Facilities Land Acquisitions Land Acquisitions Major N. St. Bridges Improvement Major N. St. Bridges Improvement New Library New Library City Technology City Technology Golf Course Improvements Golf Course Improvements Sidewalks Sidewalks
ESTIMATED COST ESTIMATED COST $10 million $10 million $15 million $15 million $5 million $5 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $1 million $1 million $3 million $3 million $5 million $5 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $3 million $5 million $5 million $10 million $10 million $5 million $5 million $1 million $1 million $2 million $2 million
TOTAL COST: $84 million TOTAL COST: $84 million
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This week the Progress Times will be covering the following football games: MEMBER 2018
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Roma
GLADIATORS
AT
Friday 7:30 pm
AT
Friday 7:30 pm
McAllen High
BULLDOGS
Sharyland
RATTLERS
October 4, 2019
page 5
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Document reveal that Agua SUD considered terminating Palmview sewer project contractor By Dave Hendricks When the Agua Special Utility District board met on Sept. 16, members had a major decision to make. Construction on the Palmview sewer project had started in 2017. Two years later, the work still wasn’t finished — and Palmview residents were furious. Members of the utility board weren’t happy either. They apparently discussed whether or not to terminate Edinburg-based OG Construction, which had been hired to install sewer pipes throughout the city. The board spent 69 minutes in executive session that night but adjourned without taking any action. General Manager Jose E. “Eddie” Saenz sent a letter to OG Construction the next day. “This letter is to inform O.G. Construction Company, LLC’s (‘O.G. Construction’) that the Agua Special Utility District (Agua SUD) Board of Directors (the ‘Board’) met yesterday evening and has determined not to issue the notice of termination to O.G. Construction as of today in reliance on OG’s representation in its letter dated September 16, 2019 that it will cure the default and complete the Project,” according to the letter. The Progress Times requested all communication between the utility district and OG Construction under the Texas Public Information Act. The documents, which the utility district released Sept. 27, reveal how close the utility board came to terminating OG Construction — and that after months of tension they may be able to complete the project without a lawsuit. “OG is in the process of completing remaining work items and correcting certain deficiencies,” according to a statement released by the utility district. “OG has reaffirmed its commitment to Agua in writing including the correction of all deficient and unacceptable work. Agua expects OG to honor that commitment and complete the Project in accordance with the specifications.” The utility district and OG Construction had a rocky relationship from the start. OG Construction submitted the low bid for part of Phase 1 of the project, offering to complete the work for about $11.3 million. The utility board, however, wanted to award the contract to Saenz Brothers Construction, which bid about $12.3 million. While Saenz Brothers didn’t submit the low bid, the utility board believed that OG Construction wasn’t prepared to handle the project. The dispute also had a political component. OG Construction is owned by Omar Garcia, the son of former Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia. At the time, members of the utility board perceived Ramon Garcia to be aligned with their political opponents. Problems with groundwater and the sewer system plans, which hadn’t been updated to reflect new development in western Hidalgo County, delayed the project. OG Construction blamed the utility district and S&B Infrastructure, which supervised the project. The utility district blamed OG Construction, which some board members believed simply couldn’t handle the job. Tension between OG Construction and the utility district escalated during the past year. The utility district hired a contractor to inspect OG Construction’s work with remote-controlled cameras. OG Con-
La Joya Housing Authority board approves three-year contract with executive director attended a meeting since August, when a grand jury The La Joya Housing charged her with bribery. Authority board approved a Mayor Jose A. “Fito” three-year contract with Ex- Salinas replaced them with ecutive Director Ruben Vil- Rosa Yvette Flores of La larreal on Wednesday. Joya, a teacher at Evangelina Under the contract, which Garza Elementary School, must be approved by an at- and Berta T. Mireles of La torney, the housing author- Joya, a cafeteria worker at ity will pay Villarreal an Dr. Americo Paredes Ele$84,000 annual salary. He mentary School. will receive a 5 percent raise They joined Commissionafter the first year. er Jorge Bazan and board “It gives me a sense of President John Pena on relief and a sense of direc- Wednesday afternoon, when tion now,” Villarreal said. the board voted 4-0 to ap“Before, I wasn’t sure where prove the contract pending we were going to go because review by an attorney. there was so much instability “He’s very dedicated,” within the framework of the Pena said. “He’s here at 7 in board. But now I can plan for the morning. He leaves afthree years.” ter close to 6 Villarreal o’clock.” is the fourth Mayor Saperson to linas agreed. hold the po“I really sition during admire the the past 12 man,” Mayor months. Salinas said. Constant “He’s got a lot turnover creof experience. ated uncerHe has a lot of tainty and knowledge in made change government.” difficult, VilCommislarreal said, sioner Jose adding that Armando Ruben Villarreal fixing the Salinas, who housing authority’s financial represents tenants, didn’t atand management problems tend the housing authority will take time. board meeting. On Wednes“This requires a three- day morning, he blasted Bayear plan. It’s not going to be zan and Pena on Facebook. less than three years. It might “They want to give this be a little bit more than three guy 80-something thousand years,” Villarreal said. “But dollars?” Jose Armando Sathree years is going to put us linas said in an interview. in a framework where we’re “That’s crazy.” financially sound, we’re