March 20, 2015 - Progress Times Issue

Friday, March 20, 2015

www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents

Peñitas funding dispute with USDA leads to lawsuit

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By Julie Silva eñitas owes L&G Concrete Construction $1.5 million for work done on the city’s sewer project, according to a lawsuit filed in the 398th District Court.

Because it has not received the city’s payment, L&G Concrete Construction owes $87,000 to ACT Pipe and Supply, a subcontractor that originally filed the lawsuit against L&G in August.

L&G turned around and pulled the city of Peñitas in as a third-party defendant.

City Manager Oscar Cuellar said Tuesday that Peñitas is caught in the middle of the disagreement. The U.S. Department Agriculture is providing the funding, but has delayed the final payment on the project because of a series of missteps since construction began.

“There is money to pay them. The problem is there is a lot of paperwork that needs to be straightened out,” Cuellar said.

The USDA won’t issue a final payment until the city pays back $421,000 that was

reimbursed in 2012, before the project was completed, Cuellar said. When the project started, there wasn’t enough funding to cover all of the streets. Instead of cutting the project, Juan Ortiz, the city manager at the time, told USDA the city would make up the difference in expense. Then, the next city manager, Noe Cavazos asked for reimbursement on the city’s expenses, according to Cuellar. USDA employees at the time told Cavazos the project was ahead of schedule and behind on budget, so

they issued the $421,000 reimbursement.

There are two issues USDA now has with the reimbursement. First, it shouldn’t have been made until the end of the project, Cuellar said, and the second issue is that USDA has a signed letter from Ortiz stating the city did not intend to get reimbursed for the money. Nobody knew about the letter, Cuellar said, and things would have been simpler had USDA denied the reimbursement at the time of the request.

That reimbursement sat in the bank until the city started paying USDA back on the $6.4 million loan, Cuellar said. In 2011, the project wasn’t finished yet, so no revenues were coming in to pay off the debt. The city paid USDA $89,000. Then, in 2012, it paid $137,000.

By 2013, a few homes were connected but and the city paid interest-only payments of $23,000 and $18,000.

In 2014, the city made $358,000 in revenue on the system, paid USDA $230,000 and for the first

time had money left over to pay for personnel and maintenance of the system.

As a result, Cuellar said, the $421,000 is gone. The city has approached a bank to request a loan to pay back USDA, but obtaining the money won’t be easy, Cuellar said. The city may be denied because it spends more than it makes, and in that case, Cuellar said they’ll have to keep shopping for banks until one agrees to lend the money.

See PEÑITAS 4

DOUBLE ATTACK

Mission City Councilman Armando O’Cana swears in Rene Lopez Jr. as the Mission Fire Chief. Courtesy photo

Rene Lopez Jr. officially sworn in as Fire Chief

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By Kathy Olivarez

Students on the Sharyland High School chess team prepare for the National High School Chess Championship in April. Both Pioneer and Sharyland High chess clubs qualified for nationals and are fundraising for the Columbus, Ohio, tournament.

SISD chess teams advance to nationals

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By Lea Victoria Juarez or the first time in Sharyland history, two high schools will be representing the district at the National High School Chess Championship.

Sharyland High took first place and Pioneer second at the qualifying tournament in February.

The district has consistently made appearances at the state and national level for each division since the program started about 15 years ago. Elementary and secondary students have the opportunity to compete against students throughout the states.

The Diamondbacks and Rattlers are raising money to travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the competition April 10-12.

With the high school split, numbers were cut in half, causing a slight hiccup in the program. Sharyland High lost its seven-year coach Nancy Ochoa-Garza to Pioneer, and while at Pioneer

Ochoa-Garza has experienced difficulties of her own.

“It’s very hard because when I was at Sharyland High School, they knew what the gameplay was and their re-

sponsibilities,” the science teacher said. “Being here at the new campus, we have a smaller group of kids, a lot of them are involved in other activities, so it pulls them into other areas and they

don’t really have time to practice as a team.”

Evigayl Acosta took on the role as Rattler coach and ad-

mitted she didn’t realize how much work went into being the team sponsor.

Figuring out funding for nationals, as well as an agenda has proven to be a stressful task, but the coach enjoys her position.

“I like that chess develops the mind. As a math teacher, that’s one of my main things.

You all need to think outside the box and think a step ahead,” she said. “It’s keeping your mind open. It’s not always going to be the same.”

Although the students have divided into two teams, they still practice with each other to improve their skills.

Acosta said that at the national qualifying tournament, Sharyland High was neck-andneck with Edinburg Vela and the Diamondbacks aided their sister school by practicing with them at the tournament.

“At a competition you’ll see them playing chess on their phone or competing against somebody,” Acosta said. “They’ll go look for somebody. If they know someone beat them

See CHESS 10

lthough he has been on the job for a while, Rene Lopez Jr. was officially sworn in as Mission’s Fire Chief under the guidelines of Civil Service law.

Mission firemen filled the room at Thursday’s city council meeting in support of Lopez and to attend the swearing in ceremony.

Councilman Armando O’Cana, himself a former Mission Fire Chief, administered the oath of office as Lopez stood in front of him, holding his helmet. O’Cana explained firemen consider their helmets a line to God for protection as they enter a burning building so they always carry them with them at important events such as being sworn in as fire chief.

After the ceremony, Lopez’s son, daughter and wife can up to pin the new pins on his uniform.

O’Cana told the audience Lopez had been with the department 33 years, first as a firefighter, then a deputy fire chief, the interim fire chief and now as Mission’s fire chief.

The city named Lopez interim fire chief after Luis Saldaña retired at the end of October.

In other action, the council saw pictures of the newly completed canopies for stands at the Bentsen Palm Park. The screen featured

large canopies over the stands in red, yellow, green and blue, which are the colors the four baseball fields are designated for players.

Each field is outlined in a different color. The council was told Mission Consolidated Independent School District recently held a tournament in the park and everyone was very happy with the facilities available.

Awarding a bid for the water and sewer relocation on Mile 2 North was held up because the lowest bidder, Texas Concordia Construction, did not give enough information to determine whether the company could handle the job. Following executive session Mayor Beto Salinas said a hearing would be held at the next council meeting when Texas Concordia could present on its experience and possibly get the job with a low bid of $794,775, or if not, it would go to the next bidder, 5125 Company.

Also, a bid for replacing the ceiling at the former central fire department was rescinded when the contractor selected failed to show the insurance needed to do the project. City staff was told to collect the $1,000 bid bond, rescind the bid and go out for bids again.

City staff authorized assistant city manager Aida Lerma to cancel the city’s con-

See CITY COUNCIL 10

INSIDE

Sharyland boys, girls earn soccer honors

Sharyland ISD boys and girls soccer programs were among the first to secure playoff berths this season with all four teams qualifying for the postseason.

See story page 8

INDEX

Entertainment | pg. 2

Lifestyle | pg. 6

MCISD student receives Hillary Clinton letter

LJISD students play ‘Battle of the Books’

When Gracie Ceja, a third-grade student, found out there had never been a female president, she wrote encouragement to the former secretary of state.

See story page 3

Opinion | pg. 4

Sports | pg. 8

Middle school teams gathered at the Peñitas library for a chance to win Nook tablets. The “Spinecrackers” from Domingo Treviño Middle School won.

See story page 3

Obituaries | pg. 9

Classifieds | pg. 11

entertainment

Get your feet wet on a “Pelagic Birding Trip”

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isit Quinta Mazatlan on Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m. to join Erik Bruhnke on a Pelagic Birding Trip Adventure through pictures. His photographs capture the moments of the cresting whales, the playing porpoises, the unique fishes, and the incredible array of birds found miles out over the open ocean.

The adventure of pelagic birding brings nature-enthusiasts closer to birds, mammals, and reptiles that can only be seen in the ocean well after the shoreline is out of view.

Come join Quinta Mazatlan naturalist Erik Bruhnke as he talks about his experiences of leading Texas Pelagic birding trips this past summer and fall. Erik will cover various techniques used to see pelagic birds, as well as plenty of identification tips. If you’re looking to try out an entirely new style of birding, prepare to get your “feet wet” in this birding experience.

Erik Bruhnke graduated from Northland College in

Experience an ocean wildlife adventure from Magnificent Frigatebirds to Whales with Erik Bruhnke Thursday evening, March 26th at Quinta Mazatlan.

Wisconsin with a Natural Resources degree. In seven years his avian field experiences have taken him throughout California, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Maine and Texas.

During the fall seasons, Erik has worked as an interpreter at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, MN. In 2008 Erik created Naturally Avian Birding Tours with the goal of promoting

conservation through birding, wildlife photography, and his bird identification workshops.

His wildlife photography has won national awards, and his writings have been featured throughout various birding magazines.

In addition to spreading the world about birds at Quinta Mazatlan, Erik leads birding tours for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, and continues to offer birding experiences through Naturally Avian. This past year Erik began leading tours for Texas Pelagics, based off of South Padre Island.

Although he loves all birds, Erik is a devoted raptor and gull nerd. He loves to cook and bake in his free time.

The Nature Lecture series takes place on Thursday evenings through April. The program fee is $3 per person and no advance reservation is required.

Quinta Mazatlan is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen, one block south of La Plaza Mall on 10th Street. For more information contact Quinta Mazatlan at (956) 681-3370 or visit www.quintamazatlan. com.

March 20, 2015

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Coming Attractions

March 13-14 · The University of Texas-Pan American Flamenco Company will present Noche de España at 7:30 p.m. each night at the UTPA Jeffers Theatre. The concert will include flamenco dance and classical Spanish dance works choreographed by director, Sonia Chapa. Tickets will be sold at the door one hour before each show. General admission is $8. For additional information and special accommodations, contact the Dance Program Office at 665-2230.

March 13-22 · The 2015 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show features Country superstar Gary Allan performing opening night March 13. The daily free entertainment lineup includes The Freddie Prez Show, magic and hypnotist shows, petting zoo, miniature horse, pig races, a BMX stunt team, chainsaw artists, kids tractor show, juggler, lumberjack show and more. Plus, local bands will be performing multiple shows each day on the Beer Garden Stage. Tickets are available at the following locations online at www. rgvls.com.

March 14 · The Upper Valley Art League (UVAL) is hosting the All Valley Art Exhibit. It begins with an opening reception at 7 p.m. will be on display through April 14 at the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E. 12th St. in Mission. The opening reception is free and open to the public.

Light refreshments will be served.

March 15 · The Rio Grande Valley Concert Band will perform at Paradise Park in Pharr at 3 p.m. To become a member of the band, contact Gene Goede at 682-9225.

