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Vol. 48 - #23
Progress times Friday, January 31, 2020
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INSIDE
Uniquely You Rhea Watson pens book that encourages children to embrace what makes them special
83rd annual TCF Post Edition
Check out this week’s issue for all the results and photographs from this year’s Texas Citrus Fiesta - featuring the Parade of Oranges, Royal Coronation of Queen Citrianna 2021, and more.
See Section B
Local book signing
A Mission High School graduate will be in McAllen for a book signing of her self-help prayer book “The Heart Healer.” Author Cyndi Bartelli will also have a Spanish translation available.
See Pg. 5A
SPORTS
Rattlers In Action
Mission encourages participation in 2020 census By Jamie Treviño
By Jamie Treviño Rhea Watson wants children of all ages to feel good about their unique attributes. Watson, a Speech Language Pathologist for the Sharyland Independent School District, recently published a children’s book entitled “Be You-Nique,” geared for children ages three to seven years old. The book, available on Amazon, features eight colorful characters who encourage kids to celebrate their individuality and what makes them special. “I hope that kids really learn to embrace their differences, feel good about them and show it off,” Watson said. “A lot of the time when people are different, they tend to hide, and I really want all kids to really shine.” Born in the Philippines, Watson moved to Brandon, Manitoba in Canada with her family when she was four years old. The culture shock of her new home made her feel different as a child. “I didn’t know any English and the community we moved to was 90 percent white, or Anglo,” Watson said of the initial culture shock. “Nobody really spoke my language, and there really wasn’t anyone else of a different ethnicity of culture.” Remembering the feeling of being out of her element, Watson felt it was important to show children that what makes them unique allows them to flourish in their own ways. Writing a book was also on her bucket list, so the timing was perfect. “I struggled with reading, I struggled with feeling like a fish out of water,” Watson said. “I started feeling better about myself in high
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Rhea Watson school, I embraced my differences.” In her spare time, Watson enjoys knitting, boating and seeing the country with her husband, Kelly, who she met in Brandon. While on their way to boat in Corpus Christi, the idea for “Be You-Nique” struck Watson. “We were talking about our lives and what was special about growing up in Canada,” Watson said. “And I said ‘I struggled with reading, I struggled with being different, I’m going to write a book. I’m going to start right now.’” All in all, it took her about an hour to write “Be You-Nique.” The illustration process, along with getting everything copyrighted and registered with the Library of Congress,
The city of Mission wants every resident in the area to be counted. During this week’s regular city council meeting, Deputy City Manager Aida Lerma spoke on the 2020 Census, which is 40 days away. Lerma, who was presenting on behalf of Joann Longoria (the Director of Community Development who was unable to attend the meeting), said it was right around the corner. “March 12 is the response day,” Lerma said. “So we want to urge all of the citizens to make sure that they are counted.” Lerma said that the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency counts all the funds they receive and talk about how they help people. “That’s why the census is important, because it talks about money and it appropriates money for our area, and we want to make sure that everyone in the city of Mission is counted,” Lerma said. “It’s important, it’s easy and it’s safe, and it is our responsibility to make sure that we are counted.” Mayor Armando O’caña also asked the community to be ready for that day. “It’s not only on behalf of the city of Mission, but also for the school districts and other agencies - including the county of Hidalgo - and programs,” O’caña said. “It brings money back to us and will help more people.” The Planning and Zoning Department presented a few items regarding the commission bylaws and code of ordinances. Planning and Zoning Director Jaime Acevedo spoke first on an amendment to the bylaws, and the department proposed to add an alternate board member to the P & Z Commission. “This alternate would have full voting privileges should there be an absent member on that particular meeting date,” Acevedo said. “Although we did not have to cancel any meetings in 2019, we had a couple of close calls.” Acevedo said there are alternates on other boards. Council unanimously voted to add an alternate to the commission.
See 2020 CENSUS Pg. 4A
See RHEA WATSON Pg. 8A
La Joya Housing Authority receives HUD funding
Check out the latest on the Sharyland Lady Rattlers wrestling team and the strong start for the Sharyland Rattlers soccer teams.A
See Pg. 6A & 7A
INDEX Entertainment.pg. 2A Lifestyle...............pg. 3A Death Notices..pg. 8A Classifieds..........pg. 9A
The La Joya Housing Authority board of directors at the Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 meeting. Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
By Jose De Leon III After nearly a year since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cut off funding to the La Joya Housing Authority-leaving it in a financially frugal state-HUD restored funding for the embattled housing authority. During the Wednesday board meeting for the La Joya Housing Authority, Executive Director Ruben Villarreal announced to the board that the housing authority will receive more than $79,000 from HUD “within three to four busi-
ness days.” “We have struggled from day one when I first entered and operated on a property management system dependent on the tenant’s to pay their rents so we can satisfy and fulfill the responsibilities we have,” Villarreal explained. “From this moment forward this organization is no longer cash strapped. We’re no longer a non-funded government agency.” The $79,944.30 that the housing authority will receive are for day to day operating expenses such as payroll, office supplies and minor
renovations that were owed from last year, Villarreal said, adding that the housing authority is working to receive money for 2020 funds and capital improvement projects owed from 2019. HUD cut off funding for the housing authority last April after it received a failing Public Housing Assessment System score after an audit for the 2018 fiscal year showed several issues that included a history of poor oversight by the board, a history of corruption, poor rent collection and a history of overspending, as previously
See LA JOYA HUD FUNDING Pg. 4A
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January 31, 2020
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MHM to host screening of ‘She Came to the Valley’
The Mission Historical Museum presents a special screening of the 1979 western film “She Came to the Valley,” a production based on the novel written by local Mission author Cleo Dawson. Two showings will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the museum, located at 900 Doherty Ave. in Mission. Dawson was born in 1902. Her family was one of the first pioneer families who helped transform the frontier town of Mission into an incorporated city. They were the owners of one of the first convenience stores, Caballo
Blanco. Her novel is inspired by the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Mission during its pioneer days and is said to be based on Dawson’s mother’s experiences. The film was shot in the Valley and Oklahoma. After writing her book, Dawson attended Baylor University and became a speaker on the national scene. Tickets are $5, and the museum will give out a copy of the novel with the purchase of a ticket. Stop by the museum to purchase tickets. For more information, call 956-580-8646.
Taking time out for ‘Love Yourself Healthy Fest’
McALLEN – The staff at more. Quinta Mazatlán invites the For over 20 years, the public to adore oneself this award-winning performer, Valentine’s Day by nourish- choreographer and educator ing heart, soul and body at Guess has inspired thousands Love Yourself Healthy Fest to adopt healthy behavioral on Saturday, Feb. 8, from change. Her presentation at 4 to 8 p.m. at Love Yourself the famed naHealthy Fest ture sanctuary, will provide inlocated at 600 novative methSunset Drive. ods in health The festiand fitness. val features Learn how keynote speakto strengthen er Dr. Wendy connection with Guess preself, friends, senting “Love and/or partner Yourself in 5 Dr. Wendy Guess at Love Yourself Part Harmony,” Healthy Fest. and the event Register now at will feature Sound Healing www.LoveYourselfHealthywith Tibetan Singing Bowls, Fest.com; admission is $40 cooking demonstrations, per person. Advanced tickets health inspired vendors, for- are required. A free gift bag est bathing, mini-massages, is guaranteed to the first 100 sunset yoga, locally sourced registrants. harvest dinner, live music and
Meet Chestnut. She’s a beautiful grey tabby with a very loving nature. Chestnut is about five months old and is ready for a forever home. If you are interested, contact the Mission Pawsible Program at 956-580-8741, M-F, 8AM5PM. 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.
Jerry Saenz, Agent
February 2 • The UTRGV Patron of the Arts presents the Amerigo Chamber Players in concert at 3 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Center, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg. The performance features the works of Ludwin van Beethoven Trio, Anton Arensky and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Admission is free. For special accommodations, call 956-665-3881. February 4 • Pianist Kenneth Saxon performs at 7 p.m. at the TSC Performing Arts Center, 90 Taylor Ave. in Brownsville with the UTRGV Patron of the Arts Faculty Artist Series. The performance includes works by Mozart and Shostakovich and a new work by Canadian composer Alexina Louie. Admission is free. For special accommodations, call 956-8827025. February 7 • Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin will be performed by Daniel Hunter-Holly, baritone, and Juan Pablo Andrade, pianist, in the UTRGV Patron of the Arts Faculty Artist Series at 7 p.m. in the TSC Performing Arts Center at 90 Taylor Ave. in Brownsville. Admission is free. The work will be presented with full-stage projections. For special accommodations, call 956-882-7025. February 8 • The Fourth Annual Resaca City Bike Tour takes place around the resacas of San Benito with three events – 20 mile, 40.4 mile, and a 62.2-mile. It starts at Heavin Memorial Park, 705 N. Bowie, and all three begin at 7:30 a.m. Entry fee is $25 until Jan. 31 and $30 after that date, with a no refund policy. Medals will be given to all participants. Only the first 100 registrants receive T-shirts. Register at https://bit.ly/2QdxdtM. February 11 • The McAllen Wind Ensemble’s next concert, “Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue,” features some of the band’s favorite music along with a little jazz. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the McAllen Performing Arts Center (MPAC). Tickets are on sale at the MPAC box office or through ticketmaster.com. Seats start at $10. For information, call 682-227-2101 or go to mcallenwindensemble.org. (For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)
Designing yards to invite feathered friends McALLEN – Learn the secrets of attracting birds to neighborhood yards on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. at Quinta Mazatlan. The Center for Urban Ecology is hosting “Hobbies in Nature: Bird-friendly Design” with a two-hour program. After an indoor introduction to the lives of yard birds, visitors will get first-hand knowledge about feeding birds, easy do-it-yourself water features, and keeping feathered friends safe. While
taking a guided walk, guests will visit the Quinta Mazatlán bird feeding stations for bird-friendly design in action, along with hummingbird feeders and easy do-ityourself water drips. Admission is $5 per person. The Hobbies in Nature series is designed for adults and older youth. Quinta Mazatlán is located at 600 Sunset Dr. in McAllen. For more information, call 956681-3370 or visit quintamazatlan.com.
Fundraiser to benefit La Posada Providencia Sponsored by
1211 Conway Ave • Mission TX 956-585-2715
Coming Attractions
SAN BENITO – On Saturday, Feb. 8, La Posada Providencia will host a brunch and auction at La Sierra Event Center located at 3742 N Expressway 77, in Harlingen. The Ninth Annual Hands & Hearts Brunch and Auction,
Sunday Service Times: Adult Sunday School 9:30 AM Sunday Worship 10:30 AM Wednesday Services: Adults, Teens, Kids 7:00 PM
event raises general funds for hundreds of men, women, children and families who seek shelter at the facility. Tickets are $40 per person in advance and $45 per person at the door. For more information, contact Alejandra Zepeda at 956-399-3826 or azepeda@lppshelter.org or Colleen Price at cprice@ lppshelter.org. To purchase tickets and sponsorships online go to https://lppshelter. org/events/. La Posada Providencia is an emergency shelter for immigrants, asylum seekers and asylees recently processed by U.S. immigration authorities. La Posada provides clients with a safe and clean shelter, food, local transportation and supportive services. Since 1989, the shelter has helped more than 10,700 people from 86 countries around the world.