goJose Armando Salinas ing to be accountable to our said he joined the board to tenants and we’re going to help tenants but slowly behave a system that’s going to came disillusioned. be exemplary for the entire Villarreal and the housing Valley. I have no doubt.” authority board don’t actuThe board voted 4-0 to ally care about tenants, Jose approve the contract after a Armando Salinas said, addlast-minute shakeup. ing that he thinks the U.S. The La Joya Police De- Department of Housing and partment hand-delivered Urban Development should letters to Commissioner place the housing authority German Reyna and Commis- in receivership. sioner Sylvia Garces Valdez “He’s more concerned on Wednesday, notifying about his pay and posting them that their terms had filtered pictures on his Faceexpired — and they were, ef- book,” Jose Armando Salifective immediately, no lon- nas said. ger members of the board. Along with approving a Reyna, who seldom spoke contract for Villarreal, the during meetings, had avoid- board agreed to retain ated public disagreements with torney Javier Villalobos of other commissioners and McAllen for day-to-day legal urged the board to work to- matters. gether. Garces Valdez hadn’t
By Dave Hendricks
struction complained the contractor had accessed job sites without authorization. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa hosted a meeting between OG Construction and the utility district on Aug. 22. Saenz, board President Lloyd Loya and Frank Garza, an attorney who represents the utility district, met with Omar Garcia and Jonathan Almanza, an attorney who represents OG Construction. “As discussed, all parties agreed to jointly inspect the claims of work deficiencies and agreed to go to mediation for the claims that had been asserted and/or left unanswered by the Owner and/or Engineer,” according to a Sept. 9 letter from OG Construction to the utility district. Two weeks later, however, the utility district sent OG Construction a formal “Notice to Cure,” a procedural step required before terminating the contract. The utility district attached a letter from S&B Infrastructure. “S&B is of the opinion that the project objectives and contractual obligations by Contractor are not being met and will result in additional project delays, non-timely completion, and potential deficiencies in the quality of work,” according to the letter from S&B Infrastructure. “Furthermore, the communication and working relationship with Contractor is currently problematic in terms of addressing deficiencies observed. Directives issued as comments and observations are typically challenged and/or not acknowledged as valid. Contractor has taken a confrontational posture toward Owner by disregarding directives aimed at correcting deficiencies so the work can be brought into compliance with the project plans and specifications.” OG Construction responded on Sept. 9, questioning why the utility district would attempt to terminate the contract when the company had completed 98% of the work. “If we cannot resolve these other minor issues, the residents of the area will only be given further delay and inconvenience, rather than a finished project,” according to the Sept. 9 letter. “We find it frustrating that, after months of written notice letters and written requests for mediation/meetings and non-payment, Owner/Owner’s Representative chooses to make its only written response a notice of potential termination. This is frankly shocking in light of how little is left on this contract and O.G.’s continued work, even without payment. We are resolved to complete this job and fix these issues. We look forward to reaching an amicable resolution.” By the time the utility board met on Sept. 16, the S&B Infrastructure engineer assigned to the project, Reddy V. Kajuluri, had been replaced. The utility district also hired an Austin-based attorney, Jeffrey Chapman, who specialized in construction litigation. In a written statement, the utility district disputed that OG Construction had completed 98% of the work. Asked what percentage had been completed, the utility district declined to comment. “Agua SUD continues to work with its contractor, OG Construction, to address areas of concern and items of deficient work. While completing the work on this long delayed Project remains important, Agua will not accept substandard work for the sake of completion. Presently, Agua has provided OG a list of items that require correction to ensure the installed work complies with the Project’s design and TCEQ regulations,” according to a statement released by the utility
district, which referenced Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations. “At this point in time, Agua SUD has not terminated the contractor nor has Agua SUD made a demand on the contractor’s surety to complete the Project. Agua SUD believes the recent Project correspondence provided to various news outlets pursuant to Texas Public Information Act requests speaks for itself and offers no further comment at this time.” OG Construction also responded to questions with a written statement. “O.G. Construction is committed to completing the project as soon as possible and understands the frustration and inconveniences that the community has had to endure. Over the last month, Agua SUD and O.G. Construction have been diligently working to take the necessary steps to make sure that the remaining issues are expedited for completion. Great progress has been made to resolve many of the issues that delayed the project for so long,” according to the statement released by the company. “Regardless of any ongoing disputes, O.G. Construction is committed, and always has been committed, to completing the project no matter the circumstances or delays beyond its control. In addition, regardless of the cause of these delays, O.G. Construction understands the community’s frustration and knows that their anger is warranted.” The statement emphasized that OG Construction is close to completing the project and wants to resolve any remaining issues with the utility district. “Less than 1.5% of the project is remaining, and the completion date is near, minus only a few remaining issues,” according to the statement released by the company. “O.G. Construction and Agua SUD are committed to working together to get this project completed as soon as possible.”