March 17 · Spring Break on the Beach presents the Randy Rogers Band and Casey Donahew Band, with special guest Costello, at Clayton’s Grill at 6900 Padre Boulevard on South Padre Island. Gates open at 8 p.m. Advance discounted tickets are $23 and available online at ticketfly.com or by calling 877-435-9849.

Prices will increase online and at all outlets on day of event.

March 19 · Celebrate the Ninth Anniversary of Quinta Mazatlan at “Moon over Mazatlan” on Thursday, March 19, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with dinner and a concert in the park.

The concert features Nina McIntire,

concert pianist from Russia. Richard Moore will unveil a commissioned multimedia show titled “Sunrise over the Thorn Forest.” Individual tickets for the event are $100 and will be mailed to guests in advance; tickets will not be available at the gate. For more information, call Quinta Mazatlan 681-3370 or visit www.quintamazatlan.com.

March 20/May 12 · Tickets go on sale Friday, March 20, for the upcoming Kenny Chesney concert. Chesney will be in town with “The Big Revival Tour,” for one night only on Tuesday, May 12. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the performance begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets range from $85 to $296 and are available at ticketmaster.com or by call 800-745-3000.

March 24 · The final concert of the 2014-15 season for the McAllen Symphonic Band begins at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Worship Center in McAllen. The “Journey Through American Music” performance is under the direction of Rogelio Olivarez. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at all Wilder Resorts locations, Weslaco Chamber of Commerce, all McAllen Community Centers and at the door the evening of the concert (if available). Visit the Band’s website at www.mcallentownband.org for more information.

March 26 · The Gala of The Royal Horses performance at State Farm Arena begins at 7 p.m. Along with the magnificent stallions, Spanish flamenco dancers will be featured in authentic vibrant costumes accompanied by the mellow notes of a guitar to bring the sights and sounds of Spain. Tickets start at $25 and are available at State Farm Arena Box Office, ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-7453000. For group discounts, call Angie Mercado at 227-6036.

Weekly · Catholic War Veterans Post #1065 in Mission invites the public to their “Get Away Thursday Dance” held every Thursday evening, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. It is located at 500 W. Business 83.

Music by the Electro Band provides country western, Tejano, the Oldies, cumbias and more. No cover charge. Call 583-5961 or email Doodrey@netzero.com for more information.

To see the complete Coming Attractions calendar, go to www.ptrgv.com.

March 20, 2015

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‘Battle of the Books’ at La Joya ISD tests students

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iddle school book club members at La Joya ISD recently took part in a friendly, tournament-style competition known as “Battle of the Books.” This intra-district event tested students’ knowledge of pre-selected books that were read in a span of four months.

Students from eight middle schools (De Zavala, Memorial, JD Salinas, Irene Garcia, Cesar Chavez, Domingo Treviño, Dr. Saenz, and Ann Richards) each arrived with their teams of six at the Peñitas Public Library prepared to show off their reading skills and determined to take home the title of “2015 Battle of the Books Champions.”

As a means of encouraging students to read more in-depth while having fun, LJISD Library Services and the librarians of each of the middle schools came together and organized the first contest of its kind in La Joya ISD

Middle school students from La Joya ISD participate in the “Battle of the Books” competition at the Peñitas Public Library.

(closely resembling the TV show “Family Feud”).

Complete with a timekeeper, a scorer, three judges, and an emcee, the competition began with randomly chosen teams.

Round after round, each group went head-to-head

hitting the buzzer to answer very specific questions from the five books: “Enclave” by Anne Aguirre, “Monster” by Walter Dean Myers, “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” by Tom Angleberger, “Mockingbird” by Kathryne Erskine, and “Trash” by Andy

Mulligan.

In the final round, the “Spinecrackers” Book Club from Domingo Treviño Middle School defeated the “Book Talkers” club from JD Salinas and became the first “Battle of the Books” champs and also took home brand

Hillary Clinton responds to MCISD student

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By Lea Victoria Juarez hird-grader Gracie Ceja was waiting at the doctor’s office when she asked her mom why there were no female United States presidents.

The 8-year-old, who likes Taylor Swift and soccer, had been learning about U.S. presidents in school and was doing her own research on the nation’s leaders. After watching videos in the waiting room, she realized all of the commanders in chief had one thing in common.

“That’s when I told her that there was going to be a (female) candidate that might run for office – Hillary Clinton,” Ceja’s mother Irazema Rodriguez said. “Then she wanted to start inquiring about Hillary Clinton, and she wanted to write her a letter because she wanted to wish her good luck.”

In Ceja’s letter to Clinton she congratulated the former secretary of state on her career and laid down her knowledge of notable women in history. Although Rodriguez helped fine-tune the spelling and grammar, the content was solely the 8-year-old’s.

“It’s time for the United

States (to) open its eyes and allow for women the time to shine,” wrote the Escobar/ Rios Elementary student.

“Women have paved the course of this country and it is now the perfect time to be governed by a female chief executive.”

She continued to explain her advocacy for women’s rights and called herself Clinton’s No. 1 supporter.

It took her a little more than three weeks to write her letter in October 2014 and they finally mailed it off in January 2015. Shortly thereafter, Ceja had a response

from the former first lady.

Clinton thanked Ceja for her support and reminded her to continue to stay informed and pursue her interests.

“Here at home and around the world we must do our best to ensure that all people have the opportunity to fulfill their God-given potential,” Clinton wrote. “As I weigh the decision before me, please know that I appreciate your enthusiastic support and encouragement, and that I am cheering you on for a future of great success.”

Before her inquiry at the doctor’s office, Rodriguez had not discussed the gender issue with her daughter, but said that she has always believed in equality of the sexes.

Ceja is a twin and has two other sisters in her household.

She responds to her mother with a “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am,” and has zero tolerance when it comes to bullies.

“Sometimes they make fun of me at school,” she said softly. “You should not be a bully. You should be a good friend so that all the kids can be friendly and they could be good achievers.”

Ceja said it makes her sad that no women have been

able to secure the presidential role, but hopes that if Clinton decides to run, and if she wins, it will allow for more women to be U.S. leaders.

“I think that boys and girls are equal,” Ceja said.

“They’re able to do the same things that males can do.

They’re the same in abilities.”

Finishes basics

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ir Force Airmen Maria E. Pruneda and Beatriz E. Cox graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio after an eight-week program.

Pruneda is a 2012 graduate of Mission High School, and the daughter of Jesus and Claudia E. Pruneda of Edinburg. Cox is the daughter of Jeffrey and Beatriz Cox of Mission. She is a 2008 graduate of Veterans Memorial High School.

Army Pvt. Sayda K. Ayala has also graduated from a nine-week program of basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. She is the daughter of Marlen Ayala of Mission and a 2013 graduate of Palmview High School.

new Nook tablets.

“This reading incentive program aside from teaching our students to become life-long learners, also promotes camaraderie between the middle schools in our district,” said Vickie Flores, librarian at De Zavala Middle

School. “And we look forward to having it every year.”

No one left the competition empty-handed as all participants were awarded a bag of literary goodies filled with school supplies, a T-shirt, a certificate, and of coursebooks, for their hard work and dedication to reading.

Recognition and gratitude goes out to the LJISD middle school librarians who invested in their campus book clubs and who helped prepare the students for the day’s challenge. They are: Vickie Flores from De Zavala MS, Addie Martinez from Ann Richards MS, Veronica Flores from Cesar Chavez MS, Elly Hinojosa from JD Salinas MS, Veronica Peña from Domingo Treviño MS, Millie Dennett from Dr. Saenz MS, Esmer Rios from Memorial MS, and Maribel Cantu, teacher at Irene Garcia MS. A special thank you also goes to Ms. Perri Ann Huntly, La Joya ISD Library Coordinator.

Reminiscing...

30 Years Ago This Week

Ramos was named to a national choir group Ray Ramos, a junior in Mission High School, was selected as a member of the National Student Chorale to participate in a People to People tour of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Hong King and Korea over the summer.

Snyder received state teacher honors Duane Snyder, a teacher at Mission Junior High in the Mission CISD, was named secondary teacher of the year by the Association of Texas Professional Educators.

Galvan, Rodgers led Rattlers to title Frank Galvan and Mike Rodgers each won two individual events and participated in relay events as the Sharyland Rattlers out distanced the field in the annual Tarpon Relays of Port Isabel.

Padron won third place in tennis tourney Abraham Padron won third place in the championship boys singles division of the Corpus Christi UIL Tennis Tournament. Padron, a member of the Mission Eagle team, was coached by Manuel Alaniz.

Judge Vela refused to hear voting case Federal Judge Filemon Vela threw out of court a lawsuit filed by Mission residents charging the city of Mission with trying to intimidate them and other mobile home park residents.

Vela told lawyers he didn’t have jurisdiction to hear the case.

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opinion

By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Lawmakers seek to control elements of state spending

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USTIN — Debates over the Texas House and Senate versions of the state budget lie ahead, and movement toward setting budget controls to blend into a final, agreed-upon budget for 2016-2017 emerged in low-numbered bills filed last week.

SB 20 by Senate Finance Chair Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine, would strengthen state agency contract reporting requirements, require agency heads to sign off on contracts worth more than $1 million and require agencies to post a list of all contracts on their state website, according to a report posted by the Senate’s in-house news service.

“These contracts are paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Nelson said. “We must ensure that they are awarded with the highest degree of ethics and transparency.” Nelson said her committee would vote on SB 20 this week.

SB 9 by Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, would tie the state spending cap to population growth, plus inflation, rather than stick with the current benchmark, personal income growth, to devise a boundary for state spending. The state constitution limits the growth of the state budget to no more than the growth of the state economy.

In other news, the Senate Select Committee on Government Facilities examined deferred maintenance at state agencies, meaning the costs of upkeep that get put off due to lack of funding. Select Committee Chair Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, said state agencies need $1.5 billion

to fix state facilities, up from $400 million in 2006. “If you don’t fix the roof, it’s not just the cost of the roof five years out, it’s the cost of the walls.

It’s the cost of the carpet and repairs.” Eltife said, and called for a four-year plan, including a special account, to catch up with deferred maintenance.

Bill-filing deadline passes Friday, March 13, marked the 60th day of the 84th regular session of the Texas Legislature and was the final day for state lawmakers to file non-local legislative bills and proposed constitutional amendments.

True to form, bill filing reached tsunami proportions in the last week of bill filing, with more than one third of the total rolling in a matter of days. Statistics kept by Texas Legislative Council show 4,114 House bills, 1,226 Senate bills, and 133 House and 65 Senate joint resolutions (proposed constitutional amendments) were filed. And those, in addition to concurrent resolutions and congratulatory and memorial resolutions submitted by members of both bodies came to a grand total of 7,989 bills.