Launching world language collection with international festival
McALLEN – The McAllen Public Library is launching a new World Languages Collection with an international-themed festival with food, visual displays, story time, and arts and crafts activities on Saturday, Feb. 8, with events running up to it beginning Feb. 2. The festival will celebrate the successful introduction of new materials offered in the Korean, Tagalog and Hindi languages, adding to the library’s wide selection already offered in English and Spanish. According Kate Horan, library director, “The New World Languages Collection will act as a gateway to introduce people in our community from diverse group to the Llbrary’s many services. We are excited to bring this new collection to the public and we plan to expand it in the future.” All ages are invited to the free, family-friendly World Languages Festival to hear stories featuring multi-lingual storytellers Cat Avila, Dr. Mohammed Uddin and others. Also on display will be the temporary exhibit of Korean Lanterns on loan to the City of McAllen from the City of Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The City of Jinju famously hosts an annual world-renowned lantern festival. The Library is set to glow with more than a dozen giant lit sculptures depicting Korean characters, folk games, animals, instruments and other shapes of cultural significance.
Festival goers will enjoy complimentary food samples from area restaurants offering international cuisines. There will be free children’s crafts and activities provided by the library and collaborating community organizations, including St. George Orthodox Church, Al Khair Islamic Society of RGV, India Association of the Rio Grande Valley, India Association of the Rio Grande Valley, and others. Rounding out the entertainment will be an energetic demonstration of K-pop or Korean popular music by Moonlight Dance Team. The World Languages Festival is a part of a weeklong celebration of international culture and languages. Discover Languages Week running Feb. 2 to 8 with special programs at all three McAllen Public Library locations. The calendar includes Chinese Calligraphy – Just for Teens, McAllen Public Library (MPL), 4001 N. 23rd St., Tuesday, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Origami for Adults, MPL, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Duolingo, Lark Branch, 2601 Lark Ave., Tuesday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m.; Bilingual Story Time, Palm View Branch, 3401 Jordan Road W., Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m.; World Read Aloud Day – Families, MPL, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m.; and World Languages Festival – Everyone, MPL, Saturday, Feb. 8, 3 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 956-681-3000 or visit the library’s website mcallenlibrary.net.
Event showcases nature volunteer opportunities SAN BENITO – For anyone who wanted to learn how to become a volunteer at a favorite nature preserve or local park, stop by the Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Cameron County Annex from 6 to 9 p.m. The Cameron County Annex Building is located at Williams Road and Hwy. 83/77 in San Benito, 1390 W. Expressway 83. Rio Grande Valley Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists are hosting a Volunteer Fair where RGV residents and Winter Texans may speak to personnel from 20 or more area parks and other organizations that welcome and train volunteer participation. “We’re opening the fair to residents and Winter Texans this year because a good number of people have the desire to volunteer and don’t know how to go about becoming a volunteer,” said Heidi Linnemann, Texas Master Naturalist and chapter outreach chair. “In the past, the fair has been a popular way to introduce our new master naturalist members to our partners and show them the role volunteers play in the various organizations,” Linnemann said. “We’ve come to realize that members of the community also are interested in volunteering, but not necessarily ready to join a master naturalist program.” At the Volunteer Fair, tables will be set up where vis-
itors may speak to personnel from parks and organizations such as Sea Turtle, Inc.; Hugh Ramsey Nature Park; Estero llano Grande State Park; Washed Up Texas; Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge; and Resaca de la Palma State Park. Information about becoming a member of Texas Master Naturalists also will be available. The fair is open to the public without obligation of TMN membership. Texas Master Naturalist is a unique educational volunteer program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Sea Grant, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. AgriLife Extension Agent Tony Reisinger and Estero Llano Grande State Park Superintendent Javier de Leon are sponsors for the two chapters in the Valley. Both chapters offer monthly meetings with guest speaker programs and social time that are free and open to the public. The Rio Grande Valley Chapter meets in San Benito, the South Texas Border Chapter meets in Pharr. Visit their respective websites for meeting information at rgvctmn.org and stbctmn. org. Visitors to the Volunteer Fair are asked to park in the parking lot and enter through the building’s main entrance, which faces the parking lot. The parking lot is accessed from the frontage road.
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January 31, 2020
EVENTS
MHM hosts W.F. Strong on ‘Great Iconic Companies of Texas’
CALENDAR
Taking a walk through history, visitors to the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg will take a tour of the museum as part of the upcoming presentation about the once-published Frontier Times Magazine. The magazine chronicled the current events of central and south Texas, including the Rio Grande Valley.
MOSTHistory program highlights ‘Frontier Times Magazine’ EDINBURG —The Rio Grande Valley might have seemed like an isolated and estranged place from the rest of the state of Texas, but that wasn’t the case for the “Frontier Times Magazine” published in central Texas. During the next Winter Texan Wednesday program at the Museum of South Texas History, “Frontier Times,” guest speaker René Ballesteros will discuss the magazine and its place in Rio Grande Valley history on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. The local Valley community and Winter Texans are invited to participate. The magazine published many unforgettable stories of America’s western frontier with testimonies from witnesses and participants of historical events in the central Texas town of Bandera and extending to the Rio Grande Valley. Those stories highlighted where America’s frontier met with Mexico’s northeastern frontier. Ballesteros’ presentation will
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be followed by a half-hour highlight tour within a part of a museum exhibit. Ballesteros is a graduate of the University of Texas – Pan American. In 2013, he processed the “Frontier Times Magazine” collection, which is housed in the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives at the museum. During the process, he learned the history of J. Marvin Hunter, the publisher of the magazine, and delved into the stories. Currently, Ballesteros is the programs and events officer at the museum. The program is open to included in the fee for regular museum admission. Resort/park groups are welcome to enjoy this program. For more information, please contact the museum at 956383-6911 or visit mosthistory.org/events. MOSTHistory is located at 200 N. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg. Call 956-3836911 for further information.
February 1 – 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. February 2 – Hadley Cash from Marriott Orchids will present a talk on paphiopedilums at the next Tip of Texas Orchid Society meeting at 2 p.m. at the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco. To date Hadley has received over 500 American Orchid Society awards, including the AOS Award for Excellence in Hybridizing. Anyone interested in learning more about orchids and how to grow them in the Rio Grande Valley is invited to attend. Admission is $5 for nonmembers and free for members. Annual membership dues are $25. February 4 – Kids ages 2 to 5 will craft a hand puppet and use imaginative play in the next International Museum of Art & Science Young Adventurers activity. This workshop includes a special puppet show. IMAS is located at 1900 Nolana Ave., McAllen. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the class from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Cost is $3 for IMAS members and $10 for nonmembers (includes child and adult). Call 956-681-2800 for information or to register. February 6 – Dr. Remei Capdevila tackles “The Impossible Question – What is Art?” at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) at 6 p.m. She will present philosophical theories about art with respect to the IMAS art collection. The talk is included with museum admission. Call 956-6812800 for information. IMAS is located at 1900 W. Nolana Ave., McAllen. (For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)
Program blends botany, art with poetry
McALLEN – The seamless connection between botany and art will be illustrated on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Quinta Mazatlán at 6 p.m. The mother and son duo of local artists Jan Seale and son Erren Seale will present “Plants, Posies, and Poems” combining poetry with nature photography. Erren Seale, a local commercial artist and businessman, uses photography to call attention to the unique flora of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). He is a McAllen native with a background in graphic arts. He is an avid observer and commentator on the RGV’s rich flora and on its architectural history. His local work includes consulting on the interior
furnishings of Quinta Mazatlán’s mansion and leading the creation and development of the Ann Moore Folk Art Room housed there. Jan Seale, the 2012 Texas Poet Laureate, has written poems to accompany Erren’s floral images. She is the author of 21 books, among them “Valley Ark,” developed with another son, visual artist Ansen Seale of San Antonio. Seale co-edited several of the Valley Land Fund’s volumes pairing eminent nature photographers with the region’s land owners. Admission is $3 per person. Quinta Mazatlán is located at 600 Sunset Drive in McAllen. For more information, call 956-681-3370.
Join the staff at the Mis- like Charles Goodnight, sion Historical Museum Tom Landry and Blue Bell (MHM) for the next program ice cream; from legends and with the MHM Lecture Se- heroes of the past to some ries on Feb. 8th, heartfelt mem2020 at 11 a.m. ories of his W.F. Strong own.” has been called W.F. Strong, “a student of a Fulbright all things TexScholar, is a as.” In 2010, Communicahe began shartion and Culing his Stories ture professor from Texas at The Univervignettes on sity of Texas NPR stations, - Rio Grande W.F. Strong most recently Valley. He also on the Texas writes for TexStandard’s network of 30 as Highways magazine. stations. MHM is located at 900 In celebrating his home Doherty Ave. and is open state of Texas, Strong Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to “weaves stories on subjects 5 p.m. and Saturdays, from ranging from how to talk 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more Texan to Texas bards and information call the musetroubadours; from tall Tex- um at 956-580-8646 or go to as tales to Lone Star icons missionmuseum.org.
MCISD 2020-21 school year registration begins Feb. 4 Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD) will open registration for the 2020-21 school year on Feb. 4 for both new and returning students. Parents can access the online registration system known as Tyler Student360 through the district website, www.mcisd.net, and then click on the “Registration” link. Student360 is mobile friendly, which means the system adjusts for smartphones and tablets. If a parent has forgotten their login, the system can help them reset the login. Parents can also contact their child’s school to arrange to receive their system password. While the online registration will be available for parents of new Pre-K students, a special Pre-K pre-registration
round up for next year will be announced later for registration at each MCISD elementary campus. District officials also remind parents that the Tyler Student360 system has an App that makes it easy for them to check on student progress, attendance, and more. The app is available for free through the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
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Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.