Pet of the Week
Chloe is a very friendly and playful long hair chihuahua mix, believed to be about one year old. If you would like to make Chloe a part of your family, contact the Mission Pawsible Program at 956-580-8741, M-F, 8AM-5PM. The City of Mission Animal Shelter is located at 227 Abelino Farias, and is open throughout the week and on Saturdays - 9AM to 4PM. The cost to adopt is $50, which includes: Spay/Neuter, Rabies Shot, First Vaccine, Microchip and Deworming. To view more animals in the Mission Pawsible Program, visit missiontexas.us. Sponsored by
Jerry Saenz, Agent
1211 Conway Ave • Mission TX 956-585-2715
SPORTSweek
Luciano Guerra
September 21, 2018
Sports Editor
THE
Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports
www.ptrgv.com/sports
October 4, 2019
page 6
BIG7 SCHOOLS
Big 7 football round-up
Eagles and Diamondbacks out to continue winning ways By Luciano Guerra
With four of the six Big 7 teams that took to the gridiron last week emerging victorious, and with only one of the seven having a losing record through Week 5, 2019 continues to be a good year for Mission, La Joya and Sharyland ISD football teams. Add to that the fact that one of the seven just knocked off the Valley’s No. 1 team and you could very easily say that it’s been more of a really good year thus far. While it has often been said that all good things must come to an end, that may not be the case when it comes to teams like Mission Veterans, Sharyland High, Pioneer, Palmview and Mission High. That’s because these five teams have compiled a combined district record of 9-1 and while the Diamondbacks have yet to play a district opponent, they have won three out of four of their non-district games. While it is unlikely that these five teams will all continue playing at such a high level, they have certainly earned the right to be taken seriously by any opponent. As a matter of fact, three of these teams, Pioneer, Mission and Mission Veterans, are currently ranked among the Valley’s elite. The Diamondbacks are ranked fourth, the Eagles are currently ranked
fifth and the Patriots are currently tied with San Benito for seventh place among the Valley’s Top 10. With the La Joya Coyotes and the Palmview Lobos having played their Week 6 games last night, the Coyotes at McAllen Memorial and the Lobos having hosted Brownsville Pace, and with the Roma at Sharyland High game being the Progress Times Game of the Week, we will look at the other three games involving Big 7 teams here. Mission Eagles at McAllen High Bulldogs Coming off their huge, last second win over the No. 1 ranked McAllen Memorial Mustangs last week, the Eagles will be making the short trip to Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen tonight to take on the McAllen High Bulldogs. With wins over Mission Veterans (37-0), Donna North (55-8) and of course the Mustangs (28-25) and with a loss against Pioneer (56-28), the Eagles have compiled a 3-1 overall record thus far this season. As for the Bulldogs, their 2-2 overall record is a result of wins against Brownsville Lopez (40-7) and Edinburg North (29-13) and losses to Harlingen South (44-14) and Nikki Rowe (28-14). In last week’s win over the Mustangs, Mission sophomore quarterback Jeremy Duran completed 18 of 38
passing attempts for 265 yard and three touchdowns. Duran’s three touchdown passes were caught by three different receivers; senior wide receiver Steve Villarreal, junior running back Andrew Maldonado and senior tight end Reymundo Garcia who scored the winning touch-
AT
Mission
Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra.
Mission Eagles’ senior tight end Reymundo Garcia hangs on to the ball to score the winning touchdown with only three seconds remaining in the game against the McAllen Memorial Mustangs last week.
THIS WEEK’S GAMES - WEEK #5 AT
Friday 7:30 pm
BULLDOGS
Roma
RATTLERS
Friday 7:30 pm
Sharyland Pioneer
Mercedes
D-BACKS
TIGERS
#4 Luis Gonzalez
#80 Kali Nguma
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
McAllen Nikki Rowe
WARRIORS
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln
HUSKIES
MISSION EAGLES
SHARYLAND RATTLERS
#13 Benjamin Valdivia
er completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 421 yards and five touchdowns. Marburger also ran the ball four times for 32 yards and two touchdowns against Rivera. Marburger’s favorite target against the Raiders was junior Gavin de la Garza who caught five passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Last year the Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers by a score of 35-12. Nikki Rowe Warriors at Juarez-Lincoln Huskies With a 1-3 overall and a 0-1 District 30-6A record, the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies are the only Big 7 team with a losing record. While they did get the 2019 season off to a good start by defeating Rio Hondo by a score of 27-13, they have since dropped three games in a row; a 57-28 loss to Pioneer, a 20-14 loss to the Edinburg Bobcats and a 3419 loss to PSJA North. Nikki Rowe on the other hand will be coming into La Joya ISD Pack Stadium tonight boasting a perfect 4-0 record. Their wins have come against Weslaco (44-41), Mercedes (28-25), Edinburg North (36-14) and McAllen High (28-14). Last year the Warriors defeated the Huskies by a score of 45-14. All of tonight’s Big 7 games are scheduled to kick off at 7:30.
AT
Friday 7:00 pm
Sharyland
GLADIATORS
Pioneer Diamondbacks at Mercedes Tigers Coming off their bye week, the Diamondbacks should be well-rested tonight at they travel to Mercedes to take on the Tigers. With their only loss of the season being a Week 1 42-41 heartbreaker to the Harlingen Cardinals, the Diamondbacks have improved to 3-1 by stringing back-to-back-to-back wins together against Juarez-Lincoln (57-28), Mission (56-28) and Brownsville Rivera (5028). In their four games, Pioneer has scored 204 points for a 51 point per game average. While the trend is for the Diamondbacks’ defense to give up 28 points per game, so far this season the Tigers have not been lighting up the scoreboard the way the Diamondbacks have. One thing that they have excelled at however is scoring 31 points per game, which they’ve done three times already this season. These include a 3121 win over Edinburg North in Week 1, a 35-31 loss to La Feria in Week 3 and a 31-19 win against Edcouch Elsa last week. Mercedes has split their two games in which they did not score 31 points, with a Week 2 loss to Nikki Rowe (28-25) and Week 4 win against the Edinburg Bobcats (17-10). Against the Raiders the Diamondbacks’ junior quarterback Eddie Lee Marburg-
AT
Friday 7:30 pm
McAllen High
EAGLES
down against the Mustangs with only three seconds remaining in the game. Duran was also the Eagles’ top rusher against the Mustangs with eight carries for 49 yards and one touchdown. Last year the Eagles defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 37-0.
THE ENTIRE FOOTBALL TEAM
Go Diamondbacks & Rattlers!
V
Thank you Sharyland ISD School Board for Supporting our Athletes!
MISSION VETERANS PATRIOTS
#1 AJ Gonzaque OFFENSE
#25 Mike Gonzalez DEFENSE
HAVE A GREAT SEASON! SUPPORTS THE BIG 7 TEAMS
Political ad paid by candidate.
LA JOYA COYOTES
#21 Mike De Anda
#27 Eddie Villarreal
#3 Alan Delgado
#15 Juan Ramos
SPECIAL TEAMS
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
Go Coyotes, Lobos & Huskies!