With 80 days left in the 140-day session, lawmakers must move with all possible speed to get their bills assigned to committees for consideration. An intensive schedule of committee hearings has begun. From here on, it’s a race against the clock. In the second week of May, a string of deadlines ensue that will cut down the number of bills that have some chance of entering the

final stages of the maze before June 1, the 140th and final day of the regular session.

Sales tax revenue increases State sales tax revenue in February was $2.46 billion, up 11.7 percent compared to February 2014, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced March 11.

“This marks the 59th consecutive month of year-overyear growth — an encouraging sign that Texas’ diverse economic engine continues to drive spending growth in households and businesses all over the state,” Hegar said.

Receipts from manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade grew and tax receipts from the oil and natural gas sector were up sharply over last year, despite a decline in oil and natural gas prices, Hegar added.

Cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts will receive March local sales tax allocations totaling $590.1 million, up 6.7 percent compared to March 2014.

Governor certifies disaster Gov. Greg Abbott on March 9 issued a disaster proclamation certifying that drought conditions continue to pose a threat of imminent disaster in 95 of Texas’ 254 counties.

While this 30-day drought proclamation is in effect, rules and regulations that may inhibit or prevent prompt response to this threat are suspended for the duration of the state of disaster, as authorized by state law.

March 20, 2015

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS Letters to the Editor

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To the editor: opefully, I will not be considered too arrogant when I say I am not at all interested in “quenching Mexico’s thirst for energy” when it may involve risking the RGV’s farm production, wild life, water supply, and quality of life. Possibly when a real government is installed in Mexico to protect their own pipelines from cartel theft, my heart will be a little softer but not now.

An article in The Monitor presents a supportive attitude to this pipeline due to its potential “economic boon.”

Here we have a decision in the offing that we seem to be willing to leave completely to the guarantees of Nu Star Logistics. Instead, since there are already roads being

built to support it, we should be concentrating on who has reviewed and approved this plan. Where is federal, TECQ, county and city input; or are they all, as usual, blinded by the “economic boon”?

Looking at the map provided by The Monitor, it would seem that the most illogical, dangerous, and environmentally hazardous location for a crossing has been selected.

Didn’t anyone notice that 90 percent of the lower valley population that uses the Rio Grande for drinking and irrigation water, gets that water down stream from that crossing. Remember the Rio Grande is not a large river and, due to its gradual slope, is incapable of flushing itself quickly. In the event of

a rupture, several cities water systems would be severely damaged and additionally, although I don’t know the extent of the damage, I am sure the agricultural community also would not want to irrigate their crops with sludge.

Wake up folks. You already lost your orange groves and are losing your quality of life to the profits of big business. Hopefully, you won’t lose your birds, food and drinking water also.

Keep the oil and such on trucks where at least a spill is much smaller and therefore containable. Write the President. He stopped Keystone, which in my opinion isn’t anywhere near as dangerous.

Signed, Ned Sheats Mission

“So while this is waiting, they’re refusing to release any money. L&G said they’d wait for us as long as they could as long as they don’t get sued, but some pipe supplier went and sued them,” Cuellar said. “USDA said, ‘Well at this point, we want the whole thing resolved before we go further.”

USDA has asked for an alternate plan, and Cuellar said the city and its engineers are working on it.

Another of the main issues, Cuellar said, stems from the fact that the city itself has been through two city managers since the project initiated and the folks at USDA who originally worked with the city are no longer working for the agency.

Cuellar said after the project began, USDA cut its staff,

encouraging people to retire early.

In the beginning, the sewer project was broken up into four phases, he said, but employees of the USDA told Peñitas it could combine the first three into one project because money was available at that point to fund all three. Cuellar said the USDA now wants the invoicing for construction broken up into the three different phases to account for all expenses because the projects should not have been combined. All the paperwork has to match up for the audit, USDA employees told Cuellar.

Also, the original contractor on the project declared bankruptcy, so USDA at the time allowed L&G to step in and finish out the last phase of the project. The current

folks at USDA are questioning that move as well, Cuellar said.

“Basically, they’re expecting a lot of information from us that we don’t have.

We’ve asked for documentation from our engineer,” Cuellar said. “We want to know what specifically was paid for for phase 1, phase 2, phase 3.”

He said the city showed USDA emails authorizing the city to move forward with the project. He said the city also tried to convince the current group at USDA to at least release a smaller amount of money, like $600,000, to L&G, so it could pay its subcontractors. But the folks at USDA said it was too late to do that because the paperwork had already been sent to its regional office.

PEÑITAS

from pg 1

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TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

The Progress Times (USPS 971-420; ISSN 0890-2666) is published each Friday by Mission Publishing Co., 1217 N. Conway, Mission, Texas 78572, (956) 585-4893. Subscriptions $20 annual in Hidalgo County; $25 outside of Hidalgo County. Second class postage paid in Mission, Texas 78572. ©2015 Mission Publishing Company, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the PROGRESS TIMES, P.O. Box 399, Mission Texas 78573.

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Anonymous cards or letters are neither read nor printed. Letters may be submitted by e-mail to letters@progresstimes.net, but must include the author’s name and daytime phone number.

March 20, 2015

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MEDC hopes to help company; coding new buzzword amongst elementary students

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By Julie Silva f a food manufacturing company follows through with an acquisition, the Mission Economic Development Corporation is preparing to offer $4 million in incentives over 10 years.

During a public hearing Tuesday, Alex Meade, CEO of the MEDC, did not give the names of the two companies involved, stating that Company A has put in an offer on Company B, and if the deal goes through, Company A will be investing about $50 million into the area.

“Should this company not acquire them, they would end up building another food manufacturing facility, but it would be outside the city of Mission, so of course we’re hoping they do this inside the city of Mission,” Meade said.

If the acquisition agreement does not go through, Company B likely will shut down, Meade said, which will hurt Mission.

Next month they’ll find out if the offer was accepted.

If it was, Meade said he’d move forward with incentives. The MEDC already met with Hidalgo County and requested help with funding from the state. Meade said the county agreed to pay 25 percent of what the city of Mission pays. He expects to receive between $300,000

Members of the Mission EDC stand with representatives of Sylvan Learning Center and Mims Elementary as well as three students who won a recent coding competition. Courtesy photo

and $500,000 from the state.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the winners of a coding competition, co-sponsored

by Mission EDC and Sylvan Learning Center, were recognized. The two organizations invested $35,000 each and invited four school districts in the area to sign up children for the initiative that teaches children in second through sixth grades to code, create apps and learn the language it takes to create games.

Susan Valverde, executive director of Sylvan Learning Center, said 200 children went through the program, many from Mission Consolidated Independent School District, which took the lead on the project. A second round will kick off in the spring and Valverde said she hopes to have classes over the summer. Sylvan is able to offer the course free of charge

through its partnership with the MEDC and working with the Mission Boys and Girls Club, Valverde said.

Students go through a two-week program and then are asked if they want to compete to win an iPad. In the first round, there were seven winners, including three from Mims Elementary in Mission.

“You don’t know, you may have changed our kids’ lives forever because coding is the buzz at our school,” Mims Elementary Principal Yvonne Zamora said. “This is where technology is taking us, and this is where our kids need to be.”

Zamora worked with the school’s librarian, Terri Benavides, to expose even the kindergarten students to coding, she said. Benavides also applied for a grant for eight Chromebooks to better equip

the library for coding after school.

Madeline King, an 11-year-old at Mims Elementary named a winner in the competition, said she’s long had an interest in technolo-

gy, and she enjoyed learning how to create games. It was difficult at first, but it gets easier, she said, adding that she’s glad she’ll now be able to code Tuesdays at school.

King said she wants to be

an engineer or go into a career-path that involves technology.

“It was a new version of technology that a lot of people haven’t learned yet,” King said. “It was exciting for a lot of kids who got to do it.”

Meade said the MEDC’s push for coding has gotten attention throughout the Valley.

The MEDC also worked with State Rep. Bobby Guerra to file a bill that would allow computer science to be considered a math credit and call for more professional development for teachers.

“You really have done a lot to inspire kids to choose technology fields,” Valverde told the MEDC board.

House gives tentative OK to broad border security bill

By Julián Aguilar The Texas Tribune

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exas House members overwhelmingly gave tentative approval to a sweeping border-security measure on Wednesday following about four hours of debate on the measure’s costs, accountability mechanisms and whether it will stain the image of border cities.

House Bill 11 by state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, would increase over two years the number of Texas Department of Public Safety officers on the border, establish a catchall intelligence center in Hidalgo County to analyze border crime data and create a voluntary corps of retired DPS officers to bolster the agency’s ranks.

It would also increase penalties for human smuggling, and require DPS to study the usefulness of southbound checkpoints within 250 yards of the border to screen for guns and illicit cash headed to Mexico.

“We just passed a bill that creates the first-in-the-nation consistent plan to help fill the void of failure of federal government in Texas,” Bonnen told reporters after the vote. “We passed that bill, the Republican caucus, with wonderful support from our Democrat colleagues. What we’ve shown you in Austin, Texas, is that we can tackle the tough issues.”

The measure passed 131 to 12 but drove a wedge between some House Democrats. Some argued that HB 11 is needed to address drug cartel crime in Texas, while others said the bill gives state police too much power and costs too much.

State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, a bill co-author, said he was born and raised on the border and years ago would have never thought he’d support a measure that sends more law enforcement to the region.

But the threats have now hit home, he said.

“They are very serious people with very bad intentions,” he said. “They are al-

ready making inroads in our schools.”

Unlike some of his colleagues from El Paso, Lucio said he supported southbound checkpoints and said the bill didn’t go far enough on that issue – but said it was a start.

State Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, offered seven amendments that would have affected issues ranging from federal pre-emption of immigration laws to DPS’s purchasing practices.

“Border security still remains undefined,” he said.

“Fiscal conservatives seem to have gone silent in their calls for accountability.”

Bonnen said the measure would create a steady border security plan instead of the patchwork system in place now. Since last summer, hundreds of DPS officers have been rotated in and out of the region every week, which DPS officials said is effective but inefficient and expensive.

“This bill says we’re going to have an intelligent plan to create a consistency that Texans on the border and across the state can count on,” he said.

Part of the plan includes hiring peace officers with four years of experience as Trooper II DPS officers, a rank paying about $60,000.

That’s stoked concerns that the statewide police force could poach talented officers from local agencies.

An amendment requiring DPS to assist local police handling crimes that are at least third-degree felonies was adopted as a short-term solution. Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw has also told lawmakers he’d ensure his agency works with local officers to prevent depleting their ranks.