page 4A By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association
STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS
Governor applauds White House approval of women’s health funding AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott said Jan. 22 that a Trump administration decision reestablishes the federal partnership for the Women’s Health Program in Texas. Abbott issued a statement concerning the approval of the 1115 Waiver for Healthy Texas Women: “The Lone Star State is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide meaningful family planning and health services while fostering a culture of life. This collaboration is a symbol of our commitment to championing the lives of Texas women. I am grateful to President Trump and his administration for approving this waiver and for his commitment to protecting the unborn while providing much-needed health resources to Texas women.” According to the governor’s office, “Healthy Texas Women offers family planning and women’s health services to Texas women who earn less than 200% of the federal poverty limit. In 2018, HTW served approximately 173,000 Texans. While this program is currently funded with state general revenue, Texas submitted a Medicaid 1115 waiver
application after President Trump took office, requesting federal matching funds for the program. The waiver had previously not been renewed under the Obama administration because Texas refused to fund abortion providers or their affiliates.” Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men and young people, had a different view. The organization posted a news release saying the Trump administration “rewarded Texas’s long-standing effort to cut off people’s access to health care. The administration approved Texas’ request to implement a Medicaid family planning program that bars patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood and other sexual and reproductive health care providers that also provide abortion. This is the first time the federal government has allowed a state to explicitly waive Medicaid’s free choice of provider for family planning provision. This move upends longstanding federal law and sets a dangerous precedent for other states to pursue similar state-level measures, with grim consequences for
The city also adopted ordinance #4883 that amends Appendix A of the Zoning Article XIII for exceptions and modifications of its code of ordinances. Acevedo said they wanted to amend section 1.59(2)(f), which has to do with exterior car ports in single family residences. “One of the things we noted in doing some code enforcement sweeps in the West side of Mission was that there were a lot of homes that were in violation of the carport ordinance,” Acevedo said. “We’re seeking to come up with a compromise where people can have alternatives under certain conditions.” The conditions include that the carport shall remain open rather than enclosed, it should be constructed over a
concrete or asphalt surface, construction materials match the primary home’s aesthetics and general overall dimensions and the minimum front setback be eight feet. The overhead can extend further, but the last supporting column should be no more than eight feet, and the minimum depth for the side setback should be no more than four feet. “The minimum depth for the rear setback remains at ten feet, and the minimum depth for a corner side setback remains at ten feet as well,” Acevedo said. “In general if a carport is less than five feet from the property line, then the nearest wall parallel to the property line will need to be fire-rated, and most of this can be ac-
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January 31, 2020
www.ptrgv.com health care access nationwide.” Data from the Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities estimates that nearly 45,000 fewer women received birth control, cancer screening and other services through the Healthy Texas Women program — a nearly 40 percent drop — than when Planned Parenthood participated in the program. Jobless rate stays low The Texas Workforce Commission on Jan. 24 reported that the seasonally adjusted Texas unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in December, up one 10th of a percentage point from 3.4 percent in November 2019. Although the rate of unemployment increased slightly, Texas did add 29,800 jobs over the month. TWC Chairman and Commissioner Representing the Public Bryan Daniel said, “Our current economic climate creates opportunities for our skilled workforce and success for employers. We look forward to continued growth in our great state throughout 2020.” Regionally, the Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs in December with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.1 percent, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.3 and Austin-Round Rock with the third-lowest rate at 2.4 percent. Paxton joins in brief Texas Attorney General
Ken Paxton on Jan. 22 announced his joining 17 other states in a friend-of-the-court brief that argues for protecting fetuses with Down Syndrome from abortion based on genetics. The brief, filed with the Cincinnati-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, seeks to reverse an Ohio federal district court ruling that “created a categorical right to abortion, regardless of whether the reason for an abortion is clearly based on discrimination against a child with disabilities,” Paxton said in a news release. Registration is urged Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs, the state’s chief election officer, on Jan. 23 reminded Texans to make necessary preparations to vote in the upcoming March 3 party primaries. Feb. 3 is the registration
complished by constructing a metallic structure.” Acevedo added that they recommended that the residence be at least 20 years old, because they felt if this was put in a newer subdivision, it might not go well with the aesthetics. The considerations of homeowners associations in the subdivisions are required prior to any building permit issuance. Several options were presented to the commission over time before they reached the final option. The item was passed, and council member Ruben Plata thought the modifications would be something that help beautify Mission and keep it clean. Mission Emergency Management Coordinator presented an item that authorized City Manager Randy Perez to execute a back-up contract for 911 Emergency Ambulance Services between the city and Hidalgo County Emergency Medical Services. They would provide an emergency mobile care unit and back-up services for the general public in the city through Dec. 1, 2020. The item was passed without discussion.
Former La Joya Housing Authority officials plead not guilty to federal felony charges
2020 CENSUS
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deadline. “Being prepared is essential for Texans seeking to make their voices heard,” said Hughs. “In addition to registering to vote, Texans should set aside time to ensure that they have made the necessary preparations to cast their ballot. Together, we will ensure that all eligible Texans are able to take part in shaping the direction of the Lone Star State.” As of this month, according to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, there were 16,106,984 registered voters — a new state record. Information on how to register to vote and the voting process, such as what forms of identification may be presented when voting, is available at votetexas.gov or 1-800-252-VOTE. Safety training is held The City of Austin, Travis
County and Joint Task Force Civil Support from the U.S. Department of Defense conducted response training in Austin last week for a fictional nuclear incident. As many as 1,000 Department of Defense personnel, 50 City of Austin and 10 Travis County staff participated in the training. Juan Ortiz, director for the City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said, “We want to build the relationship with the armed forces to ensure we are prepared to respond and work together as efficiently as possible in the event of a disaster.” Events related to the exercise in Austin were conducted in Killeen and Fort Hood last week and continued into the current week.
LA JOYA HUD FUNDING
Without federal funding, the housing authority became a property management business where rent paid by tenants covered all housing authority expenses, Villarreal said. “When we had a tenant who didn’t pay, we suffered,” Villarreal said Villarreal, who was hired by the board last September, said the housing authority has been dealing with financial issues for months such as not enough funds to pay employees on time. He hasn’t gotten paid in two pay periods and had to cut hours for his three employees and
By Jose De Leon III Two former officials of the La Joya Housing Authority pleaded not guilty last week to federal charges tied to an alleged bribery scheme. Sylvia Garces Valdez, the former vice chairwoman of the housing authority, and Frances A. Salinas, the housing authority’s former interim executive director, both pleaded not guilty to the federal felony charges against them Thursday, Jan. 23 and Friday, Jan. 24 respectively, according to court documents. Garces Valdez is charged with two counts - converting to own use the property of another and wire fraud while Salinas is charged with one count of wire fraud. Both women appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis after a superseding indictment was filed against Valdez earlier this month. The indictment accuses both women-who were arrested last year-of engaging in a bribery scheme where Salinas, the daughter
fire two part time workers because of this, he said. “There just wasn’t enough money at times,” Villarreal explained. “HUD saw problems with the expenditures that were going out and said that they weren’t jiving with the responsibilities of this housing authority so they cut financial ties with this organization. Every time I requested something from HUD, all they’ve provided to me until recently was a jumbo roll of red tape.” Things began to pick up last November when the board approved a recovery agreement plan to address
of previous La Joya Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas and current city council member Mary Salinas, helped Valdez receive a public relations contract with the city of La Joya. In exchange, Valdez paid Salinas a portion of the money she made from that contract, the indictment alleges. As previously reported, Valdez was hired by the city of La Joya in June 2018 and the contract stipulated that in addition to being paid $2,000 per month, the city would pay Valdez a $12,000 retainer. Salinas “claimed to have a direct connection with a La Joya official,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. “That individual would allegedly ensure the contract’s approval and any necessary amendments, according to the complaint.” “From at least June 4, 2018 and continuing through at least December 6, 2018, the defendant, Sylvia Garces Valdez...gave, offered, and
and fix the issues the audit found. Since then, rent delinquency debt has fallen from 52 to five percent. “We’ve been working diligently with HUD to get access to the secure systems that provide funding,” Villarreal said. “We still have work to do but they have agreed to open the funding streams to us. Transparency has brought us here, we will continue the process of accountability to tenants and HUD.” The next step in their recovery plan is to discuss a travel policy to limit travel at their February meeting, Villarreal said.
agreed to give cash to Francis Salinas De Leon intending to influence and reward Person B, an elected official for the City of La Joya, for their influence in granting a public relations contract to the Defendant,” the superseding indictment states. “Person B” is not identified in court documents. The city ended up terminating its contract with Valdez the following December. The indictment also alleges that both women schemed to “defraud and to obtain money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises in execution...by means of wire communication,” through email addresses that are linked to both women. Valdez was arrested last August by the FBI and Salinas was arrested in San Antonio last December. Both women are currently out on bond and have a pretrial hearing scheduled for Feb. 28 and jury selection scheduled for March 3.
January 31, 2020
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Texas Tribune panel examines Texas health care By Jose De Leon III As part of an ongoing series exploring the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Texas government, the Texas Tribune held a daylong panel Wednesday at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance to discuss healthcare issues in the state of Texas. “The Future of Health Care,” invited legislators, educators and industry leaders to multiple panels to discuss different aspects of health care that were moderated by members of the Austin-based news organization The Texas Tribune. Topics in the panel ranged from health care costs, better access to medicare, how the Texas legislature affects healthcare in the state and more. “It brings into focus what the issues are, we have a high Medicaid population so any-
thing that happens in Austin impacts us,” Doctors Hospital at Renaissance board Chairman Carlos J. Cardenas said. “We’re on the border so we have trans-border issues such as illnesses and diseases that flow along with trade routes and those kind of problems have a trans-border nature that is inherent to living on the border.” Among the panels at the day-long event was “Health Care & The Texas Legislature,” where Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith talked to four politicians on how the Texas legislature impacts health care in the state. The panel included State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, State Rep. Donna Howard. D-Austin, State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress and State Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo. The panel began with Smith questioning each legislator over how, with the most
recent legislative session heavily publicized for focusing on school finance reform and public education which led to bills that brought more money for public education and lowered property taxes, if enough was done for healthcare. Howard, who is the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Administration, said that not enough was done for health care in the state due to not enough funding being diverted to women’s health, while also questioning if the finance reform would impact the state budget. “We don’t have sustainable revenue to cover what we’ve done and plan to do so including compression of tax rate we will have a real challenge of finding revenues,” Howard said. “We have all these things that are adding up that we have to cover somehow while we have an oil and gas industry that isn’t
doing as well as it was to pay for it. We’re still doing well with our sales tax which is our primary source of revenue but we know when we come back next session, the budget will be a huge challenge to see what we can pay for what we have and what we can expand.” Oliverson, a member of the Select Committee on Statewide Health Care Costs argued that the Texas Legislature approved key bills that strengthen transparency in the medical field. These bills prevent surprise medical bills, force freestanding emergency rooms to disclose what insurance they accept to a patient before they ask for their services and a price transparency bill for prescriptions. “It’s monumental, it gives regular folks more power and represent the future of healthcare,” Oliverson said. “It’s the only industry I am aware of in
the country where you’re unable to know in advance what the services will cost. That’s ridiculous. It’s reasonable for a patient to shop around and know what it would cost to get a procedure in each hospital before picking one.” For Sen. Hinojosa, the biggest healthcare issue is the lack of primary healthcare doctors, which he attributes to more and more doctors going into specialized fields for a higher pay. “They’re the key to overseeing the health care of a patient but there’s a lack of them. We have a shortage of doctors,” Hinojosa said. “We have two new medical schools in the state and a third one coming up in Houston so we’re trying to address that and increase funding for residency slots to make sure those doctors can train here in Texas. We need more incentives to grow that field.” An increase in doctors,
Hinojosa said, would help the state address one of its key concerns: the lack of hospitals in rural areas. According to Smith, more than 20 hospitals in rural areas have closed in Texas since 2010. That number represents 18 percent of the closures of rural hospitals in the entire country. “With 254 counties in Texas, 70 percent of them are rural areas,” Rep. Price, CoChair of the Joint Committee on Health & Human Services Transition said. “So when you see a rural hospital closing it affects patient care and those communities as well as their job force. We have to provide this support, they are a safety net to so many areas of our state.” Sen. Hinojosa said he hopes to combat the lack of hospitals in rural areas by opening more clinics with primary physicians running them to fulfill that need.
Mission High School alumna in town for book signing
By Jose De Leon III A Mission High School graduate will return to the Valley this weekend to celebrate her most recent book. Cyndy Bartelli, a San Antonio-based author, will be at the Viva Life Christian Book Store in McAllen tomorrow for a signing of the Spanish translation of her 2017 non-fiction book, “The Heart Healer,” which will now be released as “El Sanador de tu Corazón.” Bartelli will be accompanied at the book signing by Yesenia, an international Spanish gospel singer who resides locally. “It’s about this amazing response God has for us when we pray for our hearts to be healed from wounds in our past and present when we experience something traumatic,” Bartelli said of her book. “It shows us how to pray and be able to trust that God is responding to give us peace and calm in the midst of what we are dealing with.” “The Heart Healer” was published in 2017 and is a collection of short stories based on Bartelli’s life experiences and of 16 other people who spoke to her about a difficult time in their lives and how they turned to prayer to overcome it.
