August 14, 2015 - Progress Times Issue by Progress Times

Friday, August 14, 2015

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Schools excel in state accountability ratings

By Julie Silva very one of Sharyland ISD’s schools had earned a post-secondary readiness distinction from the state when district ratings were released last week. “That means that even starting in elementary, our children are on track to be college and career ready, even in pre-K and kindergarten,” said Pam Montalvo, interim assistant superintendent of curriculum for Sharyland Independent School District. The Texas Education Agency categorized each campus as “met standard” or “improvement required.” Only two campuses amongst Sharyland, La Joya and Mis-

sion Consolidated ISDs were listed as improvement required: Tabasco Elementary at La Joya ISD and the Mission Options Academy. Schools were rated on four indexes: student performance (how well they did on state tests), progress (how much students improved from the previous year), closing the achievement gap (how well groups like special education and English Language Learners improved) and post secondary readiness (how ready students are for college). Also, districts and campuses have the opportunity to earn up to seven distinctions for excelling in several areas: reading, math, science, social studies, student progress, closing the achievement

gap and post secondary readiness. Sharyland ISD was one of only 10 districts statewide to earn a distinction for post secondary readiness two years in a row. Craig Verley, spokesman for Mission CISD, said the district has decided to turn the Options Academy from an alternative campus to a stand-alone school. This is the second year the school has not to met state standards. “This will allow for the accountability scores of the students participating in the Options Program to be reported as part of the traditional district high school they are zoned to attend and provide a more seamless participation in traditional high school extra-curricular

activities,” Verley said in a statement. He emphasized that all of the district’s traditional campuses met standard and many “dominated the state test,” earning several distinctions. “This is proof that our schools are thriving as they are meeting and exceeding state standards,” Verley stated. Last year, La Joya ISD had two schools listed as improvement required, Juarez-Lincoln High School and Saenz Middle School. This year, both schools met standard, though Saenz missed the first index marking student performance. Eden Ramirez, spokesman for La Joya ISD, said the district came up with a comprehensive plan last

year for the two schools that didn’t meet state standards. Tabasco Elementary’s results are being scrutinized and the district will put together a committee to come up with a plan to improve its results. Changes could include more training for teachers or adding another administrator, Ramirez said. “We had schools that got all of the distinctions from the state that they could have gotten, so what we’re doing is we’re learning from those schools and learning what they did right to see if we can apply some of those markers to help the other schools,” Ramirez said. “We’re confident that Tabasco Elementary will be successful next year.” Over at Sharyland ISD,

five out of 14 schools received all of the distinctions they could possibly get from the state: Sharyland High School, Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy, B.L. Gray Junior High School, Bentsen Elementary School, and Romulo D. Martinez Elementary. Montalvo pointed overall out of 75 possible distinctions, the district’s campuses earned 63. “All of our schools met standard, and all of them have at least one distinction,” Montalvo said. “I don’t know how many districts can say that, and we’re very pleased, and we want to do better.” The state also compares

See RATINGS 7

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH Construction projects substantially complete in MCISD

By Lea Victoria Juarez

MCISD gives free school supplies

By Lea Victoria Juarez ith four children of her own and one nephew, Maria Granados usually has a lengthy list of items to purchase for the new school year. She buys school supplies little-by-little as the weeks go by to avoid a large hit to her finances at one time, she said. But this year, Granados attended Mission CISD’s Back to School Bash where she was able to get the children backpacks and school supplies for free. “Oh, this helps me a whole lot because seeing that I have so many little ones, it’s hard,” Granados said. “And then I’m not working, so this helps me big time. It’s more money now that I can use to buy them clothes and shoes.” For the second year,

MCISD has partnered with other entities in the community, such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Club, to provide free school supplies to the students of Mission CISD. The district gave away 2,474 backpacks with school supplies, which is 400 more than last year. Most of the backpacks were given out within the first hour and a half, according MCISD spokesman Craig Verley, and some schools were even offering free books. All supplies were acquired by donation and no district funds were used. In addition, the Mission Lions Club offered free eye exams, and other medical professionals offered immunizations and sports physicals for a cheaper price. Students from both Mission

See MCISD 12

TOP: Cosmetology students provide free haircuts to Mission CISD students for the second annual Back to School Bash. BOTTOM: Students play games for free trinkets at MCISD’s backpack and school supply giveaway. Progress Times photos by Lea Victoria Juarez

“We want all our children to be as excited as they can be about school on the first day.” – Superintendent Ricardo Lopez

INSIDE

Benavides gets key to the city

City leaders honored La Joya ISD Superintendent Alda T. Benavides with a key to the city in a ceremony Tuesday. See story page 3

INDEX

emolition and relocation of infrastructure at Mission High School are ahead of schedule, according to Rick Rivera, executive director for facilities and maintenance. The contract deadline is Sept. 19, but Rivera said the project could wrap up “any day now.” The board approved substantial completion of that portion of the project at Wednesday’s meeting. A substantial completion designation means the majority of the work is done and contractors are now working on a punchlist of smaller items to complete. Also Wednesday, the board approved change orders to the renovations project. Although the changes are part of the contingency plan, the architect did not note them in the initial assessment. The changes will cost an additional $38,200 for the more than $28 million project, which included demolishing the Eagle Café, the pavilion and cafeteria building and constructing a two-story academic building and a fine arts building “In the next project ... things like this need to really be looked at because it goes way over the projected monies, and then we have to be paying for this,” board member Petra Ramirez said. Construction of the Mission Colligate High School, a $13.6 million project, is scheduled to have substantial completion by Aug. 16 but is

also ahead of schedule. The district is awaiting the certificate of occupancy, which is expected to be approved this week. The board also approved a fitness room for the collegiate high school. It was originally a professional development room. Initially, the dining area was supposed to incorporate a gymnasium-like setting, but now students will earn their physical education credit in the fitness room. Salinas, Alton, Cantu, Cavazos and Waitz elementaries also had their track projects receive approval for substantial completion. At the facilities committee meeting Aug. 5, Rivera said O’Grady, Escobar/Rios, Marcell, Williams, Castro and Bryan elementaries should be receiving substantial completion by mid-August. Midkiff Elementary should receive substantial completion by late August, and Leal and Pierson elementaries should receive substantial completion by September. All of the track projects are on schedule, Rivera said. The Veterans Memorial High School cosmetology lab also received substantial completion and is on schedule. But Mission and Alton Memorial Jr. High were 17 days behind schedule with their canopies project and the board approved 14 additional weather days at the Wednesday meeting. However, Rivera said the architect is approving substantial completion this week.

Entertainment | pg. 2

Lifestyle | pg. 6

Local women put themselves first

Agua SUD to look at Mile 7 tower

The Foundation at Mission Regional Medical Center held its eighth annual Ladies First Luncheon with guest speaker Martha Ramos Duffer. See story page 3

Opinion | pg. 4

Sports | pg. 8

At the request of La Joya ISD, Agua SUD board members agreed to hire an engineer to check the integrity of water tower after flooding event. See story page 5

Obituaries | pg. 9

Classifieds | pg. 11

entertainment

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

UTRGV ‘Patron of the Arts’ expands Valley wide g n i Com Attractions E

August 14 • Quiet Riot, the rock and roll phenomenon, will be live at Louie’s Backyard on South Padre Island at 11 p.m. Described as the first heavy metal band to top the charts, the Los Angeles quartet became an overnight sensation thanks to their monster 1983 smash album Metal Health. The band boasts the talents of Frankie Banali, bassist; Chuck Wright, guitarist; Alex Grossi and vocalist Jizzy Pearl. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit rgvevents.com. August 15 • The Chingo Bling live comedy show at Boggus Events Center, 3000 N. Cage I Pharr, begins at 7 p.m.. Tickets range from $15 to $35. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com or call 800-7453000. August 20 • A closing reception for the Upper Valley Art League’s “Tower Artists” exhibit begins at 5 p.m. in the Chase Tower lobby at 10th and Business 83 in McAllen. It features the works of popular artists Irma Garza-Garcia, Richard Hyslin, Veronica Jaeger, Cristina Materon, Jessica Monroe, Carol Plumb, Luis Ramirez and Sue Sill. This is part of the “Art in Work” program sponsored by UVAL allowing artists’ works to be seen and sold in high traffic locations.Light refreshments will be served. The reception is free and open to the public. August 21 • Osmani Garcia, “La Voz,” performs at the Boggus Ford Events Center, 3000 N. Cage in Pharr. The show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 for continental rows, $25 to $40 for reserved seating and $25 general ad-

By Vicky Brito

mission. Go to ticketmaster. com or call 800-745-3000 to purchase. August 22 • State Farm Arena in Hidalgo hosts Paramount’s Laser Spectacular, featuring the music of Pink Floyd. Doors open at 7 p.m., the show begins at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15 to $45 and are available at ticketmaster. com or by calling 800-7453000. • The Randy Rogers Band is back in the Valley for a performance at the Boggus Ford Events Center. Located at 3000 N. Cage, Pharr, doors open at 7 p.m. The show is appropriate for all ages, and reserved seating is available. Tickets range $28 to $48 per person. Go to ticketmaster. com or call 800-745-3000 to purchase. August 30 • Chayanne performs at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets prices start at $66.50 all the way to $172 per person. Go to ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000 to reserve a seat. September 1 Deadline • Season subscriptions and tickets are now on sale through Sept. 1 for Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra 2015 season. Performances kick off Sept. 24 in a new venue at the Performing Arts Complex auditorium of the University of Texas Rio Grande. To reserve a spot, call the VSO Box Office at 6611615. For more information, go to valleyorchestra.org or stop by the VSO Box Office located inside the first floor of the Chase Neuhaus Tower at 200 S. 10th St., Ste. 104 in McAllen. Group, senior and student discounts also are available.