The omnibus measure currently has a price tag of $4.1 million through the next biennium. That prompted opponents of the bill to question what was being proposed to make sure the money is well spent.

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, successfully added a measure creating a Border Operations

See BORDER SECURITY 10

lifestyle

March 20, 2015

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Female cadets show heart at STC Fire Science Academy

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By Edgar Chrnko hen a fire blazes through a building in search of new victims, it doesn’t distinguish between men and women, it attacks them equally and no amount of physical strength can fight it. However, in the fire services, the difference between life and death, and saving the lives of others can often come down to the heart of the individual firefighter.

Six women cadets are currently proving how much heart they have as they go through the physical and mental rigors of the South Texas College Fire Science Academy as part of the latest cohort of 24 full and parttime students.

“I’ve gained more strength because it’s something I didn’t really have,” said 18-year-old cadet and Mission High School graduate Itzel López. “I failed my agility test the first time and I honestly thought I wasn’t

S

ca. “These girls passed and we’ve had guys fail. It’s the same test for everybody. We go by their performance regardless of gender.”

The physical and mental demands of the Fire Science Academy are not the only obstacles López and her fire brothers and sisters face. She studies daily, works nights and volunteers at the Palmview Fire Department in her spare time.

“It’s really hard because I work and I can only close because I’m in school in the morning and we have to study daily because the academy is only four months long and we test every day,” said López. “It’s hard, but you have to sacrifice something to get where you want to be.”

López shares the daytime class with 33-year-old Hidalgo County Dispatcher and La Villa Fire Department volunteer Brenda Cavazos and 18-year-old Pharr Fire

going to pass it the second time, either. As a girl things are heavier, I guess. They told me that it’s not about the strength, it’s about heart and you wanting to do it. And I passed it.”

López is part of the largest cohort of women that has participated in STC’s Fire

Science Academy since its inception five years ago.

“In the Fire Service Academy, we get away from the one-man show and encourage safety, they all went through the physical agility test to get here,” said STC Fire Science Academy Program Chair Victor Fonse-

world and in our own neighborhoods, to provide a forum for networking and training opportunities for professionals and practitioners within related fields, and to take part in the larger international conversation about how to stop this crime.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Tony Payan.

He is a Francoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the Mexico Center at the Baker Institute. Payan is also a professor and has authored two books on the war on drugs.

Payan’s research focuses on border studies, particularly the U.S.-Mexico border. His work theorizes on various topics regarding international borders, including border

governance, immigration, border security, organized crime and the manifestation of U.S. foreign policy at its borders.

The symposium will explore the factors that lead to migration, the experiences encountered during difficult journeys, and the conditions that migrants face once they reach the destination countries. Special attention will be given to the criminalization of migration and involuntary servitude. It will also cover other aspects of human trafficking including push factors and the intersection between smuggling and trafficking.

Scholars, activists, immigration lawyers, members of the business community, diplomats, journalists and law

enforcement agents will discuss the complexities of such phenomena that take place in various regions with special emphasis on migration from Central America to the southern border of the United States.

The conference is free and open to the public. To register, go to http://academicaffairs.southtexascollege.edu/ womens_studies/conference/ register.html. For a full list of speakers and a conference agenda, visit http://academicaffairs.southtexascollege. edu/womens_studies/conference/. South Texas College Pecan Campus is located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd in McAllen. The Cooper Center is on the north side of the campus.

ing industry meet-and-greets and construction site visits.

“If students express interest in the field, I will do my best to expose them to more,” Lozano said. “I want to provide them with the same educational opportunities given to me. After all, if people hadn’t given me a chance and opened doors for me, I might not have found them myself.”

Inside the classroom, Lozano centers her teaching on blueprints, terminology, codes and designs for residential and commercial structures. Before delving into building design computer software, Lozano encourages her students to practice

sketching and modeling to become better-rounded professionals.

Lozano earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Yale University School of Architecture in 2005. In 2012, she earned a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration & Leadership from Adams State University. With her combined interests of architecture and higher education, Lozano hopes to continue creating opportunities and awareness for her field across the Rio Grande Valley.

Women in Technology is an annual event held at the STC Technology Campus, located at 3700 West Military

Hwy. in McAllen. For more information regarding the event, contact Sara Lozano at (956) 872-6180 or visit discover.southtexascollege.edu/ women-in-technology.

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Human Trafficking Symposium to be held

outh Texas College will host the 10th Annual Symposium on Human Trafficking March 25 and 26, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Cooper Center on the Pecan Campus. The symposium will highlight several speakers that have helped organize national and international policies to combat the global human trafficking problem.

The event consists of panel presentations, guest speakers from academia, government agencies, NGOs, and the media, and an art exhibit with juried submissions from local and international artists.

The goal for the conference is to raise community awareness about the pervasiveness of the labor and sex trafficking trades, both around the

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From left, South Texas College Fire Science Academy cadets Adalia Pedraza, Itzel López and Brenda Cavazos are among six females that are a part of the 24-cadet spring 2015 semester cohort.

Architectural drafting professor leads annual Women in Technology event

he Women in Technology forum will be held at the South Texas College Technology Campus on Thursday, March 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. The free event is intended to motivate women across the Rio Grande Valley to explore professional opportunities in various technical fields. In addition, educational workshops for high school students will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Heading the event committee this year is Sara Lozano, assistant professor of architectural drafting. Lozano’s mission is to pay it forward.

With hopes of increasing opportunities for students, she helps organize events includ-

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Free Easter events at Speer Memorial Library

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on’t miss your opportunity to take your free picture with the Easter Rabbit Thursday, March 26th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Speer Memorial Library’s Children Department. Parents are encouraged and welcome to bring their own cameras.

Lisa Rivera, Children’s Librarian, invites children to grab their baskets and get ready for Speer Memorial Library’s Easter celebration with an old fashion egg hunt.

The Easter Rabbit has promised to return with his basket full of Easter eggs and other springtime goodies with the hope that the children will find them all on Thursday, April 2 at 6 p.m.

Toddlers to 5th grade are invited to participate in the search of Easter eggs. Check with the children’s department as times are subject to change.

All activities are free and the public is invited to attend. For more information contact the children’s department at 956-580-8753.

Events Calendar

Mar ch 14 – The International Museum of Art & Science will hold “Winter Texan Saturday” for seniors age 55 and over from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It’s included in the price of general admission. Receive a guided tour of IMAS, free coffee and donuts and a program on technology. General admission to IMAS is $5 per person. For more information, call 682-0123 or visit www.imasonline.org.

Mar ch 14-April 1 – Yoga classes for ages 15 and up will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 on Saturdays and Sundays at the McAllen Nature Center, 4101 W. Business 83. This is a program designed to provide any person, regardless of fitness or flexibility, with the benefits of yoga practice.

Bring a yoga or exercise mat, and water. For more information, call 681-3333.

Mar ch 15 – The Valley Nature Center (VNC) will host Paul and Mary Storm, orchid hobbyists, in a presentation at the Shomburghkia Orchid Extravaganza. The doors open at 8 a.m. at the VNC located at Business 83 and Border St. in Weslaco. The presentation begins at 10 a.m. The Storms will also speak at the Tip of Texas Orchid Society meeting at 2 p.m. at the VNC. The Storms are leading experts and their nursery in Florida holds one of the largest collections of the Shomburghkia/ Laelia and Myrmecophila species and hybrids in the world. For more information, call 969-2475.

Mar ch 19 – Join the Family Fun Night activity at 4 p.m. in the Old Art Studio at the International Museum of Art & Science, 1900 Nolana in McAllen. This week make wrapped bottles and design a unique vase.

Cost is $2 per person along with regular admission price; supplies included. Call 682-0123 for information.

Mar ch 20 – The Mission Computer Club will meet at 10 a.m. in the Speer Memorial Library Community Room. All levels of users are welcome to attend, and meetings are free. Contact Edna Morales at the library at 580-8478 for more information.

Mar ch 20 – The Edinburg World Birding Center presents Ken King’s program on “Spring Wildflowers” at 6 p.m. Ken King is a high school biology teacher and member of the board of directors for the Native Plant Project and co-author of the book “Plants of Deep South Texas.” Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Space is limited; call to reserve a seat.

The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria. For more information, call 381-9922.

Mar ch 21 – Mission Spanish Aglow will hold their next meeting at Taco Ole Restaurant, 2316 N. Conway in Mission at 4 p.m. for at afternoon merienda. The meeting will be a continuation on the teaching of the power of prayer and the attitudes of the heart presented by the Aglow leadership team. For more information, call Liza Rayo at 7768505 or Connie Escamilla at 279-7887.

Mar ch 21 - A Nature Sketching course for ages 10 and up will be offered on at 10 a.m. at the McAllen Nature Center, 4101 W. Business 83. Local artist Victoria Krasnoshchekova-Gregory will share simple step-bystep instructions into exploration of the natural world. No experience necessary. For more information, call 681-3333.

Mar ch 21 – The International Museum of Art and Science (IMAS) will host a full day of activities celebrating World Water Day 2015 from 12 to 5 p.m. with a number of activities for the whole family featuring a series of SOS the presentations, aquatic animal talks, water conservation activities in the Science Lab and in the Ann Moore Art Studio.

A number of local vendors will also be on-site to offer a variety of extra activities promoting water and energy conservation including the National Weather Service, Pharr Environmental Services, the National Butterfly Center, McAllen Fire Department and Watermill Express. Admission is $7 for adults; $5 for seniors or students with I.D.; and $4 for ages 4 to 12. For more information, call 682-0123 or visit www.imasonline.org.

Mar ch 21 – Head to the Edinburg World Birding Center, 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd., for the Native Plant Sale and Monarch Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Purchase native plants and learn to beautify the landscape in a series of presentations by local experts while getting tips on how to attract the Monarch butterfly populations with the right plants. For more information, call 381-9922.

Mar ch 24 – Speer Memorial Library, 12th and Kika De La Garza Loop in Mission, will host a book discussion in the Community Room at 6:30 p.m. on the book “Into the Beautiful North.” For more information, or to sign up for the book discussion, call William Renner or Rose Alvarez at 580-8750 or 580-8754, stop by the library, or email at reference@missiontexas.us.

Mar ch 26 – Join the Family Fun Night activity at 4 p.m. in the Old Art Studio at the International Museum of Art & Science, 1900 Nolana in McAllen. This week create puffy planets and create 3-D art. Cost is $2 per person along with regular admission price; supplies included.

Call 682-0123 for information.

Mar ch 28 – A family nature photography program will take place at 10:30 a.m. for families to learn the basics of taking pictures in nature. Bring a point-and-shoot camera, DSLR or cell phone camera to the McAllen Nature Center, 4101 W. Business 83, to participate. For more information, call 681-3333.