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Each chapter features a bible scripture that dience. She decided to do so after a friend corresponds to the story as well as a personal doing missionary work in Spain and Mexico prayer and journaling pages. told her of the need for books such as hers in “The Bible says God is near to the bro- Spanish speaking communities. kenhearted and saves those crushed in spirBy translating the book in Spanish, Bartelit,” Bartelli explained. “When we pray, he li is keeping with the book’s theme of helpwill heal our hearts ing others through and give us a chance prayer. to live in more peace “I’ve had people with our past. I have pray for me and that a lot of experience was so amazing that with this and put it in I began to pray for a book. As a result of others as well to pay my experiences, I’ve it forward,” Bartelturned to God and li explained. “I was knew that if anything fortunate enough to was going to help be involved with othme through all those er ministries and saw aches and pains, it that enough people would be God.” don’t realize that God After the book’s is there with them. initial 2017 publiWe don’t have to live cation, Bartelli said with the influences she was approached of those who have by friends and colwounded us. It’s why leagues to consider I wrote that book, I releasing a Spanish wanted to share that translation of it to information with othCindy Bartelli reach a wider auer people.”
The Spanish translation was done by the same publishing house who translated the 2002 best-selling Bible study book “The Purpose Driven Life” in Spanish. The book has been translated in 85 countries and sold 32 million copies since its publication, according to an NBC news article. The date of the book signing is a special one for Bartelli as it is happening on the 60th anniversary of the grand opening of Mission Minimax, owned by her father Carl Waitz. The Mission Minimax eventually became Carl’s Supermarket and had seven locations across the Valley before closing in 1999. “I always hear stories of people who shopped there and it makes me feel so connected to the Valley,” Bartelli said. “Many of my important years were spent in the Valley with wonderful memories and the city of Mission has always been very supportive and I still have very good friends there. We have lots of cherished memories and want to share this book with as many people as possible.” The book signing for “The Heart Healer” and “El Sanador de tu Corazón” is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. through 12 p.m. at Viva Life Christian Book Store located on 6601 N. 10th Street in McAllen.
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January 31, 2020
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SPORTSweek
Luciano Guerra
www.ptrgv.com/sports
Sports Editor
Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports
Members of the Sharyland Lady Rattlers wrestling team and their coaches pose with their trophy after taking the District 16-5A duals wrestling tournament championship last week. Courtesy photo
Lady Rattlers take Dual championship By Luciano Guerra
It came down to the wire last Thursday in the Donna High School gymnasium, but when the final match was over, it was the Sharyland Lady Rattlers that earned the right to hoist the District 16-5A girls duals wrestling championship trophy over their heads in victory. And with the Donna High team being the defending champions and the top seed entering this tournament, Sharyland’s come-from-behind victory against the Lady Redskins was all that much sweeter. Entering that 185 lb. weight class match, which pitted Sharyland’s Kiarra Suelto against Donna High’s Amaya Guerra, Donna held a 27-24 lead over the Lady Rattlers. And as Sharyland High wrestling coach James Penbrook explained, that meant that in order to overcome that deficit, Suelto not only needed to win her match, but she needed to win it big. “If she (Suelto) had just won by a regular decision, which would’ve been less than eight points, we would’ve only earned three team points,” Penbrook said. “Had that happened, we would’ve gone to tie-breaker criteria. And with Donna having the tie-breaker advantage, they would’ve won the tournament. As a result of my girl winning 13-5, which is an eight point victory, she earned 4 team points which allowed us to win 28-27.” As opposed to individual wrestling tournaments in which each team’s individual wrestlers earn points that accumulate towards their respective team’s score and individual wrestlers advance with each win, dual tournaments pit one team’s wrestlers against another team’s wrestlers with the winning team advancing into the next round. But as was the case with Suelto’s championship clinching win, the bigger the individual victory the more points are awarded to that wrestler’s team. “If you just get a regular win, you get three team points,” Penbrook said. “If you win by eight points or more, you get four team points. If you win by 15 points you get five team points. And if you win by a pin, you get six team points.” In the Lady Rattlers’ case, they advanced into the championship round against Donna by defeating Palmview (39-12), Valley View (51-6) and PSJA Memorial (30-30) in the preliminary rounds. The fact that the Lady Rattlers had to forfeit their 138 lb. championship round match due to a semifinal round injury to Maryjane
Sustaita, made their eventual championship round win over the Lady Redskins all that much more impressive. That’s because when a team forfeits a match, it is scored the same as a pin by the other team, which is then awarded six points. But while Sustaita’s injury did cost the Lady Rattlers six team points, Penbrook was able to turn it into a motivator for his team. “After the semifinal round we knew that we were moving on to the finals, we got all the girls together as a team and we talked about it,” Penbrook said. “I told them that we’ve got a chance to do something really special here. We’ve got a great team but we’re all going to have to step up and make up the points that Maryjane would’ve earned for us. I told my girls that everybody needed to put their best match on the mat so that we could win it for Maryjane.” Not only did the Lady Rattlers do just that, but four of them actually won all five of their matches; Jerilyn Perelez (95 lbs.), Kaitlyn Ramirez (102 lbs.), Stephanie Lopez (110 lbs.) and Viviana Ayala (148 lbs.). While the other team members each lost at least one match, they all contributed to the one-point victory. They included Andrea Rubio (119 lbs.) who went 2-3, Monica Gonzalez (128 lbs.) who went 1-3, Maryjane Sustaita (138 lbs.) who went 3-1, Yarisbeth Zarate (165 lbs.) who went 4-1, Kiarra Suelto (185 lbs.) who went 3-2 and Niomi Rodriguez (215 lbs.) who went 1-4. In other Big 7 action from the girls’ dual tournament, the Pioneer Lady Diamondbacks defeated Edcouch Elsa (30-27) to take fifth place while the Palmview Lady Lobos fell to Grulla in the seventh place round (30-18). In the boys’ tournament, which took place Friday at Sharyland Pioneer High School, the hosting Diamondbacks advanced into the finals only to fall to Edcouch Elsa 48-36. As for the Sharyland Rattlers boys, they had their way against Rio Grande City in the third place round by a score of 66-15. Last week’s dual tournaments were the final opportunity District 16-5A boys and girls teams will have to compete before next week’s district tournament which will be hosted by Edcouch-Elsa High School. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the regional tournament in Austin the following week and the top four at regionals will advance to state. The state tournament will be taking place Friday and Saturday, February 21st and 22nd at the Berry Center in Cypress, Texas.
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Sharyland soccer
starting strong
Palmview goalkeeper Ruben Martinez gets fully extended as he dives to his left to deflect a Sharyland kick just enough to keep it from going into the goal during the first half of the Rattlers’ 4-1 victory over the Lobos Tuesday night. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra.
By John Hamann Coming into the 2020 high school soccer season one could expect that the boys and girls teams of Sharyland High to be considered tough draws throughout the season. Both squads made the post season last year and return some of the same personnel this year from those teams. The two teams early season tournament play indicated as much too. The boys’ team recorded two third place finishes while the girls won two tournament titles. Both teams opened district play this past Tuesday night with wins over La Joya Palmview at the La Joya ISD stadium as part of a double header. In the opener, the Lady Rattlers got first half goals from Xochitl Nguma and Chloe Ribera to defeat the Lady Lobos 2-0. Nguma opened the scoring with 17 minutes left in the first half with a nifty run through the middle of the Lady Lobos defense before putting in a shot from 15 yards out. Ribera added to the lead a short time later with a blast from almost 30 yards out that had enough on it to get in despite a deflection from Palmview goalie Samantha Cantu. The lead held up as Ribera and the rest of the back line of the Lady Rattlers defense stopped numerous attacks from the Lady Lobos in the second half, allowing goalie Yarisbeth Zarate to
keep a clean sheet. Lady Rattlers coach Mario Ribera was pleased with his team’s successful start to the district schedule. “It’s always good to start winning,” said Ribera. “The girls have played very well from the beginning and just to start with a win in district it’s going to really help us in the next couple of games.” Nguma talked about the importance of getting the game’s first goal. “I really wanted our team to get up in the first half because this is a really young team and I wanted to give them hope,” said Nguma. “So when I made the goal I was really happy.” Ribera’s ability to be a threat on offense and then hold the defense together could make getting past the Lady Rattlers difficult as the district race gets underway. “Hopefully there’s more wins to come,” she said. The Lady Lobos were ready for the challenge but just couldn’t capitalize when they had the chance. “I’m very pleased with the effort the girl’s did tonight, especially in the second half when we able to control most of the game,” said Palmview coach Daniel Malacara. “We just need to work a little more on trying to put it in goal.” Malacara also spoke highly of Cantu’s night in goal. “Samantha was our goalie from the JV; we had to bring her up. She came in and did a
phenomenal job.” Both teams are back in action tonight when Sharyland hosts Roma and the Lady Lobos travel to Sharyland Pioneer. Both games are scheduled for 6 pm starts. In the second game of the night, the Sharyland boys opened their district campaign with a 4-1 victory over Palmview in the second game of the double header, getting a goal from Derek Garza and three goals from Alonso Gonzalez to secure the win. This was a game that featured the returning District 31-5A champions (Sharyland) against last year’s runner-up (Palmview), and as expected, it was a tight affair most of the way. The Rattlers had a major advantage in both possessions and scoring opportunities in the first half but could only manage one goal in the first 40 minutes, when Gonzalez dribbled through the Lobos back line to put one home 11 minutes before the break. Earlier in the half, the Lobos Carlos Pena was denied a goal by the Rattlers Felipe Andrade, who saved the ball off the line after Pena’s shot had beat the Rattlers goalie. Palmview did manage to tie the game up early in the second half on an Alexis Gonzalez penalty kick that was awarded for a Rattlers hand ball in the box. Less than two minutes later Garza found the back of
VMHS senior signs letter of intent
By Jamie Treviño Charlee Salinas is getting ready to move on to the next phase of her academic and athletic career. Salinas, a senior at Veterans Memorial High School in the Mission CISD, signed a letter of intent last Thurs. Jan. 23 to run track and field at Sam Houston State University. She heads to Huntsville in the fall, and her family said they were proud of all she has accomplished so far. VMHS Athletic Coordinator Tom Gilpin said Salinas was signing with a Division 1 program. “This is a big signing for Charlee and her family, it’s a big signing for our athletic program and our campus,” Gilpin said. Kathy Howell, Salinas’ track and field coach, spoke highly of the dedication Salinas has shown to the sport during her time in high school. “She went to the state meet last year and finished fourth,” Howell said. “A week later after the state meet, she was practicing.” Howell said Charlee prac-
ticed through the summer and fall months. “She’s still, every day, putting that thing together,” Howell said. “And this is the reward for that - it’s all about hard work. It’s about working hard and knowing
what you want. She’s done an excellent job for us on the team.” Salinas was surrounded by her family, coaches and peers when she signed to run for Sam Houston State.
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Sharyland’s Xochitl Nguma is surrounded by three Palmview defenders as she dribbles the ball down the field during the first half of the Lady Rattlers’ 2-0 victory over the Lady Lobos Tuesday night. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra. the net from the right side to put the Rattlers up 2-1. Gonzalez followed with his second goal, beating the Lobos goalie to a loose ball, to put the Rattlers up 3-1 with 23 minutes left and then tapped in his third a short time later to complete the scoring, and his hat trick. “It was a very good win,” said Gonzalez. “It should go up from here.” Garza talked about his tie-breaking goal. “We had a free kick; I went off the wing and put it in the side of the net,” he said. “The team went up, we needed to score more goals, and we did.” “That’s the way soccer is sometimes,” said Rattlers coach Reveriano Hernandez about his team’s one goal lead at the half in spite of their numerous attempts. Hernandez had a simple message for his team at the break. “Just keep shooting. If they (his players) don’t shoot, they’re not going to score. One goal is not enough of an advantage.” Lobos coach Juan Hernandez liked how his team played in the first half. “Yes they had more possession but I felt that we were meeting their physicality. We were running and contesting the ball. Compared to the second half where we had more possession but we were
tired and couldn’t meet their speed.” Hernandez also noted how his team lost their first two district games to start last season and managed to turn it around. “We believe,” he said. “We just got to work
even harder to turn our beliefs into reality.” Next up for the Rattlers is a home contest tonight against Roma while Palmview travels to Sharyland Pioneer. Both games are scheduled for 8 pm starts.