D I N B U R G / BROWNSVILLE – The arts entertainment scene in the Valley is expanding with the creation of the University of Texas-RGV and the merging of UTPA and UT-Brownsville. Performances for the 20152016 season of Patron of the Arts can now be found on both the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses. Patron of the Arts was created in 1984 to provide the community and students with opportunities for learning and enrichment through live events by professional guest musicians and visual arts. The program celebrated its 30th season last year in Brownsville, and this year, Edinburg joins Patron of the Arts. In April, the Edinburg campus inaugurated a new, 1,000-seat Performing Arts Complex where the campus can now house a variety of performance types. “This program was started on the Brownsville campus 30 years ago, and over the years it has grown from something very modest to a full season from September to June of more than 50 performances by faculty, by students and by guest artists we bring in from around

The Bravo Opera Company, in its annual performance of Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel,” in one a 2014 Patron of the Arts production. (Photo by Jennifer Wiley.)

the country and internationally,” said Jennifer Cahn, Brownsville coordinator of Patron of the Arts. The program now is called UTRGV Patron of the Arts. Membership includes admission to visual art exhibits in the Charles and Dorothy Clark Galleries on the Edinburg campus and at the Art Gallery at Rusteberg Hall on the Brownsville campus. The Brownsville Campus will host 21 shows in the fall and 22 in the spring, while Edinburg will host 14 performances in the fall and 17 in the spring. In all, patrons will have access to more than 70 shows per ac-

ademic year. The Brownsville Campus will host nine guest performers in various genres from piano to string quartet. Performing at both campuses are Mark Fouxman, piano; Borealis Brass; Ekachai Jearakul, guitar; and Kevin Bobo, marimba. Individual tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children and senior citizens and $5 for students with valid I.D. for special guest performances. Individual admission for faculty shows is $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, children and UTRGV students, with ID. Admission to student ensembles is

$5 for everyone. Yearly membership is also available. For $20, a student with valid ID can get a yearly pass. Membership for the public ranges as follows: Patron, one pass for $50; Benefactor, two passes, $75; Angel, six passes, $100; Cherub, eight passes, $250; Seraph, 10 passes, $500; Archangel, 12 passes, $1,000; and Saint, 20 passes, $2,000. A pass gives access to all performance and visual arts events (gallery showings) Call Tony Casas, Edinburg campus senior program coordinator, at 665-3471 for more information on memberships or tickets.

season on Oct. 15 with Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus’ adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s classic novel “Crime and Punishment.” The opening production runs through Oct. 18 and is followed by Beth Henley’s comedy “The Miss Firecracker Contest,” from Nov. 19 to 22. In the spring, STC Theatre will bring romance onto the stage with William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” from Feb. 25 to 28. The season wraps up with

the Rio Grande Valley premiere of Raul Castillo’s “Between You, Me and the Lampshade” that runs April 28 to May 1. All Sunday matinee productions are ASL interpreted by student interns from STC’s Interpreters Training Program. Individual ticket prices for Main Stage productions are $5 for students/ faculty/senior citizens/military and $10 general admission. Individual Studio productions cost $5 for general admission.

A Season Pass is also available that allows patrons to attend all the productions for the season and choose between general or reserved seating. All subscribers also receive special deals for any additional guest performances that may arise throughout the year. General Season Passes are $15 for students/faculty/senior citizens/military and $25 for the community. Reserved seating season subscriptions are $25 for students/faculty/senior citizens/military and $35 for the community. Season Passes can be purchased online at kioskportal.southtexascollege.edu/marketplace.aspx . For more information, call 872-2301.

STC Theatre 2015-16 season filled with classics, fireworks, and secrets

outh Texas College Theatre returns for the sixth year with a full lineup of productions for the 2015-16 season celebrating classics, fireworks and secrets. The general public is invited to take advantage of the entire lineup with as a Season Pass subscriber. All productions will be held at STC’s Cooper Center for Communication Arts, located at the Pecan Campus, 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. STC Theatre opens the

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La Joya offers superintendent key to the city

By Julie Silva a Joya ISD Superintendent Alda T. Benavides, recently named Regional Superintendent of the Year, was honored Tuesday with a key to the city of La Joya at a special meeting. Mayor Fito Salinas emphasized he was on the La Joya Independent School District Board of Trustees when Benavides was hired. “Not only is she student

oriented, but she’s also teacher oriented – worker oriented,” Salinas said, describing how Benavides has worked to increase salaries at the district. “She’s the best superintendent that we’ve had,” he later added. For her part, Benavides said her success is due to a team of people working together. La Joya ISD’s slogan is “Transforming Lives, Transforming Communities,”

and Benavides said that’s what the district aims to do. One of the projects the district is most excited about, she said, is creating a health science academy to train the area’s future nurses and doctors, any student who wants to go into the medical field. The district will start with 100 students and is still recruiting. Over Benavides’ tenure as head of the district, it has expanded from one high school to three. The college and career center has helped more than 1,100 dropouts obtain a high school degree. The district also expanded to in-

clude academies with smaller teacher-student ratios for students falling behind in the traditional high schools and created three early college high schools for students who will be the first-generation to go to college. “I feel that I’ve been a role model, especially for young girls to prove that anything is possible, especially when you put your mind to it,” Benavides said. Benavides is a product of La Joya ISD and is the daughter of the late Pablo Treviño and Brigida Treviño. She has two children, Lucas and Mathew Benavides.

Reminiscing... 30 Years Ago This Week

La Joya City Commissioner Mary Salinas presents the key to the city to La Joya Independent School District Superintendent Alda T. Benavides. Benavides was recently named Regional Superintendent of the Year.

A Mission runner received a scholarship Sergio Sanchez was awarded an athletic scholarship to San Jacinto Junior College. Sanchez was a three-year letter winner in cross country and track for the Mission Eagles. The city manager hunt was narrowed to five The quest of a city manager for the city of Mission continued and the number of applicants under consideration was reduced to five. The new city manager would replace Benito Lopez. Names of the applicant finalists were James Miceli of Del Rio; James Turner of Grenada, Mississippi; J. Jay Newton of Kansas; Mark Watson of Stanford, Texas; Kenneth Hammons of Dublin, Georgia. Casillas was hired as LJHS band director Charles L. Casillas, the newly named band director at La Joya ISD was originally from San Marcos, though he came to La Joya from Lewisville High School. Four local netters earned state honors Five Mission qualifiers attended the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation State Tennis Tournament and four reached the finals. Angelica Flores, recent Mission High graduate, placed second in the women’s open singles division. Karla Corpus was state champion in the girls 10 and under singles division. Also winning a state championship was Laura Flores in the girls 12 and under singles division. The doubles team of Laura Flores and Maritza Gutierrez placed second in the state girls 12 and under division.

Ladies of Mission put themselves first

By Lea Victoria Juarez you believe it’s going to kill you, it actually might,” she omen learned that said. “But the good news is it was not only OK the findings in neuroscience to put themselves are telling us that we have first, but it’s actually benefi- more power than we may cial to their well-being last ever realized to create lives week when the Foundation that we love and to create at Mission Regional Medical health and well-being.” Center held the eighth annuShe had the guests partical Ladies First Luncheon to ipate in engagements at their raise awareness about wom- table that correlated with topen’s health. ics in her speech. Each told Guest speaker Martha her neighbor two things they Ramos Duffer, a clinical were grateful for to focus psychologist in Austin, had a their energy on what was gogoal for the 300-plus attend- ing right in their lives. They ees – teach women how to practiced breathing slow and support themselves. heavily for a few seconds to “It’s OK to come first,” improve heart rate variabilsaid Duffer before she had ity, which can be known to the guests in the Corinthian decrease anxiety, depression Ballroom repeat the phrase. and trauma symptoms over Duffer spoke of the time. At the end, the guests many hats that women wear stood in a “power stance” to on a regular basis – moth- practice the idea that actions er, daughter, professional, create thoughts and feelings, wife – and cited that chronic not vice versa. stress from daily activities Each exercise was meant can actually cause death. In to allow them to briefly exaddition, she cited research perience the benefits of pracwithin the last five to 10 tices and how they can easily years that says how toxic fit them into their everyday stress is to the body is direct- lives. Duffer said that ally correlated to a person’s though the attendees might beliefs about stress. See LADIES 10 “Now it turns out that if

opinion By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

USTIN — Even if the Texas Legislature did not intentionally pass a voter identification law that illegally discriminates against voters who are black, Hispanic or poor, the practical effect of the law is discriminatory and in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act. A 49-page opinion of a three-judge panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals was released on Aug. 5. The panel ordered that much of the case be remanded to a federal district court in Texas for further consideration. When the Legislature passed Senate Bill 14 in May 2011, plaintiffs led by then-state Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth filed suit, naming then-Gov. Rick Perry, the secretary of state and the chief of the Texas Department of Public Safety as defendants. Plaintiffs argued that the intent of the law was to suppress the minority vote and the law’s requirement that a voter, to cast a ballot in person, must first present one of several forms of photo identification in addition to their voter registration certificate, amounts to an illegal poll tax. The U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, agreed and top state officials, acting on behalf of the state, appealed. In its multi-part ruling, the Fifth Circuit panel: — Vacated plaintiffs’ claim that the law is discriminatory in purpose and remanded that issue to the district court for further consideration. — Affirmed the district court’s finding that the law does have a discriminatory effect and thus is in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, but also remanded that issue to the district