Mar ch 28 – The kick-off for the Third Annual Edinburg Bird-a-Thon at the Edinburg World Birding Center begins at 8 a.m. with team registrations, bird walks and birding workshops to learn basic birding skills.

The competition runs through May 4 followed by an awards ceremony on May 6. Divisions range from age 5 and up. To register, call 381-9922 on or before March 28. The registration fee is $10 per adult and $8 per child. Each registrant will receive a free T-shirt, snacks and other gifts. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. To see the complete Events Calendar for the coming weeks, go to www.ptrgv.com.

March 20, 2015

County appoints interim Community Service Agency director

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By Julie Silva he three top administrators for Hidalgo County’s Community Service Agency retired or resigned within a week after the director was questioned about $3 million in unspent funds for the indigent.

Commissioners Court appointed Jaime Longoria, assistant chief administrator in the county judge’s office, interim director on Tuesday.

County Judge Ramon Garcia estimated it would take about 30 days to find a permanent director, and Valde Guerra, executive officer for the court, said a board associated with the agency would play a role in naming the new director.

Guerra said he’s also asked County Auditor Ray Eufracio to perform a financial audit. Eufracio said because the Community Service Agency deals with federal money, he’d prefer to have formal action from commissioners court to perform the audit, and Guerra said he’d get him that approval.

“This is protocol whenever you have a change in a director, you always have an audit,” Guerra said.

Also Tuesday, the court approved $29,000 in supplemental pay to nine employees within the Tax Assessor and Collector’s Office. The money will be pulled from

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the department’s Special Inventory Fund, interest gathered from tax payments made by area dealerships.

The tax collector’s office began enforcing fines and penalties against dealers who do not file on time, raising $40,000 in five months for the county’s general fund.

“My concern is that now the tax office wants to give pay raises to individuals, and those salaries for those individuals were approved by commissioners court last year,” Eufracio said.

Tax Assessor and Collector Paul Villarreal said his employees have additional duties because of the new enforcement, and the supplements are justified. He said there is about $75,000 in the account, and if funding runs out, the supplements will be cut off, but he said, “I think people will be buying vehicles all the time.”

Garcia pointed to the District Clerk’s Office, which has $1.3 million in a special fund, and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joseph Palacios said the county would be opening up Pandora’s box by allowing funds from special accounts to be used to fund raises.

“We should objectively be looking at this during the budget cycle,” Palacios said.

“It’s not that I’m against the request. If they’re doing

some new duty, it’s additional work. Of course, that has to be some consideration of compensation.”

Jose Ramirez, of the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s office, said while the DA has not issued a formal opinion, the office found Villarreal is authorized to use the funds without approval of the commissioners court if the money is used in furtherance of the program.

“If there are any questions as to how he is using the money, that has to be challenged in a court of law,” Ramirez said, adding that the checks and balance of the move is that the county auditor can conduct an audit of the fund and present the findings to the court.

Garcia asked why, then, was the supplemental pay even brought to commissioners court, and Eufracio said it’s because the court has the authority to submit salaries for county employees. The county judge was the sole vote against the supplemental pay.

“If we have to act on it, we’ve got to consider all of the employees. We haven’t given pay raises in four years, and to allow you to go ahead and use some monies simply because they’re there to give pay raises to your department, I just don’t think that’s fair,” Garcia said. “I think we’re all in this together.”

Palmview, Hidalgo County begin work on Veterans Boulevard expansion

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he city of Palmview is partnering with Hidalgo County to begin engineering work on a plan to expand Veterans Boulevard from La Homa to Abram Road.

Hidalgo County Commissioners Court approved an interlocal agreement to split the cost of the first phase of the project, estimated at $923,000, at its Tuesday meeting. The first phase is expected to take 18-24 months.

Originally, Mayor Jerry Perez said the project was intended to be four lanes, but the Palmview Municipal Development District is now considering five-lane designs. Soon after Perez took

FEMALE CADETS from pg 6

Department volunteer Adalia Pedraza.

“When I first started, I had trouble carrying the SBA (air tank) because it’s like 20-30 pounds and now I can pop it on like nothing,” said Cavazos. “Physically, I was doubting myself and now I look back, and I’ve come a long way. Mentally it’s something different. I’ve seen some of my fire brothers psych themselves out, especially in confined spaces.

It’s just something you have to master and if it’s something you really want, you’re going to follow through with it.”

“Our instructors actually make us think we are in a sit-

office as mayor, he began pushing for the construction, and he said it’s moving forward quickly because of help from Pct. 3 Commissioner Joe Flores.

Flores said he’s expecting $9 million from the state’s Proposition 1 funding to help fund the project. Another $12 million is expected for La Joya bypass, he said.

In July, the MDD presented a budget that included plans to borrow the funding for the first phase. The estimated total cost of the project is $16 million.

Perez said the city also worked with Texas Department of Transportation to determine that 495 in Palmview was still considered a

state road in 2001, meaning TxDOT will contribute more to the project.

It’s a long-range project

by Richard Perez, head of the MDD, said the plan is to get it shovel-ready and then push for funding from the Texas Department of Transportation through the Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The project, Richard Perez said, will turn “Veterans Boulevard into a modern-day road, much like Pecan in McAllen and Griffin Parkway in Mission.” He said the widening will incentivize the area, making it more viable for retail and commercial projects – that’s why the MDD is involved, he said.

uation, which is what I love about it,” she added. “All the mistakes you make, you have to do them in training.

They make you think you’re actually going out there to try and save someone’s life, and it really gets you. I love their training, the way they push and encourage you. They’ve already gone through it and they know what they’re talking about. They show you how to do things the right way. It’s challenging and through this training I’ve learned a lot.”

Pedraza, a recent PSJA Southwest graduate, wanted to be a firefighter since she was 10 years old. Her older brother was a volunteer firefighter in Mexico and she was captivated by the stories

he told her of his experience as a volunteer.

Once she turned 18, Pedraza applied to volunteer with the Pharr Fire Department and to the STC Fire Science Academy.

“In the fire service it doesn’t matter if you’re a girl or a guy,” said Pedraza.

“The studying aspect is really challenging, but at the end it’s worth it. I’m going to do it because I want to prove all the people wrong who say that girls can’t do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, the job’s going to get done.”

For more information about the STC Fire Science Academy, call (956) 8725674 or visit http://bt.southtexascollege.edu/fire/.

March 20, 2015

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Sharyland sweeps boys, girls 5A district titles M

By Ed Salas

VMHS Patriots state ranked

I

By Luciano Guerra t’s early in the season but the Veterans Memorial Patriots baseball team is already turning heads. As of the March 12 Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association’s (THSBCA) poll the Patriots are the 10th best 5A team in the Lone Star state.

While polls, especially early-season polls, are not much more than fodder for fans to brag about and sports writers to write about, the fact that the Patriots are being looked at as one of the top teams in the state is noteworthy - even if Veterans Memorial head baseball coach Casey Smith and several of his players may not think so.

As a matter of fact Smith not only doesn’t give polls much credence but he doesn’t even like talking about his team’s goals.

“We obviously have a set of goals that we share amongst ourselves but we don’t generally like to talk about them,” expressed Smith. “We don’t want to be boastful, we want to stay humble. I can say however that our main goal is to get better every day. That’s what we as coaches are trying to instill in our players and they’ve really adopted that philosophy. Whether we’re playing a game or getting through a practice they’re just trying to get better every day.”

The fact that the Patriots won their first eight games in a row very likely had something to do with their current ranking. However Veterans Memorial then lost their next four games before starting a new mini-winning streak which currently stands at two games - including a 5 – 2 win in their only district game of the season so far against the Sharyland Rattlers.

“We played decent baseball during the eight-game win streak,” Smith said.

“We’ve been pitching well and playing defense. Really in all but one game this year we’ve pitched well and played defense and that’s going to keep you around even when you’re not hitting the ball. We haven’t gotten the offensive production we’re used to but our pitching and our defense has been keeping us in games.”

As one of the 10 seniors on the current Patriots’ roster, catcher and utility infielder David de los Santos wasn’t even aware of the fact that his team is state-ranked.

“I wasn’t aware of the state ranking,” explained de los Santos. “I don’t pay attention to polls or to stats. It’s not about stats it’s about how we do each day. It doesn’t even matter how we did yesterday.

I just stay focused and take each game one at a time.”

Like de los Santos first baseman and left-handed pitcher Leo Martinez is also a senior. With the other eight

members of the team all being sophomores there is an interesting dynamic between the upper classmen and the new-comers that somehow works as team chemistry.

“We have good comradery,” shared Martinez. “You’d think that there would be a divide between the seniors and the sophomores but we’ve worked during the off-season to get games in and to play as a team. We’ve gotten to know each other by playing together and by throwing with someone we might not otherwise want to throw with and that has helped us build good team chemistry.”

Coming off back-to-back district championships followed by back-to-back onerun losses in the final games of best-of-three bi-district playoff series, the Patriots will be working towards winning their first ever playoff series and advancing into the second round this season.

As for whether or not the past two years’ heartbreaking playoff losses are motivating his team to accomplish that goal, Patriots’ third baseman and right-handed pitcher David Gutierrez said, “That does motivate us but so does every game we play. Whether we win or lose we try to get better every game. As for the playoffs we always want to get past the first round and keep moving forward. Coming as close to doing that as we came the past two seasons is motivating us this year.”

ISSION - Can you smell it? That’s the aroma of the high school soccer playoff season that’s been slowly simmering for the past few months, and that will be ready to be served up as the sport’s main dish starting March 26 when bi-district kicks off the first round of the postseason.

Sharyland ISD boys and girls soccer programs were among the first to secure playoff berths this season with all four teams qualifying to the postseason. Both Sharyland squads captured their respective District 31-5A championships and first-year school Sharyland Pioneer qualified to the playoffs in their first attempt.

“It’s great for the community, the school and the kids,” Sharyland boys head coach Reveriano Hernández said. “We haven’t won the title in four years. The level of competition in our district has been tight. One point can make all the difference and you tell in the game against Valley View. That says how close it has been.”

The Rattlers (11-1, 33 points) defeated Valley View 2-1 in a rematch on March 13 to assure themselves a share of the title. Sharyland lost the first-leg match 1-0 on Feb. 17.

The Rattlers knocked out Rio Grande City 7-1 in the regular-season finale on Tuesday to win the district championship outright for the first time since 2011.

On the girls side, the Lady Rattlers (12-0, 36) rolled to an undefeated season and the district title under new head coach Aaron Clemons.