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RHEA WATSON
The front cover of Rhea Watson’s “Be You-Nique,” a children’s book aimed to encourage self-esteem. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
Mission First United Methodist Church
Notices
Sunday Services:
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Dinner with Friends every Friday @ 5:30pm
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Soup & Sub Fundraiser Feb. 25th, 2020
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Jose Alvarez MISSION – Jose G. Alvarez, 87, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, at home in Mission. Dora Barrera PEÑITAS – Dora E. Barrera, 62, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at home in Peñitas. Heron Flores PALMVIEW – Heron Flores, 62, passed away on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. Pedro Garcia MISSION – Pedro V. Garcia, 82, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, at his home. Annabel Garza PALMVIEW – Annabel Garza, 57, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, at McAllen Medical Center. Javier Gonzalez MISSION – Javier A. Garza Gonzalez, 74, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, at Mission Regional Medical Center.
took about five years. “It’s evolved over time,” Watson said, noting that the characters changed as the story developed. “Writing a book is not something that you’re going to get rich off of. That’s not why I did it. I wanted to send this message out, that it’s okay to be wonderful and you.” Watson initially asked her brother to aide in illustrations but after some time her father, Rolly Yorobe, took the reigns. Although his art is usually more in the realism spectrum, he created colorful, vibrant characters that pop off the page thanks to consistent communication with Watson. “He shined for me, it was a process,” Watson said, explaining that the pair would video chat via the Google Hangouts app nightly. “He was the perfect partner because he did exactly what I said. He started illustrating Pablo Montoya MISSION – Pablo Medina Montoya, 98, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, at his home in Mission. Rosendo Olivarez PALMHURST – Rosendo “Chendo” Olivarez, 82, passed away on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Guadalupe Ramirez SULLIVAN CITY – Guadalupe Ramirez, 82, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, at her home in Sullivan City. Diana Ramos MISSION – Diana (Sandoval) Ramos, 65, passed away on Jan. 23, 2020 at Doctor’s Hospital in Edinburg. Feliciano Sauceda MISSION – Feliciano Sauceda, 98, passed away on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, at Comfort House in McAllen. Julio Villanueva MISSION – Julio Cesar Villanueva, 52, passed away on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen.
this past June and we finished in November.” Collaborating with her dad was something she never expected, and being able to create it together was incredibly rewarding for Watson. “The best part was working with my father,” Watson said. “I got the most from the excitement in my dad’s voice, and how proud he was of his work. He was working so hard at this.” Her father’s dedication made Watson feel their work had to be protected, which led to getting copyrights and registration. “I did everything that you’re supposed to do to publish a book,” Watson said. “I did it for me, but I just wanted his legacy to really shine and his grandkids to be really proud of him.” Watson moved to the United States in 1994 when her husband was offered a teaching job with the Donna Independent School District. The pair initially thought they would only be here for one year, but they haven’t left the Valley since. “When we first started work we met some really incredible people,” Watson said. “It’s really the people of the Valley who have made us stay, it felt like home to
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CHURCH DIRECTORY BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. 581-1411
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665
CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092
FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 2Mile & Bryan Rd Mission. CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241
GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 11809 N. Shary Rd. • 584-3112 HERITAGE BAPTIST MCALLEN 2549 Lindbergh Ave. McAllen • 451-6358 IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008 IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688 IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission
CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413
IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332
EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617
IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst
EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule
IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898 IGLESIA PENTECOSTES NUEVA VIDA A/G 211 W. Mile 3 Road Palmhurst • 956-342-9711 Rev. Candelario Banda
NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 369-3603 NORTH MISSION CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E. Mile 3 Rd. • 585-0146 Palmhurst NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln. ONLY THRU JESUS 1511 E. Mile 2 Rd. Mission • 918-760-1625
SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002
OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223
SPIRIT OF PEACE EV. LUTHERAN CHUCH 3104 Los Milagros Mission • 581-1822
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623 OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193 PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy. 585-3203 PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236 PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711
LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787
PRIMERA IGLESIA DEL VALLE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 210 N. St. Marie. • 585-8651
MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683
PROMISE LAND CHURCH 2300 E. Palm Circle (Corner of 495) Mission, TX 78572 • 624-9307
DY OF GUADALUPE OUR LA
RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838 SAN CRISTOBAL WMAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH 3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5 Mission • 580-4551
OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno
MISSION, TEXAS
ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325
PADRES OBLATOS
ST. PAUL’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701
THE FATHERS: †FR. JIM, FR. PHILION & FR. ROY (†MAGNA, †SENTINEL, †MAGNO, †AUGIE, †DIDYMUS, †CHUNKLY, †GIRLY, CANTINA, VALENTINE, †NEWLY, BENDITO, CHARLOTTE, CENIZA & WIGLET) MISIONERAS CATHEQUISTAS, SR. LUPITA, † DEACON AYALA, DEACON CASTANEDA
ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005 SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH 6 1/8 N. Doffing Rd. (FM 492) 580-4078 TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway 581-4981or 585-3831 TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3905 W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261 VALLEY FELLOWSHIP 1708 E. Griffin Parkway Mission • 424-7200
IN THE HOLY, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT OF THE FAMILY OF MARY AND JOSEPH AND THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH: “THE CHILD GREW IN SIZE AND STRENGTH, FILLED WITH WISDOM AND THE GRACE OF GOD WAS UPON HIM.” LORD, GIVE US THE LIGHT AND STRENGTH TO FORM THAT HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN BECOME AND ENCOURAGE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO BECOME THE WORKS OF ART YOU CREATED US TO BE!
MASS SCHEDULE “Texas Friendly” spoken at all masses (and confessions) Saturday (English) ........................................... 4:00 P.M. Saturday (Spanish) .......................................... 7:00 P.M. Sunday (Spanish) ........................................... 7:30 A.M. Sunday (English)............................................. 9:00 A.M. Sunday (English)........................................... 10:30 A.M. Sunday (Tex-Mex) Mariachi Mass ......... (Noon)12:30 P.M. Sunday (Tex-Mex)............................................ 5:30 P.M. Monday - Wednesday & Friday (Tex-Mex) ....... 6:55 A.M. Thursday (Tex-Mex) ......................................... 7:00 P.M. Friday (at La Lomita) .......................................6:55 A.M.
MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA First Presbyterian ChurCh Commercial Lawn Equipment Since 1954 60th 915 West Anniversary Business 83 • Mission (956) 581-7433 Sunday School 9:30AM
Worship Service 8:30AM 10:30AM
1102 Ash Mission, TX (956) 585-4829 www.fpcmission.com
KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW DAVID H. GUERRA DARRELL DAVIS 301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622
us because we came from ‘Friendly Manitoba,’ so the Valley was just a good match.” After navigating the publishing process Watson hopes to show people that anyone, no matter their age or occupation, can write a book. “If you want to publish a book, you can do it,” Watson said. “Everyone’s got a story to tell, whether its fiction, factual, a story about your life or just funny things, you can write a book. As long as you’re okay with what’s inside of it, and you’re proud of it, you can write a book.” Watson dedicated her first book to her kids, Cheyenne and Mason, and her nephew and niece Abel and Nia. She credits her husband for encouraging her to pursue publication. “Be You-Nique” can be purchased by looking up the title and/or author’s name on Amazon. Watson, who is currently working on her next book, will be holding Author Reads next week for a small group of students in Sharyland who can benefit from having positive self-esteem, and four first grade classes in Kerrville. She plans to reach out to some local libraries to hold a few more Author Reads this summer.
SALE!!!
Oct. 15th, 16th, 17th
CONFESSIONS
Thursday ....................................................... 6:00 P.M. Saturday......................................................... 3:00 P.M.
620 DUNLAP, MISSION, TX • 585-2623
ONE BLOCK WEST OF CONWAY ON MAGNA DRIVE (6TH ST.)
January 31, 2020
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BUY • SELL • T R A D E • R E N T • H I R E
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 Sale HAPPY JACK LIQUIVICT 2x, recognized safe & effective against hook & round worms in dogs, El Pase Feed Store, (www.happyjackinc.com). USE VITA-TABS TO restore vital minerals & nutrients lost after
worming for hook & round worms, Mission Feed & Hardware, 956-5812153, (www.happyjackinc.com). HAPPY JACK LIQUIVICT 2x, eliminates hook & round worms with dispenser to insure adequate dosage, Southwest Hay & Feed, 956-
580-1717, (www. happyjackinc.com). LIVING ROOM FURNITURE, only 1 sofa and 1 loveseat left, $550 OBO; Dining room furniture plus china, 2 arm chairs and 4 regular chairs, price drop to $680 OBO, call 956-4457562 and leave message if no answer.
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
ORDINANCE NO. 4881 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL FOR SALE AND ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – TAQUERIA EL ZARAPE, 2423 E. EXPRESSWAY 83, STE. 100, LOT 2, BLOCK A, SHARY-TAYLOR EXPRESSWAY COMMERCIAL SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
ORDINANCE NO. 4886 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING A NO PARKING AND NO STANDING ZONE AT ANYTIME ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SUMMER BREEZE ROAD EXTENDING WEST ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE FEET FROM SHARY ROAD ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE; PROVIDING FOR INSTALLATION OF SAID TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES BEING NO PARKING AND NO STANDING ZONE TRAFFIC SIGNS AND PROPER SIGNAGE THEREOF AND MAKING PROVISIONS OF THE STATE TRANSPORTATION CODE AND TRAFFIC ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSION IN REGARD TO PENALTY FOR VIOLATION APPLICABLE
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
FRIENDS GARAGE SALE at 923 Adams St. in Mission on Wednesday, February 5 thru Saturday, February 8 from 8am-5pm, items include housewares, clothes, furniture and more.