October 4, 2019
page 7
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GAME OF Roma Sharyland GLADIATORS THE WEEK RATTLERS Rattlers, Gladiators clash tonight Texas high school football can sometimes be a bit confusing. Not every game in the season is equal in the eyes of the UIL, the governing body of high school sports in the state. Post season qualification is based solely on your district record and the place in the standings that record puts you. Early non-district losses, in the bigger scheme of things may not matter. District alignments can be confusing as well. Some, like District 16-5A Div. I, have ten schools competing for the four spots that qualify for the playoffs. That means only one non-district game and nine that count. More district games, however, may afford the opportunity to recover from a loss or two. That is not the case in smaller districts like District 16-5A Div. II. While the seven schools in this district get the benefit of four non-district games to prepare for the games that count, the short six game district schedule offers less opportunity for error. Every outcome is significant. This makes tonight’s game between Roma and Sharyland, members of District 16-5A Div. II, a big one; even though it is only the second district game of 2019. Both survived their district openers last week, giving each a win in a district where a 3-3 record was good enough for the post season last year. A win
tonight puts the team that gets it closer to the playoffs. Roma has had a rough start to 2019, losing all four of their non-district games. When it counted last week, however, the Gladiators defeated Valley View 21-17. Don’t let those losses fool you either; the Gladiators have been a force of late, especially on offense. In a 36-35 loss to Laredo Nixon three weeks ago Roma amassed over 500 yards of offense, a whopping 406 yards on the ground. In their last two games they have begun to balance things out, gaining over 200 yards running and passing in each. Quarterback Jonathan Rios has been the catalyst for the Gladiators. The senior has accumulated almost 700 yards passing on the year with four touchdowns. In each of his last two games Rosales has also rushed for 100 or more yards. His six rushing touchdowns on the season lead the team. The Gladiators offense has some other weapons too. Fabian Lopez is the team’s leading rusher with almost 500 yards so far this season. The junior was a huge part of the big night the Gladiators had against Nixon, accounting for 220 yards rushing. Lopez leads all of District 16-5A Div. II in rushing through five games. Another junior, Esteban Barrera is emerging as the team’s top receiving threat as the Roma passing attack has
Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra.
Sharyland senior running back Damian Pruneda carries the ball for good yardage during the Rattlers’ 23-0 non-district game win over the La Joya Coyotes
WEEK 4 PALMVIEW LOBOS
2019
By John Hamann
improved. Barrera has accumulated 16 receptions for 291 yards and two touchdowns over the past three games. The Gladiator defensive unit has contributed too. Hiram Flores intercepted three passes last week in the win over Valley View. Sharyland coach Ron Adame says preparing for a team like Roma is challenging. “They (Roma) like to run the ball but you’ve got to be ready for the play action pass too.” Adame added that the Gladiators misdirection plays are something few teams in the Valley run and can create problems for a defense. The 2019 season for the Sharyland Rattlers has so far been one with both highs and lows. A tough non- district schedule has seen the Rattlers defeat good teams like Brownsville Pace and La Joya while suffering setbacks against McAllen Memorial and Brownsville Hanna. Coach Adame has always liked to schedule tough opponents early in the year to help prepare his teams, and the Rattlers showed they were ready last week by opening district with a 42-17 win over Laredo Cigarroa. This year’s Rattlers, however, have yet to win consecutive games. Against Cigarroa, Adame emphasized minimizing turnovers and penalties and was pleased that both areas saw improvement. Another big factor was
FOOTBALL
CONTEST
Martha Rodriguez
WINNER Week #4
#22 A.J. Chapa
#30 Pablo Guerrero
#11 Javi Corona
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
Good Luck
ENTER ONLINE TO WIN!
www.ptrgv.com Progress times
To All Big 7 Teams!
JUAREZ-LINCOLN HUSKIES
Last Week’s Games Week #4
19 RATTLERS 42 Juarez-Lincoln
at
PSJA North
at
Laredo Cigarroa
PSJA High
at
La Joya
McAllen Mem.
at
Mission
Mission Vets.
at
Palmview
at
HUSKIES Sharyland
70 MUSTANGS25 VPATRIOTS 49 LOBS 49 BEARS
OFFENSE
Sharyland times
2019 Football Scoreboard
Political ad paid by candidate.
#88 Luis Flores
the 326 yards rushing and six touchdowns the Rattlers put on the Toros. The Rattlers have used a variety of personnel combinations on offense so far this year in both the running and passing games. Three different quarterback s have spent time leading the offense. Junior Benji Valdivia leads the team in both passing and rushing. Against Cigarroa, Valdivia had a 46 yard touchdown run off an option play and added 47 more on a scramble later in the game. Four others have made contributions to the running game as well. Robert Mancha, Damian Pruneda, Kevin Chavez and Andres Bonilla have all accumulated close to 100 yards or more rushing on the year. Mancha had a 46 yard touchdown run against Cigarroa and Pruneda scored one from 24 yards out. Daniel Pena leads the team in receiving with 18 catches for 358 yards through five games. The Rattlers defense has done their part too, currently ranked as the second stingiest group in the district, surrendering less than 300 yards per game. Ethan Garza is the team’s leading tackler with 43, including seven that have resulted in loss of yardage for the opponent. The team has seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries through five games. Pena and Luis Gonzalez have two picks each. Adame noted the overall contributions of Gonzalez. The junior has been named by the team as a player of the week for the offense, defense and special teams so far this year. For tonight’s game Adame said that besides the usual keys that dictate success on any given night, like taking care of the football and winning third down, he wanted his team to do one more thing. “Play with a purpose,” he said. “Play to come out with a 2-0 district record.” Besides the perfect start to the district season and ending the “win one, lose one” cycle the team has been on, a win tonight would also mark the first time this year the Rattlers will have recorded a home victory. Kickoff is scheduled at Richard Thompson Stadium for 7:30 pm.