court “for consideration of the proper remedy.” — Vacated the district court’s holding that SB 14 is a poll tax and rendered judgment in the State’s favor. — Dismissed plaintiffs’ claims that SB 14 violates the First Amendment (freedom of speech) and Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection). Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 5 said: “In light of ongoing voter fraud, it is imperative that Texas has a voter ID law that prevents cheating at the ballot box. Texas will continue to fight for its voter ID requirement to ensure the integrity of elections in the Lone Star State.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said: “Today’s ruling was a victory on the fundamental question of Texas’ right to protect the integrity of our elections and the state’s common sense Voter ID law remains in effect.” The Texas Democratic Party issued a statement saying, “On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas’ discriminatory voter ID law — passed by Republican lawmakers and signed by Governor Rick Perry — violates Section 2 of Voting Rights Act.” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said: “Texas Democrats believe that our nation and democracy is stronger when everyone is invited to participate in our electoral process. … We remain confident that the courts will find justice for Texas voters and ultimately strike down this racist and discriminatory law.” TEA releases 2015 ratings Texas Education Agency on Aug. 7 released the 2015

state accountability ratings for more than 1,200 school districts and charters, as well as the more than 8,600 campuses statewide and said the ratings reveal that 94 percent of school districts and charters across Texas have achieved the rating of Met Standard. Districts, campuses and charters receive one of three ratings: Met Standard, Met Alternative Standard or Improvement Required. Districts, charters and campuses can appeal the rating and final ratings based on the outcomes of appeals will be released in late October or early November, said Education Commissioner Michael Williams. Ratings can be accessed at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/ perfreport/account/2015/index.html. Abbott reacts to president President Obama on Aug. 3 announced the finalization of “America’s Clean Power Plan” which he called “the biggest step we’ve ever taken to combat climate change” and said, “This plan sets the first-ever carbon pollution standards for power plants while providing states and utilities with the flexibility they need to meet those standards.” Gov. Abbott on Aug. 3 reacted to the announcement, calling it “an environmental rule imposing steep cuts on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.” “Not only will this rule result in higher energy prices for consumers, it will cost thousands of jobs,” Abbott said. “As we have in the past, Texas will lead the fight against an overreaching federal government that seems hell-bent on threatening the free-market principles this country was founded on.”

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Cornyn introduces Mental Health and Safe Communities Act

ASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced legislation designed to enhance the ability of local communities to identify and treat potentially dangerous, mentally ill individuals. The Mental Health and Safe Communities Act will help fix the existing background check system without expanding it, increase the use of treatment-based alternatives for mentally ill offenders, and improve crisis response and prevention by local officials. The bill is endorsed by a diverse group of organizations, including the National Rifle Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and

the National Association of Police Organizations. “While potentially dangerous mentally-ill individuals are often known to law enforcement and local officials, gaps in existing law or inadequate resources prevent our communities from taking proactive steps to prevent them from becoming violent,” Cornyn said. “This legislation will strengthen programs that promote preventative screening and crisis response training so that we can better understand and treat the factors which may endanger public safety,” Cornyn continued. “By giving our communities the resources necessary to recognize and prevent acts of

violence, we not only protect American families, but help those affected by mental illness.” The bill has been endorsed by key national organizations, including: • National Rifle Association • National Alliance on Mental Illness • National Association of Police Organizations • American Correctional Association • American Jail Association • Council of State Governments • Treatment Advocacy Center • National Association of Social Workers

Attorney General Paxton to RadioShack: Don’t short-change consumers The Texas Attorney General’s Office this week asked a U.S. bankruptcy court to compel the former RadioShack to provide notice of bankruptcy proceedings to 2.9 million customers holding approximately $46 million in unredeemed gift cards. This would allow consumers to meaningfully participate in the bankruptcy plan process, as they are entitled by law. “Due to RadioShack’s actions, millions of customers are at risk of being shut out of the bankruptcy process, and they have every right to have their voices heard,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. “Just as my office successfully fought to secure the privacy of RadioShack customers, we will remain vigorously committed to ensuring consumers who hold unredeemed gift

cards aren’t short-changed.” To date, RadioShack has failed to give any notice of the claims process, or even notice of the filing of bankruptcy, to holders of unredeemed gift cards. RadioShack’s proposed plan of liquidation, which the company is seeking to confirm next month, would only provide notice after the plan is confirmed. Attorney General Paxton is asking the court to accelerate a hearing on today's motion to compel notice. The legal fight between the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the former electronics retail giant centers on whether unredeemed gift cards are entitled to priority treatment for payment ahead of general unsecured claims. While the former RadioShack’s general unsecured creditors are anticipat-

ed to receive only pennies on the dollar, consumers with priority status will be paid in full. RadioShack argues that only a gift card purchaser who still holds the gift card may be entitled to priority treatment, and all other unredeemed gift card holders are not entitled to any priority. Attorney General Paxton contends that consumers holding unredeemed gift cards with limited exceptions are entitled to this priority treatment under applicable law. A U.S. bankruptcy court last month ruled Texas’ case can move forward. Other states filing proofs of claim on behalf of their citizens for unredeemed gift cards are: Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Virginia.

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1217 N. Conway • Mission, TX (956) 585-4893 MEMBER 2015

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.

LETTER GUIDELINES

Letters to the Editor are welcome but must conform to certain guidelines. All letters must be original, dated, signed and bear the complete name, address and phone number of the writer/signer. No photo copied letters will be printed. No letters addressed to others will be printed. Letter content must be relevant to concerns and interests of Mission and the surrounding area. Relevance is determined by the editor. 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.

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Agua SUD to check water tower after flooding

By Julie Silva gua SUD board members agreed last week at the request of La Joya ISD to hire a structural engineer to take a look at a water tower on Western Road, near Mile 7. The tower sits on property behind Juarez-Lincoln High School, which experienced extreme flooding earlier this year. Oscar “Coach” Salinas, Agua Special Utility District’s community relations director who also serves as a trustee on La Joya ISD’s

board, said flooding at the school was so bad the district had to have trucks come in and haul off the water. A portion of Mile 7 was closed off to traffic at one point and the school district called pest control because snakes were found in the school as well as a brown recluse spider. All during that time, he said, the land by water tower behind the school was flooded. La Joya ISD is working to repair the damage to its property, and school administrators noted that the tower should also be checked. “I wanted to get a structural engineer to come in and look at the soils and make sure the tower’s where it’s supposed to be at and that it’s not damaged for any reason or that it has any possibilities of damaging anything else,” said Julio Cerda, Agua SUD executive director. Four of Agua SUD’s board members are employees of the school district, and Salinas noted some came from work to attend the special meeting scheduled for 12:45 p.m. on Thursday. “I think the most important thing here we have to look at is student safety,” said Everardo Chapa, board president and assistant vice principal for La Joya ISD. “We want to make sure that this is priority, first and foremost.” Now is the time to look La Joya ISD officials called on Agua SUD to assess potential damage to a water tower on Western Road (shown here) after extreme flooding near Juarez-Lincoln H.S. earlier this year.

Jared Rodriguez assists volunteers indexing vital records for use in genealogical research. Over 100 volunteers participated in the indexing event hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Speer Memorial Library Wednesday.

LDS Church volunteers index vital records

embers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others interested in genealogical records are participating in a week-long initiative of indexing vital records for genealogical research, Aug. 7-14. More than 100 volunteers met at Speer Memorial Library in Mission on Wednesday evening to learn how to index various records that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gathered and scanned to make them easily accessible those doing genealogical research. L. Brice Chandler, stake president of the McAllen West Stake of the LDS Church, said during the indexing initiative, as well as anytime afterward, the public is invited to log into FamilySearch.org, where there are all types of records – death certificates, birth certificates, WWII registration cards, immigration records, census records and many others – and volunteer to help with indexing these records. Indexing is the process of taking key information from these records and entering it into an online searchable database at FamilySearch.org so anyone can search to find their ancestors. Jared Rodriguez, who was on hand at the library Wednesday evening to assist the volunteers who were using the system for the first time, said, “We are indexing for FamilySearch.org to assist people who want to find out more about their ancestry. FamilySearch.org has a database where people can

log on, free of charge to find their ancestors.” More than 3.5 million people have already volunteered as indexers on FamilySearch.org, and more than 13 million records have been contributed since FamilySearch began indexing in 2006. While the week-long initiative was established to try to get more people involved, indexing will be an ongoing process, as volunteers help to expand access to the world’s largest free archive of genealogical records. For more information about indexing, go online to FamilySearch.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Family History Library, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the largest genealogical library in the world and provides access to many collections of records, with more than two billion names of deceased people. It contains records from more than 100 countries, covering everything from 14th-century English church records to African oral histories. An average of 2,400 people, including many visitors from Europe and Asia, visit the library each day. In addition to the main library, there are more than 4,500 local family history centers worldwide, often located inside Church meetinghouses. Their purpose is to teach people how to search for their ancestors. They’re staffed by local Church members who volunteer their time, and all these services are provided free of charge.

at the tower, Salinas said, before school starts and with few students on campus. The school district feels responsible for the flooding, Salinas

said. It has had issues with drainage since the school was built less than a decade ago. “This should not be Agua

SUD’s problem, but at the end of the day, Mother Nature is everybody’s problem,” Salinas said. “The school district is very happy

… to sit down with Mr. Cerda if there is anything that needs repair. The school district would also play a partner with Agua to do that.”

lifestyle

$5 sale supports MRMC Auxiliary

he Mission Regional Medical Center Auxiliary is sponsoring a “$5 Jewelry and Accessories Sale” on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at the Mission Chamber of Commerce, 202 West Tom Landry. “Auxiliary Members are very excited about this new fundraiser and invite the community to help us make it a successful event,” said

Dora Banda, Auxiliary president. “The sale will include a wide selection of jewelry and accessories and the best thing about it is the price – $5 per item.” Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted. Proceeds from Auxiliary fundraising events are used to purchase equipment and support the medical needs at the nonprofit community hospital. For more information, call 323-1104.