PUBLIC NOTICE
ORDINANCE NO. 4880 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR HOME OCCUPATION – BEAUTY SALON, 317 S. HOLLAND AVENUE, LOT 5, BLOCK 7, ERDAHL SUBDIVISION
answer. Garage Sale
The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, February 10, 2020 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: A 0.64 acre tract of land out of a portion of the South 246.10’ of Lot 245, John H. Shary Subdivision from (AO-I) Agricultural Open Interim to (C-1) Office Building 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
ORDINANCE NO. 4882 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE TEXAS CITRUS FIESTA CARNIVAL, APPROXIMATELY 7.4 ACRES OUT OF LOT 25-6, WEST ADDITION TO SHARYLAND SUBDIVISION & LOT 1, NORTH STAR PLAZA, JANUARY 13, 2020 THROUGH JANUARY 26, 2020
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
Progress Times is made possible by our advertisers. Please frequent their businesses and tell them you saw their ad in the Progress Times.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY The City of Mission will conduct several public hearings to solicit comments from interested residents and agencies for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The City is expecting to receive notification of the proposed fiscal year 2020 CDBG allocation, which is anticipated to be $915,349. Comments received will be considered for preparation of the City of Mission’s Annual Action Plan FY 2020-2021. Interested parties are encouraged to attend and make their views known. These funds can be utilized for activities benefiting low/ moderate income areas and/or persons. We are accepting project applications for CDBG funds for Fiscal Year 2020 (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021). Applications can be picked up at the address listed below or downloaded from city’s website: www.missiontexas.us. The applications are due in our office on Monday, March 2, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. CDBG funds may be used to finance any activity that accomplishes one of the following national objectives. 1. Principally benefits low and moderate income persons. 2. Aids in the prevention or elimination of slum and blighted areas. 3. Meets a need having a particular urgency. The Public Hearings are scheduled as follows: DATE: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 PLACE: City Hall Council Chambers 1201 E. 8th Street Mission TX 78572 TIME: 5:30 PM
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 Marcell Elementary School 1101 N. Holland Ave. Mission TX 78572 5:30 PM
Accommodations for persons with disabilities/handicapped, non-english speaking, or limited English proficiency (LEP) who may require interpreters shall be provided upon request by calling (956) 580-8670 at least three days in advance of meeting. Persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled may use Relay Texas at 1-800-735-2989, a text telephone (TTY) user or 711 (VOICE). For further information, visit the Community Development Office at 1301 E 8th Street, Ste. 102 Mission, Texas or call (956)580-8670.
Services ANAHI’S CLEANING SERVICE, we clean houses, apartments, offices, etc., we have references, free estimates, call Maria Hernandez at 956-651-2792 or 956-468-1637.
Oracion Al Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo, tu que me aclaras todo, que iluminas todos los caminos para que yo alcance mi ideal, tu que me das el don divino de perdonar y olvidar el mal que me hacen y que en todos los instantes de mi vida estas conmigo, yo quiero en este corto dialogo agradecerte por todo y confirmar una vez mas que nunca quiero separarme de ti por mayor que sea la ilusion material. Deseo estar contigo y todos mis seres queridos en la gracia perpetua. Gracias por tu misericordia para conmigo y los mios. La persona debera rezar esta oracion 3 dias sequidos sin decir el pedido. dentro de tres dias sera alcanzada la gracia por mas deficil que sea. (Publicar en cuanto se recibia la gracia). Agradece gracia alcanzada. T.R.
PUBLIC NOTICE (CASE: 20-0090)
Found Sony TV at the 700 block of East Carter Avenue. Will need proof of purchase and documentation for proof of ownership. Alton Police Department 509 S Alton Blvd, Alton TX 78573 Contact: R. Gonzlez or J. Cuba (956) 432-0700 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MISSION 1300 EAST 8TH STREET MISSION, TEXAS 78572
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice is given that the Housing Authority of the City of Mission, Texas will suspend taking Housing Assistance Applications for the Leased Housing (Section 8) Program and Public Housing (Low Rent) Program. The waiting list will be CLOSED effective at 5:00 p.m. on Friday March 13, 2020. The waiting list will remain closed until further notice. The closing of the waiting list was a decision by unanimous vote of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority at its Regular Board Meeting held on January 21, 2020. NOTICIA PÚBLICA Se notifica públicamente que la Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de Mission, Texas, suspenderá la solicitud de Asistencia de Vivienda para el Programa de Vivienda Arrendada (Sección 8) y el Programa de Vivienda Pública (Renta Baja). La lista de espera estará CERRADA a las 5:00 p.m. el Viernes 13 de Marzo de 2020. La lista de espera permanecerá cerrada hasta nuevo aviso. El cierre de la lista de espera fue una decisión por unamidad de la Junta de Comisionados de la Autoridad de Vivienda en su reunión oridnaria de la junta celebrada el 21 de Enero de 2020.
ORDINANCE NO. 4883
ORDINANCE NO. 4884
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS, AMENDING APPENDIX A – ZONING, ARTICLE XIII – EXCEPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF ITS CODE OF ORDINANCES BY CHANGING SECTION 1.59(2)(F) OF ITS CODE OF ORDINANCES, AND PROVIDING A CODIFICATION CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING A PUBLICATION DATE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS, RESCINDING ARTICLE V - JUNKED & ABANDONED VEHICLES AND ADOPTING THE TRANSPORTATION CODE SECTION 683 SUBCHAPTER A THROUGH E; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY PROVISION; AND PROVIDING FOR A PUBLICATION PROVISION
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
ORDINANCE NO. 4885 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS, PROVIDING FOR A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE BEING A FOUR-WAY STOP INTERSECTION AT CHRISTY DRIVE AND MARK PLACE; PROVIDING FOR INSTALLATION OF SAID TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES BEING STOP SIGNS AND PROPER SIGNAGE THEREOF AND MAKING PROVISIONS OF THE STATE TRANSPORTATION CODE AND TRAFFIC ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSION IN REGARDS TO PENALTY FOR VIOLATION APPLICABLE THERETO;
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
READ, CONSIDERED, AND PASSED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020. Dr. Armando O’caña, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary
PUBLIC NOTICE The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 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: A tract of land being the North 26.0 acres, more or less, of the South 32.0 acres of the North 96.0 acres of a certain 203.8 acres tract of land known as the Fernandez Strip out of Porcion 52 Subdivision, from (PUD) Planned Unit Development to (AO-I) Agricultural Open Interim Discussion and Action to Amend the Noise Ordinance 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
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA AVISO DE DISPONIBILIDAD DE FONDOS La Ciudad de Mission, conducirá varias audiencias públicas para solicitar comentarios de los residentes y agencias interesadas en el programa para el Desarrollo de la Comunidad (CDBG, por sus siglas en ingles). La Ciudad espera recibir la notificación anticipando los fondos de un total de $915,349 para el año fiscal 2020. Los comentarios que se reciban serán considerados para la preparación del Plan de Acción Anual para el periodo 2020-2021. Los interesados se les aconsejan asistir a estas audiencias y exponer sus puntos de vista. Estos fondos podrán ser utilizados para actividades que beneficien a zonas y/o personas de bajos recursos. Estamos aceptando aplicaciones para la solicitud de financiamiento para fondos aplicables por parte de CDBG para el año fiscal 2020 (1 de Octubre 2020 hasta el 30 de Septiembre 2021). Las aplicaciones estarán disponibles en la dirección de nuestra página web: www.missiontexas.us. Las solicitudes deberán presentarse en nuestra oficina el Lunes día 2 de Marzo, 2020 a las 5:00 p.m. Los fondos del programa CDBG pueden ser utilizados para financiar alguna actividad que logre uno de los siguientes objetivos. 1. Este programa beneficia principalmente a personas de bajos recursos. 2. Ayuda en la prevención o eliminación de barrios marginales y zonas deterioradas. 3. Responde a una necesidad de urgencia particular. Las Audiencias Publicas son programadas: FECHA: Martes, Marzo 10, 2020 LUGAR: City Hall Council Chambers 1201 E. 8th Street Mission TX 78572 HORA: 5:30 PM
Martes, Marzo 24, 2020 Marcell Elementary School 1101 N. Holland Ave Mission TX 78572 5:30 PM
Para personas con discapacidades/discapacitados, personas que no hablan inglés, conocimientos limitados de inglés (LEP) y que requieran intérpretes, se les solicitará llamando al (956) 580-8670 por lo menos tres días antes de la reunión. Las personas con problemas auditivos, ciegos, sordos o discapacitados del habla pueden usar Relay Texas al 1-800-735-2989, un usuario de teléfono de texto (TTY) o 711 (VOZ). Para más información pase a la oficina de Desarrollo de la Comunidad localizada en 1301 E. 8th Street, Ste. 102 Mission, Texas o llamar al (956) 580-8670.
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January 31, 2020
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r t u i s C F s i a e s x ta e T
2020
POST EDITION
PROGRESS TIMES SPECIAL EDITION
Friday, January 31, 2020- - Section B
Intergalactic inspiration
Royal Court sparkles down the runway in TCF Coronation By Jamie Treviño The planets aligned, along with the duchesses before promenade, in time for the out-of-this-world coronation of Queen Citrianna 83rd. Last Thurs. Jan. 23, the Texas Citrus Fiesta celebrated the 83rd annual Royal Coronation of King Citrus and Queen Citrianna. The event included a pageant featuring the Princess Court, Royal Court and the King Citrus’ of decades past. The evening, held at the Mission High School Neuhaus Gym, marked the beginning of the reign of Jaedynn E’Del Alaniz, Queen Citrianna the 83rd. It also culminated in the election of Queen Citrianna 84th, Kaylee Ann Silva, who served this year as the Duchess of Royal Palms. Kellye Ortega and Eliz-
abeth Mendez acted as the narrators for the coronation, describing the gowns in detail and highlighting the accomplishments of each and every member of the Royal Court. “The Texas Citrus Fiesta is one of the oldest running festivals in the state,” Ortega said. “Our traditional celebration is a kickoff to salute the respectable citrus industry in Texas, most notably the Rio Grande Valley.” King Citrus Each year, a new King Citrus is elected and crowned by the remaining kings of the past, the Ex-Kings Association. A closely-guarded secret until his coronation, King Citrus represents and is affiliated with some aspect of the citrus industry. Donning formal wear and red sashes, the kings present at this year’s coronation who
served as royal honor guards included Dennis Holbrook, Ray Prewett, Dwayne Bair, David Hardison, Fred Karle, Jud Flowers, Mark Fryer, José Amador, Earl Neuhaus, Jim Hoffman, Dale Murden and Trent Bishop. Two kings who passed away this year, Ken Martin and William Bud Harrison, were honored with a moment of silence. Ted Prukop was named King Citrus the 83rd. After making his entrance, Ortega and Mendez spoke about his life leading to the crown, including his experience with Texas Citrus Mutual. “He has managed Valley Ag Insurance, the agency that serves the Rio Grande Valley Citrus Growers, and in this capacity Ted has given the industry and its growers 22 years of peace of mind through freezes, hurricanes, floods and hail,” Ortega said.
“He is the manager for the Texas Valley Citrus Committee and the Texas Citrus Federal Marketing Order, which keeps all shippers and packers in compliance with agreed-upon quality, size and grade regulations.” Prukop also served as a liaison for Texas Citrus Mutual and the RGV Citrus Growers. In his coronation, he was given a crown to keep. Last year’s King Citrus, Brandon Thompson, made his final walk as king before Prukop was crowned. Thompson wrote a letter that highlighted the legacy of the Texas Citrus Fiesta and his time as king. Tangerine Court Princess Anna the 70th, Audreanna Nicholle Dooley, made her first official entrance in a gown of white raw silk, accented with gold “as is her right.” Her silk
bodice featured a square neckline outlined with a trim of clear rhinestone links that also adorned the waist and leg of the button sleeves fitted below the elbow, and the upper sleeves were also made of silk, overlaid with white alencon lace sewn with gleaming white cording, iridescent bugle and pony beads and illustrious pearls. Dooley’s sheer lower sleeves ended at a point at the back of her hands, and were attended with white lace appliques. Topaz and clear Swarovski crystals were added to the alencon lace, and the sleeves were closed with silk-covered buttons. Her scalloped high collar, allowed only to Princess Anna and Queen Citrianna, was made of while silk, completely covered by gold alencon lace and embroidered with metallic white thread,
clear sequins and added Swarovski crystals. Her full skirt was bordered with gold alencon lace applique, which also bordered the hem, and the entire thing was covered with white alencon beaded lace. At the back of her waist were delicate pearl-encrusted citrus blossoms over a veil of gold alencon lace. Over 10,000 silver and gold Swarovski rhinestones covered her dress. Dooley was crowned by Prukop following her entrance down the catwalk. The 2020 Tangerine Court also made their royal procession, made up of other six-year-olds, Anna Noemi Garza - Princesses of Lemon Blossom, Avery Lee Trevino – Princess of Lime Blossom, Vitalina Victoria “V.V.” Betancourt – Princess of Tangerine Blossom and
Former Kings stand side by side as the new King Citrus the 83rd, Ted Prukop, stands in regal garb. Progress Times photo by Jimmy Martinez.
