January 15, 2016 - Progress Times Issue by Progress Times

Friday, January 15, 2016

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THE DECLINE, EFFECTS IN MIGRANT STUDENT POPULATION

By Lea Victoria Juarez

This is part one of a series on migrant education.

he purpose of any migrant program is to ensure that the students break the migrant lifecycle. Region One Migrant Coordinator Omar Chavez says when a student breaks the cycle, this means they no longer have to travel with their family for work. But breaking the cycle means fewer migrant students, which means less funding for migrant programs, which leads to cutbacks in services designed to help those students. Migrant students can have interrupted schooling due to several weeks or several months of travel. Some families only migrate in the summer, while others leave before the school year is over and return the next school year after classes have resumed. They travel because they need the money and

the crops don’t wait, Chavez said. “That’s the lifestyle of a migrant child -- it’s based on necessity; it’s not te gusto,” the migrant coordinator said. “Migrant families don’t go out there just to have fun.” These students have to play catchup with their studies, but the migrant program provides supplemental services to ease their transition and ensure graduation. Services can include extra tutoring, more personnel, supplies and computer programs. Some school districts lend out laptops or printers for the student to take home. But the amount of services provided, depends on the budget. The federal funding the district receives for migrants is based on the previous year’s enrollment of migrant students. A lower percentage of migrant students is the goal because that usually means they’re breaking the migrant lifecycle, but it also means the students in the years that

follow may not have as many services to help them break the cycle. The number of migrant students in the Valley has dropped from 29,386 in the 2010-2011 school year to 24,406 in the 2014-2015 school year. At La Joya ISD, the number of migrant students decreased by 20 percent, from 2,914 to 2,341, between 2009 and 2013. However, student enrollment as a whole increased by about 8 percent in that same time. Based on a five-year projection created by J.R. Flores, the La Joya ISD migrant director, if the trend continues, the number of migrant students will decrease to 1,881 by the year 2018. Flores said the district has had to cutback on clothing distribution for the migrant students. It has become an option instead of a mandatory supplemental service. However, LJISD relies on community donations to make up for it.

“We’ve been doing fine as far as the current staff and what we’re able to provide. If a family has a need for (clothing), we have to exhaust all other sources before migrant funds have to be utilized,” Flores said. “We’re trying the best that we can. It’s tough because some of these families, it’s all they have.” Migrant enrollment for Mission CISD has decreased by 40 percent – from 1,304 students in August 2006 to 784 in Jan 2015. The district has seen a small growth in total enrollment from 15,344 in 2013-14 to about 15,800 this year. Sharyland ISD has had a different trend occur in the last few years. Numbers have remained low compared to the neighboring districts, but there has not been any dramatic drop. In the last five years, SISD had the highest number of migrant students for the 2011-2012 year with

Vackars give more than $2 million to UTRGV for scholarships

By Gail Fagan

DINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has announced the largest scholarship gift received in the institution’s history – more than $2 million from Robert “Bob” and Janet Vackar, Valley automotive sales giants and longtime supporters of the RGV community. The gift, presented at a press conference Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the Performing Arts Center on the Edinburg Campus, will create two scholarship endowments for

academically qualified undergraduate and graduate students, who are working while going to school; $1 million will go to each endowment. “This is a seminal event in the history of our institution,” said UTRGV President Guy Bailey, who stressed the impact the gift will have on students and the university. “First, with $2 million, the payout from that endowment over perpetuity will enable many students who could not have gone to

See SCHOLARSHIPS 12

See MIGRANT 10

Getting to know the queen

UTRGV President Dr. Guy Bailey (left), Janet and Robert Vackar, owners of the Bert Ogden Auto Group, and Dr. Kelley Cronin, vice president for advancement announced a gift of more than $2 million from the Vackars to UTRGV. It is the largest gift in the university’s history. (UTRGV Photo by Paul Chouy)

79th TEXAS CITRUS FIESTA Schedule of Events “CITRUS, CARTOONS & COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS” PRODUCT COSTUME SHOW Saturday, January 16, 2 p.m. Mission Community Center 1420 E Kika de la Garza Tickets $5 per person ROYAL RECEPTION BALL Saturday, January 23 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Mission Community Center 1420 E Kika de la Garza $50 per person

Texas Citrus Fiesta Costume Show this weekend

Hailie Ciomperlik is voted the 79th Queen Citrianna at the 2015 Royal Coronation for the Texas Citrus Fiesta. Photo by Lea Victoria Juarez

By Lea Victoria Juarez hen Hailie Ciomperlik takes the stage at the Royal Coronation and begins her reign as the 79th Texas Citrus Fiesta Queen Citrianna, it will be one of the final times she takes the stage for a pageant. The 19 year old from Pharr has decided leave her gowns behind to focus her attention on a career in medicine. She began entering pageants when she was about 10 years old and went on hiatus due to a packed school schedule. The PSJA grad re-entered the contest world in high school and was crowned the 2015 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Cover Girl. She then represented the stock show in the 2015 Texas Citrus Fiesta pageant as the duchess of green pastures. Although her pageant career is nearing an end, she still has a full year to fulfill

her duties as queen of TCF. “It’s kind of sad that it’s over but I think this is a good way to end it,” Ciomperlik said. “This is something that is prestigious and you’re part of Texas Citrus Fiesta history.” The 79th Citrianna hails from a family that is deep-rooted in agriculture. Her mother grew up on a dairy farm in Missouri and her father is a Weslaco native with background in farming and ranching. The family owns an avocado grove in San Juan, so Hailie has firsthand knowledge of an ag. life. Although the Ciomperlik family isn’t in the citrus industry, she said their avocado grove sits next to a citrus grove and the runoff from Citrus Greening has killed some of the avocado trees. It was the her knowledge of the ag. industry that helped her secure the crown.

“I actually live the life of someone that understands the life of agriculture,” she said. “I understand that the citrus industry fluctuates. There are hard times and good times, and throughout both I would be able to represent the industry and give it a positive light.” Ciomperlik is studying to be a doctor at Texas A&M University and she said both her ag. life and pageant life have prepared her for the 12plus years of school she has ahead of her. “I feel like I’m more ready for interviews and ready to think quickly on my feet because I’ve had to do that in pageants,” the 19 year old said. “I know that I want to be a doctor and even getting to that point is going to be a lot of work. I think I learned the determination and the drive from being involved in agriculture.” The 79th Citrianna also

Mission football coach to retire

Mario Pena announced his resignation, which will take effect at the end of the current school year.

INDEX

has a creative side. For her dress this year, she said she worked on about 50 percent of the gown herself by attaching the gold lace and beading to the fabric. Growing up, she and her parents had to learn the ins and outs of pageant gowns through trial and error because no one else in her family had experience. “My mom is not really girly and my dad is a farmer, so to them a lot of this seems like foofy, girly stuff,” Ciomperlik said. “But as we’ve become more involved, they see that it’s a really good opportunity to meet people and learn more about yourself.” Hailie said she looks forward to showcasing her creation at the Texas Citrus festivities and is excited to be the new face of TCF. “I like the fact that the Texas Citrus Fiesta is a statewide thing because I get to represent something that is much bigger.”

INSIDE

Rock n Roll was the theme for last year’s Citrus Fiesta Product Costume Show, as the winning costumes took the form of poodle skirts, a juke box (center), Annette Funicello and Elvis Presley in uniform.

By Kathy Olivarez o say the Texas Citrus Fiesta Product Costume Style Show is unique would be an understatement. Where else can you find costumes fashioned in intricate detail from local agricultural products? The style show’s idea was born in 1932 as a way to advertise the citrus industry of the Rio Grande Valley. The idea worked. Throughout the 84-year span, the costumes have been featured in “National Geographic,” “South-

City signs interlocal agreement

Lifestyle | pg. 3

See COSTUME SHOW 8

Valley agriculture icon passes

The Mission council approved an interlocal agreement to provide sewer service for the City of Palmview at the Jan. 11 meeting.

The “Voice of Valley Agriculture,” Charlie Rankin, passed away at his home in Boerne from the effects of emphysema.

See story page 9

See story page 7

Entertainment | pg. 2

ern Living” and “Texas Monthly” magazines. It began with fresh fruit adorning the dresses. Throughout the years, the art has been refined to craft exquisite creations using Valley citrus, fruits, vegetables and plants that have been dehydrated, pulverized, microwaved or blended, then applied to the fabric for decoration. The designer has to learn the art of using a wide variety of Valley products to

Opinion | pg. 4

Sports | pg. 6

Obituaries | pg. 9

Classifieds | pg. 11

entertainment

Call goes out for next ‘Art at Work’ exhibit

The call is going out for artists’ works to be displayed with the next Upper Valley Art League “Art at Work” exhibit. It opens March 7 and runs through June 4 at the Chase Bank Tower in McAllen. The exhibit is for UVAL members only, and annual membership is only $30 per individual or $50 for a family. Art at Work provides an opportunity for UVAL members to showcase their works in high traffic locations in the upper Valley. They are looking for professional artists who present a cohesive body of work and are willing to participate in the set up and promotion

of the show. Artwork will be selected by a panel. All artwork exhibited must be available for sale, and artists receive 70 percent of the sale and must replace the sold artwork with a new one of similar size. On Monday, Feb. 1, applications are due. The notification of jury selections will be announced Feb. 15, and exhibit setup is March 6. An opening reception will be held March 10. For questions and detailed information on the criteria to submit work, contact Linda Lewis at 469-328-8525 or lewis1997@hotmail.com. For more information, visit uvalartatwork.com.