#44 Alejandro Valladares #23 Antonio Torres DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
RAIDERS TOROS
34 17
14 EAGLES 28 COWBOYS 0 JAVALINAS 13 COYOTES
OVERALL STANDINGS Season 3-1 District 1-0
V Season 4-1 District 4-0
Season 3-1
Season 3-2
Season 3-2
Season 1-3
District 0-0
District 1-0
Brown. Porter
PSJA Soutwest
Season 2-2 District 0-1
District 3-1
District 0-1
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BEST OF LUCK TO ALL BIG 7 TEAMS! R X Alberto Vela, R. Ph.
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PHARMACY & MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
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2120 E. Griffin Pkwy. Mission, TX
page 8
October 4, 2019
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Safety and wellness summit held for local first responders By Jose De Leon III Hundreds of first responders from across south Texas converged in McAllen to deal with the next possible emergency, with them as the victims. The local organization Proactive Education for Emergency Responders hosted their third annual safety and wellness summit earlier this week with the goal of getting local emergency responders to learn about the new standards and training, coping with stress on the job, drug trends and disaster response. The PEER organization is comprised of members from Mission Fire, McAllen Fire, South Padre Island Fire and the Edinburg Fire Department. Mission Assistant Fire Chief Robert Rene Alvarez is among the founding members of the organization. “We regularly go to trainings out of town where a lot of them had important topics that we are discussing here such as cancer, PTSD, anything having to do with health, safety and wellness from the stress of the job,” Alvarez said. “We wanted to provide that to our first responders in this region. It’s hard for small departments to send people out to these trainings so we wanted to provide this at no cost to local first responders. According to a February 2017 article by the Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, first responders have elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and alcohol use when compared to the general population. An April 2018 study published by the Ruderman Family Foundation found that more first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty each year from the stress of their job. Statistics like that is why Alvarez said the summit is needed. “First responders have
to know how they can take care of themselves to be in the best mental, and physical health to provide the services we have to provide to our communities,” Alvarez said. “If we can’t take care of ourselves-if we can’t be at our best-how can we do our job?” The conference also offered an opportunity for fellowship and networking, with an agenda that included high profile speakers like Ret. Asst. Fire Chief Joseph Pfeifer who spoke on Monday and handled crisis leadership during the 9/11 attack. Pfeifer was the first battalion chief to enter the World Trade Center and establish command in the lobby during the tragic events. Other speakers included Dan Kerrigan, a fire marshall who spoke on the importance of fitness for first responders. Texas State Trooper Lt. Enrique Chavez spoke on PTSD among first responders and how to deal with traumatic events daily. Medical experts such as Dr. Sara Jahnke, the director and investigator of the Center for Fire Rescue and EMS Health Research at the National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. spoke at the event. Jahnke spoke on the topic of sleep deprivation among first responders on Wednesday, the third and final day of the summit “In research there’s a lot of focus on depression, PTSD, and cancer but poor sleep hygiene can increase the risk for all of that,” Jahnke said. “First responders need to be aware of that and get the sleep when they can and to appropriately use caffeine. Most of them can only get four hours of sleep or less because they have to respond to a heart attack, a fire or a car accident. Someone is going to have to be up. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of sleep disorders, drowsy driving, car accidents and those types of things.” Homer Salinas, a lieu-
tenant for the Mission fire Department, was at the summit as a representative for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. The network works to educate firefighters on cancer protection for firefighters, increase cancer awareness and prevention for fire and EMS members. Salinas made headlines nearly two years ago when the city of Mission announced Salinas was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Salinas said the summit is important because the network opportunities it pro-
vides can lead families to better cope with cancer as it did for him and his family. “When I got the diagnosis, my world came crashing down and I didn’t know who to turn to or what to do,” Salinas recalled. “When you’re a firefighter and you get cancer, you have so much on your plate already with your job, finances, family and health. Luckily this organization contacted me with information on what to do, what to ask my doctor, what treatments are available, and how my family and I can cope.”
Ret. Asst. Fire Chief Joseph Pfeifer speaks to a crowd of first responders during the first day of the First Responders Safety & Wellness Summit Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. Courtesy photo.
Judge may send former sheriff’s office commander back to prison By Dave Hendricks
A federal judge may send former Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Jose Padilla back to prison. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ruled Wednesday that Padilla — who pleaded guilty to bribery in April 2014 and served a 38-month prison sentence — violated the conditions of his supervised release by stealing money and associating with a felon. With charges pending against Padilla in state court, Crane said he would delay sentencing on the supervised release violations until Dec. 6. “I do intend to punish you for this crime,” Crane said. Jose A. Padilla, 59, of Weslaco joined the Sheriff’s Office in June 1989, according to personnel records. He served under Sheriff Brigido “Brig” Marmolejo Jr., Sheriff Henry Escalon and Sheriff Guadalupe “Lupe” Treviño, who promoted Padilla to commander in March 2006. Padilla supervised the Special Services Bureau, which included the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers program. He also became a key
Former Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Jose Padilla (Courtesy of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.)
player in the scandal that sent Treviño to federal prison. After the Panama Unit scandal, federal agents started investigating links between Treviño and Tomas “El Gallo” Gonzalez, a local drug trafficker. Padilla confessed to accepting cash from Gonzalez, according to reports filed by the Texas Rangers. He kept some and delivered the remaining money to Treviño. “PADILLA stated that through the years he may have kept approximately between $90,000.00 and $100,000.00 provided by GONZALEZ,” according to the Texas Rangers report.