See TCF CORONATION Pg. 3B
page 2B
www.ptrgv.com
Passing on the product
January 31, 2020
How an 83-year-old TCF tradition has withstood the decades By Jamie Treviño JoAnn Ortiz is determined to keep a nearly century-old tradition going in Mission. The Product Costume Showcase, along with the Shoe Box Float competition, are some of the stapes of the Texas Citrus Fiesta. Done in celebration of the citrus industry in the area, these events encourage creativity and highlight artistic expression for people of all ages. For Ortiz, the new coordinator for the Product Costume Showcase, these aspects of the Texas Citrus Fiesta are incredibly important. “It’s a part of us, we cultivate it here,” Ortiz said. “It should be a tradition where we need to display how proud we are of all the farmers and all their cultivation of the produce.” Ortiz began volunteering with TCF over a decade ago, when her daughter was a Girl Scout. She started out helping with crafts and learn-
ing about how the citrus and other local produce is incorporated. “I’ve done a little bit of everything because I fell in love with creating, and helping out and all these beautiful things I was taught,” Ortiz said. “And now, I’m still here.” Ortiz was hooked, and is consistently struck by the beauty of the tradition. “I’m so proud to be part of it,” Ortiz said. “It’s something very easy but very beautiful that people can make with their parents and siblings, and pass it on.” To make a product costume, designers have to start from scratch: they take parts of produce that can be used for structure, coloring and design and process them, distilling their decorative qualities. Costumes, created based on the theme for that iteration of TCF, are constructed with layers of product, glue and spray adhesive. Ortiz has been drawn to the product costume compe-
tition in particular because of all the final products evoke. The colors and smells of the costumes evoke waves of nostalgia in Ortiz. “It takes me back when you would go to the regular orange fields and you’d smell all the oranges and leaves,” Ortiz said. “What’s beautiful is you get to see it, smell it and feel it [with the costumes].” According to Ortiz, designers take a lot of time and effort to put the final product on display for the judges. “You see how beautiful it is, all the time and commitment that they put in and how much they love it,” Ortiz said. “It makes me so proud of Mission.” The issue currently facing the TCF Product Costume Showcase and the Shoebox Float Competition is the lack of participation among residents. Ortiz is working daily to bring in more participants and keep the tradition alive. “We need to keep the tradition,” Ortiz said. “We can’t
let the people [who participated] in the past fade away, we need to keep going.” “If we had more contestants, oh my gosh, it can show the world what we’re made of,” Ortiz added. “ The Shoebox Float Competition, where fourth and fifth grade students in the Mission, La Joya and Sharyland school districts create miniature, shoebox-sized floats designed around the TCF theme, has also seen a decline in entries in the last few years. This competition used to be an assignment in the schools, but it has since been made optional. “I wish all the schools would make it a requirement, because it’s a part of our history,” Ortiz said. “That way, we can get the younger generations to be interested and involved.” Ortiz said TCF is always open to those who are interested in the crafting of product costumes, hats and shoebox floats. She is available to host workshops of all kinds
to people who call in and schedule one, and wants to start holding classes so even more residents can learn. “We’re doing as much as possible to keep this going,” Ortiz said. “We want to see many people in our community that are creative, and how beautiful their work is. What they put in and give us is the passion they have, and it shows.” For the TCF 2020 Product Costume Showcase, first place in the elementary division was awarded to the full-body costume of Lola Bunny from the film “Space Jam” designed by Dalia Vivian and modeled by Tyra Alvarez. This costume was also awarded the People’s Choice Award by members of the audience. In the teen division, the first place winner was awarded to the Natasi costume, designed by Maria Magdalena Ponce and modelled by Martha Cruz. The adult division winner was Destiny Gonzalez, who designed and mod-
E P B b a
eled her costume after Helat from “Thor Ragnarok.” t “We need to show peo-y ple that this is another formC of art,” Ortiz said. “We needn to inspire them and make itl bigger.” For the Shoebox FloatW Competition, sponsored annually by the Progresse Times, fourth grade winnersp were Tyra Alvarez in firsta place, Marina Gonzalez inh second and Leah Sotello ina third. Fifth grade winnersd included Zachary Gerlach in first place, Kimberly Arguel-o lo in second and Guillermoc w Maldonado in third. “Here in the city of Mis-l sion we’re very proud of ourfi history, and we just want tow show the world where wes started and how beautiful itc is,” Ortiz said. “I’m hopings that I can bring young people to continue, we cannot letc any of this fade. We need toe keep going.” i l l f l l d
p n t l t v t h r
s t w h
Winners of the Product Costume Show and Hat Competition pose in space-themed ensembles during a staple tradition for the Texas Citrus Fiesta. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
THANK YOU TEXAS CITRUS FIESTA
& CONGRATULATIONS
Halle Marie Milam
Lina Renee Villarreal
DUCHESS OF OLEANDER
Ramiro J. Rodriguez, Jr. Mayor
Robert A. Salinas Mayor Pro-Tem
PRINCESS OF PALMHURST
Ruben De Leon Councilman
Jaime Aranda Councilman
Israel Silva Councilman
Ofelia Peña-Perez Councilwoman
4417 North Shary Rd. • Palmhurst, TX • (956) 583-8697 • www.cityofpalmhursttx.com
m t a g b d t
January 31, 2020 from pg. 1B
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TCF CORONATION
Elizabeth Lauren Gerlach – Princess of Red Grapefruit Blossom. They were chosen based on their grace, charm and charisma. Queen Citrianna Traditionally, the name of the queen is revealed during the finale of the previous year’s festivities. Queen Citrianna the 83rd, Jaedynn E’Del Alaniz, previously served as the Duchess of White Wing. Queen Citrianna is elected by judges based on a personal interview which also involves citrus history held before the coronation, along with their performance during the event itself. Alaniz wore a regal gown of primarily gold with accents of white. Her bodice was cut with a jeweled neckline and three-quarter length fitted sleeves, both of which were encrusted with rhinestones, pearls and Swarovski crystals of many colors and shapes over gold brocade. Her high collar was also covered with richly-beaded gold brocade and finished with a white scalloped lace trim. The perfectly-bell-shaped antique skirt fell from a dropped waistline, and was entirely overlaid with gold tulle embroidered with sequined leaves. Small white flowers were placed evenly along her skirt near the hem, which was further embellished with white lace appliques. Alaniz’s train was rich white and velvet-lined, with gold satin lattice detail on the border and hand-beaded appliqued citrus fruit formed from lamé. Alaniz carried a royal scepter specifically designed to compliment her dress. She was crowned by Prukop after her entrance. Alaniz wanted to send a message with her dress, one that represented her family and what they stand for. Her gown was different to symbolize that it is okay to be different, and it is also okay to not always be okay.
See TCF CORONATION Pg. 5B
page 3B
Special Thanks To
For Their Support of the 2020 Texas Citrus Fiesta
Jaedynn E’ Del Alaniz Queen Citrianna LXXXIII
Dr. Armando Ocaña MAYOR
Former King Citrus Brandon Thompson crowns King Citrus the 83rd (Ted Prukop) at the beginning of the annual TCF Royal Coronation. Progress Times photo by Jimmy Martinez.
Norie Garza MAYOR PRO-TEM
Jessica Ortega-Ochoa COUNCILWOMAN
Ruben Plata Jose Alberto Vela Randy Perez COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN CITY MANAGER 956.580.8650 • 1201 E. 8th Street, Mission, TX • www.missiontexas.us
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page 4B
January 31, 2020
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2020 Parade of oranges float division winners
Golf Cart Division
Float - Winter Texan II
Float - Elementary School
1st - Oleander Acres RV Resort
1st - Green Gate Groove
1st - Mission CISD - Mims Elem. 2nd - Mission CISD - Leal Elem. 3rd - Mission CISD - Cavazos Elem.
Float - Commercial
Float - General
Float - Valley Products
1st - Texas National Bank 2nd - Little Einstein 3rd - Pollo Loco
1st - MRMC 2nd - La Joya ISD 3rd - City of Peñitas
1st - City of Mission 2nd - Our Lady of Guadalupe 2nd - Mission FFA
Float - High School Band
Float - Marching/Walking - Military
1st - Mission H.S. 2nd - La Joya H.S. 3rd - Veterans Memorial H.S.
1st - Veterans Memorial H.S. JROTC 2nd - Mision H.S. Army JROTC 3rd - La Joya H.S. Army JROTC
Float - Marching/Walking (not bands) 1st - Zumba 2nd - Veterans Memorial Patriot Stars 3rd - Palmview H.S. Rubies
Congratulations and thank You for Your PartiCiPation. THE SPIRIT OF LA LOMITA MISSION LIVES HERE AT OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE PARISH Congratulations to all the participants of the 83rd Annual Texas Citrus Fiesta
“WE’RE ON A GREAT QUEST. THROUGH TIME AND SPACE INTO ETERNITY; AN AMAZING ODYSSEY AND ADVENTURE OF FAITH HOPE AND LOVE!
2nd Place Valley Products Our Lady of Guadalupe PADRES OBLATOS
“1st place in our hearts 2nd place in judging”
THE FATHERS: †FR. JIM, FR. PHILION & FR. ROY (†MAGNA, †SENTINEL, †MAGNO, †AUGIE, †DIDYMUS, †CHUNKLY, †GIRLY, CANTINA, VALENTINE, †NEWLY, BENDITO, CHARLOTTE, CENIZA & WIGLET) MISIONERAS CATHEQUISTAS, SR. LUPITA, † DEACON AYALA, DEACON CASTANEDA
MASS SCHEDULE “Texas Friendly” spoken at all masses (and confessions) Saturday (English) ........................................... 4:00 P.M. Saturday (Spanish) .......................................... 7:00 P.M. Sunday (Spanish) ........................................... 7:30 A.M. Sunday (English)............................................. 9:00 A.M. Sunday (English)........................................... 10:30 A.M. Sunday (Tex-Mex) Mariachi Mass .........(Noon)12:30 P.M. Sunday (Tex-Mex)............................................ 5:30 P.M. Monday - Wednesday & Friday (Tex-Mex) ....... 6:55 A.M. Thursday (Tex-Mex) ......................................... 7:00 P.M.
CONFESSIONS
Thursday ....................................................... 6:00 P.M. Saturday......................................................... 3:00 P.M.