BETWEEN the bookendS

Speer Memorial Library

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

By William Renner et ready to join the book discussion of “Gone Girl” by picking up a copy at Speer Memorial Library located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission. The discussion group meets on Tuesday, Sept 1, at 6:30 p.m., in the library’s Community Room. For 2015, the library will be providing an added incentive to participate in our Morton’s Book Club. Speer Memorial Library was the recipient of the Texas Reads Grant and will make free copies available, while supplies last, to people who sign up for the discussions. This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. As the story begins, it is the morning of Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. But when Nick returns home from work later

that day, he discovers that his wife is missing. Nick, along with his sister and Amy’s parents, begin working with the police and the media to find Amy, setting up a command center and tracking down leads in the case. However, as the police investigation continues and media attention grows, facts emerge about both Nick and Amy that cast doubt on their integrity—and that cast suspicion on Nick in Amy’s disappearance. But did Nick plan a crime? And what really happened that day? First published in 2012, author Gillian Flynn weaves a psychological tapestry of two troubled people in a marriage gone wrong. This suspenseful mystery is a “who-done-it” thriller that will keep the reader engaged page after page. This title is also available as an eBook at mission.lib. overdrive.com. For more information, or to sign up for the book discussion, call 580-8750 or 580-8754 or stop by the library to register.

cALLEN – The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS), with R Communications, invites the community get ready for the new school year with their annual Back-to-School Bash 2015. It takes place at IMAS, located oat the corner of Bicentennial and Nolana Ave. in McAllen, on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual event starts off the start of the new school year by providing a day of free general admission to the museum filled with fam-

Ignacio Mendoza recently graduated Summa Cum Laude and as salutatorian from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University for the 2015 class. The graduation ceremony was held May 15 at TSU in Houston. Mendoza is a 2006 graduate of Veterans Memorial High School and the son of Ignacio and Veronica R. Mendoza of Mission.

OWA CITY, IA – Ivonne Villa, a University of Iowa student from Mission, was named to the university's President's List for the spring 2015 semester. To make the list, a student must have a minimum 4.0 grade point average in all academic subjects for the preceding two semesters, with a total of at least 12 semester hours of credit per semester during that period. Like Us on Facebook: Mission ATPE Local

MISSION ATPE

Welcome You Back to a Wonderful and Exciting New School Year! LOOKING FORWARD IN WORKING WITH YOU.

Teachers, para-professionals, secretaries, librarians, nurses, counselors, administration, coordinators, coaches, band/choral directors, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, maintenance staff, security guards. Plus more. Over 115,000 members statewide. Member Owned and Governed. *Information of categories on each application. President – Angie Treviño, O’Grady Elementary (bottom right); Vice president – Sarah Morales, O’Grady Elementary (bottom left); Secretary – Mayte Flores, Ralph Cantu Jr High (top right); Treasurer – Matilde Reyna Bryan Elementary (top left) • Unmatched Protection • Effective Advocacy • Exclusive Service Discounts

• Attorney’s available 24/7 • Valuable resources • Questions? Call (956) 703-9858

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ily-oriented activities: magic and puppet shows, live animal talks, face painting, arts and crafts, and free books. The first 300 students will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies for the new school year. Visitors to the museum will have access to its various science and art exhibits, including “3, 2, 1…Blast Off!” and an astronomy exhibit from the Johnson Space Center in Florida. For more information, call 682-0123.

Things to know about microchips and pets

ith growing technology in the veterinary field, measures of protection for companion animals now available to owners at a low cost, microchipping is growing in popularity and efficiency. A microchip is a glass-encased device that bears an identification number unique to every marked animal. Once the microchip is inserted under the animal's skin and registered with the device’s company, the microchip can be activated with

Looking for a few campus representatives to join our team.

The Largest Educators Association in Texas and Mission

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Visit our Website: www.region1atpe.org/missionatpe Protection.....Advocacy.....Resources.....Philosophy

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IMAS plans Back-to-School Bash

Making the grade

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August 14, 2015

a scanner at a veterinarian's office or local animal shelter. With no batteries or power source required to activate a microchip, this device will provide a permanent identity for your pet that will last their entire lifetime. Many owners protect and identify their pet with a personalized collar which may fall or slip off, and personalized tags may become unreadable after several years. Microchips do not face any of these challenges and have no chance of being removed, no matter where Fido wanders off. Dr. James Barr, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explained, "The biggest advantage is that a microchip can't be lost. It allows access to detailed information about the pet and its owner with a quick phone call to the company." He further explained that the process of installing a microchip is very quick and does not hurt the animal, contrary to what some owners might believe. "A microchip is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades using a needle and plunger, which is similar to a syringe," he said. "The needle is a rather large needle comparatively to what would be used for a vaccine, but it usually does not require sedation and is only transiently uncomfortable for the animal." Microchips, which are about the size of a grain of rice, can be installed into dogs, cats, horses, ferrets and most other mammals. Anyone considering the method should consult with a local veterinarian to see which companies are most commonly used in your area. He reminds pet owners to not forget to register the chip with their name and phone number. If they move to another address or change phone numbers, it is necessary to update the information with the microchip's company. A microchip will only bring a pet home if the contact information is kept current.

Events Calendar

Aug ust 8 – Pastor Emily Mendez will be the next speaker for Mission Spanish Aglow at their monthly meeting at Taco Ole, 2316 N. Conway in Mission from 4 to 6 p.m. for a merienda. She is pastor of Iglesia Amor Agape Abundante Fe in Reynosa, Tamps., Mex., an ordained minister and prayer counselor at Abundant Grace in Edinburg and a spiritual advisor of the Aglow Lighthouse in Weslaco. For more information, call Liza Gomez at 776-8505; Connie Escamilla, 279-7887; or Delia Bazan, 240-5813. Aug ust 8-9 – Estero Llano Grande, 154A Lakeview Drive in Weslaco, presents Camping with a Ranger, an overnight camping trip for families. The event is limited for up to 10 families. The park will supply all camping gear: tents, lanterns, sleeping pads, cooking stoves and more. Cabins will be offered to the first five families. Families are responsible to bring their own sleeping bag, food and personal items. Cost is $65 per family of six. For more information, call 565-3919. Aug ust 9 – St John of the Fields Catholic Church, 1052 Washington St. in Mission, will hold a chalupa bingo fundraiser from 3 to 5 p.m. Cost is $10 for three cards. Aug ust 12 – The International Museum of Art and Science will present Stars and Skies: Night of Perseids from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. IMAS is located at 1900 W. Nolana Ave. Call 682-0123 for more information. Aug ust 13 – As butterflies begin to emerge across the Valley this fall, learn how to attract them to by making butterfly bait in a program at the Edinburg World Birding Center from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Fruits, like bananas and oranges, can go a long way when combined with other ingredients that butterflies just can’t resist. The fee for this program is $2 for EWBC members and $3 for nonmembers. Seating is limited; call to register in advance. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. For more information, call 381-9922. Aug ust 14 – Estero Llano Grande will hold Full Moon, New Moon Night Hikes from 8 to 10 p.m. Program is free with park entrance fee. Park is located at 154A Lakeview Drive in Weslaco. For more information, call 565-3919. Aug ust 15 – Valley residents are encouraged to experience the joy of pet adoption by participating in Clear the Shelters on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Palm Valley Animal Center and other shelters across the Valley. Interested pet caretakers will be able to adopt a new family pet for a $10 registration fee. All adoptions include all regular services provided with PVAC: spay/ neuter surgery, microchip, first series of vaccinations, rabies shot, 30 days of pet insurance, medical and behavioral testing and collar and identification tags. PVAC is located at 2501 West Trenton Road in Edinburg. For information, call 686-1141. Aug ust 15 – This month the Edinburg World Birding Center invites all toddlers to learn more about rabbits through puppet shows, story-telling, puzzle time, free play, coloring, crafts, and guided walks. The fee per toddler is $2, with one free guardian. Additional family members visiting must pay regular EWBC admission. Space is limited; registration is required. Call 381-9922. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. Aug ust 20 – Educators, formal and informal, can learn how to teach young people about wetland functions, habitat, and wildlife at the Edinburg World Birding Center from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities are adaptable to be used with all grade levels. Teachers receive SBEC and TEEAC continuing education credit. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. Space is limited. Registration is required. Call 381-9922 for more information. Aug ust 22 – The Summer Movie Night in the Park feature at the Edinburg World Birding Center will be “The Nut Job.” The movie will be shown on a large outdoor screen beginning at 8 p.m. The public is encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase. Call 381-9922 for more information. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. Aug ust 29 – Estero Llano Grande, 154A Lakeview Drive in Weslaco, will hold Full Moon, New Moon Night Hikes from 8 to 10 p.m. The program is free with park entrance fee. For more information, call 565-3919. Aug ust 30 – The public is invited to the Frontera Audubon annual meeting which begins at 2 p.m. It is located at 1101 S. Texas in Weslaco. Light refreshments will be served, and the meeting is free to the public. For more information, call 956-968-3275. To see the complete Events Calendar for the coming weeks, go to www.ptrgv.com.