Nonprofit seeks piano teachers, folklorico costumes

he Pharr Community Theater Co. (PCT) and it’s After School Training in the Arts Program is searching for ongoing volunteer piano teachers to work with beginner piano students from ages 4 to adult. The volunteer teachers are needed any day, Monday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. Teachers can teach one day out of the week or more and will receive a gas stipend. Classes will be held in Pharr at 317 W. Gore St. Also needed are folklorico dance costumes for children to teen sizes for girls and boys—new or used with

minimal repair. The Pharr Community Theater Co. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts. It is located at 213 W. Newcombe, Pharr. For more information, call the After School Training in the Arts coordinator, Gerry Rodriguez, at 4009547 or Adriana Guerrero, CEO, at 600-9463.

Artesano Market Days seeking vendors

he Mission Historical Museum is now registering artisan vendors for its highly anticipated Artesano Market Days to be held Feb. 12, from 1 to 8 p.m. and Feb. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event contributes to the rich cultural awareness of this region’s history and traditions through hand crafted artisan work – both domestic and foreign. Participation in the market will feature the following artisan and craft product categories: food related – derived or themed products; recycled or re-purposed items; and gardening – related or themed. Deadline for registration is Monday, Feb. 1. For more information on registering as an artisan vendor, contact Lisa Price at 580-8646 or by email at programs@missionmuseum. org.

Zoo receives award

he Gladys Porter Zoo was honored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums with the Quarter Century Award. This award, established in 2015, recognizes facilities that have maintained 25 years or more of continuous AZA accreditation, highlighting their commitment to animal care, welfare, conservation, education and more. The Gladys Porter Zoo was first accredited in 1978 and has maintained that status for 38 years.

January 15, 2016

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Coming Attractions

January 15-17 • “Monster Jam” trucks will be ripping through State Farm Arena in five huge shows. Start times are 7:30 p.m. all three dates, with 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday. The Pit Party on Saturday is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trucks scheduled to appear include Grave Digger, Team Hot Wheels, El Toro Loco, Monster Mutt Dalmatian, Zombie Hunter, Captain’s Curse, Doom’s Day and Mad Scientist. Tickets for all events range from $10 to $52 and are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Prices go up $2 the day of the event. Pit Party passes are available at participating Metro PCS locations or through the State Farm Arena box office.

January 21 • “Conjunto Nights at the Chicho” takes place at 6:45 p.m. at the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, 225 E. Stenger Street, San Benito. Suggested admission is $5. For information, contact Soledad A. Nunez at 244-0373.

January 15-16 • The annual All Valley RV & Outdoor Show will be held Jan.14-16 at the Mercedes Livestock Showgrounds in Mercedes and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 per person. Vendors will also be on hand offering food and drink beverages for those wanting to linger.

January 22 • Step back in time with the Liverpool Legends bring back the era when the Beatles were at the top of the charts. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Edinburg City Auditorium, and doors open at 7:30 p.m. There will be entertainment and beverages outside before the show. Prices range from $39 balcony to $55 for prime seats. For tickets, call Ticket Zone at 956-631-1411 or go to topboxtickets.com. • Emmanuel and Mijares will be performing at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 to $175 per person and available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

January 23 • The Marine Military Academy Boxing Tournament will be held in Peacher Hall on the MMA campus; first match begins at 2 p.m. The entry fee for spectators is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. This is the first boxing tournament for MMA to host in 25 years and is dedicated to Sgt. Maj. Fred Robertson, head boxing coach and former drill instructor at MMA. Robertson, a Marine who has worked at MMA since July 1987, will retire for the second time in his life at the end of the school year. MMA is located at 320 Iwo Jima Blvd. For information, call 423-6006. January 24 • The Rio Grande Valley Concert Band will perform at Rio Valley Estates in Weslaco at 3 p.m. Musicians with performance experience are invited to join. The band needs clarinets, flutes and percussion instruments players. Contact Gene Goede, director, at 682-9225 for information.

lifestyle Events Calendar

January 15 – Luciano Guerra from Mission presents “Birding Texas Style” at 6 p.m. at the Edinburg World Birding Center. Admission is free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Seats are limited; call to reserve a spot. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For info, call 381-9922. January 15 – The Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild will offer classes as part of their “Schoolhouse” program. The classes held on Fridays, run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Texas College campus in Weslaco, Building G. Classes are $10 for members and $35 for non-members. The $25 pays for membership in the RGV Quilt Guild. Sharon DeGarimore will present “Hand Carved Quilting Stamps.” There is an extra $3.50 for this session to pay for quilting supplies. For more information contact Karen Kill at schoolhousergvqg@gmail.com. January 16 – Aglow International McAllen Community Lighthouse will host a complimentary prayer breakfast at 9:30 a.m. For location and directions, contact Criselda Alvarado, president, at 534-7941 or via email at Criseldalvarado@gmail.com. This month’s speaker is Isabel Segovia, minister at Abundant Grace Community Church in Edinburg and is a professional trainer, mediator and facilitator. She serves on the Aglow International Area Board of South Texas as vice president of Lighthouse Development. January 16 – Learn about the “Winter Raptors of the RGV” with Roy Rodriguez, Bentsen State Park interpreter, at the Edinburg World Birding Center at 9 a.m. Rodriguez will discuss wintering and year-round resident birds. The program fee is $2 for members and $4 for non-members. Space is limited; call to reserve a spot. The EWBC is located at 714 Raul Longoria Rd. For info, call 381-9922. January 17 – Knights of Columbus Council 2698 in Mission will serve up a barbecue luncheon from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 1119 N. Francisco Ave., in Mission. Plates are take-out only for $8 each. Each plate has slow-cooked, sliced top sirloin butt, coleslaw, ranch beans and trimmings. Tickets may be purchased at the St. Paul’s Catholic Church office, or at the door on the day of the barbecue. January 19 – The San Benito Historical Society presents “Window to the Past” with actor Ray Stewart at 6 p.m. at the San Benito Community Building, 210 E. Heywood. Stewart will speak on his career in acting on Broadway and television and internationally. Light refreshments will be served. January 21 – Head to Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center, 600 Sunset in McAllen, and learn about the ecological roles that palms have played in the history of the Rio Grande Valley. Andrew McDonald, UTRGV associate professor who teaches in the fields of plant systematics, ethnobotany and plant morphology will present the program. For more info, call 681-3370. January 21 – More than 200 Turkey Vultures descend on Frontera Audubon each evening during winter months to roost, or take rest for the night. Raptor expert Bill Clark will discuss lesser-known facts at Frontera Audubon, 1101 S. Texas Blvd. in Weslaco. To watch the vultures descend into Frontera’s Thicket, arrive by 4:30 p.m. and meet on the lawn behind the Skaggs House. For more information, call 968-3275. (For daily events and upcoming weeks, see the full calendar at www.ptrgv.com.)

January 15, 2016

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

BETWEEN the bookendS

Speer Memorial Library

12th St. & Kika Loop • Mission • 580-8750

By Robert L. Rivera lfredo E. Cardenas will give a presentation at Speer Memorial Library on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. in the library’s community room discussing his book, “Balo’s War,” accompanied with a slide presentation. Mr. Cardenas’s book uses fictional characters to tell the story. The characters are both fictional and authentic. They are not based on any one person but rather a compilation of various real persons and the imagination of the author, formed by historical knowledge and his own experiences. Their conversations and interactions with real persons, such as President Woodrow Wilson, President Venustiano Carranza, and other historical figures are imaginary, but they are based on who these historical figures were, and what they said and did. The book uses a variety of characters, real and imagined, to tell the story of a people who went from being Spaniard to Mexican to American in a short span of 30 years. They struggled to hold on to their land, their language, their culture, and their history against insurmountable odds. At times this struggle resorted to violence. This is a historical novel depicting the “Plan of San Diego, Texas.” one of those times when the struggle became violent. Despite it all, they survived and flourished. For information, contact Robert L. Rivera at the library at 580-8479 or email him at robert@missiontexas.us; or Adela Ortega at 580-580-8714 or aortega@missiontexas.us. The library is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission.

Happy birthday!

page 3

urora Diaz Austin celebrated her 90th birthday with a dinner hosted by her family in November at Asadero Los Cabritos Restaurant in Mission. Mrs. Austin was born on Oct. 11, 1925, in Rio Grande City and has lived in Mission most of her life. Hosting the celebration were her children, Dr. Charles Austin, Steven Austin, Walter Austin, Robert Austin and Judith Fernandez.