Treviño pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Padilla pleaded guilty to bribery. After he served a 38-month prison sentence, Padilla started working for Pharr-based Unimex Logistics. Padilla developed a personal relationship with Milagros M. Gomez, 36, of Weslaco, who managed the company’s money. She frequently sent text messages to Padilla and socialized with him outside the office. They charged thousands in personal expenses to a company credit card, according to Pharr Municipal Court records, which show purchases at Dillard’s, Discount Tire and H-E-B. Investigators arrested Padilla on forgery and theft charges, which violated the terms of his supervised release. Attorney Javier Peña of Edinburg, who represents Padilla, blamed Gomez for the situation. Padilla occasionally paid company bills with his own money, Peña said. To pay him back, Gomez allowed Padilla to charge personal expenses on the company credit card.
“This is a horribly run company,” Peña said. Crane responded with skepticism. He asked whether or not Padilla kept track of how much money Unimex owed him. “Is there anything in writing anywhere?” Crane said. Padilla provided Unimex with receipts but didn’t independently track how much money the company owed him, Peña said. “Alright,” Crane said. “I’ll consider that, but I’m not persuaded.” Padilla resigned from Unimex on Dec. 4, 2018, when the company started scrutinizing credit card transactions. Peña insisted that Padilla didn’t do anything wrong and accused the company of sloppy accounting. “His biggest fear is what’s happening today,” Peña said. “That it would affect his supervised release.” At sentencing, Crane could modify the terms of Padilla’s supervised release or send him back to prison for a maximum of two years. The punishment may depend, in part, on how the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office handles the charges.
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October 4, 2019 from pg. 1
SE BUSCA
“Notably, six of those seven targets were arrested south of the border due to the diligence and hard work of our partners in Mexico,” Skero said. “Because of the results seen here in the Valley, the Se Busca initiative is being expanded to additional Border Patrol sectors all along our U.S.-Mexico border.” The Se Busca Informacion billboards include photos of people but don’t identify them by name. Dustin D. Araujo, a Bor-
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der Patrol spokesman, said names would be released on a “case-by-case basis.” The new billboard, however, included several wellknown cartel bosses, including Juan Gerardo “El Huevo” Treviño Chavez, a key player in the Cartel del Noreste. Border Patrol also expanded the program to stations, which seek information about smugglers who operate in their areas of responsibility. “At the station level, you may have people that are
smugglers that are not wanted for arrest — but we want to arrest them in a smuggling scheme,” Padilla said. Posting photos of people involved in smuggling, even if law enforcement doesn’t have arrest warrants for them, helps deter illegal activity, Padilla said. It also helps law enforcement collect information. Border Patrol placed a Se Busca Informacion billboard near the old La Joya Police Department last year, soliciting information about 10
DIRECTOR RESIGNS
Her review also uncovered budget deficits, what the City Council deemed poor financial planning and questionable spending by former city employees. Members of the prior administration believed Chapa’s criticism wasn’t fair and lacked context. The City Council, however, supported Chapa and frequently cited her analysis, pinning Palmview’s financial problems on the prior administration. Sarabia and Garcia, who supported Chapa’s investigations, declined to comment on her resignation. “We can’t say anything,” Garcia said. “Because it’s a personnel matter.” Palmview’s financial problems aren’t limited to prior administrations. The City Council ap-
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proved a budget amendment Monday that showed a major revenue shortfall. When the City Council adopted the 2018-2019 budget, administrators predicted about $6.7 million in revenue from property tax, sales tax and other sources. The budget amendment reduced the anticipated revenue to nearly $6 million. Palmview originally projected the city would collect about $233,000 in property tax penalties and interest. The city adjusted that number to just $83,000. Palmview also overestimated revenue from current-year property taxes and delinquent property taxes. Taken together, the city’s tax revenue from all sources fell nearly 7 percent short of the original budget. Estimating revenue isn’t
easy. Cities typically make conservative revenue projections after reviewing historical information and economic data. Palmview projected the city would collect $350,000 from police department fines, which roughly matched the 2017-2018 budget. On Monday, though, the city adjusted that projection to just $230,000. As a result of the nearly $717,000 shortfall, Palmview had a $106,000 budget deficit, according to the budget amendment. Villarreal, the mayor, said members of the City Council had discussed the revenue projections but didn’t think they played a significant role, if any, in Chapa’s resignation. “And I wish her the best,” Villarreal said.
site. Interested adoptees need only pay a $50 adoption fee that covers spaying and neutering, rabies vaccination and a microchip. “We work hand in hand with the animal control department on different ways to improve the quality of life for the animals in the shelter,” Garza said. “When they come in, they’re vaccinated, dewormed and cared for better. Before, they were given three to five days to be claimed now they’re given
seven to 10 days or stay even longer to wait for a rescue or transfer.” With the Barktober Pet Fair, Garza said he hopes the public understands how important it is to take care of their furry best friend. “We want people to come together and have a good time and at the same time raise awareness about animal abuse and control the pet population,” Garza said.
PET FAIR
forever home. The program started a rescue transport system which includes local foster homes for animals where residents voluntarily house them while a transport unit comes from either Colorado, Arizona, New York and other states and picks them up. The dogs and cats in the program go across the nation to reach their final destination and are picked by their respective owners through the Mission Pawsible web-
people. They included two brothers described as “confirmed human and drug smugglers,” a woman accused of running a stash house in Reynosa, the “possible brother” of a smug-
Notices Nestor Cantu SULLIVAN CITY – Nestor Cantu, 74, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Roger Euler MISSION – Roger Euler, 79, passed away on Sept. 22, 2019, at Mission Valley Nursing and Transitional Care. Armando Flores SULLIVAN CITY – Armando Omar Flores, 77, passed away on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at his home in Sullivan City. Jesus Garcia PEÑITAS – Jesus Angel Garcia, 62, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at Comfort House in McAllen. Jesus Garcia Jr. SULLIVAN CITY – Jesus Rene Garcia Jr., 24, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at his home. Salvador Garza MISSION – Salvador Vela Garza, 74, passed away on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, at his home in Mission. Maria Gomez MISSION – Maria Elba “La Guera” Gomez, 86, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, at The Bridges in Mission. Judie Joyce MISSION – Judie Pat Domian (Bannworth) Joyce, 75, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at her home. Deren Noyola PALMVIEW – Deren Noyola passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Francisco Rodriguez MISSION – Francisco Cazares Rodriguez, 57, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at Mission Regional
gler nicknamed El Gato, a man accused of working for “Comandante Primito,” several migrant smugglers and Jose Raul “Pili” Arechiga, a well-known drug trafficker from Sullivan City.