August 14, 2015

Board accepts Rivera’s resignation

ission CISD’s school board accepted Vice President Patricia Rivera’s resignation at a special board meeting Monday morning. Rivera submitted her letter of resignation for “personal reasons” on July 14 and it became effective July 23. The board has not yet decided how or when they will replace the board member of seven years, according to

See RIVERA 10

Mayor cuts 2 cents off tax rate

By Kathy Olivarez ecause Mission ranks number one among small cities in the nation as far as growth rate, Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas asked the Mission City Council to support a tax rate that is a full two cents lower than the current tax rate at $0.4988. The tax rate for 2014-15 is $0.5188. Salinas said the two-cent tax decrease was equivalent to giving almost $1 million dollars in taxes back to the people who pay them. He stated the city is able to do that in spite of the three percent civil service increase. And there is still enough money to purchase some of the equipment the city needs. Salinas said a reporter from Texas Monthly interviewed him on Monday to find out just how he was so successful in increasing growth while many other towns in the country are seeing declining growth rates. A public hearing on the rate will take place at the Council meeting to be held August 24. The two-cent decrease in taxes was welcomed by the OWLS (Objective Watchers of the Legal System), who monitor taxes across the Valley. Speaking as a member of Prosperity for Hidalgo County, Jim Barnes pointed out how much residents of Hidalgo County would be impacted by the cost of the hospital district. Barnes told the council to be aware of the proposed constitutional amendment possibly on the ballot this November that would create a hospital district. In order to

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implement the hospital district, a tax rate of up to $0.25 per $100 valuation would be approved if the amendment passes. For someone with a home valued at $100,000, that could mean an increase in taxes of $250 a year. When Mayor Salinas questioned Barnes about it being on the ballot this November, thinking it was slated for 2016, Barnes replied Judge Ramon Garcia told the Democratic Executive Committee in a recent meeting the money was needed now, and that he would place the item known as HB 1596 on the ballot every year until it passed. In other action, the council took time to honor a number of Mission’s youth who participated in TAAF (Texas Amateur Athletic Federation) state competition. Mission’s Parks and Recreation Director Brad Bentsen said 79 swimmers brought home trophies, medals or ribbons of the 261 youths who participated in Mission’s swimming competition. Nine had second- or third-place medals, while 18 received fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place ribbons. A total of 90 students participated in Mission’s summer track program. Of the 18 who went to state competition three placed in the top six places. Discus thrower Johnny Ray Howell took first place and will be eligible to go to national competition next year. A total of 74 students were in Mission’s tennis program. Approximately 13 of the 16 who went to state competition placed in the top three places and the youth brought home

See CITY COUNCIL 12

RATINGS school districts in groups of 40 to other districts with similar demographics within the state. Each group is called a cohort and Montalvo said several Sharyland campuses came out first or second in their cohorts.

from pg 1

That’s because Sharyland ISD board members want the district to compete not just Valley-wide but statewide, Montalvo said, adding that the district has parents who get involved in their children’s education.

“Anywhere in the state of Texas we’re being compared, and it’s a very fair comparison because they look at the population you serve,” Montalvo said. “That’s something that parents can rest assured know-

ing that not only is my child getting a good education for here in the Rio Grande Valley, they’re getting a great education when you look at the state as a whole.”

August 14, 2015

page 8

Patriots ready to build on last year’s success

By Luciano Guerra here’s another gold football inside the Veterans Memorial Patriots trophy case. It’s a bi-district championship ball that the 2014/2015 Patriots’ football team earned as a result of their 17-14 win over the Donna Redskins. By claiming a bi-district championship and advancing into the second round of the playoffs the 2014 Patriots accomplished something that only the 2010 Veterans Memorial football team had ever accomplished over the school’s 11 year history. As impressive a feat as that was, it wasn’t quite up to the standard Coach David Gilpin has been striving to establish over his six-year tenure as the Patriots head coach. “We did have a very good season last year,” Gilpin said. “Was it great? Are we satisfied with what we accomplished? No but we were 8 – 4 and the four losses came to teams like Edinburg Vela, who made it into the second round of the playoffs, and third round playoff teams like Sharyland, Flour Bluff and Odessa Permian.”

“Our ultimate goal is not to say that we lost to a very good team,” added Gilpin. “Ultimately our goal is to begin picking some of those teams off. But in defense of last year’s team and the job those kids and our coaching staff here did, the bottom line is that we put a gold football in our trophy case and those kids left here as champions.” If the 2015 Patriots are going to achieve the goal of picking off the kind of teams they’ve lost to in the past, they are going to need two players in particular to lead the way – senior inside linebacker Hugo Cabrera and junior quarterback Diego Hernandez. Cabrera, whose 197 tackles last year earned him First Team All-State honors, is the kind of player any coach would love to have on his team. “Hugo has a nose for the football,” shared Gilpin. “He’s not a big guy, maybe 5 foot 8 or so, but he’s strong as an ox. He doesn’t say much but he goes out and makes plays on Friday nights. He’s a true, true warrior.” With the Patriots being one of the pre-season picks

Kevin Liebano (6), Ricky Diaz (7), Roman De Leon (20), Hugo Cabrera (44), Adrian Martinez (5), Bobby Tovar (3) and Diego Hernandez (17) are among the Veterans Memorial players working hard to prepare for the Patriots’ upcoming season. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

to contend for the District 31-5A title, Cabrera is anxious to help his team achieve its full potential. “That’s something that we want to live up to and we trust our coaches to get us there,”

said Cabrera. ”I just want our team to succeed and for us to go as deep as we can into the playoffs. For that to happen we have to trust each other, have everybody do their jobs and play as a team.”

With the unenviable task of replacing Santos Villarreal, the Patriots’ starting quarterback for the past three seasons, Hernandez has his work cut out for him. However the fact that he has his head coach’s complete confidence should make that difficult task much easier to achieve. “I expect no drop-off with Diego at quarterback,” expressed Gilpin. “I expect him to continue the tradition of what our quarterbacks have done here at Veterans Memorial. Santos was a great quarterback, and I miss him already, but we feel that Diego is capable of filling his shoes and keep us right on rolling.” While Hernandez himself does not put much stock in pre-season hype and prognostications, he does have his sights set on a district championship. “Our goal is to take the district title but it’s going to take all of us working hard and playing as a unit to achieve that goal,” shared the 6 foot 2 junior signal caller. “We’re not looking at the pre-season predictions but I know that we’ve been work-

ing hard and we’ve come a long way from last year. We have our eyes set on the title and trying to get to the big dance.” With Veterans Memorials’ two district losses last year coming at the hands of the Sharyland Rattlers and the Edinburg Vela Sabercats, two of the teams that along with the Patriots are expected to finish at or near the top of the standings, Hernandez is using the memory of those losses to motivate him this year. “There’s nothing good about walking home or getting on the bus ride home after a loss,” expressed Hernandez. “It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. So much so that in the off-season when you go into the weight room or you’re working out you have those losses in the back of your head and you’re trying to find a way to get better so those losses are not losses this season.” The Patriots will be hosting the Mission Eagles August 28 in both teams’ non-district opener and will be opening their District 315A schedule at Sharyland High October 2.

Eagles on a mission to improve I By Luciano Guerra

Seniors David Flores (4), Marc Garcia (42), Christian Navejar (78) and Joshua Flores (83) are four of the Mission Eagles’ 13 returning starters this year. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra

t’s been an up-and-down tenure for Mission Eagles head coach Mario Pena. Over the six years that he has coached at his alma mater, the Eagles have compiled records of 10 – 2 – 1, 4 – 6 – 0, 2 – 8 – 0, 9 – 2 – 0, 4 – 5 – 0 and 2 – 8 – 0. If Pena and four of his 13 returning starters have their way however, the roller coaster ride that has been the Eagles’ records over the past six years is about to take a sudden climb to the top as they are determined to take

their District 30-6A opponents for a ride they won’t soon forget. One of those returning starters is David Flores. Having played strong safety as a sophomore and running back as a junior, Flores will be back at strong safety in this his senior season. When asked what the Eagles are doing to turn things around from last year Flores said, “Last season is water under the bridge so you can forget about that season. We’re going into this season with a new attitude and a new philosophy we

call FACT. FACT stands for family, accountability, character and trust. This new philosophy is going to give the team better chemistry and a better bond to play together as a team because last year we did not play as a team.” Fellow senior Marc Garcia joined the Eagles’ varsity as a wide receiver his sophomore season but switched to corner back last year which is where he’ll be playing again this year. Garcia has a different perspective on last year’s two-win season.

See EAGLES 10

August 14, 2015

obituaries

Leonel Gonzalez ISSION - Leonel Gonzalez, 87, passed away on Wednesday Aug. 5, 2015, at Amara Hospice in Edinburg. Born on Sept. 1, 1927, he grew up in McAllen and moved to Hereford. He served as a corporal in the U.S. Army during World War II. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Susana Jackson Gonzalez; seven children, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held on Aug. 8 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Burial followed at San Jose Cemetery in Mission. Lucia Alicia Mercado LTON – Lucia Alicia Mercado, 69, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. Mrs. Mercado was born in Edinburg on Dec. 13, 1945, and resided in Alton throughout her adult life. Survivors include her children, Velma Ochoa, Manuel Mercado III, Fernando Mercado, Carlos Mercado and Yvette Ball; siblings, Belia Villarreal, Zulema Treviño and Abram Ramirez; and 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, Ricardo De Leon; mother, Ramona De Leon; and husband, Manuel Mercado Jr. Interment will be held at a later date.

Notices

Eutiquio Flores LA JOYA – A funeral mass for Eutiquio Flores was held on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in La Joya. Burial followed at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview. Emma Ramirez Guzman PALMVIEW – Emma Ramirez Guzman, 88, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at her home in Palmview. Cremation was held on Aug. 11 at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna.

Julieta Perez Salas ISSION - Julieta Perez Salas, 75, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015. She was born in Linares, Mexico, but lived in Mission for most of her life. Survivors include her children, Maricela Perez, Letty Garcia, Ruth Gaona and Gabriel Perez; and six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gustavo and Tomasa Salas, and siblings, Ruth, Gloria and Jaime. A funeral service was held on Aug. 13 at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission. Burial followed at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in McAllen.