MHS Class of ’71 plans reunion

he organizing committee for the Mission High School Class of 1971 are looking for their classmates. They will be celebrating their 45th reunion in a two-night event, June 24 and 25. The festivities begin with a mingler on Friday at Los Asados at 7:30 p.m. It is located at 620 S. Ware Rd. in McAllen. The reunion dinner will be Saturday at Balli’s Event Center in Mission from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m. Cost is $30 per person for the dinner on Saturday. Organizers include Gloria Olivarez, Alicia Saenz, Anita Pulido, Lucy Gonzalez, Marisela Saenz and Ana Ochoa. To RSVP or to help locate class members, contact Lucy Gonzalez at 240-5494.

Polar Plunge benefits Special Olympics

he Special Olympics Texas’s coldest event of the year, the Polar Plunge, is coming to Clayton’s Beach Bar & Grill in South Padre Island, Jan. 30. Beginning at noon, those brave enough to surrender their warmth will plunge into the freezing water. The cold sensation will last temporarily, but the impact made on children and adults with intellectual disabilities will last a lifetime. The public is encouraged to grab a costume and dare a friend to join in the plunge. Register with a team or as an individual at sotx.org. Cost is $30 for youth under age 18 and $60 for adults.

All registration fees include a T-shirt. Walk-up registration will also be held on the day of the event, starting at 11 a.m. Individuals and teams who raise more money than the minimum registration fee will receive other commemorative incentives, including a long-sleeved T-shirt, sixpack cooler, blanket and a duffel bag for each donation level they meet. All proceeds provide programming and training for more than 4,600 SOTX athletes in the Rio Grande Valley. Awards will be presented to the individual and team that raises the most money and to the individual with the Best Costume.

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By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Governor proposes slate of amendments to U.S. Constitution

January 15, 2016

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USTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Jan. 8 unveiled his “Texas Plan,” a document promoting the passage of nine constitutional amendments “to rein in the federal government and restore the balance of power between the States and the United States,” he said. The amendments Abbott is proposing include: - Prohibit Congress from regulating activity that occurs wholly within one State. - Require Congress to balance its budget; - Prohibit administrative agencies, and the unelected bureaucrats that staff them, from creating federal law; - Prohibit administrative agencies, and the unelected bureaucrats that staff them, from preempting state law. - Allow a two-thirds majority of the States to override a U.S. Supreme Court decision; - Require a seven-justice supermajority vote for U.S. Supreme Court decisions that invalidate a democratically enacted law; - Restore the balance of power between the federal and state governments by limiting the former to the powers expressly delegated to it in the Constitution; - Give state officials the power to sue in federal court when federal officials overstep their bounds; and - Allow a two-thirds majority of the States to override a federal law or regulation. Manny Garcia, executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, reacted, saying that what Abbott is proposing would “tear apart the Constitution and take America back to an equivalent of the Articles of Confederation.” Garcia added: “America added 292,000 new jobs in December. But under Abbott, Texas fell to sixth in job creation, remains the uninsured capitol of the nation,

wages and incomes remain far too low for hardworking families, our neighborhood schools are still underfunded, and college education is slipping out of reach. “Texas families deserve serious solutions, not Tea Party nonsense.” Gun plan draws reactions In a Jan. 7 White House address, President Obama said he would take executive action to reduce gun violence in America, primarily by keeping guns “out of the wrong hands through background checks.” Gov. Abbott reacted, saying, “Despite the president’s latest attempt to undermine our liberty, Texas will take every action to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also reacted, saying, “I stand ready to fight back against any overreach that will deny or infringe on (gun owners’) rights.” Sales tax revenue drops Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Jan. 6 announced that sales tax revenue for the state in December was $2.33 billion, down 1.1 percent compared to December 2014. “As with the previous two months, December sales tax revenue was down largely due to spending reductions in oil and gas-related sectors,” Hegar said. “This was expected, given ongoing weakness in oil and natural gas prices. Remittances from other sectors, such as construction and information, continued to grow.” Also, Hegar said, the Office of the Comptroller is sending cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $617.2 million in local sales tax allocations for January, 0.1 percent less than in January 2015. The allocations are based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly. ‘Don’t Mess’ turns 30

The Texas Department of Transportation on Jan. 3 announced the “Don’t Mess With Texas” anti-litter campaign had reached its 30th anniversary. According to a TxDOT news release, for more than 30 years, the iconic Don’t Mess With Texas campaign has reminded people to put litter in a trashcan instead of tossing it out of their vehicles. Researchers estimate that nearly a half a billion (435 million) pieces of visible litter pile up along state-maintained highways annually. Small bits of trash can add up to one big litter problem, especially when napkins, wrappers and cigarette butts make up 70 percent of all litter found along Texas roads. In 2014 alone, the state spent $35 million in highway cleanup costs, TxDOT said. New TEA chief takes office Mike Morath on Jan. 4 was administered the oath of office to become the new Texas Commissioner of Education. Morath, who succeeds Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams, was appointed to the position by Gov. Abbott on Dec. 14. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation during the next legislative session in 2017. “I am committed to ensuring that our education system provides all the children of Texas the opportunity to be successful in life,” Morath said.

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Correction

Progress Times printed incorrect dates for early election and Election Day in the Jan. 8, 2015 story “’I think we’re going to win.’ Team Liberty holds block party.” Early voting actually runs from Feb. 16 to Feb. 26 and Election Day is March 1. The last day to apply for ballot by mail is Feb. 19. Progress Times is dedicated to printing facts and we take full responsibility for our error. We apologize for the misprint.

Zoo announces new admission rates

ROWNSVILLE – Gladys Porter Zoo (GPZ) has increased admission rates for 2016 by $1. Prices are now $11 for adults ages 14 to 64, $9.50 for senior citizens ages 65 and over, and $8.00 for children ages 2 to 13. Children under 2 years of age are still free and discounts are still he 45th Antique Show available for groups, Triple and Sale, sponsored A and AARP members, as by the Women of St. well as active military. Alban’s Episcopal Church, “In the present economwill be held Jan. 15 to 17 at Casa de Amistad in Harlin- crystal, china, silver, linens, ic climate, a price increase gen. Show hours are from 10 antique clocks, and much was necessary to offset ina.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and more. Glass grinding and creased expenses to care and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to matching service for sterling keep our animal collection,” silver are also available. The said Dr. Patrick Burchfield, 4 p.m. on Sunday. Antique dealers from all Women of St. Alban’s will director of the Gladys Porter across the country bring a be selling a variety of home- Zoo. Membership rates have wide variety of quality an- cooked foods: cakes, cookalso increased by $10 per tiques to the Rio Grande Val- ies, jams and jellies. Admission tickets, good level for Single through ley’s only show of its kind. for all three days, are $6 Grandparent Plus categoThe show features Country, English, and Victorian each. Proceeds are used to ries. The new rates have furniture, antique and estate fund St. Alban’s charitable been posted on the Zoo’s website at www.gpz.org. jewelry, all types of glass, projects during the year. Members receive free parking, free tickets to events like Boo at the Zoo and other free or discounted benefits. Plus, members are granted free or discounted admission to many Zoos naDINBURG – The Ed- tion is encouraged. inburg Scenic WetThe EWBC is located at tionwide. lands & World Birding 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. Center (EWBC) and Texas Parks & Wildlife are bringing back the Rio Grande Valley Coastal Expo. Educators are invited to register their students for the event that will be held at EWBC on This Week Feb. 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free, fun and educational hands-on event teaches City council briefed on latest lawsuit children in first through sixth A multi-million dollar lawsuit was has been filed against grades about coastal ecosys- the city of Mission and present and former cit officials. City tems, South Texas wildlife Manager Mark Watson said the suit asked for $2.5 million and outdoor adventures. for damages and $7.5 million for punitive payment, alleging The event is designed to violation of civil rights of three former officers, all fired from bring the coast, its associat- their jobs. ed ecology and the wonders of the Rio Grande into the Billy Leo announces for county clerk backyards of the youth, esMayor William “Billy” Leo of La Joya announced that he pecially those that may not will seek office of the Hidalgo County Clerk, citing an interhave access to it otherwise. est to serve a larger number of the county’s citizens. Using a multitude of hands-on stations, nature Mission woman named TAW state president walks and skills training, orGen long of mission was named president of the statewide ganizers introduce children organization Texas Agri-Women. Mission woman Vicki Nimto the wonder and explora- mo was named president-elect. tion of the Texas coast and river basin. Winter Texans take ‘Back to School’ trip Teachers interested in this Superintendent Kenneth White guides groups of Winter event that would like more Texans on a tour of the campuses in the Mission school disinformation should contact trict. Veronica Guzman at vguzman@cityofedinburg.com or FFA team places third in state contest 381-9922. Individual classThe Sharyland High School Future Farmers of America rooms or entire grade levels team Farm Radio won third place in the state leadership concan be registered. Space is test. limited, and early registra-

Women of St. Alban’s host 45th Antique Show

Time to register students for 2016 RGV Coastal Expo

Reminiscing... 30 Years Ago

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January 15, 2016

Mission CISD board meeting recordings available online

ommunity members interested in seeing or hearing what went on during regular meetings of the Mission Board of Trustees, but who are not able to attend the meeting will still be able to view the meeting. The district has begun to share the basic audio and video recordings of the regular board meetings on the district website. As required by Texas House Bill 283, an archive of the recordings will be made available through the website. The first available meeting as a part of the online archive is the meeting of Dec. 9, 2015. The archive will grow as meetings are held and will eventually include a span of two years’ worth of meetings. “The recordings won’t be anything fancy,” explained Craig Verley, director of public relations and marketing. “The district does not have the staffing or equipment to be able to do multi-camera shoots with post-production of the meeting recordings. These are basic videos taken by one camera set up in the meeting room. The audio recordings are also the basic audio taken as a part of our normal processes and do not include any post-production enhancements.”