“I’m excited to be here at Sharyland and to win the district title in my first year here has been wonderful,” Clemons said. “When I came in I told people we were going to win district and there were those that said it would be difficult with the split. I had someone tell me that it was not a good idea to leave an established program at Mission to come to a school that just

LEFT: Shrugging off the Pressure - Palmview’s Ulyses Jaime fends off Juarez-Lincoln’s Florentino Castillo, the Lobos were able to frustrate the Huskies to limit them to one goal.

Progress Times photo by Mike De La Cruz.

ABOVE:Sharyland freshman forward Kaitie Watson glides through the air as she gets the ball past Pioneer’s Pricilla Alanis and towards the goal during the Lady Rattlers’ recent 3 - 0 win over the Lady Diamondbacks.

Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

split, but I chose to roll the dice and it paid off.”

“I have a young team and we are just going to get better every year,” added Clemons.

“It’s been great and the players, parents, and my co-workers have greeted me with open arms. I inherited a great assistant in coach Jesús Cárdenas, who has been essential to our success this season.”

Both Sharyland squads will face the fourth place teams in District 32-5A that are yet to be decided.

Sharyland Pioneer’s girls side claimed the 31-5A runner up spot with a 10-2 record and 30 points, while the boys squad captured the third place slot with a 7-5 mark and 21 points.

The Diamondbacks will take on District 32-4A second place PSJA Southwest (9-4, 29) in the bi-district phase of the playoffs. The Javelinas will conclude their district season on Friday against Brownsville Pace. Meanwhile, the Lady Diamondbacks are waiting on one of three possible opponents to be decided between Pace, Edcouch-Elsa and PSJA Southwest.

On the District 30-6A boys side, all three La Joya teams qualified to the playoffs.

La Joya Palmview (8-3,

24) will battle McAllen for the district championship on Friday at La Joya’s Pack Stadium at 8 p.m. Qualified to their second straight postseason, the Lobos will face either a team from Laredo or Del Rio in the opening round of the playoffs.

“McHi is playing really well and it’s going to be a good game,” Palmview head coach Mario Ribera said.

“Controlling possession of the ball has helped us this season as well as getting together before each game to talk, watch motivational videos, making time to give out hand-written playing assignments and making our goals clear.”

After dropping the last three games of the first-leg of the district season, Palmview has won five straight to qualify to the postseason and put themselves in a position to fight for the title.

“It would be a great honor and a privilege to win district, especially for the kids who have made a great effort to play in summer and fall leagues to get to this point,” added Ribera. “They believe in themselves now. We’re not a small team anymore and we can compete with the best

See SOCCER 10

LJHS’ Leobardo Garza Signs Letter of Intent La Joya High School senior Leobardo Garza signed his letter of intent to play for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. Garza, currently ranked number six in his class, played defensive end for the Coyotes throughout his tenure at La Joya High School. He was part of the 2014 football team that made their first appearance in the playoffs since the split of the three high schools at La Joya ISD. Garza will play for the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys on an academic/athletic scholarship.

March 20, 2015

obituaries

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Juanito Benavides ISSION – Juanito Benavides, 64, died Friday, March 13, 2015, at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg. He was born to Pablo Benavides and Catalina Loredo on August 8, 1950 in Mission.

He is survived by his children, Celia Stephanie Rodriguez, Veronica Mendez, Juan Pablo Benavides; and grandchild, Martin Mendez, III. Survivors also include siblings, Dolores Barbosa, Maria Elena Garcia, Celia Ibarra, Andrea Lerma, Catarino Benavides, Pablo Benavides, Jose Benavides, Rosalinda Zapata, Agustin Benavides and Yolanda Guerrero.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Adelita Benavides; sister, Julie Benavides; and his parents.

A funeral mass was held March 16 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Interment followed at Garden of Angels Cemetery in Abram.

Victor Hugo Ellard Jr. ITTSBORO – Victor Hugo Ellard, Jr., 91, of Pittsboro died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 at Select Specialty Hospital in San Antonio, Tex. He was born in Dawson, New Mexico on September 24, 1923, to Victor Hugo Ellard, Sr. and Ivy Lee Byars Ellard. He was a veteran of WW2, having served in the 8th Air Force of the Army Air Corps in England from 1943-1945. He had been a lifelong member of the Pittsboro United Methodist Church.

He is survived by two sons, Jerome (Helen) Ellard, Big Sandy, Tex. and Gregory (Theresa) Ellard, Windcrest, Tex.; eight grandchildren (Erin, Rory, Celina, Andrew, Theresa Marie, Angela, Kristopher, Alan); 11 great-grandchildren (Raven, Piper, Michael, Brandon, Evan, Alex, Michael William, Daniel, Catie, Andrew James, Brianna); a brother, Bruce (Catherine) Ellard, Natchez; and nieces, nephews and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Sydnette, and his brother, John.

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A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

How to condense 91 years of experiences and impact on other people into a few lines?

Vic was known and loved by family and friends all around the country. He enjoyed promoting and attending gatherings (small or large) of family and friends and loved each person well. He was a prolific letter writer, and had many stories, mostly funny, about growing up in Depression-era Mississippi.

He maintained a keen interest in world and national affairs and passed on that interest to his sons. After a time as a civilian employee at Columbus Air Force Base, he moved to Mission, in deep South Texas in 1954 to work in the same capacity at Moore Air Base. He raised his family and lived in Texas for almost 30 years before moving back to Pittsboro.

His passing leaves a void, but a full and unforgettable legacy of love.

Oscar Flores Sr. A JOYA – Oscar Flores Sr., 90, passed away March 12, 2015, at LifeCare South Hospital in McAllen, Texas. He was born on November 26, 1924, in Cuevitas, Texas to Lazaro Flores and Genoveva Santana.

Flores was a long time sand and gravel truck driver.

He and his wife were also restaurant owners in La Joya for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ernestina Flores; children, Sylvia Rodriguez, Maria Cristina Alaniz, Oscar Flores Jr., Thelma Zamora, Ana Bertha Flores, and Eliazar Flores; 21 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Elijio Flores.

Visitation services were held March 14 at Lord & I Memorial Chapel in Penitas.

Dulce Elvira Garza ALMVIEW – Dulce “Candie” Elvira Garza, 33, passed away on Friday, March 6, 2015, at Houston Methodist Hospital.

She was born on Oct. 9,

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1981, to Jose Garza Jr. and Micaela Martinez.

Survivors include her husband, Gilberto Velasquez; daughters, Sarah Devani Velasquez and Jadezia Cheyenne Del Castillo; her parents; and siblings, Jose Garza III and Cheyenne Garza.

She was preceded in death

by Jose Garza Peña and Elvira Garza.

The funeral mass will be held on Thursday, March 12, at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Interment followed at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview Jesus Humberto S. Leal ALMHURST – Jesus Humberto S. Leal, 78, passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2015, at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston.

Mr. Leal was a respiratory therapist for over 44 years.

Survivors include his wife, of 46 years, Maria Garcia Leal of Palmhurst; children, Dorothy Quaranto of

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Notices

Aurelio Avila MISSION – A funeral mass for Aurelio Avila was held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen.

Jose Jesus Chavarria SULLIVAN CITY - Jose Jesus Chavarria, 61, died Friday, March 13, 2015, at his residence in Sullivan City.

Gregoria Escobedo MISSION - Gregoria Escobedo, 80, died Sunday, March 15, 2015, at her residence in Mission.

Elric Gaona MISSION - Elric Gaona died Sunday, March 15, 2015, at Women’s Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg.

Graveside services were held March 18 at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen Ines Figueroa PALMVIEW – Ines Figueroa, 81 passed away on Saturday, March 7, 2015, at her home in Palmview. A funeral service was held on March 9 at Palmview Apostolic Church. Burial followed at Garden of Angels Cemetery in Mission.

San Antonio, Belinda Ann Leal of San Benito, Mark Moreno of Donna, Elaine Villarreal of McAllen and Xavier Omar Leal of Palmhurst; siblings, Jesse Leal, Olga Quiroga, Minerva Leal, Anna Galan, Rolando Leal, Ruby Cantu, Ruth Cantu and Irma Cedillo; and 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Alicia Gonzalez Leal; parents, Jesus and Carmen Leal; brothers, Homer and Raul Leal; and granddaughter, Natalia Villarreal-Leal.

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, March 12, at 10 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in McAllen.

Military honors will be conducted by VFW #8788.

Armando Lopez Ramirez ISSION - Armando Lopez Ramirez, 58, died March 14, 2015, at his residence in Mission.

He is survived by his wife,

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Juan Manuel Gomez MISSION - Juan Manuel Gomez, 60, died Thursday, March 12, 2015, at his residence in Mission.

Lydia G. Gonzales ALTON – Lydia G. Gonzales, 85, passed away on Monday, March 2, 2015, at McAllen Medical Center.

A funeral service was held on March 6 at St. John of the Fields Church in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission.

Amelia Gonzalez LA JOYA – Amelia Gonzalez, 75, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at Mission Regional Medical Center. A funeral mass was held on March 6 at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in La Joya. Burial followed at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview.

Antonino Gulino McALLEN/MISSION - Antonio Gulino, 78, died Sunday, March 15, 2015, at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg. A funeral service was held March 18 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in McAllen.

ChurCh DireCtory BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411 CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 4501 N. McColl. - McAllen CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 29th & Dove - McAllen 618-0884 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 1 Mi. 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 1300 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 PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln. Mission • 735-2569

ROAD TO SALVATION ASSEMBLY OF GOD 239 W. 2nd St. - La Joya 1312 Oblate • 585-3261

OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223

SAN CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH

3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5

OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno 279-4159

SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002

IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688

OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission • 279-4159

ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325

IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623

IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332

OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193

ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005

IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst

PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy.

585-3203

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

FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 4122 N. Conway • 584-3112 GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008

IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898

PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236 PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711

LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787

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

MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683

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

NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 585-4122

RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838

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

Mission • 580-4551

ST. PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701

TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway • 581-4981 or 585-3831 TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya THE DOOR CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

810 E. Veterans & La Homa Suite F.

Palmview Crossing Plaza 212-1594/424-1984

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3701W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261 WEST MISSION LUTHERAN FELLOWSHIP Pleasant Valley Ranch 7320 W. Exp. 83 • Mission 583-7667 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 NEAL KING (retired) DARRELL DAVIS ESMERALDA GARCIA (retired) 301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622

IMPLEMENT COMPANY, INC. MISSION 585-1618

  

 



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

 

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Maria Maribel Ramirez; children, Elisa Lopez, Armando Lopez Jr. and Adrian Lopez; and three grandchildren.

A funeral mass was held March 17 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Lorna Berniece Small, ‘Lorna B.’ ISSION - Lorna Berniece Small, ‘Lorna B.’ died Sunday, March 15, 2015.