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. Dale Herndon MISSION – A funeral service for Dale Herndon was held on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission. Burial followed at San Jose Cemetery in Mission. Julie Kirby MISSION - Julie Kirby, 63, passed away on Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, at her home in Mission. Lionel Lindley PALMVIEW - Lionel Lindley, 86, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

La Joya ISD continues work to cut budget

By Julie Silva udget officers at La Joya Independent School District continue to chip away at the 20152016 proposed budget, but there’s still a $17.1 million shortfall. Alfredo Vela, assistant superintendent of finance, said expected revenue next year is $287 million, but the district has appropriated $304.1 million in expenses. “We’re going over the budget left and right, top to bottom to try to get the numbers to single digits in a nutshell,” Vela told board members in the district’s fourth budget workshop of the summer. The proposed budget includes a $1,200 bump to teacher salaries, a 75-cent per hour increase for manual and clerical workers and a 2.5 percent raise for nonteaching professionals. The increas-

es will cost the district more than $5 million. Vela said he was looking at cutting the district’s contribution to the workers compensation as one option. Ricardo Villarreal, assistant superintendent of human resources, also went over savings the district could glean from not replacing employees who have left the district.

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881

glow International McAllen Community Lighthouse is hosting a complimentary prayer

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570

McAllen City Commission Monday, August 10, 2015

onday's regular Mcallen City Commission meeting was full of the routine items that cities deal with and that come to the elected people for their approval, things like approving property tax refunds for someone overcharged, zoning decisions, approving applications for grants. Commissioners also decided on something that could make a big impact on how McAllen looks and develops and how it generates taxes. Commissioners selected some time ago Provident Realty Advisors, Inc. of Dallas, to develop the civic center property at South 10th St and the Expressway. That spot is an entryway to the city so how it is developed and how it is designed, what kind of

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413 EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617 EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule.

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

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

NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln.

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

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

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

DAVIS RANKIN, FUTURO MCALLEN

businesses are there, and what kind of impact it makes on residents and visitors are important. At the last meeting, commissioners voted to allow City Manager Roy Rodriguez and City Attorney Kevin Pagan to negotiate an extension to the agreement with Provident and Rodriguez said it has been signed. It gives them until October to get a plan before the commission and also gives them the ability, if they choose, to partner with another developer. Whatever is worked out, Rodriguez continued, has to be brought to commissioners to get their blessing, so the elected people have the ultimate say over what happens. And Rodriguez said the developers have consulted with staffers all along on ideas. At the meeting, they removed from the agenda

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

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

3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5

Mission • 580-4551

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya

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

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

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

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

MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA

ER MAE EPQOU IW PMENT

Commercial Lawn Equipment “Since 1954”

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

KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW

DAVID H. GUERRA

DARRELL DAVIS

301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622

breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 22 with Rose Logan as the guest speaker. The meeting is open to

McAllen Minutes

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665

GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission

“As you can see, we have somber faces because we were looking for $6 million out of this process, and we only found two-point-something million, so we’re going to have to keep looking,” Superintendent Alda Benavides said as Villarreal wrapped up his presentation. Vela said the district has to be careful with the bud-

get because while the state did allocate an additional $6 million for the coming fiscal year, the following year, there will only be a $600,000 to $700,000 increase. “Whatever we adopt today will have an impact on next year’s budget,” Vela said. “There will not be per se additional revenues. All things will remain equal.”

Rose Logan to speak at McAllen Aglow

ChurCh DireCtory BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411

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IMPLEMENT COMPANY, INC. MISSION 585-1618

  

 



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

 

items dealing with city permits needed to develop the 14-acre site. The items were tabled months back and have always been listed on the agenda so commissioners could take up the issue, but they removed them, and have already started going through the permitting process anew. NO! to increasing the tax! Don't look for the McAllen tax rate to go up next year. At least that's what the city manager told The Monitor. The tax rate is 47.63 cents per hundred dollars of valuation, one of the lowest in the Valley. Top managers and city commissioners are holding budget hearings now as they work to get a final document. The budget has to be adopted by Oct. 1, which is the start of the new fiscal year.

the public; call Criselda Alvarado, president, at 5347941 for location and directions. Alvarado stated that the Aug. 22 is a date change from the normal monthly meeting date. While the monthly Mission Aglow meetings are conducted in Spanish, the McAllen Aglow meetings are held in English. Logan is an ordained minister and sought-after conference speaker and an accomplished organizer. She is currently serving as the South San Antonio Aglow president. As founder of “I Give You Jesus Ministry,” she oversees work that includes feeding and clothing the homeless, ministry to the elderly, a jail/ prison ministry, and family outreach through street rallies in the barrios. She is also co-founder of G.I.T.Y. Ministries (God I Thank You) along with her husband. That ministry’s outreach includes the combined efforts of other churches and businesses for gift distribution of toys, food and clothing and the presentation of a living Nativity during December.

ProgressTimes Like Us on Facebook

page 10 Comisión de Calidad Ambiental del Estado de Texas

AVISO DE RECIBO DE LA SOLICITUD Y EL INTENTO DE OBTENER PERMISO PARA LA CALIDAD DEL AGUA RENOVACION PERMISO NO. WQ0012675001 SOLICITUD. Cuidad De La Joya,101 Norte Leo Avenida, La Joya, Texas ha solicitado a la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental del Estado de Texas (TCEQ) para renovar el Permiso No. WQ0012675001 (EPA I.D. No. TX0127337) del Sistema de Eliminación de Descargas de Contaminantes de Texas (TPDES) para autorizar a La Ciudad De La Joya la descarga de aguas residuales tratadas en un volumen que no sobrepasa un flujo promedio diario de 1,470,000 galones por día. La planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticos está ubicada Aproximadamente 1.5 millas sur-sur oeste en la intersección de U.S. Carretera 83 y Camino Rural 2521 en el Condado Hidalgo, Texas 78560. La ruta de descarga es del sitio de la planta a el Rio Bravo aguas avajo De La Presa Falcon. La TCEQ recibió esta solicitud el May 18, 2015. La solicitud para el permiso está disponible para leerla y copiarla en Las Oficinas De La Ciudad De La Joya, Texas. Este enlace a un mapa electrónico de la ubicación general del sitio o de la instalación es proporcionado como una cortesía y no es parte de la solicitud o del aviso. Para la ubicación exacta, consulte la solicitud. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/hb610/index. html?lat=26.228888&lng=-98.488055&zoom=13&type=r AVISO ADICIONAL. El Director Ejecutivo de la TCEQ ha determinado que la solicitud es administrativamente completa y conducirá una revisión técnica de la solicitud. Después de completar la revisión técnica, el Director Ejecutivo puede preparar un borrador del permiso y emitirá una Decisión Preliminar sobre la solicitud. El aviso de la solicitud y la decisión preliminar serán publicados y enviado a los que están en la lista de correo de las personas a lo largo del condado que desean recibir los avisos y los que están en la lista de correo que desean recibir avisos de esta solicitud. El aviso dará la fecha límite para someter comentarios públicos. COMENTARIO PUBLICO / REUNION PUBLICA. Usted puede presentar comentarios públicos o pedir una reunión pública sobre esta solicitud. El propósito de una reunión pública es dar la oportunidad de presentar comentarios o hacer preguntas acerca de la solicitud. La TCEQ realiza una reunión pública si el Director Ejecutivo determina que hay un grado de interés público suficiente en la solicitud o si un legislador local lo pide. Una reunión pública no es una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso. OPORTUNIDAD DE UNA AUDIENCIA ADMINISTRATIVA DE LO CONTENCIOSO. Después del plazo para presentar comentarios públicos, el Director Ejecutivo considerará todos los comentarios apropiados y preparará una respuesta a todo los comentarios públicos esenciales, pertinentes, o significativos. A menos que la solicitud haya sido referida directamente a una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso, la respuesta a los comentarios y la decisión del Director Ejecutivo sobre la solicitud serán enviados por correo a todos los que presentaron un comentario público y a las personas que están en la lista para recibir avisos sobre esta solicitud. Si se reciben comentarios, el aviso también proveerá instrucciones para pedir una reconsideración de la decisión del Director Ejecutivo y para pedir una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso. Una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso es un procedimiento legal similar a un procedimiento legal civil en un tribunal de distrito del estado. PARA PEDIR UNA AUDIENCIA ADMINISTRATIVA DE LO CONTENCIOSO, USTED DEBE INCLUIR EN SU PEDIDO LOS SIGUIENTES DATOS: su nombre; dirección; teléfono; nombre del solicitante y número del permiso; la ubicación y la distancia de su propiedad/actividad con respecto a la instalación; una descripción específica de la forma cómo usted sería afectado adversamente por el sitio de una manera no común al público en general; y la declaración “[Yo/ nosotros] solicito/solicitamos un/a audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso”. Si presenta por parte de un grupo o asociación el pedido para una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso, debe identificar el nombre y la dirección de una persona que representa al grupo para recibir correspondencia en el futuro; debe identificar un miembro del grupo que sería afectado adversamente por la planta o la actividad propuesta; debe proveer la información ya indicada anteriormente con respecto a la ubicación del miembro afectado y la distancia de la planta o actividad propuesta; debe explicar como y porqué el miembro sería afectado y como los intereses que el grupo desea proteger son pertinentes al propósito del grupo. Después del cierre de los períodos para los pedidos y comentarios, el Director Ejecutivo enviará la solicitud y los pedidos para reconsideración o por una audiencia administrativa de lo contenciosos a los Comisionados de la TCEQ para su consideración en una reunión programada de la Comisión. La Comisión otorgará solamente un audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso sobre los hechos reales disputados del caso que son pertinentes y esenciales para la decisión de la Comisión sobre la solicitud. Además, la Comisión sólo otorgará una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso sobre los asuntos que fueron presentados antes del plazo de vencimiento y que no fueron retirados posteriormente. Si ciertos criterios se cumplen, la TCEQ puede actuar sobre una solicitud para renovar un permiso para descargar aguas residuales sin proveer una oportunidad de una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso. LISTA DE CORREO. Si somete comentarios públicos, un pedido para una audiencia administrativa de lo contencioso o una reconsideración de la decisión del Director Ejecutivo, la Oficina del Secretario Principal enviará por correo los avisos públicos en relación con la solicitud. Ademas, puede pedir que la TCEQ ponga su nombre en una or mas de las listas correos siguientes (1) la lista de correo permanente para recibir los avisos de el solicitante indicado por nombre y número del permiso específico y/o (2) la lista de correo de todas las solicitudes en un condado especifico. Si desea que se agrega su nombre en una de las listas designe cual lista(s) y envia por correo su pedido a la Oficina del Secretario Principal de la TCEQ. CONTACTOS E INFORMACIÓN DE LA TCEQ. Todos los comentarios escritos del público y los pedidos para una reunión deben ser presentados a la Oficina del Secretario Principal, MC 105, TCEQ, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087 o por el internet www.tceq.state.tx.us/about/comments.html. Si necesita más información en Español sobre esta solicitud para un permiso o el proceso del permiso, por favor llame a El Programa de Educación Pública de la TCEQ, sin cobro, al 1-800-687-4040. La información general sobre la TCEQ puede ser encontrada en nuestro sitio de la red: www.tceq.state.tx.us. También se puede obtener información adicional de la Ciudad De La Joya a la dirección indicada, 101 Norte Leo Avenida, La Joya, Texas o llamando a Mike Alaniz al 956-580-7002. Fecha de emission: 08-14-2015.