"One, hopefully it will deter their behavior,” Padilla said, referencing the local Se Busca Informacion billboards. “Or, secondly, if they continue, they’ll end up in jail and facing justice.”
Medical Center. Armando Salinas SULLIVAN CITY – Armando Omar Salinas, 77, passed away on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at his home in Sullivan City. Dora Salinas SULLIVAN CITY – Dora Nilda Salinas, 68, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, at her home in Sullivan City. Juan Sandoval MISSION – Juan Sandoval, 71, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. Maria Silva MISSION – Maria Del So-
corro Plata Silva, 89, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, at her family’s home. Diana Vega MISSION – Diana Vega, 65, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, at Pax Villa Hospice in McAllen. Teresa Wallace ALTON – Teresa Gail Wallace, 54, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, at her home in Alton. Maria Zavala MISSION – Maria Consuelo “Chelo” Zavala, 73, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, at Doctor’s Hospital in Edinburg.
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October 4, 2019
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GRAND OPENING
He added that aquatic therapy is not just for people who are pre- or post-surgery, but also for people who have been debilitated and need to get their strength back up. “These are solutions for people that have disease or chronic pain that want to start doing more exercise, or get more flexible,” Martinez said. “You’ll find a lot of people who say ‘I can’t do that, it hurts too bad,’ or ‘I can’t go there, I need to get in shape before I go to physical therapy,’ those kinds of things - and I think this is just another method by which you can employ physical therapy.” Martinez said it is harder to work out in water, because the resistance in water is higher than that of air, but patients are able to achieve a better workout with less pain because of their buoyancy. “You can do more with less pain,” Martinez said. “So you can actually cir-
cumvent the amount of time it would take to do some of that same work [on land].” The DHR Health Aquatic Therapy Institute was on the radar with the hospital’s physicians for a few years. “We’ve noted that it probably needed to be part of our treatment spectrum for a couple of years now,” Martinez said. “It was just a matter of time and finding the right place and bringing all of the expertise together.” The institute will include “an inviting environment with high-quality land- and water-based physical therapy services, one-on-one treatment conducted by a licensed clinical professional, a brand new warm-water therapy pool built for accessibility in a climate-controlled space, a clean and well-equipped land-based therapy gym, two extra-large examination rooms for client comfort and privacy, crystal-clean men’s and women’s locker rooms,
each with three showers and a wheelchair-accessible changing room and shower,” according to Esmaeili. The therapy team is comprised of three licensed Physical Therapists and five licensed Physical Therapist Assistants. Two of the clinicians are certified by the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute. “They work to ensure that our care exceeds industry standards for safety and clinical quality,” Esmaeili said. “The aim of our newest facility is to become the premier destination for patients with spine and joint-related injuries and conditions.” Martinez added that it took time to gather the best team of doctors and physical trainers together for this endeavor. “We wanted to do it the right way, and that required bringing several different levels of expertise and personnel to be able to do it
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comprehensively,” Martinez said. “We’ve got the most fellowship-trained physical therapists as well - these are physical therapists who have gone to do a fellowship at a higher level, usually at a university or with a professional sports team, to really give them another level of expertise to providing therapy.” Physical therapists that have done fellowships are trained to care for professional athletes - who are accustomed to using their bodies at a higher rate of wear and tear than the average person - are able to work well with anyone, according to Martinez. “We’ve got the highest number of those folks [fellowship-trained physical therapists] at our place, which is nice,” Martinez said. “It takes a while to assemble a team like that, because they’re not all from here.” All of the work put into
the facility was undertaken in order to continue to provide quality health care in the RGV. “It’s another alternative to get more people to participate with physical therapy,” Martinez said. “We know that physical therapy in the right hands works very well, but it's got limitations as well. The aquatic therapy will [allow us] to have a bigger number of people participating, because not everyone can tolerate land-based therapy.” Joint pain and chronic tension is mostly alleviated in the water, so the DHR Health Aquatic Therapy Institute strives to eliminate a patient's lack of motivation to continue rehabilitation that they may get with landbased physical therapy. “You’re able to have more participation with more people, with less pain,” Martinez said. “So by definition, they tend to quit less, they tend to
want to participate more, or they don’t stop participating because it hurts too bad.” Martinez hopes the institute will be able to get people in the community more in tuned with their bodies in order to lead a more active and fun life. If the cards are played right, he said, they will start to look at bigger additional locations to expand the reach of those services in the RGV as a whole. “That involves being mobile,” Martinez said. “I think a lot of people realize that when they stop being mobile, a lot of their freedom ends. So the hope is that we’re able to communicate what we can do here, educate folks about who may benefit from physical therapy, either land-based or aquatic and hopefully get them involved so they can be healthier and live an enjoyable life for as long as they are here with simple exercises.”