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Verley said the district was able to leverage its Google for Education access to fairly easily meet the requirements of HB383 without additional costs for server space or equipment beyond what the district already had in place. “Through Google for Education, we get unlimited use of Google Drive, a cloud-based space for saving and sharing files,” Verley said. “We know there are other services out there that allow for more bells and whistles, but this allows us to share the meetings without any real added cost to the district beyond the employee time to upload and link the files for the website. We don’t have to worry about providing local (district) servers and server space for the recording archives.” The recordings can be found under the “Board” dropdown menu on the main district website, www. mcisd.net. District officials are also working on including links to the meeting agenda and minutes of the meetings once the board approves them. This will allow the public easy access from just one page of the website.

Crime tipsters eligible for cash reward

he Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has re-partnered with the non-profit organization Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers in the continued objective for a safer Hidalgo County. The Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers has maintained its certification as a crime stoppers program through the Texas Crime Stoppers council, and has acquired additional resources and tools to make it easier to report tips related to fugitives from justice, investigations, and suspicious activity related to criminal activity. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has appointed PIO Sgt. J.P. Rodriguez and PIO Deputy Celina Flores as the crime stoppers coordinators that will be working with, and providing support to the organization. As coordinators, they will manage the tips provided through the hotline and the new software obtained by the organization,

“P3 Tips.” P3 Tips allows persons to submit tips (with pictures and/or video) anonymously through the website www.p3tips.com, or the free smart phone application “P3 Tips.” This is in addition to the standard method by calling the hotline number 956668-TIPS (8477). The Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers organization has also created a mascot “Deputy Argo”, to promote education and participation on tip reporting and community events. Daily operations for the non-profit organization will continue to be managed by the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers board. We want to remind the public that the strongest resource any law enforcement agency has to combat the criminal element is the people they serve. Promoting positive law enforcement-community partnerships and encouraging participation of crime reporting can accomplish this.

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Tipsters who provide information to law enforcement through Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers are not required to provide any identifying information and may remain completely anony-

mous. If the information provided by a tipster leads to a positive disposition on any criminal case, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.00.

January 15, 2016

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Rattlers take Mission Soccer Tournament

By Luciano Guerra t’s the largest high school soccer tournament in the Rio Grande Valley. The second annual Mission Eagles Soccer Invitational Tournament was played on six different fields last week and of the 42 boys teams entered only one could emerge as the champion. After three grueling days in which they played a total of nine games, it was the Sharyland Rattlers that bettered the field and defeated last year’s champions, the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies, to claim the championship trophy. The Rattlers got off on the right foot in the opening round of group play last Thursday by sweeping their three opponents, the Edinburg Bobcats (4-0), the Los Fresnos Falcons (6-2) and the McAllen Bulldogs (3-0). On Friday, the Rattlers split their two games by defeating Laredo Cigarroa but falling to the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies by identical scores of 1-0. Then, as if having already played five games in

two days wasn’t enough, the Rattlers took to the soccer field four times Saturday as they shutout Grulla 1-0, snuck by Brownsville Veterans in the quarterfinals by a score of 1-0 on penalty kicks, outlasted McAllen Memorial in the semifinals, 3-1, and avenged their earlier loss to Juarez-Lincoln by defeating the Huskies 3-1 in the championship game. While the three-day, nine-game marathon was grueling, the fact that they emerged as champions made it worthwhile for the Rattlers players to endure. “It was a lot of games we had to play but in the end it all paid off,” said senior Rattlers’ midfielder Gabriel Garza. “We had to play some tough teams but that will help us prepare for district. Winning the championship was great but we’re working towards much bigger things than winning a preseason tournament.” Last year the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies were crowned as tournament champions when cold, wet weather caused tournament play to be

halted before the championship could be determined on the field. That left a bad taste in the mouths of the Rattlers players. The fact that they were able to defeat the same Huskies in the championship game this year, especially after losing to them in the second round of play, is something that Sharyland junior Ruben Mendez took a lot of satisfaction from. “It was a tough loss,” shared Mendez. “But it was a good learning experience because like everybody else, we have to learn from our mistakes. The fact that we defeated the Huskies in the championship game showed how we moved forward by learning from the mistakes that cost us the earlier game.” “Defeating the Huskies to win the tournament means a lot, but then again it doesn’t,” Mendez added. “When you think about it, we really haven’t won anything. It does show us that we’re growing as a team, that we’re getting better and that we’re capable of going far, but then again, it’s only

a preseason tournament. It’s just a beginning.” When asked what it was like to participate in the Mission tournament, Sharyland junior right back Roman De Leon said, “We played nine games over three days and that was exhausting. They were all very intense games and we had to run a lot. We were all very sore afterwards, but it was worth it in the end.”

“We wanted to prove that we were the best team in the tournament so that motivated us to keep going,” added De Leon. “Juarez-Lincoln was saying that they won the tournament last year when they were named champions, but we didn’t get to show all that we had. Luckily this year we got to prove that we were the best team and we proved it on the field.”

Tuesday night the Rattlers defeated the Los Fresnos Falcons for the second time in less than a week to improve their non-district record to 9-1. Sharyland trailed 3-1 at halftime but scored six goals in the second half to win 7-3. Freshman Salvador Martinez led the way offensively for the Rattlers by scoring their first four goals of the game in his first game of the season.

Mission looking to fill two key coaching positions

By Luciano Guerra hen it comes to high school sports across the state of Texas, football is king. But when it comes to girls’ sports in the Rio Grande Valley, volleyball is queen. Mission CISD needs to fill two of the most important positions in high school sports – the head football coach/ athletic coordinator position at Mission High School, and the head volleyball coach position at Veterans Memorial High School. These are two of the bigger challenges MCISD Athletic Director Joe R. Sanchez has taken on during his eight-year tenure with the district. While the head football

coach and athletic coordinator position at Mission High is currently occupied by Mario Pena, he recently submitted his letter of resignation to the district effective the end of the current school year. As for the head volleyball coach position at Veterans Memorial, that was vacated when the Lady Patriots’ long-time, and highly successful, head coach Diana Lerma was reassigned part-way through the Lady Patriots’ 2015-2016 season. While both vacancies are for coaching positions, Sanchez explained why the processes underway to fill them are quite different. “The head football coach and athletic coordinator position is an administrative position and as such it is handled a

little bit different than teacher positions are handled,” Sanchez said. “The head volleyball coach is a teacher’s position because they have teaching duties.” When it comes to filling the position of head football coach/athletic coordinator, the first step was to establish a set of criteria that the applicants would need to meet as minimum qualifications for the job. “The criteria that we have for that particular position is that we want at least three years of experience as a head football coach and an athletic coordinator at the 3-A level or higher, or to have been either an offensive or defensive coordinator for three years at the 5-A or 6-A level,” explained

Sanchez. “That latter set of criteria opens up the position to a lot of top assistants that you want to give chances to. In this case, we posted those criteria online right before the holidays and we will be accepting applications through the 15th of this month.” The applications received are then submitted to the district’s Human Resources Department where, according to Sanchez, Dr. Lazaro Ramirez, personnel specialist, handles the process of reviewing all the applications and determining which will be the top candidates submitted to the school board for their consideration. Sanchez said early this week there were more than 35 applicants that had at least

started the process of submitting their applications, but that he did not know how many of those would be completing the process in time to meet the deadline. The salary range for this particular position is listed at $69,646 - $96,179 on the district’s website. As for the head volleyball coach’s position at VMHS, the process of filling that position involves the principal, the athletic coordinator, the girls’ athletic coordinator and Sanchez himself as the AD. With that position having been vacated earlier in the school year, the process of filling it is much further along. “We posted that opening back on December 1st or 2nd,” Sanchez said. “As

soon as we got back from the holidays we looked at the 11 completed applications and we went through a screening process that involved Principal Dr. Leticia Pena, Coach Kathy Howell, Coach David Gilpin and myself. After doing so, we narrowed the field down to the top four candidates who we interviewed Monday. We have since ranked them in order from 1-4 and now we’re checking their references.” Sanchez expects the new Lady Patriots’ head volleyball coach to be named prior to the next school board meeting which is coming up Wednesday.