August 14, 2015

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RIVERA

MCISD spokesman Craig Verley. Now that the seat is vacant, the board may fill the seat by appointment or wait until the next election in May 2016.

LADIES

have been uncomfortable, the idea was to have them “come alive.” “When I think about the order of things, often we start with ‘What does the world need?’ But no, start with ‘What makes me come alive,” the psychologist said. “Because when you come alive, then you’ll get to do what the world needs. That’s why today’s title of the luncheon is so important.” Attendee Celeste Martinez said she often finds that she doesn't think of herself first and realized that she needs to take a step back and reflect on herself. “If you’re not okay with yourself then you’re not going to be OK with other people,” the 21-year-old said. “If you’re not happy, how are you

EAGLES

“While last year is water under the bridge we definitely need to look back at it when comparing this year’s team to last year’s,” Garcia said. “We’re better, we’re faster and we’re stronger this year. There’s a better bond holding this team together. There’s leadership and chemistry as well so that’s obviously going to make our team better, like 10 times better than we were last year.” Another three year varsity player for the Eagles is Christian Navejar. Having earned his spot on the varsity squad his sophomore year by playing center, guard and tackle, Navejar has since established himself as Mission’s starting left tackle. With this being his last chance to be part of a winning team Navejar shared what he believes it will take for the Eagles to have a successful season and make the playoffs when he said, “To have a winning season we have to have chemistry and we all have to show up and be accountable. It goes back to FACT. That is what we have to do this year to get to the playoffs and to get where we want to go.”

from pg 7

Rivera faces charges on two counts of theft and one count each of forgery and fraudulent use of identification after her former in-laws accused her of using their identity for

financial reasons. The case is scheduled for court Aug. 24. The last day to reach a plea agreement is Aug. 21.

going to make other people happy? That’s in every kind of relationship.” Celeste’s mother, Meldi Martinez, is in remission after two years with breast cancer. The two sat sideby-side at the luncheon and participated in all the activities, but Meldi said she has been practicing them for years. Her power stance, she said, was refusing a wig and headwrap when she lost her hair during chemotherapy. “For me it’s harder to frown than it is to smile. It’s been two years of, ‘You have cancer; you need a mastectomy; you need this; you need that.’ I’ve gone through everything,” Meldi Martinez said. “But I just broke my leg and I laugh now because I’m like ‘Whatever. It’s not

cancer. It will heal.’” Duffer explained some of the changes in habit people can use to improve their well-being and used the example of an oxygen mask on an airplane to explain her point. If a disturbance occurs in an airplane, passengers are told to put on their oxygen mask first and then help the person next to them. The same, Duffer said, works for everyday life. “If you’ve been taught to focus so much on everyone else’s needs, many of us don’t know what we want, what’s right for us,” she said. “I believe that if we all get the opportunity to be fully ourselves and engage in the work that we love ... we will collectively heal ourselves, each other and the planet.”

Entering his second year on the varsity, senior Joshua Flores will be one of the Eagles’ offensive weapons at wide receiver. As is the case with most of his teammates, having the opportunity to play for the Eagles is something he has looked forward to for many years. “As a kid I always came to the Eagles’ games,” shared Flores. “I would come to the rivalry games and I remember everybody being all hyped up at those games and so was I. Here at Tom Landry Stadium is where my early football memories were formed.” Over Coach Pena’s career he has always been known as a defensive specialist. This year however he will be relying on his offense to help the Eagles return to their winning ways. “Offensively we have nine starters returning,” explained Pena. “We’re expecting our strong suit to be our offensive line. We have two guys vying for the starting quarterback position – William Arias and Rudy Trevino. The offense goes as the quarterback goes so that will be the key to our offensive success.”

On the defensive side of the ball Mission has four starters returning so it will be much more of a rebuilding year for the Eagles’ defense. “We’re really evaluating our defensive personnel right now. That’s what our scrimmages are for - to see who can step up and play varsity football,” Pena said. “Right now we’re setting the mental framework for our team,” added Pena. “We’re talking to the players about core values and what will drive this football team. All we can do from what happened a year ago is to learn and correct to make sure it doesn’t happen again. So aside from the physicality we’re working a lot on the mindset and making sure that we get a commitment from the players and we’re definitely seeing more of that right now than we did a year ago.” The Eagles will be opening their non-district schedule against the Veterans Memorial Patriots August 28 at Tom Landry Stadium and their District 30-6A season at the McAllen High Bulldogs September 24.

from pg 3

from pg 8

NOTICE TO PUBLIC

CITY OF MISSION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FINAL ACTION PLAN 2015-2016 In compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program rules and regulations, the City of Mission hereby announces its Final Action Plan 2015-2016 for its Thirty-second Year Entitlement Program. On July 13, 2015 the Mayor and City Council approved funding recommendations utilizing the following: $923,850

2015 CDBG Allocation 2015 ACTION PLAN PROJECT NAME: FUNDING: PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

(05A) AMIGOS DEL VALLE $ 7,250 Funding will be utilized to provide senior activities at the Arnaldo Ramirez Senior Center. ELIGIBILITY: SENIOR SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME (05A) AMIGOS DEL VALLE FUNDING: $ 25,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will be utilized to provide meals to homebound seniors ELIGIBILITY: SENIOR SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (05A) AREA AGENCY ON AGING FUNDING: $ 10,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will be utilized to assist seniors with medications, hearing aids and dentures ELIGIBILITY: SENIOR SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (05A) SILVER RIBBON FUNDING: $ 5,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will be utilized to assist seniors with rent and rent deposits, utilities and utility deposits, and/or medications, dental, eyeglasses and durable medical equipment ELIGIBILITY: SENIOR SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (05B) EASTER SEALS SOCIETY FUNDING: $ 5,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will be utilized to provide outpatient rehabilitation services. ELIGIBILITY: HANDICAPPED SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (05M) DENTISTS WHO CARE FUNDING: $ 10,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding to provide free dental care to low/mod children at eligible Mission schools. ELIGIBILITY: HEALTH SERVICES 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (05N) CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER FUNDING: $ 10,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will be utilized to provide counseling services for abused/ neglected children and their families. ELIGIBILITY: ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN 570.201(e) PROJECT NAME: (14A) HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDING: $638,288 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding will provide Housing Reconstruction for approximately thirteen (13) eligible low moderate-income families whose homes are not adequate to live in $638,288 ELIGIBILITY: REHAB; SINGLE UNIT RESIDENTIAL 570.202 PROJECT NAME: (14H) HOUSING ADMINISTRATION FUNDING: $ 76,113 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding for staff costs for administration, operation and maintenance expenses relative to the development, implementation, and monitoring of the overall Housing program. ELIGIBILITY: GENERAL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION 570.202 PROJECT NAME: (21A) CDBG ADMINISTRATION FUNDING: $137,199 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding for staff costs for administration, operation and maintenance expenses relative to the development, implementation, and monitoring of the overall CDBG program. ELIGIBILITY: GENERAL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION 570.206 In accordance, with Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, Phase XI of the City of Mission’s Entitlement Community Development Block Grant Program, provides maximum feasible priority to activities benefiting low to moderate income residents and will aid in the prevention and elimination of substandard living conditions within the community of Mission. The activities will be administered and are designed for use by and benefit the residents of neighborhoods predominately consisting of low to moderate-income persons. After the public comment period expires and comments are considered the Final Action Plan 2015-2016 will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, H.F. Garcia Federal Building/U.S. Courthouse, 615 E. Houston Street, Suite 347, San Antonio, TX 78205. For further information on this document, contact Ms. Jo Anne Longoria, Community Development Director at (956) 580-8670.

theclassifieds August 14, 2015

buy • sell • trade • rent • hire

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

Oracion Al Espiritu Santo

Espiritu Santo, tu que me aclaras todo, que iluminas todos los caminos para que yo alcance mi ideal, tu que me das el don divino de perdonar y olvidar el mal que me hacen y que en todos los instantes de mi vida estas conmigo, yo quiero en este corto dialogo agradecerte por todo y confirmar una vez mas que nunca quiero separarme de ti por mayor que sea la ilusion material. Deseo estar contigo y todos mis seres queridos en la gracia perpetua. Gracias por tu misericordia para conmigo y los mios. La persona debera rezar esta oracion 3 dias sequidos sin decir el pedido. dentro de tres dias sera alcanzada la gracia por mas deficil que sea. (Publicar en cuanto se recibia la gracia). Agradece gracia alcanzada. T.R.