She was born on October 21, 1923 to Raymond Jessie and Myrtle Groves.

She is survived by a son, Terry Small; brother, Wayne; three sisters, Pearl, June and Ruth; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Paul Huddleston, Mary Ann Small and April Wilson are also her all-stars.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Homer Small; parents; four siblings; daughter, Jackie Huddleston; and son, Anthony Small.

A memorial service was held March 19 at Virgil Wilson Mortuary in Mission. A cremation service followed.

Serving as Pall Bearers were Terry Small, Randy Small, Roy Balli, Paul Huddleston, Jason Huddleston, and Hampton Huddleston.

Honorary Pall Bearers were Stephen Small, Hunter Huddleston, Austin Huddleston and Trevor Huddleston.

Eileen Patson MISSION - Eileen Patson, 88, died Sunday, March, 15, 2015, at Mission Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Margarita Quintanilla MISSION - Visitation for Margarita Quintanilla was held March 12 at Legacy Funeral Home in Edinburg.

Chapel Services were held March 14 at Legacy Funeral Home in Edinburg. Burial was at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen.

Jose Angel Umana Reyes MISSION – Jose Angel Umana Reyes passed away on Friday, March 6, 2015, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Pedro Romelio Rodriguez PALMVIEW - Pedro Romelio Rodriguez, 68, died Friday March 13, 2015 at Solara Hospital in McAllen.

Graveside services were held March 16 at Lord & I Cemetery in Palmview.

Karim Hernandez Ruiz PEÑITAS - Infant Karim Hernandez Ruiz died Monday, March 9, 2015, at Mission Regional Medical Center. Cremation was held,

March 13, at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna.

Pablo Salazar PALMVIEW - Pablo Salazar, 67, died Thursday, March 12, 2015, at Amara Hospice in Edinburg.

Chapel services were held March 16 at Rivera Funeral Home, L.L.C. of Mission.

Burial followed at Garden of Angels Cemetery in Mission.

Lucas Villarreal Salinas MISSION – Lucas Villarreal Salinas, 76, passed away on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at McAllen Medical Center.

Memorial Funeral Home of San Juan is in charge of arrangements.

Marcela Salinas ALTON – Marcela Salinas, 51, passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2015, at her home in Alton.

Henry Salvatore MISSION – Henry Salvatore, 75, passed away on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at his home in Mission.

Wayne M. Tarmann MISSION - Wayne M. Tarmann, 76, died Saturday, March 14, 2015 at his residence in Mission.

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All obituaries must be submitted by the funeral home.

Obituary notices are run FREE OF CHARGE in the Progress Times if they are submitted in a timely manner to run the same week of the date of death. Otherwise, there is a fee for notices submitted later than the closest possible publication date.

Late obituaries will be subject to a $50 charge.

Obituaries can be found online and are updated as they are received. Visit www. progresstimes.net to stay current with obituaries and other news that matters to you.

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March 20, 2015

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Legislative Oversight Committee that would investigate the operations of law enforcement on the border.

That includes obtaining reports on the how monies for training, equipment and salaries are being spent.

One of the thorniest issues for lawmakers was an amendment by state Rep. Jose Manuel Lozano, R-Kingsville, that sought to eliminate a provision that a person must be engaged in smuggling for profit in order to be prosecuted. During a committee hearing last week, state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, added the clarifying language in order to allay concerns raised by faithbased groups that feared they would be arrested and possibly charged for simply driving an undocumented immigrant to church services.

Lozano argued that the only proof a smuggler is being paid comes from the person smuggled. That can’t happen when the person is left for dead in the brutal Texas heat, he said.

“The people that cause

these deaths are the human traffickers, animals,” he said.

“This bill is supposed to put them away.”

Bonnen said there was concern that the language wasn’t clear enough on who can be prosecuted.

“I think the reality is that Rep. Lozano was very concerned about this issue about smuggling. He’s personally seen with his own eyes the tragedy of smuggling in his home community,” Bonnen said. “In visiting with him and visiting with the Texas Association of District and County Attorneys, visiting with DPS, we believe that the language is very strong.”

But the issue could reemerge in the Texas Senate, which voted the companion to Bonnen’s bill, SB 3, out of a subcommittee on Monday.

Moody said its essential the language stays in.

“That was very carefully negotiated,” he said. “That ensures we’re trying to get. I hope they maintain that language because it’s a crucial component to the bill.”

Border lawmakers also had concerns over the data center, dubbed in the bill as

a Texas Transnational Intelligence Center. State Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, voted against the bill and argued the center would stain the border’s reputation because of its sole focus on border crime.

“The City of El Paso consistently ranks as having the lowest crime rate among large cities. The proposed border law sends the wrong message about our region and could hurt economic development and our ability to attract business and investments," he said in a statement. "If the intent of the law is to make the state safer, all law enforcement agencies, not just those in border counties, should be required to report to their crime data to this center."

During the floor debate, Bonnen said that isn’t the intent.

“I think that he’s a little confused on what we’re trying to do. What this bill does is it does create a statewide requirement for statewide statistics,” he said. “Every community in the state of Texas by 2019 will be reporting crime in the same way.”

last time, they’ll go around and find them to play. They love it.”

Rattler senior Jesus Delgado qualified for a third time for the national competition.

He began placing kings in checkmate in seventh grade and by eighth grade made his debut at nationals.

“The chess team is one of

the greatest things that I’ve done throughout high school and junior high. It opened my world,” Delgado said. “It’s allowed me to travel around the country and experience new places.”

Delgado said that playing chess allows him to better handle stress in other aspects of his life, in addition to re-

maining focused on a single 17-year-old said. “I came into activity for extended periods this on the blind. I had no of time. His affinity for the friends in there. I just did it game comes from the tactic because the sponsor was my and strategy that goes into science teacher and she asked each match. me to join. I came for from pg 1 CITY COUNCIL “If I could tell this to one practice and I reanyone, give it a try be- ally got into it.” tract for phone services with Ver- trash receptacles from a sole cause you never know what izon and go with Sprint at a sav- source, Paul E. Allen Company, you’re going to get into,” the ings of an estimated $20,000 for for the purchase of 21 benches the city over a two-year period. and 10 trash receptacles. Three NOTICE TO CREDITORS Lerma said the savings amounted of the benches will be used in to 35 percent of the cost of Ver- the downtown area. The other Notice is hereby given that original 18 benches and trash receptacles izon.

Letters Testamentary for the Estate of The bid for weedy lot abate- will be used at Arnulfo “Tatan” Johanna Marie De Forest, Deceased, ment was rejected and will be Rodriguez Jr. Park. The bid were issued on February 11, 2015, unrebid. The lowest bidder did not amounted to $30,475. der Docket No. P-36,682, pending in In other action, April Reshow references for experience the Probate Court of Hidalgo County, in weedy lot abatement and the nee Chapa was appointed to the Texas, to Belinda K. Arce. Claims may second lowest bidder’s rates Youth Advocacy Advisory Board be presented in care of the attorney for to replace Veronica Vela who rewere not reasonable. the estate, addressed as follows: The council did approve a signed from the board.

Representative, bid for purchase of benches and Estate of Johanna Marie De Forest, Deceased from pg 8 SOCCER c/o Ryan C. Solis teams in South Texas.”

Joya won three straight matches, 3900 N. 10th Street, Suite 915 La Joya Juárez-Lincoln (7-4, including a key 3-1 victory over McAllen, TX 78501 22) hasn’t been as sharp as pre- Juárez-Lincoln on Feb. 20, that (956) 686-9600 Phone vious seasons, but they pose just marked the difference and helped (956) 686-7033 Facsimile as much a threat as they have in them accumulate enough points All persons having claims against this the past. to qualify. estate, which is currently being adminLa Joya (6-5, 18) will appear in “The return to the playoffs is istered, are required to present them its first playoff match since 2012 the result of a two-year project,” within the time and in the manner preagainst Laredo LBJ on March 26 La Joya head coach Eugenio Milscribed by law. at 7:30 p.m. at Roma’s Gladiator la said. “We knew that we didn’t DATED March 20, 2015.

Arena. have the manpower or ideal situaRyan C. Solis, Attorney for Applicant The Coyotes got off to a rocky tion to put together a playoff team.

1-3 start in district, but in a one However, two things that made NOTICE TO CREDITORS week span from Feb. 17-24 La a difference was that we gave our project continuity Notice is hereby given that original ORDINANCE NO. 4198 through the summer, Letters Testamentary for the Estate of playing in a summer Donald Dean De Forest, Deceased, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY league, and we implewere issued on February 11, 2015, unCOUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, mented a weight-lifting der Docket No. P-36,681, pending in TEXASGRANTING A CONDITIONAL program. This group the Probate Court of Hidalgo County, USE PERMIT FOR THE SALE of players has matured Texas, to Belinda K. Arce. Claims may & ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF over the two-year probe presented in care of the attorney for the estate, addressed as follows: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES–RANCH cess. They’re stronger and have more experiRepresentative, HOUSE BURGERS, 409 N. BRYAN ence now.”

Estate of Donald Dean De Forest, ROAD, SUITES 104 & 105, LOT 1, On the girls side, Deceased CITY PLAZA SUBDIVISION Juárez-Lincoln (6-5. c/o Ryan C. Solis READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, 15) is the only Big 7 3900 N. 10th Street, Suite 915 THIS THE 12TH DAY OF school to qualify to McAllen, TX 78501 the playoffs in 6A. The MARCH, 2015.

(956) 686-9600 Phone Lady Huskies will face Norberto Salinas, Mayor (956) 686-7033 Facsimile All persons having claims against this ATTEST: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary the winner of District 29-6A in bi-district. estate, which is currently being administered, are required to present them within the time and in the manner preORDINANCE NO. 4199 scribed by law.

DATED March 20, 2015.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY Ryan C. Solis, Attorney for Applicant COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE 780 DESIGNATING PLACES WHERE 2015-01-0210 BEER AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD WITHIN AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ALTON, TEXAS, THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE ANNEXING 80.1 ACRES OF LAND, LOCATED IN CITY OF MISSION TO INCLUDE HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS, WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS THE PREMISES LOCATED AT 409 TO THE CITY LIMITS AND HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED N. BRYAN ROAD, SUITES 104 & 105, TERRITORY; AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED LOT 1, CITY PLAZA SUBDIVISION EXHIBIT; MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, DATE; AND PROVIDING FOR OPEN MEETINGS AND THIS THE 12TH DAY OF OTHER RELATED MATTERS. MARCH, 2015.

Norberto Salinas, Mayor READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 10th day of ATTEST: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary February, 2015.