January 15, 2016

By Luciano Guerra

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Mario Peña announces retirement

hirty-seven years after starting his varsity football coaching career at Mission High School, Mario Pena has announced he will be ending it at Mission as well. Pena’s resignation will take effect at the end of the current school year. While Pena’s stellar coaching career has made a full circle back to his alma mater, he spent the majority of those 37 years coaching and as an athletic director elsewhere. Three years after his initial hiring with the Eagles, the 1975 Mission High School graduate left his hometown to take the defensive coordinator position at La Joya High School at the extremely young age of 25. In total Pena spent 17 years at La Joya; first as an assistant, then as a head football coach and athletic director and finally as just the athletic director. He then moved on to Edinburg North High School where he spent two years as the Cougars’ defensive coordinator before moving on to Sharyland High where he spent two years as the Rattlers’ special teams coordinator. Pena’s next stop was at San Benito where he became the Greyhounds head football coach in 2003. During his six-year tenure at San Benito, he led the Greyhounds to the playoffs four times. Pena’s next move would be his last when he returned to Mission and became the Eagles’ head football coach in 2009. While Pena is not eliminating completely the possibility

of his returning to coaching elsewhere after taking a oneyear hiatus, he made the decision to step down from his current position as a result of his health. “From a financial standpoint, once you hit 37 years you’re basically working for free because you’re not going to make that much less money being retired,” Pena said. “While that is one of the reasons for my retirement, the main reason is my health. The last two to three years I have been coaching with pain. A year ago I ended up on crutches.” “I’ve got a lot of arthritis in my body and it’s gotten to the point that if you check my x-rays, there are bones sticking out of my head and other areas,” added Pena. “As a matter of fact, my doctor is amazed that I have been able to continue coaching.” With the coaching profession being a “What have you done for us lately?” proposition, the fact that Pena endured for nearly four decades is a testament to his passion for and dedication to the sport of football. “I guess my one weakness has been not knowing when to pull back,” shared the former All-Valley coach of the year. “While at San Benito, for example, I broke my leg and I was told that I’d be out for six months but two weeks later I was back on the sidelines coaching from a wheel chair. I’ve gone through four back operations and two hip replacements, but I’ve never wanted to let the kids down.

That’s why I’ve always found a way to work through the pain. Sometimes, however, that attitude has worked against me.” Over his 20-year head coaching career, Pena amassed an overall record of 112-95-3. When asked if of those 112 wins any stand out above the rest, Pena said, “Without a doubt there were two games that defined me as a defensive coach. In 1993, while at La Joya, we went up against the 13th ranked San Benito Greyhounds in the bi-district round of the playoffs. We were 27-point underdogs, but I told my coaches before the game that we were going to beat them. We ended up winning that game 10-7 and I was named Coach of the Year in the Rio Grande Valley.” “Then in 1995 we went up against the Harlingen Cardinals and their legendary coach Bob Boyd who went on to coach at Texas A&M,” continued Pena. “I believe that they had the third best offense in the state that year with a quarterback that had thrown for over 2,000 yards and a running back that had rushed for over 1,800 yards. We held them to a total of 95-yards of offense and beat them with two safeties by a score of 4-0.” During his seven-year tenure at Mission, the Eagles compiled a 35-37 record. That included a 10-2 season in 2009 when they won a district and a bi-district championship, and a 9-2 season in 2012 when they shared the district title with Mercedes and Edcouch-Elsa.

TOP: Mission head football coach Mario Pena wants to know what’s going on as he watches his defense line up against the Palmview offense during the Eagles’ 21-19 2012 victory over the Lobos. BOTTOM:Mission Eagles’ head football coach Mario Pena and his players enjoy their 42-0 victory over the Veterans Memorial Patriots during their 9-2 2012 season. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

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City signs interlocal agreement with Palmview to provide sewer service

By Kathy Olivarez

ollowing executive session in the Jan.11 Mission City council meeting, it was announced the council had approved an interlocal agreement to provide sewer service for the City of Palmview. The action came as part of an agreement with the Agua Special Utility District. According to City Manager Martin Garza, the city of Palmview will pay $3.5 million to buy 1 million gallons daily (MGD) from the Mission sewer plant that currently provides Mission with a capacity of 9 MGD. There are already plans underway with construction to start soon that will increase capacity by 4.5 MGD to 13.5 MGD. Under terms of the agreement once Palmview reaches 80 percent of the city’s allotted use of 1 MGD, it must start searching for financing to buy another portion of the plant’s capacity. When asked how long that might be and whether Mission would need to expand again soon, Garza replied there was no way to know. It all depends on growth in the area. Rezoning In other action, a rezoning request for 12.11 acres of land out of Lot 304, John H. Shary Subdivision, which is currently zoned Agricultural Interim, was rezoned R-1T (townhouse) against the wishes of the neighborhood, which is primarily R-1A (large single-family lots). The developer first suggested R-3 for apartments but this was turned down. After a period he came up with a design for luxury townhouses in the $250,000 range, which he felt would fit in with the type of homes in the area. Residents of the local neighborhoods that are R-1A were opposed to the rezoning to R-1T and presented a petition showing 40 percent of the neighborhood opposed

the rezoning. As a result, the council had to have a fourfifths vote to pass the request. After the developer showed renderings of the type of townhouses that were to be built on the site, several residents spoke against the request. The main opposition was high density. The R-1A subdivisions have no more than two houses to an acre. The townhouses would have ten per acre. The residents said when they bought their homes they purchased them with the belief there would be large homes with few people in the area. A large amount of people in such a small area would destroy the character of the neighborhood. Currently, there are 165 homes on 100 acres. Yolanda Gonzalez opposed the action saying she bought a large lot for a one-story home in a spacious area that guaranteed there were no neighbors looking over her back fence into her yard. She does not want to go 10 years into the future to find the character of the neighborhood had changed. Others spoke in favor of the plan. Developer Nacho Pecina told the council when most of those subdivisions were built, lots sold for around $20,000. Today a large lot costs about $80,000. Most people cannot afford to buy a large lot for a home. Mayor Beto Salinas told the audience that reduction of taxes in Mission is important. The more development there is, the lower taxes will be. He said the developer of this project had his project turned down twice by the Planning & Zoning Commission. He feels the luxury townhouses are a good alternative. The cost would mean the people would maintain them and take care of them like the people in the R-1A residential areas. He recommended approval and the council voted 5-0 to approve the request. Other highlights The council rescinded

Ordinance 4289, prohibiting parking on Orange Street and approved a new ordinance providing no parking on Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from 182 feet north of East Griffin Parkway and extending the no parking zone on the west side of 2300 block of Orange Avenue from 30 feet to 40 feet starting at Griffin Parkway. Orange Street resident Jimmy Sanchez said he does not mind people parking in front of his house but he does mind the parking at the attorney’s office next door on Griffin Parkway that prohibits cars leaving Orange Avenue from seeing what traffic is coming. In other action, a resolution providing for the temporary closing of S.H .107 (Conway Avenue) during the Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade on Jan. 30 was approved. Approval to have the Texas Citrus Fiesta Carnival north of the intersection of FM 495 and Conway Avenue was also granted. A conditional use permit for the Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair to be held at La Lomita Plaza and Rotary Park was granted. In other action, prior authorization to purchase two Polaris four –wheelers from a local vendor was revoked because they were not on the approved vendor list for four-wheelers. Instead they will be purchased through the TXMAS contract. The Mission Police Department was granted permission to purchase new light poles from Bush Supply Co. to replace rusting light poles at the main police station. Hidalgo County was given permission to use city buildings for the upcoming Primary Election on March 1, the Primary Run-off on May 24, and the General Election on Nov. 8. City Hall, the Boys & Girls Club in Bannworth Park, and the Kika de la Garza building (also known as the Upper Valley Art League building) will be used.

January 15, 2018

Congressman Cuellar secures funding to combat obesity

ongressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) announced that he secured a $2.5 million-dollar increase in federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Outreach Program to Reduce the Prevalence of Obesity in High Risk Areas (those counties with an obesity rate above 40 percent). Hidalgo County is the only county in the congressman’s district that meets the program’s criteria. Congressman Cuellar secured the additional funds through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 government funding bill passed last month. In FY 2016, the program will have a total of $10 million. “The health and well-being of our community is something I take very seriously,” Cuellar said. “I have always supported legislation, like the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, that promotes nutrition, healthy weight and fitness. Investing in federal programs that aim to reduce obesity is smart public policy. “Preventive health care helps our citizens lead longer, healthier lives and reduces our spending on medical care,” he continued. “This money will give our communities the resources they need to better tackle obesity and the many diseases associated with it.” The Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Office receives funding from this program to work with local officials in Hidalgo County, where obesity rates are over 40 percent, to im-

plement obesity prevention strategies. Hidalgo County extension coordinators are in the process of organizing coalitions of local leaders to address obesity and focus on what small rural areas can do to improve access to healthy food and safe opportunities for physical activity, including improving local farmers markets, local parks, and access to exercise equipment. “The CDC Outreach Program to Reduce the Prevalence of Obesity in High Risk Areas is vital to helping communities like Hidalgo County create healthier environments,” said Jenna Anding, professor and Extension specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. “We appreciate the congressman’s work to increase funding for projects that groups like ours can use to change the habits and food options that are linked to obesity.” Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. According to the CDC:

COSTUME SHOW create a rainbow of colors to enhance each creation – tangerine peel for orange, bougainvillea blossoms for red and burnt citrus wood for brown. Other products often used include white, purple or yellow onionskins, papaya, cantaloupe and orange seeds, and leaves and flowers of a wide variety of plants. Every part of the citrus tree can be used for different purposes and colors including the citrus peel, seeds, leaves, citrus wood and the fruit itself. Designing and creating a product costume takes several years to learn the techniques that work. Designers with the most skills usually make the most elaborate costumes, while newer designers make simpler costumes. “For us, it is a family project where everyone bonds together to make the costumes and see that everything comes out right,” said Sylvia Gonzalez, a veteran costume maker of four years experience. “We all work together to collect the material,

• More than onethird (34.9 percent or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese while almost 32 percent of U.S. children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight • More than half of those children are considered obese. • 42.9 percent of adults in Hidalgo County are obese. • Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance, which are risk factors for developing heart disease, diabetes and other dangerous health conditions. • Obesity in adults is also associated with an increased risk of a number of conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and certain cancers, all of which are among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. from pg 1

process it by dehydrating it or crushing it, and then to put it on the costume. “The first year we made so many mistakes,” Gonzalez continued. “My daughter was a hobo in the elementary division. We did not use the right glue or material and the material kept falling off.” “The second year she was a flower girl and the costume came out much better because we knew a little bit more about what material and products we needed to use. We have worked with a Mardi Gras theme where we made masks, and with a countries around the world theme, we picked Jamaica and used a lot of fruits. “But the real tricks of the trade are learning how to put things together and getting the product to stay on the costume. Using rubber cement for the base coat and spray glue for additional coats of product seems to work well. We have tried hair spray and spray starch to get the product to stay on the costume. But different products work

better with different glues so it is not always easy to get everything to stay on. “It takes a lot of knowhow to get stuff to work together and a lot of creativity to get a really good-looking costume.” Adriana Uhrbrock, a firsttime designer, tells the other side of the story. “It’s a bit overwhelming to experiment to get just the right colors and products. It is sometimes difficult to find the colors wanted,” Uhrbrock said. “Tangerine peels make a great gold color once they are dehydrated and powdered. But other colors are more difficult. Sometimes the product looks entirely different than you anticipated.” For example, Adriana tried dying some lemon pulp she had with beets, as someone recommended to get a pink color. But when it was completely dry, the product was a rust color instead of the pink she needed. Getting enough of some colors was also a challenge. When green leafy vegetables such as kale are dried, there is very little product when it is ground. It would take a truckload to get enough to cover an entire dress. Some of the products have to be dried overnight to get the water out and others can be done in two to three hours. If they are left overnight they will almost disappear. It is hard to know which product will work best. All costumes are required to be at least 50 percent citrus since they are being made for the Texas Citrus Fiesta. All other agricultural products used must be grown in the Rio Grande Valley. How the products are used and how they are processed are up to the designers who make the costumes. The Texas Citrus Fiesta Product Costume Style Show is Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. at the Mission Community Center, located at 1420 E. Kika de la Garza Loop, Mission. The costumes must adhere to the theme of this year’s show, which is “Citrus, Cartoons & Comic Book Characters.” There will be three divisions of costumes: Primary, ages four to 12; Teen, ages 13 to 19; and Adult, ages 20 and older. Tickets cost $5 per person and may be purchased in advance or at the door. Advance tickets are available at the Texas Citrus Fiesta office, located at 220 E. 9th Street, Mission. Editor’s note: Jim Brunson contributed to this article.

January 15, 2016

The “Voice of Valley Agriculture,” Charles Davis “Charlie” Rankin, passed away on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, at his home in Boerne from the effects of emphysema. He was 90 years old. He was the trusted “voice” on the radio and “Charlie”

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Valley agriculture icon, Charlie Rankin, passes to farmers and city dwellers alike. Across the Valley, thousands tuned their radios each morning and on television, listening to the latest farm-tomarket reports and news impacting Valley agriculture. Born June 2, 1925, to Winnie Lee (Davis) and Charles

obituaries

José Benito Hernandez Sr. MISSION – José Benito Hernandez Sr., 78, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, at McAllen Medical Center. Mr. Hernandez was born on July 31, 1937 in Abram to Clemente Hernandez and Nicolasa Ochoa. Survivors include his wife, Hilda F. Hernandez; children, Fernando Hernandez, Mary Lou Guajardo and José Benito Hernandez Jr.; and six grandchildren. A funeral service was held on Jan. 13 at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Abram. Burial followed at San Jose Cemetery in Abram. Margarita G. Ochoa PEÑITAS – Margarita G.

Notices Jesus Alberto Chavez MISSION – Jesus Alberto Chavez, 25, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, at his home in Mission. Ramona Fuentes MISSION – A funeral mass for Ramona Fuentes was held on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen. Arturo Leon MISSION – Arturo Leon, 51, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Jesus Villarreal MISSION – Jesus Villarreal, 76, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Valentin Zendejas MISSION – Valentin Zendejas, 44, passed away on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

Ochoa, 79, passed away on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, at her daughter’s home in Mission. Survivors include her children, Jose Alonzo Ochoa, Gracie Goodwin, Graciela Garcia, Miguel Ochoa, Petronila Campos, Margarita Caldera, Luis Ochoa Jr., Jaime Ochoa, Javier Ochoa, Arnoldo Ochoa, Jose Alejandro Ochoa, Eduardo Ochoa, Aracely Rocha and Alma Alicia Lara; siblings, Gregoria Pena, Guadalupe Araujo, Dorotea Garza, Maria Ochoa, Nieves Garza, Severino Garza and Silvestre Garza; and 51 grandchildren and 53 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luis Ochoa; parents, Miguel Garza and Petronila Sierra; siblings, Adelaida Garza, Nicolas Garza, Cecilio Garza, Sostenes Garza and Nieves Garza. A funeral service was held on Jan. 9 at L&I Funeral Home in Peñitas. Burial followed at Peñitas City Cemetery. Yolanda D. Villarreal MISSION – Yolanda D. Villarreal, 73, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Pedro Villarreal Jr.; children, Pedro Villarreal III, Armando Villarreal, Margarita Villarreal and Patricia Villarreal; siblings, Jose Salazar, David Ortiz and Lucilla Esparza; and 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother Consuelo Guzman. Burial was held on Jan. 12 at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview.

Duncan Rankin in Dallas, he graduated from Corsicana High School in 1943. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy, he was as a boiler tender on the USS Takanis Bay (CVE-89). His ship was one of the first to dock at postwar Japan, when they brought back hundreds

of American soldiers who had fought the Japanese. After mustering out of the Navy in late 1945, he headed to Texas A&M College, where he graduated with an animal husbandry degree in January, 1950. His real love, though, was rodeo, and he was a member of the Aggie rodeo team. He said he paid for his “extras” at college by winning a “purse” at the rodeos. While at A&M Charlie met Sue Evelyn Moore at the Bandera Stompede, courted her and married her on Sept. 21, 1950. Charlie said the need for a national organization to govern college rodeo was apparent. On Jan. 30, 1949, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) was established, and he was elected the first student president. The NIRA is still the college rodeo governing body today. After graduating from A&M, Charlie became the first NIRA executive manager, serving only months before being called back into the Navy for the Korean War. After Korea, he worked in Eden as a U.S. Soil Conservation Service agent. In 1954, he began his broadcasting career doing a program of agricultural news and markets on WACO Radio in Waco.

KRGV Radio in Weslaco offered him a job as farm broadcaster not long after, and he moved his family to the Rio Grande Valley. Charlie started doing an early morning radio program on KRGV. KRGV then added a noontime radio and television program, and the Charlie Rankin, RFD farm program. In 1967 he left to form his own company, Voice of Valley Agriculture, and his early and noonday farm reports were heard on KURV Radio in Edinburg, KBOR Radio in Brownsville and eventually KELT-FM in Harlingen. In 1984, Charlie and other investors bought KURV Radio from Lloyd Hawkins and he operated the station and did his farm program until retiring in 1990. He also partnered with June Brann as co-owner of the South Texas AgriNEWS, which grew into the Texas AgriNEWS serving the state and northern Mexico. He wrote a column entitled “Behind the Chutes.” Charlie never lost his interest in rodeo, helping organize the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Alumni Association and was elected 2007 NIRA Alumnus of the Year. He garnered numerous awards in the agriculture community, both in the Valley and statewide, over the years. Honors and positions of leadership in agriculture include: president of the Valley A&M Club in 1956, chairman of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee in 1960, president of the Rio Grande Valley Beef Syndicate in 1960, member of the Valley Chamber’s Agriculture Weather Committee from 1963-1968, member Texas A&M Agriculture Advisory Committee 1960-1961, lay member for four years on the local State Bar Grievance Committee. Charlie not only wrote about and spoke about agriculture on radio and television, he got involved in it. He and partners owned citrus groves north of Weslaco and northwest of Mission over the years. He furthered that involvement with service on boards of industry organizations. He

ChurCh DireCtory BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411 CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413 EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617 EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665

NORTH MISSION CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E. Mile 3 Rd. • 585-0146 Palmhurst

FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission

NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln.

GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 11809 N. Shary Rd. • 584-3112

ONLY THRU JESUS 1511 E. Mile 2 Rd. Mission • 918-760-1625

GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008 IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688 IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332 IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898 LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787 MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683 NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 369-3603

OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223 OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623 OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193

RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838 SAN CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH

3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5

Mission • 580-4551

SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002 SPIRIT OF PEACE EV. LUTHERAN CHUCH 3104 Los Milagros Mission • 581-1822 ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325 ST. PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005

PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy. 585-3203

SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH 6 1/8 N. Doffing Rd. (FM 492) 580-4078

PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236

TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway 581-4981or 585-3831

PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711

TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya

PRIMERA IGLESIA DEL VALLE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 210 N. St. Marie. • 585-8651

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3905 W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261

PROMISE LAND CHURCH 2300 E. Palm Circle (Corner of 495) Mission, TX 78572 • 624-9307

VALLEY FELLOWSHIP 1708 E. Griffin Parkway Mission • 424-7200

MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA

ER MAE EPQOU IW PMENT

Commercial Lawn Equipment “Since 1954”

915 West Bus. 83 • Mission, tX 78572 • (956) 581-7433

KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW

DAVID H. GUERRA

DARRELL DAVIS

301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622

IMPLEMENT COMPANY, INC. MISSION 585-1618

  

 





 

served on the Texas Citrus Mutual (TCM) board of directors from 1983 to 1991, was TCM President 1983-1984, was a member of the Texas A&I Citrus Center Advisory Committee and was president 1985-1986. His involvement in the citrus industry led to his selection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to attend a citrus symposium in China along with Dr. Dick Hensz of the A&I Citrus Center and 12 citrus scientists from California and Florida. In 1988, fellow citrus lovers honored him by electing him King Citrus of the Texas Citrus Fiesta, an accolade he relished. Not only was Charlie a broadcaster and a citrus farmer, he was an amateur historian, at least as South Texas history was concerned. From 1978 to 1984 he served on the Hidalgo County Historical Commission and was on the board of the Hidalgo County Historical Museum (now the Museum of South Texas History) 1982 to 1989. He also served on the board of the Texas Ranger Association Foundation in Waco. “Charlie Rankin was the biggest supporter the Texas Aggie Rodeo Team has ever had. He never forgot about us and was always willing to help.” That praise from Dr. Al Wagner, the Aggie Rodeo Team sponsor summed his love of the sport. He was All-Around Cowboy at the 1947 Aggie rodeo, champion bareback bronc rider at the 1st NIRA Texas A&I rodeo in Kingsville in 1949 and was a Texas A&M team member at the 1st College National Finals rodeo at the San Francisco Cow Palace in 1949. In 1985, Sue died of pancreatic cancer, and in 1988 Charlie married a high school friend, Billie Marie Tolbirt. Billie she continues to live at Morningside Ministries at Menger Springs. Her children, Gayle Eason and Randall Tolbirt, and their spouses, Bill and Tannah, became a

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second family, and he was enveloped in love by them, their children and grandchildren. Charlie was an outgoing man who loved his family, his God, his country and Texas A&M. Possessed of much patience, he was a caring grandfather. He rarely raised his voice or spoke harshly about anyone. He is survived by a daughter, Susan, of Dallas, and granddaughter, Alexandra Amanda; a son, Davis Rankin and wife Shan, grandsons Marshall and Duncan; stepdaughter, Gayle Tolbirt Eason and husband Bill; stepson, Randall Tolbirt and wife Tannah. He is also survived by grandchildren, Tod Eason, Christine Eason Raymond and husband Chris Raymond, Tammy Tolbirt and Shana Tolbirt. His great-grandchildren are Jordan Gonzales, Logan Gonzales, Avery Falcon, Trenton Falcon, Jackson Ames, Jack Raymond and Lily Eason. The family will hold a visitation on Friday, Jan. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kreidler’s. A memorial service will beheld Saturday, Jan. 16, at 11 a.m. at Kreidler Funeral Home, 314 N. 10th Street, McAllen, Texas, with a reception following at Grace Presbyterian Church at 4701 N. 29th Street (the northwest corner of Buddy Owens Drive (3 mile line) and N. 29th Street). A private burial for family at Roselawn Cemetery will precede the funeral service. On Monday, Jan. 18, a 1 p.m. memorial service will be held at Morningside Ministries Menger House, where he lived, 1100 Grand Boulevard, in Boerne. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor his memory may make a donation to the Museum of South Texas History, 200 N. Closner Blvd., Edinburg, TX 78541; Texas Aggie Rodeo, P.O. Box 12074, College Station, TX 77842; Morningside Ministries Covenant Fund, 700 Babcock, San Antonio, TX 78201; or the NIRA.

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January 15, 2016

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com

City employees honored for years of service

By Kathy Olivarez embers of the community with 20-plus years of service to the city were recognized at the Jan.11 Mission City Council meeting. Those honored for 20 years of service included Jaime Campos, police; Pedro Chavez Jr., police, Salomon Gomez, golf; and Nelia Hernandez, assistant city secretary. Employees honored for 25 years of service were Geraldina Aranda, police; Miguel A. Ruis-Reyna, golf; and Irene Tagle, Police. Those honored for 30 years of service were William H. Abrams Jr., parks; Graciela Guerrero, police; Jorge Saldana, water plant; and Gabriel Zuniga, police. Silvestre De la Rosa was honored for 35 years with the golf course. Under board appointments and committees, Mario Lizcano, Javier Iruegas, and Tim Brown were reappointed to the ambulance board. Carl Davis and Michael Davis were re-appointed to the

Building Board of Adjustments. Irma Fernik, Rosie Lopez, Lupe Ozuna, Severo Rodriguez and Roel Rivera were re-appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee. Jorge Martinez was a new appointee for the Northwest district. Rosalinda Gonzalez was re-appointed to the Civil Service Commission. Oton “Tony” Guerra and Pat Townsend Sr. were re-appointed to the Parks and Recreation Board. Carlos Lopez and Diana Yzaguirre were re-appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Richard Hernandez and Tony O’Cana were re-appointed to the Shary Golf Advisory Board. Lina Cantu Cruz, Anne Whitfield and Linda Fraser were re-appointed to the Speer Memorial Library Board. David Crook, Joel

A. Gonzalez, and Al Beltran were re-appointed to the Tax Increment Reinvestment Board (TIRZ). Laura Villarreal was appointed as a new member. Carlo Garza, Eduardo Arrambide and Jerry Cruz were re-appointed to the Traffic Safety Committee. Reynaldo Gonzalez Jr., April Rene Chapa, Deborah Cordova, Estella Saenz, Cipriano Saenz, Humberto Garza and Albert

Pena were re-appointed to the Youth Advocacy Advisory Board. Sam Rodio was reappointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Jaime Gutierrez and Mike Friedrichs were appointed to the board. Ramon Rosales, Horacio Pena, Janie Connelly, Eddie Olivarez and Dr. Armando O’Cana were reappointed to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Board.

Piano competition registration opens

he South Texas Piano Competition is accepting applications for pianists in grades 8th through 12th from across the state. The competition will be held on April 24 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission, and the deadline to enter is March 1. The Senior Piano Solo Division winners and the Piano Concerto Grand Prize winner will receive cash awards which may be used to further their ca-

ORDINANCE 2016-01-0112 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO HANDGUNS IN SCHOOLS, POLLING PLACES DURING ELECTIONS, RACETRACKS, AIRPORTS, BARS, LIQUOR STORES, SPORTING EVENTS, JAIL FACILITIES, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, AMUSEMENTS PARKS, AND CHURCHES. PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND WAIVING A SECOND AND THIRD READING. READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 12th day of January, 2016. Salvador Vela, Mayor ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas TRMC|CPM, City Secretary

MIGRANT from pg 1

migrant students for the 2014-2015 school year. “We’re very different than Mission and La Joya, but our population overall is different,” said Federal Programs Director Teresa Gonzalez. “We operate in a very different way because we don’t have all the personnel. Gonzalez said funding has not been affected, but the district still has to get creative with the way they use their resources. “We have stayed within the same amount every year, which helps because you’re able to plan the activities you’re going to do with your funds,” the federal programs director said. “Because staff is very minimal, we have meetings with parents, teachers, counselors to identify needs. I would love to do more but we’re very limited in the resources and the staff that we have.” The migrant student decline can be a result of parents getting stable jobs, which is the ideal situation, according to the Region One Migrant Coordinator Omar Chavez. But the decline could also be because there is no migrant work so the family has no reason to migrate, which means parents are still unemployed. “Being a migrant kid is hard because you’re not in control of your life because your parents have a need, and you want to help your parents as much as you can,” Chavez said. “Families have to eat. Families have to have a roof. Families have to survive.” “If we don’t help out these kids, they’re going to be in your backyard,” Chavez continued. “The unemployment is there. The dropout is there and it hurts the community as a whole. So this is why we’re trying to circumvent all that. This is where all these programs are coming in.”