October 4, 2019
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BUY • SELL • TRADE • RENT • HIRE
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InFree or Nominal Rate or information ded on Outside-County Copies material Manager, Or Owner: requested on the form may be Rendon, Publisher Included on PS Form 3541 Denise s Average Each No. Copies Each subject to criminal sanctions Date: September 27, 2019 (including fines and ding 12 During Preceding 12 Issue I certify that all information imprisonment) and/or furnished civil Months: 0 on this form is true sanctions (including andcivilcomplete. I understand e No. Issue Copies of Single Issue o Published Filing Nearest to Filing penalties). that anyone who furnishes Date: 0 false or misleading information al (2.) Rate Free or Nominal Rate Inon this form or who omits Other Copies Included on County material or information e PS USPS Form 3541. requested on the form may be Average No. Copies Each subject to criminal sanctions s Issue Each During Preceding 12 (including fines and ding 12 10 Months: imprisonment) and/or civil No. Copies of Single Issue sanctions (including civil e Published Issue Nearest to Filing penalties). o Date: Filing11 (3.) Free or Nominal Rate al Copies Rate Mailed at Other he Mail Classes Through the USPS s (e.g. Each First-Class Mail) ding 12 Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 e Months: Issue 0 o No. Filing Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing nalDate: Rate0 (4.) Free or Nominal Rate s Distribution Each Outside the Mail ding 12 Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 e Months: Issue 1182 o No. Filing Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 1382 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 1192 No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 1393
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 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 2 Weeks = $10 4 Weeks = $14 by phone 585-4893. The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 5 p.m. For Rent
R.V. SPACES FOR rent at Brush Country Double E RV Park located in San Isidro, TX, peaceful country living, hunters and Winter Texans welcomed, month to month rates available, for more details call 956-844-8168 or 956-432-2437. 2BDR, 1BA, 8010 Military Rd. in Abram, TX, fully furnished, $150 deposit/$350 monthly, light not included, 2 recamaras, 1 baño ubicado 8010 Military Rd. in Abram, TX, amueblada, deposito $150/ $350 por mes, call 956-424-5691.
For Sale
3 BURIAL PLOTS at Valley Memorial Gardens, call 956457-8315 for more information.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, October 14, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at the Mission City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: Lots 1, 2, 4, & 5, Padron Subdivision, from (AO-I) Agricultural Open Interim to (C-3) General Business; Rezoning: A 2.0 acre, more or less, out of the North 10 acres of the South 20 acres out of Lot 183, John H. Shary Subdivision from (AO-I) Agricultural Open Interim to (R-1T) Townhouse Residential; and Rezoning: Lot 1, Big Lake Subdivision, from (AO-P) Agricultural Open Permanent to (I-1) Light Industrial Discussion and Action to Amend the Future Land Use Map Discussion and Action to Amend the (R-1) Single Family Residential District If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
Home For Sale
FOR SALE WEST of Mission, Tx in a retirement community, comfortable home and unique golf cart included, 2BDRM/ 2BA, large living room, 2 car garage w/screens and much more, call 956-3215441.
Garage Sale
12208 N. BRYAN Rd., Mission, Tx 78573, Saturday, October 5 from 8am11am.
Mobile Home
2 BDR, 2 BA, with new updates, new flooring,countertops, cabinets, & wa-
ter heater, recently inspected, stove & refrigerator included, located in Mobile Gardens Community Park in Mission, TX, can be moved, call 920-492-9277. 14x76, 2BDR/2BA Lancer Mobile Home for sale, TX room, carport, attached shed, metal roof, gated 55+Community in Mission, TX, must sell for health reasons, call 956249-0046 for more details.
Services AT T E N T I O N RANCHERS, FARMERS,and Landowners, if shooters are littering your property with spent
shells and beverage cans, I can help, I will collect their trash in exchange for per-
mission to hunt on your land, please call Robert at 214-4505831.
PUBLIC NOTICE The Palmhurst Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 5:30 pm at City Hall, 4417 North Shary Road, Palmhurst, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezone: 6.96 Acre tract of land being the E. 6.96 acres, more or less being out of Lot 33-3, West Addition to Sharyland Subdivision. From Residential to Commercial. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Richard Garcia, City Secretary
THE STATE OF TEXAS NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT: “You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do (does) not file a written answer with the clerk who issued to this citation by 10:00 A.M. on the Monday next after the expiration of forty-two (42) days after the date of issuance of this citation, a default Judgment may be taken against you.” TO: DAVID LAMBERT and LORI LAMBERT, DEFENDANTS GREETING: You are hereby commanded to appear by filing a written answer to the Plaintiff’s Petition at or before 10:00 o’clock a.m. of the first Monday after the expiration of 42 days from the date of issuance of this citation, the same being Monday, October 4, 2019 at or before 10:00 o’clock a.m. before the 370th District Court of Hidalgo County, at the Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas. Said Plaintiff’s Petition was filed on July 10, 2019 in this case, numbered C-294719-G on the docket of said court. The names of the parties to the cause are as follows”WINTER GREEN ESTATES RECREATION, INC., Plaintiff and DAVID LAMBERT and LORI LAMBERT, Defendants. A brief statement of the nature of the suit is as follows, to wit: The suit seeks to have judgment against the Defendants and to foreclose on the lien held by the Plaintiff for unpaid and delinquent assessments assessed against the property that belongs to or may belong to the Defendants, being Lot 18, Block G, WINTER GREEN ESTATES SUBDIVISION, an addition to the City of Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas locally known as 1421 Santa Maria Drive, Mission, Texas 78572 (the “Property”), by virtue of that certain Warranty Deed date June 12, 2011, recorded as Document Number 2010-2082159 of the official land records of Hidalgo County, Texas (the “Deed”). If this citation is not served within ninety days after the date of its issuance, it shall be returned unserved. The officer executing this writ shall promptly serve the same according to requirements of law, and the mandates thereof, and make due return as the law directs. ISSUED AND GIVEN UNDER MY HAND and the SEAL of said Court, at office in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas. ISSUED: AUGUST 23, 2019 LAURA HINOJOSA, DISTRICT CLERK HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS 100 N. CLOSNER BLVD #E EDINBURG, TX 78539
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October 4, 2019