620 DUNLAP MISSION, TX • 585-2623 • (ONE BLOCK WEST OF CONWAY ON MAGNA DRIVE (6TH ST).
January 31, 2020 from pg. 3B
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TCF CORONATION
Queen Citrianna the 82nd, Alexandria Canchola, made her final walk as queen during the event. She wrote a letter detailing her experience in the last year as queen, and thanked her family for their support and love throughout her reign. Royal Court Each member of the Royal Court was preceded by a page, young boys bearing the icons representing rich and valuable resources found throughout the Valley. One by one the duchesses, dressed in uniquely-designed formal ball gowns modelled after fruits, symbols, produce and foliage, were introduced. Floating down the catwalk, the duchesses glittered under the lights and finished their walk with a controlled curtsey. The judges made their final decisions based on how they conduct themselves during the coronation and their character interviews. Queen Citrianna the 84th was elected at the end of
the coronation: Kaylee Ann Silva. Silva, the Duchess of Royal Palms and Miss Palmview, wore a classic-style ball gown in shades of green and antique gold. Her bodice was made of gold taffeta, featuring a jeweled neckline and cap sleeves overlaid with alencon lace sewn with green thread cording, green and gold sequins and added gold aurora borealis Swarovski crystals. Her full skirt fell from the natural waist, and was made of antique gold taffeta sewn with overlapping petals of beaded green lace. An elegant bustle was created from palm fronds accented with gold and centered with green seeds covered with sequins over wide loops of antique gold, covered with green beaded lace and gold aurora borealis crystals closing the back. Silva will be acting as Queen Citrianna the 84th following her own coronation next year.
King Citrus Ted Prukop crowns Jaedynn E’Edel Alaniz as Queen Citrianna the 83rd following her grand entrance during last week’s royal coronation. Progress Times photo by Jimmy Martinez.
Bolide Brunch
Mayor’s International Brunch celebrates TCF and sister cities in Space Odyssey Adventure
By Jamie Treviño
The Mission Event Center was filled with laughter, food and international relations as Mission leaders and Mexican sister cities gathered for the annual Mayor’s International Brunch last Saturday before the parade. The event, which was held in celebration of the Texas Citrus Fiesta, included Congressman Henry Cuellar, who acted as the keynote speaker, and Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who was honored as the parade marshal for the TCF Parade of Oranges that afternoon. The recurring theme of the brunch was aimed toward building bridges rather than walls. Following the playing of both the United States and Mexican national anthems, Father Roy Snipes of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission gave an invocation blessing those in attendance and beyond. Roxanne Lerma, the Media Relations Director for the city of Mission, spoke about the 50-year tradition. “It’s a really special opportunity for us to celebrate our international friendships,
to pay tribute to the citrus industry and also to honor our city’s long and very distinguished history,” Lerma said. “Nearly 500 leaders from throughout the Valley, the state and Mexico are here to foster international relations.” Welcome remarks were given by Mayor Armando O’caña, Cesar Suarez, the Chairman of the Board for the Mission Chamber of Commerce and city council member Ruben Plata, the President of the Mission Sister City Committee. O’caña thanked everyone for being there for the momentous occasion, which included the signing of a new sister city (Fortin, Veracruz). “I am honored to welcome you to our All-America City of Mission,” O’caña said. “Today we are here for the Mayor’s Brunch, but also for the celebration of our culture, our legacy and our heritage - the Texas Citrus Fiesta.” O’caña spoke about TCF and how it has impacted the city over the years. “It is a unique way for us to highlight the citrus industry, and it is of critical importance to the history of our
community,” O’caña said. “The citrus industry was and is the foundation of Mission. It truly inspires what once was a few orchards in Mission and now has grown into part of Mission’s rich heritage.” After the welcome, Senator Hinojosa was presented as the 2020 Parade of Oranges Grand Marshal. He spoke highly of the recognition, and was flattered and humbled that the place he grew up was choosing to honor him. “There are so many fond memories of attending the citrus parade,” Hinojosa said. “For me, Mission is very special. The support that I have in Mission gave me character, gave me strength to be a state senator.” Congressman Cuellar gave the keynote address, where he stressed that international relations will be made better when we forge ties with our neighbors. “Welcome to Mission, Texas, where we know that we’d rather build bridges than a wall - a 14th Century solution,” Cuellar said to applause from the audience. “We as neighbors, we want to get to know each other, we
want to make sure that we make the bond between the United States and Mexico stronger.” “When somebody in Washington sees Russia as a friend, and Mexico as an enemy, we know the world has been turned upside down,” Cuellar added. “Regardless of the rhetoric you hear from Washington, from a particular place, it’s only temporary. This is why [our] friendship and relationship, whether its culture, music, trade or tourism is stronger than some of the rhetoric.” The speeches were fol-
lowed by a recognition of the sister cities, which include Linares, Nuevo Leon; Cd. Victoria, Tamaulipas; Salinas Victoria, Nuevo Leon; Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco; Allende, Nuevo Leon; San Fernando, Tamaulipas; General Escobedo, Nuevo Leon; Cd. Madero, Tamaulipas; Quintana Roo; Cadereyta Jimenez, Nuevo Leon; Casimiro Castillo, Jalisco; Villa del Carbon, Estado de Mexico; Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas; Monclova, Coahuila; Angostura, Sinaloa; Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon; Francisco I. Madero, Coa-
huila; Isla Mujeres, Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo; General Teran, Nuevo Leon; Coatlan del Rio, Morelos; Province of Panama, Republic of Panama; Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas; Department of Quetzaltenango, Republic of Guatemala; Reynosa, Tamaulipas; Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas and Fortin, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave. Once the cities were recognized and the sponsors were named, Mission leaders signed documents naming Fortin, Veracruz as a new sister city.
(from left) Representative Sergio Muñoz, Jr., Representative R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, a representative from Fortin de las Flores, Veracruz, Mission Mayor Armando O’caña and Congressman Henry Cuellar at the Mayor’s International Brunch held in honor of the Texas Citrus Fiesta. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
City of Palmview proudly supports Texas Citrus Fiesta QUEEN CITRIANnA LXXXIV
Duchess of Royal Palms
Kaylee Ann Silva
Duchess of Crepe Myrtle
Destanee Nayleah Rivera
Miss Teen Palmview
Kalynn Walker
Ricardo Villarreal Mayor
Linda Sarabia Mayor Pro Tem
Miss Pre-Teen Palmview
Marla Pena
Javier Ramirez Councilman
www.cityofpalmview.com
Little Miss Palmview
Princess of Lime Blossom
Alekzia Garibay
Jose Luis Perez Councilman
Joel Garcia Councilman
Avery Trevino
Anthony Uresti Councilman
Michael Leo - City Manager
page 6B
January 31, 2020
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83rd annual TCF concludes with Parade of Oranges By Jose De Leon III After more than four decades as part of the Texas Citrus Fiesta’s annual Parade of Oranges, Ben Cavazos was finally able to do the one thing he hadn’t been able to in years: sit back and enjoy the parade. The 89-year-old owner of the local business MAE Power Equipment had been serving as the parade’s unofficial announcer for more than 40 years and last Saturday was his first year enjoying the parade as a simple spectator. “I only did it because no one else was doing it. I’m a civic minded person, been living here for 65 years and felt someone needed to do this,” Cavazos said. “Now I get to sit back and watch it. I’ve always announced who was who at the parade on the corner of Conway Avenue
and Business 83 across from the bank and this year the TCF let me know they now have an official announcer in that area and I didn’t have to do it. It feels odd to not have something to do with the parade as it is usually one of my busiest days but now I’m here.” Cavazos was one of hundreds of people who lined up along South Conway Avenue to witness the 83rd annual Parade of Oranges Saturday, Jan. 25. The parade is the conclusion of the Texas Citrus Fiesta which honors the Rio Grande Valley’s start as a powerhouse of the citrus industry and features multiple floats from businesses. “It’s our community and we’re here to support it,” Nellie Ibarra, a spectator at the parade said. Ibarra, a risk manager at Mission Regional Medical Center, had lined up along
with her daughter along the parade route since 9 a.m. to ensure they’d have a view of the parade and of the medical center’s float. We’re not going to miss out on this parade after 31
Ben Cavazos watches the TCF Parade of Oranges Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
Thank You
Fiesta Supporters and Workers For Another Successful
Texas Citrus Fiesta
The Texas Citrus Fiesta board of directors extends a heartfelt “Thank You” to the sponsors, supporters, volunteers and workers who made this year’s Citrus Fiesta such a great success. Our sponsors were wonderful this year, making each fiesta event possible from the parade to the coronation, and of course, the great entertainment at the Fun Fair. The City of Mission and the Mission Consolidated Independent School District have been faithful supporters of the Fiesta year after year, but this year have outdone themselves providing facilities and extensive resources including assistance by the City Parks and Recreation Department, Streets, Police, Fire Department & Health Department, The Mission Historical Museum and many other city and school staff members’ assistance in this monumental effort. A special thanks goes to neighboring Police Departments, DPS, Sheriffs Dept. & Border Patrol. Of course, there would be no Citrus Fiesta without our many volunteers, Fiesta committee members and workers, as well as individuals who contributed much time and effort in setting-up for our events, building floats and working on the various aspects of the Fiesta. To each and everyone who particCorporate Sponsors 2020 ipated in this year’s Fiesta, we extend our sincere thanks. City of Mission, MEDC, Texas Citrus Mutual, Wonderful Citrus Your devotion and loyalty are what Texas National Bank make the Texas Citrus Fiesta the best Progress Times, Peter Piper Pizza, MCM Sporting Goods fiesta in Texas! South Texas Organics
years of attending it,” Ibarra said. With this year’s theme of “Space Odyssey Adventure,” multiple floats were decorated in an outer space theme and the Star Wars
themed-volunteer organization 501st Legion were included in the parade-dressed as Star Wars characters. “The parade has always been a big deal for nearly a century and it’s so sought after even if the citrus industry isn’t as big as it used to be,” Cavazos reflected. “It’s an event we devote all of our time to educating the community on the citrus industry all the way to crowning our new Queen Citrianna.” The grand marshal for the parade was John da Graca, the executive director for the Weslaco-based Texas A&M University Kingsville Citrus Center. According to TCF Director Lisa Rivera, de Graca’s appointment was to connect spectators to the citrus industry. “He’s a local citrus grower so he’s part of our history and culture which is what we want to promote,” Rivera
said. Also new this year to the parade was the inclusion of the Texas A&M University’s Parsons Mounted Cavalry, a special unit in the Corps of Cadets and is the only collegiate mounted cavalry unit in the nation. Their trip to the Citrus Fiesta Parade marks the first time that any group from Texas A&M has participated in the parade or any Citrus Fiesta events. “Our goal is to start having special guests to keep the TCF new and refreshed and do a lot of upbringing to bring it to life,” Rivera said. “We represent the entire Valley and reach out to people all the way in Brownsville to participate and we got people from Texas A&M to participate this year. The more people we reach out to, the more participation we’ll get. It’s just gonna keep growing.”
proudly supports Texas Citrus Fiesta Duchess of Royal Palms
Kaylee Ann Silva Miss Palmview
QUEEN CITRIANnA LXXXIV
Ricardo Villarreal Mayor
Linda Sarabia Mayor Pro Tem
Javier Ramirez Councilman
Jose Luis Perez Councilman
Michael Leo - City Manager
Joel Garcia Councilman
Anthony Uresti Councilman
www.cityofpalmview.com
Special Thanks to
for their support of the 2020 Texas Citrus Fiesta
January 31, 2020
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page 7B
VIEW AND BUY THESE AND MORE CITRUS FIESTA PHOTOS ONLINE @ WWW.PROGRESSTIMES.NET GALLERY
VIEW AND BUY THESE AND MORE CITRUS FIESTA PHOTOS ONLINE @ GALLERY.PROGRESSTIMES.NET OR CALL OFFICE 956-585-4893
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January 31, 2020
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Mayor Armando O’Caña Welcomes 2020 Mission’s Sister Cities to the
2020 Mayor’s International Brunch Sponsors
Thank you
Annual Mayor’s International Brunch
Visit www.missiontexas.us for all Texas Citrus Fiesta event coverage.