ALTON POLICE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE AUCTION As per Code 683, sub-section B, 683.012 of the Texas Transportation Code, we inform you that the vehicles listed below have been taken into custody by the Alton Police Department and will be sold at auction. YEAR 2006 2005 1997

MAKE CHEVY FORD CHEVY

MODEL IMPALA F350 VAN CAVALIER

COLOR BROWN WHITE WHITE

VIN# 2G1WC581569301074 1FDWE35L95HA70844 1G1JF12T2V7316944

For more information about these vehicles, contact the Alton Police Department at (956) 432-0700. The auction will be held at the Alton Police Department located at 509 South Alton Blvd, Alton, Texas on 5th day of February, 2016 at 10:00 am. Payment shall be made cash or cashier’s check only. The City of Alton reserves the right to accept the best and most advantageous offer. Vehicles are sold as is, no warranty and no returns. The aforementioned vehicles will be located at 509 South Alton Blvd, Alton Texas 78573. Chief Enrique Sotelo

reer in the college or university of their choice. All other winners will also receive awards and recognition. For more information visit southtexaspianocompetition.org.

theclassifieds January 15, 2016

buy • sell • trade • rent • hire

this page is your oyster opening up to a world of oppor tunity

forsale

LAUREL HILL CEMETERY Plots, Mission Texas, 2

Plots, Block #33, $1500 each - front section - 2 Plots, Block $43, $2000 each - front rows,

January 15, 2016

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com

call 956-703-3010. GE STOVE FOR Sale: Electric Stove in working condition. White color. $50.

Personal classified rate:

Make it happen, we’re located at 1217 N. Conway in Mission, TX Come on in! Our hours of operation are Mon. - Fri. 8 - 5 p.m. If you can’t drop by, mail it! P.O. Box 399, Mission, TX 78573 Order by phone 585-4893 with a major credit card. The deadline to get your classified in is Tuesday at 3 p.m.

$7 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

Business classified rate: $15 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

Call 956-534-1100. R E F R I G E R AT O R FOR SALE: Excellent condition. One year old. 26 cu. ft.,

Frigidaire side-byside with icemaker and ice and water dispenser. $400. Call 956-534-1100.

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RICOS TAMALES VERACRUZANOS con aceite de olivo, de carne, de dulce y vegetarianos. Cater-

ing para sus fiestas Dona Mary, 956655-4661.

garagesales

BIG GARAGE – ESTATE sale Thursday Jan. 14, Friday Jan. 15 and Saturday Jan. 16, 9am-6pm, 900 E. Tom Landry behind KFC Bus. 83 Mission.

mobilehome

I PAY CASH for your travel trailers, park models, fifth wheels and cars. I’ll make you a good deal. Call Jerry Garcia at 956-929-3842. BARGAIN! OWNED

LOT, 14X60, bath & 1/2, furnished, gated park, covered parking, tiled patio, hall, indoor pool, wired shed/shop, $35,000, 956-5025590. HARLINGEN, 55+ GATED, furnished mobile with land, covered carport patio, Texas room, shed, $22,500, 316-648 -8507. DRIVERS CDL-A : $2500 Sign-On Bonus! Long Haul US/ Canada. Steady Miles! Monthly/Annual Bonuses! Health & Dental after 90 days. 855-645-7789

ORDINANCE NO. 4300 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING OF A 1.32 ACRE TRACT OF LAND, MORE OR LESS, BEING THE SOUTH 95’ OUT OF LOT 30, BELL WOODS CO’S SUBDIVISION C, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) TO C-3 (GENERAL BUSINESS) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4303 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A DRIVE-THRU WINDOW – LA ESQUINA TAQUERIA, 2310 E. EXPRESSWAY 83, STE. 8, LOT 3, CIMARRON CROSSING SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4301 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR TEXAS CITRUS FIESTA CARNIVAL, 7.4 ACRES OUT OF LOT 25-6, WEST ADDITION TO SHARYLAND SUBDIVISION & LOT 1, NORTH STAR PLAZA PHASE I, AO-I & C-3, JANUARY 14, 2016 – FEBRUARY 1, 2016 READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4299 Sharyland Independent School District: Public Hearing Notice Sharyland Independent School District will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., January 19, 2016 at the Sharyland Pioneer High School Auditorium Mission, Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school district’s Academic Performance Report for the 2014-15 school year. In accordance with Texas Education Code Chapter 39, each district’s board of trustees is required to publish an annual report that includes the TAPR, campus performance objectives, a report of violent or criminal incidents, and information received under Texas Education Code §51.403(e) from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The board of trustees is required to hold a hearing for public discussion of the report.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on January 27, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: 40.140 acres out of Lots 293 & 303, John H. Shary Subdivision, and all of Lot 1, Orange Blossom Place Subdivision, from AO-I (Agricultural Open Interim) to R-1 (Single Family Residential Discussion and Action to Amend Future Land Use Map within the boundaries of: Glasscock Road to the East, Taylor Road to the West, Business Highway 83 to the North, and 2 ½ Mile Road to the South. Discussion and Action to Amend Future Land Use Map within the boundaries of: Conway to the East, Mayberry to the West, Trinity to the North, and U.S. Expressway 83 to the South 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

PUBLIC NOTICE The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on January 25, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: Lots 2 & 4, Toellner Subdivision , from (R-1) Single Family Residential to (R-3) Multi-Family Residential; Rezoning: Lots 3, 4, 5 & 6, Expressway Business Park Phase X, from I-1 (Light Industrial) to R-3 (Multi-Family Residential), and Rezoning: A tract of land containing 1.38 acres, being part or portion of Lot 24-7, West Addition to Sharyland Subdivision, from AO-I (Agricultural Open Interim) to C-3 (General Business) 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. 4305 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS, RESCINDING ORDINANCE NO. 4289 AND ADOPTING A NEW ORDINANCE NO.4305 ESTABLISHING A NO PARKING ZONE ON THE EAST AND WEST SIDE OF THE 2300 BLOCK OF ORANGE AVENUE FROM MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 11:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M., COMMENCING ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-TWO (182) FEET NORTH OF EAST GRIFFIN PARKWAY AND ENDING TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-TWO (282) FEET NORTH OF EAST GRIFFIN PARKWAY; PROVIDING FOR INSTALLATION OF SAID TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES BEING NO PARKING 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 THERETO; READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING OF A 12.11 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF LOT 304, JOHN H. SHARY SUBDIVISION, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) TO R-1T (TOWNHOUSE RESIDENTIAL) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4302 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE TEXAS CITRUS FIESTA FUN FAIR, 807 N. CONWAY AVENUE (AKA LA LOMITA PLAZA & THE ROTARY PARK), C-3, JANUARY 30, 2016 READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4304 AN ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SHARYLAND UTILITIES, L.P., A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP DULY ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AN ELECTRIC POWER DELIVERY FRANCHISE READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

page 12

SCHOLARSHIP

school here. It also sets a pattern of philanthropy for everyone who follows. The Vackars’ great generosity and passion for higher education sets the bar for everyone as we go forward,” he said. It will benefit three areas of the university: Robert C. Vackar Endowed Scholarship for Aspiring Entrepreneurs will support students pursuing a degree in the College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Janet Ogden Vackar Spirit of Philanthropy Endowed Scholarship will provide financial assistance to students pursuing a mass communications degree in the College of Liberal Arts;

January 15, 2016

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com and an additional $80,000 for the Susan Lewis Vackar Clark Endowed Memorial Scholarship previously established at the university. The scholarship is named after Bob Vackar’s late sister, a 1963 graduate of then Pan American College and an elementary school teacher. The Vackars – owners and principal dealers of the Bert Ogden Auto Group, which includes 13 dealership locations housing 16 individual franchise lines across the Valley – both grew up in the Valley, the children of entrepreneurs who owned Edinburg-based businesses and inspired dedication to

hard work and community service. “This is very close to my heart because I kind of grew up down the street,” Janet Vackar said. “My dad opened his first car dealership on University Drive. I hung out there and knew his passion was the students. They were his great customers. And also the faculty would come and buy from him.” She said the public relations and marketing aspect of their business is her passion, so it was important for her to help mass communication students reach their goals. Her marketing skill has, over the years, branded her

father’s long-ago shout out – “Dale Gas!” – as a legendary and long-lasting refrain across South Texas. “There is a lot of growth here, and we can make this an even better university than it is already,” she said. Bob Vackar, who early on worked alongside his father at Vackar Lumber & Supply in Edinburg, credited much of the auto group’s recent success to the performance of the many university graduates they have employed, with more than 80 of them hired the past year alone. An advocate of hard work, Bob said he wanted the scholarships to help those

students particularly who are working full or part time while going to college. “We want to help keep students in school,” he said. “One of the things that has driven us to do this is not just the growth we’ve had, but because of the students we have hired from UTRGV. They have done remarkably well. We have been able to move many of them into jobs that make them 10 to 15 years ahead of where they should be in their careers. They have been exceptional. We couldn’t have done this without them.” Bob met Janet by chance in Houston, after he had

from pg 1

graduated with a degree in business from Texas A&M University, served in Vietnam in the U.S. Army and worked at Shell Oil. He brought his innovative sales skills and business acumen to the union. After the death of both of Janet’s parents in an automobile accident, Bob assumed the role of dealership principal and operator in 1992. Since then, Bert Ogden has grown to be the largest automobile dealership in South Texas, with locations in Mission, McAllen, Edinburg and Harlingen and more than 700 employees.