BORDER SECURITY from pg 5

CHESS

Mission CISD to host area educational leaders and Google for a special symposium

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ission Consolidated Independent School District is partnering with Google to host a special symposium that will bring together school superintendents, assistant superintendents and technology directors. The South Texas International Google Leadership Symposium will be held Thursday, March 26, at Veterans Memorial High School (700 E. Two Mile Road, Mission). Attendees are expected from as far north as Laredo and Corpus Christi.

Attendees from the Mexican consulate are also expected to attend.

“We are excited that Google selected us as their partner for this event,” said Ricardo López, superintendent. “We have been a South Texas leader in the deployment of Google for Education in our classrooms and in the deployment of Google Chrome powered devices for student use.” from pg 1

The symposium will begin at 9 a.m. and last until about 4 p.m. During the intimate event, attendees will be able to explore educational strategies in presentations provided by Google for Education specialists and Mission CISD employees. Part of the day will also involve visiting several Mission CISD schools to see how they are using Chrome and Android powered devices in the classroom. Other topics will include collaboration and differentiated instruction through technology and the Google for Education tools

as well as how to manage the deployment of devices.

Registration for the South Texas International Google Leadership Symposium is limited and filling up quickly. Districts are asked to limit their number of participants to superintendents, main instructional leadership, and technology directors. Interested school district instructional or technology leaders who have not registered yet, can still do so. Contact Lolly Pena, Mission CISD coordinator for instructional technology and library services, at 956-323-5560.

OLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M University has named its Dean’s Honor Roll and Distinguished students for the fall semester.

The Dean's Honor Roll recognizes students taking at least 15 semester hours during the fall semester who have maintained a 3.75 or higher grade point average.

Mission residents on the Honor Roll list include Brittany D. Clair, Kassandra M. Granados, Marilyn Martinez,

Anthony M. Mendez, Thomas J. Rivera and Gabriel R. Siegel.

"Distinguished Student," recognizes those who earned a 3.5 to 3.74 while taking at least 15 hours for the fall semester. It includes, from Mission, Valeria Galvan, Joe L. Hernandez, Maritza N. Hernandez, Odette M. Leal, Adelaido Reyes and Chandler K. Smith; Esmeralda Garcia, Peñitas; and Sofia A. Guerra, Alton.

C

TAMU Dean’s List announced

Salvador Vela, Mayor ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas TRMC|CPM, City Secretary

Notice of Public Hearing Mission Economic Development Corporation Notice is hereby given that the Mission Economic Development Corporation will conduct a public hearing on April 21, 2015, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas to consider the following project or projects during the proposed fiscal year 2014-2015: Offsite Infrastructure Improvements for a project off of 3 Mile Road between Schuerbach Road and La Homa Road, Mission, Texas in an amount not to exceed $70,000.

Anyone interested is invited to attend and present their comments.

Date of publication: March 20, 2015 Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

ORDINANCE NO. 4200 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL FOR THE SALE & ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES– LA MANSION BALLROOM, 507 N. CONWAY, LOT 8, BLOCK 92, MISSION ORIGINAL TOWNSITE SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 12TH DAY OF MARCH, 2015.

Norberto Salinas, Mayor ATTEST: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

theclassifieds March 20, 2015

buy • sell • trade • rent • hire

this page is your oyster opening up to a world of opportunity

autos

FOR SALE 2012 YAMAHA MAJESTY 400CC scooter, 55mpg, 120mph charisal, 5,050miles, excellent condition, $3,950, 429-2447955.

2000 FORD F-350 power stroke diesel dually ext-cab, sliding tauning cover, towing package, power everything.

Banks power kit 183,000 miles, $9,000. 661-3014179.

cemetery

VALLEY MEMORIAL GARDENS, Sec. K, spaces 1-4, $1,800 ea. OBO, 956-467-2100.

forrent

CONDO 55+, 2ND person 18+, fully

furnished, beautiful view to Shary Golf Course, 2bd, 1 1/2b, long/short term, 956-8448168 or 956-4322437.

helpwanted

TURISTA PROPANE IS looking for Bobtail drivers, 1 year experience needed, will train for propane license, please call our office at (956)5811710.

MEDICAL ASSISTANT NEEDED for doctor’s office, experienced in lab drawing & medical manager program.

Please call 956687-8916 and ask for Ana. CDL-A DRIVERS EARN AROUND 4,700/MTH WITH US. We are a small company who

EscalEra WrEckEr Inc. 1515 W. 3 MIlE rd.

MIssIon, TExas 78573 (956) 585-8245 • Fax 581-6668 Tdlr vsF lIc. no. 0548371

treats drivers with respect and dignity.

WE CAN HELP YOU TAKE HOME THE MONEY YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! We run paper logs, we pay .38/cpm and we have the miles YOU NEED! We need drivers who conduct themselves with the ethics of our trade.

Drivers who want to make a good living! Call me and JOIN OUR TEAM! George 792-4667109 or email me at george@uft-us. com. United Freight Transport, based out of Laredo, TX.

DRIVERS:

Drivers: CDL-A. $2400 Sign-on. Excellent Benefits. Home weekly.

Solos & Teams - Excellent Wages. Newer Equipment.

Monthly Bonus Programs.

New Grads, Training Available. 877-723-8932

Personal classified rate: $7 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

Business classified rate: $15 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

services

NEED A MAID? Cleaning and cooking services - bilingual - affordable rates. Call Carolina 956-827-1853 or 956-683-6243.

MAKE TOYOTA UTILITY MAZDA

MODEL AVALON TRAILER 6

2008 29 FOOT, fully equipped Cirrus toy hauler, excellent condition, La Feria.

956-990-8310 or 956-335-7150.

2011 KOALA 23CS Super Lite, 4000 lbs, 1/2 ton, friendly, 1 slide, a/c, awning. 330501-0973.

2008 29 FOOT Springdale Travel Trailer, skirted single 12x4 slide, screen room 20x11, metal shed, in 55+ park, call 956-244-5763.

956 ToWIng & rEcovEry llc 1515 W. 3 MIlE rd.

MIssIon, TExas 78573 (956) 585-8245 • Fax: 581-6668 Tdlr vsF lIc. no. 0640957

VIN# 4T1BF18B2W4274591 1UYVS2531FP251710 1YVHP80D865M34320

BALANCE $560.00 $1,695.00 $506.00

TOTAL CHARGES CANNOT BE COMPUTED UNTIL VEHICLE IS CLAIMED. STORAGE CHARGES WILL ACCRUE DAILY UNTIL VEHICLE IS RELEASED. ORDINANCE 2015-03-0224 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ALTON, TEXAS, ORDERING A GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 9, 2015 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR AND A CITY COMMISSIONER PLACE 1; ESTABLISHING EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS AND POLLING PLACES FOR SAID ELECTION; AND MAKING PROVISIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION, WAIVING SECOND AND THIRD READING. READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 24th day of February, 2015.

Salvador Vela, Mayor ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas TRMC|CPM, City Secretary ORDINANCE 2015-02-0127 AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE CLASSIFICATION FOR ZONING PURPOSES OF THE FOLLOWING TRACT OF LAND: A 15.87 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF LOT 384 JOHN H. SHARY SUBDIVISION, ALTON, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF ALTON, TEXAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING ZONING CLASSIFICATION CHANGES; PROVIDING FOR A SAVINGS AND REPEAL CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, WAIVING SECOND AND THIRD READING. READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 27th day of January, 2015.

Salvador Vela, Mayor ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas TRMC|CPM, City Secretary MISSION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NOTICE OF INTENTION BUDGET AMENDMENT TO FY 2014-2015 BUDGET TAKE NOTICE that the Mission Economic Development Corporation of the City of Mission, (the “MEDC”), shall convene not earlier than 60 days after first publishing this notice and shall consider authorizing a Budget Amendment to the fiscal year 2014-2015 Budget, as hereinafter described, pursuant to the provisions of V.T.C.A. Local Government Code Sections 505.001 et seq. The MEDC is authorized on behalf of the City of Mission, Texas to undertake the Project or Projects by paying the cost of the Project or Projects with sales tax revenues authorized under said Local Government Code sections.

The Board of Directors of the MEDC will determine whether the Project or Projects will be undertaken and whether it will finance the cost of the Project or Projects with proceeds from sales tax revenues.

The Project or Projects shall consist of the following: Offsite Infrastructure Improvements for a project off of 3 Mile Road between Schuerbach Road and La Homa Road, Mission, Texas in an amount not to exceed $70,000.

Date of Publication: March 20, 2015 Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

2004 MONTANA M O U N TA I N E E R 30’, front kitchen travel trailer. Large

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.

living-dining slide, slide topper awning, patio awning with awning bows. Free

standing dinette, hide a bed sofa, swivel rocker, rear queen bed, large

outside storage compartment. See at Gooding RV. 956585-4481.

traveltrailer

PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN RULE 85.703. SUBCHAPTER F, FROM CHAPTER 85, PART 4 OF TITLE 16 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOTIFYING YOU THAT THE BELOW DESCRIBED MOTOR VEHICLES HELD IN OUR CUSTODY ARE TO BE PICKED UP, REMOVED AND ALL CHARGES PAID WITHIN (45) DAYS OR THESE VEHICLES WILL BE DECLARED ABANDONED ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW. YEAR 1998 2015 2006

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NOTICE TO PUBLIC CITY OF MISSION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM In accordance with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Mission hereby announces a public hearing regarding a substantial program and budget amendment to the FY 2014-2015 CDBG Action Plan. The Public hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm at the O’Grady Elementary, 810 W. Griffin Parkway, Mission, Texas.

The Proposed Substantial Program and Budget Amendment consists of the elimination of an activity originally described in the Action Plan FY 2014-2015.

The elimination of the activity funding $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity would allow those funds to be reallocated to the city’s Housing Assistance Program.

Additional funding for this activity will provide housing assistance for approximately two additional eligible low income residents within the City of Mission. Further, Habitat for Humanity will be deleted and the $100,000 would increase funding for Housing Reconstruction to $611,742. The program and budget amendment is requested in order to address the need for housing assistance for thirteen (13) qualified homeowners. This proposed activity is eligible through Rehab; Single Unit Residential 570.202 (b) (6).

All interested agencies and citizens are encouraged to attend and participate in the public hearing. This public hearing is part of the Community Development Block Grant Program Citizen Participation process and complies with program requirements. For more information, please contact the Community Development Office at (956) 580-8670. Written comments will be accepted until April 20, 2015, and may be forwarded to Jo Anne Longoria, Community Development Director, 1201 E. 8th Street, Mission, Texas 78572.

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March 20, 2015