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autos

2013 GMC SIERRA $23,000, mileage 14,438, excellent condition, 1 owner, contact Hector 956-9420. 2014 CHEVY EQUINOX must see, call Eddie Vargas 956-451-4008. CHEVROLET CAMARO 2013, 19,379K miles, STK# EM157061, $21,995, call 956616-4059. DODGE CARAVAN 2010, 85K miles, 331 motor, good condition, $9,000 OBO, call 956-631-

Small Taxing Unit Notice

The City of Granjeno will hold a meeting at 6:30 PM on September 8, 2015 at 6603 S FM 494 Mission, TX 78572 to consider adopting a proposed tax rate for tax year 2015. The proposed tax rate is 0.4251 per $100 of value.

The proposed tax rate would increase total taxes in City of Granjeno by 1.00%.

ORDINANCE NO. 4263

8461. TOYOTA SIENNA 2011, one owner, 43,300 miles, new tires, great shape, $19,650, call 956-

Personal classified rate:

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

$7 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

Business classified rate: $15 for 15 words

25¢ each additional word thereafter

225-4197. FORD F150 1996, 4x4 in good shape, strong and dependable, $3,000 OBO, call 956-351 -9696.

forsale

BLACK TRON WHEEL chair carrier $200, portable air heat $200, Mobile

PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Alton will hold a public hearing on Monday, August 31, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at the City Hall Legislative Chambers located at 509 S. Alton Boulevard to consider the following requests: Si desea información en español, llame al departamento de Planeación de la Ciudad de Alton, (956) 432-0760. CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS: Stripes LLC is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to obtain a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit at 523 W. Main Avenue, also legally described as Alton Northwest Subdivision, Lots 3 & 4, Block 6 Alton, Hidalgo County, Texas. Junior’s Supermarket #5 is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to obtain a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit at 215 W. Main Avenue, also legally described as Junior’s Alton (2nd Amended Subdivision, Lot 1, Block 3, Alton, Hidalgo County, Texas.

Gardens 55+, several mobile homes, possible contract, prices right, plus lots for rent, 956532-8600.

helpwanted

NOW HIRING LICENSED Professional Barber, for more information call Henry or Joel at Tatan’s Barber & Styling Shop, 956585-7406 or 956739-0012.

ORDINANCE NO. 4262 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING OF LOT 3, ALEX CAVAZOS SUBDIVISION, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL OPEN INTERIM) TO C-3 (GENERAL BUSINESS) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 10TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2015. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary ORDINANCE 2015-11-0811

An Ordinance of the City of Alton changing the classification for zoning purposes of the following tract of land: a 21.82 acre tract of land out of Lot 391, 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.

The public is invited to attend and express support for or opposition to these applications. You may also file written support or opposition by 12:00 noon on September 8, 2015, for the Planning and Zoning and the City Commission.

READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 11th day of August, 2015.

For questions please call Jeff Underwood, Assistant City Manager at (956) 432-0760.

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

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING FOR LOTS 1 & 2, BLOCK 194, OBLATE ADDITION, FROM C-1 (OFFICE BUILDING) TO C-3 (GENERAL COMMERCIAL) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 10TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2015. Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on August 24, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: 2.49 acres out of Lot 25-5, West Addition to Sharyland Subdivision, from (AO-I) Agricultural Open Interim to (C-3) General Business If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on August 26, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: 3.92 acres out of Lot 205, John H. Shary Subdivision, from (AOI) Agricultural Open Interim to (C-3) General Business; and Rezoning: The West 131.17’ of the East 181.17’ of the South 129.93’ of Lot 160, Addition “A” of Sharyland Orchards Subdivision, from (R-1A) Large Lot Single Family to (C-2) Neighborhood Commercial If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Anna Carrillo, City Secretary Texas Education Agency Division of Career and Technical Education Sharyland Independent School District Public Notification of Nondiscrimination in Career and Technical Education Programs

Agencia Educativa de Texas División de Programas Vocacionales Distrito Escolar Independiente de Sharyland Notificación Pública de No Discriminación en Programas de Educación Vocacional

Sharyland Independent School District offers career and technical education programs in agricultural science, architecture and construction, arts, a/v technology and communication, business management and administration/finance, education and training, health science, human services, information technology, law and public safety, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and transportation and distribution. Admission to these programs is based on interest and aptitude, course sequencing, age appropriateness, and class space availability. Some programs require an application process.

El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Sharyland ofrece programas vocacionales en ciencias agrícolas, arquitectura y construcción, artes, tecnología a/v y comunicación; gestión empresarial y administración / finanzas, educación y entrenamiento, ciencia de la salud, servicios humanos, información técnica, ley y seguridad pública, ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas; y transporte y distribución. La admisión a estos programas se basa en las aplicaciones recibidas, edad apropiada, año escolar, aptitud e interés, y la secuencia lógica de cursos

It is the policy of Sharyland ISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its vocational programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Es póliza del Distrito Escolar de Sharyland no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo o impedimento, en sus programas, servicios o actividades vocacionales, tal como lo requieren el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Título IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación, de 1972, y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda.

It is the policy of Sharyland ISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Es póliza del Distrito Escolar de Sharyland no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, impedimento o edad, en sus procedimientos de empleo, tal como lo requieren el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Título IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación, de 1972, la ley de Discriminación por Edad, de 1975, según enmienda, y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda

Sharyland ISD will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

El Distrito Escolar de Sharyland tomará las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de habilidad en el uso del inglés no sea un obstáculo para la admisión y participación en todos los programas educativos y vocacionales.

For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Rosa O’Donnell, at 1200 N. Shary Rd. Mission, TX 78572, (956) 5805200.

Para información sobre sus derechos o procedimientos para quejas, comuníquese con la Coordinadora del Título IX, Rosa O’Donnell, en 1200 N. Shary Rd. Mission, TX 78572, (956) 580-5200.

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August 14, 2015

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CITY COUNCIL

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17 trophies. Coaches for the program were Laurie De Luna, Larissa Rodriguez, David Perez, Leon Camacho and Katryn Hernandez. In other action, the council approved the adoption of a new Sister City for Mission. H. Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres Estado de Quinta Roo, Mexico, was approved. Salinas will visit the city as it celebrates its 165th anniversary and official Sister City documents will be signed. An agreement for professional services as part of training 141 new police officers at the Mission Police Academy was approved at a cost of $21,150. An interlocal agreement with Palm Valley Regional Animal Shelter for care of animals found in Mission was approved in the amount of $5,000. Animals are taken to the shelter when Mission’s kennels are full, or if an animal needs to be quarantined. Memorandums of Understanding were approved with the Shary Municipal Golf Course and the Mission Consolidated Independent School District and the Sharyland Independent School District for their youth golf pro-

grams for the coming year. Marianna Wright, CEO of the North American Butterfly Center personally thanked the Mission Fire Department for their quick response to wildfires last week. Wright also told the council that pre-registrations for the upcoming Texas Butterfly Festival, Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, was higher than expected at this point. Several of the field trips are already sold out and a second block of hotel rooms had to be reserved after the first group filled. Under board appointments Mayor Pro Tem Norie Gonzalez Garza will once again serve as representative to the Amigos del Valle Board of Directors while Assistant City Manager Aida Lerma will be alternate. Pete Jaramillo was appointed to the Mission Economic Development Corporation board to replace Abiel Flores, who was recently named one of the city’s new in-house attorneys. Attorney Bob Galligan thanked the council for allowing him to serve as interim counsel while the two new attorneys, Flores and Tomas Tijerina were hired.

High and Veterans Memorial cosmetology classes also gave free haircuts to the students. The bash began at 6 p.m. on Aug. 7 at Veterans Memorial High, but the first person secured their place in line at 1 p.m., according to Alton Elementary Principal Adan Ramirez. When he arrived at 4 p.m., the parking lot was already full and cars overflowed into the neighborhoods across from campus. “Not every student is excited the first day of school because that means hardships,” Superintendent Ricardo Lopez said. “They’re not able to have the school supplies to bring in the new year, so this is an event to welcome them with open arms.” According to Lopez, the backpacks they gave away would range anywhere from $20 to $30. The supplies, which included paper, pencils, pens and folders, can cost a parent about $50, depending how many children they have and if they hit the sales. “It’s hard, but I have to do it because my kids need it,” Ganados said. “It takes its toll whenever this time of year comes around, but I’m really grateful for this be-

cause this is helping me a lot this year.” In the cosmetology lab, 150 people, including a wait list, had already signed up for a haircut within the first hour. MCISD cosmetology instructors Carina Cuevas and Irma Bazan said about 50 students were cutting hair and helping out around the facility. “It’s beneficial to our students because they get to see the chaos and fun in the salon and we also get to give back to the community as well,” Cuevas said. “The students feel like it’s very rewarding and they get really excited about working with other kids as well, and that’s different from the classroom experience.” Mission CISD also had its high school fine arts students performing throughout the event. The superintendent said the performances were to not only highlight the programs but to give the younger students something to aspire to. “We want all our children to be as excited as they can be about school on the first day,” Lopez said. “We want them to feel prepared and this is a good way to let them know that we care about them.”

MCISD

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